The characters of Xena, Gabrielle and Autolycus are owned by Renpics apparently, and not only that, I’m not going to make any money from this! Is that justice I ask you?

Timeline: Around the second season

Sex: Just two people in love with each other, who are also women. If that’s a problem according to age or locale, move, or move on.

Thanks to: BlindzonElyzon, Cath, Claudia, JLynn, Leslie Ann Miller, especially Mary Morgan, MyWarrior, Nancy, Power Chakram, Stacia, Temora and all the members of the Tavern Wall and the Bardic Circle. Two places I can still be proud to call home.

Inspired by the far better writings of Melissa Good, DJWP, and by the woman I love.

The pounding in her head was almost enough to make her ignore her abrupt awakening. Barely conscious one moment, the next lifted in strange arms and dragged through some corridor. Despite all of that she somehow managed to keep from groaning and remained limp. It was only when they passed through a doorway and were outside that she realised that something had gone seriously wrong with her plan.

Through her closed eyelids she could see sunlight, and she knew that she’d been unconscious for hours.

As she peeked through the slits of her eyes, she recognised that they were in the town square. It had once been a grand open space, but now it was filled with shacks and shelters for all those who had lived outside the walls and now had no refuge or family. Here the stench of starvation and illness was the most obvious, and it redoubled her desire to do something to help.

She opened her eyes enough to note with relief that she was being taken towards the mine entrance, and that as always there were three tall men on guard. Three large, very familiar looking men, despite their bodies and faces being almost entirely covered by armour and helmets.

At a quick order, her body was roughly transferred to two of them, and the entrance was opened. With one leading ahead of Agathes, and followed by the two holding her, they entered the mine.

If it was possible to drag someone gently, Ikaros and Salmakis were trying to manage it. She opened her eyes in the flickering torchlight to see Agathes’ back just ahead of her with the soldier she knew to be Autolycus proceeding him.

‘What will she say?’ Gabrielle thought as the anticipation rose in her. "No ‘thank you’. Not Xena. Maybe just that crooked smile and feigned boredom. ‘Took you long enough’?’ she laughed to herself.

When they stopped and Agathes moved to unlock the door, the men released her. The politician turned, saying, "Throw her in there..." and stopped, stunned to see the girl standing free with a somehow familiar smile curling around her lips which said, "I don’t think you quite understand the situation here."

But a "Gabrielle!" from Autolycus froze that expression, and she followed his eyes to the interior of the barred chamber.

The cell was empty.

Except for her own Amazon staff.

With an intensity that shocked even her, she was on the small man in a flash, knocking him down and pulling the dagger out of his sheath and holding it to his throat

"Where is she?" she demanded harshly

Agathes was almost too stunned to respond, so the knife point had to prick the sensitive skin below his ear before he began to babble. "She broke. She finally broke. She agreed to work with us... when I told her we had captured you. But only if you were placed somewhere you would be safe. This was the safest place I could think of!"

Gabrielle froze for a moment, not even breathing. ‘She didn’t... believe in me. In the end, I was still... just... Damn Her!’ And it hurt. Deeper than she had ever imagined any emotion could. She let go of the scalp she had been gripping and bowed her head. A sickly chuckle escaped her lips and taking a deep breath, she looked into her prisoner’s eyes.

"She gave her oath?" she asked quietly.

He nodded.

"What were the words? The exact words."

Nervously, he answered. "That until she saw that Rukcal was defeated completely, she would fight for us against all our enemies."

Still holding the knife, Gabrielle rose, and walked away to face the wall.

The others looked at her with concern but waited until Autolycus went to her and asked, "Gabrielle? I’m not big on introspection normally, and this really isn’t the time for it."

The girl turned to look at him from some place far away and then her eyes partially cleared. "I’m fine. And we’re still getting out of here." She cleared her throat and instructed the giant. "Tell him what will happen if we don’t leave here unharmed."

Salmakis smiled and picked up Agathes like a baby and crooned to his ear, "We’re leaving this place, and yer not gonna make even the littlest squeak except to order them to back off. You got me? ‘Cause you want to be alive after this is over, right? It wouldn’t matter how many arrows I get in me, this knife‘ll be ripping into yer spine like you was a fish bein’ cleaned." and then flung the man to the ground. Autolycus pursed his mouth and commented appreciatively. "That was a good threat."

The giant grinned. "I always wanted to be a bard."

"We may need one," Autolycus said, looking to the silent Gabrielle, before approaching her again. He placed a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged it off. "Gabrielle. I can take over, but I need to know... are we talking about leaving the mine, or the city? We have to stick around to get a message to Xena, don’t we?"

She spun around and he was shocked to see the anger burning in her eyes.

"Don’t you get it, Auto? XENA’s the enemy now. Xena gave her word! Don’t you know what that MEANS?" The thief backed away in surprise. Gabrielle raised the knife and waved it in frustration towards the prisoner still lying on the floor. "Look at Agathes. He broke his word to capture her. Now he’s not... He can’t sign a contract, swear an oath, be a judge or part of his family any more. Legally he’s nothing. And Xena? Xena believes all she has is her word, it’s all she holds onto some nights. She could no more break her word then I could..."

Auto caught the hand that held the knife. "Kill someone?"

Gabrielle stared at the blade, and let him take it from her.

"Then we get out while we can? Use him as a hostage to get out of the gates?"

Gabrielle laughed but there was no humour in it. "With Xena in charge? She’d have 10 plans to stop us before we got anywhere near the gates. No, we get out of the mine, but not the city."

"But she wouldn’t..."

"Auto, didn’t you hear him? ‘All of their enemies’. What would you call someone holding their leader hostage?"

"So?"

"We need time, and a place to hide and think."

"Go."

The soldier raised his arm to salute, then stopped. "Yes Ma’am." Xena smiled grimly at that and returned to her lists. Considering that she’d been held in a cell for several days she felt just great. If it weren’t for the one nagging worry... "Gabrielle."

"NO! NO! NO!" The voice behind her was adamant. She didn’t have to turn to know the speaker.

"Ares."

The God of War strolled over and glanced at the papers Xena was studying. "I see you’ve tightened the guard and given orders to have anyone trying to leave the city killed. Good idea."

"Thanks. What do you want?"

The God ignored her question. "After all, it’s vital that no one finds out who’s really in charge now." He materialized a chair behind him and slipped into it gracefully. "We both know you’re the best, and news like that would change everyone’s calculations." As she continued to ignore him, he placed one boot on the table, and then the other. "The very best."

Giving up any pretense at avoiding this conversation she glared at him across the table. "I should have known anything this messed up, had to have you involved somewhere."

Ares shook his head. "Nope, I’m completely innocent." He paused and grinned. "Well, maybe not about some things, but you mortals managed this one all by yourselves. But I must admit I like the way it’s working out."

"You would."

"Admit it, Xena. You missed this. A command of your own? Despite all the nasty suspicions and bad memories these people have of you, in just a few hours you’re already getting those gratifying looks of fear and respect. I love it! And so do you. You feed on that."

"I used to."

"Oh yes, before your conversion. My brother and a little girl tamed the great warrior... yadda yadda." he abandoned the derisive tone and spoke evenly. "They found a weakness and built on it. Haven’t you asked yourself why it was so easy for you to be captured by these idiots? You must know why."

"No, Ares. Why don’t you tell me"

"Because... you’d listened to too many stories told by that irritating blonde, and you... you actually began to believe them. You listened to fairy tales about this hero Xena, and that wonderful strategic mind turned to mush. Weakness, Xena, that’s all this whole conversion has been about."

Ares stood and put his hands on her shoulders, staring directly into her eyes. "Now you’ve been handed another chance. A once in a lifetime chance, Xena. There’s a leadership vacuum here waiting to be filled. Three armies are about to clash head on, and when it’s over, someone is going to hold the richest silver mine in Greece, and the largest fortress on the continent. And with the Corinthian army in tatters, Corinth will be naked. Corinth, Xena. The one blemish on your record, just waiting for you to walk in.

"I hate to see talent, real talent going to waste."

There was one last seductive whisper right by her ear. "This is who you are, this is where you are supposed to be." And with that he vanished.

As always, his gibes unsettled her more than she cared to admit. Was he right? Her usual rule of thumb was that whenever Ares was in favour of something, she only had to take a long look at it before finding the rot underneath.

But why had she ridden into a camp of enemies?

She remembered the first time she had heard Gabrielle tell one of her, one of THEIR adventures. How could she not be affected? Watching that callow though occasionally articulate bard describe her as a champion back then had been a jolting experience, something she had tried to laugh off as a product of too much hero worship. But as their relationship had deepened, as she had learned to respect the young girl, as she had begun to imagine that maybe, just maybe, she was using her sword for a better cause... It had changed her view of herself. That the joy she felt in fighting the smug and powerful was different from the savage glee she had once taken in crushing the same people her new adversaries were oppressing.

But Ares was correct in one detail. Command was intoxicating. It drew on so many of her talents. It was what she did best. There was no indecision, no worry about consequences other than what benefited her plans. It still felt... right.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of tramping feet and Agathes burst into her room followed by his military aides. She glared at him without attempting to conceal her distaste for him or his interruption. ‘A leadership vacuum,’ she thought. ‘Ares had that one right.’

"What do you want now, Agathes?"

The politician’s face was flushed and his robes were in disarray as well. "What do I want?" he shouted. "I want the head of that little bard!"

Xena showed her most derisive grin. "What’s she done to upset you? ‘Good one, whatever it is, Gabrielle.’

"What’s she DONE? Her whole capture was a ruse! It was all a trick to free you!"

With a sinking heart, Xena looked to the aides. One of them took the lead. "Two of the northern lookouts were overpowered during the attack tonight. Somehow it was done with no alarm being raised. While the girl was being brought in, three soldiers infiltrated and took the place of the guards at the mine. When she was taken to your former cell they accompanied our.. leader, and he was overpowered by..." he paused for effect "...the girl."

Agathes stormed about the room ignoring the smirks of his assistant. "She was in charge! She held me down and put a knife to my throat. LOOK!" He tilted his head back and showed the trivial cut.

"I’d say you were lucky it wasn’t me holding the knife," Xena said.

At this Agathes smiled. "Yes, you weren’t there, were you? And that fact seemed to upset her quite a bit."

Though the truth of her mistake was tearing at her insides, guilt was a intimate friend to Xena and she managed to remain outwardly cool. "Where are they now?"

Agathes stopped and pointed his finger at the warrior. "That’s not my responsibility, that’s yours now, isn’t it? I want a house to house search initiated immediately. Or is the word of the Warrior Princess worth so little?"

He never saw anything move that quickly before. It seemed as though one minute the woman was several feet away, and the next she was twisting his arm behind him, forcing him up onto his toes. Whispering into his ear with dark menace, "You’re walking a very thin line here, Agathes, and if you keep it up, I’ll extend the one Gabrielle began on your throat. You got me?"

She dropped him to the ground, and spoke in a more normal tone. "We can announce that we’re looking for some spies, and what the consequences will be if anyone should help them. We’ve already made sure they can’t leave the city. But I am not going to waste men and resources and destroy morale just to find... how many?" She looked over to the soldier who’d spoken before.

"Four including the girl."

"Four people. Just like the rest of us, they’re trapped here, in enemy territory, with no one who will lend them a hand as long as we don’t provoke anything."

Agathes raised himself and sputtered defiantly. "So you’ll do nothing? And what if they are captured, what will you do then? They are OUR enemies."

There was no passion in that stolid face now. "And that’s how they’ll be treated if and when we find them."

On a corner of the shadowed edges of the tented multitude, in what had been the main square, Gabrielle sat by herself, trying to hate Xena.

She was disguised as an old woman, in a row of others segregated by their age and a sense of uselessness in the present circumstances, who each watched the hardships around them with cloudy and helpless eyes.

‘Starving seems to affect different people different ways,’ Gabrielle thought morosely.

Nearby a woman with two hollow eyed children had apparently sold her body for a promise of a chicken. Now with the promise not fulfilled, she stood screaming at a leering man, and enduring the taunts of his friends while the children watched as well. It was only one in a series of disputes she had witnessed as civilization’s veneer crumbled before fear and hunger.

Gabrielle watched the exchange helplessly, knowing that everything depended on her not attracting any attention. Guilt ridden, she thought of the food that they had in the tent just behind her. Sharing it would draw attention. Helping out in the hospice would draw attention. Writing down her thoughts of this moment was also out.... all because Xena would count on it and have people watching for her.

Those eyes.

Even now she was afraid to raise her own to the tower where she knew Xena was plotting. In case somehow the warrior would sense her through her disguise. The thought of her warrior, yes HER warrior, scheming away... Was she listening to her bard’s voice now? Or only Ares’?

Damn her!

‘She withstood torture and a living death, Gabrielle. She finally broke in order to save you.’

Damn her ten times!

Fine. She couldn’t fight her feelings for Xena, her responsibility and conscience at the same time. She would solve this riddle. She had to. For each of the people around her and for Xena in spite of it all.

"Bread? Any bread for work?"

A beggar’s cry broke into her thoughts and she glanced upwards cautiously to meet the smile of Autolycus. He moved to sit beside her, his eyes darting about the masses.

"So how’s the big guy doing.?"

She tried not to look towards the canvass awning where the giant was hidden. "He’s fine, just a little tent fever. Where’s Ikaros?" Since Xena had no doubt given out descriptions of Auto and Gabrielle, and as Salmakis was just too large to not be noticed, only Ikaros could move freely. "Have you got everything?"

Autolycus went through the list of items. "We have the binding twine, the paints and stains and I think this latest batch of soap will make a foam that’ll last for more than long enough."

"Are you sure we need the foam? It hardly fits the symptoms."

"Gabrielle, it’s all about show. And you did ask for our contributions."

"True."

"Are you okay?"

She recognised the concern even as she rejected it. "I’m ready, and that’s all that counts. You picked out the ‘volunteers?"

"Just waiting for the change of guard. With a little help from Salmakis, I think we can press gang a few helpers. So, can I go tell him the good news? It’ll be dark soon, and I think he’d like to be out and bopping a few heads."

"Make sure they’re capable of walking afterwards."

"We don’t want any unnecessary deaths either, Gabrielle."

"They’ll be more effective if they can move. That’s all," she muttered.

"Sure, Gabrielle."

There was that bite in her voice, even as she kept the tone quiet. "Don’t patronize me, Auto. We’ll all do what we have to do."

"Gabrielle... don’t..." the thief found himself at a loss for once.

"Don’t what?"

Auto hesitated, but completed the thought. "Don’t lose what’s most precious to you."

Gabrielle was silent for a moment before answering quietly, "What if I already have?"

Gabrielle would have recognized the signs. The unusual, rare, and very hard to detect mark of a nervous Warrior Princess. She also might have found pleasure in the reasons for it.

No word or action from Gabrielle for one day and night.

Xena was not one for agonizing over opponents or details normally. But never before had she had to face an opponent as unpredictable as this one, or one that knew her as well

Better than anyone in fact.

The answer came as all Tartarus broke loose outside.

She almost leaped over one of the soldiers she had promoted to her assistant as she charged down the stairway.

"Andronicus, what’s going on?" she called as she passed him.

The young man tried to keep up with his commander. "I don’t know, but someone’s yelling about plague!"

When they burst into the barracks, there was tumult. She was shocked to see that several guards had left their stations and panic was in evidence on everyone’s face.

She grabbed the first man she knew was supposed to be on duty and demanded "Why aren’t you at your post?"

Shaking his head, afraid of the one thing that he feared more than this woman, he babbled, "Plague! Men came at us. like zombies like... Like him! Look!"

He pointed at a figure staggering towards them. It was a soldier; his face covered with red blotches. A foam flecked mouth opened and closed as though he was without reason.

Xena snarled. "You idiots! Plague? And rabid at the same time? I don’t think so."

To the amazement of the cowering men she strode directly over to the soldier and wiped away the foam, to uncover twine strapped about his mouth. She hung her head, but her mind was racing. She turned to address the regiment. "They were walking ‘funny’ because they’ve been trussed up to walk that way, and they were foaming and grunting because they have this bit across their mouths and soapsuds painted on." She shouted to the watchman. "Quick! Get up to your post and see what you weren’t supposed to see."

She snapped the cord and demanded of the man, "Who?"

"Two men, maybe three, but it was a witch in charge, in the shape of a girl," he gasped out. "She said to tell you... she sent you a message...."

"Yes?"

"She said she would make you pay."

The warrior closed her eyes, but a something she recognised as faith made her ask: "Did she say ‘make me pay’, or that there would be paybacks?"

The soldier blinked in confusion. "Paybacks. Why?"

Relief. Blessed relief flowed through her and her strained muscles sagged in release. "It makes a difference." ‘All the difference in the world.’

A shout from the top of the walls distracted them all. "I can see... four people, headed for Rukcal’s headquarters! Out of our bowman’s range now."

All turned to see how their commander was taking this, but she simply turned and walked back to her tower. They might have been surprised at her thoughts though.

"Gods speed, Gabrielle. But you will be back, won’t you? For me?"

Day 42: After Midnight

The moon was momentarily obscured by clouds and the resonance of the usual night sounds fell silent in the woods outside Rukcal’s main encampment. Gabrielle quickly moved into her defensive stance, gripping the staff. The rustling sound had come from behind her, and not from the direction she was expecting her visitor. She straightened as Autolycus’ form emerged from the bush.

"Auto?" she hissed in anger. "Get back to the camp! I’m supposed to be meeting Rukcal alone."

"I checked, and he’s nowhere near. So I thought I’d see how you were doing."

Still agitated, she nervously released a puff of air that lifted her bangs for a moment. "I’m fine."

"You keep saying that, but I don’t think so."

"Auto," she cried in exasperation

He shrugged and squatted his frame on a stump. "Okay. You’re great. But I thought you might like to hear what the guys are saying about you. Come on. You’ve got time. Pull up a log."

Taking a glance about her, she nodded and sat down beside him.

"I think you’ll like this. Salmakis just said that Xena couldn’t be such a great leader, because part of the leader skills package is that they should be able to evaluate the people closest to them. Well, he didn’t say evaluate, but anyway, he said that by giving up on you, she obviously didn’t do a very good job. He said he’d follow you ahead of Xena any day. And Ikaros agreed. I’d say you have your own private army now."

He wore a strange grin that Gabrielle didn’t find familiar, and she uneasily responded, "I just did what Xena taught me to do."

"Uh huh. The pupil beat the teacher, Gabrielle. And come on. You have to admit, you would have loved to have seen her face when she figured out the plague scam. Admit it."

Gabrielle stared at the man beside her before rising and gripping the staff, even though she knew it was useless. With a suddenly dry mouth, she said, "You’re not Autolycus."

The form in front of her seemed to melt somehow into a slightly different shape, burlier, with different leathers. Ares smiled and said, "No, but is that really a bad thing?"

Fighting the fear that she felt, and all that his presence here might mean, she managed to ask, "What do you want?"

"Oh Gabrielle. I’m here to show you something. I’m here to stop you from taking steps on a path I know you’ll regret someday."

And then the woods were gone.

She was standing in a large dusty cavern, with thousands of skeins and threads crowding around her. More then she had seen in the largest shops in Athens. The God of War waited for her first question.

"Where is this place?"

"I would have thought a bard would recognise it immediately."

Recognition dawned. "The Fates..."

"Good. I hate when I have to run through the basics with mortals. Now I’m going to do you that favour, Gabrielle. Show you something few mortals ever see. And I’m going to give you a chance to change your fate."

He directed her eyes to his side. "See this strand? This is yours and this is Xena’s. Notice the purity of this one... and how it contrasts so much with the dark one? But as they become more entwined, the white will grow dirtier, dimmer until..." Ares waved his hand and a kind of mirror appeared before them both. Gabrielle would have fallen backwards if his arm had not been prepared for that move. She felt no comfort reposing in that strong restraint, but there was something that prickled her senses.

The pictures she was looking at consisted of a series of montages, of herself but not herself. A deadlier, stronger woman, who was tearing through a line of soldiers using some form of small sword. She watched in mute fascination as several spurts of blood stained her arms and legs, and yet this Gabrielle did not blink or hesitate. Just moved on in lethal brilliancy. Ares whispered into her ear. "Tell me if this is what you had planned for yourself."

"No. That’s not me, not..." she stuttered.

"Who you are? Oh yes, it is."

She desperately tried to get her reeling mind to work. What had Xena told her about Ares? He never lied but... "I can change this, can’t I?"

Another wave and the vision was gone. "Only if you leave Xena. Only if you leave her path as it slowly, inevitably darkens your own thread."

She had to think. ‘He never lies, but... what? He... he avoids the truth! That was it. What is he not saying...?’

"Xena," she declared.

Ares shook his head at her non sequitor. "What?"

Swallowing, she said, "Where is Xena’s future?"

There. The God was slightly off balance. "This isn’t about her. This is about you."

Now she spoke with confidence. "No. It isn’t. You don’t give a damn about me. This is all about Xena. She changes as well, doesn’t she? We change each other. That’s what you’re frightened of."

Taken by surprise Ares took a moment before moving aggressively towards her. "Are you willing to give up your soul for the chance of her becoming a bit... more mellow?"

Gabrielle didn’t move an inch from where she stood. "If that’s all it was, you wouldn’t be talking to me now. A Xena fighting for the greater good can change the world. Save thousands of lives. And that, " and to his astonishment the girl pointed a steady finger at him, "and anything else that upsets the God of War is GREAT in my scroll."

Trying to be casual, Ares threw up his arms and pronounced, "Fine. I was just trying to be helpful."

Anger was still blazing from the green eyes. "You were doing what you always do. Helping yourself. Well, Xena’s not yours. Not anymore."

"And whose is she? Yours?" he laughed.

"She’s who she is. Her own, and so am I."

Now he stared directly into her eyes. "I could crush you. Like that. " He moved to snap his fingers, but stopped. "... and no one would know."

Somehow she didn’t flinch. "Then why haven’t you?"

Grinning again, he backed away spreading his hands. "Because that would be too easy. Or you might be useful. But I may get lazy, so don’t press me, little girl."

Suddenly she was back standing in the woods, and alone except for a whisper that came from no specific direction. "You are so very young, Gabrielle. With so many things to learn..."

She remained where she was for a moment, listening to the pounding of her heart, when her knees crumpled beneath her. Her breathing and her hands began to shake and the tremors began to spread to the rest of her body.

Gabrielle stayed there, kneeling in the bracken for a moment before slowly standing, still feeling the shock of her defiance to the God of War coursing through her body. She thought she was once again in control of herself, when like a repeat of the nightmare, Autolycus’ face appeared between the bushes in front of her.

"Gab? Our guest is on his way. Are you ready to make him welcome?"

Seeing her obvious state of shock, Autolycus’ expression changed and worry replaced inquiry. "Gab?"

There was a slight hesitation, but it was not in her nature to let anyone take on more danger than they were aware of, or prepared to face. "Auto? Ares just paid a visit. He told me he wasn’t planning on getting involved, but I think that’s only as long as things are going the way he wants. And us freeing Xena from her obligations isn’t a part of that."

"Oh."

Gabrielle’s skin crawled for a moment as the thief duplicated Ares’ actions of a moment before, seating himself on the same log and beckoning her over. Nevertheless she sank down beside him, and didn’t protest when he pulled her shoulder so that she was leaning against him. Some sense within her could perceive that this really was her friend, and that knowledge allowed her to release some of her tension.

"I’m guessing you want to know if I want out?" he asked.

She nodded.

"I’m not going to let you go back alone. Not only would Xena eventually remember to kill me if I did, but both your men back there wouldn’t let me either." She smiled at that. " I mean it, Salmakis, and Ikaros have really got a thing..."

"I heard. Or at least Ares told me," she interrupted.

"They have good taste. And aside from that, the only money in this whole deal is back in that city, and I’m not going to let you cut me out now."

Gabrielle gazed at her friend for a moment longer before stretching her neck to kiss his cheek softly. "Thank you."

Auto chuckled and said, "I’m just happy to lend a firm and experienced hand."

Gabrielle coughed. "Okay, but would you please take it off my thigh?"

They both rose with identical smirks and Gabrielle took the offending hand carefully, saying, "Thank you, again."

As he moved off into the brush, he said, grinning, "You think I just did that to distract you, don’t you? You don’t seem to realise that you’re growing into a very beautiful woman, Gabrielle."

She smiled back. "Auto? Did I mention that when Ares first arrived here he was disguised as you? I don’t think I can believe anything coming out of that mouth right now."

Chagrined, the thief muttered half to himself, "I’m usually better at this. What is it about you and Xena? My timing is always..."

Then without finishing the sentence, he ducked under cover, but as he did, he whispered just loudly enough for her to hear, "And Gab? You can do this."

It wasn’t long before she heard the sound of thrashing in the underbrush and an angry General Rukcal appeared in the clearing. "Now. Which of my lieutenants is a spy? And what information is SO vital that I have to meet you alone, just so this traitor won’t know about it?"

The girl addressed him calmly. "Xena is about to raid your food stores tonight."

"Xena? She’s taken command in the city? How do you know?"

"Because I know her. She has to strike before you find out she’s in command, and she would never have starving men fight off your attack when there’s food nearby."

Gabrielle rolled her eyes when the news seemed to invigorate the warlord. He turned away from her and raised two fists in exultation to the darkened skies. "Xena! I’ve always wanted to meet her!"

There was no forewarning, just a crack of the staff against his skull and then Gabrielle was speaking to an unconscious man at her feet. "Gee, I guess you’re in luck, then."

"Don’t you find it quiet?" Ismene asked.

Polybus did not look up from the maps he was studying. "That’s the advantage of the thickness of this tent, dear," he murmured absently.

"It’s not simply that. You don’t feel it’s... unnatural? I’m used to hearing the men singing songs the night before the battle. It’s one of my favorite memories from my father’s campaigns." ‘And one of the few’, she thought.

"You know the men are under orders to bank the fires, in all manner of ways. No one is to know how close we are to Namea."

"Yes, but it’s unnatural. I can feel the excitement and yet... the men’s expectations need ..."

At this she received a wide grin. "Yes. The excitement, it needs an outlet." He looked pointedly to his maps. "It will have one soon enough."

She gazed at her husband, and could feel even in the plush confines of the tent that he was also filled with an anticipation that she could not satisfy.

Why does this feel wrong somehow? He is basically a good man. He has acted with honour more times than not, and now he is using his skills at war to shape his destiny and that of his followers. To all of our advantages. To seize this opportunity as it is being presented. That is why I married him.

"By now Parmenion should have managed to slip past Namea along the coast."

Parmenion. She knew him. An ugly squat man, but one with her husband’s confidence and admittedly a talent at leading men on scouting forays.

"I wager he made camp last night with almost the entire column intact. Without alerting even the owls in the trees. He’ll be prepared to attack the far edge of the Rukcal’s blockade by the morrow’s sunset, if the General hasn’t begun his offensive by then."

"We’ve made good time, dear, and according to the provisioners, we’ve lost less then a dozen men and horses on the ride! Our appearance will be a complete surprise to both Agathes and General Rukcal."

"It will be glorious. Rukcal and his pathetic excuses for hoplites, and Agathes’ hired men have never seen what instant destruction a perfectly honed phalanx can cause. Anything or anyone attempting to repel them will fall before the fifth rank can clean their spears."

Her eyes studied the man gloating in front of her. His face was not common, his build and form pleasing to her eye. There was mutual respect; she would always honour him and their marriage bed. Why was there this nagging sense that they were setting foot on the wrong path? Why would she have any misgiving about success? She forcibly crushed a vision of the warrior and her bard bloodily skewered on a sarissa.

Polybus yawned and laid his papers aside. "But let us leave this disposition to the Fates and the Gods for the night. Until we wake there is nothing we can do. Tomorrow, we shall be very busy, and a good nights sleep is called for."

Purposefully casting aside her misgivings about the bloody conflict the next day, Ismene summoned her most seductive smile and rose to aid in his undressing, guiding him towards their bedding. "As you wish, my Liege."

The warrior had been very busy for the last candlemark. She had not only managed to slip unnoticed into Rukcal’s camp ahead of her hastily assembled strike force and opened the animal pens, but had also sabotaged two catapults before setting fire to the main tents on the periphery of the blockading army’s main compound. As the flames began to spread, her forces had charged into the disorganized camp. Shouting and whooping until the cattle had stampeded, then making a hasty exit in high spirits. Now part of that raiding squad was driving and herding the animals towards the gates of Namea and she was watching the rearguard force which had remained behind to maintain the chaos and delay an organised counter attack. Even amid the frenzied cries of Rukcal’s men trying to create a posse, she had stayed behind looking for a certain golden headed bard.

Finally she had run out of time, and as the last of her soldiers rode past her, she ran her sword through several more guy lines, and striking a poor fool who attempted to stop her team of horses, she drove her cart out of the camp.

With the chaos breaking out, it was not surprising that she was the only one who noticed the wagon joining her convoy. Breaking from the shelter of a group of trees, as if it had been waiting for just this moment. Even in the darkness she recognised the driver as Autolycus, before he slipped ahead and merged faultlessly with the others headed for the city. But she was not focused on that sight for long when she saw, no... felt, the presence of Gabrielle running alongside of her. She reached down and effortlessly hauled the girl on board and up beside her.

Relief fought briefly with anger and lost. "Are you trying to get yourself killed? Are you insane? Have you finally gone completely insane?" she shouted.

The smaller woman squared her shoulders and yelled right back, "I’m insane? Thank you very much! Let me tell you, PRINCESS, this isn’t exactly the thank you and apology I was counting on!"

The warrior glowered and turned back to the intricate task of keeping the cart ahead of the pursuers that were now spilling out of the camp behind them like hornets from a burst nest.

"Well?" the bard demanded, even as her stomach jumped with the cart as it passed over a series of ruts.

The warrior muttered something that was lost over the rumble of the wheels. "Did you say something?" Gabrielle demanded, "because I wasn’t QUITE able to..."

The warrior spun about and Gabrielle felt the tension and anger rolling off of her. So she was prepared for the growled snarl, but not its content.

"I WAS WRONG. I should have waited until I knew, I should have..." Xena looked to the stars above and searched for the words.

Touched and surprised, Gabrielle supplied them. "Believed in me?"

There was a short nod. "Yes. You’ve earned that."

"Oh," was all the girl could find to say.

The cart thundered along for a moment without any further words being spoken.

As the open gates of the city came into sight, Gabrielle remembered. "Xena, you don’t have to worry about whose side we’re on. I’ve got it all worked out. We can prove we’re enemies of Rukcal, and by that token, the enemy of my enemy is my..."

The warrior reached over and pulled Gabrielle to the front of the cart alongside her, and though her eyes were almost facing forward, the girl was still able to see them lit in the moonlight, as intense as ever, but with an openness she had only briefly perceived before. It took a moment, but when she spoke, Gabrielle could hear the difficulty she was having in addressing her. "Gabrielle. I thought, I thought my word was the most important thing I had." The warrior paused and cleared her throat. "But I realised that it’s not nearly as important to me as you are."

The wagon hit another rise, and Gabrielle waited until they were stable before carefully placing a hand on the arm of the troubled woman beside her. "Your word, your honour is not going to be sacrificed for me," she pledged. "Ever. Do you understand?"

Xena turned to look into the girl’s eyes for one moment.

Right there, gripping on for dear life while being pursued by many times over a hundred men, they somehow lost themselves in each other’s regard. And when Xena finally broke away, Gabrielle was still in almost too much of a haze to recognise that there had been a blush on the warrior’s face before she turned aside.

Almost.

By the time the girl pulled her wits together, she detected a puzzled expression on the other woman’s face, and shouted above the noise "What’s wrong?"

"It’s Rukcal’s men." Xena called back. "Why are they so disorganised? I expected half of his force would be on our tail by now."

A wisecrack was about to burst from Gabrielle’s lips that it might be because the general was somewhat tied up at the moment, when she recognized that Xena was disappointed. "You expected this. You wanted this?" And embarrassment and comprehension swept her simultaneously. ‘Of course Gabrielle, she expected this. Ares was right to play you. You were beginning to believe you could out plan the woman who nearly conquered Greece.’ "This isn’t just a raid, is it? You’re luring them into a trap."

Xena gave a curt nod. "With any luck we’ll take out half of his forces in a few minutes."

"Take out? You mean kill."

The blue eyes were colder now, evaluating her in a manner she did not like. "Yes, Gabrielle, kill. That’s what happens in war, remember?"

The bard shook her head. "No. It doesn’t have to. It’s not necessary... I have a plan..."

There was the barest beginnings of a dismissive head shake, which was halted before it was completed. "Okay. You have a plan?"

"Yes, and no one has to die. You’ve got to stop whatever you... We have to stop them!" she said urgently, then halted, remembering their circumstances. "I have to stop them." She looked up to see a dubious expression on the warrior’s face. "Xena, you’re going to have to trust me."

Gabrielle saw an uncharacteristic uneasiness pass over Xena’s face. "I trust you Gabrielle, but..."

"Then let me go. Let me try to stop them." Please Xena.

The warrior allowed a dozen variables to trip through her mind before asking, "You can let at least a few hundred of his men enter the gates?"

"If you prom.." The bard caught herself. This was not a negotiation. Trust had to go both ways. "Yes."

There was only another second’s hesitation by the warrior before the decision was reached and then she was tugging the horses in and guiding them closer to the cart being drawn by Autolycus. With no sign of strain and still holding onto the reins, she bundled a surprised Gabrielle into her arms. The thief’s eyes widened as he became aware of their approach, and then grew even wider as he guessed the intent. He shouted to his companions, "Taking a passenger!" They had just one last shared minute as Autolycus drew alongside and matched their speed, while both tried to tell the other with their eyes everything they would not say, until with a careful toss, their connection was abruptly broken and she was flung into Salmakis’ awaiting arms.

"Welcome aboard!" the thief called out to her. "Staying awhile or do you have another cart you’d like to jump onto?"

Gabrielle thanked the blushing giant, and pulled her way to the front of the cart, trying not to trip on the large gunny sack rolling about on the floorboards. Autolycus shouted back over his shoulder. "Learn anything? Like whether she’s going to have to have us executed when we arrive?"

He waited for a reply but when he glanced back the bard seemed very involved in brushing herself off.

"Oh no. Gab...?" Auto was cringing inwardly.

The bard gave a weak smile. "Well, there’s good news, and there’s bad news. The good news is we’re on the same team, but... only after we stop that army behind us."

Autolycus looked back towards the mob of crazed and enraged soldiers riding full bore after them, and then at the cloud of dust ahead that was all he could see of Xena now. "Stop that? Stop them by ourselves? Is this a test or something?"

Gabrielle put her palms to her temples to try to clear her mind. "This whole thing has been a test. And I am not gonna blow it all now." She tried to concentrate again on the lessons she’d been given while traveling with Xena, and not on the unstable cracking of the floorboards as the cart had another bad bounce. Or especially on the rapidly growing distance between herself and her partner.

She reopened her eyes and looked about. "Okay. We have one big asset." All of their eyes were drawn to the gunny sack bouncing about in the centre of the wagon. "We have a king up our sleeve."

"Or a General in a bag?" Autolycus asked.

He returned to trying to spur the horses to increase the insufficient gap between them and the army hounding them, and the other three hurriedly undid the sack, and pulled the gag out of the General’s mouth. All the while, Gabrielle tried to explain the situation in as few words as possible. "General, your men are being led into a trap; they’re all going to die unless you call them off."

Rukcal glared at the girl and snickered. "I’d let’em all die rather than help you, bitch," and spat into Gabrielle’s face.

Salmakis growled deep in his throat and she managed to stop him from smashing a burly fist into the general’s face. "He should’na done that," the big man muttered.

Gabrielle pursed her lips and paused to think, then shrugged. "Hey, ignore the pansy. He’s just upset that a little girl took him out."

Rukcal’s eyes bulged in anger. "WHAT? You struck me when my back was turned, you lying she-snake!"

The ‘little girl’ flexed her entwined fingers casually. "I just saved some time, and you from looking even more stupid." Then she added for good measure, "Porky."

She wasn’t surprised when a hand pulled her aside and Autolycus shouted into her ear. "Gabrielle, I’m sure what you’re doing makes perfect sense for some future part of The Plan, but could we try just surviving until then?" he pointed to the walls which loomed directly ahead.

Behind them Rukcal had begun to struggle with his bonds, all while mouthing a series of obscenities aimed at Gabrielle and this time Salmakis did not hesitate.

The general’s head recoiled with the impact, and then lolled over, unconscious.

Gabrielle looked at Salmakis accusingly. The giant rubbed his knuckles, and mumbled, "Sorry, Gabrielle."

Not ready to let the man off, she said "If I want you to hit someone, I’ll tell you, okay?"

The massive soldier grunted and nodded. "I gotcha."

The last of Xena’s forces had passed through the walls by now, and Xena was not slowing or looking back as she headed for the gates as well. ‘Well, I wanted her to have confidence in me...’ Gabrielle sighed to herself, before turning to her men. "Okay! Now what are we going to do, guys? Xena’s planned something to take out this whole force, and it’s probably gonna happen outside the city. So we can guess that we don’t want to be here for very long. We need to be inside the gates before whatever it is happens."

Then the smell struck them all. They were close to the city now, and the scorched ground whizzing beneath them seemed to glisten in the moonlight. The scent was very familiar to Gabrielle.

"By the Gods..."

Ikaros became more worried as he saw her complexion pale. "What is it?"

One of the wheels caught and then released, throwing them across the cart. Grabbing hold to a support, Gabrielle tried to explain. "The ground smells like it’s soaked with the runoff from the smelter and mixed with pure alcohol. They’re going to close the gates, trapping those guys out here and throw torches on it. It’ll light like Greek fire, but I’ll bet when that stuff from the smelter burns, it’ll probably have even more of a kick."

"This is the stuff they were going to make Xena drink that rots your brains?"

Gabrielle was staring about wide eyed. "Yup."

Auto looked to see the army closing in on them from the rear. "And we have to stay out here??"

"We’re not drinking it, so I don’t think it’ll be poisonous, but let’s not hang around too long. I could use some help, guys. Ideas? Any ideas? Now??"

Seeing blank faces surrounding her, she began to think outloud. "Okay. Now, we need a general, because this one doesn’t seem to work. We don’t have time to strip him of his clothes..."

"How’s about I hold him up, wave his arms?" Salmakis contributed.

"Do you know the command signals?" she asked.

The giant nodded.

"Okay, he may have to yell some orders too... Auto?"

"Lying she-snake!" he called over his shoulder in a fair imitation of Rukcal’s accent and speech

Ikaros raised his hand. "If they close the gates... will Xena make sure we can get in the doors even if we can stop them?" Both of the other men looked at him suspiciously. Gabrielle was nodding however.

"Ikaros is right. Xena wants at least a few hundred to get through the walls and she’s going to be too busy inside with them to stand about waiting for us. Someone’s gotta get to the door and make sure they hold it open for us."

Auto said, diplomatically, "Gabrielle? Maybe you should be the one to do that?"

They hit another rise and for a second, the cart seemed about to overturn. When it settled they were all breathing heavily. Gabrielle shook her head "He’s still the fastest and I trust him. He’s proved himself, right?" There was a fast exchange of assents. She stumbled over to the runner. "Soon as we stop, you get to those gates, and you wedge yourself in there, and do NOT let them close those doors until we get through. Alright?" Ikaros’ eyes were gleaming as he gave his oath and she almost grinned at that. "Anyway," she continued, "a commander is supposed to stay with her men, isn’t she?"

Salmakis swallowed before declaring: "Only the best ones do."

Gabrielle had only been joking when she’d called herself the commander, but Salmakis’ tone and the looks of the other two men shone with sincerity. Cursing her complexion for making her blush so visible, she ignored the compliment and plowed on. "Okay! Sounds like a plan. We stand him up and give the command to pursue until they accept us as the command vehicle. Then as soon as there’s any kind of a break or gap in the charge, we tell the rest of them to halt and to draw back. We can do this?"

Salmakis nodded with a grin. Gabrielle shook her clenched her fists in delight .Her enthusiasm had again caught them all. And with the four hundred soldiers bearing down on them, trapped in a wash of deadly poisons about to be set ablaze, they all locked forearms and the girl shouted exuberantly, "Let’s do it!"

Auto reined in the horses, Ikaros jumped off, and raced towards the open gates while the three left behind prepared for the approaching onslaught.

Gabrielle had been correct. As much as it tore at her, Xena had been forced to trust that the bard would figure out her own escape from the trap she had set for Rukcal’s men.

The main gate led to a horseshoe shaped inner courtyard surrounded by walls as high and as thick as those on the exterior of the walled city. There was only one passage out from it, and once she and her men had used it, it was firmly closed behind them. Xena had barely enough time to issue orders ensuring that their booty from the raid was being distributed and stored, before the first of Rukcal’s raiders streamed through the gates.

They mindlessly charged through in a retaliatory fury, powered by the thrill of finally entering their prize after a moon of fruitless attempts to breach this citadel. Their exhilarated whoops of victory were quickly stilled when they found themselves in an enclosed area surrounded by hundreds of archers on the walls above them. The attempt to disengage was futile; the continuing flow of more of their numbers through the doors made escape by that way impossible. As their mounts sensed the growing panic of their riders, the courtyard became a pit of confused and frightened men and horseflesh, especially when the great doors began to close. It was at this point that the archers were supposed to annihilate the men below at the moment of their greatest confusion, and then light the exterior wash to massacre and drive off any support. The bowmen waited for an order that didn’t come.

Xena had taken this first opportunity to race to the top of the walls, heartsick at what she might see.

To her enormous relief, and not a little pride, she saw that someone in the cart was giving orders to the remaining columns of the attack force who were withdrawing beyond the ground that had been covered with the incendiary broth.

Her comfort was short lived when she noticed that the cart was making a rather uneven course towards the gates, and that the passengers were weaving and waving in the back. ‘The fumes, Dammit, how long have they been breathing them?’

But she wasn’t alone in her focus. Agathes arrived moments afterwards, his eyes wild with hostility. "Why haven’t you given the command to fire?" he demanded. "Why are those men withdrawing?" Then his eyes fell upon Gabrielle in the wagon as it neared them, and it was suddenly clear to him. "It’s that girl! You couldn’t do it, could you? So much for your so called sacred honour!"

It was strange, Xena thought. She could almost identify with his disappointment. In one raid she would have halved her opposition, destroyed their morale, and provided enough food to hold a celebration feast amongst her own people. In one single stroke she had completely overturned the momentum of the siege. That hundreds would have died did not cause her any anguish. They were soldiers and she had simply out thought them in order for her side to prevail. Not too long ago she would have found great pleasure in that. She preferred winning to say the least.

All it required was that she not care about what one particular person thought about her, and that was suddenly too high a price for her to pay.

Right now she had to deal with a nearly out of control Agathes. She tried to calm the politician. "Gabrielle’s not our enemy. She’s coming in here to solve this mess."

Agathes let out a barking laugh. "Not our enemy? Since when? She’s certainly mine, and as long as I lead..."

Xena didn’t need to hear anymore and she cut him off. "You lead nothing. I’m in command, and I say she enters in safety, and there’s nothing you can do about it."

"Oh, I can do one thing." He backed up several feet and snatched a burning torch, and moved to the edge of the wall to drop it onto the flammable ground below. He stayed there, one arm holding it, dangling it carelessly. Xena found herself unable to breathe, or even think. Gabrielle and her men were still minutes from reaching the safety of the gate, their disorientation slowing them down.

"Who’s in charge now, Xena? What are you going to do? Throw your chakram? Make it rain? You come even one step closer I’ll drop this. Once I do, she’s dead. Now give the order to kill the men in the courtyard."

"No."

"What don’t you understand, Xena?"

"You don’t understand. Gabrielle wouldn’t trade her life for two hundred others and I won’t make that decision for her. So you might as well give me the torch." She moved towards him slightly, but he held the torch out further until she stopped.

"You don’t want to do this, Agathes." she threatened. "Whatever Gabrielle has planned will be what’s best for everyone involved. It will save the lives of your people." She again moved stealthily towards him, growling, "and you don’t want to have to face me afterwards."

Again Agathes laughed, still holding the torch out over the walls. Xena halted again, drawing on all of her discipline to not let her mounting fear show in her eyes.

Agathes shook his head, while continuing to grin maniacally. "Face you? Face YOU? I face you every day Xena. I KNOW who you are. The almost unbeaten warlord, until you met up with this chit.. Do you really think I care about people? I don’t delude myself. No, I AM you. Selfish and without any scruples as long as what I plan will work. That’s what I learned from your record as a warlord. You never worried about another soul in your career, and that’s what made you a success. Once you started to, it destroyed you. I’m not that foolish or self defeating. I’ll do what’s best for me, for ME. And killing that little bitch is what I want to do right now. She’s your weakness, not mine. She has to die and you can’t stop me." And he dropped the torch over the walls.

As her horror stricken eyes watched the small ball of fire drift and float towards the sleek and oily ground, saw Gabrielle still in the centre of what would be an inferno in seconds, she hesitated not a instant. She hauled up Agathes, not giving him even the time to cry out, and threw him as hard as she could after the torch, hoping that its light weight and resistance to the air would slow it down.

It hit the earth first, and immediately a flame leapt from the ground about it, when Agathes’ body landed on top, smothering both flame and torch instantly.

Gabrielle and her wagon continued on without noticing, and Xena slumped her shoulders. She didn’t even look up when she felt an itching sensation about her neck. "Ares?" she ground out.

The God of War was lounging in the crenellation. He gave a moments glance downward to the broken body below and grinned, "Gee. Looks like he snuffed it."

All Xena wanted was to race to the gate where Gabrielle and her men were arriving, but she knew that Ares was a potential obstacle to any solution Gabrielle might have. So she fought the urge, and asked almost casually, "You’re in a good mood. Somebody set fire to an orphanage nearby?"

The God of War dramatically clutched his chest. "Oh, I’m hurt."

Xena didn’t take her eyes off the cart that was still weaving about in the general direction of the gate. "Look, I’m a little busy right now. Unless you have something you wanted to say...?"

"I admit I’m a bit curious.. Didn’t you just break your word?" he said, pointing to the corpse below.

Xena was dismissive. "The moment Agathes said he was out for himself, and that he didn’t care about Gabrielle’s peace plan, he became an enemy of the City."

Ares shrugged. "Well, I just thought I should drop by and tell you how I misjudged your little partner there. I especially like the present she has for you."

"Oh?"

"A gift wrapped General Rukcal. Couldn’t have done better myself. Can’t wait to see what she gets you for Solstice. Now all you have to do is jump down there, challenge him to the usual, swish, plop, his men are yours, and you... you have two pretty well intact armies under your command."

She stood and faced him directly. "I’m not interested in going to war."

Ares waved his hand confidently. "Oh I’m sure you don’t want to. But have you spoken to Polybus about this lately? ‘Cause I think he definitely has some plans along those lines. And last I checked, you were on opposite sides."

"You’re skipping ahead as usual, Ares. Agathes wasn’t entirely stupid. The oath he made me swear was that until I saw that Rukcal was defeated completely, I would fight all their enemies. He didn’t want me taking any short cuts like slipping past the blockade at night and personally killing the General. So if that was all, I think we’re done here." She turned away from the God and began to make her way to the courtyard gate.

Ares called after her. "Why do things get so complicated with you? At least I’m not the only one who misunderstood. Blondie is going to be so disappointed that you don’t want to kill her gift."

Xena called back, "You still don’t get her, do you? She knows. If there’s one thing Gabrielle doesn’t misunderstand, it’s words." And as she spoke, she realised exactly what Gabrielle might have in mind, and her heart trembled for a moment, and her feet picked up speed.

Gabrielle was feeling just great. Sure the blurred vision was a little irritating, but she and Autolycus and the boys were having a fine old time. Maybe there had been a bit of a tussle at the gate, but Ikaros had kept his promise and they were able to ride in, cart and all, singing this great song about eating oysters that the men seemed to think was hilarious. They had just finished the song as they rode blissfully unaware into the tension and silence that was the potential slaughter house. Unconcerned, her eyes swept the upper walls looking for a certain leather clad figure.

She whistled. "Honey? I’m hoooooome." She was vaguely aware of the reaction she was getting from both the archers in the parapets and the men trapped on the ground with her. She gave them all a brilliant smile and said, "Why...? Are you all so... tense?" She looked at her guys for comprehension, but they were gaping inanely at something directly behind her.

She felt the presence, even before the hand was placed on her shoulder.

"Gabrielle?"

She turned around unsteadily to look into the concerned blue eyes and almost giggled. Xena took one hand and carefully tilted the head back to look at the bard’s dilated pupils, but the girl pulled away drunkenly. "Hey sweetie, that can wait. Look what I got!" She reached over and tried to haul the still groggy general to his feet, tugged a few more times unsuccessfully and muttered, "Maybe I should have gotten it in a small." This drew a laugh from her team as they clumsily disembarked from the wagon, which was slowly being encroached.

Though Gabrielle was completely unaware of the strain all around her, Xena wasn’t. She barked out to the soldiers, "The first man who moves any closer, just moves one more footstep this way, will have a dozen arrows sticking out of his chest. Got me?" They backed away immediately and Xena again tried to examine her partner, her manner a complete contrast. "Gabrielle, how are you feeling, are you okay?"

There was a familiarity about how Gabrielle felt, and she tried to chase it through the haze in her mind. "You know, I feel just like when, you remember... Hey! You promised you’d kill me if you ever saw me take any more drugs."

"And I may still do that, Gabrielle. I think you had a plan, Remember?"

"Oh yeah.... by the Gods. That stuff outside, I’m really woozy..."She swayed slightly, and Xena guided her to a sitting position. "I’m sorry, Xena."

"No, I’m sorry."

It was the dual apologies that finally brought it home to the warrior. What was she doing? This was a critical moment with hundreds of lives in the balance. Somewhere Ares skulking about, two armies outside waiting for a signal to begin an assault on the city, and she was standing right in the middle of enemy soldiers who had nothing to lose by attacking her. Yet all she wanted to do was wrap this one woman in a blanket of lamb’s wool and coddle her until she was alright again. She didn’t have the time for this! And in a further bout of irrationality, she decided instead to make some.

She scanned the crowd, satisfied when they all eventually succumbed to her most intimidating glare, and called to her assistants. "Andronicus. Arrian. Our guests look a little uncomfortable with all those weapons on. I want 20 men, now, to help with their surrender."

She moved to the front of the broken down cart, though considering her poise and attitude, it might as well have been the podium at the Coliseum, and addressed the men about her.

"If you hadn’t already figured it out, we could have killed you all the moment you rode in. Instead, you’re getting one chance to honorably surrender and live. Dismount, and drop your weapons. And remember every archer on the wall above you is a hired marksman."

She looked through the crowd, looking for any resistance, but once the first weapons belts were unstrapped, and her men were there to segregate the men and their mounts, it was clear things were under control. She had bought her interval and was free to devote her attention once more to where she admitted she wanted it to be.

"Come on, " she urged as she pulled the bard upright again. "Time to sober up."

There was a soft sigh that Xena felt run through her. "Xena?"

"Yes, Gabrielle."

"Remember when I told you that you were beautiful?"

Her face fought the grin that threatened to spread over it. "Uh huh. But you were as doped up then as you are now."

There was an insulted harumph. "My opinion didn’t come from the henbane. Just the nerve to tell you." Gabrielle glanced up quickly and was rewarded by seeing another rare blush. Unlike Xena, she didn’t bother to hide her delight. ‘Heh. I can do that. Amazing.’

"Gabrielle? This really isn’t the time." And Xena saw the bright eyes nearly fill with tears

"It never is."

Rolling her eyes and resisting the urge to yank some of her own hair out, she said, "We’ll talk later, I promise. But right now, you and I have got to focus."

Gabrielle leaned into the warrior, resting her head against the breast plate. "Could we put that off for a day or two? I mean, we have a while before Polybus arrives, right?"

Xena fought the urge to kiss the top of the head nestled against her and pushed her partner back gently to speak directly to her. "Gabrielle. If Polybus told everyone he could be here in four days, it means he could do it in three, maybe less. If he just brought cavalry he could be on the outskirts right now. And Rukcal’s men aren’t going to wait outside for much longer either."

That caught hold. The girl shook her head to try to clear it, and when it seemed to work, gave her partner a grim smile. "Then I better sober up, get this show on the road, right?"

Though surprised by the quick recovery, the warrior nodded and yelled across the courtyard. "Water, lots of fresh water. Now."

Most of Rukcal’s soldiers were now against the far walls, and their horses were being led into the vault to be taken to the stables. So a soldier was free to fill a bucket and haul it over. She reached over the sides of the cart and splashed some on Gabrielle’s face before offering her some to drink.

The green eyes seemed to further clear, and the bard stretched her shoulders experimentally before taking the bucket herself and dumping the rest of the contents on the still comatose Rukcal. He spluttered a few times but subsided upon seeing Xena.

"You’re going to fight Rukcal yourself." Xena stated flatly.

Gabrielle didn’t back down. "You okay with that?"

"Nope. Not at all."

"You going to stop me? Or are you going to cheer for me?"

There was no answer.

Rukcal was still staring at Xena with wide eyes. Gabrielle picked up her staff and tapped him on the shoulder. "Don’t look at her, Porky. This is between you and me. You were talking some pretty nasty talk earlier on, so it’s time to see if you can back it up. She’s just here to observe with her men, right, Xena?"

Xena had been lost in her memories of a younger Gabrielle crocked on henbane, and was startled by the sudden retransformation into this serious woman who was prepared to kill for her. The change in manner was so abrupt that it was painful in a way that Xena wasn’t prepared for.

When Xena didn’t respond to her question, Gabrielle turned, and looked up into her eyes, shocked to see the anguish in her partner’s face. Knowing from experience that a simple ‘what’s wrong?’ would never get any answer from her, she tried to analyse what could be disturbing her first before asking anything. ‘She was relaxed and smiling in the midst of all the tension, and that hasn’t changed, but when I got down to business all of sudden she... Oh.’ She directed Auto and Ikaros to revive the General and pulled the stiff dark woman aside.

"Xena?" she whispered. She cocked her head slightly and waited until she had all of the warrior’s attention. "I’m not that addled kid anymore. And I’m good with that."

Xena’s response was just as quiet, but there was a melancholy in it as well. "I know."

There was this speech that Gabrielle had practiced in her head night after night, waiting for the perfect moment that never seemed to come. And here was her chance to say it, and once again it wasn’t appropriate. But her frustration had grown with time, and possibly with the fumes still in her brain she decided to Tartarus with their audience. She was aware of the crowds and tried to strip it to the essentials. Would Xena understand?

Strangely enough despite the situation, or maybe because of their being the centre of all that attention, Gabrielle felt as though her heart was beating in sync with Xena’s.

As if to confirm her instincts, the sunrise chose that moment to peek over the walls, and it occurred to her, that just as the sun rose in brilliant glory, it was time to acknowledge a dawning truth.

Drawing a deep breath, she began, "We... we have a job to do." ‘and not just here and now...’ she tried to say with her eyes.

In the same manner, Xena muttered, "I didn’t... I don’t want this... for you." And she also saw that Gabrielle understood. That she was not referring to this fight, but who Gabrielle was and what their relationship was becoming.

Afraid to touch her in public, Gabrielle barely brushed the older woman’s knuckles with her own, saying, "I chose this. And I don’t regret it." But she could see that wasn’t enough, so she continued. "It’s...important." And Gabrielle spread her hands out to convey more than just the immediate situation, or the people around them. Or even what they felt or who they were, and what they were now becoming.

Xena only saw those green eyes, glowing with a fierce pride, and she could feel their combined strength in that moment. A force that was greater than all of the soldiers in this courtyard. Even greater than every conceivable death that might be waiting for the two of them.

Gabrielle saw the jumble of the emotions passing through the warrior; her acceptance, finally, that there would be no Academy of Bards, no handsome farmer boy and happy children for Gabrielle, and that conflicting knowledge was more then even the hardened warlord could handle. But it didn’t matter because they also felt the joy and power that was certainly no less then the danger that lay ahead of them.

If only for that instant they knew without any doubt what it was they had suspected separately for some time; that they had found what each had been searching for. For the battered warlord; a reason to rise each morning. And for the changeling daughter from Potadaia, a place she finally belonged.

There was no need for an outward acknowledgment, but Xena needed more. So ignoring all that was about her, Xena held the bard in her arms for one sweet moment before they separated. The warlord’s mask took a moment to pull back on, but Xena managed, it, and then they addressed each other somewhat more professionally.

"Your show, Gabrielle."

"So let’s do it."

There was a slight nod, and Gabrielle put her hands on her hips and strode the few feet between her and where the general was still calmly waiting. She chose her favorite Xena grin to give to him.

"So, you want a piece of me?"

Rukcal lay back, seemingly comfortable. "You think I’m going to fight you like some bear in a circus?"

"No. I don’t think you’re going to lie there while your men watch. I think you’re going to stand and try to show your men that you can swat me like a fly." She prodded him in the crotch with her staff. "And then I’m gonna swat you."

Only then did the General become aware of the expressions on his own troops; many wore mixed emotions and disconcerted faces. Under their stares he raised himself up and drew his sword. Gabrielle shifted her shoulders and gripped her staff. Without looking about she ordered, "Everybody out of the cart, except for him and me." She felt the shift in weight as Ikaros and Auto followed her order, but Xena remained on board. Gabrielle turned slightly, keeping one eye on the general and was prepared to begin to lecture her partner when she saw her expression. One she remembered from not too long ago. The same one Xena had worn when a little girl had rushed to stand between her and the mob from her hometown gathered to stone her. Knowing that the general would never move against her while Xena was in the cart, she escorted her gently towards the ramp.

"Gabrielle...?"

"Shush. We’ll talk later, I’m...busy. You know how it is, right?"

"Yeah," the warrior smiled sadly. "I do."

"You watch with your men, otherwise you might want to get involved. That’s against the rules, right?"

Another grim smile. "Still looking out for my honour, aren’t you? I told Ares you would never be confused about words."

"Nope. Words are almost as important to me as deeds."

Gabrielle watched as the walls went up, the face and stature straightened, and the Warrior Princess left her alone with her opponent.

Now she and her antagonist were alone in the battered wooden cart, the remaining side railings splintered and broken. Exactly as though they were on stage, in the centre of the yard.

The general began moving towards her, and in the small confines of the cart Gabrielle had no where to go.

Xena took a seat above the court and tried her best to judge the two opponent’s stances impartially. She noted that her partner was waiting as always for the first strike, but clearly the general was unsure of exactly what to expect and was also waiting.

His own inaction under the eyes of his men obviously was getting to him, and he waved his sword with menace and blustered to fill the silence. "I’m going to skin you, girl, you know that?"

Gabrielle twirled her staff to force him back a foot, and said "Nope. I don’t know that. I do know that I already fooled you at least, what... Twice?" Rukcal growled and raised his sword, testing her boundaries.

"Did you know..." Gabrielle was speaking to the crowd now, "that he wouldn’t stop his own men from riding into this trap? Why was that, General?"

Gabrielle was finally rewarded with a ponderous forward thrust which she countered easily, almost disarming the general in that first stroke. Now Rukcal resembled a bull pawing on the ground, so eager was he to tear into the girl in front of him.

"I’ve been playing him like a puppet." Gabrielle continued speaking to the crowd, goading him further. "In fact, when he refused to save his guys, we had to knock him out and he WAS a puppet. Proving anybody can be useful."

Another mindless lunge, and again she slipped past.

She laughed and that brought the general into action. The girl dropped low and heard the hiss of the sword above her, and then the curse as she slammed her staff into his ribs. Instead of making him cautious, he spun about and tried a downward slicing motion which would have been effective if the bard had been still standing there. Somehow she had squirted up beside him and as he tried to switch hands, she centred her grip on her stave and chopped down on his loosened grip, and then reversed to strike his skull. Stunned, he dropped his sword, and staggering, rushed her again, hoping to use his weight and the confining space to knock her over. Once more, she evaded him, and when he tried to spin to follow her, she tripped him up and he fell heavily. She wasn’t even winded, he thought, as she stood over him, eyes flashing, one foot and her staff keeping him where he was.

Gabrielle was disappointed. It had been easy. Too easy, and it wouldn’t be enough to convince the men surrounding her to follow her, she knew. Angry at the man for not making it more of a contest, she snarled, "Do you concede to me?"

There was only an angry rumble in response, until the staff pressed deeper into his throat. "I’m not going to kill you, General. But I will keep making you suffer until you concede. How long that will take is up to you."

There was finally a furious swallow, and a grunted, "You will pay for this."

Gabrielle used one of Xena’s favorite lines, and was happy that she wasn’t there to hear it come from her peaceloving bard.

"Get in line."

High above, Xena was waiting for the concession from Rukcal, but even as he spoke the words, Xena had become aware that Ares was nearby. Using his power to influence... not her this time, but someone... As the General began to stutter out the words that might give Gabrielle command, Xena saw Ares motioning and whispering behind several archers. Who, to her horror, began to lower their bows to point at the bard and Rukcal.

Then she realised she was frozen in place. Paralyzed. As if every muscle in her body was fighting itself.

Smiling, Ares appeared beside her. "Sorry Princess, but I decided I better do something to get things back on track here. It was too good a chance to miss."

Somehow she was able to force words out of her mouth. "Don’t do this, Ares." If he wanted her to beg, she would. "Please."

For a moment she saw that her plea had affected him, but he shook his head instead. "Sorry Xena. But she’s served her purpose. It just works too well for me. With both her and Rukcal dead, this place will break out into complete pandemonium. You’ll have to stop it. You’ll have to take command of both armies. And you were right about Polybus, He’s just about ready to launch his attack. You’ll have no time to think about anything except defending against him or all these people will die. And any anger or hatred you feel against me, I can take. As long as I have my Chosen back." He paused. "Or of course, you could..."

She would have shaken her head, but that was beyond her, but she put as much force into her words as she was capable of doing. "NO. I will never go back to you."

"Just say the words, Xena, and the little bard can live. Say you’ll come back to me..."

"No, Ares. I promised."

The God of War shrugged. "Then you made a promise to a dead girl. Either way, I get you back."

She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on just moving her hand. Tried to inch it slowly towards her chakram. She had moved her arm barely an inch when she heard the arrows release, and cinching her eyes even tighter, heard the distinctive sound of them entering two human bodies.

Mail Kamouaraskan at Kamouraskan@yahoo.com