Cover by ForevaXena

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The sun was warm on their backs as Xena and Gabrielle traveled east.  They had started rather later than planned, and were looking at a couple of day’s journey before they reached Amphipolis and Xena’s mother.  It was just a few days ago they had received word that Cyrene wanted to see them, much to Xena and Gabrielle’s relief when they heard she was still alive.  So much had changed since Eve was born and they had spent 25 years in Ares’ icy tomb.

Although Xena and Gabrielle were leery of leaving Eve, Eve had insisted that they should go.  Since the battle on Olympus the few gods that remained alive had made it clear that they would rather drift into oblivion instead of die at the end of Xena’s sword.  In fact, the last time Aphrodite dropped in to make sure her "little one" had fully recovered she assured Gabrielle and Xena that Eve had nothing to fear. 

However, even if there was nothing to fear from the gods, there were always the humans to worry about.  Xena would not take Eve with them until she was sure the way to Amphipolis would be safe to travel.  Xena detested the fact that she no longer knew the lay of the land. 

Before their icy incarceration she always knew which warlord or king was a problem and what paths to take.  Now, she would have to learn all over again.  Take where they were now for example.  The fair and just Lord Ranold that Xena and Gabrielle had considered a friend had ruled this territory.  Now all Xena knew was that his grandson Philip was ruler, but she had no idea what type of leader he was.

Gabrielle was so happy to be on the road again with Xena.  For too long it seemed to Gabrielle that her relationship with Xena was less satisfying than it had been.  In some ways it had not been the same since she held Xena in her arms before Caesar crucified them.  After they were raised from the dead, there were always so many people around that things felt different.   If only they could have had more time together perhaps Gabrielle would not be feeling like they had drifted apart.  As that thought crossed Gabrielle’s mind she felt guilty. Most of the companions they travelled with after their resurrection died before, during or after they spent the 25 years in Ares icy tomb...Eli martyred by Ares, Amarice killed when the Amazons were attacked, and Joxer...dear Joxer.  Gabrielle hoped they had all found each other in Heaven.  Then Eve had been born and they had to adjust to being a family of three.  That would have been an adjustment even without the attacks of the gods against Eve.  Even during the brief time they had with Eve before their 25-year stint in Ares’ icy tomb, there was one time they considered separating for a few weeks.  "Thanks be that we did not separate," thought Gabrielle "for if we had who knows but that I might not be with Xena now."

For the last few months they had been staying with Eve and the followers of Eli as Eve learned about her destiny.  Although no longer under attack from the gods, Gabrielle felt the distance between herself and Xena grow, as they were so busy with Eve.  But, somehow, Gabrielle thought there was something more than the time spent getting to know the adult Eve to the distance she felt between herself and Xena.  She just did not know what it was.  As they trotted along Gabrielle’s thoughts turned to all the good times they had spent together over the last five years and a smile formed on her lips.

I was just lying there totally useless to Xena because of the poison from the Persian arrow that hit me.  All I could do was cough...and keep Xena from abandoning her mission to slow down the Persians.  She so wanted to take me to get the serum and to hell with what would happen to Greece.  I just couldn’t let her.  Just before the army came thundering in on their horses, I remember our words...

"All I want is to be with you right now.  You are my best friend, my family.  I love you Gabrielle."  

"I love you Xena"

"Until the other side then.  We will be together."

"‘Till then."

We got out of that one when Xena defeated the whole army.  Then there was the time on that wretched boat, I hate boats, after we had freed Vercinix and I was struggling with my role in Crassus’s death.  I was so relieved when Xena came over to me.  I needed to talk about it and Xena is not the best talker to say the least!

"I don’t know what is happening to me Xena.  I did something that I never thought I’d be able to do.  I played judge, jury and executioner."

"You only did what I told you to."

"You said Crassus living or dying wasn’t the point.  I had a choice.  I made it."

"Gabrielle, I put you into a situation I had no right to.  Expected you to understand my logic and ignore your heart."

"But I know you were right."

"It wasn’t right for you.  That’s not who you are...if I had to do this all over again."

"You’d still do it."

"If I couldn’t find another way I would, but I wouldn’t include you.

"Yea, but I would be hurt if you didn’t."

"How many more times are you going to follow me into battle, huh?  How many more times am I going to hurt you?  You are the most dear thing to me in all the world.  Yet, instead of protecting you..."

"I’m here because I want to be here.  I love you Xena."

"I love you too Gabrielle."

Xena put her hand over mine and we stayed side by side looking out over the side of the boat for the longest time. 

I wonder how different my life would have been if Xena had sent me away that first night when I joined her by the campfire.  I would not have gone home.  I didn’t fit in there, but where would I have ended up?  Hum, I can’t image being with anyone else.  Being with Xena is my destiny.  Thanks be she decided to let me stay, threw a blanket at me, and told me where to sleep.

Had Gabrielle taken the time to analyze the memories that were making her smile, she would have realized that they were all times when they were up to their wazoos in trouble, or had just got out of some sticky situation -- like dying or recovering from being dead.  Somehow those difficult times were always the times she had felt particularly close to Xena.

Xena looked over at Gabrielle, saw the smile on her face and wondered what on earth Gabrielle was thinking about.  It had been several hours since Gabrielle last spoke.  "It used to be", thought Xena, "that I had to offer a dinar to get Gabrielle to stop talking!"

"Gabrielle..."

"Hmmm, yes Xena...."

"A dinar for your thoughts..."

Gabrielle turned in her saddle and looked at the warrior "Well, I was just thinking about just how much like old times this is.  Our being on the road together..."

"Yeah right, just like old times except have you forgotten that you used to think horses were built way too far off the ground for you?  And I never used to have to offer you a dinar for your thoughts!"

Gabrielle smiled as she patted her horse.  "Ok, I agree I’ve changed a bit.  On the topic of horses, how is Argo the Second doing?"

"You know Gabrielle, it’s the most amazing thing.  She knows everything her mother did.  She knows my commands and how to cope with my moods..."

"Yeah and we all know how tough that is."

After Xena took a swipe at Gabrielle she continued "yes, she knows when she needs to be calm and when she can play around.  I can’t believe that Joxer trained her so well."

"Xena, Joxer did not do the training alone.  Think about it.  Remember how Argo always knew how you were feeling?  How she even knew you were pregnant when you didn’t?"

"Yeah?"

"Well I’m sure that Argo knew we were not dead but she couldn’t find us.  She knew we would be back, eventually, and she trained her daughter to be ready for you."

Xena sighed. "Probably.  I just wish that I could have been with Eve to teach her as she was growing up." 

"We both wish that we could have been there for her."

Xena sighed again and decided to change topics.  "So Gabrielle, tell me about the ‘old times’ you were so fondly remembering."

"I was thinking about all sorts of our adventures...like the time I was poisoned and you beat the stuffing out of the Persian army.  It seems that I was always getting into trouble and you were saving me.  Think about it, we had some really good times"

Xena started to think about all their adventures and image after image of Gabrielle in trouble, in pain, dying, dead flooded her mind.  The most vivid of all was the image of her chakram sailing through the air and mortally wounding Gabrielle.  If it were not for Aphrodite and Ares she would have lost Gabrielle.  A visible shudder ran through her body.

The shudder did not go unnoticed by Gabrielle.  She had seen the same one many times since the battle on Olympus.  She suspected the cause of the shudder was something that happened during the battle.  Too bad she did not know what happened.  Being unconscious makes it tough to remember things.  All she could remember was being hit from behind then Xena saying to her that she couldn’t die and that she was the purest thing in Xena’s life.  Gabrielle did not even remember what hit her. 

"Xena?"

"Gabrielle, it’s nothing"

"I don’t think so Xena."

Xena hesitated "ok so it is something..."

Just then the snapping of a twig stopped Xena mid-sentence.  In a second they were both off their horses, Xena with sword drawn and Gabrielle with her staff in hand (she still had her sai’s but had decided to only use them in extreme situations.)  Out of the woods to their left came about 10 men.  Fighting back to back Xena and Gabrielle rapidly knocked them down, with a thud here and a crunch there, until all the attackers were on the ground.  As the men struggled to regroup and attack again a young sounding voice called out

"Stop, she is not the one we want.  Neither of them are."

Into the clearing rode a very young man.  He surveyed the damage that Xena and Gabrielle had done to his men with displeasure.  Jumping down from his horse he approached Xena and Gabrielle. 

"I apologise for my men.  They are searching for a fierce warrior woman in order to avenge my father’s death.  I guess they attacked, mistaking you for her.  My name is Philip, son of Ceptus and grandson of Ranold."

"My name is Xena.  This is Gabrielle.  We knew your grandfather.  What happened to him?" 

Looking at Xena a flicker of recognition lit up Philip’s eyes as he replied "My grandfather was killed during a hunt.  Seems he was mistaken for the deer."

Gabrielle winced slightly "tell us about your father."

"He took my grandfather’s place and about four years later this woman warrior Gaia started to attack one of the villages.  My father called out the militia and went after her.  He was carrying the family’s scared daggers, did my grandfather ever tell you about them?"

"Nope" replied Xena as she looked closely at Philip, her blue eyes not showing any emotion.  Looking over at her, Gabrielle could see that Xena was definitely in warrior mode. 

"Well, they have been in the family for generations and are only carried in times of great trouble.  That bitch of a warrior not only killed my father, but also made away with one of the daggers.  Recently we have had reports that she is in these forests and I want her.  Xena, will you help us?"

Xena paused before answering "Yes, but only if we come across her in our journey to Amphipolis or back.  How will we know her?" 

Philip responded "She is a tall woman, perhaps your height Xena, in her mid to late thirties.  You will be able to identify her by a long scar running up her left leg.  In self-defence, my father caused the scar with one of the scared daggers.  The most distinctive feature of the scar is that it bears no sign of stitches.  Please be careful.  She is a dangerous woman and I would not like to think of her harming a friend of the family."

Gabrielle smiled at the notion of anyone harming Xena, the killer of the gods. 

Xena’s face, on the other hand, showed no sign of a smile "very well.  I assume we have safe passage through your lands?"

"Of course" he replied.  "I will send word ahead so you are not accidentally attacked again."

"Thanks.  Gabrielle, lets go." 

After Philip watched them trot out of the clearing, he turned to his men.  "Listen, this is a great stroke of luck.  Xena has no idea that I’m not like my grandfather.  The villagers won’t take kindly to my killing Gaia given they view her as a bit of a hero for doing away with my father.  With any luck at all Xena and her sidekick will kill Gaia and save us the trouble!  So, nobody get in her way."

After a few minutes of trotting away from Philip, Gabrielle turned to Xena and said:

"Xena, do you trust that man?"

"Nope.  I don’t think things are as straightforward as Philip would like us to believe.  My gut is saying that something is wrong.  I just don’t know what.  Let’s keep moving.  I’d like to have some more distance behind us before we stop and make camp for the night."

In silence they trotted on for about another hour or so and Gabrielle continued enjoying her memories.  Xena was preoccupied with trying to understand what bothered her about Philip and, when she did not think about Philip, the vision of Gabrielle’s blood on her chakram haunted her.

Gabrielle’s enjoyment of her memories was dimmed whenever she thought about either Joxer or looked over at Xena.  "Ah Joxer.  I wish you hadn’t died trying to save me.  I wish that you hadn’t loved me so much.  Your love for me was of a sort that I couldn’t return.  If only Xena and I could share that sort of..." With a blush Gabrielle stopped mid thought and turned to look at Xena.  It seemed that there was a black cloud over her head and the scowl on Xena’s face was more than what should have been there if she was just trying to figure out Philip. "I know how much she hates talking about her feelings, but I’ll have to try to pry whatever is bothering her out of her.  Probably I’ll have better luck after we set up camp." 

Gabrielle would have continued to muse about Xena had the warrior not stopped Argo and looked around.  Gabrielle pulled up beside her. 

"Do you remember the glen in the wood we used to camp in?  It seems to me it is not far from here and would be a good place to set-up for the night."

"I remember.  Here’s hoping it has not totally grown over."

They turned into the wood along a path that, although grown over, had been used by someone recently. As the path narrowed they dismounted and continued single file. After ten minutes or so things started to look vaguely familiar and the path widened out to the point they could travel abreast of each other. 

Suddenly Xena stopped. Just ahead a woman was bending over to collect firewood from the forest floor.  Instinctively Gabrielle reached over and took Argo’s reins from Xena as the warrior princess started to move towards the woman.

She was older than they were (ignoring the 25 years they spent "on ice" of course), dark haired, had no weapons, and was wearing a simple shirt and short skirt.  As the woman stood up with her wood, Gabrielle could tell that she was at least Xena’s height although somewhat heavier set and her face showed what Gabrielle could only interpret as extreme sadness.  As she turned towards Xena and Gabrielle, the late afternoon light lit up a scar running up he left leg.  That was enough for Xena.  With a whoop and a flip she was in front of the woman.  Not surprisingly the woman dropped her wood and backed up.  Gabrielle expected Xena to break off her attack and start talking to the woman.  But the expected did not happen.  Xena attacked.

A defensive blow deflected each blow Xena threw at the woman, and the woman didn’t take the offensive until Xena had her backed up under a large tree.  Then one quick kick to put Xena off balance allowed the woman to do a back flip up onto a tree branch.  In an instant Xena had her chakram off her hip and in the air towards the point where the branch met the tree.  Then, as quick as a cat pouncing on its prey, the woman reached down and grabbed the chakram out of mid air just before it struck the tree limb.  The catch itself and the resemblance of this woman to Xena as she grabbed the chakram out of the air startled Gabrielle.

Balanced on the tree branch stood a fierce looking woman.  A quick glance over at Gabrielle ensured her that Xena was the only threat.  With an edge on her voice sharper than Xena’s sword the woman angrily said "What in the name of the gods are you doing? Why are you attacking an unarmed woman who did nothing to provoke you?  Are you crazy?  Who are you?  What is this deadly little toy of yours?"

Before Xena could retort or react to having her chakram called a ‘little toy’ Gabrielle spoke up. "She is Xena and I am Gabrielle.  We are looking for someone." 

Without taking her eyes off Xena, but obviously addressing Gabrielle, the woman in the tree responded, "Well, you sure have a peculiar method of locating someone, don’t you?  Kill them first then ask their name!  So, who are you trying to find?"

"Gaia, the warrior" replied Gabrielle.

The change in countenance that swept over the woman was astounding.  It was as if all of her anger was swept away on the breezes rustling through the tree she was standing in.  Her head bowed, her shoulders slumped and the hand holding the chakram fell to her side.   Then with one flip she was out of the tree and standing in front of Xena.  As the two women looked at each other Gabrielle again saw a startling resemblance between Xena and the other woman.  When the woman briefly glanced over at Gabrielle the extreme sadness the bard had seen earlier was back in the woman’s eyes.   Facing Xena the woman said in the softest tone imaginable, "Gaia the warrior has been gone for many years.  My name is Ariel.  Here is your toy, Warrior."

"So you know her...."

"Perhaps, Gabrielle, better to say that I knew her" said Ariel as she slowly turned from looking eye to eye with Xena.  "It is getting late.  I am camping in the clearing, and providing the fire has not gone out the rabbit stew should be almost ready.  Why don’t you join me for the night?"

As soon as the words were out of Ariel’s mouth a wave of disappointment flowed over Gabrielle.  She had been so looking to spending time alone with Xena, yet once again they would have company.  Of course Xena was sure to accept the offer so she could keep an eye on Ariel and figure out the mystery of Gaia.

Xena and Ariel both saw the disappointment on Gabrielle’s face even though it was only there for a split second.  Xena guessed the cause and was considering saying no thank you to Ariel, but knew that there was more to understand about Ariel.  With a small smile to Gabrielle to let her know that she disappointed too, Xena said "thanks, we would appreciate it."

As Ariel led the way down the path Xena and Gabrielle walked behind with the horses.  With glance at Ariel and an upraised eyebrow Gabrielle silently asked if Xena thought Ariel was Gaia.  Xena responded with an ever so slight nod and a slightly puzzled look.  ‘Hmmm’, thought Gabrielle, ‘Xena does think that Ariel is Gaia, but there is something that is puzzling her.  We need to find a place to talk.’

After they arrived at the clearing they emptied their saddlebags and took the horses to give them water.  Then they had their chance to talk. 

"Gabrielle, there is something that is really fishy going on.  I’m sure Ariel is Gaia.  Nobody but a warrior could have defended herself nor have caught my chakram.  She fits the physical description Philip gave us, but if she were really the vicious warrior he claimed she was, she would have tried to take me out.  I don’t get it."

"Perhaps she had a conversion like yours since the time she killed Philip’s father.  I know another warrior who turned from evil ways."  Gabrielle looked up, put a hand on Xena’s arm and smiled at the warrior. 

"Maybe, but my gut is saying something else is going on and that somehow it all flows back to Philip. Until I know if she is friend or foe, I would rather know where she is.  Sorry, I know you were looking forward to it just being the two of us tonight."

"OK Xena." Under her breath Gabrielle continued, "you have no idea just how much I wanted us to be together."  Warrior ears heard her, but Xena said nothing.

They headed back with the horses, took off the saddles and bridles and then put halters on and left them to graze near the campsite.  It was starting to get chilly as they walked back to the campfire and they, although disappointed about not having the camp to themselves, were thankful for the warmth of Ariel’s fire and the delicious smell of rabbit stew. 

As they drew closer they could hear singing.  Gabrielle was sure she had heard the song before and even the voice singing it, but for a second she could not place it.  Then it struck her like a thunderbolt.  It was Xena’s lullaby for Eve.  But the voice singing it could not be Xena’s, for Xena was standing beside her as if rooted in stone.  It must be Ariel.  Just then Xena found her voice and growled "where did you learn that song?"

Ariel stopped singing and looked up.  As soon as she saw the shocked look on the faces of Xena and Gabrielle she said "What is it?  Did I do something wrong?"

"Just tell me where you learned that song," Xena said between gritted teeth.

"Come, sit.  I will tell you the whole story."  Although Xena would have preferred to have heard the answer a little more directly than in story form she sat by the fire, as did Gabrielle.  As soon as they were seated, Ariel started the story.  "I was born in Amphipolis." (If Ariel noticed the start both her guests gave at the name of Xena’s hometown she did not show it.) "And for the first ten or so years of my life it was a wonderful place to live.  It was safe and the people were so welcoming of a curious child.  I used to love to sit in the inn run by Cyrene (another start by Xena and Gabrielle) and watch the people.  Cyrene used to say I was as curious as her daughter was.  Then everything changed when I was about 11 years old.  Athena brought her armies to lay siege to Amphipolis in order to get at Eve, Cyrene’s granddaughter.  I was so scared one day after almost getting hit by an arrow that I hid in a special the corner of the inn that only I knew about.  Then I heard the music.  A woman was singing to her baby this most gorgeous lullaby.  I was very quiet and learned all the words and would sing it with the woman on the other side of the wall.  It was a comfort to me than and still is now.  When Athena was defeated and her armies left the woman who sang the lullaby sang no more.  I missed hearing her voice.  Now why did you react to the lullaby the way you did?"

Before Gabrielle could say anything Xena said "My family used to live in Amphipolis and I learned the same lullaby there.  I just have not heard it in years and it startled me that’s all." 

Fortunately before Ariel could ask anymore questions, Gabrielle’s stomach growled.  Xena smiled at her and then looked to Ariel, "I hope you have lot’s of stew, Gabrielle is almost impossible to fill up!"

The stew was good and during supper Gabrielle made sure that the conversation stayed well away from the topic of Amphipolis.  It was too weird that this woman was a child when they were in Amphipolis fighting to protect the town and Eve from Athena.  Even weirder that she had overheard Xena singing to Eve and learned her lullaby.  Gabrielle saw in her mind’s eye the main square of Amphipolis with arrows sailing over the embankment and Xena flying through the air towards a young girl.  At the very last second Xena was able to grab the arrow headed directly for the girl.  Could Ariel have been the girl Xena saved?

After supper Gabrielle asked Ariel about Gaia.  Ariel’s story about Gaia was fairly general.  She was a fierce female warrior initially on a path of evil who turned towards good.  After her conversion she helped defend a town suffering under the oppression of Ceptus who was quite a different character from his father.  During the course of the battle Ceptus was killed and Gaia departed.  Her war cry has never been heard since.  The story had the ring of truth to it but Xena was sure that there was a lot more to the story. 

It was late and sleep beckoned, so they cleaned up from their meal that had fully satisfied all of them, Gabrielle included.  Xena and Gabrielle set up their bedrolls on the opposite side of the fire from Ariel’s.  Xena kept her sword close at hand out of habit as she settled down beside Gabrielle.  She didn’t think she would need it, as she believed Ariel was not a threat.  A mystery maybe, but not a threat.  Sleep came quickly to all of them.

The moon was high when Xena woke.  Her hair trigger senses were telling her that, while there was no threat of danger, there was something amiss. Her back was to the fire and she was facing Gabrielle.  Keeping her breathing steady so that no one would know she was awake, she opened her eyes.  One look and she knew that whatever was bothering her senses had nothing to do with Gabrielle.  The bard was sound asleep with the corners of her lips turned upwards ever so slightly.  It looked like she was enjoying her dream. 

Listening intently Xena strained to hear Ariel whose bedroll was on the other side of the fire.  Gradually Xena could discern that Ariel was sitting by the fire and it sounded like she had her head in her hands and occasionally ran her hands through her hair.  Xena was startled to realize that Ariel had gotten out of her bedroll and moved beside the fire, a position even closer to Xena’s back, without Xena’s warning bells going off full blast.  Xena was somewhat at a loss as to what she should do.  To "wake up" and try to talk to Ariel would not be fruitful.  Ariel had been politely hostile towards Xena since their exchange in the woods.  Ariel would only speak when spoken to or when necessity demanded and she would only address Xena as "Warrior".  However, during supper Ariel had warmed up to the bard. Too bad Gabrielle was asleep.  As close as Gabrielle was to Xena, Xena could not risk moving to wake her up.  Ariel would be sure to notice.  "Come on Gabrielle," thought Xena "wake up for me."

Gabrielle was having the nicest of dreams.  She and Xena were on the road with nobody else near them.  They were enjoying each other’s company, exchanging stories, laughs, and pleasant silences as they traveled along.  Finding a pond with a waterfall in the background they went for a swim and Xena was catching a fish for supper.  Gabrielle went to the shore to dry off and sat on a warm rock watching her warrior fish, the sun shining off Xena’s black hair and tanned body.  What could be more glorious?  After watching for a few minutes, Gabrielle lay back on the rock and found she was getting drowsy in the afternoon sun.  Then she heard Xena calling...

Gabrielle realized she was awake but had not opened her eyes.  "Rats" she thought, "I was having such a nice dream.  I wonder what woke me."  She listened and could hear Xena’s regular breathing right beside her.  She could also hear the crackle of the embers from the fire, and the slow movement of the horses grazing behind her.  She could not hear any movement from Ariel.  Gabrielle was about to go back to sleep when she had the distinct feeling Xena wanted her.  Slowly, she opened her eyes and was rewarded by having Xena’s blue eyes look back at her.  With an ever so slight arch of her eyebrow, Gabrielle silently asked what was going on.  Xena’s response was a quick flick of her eyes over her shoulder towards the fire.  Gabrielle knew what Xena wanted and started to get up.  As she did Gabrielle smiled to herself and thought "well, we sure are better at our signals that in those days when I first met the Amazons."

Grabbing a blanket Gabrielle walked towards the figure sitting by the fire.  Gently she sat down beside her and wrapped the blanket over both their shoulders. "If I am ever to hear what is on her mind I will have to be patient," thought Gabrielle.  It actually took less time than Gabrielle expected before Ariel looked up from the fire at Gabrielle, weakly gave her a smile, and returned to looking at the glowing embers.  In Ariel’s eyes Gabrielle could see the deep pain the woman was in along with traces of tears.  Somehow tears seemed as out of place with this woman as they always did with Xena.  "I guess one does not expect a warrior to cry," thought Gabrielle.

"Ariel," asked Gabrielle in her softest voice "what do you see in the embers?" 

Ariel replied "I see the last battle of Gaia and Deirdre against Ceptus."

"Please tell me the story."

"Gabrielle, it is late and it is a long story."

"Please?" Gabrielle asked again still using her softest voice.

Hesitantly Ariel agreed to tell the tale as she looked again at the embers.

I see two women as inseparable as the waters are blue.  Together they traveled and fought evil wherever they found it.  Oh, it hadn’t always been so.  One of the women, Gaia, had been a fierce and evil warrior.  The other, Deirdre, had been a healer in a village near Athens.  How they met and how Gaia turned from evil ways to a path of goodness is a long one, but suffice it to say that Deirdre played a huge part in the reformation of Gaia. 

I see Gaia and Deirdre traveling together towards a village, a village suffering greatly under the harsh rule of the lord of the area, Ceptus.  He was a hard taskmaster, ever so much different from his father before him.  Ceptus had demanded taxes from the village, so much that they could barely feed themselves.  This had been going on for several years and there were no food reserves left.  As the women traveled, they saw signs all around them of the drought that had gripped the land for months.  The dry parched land and the withered crops in fields too far away from the river to be irrigated were testament to the severity of the drought.  They stayed that night in the village inn, hearing all the fears of the villagers.  They had nothing to spare.  Even so the villagers expected Ceptus to come the next day and collect the unfair taxes, by force if needed.  The villagers couldn’t defend themselves, yet they would starve during the winter if they gave Ceptus what they knew he was going to demand from them.

When morning came, so did Ceptus.  He came expecting resistance to paying the taxes so had brought troops to the edge of the nearby forest.  Once he made his demands known to the town council, Ceptus said he would return with his troops when the sun reached it’s zenith and then would expect payment in full to be waiting.  And, he threatened to take the young women for slaves to make up any shortfall.  Gaia and Deirdre watched the whole exchange from the window in their room at the inn.  With a quick glance at each other they knew they had to help.  So as soon as Ceptus was out the of the village gates with his men, Gaia and Deirdre went down to meet with the villagers.  Together they put together a hastily planned defense with Gaia on the front lines.

The battle started quickly enough once Ceptus returned, and with the element of surprise the first wave of Ceptus’s troops were repelled.  Gaia fought like a banshee with Deirdre not far behind.  The villagers put up a stout defense.  The second wave of Ceptus’s offence was much more organized and inflicted more damage, but still they were unable to break through the wall of defense.  Then the unexpected came; Ceptus himself led the third wave, holding not his sword, but two oddly designed daggers.  As Gaia reached up to haul Ceptus off his horse he struck the two daggers together and what looked like a blue light emanated from the tip of the daggers.  Sharper than any sword the light cut right through Gaia’s armour.  As Gaia did a back flip over Ceptus, the light caught her along her left leg leaving a very long deep wound.  Gaia managed to land behind Ceptus on his horse and wrestled one of the daggers from his grasp, before throwing him down to the ground.  I can still hear the thud of Ceptus hitting the ground, and the sight of all the blood pouring down Gaia’s leg.  Ceptus rolled away from Gaia’s blow and sounded the retreat.  Deirdre, seeing Ceptus and his men retreat and the state Gaia was in, whistled for their horse.  She loaded Gaia on the horse and together they rode out of the village in the opposite direction from the way Ceptus had retreated. 

Deirdre stopped after they reached the edge of the river.  There she helped Gaia off her horse and started to inspect the damage to Gaia’s leg.  In all her years as a healer Deirdre had never seen anything like it before.  The cut had been made by something sharper than she could imagine.  The cut was very narrow, but oh so deep.  Gaia was in significant pain, so Deirdre gave her some powder and then started to wrap the wound.  She wanted to stitch it up, but it was concerned that infection would set in if it could not drain naturally.  It was better to clean it with herbs, wrap it tightly and persuade Gaia to not move much.  Gaia stoically said nothing as Deirdre cleaned and wrapped, but it was easier said than done in the case of persuading Gaia not to move.  No sooner had the pain eased a bit than Gaia wanted to go back to the village.  She was sure that Ceptus would attack again as soon as he regrouped, especially if he realized Gaia had withdrawn. 

The second battle of the day started with a heated argument between Gaia and Deirdre.  Deirdre was arguing that they could best serve the village by giving Gaia time to heal so that she could fight at full strength.  Gaia refused to even consider Deirdre’s logic.  By the time she healed, Ceptus would have probably wiped the village off the face of the map.  Deirdre countered that Ceptus would not be so stupid.  If he razed the village then he would never again be able to get taxes from them.  Gaia, based on her own warlord experience, knew that Ceptus would be angry beyond caring because the village defended itself.  No, she had to go back. 

Gaia won the argument.  Before they headed back they hid the dagger Gaia had captured from Ceptus in a cave so he could not recover it.  On it’s own the dagger did not seem to possess the power that Ceptus had demonstrated when he had both of them together.  Then they rode back to the village.  Deirdre really, really thought they were doing the wrong thing.  Gaia had lost so much blood that her face was drained of color, except for the blue tinge around her lips.  How she was able to keep standing let alone fight was beyond Deirdre. She would have to stay very close to cover Gaia’s back.  Normally Deirdre tried not to be in the thick of the fighting because she almost always ended up requiring saving by Gaia as her fighting skills were not that of a warrior.

Once they got to the town and dismounted, they could see that Ceptus had not yet returned, so they set about helping to prepare for the attack they knew was coming.  After a couple of hours they heard the pounding of hooves as Ceptus approached.  Gaia gave Deirdre a quick hug and told her that she was so thankful she was there.  Then the battle started afresh.  For a while everything seemed to be going in Gaia’s and the villager’s favor.  Then Ceptus changed tack and backed up through the village gates, just far enough that the villagers could not get out in large numbers.  Then he divided his forces in three.  One third to deal with the villagers who were trying to make it outside the gates, one third concentrating directly on Gaia, and one third focusing on Deirdre.  He knew that she was Gaia’s weak spot. 

Now outside the village gates and dealing with the renewed attack, Gaia was just barely holding her own.  She knew that Deirdre was right and that she was in no shape to fight, but Gaia had assumed that the fight would have been over by now.  Glancing over at Deirdre she saw that she was totally surrounded and in trouble.  Gaia tried to fight her way to Deirdre’s side but Ceptus called out to his men to block her path.  One by one she fought her way through the men, but oh so slowly.  Too slowly for Deirdre.  Just as Gaia cleared the last man between her and Deirdre, she saw a sword plunging into Deirdre’s chest.  No!  One look said that Deirdre was dead, and Gaia went wild with grief.  One, two, three men fell in seconds as Gaia fought with fury around the body of Deirdre.  Then grasping a spear out of the air that was hurtling towards her, she flipped it and with a vicious heave sent it through the air and straight into Ceptus.  As he collapsed out of his saddle, his men bruised and broken decided not to continue the battle and retreated.

Gaia fell on her knees at Deirdre’s side and held her.  Other than an incredibly brief moment when Gaia was sure she felt Deirdre squeeze her hand, there was no sign of life.  Deirdre was dead.  Dead without a chance for Gaia to say goodbye to her.  Dead without a chance for Gaia to tell her how much she loved her.  Dead without a chance for Gaia to say how sorry she was that she did not listen to Deirdre a few hours ago.  Gaia was devastated.  After she checked Ceptus for the other dagger (which was not on him), she gathered up Deirdre’s body and returned to the cave where they had hidden the dagger she had captured earlier.  Outside the cave she built a pyre, placed Deirdre on it, and started to sing the funeral dirge.  As the flames flickered upwards, Gaia stood watching with tears streaming down her face.  Later she collected Deirdre’s ashes and buried them in the cave.  Before Gaia left the cave she stripped off her amour and weapons and hung them up, swearing that she would never lift a sword again.  Because of her determination to fight at all costs, Deirdre was dead.  If only she had listened...if only she had listened...

The woman sitting beside Gabrielle had struggled to maintain her composure as she told the story.  Either she was an incredible bard, or this woman was indeed Gaia.  Gabrielle could feel the pain emanating from Ariel as she told of the death of Deirdre.  Obviously the bond between them had been very strong.  "I wonder" thought Gabrielle "if their relationship had been even half as strong as the one I shared...share...with Xena."

"My gods" thought Xena, "what if the next time we don’t find a way to cheat death?  What would I do if I ever had to light the pyre and sing the funeral dirge for Gabrielle?"

"G...Ariel, was Gaia ever seen again, and what happened to the villagers?" asked Gabrielle.

Before she answered Ariel reached over and kicked Xena in the backside and said "Hey Warrior, if you are worth your salt as a warrior you’ve have been awake and listening to the whole story.  Why not roll over and join us?  No doubt you also have questions for me."

Xena made every effort to do a sleepy, just woken up by a kick in the backside, annoyed looking warrior impression as she rolled over towards Ariel and Gabrielle.  "Well, I am awake now," said the yawning Xena.

"Gabrielle, what happened next was that Celica, Ceptus’s mother, the wife of the good lord Ranold, took control of the lands.  She was well liked and still had influence among the people.  She was able to bring stability to the land by declaring not only the cancellation of taxes for the year, but by giving some of the wealth collected by Ceptus back to the people.  She also reduced the army Ceptus had built up and formed an elite group used only to defend the boarders.  As Philip, Ceptus’s son was still underage she set up a council to advise her and provide guidance to the boy as he grew.  She did all she could to ensure that Philip followed in his grandfather’s steps instead of his father’s"

"Ariel" asked Xena "was Celica successful?"

"If you are asking if Philip turned out like his grandfather, my understanding is that didn’t happen.  Last I heard was that he had come of age, ensured that Celica had "retired" to the village just outside these woods, and swore vengeance on his father’s death.  My guess he has also been increasing the troops" replied Ariel.

Xena stretched in her bedroll.  "That’s likely.  Certainly the troops that attacked us were not what I would call ‘elite’."

"You were attacked?" 

"Yeah, seems Philip’s men mistook me briefly for Gaia.  After he realized his error he granted us safe passage but asked us to be on the lookout for this fierce warrior.  What became of her anyway?"

"I know of no record of her ever wielding a sword again," responded Ariel.

Xena took a good hard, long look at Ariel.  To give Ariel her due she looked straight back at Xena and allowed Xena as long as she wanted to try and read what was to be seen in her blue eyes.  Sadness was there, but Xena saw neither deception nor anything to give away that Ariel was Gaia.  Again Xena was left not knowing what to think.  She was sure Ariel was Gaia and she knew that she believed much of the story she had just heard, and also that she didn’t trust Philip as far as she could toss him.  Yet...why did Ariel not just reveal herself as Gaia?   Xena had to find someone to verify Ariel’s story.  Oh how Xena wished somebody would attack her so she could use her pinch on him or her and find out what on earth was going on.  This not knowing was a real pain.

"Ok, come on you two it’s time we got some sleep.  The mystery of Gaia will have to wait until tomorrow."

Gabrielle thought it odd that Xena gave up asking questions so quickly, but she knew Xena must have a plan.  To support Xena, Gabrielle let out a large yawn and said "yeah, I guess you’re right."  Then Gabrielle put her arm around Ariel and asked if she was ok to get some sleep.  As she did so, she felt a shudder go through the other woman’s body.  "Hmmm" thought Gabrielle "I seem to have two warriors on my hands who are inflicted with a case of the shudders."

"Thanks for asking Gabrielle, I think I’ll be able to sleep now.  When I first saw you two, you reminded me so much of Gaia and Deirdre that I just could not get the story out of my mind.  I think telling it has helped.  Thanks."  With that Ariel gave Gabrielle a hug and got up.  As she lay down on her bedroll she gave brief nod to Xena.

Gabrielle got up, moved beside Xena and lay down on her bedroll.  Xena stayed on her side facing the fire for a few minutes to watch Ariel.  Once she was sure the woman was settled and ready to sleep, Xena rolled over to face Gabrielle.  She expected the bard to be either asleep or close to it, and was surprised to discover Gabrielle lying on her back with her eyes wide open, staring at the stars.  Xena wondered what she was thinking about and reached out to give her hand a small squeeze.  A look and smile from Gabrielle rewarded her.  Although puzzled by the Ariel/Gaia/Philip conundrum Xena closed her eyes happy knowing Gabrielle was close by.

Gabrielle was glad to feel the warrior’s touch.  As she smiled at Xena she thought to herself that it was starting to feel like old times.   Looking back up in the sky, Gabrielle thought about the story she had just heard from Ariel.  It seemed to Gabrielle that she and Xena were very similar to Gaia and Deirdre.  Long ago she made Xena promise that she would not take cold-blooded vengeance should Gabrielle ever be killed, but Gabrielle did not know what Xena would do if the warrior ever had to sing a funeral dirge for her.  Would she do what Gaia did?  Would she do something else?  Gabrielle did not like to contemplate the possibilities so she instead closed her eyes and thought about the pressure she had felt on her hand from Xena’s squeeze.  With that thought in mind she drifted off to sleep.

It is hard to know who went to sleep last, Xena or Ariel.  It is certain however that Ariel was the one tortured by nightmares.  Again and again the image of Deirdre being stabbed through the heart plagued her dreams.  Oh, the helplessness and the guilt.  If only she had listened to Deirdre and waited until she was strong enough to fight.  If only...

The terrors of her dreams showed on Ariel’s face in the morning.  "Are you ok?" asked Gabrielle. 

"Yeah, thanks" was the quiet response that neither Gabrielle nor Xena believed for a minute.

"Gabrielle"

"Yes, Xena?"

"Let’s go and look after Argo and that horse of yours."

"Sure Xena.  Ariel, we won’t be long." And with that Xena and Gabrielle turned away from the campsite and walked towards the horses.

When they were out of earshot Gabrielle turned to Xena and asked "Well, what do you want to do?"

"I still think Ariel is Gaia and I still think Philip is the bad guy, but I have no way to prove it.  Frustrating or what?!"

"Xena, do you suppose Celica would help?  Didn’t Ariel tell us she was "retired" in a village near here?  Do you suppose she would still remember us?"

"Well, it is worth a try even though it will delay our arrival in Amphipolis.  Why don’t you stay here..."

"Just like old times," interrupted Gabrielle teasing Xena "you head off and leave me behind!"

"Like I was trying to say" Xena continued after making a face at Gabrielle "I want you to stay with Ariel.  She seems much closer to you than me.  Perhaps you can get her to tell you more about Gaia.  Also, see what you can do about finding Gaia’s cave.  If Ariel is Gaia, my guess is the cave is somewhere nearby."

"Not a problem.  I’ll do my best.  Oh, and unlike the old times I’ll do my best not to get in trouble while you are gone" the bard teased the warrior.  As Gabrielle said the word ‘trouble’ the vision of Gabrielle being clobbered by her chakram came so vividly to Xena’s mind that she could not help the shudder that racked her body.

"Xena..."

"It’s nothing Gabrielle. You’ll be just fine without me." And Xena thought "safer too." 

With that Xena saddled up Argo and rode of towards the village. 

Gabrielle shook her head trying to figure out Xena’s problem, then headed back to the campsite.  When Gabrielle arrived she called out to Ariel, "Hey Ariel, looks like we are on our own for a bit.  Xena has gone to scout the area before we continue our trip to Amphipolis."

"Amphipolis?"

"Yes Ariel, that’s Xena’s hometown.  We are headed back to see her mother."

Ariel looked thoughtful.  She had heard that Xena the Warrior Princess and her companion Gabrielle had been "put on ice" as it were by Ares for 25 years.  Could it be that this Xena is the mother of Eve?  Could it be that this Xena is the woman she learned the lullaby from all these years ago during the siege of Amphipolis?  Could this be the woman who snatched the arrow out of the air saving her life when she was a young girl during an attack by Athena’s archers?  She sure looked like the woman Ariel remembered from 25 years ago.

"Gabrielle?"

"Yes, Ariel?"

"Is Xena the daughter of Cyrene and mother of Eve?"

"Yes she is," replied Gabrielle hopeful that her admission would prompt Ariel to reveal more about herself.  She was disappointed.  Ariel turned away and when she spoke it was only to ask Gabrielle if she wanted cheese with her bread for breakfast.  As Gabrielle sat down with her cheese and bread, she reminded herself to be patient.  One always has to patient with warriors, thought Gabrielle.  She had learned that much from her years with Xena.

They ate in a silence that was eventually broken by Ariel.

"She could have killed me yesterday."

"Yep."

"Why didn’t she?"

"Because you didn’t fight back.  If you had really been the warrior she was expecting you to be you would have fought."

Ariel was quiet as she digested the information.  It was a type of quietness that Gabrielle feared would turn into a long silence.

"Want to go for a walk?" asked Gabrielle, picking up her staff.

"OK."

Gabrielle had two reasons for suggesting the walk.  First of all she hoped it would loosen Ariel’s tongue and secondly she hoped to possibly find Gaia’s cave.  As they walked Gabrielle chattered away inconsequentially.  She hoped it would lighten Ariel’s mood and get her to talk.  After half an hour of Ariel just giving one-syllable responses, Gabrielle decided that it was time to change her tack. 

"Ariel?"

"Yes, Gabrielle?"

"Tell me about yourself."

Ariel knew the question was coming and had been dreaming up any number of imaginative ways to respond, but when the time came she was at a loss as to what to say so she walked on in silence without even a sideways glance at the bard. 

"Oh," thought Gabrielle "that didn’t go well.  I guess she doesn’t really trust me yet.  No small wonder given Xena tried to punch the stuffing out of her yesterday."  Gabrielle decided not to push it for the moment.  Just then they started walking along a rocky incline that would be a great place for a cave to be located.  After a bit Ariel’s head snapped up.  Reminded of Xena when she sensed danger, Gabrielle immediately put her staff in a defensive position expecting the worst. 

"It can’t be.  It just can’t be.  I can’t be hearing that sound.  Not since she died have I heard that sound," muttered Ariel under her breath.  Abruptly she turned quickly to her right and went behind a bush.  Gabrielle quickly followed as Ariel led her into a crevice that was the opening of a cave.  Just before Gabrielle entered she made damn sure she dragged her heel enough to mark the entrance for Xena when she came looking for them.  Entering the cave Gabrielle could hear the sound Ariel had heard from outside.  It was a very faint, low humming noise coming from a point high up in the cave.  Moving with assurance in the darkness of the cave as if she were familiar with it, Ariel found and lit a torch.

In the torchlight Gabrielle had all her suspicions confirmed.  On the walls hung armour and weapons.  Nearer to the back of the cave was a simple marker with the name Deirdre on it.  Surprisingly there were scrolls scattered throughout the cave.  Most of them looked very, very well read.

Before Gabrielle could ask Ariel anything the woman thrust the torch in Gabrielle’s hands and took a running forward double flip up onto a ledge near the top of the cave that Gabrielle could just barely discern.  Just as quickly she was down with an object in her hands.  As she walked slowly towards Gabrielle, the humming noise became louder.  Soon she was close enough; Gabrielle could see that Ariel was holding an odd shaped dagger.  Instinctively the bard backed up a step. 

"Gabrielle, please don’t be afraid.  I mean you no harm," said Ariel as she moved forward to offer Gabrielle the weapon.

Gabrielle took the weapon from the other woman’s hands by the blade.  The hum became even louder and it was obvious to Gabrielle that the noise was coming from the dagger. 

"Take the handle," urged Ariel.  Gabrielle did so and the humming stopped so abruptly that Gabrielle jumped in surprise.

Looking up at Ariel, Gabrielle quietly stated "You are Gaia and this is the dagger you captured from Ceptus."

The woman looked down at the cave floor considering her next move.  Then she looked up with an expression of resignation on her face and said, "Yes Gabrielle, I’m Gaia."

"Why have you been hiding from us?"

"Gaia the warrior died the same time Deirdre did.  I, unfortunately, was just not put out of my misery," said a distressed looking Gaia.  Gabrielle reached over and put a hand on the woman’s arm.

"Please tell me about this dagger."  As the words were leaving her mouth she noticed Xena standing in the shadows behind Gaia, listening intently.   Gabrielle never failed to marvel at how Xena could move so silently.

"This is the dagger that sliced my leg when it was joined together with the second dagger in Ceptus’ hand.  Before the blue light came like a bolt out of the daggers, there was that same hum -- only much more intense -- you just heard.  The first bolt slit its way right through my armour.  See that piece over there, it is the one that the bolt cut.  After that first bolt, I knew I had to get the daggers out of his hands.  With a flip I went over him and landed behind him on his horse.  Unfortunately he managed to clip me with another of those bolts as I went over him.  It hurt like Hades.  Anyway, with a small dagger of my own I managed to flip one of the daggers out and over to Deirdre before knocking him off his horse.  I hit the ground at the same time but on my feet.  Ceptus looked up at me and pointed the one dagger he had left in his hand, but nothing happened.  No bolt of blue light flashed or anything.  That scared him and he sounded the retreat.  I took a step to go after him and just about collapsed from the pain.  Deirdre saw it and called for our horse, loaded me on and got me out of there.  When we got back here we discovered that the dagger somehow reacted to Deirdre.  When she held it by the handle, it made no noise, but held any other way, it hummed.  Just like it did for you a moment ago.  Here, let go of it."

Gabrielle did so and immediately the humming started again.  Gaia then took the handle of the dagger in her hand, and the humming continued.  However, when she put it back in Gabrielle’s hands it was mute.  "Very, very curious" said Gabrielle.  "Why does it do that?"

"I don’t know.  I haven’t heard it hum from that day until now," replied Ariel -- Gaia I guess we should now call her.  "We didn’t spend a lot of time trying to figure it out.  Deirdre patched me up, we hid the dagger, and then we went back."  As Gaia said the words, "we went back" a shudder racked her body comparable to the ones Gabrielle had seen Xena have over the last three months. 

Squeezing Gaia’s arm Gabrielle simply said "Tell me."

"Tell you!  Tell you!  How can I tell you why I shudder when you wouldn’t possibly be able to understand?" raged Gaia angrily as she shook away Gabrielle’s hand.  "Don’t you get it?  I killed her.  As surely as if I had hit her with my own weapon I killed her.  She was everything to me.  I loved her."  As Gaia was saying the words "hit her with my own weapon" Gabrielle could have sworn she was aware of Xena shuddering.  "I have to concentrate on one warrior at a time I suppose," thought Gabrielle.

Gaia’s rage was short lived and was replaced by a volley of tears.  Gabrielle put her arms around the woman and let her sob.  As she held Gaia she looked over the woman’s shoulder to at Xena.  Gabrielle was surprised by how pale Xena was looking.  "Must be the torch light," thought the bard.  Gradually the tears subsided and Gaia started to stiffen in Gabrielle’s arms.  Knowing the signs from her experiences with Xena, Gabrielle backed up and gave the woman some space to collect herself.

"Now you know.  I will never, ever carry a sword into battle again. No one else will die because of my lack of judgment!  I was so blinded by wanting to finish him off.  No -- never again!" snapped Gaia.

Then a quiet voice spoke out from behind Gaia "Even when there is still evil to be fought?" 

If things had not been so tense, Gabrielle would’ve laughed at the expression of Gaia’s face when she realized Xena was standing not three paces behind her!

"Gabrielle?"

"Yes, Xena?"

"Celica is outside the cave.  Why don’t you go and catch up with her?  We talked a lot on the trip here and you might want to hear about it," said Xena.

"Ah, sure" responded the bard thinking she would much rather stay put and see the exchange between the two warriors.  She handed Gaia the dagger as she walked by, and then as she passed Xena she stopped and looked up at her for a moment.  As always, she saw the reassurance she was looking for in Xena’s eyes and felt it in the warrior’s hand on her shoulder.  The look and the touch didn’t go unnoticed by Gaia.  Gabrielle knew Xena would let her know what happened later.  Blinking in the brightness outside the cave, Gabrielle looked around and saw an elderly woman talking to Argo.  "Celica, how are you?" she asked and walked towards the woman with outstretched arms.

Back in the cave the warriors looked at each other warily waiting, as it were, for the other to blink first.  The seconds turned to minutes before either spoke.  As it turned out, Gaia spoke first in a low, passionate voice.  "You don’t understand.  You can’t."

"Can’t what?  By the way, I don’t believe in the word ‘can’t’" said Xena, her blue eyes cold and icy as she looked directly in Gaia’s eyes.

"You can’t understand why I would turn my back on my weapons -- can you?"

"Try explaining it to me" Xena leaned back against the wall of the cave near some of Gaia’s weapons that hung there.

Gaia sat down on a ledge near Xena, looked downwards, sighed, and then looking up into Xena’s eyes without flinching said

"How can you understand what it like to be responsible for your partner’s death?  Worse still, she died without my ever telling her, ever showing her, how I felt about her.  For years now I have had this nightmare.  One of the ones I had last night.  I get to heaven, the Elysian Fields, whatever it’s called and I see Deirdre.  I run up to her and call her.  She turns and looks at me and asks ‘Do I know your name?’  I try to take her hand, thinking if she can only touch me she will remember me, and she won’t let me.  I figure it’s because she never really knew what was in my heart when we were here together on earth.  I never really told her.  And then my stupidity, my arrogance, got her killed!"

It took all of Xena’s control to not shudder as Gaia talked of getting her partner killed.  Xena stood quietly looking at the woman waiting for her to continue and for all the world tried to ignore all of her emotions.  "I figure they will just get in the way if they get the better of me," thought Xena trying to justify the decision to stuff them down.

Gaia took a deep breath and continued, "You know I’d tell her how much she meant to me whenever we found ourselves in or got ourselves out of a difficult situation.  Yet I never once told her when we didn’t have an army or a minator or something dangerous prompting me to speak.  I used to just think it was because I wasn’t particularly good with words, but why didn’t I at least try to show her?  Why couldn’t I have taken her in my arms, held her close, kissed her, and showed her -- you know what I mean Warrior - that I loved her for no reason except for the fact it was true?  I loved her with all my heart and I wanted to spend my life with her.  Instead of telling her of my love I got her killed by my stupidity."

Xena felt like she had been stabbed in the back by the warrior’s words.  Her mind flashed back to what she said to the bard when Gabrielle had been poisoned and the Persians were coming. Then more pictures crowded her mind tumbling one over another.  All of them were times of one crisis or another when she had told Gabrielle how she felt.  It shocked Xena that she couldn’t clearly see a time when, for no particular reason, she let Gabrielle know how she really felt.  Recently, Xena couldn’t even think of a time of crisis when she told Gabrielle how she felt.  "But," thought Xena "surely she knows about my love for her?  Doesn’t she?  Oh gods, even if she knows I love her as a soul mate, does she know of my hopes for a...well...more intimate love?  Not."

Gaia looked at Xena curiously.  "Perhaps," she thought "Xena can understand some of what I am saying.  But until she has sung the funeral dirge for Gabrielle, she can’t truly know how I feel."

"Xena, have you ever told Gabrielle?" asked Gaia guessing what was going through the other warrior’s mind. 

Xena took a long hard look at Gaia before shaking her head.

"Never?"

"Only when we’re up to our asses in bad guys or one of us is about to die," whispered Xena.

"Guess you better fix that before you live to regret it."

Xena bristled at this stranger telling her how to deal with Gabrielle.  "Gaia, my relationship with Gabrielle isn’t the issue right now, you are.  Tell me again why you will not pick up a weapon."

Gaia just looked at Xena in silence for a few minutes before growling "Because I killed her and you cannot possibly understand what that means."

"Can’t I?  I told you I don’t believe in the word can’t."  Then in rapid, brief sketches Xena outlined many of the times she put Gabrielle at risk and the times when Gabrielle had died.  Xena even included the most recent event where she mortally wounded Gabrielle with her chakram although she could not stifle the seemingly inevitable shudder that ran through her body.

A torrent of questions came out of Gaia’s mouth.  "Why is she still alive?  So you have never sung the funeral dirge?  Why have you not taken Gabrielle someplace safe to live out the rest of your lives?  Why do you keep fighting?"

"Gaia, I learned a couple of years ago -- give or take twenty five years -- that my way is the way of the warrior.  There is nothing that should ever take me from that course.  Should Gabrielle ever die, I want to make sure she will recognize me in heaven.  The only way I know how to do that is to stay true to who I am.  Not deviate like the warrior I’m looking at!"  Xena’s last words were sharp with a definite edge of challenge on them.  "Of course you have probably lost all your sharpness and I wouldn’t want you fighting beside me."  With that she turned her back on Gaia and started to move towards the mouth of the cave.  Xena was pleasantly surprised to hear a war cry escape Gaia’s lips and see the woman flip over her head and land facing her.  She was hoping Gaia wouldn’t be able to resist her taunt.

"Warrior, check the sword sheathed on the wall beside you."

Xena reached out and slid the sword out of the sheath.  "Great, so you’ve kept your sword sharpened.  What good is a sharp sword in dull hands?"  Xena’s words were snarled at Gaia as she slammed the sword back in its sheath.

"Arrgh" screamed Gaia as she reached out and grabbed her sword.  After a couple of quick twirls she pointed the sword at Xena and, with a war cry that echoed through the cave, attacked.  Xena just managed to unsheathe her sword and repel Gaia’s first blow.  Back and forth and round and round they went, with Gaia doing more than just testing Xena’s skills.  She was angry and, in her anger, determined to show Xena just how fast her hands still were.  Xena couldn’t remember the last time she had such a good workout.  She was actually enjoying the feel of the strain on her muscles and would have continued the fight but decided it was time to discover just what sort of warrior Gaia really was -- as Philip said she was, or as Celica described her. As a tremendous overhead blow came at Xena, she blocked it with her sword and absorbing the shock with her knees.  Pushing off with her legs she forced Gaia to take a couple of steps back.  Xena did a back flip out of Gaia’s reach, sheathed her sword and just looked at Gaia.  Her sword came up and was about to fall on Xena’s head when Gaia suddenly threw her blade to one side and said  "No, to attack one who isn’t a threat isn’t the way of this warrior."

Xena was breathing hard as she placed a hand on Gaia’s shoulder.  Then she reached down she grabbed Gaia’s sword, placed it in it’s sheath on the wall, and handed the sheathed sword back to Gaia. 

"Well done warrior!" Xena said as she turned to look Gaia in the eye.  "You know I wasn’t kidding when I said that Deirdre will only know you in heaven if you live the life you were destined to live.  To do anything else is to hide from yourself and from those you love.  Fight -- no matter what the consequences -- and be true to yourself."

Gaia’s head bowed as she repeated the words "No matter what the consequences."  Xena could feel the struggle the woman was having with her own demons.  "Deirdre," thought Gaia, "the last time I was in this cave with another person I was too stupid to listen to their advice...your advice my love.  I can’t bring you back, but perhaps I need to bring me back.  But can I put anyone else in danger?  What if I get stupid again?  What if I do something that puts Xena or Gabrielle at risk?  But, I want to be able to see you in heaven.  I want you to know my name.  I want you to hold my hand.  I want to be able to tell you I love you.  I want to kiss you.  I think Xena is right.  I need to follow my path, but I am so scared I’ll get someone else killed..."

As Gaia struggled, Xena remembered a campfire conversation she had with Gabrielle years ago when Callisto first made her appearance.  I was sitting by the campfire looking into the flames and thinking of Callisto’s village and how the flames raced through it fanned by the winds.  The guilt over all the people in that village was pounding in my heart and making my throat tighten.  Then Gabrielle came over and asked if I wanted to talk about it.  I surprised myself and actually told her about it.  She was so young then and I was almost afraid it would shock her so much that she would want to leave and get away from me.  I didn’t want her to leave.  She surprised me by not being shocked and by her wisdom on breaking the cycle of vengeance.  I remember the look in her eyes when I told her I didn’t know, but that I might react like Callisto if something happened to my family...or to her.  She made me promise that if anything did happened to her that I wouldn’t take the path of vengeance.  I didn’t want to promise and tried to put her off with a hug, but she insisted...and I promised.  Back then I only was worried that someone else might kill her, that I would not be quick enough to defend her.

Through all we have been through I can’t imagine actually having to sing the funeral dirge for Gabrielle and then burying her ashes with my own hands because I got her killed.  Or killed her with my own hands.  I was going to do that after I dragged her out of the Amazon Village before we were taken to Illusia.  Or as I did when I clobbered her with my chakram.  Arrgh, if Ares had not healed her, Gabrielle would have died.  I know I promised not to take vengeance if others killed Gabrielle, but what would I do if I ever kill her myself? Would I be able to do what I claimed just now to Gaia?  Would I be able to still follow my warrior ways?  Eli above, I can understand why Gaia hung up her sword, but I have got to get her to follow her path or she and Deirdre will be separated forever.

Outside the cave Gabrielle was having a panic attack.  Although she was seemingly calmly talking to Celica about what had been happening since they had last talked, all of her senses were tuned to the cave.  Gabrielle heard about the death of Celica’s husband -- a hunting accident that Celica was sure Ceptus had masterminded.  She was never able to prove her suspicions.  Ceptus as a leader of people had been as harsh as Gaia had made him out to be in her stories.  Given Gaia killed Celica’s son, she only had praise for Gaia.

Then Gabrielle’s ears picked up the sound of Gaia’s war cry.  Immediately the bard reached for her weapons and was about to dash for the cave when she felt Celica’s hand on her arm.  "Xena must be doing a good job if she has provoked Gaia into attacking" she said.  Gabrielle turned to the older woman with a puzzled look on her face and a raised eyebrow.  "Don’t you see" Celica continued "Xena wants to shake Gaia out of her fear of picking up a weapon.  We will need her help if we are to defeat Philip." 

"Celica, are you prepared for us to attack your grandson?" asked Gabrielle. 

"Yes, and I am going to help" the woman replied softly.  "It is critical that the people of this kingdom not have to suffer again.  I tried so hard to ensure that Philip didn’t follow his father, but I failed.  I can’t stand the thought of the deprivation that the taxes he is planning will cause."

Back in the cave Gaia slowly looked up at Xena.  For the first time since they met, there was a bit of a light in the woman’s eyes.  Silently she moved around the cave and picked up leathers, armour, boots, and weapons, and moved to the back of the cave where the marker with Deirdre’s name was.  Kneeling in front of the marker she started to talk in such a low voice that the average person would not have been able to hear what she was saying.  Xena, of course, was not your average person. 

"Deirdre, I loved you so much and never told you or showed you in a way you would understand.  When you died I was so lost and hated myself so much for causing your death.  I was afraid that if I ever again heard the clang of sword on sword I would just sit down and cry.  Do you know how big a hole your death left in my heart?  But, oh, the hole in your heart put there by that bastard’s sword.  If only I could have stopped him.  I did try, my love, honest I did."  Gaia paused for a moment as the tears rolled down her cheeks.  After a moment or two she took a deep breath and continued "I never thought I could ever take up my warrior ways again, yet these women are showing me a path back to you.  I want you to know me when I meet you in the next life.  How else will I be able to show you how I feel?"

With that Gaia got up, stripped down to her shift and put on her leathers and boots.  Then she put on her amour that still showed the gash the daggers made in it years ago and her bracers.  Taking the dagger that she had captured from Ceptus, she tucked it in a sheath in her leathers.  Finally she strapped her sheathed sword on her back and turned towards Xena looking every inch as much a warrior as Xena herself.

"Xena, it seems to me that you said there was evil to fight?"

"Yep" Xena replied.

"Philip?"

"Yep."

"Tell me about it."

As they walked together towards the cave entrance, Xena outlined what she had heard from Celica.  Philip was as cruel and evil as his father before him and was planning to tax the villages as hard, if not harder, than Ceptus had done.  Word had it that he was hoping that Xena and Gabrielle would find, confront and kill Gaia to save himself the trouble.  The rumor mill also had it that to avenge his father Philip wanted to loot and destroy the village that had joined in arms with Gaia, after selling all the young girls as slaves.  Philip hoped to shock all the other villages into submission.  That fact that the village to be attacked was the one that he had "retired" his grandmother to was not lost on either Xena or Gaia.

Together they walked out of the cave.  They made quite a pair.  Looking over at them both Gabrielle and Celica could not help but be impressed.  Gabrielle wondered what on earth Xena said to Gaia to get her into her warrior garb.  Even more interesting than Gaia’s garb was the light in her eye, a light that Gabrielle had not seen before. 

"Heavens, they do look like they could be sisters don’t they" asked Celica under her breath.  

"And how," Gabrielle replied.  "I wonder if Gaia can be as difficult as Xena?" she gently kidded with Celica under her breath. 

With a snort Celica retorted "Probably."

Walking forward, Celica extended her arm and clasped Gaia’s outstretched arm.  "I’m glad to see you back with us."

"Thanks." Gaia replied.  Turning, Gaia stretched out her arm to Gabrielle and said "Thanks for your help.  It has been a long dark time and you helped bring some light to it."

Together the four women walked back to the campfire.  Over a lunch they debated how they could best stop Philip.  Celica was most concerned that they find a way to neutralize the daggers.  "So long as Philip has one dagger he harbors ideas that he can find the second one and become invincible," Celica said. 

"Celica, can you tell us how to stop the daggers?" asked Gabrielle.

"Well...Gaia, hand me the dagger.  My husband Ranold told me all about them in case he should die before me.  The key to the daggers is that they are most powerful when wielded by a pureness of good or evil.  Most of us are such a mix of good and evil that they are not much more than a really sharp blade.  Placed in the hand of one, who is pure, evil or good, they can focus the pureness into power.  The effect is magnified when both daggers are linked together.  That Ceptus could focus so much power out of them is a sad testament to the pureness of his evil!  I am sure Philip wants to regain this dagger so that he can also have that power to help him force his will on the land."

Celica placed the dagger in the palm of her hand and moved her hand in front of Gaia, Xena and then Gabrielle and said "You can tell who can harness their power by the humming sound the dagger makes when they are near a person.   Among us there is only one person it reacts to -- Gabrielle.  I’m glad to see you have retained the purity I saw in you when we first met years ago."

Xena moved and took the dagger off of Celica’s hand.  "If that is how it works, could we capture the other and have Gabrielle use them?"

"That’s one option, but unless they have their power neutralized, Philip will always be trying to recapture them.  If the daggers are embedded point to point in an object, they would become powerless.  My understanding from what Ranold told me is that no force in the world could separate them once joined."

"Well, I guess we just have to get Philip to toss one at an object and have Gabrielle throw one into the same object from the other side." Xena flipped the dagger to Gabrielle.  "Gabrielle has had lots of practice tossing her sais.  Throwing the knife shouldn’t be a problem should it?"

"Nope, it balances nicely and should be easy to throw.  What object do you think they we will be able to get Philip to throw at given how much he will be guarding his knife?"

"That’s easy Gabrielle.  I’m the target."

"Gaia!"

"No, listen, he hates me for what I did to his father.  It would be worth throwing the dagger to see me dead."

Quietly Celica interjected "You’re NOT going to sacrifice yourself.  We will have to think of another way."

"Perhaps we can plan it such that Gaia is the target, but isn’t what gets hit.  Gaia, did I see I staff in your cave?" said Xena.

"Yes, and I’m pretty good with it too.  The Amazons were my teachers one time when Deirdre and I helped them out with a problem."  Seeing Gabrielle’s head come up at the mention of the Amazons Gaia continued "Gabrielle, they have missed you over the years.  When I was there they still sang songs of you and your champion -- Xena the Warrior Princess.  I’m sure they would welcome a visit from their Queen.  Xena, do you want me to grab my staff?"

"Yep, I have a plan and you and your staff are big players in it."

Gaia fetched her staff and by the time they had finished lunch the plan was in place.  They broke camp and headed for the village with Celica and Gaia leading the way.  Xena and Gabrielle followed a short distance behind and Xena filled Gabrielle in on what happened in the cave...well, most of what happened in the cave.  Xena told the bard about the love of Gaia for Deirdre and how Gaia was never able to tell Deirdre about it or show her.

"Figures Gaia wouldn’t be able to say anything to Deirdre, given how much she is like you."  The words were out of Gabrielle’s mouth before she realized what she was saying.  Xena didn’t show she heard, and continued to tell about how desperately Gaia feared not being able to find Deirdre when they meet again in heaven.

"Xena, at least we don’t have to fear that," as Gabrielle placed a hand on the warrior’s arm.  "We know we’ll always be together in the next life."  "I just wish we were closer to one another in this life," whispered Gabrielle.

Xena felt the warmth of Gabrielle’s hand on her arm and almost told her the rest of the conversation with Gaia.  Although she had pretended that she had not hear Gabrielle’s comment, she realised that the bard was telling her that she felt there was something missing from their relationship.  In some ways Xena resented that Gaia had forced her to look at her feelings for Gabrielle because it really hit home that Xena hadn’t been open with Gabrielle for a very long time.  "Soon" thought Xena "I have to say something to her soon.  Right now I need to think about battle."

The conversation shifted to the defenses they would put in place and how they were going to lure Philip into a position that they could neutralize the daggers.  It was agreed that the daggers were the most important things to focus on.  Xena and the others agreed that they did not care whether or not Philip survived the battle.

Gabrielle moved forward to talk with Gaia.  "I’m glad you are with us," she said to Gaia.  The warrior looked down at her and smiled -- a smile eerily like a smile she had seen any number of times on Xena’s lips.  Gabrielle just couldn’t get over the resemblance.  "Glad to be here," responded Gaia.  "Perhaps I can start to make up for my stupidity that caused Deirdre her life."

Gabrielle was angered at Gaia’s self-deprecating remark and she jerked the warrior towards her, stopping her dead in her tracks.  "You don’t understand do you?  I think you are as dense as Xena used to be.  She always thought I was just a kid who had to be protected.  She never thought I could make decisions for myself.  Deirdre wouldn’t have been on that field fighting by your side unless she knew that was her place.  She knew the risks just like I know the risks.  She loved you and wanted to be there for you, even when she thought you were crazy.  Sure you made a bad call, but it was her decision to go with you or not.  She loved you.  She won’t hold any blunder you may have made against you.  I never have with Xena -- at least not long term."  With that Gabrielle turned and walked away.  Gaia just stood there looking dumbfounded.

Xena pulled up to the older warrior and had to laugh at the look on her face.  "I guess you just got told off, huh?"

"You could put it that way."

"I know the feeling, but Gaia, whatever she said it’s true.  Gabrielle has always had an uncanny sense about people and what’s right.  Despite all the tough times we’ve had, that hasn’t changed.  Come on."

The group soon reached the village.  It felt a little odd for Xena when they got there.  She was used to people recognizing her, but here it was Gaia who was recognized.  Most of the villagers greeted her heartily.  Xena could pick up the definite sense of unease running through the village. 

"Celica, is it true?" asked a middle-aged man who looked as if he was of some importance in the village.  "Is Philip planning retribution against us?  Is that why you brought us warriors?"

"Yes, Peter, I believe my grandson will attack soon, probably tomorrow.  These women, Gaia, Gabrielle, and Xena, are here to help us." 

"Thanks be.  Perhaps now we will have a chance.  Celica, I know Gaia, but these women, Xena and Gabrielle, are they the ones of legend?  Is she the killer of the gods?" asked Peter pointing at Xena.

"Peter, I have only brought you the best!" laughed Celica.

"Gabrielle, Gaia get rooms and get settled.  I’ll take the horses to get stabled and be right over.  Then we can start working with the villagers to set-up defenses.  Celica we will see you soon.  Remember, when the fighting starts, stay out of the way." With that Xena turned towards the stables.

Gabrielle nodded at Xena and headed towards the inn.  After a few steps she realized Gaia hadn’t moved.  Turning back, the bard quietly asked "Gaia, you coming?" 

Slowly, reluctantly, the older woman turned towards the inn and followed Gabrielle.

As they reached the threshold of the inn Gaia stopped.  "Gabrielle, I can’t go in."  The bard turned towards her and raised a questioning eyebrow.  "I...we...it was here we spent our last night together..." tears started to well up in the warrior’s eyes "...and I have not had a moment of happiness since."  Then the tears silently started to fall down her cheeks.  There were not many, but they bore eloquent testimony to the pain Gaia was feeling. 

Gabrielle, out of sensibility for Gaia’s reputation in the village, steered her towards a sheltered corner before gathering the woman into a strong hug and letting her cry.  After a couple of minutes, Gaia gathered herself up and with a face as stoic as any Xena could have put on, led the way into the inn where Gabrielle negotiated for rooms in exchange for some story telling.

After they settled their things in their rooms, Gaia and Gabrielle met in the tavern and waited for Xena to come in from stabling the horses.  Gaia was still dealing with her pain by hiding it behind a mask.  Gabrielle shook her head a little as she looked at the woman sitting across from her.  Once again the resemblance to Xena was uncanny.  "Perhaps all the warriors from Amphipolis look alike when they grow up," wondered Gabrielle.  Then, over Gaia’s shoulder, Gabrielle could see Xena walk in from the stables.  Gabrielle’s face softened as she watched the warrior walk towards them and sit down beside her.  

It was obvious to Gaia that Gabrielle loved Xena "Can’t Xena see it?" Gaia wondered to herself.  "Just as I have to find a way to Deirdre in heaven, I’ve got to find a way to get these two to find each other right here on earth."

Flagging down a waiter, Xena got ale for the three of them.  Looking across at Gaia, she saw the mask on the older warrior’s face.  "Hum, I bet that is the look I have on my face when I am trying to keep the pain on the inside.  It’s a wonder I never scared Gabrielle with that look!"  Xena put a hand out and laid it on Gaia’s arm. 

"Finding being here a bit tough?"

"Yep"

"It took guts to walk in here.  I like that in a warrior."  Xena gave Gaia’s arm a brief squeeze and then moved her hand to pick up her ale.  The exchange, short as it was, helped Gaia even more than Gabrielle’s earlier hug had.  Gabrielle and Xena could both see the tightness in her face relax ever so slightly.

Xena took a long drink of her ale and then said, "I have asked Peter to join us.  He’ll be able to get the villagers to help set up the defenses.  Gaia, any suggestions as to where they should start?"

"Well, there is the obvious...archers on the walls, a pit just inside the main gates, sealing the lesser gates...the regular stuff."  

Gabrielle smiled to herself.  "If I had any doubts about Gaia being a warrior, I don’t now that I’ve heard her description of the ‘regular stuff’."

Peter joined them and they spent an hour in heads down planning.  Then they went out into the hot and humid afternoon to work with the villagers to ensure the defenses were in place.  The sun was starting to dip in the western sky by the time the work was done. 

Xena straightened out and dusted off her hands.  "By the gods I feel like I could use a bath and some dinner.  It seems to me that inn had a hot spring.  Gabrielle?"

"I’m right behind you.  Both a bath and dinner sound really good."

Gaia promised to meet them for dinner and headed out towards the main gate instead of towards the inn.  She had a date with a certain piece of ground...the ground where Deirdre fell.  The afternoon’s work had distracted her, but now that they were finished Gaia was feeling overwhelmed by guilt, guilt she had to work through before tomorrow.  She couldn’t risk anyone’s life by letting guilt impair her fighting ability.  Finding the spot, Gaia dropped down on one knee and drove her sword into the ground.  "Tomorrow I fight again.  I won’t let you down.  I’ll be with you soon my love.  I promise that when I find you I’ll never hid my feelings again.  I pray that you forgive me."  For a long moment Gaia stayed there, still and quiet.  In some ways she could almost feel Deirdre at her side.  Perhaps she was there.   How can one really know?

Back at the inn Xena and Gabrielle were relaxing in the hot spring.  It felt good to get the grime of the afternoon’s work off.

"Xena"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you think we can pull off the plan without getting Gaia killed?"

"Yeah.  You should have seen her fight with me.  If she had been at her prime I really wouldn’t have bet against her."

"Xena!"

"No, seriously, she’s that good.  Unless something gets messed up she’ll be ok.  As soon as you see Philip throw his dagger at her, you throw yours at her and yell so she knows it is coming.  I’m sure she will be able to get her body out of the way and her staff in place in time.  Wash my back for me?"

"Sure...it must have been terrible for her having to sing the funeral dirge for Deirdre."  No sooner were the words out of her mouth then Gabrielle felt Xena’s body shudder under her hands.  "Xena, whatever is wrong has been wrong for months...we’ve got to talk."

"Gabrielle...."

"Xena...."

"It...it needs more time than we have now."

"Promise me that you’ll make the time after we finish with Philip?"

The warrior looked down at her hands and washed them is if to get some ground in dirt out of them, but did not reply.

"Xena..."

"Ok, ok, when we are done with what we have to do here I’ll tell you."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Good, now it’s your turn to wash my back."

Dinner was actually a fairly merry affair.  The villagers were feeling optimistic about what the next day would bring.  They had done good work preparing and they had two warriors, an Amazon Queen, and good lord Ranold’s widow Celica on their side.  Who could ask for anything more?  Even Gaia was looking more, well, peaceful, than she had earlier in the day.

"I guess it is time for me to go and do the bard thing."

"Gabrielle, what stories are you going to tell?"

"Well, if I knew any about Gaia you’d be off the hook Xena, but as I don’t...I guess I just have to let the crowd hear about the legendary Xena."  With a laugh, Gabrielle slipped through the crowd to the front of the room.  Both Xena and Gaia leaned back in their chairs until their backs were against the wall.  "Like two peas in a pod," thought Celica. 

As Gabrielle’s clear voice floated through the room a smile formed on the warrior’s lips and her eyes were oh so gentle.  Gaia, seeing the look on Xena’s face, once again racked her brain for a way to get Xena and Gabrielle to realize the depth of feelings they had for each other.  "It’s obvious, why don’t they see it when look at each other?" asked Gaia.

Gabrielle’s stories, despite not having been told for some 25 years, still moved the crowd to laughter, tears, and all the emotions in-between.  After her fourth story of the bravery of Xena and one story of Hercules, Gabrielle’s voice started to tire and she headed back to the table where Xena, Gaia and Celica were seated.  As she walked back the villagers pounded her on her back in congratulations and thanks.

"Whew, thanks Xena" as Xena slid an ale towards the bard. 

Gaia leaned forward and looked Gabrielle in the eyes.  "I have not heard better in many a year.  Well done Gabrielle!  By the way, if you ever want any more stories, check out the scrolls in the cave.  Deirdre liked to write our adventures down.  She also collected stories about other strong women.  And...well...for what they are worth...there are also some of my attempts to write about Deirdre.  They’re all yours if you want any of them."

"Wow, thanks!  When we head back from Amphipolis I’d like to spend some time reading them.  OK Xena?"

"Sure, but tomorrow’s going to be a tough day.  We’d best get some sleep."  Everyone nodded her head in agreement.  Celica wished them well for the morrow in case she didn’t see them before the fighting started and bade them goodnight.  Slowly Xena, Gabrielle, and Gaia made their way up the stairs of the inn.  At the top, Gaia wished them goodnight and turned to the left towards her room as Xena and Gabrielle headed to their room.

Xena carefully took off her amour and laid it on a chair.  With equal care she took her chakram and sword off and laid them within reach of her side of the bed.  She always slept with them within reach.  Used to be that she had to protect herself from the inevitable bounty hunters that came.  Now, 25 years later she did not feel like she still had them to worry about, but old habits are hard to shake.  Not expecting trouble until morning, she stripped off her leathers and slipped into the sleep shirt Gabrielle had pulled out of the saddlebag for her.

Gabrielle always liked it when Xena slept in something more comfortable than her leathers.  Of course the only time it really made much sense was when they were indoors, but the soft cloth clinging on Xena’s strong body was a sight Gabrielle never tired of seeing.  The drawback to sleeping indoors, particularly in warm weather was that there was no good excuse to cuddle into Xena.  Outdoors, all the bard had to do was shiver a bit and Xena would draw her close and they would spend the night sharing the warmth they generated together.  Gabrielle liked the thought of cuddling close to Xena, and she wished they could do more than share body heat.  She sighed as she thought about how long it had been since they had slept cuddled together.  At the camp of Eli’s followers it was all very civilized.  One body, one bed sort of deal.

"Gabrielle?"

"Hmm?"

"You’ve been standing there just holding your sleep shirt in your hands for the longest time.  What are you thinking about?"

"You."  Gabrielle said nothing more, but quickly got changed and slid into the bed beside Xena. 

She was pleasantly surprised when Xena pulled her close into a hug despite how warm the night was.  "Me, huh?" 

"Yep."

"Gabrielle?"  The warrior’s voice suddenly sounded very serious.

"Yes Xena?"

"Promise me that you’ll be very careful tomorrow?"

"Always."

With that they let sleep take them as they lay together, loving the feeling of being in each other’s arms, but not being ready to admit how much they had been missing the contact with each other.

Gaia was missing Deirdre very, very much.  By a cruel twist of fate the room the inn keeper had directed her towards was the very room that she and Deirdre spent their last night together in.  It felt like ghosts were pressing in on her from all sides.  The only thing that eased the feeling was to sit on the windowsill looking out over the village and imagining that Deirdre was behind her, holding her tight.

Gabrielle awoke in the in the pre-dawn darkness alone.  "Arrgh," thought Gabrielle "If I ever have any doubts about whether or not I am a real warrior, this getting up before dawn on the morning of a battle proves I’m not.  Big time not.  Those warrior types like morning way, way too much."  Gabrielle fought the temptation to roll over and go back to sleep.  Instead she got up and sleepily walked over to the small window and peered out on the world that, apart from Xena, was still sleeping. 

"Figures."  Looking out the window Gabrielle was able to discern two warriors instead of one.  It seemed that they were giving each other pointers.  One would demonstrate something, and then the other would try it out.  Back and forth they went.  Gabrielle was almost feeling jealous knowing that Gaia had something to offer Xena that she didn’t.  In the faint light of early dawn, Gabrielle got changed and headed down to the warriors in the courtyard.

Together the three women went into the inn to get breakfast as the village began to wake to the new day.  As they sat there eating, Peter came by and introduced the young man whose job it would be to call out when Philip was entering the gate during the battle.  This would be the sign to Gaia to sheath her sword and start fighting with her staff.  It was critical to the plan that she had it in hand when Philip threw the dagger.  Her life depended on it!  The young man nodded and assured her that he would make sure she knew in plenty of time then excused himself.

Xena and Gabrielle headed out to the courtyard not long afterwards.  As they surveyed the prepared village with satisfaction, Gabrielle felt a hand on her shoulder. 

"Xena?"

"Be careful my bard."

"You too?"

"Yep"

Xena shook her head to herself and thought, "Really articulate there warrior.  Somebody listening to us wouldn’t think she means as much to me as she does!  Gaia’s right, I have to fix this...soon."

It was not long after the watch called out that Philip and his troops were coming.  It was rather dismaying to all the size of the troops that accompanied Philip, although not many were on horseback, a good sign thought Gaia. 

Xena was about to do a "let’s do it!" pep talk when Gaia said "Let me."

 "Ok everyone.  You have here fighting with you not just one warrior this time, but two.  You have a Queen of the Amazons.  You have worked your butts off to get ready for this battle.  You have Celica who has vowed that Philip will not destroy this village.  And you have your wives and daughters to protect, so lets go and do it!  Victory is ours!"

With a cheer the men scrambled to their positions, ready for their destiny to unfold.

Peter paced just outside the gates, nervously waiting for Philip to arrive.  As the reeve it was his job to meet Philip at the entrance to the village.  "Here’s hoping I get a chance to retreat into the village before he kills me," thought Peter.

Xena had the same thought and was in the shadows not far from the reeve ready at a moments notice to grab the man and haul him into safety.

"Greetings Philip," called out Peter "a fine day, isn’t it?"

Philip waved an arm and his troops pulled up about a 100 yards from the village.  Then he swung from his saddle and growled at Peter. 

"Well, I guess that depends entirely on you.  Give me all the unmarried women of the village, all the goods, set the village on fire, and then perhaps it will be a fine day."

Surely my lord jokes," stammered Peter. 

I never joke," said Philip as he slowly and deliberately took his whip off his belt and shook it.  "Now, your answer was?"

Peter never had the chance to answer.  Strong arms gathered him up and he felt himself going upwards, backwards and then landing with a sickening thud in the village.  Trying not to lose his breakfast he turned to Xena and said "Thanks."

"No problem, now get back."

"Attack," was the cry from Philip’s lips as Xena snatched Peter away from the snapping whip.  With that the troops surged forward into the village.

The pit the villagers had dug just inside the main entrance forced the troops to either jump into it and hope they got out on the other side without the villagers beating in their heads, or divert to one side or the other and face Gaia or Xena.  Not a pretty choice the troops came to realise in a hurry.

Gabrielle looked up as she heard what sounded like an echo of Xena’s war cry only to catch the sight of both Xena and Gaia doing a front flip over befuddled soldiers struggling to hold their own against them.  It was a slaughter.  Xena’s sword was red from the blood of her enemies as she cut them down with efficient strokes.  Gabrielle was hoping that none of the blood on the warrior was hers.  Gaia’s style with the sword was more sweeping than Xena’s, but just as deadly.  The soldiers who opted for the pit and who got past the villagers were having their butts kicked by an Amazon Queen wielding a wicked staff.

Philip hung back, until he could wait no longer.  Calling for his troops to regroup and bringing in reinforcements from the forest, he led the next assault, furious that Xena and Gaia had banded together.  Although young, he was talented with a sword, and headed straight for Gaia with the intent to bring her down.

"Philip coming, Philip coming," the cry came from the look out above.

Quickly Gaia sheathed her sword and grabbed her staff.  With a quick smile back at Gabrielle, she prepared to both fight and get ready for the daggers that so injured her before.

"Hey Philip!  Your father couldn’t kill me.  What makes you think you can?" Gaia taunted the young man as she fought off several attackers.  "I bet you can’t even throw one of those daggers straight let alone hit me, you puppy."

With the mention of the daggers, Philip’s face turned red and contorted with anger.  He charged at her with his horse, intending to run her down and skewer her with his sword.  He didn’t get the chance for as he raised his sword Xena’s chakram flew across the courtyard and took the weapon right out of his hand.  Cursing he turned his mount just before Gaia brought him out of his saddle with a swing of her staff. 

Gabrielle was watching the Philip/Gaia interchange closely to make sure that when Philip threw his dagger she would be ready with the other one.  The intentness with which she watched took her attention away from the troops that were making it across the pit and past the villagers.  It was almost by autopilot that Gabrielle was bringing them down.

Gabrielle could see that Gaia’s back was partially turned towards Philip as she effectively cut down another of his men with a vicious swing to the back of the man’s legs followed by a swift upper cut.  Then it happened, the dagger was in Philip’s hands and he threw it with a practised hand at Gaia.  Quickly Gabrielle threw her dagger at Gaia and started to yell the warning when a heavy arm caught her across the mouth driving some of her teeth into the inside of her mouth.

Xena heard the strangled noise coming from Gabrielle.

"Gaia -- they are coming.  Hurry, hurry!" Xena yelled the warning to Gaia, sliced the head of the man facing her, and did a flip across the pit to help Gabrielle fend off her attackers.

Gaia heard the strangled noise but was busy dealing with a couple of burly guys who were needing more than one or two smacks before they went down to stay down.  Then she heard Xena’s urgent voice.

"Damn," thought Gaia, "something’s wrong."  Looking up there was Philip’s dagger almost upon her.  Quickly jerking her staff up and twisting she was able to get it in the way of the oncoming dagger.  It imbedded itself into the wood with a resounding thud.  But try as she might she wasn’t able to get her body out of the way of the dagger Gabrielle threw without twisting the staff out of the way as well.  So she stilled her body and the staff, ignoring a spear flying by in Philip’s direction.  As she waited for the blow, she smiled as she thought about her impending reunion with Deirdre.

The blow dazed Gabrielle and she heard Xena give Gaia the warning before she could beat her attacker off.  Looking up Gabrielle was horrified to see the speed at which the dagger was travelling towards Gaia’s back.  It was as if it was in a really big hurry to be reunited with its partner.  And the humming noise was getting louder the closer the two knives came to each other.  Gabrielle could feel Xena by her side defending her, so Gabrielle continued to watch Gaia.  "Oh Eli, she is not going to have time to catch the second dagger in her staff," thought Gabrielle, vaguely aware that Xena had launched a spear at Philip.

"Nooooo!" cried the bard as the dagger tore its way through Gaia’s amour, leather, and body on its path to meet tip to tip with its partner.  The dagger hit the staff with such force, despite having travelled through Gaia, that it almost split the staff in two.  As they hit, there was a deafening crash and spectacular shower of blue bolts of light. 

 In a flash Gabrielle and Xena were by Gaia’s side, Philip was no longer a concern courtesy of the spear thrown by Xena and, with their leader down, the bloodied and bruised troops started to withdraw.

The warrior was in shock, still standing despite a massive gaping wound in her upper body.  Gently they laid her down; knowing there was nothing they could do for her but block the pain with the pressure points Xena quickly applied.

"Gabrielle," Gaia’s voice no more than a hoarse whisper asked, "you ok?"

The bard nodded.

"Thanks be...and don’t feel badly for me.  I am going to my love."

Gabrielle nodded again, the tears streaming down her face.

"Warrior?"

"I’m here." 

"Promise me...."

Xena knelt close to Gaia and bent over to hear her words.  Gabrielle felt like she was looking at two sisters, but she could not hear the words that Gaia was whispering to Xena, but saw Xena hesitate before hearing her reply "I will.  I promise."

With the promise of Xena secured, Gaia smiled briefly and was no more.

Xena and Gabrielle knelt beside Gaia in sorrowful silence, each thinking how much they wished the woman had lived and how much they would have liked to have known her better.  It was Celica’s voice that broke the silence.

"Xena, do you believe that Gaia has followed her way and will find Deirdre?"

"Yes, Celica, I know she will," Xena replied looking up slowly.

"Then we need to give her a send off worthy of the warrior she was," said Celica.

Gabrielle looked up at Celica through her tears.  "I think we should make her pyre near where she made Deirdre’s and bury her ashes beside her partner."

Xena and Celica nodded in agreement.

Although Xena and Gabrielle were more than welcome to stay longer in the village, they both felt that they needed to give Gaia her send off sooner rather than later. After they collected all their belongings, and Gaia’s, from the inn, they wrapped Gaia in a cloth and loaded her and her weapons on Gabrielle’s horse as Celica looked on.

Celica gave them a big hug.  "Thank you for helping us. I’ll make sure that everything returns to normal in the land.  I have a nephew who is a good and honourable man.  He’ll help me.  Oh, please take and hide Gaia’s staff with the daggers.  Of course, you know if you ever need anything we are here for you, don’t you?"

"Thanks Celica.  It’s nice to know where we have friends.  We’ll visit on our way back from Amphipolis," said Xena.  With that Xena swung up into Argo’s saddle and gave Gabrielle an arm up into the saddle behind her.  Taking the reins of Gabrielle’s horse as well as Agro’s they headed out of the village and back towards Gaia’s cave.

It had been a long, hot, tiring, emotionally draining day.  The smell of Gaia’s pyre still wafted through the woods.  Gabrielle, battered and bruised -- particularly her cheek and the inside of her mouth - was sitting by the fire with a scroll on her lap and quill in hand listening to Xena sharpen her sword.  Over the years Gabrielle learned she could tell how the warrior was doing by how Xena sharpened her weapon.  A steady, methodical sharpening meant the warrior was calm and in planning mode.  Faster but steady sharpening strokes meant Xena was pleased with the day’s work.  Tonight, when Xena started to sharpen it was the slow methodical style, but it soon changed.  The strokes were being unevenly applied with a force much stronger than normal.  Xena was in evident distress. 

Xena was agitated and her thoughts were dancing through her brain uncontrollably. "Damn, Gaia got killed!  Damn, Gabrielle is hurt!  Damn, I promised to tell Gabrielle what is bothering me!  Damn, how do I explain I clobbered her with my chakram!  Damn, Gaia for making me promise to tell Gabrielle how I feel!  Damn, how do I tell Gabrielle how much I lover her!  Damn, the oracle at Theron!  Damn, how do I...WHOA!"

Xena had been so preoccupied with her thoughts that she never heard Gabrielle get up and move towards her.  She didn’t notice Gabrielle kneel in front of her, and gently put her hand on Xena’s face.  The warrior was surprised big time. 

Xena stopped sharpening, but did not look up at the bard.  So Gabrielle moved her hand under Xena’s chin and gently lifted her head.  Finally the warrior looked at her, but with such sad blue eyes.

"Want to talk about it?"

Xena paused for what seemed like the longest time before saying "I...I don’t know where to start..."

Gently Gabrielle said,  "How about with the battle on Olympus?"

Xena’s eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Gabrielle.  She expected the bard to ask about the promise Gaia had made Xena swear or the day’s events, not something from more than three months ago.

Gabrielle patiently looked into Xena’s eyes, waiting for her to respond.

"Gabrielle, why do you want me to start there?"

"You know you haven’t been right since that day.  Something has been bothering you so badly that you, well, shudder sometimes when you look at me."

As Gabrielle said the words, the shudder she spoke of racked Xena’s body.

"That one, huh?"

"Yep"

"Gabrielle, what do you remember from that day"

"Not a whole lot, and some of what I do remember is really strange.  I remember that you heard something outside and went out to investigate while I went to cover the back door.  Then Joxer materialised!  Ye gods, he was as clumsy at that as he was at everything else.  After he picked himself up off the floor we talked for a bit.  He...he...told me to kill Eve in order to protect you.  He was saying that as she killed him, so would she kill you.  Then I felt there was something like a chorus surrounding me.  They were chattering at me all at once.  Next I saw Hope.  She was so real, Xena.  It really shook me up.  She scared me because she was echoing Joxer’s words that Eve was a threat to you.  The voices were all trying to get me to kill Eve in order to save you!"

Gabrielle paused for a moment and shook her head as if trying to silence all the voices. Xena slowly sheathed her sword, gave Gabrielle her hand, pulled the smaller woman up off her knees, and helped her to settle down beside her, and put her arm around the bard.  Xena, having been inflicted by the Furies before, well remembered how tough and long a process it was to banish those voices from one’s mind. Gabrielle leaned into the warrior, thankful for her comforting arm, ran a hand through her short hair, sighed, and continued her story.

"Then, I walked over to where Eve was sitting at the table reading my scrolls.  She looked so peaceful.  A far cry from how she looked as Livia.  Then, well, then it is really confused.  I remember pulling one of my weapons, but I don’t know what happened next.  I know something clobbered me from behind because it felt like my head exploded and then I remember you telling me something like I couldn’t die because I was the most pure thing in your life.  Then I have a vision of Aphrodite wearing black and I think she was trying to look after me.  But, Aphrodite in black, how strange is that?  I must have been dreaming.  The next thing I know was waking up and hearing you thank Ares for saving my life, and Eve’s.  Other than what you have told me about Aphrodite taking us to Olympus and the fight there, I really don’t know what happened."  Gabrielle sighed again.  It really bothered her that she was not able to be of any help to Xena during the battle.  And the memory of all those voices urging her to kill Eve, well, they were the stuff of nightmares. 

Xena had remained silent while Gabrielle was talking.  "Hmm," she thought, "just like Eve, Gabrielle does not remember how she got hurt."

"Xena?"

"Yes, Gabrielle?"

"Don’t let go of me.  I need to feel you close."

"No, problem" said the warrior as she hugged Gabrielle tighter.

"Now, Xena, tell me what happened after you went to check the sounds outside, please?"

Xena looked sadly at Gabrielle and a few tears welled up in her eyes in sadness and fear that, once Gabrielle knew that she had been the one to mortally wound her, Gabrielle might not want to be around her -- let alone in her arms.  One of the tears slowly fell down her cheek, only to be brushed away by the bard.

"Please, Xena?"

"Gabrielle, will you wait until I’ve told you the whole story before you judge?"

"Judge?"

"Promise me?"

"Ok, I promise."

Xena took a deep breath, looked directly at Gabrielle and started.  "I went outside into the pouring rain and I could feel my skin creeping.  That creepy, prickly feeling I get when Ares is around.  Sure enough he materialised, but he didn’t attack he just started to talk, telling me that he loved me.  It took me a while, damn it, way too long a while, to figure out he was there just to distract me.  He wanted me out of the inn.  I charged back into the inn just in time to see you standing over Eve with your weapon raised."

"Gods, then what I remember is true.  Xena," Gabrielle clutched at Xena’s arm, "tell me that I didn’t..."

"You promised not to judge until I finished."

"Yes, but if I..."

"No ‘buts’ Gabrielle.  Don’t judge!" Xena’s voice was frantic and had the sound of fear in it.

"Ok, ok, no judging until the end."  Gabrielle reacted to the tone of Xena’s voice and to tried to calm her by putting her hand on the warrior’s arm and giving a gentle squeeze.  She could tell it helped because she could feel Xena relax -- a little -- under her hand.  "Go on.  Tell me the rest."

Xena took a deep breath.  "As I was saying I ran in and saw you with your sai raised over Eve’s head.  I could also feel the presence of something else, something I had felt before but couldn’t immediately name.  I...I...I yelled your name and...you stabbed Eve and I threw my chakram at your head." Xena shuddered and took a few deep breaths.   "I was the one that clobbered you."

It was hard to know who was shaking more: Gabrielle as she digested the knowledge that she had stabbed Eve and been mortally wounded by Xena; or Xena who, by telling the story, was seeing, smelling and hearing the events all over again. 

"After you fell to the ground, I realised what presence I was feeling in the room.  Furies, those damned furies, had been driving you mad so you would kill Eve for the gods."

"No!  No, how could I have harmed another of your children?  Gods, no wonder you shudder when you look at me.  How can you bear to be around me?  I have to leave so I can’t hurt Eve again!"  The pain in Gabrielle’s voice echoed through the woods and tears were falling freely down her face.  Wildly she pushed Xena away and was about to go charging into the woods.

"No, Gabrielle, no!  Wait, please wait!" Xena grabbed her arm and drew her close.  "You don’t understand...my shudders aren’t about what the Furies made you do...they are about what I did to you.  I almost killed you.  You are my friend, my soul mate...I love you.  Don’t leave me because of what the Furies did to you!"  Xena pulled the bard into a close embrace and kissed her on the top of her head.

Gabrielle dissolved into Xena’s embrace and hugged her tightly.  The tears that continued to flow turned to tears of relief as they held onto each other.

"Gabrielle, do you hate me?"  The fear in Xena’s voice was palpable.

"Hate you?  For what?"

"For attacking you.  Oh gods Gabrielle.  When my chakram came back to me covered in... covered in...gore...I couldn’t believe what I had done!

"Xena, Xena...I don’t hate you."  Gabrielle pulled the warrior into a tighter embrace.  "You did what you had to do to prevent me from killing Eve.  Don’t you know I trust you and love you?  If that was the only way to stop the Furies and what they were having me do, then that’s what you had to do!" 

Although her voice was still shaking, the tone was less fearful as Xena asked, "Are you sure you can still trust me after what I did to you?  Where it not for Ares and Aphrodite, you’d be dead right now.  And, if I’d survived I would’ve had to sing the funeral dirge for you.  What would I have done?"  With that Xena shuddered and put her head down on the bard’s shoulder. 

Gabrielle could feel the moisture from Xena’s tears on her shoulder.  Quietly and simply she said "We have been to hell together and back.  You are my soul mate.  You have my trust and love.  Remember what Eli said to us about our enduring faith in one another being one of the greatest miracles.  Well, its true."

For a long time they sat there together.  Then Xena finished filling Gabrielle in on the missing parts from that horrible day.

"And Gabrielle, the only ray of hope was Aphrodite.  By the way, she really was dressed in black.  She came, took you away from the fighting, and looked after you.  She really cares about you, which is why she agreed to send us to Olympus.  Anyway, you’ve heard the rest of the story." 

"Does Eve know I stabbed her?" Gabrielle’s voice was shaky as she asked her question.

"You know, it is odd.  At the time, Eve knew you had stabbed her.  She even told me that I had taught you well.  But after Ares healed her, she didn’t seem to remember how she was hurt.  I don’t think I want her to know." 

"Xena, I’ll tell her when we get back.  She needs to know and I need to be the one to tell her, OK?"

Xena paused before she agreed.

"Xena, how badly did I hurt her?"

"Not as badly as I hurt you.  I...I...I don’t think I could’ve saved you.  Eve would’ve recovered if the gods hadn’t come at us almost immediately.  It was strange.  You had a clear shot at Eve.  She should’ve been dead, but she wasn’t.  I believe you were fighting against the Furies even as you stabbed her."  Xena looked at Gabrielle with tears in her eyes.  "It was hell Gabrielle.  I was alone, except for Aphrodite, and had to fight with all I had and try to keep you and Eve safe."

The woman lay close together that night and comforted each other as the not unexpected nightmares ruined any chance of a good night’s sleep for either of them. 

"Amazing how much better the world looks in the morning, even after an awful night’s sleep" thought Gabrielle as she woke in the early dawn, still sheltered in Xena’s arms. 

They took it easy that morning.  Gabrielle and Xena were both tired, and sore, from the day before, but there was a much more peaceful look in Xena’s eyes.  To have Gabrielle want to stay, despite Xena almost decapitating her, had started to heal the gaping wound in the warrior’s heart. 

After breakfast they broke camp and headed over to the remains of Gaia’s pyre near her cave.  Carefully they gathered her ashes and buried them beside Deirdre’s and etched Gaia’s name beside that of her partner’s on the marker Gaia had set up years before.

For a long while Gabrielle knelt by the marker with tears in her eyes.

"I wish it could have ended differently.  I somehow felt like I knew Gaia -- actually she reminded me of you a lot -- and I wanted to get to know her better."

"Me, too.  Why not take her up on her offer to read some of the scrolls lying around?"

"Hmm, I think I will take some of the oldest ones to read while we are in Amphipolis.  Perhaps they’ll tell us about the two of them."  Gabrielle looked up, brushed off her hands, and accepted Xena’s strong arm as she stood up.   "Ye gods it must have been so hard for Gaia to sing the dirge for Deirdre.  Her story must have pushed some of your emotional buttons."

"Yeah, Gabrielle, I could see you as Deirdre.  I have certainly caused your death enough times.  I...I...I am so thankful that I have never had to sing the funeral dirge for you and light your pyre."  With that the warrior shuddered yet again.

Gabrielle hugged Xena to help banish the demons by showing she was very much alive.  The warrior looked into her eyes, and gratefully returned the contact.  After a long moment, Gabrielle pulled away and started to collect a selection of the oldest, most worn looking scrolls.  Then she put her arm around Xena and together they silently doused the torches and left the cave.

It was an uneventful day and by nightfall they found themselves in a quiet glen near a small lake, not very far from Amphipolis.  They had debated pushing on and arriving very late that evening, but decided against it knowing Cyrene would probably be asleep before they got there.  Gabrielle was thankful for another night together before people once again surrounded them.

The horses were groomed and left to graze when Xena went down to the lake to fish while Gabrielle set-up camp.  As she laid out their bedrolls side by side, Gabrielle marvelled at the miracle of their friendship.  Talking to herself she said, "We have been through so much, and even death itself has not been able to part us.  I hope that in death Gaia and Deirdre found each other."

"In the cave Gaia told me that her biggest fear was that in death she would find Deirdre, but that Deirdre would not recognise her name or hold her hand." Xena’s low voice in Gabrielle’s ear startled the bard, as she had not heard the warrior come back from the lake. 

Turning, Gabrielle saw Xena standing with two fish for dinner, and only a towel flung around her.  How Gabrielle yearned for Xena at that moment.  Swiftly she thrust that thought away and instead reached out and took the fish, hoping Xena did not see the blush on her face.  Ah, but Xena did see it.

After supper the two sat on their bedrolls and gazed into the fire.  After a short while, Gabrielle shook her head, reached for the scrolls from Gaia’s cave, leaned back against the warrior’s legs, and started to scan the contents of the scrolls.

"Xena?"

"Uh-huh?"

"This one seems to be written by Gaia and it describes what Deirdre looked like."

"And...."

"Well, it would seem she looked a lot like I did when we first met.  Young with long golden blonde hair."

"Weird coincidence."

"Xena, what is it Gaia made you promise to do?"

There was a long pause as the warrior struggled to decide if now was the right time to tell Gabrielle what she was feeling.  Gaia had made Xena promise to tell Gabrielle how much she loved the bard, but only when they were not up to their asses in bad guys.  An old memory of a prophesy, maybe an Oracle from Theron’s, welled up in Xena’s mind and made Xena wonder if she should honour her promise to Gaia or not.  Shaking her head Xena decided she had to honour the promise, but not just yet.  "Nope, now is not the right time -- too soon after yesterday’s battle," reasoned Xena to herself.

During the long pause, Gabrielle turned to face Xena with concerned eyes.

Xena looked up into those concerned eyes and smiled a somewhat sad smile.  Then she raised her hand and laid it ever so gently on Gabrielle’s bruised face.  "She promised me to tell you something, but was very specific about when I could tell you.  Now is not the right time, but soon I think.  Especially if we do not find ourselves up to asses in bad guys in Amphipolis."

"Is what you have to tell me something good?"

"Oh yes, my bard, I believe so."

"Well then I can wait."  With that Gabrielle turned and leaned back against Xena and opened the next scroll. 

"Hades!"

"Gabrielle, he’s dead."

"I know, I know, but listen to how this scroll starts!"  The excitement in Gabrielle’s voice caught Xena’s full attention.

"Shoot."

"I sing of Gaia, warlord of past and reluctant hero of late.  A daughter of Aleta of Amphipolis and sired by the mysterious force who came to Aleta in the shape of her husband days after that man’s death in battle."

"Ares!" 

THE END 

P.S.  If you don’t understand the ending, watch the episode "The Furies".  

Continue The Story In "Lessons Of Love"

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