WE'LL BE HOME FOR SOLSTICE

 

by Norsebard

 

 

Contact norsebarddk@gmail.com

 

 

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

 

 

DISCLAIMERS:

 

The characters of Xena, Gabrielle, Cyrene, Lyceus, Toris and Argo from the TV show 'Xena Warrior Princess' belong to Studio USA/Renaissance Pictures/Universal or whoever actually owns them now. No infringement on anyone's rights is intended. All other characters are created by myself, and belong to me.

 

This story depicts a loving relationship between consenting adult women. If such a story frightens you, you better click on the X in the top-right corner and find something else to read.

 

 

 

NOTES FROM THE AUTHOR:

 

Written: December 9th - 12th, 2023 for the 2023 Royal Academy Of Bards' X&G Winter Solstice Challenge.

 

Timeline: The main story takes place in season 2 of Xena Warrior Princess, but I'm not following the canon so there's no Solan, no Perdicus and no Callisto.

 

Thank you very much for your help, Phineas Redux!

 

As usual, I'd like to say a great, big THANK YOU to my mates at AUSXIP Talking Xena, especially to the gals and guys in Subtext Central. I really appreciate your support - Thanks, everybody! :D

 

 

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

 

 

WE'LL BE HOME FOR SOLSTICE

 

 

'Present day'

 

The afternoon fog was so dense it almost resembled smoke from a forest fire. Mysterious patterns were created and immediately dissolved as the fog seemed to caress the trees located deep within the Thracian forest. The trunks, branches and last remaining withered leaves gained a spooky quality that would have been perfect for the period around Ghouls' Night rather than the Winter Solstice.

 

A whinny, the creaking of leather and the characteristic jingle-jangle of the various metal bits on a horse's harness echoed through the dense fog even before the source of the noises broke free of the swirling mist. A healthy, powerful Palomino mare slowly became visible as it entered a clearing where the fog had less to cling to.

 

The riderless horse was helped along by a tall woman wearing long boots and a dark-brown leather battle dress that featured brass armor at the shoulders and across the chest. The dark-haired woman appeared to be alone, but the sword on her back and the circular weapon on her hip offered enough hints to even the dumbest highwayman to steer clear or face the inevitable.

 

A moment later, a shorter and seemingly younger woman emerged from the mist. Once she had her bearings, she set off in a jog to catch up with the person leading the horse. Unlike the leather and brass armor carried by the taller of the two, the latest arrival wore brown boots, a brown skirt and a pea-green top that revealed a large section of her sculpted midriff. To remain warm in the chilly conditions, she had draped a dark-brown cloak over her mostly bare arms and shoulders. For protection against bandits of all types, she carried a fighting staff.

 

"I thought I saw a rabbit… you know, for supper and tomorrow's lunch," the younger woman said, wrapping the cloak even closer around herself.

 

"I gather you didn't get it?"

 

"No, it left the scene rather rabbit-ly."

 

Gabrielle broke out in a wide, cheesy grin that only grew wider by the groan put forth by Xena. They moved on in silence until Gabrielle continued: "I have an idea for a new game we could play while traveling. It's just a rough outline so far, but would you like to hear it?"

 

"Sure."

 

"Well, it's a variation of I Spy. The idea is to go through the alphabet and then say the first thing that fits the letter except that we can't see it. How do you think that would work?"

 

Xena cocked her head and shot Gabrielle a sideways glance - then another one. They moved on in silence for a few moments before she said: "I may have many skills, but you need to explain your idea again. You lost me around halfway."

 

"Uh… all right. Let's say we've reached Omega. Then you'll say Orpheus and-"

 

"Orpheus?  Why Orpheus?"

 

Gabrielle narrowed her eyes. "Because he isn't here, Xena. That's the objective of the game. Unlike I Spy, we need to say something that isn't here."

 

"Then I might as well say Otrakis!"

 

"Yes!  Yes, you certainly could. Who's Otrakis?"

 

"A warlord I sliced open a few years back."

 

"Forget I asked… all right, all right, so the game needs a little work. I know the core idea is good. I just have to-"

 

They both came to a sudden halt when a spine-chilling wail reached their ears. The dense fog made it seem to come from all directions at once, and even Xena's extraordinary hearing failed to pinpoint the exact location of the mysterious noise.

 

"Is that a wood nymph?  Or a banshee?" Gabrielle said, holding her staff ready.

 

The Warrior Princess drew her sword when the wail was repeated a few moments later. "Hope not. We're almost at the edge of the clearing… Gabrielle, I want you to go left. Search the undergrowth all the way back to where we entered. I'll go right. We'll meet up back there."

 

Gabrielle nodded before she took off toward the edge of the clearing in a fast jog. Once she got there, she moved a handful of steps into the undergrowth to have a better chance of finding the creature uttering the wail.

 

She began searching the forest at a pace that allowed her to see everything near her while maintaining a decent speed so it wouldn't take her all day to return to the far side of the clearing. The dense fog and the swirling patches that clung to the trees were strong opponents that she nevertheless needed to overcome. As she jogged along the shrubbery, she employed many of the tracking and scouting skills she had picked up from their visits to Queen Melosa's Amazons.

 

Ninety paces into her search, the cause of the wailing was revealed: it was a small child bundled up in a capsule of fur. The prone body of a woman next to the child offered a clue that it had simply been dropped on the forest floor as the woman had collapsed. The adult wore a coarse cloak and what appeared to be Amazon boots.

 

"Oh!" Gabrielle cried as she knelt next to them. The child wailed louder now that someone was there, but the woman remained still. Reaching out at once, Gabrielle righted the small bundle so the child would at least have its head upward. A certain scent broke free of the furs indicating that it had been a while since the diapers had been changed.

 

Gabrielle touched the adult woman's arm and found it to be so icy there was no doubt her spark of life had been extinguished. She tried to push the body over onto its back to look for possible wounds that could explain the death, but the freezing chill in the air and on the forest floor had made the body so immobile she was unable to do much with it.

 

As she had already noted, the boots were of the design favored by several Amazon tribes, so chances were the woman had been one of the forest warriors. There was nothing more she could do for the Sister, so she got to her feet and ran out to the edge of the clearing. "Xena!  I've found a child!  Xena?"

 

A distant cry of 'I hear you!  I'm on my way!  Keep talking so I can find you!' soon rolled over the foggy clearing.

 

---

 

The Warrior Princess made it back to Gabrielle's position before long, but she could only confirm what had already been suspected - the Amazon was dead, and had been thus for a day or two.

 

Xena grabbed hold of the body's icy arms. "Let's roll her over… we might be able to identify her tribe from her outfit."

 

"All right. I'm ready," Gabrielle said after she had shoved her hands under the dead woman's back. "On three?"

 

"On one," Xena said, effortlessly rolling over the frozen corpse.

 

The body revealed no obvious wounds or injuries. The arms, hands and legs weren't fractured. The face was untouched save for the usual collection of old scars that most Amazons had from a life spent in the wild forests. A leather waistbelt held a green, standard-issue winter tunic in place, and she wore long britches in a shade of green that was slightly darker than the tunic.

 

A hunting dagger and a carving knife remained in their sheaths on a narrow belt that sat low around the hips. Further up, the chain link holding the cloak in place had twisted around so it dug into the skin on her throat, but that didn't matter now.

 

"No sword… that would have been the easiest way to identify her tribe," Gabrielle said as she reached for the hunting dagger instead. After pulling it from the sheath, she studied it from all angles without finding any markers that could shed light on the dead woman's affiliation.

 

The child soon started crying again - Xena let the dead rest to focus on the living. She touched the baby's skin and let out a dark grunt. "Far too cold. Why it hasn't died yet is beyond me."

 

"Artemis must have kept an eye on it."

 

"Mmmm. She should have kept an eye on the mother. If the Amazon is the mother, of course," Xena said, looking at the dead woman next to them. "This child will die if we don't shield it from the cold. We need to build a fire at once."

 

Gabrielle let out a grunt as she cast a gloomy glance at the swirling mist that surrounded them on all sides. "It won't be easy. Everything is dripping wet. No, I think we need to delegate the work… I'll deal with the change of diapers and you can use your many skills on starting a fire. All right?"

 

"That's what I call an excellent plan," Xena said with a grin as she put the bundle into Gabrielle's waiting arms.

 

---

 

By the time the fire had been started and the diaper changed - using a strip of the dead Amazon's coarse cloak - too much of the day had gone by to carry on. Instead, Gabrielle emptied out Argo's saddlebags so they could set up their regular night camp by the fire. The bedspread was soon rolled out and the frying pan readied for when Xena would return from her hunt for anything edible.

 

It happened sooner rather than later. The Warrior Princess brought back a bagful of late-season berries that she pureed for the baby while Gabrielle took care of the rabbit that hadn't been rapid enough to escape a second time.

 

-*-*-*-

 

The dense fog continued to plague the forest the following morning, but at least the fire had burned strongly throughout the night which had prevented the chill from creeping into everyone's bones.

 

Gabrielle packed the saddlebags while Xena examined the baby and took care of its various needs. Once everything had been stored, Gabrielle pulled the leather straps tight and secured them on their hooks. She let out a warm chuckle as she watched the terrifying and highly lethal Warrior Princess treat the little child with plenty of tender care. "Did you ever change Lyceus's diapers back home in Amphipolis?" she said as she walked back to the fire to pour dirt over the remaining embers.

 

"No," Xena said, looking up with a wistful smile playing on her lips. "There were only a few years between us. We were both members of the diaper brigade at pretty much the same time."

 

Gabrielle's warm chuckle returned in full. "Oh, that must have been a sight to see. Or a force to be feared…"

 

Xena nodded as she concluded examining the child. "Her skin is warm but not feverishly so. She'll be fine for now. I hope we can find more of those berries from last night. She liked those."

 

"Yes. We also need fresh water," Gabrielle said as she wrapped her furs around her shoulders. "We used more yesterday than we had planned on. The tide is low in our waterskins."

 

"All right. It shouldn't be too hard to find a spring."

 

"Let's hope not. By my estimate, we'll reach Amphipolis tomorrow at noon or so. Of course, if the weather makes a turn for the worse, it may be later."

 

Xena instinctively looked up to inspect the heavens above, but the heavy cloud cover made any kind of gauging impossible. "Mmmm. I tend to agree with you."

 

"Thank you," Gabrielle said with a smile that soon faded. She turned to look at the body of the dead Amazon. "Xena, we still have a task to carry out here. We need to take her with us. I know for a fact she'd want to have her funeral pyre organized by her Sisters and not a pair of complete strangers… even if I am a member of Queen Melosa's tribe."

 

Xena finished wrapping the child in the furs before she got up and dusted off her hands. "We may not be able to find them, Gabrielle."

 

"If we can't, we'll build the pyre ourselves and take it from there. Please, we can't leave her to the mercy of the hungry animals."

 

A few moments went by before Xena got to her feet and cracked her knuckles. "You're right. We can't. You take the boots."

 

-*-*-*-

 

Three candlemarks plus another change of diaper for their little companion later, Xena's keen senses began tickling her ears. They had left the forest and the swirling fog behind and had moved a fair distance east toward Amphipolis. They remained in the middle of nowhere, but the terrain was easily negotiated and the tone of light suggested the sun was about to break through the clouds.

 

They moved parallel to the edge of a forest that was smaller than the one they had spent the night in. A riding path covered in woodchips had been created directly adjacent to the first line of trees, but the risk of an ambush was so great that Xena had decided they should walk straight across the fields and meadows instead.

 

She began studying the trees and the shadows between them for anything untoward that could have triggered her sharply honed internal alarm. She rode holding the child against her stomach while the dead body had been strapped to Argo's hind quarters. The latter in particular added enough weight that even the fit horse couldn't reach her usual high speed - but with potential danger lurking nearby, an urgent change was required.

 

"Gabrielle, stop. I think we're being watched."

 

"Where?"

 

"Over by the trees."

 

"Bandits or Amazons?"

 

"Can't say yet. Here, take the child…"

 

Once Gabrielle clutched the bundle of fur to her chest, Xena moved around on the saddle to release the straps holding the dead body in place. It fell off with a Thump! that perhaps wasn't respectful but certainly necessary.

 

The Warrior Princess nudged Argo into action at once, and the powerful Palomino soon barreled toward the edge of the forest. The cavalry charge worked as a lone figure jumped out of hiding and took off in a fast sprint.

 

Argo was faster and the Chakram faster still as Xena soon sent the circular weapon screaming through the air. Meant to deliver a disabling blow rather than a messy kill, it succeeded in doing exactly that before it returned to Xena's hand.

 

A moment later, she pulled Argo's reins tight to get her to slow down. Even before the Palomino had come to a full stop, Xena somersaulted out of the saddle and raced across the field to get to the spot in the undergrowth where the fleeing individual had ended up.

 

With the Chakram firmly attached to her belt once more, Xena drew her sword and pointed the lethal tip at the person who let out several moans and groans. "I'm not in a good mood today, so you only have one chance to explain who you are and why you were watching us. I'm all ears."

 

The victim of the Chak-attack had been face-down in the shrubbery until then, but rolled over onto her back to sit up. In her mid-twenties, the woman had a narrow face with narrow lips, a small nose and intelligent eyes. Her hair was held short and usually covered by a green, bonnet-like hat that had flown off during the sneak attack.

 

The clothes and weaponry revealed at once that it was an Amazon who seemed to come from the same tribe as the one Xena and Gabrielle had found dead the day before: her tunic and britches were in two shades of green, and she carried a set of daggers on a belt that sat low on her hips. A second belt kept the tunic in place. Her cloak was cut from the same coarse cloth as the dead woman's.

 

"I'm Ruphina. A long-range scout for Chieftainess Mahdalina," she said in a voice that carried a strong accent from a non-Greek territory.

 

"Never heard of her," Xena said, keeping her sword trained on the scout.

 

"We're new in this area. We were forced to abandon our home territory after a war went against us."

 

"I see. It happens."

 

Ruphina moved to get up, but the tip of Xena's sword soon convinced her to stay put. "There's no need for a show of force," she said, trying to swat away the tip with little success. "I'm no threat to you or your junior companion out there. I've told you my name… what's yours?"

 

"I'm Xena of Amphipolis. And she's Gabrielle of Potaideia."

 

The words had barely left Xena's mouth before Ruphina let out a grunt. "Xena?  You may not have heard of my Chieftainess, but she's definitely heard of you."

 

"I'm flattered. All right. Get up. There's someone I need you to identify."

 

After clambering to her booted feet, Ruphina reached behind her to rub the spot on her back where the Chakram had hit her. "It hurts… what kind of weapon did that?"

 

"My Chakram," Xena said, shifting the sword to her left hand to tap the right one against the circular weapon. Walking out of the forest, they were soon on their way back to Argo and Gabrielle. "Were you on an assignment to find a missing member of your tribe?"

 

"No. Just a regular long-range scouting mission. Why?"

 

"My companion and I found a dead Amazon late yesterday afternoon. A baby girl was next to her. If we hadn't arrived when we did, both would have gone to the Amazon Afterlife. The child is doing fine now."

 

Another, longer grunt escaped Ruphina. She gained a distant look in her eyes for a moment or two before she broke out in a nod.

 

Xena noticed and pulled Ruphina to a halt. "What was that all about?"

 

"Nothing."

 

"Don't tell me nothing, Amazon. 'Nothing' wouldn't give you that look in your eye."

 

Ruphina and Xena began staring each other down. The silent contest lasted for longer than expected before Ruphina shrugged and moved on toward Gabrielle and Argo. "I won't justify the orders of my Chieftainess to complete strangers. And that's all you'll get out of me on that subject," she said over her shoulder.

 

---

 

Gabrielle was still cradling the small child in her arms by the time Xena returned with Ruphina. "I'm Gabrielle of Potaideia and you're obviously an Amazon. Greetings, Sister. I'm a member of Queen Melosa's-"

 

"I'm not," Ruphina said in a sour tone.

 

Xena rolled her eyes as she pushed the Amazon over toward the wrapped body on the ground. Kneeling, she had soon unraveled the top part to let the dead woman's face come out in the open. "Get over here, Ruphina. Tell us who this is."

 

Ruphina only needed a brief look at the body to identify her. "That's Euriana. A former member of our tribe."

 

"Former member?  Did she leave voluntarily or was she banished?" Gabrielle said.

 

The scout turned around with a sour look upon her face. "I fail to see how it can be any of your concern. She's dead. End of discussion."

 

Xena stepped between Ruphina and Gabrielle - she grabbed a fistful of Ruphina's coarse cloak to underscore her message: "It is our concern considering Euriana froze to death. I'm sure we can agree that isn't a nice way to go."

 

Ruphina let out a grunt. "I've seen worse."

 

"We all have," Gabrielle said, "but that doesn't make it right. If Euriana was banished from your tribe, you're as much to blame as Demeter's icy minions if you sent her into a freezing forest dressed in what amounts to fall clothing!"

 

All Ruphina did was to shrug - the casual reaction made an immediate and severe scowl flash onto Gabrielle's face.

 

Xena finally let go of the cloak, but she remained in Ruphina's face as she spoke: "There's more to this than meets the eye. I think you should take us to your Chieftainess. We're dying to meet her. Isn't that so, Gabrielle?"

 

A strong harrumph was Gabrielle's only reply.

 

---

 

Two candlemarks later, Ruphina brought Xena, Gabrielle and Argo to the perimeter fence of a makeshift camp.

 

Unlike the permanent huts used by the Greek Amazons, Ruphina's tribe lived in tall, wide yurts that could be struck in a hurry whenever the tribe needed to move on. Each of the dozen or so yurts - that had been placed in a crescent-shaped defensive formation - appeared large enough to have room for four to six warriors. A larger, more opulent version had been put up in the protected center of the crescent.

 

Several trees had been felled to create the framework for a plenum eating tent that doubled as the tribal discussion hall. Large sections of coarse, dark-brown cloth had been draped over the open structure to shield it from the whims Mother Nature would provide at that time of the year.

 

Temporary pens holding at least thirty horses, half that number of donkeys and mules, several nanny-goats and even two milk cows had been set up at the far side of the camp to provide the transportation and at least some of the daily sustenance.

 

When a ram's horn sounded to call the alarm, Amazons dressed like Ruphina and Euriana swarmed out of the yurts with their daggers drawn. Several carried spears or javelins, and a minority wielded traditional blades or short-swords that appeared Roman in design - chances were the latter had been stolen from Centurions.

 

Gabrielle clasped her hands above her head to show she was a friend of the Amazons, but it appeared the new tribe had no knowledge of the Greek sign as it failed to make the sentries change their stance or at-arms attitude. She added a "We come in peace!" just to be on the safe side, but even that didn't make much of an impression on the nomadic women.

 

The scout Ruphina and one of the sentries from the main gate exchanged several sentences in a foreign language that even Xena hadn't heard before. She furrowed her brow at the potential implications, but it seemed the long-range scout had merely told the sentry to open the gates and to fetch the Chieftainess.

 

The first part was easily dealt with, and Xena nudged her bootheels into Argo's sides to make her move ahead. "Gabrielle," she said as they went into the camp itself, "take the child. I may need to react in a hurry."

 

Gabrielle moved over to Argo's side and took the precious bundle from Xena's outstretched hand. She held the baby close to her chest to protect it even further.

 

The sentries and the regular warriors all glared at the body-shaped lump resting across Argo's hind quarters. It didn't take an expert to recognize that the boots sticking out of the rolled-up blanket were of Amazon design, so a certain unrest soon spread among the heavily armed women.

 

"Ruphina," Xena said, "like I told you, we wish to speak with your Chieftainess."

 

The scout shook her head. "You're in our camp now. You don't give us orders."

 

"True. But the sooner we speak to her, the sooner we'll be out of your hair."

 

Ruphina cocked her head in a clear display of not having understood the finer points of Xena's quip. "I'll let the Chieftainess know we have visitors. It may be a while before she's willing to see you."

 

"Just tell her Xena is here and wishes to talk to her."

 

A curt "Hmmmm!" was all that came from Ruphina before she strode past the first of the yurts on her way to the opulent example at the center of the crescent.

 

"Xena," Gabrielle said as she held the little bundle close to her, "when we do speak to the Chieftainess, let's listen to their side of the story before we jump to conclusions. Sending Euriana into certain death will never be anything but cruel, but maybe she was banished for the right reasons."

 

Since there didn't seem to be an immediate threat to their safety, Xena dismounted but kept her hand close to the Chakram just in case. The free hand was used to pat Argo's flank to thank her for all her hard work. "I intend to, Gabrielle. I also intend to follow my conscience. I won't honey-coat anything just to adhere to their ways."

 

"Well, I had a hunch you- look, there she is," Gabrielle said, turning to get a full view of Chieftainess Mahdalina.

 

The leader of the tribe was older than either Xena or Gabrielle had anticipated: at least in her late forties or perhaps even older. She had dark-brown hair and eyes, and just like the warriors and scouts of her tribe, her skin tone was a shade or two darker than the average Greek Amazon.

 

She was compact rather than tall, but there was no denying she was of an athletic build. Her energetic gait and buff arms and shoulders easily offset her lack of height. She wore dark-green britches, a tunic in a slightly paler shade of green, and finally a pair of leather belts - one around her hips that held the customary two blades, and one further up that kept the tunic in place. To mark her out as someone special, her cape was crimson and made of a silk-like material rather than the coarse, monochrome cloaks everyone else wore.

 

A grim look was etched onto her face even as she simply strode along to intercept the visitors. The moment she clapped eyes on the wrapped body at the back of the Palomino, the grim look turned so hard and angry her eyes almost shot fire.

 

"I am Mahdalina, leader of the Tawkanri tribe. Good to see bitch dead, but why you bring her here?" she growled when she was close enough to Xena and Gabrielle to be heard without shouting. "We kick her out to die. We kick baby out to die. Now you bring back. Why?"

 

Gabrielle let out a growl of her own as she clutched the aforementioned baby to her chest. "How dare you call yourselves Amazons?!  Condemning a baby girl to certain death goes against everything Artemis stands for when it comes to our sacred Sisterhood!"

 

"Artemis your God. Not our God."

 

Gabrielle opened her mouth to counter the statement, but understood it was futile. Instead, she spun around to stomp back to Xena and Argo.

 

Mahdalina waved Ruphina back to her. They conferred for a short while in their own language before the Chieftainess strode back to her yurt.

 

The scout soon came over to Xena and Gabrielle. "The Chieftainess does not wish to speak with you further, Xena. You are welcome to stay for our noon serving, but after that, you must be on your way with that bastard child and the dead woman."

 

Gabrielle broke in before Xena could as much as take a breath. "No child can choose their parents, Ruphina!  You can speak ill of the dead as much as you want, but do not drag an innocent child into your-"

 

Ruphina had finally had enough of the frustrating local morals. Without finding Gabrielle worthy of a second glance, the scout strode toward the main gates and soon left the camp to get back to her patrol area.

 

Xena had to let out a dark chuckle at the gobsmacked look on Gabrielle's face. Walking over to her, she pulled her into a sideways hug. "What do you think?  Should we accept their offer of lunch or resume traveling to Amphipolis?"

 

"Well… I could eat," Gabrielle said with an embarrassed smile.

 

"Not the world's greatest surprise," Xena deadpanned. "All right. Let's find some milk for the baby. Berries only go so far."

 

-*-*-*-

 

Lunch in the plenum mess tent turned into a peculiar affair with all Mahdalina's warriors dead set on giving the visitors a cold shoulder. In fact, Xena, Gabrielle and the baby had not one, not two but three rows all to themselves as everyone else had gathered at the far end of the tent.

 

Gabrielle had agreed to feed the baby so Xena could remain vigilant. The mood in the plenum tent was perhaps not aggressive as such, but there was far too much weaponry present for anyone to relax. "We're about to have company," Xena said in a calm, measured voice.

 

"Mahdalina?" Gabrielle said - she had her back turned to the person approaching them.

 

"No, a warrior I haven't noticed before. Let's see what happens," Xena said, reaching down to her hip to loosen the strap holding the Chakram in place.

 

The Amazon remained silent as she sat down next to Gabrielle. Her features were Slavic rather than Tawkanri or indeed Greek which proved that Amazons had found homes all over the northern and eastern provinces of the European continent. She looked at the baby for a short while before she spoke: "I'm Oksana. Originally of Lentowitze and presently a nomad. I was a friend of Euriana. The child's name is Moonbeam."

 

"Ohhh… that's such a pretty name for a pretty girl!" Gabrielle said, rocking the bundle in her arms.

 

"I agree. It was my suggestion," Oksana continued. Unlike Mahdalina's tribe, she wore clothes that were closer to the traditional garb of the Greek Amazons: ankle boots, a medium-length skirt and a halter top that revealed far more of the wearer's body than the tunics did. She wore a fur cloak to protect her bare shoulders from the chill.

 

Gabrielle used her free hand to point at her companion. "This is Xena of Amphipolis. I'm Gabrielle of Potaideia… I'm also a member of Queen Melosa's tribe. Are you familiar with Melosa or any of the other Greek Amazon leaders?"

 

"Not really. I've heard the name, but…" Oksana said, breaking out in a shrug.

 

"Oksana," Xena said, "can you tell us anything about Euriana?"

 

"Euriana was banished because Moonbeam was conceived outside of the allowed period for procreation. She was a member of a raiding party that sacked a village many leagues north of here. No one knew she returned to the village one night to satisfy an urge… we had already moved on when she started showing."

 

Gabrielle finished feeding the baby before she put her gently over the shoulder for a burp or two - they soon came. "You're not from Mahdalina's home territory, are you?" she said as she let Moonbeam rest on the table.

 

"No. My original home is four moons' travel north of here. I joined their tribe when they reached the mainland in Bulgar. They came via the Black Sea. They call it something else, I'm not sure what. In any case, they used to have a more permanent camp along its northern shore until some local warlord decided to get rid of them. They've been traveling without a specific destination ever since."

 

Xena let out a dark grunt. "If they give everyone the same welcome we got, it's no wonder they can't find anywhere to settle down. Nobody would want them around."

 

"That's very much the problem," Oksana continued. "With their set ways, old-fashioned laws and archaic points of view, they go against the vibes that sweep through the Greek provinces and city states right now."

 

Gabrielle shook her head. "I still find it very hard to fathom that Amazon Sisters would be that cruel to one of their own. All right, I could understand the banishment if Euriana had been a thief or a murderer, but… for having a child outside of the allowed period?  The Chieftainess must rule with an iron fist."

 

Oksana leaned closer to the visitors so she could speak at a lower volume. "She actually doesn't because she doesn't need to. All those who came with her from their homeland are firm believers in the old ways. Mahdalina herself is far more laid-back than you or anyone would expect. Everyone else is a hard-liner."

 

Xena and Gabrielle shared a long look before they both rose from the table. "It's been an interesting experience, Oksana," Gabrielle continued as she put out her hand to clasp arms with the friendly Amazon, "but we need to move on. This child isn't safe here."

 

"I agree," Oksana said and clasped arms with the visitors. "Where are you headed?"

 

"South toward the coast. We're due to catch a ferry to one of the islands," Xena said before Gabrielle could mention their real destination. They shared another look before Gabrielle broke out in a smile and a nod.

 

The action at the separate table hadn't gone unnoticed by Mahdalina's loyal warriors who all kept the visitors and Oksana under strict observation. In a perfect mirror of what Xena and Gabrielle did, the warriors put their heads together to hammer out a few details of a future plan.

 

-*-*-*-

 

It wasn't long before the dynamic trio set off on the next stage of their long journey toward Amphipolis. To share the load, Xena was on foot while Gabrielle rode on Argo holding the little Moonbeam in her arms.

 

Euriana's wrapped body was still across the Palomino's hind quarters as it had been quite obvious that nobody in Mahdalina's camp would as much as lift a little finger to build a funeral pyre for her - and Oksana couldn't as it would have brought everyone's wrath upon her.

 

Xena checked the state of the body from time to time. Though the cold weather helped lessen the effects of the inevitable decomposition, it grew more and more clear as the candlemarks went by that they had to make a hard decision sooner rather than later.

 

On top of that, Xena's sixth sense told her in no uncertain terms they were being trailed by several of Mahdalina's scouts. Sometimes, the expert trackers were behind them, sometimes they moved parallel to them, and sometimes they were even a short distance ahead as if they were trying to find a good spot for an ambush.

 

A fair distance was covered before Xena said: "Gabrielle, how is little Moonbeam holding up?"

 

"Oh, she's fine. Well-fed, toasty and sleeping. Why?"

 

"We may have trouble in store."

 

Grunting, Gabrielle moved around in the saddle to study their immediate surroundings. They had been traveling east across open fields but were heading for a forest that seemed to consist primarily of younger trees with narrow trunks that wouldn't provide much cover.

 

The southern edge of the forest was obscured by the first patches of the dreaded afternoon fog - it would be anyone's guess if they could circumvent the stretch of forest by taking a southern route. The northern edge ended at a steep embankment that lined a wide river, so it would be out of the question to go in that direction.

 

"I still can't believe Amazons would behave like this," Gabrielle said as she brought Argo to a halt. "I can't help but wonder what the Council Of Queens feels about Mahdalina and her aggressive behavior."

 

Xena never kept her eyes off the edges of the forest as she spoke: "It'll be the same as always. Some will condemn it, some won't care either way and some will applaud it and demand that other tribes follow suit."

 

"You're probably right. I'm not good with politics," Gabrielle said and let out a sigh. "Oh, we better swap over. Here, please hold Moonbeam while I jump off."

 

Xena had drawn her sword to be ready for anything, but it was soon back in its scabbard as she took the small bundle while Gabrielle dismounted.

 

The true nature of Mahdalina's warriors was revealed when they chose that exact moment to attack with their hunting daggers or short-swords drawn. Soon, fierce battle shrieks intended to instill raw fear in their opponents echoed across the open field.

 

"Xena!  Four incoming!" Gabrielle shouted as she tore around Argo to pull her fighting staff out of its sheath attached to the Palomino's flank.

 

"Hades!" Xena barked as she caught a glimpse of the four Amazons rushing them from several different directions at once. The literal small matter in her arms needed to be resolved before she could let rip, so she employed her many skills to draw up a plan, test it and ultimately execute it all within the space of three heartbeats.

 

After pulling several hard items - including their last good frying pan - out of one of the large saddlebags, she lowered the fur-wrapped Moonbeam into the bag that acted as a soft nest. She let out a fast-spoken "Argo!  Take off! Protect her!" before she drew her sword and her Chakram and spun around to face the enemy. Argo understood the urgency and ran toward the forest at once.

 

Across the battlefield, Gabrielle engaged the first of the four Tawkanri Amazons by swinging her staff at the warrior's legs. The out-swing missed, but the return made hard contact with the woman's knees sending her tumbling to the ground moaning in pain.

 

The other three Amazons changed their tactics at once after seeing that their opponents could defend themselves. Instead of going in one at a time, all three gathered up to rush Gabrielle with their daggers drawn.

 

Gabrielle reacted by jumping ahead to upset the timing of her attackers. The plan worked initially as the butt of the staff ended up buried deep into the gut of the Amazon closest to her, but it backfired when the two others grabbed hold of the staff and yanked it upward. The blow to Gabrielle's jaw was only a glancing one, but it was hard enough to send her staggering backwards.

 

Xena let out a cry of "Gabrielle!  Duck!" that ended up as a moot point when Gabrielle fell onto her rear as a result of the knock she had taken to the chin.

 

A split second later, the silvery Chakram screamed through the air before delivering a killing blow to a Tawkanri Amazon whose glinting blade seemed ready to be thrust into the supine Gabrielle's gut or heart - from there, the Chakram disarmed the second Amazon before it returned to Xena's hand and ultimately her belt.

 

While Gabrielle bolted to her feet and grabbed her staff from her dead opponent's hands, Xena drew her sword and performed a forward flip to land directly in front of the one she had disarmed. It was obvious from the murderous and near-fanatical look in the Amazon's eyes that she would never give up or even back down, so Xena calmly twirled her sword before thrusting it ahead to end the debate before it could get started.

 

Gabrielle ran over to the Tawkanri who had received the disabling blow to the gut. Though the warrior moved in fits and starts, her fighting spirit hadn't left her and she took a wild stab at Gabrielle with her hunting dagger.

 

The staff had a far longer reach, however, and Gabrielle soon swung it around to deliver a pair of blows across the Amazon's shoulders. When the merciful approach proved insufficient to stop the advances, she aimed higher and scored a direct hit on her opponent's cheekbone. The cracking impact was enough to make the warrior tumble backwards and land in an unruly pile of arms and legs.

 

Once Gabrielle had made sure it wasn't a ploy to lure her in for an easy kill, she knelt next to her fallen opponent to check for a breath and a heartbeat. She let out a small sigh of relief when she found both.

 

Getting up, she ran over to Xena whose sword was hovering over the only one of the four attackers who was still conscious - or alive. "How is she?" she said to Xena before she turned her attention to the Amazon she had taken out first.

 

Before Xena had time to reply, the Amazon did it for her by spitting on the ground next to Gabrielle's boots.

 

"Oh, she's just fine as you can see," Xena said in a cold, harsh voice. "Her right shin is broken but she'll live. She might even make it back to their camp if she's lucky. Of course, I'm pretty sure Mahdalina will slit her throat for failing to kill us."

 

Gabrielle let out a deep sigh. "The madness of it all," she said, shaking her head. "Once the local magistrates and militia units get wind of such an aggressive tribe so close to several villages… it'll be a bloody affair."

 

"Yes. If Mahdalina really is as clever as Oksana said, she'll order her tribal members to pack up and move out immediately," Xena said, holstering her sword. "Let's carry on. These fools have delayed us enough already."

 

While Xena went off to retrieve Argo - and Moonbeam from the saddlebags - Gabrielle stayed at the fallen Amazon for a moment longer.

 

They were so far apart when it came to their world views that trying to make sense of it all would be a waste of everyone's time. Time was a limited commodity if they were to make it to Amphipolis before the Winter Solstice celebrations were over, so Gabrielle turned around and simply walked away.

 

-*-*-*-

 

Later that night, they assembled a funeral pyre for Euriana as it had become too obvious through sight and smell that the body could not withstand another day across Argo's hind quarters.

 

Gabrielle wouldn't allow a fellow Amazon to lose her dignity even in death, so they followed the ceremonial procedure to the letter to allow Euriana's spirit to conclude its journey to the Amazon Afterlife. As the representative of the Sisterhood, Gabrielle lit the four corners of the pyre while Xena performed her dirge.

 

Once the body had been consumed by the flames and the pyre had cooled off, the ashes were collected into a bowl and then distributed over a long stretch of the forest so the warrior's physical remains could become a part of nature's eternal cycle.

 

-*-*-*-

 

Lady Fortuna finally smiled upon Xena and Gabrielle as they were able to travel the rest of the way to Amphipolis without further drama. It had been nearly a day since the fight against Mahdalina's Amazons when they arrived at the first checkpoint of the Amphipolitan militia. Xena was known by everyone in town - for good and bad - so they were let through at once.

 

The soldiers on guard duty had offered to send a fast rider to Amphipolis to inform the Militia Commander of the VIP visitor, but Xena had declined, and they were thus traveling toward town without anyone knowing they were about to show up.

 

"So," Gabrielle said as she walked next to Argo - Xena held Moonbeam close to her chest to keep her safe - "back to Chase The Alphabet. And that's a good cue. Alpha."

 

Xena let out a quiet sigh as she looked around for something that wasn't there so she could humor Gabrielle by playing her new game. There were plenty of things starting with Alpha on the dirt trail they traveled on, but something, or rather someone, who definitely wasn't there was the God of Healing. "All right. How about Asclepias?"

 

"Oh, that's a good one!  Yes, that's a really good one," Gabrielle said, glancing up at Xena in the hope she would understand the game and provide the next letter. When enough time had gone by without any kind of response, she let out a huff and decided to find her own cue. "Omicron-"

 

"Can't we give it a rest, Gabrielle?"

 

One of Gabrielle's fair eyebrows crept up her forehead to show she had learned a few skills of her own in the year and a half she and the Warrior Princess had criss-crossed the Known World. "In a moment. Omicron… let me see… hmmm… omicron… hmmm… oh!  Yes, that thing we saw at the marketplace of that village we went through… that strange vegetable-peeling thing. Wasn't that called an ortokkis… or… no… or was it?"

 

"Gabrielle… please. Let's give it a rest."

 

They carried on in silence for a short while before Gabrielle moved over to the Palomino to put a warm hand on Xena's thigh. "Something's bothering you. Please let me in on it. I'm sure we can work it out."

 

Sighing, Xena pretended to concentrate on observing the edges of the trail they were on. She knew the simple and quite transparent stalling tactic would never appease Gabrielle, so she let out another sigh and gave up trying. "It's the same, old uncertainty. The same, old niggle in my gut. How will people react when they see me?  How will Mother react?"

 

"You left on good terms the last time you were home, Xena."

 

"Perhaps, but I haven't been here for a while. You know how easily good terms can turn bad. If travelers come to town and tell second or third-hand stories about me, the exaggerations will soon blossom. That'll lead to doubt entering people's minds. That'll lead to people changing their opinions."

 

"True. Or everyone may be happy to see you home for the Winter Solstice."

 

Another long sigh escaped Xena. They carried on in silence before nature took its course. Sniffing, Xena looked down at the bundle of fur in her arms. "Oh… I think a change of diaper is in order," she said, soon bringing Argo to a halt so they could deal with the problem at hand.

 

"How convenient," Gabrielle said while her eyebrow made another impressive journey toward her hairline.

 

---

 

A candlemark later, a distant - but certainly familiar - sound reached their ears. Xena brought Argo to a halt again and quickly waved Gabrielle over so she could hold Moonbeam.

 

"Isn't that an alarm bell?" Gabrielle said, glancing up and down the trail they were on. Other travelers were present near them. Some were on foot, some on horseback and one high atop the bench seat of an empty, two-axled cargo wagon. Everyone had heard the distant bell, and everyone seemed spooked by it.

 

"Yes. In Amphipolis. I recognize its resonance," Xena said before she spurred Argo into swift action. A cry of "I'll be back!" was almost swept away by the wind as the powerful team raced along the trail en route to the town.

 

Moonbeam seemed to find it all rather amusing as she let out a baby-chuckle and a "Gyyyyyyh!"

 

Gabrielle rocked the little bundle in her arms as she kept her eyes on Argo's rapidly disappearing form. "I wish we could have a quiet day… just once… where it would be our decision what to do from dawn to dusk," she said under her breath.

 

---

 

Xena had Argo at a fast gallop as they blasted along the trail. The breakneck speed continued until they reached the outskirts of Amphipolis some distance from where they had left Gabrielle and Moonbeam.

 

All four alarm bells could be heard ringing plain as day, but there didn't seem to be any columns of smoke indicating fires, nor were there the typical sounds of swordplay or other types of armed conflict anywhere close to her.

 

As she and Argo made a sharp turn into a narrow alley that led to the ubiquitous central square, a grim mask fell over her face as she spotted a soldier from the militia lying in a pool of blood up against the side of a building.

 

She quickly tugged at Argo's reins to get her to slow down so they wouldn't run headlong into an ambush. The clever Palomino responded at once by reducing her speed to a medium trot that still covered plenty of ground in a short while.

 

Shouting and barked orders from the central square soon reached Xena's ears, and she steered Argo left through a shortcut. Just as they emerged at the far end of a narrow alley, three riders came blasting past her going from right to left - it happened so fast she barely had time to draw her Chakram.

 

The distance gained by the trio of riders grew so rapidly it made no sense to throw the weapon or even to pursue them. Besides, Xena didn't need to get up close and personal to identify them as their green outfits and coarse cloaks offered plenty of proof: they were some of Chieftainess Mahdalina's Tawkanri Amazons.

 

Growling, Xena steered Argo to the right to enter the square. A unit from the town militia had been pinned down at the well during the fight, but they were getting back on their feet by the time she approached them.

 

Two of their number needed medical attention after having been struck down by wooden spears. The moaning that came from one of them proved he remained among the living - the other had already joined the line to cross the river Styx in Charon's ferry.

 

Xena dismounted and strode over to a pair of veteran healers who worked on the wounded soldier. The skeptical look they offered her proved they remembered her from the bad old days. "How is he?" she said, putting her hands on her hips.

 

The combination of colors identified them as monks living at the Potrolkis monastery not too far from Amphipolis. The healers wore flowing robes that were white on the outside and pale-blue inside. Each of them had a golden tassel hanging from his waistbelt to show they were still relative newcomers to the monastery despite their advanced years.

 

"I think this one will live. The other has already passed," the first of the healers said. His white sleeves had turned scarlet from the blood seeping from the two-inch-wide, rose-shaped wound on the moaning soldier's upper chest.

 

"A wooden spear did all that damage?"

 

"An iron-tipped wooden spear, yes."

 

"Mmmm," Xena said as she crouched down close to the soldier to get a better look at the wound and any intentional contaminations.

 

She sniffed the air close to the wound - much to the wounded soldier's confusion - but was unable to pick up any tell-tale traces of nightshade, toadstool or any of the other oft-used natural poisons and toxins. Similarly, she failed to recognize scents of common poisons derived from snakes or insects. The blood flowing from the wound seemed clean and untainted, but it was perhaps too early to tell.

 

"In that case," she continued, "you need to keep him under strict supervision for infections or signs of poisoning. The Amazons who attacked you are nomads so they're bound to have picked up a few things on their journeys."

 

"We will. Thank you," the healer said before he returned to treating the soldier's bleeding wound.

 

A female voice suddenly said 'Xena… thank the Gods you're here,' somewhere behind her. Getting to her feet, she eyed the Commander of the town's militia units hurrying toward her. Although the woman had her sword drawn as she jogged towards the square and the people there, the fact the raiders had left made her slide it back into its scabbard that she wore on her right hip.

 

Xena put out her hand and soon clasped arms with Phaedra, a native of Amphipolis.

 

The militia Commander wore a subdued set of leathers not too dissimilar to Xena's except for the fact that she had added a cloak and a pair of britches to the outfit. Her chest-armor was in a darker shade of brass compared to Xena's, but the actual design was more or less identical.

 

In her mid-thirties, Phaedra had fought with Xena and Lyceus in the hopeless battle against Cortese and his band of raiders. Once Xena had been seduced by Ares' persuasive powers and had left the region for her decade-long descent into murder, mayhem and blind greed, Phaedra had returned to Amphipolis to help rebuild it and create a strong line of defense for any future warlords who would see the town as easy pickings.

 

"I'm only here for the Winter Solstice celebrations, Phaedra. Nothing more."

 

"Still," the Commander said, wiping her brow as she glanced at the healers who continued working on the bleeding soldier. "Had you arrived just a little sooner, we would have been looking at three dead raiders instead of one of our men."

 

"Two of your men."

 

"What?!"

 

"You have a man down over by the rear of the pottery shop. I didn't have time to see whether he was alive or not when I rode past him."

 

A barked "Hades!" escaped the commander before she ran over to one of her lieutenants to get him to deal with it. When she returned, her brow was given a second, even stronger, rubbing.

 

"I don't know the names of the raiders," Xena continued, "but it doesn't really matter because I know exactly where they came from."

 

"So do we. They're from Chieftainess Mahdalina's camp."

 

Xena narrowed her eyes. "If you already know about Mahdalina, why has nothing been done to stop them?"

 

"We try, but they constantly outfox us, Xena," Phaedra said, wiping her brow for a third time. "They're always one step ahead of us. They've been sacking the outlying farms for the past ten days or so. No one has been killed so far, but several horses and goats have been stolen. Grain, ale, salted and smoked meat. Oh, and two milk cows!"

 

Xena let out a "Mmmm…" before she fell silent once more to observe the goings-on at the square. "You can tell the farmer who lost the cows that they were still in one piece when Gabrielle and I visited Mahdalina's camp yesterday. We discovered a living baby next to a dead Amazon in the forest. The Chieftainess and her warriors weren't exactly thrilled when we brought the baby back to their camp."

 

"Mahdalina is a fanatic. That's the impression I get of her, anyway."

 

"We had another run-in with them late yesterday. They sent four warriors after us. Two were left alive, two went directly to their Afterlife."

 

Phaedra broke out in a slow nod. "I see. That's probably why they tried this bold raid today. Avenging the earlier defeat. They haven't come into town until now. Maybe that'll be it-"

 

"No, it'll get worse, Phaedra," Xena said in a somber tone. "Now they've learned how easy it was for them to attack and escape, they'll be back. You need to ramp up the defenses at all posts, Winter Solstice Eve or not. And inform your men to keep their water barrels full at all times. They could be facing incendiary arrows."

 

"The next logical step in the tug of war," Phaedra said and let out a sigh.

 

"Yes."

 

A persistent rumbling approaching the central square proved to be the cargo wagon finally making an appearance. The wagon had been empty when Xena had seen it last, but now it had been converted into an omnibus for all kinds of travellers - two of whom were Gabrielle and little Moonbeam who had the prime spot on the transport: up on the bench seat next to the wagoneer.

 

Gabrielle's theatrical hand gestures proved she was on full song relaying a grand and heroic tale to the people behind her and the wagoneer who controlled the reins. Once the wagon came to a stop, she jumped off and promptly received a round of applause from the many travellers in the back. She grinned, waved and made several deep bows to show her appreciation.

 

Xena shook her head and let out a chuckle at the sight. "I'll talk to you later, Phaedra," she said before she left the militia Commander to intercept Gabrielle and their small traveling companion.

 

-*-*-*-

 

Cyrene's tavern wasn't located on the central square itself but in one of the side streets that spread from it in a star-like pattern. It had always been popular, even in the days when Xena's bitter father Atrius had ruled the roost, but its reputation had soared after it had become known that it had been the seat of the organized resistance against Cortese's raiders. Although not all Amphipolitans had considered it necessary to put up a fight at all - and some had even fled like Xena's older brother Toris - the most influential in town had supported the determined efforts of the young fighters.

 

The years under Xena's increasingly oppressive rule had undermined the tavern's popularity, but Cyrene was able to rebuild everyone's trust once Xena had left to pursue her boundless ambitions under the bloody tutelage of Ares, the God of War.

 

The tavern looked like it always had: a sturdy two-and-a-half-story building mostly made of wood but with a few stone reinforcements around the foundation. The ground floor saw the tavern's kitchen and main bar room as well as a separate room used for large events like the Summer and Winter Solstice celebrations, the Harvest Festival, the Fertility Festival or indeed private events like weddings and funerals.

 

The upper floors consisted of a good number of decent-sized rooms that were guaranteed to be free of rats and other rodents - bedbugs remained a problem, but Cyrene was hard at work finding a solution to the infestation.

 

Unlike many other taverns in towns and cities larger than Amphipolis, Cyrene would only rent out the rooms for a minimum of one full night to prevent traveling harlots from using the establishment as a candlemark-house.

 

All in all, it wasn't too flashy or elegant, just an honest eatery where the townsfolk knew they could get ale, port, wine and above all well-made meals for a price that wouldn't be prohibitive to anyone.

 

Candles had been lit in every window by the time Xena and Gabrielle showed up in the side street. Xena let out a long, deep sigh as she took in the sights. Coming to a halt, the fearless Warrior Princess seemed unable, or perhaps even unwilling, to go any further.

 

Gabrielle shifted little Moonbeam to her other arm to be able to lean into the supposedly strong warrior's side. "Did you forget how to walk, Xena?" she said as she hooked her free arm into her companion's. When no reply was forthcoming, she dragged Xena with her over to the door to get it over with.

 

They had barely come inside when Gabrielle took a deep sniff of the air. A brief moment later, she let out a groaned "Ohhhhhhh… by the Gods!" as her sensitive nostrils and empty stomach were overwhelmed by the delightful aromas of various spices, hot food and fresh bread that permeated the tavern.

 

The place wasn't quite full yet, but it wasn't far off. Most of the tables were occupied by patrons who dug into their soups, stews, broths, cooked sausages or sweet desserts with gusto, but there were one or two tables at the far end of the room that were still available.

 

"I'll grab a table while you go into the kitchen and say hello to your mother," Gabrielle said, giving the warrior's arm and hand a little squeeze or two.

 

Xena nodded a couple of times but remained where she had come to a halt. "Oh, I'll do that in a little while. I'm sure she'll be so busy she won't have time to-"

 

"Xena…" - A long, pointed look soon flew from Gabrielle's hazel-green orbs into Xena's pale-blue ones. It served its purpose as the warrior nodded once more and shuffled off toward the entrance to the kitchen.

 

Grinning, Gabrielle made a beeline for one of the few tables that were left unoccupied. She pulled out a chair and sat down with Moonbeam in her lap in no time flat so nobody would come and steal the space from her.

 

---

 

In the kitchen, Xena leaned against the doorjamb to observe the middle-aged woman who was hard at work slicing and dicing carrots for the next potful of pork stew. A young girl worked just as hard pounding her fists into a large glob of dough that would eventually become one of the famous circular wheel-breads, a local specialty.

 

While Xena continued to watch in silence, a second young girl entered the kitchen through the side door carrying a large jug meant to hold milk, ale or water. The jug was empty which turned out to be a good thing as she dropped it with a hugely loud Clangggggg! a split second after seeing the heavily armed warrior standing in the doorway. Another split second on from that, she let out a bloodcurdling scream that made dust rain down from the rafters.

 

Cyrene spun around wielding a foot-long vegetable cleaver. Though she wasn't the youngest, nor the slimmest, any longer, she still had so much presence that she seemed to take over the entire kitchen just by being there. Her dark hair had gained several grayish spots and streaks recently, but her pale-blue eyes were as sharp as ever - and they shot fire at the audacious marauder who had dared to enter the hallowed grounds without permission.

 

A second or two went by before her features changed from a feral sneer to a far softer, far warmer expression. "Xena!  You made it!" she said, depositing the vegetable cleaver on the carvingboard she had used for the carrots.

 

Spreading her arms out wide, she hurriedly pulled her daughter into a loving embrace. They stood like that for a short while before she moved back at arm's length. "You look healthy… maybe a little thin. Are you eating well?  Do you still have all your teeth?"

 

Xena let out a sound that was a cross between a snort, a groan and a mortified croak. "Yes, Mother, I still have all my teeth," she said in an embarrassed mumble.

 

"That's good!  Having a full set of teeth is so vital to one's health," Cyrene said as she gave her daughter's arms a fair squeeze. "When the carrier pigeon didn't return, I had no way of knowing if you had received my message. But you had… and now you're here. It's wonderful to see you… and it's even more wonderful I can say that. Oh, by the Gods, I'm so glad we were able to settle our differences the last time you were here."

 

"So am I, Mother. I'm sorry it took me so long to come back, but Gabrielle and I have been busy-"

 

"Is she here?  Oh, I can't wait to see her!" Cyrene said, hurrying toward the door to the main room.

 

"Mother, please," Xena said, catching Cyrene's shoulder just in time. "There's just one, little thing… literally… that I need to explain first. Just so you won't get any wrong ideas."

 

"Oh?"

 

"Ah… it's easier to show you," Xena said with a lopsided smile.

 

---

 

In the main room, Gabrielle had already needed to turn down three different parties who wanted her table. The first tried with a smile, the second tried with angry words and the third tried with a pouch full of silver and gold coins, but she had remained steadfast and had rejected them all.

 

She continued to rock little Moonbeam in her arms when Cyrene hurried into the bar room to gush over the little one. Xena's mother had soon taken over the young child and the next several minutes were spent speaking baby language and playing with the child's fingers and button nose.

 

Gabrielle grinned at the sight. "She's definitely a natural when it comes to babies. Of course, she's had plenty of experience with you and your brothers. That must have been like a daily commute through Tartarus."

 

Xena raised an eyebrow and shot a sideways glare in Gabrielle's direction, but neither of the special effects made any kind of impact - in fact, they just bounced clean off her.

 

"Hello, Gabrielle," Cyrene said, holding out her free arm to invite Gabrielle in for a hug. "Oh… look at all that muscle tone across your tummy!  And, Gods above, look at your arms, too!  You weren't this fit the last time I saw you."

 

"I definitely wasn't. A life spent traveling adds strength," Gabrielle said as she leaned down to accept the embrace.

 

Cyrene nodded several times before she furrowed her brow in a similar fashion to how her daughter did it - her pale-blue eyes soon gained a concerned look. "I'm sorry to bring it up at such a joyous moment, but we do have a slight problem-"

 

"We already know about the raiding Amazons, Mother," Xena said.

 

"What?  No, no… not the Amazons. Accommodations… you see, I really only have one room left. It's no larger than a broom cupboard. It's dark and cramped and all the way up under the roof, but it would have been ideal for the two of you. I presume you share a bedroll?"

 

Xena let out a croaked "Mother…" while Gabrielle settled for breaking out in a strong blush.

 

"Oh, grow up. It's so obvious even a blind monk can see it," Cyrene said, waving her hand. "But now you're three, not two. And it's dark and noisy up there… and hot, too, as the stovepipe passes straight through the room. No, that's no place for a baby."

 

"But…" Gabrielle said, rapidly gaining a panicked look in her eyes. "The food?  What about the food?  We can still eat here, right?"

 

Chuckling, Cyrene reached out to pat Gabrielle's arm. "Of course you can. I wouldn't have it any other way. And speaking of which, I better get back to my pots and pans. I still have seventy-five carrots to slice and dice. Don't you dare go anywhere before we've had a real talk. One that'll last for several candlemarks. You hear me?"

 

"We do," Gabrielle continued. The look of panic was soon replaced by one of expectancy. "Ummm… would it be possible for me to place an order directly with you, or should I find a waiter?"

 

"It just so happens I'm not only the cook but the head waiter as well, so go right ahead," Cyrene said with a grin before she turned to her daughter. "Xena, sit down. You're giving me a bad crimp in my neck… I don't need more of those, thank you."

 

"Yes, Mother," Xena said, moving over to the nearest vacant chair. Once she had sat down, she sought out Gabrielle's hand and held it tight.

 

"All right," Gabrielle said, "as a starter, we would like salted olive bread and those wonderful pickled peppers you had the last time we were here. Then as the main dish, a shared bowl of your quality stew would be perfect. And the dessert… oh, do you still have those steaming-hot puff pastries that have a filling of cinnamon and apple sauce?"

 

Cyrene shook her head to the last part of the order. "I'm afraid we don't. The apple harvest had a low yield this year. But we do have a couple of new things like whole walnuts that you dip in honey, candied pears for that special blend of sweet and tart, and dried grapes that have soaked in port over-night."

 

A broad grin spread over Gabrielle's face. "What do you say, Xena?  One of each?  Oh, and some milk and pureed fruit for Moonbeam, of course…"

 

Xena scratched her neck while she looked at Gabrielle's slender frame - she would never be able to understand where she put it all. "Fine by me. If I can just get some stew and a mug of ale, I'm satisfied."

 

"Coming right up!  And I mean all of it," Cyrene said with a wink as she got up from the table. She took full advantage of the situation by making a funny face at Moonbeam before she strode back into the kitchen.

 

-*-*-*-

 

A candlemark and a half later, Xena and Gabrielle strolled over to the stables which happened to be the only spot in all of Amphipolis that had room for three travelers. Gabrielle cradled Moonbeam on her left arm while her right was busy swinging back and forth and holding onto Xena's hand - in turn, this allowed the warrior to have her right hand free to draw the Chakram or the sword if need be.

 

They had already been introduced to the stable boy Darronius when they had left Argo there, but neither of them had figured to be back so soon - nor Darronius, as it turned out, because the moment Xena and Gabrielle walked through the barn door, they could hear the characteristic sounds of kissing and snickering from one of the dark corners.

 

A quick glance and a pair of broad smiles were exchanged before Gabrielle cleared her throat and let out a polite "Ahem!  We're sorry to disturb, but…"

 

The interruption caused quite a fumble over in the dark corner. A moment later, Darronius came into the light with love-tousled hair and upset clothes. A sidedoor squeaking open and then slamming shut soon brought his Winter Solstice Eve's pleasure to an end - the late teen shot the visitors an annoyed look as he moved toward them while tucking his tunic into his britches.

 

Xena chuckled as she slid the large barn door shut behind them. "Hate it when that happens… there wasn't room at the tavern so we need to spend the night here. We'll obviously pay extra."

 

The stable boy found his good manners once more and broke out in a smile at the visitors. "Be my guest… but I don't have access to any food or-"

 

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that, Darronius," Gabrielle said as she moved over to Argo with Moonbeam on her arm. "We've already had so much food it'll last us a week."

 

The barn housing the stables had been built in the traditional style: the ground floor was equipped with six bays for horses or donkeys, five of which were in use, while the upper floor was a well-stocked hayloft. A ladder - featuring steps so narrow that hardly any adult feet could use it - went up to the loft through a hole in the upper floorboards.

 

Only one of the three encapsulated lanterns had been lit in order to create a cozy environment for Darronius's romantic adventure, but now that it had come to a premature and dissatisfying end, he lit the other two as well to literally shed light on the proceedings.

 

While Xena went back outside to perform a quick but thorough check of the stable's exterior to snuff out any potential danger to them, Gabrielle set up a makeshift camp in Argo's bay.

 

Everything was soon back to their normal setup: two blankets and their double-wide bedroll had been spread out over fresh hay, Xena's whetstones were ready for use, and the wooden box containing the inkwell and Gabrielle's favorite quills had been opened for easy access. All that was missing was a firepit, but that would obviously be a nonsense inside a barn.

 

The last item added to the indoor night camp was a brand new scroll that Gabrielle unfurled with plenty of reverence. A wide smile spread from ear to ear when she sniffed the virginal parchment that would soon be home to another grand adventure featuring the incomparable Xena, Warrior Princess.

 

Once all the details were in place, Gabrielle sat down cross-legged on one of the blankets to unwrap Moonbeam's furs - the scent rising from the bundle proved that yet another change of diaper was in order.

 

---

 

Another quarter of a candlemark went by before Xena and Gabrielle could finally settle down in the vacant bay next to the one occupied by Argo. Moonbeam was sound asleep in an old wooden cradle that Xena gently rocked left-to-right.

 

Gabrielle looked at the domestic bliss with a wide grin on her face. "Xena, remind me to thank Cyrene for saving your old baby crib. That thing is just too adorable. I can't believe you used to sleep in it!"

 

"Well, I did. Toris used it before it became mine. Not Lyceus… he had a special one because he was such a small child. And he was Mother's darling."

 

Xena fell silent but continued to rock the cradle. The lit lanterns added a golden hue to her already bronzed skin that gave her an almost Goddess-like quality. The distant look in her eyes proved she revisited a calmer, more peaceful past where she and her brothers had been allowed to be children who had all the typical adventures and caused all the typical mischief.

 

They had experienced their fair share of hardships like every other rural family, but Cyrene had always done her best to protect them all. The nasty business with her father's unsolved murder had upset the equilibrium for a while until everyone realized they were better off without him.

 

The murder made the greatest impact on Toris, the oldest child, who never quite recovered from the shock - being the firstborn, he had far closer ties to Atrius than to Cyrene. As the siblings grew into their mid-to-late teens, rumors of a dangerous warlord entering the region reached Amphipolis. The rest was blood-soaked, evil history.

 

Snapping out of her somber state, Xena turned to look at Gabrielle who was busy writing the first few lines of descriptive text in her brand new scroll. Words weren't necessary to convey what Xena had in mind, so she moved over to her companion and gave her a warm, loving - and above all lengthy - kiss. "Merry Winter Solstice," she whispered once they separated.

 

"Oh… thank you. And Merry Winter Solstice right back atcha," Gabrielle said, touching her tingling lips.

 

A wistful smile played across Xena's features as she resumed rocking the cradle. She looked at Moonbeam for a moment or two before she said: "I've been thinking. There used to be an orphanage half a day's journey north of town. Back in the day, it was run by volunteers from the temple of Athena. Life on the road isn't safe for such a little one. I think we should leave Moonbeam in their safe hands. They'll provide all the love and security a child needs."

 

Gabrielle put away the new scroll to look at Xena and the little child in the cradle. A few moments went by before she nodded. "I agree. Sooner or later, we'll fall into some kind of situation where we can't look out for her while we're off fighting. And she is an orphan, of course, so…"

 

"Good," Xena said, once more looking at their sleeping companion. "I'll send a messenger to the orphanage first thing tomorrow. With a little luck, we can hand Moonbeam over to one of the volunteers late tomorrow evening."

 

---

 

All the typical sounds of scratching quills, creaking woodwork, shuffling horses and squeaking rodents up in the hayloft took over for the next portion of the evening. It seemed the Winter Solstice Eve celebrations over at Cyrene's tavern were also going well as merry, if somewhat drunken and rowdy, singing filtered through the barn's wooden walls.

 

Gabrielle arrived at a point in the new story where her well of inspiration seemed to run dry. After staring at the blank scroll for what seemed like half an eternity without adding a single comma to it, she put the quill, the inkwell and the scroll away for later. "Did you believe in Senticles when you were a little girl, Xena?"

 

"No. It wasn't that he was unknown here at the time, but more that I have always been too cynical for something like that."

 

"I did. I didn't just believe in him… no, I loved him. Worshipped him!  I couldn't wait for Winter Solstice Eve to come around so he would visit me and grant me a new toy. Ohhhh, I remember one year in particular. I must have been seven or eight… I had been confined to my bedroom after causing a little accident at the bakery, and I was so worried Senticles wouldn't come because I had been a bad girl-"

 

From one moment to the next, the alarm bells started ringing from all four corners of Amphipolis - one in particular was pounded on so frantically that it wouldn't hold up to that kind of punishment for long.

 

A quarter of a heartbeat later, Xena jumped up and drew her sword. Another few heartbeats later, the easily recognizable sounds of fast-moving hooves reached their ears. "Hades!  Mahdalina and her wretched Amazons!" she barked before she ran into the next stall to sweep a saddle blanket across Argo's back.

 

Gabrielle jumped to her feet as well. In one, fluid motion, she grabbed the cradle and her fighting staff that had been leaning against one of the walls separating the horse bays. The former was put down gently at the feet of the visibly frightened Darronius who slept on a hay bale in a corner of the ground floor - she only had time for a "Make sure she's safe!" before she raced over to the barn door.

 

Once there, she pulled the sliding door open by a few inches so she could see how many opponents they were facing this time.

 

Xena let out a long line of juicy curses as she threw the saddle into its proper position before reaching down below Argo's belly to tighten the leather girth straps. The last thing she did before somersaulting into the saddle was to release the rope that had kept Argo tied to a post at the far end of the bay.

 

Over by the door, Gabrielle took in as much of the frenetic action as she could. Riders stormed past in a blur out on the central square, and although the only illumination was provided by a handful of flickering torches, the outfits worn by the raiding party was unmistakable.

 

"I see two… three… no, make that four riders, Xena!  At least!  They're Mahdalina's Amazons, all right!"

 

"They'll soon be dead Amazons!  Open the door!" Xena barked as she manoeuvered Argo around in the bay. A "Yahhhh!" followed before the powerful team raced out of the barn, sword and Chakram at the ready.

 

Gabrielle ran back to Darronius whose wide eyes proved he was frightened out of his wits. "Did you understand me?  Keep the child safe!  And you better prepare your barrels of water in case they'll shoot burning arrows!  Close the door after me!  We'll be back once we've dealt with them!"

 

"A- all right… m- may Ares, the God of War be on our side!" he said in a strangled voice.

 

Gabrielle had already taken off for the open door, but she came to a hard stop and spun around once more. "You know, he's just about the only God we have zero use for right about now. Close the door behind me… and keep the child safe!"

 

"I- I will!"

 

---

 

Xena and Argo had plenty of targets to choose from as no less than seven of Mahdalina's Amazons blasted through the streets and alleys of Amphipolis causing severe disruption wherever they went. The timing couldn't have been worse - or better, depending on the point of view - as a great number of Amphipolitans had taken to the streets for the traditional after-supper pilgrimage to Athena's temple.

 

The raid caused widespread chaos and confusion among the citizens who wailed or screamed for help while they dove for cover. Many were knocked off their feet by being thumped into by the specially trained war horses, or simply kicked down by the charging Amazons as they raced past.

 

Elsewhere in town, the Chakram returned to Xena's hand in a silvery flash. The circular weapon was coated in Tawkanri Amazon blood proving they were down to six opponents. She tugged Argo's reins hard to make the Palomino come to a complete halt - once stopped, several fast 360-degree turns were carried out to find a new target. One was located almost at once, and Argo soon took off toward the villainous Amazon with hardly any prompting from her rider.

 

---

 

Gabrielle arrived just in time to spot Argo's characteristic sandy coat and white tail disappear into the shadows across the square. A moment later, her skills with the staff were called for as she found herself the target of a mounted attack. Stepping aside in a hurry for the Amazon's first pass, she held the staff like a bat and swung it backward when the enemy charged her again.

 

Ephiny's words about how to take down a Centaur with extreme prejudice came to her mind in vivid detail. She had intended to use the staff against the horse's forelegs, but the lethal consequences for the equine and the fact it had no say in what it was used for made her stop and adjust her aim: when the Amazon raced toward her holding some kind of iron-tipped spear, she let out a roar and swung the staff at the rider instead of the horse.

 

The huge, cracking impact tore the staff from Gabrielle's hands and sent her into a hard tumble - similarly, the Amazon was thrown from the saddle and landed in a heap up against a building.

 

Though the tumble had knocked the wind out of her, Gabrielle recovered first, grabbed her staff and ran over to her fallen opponent. It was clear by the look of extreme pain on the attacker's contorted face that she had suffered several fractured ribs and other bones in the fall. The iron-tipped spear had landed close to her hand, but Gabrielle kicked it away at once.

 

"I'll send help when I find a healer," she said, grabbing the two daggers from the Amazon's belt. When the only reply came in the shape of a glob of blood-stained spit aimed at her boots, she took off from the fallen opponent to resume the battle against Mahdalina's marauders.

 

---

 

Two further Amazon bodies littered the street after a brief, one-sided match-up of fighting skills against Xena and her blade. Running back to Argo, Xena somersaulted up into the saddle and soon set off again. By her count, they had at least three opponents left, but it wasn't outside the realm of possibility that the staunch Chieftainess would send reinforcements if the battle went against her cavalry.

 

Blasting back into the central square, Xena let out a roar of frustration at the sight of a brand new group of Amazon riders entering the square down at the far end. Unlike the green tunics, britches and coarse cloaks worn by the Tawkanri raiders, the second party wore traditional Greek Amazon halter tops and medium-length skirts.

 

For a split second, a thought the new Amazons might be some of Queen Melosa's long-range scouts drawn in by the sounds of conflict entered her mind, but it was soon quashed when she didn't recognize any of their faces. The square was too chaotic to use the Chakram, so she stuck it to her belt and drew her sword instead.

 

Twirling the blade several times, she belted out her familiar battle cry as she and Argo raced toward the new Amazons in a head-on attack. Soon, sparks flew as the sharp edges of her sword met and defeated other swords or pieces of body armor.

 

Her arm moved with the strength of a gale and the fluidity of a raging river as she carved her way through the second group of Amazons. She had no time to see what happened to those of her opponents who fell off their horses, but she knew she couldn't have killed them all yet. Spinning Argo around to gain momentum, she thrust forward into the remaining Amazons like a ramrod.

 

A cry of 'Xena!  No!' reached her ears, but the blood-red warrior's haze that always descended upon her in kill-or-die combat had grown far too strong for her to stop - she simply couldn't break off until every threat had been eliminated. It wasn't until the final attacker fell from the horse that she spun Argo around and left the scene of the melee to get the big picture of what had just transpired.

 

Xena knew there had to be more of Mahdalina's fanatical Amazons around, so she and Argo took off searching for them with the glistening sword held high in the air as a warning to all and sundry not to mess with her.

 

---

 

Gabrielle soon arrived at the chaotic scene at the square. Throwing herself onto her knees next to the fallen Amazons, she began administering first aid to several bleeding cuts and scrapes. She let out a puzzled grunt when she realized, just as Xena had, that the outfits were different. "Wait… what's going on here?  You're not Mahdalina's warriors!  Who are you?"

 

She couldn't get an answer beyond pained groans until she was joined by a bleeding Oksana, formerly of Lentowitze, who clutched her limp left arm that had been coated in her blood. "We came to help you…" she said in a croak.

 

"By the Gods… I'm so sorry, Oksana… Xena-"

 

"Didn't need much help," the Slavic Amazon said before she let out a croak that was supposed to be a laugh. "When I saw… th- the raiding party take off… toward town, I rounded up… the Sisters I knew weren't too happy with Mahdalina. I… I asked them to join me. Well… the basic idea was sound…"

 

Hooves clip-clopping against the cobblestones proved to be Xena returning from an unsuccessful chase of the remaining raiders. She dismounted in a hurry and ran over to Gabrielle and Oksana. "I got one more, but two managed to escape- Oksana?!"

 

"They came to help us, Xena," Gabrielle said, putting a calming hand on her companion's blood-splattered arm.

 

An intense mask of guilt fell over Xena's face as she took in the extent of the carnage she had caused. It seemed that at least one from Oksana's group had been slain. Two more bled profusely from deep cuts. None of them had escaped the vicious battle untouched.

 

The three women formed a pocket of stunned silence amid the chaos and confusion that raged like a storm all over the square. The moans of the wounded Amazons caused Xena to break out of the stalemate and move over to them to offer her help where she could.

 

Oksana shook her head at the sight. "You friend is… is difficult to read. One moment she's battling us like a harpy in a foul mood… the next, she's treating the wounds caused by her sword."

 

"She's very complex," Gabrielle said, taking Oksana by her good arm to lead her over to the others so she could receive medical attention. "You must have heard plenty of stories about her."

 

"Yes, but I know better than to trust hearsay…"

 

"Well, if we have time later on, I'll give you the highlights."

 

Oksana let out a long hiss of pain as she sat down on the cobblestones next to another injured Amazon. She reached over to give her Sister a reassuring pat before she turned back to face Gabrielle. "Somehow, I doubt th- they're very upbeat…"

 

The glum look upon Gabrielle's face was answer enough.

 

-*-*-*-

 

It wasn't long before a group of healer monks from the nearby monastery entered the square. Some of them went to work on Oksana and her Sisters at once while others tended to the wounded townsfolk. It seemed nobody had much interest in dressing the wounds of those of Mahdalina's raiders who were still alive.

 

A mortified Xena and a fatigued Gabrielle were eventually relieved of their duties by the healer monks. One of Oksana's volunteers had indeed been killed in the melee, but the others would get back to full strength sooner rather than later.

 

All Gabrielle wanted was to get a moment alone with her companion, but it seemed peace was in short supply as Phaedra, the Commander of the Amphipolis militia, soon caught up with them.

 

Unlike the last incursion where Phaedra had arrived too late to take part, her outfit was torn and bloodied. Her sword glistened with blood and she had a long abrasion above her right eye that sent a steady stream of crimson droplets down onto the side of her nose and further onto her cheek. "It seems we got most of them this time, Xena. My men have found four dead raiders and one who nursed a full set of fractured ribs. She was killed trying to escape."

 

Gabrielle opened her mouth to point out the ridiculous notion of anyone trying to escape with that many fractures, but she closed it again at once and settled for assuming a grim look.

 

"Two managed to escape," Phaedra continued, "but I've sent my fastest riders after them. I have every confidence the raiders won't make it back to their camp. Mahdalina must be running out of warriors by now. How many did you see when you were at their camp yesterday?"

 

"At least double the number we've killed so far," Xena said in a gloomy tone of voice.

 

The look on Phaedra's face grew just as grim as the one still occupying Gabrielle's fair features. "Very well. Perhaps it's time for us to go on the offensive."

 

"And just kill them all?" Gabrielle said in a growl. "There were a good number of Sisters there who weren't warriors. I saw several elders and young children."

 

A cool smile played across Phaedra's lips. "We're not butchers, Gabrielle, nor are we at war with the Amazon nations. We're merely defending Amphipolis. The elders and the children can leave whenever they wish, of course."

 

"Of course."

 

It soon grew obvious the conversation wouldn't go in any kind of positive direction, so Phaedra quickly clasped arms with Xena - not Gabrielle - before she left to get more intelligence reports from her soldiers.

 

---

 

Filthy, sweaty and splattered by the blood of others, Xena and Gabrielle could finally walk back to the barn where they had left Moonbeam under the protection of Darronius, the stable boy. Before they made it all the way there, Cyrene ran out of her tavern to intercept them.

 

"Xena!  Oh, by the Gods… you look awful," she said as she pulled her daughter into a strong embrace despite the filth and the blood. "Was it a bad fight?"

 

"Yes."

 

When it became obvious Xena wasn't about to say more, Gabrielle reached out to give Cyrene's arm a squeeze. "Something happened that needs to be talked about right away. Please, take Xena back to the tavern. I'll get Argo installed in the stables. I'll be over in a very short while with Moonbeam."

 

Cyrene gained a look of knowing exactly what Gabrielle meant - they had been there before. Nodding, she hooked her arm inside Xena's despite her mumbled protestations.

 

-*-*-*-

 

Most of the eating customers had already left the tavern for the traditional pilgrimage to Athena's temple when the attack had taken place, and it remained mercifully empty save for the inevitable barfly who was fast asleep with his head resting on his arms.

 

Xena let out a deep sigh as she leaned back on the chair. Her hands were held by Cyrene and Gabrielle, respectively, but she pulled them back to rub her weary face. "I didn't see Oksana. If I had seen her, I would have pulled back at once. But I didn't so I fought them," she said in a monotone. "I killed one of them. Wounded all the others. They were at the wrong place at the wrong time… and so was I. As always, the Gods do nothing but mock us."

 

"Xena," Gabrielle said, leaning forward to once again grab hold of Xena's hands. "It was unfortunate… and unfair… that you had to end up in such a terrible situation, but I've lost count of the number of times your warrior's instincts have saved us. Think of all those bandits we've fought this past year and a half. If you had hesitated in any of those fights, we wouldn't be here now. I'm certain of that. And if we weren't here, this little child would have perished next to her mother. That's a fact."

 

Nodding, Xena looked at Moonbeam who slept soundly in the old rocking cradle.

 

"From my point of view," Gabrielle continued, "this is a case of one life for another. The friendly Amazon you killed didn't deserve to die now, of course she didn't, but all Amazons know that the next mission could be their last. We're ready for that."

 

Xena furrowed her brow, a concerned expression crossing her tired features at Gabrielle including herself in that statement. She held the glum look for a moment before she nodded again. "I understand. I don't necessarily like it, at least not when it comes to you, but I've been in enough battles to understand. Oh, I need to do something… I'll ask Oksana if they can use an extra pair of hands for building the funeral pyre."

 

"That would be a good start. Once we've done that, we could come back here for a late-night snack or two. Cyrene?"

 

"Well… you and Xena are always welcome, Gabrielle, but there's something you need to think of," Cyrene said in a cautious tone.

 

"Oh!  Don't you have enough food?"

 

In spite of everything, Xena had to let out a chuckle at the horrified sound of Gabrielle's voice - not to mention her wide-open eyes as she said it.

 

"We have plenty of food. Don't worry," Cyrene said with a smile. "We're fully stocked. I bought double of everything to have enough for the mad rush today and tomorrow. Today was mad, all right… I hope those fanatical Amazons will respect our traditions and stay away tomorrow. But that's not what I meant when I said there's something you need to think of."

 

Xena and Gabrielle shared a brief, puzzled glance before they fell silent to give Cyrene the stage.

 

"Xena, I know you've never thought much of the gathering at the temple of Athena, but nearly everyone in town is out there now. When they come back here in a candlemark or two, it'll be pandemonium all over again. I'm guessing that it'll be around the same time where you'll have finished building the funeral pyre."

 

An "Oh," was uttered by Xena - an identical utterance followed a moment later from Gabrielle.

 

"Yes, so how about we performed a small solstice celebration now, just for ourselves?  Or we could perhaps invite… oh, what did you say the name of the good Amazon was?"

 

"Oksana."

 

"Right. Perhaps we could invite Oksana and her associates over to break some bread and offer a small cup of port?  Those who aren't too seriously wounded, obviously." Once Cyrene had finished speaking, she leaned back in her chair and concentrated on rocking the cradle where Moonbeam continued to sleep soundly.

 

Another glance was exchanged between Xena and Gabrielle before they both nodded. "That's an excellent suggestion, Mother," Xena said and got up. "I'll ask her right away. I can't imagine they'll have left the square already."

 

"And while you do that," Gabrielle said, bounding to her feet as well, "I declare I will stay here and help Cyrene with the port, the sweet desserts and all the other little treats I'm sure are hiding out in the kitchen!  Like perhaps another helping of that great, great pork stew…"

 

A low, dangerous "Gabrielle… remember you may need to ride on Argo at some point in the near future…" set the tone for a liberating laugh that soon spread to all three women.

 

For Xena and Gabrielle, the laughter led to a very nice, warm and loving kiss that proved to be the perfect remedy for a fraught Winter Solstice Day and Eve…

 

 

*

*

THE END.

 

 

Bard's Page

Back to the Academy