In the Heart of the Siege IV

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

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

Written under the influence of several bards but always Melissa Good, DJWP, and the woman I love.

Have her find me an acre of land
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Between the sea foam and over the sand
And then she'll be a true love of mine
-Scarborough Fair

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

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

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

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

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

Damn her! Damn it! I risked my life and these men's lives. I was willing to do anything. I was ready to break every principle, every tenet and belief to keep our pact of partnership. When I think of all those times I stayed still with a knife at my throat, trusting in what I saw in her eyes..

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

'She withstood torture and a living death, Gabrielle. She only did it to save you.'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then toss in that Gabrielle might be hurt, that Ares might interfere, that Gabrielle might actually decide that my death was the only solution..., and would she be wrong?

NO! I've got to stop this. It's not like I don't have enough to keep me busy. Compartmentalize. Sort, review and then wait. Why can't I do that this time?

Anyway. Maybe I'm overreacting. Overestimating Gabrielle just as I underestimated her before. Perhaps she's just waiting for me, trying to find a way to contact me to help her?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then she got up on the noble brown
And he on the dappled gray
And they rode till they came to a broad watersider
Two long hours before it was day

Lie down, lie down, my Pretty Polly
Lie down, lie down, said he
For it's six king's daughters I have drowned here
And it's you the seventh will be

So he turned his back to the leaves on the tree
And faced the salt-water sea
And with all the strength pretty Polly she had
She pushed him into the sea

Then she got up on the noble brown
And led the dappled gray
And she rode till she came to her father's hall
Two long hours before it was day

Then up bespoke her poll parrot
All from its cage so gay
Why do you travel, my pretty Polly
So long before it is day

Then up bespoke her old father
All from his room so grey
Why do you chatter, my poll parrot
So long before it is day

The cat was up and about my cage
And I could not get away
So I called unto Miss Pretty Polly
For to drive the cat away

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How does Xena face him? How do you face down a God? And what will he do? I can't beat him, I can't...