Chapter Five
Messina and Home
The day passed uneventful but still everyone was uneasy, they all were scanning the horizon looking for the tell-tale red-sailed ships of the Roman navy. But no ships were sighted until just before dusk, explained by the relieved Captain Santilla that they had been off the main trading routes. Luckily, the ship was not a Roman warship, but a Roman trading ship Santilla recognized as one that regularly traveled between Napoli and Messina.
The next morning more ships were sighted: some Greek, some Roman, and some from Egypt, returning home after delivering wheat needed to help feed the teeming Roman citizenry. All were funneling into the Strait of Messina, loaded down with goods to be traded in their home ports. But they all stopped at Messina to restock before traveling on; to trade; to provide relief and respite for the crew; or to renew alliances with traders from other countries.
And there were the Roman warships, there to keep the peace and to ferret out "pirates and spies." But the Poseidon was able to pass through the strait and make its way to the docks of Messina unhindered.
"How long are we staying?" a nervous Gabrielle asked.
"Not long," Santilla replied. "A day, maybe two. I need to find sailors to fill out the crew. It's been too hard on them, as I'm sure you know."
"But what about being stopped, and boarded, and arrested as pirates?"
"The farther we get from Italia, the less we need to worry about. Plus there will be other ships, so the odds are with us."
Gabrielle still wasn't convinced there was nothing to worry about, and she only left the ship twice to eat a hot meal at a tavern, then returned to the Poseidon to stay below and out of sight.
By the morning of the second day Santilla had hired six sailors to replace the ones who had abandoned him in Napoli. There was not much of a tide in the strait, so leaving port was only a matter of waiting until the wind was right to travel north or south. At noon they cast off and the Poseidon was heading south into the Ionian Sea, and in two days they were able to turn almost due east, then slightly north, on course to Prevaza.
"Seven or eight more days," Santilla said. "and we'll be back home again."
"And not too soon to suit me," Gabrielle answered. "We seem to be making good time."
"That we are. The new men I hired pray to Poseidon at dusk and dawn. I believe he is listening to them, and is pleased."
Gabrielle shot a knowing look at Xena, suppressing a smile, but said, "You could be right."
Midafternoon of the seventh day the harbor of Prevaza came into view. And just before dark, the Poseidon was tied to one of the many docks and the crew was offloading the bales of wool and amphorae of wine and olive oil.
"Thank you," Xena told Captain Santilla as they left the ship.
"No, thank you. If it hadn't been for you and your weapon, we would be in a Roman prison somewhere, or worse."
"But you will still return to Italia."
"Aye. The profit is just too good," he replied with a grin. "You two take care, and who knows, maybe one day we'll be traveling together again."
"Not if I have anything to say about it," Gabrielle said.
With a final farewell, both Xena and Gabrielle walked from the waterfront to find a room for the night. And after spending the rest of their money on supper and the room, they enjoyed each other's company throughout the night. The next morning they headed northeast, in the direction of Amphipolis.
"The air even smells better," Gabrielle was remarking as she continued her nonstop comparisons of the evils of Italia versus the delights of Greece.
"No argument from me," Xena agreed. Then she stopped and pulled her sword, as Gabrielle took the sias from their loops, ready to do battle. Then Xena seemed to relax slightly.
"Alright, show yourself," she said as she slowly turned in a circle. "I know you're there."
And with a silent, reddish flash of light, Ares appeared. "Well, I see you're back," he said. "So, when you escaped, how many guards did you kill? Ten? Twenty?"
"What?" Xena asked.
"No matter. I have the PERFECT army for you."
"What are you talking about?"
"Now that I've re-whetted your appetite for death and destruction, I know you can't wait to get started."
"Wait!" Xena interrupted. "Are you telling me you had something to do with us being slaves?"
"I must say you were magnificent. I knew you would have no trouble with the first two gladiators. But I really thought Gaulus would give you more of a challenge. He was my creation, you know. I guess I should have given him a bit more intelligence, just to make it more entertaining. But really, how many guards did you kill? I know all about you and Caesar, and I knew when you thought you were going to Rome you would do anything not to go."
"If you must know, Domina freed us rather than have her husband allied with Caesar."
"YOU?" Gabrielle exclaimed. "YOU were the one responsible for us being captured into slavery?"
"So, what do you say, ready to lead your army?" Ares continued, ignoring Gabrielle.
And with both hands, Gabrielle threw her sais at Ares, who, with a wave of his hand, dropped them to the ground.
"Whoa, ho!" he said with a smarmy laugh, "It looks like someone has an anger problem."
In response, Xena drew her sword with both hands and threw it dead center at Ares' chest. But he caught it by the blade and tossed it aside. She then unclipped her Chakram, ready to throw it.
"You get out of here NOW!" she demanded, teeth clinched. "I know this won't kill you, but I have a feeling it can hurt you more than anything you've felt in a long time! And just so you know I will NEVER lead an army of yours!"
"Okay, I'll go," Ares said nonchalantly. "But I'll be back."
Xena looked over at Gabrielle, but was unable to read her. She saw rage, more rage than even at Gurkhan. But there was more, something undefinable. Her breathing was coming in gasps.
"Gabrielle," she said as she took her into her arms, trying to calm and console her. And as she did, Xena saw a subtle flash of light.
"Hey, you two."
"Aphrodite," Xena said. "This really isn't a good time."
"I know," she replied. She then took Gabrielle from Xena's arms and held her close, and Gabrielle's arms went around her waist, head on her shoulder.
"You should know," Aphrodite said to Xena. "Ares didn't tell you everything."
"What do you mean?"
"Didn't you think it odd that you never tried to escape? He did something to your mind. He made sure you wouldn't escape too soon. He made you want to wait until the time was right, which, of course never came."
Gabrielle backed out of Aphrodite's embrace. "Are you saying you knew all about this, but did nothing?"
"I'm afraid you're right. But he threatened me."
"But what could he do? You're a god, and his sister."
"I know. There's nothing he could do to me personally, but he threatened to have his armies destroy all my temples, to kill half my worshippers, and to make the rest of them think I had abandoned them. Do you know what it's like to be a god, and not to be worshipped?"
"I don't know if I can accept that. I thought we were friends."
"I can't change what's been done," Aphrodite said, trying to make amends. "But I can lessen the pain of what you endured."
And without getting Gabrielle's okay, she took her fingers, and starting at her temples, ran them through Gabrielle's hair, a slight golden glow emanating from her fingers. And as Gabrielle's head rolled back and her eyes closed, Aphrodite said to Xena, "You might want to hold onto her."
The second time she ran her fingers through her hair, Gabrielle began to collapse, but Xena was there to hold her up, then gently laid her down.
"What did you do to her?"
"I didn't mess with her mind, if that's what you're thinking; not much anyway. She will sleep until dawn. And when she awakens, those things she had to go through will be like a bad dream. One that fades away until the memory is barely there."
"I guess I should thank you. I don't know everything that happened to her, but I do know I wasn't there to protect her from it."
"It's the least I can do. Gabrielle is the only mortal I know who likes me for just being me."
"She's not the only one."
"Take care of her," Aphrodite said as she disappeared. Then she suddenly reappeared. "So what about you? Any memories, traumas, bad dreams I can do something about?"
"Thanks, but no thanks. I'd just as soon keep my memories intact. They help keep me sharp, focused."
"Okay. Take care of yourself as well." And Aphrodite disappeared before Xena could answer.
As dusk fell, Xena wrapped her arms around her soul mate to hold and protect her until the dawn. As she did, she realized that despite both of them being happy to be back, it wouldn't be long before they would run into bandits, warlords, and no doubt, Ares. But for the moment, they were both safe and sound back home in Greece.
And that was all that mattered.
The End