Berries
Part 3
By
CatShe shook her head to clear her thoughts. She tried to smile reassuringly at Gabrielle once more. "You try to rest. We'll think of something." She moved to leave the bed, but found her friend's hand weakly grasping her own. "I'm going to be right here, I won't leave you. None of us will, unless you want us to." She looked up to the men for the confirmation she knew she didn't need. Gabrielle released her hold, but her eyes never left Xena as she stood and walked over to her companions. Hercules raised an inquiring eyebrow, expecting her to have new information about their friend's condition. She ran her fingers through her long black hair and sighed.
"It's the bugs," she said simply.
"What bugs?" Iolaus asked, not understanding. He looked to Hercules, but saw he too did not know what she was talking about.
"We thought it was the berries," she said, continuing as if he never spoke. "He said their effects would disappear in a few days even without treatment. He didn't even know what the treatment was. How could they leave such an incompetent fool in charge?" Her question was asked in anger, but not directed at him specifically as much as the situation as a whole.
Hercules and Iolaus let her pace for a moment to calm down before continuing. "Xena," Hercules said softly, forcing her to focus. "What berries? What bugs? Slow down and start over."
She continued her pacing, but had noticeably calmed down before she spoke again. "The berries that Gabrielle found in the forest were toxic. They contain a mild poison. We assumed that was what was causing the headaches and making her dizzy. He said they affect different people in different ways. Usually it's with terrible headaches like what she and Iolaus had." She paused to look at the smaller man, and decided to amend that to have instead. "Sometimes it causes excessive thirst and moodswings, which she definitely had, and he said it could explain the dizziness as well. Now I'm not so sure. She didn't get dizzy until after she was bit, and she had no fever before that either. It has to have something to do with the bugs that bit her. It's the only thing that was different."
"Poison?" Iolaus whispered softly. He just remembered how many he ate.
"What about the water?" Hercules asked, not hearing his friend. "She fell into it, maybe there was something in it that's causing all of this."
"But we also drank the water, and have been for days." She shook her head. "No, I don't think it was that. The only thing different was the bug bites. I still can't explain why she's having such a severe reaction to getting bit though." She stopped her pacing and turned to the form on the bed, still watching them through half-lidded eyes.
"Poison?" Iolaus repeated, this time a little louder. Xena and Hercules both looked at him, seeing his eyes wide with fear. They both realized they hadn't even thought of him or the effects he himself was experiencing.
Xena clasped his shoulders and shook him back into reality. "Iolaus," she said, waiting until she was certain she had his attention. Wide eyes looked up at her. "It's okay. The poison is not that strong. It's not going to kill you; it just makes you sick. In a few days it will be out of you system completely and you will be fine." She spoke him as she would a child, hoping to calm the man down so she could move on.
"Yeah," he said, nodding his head in understanding. His face was still quite pale and he suddenly felt all the strength leaving his body.
Strangely enough though, it seemed to be leaving through his knees. Hercules, who knew his friend far better than the Warrior Princess did, knew something was not quite right. "Iolaus, are you sure you're okay?" he asked, doubt in his voice.
"Huh? Oh sure fine, never better. Yep, just fine here. I think I'm going to go sit down though. Um, tired from the day and all that. Nope, I'm fine. No worries here. Just think I need something to drink" he babbled as he found his way to a chair and sat down, still in a bit of a daze.
Hercules handed him a waterskin and he drank from it gratefully. As the liquid hit his throat, he was a bit disappointed it was not something stronger. It's not every day you find out you have been poisoned, and by yourself at that.
Xena shook her head and grabbed a different skin. She filled a large cup with it and handed it to the shaken man. "Here," she said, making sure he had a hold on the cup. "I think this will do you more good than water." He took a tentative sip, and his eyebrows raised at the taste of the strong wine Linus had left them earlier. He took a deeper drink, and as he felt the liquor burn a path down his throat he had to admit he felt a little better.
"Thanks," he said, taking another sip. He could feel his nerves calming, and even his headache seemed to dull a bit. This was good stuff. Certain that his friend was going to be okay, Hercules turned his attention back to the task at hand. "Okay," he said, focusing his eyes on the warrior. "So the apothecary thought it was the berries. That was before you knew about the bug bites. Why don't we go back there and talk to him and see if he knows a cure?"
"It wasn't the apothecary, it was her apprentice," Xena sighed, correcting her friend. "She's away at a neighboring village and won't be back until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest." She sounded dejected and tired and no longer cared if anyone knew.
"He should know something though, shouldn't he?" Iolaus probed. The wine was definitely doing its job. He felt much better as he relaxed in the chair.
Xena shook her head. "He didn't even know where she kept her scrolls with the cure for the berries. I doubt he would be of much help." She began to massage her temples, trying to ward of the headache she could feel approaching.
"Ah, not the brightest lantern at the festival. I gotcha," Iolaus commented.
Xena ignored his comment. Something in the back of her mind told her that wine was having more of an affect than it should, but she really didn't care. At the worse, Iolaus would pass out and sleep off his headache. "I wish there was something more I could do for her," she said, looking over to the bed. Gabrielle's eyes were now closed completely and the shallow rise and fall of her chest told her she was breathing, albeit slightly strained.
She was asleep. That was a good thing. At least she couldn't feel the pain in her sleep. Pain that she should have prevented. Pain that she should be able to relieve. But no, she couldn't risk it. If something worse happened to Gabrielle because of something she did She couldn't think of that, not now. It would do no good anyway. She had to concentrate on finding a cure, if there was one.
"Xena?" Hercules voice broke into her thoughts. She looked over to the larger man, and he knew exactly what she had been thinking. "You need to eat something," he told her, motioning to the food left on the platter. "I'm not hungry," she lied. She didn't want to, it was as simple as that. There were more important things to worry about.
"Xena" he warned, hands on hips. At any other time his mother-hen behavior would have been humorous, especially when considering who was the focus of his attention.
"Fine," she pouted, grabbing the chair opposite of Iolaus. She sat down rather unceremoniously and took a piece of meat and some bread. She took a bite, but didn't taste it. "You happy?" she asked with her mouth full. He nodded, surprised she gave in so easily. Her eyed drifted once again to the bed. Before she could immerse herself in her thoughts once more, she was distracted by a very animated Iolaus.
"Augh!" he screamed, nearly toppling over his chair in his frustration. He started stomping his foot on the floorboards while making strange noises. "Die! Die you little…" he shouted.
Hercules grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him, trying to bring him back to his senses. "Iolaus," he said firmly, shaking him one more time then waiting for his friend to stop. "Iolaus, what is it?" The smaller man looked up a little guiltily, his head still spinning from his surprise. "It was one of those bugs, I swear it. Little brown and yellow thing. It was crawling across the floor right at me." He seemed so sure of himself, but both Hercules and Xena looked at the now empty glass of wine and back to him. With the effects of the berries, it seemed a bit more potent. "Oh no," he protested, shaking his head. "I know what you're thinking. I am not drunk. I am perfectly sober." Just then Hercules let go of him and he nearly fell over, just barely catching himself with the chair.
Their attention was distracted by a motion on the bed. "What's wrong?" Gabrielle asked, attempting to rub her eyes. After not succeeding in moving without pain, she settled on simply blinking the sleep out of them.
Xena shot the small man a look that sent daggers through his heart for waking their sleeping friend. Immediately she was at her best friend's side trying to soothe her back to sleep. "Shhh, it was nothing," she told her, smoothing back her hair from her face. "Iolaus was just being stupid. He did not mean to wake you." This part was said a bit louder, just in case her feelings were not known. "Go back to sleep. We're all going to sleep now, so just relax. It's okay. Everything is going to be okay." She looked over to the two men who were standing on the other side of the room.
Her message was clear.
"Come on," Hercules urged his friend, picking up the tray and it's empty dishes, leaving the few scraps left in case Xena wanted them for later. He waited for a moment before taking Iolaus by the shoulder and leading him to the door.
"Fine," the smaller man pouted. "But I did see it. Just because you're not worried about it biting you doesn't mean I'm not worried. After all, some of us ate the berries and aren't the son of Zeus. I for one am not going to get any sleep tonight." With that, he closed the door behind him and shut off his further protests from Xena and Gabrielle.
Xena lay curled up beside Gabrielle on the bed. She didn't sleep, but watched her sick friend take labored breaths as she slumbered. She could hear the sounds of the night drifting in from the window, crickets chirping, frogs croaking, and the occasional horse trotting by. Through the door that led into the adjoining room, she could hear the faint sounds of Iolaus snoring. Won't sleep, huh? She thought wryly. Her thoughts were, as they had been for most of the day, focused on Gabrielle. She hoped her friend would be able to fight this thing, whatever it was, even with her weakness from her injuries. Her thoughts drifted back to before she met the young woman, and she decided it was a time she really did not want to think about. It was this girl who made her who she was today. No, not girl, woman, she corrected. She owed her her life. She knew, deep within her, that even if Hercules had intervened as he did, if it had not been for Gabrielle she would be back where she started. She gave her the strength and the reason to go on fighting, knowing that there were people out there just like her who's lives she was saving every time she fought off a warlord or avenged her past.
Her quiet introspection was shattered by the slightest of moans coming from the young woman beside her. Gabrielle began tossing her head back and forth ever so slightly; her face wrinkled in pain and fear from whatever haunted her dreams. Xena reached out to touch her friend, and could feel the heat radiating off of her. Though she had only checked her a short time ago, the fever seemed to be at full strength now. Once again her fears grew as she wondered what was wrong with her friend and whether or not the young woman would be able to fight it off.
It was dark. So very very dark. Though she couldn't see anything, she felt she was alone. Slowly a speck of gray formed in front of her, bringing a hint of light into this dark place. It began to grow much quicker now, lighting a small area around her, but there was still nothing.
The light was strange. Instead of bringing some sort of warmth, it was cold and chilled this mysterious place. She brought her arms up to warm herself, and was surprised by the lack of pain. She remembered being injured, and how it hurt to move, but that was gone now. Even the tightness around her chest from the bandages was gone. She looked down at herself in the strange light and saw that her injuries were gone, all of them, and she was no longer wearing the oversized shift she had borrowed from Xena but was wearing her normal traveling clothes instead. Xena... Where was she? She wouldn't leave her alone in a place like this, that she was sure of, especially so soon after a fight.
A slight murmuring filled the air around her. She was no longer alone. Whoever they were, they were still out of view, but she knew they were there. Out of the shadows came the sound of footsteps running towards her. As the form reached the light she recognized it immediately. It was Perdicus. The man she had been married to for such a short time had a look of fear on his face that broke her heart, but she did not know what to do to stop it. Another form stepped out of the shadows, right in the path of the frightened man. There was nothing she could do but watch as it ran her former husband through with a sword. Slowly it turned around, but she did not have to see its face to know who it was. That face was forever etched into her memory. "Did I do that?" Callisto asked, not a bit ashamed as she held her blood-covered sword casually in front of her.
Gabrielle ran at her, full of anger and grief, ready to rip her apart with her bare hands if need be to make her understand what she had done. But the form of the murderer disappeared. She looked around her, searching for the madwoman, but finding something even worse. On the ground a short distance from her murdered husband, her mother lay dead. Looking past her, she saw her father and her sister, also dead. She rushed towards them, tears in her eyes and saw that they were only the beginning of a long line. There was Ephiny, Solari, Aurouren, and all of her Amazon sisters, their bodies lined in neat rows forming a path for her to walk between. She walked down the path, seeing too many familiar faces, friends from long ago and from her recent adventures. For each step she took, the grayness spread a little farther, uncovering another victim. Finally, it did not move. She approached the end of the grayness, wanting to be free from this torture of seeing everyone that mattered to her killed, preferring even the darkness to what she was seeing. But it was not to be. As she stepped to the edge, it moved back one more time, revealing the small battered body of Iolaus. She could make out another form next to him and had to know. She took another step and saw the body of the Hercules. The demigod's shirt was stained red with blood, and even in death he looked larger than life. She saw one last form at the edge of the grayness, and knew who it was; she could make out that form anywhere. She collapsed at the side of the great Warrior Princess, her closest friend she had ever known, the one person who meant so much to her. "Xena..." she whispered, running her hands through the long black hair as her body shook with sobs. There was nothing left for her, not anymore. Anyone who had ever meant anything to her was gone.
"It's all your fault, you know," a voice came from behind her. She looked up into the eyes of the god of war and the smug grin he wore. "None of this would have ever happened if it wasn't for you," Ares told her. He crouched down beside her and laid an appreciative hand on the armor Xena wore even in death. "She was my greatest prize and you took that away. But you will pay for your crimes. They're waiting…" With that he stood, his eyes twinkling with some hidden knowledge and a grin on his face gloating of his victory.
The voices that she had been hearing since she came to this place grew louder now, and she could feel them closing in around her. She looked up at the crowd of people, many of them in old beat up armor with their weapons drawn. She could recognize some of them as men she had fought, taking them down with her staff. She could only assume they were here for revenge.
"She's mine," a voice said. She whipped around to see the form of Velesca, the Amazon turned goddess who tried to take the mask of queenhood from her. Madness still flared in those eyes.
"Wait your turn," Callisto snapped back at her impatiently.
The crowd advanced, grabbing at her, pulling her in different directions. She tried to escape but couldn't get free from their hold. The sound of Ares' laughter filled her ears, his amusement fueling her anger and need to get out of this place. She tried to fight back, kicking and scratching, the whole time screaming, but knowing there was no one there who cared to hear. One pair of hands were on her, stronger than the others. She could feel them shaking her and tried to break free but they were just too strong.
"Gabrielle!" she heard a familiar voice call. She knew who it was, but one quick look told her that Xena still lay dead beside her. The voice called again, and she tried to find it. As she locked in on it, the grayness began to fade...
"Gabrielle!" Xena called again, shaking the bard. "Wake up, come on, wake up," she repeated for what felt like the hundredth time. One moment the bard had been sleeping soundly, and the next she was in the throes of a nightmare. When she tried to shake her out of it the bard, still in her dreamworld, started fighting back, kicking and screaming even louder. She had awoken their neighbors, who burst through the door ready for a fight, thinking they were being attacked. Both were half-dressed and still half asleep, but ready for battle if needed. Looking at her friend's face, she was quite sure she was, only it was one for her very life.
The young woman lashed out one more time, clawing at the warrior's face. Xena managed to grab her hands back with her usual skill and held them to smaller woman's chest, which was still heaving from her excitement, every breath sounding as if it was wrenched out of her. Slowly, a green eye peeked open. She saw the face of the warrior above her and the other snapped open as well. She quickly glanced around at her surroundings, as if making sure she was really there. "Xena?" she whispered, her eyes pleading for this to be reality.
"Shhh, I'm here. It's all right, it was just a dream," she assured the shaken woman. She lightened her grip on the smaller woman, then shifted her position so she was behind her. She hugged her to her as tightly as she dared, not wanting to let go. She knew the closeness would be calming, for both of them. Slowly she began rocking her best friend back and forth in a soothing motion. "'s all right," she repeated, over and over again, feeling the bard's pounding heart begin to slow.
"Xena?" Hercules asked carefully, his voice barely audible. "Is everything okay?" He ran his hand through his disheveled hair, then awkwardly put it down, not sure what to do.
Xena nodded her head. "Everything's fine, just a bad dream, that's all," she said in the same soft voice. He wasn't sure who she was talking to more, himself or the injured woman she held in her arms. He nodded his head, understanding that there was nothing he could do. He figured his and Iolaus' being there was only keeping Gabrielle awake, so he turned to leave. "Come on, Iolaus," he said quietly, motioning for the door. The smaller man looked to the bed, then to his friend, and agreed, heading to the door, his bare feet making soft noises on the wood. He noticed that Hercules did not close the door after him, leaving the two rooms connected. Both lay back down in their own room, positioning themselves so that they could see what was going on in the other room. They watched as Xena continued her rocking and Gabrielle finally drifted back into sleep. Soon after, they followed.
When Hercules woke the next morning, Gabrielle still slept soundly in Xena's arms. Xena, on the other hand, didn't look like she had slept at all the night before. He nudged his friend awake, knowing by the dark circles under his eyes that he had slept about as much as the demigod. Iolaus moved as if to speak, but the larger man motioned him to remain silent, afraid to wake the sleeping patient again. It seemed the only thing they could do was let her try to sleep. If that helped her get better, then he was going to make certain nothing interfered. He waited until his friend had laced up his boots, then both slipped out into the hallway, determined not to cause any problems for Xena or her patient.
"So," Iolaus yawned. "What's the plan for the day?"
"First, Breakfast," the larger man said, expecting and receiving a smile from the blonde man. Iolaus' appetite was near legendary. "Then let's see if we can find out anything about who attacked us yesterday. Xena seemed to know something, but I don't want to bother her with that right now, she has more important things to worry about." The smaller man nodded, a little bit more awake. "I also want to get that healer here as soon as she comes back. I hate seeing Gabrielle like this; I can only imagine what Xena's going through."
"Yeah," Iolaus sighed, betraying his own worry in the sound of his voice. "I wish there was something more that we could do. They've both helped us how many times?"
"Yeah, I know," Hercules commented, remembering all to well.
"Anything else?" Iolaus had been friends with the demigod for far too many years not to know when there was something else on his mind.
"Somewhere in there we've got to get Xena to take a break and eat something," he conceded, knowing the chances of that happening. The former warlord was far too complying the night before; he doubted she would be the same today.
"The chances of that happening are about the same as Cerebus becoming a family pet," Iolaus snorted.
Hercules laughed, but refused to mention the fact that his brother Hades actually did consider the beast a pet. The god of the underworld caring about a puppy would be bad for his image. Something else popped into his head, and he could have slapped himself for forgetting. "How's the head?" he asked his friend, who looked like he was trying to shake off another headache.
"Feels like I got run over by a village of centaurs, but other than that I'm fine," he admitted. "How 'bout you?" he asked congenially, or at least attempting to.
Hercules shook his head and bit off a laugh at his friend's moodswings. "Come on," he urged, motioning to the stairs. "Let's get going."
Xena looked down again at the sleeping form of Gabrielle. Her haunting dreams seemed to have subsided, at least for the time being. More than once through out the night, she had woken the sick woman from nightmares, though none seemed quite as bad as that first one. Gods, the names she had been crying out Callisto, Velesca, Ares... What kind of personal Tartarus was she going through? And all she could do was sit and watch. She tried to comfort her, but doubted her words had any effect. Every time Gabrielle had cried out or woken up, Hercules and Iolaus did as well. They only came in that one time, but she saw their open eyes even in the darkness, heard their uneven breathing in the otherwise quiet night.
They were awake now; she had heard them sneak out. If she tried, she could have heard every word of their conversation in the hallway. Instead, she focused her attention on the gentle rise and fall of the bard's chest, as if simply willing it not to stop made it so. She had done this for most of the night, and found her friend's breathing increased slightly just before another dream. She tried soothing the bard before it got too bad, and it seemed to work, a little. The dreams still came, but they were shorter and didn't seem quite as bad. At least something seemed to be getting better.
"Is she doing any better?" Linus asked as Hercules leaned on the counter in front of him.
The hero sighed heavily as he shook his head. "If possible, she's worse. As if her injuries weren't enough" He trailed off, still upset at himself for letting her get hurt in the first place.
The innkeeper filled a mug with cider and placed it in front of the large man. 'If you don't mind me asking," he began, treading lightly on what he suspected was a sensitive subject. "What happened? She didn't seem herself even before the incident in the square, does that have something to do with what's going on now?"
Hercules sighed again and turned around to face the inn, leaning his elbows on the bar for support. He looked across to the table where Iolaus sat munching on some fruit and bread, still drinking a little too much water for his liking but otherwise on his way back to being his normal self. "I honestly don't know," the large man admitted. "She's sick. We think it's from before, but I'm not sure what caused it or why. Xena seems to have a theory, but we have to wait for the apothecary to be sure. It would explain why she was beat. I've seen her fight before and she's better than that; she should have at least held her own for longer." He turned back to the innkeeper. "I want to find out who we were fighting in the square and why they attacked us. Gabrielle seemed to be their target, but why? What could she have to do with them?"
Linus knew the man was mainly thinking out loud, but he wanted to help his new friend. "I think I know someone who can help you," he told the larger man, watching as his face lit up with the traces of hope.
Iolaus watched the exchange from across the room, looking up between bites and trying to read the two men's expressions. Hercules seemed pleased with something the innkeeper was telling him. Good news? He hoped so; they certainly could use it. He quickly glanced around the room, which luckily looked a little less fuzzy today, and realized he was not the only one interested in his friend's conversation. A young woman, slightly older than Gabrielle, was also watching the two men. She had dark curly hair tied back with a red scarf and looked like she had seen more than a few seasons of hard work. Probably a maid, he thought. Either interested in what's going on at the inn or some good gossip. The help here seemed, well helpful, though they all seemed a bit intimidated by Xena. Not that he could blame them. He knew exactly what she was capable of, and he knew that should scare him a lot more than it did. There was a sort of calming force in her life now, something that helped her keep her control. He was pretty sure that force had green eyes and red-blonde hair and was lying in the bed upstairs. He hoped they could figure out what was going on, for both of their sakes.
Iolaus slowly pushed himself up from the table and wandered over to where the two men were talking. He noticed that the girl's eyes followed him across the room. "So," he said as he leaned on the counter next to his friend. The action was as much to steady himself as it was an attempt to be casual. "Got any leads?"
Hercules nodded his head. "There's a guy that lives just outside of town that might be able to help. He's a farmer now, but used to be a soldier. He tries to keep track of which armies are around."
"Why would he want to do that? I mean, if he left that life, why would he still want anything to do with it?" Iolaus asked.
"He was not the nicest guy in his day. Many of them still have scores to settle with him and he still has a few warrants out for his head. He likes to know what he might have to deal with," Linus answered him.
"Don't take this the wrong way," Iolaus started. He didn't want to offend someone trying to help them, but something just didn't sit right with him. Gods, he wished his head would clear. "But why does an innkeeper know so much about a warrior type? If he wants to keep a low profile, why would he tell you everything?"
The older man sighed. He might as well tell them, there was nothing he could do about it now. "After I left Xena's army, he and I fought side by side against a warlord trying to take over this town. We won, and got to be friend's, even though only a few seasons before we probably would have killed each other on sight since we had been fighting on opposite sides."
Neither Iolaus nor Hercules were able to completely hide their looks of surprise. Though it did explain a lot when they thought about it. Linus had been a soldier in Xena's army; that's how they knew each other. He obviously left on good terms or he would no longer be alive. He knew other soldiers; that also made sense. And one of those soldiers had information about someone who had something against Xena. Anyone who knew anything about Xena now knew about Gabrielle, and that would make her a target. So, it wasn't Gabrielle they were really after, it was Xena.
"Oh, I mean um." Iolaus babbled. "I mean, it makes sense"
"Come on, Iolaus," Hercules prodded, moving away from the bar and towards the door. "We should be able to ask him a few questions before lunch if we leave now." He turned back to the innkeeper before he left. "Thanks again."
The old man nodded in return. "And don't you worry, I'll bring up some food for your friends," he called after them. Even he knew the chance Xena would leave her charge to eat was nonexistent, but it would make both he and her friends feel better to try. She was a stubborn one; always had been, and probably always would be.
Hercules and Iolaus approached the small house cautiously. The man was a former warrior, and as they personally knew, once a warrior always a warrior. The house itself was unopposing, simple wood frame with a thatch roof, and the area around it was clear of any debris or woods. That meant he had a clear view of whoever was coming or going.
"Hello?" Hercules called out after knocking on the doorframe. Iolaus glanced through the small window inset in the wall, but saw nothing, only a small fire burning in the fireplace. The large man glanced over to see his friend shake his head, and when he glanced back was looking straight into the eyes of a man that rivaled himself in size. He quickly pulled his hand away from the doorframe where it was still poised to knock again. "Um, hi," was all he said to the man.
"Can I help you?" the man asked in a near growl.
"Uh, yeah. Linus, the innkeeper from town told us you might be able to help us. We're looking for some information, and he said you're the one to ask," Hercules told him, all the while thinking this was not the best idea he ever had. "You are Danilus, right?" he checked to make sure, though the description Linus had given him fit this man to a T. He was about Hercules' height, though a little wider, with gray eyes and long almost black hair.
The man nodded his head in answer to the question. "Linus sent you?" he asked doubtfully.
"Yeah," Iolaus answered. The man fixed his gaze on the smaller man as he continued. "We're friends of Xena's and there were some, uh, problems in town. He said you might know something about who's behind them." He squirmed a bit, but met the larger man's gaze.
"Friend's of Xena's, huh? Linus never did have any taste," Danilus smiled, chuckling to himself. "Come on in. Linus wouldn't have sent you here if he didn't trust you, though he knows my feelings on that woman."" He held the door open wide enough for the two men to enter. The house was comfortably decorated, with the only sign it belonged to a former warrior was a sword in its scabbard lying across the top of the fireplace.
"So," Danilus asked once they were comfortably seated. "What is it that you need to know?"
"Do you know if there are any warlords or armies based around here? Especially any with something against Xena?" Hercules asked.
"Almost everyone has something against Xena, villagers and warlords alike. Who's town did she overrun this time? Answer that, and you'll have your man," Danilus snorted.
"She's not like that anymore, and hasn't been for a while," Hercules protested, defending a woman who he knew was completely capable of what the other man was thinking. "This was a completely unprovoked attack, and we want to know who's behind it."
"I've heard she's changed, and Linus tried to convince me it's true. You don't look like the usual type to sign up in her army, so who are you really?"
"Like I said, we're friends. We're just trying to help," Hercules replied, not certain if he wanted to give this man his true identity. That had caused problems in the past, and he had learned sometimes anominity could be a good thing.
"Fine. My question is this, why doesn't she come herself to ask me, or why don't you ask her? She probably knows. She was never one to let things pass without answers. Even if she has changed like you say, she would find a way to know."
"She has other things to deal with right now, more important things," Iolaus answered.
"Another friend of ours was injured in the last attack, Xena's taking care of her," Hercules clarified.
Danilus looked truly surprised that the famed Warrior Princess would be caring for an injured friend. Maybe she had changed since the last time he saw her. He looked at Iolaus' still bandaged arm. So the small man was injured as well. His mood changed as he spoke. "There are a couple of groups around here, but only one that I know for certain has something against Xena." He paused as if to think back to another life, which it probably was. "The men who attacked, did they wear black leather with a silver emblem on the front?" The two men nodded. "Then I think I know who it is"
"You're back," Linus commented, turning to pick up a tray he had put off to the side. "I trust Danilus was able to help?"
"Yes, he was. Thank you," Hercules replied. A lot more information than he expected to tell the truth. And a lot more than he was likely to get out of anyone else, including a certain Warrior Princess.
"I set aside a bit of food for you and your friends," the innkeeper said, offering him the tray. Hercules' eyes widened at what he called a bit. There was enough food on the tray to feed at least five grown men, though he was beginning to think that on a good day Iolaus and Gabrielle could finish it off.
"Thank you," he said, his own stomach beginning to make its needs known. They had stayed at Danilus' place for longer than he had originally planned. "Has the?"
"She's up there now," Linus answered before he could finish. "She just got back, but we sent her up there as soon as she got here."
"Thank you," Hercules said for what felt like the hundredth time. Linus was a good man; he could see why he had such good, though varied, friends.
"Don't mention it," the innkeeper waved him off. "Now get up there and see to that young friend of yours. And," he added with a smile, "Try to get that pigheaded warrior to eat something."
"You know," Iolaus chuckled as he followed Hercules up the stairs. "There aren't very many people who can get away with calling her that."
"Notice she wasn't here," the larger man pointed out. He was glad to see his friend in better spirits. With the apothecary here, Iolaus feeling better, and information on the attack, things could only get better.
The two men approached the door carefully, not knowing quite exactly what to expect. Iolaus knocked on the door to Xena and Gabrielle's room, then waited quietly for a reply. He noted with interest that the same dark haired woman was eyeing them carefully from down the hall. When he met her gaze, she lowered her head and scurried away. She was a curious one, he would give her that.
"Enter," a voice called from within the room, jarring him from his once again wandering thoughts. It was most notably not Xena's nor could it be Gabrielle's. Even sick, her voice wasn't that gravelly. It had to be the apothecary's. He opened the door slowly, not wanting to disturb anyone, though realizing that simply by knocking he already had. He stood to the side and let Hercules through with the tray of food before softly closing the door behind him. Hercules set the tray down on the same table he had used earlier. Iolaus noted with mild interest that true to his word, Linus had brought up a smaller tray that morning filled with fruits. And, just as predicted, it looked like not a single item had been touched.
The apothecary was saying something softly to Xena, who was listening attentively, as she tied a sort of poultice to Gabrielle's arm above where he remembered seeing the large purple mark. Iolaus could not make out what was being said, so instead focused his attention on the apothecary herself. She was an elderly woman who looked like she had seen more seasons go by than she would like to admit, but the wrinkles framed soft eyes and an understanding smile. She reminded him of his grandmother, with her long grey-white hair pulled tightly into an elaborate bun and her rather old-fashioned style of dress. He had a feeling she was just as tough underneath that soft exterior as his grandmother had been as well. She seemed like she could barely harm a bug, then BAM out of nowhere, she would surprise you.
Her voice suddenly grew louder, and he knew it was meant for all to hear. "The fever should break by tomorrow, but it will get worse before it gets better. Give her this mixture twice more today and once tomorrow." Iolaus noticed her motion to a small pouch lying on the bed. "When she first wakes she will be disoriented, but that is usual in cases like this. Give her time and rest; she will be fine. Those injuries though..." She shook her head making slight tsking noises. "They will take longer to heal than they normally would. That is the effect of the berries. What you were thinking bringing a small, sick child into a fight I will never understand."
"Hey!" Iolaus objected, ignoring Xena's glare to back off. "We didn't bring her there, it just happened! And she didn't seem that bad before" He trailed off when the apothecary's stare rivaled Xena's.
"And I suppose these things 'just happen' to you all the time? Hmm?" the old woman asked disbelievingly.
"Actually..." Iolaus admitted slowly.
The woman would not hear him out. "I do not care if you or even the girl are used to rough-housing, though I disapprove, a child as disoriented as she obviously was at this point should not have been allowed to participate in any fight, let alone one of this severity."
"Don't you think we know that?" Iolaus cried, nearly pleading. "Don't you think we would have stopped it if we could? We tried to protect her! We tried to stop it! We failed. And I don't need you rubbing it in." The smaller man began storming towards the door.
"Iolaus" Hercules said, catching him by the arm and brining him back. "That wasn't necessary. She's just trying to help."
"No," the old woman interrupted. "It was completely necessary, for him and probably for me. Now I know you do actually care for this child. Tell me something," she said, walking over to him with a look of care and understanding in her weathered eyes. "How many of those berries did you eat?"
The small man was completely taken aback. That was the last thing he expected her to ask. "I don't know, not that many," he shrugged.
"Don't you lie to me. I have been in this profession long enough to know when someone is ill. Tell me how many you had."
"A couple handfuls, that's all," he admitted.
"That's more than enough. No wonder you are as you are," she said under her breath.
Iolaus took a few moments to decipher her comment, then decided he was still a bit too foggy around the edges to try to figure it out. "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked, exasperated.
"You are unfocused and fidgety. You've probably had a headache that would kill a mule for the past few days but decided to keep up the tough guy act and make it seem like everything is fine." She smiled as her words set in and she could see the truth in his eyes. "You cannot fool this old lady, so don't even try young man," she smiled again, then her face turned serious. "Everything is not fine and it will not be for several days. There is nothing I can give you to make the effects go away any faster, they simply have to work through your system. Physical activity makes the symptoms stronger, which is why your poor friend here is in the state she is in. You must take it easy, and do not get into any more fights! Your injuries will seem more severe and will not heal as quickly as they should."
Iolaus felt as if he was being dressed down by his old school teacher. There was nothing he could say other than a sullen, "Yes, ma'am."
The old woman smiled once again. "Now," she said, sitting down in one of the chairs near the bed. "Let me have a look at your arm." She gestured him forward with her hand, but he was reluctant to move.
"Uh, Herc took a look at it yesterday. It's fine, see?" He swung his arm in a wide circle to demonstrate, hoping that he kept at least most of the wince of pain off of his face. It was taking longer to heal than normal, and he knew it, he just didn't want to admit it to himself or his friends. Like he needed their sympathy now of all times.
"Very nice," the old woman nodded. "Now come here and let me see it." She crossed her arms in front of her as if to say, "I can be just as stubborn as you, and probably even better at it."
"Iolaus" Hercules warned. He looked to Xena for help, but she was completely absorbed in Gabrielle and he thought it best not to disturb her.
"Fine," the smaller man gave in. "I just don't like doctors, the way they inspect you like you're some rare specimen or something."
"I've treated your wounds how many times? And you've never had a problem, except slowing it down afterwards," Hercules countered rolling his eyes.
"That's not the same," Iolaus protested. He was going to continue, but didn't have the energy for it. He let the old woman remove the bandage from his arm. Once again, she made those tsking sounds he was beginning to dislike. He looked down at his arm and found the wound swollen with infection. "Huh, so that's why it's stiff," he commented.
Hercules just shook his head. "Why didn't you tell me it was that bad?" he asked.
Iolaus shrugged. "I didn't know," he answered honestly.
"He probably didn't," the old woman agreed, reaching into her bag of medicines. "He had other things on his mind, didn't you?" she asked, looking pointedly to the bed where Gabrielle lay perfectly still.
The small man blushed, and stammered to come up with a comment. He couldn't think of any, so he just shrugged again. He let her tend to his wound, putting some sort of stinging mixture on it then wrapping it in a clean bandage.
"You're next," she said to Hercules.
The demi-god looked down at his own bandaged arm. "Oh, no, mine's fine," he said a bit more quickly than he had intended.
"Sure it is," the old woman said dryly. "And how many of the berries did you eat? Not to many from the look of it, but they still will have their effects."
"Um," Hercules began again.
Iolaus decided to fill in the words that were coming so hard to his friend. "He has a bit stronger constitution than most." He chuckled at his own joke, finding it much more humorous than he had intended. The old woman simply gave them both another look that would have done Xena proud. "I tried, Herc. But she's not going to give in. It's time you bite the arrow shaft and give in," the small man commented, still laughing from his last remark.
Hercules pulled off the bandage and let her look at his nearly completely healed arm. She looked up at him in true surprise. "I heal quickly," he shrugged.
"It's a son of a god thing," Iolaus added in, trying to be helpful. Hercules wondered just when exactly the berries would wear off. Iolaus was even more giddy than usual, and it was wearing on his already thin nerves.
"Very well," the old woman said, standing up, ignoring the offer of help by the large man. She packed up the last of her things and headed for the door. "Make sure she drinks that broth twice more tonight," she reminded Xena, who nodded her head silently and mouthed "thank you". She turned to the two men. "Now, you take it easy and do not start any more fights, okay?" She did not wait for a reply. "And another thing, the bugs that bit your friend They seem attracted to whoever has eaten the berries. Only those who have eaten them ever seem to get bit and they have very strong reactions. Your defenses are down enough right now, try not to get bit," she smiled.
"Great," Iolaus mumbled under his breath as Hercules opened the door for the apothecary.
"Keep an eye on him," she whispered to the large man. "He's not as tough as he looks." She smiled again and left.
"Don't I know it," Hercules answered as he closed the door.
The large man turned back to his companions and the one thing that was the focus of the room. Gabrielle. He walked back over to the bed and looked at the small woman. She was sleeping and her breathing seemed more regular than it had the night before. She also looked relaxed, and that, he decided, was a good thing. "How's she doing?" he asked Xena, resting his hand on her shoulder.
The dark haired warrior turned around slowly, not wanting to take her eyes off her injured friend. "Better, I think," she sighed. She ran a hand through her tangled black hair. "Antomeana, the apothecary, gave her something for the pain. It was the last thing I would have expected. She told me I was right not to give her the usual herbs. They have unpleasant effects." Yeah, like death, or slipping into a sleep that you never wake up from. She thanked whatever gods were listening for letting her follow her intuition, even though it meant seeing her friend in pain. If anything had happened to Gabrielle, anything worse, because of her she did not think she could have lived with it. She shook the thought from her mind. "She also gave me some poultices and a tea to brew to help fight off the infection. She wasn't pleased about her injuries, as you already know, but said that if she pulls through this, they should heal with no problems." If. The word still hung in her memory. The apothecary had been hopeful, but still She had said 'if'. Even she did not know, and that frightened Xena more than she would admit. She had been hoping for some miracle cure-all that would make everything go away. She knew it was impossible, but she had still hoped. One thing Gabrielle had taught her was to believe in the impossible.
Hercules looked across to Iolaus, who had pulled a chair up along side the bed and now sat near, but not touching the bard. He too watched as Xena turned back to her small friend and absentmindedly played with the strands of red-blonde hair and she immersed herself in her thoughts. "She'll be fine," he said, though he did not know if he was saying it to his friends or himself. "She'll be fine," he repeated softly. He shook his head to clear it of the thoughts that sent him deeper into the abyss of blame and condemnation. He forced himself to block out the thoughts that told him that if only he had noticed the fever sooner, or had been able to stop that man from getting in... He forced himself to block out the fact that he failed and that this was his fault, knowing it was doing him no good at a time when he needed to be strong and be there for his friend. He needed to change the subject, to get her off his mind, even though he knew that was next to impossible. "Um," he said, clearing his throat. "Linus gave us some food. We should probably eat." It was lame, and he knew it. Looking at Iolaus, he knew it as well, but knew his friend was trying.
"I'm not hungry," was Xena's only response.
"Come on, you need to eat something..." he tried, knowing she hadn't eaten anything all day.
"I'm not hungry," she repeated quietly, but with enough force that he knew she would not change her mind. He would let her win, this time. He knew she would be fine for now, but if she didn't eat by tomorrow, he might just have to pull that old apothecary back in here to talk to her. He shook his head and walked over to the table that held the tray. He began pulling a meal together for himself and noticed Iolaus quietly doing the same. As if he would ever miss a meal.
"Maybe we should tell her what we found out," Iolaus whispered to him, though both knew Xena could hear every word if she wanted to. "It would be something else for us to concentrate on," he added, though he did not know how much concentrating he would be doing with his head still pounding.
The larger man nodded in agreement and brought his meal and a chair up along side the bed and Iolaus's chair before sitting down to eat. Maybe simply seeing others eating would make Xena change her mind. And maybe Bachae would make good dancing partners, he thought to himself with a sigh. "We found out some information about who attacked us today," he began casually before taking another bite.
"It seems it was a warlord that knew you when, well, you know..." Iolaus trailed off. He never knew how to bring up her past. He didn't know what parts were hard for her, or if she even wanted to remember any of it at all. "Some guy named..."
"Melnos," she supplied, slowly raising her eyes from Gabrielle's sleeping form to meet his rather surprised gaze.
"It seems you and he have some unfinished business, at least in his mind. But I guess you already know that," Iolaus added for what appeared to be solely for the sake of talking.
"Our informant didn't know what exactly that business was, only that Melnos was obsessed with it. He suggested asking you. Thought you would have the information that would tell us why, after all this time, Melnos is still obsessed with you," Hercules told her. He looked up expectantly, knowing she would have a reaction. He didn't know what that reaction would be, only that there would be one. When it came, he was slightly disappointed.
"I defeated his army and humiliated him in front of his troops," the former warlord shrugged as she gazed back down at Gabrielle. "I haven't heard from him since he burned down one of my supply posts. I looked for him for a while, but when I couldn't find him, I figured it wasn't worth my effort."
"But you've done that with plenty of guys, they don't all come back and go after you and your friends," Iolaus commented around a mouthful of food.
"Many of them do," Xena whispered, refusing to elaborate and leaving the two men to decipher her comment.
Just how many fights have they been in, Hercules asked himself, looking back and forth between the two women. And who has it really been hardest on? He sighed. "Well, if he hasn't given up on you yet, and he knows he hurt someone you care about, he's not going to stop now," he said, stating the obvious.
"I know. I don't expect him to. When he comes for me, I'll be ready," was all she said, and he was certain he would get little more out of her on the subject.
"He told us where he thought the camp was, or at least where it was the last he had heard. It's about a league or two into the forest from where you two were attacked. His scouts probably saw you and recognized you and that's why they attacked," the large man continued with what little information he had left.
"And they saw Gabrielle with me and figured out who she was. They decided to go after her to get to me because they couldn't defeat me directly," she said, stoic as ever. There was a cold gleam to her eyes; one that spoke of knowing her friend's injuries were because of something that happened in her past, and that she would make certain that something was taken care of. If Melnos was looking for a fight, he definitely had one now.
Hercules and Iolaus finished their meals in silence, knowing there really wasn't anything else to say. They had started cleaning up after themselves and preparing to take the try backs down when they heard a small whimper from the bed.
"No... Not again I won't let you, never again," Gabrielle mumbled from the bed, tossing and turning beneath the covers. Xena tried to soothe her, to calm her with her voice, but nothing seemed to work. Gabrielle was in the throws of another nightmare, and all Xena could do was sit and watch. The small woman began thrashing harder until finally she shot upright screaming, "No!"
Xena grabbed the now fully awake and disoriented bard and tried to calm her down. "It's okay, Gabrielle, it's okay. It was just a bad dream, that's all. No one's going to hurt you. You're safe now," she whispered into the frightened woman's ear.
Gabrielle latched onto her with a death grip. "It was real... It seemed so real..." she cried, near hysterical. It took some time for Xena to calm her down, with Hercules and Iolaus trying to help and stay out of the way at the same time. Finally, the smaller woman loosened her hold and her sobs became mere sniffles and an occasional cough. Xena coaxed her into taking down more of the apothecary's broth, and soon the tired girl seemed to drift back to sleep, finally letting go of the warrior.
No one said much of anything for the rest of the day. Hercules and Iolaus took down the food tray and returned to simply sit and watch over their small charge. They avoided eye contact for the most part, and any attempt at conversation was met by silence. They all sat immersed in their own thoughts, in their own little worlds, all thinking the same thing and nothing at once. As the sun began its final decent, Hercules made some comment about getting food and left. When he returned, he carried another of Linus's large trays of food. He set it on the table and began methodically making himself a sandwich. Iolaus joined him, but still neither said a word, the smaller man's extended silence surprising him after the past few days. They managed to get Xena to drink a mug of cider and eat a piece of cheese, but she refused anything else. She gently woke the bard and coaxed some broth Linus had sent up along with the apothecary's mixture into her before she drifted back to sleep. Iolaus stacked Hercules' and his own dishes and utensils on the small table next to the bed when they finished. They would clean them up later, now they had more important things to do as they watched their friend sleep.
Some time later, Hercules noticed Iolaus struggling to fight back a yawn and to keep his eyes open. "Come on," he said, stretching as he began to stand. "It's time for bed."
The blonde man was about to protest when both of their attentions were turned to the bed. Gabrielle shot awake, taking in a breath of air in a painful sounding gasp, her green eyes wide with fear. She edged as far as she could against the back of the bed. Her eyes shot back and forth between the two men and the large woman like a caged animal. "Who... Who are you?" she asked, her voice shaking with fear.
"Gabrielle, it's us," Xena tried, inching closer only to have the bard attempt to back even further away. "It's me, Gabrielle, don't you remember?" She reached out to place a reassuring hand on her friend's arm and noticed with relief that her temperature had gone down a bit before the young woman yanked her arm from her grasp.
"Stay away!" Gabrielle screamed. She looked around for something to defend herself with. She found the dishes Iolaus had stacked earlier and grabbed a knife from one of the plates. "Stay back," she warned, waving the knife in front of her. She alternated her attention between the two men and the large woman in front of her, as if trying to decide who was the greater threat.
"Gabrielle..." Xena tried again, moving as if to come closer. The frightened woman lunged at her before pulling back. She had done no harm, nor did she seem to be even trying to. It had been a warning. Her intent was simply to keep these strange people away from her. Though Xena could have easily overtaken the smaller woman, she would not risk hurting her friend. She would wait. However long it took, she would wait. In any other instance, the scene in front of them could have been seen as funny. Three great heroes who had defeated countless warlords and monsters kept at bay by a small woman with a kitchen knife. Hercules was silently relieved that Iolaus had not begun to laugh. That was the last thing they needed right now, though it surprised him that the smaller man had not, considering his earlier behavior.
"Stay back!" Gabrielle cried again, tears rolling down her face. She continued to keep them at bay as her fatigue began to get the better of her. Any time any one of them came even a bit closer, she waved the knife in their direction. Slowly, after what seemed like a lifetime, she brought the knife closer to herself. She pulled herself into as tight of a ball as her injuries would allow, wrapping her arms around her legs and letting her grip on the knife relax ever so slightly. "Just stay back..." she repeated over and over to herself as she sunk her head down to rest on her knees.
The warriors stayed where they were, not moving until they were certain Gabrielle wouldn't hurt herself, yet knowing that if she chose to do so each of them would do anything in their power to stop it. Slowly, the sobs of her breathing became more regular and softer. She had cried herself to sleep. Xena carefully removed the knife from her hand and gave it to Iolaus who took it and the rest of the dishes to the tray on the other side of the room. She pulled the bard to her and let her drift deeper and deeper into sleep, noting with sadness that even unconscious, the small woman flinched at the contact. The fever was almost gone, she noted as she touched the cooling skin, but at what cost?
"She didn't know who we are," Iolaus said, pointing out what they had all realized. He ran his hand through his curly hair and began to pace. "It's temporary though, right? I mean she's going to get her memory back, right?" It was more of a plea than a question as he stopped his pacing and looked to Xena for reassurance.
"I don't know," Xena answered truthfully, her eyes wet with tears as she gently rocked Gabrielle back and forth in a soothing motion meant for both of them. "I don't know," she repeated softly.
There was nothing else to say, so Hercules picked up the tray and left the room, with Iolaus closing the door gently behind him. They left Xena and Gabrielle alone, allowing everyone to deal with the myriad of thoughts that plagued their minds. It was going to be another long night. Hopefully the morning would bring with it answers to the many questions they each had.
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