The Cabin

By B. L. Miller

Contact:bl@blmiller.net

 

Watching the shift in control of the battle, Garath realized that his men weren’t going to be able to conquer and enslave the Amazon village. He looked over and saw the slumped form of the Amazon queen. Surely the Amazons would pay a handsome ransom for their queen.

The carnage was enough to make the strongest Amazons nauseous. They had finally stopped the raiders, pushing them back a half candlemark’s distance before all were killed or retreated. Blood was caked to everyone’s boots. Xena walked on, noticing grimly more bodies further ahead. Eponin ran over to her side. "I haven’t found Ephiny or Gabrielle." The look on Xena’s face told the Amazon that she hadn’t either. Behind them, the anguished cries of mothers and sisters filled the air. Xena’s face went white as she spotted the blue tunics on some of the dead still ahead. Eponin noticed it too and they broke out into a dead run. Frantic searching confirmed that many of the dead were from the royal guard, but there was still no sign of either the queen or her second in command. Xena noticed a trail of blood leading to a ravine. She walked over and looked down. "Over here!" She yelled as she worked her way down the slope.

Ephiny’s body was covered in blood. Several deep wounds on her arms and legs were testament to the battle she had been in. Her chain mail was all that kept her from being another casualty. Ephiny tried to focus on the strong woman that was picking her up, but the loss of blood made her too light-headed. She felt herself being handed over to two sets of arms as she was lifted out.

"Ephiny, it’s all right now. I’m here." Eponin spoke in a soothing tone, despite the fact seeing Ephiny in such dire striates was tearing her up inside.

"Ga…"

"What? Ephiny, what happened to Gabrielle?" Xena was standing there, trying to get an answer out of the semiconscious Amazon. Ephiny turned her head to look at the warrior.

"I tried…we all tried…"

"Where is she?" Xena practically screamed, drawing a stern look from Eponin.

"They…took her…"

"Took her? Who took her? Where did they go?" Xena stopped when she realized that the Amazon was unconscious. She looked at Eponin. "I’m going after them." She turned to head back to the village to get Argo.

"Xena!" Eponin’s tone caused the warrior to turn around. "I know you want to go find her, but we need you here." Sensing that she had the warrior’s attention, she continued. "There are too many injured women for Saras to take care of by herself. Think of how many Amazons will die needlessly from lack of medical treatment if you leave." Eponin sent five Amazon warriors to follow try and track the raiders. She watched as Xena battled the emotions within herself before the stoic look returned. Without saying a word, Xena walked over and knelt down in front of one of the dead guardswomen. Realizing that this woman had given her life trying to protect Gabrielle, Xena was unable to keep her tears in check. "Artemis, watch over this one. She deserves to be in the Elyssian Fields."

Garath cursed loudly as he dragged the unconscious woman onto his ship. He was supposed to conquer the city and bring all the young girls back as slaves. He had failed miserably, losing his entire army. All he had to show for his efforts was one woman who would probably die from blood loss before they even got to the King’s land. The more he looked at her, the more he wasn’t sure if she was the queen at all. Her hair color wasn’t like the others and she was shorter than most of them as well. He kicked the bard in anger. One girl! He was sent to capture dozens of them and he was coming back with one! Leaving her on deck, he stormed inside to drown his sorrows with a keg of wine.

Gabrielle’s eyes slowly opened. She kept her head still and looked around, trying to get her bearings without notifying anyone that she was awake. She realized that she was on a ship. The rocking motion and wood beneath her told her that much. It was daylight, she figured probably late afternoon. She noticed with relief that she wasn’t bound in any way. Her leg throbbed painfully. She wasn’t sure if she could even stand on it. Once she felt certain that no one was around her, Gabrielle sat up and looked at her thigh. The wound was impossible to see under all the blood. She knew that she had lost a great deal of it already. She pulled off the chain mail and stripped off her shirt. Putting the mail back on, she tore her shirt into rags and strips. She packed the rags into and on top of the wound, then wound the strips around to apply pressure. Rolling onto her knees, Gabrielle looked over the bow. Off in the far distance, she saw land. "What are you thinking of, Gabrielle?" She asked herself. "Even if you can stand and get off of this ship, there’s no way you can swim all the way to shore. Even if you don’t end up as fish food, the loss of blood will kill you." Gabrielle thought of the options that were available if she stayed. "Let’s see, rape, torture, sold into slavery. Yeah, those sound like wonderful choices." She pulled herself over to the edge of the bow and said a quick prayer to Athena, Artemis, and Poseidon. Taking a deep breath, Gabrielle pushed herself up over the rail and dropped into the salty water.

Xena, the stoic warrior, didn’t bother to wipe away her freely falling tears as she worked on the scores of wounded Amazons. On the ground outside of Saras’ hut, Xena had formed a triage of sorts. Her years of treating the men in her army had taught her well which injuries could wait to be treated and which ones required immediate attention. It also taught her when treatment could do no more than prolong the suffering. She tried to keep her mind busy with the numerous tasks at hand, but all she could think about was the blue-green eyes that belonged to her beloved Gabrielle. Torches were lit as darkness fell. Lanterns were brought over to help Xena see as she stitched wounds, set broken bones, and closed the eyes of those she couldn’t save. She didn’t realize how much time had passed until she felt Eponin’s hand on her shoulder. In the back of her mind, Xena noted that she had not felt the Amazon’s approach. Without looking up, she spoke. "No sign."

"There were too many tracks. Xena, we’ll send more troops out tomorrow." Eponin paused for a moment before continuing. "Xena, come inside. You need a bath, food, and rest." Xena looked over at Saras.

"Xena, go. I need you strong for tomorrow." The healer waved her arms, motioning for the warrior to go. Xena nodded, then slowly rose and followed Eponin back to the palace.

After scrubbing the blood and dirt off as best she could, Xena grabbed a clean tunic and laid back on the bed. She sat up quickly and wiped her eyes when she heard the soft knock at the door. "Come in."

Eponin entered, followed by a girl not much younger than Gabrielle. The girl stayed near the door. "Xena, this is Aris."

"You were one of the girls at the campfire last night." Xena said. Last night seemed a lifetime ago right now.

Aris looked nervously at Eponin. The Amazon put a reassuring hand on the girl’s shoulder. "Show her." Eponin said. Aris reached into the hall and pulled back Gabrielle’s staff. Xena felt a stab of pain in her heart when she saw the blood covered weapon.

"I…found it over near the ravine." The girl started to cry. "I…I liked…I mean she…" Aris handed the staff to Eponin and ran out of the room. The Amazon put the staff back in the hall, then walked over and sat on the bed next to the warrior. Xena stared at the wall.

"Everyone is taking it hard." Eponin looked down at her hands. "Aris’ sister Joy was one of the royal guards." The warrior nodded in understanding.

"How is Ephiny?" Xena said quietly, still not making eye contact. She waited a moment for an answer. Hearing none, she looked over and saw the Amazon shaking with silent sobs. "Not too good." Eponin said after a moment. She shook her head from side to side as the tears cascaded down her face. Needed to comfort as much as be comforted, Xena pulled the Amazon close as her own tears started to fall.

The salt water burned Gabrielle’s leg on the outside while her muscles burned from the inside. The dead weight of the chain mail made it almost impossible to keep her head above water. She seemed to gain only an inch on each stroke, but she believed that she was getting closer. The dimming light only allowed her to see the silhouette of the treetops. She focused in on them, pushed the burning pain from her mind, and pushed her way closer to home, to Xena.

She didn’t know when she closed her eyes, rolled over, and started to float. She didn’t know when she ended up striking land. She only realized that she felt something firm under her back. She felt the water lapping at her face. Groaning as she moved her leg, Gabrielle forced herself up on her knees and crawled until she no longer felt water beneath her. At that point all strength left her body and she collapsed on the soft sand. She never saw the white owl perched on a nearby branch.

Xena opened her eyes and sat up, fully alert. Her shoulders sagged slightly when she realized that it wasn’t a nightmare. Gabrielle was really gone. She quickly donned her armor and started out the door.

Eponin stopped her before she could leave the palace. "Xena! Wait! I need you." Xena stopped, knowing her vow to always help those in need. "Please, let’s talk in chambers." Xena allowed Eponin to lead her to the Queen’s private office. The Amazon reached up on the shelf and pulled down three scrolls. All had the seal of the Queen of the Amazon Nation. Both sat at the small table. "We have to find out who holds the power of Acting Queen."

"We?" Xena was confused. "Eponin, I’m not Amazon. I have no say in who runs the nation."

"Xena, there are three scrolls here." She picked one up. "This one is Gabrielle’s instructions as to who receives her right-of-caste in the event of her…" The Amazon paused. Xena nodded, almost imperceptibly. Eponin took a deep breath and continued. She set that scroll down and picked up another. Xena immediately recognized her name, written in the bard’s handwriting. "This one is a personal note to you." Eponin went to hand it to the warrior, but seeing no hand to receive it, set it down on the table. The Amazon made no move to touch the last scroll. "That one is Ephiny’s personal note to me. Depending on what Gabrielle’s caste scroll says, we’ll have to open one of the others."

"I guess there’s no time to waste. The Amazons need to know who their leader is." Xena’s words sounded full of purpose, but her hands shook slightly as she broke the wax seal.

I, Gabrielle of Potodeia, Queen of the Amazon Nation as blessed by the Goddess Artemis, do claim that in the event of my death or inability to perform my duties as Queen, do hearby pass my Right-Of-Caste to my Amazon sister Ephiny.

It was signed at the bottom. Xena passed it to Eponin, then took it back and reread it. Gabrielle had obviously written it in a hurry. Xena set the scroll down and reached for Ephiny’s. "Let me." Eponin said as she reached out and took the scroll. Xena pulled her hand back and waited until the Amazon finished reading the document. As expected, Ephiny passed her right to Eponin. Both women breathed a sigh of relief as the legal formality was out of the way. "Xena…" Eponin looked down at the remaining scroll.

"No!" Xena growled. "I won’t. Not until we know for sure." Xena looked up at the ceiling. "I can’t." Her voice was little more than a whisper. She picked up the scroll and put it back in place on the shelf. "I have to find her."

"Xena, please. We need you here. We lost five more last night. Every woman we could spare is out looking right now. They’re following every trail, every track. They’re not going to rest until they find her. You have my word as an Amazon." Eponin stood and looked out the window. "Xena, at least fifty women died yesterday. If you leave, we could lose another fifty. Saras worked all night long so you could sleep. She’s exhausted." Eponin stopped talking. She said all that needed saying. Neither moved for a moment. The Amazon hoped that she had not overestimated the warrior’s compassion.

"Let me eat something first. I’m going to need all the energy I can get." Xena said as she pulled off her sword and scabbard. Eponin released a breath that she did not realize she had been holding.

"Artemis bless you, Xena." The warrior held back a scathing reply. Not knowing what happened to Gabrielle did nothing to improve her feelings for the Gods at the moment. She took deep breaths and steeled herself to the multitude of tasks that lay ahead of her. Tending to the sick and injured. Aiding in the locating and identifying of the dead. Building the funeral pyres. The most unwelcome task would be the carting of the bodies to the pyres. How many times had she sent people to the pyres on the end of her sword? How many widows had she made? As the day wore on, the screams of pain and cries of loss wore on her. She almost lost her lunch when she had to perform an amputation on one of the girls that Gabrielle had met at the campfire. They had run out of many pain killers early in the morning. Xena had been tempted to use her pressure points to relieve the pain, but knew that the pain that was released when the pressure was removed sometimes was too much to bear. It had been known to kill people if the pain was too great. The air burned with the stench of burning flesh after she cauterized the bleeding stump. Rising from the sobbing girl, Xena walked over and scrubbed her hands and arms in the basin, the water already a deep red from previous patients. With no time to rest or think, Xena walked over to another pallet and started on another patient. She would be the first of many to die that day.

Gabrielle sat up slowly and spit out the sand that found its way into her mouth. She turned to crawl and felt the throbbing in her leg. She cupped her hand into the water and took a handful. She went to take another when she remembered Xena’s warning about salt water. She wet her hand again and wiped her face before slowly working her way to her feet. She took a moment to study area, trying to get her bearings. She wasn’t sure which way to go. She wasn’t even sure if she was in Greece. Gabrielle had no idea how long she had been unconscious or how long she had been on that boat. Leaning up against a tree for a moment, she studied the ground. It didn’t take long to find the tracks that her captor had made getting here. All she had to do was follow the tracks backward and eventually she would find the Amazon village! With a renewed sense of hope, Gabrielle moved forward, thinking only of Xena and not of the pain in her legs.

"Xena." The warrior looked down at the wounded Amazon.

"Ephiny. It’s good to see you. I have to change your bandages. This might hurt a bit." Xena turned her attention to the multitude of gashes and wounds that covered the Amazon’s body.

"Xena, you know I tried to protect her." The words came out in a raspy whisper. Xena reached over and picked up a cup of water. Putting her hand under Ephiny’s head for support, she held the cup to the Amazon’s lips.

"Drink." Xena waited until the Amazon finished the entire cup before letting her lay back down. She went back to changing the dressings. "I know you did. Thank you." The proud warrior said after a moment. Ephiny’s eyes were closed, but she still knew that Xena was crying. There was a time when Ephiny thought that the warrior princess was incapable of redemption, of turning her life around, of being a woman instead of a warlord. She was glad that she was wrong, but also saddened because she knew that Gabrielle was the reason for the change. It was an unbreakable bond that Ephiny knew she would never have. She hoped that the loss of Gabrielle didn’t send Xena back to her warlord days.

Gabrielle’s mouth was parched and her stomach ached by the time she found a small creek. She laid down and dunked her head into the water, opening her mouth and sucking in the cool, clear liquid. She sat up and looked around, trying to pick up the trail. It wasn’t hard to find. Her abductor hadn’t made any effort to cover his tracks. She looked down at her thigh. The bandages were covered with both blood and dirt. She wanted to unwrap and clean it, but there was nothing else to wrap it in once it was cleaned. She was certain that an infection was starting. The area was hot to the touch. She realized how pale her skin was. She had already lost too much blood. Cleaning the wound would certainly cause it to bleed again. Not happy with either choice, she left the bandages alone. The sounds of a horse approaching reached her ear. Friend or foe? Licking her lips to wet them, Gabrielle let out a bird call. In her weakened state, it was raspy and didn’t sound much like any bird she knew of. She tried again. She heard a dove call. She released a breath of joy. Amazon, friendly. She called out. "Help! Please!" She lost her voice as her dry throat let loose a series of coughs. An Amazon followed the sound of a woman coughing and entered the clearing.

Ralla pulled the meager medical supplies she had out of her saddlebag and rushed over to the bard’s side. She cut away the slimy bandage on the thigh and looked at the arrow wound. It was obvious that there was a raging infection. She didn’t even have to touch it to feel the searing heat. She used one rag to wipe away the puss and blood before covering it with a clean cloth. She unstoppered her waterskin and forced some water between Gabrielle’s lips. There was nothing more she could do until help arrived. The queen was too weak to ride by herself and Ralla couldn’t hold her and control the horse through the thick forest. She heard the approaching horses and started her bird call. She received the answer she wanted and stood up as the horse and rider entered the clearing.

"Tyna, it’s the queen." Ralla yelled as the Amazon approached. Tyna dismounted quickly. "She’s too weak to walk or ride by herself."

Ralla noted with dismay that the bard was bleeding through the bandages. Tyna noticed as well. "We don’t have much time to lose, Ralla. Climb up on your horse and I’ll hand her up to you. I’ll take your reins and lead you back." Ralla quickly obeyed, settling herself in the saddle, then reaching down to help Tyna lift the weakened queen. Holding Gabrielle with both hands, Ralla indicated to Tyna to take the reins and start the trek home. Tyna reached up and grabbed the reins, noting grimly that the blood had soaked through the bandages enough to be flowing freely down the queen’s leg. There wasn’t a moment to lose.

Xena watched as Eponin lit the first of many funeral pyres. The thick black smoke filled the night air. The warrior needed some time away from the maddening aftermath of the bloody battle. She wandered over to a quiet patch of trees and sat down on the ground. As her eyes stared at the burning fire, she thought about how many times she had lit similar ones. How many men had died under her command? She lost count many years ago. Names blurred, faces blurred, nothing was clear except the vast devastation she had left in her wake. Now she was trying to change all that. She rubbed her shoulders, stiff and sore from the past days exertions. A warm memory of Gabrielle rubbing her shoulders came to mind. The bard always knew just where it hurt and just how to make the pain go away. "Oh, Gabrielle. If only you could make the pain in my heart go away." She cried out to the night sky. She no longer could control the steady flow of tears that cascaded down her face. She cried for the senselessness of the battle, for the loss of so many lives, for the death and destruction of war. Above all else, she cried for Gabrielle, the only light in her life.

It was slow going for Ralla and Tyna. The moon did little to help them in the thick underbrush. Had it been just the two of them, they would have taken a chance on the open road, pushing their horses to the limit. But with the injured queen, they couldn’t afford to take such a chance. Tyna took the lead, holding her reins in one hand and Ralla’s reins in the other. Ralla had her hands full just trying to keep the weakened bard on the saddle. For a while, Ralla had wrapped both of her arms around Gabrielle’s stomach to keep her steady. After she felt the blood drip onto her own leg, Ralla was forced to hold Gabrielle with one arm and press another cloth against the wound with the other. Several times a shift by the horse almost caused Ralla to lose her grip on the young queen. Tyna briefly mentioned the possibility of setting up a camp for the night, but both dismissed the idea. Without saying it, both Amazons were afraid that their queen couldn’t take much more.

Eponin found Xena lying on the ground near a growth of trees. The first fingers of dawn were starting to appear over the horizon as Apollo began his daily journey. She was less than five paces away when Xena opened her eyes and looked at her, the unspoken question plain on her face. "There’s been no word, but two of our riders didn’t return last night. I sent additional scouts out in their general direction."

"Perhaps it’s another attack." Xena said quietly as she rose and stood next to the acting queen. "We should put the village on alert, just in case." Eponin nodded in unhappy agreement.

"Xena, we lost four more last night."

"I figured we’d lose more. How’s Ephiny?"

"Still feverish." Eponin’s face showed the strain of the last couple of days. Her eyes had dark circles that betrayed her lack of sleep. She ran her fingers through her hair and tried to focus on the tasks at hand. "The death count is over ninety now. We lost our smith, the entire royal guard, half our archers, and fifty of our best warriors. If there was another attack, I don’t think we would be able to put up much of a fight." Her voice betrayed the feeling of helplessness that pervaded her thoughts.

"I guess I better go get something to eat." Xena said quietly. She didn’t feel like eating. She didn’t feel anything except a painful numbness in her heart. A loud commotion at the south gate caught Xena’s and Eponin’s attention. They broke into a run and headed toward the gate.

Tyna dismounted and helped Ralla lower Gabrielle to the ground. Several Amazons came running up to see what the frantic bird calls were all about. Gasps and murmurs were heard as the women realized that the queen had been found. Xena pushed her way through the crowd, Eponin right behind her. The inexpressible joy of seeing Gabrielle was quickly replaced by terror when Xena saw the bloodied leg. The bard had a ghastly pallor to her from the loss of blood. Her thigh was bright red under the bloody bandages, confirming a severe infection. The Amazons stood back as Xena picked up her precious bard and gently carried her to the palace. The healer’s hut was already overflowing with patients.

Removing the rusting chain mail, Xena was surprised to see that Gabrielle’s shirt was missing. A quick check confirmed that the bard had not been attacked in any sexual way, for which Xena quietly said a prayer of thanks to whatever gods were listening. Working quickly, Xena checked for other injuries before removing the bandage and confirming her fears. Gabrielle indeed had a bad infection. There was no way that Xena could stitch the wound closed in its present condition. She looked closer. It was definitely an arrow wound, fairly deep as best she could tell. She had to find a way to remove the infection while still keeping as much of the healthy skin as she could. She was deep in thought when she heard the soft knock on the door. "Come in." She said quietly.

"I didn’t mean to disturb you." Dyna said as she walked in. "I heard that Gabrielle had been found and I wanted to see if there was anything I could do." Xena turned and looked at the young woman. An idea flashed through the warrior’s mind.

"Yes, there is. Can you stay with her while I go get something?" The young Amazon nodded eagerly. Xena handed her a bowl of cool water and some clean rags. "Stay here and keep soaking her body with cool cloths. I’ll be back as soon as I can." Xena grabbed her chakram and breast dagger. Her sword wouldn’t be necessary for this task. She stopped at the doorway. "Dyna." The Amazon turned to look at her. "Don’t leave her alone. I’m trusting you to take care of her until I get back, do you understand?"

"Yes, Xena. I won’t move until you return. You have my word." The warrior nodded in understanding. Quickly walking back over, Xena pressed her lips to the bard’s burning forehead.

"I’ll return soon, my love." Xena thought about what she had to do. "You won’t like it much, but I swear it will make you feel better."

Xena walked through the forest, heading to where the carnage was the greatest during the battle. She came across a dead rabbit, another victim of the battle. Using her dagger, she poked at the dead animal until she was able to turn it over. There she saw what she was looking for. Using her chakram to separate the flesh from the animal, she carefully pulled away as many maggots as she could find and placed them in a small leather pouch then quickly headed back to the village.

She removed the bandages and carefully placed the maggots on the open wound, then bandaged it again. Now all she could do was wait and see if it worked. Gabrielle still hadn’t regained consciousness and in a way, Xena was glad. She knew the bard’s aversion to small critters and bugs and could just imagine Gabrielle’s reaction to the maggots. After giving some instructions to Dyna, the warrior headed over to Saras’ hut to help with the other victims.

It was dark before Xena was able to return. She brought two bowls of stew with her. Handing one to Dyna, she took the opportunity to thank the young girl for keeping an eye on Gabrielle. Xena settled back in a chair and quickly ate her stew, not bothering to taste it. She was only eating because she needed the energy. Dyna excused herself and promised to return in the morning to continue the vigil. Xena moved over and sat on the bed. She was tempted to check on the wound but knew that there would be little change yet. She curled up next to Gabrielle and quickly fell asleep, her arms wrapped around the bard’s arm.

After a quick trip to the chamber pot, Xena checked on the wound. It was nowhere near as hot as it had been the previous day and much of the redness was gone. The warrior breathed a sigh of relief as she removed the maggots. They had done their job well, eating only the infected flesh and leaving the healthy skin alone. After thoroughly cleaning the area, she sewed it up with small, precise stitches. Dyna arrived and took over the vigil so Xena could go care for the other injured women.

Ephiny watched as Xena expertly changed her dressings. Although she had been told of Gabrielle’s return, Xena hadn’t mentioned it. Unable to bear the silence any more, the Amazon spoke up. "Xena, how is she?"

"She lost too much blood." The warrior said quietly without looking up. "You’re well on your way to mending. You should be able to get up and walk around in a few days."

"Xena, is there anything we can do?" She wasn’t about to let her old friend change the subject. Like Gabrielle, Ephiny knew the warrior’s tactics well.

"Nothing we can do but wait." Xena looked up and caught the Amazon’s eyes. "She’ll be fine, Ephiny. I know she will. There are too many gods looking out for her."

"Artemis always did take care of her queens." The Amazon agreed.

"She even has Aphrodite looking out for her."

"Aphrodite?" Ephiny questioned. Xena broke the gaze.

"She blessed us."

"I didn’t know." The Amazon said quietly. There was an awkward silence before Xena took a chance and spoke again.

"You know I love her, Ephiny. I would give my life for her." To the stoic warrior, this was an admission greater than any other.

"I know you would, Xena." Ephiny reached out and touched the warrior on the shoulder, more than a little surprised when Xena allowed her hand to stay. "I’m sorry about the way I reacted. You know I didn’t mean what I said."

"I know what you meant." Xena said evenly. "It’s in the past now. Let’s concentrate on healing the wounds, not opening them up again." The Amazon understood the double meaning of the words. Xena rose. "Now, you need to get your rest. I’ll come back and check on you later."

Gabrielle opened her eyes slowly and focused on the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen. "Xena." She croaked, her mouth once again dry and parched.

"Shh." The warrior said as she reached for the waterskin. "Drink, it’ll help." She pressed the skin up to Gabrielle’s lips and waited as the bard slowly drank in the clean, cool water. "There you go." She eased Gabrielle’s head back down. "How do you feel?"

"Everything aches." She said, grimacing as she shifted. "How are you?"

"Fine." Gabrielle didn’t believe her big dumb warrior for a minute. The dark circles under her eyes and the tired appearance on her face told the bard just how worn out Xena was.

"How did you find me?" She had assumed that Xena was the one to rescue her. That was normally the case. She would get into trouble and Xena would come and save her. That’s the way it always worked.

"I didn’t. Eponin sent the Amazons out to look for you. They found you and brought you back."

"You didn’t look for me?" Gabrielle couldn’t believe it. "Were you hurt?" She couldn’t think of any other reason for Xena to not have looked for her. She was even more surprised when the warrior shook her head.

"I couldn’t. There were too many casualties and injuries for Saras to handle. As much as I wanted to go look for you, I was needed here." She reached over and took the bard’s smaller hand in her own. "Gabrielle, I had no choice. If I went off after you, too many Amazons would have died. We’ve lost too many already."

"I know. You did the right thing." The queen took another sip of water. "How many?" Visions passed through the bard’s mind. Scenes from the battle. Slumping to the ground, helpless, watching as one Amazon after another went down under the hail of arrows and swords.

"We can talk about this later, Gabrielle. Right now you need your rest."

"No. Xena, tell me. How many of my sisters died?"

"Too many." Knowing that wasn’t a good enough answer, Xena forced herself to think. "We lost sixty nine warriors and twenty archers during the battle. Another twenty eight died from their injuries the next day. Fifteen civilians were also killed."

"What about the royal guard?" Gabrielle knew the losses were heavy. She had seen most of the deaths first hand before she herself went down. Xena looked at the floor. "Xena? Tell me."

"They all died, Gabrielle. They did what they were trained for. Protect the queen at all costs." Xena thought of the funeral pyre the night before. The royal guards were given a special ceremony to honor them for their ultimate sacrifice. Xena felt Gabrielle’s hand squeeze against hers.

"E-Ephiny?" The young queen choked on the word.

"She’s alive." Xena left it at that. "Gabrielle, do you remember anything? The scouts said they found you over twenty leagues away."

"A little." Gabrielle forced herself to sit up, using the headboard for support. Xena scooted up and put her arms around her love. Gabrielle immediately responded by snuggling her head against her warrior’s breast. "I remember thinking that it was a trap. We organized as many women as we could to hold them off until the warriors could arrive. Ephiny and I got separated from the rest and we were pinned down. I got hit with an arrow..." Her gaze went down to her bandaged thigh. Xena gripped her tighter, partly to comfort Gabrielle, but mostly to comfort herself. "We did the best we could, Xena, but there were just too many. I remember falling to the ground and hearing the battle going on around me. Two men picked me up and threw me on a horse. I’m sorry, I just didn’t have the strength left to fight."

"Shh, it’s okay." Xena waited until the tears subsided. "Go on."

"Well," She sniffled. "I woke up on a ship. I could barely see the shore off in the distance and I knew that I had to get back. I had to get to you. I don’t know what I was thinking. I jumped overboard."

"Overboard? You jumped off a ship into the ocean? Gabrielle, do you have any idea how dangerous that was?" Visions of Poseidon’s more exotic and deadly underwater creatures came to Xena’s mind.

"I felt it was less dangerous than staying on that ship. I don’t know how I made it to shore. I woke up there and started walking. I don’t remember much else."

"Gabrielle, what happened to your shirt?" Despite the lack of evidence of an attack, Xena had to make certain.

"I used it to stop the bleeding." Gabrielle noticed with satisfaction the smile that crossed Xena’s lips. Yes, that is exactly what she would have done, the bard thought.

"You lost a lot of blood. You did the right thing trying to stop it." Xena paused. "Gabrielle, I love you." The days of fear caught up with the warrior. She pulled Gabrielle close and hugged her tightly as tears flowed from her blue eyes.

"I love you too. Gods, Xena, I didn’t know if I would see you again. All I could think about was trying to find my way back to you." They held each other tight, never wanting to let go. Xena waited until she heard the familiar rhythm of breathing that told her Gabrielle was asleep. She laid down next to her, stroking her hair, until she too fell into an deep slumber.

One hundred forty-seven Amazons had died as a result of the battle with the raiders. The stone carver made a memorial to honor the fallen heroes. Gabrielle insisted on being present as the stone was placed near the south gate. Reluctantly, Xena allowed it, but made the young queen return to bed the minute the ceremony was finished. It had been over a week since she was found and Gabrielle was only beginning to show some color in her skin. Convinced that there were no more attacks coming, the Amazons set about to restore their lives to some sort of normalcy. Five women entered training to become royal guards, while several others filled in as archers and warriors. Aris studied to replace the smithy. All the women pitched in to help out as much as they could, but the loss was still palpable. Ephiny was slowly healing and was one of the last ones to be released from Saras’ care.

"Xena?"

"Hmm?" The warrior was polishing her armor, something she hadn’t done since the battle.

"Do you remember what Athena said about your dark side and fear threatening to overcome rational thought?" Xena stopped polishing and looked up at her love. "Well," Gabrielle continued. "I’ve been thinking about it. I think that staying here to help the injured was the right thing to do. Your dark side, the selfish part, wanted to go look for me, but the good side convinced you to stay and save all those lives."

"I didn’t save everyone, Gabrielle. Twenty seven women died under my care. I’ve never had so many casualties from one battle before."

"But you saved how many others?" Gabrielle reached out and put her hand on the warrior’s arm. "Xena, you did the right thing. You looked at the whole situation, not just how it affected you, but how it affected the whole Amazon nation. You wouldn’t have done that a few summers ago."

"I guess you’re right." Xena said thoughtfully. It was true. In her warlord days she wouldn’t have cared about anything else except her needs and desires. Those days were before Gabrielle, before the young woman broke the walls around the warrior’s heart.

The sleeping lovers were curled up together, thoroughly exhausted after making love. Sensing the change in light, Xena awoke quickly and sat up, reaching for her sword. After realizing that the shimmering image wasn’t a threat, she gently nudged the bard sleeping next to her. "Gabrielle, wake up." No response. "Gabrielle!"

"Hrmmpf."

"Gabrielle!" Xena pulled the blanket away.

"What?" Asked the grumpy queen. "It can’t be morning yet." She rolled over and opened her eyes. "Oh." She said when she saw the reason for being woken up.

"You’ll have to excuse her, she’s not the most pleasant person when she’s woken up." Xena said as she covered the naked bard with the blanket and reached for their shifts.

"How are you, my child?" Artemis asked as she looked at her queen, who was busy trying to wipe the sleep out of her eyes.

"I’m better, thank you." Gabrielle said groggily.

"So it would seem." The goddess said as she watched them quickly dress. Gabrielle blushed slightly. Xena growled softly. Ignoring the warrior, Artemis turned her attention back to the Queen. "You had quite a time of it." A playful smirk grew across Artemis’ face. "Tell me, young one, what made you think that you could swim all the way from that ship to the shore?"

"How did..."

"Did you think that I would ignore a prayer from the queen of my Amazons? I heard you, as did Athena and Poseidon. By the way, you really should visit his temple the next time you’re in Athens. He likes it when mortals thank him for his help."

"His help?" Gabrielle asked, now thoroughly confused. Artemis laughed lightly, her silvery voice filling the room.

"My child, I have no power over the water. You passed out far from shore." Artemis paused as she watched the shocked expression on Xena’s face. "Poseidon lifted you with one of his waves and gently placed you on the land." The goddess sighed. "I hate owing him favors." She smiled at the bard. "But I guess you’re worth it, my child." Gabrielle blushed at the affection offered by the mighty goddess. Changing her attention back to more serious matters, the goddess looked at Xena. "I wasn’t sure about you, Xena. I have to admit that I had serious misgivings about your ability to see the greater good over your own feelings. I am pleased to see that I was wrong."

"Who were those raiders, Artemis?" Xena asked flatly, ignoring the compliment from the goddess.

"I guess some things don’t change." She sighed, causing a muffled giggle from Gabrielle. Xena gave her lover a look before turning her attention back to Artemis.

"Who were they?"

"Those men belonged to Garath." She watched with satisfaction as Xena’s eyes registered recognition at the name. Turning her gaze to Gabrielle, she explained. "He is a ruthless man. His goal was to capture the Amazon village and sell the girls into slavery. He took you when he saw the battle wasn’t going his way." An evil smile crossed the goddess’ lips. "You should have seen the look on his face when the tidal wave destroyed his ship." The smile left. "Only a fool would think that they could destroy so many of my children and get away with it." Artemis nodded as Xena silently thanked her. "Your work is done here, Gabrielle. You saved my children and my nation. Is there something that I can do for you?"

"No, goddess. I thank you and Poseidon for saving my life." Gabrielle said graciously. Xena smiled at the bard’s humbleness.

"Actually, there is something I can do for you, my child. You two were supposed to be in Hercules’ cabin for four moons. I took you away after only one and a half." Artemis smiled when she saw Gabrielle’s eyes light up. "I believe that I owe you two and a half more moons. I’ll tell you what, you did such a good job, why don’t we make it three? Yes, three moons sounds like enough time."

"I don’t know, Gabrielle. I was going stir crazy after one moon. I don’t know if I can handle three moons."

"I’m sure I can find a way to keep you occupied." The queen said, her eyes twinkling. "There’s still a few things that Hercules had Iolaus buy that I haven’t had a chance to use, er um, I mean, show you." Gabrielle giggled as Xena’s eyebrow arched.

An unusual snowstorm blanketed the mountainside, keeping it under snow cover for an additional moon. Somewhere deep in the hills, a bard was telling a tale to a most willing audience of one.

 

 

The End