General Disclaimer: All characters depicted belong to Renaissance Pictures/ Universal, etc. This story is just for fun, and no copyright infringement was intended.

Violence: It’s Xena, what can I tell you? But I will say that this is not a war story, it is first and foremost a love story. There is the normal amount of Warrior Princess fighting. This story has a little bit more violence than the first three parts.

Subtext: The subtext is here and shall not be denied. No gratuitous sex, just a fair bit of innuendo and flirtations involving women in love.

Lucy Lawless Alter-Ego disclaimer: Just for the hell of it I thought I’d have Lucy Lawless’ Xena meet up with one of her alter egos from the past, Lysia from "Hercules and the Amazon Women", but there’s no corny "hey you look familiar" jokes I promise....ohh well maybe just a couple in the beginning:-)

Spoiler disclaimer: This story is set after "Bitter Suite" but before "One Against an Army". I refer to the Herc telemovie "Hercules and the Amazon Women" but have chosen to ignore the whole "Zeus sends Herc back in time to fix everything" thing. I loved the Lysia character and wanted to use her, so…As far as I’m concerned Herc did go to Hippolyte’s Amazon village and Lysia did kick the living daylights out of him and it was a satisfying, feminine-affirming experience all round. None of this going-back-in-time-and-having-it-never-happen stuff. Iolaus just stayed home and stopped himself from getting killed. Or maybe he hung around to gawk at the Amazons. (It doesn’t really matter since he had really bad hair in that movie!) But since this is my fantasy world I get to decide what happened and what didn’t, and I make no apologies:)

Dedicated to all the writers involved on Xena:Warrior Princess, and to the Xenaverse bards whose work I admire enormously.

By Poto

poto@zipworld.com.au

Solari saw the glint of metal in the distance an instant before she saw the warning. The northern tower guard shot ten arrows into the air, in two groups of five. The signals were ominous. Ten arrows total to indicate the number of attackers, a hundred warriors, and in two groups of five, fifty on horseback, fifty on foot. Striking a flint to light the warning beacon, she stood and watched the black smoke billowing out from the top of a tall pipe above the main gate. If the guards in the other towers were still alive, at least they’d know the village was under attack. Racing down the stairwell, she sprinted across to where she knew Ephiny would be.

"Ephiny. We’ve got big trouble. One hundred warriors, fifty horse. They just passed the northern watchtower."

"A hundred?" Ephiny scowled in disbelief. "What could they possibly want here?"

"What else?" Gabrielle replied, eyes flashing anger. "Damn it, I knew this was going to happen. They want Xena."

Ephiny shook her head. "That’s impossible. No one left the village. The word couldn’t have gotten out…"

"And no one went into Anya’s tent to give her the nightsbane either. No one could have." Gabrielle interrupted impatiently, her mind whirling with little pieces crashing into place. "No one, except maybe a God."

"Would Ares go so far? And how does Anya fit into all this?"

"I don’t know about Anya, and I don’t think we’ll find out before Xena wakes up to tell us. But I think this has all the signs of being something Ares might do... Xena could be vulnerable to him right now."

"Well regardless of what it is, we still have an army marching our gates ready to knock down the walls. I guess they’ll tell us soon enough if Xena’s what they came for." Solari stated, logically. Moving to leave, she turned as she felt Gabrielle touch her arm.

"Solari, whatever happens, I won’t hand Xena over."

"The only way that’ll happen Gabrielle, is over our dead bodies. All of us." Solari saluted her Queen, cast a quick glance at Ephiny, and then left to organise the Amazon nation for war.

"There’s a messenger at the gates from the warlord." A sentry reported, breathless after her sprint from the guard tower.

Solari nodded. "Is he alone?"

"Yes, but he’s armed to the teeth."

"Well then, he can forget about coming inside. He can deliver his message in lovely, clear and hopefully loud dulcet tones to whoever is on the wall." Solari waved the sentry away, but the young woman twitched nervously. "Was there something else?"

"He wants to speak to Gabrielle."

"Then I bet I already know what his message is." Solari fumed, flinging away the maps she was poring over and stalking to the tower adjoining the main wall. Taking the stairs two by two she reached the top and stared scathingly down at the filthy soldier. His horse flittered nervously, as if the beast was instinctively aware of how many Amazonian archers they were perilously in range of.

"What could this filth possibly have to say to the Queen of the Amazons?" She cursed out over the wall.

The messenger tensed, but held his ground. "My commander has a personal message for the bard Gabrielle, the companion of Xena. Unless of course you can dig up the warrior princess herself and hoist her onto the walls." At the utterance of Xena’s name the soldier almost spat in disgust. Solari smiled. At least Xena was certainly still making the right enemies, even if she sometimes had trouble knowing how to treat her friends.

"In the Amazon nation you will address her as Queen Gabrielle, and she doesn’t speak to the likes of you. So the way I see it you have three choices - deliver your message, deliver the unconditional surrender of your entire army, or just keep standing there like a practice target while I order thirty archers to deliver you to Hades."

Of course, there were only fifteen archers on the wall, but it never hurt to exaggerate. The soldier looked dubiously at the arrow notches in the wood as if suddenly unsure of the estimate he’d made barely minutes before.

After a few seconds he called out again. "Deliver this then to your Queen. We know Xena is inside, and we know she’s...shall we say, not exactly in fighting condition. You give us her body and we won’t be forced to torch your village. Of course, we’d all be happy then to give all your women a lesson in what real women are supposed to be for. If you get my drift."

To Solari, the soldier's words stank of fake bravado. Miserable scum. She smiled, refusing to let herself be baited.

"I’m afraid your informant has misled you. Xena is here, and the last I saw of her she looked in perfect health. You’d be wise to tell your commander…What was your commander’s name again by the way?" Solari delivered her words with as much nonchalance as she could muster.

"My Commander is the great warlord, Patrakas."

"Great warlord Patrakas. Right." She drawled, sarcastically. "Well, tell Patrakas he’d be wise to turn around and go back to the same hole he crawled out of, you’ll find no easy sport here. Unless you’re all suddenly in the mood to take on the Destroyer of Nations?"

"Spare your lies for someone more gullible, Amazon. Our informant was the God of War himself. We know Xena’s flat on her back..." Solari grimaced at his choice of phrasing, "...and we’re coming in to get her."

"Be my guest." Solari snickered, letting out a shrill whistle as a signal to the archers on the wall. Within seconds the messenger's horse was ringed with brightly-feathered arrows, causing the beast to shy dangerously. The man managed somehow to keep his seat, glowering back at the Amazon leader and digging his heels into the poor animal's side. Swearing loudly, he spurred the animal roughly off into the tree cover beyond the village.

Solari raised her voice so her words could be heard all along the wall. "That’s enough, we’ve had our fun. From now on make every arrow count. Send someone out to collect the arrows in the ground. As of this moment, the Amazon nation is under siege." She turned to an Amazon warrior hovering by her elbow. "Have the guards from the three other watchtowers made it back yet?"

"We had three return from the south, but no word from the eastern or western outposts. And the north..."

"The message came from the north, we have to assume…" Bile rising in Solari’s throat prevented her from finished the sentence. She stared into the distance for a second, mourning silently.

"And the others?" The young Amazon prompted gently. Solari shook her head to shake off the ghosts.

"Keep watch until nightfall. If there’s no sign of any survivors by then, I want the defensive blocks in front of the entrances in the back grotto and on the south wall. Send a runner down to inform Ephiny and Gabrielle about everything that’s happened." The Amazon nodded and left, leaving Solari feeling restless, anxious and more than a little annoyed.

I never thought I’d see the day when Xena would be a liability in a battle not an asset.

She took one last ominous look at the ring of arrows her Amazons had shot into the ground. Several young warriors shuttled to and fro, collecting the arrows, checking them for damage, and piling them for return to the archer’s wall. Neat, crisp efficiency, exactly as she had taught them. She shivered. For a warrior, Solari knew she had an alarming distaste for battle.

She could almost hear what Xena’s response would be to such a statement. Probably the exact reason why I’m good at it.

*

"One thing you don’t seem to understand here, Xena, is that I am real, but there’s nothing you can do to hurt me. Nice irony, isn’t it? I’m an apparition, but I’m real enough to hurt you. You can’t wear me down with time, you can’t antagonise me with insults..." Anya taunted as she pranced around, waving Ares’ mammoth sword as if it were no more than a paperweight. "You don’t know how much I’m enjoying this. The best thing is, I didn’t even put you here. You did this all by yourself."

"I don’t have the faintest idea what you’re talking about. What do you want from me?" Xena growled.

"What do I want? It’s quite simple really. I want you to pay for your crimes! The one thing you have never had to do, Xena Warrior Princess!" The Amazon spat.

"What the hell do you know?" Xena snarled back. "I’ve paid a price for everything I’ve ever done." The powerful warrior began to pace warily, with slow, menacing steps. "You don’t know. You’ve never walked around with my guilt day after day, dreamed my nightmares night after night. You don’t know what it’s like to hear yourself ordering the deaths of hundreds of people, knowing that in your life you’ve killed hundreds, maybe thousands..."

"No more than you deserve."

"I’m making up for what I’ve done. I’ll spend my whole life doing it if I have to."

"Do you honestly think it’s that simple? Xena, the great warrior, running around rescuing peasants, while inside you’re a raging fire. You’re always just one step away from the edge Xena, just waiting to run wild whenever something gets to you enough to fuel your anger." Anya laughed mockingly, still pacing around, peering occasionally into the shining blade of the huge weapon.

"Simple...?" Xena replied, incredulously.

"Yes, simple! What do I care if you have bad dreams? The poor warrior princess has a bad conscience. Some people don’t get off quite so lucky. My sister is dead!"

"Sometimes I wish I was." Xena replied, honestly.

Anya slammed the sword point down in frustration into the void at her feet. Xena felt the blade as it sliced into her consciousness. The agony was more like a needle being slowly pushed into her eardrum than a sword blade through flesh - a constant piercing pain. The Amazon stalked over and grabbed Xena by the front of her neck, slowly lifting the warrior off her feet, stretching the muscles along her neck and spine with the pressure of her body weight.

"I want you to admit your guilt, in here and out there, and face the proper Amazon punishment for what you’ve done."

Xena heard the bones in her neck cracking, but strangely, unlike the sword Anya had driven into the ground, she didn’t feel any pain from the hold. She stopped struggling and stared the Amazon down. Anya finally dropped the warrior to the ground. She stood, hands on hips, watching Xena recover her feet and her composure.

"I want a trial, with witnesses and accusers. By Amazon law." She finished.

"What’s the point?" Xena answered, a mocking half-smile curling around her lips. "What if I demand trial by combat? There’s no warrior in the Amazon nation who can fight me and win." It wasn’t bragging, it was simply the truth, and they both knew it. "Even you couldn’t defeat me, even when the guilt for Solon crippled me." Xena threw back her shoulders and stood at her full menacing height, a full handspan higher than the itinerant Amazon. "And I won’t be dictated to by anyone, not you, not the Amazons, not Ares..."

"That’s right, the guilt over your son’s death...look at the sword Xena, look at the weapon you hold in your hand."

Xena stared back confused, and then glanced down. She saw the sword she carried glowing brightly, so brightly that staring into the steel sent piercing pain to the back of your eyeballs. Xena shrank from the sight. The sword felt familiar, yet so completely alien, and heavy.

"So much like your own weapon, back out there. Your sword is your guilt. You carry it wherever you go."

"Following the sword caused me all this pain. You’re not telling me anything new by telling me it’s a reminder."

"But instead of following what you believe in, you keep following your sword."

"I’m a warrior. What else is there?"

Xena knew the answer before the wall changed, almost even before she’d asked the question. A life built with Gabrielle had taught her the answer long ago. To her amazement, the Amazon village appeared around her like a reflection of her mind. The roughly packed courtyard was busy and full of life.

Frantic even.

Something was wrong, and Xena saw that Anya knew it. Whatever display she’d intended for Xena had obviously flown from the Amazon’s thoughts.

She saw Solari on the wall, pounding back and forth as was her way when she was trying to solve a problem. Gabrielle and Ephiny were talking to a guard who stared at them; their features were animated, barely controlled anxiety written clearly across all of their faces.

Xena couldn’t hear the words, but she understood what she was looking at. The warrior allowed her eyes to focus on Gabrielle, and the picture of the bard grew larger and more defined.

Anya shuffled her feet nervously behind her. When she looked up, Xena was startled to see anguish in the face of the Amazon.

"They’re preparing for war." She whispered.

Xena shrugged her shoulders. "What are you worried about? We both know this is only an illusion…"

Suddenly the sword in the Amazon’s hand blazed hot, red fire. "Ares, you betrayed me, they’re preparing for war!" The Amazon screamed around the void, her voice reverberating in Xena’s mind as well as in her ears. Xena looked up, recognition of the situation dawning rapidly across her dark features.

"You mean… what we’re seeing… it’s real time? All this is actually happening?"

Anya nodded her head slowly.

"But everything else I’ve seen, it’s been imaginary. Nothing in here is real, you said so yourself!" Xena fumbled, confused.

"I said I could control things, Xena. I thought I’d show the village, I wanted to make you see what you were trying to destroy…" her voice cracked, and she paced slowly towards the images playing out around them. Her hand reached out to touch, but the contact was impossible. "When you succumbed to your will, became trapped in your mind, Ares came to me. He promised he’d spare the village, that he’d give your body to his army, that they’d know what to do with you. Real justice, Xena. No chance of you getting out of it easy with any trial by combat."

"Real justice? You mean real vengeance." Xena replied coolly.

"At this point it makes very little difference to me." Anya’s eyes became a window for the anger that shook her entire being. "I just thought I’d show you, make you see the people you betrayed. My people..."

Xena approached Anya, her words slow and deliberate. "And suddenly they’re more important than me, aren’t they? But I can do something to help them." Xena’s eyes reflected a mixture of reason and cool rage. "That’s more important than your revenge. Ares isn’t satisfied with just my body, he needs a battle, a big show. He needs to have my head dragged through the mud, in front of Gabrielle, in front of the Amazon nation! Don’t you see, he used you!"

"I already knew that." The Amazon hissed. "I was meant to keep you in here, alive in your mind but out there you’re useless, a shell." Anya twirled the blade around in her hands, fire twisting its tendrils up and down the steel. "He was supposed to wait until Gabrielle lost hope, until you were almost dead and there was no one to save you. She would have taken your body back to Amphipolis. His army would ambush you on the trail. They’d get your body. I’d get my revenge..."

"And I would get my death sentence?" Xena held the sword up for Anya to see. "Listen, it’s you who doesn’t understand. This is my death sentence. You’re right, this sword is my guilt. I’ll carry it everywhere, until the day I die." Xena sheathed the sword on her back, but even though she let go of the hilt, she still felt the roughness of the handle against her skin, as if the callused hand never left contact. She stared at the hand and flexed the fingers. The feeling remained.

Lifting her eyes Xena walked over to the wall. "And this is my will. I’ve been hiding behind it…with a little help from you to keep me distracted." She tried to put her hand on the shimmering image, but the wall backed away from her touch.

Xena took a few tentative steps toward the Amazon, who still stood holding the sword, engulfed in her own rage. "Out there I can save lives in your village. As soon as they see me alive, Ares’ army won’t have the gall to attack." She held out her hand to the Amazon. "Saving their lives is more important than taking mine. My life isn’t worth all of theirs. The worst thing is, if they fight, they’re dying to protect me!"

Xena reached out and made contact with the other woman. Her flesh felt real, but her eyes were glazed and corrupted with hate. "You’re here inside my mind now. You can see through my eyes. Help me to help them. You know you can’t go back." Anya’s face twisted again in rage, but this time Xena thought she could see something else in the young Amazon’s eyes. Regret? Sorrow? She wasn’t that good at reading emotions. Gabrielle was much better at that.

"What makes you think I can let you out?" Anya asked simply, her eyes staring off into nothingness. Xena reached over, and slowly, gently, uncurled Anya’s tensed fingers from the blade of Ares’ weapon. The blade was incredibly light, lighter even than her chakram.

"I don’t think you can do anything. But if I’m right, I think this sword can." Xena waved the weapon in the air a few times before stalking over to the nearest piece of wall.

"That is going to hurt like nothing you’ve ever felt before." Anya warned.

"I know." Xena raised the blade for the strike, but before she could land the blow Anya caught the warrior’s arm in a vice like grip.

"If I let you leave here so easily, I want something from you." The Amazon demanded.

"If it’s in my power." Xena replied, apprehensively.

"It’s one of the few things that is always in your power, warrior princess. I want your word."

"What am I promising? I don’t make promises I can’t keep."

"That when the Amazon village is cleared of Ares’ army, you’ll give yourself up to the Amazon nation and stand judgement."

"Gabrielle will never allow it. You said so yourself."

"I’m not asking this from the Amazon Queen. I’m asking this on the honour of Xena, Warrior Princess. That is, if she has any honour left."

Xena felt a stirring in her breast that she hadn’t felt for a long time. Being a warrior in the true sense of the word. The code that always made her draw the line at killing women and children in her days of fear and hatred. It was one of the few things this Amazon could understand about her that Gabrielle never could.

"Do it because it’s the right thing to do. Let at least one of us do this one right thing, the only right thing, out of all this anger and hatred."

Xena could think of nothing worse than bowing her knee in front of the Amazon nation. But in the end, in this case at least, the Amazon nation was Gabrielle.

Finally, after long moments, Xena nodded curtly.

The Amazon nodded in return and withdrew her arm, leaving nothing between Xena and the world outside, but the wall.

*

Xena’s scream split the air of the Amazon village, sending Gabrielle’s blood cold.

The warrior leaped up, drenched in sweat, as Gabrielle, Ephiny, Lysia and Eponin raced into the hut. On their faces was a mixture of horror and joy, as each dealt in their own way with the return of life to the shell that was Xena’s body.

Gabrielle threw herself on the warrior in stunned relief. "Oh thank the Gods Xena, you’re back!"

Xena returned the desperate hug with a hug of her own, squeezing the bard close to her breast, holding on as she’d never held anything or anyone in her life. While the bard and the warrior held each other, Ephiny allowed a small smile of relief to creep over her features. She turned to Eponin and put a hand on her weapon master’s shoulder. "Run and tell Solari that we might not be in as much trouble as we first thought."

Eponin’s face broke into a huge grin as she tugged on Lysia’s arm and dragged her from the hut.

Ephiny approached the lovers and smiled. "Xena, how are you feeling?" The warrior looked up with weary, pain filled eyes.

"Exhausted, Ephiny, totally exhausted. And my head feels like Mount Olympus just fell on me."

Gabrielle glanced up from her hug, her eyes showing deep concern. "I’ll fetch some herbs to make a broth for that headache." Emotion threatened to overcome the small woman, and she felt faint with the power of it. She suddenly felt the need to do something, anything.

Xena’s recognised the look on Gabrielle’s face, and the look she gave the bard in return showed that she understood completely.

The pain rang in her head as if her brain had been branded with hot iron. Xena fell back on the bed, the energy of her body spent after the ferocious hug.

"Solari is going to be very happy to see you." Ephiny gushed, earning her a scathing look from Gabrielle.

"Xena doesn’t need to hear that yet..." Gabrielle began but was cut off.

"Has the army made any moves to attack yet?" Xena asked, closing her eyes against the searing pain lancing at the back of her eyeballs. She knew instinctively that standing up was still completely out of the question.

"How did you know? You’ve been unconscious for days." Gabrielle’s eyes grew wide with surprise.

"Down, but not out. It’s a long, complicated story and I’m not sure I want to tell it right now. Let’s just say I know Ares has an army out there, and I know what they want. They’re going to be very disappointed to find me here awake and alive."

"Solari will probably start sending out patrols to get a feel for where their first attack might come from..." Ephiny began, and then stopped as Xena’s face creased into an angry scowl. Blue eyes turned to steel in moments, stopping even Gabrielle in her tracks as she rushed around preparing herbs for Xena’s headache medicine.

"Ephiny, listen to me. I don’t want a single Amazon to set foot outside those gates. Not a single one, do you hear me? I won’t have any more of your Amazons endangered because of me."

"You’re too late, Xena. We lost at least five warriors at the outposts when the army entered Amazon territory. The women are fired up for battle. I’m sorry, but it’s not just about you any more. These are our lands, our homes, our people. We need to fight." Ephiny shook her head sadly.

Xena closed her eyes against another wave of pain that surged through her, completely unrelated to her headache. Reaching beside her she felt around without success for her armour.

"Your armour is over here Xena, but you can’t possibly think about getting up now, you’re not well..." Gabrielle pressed down insistently on Xena’s shoulders. The warrior shrugged her off.

"I’m alive, which is more than I can say for those Amazons." Xena snapped.

"Yes, you’re alive. And a few minutes ago none of us had any idea just how close to death you might be. You’re crazy if you think I’m letting you go up on that wall endangering yourself and everyone else. Not in your condition, so don’t even think about it!" Gabrielle returned harshly, every bit as determined that Xena should stay in bed as Xena was about getting up.

The two women glared at each other, with Xena the one to finally relent as the pulsing waves of pain forced her eyes closed again. Gabrielle took the opportunity to push the warrior back gently against the pillows.

"Ephiny, will you go and fetch Solari please? I think Xena probably has a few words of advice about the defence of the village, and I’ll be damned if I’m letting her up on that wall to say them." Gabrielle ordered, not taking her eyes from Xena’s face as she watched the warrior accept defeat and settle back, obviously in agony.

Glad to be given an opportunity to escape Ephiny nodded and left quickly. There were many things the regent felt she didn’t understand about Xena and Gabrielle’s relationship, and how the bard managed to get her own way so much of the time was one of those things. But what occurred between Xena and Gabrielle mattered little. All that mattered was that Solari might not be forced to lead a battle to save the village, and that took her lover out of mortal danger, at least for now.

As Ephiny watched the second in command bobbing around on the wall near the main gate she thanked Artemis for the reprieve. Not at all afraid to die herself, Ephiny was still terrified. She dreaded the thought of having to live through losing the only thing besides her son that had really allowed her to feel since Phantes' death. Watching Xena and Gabrielle reminded her that she often neglected her own dark haired warrior whenever duty called. As Ephiny approached across the courtyard she watched Solari stop and turn, the sunlight flashing around her dark head, obvious relief showing in her deep, expressive eyes.

*

"So it seems the simple act of Xena waking up saves us all from a good fight." Eponin sighed, scratching a hole in the ground with her boot in frustration.

Lysia looked up surprised. "Anyone would think you were disappointed about that."

"I’m a little irritated at how pivotal Xena’s existence seems to always be in the daily affairs of the Amazons."

"It’s not us they were after, it was her." Lysia reasoned. "I don’t mind fighting when I need to, or even for fun if the killing part is taken out of the equation, but I can’t say I’m sorry to not see any blood spilled this time."

"You make me sound like I’m blood crazed or something." Eponin scowled, bending to tie up a bootlace that wasn’t loose.

"I didn’t mean that. You know I didn’t mean it that way." Lysia bent to take Eponin by the shoulders, pulling her up to stand face to face with her. "I’ve only just met you. I wouldn’t want any of that blood spilled to be yours."

"I can take care of myself." Eponin replied, less defensively.

"I know you can. But, things happen in battle. We’ve both seen it. Someone else’s mistake can get you killed as quickly as your own. I’d just as soon avoid it altogether."

Lysia looked deeply into the huge brown eyes of the weapons master and sighed, lifting up a hand to gently remove a strand of hair that strayed onto her face. The touch made Eponin shiver under the strange Amazon’s fingertips. Lysia playfully pretended not to notice.

"You know, I feel like another lesson in those wooden things you fight with. What do you call them again...?" Lysia suggested casually.

"Chobos." Eponin finished for her, smiling slowly.

"Chobos." Lysia repeated and nodded. "Yes, that’s it, another lesson in Chobos. But I’m afraid I left the ones you lent me back at the hut..."

"I think I have a spare set in my quarters." Eponin replied, even more casually, picking up on the game.

"Really? If you did that would be great." Flirtatious eyes settled on the Amazon’s bare shoulders, tracing a line of sight down her side, over her half naked torso and down to her fit, muscled legs.

"Follow me." Eponin winked, turning on her heels and striding purposefully away from the half-gaping woman. Lysia collected herself and followed quickly after, noting with satisfaction the exceptional view from behind.

"I guess with war kind of postponed a little, practice in battle techniques couldn’t really hurt..." Lysia stated bluntly as they reached the door to the weapons masters hut.

"Exactly. I’ve thought since we met that we had a lot to learn from each other..."

Eponin let her voice trail off as she opened the door to the hut and pulled Lysia roughly inside.

****

"Solari, if we keep all the Amazons inside we can keep everyone alive. I just don’t want anyone else to die."

"I think I trained my scouts better than that, Xena."

"But why take the risk at all?" Xena reasoned, trying to sound as much like a seasoned battle commander, and as little like the Destroyer of Nations, as she possibly could.

"We know they’re out there, we know how many there are, and we know what they want. They want me, and they’re not at all picky about who they kill to get to me. I might as well give them what they want."

"You’re in no condition to start riding alone into an encamped army." Gabrielle argued. "I know you, Xena, you’re going to challenge Patrakas. You know you’re not up to it."

"I’m not going to fight him, not unless I have to. I’m just going to let him know that I’m very much alive. With any luck the entire army will lose heart and run back to where they came from."

"You could probably do that from the walls, but I’d have to send out a messenger to bring Patrakas here."

"Patrakas…hmmm. Did we kill one of his messengers?"

"No. We gave him quite a fright, but he left the gates alive."

"Then one of ours might be safe. I know of Patrakas, Hercules has told me stories about him. He might be a butcher, but he’s not a dishonourable butcher. He’ll probably give the messenger a chance to prove themselves before he thinks about killing them."

"You make him sound positively appealing." Ephiny remarked with dripping sarcasm.

"Then I’ll take the message to him myself." Solari stated firmly.

Ephiny’s eyebrows shot up. "No, Solari, you can’t..." The regent started to protest.

"I’m not going to send a message to the Amazon nation that one of our other warriors is more expendable than I am. I’m going, and I’m going alone."

After a moment, Xena stilled the protest that sat on her lips, and simply nodded. Solari’s words made sense. One of the leaders putting themselves on the line would go far towards healing the breach settling firmly over the Amazon village. And as valuable as Solari was, Xena thought grimly, she was definitely more expendable than either of the two Queens.

"The message is that I’ll meet Patrakas just beyond the main gate of the village at noon tomorrow. That should give me plenty of time to recover from...from whatever this is."

Without hesitation Solari was gone. After a long, baleful glance at Xena for not backing her up a worried Ephiny took off on her heels, leaving Gabrielle alone with Xena.

"Here, drink this. It’ll ease the pain and help you sleep." Xena smiled lightly at Gabrielle the doctor telling Xena what her own medicines would do, but she drank the brew all the same. The acrid mixture sat on her tongue and fizzled, the aroma instantly cooling the sharpness of the pain, and her senses.

As Xena relaxed into the comfortable mattress Gabrielle just sat and stared, as if she found it hard to believe Xena was really back again. Xena sensed her stare but didn’t open her eyes.

"I’ll tell you everything, Gabrielle, everything you want to know, just later...OK?"

"Just tell me one thing. When I was talking to you, could you hear me?"

"At first I could hear everything, but that faded. Then every now and then some sensation of you would come to me..."

"Why do I get the feeling this is going to make an interesting story?" Gabrielle reached out and smoothed the hair from Xena’s face, the warrior beginning to doze off into a comfortable sleep as the herbs took their full effect..

"It’s not over yet Gabrielle..." Xena whispered, before slumber came and took her peacefully away.

*

"If this is some kind of joke, Amazon, I’m not laughing." Patrakas growled, lifting his helmet off to expose a deep yellowing scar that ran from his scalp to his chin. Solari always wondered whenever she saw wounds like that if Xena had been the one to inflict them.

As if reading her thoughts Patrakas laughed, a bitter, humourless grumble that made Solari’s skin crawl. "This is not Xena’s doing I assure you. This lovely addition to my fine features I owe to Hercules’s friend Iolaus. I assure you, he came out of the encounter looking far worse than I did." Solari found the boast a little difficult to believe, but decided pressing the matter in the enemy camp was certainly not worth the aggravation.

As she watched Patrakas’ guard circle her from behind she began to search for an escape route. "This is not a joke, Patrakas. Xena will meet you by the northern gates to the Amazon village at noon tomorrow. There you can see for yourself if she’s alive, or dead."

"And what will I find at the Amazon gates tomorrow, hmm? Some kind of Amazon treachery no doubt?"

"You’re standing on traditional Amazon hunting grounds and you have the gall to call us treacherous? I lost at least five good warriors because of your army."

"The messenger is being rather feisty for being in such a...vulnerable position. Should I treat you the same way my messenger was treated?"

"We let him live." Solari replied simply, her face completely composed against the fear she felt welling up inside of her.

"Barely, as I understand it."

"Is that what the coward told you? I assure you, the only thing in danger out there was his flailing ego as it turned tail and ran for the nearest tree cover."

Patrakas laughed at the audacity of the young Amazon, his open mouthed grin revealing blackened, rotten teeth filled with gunk from his last meal. Paling at the old man’s stinking breath alone, Solari showed no emotion, standing perfectly still as the ring of Patrakas’s warriors came closer.

Finally, as one of the soldiers came within kicking distance Solari lashed out, taking the man down with a swift strike to the groin. Others drew their weapons and threatened to advance on the Amazon as she turned to face Patrakas savagely.

"I’m a little touchy about personal space." Solari quipped, with courage she didn’t feel. Patrakas’s eyes went momentarily wide. In the background the afflicted warrior groaned pitifully.

"Tell me why I shouldn’t kill you right now."

"Xena told me you were an honourable butcher. She’s rarely wrong."

"Did she now? Well, you’re standing in quite a precarious situation to be testing that fact."

"Only if your belly is a yellow as your teeth. I thought cowardice was a trait reserved for expendable messenger boys."

Patrakas held up a hand and the warriors ceased their approach. The man Solari had kicked hauled himself halfway up, scowling as he crouched, a crooked dagger resting dangerously in his hand.

"I like you Amazon, so I’ll make you a deal. You give us a little ‘entertainment’ before you go, and I’ll let you live, with your virtue intact."

Solari snorted loudly at his reference to her virtue. She stood up straight, placing a wary hand on her hip, the other on the sword that hung by her side. "What did you have in mind?"

"Three warriors. My choice. Knock them over, bloody their noses, spit them on the end of your sword for all I care, but get past them and I guarantee you leave the camp alive."

"Well now..." Solari drawled as she leisurely drew her weapon. "That sounds downright sporting of you. Who’s the lucky guys?"

Patrakas pointed seemingly randomly to three burly warriors who stood nearby, but Solari knew he wouldn’t take any chances with her. They were bound to be some of the best fighters in Patrakas’s entire army. And even if they weren’t, it was safer to assume that they were.

All of them laughed and threw comments to the other warriors before approaching the Amazon. The warrior who Solari had already disposed of scrambled up to Patrakas, waving his arms and growling roughly to his commander. Patrakas looked pained, but hailed Solari again.

"Ahh, Amazon, would you mind if I made it four? It seems my friend here desires a re-match." Solari shrugged her shoulders as calmly as she could manage.

"Whatever. Do I have any choice?"

"Well, a deal's a deal." Patrakas exclaimed. Solari could have sworn the man was serious.

"If he wants more pain, who am I to deny him?"

"My thoughts exactly." The commander waved the man into the fight with a sardonic smile.

Solari stood in the centre of the circle with four men approaching. She tried to rid her mind of all thought except those she’d had drilled into her by her weapons master. Most of all she shoved Ephiny to the back of her mind. Curls, warm nights, long walks, hours of talking and laughter…it was better not to think of what was at stake.

Solari found herself wondering idly what Xena’s last thoughts before battle were now that the warrior travelled with Gabrielle. She’d heard Xena tell stories of a cold rage that swept over her, she’d even been on the receiving end of that frozen, bitter smile. Staring around at the approaching warriors, Solari wished fervently that she could call up some of that coldness into this fight, but it wasn’t anything that was within her to tap into. She struggled to find a focussing image, something that would rally all her strength into the battle, a temporary insanity of hatred. She pictured the faces of the Amazon guards as they were surrounded and killed by Patrakas’s men in their watchtowers. She felt the first wave of heat and stirrings of anger in her breast.

That will do...

The first careless attack came as one of the men tried to charge the Amazon from her feet. Side-stepping neatly, Solari didn’t have time to watch the soldier careening past as a low dagger thrust came from the still limping man who’d already received the flat side of her boot. With two swift strokes the man lay bleeding at Solari’s feet, a sword thrust slicing open the man’s throat cleanly, exposing the bone.

Her first attacker recovered from his wayward pass as Solari faced the two remaining warriors at once, their blades slashing down on hers. She held up their combined body weights before dropping her centre and twisting out from underneath, rounding to deliver one of the men a slice across his back from behind. She felt her sword deflect off armour, feeling her already shaky balance shift dangerously. She regained control enough to hop out of the way of the enraged first soldier as he swung a club with all his strength towards the Amazon’s head. As the hapless soldier hurtled by once more Solari sliced his thighs from behind and the man dropped like a stone, screaming and clutching at useless ligaments.

The two remaining warriors became more cautious, circling the Amazon, watching for any weakness in Solari’s stance. Sending a silent thank you to Eponin for a favourite little trick, Solari opened up her right side, enough to show her right hand opponent that she was weakened, but not so much that she couldn’t close the gap in a hurry if the man took the bait. The warrior’s eyes flashed triumph and Solari saw him bite, lunging forward with all his strength into the opening.

As she quickly sidestepped and closed the gap she brought up her right elbow under the man’s chin, feeling bone snap as her attacker’s jaw slammed up into the roof of his mouth. The man fell quickly, leaving Solari with one more opponent between her and her horse, and freedom.

Looking at the escape route had been a mistake, as the remaining man surged into attack, catching the Amazon off guard and sending her careening backwards. A sting in her shoulder informed her she’d been hit, but she paid no attention to the wound. Finding her feet quickly, Solari avoided the follow-up stroke that swished uselessly above her head. She backed away, her concentration sharp and focussed. Blood from her wound seeped down her arm and onto her hand, making the grip slippery.

The two fighters exchanged passes, more evenly matched now that the Amazon’s shoulder was weakened. With a twisting move the warrior spun the sword deftly from the Solari’s hand, sending the weapon flying to the opposite side of the clearing. Judging quickly that it was too far to run to retrieve her weapon Solari counted it lost and prepared to finish the combat unarmed.

Dropping her weight onto both legs she prowled around the warrior, looking instantly more savage and animal-like than she had while wielding the sword. Vulnerable without her weapon, Solari knew the only way to win was to attack quickly and disarm her opponent. Feeling her way under his defences, Solari reversed into the man’s attack and threw the warrior over her shoulder, dumping him unceremoniously onto the packed ground. The impact threw the sword from the warrior’s hand and Solari finished him off with a boot to the face, snapping his neck to one side like a twig. The man convulsed and then lay still, the lifeblood draining quickly from his face as he died.

Without waiting for a sign from Patrakas, Solari ran for her horse and mounted, speeding off into the undergrowth before the remainder of the warlord’s army had time to draw their weapons. Expecting pursuit, she spurred the horse hard towards the village, choosing a convenient spot in the trees to leap from the animal's back onto a heavy bough and curled her way up into the dense forest cover above the trail.

There she sat until Patrakas’s guards rode past, catching her breath and doing her best to cover and put pressure on the now gushing wound. Her heart racing, Solari ripped strips of cloth from her skirt and shoved them tightly against the flow of blood.

Then she waited.

It was almost nightfall before she judged the danger was past. Taking care not to agitate the throbbing wound more than necessary, Solari scrambled down from the tree, recovered her bearings, and prepared for the long trek back to the Amazon village.

*

Ephiny paced back and forward angrily as Solari told her story, punctuated with soft gasps of pain as the healer worked gently on the wound in her shoulder.

"Honourable warlord, ha!" The regent snorted in disgust, her worry for Solari seeping over into irritated sarcasm.

Xena looked up wearily from her seat in the corner. Despite Gabrielle’s firm protests Xena had insisted on going to see Solari in the infirmary as soon as she was told the Amazon had returned. "She’s alive, Ephiny. If Patrakas weren’t so fond of a game then Solari probably would have been dead with an arrow in her back as soon as she tried to leave the camp."

"Ephiny, Xena’s right. It’s lucky it was me who delivered the message and not one of the others. At least I could handle myself well enough in the combat to give myself a fighting chance."

"Was the old buzzard still as polite as he used to be?" Xena asked wryly. Solari stared at her for a second before breaking into a small smile.

"You know, he was surprisingly hospitable, for a warlord." Solari joked, and the two women chuckled softly.

Ephiny fumed. "I’m so glad the two of you find this so funny."

Solari finished with the healer and stood up shakily, approaching the regent with an outstretched hand. "Ephiny, calm down. I’m alive. I’m home. The message is delivered. That’s all that matters now." Ephiny took Solari roughly in her arms and held her tightly, all the panic and worry the regent had been feeling spilling out in long sobs of relief against the warrior’s good shoulder.

The second in command held the crying woman, her Queen, and sighed, closing her eyes and whispering gently into Ephiny’s ear. Krista wisely took that as a sign to retreat and did so quickly, rushing out of the infirmary with indecent haste. Winking broadly, Gabrielle helped Xena to her feet and they left too, the bard supporting the warrior as they made their way out into the crisp moonlight of the courtyard.

"Did you have any idea about those two?" Xena asked, unable to keep the bemused tone from her voice.

Gabrielle laughed softly. "Only since we arrived here. It’s good to see Ephiny has moved on from Phantes’ death." Gabrielle looked up, becoming concerned as Xena gingerly touched her head, the pain still throbbing behind her eyes. "Xena, who did this to you? Was it Ares?"

"Well ... actually, most of it I did to myself." The warrior laughed quietly at the bard’s confused expression. "I promise I’ll explain it all to you, everything. But right now we have bigger things to deal with."

"Patrakas." Gabrielle replied glumly. Xena nodded.

"Yes, him, and other things..."

"Other things like what?"

"Gabrielle, do you trust me?" Xena’s eyes clouded over and her face become grim.

"With my life, Xena. You should know that by now." Xena stared at the bard and sighed, taking Gabrielle’s hand in her own.

"It’s just, after this is over, I need to do something, and I need for you not to intervene."

"Xena, you’re tired. You’re not making any sense."

"I’m making perfect sense, Gabrielle, I just don’t think I can get it to make sense to you right now." Xena sighed and looked away, up into the starlit sky. "There are so many things I’ve done that I’m ashamed of. I need to wash some of that guilt from my hands. For my own sanity. Even if it’s just a little bit."

Gabrielle framed Xena’s head with her hands and gently pulled the warrior’s lips down upon her own. The warrior pulled back after a while, smiling down gently at the beautiful woman staring back up at her. The eyes were filled with such love and trust that Xena found herself having to look away.

"Xena, what is it? You can tell me." Gabrielle insisted, her voice thick with concern.

"I made a promise."

Before Gabrielle had a chance to reply a cry of alarm came up from the guard at the watchtower. "Attackers! At the west gate!" The Amazon managed, before an arrow thudded into her chest from an unseen assailant. The woman crashed helplessly from the tower, dead.

"Gabrielle, quickly! Help me into my armour!"

"If you can’t even do that yourself, how do you expect to fight?" Gabrielle retorted in frustration.

"Don’t argue with me, Gabrielle, come on!" Xena hobbled towards their hut with Gabrielle supporting her as best she could. "Damn that bastard, damn him to the seventh layer of Hades! I didn’t want any more of them to die!"

Xena could hear Solari’s barked orders coming from the confusion of the courtyard as she wrestled with her breastplate. Gabrielle’s practiced fingers slid the buckles easily into place as Xena tried to block out the furious throbbing in her head. Grabbing her sword and chakram from the bed-head, Xena headed for the door, Gabrielle catching her arm in protest.

"Xena, you’re injured, you can barely walk! You’re not going to be any use to them like this!"

"Injured or not, I’m always going to be useful in a battle. As long as I can ride a horse and yell orders I’m fine. Now are you coming, or do you just want to just stand here while your Amazons are all slaughtered?"

Realising she sounded harsh she shook head in apology. "Gabrielle, this is all my fault. As long as they’re out there I have to be out there too, and I don’t have time to stand here debating the matter with you."

The warrior moved as quickly as she was able out the door of the hut. Gabrielle barely had time to watch Xena’s retreating back heading across to Solari on the main wall before a group of armed warriors ran by, and the bard herself was swept up in the tide of battle.

*

"Solari, I need you to open the gates for me when I give the order." Xena called out as she climbed the battlements. Solari just shook her head.

"Xena, no, you can’t go out there. What are you planning to do?" Solari loosed an arrow into the mass of soldiers attempting to drag a battering ram up to the main gate. One of the men clutched wildly at his neck and fell, only to be replaced by another as the waves of Patrakas’s army kept coming.

"Ares has Patrakas convinced that I’m lying helpless in bed. He obviously didn’t believe our message, I’m going to have to convince him."

Solari looked dubious, but Xena gave her a determined scowl. "Just do it."

Eventually Solari nodded her obedience and went back to concentrating on the action below. Xena climbed down from the wall, pain shooting through her body, and headed off towards the stables where she could see Argo prancing excitedly at the sound of battle.

The warrior reached for Argo’s tack with great difficulty, the weight of the saddle bearing uncomfortably down on her already reduced strength.

"What in Tartarus do you think you’re doing?" Lysia demanded, pointing at Xena’s half saddled horse.

"I’m going out there." Xena replied shortly. She turned back to her task, tired fingers fumbling frustratingly with the halter.

"I’m not letting you go out there alone." Lysia declared simply, pulling a saddle quickly from the rail near the door. Xena spun on the Amazon furiously.

"Don’t be stupid, you’re just going to get yourself killed."

"I’m in damn sight better shape than you are for a stunt like this!" The Amazon threw the saddle over a chestnut gelding and began fastening the girth.

"Regardless of what I look like, they’re afraid of me, that’s what I’m going to be relying on. They have no idea who you are. You’ll be a walking target." Xena replied, flipping the reins over Argo’s neck. "I don’t want any more Amazons to die for my sake." The horse took the bit hungrily, stamping her feet in a restless rhythm.

"I’m not riding out to sacrifice myself, I’m riding to help you."

"You don’t owe me anything, Lysia."

"I’m not doing it because I owe you something. I want to go because...because you’re my friend."

Xena looked piercingly at the young Amazon. Lysia could have sworn she saw the smallest trace of a smile tease the older warrior’s lips, but it was gone before she could be sure.

"I’m going to be riding right behind the warrior princess, making the most damn noise they’ve ever heard in their lives." Lysia grinned, shoving the bit roughly into the gelding’s mouth. She quickly apologised to the horse, whose only response was to snort indignantly.

"And I’m going where she’s going," came another voice from the doorway. Eponin stood with an already saddled horse, armoured from fetlock to neck in full Amazon battle harness. Xena led Argo quickly from the stable and mounted clumsily, circling the horse around to face the gate. On Argo’s back she felt instantly stronger, trusting the horse's legs now more than she trusted her own.

"Well, if you insist on coming, stay back, and don’t get in my way!" Xena cried out, Argo prancing impatiently.

The warrior thought she caught a horrified glance from Gabrielle as the mare wheeled around, but she had no time to think about it. Torches lined the top of the gate as Amazon archers loosed arrows into the fray with deadly precision. The three could barely hold back their mounts as Xena led the way.

"Open it up, Solari." Xena cried out, eyes flashing. Her head throbbed so badly she was in danger of slipping into unconsciousness, but she knew she could count on Argo’s years of battle experience and training to get her away if anything like that happened. Having easily the two best Amazon warriors in the nation behind her made her more jittery than comfortable. To her pain affected mind they were just more Amazons walking into slaughter.

As the wooden gates parted enough to allow the horses room to pass through, the noise of Patrakas’s assault rushed in. Xena touched Argo’s sides lightly and the horse bolted into the chaos, spurred on by Xena’s loud distinctive war cry that split the air as she rode, a couple of vicious, bellowing Amazons riding wildly at both her flanks.

Gabrielle watched the sight from the battlements, her heart in her throat. While Lysia and Eponin slashed to the sides with their swords, Xena ploughed a path through the attackers, yelling like a ghost risen from the dead in the eyes of the suddenly frightened and disenchanted warriors.

Seeing Xena’s charge the group dragging the battering ram broke up and began to fight their way back. Eponin and Lysia whooped at each other excitedly, happy to see them go. Then, in a rush, the attacking army, and Xena, disappeared amongst the trees.

The two Amazons on their horses milled around anxiously, undecided.

On the wall Gabrielle saw the two women engage in heated conversation about what to do. She heard Solari to her left calling the warriors back inside, Amazon bird cries wafting over the din of the pursuing army. To Gabrielle’s dismay, the two women finally seemed to come to an agreement, spurring their horses into the undergrowth in the direction Xena had taken, and disappearing from sight. After a few minutes the night was deathly still again.

Xena had taken the battle away from the Amazon nation. Now, all anyone on the wall could do was wait for a sign.

Chapter Five - Conclusion

Xena spotted a command post in the distance and raced Argo towards it, her night vision having difficulty adjusting to the blinding light of torches and campfires that illuminated the camp. The pain in her head intensified with every one of Argo’s long strides. As the horse cantered forward, the warrior rubbed her eyes. Vision blurred. The throbbing had long since threatened to take over all rational thought, all she could do was follow an instinct that compelled her to ride towards Patrakas.

Delirious thoughts, some calm, some delusional, raced through her head in no orderly fashion. She could hear soldiers thrashing through the forest behind her, and behind that the distant thudding of hooves. Vague sensations of the branches whipping by tickled her instincts. Her biggest hope was that the two Amazons were still alive, and that both of them had had the sense to return to the village when the Army called off their attack. She had pretty much foreseen what kind of an effect her burst through the lines would have. The army had lost all discipline at the mere sight of her, so ingrained in their heads were the reports of her catatonic state. Xena assumed that the Amazons could pick off the back end of Patrakas’ army. All she had to do was get into the camp somehow for a private discussion with Patrakas.

Maybe I’ll even have to fight him.

She didn’t particularly want to dwell on that possibility.

Argo slowed to a walk as they approached the dark side of the camp, shrouded in the tree cover. Cries of alarm rang out all over the encampment, and Xena heard her name as it echoed down the chain. She assumed that eventually the bad news of her being alive would be reaching the ears of Patrakas, preferably just before she reached him.

*

"What kind of treachery is this? Ares himself branded the Amazon bitch a liar. I spoke to the God of War myself this afternoon!" The warlord blustered.

"I don’t know commander, but then I saw her myself, riding out of the Amazon village. She looked very much alive."

Patrakas heard a shuffle behind him, and a familiar female voice rang through his disbelief.

"It wouldn’t be the first time the God of War has exaggerated reports of my demise. I’d advise you to trust your own eyes and ears before you go trusting the word of Ares." Xena stated matter-of-factly, casually lifting a grape from a tray beside Patrakas’s seat and popping the fruit into her waiting mouth.

The warlord watched the warrior woman as she moved slowly into the light, hand on the hilt of his sword, prepared for an impostor. His mouth dropped. The real Xena, as opposed to the apparition he was expecting, stepped out into the light of the braziers. Sword instantly drawn, Patrakas backed off cautiously into a corner of the tent, his guards readying their defences. The chakram Xena held in her strong grip, ready to throw in an instant, dissuaded him from his first instinct, which was to run from the close quarters of the tent into the wider spaces beyond.

Xena looked all at once casual, and deadly.

"Relax, if I wanted you dead, you’d be dead already." Xena drawled smoothly, popping another fruit into her mouth.

The warlord watched the sensual action with interest. He’d never seen the famed Warrior Princess quite so close-up before, and the experience was producing a mixture of sensations.

"Why would Ares say that you were...indisposed?"

"Because he wanted a battle against the Amazons, and my being there gave him a convenient excuse to send you in after me. Ares never did like to get his own hands dirty."

"And your illness?" Patrakas asked warily.

Xena stroked the smooth edge of her chakram calmly, slowly. "Do I look sick to you?"

Patrakas shook his head, holding the sword closer to his body.

"Believe me I feel fine. Except for the fact that I’m going to have to kill you in payment for those Amazons, but I’m sure you understand. It’s a matter of honour really."

"You don’t scare me Xena, not in the middle of my own camp." Patrakas sneered with a confidence he did not feel. Xena sensed his fear and moved almost sensuously forward, the curves of her body and the curves of the chakram dancing in the flickering torchlight.

She continued talking as if she hadn’t heard a word Patrakas had uttered. "You know, none of this would have happened if you’d just come to meet me in the morning like I told you in my message."

"We got word from Ares that the Amazons would try and sneak your body out of the village this evening. We had no choice but to attack."

"Like I said, I seem to be very much alive. Ares betrayed you Patrakas. You know it, and I know it."

"Stay back Xena, I’m warning you."

In one smooth practiced motion Xena spun the chakram out. The weapon sped across the tent, slicing open first the throat of one guard, and then another, returning dripping with blood into Xena’s outstretched hand.

As Patrakas stood in shock he found himself with Xena’s dagger at his throat, the sharpness of the blade piercing the first layer of tender skin. He hadn’t even seen her move.

"Those Amazons were my friends." Xena growled menacingly into the warlord's ear. Patrakas opened his mouth to yell orders, but Xena pressed the dagger closer to the warlord's throat, drawing a small amount of blood that Patrakas felt drip down his neck and into the top of his armour. Shivering slightly he bit back the order, hissing to his captor.

"What in Hades do you want? You know you can’t kill me, my army will raze the village to the ground as revenge."

"Do you honestly think this bunch of cut-throats are that loyal to you Patrakas? If I kill you they’re more likely to throw themselves to the ground, desperate to pledge allegiance to me, and you know it."

The warlord didn’t answer, just stood, waiting for the deathblow.

"I want your army out of this valley by noon tomorrow. If another Amazon dies, three of your men die with her, starting with you." Xena wrenched the warlord’s head back by his hair, watching the whites of his eyes turn bloodshot and bulge with anger. Xena resisted the urge to blink, the throbbing behind her own eyes no less intense. She was grateful for her vantage-point behind the warlord so the man couldn’t see the pain hidden in their depths. Her strength ebbing dangerously, she knew she had to end the meeting quickly, just in case she had to fight her way out. The last of her tolerance to fight the pain inflicted in her mind by the sword was failing. Xena plastered what she hoped was her best persuasively menacing smile on her face.

"That’s a nice scar Iolaus gave you. I’ll have to congratulate him next time I see him. Don’t give me a reason to give you another one that’ll be a whole lot worse." Shoving the man’s head forward again Xena watched as the warlord fell into the dust. She stomped her boot hard on his back, shoving him flat on the ground, using the opportunity while the warlord was winded to exit the way she’d arrived, through a slit at the rear of the tent. By the time Patrakas recovered his wits enough to look around, the Warrior Princess was gone.

Xena crept her way out of the encampment in the darkness and chaos. She heard Patrakas’ blustering cries in the distance, and hoped only that he was planning to withdraw, not launch an immediate attack on the village. If Patrakas had the nerve to call an immediate assault, Xena could feel that there was very little that she could do about it. She could only hope that her bluff, for that was what it was, would work.

By the time she reached Argo at the edge of the forest she found didn’t much care. Her head swam with pain and the trees seemed to move and sway with each step she took. Xena knew enough about her own body to know she’d never make it back to the Amazon camp before she passed out from the pain. Whispering softly into the mare’s ear she struggled up onto the horse, clinging roughly to the neck and mane she knew so well from so many campaigns, both as a warlord, and after. The horse moved carefully away, negotiating her way almost silently through the undergrowth and far from the campfires of Patrakas’s army.

*

"What is that?" Eponin hissed into the darkness, her companion lurking close to her shoulder. Lysia strained her eyes through the forest at the moving figure not more than four or five horse lengths away. Nocking an arrow to her bow Eponin moved quietly to her right, not wanting to alert her opponent..

"Eponin, wait! I think it’s Xena’s horse!" Lysia whispered fiercely.

"Argo? Are you sure?"

"No, I’m not sure, but how many horses that colour have you seen in your lifetime?" Lysia grinned hopefully at the Amazon warrior beside her and stumbled her way haphazardly through the brush.

"Next time I’m hunting, remind me to take you along as my hunting partner." She whispered sarcastically, following Lysia more quietly through the trees.

Argo came close to rearing as Lysia bounced out in her path. Only the knowledge that any quick moves could dislodge her mistress from her back kept the horse on all fours. Recognising the Amazons, however, the horse stamped her foot impatiently. Lysia grabbed Argo’s reins.

"Eponin, Xena’s unconscious, help me over here!"

"Right, and now every one of Patrakas’ soldiers not only knows that little fact, but they’re going to come crashing down on us any second. Can’t you keep your voice down?"

"Can you hear anyone in the forest? Have you heard anything for the past hour? They’ve all gone running back to camp. Xena probably has them running scared."

"Yeah, well right now she’s doing a fabulous impression of someone in excellent shape. I’ll grab the horses, we’ve got to get her back to the village. Gabrielle must be going insane by now."

Lysia grabbed Xena’s arm to check the warrior’s pulse. The heartbeat was strong and steady, but the warrior’s brow was knitted tensely with pain.

"She looks OK, no blood. Not even anyone else’s. It seems like she just passed out. I can’t see a wound anywhere."

"Come on, we can let Krista check her out better when we get back." Eponin hissed sharply, nimbly mounting her own horse. Climbing up behind Xena, Lysia grabbed the prostrate warrior around the waist and held on tightly. She felt the horse fret under her knees.

"Don’t you worry Argo, we’re taking her home. She’s going to be just fine." Slowly, gently, Lysia eased the horse’s nose after Eponin, towards home.

*

Solari froze as she heard a low peep echo out from the forest. A question in the language only an Amazon could understand.

Is it safe?

"It’s one of ours. It’s Eponin, it has to be." Solari gushed, holding her fingers quickly to her lips and returning the whistle with a high pitched shrill.

Yes, it’s safe.

Within moments three horses emerged from the forest and began to wind slowly towards the walls of the compound.

"Open the gates!" Ephiny ordered swiftly. "We have a warrior down!"

Gabrielle’s hand shot towards her mouth in panic. "It’s Xena!" The bard cried, horrified.

Solari watched Gabrielle fly down the steps of the watchtower to the gate below, the Amazon Queen flinging herself out towards Argo as Lysia guided the horse through the gates of the village to safety.

"What happened?"

"We don’t know, my Queen." Eponin jumped down from her horse and helped Gabrielle pull the unconscious warrior gently to the ground. "We got separated when Xena charged through the enemy lines. We found her like this outside the warlord’s camp. She’d been inside... we think."

Gabrielle knelt by the warrior’s side and touched her hands to Xena’s face. The skin was feverishly hot and sweaty to the touch. Within moments a stretcher arrived. Gabrielle watched, senses crawling, as Eponin and Lysia deposited Xena onto it and carried her gently over to the infirmary. Amazon warriors milled around nervously in the courtyard, some anxious as to the warrior’s condition, others curious to know what had happened to Patrakas. Solari claimed Eponin quickly after Xena had been deposited in the healer’s hut.

"What in Hades kind of stunt was that you pulled? Chasing Xena out like that! You could have been killed!"

"We could have been, but we weren’t. You saw her, she was in no condition to be riding out there alone. Personally I was more afraid of what Gabrielle would do to us if she found out we knew what Xena planned to do and then let her go out by herself!" Eponin replied. Solari sighed before nodding in dim agreement.

"And Patrakas?"

"We don’t know. We think Xena probably got to him, but she’s been unconscious since we found her. I guess all we can really do is wait."

"Gods be damned, I’m sick of waiting!" Solari burst out. Eponin placed a tired hand on Solari’s shoulders and smiled, understanding written over her own weary features.

"Xena? Xena it’s me. Wake up." Gabrielle whispered gently into the warrior’s ear. Xena stirred slightly. Gabrielle saw her try to open her eyes, and then wince in pain as the light from the hut hit her vision. The bard held her hands gently over Xena’s eyes, shielding them from the worst of the light. Slowly, hesitantly, Xena opened one fragile eye to look around her.

"Gabrielle," she whispered weakly. A collective sigh of relief went around the hut. Shuffling the Amazon warriors out one by one, the healer approached Gabrielle.

"Gabrielle, my Queen. I need to see if there’s any permanent damage done." Gabrielle nodded and took a step back, reluctantly letting go of Xena’s hand. Xena shifted uncomfortably on the bed, the movement of her head causing her to wince in pain.

"It’s just a bad headache." Xena whispered to the healer. "Gabrielle can tell you what I need." The healer looked up in interest as Gabrielle rattled off a list of ingredients for the broth Xena had taught her how to make. Smiling, and handing a cloth dipped in cool water to Gabrielle, she made her way into the next room of the hut to hunt down supplies. Gabrielle placed the cooling cloth on Xena’s forehead and the warrior closed her aching eyes.

"You left without telling me where you were going, what you were going to do." Gabrielle whispered gently, more sad than accusing.

"I know Gabrielle, and I’m sorry. I had to get to Patrakas."

"And did you?"

"Yes...tell Solari, set a watch to make sure he leaves the valley… I told him to be gone by noon tomorrow."

"Or you’d what?" Gabrielle smiled indulgently. "Collapse on him?"

Xena chuckled wearily, then thought better of it. "He never knew...never even suspected…"

The smell of herbs hit the air and Gabrielle could tell the healer had found her supplies. A little while later the woman emerged, handing a cup to the Amazon Queen. Gabrielle lifted Xena’s head slowly, softly, and tipped some of the soothing liquid into the warrior’s mouth. Swallowing hesitantly, Xena smiled in relief, the quick acting herbs instantly relieving some of the tension in her head. She swallowed some more.

Eventually the pain subsided, along with last reserves of her energy. She was able to give her lover a small, reassuring smile, before allowing the relaxation to claim her body.

*

"Xena was right, Patrakas is on the move south." Solari reported to Ephiny. The sun was just hitting its peak in the sky, the deadline Xena had given Patrakas for his withdrawal from Amazon lands. The regent breathed a long sigh of relief and gifted Solari with a loving smile.

"I don’t know how she did it, in her condition, but she did." Ephiny replied, feeling a weight lifting luxuriously from her tired shoulders. The Warrior Princess had been given strict instructions not to leave her bed by both the healer and Gabrielle, but Ephiny knew Xena was waiting anxiously to hear the good news.

Solari nodded and continued on her rounds. Work had to be done on the defences of the village. Patrakas’ attack had revealed some serious holes in her strategy on the outer perimeter. Solari’s mind clouded as sorrow gripped her heart. Too many Amazons had died, sacrificing themselves to warn the rest of the village. She spared a moment to think of it, before shoving the morbid thoughts to the back of her mind. It didn’t do any good thinking about the past, but she could make damn sure nothing like this ever happened again.

"Xena, I’m not sure how to take this." Ephiny frowned before taking a seat beside the bed. Looking into the eyes of the warrior she knew that Xena was being deadly serious. Still, by the simple fact that Gabrielle was absent from the conversation, Ephiny guessed that this was something Gabrielle hadn’t even been told about yet.

"Take it at face value. I want to stand trial before the Amazon nation for what I did to those two Amazons, and to Gabrielle."

"Frankly, Xena, I’ve thought about this, even wished for it sometimes. But I don’t think that even if Anya were alive she would have cause to accuse you of anything. Anya’s sister killed herself after wounds received in battle. The battle may have been something that you could have...prevented, but you could never have known the woman would react the way she did."

"And my attack on Gabrielle?" Xena asked stiffly.

"That, as you know, is another matter entirely. But Gabrielle lived, it’s not like you’d be standing trial for murder."

"Attempted murder of the Amazon Queen. Is there really much difference?" Xena supplied, not looking at the regent.

Ephiny sighed, a long drawn out breath. "Yes, I suppose that would be the charge. Xena, you know that this isn’t necessary. You’ve saved Gabrielle’s life many times, and you saved me..."

"So because both the Queens of this village owe me their lives I am exempt from Amazon justice? Any justice?" Xena retorted harshly.

"I didn’t say...well, yes, I guess I did say that. Xena, this whole village owes you a debt after what you did last night." The regent twitched nervously before broaching the most important subject. "Gabrielle knows nothing about this, does she?" Xena shook her head, no. "You know that by Amazon law she has to make the final judgement for or against you. You’d sit before the tribunal, but in the end her word is the law."

"I told Gabrielle I had something important I needed to do and that she shouldn’t intervene." Xena added, realising fully how lame her words sounded.

"Well I guess you’re going to have to be more specific about the details now." A low voice stated from the doorway. Xena and Ephiny looked up as one to see a frowning Gabrielle approach through the open door to the hut.

Moments later Gabrielle stood, a stubborn clench to her jaw, as she listened carefully to what Xena proposed to do.

"You’re out of your mind if you think I’m going to stand back and let you do this."

"I am going to do it."

"Why?"

"Because I gave her my word." Xena replied stonily, turning to face the wall of the hut. She needed to look at something, anything, that wasn’t the confused, hurt face of the bard.

"Why do we have to keep going through this, over and over again? Why can’t we just let it go?" Gabrielle cried, her heart breaking with every word. "We’ve forgiven each other, it’s nobody else’s business but ours."

"I wish that were true, but I involved the Amazons by coming to get you here. They have every right to have a say in my punishment for that."

"I can’t believe I’m hearing these words coming from your mouth." Gabrielle replied, more angrily than she intended.

"You were right all along, Gabrielle. Forgiveness, love, they’re the only things that are going to get us through this. Innocent people were hurt that day, and there is a lot of anger still brewing amongst the Amazons. If I can help to ease some of that tension, I should do it."

"Do you honestly think this is the way? All it does is allow people to go on blaming each other for things that are in the past. There isn’t one person in this village who wouldn’t admit that you saved the lives of many Amazons last night by doing what you did. There has to be a better way than some kind of absurd trial and punishment ordeal. Ephiny?" Gabrielle looked around to the Amazon regent for support.

Ephiny shook her head. "I don’t know Gabrielle. In some ways I think it might help to heal the breach, Xena standing forward and taking responsibility for her actions."

"That’s exactly my point." Xena agreed.

"Why are you so determined to do this. It doesn’t sound like the Xena I know." Gabrielle flared, her eyes betraying her annoyance.

"I made a promise Gabrielle, to someone I feel responsible for."

"Anya?" Ephiny asked, intrigued. Xena nodded her head sadly.

"She died thinking that taking revenge on me was somehow worth what she was leaving behind. Even in death, I can’t let hate like that go on forever. She doesn’t deserve it."

"But neither do you, Xena." Gabrielle whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Xena reached out to take the bard’s hand, gently kissing her outstretched palm.

"Please Gabrielle, you know how hard this will be for me. I need your support or I can’t do what I have to do."

"Xena, you know I will always stand behind you, no matter what." Gabrielle said at last. "I just never thought I’d see the day when I had to stand before you, to judge you." No longer able to hold out against both Xena and Ephiny combined, she admitted defeat. Xena looked up at Gabrielle expectantly and the bard allowed herself one last, long sigh.

"Ephiny, as soon as Xena is healed properly we’ll call the tribunal together. It appears we have something we all need to discuss." Turning to Xena she nodded reluctantly. "We may as well get this over with."

"There’s no need to wait, I’m ready to do this now."

"Xena, we’ve discussed this, you’re in no shape to fight anyone…"

"I’ve got no intention of fighting anyone, Gabrielle. I’m not going to demand my right to trial by combat."

"What are you talking about?" Gabrielle snapped. "Of course you have to fight."

"I won’t take the risk of hurting any more innocent people. If I’m going to do this I may as well do it right."

"Xena, be reasonable!" Ephiny chimed, unable to remain silent any longer. The regent stared at Xena with incredulous eyes, unable to believe what she was hearing. The warrior princess deliberately laying down her pride, and now laying down her sword, to face Amazon justice? It was too much.

"Listen to me." Xena held up a hand to forestall Gabrielle’s next protest. "It was you who taught me that there are other ways to solve problems than just fighting. I have to believe that the lessons I’ve learned from you are true, that there are parts of a different code, a different way of life, which I can learn to live by. If I can’t do that, what chance have I ever got to live a life that doesn’t rely solely on how I can handle a sword?"

"I don’t think now is the time to start quoting me, Xena." Gabrielle shook her head in disbelief.

"You’re wrong Gabrielle. It’s the perfect time. There’s never been a more perfect time to test myself, to see what kind of person I’ve become."

For the first time since Xena had started outlining her plan Gabrielle could feel the reluctance and opposition inside her beginning to melt. This was the Xena she’d always known existed, the Xena she could be proud to say she had had a hand in shaping - creating - just like Xena had shaped the way she herself lived her life. She couldn’t deny that the words slipping from Xena’s mouth were things she had always hoped the love of her life would say. Gripping Xena’s hand tightly she smiled at the warrior with all the love that she felt welling up inside of herself.

"Xena, there’s a heart inside you that I wish more people in the world than just me could come to understand. I just wish there was some other way, that it didn’t have to be me who has to sit up there and pass judgement on you. I don’t know if I can do that. I don’t know if I have that much strength in me."

"You do, Gabrielle." Xena said simply, and Gabrielle marvelled at the complete, unconditional trust that lay behind the words and the way Xena said them. The woman she was staring at had no more in common with the legendary destroyer of nations than she did, and despite the situation they all found themselves in, she found that fact strangely comfortable, and reassuring.

*

"Xena of Amphipolis, you have been charged with the attempted murder of the reigning Queen of the Amazon nation. How do you plead?"

A hush settled on the proceedings as the ebony haired warrior rose silently to her feet. Sparing a glance for Gabrielle she pulled herself up to her full height and faced the assembled Amazons.

"I plead… I am…guilty."

"Do you claim the right to trial by combat?"

"I waive my right to the ritual combat." The traditional words rang crisply out into the cold afternoon air.

Though hardly unexpected, the reality of Xena’s words caused a collective hush to settle over the Amazon warriors. Gabrielle kept her face as calm and emotionless as she could, knowing full well her eyes conveyed every bit of distress that she was feeling inside. Xena betrayed nothing, her face an impenetrable mask.

"Is there anyone here present who wishes to say words for or against the accused before sentence is passed?"

The silence deepened. The warriors who had taken the Xena’s side remained silent for fear of scorn from their sister Amazons. Those in favour of Xena’s punishment stayed equally quiet, none willing to risk the wrath of their Queen, the regent, or even the accused warrior herself.

Lysia sat, arms folded in disgust, the strong presence of Eponin behind her the only force holding the warrior in her seat. She’d been livid that afternoon when it was explained to her that she had no right to speak to the tribunal on Xena’s behalf, her status as a member of Gabrielle’s tribe yet to be ratified by that same tribunal. After that had been impressed upon her, Eponin had also brought up the unfortunate fact that, of all the women assembled at the tribunal meeting, Lysia would be the one who had known Xena the least amount of time. Her feelings, even were she allowed to express them, were unlikely to carry much weight in the eyes of the seasoned warriors who would sit in judgement upon the Warrior Princess. Lysia cast an eye over the panel that sat, unmoving. Gabrielle sat in their innermost sanctum, the final word of justice that the Amazon women recognised, the voice of their Queen. That Gabrielle was also the lover of the accused, as well as the victim, left the trial feeling empty and shallow. Lysia almost gagged on the bad taste the proceedings left in her mouth.

Long moments passed.

Gabrielle sat helplessly, staring at the situation unfolding in front of her. Xena’s only hope to escape complete banishment from the Amazon nation was for the Amazon warriors to rise up as one and declare themselves her supporters. As a member of the tribunal, she was forbidden to offer support on Xena’s behalf, and she pined for the opportunity to speak.

Gods be damned, I’m the one who knows her better than anyone! I’m the only one who has a hope of swaying this crowd…making them see the truth of what she is!

"I claim the right to speak in favour of Xena of Amphipolis, known as Xena, the Warrior Princess."

Dressed in full battle regalia, mask sitting high atop her head, Solari cut a swath through the assembled Amazon women. Ephiny’s cool concentration dropped in that instant, her mouth hanging open with the shock of Solari’s sudden speech.

Gabrielle was no less shaken. Xena looked the most stunned of all, the appearance of the Amazon second-in-command raising an eyebrow on the otherwise stolid face of the warrior.

Gabrielle stood regally, her staff of office clutched tightly in her hand.

"And what do you have to say, Solari?"

Solari removed the mask and laid it at Gabrielle’s feet in a solemn gesture of loyalty to the Queen. Gabrielle smiled and nodded, indicating for the Amazon to continue.

"I question the right of the Amazon nation to judge this warrior." Solari stated firmly. A whispered chaos gripped the ring of onlookers, and Solari stared unhesitatingly into the faces of the Amazon tribunal.

"And your reasons?" Gabrielle asked, with more enthusiasm and less formality than her than her position dictated. Her obvious partiality drew stares of disapproval from other tribunal members seated on the podium.

"Xena has proven herself not only a capable and loyal warrior, but a defender of the Amazon nation. Our usual laws bestow the right to trial by combat to determine guilt…" Solari turned to face the warrior, who had returned her face to its emotionless, unreadable form. "…as we all know Xena has forgone this right. I know that the reason she is waiving her rights is because she is unwilling to risk the safety of another member of the Amazon nation for her own personal freedom. We all know that she could defeat any warrior among us and walk free from this trial today, by right of the Amazon."

Solari turned back and faced the council squarely. "She does not deny her moment of vengeance against the Amazon Queen, and it seems wrong today to deny Queen Gabrielle the right to speak as the target of Xena’s vengeance, to relate to us all the circumstances surrounding the attack on the Amazon Queen."

The whispers continued to float around the crowded courtyard. Tyralla, a senior member of the Amazon tribunal stood, holding up her hand for silence.

"Warrior, you know it is not possible for Queen Gabrielle to act as both judge and accuser in this matter. Your request cannot possibly be granted."

Solari seemed unfazed. "I realise that, this is why I have come to speak on Xena’s behalf." She squared her shoulders and turned to address the assembled warriors. "We all know that it is the first and foremost duty of the Amazon warrior to protect her Queen. Xena has failed in this respect. However, Xena is not an Amazon, and has no such duty."

Gabrielle smiled at Solari’s words knowingly.

The entire Amazon nation combined could not protect me better out of duty, than Xena does every minute of every day out of love.

The bard and the warrior shared a quick glance that more than confirmed Gabrielle’s thoughts, the deep blue of Xena’s eyes shining briefly with deeply hidden emotion.

"As we all know, this is why Xena stands today on a charge of attempted murder, rather than on the more serious charge of treason."

Solari turned around and gestured to her weapons master. Eponin gave a surprise glance to Lysia before responding to the summons, striding into the circle to take her place beside her commander.

"This woman stands today as a witness to the deeds Xena has performed on behalf of the Amazon nation."

Ephiny realised suddenly what it was that Solari was about to propose and coughed loudly, covering her face with her hands so that the women who surrounded her could not see the laughter lines creasing around her dancing eyes.

This is so perfect! Where did Solari learn about that law?

Eponin stepped forward and retold her part of the tale of Xena’s assault on Patrakas’s camp. While unable to say what really happened in the warlord’s tents, she related with perfect clarity the severity of Xena’s illness, the fierce determination in the voice of the warrior as she declared her mission, her desire that no more Amazons be hurt or killed for her sake. The weapons master embellished the encounter in the forest, the state of the warrior princess as they led her back, unconscious, into the Amazon village, and what she must have endured at the hands of the warlord.

Gabrielle, who had the story of Xena’s visit to Patrakas from Xena herself in perfect detail, hid a smile from the rest of the tribunal. As they sat in wrapped attention to the story spilling from the Amazon’s lips, she could feel the tide of vengeance and hate turning slowly in favour of Xena’s actions. Eponin was a gifted storyteller, she realised happily. Her mix of warrior’s zeal and attention to detail appealed cleverly to the driving force behind the creed of the Amazons, Xena’s status as the ultimate warrior.

"Out of her own remorse to the crimes committed against the Amazon nation, and particularly out of respect for Amazon life, Xena risked her own life to save the Queen and everyone else in this village." Eponin concluded, stepping back from Solari’s side so that the commander could regain the floor.

"Xena has pleaded guilty to the charges put before this tribunal, and must therefore be assigned a fitting punishment. I believe that it would be detrimental to the Amazon nation to banish such a dedicated and skilful warrior from our midst, so I would like to suggest an alternative punishment."

Gabrielle stared in confusion, first at Solari, then at the other members of the tribunal. One by one the members had begun to come to the realisation of where Solari’s testimony was headed. Not equipped with the full knowledge of obscure, unwritten Amazon law, Gabrielle could only watch, listen, and hope. Regally, she nodded permission for Solari to make her proposal.

The commander bent dramatically down to pick up her mask with a flourish. "Since being old enough to wear the mask of the Amazon I had one dream, and that was to fulfil an ancient custom. I wanted to become a skilful enough warrior to be appointed a Protector of the Amazon Queen. I was assigned that duty by Queen Regent Ephiny in front of this very circle, not one winter ago."

Pandemonium.

The assembled Amazons gasped in collective understanding, the only woman present still baffled by what Solari meant to propose was Gabrielle. Even Xena stared at Solari with amused eyes.

Solari approached the warrior princess, purpose blazing in her dark eyes, speaking softly in a voice reserved for Xena’s hearing alone. "I assume you know what I’m doing?" Solari whispered.

Xena nodded her head slowly. "I think so. My knowledge is a little rusty, but I know what a Protector is. Don’t you have to be an Amazon warrior to qualify?"

"Not necessarily. Another way, a really obscure Amazon law that I learned once, was that an outsider who for some reason or another owed a great personal debt to the Amazon Queen could become her Protector…if they could prove themselves a capable enough warrior that is." Solari grinned. "I somehow doubt anyone is going to question you on that score."

Xena nodded seriously, considering for a moment the weight of Solari's words. She looked down at the shorter woman warily. "So, what’s the catch? That seems too easy."

"It might seem easy to you, but we have to be sure that all of these women here think your attack on Gabrielle only constitutes a debt, not a crime. Otherwise, the whole point of you standing trial in the first place will be lost. If they think the punishment doesn’t fit the crime then we’ll still have the same dissension as before. Detailing your attack on Patrakas’s camp might do that, that’s why I called on Eponin." Solari hesitated a little, before noticing the impatient look on the tribunal member’s faces.

"And there’s one other thing…It’s a death sentence, Xena. Anything happens to Gabrielle, if she dies while you’re still alive, the rest of the Amazon nation comes and hunts you down. That’s the only rule that doesn’t apply if you are born Amazon. If Ephiny died, I’d be in disgrace for the rest of my life, but they wouldn’t come looking for me."

Xena looked up at Gabrielle. The Queen stood on the raised dais, surrounded by busily chatting tribunal members. Ephiny’s strong hand rested comforting, supportively on her shoulder. The regent was whispering furiously into Gabrielle’s ears, presumably telling the same story that she was hearing from Solari.

Xena watched as Gabrielle’s eyes widened. Gabrielle had obviously just heard the part about the death pledge Xena kept her eyes and face steady, ready to receive Gabrielle’s worried gaze.

"Xena, you have to make a decision. I can still withdraw my request, and you’ll be banished and never be able to set foot in the Amazon nation again. Or you can become Gabrielle’s Protector."

In response the Warrior Princess just nodded, her eyes locked with a fair-haired bard's, her Amazon Queen.

It’s just putting into law what she and I already know. If anything were to happen to her, I wouldn’t be around to see it, because whoever hurt her would have to come through me first.

Solari strode into the centre of the circle, her arms raised high in the air for quiet. She turned around once, eyeing the Amazon warriors, sniffing the air as if she were trying to gauge the group emotion of the assembly.

"By risking her life to drive away the warlord Patrakas I propose that Xena, Warrior Princess, has cleared herself of the crime she owed to the Amazon Nation. A trial by combat if you will, only the combat was for the lives of Amazon warriors." Solari waited for the group reaction before continuing. Judging the response to be more or less a positive one, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Furthermore, I claim that Xena owes our Queen a blood debt, to be repaid at the further risk of her own life, for the rest of her life. By making Xena the Protector of Queen Gabrielle, by putting our Queen under the protection of a skilled and experienced warrior, we not only ensure her continuing penance for the crime committed to our Queen, but act to ensure the future safety of our head of state."

Finishing her appeal to the assembled warriors with a flourish, she turned and faced Gabrielle, in whose hands the ultimate decision rested.

"As an outsider to the nation Xena will be required to swear a blood oath on the life of Gabrielle and be sworn as her Protector. I submit this as my recommendation for the punishment of the accused."

Stepping back into her place amongst the Amazon warriors Solari relinquished the floor. She noticed Eponin and Lysia in animated whispered conversation. Catching drifts of it she realised that they were swapping stories about variations on the custom, as Lysia knew them from Hippolyte’s tribe.

Probably a way to ease the nerves while waiting for the decision.

Looking up finally to the dais she found the eyes of her own lover amongst the stirring tribunal. Solari’s Protectorship of Ephiny had been entered into willingly, and Solari saw it almost like a joining, only she would be committed to it even if she and the regent were ever to stop their blossoming relationship. Every Amazon Queen was granted a Protector sooner or later, it was just dumb luck that Gabrielle hadn’t spent enough time in the Amazon village for a decision to be made on who would serve as hers. Solari doubted Gabrielle had ever heard the issue raised, by the look of stunned confusion she’d seen resting on the Queen’s brow. The choosing of Xena was obvious, that it should also serve to ease the tension amongst the Amazons was just an added bonus.

Long moments went by and still the tribunal debated the issue at length. The opinion in the crowd around the courtyard ebbed and flowed. First a positive reaction swept through, then some dissenters made their opinions known, then more arguments in favour of the proposal swamped the voices of the detractors. Solari had attempted at first to keep up with the flow of opinion but gave up in the end. Instead, she chose to join in Eponin and Lysia’s spirited swapping of Amazon customs to ease her own mounting tension.

A smiling Gabrielle emerged from the tribunal discussions, and Solari knew that they had won. The positive opinions in the crowd were given a boost by the obvious, though still unannounced approval of the plan from the tribunal. Looking over, she saw that Xena’s shoulders still tensed noticeably. Solari wandered over to speak briefly with the lone warrior.

"You look a little unimpressed by the way things are going." Solari quipped quickly, trying to fathom the blank look on Xena’s face.

The tall woman grimaced slightly, as if having difficulty finding the words to fit her thoughts. "I don’t know Solari, it all seems a little too neat."

"You mean you were meant to suffer somehow?" Solari asked, frowning.

"Yes, that’s exactly it."

Solari spun around to face the warrior. "And since when was all this about you?" She demanded. Xena responded with a blank look of confusion. An irritated feeling settled over the Amazon. "The point of this trial was to give these Amazons some peace of mind, to take their thoughts off hate and revenge, all the things that make people like Anya twisted inside."

Solari stopped for a second to gather her thoughts, spurred on by the buzz of the Amazon women around her. "I didn’t do this today for you Xena, as much as I respect you, as a person, and as a warrior. I did it for them, and I thought that’s why you did it too."

"It is…I mean it was…" Xena stopped to collect her thoughts. "Do you think Anya would have been pleased with the outcome?"

"The Anya who was all twisted up by anger probably wouldn’t be. I guess there’s no vengeance here for the actions she and her sister took." Solari sighed deeply. "Xena, Anya was my childhood friend. I saw what her sister’s death did to her, and for a while I shared her anger towards you. But right now all I care about is taking these Amazons, the ones that have the courage to live and fight on, into the future."

Xena stared at Solari, the Amazon's strong words sinking into her troubled heart.

"All these women, they know about honour, and about battle. They know what to do if your enemy comes at you and you’re outnumbered three to one. They know that you never leave your sister Amazon behind. They know how to take orders…" Solari gestured around at her warriors affectionately. "The one thing so many of us forgot during this whole ordeal was about forgiveness. Ephiny kept trying to tell me that, and I didn’t really understand it, until I saw you riding wildly out into a warlord's army, barely able to hold your seat on Argo’s back, on your little suicide mission. I knew why you were doing it, Xena." She looked up into the tall warrior’s eyes, her own expression free and honest. "You did it because you couldn’t forgive yourself."

"You sound like someone else I know." Xena replied, touched. Her eyes began roaming, searching, until they stopped and lingered on the brown leather-clad form of her lover. An Amazon Queen, masquerading in her formal battle attire, looking a little uncomfortable dressed like the warrior she would never, could never be.

"Yeah, well..." Solari stated wistfully, "…maybe all us warrior types are learning from Gabrielle, all the time."

Xena snorted, the truth of Solari’s words seeming, somehow, extraordinarily fitting.

*

Campfires blazed and a cheerful mood swept the Amazon village. It had taken many hours of soul-searching, but the majority of the Amazons had come to accept the tribunal’s decision regarding Xena’s punishment. Most respected the dignified way in which Xena had knelt before Queen Gabrielle, accepting her duty and her fate as her Protector with a warrior’s determination. Every Amazon gathered there knew the strength of Xena’s word. The Warrior Princess did nothing by halves.

Sipping slowly on a mug of mulled wine, Xena surveyed the Amazon celebrations from the shadows. Patrakas had been defeated, and Ephiny had ordered a night of relaxation and revelry, a welcome respite from duty and tension that had gone a long way to sealing the opinions of the Amazon women in regards to the day's events. What Xena had come to realise was that all the Amazon warriors had needed was some kind of closure, a way of shutting the doors on the past and moving on, just like Solari had predicted. By helping them with the past, Xena could perhaps close a few more of her own doors, though she knew that some doors were meant to remain open. They needed to stay ajar just enough to remind her of a time when obliterating those doorways and the guilt that went with them by brute force alone was more her style.

Her senses told her that she was not alone, but she didn’t need to turn to recognise Ephiny’s footfalls approaching.

"Ephiny. What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering Xena, could I have a word?"

"Of course."

The regent sat down next to Xena and took a draught from her own cup, enjoying the relaxing warmth as the honeyed wine slipped easily down her throat. The alcohol was beginning to take effect and she let her body relax, stretching long, tired limbs.

"There’s one question I’ve been longing to ask, ever since this whole mess began."

"I’ve been a little preoccupied to answer any questions." Xena remarked dryly, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Yes, well, that’s true. I was wondering, why did you come up with that – if you don’t mind me saying so – really dumb game to try and sneak into the Amazon village when you first arrived? It was so soon after…after everything that happened. Wouldn’t it have been smarter to just walk in the front gates, face all the tension head on?"

"Besides wanting to give Lysia a trial by fire?" Xena joked.

"Well, you certainly achieved that." Ephiny replied, taking another sip. "But seriously, why? What on Earth were you thinking?"

Xena hesitated, a sadness creeping slowly across her thoughts. "I wish I could give you an answer that satisfied either you or me. I can only really think of one thing…"

"And that is..?"

Xena took a deep, cleansing breath. "Ephiny, I was afraid. I felt guilty over what I had done and didn’t really want to just walk in and have to look at everyone in the eye. It was Gabrielle’s idea to come back here."

Xena decided she needed a long swallow of the strong alcohol she held before being able to continue. "The game was something my brain came up with in its rebellion against coming back here, I guess. A way to have a little fun with the Amazons, and I could visit Solon's grave for the first time on my own, without even having Gabrielle there to remind me of … my own guilt in what led to his death." Xena’s voce caught in her throat and she took another swig. For some reason her throat felt awfully dry.

"That all seems to make perfect sense to me, Xena." Ephiny offered, touching a hand to the warrior’s arm. "And, for what it’s worth, I understood your anger over Solon’s death. I was angry at the Mitoans when they took Phantes away from me."

"But you didn’t go out and try to murder any Mitoans in return."

"I wasn’t exactly in any condition to try, but maybe, without Xenan on the way to remind me of the need to stay calm, I might have." Ephiny shuddered, remembering the horrible day that Phantes had died, and the following days before Xenan had been born. She wished right that second that she could hold her son in her arms.

"It’s not in you to do something like that Ephiny. Just days after his own men killed your husband you were reminding Marmax about forgiveness."

"But I don’t have your ghosts to deal with, Xena. If I was the Warrior Princess, maybe I could understand."

Xena looked hard at Ephiny, trying desperately to prevent the one tear that welled in her eyes from escaping, defying her efforts at self-control. Finally she gave up and released it, the droplet running quickly down her cheeks. Reacting swiftly, Xena swiped at the offending tear with the back of her hand.

Ephiny squeezed her shoulder tightly. "You have done so much good. Don’t let this lapse into what you were, affect what you could be. That would be the real tragedy." Collecting her long legs under her, Ephiny decided to leave Xena alone with her thoughts. "Thank you though, for answering my question."

Xena smiled up at the regent. "Anytime."

Xena watched Ephiny’s retreating back, crossing paths with an approaching Gabrielle who had come looking for the warrior. Sniffling quickly, Xena pulled herself together before the bard arrived, who plopped herself down happily beside the warrior.

"What are you doing out here all alone?" Gabrielle asked, planting a small kiss on the warrior’s cheek. She felt the wetness there, frowned slightly, but said nothing.

"Playing the star game with Ephiny. She doesn’t have your imagination."

Gabrielle smiled at Xena’s cover-up, deciding to extract the real story from her about her conversation with Ephiny later, alone, in the privacy of their own hut.

"You know, I think I want to leave here tomorrow. I mean, the Amazons are great, but there’s nothing to compare to a nice, cosy campfire shared between two people." The bard reached over to Xena and stroked her chin softly. Xena closed her eyes, allowing her senses to fully enjoy the delicate touch.

"I know exactly what you mean."

"And we have a lot to talk about." Gabrielle murmured, resting her head on Xena’s wide shoulder.

Xena grunted an agreement, and they sat together, just out of reach of the flickering firelight, in a comfortable, companionable silence.

THE END

Acknowledgement: Big thank you to Lela Kaunitz, my fellow struggling bard and devoted editor, without whom I might never have discovered the comma, the full stop, or fanfic writing in general.

Return to The Bard's Corner

Xena smiled up at the regent. "Anytime."

Xena watched Ephiny’s retreating back, crossing paths with an approaching Gabrielle who had come looking for the warrior. Sniffling quickly, Xena pulled herself together before the bard arrived, who plopped herself down happily beside the warrior.

"What are you doing out here all alone?" Gabrielle asked, planting a small kiss on the warrior’s cheek. She felt the wetness there, frowned slightly, but said nothing.

"Playing the star game with Ephiny. She doesn’t have your imagination."

Gabrielle smiled at Xena’s cover-up, deciding to extract the real story from her about her conversation with Ephiny later, alone, in the privacy of their own hut.

"You know, I think I want to leave here tomorrow. I mean, the Amazons are great, but there’s nothing to compare to a nice, cosy campfire shared between two people." The bard reached over to Xena and stroked her chin softly. Xena closed her eyes, allowing her senses to fully enjoy the delicate touch.

"I know exactly what you mean."

"And we have a lot to talk about." Gabrielle murmured, resting her head on Xena’s wide shoulder.

Xena grunted an agreement, and they sat together, just out of reach of the flickering firelight, in a comfortable, companionable silence.

THE END

Acknowledgement: Big thank you to Lela Kaunitz, my fellow struggling bard and devoted editor, without whom I might never have discovered the comma, the full stop, or fanfic writing in general.

Return to The Bard's Corner