THE LEGEND OF FAITH

PART III

BY MAVIS APPLEWATER

FOR DISCLAIMERS SEE PART ONE

yomavis@xoommail.com

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

"It's not over." Faith replied sadly.

Just as the words escaped her lips a figure emerged from the smoke. It was apparent that

it was not over. The portly figure stood there howling baring its fangs. It's face was horribly

disfigured as were it's hands. The yellowish fingernails were long and twisted in a multitude of

directions. Grey hair snarled wrapping itself around two horns protruding from the head.

Cloaked in a red silk gown it growled them flashing two red eyes.

"Faith I think it is safe to say that you do not take after your Father." Gabrielle whispered.

"Thank you." Faith replied as she drew her sword. "Well back to work. Any water left."

"No." Xena and Gabrielle replied.

Faith stepped away and began to approach Dahak. Her sword ready to strike. He tossed

a ball of fire at her which she easily deflected with her sword. With a growl he cast another

which went the way of the first. His growling and attempts to catch her off guard failed

repeatedly. Raising both hands in anger he howled violently.

"Oh give it a rest already." Faith taunted him.

Sparks emerged from the knarled hands of Dahak only to deflected by Faith's sword. Xena

rose and joined the girl drawing her sword. She had enough as well it was time to stop him.

Xena silently vowed that it was also time to exact revenge for all this beast had done to

her precious Gabrielle. Her blood boiled as she thought of how this beast had violated her

bard not once but twice. Focus she reminded herself.

The two women circle Dahak carefully each looking for an opening. Xena saw hers and

raised her weapon to strike. Dahak turned to her and blew her across the room with an unseen

force. Landing on the floor across the room she watched as Faith raised her sword over her

head ready to strike.

Nothing could have prepared her for the sight of Dahak turning on her. Fire sprung

from both of his hands forcing Faith across the room. Her sword dropped to the ground as

she fell into a crumpled heap on the floor.

Gabrielle and Xena rushed to Faith. She was lying on her back wincing in pain. Her

arm twist unnaturally over her head. "I'm sorry." Faith whimpered as tears fell from her

dark brown eyes.

"No." Xena reassured her. "It is time I got rid of this bastard once and for all." She

resheathed her own sword as she walked over to pick up Faith's weapon. "Through the heart."

She whispered quietly. She was filled with such uncontrolable rage that she never saw his

attack coming. She felt her body forced to the floor searing in pain. She could hear the

sword crashing to the floor.

Out of the corner of her eye she could Faith being held down by what seemed to be a

stream of electricty. It look as if he had woven Zesus' thunder bolts into a long coil.

Faith cried out in pain. From the intense agony she felt surging through her own body she

knew that Dahak was holding her down in the same manner. The blinding white bolts held her

and Faith down helplessly. His snarled. The bastard almost looked happy as he torture them.

Xena gasped as she watched the one person that Dahak seemed to pay no attention to

approach. She picked up Athena's sword her emerald eyes were on fire. Dahak paid no

attention to her, perhaps he never considered her a threat. But Xena knew that he should. She

had seen that look in Gabrielle's eyes before. It was when they were trying to escape from

the Romans. In a brief instance Gabrielle snapped and abandoned the way of peace and love.

Gabrielle lifted the sword in her hand and spun towards Dahak. "It ends now!" the

bard growled as she approached him. Dahak focused all of his attention on Xena and Faith. It

was then Xena knew that Dahak did not fear the Bard. "Bad call fire boy." Xena snarled.

Gabrielle approached the beast without so much as a glance towards her. Grasping the

hilt of the sword in both hands she raised the weapon above her head. Xena noticed that Dahak

reguarded the blonde with a mocking sneer. He released his hold on Xena and Faith as he laughed

in the Bard's face. Xena knew that his sicken over confidence had just cost him dearly.

"Never again." Gabrielle snarled as she plunged the sword into Dahak's heart. "Die you

bastard." She growled as she forced the blade into the beasts body.

Dahak looked surprised as the blade ripped threw his heart. Suddenly his eyes went

dark as his body began to thrash about. Gabrielle stepped back as she watched the beast die.

The body of Dahak collapsed slowly turning to dust. She retrieved the sword and dragged it

absently behind her as she went to help Xena and Faith.

"Now it is over." Faith said quietly as she tried unsuccessfully to pull herself up.

Xena rushed over to Gabrielle and pulled her into her arms. "You did it." Xena

comforted her. "He can't ever hurt you again." They clung to one another for what seemed like

an eternity.

"Hey!" Faith's voice called out to them. "I hate to break up this happy moment but could

somebody give me a hand over here. I feel like Monday morning in Tartarus." Faith grumbled.

"Don't move." Xena instructed her.

Xena carefully examined Faith from head to toe as Gabrielle held her daughters

uninjured hand. "Well you have a nasty bump on your head that will hurt for awhile. And your

shoulder is dislocated." Xena explained. "I will have to pop it back into place it will hurt."

"Anymore good news?" Faith grimmaced.

"Your arm is broken." Xena added with smile trying to lighten the mood. "It is your sword hand

isn't it?"

"Of course." Faith conceded. "Well it looks like I have an excuse to spend more time with my

son. Speaking of which pop this sucker back into place so we can get going. I don't know

about the two of you but I can not wait to get away from this place."

"No argument here." Gabrielle readilly agreed.

"Hold on Faith." Xena cautioned as repositioned the girl's shoulder.

"Sweet Mother of Zesus." Faith screamed as she gripped her Mother's hand tighter.

Once Faith's breathing returned to normal the trio gathered their belongings and

exited the temple. They began their back towards the Amazon village not once during their

journey did any of the women look back.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

They arrived at the village and quickly informed everyone of the events that had

occured. Chilapa had informed that some of the amazons that had been followers of Hope had

returned. Faith recieved cure from the village healer, with her arm in a sling and her

parents by her side they led King Gabriel's army back home.

The journey allowed the three women to get to know each other better. Xena quickly

discovered that Faith possessed her Mother's gift for endless chatter. Between Mother and

daughter there was an endless flow of words. By the end of the journey Xena's head was

spinning. How could two people talk so much? Granted the two women had a life time to catch

up on. But did they really need to do it all in one day? Xena said a silent prayer to the

powers that be that Faith's mission was to protect Eve. Somehow she knew that if she had to

spend the rest of her days with both the Bard and her daughter somebody was going to have to

die.

Once they entered the castle Xena could not help but notice Pandora's touch throughout

the castle. She had made it a home. Xena sighed deeply realizing that Gregor and Pandora had

both passed on. More friends lost during their absence.

Among the splendor of the grand courtyard Xena spotted a familar figure sitting quietly

on a bench. "Aphrodite!" Gabrielle squealed with delight.

"Little one?" Aphrodite called back as she raced over and embraced Gabrielle. As the two

ended their heart felt embrace Xena caught an icy stare from the Goddess. "Xena." the love

goddess codly addressed her. There was no mistaking that Aphrodite still harbored some harsh

feelings towards the warrior since she killed Hephaestus. Xena simply nodded politely in

reply.

"Lilith." Aphrodite greeted Faith. "Well if you are here that means I can go finally. What

was so important that had I to stay locked up with these mortals?"

"Killing Dahak." Faith answered simply.

"Dahak?" Aphrodite choked. "Gross I didn't know that looser was still around."

"Not anymore." Xena said calmly.

"Mother." A voice called out. All eyes turned and watched Eve enter the courtyard. Smiling

brightly no longer a warrior but clad in a style more befitting the messenger of Eli.

Xena and Gabrielle embraced their daughter. "Lilith?" Eve questioned as she spotted

the Amazon.

"My Princess." Faith said respectfully as she started to drop to one knee.

"Don't you dare bow to me." Eve commanded. "How many times have we met in battle and each

time you were the victor. I will not allow you to bow to me after all of the horrible acts I

have committed."

"As you wish my Princess." Faith answered with a smile. "But a member of the Royal Guard . . ."

"Royal Guard?" Eve questioned. "Why would a warrior with your skills become a member of the

Royal Guard, Lilith?"

"My name is Faith." Faith stated proudly. "There is a great deal I need to explain to you Eve."

"Faith?" Eve and Aphrodite exclaimed in unison.

"You mean as in that dumb ass Legend?" Aphrodite asked. "I thought that was just some lame

story. What a moment! Dahak . . . you are the daughter of Dahak?"

"She is my daughter." Gabrielle stated proudly to Eve and the stunned Goddess.

"Exsqueeze me?" Aphrodite exclaimed.

"I said that I had a great deal to explain." Faith responded with a smile.

"Mommy!" A tiny voice called out. The fair haired child was being carried by the a tall blonde

muscular man clad in regal garments.

"Solan." Faith beamed as she rushed over to her son. The Amazon gathered the small child up

with her good arm. She hugged him tightly against her chest. The boy clung to his Mother.

"Careful Mommy has a boo boo." Faith cautioned as the boy began to play with the sling on her

injured arm.

"Bad guys?" The boy questioned in a serious tone.

"Just one." Faith explained as the blonde man watched on with a smile. "So tell Mommy what

you have been doing during your visit." Xena smiled at the young Mother as she quickly

changed the subject.

"Daddy has been telling me stories." Solan exclaimed brightly.

"Has he?" Faith gasped happily. "Well Daddy just loves to tell stories. You know if he wasn't

a King I think he would have become a traveling Bard. So Gabriel just what stories have you

been telling our son?"

Xena watched Father and son ramble on and on about the stories that they shared during

Faith's absence. The pair could barely contain their excitment. "Small world." Gabrielle

state thoughtfully breaking Xena away from her own thoughts.

"Solan I have something to tell you." Faith interupted the child's ramblings. "You have a

GrandMother."

"I do?" the boy beamed.

"Yes." Faith said proudly. "And she would like to meet you. Do you want to meet her?"

"Yes!" The boy squealed in delight.

"Is that them?" Gabriel asked with a smile. Faith nodded yes in response.

Faith crossed the courtyard holding her son tightly in her arms as she approached the

warrior and the bard. Gabriel followed closly behind the pair. "Which lady is my GrandMa?"

Solan asked barely holding back his excitment.

"They both are." Faith said proudly. Xena had to fight back the tears at the statement.

"Two?" Solan squealed again. "I have two GrandMa's?"

"Yes aren't you a lucky boy." Faith beamed as she passed her son over to Gabrielle's awaiting

arms. "Thank you." Xena and Gabrielle whispered.

"Gabriel these are my parents Xena and Gabrielle." Faith introduced the pair to the King.

"It is an honor to finally meet the two women who saved my life so long ago." The King greeted

them warmly. "Is true that you kept tossing me in the air during a battle?"

"Dropped on your head as a baby that explains a lot." Faith teased.

"Saved your life and a battle tell me please!!" Solan pleaded.

"Well I think that GrandMa Gabrielle should tell that one." Faith explained. "Why don't the

four of you get better aquainted I need to talk to Eve."

The group nodded in agreement as Gabrielle began her tale. "Well Solan it all began,

when I slept on a rock . . ."

Several hours and many tales later Solan fell asleep in Gabrielle's arms. Xena and the

bard tucked the boy into bed and watched him sleeping as the held each other in a tight embrace.

Finally the pair left the sight of their sleeping grandchild and began to make their way to

rejoin the others. A figure approached the two women. Xena recognized him immediately. It

Rupert the Commander of Gabriel's army. "Ladies." He greeted them. "I have been sent to

escort you two back to the King and Queen."

Xena raised an eyebrow as she processed the information. "How is the young Prince?"

Rupert questioned them warmly. "Sound asleep." Gabrielle volunteered. "He is amazing if I

do say so myself."

"Yes he is." Rupert responded proudly.

The three chatted lightly mostly about Solan. The affectionate tone in the soldier's

voice was not lost on the two women. Xena felt the pieces falling into place as the entered a

large sitting room illuminated by a candles and a large fireplace. Three voices raised in

laughter could be heard. "So I asked her why she hated Romans such much?" Eve was saying.

"I laying there on the ground and this one is standing over me with a sword aimed at my throat

and I am taughting her."

"So I explain that Romans staked my parents to a cross." Faith added. "Most people would

have apologized or something but this cocky thing . . . wants to tease me about poor Mommy and

Daddy. Unitl I explained that it was more like Mommy and Mommy."

"So there I am ready to die." Eve cut in. "Instead of showing remorse I goad her even more.

Like Mother like Daughter I snarled. This is it I assumed I am dead. Secretly I was praying

she would just hurry up and kill me. But instead she smiles and resheaths her sword. Do you

never tire of having your ass kicked by an amazon she laughed at me and walked away. All those

times you had me at the end of your sword, I never understood why you spared me."

"It was never in my heart to take your life." Faith explained. "Good thing it turns out. But

I did enjoy humiliating you in battle."

"Face it you kicked my ass from one end of Greece to the other." Eve chuckled.

"Eve!" Xena scolded.

"You know for the messenger of peace you have a filthy mouth." Faith teased.

"You should talk my . . ." Rupert teased.

"Don't!" Faith warned the soldier.

"My Queen." Rupert teased as he smiled towards the now laughing Gabriel.

The look exhanged by the two men was not lost on Xena or Gabrielle. "So when were

you going to tell me that you are married?" Gabrielle questioned her daughter.

"I um . . ." Faith stammered. "Thank you Rupert. You know as the Commander of the King's

army you would think that you would be able to keep your mouth shut." She scolded Rupert.

"Mother it is not what you think." Faith tried to explain.

"It is all right Faith." Gabrielle said with a knowing smile as she looked at Gabriel and

Rupert standing next to each other. "I understand. Xena once said that there are families

that you are born to and families that you make." The Bard placed a gentle hand on the

Warrior's shoulder. "I think that Solan is a very lucky little boy."

"Yes he is." Faith smiled around the room. "And for the moment he has his entire family here."

Xena smiled at the complete picture and sighed sweetly at the thought that all of the

people gathered in this room we indeed Solan's family. The group soaked in the warmth of

being a family. A bright light radiated suddenly revealing Aphrodite.

"So much love in this room." Aphrodite exclaimed. "It makes me proud."

"I thought you left." Xena questioned her.

"Ya ya." Aphrodite waved her off. "I just needed to find out something first."

"What?" Xena questioned her suspicously.

"How old are you Faith?" The Goddess questioned.

"That is a rather personal question." Faith teased. "Why?"

"I am just asking." The Goddess pushed.

"You never just ask anything." Gabrielle interupted. "What is going on?"

"Tell me Bard did this bundle of joy pop out after you took that header with Hope?" The Goddess

asked.

"Yes." Gabrielle replied carefullly.

"Then it worked." The Goddess beamed more than slightly pleased with herself. The group just

stared at the Goddess waiting for more.

"What worked?" Gabrielle finally blurted out in frustration.

"My gift." Aphrodite said simply. The word gift caused Faith to jump from her chair.

"Gift?" Faith stammered. "The Archangel and my guide both spoke of a gift. They said my gift

was that I had my Mother's heart."

"Bingo." Aphrodite beamed. Again the crowd in the room just stared blankly at her. "Okay here's

the deal. Back when Hope was stirring up all that trouble, I was more than a little miffed at

Ares. I just kept thinking how sad it was that Gabrielle was going to be left all alone. I

mean no one expected Xena to live. But then again when it comes to death you two just keep

suprising everyone. I wanted to do something. So I cast a spell. Now I could not give you a

child that just wouldn't have flown with Daddy. But I could make it so that if you had a child

then that child would be a blending of you and your soulmate, but she would have her Mother's

heart. I added that last part just in case the other half of your soul had a dark side." The

Goddess glared at Xena on the last part.

"I knew she was mine." Xena whispered quietly to Gabrielle.

"No." Aphrodite explained. "Not of your blood. Her Father is Dahak. But look at her she is

tall and dark but hints of strawberry blonde in her dark hair. She is the best of both of you."

"You saved me." Faith said barely speaking above a whisper. "If you had not done this then I

would have been another Hope. Thank you."

"Hey don't get all sappy on me." Aphrodite cut her off with false modesty. "I didn't even know

that it had worked. When blondie showed up later without a kid I just assumed I had screwed up

again."

"Not this time." Gabrielle added. "Faith is right. Thank you again."

"Whatever." Aphrodite brushed off the bard. "Look I can't stand all of this mushy stuff.

Places to go, people to do. Ciao." In a flash the Goddess had vanished leaving the group in

a stunned silence.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Over the next few days everyone was busy. It had been decided that the now empty

Centaur land would make a perfect village for the followers of Eli. It was located between the

Amazons and King Gabriel's kingdom. Since Faith could hold the title of Queen in either land it

would always be protected. Xena found it hard to believe that in their absence the once proud

Centaurs had been essentially wiped off the face of the earth. She comforted herself with the

knowledge that they would be proud that their land was now being used by those who only wanted

to spread messages of peace and love.

Xena and Gabrielle stayed and helped start the building of the new village. Taking time

out to get to know their daughters and Solan. It was a happy time that was coming all too

quickly to an end. "The new members of the Royal Guard should be here soon. We will accompany

Eve in her journeys." Faith explained to Xena and her Mother.

"Kendra wouldn't be joining you?" Gabrielle pushed.

"No. She is staying behind with Queen Chilapa." Faith explained ignoring her Mother's

obvious implication. "The Queen's health is not good. I have asked her to pass her right of

cast onto Kendra. If the Nation can hold stronge and rebuild Kendra could is the one who be

leading them."

"Not many women would pass up the chance to be Queen and yet you have chosen to do that in two

lands. Why Faith?" Xena questioned.

"Royalty isn't all it is cracked up to be." Faith answered with a smile. "The paper work is a

drag and the hours suck." Faith joked. "It is not my way Xena. You of all people should

understand that. Then again maybe it is genetic. As I recall my Mother never chose to rule

for very long."

"Stay safe." Gabrielle said as she hugged her daughter.

"The same to both of you." Faith choked out. "And come back and visit. I know Solan would

like to see you. One more thing. If either of you need me simply call for me and I will be

there. Don't ask it is a demigoddess thing. And it works both ways I can call for the both

of you as well."

Tearfull goodbyes were exchange as Xena and Gabrielle watched their daughters ride off.

Soon the Warrior and the Bard had made their way back out onto the road again. They continued

their travels. After walking in silence for several candlemarks Gabrielle sighed heavily.

"What?" Xena pried.

"I was just thinking of what I said to Solan that this all started because I slept on a rock."

Gabrielle explained recalling the events that led them to discover the infant in a basket. The

child would grow up to become King Gabriel father of their grandson.

"That is not when this started." Xena corrected her.

"No?" Gabrielle questioned.

"No." Xena explained thoughtfully. "This all started in a clearing just outside of Potedia.

When I saw this farm girl offer herself up to slavers if they would spare their other captives.

It was then my life changed forever."

"Really?" Gabrielle toyed with the warrior. "Tell me about it."

"You are the story teller." Xena played along.

"Give it a try Warrior." Gabrielle teased.

"Well first I couldn't get her to stop following me." Xena feined exasperation. "And she just

would not shut up. . ."

"HEY!" Gabrielle slapped Xena playfully in the stomach.

The two continued to tease each other as they followed the road into the setting sun.

FINIS (Until Faith's next adventure)

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