Part 7 of 10

Chapter 1

"Don’t you think that you’re moving a little fast, bro?"

Ares spun about to face Aphrodite and an implacable Artemis. Despite focusing on them, he was still aware that Xena had moved closer to his sword side.

Any shock or concern was quickly masked and he oozed confidence as though he was still firmly in control. "Ladies, I’d like to assume that the two of you aren’t here to interfere." He placed Lycea on the ground, keeping himself between the child and Xena. "After all, Artemis, I believe you already have a Chosen?"

Artemis gestured up the hill where the moonlight was illuminating a familiar strawberry-blonde in Amazon leathers standing beside James. The Goddess’s voice was cold.

"Yes I do, and she’s waiting for her child to be returned."

"What do you plan to do about it? Complain to Daddy?" Ares scoffed. "I’m within my rights. You can’t interfere directly."

"But perhaps, I can," scratched a strange, gravelly voice behind him.

Ares whirled about, and now to his astonishment, he was staring at Gabrielle’s duplicate, who responded with a thin smile. Glancing up again at the figure on the hill, then down at the apparition in front of him, trying to cope with the series of jolts, he blurted, "Hope? How could you...?"

Ares’ complete confusion had given Xena more than enough time. He never saw the blow that sent him flying, even while her hand grasped the hilt of his sword from its sheath. Immediately Xena felt an almost drunken rush as the energy of Ares’ Godhood flowed into her.

"Now, let’s see. You were saying...?" The warrior smirked, twirling the sword about casually, watching the moonlight reflect off of it. "Nice. I’d forgotten what an excellent balance it has," she commented professionally. "What do you think, Ares, Goddess of War have a nice ring to it?" She looked down at the now mortal Ares.

Ares leapt up to retrieve the child but found himself facing an angry and armed Gabrielle, who struck him in the chest and then swept his feet out from under him with her staff, before dropping her weapon and bending over to clutch her daughter to her heart. James and Robin came running towards them, Robin taking the time to remove the blonde wig on the way.

Gabrielle then turned to Xena, who shifted the sword somewhat defensively, as her angry soulmate stalked towards her warrior in fury and said, "...And YOU, if you think being the Goddess of War is going to protect you from me, you’ve got another think coming..."

"Yes, Gabrielle," said a suddenly subdued Xena.

"What were you THINKING about? Walking beyond the protection of the borders when we weren’t ready? For months we planned this! And you KNEW that as soon as Lycea was able to walk, He would show up! We had this planned for MONTHS, and you nearly risked our CHILD in another demented, impulsive... Did you know we almost couldn’t find Robin? How many other Amazons do you think are MY SIZE?"

By now Xena had been backed up to the edge of the water, and had stopped trying to make any more placating noises. She had closed her eyes and was waiting to be shoved in to the stream. But Gabrielle surprised her by growling deep in her throat, spinning on her heel, and walking away. As she sat down in the shade of a tree, they could hear her telling Lycea in the softest of voices, what an a-hole her mummy wummy was.

"I thought she liked it when a plan came together?" James asked mildly, as the chastened Xena approached. "Maybe you should seriously consider this Goddess of War thing for a bit?"

Ares moaned from the ground. "Goddess ‘THING’?" He slowly pulled himself up, watching as Xena began again to practice her drills with his sword. "Oh, quit that. We all know that you have no intention of keeping it. Why don’t you just stop all this gloating and tell me what you want?"

Xena paused. "Oh, you’re right, I’m not planning on keeping it. But we didn’t do all this just to get another of your useless promises."

There was another flash of light and Robin stared as a stunning woman appeared with a shield and goatskin draped over her shoulder.

"So nice when the family can get together like this." Athena smiled. "Ares....Artemis...’Dite..." Each acknowledged their sister’s greeting in turn. She turned to Gabrielle.

"Is this the child? And she has stood unaided?"

Gabrielle nodded and carefully presented her daughter to the Goddess. Athena turned to the Goddess of the Hunt. "Artemis, are you certain that you have no problem with this? The potential ruler of your nation sponsored by another?"

Artemis looked to Gabrielle and spoke, "It is the request of my Chosen, and I am bound to agree."

Athena raised her hand and a glow touched the child. "No!" shouted Ares in dismay. Athena ignored him. "I then claim this child. To be prepared as my Chosen upon her maturity. That I will guide her in Wisdom, and the Art of War..." Gabrielle flinched slightly but remained still, "...and grief to any who harm her."

Then she reached over to Xena, and taking Ares’ sword, said, "I think I’ll keep this for a while, until my brother and I can reach an arrangement." And then she and the sword were gone.

Ares looked at the remaining mortals and Gods and blurted, "What?" Gabrielle just glared. Keeping one eye on her staff, Ares said, "You don’t think that this ends it? You don’t think Athena has her dark side?"

Gabrielle stood firm. "You chose this for us, Ares. We made this decision a long time ago. The lesser of two evils."

The War God held her eyes. "There are always loopholes..."

The Queen returned: "We’re counting on it."

"Ares, Ares, Ares...." interrupted Aphrodite. "Pretty tough talk from a guy who needs a lift home?"

He gave her a pout, and she touched him, and the mortals were again alone in the early morning mist. There was a hush as each considered what had just happened.

To James` surprise it was Robin who snapped out of the reverie first. "Breakfast or sleep?" she said brightly. They all turned to the Queen.

Gabrielle looked at Lycea for her opinion and voted, "Breakfast, and no one make any cracks."

Chapter 2

Afraid that their return would be used as an excuse to continue the party at Cyrene`s, the two couples and child opted to take the long walk to the dining tent in the village. The mist had dissipated in the sunrise and it looked to be another glorious day. Neither Robin nor James noticed the slight tap by a staff on the ass that forced the dark warrior forward with a resigned sigh. Robin soon fell into step along the well-worn path with Gabrielle and Lycea, as their taller companions drew ahead under the canopy of the forest.

Xena was staring straight ahead when she finally asked, " So, what’s up with you and Robin?"

James stopped dead. "Wha...?" He looked askance at the dark woman at his side, but she seemed to be engrossed in checking her teeth with her tongue. He glanced back suspiciously at Gabrielle, smirked knowingly, and then continued walking.

"So," he said casually, "It’s really sweet that, for some reason, all of a sudden, you have this strange desire to talk about Robin’s and my relationship?"

"Uh huh."

"Gee. I think a better question would be...when did you get so..."

"Don’t say it," growled Xena.

"...whipped?"

There was another, deeper growl. "I dunno. When did I start cutting you so much slack?"

"Around the time you found out I could make dumplings on an outdoor fire."

There was chuckle. "That’s right. That was when Gabrielle was..." and both fell silent.

"Damn, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t joke about that time..." James apologized.

"No, that’s all a part of why we have to talk," and she put her hand on his shoulder and clenched it firmly, but gently.

.

When she knew that James, if not Xena, was out of earshot, Gabrielle asked Robin, "Do you know what’s bugging James?"

With Lycea in the Queen’s arms, Robin was now walking with Gabrielle’s precious staff, and the Queen was trying not to flinch as Robin began striking the end aggressively into the ground with each sentence. "How would *I* know? He’s been avoiding ME. If HE wants to TALK. I’m right HERE. And it’s NOT like he can PRETEND he doesn’t KNOW where I AM, because THANKS to this BOND-thing I can pretty well FEEL him wherever he GOES!"

Not able to bear seeing any more damage being done to her staff, Gabrielle reached over to clutch the shaft. Robin halted and looking at the exasperated expression on the bard’s face, realised where her anger was being transmitted.

“Sorry,” she said meekly.

Gabrielle let go and sighed, shifting Lycea slightly. “It’s a lot to get used to. It’s scary. I get that. And…I feel I’m sort of to blame, ‘cause the last time you were here, it was you that was avoiding him, and I... I convinced him to talk with you."

Remembering the conversation between James and Joxer that she had overheard, Robin paled. "He asked me, about us, and I told him ‘no’. Right?"

"Not exactly, more that this bond thing scared the Centaur crap out of you. You told me he was very calm. Even apologized to you for putting you on the spot. Left with a joke, you said."

Robin closed her eyes. "Oh....”

.

" ...Gods. I think I really miss my daughter," James said to Xena, and received what he took to be an understanding grunt. "And since all the crises have passed...." He waited.

Xena didn’t slow her step, but turned and asked, "You stay for a week, or a day, but you still go back to the same moment in her life, right?"

"Yeah, but…"

"You planning on missing our Joining?" There was no hurt in her tone, merely a statement.

"Not planning, but the assignment is over..."

"When did this become an assignment?" Xena asked.

"Well, no..." Flustered, James was searching for excuses. "You know I’m not exactly a free agent. Things happen. It’s only..."

.

"...only chance, Robin, that James brought you here that first time?"

Robin looked over at her companion, and they both stopped while she thought for a moment. "Could I...?" she gestured towards Lycea. Without hesitating, Gabrielle passed the baby over, and gratefully took back her staff. "She’s getting so big...." They smiled and continued walking.

"James said that the first time we came here, that he was leaning over me, arms sort of, wrapped around me, showing me the fingering for a chord on the guitar, when he was... transported. He figured I was just in the field... or something, so I came too."

"So, it just made a mistake, what James calls his..."

.

"... friendly force in the cosmos,” Xena said. “The one that has always seemed only concerned with emotional pain, it suddenly decided to send you to kill Andrea, help stop Raza...?"

"You don’t think so." James said.

"I’m not sure. But I’m beginning to think that if you’ve decided that you should leave, somehow you will..."

.

"…because I’m beginning to think James is like Dorothy." Robin jumped as a partridge fluttered out of their path.

Gabrielle grinned in anticipation. "This sounds like...."

.

“…a story,  a children’s story, actually. So it’s funny you should say that.” James glanced over at Xena. "It’s about a farm girl who gets picked up by a…”

.

“…a cyclone,” Robin explained

"Been there, done that, " Gabrielle laughed.

"Well, Dorothy finds herself in this strange land, filled with magic and really odd people..."

Amused, Gabrielle interrupted. "And you think JAMES is like her?"

Robin blushed but pressed on. "So, she thinks that she has to…”

.

“… complete this series of challenges on a sort of quest, in order to get back home..."

.

"...but in the end she finds out that she had the power with her all along."

"Interesting..." Gabrielle mused.

Robin abruptly changed the subject. "You know, I had a talk with Elaini..."

.

James abruptly changed the subject. "I went and had a talk with Jessan..."

.

"To ask about the bond? And?" Gabrielle prompted.

Robin smiled at the trepidation with which she had approached the Elaini and Jessan’s tent. To her, it was like Beauty meeting the Beast right up until she had seen the furry healer playing with her children.

"And...." Robin sighed. "She saw that there was something. Faint, but she saw it."

"Bet you she told you Jessan`s mum would be pissed."

Robin relaxed and laughed. "Yeah, she told me that they were just getting used to the idea that you and Xena shared the same... connection. She asked though, if the four of us were, uhh, related..."

"She did, did she...?" Robin ears pricked up at the curious note in the bard’s voice.

“And?” Gabrielle prompted.

.

"And?" Xena prompted.

"He told me that for him and Elaini, at least, the bond had gotten stronger with contact, especially when they acknowledged that they were linked."

"So, you’re gonna try avoiding contact, head back now, that’s the plan?"

James hated to be seen as a coward. "Look. What do you expect? Remember, I saw you, when Gabrielle was..."

Once again they shared the memory, of the loss, the pain. The warrior curled up like a child, in agony so great that tears would have been a blessed relief.

 James mumbled, "I could barely handle the rejection before. If we were together, and she couldn’t… I know I couldn’t cope with the kind of..."

.

"...pain, when separated from your bond, or what happens when a bondmate dies?” Robin muttered. “Yeah, she told me."

"That’s gotta scare you too. I still see the shadows in Xena’s eyes from when I was missing, when she doesn’t know I’m watching. But," and Robin could hear the conviction in her voice, " it’s still the greatest gift, the most extraordinary thing that I’ve ever known or even imagined, the... completeness... I feel with Xena , I wouldn’t, I couldn’t ever trade it just for peace of mind." The bard held Robin with her eyes. "For two with this bond to find each other. And to love each other. There’s nothing more important than that. Sure, it’s frightening. Terrifying as Tartarus. And James has seen what that pain is like. But imagine how it was for him, wondering how his soulmate could say no. Or worse, forget him."

Robin looked up ahead. She saw that James and Xena had stopped, and Xena was looking longingly at Lycea. She considered her options and eyed Gabrielle before asking, "Do you think Lycea would like to see her other mother?"

Gabrielle frowned, and leaned over the child. "Are we going to trust that warrior with you?" Lycea pursed her lips and gurgled happily. She looked towards Xena and then James and nodded. Robin ran along with her bundle only to pass James halfway. He gave her a shy grin, as he retreated to where Gabrielle stood leaning on her staff. Robin sighed and moved on to join Xena. Thus coupled, they continued the walk.

"Well, that worked," Gabrielle commented with some asperity.

James fell into her stride. "What?"

Gabrielle just looked exasperated. "Nevermind. So, what were you and Xena talking about?"

"Cars."

"What?"

"Guy stuff, you know, gladiators..."

"Uh huh."

.

Xena took Lycea into her arms gratefully. "Eponin told me she was impressed with your sword work."

Robin’s eyes widened. "Really? That’s funny, she told me that Lycea had more upper body strength than I did."

"Well, she told me, you were a natural."

"For real?"

Xena smiled at her glowing face. "She said with some exercise, you should be in the intermediate class in a week."

"Wow." Robin beamed. "I mean it felt right, you know?" The warrior gave her a grin, reminding her that if anyone knew what it was like, it was this woman. Robin added, "but then a lot of things feel right…

.

" ...lately. Things are changing for Robin. You know, this isn’t like last time. She’s becoming stronger, she’s not frightened by all this, now."

"I know. Being around you and Xena challenges people."

"Being around Xena, you mean."

"Gabrielle..."

The bard blushed.

He paused. "I wish I could bring my daughter here."

Gabrielle appraised him. "And you think maybe you could do that, now? Why?"

Deliberately avoiding her point, he said " Because of the confidence in your abilities. Because, where we come from, it’s different for girls, for kids, growing up. They get beat up, one way or another every day. I was thinking about what you said about Xena leaping onto Cecrops ship. You said that the sailors were amazed that she could make that jump, but you were amazed she did it, knowing it was a cursed ship. Just because you were trapped on it.

"I think what was amazing, was that she knew that she could do it. I just wish your scrolls existed in our times. That’s the type of hero my daughter, Robin and I need. A woman who doesn’t give a damn who sees that they can handle anything. A woman who is…”

.

“….confident.” Robin tried to explain. "It isn’t about holding the sword. It’s knowing I can use it. When Solari gave me Titan’s reins, you know, when we arrived this time, I backed off. I copped out. I said, ` I haven’t ridden since I was twelve`. And, sure, that was me. But, that very first time, in Amphipolis, when I was needed, I said `I can ride`. That was me, too. But I like the woman that got on the horse a lot more, you understand? James asked me if I was getting hooked on adventure, but it’s just that I want to do whatever it takes to be the person that…”

.

“…got on the horse." Gabrielle pointed ahead at Xena and Robin. " I think Robin is already taking those chances again. She’s had an opportunity to see what she can do. And she’s really enjoying it. As much as Xena does. Those two have a lot in common, don’t you think?"

James looked askance at the tall muscular warrior, and her shorter walking companion, then back to the bard. "O...kay! No, no..."

.

"No, I do know what you mean," answered Xena. "Sometimes I wonder if Gabrielle..."

"What?"

"Well. " The reticent warrior tried again. "I’ve watched you with the sword.”

Robin looked up.

“I saw, I know, what that’s like for you. But Gabrielle, even when she’s been forced to fight, there’s no pleasure. She only feels the responsibility. She doesn’t often feel the... joy… of the fight. I think James is like that too..." She glanced down at Robin. "Do you think that maybe…"

.

"…there’s a connection? Quit this right now, Gabrielle." James stopped. "We’re not going to have that conversation where you figure that I’ll end up calling you grandma, or even great-great-great grandma. Robin and I are not like you and Xena. I don’t know where our bond comes from, but whenever or whatever this place is, I’m sure that this is not my past. And I am not your future. You already have one kid. Don’t try to adopt me."

"Then," said Gabrielle, "if there’s no link, than we wouldn’t be changing the future if you and I were to talk about...say…”

.

"…flying machines again! Oh no! " chortled Xena, looking back at where their companions had halted. She watched as her partner made a swooping motion with her finger. "She’s going to her Beta plan."

"What’s that?"

"She thinks that where you come from has flying machines. And that James won’t tell her because he’s afraid she might invent them too early." Xena laughed, waiting for Robin to join in. And waited. The warrior cleared her throat. “Tell me, that Gabrielle is just adding one and one and getting…”

.

"Five.” Gabrielle was counting points on her fingers. “When we were in the mountains you told me where you live is rather flat. So how do you get high up enough to go para-whatever jumping?" She quickly cut him off. " No, don’t start. You’ve never lied to me before, you aren’t going to start now. Six. You also once said that you were looking for landmarks, so that you could come back and maybe recognize it from the air..."

James was getting what he thought of as his Gabrielle headache. “What is it with you and flying? You hate heights. Wouldn’t you rather let me tell you…"

.

"…all about TV, Xena? Umm... Pictures travelling through the air? He seems pretty free about telling you about some things from our era. Why would flying be such a big deal?"

"Because Gabrielle isn’t obsessed with pictures flying through..."

.

" …the air, Gabrielle. History of man flying starts with Icarus, and then goes downhill. Literally. It’s full of people jumping from barns and castles and cliffs and ending up at the bottom, real fast and sometimes dead. I just think you could be doing other stuff, you know?"

"Oh, I agree. I wouldn’t want to do that."

"Good."

"No, I’ve been thinking about Xena`s flying parchment."

"What about her kite, ...er, parchment?"

"Well, if it stayed up there because it was like a bag or a sail, and it caught the wind, I could understand. But, Xena showed me it had to have a certain curve. So, I was thinking that if I watched it through your telescope, and tried different curves and shapes...."

"Uh huh." James’ grunt was non-committal, but the bard noticed with amusement that his patronizing smile was as phoney as his relaxed air, and that his hand was clenching slightly. "And then," she continued ingenuously, " there’s the business with the sparks."

Relieved that the subject seemed to have been changed, James said "The sparks? What about the sparks?" He nodded encouragingly.

"Well, you know how sparks fly upwards in a fire? And then fall down when they drift away from the heat? Well, I’ve played with a lot of fires in my life, and I don’t think they float because they’re burning. I think the heat makes the air around them lighter and pushed them up." She looked up at James. He had his eyes closed and was using one hand to massage his temples. “I bet, if we still had some of that…”

.

"… black powder that James said you destroyed coming back from Chin, even though Gabrielle thought it could have some good uses."

Xena grunted an assent. She still had nightmares because the formula had been so simple.

"Well, imagine how much more dangerous it would be if you could drop that from a flying machine. And what if the powder got more and more powerful. Till they could drop a..." She hunted for a word "... a big amount of it, so powerful, that if they dropped it here, that people in Amphipolis would die a second after we did, and then those in Potedaea would die from the poison from the explosion days later..."

Xena stopped and stared at the earnest face beside her. This wasn’t hypothetical to the smaller woman, she knew that somehow. "You will not tell Gabrielle any of this." Her voice had become remote and harsh.

Robin froze, realizing she had crossed a line. She waited for Xena to explain. Looking away from her, the warrior tentatively began, "You see, she still believes..."

.

"...in education. Knowledge isn’t a problem. It’s the key to understanding ourselves. To peace! What’s wrong with believing in that?"

James thought about all of the places he was terrified he could be sent to. The deliberate famines, the genocide’s, the Holocaust... He forgot about their connection until he noticed the shock on Gabrielle’s face. He tried to push his visions away to a far corner of his mind and although Gabrielle wasn’t sure what he had been seeing, she caught enough to demand, "What are you hiding? If there are such terrible things in the future, what difference would it make if...why are you always afraid of …”

.

…altering the future?"  Xena asked. "James once told me, you have these huge cities. Like a thousand Athens packed together. I couldn’t, I didn’t want to picture that. People living like ants in an ant hill... Someone dropped one of those bombs you’re talking about on a city, a city big like that, didn’t they?"

Robin couldn’t look at the warrior. "Sometimes it seems in our time, there are so many people, we see each other like ants, and so life isn’t as... precious. So that we could do..."

"Gods." Xena was surprised she could still be shocked at war. "If that’s the future, what in Tartarus does it matter…”

.

“…what we do here?”

James tried again. "You and Xena, in this time, doing what you do, I believe you’re holding off even greater evils. It’s a burden, but it’s a glory too..."

"That," The Bard spoke for the first time, "is also a good description of the Bond..."

James stopped, and mumbled, "maybe, I don’t know. But I do know this....

.

"...what you and Gabrielle do, that’s what ultimately counts." Robin implored. " I’ve learned while being here, really learned... that peoples’ dreams come from inspiration. Not from envy or power. It’s the caring, and Love, and Sacrifice, that’s what changes the world for the better. It’s what keeps us apart from the animals. You and Gabrielle, you’re heroes...

.

"...And the world has never had enough heroes..."

.

"...And the world has never had enough heroes..."

Robin and James heard their words echo and all four stared at one other.

There was an uncomfortable silence until Gabrielle broke it by saying, "Who's bonded to whom, indeed?” Then indicating the dining hut on the rise, “We’re here.”

James sighed, happy that the subject seemed to have been dropped until Gabrielle pointed at James and said, "This isn’t over.”

James smiled and said, "Yeah, yeah, " and speaking to the others, mocked in a low guttural voice, "She’ll be back..."

Chapter 3

Robin had anticipated that the dining Hall would be empty, forgetting that there were children and the next patrol shifts that had not been up all night. But none of them expected to see the figure slumped at the rear table preferred by Xena.

"Eponin?"

"Is that the same flagon?"

"I think we can guess it’s not the same ale."

"I know that it’s the same leathers."

"Phew... Pony, go take a bath, and go to bed," ordered Gabrielle.

Eponin blinked, and smiled widely, greeting them. "Aww, Gabrielle, don’t tell me that, please. I could fall asleep and drown." Robin, breathing cautiously through her mouth, whispered to Xena, "That might be safer for the tribe."

Eponin caught that. "Hey!"

Xena slumped onto the bench. "Eat. Then sleep. Please. We’re all exhausted."

Eponin disagreed. "You’re all exhausted. My staying awake has become a spiritual quest. The first three days up are hard, but after that ..." She looked at James, "I know you’ve done this. You know what I mean, don’t you?"

James looked at her sourly "I know after three days of drinking without sleep, humanity becomes THEM."

"And the downside of this is? Anyways, I’ve got a class of trainees in an hour, and so do you, Missy."

Robin hung her head. "Oh, Gods..."

By now the hall was filling up with warriors, many from the party, if the groans and moans were any indication. Gabrielle and James were ignoring them all, arguing again.

"I could make it an order..." Gabrielle was warning.

"No, you couldn’t," James said confidently

"James..."

"Gabrielle. The Amazon nation has had just about enough of me. They don’t need to have a male leading the Queen’s escort at her Joining. It’s supposed to be someone who is your second in command. That’s Ephiny."

"She’s conducting the ceremony. Anyways, it’s also supposed to be someone who helped bring you to this point, to the person that you’re being joined to. That’s why Xena chose Hercules."

"Another male. All the more reason to choose.... I know! Your Mom!"

"You really think that my Mom wants to be considered accountable for my life with Xena?"

“Point taken. Lila."

"Lila? Anyway, if I pick Lila then my Mom would be hurt."

"Of course, that makes sense," he said sarcastically. "Meleager."

"I thought you said it couldn’t be a male. And I want you."

"Gabrielle..."

"You’re being overly sensitive."

"Overly sensitive? Gabrielle, I think that Artemis and I had a talk a few nights ago."

"Artemis?"

"Well, it was a talking deer in the dreamscape.”

"And she said no, too?"

"I do seem to be on a bit of a streak. Maybe it’s my look. I should grow a beard."

Gabrielle didn’t laugh. "It’s not up to Artemis to say no."

"I say no, I withdraw any application to be your second. Regretfully."

Gabrielle simply stared at her friend, and he could almost hear the gears in her head working.

"How many women are here because of violence from men?" he asked.

"Directly? About a quarter. But if you count children and next generation... maybe half."

"This is a refuge, Gabrielle." She nodded. James put his hand on hers. "’Ri, Artemis was right. I’m pretending that being a male here is an ironic joke, reverse sexism. But I’m doing it amongst people who are wounded."

Gabrielle had no intention of losing this argument. "James, you believe that a soul has no sex, right? You also said that you didn’t like organising basic human rights into parts. That’s what women’s rights were, you argued. Just one part of a larger fight for human rights, correct?"

"Gabrielle, that’s great as philosophy. But this is real life. Their lives. I can’t pretend to be some sort of role model, when really, I’m the enemy."

"Centaur crap. I refuse to see you as the enemy or even as an exception to a rule. I think you’re using these arguments to chicken out."

She called over to the Weapon’s Master. "Pony, as an Amazon, would you object to James leading you in Joining escort party?"

Eponin popped a nut into her mouth, and looked at James. "Xena`s already asked me for her side. I’m going to be a token Amazon."

"Great. Well, what do you think the other warriors would think?"

"I dunno. Let’s ask them."

James blanched. "No, Pony, Don’t..."

It was too late. Clambering on top of the table. Eponin clapped her hands for attention. Robin found herself completely blocked and looking up the warrior’s skirt. She looked to Xena in dismay.

"For Hades’ sake, Pony" Xena said. "If you can’t take a bath, at least close your legs. We’re trying to eat here."

Eponin ignored them and addressed the room.

"Apparently, the Queen’s choice to lead her escort has worries about how the members of this nation will react to...his ... being chosen."

Various hazy faces looked to James, and then back to their bowls.

"Maybe some of you might feel it’s embarrassing to have a male lead the Queen’s contingent." There was a murmur of agreement from some of the younger warriors. "Me, I have trouble seeing why there might be embarrassment. Of course, we’re the ones who set the rules for admission into the tribe. He just went ahead and completed them, with honour, and we still won’t let him join, because of what’s between his legs. That, I find embarrassing. Unless there’s something else..."

There was some grumbling. "Oh yeah, maybe some people could worry about establishing a precedent, having a male in a command capacity, even if it’s only a one time honorary position."

Several older Amazons nodded at this. "Don’t really see that either. What’s the precedent? That some one could come in and save the Queen’s life, child, mask and sanity again, exactly as he has, which I can’t really see happening, then yeah, I think we’re stuck with them, even if they’re a Cyclops. See, I thought,” and now she was sweeping her gaze across the tables, “that the point of being Amazons is that we have confidence in ourselves, in our abilities. And if we’re too frigging insecure to accept one ragged-ass guy for a temporary, and deserved honour, then what the Hades does that say about our confidence?

"Meanwhile, Xena has Hercules leading her group. Anyone here want to tell Xena she can’t do that?"

There was silence.

"So, could it be that we have less respect for our Queen than her Consort?" There were mutterings of denial. "Then I don’t what the big problem is, do you?"

This time the muttering was agreeable, and any incipient tension left the room. James noticed several Amazons giving him shy grins of acceptance, as Eponin climbed off the table towards them.

Gabrielle was smiling complacently, until she saw James’ smile didn’t reach his eyes. He whispered to her, "You win, but I still want a Knife at the Throat for the rest of the stay, and I’m going to go talk to Hercules, and try to explain it to him, too."

James then turned to grasp Eponin’s arm, and she returned the clasp.

"You were amazing. Thank you. I know, well... anyways, thank you. You still smell like day-old fish, though."

"You’re welcome. I think I’ll try a shower. I’ll see you," pointing to Robin, "and your little friends in half a candlemark."

Chapter 4

Hercules had been put in a bed in the corner of the hospice, surrounded by a single sheet to separate him from the rest of the patients. He was sitting on the edge of the pallet, stripped to the waist, his normally tanned complexion pale, and he was sweating as he was vainly reaching up for his shirt on a hook.

He didn’t look at James as he entered, dropping the dividing sheet behind him.

"Let me get that for you..." James said as he reached for the shirt.

""Don’t bother." The Demi-God’s voice was quiet but firm.

"Look. I’m already getting a complex about the fact that half the women here have bigger biceps that I do. Yesterday I was declared not a man, now you want to force me stare at YOUR chest? Please, let me give you the damned shirt, okay?"

Hercules laughed and acquiesced as James lifted his arms to place them in the sleeves.

"Going somewhere?" James asked.

"Well, I believe there’s a Joining to organize, though I heard you planned to withdraw as Gabrielle’s proxy."

"That’s right."

"So you went to tell Gabrielle...?”

"Yeah..."

"And, now of course, you’re back in?"

"Yup." The two shared a smile. "So we have to make our selection of who’s travelling in which party soon. But I was thinking, if it’s okay with you," James continued, "since Gabrielle’s family is only arriving today, as well as a few other guests, I was planning to put off our picks until tomorrow morning, when we know who’s here."

"I hear Hades is coming. And Athena." There was a note of surprise in Hercules’ voice.

"Not her usual thing? Actually, I was told that She and Artemis are more or less bouncers."

"Bouncers?"

"You know, keeping out Ares, Callisto..."

"Ah."

James looked at the big man curiously. "How do you hear about them anyway? You’ve been locked away here."

Hercules grimaced. "That’s really why I have to get out. Do you know what injured Amazons do all day? And night?"

James shook his head.

"They gossip."

James shook his head. "It’s called purging, Herc. Traditionally, sick Amazons pass on their stories..."

"Sure, that’s bad enough. But the younger ones, it’s Gossip. Mainly, well sex. Continuously. About everything. Everybody. When, who, how many times..." The strain increased in his tone. "I have got to get out of here."

James began to laugh. "Learn anything interesting?"

"Mainly things I didn’t want to know. Though I did hear that Ephiny finally decided what Xena’s challenge was."

"You mean to prove herself worthy of Joining with the Queen? What was it? Nobody’s talking. She has to fight a dozen warriors with a fish?"

"No. Ephiny figured that jousting would be pointless and only injure more Amazons."

"Climb a mountain barefoot?"

"Gabrielle was against anything that might injure Xena. No, they decided on self-discipline. Xena had to stop working on her palace."

"What? Why that?"

"I think the real reason was Ephiny wanted to get some work out of her warriors." Hercules grinned.

"Xena was conscripting Amazons to work on her house?"

"No, they were all sitting around watching her. You know, watching her lift stone blocks... sweating away... Nothing else was getting done."

"Oh yeah, I can see that ..."

"See what?" James spun about to see an inquisitorial Xena behind him. Gabrielle and Ephiny behind her.

"Hercules was telling me about your challenge."

"Bunch of Centaur dung," the warrior mumbled.

James thought about Xena having to watch Gabrielle fight to the death, and then staying back while the Amazons captured Raza’s mercenaries. Building their home had been her only outlet. Then he remembered. "But you did get to punch Ares today!"

Xena’s face brightened, as did Hercules’. "Yeah..." But it quickly darkened. "Only once."

She pouted and Hercules patted her shoulder consolingly. The Demi-God made a move to stand.

"What do you think you’re doing?" protested Gabrielle.

James moved between them. "Ah... Gabrielle. Hercules was telling me, that he needs a bit of... quiet, that it’s a little too...noisy here He doesn’t need any real care, so if he could get a bit of exercise walking to his hut, then he’d be happy to lie down and relax until tomorrow." Hercules threw James a grateful look.

Then the Demi-God thought for a second, "There are a few things I should probably be..."

Gabrielle interrupted. "Iolaus keeps asking for you, he really hates being separated like this. If you let him do some of that stuff, it would really make him feel better."

Hercules looked at Gabrielle and then James and Xena, and shook his head ruefully, and all three smiled.

It was then that powerful dread struck.

James felt it first, and looked, panic-stricken to Xena.

The warrior and bard both tensed and said. "Robin!"

James nearly fell as another wave of emotion bore through him.

"She’s...she’s OK now, but... what was that?"

James tried to read the Warrior’s expression. "Oh damn..." Xena whispered.

"What?" James eyes darted between the Xena and Gabrielle.

Gabrielle took his hand and said softly "Robin... you have to find her. Now."

 

Continued in Part 8