Eve Will Die This Day

by Alan Plessinger

Disclaimer: Xena: Warrior Princess and the names, titles, and backstories used in "Eve Will Die This Day" are the sole property of MCA/Universal. The author intends no copyright infringement through the writing of this fan fiction.

Xena’s body stiffened and she looked to the heavens, in listening mode. Gabrielle was used to this, and she waited silently for Xena to get her message.

Xena suddenly drew her sword and held it threateningly to the source of the information.

"NO!" she said. "No, it isn’t fair! I’ve done all that was asked of me, and more! You can’t do this!"

Xena listened, and shook her head angrily.

"You promised no meddling in the affairs of mortals! That’s why I…"

Xena listened again, and seemed resigned.

"Very well. But this is the end of our alliance. No more dealings between the two of us. No more communication. The end."

Xena sadly lowered her head. She sheathed her sword, and Gabrielle asked her what was wrong.

"This is the last day of Eve’s life," said Xena.

Gabrielle shut her eyes and looked away, in sorrow and in anger. What she thought was How much more, how much more will you ask of her, oh God? When will this end?

Gabrielle said, "I’m sorry." She felt sick, thinking what Xena would have to go through.

Xena turned and headed back to camp at a brisk pace. Gabrielle had to run to keep up.

"I don’t regret getting involved in this, Gabrielle. I don’t. It’s cost me 25 years of my life, and soon it will cost me my daughter, but mankind is better off for what we did. We could’ve stayed in Egypt, we could’ve hid, but we didn’t."

"You could never hide from a fight, Xena."

"I know. I’m a warrior. I have a warrior’s heart. I did what I had to do. I just wish Eve didn’t have to pay the price for my decision."

"Isn’t there anything we can do?"

"No. All that we can do is make sure that Eve goes out a hero. This is her one chance to redeem herself. Her last chance."

"So, you’re letting her into the battle?"

Xena didn’t have a chance to answer, because they had made it back to the campsite. They found Virgil there, holding a sword to Eve’s throat. Eve stood calmly, awaiting her sentence.

"NO!" said Xena, and drew her sword. She approached Virgil cautiously from one side, Gabrielle from the other.

"Virgil," said Gabrielle, "please don’t do this. I’m begging you."

"Stay out of this," he said.

"Virgil, this is not what your father would want. He was a good man."

"Eve, why won’t you defend yourself?" asked Xena.

"And do what? Kill him?"

Xena got close enough to hold her sword to Virgil’s throat.

"If you don’t, I will."

"You won’t kill me, Xena."

"Try me."

Eve looked to Virgil with a quiet acceptance of her fate. Virgil was furious. He hated Eve, and he hated that this woman was so different from the one who had killed his father. He hated her for the change that had come over her. He hated the fact that she was making it so hard to kill her.

And he hated himself, because he couldn’t do it. He began to shake.

Gabrielle said, "Virgil, you should know that Eve is taking part in a very hazardous battle, this day. She might not survive. But she’s volunteering, because she’s needed, and because it’s the right thing to do."

Gabrielle’s words gave him the excuse he needed. He lowered his sword, and Xena lowered hers.

"That’s why I’m here," he said. "I thought you could use an extra hand."

Gabrielle ran to Virgil and hugged him. Eve looked to her mother.

"Does that mean I’m fighting?" Eve asked.

"Only if you’re ready and willing to defend yourself. This is war, not suicide."

"I’m ready."

"Are you ready to kill, if you have to?"

"Yes. But only if I have to."

"That’s my girl. Let’s do some drills, Eve. You might be a little rusty."

"I’m as good as I ever was."

"We’ll see."

Virgil went off to talk to some of the troops, and Gabrielle waited for Xena to get back.

"How is she?" asked Gabrielle when Xena returned.

"Damn good," said Xena with a mother’s pride.

"Good, because we don’t have much time. One candlemark before they attack. That was the ultimatum."

"I know."

"Why do they even try? They know you’re here. Why do they still think they can defeat you?"

"Maybe they think I’m an old woman."

"They’re about to find out differently."

"How’s Virgil?"

"Better. He’s going to give Eve a chance to prove herself. I feel a little guilty around him, sometimes, when I think how I treated Joxer. If Virgil has read any of my scrolls he must know I didn’t always hold Joxer in the highest esteem."

"I feel bad about that, too. Joxer was never the hero he wanted to be, but he was lionhearted. We need to tell Virgil that."

"I’ll tell him. You need to spend some more time with your daughter."

"Yes, I do. Thank you, Gabrielle."

"For what?"

"Just for being understanding, and for sticking with me throughout this whole mess. I haven’t always treated you all that well. And I’m sorry for what I did when I saw you…"

"Xena, it’s OK. What you did any mother would do. Now, go!"

The casualties were severe. Men from the village lay wounded and dying about the battlefield. Gabrielle had a leg wound, but it didn’t keep her from being useful and helping those that needed it. She limped from one soldier to the next, providing aid and comfort.

Eve, amazingly, was all right. She had a cut on her forehead, and a nasty shoulder wound that needed some stitches, but other than that she seemed to have survived the day’s battle intact. Xena headed her way with a needle and thread.

Gabrielle whispered to her, "She’s OK! The prophecy must be false!"

"Whatever you say, Gabrielle," said Xena.

Eve looked up as her mother came to crouch down next to her. Eve’s face and hair were covered in blood, her own and the blood of enemy soldiers. She was exhausted. Her muscles were shaking, and she was cold and muddy, but she managed to give a little smile to her mother when she knelt down beside her.

"How’d I do?" asked Eve, and coughed a little.

"You did good, Eve. I’m proud of you."

Xena began cleaning and sewing the wound. She checked to make sure Eve wasn’t coughing up any blood.

"I had to kill some of ‘em," said Eve.

"I watched you fight. You’ve got nothing to be ashamed of."

"Some of them were just kids, mother. They were frightened to death. They didn’t want to be there. I did my best to let them live, if I could."

"Not everyone who follows a tyrant is a tyrant himself, dear. Some join up because their families need the money. They felt they didn’t have any choice."

"I swear I didn’t kill anyone I didn’t have to, mother. Some of the kids I let live may be sacking another village tomorrow, for all we know."

"At least they have a chance to change."

"I’ve never been on the short side of a battle, before. I’ve always been the tyrant. I tell you, it’s a lot easier that way."

"Do you want to go back?"

"That would be hard to do. Now that I’ve seen things from your side. Now that I know what it’s like to protect innocent people. Now that I know what it’s like to make you proud of me."

Xena smiled at her daughter.

"Thanks for letting me in the battle," said Eve. "I know you were afraid of losing me."

"I was. But I know how much you needed to do this."

"I’ve got to get a lot better, mother. I thought I was good enough, but if I’m going to do what you do I’ve got to be at least as good as you. Will you teach me?"

"Whatever you want, Eve."

Eve began to cry.

"I want to be like you. I’m sorry I ever shamed you, mother. I don’t know why I did what I did. I had this rage in me I couldn’t control."

"That’s something you got from me. Something in the blood, I think."

"But you changed. And now I’ve changed, and I’m not going back. This is just the beginning. You’ll see. Even Virgil will forgive me one day. I’ll make you proud of me, I swear I will."

And Xena started to cry.

"I told you, I’m already proud of you."

"Don’t cry, mother."

"I’m sorry. It’s just…I love you so much, Eve. I’m so glad for the time we had together, even if it wasn’t enough."

"There’s always tomorrow. We have the whole rest of our lives together."

"I know."

"I love you, mom. I love you so much. Ouch."

Eve began to shake uncontrollably. Xena dropped her thread and grabbed Eve’s face, opening her mouth, peering into her eyes. She shook her and slapped her.

"Eve!" she cried.

It was too late. As her eyes started to roll back into her head, Eve said her last word, "Mom…"

Xena hugged her daughter, and cried her tears onto her daughter’s breast. She rocked back and forth with her daughter in her arms, howling in anguish.

Gabrielle came running. Xena looked up with tears in her eyes. She pointed with one hand to the guilty creature, scampering off.

Xena could hardly get the words out.

"Spider," she said. "Sand spider."