Sex/Subtext ~ Four women in-love. There is subtext sex though.

Copyright ~ Universal and MCA owns Xena, Gabrielle, Argo, Eve, Eponin, and Hope as we know. However I claim the story line with the Hope and Eve relationship so don't touch them.

Time Frame ~ In the sixth season around "Who's Gurkan?"

Started: October 29th 2000, Sunday

Mini Series One: Thick as Blood Story: Four

If anybody has comments about my story please let me know at: redhope@redhope.net

Section 3

~*~*~*~

Hope watched the sun kissing the horizon in the west. As the sun sunk lower and lower a grin spread further across her lips.

"Its time," whispered the Deliverer.

"It is." Dahak's daughter reached back and pulled the silk hood over her head. "Bring in His messenger along with His soul mates."

"Yes." The Deliverer marched out of the room, down winding steps, and picked up a few soldiers to go to the cells with him.

Hope rested her hands on the stone sill of the window. Then suddenly she was hit by a memory…

Eve's arms slipped around her soul mate's waist. She pulled her lover in closely and lowered her chin down on Hope's shoulder. She gazed across the calm lake.

The poet sighed happily and rested back in her partner's arms. "Beautiful isn't it?" she whispered.

"Yes." The warrior gave a soft smile, she continued staring at the sunset before her.

"Sunsets use to always mean evil." Hope dropped her head to one side, thinking about her random statement. "Meant to me the coming of Dahak."

The warrior automatically pulled her lover in closer, she gently started rubbing Hope's soft stomach. "Use to though?"

"Yes, use to." The poet covered her hands over Eve's hands. "Now it means… salvation." She was rubbing her hands over Eve's in a soothing motion. "It’s a sunset, the darkness will come but I know there will be a sunrise… a new day. Another chance, don't you think?"

The older woman had a warm smile on her lips. "Yes, I do… I do."

Hope tilted her head back and gazed up into her soul mate's eyes. "One we share, together."

"Only together," uttered the warrior, and she lowered her head.

Hope's lips softly connected with Eve's in a long, loving kiss.

Hope blinked as the memory faded out, and she saw the sun gone despite the last rays of light filtered in the air. She turned away and almost seemed to float down the steps. Once down the steps, she walked into a large room that contained an out stretched altar table, and Dahak's fire pit behind it.

She walked up to the altar and stood on the top step, she turned and faced the huge door she came in by. She then held her hands together, waiting.

Eve entered the large temple room and lifted her head up, her eyes locking on Hope. Behind her were three guards that ordered her to go off to the right side. She stood in front of the Hope with the guards surrounding her.

Next came in Xena, who was taken to the opposite side of the altar from Eve, she too was surrounded by guards.

Finally came in Gabrielle, and she was escorted by the Deliverer. The warrior-bard came right up to Hope and stared into her eyes.

Hope grinned and ordered, "On the altar, mother."

The bard knew not to fight it and climbed onto the table, the exact same table she'd been on so many years ago.

Hope stood on one side and the Deliverer on the other. The two Dahak followers began shackling Gabrielle down by her wrists and ankles. When they finished, around twenty guards had entered into the temple room, blocking all the exits and stationed near the altar but not too close.

Dahak's daughter walked around to the foot of the altar and held out her right hand.

The Deliverer came over and slipped a long, thin dagger into Hope's held out hand. He then descended down the three steps and stood behind Dahak's daughter.

Hope slowly turned her eyes to Eve, and she walked over to God's messenger. She held out the dagger to Eve. "They live if you draw blood."

Eve faintly nodded and took the dagger from her soul mate.

"Eve!" yelled Gabrielle; she was struggling against the chains. "Do not bringing him to this world!"

Eve glanced across to her mother.

The Warrior Princess gave a very faint nod of her approval.

Eve took a shaky breath and faced the huge fire pit. She held her head up high and walked towards the fire pit. Please be with us now, God.

Hope's grin spread wider across her face as Eve took steps closer and closer.

"Hope, don't let this happened," demanded Gabrielle.

Dahak's daughter glanced down at the bard.

"Hope," whispered the warrior-bard, "you can fight him. Don't let him control you, please."

Hope blinked and continued staring at her mother.

"You're my Hope," uttered Gabrielle lovingly.

Dahak's daughter raised her head up to Eve. I love you, always Hope, rang Eve's words in her head.

Eve held out the dagger, lifted her left hand, palm up, and called, "Dahak, I, the messenger of God, welcome you to this world!" She slowly lowered the dagger towards her left hand and her hand curled around the blade. She held her left hand out, over the fire pit.

"No!" screamed Hope suddenly, she broke off running towards her soul mate.

"Stop her!" yelled the Deliverer.

The three guards that were Eve's went racing after Hope and grabbed her by the arms. They quickly apprehended her and held onto her tightly.

Hope struggled against the guards, trying the break free while screaming, "No, Eve! Don't!"

Eve gritted her teeth and pulled the dagger through her left hand.

Gradually, blood trickled from between Eve's fingers and dropped into the pit. The more blood that went into the pit, the higher the flame of Dahak flared up. Then the flames exploded and came sweeping up from the pit, sending Eve flying, and she landed on the ground on her face, out cold.

"Eve!" yelled Hope; she still struggled against her captures.

Xena narrowed her eyes at her daughter on the ground. She then looked up instantly as a tall, dark form appeared at the edge of the pit. Slowly, her evil grin creased along her lips as she whispered, "Dahak."

Dahak, the gigantic monster, opened his red eyes and scanned the room. His fires behind him still roared up. Then his eyes finally rested on Gabrielle. He descended down the stone steps at a gradually pace and came to the head of the altar.

Gabrielle opened her eyes, they bore right into Dahak with anger and rage.

Dahak grinned back at the bard.

"Don't you dare," growled Hope lowly, her eyes pinned on the God of Evil.

Dahak turned his head towards his daughter then walked to her. He revealed an evil smile, he ran the claw of his index finger along Hope's jaw line. "Just think, you've brought me here finally… daughter."

Hope laughed darkly and replied, "You'll be sent back too."

"Always the optimist like your mother."

Hope smirked back and stated, "Mother didn't name me Hope for nothing, father."

The God of Evil chuckled deeply and pulled back his hand. "Always amusing." Then he went serious. "First you will see your mother be taken again then your soul mate killed before you join her."

Hope narrowed her eyes and watched Dahak walk back to Gabrielle.

Dahak raised up his hands and the fire spewed over the rim of the pit. The fire crawled down the steps, towards the altar.

Gabrielle's daughter glanced over at her lover, she spotted the dagger from earlier and mentally lifted it up.

The dagger hovered in the air very close to the ground, turning in the direction of Dahak's back.

Gabrielle saw the fire coming closer and closer, creeping towards the altar.

Dahak was raising his hands higher and higher. "Time for a better daughter."

Hope narrowed her eyes as the floating dagger soared through the air.

The warrior-bard growled loudly and her right hand flew up, unchain and with Xena's breast dagger. She landed the dagger square into Dahak's chest.

Dahak cried out then his howl went double louder when the other dagger sunk into his back with the blood of God's messenger.

Gabrielle gritted her teeth. "Hope is the best daughter," she whispered and jerked the dagger hard to the left.

The God of Evil closed his eyes, fell to his knees, and started swaying back and forth. His fire screamed back into the pit as if it were in fear.

There was one second of silence and no movement before Xena attacked her three guards.

Gabrielle quickly started working on the other manacle on her left wrist.

Hope lashed out and fought the three guards watching over her.

The other guards around the entrances had joined in on the fighting.

The warrior-bard finally picked the lock on her left wrist then sat up to do the lock on her ankles. She lifted her eyes when she saw one of Dahak's soldiers about to bring his sword down on her and she still was fighting with the locks. She sucked in her breath, preparing to be sliced in half. But then she saw an arm wrap around his neck and his head wrenched to the right. There was a snap and the man fell to the floor, dead.

Gabrielle looked up and smiled back at Eve. "Thanks."

"No problem." Eve winked and bent down to take the man's sword. Soon as she rose back up, she put the sword behind her back to stop a sword from hitting her back. She spun around and met her opponent.

The Amazon Queen flipped up onto her feet on the altar table, she kicked behind herself right as an enemy leapt onto the altar. She then spun around with her hands up as another opponent jumped onto the altar to take her on. She grinned and spun out the breast dagger. She waved her freehand some and urged, "Come on."

Xena punched her enemy in the face then ducked as the man behind her tried to slash her with his sword. She quickly sprung back up and grabbed both men by the back of their necks and slammed them together.

The two enemies smashed their heads together and went falling to the ground.

The Warrior Princess then took a glance over towards where Dahak had fallen. Her eyes widened when she realized he was gone. "Damn," she growled lowly. She bent down and picked up one of Dahak's men's sword and gave it a good spin. "How could a huge monster just disappear?" she whispered hotly.

"Mother?" Eve moved quickly over to her mother while fighting one man. "He had to go outside."

Xena grinned as an enemy attacked her. She went into fighting stance. "Now we just need to get out."

Eve nodded over to the main part of the temple room. "Not many left."

"Mmmm," agreed the mother, she kept fighting her man. "Eve, I want you to get Gabrielle and Hope out of here." She kicked her opponent hard in the chest before adding, "I'll take care of Dahak."

"Mother, let me help."

"No," warned Xena, "you need to stay alive or this won't work."

God's messenger ran her sword through her enemy's stomach and kicked him to ground. "Mother-"

"No," growled the Warrior Princess, she whirled around simultaneously to when Eve did. "Get them out of here. Do you understand me?"

Eve held her breath but nodded back.

"Go, now!" Xena twirled her sword and plunged it forward past her daughter and killed another man. "Be careful, Eve."

"You too, mother."

The Warrior Princess nodded and watched her daughter jog over to the other side of the temple. She sighed before turned her eyes toward the doors. She sheathed the sword and jogged out of the temple room.

"Its time to go," ordered Eve to Gabrielle and Hope.

Gabrielle kicked her enemy in the chest and sent him on his back. "Where's Xena?"

"She's gone to help Dahak." Eve lowered the sword to her side. "We need to go, Gabrielle."

"No, I'm helping Xena," stated the warrior-bard.

Eve's hand shot out and grabbed Gabrielle's wrist. "Gabrielle, I can't… mother wants me to get you and Hope out of here safely."

"No." The Amazon Queen took a step closer. "You will get Hope out safely and I will take care of my soul mate."

"Gabrielle, I promised mo-"

"No, Eve." The warrior-bard sighed and whispered, "I can't let your mother fight Dahak alone." Her eyes flickered over to Hope then back to Eve. "Besides, I owe Dahak… for Hope's sake."

"Mom, please don't do-"

"Hope, I'll be fine," cut off Gabrielle to her daughter. "You both just get out of here." She paused and whispered, "Dahak has not seen a wrath until he's seen a mother's wrath."

Hope held her hand out to her soul mate. "Eve," she whispered.

Eve took her partner's hand from behind and nodded to Gabrielle. "Be careful, Gabrielle."

The warrior-bard grinned and replied, "Always am… now go."

"Wait." Hope took a step closer. "Mom, your sais and Xena's weapons are upstairs." She turned and pointed up the stair case she'd descended awhile back ago.

Gabrielle nodded and smiled. "Thank you."

His messenger nodded and turned, she headed towards the large doors that she'd first came through when she was taken by the Deliverer. She never released Hope's hand as they left the altar room together.

Gabrielle watched them go, then her eyes flickered over to the other door she'd seen her soulmate go out of seconds ago. She narrowed her eyes before she suddenly kicked back behind her and sent a man flying onto his back. She then quickly jogged off to the stairs that lead up to where Hope told her their weapons rested.

Xena continued walking down the hallway, her sword up and ready. She scanned the entire hall, watching each of the corners, and making sure she wouldn't be attacked by Dahak. Glancing down the corridor, she noted the door that led outside and it was slightly ajar.

The warrior took a deep breath and crinkled up her nose. "Where are you?" she whispered, "I can smell you." She then stopped moving in the hall when she felt her body warm up and she faintly heard footfall coming towards her.

The Warrior Princess lowered her sword and a dark eyebrow etched up into place. "Gabrielle?" she uttered sternly.

The warrior-bard materialized out of the dark hallway with a grin. "Yes, partner?" She held up Xena's sword in one hand and the chakram in the other. "Forget these?"

Xena shook her head as a tiny grin crept along her lips. "Thanks." She rid herself of the sword she had and took hers before taking her chakram and hooking it into place. "I told Eve to take you with her and Hope."

"Yeah well." The Amazon Queen shrugged. "I told them I had to stick with my partner."

The older woman huffed and gazed back down the corridor. "Stubborn as always."

"Not about ready to separate now," whispered Gabrielle, who took a step closer to her soulmate. "So what's the deal?"

The Warrior Princess held a finger over her lips for silence. She pointed her sword down at the slightly opened door at the other end. She then pulled her chakram off her side and raised it up.

Gabrielle narrowed her eyes when she realized there were shadows underneath the door moving about. She knelt down and pulled her sais out. Then she saw her friend throw the chakram silently down the hallway.

The chakram slammed into the door and shut it tight while hitting a board at the same time. That board then fell down in front of the door and barred it closed tight.

Then a loud amount of pounding came from behind the door along with yelling.

The Amazon Queen chuckled and whispered, "Guards huh?"

"Yup," replied the Warrior Princess. "Come on," she ordered and raced down the hall.

"Right beside you," called the bard, and she raced after her partner.

Hope and Eve bursted through the door and came outside, the opposite side of the temple that the army was camped.

Eve gazed around first then went down the large steps. "We need to get back to the camp."

"The horses?" inquired the poet.

"Yes." The warrior waited for Hope to come down the steps. "We need to have them ready for our mothers if something goes wrong."

Hope nodded, came down off the steps, and stopped to take off the robe she wore. She had it off in seconds and chucked it onto the steps and now only wore her green halter-top and brown skirt with boots. "Let's go," she said seriously.

Eve grinned before she started running towards the direction of the camp.

Hope quickly followed after her partner at a quick sprint to try and keep up with Eve. "Eve, what happens if this doesn't work?"

The warrior closed her eyes briefly before opening them again, she called back, "It has to."

The poet shook her head, sprinting as hard as she could. "Hope so," she whispered.

~*~*~*~

Hope and her soul mate frantically saddled two of the three horses in the camp. All the while, Eve kept a sharp ear out for the Dahok’s army, hoping that they would never see them.

“I’ve got Torque done,” whispered Hope to her partner.

Eve glanced over seeing Gabrielle’s horse saddled up; she’d just finished tacking up her own horse and went to Argo. “Go to the edge of the forest and watch the army, I’ll be there in a minute.”

The poet nodded and quickly, as she was quietly, raced to the edge of the forest, she ducked down behind some shrubbery. Her heart pounded with each seconded, her focused on the army that never stirred… yet. She could only wonder what would happen of the army realized what was going on within the castle. Then she noted a door of the castle opening, her eyes began to widen at seeing the Deliverer coming out of the castle. “Hades.” She hastily tried to figure out what to do but nothing came to mind as she watched the Deliverer round the corner towards the army. Suddenly, she surged out of the bush at a sprint towards the army.

Eve had just come to the edge of the woods when she saw her soul mate running back to the castle. She followed where her partner was going and saw the Deliverer and army. “No,” she uttered, fear springing to life within her.

The Deliverer rushed to the army, once in ear-shot he called out, “Get your weapons!”

The main leader of the army came out of his tent. “What is going on?”

The Deliverer came straight to the leader. “Dahak has arrived but-”

“Stop him!” screamed out Hope as she charged into the army towards the Deliverer and Dahak. “He’s a trader!”

The Captain unsheathed his sword like lightening strike, pointed at the Deliverer.

“What?” roared the Deliverer.

Rapidly, several warriors with their swords drawn circled around the Deliverer, their leader, and Hope.

“Hope,” snarled the Deliverer but he looked back to the leader. “She is the trader.”

Hope took a deep breath and tried playing her previous role as Dahak’s daughter. “How dare you.” Her eyes narrowed, and she took a threatening step towards the Deliverer. “I will make sure father makes a living hell out of your life.” Her eyes flared with her anger.

“Kill him,” ordered Hope darkly.

The Captain narrowed his eyes at the Deliverer.

“He has betrayed Dahak… him and his men must be killed.” The poet took a few steps back.

The Deliverer growled and leapt for Hope but was stopped when he was stabbed in his side by the Captain. He then decided to ignore Hope and fought the leader.

Hope backed up more until she came to the circle of warriors. She looked at three of them and ordered them to help kill the Deliverer; they didn’t hesitate against her order.

Eve watched the scene from afar, a very evil grin spreading across her lips. “Nice one.” A faint chuckle escaped between her lips. She turned to the horses and doubled checked them of their tack. She then turned them around to face the direction they were headed for as soon as it was time. She patted Shamrock on the butt before turning back towards the castle.

Hope stared down at the Deliverer, she took one step closer to him and kicked his side.

The Deliverer groaned, blood trickling out of the corner of his mouth as he lay on his back in the dirt. “Damn you,” he whispered hotly.

The poet peered up at the leader. “Finish him.”

The Captain grinned and raised his sword, within a breath he’d plunged his sword into the Deliverer’s heart.

Hope took in a shaky breath. “Gather twenty of your men, Captain.”

The leader nodded and called for his best men.

“Follow me,” Gabrielle’s daughter commanded, and she led the group of men into the castle.

Xena flicker her sword in a circle in the air as she came around the corner, her sword pointed directly in front of her. She saw nobody down this corridor so she signaled her partner to move closer.

Gabrielle silently came near her partner; she noted two doors a bit down the dark corridor. She glimpsed up at her warrior in question.

The Warrior Princess nodded in answer then she walked down the corridor with Gabrielle at her side. Xena took the door to her right while Gabrielle took the left one.

The warrior-bard grabbed the handle of the door; she began opening it slowly with her back pressed against the cold wall and sai in front of her. Before she could open the door anymore, she sensed something wrapping around her ankle and she looked down to see fire around her leg. “Xena!” The next thing she knew, she was flat on her back and being drug along the floor into the room.

The warrior swiftly left the room she was investigating and raced after Gabrielle.

“Xena!” yelled the warrior-bard again as she hung in the air by the fire around her ankle. Below her, she spotted Dahak near another pit of fire.

Dahak smiled toothily at the Warrior Princess, a bit of yellow slobber hanging from his teeth.

Xena reached to her chakram, held it up aimed at Dahak.

Dahak narrowed his eyes at the warrior.

Xena’s own eyes went to slits then she laughed amusingly as she threw her chakram.

Dahak instinctively ducked when the chakram whisked by his head.

The warrior had already started moving, doing several backflips towards her soulmate.

The chakram bounced off the wall behind the god, lifted up in angle and came towards Gabrielle. It easily sliced through the fire causing the warrior-bard to come falling down.

Xena landed on her legs in during the rapid backflips and she pushed up harder this time sending herself up into the air. She met Gabrielle in mid-air, catching her, and coming back down; she neatly landed on her feet with her partner in her arms.

“Show-off,” whispered the warrior-bard.

For a response, Xena just smirked and put her lover down and put out her hand when her chakram returned. She hooked her weapon to her side then started coming towards Dahak again.

Dahak stood still, his eyes pinned on the warrior.

The Warrior Princess was grinning from ear to ear while being slightly hunched over and stalking towards her enemy.

Gabrielle didn’t near the on coming fight between her soulmate and Dahak. Instead, she was looking around in the large room with the lava pit centered in it. Then she dropped her head back and gazed upwards. She grinned at the huge, round hanging portion of the ceiling above the pit. “Now if I can find some way to get…” Her grin went even larger now when she saw the huge crack that tore through the ceiling. “Perfect.”

The Warrior Princess caught sight of her soulmate climbing up the jagged rocks of the side of the wall. She then noted the huge overhang ledge far above Gabrielle and knew that’s where Gabrielle was headed. They both knew that Dahak could be revived and healed by his own fire from the pits in the castle and destroying them was the key to destroying Dahak.

Dahak snarled right when he attacked the Warrior Princess.

The warrior jumped to the side and gave a kick with her left foot, striking Dahak in his back.

Dahak stumbled a bit but spun around, his hands out and he attacked Xena again.

Xena shielded Dahak’s right hand away with her sword when he swung at her with his sharp claws. She kept in mind how his entire body was covered in spikes much like the Destroyer.

The god now began fighting at a faster right, using his claws as daggers, his hands moving in every direction but only being reflected by Xena’s fast movement. He growled lowly to himself, which broke his concentration.

The warrior struck him on the inside of his right arm with the tip of her sword.

Dahak jumped back as a pain shot up and down his arm, his eyes were wide.

“Hurts doesn’t it?” joked the warrior, she knew he was surprised that a mortal could inflict pain on him especially when the wound didn’t heal. “Confused huh?” she further taunted the god.

Dahak narrowed his eyes, his teeth beginning to show again.

“Well…” Xena gave a spin of her sword. “I just happen to be able to kill gods now since the last time we met.”

The god stared, not sure whether to believe her but when she attacked him again and slicing a few spikes off his chest he knew to believe her. He quickly counter attacked his opponent.

The warrior-bard grabbed the rock sticking out above her but her right foot slipped but she regained her balance and pulled out a sai. She rammed her sai in between the stones above her. She hung onto that sai and grabbed her other one from her boot and jammed that one between stones as well. Above her was the ledge and she estimated it would take another good minute or so to reach it.

Xena suddenly found herself being caught off guard when Dahak gave his first kick. She’d jumped out of the way but only stumbled into a circle of Dahak’s fire.

Dahak laughed deeply as he commanded the fire to rise up higher than the warrior stood.

The Warrior Princess quickly thought and stabbed her sword at the fire and saw how the fire built up in that spot more than anywhere else. She scratched off the idea of trying to jump through it then she looked above herself through the opening of the ring of fire.

The god saw what she was planning and he quickly waved his hand and the ring of fire capped off the top, fully enclosing the Warrior Princess inside.

“Oh great,” muttered Xena, then the ring began to shrink, closing in on her. “Even better.”

The Amazon Queen gazed over at the battle and saw her partner’s predicament. She studied the ring of fire and how it had a tail leading directly into the fire pit, she knew that it was it’s source. She gritted her teeth and began climbing faster up the wall side, the ledge just above her.

Xena looked to where her lover was and then at the ledge. She wont make it in time, she instantly realize when she saw the ring closing in tighter. “Gabrielle, we have to do it now!”

Gabrielle heard her soulmate’s words but ignored them as she slammed one sai after the other into the wall then her fingertips brushed the ledge. With her right hand, she began to pull herself up and her sai laying on the ledge.

The Warrior Princess saw the ring about to touch the tip of her boot, she removed her chakram and turned towards the over hang of the ceiling.

The warrior-bard hefted herself onto the ledge- she grabbed her sais and gazed at her partner.

Xena nodded briskly and pulled back her arm with the chakram.

Gabrielle grounded her teeth and held her sais by the middle blade. She pulled back her arms and threw them with all of her strength, and anger.

The sais went sailing through the air towards the open crack of the ceiling.

Xena threw her chakram as her armed stretched out and it went into the fire making her close her eyes in pain.

Together, the pair of sais and the chakram sped for the opening in the ceiling.

Gabrielle held her breath and her body was tense.

Slowly, the fire began touching Xena’s body and the pain screamed threw her. She closed her eyes in wait as she became cocooned in the fire.

Then there was a loud boom and the ceiling began to fall.

The warrior-bard finally breathed and watched the round ceiling portion come tumbling down over top of the pit. It capped it over and ended the tail of fire to the ring that surrounded the Warrior Princess.

The ring of fire fell to the ground and disappeared and Dahak screamed when he saw the fire pit covered. Without delay, he came after Xena with teeth bearing.

Xena did a spinning kick once he was near enough.

Dahak went reeling into the air and landed hard on his back but he jumped back up to his feet.

The Warrior Princess narrowed her eyes and stalked after him, her anger growing in each step she took.

Gabrielle watched them briefly but then heard the sound of Xena’s chakram and it was coming right at her. She tensed up and prepared to catch the weapon.

The chakram narrowed in to the warrior-bard, lowering towards her mid-waist.

The Amazon Queen swiftly flung her hand out and caught the chakram with ease.

Xena dropped down to the ground, and did a fast roundhouse and she swept Dahak’s feet from under him.

The god dropped to his back yet again but he kicked at the warrior.

The Warrior Princess jumped out of the way in time and spun her sword.

Dahak was up on his feet again and this time he held up his right arm, his hand in a fist. He suddenly grinned as a dozen of tiny spikes grew out of his knuckles.

Xena’s eyes widened as she realized what was about to happen. She leapt up into the air doing a spinning summersault as the spikes flew around her, barely missing her. But before she landed back on the ground, she was hit by a spike in her right shoulder. Once on the ground, she tore the spike out of her shoulder.

Dahak now raised his other hand the same way as he did with his left.

This time, Xena was ready and she dashed forward with her sword coming down.

The god screamed out when the blade sliced through and cut off his arm.

Xena smirked at his reaction and went into attack- a seeming dance of death.

Gabrielle stood on the ledge from far above, carefully watching over her partner and the chakram at her ready.

Dahak tried hard keeping up with the warrior, deflecting each strike she gave him. Yet she kept coming at him and his energy was wearing out especially now that his fire was gone from his command.

The Warrior Princess suddenly gave out her war cry, and she jumped up, giving a hard kick that sent the god stumbling back. She then brought her sword against him and cut him against across the chest then kicked him directly in the knee, sending him down.

Dahak looked up, his eyes flashing in anger.

Xena sneered back at him and rammed her sword down into his back. She then gave it a hard twist making Dahak scream in pain.

The god reached out and grabbed the warrior’s leg, his claws digging into her skin.

The Warrior Princess kneed him in the face and managed to get free from his hand while drawing her sword out of his back.

Dahak tried standing up but blood was seeping out of his back.

The warrior removed her breast dagger and hurled it at him and it punctured his throat.

The god didn’t move, just rested on his knees but then his eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he fell onto his side.

Xena huffed and turned to face her partner up on the ledge, she walked towards her. “How’s the view up there?”

“Not bad,” replied the warrior-bard. She was about to relax her hand that held the chakram but then saw Dahak moving again. “Xena!”

Xena whirled around with her sword back up.

Gabrielle was faster and she flung the chakram towards Dahak.

Dahak was just barely up on his feet when the chakram drove into his chest and into his heart.

The warrior realized her partner didn’t have the power to kill the gods so she acted quickly. She grabbed the portion of the chakram that stuck out and gave a hard push, which caused the god to fall onto his back. And for certainty, she twisted the chakram in his chest before pulling it out. For a moment, she stared down at the dead god, relieved that finally he’d be gone and never would haunt Gabrielle or Hope. Xena then moved towards the ledge again saying, “He’s dead.”

The warrior-bard sighed in relief and felt herself shake a bit from all the tension of the day. “Okay, I’m coming down.”

“Hold on a sec.” Xena glanced around and spotted some cloth on an altar by the now cover fire pit. She cleaned her sword and chakram of the blood then put them in their proper places. Coming back to the ledge, she called, “Go ahead.”

Gabrielle took a deep breath then jumped her arms out in front of her and legs together, she aimed for her partner.

Xena braced herself and held her arms out when her lover came into her. To make it easier, she spun to her right to gave way to the force then she lower her warrior-bard to the ground.

“Thanks.” Gabrielle smiled at her warrior.

Xena returned the warm smiled. “No problem.”

The Amazon Queen then scanned the room and spotted her sais by the pit. She hurried to them and swiped them off the floor but she noticed the pit rumbling with anger. “Xena… I think we better get out of here.”

“What’s wrong?”

“This pit is going to turn into a volcano any minute.”

“Hades,” grumbled the warrior, “come on!”

The pair raced to the door but it flung open when they were about to leave.

“Hope?” Gabrielle had a surprised look, staring at her daughter with a staff.

“Mother?” Hope smiled but lost it when she saw Dahak behind the pair of soulmates. “Gods…”

Xena then saw the warriors behind Hope and instinctively drew her sword.

“What happened?” barked the Captain.

Hope looked at Xena and gave her a warning look, which made the Warrior Princess lower her sword.

“Dahak is dead,” commented the poet to the Captain.

The Captain pushed through Hope and saw the god dead on the floor. “But hh…” He didn’t finish his sentence as his head drop down and he groaned deeply. “What?” he whispered.

Hope noted that all the other warriors were going through the same change as the Captain. “His power must be wearing off.”

The Captain lifted his head and gazed about with confusion written in his expression. “Where are we?”

“In western Greece,” explained Gabrielle to the Captain.

“How’d we get here?” inquired a warrior from behind Hope.

“Look,” Xena sheathed her sword while saying, “Let’s play catch-up later before this place explodes from the pit with us in it.”

“Let’s go,” ordered Gabrielle.

The warriors hastily backed up into the corridor with Hope, Gabrielle, and Xena behind. As soon as the group was out, the ground started shaking lightly.

“Let’s move!” yelled Xena.

The group started running down the maze of corridors, trying to find their way out of the castle. They then found the steps that led upstairs and as they sprinted up the steps, a large opening tore between the steps and the floor. Both Xena and Gabrielle had to jump the growing crack onto the steps.

Eve’s head fell a bit to one side as she saw all of the men in the army walking about in utter confusion. She bit her lower lip and then realized something must have happened to Dahak. She looked to the horses and said, “Stay…” She then grinned at Argo. “Keep those boys in line, girl.”

Argo whined with her head going up and down.

The warrior made her way to the army of Dahak but as she ran, she felt the ground shake under her. She became even more worried than she was before about Hope. Coming up to the army, she heard several man asking where they were. “You’re in western Greece,” called Eve.

The men all turned to her and stared at her.

“It’s the Roman Commander Olivia.”

“Look everybody, you were brought here by a god called Dahak,” cut in the warrior. “Right now, we need to get away from this castle.”

“Why?” called out one man.

“Because its about to blow!” yelled the Captain of the army as he bust from the side door of the castle. Following him out were the twenty warriors and Hope, Gabrielle, and Xena directly behind.

“Move it!” screamed Xena and Gabrielle right when the ground shook dramatically.

The top of the castle started falling apart and coming down on everybody.

In a panic, the army of men ran for their lives from the castle followed by the two pairs of soul mates. As the entire army and soul mates made it near the forest, the castle collapsed into itself with the ground taking one last large quake.

~*~*~*~

Gabrielle dropped down and rolled out of the way. “Oh good one but not good enough,” she teased her daughter.

Hope glared at her mother and spun her staff with grace. “Just admit it.”

“What’s that?” challenged Gabrielle.

“I’m a faster learner of the staff than you were.” The poet smirked and bent her knees, her staff in front of her.

The warrior-bard gave a deep laugh. “Sure,” she mocked back.

Hope growled lightly and attacked her mother.

Xena gave a huge grin to her daughter as her sword stopped Eve’s blade. “You’re getting rusty, Eve.”

“Its been awhile,” countered the younger warrior.

The Warrior Princess laughed lightly and shook her head and continued sparring with her daughter. She then peered over at her soulmate from across the clearing.

Gabrielle caught Xena’s gaze and gave a look briefly.

Xena nodded in agreement to Gabrielle’s look. She then focused back on Eve and without warning, she dropped and did a roundhouse swipe.

Eve yelped as she went falling onto her butt.

Gabrielle, herself, had locked her daughter’s staff into her sais and ripped it from her hands. She then tossed the staff far out of reach from Hope.

Hope was shocked and stared at her mother in awe.

The warrior-bard snickered and walked over to her soulmate. “Let’s go.”

Together, the two mothers strolled off from the clearing towards a lake that wasn’t too far away.

“What was that?” mentioned Hope to her partner.

Eve shrugged while she sat on the ground. “I take it as a hint.”

“Such as?” The poet picked up her staff from the ground and strolled over to her lover. She sat down beside Eve.

“Such as they want to be alone,” she urged with an evil grin.

“Well… they could have just said something, yah know.”

The warrior released a small laugh and crossed her legs. “Well…” She sheathed her sword behind her back and looked to Hope. “How you feel after yesterday?”

“Better,” replied the poet, she settled her staff in front of her. She was quiet for many seconds before finally saying, “Eve, I’m sorry about what happened.”

“Its okay.” Eve lifted herself up a bit with her hands and turned her body to face her partner. “Dahak controlled you.”

“I know but…”

“You still feel guilty,” finished the warrior, “I know.”

Hope fell silent, and she stared at the grass in front of her. “I’m happy Xena killed him.” Slowly, she lifted her eyes to Eve. “He won’t be lurking in the shadows anymore. I’ve always feared him coming back and I knew he would sometime.”

“He’s dead,” stated Eve simply. “Its time to move on now, Hope.”

“It is… finally,” agreed the poet as a smiled etched along her lips. “For once, I can live my life… I never liked who I was.”

Eve had a half smile. “I can relate.”

Hope peered up into soft green eyes. “I know… and I’m still waiting on that story.”

“You’ll hear it…” Eve grasped her lover’s knee. “In time.”

“I know,” uttered the poet. She then leaned over and softly kissed Eve, pulling back a bit after the kiss, she whispered, “Thank you.”

“For?”

“Helping me and sticking by me.” A loving smile was covering the poet’s lips.

“Anytime,” replied the warrior quietly.

“Mmmm, I love you,” added Hope.

Eve formed her own warm smile and tenderly kissed her poet.

Hope sighed happily when she sat back, she then said, “I think I’m going to go talk to your mother.”

“Yeah?” Eve rested her elbows on her knees.

“Yeah… I want to thank her.” The small woman got to her feet and held her hand out.

Eve grabbed her lover’s staff while taking Hope’s hand, and she got hauled up onto her feet.

Hope took her staff from her partner. “Thanks, I’ll see yah in a bit.”

Eve nodded and watched her soul mate walk in the direction that Gabrielle and her mother went earlier.

The warrior sighed and glanced at the setting sun. “Time for dinner soon.” She disappeared into the forest to get that dinner.

Hope came up behind her mother and Xena.

“Hey,” greeted Gabrielle with a smile.

“Hi,” replied the poet, the same smile on her lips. “Um…” She peered up at Xena. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”

“Sure,” answered the Warrior Princess.

Gabrielle immediately stood up, knowing this would be a sensitive chat that wasn’t meant for her. “And I’ll go get dinner ready.”

“Need help later, mom?”

“No, I’ll be okay, sweetie, thanks though.”

Hope nodded and watched her mother go then she heard Xena.

“Sit,” offered the warrior, her hand signaling the vacated spot that Gabrielle had been in earlier.

“Thanks.” Hope sat quietly and made no conversation so she placed her staff on the ground. She took a heavy breath and looked at Xena. “Honestly… I’m not sure what to say… other than thank you.”

The warrior wasn’t looking at the poet instead she gazed at the lake. After numerous seconds, she finally looked at Hope and said, “You’re welcome.”

Hope finally felt her stomach stop turning especially when Xena gave her a smile. She quickly returned the smile and whispered, “I’m sorry for everything that’s happened in the past.”

“I know you are.” Xena took a long breath and let it drift back out as she looked back over the lake.

The poet licked her lips and stared at the beach. “I know I can never take back what I did to Solan… but I’ll never stop trying.”

Slowly, the warrior turned her focus back on Hope, her eyes locked on her. “Solan was very dear to me,” she whispered in a sincere tone, “there’s nobody that can take his place. I know what weight you have on your shoulders from it. But I also know that a lot of things happen during that time. You, Gabrielle, and I all went through Hades. The one thing I’ve come to realize from all of it is that it was nobody’s fault… I don’t hold anything against you.”

Hope reached up, her fingers brushing her bangs back and her eyes stung. Gradually, tears began rolling down her cheeks

Xena sighed deeply and moved her left hand to rest on Hope’s back. “We all have something to pay for, Hope… some of us more than others. What’s important is you learned from your mistakes and that the people that were angry towards you have forgiven you.”

The poet closed her eyes, still warm tears trickled down her cheeks as her mind became consumed with thoughts.

The warrior rubbed Hope’s back. “And Hope, I do forgive you.”

Hope started to calm after those words, she wiped her tears away and looked up at Xena. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“I’m sorry for what I’ve put you through.” Xena started to smile. “Call Dahak’s death a repayment.”

“It definitely is,” confirmed the poet. “I’m relieved he’s finally gone.”

“Me too,” agreed the warrior.

Hope had a small grin playing on her lips. “He was a pretty bad father.”

Xena broke out with a smile. “I think I have to agree with you on that one.” She then lost her smile a bit, her eyes slightly glistening and throat hurting. “Come here.”

The poet came in closer, not sure what was about to happen but she found herself in a tight hug with the one person she’d called enemy. Without another thought, she hugged Xena back just as strong.

The Warrior Princess pulled back with a smile and said, “You’ve got a lot of Gabrielle in you.”

Hope gave a small laugh while standing up with her staff. “I think you have more Gabrielle than me, you’re better at the sensitive chats.”

Xena let out a laugh and countered, “Hang around your mother long enough and it’ll rub off on you.”

“True,” agreed the smaller woman. “You coming into the camp?”

“I’ll be there in a minute.”

Hope nodded- her smile from earlier never fading as she left Xena by herself. She came into the camp and saw her mother cooking some birds over the fire, she also saw her soul mate sitting down on a log.

Gabrielle quickly noticed her daughter’s red eyes and came over to her. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” replied the poet quietly, “it was a good talk.”

“Good.” The Amazon Queen took a deep breath of relief. “Is Xena still down there?”

“Yeah, she said she’d be up here in a minute or so.”

Gabrielle nodded but then with surprise, Hope hugged her with one arm.

The warrior-bard chuckled a little but whispered, “What’s this for?”

“Because I love you, mom,” answered the poet as she squeezed her mother tighter.

“Love you too, sweetie,” uttered Gabrielle, her grip never loosening. “We need some time to catch up one day soon here.”

The poet released her mother and nodded. “We do.”

“Go on, sit with Eve.”

The daughter smiled before going to sit with her soul mate.

Gabrielle returned to the quail on the spit, checking on them. She carefully studied the two young soul mates from the corner of her eye. She could see how they had that same glow as she and Xena do, it made her smile. Looking to her right, she noted her own soulmate returning from the lake. The most loving smile crossed her lips and her eyes warmed to her lover.

Xena mirrored back the smile, her eyes soft as the sky. “So, what’s for dinner?” she asked with her usual tone of tease.

Both Hope and Eve gazed at their mothers and chuckled together while Gabrielle was shaking her head.

“Some things just never change,” commented the warrior-bard, “and those are the best things.”

The End