It was quite late when Gander returned to his small chamber and began preparing for bed. All in all it had been quite a day and he'd have no difficulty in getting to sleep.
But as he began to settle himself on the bed he suddenly noticed there was something awry with the back of his right shoulder and immediately he had a pretty good idea of what it was.
'Oh drat', he thought bitterly to himself. 'Please. Not that'. In a moment he'd transformed and swiveling his head on his long neck he saw what he'd hoped he wouldn't. Two of his primary flight feathers were dangling loose, ready to fall from his right wing.
Well that really does it, he mused. The force of Kuhlamann's strike must have been what did the damage. It's going to take time, weeks if not months, for new ones to grow back in and in the mean-time I'm grounded. Without those two feathers I'd be all over the sky like a drunk after a full barrel of wine.
Disappointment wasn't the word for what he was feeling just then although he felt that too. No. 'Disgust' was somewhat closer to the mark. He'd hoped to be able to accompany Xena and Gabrielle when they left but now that was completely out of the question.
As long as he could fly he could easily keep up with the two of them, scout ahead of them, and be no burden to them at all. But now he would have to remain behind and the prospect saddened him greatly.
After plucking the two offending feathers from his wing he placed them on the pillow before transforming himself back into human form. While he might not be able to go with Xena and Gabrielle he had an idea of what to do with those two feathers. He hated to waste anything.
The next morning Xena and Gabrielle were standing just outside the gates to the fortress keep, saying their farewells to Akress, Aldhoc, Maadrik, and a small gathering of others when Gander came up to them leading a small burro. Strapped to the animal's back were a set of large leather cases.
Gabrielle saw him first.
"Hi Gander," she said cheerfully.
'Ye gods. She has such a beautiful smile', he thought.
"Who's you friend?" Gabrielle asked.
"Actually," Gander said with an answering grin of his own, "Pegasus here is about to become your friend Gabrielle. You're going to need him to help you carry all of what's in these cases."
"What is in them," she asked, her expression now showing considerable curiosity.
"Well why don't you take a look for yourself dear heart," Gander replied, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
When Gabrielle went up to the animal it turned its head and nuzzled her arm. That did it. Then and their a bond had been formed between the burro and Gabrielle. Gander could tell.
Gabrielle gently caressed the animal's head.
"Pegasus huh. Well let's see what our feathered friend has loaded you down with."
Lifting up the leather cover of the first case she looked in and let out a gasp of surprise and delight. By now Xena was standing next to her and she too peered into the case.
What they saw were a number of stacks of fine parchment. Resting on top of these were several small blocks which were well wrapped. Taking one of these from the case Gabrielle carefully unwrapped it.
"Ink stone," she fairly squealed.
"Yes," Gander said, thoroughly enjoying Gabrielle's delighted reaction to the gifts.
Then Gabrielle looked up at him.
"Were these Kuhlamann's" she asked, some of the pleasure leaving her face.
"Yes dear, they were. But I can assure you those things are not tainted in any way. Like most of his books and scrolls these things are inanimate objects and neither good or evil in and of themselves.
"While he would have assuredly put these things to use for evil purposes I know you will do much good with them and that is the only thing that counts. Now, while you're at it, why don't you take a look in the other case?"
Going around to the other side Gabrielle opened the second case. It too contained stacks of parchment and several more blocks of ink stone. But on top of this pile there was something else. Reaching in she lifted out a large, beautifully crafted, brass mortar and pestle.
"While the gods alone know what that nasty, little, fiend used it for I can tell you it is no more tainted than the rest of those things. I know because I vetted it quite thoroughly and it ought to do a fine job of grinding and preparing your ink."
Carefully replacing the things in the case Gabrielle closed and secured the cover. Then, walking over to where the Wizard stood, she reached up and wrapping her arms about his neck and shoulders she hugged him, hard.
"Thanks," she whispered. "Thanks for everything. You know I love you. You are a wonderful friend."
"There are a couple of other things I have for you Gabby," Gander said, his voice suddenly a bit horse.
Reaching into one of his large pockets he withdrew his two primary flight feathers which he'd transformed into two well crafted quills.
"Fine parchment and good ink deserve the use of something better than a sharpened twig; don't you think?"
Again she gave him a hug.
"By the way," he said, "those are rather extra-ordinary feathers and I think I can safely say they aren't likely to wear down any time soon."
All of their good-byes said, Xena mounted Argo. Gabrielle, having transferred the canvas sack containing her armor and helmet, with its fantastic mask, from Xena's mount to Pegasus' back, took hold of the burro's lead rope and joined her.
As the two of them moved off toward the outer gate Gander's heart was filled with sadness. When they passed through the gate, turned, and disappeared from sight it was all Gander could do to keep his tears in check. He was going to miss those two, wonderful, people. Very much.
"Oh Gander! There you are! I've been looking all over for you."
It was Joxer. Slowly Gander turned to face him.
"By the way," the young man said as he came up to the Wizard, "where's Xena and Gabby?"
"I'm afraid you just missed them," Gander said wearily. "They just left."
"Aw nuts!" the young man said, irritation in his voice. "I wanted to be here to see them off but I got so busy in the library I completely lost track of time."
"Oh well, my young friend," Gander said, putting his hand on Joxer's shoulder. "We'll be meeting up with them again and I do mean in the foreseeable future. It won't be long. Not if I have anything to say about it; and I do. Now. What was it you wanted?"
"Well," Joxer said, "there are a few things, up in the library I'm not too sure of how to organize and I could use a few ideas."
Both of them turned and headed back into the fortress keep as Joxer held forth with his explanations of the difficulties he was having.
EPILOGUE
It had been quite an ordeal but it had turned out rather well in the end. The young, half crazed Sorcerer, Kuhlamann was dead; utterly destroyed and the horrendous threat he'd posed had been eliminated along with him.
The people of Al Fahd had been decimated and bloodied but they would, in time, recover and their village would soon rise again from the ashes; better organized, better built and, with Gander's help, far more beautiful than ever before. The Wizard welcomed the work he now had in hand as it distracted him, for long periods of time, from his thinking of how much he missed Xena and Gabrielle.
As the days turned into weeks Gander became ever more convinced that he had done well indeed in arranging for Joxer's arrival in Al Fahd. While he was still prone to pulling silly stunts, from time to time, Gander had been right about one thing in particular. The young man was anything but stupid.
With his newly acquired abilities he'd become a voracious reader. There was virtually no subject in which he was not interested. Additionally, with practice, he was developing into a potentially good writer as well.
With the help of Gander, and the 'Dubious Gift', Joxer had finally found a real niche in life; one which gave him the things he'd been seeking for so long: A real, legitimate, title, a responsible position, the respect of people of quality, a good income, the ability to travel and go adventuring and most important of all, a home to return to.
In that respect Joxer was somewhat more fortunate than Xena. Hers would continue to be the life of a wanderer with no firm roots anywhere. While she was respected and even loved by many her past would continue to haunt her. She was still known far and wide as the 'Warrior Princes' and for every one who cared for her there were others who still feared and hated her.
When or how she would ever find real peace only the Fates could tell. But in the mean-time she would continue to travel the world and Gabrielle would continue to accompany her. There was a bond even greater than family or blood between them and unless or until some unforeseen event of tremendous import intervened Gabrielle would continue at Xena's side as her friend, her confidant, and as the chronicler of what would become known, to future generations, as the Xena Scrolls.
As for the Wizard, Gander, he knew it was quite possible that he would outlive both of them but this was something he refused to dwell on. After all the Fates were the final arbiters in such matters and as powerful as he might be there was nothing he could do to effect them one way or the other.
He would have to remain at Al Fahd for some time. His new flight feathers were taking a long time to grow back. But while he was waiting there really was important work for him to do in helping the survivors of the Sorcerer's evil to recover and rebuild their lives.
But one thing was dead certain as far as Gander was concerned. As and when he was finally able to do so he would rejoin Xena and Gabrielle and one thought gave him considerable comfort.
When the time came it wouldn't matter one little bit where or how far away Xena and Gabrielle were. They would now be easy to find. His gift to Gabrielle of his two feathers, which he'd made into fine writing quills assured this. You see, Wizards are always able to locate those things which are truly their own.