~~~~~
Chapter 5


The Conqueror could be fearsome and aloof, yet she could also be kind and affable in her unguarded moments. At least, she was that way with me. I felt we were developing an understanding - a friendship of sorts. In the evenings, we would talk, or I should say, I talked; she mostly listened. She had even started asking for my opinions on military matters. At first I was a little confused as to why she should ask me when she had experienced soldiers, like Commander Darnell, to advise her. However, I felt honoured and excited to be of service.
I looked forward to discussing her victory in the battle for Larissa, but when General Xena returned that night, her attitude towards me changed. As I watched her approach the tent, her easy stride stiffened and she hunched her shoulders. When I tried to talk to her, she was brusque, and distant, and had a stormy look in her eyes.

"General Xena," I greeted her, "congratulations on a great victory."

She barely acknowledged my presence as she entered her tent and immediately reached for a pitcher of water.

"Allow me, General." I intercepted the pitcher and poured her a goblet of water.

Still without a word, Xena took the goblet and glugged down the water.

"You may go," she said tersely, while grabbing the pitcher from me and pouring herself another cup.

"You mean after I help you with your armour, and- "

"No!" Xena said vehemently. She took a breath before adding, "I-I need to be alone tonight."

"As you wish, General." I tried not to let my disappointment show, hoping she would change her mind and let me stay.

She didn't.

I said goodnight and left, assuming Xena was simply tired. After all, she had just defeated the Thessalian army and taken their capital city. But when she dismissed me early again the next night, I couldn't help feeling a little wounded. And the night after that it was the same thing again. I lay awake all night wondering what I had done wrong.

This went on for almost a week. In the mornings, Xena seemed more herself, but at night her whole demeanour changed; she was edgy, like a prowling tiger. She would dismiss me before her evening bath, and I'd go back to my tent and spend the rest of the night asking myself the same questions over and over. Did I do something to make her angry? Did it have something to do with her kissing me? Did she blame me for what happened that night? Did I do something to provoke her? If it wasn't that, then why was she treating me this way?

After the seventh sleepless night, I decided to get up before first light, so I could talk to Xena and find out what was wrong.

As the first rays of morning sun warmed my back, I walked up to the entrance of the Conqueror's tent and said good morning to the guards standing watch. A glance passed between them, and for a moment I thought they were going to stop me from entering, but they focused their attention forward again and let me pass.

Pushing back the tent flap, I stood just inside, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the shadows. The sunlight that fell in from the open flap illuminated two figures in the bed.

"Uuhh." I let out a barely audible gasp before I could stop myself. The general was normally awake when I arrived in the mornings, so I wasn't expecting to find her in bed, let alone with someone else.

Before I could even move a muscle, the agile warrior had bolted up out of bed and in one swift movement, grabbed her sword and held it to my throat. I froze, praying Xena would recognise me before she sliced my head off.

Fortunately, she did recognise me and lowered her sword. She stared at me with a strange, almost embarrassed look. I stared back at the naked woman standing before me, her well-defined muscles twitching from the adrenalin.

Over Xena's shoulder came a muffled sound from under the blankets. I looked over towards the bed and saw an equally naked young woman pushing back the covers. She was giggling.

It shouldn't have shocked me to see that Xena had taken a lover. She was, after all, a passionate woman; she was bound to have needs. Perhaps the bigger shock was seeing that the girl in the Conqueror's bed looked a lot like me.

"Uh, sorry...I...excuse me...I-I didn't mean to wake you, General. I'll just go and...er…I'll just go."

I ran out of the tent as fast as I could. I didn't care where I ran, just as long as it was away from the Conqueror's tent. "Oof!" I turned a corner and ran directly into polished bronze chest armour.

"Whoa there." Lieutenant Galates steadied me as I collided with him.

"I'm so sorry, Lieutenant, I didn't see you."

"Where are you off to in such a big hurry?"

"Nowhere, I-I just needed to get some fresh air."

"Well, I'm heading to the practise field, so why don't I walk with you a ways?"

"I wouldn't want to trouble you."

"Oh, it's no trouble at all."

"Well, uh...okay." I didn't think I could refuse since he was being so nice.

We walked silently along the path. I really didn't feel much like making conversation, but I was grateful for his company. Eventually, we came to the turn-off for the practise field. Lieutenant Galates stopped walking, but I was so lost in thought that I kept going a few paces further. I turned around when I realised he had stopped.

"Are you alright, Gabrielle? You seem a little preoccupied."

"I'm fine," I replied with a forced smile. "I just...I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded.

"Okay. Well, I better be going - don't want to keep the Conqueror waiting."

"Oh, you're meeting General Xena? I'd better warn you, she might not be in a good mood."

"Thanks for the warning."

We stood there for a long moment shyly eyeing each other, neither quite knowing what to say next. Finally, he broke the silence. "Well, like I said, I better get going."

"Yes. Thank you, Lieutenant."

"Call me Galates, and you're welcome."

I watched him walk away and then headed toward my tent. I say "my tent"; however, like most members of the support units, I had to share. The tent was big enough for two cots with a narrow gap between them. It was only meant for sleeping in, and as my bunkmate, Perdita, and I worked long hours, that was about all we did in it. We got along as well as we could, though being a cook's assistant meant she was up before me and in bed asleep by the time I returned. Fortunately, Perdita was already at work and I had the tent to myself.

Slumping down on the stool between the cots, I couldn't hold back the tears. I felt embarrassed for walking in on Xena and finding another woman in her bed. I felt confused as to why it mattered to me. I felt humiliated. I felt angry. But more than anything, I felt rejected.

I was so frustrated I didn't know what to do, so I beat the stuffing out of my pillow. It was only when I was covered in goose down that I realised I was acting like a pouting child hiding out in my tent.

Eyeing the satchel under my cot, I briefly contemplated running away, but then I remembered my mother's words: you can't run away from your problems, you have to face them.

I tried lying down, but I couldn't quiet all the thoughts colliding in my brain. I tried writing, but the words came out a jumbled, mixed-up mess. Finally, I decided to go for another walk to try and clear my head.

My walk took me to the edge of the camp, near the practise field. Along the way, I passed by the camp stores, where I picked up a wineskin. I told them I was taking it to the Conqueror, but it was really for me. If I couldn't make sense of these feelings, then at least I could dull my brain for a little while.

In the shade of a cart, I found myself a spot where I couldn't be seen and sat down. I watched the two combatants on the field - General Xena and Lieutenant Galates. The handsome young lieutenant was barely holding his own against his formidable commander-in-chief. He matched her in height, but she had the strength of ten men and the skill to best Ares, the God of War, himself. She held nothing back, and poor Galates scrambled to keep from being seriously injured.

With each blade strike, I got more indignant. Clang. Why didn't she tell me she had taken a lover? Clang. Had she been dismissing me early all week just to be with that other woman? Clang. What does she see in her anyway? Clang.

I opened the wineskin and brought it up to my lips. After a few mouthfuls, I felt giddy. After a few more, I felt sad. Half a wineskin later, I started losing the feeling in my arms and legs.

While Xena and Galates continued sparring, I continued drinking - and thinking. How could she be so unaffected by what had happened this morning? Clang. Didn't she care at all about my feelings? Clang. Why did she conceal it from me? Clang. Was I seeing things, or did that girl look just like me? Clang. What's she got that I haven't got? Clang.

When I couldn't figure out how to get the wineskin in my mouth, I decided I'd had enough. I climbed unsteadily to my feet and set off back to my tent. I spent more time on my backside than my feet, as I stumbled and giggled my way along the uneven path. I wasn't "falling down drunk" - just falling down!

After falling for the umpteenth time, I decided to stay down and wait for the ground to stop moving. That's when I heard a voice behind me. I looked up at the sweaty, dirt-streaked face of Lieutenant Galates.

"Gabrielle?"

"Hi," I replied with a beaming grin. "Would you like to hold the ground steady so I can walk on it?"

Galates lifted me off the ground and brushed off the dirt on the back of my tunic. "Have you been drinking?" he asked.

"Noooo …" I replied. Trying to keep my feet underneath me, I grabbed his arm to steady myself. "Of…cour…snot…." Then I fell over.

"Uh, huh," Galates replied. The haggard lieutenant picked me up and carried me in his arms all the way to his tent. He gently lay me down on his cot and loosened the belt around my waist. That's all I remember, because once my head touched the pillow, I fell into a wine-induced sleep.

~~~~~

I awoke to darkness and an empty tent. Nothing looked familiar. I tried to get up to see where I was. Big mistake. The room started spinning and my head felt like it was going to split wide open. The tent flap suddenly opened, allowing the pale light of dusk to shine into the tent. It was enough to blind me. As I sat cradling my head, Galates walked in carrying a bowl of foul-smelling broth.

"Ack, what is that smell?" I held my nose and tried not to throw up.

"Ah, you're awake, good." He placed the bowl on a table and lit some candles. "How are you feeling?" he asked, ignoring my reaction to the broth.

"Oh, peachy." I said facetiously. "Ooh!" I grabbed my head - talking out loud made my hair hurt. Whispering this time, I rattled off a bunch of questions. "Where am I? Is this your tent? How did I get here? How long have I been sleeping? What happened?"

"Whoa, slow down. Yes, you're in my tent. I found you practically passed out behind a wagon near the practise field. You've been asleep for about four hours. And you're going to have one Hades of a hangover come the morning." Galates handed me the bowl of broth. "Here, drink this while it's hot."

My face soured at the stench and my stomach rumbled again. I pushed it back towards him. "No thanks."

"It'll make your head and stomach feel a lot better. Besides, I bet you haven't eaten all day." He pushed it back towards me and gave me a determined, but caring look.

I brought the bowl up to my mouth and took a sip. "Delicious," I said with a pained look on my face.

He sat on a stool next to the cot. "Now, would you like to tell me what in Tartarus you thought you were doing?"

I desperately wanted to tell him, but I didn't know what to say. I didn't know myself, or I did but didn't want to admit it. Instead of trying to explain what happened that morning, I asked him the first thing that came into my head.

"Do you like me?" I blurted it out like a lovesick adolescent.

It was something I had wondered about ever since that night Xena kissed me. She said she had seen the way Galates looked at me. He was looking at me the same way he looked at me that night.

"Of course! What a silly question. What's not to like about you?" He gave a shy grin, and I detected a slight blush.

"I like you, too," I said bashfully. "You're not like other soldiers."

"It's not my first career choice. I used to be a farmer."

"Really. Why did you give it up?"

"I had a small farm outside Argilus in Macedonia. I was barely eking out a living when the local ruler demanded yet another crushing tax. Then the Conqueror came. The king's forces retreated back to the city and burned everything behind them - my farm included."

"I'm sorry," I said.

"Oh, don't be. I wasn't making it as a farmer, so I thought I'd give soldiering a try." He chuckled dryly. "When the Conqueror's army liberated Argilus, I joined up, thinking I'd wait until they took some fertile land, then quit and set up a new farm. However, this life has grown on me."

We fell silent as I took another sip of the broth.

"What do you think of the Conqueror?" I asked.

He seemed surprised by the question, as though no one had ever asked him before. "She's a brilliant commander. Sometimes her methods are a little harsh. But I don't know her that well personally. You probably know her better than most of us soldiers. Do you like her?"

"What do you mean?" His question triggered a knee-jerk over-reaction from me.

"I mean, do you like working for her?"

"Oh. Yes, I like her. It's just that..."

"It's just that, what?" he prompted me.

"It's just that at times she can be a bit… intimidating." I chose my words carefully.

"Hahahaha!" Galates broke into unrestrained laughter.

"What?" I felt a little offended.

"That, my dear Gabrielle, is an understatement."

I felt my cheeks flush when he pointed out the irony of my comment. "What I meant to say is General Xena is the most fascinating person I've ever met and the most difficult to understand. She has this "Conqueror" side, you know - formidable, unapproachable, and commanding. Yet, when we're alone, she's more relaxed and informal. She's got a wry sense of humour. And, she'd probably have me flogged for saying this - sometimes she's even been kind."

We both smiled at the image of a "kind" Conqueror. Then Galates turned pensive. He reached out and touched my shoulder. "Is that what happened today? Is that why you were so upset?"

I gave him a quizzical look.

"Did she hurt you?" he asked tentatively, shifting from the stool to the cot.

"What do you mean?" His question threw me, and all the questions flooded my mind again.

"Did she strike you?" His tone was serious and protective.

"Oh," I said, finally registering his words and understanding his meaning. "No, she didn't hit me, that's not it. No, it was..." I hesitated. How could I explain to him why I was so upset, when I wasn't sure myself? "It's just that ever since Larissa, General Xena has changed towards me. Now, she dismisses me early in the evening with no explanation. We don't talk anymore. She doesn't even allow me to stay to fix her bath. I know it sounds silly, but I can't help feeling rejected." The pain I felt then wasn't only in my head. I started crying.

Galates gathered me up in his arms and held me as tears streamed down my cheeks. He held me and gently rubbed my back until my sobbing turned to sniffles. When I finally stopped crying, he let me go. Lifting my head up with his finger, he wiped away my tears with his thumb.

"Feel better?" he asked.

I gave him an unconvincing smile.

Galates didn't take his hands away from my face. Instead, he cupped my cheeks in his hands and held my gaze. He hesitantly moved his head closer to mine and then paused. There was a tentative look in his deep brown eyes, so I made the next move. I tipped my head slightly and leaned forward, closing the distance between us. He took my cue and moved in closer until his lips met mine.

His kiss was unhurried and tender, not urgent or forced - nothing like the way Xena had kissed me. Xena. Why was I thinking about Xena when I was in the arms of such a kind-hearted man as Galates? It must've been the affect of the wine, I reasoned.

Galates broke the kiss and pulled back to see how I reacted to his advance. I reached up and stroked the hair around his ear. He took that as a good sign and leaned in to kiss me again. This time, he kissed me with a soldier's resolve - strong and impassioned. I offered little resistance to his advances; in fact, I welcomed his attentions.

Galates' desire shone in the umber hue of his irises and there was an urgency in his expression. I needed comfort and Galates seemed willing to provide it. I shifted position on the cot and tugged him on to it.

"Gabrielle, are you sure-"

My lips silenced him. My hand found its way inside his shirt. While my fingers ran through the hairs on his chest, his tongue traced a path from my lips to my neck. I was so blinded by the need to feel wanted that I ignored my body's lack of response to his touch.

We clumsily removed each other's clothes and lay down. Galates positioned himself over me and extended his legs between my knees. It was the first time I had seen a man naked or felt a man's erection against my skin. I was scared. All the lectures from my mother about waiting until I had met the right person and got married echoed in my still aching head. He slowly lowered himself down until his glistening torso pressed against me. I started to feel a little apprehension. What was I doing?

Galates must have sensed I was nervous by my tensing muscles. "Don't worry, it won't hurt much, I promise," he said, trying to reassure me. The corner of my mouth turned up in a little smile and I did my best to relax. He kissed me again, starting from my lips and gradually working his way down my neck. I flinched when Galates shifted his position and the head of his penis settled at the apex between my thighs. Suddenly, I felt panicked. This was wrong!

"Galates…" I brought my hands up to his chest and frantically pushed him away. "Galates, stop."

"What's wrong?"

"Stop, please. I-I- can't."

He looked crushed, but immediately rolled off me and sat up. "You've been drinking. I shouldn't have taken advantage of you. I-" He climbed out of bed and fumbled around for his trousers. "I'm sorry, Gabrielle."

"No, it's not your fault. It's me. I'm…just not ready for this." I pulled the covers up to cover my breasts. "I'm sorry, Galates, it's just..." words failed me.

He turned to face me. I expected to see anger on his face, but he smiled gently. "No, Gabrielle. This wasn't meant to happen today," he paused, handing me my shift, "I don't think it's meant to happen at all." Ever the gentleman, he turned his back to allow me some modesty.

"It's not you," I explained as I quickly put the shift back on. "You can turn around now, thanks." Galates turned back around and joined me on the cot. I continued my explanation, "I just don't feel...I want it to be special. I want it to feel right. I want to be in love-"

"You don't have to explain, Gabrielle. I understand." He took my hand. "I would like to be more than just your friend, but if that's all you can offer, then that's good enough for me."

I felt humbled by his understanding and compassion. Any woman would be lucky to be loved by this handsome, kind-hearted soldier-farmer. But, it wasn't what I wanted.

"I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

Galates reached out and put his hand over mine. "Gabrielle, I believe you are incapable of hurting anyone." He patted my hand and then stood up. A sad look now coloured his brown eyes. "I'll leave you to finish getting dressed." He paused at the tent flap, looked back, and said, "there's an old saying: don't search for what you already have. You already have what you want, Gabrielle. Stop looking for it."

I puzzled over his words as I watched the tent flap close behind him. I know now what he meant, but at the time I was still confused. The feelings were still new to me.

~~~~~

The next morning, I reported for duty as usual, though there was nothing "usual" about the way I felt. My palms were sweaty and I felt nauseous. I wasn't sure if it was from being hung over or having to face the Conqueror. I took a deep breath and entered her tent.

Xena was fully dressed and seated at the table reading a report.

"Good morning, General."

"Morning." She looked up briefly from the scroll.

I moved slowly towards her and placed her breakfast tray on the table.

She reached out and ripped off a hunk of bread and went back to reading.

I crossed the room to make her bed and tidy up. It looked like she had spent the night alone. There was only one crumpled pillow and the blankets were still relatively undisturbed on one side of the bed.

Then it dawned on me that for the previous week Xena had tidied up her bed herself, before I reported for duty. How could I have been so blind, so naïve? And why did she go to so much trouble to conceal it?

Neither one of us spoke. Every minute that passed was pure torture wondering what she would say or do. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and decided to force the issue. I moved to the table and stood in front of her.

"General, about yesterday..."

She put the scroll down and looked up at me. Her steel-blue eyes betrayed no emotion. "Yes?"

"I just wanted to apologise for my behaviour yesterday. I put you in an embarrassing situation, and then running off like that. I'm sorry if...forgive me, General. I'll understand if you dismiss me-"

"Gabrielle," she interrupted my nervous babbling, "you have nothing to apologise for. And I have no intention of dismissing you. You caught me in, as you say, an 'embarrassing situation.' I think the matter is best forgotten."

"Yes, General. Perhaps-"

Xena looked quizzically at me. "Perhaps, what?"

"Perhaps, you could give me some sort of...um...warning if you have company and I should-"

"I said the matter is best forgotten. It won't happen again, so let's put it behind us," she said with an almost apologetic tone.

"Yes, General." I acknowledged her with a mixture of bemusement and relief.

And with that, Xena and I returned to our usual routine. She didn't dismiss me early anymore and we resumed our evening chats. We never talked about what happened in Thessalia until much later. It was definitely a turning point in our relationship, but we didn't know it at the time.

~~~~~

One month after the capture of Larissa, the Conqueror's army was again on the move. Xena left Commander Braextus in charge of Thessalia and focused on her next objective: Athens.

We marched onto Athens to face King Hippias and his army. Athens was the centre of Greek culture and home to the Royal Academy of Performing Bards. It also was the last major obstacle Xena faced in her conquest of Greece. The battle was bloody, but brief.

The citizens of Athens cheered wildly as the victorious army of Xena the Conqueror marched into their city. Xena rode at the head of her army and up to the gates of the palace where Hippias formally surrendered. The king was put in chains and thrown in the dungeon, along with his family, courtiers, and senior military leaders.

Throughout the night, Athenians celebrated in the streets while the Conqueror and her senior officers had a banquet in the palace. I started the evening helping serve Xena, but she soon asked me to join her. Darphus made room for me to sit between him and Commander Braextus, who sat to the immediate left of General Xena. Braextus had arrived from Larissa shortly before the banquet had started and looked like he'd been celebrating all the way to Athens.

"Here," Commander Braextus pushed his plate towards me, "help yourself."

"Thank you, Commander." I picked up a chicken leg and took a lady-like bite.

"Heh, heh. Go on, it's not going to bite you!" Darphus elbowed me in the ribs.

I didn't want to display poor table manners, but I noticed that Xena was eating as heartily as the men at the table. As they say, when in Athens, so I grabbed the chicken leg off my plate and gnawed on it until the bone was picked clean.

"There, that's more like it. Come on, eat up!" Darphus grabbed a whole chicken and ripped off the meat like a ravenous wolf.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Xena quietly chuckling at my attempt to be "one of the boys."

"Gabrielle, your insight helped a great deal in this campaign," Xena said.

"Yeah," agreed Darphus placing a mug of ale in front of me, "if we left it to Darnell, we'd still be fighting at Larissa." He chuckled and patted my shoulder.

I caught a glimpse of Commander Darnell, sitting to Xena's right. He paused as he lifted a glass of wine to his lips. There was a faint tightening of his jaw muscles as he fought down an angry response.

"Lighten up," Darphus called out and lobbed a bread roll at the second-in-command.

Xena's lightning reflexes caught the roll before it hit Darnell. "Thank you," she said to Darphus and took a bite of the bread.

Darnell stood and I thought he was going to start a fight, but instead he raised his glass and began a toast to Xena. I don't recall exactly what he said; I was intent on watching Xena's reaction to it. She appeared almost uncomfortable to begin with, and then settled back to enjoy it.

"...no army, no nation, no empire can stop Xena the Conqueror. Her name will be a rallying call for us and strike terror into the hearts of the enemy," Darnell continued.

As Darnell spoke those words, I noticed a flicker of confusion in Xena's eyes, as though she were just a normal woman who had been mistaken for a great warrior.

"To Xena, First Empress of a united Greece!" Darnell finished with a flourish and raised his goblet.

"To Empress Xena!" Braextus exclaimed as he stood and raised his goblet.

The rest of the assembly quickly followed suit and Xena basked in their praise, looking around the room until her eyes fell on me. There was that flicker of doubt again.

"Thank you." Xena stood and raised her glass. "This is as much your celebration as mine, because your loyalty, bravery, and service have made this possible. To the Greek Empire."

Everyone raised their goblets again and toasted.

Xena waited until everyone sat down. "Well, I must prepare for a coronation in the morning, so I'll leave you to it. Goodnight."

She left to a rousing cheer. I took a moment and then followed her.

"What do you want?" she asked me distractedly.

"I wanted to see if you needed me." I meant that more as a friend than an assistant.

Xena stared at me with a far-away look in her light-blue eyes. "No. You return to the party."

"I'm not really in a party mood," I replied, sensing that Xena would rather talk than be alone.

"Nor am I. It's strange, huh? I should be happy, but I somehow feel..."

"A sense of anticlimax?" I offered.

"Possibly." Xena studied me for a moment. "Come with me."

I followed her to the quarters she had commandeered.

"Now that I have conquered Greece, Gabrielle, it will mean a big change in our lives." Xena crossed the room, sat down on a divan, and beckoned me to take a seat beside her. "To begin with, we won't be travelling as much. I will need to rule the empire from a capital city rather than horseback. I have chosen Corinth to be my empire's capital city. We'll move as soon as we secure Athens."

"You mean you're not going to make Athens your capital city?" I was surprised and a little disappointed to find out we weren't staying in Athens. Athens was the centre of Greek culture. I had hoped to attend the theatre, and perhaps study at the Royal Academy of the Performing Bards. However, I was glad to hear her talking about a future that included me. I had often wondered what would happen after she conquered Greece - whether there would be a place for me.

"No. I've chosen Corinth because it was the first major city I captured when I set out to conquer Greece, and because it has a major trading port and is easily defended by both land and sea. This makes Corinth the ideal choice as the seat of government for my new empire."

She stood up and walked over to the window and surveyed the city she had just conquered. "I'm going to declare myself Empress tomorrow. And Greece is just the beginning. My empire will one day extend across the entire known world. Right now though, we must concentrate on establishing a government and expanding the army." She turned from the window and came back to sit next to me.

"Yes, General."

"Liege," Xena corrected me, "I'll be royalty tomorrow. I'll be addressed as 'My Liege' or 'Your Highness.' You may want to practice," she added with a relaxed laugh.

"Yes, My Liege," I replied with a playful laugh of my own.

Xena smiled at me, and then stood and walked over to a chest near the bed. "I want to show you something."

She removed a large wrapped object from the chest. She unwrapped its velvet covering and brought the object back to show me. It was a sceptre made of gold, braided in an intricate weave. Crowning the sceptre was the large green, conical-shaped jewel King Quallas had given her.

"It'll be a perfect symbol for my power."

"It's lovely, My Liege," I politely commented. To me it was just a bilious green stone, but Xena was pleased about it.

"The coronation will take place immediately following the executions of Hippias and his supporters..." her voice trailed off as she sensed my mood change. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, General," I said mournfully.

"Tell me, Gabrielle. If you have something to say, then say it."

I took a deep breath and met her gaze. "Why must you execute the king's entire staff?"

"They're loyal to him, therefore, I can't trust them."

"They could be persuaded to follow you," I pressed. "After all, the war is over - you've won."

"What if I had been defeated and Hippias had captured you. Would you switch your loyalty?"

"Never," I answered immediately. The force of my words surprised me.

Xena reached out and laid her hand on my shoulder. "So you see, I have no choice."

"Couldn't you spare the lives of some of the King's lower ranking staff and servants?"

"No. This is a critical time for me and for my empire. I must be seen as strong and decisive. Do you understand that?"

"Yes, but showing mercy wouldn't be seen as a sign of weakness. It will be seen as a magnanimous gesture from the new Empress of a united Greece."

She was pensive for a moment. "Well, I suppose I could order only the King, his senior advisors, and his military commanders to be executed. The lower ranking staff can be sold into slavery."

"That is very reasonable of you, General, however-"

Xena raised one eyebrow and scowled. "However, what? Is it not enough that I've agreed to spare the lives of all but the most senior?"

"But wouldn't you be better served if the lower ranking Athenian army commanders were integrated into your imperial army rather than sold as slaves? After all, they have the loyalty of the common soldiers, and you said you needed to expand the imperial army."

"Hmm, I suppose. Yes, that might work to my advantage. You're something special, Gabrielle. I wish all my advisors were as wise and as loyal as you." Xena's face lit up with an affectionate smile.

I felt my breath catch. By the gods, she was beautiful when she smiled.

~~~~~
Chapter 6

The campaign to conquer Attica was short, my plan simple: overwhelm Athens with superior forces and the rest of the region would be defenceless. The Athenians were citizen-soldiers, poets and philosophers at heart - no match for my battle-hardened army. Their king was a snivelling fool and no fit adversary to challenge my skills on the battlefield. Without the Athenian army to protect them, the rest of Attica capitulated without so much as a skirmish.

My senior officers and I celebrated our victory over Athens in the palace of King Hippias, who had formally surrendered to me earlier in the day. I must admit I wasn't really in the mood to celebrate, but the men had earned it.

Gabrielle joined us at the banquet. She sat between Darphus and Braextus, who had come from Thessalia to take part in the victory celebrations. It pleased me to see Gabrielle enjoying herself, and for a while at least, I enjoyed myself too.

After the obligatory toasts, I excused myself and left the banquet. Gabrielle followed me out of the banquet hall, but I kept walking toward my temporary living quarters in the palace.

My tenacious assistant wouldn't give up the chase, so I finally stopped and turned to face her. "What do you want?" I didn't mean to sound peevish, but I wanted to be alone, or so I told myself.

"I wanted to see if you needed me."

I could tell she asked as a friend, not an assistant. "No. You return to the party," I replied softly.

"I'm not really in a party mood," Gabrielle said. It was as though she had read my mind.

"Nor am I. It's strange, huh? I should be happy, but I somehow feel-"

"A sense of anticlimax?" Gabrielle finished my sentence.

"Possibly," was my response, but Gabrielle was right. With the capture of Athens, all of Greece was finally mine. I had been fighting for this moment for so long that I never really considered how I'd feel when my goal was finally realised.

Now that Gabrielle had put a name to it, I understood why, when the banquet table of triumph was spread out before me, I had no appetite. I had come to the end of my days as "Xena the Conqueror." I had fought the battles and had won the prize: Greece. There was bound to be a letdown.

I studied Gabrielle's face as she looked up at me with empathetic, caring eyes. It was then I realised that Gabrielle was not merely an efficient assistant or someone with whom I could get a fresh perspective on battle strategies. She had reached into my jumbled up emotions and homed in on exactly what I was feeling. Looking back, this was when Gabrielle ceased to be my young and chatty assistant and became my friend, my confidante.

I invited her back to my quarters for one of our evening chats. We sat next to each other on a divan as if we were old friends. Gabrielle seemed perfectly at ease but for some reason I felt uncomfortable. Perhaps it was because of this unease, that for once, I did most of the talking, and the more I talked, the more energized I felt. I stood at the threshold of my destiny. I didn't want to dwell on what had just ended. I needed to focus instead on my future as ruler of an empire. I talked about how our lives would change. I talked about my plans for establishing a government and expanding the army. I talked about moving to Corinth once Athens was secured. Gabrielle seemed a bit disappointed that we weren't going to stay in Athens, but I explained why Corinth was strategically a better choice for a capital city.

Jokingly, I told her that since I would be royalty in the morning, she should practice using my new title.

"Yes, My Liege," she replied with a playful emphasis that made her green eyes twinkle.

These were the moments I had come to cherish. With Gabrielle, I could let my guard down and just be "Xena" and not "the Conqueror."

I almost became lost in her eyes and forced myself to think of something else. I got up, opened a chest near the bed, and retrieved the sceptre I had made with the large green gem from King Quallas. "I want to show you something. It'll be a perfect symbol for my power."

"It's lovely, My Liege." Her tone was polite but not effusive. I forgot she wasn't all that impressed by the trappings of wealth. That's one of the things I liked about her - her unpretentious nature. It also meant that she couldn't be swayed to betray me with promises of riches.

I wrapped it back up in its covering and returned it to the chest. "The coronation will take place immediately following the executions of Hippias and his supporters and-" I turned and saw this troubled look on Gabrielle's face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, General." She avoided looking at me.

"Tell me, Gabrielle. If you have something to say, then say it." I suspected it had something to do with the executions, and it did.

"Couldn't you spare the lives of some of the King's lower ranking staff and servants?"

All the reasons I had for executing Hippias and his followers crumbled at Gabrielle's simple plea. I recalled the time I had the Thessalian boy executed. Gabrielle had tried to change my mind, but I had stopped her protests without listening to her side. Since then, however, I had come to respect her opinion, and this time I let myself be swayed by her arguments.

I signalled my capitulation with a warm smile. "Hmm, I suppose. Yes, it might work to my advantage."

Once again, Gabrielle proved her wisdom and her loyalty to me, and that was more precious to me than any jewelled sceptre.

~~~~~

By the next morning, whatever ambivalence I felt was gone. I was to be crowned Empress of the Greek Empire. That was my destiny, and I was ready to seize it and bend it to my will.

After a quick breakfast, I tracked down my second-in-command. "Darnell, I need to speak to you. This way." I gestured for him to follow me.

"What is it?" he asked as he fell into step just behind and to my right.

We walked out into a small quadrangle. The sun was not high and it was pleasantly cool in the shade.

"First things first. I want to give you this." I handed him a scroll. "Your promotion."

"General, thank you." He unrolled the parchment and read it.

"You've earned it, General." I clapped him on the back.

He allowed himself a slight smile. "Does this bring new responsibilities?"

"Naturally. You will have overall command of the army, as well as being my chief military advisor. And you will continue to be my right-hand man, of course."

Darnell stood taller with my compliment and smiled. When Darnell smiled his whole face changed, even the crooked scar above his left eye - from one of our sparring sessions, not battle - smoothed out and almost disappeared. Though the rest of him looked all man, with his bulging biceps and his sleeveless, black leather uniform, he had an almost boyish quality when he smiled.

I looked over Darnell's shoulder as Gabrielle arrived. "Ah, here's my assistant." I signalled her to approach.

"My Liege. General," she said.

I smiled at her gaff, because technically I would not be royalty for another few hours. "I'm still 'General' at the moment," I corrected her lightly.

"Sorry, General," she abashedly replied.

She placed some scrolls in my outstretched hand, which I took and handed to Darnell. "These are the execution orders for Hippias and his family," I said. "Also, there are orders to execute all prisoners above the rank of commander."

Darnell took the scrolls with a frown. "What about the other prisoners? The lower ranking officers, the soldiers, and the palace staff?"

"Those are covered in the orders, too. All officers of commander and below are to be given a choice: die with their king or swear an oath of allegiance to me. All common soldiers will be conscripted into the imperial army. The household staff will be released once I've left the city."

The corners of the Darnell's mouth twitched. "You're joking."

I glared at his impertinence. "Do I look like I'm joking?"

"No, but it is not how-"

"Are you questioning my orders?" I leaned toward him, invading his space and pinning him with an unyielding glare.

"No, General." Darnell backed down.

"Then see to my orders. I'll witness the executions in one hour."

Darnell saluted and marched out of the quadrangle. I knew my rather unorthodox orders would not sit well with him. To be honest, they didn't sit well with me either, but Gabrielle could be very persuasive. Despite my misgivings, I couldn't be seen as wavering. I maintained my "Conqueror" posture until Darnell was well out of sight.

"I suppose we should get ready for the executions," Gabrielle said sadly.

"You…um…" Instinctively, I reached out and straightened a lock of hair tucked inside her collar. My hand lingered on the side of her face, and she looked up at me with such tenderness.

Before I did something I'd regret, I said the first thing that came into my head. "There's a library in the south wing of the palace. I'd like you to check through the scrolls and decide which ones you think we need to take to Corinth." It was a pointless errand, but it would keep her away from the executions, which I knew she'd find upsetting.

"Thank you," Gabrielle said with an appreciative smile.

"Be ready for my coronation, though," I said with feigned firmness.

"Yes, My Liege."

~~~~~

I had ordered the rebuilding of the old Dorian palace when I first gained Corinth. My decision to renovate rather than build a grander palace was both symbolic and practical. The palace was located on the southern end of Corinth, a few hundred feet up the northern slope of the Acrocorinth. This not only provided a spectacular view of the city centre below and the Sea of Corinth to the north, but strategically it was easily defended from attack by my fleet in the harbour and the fortress atop the summit.

One thing I hadn't planned on was returning to Corinth with a personal assistant, so no provisions had been made for suitable living quarters near mine for Gabrielle. I didn't want to house her with the servants, so I gave her a small suite of rooms in the guest wing.

"Do you like it?" I asked.

Gabrielle walked around the main room, wide-eyed, taking in every detail. She poked her head into an adjoining room then turned to look at me with a questioning expression as if to ask whether the other room was hers, too. I nodded to show that it was.

"It's wonderful, Your Highness. Thank you!" She gave me a spontaneous hug, and then continued with her explorations without realising the lapse in protocol. I didn't reprimand her, because to be honest, I enjoyed it.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with all this space," Gabrielle said as she examined the interior of a wardrobe. "My whole family never had enough clothes to fill this. And it's all for me?" She looked back at me for further confirmation.

"It's all yours."

The smile on her face widened even more. It was infectious; I had to control the grin that wanted to spread across my face.

"You'll need new clothes to fill the wardrobe. I'll instruct the seamstress to make some for you right away. You can send a servant down to the market to get whatever else you need. After all, you are the assistant to the Empress now." That was it; I couldn't contain my smile any longer.

"Oh, I can go to the market myself. I love to shop."

The thought of her wandering around Corinth alone made the grin on my face disappear. Being the Empress' Personal Assistant made her a potential target, and I wasn't about to risk her safety.

"No. If you leave the palace, you must take a guard with you," I said firmly.

She gave me a strange look. "Why?"

"It is too dangerous for you to go alone."

"I would think the Empress' capital city would be the safest place to be in the middle of the day."

Oh, no I thought, she was not going to out-manoeuvre me this time. "Then take a guard for the company and to carry what you buy."

She was quiet for a moment. I could see her mind churning, but she couldn't come up with a counter-argument. I was very pleased with my rare victory. Winning an argument with Gabrielle was never easy.

"Here, you'll need this." I tossed a money pouch at her.

Gabrielle caught it and looked inside. "I can't take this, it's too much," she protested and tried to hand it back.

I put my hand up to stop her. "No, now that you're the personal assistant to the Empress, you'll need to dress the part."

"But I'm a good haggler. I won't need this much money."

"Well, what you save you can keep or spend, as you desire."

"You mean that? Whatever I don't spend I can keep? Can I send it to my family in Potidaea?"

"Whatever you wish."

"Thank you, Highness!" Gabrielle started forward as if she was going to hug me again, then caught herself and bowed instead.

I expected all my subjects to show me the proper respect, yet when Gabrielle did, it somehow seemed wrong, especially in these private moments. Perhaps it was because I had started to think of her as a friend - more than a friend. I would've much preferred the hug.

~~~~~

A few hours later, I heard a commotion in the courtyard below my study's window. I walked out onto the balcony to find Gabrielle returning from the market. She and Lieutenant Galates were struggling under the weight of her purchases. They shared a joke as they crossed the courtyard and the faint sound of their laughter drifted up to the balcony on which I stood. I'd have wagered a thousand dinars that she would choose Galates to accompany her.

They had become good friends during my conquest of Greece. It pleased me to know that Galates cared about Gabrielle. What pleased me even more was that I knew they were not lovers.

Gabrielle looked up and beamed a cheerful smile at me. I was grateful that her arms were full; otherwise she probably would've waved at me.

I dipped my head to acknowledge her. Galates noticed that Gabrielle was looking elsewhere and followed her gaze.

"At ease, Lieutenant," I called down before he dropped Gabrielle's belongings all over the flagstones trying to salute. I watched them continue on their way until they were out of sight.

"If you ever enter my presence without warning again, General Darnell, I'll assume you're trying to sneak up on me and I'll kill you." I turned around and walked into the room. Darnell snapped rigidly to attention, his cheeks reddening at my reprimand.

"You have heard of knocking, I presume?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Then do so in future." I nodded to let him know the matter of his intrusion was over.

Darnell had been one of my most trusted and loyal commanders, but he was overconfident at times and took liberties - like entering without knocking. I overlooked it sometimes, because he was an excellent second-in-command and had been the closest thing I had to a friend for a long time. That is, until Gabrielle.

He relaxed and almost stood at ease before remembering that I hadn't permitted him to do so. I took my time to walk over to a table that dominated the centre of the room, and studied the maps that were spread out on it.

"At ease, General."

He audibly released his breath and walked over to the table.

"How many battalions do we have on the border with Amazon territory?" I asked.

"Four. Enough to take it," he replied. "At your command," he quickly added.

"No. The Amazons are not our top priority right now. The main threat is Rome. Move three legions north and deploy them along the west coast of Epirus. I want that area heavily defended. We'll need to strengthen the territorial garrisons throughout the empire. It may take a year or so to build up the forces that I need to take Rome, but I want to be ready in case they attack before then."

"I'll issue the orders immediately."

"We'll need to build more ships, too. Any Roman invasion will be by sea as well as land."

The rest of the day and evening was spent studying maps and plans and talking with advisors. All pretty much the same as I had been doing during my conquests, only now the maps were bigger.

~~~~~

It was a brilliant spring morning. The weather was pleasant enough to put me into a relaxed mood, so I decided to cancel my morning meetings and go for a ride. Even an Empress needed time off now and again.

I had given orders for my horse to be made ready and was just leaving the palace for the stables when I thought of Gabrielle. I turned around and headed for her chambers. As anywhere else in my palace, I just walked into Gabrielle's room without knocking. She was still in bed asleep, lying on her back, one arm over her head. The sheet had slipped off just enough to expose a perfect white breast, its pale pink nipple standing erect in the chill of the morning air. Seeing her in such alluring repose threatened to overpower my reason. With much restraint, I slowly backed out of the room.

Once outside, I brought my libido under control, and then knocked on the door. I allowed myself a slight chuckle. Only yesterday, I had berated Darnell for not knocking, and here I was guilty of the same thing.

"Who is it?" Gabrielle sleepily called out.

"Empress Xena," I replied. I heard a startled gasp and the patter of feet, and then the door was pulled open.

"Good morning, Empress." Gabrielle curtsied holding a robe closed with one hand and running the other hand through her hair to make herself presentable. "I'm sorry. Did I oversleep? It won't happen again."

"You haven't overslept. I was wondering if you'd like to go for a ride with me."

"If you want me to, Your Highness."

"I would like you to, yes."

"I'll be ready as soon as I can," she said and hurried away.

"Gabrielle!"

"Yes, My Liege," she hurried back.

"I said I'd like you to come, but only if you want to. This isn't business. I just need a break and thought I'd take a short ride into the country. I would like your company, but if you have other plans-"

"No, no plans," she said enthusiastically, "I'd love to come!"

"Good. We'll leave as soon as you're ready. No rush." Those last words were wasted, as she was ready in double quick time.

We rode out together on my horse and headed west from the city, into the foothills outside Corinth. It was a warm and sunny day; only a few wisps of cirrus clouds streaked the cerulean blue sky. It felt good to put aside my duties for a few hours and just relax and enjoy myself. I was glad Gabrielle agreed to come along.

We stopped near a small pool fed by a waterfall and sat in the shade of a copse of cypress trees. Goats and sheep were grazing in the meadow nearby. I closed my eyes and drifted into a contented doze.

When I awoke, Gabrielle was just climbing from the pool after a swim. Wearing only a shift, she arched her back as she pushed the water from her long golden hair. This caused her hardened nipples to strain against the sodden material as her breasts thrust skyward. With her eyes closed, she spread her arms and turned around to soak up the sun.

With my eyes, I caressed her sculpted form. Every detail seemed perfect: her flat stomach, her supple legs, her well-defined arms, and her full, round breasts. The water droplets that clung to her made her sparkle in the sunshine like a goddess, and I felt an overwhelming desire to worship her, to offer myself as a sacrifice, body and soul. It was then and there I resolved to make her mine, but I recognised the need to take matters slowly or risk destroying the delicately balanced relationship we were developing.

Whether I made some noise or not, I don't know, but I suddenly noticed Gabrielle looking at me. She was aware of the attention I was paying her and quickly picked up her dress to cover herself.

To save her further embarrassment, I averted my eyes until she had dressed. "Enjoy your swim?" I asked as she sat down next to me.

"Yes, My Liege."

I was at a loss as to what to say next and started humming under my breath.

"Do you sing?" I asked her.

"You wish me to sing for you?" Gabrielle sounded a little apprehensive.

"No," I laughed. "Do you sing?"

"Not very well, My Liege."

"That's okay," I replied, "I like to sing." I sat up and started tapping a beat on my legs, then sang a song my mother had taught me when I was a little girl. The look of astonishment on Gabrielle's face made me stop singing.

"What is it?"

Gabrielle dipped her head to hide her amusement.

"I asked you a question," I said in a slightly impatient tone.

"My Liege, forgive me. I just never expected...what I mean is, I thought that you would…you know, sing something, er..."

"Something what?" I was getting annoyed.

"Um...more sort of...a battle song, perhaps, or something mournful. Not a happy folk tune!"

"Is that how you see me - a dark, sombre, violent person incapable of enjoyment?" Now I had become over-sensitive.

"No, that's not how I see you at all. You're beau…uh, you have a beautiful voice. Please sing another song. I promise not to interrupt again."

I saw the plaintive look in her pale green eyes. How could I stay mad?

"I can dance, if you wish?" she offered.

"Yes," I said as I felt the anger subside, "I'd like that."

While I sang and Gabrielle danced, I became aware that we were being watched. When I heard a twig snap, I leapt to my feet, startling Gabrielle. I reached out and put my hand over her mouth to silence her.

"Well, what do we have here?" a rough voice growled from behind me.

"Keep silent, and when I say so, get down as quickly as you can," I whispered to Gabrielle.

She nodded her understanding before I turned around. As I did so, I noticed two men where I had heard the noise. They were both armed with crossbows and had swords at their waists. As I turned further, I saw the man who had spoken. He stood apart from his cohorts, making it difficult to keep an eye on them all. I took him to be the leader of the trio.

"Is that your horse?" the head ruffian nodded at my mount. He was taller and broader than me. His muscles bulged from his short-sleeved tunic, and the crossbow he held looked like a child's toy in his large hand.

"Yes," I replied.

"Not anymore," he sneered.

Thieves were common across Greece - something I intended to rectify. This small band probably moved onto the peninsula to take advantage of my absence and hadn't heard that I had returned. Or, if they had, they didn't recognise me. I was only wearing a simple shirt and leather trousers and wore no emblem. At least I had my weapons with me - my sword and chakram lay on the grass a short distance away.

I knew I could take them, but Gabrielle's presence made it more difficult than if I had been alone. I needed to put them off guard for a moment.

"I need my horse," I said. I reached behind me and grabbed Gabrielle's arm. "But I don't need my slave. So, you take her and leave me the horse, and we'll call it even."

I risked a quick glance at Gabrielle. She knew what I was doing and gave me an imperceptible nod.

The two subordinates looked ready to accept the offer, but their leader wasn't.

"It's not negotiable," he said flatly. "We take your horse. We take your slave. And we take you."

"And if I refuse?" I replied impassively.

"My finger pulls the trigger."

I locked my gaze on him, and he locked his gaze on me. He was clever, strong, and cool in a situation. He would've made a great commander in my army. It was a shame I had to kill him.

"Then I refuse." I pushed Gabrielle back behind me and out of the way.

The first crossbow bolt whistled over the top of my head as I dived for my weapons. The second bolt ricocheted off my sword as I lifted it in front of my face. The third bolt, fired by the leader, grazed the right side of my body as I stood up. If I hadn't moved, the bolt would've struck my neck. All this happened in the blink of an eye.

As I gained my feet, I heard a splash. Gabrielle hit the water from the force of my push. I could do nothing to help her other than hope she was alright - and smart enough to stay put.

A feral grin spread across my face as I twirled my sword and faced the leader. My left hand shot out, hurling my chakram at his subordinates. There was a brief clatter and a couple of cries that were cut short, and then the chakram was back in my hand.

The head bandit glanced over at his dead followers and then drew his sword. "Come on then," he growled.

I let loose with my war cry and sprang into the air. He met me halfway and our swords clashed. We landed and turned to face one another. I started circling slowly and he did likewise.

"You're good," I told him. "So good, that I'd hate to kill you without knowing your name."

"I was just thinking the same," he said, and launched an attack. His attack was designed to work my injured side, which told me he knew what to do in a fight. I guessed that he was an ex-mercenary who had found crime paid more than war. I eventually forced him to back off.

"I've decided I don't need to know your name to kill you. Besides, I wouldn't have heard of you anyway," I goaded.

"Ha! Brave words, but no one has bested the Great Palaemon and lived to brag."

He attacked once more. I deflected the blow with my chakram and followed through with my sword. Palaemon brought his sword down quickly to block and almost wrenched mine from my grasp. He followed the block with a kick to my wound. I gritted my teeth and stepped back. This was going to be tougher than I thought.

As the fight continued, the advantage was slightly in his favour. It was time to turn things around. At this point, Gabrielle was just climbing from the water. I allowed myself a quick glance to see if she was okay. My opponent noticed my distraction, pulled out a knife, and threw it at Gabrielle.

"Down!" I cried out. Gabrielle reacted immediately to my command and dived back into the water just as my chakram intercepted the knife above her head.

Now that my assailant was distracted, I launched my attack. Sparks flew from our swords as he blocked my first swipe. Palaemon was not prepared for my foot to connect with his groin. I jumped and twisted, and landed another kick to the side of his head as he doubled over. Palaemon hit the ground hard. With the wind knocked out of him, his sword flew out of his hand.

I pressed the tip of my sword to his throat. "I want you to know my name before you die. My name is Xena the Conqueror, Empress of the Greek Empire."

Palaemon's eyes went wide with horror and his pallor turned a ghostly grey.

"Tell your cohorts you were sent to Tartarus for being stupid!" With that, I drew back my sword and brought it straight across his neck, nearly severing his head.

Gabrielle climbed from the water a second time. "Hey," I called softly to distract her.

"Sorry about dumping you in the water." I offered her my hand and helped her out. She stared in mild shock at the body of the former "Great Palaemon."

"Don't look at him," I whispered as I gently directed her head toward me. "Go to the horse."

Gabrielle ignored my order and continued to look up at me. "You saved my life."

"You're a good assistant, I wouldn't want to lose you," I joked.

"Thank you," she said quietly, still holding my gaze.

Caught up in the moment, I started to lean down, intending to kiss her.

"You're hurt!" she cried as she noticed the blood staining my shirt. "Here, let me help you."

The moment passed.

"It's just a scratch. I'll be fine. Go to the horse and wait for me."

Gabrielle reluctantly obeyed. I bent down to retrieve my weapons and wipe the blood and bits of flesh off. I felt a bit faint. It was then I realised my wound was more than just a scratch. I told myself that I'd had worse and made my way back to the horse.

"Please, My Liege, let me dress that wound," she begged. I nodded my assent.

"I have some dressings in the saddle bag." I opened a flap and pulled out a cloak. "Put this on, Gabrielle. You shouldn't stand around in wet clothes. Not even on a warm day like this."

She took the cloak. "I should treat your injury first."

"I'm not going to bleed to death in the time it takes you to put it on."

"And I'm not going to catch a chill in the time it takes me to treat you."

"It seems we're both going to die before you let good sense override your stubbornness," I said.

"I was thinking exactly the same thing, My Liege."

I gritted my teeth as the pain flared. I grumbled under my breath and begrudgingly handed Gabrielle the medicine bag. She worked quickly and gently to clean and dress the wound.

"There. That should slow the bleeding. But you better let your healer look at that when you get back."

"I will. Now will you get out of those wet clothes, please?"

"Yes, My Liege."

We both chuckled knowing Gabrielle had won that battle.

~~~~~

My healer looked at the wound and declared that I would live, though he suggested I avoid weapons practise for a few days. Gabrielle, on the other hand, was given a dose of medicine and sent straight to a warm bed with instructions not to leave it until the following morning.

"I'm fine," she protested as I escorted her to her chambers.

"Healer's orders come second only to mine," I said, "and I'm backing his orders on this one."

"Yes, ma'am," she sulked.

I helped her to the bed and made her comfortable. She was already sniffling and sneezing. I had a servant bring a bowl of hot broth and stayed while she drank it down. When she had finished, I took the bowl from her. My hand brushed against hers. It sent a shiver through my body and made me forget the ache in my side for a moment.

"Gabrielle, you put my well-being before your own today. I won't forget that. Thank you." My praise raised a smile and a blush from her.

"It's my duty, My Liege," she finally said.

"There's duty, and then there's duty."

"My Liege?"

"The soldiers in my army perform their duty for pay, as do my servants. They do their best because they fear my wrath. I'm sure that if given the chance, they would let me bleed to death and save themselves. But not you, Gabrielle. You tended me first, because you believe in your duty."

"Your need was greater than my own," she explained. "Besides, it wasn't that serious."

"It's only a matter of scale," I said. "You would put others first in any situation."

"It's all about the greater good," she spoke with a distant tone to her voice. "You can do so much more than me. If I can help you in any way, I will, even if it means sacrificing myself."

I was in awe at how truly selfless Gabrielle was, but I suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding. I knew she would make any sacrifice for the greater good, and I silently vowed never to let that happen, because she was too important to me. Greater good be damned.

~~~~~

With Gabrielle ensconced in her bed, I returned to my own quarters. Just as I sat down, there was a knock at the door.

"Come."

Lieutenant Galates entered and saluted.

"What is it, Lieutenant?"

"I have some reports, Your Highness." He held out a small bag bulging with scrolls.

"Bring them over," I beckoned him. He did as ordered and I relieved him of his burden. He saluted once more and turned to leave.

"Wait a minute!"

"My Liege?" He halted and turned around.

"Gabrielle has been sent to bed under the healer's instruction."

"Is it serious?" The concern in his voice was evident.

"No, merely a precaution. She could do with some company, I suspect. Why don't you stop by and see her?"

"I don't get off duty until midnight, My Liege."

"Consider it a direct order from me." I smiled at him. He hesitated, unsure if I was being serious. "I could order someone else," I continued, "but I trust her to be safe in your company."

"Yes, Your Highness." His face became pensive at my insinuation, and I sensed he wanted to say something.

"If you wish to say something, Lieutenant, you have my permission to speak freely."

He swallowed hard. He knew what a rare privilege he had been granted. He also knew it was not a complete guarantee of safety if he should say something to upset me.

"I…Gabrielle and I are just friends, My Liege."

"I know that."

"We…I look on her as a sister."

"You mean she wants you to look on her as a sister?"

"Yes, My Liege." He sounded a little disappointed.

"And you respect her choice in the matter?"

"Of course." Galates sounded offended that I should doubt his honour.

"Then you truly are a good friend to her, Lieutenant, and she deserves good friends. You've also proved to me that you're a man of honour, courage, and honesty. I know I can trust you to never let me down."

"My sword and my life are yours to command, My Liege."

"Then I command you to go and cheer up Gabrielle." I gave him a sly smile.

"Yes, Your Highness." Galates' saluted with a new sense of pride and his feet barely touched the floor as he marched out.

~~~~~

The next day, I sat in my war room with Darnell discussing Palaemon's attack. We argued over what measure to take to capture and arrest any other marauders within a day's ride of Corinth. Having been given permission by the healer to return to her duties, Gabrielle was seated at a desk in the corner of the room taking notes and trying not to sniffle too loudly.

"You'll always have lawbreakers and raiders," Darnell said. "It's impossible to ferret out every would-be criminal. Swift and harsh punishment will act as a deterrent for all but the very lawless."

"I agree," I replied, "but I cannot allow thugs like Palaemon and his friends to prey on the citizens of my empire. Random, unprovoked raids will give the villagers an incentive to turn in these criminals before they commit crimes."

"It's a waste of manpower," Darnell protested.

"It's my manpower to waste," I reminded him.

"But it will alienate the villagers."

"If the job is done correctly, they'll be all too happy to cooperate." I raised my voice.

Darnell didn't reply, but the vein bulging from his neck told me he was having trouble keeping his own anger in check.

"Being tough with those you catch is one thing, but if you don't have anyone to catch, how will you let the raiders know you mean business?" I asked.

"But how does turning neighbour against neighbour accomplish that? Next thing you know, you'll be ordering random executions," he said sarcastically.

"Hmm, that's not a bad idea," I retorted.

I heard a very quiet gasp from Gabrielle.

"It was a joke," I explained to her.

She almost said something, but thought better of it.

Darnell sneered at my assistant for her misunderstanding. I wanted to smack that sneer off his face.

"Very well, Darnell. Have Darphus send out spies to gather intelligence. We'll conduct pinpoint raids at any locations where these marauders are located. Once we have the problem of raiders under control in Corinth, I will want expand it to the entire empire."

Darnell nodded once.

"Gabrielle…"

"Yes, My Liege."

"Draft a notice, to be posted throughout the empire, instructing citizens to be on the look out for marauders and to report them to their local garrison commander."

"Yes, My Liege," she replied.

"Oh, and include that a reward is being offered for information resulting in their capture," I added. "Fifty... no, make it a hundred... no, leave it at fifty dinars."

"As you wish, My Liege."

"Good idea, Your Highness," said Darnell.

I smiled to let him know his sycophantic compliment was noted, if not appreciated.

"Have Darphus report his progress to me tomorrow."

"My Liege." Darnell stood up, saluted, and left.

I looked over at Gabrielle, who was busy writing in a scroll. She was sitting in a shaft of sunlight coming through the window. It caught the dust floating in the air about her, making her seem as if she was separate from the rest of the room. It made a wonderful sight and I couldn't help but stare. Gabrielle must have sensed me watching and looked up with a questioning expression.

I felt compelled to offer some sort of explanation as to why I was staring, but what could I say? Instead, I said the first thing that popped into my head. "You wanted to say something about my joke?"

She looked back down at the scroll and scowled. "It wasn't very funny."

"I'll try harder next time," I replied with a smirk. "Can I leave you to finish the notice?"

Gabrielle nodded and returned to her writing. I stood up and walked towards the door.

I was almost out of the door when she spoke. "Thank you for sending Lieutenant Galates to keep me company last night."

I stopped and turned to face her. "He wanted to do it."

"Yes, but it was your idea. Thank you, Highness," she said warmly.

"It was my pleasure," I replied softly, and then walked out of the room, leaving her to her work.


Continued in Part 4