Subtext: For sure! There is love between two couples, women. If this offends you then don't read this story. But there is no sex contained in this story.

Started: August 27, 1999

If anybody has comments about my story please let me know at:

redhope@redhope.netm

Part 5

Section 5

~*Part 14*~

The regent looks skeptically from the bard's hand writing to the map again then back to the scroll.

"Gabrielle, I agree with everything but Xena going into the mountains" The bard took a deep breath and retorted.

"Ephiny, Xena will be fine"

"It's not Xena I am worried about its my Amazons" The blond arched an eyebrow at her Amazon friend.

"They'll be fine Ephiny so as long as they follow Xena's orders" The curly-blond crossed her arms against her chest and straightened her back.

"I don't know Gabrielle"

"Ephiny?" Amber eyes still stared at the map. "Ephiny" The regent look to the Queen. "Xena can handle this, you know that. She's been a warrior all her life practically" The regent took a deep breath and thought for a moment.

"Alright Gabrielle but she better be damn careful with the warriors" Gabrielle smiled to Ephiny.

"She will, I'll remind her too" And a pause. "She's not stupid" A snort from the regent.

"Quite the opposite huh?" The bard grinned.

"Now is everything else meet your approval?" Ephiny studied the scroll again over the basic plans then she nodded her head.

"Looks good to me…daughter" Emerald eyes widen and the regent chuckled. "Servers you right"

"You know that's incest Ephiny" The regent brought up one eyebrow in question. "If Xena and I are your daughters and her and I are…lovers" A blush from the bard. Both of Ephiny's brows went up.

"Gabrielle it's a joke" The bard nodded her head quickly and rubbed her neck for a second then averted her eyes back to the map and scroll.

"So plans sound fine?" The regent grinned at the change of subject.

"Yup, sound great" The bard nodded her head and rolled up the scroll and left the map to Ephiny.

"Glad I caught you before things got to busy. I am going to go find Xena"

"Alright, talk to you later" The bard nodded and headed out of the regent's hut. Ephiny heard the door shut and she shook her head for a moment then chuckled.

Xena dipped the second to last throwing arrow into the thick red liquid. She lifted it up from the bowl and held it up, a little of the thick liquid running down. But it all quickly dried onto the tip, the arrow soon found itself placed down to the other four red tipped throwing stars. The hut door swung open and a small form entered. A large hand picked up the last star arrow and was dipped into the liquid.

"Well Ephiny is a bit stingy about letting you go into the mountains" The hut door closed with a thud.

"I kind of figured she would and that's why I let you talk to her" Blue eyes looked up from the drying tipped arrow.

"Yeah well I think she's okay with the idea" Xena grinned and replied.

"Well its not like she could say no to the Queen" The bard rolled her eyes.

"Or my temper that would have flared otherwise" The warrior nodded her head and placed the sixth star arrow by the other five on the wood table. She strolled into the washroom to rid of the red liquid. Xena returned to see her lover laying on the bed, eyes closed.

"You feeling okay?" New spring eyes opened up to stare at the wood ceiling.

"Yeah, just not in the mood for any of this" Xena nodded her head in understanding. "But its got to be done" Gabrielle sat up. "So what were you doing?" The warrior picked up one of the arrows and handed to her bard.

"Tipped it with the Ipecac" Gabrielle nodded her head and studied it for a moment then handed it back to Xena. "Plan on using it to put Okeanos out of commission during some of the fight"

"Won't kill him?" The Warrior Princess turned back around from placing the arrow back on the table.

"No, just make him puke for a number of candlemarks" The smaller woman nodded her head. Xena then noticed that amount of stress in her lover's eyes. "Hey, how about I return this Ipecac back to the healer's hut and we'll go to the edge of the forest to spar for a little?" Gabrielle's eyes looked up from the wood floor to her lover, a small smile formed on the bard's lips.

"Yeah?"

"Why not? Ephiny can handle things here for a while" The Queen nodded her head and hopped off the bed.

The warrior sheathed her sword and smiled to her soulmate.

"Not bad" The bard grinned and leaned against her staff, her bangs a bit wet from perspiration.

"Yeah you didn't do to bad either" Xena laughed and took a step forward and gave her bard a hug.

"Let's take a breather"

"I'm all for it" So Xena walked over to a tree and sat down on the cool ground her back against the smooth tree. The bard stalked over and dropped her staff next to the warrior and Xena propped her legs up. Gabrielle sat down between her partner's legs and leaned into Xena. The warrior is feeling extremely warm from the sparring. New spring eyes drifted shut, the bard's arm crossing against her chest. Her mind began to drift back to the night in the camp before Gabrielle had been kidnapped.

"Xena I don't know how to deal with all this" The warrior's eyes dropped to the ground, her arms crossing against her chest. She looked back up to her soulmate, locking eyes with her.

"Tell me what you're thinking, feeling. Please get those emotions out Gabrielle" The bard dropped her own eye contact and started pacing again, her hands on her hips now. She brought one hand up to go into her blond hair again. Tears started to slowly trickle down her cheeks.

The bard's face shifted into sadness, her eyes tightly closed. Her memories glided past.

"I want to kill her so bad Xena, so badly. I still see her in my dreams, hear her cynical laugh, her voice calling my name, see her cold white glossed eyes. Gods I want to kill the murdering bitch" The warrior kept her eyes lock with the sea green ones before her, she replied but her voice was becoming shaky.

"I know you Gabrielle, you can make it through this. I remember once a wise friend told me that the cycle of hatred has to end and the only way to do that is through love and forgiveness. Please don't give up that fight" The bard nodded some, a very faint smile to her lips.

Gabrielle's body loosened up some, her memories of that night still drifted to her.

"Only if you're beside me Xena. I can't do it without my soulmate" The tall warrior let her tears begin to trickle down her cheeks. Gabrielle threw herself into Xena's arms, the ex-warlords arms immediately wrapping around her tightly.

"I'll never leave your side my bard"

The Amazon Queen took a deep breath her body feeling protected. She wasn't sure if she was going to start crying again, but she held it back. Her memories went back a little in the conversation that night.

"Hate myself" Gabrielle looked up into blue eyes, pain evident in her emerald eyes. Xena uncrossed her arms and then quietly replied with a question.

"Why?" Now it was the younger female whom crossed her arms against her chest.

"I hate myself for leaving them, if I never had it wouldn't have ever happened" The warrior nodded.

The bard's brows furrow at something in that memory, her mind replayed that scene over again.

"Hate myself" Gabrielle looked up into blue eyes, pain evident in her emerald eyes. Xena uncrossed her arms and then quietly replied with a question.

"Why?" Now it was the younger female whom crossed her arms against her chest.

"I hate myself for leaving them, if I never had it wouldn't have ever happened" The warrior nodded. The look of pain just faintly crossed the warrior's face, her right fist clenched together for a moment then unclenched.

Gabrielle held that image in her head of Xena's face looking like she was in pain. Her mind remembered the set of blue eyes at that instant.

Blue eyes went distant for a second, self-anger filled them. It was if those words stung the warrior like a million arrows, her guilt coming to life.

Immediately Gabrielle's eyes flew open, she mentally slapped herself. Xena thinks I'd rather have been at Poteidaia then travelling with her.

"Gabrielle you okay?" The bard sat up from her spot and turned to face Xena, on both of her knees.

"Xena, remember the night in the camp before I was taken?" The warrior's eyebrow's creased together as she nodded.

"Yeah I remember, why?"

"Well remember how I said I hate myself and you asked why then I said if I had left then it wouldn't have happened" The bard quickly noticed those blue eyes picked up a hint of distance to them

"Yes"

"I'm sorry"

"What?" The Amazon Queen took the warrior's hands holding them.

"I know that must have hurt you. I didn't mean for it to sound like I'd rather be at Poteidaia then with you" The warrior's cobalt eyes lost their distance and filled with love.

"Thanks" Gabrielle smiled and got one reflected back. She leaned in and lightly kissed Xena on lips.

"Gods I'm sorry Xena, I want to be with you, no where else"

"I know, I only want to be with you my bard" The older woman pulled her partner in, they hugged. "We better get back" The smaller woman sighed and released her friend and stood up. Gabrielle snatched her staff up from the ground and lowered her right hand to Xena. The warrior grinned and took the offered hand and was hauled up to her feet.

"I'm probably the only person that gets to do that" Xena arched an eyebrow.

"Do what?"

"Help lift you up" Xena laughed at the smug look and her bard's words. They both started walking to the Amazon village.

"You are"

"How far away is he?" The scout looked to the regent with a serious face.

"He's about a day's ride. We're both positive Okeanos will be here by late tomorrow morning" Ephiny nodded.

"Okay thanks, both of you get back out there and keep on eye on him" The scouts both nodded and began to move.

Gabrielle chuckled then lifted her head up after hearing Xena's laughs stop. She figured out why real fast. The bard watched as the two scouts nodded to Ephiny and hurried off.

"Ephiny!" The regent whirled around to see the bard and her warrior. "What did the scouts say?" Ephiny quickly powered walked to the Queen to answer her.

"They said Okeanos will probably be here late tomorrow morning" The threesome stood only a pace away from each other.

"Is his troops larger?" The curly-blond looked up to Xena and replied.

"No, still the same" Then the regent looked to Gabrielle again. "We haven't heard anything of the mercenaries yet"

"Hades, nothing?"

"Afraid not Gabrielle"

"Xena?" The warrior looked down at the bard. "You think we'll still be able to win this one without the mercenaries?"

"If we're smart about it, yes" Gabrielle nodded her head and Ephiny looked up to the Warrior Princess.

"I heard you're taking some of my warriors into the mountains"

"I am"

"Be careful with them Xena. The mountains are barren and it's easy to spot people" The warrior nodded.

"I know Ephiny" The warrior brought up one hand to fall on Ephiny's shoulder, she looked deep into amber eyes. "Trust me Ephiny" The regent slightly smiled.

"I do Xena" The warrior smiled and nodded while releasing the Amazon.

"Ephiny?" The regent looked to the bard. "Has Eponin heard from Eilis?"

"No why?" Ephiny's face brightened in realization. "The hemlock arrows right?" Gabrielle nodded. "No I haven't heard anything about it"

"Okay, Xena and I will go take care of that" The curly-blond nodded. "How is everything else looking?"

"Pretty good, everybody is in top notch performance, Eponin and Solari are busy right now organizing the weapons and forces"

"Good, how about in…a quarter of a candlemark Xena and I will meet up with you, Solari and Eponin to go over everything"

"Sounds like a plan" Gabrielle smiled

"Great" Ephiny nodded and she hustled off to take care of any last minute things. The warrior and bard began to make their trek to the Healer's Hut.

Eilis looked up as a dark haired female entered with a blond right behind.

"Eilis?" The healer smiled to the pair.

"Gabrielle, what can I help you with?" The bard stepped up to the Amazon standing up behind the desk.

"Do you get the hemlock prepared?"

"Yes I did as a matter of fact, just awhile ago, took it over to Eponin" Gabrielle smiled.

"So that's where you were earlier?"

"Yes, I'd went to drop it off" Eilis looked up to the tall warrior. "By the way thank you for returning the Ipecac"

"You got it? Thank you" The healer nodded to Xena.

"No problem" Then the healer looked back to the Queen. "Is there anything else you need Gabrielle?" The bard smiled.

"No, just wanted to check and make sure you got the hemlock to Eponin. Thank you for doing that on short notice" Eilis smiled.

"You're welcome, that's what I am here for"

"Xena and I have to go"

"Good luck with everything Queen Gabrielle and Xena" The bard waves with a smile and the two soulmates left the hut. They then made a beeline for the sparring field. The bard stopped in her tracks all of a sudden, Xena took another step then stopped and asked.

"What's wrong?" Gabrielle snapped her fingers.

"Forgot about the scrolls with the plans. Um you go ahead Xena, tell them I'll be right there" The warrior nodded her head and walked on to the practice field, the bard power walking off to the Queen's Hut.

Ephiny nodded her head then looked up to catch sight of a leather-clad warrior coming her way, she smiled. Xena came up to the group with an expressionless face. The regent looked up to the warrior with a grin.

"Where's my other daughter?" The Warrior Princess let an eyebrow go up as she replied.

"Gabrielle went to get the scroll with the tactics" Ephiny nodded her head. "Ephiny?"

"Yeah?"

"That's incest" The regent closed her eyes and shook her head, opening her eyes again she half laughed.

"Xena it was a joke" Xena nodded her head with a grin.

"I know" A pause. "A bad one too"

"Thanks" The warrior chuckled and Eponin looked to Solari with a confused look. The second in command grinned.

"It's a running joke Eponin" The weapons master nodded her head at Solari's explanation.

"What's this about a running joke?" Everybody turned to see the grinning Queen of the Amazons, scroll in one hand, the staff in the other.

"They're talking about Ephiny's incest joke" Gabrielle looked up to her soulmate, her eyes widen for a second then went normal.

"Oh she tried to pull that one on you too huh?" Xena nodded and Gabrielle looked to the regent. "Ephiny, it's a bad joke" Ephiny threw up her arms for a second then huffed.

"Okay it's a bad incest joke, are you both happy?" Both soulmates smirked and Gabrielle replied.

"Yes, now lets get this over with" Everybody went serious as Gabrielle let her staff lean against her shoulder and she unrolled the scroll. "Okay here's the break up, Xena is going to be in charge of thirty warriors and five archers. Xena and her group will be going into the mountains to start the attack by trying to surprise attack as many of Okeanos' men as possible. Then Solari" The bard looked to the second in command whom nodded. "You will be in charge of twenty archers and twenty warriors all in the trees, your job will be to take out as many calvary as possible" Solari nodded her head. Gabrielle looked to the scroll and went on. "I will be controlling the main force of a hundred and fifty Amazons in the Amazon forest and we will be loosely organized into three waves of fifty" Then the Queen looked to the regent. "Ephiny as you know you'll be in charge of the calvary of thirty riders and will be back up. When I signal your group will split in half and come in on the sides of the battle and work in" The regent nodded her head in understand and the bard looked to Eponin. "Eponin you are in charge of the mercenaries, we have no idea when they'll arrive, could be between now and in the middle of the battle" Gabrielle took a deep breath. "If they don't arrive by the time the fight starts you are to stay with me. Once they do, the mercenaries will be attacking the weakest side of Okeanos' men" Eponin also nodded her head. "Did I leave anything out?" The regent looked to the bard.

"How about the hemlock?" Gabrielle rolled up her scroll, nodded and looked to Eponin.

"Did Eilis bring you some hemlock?"

"Yes she did, she said you order the arrow tips to be poisoned with the hemlock"

"Yes, I want them tipped then distributed to all the archers, make sure there are plenty of poison arrows" The weapons master nodded and replied.

"I already have people tipping the arrows as you requested" Gabrielle smiled and looked to Solari.

"Solari your archers will be having the main supply of poison arrows, make sure the archers use them efficiently to take out the calvary" Solari nodded.

"Gabrielle what about retreat?" The bard looked up to her soulmate and then back to everybody with a lopsided smile.

"Nuts I forgot that huh?" Everybody chuckled at the bard's words. "Okay, if it does happen we are losing we are to retreat"

"But Gabrielle that's not the Amazon tradition"

"I don't care Solari, I am not going to get this Nation killed over one warlord. We are to retreat and regroup…where's the nearest Amazon Tribe?" The regent answered that.

"There's a tribe south of here on the coast, large fishing one. Their Queen is Mairead and it's about three days ride"

"Okay that's where we regroup. Any arguments with that?" No body disagreed but Eponin questioned.

"Gabrielle, why are we going to regroup?"

"If we don't win this battle Eponin we need to win the war and that means getting more help from other Amazons. It won't do us any good to get us all killed" Everybody nodded in agreement.

"What's our retreat signal going to be?" The Queen looked to Solari.

"We'll use the retreat bird call"

"Gabrielle I think we should have the village burned if we do retreat" Gabrielle looked up to her soulmate, Xena's eyes were serious, Ephiny backing the warrior up.

"Xena is right Gabrielle, we shouldn't leave anything for Okeanos to make use of" The bard's eyes drops. This is getting to hard, to much weight on her shoulders. She looked back up to everybody.

"Alright, if it comes to that, have the village burned" The Queen took a deep breath. "Any questions?" Nobody said anything-just shakes of the heads. "Okay, stress to the Amazons in your group to follow orders, this is serious keep everybody in line. If we lose this battle we're not sure if we'll be able to stop them later on, lets not screw this up" All the people in the group nodded to their Queen. They were all surprised the bard's sternness and power but then again this was a serious issue. "Good luck you guys and thank you, all of you have been a big help" Everybody smiled in return.

"We'll get them" Gabrielle grinned at Eponin.

"Lets hope so, but no counting chickens before they hatch" Eponin nodded.

"I believe we all have things to get in order" The regent looked to Solari and Eponin after her statement and the two Amazons chuckled and stalked off. "Good job Gabrielle" The bard smiled to her friend.

"Thanks Eph, I hope this works"

"Well it won't be because you haven't tried" Gabrielle corked grinned. "See you two" And with that Ephiny left the two soulmates.

"Incest?" Xena chuckled at the bard.

"Yeah that's what I told her"

"So did I, but I felt a little stupider about it" The two soulmates turned from the sparring field to head in the general direction of the Queen's Hut.

"Well I think we got her back for that one then" The younger woman grinned.

"Poor Eph" The bard took a deep breath.

"How you feeling Gabrielle?"

"Other then being stressed, just great" Xena grinned.

"You're doing a good job Gabrielle, on top of things"

"Need to be"

"Well I think you had them all surprised about your firmness with them" Gabrielle nodded her head and the warrior opened the door to the hut. The bard stepped in then Xena did, the small blond dropped the scroll onto the table and then large hands fell to her shoulders. The warrior quickly felt the tension in them. "Sit down on the bed, give you a shoulder massage" The bard nodded her head and placed the staff against the wall her warrior already moving to the bed and sat down. Gabrielle came over and the warrior scouted more onto the bed, her boots just touching the floor. The small female sat down in front of her warrior on the bed between Xena's legs. Large hands went to the bard's shoulders and began to massage them. "You are awful quiet Gabrielle" Sea green eyes closed.

"Sorry, just tired any more"

"Hmm I noticed. How are those dreams?" Gabrielle dropped her head forward while Xena worked her neck.

"They're getting better" Large hands moved down to the bard's shoulder blades.

"Good, you look like you're sleeping better"

"Yeah I think after this escaped I'll be able to catch up on my sleep" The warrior grinned as she moved her hands to the upper middle of the bard's back. Gabrielle groaned in reaction. "That's a spot"

"I'd say so, I'd think you've been caring a mountain"

"Feels like it"

"Just relax" Xena's partner nodded. "Hey, we'll have a vacation real soon, I promise" Gabrielle smiled and her right hand fell on the warrior's leg.

"I can't wait. I think I'll sleep for two days straight" The Queen's eyes drifted open again as Xena's hands went to her shoulders again.

"Two days in bed with you, I wouldn't mind that myself" Gabrielle laughed at the warrior's connotation.

"You wouldn't"

"Oh? And you wouldn't mind if I did?" Again a few laughs came from the younger woman then she retorted.

"Oh no I wouldn't mind at all either"

"Thought so" Xena is grinning, her hands still massaging the slowly relaxing shoulders.

"I'd probably actually force you" The Warrior Princess laughed. The pair went quiet again. "Xena, you think your mom would let me tell a few stories in the tavern?" Xena began to let a smile form.

"I don't see why not"

"Haven't told a story in a long time it seems"

"You haven't been a bard for a long time it seems" Gabrielle nodded in agreement.

"Yeah I know, I need to start working on my stories again, miss it" A pause. "I have a couple of stories to write since…well since a while" The warrior knew what the "since" meant. "I really do love that journal you got me"

"I knew you would" The bard smiled and replied back.

"Ah well you really surprised me with it" The taller woman could tell her smaller partner was feeling more relax by how much she was talking. "You know I was always thinking about getting one, just never got around to it" Yup, more talking she was feeling better. Xena grinned inwardly. The bard's muscles were relaxed so she stopped massaging them and wrapped her arms around the bard's stomach.

"Well I'm glad the both of us thought so" Gabrielle turned her head and little of her body. Her right hand going up to Xena's closes cheek. Xena smiled down into emerald eyes and bent her head down, they both kissed intensely. Slowly they pulled back from the kiss and the bard smiled to her warrior, her small hand still on Xena's face.

"Thanks again for that journal" Xena smiled. "And for the massage"

"Any time" Gabrielle straightened back in the warrior's arms and dropped her head against her soulmate's right shoulder.

"Oh, gods I want to go to sleep" The warrior grinned and brought one hand up to the bard's head. Her long fingers began to massage Gabrielle's head. "And you're not helping" Xena chuckled for a moment and kept her massage going. "I can't go to sleep Xen" Xena grinned at the nickname slipping from the bard's lips.

"Shh, just relax" Within moments the Queen's mind glided away into another world, Gabrielle's body was completely relaxed in the warrior's arms. Xena had slowed the massage then finally stopped it, she lifted the smaller woman up into her arms and carried her over the side of the bed. With ease the blond was placed in bed, the covers pulled over her, Gabrielle slightly moaning to the actions in response. The tall female grinned then slipped out of the hut. As soon as Xena exited the hut did she spot an Amazon headed her way. It was the head Council Member. Xena's mind quickly worked to recall the Amazon's name. Maska Muska…no its Masika.

"Is the Queen in her hut?"

"She is" The warrior stepped into the head Council Member's path.

"I need to speak with her"

"She's taking a break right now, so you can speak with me" Masika looked up to the warrior and glared at her.

"This doesn't concern you warrior" The Council Member sidestepped the warrior, but Xena took two large strides and was in front of the Amazon again.

"Look Masika, nobody but me is allow to disturb the Queen right now. So either tell me now or tell her later" For emphasis Xena crossed her arms against her chest and straightened her back.

"Who in Hades do you think you are Xena? Even more so to this Nation? You're just some pet of the Queen's" The warrior brought up one eyebrow and her eyes iced over, an evil smirk crossing her lips.

"Let's put it this way Masika, I am the Queen's other half. Now then, what's your choice, me now or the Queen later?" The Amazon's hands fisted together as she glared up at the tall woman.

"I'd rather speak to the Queen"

"Then leave" And with that Masika stalked off in angered mood. Blue eyes watched her till she left the area then Xena went off in search of Ephiny.

Ephiny heard a knock and lifted her head to see her second in command walk in.

"Solari, what's going on?" The Amazon shrugged her shoulders.

"Everything is in order" The regent turned to her desk, picked up the scroll from her desk and leaned against her chair.

"Good, anything else?"

"Uh" Amber eyes lifted up from the scrolls to look to Solari in question. "I want to talk to you Eph…if you don't mind" The regent smiled to her.

"Sure" The curly-blond rolled up the scroll and tossed it onto her desk and looked back to the second in command. Solari opened her mouth to say something but a rap at the door stopped her. "Come in" A tall dark female came in and looked to the pair.

"Am I interrupting anything?" Ephiny was about to reply but Solari quickly cut her off.

"Oh no" Xena looked to the regent for conformation, she just nodded to the warrior. The warrior moved to stand next to the second in command.

"Where's Gabrielle?" Xena looked to the regent.

"She's back in the hut"

"Sleeping?"

"Yeah, she needs some sleep" Now Solari piped in.

"Defiantly for tomorrow" Xena nodded in agreement with Solari.

"She hasn't been sleeping well Xena?" The tall ex-warlord looked back to Ephiny.

"No she hasn't" The regent frown at that.

"My guess is since your death huh?" Xena just nodded.

"Thank the gods that whole episode with Velasca is over with" Both Xena and the regent looked to Solari and nodded.

"Yeah that was a mess, glad she's stuck in the cave" Blue eyes lifted back up to the regent's words.

"Speaking of which Ephiny, were you able to get the approval to have numerous dummy tombs made up?" The regent nodded to the warrior.

"The council went for it Xena, so we plan on working up a few. The one tomb that is here we plan to hide the enchanted scroll in" The warrior nodded at that.

"Good idea. Do we know where we'll have the real one?" Ephiny smiled.

"Yeah actually I was thinking that you and Gabrielle might want it in the Amazon Mountains but on the western side. When I was younger I use to explore those mountains and I recall stumbling onto a cave there, well hidden"

"I'll talk to Gabrielle about it later" The regent took a deep breath.

"I'm sure that's what she just wants to talk about, where to be buried" The ex-warlord's head bobbed up and down a few times.

"Has to be done unfortunately"

"Is that all you needed Xena?" The warrior grinned to her Amazon friend.

"That wasn't my real intent, I swung by to find out how things are going?" The regent looked to the quiet Solari then back to Xena.

"Well Solari just told me everything is ready to go"

"Good, no problems?" Both Amazon's shook their heads at that. Xena looked to Solari. "How many arrows were tipped with hemlock?" The second in command didn't reply right away but stared at the floor then looked up to Xena.

"If I recall Ep said there were…two hundred" Xena nodded in approval.

"Good" She then averted her eyes to Ephiny. "By the way, I burrowed six throwing arrows if you don't mind" The regent arched an eyebrow.

"Don't mind at all, but if you don't mind. What you planning to use them for?" A devilish grin formed on Xena's lips, the regent was official worried.

"I tipped them with Ipecac" The second in command's eyes widen and she looked up to the warrior.

"Ipecac? The same Ipecac that causes vomiting?" The Warrior Princess nodded her head.

"The same" Ephiny raised an eyebrow at the warrior.

"What you plan to do with them?" Xena's grin was still on her lips as she retorted to Ephiny.

"Gabrielle and I owe Okeanos for those poison tipped arrows" Both Amazons chuckled at her.

"Glad I am not on the receiving end of that" Ephiny and Xena looked to Solari as she continued. "I'd hate to be throwing up in a middle of a battle" The regent laughed again, the warrior just grinning.

"I think I am going to go practice out on the sparring field" Ephiny nodded to Xena's words and Solari looked to the regent.

"Yeah I need to go too, going to go double check everything" The curly-blond Amazon crossed her arms against her chest, a suspicious look masking her face, Xena just arched one of her dark eyebrows.

"I'll talk to you both later" Xena nodded and went to the door, opening it.

"Later Eph" With that the second in command left with the Warrior Princess.

"Solari, walk with me to the sparring field?" The second in command shrugged her shoulders.

"Sure why not? Headed that way myself" The pair were quiet for a few moments. Xena then broke the silence.

"So why didn't you talk to Ephiny?" Solari looked up to the warrior with a shocked look. Xena could always be blunt.

"Because…because I don't know what she thinks" Xena chuckled.

"Well you're not going to unless you talk to her" Solari nodded her head and kicked at a rock, she felt like a kid.

"Yeah I know, its just Eph is always so busy that…I don't know" The tall warrior grinned to herself and stared ahead.

"Solari, just sit down with her one day and talk to her. It won't kill you"

"But what if she doesn't feel the same?" Xena shrugged.

"Well at least you'll know the truth, don't wait till the last minute Solari. Been there done that. Besides she loves you" A shocked expression took over Solari's face.

"You think so huh? I don't see it" They came to the sparring field and stopped, Xena turned to her friend.

"I know so. And you wouldn't see it because you're not on the outside. Everybody else see it Solari. Just talk to her" The Amazon nodded her head and smiled to the warrior.

"Thanks Xena" The warrior smiled back.

"No problem"

"Never knew you went into those sensitive chats" The warrior's blue eyes rolled.

"Don't tell anybody" Solari chuckled, realizing Xena must consider her a friend if she talked to her about something like this.

"I guess Gabrielle is rubbing off on you huh?" Xena grinned.

"Yeah" Solari began to move.

"And you're rubbing off on her too" Solari turned around ten paces from Xena. "Bye Xena, thanks again" And with that the Amazon turned back around to stalk off after Eponin. Xena shook her head and stared at the ground for a moment.

"Ha, wait till Gabrielle hears that" The tall dark warrior unsheathed her sword and stepped into the middle of the empty sparring field. It was late afternoon a little more then a half of candlemark till sunset. She began to run tactics through her head and performing them.

Her sword becoming apart of her, it cut through the air. Her body moved in grace and elegance, many would see it as a dance. We'd label it a dance of death, of power and passion. When she began to reach the end of her drills did she feel a warm sensation enter her. Boots scuffed on the dirty and a small form sat on the ground and watched the warrior. Xena grinned to herself and her battle cry erupted as she quickly did a flip, eyes watching her the entire time. She landed back on her feet to face the other person with a huge grin. "How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty good" Xena walked over to her soulmate as she sheathed her sword in natural habit. "I love watching you practice" Xena smiled and sat down on the ground directly in front of the bard.

"I noticed you did. You love watching me fight, I love watching you tell stories" Gabrielle smiled.

"Thanks" The bard then playfully pushed at Xena's left knee. "I can't believe you let me fall asleep" Xena shrugged her shoulders with a grin.

"You could use the rest" Gabrielle nodded her head. "Talked to Ephiny" Emerald eyes lifted to Xena.

"Yeah? What she have to say?"

"Said everything is ready, we have around two hundred hemlock tipped arrows"

"Plenty" Xena nodded at that.

"I also talked to Solari about Ephiny" Both of the bard's eyebrows shot up.

"You're kidding me? You the sensitive chats? I must still be asleep" Xena laughed and then grinned to her partner. "What did you say?" Xena shrugged.

"Just something" The bard huffed.

"Uh huh, come on Xena" The warrior smiled.

"Told her to talk to Ephiny before anything bad happens" Gabrielle nodded and Xena went on. "And that even though she doesn't see it, everybody else can see they love each other" The bard chuckled at that.

"Hopefully that'll work"

"Hmm yeah" Xena noticed the sun was setting by the way the bard's body seemed to turn a shade of red. Xena decided she liked that. "She made an interesting comment"

"What was that?"

"Just that you seem to be rubbing off on me" Gabrielle arched an eyebrow, there was more to it then that.

"And?" The older woman chuckled.

"And that I'm rubbing off on you" The bard's brows furrowed, her eyes dropping as she thought. She looked back to Xena.

"Am I really?" The warrior grinned.

"Well do you feel like fighting tomorrow?"

"No"

"Then I'm not rubbing off because I'm ready to fight" The bard chuckled some.

"Well, want to hear something scary?"

"What's that?"

"I'm sorta liking the whole riding bit more" Xena grinned to her partner.

"Oh really? Well that works out perfectly"

"What does? Xena what are you planning?" Gabrielle's soulmate crossed her arms against her chest with a twinkle to her eyes and answered back.

"I thought I'd let you ride Argo tomorrow"

"You've got to be kidding me right? I mean I know I said I liked riding some. But not by myself"

"You won't be by myself"

"Oh yeah just a couple of hundred Amazons around me but nobody on Argo with me" Xena grinned a little.

"You'll be fine"

"Xena"

"Hear me out?" The bard huffed and nodded to her now serious soulmate. "If you're on Argo then I know you'll have an easy way to escape if need be. For the both of us too. And it'll make it easier for me to find you" The Amazon Queen couldn't win.

"Okay you win" The warrior smiled.

"You'll be fine, Argo will look after you"

"She hates me"

"No she doesn't"

"Yes she does" A pause. "I think she doesn't like me talking about her as if she were human" Xena chuckled.

"You're probably right" Xena stood up. "Lets go get something to eat"

"Yeah I'm starved" And with that Gabrielle took Xena's offered hand and was pulled up. "Hades"

"What?" Gabrielle looked to her warrior as they began to walk and replied back.

"My butt hurts from sitting on that hard dirt ground" Xena bursted into a fit of laughter and hugged her soulmate.

"Queen Gabriele?" The bard looked to her left to see an Amazon coming for her. Even from here in the coming darkness Xena could see whom it was, her mood immediately dropped.

"Yes Masika?" The Amazon quickly noticed whom stood beside her, she glared at Xena. Gabrielle quickly caught the look, her protective instincts came to life in an instant. "What do you need Masika?"

"I wish to speak to you…in private"

"Whatever you have to say can be said in front of Xena as well Masika"

"Gabrielle, she is not an Amazon" The bard's eyes narrowed at the Amazon.

"Nor am I Masika" The head Council Member's mouth dropped. "Now what do you need?" The Amazon looked up to the warrior then to Gabrielle again, she stepped closer to the bard. Her reply came in a low whisper.

"I don't think Xena should be allowed to take needed Amazons into the mountains" The bard obviously knew her soulmate heard that with her acute hearing.

"That is not of your concern"

"I am the head Council Member, it does concern me"

"No it doesn't" The bard took a step closer to the older Amazon. "I am the Queen it only concerns me and possible regent Ephiny" Gabrielle took a deep breath. "Nor do you have the right Masika to pass judgement on Xena's abilities when you do not know her or her skills"

"But Gabrielle" Gabrielle quickly cut her off.

"No Masika, it has nothing to do with you, that's final" The bard watched as the Amazon's eyes turned angry, but the Queen's own temper was higher then what the birds could fly. "Excuse us" With that the Queen of the Amazons turned from the Amazon and began to walk off with her soulmate. Gabrielle stopped and turned back to Masika. "By the way Masika" The head Council Member looked to the bard. "It's Queen Gabrielle" The small woman turned her back on the Amazon and kept walking with Xena. Masika stood there half-angry half shocked. Her fists clenched up and the Amazon stalked off. The pair of soulmates kept walking in silence for awhile, Xena waiting for the bard to calm down. "Gods that was ridiculous"

"You were right Gabrielle" The bard sighed and kept her head low, her anger draining out of her.

"I shouldn't have been so…so hard on her"

"She questioned your authority Gabrielle" The smaller woman looked up to her friend.

"Still Xena, I'm not a tyrant" She looked back ahead. "I need to listen to other perspectives"

"You did"

"Guess so" The bard caught sight of the food hut. "You know what really set me off?"

"Hmm"

"That look she gave you" A deep breath. "I don't like the fact she doesn't like you and just prejudges"

"She'll learn Gabrielle"

"I suppose" The bard looked up to Xena with a grin. "Right now I just want to worry about filling my stomach" The warrior chuckled and the soulmates entered inside of the hut.

~*Part 15*~

Slowly the sun crept up through the window, it arouse from the other world to shine on this world. It warmed the faces of our heroes. The pair went to bed early that night, knowing they would need the sleep for the following day. There had been no arrival of the mercenaries or word of them. Gabrielle, we can deducted, is worried about them not showing in time for the battle. Which could ultimately change the outcome of this battle. We know that this could be the difference between pushing the Romans back or letting them flood into Greece. We could only hope that this battle would be won to suppress the Romans. Until a day when the one man that call's himself Rome will come to overtake Greece. Xena knows this day will come in her future and she could only hope she would be able to stop this one man. But at what cost is what haunted her mind.

So our warrior and bard slowly rolled out of bed to find out their destiny that lay ahead. They both dressed quickly, Gabrielle into her Amazon Queen attire, Xena in her normal leathers and brass armor. Large hands picked up the mask and Xena turned to her partner with a smile. Gabrielle smiled back as Xena handed her the Amazon Queen mask, the bard slipping in over her head. Gabrielle expected them to leave at that moment but her warrior moved over to their saddlebags. Xena removed a small leather pouch and went to the table right next to her.

"Throwing arrows?" Xena nodded and reached for them.

"Yeah can't forget them" She slipped four of them into her pouch then tied it to her waist on the left. She then took the fifth off the table and held out her right arm. She easily slipped it down her gauntlet the same she did with the sixth in her other gauntlet. The bard watched the entire time as she leaned against her staff. The warrior then turned back to the saddlebags and dug through them, Xena retrieved what she was looking for. She straightened back up and turned to Gabrielle, in her right hand was a dagger in a small dagger sheath, two pairs of leather straps hanging down. "I want you to take this with you"

"Xena you know I don't like blades"

"I know, but I want you to take this for extra protection" Emerald eyes stared at the small dagger, Xena gently held it. Gabrielle immediately had to guess something was special about it.

"Xena?"

"Yeah?

"Who's dagger was its?" Blue eyes were shocked for a moment then went normal.

"It was Lyceus' dagger" Xena took a deep breath. "It saved his life a number of times" Gabrielle nodded her head then faintly smiled.

"Okay I'll take it. I might just need it" A lopsided smile came onto the warrior's lips and she nodded. Xena bent down to one knee and tied the dagger with its sheath around the bard's right boot. It fit perfectly, the hilt held a small blue gem much like the one that was in Xena's hilt. The small hilt was made if silver so was the blade, double edged with an almost ivy design that started right at the top of the blade that Gabrielle guess went all the way down. She couldn't tell though since most of the blade was held in the sheath.

"Let's go" Xena stood back up with a serious face. The soulmates headed out of the hut and within seconds Ephiny came running up to them in her leathers, mask on top of her own head.

"You two ready?" Gabrielle was the one to answer.

"Yup, is everybody else ready?"

"Pretty much. I'm headed over to the stables to get my horse saddled up"

"Great, I'll go with you, I'm riding Argo" Ephiny nodded. The regent quickly noticed that there was a lot of difference to her friend these days. She'd grown so much in a short time.

"Ephiny, is my band getting organized?" The regent looked to the warrior.

"Yes they are"

"Okay" Xena looked to her bard. "I'll come with you for a few then" Gabrielle finished it for her.

"You'll need to go to your group" Xena nodded her head. "Let's go then" The three females were off at a power walk to the stables. They entered to them, Argo was in the third stall, and Ephiny's horse on the other hand was at the end. So that left the soulmates out of earshot. Xena began to put the saddle on, while Gabrielle put on the tack. Xena noticed how quiet her soulmate was, so she efficiently saddled up Argo and came to the front to her best friend. She watched as Gabrielle put the bit in.

"You'll do fine Gabrielle" The bard sighed and slipped the crown over the mare's ears. She could feel the nervousness in her stomach, the twisting of her stomach.

"I know, just can't help be nervous. This is scary" Xena nodded her head.

"It is, but you have over two hundred Amazons that are protecting you"

"Not to mention a powerful warrior" Xena chuckled.

"That too" The bard buckled the nosepiece, the final part of the tack. She reached for the reins. "You know I'll be there if something happens. I'm not going to let you get killed over this" Gabrielle nodded and then turned to her warrior, reins in one hand the staff in the other.

"Nor am I going to let you Xena" The warrior smiled and she took a step closer. She leaned down and captured her lover's lips, the warrior's right hand going to the side of the bard's face. They pulled back as they heard the stamping of hooves.

"I love you Gabrielle" The bard smiled deeply.

"I love you…my warrior" Xena smiled back and leaned down to place a kiss to the bard's forehead. Xena turned around and opened the door to the stall and look to the regent.

"Good luck Ephiny" The Amazon smiled.

"Be careful out there Xena" The warrior smiled with a nod.

"I will, you do the same" Ending with that Xena looked to her bard one last time with a smile and winked to her. The Warrior Princess then jogged out of the stables and to the entrance of the village.

"She's something else" Gabrielle chuckled at her friend, the pair walked out of the stables. They both stopped walking and the bard moved back to the saddle and reached up. She pulled down the stirrups from the saddle, Ephiny doing the same on her horse. The Queen was the first up onto Argo then Ephiny on her horse. The bard had just made it up with staff, it had almost been impossible, but she managed. Gabrielle held the reins tight in both hands, her right hand being tricky with the staff. They rode to the entrance of the village where everybody waited.

When they arrived that was when Gabrielle found out just how much two hundred leather and feathered Amazons looked like. She was certainly impressed. They all looked to the Queen and the regent. Gabrielle spotted Solari, Eponin and her soulmate at the head of the Amazons looking to her with knowing smiles. The Queen of the Amazons then spoke in her strongest and loudest voice.

"Today we fight the warlord Okeanos. All of you have been broken up into different sets of bands. You are to follow the leader of your group accordingly. If there is a need for a retreat then the bird call will be sounded and we are to regroup at the Amazon fishing tribe that is three days south of here" Gabrielle pause and took a deep breath. "This is a serious battle, not just for us but for Greece. If the Amazons loose this battle it is highly possible that the Romans will flood into Greece to over take it. Winning this battle will insure the safety of not just the Amazon Nation but of Greece. However it will not stop the Romans only contain them for an extended time. Together as Artemis' chosen we can defeat this threat" All of the Amazons threw up their arms and cheered. It was loud and echoed through the village. The Queen kept her back straight and her eyes were cold as she watched her Amazons break up into their groups.

Xena looked up to her soulmate on the mare. Emerald eyes met her and softened. The warrior flashed her a brilliant smile and nodded, Gabrielle did the same. Xena went to her band and ordered them to move. They quickly left the village. The following group was Solari's they quickly headed out of the village gates and into the forest. The calvary mounted up onto their horses and Ephiny joined them, yelling out her commands to them. Gabrielle looked to her Amazons of a hundred and fifty. Eponin stepped up beside the mare.

"They're waiting for your orders Queen Gabrielle" The bard nodded to the Amazon and looked back up to the Amazons.

"Alright, after you get beyond the gates of the village. I want this band to break up into three waves of fifty Amazons, one wave behind the other. Lets go!" All the Amazon warriors walked out of the gates of the village and formed into exactly what the bard commanded in no time flat. Gabrielle trailed up behind them with Eponin walk down beside her. The Queen half turned in the saddle and looked behind herself to see the regent following up behind with the calvary. Ephiny nodded to her and the bard turned back in the saddle. "Each wave will attack when I give the order. Once done so you are allowed to freely fight. If there are any orders given by me, Eponin, regent Ephiny, Xena, or Solari you are to follow them preciously. Be aware that above in the trees that Solari's band is shooting hemlock tipped arrows mainly at Okeanos' calvary. Finally, we hope that the mercenaries will arrive during the battle and they will be attacking the weakest side and we expect the mercenaries to mainly be calvary. To the forest!"

Gabrielle took a deep breath and the three waves headed into the woods in perfect flanks. Ahead the bard saw as a few last minute Amazon archers going up into the trees. Behind her she heard the sound of hooves beating the ground. She could only hope her soulmate was going to make it fine.

Xena crouched behind a huge rock, her head poked just over the top. She was at the top of a high side of the mountain, almost like a canyon side. Across the sides of the mountain were three archers and fifteen warriors, all hidden behind rocks. Teresa had been in Xena's band, so she put Teresa second in command, confident in her abilities. So now Teresa was on the opposite side with the three archers and fourteen other Amazons. Directly above Xena were the other two archers and then down on the level ground on her side of the mountain were the other fifteen warriors, hiding around the bend.

The Warrior Princess looked across to the other side to see Teresa looking west through the mountains. Teresa looked to Xena and smiled, Xena smiled back and looked back west, as did Teresa. The warrior closed her eyes and listened.

Boots scuffing against ground.

Metal clanking.

Horses nickering.

She opened her eyes again and felt the wind blow from the west to the east. She took a deep breath and picked of the fine scent of horses, her blue eyes narrowed. Xena looked back to Teresa and nodded. The Amazon knew what that meant and hide back down behind the huge brown rock. She brought her hands up to mouth. Xena then saw metal reflecting off the sun, her body began to course with anticipation. There they are, Okeanos' men came over the ridge. The warrior quietly slipped her sword out of her sheath and lowered it to her lap. She waited. They came closer and closer, louder and louder. The warrior's heartbeat picked up, adrenaline washed through her body. Her dark side grew and the claws began to come out. Cobalt eyes glossed over, the enemy were now a hundred paces ahead down below. The Warrior Princess ducked down the ledge and watched as Okeanos' warriors just began to flood under them.

Xena looked across to Teresa and nodded her head. With that Teresa took a deep breath and made a cuckoo bird call. All the men below stopped moving and looked around frantically. The Amazon archers wedged around their hiding spot and began to shoot down at the men below. The hemlock arrows working beautifully. Xena nodded again to Teresa whom did another birdcall and the thirty Amazon warriors flooded from their hiding spots to pull off a hit and run attack.

The fifteen warriors on ground level came at the front line taking out a number of footmen then running back into the hiding of the mountains. The fifteen warriors of Teresa came tearing down the side of the mountain and at the sides of the troops. They doing a hit and run as well and running back into the mountain sides. Xena took a deep breath and gave off her war cry it echoed through the mountains and it signaled the archers. The archers stood up from their hiding spots to shoot at Okeanos' footmen. But it didn't last, some of Okeanos' men broke off and began to climb up the mountain side after the archers and warriors. As well as Okeanos' own archers began to shoot back. Xena gave off another battle cry and the archers stopped and ran down the eastern side of the ledge along with the warriors.

"Let them go! Get back into your flanks!" It wasn't Okeanos' voice, but Xena knew it was one of the captains. The warrior figured Okeanos to be in the back of his forces with the calvary. Xena kept her eyes down at the men, she lifted them east to see the Amazons running to the base of the mountains as she told them to. Xena specifically order her band to hide at the base of the mountains till Okeanos' entire army came through then to come up behind. "Fall out men!" The footmen began to move, trampling over the dead bodies of their comrades. Xena counted fifty dead footmen. Not bad, stir them up a little. Fifty down only five hundred and fifty to go.

Blue eyes watched as the men flooded below her and through the mountains, her eyes searching for Okeanos. Soon the calvary began to come through all mounted. Xena switched her sword into her left hand and reached into her gauntlet for the arrow. She held it tightly in her right hand, she continued to scan the calvary. Then gold flashed into Xena's eyes, she looked to that person. A grin formed on her lips, a blond haired man.

Xena pulled her right arm back, looked to the mountainside across from her and calculated the angle. She spotted the perfect spot and waited for Okeanos to line up in the angle. Now! Xena threw the arrow and it spun through the air with a whistling noise it hit the mountainside across the way and ricochets off the mountain wall. Some of the riders heard the whistling sound and frantically looked around, Okeanos being one of them. That's when the bladed arrow sunk into Okeanos' right arm directly below his shoulder armor.

Okeanos yelled and looked to his right arm bringing up his left hand from the reins. He pulled the arrow out and studied it then he looked up along the canyon walls not seeing anything. He cursed under his breath and threw the sharp weapon to the ground. Far above blue eyes went darker, a grin crossed the warrior's lips. Xena moved and silently went along the mountain ledge and went ahead of the army to her band.

Teresa watched from her hiding spot to the opening in the mountains where she expected the army to come. She could hear them. All the Amazons were hidden in crease of the mountains, out of seeing. Then a large dark form hit the ground right beside her. Teresa bringing her sword up to the person, it was stopped by the person's wristband.

"Its okay Teresa it's just me" The Amazon took a deep breath as she realized who it was.

"Hades Xena, you gave me a heart attack" Xena chuckled and went serious again.

"Everybody make it fine?"

"Yeah we're all here"

"Good now get back in there while we wait for them" Teresa did as she was told. She re-sheathed her sword and went into the niche of the mountain with the other Amazons, Xena crouching behind the rock Teresa had been behind.

Brown eyes narrowed as she heard the distinct sound of men, horses and metal. Solari released the branch and quickly moved along the branches to where she suspected Gabrielle to be. The second in command spotted the Queen and came close as possible and bent down, in earshot of Gabrielle.

"Queen Gabrielle?" The bard looked up into the trees to see Solari.

"They're coming?" The Amazon nodded her head.

"The army is just coming out of the mountains" Gabrielle nodded her head.

"Okay thanks Solari" The Amazon nodded back and stood back up on the branch and went along the branches back to her group.

"Everybody listen up, Okeanos is almost here. Get your bows and arrows prepared. Aim for the calvary archers, the others I want you to jump some of calvary below try and take their horse if you can. Got me?" The archers nodded as did the Amazon warriors. They all pulled their masks over their faces. The archers pulling out hemlock tipped arrows and put them against their strings.

"Amazons, the army is just coming out of the mountains. Prepare yourselves" Everybody nodded their heads to the Queen's orders. They pulled their own masks down, as did the Queen. Gabrielle looked back to Ephiny and nodding.

Ephiny looked to her right first. "Alright everybody, Okeanos is almost here" Ephiny looked to her left where there were fifteen other mounted warriors. "When Queen Gabrielle signals" The regent looked back to the fourteen riders to her right. "We are to split in half and go off to the sides" She turned her head to the left. "Then fight into the center" She looked ahead to the three waves of Amazons. "Everybody understand?" Ephiny saw from the corner of her eyes everybody nodding. They then pulled their masks over and unsheathed their swords. The horse's hooves stomping at the ground and nickering over the expectancy.

The Queen of the Amazons took a deep breath as she heard the sound of men coming at them. She gripped her staff tightly, her knuckles white. That's when she just began to see the army coming, the sound of her Amazons' swords being unsheathed could be heard, metal scraping. The air was tense, Okeanos' forces inched nearer and nearer, Gabrielle's stomach tensed up more and more, her palms sweating.

The army closed in.

The Queen raised her staff up over her head and yelled.

"First wave attack!"

Then Queen's staff fell back down.

The sound of people yelling could be heard as fifty Amazons went racing into the footmen of Okeanos. The Amazon Queen watched them mix, screams being heard.

The Queen's staff went up again and she yelled her second command.

"Second wave attack!"

Her staff came back down.

The second wave went sprinting into the battle yells echoing through the woods. Emerald eyes watched as the battle began to push closer. Her eyes narrowed and she took a deep breath.

The Queen's staff went up at the same time she yelled.

"Third wave attack!"

The second in command watched as the calvary flooded into the battle below. Solari looked up to her archers.

"Attack!" That command sent hemlock arrows whistling through the air down to riders. One at a time the Amazons in the trees fell out of the trees and onto riders, taking them out. The warriors kicked the riders off their horses for the main part, only a few here and there grabbing the riders to hit the ground with them. The calvary was falling quickly from the poison arrows. Solari grinned at the perfect idea.

"Let's move out" Xena ran into the woods with her thirty warriors and five archers. As she ran she yelled back to her archers. "Archers I want you five up in the tree immediately and you are to follow Solari's command!" Once into the woods the five archers disappeared into the trees, running down the branches and pulling their masks over. The thirty Amazons coming up from behind to Okeanos pulled their masks over. Xena's grin spread across her lips. I wonder how Okeanos is feeling?

Emerald eyes scanned the fighters, so far they haven't reached her, Eponin down beside her. Gabrielle spotted Okeanos. She grinned as she watched Okeanos lean to his right, head hanging down and he threw up. Xena you are good. The bard inwardly chuckled at her own thought. She watched as Okeanos kicked his horse and tried to get to the back of his army, not much luck either.

Gabrielle watched from high on her mount, the Amazons not doing to bad. She kept scanning.

One Amazon went down. A man. An Amazon. Another Amazon. A third. Okeanos' man. A second man. A fourth Amazon.

Gabrielle gritted her teeth and pulled her boots out of Argo's stirrups. She hopped of the war-horse and slapped Argo's rump. The mare nickered and through her head up.

"Go Argo!" The mare nickered again and the horse cantered off into the woods behind the bard. Gabrielle looked back to the battle. It was coming closer to her.

An Amazon fell. A footmen. Amazon Warrior. Okeanos' warrior gutted. An Amazon's chest pierced. Now another Amazon. Five of Okeanos' riders fell off their horses from arrows.

Gabrielle turned to Eponin. "Eponin I want you in the trees, keep an eye out for the mercenaries. You know what to do right?" The weapons master nodded her head as she heard the bard's words over the yells. Eponin then jumped and disappeared in the trees. Gabrielle turned to Ephiny and the calvary, her mask still over her face. The bard brought up her staff in front of her spun it at a rapid pace into a blur. She abruptly stopped its twirling and the butt end hit the ground and she nodded her head to the regent. With that the regent moved her arm forward.

The sound of hooves erupted through the air as the calvary split in half and sped through the woods. The Amazon Queen turned around as they passed by her, she watched as the calvary veered out and then came in at the sides of the battle. The Queen then lifted her staff in front of herself and took a deep breath, energy pumping through her. A hint of darkness seeped into her, the darkness that was of her soulmate. The Queen of the Amazons yelled and ran ahead into the battle.

~*Part 16*~

Xena saw the rumps of horses and she raised her sword up. The fangs showed now. Her battle cry erupted through her and broke through all the yells. Xena did a flip and landed onto and back of a horse. Instantly the rider turned to see whom was on his horse.

"Hi there" A surprised look came over the man's face but he was too late. A fist connected with his face and he went crashing to the ground. The Warrior Princess hopped into the saddle.

Gabrielle ducked as the sword slashed past her head and she swung her staff to connect with man's side. He howled and slashed down at Gabrielle. But she was to quick for him and moved out of the way and he ended up with the butt end of the staff in his face. He withered and fell to the ground, still conscious though. But the bard took care of that and brought her staff down on his face and he was out.

The bard looked up and pushed her mask above her head to see her Amazons fighting Okeanos' army. She then heard the distinct sound of her soulmate's battle cry, her heart skipped a beat. Gabrielle grinned as another man stepped up to her. She went at him, but his sword stopped her staff and then he kicked her in the stomach. Gabrielle bent forward and coughed. The warrior's sword then slashed at the bard's staff and broke it from her right hand. It hit the ground too far away from her and another kick came to her stomach and she fell to one knee.

The man grinned down at her and the bard's right hand went to her boot. He brought his sword up to strike the Queen down. Before he could he had a dagger in the side of his leg which threw him off and Gabrielle spoke with a sharp voice.

"I don't think so" With that distraction Gabrielle rolled on the ground over to her staff and hopped up with her staff. The man was gritting his teeth and the bard swung. It hit him square in the face and he crashed to the ground out cold.

"Queen Gabrielle duck!" In a flash Gabrielle ducked down finding it the perfect time to sheath the dagger again. Then a large warrior fell to the ground to her left, and arrow in his back. The bard looked up to the trees and was flashed a smile from Solari, an archer right beside her. Gabrielle smiled a thanks and stood up to run into the battle again.

Okeanos looked around and then he heard a familiar voice from behind.

"Nice day isn't it?" The warlord ducked his head down as a sword swished over his head. He turned his horse around to face a grinning female.

"Xena"

"You got that right" Their swords met in a clash. Okeanos eyes averted down to one of his warriors and he nodded to him. Xena caught the look, she yelled and jumped. The warlord looked up to the trees, not seeing anything or anybody. He then bent forward off to the side and threw up onto one of his dead riders. He closed his eyes and sat back up in the saddle. He felt like shit.

"Archers! I want my archers shooting to the trees!"

Xena moved along the branches at an incredible speed, she looked up and jump. Her hands grasped a branch and swung up and let go to do a flip and land on another branch. She bent down and scanned the fight below. She began to count.

Gabrielle held her staff up and front of her as two swords hit her staff. She dropped to the ground and swung, one warrior fell to the ground the other had jumped. The warrior's feet hit the ground and he brought his sword down at Gabrielle. But the bard had rolled away from him in time and bounced back up on her feet with a grin.

The second warrior got up to his feet and they both charged Gabrielle. In an instant the bard bent down her staff in front of her. Both of the two charging warriors legs got caught up in the staff and the fell flat on their faces.

"Idiots" The bard breathed under her breath. She stood up and whirled around to squarely bring her staff to their faces. Their heads fell to the sides. Gabrielle turned her back on them and she heard two whistling sounds behind her. The arrows embedded into the laying warrior's chests. Now the small woman ducked and a sword slashed past her head. She came back up and swung at the warrior. Her staff was stopped and the man's sword came in at her stomach, Gabrielle jumped back, the sword just missing her stomach. Then she lunged forward with her staff to connect with man's stomach. He bent forward and the bard in mid action of bring her staff up caught sight of another warrior coming at her right side.

Her staff hit over the bending warrior's head knocking him out. The warrior to her right raised his sword at the bard. Gabrielle wasn't sure if she'd have enough time but… Then out of no where a dark figure crashed down onto the warrior his sword crashing to the ground with his body. A few leaves fell down to the ground and Gabrielle smiled to her savior.

"Thought you would like a little help" Gabrielle grinned to her soulmate.

"Yeah thanks" The bard's eyes widen and she pointed behind the warrior. Xena unsheathed her sword and rammed it behind herself, it dug into a man's gut. He fell off the blade and hit the ground. Xena brought her sword back around.

"There are four hundred footmen and twenty-five calvary of Okeanos' army" A warrior came at Xena from her right and one at the bard's left. The Warrior Princess put her sword up to her right to stop the man's sword. She turned to him. Gabrielle hit her man in the left side then the right then over again in rapid motion.

"How many of ours Xena?" Metal dinged and Xena laughed for a second. Her sword cut the man's arm.

"We have a hundred and fifty warriors" Xena flipped her sword and drove forward at her opening. Her sword sliced through the Okeanos' warrior. "Twenty-five archers" The Warrior Princess whirled to her left, the tip of her sword right at a man's throat.

Gabrielle struck the warrior across his face he flipped onto the ground and she turned to her right to hit a man in his side then brought her staff to swipe his feet.

"How many riders?" Xena looked down at the moaning man and drove her sword into his chest and turned to see her bard hit her man between the legs. Xena faintly cringed. That warrior fell to the ground gripping his lower self and was knock across the face. Gabrielle turned to face Xena.

"Thirty riders still"

"Good"

"Yup, lets go try our new move together" The Queen nodded her head. And Xena quickly moved forward to her, the warrior's left hand going to the top of Gabrielle's head pushing her down. Gabrielle followed the command and bent down. The next thing she heard was a man groaning and falling to the ground behind her. She rose back up and Xena nodded to her. The pair raced more into the center of the battle.

The second in command landed on the ground and gutted a warrior behind Ephiny's horse. The regent smiled to Solari and second in command nodded her head. Ephiny looked up to see the Queen and her soulmate.

"Ready Gabrielle?" The bard nodded and Xena punched a man beside her. She sheathed her sword and the bard dropped her staff to the ground. The warrior held her hands out and Gabrielle latched on. In a second Xena had her bard spinning in a circle at a fast pace.

"Will you look at those two Solari" The second in command looked over to where Ephiny nodded and saw the performance.

"They're a good team" The regent nodded her head in agreement.

Xena's war cry went off as seven men fell from Gabrielle kicking them in a face. Not to mention four other idiot warriors tried to stop her and only ended up getting knocked out for their troubles. The bard landed on the ground and she picked up her staff, Xena unsheathing her sword. A bunch of warriors began to close in on the soulmates. The Warrior Princess then caught sight of Ephiny and nodded to her.

"Solari get back up there and get them out of there now!" The second in command jumped up into the trees as a warrior slashed at her, just missing her feet. Solari ran along the branches as she untied a rope from her side. She got right above the Warrior Princess and Queen. Xena punched one man and a rope fell in front of her, her sword was sheathed.

"Gabrielle grab on to me" With that the Queen grasped her soulmate and that's when the bard noticed all the dry blood and her soulmate's armor. Xena leaped. She made it half way up the length of the rope and grasped it with both hands. Gabrielle hung on for dear life as she looked down to see some of Okeanos' men trying to climb the rope. The soulmates on the branches and Xena cut the rope, the men falling to the ground. Xena looked to her soulmate to see Solari hold her at the waist, knowing the Queen never been in the trees.

"Well I guess this is my turn to learn how to move in the trees huh?" Xena grinned to her soulmate. They three females moved along the branch closer to the trunk of the tree where it was sturdier. They all bent down to look down at the fight. Gabrielle watched.

An Okeanos' footman fell to the ground from an arrow.

"Archers!" The bard looked to where she heard the yell. It was Okeanos and around his horse were five archers. They raised their arrows to the trees. One released his arrow and Gabrielle followed it to see it strike an Amazon archer in the tree in the shoulder. The archer lost her balance and fell to the ground.

"Solari"

"I'm on it Gabrielle" The second in command cup her hands over her lips in did a birdcall. She saw some of her archers nodded their heads to her. One of them repeated the same birdcall. "There now they know of the archers below"

"Hades" The bard turned to her warrior, after hearing the warrior's curse.

"What's wrong?" Xena's right hand went up to rest against the trunk of the tree and replied.

"We've lost twenty-five Amazons, ten riders and one archer" Gabrielle's mind quickly did the calculations.

"So that leaves us with a hundred and…twenty warriors, twenty riders, and twenty four archers. What's Okeanos' army like?" Blue eyes scanned the fight counting.

"There's…three hundred footmen and twenty-five calvary" The bard gritted her teeth.

"Hades" She looked to Solari. "Solari go get Eponin" The Amazon nodded and hurried off. The Queen looked back to Xena. "Xena if we lose another fifty Amazons, I can't keep them here. It'll be a massacre" The Warrior Princess looked to her partner, her hand shot up all of sudden and caught and arrow in front of the bard's chest. Xena threw it and looked to the archers one them eyeing her. Xena reached into her right gauntlet and pulled out an arrow.

"I know" The star arrow sped through the air and sunk into the archer's right leg. He fell to the ground, clenching his ankle where the arrow dug in. "If those mercenaries get here we'll be fine" Xena scanned the fight for Okeanos.

"Exactly, but Hades if they're here" Right then Solari and Eponin reappeared and landed on the thick branch beside the soulmates. "Eponin any site of the mercenaries?"

"Afraid not Gabrielle" The Queen took a deep breath.

"We're down to a hundred and twenty" Gabrielle looked to her warrior. Xena looked to her then the Warrior Princess head suddenly turned to the southwest, her eyes closing.

"What is it Xena?" Xena began to grin and her eyes flew open.

"The sound of horses coming at a gallop" Emerald eyes widen and the bard turned to Eponin.

"Eponin I want those mercenaries coming in from behind. Their leader's name is Criostoir" The weapons master nodded her head and she went through the trees towards the sound of galloping horses.

"Lets get back down there Gabrielle" The bard looked back to her soulmate and nodded.

"You coming Solari?" The Amazon nodded her head to the Queen in answer.

"In a second, need to make a birdcall to the archers about the mercenaries coming in" The Queen nodded and Xena turned to her soulmate.

"Think as it as just a really big hug Gabrielle" Gabrielle chuckled and tightly wrapped her arms around her warrior, her head going into Xena's breasts. One arm going around the bard's back. "You ready?"

"I'm never ready for back flips" The warrior grinned and birdcall went off as Xena replied.

"Hang on" With that said Xena did her battle cry and she bounced of the branch doing a back flip in mid air and landed on the ground. "Drop Gabrielle" The bard did as she was told and bent down as she heard Xena's fist connect with somebody's face. Gabrielle then whirled around as she crouched to take the man's feet out from under him. She stood up and Xena unsheathed her sword and reach behind with her sword. Another sword slammed into Xena's and the female warrior spun around to face her opponent.

Concluded in Part 6.