United We Stand by Kennedy Northcutt

Chapter 1

It was a gorgeous, sunny day with not a single cloud in the sky. The sounds of battle rang through the air, along with the first sweet songs of the few birds that were willing to brave the early spring chill in order to make their presence known.

"Watch?Ugh! That's gonna leave a mark!" Ephiny slapped a hand over her eyes and shook her head in consternation. Her fingers parted slightly and hazel eyes peeked through them. "You okay?!?" She called in the general direction of the two combatants.

"Peachy!" The shorter of the two answered with a playful smirk.

"I was talking to Eponin!" Ephiny called from her place in the shade of an oak tree that bordered the Amazon practice field. She lowered her hand from her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Amazons," she muttered.

It was spring and the air was thick with the scent of new growth. Wildflowers lined the edges of the practice field and let off their fragrant scent, filling the air with a sweet aroma that chased away the last vestiges of winter's hold on the earth. Green shoots of new grass were sprouting everywhere, thanks to several spring rain showers that had fallen over the last half-moon.

The regent shaded her eyes from the bright sunlight streaming through the leaves and branches above her. It was the first sunny day in a while and everyone was out on the field, taking advantage of the beautiful weather. Everyone, that is, except the twenty pregnant Amazon warriors who were convalescing in the warm sunshine of the village center.

It had been a long, quiet winter for the Amazons. They had enjoyed the stories told by their queen and many had benefitted from Xena's expertise. But no one was happier to have Gabrielle and Xena there than Ephiny. With the queen in residence, Ephiny was able to step away from her usual double duties as acting-queen and regent. She enjoyed the winter for the first time in?Well, since Gabrielle had assumed the queen's mask after Melosa's death.

Ephiny turned to the taller woman next to her. Xena was dressed in a modified version of her normal leather outfit. Rather than the skirted dark leather ensemble, the warrior wore a doeskin sleeveless tunic and long pants that were intricately embroidered with thousands of tiny colored beads. The outfit had been a solstice gift from Gabrielle, who had requisitioned several of the village seamstresses to create something that would still allow Xena to wear her armor over it. Although it was sunny out, the early spring chill still clung to the air. Even Ephiny still wore her winter leathers, rather than the summer ones she preferred during the rest of the year.

Ephiny noticed that Xena was holding in a chuckle, as light blue eyes took in the two combatants on the practice field. The regent returned her attention to the pair. Even from this distance she could see they were sweating from their exertions.

"Laugh it up, Xena," the regent shot the warrior a sidelong glance. "Just wait 'til she's skilled enough to take you on with that practice sword."

Xena gave the regent a wry smirk. "Not gonna happen anytime soon, Eph."

"Oh, yeah?" Ephiny turned to face the taller woman with her hands on her leather-clad hips. "You really think she won't surpass even your skills in a few moons' time?"

Xena shook her head. "Gabrielle's skills are improving exponentially, but she still has a lot to learn about sword fighting."

"You wanna make a wager on that?" Ephiny smirked. "I give her a moon before she's kicking your butt around that field. I certainly don't envy Eponin these sessions." She glanced at the two combatants and winced when Gabrielle managed to duck the weapons master's guard and land another blow to her exposed midsection. "Believe me. I've seen the bruises first-hand."

Xena glanced at the two women facing off against each other. Gabrielle was certainly a fast learner and had far surpassed even her expectations in the six moons since they had decided to remain with the Amazons. It had been a relatively quiet time for both of them. They had explored their burgeoning relationship in ways that surprised even Xena. And Gabrielle had stubbornly taken up sword fighting in deference to her sudden violent revulsion to wielding the weapon in the wake of what Ares did to her.

***

It happened during the Thesmophoria-the festival to Demeter the Amazons used to kick off their first Market Day. Salmoneus was there to offer his expertise, as were more than half the available men from the surrounding villages. Gabrielle volunteered to start the festival off by taking up the queen's sword and raising it high overhead. She began the speech with a few words of welcome to the guests invited to share in the festivities. Unfortunately, she'd barely gotten the sword over her head when a violent wave of nausea hit her. She'd barely managed to turn aside in time to lose her entire midday meal to one side of the raised dais.

Xena remembered the moment as clearly as if it had happened just yesterday. Gabrielle was beyond embarrassed at her stomach's sudden and violent rebellion, but shrugged it off with as much aplomb as she could muster. The bard quickly handed the sword off to Ephiny, who took it with a concerned glare meant to communicate a silent question to her queen. Gabrielle merely shrugged and resumed her speech without further incident. She didn't touch the sword again and suffered no lasting effects after that-at least that anyone could tell.

It wasn't until the bard happened to pick up Xena's sword, in order to move it from one side of their shared hut to the other, that another bout of nausea hit her. When Gabrielle mentioned the second incident to Xena, the warrior put two-and-two together and did her own little experiment.

They were on the practice field during one of their daily sparring sessions, when Xena suggested they try their hand at swords. Gabrielle agreed and they each chose a well-worn, dull-edged practice sword. The instant Gabrielle held hers in front of her Xena noticed a sudden change come over the bard. The change was so unexpected, in fact, that Xena barely recognized her partner in that moment.

The bard turned three shades of green, dropped the sword and ran to the nearest tree, where she proceeded to rid herself of the rather large morning meal she had consumed just a candlemark before. Xena consoled her partner and stood by until the bout subsided, then explained to Gabrielle her theory. Gabrielle finally admitted that she was still dealing with the guilt over killing all those men during the night Ares had visited her in the guise of Xena.

***

It took four moons and a great deal of patience on both their parts for Gabrielle to finally overcome the sudden unexplainable bouts of nausea that came over her every time she picked up a sword. Gabrielle had even suggested they seek advice from Aphrodite on the subject. But Xena adamantly refused to call on any of the gods. They argued about it for a full week, until Gabrielle finally conceded the point and they let the matter drop.

Xena still remembered the look in the bard's eye when Gabrielle had tried to convince Xena that the Goddess of Love had always been on their side, even when the other gods were against them. But Xena didn't want to involve any of the gods-especially not after what happened to Gabrielle when Ares used his powers on her. Those moments were still so vividly etched in the warrior's memory that she couldn't bring herself to trust even the seemingly-benign Love Goddess.

"Hey, you two," Gabrielle's voice brought Xena out of her reverie. "How'd I do?" She looked expectantly up at Xena, as the warrior handed her a cloth to wipe the sweat from her face. "Did I pass muster this time around?"

"You're still dropping your right shoulder," Xena answered with a gentle smile. "Same shoulder you used to drop when you were sparring with the staff."

Gabrielle frowned. "You'd think I'd learn not to do that anymore." She wiped her face and then wrapped the cloth around her neck.

"You sure kicked my butt," Eponin added with a wry smirk. "Not that I'm complainin' or anything, yer maj. It's a real honor to have you beat the crap out of me every morning." She took the cloth Ephiny handed her and shot the regent a raised-brow smirk. "What? Don't you think so, Eph?"

"I think you're nuts," Ephiny shook her head with a tolerant smirk. "And now you have the honor of joining the youngsters and trying to save face with them, while you teach them how not to drop your guard against Xena, here."

Eponin glanced at the smirking warrior. "Uh, yeah," her bravado faltered. "Guess I forgot about that little detail, eh, Xena?" She moved to the warrior's side and punched Xena's shoulder. "You ready to kick my butt, too?"

Xena glanced at Gabrielle, who nodded her acquiescence. "Don't worry, Pon, I'll try to go easy on ya." She shot Gabrielle a conspiratorial wink, as she steered the reluctant weapons master toward the far side of the practice field, where a group of young Amazons were doing some warm up exercises. "See ya back at the hut," she called over her shoulder.

"Definitely," Gabrielle said, as she put a companionable arm around the regent's shoulders and steered her toward the village. "Time to do some queen stuff, I suppose."

"Try to sound a bit more enthusiastic about it, will ya?" Ephiny shot Gabrielle a teasing grin. "It's not like you get to do this while you and Xena traipse around the countryside, righting wrongs and doing the hero thing."

"Oh, I am beyond excited, let me tell ya," Gabrielle snorted. "It's my life's dream to spend candlemarks of my day arguing with a bunch of post-menopausal?"

"They're our elders, My Queen," Ephiny quickly injected before the bard could say more. "You'd do well to remember that little detail when Ignesia gets on her high horse and starts riling them up into a feeding frenzy against you. She's getting more vocal these days, by the way. You should do something about it or she'll walk all over you and take the mask from you out of spite."

"Believe me when I tell you I know how to respect my elders just as much as the next person, but?" Gabrielle shot the regent a warning glare. "Those women can't hold a candle to some of the people or immortals I've had to deal with during my travels with Xena. Ignesia is nothing more than a pesky gnat in the face of what we've gone through with Athena-or even Artemis." She scowled at the thought of those two goddesses. "Ugh, Artemis is a real piece of work. Her temper matches that red hair of hers perfectly."

Ephiny eyed the woman with a measure of reluctant respect. She'd never heard the bard talk about the gods with such disrespect before. She was a little surprised that Gabrielle mentioned them at all, especially since neither Gabrielle nor Xena seemed inclined to talk about the Olympian deities. As a matter of fact, it seemed to be a taboo subject ever since the two had decided to remain with the Amazons through the long winter.

"Please don't discount Ignesia's influence with the elders, Gabrielle," Ephiny warned. "The woman may be nothing more than a gnat to you, but she's managed to gain a strong foothold with the village council. She wields a lot of power and influence with those women, which goes a long way to elevating her in their eyes. If it continues, there's no telling what she might do. And if there's one thing I've learned about Ignesia, it's that once she gets her teeth into something, she doesn't let go until she's chewed it up good or gnawed it right off completely."

"Nice visual, Eph," Gabrielle shot the regent a sidelong glance. "You make her sound like a rabid mama badger protecting her young."

Ephiny smirked and shrugged. "If the leathers fit?"

Gabrielle set her shoulders confidently. "I'm not afraid of Ignesia or her feather-headed cohorts. She's just another fly in the ointment, as far as I'm concerned."

"And the ointment is??" Ephiny asked, as they approached the porch of the queen's hut and stopped.

"Did those messages go out to the twelve tribes?" Gabrielle turned to face the Amazon.

Ephiny crossed her arms over her chest. "Yep."

"Good," the bard nodded. "Any responses, yet?"

"Four so far. They said they'll be sending contingents by the next new moon," Ephiny answered. "Three are unsure if such a meeting is worth their time. And we have yet to hear from the farthest reaches."

"That's not all of them," Gabrielle eyed her curiously. "Which ones are we missing?"

"The northern tribes," Ephiny replied. "They refuse to come, no matter who we say we are or why we've requested their presence."

"We didn't request their presence," Gabrielle countered. "I invited them to come for a gathering of the tribes. It's time we all share our stories and our collective heritage. We need to appoint scholars to record the tribal information. It's sorely lacking, in my opinion. We need a central library of Amazon lore, traditions, ceremonies and rituals, and stories for future generations. I'd like our tribe to be the one to build it."

"Riiiight," Ephiny shifted uncomfortably. "There's more, but?"

"Spill it, Eph," Gabrielle said firmly.

She watched her friend and noted that the regent no longer made eye contact with her. That usually meant there was something the woman was too uncomfortable to say. Gabrielle waited patiently for Ephiny to continue, carefully watching for signs that she wouldn't.

"They say they won't set foot on the land where their greatest enemy resides," Ephiny finally said. "The only way they will come here is with an army of warriors. And only then it will be to wage war against us."

"War?" Gabrielle couldn't believe her ears. "What in the world did we ever do to deserve such a response?"

"Not we," Ephiny looked away uncomfortably.

"Who, then?" Gabrielle prodded.

Ephiny glanced away, before her gaze returned to a pair of curious green eyes watching her intently. "Xena."

Gabrielle thought about that for a moment, until it finally dawned on her. "Oh, yeah. I forgot about that."

Now it was the regent's turn to be confused. "Forgot about what?"

Gabrielle sighed, as she climbed the steps to the porch to escape the growing heat of the day. "I'll tell you about it after I change into something a little more comfortable." She stopped at the door and turned to face the regent. "Meet me in the war hut in a candlemark. I'll tell you what I know."

"All right," the regent agreed with a slight nod. "I'm not exactly sure what's going on, Gabrielle."

"It'll all be clear once you hear what I have to say," Gabrielle said, as she ducked inside the hut that she shared with Xena.

The place had a much homier feel than it did when they'd first arrived all those moons ago. Now, rather than just a few sparse pieces of furniture, there was actually a table with four chairs, a desk with her writing materials scattered on top of it, an intricately carved trunk at the end of the bed, two rocking chairs by the fireplace and a black bear rug on the floor between them.

Several colorful weavings hung on the walls, including Gabrielle's favorite-a landscape scene in which two figures are sitting beneath the shade of a tree near a bright blue stream. It was her favorite because Charila had given it to her and Xena as a token of her appreciation for the part they'd played in rescuing her from the slavers.

Gabrielle remembered the young woman's proud smile when she'd presented her queen with the gift. It was the same day several other artisans had arrived to redecorate the queen's hut. The women had worked from sunup till dusk, cleaning, rearranging and hanging things to make the place homier and more welcoming. Over the long winter months, Xena had worked on an addition to the one-room hut and eventually completed a small bathing room next to the stone fireplace.

When asked why she had decided to build the small room, Xena merely shrugged and said the queen should have her own private bathing room. Truth be told, Xena and Gabrielle had both become tired of sharing the communal bathing area at the far end of the village.

The room was small, but cozy. There was a beaded opening just off the main room that afforded a certain measure of privacy, as well as a single window high up on an outside wall that allowed light in and kept prying eyes out. Xena had opened the fireplace up enough to allow water to be heated right inside the bathing room, so it didn't need to be carried far. The spacious tub was built out of sturdy hardwood that had been cut, cured and sealed to prevent leaks.

A slatted floor was built a step above the main floor and allowed any spillover to drain onto the ground below. Xena had also dug a trench outside in order to allow them to just pull a plug in the tub and drain it easily. The trench extended behind the hut and carried the water away into the forest beyond. It was quite an ingenious setup and the envy of everyone in the village.

The privacy factor alone was enough to have Ephiny begging for a chance to use the bathing room almost the instant it was complete. After breaking the room in themselves-which they did with more enthusiasm than either would freely admit-Xena and Gabrielle had finally given in to the regent's incessant pleas and allowed her to use the private bath. But the queen drew the line at allowing anyone else into their private domain.

Gabrielle surveyed the interior of the hut with a grateful sigh, as she quickly divested herself of her winter leathers and stood in only a thin cotton shift. She knew her morning workout with Eponin had caused her to sweat profusely in the heavier leather garb that she tossed over the back of a chair. The weapons master was becoming more aggressive with their sparring sessions, as she realized Gabrielle's skills were improving daily. The thought put a proud smile on the woman's lips as she crossed the room to the bathing room.

The bard lifted the lid on the trunk at the foot of the bed and rifled around inside for her summer top and skirt. She'd seen Xena pack those away with the warrior's dark leathers when the chill of winter finally had them donning their winter wear. Gabrielle lifted the dark leathers out of the trunk and set them aside, then dug further down in the trunk. She came upon a cloth-wrapped bundle and lifted it out curiously.

The bundle was tied with a leather thong that Gabrielle quickly untied. She briefly eyed the bundle before unwrapping it to reveal a pair of strange daggers. Tossing the cloth back into the trunk, Gabrielle held the twin daggers up in her hands. They seemed to fit her hands perfectly, as if they had been made for her. She twirled them with expert precision, amazed that she never once cut herself on the razor-sharp blades. The blades moved in a blur, as she continued to spar against an imaginary opponent.

The blades became extensions of her arms, as Gabrielle moved around the room with practiced ease. She imagined that one rocking chair was an attacker with a sword raised to strike. She spun around and released the blade from her right hand, letting it fly into her opponent's midsection. The blade found its mark in the carved back of the rocking chair, where it stuck fast.

Gabrielle stared in amazement and then glanced at the other blade in her hand. She instinctively spun around and let the other blade fly with an overhand toss. The blade embedded deeply in the door behind her with a satisfying thunk. Gabrielle put her hands on her hips and smirked in satisfaction. She would have to ask Xena about the twin weapons, but then she thought better of it. She had no idea why the warrior had hidden them away in the bottom of the trunk or if they were even meant for her.

She quickly pulled the blade from the door and examined the deep mar in the wood, before she walked over to the rocking chair and did the same with its twin. She frowned at the gash the weapon had made in the carved back and hoped Xena didn't notice. Putting all thoughts of the weapons from her mind, Gabrielle quickly wrapped them in the cloth and retied the leather thong to her satisfaction. She shoved the bundle back into the trunk, found her summer clothes and replaced Xena's leathers, as she shut the trunk lid.

She parted the hanging beads and padded into the small room on bare feet. She smirked and was not a bit surprised to see steam still rising from the water in the tub. Xena made it a habit to ready the tub before they headed to the practice field each morning. Her need to wash off the morning grit in a hot bath was becoming so ingrained in her daily routine that Gabrielle often wondered what she would do when they returned to life on the road. Bathing in an ice cold stream or sponging off with water that had been left out all night was becoming less and less appealing to her.

The bard quickly divested herself of the last remaining piece of clothing, which she carelessly tossed into a corner of the room. She then climbed the three wooden steps that Xena had made especially for her and eased into the still-hot water.

"Ungh," Gabrielle exhaled loudly as the hot water enveloped her and the steam penetrated every pore.

Aching muscles quickly relaxed, as she sat down on a hidden bench that Xena had also added in deference to her partner's shorter stature. Of course, they both enjoyed just sitting next to each other on those occasions where they shared a bath together. The bench only took up one side of the oblong tub that was large enough for Xena to stretch out comfortably. The bottom of the tub also sloped for better drainage and to allow one to lay flat.

Gabrielle knew she didn't have much time to waste and quickly grabbed a cake of soap from a small shelf built into the wall. She sniffed the soap and savored the aroma of sandalwood, pine, palm oil, with a hint of orange and olive oil, all infused into a cake the size of her hand. Without further ado, she ducked underwater and immediately came back up. She rubbed the soap into a good lather on her short-cropped hair and dropped the cake back onto the shelf.

Gabrielle had considered letting her hair grow out again during those long, lazy winter months. The harsh northern wind was sometimes cold on her exposed ears, but she had merely shrugged off the idea and donned a fur-lined hat, instead. She'd grown quite used to not having to deal with long hair and was glad to just keep the short, wash-and-wear style that Xena had inadvertently given her when she'd been so deathly ill all those moons ago.

She remembered waking up and feeling so light, so free. And then she'd lifted a hand to her hair and discovered the reason for the strange feeling. The look in Xena's eyes was priceless and was forever burned into her memory. The warrior had had such an abashed look of expectancy that almost made the bard laugh aloud. She hadn't laughed. She had, however, asked what happened to her hair.

Gabrielle dunked her head underwater again to rinse the soap away and came up again when she felt the water shift unexpectedly around her. She wiped the water from her eyes and opened them in time to find herself in the arms of said warrior.

"Xena?" The bard exclaimed in surprise. "What on earth?"

A smirk played at the corners of the warrior's soft lips, as she closed the distance between them. She silenced the bard's protests with a lingering kiss that carried all the love she felt in her heart for the woman. When Xena pulled back slightly and gazed into green eyes glazed with passion, she smiled.

"Thought you could use a royal back scrubber," the warrior suddenly traded positions with the bard and sat down on the bench with Gabrielle seated on her lap.

Gabrielle turned and smirked up into laughing blue eyes.

"You're such a charmer, Xena," the bard said. "It's one of the many things I love about you."

"Hm," Xena leaned forward for another kiss. "Wanna clue me in on some of the others?"

Gabrielle thoughtfully considered the question for a moment. A playful gleam in sea-green eyes was the only indication that she was playing with the warrior.

"Let's see," the bard tapped a wet finger against her chin. "There's this," she leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss against Xena's jawline. "And this," her lips trailed over to an earlobe. "And definitely this?right here," she flicked her tongue against the warrior's pulse point and smiled at the indrawn breath.

"Okaaaaaay," Xena managed to utter as she felt her pulse quicken.

Gabrielle wrapped her arms around the woman and let her hands explore the submerged body, while her lips tested and tasted the warrior's damp skin above the water line. Her explorations continued until Xena couldn't stand another moment. In one swift motion, the warrior lifted Gabrielle from the water and carried her to their bed.

They continued the shared the intimacy that only they knew with each other. Hands and lips explored, while bodies melded in a dance of love that soon had them both breathless. They came together in mutual passion, until they both plunged headlong into pure bliss. Their cries of release rang through the hut and joined the morning birdsong in an unending chorus. And then the world slowly came back into focus, as they rode the last vestiges of their passions back to reality.

"That was?" Gabrielle panted breathlessly, as she tried valiantly to catch her breath.

"Fun," Xena finished for her, as she pushed a wet lock of hair out of the bard's eyes.

Xena propped herself up on an elbow and stared down into her lover's glazed eyes. They were breathing heavily from their exertions and it took several moments longer for them to recover enough to speak.

"Fun?" Gabrielle quirked a brow. "That was?fun?"

"I love you?" Xena tried to salvage the situation, as she watched irritation flare in Gabrielle's eyes. "I really do love you, Gabrielle. You're my soul's mate, my love and partner for life."

The brow hiked higher into the bard's hairline. "You just went from charming to passionate to completely clueless to poetic in the space of a few heartbeats, Xena."

"I still love you," Xena continued with an innocent smirk, as she brushed the bard's cheek with a finger. "That's gotta count for something." Then her expression turned thoughtful. "Passionate?"

Gabrielle snorted. "What I was trying to say is that it was incredible, mind-blowing, fantastic!"

Xena shrugged. "It was good."

"Just?good?" Gabrielle's expression fell.

"Well," Xena continued, "it wasn't?you know?" she shrugged. "Let's just say, I could have done much better. I shoulda gave you?um?We could have?It's?" Her face scrunched as she tried to find the right words.

"You're not a performing monkey, Xena," Gabrielle deadpanned. "Besides, lovemaking isn't a competition. It's not about trying to outdo each other. It's about sharing a part of ourselves because we want to show?because I want to show you how much you mean to me." She stroked the warrior's cheek. "I want you to know how much you-and this-means to me."

"Okaaaay," Xena conceded. "I guess that makes sense, because that's how I feel, too."

Gabrielle rested her chin on the warrior's chest. "Besides, I don't really have anything else to compare this with. Except maybe our other?um?well, you know." A blush suddenly suffused her cheeks. "Those other times were?well, good, but?"

"I know," Xena blew out another breath. "I think we're actually getting better at it."

"Do you think starting in the water had anything to do with it?" Gabrielle cocked her head to one side and glanced at the doorway to their bathing room.

"Not sure," Xena replied, as she absently ran lazy fingers up and down the bard's spine.

Gabrielle smirked, as she lifted her head enough to place a gentle, exploratory kiss on the warrior's lips. The kiss deepened until they were both eager and aroused again.

"You wanna??" Xena looked expectantly at the bard when she finally pulled away.

"I kinda promised Eph I'd meet her at the war hut," Gabrielle's expression mirrored the warrior's instant disappointment. "I'm sorry, Xena. I didn't know you were going to show up and?"

"Yeah," Xena said. "Got it."

Gabrielle shifted positions until she was on top of the larger woman. It was a new position for them and one that she wasn't hesitant to explore further. She felt a rush of warmth wash over her, as she gazed into expectant blue eyes.

"Are you sure about this?" Xena shot the bard a questioning look. "Not that I'm complaining or anything, but I don't think Ephiny will appreciate finding us in this rather?um?.compromising position. And I don't think getting dressed is an option right now."

Gabrielle planted another kiss on her lover's lips and slid off the warrior until she was lying next to Xena. She couldn't seem to motivate her rebellious body to completely break contact with the taller woman, though. She wanted?more, so much more.

The kiss deepened and became more insistent, as Gabrielle once again melded her body to Xena's. And then Gabrielle found herself on top of the warrior. The chill from their wet bodies and the air seemed to drive them both into a fevered frenzy, as they came together again with heated abandon.

Neither woman cared that it was the middle of the morning and they both had responsibilities that awaited them. They simply gave into their mutual need for each other and closed themselves off from any thoughts of the outside world, as they became lost, once again, in their lovemaking.

***

"You're late," Ephiny shot Gabrielle a wry smirk, as the bard entered the war hut and took a seat in one of the chairs across from the regent.

Gabrielle couldn't help the blush that suffused her cheeks, as she kept her gaze from meeting the regent's in an effort to keep from giving away the reason for her tardiness. When her eyes finally met Ephiny's gaze, she realized the jig was up.

"Okay, so I got a little distracted and lost track of time," Gabrielle explained lamely. "Xena?"

"Xena found you," the regent nodded sagely.

"How'd you?" Gabrielle's words trailed off, as another blush suffused her cheeks.

"Eponin returned to our hut while I was changing out of my winter leathers," Ephiny answered with a sly grin. "Don't worry, I just got here myself." She shot the bard a knowing look. "We?um?shared a little?um?snuggle time together." Her companion suddenly snorted loudly. "What?"

"Look at us, Eph," Gabrielle smiled. "We're acting like a couple of girls caught up in our first crush."

Ephiny chuckled. "Yeah," she nodded. "I'm so happy when I'm with Eponin that I just want to run around the village proclaiming my undying love for the big lug. It's embarrassing, let me tell ya. Makes me wanna throw up."

"I know exactly what you mean," Gabrielle nodded. "If Xena happens to casually brush against me while we're out and about, it's all I can do not to jump her right then and there. I've never experienced anything so explosive before. It's a little unnerving, to say the least."

"We're just a couple of sex-crazed nut balls," Ephiny shook her head in consternation. "Next thing you know we'll be having a double joining ceremony at one of Sal's market festivals."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Gabrielle groaned. "My head is still reeling from all the spirits I consumed at the last one."

Ephiny snickered. "You are such a light weight, Gab. That one was moons ago."

"Three," Gabrielle corrected. "I distinctly remember telling Salmoneus to go peddle his wares elsewhere for a while, so we could use what was left of winter to recover."

"He was really offended that you would even suggest such a thing," Ephiny chuckled. "I swear the man is insatiable when it comes to making a dinar."

"As insatiable as a couple of Amazons I know," Gabrielle winked conspiratorially.

That earned the bard a teasing glare. "Speak for yourself, queenie."

"Ooo, disrespect from the common masses," Gabrielle teased. "I could really be offended, ya know. So much so, in fact, that I might just have second thoughts about allowing you to continue as regent."

"As if," Ephiny shot her a quirked-brow look. "You know there's no one else crazy enough to take the job. No one wants to be stuck playing go-between with this hormonally charged hornet's nest of Amazon leather-heads."

"Do you regret taking the job, then?" Gabrielle suddenly sobered.

"Nah," Ephiny smiled reassuringly. "I actually enjoy a good challenge. Keeps me on my toes and helps me appreciate these moments when you return to take the reins. I'm really happy you chose me to be your regent, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle leaned forward and placed a companionable hand on the regent's bare knee. "I'm really glad you accepted the challenge," she said, as she gave the knee an affectionate pat and then sat back in her own chair again. "Now, let's get down to business."

Ephiny was a little surprised by the instant surge of desire that shot through her at Gabrielle's touch. It was really strange and totally unexpected. The feeling caught her so totally off guard, in fact, that it took her more than sixty beats of her racing heart to finally recover enough to speak again.

"What was that?" Ephiny asked in confusion.

"What?" Gabrielle innocently eyed her friend.

"Didn't you feel it?"

"Feel what, Eph?" Gabrielle returned. "I didn't feel anything."

"When you t-touched?" The regent glanced down at her knee, as if she were looking for some residual clue as to what had happened. She shook herself and returned her gaze to her clueless companion. "Tell me what's going on with you, Gab. There's something really?um?different about you."

Gabrielle shrugged. "I don't know what you mean. I'm the same person I was this morning."

"Yeah?not," Ephiny shot back with a skeptical glare. "There's something?strange about you. When you put your hand on my knee?um?I suddenly felt?Ugh!" She breathed out an exasperated sigh. "I do not have the hots for you, Gabrielle!" She shot up out of her chair and started pacing in agitation.

"Okaaaaay," Gabrielle watched her friend in utter bewilderment. "Wanna explain what you mean by that, Eph? 'Cause I don't have those feelings for you, either."

Ephiny rounded on the bard and glared at her. "You touched me and I had this sudden, overpowering urge to jump you, right here, right now!" She ran an agitated hand through her curly hair and frowned at her friend. "What in Hades was that? Why did I suddenly want to push you down right here and do things to you that only Xena should do to you?"

Gabrielle's eyes suddenly widened. "You what?" She asked quietly. "Ephiny, I?"

"No!" The regent held up a staying hand, even though Gabrielle wasn't moving toward her. "It's gone now-disappeared the instant you pulled your hand away-but?"

"I?" Gabrielle shook her head at the implications of Ephiny's words.

"What is going on with you, Gab?" Ephiny kept her distance, but couldn't help the insistent tone of her words. "Ever since we fought against that army, you've?you're not the same woman you were when we returned to the village and found out about the attack. You're not even the same woman who charged out of here to rescue those girls. I don't know what it is about you, but?" She just shook her head and sat back down in her chair. "Talk to me, Gabrielle. Tell me what happened to you between that time and now to change you so much. You don't even fight the same way you used to. It's like you're not the same woman, and yet?"

Gabrielle sighed heavily, as she realized what Ephiny was asking of her. To explain things properly she would have to relive the whole sordid tale. She didn't know if she could do it without losing herself in memories that she had tried so very hard to forget. Even after all this time, she still had nightmares about what she'd done.

"Oh, Eph," Gabrielle sighed again. "I don't even know where to begin."

"Maybe you should start at the beginning, then," Ephiny cocked her head to the side and gave her friend an encouraging half-smile.

"Okay, I told you about Britannia and what happened with that demonic entity, Dahak," Gabrielle started the tale and then launched into it with all the skills of the seasoned bard she was.

She explained what happened with Hope and didn't wipe away the tears that fell unheeded down her cheeks when she got to the part where Xena rode into the Amazon village and dragged her away behind her horse. Ephiny merely nodded knowingly and only barely winced when Gabrielle mentioned that dark time.

Then Gabrielle fast-forwarded to the illness that had nearly taken her life right there in the village. She explained in minute detail the scene of the trial involving the gods. She didn't even leave out the part about Xena's part in the murder of the leaders of the Northern Amazons. The regent merely swallowed past the lump in her throat and continued to listen with rapt attention.

Three candlemarks later, Gabrielle finally brought the tale to Ares' open betrayal in the tent she was being held in. She left out all the particulars of what he had almost accomplished, but did mention that he had somehow infused her with his godly powers and awakened something sinister inside her. She then told Ephiny about her own part in the deaths of several soldiers who attacked her. She still couldn't figure out where the sword had come from, even though she and Xena had speculated that it was probably Ares' doing. Gabrielle didn't go into a great deal of detail concerning the battle, but did mention that she still occasionally felt some residual effects from the experience.

Gabrielle then shared what had happened in the queen's hut after Ephiny, Eponin and Salmoneus left. She told Ephiny about the sudden and unexpected fury that overtook her. Then she told her about Xena's attempts to neutralize the uncontrollable bloodlust that suddenly turned her into something akin to a berserker. Gabrielle then smirked when she mentioned that Ares showed up, tried to egg her on and ended up on the receiving end of her uncontrollable fury. Ephiny actually chuckled at the vivid mental picture that the bard's words conjured, until she realized Gabrielle was no longer laughing with her.

"Did I do something wrong?" Ephiny asked and just managed to stifle the urge to put a comforting hand on her friend.

"No," Gabrielle shook her head. "I was just thinking?"

"About?" Ephiny prodded when the bard didn't immediately continue.

"Ares supposedly removed the power he infused me with," Gabrielle explained. "But maybe he didn't quite take it all away."

"What do you mean?" A confused look passed over the regent's features, before it dawned on her what Gabrielle was saying. "Uh, do you really think that's possible?"

Gabrielle shrugged. "What else would explain why I can still fight so well, and why one bout of lovemaking with Xena has me throwing sparks at my best friend?"

"Has that happened since Ares?" Ephiny added.

Gabrielle considered the question thoughtfully. "No, not that I know of. This was the first time that we ?um?Every time we?um?do it, it gets better." She looked away from the regent's expectant gaze. "It's like we're getting closer-like we're becoming?um?I don't know," she shook her head and met the hazel gaze. "It's like we're becoming one."

"I think something's up, Gabrielle," Ephiny sighed. "I really can't fit my head around this whole thing with you, Xena and the gods. What are they trying to do to you? Why the sudden interest?"

"Gods blood," Gabrielle said simply. "Hades told me Xena has some of it running through her veins, although she doesn't possess enough to make her an immortal."

"And you?"

"Dahak and Hope," Gabrielle shrugged. "When he?um?implanted his?um?demonic essence inside me?" She shuddered at the thought of what Dahak had actually done to her. The mere memory of those long, agonizing moments brought a wave of nausea to her, even after all this time. "Anyway," she managed to continue, "according to Hades, I was somehow?um?Hope somehow?" She shrugged. "I'm still not exactly sure what happened. The gist of it is that we shared the same blood during the time I carried her-which wasn't very long, by the way. I guess it was long enough, though, for her to pass some of her-demonic power, I guess you would call it?-on to me."

Ephiny could only nod in response to the extraordinary explanation her friend had just given her. It was hard enough to accept that Xena and Gabrielle associated with the gods on a regular basis, but to hear that the gods-and other beings-actually sought them out and openly interacted with them was beyond staggering.

"S-so, you're saying that you actually share the same blood as your demonic daughter?" Ephiny finally found her voice again, but eyed the bard with a measure of trepidation.

"I'm not a demon, Eph," Gabrielle said, as she watched her friend's reaction. "I'm the same person I always was, just?" She shrugged again and sighed heavily, as her head dropped forward and her chin rested on her chest. "I'm not a demon."

"Okaaaay," Ephiny pushed down her fear and moved closer to her friend.

She wanted to comfort Gabrielle, but didn't know what would happen if she touched her again. So, she just made a decision to do it anyway. She put a hand on the bard's shoulder and waited for the overwhelming feeling of desire to wash over her again. It didn't. So, she wrapped her arms around Gabrielle's shoulders and held her, while the bard cried. Sobs of confusion, pain and unassailable memories wracked Gabrielle, as Ephiny just held on tight and rode the waves of misery until they finally subsided.

"By the gods," Gabrielle finally sighed, as she impatiently wiped her cheeks and sat up again. "Sorry about that, Eph. I didn't mean to go all blubbery on you like that."

"It's okay, kiddo," the regent smirked, as she wiped the remainder of the wet from the bard's cheeks with her thumbs. "We all need a good cry from time to time. It keeps us sane."

Gabrielle chuckled. "I must be one of the sanest people in the world, then. I've cried more over the last few moons than any crazy person has a right to. Xena probably thinks I'm nuts."

"Xena loves you, Gabrielle," Ephiny lifted the bard's chin and smirked into teary green eyes. "She probably doesn't care if you're nuts. She loves the whole package, warts and all."

Gabrielle nodded. "Hey, you touched me," the sudden realization hit her.

"Yep," Ephiny said confidently. "Your little residual spark must have?I don't know?dissipated somehow."

"You mind if I?" She reached over and put a hand on the regent's knee and watched Ephiny's face. "Is it?"

"Gone," Ephiny nodded with a smirk.

Gabrielle breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank the?" She quickly stopped herself from finishing the thought.

"My sentiments, exactly," Ephiny chuckled and was happy when Gabrielle joined in.

They shared a companionable moment together, before they both realized they had other things to take care of. Gabrielle slumped in her chair at the prospect of having to face the council elders and do her queenly duties. There was nothing pressing that needed their attention at that moment but?

"Do you want to grab Eponin, and I'll go get Xena, and we can go on a picnic, just the four of us?" Gabrielle suggested.

"You do know we have a council meeting in a candlemark, don't you?" Ephiny shot the bard a raised-brow look. "You're the queen and?"

"That's right, I'm the queen," Gabrielle interrupted. "And I'm taking royal initiative and skipping the council meeting to play hooky with my friends and my partner for the rest of the afternoon."

Ephiny eyed the bard skeptically. "Okay, who are you and what have you done with my friend, Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle put a companionable arm around the regent's shoulders and squeezed. "Easy, Eph, don't lose any brain matter over this. I just want to take a day away from all this," she waved a hand around the hut and then ushered them toward the door. "We're entitled to a little time away, you know. And it's such a gorgeous day out there that we can't waste a single moment."

They stepped out into the bright sunlight and just stood there for a moment to let the sun's rays warm them.

"See?" Gabrielle rounded on the regent expectantly. "Come on, Eph. Go get Eponin and join Xena and me for a little Rho and Rho."

"Rho and Rho?"

"Rest and relaxation," Gabrielle smirked. "Even Amazon regents need to take a little break from the pomp and circumstance from time to time. It's time we spend a little quality time enjoying nature and good friends."

"Charmer," Ephiny conceded with a wry smirk. "Okay, I'll fetch Eponin and bring her along for giggles and grins."

"It's a double date, then," Gabrielle called over her shoulder, as she made her way towards the hut she shared with Xena.

She knew she probably wouldn't find the warrior lounging around the hut, but that didn't stop her from hoping. As she entered the quiet hut, she knew Xena wasn't there. Checking the empty bathing room, Gabrielle returned to the main room and sat down on the bed. She put a hand on the top cover and felt a residual dampness there. It brought a smile to her lips to realize what she and Xena had done there just a short time ago. Then the smile turned to a frown, as she suddenly remembered what she'd done to Ephiny. She sighed heavily and resolved to discuss the strange incident with her partner. Xena might be able to come up with a reason why Gabrielle had somehow transferred her feelings to the regent.

Chapter 2

Xena stood a few paces away from two seasoned warriors who were attempting to pummel each other with chobos. The club-like sticks were made of cured hardwood and the idea behind them was to beat an opponent into submission. Melosa, the former queen before Gabrielle, had chosen the weapons in her challenge against Xena, once upon a time. Xena remembered that day like it was yesterday. The shorter dark-haired queen was a force of nature as she wielded the weapons against Xena. But Xena was far more skilled with any weapon she chose to use, even the chobos. In the end, Melosa was no match for the Gabrielle's champion.

But neither of these Amazons was the equal of either her or Melosa. The two combatants fighting before her were equally skilled, but lacked the finesse that she and Melosa possessed when wielding the wooden club-like weapons. The loud crack of a chobo hitting bone rang out in the still air and Xena watched the taller of the two women grab her injured forearm.

"Shaila!" The other woman cried out, as she dropped her chobos and moved to stand next to the injured woman.

Xena also joined the pair and examined Shaila's arm. "Yep, it's broken," she said with a nod, as the woman gritted her teeth against the pain. "You should probably have Nissia set it in a splint for you."

Shaila nodded once, unable to speak through the pain her injury was causing. The other woman gingerly guided the taller Amazon off the practice field and toward the village proper. Xena just stood there for another moment and shook her head.

"Rough day at the forum?" Eponin approached her friend and slapped the warrior's shoulder armor.

"Twenty warriors in the final stages of their pregnancies, several others down with a minor fever and now I broke Shaila's arm," Xena sighed. "Gabrielle's gonna kill me when she finds out about this latest catastrophe."

The weapons master shot her companion a raised-brow look. "It's not your fault Shaila dropped her guard and gave Jala the opening she needed to strike that blow. I saw what happened. Is it a bad break?"

"No," Xena answered. "It's a clean break and should heal nicely in a moon and a half or so. It all depends on whether she listens to Nissia or not." She smirked. "You Amazon warrior types can be so pigheaded."

Eponin huffed. "Everyone listens to that old woman, even when they don't want to. She's more than a healer to these women. She's practically a goddess." She voice lowered as she looked around. "Shhhh, don't tell Artemis I said that."

Xena nodded and then stiffened. "Hello, Eph," she said as she turned to greet the newcomer. "Are you here on business? Or is this a social call?"

Ephiny shot both women a cheery smile. "I've come to invite the both of you to play hooky with Gabrielle and me."

"Hooky?" Eponin stepped up next to the regent and looked at her in confusion. "What's hooky?"

Xena hid a chuckle behind her hand, as she absently rubbed her mouth, instead. Ephiny just rolled her eyes and put an arm around the weapons master's waist.

"We're going on a picnic," the regent explained and then met Xena's amused glare. "You coming?"

"I go wherever Gabrielle goes," the warrior said with a wry smirk.

Eponin shrugged. "I guess I'm in, then."

"Okay," Ephiny said. "Then, Xena, we'll meet you at the stables with horses and a picnic basket. Please don't take too long."

The regent turned away and guided Eponin along with her. Xena watched them for a moment and then headed for the queen's hut. Her long strides took her to the front steps in no time. She climbed the steps two at a time and entered the hut without ceremony.

"Honey, I'm home!" Xena announced in a singsong voice, as she closed the door behind her.

As she turned, however, the sight that greeted her stopped her dead in her tracks. Gabrielle was standing near the open trunk with a pair of daggers in her hands. She held the silver blades in the palms of her hands and extended them toward the warrior.

"Whose are these, Xena?" Gabrielle asked in a tone that was slightly accusing.

Xena glanced at the weapons and then met the bard's icy glare. "I had them made for you, Gabrielle."

It was Gabrielle's turn to glance at the weapons, as she spun them around until the hilts faced outward and the blades pointed back at her. She did several lightning fast maneuvers until she had one of the blades pressed against Xena's throat. The warrior didn't even bat an eyelash as she waited for her partner to reveal her game.

"Why didn't you give them to me, then?" Gabrielle hissed between clenched teeth. "Seems a little strange for you to just pack them away and never mention that you had them made for me." She removed the blade from Xena's throat and spun them both in her hands several times. "They're really quite?exquisite." She extended a finger and spun one of the blades on it. "Whoever made them obviously knows his craft. They're very well balanced." She caught the spinning weapon by its hilt and examined it more closely. "What are they called?"

"Sais," Xena answered.

The warrior was a little surprised that Gabrielle was able to wield the weapons with such skill. Xena knew that her partner's skills with weapons were improving daily, especially her skill with the sword, but for Gabrielle to take up a totally new weapon with such skill was unheard of.

"Sais," Gabrielle let the name roll off her tongue, as she continued to examine the twin blades. "I've never heard you mention such a weapon before. Are they used here in Greece? Or did you run across them during your extensive travels?"

"They're from a distant land to the east," Xena replied. She watched her partner's every movement and noticed several things that alarmed her slightly. "How did you find them, Gabrielle? I packed them away at the very bottom of that trunk." She motioned toward the open trunk. "I was saving them for your birthday."

"My birthday isn't for a while, Xena," Gabrielle ran a finger down the edge of one blade. "Why didn't you just give them to me during our Solstice celebration?"

"Because," Xena answered slowly. "I didn't think you were ready to use them yet."

Gabrielle glanced at Xena out of the corner of her eye. "Don't you think my skills as a warrior have improved greatly over the long winter moons?"

"They have," Xena acknowledged. "You've improved a lot with the practice sword, Gabrielle."

"I have, haven't I," Gabrielle nodded. "Does that surprise you, Xena?" The bard stalked closer to the taller woman and circled Xena predatorily. "I'm sure it does. After all, your little protégé is no longer just a mouthy sidekick."

"You never were, Gabrielle," Xena said, as she watched the smaller woman step back in front of her. "You've always been a valued member of this team. You've just always seen yourself as something less."

"And you don't bother to set me straight, is that it, Xena?" Gabrielle hissed, as she got right up in the warrior's face again.

"What is with you, Gabrielle?" Xena asked calmly. "Why are you acting like this?" A dark brow quirked, as she glanced around the empty hut. "Did Ares visit you again?"

Gabrielle scoffed. "Ares," she shook her head and eyed the taller woman. "If I ever see that godsforsaken bastard again?" Her green eyes flashed with anger that cooled instantly. "No, Ares hasn't been here. Haven't seen him or any of them, for that matter. May they all rot in Tartarus for what they did to me."

Xena couldn't figure it out. She surveyed her otherwise even-tempered partner, but, try as she might, she couldn't quite put a finger on what was going on with Gabrielle. It wasn't like the bard to get upset over something as trivial as a hidden birthday gift. Xena wondered again if the gods weren't somehow involved. That thought just made her cringe. She was sooooo over the gods.

"Okay," Xena crossed her arms over her chest. "So what gives?"

Gabrielle took a deep breath and let it out slowly. That seemed to help dispel some of the anger she was feeling. She glanced at the weapons in her hands and then up at Xena. Sudden dawning came over her and she dropped the weapons from her hands. They landed on the wooden floor with a loud clatter. Gabrielle just watched them fall and felt a rush of relief overcome her.

Xena saw the instant change in her partner's demeanor the moment the weapons left her hands. She didn't even bother with them as she closed the distance and wrapped protective arms around Gabrielle. The bard collapsed against her and clung to her with all her might.

"Gabrielle?" Xena finally pulled back enough to look into the shorter woman's face. The anger was no longer there and was replaced with a look of confusion. "Are you okay?"

"I'm?" Gabrielle swallowed down the bile that suddenly rose in her throat. Not trusting that she wasn't going to be sick, she simply nodded.

Xena held the bard's bare shoulders and pushed her away slightly. "What happened?"

"I?I don't know, Xena," Gabrielle shoved a hand through her short hair. She glanced down at the twin blades still lying on the ground and then up at the warrior. "I found them earlier today." She swallowed down a sudden lump in her throat. "I just wanted to look at them again. So, when I came in here for?" She looked around the hut and frowned. "I don't even know what I came in here for. Anyway, it was like they were calling to me, drawing me to them. I opened the trunk, dug down for the bundle, came up with it and?"

"And?" Xena prodded.

"I?I don't remember," Gabrielle looked away. "I vaguely remember unwrapping the bundle and holding them in my hands, but?" She shook her head. "What's going on, Xena? What happened?"

Xena didn't know, but didn't want to take a chance, either. She had a good idea that the weapons were somehow enchanted with some kind of charm or spell or something, but there was no telling by whom. She briefly wondered if Cletus had somehow managed it, but then disregarded that notion. Amphipolis' smith had no reason to put Gabrielle in danger. He had only met her the one time, when he covertly took the bard's measurements for the weapons. No, there was definitely something going on and it probably had something to do with the gods-again.

Xena sighed and pulled Gabrielle into her arms. "Someone's messing with us and I intend to find out who it is." The warrior kissed the top of Gabrielle's head. "That's a promise, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle groaned into the warrior's shoulder. "Oh, tell me it isn't so, Xe. I really can't take anymore of the gods and their damned games. I thought we took care of all that when Hera and Zeus were here. I really did."

"I know, love," Xena said. "I know." She rested her chin on top of the bard's head. "I love you and we're gonna get through this, just like we always do."

Gabrielle sighed. "I know. I love you, too, Xena." Her head came up and she looked at the warrior. "Um, did I mention we're supposed to go on a picnic with Ephiny and Eponin?"

Xena snickered. "I was coming to get you. Yeah, I know. Eph said she and Eponin would get the horses and a picnic basket. You sure you can take time out of your busy schedule for a picnic?"

"More than ever," Gabrielle leaned into the warrior again. "I really don't want to deal with Amazon elders right now. Especially not after what just?happened. I really feel like I could take someone's head off by accident-or even on purpose, for that matter."

"I hear ya," Xena chuckled. "I had that same urge this morning, when three of Ignesia's minions challenged me to take them all on at once."

"What did you do?" Gabrielle looked up into laughing blue eyes.

"Walked away," Xena shrugged and watched Gabrielle's eyes widen in surprise. "What? Don't you think I have it in me to just walk away from a couple of mindless idiots?"

"No," Gabrielle answered honestly. "I just?It would have been interesting to witness."

"Left 'em all with their mouths gaping," Xena chuckled. "I guess they thought I'd actually fall for the bait."

Gabrielle patted the warrior's leather-clad belly. "Let's go see if Ephiny and Eponin are still waiting for us. I'm in the mood for that picnic."

Xena put an arm around the smaller woman shoulders. "Okay. You're the boss."

"Right," Gabrielle snorted. "Tell me that when I have another one of these stupid episodes, will ya?" She glanced at the sais on the floor. "What should we do about those?"

Xena grabbed the cloth and wrapped both blades in it, tied it and set the bundle back in the trunk. She slammed the lid shut with a resounding thud and turned to Gabrielle.

"Not taking any chances with 'em, not until we know what we're dealing with," she said as she resumed her position next to the bard and ushered them out of the hut. "Let's go forget about all this for a while."

***

Eponin was pacing for the nth time in?

"Would you please stop that!?!" Ephiny had finally had enough. "It's really annoying!"

"What!?!" Eponin rounded on the curly blond leaning casually against a rail.

The horses were tied next to the regent's shoulder and she absently ran a hand up and down the white nose of the gelding closest to her. She smirked, as the weapons master came over to lean against the fence next to her. The sun was high overhead and it was getting unseasonably warm for early spring. But the regent was enjoying the sunshine, no matter how warm it was.

"Relax," Ephiny said. "They'll be here when they get here."

"They're probably enjoying a little?you know," Eponin shrugged. "While we stand out here and sweat our asses off."

Ephiny shot the woman an incredulous glare. "Seriously, Eponin? Is that what you think of our queen?"

Eponin looked chagrined and actually shot her lover a pouty glare. "Don't tell me it didn't cross your mind, sugar lips."

"Do?not?call me that in public," the regent growled. "It's bad enough you have to do it when we're?"

"Heeeey!" The weapons master suddenly jumped forward to greet the new arrivals. "What in Hades took you two so long?" She wiggled her brows and shot Xena and Gabrielle a conspiratorial look. "Or should I ask?"

Xena glared at the Amazon, while Gabrielle just shook her head and blushed in embarrassment.

"See, toldja they were enjoyin' a little somethin' somethin'," Eponin said in a low voice to the regent, as she turned to grab the reins of two of the horses.

"Wrong again, Amazon," Xena said over the backs of the horses, as she untied the reins to the other two and handed a set to Gabrielle. "Your ride, My Queen."

Gabrielle glanced up at the big black gelding and sighed. "Do I have to?"

"They gave him to you, not me," Xena said, as she affectionately patted the neck of her Palomino. "Besides, he must be a pretty good boy if Argo can tolerate him." She patted the black gelding on the neck. "Aren'tcha boy?"

"He's a full hand taller than Argo. She's probably as scared of him as I am," Gabrielle groused, as she mounted the horse with a great deal of effort. "One thing's for sure, I'll be as tall as you in the saddle, Xena."

Xena mounted the mare's back and adjusted her seat. Then she glanced over and cocked a dark brow. "You're right. You are as tall as me on Black's back."

"Please don't call him by that name. It's way too close to the name of that goat Ares disguised himself as." Gabrielle adjusted her own seat and noticed a sword sheathed to the saddle. "What's this?"

"What?" Xena glanced at her partner.

Gabrielle pulled the sword from the sheath and held it up for Xena's inspection. "Since when do I carry a sword on my saddle?"

Xena glanced over at Ephiny and Eponin with a quirked brow. "Ladies?"

"Um," Ephiny shot Eponin a look. "You wanna answer that? Or should I?"

Eponin leaned forward in the saddle enough to see all three women at once. "We thought it would be a good idea for you to carry some kind of weapon with you, yer maj. You seem pretty comfortable with the practice sword these days, so Eph agreed to give you one of your own."

Gabrielle removed the Amazon sword from its sheath and held it in front of her. The sword was slightly smaller than the heavier practice sword and fit her hand nicely. She briefly wondered if it had been made specifically for her. The silver blade was sharpened to a razor-sharp edge and gleamed in the bright sunlight. The hilt was made of wood and bore cross slashes for an easy grip.

"And why not just give me another staff?" Gabrielle shot back. "I'm sure there are plenty of them around here. You could find me a suitable one to replace the one I lost."

"Well," Ephiny decided to take the proverbial bull by the horns. "We thought you were a little beyond that particular weapon, My Queen."

Gabrielle shot Xena a questioning glare.

"Don't look at me," Xena raised her hands in surrender. "They didn't ask my opinion on the subject."

"No, but you have an opinion," Gabrielle softened her expression to take the sting out of her tone. "Let's hear it."

"I think you need to carry something while we're out there," Xena said. "You could take a staff. It makes no difference to me what you use at this point. But you're finally comfortable enough with a sword to use it in a fight."

Gabrielle glanced at the hilt that fit her hand perfectly. "I'm still not sure I want to use one, though." She re-sheathed the sword and guided the horse away from the fence. "Let's just hope we're in for a quiet outing and leave it at that."

She kicked her mount into a trot and left the other three women in the dust as she guided the gelding toward the gate.

Ephiny glanced from Eponin to Xena. "Did we do something wrong?"

Xena shook her head, as she guided Argo away from the fence and nudged the mare into a canter. Ephiny and Eponin brought up the rear and just shrugged at each other, as they raced to catch up to the other two.

***

"I asked you here for a reason," Ignesia stood before an assemblage of more than fifty Amazons.

"Then get on with it, Ignesia!" Someone shouted from the back of the stuffy hut. "It's damned hot in here!"

Several others nodded and mumbled their agreement, as Ignesia shot a glare at the one who had shouted at her. She wasn't to be deterred, even by one of the few in her growing following who were still holding out to see if she had the courage to stand up and lead them. She was finally ready to take the first step.

"Many of you have waited patiently for this moment and it has finally arrived," Ignesia continued.

"'S about time!" The rabble-rouser shouted. "You promised us a swift rebellion against Gabrielle and her dwindling following." The woman rose to her feet and raised a fist into the air. "I say we take out the Usurper now! It's time for you to issue the Challenge!"

Ignesia held up a staying hand to quiet the crowd packed so tightly into the small hut. They had been meeting all through the winter months in the hopes that they would finally have a plan strong enough to mount an uprising against those still loyal to Gabrielle and Ephiny.

"Patience, Amazons," Ignesia said and then held up a folded parchment. "We have new allies in our silent war against the Usurper. Amazons, just like us, who want nothing more than to see Gabrielle and her warrior bitch dead." She waited for the loud roar to die down again. "The Northern Amazons will be here in no more than two moon's time."

Another woman stood up. A single thin braid hung next to her forehead, while the rest of her flaming red hair framed a face thoroughly kissed by the sun. "Death to the Usurper!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, as she raised a fist to the ceiling.

"Death to the Usurper!!" A mutual cry rang out from the gathering.

"Why would the Northern Amazons join our illustrious cause, Ignesia?" The woman asked in a quieter tone.

"Because we share a common enemy, Rena," Ignesia answered. "The warrior bitch that travels with the Usurper killed a number of their leaders many years ago and they are ready to take their revenge against her."

"How many of them are there?" Another woman rose to her feet and faced Ignesia. "Will there be enough to mount an uprising?"

"Combined with our own numbers, there will be more than enough, Shraia," Ignesia nodded. "They are sending more than a hundred armed warriors to join our cause and destroy our enemies, once and for all!"

"I know we've discussed this before, but?" Another Amazon stood up. The woman was thirty winters old and had been one of Velasca's followers. "What will happen after the queen-I mean, the Usurper-is dead? Who will become our new queen?" She glanced around at the women in her midst and then returned her attention to Ignesia. "Will you lead us, Ignesia?"

The tall Amazon braced her shoulders and crossed her arms over her ample bosom. "Is that what you want, my sisters?"

Several heads nodded, but the majority remained still. Rena stood up again and surveyed the assemblage. She put her hands on her wide hips as she turned.

"Are you all cowards that you won't speak up, then?" She asked with an angry snarl. "Ignesia has been instrumental in orchestrating this entire rebellion and you would just cast her aside once the chips are down? What kind of Amazons are you?"

A young Amazon stood up and drew her sword. "Some of us aren't quite convinced that this rebellion is worth our lives. What happens if we fail?" She looked around at the other young women around her. "And if we die? What then?"

"SIT DOWN, PATRICE!!!!" Ignesia shouted above the din the younger woman's words created.

Patrice shot a glare at the tall Amazon. "You have yet to earn my respect or the use of my sword arm, Ignesia!" She said with less bravado than before. "Queen Gabrielle and Queen Ephiny have kept the Amazons at peace for a long time-long enough for me and my sisters to become Amazons like the rest of you. We have a voice, too."

Ignesia stepped into the gathered throng and stopped in front of the young Amazon. "Peace is overrated, Patrice. You of all Amazons should know what happens when we become complacent. Wasn't Daeria your blood sister?"

Patrice lost more of her bluster and re-sheathed her sword. "Yes, she was."

"And what happened to her when that army attacked the village?" Ignesia put a hand on the younger woman's shoulder.

"She died," Patrice answered flatly.

"And who was the army really after?" Ignesia added. "Who were they searching for when they burned a path to our southern border and killed your sister?"

"Queen Gabrielle," Patrice swallowed and lowered her eyes.

"Queen Gabrielle," Ignesia acknowledged with a nod. She then turned to the assemblage and spread her arms wide. "How many more skilled warriors will we lose to the complacency that has befallen us because of our peace-loving queen and her pacifist regent? Hmmm? What will happen to the Amazons when our warriors are no longer effective against our enemies? That was what Velasca tried to instill in us! That's what we must fight to reclaim!!" Her voice rose with each declaration. "We must not stop until we are once again a force to be reckoned with!!!" She raised a fist high in the air. "TO A STRONG AMAZON NATION!!!!"

"TO A STRONG AMAZON NATION!!!!" The entire assemblage rose to their feet and shouted.

***

"?and that's how Xena saved me from being burned alive inside a cramped sarcophagus," Gabrielle finished and popped a grape in her mouth.

She was lying with her head in Xena's lap and glanced up at the warrior. Xena's eyes were closed and she appeared to be napping.

"Hey," Gabrielle slapped the warrior's belly.

"Not asleep," Xena growled. "And you forgot the part where I regained my eyesight."

"Oh, yeah," Gabrielle patted the flat stomach affectionately. "And Xena regained her eyesight," she finished with a wry smirk and a wink to the two Amazons.

"Nice," Eponin commented. She had her head in the regent's lap and was thoroughly enjoying the fact that Ephiny was running her fingers through her hair. She opened an eye and peered at the warrior propped against the boulder across from them. "Didn't know you had superpowers, Ace."

Ephiny snorted. "Oh, please."

"How else could she figure out where those guys were without seeing 'em?" Eponin challenged.

"Xena has many skills," Gabrielle answered with another wink and accepted another grape from her grinning partner.

The two Amazons chuckled.

"This was a great idea, Gabrielle," Eponin sighed in contentment. "It sure beats the snot outta watchin' a bunch of kids beatin' the snot outta each other."

Ephiny held another sweet pastry up for the weapons master, who grabbed it in her teeth and chewed enthusiastically. "It also beats listening to a bunch of elders go on and on about the glory of an indestructible Amazon Nation, hands down," she wiped the crumbs from Eponin's lips with her thumb and stuck the thumb in her own mouth. "Mmm, Pony drippings." She wiggled her eyebrows a few times.

"Hey, what were we supposed to discuss today, anyway?" Gabrielle shot the regent a questioning look.

"Um, the upcoming Gathering, I think," Ephiny answered. "The elders have been going on about some historic convergence or something."

"Convergence? Of what?" Gabrielle rose up on an elbow to meet Ephiny's gaze.

"Something about the stars aligning in perfect synchronicity on the evening of a full moon and the election of a high queen if I remember right," the regent answered. "It only comes around every fifty years or so. The elders have been chittering about it for weeks-ever since you sent out those invitations."

Gabrielle glanced at Xena. "Let me guess, it's an Amazons-only affair?"

"Yep," Ephiny nodded and then caught the warrior's glare. "Sorry, Xena."

Xena shrugged and glanced at her partner. "They gonna slather you in mud and make you howl at the moon?"

"You wish," Gabrielle scoffed and then shot Ephiny a sidelong glance. "That's not part of it, is it? Please tell me I won't have to dance naked in the moonlight."

Ephiny was thoughtful a moment, and then, "No naked dancing and no howling. Just a ceremony to appoint a collective leader of the entire Nation."

"And how is this leader chosen?" Gabrielle inquired.

"She's elected," Ephiny answered. "During several days leading up to the final night's festivities the queens compete in various contests designed to test their leadership and warrior skills. Then all the elders from the tribes meet and choose one queen to become High Queen of the Amazon Nation."

"And what does that entail?" Gabrielle eyed the regent skeptically. "What is the High Queen supposed to do?"

"She visits each of the tribes in their home villages," Ephiny explained. "She also sits in judgment over any pressing matters during her visits and deliberates between opposing parties."

"And how long does this High Queen serve in this capacity?" Xena inquired.

"Not sure," Ephiny shrugged. "We haven't had a High Queen of the entire Nation since before I was born."

"So, why have one now?" Gabrielle added.

Ephiny cocked her head as she considered the question. "I guess because it's time." She shrugged. "Sorry I can't be more informative about it, Gabrielle, but I'm just not sure of the particulars, myself. I guess we'll both need to read up on it and figure out what it's all about."

"Read up?" Gabrielle was intrigued, now.

"Yeah," Ephiny nodded. "We keep archives in a cave near the Temple of Artemis. There are more than a thousand scrolls hidden in there. The dry air helps keep them preserved."

"The Amazons have a library?" Now the bard's interest was piqued. "Why haven't I heard about this before?"

"Oh," Ephiny had the grace to look slightly abashed. "Didn't I mention the archives to you before now?"

Gabrielle just rolled her eyes and lay back down on the warrior's lap. "I can't believe you're just telling me this, Eph. How long have I been queen?"

"Long enough to learn about the archives on your own," Ephiny smirked. "All you had to do was ask, Gab. You were laid up for more than a moon during that freak illness. You could have asked someone about them then."

"If I'd known they existed," Gabrielle shot back. "I spent hours and hours and hours cooped up in that damned hut with nothing to do but stare up at the ceiling and count the knots. There are 362, in case you were wondering," she added as an afterthought.

"Sorry, Gabrielle," Ephiny said. "I rarely think of the archives, unless I need to look up some pertinent tidbit of information I can use for ammunition against the elders. They're just a bunch of dusty, boring old scribbles to me, otherwise. I don't read 'em if I don't have to and, when I do, I just skip to the good parts."

"So what exactly do they entail?" Gabrielle prodded.

"History of the Nation, mostly," Ephiny shrugged. "There's also several scrolls on the inner workings of the different tribes, a few on horticulture and herbology and healing and?I even found one that describes, in intimate detail, different positions two women can?um?er?nevermind."

"Oh, I think you should bring that one back to our hut for a little late night research," Eponin smirked. "Sounds intriguing."

"Pig," Ephiny snorted.

"Oink," the weapons master deadpanned.

"Are you two lovebirds finished?" Xena put in. "Because I think we're about to have company."

"Company?" Gabrielle jumped to her feet and waited for Xena to do the same. "Should we be ready for something?"

Xena pulled her sword from the scabbard on her back and rested it on her shoulder. "You might want to go get that sword those two yahoos tied to your saddle."

"Hey, I resemble that remark," Ephiny snorted, as she reached for her own sword and pulled it free from the scabbard lying on the blanket near her hip.

"Me, too," Eponin said in a hushed tone at a signal from Xena.

Gabrielle was just pulling her own borrowed sword from its scabbard on the black gelding's saddle, when a dozen men burst from the bushes near their picnic area. Several of the men headed straight for the three women waiting patiently for the attackers to reach them, while three others veered off toward Gabrielle and the horses.

Xena met two of the men head-on, literally. She nailed one of them in the head with the butt of her sword, turned and head-butted the second one between the eyes. Another tried to flank her, but she swung her sword around and took him down. A fourth guy charged her with a loud yell. She grabbed the dazed guy closest to her, swung him around and used him as a shield against his comrade. Guy #4 didn't have time to break off his attack and ran his friend through with a surprised grunt, before Xena sent him to Tartarus, too.

Ephiny and Eponin were busy with their own bunch of attackers. Ephiny blocked an overhead strike from a short, bald guy with tattoos all over his head. The guy sneered at her and revealed grungy teeth sharpened to little points.

"Ugh!" Ephiny winced as the guy got right up in her face and breathed his rancid breath on her. "What the Hades did you eat? A donkey's ass?"

The guy growled low in his throat and tried to bite her. She punched him in the nose and watched in satisfaction as he grabbed his face and stumbled backwards. That gave her the opening she needed to kick him in the crotch, which she did with all her might. He doubled over in agony and dropped like a stone, writhing in pain as blood continued to run freely from his broken nose.

Ephiny turned to find Eponin engaged in a heated battle with two opponents. The weapons master was holding her own against the two men, as she swung a sword and her small eating dagger to fend them off. The regent decided that her lover was actually having a good time fighting the two men and didn't want to deprive the Amazon of her fun. She turned to see where Gabrielle was and couldn't see the bard anywhere.

"Where's Gabrielle?" Ephiny shouted above the sounds of swords clanging together and men grunting.

"Horses!" Xena shouted back, as she engaged three more attackers who seemed to appear from nowhere.

Ephiny raced toward the spot where they'd left the horses. Two guys were engaged in a fight with Gabrielle, while the third sat on the back of the big black gelding with the reins of the other horses in his hand. He spotted Ephiny racing toward them and kicked the gelding hard in the sides.

Ephiny knew, from a conversation with one of the Amazon horse trainers, that kicking the gelding like that was a sure way to end up on the ground. The idiot found that out, first hand, as the black gelding suddenly reared, kicking his front hooves high into the air. The guy on his back tried valiantly to grab a hold of the black's mane, but wasn't quite fast enough. He tumbled to the ground in a heap and lay there for a moment, dazed and confused.

It only took Ephiny three heartbeats to reach the horses. She grabbed all their reins and led them far enough away that she could return to help Gabrielle. When she reached the bard, she could see that the woman was sweating profusely from her exertions, but was holding her own.

"Need some help?" Ephiny asked as she jumped right in and distracted one of the two men.

"Thanks!" Gabrielle called, as she lifted her sword high to block the downward arc of a blade.

The two women managed to maneuver their opponents and themselves until they were fighting back-to-back. It was a good thing, because the third guy recovered enough from his fall to join the fray. And he was joined by three others who appeared out of the bushes.

"Where in Hades are these guys coming from?" Gabrielle observed breathlessly, as she swung her sword in a circle above her head and brought it down in a slashing motion across the chests of two men.

As one of the men fell, he managed to drop his sword right at Gabrielle's feet. She quickly got a toe under it and kicked it up into her free hand, but found that it was far too heavy for her to wield effectively. So, instead, she hefted it like a spear and threw it with all her might at one of the men near her. The sword embedded deeply into the surprised attacker's chest and he fell backwards-dead.

A blond brow rose on the regent's face. "Nice," she commented with a proud smirk. "Didn't think you had it in you."

"You'd be surprised what I have in me these days," Gabrielle met another blade aimed for her head, but missed the second aimed for her midsection.

She managed to sidestep the second blade, but not enough for it to completely miss her exposed skin. The blade sliced into the same spot where one of the soldiers from Hades' army had wounded her. The tangy smell of her own blood wafted up and ignited her senses. Gabrielle felt her blood surge and knew a moment of intense panic and confusion.

"Eph!" She shouted.

"Yeah?!?" The regent shouted back. "I'm a little busy here, Gab!"

"Get away from here, NOW!!!" The bard fairly screamed, as she felt the bloodlust pound through her again.

"What?" Ephiny stepped back until she was standing next to the heaving bard. One look in Gabrielle's eyes and she knew fear she had never known before. "Wh-what's happening, Gab?" She was about to reach out toward the woman, but thought better of it.

Gabrielle knew she only had heartbeats before all Hades broke loose and she went into that feeding frenzy that had overtaken her on the battlefield before. She had no idea how it could be happening again, since Ares had removed his seductive spell on her in the queen's hut. But it seemed he hadn't been as thorough about it as they'd thought.

"GO!!!" Gabrielle screamed to her friend, as she spun around to run the regent's opponent through with her blade.

Having seen the crazed look in the bard's eyes, Ephiny didn't wait to ponder her options. She just spun away from Gabrielle and ran. When she was a safe distance away, she turned in time to watch a scene that she couldn't believe was playing out before her.

Gabrielle felt that strange detachment overtake her as the bloodlust kicked into high gear. It was like watching that moving picture show in the arena, when Athena had shown her what Xena had done to the Northern Amazon leaders. Except that she was inside one of the players, watching herself move like a berserker against six armed men. Her body was no longer her own.

The men didn't seem to notice when the woman in their midst suddenly transformed into something inhuman. She was still a woman in their eyes-all soft curves and golden hues. But her sword moved in a blur and two of the men lost their heads to her blade before their comrades knew what was happening. The cry of a wildcat tore from her throat, as she rounded on an attacker behind her and thrust her blade through his sternum, then yanked it up through cartilage and bone until he was almost rended in two. Blood spewed from his mouth and bathed Gabrielle in warm stickiness that fed the fires of the power that possessed her.

Her heightened hearing picked up the shocked gasps of several people around her, as a feral grin split her features and she turned crazed eyes on the three remaining men.

"GABRIELLE, NO!!!" Xena shouted from Ephiny's side.

The warrior watched in shock as the woman she knew tore through the three men like a beast. The tang of blood mixed with the cries of Gabrielle's victims reached the warrior's senses and sent fear racing through her. But Xena could do nothing except watch the scene play out before her, as Ephiny and Eponin held her back from charging into the fray.

"Don't, Xena!" Ephiny hissed into her ear. "She'll kill you, too! That's not Gabrielle!"

"But?" The warrior struggled to free herself from the Amazons' hold on her, but soon gave into the rush of emotion that washed over her. "NOOOOOOOO!!!!"

Tears coursed down the warrior's cheeks, as she realized what this latest episode would cost her partner. Nightmares, flashbacks, overwhelming bouts of guilt-those were the least of her worries. She knew the emotional toll the last episode had taken on the younger woman. Gabrielle had cried for weeks, as Xena just held her and rocked her and whispered words of encouragement to the distraught woman. Now they would have to face it all over again.

***

Green eyes fluttered open and blinked several times in an effort to focus. Gabrielle took in her surroundings and sighed. She was in the queen's hut. She glanced to her right and saw a pair of worried blue eyes watching her intently.

"What happened?" Gabrielle asked.

Xena tried valiantly to keep her face composed in an indifferent mask, but failed when a tear slipped from one blue eye to track down her cheek. She had cried enough for the both of them, as she held a vigil at her partner's bedside. She reached over and touched the bard's cheek with the backs of her fingers.

"What do you remember?" Xena asked in a voice husky with emotion.

Gabrielle breathed in and winced at the sting in her side. "Ouch!" She exclaimed quietly. "I guess I've still got a lot to learn about avoiding injuries," she quipped with a playful smirk that didn't get the desired reaction she was looking for. "Xena, what's wrong? Am I dying? Did Eph?"

Xena shook her head and covered her mouth with a hand, as she tried to get her errant emotions under control. "Eph and Eponin are fine. You're the only one of us who was injured."

"Oh," Gabrielle breathed out a sigh of relief. "So, is it that bad?"

"A flesh wound, mostly," Xena answered, as several tears escaped and she sniffed loudly.

Gabrielle girded herself and gingerly rose until she was leaning on an elbow to face the warrior. "Xena, what's wrong, then? Tell me what's going on, will you? You're scaring me."

Xena impatiently wiped the tears from her cheeks and tried to smile, but the smile didn't reach her watery eyes. "You still haven't answered my question, Gabrielle. What do you remember?"

Gabrielle considered Xena's question for a moment. She went back over what she could recall. They'd shared a picnic with Ephiny and Eponin, talked about trivial things and she'd told a few stories.

"The last thing I remember is telling that story about nearly dying in Apex's furnace," Gabrielle answered with a confused scowl.

"Do you remember the attack?" Xena prodded.

"Attack?" Gabrielle shook her head. "No, but I think I went to check on the horses for some reason."

"You went to get the sword that Eponin had made for you," Xena said.

Gabrielle shot Xena an incredulous look. "I don't use a sword, Xena. You know that. I don't kill people. Swords kill people. That's why I use a staff."

"You haven't used a staff all winter, Gabrielle," Xena tentatively explained.

"Winter?" Gabrielle shot Xena a confused glare. "It's not winter, Xena. It's not even autumn yet."

Now it was Xena's turn to be completely confused. "Gabrielle, we've been here for six moons. Don't you remember? We celebrated the harvest with the Amazons and decided to stay through the winter. It's early summer."

Despite the wound in her side, Gabrielle shot up until she was seated on the edge of the bed. "What?" She ran a hand through her hair and stopped. "Xena, why is my hair so short?"

Xena blew out a frustrated breath. "I cut it when you came down with that lung fever last summer, Gabrielle." She grasped the bard's arms and held her. "How can you remember the picnic and not remember the last six moons?"

"I don't know," Gabrielle shook her head. "I just?" She winced again at the pull in her side. "Ugh! My side really hurts, Xena. What happened?"

"It happened during the attack," Xena answered and rubbed the bard's arms. "One of them must have gotten past your guard. Ephiny says that's when you suddenly?changed."

A blond brow rose. "Changed?"

Xena nodded. "She says you told her to get away from her and then suddenly?you weren't you anymore." She met curious green eyes watching her in fascination. "I saw you, Gabrielle. You were you, but?"

"I'm the same woman I've always been," Gabrielle lifted a hand and touched the warrior's tear-streaked cheek affectionately. "Nothing's changed. I still love you, Xena. I love you with all my heart and soul."

Xena brushed a hand through Gabrielle's hair. "Nothing, except you can't remember the last six moons."

Gabrielle shrugged with a wry smirk. "We've been with the Amazons all this time. What's there to remember?"

They shared a companionable chuckle.

"I'll be right back," Xena said as she jumped to her feet and headed to the door. "I'm just going to bring someone here who might be able to shed some light on what's happened."

"Okay," Gabrielle nodded and scooted back into bed. "I'll wait for you."

Xena nodded and left the hut. She was crossing the village center when Ephiny joined her.

"I can't keep stalling, Xena," the regent ground out between clenched teeth. "It's been three days and we have important visitors who need an audience with our queen."

"Not now, Eph," Xena shot back, as she continued on.

"If not now, when?" Ephiny grabbed the warrior's arm and halted her. "I can't keep stalling with these women, Xena. They will leave and we'll never settle anything with the other tribes. What am I supposed to tell them?"

Xena rounded on the woman and glanced at the hand on her arm, which Ephiny quickly removed. "Tell them she's ill. Tell them she's injured. Tell them she's possessed. I don't give a rat's ass what you tell them, just keep stalling until I figure out what's the matter with her."

The regent shot her a quirked-browed look of confusion. "Is Gabrielle finally awake?" She watched the warrior's eyes leave hers. "She is, isn't she?" A smile broke out on her face. "That's great, then?"

"It's not great, Ephiny," Xena countered. "She doesn't remember what happened the other day and she can't remember the last six moons."

"What?" The regent exclaimed loud enough that several Amazons turned to look at them curiously.

Xena grabbed the regent's upper arm and steered her toward the hut that she'd been heading toward when Ephiny had so rudely cornered her. She stopped when they reached the healer's door and turned to face the woman.

"I know this is hard for you to believe, but?"

"Hard to believe?" Ephiny exploded. "Are you as crazy as Gabrielle seems to be these days? I can't believe you think a little memory loss is hard for me to believe after what I witnessed out there and what she told me the other day. That was not our innocent little Gabrielle who tore those men limb-from-limb like some kind of crazed, rabid beast, Xena!" She hissed. "That woman was?She did things?I have never seen another human being do the things she did to those men. It was?inhuman, to say the least."

"Are you done?" Xena put her hands on her hips and glared at the woman. "Because the woman who woke up in that hut just now is the same, relatively sane woman I know and love. She isn't anything like what we witnessed out there the other day."

Ephiny crossed her arms over her chest and eyed the warrior skeptically. "Are you sure the beast isn't just dormant somewhere inside her, waiting for the chance to make another appearance?" She rolled her tongue in her cheek. "I can't put her before the other queens until I know for sure she isn't going to go into full Amazon berserker mode again, Xena. We have to do something."

"I'm working on it," Xena replied. "Believe me, I'm just as worried about this as you are, Ephiny."

"But your existence and the existence of your people doesn't rest on the shoulders of a woman who could suddenly turn into a crazed animal," the regent shot back. "Mine does."

"Stop calling Gabrielle an animal and a beast, Ephiny," Xena growled a warning in a low tone that brooked no argument from the regent. "She's the same person she's always been, and right now she's confused and probably a little scared."

Ephiny lost some of her bluster at the warrior's words. "Okay," she held her hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry. It's just been a very frustrating couple of days."

"I know," Xena conceded. "This hasn't been easy on any of us who were there that day."

"No," Ephiny shook her head. "I can't help seeing her do those things and it makes me sick that it was Gabrielle, ya know?"

Xena nodded sadly. "I know. Me, too." She breathed out a heavy sigh and patted the regent's arm. "I'll figure this out and get our Gabrielle back. I promise."

Ephiny nodded. "I know you will, Xena," she smiled sadly. "You always seem to figure these things out and resolve them to everyone's mutual satisfaction."

"It's just one of my many skills," Xena quipped with a smirk.

"I'll leave you to it, then," Ephiny slapped the warrior's upper armband and walked away.

Xena took a deep breath, let it out slowly and then tapped on the door.

"Come," a muffled voice beckoned her inside.

"I need your help, Nissia," the warrior said as she entered the hut and closed the door behind her.

***

Ephiny, Eponin and Chilapa sat on the raised platform in the village center, sharing the evening meal together in relative silence with several queens and their advisors. A bonfire blazed in front of them and a lively group of Amazons from the six tribes present in the village were dancing and showing off their talents to those who sat watching. It wasn't a celebration so much as it was a communal gathering for a shared meal.

Twenty hunters from the various tribes had gone out that day to track game and provide meat for the entire gathering. Out of the twenty, not one had returned empty-handed. Three of the hunters from Gabrielle's village managed to fell five large bucks and one feisty boar. A party of five Macedonian Amazons managed to find several quail nests, which the cooks stuffed and presented to the queens with a flourish.

Another party that had traveled with their entire tribe all the way from Thebes found Eponin's favorite watering hole and managed to catch a large number of juicy trout and bass with nets they created out of some vines they found nearby. The Thebans, who were camped in the forest outside the Thracian village, had proudly raised their baskets of fish in triumph. Loud cheers from their sisters ushered them toward the Thracian village and continued to echo through the otherwise quiet forest. As the Thebans entered the gates of the village, the entire tribe followed the successful fisherwomen and chanted with spears and bows held high. It was quite the spectacle and one Ephiny wouldn't soon forget.

"Dinar for your thoughts," Eponin shifted closer to the regent and laid a hand on Ephiny's bare thigh, as she leaned on an elbow and glanced around at the gathered throng.

"Not really worth that much," Ephiny shot back with a wry smirk. "I was just thinking about how well the hunters did today."

"Yeah, we have enough food to last a few days, at least," Eponin chuckled. "Didn't know there were that many fish in that little lake of mine, that's for sure."

Ephiny grinned and then turned her eyes toward the queen's hut. She could just see the flicker of candlelight emanating from the hut and wondered if things were going well.

"Queen Ephiny," a large woman with an elaborate headdress decorated with huge feathers that made the woman's head look twice its actual size sat down next to her. The woman had dark skin, curly dark hair that hung down to a generous waist and dark piercing eyes that were nearly black in the daylight. "You honor us with this wonderful meal."

"Thank you, Queen Mashuka," Ephiny bowed her head and lowered her eyes in deference to the other woman's higher status. "The honor is truly ours, though. Your Amazons brought with them the finest wine and ale we've ever sampled."

Queen Mashuka's entire body seemed to undulate with good humor as she chuckled. "Only the best for our esteemed hostesses, Queen Ephiny." She glanced around the dais and returned her attention to the regent. "Speaking of hostesses, we have yet to meet your mysterious Queen Gabrielle. I see she has not yet deemed us worthy of gracing us with her presence."

The meaning of the woman's words were abundantly clear to the regent, who glanced at the hut again and noticed two figures walking toward them. She knew instantly who the two were and sighed inwardly with relief, as she stood up to greet the women.

"That is soon to change, Queen Mashuka," Ephiny stepped down from the raised platform and bowed low. "Queen Gabrielle!"

Silence quickly descended on the assemblage and all eyes turned to the two women who stepped into the light of the torches that surrounded the dais. Gabrielle wore her Amazon leathers, complete with the intricately designed bracers and a woven leather thong tied around her head to keep her overgrown bangs out of her eyes. A single eagle feather was braided into the hair on one side of her head and dangled against her cheek.

Xena stood next to and just a half-step behind her in deference to her status as queen. The warrior wore her dark leathers and brass armor, which she'd shined enough that the flickering torchlight reflected off it. The stoic warrior watched her partner mount the dais and greet the visiting queens with a confidence that fairly astounded her, especially after what she knew Gabrielle had just gone through.

***

As soon as Xena and Nissia entered the queen's hut, they found Gabrielle curled up in a ball, sweating profusely and convulsing uncontrollably. The bard was deep in the throws of some kind of nightmare-induced fit and nothing they did could bring her out of it.

They tried talking to her and yelling at her, but neither did anything to penetrate the bard's consciousness. Then Nissia tried shaking her and discovered, far too late, the folly of that action, when the convulsions increased and Gabrielle's legs kicked out and caught the older woman unawares. The healer was unprepared for the violence of the assault and was knocked back into the arms of the warrior who just managed to keep her from hitting the wall.

Xena was undaunted, as she set the healer back on her feet and reassured herself that the woman was unharmed. The warrior approached the bed, lay down on it and quickly pulled the still-convulsing woman against her, holding Gabrielle tightly with all her might. It took every ounce of her strength to keep Gabrielle from throwing them both off the bed and onto the floor, but Xena maintained her hold. At last, when it seemed that the convulsions would never end, Gabrielle finally-slowly-stilled in Xena's arms, until she was completely relaxed and her breathing returned to normal. It took a full candlemark after that for the bard to actually stir.

When Gabrielle awoke from whatever had overtaken her, Xena was still wrapped around her and Nissia was staring at her with a deep frown of worry creasing her aged brow. The first words out of Gabrielle convinced both Xena and the healer that the bard remembered nothing of what had just happened. The fit had sapped the bard's strength and left her dazed and confused for the better part of a candlemark, but other than that she was fine. It also surprised the two women when Gabrielle actually remembered that there was supposed to be a gathering of the Amazon tribes.

Xena and Nissia exchanged bewildered looks, when Gabrielle asked the healer if the tribes had arrived. And when Xena questioned her about her inability to remember what had happened over the last six moons, Gabrielle merely shrugged it off and said she remembered everything, including their picnic the other day. She even remembered going to fetch her sword from the horses and fighting off three attackers. But then things got a little fuzzy after that, Gabrielle frowned. She then glanced at the bandage around her middle and rolled her eyes. Her next words made both Nissia and Xena chuckle: "Oh, please, not again," Gabrielle had muttered with a heavy sigh.

***

"You okay?" Ephiny's voice beside her brought Xena back to the present.

"Yeah," the warrior answered.

"Is she okay?" Ephiny added with a questioning glance at the warrior's face.

She noticed Xena wore her usually stoic mask, but there was something in the warrior's pale eyes that caught the regent's attention. Xena's shoulders were also more tense than usual, as if she were waiting for something bad to happen.

Xena shrugged. "She seems fine. I guess only time will tell, though."

"Are you sure it's a good idea to bring her out here?" Ephiny continued. "I mean, she seems normal, but?"

"We're not staying long," Xena cut in. "She wanted to come do her duty, despite my protests to the contrary. She knew the other tribes were here and didn't want to saddle you with the responsibility of making her excuses."

Ephiny glanced up at Xena with surprise. "She remembers?"

Xena nodded. "When Nissia and I arrived at the hut, Gabrielle was having some kind of fit. She was convulsing uncontrollably. Long story short, it finally subsided and she woke up with her memories mostly intact."

"What caused the convulsions?"

"No idea," Xena answered. "But it was like her body and mind were fighting for control over what happened to her the other day. I think everything that's been happening to her lately is all connected somehow."

"And you think her mind won out over whatever power this is that's trying to control her?" Ephiny glanced skeptically at the woman in question, as Gabrielle conversed with the taller Queen Mashuka and the two women laughed at something that was said between them. "Is that why she remembers?"

"I don't know," Xena shrugged. "I've never run across anything like it in all my travels, except?" She shook her head. "But that's not possible."

"What?" Ephiny turned to face the warrior, whose pale eyes reflected the torchlight.

"India," Xena said quietly. "It's also called the land of Indus. It's a place many, many leagues to the south and east, where demons are known to possess people and make them do?unspeakable things."

Ephiny returned her attention to the bard, who was now surrounded by the other queens and was gesturing animatedly as she spoke. Gabrielle seemed to be in her element as she made the queens laugh with her at something she said. Sensing eyes on her, Gabrielle suddenly turned and met Ephiny's gaze with a warm smile.

"Do you really think she's possessed by a demon, Xena?" The regent asked quietly.

"I don't really know what to think anymore, Ephiny," Xena said, as Gabrielle waved them both to join her on the dais. "I've sure never heard of anyone being possessed by a demon here in Greece. Have you?"

Ephiny shook her head. "Nope."

Xena walked over to the platform and hesitated, as she turned back to the regent. "I guess there's a first time for everything."

"Leave it to Gabrielle," the regent muttered, shaking her head in dismay.

Chapter 3

"No and that's final, Gabrielle!" Xena rounded on the smaller woman. "I will not stand idly by while you risk succumbing to yet another episode like the last two. No! No! NO!"

"You can't tell me what to do or what not to do, Xena!" Gabrielle shot back angrily. "We're partners! I am not your helpless little sidekick anymore."

"No," Xena softened her tone, as she gently grasped the bard's upper arms and looked into green eyes ablaze with anger. The formerly-even-tempered bard's ire was becoming almost as inflammatory as her own, except that Gabrielle seemed unable to control it. "You never were helpless, nor were you ever my sidekick, Gabrielle. But the simple fact of the matter is I'm one of your healers and?"

"I'm fine!" Gabrielle shot back and then let her expression soften. "It's been a full moon since you removed those stitches, Xena, and I'm really tired of playing the smiling, gracious hostess, while everyone else has all the fun! I just want to do a little sparring with Eponin," her tone turned pleading. "Please? I promise not to overdo it and I'll stop immediately if I feel even a slight twinge in my side?or the rest of me, for that matter." She cocked her head and looked pleadingly at her partner. "Please?" And then she applied the puppy-dog pout for good measure. "Pleasepleasepleaseplease?"

"Oh, for the love of?" Xena threw her arms up in resignation and found herself with an armful of smiling bard.

"Me?" Gabrielle cocked her head with a playful smirk and wrapped her arms around Xena's waist. She leveraged herself up on her toes to plant a smoldering kiss on the warrior's warm lips. "I love you."

"I can't believe I fell for that look," Xena said, as she pulled the smaller woman's head toward her and planted a chaste kiss on Gabrielle's forehead. "You'd think I'd learn by now."

"Works every time," Gabrielle stepped out of Xena's embrace and quickly divested herself of her ceremonial Amazon leathers.

She tossed the outfit over the back of a chair and turned around in time to see Xena staring at her with open longing in eyes gone smoky gray with desire. The warrior's smoldering look deepened, as Gabrielle used her body to its best advantage and cocked a firm, bare hip. The naked bard knew just how to reward her partner and lover for yielding to her wishes.

With slow, deliberate strides, Gabrielle padded over to stand before the taller woman. She leaned in close, until she brushed against the taller woman. A titillating chill ran through her as she looked up into eyes smoldering with passion. Gabrielle quickly worked the ties and buckles that held the warrior's armor in place. With nimble fingers that were used to undressing the taller woman, the bard made quick work of the rest of Xena's clothes, until the warrior was standing before her in only her boots and knee bracers.

Xena closed the distance between them and kissed Gabrielle with all the passion she was feeling in that moment. Mouths and bodies danced in perfect synchronization, as they both gave in to the desire ignited between them. Soon they were lying on top of their bed, exploring each other and reveling in the love that drove them deeper into a place that only they knew.

"Please, Xe," Gabrielle inhaled deeply of the warrior's scent and reveled in all the sensations coursing through her body.

A twinkle of mischief entered smoldering blue eyes, as the warrior dipped her head and circled the bard's belly button with her tongue. The bard responded by raising her hips to urge her lover on. Gabrielle knew she was on the brink and it would take very little to send her over the edge into complete bliss, but Xena was having none of it. The warrior kissed and nipped her way down one bare hip, while her hand drew slow, gentle circles around the other.

Gabrielle groaned loudly in frustration. "Xena?" she gasped. "This really?isn't the time?"

Xena raised her head and cocked a dark brow. "And what is it you really want?" She asked in a sultry tone that she knew would drive her lover wild.

"By the gods, Xe?" Gabrielle panted and grasped the blanket with white-knuckled fists.

Xena decided to have pity on her lover. She brought Gabrielle to the brink and joined her at the edge of bliss. Waves of exquisite pleasure washed over both of them as Xena and Gabrielle plunged over the abyss of love.

That love bound them together into one soul and was worth more to them than their own pleasure. They were complete for the first time ever. They shared the same air, moving as one and tasting each other in ways they never had before. It was exquisite. Intoxicating. And then?

"Xena?Oh?GODS!!!" Gabrielle cried out her release, as her hips bucked and her entire world shattered into a thousand tiny pieces of exquisite delight.

Xena held on for dear life, anchoring herself to her soulmate, as wave upon delicious wave rolled over them both and carried them across a sea of tumultuous bliss. Then they plunged down into a whirlpool of sensations that coursed through them both. Hearts beat as one and they both gasped in unison at the intensity of the mutual awareness that cascaded over them. No words could adequately describe the intoxicating harmony they felt. They were one-body, mind and soul. Two halves inexorably joined in blissful union.

But cold reality soon came crashing back in like a refreshing waterfall, as they returned from their rapturous journey and lay spent in each other's arms. Xena somehow managed to collapse lifelessly beside the panting bard, instead of on top of her. And Gabrielle simply wrapped flaccid arms around her lover and rested her cheek against Xena's soft hair, as she tried valiantly to catch her breath and slow her racing heart.

"Gods, Xe," the bard exhaled against the warrior's hair. "What just happened?"

"Not?sure," Xena replied, as she shifted her head just enough to rest her lips against a round, firm breast. "Nothing in Elysia could compare to this." She kissed the soft skin, fondled it playfully with her tongue and inhaled deeply of the bard's distinctive scent.

"This beats the afterlife by leaps and bounds," Gabrielle sighed contentedly. "And that tickles," she added with a squirming giggle.

"Is this better?" Xena shifted again. "Mmmm?"

Gabrielle felt a rush of insatiable desire flow through her. "Definitely worth every moment," she managed to say.

Xena basked in the glow of their shared desire. It occurred to her suddenly that becoming one with the woman she loved was something that she had never anticipated in her wildest dreams. She just tossed the notion aside and concentrated on the feelings that were overwhelming her, instead. And those feelings were incredible. Extraordinary. Fantastic. Orgasmic.

***

A drop of sweat ran into her eyes as she raised the practice sword high overhead to block yet another blow and then quickly pushed off and swung for her opponent's exposed midsection. The slightly taller Amazon anticipated her move and jumped back in time to avoid a painful blow to the ribs.

Gabrielle didn't wait for her opponent to counter the attack and, instead, quickly thrust her weapon toward the Amazon's head. Eponin cocked her head to the side, again in time to avoid a blow that probably would have knocked her unconscious. But Gabrielle wasn't done. Muscles bulged, as Gabrielle spun around and met the weapons master's blade with swift, sure strikes in a combination that would have found its mark with any other opponent-except one.

The bard made the mistake of glancing over at the two women standing on the sidelines. The taller warrior had her arms crossed over her chest and was glaring right at her with unconcealed apprehension. The other woman was simply shaking her head.

And then Eponin found an opening and whacked her a good one on the side.

"Oof!" Gabrielle caught the blow just above her recently-healed wound and instinctively pulled her arm into her side to protect it.

"Sorry, my queen!" Eponin abruptly stopped and stared in surprise. "I didn't?"

"It's fine, Eponin," Gabrielle sucked in a breath and let it out slowly, as the pain subsided to a dull ache. "I think you hit me with the flat of the sword anyway."

"Yeah," Eponin agreed, as they were suddenly joined by two concerned women. "She's fine. I just caught her ribs."

"Let me see," Xena bent forward to examine the slightly-raised red mark just above the raised pink scar.

"It's fine, Xena," Gabrielle only winced slightly when the warrior prodded the area with strong fingers. "She just caught me off guard a little. It surprised me more than anything," she shot the weapons master a quick smirk. "I didn't see that one coming."

"You were distracted," Xena chided. "You're not supposed to look away from your opponent during a fight, Gabrielle. Eye contact is essential. You need to read your opponent's next move in her eyes."

Gabrielle cocked her head and smirked, as her partner straightened back up and scowled at her. "I couldn't help it," she said, affectionately patting Xena's leather-clad hip. "You're a definite distraction."

"Okay, then," Ephiny cleared her throat and looked around at the women who were starting to congregate around them, many of whom were strangers or mere acquaintances. "Show's over, people! Queen Gabrielle is fine! Go back to whatever you were doing! Nothing to see here!"

The crowd quickly dispersed, as the Amazons-both visitors and residents alike-shuffled back to their own sparring sessions. Several muttered their disapproval at being shooed away, while others just took it in stride. The latter were mostly used to seeing their queen sparring on the field right alongside them and knew the blond could hold her own, even against the weapons master.

"You two seem to draw a crowd, like bees to honey," Ephiny scoffed.

"Yeah," Eponin agreed. "Our guests can't get enough of the two of you doting on each other around here like a couple of animals in heat."

That got a raised-browed glare from a certain warrior. "Animals?" Xena growled.

"Um," Eponin nervously scratched the back of her neck. "Oh, you know what I mean, Champ."

"Nice," Gabrielle nodded in annoyance. "Next thing you'll suggest is that we have a joining ceremony and consummate our relationship in front of the whole damned Amazon Nation." She glanced at Ephiny, who remained silent, but had a twinkle of mischief in her hazel eyes. "Don't even go there, Eph. I am not coupling in front of an audience, no matter what history and tradition states."

"I wouldn't dream of it, My Queen," the regent smirked. "But?" Both Xena and Gabrielle rolled their eyes in consternation. "Hey, it would do you both good to make it official. What better way than to do have the ceremony right here while the tribes are gathered." She leaned toward Gabrielle conspiratorially. "And it might just add to your burgeoning popularity enough to get you elected High Queen of the Nation."

"Xena and I aren't?um?putting an Amazon seal on or consummating our relationship," she couldn't help the blush that infused her cheeks, "in front of the tribes, Eph. I don't care how much you try to badger us into doing so. We're very private people and we're going to keep it that way."

"Then maybe you should stop?um?" Eponin started, then thought better of continuing.

"Stop what?" Gabrielle looked at her innocently.

"Um?" the weapons master tried to stall while she came up with a suitable explanation.

"Just spit it out, Eponin," Xena glared at the woman.

"You're a little?um?loud?um?when...uh?during?um?" Eponin blushed to her roots and tried hard to hide a nervous giggle.

"What Eponin is trying so eloquently to say," Ephiny shot the weapons master an impatient glare, "is that the entire village can hear what you two are doing in your hut. You're not exactly quiet about it, if you know what I mean."

"Oh, gods," Gabrielle turned beet red and ducked into Xena's shoulder.

Xena wrapped her arms protectively around her partner and glared at the two Amazons over Gabrielle's head. "So?"

"So," Ephiny continued, undaunted by the intimidating glare. "We thought you should know that your sexual exploits are not at all a secret to us," she glanced at Eponin and then at the women on the practice field. "To any of us," she added with a wink.

A muffled groan from Xena's shoulder let them know the bard was still listening. Both Amazons couldn't help but snicker at the smaller woman's discomfort. Not even when Xena let out a warning growl did either woman cover their chuckles.

"I'm going to die of embarrassment right here and now," the bard's words were still muffled but clear enough for them to understand. Then she raised her head to look at the warrior, who was smiling affectionately down at her. "I can't?I don't?Ugh!" And she buried her face in the familiar space again.

Xena stroked the bard's hair. "It's all right, Gabrielle. They're just jealous." She shot the two women a 'come-on-argue-with-that-one' look, to which they just laughed all the harder-until Xena gave them the cold glare that could stop Zeus in his tracks. That got them. "Let's leave these two nitwits to their inappropriate amusement, shall we?"

Xena kept an arm around the bard's shoulder, as she steered them away from the practice field and a couple of laughing Amazons.

***

Gabrielle was sitting in the middle of their bed, with her bare legs stretched out and her ankles crossed. A worn scroll lay in her lap, as she scanned the section before her. Her hair was still damp from the bath she'd shared with Xena and she was dressed only in a light shift. Xena had donned her leathers and armor and headed over to the meal hut to grab something for them to eat. It was quiet in the hut, as Gabrielle continued reading.

The scroll was one of a series of scrolls she'd taken from the archival cave, where they were kept. After Ephiny had told her about the place, Gabrielle had gone exploring. With the help of an elderly Amazon, whose job it was to preside over the archives, Gabrielle discovered a treasure trove of interesting historical documents, as well as a number of scrolls that expounded on the many intricacies of Amazon Law.

Gabrielle had been amazed that the cave, which ran quite deep into the side of a low hill on the outskirts of the forest to the north of the village, was quite dry and relatively well-hidden. The mouth of the cave was covered by green vines that hid the place from view, while large bushes obscured the cave from prying eyes. It was only because of Ephiny's description of the place that Gabrielle was able to find it at all.

When she'd navigated the short tunnel that led from the mouth to the vast interior of the cave itself, Gabrielle marveled at the graphic depictions of Amazon warriors and hunters artistically displayed on the walls. The artwork, which was done in colorful dyes, was a pictorial depiction of Amazon history, various ceremonies, and battles fought and won. The artwork even extended into the interior of the cave itself and circled around the walls and up onto the ceiling.

Torches evenly spaced at intervals along the main cave itself threw light on the artwork, as well as the many scrolls tucked into niches carved into the walls. Gabrielle had even noticed several smaller offshoots from the cave and had been told that those were rooms that held archives of special value to the Amazons. One of those rooms contained the scrolls that Gabrielle was now immersed in.

She unrolled the scroll further to reveal more of the text. She had been a bit surprised to find that even these ancient texts were written in the common language. Actually, each original scroll had been painstakingly updated over the years to reflect any changes in the language or even to make something a bit more comprehensible. The Archival Mother, as the elder Amazon was called, told Gabrielle the story behind each room and each section of scrolls found in the main room itself. Gabrielle had been so fascinated by it all that she spent countless candlemarks just marveling at what she saw.

The Archival Mother had suggested that Queen Gabrielle start her actual reading with a history of the original nation itself. Those scrolls had taken her weeks to finish and she couldn't help but feel connected to those early warrior women. They were brave, unselfish and just wanted to create a community where women could thrive and love without judgment or recrimination. Of course, there were those who wanted much more.

The second scroll she'd read was about a rebellion that arose out of one queen's desire to keep the peace and another's desire to wage war against the enemies of the Nation. The queen in favor of war, Eritreius, finally got her wish when a tribe of cannibals attacked the village and killed the peaceful queen. Many of the peaceful queen's followers watched in horror as their queen was ripped apart by the voracious savages, who then devoured her flesh right before their shocked eyes.

When Eritreius and her followers returned to the village from a successful hunting foray, three-day's journey to the north, the story of what the cannibals had done to their sister spread like wildfire. Eritreius and her followers stripped themselves naked and painted their bodies with black and white dye and set off in search of their prey. The warrior women easily tracked the cannibals back to their encampment on the open plains and swooped down on them like enraged demons.

The men, who wore blue and gray paint upon their fur-clad bodies, were unprepared for the ferocity of the attack. The War Queen, as she was eventually dubbed, raised her war club high overhead and let out a high-pitched scream, as she led her warriors into the midst of their enemies, catching the men completely off guard.

The battle was the bloodiest the women had ever waged. When it ended, not a single cannibal was left alive. Blood soaked the ground and coated the women's feet, staining them red and adding to their mystique. Eritreius, who had engaged the cannibal leader in hand-to-hand combat, finally overtook him and beat him to within an inch of his life.

As he lay at her feet, bloody and nearly lifeless, she hefted her long blade high into the air in triumph and plunged it into his chest. The razor-sharp blade cut right through bone and cartilage with ease. Eritreius then pulled his still-beating heart from his chest and held it in one hand. She lifted the heart into the air to an answering roar of triumph from her followers and then sank her teeth into the still-pulsing organ.

Blood spewed from the heart and splattered bright red against pale white on the War Queen's painted torso. A surge of power seemed to infuse her at that moment and she threw back her head to cry out to the heavens above. Her cry became a plea to the heavens for ultimate power and dominance over her enemies. Blood ran bright red down her chin as the heavens opened up and answered her with flashes of lighting and booming rumbles of thunder.

One of her followers, Simonee, her favorite and the woman closest to her in age, approached her, took the heart from her hand, and bit into it, too. The two women then made love right there on the battlefield in front of everyone.

Gabrielle had been quite overwhelmed by not only the detailed descriptions scrawled in ink before her, but the intensity of the emotions shared by the writer. She wondered briefly who had been there to witness such carnality, such raw battle lust, without participating in the debauchery. Then she realized the writer was none other than Eritreius herself. The woman had done a masterful job of depicting the scene from a detached point of view, without losing any of the intensity of what transpired her.

Briefly wondering if her own actions of late were running parallel to those of Eritreius and her followers, Gabrielle quickly dismissed the notion as completely ridiculous and utterly preposterous. She had no desire to strip naked and paint her body before running off into battle. She also had no desire to eat someone's heart or taste blood on her tongue again. Her thoughts turned briefly to the soldier whose ear she had ripped completely off with her teeth, and she shuddered at what she'd done. She still had nightmares about the men she'd killed that night. The nightmares were strange-detached. In them she was more a spectator than an active participant.

Gabrielle returned her attention to the scrolls laid out in front of her. She shook off thoughts of nightmares and death, instead concentrating on the written word. The written word was safe-distant-unlike her errant thoughts.

The ten scrolls that followed the first two were filled with ceremonial rites of passage, bloody battles with a number of different armies, the rise of the centaurs and tensions that developed between the two communities. There was mention of the numerous queens and their ideas of how the tribe should be ruled and on and on. One scroll went into minute detail on the joining ceremony of a queen who believed in multiple partners and eventually took a total of nine consorts. The scroll read like a diary and went into great detail about the sexual diversity of her nine mates. Each one offered something that the others didn't. The nameless queen appreciated each one of her mates for their differences and claimed to love them all equally.

"Yeah, right," Gabrielle scoffed. She was about to toss the scroll aside when a name caught her eye. "What the?"

Gabrielle quickly skimmed through the boring details to the meat of the scroll. She discovered it was the queen's first and favorite consort, a woman named Issa, who was the one to give the queen her greatest miracle-a child to carry on the line of succession. Issa was a warrior in the queen's elite guard. She was a true warrior in every sense and protected the queen with a passion born of her role as First Consort. She was also the Queen's Champion.

When war broke out between the centaurs and Amazons, Issa led the charge to protect the village proper. She was injured and captured by one of the men who fought with the centaurs. The man dragged her back to the centaur village and staked her in the village center for all to see. He then raped her repeatedly in front of his comrades. The Amazons were finally able to rescue Issa and free her from her captors.

When she returned to the village, beaten and broken, the queen herself took care of the woman-nursed her and never left her side. Issa eventually recovered from her physical injuries, but her emotional wounds ran far too deep. They eventually discovered that Issa was with child. She lived to carry the baby to term and gave birth to a beautiful dark-haired child that the queen named as her successor. The child grew up to be an able Amazon warrior, a beautiful princess and an intelligent leader of her tribe. Her name was Melosa. Issa died shortly after Melosa's birth. She never fully recovered from the emotional toll her ordeal had taken on her.

Gabrielle stared intently at the scroll before her for a few moments, then tossed it into the pile of scrolls she'd already finished. She then picked up one of the scrolls that cited and explained the many laws that her tribe adhered to. The content of the scroll was dry and boring, but really wasn't paying it much attention. Her thoughts kept returning to Melosa. The woman hadn't exactly accepted her with open arms, but? Gabrielle tried to concentrate on the scroll in front of her, but finally gave up.

Melosa's story wasn't really what she'd expected. Then again, she didn't quite know what to expect anymore. These women weren't exactly your normal everyday peasant women who allowed their fathers to marry them off to the highest bidder. Amazons were a culturally diverse array of people from all walks of life. Some of them had been born into the tribe, while others?well?Gabrielle wondered how many of them were the product of abusive relationships. Is that why they turned to other women for love and companionship? Or was there something more?

Her thoughts invariably turned to her relationship with Xena. She couldn't help asking herself: What made two women fall in love? Then she realized she would probably never find the answer to that particular question. People fell in love for a number of reasons. Her relationship with Xena was beyond complicated most days and very simple others. Xena was the other half of her soul. When they were together Gabrielle felt complete. There was no other way of explaining it. Xena completed her.

"So, what would happen to you if you ever lost her?" Gabrielle asked herself quietly.

Boot steps on the front porch brought her instantly out of her dark thoughts.

"I'm baaaack," Xena called out, as she pushed the door open to reveal a tray piled with covered dishes. "You hungry?"

"Starving," Gabrielle smiled warmly-a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Got any goat's cheese sauce and cherries in there?"

Xena gave the bard a confused look. "Uh," she glanced at the tray and tried to remember what it contained. "I?I don't think so." The warrior set the tray on a side table and uncovered the dishes. She quickly surveyed the contents of each plate and shook her head. "Nope, no goat cheese sauce with cherries."

"Drat," Gabrielle said and then saw the apologetic look cross the warrior's features. Gabrielle shrugged, "I guess I'll just have to do without."

"I could go back and get some for you," Xena offered.

"No, that's alright," the bard shook her head, set the scroll aside and hopped from the bed. She winced slightly at the twinge in her side. "Gods, I should remember not to do that."

"Ribs still sore?" Xena asked, as she watched the bard pad over to the feast spread out before her.

"They're fine," Gabrielle replied, as she absently rubbed the spot where Eponin had gotten in a lucky blow. "Just a bruise."

"Bruised ribs can sometimes hurt worse than broken ones," Xena commented and generously piled a plate full of food for the smaller woman.

"I guess," Gabrielle shrugged and took the plate. She glanced from the pile of food to the warrior. "Are you trying to fatten me up? Or is Aristia responsible for all this? I swear she's trying to make me as big as Mashuka."

"You said you were hungry," Xena defended, as she piled another plate equally as high as the first. "I figured you wanted a variety, so I asked Aristia to give us a little of everything she had."

"Apparently we're both hungry," Gabrielle commented as she eyed both plates with a raised brow.

"Gotta keep my strength up," Xena said, as she sat down in one of the rockers near the empty fireplace and proceeded to tear the meat off a chicken leg. "Not bad."

"For what?" Gabrielle asked, as she sat down in the chair opposite her partner and dove into her food with gusto.

"Games," Xena answered between bites.

"Oh," Gabrielle chewed on a marinated olive and tossed the pit onto her plate. "Yeah, Eponin's looking forward to kicking your butt." She smirked. "Says she can beat you in at least one of the competitions."

"As if," Xena replied. "She does too good a job telegraphing every move she makes. I'm surprised you haven't picked up on that, yet. You're usually pretty good at reading people."

Gabrielle shot her partner a look. "What makes you think I haven't?"

Xena shot back a raised-brow look aimed at the bard's side. "That bruise, for one."

"That was a fluke," Gabrielle countered. "She got past my guard when I was occupied with other?um?things."

Xena waved the denuded chicken bone at the bard. "That's why you can't let your guard down during a fight, Gabrielle."

"You gonna hit me with that chicken bone?" Gabrielle teased with a smirk.

Xena glanced at the bone in her hand, then set it back on her plate. "I'm just telling you. Stay focused. You can't let your guard down when you're out there. It could mean the difference between life and death."

"Eponin won't kill me, Xena," Gabrielle sighed dramatically. "She gets totally freaked out when she even hits me, much less when she actually draws blood." She lifted her elbow and showed the warrior a small cut that was scabbed over. "She nearly fell over herself with apologies when she got behind me and nicked me last week. Even Ephiny couldn't stop apologizing for Eponin's clumsiness. It's a damned scratch. What is it with those two?"

"They're a little?um?" Xena popped an entire stuffed quail egg in her mouth and tried to finish speaking. All that came out was a muffled, "ffffjjj."

"What was that?" Gabrielle shot the warrior an admonishing look. "I couldn't hear you over that glob of food in your mouth."

"They're a little afraid," Xena said, when her mouth was empty.

"Afraid?" Gabrielle thought about that a moment. "I'm the queen. I'm not some?" It suddenly dawned on her. "Ohhhhhh," she said. "I guess I didn't?I really never thought about how killing those men looked to the rest of you."

"You scared the crap out of me, Gabrielle," Xena openly admitted. "I've never seen you go nuts like that. I nearly flew out there, except that Ephiny wouldn't let go of my arm. Kept insisting that I not try to intervene."

Gabrielle's head snapped around as she looked at the warrior in shock. "What?"

"I said?"

"No, I heard what you said," Gabrielle continued. "I'm just not sure why you said it. You're not scared of anything, Xena."

"I'm scared of losing you," the warrior admitted over the sudden lump in her throat. "Again," she added.

"I'm not?" Gabrielle shook her head as tears sprang to her eyes. She wiped them away impatiently and met the warrior's intense gaze. "I guess that goes both ways."

"Yeah," Xena smirked.

"So," Gabrielle said after several tense moments of silence. She glanced at her plate of half-eaten food, but was no longer hungry. "Ephiny tells me the Northern Amazons finally responded to the invitation she sent them."

"Oh?" Xena shot the woman a curious look, as she pushed her own food around on her plate.

Gabrielle popped another olive in her mouth and absently chewed. "They don't want anything to do with our gathering."

"Not surprising," Xena shrugged absently.

"No," Gabrielle said. "Do you think they know?about?"

"Me?" Xena finished for her. "I'm sure they're chomping at the proverbial bit to eventually sink their teeth into my leather-clad hide." She smirked wryly. "I would have been, before I met you."

"Not anymore?" Gabrielle prodded.

Xena considered the question a moment and shrugged. "Nah. I can't hold grudges anymore. It just eats at you, all that anger simmering and smoldering inside like that." She smirked. "I'm much more a here-and-now, get it over and done with, kinda gal. Can't keep the anger bottled up inside or it just festers and grows."

"Live in the moment," Gabrielle nodded. "They're not us, though."

"No, they're not," Xena said. "I just hope they don't try anything stupid while we're here."

"Me, too."

Xena shrugged. "Women do stupid things in the name of vengeance." Her expression turned thoughtful. "I remember this one time?"

"Everyone does stupid things in the name of vengeance, Xena," Gabrielle interrupted, as she lifted a pocket sandwich to her mouth and took a huge bite. "Mmmmm?"

Xena watched in amusement as Gabrielle quickly devoured the entire sandwich and licked the sauce from her fingers. She reached over and lifted a dribble of sauce from the woman's mouth, stuck her finger in her own mouth and smirked playfully.

"Mmmm," Xena uttered. "You still?" She leaned close to the woman and licked the remainder of the sauce from the corner of her mouth. "Tastes better on you," she said with her face still close to the bard's.

Gabrielle closed the distance between them and met Xena's waiting lips. The kiss deepened as they explored each other and savored the flavors they had both sampled.

"Gods!" Gabrielle exclaimed breathlessly as she pulled away first. Her eyes met Xena's and she saw the raw desire in the warrior's eyes. "Why are we so?"

"Don't know," Xena shook herself and leaned back in her chair with a heavy sigh. "I just can't?seem to get enough of you, love."

"Me, either," Gabrielle admitted on a heavy sigh, as she tried to slow her racing heart. "It's like?"

Xena glanced at the woman when Gabrielle didn't immediately continue. "Like what?"

Gabrielle glanced at the pile of scrolls on the other side of the room. "I've been reading scrolls from the archives. Some of them were?um?" She blew out a breath. "Their history is pretty?Is it getting hot in here?" She fanned herself as her eyes met Xena's.

"Oh?" Xena shot Gabrielle a questioning look. "That good, huh?"

"Well, let's just say I have a better understanding of how some of their traditions and ceremonies came into being," Gabrielle answered. "The howling at the moon tradition, especially." She stifled a shudder.

Xena's brow rose higher. "So, they really do howl at the moon?"

Gabrielle nodded. "Naked, painted from head-to-toe, but now they don't cover themselves in the blood of their enemies." She actually shivered noticeably at the memory of that particular story and its outcome. "Some of it is quite barbaric and rather disgusting."

"Sounds?um?" Xena shook her head. "I got nothin'. Sounds like the Amazons have some interesting history."

"You've no idea," Gabrielle shot back. "I did learn a little something about Melosa."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, she was born into the tribe," Gabrielle replied. "Her birth mother was the queen's consort-her first mate. She was also a seasoned warrior and leader of the elite guard. She was captured during a war with the centaurs and raped during her captivity. The Amazons rescued her and brought her home. Issa gave birth to a daughter nine moons later and died shortly thereafter.

"The queen raised the child as her own and named her as successor to the throne," Gabrielle continued. "Melosa became queen when her second mother died in another brutal war with the centaurs." She met Xena's gaze. "That probably explains why Melosa had such an aversion to centaurs and was so quick to pass judgment during that whole debacle with Terreis, Tildus and Phantes."

Xena nodded slowly. "Probably." She smirked. "Good thing we stepped in, eh?"

Gabrielle snickered. "Really good timing, I guess. Butting into other people's affairs sometimes really pays off."

Xena considered that for a moment. "I'm not so sure about the timing. I just don't believe in coincidence anymore."

Gabrielle eyed her curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Bare with me a moment," Xena continued. "What if someone or something interfered to get us involved in this whole sordid affair?"

"Okaaaay," Gabrielle still looked at Xena curiously. "Not sure I'm following you, but go on."

"What happened before we came here that first time?" Xena added. "What were we doing?"

Gabrielle considered that for a long moment. What had they been doing? She thought back to the days before she and Xena decided to take that fateful trip through Amazon territory.

"We rescued Celesta from crazy, old Sisyphus," Gabrielle finally answered. "That's when I met Talus and you sent Toxeus to the Underworld. Boy, was that a real mistake. He was such a troublemaker down there in Hades' realm."

"Exactly," Xena said with a quirked brow. "Two gods owed us favors after that one selfless act."

"And Talus died," a look of sadness came over the bard. "He was the first boy who didn't treat me like a possession."

"Okay," Xena's expression went neutral. "And what did we do before we saved Celesta?"

"Oo, Prometheus," Gabrielle perked right up. "You saved him from being chained on top of that mountain." She gave the warrior an exasperated eye roll. "I swear I thought you were going to sacrifice yourself to free him. Even Hercules and Iolaus were worried about you the entire time. Herc was ready to step in and use the sword to cut through the chains that bound Prometheus. I think he was a little surprised when you did what you did. Clever."

"Yeah, yeah," Xena waved a negligible hand. "Can't get rid of me that easily." She shot the woman a smirk. "Chalk another favor up for us. Okay, so what happened before that?"

"The Titans," Gabrielle answered. "You helped me?um?you know."

"It was an accident, Gabrielle," Xena chastised. "You didn't mean to free them. Get over it and move on."

"No, but I still feel responsible for what happened," Gabrielle shrugged. "Hyperion was a real piece of work, too. All he wanted was to awaken the rest of the Titans and destroy all humanity. I'm just glad you were there to save the day-again."

"And what is Zeus' father?" Xena asked.

"His name was Cronos. He was a Titan," Gabrielle replied matter-of-factly. "Xena, what's that got to do with the here and now?"

"Stay with me, here," Xena put up a staying finger. "Okay, and which god did we help before that?"

"Morpheus," Gabrielle shrugged. "If you call almost getting killed or becoming the bride of the God of Dreams helping."

"We helped, despite what the gods think," Xena said. "That makes four favors to none."

"Okay," Gabrielle still wasn't following, but decided to hear Xena out. It wasn't often that the warrior expounded on something with such thoughtfulness. "So?"

"So," Xena continued, as she gnawed on an olive. "The gods don't appreciate owing mortals favors, especially someone like me. We've managed to rack up at least four favors over the last few years. What does that say to you?"

"That the gods owe us big time," Gabrielle stated the obvious.

"That someone on Olympus is messing with us and has been for some time," Xena concluded. "It was no accident that Terreis died in your arms, Gabrielle."

"No," Gabrielle replied. "It was that arrow that killed her and almost started another war with the centaurs. Krycus was the mastermind behind that whole fiasco. He admitted it."

"We never found out exactly who shot Terreis," Xena popped another olive into her mouth. "For all we know it could've been any number of people who were there? or someone else entirely."

Gabrielle's expression turned incredulous. "Xena, really. The gods interfered? Come on. That's ridiculous and you know it. Besides, Terreis was an Amazon princess."

"Exactly," Xena continued. "What better way for you to become an Amazon? You become an Amazon princess and eventually become queen, especially after I won that challenge against Melosa."

"She retained the queen's mask when I left," Gabrielle clarified. "I wasn't queen, even though you won the challenge in my name. I made sure of that."

"Did you?" Xena glanced over at the smaller woman. "You made her your regent, but you still retained the mask's ultimate authority. For all intents and purposes you've been queen of the Thracian Amazons for the better part of almost three years now. You've learned things on the road that you never would have learned here in the village. You're a very well-rounded person and a born leader. Now that you've returned, you suddenly fall ill and have to remain in the village until you fully recover from that lung fever. And who gave you the illness in the first place?"

"Artemis," Gabrielle answered with far less confidence. "But?Xena what's her game, then? Why spend the last three years waiting for me to return? What is she trying to accomplish?"

Xena popped the last olive in her mouth and wiped her hands together. "I don't know, but if it is her, she's been screwing with us for far too long, Gabrielle. I'm sick of it and it's time to get to the bottom of this whole thing, once and for all."

The warrior rose from her chair and crossed the room in a few long strides. She set her plate on the sideboard and glanced back at the woman still seated in the chair in front of the empty fireplace with a smile. Then she left the spacious hut without a backward glance.

***

"I need your advice," Xena said as she sat down at the queen's table next to the curly blond regent.

Ephiny looked at the warrior over the rim of her ale mug and a blond brow rose in question. "My advice?"

Xena nodded and poured herself a mug of ale. She gulped down half the mug, set it down, then took it up and downed the remainder. She poured another full mug, downed half the mug again, set it down and looked at the regent.

"I want to know what it will take for me to become?um?Gabrielle's?" She surveyed the Amazons seated around them who were eating their evening meal. "What?" She caught the look in the woman's eyes.

Ephiny couldn't help the smile of triumph that lit her features. "You want a joining ceremony?"

Xena fidgeted uncomfortably. "Yeah," she answered and downed the remainder of her ale.

Eponin chose that moment to sit down on Ephiny's opposite side. She glanced from the warrior to the regent. "What's going on?"

Ephiny turned to greet the newcomer with a huge grin. "Xena wants to have a joining ceremony with Gabrielle."

Solari sat down across from them all and overheard Ephiny's words. "The queen and Xena are going to have a joining ceremony?"

Xena just rolled her eyes. "Oh, for the love of?" She met each gaze with her customary glare, until her gaze rested on the regent's. Then she pushed away from the table and rose to her feet. "Amazons," she growled as she left the table.

She was halfway across the village and headed to the queen's hut, when Ephiny caught up to her. "Xena," the regent was out of breath trying to keep up with the warrior's longer strides. "Slow down, will ya?"

Xena rounded on the woman. "What?"

"I'm sorry, Xena," Ephiny conceded. "I'm just really happy for you both. I didn't mean to upset you."

Xena breathed out an exasperated sigh. "It's okay, Eph. I'm just not used to having my personal business discussed in front of others."

"Hey," Ephiny patted the leather shoulder guard on Xena's armor. "I understand, Xena. I really do. But you have to understand that having our queen take a consort is a really big deal. It's?" She put her hands by her head and spread them wide. "It's bigger than this gathering, even." Her expression turned thoughtful. "Of course, the queen becoming pregnant with the heir to the throne is?" Her gaze met Xena's and she stopped.

"Not within my power," Xena stated flatly.

"Okay," Ephiny's gaze shifted and she saw a gathering of Macedonian Amazons near a huge bonfire, then she glanced up at the cloudless sky. "You have to become an Amazon, Xena."

Xena stopped and it took the regent a few strides to realize the warrior was no longer beside her. Ephiny finally stopped and turned back to the tall warrior.

"You said you wanted to know what it would take to become the queen's consort," Ephiny said. "That's your answer."

Xena rolled her tongue in her cheek as she stepped up beside the woman. "I'm not the Amazon type, Eph."

Ephiny cocked her head. "And what does that mean, exactly? You're more Amazon than you might think, actually. You have the warrior skills down pat and you're a woman. What more is there?"

Xena considered that for a moment. "I'm not a joiner."

"A what?" Ephiny snorted. "What's a joiner?"

"I don't do crowds," Xena attempted to clarify. "I never?I lead?I don't?"

"You led an army, Xena," Ephiny shot the warrior a raised-brow glare. "You were surrounded by an army of men. How is becoming an Amazon any different? You won't be queen, just her consort. You sit by her side, offer advice when she asks for it, bed her when?okay, I don't even want to go there right now. Anyway, you two would be a couple, a team-partners in every way. You would still be Queen's Champion and face anyone who tries to challenge her. She would still rule the tribe-the entire Nation, if she becomes High Queen. The two of you could travel the countryside, righting wrongs and doing your thing. The only difference would be that your union would be sealed in the annals of Amazon history."

"When I led the army," Xena began, "I didn't interact with them more than I had to. My orders were filtered through my commanders down to the men and I?I remained separate from them whenever possible. The only one I had any intimate contact with was Borias."

"Borias?" Ephiny's expression turned hopeful, as she waited for the warrior to elaborate.

"Solon's father," Xena explained and received a nod of understanding from the shorter woman. "He and I were?He was?" Xena finished with a shrug. "Everything fell apart after I gave birth to my son-our son. Borias was killed and I gave the baby up to Kaleipus to raise as his own son. Solon never knew me in this life as more than a friend of his father's. It wasn't until Gabrielle and I went to Illusia that he called me Mother." She shook off the memories. "Anyway, I'm not a joiner. I don't do the whole join-this-or-that group in order to fit in."

"Would you do it for Gabrielle's sake?" Ephiny asked.

"I would walk through the fires of Tartarus for eternity for Gabrielle," Xena answered emphatically.

"And people say you're not the poet in the duo," Ephiny smirked.

"They do?" Xena shot the woman a skeptical glare.

"Not really," Ephiny deadpanned. "They're really only impressed by your fighting skills. They don't talk about much more than that."

"Okay, so how do I become an Amazon?" Xena asked. "What's it gonna take?"

"Actually, the whole thing is fairly simple," Ephiny continued. "We have several youngsters scheduled for initiation into the tribe at the next new moon. I'm sure the priestesses would welcome one more addition to the ceremony."

"Does it entail naked Amazons, paint and howling at the moon?" Xena asked with reluctance.

"New moon, Xena," Ephiny clarified. "There won't be a moon in the sky that night."

"Ah," Xena nodded, then thought about it. "You didn't?"

"Down, Xena," Ephiny chuckled and patted the woman's arm. "I'm just teasing." Her expression sobered. "I'll let the priestesses know you're interested in becoming a member of the tribe and ask them to run you through the paces in time for the next new moon."

Xena glanced up at the sliver of moon and mentally calculated the time until the next new moon. Not long now, she mused silently.

"Are you sure it can happen by then?" Xena asked.

"Trust me," Ephiny smirked. "You're already well on your way to becoming an Amazon, Xena. The priestesses will explain what the ceremony entails and your part in it. It is all fairly straightforward and simple." She glanced up at the woman with a wry smirk. "You can do simple and straightforward, right?" She watched the warrior nod. "Good, then you'll have no problem."

Xena watched the regent walk away with a jaunty spring in her step and could only shake her head in consternation. She didn't know if she really wanted to join the ranks of the women she was so used to making fun of. Of course, her partner was a member of the tribe, so how bad could it really be? Xena shuddered to think of what she was getting herself into, then glanced over as a trio of very pregnant Amazons walking by her. The women glanced in her direction, waved friendly greetings and continued on their way.

Xena shuddered again and headed toward the queen's hut with purposeful strides.

Chapter 4

The games began with a flowery speech from each of the six queens who were present at the Gathering. Queens Besine, Trika, Jalile, Sherina, and Mashuka had already expounded on the skills of their warriors in battle and their own skills as a leaders and warriors of their tribes. Mashuka's speech had, which lasted a full candlemark and was met with cheers and jeers from those gathered, was the last to be given by the visiting queens. Gabrielle barely paid it any heed, as she gathered her own thoughts and waited patiently for the large woman to finish.

Gabrielle had spent the better part of two days preparing her speech. Ephiny gave her a heads-up just a few days prior to the impending games, letting her know that she was to be the last queen to speak and the one to open the games. Gabrielle wasn't worried. As a matter of fact, she was completely in her element. It was the games themselves that worried her just a little.

She'd been sparring with Eponin for the better part of a moon without incident. Her skills with the practice sword were unmatched by any of her sparring partners and she'd finally challenged Xena to a session, much to the warrior's dismay.

***

Summer was in full swing on the bright, sunny day that Gabrielle walked up to her partner-who she hadn't seen very much of in recent days-and issued a challenge. Eponin merely shrugged when the tall warrior glanced her way.

"Don't look at me, Xena," the weapons master said. "I didn't put her up to this. She came up with it all on her own."

Xena then returned her attention to the smaller woman in front of her. "Are you sure about this?"

"I am," Gabrielle answered with confidence and a touch of cockiness. "After all, this is what we've been working toward."

Xena walked over to the array of practice weapons kept at the edge of the practice field and chose a sword that fit her hand rather well. She then returned to her protégé with reluctant strides and stood in front of the smaller woman.

"I promise to go easy on you, Gabrielle," Xena said in a hushed voice.

Eponin snickered. "Can't say she'll do the same."

The two combatants raised their weapons and set their stances. Xena was mildly surprised to see how well-balanced and relaxed Gabrielle appeared. She would have thought their first sword session together would be like their first staff session.

Gabrielle had been the tentative one that first time out and had actually thought the taller woman would hurt her. Xena had been the modicum of patience. She had used the session to teach the younger woman how to hold a staff more firmly and use her smaller stature to her advantage against a larger opponent. By the end, Gabrielle gained confidence and put Xena through her paces with a skill that was mildly surprising to them both.

But the woman facing her now was far different than the one wielding a staff. This Gabrielle exuded confidence right from the get-go. She even took the initiative and began the session with a combination series that had Xena instantly on the defensive. Not only had Gabrielle gained strength over the last few moons, but she had also learned to anticipate her opponents' moves by watching their eyes. Her intense, green gaze never faltered, even when Xena did a flip over her head and ended up behind her.

The warrior attempted to bring the flat of her sword against her partner's backside, just to teach her a lesson, but was surprised when Gabrielle actually spun away from her in time to catch her blade on Xena's. Their swords clashed with a resounding clang that carried across the practice field and to the ears of everyone in the area.

Neither woman realized when a large crowd of onlookers quickly gathered around them, including several curious queens, as well as Ignesia and several of her followers. Gabrielle only had eyes for the woman trying valiantly to disarm her. While Xena was beginning to realize that her opponent was far more skilled than she'd originally given Gabrielle credit for. The warrior stepped up her attack, deciding to put her smaller partner through paces she had yet to face against a real opponent.

Gabrielle took the increased pace in stride, as Xena took their session to the next level. Gabrielle felt her heart rate and breathing increase, but kept her focus on the woman before her. Her mind anticipated Xena's moves and she countered them with equal quickness and managed to deliver a few counter moves of her own. It became a battle of wills, as each woman moved in a blur of thrusts, parries, attacks and counterattacks.

Xena was amazed that Gabrielle actually kept her head during the entire session, while Gabrielle merely let the moves she'd been taught flow through her. Both were amazed how easily and skillfully they sparred together. It was as if they were one and they were simply sharing a dance that they both knew by heart. Neither woman moved without the other countering the exact move. Neither stepped out of time to a beat that Gabrielle suddenly realized matched her own heartbeat.

And as soon as the realization hit her, the spell was broken. The jeers and cheers of the crowd came pouring through her mind and her eyes left Xena's to glance at the huge crowd that she suddenly became aware of. Xena took advantage of the opening to gracefully flip Gabrielle's sword from her hand into the air. The warrior caught the sword by its hilt with a triumphant smirk and nodded at her opponent.

The crowd roared a deafening cheer.

***

Then Gabrielle realized the roar of the crowd was actually real as her thoughts returned to the present. Queen Mashuka was bowing to the gathered throng and raised clasped fists in triumph, as she moved aside to allow Gabrielle the floor. The bard girded herself for her speech and stepped into the center of the dais. She raised her hands to quiet the crowd and waited patiently for them the roar to die down to a few murmurs. She scanned the crowd and met a pair of amused blue eyes watching her intently from the last very back.

It warmed her heart to know that Xena was actually there, even if the warrior wasn't right beside her. They had agreed before the start of the games that Xena would be there, but would keep her distance from the woman she loved. After all, Xena wasn't an Amazon and was not allowed near the queen's dais, at least according to protocol.

Gabrielle, on the other hand, was ready to throw protocol out the window. She wanted nothing more than to feel the presence of her partner right there with her. And feel her she could, at least when they were in close proximity. Over the last few moons they had developed a bond of sorts and could tell when the other was near. There was no explaining it. They just knew.

Gabrielle reluctantly pulled her gaze from her partner and let it wander over the gathered throng. Several of the pregnant warriors were absent, she noticed, while others were standing by with hands held to their aching backs and protruding stomachs. They were all in the last days of pregnancy and not one of them had yet to give birth. The entire tribe seemed to be on edge and were waiting with baited breath for that first arrival-an arrival that had yet to come.

A hush fell over the crowd, as Gabrielle lowered her hands in preparation for her speech. And then a loud, high-pitched cry suddenly pierced the silence. The cry lasted only a moment, but all heads turned expectantly toward the healer's hut from whence the cry came. At that same instant Nissia emerged from the hut with a cloth-wrapped bundle held high in her gnarled hands.

"Behold!" The healer shouted in a voice loud enough to carry over the entire gathering. "Artemis be praised! New life has blessed the Amazon Nation!!!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, applause, whoops and hollers of triumph, as the healer carried the screaming babe back inside. A broad smile lit Gabrielle's features, as she mentally changed her speech to include this latest development.

"Sister Amazons!!!" She finally shouted over the continuing noise and clamber before her. She waited several heartbeats until the noise died down to a more manageable level, then continued in her strong bardic voice, "Today is a day of new beginnings!" The crowd cheered again, and again Gabrielle patiently waited. "We have gathered here to experience a rich tradition set forth by our foremothers, to share our rich stories and to fellowship together as sisters, united in our rich heritage and our diversity?"

Her speech continued, as she touched on the blessing of a new generation of Amazons who would someday take their place as leaders for a new age. She also touched upon the history that had brought them all to this point in time. There were cheers in appropriate places and loud groans in others, but all in all Gabrielle's speech far surpassed the speeches given by the other queens. She used her bardic talents to their fullest measure and took them on a journey heaped in tradition and filled with strong images of unity, peace, and prosperity.

Gabrielle glanced out over the crowd and saw Ignesia watching her through hooded eyes. The woman stood a head taller than others around her and was amongst a group of her tribeswomen. As Gabrielle's speech reached its last crescendo, she gazed intently at Ignesia, who stood opposite her partner in the crowd. Gabrielle noticed something in the woman's eyes that sent a shiver of warning down her spine. She then glanced over at Xena and saw a proud smirk on the warrior's lips.

"TO A STRONG AMAZON NATION!!!" Gabrielle shouted, as she raised a fist into the air.

The crowd erupted in cheers and chants. "To a strong Amazon Nation!" reverberated through the entire assembly and continued, as Amazons raised their fists and danced around to the beat of the insistent chant.

Gabrielle raised her hands above the assembly one last time and felt the hush that settled over the women. She smiled over them, "May the games begin!"

More cheers and chanting followed, as the assembled women went off in different directions. Gabrielle waited patiently for the crowd to break up and accepted accolades from her fellow queens. Then Ephiny stepped up beside her with a wry grin.

"Interesting timing," the regent commented. "Played right into your hands, I'd say."

Gabrielle glanced at the woman. "Please don't say it was anything more than coincidence, Eph."

"I'm just sayin'," Ephiny held her hands in front of her. "Couldn't have come at a more opportune time, if you ask me. Gave you the opening you needed to really get them into the swing. You're a real pro at using the unexpected to set a tone, let me tell ya."

"I learned from the best," Gabrielle shrugged, as Xena joined them on the dais. "Hey, stranger." The bard's face lit up, as the warrior stepped in and put an arm around her shoulders. Gabrielle patted the leather-clad belly and wrapped a protective arm around Xena's waist. "You ready to go show these Amazons what a real warrior can do, Tiger?"

"Grrr," Xena deadpanned, much to Ephiny's amusement.

"Go easy on my girl, there, will ya, Xena?" Ephiny shot the warrior a pleading look. "I would really like to celebrate a victory or two, rather than have to listen to her go on and on about how you totally kicked her butt in every event. Eponin's ego is sometimes dwarfed only by her?um?insatiable appetite."

Gabrielle's brow hiked into her hairline. "I thought I was the one who ate anything and everything in sight."

Xena and Ephiny couldn't help but chuckle and tried to hide their sudden amusement behind their hands.

"Ohhhhh, I get it," Gabrielle suddenly said. "You weren't talking about that kind of appetite." She scoffed. "You'd think I'd learn not to fall into those verbal traps anymore."

"Like you've learned not to let your focus suddenly falter during inopportune moments?" Xena shot back. "I don't think so."

"Hey, I'm getting better at that," the bard defended. "We actually gathered quite a crowd during our last sparring session, before I suddenly realized we had so many onlookers. My concentration only faltered when I looked around at them all."

"You wouldn't make it as a gladiator, let me tell ya," Xena just shook her head. "One loud cheer from the crowd and it would be all over. You'd be dead."

Gabrielle slapped the warrior's belly. "I'm not that bad." Then she shot Xena a questioning look. "Am I?"

Xena just shook her head. "Are you ready to preside over an event or two, my queen?" She bowed low and offered an arm to her smaller partner, who rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Please don't do that, Xena," Gabrielle took the warrior's arm anyway. "I'm not your queen and you don't bow before anyone, especially me."

Xena just smirked. "I would spend an eternity in Tartarus, if only to see that spark of love reflected back at me through your eyes, Gabrielle."

"Which of us is the bard in the family?" Gabrielle snorted. "I think you missed your calling, Warrior Poet Laureate."

"Nah," Xena returned with a wry grin. "I just have many skills."

They both laughed as they made their way to a small group of women armed with bows and arrows and gathered on the archery range.

***

The celebration that night was in full swing. Amazons were deep in their cups, sharing stories, dancing by the light of the blazing bonfire and laughing together like old friends. Ignesia sat amidst her most loyal followers and kept her eyes half-trained on the raised dais before her. She'd had to bite her tongue in order to keep from speaking out during the opening speeches that afternoon. It had been especially difficult to remain silent when Gabrielle had launched into a flowery and rather nauseating spiel about the glorious Amazon history and heritage that Ignesia held so dear.

But she endured the speech in silence and managed to slip from the crowd without anyone the wiser. That's when she met up with her contact from the Northern Amazon tribe. The woman was dressed in full Amazon regalia and wore long pants and a long-sleeved tunic, despite the sweltering heat of mid-summer. They met in an obscure area of the forest, far from spying eyes and prying ears.

Ignesia let a small smile of triumph play at the corners of her lips, as she sipped her wine and continued to watch the antics of the women on the dais. But her jaw stiffened at the sight of Gabrielle in the arms of Xena. The warrior was practically wrapped around the smaller woman like a second skin. It was a problem and one that would soon be dealt with in good stead.

"Drakma for your thoughts, Iggie," a hand played on her bare thigh at the edges of Ignesia's leather skirt and she looked down at it before meeting the eyes of the woman it belonged to. "What?"

Ignesia set her cup aside and put her own hand on the other woman's, then guided it beneath the leather until the woman's fingers brushed her sex. Ignesia then gazed deeply into Rena's pale gray eyes, as she snaked a hand through the woman's flaming red hair and firmly grasped the back of her neck. She could see the passion flare in those gray eyes, as she closed the distance between them and took the woman's mouth in a kiss that was more domineering than sensual or seductive.

The kiss deepened, as Rena moved closer and thrust strong fingers inside the woman. She set a steady cadence and brought Ignesia to a quick climax, reveling in the feel of the woman against her hand. When Ignesia finally pulled away, Rena gazed into eyes that were darker than the night around them.

"Are you pleased?" Rena asked in a tone barely above a whisper, as she felt her own body react to the woman's nearness.

In answer, Ignesia took Rena's mouth in another bruising kiss and effortlessly lifted the woman onto her lap. She'd had a special device sewn into her leather skirt for just such occasions and now shifted it into position until she felt the woman gasp against her lips.

Ignesia pulled back slightly, just enough to gaze into Rena's startled eyes, as she began to thrust in time with the beating of the drums. "You are a beautiful woman, Rena," Ignesia said, as she continued to thrust the hard, leather phallus into the young woman. "You deserve to feel me inside you-to know what no other has known before."

Rena couldn't wrap her mind around what she was feeling. It wasn't possible that the woman possessed a man's appendage, yet that was exactly what she was experiencing. Her mind was awhirl with the sensations that were coursing through her, as Ignesia recaptured her bruised and swollen lips possessively.

The redhead just held on for dear life as Ignesia brought her to the pinnacle of a climax that had her screaming above the sounds of the drumbeats and chanting. No one appeared to pay them any heed, as Rena slowly returned to earth and collapsed against the woman whose lap she still occupied.

"How?" the redhead panted breathlessly, as she tried to catch her breath.

"Shh," Ignesia gently lifted the woman off of her and discreetly tucked the device back into the folds of her short skirt. "It's our little secret," she whispered the words against the young woman's neck, as she laid Rena on the fur next to her.

The celebration taking place all around them seemed to disappear from both women's minds, as Ignesia gazed down into gray eyes shining with wonder. Ignesia, who was larger than the redhead, covered Rena with her body. She was careful not to reveal anything to the woman, as they continued their mutual explorations.

Ignesia suddenly jumped to her feet and held out a hand to the redhead. "Come with me," she beckoned to the startled woman. "I want to show you something."

Rena merely nodded and took the outstretched hand. Ignesia deftly pulled her to her feet and strong hands steadied her when she nearly toppled from a swift bout of vertigo that overcame her. When she nodded that she was okay, Ignesia led them away from the village center and they disappeared into the darkness.

***

"She's up to something," Ephiny commented to Gabrielle, who was once again wrapped in her partner's embrace.

"Who?" Gabrielle eyed the regent.

"Ignesia," Ephiny said, as she nodded towards the crowd. "I just saw her disappear with Rena a moment ago."

"Maybe they're just?" Gabrielle shrugged and hid her embarrassment in her mug of sweet mead. The heady brew tickled her tongue and she knew she was already slightly drunk, if not totally sauced. "There seems to be a lot of that going around."

"'Cept wif our new mudders," Eponin snorted and nearly fell over sideways, except that Ephiny managed to right her in the nick of time. "Can't believe 'leven of 'em gave birth in a same day," she hiccupped loudly after the last word. "'S really an-an-any?um?weird to haf Nississa wavin' thos' babies 'round all day." Her speech was really slurred, but she managed to lift her mug of ale to her lips and down the rest of it in one, loud gulp. "Artemish was with us this day!" She raised her tankard and downed its contents.

"Time to pour you into bed, I think," Ephiny announced, as she stood up and reached down to grab her erstwhile lover by the arms. "Come on, Pon, let's go."

Pony tried to wave the woman's hands off her, but only managed to let her empty tankard fly, instead. "'S not time fer bed, s-shrugar lips. 'S time fer this wild stallion ta ride me a buckin' bronco."

Ephiny managed to get the woman to her feet and steady Eponin enough to keep them both from toppling headlong off the raised platform.

"Say goodnight to everyone, Pony," Ephiny said, as she lifted one of the drunken woman's arms and wrapped it securely over her shoulder.

"G'night, Pony," Eponin snickered, as she let the regent lead her to the stairs and guide her away from the festivities.

"See you in the morning, my queen!" Ephiny called, once they were safely down the steps and walking to their shared hut.

Gabrielle glanced at the other queens who were watching her with varied expressions that ranged from intensely amused to utterly exasperated. She just shrugged.

"I don't think there will be much more than sleeping going on in the regent's hut tonight," Gabrielle joked.

"Well, I guess I'll retire, as well," Mashuka hefted her girth out of the chair that had been provided for her in deference to her inability to sit on the floor with the others. "I'm looking forward to another day of entertainment, before we queens have our own fun." She nodded to the others and then turned to Gabrielle and Xena. "Queen Gabrielle, as always, it was a night to remember."

Gabrielle didn't move from the warm cocoon she was wrapped in. "Queen Mashuka, I'm glad you enjoyed our hospitality once again. I'm also pleased that your warriors did so well in their respective events."

Mashuka smiled down at the couple. "Not half as well as your warrior did. Eh, Xena?" She chuckled and her entire body shook.

"I did okay," Xena answered with a smile.

Mashuka laughed aloud and slapped her sides with her pudgy hands. "Warriors!" She pointed a beefy finger at Gabrielle. "Rest well, Queen Gabrielle."

"And you, Queen Mashuka," Gabrielle nodded.

They sat in companionable silence for a while longer, watching the young dancers gyrating around the bonfire and sipping their respective drinks. Xena was content to just wrap her arms around the smaller woman and hold her. Their shared warmth chased away the unseasonable evening chill and the warrior could smell a summer storm on the slight breeze.

"Queen Gabrielle," a woman with tawny eyes set wide in a round face sat down next to her.

"Queen Sherina," Gabrielle nodded to the woman. "I was pleased to see so many of your warriors entered in the archery events. They have remarkable aim."

The woman nodded her straight blond head and smiled warmly. "We pride ourselves on developing the finest longbow archers in the land. I am very pleased by this year's group. They have far surpassed our highest expectations."

"Maitus is especially skilled," Gabrielle added. "She also resembles you in looks."

"Maitus is my younger sister," the woman nodded with a twinkle in her eyes. "I am pleased that you would notice the resemblance, Queen Gabrielle. Many see only her skills with a bow."

"I pride myself on my powers of observation," Gabrielle smirked. "It's one of my many skills." She felt the warm leathers behind her shift with laughter and knew their little joke didn't miss Xena's acute hearing. "So what word do you bring from the western coastal regions?"

"Things are quite prosperous for us," the woman answered. "We cannot complain, I dare say. Although there is always a threat of invasion from our Roman neighbors. Especially now that they have a new ruler."

"Julius Caesar," Xena growled just loud enough for Gabrielle's ears to catch.

"I've had my own dealings with the man," Gabrielle said. "He's a pompous ass."

"Oh, really?" Sherina's interest was piqued. "How do you know of him?"

Gabrielle could tell the woman was being rather condescending toward her, but managed to ignore the rather snide tone. Sherina reminded her of the snobby elitists in Athens who liked to look down their noses at everyone, even if they knew nothing about a person. Gabrielle had experienced that type of behavior first-hand during those weeks she'd stayed at the Academy and plied her trade as a bard.

"We were in Britannia when Caesar's men captured me and hung me on a cross, per his orders," Gabrielle explained. "And then he ordered his men to break my legs. As always, Xena came to my rescue just in the nick of time." She absently patted the warrior's bare knee.

The woman's eyes grew larger than they already were and she gasped. "What did you do to earn his wrath, Queen Gabrielle?"

"Nothing." It was Xena's turn to answer. "Julius Caesar is an arrogant puissant who only believes in his own destiny." Then she smirked. "He also thinks very little of women, except when they suit his?um?purposes." She popped a grape into her mouth and then offered one to the woman in her lap, who leaned forward and managed to nip one of the warrior's fingertips with perfect white teeth. Xena ignored her partner's playful tactic. "You can never trust him to keep his word, nor can you turn your back on him for a single moment."

"Then he truly is a dangerous man," Sherina marveled with a gleam of something akin to intrigue in her eyes.

"I wouldn't be surprised to hear some day that one of his close associates grew tired of his inflated ego and stuck him like the pig he is," Xena said with a wry smirk. "Wish it could be me," she added in a hushed whisper, as she kissed the top of the blond head resting against her chest.

"You know him, as well?" Sherina asked with a raised brow.

"Xena has even more reason to hate him than I do," Gabrielle answered with a wry smirk. "He actually broke her legs after he had her hung on a cross."

"Tsk, tsk," the Amazon queen shook her head in sympathy. "I am sorry to hear that. I watched you compete in the games and did not see that his treatment left any lasting effects."

"Xena has amazing recuperative powers," Gabrielle headed off her partner's reply when she felt the body tense behind her. She knew Xena was only tolerating the woman's attitude to humor her. She patted the bare thigh and this time she let her fingers draw circles on the warm skin. "And she met a woman in Chin who healed her."

"Chin?" Sherina's brow rose into her hairline and her tone became obnoxious. "I don't believe I've heard of that province. Is it to the north?"

"Chin is a land to the east," Gabrielle explained with a tight smile, as her patience ebbed quickly with the woman's tone. "The woman who healed Xena was the wife of one of their emperors and mother to the heir to his father's throne."

"I see," Sherina nodded.

"My Queen," another Amazon approached Sherina and knelt next to the blond queen.

The young woman was gangly, but had a certain grace about her that Gabrielle immediately recognized. The newcomer was one of several Amazons on the dais who was not a queen, but who had the bearing to eventually take up the mask in the future.

"Gwyn-Teir," Sherina glanced from the dark-haired, dark-skinned Amazon newcomer before she returned her attention to Gabrielle and Xena. "Have you met Princess Gwyn-Teir, Queen Gabrielle? She carries my right of caste and will make our people proud when she assumes the throne one day."

Gabrielle nodded at the young woman with the shining gray-blue eyes. "Very nice to meet you, Princess."

"The honor is mine, Queen Gabrielle," the young woman bowed her head to Gabrielle and then smiled. "I have had the honor to hear your stories. They are quite wonderful and fascinating. Do you really travel with the one called the Warrior Princess?"

Gabrielle glanced up at her partner and smirked. "Princess Gwyn-Teir, this is Xena, also known to many as the Warrior Princess."

The young woman's eyes got as round as saucers as she suddenly realized she was in the presence of one of her greatest heroes. She swallowed down the lump in her throat and grinned from ear-to-ear.

"I am truly honored, then," Gwyn-Teir gushed, as she held an arm out and Xena shook it. "I believe we are to compete in the footrace tomorrow, Xena. It will be a great honor to just stand at the starting line with you."

Xena merely smiled. "I'm sure you'll do fine, Princess. You're young. That alone will give you an added advantage over us geezers."

Gwyn-Teir leaned toward the couple with a conspiratorial grin. "We may be the only two there who won't be running that race with a roaring hangover." Then she snickered like a little kid.

Xena and Gabrielle exchanged a glance and shrugged. The young woman was probably right, so neither argued her valid point. Xena finished the ale in her mug. Gabrielle took her cue from her partner and finished hers, too.

"Time for us 'geezers' to retire," Gabrielle said as Xena hoisted her to her feet. "It was a pleasure, ladies."

Sherina eyed them, as Xena put a hand on Gabrielle's shoulder. The look the woman gave Xena said more than words ever could. And then she glanced at Gabrielle and saw the smaller woman snake a protective arm around the warrior's waist.

"If the two of you ever?" Sherina began.

"Not a chance in Tartarus," Xena growled and protectively wrapped an arm around Gabrielle's bare shoulders. "I'm a one-woman kinda gal."

Xena steered her partner toward the steps and took them two at a time. Gabrielle kept up with her partner's longer strides, as Xena practically raced toward the welcome privacy of their hut. When they were safely inside the dark hut, Xena immediately moved to the fireplace and stoked the fire.

"You okay?" Gabrielle wrapped her arms around the kneeling woman's shoulders and squeezed.

"I'm good," Xena said, as she fanned the fire and watched it spark to life, casting a warm glow around the room. She turned in the woman's arms and wrapped her own arms around Gabrielle. "How about you?"

"Mm," Gabrielle made to consider the question thoughtfully, then smirked. "I wanted to kick that woman's butt for coming on to you like that, but?" She shrugged.

Xena pulled Gabrielle closer, until they were sharing the same air. "I'd much rather be here with you."

"Me, too," Gabrielle added.

Their kiss was gentle and exploring at first, but soon turned as heated as the fire behind Xena. The warrior effortlessly rose to her feet, picking the bard up in her arms and depositing Gabrielle on the furs of their bed. She then quickly divested herself of her armor and leathers.

Gabrielle sat up and watched the warrior-her warrior-undress until Xena was standing before her in all her naked glory. It amazed her to have such a perfect specimen of female glory all to herself. And it sometimes threatened to overwhelm her.

"Gorgeous," the bard muttered with utter awe.

"You're a little overdressed, don't you think?" Xena smirked down at the smaller woman.

The warrior leaned forward and grabbed the ties of Gabrielle's top in her teeth. With slow and careful deliberation she used her teeth to loosen the ties enough to lift the top over the bard's head. She tossed it near her armor and leathers, then proceeded to the belt of Gabrielle's skirt.

Gabrielle was enjoying the attention, but her need to feel Xena against her ruled out over her better sense. With impatient hands, she removed her clothing. Once her clothes were shed, she pulled the warrior down on top of her with an impatient growl.

"Oo, I like it rough," Xena growled in return.

Their lovemaking was heated and intense. They tasted and caressed each other with all the love held within their hearts, showing each other exactly how they felt about the other. Their kisses were all-consuming and they were soon lost in the carnal need to meld their souls together.

"Xe?" Gabrielle groaned and panted breathlessly. "Please?"

The warrior was nonplussed by the pleading in her lover's tone. She knew exactly how to please Gabrielle and wanted to show her exactly how much love was bursting from every pore of her being. Slowly and deliberately, Xena drove Gabrielle to the brink.

Strong hands kneaded soft flesh while warm lips explored every inch of Gabrielle's body. Gabrielle felt the world fall away as her entire being centered on Xena's ministrations. Every touch, every caress sent flames of desire shooting through to the very core and back out into every fiber of her being. She was on fire with desire.

And then Xena brought her to the pinnacle of sweet ecstasy and plunged them both over the great chasm. The world around them exploded into a million shards of cosmic dust that suddenly reassembled into two breathless lovers.

And then they were floating on a cloud of Elysian bliss far beyond the heavens themselves.

Xena felt like her entire world centered on the woman in her arms. They were one again-body, mind and soul. It was strange, yet blissful at the same time. Never having experienced anything like it in all her life, the warrior was at a loss as to how to deal with all the feelings and emotions that suddenly threatened to overwhelm her.

Without waiting for the last vestiges of their coupling to abate, Xena plunged right back in for another go. She poured everything into pleasing her lover with all of the vast knowledge she had acquired during her travels. Nothing was taboo as she used her skills to bring them both to the edge of that exquisite abyss once again.

Sweat-slicked bodies shuddered in perfect unison, as they shared a mutual release that rocked them both to the very core. It lasted for an eternity as they held on for dear life and moved together in perfect union. They touched each other's souls. Their hearts beat as one.

In her mind's eye, Xena saw the light of Gabrielle's soul like a beacon in the darkness that surrounded her. She desperately tried to cling to her darkness and wrap it around her like a shroud. But it was no match for the light emanating from the smaller woman joined completely with her. And then Xena was engulfed in a warm glow that cleansed her very soul. It surrounded her and washed over her, touching every fiber, every nerve of her being. She experienced all the love the bard poured into it and knew her own love matched Gabrielle's. The whole experience lasted mere moments and was like nothing she had ever known. It was ethereal. Surreal. It was pure bliss.

And then they were again floating together on a cloud, as they slowly descended back to earth and found themselves returning to their earthly bodies tingling with residual electric energy. They lay there together in a tangle of limbs. Panting. Limp. Spent. Silent, except for their shared breathing and the synchronous beating of their hearts.

"Wha??" Gabrielle tried to speak, but found she could barely form a coherent thought.

"Still?not?sure?" Xena managed, though she was just as overwhelmed as her lover.

They lay there for almost an entire candlemark, just reveling in the afterglow of that incredible experience. Neither woman spoke, neither moved. They just lay there, until Gabrielle finally shifted slightly and managed to break the spell.

"Xena?" The bard finally said, as she blew a lock of dark hair away from her nose.

"Hm?"

"What just?happened?"

"I don't know," was the warrior's stilted answer.

"You've had more?um?experience than I have," Gabrielle continued. "Has that?ever?"

"Never," Xena responded. "Nothing comes even remotely close to what just happened."

"Even when you?um?were with Ares?" Gabrielle prodded further.

Xena snorted. "Ares was never interested in pleasing anyone but himself. So, no."

"Borias?"

Xena shifted until she was lying next to Gabrielle with her head propped on her hand. "The only thing Borias and I shared was Solon. Otherwise, we took what we could from each other and gave very little in return." She brushed the bangs back from Gabrielle's eyes. "You just gave me a gift more precious than anything even the gods could conjure."

"Ambrosia?"

"Tastes like dirt in comparison." Xena smirked.

Gabrielle smiled broadly. "I guess that describes it best. Because I don't know what just happened, but it was?Amazing doesn't even come close to what I just experienced. Remarkable pales in comparison. I don't even think the gods would understand what we just experienced."

"The Elysian Fields sure can't hold a candle to it," Xena added with a wink.

Gabrielle absently ran her fingers along Xena's bare hip and felt the warrior's skin shiver at her touch. She gazed into the blue eyes watching her intently and then glanced at the swollen lips just inches from her own. She licked her own lips and wanted nothing more than to kiss them again. She just couldn't get enough.

With a firm but gentle hand, Gabrielle pushed Xena onto her back and proceeded with her own assault on the warrior's body. She put everything she had learned into her ministrations, as she took her lover to the same plain they had left only moments before. It was as exquisite as before and more.

Xena was right. It wasn't ambrosia at all. Ambrosia paled miserably in comparison to what they experienced together. The gods themselves could never know such ecstasy, Gabrielle was sure of it. Why else would the immortals always clamor for a taste of mortal existence? Why else would they deign to join with those they treated like dogs?

Nothing could have prepared either woman for the sudden and unexpected release that seized them both in that moment. The world suddenly spun completely out of control and a wave of pure ecstasy engulfed them both. Wave after exquisite wave rolled over them both, as they gave into the overwhelming sensations and rode the tide of their mutual passion.

When the warrior finally collapsed against the furs, panting heavily from her efforts, she was completely spent. She barely managed to move her arm in order to allow Gabrielle to crawl into the nook of her shoulder. Xena felt the bard's slow and deliberate movements, as Gabrielle finally made her way into her favorite spot.

"Xena?"

"Hm?"

"Is this normal?" The bard asked in low purr.

"Not that I know of," Xena managed to utter, as sank down into the arms of sleep. "Thank?you, love."

"Yer welcome," Gabrielle settled her head onto a warm shoulder with a soft sigh. "'Night, Xe."

"'Night, love," Xena said as she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

***

"Ignesia," Rena panted, as she tried to keep up with the taller Amazon's longer strides.

Ignesia practically dragged the redhead through the forest at a pace that would have put a good lather on even the heartiest horse. They'd been traveling for the better part of two candlemarks and were almost to their destination. Her sexual ardor temporarily sated by Rena's ardor back in the village, Ignesia was charged to begin the ceremony that would set her plans into motion.

"Almost there," Ignesia answered the woman's unspoken question.

They were deep in the heart of the woods that set the northern boundary for her people's lands. That's where she had told the Northern Amazons to await her arrival. They had set up camp several leagues farther north in an effort to remain hidden from any scouts who happened to patrol those woods. Ignesia made sure the Northern Amazons stayed well hidden and had even volunteered to lead the northern patrols to ensure no one found out about them. She had chosen her most loyal followers to make up the patrols, despite Solari's protestations to the contrary.

Ignesia saw a soft glow of torchlight ahead and slowed her pace. She kept a firm hold on Rena's arm as they approached the small clearing. It was the perfect place for her to meet up with Cyane and her retinue of advisors. The Northern Amazon queen was her main contact and was very impatient to finally put their plans into motion. But she was also very superstitious and wanted her priestesses to sanction their endeavors.

Ignesia broke through the underbrush and stopped at the edge of the clearing, pulling Rena up next to her.

"What's going on?" Rena's eyes grew large and round at the sight before her.

Twenty leather-clad women with antlers on their heads stood on the other side of the open space. The women wore winter leathers with long tunics that hung to their knees. The front of each woman's tunic was decorated with a unique design and their antlers were from a variety of different animals. The blond woman at the center of the group stepped forward and eyed the newcomers with open suspicion.

"Ignesia," the blond glanced at Rena.

"Cyane," Ignesia acknowledged the queen's presence with a waist-deep bow and pulled her companion down with her. As they straightened, Ignesia continued, "I have what you need for your ceremony."

Ignesia turned a menacing smile on Rena that sent a shiver of dread down the smaller redhead's spine. Ignesia then returned her attention to the group of women and watched someone else step forward to stand next to the queen. Ignesia yanked Rena forward with her until they were both standing in front of the women. The shorter of the two Northern Amazons eyed Rena with a mixture of anticipation and skepticism.

"Is this the sacrifice?" The woman next to the queen asked.

Ignesia shoved Rena toward the elaborately-decorated woman. Colored beads and bones decorated the shorter woman's outfit. A skull the size of a small baby's dangled from a leather thong around the woman's neck. Ignesia saw realization register in Rena's eyes right before four women stepped forward at a silent signal from the shamaness and grabbed Rena's arms and legs. The women lifted a struggling Rena into the air and carried her over to a flat stone situated behind the others.

"NOOOO!!!" Rena screamed until a thick strip of leather was shoved into her mouth and tied firmly.

The Northern Amazons began chanting in a low, hushed murmur, as the four women firmly held Rena on top of the cold slab. The cadence of the chant remained the same, but the volume soon grew, as several of the women writhed and danced around the boulder in eerie syncopation.

Ignesia looked on with rapt attention, as the two Northern Amazons before her slowly walked toward the sacrificial altar. The shorter of the two, who she knew was their shamaness, pulled a long, curved dagger from beneath her tunic and held it up high above her head with a loud yell.

"I call upon the spirits to guide my hand and make my aim true!" The shamaness said as she stopped in front of the altar.

Rena's eyes widened and she struggled valiantly all the harder to free herself from the firm, unyielding hands grapsing her. Her screams were muffled by the thick leather strap tied around her mouth, but scream she did. She knew what was going to happen and so did Ignesia. Rena's eyes met Ignesia's and pleaded silently for help from her Thracian Amazon sister. But Rena soon realized the futility of her silent request. The look in Ignesia's eyes told her that the woman would allow the Northern Amazons to do anything they thought necessary in order to carry out her plans.

Ignesia moved into the circle of dancing Amazons and took her place at Rena's head. She looked down into the frightened eyes of the woman who had given her carnal pleasure only a few short candlemarks ago. A pang of guilt hit her, but she quickly pushed it aside and concentrated on the goal in sight now. The Northern Amazons would see that her wishes were carried out as soon as they performed their ritual. It was only a matter of time now and the Usurper would fall, as would the bitch that traveled with her.

"Don't worry, sister," Ignesia said, as she gently stroked Rena's pale cheek. "Soon you will be dancing with our sisters in the eternal hunting grounds. Your sacrifice will go down in the annals of history as one of the greatest deeds our sisters have ever known. We will sing of your heroic sacrifice until we meet again in the afterlife." She bent forward and kissed the still-struggling woman's forehead.

Ignesia's gaze lifted and took in the strange trancelike demeanor of the women around her. They were all chanting now. The torches flickered eerily and cast strange shadows around them. Ignesia could feel her own heart beating in time to the chant that was gaining strength and growing louder.

The shamaness held the dagger high overhead and spoke in a clear voice that rang out over the loud chanting. "Spirits! Guide my hand and walk with me on my journey to the Land of Our Mothers! Give me strength to see and accept the visions that you would show me! Breathe the breath of life into my being as I offer this creature and use her essence to travel into your bosom!"

And with that she plunged the dagger into Rena's chest. Ignesia watched with a mixture of horror and fascination as her sister writhed in agony and eventually stilled. The shamaness extracted the dagger and plunged her hand into the bloody opening she'd created. Then she yanked her hand out and held up Rena's still-beating heart for all to see. The chanting stopped and the dancers stilled. A hush fell over the clearing, broken only by the crackle of the torches.

One of the women stepped forward with a wooden bowl in her hands and her head bowed. The shamaness deposited the heart in the bowl and returned her attention to the body before her. She plunged her hand into the open cavity again and produced another bloody organ. Another woman stepped forward with a wooden bowl in her hands as well and the shamaness repeated the process.

Ignesia could not tear her eyes away from the bloody scene as the shamaness cleared out Rena's entire body of its vital organs, each one deposited into a separate bowl until each Amazon held a bowl. Then the shamaness handed Ignesia a bowl that contained a dark-red organ. The bowl was warm in her hands and smelled of fresh blood.

"My sisters!" The shamaness announced, as she held up the bowl with the heart in it. "You will be my link to the world of the living!" Each woman held up her bowl and Ignesia followed their lead. "Your strength will guide me back from my journey!"

"Go with the spirits!" The women all said in unison.

They then lifted their bowls to their lips and drank the blood. In unison, they dropped their bowls to the earth and began to chant again. This chant was much different than the first chant. It was more spiritual-more guttural-and took on a more urgent cadence.

When the sharp tang of the blood hit her nostrils, Ignesia felt nausea overwhelm her. She was only able to sip a tiny bit of the blood before she dropped the bowl to the ground with the others. A strange feeling of euphoria suddenly came over her and she felt the blood rush through her veins with the tempo of the chant. Her head pounded and she watched the world tilt before she was on the ground and all was completely still. She didn't fight the darkness that suddenly washed over her. She just let herself sink into the oblivion that welcomed her.

Chapter 5

Gabrielle gasped and sat bolt upright with her fist held tightly to her bare chest. Strong arms quickly engulfed her, and she sank gratefully into the embrace, but her heart continued to pound wildly in her chest. Each beat seemed to bring with it a surge of energy and a blinding stab of pain.

"What is it?" Xena's voice was raspy with sleep. "Gabrielle?"

The room was dark, except for a few glowing embers that cast an eerie reddish tint around them. Gabrielle breathed in deeply and let the breath out slowly in an effort to calm herself enough to speak. The last vestiges of the nightmare were still fresh in her mind and seemed to stay with her, even though she was now fully awake.

"I?" the bard began and then felt a sudden rush of bile rise in her throat. "Argh!" She groaned loudly and broke free of Xena's hold, then frantically scrambled over to the side of the bed.

She made it to the edge in time to heave onto the floor. Her entire body shook violently and she lost herself momentarily to the waves of nausea that washed over her. Her body continued its rebellion until dry heaves wracked her.

Xena patiently rubbed her lover's bare back, as she watched Gabrielle with growing concern. Her lover's sudden illness was alarming, to say the least, and Xena could only silently wrack her brain for a reason behind it. They had both shared a trencher of venison stew and a loaf of freshly-baked brown bread at the evening meal, so that couldn't be the reason for the sudden illness. Xena felt perfectly fine. She also knew they'd been sleeping peacefully in each other's arms after their exhaustive lovemaking.

When it appeared that the worst of the nausea was finally past, Xena waited a few moments longer to make sure. Then her lover collapsed in a boneless heap beside her. Xena gently stroked Gabrielle's side and hip and wondered briefly if a conversation with the gods wasn't in order.

"You okay?" Xena said when Gabrielle didn't speak.

"Ungh," the bard groaned blearily.

"What happened?" Xena asked with concern. "Talk to me, Gabrielle."

"Water first," the bard croaked softly.

Xena scooted to her side of the bed, grabbed the pitcher off the small table and poured water into a small cup. She returned to the bard's side and gently lifted Gabrielle into her arms.

"Here," Xena said as she lifted the cup to the bard's lips.

Gabrielle finished the cup's contents in three huge gulps, the last of which she swished around in her mouth until she could no longer taste the bile still lingering there.

"Ugh," she groaned at last. Her bleary eyes met Xena's and she saw the concern in their blue depths. "I had a really bad dream."

"Nightmare?" A dark brow lifted.

Gabrielle nodded. "Weird, too."

"Tell me."

Silence reigned in the small cabin, as the glowing embers continued to cast eerie shadows on the walls. Gabrielle just lay there for a long while, as she collected her thoughts. The nightmare was already quickly fading, and she didn't know if she could really describe it all before it faded from her consciousness altogether.

"I was suddenly pulled into the forest," she said in a quiet voice that quivered slightly. The bard took a deep breath and continued. "It was dark, really dark. And then I saw a light. In an instant I was standing in a clearing with several Amazons. I didn't recognize any of them. They all wore strange ceremonial dress, antlers on their heads and winter leathers, as they stood beside a large boulder. And then?"

Xena's brow furrowed at the woman's words. "Winter leathers and antlers?" She repeated. "Sounds like Northern Amazons to me." She kissed Gabrielle's bare shoulder and wrapped protective arms around the bard. "Then what happened?"

"I'm not sure," Gabrielle shivered unconsciously at the fading memory. "They were all chanting and then?" She swallowed down the bile that suddenly rose in her throat. "They all fell to the ground and I saw?" She shook her head in an effort to dispel the graphic vision.

Xena moved in closer and spooned her body against the bard's, offering her silent support. She had no idea what Gabrielle's nightmare meant, but the woman in her arms was definitely affected by the intensity of it.

"They all had bowls in their hands," Gabrielle continued in a small voice. "There was a body on the boulder."

"A body?"

Gabrielle nodded. "I recognized her. She's one of the women from our village. Her name is Rena." She swallowed down another wave of nausea. "I saw her leave with Ignesia after?"

Xena leaned up on her elbow and looked down at Gabrielle with deep concern. The bard's face was lined with tension and a frown creased her otherwise worry-free brow.

"I saw them," Xena said. "Tried to ignore what they were doing, but they seemed not to care if anyone was watching. When they were done, they took off. I thought nothing of it."

"Ignesia was there," Gabrielle added barely above a whisper. "She was one of the women lying on the ground."

"Okay," Xena said. "So then what happened?"

"Then I wasn't there anymore," Gabrielle said as she blew out a frustrated breath. "I was somewhere else altogether. It was lighter, but?weird? Everything was so vivid, so sharp-creepy, like in a strange painting. And then I turned and saw?" She shook her head. "A skull hung from a leather thong around her neck and her antlers were different from the others. She looked right at me, and then she was suddenly standing right in front of me. She glared at me and grabbed my throat." Gabrielle lifted a hand to her throat and winced. "It was so real."

Xena peered down at Gabrielle's throat. The last vestiges of faint red fingerprints were barely visible on the woman's skin. Alarm bells suddenly went off in the warrior's head as the full impact of the bard's words hit her.

"Gabrielle," Xena said, as she lifted the woman into a sitting position and gazed deeply into her eyes. "Tell me what you saw."

"She was choking me and I?" Gabrielle considered what she'd done in the dream. "I punched her in the face, I think. Clobbered her hard enough to give her a bloody nose. She jerked away and?" Gabrielle shook her head.

A grin broke out on the warrior's face. "And?"

"She disappeared and reappeared beside me," Gabrielle said. "Then she grabbed my chest, no?" She glanced down at her left breast and then back up into Xena's eyes. "She tried to put her hand right through my chest."

"It was real," Xena said as she eyed the purpling mark just below Gabrielle's left breast.

"It?It was?" Gabrielle couldn't believe her ears. "How??"

"You somehow got caught up in her vision walk," Xena explained. "The only person I know who can pass from this existence into the next is a fully-trained shamaness, like Alti."

"Alti?" Gabrielle considered the name for a moment. "That name sounds vaguely familiar. Why?"

"She was the shamaness who helped me?um?kill the Amazon queens," Xena said. "It was her idea to trap them in the trees and skewer them on the branches. She wanted to use their blood-especially Cyane's blood-for one of her sick rituals. Cyane had spiritual powers that Alti needed to harness for her own ends. She was big on blood ceremonies, vision walks and harnessing fear."

Gabrielle shuddered. "I think I remember her. She had dark eyes and hair, and wore antlers similar to the ones worn by the woman in my?er?dream."

"Alti was evil incarnate," Xena sneered. "May she rot in the bowels of Tartarus for what she made me do for her."

"It wasn't Alti, though," Gabrielle shook her head. "The woman who attacked me wasn't Alti. This woman was smaller, slighter, and she had light-brown hair. Her eyes were different, too. Lighter. The color of violets in bloom."

"That's a good sign, at least," Xena breathed out an exasperated sigh. "I really don't want to deal with Alti just now. We have enough going on here already."

"What about the shamaness I saw in my dream, Xena?" Gabrielle asked. "And how did I get sucked in there with her?"

"First of all," Xena took the woman's hands into her own. "I don't think it was a dream. I think it was a vision. And I have no idea how you ended up there with her. As far as I know, the only way for you to walk a vision quest is for you to drink the blood of a fresh kill during a ritual. Sounds like the women you saw at first-the ones with bowls of blood near them-were part of the ritual."

"All I had to drink was cider, Xena," Gabrielle couldn't believe her ears. "There's no way that would cause this to happen, is there?"

"No clue," Xena answered, as she squeezed the hands in hers. "Maybe this weirdness you've been experiencing lately has something to do with what happened. Maybe it's all connected."

Xena squeezed Gabrielle's hands one last time, hopped off the bed and quickly donned her leathers and armor.

"Xena?" Gabrielle glanced out the window and then back at the warrior, who was pulling on a wrist bracer. "Where do you think you're going? It's the middle of the night." She jumped from the bed and helped Xena tie the bracer.

"I'm gonna get to the bottom of this," Xena answered with conviction. "It's time I had a little chat with a certain someone."

Gabrielle glanced up from the bracer she was tying. "And why can't you just call on-I'm assuming you're gonna call on Ares, right? Why can't you just?"

"Can't," Xena answered before the bard could continue. "He won't step foot inside the village because the Amazons?"

"Are Artemis' people," Gabrielle finished for her. "We're under her protection."

"We really need to stop?"

"?finishing each other's sentences?" Gabrielle glanced up again and caught the raised-brow look.

"You'd better put on some clothes," Xena ogled the bard's body. "Ephiny is on her way over here and?" She raised her brows several times. "You're a little under-dressed for visitors, love. I'll be back as soon as I get some answers, even if I have to chop him into little pieces and feed them to his damned dog to get them," she finished the last by shoving her sword into the scabbard at her back. "I may just start with a certain appendage that he values so much." She smirked.

Xena pulled Gabrielle into a hug, then kissed her deeply. When they finally broke apart again it was to the sound of a light tap on the door.

"Hang on, Eph!" Xena called and eyed her lover with a knowing look.

Gabrielle quickly grabbed the shift she'd thrown over the back of a chair and donned it. Xena then opened the door and waved a hand inside.

The regent stepped into the hut with a confused look from the fully-clothed warrior to her semi-clothed queen.

"Going somewhere, Xena?" Ephiny commented, when the warrior backed into the doorway.

"Gabrielle will explain," Xena answered and then pulled the door closed behind her.

Ephiny stood there for a moment with a look of utter confusion. She glanced around the cabin and noticed that the fire had burned down to lowly embers. Then she took in the sight of something on the floor. Her gaze met Gabrielle's.

"Well?" Ephiny eyed Gabrielle with a mixture of curiosity and expectancy.

"First, tell me why you're here," Gabrielle shot back with a raised brow. "It's the middle of the night, Eph. Shouldn't you be in bed with?um?well, you know."

"I was in bed with?um?you know," Ephiny crossed her arms over her chest. "But then I got a little midnight craving and decided to head over to the meal hut for a snack." A blond brow rose on her features. "That's when I heard the commotion over here and decided to investigate."

"Commotion?" Gabrielle was confused now. "What commotion?"

"Not sure," Ephiny shrugged. "I heard a high-pitched scream and then it sounded like something crashed against your outside wall."

Gabrielle padded over to the window and looked outside. All was quiet, except for the incessant sounds of the crickets. Not completely satisfied with her quick glance out the window, Gabrielle padded over to the door and walked outside in her bare feet. There was a slight chill in the air, but it wasn't enough for her to run back inside for her boots.

"Gabirelle!" Ephiny hissed, as she followed the woman outside. "What are you doing out here dressed like that?"

"What?" Gabrielle hissed back. "You think my green top and skirt offer more coverage than my shift?" She plucked at the fabric.

Gabrielle walked around the perimeter of the hut and surveyed the ground. She had no idea what she was looking for but figured she'd know it when she saw it. She couldn't see very much in the inky darkness. The moon had already set and the stars didn't offer much light to see by.

"What exactly are you looking for out here?" Ephiny said from right beside her. "And why is there vomit on the floor next to your bed? Are you okay?"

Gabrielle jumped slightly, but managed to quickly recover from her startled reaction. "Shh."

"Why?" Ephiny whispered loudly.

"Do you mind?" Gabrielle quickly finished her assessment and climbed back onto the porch. "I'm trying to work here."

She'd stepped in something warm and sticky with one bare foot and glanced down at it. Gabrielle sucked in a breath when she noticed that her pale foot was covered in something dark. She couldn't tell what it was, even in the minimal light coming through the open door to the hut.

"What's that?" Ephiny verbalized the question in Gabrielle's mind.

"Not sure," Gabrielle answered, as she stepped closer to the door and lifted her foot to get a better look.

"Is that?"

"Blood," Gabrielle quickly cut in, as a shiver of dread raced down her spine. "I stepped in it over there." She pointed to the side of the hut that faced the village.

Ephiny went inside and returned with the pitcher of water. She then poured some of the water over Gabrielle's upraised foot. With the blood washed away, Gabrielle walked inside the hut and quickly dressed in her everyday wear. She was just donning her boots when Ephiny stepped into the doorway holding a large black thing dangling from one hand.

"What the???" Gabrielle stopped what she was doing to look more closely at the dangling object.

"It's a raven," Ephiny eyed the rather large bird dangling from the tip of the wing she was holding. "I found it near your window. Looks like it tried to fly through the window but missed and hit the outside wall, instead. The impact broke its neck and there was a pool of blood running from its mouth. That's probably what you stepped in."

"Why didn't we see it when we walked past there, then?" Gabrielle shot a look of confusion to the woman.

"There's a small bush just below the window and to one side," Ephiny answered. "It was caught in the bush and I had to wrestle it out."

"It's dead then?" Gabrielle shuddered again.

"Yep," Ephiny said. "Probably died the instant it hit the wall. Not sure why it would try to fly through your window, though. We don't get many birds trying to do that around here. And your window was covered. It's not like it thought it could fly into the hut." She looked distastefully at the creature. "Not a good omen, either way."

"What do you mean?"

"According to legend, ravens are harbingers of death," Ephiny tossed the carcass off the porch. "I'll send someone by later to clean up the mess and bury that thing." She walked inside the hut, wiping her hands on her leather skirt with disgust. "Can't believe I touched it."

"Why don't you use the cake of soap in our washroom and some of that water in the pitcher to wash your hands," Gabrielle suggested. "In the meantime, I'll make us some tea."

The two women went about their tasks with equal focus. Gabrielle couldn't help wondering why a raven would try to fly through the covered window of their hut and when the creature had actually tried to do it. She finally came to the conclusion that it was probably about the same time she woke up from the nightmare she'd been having. That brought another shudder, but she just tucked the thought away and went about her task.

***

"ARES!!!" Xena shouted at the top of her lungs once she was safely away from prying ears and eyes. "ARES!!! I KNOW YOU'RE OUT HERE SOMEWHERE!!! SHOW YOURSELF, YOU SPINELESS?"

She waited and waited for a response. Nothing moved in the forest around her. There was no bird song and not a single cricket chirped anywhere nearby, nor were there the customary night noises that were usually present on a calm summer's night. It was deathly still and eerily quiet all around her.

"He can't come," Aphrodite was suddenly standing behind the warrior, who spun around at the sound of the goddess' voice.

Aphrodite was bathed in a soft, pink glow that illuminated them both. The glow extended a few paces in all directions, but not far enough to light up the forest completely.

"And why not?" Xena ground out between clenched teeth. She wasn't accustomed to having the Goddess of Love pop in on her, so her senses weren't attuned to anything but Ares' presence. "Where is he?"

"He was sent away," Aphrodite said with a dour look. "Daddy was furious when Artie and Athena told him about what Ares tried to do to the little one. So, Daddy sent Ares to a place where he can't get into any trouble until after you two babes have lived out your lives and moved on. He said it was the least he could do."

"Zeus banished his own son because of us?" Xena gave the goddess an incredulous look that turned into a full-fledged smile. "Seriously?"

Aphrodite held up a hand. "Hey, I'm so totally not, like, thrilled about it. Ares is my brother, ya know? He doesn't deserve to be thrown aside like yesterday's garbage."

Xena sobered instantly. "Enough about Ares," she said, as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't give a rat's ass about that?"

"Zip the lip, warrior-babe," Aphrodite held up a staying hand. "I'm here 'cause you called and the Gabster is, like, a friend. So?"

Xena's brow hiked, but she decided not to comment on the goddess' last words. She knew the gods had no idea what friendship and love were all about, but maybe, just maybe, Aphrodite was a little different. After all, she was the Goddess of Love. So, Xena decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.

"Did Ares leave a residual mark on Gabrielle?" Xena just dove right in.

"Residual mark?" Aphrodite considered that for a moment. "No, I don't think that's possible at this point. He doesn't?um?He isn't?Erg!?How can I put this?" She gazed up at the inky canopy above for a moment and then met Xena's expectant gaze. "Ares doesn't have it in him right now. So, the answer is no."

"Could he have put a curse or something like it on an object, then?" Xena continued.

Aphrodite considered that a moment. "Do you mean, like, the dagger of Helios? That kind of curse?"

"Similar, yes," Xena nodded. "Is it possible for you guys to put a curse or spell or something on an object that would cause a mortal to do crazy things?"

Aphrodite shook her head and her blond curls flounced around her face. "Not possible. Nope."

"What about the dagger of Helios, then?" Xena decided to try a different tact.

"Not one of ours," Aphrodite answered. "Seriously, none of us can, like, even imagine how that one popped into existence. Coulda been an ancient sorceress. Probably one of Daddy's old flames," she scoffed, rolled her eyes and absently flicked a blond curl. "He always was one to piss off the ladies. Not sure how he manages to keep the Crones in line, though. Those three seem to love him to pieces. The Fates, too."

"What about demons?" Xena ignored the jibe and continued. "Are there any here in Greece?"

"Shaaaa, as if," the goddess scoffed. "They know we don't put up with their kind on our turf. Daddy caught one trying to hone in on our eastern border once and fried the little pipsqueak with one intsy little spark. That spark dried up the Pelonios River and took out an entire forest. All that's left now is a little patch of green near the beach. A beach I love to frequent, I might add." She gave the warrior a playful wink.

"Okay, what about Dahak?" Xena knew she was getting nowhere fast, but decided one more question couldn't hurt. "He could be considered a demon."

"Urgh!" The goddess actually cringed at the name. "Not a nice guy, let me tell ya. He makes Ares look like the poster child for love and peace."

"So?"

"He snuck up on us and managed to weasel his way into earning a following before we could, like, catch him," Aphrodite scowled. "Daddy tried to kick his butt back where it belongs, but?"

"But?" Xena prodded when the goddess didn't immediately continue.

Aphrodite huffed. "He's gained strength and his followers are multiplying like rabbits."

"Even with Hope dead?" Xena couldn't believe her ears.

"Hope?" Aphrodite was bewildered by the name.

"That's what Gabrielle named the child Dahak?planted inside her." It was Xena's turn to blow out an exasperated breath.

"Seriously? She named that little she-demon?" Aphrodite dropped her hands to her hips and scowled. "Thought she of all mortals would know better than to name the offspring of evil incarnate. Naming it gives it strength, ya know? That's why those folks down in Indus have so much trouble with the little buggers. Idiots keep naming them and giving them power."

"Gabrielle didn't know Hope was evil until?after," Xena defended her partner's error in judgment. "So what happened to Dahak after Hope died?"

"Didn't seem to phase him a bit," Aphrodite said. "He's still chalkin' up followers and they're still holding secret rituals all over the countryside. Daddy's having fits about the whole mess. Says he should just smoke the demon out and blow Dahak to pieces, like he did with that other pipsqueak."

"Can he do that?"

"Not sure," the goddess shook her head. "Dahak might actually be too powerful for any of us to handle at this point. It would take a much stronger force to defeat the big ugly." The goddess twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "But Hercules is on the case, so I'm sure he'll come up with something to put the beast back in its cage."

"Hercules is taking on Dahak?" Xena tried to wrap her mind around that revelation. "Alone?"

"Yep," Aphrodite nodded. "Little bro'll figure out what makes the beast tick." Then a gleam came into her eyes. "Why all the 4-1-1, warrior-babe?"

"Excuse me?"

"What's with all the questions?" Aphrodite clarified.

"Oh," Xena said. "There's something going on with Gabrielle and I'm trying to figure out if one of you is responsible or if it's something altogether unrelated."

"What's up with the Gabster?" Aphrodite's demeanor actually reflected genuine concern. "Is she sick again? Are you two?um?having?" She smirked, wagged a finger and wiggled her eyebrows several times, "?problems in the sack?"

"Noooooo," Xena couldn't help the blush that suffused her cheeks.

"Okaaaaaay, so what gives?"

"Strange things have been happening to her lately," Xena said after she cleared her throat. "Really strange things."

"Demonic strange? Or just your bargain-basement everyday kinda regular strange?" Aphrodite suddenly had a pair of eyeglasses in her hand, which she perched on her nose. "It's hard tellin' with you two. One never knows what to expect." She cocked a hip. "Then again, big bro isn't around to harass you, so?"

A thin chain dangled down one cheek and she looked like a scholar, except for all the frothy clothing and curly blond hair. She snapped her fingers and a pink lounge chair appeared, as well as a small pink divan and a Tiffany lamp that cast a soft golden glow around the quiet forest.

"I really don't know," Xena answered, as she eyed the goddess' new look and just shook her head. "Could be most anything."

"Sit, sit, sit. I'm tired of craning my neck to see your face," Aphrodite stretched out on the lounge chair and waved Xena to the divan. "So, exactly what kinds of things are we talking here?"

The warrior hesitated a moment, before taking a seat. "She picked up a pair of weapons I had made for her and knew how to use them," Xena explained matter-of-factly. "Then she picked up a sword and went berserk against a bunch of guys who attacked us during a picnic."

"Awww, you took Gabbie on a picnic? How romantic," the goddess gushed with a huge grin. "Didn't know ya had it in ya, champ. Was it romantic? Did you?"

"Focus, Aphrodite," Xena growled and then cleared her throat again. "When she woke up three days later, Gabrielle didn't remember what she'd done or anything that had happened for six moons prior to the picnic. Then I left to fetch the healer and when we returned, Gabrielle was having a strange convulsive fit. She finally woke up from that and remembered everything, except the fight. And then there's the incredible, mindblowing?um?"

"Sex?" Aphrodite zeroed in on that like a bat to bugs. "Oooo, share what that's been like," she actually clapped her hands together several times and grinned from ear to ear in anticipation. "I want all the juicy details. Don't leave anything out."

Xena blew out another exasperated breath and just girded herself. "It's like we're climbing inside each other and sharing the same skin-maybe even the same soul. I don't know how else to explain it."

Aphrodite's expression fell. "You're definitely not the bard in the family, Tau Delta Delta."

"Tau Delta Delta?"

"Tall-dark-and-deadly," Aphrodite smirked and adjusted her specks with a flourish. "Or would you prefer warrior-babe?"

"It's just Xena," the warrior actually rolled her eyes.

"Oooookay," Aphrodite nodded sagely. "So, you two are having rockin' sex and this alarms you?why, exactly?"

"It's not?It doesn't feel?It feels too?erm?" Xena slapped a hand to her eyes and trailed it down her face, as she leaned forward and rested her arms on her knees. "Just trust me when I tell you it's not normal, okay?"

"Abnormal sex, mmhm," the goddess nodded, as she popped in a quill and scroll and began making notes. "Go on."

"Then there was the dream she had tonight," Xena managed to continue without laughing at the goddess' antics. "Actually, I think it was more of a vision."

"Gabs is having visions?" The goddess rounded on the warrior and confronted her. "Why didn't you tell me this right off the bat?"

"Wha?"

"Is this the first vision she's had? Does she have them often? Have you ever seen her have one?" The goddess rattled off the questions in rapid-fire succession. "What are the visions about? Who is in them? When do they occur? Are they always at night or does she have them during the daytime, too?"

"I?I'm not sure," Xena managed to say, as the goddess stared at her with an expectant look in her blue eyes. "She has dreams and nightmares, but?"

"How do you know it wasn't just a nightmare, then?"

"She told me about it," Xena answered. "Said she was pulled into a clearing with a bunch of Amazons and then she suddenly jumped into someone else's vision quest. I'm fairly certain the woman was a shamaness. At least that's what I deduced from the description Gabrielle gave me. The woman tried to choke her and then tried to grab her heart. I think she wanted to kill her."

"Then what happened?"

"Gabrielle woke up," Xena shrugged.

"Just like that?"

"Yes," the warrior nodded. "Then she threw up all over the floor next to our bed."

"Ew!" Aphrodite removed the glasses and scrunched her face. "Totally gross."

The goddess stood up and started pacing in front of the lounge chair, as she thoughtfully considered what was going on with her mortal friend. Xena watched Aphrodite move back and forth several times, until she'd finally had enough.

"You have no idea what's going on with Gabrielle, do you?" Xena finally interrupted the goddess' pacing.

Aphrodite turned to face her with the ridiculous specks back on her nose and the small chain dangling against her cheek. Xena managed to keep a straight face, but was hard-pressed to do so.

"I?" Aphrodite held up a finger, as if she were going to say more. "I'll get back to you on that."

Before Xena could reply, Aphrodite and her furniture disappeared in a shower of glowing and shimmering hearts and sparkles that illuminated the forest for a moment and then winked out. Xena managed to stand up before the goddess vanished and just stood there for another moment, as she tried to reason through what had just happened. Then she shrugged and started back toward the village. The forest around her suddenly came alive and she was able to hear the usual night sounds again. She just kept right on walking, as if she hadn't heard a thing.

***

Gabrielle threw the last of the soiled cloths into the wooden bucket and carried everything to the door. She set the bucket outside and saw one of the younger Amazon women passing by.

"Hey there, Cherise," Gabrielle waved to the young woman.

"My Queen," the young woman altered her course and walked up onto the porch. "May I dispose of that for you?"

"I'd really appreciate it if you would," Gabrielle said, as she handed the bucket over to the woman. "You probably want to hold your nose while you're carrying it, though."

Cherise glanced down at the bucket and then at her queen. "I'll take care of this, right away, My Queen."

"Thank you, Cherise," Gabrielle smiled warmly at the young woman and received a smile in return.

Gabrielle stepped back inside the hut, closed the door behind her and leaned against it with a tired sigh. After she and Ephiny had shared a pot of tea together and discussed the night's activities, Gabriele had suddenly realized there was a very rancid smell emanating from the far side of the room. Quickly ushering Ephiny out of the hut with a promise to join her for the morning meal, Gabrielle filled a bucket with water and set it on the fire. She then proceeded to clean the floor on her side of the bed.

A full candlemark and an entire cake of stringent soap later, Gabrielle was finally able to rid the hut of the smell. She now leaned tiredly against the rough wooden door, glad that the chore was complete and wanting nothing more than to crawl back into the bed in front of her. She ran a tired hand through her disheveled hair and sighed as she crossed the room to the washroom. Two full buckets of water sat on the floor near the fire. She glanced at them, then decided to make good use of them, rather than give in to her desire for more sleep.

With purposeful movements, Gabrielle put both buckets over the fire to heat. She then grabbed two empty buckets near the door and headed outside to fill them from the rain barrel just off the porch. She hauled the full-to-overflowing buckets into the hut and added them to the fire to heat.

Half a candlemark later, Gabrielle lowered herself into a tub full of steaming water and sighed audibly in relief. She scrubbed away the grit from her hair and body, then just sat on the small bench to soak away the tension knotted between her shoulder blades. She closed her eyes and let the heartbeats tick by without a thought to what the day would bring.

"I know you're there," Gabrielle said quietly.

"I'm here," Xena said, as she leaned against the door jam and just watched her partner for a few more heartbeats.

"How'd it go?" Gabrielle's brow quirked, but the rest of her remained perfectly still. "Did he show up?"

Xena shrugged and then realized the woman couldn't see that response. "It went."

"Did you talk to Ares?"

"Nope."

Gabrielle's eyes shot open and she gazed at the tall woman leaning casually in the doorway with a lazy grin on her face. "Why were you gone so long if?"

"Aphrodite showed up," Xena cut her off.

"Dite was there?" Gabrielle shot her a confused look.

Xena nodded. "Yep. Said Zeus banished Ares to?Well, she didn't really say where he went, but he won't be bothering us anymore."

"That's something, anyway," Gabrielle let her eyes drift closed again. "What else did she say? You were gone quite a while. You two must have had quite the conversation."

"Well, the basic gist is that Olympus isn't responsible for what's been happening to you," Xena answered, as she pushed off the door jam and quickly divested herself of her clothing. She waded into the tub, careful not to make waves on the calm surface, as she scooted in behind the smaller woman and wrapped her arms around Gabrielle. "Aphrodite has no idea what's going on."

"Great," Gabrielle the bard relaxed against her human pillow and enjoyed the feel of Xena's body against hers. "So we're back to square one, then?"

"Apparently," Xena gently stroked the firm muscles of Gabrielle's stomach and blew out a frustrated breath. "I'm really tired of it all."

Gabrielle nudged a bare shoulder with her chin. "I'm just tired."

"Tired enough to bow out of the games today?" Xena shifted the woman in her arms until Gabrielle was sitting sideways against her with her head on Xena's shoulder. The warrior looked at the sleepy woman in her arms, as she stroked a downy cheek. "You feeling any better?"

"I'm fine," Gabirelle answered, as she snuggled closer to the warrior. "Just tired. I'll be fine by the time the queens are ready to compete. That doesn't happen until after noontime, anyway."

"Do you know what your first event is?" Xena asked, as she absently brushed the wet hair back from the bard's face.

"Eph didn't say," Gabrielle murmured.

It wasn't long before Xena heard the soft snores of her partner. She lifted the woman from the tub, wrapped the sleeping woman in a warm blanket and placed her back in bed. Gabrielle didn't even stir the entire time.

"Sweet dreams, love," Xena placed a quick kiss on the bard's forehead.

***

Ignesia awoke to eerie silence and the pungent smell of rotting meat. She sat bolt upright and glanced around in confusion. The sun was just peeking over the treetops and she was completely alone in the clearing. A rush of memories assailed her and she turned around to look at the boulder behind her. Blood ran down the sides of the flat rock, but there was no sign of a body anywhere. She briefly wondered where the Northern Amazons were and what they had done with Rena's body. The stench was unbearable and she had to breathe through her mouth in order to dispel the nausea that washed over her.

The caw of a large black bird in a tree nearby was answered by another caw and then another, until a chorus of caws broke the silence around her. The first black bird spread its wings and flew toward her, but merely landed on the flat rock with a louder cry that seemed to beckon its companions.

Ignesia watched as nearly a dozen large black birds-ravens, by the looks of them-landed on or near the boulder. They seemed to look intently-even accusingly-at her, before their leader dipped its head and nibbled something on the boulder's surface.

The Amazon quickly stood up on shaky legs and stumbled away from the scene. She only made it a few steps inside the tree line before a wave of nausea drove her to her hands and knees. She heaved violently into the tall grass and continued to heave until the entire contents of her stomach was emptied. Her ears rang and her head spun wildly, but she somehow managed to regain her feet and continue on through the forest.

She stumbled into a low bramble bush and cursed the Fates for her unsteadiness, as several thorns dug into her bare legs. She could still hear the incessant cawing and chattering of the ravens behind her and put her hands to her ears in an effort to shut out the noise. The ringing in her ears intensified and she wondered if her head would eventually explode and end her misery.

Ignesia just continued heading in the general direction of the village on legs that didn't seem to want to carry her. The effects of the night's activities seemed to finally wane enough for her to get her bearings, as she continued putting one foot in front of the other.

She found a small stream and decided to wash the grit from her. Kneeling at the water's edge, Ignesia looked down into a small pool gathered between some rocks. The sight that greeted her made her gasp in surprise. Her chin was covered in dried blood and dark circles below her eyes gave her a gaunt, emaciated look.

Plunging shaking hands into the icy water, Ignesia quickly washed her face, scrubbing her chin vigorously to remove the blood-Rena's blood. Stark memories of the previous night's activities and the part she'd played in it came rushing back into her mind's eye. She saw Rena's pleading eyes intermingled with the sounds of chanting and the upraised dagger that took the woman's life with one downward thrust.

The salty tang of blood intermingled with the taste of bile on her tongue. She plunged a numb hand into the pool and lifted water to her lips. But the water suddenly turned red in her hand and trailed blood-red rivulets down her arm. She flung the water away and jumped to her feet with a loud gasp. She glanced around the scene of stillness and serenity, but could only see Rena's pleading eyes begging silently for help.

"Leave me be!" Ignesia screamed, as the ringing in her ears suddenly increased to an intolerable level that drove her to her knees. "PLEEEEEEEASE!!!!" The scream tore through her very being, as the world around her narrowed to a pinpoint and went black. She collapsed to the ground in an unconscious heap.

***

"So, are you ready for your first event?" Ephiny stepped up next to Gabrielle, who was standing on the sidelines of the final event of the regular games.

Xena and one of the Amazons from a western tribe were the last two contestants still standing on the field. They were locked in a heated battle with chobos and neither woman was willing to give the other quarter. Gabrielle watched her taller partner land a blow to the other woman's arm that sent a loud crack reverberating across the entire field. There was a collective gasp from the gathered onlookers, as the Amazon stumbled back several paces and held her arm against her side. Everyone could see that the woman was in excruciating pain, but the Amazon merely stepped back up to face her taller opponent.

"Yield!" Xena shouted to the woman, who faced her with a look of determination.

"I will not yield to you, warrior," the redheaded Amazon gritted out between clenched teeth. "I fight for the pride of a strong Amazon Nation!"

"The Amazon Nation needs you whole and hearty, not broken," Xena took a step backward as the woman advanced another step closer. "You've proven yourself to your sisters, Amazon. Now, yield!"

"Never!" The slighter woman raised her chobo high overhead and charged.

Xena was ready for the attack and merely waited for the woman to get within two paces of her before she launched herself into the air, somersaulted forward and landed behind the surprised Amazon. The crowd cheered loudly as the Amazon spun around to face Xena.

The warrior merely grinned at the seething woman. "Yield. Now."

The woman gritted her teeth and raised both chobos in front of her, despite the pain in her arm. "Fight me, coward!"

A dark brow rose. "Seriously? You really wanna go there?"

"Amazons do not yield to commoners," the woman ground out between clenched teeth. "Better to die on the field of battle than yield to a murderer."

Another collective gasp erupted from the crowd. Murmurs spread around the perimeter of the cordoned area, as the gathered Amazons discussed this latest revelation.

"And what makes you think I'm a murderer?" Xena merely crossed her arms over her chest and stood casually.

The woman raised her good arm and addressed the gathered crowd. "Behold, my sisters! The murderer of the leaders of the Northern Amazons!"

A cacophony of upraised voices suddenly erupted. Some asked what the Amazon meant by her accusation, while others grumbled about having a non-Amazon participating in their festivities and games.

Ephiny glanced at Gabrielle and noticed a tightening of the bard's shoulders. She knew how much the bard loved Xena and could only imagine what was running through the woman's mind at that moment.

"It was bound to come out, eventually, Gabrielle," Ephiny said, as she placed a comforting hand on Gabrielle's shoulder. "Don't take it personally."

Xena didn't seem phased in the least by the accusation. She merely stood there and waited for the uproar to die down and her opponent to face her. Outwardly she was calm, cool and collected. But she was seething inwardly and wanted nothing more than to pound her opponent into submission. That, however, was not an option. The Amazons needed every able-bodied warrior-even the ones with big mouths.

"You done with your grandstanding?" Xena commented with a wry smirk. "'Cause I think the queens are itchin' to get out here and show you a thing or two."

"What?" The woman turned to face Xena. "No witty comeback, warrior?"

"I'm not really one for witty repartee," Xena shrugged. "I leave that to my partner." She glanced at Gabrielle and gave her a wink, before returning her attention to the Amazon. "She's much better with words than I am anyway."

The Amazon looked at Gabrielle and gave her an appraising glare. "She's not even a true Amazon," the woman sneered. "I don't know why she was named queen of the Thracian tribe. Or why no one has yet challenged her claim."

Xena's expression hardened. "Someone tried."

"Oh?"

"I tossed her sorry ass in a lava river," Xena answered with a satisfied glare.

"So you fight Gabrielle's battles for her?" The Amazon prodded. "How pitiful that she is unable to do so herself."

"Gabrielle is more than capable of defending herself," Xena shot back. "She could kick your sorry ass all over this field, as a matter of fact." She cocked a dark brow at the woman. "Are we gonna finish this? Or are you just gonna keep flappin' your useless jaws like a damned magpie?"

The woman answered with a high-pitched squeal as she charged toward Xena and launched herself at the warrior. Xena was ready for whatever the woman could throw at her and merely deflected the attack with a series of quick-as-lighting counter strikes. Each strike reverberated across the field loudly. And just when it seemed that the Amazon might actually gain the upper hand, Xena launched her own offensive.

The redhead suddenly found herself completely outclassed and overpowered, as Xena's lightning-fast reflexes increased to a blinding pace. Sweat poured into the Amazon's eyes as she tried her best to fend off the powerful attack. But her skills, as well as her injury, were no match for Xena's far superior skills. Blow after crushing blow landed against the Amazon's tender flesh, leaving huge red welts all over her body.

The Amazon kicked out at Xena, but the warrior simply slammed a chobo into the woman's ankle bone with a loud crack. The Amazon stumbled forward and fell to her hands and knees. A hush fell over the crowd and all around them women waited with baited breath for Xena to land the final blow. The competition was not a fight to the death, but the Amazon's earlier words still hung over the gathering.

"Do you yield?" Xena's low voice finally broke the silence, as the Amazon managed to straighten enough that she was kneeling before the warrior.

The Amazon bowed her head. "I yield before you, warrior."

Xena put the two chobos into one hand and reached out to the woman. "I accept."

The woman glanced up and saw the hand hovering in front of her face. She hesitated a moment and then put her good arm into Xena's grasp, allowing the warrior to help her to her feet. With a look of confusion mixed with pain, the Amazon balanced on one foot and stood facing the taller woman.

"I may have misjudged you, warrior," the woman conceded. "You spared me when you had every right to end my life for what I said."

Xena smirked. "If I killed every person who ever said a bad word about me I really would be a murderer," she quipped and moved to the Amazon's side to offer her shoulder for support. "Let's get you to the healer, so she can fix you up in time to watch the queens do their thing." The Amazon actually allowed Xena to help her off the field. "The name's Xena, by the way."

"Margalena," the woman said with a tentative half-smile. "My sisters and I hail from?"

"The western coast," Xena nodded and then waved to Gabrielle. "I'll come back in time to catch you in your first event!" She called to the bard.

"No need to hurry, Xena!" Gabrielle called back. "Take care of your new friend! I'll be fine!"

Gabrielle watched as Xena continued helping the injured Amazon slowly off the field and toward the village. She knew Nissia already had her hands full with several other injured contestants, as well as a few pregnant warriors who had yet to give birth. It didn't bother her that she was on her own for the first event. She was sure she was ready for anything they wanted to throw at her.

"So," Gabrielle turned to the regent. "What's the first event on today's agenda?"

Ephiny grinned. "Oh, I think you're gonna like this one," she answered, as she guided Gabrielle toward the far side of the field in the general direction that the rest of the crowd was moving in. "You'll be facing off against Queen Besine with staffs."

They reached the edge of the practice field and Gabrielle glanced around them. Queen Besine, who she knew was about her size and a little on the heavier side, was nowhere in sight. The bard put her hands on her hips and quirked a brow at the regent, who merely answered by looking and pointing up.

Gabrielle glanced up into the trees above. "You have got to be kidding," the bard mumbled, as Eponin approached and handed her a staff similar to the one she'd lost.

"Tree fighting with staffs, My Queen," Ephiny smirked. "It adds a degree of risk to the challenge, don't you agree?"

Gabrielle took the staff from Eponin with a wry half-smile. "Your idea?"

"We're Amazons, yer maj," the weapons master smirked. "It's what we do."

Gabrielle squeezed her eyes shut and tried to keep her breathing normal, as her heart rate suddenly skipped into overdrive. She swallowed past the sudden lump in her throat and continued to concentrate on her breathing. It was a technique Xena had taught her and one she had used many times during the long winter moons. They had also spent many afternoons during those long months trying to cure the bard of her total aversion to tree climbing.

Unfortunately, even Xena's indomitable patience had finally worn thin after several long weeks. Gabrielle had only managed to advance as far as the next level of branches, before she was completely immobilized by the fear that constantly plagued her. No matter how hard they tried or how many days they spent up in the trees, Gabrielle still could not overcome that fear enough to climb any higher.

"Are you okay, Gabrielle?" Ephiny's quiet voice in her ear brought Gabrielle back to the matter at hand.

"I don't think I can do this," Gabrielle muttered just loud enough for the two Amazons closest to her to hear, as she opened her eyes and looked up at Queen Besine waiting casually for her.

"Yer kidding, right?" Eponin replied. "Tell me yer not afraid of a little tree."

Gabrielle glared at the weapons master. "I don't do trees," she growled. "They scare the hades out of me."

Ephiny grabbed Gabrielle by the shoulders and turned her until they were face-to-face. "You have to do this, My Queen. If you don't, then you forfeit the contest and the others will continue on without you. Your chances of becoming High Queen will vanish in an instant."

Gabrielle saw the determination in the woman's eyes and swallowed with difficulty. She glanced up into the canopy overhead and cringed.

"Then I forfeit, I guess," Gabrielle shrugged. "I'm not fighting up there. No way, no how."

Ephiny shook the woman and glared at her. "You will get up there and you will do this, Gabrielle. I will not suffer the humiliation of having our queen forfeit the very first event. The Thracian Amazons are a proud people and we could never live that down." She got right up in Gabrielle's face. "Now get your feathered butt up into that tree and show that woman who she's dealing with. You travel with the Warrior Princess, for cryin' out loud. You've outwitted gods, faced down Death and fought against monsters. You're not afraid of a little tree fighting."

Gabrielle wanted to protest further, but her mouth was suddenly bone dry and she couldn't conjure any saliva, no matter how many times she swallowed. She glanced up at the nearest tree and then returned her gaze to the woman staring intently at her.

"Fine," Gabrielle managed, as she girded herself for the battle ahead.

She marched over to the tree that Queen Besine stood confidently in. The squat woman held a staff similar to her own in the crook of an arm, as she leaned casually against the tree's trunk. Gabrielle gulped audibly, as she realized just how high up the tree was.

"You sure you wouldn't rather jump down here and do this?" Gabrielle called up to the woman, who merely grinned at her.

"Here," Eponin said behind Gabrielle. "Let me give you a leg up, yer maj."

Gabrielle barely had time to consider the folly of what she was about to do, as Eponin stood expectantly next her with her hands linked. Gabrielle put a foot in the makeshift stirrup and was unceremoniously launched up to the closest branch. She awkwardly grabbed on and pulled herself up onto the thick branch and tried not to look down.

"You okay up there, yer maj?" Eponin called from below. "Here, you might need this."

Gabrielle glanced at the end of the staff hovering next to her. She reached out and grabbed it, all the while keeping her eyes tightly shut against the panic that was threatening to send her toppling to the ground below-far, far below. A snicker to her right made her stiffen and open her eyes. Queen Besine was smirking at her.

"Problem with heights, Queen Gabrielle?" The woman chuckled.

"Just a little," Gabrielle answered with a slight half-smile. "Trees, mostly."

"And you call yourself an Amazon?" The woman straightened and twirled the staff in her hands while balancing on the branch expertly she was perched on.

Gabrielle felt her ire rise and grabbed onto it with all her inner fortitude. She planted her feet firmly beneath her and managed to stand with relative ease. Once she was standing on the branch, which quivered slightly with her movements, she resolved to push her fear as far from her mind as she possibly could. Once the fear was safely tucked away, she lifted the staff and used it to balance herself on the branch.

"I do," Gabrielle finally turned and met the chuckling woman's gaze. "I just don't understand what the deal is with Amazons and trees."

"Ahhhhh," Besine's tone was condescending. "Poor widdle baby. Maybe you should just trot on back to the nursery and let the adults continue without you."

Gabrielle was prepared for the woman to strike her staff, but wasn't quite prepared to have the branch she was on sway so treacherously beneath her. She let her arms absorb the first strike and bent her knees in an effort to find her center of gravity.

Besine was only getting started. She and Trika had resolved to show this upstart Amazon exactly what being queen entailed. Neither woman was convinced that Gabrielle was really worthy of the honor of wearing a queen's mask, much less wearing the High Queen's mask. That honor was reserved for those with experience and training and Amazon blood running through their veins. From stories she'd heard of the bard who traveled with Xena, Besine was sure Gabrielle wasn't a true Amazon, much less a queen.

Besine decided to see just how far she could push the blond before she took a header that she hoped would actually break the woman's neck.

"You do know that the first of us to touch the ground is the loser," Besine challenged, as she launched an attack against her opponent of quick strikes meant to throw the bard off balance. "You don't have a chance in Tartarus, Queen Gabrielle."

Gabrielle met each strike instinctively, as she concentrated on her precarious footing. She was an expert with the staff-something her opponent obviously didn't know-so it was just a matter of putting her efforts into staying on the branch and keeping her balance for as long as possible.

"What's wrong, Queen Gabrielle?" Besine taunted. "Don't you have any imagination when it comes to tree fighting?"

The woman suddenly hopped from the branch she was on to another one. She walked the length of that branch until it bowed under her weight, then she hopped to another. Gabrielle noticed that the woman was trying to outflank her. She also knew she had three options open to her. One: she could remain where she was and let the woman come to her. Two: she could move to another branch and meet the woman's attack. Or, three: she could climb up higher and attack the woman from above.

Gabrielle quickly ran through the options in her head. She knew she only had heartbeats before the woman was within striking distance, so she girded herself, swallowed down the rising bile in her throat and climbed higher. Gabrielle pushed all thoughts from her mind, including the thought that she would go plunging to her death in front of more than two hundred avid Amazon onlookers. She just climbed higher until she was sure she had a prime position.

The trees had been trimmed in preparation for this particular event. Gabrielle noticed several fresh knots still dripping sticky sap and managed to inadvertently run her hand through one. The sap stuck to her fingers, but she ignored the discomfort and concentrated on facing the woman who was now below her.

"Ah," Besine looked up and saw Gabrielle above her. "Getting your tree legs, I see."

"Do you always talk this much during a fight, Besine?" Gabrielle purposely dropped the woman's title in order to annoy her. After all, she reasoned, Xena always said talking was her best asset. Time to use what she knew. "Or do you just get chatty when you realize you're about to lose?"

Several Amazon onlookers hooted and hollered below them, while others either jeered or laughed at Gabrielle's words.

"Why, you little whelp!" The squat brunette growled.

Gabrielle was sure the woman would stay on the lower branches in deference to her weight. She was a little surprised when Besine actually climbed higher, scaling the branches easily until they were almost at eye level. They both heard the branch Besine stood on protest her added weight, but the Amazon merely stood her ground.

Gabrielle carefully maneuvered out onto her branch and met Besine halfway. The sounds of their staffs connecting reverberated throughout the forest around them, as cheers from below encouraged each woman on. Where Besine was skilled at fighting in the trees, Gabrielle was equally as skilled with the staff. They were evenly matched and managed to meet each other's blows and counter blows without faltering.

Ephiny held her breath as she watched the two women slam their staffs together in a frenzy of heated blows that made her own head spin just thinking about how high up they were. She knew Gabrielle was no match for any Amazon fighting in the trees, but the bard appeared to be holding her own against the other queen. It actually surprised Ephiny slightly to see Gabrielle at work.

"So, what'd I miss?" The regent's eyes widened at the familiar voice that joined her and Eponin.

"Hey, Xena," Ephiny pulled her gaze from the two combatants and looked at the warrior.

"Who's up there?" Xena squinted slightly in an effort to see who the two women were. "And where's Gabrielle?"

Ephiny glanced up and noticed that Gabrielle was partially hidden behind a tree trunk.

"Her maj and Queen Besine," the weapons master supplied, as she stood casually gazing up at the two combatants. "They're fighting with staffs."

Xena's eyes widened when she finally caught a glimpse of her partner's familiar profile. "That's?She's?" She rounded on Ephiny with anger flaring. "You sent her up into the trees to fight?"

"Yeah," Ephiny took a cautious step back. "Hey, relax, Xena. She's doing fine."

"Hey, chill, Xe," Eponin tried to grab the warrior and almost flew into a tree herself when Xena violently shrugged her off.

"Gabrielle is deathly afraid of heights!" Xena ground out mere inches from the regent's face. "She's never climbed higher than the first set of branches. What possessed you to send her up there?"

Ephiny tried not to cringe, but was finding it hard not to with the imposing warrior towering over her. "She's doing great, Xena. See?" She pointed up.

Xena turned and looked up at the two combatants. Gabrielle wasn't holding onto anything and was actually using her legs to absorb the bouncing of the branch beneath her. Her focus was entirely on the woman she was fighting against, and she seemed not to be paying attention to where she was. The warrior was actually impressed that Gabrielle was doing so well.

Xena watched as Gabrielle deftly countered several quick and successive swings from her opponent. Gabrielle's opponent was the same height but slightly more rotund than the bard. Xena could see that Gabrielle's slighter build and lighter weight made it easier for her to remain balanced on the branches. The warrior briefly wondered why she hadn't tried this particular tactic with the bard during all those long candlemarks they'd spent trying to alleviate her fear of heights.

"She looks at home up there, doesn't she?" Ephiny's voice next to her brought Xena back to the matter at hand. "It's like she was born to fight like an Amazon."

Xena shot the regent a glare. "And when she falls?"

There was a sudden, collective gasp from the crowd. Xena glanced up in time to see Gabrielle dangling precariously from a branch that was several levels lower than she'd been only a moment before. The bard still had a grip on her staff, but seemed to have the wind knocked out of her.

A moment of sheer panic washed over Gabrielle as she realized she'd nearly plunged to the ground below. It was only by sheer force of will that she managed to throw herself onto the branch she was currently bent forward over. She waited a moment for the breath to return to her lungs and then breathed deeply of the pine-scented air.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk! Poor little storyteller," Besine's patronizing tone grated on Gabrielle's nerves and helped her push the panic back down.

Gabrielle felt the branch she was on shake violently, as the Amazon queen landed on it. Rather than allow the woman to best her, though, Gabrielle used her position on the branch to her best advantage. With her staff firmly gripped in one hand, she held firmly to the branch with the other and slid her body off. She pumped her legs with as much power as she could muster and managed to swing to another branch. Gabrielle never gave a thought to what she was doing. She just did it.

As soon as she had a firm perch on the new branch, Gabrielle climbed to her feet and turned to face her opponent. Besine's staff came at her head and Gabrielle just managed to get her staff into position in time to block the blow. But Besine wasn't to be deterred. She used the staff like a spear and tried to thrust the tip into Gabrielle's exposed midsection.

Gabrielle was tired of being on the defensive. She swiped her staff down and across her body in time to knock Besine's staff thrust away and launched an attack of her own. It was time to put everything Xena had taught her into play and she pulled out every stop. Gabrielle's staff whirred in an arc-swing-thrust combination that took the Amazon completely by surprise.

The bard danced from one branch to another without a thought to where she was. She just put her mind into fighting mode and let her feet find purchase on the branches, as if she were standing on uneven ground or fighting on top of boulders. She was no longer up in the trees. She was in her element with a weapon that was an extension of her arms and as familiar to her as her own skin.

Besine watched the change come over the woman before her. It was as if the tentative younger woman suddenly transformed into a seasoned fighter right before her eyes. Gone was the hesitation. Gone was the unsure footwork. This woman slamming her staff into Besine's with a force and skill born of long candlemarks of practice was someone else entirely.

The branches above and around her didn't allow for the kind of staff fighting Gabrielle was used to. So, she adapted her swings to account for the smaller space she had to work in. She also adjusted her body and used more-compact, spring-like motions to deliver the blows needed to continue her assault against the stout woman. Her tactics were working and Besine was hard-pressed to keep a firm grip on her weapon.

And then Gabrielle saw the opening she'd been waiting for. Besine dropped her shoulder and inadvertently left the side of her head exposed for an upward swing of Gabrielle's staff. The bard delivered the blow with all her might and connected with a resounding crack.

Besine saw stars explode in her head at the sudden impact from her opponent's wooden weapon. She knew a moment of complete confusion and felt the world tilt around her. And then she was falling. The Amazon queen grabbed for the nearest branch and missed it completely. Panic washed over her as she tumbled sideways.

With a look of utter shock, the Amazon grasped empty air and fell. Four stout branches broke on impact under Besine's weight. And then the woman hit the ground hard. The breath rushed from her lungs and she lay still.

The crowd erupted in chaos. Several Macedonian Amazons rushed to Besine's side and tended their fallen queen, while the rest of the crowd cheered and raised fists to the triumphant queen still standing in the trees above. Several Thracian Amazons danced around the base of the tree Gabrielle gingerly climbed down from. The women caught their queen on their shoulders before she could touch the ground and carried her toward the practice field with loud whoops, hollers and triumphant cheers.

Gabrielle patiently allowed her Amazon sisters to carry her across the practice field and toward the village center. As soon as they deposited her on the raised dais, she raised her staff overhead and issued a triumphant battle yell all her own.

The crowd roared.

Many of the visiting Amazons taunted the Thracian women and shouted encouragement to their own queens. While the Thracian Amazons danced and cheered in triumph.

Ephiny, Eponin and Xena elbowed their way through the raucous crowd until they reached the dais where several of the queens now stood. Gabrielle caught sight of the three women and something in her eyes gave them pause. Instead of the expected smile of triumph, the bard was actually scowling down at them. Her glare rested on Ephiny, as she raised the staff one last time.

"To a strong Amazon Nation!" She shouted above the din without breaking her gaze from Ephiny's.

Then Gabrielle tossed the staff to Eponin, turned and hopped down from the dais. She marched across the village center toward the queen's hut and didn't stop or look back until she was standing on the porch, reaching for the door. Then she paused a moment and felt a familiar presence at her back. Pausing only that brief moment, Gabrielle pushed the door open and rushed inside without a backward glance.

Chapter 6

"You okay?" Xena's calm voice behind her was her undoing. "I gotcha," the warrior said, as she quickly caught Gabrielle and kept her from falling in a heap to the wooden floor.

Xena picked the smaller woman up in her arms and carried Gabrielle over to the bed, depositing the smaller woman on it with gentle, caring movements. When the warrior tried to pull away, however, she found the bard still clinging to her, as if she were a lifeline.

"Please," Gabrielle whispered, as the panic finally set in and she panted breathlessly. Shudders suddenly rocked her, as the full import of what she'd just done hit her unexpectedly.

"I'm here," Xena scooted in beside the woman who was shaking uncontrollably. "Shhhhh," Xena soothed, as she gently stroked and rocked Gabrielle in her arms. "It's over. You're safe. I'm here."

The warrior continued to mutter nonsensical platitudes, as she held Gabrielle and patiently waited for the panic attack to subside. Even after she finally felt the smaller woman relax against her, she still continued to sooth her partner.

"Promise me," Gabrielle finally managed to utter when her breathing finally returned to normal and the shaking subsided.

"Promise you what, love?" Xena asked, as she stroked the bard's short hair.

"That you will never let me do that again for as long as we both shall live," Gabrielle pulled back enough to meet the warrior's gaze.

Xena couldn't help the smile that touched her lips. "Oh, I don't know?"

"Xena," Gabrielle cut her off with a stern glare. "That was the most asinine thing I've ever done in my entire life. It was also beyond terrifying. I hate trees. You and I both know how deathly afraid of them I am."

"If it's any consolation, you didn't look a bit terrified," Xena said, as she brushed the bard's bangs from her eyes. "You really looked like you were completely in control up there."

Gabrielle blew out a breath. "I was too busy trying to keep Besine from knocking my head off to really think about anything else. It didn't hit me until I walked in that door," she nodded toward the door to their hut. "Then?" She swallowed audibly. "Promise me, Xena," Gabrielle raised pleading eyes to the woman beside her. "Promise me you will do whatever it takes to keep me from ever doing that again."

Xena raised a hand and tried to retain a serious expression, "I promise."

***

Ignesia awoke and glanced around at her surroundings. She was in her hut and the sun was just setting beyond her window, casting the one-roomed interior in reds and golds. She glanced toward the woman watching her curiously from the side of the bed.

"How did I get here?" Ignesia asked.

"Does it matter?" A gray brow lifted on the healer's craggy face. "The better questions would be what were you doing in the forest by yourself, and why were you unconscious?"

The healer folded her gnarled hands in her lap, as she waited for her charge to answer the question. Nissia was not pleased to have to sit with someone she considered of little or no consequence. But the two Thracian Amazons who had carried Ignesia into the village would have no one else see to the woman.

"I?" Ignesia began, as she sat up against the wall behind her. "I'm not sure what happened, old woman."

"Pfft!" Nissia shook her head and rose to her feet. "I have other patients who need me more than you do. I will send your friends in here to see to your care."

"Friends?" Ignesia called to the healer's back, as the woman waddled toward the door.

Nissia didn't reply. She merely opened the door and waved the three concerned women inside. She didn't give them more than a cursory glance, as she continued on her way towards her hut and the three pregnant women who still needed her attention.

Patrice, Shraia and another younger woman entered the hut. The trio walked over to Ignesia and gazed intently at her.

"You look well, sister," Patrice shot Ignesia a wry smirk. "For a dead woman."

"Dead?" Ignesia repeated.

"You were near death when we found you," Shraia said. "Patrice breathed life back into you. At least, that's what Nissia says happened-the old bat."

"Is this true?" Ignesia looked to Patrice for confirmation.

The woman nodded her auburn head and gazed at Ignesia with shining gray-green eyes dancing with mischief. "It was the least I could do for the woman who will lead us into a new age," Patrice said, as she took Ignesia's hands into hers. "We simply await your command, Ignesia. Your followers are ready to wage war against the Usurper and grind her followers into dust."

Ignesia saw the spark of rebellion smoldering in the woman's gray-green eyes for the very first time. It was somewhat surprising, since Patrice was one of her most skeptical followers. The woman's constant questions and nay-saying had become a serious concern for Ignesia over the last few moons. She had even considered running the woman through with her own sword a few times, just to shut her up.

When Cyane, queen of the Northern Amazons, had come to Ignesia just the week prior to tell her they needed a young Thracian Amazon to participate in a ritual sacrifice, Ignesia had seriously considered calling on Patrice for the job.

But then Rena had dropped into her lap the previous night and all thoughts of Patrice fled her thoughts. Ignesia stifled the shudder that threatened to bring all the horrible memories flooding back to her. She didn't want to think about what had happened or the incredible guilt that still lingered over her part in Rena's death. She also didn't want to think about the voices that seemed strangely silent at that moment.

"Do the rest of you feel as Patrice does?" Ignesia looked to the two other women in turn.

"We are ready to fight to the death for a strong Amazon Nation!" Shraia stepped forward and placed a hand over Patrice's. "I pledge my honor to you, Ignesia. We shall succeed and the Usurper shall fall."

"I, too, pledge my honor and my life to you, Ignesia," the smaller woman stepped forward with the same spark of rebellion in her eyes.

"You are not yet a full Amazon, Maeriska," Ignesia pointed out to the young woman who was barely thirteen summers old and would soon join the ranks of the Thracian Amazons.

Maeriska held a fist to her heart. "I was born in this village thirteen summers past and will participate in the ceremony two nights hence. When I am a full Amazon, I shall pledge myself to your service, Ignesia, my word on it."

Ignesia nodded her approval. "We have much work to do, then," she said, as she slid to the edge of the bed and stood facing the three women. "Our northern sisters await word that we are ready to begin our campaign. In three day's time, during the Ceremony of the Full Moon and before a High Queen of the Amazon Nation is named, we shall strike the Usurper down and all her followers with her." She grabbed the women's hands in hers and raised them toward the sky. "To a strong Amazon Nation!"

"TO A STRONG AMAZON NATION!!" They repeated in unison.

***

"Knock, knock," Ephiny called, as she opened the door to the queen's hut just enough to peek her head inside. She'd already knocked twice before and received no answer in return. "Gabrielle? Xena? Anyone home?"

Xena padded out of the smaller bathing room in bare feet and was toweling her hair dry. "Hello, Ephiny," the warrior said, as she tossed the damp cloth onto the foot of the bed. "What's up?"

"I came to let you know Eponin and Chilapa are ready when you are, Xena," Ephiny stepped fully inside the hut and stood near the door. She shot the warrior a knowing look.

"And where, pray tell, are they taking her?" Gabrielle emerged from the bathing room, toweling her own hair dry.

Both women were fully clothed, except that neither had their boots on. The bard stopped toweling her hair long enough to glare at the regent.

"I?um?" Ephiny was caught flat-footed. "We need to borrow her for the next couple days."

"For what?" Gabrielle shot the woman a skeptical look. "Come on, Eph. Give me a little credit here, will ya?"

"Okay, fine," Ephiny crossed her arms over her chest. "Xena volunteered to play chaperone for a group of youngsters during their first hunt."

Xena and Gabrielle exchanged a glance. Xena just shrugged.

"Eponin asked and I said yes," the warrior said, as she raised a questioning brow to her partner. "If it's all right with you."

Gabrielle shrugged and tried to appear nonchalant. "You don't need my permission to trek through the wilderness with a bunch of kids, Xena. Go have fun."

"I'll meet you outside, Eph," Xena dismissed the regent and turned to her partner. "You gonna be all right here without me for a couple days? No tree climbing. And try to play nice with the other queens while I'm gone," she pecked the woman on the forehead. "Try to stay out of trouble. And don't play with the sais until I get back. I don't think these women are prepared to have their hostess turn berserker on them."

They both chuckled.

"You are not leaving me for two days with only a measly kiss on the forehead, warrior," Gabrielle wrapped her arms around Xena's waist, got up on her tiptoes and planted a searing kiss on the warrior's lips.

"Mm," Xena felt her toes curl with the intensity of the feelings that suddenly washed over and through her. "You keep that up and I'll never go anywhere."

Gabrielle smirked. "It's just a little reminder to make you want to come home to me."

Xena placed her hands on either side of the bard's face and planted her own searing kiss on the woman's lips. The kiss deepened until they were both breathless.

"Just a little something to help you remember who'll be coming home to you very soon," Xena grinned. "Just remember, absence makes the heart grow fonder."

"In whose eyes?" Gabrielle smirked teasingly.

Xena moved away, grabbed her boots and bracers and quickly donned the rest of her attire. Gabrielle helped her tie her wrist bracers and adjusted the brass breastplate to her satisfaction. She couldn't help the grin that played at the edges of her lips, as she stood back to survey the warrior's attire.

"Well? Do I meet with your approval, My Queen?" Xena held her hands out to her sides.

"Mm," Gabrielle shook her head. "I'm not sure I can let you go for two whole days, Xena. It's gonna be incredibly lonely sleeping in that bed all by myself," she finished by wrapping her arms around the taller woman and just holding her.

Xena placed a chaste kiss on the top of the bard's head. "Not as lonely as sleeping on the hard ground, out under the stars, without you in my arms to keep me warm. Not to mention chaperoning a bunch of green-behind-the-ears kids with only Eponin and Chilapa there for protection."

Gabrielle looked up into eyes gone misty in the twilight. "Do you really have to go?"

"Can't really stay here anyway, love," Xena shrugged. "Your queens have an Amazons-Only rule for this particular celebration, so it's better if I play tour guide to the kids and teach them a few things, instead." She smiled. "Besides, maybe I'll learn a thing or two about dealing with kids."

Gabrielle snickered. "Yeah, and I'll enjoy dancing naked in the light of the nearly-full moon, too."

"You never know," Xena teased. "Maybe we can both dance naked in the light of the moon after I get back."

"When you get back with those youngsters, it'll be time to do this High Queen thing," Gabrielle scrunched her nose. "I'll also be overseeing the ceremony to accept those youngsters into the tribe as full-fledged Amazons. It was supposed to happen at the new moon ceremony, but, for some reason, Ephiny decided to change the schedule. Not sure what was up with that." She shrugged. "Guess I'll have to ask her. I'm not thrilled about having to oversee that huge intertribal joining ceremony that's supposed to kick off the end of all this hoopla. I'm especially not looking forward to calling upon Artemis to bless those unions, let me tell you. I'm still really pissed at her for what she did to us."

Xena stroked the woman's hair. "Don't worry about it, Gabrielle. Maybe you can just have one of the other queens do that part of the ceremony, instead."

"Now there's a thought," the bard conceded. "I'm sure Mashuka would love to put that booming voice of hers to good use."

"See?" Xena stepped out of the bard's embrace and quickly grabbed her travel gear from the chair where she'd dumped it earlier. She turned and tapped a finger against her temple. "Now you're thinking like the High Queen." She winked playfully.

Gabrielle snorted. "Oh, please," she scoffed. "Don't you start trying to put that one in my lap, too. I've had just about enough of that from Ephiny to last a lifetime."

Xena paused with her hand on the door latch. "You would make a great High Queen, Gabrielle."

"It would sure add a mouthful, wouldn't it?" Gabrielle said, as she leaned in for one more kiss. "Xena, Warrior Princess, and Gabrielle, High Queen of the Amazon Nation and Bard of Potidea."

Xena rolled her eyes and opened the door. "Then again?" She said as she headed outside and was greeted by an impatient Ephiny.

"Just make sure Eponin watches your back," Gabrielle said with a smirk from the porch. "And don't let the kids get on your nerves too much."

"About time," Ephiny said, as the warrior hopped down the steps. "You two finally finish your goodbyes? You know you'll only be gone for two days, right?"

"Two days is a lifetime," Xena muttered as she strode purposely toward the village center.

***

The celebration was in full swing. A huge bonfire burned brightly before the dais and dancers were gyrating to the beat of several drums and a chorus of chanting. The queens had all made speeches about the might and fortitude of the Amazons, as well as reiterated the histories of their individual tribes. Food and drink were passed around and shared by all. The drink was especially bountiful. Wine, ale, mead and cider were plentiful and not a single mug was allowed to go dry before it was refilled to the brim.

Gabrielle gazed at the sights and sounds laid out before her, as she slowly sipped her hard cider. She was ever careful not to imbibe too freely of the sweet drink, having had her share of adverse experiences. She was being especially vigilant on this night, because she knew Xena wasn't there to carry her to their hut. It also wouldn't do to have the others see her in a drunken state, not with the way they were eyeing her on this night.

She had been triumphant at her first event, despite her initial trepidation. Overcoming her fear of heights and especially her fear of trees, she had managed to somehow win. Besine, her opponent, was effectively eliminated from the competition and would spend the remainder of the games on the sidelines. The woman had broken her arm at the elbow when she'd fallen from the tree. She now wore a splint and had her arm in a sling, thanks to Nissia and her helpers.

Mashuka had also won her event, a contest of strength and will. A platform had been erected above a warm mud pit and the two women wrestled against each other for the better part of two candlemarks. They were evenly matched in strength and build, making their contest that much more challenging. When Mashuka finally caught her opponent around the waist and tripped her, Jalile was unable to recover her balance enough to stop her headlong plunge into the sticky mud.

Mashuka danced in triumph on the narrow platform, which then gave out under her weight and toppled her into the mud alongside her mud-encrusted opponent. The two women continued their battle until they were both covered from head to toe in the warm, gooey substance, much to the amusement of the gathered crowd. Jalile finally ceded the victory to Mashuka, however, when Jalile's ankle turned and she could no longer stand.

The event that Trika and Sheria competed in later that same day was not as entertaining as the other two competitions. An obstacle course had been set up within the southern forest. The two women had to maneuver through the trees on horseback as they shot at moving targets with bows and arrows. The event took a great deal of skill and precision, something both women were equally blessed with. When the final tally was taken, Sherina came out just two scores ahead of her opponent, who immediately called for a recount. A recount was taken and Sherina was declared the winner by three scores, instead of two.

Gabrielle pondered the outcome of the events of the day and smirked as she reached up to touch the laurel crown atop her head. Two other queens-Sherina and Mashuka-also wore similar crowns. She glanced at the other queens near her and caught Trika watching her with open hostility. She wondered briefly what the woman was thinking and then dismissed the notion. If there was one thing she was learning about these women, it was that there was always something that could set them off, no matter what that something might be.

Gabrielle returned her attention to the dancers and took another sip of her cider. The even tempo of the drums, combined with the low chants of the singers, was mesmerizing, as were the suggestive gyrations of the dancers. Because the older youngsters were away on their first hunt and the younger ones were safely tucked into a communal hut with a few young overseers, there were only adults present at this particular celebration.

The drink flowed in abundance and the dancers enjoyed the chance to let go of any inhibitions. Many of them had painted their entire bodies in preparation for this celebration. As the beat of the drums increased and the chanting became more insistent, several of the dancers shed their leathers and danced in only the paint that decorated their bodies. Sweat glistened and the firelight shimmered off their painted skin, as they undulating in time to the steady beat.

Gabrielle found herself entranced by the sight spread out before her, as she sipped more of her cider and savored the flavor of fermented apples on her tongue. The beat of the drums seemed to match the beat of her heart and the low chant seemed to penetrate to her very soul. She lost track of how many times she lifted the mug to her lips, until only a drop touched her tongue.

"More cider, My Queen?" Someone took her mug and replaced it with a full one before she could react.

"Are you enjoying the festivities, Queen Gabrielle?" Trika's voice in her ear had Gabrielle's head snapping around.

"It's?interesting," Gabrielle gave the woman a reserved smile. "The cider's excellent, by the way. Thank you for bringing such a plentiful supply."

"We pride ourselves on only choosing the very best apples for our celebration cider," Trika tipped her head slightly to acknowledge the compliment. "I'm glad you're enjoying it."

In the back of her mind Gabrielle knew she was enjoying it a little too much. The sweet cider was finally starting to affect her, and she knew she should stop drinking the stuff, right then and there. But?

"Are you enjoying yourself, Queen Trika?" Gabrielle asked, as she took another sip from her mug.

Trika glanced out at the dancers, who were joined by Amazons from the other tribes present. Most of the dancers were now completely naked, while others encouraged the newcomers to shed their leathers in celebration.

"Queen Mashuka's celebration wine is quite good, too," Trika said, as she kept her eyes on the dancers. "It has been far too long since we've had a celebration of this magnitude. So many Amazons in one place. It's a wonder more fights haven't broken out."

"Solari prides herself on keeping order, even amidst this kind of chaos," Gabrielle said.

Gabrielle felt the initial buzz in her head. She was drunk, but didn't care anymore. She continued to sip her cider and let the heady brew dance on her taste buds, as she watched the dancers. The drum beat was now perfectly in time with her own heartbeat and the chanting was no more than a low hum vibrating throughout her being. The experience was intoxicating and made her feel the urge to join in the dancing.

It occurred to her that she'd done that once before. When was it? She shook off the urge and just sat there, instead. No, Xena wouldn't want her to be out there dancing with those sparsely-clad and naked women.

Finger tips lightly brushed the hair from the side of her face and tucked it behind her ear. She turned and saw Trika's face just inches from her own. Silent alarm bells went off in her head at that moment.

"What the?" Gabrielle exclaimed, as she jumped unsteadily away from the woman.

"It's all right, Queen Gabrielle," Trika purred, as she moved closer still and put a hand on the bard's bare thigh. "We're Amazons. It's what we do."

"No!" Gabrielle put up a staying hand to ward off the woman's advance. "I'm flattered, but?"

"Flattery has nothing to do with it," Trika closed the distance to Gabrielle's lips and pinned the bard with a hand behind her head. "This is about celebration. We are Amazons! We celebrate life! We revel in the pleasures of the flesh."

Gabrielle froze in shock, as Trika's lips met hers in a searing, bruising kiss. Her alcohol-befuddled mind couldn't quite comprehend what was happening, as a wave of heat shot through her and settled in her center. The drum beats increased with the beating of her heart and that low hum seemed to ignite something deep within, until she realized she was passionately kissing the woman in return and enjoying it.

Her eyes closed, as she shut out the entire world around her and became consumed in the feel of the woman's hands and lips on her. It was a heady experience. She couldn't think. She could do nothing except allow her body to respond to the touch and feel of the other woman. The kiss became more demanding, as Gabrielle gave in to her baser urges and let herself sink further into the carnal desire pounding incessantly within her.

Suddenly the world around her exploded with sights and sounds again, as Trika was torn away from her and summarily tossed aside like a sack of potatoes. Gabrielle's eyes flew open and she saw the angry face of her regent glaring down at her.

"Gabrielle," Ephiny's voice appeared calm and controlled, though her breathing revealed something altogether different. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Uh," Gabrielle sat up and tried to shake off the last vestiges of desire that was still lingering throughout her entire body. "I?uh?What?"

Ephiny grabbed Gabrielle by the shoulders and shook her. "Are you crazy? What would Xena do if she found you kissing another woman?" She glared directly into Gabrielle's eyes. "Are you drunk? Oh, for Artemis' sake! That's it! Celebration's over for you, My Queen. Time for bed."

The regent steered Gabrielle off the dais and marched her in the direction of the queen's hut. Without pause she guided the inebriated bard up the steps and inside, pushing Gabrielle onto the bed without ceremony. She quickly removed Gabrielle's sandals and tossed them in a corner. But then she paused and decided to stoke the fire, instead of removing Gabrielle's clothes.

Gabrielle felt the world tilting precariously around her, as she sat there in the darkness. Her drink-befuddled mind tried to make sense of what was going on. The mere mention of Xena's name had her almost feeling guilty for kissing the Amazon queen. Didn't it?

"I?um?" Gabrielle ran a hand through her hair. "It was just a kiss, Eph. Relax, wouldya? It's not like we did anything."

"Just a?" Ephiny blew out an irritated breath, as she fanned the fire to life. "Artemis' left tit, Gabrielle! She was on top of you with her hand between your legs. Who knows what that bitch would have done if I hadn't shown up when I did?"

Gabrielle just sat there for a moment, as Ephiny's words echoed through her spinning head. The buzz was still there, but the loud drum beats and chanting were so distant now that she could no longer feel them inside her. The empty feeling that washed over her was almost unbearable, as she sank back onto the bed.

"Ugh!" Gabrielle let out a groan.

"Yeah, ugh," Ephiny echoed in exasperation, as she stood over her queen with her hands on her hips. "I can't leave you alone for even a candlemark without you getting yourself into a whole heap of trouble. How does Xena put up with that?"

"With what?" A green eye popped open to look at the aggravated regent.

"With your magnetic attraction to trouble?" Ephiny added with a wry smirk.

Gabrielle smiled, as she scooted to the head of the bed and climbed under the covers. "She loves me."

"That she does," Ephiny just shook her head. "Sleep well, My Queen."

"You, too, Eph," Gabrielle murmured, as she snuggled beneath the covers and drifted off to sleep.

***

"Can't believe you dragged me out here with you, Eponin," Xena grumbled, as she sat on a log sharpening her sword.

"Part of your initiation, there, Ace," Eponin shrugged, as she absently chewed on a blade of grass. She glanced at the sleeping lumps beyond the light of the campfire. "'Sides, it's good for the girls to learn some stuff from someone besides me."

"And me," Chilapa piped in with a smirk.

Xena concentrated on the sword in her hand, as she ran her sharpening stone along the worn blade. Her thoughts turned to a certain blond bard and she wondered what Gabrielle was doing at that moment.

"Relax, Xe," Eponin said, as if in answer to an unspoken question. "Eph'll take good care of Gabrielle for you. She won't let nothin' happen to her maj."

Xena shot the weapons master a raised-brow glare. "What makes you think I was even thinking about Gabrielle?"

"You had that look in your eye," Eponin winked. "You know, the one you get when you think nobody's looking at you and you're looking at or thinking of her?"

Chilapa snickered, but instantly caught herself when Xena glared at her. The Amazon instantly hid her amusement behind a feigned cough.

"I think I'll just?" Chilapa ducked away and climbed into her bedroll without another word.

"Heh," Eponin watched the warrior turn her signature glare on her. "Not buyin' it, Xe. I know you better than she does. Been there, seen that look."

Xena lifted the tip of her blade until the sword rested in front of her. "You think so, eh?"

"I?" Eponin caught the crazed look in Xena's eyes and decided to err on the side of caution. "Okay, so maybe I'll head off to bed, too. Big day ahead of us tomorrow and all. I'd like to get a good night's sleep in before I gotta face all these overenthusiastic kids again." She paused before climbing into her bedroll. "'Night, Xena."

"Goodnight, Eponin," the warrior replied, as she resumed sharpening her blade by the light of the campfire.

She had volunteered for first watch in anticipation of the lonely night ahead. She knew she wouldn't be getting much sleep, not without Gabrielle there in her arms. It still amazed her that the smaller woman had become such an important part of her life over the past year. Their hearts seemed to beat in sync when they slept together. They often shared the morning meal, stealing food from each other's plates and sampling the flavors on each other's lips. They were becoming so close, in fact, that they had started cycling at the same time each moon. The only thing they didn't seem to share were each other's thoughts. Those still had to be spoken aloud.

Xena glanced up at the stars overhead and smirked. "Are you seeing them, too?" She quietly muttered.

She shook her head and returned her attention to the sword, allowing her thoughts to wander as she absently ran the stone along the worn edge of the blade. It soothed her soul to do such a mundane thing in front of the crackling fire. It was also one of the few things that had helped calm her after a day of fighting. It still calmed her and gave her a sense of peace. But without her partner there to share the time with her, it just wasn't the same.

"Sweet dreams, love," her soft voice called to the darkness.

***

"Is it over yet?" Gabrielle put her fingers to her temples in an effort to dispel the headache that was raging incessantly behind her eyes.

She'd awakened late that morning to a hangover and the cheery disposition of a certain blond regent. After Ephiny handed her a steaming cup of willow-bark tea-which she drank as quickly as the searing heat would allow-Gabrielle took a quick bath and changed into her green top and brown skirt. Ephiny had asked why she wasn't wearing her Amazon leathers, and she'd answered that she didn't want to wear them again after having slept in them all night.

"Not yet," Ephiny answered with another cheery smile. "These two seem to be evenly matched in skill, if not in size."

"You really need to tone down the enthusiastic attitude, Eph," Gabrielle groused. "I insist."

Ephiny just smirked and shook her head.

They were watching Mashuka and Sherina from the edge of a small lake. The two queens were locked in a heated battle with chobos, as they each balanced on a log in the shallow part of the water. This particular contest was designed to showcase not only the skills of these particular queens, but their balance, too. Mashuka's log was mostly submerged within the dark water and only the very tops of her bare feet were visible above the waterline. Sherina, who was of slighter build than her opponent, was actually floating almost a foot taller than her opponent.

Both women had been going at it for the better part of half a candlemark. The sounds of their chobos connecting, combined with the cheers of the crowd, just added to the pounding in Gabrielle's head. She was nearly to the point where she just wanted to excuse herself and return to the village alone. But duty forbade her from leaving the event.

Gabrielle glanced to her left and was slightly surprised to see Trika staring intently at her. The woman was actually glaring at her, as much as she was?

"Why is Queen Trika looking at me like I'm her next meal?" Gabrielle whispered to Ephiny.

Ephiny glanced at the Amazon leader and frowned. "Probably wants to finish what she started last night." She caught the confused look in the bard's eyes. "You seriously don't remember, do you, Gabrielle?"

"Should I?" Gabrielle shot back in a hushed whisper, and rubbed her aching temple. "Ugh! I hate hangovers."

"She tried?" Ephiny just rolled her eyes. "Never mind. You don't want to know. Just stay away from her, if at all possible. That woman's a real piece of work, ya know?"

"I'm not really sure I remember very much that happened last night," Gabrielle said thoughtfully. "It's all a blur right now." She massaged her temple harder and felt her stomach turn. "Ugh! Now I know why Xena makes me stop after just one drink."

"You're such a lightweight, Gabrielle," Ephiny snickered.

"Tell me about it," the bard agreed.

A roar from the crowd caught both women and brought their attention back to the competition. Mashuka was waving her chobos in the air and Sherina was nowhere in sight. The log she had been fighting from was spinning and bobbing in the water.

"Oh, great," Gabrielle groaned aloud at the unexpected outcome. "Please tell me Mashuka didn't just win that contest."

"Okaaaay," Ephiny answered. "But you're not gonna like it when you finally wake up and smell the humus." A teasing smirk graced her features. "By the way, it stinks like a three-day-old carcass left rotting in the late summer sun."

Gabrielle just glared at her and gritted her teeth against a wave of nausea the woman's words conjured.

"Shall I make the announcement? Or would you prefer to do the honors this time, My Queen?" Ephiny snickered.

"You are enjoying this a little too much," Gabrielle accused and then her expression turned thoughtful. "I think I feel a bout of nausea coming on."

The regent crossed her arms over her bosom. "Don't even try to weasel your way out of the final contest, Gabrielle. Not when we are this," she held her fingers an inch apart, "close to victory."

A blond brow rose on the bard's features. "I like a good challenge as much as the next girl, you know." And then Gabrielle just turned and walked away without a backward glance.

"Urgh!" Ephiny groaned, as Mashuka stood dripping in front of her and all eyes were suddenly upon them. "Queen Mashuka," the regent bowed low and then straightened up to face the woman towering over her. "The great goddess, Artemis, shines on you this day!"

Half the crowd cheered, while the other half groaned or booed. Several women from Mashuka's tribe danced around the beaming victor, as she waved her arms and whooped in triumph. Ephiny could only stand there and hope that the earth would open up and swallow her whole.

***

Xena signaled for her small group to remain silent and drop down into the bushes where they were standing. Three of the girls dropped immediately, while the other six just stood there and gaped at the sight laid out before them. It was Eponin who knocked the legs out from under the nearest girl still standing that got the rest to act.

Xena kept her eyes on the scene laid out before them. Her mind went through all the possibilities, until she came up with an answer.

"The Northern tribe?" Eponin whispered next to her right elbow.

"Yep," Xena whispered back. "And then some."

"Artemis' left tit!" The weapons master hissed. "There must be?"

"Nearly three hundred warriors," Xena supplied when Eponin continued to silently count.

"Why'd we?" Chilapa dropped down beside the pair, her face mirroring her surprise. She'd been the rear guard for their little hunting group and hadn't seen the Northern Amazon encampment. "By the gods!" She hissed.

"Yeah, welcome to it, Chi," Eponin whispered. "Not something you see every day, let me tell ya."

"Shh," Xena held a finger to her lips, as two Northern Amazons approached their position.

The Northern Amazons were carrying on a casual conversation and didn't appear to notice the small group hiding just a few paces away from them. The two women stopped and turned their backs on the group. Xena glanced at Eponin and with silent hand signals let the weapons master know her intentions. Eponin just nodded.

The two Northern Amazons didn't know what hit them as they were suddenly grabbed from behind and dragged down into the bushes. Xena wasted no time and put the pinch on the Amazon closest to her. She watched with satisfaction as Eponin summarily knocked the other Amazon out with a blow to the head. The weapons master nodded.

"I've just cut off the flow of blood to your brain," Xena whispered loudly enough for the woman to hear her. "You only have heartbeats to live, so you better talk fast."

The Northern Amazon's eyes took in the expectant faces around her. "I?I don't?Who?"

"Not what I'm after," Xena glared at the woman, who was struggling to breath and had a trickle of blood running from her nose. "What are you doing here?"

"Gathering," the woman gasped. "Amazon tribes. Came to?join?"

Xena shook her head and glanced at Eponin, who was silently ticking off fingers. "You've been camped here more than a moon by the looks of it. I seriously doubt you're joining the Gathering anytime soon."

The woman's eyes rolled back in her head and convulsions overtook her. Xena jabbed her fingers into the release points on either side of the woman's neck and watched the Amazon go limp. Xena's eyes met Eponin's.

"What?"

"Was that supposed to happen?" The weapons master asked in a hushed whisper.

"Is she dead?" Chilapa put in.

Xena slapped the Amazon's cheek and waited. Then she put her fingers to the Northern Amazon's neck.

"Damn!" The warrior hissed.

"You killed her?" Eponin asked in a louder whisper.

Xena glared at the weapons master. "She's not dead, just unconscious. She'll wake up with one Hades of a headache, though."

"Oh," Eponin breathed out. "Gods, Xena. Don't scare my leathers off like that."

Xena just rolled her eyes and slapped the cheek of the other Northern Amazon. "Wake up, sunshine," she said just loud enough for the dark-haired woman to hear her. She met Eponin's chestnut eyes. "How hard did you hit her?"

The weapons master shrugged. "Hard enough to knock her out, I guess."

Xena shook her head and then looked at the two girls closest to her. "Eustine and Aestia, you two drag these women deeper into the forest and tie them to a tree. Gag them, too. We don't want them alerting the patrols until we're far away from here."

The two girls nodded silently and proceeded to carry out Xena's orders.

"Now what?" Eponin looked expectantly at the warrior.

"Now, we get the Hades outta here before someone figures out those two are missing," Xena answered, as she kept her gaze on the encampment. "There's something going on here?" She suddenly put up a hand and pointed.

Eponin and Chilapa looked in the direction Xena was pointing. They all watched silently as a small group of women emerged from a makeshift hut-the only semi-permanent structure in the entire encampment. Two of the Amazons were deep in conversation, while the rest seemed to be guarding the pair.

"The shorter one is their shamaness," Xena whispered.

"And the tall blond?" Eponin whispered.

"Their queen, probably," Xena answered. She turned to the seven girls gathered behind them. "Go join the other two and we'll be there shortly. Stay low and remain completely silent. If you run across any patrols, stay low and don't engage them."

Maeriska remained behind when the others slunk back into the woods. She'd waited for the perfect opportunity to serve the woman who would be their new queen. Ignesia would be so proud when she delivered Xena right into the hands of the Northern Amazons.

"Maeriska?" Eponin hissed, as she glanced back to find the youth still there. "Get your feathered butt moving, girl."

Maeriska didn't hesitate and jumped to her feet. "XENA'S HERE!!" She yelled at the top of her lungs.

Xena didn't have a chance to stop the youth. Maeriska had placed herself on the far side of Eponin and Chilapa, far enough away that Xena would have to dive over both of them in order to tackle her.

"Ares' left nut!" Eponin exclaimed, as all Hades broke loose.

The encampment was suddenly alive with Northern Amazon warriors who grabbed weapons and headed in their general direction. Eponin and Chilapa turned tail and ran, while Xena grabbed the Amazon youth who had set off the alarm.

"Are you suicidal, kid?" Xena hissed into Maeriska's face.

Maeriska just smirked. "Are you, Xena?" She glanced at the Amazons bearing down on them. "They want your head, you know. It will decorate the queens' dais when Ignesia takes her place as High Queen of the Amazon Nation."

Xena let go of the smirking kid and back-flipped into the nearest tree. She quickly maneuvered and swung through the branches of several trees, until she dropped down behind the Amazon kids. Several of the girls spun around to confront her with raised weapons, but relaxed when they saw who stood in front of them.

"Xena!" Eustine breathed a sigh of relief. "How'd?"

Eponin and Chilapa showed up and glared at Xena in confusion.

"How'd?"

"Never mind," Xena said, as she waved them all deeper into the woods. "We're about to have company. Ladies, shall we?"

Eponin didn't hesitate and took off at a quick sprint through the trees. The eight youths followed, while Xena and Chilapa took up positions at the rear.

"What's going on, Xena?" Chilapa asked, as they continued on through the trees.

"I'll explain after we put some distance between us and that angry mob," Xena answered, as she mentally worked to come up with a plan. "Eponin!"

"Yeah?" The weapons master called without looking back.

"Alpha Pi Kappa!" Xena exclaimed. "We need to split up!"

"Got it, Ace!" Eponin raised a fist. "Pi team, with me!" She called as she veered off and three girls followed suit.

"Kappa team, this way!" Chilapa veered off in the other direction with three girls following her.

"Meet you at the waterfall in two!" Xena shouted, as she caught up to Eustine and Aestia. "To the trees, girls," she said, as she did a quick somersault into the nearest tree.

Xena waited for the two girls to join her and then they veered north. She knew the Northern Amazons were as skilled at maneuvering in the trees as she was. While many of them would give chase on foot, others would take to the trees. Xena had the girls climb higher into the thinner branches, as they continued in a northerly direction. She had no intention of outdistancing her pursuers.

"There," she pointed to a fir tree just ahead that would suit her plans nicely, as her excellent hearing picked up the sounds of their pursuers.

They made it to the tree in a few short heartbeats, then Xena silently signaled for the girls to climb higher. The girls did exactly what they were ordered to do without argument. As Amazons by birth, if not yet by initiation, they were well-acquainted with following orders and doing exactly what they were told to do.

Alpha Pi Kappa was the emergency contingency plan Xena had come up with for just this kind of situation. She hadn't known there would be an army of vengeful Amazons waiting for her when she'd come up with the plan. It was just something she and Eponin had agreed upon when they'd camped that first night. Having several inexperienced Amazon youths with them who would be a liability in a fight was their first concern.

Xena put her fingers to her lips and signaled for the girls to remain hidden in the pine branches. She then vaulted several trees away until she was sure her charges would remain safely hidden. When she was far enough away, she dropped from the tree she was in and crept through the bushes to await her prey.

Three Northern Amazons came charging through the bushes directly in front of her and Xena waited patiently for the right moment. Then she stood up in front of them.

"Hello, ladies," she smirked, as she unsheathed her sword and stood facing them.

The three women stopped and fanned out with swords drawn.

"Come quietly and we'll let you live, warrior," a stout brunette with wary gray eyes said. "We know who you are, Xena."

"Not really in the mood for chitchat," Xena glared at the woman, while she kept her peripheral vision trained on the other two Amazons trying to flank her. "I'm training some newbies to add to the Thracian ranks, you see."

"You're?training Amazons?" The brunette sputtered. "What blasphemy is this? You murdered our sisters and now you would train other murderers?"

Xena was ready for the tall Amazon's attack from her left and merely met the woman's blade with her own. She followed the block up with a swift kick to the woman's midsection. The woman had barely dropped when the woman to her right attacked. Xena met the attack with ease and quickly disarmed the surprised Amazon, who tried to charge her like a bull. Xena merely sidestepped the woman and let her slam head-first into the tree next to her.

"That all ya got?" Xena returned her attention to the woman in front of her.

Xena knew where the others were and just waited for them to drop from the trees and show themselves. She met a sword strike from above and caught two arrows in one hand before they could pierce her side. She then sidestepped a sword thrust and launched herself into a somersault that took her over the head of the brunette. Standing behind the woman, she put her blade to the Amazon's throat.

"Back off!" Xena shouted to the converging women, who instantly stopped in their tracks.

"Step away from Etiene, Xena!" A voice behind Xena made her turn to meet blazing blue eyes of the blond she'd seen emerge earlier from the makeshift hut. "You don't stand a chance against my warriors! They all have orders to kill you if you don't surrender."

More than a hundred Amazons stepped from the trees to surround her. Xena could tell there were more still hidden. She knew the jig was up. She also knew she could fight her way out of the situation. After all, she'd fought off more than a hundred Persians not all that long ago. But these weren't Persians and she hadn't set up any booby traps to catch them in. These women were part of a heritage that her partner shared and one that she was soon to join. She had to face them-had to face this latest demon from her past.

Xena tossed her sword to the ground and backed away from the woman with her arms raised in surrender. Several Amazons stepped forward and grabbed her, while Etiene picked up Xena's sword and handed it to the blond. Maeriska stood next to the blond with a satisfied grin on her young face. Xena's eyes never left the blond's.

"Impressive, Xena," Cyane walked right up to the warrior and glared at her. "Do you know who I am?"

"You're their queen, I presume," Xena answered casually with an upraised brow.

"I am Cyane, Queen of the combined Northern tribes," the woman crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the slightly taller warrior. "Named for the great queen who stood against you and lost her life by your hand." She spat at Xena's feet in derision. "My sisters," she raised her hands and turned a slow circle to take in the women around her. "I give you the murderer of our esteemed queens! Xena! Also known as the Destroyer of Nations!" Her eyes met Xena's. "Alti's minion and the woman who single-handedly laid waste to the leaders of the Northern tribes!"

A loud cheer went up from the warriors, who raised weapons and waved them in triumph, as they continued to cheer.

***

Gabrielle felt her heart constrict, as she faced the large woman towering over her. A wrestling match. That was the final event. A wrestling match. She swallowed down the lump in her throat and tried not to tremble at the prospect of besting Mashuka. The woman was huge. She probably weighed five times more than Gabrielle.

"My ass is grass," the bard muttered, as Ephiny vigorously massaged her shoulders.

Gabrielle was dressed in a simple leather top and high-cut leather skirt. Her feet and hands were wrapped tightly in stiff leather thongs covered with cloth. The wrappings were meant to protect her hands and feet. This was more than a simple wrestling match. As Ephiny had hurriedly explained, the idea was to incapacitate one's opponent using whatever means necessary-including punching, jabbing, or even kicking.

"You'll do fine, Gab," Ephiny encouraged in a tone that was somewhat less than encouraging. "Just remember everything that Xena taught you about this type of fighting."

"Like, don't let your opponent take you to the ground?" Gabrielle shot back sarcastically.

"Exactly," Ephiny didn't quite catch the sarcasm in the bard's tone. "And don't turn your back on her."

"If she knocks me to the ground and gets on top of me," Gabrielle continued in the same tone. "You'll be the sole queen of the Thracian tribe, you know."

Ephiny's hands stopped. "Uh?"

"Exactly," Gabrielle turned to face the dumbstruck regent. "If I go down, I'll be dead. Have you seen the size of that woman?"

Ephiny recovered enough to shrug. "Then don't let her take you down, My Queen," she smirked.

"I should let you fight in my place," Gabrielle glared at the woman. "It would serve you right."

"Not in the rules," Ephiny resumed massaging the bard's tense shoulders. "Relax, will ya? You'll do great."

"Just in case," Gabrielle continued with little enthusiasm, "you have my right of caste-again. It's all yours, Eph. Solari, you bear witness. Ephiny, I give you my right of caste. You are now sole ruler of the Thracian Amazon tribe."

"Ugh!" Ephiny rolled her eyes. "Your wit has no end, Gab. Just win, will ya? Keep the damned right of caste and just kick her butt."

"Kick more than her butt, my queen," Solari responded with a smirk.

Gabrielle eyed both of them in turn, the sighed. "Let's just get this show on the road, shall we?" Gabrielle turned away from the two women and bounced on the balls of her feet as she did some warm-ups to loosen her muscles.

They were on the practice field, surrounded by a large crowd of eager onlookers. The crowd was situated in a perfect circle, as several Amazons with long staffs stood around the perimeter of the inner fighting arena.

Mashuka wore a similar outfit to Gabrielle's, but hers barely fit the woman whose girth nearly matched her height. The Southern queen's hands and feet were similarly wrapped and her dark, frizzy hair framed her round face in wild disarray.

"?if I should die before I wake?" Gabrielle muttered softly, as she stepped into the center of the cleared space and continued dancing on the balls of her feet. "I pray to Elysia my soul shall take?"

Mashuka followed suit and the Amazons with staffs snapped their weapons horizontally to form a circular barrier. The crowd suddenly erupted in loud cheers and jeers, while the two opponents made their way to the center of the makeshift arena.

Gabrielle and Mashuka tapped their wrapped fists together. Mashuka hit Gabrielle's fists with a bit more force than expected, and Gabrielle winced.

"May the best Amazon win," the Southern queen grinned.

"Go easy on me, Queen Mashuka," Gabrielle quipped, as several onlookers chuckled.

Mashuka's grin broadened. "I might, Queen Gabrielle. You are such a small woman compared to me. I don't really wish to produce bad blood between our tribes by breaking you in half." She finished with a wry smirk.

Gabrielle took several steps away from the larger woman and set her stance. Xena's advice rang through her head at that moment: "The bigger they are, the harder they fall." Gabrielle's strategy was simple: Stay as far away from the woman's meaty fists as possible.

And then Mashuka charged toward her with a loud, angry growl. Gabrielle watched the woman barreling down on her and waited until the last possible moment. Then she sidestepped the charge and let the larger woman fly past her. Mashuka's momentum took her several steps past Gabrielle. She finally managed to stop and turn to face a grinning Gabrielle.

Mashuka growled and charged again. This time her arms were outstretched as she barreled down on the dancing bard. Gabrielle merely ducked beneath an outstretched arm and let the woman barrel past her again. But Mashuka wasn't to be deterred. She rounded her enormous girth with surprising speed and landed an unexpected blow to the bard's side.

Gabrielle felt the breath rush from her lungs, as she stumbled forward and grabbed her side. Her breath returned with a gasp, as she leaned heavily against a staff barrier.

"You're supposed to stay away from her, Gabrielle," Ephiny chided from nearby.

"Ya think?" Gabrielle panted breathlessly, as she turned to face the center of the arena.

"Here she comes again," Ephiny advised, but Gabrielle was already on the move.

The bard decided on a more direct approach and launched herself, feet first, into the charging Amazon. Her feet impacted solidly in the middle of the larger woman's chest. Both women fell backwards and Gabrielle was the first to recover. She got to her feet and pounced on the larger woman. But Mashuka just tossed her over her head like a sack of potatoes.

Gabrielle landed flat on her back and moved quickly to the side. She was in time to avoid having the larger woman slam her into the ground. Instead, Mashuka landed in the dirt with a grunt. Gabrielle just kept rolling until she was completely clear, then jumped to her feet. She launched herself high into the air with a hand on her fist and an elbow poised to strike Mashuka between the shoulder blades. But Mashuka rolled away in time to avoid the blow and managed to get to her feet before Gabrielle could.

A grunt warned Gabrielle that the southern Amazon was about to strike. Gabrielle did a backwards somersault and just avoided Mashuka's body slam. Dust billowed up around the enormous Amazon, who quickly climbed to her feet and faced Gabrielle with a low growl. Mashuka crouched low and stalked her prey more slowly this time.

Gabrielle felt herself backed into the barrier behind her. Mashuka just kept right on coming toward her. She knew the woman's intention was to trap her against the barricade. But Gabrielle had no intention of giving in that easily.

With her own war cry leaving her lips, Gabrielle closed the distance between them and launched herself into Xena's signature forward flip. It was the same move she'd demonstrated to her erstwhile partner the day the Persians showed up. Unfortunately, she still hadn't quite mastered the landing.

"Ugh!" Gabrielle groaned as she cleared the Amazon with ease, only to land awkwardly on the same foot she'd sprained not so long ago. Her ankle twisted painfully and she went down in a heap. "Gods on Olympus!" Her anger flared and she felt her heartbeat quicken in time with her painfully throbbing ankle.

Gabrielle knew her opponent was charging toward her again. In less than a heartbeat, she hopped to her good foot and turned to face the woman. A loud howl of triumph erupted from the larger woman as she barreled down on Gabrielle with purposeful strides. Victory was assured as Mashuka watched Gabrielle favor her injury.

But Gabrielle's anger was not something to be trifled with at that moment. It continued to surge through her until she planted both feet firmly on the ground. The pain just added fuel to a fire that was already surging into an uncontrollable wildfire raging deep within her smaller frame. The intensity of her rage released the demon and Gabrielle threw back her head to cry out to the heavens above.

Ephiny watched the change come over her friend and a feeling of dread shot through her. She watched as Gabrielle's muscles suddenly tensed in anticipation of the larger woman's attack. Then the bard actually did throw back her head and scream to the heavens. The noise was enough to send a shiver of dread through Ephiny's entire being.

***

Chapter 7

"Oh, sweet Artemis! No!" Ephiny exclaimed, as she tried to breach the barrier that separated the onlookers from the two combatants. "GABRIELLE, NOOOOOO!!!!"

The regent looked on helplessly as the southern Amazon queen bore down on Gabrielle with surprising speed. But that wasn't what had Ephiny's attention. The look in Gabrielle's eyes had changed-hardened. It was the same look that had come over her friend in the clearing shortly after they'd enjoyed a picnic together and some men had attacked without warning. It was a look that meant certain death to any who opposed the diminutive warrior-bard and queen of the Thracian Amazons. It was also a look that the southern Amazon queen was completely ignoring.

Mashuka had no idea what was happening to the woman in front of her, nor did she really care. Her charge was bringing her closer and closer to an assured victory over the last obstacle in her way. Soon she would be celebrating her appointment as High Queen of the Amazon Nation. She tasted the sweetness of her assured victory. The entire Amazon Nation would bow down before her and grant her the authority to pass judgment on them. Adrenaline drove her forward, until she was within a hand's breath of her smaller opponent.

And then she was flat on her back, staring up into the face of something altogether inhuman. The smaller Thracian queen snarled, as her fist descended with lethal force and connected painfully with Mashuka's jaw. A loud crack filled the hushed silence and sent a jolt of agony through the larger woman's entire head. Blow after blow rained down on her from fists that felt as hard and unyielding as small boulders. Mashuka tried to throw the she-devil off her, but Gabrielle just rode her like a wild colt.

A hush fell over the crowd, as Gabrielle rained blow after blow down on the larger woman's unprotected face. Mashuka continued to writhe beneath the small wildcat, until she finally lost consciousness. But, even then, Gabrielle continued to use the larger woman's head as a punching bag. The wraps on her hands soon turned red with Mashuka's blood, as Gabrielle continued her unyielding assault.

"GABRIELLE!!!" Ephiny shouted, as she finally managed to push through the barrier and charge toward the two combatants. "NOOOOOOOO!!!!"

Gabrielle felt, rather than saw, the new threat. Her entire body sprang off the bloody and bruised woman beneath her, as she spun around to meet her next adversary. She had no idea who was heading toward her, but every fiber of her being was poised to strike out at the newest threat.

Ephiny stopped just out of the bard's reach. "It's over, Gabrielle," the regent held out a staying hand, as she warily eyed the crazed woman staring intently at her. "I'm not going to hurt you." Her tone was low and calm, as she warily stood her ground. "You won. You beat her-literally."

The rage was quickly ebbing and with it that surreal detachment that had come over her so suddenly that she hadn't had time to realize what was happening. Then Gabrielle glanced behind her and saw the beaten woman lying utterly still on the packed earth. A cry of anguish tore from her lips and her legs gave out beneath her. She dropped like a stone to her skinned knees and fell forward onto fists red with the southern queen's blood, as a violent wave of nausea hit her.

"Stay back!" Ephiny shouted to the gathered throng that suddenly surged inward.

Ephiny never gave a thought to what she did next and was by the bard's side instantly as the crowd poured in around them. Gabrielle heaved violently, completely unaware of the press of bodies around her, as Ephiny tried to push the crowd back far enough to give them room to breathe. Several southern Amazons jumped them with angry glares, their intentions quite clear.

"She killed our queen!" A woman equally as dark as Mashuka, but with a much slighter build, shouted.

"Death to Queen Gabrielle!" Someone else's voice rang out above the murmurs and grumblings that followed the outburst. "Death to Mashuka's murderer!"

Ephiny's eyes met Solari's an instant before the crowd seemed to fall in on them with one massive surge. Ephiny landed on top of Gabrielle and heard the woman's dry heaves. She tried her best not to squash the bard, but felt the press of bodies pushing down on them both.

"They're trying to kill us," Ephiny gasped, as more bodies joined the pile and forced her down on top of the bard. "Gabrielle, get pissed, really pissed! NOW!!!"

Gabrielle's head was spinning with all that was happening. Her stomach was still trying to rebel against the sudden waves of guilt that had washed over her as soon as the rage subsided. And her senses were still heightened from the fight. The crush of bodies on top of her pushed the air from her lungs and suddenly she couldn't breathe. Panic assailed her and then the rage flared back to life.

It came over her so suddenly and violently that she was completely conscious of the moment she lost control. This time her mind didn't have time to detach itself, as she felt her muscles surge and her entire body launch itself upward. Bodies flew in all directions and landed in a tangle of arms and legs, as Gabrielle's bloodlust resurged with a vengeance. The experience was completely different from those other times, however.

This time Gabrielle was completely conscious the instant she lost control of her body. Something-or someone-suddenly took control. The difference this time, however, was that she was right there inside her body. She wasn't in control, but Gabrielle was completely aware this time. She was an unwilling participant, but a participant nonetheless.

It was surreal. Her entire body was pulsing with energy and she felt her heartbeat quicken. Several Amazons-she knew they weren't her Thracian sisters-rushed her with weapons drawn. Her body met each attack with a warrior's precise movements, as her body kicked, punched, and jabbed. She landed a blow to one woman's jaw and heard the crack of bone, as the woman fell away from her in a spray of blood. Another woman swung a sword at her head. She watched herself duck the blade and slam a fist into the woman's ribcage with enough force to shatter bone on impact.

Her body threw that attacker over her shoulder in time to meet the next, who thrust her blade toward Gabrielle's exposed midsection. Instinct seemed to drive her onward, as she grabbed the sharp blade in one wrapped hand, ignoring the pain as the blade sliced right through the wrappings and the leather thong protecting her hand. The salty tang of her own blood hit her nostrils like a physical blow. But the demon sharing her consciousness had already surged to life within her. The beast was in complete control.

"NOOOOOO!!!" She silently raged, as she felt completely helpless within her own body. "I WILL NOT YIELD!!!"

Her hand ripped the sword from her attacker's hand and slammed the hilt into the surprised woman's face. A spray of blood shot from the woman's mouth as she fell. Gabrielle felt, rather than heard, the beast laughing within her, as the Amazon's blood showered her in its sticky warmth. The beast seemed to feed on the heady aroma of blood that covered her, but Gabrielle was no longer simply a passive observer.

"Who are you?!?" The bard struggled to regain control of her body. "What do you want with me?!?"

"YOUR SOUL!!!" The beast screamed in a high-pitched tone that echoed inside her head. Gabrielle dropped the sword from limp fingers and grabbed her head. "YIELD TO ME OR DIE, MORTAL!!!" The demonic voice screamed again.

"NO!!!" Gabrielle shouted aloud with her hands still on either side of her head. "I will not yield to you or anyone! This is my body. DO YOU UNDERSTAND???"

"THEN DIE!!!" The demon screeched loud enough for all to hear.

Gabrielle felt as if her head was about to explode as the high-pitched screech ripped through it with such force that she saw red only behind her eyes. Sparkles of light danced in her vision and the world around her spun wildly. A gust of wind whipped up and swirled through the air, while storm clouds moved in and cast dark shadows all around her.

"Leave me be, Eritreius!" Gabrielle ground out between gritted teeth. "I am not your minion! I will not yield. You will no longer use me for your evil ends! These are my Amazons! This is my nation! Be?GONE!!!"

Ephiny stared in shock at her friend, as Gabrielle shouted at some unknown and unseen entitity. The bard was holding her head and tottering on unsteady legs. The rest of the Amazons lay scattered on the ground around the woman and an eerie wind swirled around the bard.

"Gabrielle!!!" Ephiny shouted above the din, but her voice was lost in a sudden gust of wind that engulfed her friend.

Ephiny could only watch in shocked silence as the storm clouds converged on the bard. No sound, except the roar of the wind, pierced the silence. But Ephiny knew something was not right. Something had taken hold of the bard and was struggling for control over her friend. It was then that the regent realized the true danger that faced them all. Gabrielle was no longer in control and had to be stopped.

"YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME, MORTAL!!!" That irritating chalkboard-grating voice squealed in its otherworldly tone. "YOU ARE MINE!!!"

"ERITREIUS!!" Gabrielle shouted again. "GET THE HADES OUT OF MY HEAD!!!"

"NEVER!!!"

Gabrielle bent down, lifted the sword and turned the blade until the tip was resting against her bare midsection. She lowered her voice to just above a whisper. "Leave me alone this instant or I will kill myself and send your miserable soul to the Underworld where it belongs." She waited for a response. "NOW!!!"

"Okay, okay!!!" The voice finally ceded with far less vehemence.

The windstorm died down to a mere whisper of a breeze and the world seemed to suddenly right itself. The sky cleared as suddenly as the storm clouds had converged, quickly parting to reveal the blue sky above and the sun dipping toward the western horizon.

"Why are you doing this?" Gabrielle lowered the sword tip to the ground, as she felt her equilibrium return. "Why did you take control of me like this?"

"It's the only way," the voice said with far less bravado than before.

The high-pitched tone was lost and the voice sounded much more human. Gabrielle breathed out a relieved sigh as she realized she'd finally managed to thwart her internal adversary. But the victory was short-lived when it occurred to her that Eritreius was still there.

"The only way for what?" Gabrielle prodded.

"To accomplish what I set out to do all those seasons ago," Eritreius said. "I made a deal-sold my soul for a chance at immortality-and I must carry out my end of the bargain."

Gabrielle shook her head and closed her eyes against a sudden wave of nausea. "Ugh!" She groaned. "Isn't there another way for you to accomplish this?whatever?without you being inside me?" She felt another wave of nausea roll over her again. "I can't continue like this. There has to be another way. I'm not a killer, Eritreius. Every time you take over and use me to kill people, you taint my soul. This has to stop. You have to stop."

"I have nowhere else to go," Eritreius said. "You were the perfect conduit-the perfect host-and I the rage you keep bottled inside you." The voice suddenly brightened. "Yours is the first I have run across that I can so easily manipulate. Your rage is so very pure and?unchecked. And your blood is infused with such power, such strength. You are almost immortal."

"What?" Gabrielle glanced around at the women slowly stirring around her. "I don't understand."

"Your anger manifests itself in your blood. When you don't release the anger it just smolders inside you until it grows into pure, unadulterated rage," Eritreius said in childlike awe. "My mistress gave me the ability to tap into mortal rage and use it come alive. I never dreamed I would find such a wonderful gift obscured in such an unassuming package."

"Mistress? Goal?" Gabrielle put a hand to her brow. "What are you talking about?"

"You have little time for idle chitchat," Eritreius said. "Our sisters awaken. They will not be pleased that you killed so many of their own."

Gabrielle threw up her hands in frustration. "Just tell me what you want. Maybe I can help you accomplish it, so you can cross over to be with those sisters who have already passed from this life."

"Impossible," Eritreius answered flatly. "My bargain was for an eternity of existence. Immortality. It was only because of the Mother Goddess' interference that my body ceased to live the instant the bargain was struck. And now that my soul has found the perfect vessel in which to reside, I refuse to seek release until my task is complete-or you die, whichever comes first."

"WHAT?!?" Gabrielle blurted, startling several nearby Amazons who were sitting up and gazing around in confusion. "You can't be serious. What kind of crap is this?" She hissed in a lower tone.

"Gabrielle?" Ephiny approached her friend with caution, as she glanced at the women around them.

"Eph, this really isn't a good time," Gabrielle spun to face the regent. "I'm kinda in the middle of something here."

"Then I'm afraid I must insist, My Queen," Solari suddenly appear with her sword held on Gabrielle, as did several other Amazons.

"What's going on?" Gabrielle gazed around her at the armed women. "Eph?"

"Drop the sword, Gabrielle," Ephiny said cautiously. "You're not? yourself."

"Look, Eph?"

"Drop the sword and let Solari escort you back to your hut, Gabrielle," Ephiny cut her off. "As your regent and the bearer of your right of caste, I hereby relieve you of your duties as Queen of the Thracian Amazons." Ephiny glanced around pointedly at the women who now stood around them. "You are all witnesses to this moment. Gabrielle, Queen of the Thracian Amazons, is hereby under house arrest for her crimes against the Nation." She returned her gaze to Solari. "Take her to her hut and post an armed guard." She returned her gaze to Gabrielle. "You will remained confined until I figure out what's going on."

"Are you serious, Ephiny?" Gabrielle asked incredulously. "After all we've been through together?"

"I'm sorry," Ephiny interrupted. "I'll come by to see you as soon as I can." She nodded to Solari. "Take her."

"Yes, My Queen," Solari nodded to the regent-turned-queen. She then grabbed one of Gabrielle's upper arms and nodded to another Amazon who grabbed the other. "Let's go, My?Gabrielle."

Gabrielle went quietly and did not respond to the voice that continued to ramble nonsensically in her head, as if Eritreius had no idea what was happening. Gabrielle knew no one else could hear the voice inside her head. The Amazon's words were scathing, as Eritreius tried to ignite Gabrielle's ire. But the bard merely pushed all her emotions down and locked them safely away in the back of her mind, as she allowed herself to be escorted toward the hut she shared with Xena.

***

Eustine glanced over at Aestia. They were both still sitting in the pine tree Xena had left them in more than a candlemark ago. Unable to see or hear much with the pine boughs surrounding them, the two youths just sat there and waited for the warrior's return.

Toe-headed blond Eustine raised a brow at her Amazon sister. "You think we should go ahead without her? The others should be at the rendezvous point by now."

"Do you think something happened to her?" Aestia raised a slender, black brow on her alabaster face. Violet eyes gone dusky in the late afternoon sunlight looked expectantly at her best friend. "Maybe she got caught."

"It's possible, Tia," Eustine nodded. "Haven't seen any Northerners pass below us in a while now."

"Let's go, then," fourteen-year-old Aestia said to her younger friend, as she climbed down several branch levels. "Besides," she glanced at the sun dipping towards the horizon, "I really don't want to be searching for that waterfall in the dark."

"Right behind ya, Tia," Eustine said.

***

"Xena, Destroyer of Nations and murderess of the Northern Amazon queens," Cyane held a sword high above her head, as she stood in the midst of her Amazon sisters.

A cheer went up from the women that surrounded her, as the queen turned a knowing glare on the tall warrior. Xena's hands and arms were bound tightly behind her back with stout rope and a leather collar was secured around her neck. Another rope bound her ankles tightly together as she stood in the midst of the cheering and jeering Northern Amazons.

"Do you have any final words before we carry out your sentence?" Cyane glared at the taller woman, then yanked hard on the rope attached to the leather collar strapped tightly around the warrior's neck.

Xena winced, but remained silent and just stared straight ahead. She said a silent prayer that Gabrielle would eventually find her, then thought better of that. She didn't want her loving partner to experience an eternity in Tartarus because of her. That would be totally unacceptable.

"Nothing to say in your defense?" Cyane hissed close to Xena's face. "No words of pleading before we carry out your sentence for your crimes against our sisters, Xena?"

Xena's eyes met the eyes of her judge, jury and executioner. Blue to blue, both women just stared at each other for a moment. Xena knew if Gabrielle had been there she would find a way to convince Cyane that Xena's future deeds would far-outweigh any punishment these women could wield against the warrior. But Gabrielle wasn't there. And then a thought occurred to her.

"I request a stay of execution," Xena said simply.

Cyane just stared at Xena for a moment. Then a smile broke out on her face, followed by a low chuckle that soon turned into a guffaw of laughter. The women surrounding them suddenly burst into laughter, as well. But the laughter soon subsided, as Cyane returned her attention to the warrior.

"And why would I grant a stay of execution to someone who showed our queens absolutely no mercy?" Cyane's blue eyes just glared at Xena. She raised her arms and slowly circled the warrior, before returning her gaze to Xena's. "You left them in those trees to rot, Xena. Their bones still remain exactly where you left them, as a testament to your butchery and a reminder to future generations not to trust a female warlord who would ally herself with us."

"I ask to be judged by the High Queen of the Amazon Nation," Xena said in a loud, clear voice that rang out across the assembled Amazons.

Cyane's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Our tribes do not answer to the High Queen. We are Northern Amazons!"

The crowd cheered, but then fell silent when the shamaness stepped forward.

"Xena has a right to seek final judgment from the High Queen," Yanush waved her shamaness' staff. "I saw in a vision that she has taken the initial steps to become a member of the Thracian tribe. She is thereby bound by our laws, especially those of the Thracian tribe."

Cyane rounded on the shamaness. "Yanush, you speak treason against our sisters! Xena is our prisoner and is bound by our laws, not theirs. She killed our sisters. She must pay the price for her crimes against those women she wronged."

"I do not disagree with you, My Queen," Yanush stepped up next to the taller blond and the even-taller warrior. "I, too, seek justice for our sisters. But I also know that Xena is one step away from being a Thracian Amazon. Her past misdeeds and future actions all reflect on the woman who would become her bond-mate." A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Besides, punishment before the entire Nation would be much more satisfying, don't you think?"

A blond brow quirked. "Who shares the burden of the warrior's guilt as her bond-mate, then?" Cyane asked curiously.

The shamaness smirked wryly. "None other than your would-be hostess, the woman who issued the invitation to the Gathering of the Amazon tribes-Queen Gabrielle of the Thracian Amazons."

Cyane's gaze met Xena's. "Oh ho! You would bond yourself as consort to the Queen of the Thracian Amazons? What game do you play this time, Xena? What do you hope to gain? Will you use her as you used our sisters?"

"It's not a game," Xena answered matter-of-factly. "I love Gabrielle with all my heart, soul and being. She is my soulmate."

Cyane's eyes narrowed suspiciously again. "And she shares the same feelings as you?"

Xena shrugged. "She does."

The two Amazons took several steps away from the taller warrior to converse. Xena just stood there and waited, hoping beyond hope that these women would see the wisdom of escorting her back to the village. She also hoped Gabrielle had somehow held up her end of the bargain. Her entire plan hinged on the bard being named High Queen of the Amazons. Otherwise, well, she was essentially screwed.

"Okay," Cyane returned to stand directly in front of Xena with her arms crossed over her chest. "I will grant you a temporary stay of execution, Xena." A groan from the gathered women went up and Cyane held her hands up to quiet the crowd. "Long enough for us to travel to the Gathering and present our case to the entire Nation." She glanced at Yanush with a sly grin before returning her attention to Xena. "I'm sure they are completely unaware of your crimes. It will be quite interesting to find out what the High Queen comes up with as a form of execution. Maybe they'll decide to draw and quarter you."

Cyane merely smirked, as she returned to her tent with Yanush on her heels. The queen's advisers also followed in the queen's wake. The Northern queen paused just inside the small space and turned on the women.

"Send a messenger ahead to the Thracian village," Cyane ordered. "Let them know we will be there to present our case against Xena. Tell them we have already passed judgment and expect Amazon justice to prevail in the punishment that shall be carried out in front of the entire Nation. We leave immediately."

"I will send our swiftest messenger, My Queen," one of the advisors-Resharia-bowed low to the taller blond.

Cyane turned her back on the women, as she thoughtfully considered something else. "Leave us," Cyane ordered to her advisors, as she turned to place a staying hand on Yahush's shoulder. "I seek your wisdom, shamaness."

The group of four advisors hesitantly bowed before their queen and left the tent.

"My Queen?" Yanush gazed expectantly at Cyane. "What wisdom do you seek?"

"Send a messenger to Ignesia," Cyane gave the shamaness an intent look. "Tell her our plans have changed and we bring the Usurper's lover to her before the next new moon. If she is going to issue her challenge, it better happen soon."

"You know that this Gabrielle knows of my existence," Yanush said. "She has seen the ritual slaying of her sister, the one called Rena. What if she uses that as an argument against Xena's execution, My Queen?"

Cyane reached out and caressed the shamaness' cheek with her hand. "Oh, Yanush," she said. "You must have faith that I am prepared to handle anything Xena and her lover will throw at us. We shall kill two birds with one stone as we unite our tribes under the mask of the High Queen."

"You have changed your mind about this farce, My Queen?" Yanush eyed the blond skeptically. "We both know our traditions do not include uniting with the other tribes. It has never been done, even during the dark days of the Utma."

Cyane crossed her arms over her chest and lifted a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "I believe we can use this to our advantage, Yanush. We unite the tribes under one queen, execute the murderer of our esteemed sisters and declare war on those unwilling to follow us into battle against our enemies."

Yanush smirked. "And our enemies-those who would see us wiped from the face of the earth?"

Cyane slammed a fist into her open palm. "We crush them all!!!"

***

Gabrielle paced for the nth time. On her way past the window that overlooked the path leading to the village center she glanced outside and noted a golden glow and sparks emanating from the bonfire in the center of the village. She could also hear the whoops and cheers of the gathered Amazons. They were celebrating.

They weren't mourning the death of Queen Mashuka. No. The large woman had somehow survived her injuries and was recovering in the healer's hut. Ephiny had sent a messenger over to tell her that much. It was something positive, at least.

But the whole talking-to-herself thing wasn't sitting well with any of the women who had witnessed her sudden uncontrollable rage. Bloodlust. That's what they were calling it. Demonic bloodlust. Several Amazon passersby had whispered the labels loud enough for Gabrielle to catch the gist of what they said.

Gabrielle impatiently ran a hand through her hair and winced when she realized she'd used her bandaged left hand. She glanced at the injury and frowned. She didn't remember being hurt during that whole debacle on the practice field, until one of her guards pointed out the blood on her hand.

Nissia had been summoned and had tsked over the wound as she cleaned it thoroughly and wrapped it a bit tighter than Gabrielle would have liked. The elder healer had looked up from her completed task and met Gabrielle's eyes for a moment, before she gathered her supplies and left without a word. The woman was so strange that way, Gabrielle mused.

Her thoughts returned to her present situation, as she ran her other hand impatiently through her hair and briefly noted how much it had grown out since her last trim. Time for Xena to give her a haircut. The thought barely registered before she realized Xena was missing. That thought brought her up short. She knew her partner-knew Xena better than she sometimes knew herself. What would motivate Xena to just up and abandon her charges like that?

That thought just frustrated and irritated Gabrielle. It was one thing for her to be under house arrest for allowing her anger to get the best of her. It was quite another for Xena to just up and disappear without a trace.

Gabrielle's thoughts returned to her present situation and she sighed. No, they weren't holding her in the village stockade-which was little more than a storage hut with metal bars over the windows. But she was still being held against her will. It rankled that she hadn't been able to talk her way out of her present situation. Ephiny refused to listen to her arguments, citing Gabrielle's unpredictability as a reason to keep her safely away from the other Amazons.

Add to that the arrival of a mysterious messenger from the Northern Amazons and things were just downright unacceptable. The fully-leather-clad woman sprinted into the village just after dusk. But no one seemed inclined to share the message with Gabrielle.

"Urgh!" Gabrielle flopped onto her back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. "One, two, three?"

A knock at the door brought her up short and had her sitting up to face her visitor with eager anticipation.

"You decent?" A muffled voice said through the door crack.

"I'm not naked, if that's what you're wondering," Gabrielle shot back with a wry smirk.

Ephiny opened the door and glanced around, then stepped inside when she saw Gabrielle sitting on the edge of the bed. Her hesitation rankled on Gabrielle's last nerve.

"I'm alone, Eph," Gabrielle said. "The 'demon's' gone."

Ephiny entered with an apologetic half-smile. "Sorry," the regent said as she grabbed a chair and sat down facing Gabrielle. "How're you holding up?" She glanced at the bard's bandaged hand. "The hand okay?"

"It's fine," Gabrielle glanced down at the appendage in question. "But I gotta tell ya, I'm not a big fan of being cooped up inside for very long, Eph. You know how antsy I was when I was recovering from that fever."

"I hear ya." Ephiny nodded.

"So, how long is this going to last?" Gabrielle met the hazel eyes gazing intently at her. "How long are they gonna make you keep me here? I'm not a danger to anyone, especially now that I know a little more about what's been going on with me. I'm not contagious, Eph. You can't catch it."

Ephiny shrugged. "Honestly? I'm not sure what's going to happen, Gabrielle. When I asked you to get angry, I just thought you'd get pissed enough to find the strength to get us outta there in one piece. Didn't know it would actually unleash that?um?thing inside you." She sighed heavily and raked a hand through her blond curls. "You really did a number on Queen Mashuka, by the way. Her tribe is seeking restitution."

"Restitution?" Gabrielle scowled. "Or retribution?"

Ephiny frowned and shook her head. "They want blood for blood. You almost killed her, Gab. These games aren't supposed to get that intense. Injuries are expected, but not the kind that Mashuka suffered."

Gabrielle's heart sank. "It wasn't really my fault, Eph. Eritreius?"

"And that's not all," Ephiny interrupted flatly.

Gabrielle eyed the regent. "What more could there be?"

"A messenger from the Northern tribes arrived," Ephiny continued.

"Yes, I know. I saw her running through the village earlier," Gabrielle said. "No one will give me a clue as to the message she delivered."

"Xena's in their custody," Ephiny said flatly. "They captured her two days ago in the forest just beyond our border."

Gabrielle swallowed hard. "And?"

"The message was from their queen, Cyane. She wants us to come up with a suitable means of execution for Xena," Ephiny explained. "Something about Xena's crimes against the Northern tribes and murders committed several years ago."

"WHAT?!?" Gabrielle suddenly jumped to her feet.

Ephiny remained seated, but eyed her friend warily. "Calm down, Gabrielle. You're not exactly out of the woods here, either." She leaned forward and rested her arms on her thighs. "Ignesia is talking about challenging you for the queen's mask. Of course, since you aren't really queen anymore?" She shrugged.

Gabrielle sat back down with a heavy sigh. "Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?"

Ephiny shot the bard a sad grin. "If Ignesia does challenge you and you lose the mask, my tenure as regent is finished. On the bright side, you'll be off the hook for what you did to Mashuka," Ephiny added with a wry smirk. "Okay, so that's not really funny. But if you do lose, Ignesia will choose her own regent and enforce her own agenda on the tribe. It won't be pretty, I assure you. She is one of Velasca's cronies, after all."

Gabrielle absorbed that for a moment. A change of leadership? How would that affect the tribe? And what would Ignesia do as queen? Gabrielle pretty much knew the answer to that question.

"She wants to undo everything we've accomplished over the last few years," Gabrielle muttered absently. "She wants the tribe to go to war."

"Velasca in a nut-and I emphasize the nut-shell," Ephiny groused. "It'll be the end of us, for sure. It will certainly mean an end to all the peaceful negotiations we accomplished. Those treaties won't hold up with Ignesia declaring war on everyone within a hundred leagues of our borders. And don't think she won't. She's convinced the encroachment on our lands is an abomination." She smirked. "Sound familiar?"

Gabrielle ran a hand over her face. "I can't let her take the mask, now, can I?"

"You aren't exactly in a position to defend your position as queen, Gab."

"And why not?"

The regent shot Gabrielle a raised-brow look. "There's this little matter of your," she held up her hands and mimed quotes, "demonic bloodlust."

Gabrielle rolled her eyes. "I am not a demon, Eph."

"I know that, you know that, but?"

"I told you, it's Eritreius."

"Eriwhosis?"

"Eritreius," Gabrielle sat up. "She's one of your-our-Amazon ancestors. A real wacko who did some?um?interesting things to defend her tribe against some neighboring cannibals, way back when. She also apparently endeared herself to a goddess or two in exchange for immortality. Unfortunately, she also lost her body in the bargain, which is why she needs mine in order to exist."

Ephiny's face scrunched. "Cannibals?"

"They kidnapped several of Eritreius' sisters and?well, let's just say cannibals aren't really choosy about what-or who-they eat, as long as meat is on the menu," Gabrielle finished. "Eritreius rallied the warriors and went after the cannibals-killed every last one of them and then she ate their leader's heart. I don't know when the rest of it happened, though. None of this immortality bargaining stuff was in her scrolls."

"Ew."

"Yeah, ew."

"And she's inside you?" Ephiny shot the bard a skeptical look. "Is she the one who's been causing you to go all berserker when you fight?"

Gabrielle nodded and tapped her temple. "I'm not sure how she got in here, but she uses my rage to?um?take over my body and make me do those things-at least, that's what she told me."

"Is she?"

"No," Gabrielle shook her head. "She's not aware when I'm calm and relaxed. Apparently she can only assert herself into my consciousness when I'm angry or upset. She also mentioned she's feeding on the power in my blood-or some such nonsense that I really don't understand."

"Is she there when you and Big Xe?um??" The regent snickered.

"Laugh it up, Amazon," Gabrielle growled. "And the answer's no. That's definitely all me." Her expression turned thoughtful. "Or, at least I think it's me."

"Okay, then," Ephiny cleared her throat at the look she got from the bard. "Sounded like the two of you were having a really intense discussion back there on the practice field. Did you work things out-come to an agreement? Will she let you fight your own battles from here on out?"

Gabrielle's shoulders slumped and she sighed heavily as she collapsed back onto the bed. "Not really, no. I really don't know what to do about her at this point. She says I'm unable to control my rage, which is why she can so easily assert herself when I fight."

"So, don't fight," Ephiny shrugged matter-of-factly.

"And what about Ignesia?"

"Er?um?yeah, that could be a problem," the regent conceded. "On the upside, Xena will be here tomorrow. She's still your champion and all."

"And the downside?"

"Xena won't be able to fight in your place this time around," Ephiny frowned.

"What?!?" Gabrielle sat bolt upright.

"Sorry, Gabrielle," the regent gave the bard her most apologetic look. "If that messenger was correct-and I don't see any reason to doubt the message she delivered-then Cyane has a claim against Xena. She's essentially under arrest and awaiting final judgment?"

"From a High Queen that hasn't yet been named," Gabrielle added.

Ephiny nodded. "Yep."

"So, what you're saying?"

"Is you have to fight Ignesia on your own when she issues the challenge," Ephiny finished for her.

Gabrielle swiped both hands down her face. "Oh, boy."

"Yeah, my sentiments exactly," Ephiny sighed. "Hey, maybe I can keep her off your back for a few days?at least long enough for you and Xena to figure out how to get rid of that thing inside you."

Gabrielle shot the regent an incredulous look. "Seriously? And would your plan entail keeping me cooped up here until you clear Xena of murder and a High Queen is named? Or are you just planning to lock Ignesia in the stockade for those few days?"

"Uh," Ephiny paused to consider the bard's words. "Not such a good idea?"

"I'm climbing the walls in here, Eph," Gabrielle rested her chin on an upraised fist. "I can't stay locked away here for much longer. This hut might not survive another bout of," she mimed quotes with one hand, "demonic bloodlust."

Ephiny chuckled. "I'm sure it will survive a few candlemarks longer." She leaned forward and patted her friend's knee. "Just hang in there, Gabrielle. I'll bring over some stuff from the archives for you to read. I'm sure the Archival Mother can recommend something that will help clear some of this up for us."

"Sounds?dry," Gabrielle huffed and then pouted. "I want my warrior pillow."

Ephiny sniggered. "Xena know you're calling her a pillow?"

"Don't tell her I said that," Gabrielle sobered. "She'll kill me and hide the body."

This time Ephiny actually laughed aloud. "You two are priceless." Then she sobered. "Did she?"

"Did she what?"

"Hide those bodies."

"No," Gabrielle shook her head emphatically. "She would never do that, not even back when she was a ruthless warlord."

"She just left them then?"

Gabrielle glared at Ephiny but managed to keep a tight hold on her anger. "Xena wasn't the only one involved, Eph," she clarified evenly. "There was someone else there with her."

"The shamaness?"

"Alti," Gabrielle nodded and then breathed out a tired sigh. "Gods, this whole thing is so?" She blew out another breath. "Why can't any of this ever be simple?"

"With you two?" Ephiny scoffed. "When is anything ever simple where you're concerned, Gabrielle? Huh?"

"You'd think I'd learn," Gabrielle groused and just shook her head.

"There's certainly never a dull moment when the two of you are around," Ephiny let her expression soften.

A loud cheer followed by several loud whoops drifted in through the open window.

"Sounds like they're having a good time out there," Gabrielle commented dryly.

"They're all drunk off their feathered asses," Ephiny frowned and then stood up to leave. "I better get back over there before Pony gets it in her head to issue her own challenge." She sighed and tiredly rubbed a temple. "Damned woman thinks she's invincible when she's had a few."

Gabrielle smiled sadly. "Enjoy the celebration. I'll just be sitting here," she glanced up at the ceiling, "counting the knots in the ceiling."

"You need me to send anything over?" Ephiny glanced over at the sideboard, where Gabrielle's untouched meal still sat. "I could have Aestia whip you up something hot that you will actually eat. Xena would kill me if she thought I wasn't taking care of you in her absence."

Gabrielle shook her head. "I'm fine, Eph. I think I'll just turn in early and try to get some sleep before tomorrow. I'm sure I'll need to be at my best when all this finally blows up in our faces."

Ephiny noted the bard's defeated posture and the sadness in her tone. It wasn't like Gabrielle to give up so easily, but then again?

"You gonna be all right, Gab?"

Gabrielle shot the regent a reassuring smile and nodded. "I'll be fine after some sleep." Then she yawned. "Sorry 'bout that."

"Don't worry about it," Ephiny smirked. "I gotta?" she motioned toward the door with a thumb.

"Go, yeah I know. Don't worry. I'll be fine," she motioned toward the door. "Go have fun and take care of that big lug of yours. Eponin will probably need you more than I will tonight."

"See ya in the morning, Gabrielle," Ephiny said on her way out the door.

"I'll be here."

Gabrielle waited until her friend was gone before stripping off the light chemise she'd donned after cleaning off the grime and blood from the fight with Mashuka. She still shuddered when she remembered what she'd done to the woman and how Mashuka had looked when Gabrielle was finally able to stop Eritreius from using her to beat the woman into a bloody pulp.

The bard doused the candles in the room, then climbed beneath the furs and pulled them up to her chin. The soft glow from the banked fire cast eerie shadows on the pine ceiling above her and she sighed heavily. She wanted so much to have Xena there with her. She longed to feel the warrior's strong arms wrapped around her.

"Sleep well, Xe," Gabrielle muttered softly, before letting her eyes close as she drifted off to sleep.

***

Xena was doing anything but sleeping. She was hanging by her bound wrists from a tree. The limb that Cyane had hung her from was high enough that her feet were unable to touch the ground. She dangled there by her numb hands and tried to breathe. Having one's arms extended above one's head was tantamount to crucifixion. But Xena knew how to deal with that particular punishment and this one, as well.

Her eyes were closed and she was concentrating on each shallow breath. Her arms hurt-no, ached unbearably. The muscles were stretched beyond their limits. Cyane had only snickered at her, as she told Xena to enjoy dangling there for the entire night-if she survived the night.

Xena slowly breathed in and lifted herself slightly to account for her expanding ribcage. It was the only way to allow her lungs to fill with much-needed air. The effort cost her, but there was no help for it.

"I can't believe she's still alive," a voice nearby caught Xena's attention.

"We should cut her down," another voice said.

"Are you suicidal?" The first voice exclaimed in a hushed whisper. "You cut her down and Cyane will have your head on a platter."

"I'm a princess," the second speaker stated confidently. "She won't kill a member of the royal line. Not if she knows what's good for her."

"And what if the warrior kills you, Otere?"

"Are you serious, Yakut? She's barely breathing," Otere scoffed. "Like I said before, she's lucky to still be alive. I ain't never seen someone survive one of Cyane's tortures."

"Me, neither," Yakut agreed. "Here."

Otere took the bone-handled dagger from Yakut's outstretched hand. "Thanks."

"Least I can do," Yakut smirked. "You did save me from that boar the other day. Thought the thing would gore me right there on the spot. Your aim was perfect, sister."

"It always is," Otere smirked back at her younger friend.

Xena watched anxiously as two girls emerged from the bushes and stood gawking at her. The taller girl looked to be no more than ten, while her companion actually looked close to thirteen. Xena glanced from one to the other. She wondered if they would just stand there gawking all night.

"You two gonna?cut me down?from here or just stand there?flappin' your?lips," Xena's low voice caught both their attention. "If you just?toss the dagger up here?I'll cut?myself down." Her stilted speech let them know how difficult it was for her to breathe.

"Well, what're you waiting for?" Yakut glanced at her shorter friend. "Toss it up there, Tere."

Otere took several steps toward the dangling warrior and carefully took aim. She tossed the dagger into the air, just inches from Xena's bound hands. Miraculously, the warrior caught the hilt of the dagger between her outstretched fingers. With agility born of desperation, Xena quickly sawed through the coarse ropes and dropped from the tree. She glanced around to see if anyone had heard her and noticed that all was quiet.

"Thank you," Xena nodded to the young woman standing before her and handed over the dagger. She gingerly rubbed her chaffed wrists and winced slightly as the circulation returned with excruciating tingles. "You two shouldn't be here. Go on, get back to your sleeping furs before someone figures out you had a hand in cutting me free."

"What are you going to do now, warrior?" Otere asked, as she handed the dagger back to its original owner.

"Wait for morning," Xena said as she sat down at the base of the tree with her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms resting on top of them.

Yakut gave her a disbelieving look. "You're not going to escape?"

"And risk having Cyane send all three hundred warriors into the village with weapons drawn in retribution?" Xena shot back. "No, I'll take my chances right here."

The two young women glanced at each other sardonically.

"Okay, it's your funeral pyre," Yakut shrugged and walked away.

"Don't say we didn't warn ya," Otere shot down to the warrior, as she hesitantly walked away.

Xena just rested her head against the rough bark of the tree behind her. She was grateful for the reprieve from the torture of dangling from the tree. She just hoped Cyane appreciated the fact that she didn't run when she had the chance.

***

It was time.

Ignesia spent the better part of the night watching the festivities going on around her. She had fully recovered from her strange ordeal, but it was disconcerting to have that Northern Amazon messenger enter the village. The messenger wasted little time and found Ephiny before Ignesia could intercept the woman. It was an oral message and Ignesia hadn't been close enough to hear what was said.

Then the woman had looked pointedly at her and winked just before she turned and left. Ignesia had merely stood there for several moments, pondering what turn of events had prompted someone to deliver a message to the Thracian regent. And then Ephiny had turned to glare at Ignesia. The look in the regent's eyes alone could have melted stone.

"Are you prepared?" A sultry voice next to her brought Ignesia back to the matter at hand.

Ignesia pulled her gaze from the bonfire burning brightly before her and met Patrice's intense gaze. Amber eyes met gray-green as the two studied each other. Then Queen Trika passed in front of them and the spell was broken.

"A celebration to rival celebrations!" The drunken queen yelled at the top of her lungs and continued on. "Too bad the little Thracian queen is missing all the fun!!!" She stumbled as she mounted the dais and managed to sprawl next to one of the other queens.

Ignesia ignored the woman and concentrated on her companion. She was not a queen or a queen's advisor and, therefore, could not be on the dais without an invitation from one of the royals. It grated on her to be so easily thrust aside. She hadn't been a part of the royal proceedings and the council was barely being consulted while their queen resided with them.

Erg! Gabrielle, the Usurper, was doing very little in regards to protocol. The elders and council members had only been briefly introduced during the first days of the Gathering. And none of the queens seemed inclined to correct their hostess' breaches in protocol.

"What are you thinking?" A hand touched Ignesia's bare thigh and her Patrice's intense gaze. "Are you all right?"

"Just thinking how nice it will be to take my place among the other queens," Ignesia put her hand over the hand caressing her thigh. "And?" She moved Patrice's hand higher while her eyes smoldered with desire and she closed the distance between them. "I was thinking how perfect it would be to have you there by my side."

Their lips met in a bruising, searing kiss. Tongues sparred and Ignesia took control. She pushed Patrice to the ground and trailed kisses down the smaller woman's leather-clad body. When she reached a leather-clad breast, she yanked the covering aside and continued her assault. Patrice cried out as Ignesia's teeth bruised her tender flesh. But when Ignesia pulled away, Patrice merely shoved her hands into the woman's hair and yanked her back down.

Their coupling was swift and fierce. There were no pleasantries as they gave and took with equal abandon. It was over within a few short heartbeats, as Ignesia tucked her device back into her skirt with practiced ease. But Patrice wasn't quite ready to let her lover go so quickly.

"I've a question for you, Iggie," Patrice smiled into questioning amber eyes, as she continued to clasp her legs around the woman to keep her from bolting.

"And if I choose not to answer? Or I choose to lie to you?"

"Would you deny me an honest answer? Is that how you would begin your reign as our queen?"

Ignesia frowned. She wanted nothing more than to leave the woman and return to her own musings. Ignesia isn't one for connecting to those she shared sexual encounters with. But Patrice's legs were well-muscled and strong. She had a firm hold on Ignesia.

"What do you want, Patrice?" Ignesia growled.

"Do you also find pleasure from the appendage you keep hidden in your skirt?" Patrice gave the woman above her a knowing smirk. "Or were you merely pretending when you joined me in climax?"

"Does it matter?" Ignesia quirked a brow at the woman.

Patrice wrapped her arms around Ignesia's waist and pulled her closer. "It excites me to have you inside me, Iggie. I feel as if we are one. I?It's a wonderful device and brought us both such pleasure."

Ignesia leaned in and stroked the woman's dark brow. "You know it really isn't me."

"I do," Patrice nodded, as she pulled Ignesia closer. "But I don't care. I enjoyed it more than having a man inside me. You are more exciting to me than any man."

Ignesia eyed Patrice skeptically. "Have you had many men, Patrice?"

"I gave birth to a healthy baby boy just six winters ago," Patrice answered with a wry grin.

"So, that would be a yes," Ignesia deadpanned. "And your son?"

"Lives with his father in Treidius," Patrice's expression turned sorrowful. "He's a fine boy and takes after his father in looks and temperament. He has blond hair and blue eyes just like Keldon." She smiled sadly. "Bryce even knows how to hunt and fish. He is very much like his father. Keldon told Bryce his mother died of a fever shortly after he was born. He'll never know me and I'll only see him in passing, if I ever choose to visit Treidius. It's a mutual arrangement. It's how it must be."

Ignesia pulled away and sat back. She moved to Patrice's side and leaned on an elbow. This wasn't at all what she'd been expecting when she'd engaged Patrice in conversation. She certainly hadn't counted on actually feeling something akin to sympathy for the woman.

"Did I say something wrong?" Patrice sat up. "I'm sorry, Iggie."

Ignesia ran a hand through her hair. "It's not you, Patrice. It's me. I'm not worthy of your attentions, I'm afraid." She met the woman's gray-green eyes. "You deserve better."

Patrice stroked the woman's cheek with the backs of her fingers. "Better than the future queen of our tribe?"

Ignesia grabbed the hand in an iron grip and held it firmly as she searched Patrice's eyes. "Is that all I am to you?"

"N-no," Patrice shook her head. "You're so much more. You are strong, brave, and worthy of leading our sisters into a new and brighter future. You're not afraid to lead us to war against our enemies. I admire you for your courage, Iggie. I wish?I wish I could be more like you. You're so sure of yourself-so confident. You are a born leader."

Ignesia held the woman's wrist for a moment longer, then let it go and turned away. She ran her thumb absently along her low lip, as she watched the flames dance high into the sky and the dancers move to the beat of the drums. Could it be the woman had feelings for her that went deeper than she had originally thought? She glanced at Patrice and saw the small pout on the woman's swollen lips.

"Are you angry with me, Iggie?" Patrice's low voice in her ear almost unnerved her. "Did I displease you?"

"No," Ignesia shook her head and placed a hand on Patrice's bare thigh. "You didn't displease me at all."

"Then what is it?" Patrice said, moving her body closer to Ignesia's. "Please. Tell me what I can do to please you."

Ignesia considered the offer a moment. She then stood up and put a hand out to Patrice.

"Come with me," Ignesia commanded in a gentle voice.

Patrice didn't hesitate. She took the taller woman's hand in hers and let Ignesia pull her to her feet. The two made their way through the crowd of sprawled Amazons, some of whom were busy with their own entertainment. Neither woman glanced down or appeared to do more than navigate the sea of bodies, as they made their way to Ignesia's hut.

***

Morning dawned bright and hot. It was midsummer in Thrace and the humidity level was matching the heat. The Gathering was winding down and no High Queen had yet been named. Gabrielle had been the most likely candidate, but her incarceration raised questions no one wanted to delve into.

Said bard was pacing at that moment. It was the morning that Xena would arrive in the village. She knew that from her conversation with Ephiny. Gabrielle wanted nothing more than to see her warrior, but knew the likelihood of that was slim. She might catch a glimpse from the porch, but that was all.

Gabrielle felt the heat pressing down on her from all sides. She wasn't supposed to venture from the hut's interior, but couldn't stand to be indoors any longer. She yanked open the door, stepped out and leaned on the porch railing.

"Queen Gabrielle," one of her guards-Chalinda-turned and glared at her. "You're not to be out here."

"I need some fresh air," Gabrielle said, as she defiantly remained at the railing and inhaled deeply of the pine-scented air. "It's too stuffy in there."

Chalinda glanced at her counterpart and they both shrugged. "I don't see how it could hurt," she muttered to her companion.

"No skin off my nose as long as she stays on the porch," the other woman said, as she returned her attention to the area surrounding the hut. "They told us to keep her here. They didn't say she couldn't sit on the porch and enjoy the morning air."

Gabrielle gazed around at the quiet surroundings. There weren't many people up and about, despite the increasing heat of the day. It was only a few candlemarks past dawn, so many of the villagers were probably still asleep in their beds. The hint of a smile touched her lips.

"Chalinda?" Gabrielle softly addressed the guard closest to her.

"Yes, My Queen?" Chalinda turned deep brown eyes to her.

Gabrielle actually stepped off the porch and approached the woman. "I need to run an errand. It's very important."

"M-my?" The woman didn't see the blow coming until it was too late.

A quick strike to the temple and Chalinda went down in a heap. Gabrielle didn't take time to feel anything, especially guilt. She just turned to the other woman, whose back was to her. With her body coiled for action, she watched the woman turn toward her.

"Wh?" The other woman went down just as quickly, as Gabrielle rounded on her with a swift kick to the head.

Gabrielle glanced around to see if anyone had heard the commotion, but there wasn't a soul in the area. She quickly dragged both guards into the shade under the porch. She reemerged and adjusted her normal traveling outfit-the green top and brown skirt. Without a backward glance, Gabrielle silently crept away into the woods behind the hut, careful not to be seen or make a sound. It was one of the things Xena had taught her well.

The bard knew exactly where she was going. She carefully picked her way through the dense undergrowth. Sunlight filtered down in small patches-enough to see by, but not enough to provide the stifling heat that permeated the village. She could take the well-worn path to the Temple of Artemis, but she didn't want to chance meeting anyone by accident. Two unconscious Amazons were enough for her to explain for one morning. She was on an important mission and desperately needed to consult with the priestess.

As Gabrielle reached the clearing where the temple stood, she crouched in some bushes and waited. Several Amazons entered and exited through the imposing stone structure. Gabrielle patiently waited and counted those who entered and exited. She knew when the last of the worshippers finally left to return to the village. Several heartbeats later she emerged from her hiding place and slipped soundlessly inside the temple.

Muted torchlight lined the dark hallway off the main entrance. Unlike all the other worshippers, Gabrielle didn't wait in the entryway for an acolyte to grant her an audience with the priestess. She merely slipped down the darkened hallway toward the priestess' chambers and paused before the single wooden door.

With a quick knock, Gabrielle pushed the door open and entered the room. The priestess' quarters were spacious, yet sparsely furnished. A single bed occupied one corner of the room and a small table with two chairs sat near a small window set high up in the wall. The window allowed some sunlight to peek through, but the room was mostly lit by two torches set in sconces on opposite walls. The bare walls of the room were the same bleached white stone as the rest of the temple, which gave it an open feel and kept the temperature bearable, despite sweltering temperature outside.

"Hello, My Queen," a woman greeted her from the far side of the room in a silky voice that seemed to resonate throughout the space. The woman was tall and willowy, with auburn hair in a single braid that hung down her straight back. She wore a simple, white gown indicative of a priestess of the Order of Artemis. "I have been expecting you."

Gabrielle stood her ground. "Oh?"

The woman slowly turned piercing gray eyes to meet Gabrielle's. "It was foretold to me." She nodded, as she seemed to flow toward the table. "The goddess has been quite curious about you, lately."

"I need to speak to her," Gabrielle decided to throw caution to the wind. "Where is she?"

"I'm afraid that's not possible," the priestess bowed her head, as her golden-ringed fingers deftly poured the contents of a pitcher into two wooden cups. "Would you care for refreshment?"

Gabrielle took a step toward the woman, then stopped and held up a hand. "Myrindia, I need to speak to Artemis about what's happened to me. It's urgent. I don't have time for games."

"I know what troubles you, My Queen," Myrindia held out a cup to her guest. "You wish to know if the goddess is responsible for the being that possesses you."

Gabrielle's eyes widened imperceptibly before she quickly hid her reaction behind an indifferent mask. "How do you know?"

"The goddess knows," the priestess answered, as she lifted her gaze to meet Gabrielle's. "She is not."

"Does she know why Eritreius' spirit is here?" Gabrielle prodded. "Or at least how to get rid of it?"

Myrindia gazed at her long and hard for a moment. "The being told you its name?"

"I guessed," Gabrielle huffed. "She didn't deny it."

"It spoke to you?" A dark brow rose on the priestess' alabaster face.

"We had a brief conversation," Gabrielle confirmed. "Now, answer my questions."

Myrindia glided-yes, glided-across the room to a hidden doorway that merely looked like it was part of the wall. She raised a hand and silently beckoned Gabrielle to follow.

They made their way through a small descending corridor that eventually opened into a small chamber. The chamber was lit by a hundred pure-white candles. There were candles everywhere and the wax from them dripped in puddles on the floor and tables. The room smelled like burning wax and acrid smoke.

Gabrielle followed the priestess to a small raised platform on the far side of the chamber. There was another hidden doorway and Myrindia merely passed through it into a larger chamber. The second chamber had an array of plush pillows scattered all over the stone floor. Some were piled in the corners, while others had been haphazardly thrown about in seemingly wild disarray. Each pillow was made of plush velvet with gold piping. The velvet was dyed in a myriad of dark tones-burgundy, navy blue, black, forest green.

"Nice," Gabrielle muttered with an eye roll.

"It suits its purpose," Myrindia commented. "The goddess is quite particular about the furnishings. She expects only the best when she visits."

"Her modesty was never in question," Gabrielle commented under her breath.

Myrindia stepped to the center of the room and raised her hands, palm upwards. She then let her head tilt back as she muttered some words in a language Gabrielle didn't understand.

Chapter 8

A bright flash announced Artemis' presence. Gabrielle merely stood there waiting for the immortal to speak.

"You should kneel when in my presence, mortal," Artemis sneered as she arrived in a blinding flash. "Your continued disrespect knows no bounds."

"I don't kneel before the gods," Gabrielle answered snidely. "You should know that by now."

"My Goddess," Myrindia quickly dropped to her knees and bowed before the white-clad immortal. "How may I serve?"

"Leave us," Artemis commanded, without even glancing at the kneeling woman.

"By your command," Myrindia quickly rose to her feet and exited the chamber.

"So?" The goddess raised a red brow to the shorter mortal. "You didn't come here and seek my council simply because you enjoy my company. What do you want?"

Gabrielle crossed her arms over her chest to keep her trembling hands from giving away her fear of the immortal standing before her. She had never faced the gods alone before. Standing before Artemis' intense gaze was quite intimidating. But Gabrielle merely swallowed her fear and set her shoulders confidently.

"Why is Eritreius taking control of my body when I'm angry?" The bard blurted.

"Eritreius?" Artemis actually looked perplexed by the question. "Do I know this?I assume it's a mortal. You wouldn't be here otherwise."

"One of the first queens," Gabrielle explained. "She led her people against a horde of cannibals and wiped them from the face of the earth. Then she ate their leader's heart. Your priestess seemed to think you knew who I was talking about. I guess she was mistaken."

"Fine, I know who you're talking about," Artemis growled testily. "She was never one of mine, I assure you."

"Before your time?" Gabrielle shot back with a wry grin.

"No," Artemis glared at the blond standing defiantly before her. "I just wasn't?The Amazons were a?primitive race in those early days, so?"

"Not worth your time," Gabrielle nodded sagely with a slight twinkle of mischief in her green eyes. "I understand."

"Do you?" Artemis glared skeptically at Gabrielle for a moment.

"You're a god," Gabrielle shrugged in answer. "It's in your nature to look down on those you deem unworthy of your attentions. It's what you do." She smirked. "Like right now. You think I should be respectful towards you just because you could kill me right here where I stand. At least, that's what you believe. But Xena and I don't respect the gods, because the gods don't respect human life. We're just pawns to you. You don't really care about your worshipers, either, as long as they continue to keep you in power. What you seem to miss, though, is that you have a symbiotic relationship with us. Without us you would cease to exist."

"Mortals have their uses," Artemis eyed her a moment longer, then shrugged. "Besides, history is fickle. Sometimes there are those who are worthy of our?attentions, as you put it. Others," she shrugged and lifted her chin smugly, "not so much. Being immortal has its advantages, like not having to put up with someone like you."

Gabrielle snorted her derision. "Or playing with people's lives and using those same people for your own amusement."

Artemis shot her another irritated glare. "If you were one of us, you would truly understand," then she smirked. "But, alas, you are sorely lacking, mortal. You merely have the taint of a demon's blood coursing through your veins. The more's the pity."

A blond brow shot into Gabrielle's hairline. "Eritreius?"

Artemis waved a dismissive hand. "Not my concern."

"So, you won't tell me how to get rid of her?"

"It's a spirit," Artemis shrugged, as if that were answer enough.

"And?"

Artemis sighed in exasperation and stood with her hands on her hips. "You need someone to exorcise it from you." Then she crossed her arms over her chest and glared smugly. "In a word, you need a shamaness to perform the ritual. Duh, as Aphrodite would say."

"A shamaness?"

"Ask your?lover," Artemis shot back. "She knows all about them. Matter of fact, she might even know one willing to do the deed?for a price." The smirk that lit her features was not one of amusement. "You remember that little scene I showed you? Ask her who the shamaness was."

"Alti?" Gabrielle asked.

"Ah, so Xena told you about Alti," Artemis tried to hide her disappointment. "No matter. You'll need her or one like her to release the spirit and send it on its way. Of course?"

The goddess paced for several moments, pleased to see the raised brow of inquiry on the bard's face. It irked her to have to deal with someone like Gabrielle, but there was more going on than she cared to admit. Artemis also knew she couldn't jeopardize her tenuous truce with Aphrodite-and Dite loved the brat for some reason that Artemis couldn't fathom.

Gabrielle's brow rose. "Of course, what?" She asked hesitantly.

"Oh, just some stories I've heard," Artemis answered cryptically, enjoying the mortal's frustration. "An exorcism can be a nasty affair, if the person performing the ceremony lacks experience. Rumor has it the results of a bad exorcism can actually leave the foreign spirit inside the body and exorcise the soul of the original owner." Artemis snickered. "Pity."

"And where does the owner's soul go?"

"Pft!" Artemis snapped her fingers. "Gone."

"Gone?"

"Gone, as in no longer in existence. No afterlife. No reincarnation. Just?poof! Gone," Artemis answered smugly. "A soul cannot exist once it leaves its body, except when said body dies. Then the soul is released into whichever afterlife the person's beliefs dictate. Amazons go to the Amazon Land of the Dead. Those who reside in Greece and are under the judgment of the Greek gods go to Hades for final judgment. Those in other lands?well," she waved a negligent hand. "They go where their gods dictate. I try not to keep up with all the other realms. Some are quite complicated and require one to follow too many rules and regulations." She shook her head, as if to clear it. "Needless to say, a soul released from its body before death is doomed to non-existence."

Gabrielle felt her legs giving out and just managed to sit down on the nearest pillow. She put her hands on either side of her head and held it as the goddess' words echoed through her mind. Non-existence. That was one possibility for her if she were to go through with an exorcism. Otherwise, her other option was to carry Eritreius around inside her until the end of her life.

"And you're sure there's no other option?" Gabrielle asked without looking up at the goddess towering over her.

"Death," Artemis shrugged. "But you can't kill yourself. Suicide will only doom your soul to an existence that far surpasses even non-existence." Artemis shivered involuntarily. "I've seen what happens to those who take their own life. Nasty business."

Gabrielle sat there with her head in her hands. She didn't know how long she'd been there until a gentle hand on her shoulder made her look up into Myrindia's compassionate eyes. She glanced around.

"The goddess has left us," the priestess said with a gentle smile. "Come."

Gabrielle absently followed the priestess down a corridor. She had no idea where they were going and didn't really care. Her options at that point were limited. Regret washed over her as she mindlessly put one foot in front of the other. And her thoughts turned to Xena.

"You do not appear pleased by what the goddess told you," Myrindia said conversationally, as they rounded a corner and ascended a set of stone steps.

Gabrielle sighed and shook her head. "I-"

They had emerged into bright sunlight near the entrance to the temple. A squad of armed Amazons quickly stepped forward, then parted to reveal a stern-faced Ephiny. The regent had her arms crossed over her chest and looked none-too-pleased with Gabrielle.

"Gabrielle," the regent bowed her head slightly, while keeping her eyes trained on Gabrielle's. The hint of a smirk played at the corners of Ephiny's lips, while a stern scowl marred her brow.

Gabrielle conceded a defeated smile. "Eph," she said in a tone devoid of emotion. She glanced over to see Chalinda glaring at her. "I'm sorry I deceived and hurt you, Chalinda," Gabrielle apologized softly. Chalinda merely nodded once and kept her stance. "Shall we?" Gabrielle turned back to the regent with a tired sigh.

They walked along the path through the woods toward the village, but then they veered onto another path. The new path would take them to the center of the village. Gabrielle glanced at Ephiny walking beside her.

"We're not going back to the queen's hut?" The bard inquired.

Ephiny shook her head. "I was coming to get you when I discovered Chalinda and Rylla tucked neatly beneath your porch," she glanced at the bard and let the smirk play out a little more. "She's really pissed at you for knocking her out so easily, by the way. I think you hurt her pride more than that thick head of hers."

Gabrielle straightened her shoulders. "She'll get over it."

"Let's hope she doesn't hold a grudge," the regent returned her attention to the Amazons surrounding them on all sides.

"Dare I ask why you were coming for me in the first place?" Gabrielle finally asked after several tense moments of silence.

"Ignesia is demanding your presence in the gathering area," Ephiny's expression turned serious. "I think she's finally ready to issue the challenge."

Gabrielle felt nothing at that point. This entire situation was getting on her last nerve, but the prospect of spending her life with the spirit of a dead Amazon inside her was disheartening. All she wanted to do was find Xena and bury herself in the warrior's warmth-despite the oppressing heat of the day.

Gabrielle sighed. "Figures."

"Did you learn anything in the temple?" Ephiny asked, noting the defeated set to the bard's shoulders.

"I'm doomed," Gabrielle gritted out between clenched teeth as they cleared the woods and entered the village.

A crowd of all the tribes were gathered, including the hulking Mashuka. The southern Amazon queen's face was still quite swollen, especially around the eyes. Her lip was sported a scab where it was split and her entire face was much darker than it normally was. Deep purple bruises were a testament to what Eritreius had done to the Southern queen through Gabrielle.

Mashuka stood up and turned to face the small group that approached. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of Gabrielle walking in the midst of the armed detachment. Then she saw Ephiny and her stance relaxed slightly.

As the group stopped before the dais, the warriors in front parted and stepped aside to let Ephiny and Gabrielle mount the raised platform. Gabrielle glanced down at the assemblage and saw Ignesia standing to one side, a confident smirk on her features. She also saw an unfamiliar group of Amazons standing opposite Ignesia and her cohorts. The newcomers were dressed in long tunics and leather pants decorated with bone, beads and feathers. Despite the oppressive heat, they seemed comfortable in their attire.

"Gabrielle of Potidea, Queen of the Thracian Amazons!" Ephiny's voice carried over the murmurs and grumblings of the crowd. "Queen Mashuka demands?"

"I demand the challenge!" Ignesia's voice drowned out Ephiny's, as she jumped up on the dais without preamble. She raised her fist and turned to the gathering. "I issue the challenge to this woman who claims she is queen of our people! She is not and never has been Queen of the Thracian tribe! She is a fraud! A usurper! She is no more an Amazon than the woman who travels with her!"

A cheer went up from Patrice and the rest of Ignesia's supporters. Gabrielle glanced in their direction and noticed that there were more women than there had been before. Ephiny was right. Ignesia was definitely gaining a considerable following.

Ignesia suddenly turned to face her. "What say you, Pretender?"

Gabrielle glanced at Ephiny and then met Ignesia's icy glare. "I say so be it," she shrugged.

The crowd erupted loudly. Some cheered. Some grumbled their dissent. While still others-mostly the foreigners-murmured amongst themselves.

"Do you accept the challenge, My Queen?" Ephiny stepped between the two.

"I accept," Gabrielle nodded with more confidence than she felt.

"Do you wish your champion to fight in your stead?" Ephiny's voice was loud enough to carry over the assembly.

"Your queen has no champion!" Another voice rang out over the crowd as Cyane jumped up onto the dais. "We lay claim to your queen's champion!" She glanced back at her sisters. "We lay claim to Xena, Destroyer of Nations!"

Ephiny's eyes widened, as she turned to address the newcomer. "And what claim do you have over our queen's champion?"

"Bring forth the murderer!" Cyane shouted vehemently.

The crowd parted to reveal a small group heading toward the dais. Xena towered over the women who surrounded her. She was bound hand-and-foot with stout rope and was being led by another rope attached to a thick leather strap around her neck.

Gabrielle's anger flared, but she managed to get it back in check immediately. She had no wish to unleash the spirit within at that moment. Eritreius fed off her anger and especially her rage. That just wouldn't do in this situation. She had to maintain her composure, especially her temper.

"What is the meaning of this?" Gabrielle turned her icy gaze on Cyane. "Who are you?"

"Please excuse my manners and our intrusion, Queen Gabrielle," the blond woman bowed her head slightly, never taking her eyes off the bard's. "I am Queen Cyane, sole ruler of the combined Northern tribes."

Gabrielle glanced over at Xena and silently appraised the warrior to be sure she was unharmed. Xena gave her a slight smirk and winked, as she was summarily yanked up onto the dais. The warrior didn't falter nor miss a single step as she mounted the steps to the platform.

"What crime is Xena accused of?" Gabrielle shot at the taller blond queen standing before her.

"She killed the Northern Amazon queens-murdered them all with the help of an accomplice," Cyane answered loud enough for all to hear.

"Were you an eyewitness to these supposed crimes?" Ephiny raised a blond brow to the Northern queen. "What proof do you have that Xena was involved?"

"My predecessor, also known as Cyane, escorted Xena to a gathering of the queens in the forest near our village," Cyane folded her arms over her ample bosoms. "My sisters and I were witnesses to their departure. Xena returned, candlemarks later-alone. The queens were discovered several days later-all dead. They were skewered on the branches of the trees. Their blood was dry by the time their bodies were discovered. Every one of them died a vicious, gruesome death." She turned an accusing finger. "And Xena's responsible!"

The crowd cheered.

"Regardless of those supposed facts," Gabrielle shouted to be heard above the din. "And they don't prove anything, I might add. Those deaths occurred more than ten years ago. The spirits of those dead women no longer cry for justice. They went to the Amazon Land of the Dead long ago."

Cyane regarded Gabrielle for a moment and then stepped in closer. "What do you know of this?"

"Xena and I were already put on trial by the gods for this very thing," Gabrielle leaned forward and lowered her voice so only Cyane and Ephiny could hear her. Her gaze met the other two and she could see confusion and disbelief staring back at her. "Xena was exonerated by Artemis herself, Cyane. Do you wish me to call on the goddess herself to back me up on this?"

"You speak blasphemy!" Cyane hissed.

"She speaks the truth," Ephiny countered. "It happened when Artemis infected Gabrielle with an illness last autumn."

Eyes the color of a summer sky shot to the regent's face. "You're her regent. I would expect nothing less than your loyalty and?"

"Artemis!" Gabrielle shouted unexpectedly. "Artemis! I call on you to appear before your chosen people!"

Gasps from the crowd were followed by a bright flash of light that suddenly coalesced into the red-headed goddess. Artemis rounded on Gabrielle.

"Oh, please," Artemis glared at Gabrielle. "You think I'm Ares or Aphrodite and you can just?" Her words died on her lips as she surveyed the stunned faces staring in open-mouthed awe at her. "What is the meaning of this, bard?"

"Artemis, patron goddess of all the Amazon tribes," Gabrielle smirked. "May I present your chosen people."

Gabrielle waved a hand in the direction of the general assembly of Amazons. Those gathered were still staring in dumbstruck awe. Not a sound was uttered and no one moved as they suddenly found themselves in the presence of their patron goddess.

"You called me here for this?" Artemis put a bejeweled hand on a cocked hip and glared daggers at Gabrielle. "I don't do public appearances, bard. That's why I have temples and priestesses and?" She stopped herself in mid-rant. "How in the names of all the gods on Olympus did you manage to call me here, anyway? You don't have that kind?"

"We don't have time for the how's and why's," Gabrielle interrupted. "I need you to tell Cyane, here, that you exonerated Xena in the murders of the Northern queens."

"I did no such thing," Artemis defiantly crossed her arms over her ample, gossamer-clad bosom and glared icily at Gabrielle. "She murdered those women as surely as we are standing here." She shot the bard a smug smirk, as gasps erupted from the onlookers close enough to hear the exchange.

"You held her responsible, yes," Gabrielle clarified. "But you also conceded that she paid a terrible price for what she did. You agreed that the death of her son was punishment enough for her misdeeds."

"You also lied to me," Artemis sidestepped the implication, as a red brow rose on her alabaster features. "You told me you weren't queen," she glanced at Ephiny, "because you'd given your right of caste to your regent."

"I?"

"She did," Ephiny jumped in with a firm nod. "She gave it to me just before she died in Thessaly, during the war with the Mitoans."

"Enough!" Artemis' voice boomed so loudly that the platform actually shook under their feet.

Silence descended over the gathering like a heavy pall. Even the hushed whispers of conjecture and speculation stopped in an instant. All eyes were suddenly trained on the small group gathered on the dais. Ignesia stood to one side, afraid to say or do anything that would bring attention to her. Ephiny just stood her ground next to Gabrielle. And Mashuka, Cyane and Xena waited for the goddess' next move.

Artemis paced thoughtfully for a moment and then returned to stand before Gabrielle and Ephiny. "All right," a glimmer of superiority shown in Artemis' otherwise-unreadable eyes. "I'll concede that Xena is no longer held responsible for her past deeds-at least as far as the Amazons are concerned." Another gasp-this time from Cyane-had the goddess lifting her chin and looking down her perfectly-sculpted nose at the bard. "On one condition."

Gabrielle eyed the red-headed goddess dubiously. "What's the condition?"

"You go ahead with the challenge," Artemis glanced at Ignesia and back again, "without your champion, without using the spirit that resides within you and to the death. If you win, you keep the queen's mask and Xena is exonerated. If you lose?well, let's just say I don't think all the minions of the Underworld will be able to keep Xena from tearing apart Hades' realm in order to find you." She smirked. "It might be interesting to see how far she'll go to get you back."

Xena had managed to keep her expression completely neutral up to that point. But the goddess' words struck a chord inside her that actually sent a shiver of real fear running through her entire being. What game was Artemis playing at? Why a fight to the death? And, more importantly, what was this about a spirit residing in Gabrielle? What spirit?

"Fine," Gabrielle answered confidently. "But?" Her expression turned thoughtful. "How am I supposed to fight without awakening Eritreius' spirit? It's not like I can control when she makes an appearance."

Artemis smirked slyly. "You'll figure it out, I'm sure," she said with a catlike gleam. "Break the rules in any way and Xena will face the consequences of her deeds against the Northern Amazons. And I'm sure they will seek an appropriate punishment for the loss of so many of their leaders." She glanced at Cyane, who was watching with a combination of fascination and incredulity. "Do those terms meet with the approval of the Northern tribes?" Cyane merely nodded. "Good. And do I have your word that you will abide by any decision that is made here," she asked Xena directly.

"I have no problem with it," Xena answered nonchalantly, despite the fact she was seething internally over the goddess' interference. Her gaze met Gabrielle's and she smiled confidently. "I trust Gabrielle with my life."

A blond brow shot up on the bard's face, before she quickly composed her features into a semblance of Xena's indifferent mask. Her heart was pounding so loudly in her ears that she was surprised she could still hear what was being said. She was also a little surprised no one else could sense the uncertainty and dread that suddenly overcame her like a dark pall of doom.

"Then I'll leave you to it," Artemis said, before she lifted a bejeweled hand and snapped her fingers.

A loud crack of thunder sounded overhead, the wind suddenly blew in a gale and the goddess disappeared in a shower of silver and gold sparkles that quickly dissipated. A hushed silence once again fell over the gathering, followed by a cacophony of low mutters and murmurs.

Gabrielle and Ephiny exchanged a glance. Cyane rejoined her sisters, pulling Xena with her. And Ignesia stood where she was in utter disbelief.

"Well, you got what you wanted," Ephiny glared at Ignesia. "Hope you're happy about it."

Ignesia turned her dumbfounded gaze on the regent. "I?" she swallowed with noticeable difficulty. "That was the goddess, Artemis." She glanced from Ephiny to Gabrielle and received nods from them both. "Does that sort of thing happen often around you?" She directed the question to Gabrielle.

"Unfortunately, yes," Gabrielle shrugged. "Except that it's usually Ares and he's trying to seduce Xena into returning to him. Aphrodite shows up on occasion, too. But she's usually just around because Ares is causing trouble." She glanced at Ephiny and saw the surprise in the regent's hazel eyes. "What?"

"You just hang around the gods and talk about them as if it's no big deal?" Ephiny asked.

"Hey, when you travel with Xena, anything's possible," Gabrielle threw up her hands in dismissal. She turned her gaze on Ignesia and let her expression show how pissed she was. "One of us has to die, now, thanks to you."

"I?" Ignesia began and then glanced away from the bard's intense gaze. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "I'm confident that I will be the victor in this challenge, Pretender."

A blond brow rose. "Oh, you think so?" Gabrielle responded. She then shot a glance at Xena, who was watching her from amidst the Northern Amazons. "Do you truly realize what's at stake here, Ignesia? This isn't just about you becoming queen of the Thracian tribe."

"No," Ignesia let the initial bewilderment subside, as her courage returned. "This is about avenging Velasca and setting things right for all of us." She, too, glanced at Xena. "It's also about seeing that justice is carried out and that a murderer is no longer allowed to roam free." Her expression took on the confidence that she suddenly felt welling up inside her. "I will be queen and you will die, Gabrielle. All will know you for the charlatan you truly are."

"This isn't just about the Amazons," Gabrielle took a step toward the woman. "This is about so much more. Xena does so much good out there," she pointed beyond the heads of those still gathered. "She's a hero to the helpless, a vindicator for those seeking justice."

"You make her sound like Hercules," Ignesia scoffed, then glanced again at the bound warrior. "She looks more like a trussed cow than a hero. You sure she isn't the helpless one?" She chuckled and felt her confidence boosted when Patrice stepped up beside her. "Our Northern sisters deserve justice!"

"Xena is never helpless," Gabrielle said. "I assure you, she's only bound by those ropes because she allowed it to happen. If she was of a mind to escape her bonds, those ropes would be lying in a puddle at her feet in less than a heartbeat and there isn't a soul present who could put them back on her without serious consequences." Her gaze turned pointed and intense, as she lowered her voice to just above a whisper. "And if I die by your hand, Ignesia, no amount of rope or leather or steel will keep her from avenging my death. She won't care if she dies in the process. Nothing will matter to her except seeing your head mounted on a pike for all to see."

Ignesia met Gabrielle gaze defiantly. "Is that a threat?"

"It's a promise," Gabrielle stated flatly.

Ignesia searched Gabrielle's expression for some sign that the woman was bluffing, but found nothing but certainty in the green gaze staring back at her. She kept the defiant expression plastered on her face, even though she was rethinking her options at that point. What had she gotten herself into? How had things gone so utterly awry?

After several long moments, Ignesia stepped back from the smaller woman and glanced over to her allies. Cyane was watching the scene intently from her place amidst the Northern Amazons. Xena was also standing there with more confidence and assurance than a prisoner should exude. Ignesia swallowed the lump in her throat.

The entire assembly seemed to be holding its collective breath, as Ignesia struggled internally for some way to extricate herself from the situation.

"What do you suggest we do about this dilemma?" Ignesia finally asked. "I take it you've come up with a way for this to be resolved to our mutual satisfaction?"

Gabrielle just managed to keep from cutting an I-told-you-so glance at her regent. "I think I can come up with something by morning. Why don't we share an evening meal together with our latest guests," she did glance at Cyane, "then get a good night's sleep. I'll give you my answer first thing in the morning. Is that acceptable?"

Ignesia considered her options for a moment before nodding her head. "I suspend my challenge until the morrow, then," she said in a voice loud enough for all to hear.

"Then we shall reconvene again right here after the morning meal," Gabrielle nodded.

Ephiny and Gabrielle waited for Ignesia to gather her followers and leave the gathering area. Then they both breathed a heavy sigh of relief-and found both their shoulders summarily patted by a beaming Mashuka.

"Well played, sisters," the Southern Amazon nodded. The purple bruises were almost lost on her dark features, but could be seen from that close up. "I was beginning to wonder how this would end. The arrival of our esteemed goddess was quite a nice touch, I must say. Wonderfully played, Queen Gabrielle."

Gabrielle put a hand on the woman's beefy hand on her shoulder. "Queen Mashuka, I am so terribly sorry for what I did to you. It was not my intention?"

The woman chuckled. "Queen Gabrielle, I do not hold a grudge against you for my own shortcomings. I entered that contest with every intention of making you the one to wear these colors," she indicated her bruises. "Instead, you beat the stuffing out of me. It has taught me a valuable lesson that I shall not soon forget."

Gabrielle raised a blond brow in question. "Oh?"

Mashuka chuckled, then sobered. "Never underestimate your opponent, especially if said opponent appears much smaller and weaker than you. It might just turn out that they have a hidden strength that matches or even surpasses your own."

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall," Gabrielle nodded sagely. "Xena taught me that lesson during our first year together."

"Your consort is a wise woman," Mashuka said.

"Oh, she's not my consort yet," Gabrielle corrected.

"Oh?" Mashuka gave both women an incredulous look.

"No," Ephiny piped in. "Our illustrious queen here," she put an arm around Gabrielle's shoulder and squeezed, "has yet to name Xena as her consort."

"Xena's not an Amazon," Gabrielle shot the curly blond an annoyed frown.

Mashuka glanced from the two women to the warrior in question. "Xena is not an Amazon?" She received two firm head shakes in answer. "How is this so? She wears the bearing of an Amazon like a second skin. I find it hard to believe she is not one of us."

"Xena isn't a joiner," Gabrielle answered, as if that explained everything.

"A joiner?" Mashuka asked in confusion. "I don't understand."

"She isn't one to tie herself down to a particular cause or a people," Ephiny explained.

"She has never associated herself with one group or one people?" Mashuka continued.

"Once," Gabrielle answered. "She was a warlord and the head of an army. They turned on her and tried to kill her-made her walk the gauntlet."

Mashuka glanced at the warrior, who was still silently standing amidst the Northern Amazons, her blue gaze, however, meeting Mashuka's. Mashuka's glance took in the ropes and bindings that held the warrior-or at least, that she believed held Xena for all intents and purposes. She was sure the warrior could dispose of them with barely a shrug, if the occasion arose. Then she returned her attention to Gabrielle.

"Was she a warlord and leader of the army when she killed the Northern leaders?" Mashuka's dark brow rose, as her eyes conveyed more than her words did.

Gabrielle's expression reflected a hint of understanding, as she asked, "Exactly what are you getting at, Queen Mashuka?"

Mashuka shrugged nonchalantly. "It's none of my concern, but if one is leader of an army and were to kill the leader of our tribe, that would be considered an act of war, not a criminal act. Our laws for dealing with prisoners of war are far different from those dealing with crimes committed against fellow Amazons. Since Xena was not-and is still not-an Amazon when she killed those women, she is not subject to trial and conviction as a murderer. Her acts fall under the rules of war, instead."

Gabrielle mulled that over for a moment. "So, you're saying Xena isn't a murderer, but a war criminal?"

"Why was she kicked out of her own army in the first place?" Mashuka continued.

"She saved the life of a child," Gabrielle answered. "Her men, especially her lieutenant, Dagnon, felt it was a sign of weakness. They granted her request to leave the army, but not before they made her go through the gauntlet."

Mashuka's eyes widened, before she caught herself. "I've heard tales of those forced to experience that punishment. Not a gentle one, by any means. Many do not survive the injuries they sustain from the initial blows, even if they make it through the entire length of the gauntlet without losing consciousness."

"It was the only way Xena's army would allow her to leave," Gabrielle added. "They didn't count on her will to survive or her recuperative powers. And rued the day she walked through their ranks for the last time."

Mashuka nodded, her eyes reflecting a newfound respect for the warrior. "Sounds like her army meted out the justice for our Northern sisters the day she walked their gauntlet, Queen Gabrielle."

Gabrielle and Ephiny exchanged a quick glance, as they both realized what Mashuka was saying. "Can it be that simple?" The bard asked her most-trusted advisor and friend.

Ephiny shrugged. "Amazons are a warrior people. We understand the ways of armies and the codes that an army upholds. The argument sounds very sound to me." She waved for Eponin to join them and addressed the weapons master as soon as she arrived. "We need your expertise on something, Eponin."

"Okay, shoot," the husky weapons master crossed her arms over her chest and waited for the three women to explain their position.

"If the leader of an army wishes to leave said army-basically is forced to walk the gauntlet as a condition of release and survives-is that person then exonerated of all decisions, right or wrong, made during their reign as the army's leader?" Gabrielle inquired.

Eponin put a finger to her lip, as she carefully considered Gabrielle's words. "Are we talking Amazons? Or is this just a general question about armies?"

"Either, or," Ephiny put in.

Eponin tapped the finger against her lips thoughtfully. "I'd have to say there's a very good argument for exonerating Xena of her crimes against the Northern tribes, if that's really what you're asking," she said with a knowing gleam. "If her army made her walk the gauntlet to earn her release-a feat I know many do not survive-then she has more than earned her release from her actions while she was leading said army." She stopped tapping against her lips and raised that finger to her audience. "The question would then be was she acting as the army's leader when she actually attacked those Amazons?"

Gabrielle stepped away from the small group and turned to address the Northern Amazons. "Queen Cyane," she waited for the taller blond to turn around and face her. "Are you considering Xena a murderer or a war criminal in the matter of the deaths of your tribal leaders?"

Cyane's face scrunched in confusion. "Why does it matter?"

"Because we've been discussing the issue at some length," Gabrielle motioned toward Mashuka, Ephiny and Eponin. "And it seems you may be holding Xena without just cause."

Cyane quickly mounted the dais and stood before Gabrielle. "Ignesia warned us you would try to talk your way out of allowing Xena to be properly punished for her crimes against us."

"I asked a simple question," Gabrielle kept her tone firm and loud enough for the entire assembly to hear. "Did you try Xena as a murderer or a war criminal?" She lowered her voice. "Did you even try her at all?"

Cyane pointed an accusing finger at the woman in question. "Xena is a murderer! She admitted to killing our queens in cold blood?"

"While she was the leader of an army," Gabrielle added in a voice that carried over the assemblage, before Cyane could continue further. "Did you know that her army was camped only a few leagues from your border? Did you know that Alti was one of her personal advisors?"

Cyane didn't hide her surprise at this turn of events, as she glanced back at Xena. "Is what she's saying true? Was your army camped near our border?"

"They were," Xena nodded, her eyes straying to Gabrielle's for a brief instant. "I ordered Borias to have them wait for me while I took care of some business with the Amazons." Her expression remained neutral. "I took care of my business and met up with them a few days later."

"What business did you have with the Amazons, Xena?" Gabrielle stepped around Cyane to address Xena directly. "Other than killing their leaders, of course."

"Killing their leaders was a strategic maneuver designed to weaken them and make it easier to bring them to heel," Xena answered flatly. "It worked better than expected. They never gave me or my army a problem as we went about subduing the surrounding area."

"It was an act of war, then," Gabrielle stated.

"Yes," Xena answered flatly.

"And Alti's part in what happened?" Gabrielle continued. "Was she acting as your war advisor when she collected the blood of those dead Amazons to use in her rituals? Did you know what she was planning?"

"Alti was an agent of her own devices," Xena spat out with derision. "She used me to further her agenda and wasn't interested in serving the army. Her interest was in leaching power off the dead, especially Queen Cyane." Xena glanced at the Northern Amazon queen. "According to Alti, your predecessor had strong mental abilities that were special enough to peak the shamaness' interests."

"So you didn't order her to do what she did to those women?" Gabrielle kept her expression completely neutral.

"No," Xena replied with a firm shake of her head, as she met Gabrielle's gaze. "I had no idea what she was going to do with them once they were dead. She rarely shared her intentions with me or anyone, for that matter. I didn't know what she'd planned until she started collecting their blood."

"Then why did you want the queens dead?" Gabrielle continued. "Why not simply ally yourself with them and bring them under the control of your army?"

"I wasn't interested in having Amazons in my army," Xena shifted her stance. "Women are," she glanced around at the women surrounding her, "unpredictable and difficult to control. Men are much easier to manipulate and bend to one's will." The hint of a smirk touched her lips, as she cocked her head slightly and once again met her partner's gaze. "All I wanted to do was ensure that the Amazons wouldn't interfere in my plans to subdue the area. So, I cut off the head and left the body intact, so to speak. Alti was the one who took it one step further."

"How's that?"

"I just told you, she took their blood," Xena explained. "She probably altered their fate-their place in eternity-when she did that. I have no way of knowing. No one does."

Now it was Gabrielle's turn to look confused. "How do you mean?"

"Artemis shouldn't have been able to call them away from the Land of the Dead," Xena continued. "It is my understanding that once an Amazon enters the Land of the Dead, they can never return to the land of the living. Their eternity is cut off from the rest of the Underworld by very powerful magic."

Ephiny, Cyane and Gabrielle exchanged quick glances.

"She's right," Yanush stepped forward. The shamaness wore her ceremonial garb, including the antlered headdress that distinguished her from the rest of the Northern Amazons. "Xena speaks the truth."

"And you are?" Gabrielle raised a skeptical brow.

"She's my shamaness," Cyane answered. "Yanush keeps the history of our people and performs the rituals that mark us as Amazons."

"Wasn't Alti a shamaness?" Ephiny put in.

"She was," Yanush moved to the edge of the platform, but did not deign to join them. "She used her powers for selfish and evil purposes. That's why she was banished from her tribe. She is no longer considered Amazon."

"She was wandering the forest alone when she showed up in my encampment," Xena added. "She told me she'd been banished for attempting to help her people see the light of a new future." She scowled. "She gave them a new future, all right. And used me to do her dirty work."

"Getting back to the whole Land of the Dead thing," Gabrielle tried to steer them back on the course she had set. "What has that got to do with your army, Xena?"

"Nothing," Xena answered. "I just think Alti may have stranded Cyane and the others, somehow keeping them from reaching the Land of the Dead. In which case, I'm responsible for more than just killing those women. They're stuck in limbo because of what I did."

A warning bell went off in Gabrielle's head. "You just said you didn't know what Alti was planning, Xena."

"I didn't have to kill them, Gabrielle," Xena said.

As soon as the words were out, Gabrielle knew Xena was doing it again. She was trying to take full responsibility for her actions and accept complete blame for what she'd done. But Gabrielle wasn't about to let her partner, the woman she loved more than life itself, go down that road this time. They had come too far-done too much, gained too much ground-for Xena to just throw it all away now.

"No," Gabrielle ceded the point. "But war isn't about being nice or leaving a potential enemy at your back, either. I've seen warlords kill or maim just for the sake of it. I've also seen others who were willing to do whatever it took to bring their enemies down, including assassinating those who would eventually gain a foothold in a warlord's region."

Xena took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She knew what Gabrielle was doing and why. But she also couldn't reconcile the guilt of what she'd done. She'd never paid for what she'd done-not really. She didn't count Solon's death as punishment for her actions-not really. Then again.

Cyane stepped forward again. "Xena, did you kill my sisters as an act of war?"

There it was, plain and simple. Did she? Had that been her plan all along? Was Gabrielle's tactic a sound one? Xena pondered the question for a long moment, as she tried to reconcile her guilt over the past with her choices in the present. This was also one of those choices, she realized. It would make the difference between her life with Gabrielle and the Amazons, and a death that would serve no real purpose.

"Yes," Xena answered simply and honestly.

"Why?" Cyane prodded.

"Because Cyane made it perfectly clear she would never ally herself with a non-Amazon," Xena answered. "She wanted me to join her tribe and I refused."

"So, she would have lived and the others, as well, if you'd become an Amazon?" Cyane continued.

"I told her I wasn't Amazon material," Xena said.

"And why not?"

"It wasn't in my nature," Xena shrugged.

"I understand you're going through the steps to become an Amazon now," Cyane's eyes met Xena's and challenged her to deny it.

Gabrielle couldn't help the almost imperceptible gasp of surprise that escaped her. This was the first she'd heard that Xena was pondering such an act. She turned inquiring eyes on Ephiny, who had the grace to look slightly abashed.

"You knew?" Was all Gabrielle said quietly.

"She asked me to keep it quiet," Ephiny answered just as quietly.

Gabrielle's eyes met Xena's and the warrior saw the hurt in their green depths. It cut Xena to the quick to realize that Gabrielle would take it as another secret between them.

"Gabrielle?" Xena began, but was cut off when the woman in question raised a staying hand in her direction.

"Xena's petition to join the Amazon Nation has nothing to do with her actions during the time in question," Gabrielle said in a voice devoid of emotion. "Our Northern sisters accuse Xena of murdering their queens, when in actuality Xena's actions were an act of war, not murder." She turned her gaze to Cyane. "Do you agree?"

Cyane glance from Gabrielle to Ephiny and finally turned her gaze on Xena. "Unfortunately, I believe Queen Gabrielle's argument is sound, despite my own personal misgivings. Xena was, as head of an army at the time, acting in the strategic interests of those under her command. Putting myself in her position, I probably would have done the same."

A collective gasp went up from the crowd, followed by a flutter of murmurs and a few shouts of protest.

"Silence!" Gabrielle shouted above the din and waited for the noise to die down. "Queen Cyane and her Northern sisters have come here seeking justice for the wrong committed against them. But in seeking justice, one must also accept the truth. And the truth of this matter is Xena was a warlord who led an army. Her actions against the Northern Amazons were those of a leader trying to immobilize a potential threat. She was doing what a leader at war does, not simply murdering people at random." Several isolated shouts rang out among those gathered. "I am not excusing her behavior?"

"No, you're justifying murder because you're sleeping with the accused!" Someone shouted from the back of the crowd.

Gabrielle absorbed the jibe and kept her composure. Deep down, she kept the niggling thought in the back of her mind that Eritreius could rear her ugly head at any moment. So she just didn't let the accusation affect her.

"That's true," Gabrielle said. "I love Xena with all my heart and soul. I have traveled with her, fought side-by-side with her and discovered what it means to set aside your own thoughts and feelings in the interest of the Greater Good. I would like nothing more than to put her past completely behind us and forge ahead into the future. But I also take my responsibilities as queen of the Thracian tribe very seriously." She met Cyane's gaze again. "Are my arguments out of line, Queen Cyane? Do you feel that my relationship with Xena has clouded my judgment in this matter?"

Cyane shook her head. "No," she answered honestly. "Your arguments are sound, Queen Gabrielle. As much as I hate to say it-and I really hate to say it in front of this entire gathering-I might have been hasty in my judgment against Xena." She turned her attention to the Northern Amazons. "My sisters," she continued in a tone that bordered on pleading. "I believe it is in our best interests to reevaluate our decision in this matter."

"What exactly are you saying, my queen?" Yanush spoke loud enough for the assemblage to hear, as she glared at Xena. "We must not allow the deeds of this-this murderer-to go unpunished. That is completely unacceptable. Queen Cyane and her fellow queens would not wish for anything less than justice."

"Xena already paid for the deeds she committed as head of her army," Gabrielle stepped forward until she was standing even with Cyane at the edge of the dais. "Xena was forced to leave the army after she showed compassion to an innocent child. Her lieutenant accused her of losing her edge-of granting lenience to an innocent. She isn't a murderer. A murderer doesn't grant lenience to anyone, including an innocent child. But Dagnon saw that Xena had changed and was already well on her way to becoming something other than a crazed warlord bent on committing needless acts of violence against the innocent. She isn't that person anymore."

"And what manner of payment excuses her crimes?" Yanush shot back.

"Her army forced her to walk the gauntlet as a condition of her release from service," Gabrielle's gaze met Xena's, as a collective hush fell over the crowd. "She survived and has served the side of good ever since.

"Is this true, Xena?" Cyane addressed the warrior directly.

"It is," Xena nodded.

Cyane's eyes narrowed. "And you renounced your claim on your army, just like that? You didn't fight to remain in their ranks?"

"I walked the gauntlet and survived," Xena stated flatly.

Cyane raised a skeptical brow. "I've heard that the injuries sustained in the gauntlet are quite severe and more often than not fatal. Either that or they leave one permanently disfigured. And yet you survived with little to show for it?"

"I did," Xena confirmed. "I nearly succumbed to my injuries on more than one occasion, before I fully recovered from the ordeal."

"Xena has amazing recuperative powers," Gabrielle added with a smirk and a quick wink to her partner.

"And the army?" Cyane asked out of curiosity.

"It no longer exists," Xena answered. "I took care of the ones responsible for ousting me and the rest just left to pursue other ventures."

"So," Cyane crossed her arms over her chest as she continued to address the warrior. "You would have us believe that the punishment your army meted out was sufficient to excuse you from the crimes you committed while leading them?" She glanced back at Gabrielle. "Is that the gist of your argument, Queen Gabrielle?"

"It is," Gabrielle answered. "If you know anyone who has experienced a beating during the gauntlet, then you know exactly how painful and how emotionally devastating the experience is. One does not easily recover from such an ordeal."

"No, they do not," Cyane hesitantly agreed. "Most do not survive the walk itself and are summarily beaten to death as they lay at the mercy of their tormentors. Apparently, Xena possessed the strength, will and courage to survive unscathed."

"Xena is an extraordinary woman," Gabrielle couldn't help the proud smile that graced her features. "She will also make an amazing Amazon."

Cyane watched the interplay between the two women for a moment. She could see that the smaller woman was enamored by her dark counterpart. And she could also see the love that passed unchecked between them. She studied Xena for a moment and wondered if the warrior had changed as much as the rumors said she had. Then she realized that the love shining in Xena's eyes was enough to confirm that she had. No ruthless warlord loved anything or anyone as much as they loved power and control. Xena no longer appeared to care about either.

"I ask the indulgence of our hostess, as well as of this gathering," Cyane finally said in a voice that boomed over the crowd. "I would like to take some time to confer with my advisors in regards to our judgment in this matter?"

Gabrielle sensed the request in the woman's words. "How much time do you need?"

Cyane glanced up at the sun just starting its descent in the sky. "We should have a decision by sunset, if that meets with your approval?"

Gabrielle darted a look at Xena. "Then I would request that the accused be allowed to return to the queen's hut under heavy guard-both Northern and Thracian."

"Agreed," Cyane nodded to the woman holding the rope attached to the collar at Xena's neck. "Take the accused to the queen's hut and remove her bindings." Cyane nodded to several women surrounding Xena. "Accompany her and stand guard outside the hut."

"Yes, My Queen," one of the women stepped to Xena's side, while several others followed suit.

"Eponin," Gabrielle motioned for the weapons master.

"Understood, My Queen," Eponin acknowledged Gabrielle's unspoken command.

The group made their way through the crowd that parted quickly to make way for them. All eyes watched as Xena was led away by not only the Northern Amazons, but a contingent of Thracian guards, as well. Gabrielle looked on as Xena's dark head disappeared from sight, before she turned her attention back to Cyane.

"Thank you," Gabrielle flashed the taller blond a warm smile.

The Northern queen leaned close to Gabrielle and spoke for her ears alone. "You and I both know she's perfectly capable of escaping anytime she chooses."

Gabrielle smirked. "Xena is an honorable woman, Cyane. She?"

"I know," Cyane quickly countered. "She had the ideal opportunity to escape the other night, but chose not to." She glanced at the warrior's retreating back. "Xena isn't the woman she once was."

"No, she isn't," Gabrielle agreed.

"I don't quite buy into the whole hero thing, though," Cyane added. "Despite the tales circulating about the things she's done."

"Just take some time to get to know her," Gabrielle said. "You might find that you actually like her."

Cyane eyed Gabrielle for a moment. "I'm not blinded by love."

"Neither am I," Gabrielle shook her head slightly and smirked. "Believe me. I've seen what Xena is capable of doing. I also know that she holds herself to a higher standard than most people. And her guilt over what she did in her past far outweighs any punishment that you or anyone else could mete out." She sighed. "We all make mistakes. Xena's just seem that much more monumental than others."

"I shall carefully consider everything that you've brought before us here, Queen Gabrielle," Cyane finally said. "I'll give you a decision before the sun has completely set."

"I anticipate a just resolution for all of us," Gabrielle said with a firm nod of her head.

Cyane didn't say another word as she joined her sisters and they made their way across the village center toward their encampment. Gabrielle stood there a moment longer, watching the rest of the women disperse.

"I sure hope you have a plan," Ephiny's quiet voice brought Gabrielle out of her reverie.

"What makes you say that?" Gabrielle asked, as she continued to stare off into the dwindling crowd.

"Because we're all going to be in a heap of centaur crap if you don't," Ephiny said.

Gabrielle turned and placed a hand on the regent's shoulder. "Oh, ye of little faith," she said and patted Ephiny's shoulder affectionately.

Ephiny shot her a raised-brow look. "Faith has absolutely nothing to do with the mess we're in right now."

"Faith has everything to do with it, Eph," Gabrielle said before she, too, turned and walked in the direction of the queen's hut.

"She talking in circles again?" Eponin stepped up beside the regent.

"I really don't know," Ephiny just shook her head and watched Gabrielle stride confidently in the direction of the hut she shared with Xena. "I hope those two can come up with something," she turned to face the weapons master, "or we're all screwed."

Chapter 9

Gabrielle entered the queen's hut without ceremony. She found Xena sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting patiently for her with her hands clasped in front of her and her arms resting on her bare thighs. The bard silently closed the door behind her and leaned against it with a tired sigh.

"I let you go off with Eponin for a couple of days?" she started, then stopped when Xena raised her eyes to meet Gabrielle's.

"I leave you here by yourself for a couple of days?" Xena returned with a teasing smirk.

"Yeah," Gabrielle closed the distance between them and sat down next to the warrior. "We sure are a couple of sots, aren't we?" She rested her head against Xena's shoulder.

They sat there in silence for several heartbeats. Neither one spoke. They just reveled in the silence. It was so rare for them to share a moment together like this.

"You're possessed?" Xena finally decided to just plow ahead and broach the subject.

Gabrielle nodded. "Eritreius, the woman I told you about. The one who defeated the cannibals and ate their leader's heart."

"Ah," Xena nodded. "How?"

"Don't know," Gabrielle answered. "I put the pieces together during the last bout with Mashuka. I just?" She shrugged. "My consciousness was right there with her when she asserted her control over my body, and I just knew." She shook her head this time. "It's really hard to explain."

"Sounds about right," Xena put an arm around Gabrielle's shoulders and squeezed. "She with you now?"

"Nope," Gabrielle answered. "She only pops in when I get pissed. The anger is a trigger, apparently."

"Ah," Xena said. "You can't fight Ignesia with this Eritreius unexpectedly showing up to take over, I take it."

"No, I can't."

"So?"

Gabrielle glanced up to find Xena watching her expectantly. "I thought maybe you could offer a suggestion or two."

Xena shook her head and looked away. "I got nothin'."

Gabrielle sat up and glared at Xena. "What?" Her voice nearly squeaked with incredulity. "You're not serious."

"Contrary to popular belief-which I thank you for spreading so thoroughly throughout all of Greece with those stories of yours-I don't have all the answers," Xena said with a teasing smirk. "This whole thing is a bit more complicated than even I anticipated."

"You're telling me," Gabrielle blew out a frustrated breath and resumed her place against Xena's shoulder. "We have Amazons seeking retribution for something you did long ago. I've been possessed by a spirit with an unknown agenda. Ignesia wants to be queen. Artemis doesn't know anything or just isn't saying anything. Ares has been banished to some unknown land," she ticked off each incidence on her fingers. "Am I missing anything?"

"No, I think that about covers it," Xena put her arm back around Gabrielle's shoulders. "At least there aren't any goats around this time. And most of your Amazons have finally given birth. I think Nissia said there were only three left."

"Only one left," Gabrielle corrected with a wry smirk. "There were nearly twenty girls in the bunch, by the way. Who woulda guessed? That plan of yours really paid off. Fifteen summers hence we'll be twenty Amazons richer."

Xena grinned. "That's a bit of luck, I guess."

They were silent again.

"So?" Gabrielle turned expectant eyes on her partner.

Xena blew out a frustrated breath. "We could just sneak out from under all their noses and leave them to their problems," the suggestion earned her a glare. "What?"

"Seriously, Xena?" Gabrielle just shook her head.

"Okay," Xena continued. "So it's not one of my better ideas."

"It sucks," Gabrielle agreed.

"Hey," Xena feigned insult before she composed her expression again. "I could have said I have a plan."

"Really?" Gabrielle perked up. "You have a plan?"

"No, but I could have told you that just to keep you thinking I do," Xena watched Gabrielle's expression fall.

"We said we weren't going to lie to each other anymore," Gabrielle said.

"I know," Xena squeezed Gabrielle's shoulder. "That's why I didn't say it."

They sat there in silence for a while longer, each lost in her own thoughts. Xena's thoughts were on the woman she was holding and how they could remove the spirit that resided inside Gabrielle. She had an idea, but was hesitant to suggest it. After all, there really wasn't a foolproof way of exorcising a spirit.

"You have something to say," Gabrielle raised expectant eyes to the silent warrior.

Xena nodded. "I have an idea."

"And?"

"It's too dangerous," Xena placed a gentle hand on Gabrielle's face. "I don't think we should risk it."

"If it means ousting Eritreius, I'm all for it," Gabrielle put a hand over Xena's. "I've already spoken to Artemis about the possible ramifications. She wasn't real encouraging, but that's not saying much. The gods haven't been very mortal-friendly these days and Artemis sure isn't the exception. She told me I might have to die in order to release Eritreius."

Xena turned until she was facing Gabrielle. She took the bard's hands in hers and looked up into the eyes of the woman she loved. Xena attempted a smile of reassurance, even though her insides were actually churning. The smile never reached her eyes, and she knew Gabrielle could see it.

"I can't lose you," Xena said in a voice that faltered noticeably. A tear fell from one corner of her eye. "I can't even contemplate life without you here with me. It would be unbearable-intolerable. I couldn't go on without you."

Gabrielle cocked her head slightly. "You won't lose me, Xena. You'll bring me back again, just like you did that time in Thessaly." She reached up and caressed Xena's cheek with the backs of her fingers, wiping the tear streak away with the action. "I have faith in you, Xena. Always have and always will."

Xena sniffed. "Is it really enough?"

"It is for me," Gabrielle answered with confidence. "There isn't another soul on this earth that I trust more than I trust you. And the gods?" She shrugged. "I stood up to Artemis and could see she wanted nothing more than to shoot me with one of her arrows. It irked her that I wasn't afraid of her."

"I'll bet," Xena blew out another breath. "There might be another way."

"The shamaness?" Gabrielle preempted Xena's suggestion and shook her head. "I asked Artemis about it and she said the risk far outweighs the result." She squeezed the hands in hers. "Besides, I don't trust-Yanush, was it?-anymore than I trust Ignesia. That woman had a look in her eyes that made my skin crawl."

Xena swiped at another tear on her cheek. "I wasn't suggesting Yanush for the job, actually."

A blond brow rose. "Oh?"

"There's another shamaness with them," Xena explained. "Her name is Yakut. She's a member of one of the other Northern tribes and traveled with Cyane and the others as a favor to her tribe's leader, Otere. She's young, but?"

"No," Gabrielle pulled away.

"What?"

Gabrielle looked Xena in the eye. "How old are we talking here?"

"Why?"

"No," Gabrielle rose to her feet and paced the floor.

"Gabrielle."

"Xena, don't you understand?" Gabrielle rounded on the still-seated warrior. "If she makes even one little mistake the whole thing is?" She ran a hand through her hair. "I could lose my soul."

"What?" Xena chuckled, then sobered instantly. "Gabrielle, what are you talking about?"

"Artemis," Gabrielle stopped and faced Xena. "She told me-no, she warned me-that if the exorcism wasn't done right-if something happens-my soul is lost forever."

"For one who didn't say much, Artemis sure told you a lot," Xena said.

Xena stood up, walked over to Gabrielle and grabbed her upper arms. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, until a lone tear escaped Gabrielle's eye to trail down her cheek.

"I'm scared, Xena," the bard finally admitted. "I don't like having Eritreius inside me, but?"

Xena pulled Gabrielle into her arms and held her. "Shhh, it's okay."

"No, it's not," Gabrielle shook her head as the tears fell freely onto Xena's brass breastplate and leathers. "Why is this happening? Why does this stuff always happen to us? We're not bad people. We actually do pretty good in the greater scheme of things. So, why us?"

Xena lifted the bard's chin until their eyes met. "I don't know. What I do know is that we're going to get through this, just like we always do, love." She placed a gentle kiss on Gabrielle's lips and watched the bard's expression transform instantly. "See? Better already."

Gabrielle dipped her head to hide her embarrassment, as she swiped impatiently at her wet cheeks. "Sorry about that. I think it was meltdown time. It's been a long couple of days and?" She looked up. "Have I told you how much I missed having you around?"

Xena smiled. "No, not lately."

"I did," Gabrielle put her arms around Xena's waist and hugged her tight. "I missed this, too." She rested her cheek against Xena's bare chest above her breastplate. "I missed it a lot. Gods, I am so head-over-heels in love with you. It's crazy."

Xena rested her chin on top of Gabrielle's head and chuckled. "Me, too."

"Can we start over?" Gabrielle pulled back enough to look into the familiar blue eyes that she loved so much. She almost chuckled aloud when the familiar dark brow rose above one blue eye. "I don't mean from the beginning, hon. I mean, can we start over from when I walked in here?"

"Ah," Xena nodded. "What do you have in mind?"

"Let's forget about Eritreius, the Amazons, Ignesia's challenge," Gabrielle hugged Xena tighter. "I just want to spend some time with my favorite warrior. I want to be with you, Xe."

Xena appeared to consider the request for a moment, then shrugged. "I guess that's a reasonable request, considering?"

"Considering what?"

"How crappy this whole situation is," Xena answered. She ran a hand through Gabrielle's short-cropped hair and brushed the bard's cheek with the tips of her fingers. "There are too many variables playing out in all this. I'm beginning to wonder if the gods really aren't sticking their greasy fingers into our business again." The last was said in an irritated growl.

"I'd agree with you on that assumption, except?" Gabrielle shook her head. "Artemis seemed genuinely confused. She didn't really seem to know the reason behind what's been happening."

"Yeah, she actually seemed a little put out by the fact that you could call her to you like that," Xena agreed. "Nice touch, by the way."

"Thanks," Gabrielle said. "Didn't know if it would work, but I figured, what-the-hay."

"What the hay?" Xena looked down at the woman in her arms. "What kinda phrase is that?"

"Short for what-the-hades," Gabrielle briefly explained. "I think the youngsters are rubbing off on me. They love to shorten phrases like that. I've even caught Ephiny using a few of them from time to time."

Xena moved them over to the bed. "Thought we weren't gonna talk about Amazons and all that other stuff."

"You started it," Gabrielle accused with a smirk. She deftly worked the clasps of Xena's armor until it came free in her hands. "I thought we could use what little time we have to?" She placed a kiss on the small scar just above Xena's left breast.

"Mmm," Xena quickly divested the bard of her green top and went to work on the ties to the belt at Gabrielle's waist. "You sure we have time for this?"

"Cyane said she'd have her decision by sunset," Gabrielle glanced out the small window. "Sun's only midway toward the horizon."

"Then we definitely have time," Xena said as she finished her task and felt Gabrielle's skirt drift to the floor at their feet.

Xena's hands wandered over Gabrielle's soft flesh, as her lips explored the bard's with practiced ease. They soon found themselves on top of the bed and in each other's arms, as they made love by the light of the setting sun.

***

Ephiny knew not to interrupt Xena's homecoming too early. Previous experience had taught her to give the two women time to reacquaint themselves. Memories of one such an untimely interruption were still fresh in the regent's mind, and she didn't want a repeat of the tongue lashing she'd received from a certain short, blond fireball.

It really hadn't been her intention to walk in on Gabrielle and Xena at all. But she hadn't been thinking, either. Ephiny had managed to slap a hand over her eyes the instant she'd realized her mistake. She tried to make a hasty retreat, but Xena's words stopped her dead. The warrior told Ephiny to deliver her message and then leave. It wasn't the words that froze Ephiny in her tracks. It was the tone. At that moment it appeared that Xena would actually kill her where she stood. Little did she know that a tongue lashing from Gabrielle was much worse.

The picture of the two women was forever burned into her mind's eye and had been the topic of more than one conversation between her and Eponin. She'd never seen anything like it in all her experience with women and was not quite sure how the two had managed to pretzel themselves into such a position. Then again, she'd reasoned at the time, they were Xena and Gabrielle.

Ephiny glanced at the setting sun, as she tried to push those errant memories from her mind. She was sitting on one of the vacant thrones on the dais, waiting. Waiting for Cyane's decision. Waiting for Gabrielle and Xena to finish their?homecoming. Watching what little activity was happening in the village center. There wasn't much to do, which made the regent wonder where everyone was.

"You up for some company?" Eponin's voice brought Ephiny out of her reverie.

"Always," the regent turned a warm smile on the weapons master.

"It's quiet around here," Eponin commented, as she took a seat on a low bench next to the throne Ephiny sat on. "Where is everyone?"

"I think they all went back to their respective encampments," Ephiny shrugged. "At least the other tribes can escape when things get ugly."

"And her maj?"

"With Xena," Ephiny shot Eponin a knowing look.

"Ah," the weapons master nodded. "I guess there's no point in interrupting that little reunion anytime soon."

"Nope," Ephiny sat back and stared out at nothing in particular.

"You think they're?"

"I'm really trying not to think about what those two are up to right now," Ephiny cut her off. "It's not exactly something that I enjoy thinking about, ya know?"

Eponin nodded. "I hear ya." She shrugged. "Glad I wasn't the one to walk in on 'em that time." She shuddered slightly. "Eewwww!"

"Yeah, ew," Ephiny cringed slightly. "Thanks, by the way."

"For what?"

"Now the picture of the two of them is as clear as that stream you like to fish in," Ephiny glared at her companion. "Seriously. I was trying not to think about it."

"Sorry," Eponin had the grace to look slightly abashed. "Maybe we should talk about something else."

"Definitely."

They sat there in companionable silence for several moments. Neither one spoke. They just watched the sun dip farther toward the horizon, as the occasional Amazon or group of Amazons passed by. A group of youngsters passed by, giggling and gossiping, before they saw the regent and weapons master and clammed up. Wide-eyed, the girls continued on in complete silence. Eponin noticed Maeriska was not with the group. She'd seen the youngster with Ignesia's cronies and was disappointed to learn it was the youth who had sounded the alarm on Xena.

"You think this thing with the Northies'll eventually blow over?" Eponin finally broke the long silence.

"Don't know," Ephiny shrugged. "Queen Cyane seems pretty determined to seek retribution against Xena for that whole damned mess, but..."

"Hey, sisters," Chilapa sat down next to Eponin. "What are we discussing?"

"Whatdya think?" Eponin answered as she scooted over a smidge to make room for the newcomer.

"Her maj and Xena?" Chilapa guessed.

"Who else?" Ephiny just rolled her eyes. "Aren't you supposed to be making sure our security isn't breached or something, Chilapa?"

"Our security is just fine, other than the occasional spat and those southerners trying to horn in on the baths every chance they get," Chilapa shot Eponin a questioning look. "What's up with Eph?" She mouthed to Eponin.

Eponin leaned close to the Amazon. "Close to that time of the moon," she mumbled.

"Are you two finished?" Ephiny shot them both an irritated glare.

"Hey, it ain't our fault her maj and Xena always bring this kinda drama with 'em wherever they go," Eponin defended. She got up and walked down the steps. "I gotta get back to the practice field, before some of them young'uns get it in their heads to try sparring with real weapons. See you ladies at the celebration tonight!" She waved as she marched off toward the practice field.

Ephiny didn't bother to wave. She just sat there in quiet contemplation.

"You okay, Ephiny?" Chilapa gave the regent the once-over. "You look a little tired."

"I'm fine," Ephiny smiled reassuringly. "Was there anything you wanted to tell me? Or did you just happen to see us sitting here, enjoying the sunset?"

"Selene and Estraia overheard something you might want to be aware of, My Queen," Chilapa's bearing turned formal.

Ephiny sighed. She knew the two women were on active patrol near one of the entrances to the village.

"What is it?" Ephiny asked.

"Not all of the northern tribes are happy that Cyane has proclaimed herself their sole ruler," Chilapa said in a low voice not meant to carry. "It seems she and her cohorts took it upon themselves to carry out this quest to punish Xena for her crimes against them. Most of the others just want to live in peace and leave the past in the past. They've heard the stories-Queen Gabrielle's stories-about Xena's heroic deeds, and they believe she's changed for the better."

Ephiny let the ghost of a smile touch her features. "So how many are we talking here?"

"I'm not sure," Chilapa answered. "The younger women follow a leader named Otere and come from a village far to the north. They only joined Cyane's party so they could see how things play out here at the Gathering. I talked to one of Otere's advisors, Yakut, and she says there's no reason Xena should be put to death for something that happened well before most of 'em were born."

"So who's pulling Cyane's strings?" Ephiny glanced at her companion.

"Yakut seems to think both Ignesia and Yanush have been swaying Cyane's opinions about Xena," Chilapa said. "She thinks Ignesia's challenge will be the telling sign of whether the northern tribes remain part of the Nation or completely break free to live separate from any ties to the Amazons as a whole."

"That's not exactly encouraging news," Ephiny ran a hand through her blond curls.

"It's not exactly the worst news, either," Chilapa shrugged. "Regardless, I've doubled the guard on that side of the village, just in case someone gets any bright ideas."

Ephiny patted the woman's shoulder. "You read my mind."

Chilapa shrugged again. "It's what I do, My Queen."

***

Patrice paced restlessly back and forth inside Ignesia's hut, while the taller woman lounged on the unmade bed. The two women had just spent the better part of a candlemark engaged in some rather heated physical activities. Ignesia seemed unconcerned by the day's events, while Patrice was frustrated and impatient.

"Come back to bed, Patrice," Ignesia patted the empty space next to her. "There's no reason to be so upset."

"No reason?" Patrice rounded on the woman. "You could die tomorrow, Ignesia! Doesn't that bother you?"

Ignesia sat up, allowing the coarse coverlet to pool at her bare hips. "Living, dying-it's all part of life, Patrice. Whatever happens, happens," she shrugged nonchalantly. "Who am I to argue with whatever the Fates decree?"

Patrice returned to the side of the bed and leaned toward her taller companion. Her bare breasts hung close enough for Ignesia to touch and she knew the woman's gaze was fastened on them. "I don't want you to die, Iggie."

Ignesia reached up to cup one firm mound in her hand. She liked the feel of Patrice's skin and wanted nothing more than to continue where they'd left off. It was becoming her one weakness-the only weakness she would allow herself. She pulled her gaze from the woman's body and met Patrice's intense gaze.

"I won't die," Ignesia assured her. "The Fates have already assured my destiny. I will lead the entire Amazon Nation into a new era." She smiled. "And once I've won the challenge and am named queen of this tribe, I will greatly reward those who are loyal to me. I shall be especially generous to you, Patrice."

Patrice's gray-green eyes met Ignesia's gaze. "Oh?"

Ignesia pulled the woman down on top of her, shoved a hand through Patrice's hair and pulled the woman's lips to within inches of her own. "I don't play games, Patrice," she hissed breathlessly. "I want you by my side and in my bed from this moment on."

Patrice smiled. "As your consort?"

"As my consort," Ignesia answered and closed the distance between them.

Their lips met in a bruising kiss that left them both breathless. Ignesia let her hands wander over Patrice's bare back and lower, until she held the woman's firm buttocks in both hands. She reveled in the feel of the woman and enjoyed Patrice's lips on her own.

It occurred to Ignesia in that moment that Patrice was her match in every way. They were so perfect for each other. Patrice's passion matched her own and the woman never once complained when Ignesia became a bit too rough during their couplings. Ignesia knew she'd left noticeable bruises on Patrice on more than one occasion, but Patrice never once said a word about it.

"I want you, Iggie," Patrice breathed the words softly against her ear. "I want to feel you inside me and I want only to please you."

The mere words ignited Ignesia's passion, as she switched positions with Patrice and straddled the woman. "Tell me how much you want me, Patrice," she whispered against the woman's cheek. She ground her hips against Patrice and was satisfied to hear a low groan of pleasure escape Patrice's lips. "Tell me you need me."

Patrice panted breathlessly as her gray-green gaze met eyes gone almost black in the waning light. "I need you, Iggie. Please?"

Ignesia took Patrice's mouth in a bruising kiss, as her hands roamed the woman's lush body. She knew she was being rough when Patrice suddenly cried out in pain as Ignesia bit her.

"Shh," Ignesia placed a finger over Patrice's swollen lips. "Pain is just another means of pleasure."

"P-please, Iggie," Patrice gently licked her lips. "Take me now. I'm ready."

Ignesia seemed to consider the request for a moment. "I want you, too, Patrice. But I want you to fully surrender yourself to me. Can you do that?"

"You have only to tell me what you want," Patrice said and earned a pleased smile from her lover.

The two lovers took their lovemaking to the next level, as the sun set, the golden glow faded and the room was in complete shadow.

***

"The queen sent for me," Yakut stood in front of a scantily-clad young woman with wide-set brown eyes that glared at her intently.

"I have my orders," T'laia growled. "No one enters or leaves the queen's hut without the regent's express orders."

Yakut's nape hairs bristled. "Did you not hear what I just said? I was sent for," she crossed her arms over the intricately beaded leather overshirt she wore. "I'm not leaving until I'm allowed to go in there."

T'laia eyed the spunky young woman who matched her in stubbornness and age, as well. "Why was I not notified?"

"Ask your regent," Yakut insisted. "All I know is that a messenger came to me and told me to report immediately to the hut of the Thracian queen."

T'laia eyed the Amazon for a moment, gauging her intent. The young woman didn't appear to be a threat to Queen Gabrielle. Then again, Xena was also inside the hut. There was really no reason not to let the northerner pass. "Okay, fine, but I will hold you personally responsible for anything that happens."

It was Yakut's turn to eye the woman whose short, spiky hair was tipped in henna. "Okaaaaay?" Her hands went to her hips. "Just like that?"

T'laia shrugged. "It ain't up to me to make the rules. If Queen Ephiny says it's okay for you to visit her maj and Xena, then that's good enough for me." She smirked slightly. "Nice headpiece, by the way. You make that thing yourself?"

Yakut bristled again. "What's that supposed to mean?"

T'laia loved to tease people when she was bored. It was one of her favorite pastimes and one that had endeared her to her promised, Eustine. Eustine was three years her junior and hadn't yet become a full Amazon, but she had a great sense of humor. She also understood T'laia's slightly warped and often sarcastic tone, which was why they were so good together.

T'laia shrugged. "Nothin'. It's just," she looked around and then leaned in conspiratorially. "It's gotta be hotter'n the Underworld with all that fur and stuff. Don't it make ya sweat like a pig?" She sniffed and winced. "Ya don't exactly smell like a bed of roses, Amazon."

Yakut pulled back and glared at the taller woman. "I'm a shamaness, Thracian. You'd be wise to steer clear of insults in my presence. I might get angry and curse you with nightmares for the next moon."

T'laia's brows shot into her auburn roots. "You can do that?"

Yakut brushed past the armed woman, paused and turned back with a knowing smirk. "A shamaness has many tricks up her sleeves." She motioned to the beaded sleeves of her tunic then eyed T'laia's bare arms. "Of course, you wouldn't know anything about sleeves, now would you?"

T'laia watched the woman climb the steps to the queen's hut and then returned her attention to the area surrounding the hut. She heard a throat clear from her companion and looked over to see that Selene was smirking.

"She got your goat, Tee," Selene chuckled. "Never thought I'd see the day."

"Laugh it up, Selene," T'laia crossed her arms over her chest and just stared out at nothing in particular.

"I woulda paid a fine shekel or two for Eustine to have been here," Selene continued to chuckle. "You never give that kid a moment's peace, just 'cause she can't get the jump on you. But now I believe you've finally met your match. And a shamaness, no less. I'm impressed."

"She ain't that big a deal," T'laia huffed.

"She's a shamaness," Selene reiterated, as if that said it all.

***

"I'm not really a shamaness," Yakut said to the two women standing before her. "I'm only an apprentice-an apprentice practicing to be a shamaness."

Gabrielle shot Xena a hesitant glance. "I don't think?"

"And who are you apprenticing with?" Xena noticed her partner's glance but chose to ignore the warning look.

"There's an old shamaness back in our village, far to the north of the Peloponnese range," Yakut let her gaze take in the contrasting auras emanating from the two women.

The taller and darker of the two was projecting intense dark red, green and purple auras that clearly marked her as a hard woman who had been through many trials, imposed her will on a great many people and still had a long road of hardship ahead of her.

Her counterpart, on the other hand, cast a deep blue aura with an accompanying golden halo. Yakut was drawn to the smaller blond and felt at relative ease in her company, but couldn't discount the strength and power emanating from her taller companion.

Xena wasn't quite what she'd expected. At least, that was her impression when she and Otere had freed the warrior from the torture of hanging from a tree. Yakut had been very vocal with both Yanush and Cyane over that whole messy incident. Yakut wasn't quite old enough or experienced enough to offer up a convincing argument, but that didn't stop her from trying. Unfortunately, Cyane wasn't of a mind to listen to a "youngster" who had yet to gain the title of full shamaness.

"And who is this old shamaness?" Xena prodded impatiently when Yakut didn't immediately continue.

"Her name is Brashivia," Yakut answered, looking directly into eyes the color of frigid ice. "She?"

"I've heard of her," Xena interrupted. "She was the one who instructed Alti, before the witch turned against everything the Amazons stand for."

Yakut nodded. "Brashivia never fully recovered from the mental and emotional toll Alti took on her. She regrets ever taking that woman under her wing. Unfortunately, Alti was very good at deception and hid her intentions well from my mentor's initial assessment. Brashivia is a seer, as well as a shamaness. But Alti somehow managed to block her dark intentions."

"That begs the question, then," Xena crossed her arms over her chest. "How much has Brashivia taught you and how far have you come in your studies?"

"That depends," Yakut was no longer able to meet that intense blue gaze and, instead, turned her attention to the shorter woman standing silently next to Xena. "What happened during your bout with Mashuka?"

Gabrielle's eyes widened slightly at the directness of the question. "Excuse me?"

"It is my understanding that you almost killed her, Queen Gabrielle," Yakut watched a wide array of emotions play out on Gabrielle's features. "Your aura suggests you are incapable of such violence against your fellow sisters, and yet?" She glanced again at Xena. "You've seen her become violent before. I can see it in your eyes. You feel the pain of each encounter, as much as she does."

"I'm possessed by the spirit of a dead Amazon," Gabrielle blurted. "Her name is Eritreius and she?"

"Uses your suppressed anger-your rage-to take control of your body," Yakut finished for her. "I've seen it once before and I've heard stories from Brashivia. Demons, evil spirits and?others use a person's suppressed anger or other strong feelings to infiltrate their bodies."

"You say you've seen it before?" Xena narrowed her eyes at the younger woman.

"Yes," Yakut nodded. She'd removed her headpiece upon entering the hut and felt slightly naked without it, especially since it made her appear taller than she actually was. She felt like a dwarf next to the imposing warrior. "One of our sisters was possessed by the spirit of a dead ancestor. Neither survived the exorcism, though."

A dark brow shot up on Xena's face. "What?"

"The spirit was too strong and ripped the host soul from its body the instant Brashivia performed the ritual," Yakut explained. "The body collapsed and died shortly afterward. Both souls were lost forever in the Void. It is a space-a place of nothingness-that exists somewhere the lands of the dead and the living."

"Oh, that does not sound encouraging," Gabrielle muttered dejectedly. "Xena?"

Xena put up a staying hand to her partner. "They went into the spirit realm?"

Yakut considered her answer for a moment. "Not exactly. The spirit realm is an actual place, while the Void is?well, it doesn't. Once a lost soul enters the Void, rather than passes through it, that soul is trapped forever." She shuddered slightly.

"And what happens to souls that are trapped in this Void?" Gabrielle inquired.

"Nothing," Yakut responded. "They just cease to be. Nothing exists in the Void. It just?isn't."

Gabrielle paced a few steps away from the two women and stopped to stare out the window of the hut. "So, what you're saying is either I live with Eritreius in my head for the rest of my life, never knowing when she's going to make an appearance and take control of my body or?" Gabrielle turned to face the two women.

"We do an exorcism and risk losing you both forever," Yakut finished for her.

Xena's piercing gaze met Gabrielle's. "I won't lose you like that." Xena stated. "I can't."

Gabrielle sighed and walked back over to stand in front of Xena. She took the warrior's hands in hers and looked up into blue eyes swimming with tears and pent emotions.

"Would you rather have me hide away somewhere?" Gabrielle confronted her taller partner. "I can't continue to kill people just because Eritreius pops into the picture whenever I get angry. And what about this quest she's on? What happens when she actually fulfills it and it's time for her to move on? Does she keep my body and kick my soul out? Think about it, Xena. I can't live with the idea that I'm killing and maiming people, even if it really isn't me who's doing it."

"But?"

"No buts, Xena," Gabrielle cut her off. "I know you don't think it's a big deal that I can actually fight like a warrior now and rip people's heads off like you do, but it's not me. It's not who I am. I'm not a killer, just like you're not a murderer." Gabrielle wrapped her arms around her taller partner and leaned in close, despite the presence of the shamaness' apprentice. "I want Eritreius out and that's final."

Xena held Gabrielle, as her eyes met Yakut's over the top of Gabrielle's head. "We need a plan."

Yakut straightened her shoulders as her resolve kicked in. "Okay," she nodded. "I may have an idea that will help us increase the chances of success."

A dark brow lifted. "Oh?" Xena said.

"I'll need to speak to my sisters," Yakut said as she grabbed her headdress from where she'd placed it. "Send word to anyone you trust completely with your life," she watched as Gabrielle turned her head enough to meet her eyes. "Your regent and any other trustworthy souls-have them meet us in the village center when the moon has risen to its zenith. I'll gather my sisters and be there in time for the ceremony."

Both Xena and Gabrielle merely nodded, as Yakut left the hut without a backward glance. They just stood there silently in each other's arms for several long moments. Neither wanted to be the first to speak. Neither wanted to move.

"And if this is our last moments together?" Xena said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"I love you," Gabrielle said.

"I love you, too," Xena said and smirked. "I just can't lose you."

Gabrielle bowed her head and then looked up into blue eyes swimming with unshed tears. "You won't, Xena."

Chapter 10

Ephiny, Eponin, Chalinda and Nissia sat across the table from a stoic Xena and Gabrielle. The expressions on the Amazons' faces reflected varying degrees of confusion, disbelief, utter shock and consternation, as they heard the last of Gabrielle's rather long and unbelievable explanation.

"So, you're saying you're?possessed?" Chalinda was the first to break the uncomfortable silence.

"In a nutshell, yes," Gabrielle answered and took a sip from her mug of cider. "Her name is Eritreius. Her story is in the annals and involves some rather bloody rituals that we've incorporated into our traditions-minus all the blood, of course."

Ephiny sat back with her arms crossed over her chest and shook her head. "I don't like it."

Eponin nodded. "Me neither."

"I have to agree with Eph and Pony," Chalinda piped in. "This exorcism thing sounds way too dangerous, my queen. What happens if this Yakut doesn't succeed? Is she even qualified to perform this kind of ritual?"

"It's not up to Yakut," Xena spoke up for the first time since sitting down with all of them.

Ephiny glanced from Xena to Gabrielle. "What does that mean?"

"I'm the one who has to do this," Gabrielle wrapped her hands around her mug to keep her friends from seeing them shake. "I have to travel this road alone."

Eponin slapped a frustrated hand on the table. "No! We won't lose you like this! Ain't gonna happen, yer maj."

Ephiny put a staying hand on Eponin's shoulder. "Down, Pony," she said and then turned stern eyes on Gabrielle. "She's right, you know. As much as I agree that you can't have the spirit of an ancestor hanging around inside you, I also can't condone a ritual that could end your existence forever. You're our queen, Gabrielle. Regardless of your feelings about that, it's a really big deal to us. We don't take this kind of thing lightly. And what happens if this whole thing goes wrong? What then, huh? Who will rule the tribe in your stead?"

Xena took one of Gabrielle's hands in hers and met Ephiny's gaze. "You will."

Ephiny shook her head emphatically. "No."

"Ephiny," Gabrielle reached across the table with her other hand and grasped Ephiny's hand firmly. "You're the one who receives my right of caste if anything should happen. It's not any different than when I'm not here. I just?" she swallowed down her own fear and slapped a reassuring smile on. "I will do my very best to come back to all of you." She squeezed the two hands in hers and met Xena's gaze. "My life is too full to just give up without a fight. Eritreius doesn't stand a chance."

A throat cleared and all eyes turned to Yakut, who was standing near the entrance to the meal hut where they were all gathered. Gabrielle let go of the hands in hers and sat up straight, while Ephiny waved the shamaness apprentice toward their table.

"Queen Gabrielle, Queen Ephiny," Yakut greeted the two queens with a quick nod. "Xena," she nodded toward the warrior. "May I have a word with you, Xena?"

After a quick nod from Gabrielle, Xena followed the young shamaness apprentice to the doorway. She glanced back to see that Ephiny was watching her intently. The regent had granted both she and Gabrielle special permission to leave their hut and share the evening meal in the meal hut. As Xena stepped into the doorway, she noticed several guards glance her way and instantly become alert to her presence.

"That's far enough," Xena said as she leaned against the door jam. "I'm really not supposed to go anywhere without an escort. So, what did you want to talk about that you couldn't discuss with the rest of the group?"

Yakut touched her forehead and breathed out a frustrated breath. "We have a problem."

Xena crossed her arms over her chest and just waited for the young woman to continue.

"I have several willing participants ready to join us for the ritual, but?" Yakut met Xena's intense gaze and swallowed. "I really don't think this is a good idea, Xena."

Xena let her expression soften just a bit. "If you're afraid that something will go wrong?"

"I'm not qualified to do an exorcism of this?magnitude," Yakut paced in agitation. "I discussed it with Otere and she agrees with me. I don't have enough experience in this kind of thing to do it on my own. Do you understand what I'm saying, Xena? I know how much Gabrielle means to you, but?" She finished by shaking her head.

Xena glanced off into the distance, as her thoughts whirled. "And Yanush?"

"Oh, she's more than qualified, but-" She shook her head. "I don't trust her anymore than I trust Cyane. There's something going on between those two that I can't put my finger on. Cyane essentially proclaimed herself queen of the Northern tribes without seeking approval from the central council or any of the other queens. She just declared it and no one has stepped up to challenge her claim."

Xena's brow furrowed. "She doesn't strike me as the tyrant type."

"She's not," Yakut replied. "She's actually very reasonable, which is probably why no one has yet challenged her. They follow her because her decisions so far have been relatively sound. She also seems to keep the interests of all the tribes at the forefront of her decisions-except in regards to this rather personal vendetta she has against you. I have yet to learn why she is so dead-set against you. She wasn't even related to any of the queens who were killed that fateful day."

"Okay, so getting back to the situation with Gabrielle," Xena said. "Exactly what are you telling me?"

"I?" Yakut began and then shifted uncomfortably. "I don't think?" She shook her head again. "If something happens?"

"Are you afraid I'll kill you if something happens to Gabrielle? Is that it?" Xena asked, point blank.

"N-no," Yakut squared her shoulders and met Xena's gaze. "I know how much she means to you, Xena. I just don't think?"

"You don't think I know what's at stake?" Xena groused, as she stepped to within inches of the woman. "Listen to me and listen well, Yakut. Gabrielle and I have literally been to Tartarus and back together. We've shared experiences that no couple has ever shared. And we've managed to stay together through the very worst that the Fates and the gods have thrown our way. Ours isn't a casual, meaningless fling. What we have is very real and runs much deeper than any relationship on earth.

"Do you understand that I would do anything in my power to reverse the circumstances and be the one who carries this burden?" Xena continued. "Gabrielle is everything that is good and right and pure between us. She is my light-a beacon that points out the very best in me every day. So, please don't ask me if I know what's at stake. I know it with all my being and to the very depths of my soul. I know that if she ceases to exist, my life ceases, too. Despite what everyone thinks, I am not the stronger of the two of us. If our roles were reversed, Gabrielle's inner strength would help her survive and move forward into a brighter future, even without me. But for me there is only darkness without her." A tear trailed unheeded down Xena's cheek. "She is the other half-the better half-of my soul."

Silence reigned between them for several long moments, as Yakut absorbed everything Xena said. The younger woman stared intently into the careworn face of a warrior who had seen many battles and survived. Xena's strength and skills were the stuff of legend, yet she was still just a mortal woman. And it was evident that she was deeply in love with the Thracian queen.

"Am I interrupting something?" Gabrielle's cool voice broke the still silence.

Xena quickly swiped the tears from her cheeks, while Yakut met Gabrielle's questioning stare.

"We were?um?just discussing?" Yakut began.

"Let me guess," Gabrielle interrupted. "You two were discussing the exorcism." Her glance strayed to Xena and she could see the tears still swimming in the warrior's eyes. "Xena?"

"Yep," Xena nodded with a reassuring smile. "Yakut was expressing her reluctance to do the ritual."

Gabrielle glanced skeptically from one to the other. "And?"

"Xena has assured me there is nothing to worry about," Yakut quickly answered. "We will proceed with the ritual, just as soon as the first star appears in the sky."

Gabrielle's gaze met Xena's and a silent message passed between them.

"Well, then," Gabrielle said. "I guess we'll see you shortly, Yakut." She took Xena's arm and steered her toward the queen's hut, mindful of the detachment of guards that quickly surrounded and escorted them.

They were silent on the short walk across the village, until they were inside the hut and the door was closed behind them. Then Gabrielle rounded on the tall warrior.

"Spill it, Xena," Gabrielle stated flatly.

"She's worried about what might happen," Xena moved to the edge of the bed and sat down heavily. "Truth be told, so am I."

"I can't?" Gabrielle breathed out a frustrated sigh and ran a hand through her hair. "Xena, I really can't think about that right now." She moved to the window and looked out at the twilight quickly descending over the village.

Xena got up and moved to stand behind Gabrielle, wrapping strong arms around the woman she loved. "I know," she said, placing a light kiss on top of Gabrielle's head. "I just can't help worrying about the possibility that something might go wrong."

Gabrielle turned and gazed into eyes gone smoky in the twilight. "I know, Xena. I know what could happen, but I still?I can't continue living on eggshells like this. Our life together is constantly plagued by confrontation and fights and?I'm not going to constantly live with the possibility that at a moment's notice I could suddenly turn into that monster that's always lurking inside me. And the anger? I just don't think anyone has the kind of restraint required to reign in every nitpicky flare of temper. What if I get angry at you? Huh? What happens then? We already had one such confrontation and I nearly sent you through a wall. I don't want to hurt you, Xena. Can you understand that?"

Xena stroked a thumb against Gabrielle's cheek. "Okay." She conceded as she leaned forward until their foreheads touched. "I love you so much that I just can't bear the thought of losing you forever."

Gabrielle closed the distance and met the lips only a hair's breadth from her own. The kiss lingered as they explored and shared the love they both felt coursing through them. Gabrielle was the first to pull away. She placed a hand over Xena's heart and reveled in the feel of the steady heartbeat.

"I will always be with you," Gabrielle whispered. "Not even the gods themselves could ever separate us, Xena. I will always be here." She placed a hand over Xena's heart and took comfort in the steady beat.

***

Patrice didn't bother to knock as she barged into Ignesia's hut without preamble. "Are you out of your mind?" She asked as she caught sight of the woman's shadow near the rear of the hut. "What is wrong with you, Iggie? Why did you let them talk you into postponing your challenge like that? What are you afraid of? "

Silence filled the dark interior of the hut as Patrice awaited an answer. She wanted to at least light a candle and shed some light on her silent companion. But patience wasn't one of her strong suits.

"Ignesia? What's the matter?" Patrice moved closer to the still figure and gasped, as she realized the reason for Ignesia's continued silence. "Oh, dear Artemis, no."

Even in the darkness, Patrice could see the rope secured somewhere high above and the odd angle at which Ignesia's head was cocked. Patrice reached up and closed eyes staring lifelessly at nothing in particular, as tears coursed unheeded down her cheeks.

***

"We have a problem," Ephiny said, after she announced her presence with a single knock on the closed hut door.

Two heads turned in her direction at the same time, as two women glared incredulously at her. They were sitting opposite each other in front of the hearth. When Ephiny barged inside the hut, both Xena and Gabrielle were on their feet and ready to confront the woman.

"Another one?" Gabrielle didn't hide the sarcasm in her tone. "Tell me it isn't so."

"Ignesia's dead," Ephiny stated. "She hung herself. Or, at least, that's what it looks like. Patrice found her a little while ago. Eponin and Solari are there now and Nissia, too. She's examining the body."

"Examining the body for what?" Xena spoke up.

"Signs of a struggle," Ephiny shrugged. "Patrice thinks someone killed Ignesia and made it look like she killed herself."

"And why would she think that?" Gabrielle said.

"There wasn't any furniture in the area for Ignesia to jump from in order to hang herself," Ephiny stated. "The rope was tied to a rafter high up in the ceiling-too high for her to reach without help." Xena started towards the door, but Ephiny stepped into her path. "Whoa, there, Xena. Where do you think you're going?"

"I want to see for myself," Xena said. "I should be able to tell you if she hung herself or if someone had a hand in her death."

"Can't let you do that," Ephiny kept a firm hand on the warrior's arm, despite the glare she was receiving from Xena.

"And why not?" Gabrielle moved to Xena's side. "Come on, Eph. You and I both know you can't keep Xena under guard forever. Just let her go. She's not gonna make a break for it. There's no reason for her to do so."

Ephiny glanced from the taller woman to her shorter companion. "Okay, fine," the regent conceded. "I'll go with you." She held up a staying hand when Xena started to protest. "I want answers, too. No arguments, from either of you."

"Fine," Xena shrugged.

They walked to Ignesia's hut in silence, escorted only by Chilapa and Solari, per Ephiny's orders. The regent didn't feel the need to have an entire contingent of guards following them through the village, especially since Gabrielle's argument made perfect sense. Xena hadn't tried to escape once since Cyane and her people had captured her. Cyane had even told her about hanging Xena from a tree one night, only to find her sitting at its base the very next morning. Of course, Ephiny hadn't been pleased to learn that her friend had been treated poorly by the Northern Amazons, no matter what Xena had done to deserve such harsh treatment.

They reached the hut and entered without preamble. Ignesia's body was laid out on a table in the center of the hut with several women surrounding it. They all looked up at the unexpected intrusion. Patrice charged toward the newcomers with malice glaring in her eyes.

"What in the name of the Olympian gods is she doing here?" Patrice stopped in front of Ephiny, her eyes never straying from Gabrielle. "This is your fault, Usurper!!!" She pointed an accusing finger at Gabrielle and completely missed the glare from Xena.

Ephiny held the feisty woman back, as Patrice struggled to get her hands on Gabrielle. Xena just moved past the woman and walked over to Ignesia's body. She carefully examined the dead woman, glanced at Nissia and nodded.

"Someone murdered her and then tried to cover it up by making it look like she killed herself," Xena stated flatly.

"You see it, too, warrior?" Nissia moved in on the other side of the table and pointed to Ignesia's neck. "I thought I was the only one who would notice the telltale signs."

"Her neck was broken before she was hung," Xena nodded, as she pointed to the deep purple ring around Ignesia's neck. "Whoever killed her wanted to hide the real reason for her death." She lifted Ignesia's head slightly and felt underneath. "There's a bump back here, too. She was hit from behind before her neck was broken."

Ephiny and Gabrielle stepped up on either side of the table, ignoring the muttered protests of the other occupants of the room. Patrice just stood where she was and glared at them all.

"Murder?" Ephiny asked.

"Yep," Xena nodded and received an eye roll from the regent. "Probably happened shortly after she left the gathering. I'd say no more than a candlemark or two after."

Ephiny put her hands on her hips and sighed. "Great, just great," she shook her head in consternation at this latest turn of events. "Any speculation as to which of us is responsible?" Her gaze met Xena's. "I'm assuming you didn't do it."

"Well, we know it wasn't either Gabrielle or me," Xena smirked. "Your guards can vouch for us. Oh, and so can you."

"Nice," Ephiny just shook her head. "That leaves only?say?five hundred other Amazons as possible suspects." She waved a negligible hand.

"Only a handful of us actually knew Ignesia, though," Gabrielle piped in. "You could probably eliminate most of the southern, eastern and western tribeswomen. I wouldn't rule out anyone from the northern tribes, though. I think Ignesia was in league with a few of them." She turned an inquiring gaze on Patrice. "Isn't that right, Patrice?"

"Well, I know it wasn't me," Nissia shuffled toward the door. "I was helping Jenta deliver our latest arrival. Trilla gave birth to a healthy baby girl just before sunset. Mother and baby are doing fine, in case any of you were interested." She grabbed the door handle and paused. "I'll leave this in your capable hands, Queen Ephiny. I'm sure you don't need an old woman around to get in your way." She glanced at Xena and added, "Especially when you have the infamous Warrior Princess here to play constable." She opened the door and shuffled out without a backward glance.

"She's right," Ephiny smirked at Xena and Gabrielle. "I hear you're pretty good at solving mysteries, Xena."

Subdued chuckles greeted the regent's remark. The humorous moment was short-lived, however, as all eyes turned to Patrice.

"I didn't do it," Patrice hesitantly moved next to Ephiny, placed a hand on Ignesia's and gazed down at the dead woman. "We were-" She looked up and met curious blue and green eyes waited expectantly. "Ignesia and I were lovers. I would never-" She put a hand to her mouth and let the tears flow freely. "I can't believe this happened. Why? Why would someone kill her and make it look like she took her own life?"

Patrice squeezed Ignesia's lifeless hand as the tears continued to flow. Patrice's companions, who had been standing silently by, stepped up behind the woman and offered comfort. They ushered her out of the hut with whispered words of comfort and assurances that justice would prevail.

"Well? What do you two think?" Ephiny asked, once the hut was quiet again. "Was it Patrice?"

"No," Gabrielle answered before Xena could. "I didn't get that vibe from her. Besides, why would she kill the one person who was going to make her the queen's consort?" Both Ephiny and Xena looked at Gabrielle. "Hey, I'm not an idiot. I pretty much knew what Ignesia was after all along. I could see the writing on the parchment, even with everything else going on around us." She glanced at the still figure on the table. "I can't believe she actually backed down today. That was unexpected."

"Okay, so who had a reason to kill Ignesia and why?" Ephiny folded her arms over her chest. "She issued the challenge and now she's dead. Seems a little suspicious, if you ask me."

"Ya think?" Xena shot the regent a wry smirk. "And why make it look like a suicide? Why not just try to frame one of us? After all, who would benefit most from having Gabrielle or me out of the picture?"

"It happened spontaneously," Gabrielle answered. "Whoever killed her didn't intend to kill her? Maybe the killer got angry and stuck her when she turned her back on them?"

"The knot on the back of her head definitely backs you up on that assumption," Xena nodded. "I think our killer argued with Ignesia, hit her a little too hard, then broke her neck to shut her up and tried to cover up the deed by hanging her."

"What's the point?" Ephiny's eyes narrowed skeptically. "Again, why make it look like she killed herself? She issued the challenge and came back here-"

"And changed her mind," Gabrielle added. "Did you see her face before she left the gathering? I did. She was having second thoughts. I think she was going to back out on the challenge."

"But who would benefit from Ignesia issuing a challenge in the first place?" Ephiny asked. "And what do they gain by faking her suicide?"

"Who stands to lose the most if Ignesia backs out of the challenge?" Xena added.

They all considered that for a few moments.

"Ignesia was in contact with one of the Northern Amazons," Ephiny said. "Solari has been doing some quiet reconnaissance and discovered that there's more going on there than meets the eye. She thinks Cyane and her advisors are up to something that might just be connected to this whole Gathering. After all, didn't they flatly refuse our initial invitations? Why show up now?"

Gabrielle nodded. "They wanted us off our guard, maybe?"

"They show up with more than three hundred able-bodied warriors," Ephiny added with suspicion. "Sounds like they were planning a coup. But to what end? We're all sister Amazons. There's no point in dividing and conquering. The Nation stands a better chance if we're united, not divided."

"They were camped there for three weeks before the girls and I stumbled onto them," Xena said. "I think a certain northern queen needs to answer a few questions."

Gabrielle's expression turned thoughtful. "You two get some answers from Cyane. I have something I need to look into."

A dark brow rose, as Xena watched Gabrielle stride toward the door. She glanced at Ephiny and saw the confusion in the regent's eyes and shrugged. "I've learned that it's better just to let her go with whatever is on her mind," Xena muttered.

"I thought you were the one who did that whole keep-'em-all-guessing-until-I-decide-to-let-'em-in-on?"

"Are you done?" Xena interrupted with a droll expression.

"I-" Ephiny was caught flat-footed. "Okay, fine. Shall we go grill Cyane, then? Or do you want to do that by yourself? I can fetch Eponin and meet you at the village center in less than a quarter candlemark. Pony loves a good interrogation."

Xena shrugged. "Gabrielle is better at talking than I am. But I'm game if you are. I think we'll be able to get to the bottom of all this tonight-especially if Gabrielle comes through with her hunch."

"Oh, so now you're telling me you know what Gabrielle is thinking?" Ephiny couldn't believe her ears. "Since when do you read each other's thoughts?"

"We don't," Xena chuckled. "But I have an idea she's onto something good. Saw it in her eyes." She saw the disbelief in the regent's gaze. "Hey, you travel with someone long enough, you're bound to pick up a thing or two."

Xena started for the door.

"And what about her?" Ephiny's words stopped Xena with her hand on the latch.

Xena turned to see that Ephiny was pointing at Ignesia's body.

"Prepare a pyre," Xena shrugged. "She deserves the honor of a proper funeral, despite her misguided ambitions. I'm sure she thought she was acting in what she believed was the best interests of her tribe. No one deserves to be punished for acting in the best interests of those they love." She shot the regent a knowing smirk before closing the door behind her.

Ephiny glanced at the lifeless body laid out before her one last time. Ignesia's neck was at an odd angle and there was a large purple ring around it. Ignesia's eyes were closed as if in sleep. Ephiny, however, knew better. She breathed out a frustrated sigh, as she realized they'd lost another Amazon sister. She then shook her head as she followed in Xena's wake.

***

Gabrielle strode confidently along the well-worn path. She'd found what she was looking for, and then some. And she was right. Yanush really was the key. She was the key to everything. Who knew?

Her visit to the archival caves had yielded much more than just a missing scroll or two, Gabrielle realized. The Archival Mother had told her about an entire missing section of ancient texts that dated back to the time of Eritreius and her lover, the first shamaness, Simonee. When Gabrielle asked when the texts had turned up missing, the Archival Mother just shrugged. No one knew exactly when the scrolls disappeared. And no one knew where the texts went-not to mention who took them.

Gabrielle was so intent on the implications of her discovery that she was unaware she was being followed, until a figure stepped from the shadows in front of her. By then it was too late. The blow to her head took her down so quickly that she never saw it coming. It took less than ten heartbeats for Gabrielle's attacker to hog tie her and drag her into the underbrush.

***

Xena glanced around-again. She felt the heat from the modest bonfire in front of the dais. This was not a night for celebration in the Thracian village. Ignesia's body was already prepared and lying on a funeral pyre near the bonfire. Several Thracian Amazons stood sentinel near the burning logs, awaiting the return of their queen. One woman held a lighted torch in her hand in anticipation of the ceremony.

Xena's intense blue gaze took in the gathered crowd of eager Amazon representatives, as well as the dais full of anxious queens. Gabrielle was not among them and the others seemed to sense something amiss. Xena sensed it, too. Something wasn't right.

"You okay?" Ephiny stepped down from the dais and joined the tall warrior.

"I'm?" Xena glanced at the regent and blew out a frustrated breath. "She should have been back by now." She crossed her arms over her chest armor and shot a glare in Cyane's direction. "Something's happened. I can feel it." Cyane glanced in her direction and Xena caught something in the woman's eyes, before Cyane looked away. "She knows something."

Ephiny's brow rose. "Who?" She glanced in the direction of Xena's gaze. "Ah, I see. You think Cyane would actually try something right here in our midst? It's more likely that Gabrielle was just-I don't know-delayed? She probably just got caught up in her investigation and lost track of time. Gabrielle wouldn't intentionally keep us all in suspense when there's so much at stake." She put a comforting hand on Xena's shoulder. "She'll be here, Xena."

"I know," Xena nodded and followed the regent onto the dais.

Ephiny moved to the front of the platform to address the crowd. She raised her arms for silence and waited for a hush to fall over the gathered Amazons. It only took a moment for the women to settle into relative silence, as they waited expectantly for the regent of the Thracian Amazons to speak.

"It is a sad day for all of us as we bid a final farewell to another fallen sister," Ephiny began in a voice that carried over the crowd. "Ignesia strongly believed in the spirit of sisterhood that infuses our daily life here in the village of the Thracian Amazons, as did her mother and her mother's mother." Her eyes scanned the crowd until they rested on Patrice. "She was loved by many and was willing to stand by her convictions." Low murmurs of agreement from the crowd greeted her words and she waited for them to die back down. "Earlier today, Ignesia boldly challenged Queen Gabrielle for the queen's mask. After our patron goddess appeared before us, it was decided that the challenge would be postponed until tomorrow." Ephiny met Patrice's gaze. "Ignesia is dead. Unless there is another to take up the challenge in Ignesia's stead, her claim to the mask dies with her."

Ephiny waited an appropriate amount of time for a response from the gathered crowd. Her gaze remained fixed on Patrice's, until the woman finally looked away. No one else seemed inclined to step forward, either. Ephiny scanned the crowd for any additional takers and decided there wasn't another to take up Ignesia's torch. She was just about to resume her speech, when the crowd parted and Yanush approached the dais.

"I would speak before our sisters!" The shamaness stopped a few paces from the platform and waited expectantly.

Ephiny motioned for the shamaness to join her. "Will Queen Cyane be joining us, as well?" The regent shot a quick glance towards the tall blond standing to one side of the dais.

Yanush mounted the platform and faced Ephiny defiantly. "Queen Cyane no longer speaks for the northern tribes!" She glanced at Cyane with derision and then returned her gaze to the Thracian regent. Yanush took a step closer to Ephiny and spoke in a hushed tone for the regent's ears only. "Just as your queen no longer speaks for your tribe and is no longer in the running for the honor of being High Queen." A smirk of triumph crossed the shamaness' features. "She will be lucky to ever speak again."

Ephiny's eyes widened, as she felt, rather than saw, Xena suddenly grab the shamaness by the throat. Ephiny knew the warrior's hearing was beyond exceptional and was absolutely sure Gabrielle was not embellishing that fact in her stories. The hatred in those icy blue eyes was enough to urge Ephiny to take a step back, but she stood firm.

"Xena, don't," Ephiny placed a staying hand on the warrior's arm and felt the muscles bulge beneath her fingers. "We need to find out what she's done with Gabrielle. Killing her won't help us get the answers we need."

Xena continued to squeeze the woman's throat, despite Ephiny's words. The rage was raw and her entire body hummed to life with the anger pulsing through her. Strong fingers dug into the shamaness' tender flesh, as she felt Yanush's pulse quicken and her breath catch.

"Where is she?" Xena hissed. "Tell me or die."

Yanush opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Not even a squeak passed her lips as she felt Xena's fingers tighten painfully around her throat.

"Xena, you're killing her!" Ephiny tried to shake the immobile arm beneath her hand. "Stop it!!!"

In an instant, Xena let go and shoved the shamaness away from her. It all happened so fast that no one had a chance to react. Yanush gasped, staggered back and grabbed for her bruised throat, as she sucked in a much-needed breath. It didn't take long for her to recover enough to stand upright and face down the taller warrior who was glaring back at her.

"You'll both pay for that, warrior," Yanush rasped.

"Where's Gabrielle?" Xena took a step toward the shamaness and felt a sense of satisfaction when Yanush retreated a step. "Where is she?"

Yanush rubbed her throat and swallowed painfully. She then glanced at the funeral pyre laid out near the dais. "She doesn't deserve a proper Amazon funeral," she scoffed and spat to show her derision. "Ignesia was a coward-a disgrace to the might and strength of the Amazon Nation!"

Ephiny pushed past Xena to confront the shamaness. "Where is Gabrielle?"

No one noticed that Cyane had joined them on the platform and was glaring openly at the shamaness, too.

"What did you do to Queen Gabrielle, Yanush? Where is she?" Cyane stepped up next to Ephiny, grabbed the shamaness' shoulders and shook her. "Tell us!"

Yanush just stared at the blond queens in turn, as a wry half-smirk appeared on her features.

"Leave her alone!"

Everyone turned toward the new arrival, as Gabrielle stepped from the shadows and mounted the dais. Xena closed the distance between them in three short strides, until she towered over her smaller partner. Relief washed over her after she checked the smaller woman over for injuries and realized Gabrielle was indeed safe and unharmed.

"Are you okay, Gabrielle?" Xena placed her hands on Gabrielle's upper arms and checked her over. "Did she hurt you?"

"I'm fine, Xena," Gabrielle answered without meeting the taller woman's gaze. She shrugged off Xena's hands and strode confidently toward the group of queens. She pushed between Ephiny and Cyane, then wrapped a protective arm around Yanush's shoulders and turned to face the stunned women. "Yanush is not to be harmed in any way, by anyone."

"Gabrielle, what's going on?" Ephiny eyed the bard warily. "Since when does a lone Amazon, much less a complete stranger, mean that much to you?"

Gabrielle squeezed the shamaness' shoulders affectionately. The significance was not lost on those standing closest to the pair. Xena bristled, as she realized something was definitely off about the whole situation.

"You're not Gabrielle," Xena stated, as she pushed past the two queens and stood directly before Gabrielle. She watched a sly grin lift the corners of lips she was intimately familiar with and had her answer. "Where's Gabrielle?" Xena moved to within inches of the two women and glared into familiar eyes the color of the Aegean. "What did you do with her?"

Gabrielle glanced at Yanush, who nodded imperceptibly. "Harm either of us, Xena, and you will never know where your precious lover's soul is."

Xena didn't even think. One moment her mind was awhirl with the implications of this latest development and in the next instant she had "Gabrielle" on the ground. A heartbeat later she'd applied the pinch to the one person in all the world she would never dream of harming.

"Where's?Gabrielle?" Xena hissed angrily. "You have thirty seconds left, Eritreius. Then this body dies and your worthless soul is released into the Underworld, where it belongs."

"NO!" Yanush dove onto Xena's back and tried ineffectually to subdue her. "Don't kill her!PLEEEEASE!!!"

Xena wasn't listening. Her attention was focused on the woman beneath her. She could see it in the eyes now. This wasn't her Gabrielle. She watched Eritreius weigh her options and struggle against the effects of the pinch, as blood slid from Gabrielle's nose.

"Fine!" Eritreius hissed. "Release me and I'll tell you."

Xena waited another moment, her eyes never leaving Eritreius' as she heard someone counting down from thirty behind her. She had no idea if she could trust the spirit that now resided in her partner's body, but she had no choice. Raising her fingers above Gabrielle's throat, she quickly released the pinch and felt Yanush slide off her back at the same time.

"Eritreius!" Yanush cried her relief, as she knelt beside both women.

Eritreius gasped for air and quickly propped herself up on an elbow. She felt the shamaness next to her and looked up into eyes full of concern. The face that greeted her would take some getting used to, but the spirit inside was as familiar to her as her own soul. They had once been soulmates, partners in life. But the bargain she had struck so long ago had changed everything. She ran her palm against the shamaness' cheek, reveling in the warmth she found there. So alive.

"It's okay, Sim," Eritreius said. She continued caressing Yanush's cheek before turning her attention to Xena. "You knew." It was a statement of fact, rather than an accusation.

"Not right away," Xena answered. "I took a wild guess."

"Still," Eritreius said, as she stood up and faced the women glaring at her. Some of the women around them wore confused expressions, while others merely glared at her. Xena was one of those glaring at her. "I know what you're thinking?"

"You've no idea what I'm thinking," Xena cut in. "I want Gabrielle back." She glanced at Yanush. "This was your doing, wasn't it?"

"I?"

Xena's hands were grasping the shamaness' throat in an instant. "I should just kill you where you stand," she hissed into the woman's face. "Where is Gabrielle?"

Eritreius tried to step in and urge Xena to release her mate, but found her attempts completely futile. "Xena, please-"

The familiar voice penetrated Xena's consciousness, even though she knew it wasn't really Gabrielle's. Still, she granted the woman's wish without conscious thought. Her gaze locked on Eritreius' and she couldn't help but see her Gabrielle staring back at her. The face was so familiar, except for those unfeeling eyes. They were all wrong.

"I want Gabrielle back," Xena stated flatly. "Bring her back or I'll-"

Eritreius put up a staying hand. "Just settle down, warrior," she said and quickly realized her mistake. "Okay, okay!" Eritreius knew when to concede the point. "I gave you my word and I intend to keep it." She glanced at Yanush, who was watching her warily. "You know who I am," she placed a hand on Yanush's shoulder. "This is my mate, Simonee."

"What?" Cyane couldn't believe her ears as she stepped up next to Xena. "Yanush?" Her expression reflected her confusion, as she searched Yanush's expression. "What's going on here?"

"I'm not Yanush," the shamaness wrapped an arm around Eritreius' waist. "My name is Simonee and this is my mate, Eritreius."

It was Ephiny's turn to step forward. "Okay, spill it," she ordered impatiently. "Enough games, you two. Tell us what's going on. Why are you taking over the bodies of our sisters?"

"I made a deal with our patron goddess long before Artemis became patron to the Amazons," Eritreius explained. "Simonee and I were life mates. We swore to be together in life as well as death. One day I went hunting with our warriors and our enemies attacked. I got separated from my sisters and was captured by the very animals I had spent my entire life trying to eradicate. They tortured and raped me." She paused and glanced at Simonee. "Simonee knew my pain, because our souls were linked by a bond that transcends our earthly bodies. Our souls were joined for eternity."

"They were killing her-body and soul," Simonee interjected. "I had to do something. I could no longer allow the half of my soul that is Eritreius to suffer such horrible agony. And I couldn't stand to go on without her."

"She used what she'd learned from one of their shamans to find me," Eritreius took up the story. "We met in the spirit realm. She witnessed firsthand what they were doing to me."

"I knew we wouldn't be able to reach her in time to save her," Simonee said. "Her spirit was so?broken. She was dying. Her pain was too much for me to bear. I wanted nothing more than to release her from her suffering, even if it meant we would no longer be together in this life."

"I used what strength I had left to call upon our patron goddess," Eritreius said. "I asked her to release my spirit into the afterlife and she agreed," she glanced at each of them in turn. "But there was a catch."

"I didn't know," tears streamed down the shamaness' cheeks. "How could I know what would happen?"

"What happened?" Xena asked when neither woman seemed inclined to continue.

Eritreius sniffed. "The deal was struck, but not before the Mother Goddess discovered what we'd done."

"I had no idea I was opening a window to the heavens," Simonee shot Eritreius a teary glance. "I'm so sorry."

Xena glanced impatiently from one woman to the other. "And?"

"The Mother Goddess struck my body down at the exact instant that our patron goddess released my soul," Eritreius said. "My soul's link to my body was severed. My soul had nowhere to return to. I no longer felt that connection to Simonee. In an effort to keep my spirit from being sucked into the Void, our patron goddess sent my soul into the body of my greatest enemy. It was an unspeakable horror."

"As a bodiless spirit, Eritreius had no control over the beast's actions," Simonee shuddered. "She watched helplessly as he and his people consumed what was left of her body."

"Cannibals," Eritreius spat on the ground in disgust. "It was their practice to become one with their enemies by eating their flesh. I learned a great deal while I was trapped inside that animal. I also learned that I could take control of his body when he unleashed his rage. It didn't take long for me to turn him against his own people. But I made a fatal error-one that would cost me everything."

"He discovered the truth," Simonee nodded. "I don't know how he figured it out, but he knew Eritreius' spirit was inside him. He vowed to take his revenge against her."

"He led his people against our village and they attacked without mercy," Eritreius continued. "I watched his people decimate my sisters with cold and calculated precision, while he stood idly by. He dared not let loose his rage after discovering the truth." She swallowed visibly. "Simonee was targeted. He captured her and took her back to their filthy lair."

"I asked our patron goddess for mercy," Simonee continued in a shaky voice. "I had no idea what had become of Eritreius. I had no idea she?"

"There are no words to describe what I felt when that monster put his filthy hands on her. All I could do was watch helplessly," Eritreius shook her head. "I don't know how, but he must have known how much she meant to me. He raped her repeatedly. And I used every curse imaginable to let the gods know how furious I was."

"He kept me tied up in his yurt," Simonee picked up the story when Eritreius could no longer continue. "He used me whenever he returned from a raid or a hunting foray. Unlike Eritreius, however, I wasn't tortured. I don't think he wanted a repeat of what happened after her death. Their shaman performed various rituals to discover Eritreius' identity and in an attempt to free her spirit from the cannibal. Nothing worked." She glanced at her mate and her expression softened. "I knew the only way to release Eritreius from her prison was to kill the host body. I don't know how long it took before I had a chance to do just that. And by the time my chance came I was heavy with the beast's offspring."

"He never stopped using her," Eritreius said. "Even when she was heavy with child he still?He was nothing more than an animal. There was absolutely no humanity in that beast." She swallowed down a fresh wave of tears. "I couldn't let him continue to use her like that. I couldn't bear the thought of watching her give birth to another monster like him."

"When he?" Simonee closed her eyes against the memories and then opened them to the rapt stares of her audience. "My hands were always tied to a post behind my head when he forced himself on me. But one night I wasn't bound. I think he was drunk. I don't know. It was either that or he probably thought I was too heavy with child to fight back." She shook her head. "I'd managed to get my hands on a piece of bone that I'd sharpened to a razor's edge. It was as good as any dagger, and I kept it hidden within the folds of the rags he kept me in. When he was occupied with other?things, I pulled the bone dagger from its hiding place and plunged it into his back. But?the blade didn't go in very deep. The wound wasn't enough to kill him at that point."

"His sudden rage unleashed me," Eritreius interjected. "It was so unexpected that I had little time to think, much less react. I yanked the bone dagger from his-my-back, but something his shaman had done prevented me from taking complete control of his body. He reasserted his will and plunged the dagger into Simonee before I could stop him."

"I'd learned a few tricks from his shaman during the moons of my captivity," Simonee said. "One thing I learned was how to slip into the spirit realm with another spirit that was crossing over. He had plunged the dagger into the child in my womb. As its spirit slipped from this world, I was able to follow it into the spirit realm. What I didn't count on was my own body dying at almost that exact instant. I was trapped. But that's also when I found Eritreius. Our reunion was short lived. The dagger wound in his back must have bled out quickly, because soon Eritreius' host body was dead. Her soul disappeared and I was left wandering the spirit realm alone."

"It took Simonee several lifetimes to find a shamaness who could restore our spirits to appropriate hosts," Eritreius said. "But we soon learned the terrible price we would pay in order to live."

"Your story is beyond fascinating and quite worthy of Gabrielle's attention, but none of this explains what happened to Gabrielle," Xena growled. "I want some real answers and I want them now!" She took a menacing step toward Eritreius. "What did you do with her?"

"She didn't do it," Simonee moved in front of Eritreius. "It was me."

Xena crossed her arms over her chest and glared. "Okay, talk."

Simonee shrugged. "It's quite simple, actually." She stared up at the imposing face. "I sent her into the spirit realm."

"You-" Xena's hand shot out, but this time Ephiny managed to grab it and pull her back before she could grasp the shamaness by the throat.

"Xena, no!" Ephiny exclaimed. "Kill her and we'll never get Gabrielle back."

Xena reigned in her temper as she considered her options. "Tell me why I shouldn't just kill you right here and now." She glared at the shamaness.

"Because I'm the only one who knows where to find your soulmate," Simonee answered glibly.

"I know how to get to the spirit realm," Xena replied. "Another shamaness taught me that the hard way."

"But you don't know where Gabrielle is in the spirit realm," Simonee replied smugly. "You could wander there for an eternity and never come close to finding her."

Ephiny shoved in front of Xena and glared daggers at the shamaness. "You're Amazons, for Artemis' sake! Why would you do this to one of your sisters? And to a queen, no less." She threw her hands in the air in frustration. "Do you have no honor? Are you so cowardly that you would doom one of your own to an eternity in the spirit realm simply to satisfy your own selfish needs? You lived your life-had your chance at love. Let them have theirs."

Eritreius stepped forward. "It wasn't like that!"

"Then explain it," Xena added. "Why Gabrielle?"

"It was a mistake," Simonee finally answered after a short silence. "I-" She glanced at Cyane. "I really can't explain what happened when I performed the ritual or, rather, when Yanush performed the ritual. She found some scrolls and read a message I had one of our ancestors place in the text. The incantation brought me back in Yanush's body, but-"

"You had no idea where Eritreius's spirit went," Xena finished for her.

"She was supposed to appear in Cyane's body," Simonee glanced again at the tall blond. "I'm sorry. You would never have known what happened. The ritual would have released you into the afterlife with Yanush. You would have crossed over, just as if you had died. That's usually how it works. Our patron goddess made sure of it."

"But that didn't happen," Xena prodded. "So how did she end up in Gabrielle's body? And why was Gabrielle's spirit not released into the afterlife?"

"I?I don't know," Simonee shook her head. "I didn't even know that Eritreius was still on this plane of existence until we arrived and I sensed her spirit nearby. It didn't take me long to discover in which body Eritreius was residing."

Xena grabbed the front of Simonee's tunic before anyone could react. She lifted the woman off the ground and glared into her eyes. Xena's temper flared and she was very close to snapping the woman's neck.

"Tell me how to find Gabrielle," Xena shook the woman like a rag doll. "Tell me or I'll snap your scrawny neck right here and send your worthless soul to the Underworld where it belongs."

"I?I can't," Simonee answered with difficulty, as she felt her tunic pressing against her windpipe. "I tried to reproduce the ritual and failed."

Xena practically threw the woman off the platform as she released her hold on Simonee's tunic. Her frustration was mounting and she was finding it harder and harder to control her temper. Gabrielle's soul was caught somewhere in the spirit realm and there was no way to find her without the help of an uncooperative spirit that was talking circles.

Eritreius in Gabrielle's body moved to assist her mate to her feet. The two women waited for their fates to be decided by the women standing before them.

"You're the one who pulled Gabrielle into the spirit realm the other night." Sudden realization dawned in Xena's eyes. "You performed the ritual and needed a living soul to carry it off."

"Ignesia brought me a redhead," Simonee said. "I was prepared to use the soul of a deer for the ritual, but?"

"Her name was Rena," Ephiny ground out between clenched teeth. "You had no right to take her life. She may not have been important to you, but she was one of my sisters."

"Ignesia told me Rena was willing to give her life for our cause," Simonee said.

"She lied," Ephiny stated flatly.

"No matter," Simonee shrugged. "The ritual was a complete failure." She met Xena's gaze. "Gabrielle's spirit is quite strong. She almost trapped me there with her."

Dark brows rose. "So how did you manage to trap her there this time?" Asked Xena.

"She wasn't asleep," Simonee answered. "I knocked her out-hit her a little harder than I intended, actually."

Eritreius rubbed the front of Gabrielle's head, where a purple bruise showed along her hairline. "Yeah, hurt like the fires of the Void, let me tell ya." She grimaced when she touched the spot. "You knocked us both out cold."

"Sorry, love," Simonee gingerly touched the bruise and watched Eritreius pull away.

"Enough!" Cyane stepped closer to the two women. "You've dishonored our heritage and everything that we stand for." She was seething with her own anger over the tale that had unfolded before her. "You conspired to banish my soul to the afterlife and take over my body, as well as the body of my shamaness. Those are acts of treason punishable by death."

No one saw the blade until it appeared in Cyane's hand. And not even Xena was fast enough to stop the sudden act of violence that happened in the blink of an eye. Cyane slashed the dagger across Simonee's throat in the space of half a heartbeat. A moment later the shamaness was lying on the ground in a pool of dark blood.

"What the?" Ephiny stepped forward and grabbed the Northern queen's hand before she could use the blade on Eritreius, too. "STOP!!"

"They've made a mockery of our sisters!" Cyane turned on the Thracian regent. "They both deserve to die!"

"You'll kill Gabrielle!" Ephiny shouted into the woman's face. "Cyane, I'm warning you. Make another move toward Eritreius and I won't stop Xena from tearing you limb from limb."

Xena stepped in anyway. She took Cyane down with one swift kick to the head and smiled in satisfaction as the woman dropped like a stone at her feet. It was a great way to release some of her pent-up tension and gave her a brief sense of accomplishment.

"Was that really necessary, Xena?" Ephiny felt Cyane's pulse, satisfied that the woman was still alive.

"She pissed me off," Xena growled, as her anger subsided.

"Thank you," Eritreius turned her emerald gaze on the warrior.

Xena turned on Eritreius and grabbed her by the throat. She never gave a thought to what she was doing, as she squeezed the soft flesh beneath her fingers. All she knew was that the woman wasn't her partner, despite the body she occupied.

"You're not Gabrielle," Xena hissed mere inches from the face she knew so well. "Gabrielle would never take another life to save her own. She is all that is good and decent in this world."

Eritreius tried to free herself from the iron grip on her throat, but Xena wouldn't let go. It was only by the grace of the gods that Ephiny chose that moment to intervene.

"Xena, let her go," Ephiny's cool words seemed to barely penetrate the warrior's resolve. "You'll kill her and then Gabrielle will have no body to return to. Let her go!" Xena hesitated only a moment before releasing her hold on the woman.

Eritreius gasped for air, as her feet touched the ground again. Placing a hand to the injured throat of her host body, she lifted wary eyes to the woman towering over her. What she saw in those pale blue eyes sent a shudder of fear down her spine. She had faced the worst humanity had to offer and yet nothing compared to the rage boiling in the warrior's glare.

"What do we do now?" Ephiny glanced down at the body lying lifelessly at her feet. "The shamaness was the key to finding Gabrielle."

"Not the only one," Xena turned and walked off the platform with purposeful strides. She stopped and turned back. "Don't let either of them out of your sight." Then she turned and continued on her way.

It took Ephiny longer than anticipated to catch up to the warrior. When she finally did, they were standing just outside the queen's hut.

"Xena," Ephiny grasped the taller woman's arm and held on for dear life as the warrior continued on for several paces.

Xena rounded on the regent and just kept from lashing out at the woman. "Ephiny-" She growled a firm warning. "Don't-"

"Xena, please," Ephiny countered. "Tell me what you're going to do, and I'll make sure you have whatever you need. I want to help."

"I have to do this alone," Xena shook free of the regent's grip on her arm and entered the hut. She knew Ephiny followed but chose to ignore the woman.

"She's my friend, too," Ephiny stated.

Xena sighed. "You won't like it, Eph." She turned to look at the woman and set her expression into that indifferent mask she used when she didn't want anyone to see the pain in her eyes. "It's better that you just stay out of my way and let me do what I need to do."

"Where are you going?"

"The same place Yanush-I mean Simonee-used for her ritual," Xena said after several moments.

Xena opened the trunk at the foot of the bed and rummaged around in it. She came up with a pair of winter leathers, Gabrielle's sais, a short bow and a quiver of arrows.

"Are you going hunting?" Ephiny asked in confusion. "At a time like this? What about Gabrielle?"

Xena quickly divested herself of her warrior attire and donned the doe-skin leathers. She sat on the edge of the bed and pulled on a pair of matching doe-skin boots that laced all the way up her shins and tied near her knees. After pulling the leggings down over the boots, Xena paused to address the regent.

"I know why the shamaness failed, Eph," Xena stated, as she put one arm and her head through the bow and adjusted it across her chest. "I won't make the same mistake."

Her long strides took her past the bewildered regent and to the door in less than a heartbeat. She paused with her hand on the latch and turned to meet Ephiny's gaze.

"Find Yakut," Xena said. "Tell her to gather those she trusts and meet me in the clearing in a candlemark. Ask her to bring whatever she needs to perform an exorcism."

"An exorcism?"

But Xena was already out the door.

"Xena! Wait!" Ephiny raced outside and caught sight of the warrior striding purposefully toward the woods. "Is there anything else?"

"Round up your most trusted Amazons and meet us in the clearing-" Xena's voice trailed off as she disappeared into the woods.

Ephiny leaned against the railing of the porch for a moment longer. Xena had left her with more questions than answers. And an exorcism? What in the world was that about? The regent ran an impatient hand through her curly blond locks and blew out a frustrated breath, as she descended the steps and turned back toward the village center. She realized the answers would come eventually. Time enough later to sort it all out.

Chapter 11

It was dark and quiet. And her head was pounding. Gabrielle shifted slightly and winced, as pain ripped through her skull. She was lying?on the ground? Why was she on the ground? And why did her head hurt so much? The smell of decay and dirt drifted up from the damp earth beneath her. It wasn't at all unpleasant, just earthy and natural. She was definitely outside. But where?

Mustering enough resolve to open her eyes, Gabrielle realized instantly that she was indeed outside. She was also lying on a bed of leaves in a clearing. And it wasn't dark. But it wasn't really light, either. She lifted her head and instantly regretted doing so. Daggers seemed to pierce the backs of her eyeballs, as a dull ache radiated through her skull and down her neck.

"Ugh," she groaned, as she pushed herself up into a seated position and held her head in her hands. "Where am I?"

Slowly glancing around the quiet clearing, she realized she vaguely recognized the place. No. Not the place itself, exactly. She recognized the strange muted lighting and the feeling of being disconnected from reality. It was that dream world she had been pulled into by the shamaness. The colors were all weird and the place seemed unearthly quiet.

"The spirit realm?" Gabrielle muttered to herself, as she continued to get her bearings. "How-" Her words died on her lips as she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. "Hello? Is someone there?"

She managed to slowly stand and then assessed her situation. She looked around, trying to figure out where in the spirit realm she actually was. Nothing moved and the world around her was eerily silent. It was as if everything had stopped. There was no birdsong. No crickets chrirping. Nothing.

"Creepy," she muttered. "It's like existing without existing."

"A conundrum," a voice behind her made Gabrielle spin around to confront the source of the voice.

"Hello?" She called when she found that she was still alone. "Who's there?" She completed a full circle, surveying the area around her for any sign that someone was there. "Who are you?" Nothing.

Gabrielle walked a few paces in the direction she thought the voice had come from. When she came to a dense wall of thorny undergrowth, however, she stopped. She peered into the densely packed vines and tried to see beyond it, but saw nothing.

"Hello?" She called toward the wall of vines. "Is someone there?" No answer.

Blowing out a frustrated breath, Gabrielle turned and walked back the way she'd come, only to find that the place she had awakened in was now covered in the same thorny growth that now surrounded her on all sides. She turned a complete circle and found herself trapped within a living cage crawling vines.

"What the-" she quietly exclaimed, as she glanced up at the gray sky peeking through the dense canopy high overhead. Panic seized her as she realized there was no way out. "Xeeeeena!!!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. But she soon realized her cry was being swallowed by the dense growth around her. "Oh, gods," she sat down on the cold ground and held her head in her hands. "Am I dead?"

An eerie chuckle permeated the very air around her and then slowly faded away, as Gabrielle sat there in dejected silence in a world gone horribly wrong. Her heart ached for her soulmate, as she watched the thorny vines slowly creep in on her.

***

"Did Xena say why she wants us here?" Eponin asked for the nth time in a candlemark, as she irritably adjusted her stance.

"Relax, Pon," Ephiny chided. "You're making me nervous."

"It's a simple question, Eph," Eponin replied. "Throw me a bone, will ya? I'm not as savvy as you are when it comes to this stuff-especially when it comes to her maj and Big Xe."

Ephiny gave her companion a raised-brow look. "Big Xe?"

Eponin shrugged. "It goes along with her maj, ya know?"

Ephiny shook her head. "There are days-" She sighed heavily. "I don't know what Xena," she looked pointedly at Eponin, "is up to. She just said to meet her here."

"She's preparing for the ritual," Yakut and several Northern Amazons approached the clearing.

Both Ephiny and Eponin, as well as the other Thracian Amazons, turned toward the approaching northerners. The Thracians set their stances with weapons held at the ready. They weren't taking chances, not when their queen was missing.

"Thank you for coming, Otere," Ephiny stepped forward to greet the newcomers. "Did you relay-" Yakut took that moment to step forward. "Oh, I see you brought Yakut, as Xena asked."

"I also gathered those most loyal to me," Otere said, as she went down to one knee before the Thracian regent. "We are your humble servants, Queen Ephiny."

The rest of Otere's group also went to a knee and bowed their heads in deference to the Thracians. Even Yakut, who stood just a step behind Otere, went to a knee. The shamaness kept her gaze locked on Ephiny's.

Ephiny's brow shot into her hairline. "Amazons don't kneel before each other, Queen Otere," Ephiny said. "Rise."

The northerners stood up as one and proudly faced their Thracian sisters.

"We only meant to show you the respect you deserve as an elder of your tribe," Otere said.

Ephiny's brow rose higher. "Elder?"

Otere couldn't help the smirk that touched her lips. "I mean no disrespect, Queen Ephiny. But our ways are not your ways, I'm afraid."

Ephiny crossed her arms over her chest and continued to play along. "Apparently not." She heard a snicker behind her, knew who it was and chose to ignore her weapons master's inappropriate display of humor. "Did you bring what you'll need for the ritual, Yakut?"

"She did," Otere stepped aside and motioned for Yakut to step forward. "Yakut is familiar with the rituals and ceremonies of our tribe. She is also an apprentice of our elder shamaness, a wise woman of the northern tribes. I take it Xena wants her to perform an exorcism on Queen Gabrielle?"

"That's right," Ephiny nodded.

Just then three armed youths pushed Eritreius in Gabrielle's body forward. The woman's hands were bound in front of her and her upper arms were tightly bound to her sides. A gag had been shoved in her mouth and her eye sported a dark purple shiner.

Ephiny eyed the shiner. "Was that really necessary?"

Otere nodded to the three young women, one of which removed the gag. "Despite her resemblance to your queen, this is not her. She tried to escape, so we took appropriate action."

"I know this isn't our queen," Ephiny chided. "But the body still belongs to Gabrielle. She'll want it back in one piece."

"I welcome you to try and exorcise my spirit from this body," Eritreius growled. "Nothing but death will free me."

Ephiny took a menacing step toward the familiar figure and glared into eyes that held none of the warmth that characterized the Gabrielle she knew. "You took something that doesn't belong to you," she said flatly. "You'll be lucky if we don't banish your miserable soul to Tartarus for all eternity."

Gabrielle's chin lifted in defiance. "Banish my soul and this body dies," Eritreius sneered. "You've no idea what you're dealing with."

"You see why we gagged her?" Otere smirked at the regent. "She never shuts up."

Another snicker had Ephiny shooting Eponin a warning glare. "Not a word," she growled.

Eponin mimed zipping her lips and throwing away an imaginary key. Ephiny simply frowned in disapproval. The others shifted uncomfortably at the interplay between the two women.

"It's time," Yakut interceded. "Xena will cross over soon and we have to be ready when she does."

"Exactly what is it you want us to do?" Ephiny asked. "I assume Xena needs our help in some way?"

"Yes," Yakut nodded. "There really isn't time to explain everything, so please just bear with me on this."

Ephiny glanced around at the Thracians behind her before returning her attention to the shamaness. "We'll do whatever it takes to get Gabrielle back into her body. Right, Amazons?"

A collective shout of agreement rose up from the Thracians.

***

Low chanting filled the still clearing, as a leather-clad figure danced around a modest campfire. The figure wore an impressive set of antlers from a freshly-dressed stag. The stag's lifeless carcass had already been consumed by the flames, after its lifeblood had been drained in preparation for the ritual that was already underway.

The chanting suddenly stopped and the figured dropped to her knees on furs laid out next to the fire. She raised a cup of the still-warm blood and threw her head back. In a clear voice, Xena resumed the chant to call the spirits to her.

She lifted the cup of stag's blood to her lips and drank a generous mouthful. The cup dropped from lifeless fingers, as the effects of the chanting and the stag's warm blood flowed through her with each beat of her heart. The world as she knew it fell away and darkness consumed her, as the fire crackled and her body sank to the furs in an unconscious heap.

***

Gabrielle lay on her side in the damp loam. One arm covered her head and protected her face. Her legs were pulled up tight, but nothing seemed to help. The thorn bushes covered her entirely and she was finding it hard to breathe. Thorns poked her from all sides, and she could feel a few piercing the exposed places on her body. She was trapped and had no idea how to extricate herself from the overgrown bramble.

"It's not real," she murmured for the nth time. "This is not real. This is not real. This is not?" The mantra died on her lips.

A sharp thorn pierced her side and she sucked in a breath at the very real pain. Tears sprang to her eyes and she tried not to breathe too deeply as the thorn pierced deeper.

"Gods!" She hissed. "This can't be happening."

"Oh, it is," that irritatingly disconnected voice echoed in the silence. The voice turned into a raspy chuckle that grated on Gabrielle's last nerve. "Poor little bard. Who will rescue you now?"

"Who are you?" Gabrielle searched the brambles without moving and saw nothing. "What do you want from me? Why are you doing this?"

"Fear," the voice sneered with derision. "I can feel it oozing from every pore of your soul." That raspy chuckle surrounded her, as the vines continued their slow progress. "Your fear will give me great power, little one."

Gabrielle shut her eyes tightly against everything and concentrated on the one thing that was the anchor in her life-her love for Xena. She put every ounce of her being into the love she had for the warrior. She felt it flow through her and surround her, shutting out the voice and the thorns that penetrated her spiritual flesh.

"Gabrielle!!!"

The shout sounded as if it came from a great distance, but still she heard it. That voice was as familiar to her as her own. Gabrielle felt hope rise, even as the thorns continued closing in.

"Xena!!!" Gabrielle shouted in a voice as loud as her prison would allow. "Hurry!!"

"I'm coming, Gabrielle!" Xena shouted back, her voice seemingly closer than it was before. "Hang in there, sweetheart!!"

"Hurry," Gabrielle called breathlessly as the vines closed around her. She felt a brief instant of panic that Xena wouldn't reach her in time.

And then the vines and thorns around her slowly fell away. Light penetrated the darkness, until she was finally able to make out a shadow working frantically from above.

"I'm coming, Gabrielle," Xena breathed heavily from her exertions. Gabrielle didn't care. Just the mere sound of that voice was a balm to her weary soul. "Hang in there, love. I'm almost there."

"Xena-" Gabrielle gasped, as one particularly thorny branch came free to reveal a welcome face.

"Hey," Xena smiled, as she continued clearing the remaining branches away.

Gabrielle was summarily lifted from the small space by a pair of strong arms. She found herself engulfed in a fierce hug and could do nothing more than hold onto Xena in return. Relief flooded her and it was all she could do not to collapse right there.

"Gods, I am so glad to see you, Xena," Gabrielle held on for dear life. She had absolutely no desire to let go of the woman in her arms. Tears coursed down her cheeks. "I knew you'd come."

"We don't have much time," Xena said, as she reluctantly pulled away enough to look Gabrielle in the eye.

"Xena, what's going on?" Gabrielle asked, as Xena set her on her feet beyond the thicket that had grown up around her so suddenly. "I thought this was the spirit realm, but?"

"Let's get out of here first," Xena answered, as she grabbed Gabrielle by the hand and led her away from the still-growing thicket. "This place isn't safe."

They made their way back along a winding path that only Xena could see. Gabrielle noticed that the world around them had dimmed and was far less vibrant than when she'd first awoken. The place still held an eerie otherworldly glow to it, but the light was fading fast.

"We're in the spirit realm, aren't we?" Gabrielle commented, as she managed not to stumble over a fallen log that Xena easily vaulted.

"Yes," Xena answered without missing a beat.

Satisfied with Xena's answer, Gabrielle decided against asking any further questions. It was enough for her to concentrate on traversing the uneven ground behind her partner. Xena was moving at a quick pace in a seemingly random direction, but Gabrielle trusted the warrior to guide them. Besides, she was not quite up to talking while trying to keep up with Xena's longer strides.

"Xe-" Gabrielle stopped to catch her breath after they emerged from a particularly dense section of undergrowth.

Xena heard the pleading note in Gabrielle's voice and stopped her headlong flight. She turned back to see that Gabrielle was leaning forward and breathing heavily from their exertions. Without hesitation she returned to the bard's side and rubbed her back.

"Are you okay?" Xena asked with concern, as she maintained contact with the woman. "I know how difficult this is, but we really need to keep moving, Gabrielle."

"Just?let me catch?my breath, Xe," Gabrielle panted, as she continued to lean forward and hold the stitch in her side.

While Xena stood there, she assessed Gabrielle for any obvious injuries. The bard's exposed skin was scratched and there were a few puncture wounds slowly seeping blood, but otherwise she appeared okay. Xena knew from experience that any injuries one received in the spirit realm would carry into the world of the living and vice versa. But she tucked those thoughts away for later. Now was not the time to dwell on minor injuries.

Gabrielle finally straightened up, sucked in one last deep breath and let it out slowly. She nodded to Xena.

"Let's go."

"You sure?" Xena couldn't keep the concern from her tone.

"You said we need to hurry," Gabrielle confirmed with a nod. "I'm good. Let's get out of here before something else goes wrong."

Xena didn't hesitate further. She took off into the next stretch of dense undergrowth with Gabrielle following close behind. Gabrielle had no idea where they were going. This was the spirit realm. Where could one go? Her thoughts whirled as they moved through what appeared to be a forest. The trees, however, bore no leaves. They actually looked dead.

"Xena?"

"Yeah?"

"If we're in the spirit realm," Gabrielle said as she stuck as close to Xena as the terrain would allow. "Why are we?running?"

"To get away," Xena answered without looking back. She dodged around a sapling and stopped. "Whoa!"

Gabrielle nearly plowed into the taller woman who stopped suddenly in front of her. But Xena just caught her and held on.

"Why?are?we stopping?" Gabrielle panted in an effort to catch her breath again.

Xena didn't answer right away. Instead, she scanned their surroundings and listened intently to the muted sounds around them. She held a finger to Gabrielle's lips and signaled for the smaller woman to remain quiet.

Gabrielle nodded her understanding. And waited. She heard nothing, but that didn't mean that Xena didn't hear something. The warrior's senses were much more astute than the average person's. Gabrielle was used to relying on Xena to sense danger. Obviously this was one of those moments when the warrior's senses were on the mark.

"Xena!"

Xena spun around and saw Yakut standing across the field from them. The shamaness lifted an arm and waved them toward her.

"Come on!" Xena grabbed Gabrielle's hand and practically dragged her across the clearing toward the northerner.

They heard rather than saw the disturbance before it actually hit them. Gabrielle saw Yakut's eyes widen in shock at their approach and noticed the woman wasn't actually looking directly at them. She was looking up and to Gabrielle's right. There mere thought of an attack had Gabrielle ducking instinctively.

And then something hit her from behind so hard that she pitched forward and went sprawling headfirst into the hard ground. It happened so quickly that she didn't even have time to put her arms out to soften the blow. The force of the impact knocked the wind out of her and left her dazed. Gabrielle tried to lift her head to see where Xena was, but her vision was unfocused and fuzzy.

"Xena?" Gabrielle called, hoping her soulmate was not incapacitated, too.

"Gabrielle?"

Xena's voice seemed so far away that Gabrielle could barely hear her. She knew they'd been running right next to each other only moments before, but there was no way the warrior was there anymore. She shook her head to clear her vision, but it didn't help. As a matter of fact, it only made matters worse. Darkness enveloped her and closed in with surprising speed.

"Xena, what's happening?" Gabrielle couldn't keep the panic from her voice.

"I'm here, Gabrielle," Xena answered, but Gabrielle had no idea where the voice was coming from.

"There's no hope for you, little one," another voice-this one raspy and frighteningly familiar-spoke directly in Gabrielle's ear. "That's right. We're not quite finished. We have so much work left to do before I banish your pitiful soul into the never-ending oblivion of non-existence. I have waited ages for a soul as pure and untainted as yours. Now I have exactly what I need to complete the circle."

Gabrielle heard Xena shouting her name from a great distance and felt the darkness close in. She forced her mind to focus on Xena's voice and tried to will the other voice away. Her entire being was concentrating so intensely that she barely registered the intense agony that hit her.

"What the-" A scream tore from her throat unexpectedly as the intensity of the pain ripped through the very core of her being. Gabrielle felt as if a thousand needles were piercing her flesh. "Arrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!"

"I think she's?Queen Gabrielle?"

She couldn't think beyond the intense agony threatening to overwhelm her and drive her into unconsciousness. The agonizing scream continued as the pain intensified and ripped through every fiber of her being. She felt her throat go raw from it, but could not stop.

"Gabrielle!!!" Ephiny's voice called to her and barely penetrated the darkness and pain enveloping her. "Can you hear me?"

She could hear but could no longer respond. It was too much. The pain. The darkness. Everything. Her mind began to shut down and gave in to the seductive pull of unconsciousness.

***

"Xena? Where'd you come from?" The surprise was evident in Ephiny's voice, as she glanced around to see that the northern and Thracian Amazons were still lying unconscious all around her.

"I'm here, Gabrielle," Xena said as she rushed to the bard's side. With an impatient hand, she threw off the stag antlers that she'd been wearing. "Come on. Come back to me!" She propped Gabrielle up and quickly cut the ropes that bound her.

"Xena, we don't know-" Ephiny began but stopped instantly at the look in Xena's eyes. "Okay," she nodded to Eponin who was about to intervene. "Leave her alone."

"You sure 'bout that?" Eponin questioned. "We don't know if that's really Gab-"

"It's her!" Xena barked. "It's her," she said in a calmer tone.

Eponin glanced at Ephiny, who merely shrugged.

"Okay," the weapons master conceded. "But don't blame me if that other chick suddenly rears her ugly head and starts shootin' Gab's mouth off again."

Xena finished cutting Gabrielle loose and tossed the ropes aside. She took Gabrielle in her arms and held her close, hoping beyond hope they weren't too late. Gabrielle was still breathing, but she was completely limp in Xena's arms.

"Come on, Gabrielle," Xena stroked the blond hair from Gabrielle's closed eyes. "I know you're in there, sweetheart. Come back to me."

Xena kissed the top of Gabrielle's blond head, oblivious to the stares of the few women regaining consciousness around her. She just didn't care. The only person who mattered to her was lying unconscious in her arms.

***

Voices murmured just out of earshot. The darkness was all-consuming. Flashes of memory surfaced, but nothing made sense. She wanted to open her eyes. She wanted to see. The voices grew louder. Disjointed snatches of meaningless phrases that made no sense. Whispers. Murmurs. Shouts. A warning screech pierced the cacophony. And then-silence.

A bright light suddenly flared to life and pierced the darkness. But the light did nothing to illuminate her surroundings. The light only touched the immediate area around her. Gabrielle shaded her eyes against the brightness and tried to see beyond the place where she was.

"Hello?" She called into the darkness. "Is anyone there?"

A hundred whispered voices responded, but Gabrielle couldn't make out a single intelligible word. She gazed out into the darkness beyond the bright light that seemed to emanate from above her. She could see nothing. The whispers grew louder, but remained elusive.

"Who's there?" Gabrielle called again. "Hello?" She spun around in a circle and tried to get her bearings. "Is anyone out there? Where am I? Why am I here? Where's here?" The last was said on a heavy sigh, as she impatiently ran a hand through her hair and noticed she wasn't quite corporeal. "What the-?" She raised both arms in front of her and looked more closely. Then she brought her hands to her face and could see right through them. "Please! Someone tell me what's going on!" She called into the darkness, as the whispers seemed to echo her every word. "Where am I? What's happened?"

And then she heard that distinctive low raspy chuckle amidst the whispers.

"I told you," the voice remarked.

Gabrielle spun around, but saw no one. "Who are you?"

"Does it matter?"

"I want answers," Gabrielle's ire quickly rose. "I swear-"

"You swear what, little one? Do you swear to give yourself to me? Or will you retaliate against me, instead?"

Gabrielle took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Why am I here?"

"Here?"

Gabrielle groaned in frustration. "Is this some little known level of Tartarus or something? Are you going to torture me for eternity with meaningless answers to my every question?"

"Or something," the voice stated with another low chuckle.

"Why can't I see you?" Gabrielle decided on a change of topic. "What are all those whispers? What's going on?"

"You no longer have eyes to see," the voice said, as if that explained everything. "The whispers are remnants of souls long past. They call to those who would join them."

"Souls long past?" Gabrielle asked. "What does that mean?"

"Ghosts-shades-shadows of those gone before," the voice explained matter-of-factly.

"Gone where?"

"Into the Void," the voice stated. "You will soon add your voice to theirs."

"Is that where I am?" Gabrielle could feel the panic setting in again. "Is this the Void?"

"Not the Void, no," the voice replied.

"Then where?"

Gabrielle could feel her senses adjusting to her surroundings. She could also make out a shadowy form standing just beyond the light that bathed her. She took a step toward the shadow, in the hope that the light would illuminate whoever was standing there. The shadow merely moved away.

"The place between," the voice responded with a low chuckle.

"Are we trapped here?" Gabrielle asked, as she took another step toward the shadowy figure.

"No," the voice answered, as the shadow retreated farther.

Gabrielle decided to throw caution to the wind and lunged for the figure. She threw her arms out in front of her as she leaped forward. Her incorporeal arms grasped nothing but thin air as she landed on the hard ground that wasn't really ground at all. She quickly pushed up to her feet and spun a circle to see if she could find the shadow in the darkness.

"Pointless endeavor," the voice chuckled. "But I applaud your initiative, little one. You are proving to be one of my most challenging prospects. I have never encountered one so resilient as you."

"Who are you?" Gabrielle didn't bother to disguise the anger in her tone. "Tell me what's going on!!!"

"Ahhhh, that's right," the voice continued. "Let the anger flow. Feel it welling up inside of you. Embrace it. Cherish it. It will guide you to me just as assuredly as if we were already one."

Gabrielle caught herself and reined in her frustration. She took several deep breaths and let them out slowly. Her thoughts turned to her and Xena at one of their favorite places. It was one of the many waterfalls they had discovered in their travels and one that had given them both a sense of real peace.

"You can't fight it forever," the voice intruded on Gabrielle's concentration. "One way or another I will have your soul, little one.

"There's only one person on earth who holds my soul," Gabrielle said in a calm tone. "And you're not Xena."

"Ah, Xena," the voice continued. "Her attempt to rescue you from the spirit realm was quite unexpected. Only a fully-trained shamaness has ever successfully passed into the spirit realm without dying first. Her abilities are quite impressive."

"Xena has many skills," Gabrielle deadpanned.

"Yes, I know," irritation dripped from every word, as the shadow moved closer. "Her interference has created some rather?interesting and unforeseen?complications."

The shadow was close enough that Gabrielle could actually sense a presence there with her. She reached out to touch the figure, but her hand passed right through it. Frigid cold air engulfed her, so she took a step back.

"Xena won't stop looking for me," Gabrielle warned. "She'll travel the depths of the Underworld and beyond to find me. You can't keep me here forever."

That low raspy chuckle pierced the darkness. "Do you honestly think she'll find you here?"

"She will." Gabrielle answered firmly. Then she added with less conviction, "She has to."

"Xena may be many things, but an oracle is not one of them," the shadow snidely replied. "But, alas, even the greatest oracle to walk the earth could not find you here. You are beyond the reach of any but me."

Gabrielle knew the shadow was within reach. She couldn't help but take a swipe at it and felt her hand pass through that frigid cold again. "Why? Because I'm no longer on earth?" Gabrielle prodded.

Another chuckle. "Nice try, little one," the chuckle continued. "Time is running out for you."

Gabrielle felt it again. A cold feeling of dread washed over her and threatened to send her into another fit of panic.

"Tell me what you want," her voice was calm, despite the rising panic. "Maybe I can come up with a way to satisfy us both."

"I want you," the voice was right beside her and she could feel an icy presence pressing against her side. "Your soul will keep me alive for at least another generation, if not longer."

"Alive?" Now Gabrielle was really confused. "How is that possible when Eritreius hijacked my body?"

"I don't need your body," the shadow moved even closer. "I will have your soul."

A shiver of dread ran down Gabrielle's spine at the ominous words. She closed her eyes against the presence and willed it away. But the cold remained, no matter how hard she concentrated. It was a part of her now.

***

Xena's every attempt to bring Gabrielle out of unconsciousness failed. Nothing worked. Not screaming at her or slapping her cheek or even crying to the heavens. The woman in her arms remained deathly still. Xena checked for a pulse and found a slight flutter beneath her fingers. She looked up and met the expectant faces watching her.

"She's dying," Xena said flatly.

"Nissia-" Ephiny started.

"There's nothing she can do," Xena cut her off. Tears sprang to her eyes but she refused to let them fall. "This is Gabrielle's fight now. Only she can bring herself out of this." She glanced down at the still woman. "She'll find her way back to us. She has to." The last was said with less conviction.

Eponin and Ephiny exchanged looks of confusion. Then Ephiny stepped closer to the stone tabletop that Xena sat on.

"Xena, you of all people know there's still a chance," Ephiny placed a comforting hand on the warrior's shoulder. "I heard what you did for her at Thessaly. You didn't give up then. Why give up now?"

Xena's teary eyes met the regent's intense gaze. "I'm not giving up and she's not dead yet."

"Maybe I can help," Yakut stepped forward in full Northern Amazon regalia and all eyes turned to her.

The young shamaness wore a headdress similar to the one Xena had discarded earlier, with a smear of blood beneath the decorative beats that hung down over her forehead. The difference between their outfits was the beaded bone breastplate adorning Yakut's front. On closer examination, one could see that the breastplate was crafted of bone hairpipe from a large porcupine. Twin eagle feathers hung on either side of the breastplate, the leather ties decorated with colorful beads and stones that all held symbolic meaning.

"How?" Xena's expression reflected her skepticism.

Yakut moved next to Ephiny and extended her arms toward Gabrielle. Her eyes closed as she chanted something in a long-forgotten language no one understood. She continued chanting as she slowly moved her hands from the top of Gabrielle's head to her feet and back up again.

Xena and Ephiny exchanged a curious look, as Yakut continued her assessment.

"Adanata agisdi," Yakut said when she finished and opened her eyes to look at them. "The Soul-eater."

"What?" Ephiny and Xena said in unison.

"Her soul was taken by the Adanata agisdi," Yakut clarified. "I was afraid something like this might happen."

Xena blew out a frustrated breath. "You never said anything about a soul-eater in all of this."

"There was a slim chance-" Yakut's words were instantly cut off.

It happened so fast. One second Xena was sitting on the boulder holding Gabrielle and the next she was lifting Yakut off her feet. Xena's ice-blue gaze bored into her own, as the warrior searched Yakut's for answers.

"Xena, please," Ephiny's plea broke the tense silence around them.

"I want answers, Yakut," Xena growled in a low tone, as she slowly lowered the shamaness back to the ground. "And I want them, now."

"Easy, Xena," Yakut held up her hands to ward off the angry woman and knew there was nothing she could do to protect herself if Xena chose to kill her outright.

Xena was actually a full head taller than she was and towered over her like one of the Titans of old. Yakut took several steps back and felt the presence of her northern sisters moving in behind for support. But she wasn't afraid. Despite her youthful years, she was a shamaness and had faced far greater challenges than Xena.

"Just tell me what I need to do to get Gabrielle back into her body before she dies," Xena said in a calmer voice.

Most of the Thracians and Northern Amazons were on their feet at this point. The Thracians moved to stand behind the boulder where Xena and Ephiny stood, while Yakut, Otere and the Northern Amazons faced off in front of them.

Yakut held up a staying hand and glanced at the woman who moved up next to her. "Stand down, Amazons."

"Yes, stand down," Ephiny held up her own hand and glanced at Eponin and the others behind her. "Our first concern is Queen Gabrielle."

Yakut returned her gaze to Xena. "How far are you willing to go to get her back, warrior?"

The question took Xena by surprise, but she hid her reaction behind her stock mask of indifference. "As far as I have to," she answered in a tone devoid of emotion. "There's nothing I won't do to bring her back."

"Are you willing to lose your own soul or exchange it for hers?" Yakut continued in the same even tone.

"Yes," Xena stated.

Yakut scanned the women behind Xena before her gaze rested on Ephiny. "Are you also willing to do whatever it takes to bring your queen back?"

Ephiny only hesitated a moment before speaking. "I am."

"And those with you?" Yakut prodded.

Xena put her hands on her hips and scowled. "They don't need to be a part of this. Just tell me what you need me to do and I'll do it."

"Xena," Ephiny turned to the woman next to her. "I think she's saying this is bigger than any of us. Please, just hear her out."

Xena glared at the regent, then let her expression soften. "Fine," she sighed in resignation.

"Adanata agisdi is very powerful," Yakut explained. "My people first encountered him several generations past, when he arose from the ashes of one of our most powerful shamanesses. He can change his appearance and become anything or anyone he can use to steal someone's soul. Adanata agisdi feeds on one's weaknesses to gain a hold over them. His ways are mysterious, but essentially he must acquire at least one soul in a generation in order to remain in existence."

"So, you're the reason he's here?" Xena accused. "You're the ones who brought him into our midst?"

"Yanush," Yakut stated simply. "She uses the dark mysticism in her rituals. She probably awakened him when she traveled to the spirit realm and accidently pulled Gabrielle in with her." She paused to gauge Xena's anger and noted the firm set to the warrior's jaw, as well as other signs that the warrior was controlling her anger. "I didn't tell you because I didn't know if he would become a factor. He rarely leaves his realm. It's only when he needs a fresh soul that he leaves the domain he resides in."

"So why didn't he just take Eritreius' soul when you released her during your exorcism thingy?" Ephiny asked. "Why latch onto Gabrielle, instead?"

"You don't know, do you?" Yakut glanced from Xena to Ephiny and back again.

"Know what?" Ephiny placed her hands on her hips and glared at the young shamaness. "Please, enlighten us, Yakut. Just give it to us straight, without all the mystical mumbo jumbo."

Yakut met Xena's gaze. "Your interaction with the Olympian gods has made you both quite powerful," Yakut explained. "Gabrielle, especially. She carries both darkness and light within her that cannot be discounted. Both sides now affect everything that she is and does. The taint in her blood has touched her very soul, which was once as pristinely pure as that of a newborn babe." Her gaze met Xena's. "Your actions in Britannia-your inability to protect her from the demon-made her a target for the evil that exists in this world. She will never be free from that taint, no matter how long she lives. I do not lay the blame solely at your feet, Xena. I merely state a fact."

"You're saying Xena's darkness tainted Gabrielle?" Ephiny couldn't quite wrap her mind around this latest revelation.

"I'm saying the damage occurred in Britannia when evil planted its seed within her," Yakut said. "Past choices and the path that Gabrielle now walks will not change her ultimate destiny. She will never walk the path of truth and light again. Her path now resides in both the light and darkness that dwell within. And the darkness draws strength from the evil that is attracted to it. Like bees attracted to honey, evil will always find her and leave a mark on her soul. But she also finds hope in the light that guides and protects her."

"Oh, that's encouraging," Ephiny scoffed sarcastically. "Just tell us what we need to do to bring her back-minus all the doom and gloom."

"Kill her," Yakut stated flatly.

A collective indrawn breath greeted the shamaness' words. More than a dozen expressions of anger glared back at her, but Yakut kept her gaze firmly locked on Xena's. She watched the warrior's expression and noted firm resolve in Xena's eyes.

"Seriously?!?" Ephiny's voice rose until it fairly squeaked. "You want Xena to kill her soulmate? What kind of witch are you?"

"You know her soul is still linked to her body, Xena, no matter how tenuous that hold is at the moment," Yakut chose to ignore the regent's outburst and forge ahead. "You also know that if the body dies, then the soul can be released into the afterlife and Adanata agisdi's hold on her will be no more. He will lose his grip and will no longer be able to draw her into his realm."

A hush fell over the group and the only sound in the clearing was the incessant chirping of a thousand crickets. Everyone waited with baited breath, as Xena turned to look at the still body of the woman she loved.

A hundred thoughts raced through Xena's mind, foremost of which was the love she knew she could not live without. To kill Gabrielle would mean that she would no longer be able to carry on. And then it occurred to her that she had no idea which afterlife Gabrielle would go to. Would she be sent to the Amazon Land of the Dead? Or would she be banished to Tartarus? And where would she-Xena-go when her time was up? Would they even have a chance to be together again? Too many questions without answers.

"I can't," Xena answered in a voice barely loud enough for Ephiny to hear, as she shook her head against the inevitability of what her heart knew must be. "I just can't."

"Xena?" Ephiny watched her friend struggle with a decision that she would never want to make herself. "What choice do we have?"

"There is no other choice," Yakut moved up next to the warrior. "Kill her or allow her soul to be lost forever in the grip of Adanata agisdi. And, believe me; an eternity in his realm is a thousand times worse than spending eternity in the deepest, most agonizing pit of Tartarus. There are no words to describe the suffering that Gabrielle will endure while he feeds off of the goodness that remains within her. It is not a fate I would wish on my worst enemy."

Xena took a deep breath and let it out slowly, as she opened her eyes and came to a decision. She turned to face Yakut with a look of determination in eyes gone dead and emotionless.

"I take it you need their help to pull this off?" Xena asked the shorter woman, as she indicated the women surrounding them with a quick flick of her hand. "I'll do my part. You do yours."

Yakut nodded and glanced at Ephiny and her retinue. "Will you help, even at the price of your own lives?"

Ephiny's gaze glanced over each of her Amazons, in turn, and they nodded their acquiescence. When her eyes met Eponin's there was firm resolve from the weapons master. "Well?"

"She's our queen," Eponin shrugged. "We swore an oath, and I, for one, don't intend to go back on my word."

Ephiny turned her attention back to Yakut. "Count us in."

Yakut then turned to those gathered behind her. "And you, my sisters?"

Otere stepped forward without hesitation. "We brought this on Gabrielle and her tribe, even if it was unintentional. We are willing to do whatever it takes to set this right." Nods from the Northern Amazons gathered behind her sealed her words.

"Okay, then, let's begin," Yakut said as she turned back around to face Gabrielle's inert form.

Chapter 12

Gabrielle sat with her forehead resting on her knees. The bright light had waned to an eerie grayish glow that barely illuminated her, much less her surroundings. The stale tang of death surrounded her and the whispers had returned in full force. It was impossible to concentrate on anything in this place. She'd tried to close her eyes and imagine herself in another place-a peaceful place-but the whispers just grew louder, as if they were trying to drive her crazy.

Crazy. This whole thing was crazy. She was trapped in unending darkness with no hope of escape. She had no idea where she was. All she knew for sure was that there was a being trying to take her soul. Her thoughts turned to Xena, and she tried to feel the love that connected them, but even that was slipping from her grasp. The whispers grew louder and more incessant. Some sounded as if they were echoing in her head, while others sounded far away. None of them made sense. Nothing made sense anymore.

"UGGGGGGHHH!!!" Gabrielle cried out in frustration, as she jumped to her feet and spun around in a circle. She held her ears in an attempt to shut out the murmurs, but that didn't help. Nothing helped. "STOP!!! STOOOOOOOP!!!!" Her words echoed around her and the murmurs increased in volume. "I SAID STOOOOOP!!!" She threw her head back and let out a frustrated scream that just echoed in the darkness. Then she grabbed her head again and collapsed onto her side.

That eerie disjointed chuckle penetrated the whispers and drove them back. Gabrielle just lay where she'd fallen. She couldn't fight it any longer. It was too much. She felt nothing but anger, frustration and a sense of loneliness that was all-consuming. A cold pit of despair grew steadily inside her, as she realized she was losing the battle for her very soul.

"Poor little one," a deep male voice purred around her. A shadow approached the edge of the soft grayish glow and halted just beyond her reach. "Your mortal body will soon pass away from the living world and then you will be mine. It is only a matter of time. The body cannot live long without the soul."

"Why are you doing this?" Gabrielle's voice came out as barely more than a whisper, while tears of anguish flowed freely down her face and pooled on the dark stone beneath her. "Why me? What evil did I commit that deserves this kind of punishment?"

The shadowy figure moved into the muted light and stood next to Gabrielle. The shadow wore a dark shroud that was there, yet wasn't. A hood hid the shadow's features from view, as tendrils of the shroud seemed to dance in and out of Gabrielle's vision. The figure knelt next to her, and Gabrielle gasped in shock. Where a face should have been there was only a dark void. She gazed into the void and felt herself being pulled into it.

"Yessssss," the voice hissed. "Join me, little one. Be one with me and know an existence like no other. Let go of it all. Yield to me. I will show you things you never dreamed. I will take away the pain you're feeling. It will be no more."

Cold dread washed over her, as she shut her eyes in an attempt to shut out the shadow's hypnotic influence. It worked, to some extent. She no longer felt herself being sucked into that endless void, at least. But the cold still penetrated her soul and kept her from being able to think about anything except for the shadow looming so close to her.

"You can't fight me forever, little one," the shadow said. "We will be one, just as surely as you are here with me now. I will have you. You are mine."

Gabrielle curled into a tight ball and held her head in her hands. The whispers returned with a vengeance, as the creature retreated back into the darkness. His eerie chuckle faded, only to be replaced with those incessant whispered murmurs that threatened to drive her mad.

"Xena," she gasped, as the tears of despair flowed freely. "Please?" The single-worded plea came out as a soft whimper between clenched teeth.

***

Xena listened with half an ear as the chants grew louder around her. The Northern and Thracian Amazons were gathered in a circle around the flat-topped boulder. She and Yakut stood on either side of the boulder that Gabrielle's body occupied. Xena noticed that Gabrielle's breathing was so shallow that it was barely discernible. She also knew that the bard's heart was barely beating. With a frustrated sigh, she pushed the worry to the back of her mind for the umpteenth time. Xena knew she needed every ounce of concentration she could muster if she was to pull this off.

Yakut's chanting crescendoed and pulled Xena out of her reverie. She glanced at the shamaness and saw that the woman was watching her intensely. At a signal from Yakut, Xena moved right up next to the boulder and looked down at her soulmate. Gabrielle's skin was as gray and pale as death, even though she merely appeared to be sleeping. Xena took in the tears that flowed from the still woman's eyes. The tears and shallow breathing were the only indications that Gabrielle was still clinging tenuously to the world of the living.

"Now, Xena," Yakut's voice penetrated the eerie silence that hung over the clearing. "It's time."

Xena glanced around her one last time and took in the still figures waiting expectantly for her to do her part. She lifted her hands toward Gabrielle's exposed throat and hesitated. Her fingers mechanically moved into position just above the pressure points that would stop the flow of blood to Gabrielle's brain. Every instinct told her to do what needed to be done, but still she hesitated. What if Gabrielle died instantly and no amount of resuscitation could bring her back? What if her soul was already beyond their reach? What if?

"We call the spirits to help this soul find its way back to us!!!!" Yakut's sudden outburst brought Xena back to the task at hand.

The low chanting resumed, as the other Amazons took up the cadence set by the shamaness. And then Xena's fingers found the pressure points with practiced ease. Gabrielle's body reacted instantly and she gasped. Her eyes shot wide open and stared unseeingly up into the sky above.

"Gabrielle?" Xena couldn't believe it could be that simple. She moved to release the pinch, but found her hands held firmly in an iron grip. "What?"

"Don't, Xena!" Yakut met her gaze. "Wait!"

Gabrielle's mouth worked of its own volition, as green eyes continued to stare up into the lightening sky. Another gasp escaped the bard's lips and her body convulsed violently before it lay as still as death. A trickle of blood slid from one nostril, as Gabrielle's eyes slid slowly closed.

Xena and Yakut remained poised over the bard's still body. They exchanged a brief look of indecision, before Xena pulled her hands from the shamaness' firm grip.

"Not yet," Yakut thought she knew what Xena was about to do before the warrior could react.

Xena put the fingers of one hand to Gabrielle's neck and pressed firmly against the pulse she knew should be there. Nothing. Her own heart skipped a beat, as the realization hit her that Gabrielle's heart had stopped. She swallowed down the bile that suddenly rose in her throat. It took every ounce of self-control for her not to jab her fingers into Gabrielle's neck and release the pinch.

Yakut placed her own hands over the still figure lying motionless on the slab of rock. She said another incantation, as she moved her hovering hands over Gabrielle's body.

***

The despair was too much. Gabrielle couldn't bear it another moment. Curled up in a tight ball, she was already beyond tears and felt her soul growing colder and colder with each passing moment. The gray glow had faded to the point that it was barely-discernible, leaving her in almost complete darkness. Utter desolation washed over her and she felt herself slipping away. The whispers were all that she knew, as they flowed through her being and remained in the forefront of her mind.

The low chuckle returned. "That's it, little one. We are almost one. Do you feel me inside you? Your mortal heart barely beats now. I will soon have it all-your soul and the demon blood that flows through your veins. It is sooooo sweet, so very sweet."

Gabrielle felt the cold seep to the very depths of her being. But she also felt something else, too. Freedom. For the first time since Dahak had planted his seed within her, she could feel that irrevocable link she'd shared with Hope slipping away-replaced with the empty cold of something far more sinister and frightening. It was a void-a lack of self. An existence without love. And she was slipping ever so much deeper into its deadly grip.

"Yessssss," the voice hissed again. "So close. Just a little?"

But his words were suddenly cut short by a hideous scream that tore through Gabrielle like an all-consuming wildfire. Every pore of her spiritual being was suddenly ablaze. Agony couldn't even remotely describe the torture that ripped through her. The world twisted and spun around her, as every fiber of her ethereal being was suddenly tossed and turned on several planes of existence at once. The world as she had once known it came crashing in on her and then exploded into a million fragments in the space of one final heartbeat.

As suddenly as it began, it stopped. And Gabrielle succumbed once again to the dark oblivion of nothingness.

***

"Did it work?" Yakut's voice pierced the silence that reigned. "Is she alive?"

Yakut managed to pull herself to her feet as she glanced down at the prone figure lying on the stone slab. Unconscious Amazons lay all around her. Only she and Xena were still conscious in the aftermath of the explosion that knocked them all off their feet and caused a residual aftershock. The concussion downed trees and sent birds flying off in all directions. Even the incessant cricket song was completely silent at that moment.

"I don't know," Xena replied as she stood with some effort and resumed her place next to the boulder. She put her fingers to Gabrielle's pulse point and felt a slight rush of excitement race through her when she noticed a heartbeat. "Her heart is beating."

"That's something at least," Yakut said, as she took in Gabrielle's pale features. She looked up and saw the expectant look in Xena's eyes. "I don't know," she said in answer to the unasked question. "I've never done this before, Xena. I suppose only time will tell."

Xena sighed. "I suppose." She lifted the bard into her arms and held her close. "Come on, Gabrielle. Let me know you're in there this time, sweetheart." She sat down on the edge of the stone slab and squeezed the woman in her arms. "Gods on Olympus, hear my plea?"

"I hear ya, babes," Aphrodite suddenly appeared in their midst. "What can I do to help?"

Xena lifted teary blue eyes to meet the concerned goddess' gaze. "We've done everything we can think of to bring her back. I don't?I don't know what else?" her voice caught on a sob, as she let the tears fall. They trailed down her cheeks and dripped onto Gabrielle's.

Aphrodite moved in close and placed a kiss on Gabrielle's forehead. "Wake up, little one. We're all anxious for you to come back to us." The chaste kiss left a soft glow of residual energy in its wake, as the goddess met Xena's gaze. "I'm sorry, but that's all I can do for her. The rest is up to Gabrielle."

Yakut stood in stunned silence, as a few of her sisters and a few of the Thracians stirred around her. She couldn't take her eyes off the sparsely-clad goddess who had appeared in their midst. It was one thing to use her gift to sense the aura of the people around her and quite another to have one of the Olympian immortals right there in her midst. Then the goddess lifted her azure gaze and looked right at her.

"You did good, shamaness," Aphrodite said with a sad smile. "Keep doing your people proud." The goddess nodded once and then disappeared in a spray of pink, red and gold heart-shaped sparkles that quickly dissipated.

The sky was lightening as the first rays of sunlight peeked over the treetops and caste a warm, golden glow over the still clearing. Bewildered Amazons continued to stir, as the last vestiges of darkness finally receded with the dawn of another day. A few birds returned to the trees that still stood sentinel over the clearing, while the crickets gave up their night's song in deference to the louder bird song. A light breeze blew and chased away the few puffy clouds that remained.

"Hey," Ephiny managed to recover enough to join Yakut and Xena. "How is she? Did it work?"

"Don't know," Xena answered on a heavy sigh, as she looked down at the still woman in her arms.

"Let's get her back to the village," Ephiny suggested, as she took in the pale features of both Xena and Gabrielle. "You look like you could use some sleep, Xena."

Xena glanced around at the Amazons who were finally on their feet and gathering around them.

"Yeah, okay," Xena answered with a determined nod. She hefted Gabrielle higher in her arms and stood up. "I'll see ya back at the village."

Xena didn't wait for anyone to follow her, as she took off across the clearing without a backward glance. Her mind was awhirl with everything that had just happened and all she wanted to do was escape to the quiet confines of the hut she shared with Gabrielle. No. That wasn't exactly true. She wanted Gabrielle to open her eyes and speak to her. That's what she wanted more than anything. It scared her to think that Gabrielle's soul was lost forever and that she would never again look into those green eyes that could see to the very depths of her soul.

Despite her own physical and emotional exhaustion, Xena forced her long strides to continue carrying them both through the dense woods and beyond in less time than it would take an Amazon to travel high in the trees. It wasn't long before Xena was mounting the steps and entering the quiet confines of the hut. It was exactly as she had left it, which wasn't surprising. No other Amazons were allowed to enter the place when the queen was in residence, unless Gabrielle expressly ordered it.

Xena gingerly laid her charge down on the bed. She then stripped out of her winter leathers and haphazardly tossed them aside. Entering the bathing room, she quickly doused her entire body with cold water from a pitcher on a side table. She grabbed a clean cloth and vigorously scrubbed the grime away until her skin shown pink and flushed. She concentrated on the stag's blood on her forehead and made sure it was wiped clean. She double-checked her reflection in a looking glass to be sure she'd gotten it all and then returned to the main room. A few heartbeats passed while she donned a clean shift and climbed into bed beside her still partner. She checked Gabrielle's pulse again and was satisfied that the steady beat was actually stronger than it had been earlier. Was that a good sign?

Xena sighed heavily as she wrapped herself Gabrielle and lay close. She took comfort in the feel of Gabrielle's body against her own and also from the fact that the woman was breathing evenly. Nuzzling her cheek against Gabrielle's hair, Xena allowed herself to relax and her eyes to close. She listened to Gabrielle's steady breathing, as she finally let go of the cares of the world and sank into a deep sleep.

***

She was standing in a meadow full of spring flowers. Sunlight bathed her in its golden glow, warming her skin and chasing away the last vestiges of a hideous nightmare that still gripped her to her very core. Despite the warm glow, she still felt incomplete--cold. A gray emptiness ran deep within her that could not be reached by the warm glow of the sun. It seemed a permanent part of her.

She took a few tentative steps and waited with bated breath for something to happen. The meadow reminded her of a long-forgotten memory. A strong sense of foreboding gripped her as she took several more steps in the tall grass. She waited for the dagger to appear in front of her, but it didn't. This wasn't the same meadow. There was no dagger and Meridia wasn't there, either.

"Hey," a voice from behind made her spin around. The sight that greeted her took her breath away.

"Hey yourself," she smiled warmly up into blue eyes shining with love. "Are we dead?"

Xena closed the distance between them and took Gabrielle in her arms. The warrior was fairly glowing, as the smile deepened. She was wearing a simple blue gown that sparkled in the sunlight. Her dark hair hung loosely around her shoulders and framed her strong features. Gabrielle had never seen the warrior look more beautiful and radiant than she did at that moment.

Xena lifted a hand and gently grazed Gabrielle's cheek with the backs of her fingers. "I don't think we're dead."

"This isn't real, is it?" Gabrielle questioned, as she moved even closer until her body melded against her taller partner's. Strong arms wrapped around her and chased away the last remnants of the chill that still lingered. "Are you really here, Xena? Please tell me I'm not dreaming. I?I can't?"

Rather than answering with words, Xena leaned down and met Gabrielle's lips with her own. Their kiss deepened and became more insistent until they were both breathless with desire. When it seemed that the kiss would last into eternity, they broke apart and came up for air.

"Gods!" Gabrielle gasped, as she looked up into blue eyes filled to overflowing with love. Tears sprang to her own eyes as the enormity of the situation washed over her. "It is you!" She exclaimed, as she reached up and touched Xena's soft cheek with tentative fingers. "I?I never thought?"

"Shhh," Xena placed her hands on either side of Gabrielle's face and closed the distance between them again.

This kiss was more urgent, more demanding, than the first. They both put every ounce of love they shared into it, until they were left wanting more.

"I still think we're dreaming," Gabrielle said when they parted again. "This has to be a dream."

"Probably," Xena smirked. "But it's the best damned dream I've had in a very long time."

Gabrielle wrapped her arms around Xena's waist and reveled in the feel of the woman. Her ear against Xena's chest picked up the warrior's steady heartbeat and she found comfort in the familiar sound. Nothing else mattered except the two of them and their love for each other. Nothing else existed but them.

"I don't want to wake up from this," Gabrielle muttered against the softness of Xena's skin. "Ever."

"It's okay, Gabrielle," Xena said. "No matter what happens, we'll face it together."

"I thought," Gabrielle couldn't help the hitch in her voice. "Why does it feel like we've been apart for an eternity, Xena?"

"Shhhh," Xena gently stroked the blond hair. "You're safe now. I'm here and I'm not leaving you again. That's a promise I intend to keep for the rest of our lives."

Gabrielle pulled back enough to look Xena in the eye. "Are we? Alive, I mean."

Xena shrugged. "I was when I fell asleep with you in my arms," she answered. "I don't think that's changed at least."

"Then?how??" Gabrielle let the question hang, as she looked around them.

"You two deserved a little break," another voice announced.

Both women turned toward the newcomer and found Aphrodite standing there with a cheery grin on her face. The goddess was dressed in her usual gossamer outfit, except that Aphrodite was glowing more so than usual. The goddess walked right up and stopped next to the two.

"Aphrodite?" Gabrielle shifted her position, but didn't break contact with Xena. She merely wrapped an arm around Xena's waist and was satisfied when Xena put her own arm around her shoulders. "What are you doing here? And, more importantly, where's here?"

Aphrodite gently stroked the bard's cheek with her thumb. "Just checking on my two best girls," she glanced at Xena and winked. "We were really worried about you, kiddo. We almost lost you. I thought it best to give you a little breather, before the reality of it all comes crashing back in, ya know?"

"Do I want to know?" Gabrielle glanced up at Xena and noticed unshed tears swimming in the warrior's bright blue eyes. "Xena?"

Xena sniffed back the tears and composed herself. "Later, Gabrielle."

"Why do I get the feeling I'm not gonna like any of this?" Gabrielle glanced from one woman to the other. Her gaze rested on Aphrodite. "You still haven't answered my other question. Where are we?"

"It's a little getaway," Aphrodite answered a little too brightly. "I created it myself from one of Daddy's old castoffs. He has a few of these places tucked here and there around Olympus. He created them as hideaways and little vacations spots for the family. But then he discarded them for one reason or another. This one is the Paradise Meadow. There's a breathtaking waterfall just beyond those trees over there," she pointed to a dense stand of fir trees. "I added a few extra little touches for you two that I hope you'll enjoy. Take all the time you need. There's no rush to return to the mortal realm."

"And what happens when we do return to our world?" Xena asked before the goddess could do her disappearing act. "Will?Is?" She swallowed over the sudden lump in her throat and caught Gabrielle looking intently up at her.

"That's entirely up to Gabby," a frown marred the goddess' features, as she reached out and lifted Gabrielle's chin ever so slightly. "I'm not gonna lie to you, kiddo. You had an incredibly traumatic experience back there and it's all gonna come back to you when you leave here. I don't know if you'll be able to handle what happened. You might not want to wake up and face it."

Gabrielle heard the dire note in the goddess' words and saw the sincerity in those ageless blue eyes gazing back at her. She had no memory of what happened, but could sense that it wasn't good. Could she handle it? She turned her head and looked up into eyes blazing with love and compassion. Xena's eyes. Even behind the unshed tears, Gabrielle could see that Xena knew exactly what the goddess was referring to.

"You know, don't you?" Gabrielle asked softly.

Xena merely nodded.

"That bad, huh?"

A single tear slipped from the corner of the warrior's eye and slid down her cheek.

Gabrielle tore her gaze from Xena's and returned her attention to Aphrodite. "How long do we have here?"

"When the sun rises, you'll be back in your world," Aphrodite answered. "I wish it could be longer, but?"

"It's all right, Aphrodite," Xena said.

"Okay, then," the goddess took a few steps back. "I'll leave you two alone. You should find everything you need by the waterfall. I'm off to catch a few waves and give my bro a hard time." She grinned from ear to ear. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do, kids."

And with that she was gone, leaving Gabrielle and Xena alone in the quiet meadow. They exchanged a brief glance, shrugged and headed into the tree line. When they emerged from the small forest, they found themselves in breathtaking paradise.

"It's..."

"Incredible, just like she said," Gabrielle finished for her astonished partner.

A picturesque waterfall set the backdrop for a beautiful little bathing pool surrounded on all sides by majestic pines. The sun glistened on the surface of the pristine blue water that was so clear you could see the rocky bottom far below. A few boulders lined the edge of a sandy beach, where a soft blanket had been spread out. A basket sat on a small rock near the blanket and there were various dishes already laid out. Flowers of every kind added their perfume to the pine-scented air. It was perfect.

The two women made their way down to the white sandy beach and surveyed the spread. There was enough food to feed an entire army for a week, not to mention several pitchers of wine, hard cider and port. Eyes wide, the two lay down on the blanket and dug into the sumptuous fare. They consumed legs of lamb marinated in a delectable wine sauce. Venison, beef, pork and chicken in a variety of sauces, marinades and gravies. There were juicy purple and green grapes so big they were almost the size of small walnuts. Shish kabobs of mixed vegetables and meat barbequed to perfection on bamboo sticks passed their lips, as did candied figs and dates, raisins, and nuts of all shapes and sizes. They ate as if they hadn't eaten in weeks and downed mug after mug of the heady brews that accompanied their meal.

They lay together and shared bites of roast venison, as well as tangy oranges, mangos, pears and other delights meant to tempt the palate and tease the senses. Gabrielle slipped a bite of meat pie into Xena's mouth and playfully licked the residual sauce from the warrior's lips.

"Mmm," the bard sighed in blissful satisfaction after she'd finished cleaning off the last of the sauce. "You taste good enough to eat."

Xena pulled her partner on top of her and ran her fingers through Gabrielle's hair. "Your hair's getting longer. Time for a cut?"

Gabrielle snickered. "Is that all you can think about at a time like this?"

"I miss it," Xena pouted.

"I thought you liked it short," Gabrielle countered soberly.

"I do, but?"

Gabrielle playfully feathered Xena's dark bangs. "But you like it better long."

"Yeah," Xena admitted. "I miss being able to run my fingers through it. You used to love when I brushed and braid it for you."

"I wish you'd told me that before I told you to cut it so short that last time," Gabrielle said, as she climbed off the prone woman and sat next to her. "It would be down to my shoulders by now."

Xena propped herself on an elbow. "I didn't say anything because you seemed to like it short. It's not a big deal, Gabrielle. Really."

Gabrielle gazed out at the sparkling water. "Let's not spoil this time together by arguing over something so trivial. Okay?"

"Okay," Xena nodded. "You up for a swim?"

A smirk teased the corners of Gabrielle's lips. "Only if we get rid of these clothes."

That earned a brilliant smile in return. "I'm all for that," Xena said as she stood up and quickly stripped out of the dress Aphrodite provided for her.

Gabrielle stood there a moment and took in the sight of Xena's muscular body. "The dress matched your eyes perfectly," she said. "But I think you're even more beautiful without it. Glorious." She smiled wistfully. "Perfect."

Xena snorted and reached for the ties at the front of Gabrielle's dress. The colors of the dress were like the colors of the forest-greens, browns and tans. One particular shade of green matched the bard's eyes and made them even more vivid than usual.

"Beautiful," Xena said as she finished with the ties and watched the dress slip down one creamy shoulder. "You take my breath away, love." She ran her fingers along Gabrielle's temple and brushed the hair away from her face. "I love you so much?"

But Xena didn't have the chance to finish her thought before Gabrielle suddenly bolted for the pool, pulling the dress over her head and tossing it aside as she went. She reached the water's edge in a few short strides and dove in head-first. Xena wasn't far behind her elusive lover and soon they were both splashing and playing in the cool, clear water.

Their antics continued, as they enjoyed the warmth of the day. After sharing some chaste kisses under the thundering pristine waterfall, the two swam to the other side of the pool and back. Then another bout of splashing ensued, until Xena disappeared beneath the water's surface. Gabrielle searched the clear bottom for any sign of the warrior and felt several nips on her ankles. She wasn't surprised when Xena suddenly pulled her under and they came up in each other's arms. They shared a long, lingering kiss that soon blossomed into much, much more.

It wasn't long before they were making love, both above and below the surface of the rippling water. Soon they took their lovemaking to the blanket and reveled in the feel of the cool air on their wet skin. They explored each other, as if for the very first time and reconnected in mind, body and soul. The waterfall pounded in the background like the steady beat of a drum as the two took their lovemaking to new and greater heights.

Hours later they lay in each other's arms, staring up at the moonless sky above. Stars twinkled and winked in the clear night sky, as the two lovers rested in silence. The sun had set long ago and they never even realized that the night had descended around them until they came back up for air.

"How are you feeling, love?" Xena's low voice broke the silence around them.

"Mmmm," Gabrielle purred, as she shifted positions slightly until she was half-draped over her warrior pillow. "'S perrrrfect. I could stay like this forever." She lifted her head and looked into Xena's eyes. "I love you." Her head then dropped onto Xena's chest and she nuzzled the skin beneath her cheek. "I can't say that enough, Xena. I just want to stay like this forever."

Xena glanced down at the blond head resting just below her right breast. "Forever?" She asked incredulously.

"Never wanna move from this spot for as long as I live," Gabrielle purred. "I'm sooooo happy. Nothing in the mortal world or beyond can compare to this."

That brought a smile to the warrior's swollen lips. "I hear ya on that."

They lay there in companionable silence for several heartbeats, until Gabrielle shifted positions again. She scooted up until her head was resting just below Xena's chin.

"Comfy?" Xena wrapped her arms around the woman and hugged her tight.

Gabrielle gently blew a thin stream of air onto the flesh just inches from her lips. She watched in fascination as the rosy flesh became taught. And then she felt her lover shift beneath her.

"Comfy?" Gabrielle shot back with a teasing smirk.

"Not fair, love," Xena gently chided. "You have me at a disadvantage here. It's not like blowing in your hair's gonna get the same response."

"All's fair in love and?" her words were cut off and she suddenly found herself looking up into eyes smoldering with renewed passion. "War?" She squeaked.

"Definitely," Xena grinned seductively, as she took her lover's mouth in a bruising kiss that took the smaller woman's breath away. "All's fair, huh?" She asked when they came up for air. "You sure 'bout that?"

Gabrielle shifted and brought her bare thigh up between Xena's legs. She rocked her hips in a gentle motion that she knew would drive the warrior wild with need. She was right. It worked-probably more so than originally intended. Soon they were both rocking to a rhythm as old as time.

"I'm sure of nothing but this," Gabrielle answered, as they were once again lost in each other.

Their lovemaking continued long into the early morning hours, when both of them succumbed to exhaustion and they finally fell asleep in each other's arms. Light snores whispered on a gentle breeze that threw small ripples along the water at the shoreline.

A certain goddess popped in and found the pair fast asleep in other's arms. She snapped her fingers and another blanket appeared. As gently as possible, she covered the lovers and stepped back to admire her handiwork. Neither woman stirred, as the goddess watched over them for a few brief moments and then disappeared without a sound.

***

It was a noise that startled her from the first decent sleep she'd had in a long time. One eyelid popped open to reveal a bleary blue eye and a groan of resignation echoed in the still silence. The blue eye closed instantly and squinted open a heartbeat later then blinked several times against the bright flash of daylight that shone from the single window above.

"Rise and shine, champ," Eponin's cheery constitution just added fuel to the dread that hit her.

"Ugh!" Xena groaned, as she shifted slightly and realized she was wrapped around a familiar someone.

"It's about time," a chair creaked and suddenly Eponin's face was within spitting distance. Xena considered doing it-the spitting-for a moment, then thought better of it. "Thought you and Gabrielle were gonna sleep the rest of your lives away," Eponin said. "It's bad enough you've been in the same position for the better part of three straight days, Xena."

"What?" Xena gingerly rose from where she lay and eased her sleeping companion back down without waking her. "What the hades are you doing here, Ep?" She sat up on the edge of the bed and stretched aching muscles that felt as if they'd been stuck in the same position for days. "How'd we get here? What day is it?"

"Okaaaay," Eponin moved back to give the warrior space. "To answer your first question, champ, I said you've been asleep for three days. Eph, Solari and I have been trading shifts watching over the two of you and making sure no one pops in for an unexpected visit. All this crap the two of you have been up to your asses in has us all totally freaked."

Xena ran a hand through her disheveled hair and shot the weapons master a warning glare. "You wake up on the wrong side of Ephiny's bed this morning, Pon? Or is that just your way of adding a little morning cheer?" Xena glanced at the window. "Okay, late morning."

"Your sarcasm is duly noted, Xe," Eponin said as she took a kettle off the fire and poured herself a cup of tea. She poured a second cup and handed it to Xena. "Here, you look like you could use this more than me."

"Thanks," Xena graciously accepted the tea and winced at the bitter taste.

It wasn't her favorite brew and it didn't help that Gabrielle wasn't awake to add her special touches. Xena glanced at the sleeping figure buried beneath the covers and her thoughts turned to the previous day and night. Had it all been just a strange dream? Was it wishful thinking that she and Gabrielle had spent the better part of an entire day and night next to a beautiful waterfall? Then she realized they'd been asleep for three days and nights, which meant Aphrodite had somehow manipulated things. She really didn't want to know the details.

"Nissia came by earlier to check on her," Eponin said. "Said her heart beat's stronger and she appears to just be sleeping. Can't believe you two could sleep like that. You didn't even move once. Not even when T'laia barged in here, tripped over a chair and fell flat on her face. She made enough noise to wake the dead. Yet, the two of you didn't even twitch a muscle. If you ask me, Xe, it's a little weird. Wanna tell me anything?"

Xena winced as she finished off the last of her tea. "I don't think I can explain what happened, Pon. I really don't know if it was real or a dream. But, yeah, something happened."

Eponin surveyed her friend's expression for a moment before she sighed in resignation. "Well, whatever. I can't say you missed much while you were out like the proverbial torch. Nothing happened that Eph, Sol and me couldn't handle ourselves."

A dark brow rose as Xena turned her gaze on the Amazon. "Wanna qualify that?"

"Well, champ," Eponin pulled up a chair and took a seat. "The tribes collectively decided to call it quits and head home. We saw the last of them off yesterday. Queen Mashuka bids you and Gabrielle farewell and wishes you a long life together. Eph didn't have the heart to tell any of them what happened, so we just left it at that. And the northern tribes packed up and left, too." A frown appeared. "Otere's a strange one. She told Eph and me that she's considering a complete break from the northern tribes. Said she's gonna take her tribe up to the plains beyond the mountains. Said Yakut has a ritual to make them all forget what happened here, so they can start fresh. What's up with that?" She scratched her head in confusion. "Can they do that?"

"Sometimes a fresh start is a good thing," Xena said, as she glanced behind her at the still-sleeping figure in their bed. "And, yes, Yakut will be able to give them the fresh start they want."

"Well, anyway," Eponin continued after clearing her throat. "The warrior mothers are getting along pretty well. Nearly a dozen went to the surrounding villages to find new homes for their sons, once they're weaned. Eph seems to think it's a good thing and will further the good relations between our villages. I guess it can't hurt to have ties with the locals." She shrugged. "And the warriors who had girls are doing great and settling in as mothers. All the kids are healthy and the mothers, too. The priestesses are going nuts and proclaiming the births miracles of Artemis." She snorted. "Glad I'm not a priestess, that's for sure."

Just then, the door opened and Ephiny peeked her head in. "Hey, there!" She exclaimed happily when she saw that Xena was up and awake. "Thank the gods you're finally back with us!" Shutting the door behind her, Ephiny made her way toward the bed and noticed the figure still sleeping there. She frowned, "Gabrielle?"

"Still asleep," Xena answered. "She had a harder time of it than I did and deserves the rest."

"Will she?" Ephiny shot a concerned glance at the still figure and then returned her attention to Xena. "Wake up, I mean."

A dark brow rose. "She will," Xena stated with certainty.

"I, uh, was just filling Xena in on what's been happening over the last three days," Eponin piped in. "I let her know about the departure of the tribes and updated her on the warrior mothers."

Ephiny pulled up a chair and sat down next to the weapons master. "You missed some very uninteresting stuff, Xena."

"So I've heard," the warrior smirked. "I'm sure Gabrielle will be completely devastated that she wasn't awake during all the fun."

"Funny," Ephiny caught the note of sarcasm in the warrior's remark. "I'm thinking she'll have her own issues to deal with when she finally does wake up." She turned her concerned gaze to the still figure in the bed. "If she ever wakes up, that is."

"She will," Xena reiterated. "Gabrielle has never been one to run from a fight. She isn't about to start now."

Ephiny looked pointedly at Xena. "And you? What will you do if she wakes up with scars that run so deep that we don't recognize her?" Ephiny leaned forward with her arms on her knees and searched Xena's expression. "Are you willing to abandon your own quest for redemption in order to shoulder the burden of caring for her?"

Xena thoughtfully considered the question for a long moment. "I won't abandon Gabrielle for anything, especially not some meaningless quest for redemption."

Eponin sat back in her chair and crossed her arms over her ample bosom. "And if she's not there anymore?" She held up a staying hand at the sudden flash of anger in Xena's eyes. "Now, now, don't get your leathers in a bunch, champ. I'm just throwing it out there. It's not like we're not all wondering why you're awake and she's still-" she shrugged. "Well, you know." She motioned toward the bed.

Xena blew out a frustrated breath. "You don't know what happened," she said as she shook her head. "You weren't there with us."

Ephiny and Eponin exchanged confused looks.

"So tell us," Ephiny finally said.

Silence reigned for several long moments, as Xena considered what to say. Should she tell them everything? After all, these two women were close friends who knew more than anyone what she and Gabrielle had been through in the past. But?

"Aphrodite took us to Mount Olympus," Xena finally spoke in a hushed tone. "We went to a place?a sort of paradise." She met their gazes. "Gabrielle and I-we had the chance to reconnect away from here, away from all that's happened. No distractions. No gods to interfere. Just the two of us-alone."

"And did you?" Eponin shot the warrior a teasing gleam. "Reconnect, I mean."

"Yes," Xena answered. "We did."

"Aphrodite took you to Mount Olympus?" Ephiny couldn't keep the incredulity from her tone.

"Yeeeesss," Xena answered. "Why? Don't you believe me?"

"Are you sure you didn't just dream the whole thing?" Ephiny prodded. "I find it a little hard to believe that the Goddess of Love would take such a personal interest in you."

"She's not lying," came an unexpected response from the bed.

Three pairs of eyes turned in the direction the voice came from. They watched in dumbfounded silence as the figure stirred and finally propped herself up on an elbow. Her features were drawn and her hair disheveled from sleep, but otherwise Gabrielle looked more alert than they had seen her in days-at least, more alert than Ephiny and Eponin had seen her.

"Hey," Xena shifted until she was facing Gabrielle. "Sorry we woke you."

"'S okay," Gabrielle responded in a voice still gravelly from sleep. She ran a hand through her hair and merely messed it up all the more. "How long was I out?"

"Um," Xena glanced back at the two Amazons and gave them a warning look before returning her attention to Gabrielle. "What do you remember?"

Gabrielle glanced at each woman, in turn, and measured the varying degrees of concern on each woman's face. When her gaze finally rested on Xena, she could see something in the warrior's eyes that set off warning bells in her head.

"Uh oh," Gabrielle responded. "Why does this feel vaguely familiar? Like we've done this before?"

Xena couldn't help the play of emotions that flitted across her face. She felt like they were reliving events from the past all over again-events that she really didn't want to revisit under the present circumstances. She searched Gabrielle's features for some clue that the woman remembered what had happened recently and found only confusion in the expectant green gaze watching her intently. Xena took Gabrielle's free hand in her own and took comfort in the warmth she found in the contact.

"We're in the Amazon village," Xena began.

"I know that, Xena," Gabrielle shot the warrior a no-duh smirk. "Hello, Eph, Eponin," she greeted the two silent women with a warm smile and received tentative waves from each of them. "Okaaaaaay, not exactly the greeting I was looking for, but?" She shrugged and returned her attention to Xena. "I'm assuming there's more to it than the fact we're staying with the Amazons, Xe."

"Yeah, you could say that," Xena sighed. "But first I want to know what you remember."

Gabrielle took a deep breath and let it out slowly, as she searched her bleary and befuddled thoughts for some semblance of order. Her memories were a mess of disjointed images and snippets of vague conversation, most of which were trivial at best.

"I remember bits and pieces," Gabrielle began. "I invited the tribes for a?a gathering?" She looked to Ephiny for confirmation and received a nodded response. "We had quite the turn out if I recall correctly. There were?" She paused thoughtfully. "Games or competitions or something like that." Another nod from Ephiny encouraged her to continue. "Okay, so we had a lot of Amazons here," her gaze met Xena's. "Must have been a little uncomfortable for you, eh?"

Xena squeezed the hand in hers. "I survived."

"Well," Gabrielle blew out another breath. "Wait. Did I get up in a tree and spar with someone?"

A snicker from Eponin, followed by a quick shushing from Ephiny, confirmed her words. A blond brow quirked, as Gabrielle looked to Xena for an explanation.

"You did," the warrior shifted uncomfortably. "It was one of the events in the competition."

"And you didn't stop me?" Gabrielle gave Xena an incredulous glare. "What the?Xena, you of all people know how much I hate the very thought of climbing trees!" She sat up and nearly toppled over when a wave of vertigo hit her unexpectedly. "Whoa!"

"Hey!" Xena reached out to steady the bard. "Easy, Gabrielle. You haven't exactly been upright for a few days."

"Why?" Gabrielle recovered enough to meet Xena's concerned gaze. "Did I fall from a tree and hit my head? Is that why you three are sitting there staring at me as if I just came back from the dead or grew an extra head? What is going on, Xena?" She waited for the warrior's response and didn't see one forthcoming. "Come on, Xena. I want answers and I want them, now. What happened?"

"You had a run in with?um?" Eponin blurted and got another shush accompanied by a backhanded slap from Ephiny. "Ow! Whatja do that for?"

Ephiny stood up and pulled a reluctant Eponin up with her. "Come on, ya big lug. Let's leave these two alone for a while," she fairly dragged Eponin to the door. "We'll come by later to see how you're doing," she said as she pushed the weapons master out the door ahead of her and closed it behind her.

Silence reigned in the hut and between the two remaining women, as they both waited for the other to speak first. Neither woman wanted to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Well?" Gabrielle finally dove in.

Xena took a deep breath and let it out slowly, as she grabbed one of the vacant chairs, moved it next to the bed and sat down. She adjusted the shift she'd been wearing since she'd returned to the hut with Gabrielle three days prior. Although she wanted nothing more than to shed the garment and take a bath, she also knew Gabrielle deserved an explanation. So, she girded herself and plowed ahead.

"The northern tribes showed up a few weeks ago, even though they'd sent word that they weren't coming," Xena said.

"I?" Gabrielle's expression turned thoughtful. "Yes, Cyane and the others showed up here with you in tow, if I recall correctly. Didn't you leave here with Eponin and some kids, though?"

"Yeah," Xena replied. "It was an initiation of sorts-a hunting trip with some of the girls who will become full-fledged Amazons with during the next moon festival."

"Okay," Gabrielle nodded. "I think I remember that. The Northern Amazons captured you and Cyane wanted to punish you for what you did to those queens all those years ago. I remember her demanding you receive a just punishment for your crimes. I also remember countering her arguments and tabling a decision until later in the evening."

"And things went downhill from there," Xena added. "You won the argument, but Ignesia issued the challenge. Do you remember that?"

"Yes," Gabrielle nodded. "But she wasn't really the one behind it all." Her expression suddenly turned sad. "She died that night. Someone hung her body from the rafters of her hut to make it look like she killed herself."

Xena watched Gabrielle closely as the bard searched her jumbled memories for what happened next. She knew the very instant everything came flooding back into her partner's memory, because Gabrielle suddenly gasped and slapped her hands over her face.

"Gabrielle?" Xena placed a comforting hand on the bard's bare knee and gently stroked the warm skin with her thumb.

Gabrielle couldn't stop the images from washing over her. Her breathing quickened and she knew an instant of overwhelming panic as it all came rushing back at once. And then she felt a pair of familiar arms holding her, as Xena joined her on the bed and pulled her close.

"I?" Gabrielle tried to swallow over the growing lump in her throat. "Xena?" she couldn't stop panting and couldn't catch her breath, either.

"I'm right here, Gabrielle," Xena tightened her hold on the woman and held her as a sob escaped Gabrielle. "It's over, love. You're safe with me now. Nothing can hurt you here." She continued offering words of comfort as the dam broke and Gabrielle burst into tears in her arms.

"Oh, goooooooddds!" Gabrielle wailed, as every emotion washed over her from those horrible moments.

It all came back to her with such blinding speed that she was completely unprepared for the magnitude of the memories that assailed her. Emotions warred with the pain she felt during those awful moments when she thought her soul was lost forever. She rode the waves of anguish and took a certain measure of comfort in the arms that never wavered, as well as the murmured words of comfort. Xena really was with her. She had managed to weather yet another storm. And they were together.

When the tears finally subsided, Gabrielle sat up enough to wipe the residual dampness from her cheeks. She sniffed loudly and glanced at Xena through teary eyes.

"Better?" The warrior asked with an understanding half-smile.

"Yeah," Gabrielle nodded and sniffed again, then noticed the damp stain on Xena's shift. "Sorry."

Xena glanced down at the spot and shrugged. "I was hoping to get out of this thing soon, anyway." She lifted the fabric, sniffed it and winced. "After three days and nights it's a little ripe and so am I."

Gabrielle glanced down at her own attire, which was a little worse for wear. "I know the feeling," she smirked, as Xena reached over and gently wiped away a stray tear with her thumb. "Thanks."

"Not a problem," the warrior said with a lazy smile. "Are you feeling more yourself now?"

Gabrielle leaned her head against Xena's shoulder. "It feels like a chariot ran over me-more than once."

Xena chuckled and affectionately patted Gabrielle's cheek. "You wanna talk about it?"

Gabrielle sighed heavily. "I don't think I can, just yet. It's all still so raw and fresh, like an open wound that has yet to scab over."

"I can relate to those," Xena remarked. "Had more than my share over the years."

"Yeah, I've had to stitch a few of them for you," Gabrielle chuckled. "Not sure which one of us gets into more scrapes. You seem to carry the battle scars, while I carry?well?"

"Sometimes the emotional burdens are the tougher ones to bear," Xena added soberly and put an arm around Gabrielle's shoulders. "I'm here when you want to talk, Gabrielle. I know it won't be easy, but it might help to get it off your chest."

They were silent for several moments. Gabrielle thought of everything that was now so crystal clear to her. It was painful to remember, but not as difficult as facing the prospect of an eternity without Xena. That was the hardest trial she had ever faced. But, faced it she had.

Gabrielle sighed. "Were you really there?" The question came out barely above a whisper.

Xena pulled away to look into Gabrielle's eyes. "Where?"

"Was it you in the spirit realm?" Gabrielle lowered her head and couldn't meet her partner's gaze. "I thought it was you, but?"

Xena lifted Gabrielle's chin enough to meet her gaze. "I was there," she answered as tears sprang to both their eyes. "I tried to get you away from there. It wasn't safe," her voice caught. "And then suddenly you weren't there. I could hear your voice fading away, but I couldn't find you. I searched, but you were gone. I couldn't just leave you there. And then something yanked me back here. One instant I'm calling your name and the next I'm back in my body."

"It was awful," Gabrielle closed her eyes against the memory of those painful moments. "I couldn't see anything and?" Her mouth went dry. "The whispers got louder and then there was this eerie voice?" She swiped impatiently at tears that fell from her cheeks. "I tried to concentrate on us-to feel the love we share-but?" She shook her head and tucked her head against Xena's shoulder. "I couldn't."

Xena wrapped her arms around the smaller woman. "It's okay, sweetheart."

Gabrielle took courage in the warmth that enveloped her, as they held each other. This was what she'd longed for during those terrifying moments of uncertainty. She reveled in the love that flowed through her. In that moment she realized it was something she could no longer live without. This love was stronger than any power on earth and beyond.

"That's it!" Gabrielle suddenly sat up and exclaimed. "That's the key!"

Xena stared at her in confusion. "You wanna clue me in?"

"Love," Gabrielle said simply.

"Yeeeeesssss," Xena purred with a seductive half-smile.

"No, no, no," Gabrielle held up a hand between them when Xena leaned toward her for a kiss. "Hang onto that thought and hear me out, Xena." She watched a pout appear on the warrior's lips and couldn't help but smile. "No, I figured out what the Void is."

A scowl marred Xena's features. "Oh."

"Do you want to hear my theory?" Gabrielle cocked her head and waited.

Xena sighed in resignation and rolled her eyes. "I suppose."

"You're incorrigible," Gabrielle gently chided.

"It's all your fault," Xena shot back with a saucy grin. "You made me fall hopelessly and utterly in love with you."

"Made you?" Gabrielle's brow quirked.

"Yep," Xena nodded. "There I was, minding my own business, and then you came along with your incessant chatter and your quirky personality and?"

Gabrielle did the only thing she knew would shut the warrior up. She kissed her. The kiss deepened and soon they both were lost in the display of love and the pleasure they shared. Gabrielle could have sworn that sparks actually flew before they broke apart and came up for air.

"Keep that up and we'll never leave this hut again," Xena teased.

"I had to do something to shut you up," Gabrielle shot back with a quirky grin. "Now, where were we?"

"Love," Xena said and pecked the bard's lips several times, before she pressed her for more.

"Xena!" Gabrielle gasped as she pulled back breathlessly. "You keep that up?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Xena tried to lean forward again, but was stopped by a hand on her chin. "What?"

"My theory?" Gabrielle smirked.

"Oh-yeah," Xena sat back and waited for Gabrielle to continue. "By all means, please continue."

Gabrielle shot the warrior a skeptical searching look. "You sure?"

"Absolutely," Xena answered with a nod.

Gabrielle settled into her favorite spot again, resting her head on Xena's shoulder and inhaling the scent that was all Xena. She collected her thoughts, as she took comfort in the arms that instinctively wrapped around her.

"It wasn't the anger or the pain," her voice hitched slightly. "It wasn't even the prospect of being trapped there forever." She let the surge of emotions wash over her and settle into a low ache in her chest. "None of that mattered as much as never being with you again."

Xena placed a gentle kiss on top of Gabrielle's head. "I know the feeling. It's what drove me to find you." She sighed. "I?I don't know what I would ever do if I couldn't find you again. I'd probably tear apart Hades' entire realm, Elysia and Tartarus included. I'd even travel to the Amazon Land of the Dead, if that's what it took."

Gabrielle squeezed Xena's waist. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that, because I would probably do the same."

"No," Xena pulled back and sternly met Gabrielle's gaze. "If I go before you?" She swallowed over the sudden lump in her throat. "Don't you dare follow me, Gabrielle. You and I both know where I'm destined to go when this is all over?"

"Don't, Xena," Gabrielle's expression hardened. "You don't know that, just as I don't know if I'll end up either in the Elysian Fields or with the Amazons. Besides, you always say we make our own destiny."

Xena considered that a moment. "You're right," she conceded with a shrug. "Not sure I'm likin' havin' my words thrown back in my face, though."

A smile touched the corners of Gabrielle's lips. "Turnabout's fair play, hon."

"Okay, so where does that leave us?" A dark brow arched.

"Right here together," Gabrielle's head returned to its place against Xena's shoulder. "For eternity."

"Eternity's a long time, love," Xena remarked as she rested her cheek against Gabrielle's hair. "Don't know if the Fates or the gods or whoever is controlling all this will let us stay like this for all of eternity."

"Well, as far as I'm concerned they can all go to Tartarus," Gabrielle returned. "Besides, I think someone-whoever that might be-owes us for all the crap we've been through lately. I know I have an urge to call in a few paybacks on this crappy adventure alone."

"Yeah," Xena agreed. "My sentiments exactly. And I didn't even go through half the crap you did. Speaking of which," she shifted to look Gabrielle in the eye. "How are you really feeling? Any differently than when Eritreius was?um?you know."

"Not sure," Gabrielle answered. "I guess time will tell. It's not like I felt different when she was inside me, except when she asserted her control. But even then I didn't really know what was happening. I think I just blacked out. It was like being kicked out of a room and then popping back in when she was done. I really wasn't aware when she took over those first few times. Not until I was fighting Mashuka did I actually feel like I was watching myself do those things. For some reason my consciousness stayed?well, conscious, for lack of a better word." She shuddered involuntarily at the memory of what she'd done to the larger Amazon queen. "I still can't believe I'm capable of that kind of violence."

"You're not," Xena assured her. "Eritreius controlling your body may have done those things, but you would never consciously do that to another person without just cause. I just hope she left no lasting effects after Yakut exorcised her spirit."

"Like I said, only time will tell," Gabrielle said. "Speaking of which, did Yakut mention where she exorcised Eritreius' to, specifically?"

"Tartarus, I hope," Xena growled. "But, no. She didn't say. Good riddance, as far as I'm concerned." Xena kissed the top of Gabrielle's head again. "You never finished your theory, by the way."

"Oh," Gabrielle said. "Okay, so we were together in the spirit realm and then something happened to separate us from each other. That's when I found myself in a really bad place. The place was beyond creepy. People or spirits or something kept whispering, but I couldn't make out anything they said. And then there was this voice."

"A voice?" Xena asked.

"Yeah, creepy shadow voice," an involuntary shudder passed through her. "At first I couldn't tell if it was a man's voice or a woman's. It kept saying things like it wanted my soul and it was feeding off my fear. At first I was able to retreat inside myself and feel the love we share. But?"

Xena shifted to meet Gabrielle's gaze when the bard didn't continue. She caught a tear on her thumb as it trailed down Gabrielle's cheek. "Tell me," she said in a hushed tone.

"The whispers got louder until I couldn't think," Gabrielle continued with difficulty. "I started to lose that connection I always feel when we're together-the love we share. It was like a cold void was opening up inside me and I was losing myself-and us-to it."

"Yakut mentioned something about a soul thief," Xena nodded her understanding. "That was probably the voice you heard. I don't remember the name she used, but she admitted that the Northern Amazons-most likely Yanush-were probably responsible for his appearance. She also said the demon blood you share with Hope probably attracted it to you."

Gabrielle nodded. "Sounds plausible, especially considering some of the things he said to me." She shuddered again. "If I never again experience anything like that it'll be too soon. The more I lost my connection with you, the closer that thing came to me, until it finally showed itself completely. Terrified me when I realized I was looking into the depths of a world without love." She lifted her eyes to meet Xena's. "Just when I thought it would suck me in completely, everything stopped-I stopped it."

A dark brow rose in confusion. "Say again?"

"It had me," Gabrielle tried to come up with words to explain what happened. "I felt the desolation washing over me and then?" Her own brow furrowed in concentration. "Then I was in that meadow and?you were there with me." Another tear slipped unheeded down her cheek. "You were there and I felt more complete than I'd ever felt before." Another tear slipped down her other cheek. "Love," she whispered the word, as she reached up and caressed Xena's cheek. "We stopped him with our love. I remember that so vividly now."

Xena let her forehead rest against Gabrielle's and ran a hand through the bard's hair. "I knew you would come back to me, sweetheart."

"I realized my love for you was far stronger than the fear," Gabrielle continued. "I used our love to push everything else out and that's when his hold disappeared. And then you were there and I knew I could face anything that's thrown our way." She just held the back of Xena's head for a moment and reveled in their closeness. "As long as we have this, there is no power on earth or beyond that can ever separate us. We are as complete as two souls could ever be, Xena."

Xena didn't say a word. Emotions strong and overwhelming welled up inside her and burst forth at that moment. They manifested themselves in the tears that trailed down her cheeks and joined those of the woman she shared the same air with. Gabrielle was right. They were complete. She could feel it to the very depths of her soul-a soul that, up to that point, had been battered and broken. But now they two were one through the love they shared, as surely as if they had taken marriage vows before the gods themselves.

"It's time," the bard whispered the words so quietly that even Xena's exceptional hearing almost didn't catch them.

"Time?" Xena pulled back enough to look into the other half of her soul.

"We don't need to stay here any longer," Gabrielle explained. "We finally discovered what it was we were searching for. And we don't need an Amazon joining ceremony to tell us what we already know. It's time to move on."

Xena nodded. "Okay."

"It's time to get back out there on the road, just the two of us," Gabrielle continued. "I think we're finally ready to face any challenge that comes our way. Don't you?"

"Definitely," Xena smiled warmly. "As long as I have you here by my side, there's nothing we can't do."

Gabrielle closed the distance between them and kissed Xena with all the love she felt in that moment. The kiss deepened and soon they found themselves sharing much more than kisses. Their lovemaking was like nothing they'd ever experienced and when they finally came together, they were one in mind, one in body and one in soul. Two halves joined as one for all eternity. It was blessed. It was bliss. The Elysian Fields paled in comparison.

***

Gabrielle entered the meal hut and searched the seemingly deserted interior. The place was quiet, which wasn't surprising for the late hour. She spotted her target and walked over to the queen's table. Without preamble she sat down next to Ephiny. The sun had gone down several hours before and the regent was just digging in to a late meal of bread, cheese and roast venison left over from the evening meal. Ephiny glanced up in surprise at the sudden intrusion and then smiled.

"Gabrielle?" The regent addressed the newcomer. "What are you doing here? How are you doing? You and Xena get things squared away?"

Gabrielle grabbed a piece of bread, slathered it with butter and plopped a piece of cheese on top. She took a huge bite and chewed vigorously before swallowing.

"Can't a girl get something to eat without being grilled for information?" Gabrielle finally answered after a sip of cold cider that a lone kitchen woman set down in front of her.

"You could have just asked the cooks to deliver something to your hut," Ephiny watched Gabrielle plow through her bread and cheese with gusto and then fix another with a slab of venison on top. "Slow down there, Gab. You're gonna choke. And I do not want to explain that one to Xena after all you put her through. Matter of fact, you scared us all beyond belief this time around."

"Speaking of which," Gabrielle set her untouched sandwich on Ephiny's plate and took another drink of cider. "I came to tell you we're leaving." She looked to Ephiny for a reaction and got a shrug, instead. "You don't seem surprised."

"I'm not, not really," Ephiny replied with a resigned shrug. "It was bound to happen eventually." She wrapped an arm around Gabrielle's shoulders. "I'm just glad things worked out and you're okay. I guess I should have known better, though. Right?"

"Truth be told, Eph, I'm really glad things worked out, too," Gabrielle admitted. She leaned her head on the regent's shoulder and wrapped an arm around her waist. "I'm gonna miss you guys. I've gotten to know so many of the sisters that I finally feel like a bona fide member of the family."

"You're a vital member of our family, Gab," Ephiny smirked. "You and Xena, both." She pulled away enough to look the bard in the eye. "You two staying long enough for the initiation ceremony at the New Moon Festival tomorrow night?"

Gabrielle considered that a moment. "We'd planned to leave first thing in the morning, but?"

"Oh, come on," Ephiny cut in. "At least give us the chance to say a proper Amazon farewell before you two go traipsing off into parts unknown. It's the least you can do after all you put us through during these past few moons. Besides," she shot the bard a wry smirk, "those girls are looking forward to having Queen Gabrielle initiate them into the tribe as full-fledged Amazons. They'll be crestfallen if you and Xena aren't there."

"All right, all right," Gabrielle conceded. "I'll talk to Xena and see what she has to say about it. I'm not promising anything, you understand," she interjected quickly, before Ephiny could put in another plea. "We had a breakthrough earlier and we need to move forward. Getting back out on the road will give us the chance to do that."

Ephiny slowly nodded. "Okay, I guess I can understand that. Any chance you two will allow us to throw a joining ceremony into the festivities tomorrow night?"

Gabrielle shook her head with a wistful smile. "We don't need a ceremony. Xena and I are joined in here," she held a fist to her heart. "Besides, Xena's not an Amazon and I won't ask her to take that step for anything."

"She hasn't told you?" Ephiny took a sip from her mug.

"Told me what?"

"The reason Xena went on that hunting expedition with Eponin and Chilapa wasn't just to share some of her vast knowledge with the girls," Ephiny explained. "It's a stipulation of her initiation into the tribe."

"I'm sorry, but did you just say?"

"Mmhm," Ephiny nodded. "Xena's been covertly meeting with the priestesses and a few of the elders. She wanted to surprise you at the festival." Her expression turned thoughtful. "So much for keeping it a surprise."

"I can't believe she didn't tell me," Gabrielle set her mug in front of her and stared out at the empty room. She glanced over at Ephiny. "Are you sure?"

"Ask Eponin if you don't believe me," the regent answered with a nonchalant shrug. "Xena asked her to be her mentor for the initiation. Every initiate has to have someone within the tribe who will stand up for them. I guess Xena being a warrior and Eponin being our weapons master?well, the two do tend to speak the same language, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I guess so," Gabrielle absently replied, still wrapping her mind around this latest development.

"You okay?" Ephiny asked.

"Fine, why?"

"You look a little?um?I don't know?It's not like you to be at a loss for words," Ephiny finished awkwardly. "You're usually the talkative one here."

Gabrielle abruptly stood and nearly knocked her chair over in the process. "If you'll excuse me, Eph," she said without meeting the regent's gaze, as she made her way around the table toward the door. "I'll see you tomorrow," she called back over her shoulder on her way out of the hut.

Ephiny sat there for a moment just shaking her head at Gabrielle's unexpected departure. She nearly chided herself for spilling the beans on Xena's covert initiation into the tribe, but then shrugged it off. Whatever was going on between Xena and Gabrielle was certainly no concern of hers.

"Hey, there," Eponin suddenly appeared beside her, as if from nowhere. "I thought you were just catching a quick bite and then coming home."

Ephiny motioned for the weapons master to join her, which Eponin did with a curious look.

"What's up?" Eponin shot the regent a raised-browed look. "Hey, by the way, was that Gabrielle I just saw leaving here?"

"Yeah," Ephiny pushed her plate away and sat back in her chair. She turned her scowl on Eponin. "They're leaving."

Eponin downed the rest of Gabrielle's cider and winced. "Ugh! Cider. Who drinks this stuff? Tastes like centaur piss."

"Did you hear a word I just said?" Ephiny shot the brunette an exasperated glare.

"I heard ya," Eponin answered with a shrug. "Don't get your leathers in a twist, Eph. It was bound to happen eventually." She grabbed the pitcher in front of Ephiny and filled her mug, then took a tentative sip. When she was sure it was ale in her mug, she downed the entire contents in a few gulps. "Now that's more like it," she sighed as she slammed the empty mug onto the table and belched loudly. Then she caught her companion's scowl. "What?"

"Can you be any more disgusting?" Ephiny answered drolly. "I swear, sometimes I have no idea why I put up with you."

Eponin leaned in close. "Come home and I'll show you," she wiggled her brows a few times and grinned, earning an eye roll from the regent. "Come on, you know you love me," Eponin said and emphasized the point with a puppy-dog pout. "Pweeease, Eph? I promise to be good." She leaned on the regent's shoulder and glanced up. "Forget her maj and Xena for the rest of tonight. We'll sort everything out tomorrow." She stood up and held a hand out toward the regent. "Let's go home, Eph."

Ephiny reluctantly put a hand into Eponin's and allowed the weapons master to pull her to her feet. Time enough later to think about what tomorrow would bring, she thought.

***

Gabrielle entered the hut she shared with Xena and took a moment to allow her eyes to adjust to the muted lighting. A few lit candles were scattered around the room and a small fire burned in the fireplace, casting the room in soft golden hues.

"Xena?" Gabrielle called into the seemingly empty place. "Are you here?"

Xena emerged from their bathing room, toweling her damp hair dry. She was dressed in a fresh shift and looked like she'd just taken a bath.

"Yep," came the quick answer. "Just finished."

Gabrielle walked over to one of the two chairs in front of the fireplace and sat down. She silently stared into the fire for a few moments, as she gathered her thoughts.

"Did you find Ephiny and let her know we're leaving?" Xena said as she puttered around the room.

"Mmhm," came the absent reply.

Silence reigned again and this time Xena noticed the distant look in the bard's eyes.

"Something wrong, Gabrielle?" Xena asked, as she sat down on the arm of the chair next to Gabrielle's and continued toweling her hair.

Gabrielle looked over and met Xena's expectant gaze. "I thought we weren't keeping secrets from each other anymore."

It was then that Xena caught the hurt look in Gabrielle's eyes. She had no idea what this was about, but felt her stomach drop at the unexpected look.

"What?" Xena stopped what she was doing in order to focus her full attention on Gabrielle. "What's this about, Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle folded her hands in her lap and didn't meet Xena's intense gaze. "I spoke to Ephiny-told her we're planning on leaving in the morning. She asked that we stay until after the festival tomorrow night." When she did meet Xena's gaze, she saw wariness there. "Ephiny wants me to initiate the new Amazons into the tribe."

"Okay," Xena said. "But what does that have to do with keeping secrets? I guess I don't know where you're coming from, sweetheart." Xena sat down in the chair and waited for Gabrielle to continue.

"Ephiny told me you've been going through the initiation process," Gabrielle said. "She said that's why you went on that hunting expedition with Eponin, Chilapa and the girls."

Xena sat back and blew out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding. A low chuckle escaped as relief washed over her. "Is that all?" She finally met Gabrielle's eyes and saw the wariness in the woman's expression. "I'm sorry, love. I just?" Xena scooted her chair around until they were face to face. She then took Gabrielle's hands in hers. "I had no idea if I was going to go through with it or not, so I didn't tell you. I guess I figured you'd understand and forgive me, if and when I decided to show up to the actual ceremony. But I didn't know if I would actually go through with it and I didn't want to disappoint you."

"So you really weren't keeping a secret, you were just?" Gabrielle shrugged.

Xena smirked. "It was supposed to be a surprise," she said. "I swore Eponin to secrecy, just in case I got cold feet about joining this ragtag group of?"

Gabrielle placed a finger over Xena's lips to stop her. "Do you still want to go through with it?"

Xena's lips parted enough for her to stick the tip of her tongue out and lick Gabrielle's finger. Rather than pull her hand away, Gabrielle merely circled the warrior's lips with her finger. It was a seductive gesture that was not lost on either woman.

"Become a full-fledge Amazon?" A dark brow rose, as Xena appeared to consider the question thoughtfully. "Hm, not sure. I still don't know if I'm really cut out for this sedentary life. You and I both know what the northern tribes think about what I did to their queens. There's always going to be animosity from that quarter, no matter how many years pass. I don't want them using what I did against the tribe every time a dispute comes up. That's not fair to these women or you. We both know how hard you worked on those treaties with the surrounding villages. Peace is so hard to come by these days."

Gabrielle leaned forward until their foreheads touched. "It's in the past, Xena. You're not that person anymore." Her lips met Xena's and the kiss lingered. "I love the woman you are today and that's not going to change, whether you become an Amazon or not. It makes no difference to me. I will love you no matter what you decide. Our relationship won't change just because you decide not to take a step you're not ready or willing to take." Gabrielle squeezed the hands holding hers, let one hand go and cupped Xena's cheek. "I love you."

Xena nodded as best she could without breaking contact with Gabrielle's forehead. "I love you, too."

They sat that way in companionable silence as they reveled in the shared moment. Then Xena pulled back suddenly.

"You didn't say we would stay, did you?" The warrior inquired warily.

"I told Eph I'd speak to you first," Gabrielle replied. "Why?"

"Think about it," Xena continued. "Another night of drunken revelry versus the two of us enjoying some quality peace and quiet near our favorite waterfall? Lying beneath the open night sky and counting the stars." She wiggled her eyebrows invitingly.

"Yeah," Gabrielle said. "When you put it that way?"

She shot to her feet and went to the foot of the bed. Without another word, Gabrielle started shoving things into their saddlebags and traveling packs. She even packed the bundle of wrapped sais away in the bottom of her own satchel. She would ask Xena to teach her how to use the weapons, even if she never actually wielded them in a fight.

"What are you doing?" Xena asked.

"Packing," Gabrielle answered with her head buried in the trunk. "I figure we can catch a couple candlemarks of sleep and head out before midnight. That way we won't have to explain anything to anyone, because they'll all be sound asleep. Ephiny also won't have another chance to convince me to stay here and do my duty."

Xena saw the logic in Gabrielle's words. She got up from her chair and went to stand behind the busy woman. Without warning, she grabbed Gabrielle from behind, spun her until they were facing each other and planted a smoldering kiss on the surprised woman's lips. The kiss lingered and left them both breathless with desire.

"Wha?What was that for?" Gabrielle finally found her voice after she had the chance to catch her breath.

"For being you," Xena said, as she lightly brushed Gabrielle's overgrown bangs from her eyes.

"Okay, so maybe we can forgo sleep and just?um?" Gabrielle reached for the ties on her shirt and found her hands brushed aside by Xena's larger ones.

They quickly undressed each other and enjoyed the bed one last time. Their lovemaking was slow and deliberate. Neither woman was in any real hurry to have the night end. They reveled in the newfound depth of their love and wanted nothing more than to demonstrate that love in ways that left them both completely satisfied.

Epilogue

When their lovemaking finally came to an end several candlemarks later, they quickly donned their traveling clothes and snuffed the candles behind them as they left under the cover of darkness. Their only delay was a quick detour to the stables to grab Argo. The mare was happy to see them and seemed anxious to leave the stables behind.

The trio remained completely silent as they made their way through the quiet village. After passing the village center, where the imposing dais stood silent sentinel over the ashes of the last bonfire, they took a little-known deer path that Xena had discovered during her many forays through the village. Veering south and west, they slipped past one of the guarded gates and into the woods that edged the village. It wasn't an easy trek for Argo, but she seemed to sense the need for silence and continued on without protest.

When they finally emerged from the woods, they were well beyond the western gate and just south of a road that would take them toward Amphipolis. Xena and Gabrielle exchanged a silent nod and skirted the road. Shortly before dawn they found a small stream and stopped to allow Argo a brief drink in the clear water.

"You okay?" Xena asked Gabrielle, as the bard fairly collapsed onto a fallen log to rest.

"A little tired," Gabrielle accepted the skin of cider Xena handed her. She was a little surprised by the sweet taste that greeted her tongue as she took a sip. "Where??"

"Had it stashed away for a quick escape," Xena interrupted, as she took a seat next to Gabrielle. "Figured we'd need a few things, just in case." She pulled a wrapped bundle from the saddlebag she was holding. "Grabbed these this morning." She unwrapped the bundle to reveal a hunk of cheese, some roasted nuts, a loaf of brown bread and a pouch of dried grapes.

Gabrielle ripped the bread in two and handed half to Xena. She did the same with the cheese and then divided the nuts and dried grapes equally. At the look Xena gave her, Gabrielle shrugged.

"You need to eat, as much as I do," the bard commented around a mouthful of bread and cheese.

"Slow down, Gabrielle," Xena chided, as she ate her own share of the bread and cheese.

"Starving," Gabrielle managed to say around another mouthful. She rested her head against Xena's bare shoulder and continued to eat with gusto. "Thank you, hon," she said between bites.

"No problem," Xena replied. "I'm just glad we escaped without a hitch."

Gabrielle sat up. "Yeah, that was a little too easy, don't you think?"

"Don't jinx it, Gabrielle," Xena chided.

"I'm just saying," Gabrielle continued. "What are the odds??"

"I don't know. I don't want to know. I don't care," Xena finished her food and washed it down with a generous drink of the sweet cider. "Far as I'm concerned, we've managed to evade the Amazon royal guard and, more importantly, your nosey regent."

Gabrielle's expression turned wistful. "Yeah, I'm kinda sorry about skipping out on Ephiny like that. I didn't even say goodbye."

"We'll send her a message when we get to the next town," Xena said.

"Town?" Gabrielle perked up.

"Yeah," Xena put a hand on the bard's bare knee and squeezed. "I figured we'd spend the day shopping and then stay the night in an inn-get a good night's sleep before we embark on this new adventure."

Gabrielle glanced up at the lightening sky and couldn't stop a yawn from escaping unbidden. "Maybe we should get the room first, take a nap and then go shopping."

Xena smiled warmly. "Whatever Gabrielle wants?"

"Gabrielle gets," the bard teased. "Yes, I think I've heard that before."

Xena stood up and reached a hand out to help the smaller woman to her feet. "The sooner we get there, the sooner you get a nice, soft bed to sleep in, my bard."

Gabrielle groaned softly as Xena helped her to her feet. "Why do I get the feeling I'm gonna be sore and stiff come tomorrow." She stretched the kinks.

"You act like we've been on the road for a week," Xena chuckled. "We haven't even met any thugs or marauders yet. I'm kinda looking forward to that first fight, let me tell ya." She reached back, grabbed the hilt of her sword and yanked it free in one swift motion. As if she were facing a dozen men with swords, she feinted, parried, thrust and did a few flips for good measure. "Mm, feels good to be out in the open again. Too crowded in the village."

"Good grief, Xe," Gabrielle grabbed Argo's reins and just kept going without a backward glance. "You're making that bed more inviting by the moment. Come on, girl," she said to the mare. "Let's find that town and a nice helping of fresh oats for you." She gave the mare's neck an affectionate pat and received an answering snort in return.

In one swift move, Xena flipped her sword over one shoulder and shoved it back in the scabbard on her back. Then she brought up the rear with sure, long strides that had her next to the bard and mare in less time than it took for the pair to go ten paces.
"You two are no fun," the warrior remarked, as they continued on their way.

The sun rose in the eastern sky and topped the trees, bathing the world in its golden glow and ushering in a bright promise of things to come.

The End.

Thanks for sticking around for the ride.
Please let me know what you thought: sgkctl1985@yahoo.com.