Hostage

by B L Miller

part 2

Xena awoke before the first rays of dawn appeared in the morning sky. Without opening her eyes or moving a muscle, she tried to take in her surroundings. The hard surface beneath her told her that she was in a cave. Once certain that there was no threat, she opened her eyes and looked around. A golden mare stood just outside the cave entrance, chewing lazily on the wet grass, but what caught the warlord's attention was the young woman sleeping peacefully on the opposite side of the fire. Without making a sound, Xena crept over and knelt down next to her. She had no recollection of finding anyone after leaving her army. Her blue eyes fell upon the staff laying at the blond woman's side. She picked it up and studied the markings. The well worn wooden weapon bore the markings of Amazon Xena carefully moved the weapon out of reach of the sleeping woman, then sat back on her haunches and to decide what to do. After a few moments, the warlord walked over to the saddlebags and rummaged through them until she found some rope. She bound the sleeping woman's wrists firmly behind her back before rising and grabbing her sword. Xena fought the urge to laugh at how easily she had captured and restrained an Amazon. "Wake up, Amazon." there was no movement. The warlord reached out and placed her boot on the blond's rear, shaking her forcefully. "I said up!" she snarled.

Gabrielle stirred and immediately realized that her hands were tied behind her. She rolled onto her side and saw her best friend looking down at her, sword pointed at her throat. "Xena, what are you doing?" she protested, groggy from being so rudely awakened, not to mention the restraints. Had she focused on the blue eyes boring into her, Gabrielle would have noticed the lack of recognition. Instead, the bard rolled into a sitting position and scowled. "I don't know which lesson you're trying to teach me, Xena, but let me out of this." She shrugged her shoulders to indicate the binding. "And put that sword down."

"Well, you know my name, that's good." She kept the sword leveled at the bard. "Now, who are you and why are we here in this cave?"

"Who am I? Xena, did you hit your head on something?" before Gabrielle could react, the warlord was upon her, shoving her hard back down onto the ground and jabbing at her throat.

"I will not ask again." She snarled. It was then that the bard noticed the look in the warlord's eyes. This was no training game. She swallowed and tried to remain calm.

"G-Gabrielle." she said, dimly aware of the thin line of blood trickling down from her nose.

"That's better. Now, why are you here?"

"W-we travel together. There was a storm...Xena, please?" she croaked, feeling blackness washing over her. The warlord's fingers found her throat and with a painful twisting motion released the pinch. Gabrielle rolled onto her side, partially to ease the pain in her hand and arms from laying on them on the hard ground and partially to keep Xena from seeing the true fear in her eyes.

"How many of you are there? Where are your Amazon friends hiding?"

"There's no one else. I swear. You and I travel together, Xena."

"I don't travel with Amazons." the warlord said flatly, not believing a word of it.

"Well you travel with me." Gabrielle shot back angrily. "If you'd let me loose, I'll prove it to you." she expected perhaps a protest, but certainly not the laughter that burned her ears.

"Nice try, Amazon." Xena said without a trace of humor.

"Look, if you'd just let me get to the saddlebags..." she watched the tall woman rise and walk over the corner where their gear was kept. Gabrielle took the opportunity to roll to a sitting position and raise her knee to wipe the blood from her nose onto the edge of her skirt, grimacing at the memory of feeling the pinch.

Xena opened every flap and searched every compartment, looking for any sign that the Amazon was telling the truth. All she found were medical supplies, a close and spare shift for herself, her cape, and foodstuffs. "And just what is it that I'm supposed to find?" she queried.

"My scrolls." Gabrielle replied, confused. How could Xena miss seeing them?

"No scrolls." she double checked the compartments. "No scrolls, no clothes, nothing that could possibly belong to you."

"That's impossible! All my scrolls? There's nothing?" Gabrielle's mind raced to figure out what was going on, nothing made any sense. Why didn't Xena remember her? Where were all her things? "Xena, listen to me. I know it doesn't make sense, but I'm telling you the truth. We travel together, we have for over two summers now. Please you have to believe me." she pleaded.

Instantly Xena was in front of her, the blue eyes piercing like daggers into her. "I don't have to believe you, Amazon, and I don't believe you."

"Then how do you explain us being in this cave? Xena, please untie me, my wrists are really starting to hurt and I need to make a trip to the woods." she squirmed a bit to make her point. For a moment she feared that Xena would make her suffer but then the warlord reached behind the bard and hoisted her up to her feet roughly.

"No tricks." the tall woman warned as she half-guided, half-dragged the bard out of the cave. Once outside, Xena released her painful grip on the Gabrielle's upper arm and stood there.

"Um..." the bard shifted uncomfortably. "Xena, I can't get my breeches down while my hands are tied. Look, I swear I won't go anywhere." she yelped in surprise when she felt Xena come up behind her and lift her skirt.

"I don't trust you, Amazon. You've lied to me enough already." the warlord said as she hooked her fingers under the thin material of Gabrielle's breeches and pulled them down.

"Xena, I can't do it if you're going to stand there and watch me." she said, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"Then I'd say you have a problem." the warlord said dryly.

"At least turn around." the bard said angrily, the pain in her full bladder overriding her newfound fear of her best friend. In the blink of an eye, Xena's fist flew out, connecting solidly against the side of Gabrielle's jaw, sending her backwards against the side of the cave. The bard tasted the blood in her mouth where her teeth cut her cheek. The warlord's powerful hand gripped her jaw painfully, forcing the bard to look into the stormy blue eyes.

"Never tell me what to do, Amazon." she said through gritted teeth. Gabrielle knew that her face would bear bruises from her best friend's fingertips. She nodded her head slightly in defeat. Xena released her grip and stepped back. Face flushed with embarrassment and fear, Gabrielle squatted down, keeping her eyes focused on the ground ahead and not at the barely controlled violent look on Xena's face. The bard realized that this was not her friend anymore, whatever happened, Xena was back to her warlord ways and the young woman gulped in fear, although she wasn't sure if the fear was for her friend of for herself. She stood back up and waited for Xena to help her get her breeches back up, something that the warlord made no move to do. Rather than asking for help and possibly enraging the raven haired woman again, Gabrielle stepped out of them and silently returned to the cave, followed closely behind by the woman who was still debating what to do with her.

Xena mixed up a cup of tea for herself and sat down on her side of the fire, using the saddle as a backrest. Gabrielle sat on her side, just away from the wall, which was too cold to lean against. The warlord picked up her whetstone and began sharpening her sword, her eyes flitting to the cave entrance every so often to look for signs of more Amazons. With the quiet disturbed only by the sound of stone against steel and the occasional crackle of the fire, Xena tried to piece together what was going on. The last thing she remembered was leaving her army, battered and beaten by the gauntlet of men, but alive. She looked down at her armor. Less than what she normally wore, but still usable. Try as she might, Xena couldn't remember when she had acquired the armor, much less the horse and saddlebags. The saddle she recognized as her own, but other than the cape, cloak, chakram, and her leathers, that was about it. And what of the woman...Gabrielle, she recalled the name, what of her? She didn't appear to be much of a threat, yet she carried an Amazon fighting staff. She claimed to be a friend. While it was true that Xena allowed Amazons into her army from time to time and that they usually were far more capable than their male counterparts, she couldn't imagine this little one being of much use, especially with just a staff. And what of the lies about scrolls? Surely this one was up to no good.

"Um, Xena? Do you think I could have something to drink too?" Gabrielle asked softly, still afraid of the taller woman's violent temper. The bard didn't know what to think about what had happened. All her belongings were gone as well as her scrolls, it just didn't make any sense. She remembered the previous day's storms and the dream she had last night. A soft voice telling her to be strong, to believe in her love for Xena. The Gods, it had to have something to do with them, Gabrielle realized. The warlord ignored her request, continuing to sharpen her sword. The bard stared at the fire. That was the only explanation. The Gods were somehow involved. No doubt Ares, the blond mused. She swallowed, trying to ease her parched throat. "Xena, can I please have some water?"

The warlord stopped sharpening her sword and glared at the Amazon. She rose in one fluid motion and picked up the waterskin. It was full, so there must be a water source nearby. She could afford to spare some water. Xena knelt down in front of the restrained woman and unstopped the skin. "Open up." she squirted some water into Gabrielle's mouth.

"Thank you." the bard said quietly. Xena made no indication of hearing the remark, simply rising, returning to her side of the fire, and resuming her sharpening.

"Where are we?" Xena asked after a few moments.

"About a day south of Minos." she replied. The warlord nodded and continued her sharpening. The information disturbed her. Minos was at least a good three or four quarter-moon journey from where she had left her army. Try as she might, she couldn't come up with anything to fill in the gap. Drugs, that had to be the answer, Xena thought. The Amazon must have drugged her.

Gabrielle noticed the change in Xena's features. The jaw tightened, the eyes narrowed accusingly at her and the muscles in her neck stood out. The warlord rose and went to the saddlebags, searching through the variety of herbs until she found what she was looking for. She pulled out the small pouch of white powder and frowned. Xena had no way knowing how much she had but was convinced that this had to be how the Amazon had managed to get her so far without her knowing being able to recall it. Without looking, she released her chakram. The flying disc of metal clanged off the near wall and sailed just over the top of Gabrielle's head before hitting the far wall and coming back to the warlord. Xena walked over and knelt down in front of the now trembling woman. "You drugged me." she said flatly. "That's why I can't remember anything. What price is the Amazon nation paying for my head these days? Not that I can remember ever striking one of their villages." her blue eyes burned with anger. "Or is it another warlord that you're working for? Perhaps some little village that wants revenge on the Warrior Princess? Tell me, Amazon, what made you think you could possibly capture me?"

"Xena, I didn't-" she was cut off in mid sentence by a strong slap across the face.

"I can't believe a word you say." she stood up and jerked Gabrielle into a standing position, noting the muscles in the shorter woman's biceps. "I'll give you a sporting chance, Amazon." she unhooked her chakram and cleanly cut the hemp holding Gabrielle's wrists together. The bard brought her hands around front, her hands rubbing the raw skin. Xena walked over and picked up the staff, turning it over slowly in her hands before tossing it Gabrielle. The bard caught it easily, her eyes widening in understanding.

"Xena, no, please, you don't want to do this." she pleaded while readying her staff. The warlord had already retrieved her sword and was twirling it around in her hand.

"I don't want revenge on someone who was trying to kill me? Defend yourself, Amazon."

"Don't do this, Xena, I beg you." she backed up toward the mouth of the cave, silently fearing that escape would be impossible.

"Ayiyiyiyi!" the leather clad woman yelled as she somersaulted over Gabrielle to land between her and the exit. "Going somewhere?" she taunted. "Come now, Gabrielle, where's that Amazon spirit?" she lunged forth, sending her sword in an arc toward the bard's right side. Gabrielle brought her staff to a vertical position, barely blocking the blow. She steeped back, readying herself for another attack.

"Xena..." she brought her staff up above her head to block the next blow. It was delivered with such force that the bard's hands stung from the contact. "This...isn't you...please listen to me...it's the gods...please...." she said between parries. Every blow was sending Gabrielle back further into the cave. She continued to defend herself, knowing full well that Xena would never allow her an opening to attack unless it was a setup. What she didn't expect was Xena grabbing and handful of ash from the fire and throwing it in her face. Blinded, Gabrielle was helpless to the leg sweep that followed. In a heartbeat, her staff was out of her hands and Xena's sword was at her throat. Tears filled the bard's green eyes, but not just from the ashes.

"Scared, Amazon?" she taunted, pressing down slightly against the soft skin of the bard's neck with her sword. Gabrielle knew better than to move.

"Y-yes, I don't want to die, Xena." she said softly, her voice cracking with fear.

"You should have thought of that before you tried to kill me." the warlord replied.

"Xena, you don't want to do this." her mind focused on one thought. "Unless you want the entire Amazon nation to come down on you."

"For one warrior? Amazons aren't that stupid. Why would they possibly wage a war with me over you?"

Gabrielle swallowed, the steel of Xena's sword pressing harder against her throat. She said the only thing she could think of to save her life, the one thing she knew better than to reveal to a warlord, any warlord, much less one who needed money to raise a new army. "Because I'm their Queen. If you kill me, they'll never stop hunting you." she felt the pressure against her throat ease slightly. Sensing that Xena was listening, she continued. "Do you really want to be number one on every Amazon's list of people to kill?"

"I'm number one on many people's lists, what difference would a few Amazons make?" she pulled her sword back. "However, perhaps you are worth something to me alive." she said before sending the hilt crashing against the side of Gabrielle's head. "If you are indeed their queen, you are worth something to me. If not, it makes no difference if I kill you now or later." She stood up and walked away from the unconscious form.

Gabrielle awoke to find herself atop Argo, her hands securely tied to the saddlehorn. The pain in her head was a quick reminder of what had happened and she sadly realized that it wasn't a dream. Looking up, she saw that they were approaching the outskirts of Minos. She felt the hard metal of Xena's armor pressing into her back and the evening wind had pushed the warlord's cape forward to rest against both their thighs. The pommel of Xena's sword bounced in rhythm to Argo's steps, pressing against Gabrielle's hip. A quick glance to the side told the young queen that her friend was now wearing her sword on her side again, something she hadn't done in almost two summers.

Eponin and Solari were sitting in the tavern, enjoying the last day of their vacation before returning to the village, both blissfully unaware of the threat to their beloved queen just outside the door.

Xena dismounted and tied Argo to a nearby post. She wasn't planning on staying long. She reached up with her chakram and cut the ropes that held Gabrielle's hands to the saddlehorn. "Down." she commanded. The bard did exactly what she was told. Xena pulled a knife out of her boot and held it close to Gabrielle's neck. "Don't forget that I will kill you without a thought, Amazon."

"I know." she said solemnly. "I know."

When the door to the tavern opened and Gabrielle stepped in, both Eponin and Solari smiled at their good fortune. It had been far too long since they'd seen their friends. Their smiles quickly faded, however, when they saw not only the multitude of bruises and cuts that littered Gabrielle's face but also the knife held so close to her bare abdomen. "Ep, what..."

"Shh." the stout but powerful Amazon replied. She had never seen Xena in a cape before and had to admit that she looked even more powerful and intimidating than usual. Gabrielle stared at them, her eyes betraying a deep fear while Xena's gaze encompassed the entire room before settling at their table. Ahh, I knew she had to have help, the warlord thought to herself as she roughly led Gabrielle to their table. Uncertain as to what exactly was going on but concerned for the safety of their queen, Eponin slipped her knife out of its sheath and held it just below the surface of the table. There was no friendliness in the tall woman's blue eyes, a fact that Eponin found very disconcerting.

"Is she your queen?" Xena demanded, stopping just short of their table.

"Of course, Xena, you know that." Solari replied as she rose to her feet. "Gabrielle, what happened?" she took a step toward the bard and the warlord immediately took a step back, the hand holding the knife wrapping itself around Gabrielle's neck.

"Don't come any closer." Xena warned, her eyes darting from Eponin to Solari and back. "You tell your people that I have her and if you want her back alive it'll cost fifty thousand dinars."

Eponin rose to her feet quickly, sending her chair flying backwards in the process. The tavern quieted immediately as the patrons paid attention to the four women standing in the center of the room. Suddenly everyone remembered somewhere else they had to be at that moment instead of within range of what appeared to be an upcoming fight between a group of Amazons. Only the bartender remained and he was hiding behind the bar, silently wondering why he too didn't find somewhere else to be. Xena tightened her grip on Gabrielle's neck. "Fifty thousand. One dinar less and she dies."

"Xena, I don't know what's going on but there's no way we're going to let you leave with her like this." Solari warned, her own sword coming out of its scabbard. Eponin did likewise, switching her knife to her left hand pulling her own sword out with her right.

"Xena, listen to me. Gabrielle is your friend. You don't want to do this." the stocky Amazon said, her eyes darting from the frightened green of her queen to the ice blue of what was apparently now her captor. Eponin took a step forward, her brown eyes focused on the knife at Gabrielle's neck.

"Lies, all lies!" the warlord snarled. "I knew I'd find Amazons here. Waiting for a report on the status of your prisoner? A great capture for the Amazon Nation, huh? The bounty must be pretty high for you to stupidly risk your queen's life. Did you think I wouldn't escape?"

"Xena, I don't know what happened but this isn't you. You and Gabrielle are best friends. Please, put the knife down and we'll talk. You can come back to the village and have Saras look at you, perhaps you hit your head on something..."

"Quiet!" the warlord growled at Solari. "I know what the white powder can do and I know how you tried to use it to keep me from escaping. That's all over now. I'm the one giving the orders, not your precious little queen." she jerked the knife slightly for emphasis. "Fifty thousand."

"I can't let you leave with her." Eponin said, taking another step closer, her own adrenaline racing. Gabrielle's eyes were wide with fear. It was obvious to the Amazons that whatever was going on, their queen was in grave danger.

"Who's going to stop me, you?" she sneered. Solari tried to circle around behind Xena, but the warlord was having none of that. Before the tall Amazon could react, the knife that was at Gabrielle's throat flew through the air, imbedding itself deep into Solari's bicep. Eponin made a split heartbeat decision and charged at the warlord. Unable to wield her sword and keep her grip on Gabrielle, Xena released her grip on the bard's neck and reached down, striking a pressure point on the young woman's upper thigh. With her hostage incapacitated, Xena shoved her to the ground and leveled her sword at Eponin. "Wanna play, Amazon?" she taunted, twirling her sword in preparation of the battle. Unable to use her right leg, Gabrielle started to drag herself across the floor. Solari took advantage of Xena's preoccupation with Eponin to reach down with her good arm and help pull Gabrielle out of the way. Together they worked to release the pressure point while the stocky Amazon kept Xena engaged.

One by one the tables and chairs of the tavern found themselves tossed about as the two sword-wielding women made room to maneuver. Having sparred many times with the raven haired woman, Eponin knew well Xena's style of attack. The warrior she knew left little if any opening and she hoped that the crazed woman in front of her now was more prone to carelessness, although deep inside she doubted it. Xena brought her sword down, connecting solidly with the Amazon's, and the fight was on.

Solari's arm was covered with blood dripping from her wound, yet she paid no attention, her primary concern at the moment was getting her queen out of danger and then helping her friend and Amazon sister. Although her leg screamed from the after effects of the pinch, Gabrielle forced herself to her feet, leaning on Solari for support. "Come on, Gabrielle, we have to get you out of here."

"No, I can't." the bard replied. "I can't leave Xena like this. I can't let her become a warlord again."

"What?" Solari said incredulously. "You can't be serious. Gabrielle, look at you. You look like she used you for punching practice and she wants to hold you for ransom. How can you even think of staying with her?" the sound of sword against sword continued to ring throughout the tavern as the two skilled fighters continued to exchange blows, neither able to land anything significant on the other. Although Xena had the height and strength advantage, Eponin had the advantage of knowing the raven haired woman's style of attack and used it to keep herself alive.

"Solari, what do you think will happen to the Amazon nation if I escape now? Xena thinks the Amazons tried to kidnap her and sell her off to another warlord for the bounty. Do you think she's just going to ignore that?"

"It doesn't matter, Gabrielle. What's important is keeping you safe and alive."

"No!" the bard said. "My safety isn't what's at stake here. It's the safety of the entire nation. If I escape, she'll declare war on the Amazons. How much more blood would be spilled then?"

"Gabrielle, listen to me. This isn't your Xena we're talking about here. Whatever's going on, she's a warlord again. You can't change her and you can't stop her. Please, come back to the village. We can organize a group of warriors to go after her and bring her back. Maybe Saras can help."

"There's nothing that a healer can do for her, Solari. What's happened to her has to be the work of the gods."

Although a fierce warrior in her own right, Eponin could only stand up so long against Xena's continued onslaught. The warlord showed no signs of wearing down and in fact was grinning as she continued to rain down blow after blow on the stocky Amazon. Solari retrieved her sword and moved in to assist Eponin, hoping that they together might be able to subdue the warlord. Gabrielle hobbled over to the corner and retrieved a mop, using her foot to break the head off and create a makeshift staff. As good as Xena was at fighting, having two well trained Amazons facing her made it more difficult that she would have liked. Unlike most men she faced, these two women kept their distance from her, neither trying to press an attack nor were they falling for her false openings. It was time for new tactics. With a blood-curdling cry, Xena somersaulted through the air, landing on one of the still upright tables. Before Eponin could react, she found her chin colliding with the well-placed heel of Xena's boot, sending her down to the floor, dazed and groggy.

Gabrielle knew she had to do something. Both Amazons were injured and no longer in any shape to face the barely sweating Xena. She looked at the fireplace and knew what she had to do. Eponin was on her back, rolling to avoid the warlord's blows that alternated between her and Solari, who was rapidly growing weaker from the loss of blood. Gabrielle moved in close, keeping one hand on her makeshift staff and the other tightly closed around a handful of ash. "Xena! You want me, come get me!"

"I thought you didn't want to die, Gabrielle." Xena said, taking a step toward her. Eponin seized the advantage offered her by the queen's distraction and threw her sword at the warlord, praying to Artemis to make her aim true. The blade struck Xena in the right thigh, just above the knee, slicing a clean gash that although not deep enough to do any damage to the muscle would still require stitches. The desperate move also left the stocky Amazon with nothing more that her knife for protection. Gabrielle chose that moment to open her hand and throw the ash into Xena's face.

"Run!" the bard yelled, wrapping both hands around the mop handle and positioning herself between Xena and the Amazons. Solari helped Eponin to her feet but neither moved toward the exit. Without taking her eyes off the temporarily blinded warlord, Gabrielle yelled at them again to escape.

"Not without you!" Eponin said, taking Solari's sword from her and preparing to engage Xena again.

"If you don't leave she'll kill you! Run! Tell Ephiny not to worry about me!" the ash didn't blind Xena as much as Gabrielle had hoped and she quickly found herself on the defensive. Fortunately, the thigh wound kept Xena from doing any acrobatics that would have allowed her to get to the wounded Amazons. "Go!" Gabrielle shouted as she parried another blow designed to force her back closer to Eponin and Solari. The two Amazon warriors desperately wanted to stay and protect their queen but understood the importance of her command. Beaten and wounded, they stood no chance against the angry warlord and someone had to warn Ephiny about what had happened, not that they really understood themselves. Against their training as Amazon warriors and against their better judgment, Eponin and Solari followed their queen's order and backed up toward the door.

"How will we know where to deliver the ransom?" Solari said through clenched teeth, her bloody arm now throbbing painfully. Eponin was still hoping against hope for an opening to disable Xena and rescue Gabrielle. The warlord's sword came down at just the right angle and snapped the wooden mop handle in two. At the same time Eponin lunged forward, Xena reached down and in one fluid motion, unhooked and released her chakram. The usual element of surprise was lost on the Amazon, who was well aware of the weapon and had been waiting for Xena to use it. Eponin brought her sword up in front of her body at just the right moment, deflecting the chakram away from her throat and her probable death. Unfortunately, the ricocheting weapon sliced downward, slicing through her upper left thigh at an angle almost parallel to the bone. Now out of energy, the chakram clanged to the ground and skidded to a halt near the far wall. Xena was done toying around with them. One quick movement of her own bloodied leg and she brought Gabrielle to the ground, her sword at the bard's throat in much the same fashion as she had done in the cave. For several breaths, no one moved or made a sound.

"At the northern edge of your lands, near the hunting grounds. There's a field there, a place where your archers can't reach from the trees. Have the ransom there in six days. Have it loaded on a chariot and make sure the horses of your best Amazon bred stock. I'll know if they aren't." she warned. "If I see one Amazon, I'll kill your precious queen without a thought." she hauled Gabrielle up to her feet, keeping one arm wrapped around the bard's neck. "Now get out of my way."

Xena rode hard, pushing Argo more than she ever would under normal circumstances. Her leg throbbed painfully but she didn't dare stop until she was certain she couldn't be found by the Amazons. The site she finally settled on was a good half-candlemark from the road. It afforded her a clear view of the surrounding area, was easily defendable, and also had a small pond for water and bathing. The warlord chuckled to herself as she dismounted. At best she was only six candlemarks from the edge of the Amazon lands yet was certain that they would think her much further away. It was the perfect place to hide and care for her injury. Despite the tightly wound bandage, Xena's blood seeped through and covered not only her leg but also Argo's right side. She dismounted, leaving Gabrielle tied to the saddle horn.

Gabrielle looked down at her with the one eye that wasn't swollen shut. No matter how hard she tried to hold back the tears, they still continued to flow. In all the time she had been with Xena, she never once feared for her life from her. Today was a different matter altogether. This wasn't her Xena, the one that held her when she was scared, that taught her how to fish and make fires and scout and handle her staff. That wasn't the woman she was with now. This Xena was cold, calculating, short with the temper and quick with the fist. This woman scared Gabrielle, scared her more than when Draco had tried to enslave her so long ago.

Xena pulled the needle and thread out of the saddlebag and looked at her bloody bandage. The sword wound was in the back of her thigh, an area most difficult for her to reach. She pressed down on a pressure point to lessen the bleeding and removed the bandage. The dim light of dusk and the position made it hard for her to see the gash, much less stitch it.

"If you let me down, I'll help you." Gabrielle said quietly, uncertain if she should offer but unable to do otherwise. No matter how she was acting, Xena was still her best friend. The warlord looked up at her and contemplated the offer. They were certainly far enough away from civilization that any thoughts of escape weren't possible. She reached back one more time to see if she could do it herself.

Gabrielle trembled slightly when she saw Xena rise and head towards her, knife in hand. The warlord reached up and rested the blade on the rope. "No tricks." she warned. The bard nodded silently and waited for the bindings to be cut before sliding down from the saddle.

"Um...we'll need a fire for light." Gabrielle said cautiously. Xena said nothing but limped over and picked up a thick branch from the ground before heading back to where she had been sitting before the Amazon spoke. She reached into the saddlebag and removed her flint. Within moments she made a torch that would provide enough light for the blond to work with. Gabrielle knelt down next to her and reached for the torch.

"No. I'll hold it." Xena said firmly. The bard nodded and waited for the dark haired woman to roll onto her stomach. Gabrielle inhaled sharply when she saw just how deep Eponin's blade had gone. She felt Xena tense up at the first touch of the needle against her skin. With gentle, loving hands, Gabrielle began making the series of small, tight stitches and felt the muscles beneath her relax. She remembered back to the last time she had to stitch Xena up. It was after another fight in a tavern, only that time the leather clad woman was trying to defend her honor from a smelly behemoth of a man who thought the Amazon was available for his pleasure. The memory made Gabrielle smile and she was grateful that Xena couldn't see her face. "You're very gentle, Amazon. Are you a healer as well as a queen?" there was no sarcasm or threat in the warlord's tone, just curiosity.

"No, I'm no healer, Xena. I'm a bard." she replied as she pushed the needle through again.

"Then tell me a story." the warlord prompted.

"Okay..." came the surprised and slightly pleased reply. Even though it was an order and not a question, Gabrielle was still happy that Xena wanted to hear a story. She thought carefully about which tale she wanted to tell. Obviously anything they had been through was out of the question as were any stories about Hercules. She took a deep breath and wet her lips. "Once upon a time there was a great hunter who dared to hunt on sacred ground...." she proceeded to tell Xena the story she had once told the leader of the Minatoan army, trying hard not to think about how close she had come to death at that temple in Thessaly. Xena listened intently, the soft words drawing her in and blocking out the pain of her wound. Gabrielle drew the story to a close at the same time as she finished applying the fresh bandage. Xena rolled over and looked at her in the torchlight.

"Why?" she held the torch up to see Gabrielle's face. "I'm holding you for ransom, I've tried to kill you and your friends, yet you still helped me. I ask again, why?"

Gabrielle took a deep breath and thought carefully before answering. "I lost a dear friend recently, someone who meant more to me than anyone else in the world. I didn't do this for you, I did it for her."

"I'm not your friend."

"I know." the bard replied, trying to keep the sadness out of her voice. She shivered slightly in the cool night air. Xena stood up.

"Can you cook?"

"Yes."

"Fine." the warlord looked around, pleased with the amount of branches and fallen wood she saw. Within moments she had a small but warm fire going. Gabrielle reached for the saddlebag to get their foodstuffs but then stopped and looked expectantly at Xena, waiting for permission. The warlord nodded and watched as Gabrielle pulled the different items out of the saddlebag and poured some herbs into the pot for tea.

"I need to go get water for the tea." the bard said, not wanting to make any move that might upset the warlord, who seemed to be rather calm at the moment.

"I'll get it." Xena replied, walking over and taking the pot. She looked at the amount of herbs and frowned. "Is that all there is?"

"No, but there's enough in there for your tea." the bard replied. So unsure of what would set the leather clad woman off, Gabrielle was afraid to assume she could have a cup as well and thus only put enough in for Xena.

"Give it to me." she took the pouch of herbs from the bard and added more than enough to the pot for both of them.

Ephiny was awakened by the frantic pounding on her door. "Come." she said groggily, rising to her feet and reaching for her clothes. Ilanna, Ephiny's assigned guard, entered and began rapidly trying to explain what was going on. Ilanna joined the Amazon nation during her twenty-first summer after having escaped a slave ship from Egypt. Now four summers later, her Greek had improved to a point where she was easily understood despite her thick accent. Easily understood, that is, when she spoke slowly. At the moment however, the only words that Ephiny could understand were Eponin, Solari, and Saras. The mention of the healer's name in the same sentence as her closest friends struck a chord of fear deep into her heart. "Ilanna...Ilanna calm down." the blond Amazon said, reaching out and putting her hands on the copper toned woman's shoulders. "What happened?"

Ephiny entered the healer's hut reluctantly. The report she wrangled out of her near hysterical guard told her little save that her two friends had been attacked in Minos and that Eponin had been hurt so bad that she had to be carried in on a travois. Now in Saras' hut, Ephiny saw that the words hadn't been exaggerated. Saras and one of her assistants were working feverishly to stitch the deep gash that threatened to drain all of her friend's life blood. Eponin was unconscious, something that the regent thought must have been a blessing considering the severity of the wound. Solari lay on the other bed, her upper arm heavily bandaged. Ephiny didn't need to see the wound to know it must have been a hades of a fight. Solari's clothes were covered in blood and the blond ruler silently prayed it didn't all belong to her Amazons. She sat down on the edge of Solari's bed.

"How's Ep?" the tall, dark haired warrior asked quietly. The healer in Minos did little to help them, merely wrapping the wounds tightly with bandages and telling them to return to their village for treatment. Minos was the closest village to the Amazon lands, slightly more than four candlemarks away, yet there were still people there who resented the strong and independent tribe of women. Unfortunately for Eponin and Solari, the healer of Minos was one of those people.

"They're still working on her." Ephiny replied, casting a glance over at the other bed. Saras called for more water, bandages, and thread. That was not a good sign. If there was one thing the Amazon healer was known for it was her tendency to always have more supplies at her side than she needed. To have her call for more meant that the wound was far worse than she had anticipated. Ephiny looked back at Solari. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Solari licked her lips nervously. "We were sitting in the tavern and Xena and Gabrielle came in." she watched Ephiny's eyes light up at the mention of her friends' names. Solari swallowed hard, knowing that the blond Amazon wouldn't like what came next. "Eph, Xena's changed. She's a warlord again." the look of surprise turned to a look of confusion.

"No, that can't be." she said incredulously. "There must be some mistake. What did Gabrielle say?"

"Gabrielle couldn't say much. She's being held hostage." Solari replied.

"Hos-no, that's not possible. By Xena?" Ephiny shook her head in disbelief.

"Yes, Eph. By Xena. She's demanding fifty thousand dinars for Gabrielle's safe return." she looked over at the other bed where her best friend was being tended to. "Xena did this to us." the dark haired Amazon said angrily.

"Where's Gabrielle? You didn't leave her with Xena, did you?" Ephiny asked worriedly. If the leather clad warrior was out of control, there was no telling what she would do to her.

"We had no choice, she ordered us to leave and warn you." she debated for a moment before continuing. "She fought Xena to try and protect us." Solari decided to keep the knowledge of their queen's appearance to herself. Telling Ephiny about the signs of physical abuse would only get her more upset. "Xena's demanded the money be placed in the middle of the old field on the northern edge of our lands. She said that if there was any sign of Amazons that she'd kill Gabrielle without a thought." the dark haired warrior looked over at her bandaged shoulder. "Ephiny, I believe her. There was nothing in her eyes but anger and rage." Solari said. Saras came over and placed a hand on Ephiny's shoulder.

"She needs to rest. Come, I want to talk to you." the healer said. Ephiny nodded and followed her out of the hut, Ilanna close behind.

Saras walked away from the hut, not stopping until she reached the large series of adjoining huts that made up the royal palace. Ephiny nodded and led her inside and to the large conference room. Although there no one else was around, Saras spoke quietly. "They both lost a great deal of blood. Eponin's wound should have been stitched up immediately." her words carried with them a bitter tone of anger. "I believe both will recover...." she hesitated, clearly wanting to say more.

"What? There's something you're not telling me." Ephiny said in her most authoritative tone.

"It...it's too early to tell, but I fear that some of the injuries will have permanent ramifications. The wounds were quite deep and the damage extensive. The muscles in Eponin's leg were almost completely severed."

Ephiny closed her eyes at the painful news. Fear for her friends, fear for Gabrielle, and even fear for the world in general if Xena was truly a warlord again filled her. "And Solari?"

"I'm more optimistic about her. Her injury was apparently made by a sword and not Xena's chakram. She's complaining of numbness in her fingers. Perhaps the feeling will return when she heals. The body is a mysterious thing, Ephiny. Miracles happen. We'll pray to Artemis for them."

Saras left to tend to her charges. Ilanna sat down at the table next to Ephiny. "What are you going to do?" the Carmelite Amazon asked. Ephiny rubbed her eyes, darkened from lack of sleep.

"I don't know, this just doesn't make any sense." she set her hands on the table and leaned back in her chair. "I know Xena's pretended to be a warlord again before, but this...this is totally different. Holding Gabrielle hostage, demanding a ransom, attacking two of our finest warriors? Ilanna, we can't afford for Xena to go back to her old ways. In the battle of Corinth she destroyed half the Centaur army before pulling out. Right now she can still be stopped. Without an army by her side, our warriors can defeat her."

"Then why haven't you dispatched a group of them to find her yet?" Ilanna asked the obvious question. "Surely you don't intend to pay the ransom, do you?" the pause she received concerned the royal guard. "Ephiny, she attacked two Amazons and is holding the queen hostage. How can you stand by and not do something about it? Xena must be captured and punished for her crimes, you know that."

"I know." Ephiny growled, standing up and walking over to the wall covered with ceremonial masks. "This isn't some nameless warlord we're talking about. This is Xena, a person I'm proud to call friend."

"In light of what's happened perhaps you should rethink that, Ephiny."

The blond Amazon turned around quickly, anger evident on her face. "This is the woman who delivered my son. The woman who saved us from a war with the Centaurs and helped us create a peace with them that we've never seen before. The woman that risked her own life to protect Gabrielle AND the village from Velasca. How can I turn my back on her now?" she put her hands on the back of the chair and leaned against it.

"I know you don't want to hear this, Ephiny, but this is also the woman that burned villages to the ground, killed countless men, women, and children, and at this moment is holding the leader of the Amazon nation as prisoner. What choice do you have?"

"I have the choice not to hunt her down like a dog." the regent exclaimed. "I don't know what happened, but somehow we have to get Gabrielle back to us safely AND do it without killing Xena."

"That may not be an option anymore, Ephiny. The whole village knows by now what happened to Solari and Eponin. How are you going to answer their calls for Xena's blood?"

The blond ruler bowed her head. "I don't know, Ilanna. I just don't know. I can't believe that Xena willingly would do all this. I wish there was a way to talk to Gabrielle and find out what's going on."

"If Gabrielle is still alive, Eph. Who knows what Xena did to her after Solari and Ep escaped." Ilanna said, regretting it instantly when she saw the look on Ephiny's face. She realized that she had made her point, but wondered if the cost was worth it. The blond ruler walked back over to the wall and stared at the masks of her foremothers as if she could draw strength from them. For several moments she said nothing. When she did speak, her words were laced with regret and pain.

"Find out from Solari when the exchange is supposed to take place. Then collect the best warrior and archers and have them make preparations."

"Right away." Ilanna headed for the door.

"Ilanna, I want it made clear that under no circumstances is anyone to try and take justice into their own hands. Xena is to be captured, not killed." Ephiny spoke in the tone reserved for official declarations and her body language made it clear that her words were not to be taken lightly.

"What if Xena leaves them no choice?"

"Let's try not to put her in that position, shall we? Remember that she and Gabrielle have a special bond together. You weren't there in the Hall of Ambrosia, you didn't see how they looked at each other when Xena was in that sarcophagus and opened her eyes. I did. How do you think our queen would feel if her own people killed the woman she loves?"

"If it was to save her life, I think she'd understand."

"That's because you don't know Gabrielle like I do." Ephiny said simply. She sighed and ran her fingers through her curly blond hair. "You have your orders, Ilanna." she waited for the dark Amazon to leave and returned to studying the masks and trying to ignore the pounding pain behind her eyes.

Athena knew something was wrong the instant she entered her realm and saw the table with the miniature version of Athens there. She hesitantly walked over to it, not looking forward at all to seeing what her sister thought of the latest events. She looked over the scaled down city, frowning at was she saw. Both the Acropolis and the Parthenon were destroyed as were all the statues devoted to her. "Tsk tsk tsk."

The Goddess of Wisdom turned to see Ares standing there, a self-satisfied grin on his face. He sauntered over to the table and casually glanced at the damage. "It seems that our dear Artemis is a bit upset with you."

"I still believe that their love will persevere." she said, not at all trusting her brother.

"Yes, well, believe what you want, Athena. Let me ask you this, do you think the Athenian army could withstand an attack from the Amazons?" he put two fingers down on the table and walked them through the streets of the city. "Hmm?"

"There won't be an attack on Athens by the Amazons, Ares. Even if Xena fails, Artemis isn't so mean spirited as to attack an innocent city." she said confidently, even though inside she feared exactly that. The Athenian army was good, but if the entire Amazon nation descended upon her beloved city, she didn't know if it could survive.

"Are you willing to take that chance?" he twirled one finger through the dust that once was a miniature statue of Athena. "I can have an army surround Athens in the blink of an eye, just say the word."

"No, Ares. We have an agreement."

"Ah yes, that little brat's life, I remember. Tell me, though..." he waved his hand over her scrying bowl, filling it with the vision of Gabrielle's battered face. "Already Xena has shown that she has no problem smacking that little queen around. Do you really think that Gabrielle will forgive her? Or trust her again?" he smiled at the concerned look on Athena's face. "You see, I win either way. If Xena fails, she comes back to me and returns to her rightful position at my side while Artemis sends her Amazons down on your city. Now your army may be able to defend Athens, perhaps even defeat those harlots. But what about the next army? And the one after that? Can your army protect Athens then? When Xena returns to me, I'll give her the biggest, most fearsome army the world has ever known. Just guess what the first city they'll attack will be." he grinned evilly. "If by some chance Xena passes this little challenge...well, can you see Gabrielle staying with her after all she's been through? The poor dear. Why, I wouldn't be surprised if she decides to stay with the Amazons. What will Xena do then? Why, without someone there to guide her, she'll fall back into my fold in a matter of days. So you see, either way I get Xena back and Athens falls."

"You bastard! You had this planned all along, didn't you?" she seethed. "I knew you were desperate to get Xena back but that was just the precursor, wasn't it? Your real goal was to destroy Athens." she said angrily, furious at being duped by his deceit and treachery.

"Let's not forget about the Amazons." he stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I just don't which I want to destroy first, your city or Artemis' precious harlots. Ah well, makes no difference. They'll both be crushed soon enough." he smirked in a most annoying fashion at his sister. "You know, for the Goddess of Wisdom, it sure took you long enough to figure it out." his laughter grew louder, echoing off the walls of her realm as he disappeared.

Athena walked over to her scrying bowl and looked down at the image. "Oh Gabrielle, I hope I haven't overestimated your love for her. Without you, there'll be no way to stop Ares from controlling her again and if that happens...." she couldn't finish her sentence, the thought of the Destroyer of Nations returning to the God of War was just too horrid. "Be strong, Gabrielle, be strong."

Xena sipped her tea and stared at the sleeping woman. In the light of early morning, the purple bruise that surrounded Gabrielle's eye stood out in sharp contrast to the rest of her face, save for the other bruises around her mouth and jaw. The warlord felt a tinge of regret for her treatment of the prisoner, especially after the way the young woman had so carefully stitched up her thigh the night before. There was something almost loving in the way Gabrielle had touched her. Xena shook her head. It made no sense. She had beaten the woman, attacked her compatriots, held her for ransom, even tried to kill her. Yet Gabrielle still tended to her wounds and spoke to her as if she were a friend. Xena rose and pulled some herbs out of her saddlebag, mixing them together in the pot and adding water from the skin. She set it on the fire to boil, then grabbed the soap and walked over to Argo. Gabrielle had unsaddled the horse last night, but it was too dark then to wash the blood off. Now in the light of day, Xena led Argo to the edge of the pond and began to gently clean her. After she finished, the warlord returned to the campsite and untied the sleeping woman. Xena finished her now cold cup of tea and waited for the blond woman to wake up.

For a moment, the bard forgot that she was being held hostage until she went to rub the sleep out of her eyes and felt the pain of her shiner and the rawness of her wrists. Now remembering the recent events, Gabrielle sat up and looked at Xena, trying to gauge her mood. The dark haired woman poured the hot liquid from the pot into a cup and handed it to her. "Drink this, it'll help ease the swelling." Gabrielle looked at the cup warily, unsure of its contents. Xena noticed and frowned. "It's not poison, Amazon. Drink." the bard drank it down as quickly as she could, not wanting to anger her captor and face the possibility of another attack. She was relieved when she recognized the different herbs in the drink as being helpful instead of harmful.

"Thank you." Gabrielle said as she set the empty cup down. The warlord grunted and started to pack up her bedroll and gear.

"We have to keep moving to avoid any rescue attempts." she looked at the mountain range in the distance, a good day's ride away. She knew the area well, having traveled through it several times over the summers with her army. Xena recalled several large caverns and caves that were easily camouflage and would make good hiding places for her until it was time to collect the ransom. She remembered a small village nearby that would serve as a good place to get more supplies. Even if the Amazons questioned people in the village and someone mentioned seeing her, there was still no way the women warriors would find her or their queen in the vast maze of caverns that cut through the mountain. She gave Gabrielle time to make a trip to the woods and to eat a meager breakfast before hoisting her onto Argo. Xena thought about tying the young woman's hands to the saddle horn again, but decided that it wasn't necessary. Besides, she was running out of rope and needed to conserve as much of it as she could. She fastened her scabbard to her hip and put on her cape before climbing up behind the blond and sending the horse into motion.

Xena kept to the road, her eyes searching constantly for any signs of Amazons. She knew better than to get caught within the forest. The women warriors were experts on using the trees to their advantage and the warlord wanted the odds to be in her favor, not theirs. Gabrielle sat quietly in front of her, well aware of the arm encircling her waist and the thighs pressed up against hers. Xena had never sat so close to her before and the contact of skin against skin flared up hidden feelings within the bard. With the silence, Gabrielle could pretend that it was her Xena that was touching her, that there was no danger or threat, that it was just the two of them riding along the countryside as they had done so many times before. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the warm hand against her belly, the soft muscular thighs touching hers, the feel of the woman she loved against her. There were so many times that Gabrielle had longed to tell Xena of her true feelings, of her need and desire. Sadly she realized that she might never get the chance. Whatever reason the gods had for doing this, she had lost her Xena, possibly forever. Her musings were interrupted by Xena's hand abruptly leaving her abdomen and pulling hard on the reins.

Standing in the road in front of them were seven well armed men, all leering at them. "Hello boys." Xena drawled.

"Looks like we might just have some fun today after all." the largest man said to the rest of his group as he rubbed his crotch suggestively. "Come on down off the horse ladies."

"I'll make it easy for you...you can move to the side and let us pass or you can spend the rest of the day picking up your guts from the ground. The choice is yours." Xena pulled the side of her cape back to reveal her sword and scabbard.

"Ooh, girlie has a sword." he jeered, causing the rest of the men to laugh uproariously. Gabrielle knew without turning around that Xena was grinning at the underestimation of her ability to handle her weapon. "You really think that you can handle all of us?"

"Do you really want to find out?" she dismounted and stood in front of Argo, sword drawn. Gabrielle reached down and pulled her staff out of the saddlebag, assembling it quickly. The seven men moved to try and encircle them as the bard climbed down and readied her staff for defense. The leader and two others charged at Xena while two tried for Gabrielle and two headed for Argo. A large strong horse like that would either fetch a good price in the village or make several meals for them. Just as the leader reached Xena, she let out a piercing yell and swung her sword out to meet his.

Gabrielle swung her staff with ease, quickly pulling the legs out from under one of them and swinging it back to catch the other one in the midsection. Argo danced in circles, keeping her reins out of reach of the two frustrated men. "Dammit, stand still." one of them yelled. This horse would never make it to market, he decided as he drew his sword. Xena heard the blade being removed from its sheath and without looking released her chakram. It careened off his head and ricocheted into a nearby tree, the wood weakened by parasites living within the tall cypress. Xena frowned at the momentary loss of her weapon. The distraction almost cost her dearly as the leader swung his sword in a vicious arc. She brought her sword up at the last heartbeat to block the blow. With her attention divided between the three men in front of her, the warlord couldn't see the one man give up on catching the horse and concentrate on slipping up behind her. Gabrielle knocked out the last of her attackers just in time to see the man heading for the otherwise occupied Xena. "Behind you!" she yelled. Without looking, the dark haired woman brought her foot back and connected with his chest, sending him sprawling to the ground. Within moments it was over. Four of the men were dead, the other three unconscious. Xena walked over to the leader and untied the wineskin from his belt. She opened the stopper and sniffed it carefully before taking a sip. Satisfied, she tied it to the saddlehorn and retrieved her chakram from the tree. When she returned to Argo's side, she found that Gabrielle had already disassembled her staff and put it back in the saddlebag.

"Do you always help those that are holding you captive?" Xena asked as she helped Gabrielle up before climbing up behind her. The bard thought carefully before answering.

"I'd rather be your prisoner than theirs."

"Don't be too sure about that, Amazon." the warlord said before wrapping her arm around Gabrielle's waist and sending Argo into motion.

Ephiny walked onto the field to survey the preparations. One team was busy using flat edged spades to cut squares in the grass as long as an average warrior was tall. Another group was carefully pulling away the patch of grass so a third group could move in with shovels and dig out pits for the archers to hide in. On the edge of the field, an assembly line of women were busy making box frames to set inside the pits with hinged roofs to attach the grass to. If everything worked out correctly, three dozen archers would be hidden in the pits, which were set in a circular pattern around the center of the field. The blond ruler walked up behind Ilanna, who was supervising the operation. "Are you sure she won't see the pits?"

"No, great care will be given to groom the field so the cut lines aren't visible. We're lucky that the grass is as tall as it is. That will help to conceal them." Ilanna replied. "By the time she realizes that they're there, it will be far too late for her to escape. Ephiny nodded in understanding.

"Where will the scouts be positioned?"

"There'll be four in the trees on the road and six others throughout the nearby forest in case she tries to sneak past them."

"No, there'll be no need for them. She has Gabrielle as a shield. There's no reason for her to hide. She'll know that we're watching her." Ephiny took the map from Ilanna and noted the positions of the scouts. "Move these two over here, they'll be able further down the road. Which pits will also hold warriors?"

"Every third one will also contain a warrior." the ebony guard explained.

"No, you're underestimating her. Ilanna, her arm was dislocated and her solution was to bash her shoulder against a rock wall to put it back in place. Twelve warriors, even with archers as backups, won't be able to handle her if she gets into a rage. I've only seen her in a real battle once, against Krykus, but I've heard stories about her exploits from Gabrielle." Ephiny remembered a story she was told about Xena being in a prison and jerking the chains free with just her brute strength. "I have to go see the smithy. Make those changes and meet me at Saras' hut. I'll see Solari and Eponin when I'm through."

Gryne was hard at work in her shop forging a new sword for Eponin when Ephiny arrived. Her grey hair was cut less than the width of a finger away from her head. Her powerful forearms, broad, muscular chest, and larger than average height made her the perfect blacksmith for the village. She did more than just fashion blades and arrows, Gryne was also an accomplished sculptor with granite and had assisted in the repairs to Artemis' temple after Velasca's rampage desecrated it. If anyone could handle the task Ephiny was about to give, it would be Gryne.

She looked up from her task and smiled at the blond ruler. "What can I do for you today, Ephiny?"

"I need you to fashion manacles and chains so strong that Hercules himself couldn't break them. They must be linked to granite slabs so heavy that ten Amazons couldn't lift them." she stopped, momentarily alarmed by her own coldness toward a woman that she called friend. Gryne set the blade back in the coals, sending hot ash rising skyward. Ephiny looked at the orange glow that quickly worked its way up the metal and remembered why the sword was being made in the first place. Eponin's sword had been given to her by her mother, passed down six generations from mother to daughter. It was her friend's prized possession. She made a mental note to send someone to Minos to try and locate the weapon, despite the knowledge that a sword of that quality and craftsmanship was most likely long gone. Ephiny took a deep breath and pushed all thoughts of friendship aside. She didn't need to hold Xena, the warrior friend of the queen, she needed to keep the animal that attacked her friends and was holding Gabrielle hostage from escaping. When she looked at Gryne again, Ephiny's jaw was set, her eyes narrowed with intensity. "I want you to make sure that Xena won't be able to escape, no matter what."

Gryne nodded grimly. She had been thinking all morning about what happened to Eponin and Solari. "She won't escape, Ephiny. I swear to Artemis." the smithy said firmly.

Saras met the blond ruler at the door of the hut and filled her in on both women's conditions. Solari was alert and doing much better, reporting tingling feelings in her fingers, a sure sign of healing. Eponin was not as lucky. The strong, quiet warrior had been reduced to tears several times from the intense pain caused by the chakram wound. Saras gave her as much pain medicine as she dared and it didn't seem to even touch the agony the stocky Amazon was in. Eponin was talking out of her head when Ephiny entered. The blond woman wanted to stay and be there for her friend but there were too many matters that had to be attended to first. She pressed Solari for every detail of their meeting with Xena, urging her to hold nothing back. At first the tall dark haired Amazon was reluctant to tell her everything, especially the condition of Gabrielle's face. But the more she talked about what happened and the more she listened to her friend crying out in pain, the more angry Solari became. She held nothing back, not even when she saw Ephiny visibly wince at some of her more graphic descriptions. The dark haired Amazon made every detail excruciatingly clear to the blond ruler. By the time Ephiny left the healer's hut, she was convinced that she had been right to insist on the extra warriors and restraints. She swore to Artemis that she would capture Xena or die trying.

Continued in Part Three

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