Changes
of Heart: Confrontations
By
CN Winters
Authors Note (That means
YOU, sitting at your computer, should read this): Either folks aren’t
following this series anymore or you assume it will just continue. Feed the
bard. If you’re still reading I’d like to hear from you.<G> You’ve waited
patiently…okay impatient for it so here it is . . . either the beginning of the
end or a new beginning. Actually I haven’t decided yet so you’ll have to be my
judge. This story began as an outlet of my own personal love life in turmoil.
After six years, my relationship to a woman I loved dearly came to a mutual
end. So let’s hear it . . . does the warrior deserve a second chance? Is Xena
better off cutting her losses and moving on? Should Gabrielle choose an aging
amazon over the former Destroyer of Nations? Let me know. Majority will
rule.<G>
See
part one for disclaimers. Email the bard at cnwinters@hotmail.com
“There’s
two more!! Where in HELL are they coming from?!”
Eve
kicked one away with the heel of her boot while striking another one down with
her sword.
“We
can’t keep this up much longer,” she shouted.
To
say that Xena was in full warrior mode was an understatement despite the fact
her arm is in a sling from the recent topple on the mountain. She parried a
sword from an attacker’s hand and gutted him before he had the chance to re-arm
himself or flee.
“Don’t
tell me your getting tired already kiddo,” Xena teased. “Ahhrrrrahh,” the
warrior grunted as she took out two more men approaching behind her with a
quick swipe left and then right.
The
men of the village took up arms for the battle as well. Xena looked over to
find one solider from the warlord’s army out fighting a group of villagers. The
odds were purely in his favor because of his skill.
“Him,”
Xena pointed to the thug.
Eve
didn’t need an explanation. She knew what her mother meant. She had to take the
man down and do it quickly to spare as many villagers as possible. As Eve left,
Xena found that four men had worked their way around her.
And Dite said this would be
easy. I gotta remember to never trust the goddess of love again. Xena considered
sarcastically as she watched them with smirks on their face as they closed in.
Xena let out a powerful war cry that bought her enough time for a distraction
as she somersaulted over the soldiers. Her back was empty after she landed and
she could fight them head on.
And
fight them head on she did. One by one they met Xena’s blade and fell. As the
last one tumbled to the dirt, Xena looked over to check on Eve. She had managed
to take out the target and a few of his cronies it appeared. For the moment she
was getting some of the walking injured inside to safety.
Xena didn’t see the attack coming but she felt it – a hard blow to the back. She groaned in pain as she fell to her knees. Next she felt her sword knocked from her hand a moment later as she tried to get her breath. She ducked and rolled toward her sword but she came up inches short. As the man raised his sword Xena knew this was it. Eve wasn’t there to back her up. Her time had come.
And I never got to see her
again, Xena
realized as she still struggled, reaching as far as she could to get a grasp of
her sword. Her first reaction as soon as she hit the dirt was her chakram but
the sling prevented her from reaching it in time or with any accuracy. It had
to be the sword and she stretched with all her might, coming up two inches
short.
She
closed her eyes when she watched his muscles bulge, knowing the strike would
come. When a moment passed and she didn’t feel the blade upon her she quickly
looked up.
A
dagger appeared in the man’s chest.
Xena
took a more intense look and realized . . .
That’s not a dagger. It’s a
sai!!!
Xena’s
head shot back for a brief moment to see the bard standing behind her. The
momentary shock wore off as the man began to fall toward her. Xena rolled to
avoid him and in the process put more weight on her injured arm than she should
have. She groaned loudly and clutched at her arm but not before picking up her
sword.
Behind
Gabrielle, Eponin and August battled a man with an ax. When it looked like he
was about to get the best of August, Eponin took him down with two quick sword
strokes.
“Retreat!!
Retreat!!”
The
advancing army began to scatter and make their way back into the woods. The
villagers began to cheer loudly in celebration of having defeated the army.
Women and children started to come out of their hiding places. And all the
while, Xena and Gabrielle locked eyes oblivious to the things around them.
Xena
watched as the older woman and young lady came up to Gabrielle. Their arrival
broke the eye contact as Gabrielle had a brief conversation and pointed to the
local tavern across the street. The older woman’s eyes met Xena’s and Xena
could have sworn she saw a scowl on the woman’s face as she departed with the
young lady.
Gabrielle
knew she had to go over. If not to offer her greetings, at least to retrieve
her sai. Xena’s mouth suddenly went arid as the bard strolled over confidently. What do I say? What do I do? The bard
was coming closer, watching her with every step. At least until she was near
the fallen man.
“Gabrielle,”
Xena nodded. Oh yeah! That was real poetic warrior. Think of
something before she just walks away!
“Xena,”
came the short reply, void of emotion.
She
pulled the dagger from the man’s chest and used his own shirt to clean the
weapon off before putting it back in her boot. After all these months all she can say is my name? Of course…it’s
Xena…What the Hell did I expect?
Gabrielle
turned to catch up to Eponin and August in the tavern.
“Please
wait!”
Gabrielle
stopped her strides but took a deep breath before she turned around. Here it comes Gabrielle thought. She
wasn’t quite sure what ‘it’ was but she was certain it probably wouldn’t end
very favorable.
Xena still didn’t know what to say as Gabriele turned around but it seemed a little gratitude might help.
“Thank
you,” Xena said once she had Gabrielle’s attention. “You saved my life.”
“Don’t
mention it,” Gabrielle answered quickly.
Just keep walking. Don’t turn around again no matter what.
“Don’t
walk away. Not yet. Hear me out first,” Xena pleaded.
Gabrielle
paused. You stopped anyway didn’t you?
After you said you wouldn’t huh? Damn it Gabrielle! Get a backbone!! Tell her
that this is it. Tell her she can’t play with your heart. Tell her it’s over
and move on.
Gabrielle had lots of answers to give but instead of voicing any of them she simply said, “What?”
“I
want to talk to you,” Xena said going on pure instinct. Act, don’t react. Go with your gut. “I’ve realized quite a bit
since you’ve been gone and I want the chance to tell you.”
Gabrielle
chuckled in her growing misery. “That’s just it Xena. You’ve been telling me
things for years. Not talking to me but TELLING me. I’m tired of being preached
to. When you decide you no longer want to lecture me, look me up.”
Sadness
was Xena’s first reaction but in the seconds that followed it became replaced
with frustration and then anger. How dare
she?! After all these months apart – after all the years together – she OWES me
a real conversation about this. She’s not just gonna walk away. Not again.
“Hey!”
Xena called out as she began to jog after the bard. “We need to talk about
things here. I gave you space,” she added as she grabbed Gabrielle gently by
the arm.
That
was it. The bard’s temper boiled over.
“And what are you gonna do if I don’t Xena huh? Are you gonna drag me behind a horse? Fall for some Roman while I watch? Or perhaps you’d like to take the back of my head off with your chakram? . . . Oh wait,” Gabrielle paused in her sarcasm. “You’ve done all those things already. What do I have to fear?” the bard concluded throwing her arms up in the air.
“I’ve
been paying for my sins every day we’ve been apart and I would spend my life
making it up to you if I could but that’s a little tough when you won’t speak
to me for more than 10 seconds . . . Besides there are other factors at play
here that I’ve learned about. Things that you should know.”
“Like
what?” Gabrielle answered growing angry herself.
Like the fact Eve truly is
YOUR daughter. No don’t say it like that. Not when you’re mad. Xena took a deep breath.
“Things that I think you should know .
. but not discussed while we’re yelling at each other. Please let me
talk to you. If you want to leave me and keep going your own way I’ll support
that decision. I’m not your keeper. I never wanted to be your keeper. I only
wanted to love you – the way you loved me. I’ve prayed to Eli that it isn’t too
late and that we can repair things but if you feel that isn’t possible,” Xena
said feeling a lump form in her throat before quickly swallowing it down, “you
can walk away and never look back . . . All I ask is that you talk with me
first.”
The
sob in Xena’s voice almost brought the bard to tears herself. She didn’t want
to hurt Xena. She truly didn’t. She was only looking out for herself and trying
to avoid what had become a very damaging relationship – both emotionally and
physically. Perhaps Xena was right. Perhaps this is something they both needed
in order to ‘roll up the scroll’ so to speak, a final chapter in the story of
the warrior princess and her bard.
“Alright,”
Gabrielle sighed, trying her best not to sob as well. “Alright. We’ll talk but
first things first. That army isn’t going to stay away for long. These
villagers are thinking they are in the clear but you and I know better. They’re
gonna plan a counter strike.”
Xena
smiled as she nodded in agreement. She’s
good . . . She’s grown up . . . Why on earth didn’t I see it before. “True.
What do you suggest?”
Did she just ask my opinion?
Yeah I guess she did. Ha. “Well, we’ll need to put some bucket brigades in place. Just in case
he attacks with fire. And we’ll have to put some scouts up high,” Gabrielle
continued as she looked up. “Those trees would be a good place – lots of limbs
and plenty of leaves to hide behind to go unnoticed.”
“Leave it to an amazon to take to the air,” Xena teased. Gabrielle grinned slightly. “I’m just teasing. It sounds like a wonderful idea so far,” Xena added when she reconsidered that her comment might be taken in the wrong context. “May I add something?”
Did she just ask me to give her opinion? Oh lord I think I’m gonna have a stroke. “Certainly.”
“I noticed that his men aren’t heavily armored. We could bring out more villagers to fight if we gave them something more solid to strike with. The staff is an easy weapon – no offense-.”
“None taken,” Gabrielle teased. “I’m sorry. Go on,” she grinned.
She’s grinning. This is a good sign. “Anyway, if we armed them with staffs, mallets, anything they can strike hard and fast with it might be enough to take the majority of the army out once they make it inside the village.”
Gabrielle considered it. “Very true . . . Okay. Let’s get some things in motion. Do you know who the leader is here?”
“Sure do,” Xena grinned.
“Okay then. Let’s get everyone to the tavern and tell them what we have planned so far.”
“And as for the rest?” Xena asked
“We’ll do what we always do . . . make it up as we go along while trying to look brilliant in the process,” she teased.
Xena laughed out loud heartily and Gabrielle found herself chuckling as well. Soon Xena cleared her throat and a perplexed look over washed over her face.
“What is it?” Gabrielle asked.
Xena smiled and shrugged it off. “Nothing really . . . I just . . . I haven’t laughed like that since you’ve been gone . . . It felt good is all,” Xena grinned warmly. “Anyway, I’ll find the mayor while you organize the tavern okay?” Xena replied becoming ‘strictly business’. Gabrielle simple nodded as Xena walked away.
As the warrior strode across the village street Gabrielle felt the tears well up in her eyes as she thought of Xena’s laughter comment. “For what it’s worth,” she whispered knowing the warrior couldn’t hear her. “Neither have I.”
TBC