?Wake up Sleepyhead! It?s your birthday!?

And without another word Xena emptied half a water skin onto the sleeping Gabrielle.

Spitting and sputtering, and laughing, Gabrielle jumped up from her sleeping skins and chased Xena around the campsite, vowing to do untold damage to her if she ever caught her.

When they were both somewhat winded, a temporary truce was called, but Gabrielle swore only until she was able to pay Xena back for the dousing.

?You know, it?s not my birthday.? Gabrielle told her.

?Sure it is. You don?t think I?d forget THAT, do you??

?Well, you must have, because it is NOT my birthday.?

?Gabrielle, it IS! I?ve been keeping track of the seasons, the stars, and the moon. Believe me, it?s your birthday.?

?Xena, there?s no way I?d forget my own birthday.?

?Okay! If that?s the way you want it - it?s not your birthday.?

Xena paused, but her tone of voice let Gabrielle know there was something else coming.

Xena continued. ?Then I guess you don't want your birthday present. I suppose I can save it for Meg.?

?Well, if you insist - then I guess it IS my birthday after all.?

?Oh no! You said it wasn?t.?

?I was mistaken, so hand it over.?

?You?re sure, now? It IS your birthday??

?Of course it is. YOU?RE the one who?s been charting the heavens, remember??

With a smug and satisfied look on her face, Xena went to her saddlebag and brought out the gift, wrapped in parchment and tied with a thin leather string.

?It?s heavy!? Gabrielle commented as she took it from Xena. Then she hurriedly untied the string and opened it.

?Oh, Xena! It?s BEAUTIFUL! Thank You! Thank you so MUCH!?

And clasping the silver pendant necklace with a blue crystal in the center, she threw her arms around Xena?s neck and hugged her tightly.

?So you like it?? Xena asked unnecessarily as Gabrielle stepped back from the embrace.

?Are you kidding? I LOVE it!?

?Turn around.? Xena told her. ?Let?s try it on.?

Gabrielle turned her back to Xena and reached back with both hands to give the ends of the silver chain to Xena, who fastened the clasp.

As she looked down at it, Gabrielle felt her eyes begin to moisten.

?I?ll never take it off. NEVER!? She declared. And gave Xena another hug, and an affectionate kiss on the lips.

?Since it?s your birthday, I suppose you?ll expect me to fix breakfast as well.?

Gabrielle laughed. ?No. I?ll do it. This necklace is more than enough for my birthday.?

?You?re positive it?s your birthday?? Xena teased.

?One hundred percent sure.? And Gabrielle began to build up the fire.

~~~~~~~~~~

The two women had barely finished breakfast when Xena said quietly to Gabrielle, ?Get ready.?

And she innocently took her sword from it?s scabbard and began cleaning it, her eyes and ears searching and listening to the surrounding forest for the attack she knew was coming.

Gabrielle withdrew her sais as if she was about to do the same.

Then without warning, a half dozen arrows rained down on them. Xena managed to dodge one of them and batted away two more.

The fourth hit off to one side of Gabrielle, but she tripped as she ducked away from the fifth, and the sixth arrow penetrated her back, just above her right shoulder blade.

Gabrielle fell to one knee, but hearing the screams of the attackers, she forced herself to her feet, grimacing with the pain as she moved.

Xena, seeing Gabrielle was injured, put herself between Gabrielle and the six men who ran at them.

Gabrielle readied herself for battle, but could barely move her right arm. She gripped her left sais as one man was able to avoid Xena?s sword and closed in on her.

But Xena saw him from the corner of her eye and before he could swing at Gabrielle with his sword, Xena spun around with her own, cutting deep into his neck, and slicing through the back half of it, severing his spine.

The attacker fell forward onto Gabrielle, knocking her to the ground, driving the arrow deeper into her shoulder until the point was nearly penetrating the front of her upper chest, and breaking the shaft at the same time. The pain caused Gabrielle to pass out, unaware of the weight of the dead man on top of her.

Xena finished off three more of them, and the last two ran away. She then ran to Gabrielle, pulled the man off her, and knelt down to make sure she was still alive.

Gently turning Gabrielle to one side, Xena saw that the wound was packed with bloody dirt, and she knew it needed immediate attention.

Looking around for the water skins, Xena saw that neither was of any use to her. The one she had used to awaken Gabrielle had fallen to the ground and had been stepped on, forcing out the remaining water. The other one had been slashed during the fight and its contents were spilled onto the ground.

Thinking hard, Xena remembered the nearest water, a small stream, was a day?s ride away. She gently laid Gabrielle down on one of the blankets, and then began to break camp.

She knew she couldn?t get Gabrielle up onto her horse, so she made a litter out of two small saplings and using leather twine, wrapped and tied blankets around the saplings to form a crude stretcher.

She then tied the two ends of it to either side of Gabrielle?s horse and laid Gabrielle down on it, making sure she was secure and wouldn?t fall off. Then climbing into the saddle of her own horse, Argo 3, and taking the reins of Gabrielle?s, Xena headed in the direction of the stream.

It was a rough day and a half ride back to the small stream. Gabrielle moaned with every bounce and jostle. More than once Xena stopped to check on her.

~~~~~~~~~~

Once they arrived at the stream, Xena saw that it was smaller and muddier than she remembered.

After making Gabrielle as comfortable as she could, Xena filled the one good water skin with the muddy water, and then filtered it several times through one of the blankets into Gabrielle?s frying pan.

After carefully cleaning the wound, Xena realized that the broken shaft was imbedded too deeply to be pulled out from the back. And to make matters worse, infection was already beginning to set in.

?Gabrielle,? Xena said softly to the barely conscious young woman. ?I?m going to have to cut into the front of your chest to get to the arrowhead. And it?s going to hurt, a lot.?

Gabrielle was barely aware of what Xena was saying, but at the words ?hurt, a lot? she nodded that she understood.

Then she asked through the aching pain, ?But what about your nerve pinch? Can?t you stop the pain like that??

?Not this time. That works fine for the arms and legs, but the nerves to the chest are buried too deeply in the body.?

Gabrielle nodded again, then said, ?Do what you have to. Just give me something to bite down on and I?ll just have to suffer through it.?

Xena cut a piece of branch from a tree and after stripping the bark and washing it, she put it in front of Gabrielle?s mouth.

?Here, bite down on this. I?ll work as quickly as I can.?

Gabrielle opened her mouth and Xena placed the wood between her teeth, and she bit down on it.

Xena quickly started a small fire with her flint and sword, then passed the blade of her breast knife through the flames, hoping to prevent any further infection.

?Ready?? She asked. Gabrielle nodded, closed her eyes and balled up both fists.

Xena gently pressed down near Gabrielle?s shoulder until she felt the point of the arrow. Gabrielle flinched at the pain, then braced herself.

Xena quickly cut an ?X? across the spot, and peeling back the skin exposed the point of the arrow. But she had to cut deeper and wider to get her fingers onto the arrowhead. Twice she had to rinse away the blood to see.

But the blood was making the arrowhead too slippery to pull out.

?Gabrielle, I have to try to push the arrow from the back side. I need to turn you over onto your side.?

Gabrielle barely nodded, then lifted her right shoulder up so she could be turned.

Xena splashed the last of the water over the back injury. Then putting one finger into the wound, she pushed against the broken end of the arrow?s shaft as she pulled the arrowhead from the front side.

At the excruciating pain, Gabrielle mercifully passed out.

When Gabrielle woke up, dawn was breaking. She had been out since noon the previous day. But the pain was still there.

Xena was instantly at her side with filtered, but still not particularly clean water for her to drink. Gabrielle coughed as the water choked her and she screamed out in pain.

Xena held her until the coughing spasm ended. Gabrielle was dripping with sweat from the fever and was panting. She was getting dark rings around her eyes and her lips were pale. The infection was getting worse.

Xena had a few herbs in her saddlebag and had made a poultice to try to draw out the infection, but it was too little too late. She knew they had to find a Healer or Gabrielle would surely die.

Once again Gabrielle was loaded onto the stretcher and Xena led her horse as they rode west toward a village Xena knew of.

Xena only stopped when it was too dark to travel any farther. And broke camp when it was barely light enough to see.

Well past midday Xena and Gabrielle entered the village of Midlos. After asking, she was directed to the Healer?s hut.

?She?s in bad shape.? The old man said after a quick examination. ?Don't know how much I can do for her.?

?Whatever you can do, do it!? Xena demanded. ?If she dies, I?ll die with her.?

The old Healer nodded in sympathy, then went to work.

He first made Gabrielle drink a painkiller and sleeping potion combination. Next, he cleaned the wound with the strongest wine he had. Then he sliced open the one in her back, cutting away the now-decaying flesh. And taking a narrow, pointed, red-hot iron rod, he forced it into the open wound, cauterizing and, hopefully, killing some of the infection.

After dressing that wound, he performed much the same for the front injury.

Despite being unconscious, Gabrielle trembled and cried out at the painful treatment. Xena could only hold her, watching, and hoping it would keep her from dying.

For three days Xena sat by Gabrielle?s bed, trying to get her to drink chicken broth or water whenever she thought she needed it. By the end of the third day improvement was obvious.

Gabrielle woke up on the fifth day, weak as a kitten, but asking for something to eat.

?She?s not completely healed you know.? The old Healer told Xena. ?She?ll need bed rest for a half month at least. And she should keep that her arm in that sling until all of the feeling comes back and she can start building up some strength in it.?

?I suppose there?s an inn in town where we can stay while she gets better.?

?There?s one here. But it won?t be cheap. Room and board for the two of you will cost you four dinars per day. Figuring fifteen days at least, that?s sixty dinars. You have that kind of money??

?Not even close.?

?Xena,? Gabrielle said weakly, ?If we have to we can always sell my horse and saddle.?

Xena smiled down at her ailing friend. ?No. You love that horse too much. We?ll figure something out.?

Turning to the Healer she had a questioning look on her face.

?There may be something else.? He said. ?Not too far from town, about a quarter of a day?s walk, there is an old abandoned cabin. No one?s lived there for a couple of years so I?m sure it?s still empty, but it probably isn?t in very good condition.?

?If it has four walls and a roof, it?ll be fine. After all the time we?ve spent sleeping under the stars, any shelter at all will do.?

?I?ll come by in a couple of days to check on your friend. But the way she came through I?m sure she?ll be all right.?

?That?s good to know. So - what do I owe you for the medical help, the room, and the food??

?Is six dinars too much??

Xena opened her money pouch and poured seven dinars into her hand.

?Here,? she said handing over all of it. ?One dinar for your next visit.?

?You?re sure? What will you do for food??

?Hunt, like I do when we?re on the trail. And I can always barter fresh game for whatever else we need.?

?Very well, then. I wish you both the best of luck.?

Then looking down at Gabrielle, he said, ?Rest as much as you can. I have two potions I?m giving you. I want you to take them twice a day, at daybreak and at dawn. And I will see you in two - three days.?

?Thank you.? Gabrielle said.

?Yeah.? Xena echoed. ?Thank you.?

The Healer helped Xena put Gabrielle back onto the litter and watched as they left toward the other side of town.

~~~~~~~~~~

?Well, he was right.? Xena said as they arrived the ramshackle, broken down hut. ?Four walls and a roof is about all it is.?

?Let me see,? Gabrielle requested.

Xena helped Gabrielle sit up, then stand. Slowly, as Xena held Gabrielle around the waist, they walked up to the cabin.

There was neither porch nor overhang to protect the doorless opening. When they got inside, a single window let in the afternoon sun since the shutters had long since been torn off by the wind when the leather hinges rotted away.

It was a one-room hut with a dirt floor. A three-legged table barely stood on the uneven floor, caused from holes dug by wolves or other animals searching for burrowing moles. A single bench, with a broken leg lay on its side.

Only the fireplace seemed to be okay, provided the chimney wasn?t blocked by nesting birds.

?If I can shore up the table, you can use for a bed until we can get you a real one.? Xena said as she helped Gabrielle sit on the good end of it.

?Don?t be silly.? Gabrielle replied. ?I can sleep on the floor just like we always do.?

?Well, we?ll see. If you?ll be all right, I want to unsaddle the horses and tether them near some grass. And I need to locate some water. Maybe there?s a well or river nearby.?

?I?ll be fine. Go do what you have to. I?ll see if I can get a fire started.?

?And just how are you going to do that with one arm in a sling? You still can?t even feel your fingers.?

?Okay! I?ll ? gather some firewood. I can do THAT with one arm.?

?Just don't bend over too much, you?re still weak and could pass out.?

?Go tend to the horses. I?ll wait right here, not moving a muscle!?

?I?m just worried about you, that?s all.?

Gabrielle?s voice softened. ?I know you are. I?m just not used to being so helpless.?

?Give it a month or so. You?ll be as good as new.?

?I know.?

?So how?s the shoulder this morning??

?Not bad. It still hurts if I stretch it too much, and sometimes my fingers tingle a little bit. But as long as I keep it in the sling most of the time, I can use it pretty well once in a while.?

?Well, it?s only been about a month. Another couple months or so and it should be as good as new. And since you are doing so good, I thought I?d go out do some hunting.?

?I thought we had enough smoked venison and rabbit to last us for a while.?

?We do, but we could use some salt, and maybe some flour and a few other things. And since we still don't have any money, I think if I bring in a freshly killed deer I can trade it for them.?

?Then after you make the kill you?re going straight to town??

?Don't worry, I?ll be back long before dusk.?

?I?m not worried, I just like to know where you are, that?s all.?

Xena mounted up.

?What about breakfast??

?Got some of the rabbit I?ll eat later. Don't do too much while I?m gone. Give that shoulder a chance to heal up.?

?I?ll be fine. If you think about it, maybe you can find a loaf of nut bread in town??

?I?ll see what I can do.?

~~~~~~~~~~

Gabrielle ate her own breakfast, then did what she could to restock the firewood, and bring a few buckets of water from the stream.

Not long before midday she heard a horse. Going outside she saw it was Xena, without any freshly killed game.

?You?ve already been to town?? she asked.

?Got bigger problems.? Xena asked, obviously troubled.

?What?? Gabrielle asked, expecting to hear an army was approaching.

?I broke my leg.? Xena said simply. Then sliding down off her horse and landing on right leg, she hopped into the cabin, trying not to put any weight on the injured left limb.

Gabrielle followed her in and after Xena sat on the repaired bench, started unlacing Xena?s left boot.

After removing it, the break, which was half way between Xena?s knee and ankle, was obvious - a sliver of bone was breaking through the skin despite the swelling around the site.

?How did this happen??

?I was tracking a nice buck along the river bank when I stepped down through a tangle of roots. I lost my balance and when I grabbed a limb, it broke and I went down. I heard it when it snapped.?

?Doesn't it hurt??

?It did at first, but I speared my thigh, which stopped the pain but paralyzed my leg, so it took me a while before I was able to get to where I had tethered my horse and then get back here.?

?Do you want me to fetch the Healer??

?No, we can set it ourselves. I?ve done it before. All you have to do is pull on my foot until the bones align themselves, slowly release it, and then put a splint on my leg.?

?Now??

?Now?s a good a time as any.?

Gabrielle grabbed Xena?s heel with her left hand and tried to use her right hand on the top of her foot, but the pain in her shoulder wouldn't let her pull hard enough to do any good.

?So now what?? Gabrielle asked.

Xena thought for a few moments, then said, ?Let?s go outside. We?ll need some rope.?

Xena?s plan was to tie two ends of the rope around her ankle, with rope passing inside and outside of her foot. She would brace herself with her other foot against a tree, and Gabrielle would loop the rope around the tree and then around her back, then pushing with her feet against the tree, would pull on the rope until Xena thought the bones were lined up correctly.

It took three tries before Xena was satisfied. Gabrielle put the splint on Xena?s leg and they went back into the hut so she could dress the wound.

Gabrielle fixed Xena some of the smoked venison for lunch, then sat thinking, wondering what they were going to do.

?I had planned on us leaving here in a few days.? Xena said. ?Looks like we?ll be here a little longer.?

?You think?? Gabrielle answered, now starting to really get worried. ?How about a few more months? Xena, what are we going to do? I can set some snares and catch some fish, but if we?re going to stay here much longer, we?re going to have to start thinking about stockpiling supplies for winter. And if you can?t hunt, what are we going to trade with??

?Who said I can?t hunt??

?Come on, Xena, if you can?t walk how can you hunt??

?All I have to do is to see some game, and let my Chakram do the rest.?

?And I suppose the deer are just going to walk right up and let you kill them??

?I have a horse, Gabrielle, and I can still ride.?

Gabrielle shook her head, still not convinced.

?I?m sorry, Xena, but I?ve got a bad feeling about this. We?ve never both been . . . disabled, together.?

?Gabrielle, we?re not disabled, we?re just temporarily . . . out of sorts.?

Xena started to say something else, but moaned instead, with a grimace on her face.

?What?? Gabrielle asked, alarmed.

?The feeling?s coming back to my leg. Starting to hurt.?

?Can?t you spear it again??

?I could, but too many times and the nerves get paralyzed and then I?d lose complete use of my leg. No, I?ll just have to tough it out.?

As the day turned into dusk, the pain reached a peak, then seemed to level out, and then slowly ebb. But it never completely went away.

?Kind of like a tooth ache.? Xena said. ?A dull, aching throb. By tomorrow it should be better.?

Gabrielle tried to make Xena comfortable as they settled down for the night. She hung a blanket on nails over the top of the door opening and moved the table in front of it, laying it over on its side; a makeshift barrier to keep out nosy, or hungry, animals.

~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning Xena said her leg was better, but showed signs of fever herself.

?Did you hear that?? Gabrielle asked.

?I?m not sure, I think I did.?

Gabrielle went to the doorway, moved the table and took down the blanket. A dozen paces outside the door, lying on its side was a large doe, breathing her last.

Gabrielle went out to look at it. As she knelt down, she heard someone shouting at her.

?Hey! We?ll just be taking that deer!?

Gabrielle looked up to see three men with bows and arrows hurrying toward her and the deer.

?That?s our kill.? One said, and he turned the deer onto her other side to show the stub of a broken

arrow sticking out of the deer?s side.

?Well, I guess it is.? Gabrielle agreed. ?Wouldn?t want to share some of it would you? After all, she did die here in front of our cabin.?

?Don't think so.? The man answered.

Another man stepped up.

?You said ?our cabin.? Somebody else here? Husband maybe??

?No, just me and my friend.?

Just then Xena hobbled out of the doorway using her sword as a cane.

The second man glanced at his companions with an evil smile.

?Just you two, huh? And no man around. Kind of dangerous, isn?t it, all by yourselves??

?We can take care of ourselves.? Gabrielle replied, now becoming wary.

?One with a broke leg and you with a bum arm?? The third man said.

?I think maybe you two could use some male companionship,? he added with an unpleasant tone of voice.

?And I think it?s time you three took your deer and got out of here.? Xena said.

?I don't think so.? The first man said. ?I think we might just stay around a bit longer. So we can get to know each other better.? And he laughed along with the other two.

Without warning, Xena?s other hand came out from behind her and she sent her Chakram sailing out past the men, who turned to watch it as it flew high up toward the trees then circled back around toward them.

They barely had time to dive face first down into the dirt to keep from being killed.

Xena snagged the Chakram out of the air and before the men could recover, had her sword at the throat of the first man.

?Either of you move and he dies.? She said to the other two.

No one moved.

?Gabrielle, get their weapons.?

Gabrielle retrieved their bows, arrows and knives.

?Now get up!?

When the men were up on their feet, Xena said, ?Get your deer and get out of here. You come back again and you?ll be pulling your own arrows out of each other. Now GET!?

Hurriedly, the men hoisted the deer onto the shoulders of the largest man and quickly walked away from the cabin, muttering low to each other. As they barely got out of sight, Xena threw her Chakram again, cutting off several tree limbs behind them as a final warning.

?You know, you could have had them leave the deer.? Gabrielle said.

?Then they?d just be that much madder, and would come back that much sooner.?

?You think they?ll be back??

?Maybe, maybe not. But at least we can hunt now. I never was really happy with the thought of using my Chakram to kill game with.?

Gabrielle and Xena had finished loading up two freshly killed deer onto Gabrielle?s horse and Xena was about to climb into the saddle of Argo 3. Xena?s leg wasn?t completely healed, but she knew just how much she could use it without further damage.

?You?re sure about this?? She asked Gabrielle.

?Sure as I?ll ever be. She?s been a good horse, but we need the supplies. Once things get better again I can always get another one.?

?Okay. I should be back in a couple of days; three at the most.?

?I?ll be here. You take care.?

Xena mounted up and over her shoulder as she rode off she yelled back, ?Don't forget to fill the water barrel!?

?The water barrel.? Gabrielle muttered. The one job she hated - walking through the woods to the small river carrying two buckets to fill up and then walking back to the cabin. It took four such trips to fill the water barrel. This time only three were needed, but her right shoulder ached constantly since they had acquired the bows and arrows.

Gabrielle was determined she was going to become an expert with them, and all her practicing kept her not-quite-healed shoulder achy all the time.

?I?ll do it tomorrow,? she said to no one. ?Or the day after. There?s enough for me right now.?

As she puttered around the cabin -- straightening up, putting away the salted pork and venison, washing the two wooden bowls they had used for breakfast, she decided, for the hundredth time how much she hated it when Xena was gone.

Medlos, the village where the Healer lived, just didn?t have everything they needed, so Xena was going to the next closest village, upstream of the small river where they had been getting their water, to try to get more supplies.

Xena?s leg was healing, but not as quickly as she had hoped, and they had come to the conclusion that they just might end up spending the winter where they were, and they needed more blankets, more salt, more flour, a couple more water skins, and anything else Xena thought they could use.

The next morning Gabrielle checked the water barrel and concluded she could go one more day without plodding down to the river. She could go the next morning and have the barrel full by the time Xena got back.

She spent the day outside, practicing with the bow until her shoulder began to ache. Then she went looking for berries, wild onions, carrots, turnips and other edible greens.

The next day when she got to the river she discovered it was no longer a clean running stream. The water level had dropped to one third of what it had been, and the water was no longer clear, but muddy.

?Great! That?s all I need. I KNEW I should have gotten the water when Xena told me to, I KNEW it!?

Gabrielle scooped up two buckets of the muddy water and headed back to the cabin. She decided that if she let the dirt settle out of the water while it was still in the buckets, she might get enough clean water out of it. And as an added bonus, it would give her shoulder time to recover before the next trip.

After a while Gabrielle dipped the wooden ladle into the water, but there were still fine granules that were still floating. So she folded one of the coarse-woven blankets in half two times, for a total of four layers, and gently poured the water through it, trying to keep the mud on the bottom from stirring up. Then she made another trip to the stream.

Just as she got back Xena rode up, without the deer and without Gabrielle?s horse, but with full saddlebags, and with a large bundle tied on behind her saddle.

?So how was it?? Gabrielle asked.

?Good. Got plenty of everything. I sure hope you got that barrel filled.?

?Why?? Gabrielle asked, feeling guilty.

?Because the town is damming the river and they?re really churning up the water in the process.?

Knowing Xena would find out soon enough, Gabrielle confessed her laziness about fetching the water, and her use of the blanket as a filter.

?Sorry, Xena, I just messed up.?

?Don't worry about it, in a few days the water should mostly clear up.?

?I thought you said they dammed the river. How are we going to get any water at all??

?They can?t dam it one hundred percent or it?d flood the village. We?ll still get water, just not as much.?

After unloading the supplies, they filtered the two buckets of water and Gabrielle headed back to the stream for the last two.

~~~~~~~~~~

?Xena, something?s wrong. There is almost no water in the stream. I thought you said we?d still get water even though they dammed it.?

?Must be this dry spell. There hasn?t been any rain for what, a month, or more? I guess there isn?t enough of the river to make it past the dam. I wouldn?t be surprised if they dammed the river every fall. That?s probably why this cabin was abandoned.?

?We have to do something! We can?t live without water.?

?I could take the three water skins we have and hope they?ll let me fill them up. But three skins won?t last us more than two or three days, and it?s at least a two-day ride there and back again.?

?Well, thanks, that makes me feel a LOT better!?

Xena smiled at Gabrielle?s sarcasm, but she was also worried. She knew Gabrielle was right, something had to be done.?

?There?s no water at all?? She asked.

?A trickle here, maybe a stagnant pool there.?

Xena thought for a while, then an idea came to her. She instructed Gabrielle to find something to use for a shovel, then the two of them headed for the river.

?We?ll find the strongest trickle and then dig a hole for it to fill up. With any luck there will be enough running into the hole that it all won?t just soak down into the river bed.?

There wasn?t any one small dribble of water that was delivering enough water, so they diverted three of them into one and then dug a small pit that was as deep as Xena?s arm was long, and twice as big around. The water filling the hole was muddy, but in a day or two the sediment should have settled out to leave mostly clear water at the top.

They got water, not much and not really clear, but water, for another half month.

?Let me ride upstream for a while. If I can find where it disappears into the river bed,? Xena said as she saddled her horse. ?Maybe I can find enough to fill the skins.?

After Xena rode off, Gabrielle checked the water barrel again; barely half full.

Xena didn?t return until just after dusk.

?I don't know what we?re going to do. As far as I could tell the only water to be found is behind the dam.?

?Maybe we should move there.? Gabrielle suggested. ?We should be able to find something to do to earn our keep.?

?Maybe. But the whole time I was there trading for the supplies I got the feeling that traders were welcome, but not settlers.?

?What about Medlos? They should have a community well.?

?They might. I?ll check it out tomorrow morning.?

?Why don't you let me go? You should stay and rest your leg. I?ve seen you favoring it. I can ride your horse.?

?Sure. Just don't get upset if they refuse.?

?You know me, Xena, I?m the epitome of patience.?

~~~~~~~~~~

?. . . And they had the NERVE to tell me not to come back! Can you believe that??

?Well, Gabrielle, it?s not a good policy to call the people you?re essentially begging water from ?stingy, loud-mouth morons.? You shouldn?t have let them get to you like that.?

?But they didn?t even give me a chance to offer anything in trade. Just as soon as I mentioned water . . . .?

?Yes, I know. You?ve told me, three times now.?

?But, Xena . . . .?

?Don't worry Gabrielle, we?ll figure something out.?

?Like what? Steal water from them??

?Not them, but there is a dam a day?s ride from here, and there?s more water there than in Medlos.?

?So when are we going??

?We aren?t going anywhere. I am going after the water while you stay here.?

?But . . . .?

?There?s only one horse, and if I?m going to bring back enough water to last us a while, then I can?t have you taking up space behind my saddle that can be used to carry a barrel of water.?

?How are you going to carry our barrel? You?ll slosh it all out by the time you get back here.?

?I?m not taking the one here. I?m going to ?borrow? one I saw near the dam. It may leak a little, but not enough to hurt.?

?Well, if that?s the way it has to be, then go on. I?ll be here, waiting as usual.?

?You might want to see about stocking up on firewood. I can feel a change in the air, and winter isn?t that far off.?

Before Gabrielle could answer, Xena mounted up and rode off upstream to get the water they needed.

Even before Xena was out of sight, Gabrielle turned back toward the cabin.

? ?You might want to see about stocking up on firewood.? ? Gabrielle repeated in a petty tone of voice.

? ? I?ll go get the water alone,? ? she continued. ? ?I don't have room for YOU!? ?

The more she talked to herself, the angrier Gabrielle got. But nevertheless, she spent the afternoon gathering and piling up firewood. More than once she wished Xena had gotten an axe along with all the supplies back when the nameless town started damming the river.

?When is this drought going to END?!? Gabrielle complained, for the twentieth time.

?It?ll end when it ends.? Xena replied patiently, for the twentieth time. She couldn?t fault Gabrielle. She wondered the same thing, for the hundredth time.

?So how many times have you had to fetch water??

?Ten - twelve times. I lost count. Doesn't matter. They don't know any is missing.?

?But how many more times are you going to have to do that? When is it going to RAIN??

?It?ll rain when it rains.?

~~~~~~~~~~

Xena came running into the cabin, it was barely light outside.

?Gabrielle! Wake up! The drought is over!?

Gabrielle was up in an instant. She ran outside, expecting to be soaked with cold, refreshing, wet rain. Instead, she saw only a dark gray, overcast sky.

?So where?s the rain??

?Look up! Hold your hand out! It?s starting to snow!?

Gabrielle was vaguely aware of a few flakes drifting down to land in the palm of her hand.

?That?s IT? That?s the end of the drought??

?Yes! It?s snowing! And we can melt the snow to get water. Hurry! Get all the pots and pans and bowls and anything else we have to catch the snow.?

Gabrielle shook her head in disappointment, but went inside to comply.

Gradually the few flakes turned into a steady snowfall that lasted all day, and all night, and all the next day, and longer. The water barrels were full for the first time in more than a month.

Gabrielle was glad she had gathered up so much firewood. The cabin didn?t hold much heat so it was being burned up pretty quickly.

?Just as soon as the snow lets up we?ll have to get as much wood as we can. I have a feeling it?s going to be a pretty cold winter.? Xena said at supper on the fourth day as it continued to snow.

~~~~~~~~~~

?Xena, is it EVER going to stop snowing??

?It?ll have to stop sometime.?

?That?s what you said about the drought.?

?I was right, wasn?t I??

?Well, sure, but the question was more rhetorical than anything. I know it?s going to stop, sometime. I just wish I knew when. And DON'T say ?it?ll stop when it stops.? I know that!?

Xena smiled, but she was just as worried now as she was during the drought. The only relief from the drought was the snow. And now, the drifts were getting so high it was becoming harder and harder to find enough wood for the fireplace. And she couldn?t remember the last time she could feel her toes.

?I think we need to let Argo run free,? Xena said without warning.

?What? Why??

Because there isn?t enough grass left around here for grazing. If we let her run loose, she can find food on her own.?

?But what?ll we do without a horse? What if we need to - to . . . .?

?We?ll get by, we always do. But if I keep her tied up she?ll starve to death.

?I suppose you?re right. So, when??

?I should let her go now. That way she?ll have most of the day to find food.?

~~~~~~~~~~

?Xena, do you think it was this cold in those ice coffins Ares put us in??

?I don't know. Since we were sleeping the whole time it?s hard to say. But if I had to guess, I?d say it?s colder now. Inside the coffins we were about the temperature of the ice. But it has to be colder than that in here.?

?Maybe it?s just the cold, but I really don't feel so well, like I?m starting to run a fever. What do you think??

Xena put her chilled hand on Gabrielle?s forehead.

?You feel like you?re burning up, but I think it?s just because my hand is so cold.?

?Well, put it back! It feels so good.?

?If that?s the case, then I think you are running a fever.?

Then suddenly Xena sneezed, four times in a row.

?That made me dizzy,? she commented. And sneezed three more times.

?Oh, great! This is all we need.? Gabrielle said, coughing slightly. ?Getting sick. The fun just never stops.?

?Then I think we should start making plans. I?ll go out and find as much wood as I can. In the meantime, you need to start preparing food we can eat without having to cook. If we get too sick, we won?t have the strength. And find everything we have to put water in, and start melting snow.?

Without a word, Gabrielle started to work, fighting the dizziness, and the more and more frequent coughing. Xena went outside to find firewood.

~~~~~~~~~~

?Here, Gabrielle, drink this. Come on, sit up. That?s right, now drink it down. All of it. Good.?

?Xena, it?s so cold in here. What happened to the fire?? Gabrielle managed to say between her frequent coughs.

?You just lay back down and I?ll throw more wood on it. Don't you worry.?

Xena staggered toward the fireplace, shivering, and her head spinning from the fever and her blurry vision. She found the last piece of wood they had, from the table she had broken up the night before. Or was it the day before that?

Then finding her way back to Gabrielle, she crawled under the pile of blankets and furs, curling herself around her Soulmate, adding her body heat to Gabrielle?s, hoping when they woke up, the bone-chilling weather would be over.

Gabrielle slowly woke up, drifting in and out of sleep. Each time she was a little more awake than the time before. And the more conscious, and aware, she became, the more she realized something was different; wasn?t quite right.

The first thing she noticed was that the cabin smelled differently. She couldn?t tell exactly why, but it did. Then she found she wasn?t cold anymore. In fact, she was almost too warm. And as she moved the covers, she realized she wasn?t on a pallet on the floor; she was in a bed.

Gabrielle opened her eyes to find a hazy-looking Xena smiling down at her. She blinked her eyes a couple of times and Xena?s face became sharp and clear.

?Where are we?? she asked, her voice sounding hoarse. ?This isn?t the cabin.?

?We?re back at the Healer?s. He said we?ve been here for six days. I just woke up a little while ago, myself.?

?The Healer?s? How did we get here??

?He found us while we were sleeping. He said we almost died.?

Gabrielle sat up with a little help from Xena, and put her legs over the side of the bed. She was still a bit woozy.

?Died? I don't understand. Did someone try to kill us in our sleep??

?Not someone,? Gabrielle heard the Healer say, ?But some THING.?

Gabrielle shook her head, still not completely cognizant.

?It was the smoldering fire,? he continued. ?The snowfall blocked off most of the chimney, and the smoke from the fire had filled up the cabin. Good thing you two were on the floor, most of the smoke was up near the roof. But another day or two and I?d ?a been too late.?

?You found us?? Gabrielle was still trying to make sense of what was being said. ?Why were you looking for us in the first place??

?It was Argo.? Xena explained. ?While she was out looking for food, she found her way back to this village.?

?Yup.? The Healer agreed. ?And when we saw she was wandering around like that, we figured something must have happened, so me and my apprentice rode on out to your cabin. And there we found you two, sick as you could be, and almost suffocated. So we brought you back. I managed to get some medicine down your throats, and here you are.?

?I don?t feel so good.? Gabrielle declared. ?I think I?m going to be sick.?

?Not in my house, you aren?t. And not in my bed, either.? The Healer shot back at her. ?You lay yourself back down.?

Xena helped Gabrielle to lie down, but supported her head as she gave her a drink of water from a wooden goblet on the small table next to the bed.

?You get some rest.? Xena told her. ?I?m going back to the cabin to get some of our things. By the time you wake up again I?ll be back.?

Gabrielle gave her a weak smile, took a ragged breath, and was asleep before Xena left the room. The water contained a sleeping potion.

~~~~~~~~~~

Xena and Gabrielle spent another three days in the Healer?s house until Gabrielle was well enough to travel.

?By the gods, Xena, just the thought of going back to that cabin is enough to make me want to throw up. Do we have to??

?Until we can figure out how to pay the Healer back for everything he?s done for us, we don't have a choice. We don't have any money, so we can?t stay at the inn . . . .?

Gabrielle put her hand up, cutting Xena off in mid-sentence.

?I know. You don't have to say anything else. I just wish . . . .?

?Maybe it won?t be so bad. It?s not that cold any more, and I saw fresh deer tracks, and with the stream flowing again there may be some fish . . . .?

?I said OKAY! Okay? You don't have to try to convince me. I know it?s the only option. Let?s just get our stuff and go.?

~~~~~~~~~~

Xena threw the dead deer over the back of her horse then mounted up.

?Should be back before the day is out. Fresh meat doesn't take long to sell,? she said looking down at Gabrielle. ?Third one in twice as many days. At this rate we?ll have everyone paid off AND buy you a horse before you know it.?

?I don't suppose there?s room for one more up there, is there? ?

?Getting restless??

?A little. There?s just something about being here by myself . . . You know what I mean??

?Sure. Come on. There?s room, if you don't mind holding the deer in your lap.?

With a big grin, Gabrielle grabbed Xena?s waiting hand and in less than a heartbeat was up behind Xena on the horse.

It was getting close to midday when both Xena and Gabrielle sensed something somewhere wasn?t right. Xena stopped the horse to better hear. She and Gabrielle realized at the same time what it was.

?The village!? Xena exclaimed. ?I hear horses and the sounds of women and children screaming.?

?You?re right! Sounds like it?s under attack!?

Without giving it a second thought, Gabrielle threw the deer to the ground as Xena kicked her horse in the flanks with her heels, urging it into a distance-eating gallop.

The closer they got, the better they could hear the sounds of battle - men yelling as they fought, women and children screaming and crying, and the smell of thatched roofs and huts as they burned.

Arriving at the edge of the village, Xena slowed only long enough for Gabrielle to jump off, then whipped her horse into the thick of the fighting.

The townspeople were trying their best, but most were armed only with shovels, rakes, pitchforks or axes. Only a very few had swords or pikes.

And they were no match for the well-armed, and armored, warriors.

Xena flipped off the front of her horse as it came to an immediate stop. Her Chakram was singing its way toward several mounted Spears-men, lopping off the iron blades from the shafts before returning to her.

As she landed, sword drawn, she yelled back at Gabrielle to protect, and to lead to safety, the children and women.

Gabrielle, sais drawn, battled through foot soldiers until she was at an old building than once was the jail. But the thatched roof was on fire, and large chunks of burning thatch were falling off.

?Is there somewhere away from here? Somewhere safe?? She shouted at an old woman.

?Into the woods!? She shouted back. ?A long way off there is a cave. I think I remember the way.?

Gabrielle nodded, then began to issue orders to the ten or fifteen who were huddled in the farthest part of the building. She convinced them to follow her out of the front, and only door. And as the old woman led them and into the woods, Gabrielle stayed behind to protect the rear.

She found that she could better fight the warriors who tried to pursue them by using a spear she found as a battle staff.

The last one managed to avoid the staff and tried grabbing at her with one hand, ready to run her through with his short sword.

But as Gabrielle instinctively jerked backward, his hand closed around the pendant necklace Xena had given her for her birthday a half-year before. As the silver chain broke, Gabrielle went to one knee, smoothly drew her sais, and plunged them both into the man?s belly.

As he died, he fell forward onto his face, the hand with Gabrielle?s pendant underneath him. Gabrielle started to turn him over to retrieve it, but out of the corner of her eye she saw two more soldiers had gotten past her and were chasing the group of refugees.

Putting her sais back into the leather loops on either side of her ankles, she picked up the spear and ran after them. She would have to come back later for her pendant.

~~~~~~~~~~

With Xena?s help, the tide was slowly turning back in favor of the townspeople, but still too many were being wounded and killed.

As she fought, she kept looking for the warlord or general in charge, anyone who might be leading them. If she could take him out, it might demoralize the rest of the soldiers. But they all were dressed the same. And she didn?t recognize the armor or the weapons they used.

Just when she thought she and the villagers were winning, volley after volley of fire-tipped arrows began to rain down on them all. Some of the arrows were hitting the very soldiers she was fighting.

But the worst of it was that so many of the huts and cabins were beginning to burn. And the heat of the conflagration was causing an influx of swiftly moving air, and the fires roared higher and with more ferocity until the only alternative was to evacuate the town.

The uncontrollable raging fires incinerated everything and everyone left behind.

Early the next morning Xena reentered the village. The scene was like something out of a bad dream. Smoke still lingered, mixed with clouds of ash and dust raised by the winds. There was no color, only grays and blacks.

As Xena and a few of the villagers made their way through what used to be a town, they were stunned at the total devastation. Not one building was left standing; everything had burned to the ground.

The trees of the forest that had surrounded the village were burned to the point that the area of the town looked to be twice the size it actually had been.

There were carcasses of horses, cows, goats and other animals, and human remains, all charred beyond recognition.

And despite all of that, Xena?s trained eye noticed something odd - there was not one weapon or piece of armor anywhere to be found. The bodies had been stripped of all weapons, chain mail, helmets; anything that was used for battle. Even the farm implements had been taken.

?Hey!? Xena said to one of the dazed villagers. ?The women and children - where were they when the attack came??

The man gestured toward the trees. ?Somewhere over there, I think. It?s where the jail was.?

As he wandered off, Xena walked in the direction he had indicated. She saw only more charred bodies. She stopped and scanned the trees, looking for . . . Gabrielle.

?Where are you, Gabrielle.? She said quietly. ?I know you took them somewhere safe.?

She looked down at the bodies at her feet, wondering which were the villagers and which were the attackers.

She was about to head into the woods when a gust of wind blew up ashes, swirling them around her and into her eyes. As she blinked and rubbed her eyes, looking down, she saw the glint of something shiny and metallic.

Xena knelt down to get a better look. It was a small bit of melted silver. And it was partially hidden in the burned hand of the body lying next to her.

Fearing the worst, Xena gently opened the hand and the silver pendant fell to the ground.

With a trembling hand she picked it up, not realizing  tears were streaming down her cheeks.

?Oh, Gabrielle.? She barely managed to get out. ?No. Not you. Not this way.?

Xena gently caressed the crisply burned skin covering the skull, then slumped to the ground, sobbing and struggling to breathe as if the breath of life had left her body. Even the death of her dear Solan didn?t cut into her soul as this did.

For almost half the day she stayed where she was, unable to think or to move.

Only when she felt the cold drops of rain did she begin to react. She looked up and saw that heavy thunderclouds had gathered, and were so thick that day was turning into night. Next the wind picked up, churning the ashes and dust until it was almost impossible to breathe.

And then in the next breath, the deluge began; hard, pounding, cold rain that exchanged the dust laden air with water so thick it was possible to see the nearest trees only when the frequent lightning flashed. And the thunder was so loud it was deafening.

?I?ve got to get you out of here.? Xena said to the figure lying next to her. ?You deserve a decent burial in Poteidaia.?

But how was she going to transport the body? Xena had no idea of where her horse was. And there was nothing to wrap the remains in.

Xena realized she had only one option. She scooped up the body in her arms to carry it as if it were a child. She would walk all the way to Poteidaia if she had to.

But it wasn?t to be, for the unusual solid roll of thunder she was hearing, wasn?t.

Xena looked toward the area where the village used to be and saw a waist high wall of water rushing towards her. It was as if Poseidon had decided to wash every trace of what had happened to the peaceful little town completely away.

Before she could take three steps, Xena was knocked from her feet, dropping the corpse she carrying. And before she could recover, it was swept away from her.

But that was the least of her worries as she was also swept along with the rushing waters, tumbling over and over in the churning torrent.

Once, twice, she was thrown against the trunk of a tree, nearly knocking the wind out of her. Then with a valiant effort, she managed to get her head above the top of the water and her feet on the ground beneath her. And with a mighty lunge, she jumped high enough to catch the lower limb of a tree and managed to pull herself up out of danger. She climbed higher until she found the crotch of two large branches where she could set herself somewhat comfortably and wait it out.

How long the storm continued to rage, and how long it was before the small flood abated, Xena had no way of knowing. But it was dawn of the next morning before she climbed back down to the ground.

It was like a different world. The grass and weeds were covered with gray-red mud. It was so thick with each step she sunk up to her ankles.

Xena turned in a complete circle - which way to go? She looked deeper into the woods, but there was nothing there for her. She opened her cramped right hand. She was still holding onto the pendant, her only memento of her dead Soulmate. How she managed to climb the tree with only her left hand, she didn?t know.

Xena took a ragged breath and started in the direction of the village that was no more. Eventually, the mud thinned out until she left only  boot prints in it.

And then Argo 3 trotted up to her. The saddle was gone but she still was wearing her bridle.

Xena put her arms around the horse?s neck and leaned her head against her, grateful for the comfort and consolation.

?Come on, Girl.? She eventually said. ?Let?s see what?s left of the cabin. And after that - I don't know. Take the bad news to Lila and Sarah about Gabrielle, I guess.?

Xena leapt onto the horse?s back and they galloped off to the cabin that had been their home for so many months.

There wasn?t much to see when she got to the cabin. The storm had filled it with mud and what few possessions they had were either gone or ruined. Xena found one remaining water skin and remounted Argo for the ride to Poteidaia.

She momentarily thought about checking the town she had been ?borrowing? water from, but she realized there was no reason to. Besides, she thought to herself, as it was, she would have to go out of her way to go to the Amazon camp to tell them that Queen Gabrielle was killed defending the lives of the old, the weak, and the helpless.

Next, she would go to Poteidaia to deliver the bad news. And then she would sit down and read the scrolls Lila was keeping for Gabrielle. She would read them every one, just as Gabrielle had always told her she should.

She knew she would like them, and she knew she would cherish them.

Not knowing they themselves were being chased, the two soldiers thought they would have an easy time of it when they caught up to the fleeing women and children.

Gabrielle swung her spear in a half circle, hitting the lagging warrior along side his head, knocking him to the ground. Before he could regain his feet, she stabbed him in the upper belly, just below the sternum. And not waiting for him to die, she ran on after the leading soldier, leaving the spear in the fallen man.

Just before she caught up to him, he had decapitated an old woman who had fallen behind.

Gabrielle swiftly removed her right sai from the leather loops around her ankle and threw it at him, hitting him just to the left of his lower back. As he stumbled, she pounced on him, and stabbed him in the heart through his back with her other sai.

Then taking time only to get both sais, Gabrielle followed the group until they made it to the cave.

Before she let any of them enter, Gabrielle went in first, making sure no wolves or other wild animals were using it for their home. It was empty.

Gabrielle herded them to the very back of the cave, made sure they were settled, then positioned herself at the mouth, ready to defend it if necessary.

Sometimes she could hear, or thought she could hear, voices, possibly from solders looking for them. But no one came.

As the day moved toward evening, an occasional gust of wind would bring the smell of smoke to them. Gabrielle worried that a forest fire was nearby, but there was none.

The next morning, everyone was ready to return to their village. They were all thirsty, and hungry, and worried about the fate of their husbands, brothers, and fathers. But Gabrielle insisted they remain a little longer, at least until midday.

Just as they left the cave, preparing to return, the storm broke, pelting them with hard, cold rain. Gabrielle hustled them all back into the cave after they had drunk their fill using cupped hands as drinking cups.

All afternoon the storm raged with frequent lightning strikes and earsplitting thunder. And without warning, a deluge of ground water flooded the forest in front of the cave. The water rose to the level of the mouth of the cave. The cave sloped downward from the entrance, causing the rear of it to fill with water knee deep.

Sometime in the night, the rain stopped and the water subsided.

As they left the cave the next morning, they encountered their first shock - everywhere was strewn body parts of animals, and the torsos, arms, legs and heads that once were whole persons. Mothers tried to shield their children from the sight, but they were everywhere.

The group had no choice but to return to their village. But there was nothing to return to. Except for a few boot and footprints, there was nothing to indicate there had ever been anything, or anyone, there.

The anguish of the total destruction of their town returned them to the shock that had gradually lessened. Where were the shops? Where were their homes? And where were the men - fathers and husbands and brothers?

And most importantly, to Gabrielle, where was Xena? And where was her pendant?

?We have relatives in Lexatavar. We should go there.? One woman told Gabrielle.

?I don't know where that is.? Gabrielle replied.

?It is a two day?s walk north of the small cabin near the stream that dries up each summer.?

?You mean the town that dams the river??

?Yes!? The woman exclaimed excitedly. ?You can take us there??

?I suppose I can. I want to stop at the cabin anyway to see if my friend is waiting for me there.?

But the only thing at the cabin was the bloody remains of some animal that had been attacked and eaten by wolves.

~~~~~~~~~~

Two and a half days later the hungry and exhausted villagers arrived at Lexatavar. They were quickly greeted by some of the men they had been hoping would be waiting for them.

?We saw the smoke from the fires,? they were told. ?Some of us thought it was a volcano erupting. And then that terrible storm! We?ve never experienced anything like that --- ever!?

After they were fed and comforted, Gabrielle sought out one of the men she recognized from the village.

?My friend, Xena, have you seen her??

?I haven?t. But maybe if you ask around someone might have.?

It took several tries but she finally talked to someone who seemed to be the last one who had seen her.

?I remember her fightin? off a half dozen of them bastards at one time. I never seen such fury in a woman!?

?But happened to her after the fighting??

?Don't know. She was making sure everyone was getting? away from the fire. She even ran back into it a couple of times, draggin? out the wounded. I saw her run back in, but don't recall her ever comin? out. Sure hope she made it out okay.?

?But that?s just the problem - no one knows if she did or not.?

?Then more?n likely, she didn?t. I?m sorry if she didn?t make it. But if she was burned up, it was ?cause she was bein? a hero.?

Gabrielle bit her lip, trying not to cry, but her tears couldn?t be stopped.

The man put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

?I?m sorry,? was all he could think of to say, then he turned away to check on his wife and two daughters.

?No!? Gabrielle said with a conviction she didn?t feel. ?Xena?s NOT dead! She can?t be! There?s no way she?d let herself be trapped in that fire. No way in Tartarus!?

But there was no one to comfort her, or to agree with her. There was just no one there for her.

Gabrielle spent two more days in Lexatavar, then told them she had to be leaving. It was time for her to go home.

And because of her and Xena?s heroic actions, the man who had bought her horse and saddle returned them to her. It was the only reward any of them had for her, other than providing her with food and water for her trip.

Although she wasn?t counting, it took Gabrielle nine days to reach the forest where her Amazon tribe lived. Even though her mind was on Xena?s disappearance (she still refused to believe she was dead), she was beginning to feel at home as she began to recognize the trees and clearings and the streams.

It wasn?t long before the anticipated arrow landed in front of her, shot from the trees, and barring her path. Gabrielle immediately clasped her hands over her head, indicating she had come in peace. And just as quickly ten Amazons descended to the ground on ropes but with weapons ready.

As she looked around at them, Gabrielle realized she didn?t recognize anyone. And their clothes were unfamiliar, as well. She surmised that another tribe had joined with hers and they were assigned to guard the perimeter of the camp. But she did notice that they seemed almost hostile, and not cautious.

?Hi.? Gabrielle said as the obvious leader swaggered up to her, looking her up and down, and frowning at her sais. ?I?m Gabrielle. I don't think I know you.?

When there was no reaction, she added. ?You know, Queen Gabrielle??

?So you say.? The leader answered. ?I don't know you. You could be anyone. You could be a spy for all we know.?

?And just who would I be spying for??

?Don't get smart-mouthed with me!?

?Look, I understand you don't recognize me. I don't recognize any of you. So why don't you just take me to Varia and we?ll get everything straightened out.?

?Varia?s dead.?

?What!? Gabrielle exclaimed. ?How??

?She died from a fever a few months ago,? replied the woman standing next to the leader, and was rewarded by a backhand across the mouth.

?I?ll do the talking here!?

The woman nodded her head and slightly backed away.

?Then who?s the new queen?? Gabrielle asked.

?Marorca, but she?s started calling herself Ephiny. Don't know where that stupid name came from.?

?From one of the greatest Amazon queens that ever lived!? Gabrielle shot back. ?You should know that.?

?Tie her hands.? The leader said. ?If she gives you any trouble, shoot her.?

?Several bows with arrows ready were pointed at her so Gabrielle had no choice but to let her hands be tied behind her. She expected her sais to be taken, but they weren?t.

As they entered the outskirts of the camp, Gabrielle still saw no familiar faces. But as they got to the center of it, one, then two, then almost half of the women went to their knees, heads bowed.

?My Queen.? They said as the procession passed.

?At last,? Gabrielle thought to herself. ?Familiar faces.?

The un-named leader frowned even more, if that was possible. She didn?t like what was going on.

They stopped at the Queen Ephiny?s hut, waiting for her to come out. When she finally did, someone grabbed Gabrielle by the hair and forced her head down, making her bow.

Gabrielle kicked out with her right foot against the knee of the woman who had grabbed her, who fell to the ground holding the injured knee.

Gabrielle?s head snapped back up and she stared at this new queen with all the authority she could.

?So you?re calling yourself Ephiny? I just hope you can live up to that name.?

?Release her.? Ephiny said. ?My sincerest apologies, My Queen. As you can see, we have many new women in our tribe now. And even though your name is legend, so many of them have never seen you, including Canova, here.?

Gabrielle looked over to the one who had ordered her to be tied.

?A natural mistake ? I suppose.? But her tone was cool.

Canova nodded slightly, acknowledging Gabrielle?s forgiveness, but it was obvious she was not happy with Gabrielle being there.

?As to your statement about me being worthy of the name,? Ephiny continued. ?I chose it so that I would always strive to be the best queen I could possibly be. And should the day come that I realize that I cannot, then I will take back my original name, which was Marorca. But enough of me. I?m sure you must be tired and hungry.?

?Actually, I am, but I would love a good bath before I ate.?

?Of course, anything you wish. Obviously, I surrender my authority to you. Even my hut is yours.?

?Perhaps we can share it.? Gabrielle said. ?I?d like to hear more about what?s been going on since I last visited.?

?Things have been in a constant turmoil since Varia died. Just before she was taken from us, we decided to adopt the remnants of a tribe that had been captured and were on a slave ship bound for Rome. Of course, being Amazons, they were able to free themselves and make their way to Greece. Unfortunately, most of the older, and wiser, of them had been killed.?

?I thought they all looked rather young.?

?Yes, they are. And being young, they are impatient and hotheaded. They follow Canova. She isn?t that well liked, but she is big, strong, and strong-willed, and so they will do pretty much everything she tells them.?

?She is a powerfully built woman, that?s for sure. You will have your problems with her.?

?I know. I have a feeling it won?t be too long before she will be challenging me as leader and queen.?

?So, how did Varia die? I heard something about a fever??

?Yes. It was totally unexpected. One evening she said she wasn?t feeling well and retired early. The next day she said she thought she felt better, but was running a slight fever. That afternoon it was the same - she decided to return to her hut even before dark. When she didn?t appear the next morning, I entered her hut and found her. She had died sometime in the night.?

?You were next in line as leader??

Ephiny nodded, noticeably subdued at the memory.

?You were close to her??

Ephiny nodded, and barely above a whisper said, ?We ? sometimes shared ? each other.?

She glanced at Gabrielle to see what her reaction was.

Although her face was unreadable, Gabrielle said softly, ?If you made her happy, then I?m glad.?

Ephiny let a small smile come to her lips, then she was serious again.

?As I recall, you once had a companion, yourself -- Xena? You two have parted ways??

Now it was Gabrielle?s turn to be subdued.

?We were fighting an army of warriors in a small village west of here. They set fire to the village as I was leading the women, children and old men to safety. It was completely burned to the ground and many died. Then there was a great storm and small flood that washed everything away. After that, no one seemed to know what happened to her. No one had seen her.?

?She died in the fire??

Gabrielle was silent for a moment, then said with a trembling voice. ?I ? I guess. I think she must have. She ? I ?.?

Gabrielle?s head was bowed and the tears she was unconsciously holding back finally burst forth in a torrent.

Ephiny held Gabrielle close as her body shook with agony, and tears poured from her eyes in response to her indescribable grief.

Ephiny also began to weep for her own lost love.

It was at that time that Canova entered the hut unannounced, expecting to be reprimanded for her impertinence. She certainly didn?t expect to see both queens crying and holding onto each other.

She had been standing in front of the door of the hut on the pretext of making sure they were not disturbed. But she was there only to listen in on their conversation. What she heard she knew she could, in some way, use to her advantage.

Fortunately for her neither woman knew she was there, and Canova slowly backed out of the hut, an unpleasant and contemptible smile on her face. She saw weakness and vulnerability.

?Now is the time!? she thought to herself. ?I will be queen before tomorrow?s sunset!?

It was well past sundown when Ephiny and Gabrielle released each other and Ephiny lit a torch. Both women were silent, not wanting any sound to break the bond of sorrow they had formed.

After both drank from the water skin, relieved themselves, and washed their faces, Ephiny was preparing a pallet for herself on the floor at the foot of the bed.

?There?s room for both of us.? Gabrielle said quietly as she lay down on the bed, making room beside her.

Ephiny smiled hesitantly, doused the torch, and lay down next to Gabrielle, her heart beating as it had done so many times when she was lying next to Varia.

~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning Gabrielle was instantly awake as she felt Ephiny stretch, then sit up and put her feet on the floor. Gabrielle sat up as Ephiny found the water skin.

Both women avoided each other?s eyes, neither sure of the other?s feelings, and they dressed in silence.

Ephiny left the hut first, with Gabrielle not far behind her.

When she got outside, the sun was well on its way to mid morning. Neither had realized how late they slept.

But what captured Gabrielle?s attention was the crowd of women circling the common area in front of Ephiny?s hut. And standing in the middle by herself was Canova.

?What?s going on?? Gabrielle asked Ephiny.

?A challenge.? She answered.

?YOU!? Canova said loudly, pointing at Gabrielle, ?I challenge you, Queen Gabrielle, to combat for leadership of this tribe of Amazon women!?

Gabrielle, confused, was momentarily speechless. She then realized she had to accept the challenge or leave in disgrace, and forever be without her title. But being the challenged, she had to right to chose the weapon, the time, and the place of combat.

?Very well, I accept your challenge. And I choose the Amazon battle staff. The combat will take place at midday at this common area.?

Canova turned away from Gabrielle and her followers opened a path for her to leave. Over her shoulder, she said, ?I will return at midday.?

?Can you take her?? Ephiny asked.

?I think so.? Gabrielle answered, not letting her uncertainty sound in her voice. ?And if I can?t, then it will be up to you to issue your own challenge. A woman like that can?t be allowed to lead these women.?

?This came much sooner than I expected.? Ephiny said. ?And I thought I?d be the one she?d challenge.?

?Maybe she thinks I?ll be the easier opponent.?

It was midday and once again the women crowded around the common area. Gabrielle had selected a pair of staffs of equal length and weight. Canova pushed her way through and immediately chose her staff.

And with little fanfare, the contest began.

Canova pressed her attack relentlessly, but Gabrielle?s defense was equal to the task. Knowing that Canova was stronger than she was, Gabrielle?s strategy was to let Canova tire herself out, letting her expend her energy until she made her first mistake.

But Canova was no fool. After she realized how expert Gabrielle was with the staff, she slowed her pacing, looking for a vulnerability or weakness. She never found one.

As Gabrielle began to go on the offensive, Canova found herself backing away more than she advanced. It was beginning to look as if Gabrielle was going to win.

So Canova changed her line of attack. They momentarily parted, each catching her breath and deciding her best next move.

Canova stopped as if she was about to concede, then said, ?I understand you ran like a coward and left your precious Xena to burn to death in battle.?

The accusation, and the mention of Xena?s name momentarily stunned Gabrielle.

?What?? she asked, as if she hadn?t heard correctly. And without hesitation, Canova slammed the end of her staff down on Gabrielle?s left hand, breaking bones, and knocking the staff out of her right hand and to the ground.

Before Gabrielle could recover, Canova swung her staff in a complete circle, but even so, Gabrielle?s survival instincts took over and she partially ducked away. But she still caught to end of the staff in a glancing blow that knocked her off her feet.

?Gabrielle!? Ephiny yelled out as she ran to her.

Kneeling down, Ephiny lifted Gabrielle?s bloody head, hoping she was still alive. But Gabrielle was tough and her eyes fluttered open, trying to focus them despite the throbbing pain in her head.

Canova watched the two with a smug, satisfied look on her face.

Then with a purposeful stride, Canova walked over to them.

?Hey.? She said. And as Ephiny looked up, Canova used the end of her staff to hammer Ephiny in the middle of her forehead.

Ephiny fell backward to the ground, and as she did, Canova used her staff as she would an ax, and cracked Ephiny?s right knee with it, coming down hard enough to permanently disable her.

A queen must be able to answer all challenges to her crown. And a queen who couldn?t stand, couldn?t fight.

Then turning back to Gabrielle, Canova decided to put a permanent end to her. She didn?t yearn for another contest with her.

She raised her staff for the killing blow when three arrows whizzed down into the ground in front of her. Looking up she saw six of the older, original members of the tribe with bows and more arrows aimed at her.

?Enough!? One of the Amazons said. Gabrielle looked up at her, recognizing her but upset that she couldn?t remember her name.

?You have defeated them.? The older Amazon went on. ?It is not the Amazon way to deliberately murder a challenger!?

?Look around you.? Canova said confidently. ?You are outnumbered.?

As they did, they saw twice as many of Canova?s followers had their own weapons trained on them just as theirs were aimed at Canova.

?I just see a stand-off.? The olderAmazon said. ?If anyone dies, you will be the first.?

There was only silence. No one knew what the next move should be.

?Have you all lost your minds!? Gabrielle was on her feet, blood running down her cheek, her broken left hand forgotten.

?What in Tartarus has gotten into you people? You?re all acting like a bunch of backstabbing, treacherous, murderous MEN! Is THIS what you want? To be MEN??

Gabrielle was full of anger and rage as she continued.

?What has happened to the bond of sisterhood? Where are the loyalty and devotion and commitment to the Amazon nation?  What have you DONE to yourselves? Have you no respect for the Amazon legacy? Or yourselves??

By now even the most loyal of Canova?s band had lowered their weapons, as had the rest of them.

They had been shamed and disgraced.

Gabrielle ran out of words and went to see about Ephiny. Several joined with her to help her stand.

?Take her to her hut.? Gabrielle said. ?Tend to her wounds.?

?You can?t give orders here.? Canova said, recovering from the tirade that surprised even her. ?I am queen now.?

Gabrielle gave her a dirty look the said, ?Then maybe it?s time you acted like one.? And entered the hut that was no longer Ephiny?s.

After Ephiny?s leg was bandaged and a splint put on it, and her own hand was wrapped, Gabrielle and Ephiny were left alone.

?I?m sorry.? Gabrielle confessed. ?If I hadn?t let her distract me I could have beaten her.?

?It?s not your fault.? Ephiny said. ?She found your weak spot. It?s the way she is.?

?But how did she know about Xena, and the fire??

?She must have been listening, or had someone eavesdropping on us and reported back to her.?

?Well, like it or not, she?s queen now. And I have a feeling I won?t be around too much longer.?

?You don't think she?ll try to kill you, do you??

?No. But I?m betting she?ll have me banished. Ephiny, it?s going to be up to you after I leave . . . .?

No, I?m not Ephiny any more. I?m not the queen. I?m just plain Marorca again.?

?Well, whoever you are, you are going to have to challenge her after your leg has healed up. You or someone you know you can trust to be queen.?

?Somehow, I don't think she?ll be without her challengers. Now I understand why your name is legend among our people. You are an amazing woman. You?re the queen we should have had all along.?

?I?m nothing special, just someone trying to do the right thing.?

?But you are special. You proved that last night, and again today.?

There was an awkward silence, which was broken by Canova swaggering into the hut.

?This is MINE now! Both of you are trespassing. I want you out, NOW!?

Gabrielle helped Marorca to her feet and with her arm around her waist and Marorca?s arm around her shoulder, they left the hut.

The two of them walked to the hut that had formerly been Canova?s. It would be Marorca?s now.

Gabrielle stayed with Marorca until the next morning.

?I should be going anyway. My sister and niece are still twelve day?s ride away. Maybe things will be a little more peaceful on their farm. But I?ll be come back someday. Sooner than you realize.?

?Take care, My Queen.?

Gabrielle mounted up and rode into the rising sun. There were tears in both their eyes.

Xena rode slowly away from the destroyed village. She was in no hurry to tell either the Amazons or Lila about Gabrielle?s death. It wouldn?t make their lives any better.

One day ran into the next. She would ride until dusk, make camp, eat if she felt hungry, and then sleep holding Gabrielle?s pendant close to her heart. The next morning she would carefully place it into her leather pouch, making sure it was secure, and then ride on until dusk.

On the evening of the eighth day a stranger approached her campfire. Such was her inattentiveness that she only became aware of him when Argo  neighed a warning.

But it only took a heartbeat for her to draw her sword.

?Please,? the man said as he approached into the light. ?I mean you no harm.?

?What do you want?? Xena asked suspiciously as she looked him up and down. Although he carried a short sword, his clothes told her that he was a tradesman, or perhaps a farmer or field hand.

?Your help. You?re the Xena, the Warrior Princess, aren?t you??

?Maybe. Why are you looking for her??

?Our village has been attacked time and again by a terribly brutal and cruel army of warriors. It has been all we can do to make it from one day to the next. They come at night and they kill everyone they can find - men, women, even our children.?

As he described them, Xena wondered if this army was the same one who attacked the village, and killed Gabrielle. Their method of assault was different, but maybe their strategy was designed to keep their target villages, and the defenders, off balance.

?Where is your town?? Xena asked, now becoming more curious, and angry. If this WAS the same army of cowards . . . .?

?Southeast of here, six, maybe seven days? on horseback. Longer on foot.?

?You had a horse??

The man nodded.

?Until two days ago. He came up lame and I had to continue on foot.?

?How did you find me??

?I guess I was just lucky. I was told to find help, any help I could. I wasn?t looking just for you. But when I saw you out here, alone, I knew of no other woman who would be so brave.?

?I?d like to help you, but I have something else I need to do. Maybe afterward, in a month or so . . . .?

?Please! You MUST help us. They are murdering our children - our CHILDREN!?

Xena took a tired breath. Helping them wasn?t what she wanted to do, but she knew it was what she had to do. If Gabrielle were here she would tell her it was the right thing.

Xena looked down at the pendant clutched in her left hand. She took another, long, tired breath.

?All right. Tomorrow morning we leave for your village, at first light.?

The man gushed his thanks and praise for her.

?Save it.? She told him. ?It?s getting late and morning comes early. You can sleep there, on the other side of the fire.?

Xena tossed him a thin, worn out blanket while she kept the good one for herself. She fell asleep quicker than she thought she would.

And she slept later than she wanted. The sun was already up when she woke up.

After sharing a hunk of hard cheese and dried venison for breakfast, Xena allowed the man, whose name she didn?t bother to ask, to ride behind her on Argo, and they proceeded southeast toward his village.

The next day they found the man?s saddle and meager food supplies where he had hidden them in the crotch of an oak tree. The horse was nowhere to be seen.

Four more days brought them to the village, Athinius. The first things he pointed out to Xena were the graves of those killed by the attacking warriors. Many of them were less than half the length of the adult graves; they were the children?s.

~~~~~~~~~~

?The first thing you need to do is to build some kind of wall that can be protected at night.?

Xena was talking to the few village elders that were still alive.

?And traps,? she continued. ?Dig pits with sharp stakes pointing up. String rope across the paths that will release heavy, spiked logs that will swing into the enemy. And even farther out, place copper and tin pots partially filled with gravel to spill out onto flat pans to act as an early warning alarm. Get this done while I examine your cache of weapons.?

?But that will take many days! What if they attack before we are ready??

?Then we?ll fight them off. Trust me, as long as I?m here, they won?t be able to make a sneak attack, day or night. Now if you really want my help, then I suggest you get started.?

With little prodding by the elders, the men went to work, digging the pits, chopping down larger trees to make the logs, cutting down smaller ones for the walls, and climbing others to tie off the ropes.

?You?re short on arrows. They are your best long distance weapons. Even if you can?t see the attackers, if you shoot enough of them some of the arrows will find a mark.?

?You will need to make a map of the location of the pits and all the other traps so our men won?t be caught in them.? Artemis, one of the elders, told her.

?Why would they need to go outside the wall??

?So we can stage our own attack. When we think we can do so with few casualties we raid them also.?

That confession didn?t set well with Xena. She?d prefer they concentrated on pure defense. But then, maybe an occasional strike might keep the enemy from thinking they were invincible.

?Get everything done first.? She replied. ?Then if I?m satisfied, we?ll see about some planning a few raids.?

Gabrielle?s homecoming wasn?t quite what she had expected. Lila was happy to see her, but Sarah had married and moved to another town.

And the farm was showing serious signs of neglect. The most that Lila was able to do was keep a small garden for herself, a few chickens and a couple of goats. There were no horses or cows. The larger fields were overgrown with weeds. The barn door was lying on the ground next to the opening and the rats had taken over the interior.

Lila had learned not to be too nosy, so she waited until the morning after Gabrielle had arrived to ask about Xena.

While explaining the circumstances of Xena?s death, Gabrielle continually had to reference back to something that had happened before. So she began almost a year before, starting with her birthday and the sliver pendant with the blue crystal Xena had given her.

She ended her story in tears, and despite Lila?s ?maybes? Gabrielle was now absolutely convinced that Xena was dead.

?. . . And the only thing I have left of her is what I?ve written in my scrolls.?

?And her memory.? Lila reminded her.

Gabrielle gave Lila a sad smile. ?And speaking of my scrolls, I think I?d like to read them again.?

?Sure. I?ll get them for you.?

Lila returned with a large leather pouch. But after she handed it to Gabrielle, she just sat there, holding the pouch to her breast as if it were Xena. After a while she slowly untied the leather straps holding the flap closed, and gently took them out one by one and laid them on the table.

?I wish I had numbered them,? Gabrielle said to herself, Lila was all but forgotten. ?It would be nice to start at the very beginning.?

?You can still do that.? Lila replied, but Gabrielle never heard her.

Gabrielle sat up almost all night, unrolling then one at a time and reading them out loud, but not so loud that she kept Lila awake when she decided to go to bed. As she drifted off she could still hear Gabrielle occasionally laugh, or comment to herself after she finished each story.

The next morning Lila found Gabrielle asleep with her head on the kitchen table. A quill and bottle of ink were next to her. She had taken Lila?s unheard suggestion and had numbered them as best she could remember the correct order.

?Gabrielle.? Lila said as she shook her sister?s shoulder. ?Wake up.?

Gabrielle?s head jerked up with a start. For a moment she forgot where she was. After all the stories about Xena, she had been dreaming they were lying next to a camp fire, snuggled close together under their sleeping furs to keep warm on a particularly cold night.

As she washed her face to fully wake up, she began to feel guilty, and ashamed, that she had so quickly turned to another so soon after Xena?s death. And she found that she had become uncomfortable at the thought of touching her scrolls now, there was so much of Xena in them.

?Lila, will you put the scrolls away for me??

 To try to keep from thinking so much, Gabrielle busied herself working outside. And despite the throbbing ache in her left hand, she cleaned out the barn, repaired the barn door hinges and rehung it, weeded the garden, and prepared the soil to double the size of it.

By dusk, she was thoroughly exhausted, her left hand aching to the point she was almost in tears.

Lila gave Gabrielle a goblet of wine to help with the pain. But it took a second before it seemed to ease off. And right after supper, she bathed and went right to bed.

Everyday for the next half month, Gabrielle worked the farm from sunup to sundown, stopping only to eat and to sleep. She was determined to keep busy, determined to push the memory of Ephiny, and their two nights together out of her mind.

She would often play a game with herself. She would tell herself that Xena was off somewhere, taking care of some warlord and his army, and just as soon as she was finished, she?d come to Poteidaia to get Gabrielle and they?d leave; just as soon as Xena came.

?Gabrielle, I think it?s time for a break.?

?A break? What kind of break??

?From all this farm work. You?ve been working like a Roman slave day after day after day. And you?ve got me almost as worn-out as you are.?

?I?m fine, really. There?s just so much left to do. . . .?

?Well, it?s just going to have to wait, because tomorrow you and I are going into the Poteidaia to do some shopping, some bartering, and we're going to eat something other than what I?ve cooked.?

?But, Lila . . . .?

?No buts. It won?t hurt you to take one day off to rest and have some fun. My mind?s made up.?

Gabrielle made several more feeble protests, but deep down inside, she realized she did need to get away for a while, even for a day.

~~~~~~~~~~

After an early morning breakfast, while Lila was gathering up some things to barter with, Gabrielle decided to take her sais. It was the first time she had worn them since her arrival.

By mid morning the two sisters were walking through Poteidaia?s open-air market. They had traded some goat cheese and fresh greens from the garden for salt, flour, a new frying pan, and a small loaf of nut bread.

Lila spent one of her very few dinars for lunch for the both of them, and they were eating the nut bread for dessert when they heard a small disturbance not far from where they were resting in the shade of a tree.

?What?s going on?? Gabrielle asked one of the potters, who was selling jars and bowls.

?Some stranger trying to get volunteers to go with him to fight with his village against some other village. He?s been hanging around for two or three days pestering anybody who looks like they can fight.?

?He must be pretty desperate to come to a strange town.? Gabrielle commented.

?Who knows?? the potter said, then turned to greet a browsing customer, hoping to make a sale.

?Let?s go see what he has to say.? Gabrielle said to Lila, and left to without waiting for her reply.

Lila caught up to Gabrielle as she found the man. His clothes told her that he was probably a farmer, and a poor one at that.

?Hi,? she said to him. ?I understand you?re looking for men to go to your village to fight.?

The man looked Gabrielle up and down, curious about the sais nestled against her lower legs, but then dismissed her as just another useless woman.

As she turned away from her, Gabrielle grabbed the man?s shoulder and turned him back to her. He was surprised at her strength.

?I asked you a question.? She said, a little irritated. ?The least you could do is give me a civil answer.?

?Yeah, I?m looking for fighters, warriors, whatever, to help our village defend itself against the murderous fiends that attack at night, killing whoever they can - men, women, children.?

?They?re killing children?? Gabrielle was horrified.

?I said they were. Now if you?ll excuse me, I need to keep looking. I?ve been away from my people much too long as it is.?

?Maybe there?s something I could do to help.?

?We don't need no more cooks or house cleaners or gardeners. We need warriors.?

?Well, it just so happens you?re talking to one of the fiercest warriors you?ll ever meet.? Lila said.

?Her?? The man asked, trying not to laugh. ?A warrior??

?Exactly. This is Gabrielle, Queen of the Amazons, and longtime companion of Xena, the Warrior Princess.?

The man looked at Gabrielle with renewed interest.

?You?re really her??

?I am.?

?Do you know of anyone who is any better trained in combat than an Amazon, and trained by Xena on top of that?? Lila added.

?Can?t say that I do. That Xena wouldn?t happen to be around anywhere, would she? Two of you would really help out.?

?No.? Gabrielle replied, trying to keep her voice from breaking. ?She?s ? not around.?

?Then, I guess my search is over. When can you leave??

?I never said I was going to leave to help your village, I was just curious.?

The man looked at Lila, confused. ?Then why the big build-up if she?s not going??

?Will you excuse us a moment?? Lila asked the man. And without waiting for a reply, took Gabrielle by her arm and led her several steps away.

?Why did you give him the impression that I was going with him?? Gabrielle asked.

?Because that?s what you do. You help people who are in need, remember??

?Lila, I came home to stay, to work the farm and to be with you.?

?Gabrielle, you came home because it was a refuge. You had no place else to go. But now you do. You?re not happy working that farm. You never were never cut out for that kind of life. That?s why you left when Xena came along.?

?But there?s still so much to do.?

?And I can manage. As I recall, in one of your scrolls didn?t Xena say something about the Greater Good? Surely saving the children of that village is more important than toiling from sunup to sundown on the farm. Isn?t it??

Gabrielle nodded, feeling guilty knowing she would be leaving Lila, again.

?Then it?s all settled.?

Lila looked to the man and said, ?If you?ll follow us to our farm, Gabrielle can get her things and I can supply you with some food for the trip.?

When Gabrielle and Gomar, the man who had recruited her, arrived at his village, called Anasis, there was bedlam and rage. The previous night they had been attacked and there were six casualties, including two children. Gabrielle was appalled and angered at such a barbaric attack.

She began to inspect their inadequate defenses and soon started issuing orders.

?There are only a handful of paths through these woods they can use. Tie ropes shin high across the paths. I saw brambles on the way in. Cut them down and put them just past the tripping ropes. That way when they fall, they?ll land face and chest first into them.?

?How will that help??

?No one can get a face full of briars without crying out. It will give your archers a target. Even if you can?t see them you can shoot at their screams. And farther back, tie pieces of metal, maybe frying pans onto ropes so they will bang together when they pass. This will warn us when they are coming.?

As the villagers were following Gabrielle?s instructions, more bad news came. One of the young men who had been sent to spy on the enemy had heard something that wasn?t good.

?I couldn?t get too close, but I overheard two of their soldiers talking. They have hired a warlord, I think that?s what they said, to help them. I didn?t catch his name, but from the way they talked, he must be one really brutal animal. He had them digging pits with spikes in them, and setting up spiked logs to swing from the trees. And he was training them in unconventional attack methods.?

?Yes, we know. We were attacked only last night.?

?So, that?s the kind of war they want,? Gabrielle was angry all over again. ?Then we?ll give them a taste of their own medicine. Instead of stringing pots and pans, start digging pits. We?ll let their screams of pain warn us they?re coming.?

That evening Gabrielle conferred with the local magistrate and the elders, trying to find out all she could about the townspeople of Athinius -- their strengths, number of men available to fight, and how long it took for them to travel through the forest from Athinius to Anasis.

The next morning after she was satisfied the work was going as she wanted it, she told them that she wanted to see the fortifications of Athinius for herself.

?But they have traps set everywhere, once you get close to the village you?ll never know which step is safe and which one isn?t.?

?Then I won?t stay on the ground. I?ll travel like the Amazons do, through the treetops. I should be back before dusk.?

And without another word, Gabrielle headed off in the direction of the enemy village.

~~~~~~~~~~

?Xena, we have just gotten word that those murderous pigs of Anasis have just recently brought in some kind of mercenary to aid them in their war against us.?

?Any idea who it is??

?No. My scout was unable to get too close. He just heard some of the workers talking as they were setting traps. It was someone they never heard of.?

?Interesting. Maybe I should look into this. I?ll be back before sunset.?

?Do you want some of us to go with you??

?No. I can travel faster and quieter alone. Just keep everyone working on the fortifications and making more arrows.?

Xena swiftly disappeared into the dense forest, carefully threading her way past the pits and precisely placed ropes designed to release the heavy logs with their deadly spikes.

Gabrielle was about halfway into the forest when she decided it was time to take to the trees. And using a rope with a hook on one end, she threw it over an overhead limb and quickly climb up into the lower canopy.

As she traveled closer to Athinius, she began to notice the subtle differences in the leaf cover on the ground, indicating the location of the pits. A deer had fallen into one and she could see the signs of its struggle to get out before it died. And from her view from above she easily made out the ropes and logs.

Then she saw something moving furtively. No, not something but someone. Whoever it was knew how to move through the forest, staying just off the path, making it difficult for Gabrielle to see clearly.

After watching for a while, Gabrielle decided just where to drop from the trees to maximize the surprise. If she couldn't take him prisoner, he would have to die.

Xena easily moved through the underbrush, senses alert in case spies from Anasis were in the area.

Then she stopped. There was something there, somewhere. Xena let her ears and nose scrutinize the surrounding area. Slowly and quietly, she drew her sword from its scabbard.

Gabrielle watched as her intended prey stopped next to the very tree she was looking down from, still unable to make him out. She tied the rope onto a limb then silently descended to the ground on the other side of the tree.

Xena raised her sword, ready to fend off ? something, whatever it was that she knew was there.

Without warning, Gabrielle stepped out from behind the tree, her sais ready to strike.

And unexpectedly, blue eyes were staring into green.

For several heartbeats neither moved, stunned and shocked.

Together, both said, ?You?re dead!?

?No I?m not!? Again, spoken in unison.

Gabrielle?s sais and Xena?s sword fell to the ground as they came together, their arms around the other, holding on so tightly neither could breathe.

They backed away, but their hands were touching and stroking the other?s face and hair, not believing the other was standing there.

Xena?s hands pulled Gabrielle?s face to hers as Gabrielle echoed the action, and their lips met in an eruption of  joy and passion.

Over and over, between the kisses, each whispered the other?s name.

Then, without realizing it, but with practiced hands, Gabrielle released the clasps of Xena?s breastplate as Xena began unlacing Gabrielle?s top.

Slowly, they let themselves sink to the forest floor. Each caressed and kissed and licked the other in those places they intimately knew. They were more familiar with each other?s bodies than their own.

Time and again each brought the other to the brink of ecstasy, only to pause, both wanted the lovemaking to last forever.

And then simultaneously, each brought the other to completion, the forest swallowing up their moans of release and euphoria.

Panting and bathed with each other?s sweat and scent, Xena and Gabrielle lay together, oblivious of the world around them.

Even as the passion subsided, neither could keep from touching and caressing the other, still not believing they were together again.

?I thought you were dead.? Xena finally said.

?Why would think that?? Gabrielle asked.

?I found your pendant in the hand of one of the bodies. I thought it was you. I was going to take you back to Poteidaia for burial, until the storm washed everything away.?

?It was one of the soldiers. He ripped it from me as we fought. After I killed him I had to chase after two more. I had intended to go back after it, but nothing was left after the flood waters subsided.?

?And you thought I was dead??

?You were gone. The last anyone saw of you was when you ran back into the fire. I went to the cabin to see if you were there, but you weren?t.?

?I went there, but thinking you were dead, I didn?t stay. I left to go to Poteidaia to give Lila the bad news. But I got side-tracked and ended up going to Athinius.?

Gabrielle sat up, troubled.

?Xena, how you can be helping those bloodthirsty killers of women and children? That?s not like you.?

?What are you talking about, it?s the soldiers of Anasis who are killing the young of Athinius. I?ve seen the graves.?

?Anasis doesn't have soldiers. They?re farmers and merchants, fighting off the attacks of Athinius? warriors. Just last night there was a raid that kill a handful of villagers, including two children.?

?And just before I arrive, Athinius had been attacked by Anasis. There were dead and wounded, including an infant.?

Neither spoke, but were searching each other?s eyes, trying to make sense of what was going on.

?Gabrielle, are you thinking what I am??

?A feud. A blood feud between the two villages.?

?I think it?s more than that now. I think it?s moved on to revenge warfare.?

?But how could something like this happen? There had to be ten, maybe fifteen graves.?

?There?s no telling. Someone was accidentally killed. There was retaliation, re-retaliation, and it never ends. I suspect they attack at night so they won?t have to see the faces, and bodies, of the innocents they kill.?

?So what are we going to do?? Gabrielle asked, acknowledging Xena?s more knowledgeable experience.

By now, both were getting dressed. Their long separation was forgotten as they considered the problem at hand.

?Well, the way I see it, we don't have many options. We can just ride away and let them continue to slaughter each other. Or we try to broker a peace between them.?

?Neither one sounds much like a satisfactory solution. But what if we convince them that a warlord with a huge army is approaching and the only way to defeat him is for them to band together against the common enemy??

?No, the villages are too far apart, and they?d probably hope that the other would be attacked first. But ? what if we told them that the other village had brought in an outside army??

?That would work! My village thinks you are a warlord. They would believe it if I told them you had fifteen or twenty hardened warriors with you.?

?And, the only way to protect each village would be to make sure their defenses were strong enough to repel the armies. We could have them erect walls within walls, dig trenches, whatever it will take.?

?And that way, they both would be protected from each other.?

They were together again, their thoughts flowing along the same paths as if they had never been apart.

?And afterward, we ride away, leaving them to their destiny.? Xena concluded.

?We need a time and place to meet up. What about on the road to Poteidaia? Lila thinks you?re dead. She?ll want to know you?re all right. You remember where the big rock partially blocks the stream, next to the fallen oak??

?I know it well. I?ll meet you there, say in five days??

?Let?s make in four. I don't know if I can wait longer than that.?

?Four days it is.? Xena agreed. ?Oh, before I forget.?

Xena took the pendant from her pouch and started to hand it to Gabrielle.

?This is yours.?

?Why don't you hang onto it a little longer? I might have a little trouble explaining where I got it way out here in the woods.?

They hesitated, neither wanting to leave. Then they were holding each other again, sharing joyous and loving kisses.

?I love you, Xena.?

?No more than I love you. Now, up into the trees with you. We?ve both got work to do.?

With a final kiss, they parted, happier than they had been in too long a time.

Xena was waiting, had been waiting for a half a day, when Gabrielle rode up. Without hesitation, they were in each other?s arms, letting passion take over until their thirst for each other was temporarily quenched.

They dressed, mounted up and proceeded to Lila?s farm.

?What did you tell them?? Xena asked.

?That I was going to find warriors and soldiers to bring back. You??

?The same. With the plans I laid out for them, they will be building and digging at least half a month with no time for raiding.?

?Me too.?

When they stopped to make camp for the evening, Xena, using leather twine, tied the pendant around Gabrielle?s neck, kissing the nape of her neck softly, causing chills to run up and down her back.

As the night passed, their love for each other was confirmed and reconfirmed over and over. It was well past dawn when they awoke.

It would take most of the day before they would reach Lila?s farm.

?Before I got sidetracked, I thought about visiting the Amazons to tell them about your death.? Xena said.

?Then you would have ridden into quite a mess.?

?How so??

?Well, Varia died from a fever.?

?I?m sorry to hear that.?

?I know, it couldn't believe it. Anyway, there was another queen, called herself Ephiny, who I think was doing a pretty good job, but she was having trouble with a bunch of young, foreign Amazons they had taken into the tribe. One, in particular, named Canova, was causing most of the problems. She was hot-headed and wanted to be queen.?

As the day progressed, Gabrielle told the story as objectively as she could.

?So, that means you?re not Queen Gabrielle anymore??

?I guess not. Fair or not, she won the combat.?

?Well, after we?ve spent some time with Lila, I think we should pay the Amazons a visit. And I think you should challenge her again. It doesn't sound like her kind of leadership is good for the tribe.?

Gabrielle smiled. ?I was hoping you?d say that.?

They arrived shortly before sunset. Lila was inside making stew for her evening meal when she heard Gabrielle shouting to her.

?Lila! I?m back! And I?ve brought someone for supper!?

Lila?s surprise was only a little less than Gabrielle?s when she saw Xena was alive and well, and she rushed to give her a welcoming hug.

?But how? I thought you said she was dead??

?I know! I did! But let?s go inside. We can tell you all about it over supper.?

?. . . And so, here we are.? Gabrielle concluded.

?Well, that?s quite a story.? Lila commented. ?It will take more than just a few scrolls to write that one down.?

?You know, I had never even thought about that.? Gabrielle said. ?But now that you mention it, that?s exactly what I should do. Tomorrow we?ll go into town for some new scrolls.?

?It?s getting late, and I know you two must be worn out after traveling all day. Why don't you and Xena take the big room, with the big bed, and I?ll sleep in Sarah?s old room. The one you and I used to share.?

?Are you sure?? Gabrielle asked. ?Xena and I don't mind sleeping in a small bed.? And she gave Xena a sly grin.

Lila chuckled. ?No, you two take the big bed. You may want to stretch out. I?ll see you in the morning.?

Lila went into the bedroom and closed the door behind her.

?Ready for bed?? Gabrielle asked, her voice slightly suggestive.

?With you, always.?

As she lay in bed, waiting for sleep, Lila heard the muffled giggles and moans through the wall.

?I?m glad they?re together again.? She thought to herself as she drifted off to sleep. ?It must be nice to have someone you love lying next to you. Maybe I?ve been spending too much time by myself. Marcos seems to be interested in me. And his tavern is doing quite well. Maybe tomorrow I?ll pay him a visit.?

Xena was awake well before dawn. She decided not to awaken Gabrielle just yet. Instead, she lay still, listening to Gabrielle?s breath as she peacefully inhaled and exhaled. And she let her Soulmate?s delicious aroma permeate her nostrils, sorting out each smell - her hair, her skin, her breath, and her womanly scent that Xena found so intoxicating.

As light began to filter into the room, Xena carefully, and without waking her, removed the blanket covering Gabrielle, exposing, as far as she was concerned, the most perfect body ever created. There was nothing she would change; not the color of Gabrielle?s eyes, nor the color of her lips. Not the size or shape of her gently rising and falling breasts; not the marvelous flatness of her belly; and certainly not the wonderfully desirable dark blond triangle that concealed that most delicious of all her charms.

As she gazed at her, Xena?s eyes began to moisten, such was her love for Gabrielle.

Despite herself, Xena began to gently caress Gabrielle?s smooth and supple skin. Letting her fingertips softly follow every curve and depression, down one side of her body to the insides of her thighs, and then back up again to her face; criss-crossing from side to side, making sure she touched every bit of skin..

Gabrielle breathed deeply as she began to wake up. Both arms went over her head a she stretched.

And when she opened her eyes, she was looking into the face of her beloved Xena.

?Wake up, Sleepyhead.? Xena whispered. ?It?s your birthday.?

Gabrielle frowned, not quite awake yet.

?My birthday? Really??

Xena smiled. ?I don?t know, but it?s close enough.?

Gabrielle was now more awake.

?What? No surprise water in my face??

?I did that last year. It?s no surprise if you?re expecting it.?

Gabrielle was now fully awake.

?So I guess there?s no birthday present, either??

?No, not in the strictest sense of the word. This year I want you to give me something.?

Gabrielle?s hand went to her pendant.

?You want my necklace??

?No. I want you to read your scrolls to me. I was going to read them when I got here.?

?Then why don't you? You don't need me to read them to you.?

?Because I want to hear them from you. You?re the storyteller. I want to hear the passion in your voice, and watch the expressions on your face, and see the excitement in your eyes. I want to know what you felt when you were writing them.?

Now it was Gabrielle?s eyes that began to moisten.

?Have I told you how much I love you?? Gabrielle asked.

?Not this morning, you haven?t.?

Gabrielle pulled Xena?s face down to hers as they shared the first kiss of the day.

?I love you, my Warrior Princess.?

?You know,? Xena murmured. ?There is one thing I want to give you.?

And as she began nuzzling Gabrielle?s neck, Gabrielle lay back, her arms over her head, eyes closed as she passively let Xena work her magic on her, knowing how proficient she was when it came to sending her into indescribable rapture.

In the next room, Lila was awaked by the very sounds of lovemaking she had fallen asleep to, as the caresses and nibbles and the flicks of Xena?s tongue evoked moans and whimpers of pleasure in Gabrielle.

?Surely they haven?t been doing that all night.? Lila thought as she quietly got out of bed.

Silently she dressed, went through the kitchen, grabbing a piece of cheese for breakfast, and went outside to begin her chores.

She had a feeling it would be well past mid-morning before they made an appearance.

(never)