Disclaimer: See Part 1
Authors Note: We're quickly coming to the end of this story. This is the first Xena fanfiction that I've written and the one with the most twists and turns, with many more still to come in the last couple of chapters. I've loved the support and the comments I've gotten since I started this story cause it's been a hard one to write. The last few chapters will be written in several POV's. I hope you guys enjoy it! If you want to send me comments through email, my email is jacklavigne13@hotmail .com
Chapter Twenty
"I'm scared."
Alexandria turned towards the woman beside her with a frown. Gabrielle looked the picture of confidence and strength, every bit of the Amazon Queen that she was. She was dressed in full Amazon armor, sitting on top of a large white mare with a fierce army at her back. An army of the most capable fighters in the world all ready to die for her. What did she have to be scared of?
"Gabrielle," Alexandria said softly, leaning over to rest her hand on the bard's thigh. "You know I won't let anything happen to you, right?"
Gabrielle laughed softly, closing her eyes as she took Alexandria's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "It's not me that I'm scared for. It's everyone else."
"There's going to be some casualties, Gabrielle. This is war," Alexandria said sadly. The red headed woman surveyed the army marching towards them, before her eyes turned towards the hills in the distance, where Xena would be waiting. "And Xena will be okay too."
"It just seems to be too good to be true, you know?" Gabrielle whispered as she opened her eyes to look at the red headed warrior. "I finally get Xena back, only for us to go to war. I know she's more than capable of taking care of herself, but what if it was her time? What if the One True God brought her back only for her to die again now?"
"Nothing will happen to Xena," Alexandria reassured the bard, squeezing her hand tightly as she looked into Gabrielle's emerald green eyes. She saw the fear in the woman's eyes and smiled at the blonde, trying to calm her. "If anything happens, I will be there, okay? I promise I won't let anything happen to Xena."
Gabrielle smiled back at the warrior, feeling reassured by Alexandria's promise. She knew if she could count on anyone to have Xena's back, it would be Alexandria. She never broke her promises.
"She asked me to marry her."
Both women were shocked by the sudden confession as the words slipped from Gabrielle's mouth. Alexandria stared at the Amazon Queen in disbelief, her midnight blue eyes wide. Xena getting married? The words sounded impossible as they swirled around her head, taunting her. She looked at Gabrielle, noting that her friend wouldn't meet her eyes. A slight smile played the red headed warrior's lips as she ran her knuckles over Gabrielle's cheek until their eyes finally met.
"If anyone else told me that the Warrior Princess was settling down, I would never believe them," Alexandria said softly as she gazed into emerald eyes. "I would have laugh right in their face to be honest and then maybe kill them. But knowing that it's you, Gabrielle, that she is committed to, makes it believable. If Xena was ever going to be with anyone forever, it would be you and I couldn't blame her for it one bit."
Gabrielle smiled brilliantly at her best friend, her heart filling with joy at Alexandria's words. "Thank you."
"Congratulations," Alexandria smiled, patting her friend on her thigh. "When we get home, we'll have a big party to celebrate."
"When we get home?" Gabrielle said softly, her voice hopeful.
Alexandria just smiled.
"It's time," said Alexandria as she watched the sun which was slowly rising over the hills.
Gabrielle nodded solemnly as she watched Alexandria urge her black stallion into a trot. The red headed woman sat tall upon her horse as she made her way down the line of Amazon warriors, smiling encouragingly at the women she passed. She turned her stallion around at the end of the line to make her way back to the Queen, and as she did, she started to speak.
"Amazons!" Alexandria shouted, so that all the women could hear her. "Today, we go into battle against King Delvin's army. This man that wants to take your land and your burn your village to the ground, all for glory! He wants to be known as the man that brought the fiercest warriors to their knees, but he will not!"
Alexandria stopped her speech for a moment as the crowd of warriors cheered. Gabrielle watched her people as they raised their weapons to fight for love. She had never felt so proud to be an Amazon Queen then she did at this moment.
"I have fought with the best of them," Alexandria said, her voice softer now as she spoke. "I have led armies with thousands of men at my command, but I have never been as proud as I am today to fight besides all of you. I may not be an Amazon, but you are all my sisters and I would gladly die for every single one of you. Some of you may die today, but it will not be in vain. Because today, we do not fight for power or glory. We don't fight for gold or respect. We fight for your homes and your families! We fight for love! We fight for your Queen, Gabrielle! We fight for a strong Amazon Nation!"
"To a strong Amazon Nation!" The warrior's roared.
Alexandria grinned as she rode back towards Gabrielle, giving the Queen a wink as she dismounted from her horse. She handed the reigns to Eponin who took them with a smile before mounting the stallion.
"Do you really have to lead on foot?" Gabrielle asked worriedly as Alexandria stroked the stallion's neck soothingly.
"You know I do," Alexandria smiled reassuringly at the bard. She sighed softly, giving the horse a final pat on his neck before walking over to squeeze Gabrielle's thigh affectionately. "Take care of yourself out there, my Queen."
"I will," Gabrielle smiled before leaning down to brush her lips against Alexandria's forehead. "Thank you so much, for everything, Alexandria."
Alexandria swallowed, her throat suddenly tight as she was overcome with emotion. She looked up at the woman who had come to mean so much to her over the past year before pulling her down into a tight hug. She ended it as quickly as it started, nodding to the woman before moving to her position besides Varia.
"Are you ready?" Varia asked, a feral grin on her face as she did lazy figure eights with her sword.
"Always," Alexandria replied.
************
"To a strong Amazon Nation!"
Xena heard the Amazon's cheer from her position in the hills. She walked to the edge of the cliff where she had a clear view of the two armies below her. They were in the middle of a massive clearing on the edge of the Amazon borders, surrounding by mountains. It was the perfect place for a battle, especially for the Amazon's. Delvins army would have no where to go once Xena made her appearance. His army would be crushed.
"Amazons! Fire!" Xena's hypersensitive hearing picked up Alexandria's voice as she gave the order to start the battle. Less than a second later, at least five hundred arrows flew through the air and towards Delvin's men.
"Fire!"
"Fire!"
"Fire!"
Xena watched, a feral grin on her face as Delvin's army continued to fall from the onslaught of arrows from the Amazon's. At least one third of his army had fallen already and Xena started to wonder if she would be needed for this battle at all.
"Amazon's! Charge!"
Xena watched as Alexandria led the warrior women into battle. She truly looked like a force of nature, completely in her element as she raced towards Delvin's men. She felt a sudden stab of fear as the woman drew closer to the enemy. What if something happened to Alexandria or Gabrielle before she got the signal to attack? It would be so easy for Alexandria to be impaled on the front line by the enemies spears.
She soon realised she had nothing to worry about. She watched, completely in awe as Alexandria finally reached Delvin's army. Alexandria used a man's shield to leap into the air, pulling both of her swords from her back mid flight and took down several men before she even hit the ground. She felt the familar bloodlust race through her veins as she watched Alexandria expertly cut down the many men surrounding her.
Satisfied that Alexandria would be okay, she turned her head to search for her lover. With a start, she realised that Gabrielle was already engaged in battle. She had split up the Amazon cavalry and attacked Delvin's men from both sides. She smiled proudly as she watched her soulmate give orders to her people while taking down her fair share of men. She was so caught up in making sure her lover was safe, she almost missed her signal.
With a grin, she mounted Argo and turned towards her own small army of Amazon warriors.
"Let's go give your Queen a hand, shall we?"
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