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© Copyright 1997 by F.S.
This story may not be sold and may be archived at public sites only with direct permission from the author. Any archive must carry this entire copyright statement.
See Childhood's End (Parts 1-2) for the complete disclaimer statement and other notes from the author.
"It's an hour before dawn," the old woman told her. "I thought you might want to get some breakfast before you go."
"Uh, thanks." Yawning, Gabrielle stretched lithely and turned to Xena. "Well, how are you doing today?"
"Good," Xena chirped, then sobered. "Kala said that we're going on an important trip today. I can't wait! Can we go now?"
"Not until Gabrielle has had her breakfast. Why don't you run and find Jalen and Jilly to see if there are any honeycakes left ?" Kala suggested. Xena took off. Sighing, Kala turned to face the bard. "Be careful with her, Gabrielle. Don't mention anything about Vervain and what happened yesterday."
"Has she said anything about it?" Gabrielle asked fearfully.
"No, but I think that she is still a little frightened. She refuses to admit that anything bad occurred yesterday. It's as if she's trying to forget that the incident ever happened. Children are funny that way. Don't push her ... she'll come around in her own time. For her sake, I hope she doesn't remember until she is old enough to deal with it. But I have the feeling that with the strong will she has, it won't stay buried for long. I know it still disturbs her, although she refuses to give her feelings a voice." Kala chewed her lip, eyes worried.
"That's not a big surprise. Xena's never been exactly open with her feelings anyway." Gabrielle turned away sadly. "What do I do if she does remember?"
"There isn't much you can do. Be there for her. Her spirit is strong enough to handle this, but she'll need someone to lean on. Just do what you do when the grown Warrior Princess needs your support." Kala smiled warmly. "If you can manage to soothe a war-scarred veteran, then a confused five-year-old should be no problem. They're about the same level, if you ask me."
Gabrielle grinned slightly. "Just don't let any grown Warrior Princesses hear you say that. I don't think Xena would take too kindly to being called a five-year-old."
"Well, that's what she is right now," Kala chuckled as Gabrielle walked into the bar. The bard's mouth dropped open in surprise at the feast that was laid before her.
"This is breakfast?" she asked, appalled. "I can't eat all that! Besides, all this food could feed Cyanthus for days!"
"Well, it would all go to waste if Falceus gets his hands on it," Janya told her. "Eat up. You have a long way to go."
Gabrielle ate until she was reasonably full. The sun had begun to peek over the horizon when she was finally ready to leave. Janya had already saddled up Argo, and to her delight, Gabrielle found that a generous amount of rations had been tucked securely into the saddlebags. After quickly boosting Xena onto the saddle and climbing up herself, Gabrielle turned to give Kala and the other villagers a farewell salute.
"With luck, I'll see you in two days. Hang in there!" Gabrielle told them with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. She nudged Argo, and they were off.
"May the gods speed your journey!" Kala called after her, as Argo pounded out of the village. The other villagers and soldiers waved goodbye as she passed them working on the fields. However, instead of using their farm equipment to till the ground, fresh new trenches and traps were beginning to take shape in the soft loam. Gabrielle had to shake her head at the irony of the situation. The instruments that were once used in slavery were now helping their wielders to freedom.
Soon, they were past the fields of Cyanthus, and then Argo really began to pick up speed. Thrilled by the whole adventure, Xena cheered happily as the miles melted away under them, while Gabrielle hoped that she would not be sick. They rode for most of the day, stopping only to detour past military camps and avoid search patrols. Finally, just before sunset, Gabrielle pulled Argo to a stop. The bard knew that the trail had been rough on the horse, but Argo had yet to refuse to run it. Xena helped her set up the camp quickly, as Gabrielle cooled the valiant mare down. Despite herself, Gabrielle found that she was getting rather fond of the palomino. Brushing the cream colored mane, she quietly thanked the horse, who returned her words with a patient nicker.
"You know, you're not so bad after all." Gabrielle patted the yellow rump. Argo snorted, as if returning the compliment. Gabrielle pushed the horse away playfully. "Go and graze. Maybe after me an' Xena eat our dinner, there'll be an apple for you."
"Can I give it to her?" Xena asked as she came over. "I wish I could have a horse like Argo."
"Maybe someday you will," Gabrielle told her as she reached into the saddlebags to find the dinner Kala had packed for them. "Look, there's some chicken and honey cakes ..." she said cheerfully as she pulled the packages out. "Even a flask of goat's milk! Mmm ... I can't wait."
Xena smacked her lips in agreement as Gabrielle placed the chicken over the fire to warm. As the two shared the meal, Gabrielle could almost forget about the task that she would have to accomplish when morning came. It was so peaceful just sitting there with Xena, who seemed not to have a care in the world. She laughed as the little girl drank deeply into her cup of goat's milk, reemerging with a wide white mustache. Xena also grinned, but put a mock serious expression on her face as she stuck out her tongue and crossed her eyes. Gabrielle imitated the facial gesture, which sent Xena into a new fit of giggles. Unfortunately, the girl had just taken another mouthful of milk, and the combination of trying to drink and laugh at the same time sent a plume of white liquid spraying all over the place.
"Hey, yuck ... this was a new outfit, too! I'm going to get you for that!" the bard grumbled playfully, and tackled the girl. The two fell down into a heap of tickles and giggles. Finally, Gabrielle unrolled onto her back, exhausted by the fun. Xena lay beside her, still giggling.
"I think I got milk up my nose," she snorted.
"Serves you right. I've got milk all over me," Gabrielle replied. The girl just gave a happy sigh.
"I wish it could be like this forever," Xena murmured wistfully.
Gabrielle felt a wave of sorrow sweep over her as she remembered what they had come to do. "So do I," the bard said softly. "Come on, you better get some sleep. We have a long day ahead."
"Where are we going? You never told me. Will I like it?"
Gabrielle hid her uneasiness as she quickly unrolled Xena's bedding. "I ... I don't know. We're going to visit a spring."
"Really? Cool! I like to swim, and I know how to fish. Sounds like real fun!" Xena trilled happily.
"Xena, tomorrow is really important. I'll need you to do something really hard," Gabrielle said carefully as she helped the girl get ready for bed and change into a night shirt.
"I can handle it!" Xena said confidently. "Are we going to spy on the enemy or something? I'm real good at spying."
"No ... but what we're going to do will help our friends."
"Oh, okay then. I wanna help a lot." Xena went to retrieve Lightning from Argo's saddlebags. "You're going to be with me ... right?" she asked hesitantly.
"Of course. I would never let you do it alone. I'll always be there for you, Xena. Count on it." Gabrielle swallowed hard as she forced a cheerful smile on her face, although her hands were shaking as she straightened the bedroll. "Now get into bed."
"Aw, do I hafta? The moon's not even up," Xena pouted. "And I wanted to watch the stars come out ... why do the stars shine, Gabby? Why does the moon only come out at night?"
"If you go to sleep now, I'll tell you a story that might explain it all."
Xena weighed the decision carefully, then snuggled up under the warm covers that Gabrielle had piled over her, Lightning safely held in one arm. Gabrielle smiled tenderly as she began her story.
"This is not your usual story, for I tell a tale that starts long before you and I were born. It takes place before the moon and the stars shone in the sky, before the first gods walked the earth, and perhaps even before time himself began. In this time before time, Chaos, the one who made all that we are today, stirred and woke. Seeing the emptiness around her, she began to long for something else and in her longing our world was born.
It was a thing of great beauty and light, but Chaos felt it was not complete. Not wanting our little world be alone, she made the sun and the moon so their light may give joy to us. Did you know that once, the moon was as bright as the sun? Well, she was. However, although they were just as brilliant as each other, they would argue about who was better. They fought and bickered for a long time, each refusing to give ground, till' one day, the sun got the better of the moon. While she was taking her daily bath in our ocean, as both of them tend to do even in present times, the sun came and stole her bright scarves and veils and cast them away towards eternity. When the moon came up and found her garments missing, she was heartbroken. Without her bright veil and cover, she could only shine with a faint, pale light. Feeling embarrassed, she fled away from the sun to hide in the darkness of the night, vowing that she would never see his face again. To this day, she is still searching for her lost veils and scarves, and she hides her face as much as possible from the world, for she feels naked without them. However, she cannot help but peek at us now and then, for like Chaos who made her, she loves our world and tries to shine on us as long as her modesty allows.
Now through all this, Chaos was watching these two, and she felt sorry for the moon. The night is a lonely place to be, you know, and the moon has to travel this course alone, while the rest of our world sleeps. So to fill the void of the night and ease the suffering of the moon, Chaos created the stars. Made of laughter, dreams, and wishes, they fill the night sky with hope and bless those who are under their mantle. However, Chaos had a bit of light left after she made the stars, and do you know where she put it? In children's souls, little one, so that we all may glow as bright as the stars. And there that light still shines on today, in our innocence and in our dreams, in our hopes and in our wishes ... for we are made of starstuff and all the best things in this universe."
The fire was burning low when she finally finished. Xena had long dropped off into the arms of Morpheus, but Gabrielle had been reluctant to stop. The camp seemed so silent, and the sound of her own voice had held the feeling of loneliness at bay.
"I wonder if Xena feels this way when I go to sleep early," the bard mused quietly to herself as she got up to replenish the fire. She had a feeling that she would not get much rest that night.
Gabrielle was in the middle of composing the third verse to her new piece about the Centaurs, when a sudden sobbing cry ripped through the air. Looking up in alarm, Gabrielle saw that it was Xena, who was now tossing and turning wildly in her bed. Running over to the screaming child, Gabrielle gathered the small body up in her arms.
Xena's eyes flew wide open as she gave another wail and started pushing against the bard. The sound tore at Gabrielle's soul as she tried to hold the struggling child, rocking her back and forth gently and murmuring comforting words.
"It's all right, you're safe now," the bard murmured as the girl began to hiccup. "It was just a dream, nothing bad's happening."
Xena gave their surroundings one last wild look before burying her face into Gabrielle's shirt. The bard kept holding the child, soothing her the best she could. Finally, the sobs and hiccups began to lessen, as did the tears.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Gabrielle asked gently. "It may help you feel better."
"I..*hic* was in *hic* a cage, and you ... you were there, and Vervain ..." Xena began brokenly. Gabrielle fought the chill that gripped her heart. She couldn't let Xena bottle up her feelings again though.
"Okay, what about Vervain?" she asked carefully.
"He ... I ... Martis ... blood." Xena burst out wailing again. "I hurted him! I wanted to, then an arrow, then ..."
Gabrielle waited patiently for Xena to finish crying. "Shhh ... it's all right. Don't be scared. It's over now," the bard said softly as she stroked the little girl's hair.
"But he's dead ..."
"I know."
Another sob rocked the little body in her hands, and Gabrielle hugged Xena tightly, reminding the little girl that she was still there, standing firm against the night terrors.
"But dead means ... Daddy said they don't come back, like Grandpa doesn't anymore and I-I made Vervain dead ..."
Gabrielle calmly turned the little face up so that the teary blue eyes were gazing into her own. "No. You didn't. Listen to me, Xena, you did nothing wrong. Nothing! You hear me? You did not kill Vervain, you've never killed anyone before. I know it's hard to understand, but just know that what happened was beyond anything you or I could do. Vervain was a bad man, a really bad man, and Martis had to do what was necessary. But you didn't do anything wrong, trust me."
"Then ... I'm not a bad girl?" Xena asked plaintively.
"NO! Of course not. You're a wonderful little girl, Xena ... I know how you helped Jilly, even though you were scared. That took a lot of courage. You haven't done anything bad, and ... to me, you never will." Gabrielle handed the girl a warm cup of goat's milk.
Xena drank it, still sniffling. After she had gulped the last drop, the girl turned to Gabrielle, eyes questioning.
"Gabby?"
"Yes?"
"Have you ... have you ever ... killed anyone?" Xena asked timidly.
Gabrielle smiled reassuringly. "No. And I hope I never will. Taking a life is something I just couldn't do."
"Me neither," Xena said softly. "I'm glad you never killed anyone." She hesitated. "Has my big sister ever killed anyone?"
Gabrielle paused as the innocent blue eyes focused pleadingly on her. "Well ... yes. But I believe she is very, very sorry for it. Sometimes, it has to be done, like Martis had to kill Vervain before he could harm you. If it helps, I believe that Xena tries her very best not to kill anyone. But killing is something a warrior has to do."
"Gabby ... I don't wanna to be a Warrior Princess anymore," Xena mumbled, her eyes still troubled. "I rather tell stories, like you, or be a farmer like Janya. I don't wanna kill anybody."
Gabrielle's voice caught in her throat, and she could feel the tears beginning to form in her own eyes. If only Xena could have her wish ... "Enough about talk about killing for one night," she managed to say finally. "Try to sleep again, okay?"
"But what if the dream comes back?" Xena whimpered.
"Then I'll be here to chase it away." Gabrielle handed Lightning back to the girl as she pulled the covers tight around Xena. Singing a soft lullaby to her friend, Gabrielle watched as the girl's eyes drooped lower and lower. Finally, Xena was asleep again, and Gabrielle prayed that her slumber would be a peaceful one.
"After all, Morpheus, you do owe us one," she said softly to the sky. Then the bard resumed her sitting place by the fire and tried to drive her own troubling thoughts away as the silver moon rose gracefully behind her.
The day came much too early for Gabrielle's liking. As the dawn flushed the horizon a delicate pink, she gently shook Xena awake. The girl woke without protest, and Gabrielle quickly helped the Xena braid her long hair and put on a beautiful blue dress that Kala had lovingly picked out for her. Gabrielle had to force down her emotions as she watched the little girl skip around the camp, the bad dreams of last night apparently forgotten again. As the bard prepared their breakfast, Xena did her best to help pack up their bedding. However, the task must have seemed boring to the child, because when Gabrielle turned around, it was to see Xena waist deep in a field of wildflowers, cheerfully braiding the blooms into a crown. If anyone had told Gabrielle that she would see the Warrior Princess braiding flowers, the bard would have laughed in their face. However, the sight only served to deepen Gabrielle's heartache and made her mission that much more harder to accomplish.
"Hey squirt, the honeycakes are ready." The bard finally found her voice.
"Don't call me squirt." Xena ran over and hungrily devoured her portion of the cakes. Gabrielle grinned and started reaching for the items that Xena had abandoned. She had to take out the contents of the saddle bags to makes sure everything would fit again. Gabrielle paused as she took out Xena's warrior armor. Gulping, the bard quickly finished the job, only to find that she had forgotten to repack the chakram. Swearing quietly, she clipped it onto the side of the saddle, right next to the sword. Turning, she saw Xena looking at her, with the same scared expression she had seen the night before. Gabrielle walked over to the little girl and gave her a hug.
"Hey, this just some old stuff. Nothing to be upset about," she said lightly.
"Those were weapons." Xena's eyes were huge.
"Well, they're not mine. I'm just keeping them, for a friend. Now come on, we have to go."
Xena still looked at the chakram uncertainly. "Gabby ..."
"Don't worry about it, okay? Remember our talk last night? Well, weapons don't hurt people ... it's the person behind it who does the damage. Just as long as you know what you're doing, then these things can't hurt you. I won't let them."
Xena's face cleared, and she reached out her hands. Gabrielle lifted the child onto the saddle, then followed up herself.
The spring of eternal truth was harder to find than Gabrielle expected. However, all too soon, she found herself gazing at a small but beautiful marble building, whose well tended lawn was adorned with carvings of ivory. As she led Argo to the front of the building, two women stepped out.
"Hello. You must be Gabrielle. Apollo said that you may be coming," one of them said warmly. "I'm Harmony, and this is Symphonia. We're the high priestesses of Apollo as well as the keepers of the grounds. This must be your friend, Xena."
"Hi, Harmony." Xena hopped off Argo's back. "How did you know my name?"
"The followers of Apollo know just about everything," Symphonia winked. "For instance, you aren't as young as you seem to be."
"I'm not?" Xena was clearly puzzled.
"No, underneath that charming little face of yours sleeps a true warrior." Harmony took the little girl's hand. "And we're going to wake her up with a bath in the spring."
Xena pulled her hand roughly out of Harmony's grasp. "I don't wanna be a warrior," she protested and looked pleadingly to Gabrielle.
"Deny what you may, but you do possess a warrior's soul," Harmony said firmly.
"Tell them, Gabby! I'm not going with her! I'm no warrior ... I don't wanna be one!" Xena begged. "Don't make me go with her."
"She must go on her path willingly," Harmony told the bard. Gabrielle shuddered.
"You can't make me!" Xena clung onto Gabrielle's skirt. Gabrielle gently took her hands away, and knelt down until she was eye level with the girl.
"I'll always remember you this way, Xena. But the land needs a hero now, and only a Warrior Princess can fill that need."
"Then call my big sister," Xena insisted. "She's the Princess."
"Xena, *you* are the Warrior Princess. You don't have a bigger sister," Gabrielle said firmly. "All those tales I told you about her, well, they were your adventures. You were the one who fought for truth and justice, and the one who protected innocents. I know your heart is telling you which way to go."
Xena sniffled, and Gabrielle turned away from the look of betrayal on the girl's face. Turning her back to Xena, Gabrielle forced out her next words.
"Go now. You have to do the right thing." She felt Xena give a tiny sob before letting go of the bard's skirt and taking Harmony's hand. When she turned around again, Xena was gone. Only Symphonia was left in the empty yard.
"That was a hard thing for you to do," she said quietly.
"Will she be okay?" Gabrielle winced as a heartrending cry came from the direction of the building and started moving toward it. Symphonia blocked her way.
"It is something she has to do alone." Symphonia watched Gabrielle writhe in internal agony as another plaintive wail came from within the building. "She must deal with what she sees in her soul."
"But she's in pain ... and I promised her I would be there ..."
"You cannot help her with it. This is one battle that the Warrior Princess has to face alone." Symphonia came toward the bard and laid a comforting hand on Gabrielle's shoulder. "But I feel that she will ultimately win this fight."
Gabrielle pulled away from the woman's kind gesture and walked toward Argo. Pulling out Xena's armor and weapons and she handed them silently to Symphonia.
"She'll need these when she's finished," the bard managed to say. "When she's ready, tell her to meet me by the statue of the Muses. I'll be there taking care of Argo."
Symphonia nodded and withdrew into the marble sanctuary. Gabrielle ran to where Argo was standing and led her quickly toward the statue, where she could be alone. Only the mare and the morning sun bore witness to the bard's tears.
Xena stood before the marbled hallway and shivered. She had never been so scared in all her life, and she did not know why. She glanced up at the tall figure of Harmony, but the priestess offered no words of comfort. Instead, she just pointed towards a long silver stream that bubbled out of a golden fountain. The water cascaded along a deep marble channel and emptied out into a large indoor pool. There was no ceiling over that part of the building, and the sun could be seen as it showered its rays upon the waters, making them sparkle and dance with the reflected light. Although she looked hard, Xena could not tell where the water emptied out from the pool. However, as Harmony herded her toward the water, the girl could not help but pull back. There was something about the water that terrified her with a fear that had no name.
"You must go into the pool from this end and swim to the other side. You must not stop, no matter what you see," Harmony told her firmly.
"I don't wanna go!" Xena protested. "I want Gabby. She said that she'd be here!"
"We all must face the truth by ourselves." Harmony looked at the little girl piercingly. "What do you fear, Xena?"
"I fear ..." the little girl gulped. "I don't fear nothing. But I don't want to swim either."
"I cannot force you to do so, little one. The truth cannot be forced on anyone," she said sadly. "But will you deny your soul?"
"I-I ..." Xena felt like crying again, and started sniffling. "I'm so scared. But Gabrielle wants me to do this ... right?" She walked a little closer to the water. Xena could feel it pull at her, much like the attraction of a moth to the burning heat of a candle. Almost unconsciously, she stepped into the water. Then the images came. Like leaping wolves, they attacked, battering her senses with scenes straight out of her nightmares. Screams from the throats of murdered people crescendoed around her, and instead of water, she was swimming now in blood. Voices long silenced rose up again to accuse her. However, the most chilling sight came from in the form of a cloaked figure at the center of the chaos. Dressed entirely in black, the figure beckoned to her, laughing harshly. The stench of decay was strong around this person, and Xena reeled from it, screaming. As the figure walked toward her, Xena tried run away and hide. Nothing made sense anymore, not the people, not the voices ... what did it all have to do with her? All Xena knew now was that she had to get away from that cloaked being. But there was no where to go! Desperate, Xena turned around to face the being, ready to fight her way past. It was too late ... the figure raised an arm, and the waters of truth rose to drown her in their sorrow ...
Gabrielle was curled into a tight ball beneath the statue of the nine Muses. Even her patron deities could not offer any comfort to the young bard as she tried to block out the sounds of torture and pain that were emerging from the building. Try as she might to ignore the cries, they still surrounded her, tearing away at her soul. A single thought kept running Gabrielle's head.
[Gods, what have I done?] Another terror stricken scream slashed through the air. It was a haunting sound, the sound of a child in pain. Gabrielle could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Something was wrong. Gabrielle got up as a chilling sensation swept through her body. She was running towards the building even before her mind could give the command to her legs. Pushing past Symphonia and Harmony, Gabrielle dove into the pool of water, swimming as fast as she could, ignoring everything around her except the still body of her friend. [Please, no ...] she prayed as she dragged the limp body to the solid edge of the pool. [Please ...]
The small figure suddenly coughed, and Xena's eyelids fluttered briefly. Gabrielle gave a sigh of relief. She had not been too late.
"You should not have done that," Harmony suddenly spoke up, her voice severe.
"She was dying!" Gabrielle retorted fiercely.
"You do not know that," Symphonia stated. "By disturbing her rite of passage, you might have jeopardized the chance of bringing her back to who she really is."
"So what if I did?" Gabrielle challenged. "Maybe I don't want to change her back. I know she was dying ... I could feel it."
"That may have been so, but you still had no right to interfere." Harmony shook her head. "Now what are you going to do, bard? What will the village of Cyanthus do? You promised them a Warrior Princess."
"I should have never done that," Gabrielle said softly. "I started the battle ... I have to be the one to finish it. That is my truth."
"You will pay a high price if you insist on embarking on this route," Symphonia warned.
"Then let me be the one to pay it." Gabrielle brushed back a lock Xena's damp hair. "It has always been a policy of mine not to shed the blood of innocents. I won't deny my morals now. They're all I have left. I know that she'll need to change back someday. But I don't want her to do it for me, so that she can ride off to add another war to onto her already heavy burden. When she decides to go back, then it will be on her own terms, when she is good and ready for it."
"Well spoken. Perhaps you do see, after all," Harmony said softly.
"I have to ask a favor ... will you take care of her while I go back to Cyanthus?"
"Yes," Symphonia nodded. "We will protect her as we would this temple."
"Thank you." Gabrielle straightened up. "I have to go now, but when she wakes, tell her I will return. I don't care what you say ... if she has to go through with this thing, then I'm going to go with her."
"Gabrielle ... your soul is interwoven with hers," Harmony said suddenly. "You find strength from each other. So perhaps we erred in saying that she will have to face her true self alone. Know this ... although you may leave her here, your presence will be guarding her, always."
"I already know that! And you Apollo people were supposed to be so smart. We protect each other," Gabrielle smiled wryly as she prepared to leave.
"May Apollo help you in your quest," Symphonia told her.
Gabrielle bent to kiss Xena once on the forehead. "I think he already has ..."
"You're back! Thank the gods!" Janya exclaimed as Gabrielle dismounted. "We've been so worried about you ..." she trailed off. "Where's Xena?"
"There were some problems," Gabrielle replied softly. "It'll take awhile to explain. How are the traps coming?"
"We've made pretty good progress. Falceus will be in for a nasty surprise once he gets here!" Janya grinned wickedly. "Also, we've moved most of the elderly and the children to Spirit's Glade. So far, you've been right; Pan hasn't bothered us yet. In fact, the woods have been oddly hospitable. We've been able to find fresh water and food easily."
"Good," Gabrielle said, trying her best not to let her fatigue show. "At least they'll be safe."
"Also, Martis has formed a part of a plan we can use against Falceus. Nothing very definite though. We were waiting for the counsel of ..." Janya broke off. Gabrielle winced. The silence stretched between them as they neared the town. Maneuvering expertly around the traps the villagers had laid, Janya quickly steered the bard towards Jalen's tavern. Gabrielle dreaded entering there, but she took a deep breath and followed Janya in. The gathered people looked up expectantly. Gabrielle faced them with as much courage as she could muster and tried to ignore the disappointed looks of the villagers when they noticed that the bard had come back alone from her journey.
"I guess you all can see that I haven't brought Xena with me. I know we were relying on the fact that she would be here, but it was impossible." Gabrielle managed to give a weak smile. "I know I promised, but I guess you'll have to make do with me. I don't know much about warfare, but I've traveled with Xena awhile, and I've learned a lot from her. Once, I even helped defend my own village without her help. I won't lie to you, though, Falceus is a much bigger threat than I've ever had to deal with before. But I'll try my best, and whatever happens, I'll see you through to the end." She paused, waiting for the villagers' reaction. There were a few disgruntled mumbles, but the people seemed to take it well enough.
"Well, we're glad to have you, if not the Warrior Princess," Martis spoke up. "And we do have the beginnings of a plan for defense. That, at least, counts for something." His fellow soldiers and a couple of villagers nodded in agreement.
Gabrielle was relieved. She had expected them to be angry at her and was grateful that they did not seem too upset. With Falceus so near, there was no time to waste on pointless arguments and accusations. The others must have realized that, too. "We also have the advantage that Falceus thinks Xena is here. I don't see why we should tell him otherwise."
"True. After all, ol' Falceus is terrified of her," Martis grinned. "He'll be cautious until he sees her position in this. We'll use that against him. The deception won't last for long though. Given time, he's bound to figure out she's not here."
"By then, I hope we'll be able to give him something else to worry about." Gabrielle drew closer to the strategy table.
"Don't forget that Falceus is at war with the Centaurs. That's sure to split his attention," Janya reminded them.
"Centaurs? Which ones?" Gabrielle asked curiously.
"Well, the clan near Amazon territory ... wait, they're a part of that territory now ... allies, I believe. Anyway, Falceus wants Centaur and Amazon slaves, but Queen Melosa and Tyldus are giving him quite a battle. To tell the truth, they've been winning hands down." Martis shrugged. "Falceus has picked a bigger fight than he can chew when he challenged that bunch. He's a cunning one though, ... he may still win over them, although we've been losing many troops to those two groups."
Gabrielle's eyes hardened. "I bet the Centaurs and the Amazons are suffering losses, too," she said fiercely. She was really beginning to dislike Falceus. "Those people just happen to be my friends. Xena must have known about this ... that must have been another reason why she wanted Falceus so badly. I wish she had told me about it."
"It can't be helped, Gabrielle. She must not have wanted you to worry." Martis looked uncomfortable as his fingers drummed the table nervously. Finally, he lifted his head and met the bard eye to eye. "I want you to know that we did not choose to fight your friends ... we just followed orders. To tell you the truth, I think our troops would willingly withdraw if given any other way out. We're being slaughtered, and Falceus doesn't seem to care."
"I understand ... you were forced to do what you did. But at least you're doing the right thing now." Gabrielle's kind smile told him that she did not hold a grudge. Her eyes brightened. "Well, maybe we can use this war to our advantage. I'll need your fastest runner though. If he can reach Melosa and Tyldus, there might be a peaceful end to the bloodshed."
"How?" Janya asked hopefully.
"Well, like I said, they're friends of mine. They'll end the war at my request, especially when they hear my plan. Do you think that your soldiers will stop fighting if the enemy called a truce and asked them to help free their own homeland?"
"In a heartbeat. I doubt that anyone in the battle lines knows what's happening here at home." Sighing, Martis shook his head dejectedly. "However, I don't think it will work. No one would dare revolt with Falceus keeping an eye on them. He has their families, you know."
"Ah, but Falceus will be here, battling us." Gabrielle gave a small smile. "No one will be at the helm, so to speak."
"I see!" Janya exclaimed, excitement flushing into her face. "So while he's here, we could start a revolution over there!"
"Exactly!" Martis grinned. "But are you sure that you're friends would be willing to ally with us?"
"They owe a debt to Xena to do so, and they probably want to get rid of Falceus as much as you do. I'm sure they'll see the light. Despite what you may think, the Centaurs and the Amazons value freedom and peace very highly. They're very noble people, and they'll see that your cause is worthy, more so since it matches theirs. No one likes what Falceus is doing. What about your troops?"
"This is the opportunity we've dreamed about for years. Most of the troops will jump at the chance. However, some will remain loyal to Falceus ... those are the ones he usually puts in command. There's a whole rotten bunch of them. But I'm sure the boys will take care of them, like we took care of Vervain." Martis' eyes glittered, and Gabrielle had to shiver.
Janya frowned. "There's just one problem." She bit her lip. "How are we supposed to hold out against Falceus until the messenger gets to the Centaurs? That's a three day run, and Falceus will be here in two. And you have to count another three days to get everything settled out between the two sides and to mobilize the army, then another four day's march to get here. Add a big battle into the pot, and we get quite a mixture."
"I know, but I can't think of anything else." Gabrielle firmed her sagging shoulders. "But it'll have to do, for now ..."
"It's not a bad plan," Martis comforted her. "United, the army should have no problem beating Falceus and his bunch of mercenaries. It's what we're going to do until they get here that worries me."
"What if you all went into Spirit's Glade until help arrives?" Gabrielle asked.
"I'm not going to hide with a bunch of women and children!" a soldier spoke up fiercely. "I much rather run my sword through some mercenary scum."
"Yeah!" chorused the others.
"And if we leave the village, Falceus will burn it to the ground. We'll have no homes left to come back to," Janya said softly.
"Besides, we need to keep Falceus busy. If he gets wind of what's happening on the battle lines, the whole plan could fall through." Martis put his head in his hands. "That means surviving at least seven days."
"It would be better if we made all ten," Gabrielle said wearily. "So, any ideas on how to keep a warlord entertained without getting killed? Or should I go out and tell ghost stories to them and hope they'll be spooked?"