When she returned to the cave with her ball of mud and an armful of firewood, Gabrielle came out and spotted her. “Xena, why are you playing with mud so early in the day?”
Xena smiled and answered coyly. “You’ll see.” She cleared the remnants of the fire outside their cave then dug a hole, using the ball of mud to gauge the size needed. Once she was satisfied with it, she stacked firewood inside then placed the mud-encased chicken on top before covering it with a few more layers of wood. Laying down tinder and kindling on the top of the wood stack, she started a fire while Gabrielle watched on intently.
“Is that supposed to be breakfast?” Gabrielle asked.
“Yup.”
“We’re having a ball of mud for breakfast… And I thought catfish was bad.” Gabrielle grabbed a stick from the ground and made to poke at the fire.
“Leave it alone.” Xena swatted playfully at her soulmate. “It’s gonna take a while. Why don’t we take a dip at the waterfall? I stink.”
Gabrielle’s nose crinkled as she pretended to sniff the air around the warrior. She then lifted Xena’s armpit, reared back and pinched her nose, waving exaggeratedly at the air in front of her. “Pee—eww. You’re right. You stink. Let’s go.” The bard turned away, walking purposefully towards the river and deliberately ignoring the look of affront that the warrior had affected.
Not hearing Xena behind her, Gabrielle asked without looking back, “You coming?”
Xena raised her eyes to the sky, as if questioning why she put up with the cheeky and irreverent blonde, before striding after her soulmate.
***
As they were wont to do, the pair became distracted while cleaning up at the waterfall. One thing led to another and before they knew it, the sun was high in the sky by the time they finally returned to the cave. The fire had long since burned down and they were greeted by a lump of fire-hardened clay sitting in a pile of greyish white ash.
“That mud ball of yours has to be overcooked by the looks of it.” Gabrielle said, poking at the ball of clay with a stick.
“I wasn’t the one who got sidetracked.” Xena said, picking up the ball of clay from the fire pit, pleased to find that it was still warm to the touch. She searched around the cave entrance for a suitable rock to crack her masterpiece open.
“I didn’t hear you complaining just now.” Gabrielle grumbled.
The warrior hefted a rock the size of her fist. Satisfied that it would do the job, she laid the clay ball on the ground and lifted the rock, trying to work out the best angle to attack the clay ball. She wanted to break it open, not smash its contents into smithereens. “Gabrielle, I was just teasing. It’s not possible to overcook this.”
Gabrielle sat back on her haunches, watching curiously as the clay ball disintegrated before her eyes revealing what appeared to be an oval-shaped package wrapped in leaves. “What’s that?”
“They call it beggar’s chicken.”
“Beggar’s chicken?”
“The story goes that a beggar was so hungry that he stole a chicken from a farm. When the farmer gave chase, the beggar dug a hole in a nearby river bed and hid the chicken inside. Later, he retrieved the mud-caked chicken. Not having anything to dress the chicken or cook it in, the beggar dug a hole and threw the whole thing into the fire, burying it underground to hide it and so that the smoke would not give him away. Since the chicken still had its feathers, this prevented it from drying out when cooking. When the mud shell was removed, the feathers fell right off.”
Xena pushed the clay fragments to one side and peeled the banana leaves back, releasing a tantalising aroma that had Gabrielle salivating. The bard shuffled closer and took a seat as Xena tore off one of the drumsticks and handed it to her.
“Thanks.” Gabrielle said, taking a bite. The chicken was tender and juicy, so juicy that she had to lean forward to avoid the juices and oil dripping onto her skirt. “Xena, this is good.”
“Glad you approve.” Xena said, tearing into her own piece of chicken.
Having missed breakfast, the soulmates made short work of the meal. Once it was gone, Gabrielle licked her fingers clean, gave a satisfied sigh and said, “That was really good. Maybe I should let you cook more.”
Xena raised an eyebrow at the bard’s statement, causing Gabrielle to retract it immediately. “On second thought, that’s a terrible idea. Cooking isn’t one of your many skills.” It wasn’t that Xena couldn’t cook. On the contrary, Gabrielle believed the warrior could be a great cook if she only put some effort into it. The problem was—Xena couldn’t be bothered to. To the warrior, food was a means to an end. Xena couldn’t care less if the food was good—as evidenced by the sort of taverns the warrior had frequented before Gabrielle put a stop to it—as long as it provided her with the energy to fight and travel.
Gabrielle had a different philosophy when it came to food. Food was to be enjoyed and appreciated. When she realised that Xena’s idea of cooking did not include spices of any kind, not even salt, Gabrielle had immediately volunteered to take over the cooking duties, a standing arrangement that had persisted from their very first days travelling together.
Xena did not take any offence at the bard’s disdain for her cooking skills. To be honest, she found it a dreary chore and was more than content to let Gabrielle handle it. Instead of pointing out the obvious, she switched the conversation to something else altogether. “Your shields are holding up well. I haven’t felt anything from you since…” Xena paused, unsure how to describe her ‘return from the dead’. In the end, she decided to go with, “…I woke up from the wolfsbane.”
Gabrielle looked at her soulmate a little funny, as if undecided whether to dispute the interesting choice of words. Thinking better of it, she said, “I had a good teacher.” Following a long pause, she added, “Since we’re talking about shields… Do you remember the first time I returned home?”
Xena glanced quickly at the bard, trying to gauge where the conversation was headed. Her soulmate’s eyes were unfocused, as if lost in a memory from long ago. “I remember. You froze. I tried to tell you that it happens. But you wouldn’t listen.”
Gabrielle nodded. “I felt like a liability—that I was putting you in danger. And you told me…”
“It’s a risk I can take.” Xena finished for her. The warrior remembered that day vividly. Gabrielle had looked so lost and full of doubt. Xena hadn’t known how to help her. In fact, she’d been certain that the bard would run for home and never return.
“But I can’t.” Gabrielle said, echoing the response she’d given Xena back then. “Those old doubts came back to haunt me recently—when you were teaching me how to shield. I kept thinking… What if I cannot do it? What if you got hurt or killed because I forgot to keep my shields up? It was driving me crazy.” She paused, waiting for the warrior to interrupt. But to her surprise, Xena stayed silent.
“For a moment, I panicked—just like that day. But I’m no longer that scared little girl who thought running back home would solve all my problems. And things are different now. Leaving you is no longer an option. Your path is my path. Where you go, I go too. It was a struggle though. My desire not to be a burden to you—it’s so deeply ingrained within my soul—the same way your desire to protect me is ingrained in yours.”
“From the moment I met you, I was always afraid you would find me to be a burden and get rid of me.” Gabrielle noticed the frown on Xena’s face and quickly added, “I know. You never thought of me that way. I still remember when I was hit by a poisoned arrow and you fought off an entire army just because you refused to leave my side. You told me that I could never be a distraction… that I was your inspiration… I think I would’ve died happy that day, just knowing that.”
“I wouldn’t have let you.” Xena said fiercely.
Gabrielle smiled fondly at her soulmate. “I know. And I’m not even going to argue with you though what I said back then still holds true. I accepted the consequences of our life a long time ago. But that’s what helped me overcome my doubts—your words and your actions. Not just on those two occasions but in all our time together.”
“Xena, you’re a force of nature, like Hercules.” Gabrielle gave a small laugh. “At least Hercules has an excuse, he’s half god. Most mortals are resigned to living the lives they’re given by the gods. Not you. You spit in their faces and never accept defeat, despite the odds being firmly stacked against you. Even when forces beyond our control interfere with our lives; you always find a way to turn things around.”
“Honestly Xena, I’m in awe of you. The things we’ve done and seen—most people would be sceptical just hearing about them. But we lived through them. And we’re still here.”
“I would never have been able to do any of those things without you, Gabrielle. You’re the reason I’m able to reach down inside myself and do things I’m not capable of. Without you, I’m just a washed-up warlord, destined for an early grave.”
“Come on, Xena. We both know that’s not true. You’re a hero. That’s why I no longer doubt myself. Because I know that even if I fail, you’ll be there to catch me. And if the day comes when you can’t, I know you’ll never leave me—in death or in life. As long as we’re together, I don’t really care. Even if we’re no longer welcome in Heaven since you tried to kill Michael.”
“Well, he shouldn’t have tried to kill you.” Xena interjected.
“He underestimated you… Now, what was I saying?” Gabrielle paused, her brows furrowing as she tried to regain her train of thought. “Oh yah… I was trying to say that I should’ve guessed you would have the same doubts. But I was expecting you to talk to me about them, not run away and kill yourself.”
Xena had the good sense to look sheepish. “My mind was messed up. You know how I get when you’re in danger.”
Gabrielle patted her soulmate’s hand reassuringly. “Considering how you only put me in dangerous situations when you have a plan to keep me safe, yes, I know. But that’s the thing, Xena. You’re so used to being in control. Sometimes, you need to have faith—that no matter what happens, we’ll find a way. We always have before. And I believe we always will.”
“I’ve always said that people like us should listen to people like you more. You’re wise beyond your years, Gabrielle. And before you say otherwise, I didn’t teach you that. You always had a good head on your shoulders. I’ll try to talk to you in the future instead of running around like my hair is on fire.” Xena said.
“Xena, you never run around like your hair’s on fire.”
“Yes, I do. But only when it comes to you.”
***
While waiting for her soulmate to return with herbs and spices, Gabrielle started a fire and was in the midst of prepping the wild hare Xena had caught when she heard the clinking of chainmail headed her way.
The warriors of the Southern Forest clan used a variety of armour. The most common were scale armour and leather armour. Rarer were the lamellar armour and chainmail armour. The last was only worn by Gabrielle—when she’d fought the tyrant—and Ci Nu. Given the slap-slap of the twin scabbards hitting the armour with every stride, it only confirmed her suspicion. No one else in the clan used twin swords. It was a difficult weapon combination to master, requiring dexterity with both hands that was rare even amongst the dragons.
Gabrielle had been expecting Ci Nu to make an appearance eventually. It had been two days since she’d gone missing and the clan chief was bound to have tasked his daughter to locate their house guest and ensure everything was alright. She looked up as the young dragon came into view and gave a smile in welcome.
Ci Nu greeted the bard with a bow and said, “I saw the smoke from your campfire and thought I’d find you both here. I am glad to see you well.”
Gabrielle gestured at the hare in front of her and said, “You’re just in time to join us for dinner.”
“Thank you for the invitation but I would not want to intrude.” Ci Nu said, taking a seat across from the bard.
“Don’t worry about it.” Xena said, stepping into the cave. “We’ve enough to go around.” She’d heard the dragon warrior and caught a second hare to go with the first. To Gabrielle she said, “Shall I prep this one?”
Gabrielle shook her head. “I’ll do it. Put the herbs over there.”
Xena did as she was told and took a seat to Ci Nu’s right. She asked the dragon warrior, “How did you get down here?”
“I presume you climbed down the cliff?” Ci Nu said.
“You didn’t.” Xena said.
“There’s a passage through the caves. It’s faster. The healer and his assistants often use it when they come here to gather herbs.” Ci Nu replied.
“You mean I could’ve gotten down here without climbing that cliff?” Gabrielle exclaimed in mock outrage.
“I can show you the way.” Ci Nu said.
The soulmates exchanged a glance. “We’ll return to the village with you, after dinner.” Gabrielle said.
Decision made, they lapsed into silence. Xena added more wood to the fire and Gabrielle dressed the second hare. All the while, Ci Nu fidgeted. After some time, the dragon warrior said, “Since we are here… May I ask a question?”
“Depends on the question.” Xena said at the same time Gabrielle said, “Sure.”
The bard shot her soulmate a glare but the warrior just gave her an unrepentant shrug. To Ci Nu, Gabrielle said, “You can ask.”
“Your people—the Amazons. Would they be willing to move to Chin?” Ci Nu asked.
Xena raised an eyebrow at this turn of events. It was in line with their plan. But she had been expecting the question—when it came—to come from the clan chief. And yet, it made perfect sense. Ci Nu would be clan chief someday and must have given the issue serious thought. Being younger, the dragon warrior would be more open to changes than her father who was thousands of years old and had been chief of the clan for nearly half that time.
“It depends. If there’s a good reason for the move, I might be able to persuade them.” Gabrielle said.
“From what I’ve heard, the Amazons are a fierce nation of warrior women who have been hunted to near extinction. If they are willing, they can make a home amongst us. They would be safe in our territory and both our peoples could learn to live together in peace and harmony—as long as they keep our secret.” Ci Nu said.
“Keeping secrets is part of being an Amazon.” Gabrielle said. “Are you thinking of encouraging relations between the Amazons and the clan?”
“She means sex.” Xena said helpfully.
“I mean relations. Not just sex.” Gabrielle clarified, frowning at her soulmate.
The interaction between the two never failed to amuse Ci Nu and she chose to be diplomatic in her answer. “Two peoples living in close proximity to one another. It is only natural for relationships to develop—of any kind.”
“Sex is important for keeping both your peoples strong.” Xena said.
“Xena, can you stop talking about sex?” Gabrielle piped up.
“Well, it’s true.” Xena insisted.
Gabrielle pointedly ignored her soulmate and addressed Ci Nu directly. “Are you asking this in an official capacity?
“I have not spoken to Father about this. If he agrees with me, he will need to inform the other clans of his intention. It’s likely they will ask for a similar arrangement.”
“In that case, we’ll talk more after you have spoken to your father.” Gabrielle said.
“I will need your help.” Ci Nu told her. “Father may not see the benefit of such an arrangement. Do you have a story that can help with that?”
“A story isn’t going to change his mind if he’s against the idea. But I’ll see what I can do.” Gabrielle said after a long pause.
“I would be most grateful.” Ci Nu said.
***
Gabrielle had been working tirelessly on the story since they’d returned to the clan village three nights ago. When Ci Nu had asked for her help, she’d known immediately which stories she wanted to tell. Her main problem was seamlessly blending two stories that had occurred nearly 30 years apart.
The only way she could get it to work was to use one as a back story to segue into the other. After all the work she’d put in, Gabrielle really liked how it’d turn out. And she hoped the dragons would enjoy it. She took the stage, looking out at her enthusiastic audience, smiling when Xena winked at her.
“I sing of Ephiny—my sister and friend—who inspired the Amazon Nation with her life and ensured their continued survival with her death.”
In the hours that followed, the clan listened raptly as Gabrielle told the story of Ephiny, bringing them along with her for a ride through Ephiny’s life, her reign as regent of the Amazons, her death at the hands of the Romans and how Xena had made a promise to never allow the Amazons to die out. She then regaled them with the story of Bellerophon, the son of Artemis, who had tried to wipe out the Amazons as revenge for his mother and how the Amazons had prevailed under her leadership and with help from the warrior princess.
When she finally finished, everyone was so caught up in the story that there was a prolonged silence. Gabrielle stood there awkwardly for a few minutes, before stepping off the stage. The moment she did so, the applause started. It began as a smattering but it quickly grew into a standing ovation as the clan showed their appreciation for a story well told.
“You nailed it.” Xena said, enveloping Gabrielle in a warm hug when her soulmate reached her side. “Ephiny would’ve loved that.”
“I would like to think so.” Gabrielle said. Once Xena had released her, clan members started coming up to them, clapping her on her back and thanking her for the story. Some of them even mentioned how much the Amazons reminded them of themselves and their recent struggles.
Ci Nu was one of the last to offer her congratulations. “That was a beautiful story. The Amazons are lucky to have people like Ephiny and the both of you in their corner.”
“And the clan is lucky to have you. You’ll make a great chief when the time comes.” Gabrielle replied.
To the soulmate’s surprise, the normally impassive dragon turned a deep red. Ci Nu ducked her head in an attempt to hide her uncharacteristic blush. “Father will rule for a long time yet. But when the time comes, I hope to be half the chief he is.”
“We know you’ll exceed his expectations for you.” Xena and Gabrielle said together, causing the young dragon to blush even further. Trying not to draw any further attention to herself, Ci Nu gave them a deep bow and hurried away.
The soulmates exchanged a smile. “I wasn’t expecting that.” Xena said.
“Me neither. Good to know that she has emotions like everyone else.” Gabrielle said.
Xena suddenly stiffened then wrapped an arm possessively around Gabrielle’s waist, turning both of them around so that they were face to face with the handsome young scholar who’d come up behind them. His eyes had narrowed into snake-like slits and he was staring intently at the warrior’s hand resting casually on Gabrielle’s hip.
Gabrielle cleared her throat noisily and said, “Ji Yu.”
The young scholar quickly schooled his facial expression and gave the bard a small bow. “You are a natural story teller.”
“Thank you.” Gabrielle said, deliberately wrapping her own arm around Xena’s waist.
Ji Yu pretended not to notice and said, “It is a pity you did not stay with the Amazons. You would have been a great queen. I was wondering if you would grace my lodgings tonight. I would love to hear more of your adventures with the Amazons.”
“I don’t think that would be appropriate.” Gabrielle replied icily. She was appalled at the sheer brazenness of the young scholar. How dare he proposition her in front of her soulmate? It was downright disrespectful.
“You are the most amazing woman I have ever met.” Ji Yu told her, unperturbed by her frosty response. “You are smart, talented, and beautiful. Anyone would be fortunate to have you. You deserve to have someone who appreciates you and treats you the way you should be treated. I can be that person. With me, you will never be alone or be an afterthought. Give me one night and let me show you how a real man treats the woman he loves.”
The young scholar might have intended his words as a slap to Xena’s ego but his insults were like water off a duck’s back. It was Gabrielle who instead got all riled up. In fact, the bard was so angry that she was trembling uncontrollably. Both her hands tightened into fists, one grabbing onto Xena’s belt so hard that the warrior worried that it might break.
Gabrielle should have been flattered. It wasn’t every day that someone sang her praises or declared their love for her. But his words were an obvious dig at Xena. And that was something she could not tolerate. What did this man know of love or what they had gone through? How dared he talk about the woman she loved in this manner? “I’ll not have you disrespecting my soulmate.” She told Ji Yu, her voice shaking with the sheer force of her anger. “You should leave now.”
“I did not mean any disrespect. Everything I have said is the truth.” Ji Yu insisted. “Soulmates do not always stay together. If your soulmate hurts you, abandons you, and drives you to seek comfort in the arms of another, I would strongly suggest you leave them. I would never do that to you. One night is all I need to prove it.”
Well aware that the brash scholar was only adding fuel to her soulmate’s raging inferno, Xena took the bard’s hand in her own, stroking it gently with her thumb until Gabrielle finally relaxed against her. “If that’s how you show your respect to Gabrielle, you’ve a lot to learn.”
Ji Yu scoffed. “I show her more respect than you ever have. You spend all your time duelling in the arena. How much time do you actually spend with her? Have you thought about her needs and wants? Do you know how much she suffered when you ran off without a word? You claim to love her but your treatment of her belies that. Even though I am a scholar and you are a legendary warrior, I will fight you for her if I must.” He pushed his sleeves up and adopted a martial arts pose, holding his folding fan in front of him as if it were a weapon.
“Gabrielle is not a possession to be fought over. She asked you to leave. Walk away. Do not come anywhere near us until you’ve learned how to treat Gabrielle right.” Her icy blue orbs narrowed threateningly as she whispered to him, “I’ll not be so forgiving the next time you disrespect her.”
“I am not afraid of you.” Ji Yu said. “I will not stand by and watch the woman I love being treated so abominably.”
“Enough!” An authoritative voice rang out, cutting short anything else the young scholar might have said. The clan chief walked towards them with Ci Nu following closely on his heels. Ji Yu took a step back and bowed respectfully to the chief.
“I apologise for the offence this young pup has caused. We usually have better manners.” The chief told the soulmates.
“Chief, I…” Ji Yu said.
“Shut your mouth. You have embarrassed yourself and our clan enough for one day.” The chief said. “Leave us. I will decide what to do with you in the morning.”
Ji Yu bowed deeply and hurried away.
Once he was out of earshot, Gabrielle said, “I’m sorry we caused a scene. That was not my intention.”
The chief waved away her apology. “You gave him the opportunity to walk away with his pride intact. He was too stubborn to take it.”
“Too full of himself.” Xena muttered under her breath.
“Would you really have beaten him up?” Ci Nu asked Xena.
“She would.” Xena said, indicating her soulmate with her thumb.
“He shouldn’t have said all those things about Xena.” Gabrielle insisted.
“That was a grievous breach of etiquette.” The chief agreed. “I might need to send him away.”
“There is no need to send him away on our account. We’ll abide by your decision, whatever it is.” Gabrielle said.
“S’long as you don’t mind me roughing him up a little. I meant what I said.” Xena reminded them.
“I will take that into consideration.” The chief replied. “Though, if he does persist, he deserves to be taught a lesson. Just don’t kill him.”
“Xena only kills when it is necessary.” Gabrielle said.
“I won’t kill a member of the clan unless I am forced to.” Xena reassured everyone.
“Then I hope he never forces you to.” The chief said.
***
“Take off your clothes. I’ll give you a massage.” Xena told Gabrielle when they were back in their room. “It’ll help you relax.”
She waited until the bard had stripped and was lying face down on the bed before picking up a bottle of olive oil. Climbing onto the bed, she straddled Gabrielle’s waist and slathered oil onto her soulmate’s back. She then proceeded to rub the oil thoroughly into the skin, starting with the lower back and working her way up to the neck before kneading each muscle into submission.
By the time she was done, Gabrielle was feeling pleasantly warm and thoroughly relaxed. “I think that was just what the doctor ordered.” She murmured languidly.
“You wanna turn over?” Xena asked.
“Not really. I think I’m ready to fall asleep.”
“Sleep then. I’ll join you in a bit.” Xena said, getting up from the bed.
“Don’t take too long…” Gabrielle trailed off, asleep before she could finish her sentence.
Xena pulled a chair next to the bed, placed her equipment on the bedside table and set to work cleaning them. While her hands worked, her mind returned to her conversation with the golden dragon.
She’d always considered Gabrielle her responsibility and made the bard’s safety one of her top priorities. But that hadn’t always worked out well and she’d ended up hurting her soulmate on more than one occasion.
The bard had always forgiven her and Xena had always sworn to do better. But she was forever making the same mistakes. And it all stemmed from her desire to protect her soulmate at all cost. Perhaps it was time to do less protecting and more loving. That would mean talking things through with Gabrielle more and making joint decisions instead of trying to shield her soulmate from the darker realities of life.
Deep down, Xena knew that Gabrielle was no longer the young innocent girl she’d met outside Potidaea but old habits die hard. From the start, she’d wanted to protect and preserve her soulmate’s sweet innocence and it still irked her that she’d failed so miserably. There were times when she wished they could return to those days, when Gabrielle had not lost her blood innocence and life was still full of awe and wonder for the young bard.
Maybe she could finally give her soulmate what she’d been clamouring for all this time—that Xena stopped treating her like a kid and started treating her like an adult. It would mean becoming partners in every sense of the word. Change would not be easy though, especially for someone as set in her ways as the warrior princess. But if it meant not hurting Gabrielle any more, she would give it a try.
She finished polishing off the last of her daggers, set everything aside before climbing into bed next to her soulmate. She kissed the soundly sleeping bard tenderly on the cheek and whispered, “I love you, Gabrielle.”
***
“I have spoken with Father.” Ci Nu said. The young dragon had popped by the soulmates’ room to give Gabrielle the news, having bumped into Xena earlier at the arena. “He will talk to the other clans if you will speak with the Amazons on our behalf.”
Gabrielle nodded. “I will. But it’d be best if you could accompany me as a representative of the dragons.”
“Certainly. I will inform Father. He will call for a gathering of the clan chiefs. If all goes well, we should have an answer from the other clans by the next new moon.” Ci Nu said.
“That’s more than a month away…” Gabrielle said. “I don’t think Xena’s going to be too happy about that.”
“Is there a problem?” Ci Nu asked.
“Nothing serious.” Gabrielle reassured her. “Xena has a chronic case of wanderlust. I’m not sure she’ll be able to stay here for another month without going crazy.”
“You are both free to leave and explore Chin anytime you wish. But I would prefer if you stayed in the village. At least until a decision on the Amazons has been reached.”
“I understand.” Gabrielle told her. “I’ll talk to Xena.”
Ci Nu nodded at her and got up to leave.
Gabrielle stopped her. “What about Ji Yu?”
“Yes, Ji Yu. Father plans to send him to the royal courts.”
“That doesn’t sound like a punishment.”
“Ji Yu will serve the people as a district magistrate. Father hopes he will learn something during his time there.”
“I like it. The world would be a better place if there were more people like your father. There would be no need for wars or violence.” Gabrielle said wistfully.
“Even good intentions can end up with bad outcomes.” Ci Nu said. “The recent clan wars are a good example.”
“I have not heard that story.” Gabrielle said.
Ci Nu sat back down. “I believe you are familiar with the green dragon?”
“You mean Ming T’ien?” Gabrielle loathed thinking of the one-time tyrannical emperor of Chin. In a misguided attempt to save him, she’d betrayed Xena and almost got the warrior killed. It hadn’t been one of her finer moments.
“Yes. Son of Ming Tzu and Lao Ma. Do you know how he came to be known as the green dragon?” Ci Nu said.
“Does it have something to do with your people?” Gabrielle asked, her curiosity piqued.
“There was a dragon in Ming Tzu’s court. It was he who coined the moniker for the young boy.”
“What does that have to do with the clan wars?” Gabrielle asked.
“After Ming Tzu’s death, the dragon took Ming T’ien under his wing, hoping to turn him into a wise and benevolent ruler. It didn’t work. As a last resort, he had Lao Ma brought to Ming T’ien. He thought Lao Ma’s wisdom and love would help him see the errors of his ways.” Ci Nu said.
“Instead, Ming T’ien killed his mother.” Gabrielle said.
“Lao Ma’s death was a huge loss to Chin. All the clans, except one, sent assassins to kill Ming T’ien. They were betrayed. That was the start of the clan wars.”
“Good intentions indeed.” Gabrielle said, thinking how similar Ci Nu’s story had been to her own situation.
“Lao Ma was Xena’s mentor. It’s fitting that she succeeded in killing Ming T’ien where everyone else failed.”
Gabrielle had nothing to say to that. She’d been vehemently against Xena murdering Ming T’ien in cold blood. But Ci Nu was right. Sometimes, what’s right is wrong and what’s wrong is right. It’d just taken her a long time to understand that.
***
That was the day Gabrielle first noticed something odd with her sense of smell. It was sharper than normal, which meant she could smell things she normally couldn’t. She had originally treated the experience more as a curiosity than anything else—until the smells became so overpowering that they were turning her off some of her favourite foods.
She loved pork, especially the way the dragons prepared and cooked the meat. But she hadn’t realised how strong pork smelled. And it was bad—so bad that she felt nauseated just sitting across from any dish containing pork. It was the same with goat or lamb.
Then it became a whole lot worse. With her heightened sense of smell, came nausea. At first, it was sporadic but soon persisted throughout most of the day. It was almost as bad as being on a ship. Gabrielle had resorted to using the pressure point that Xena had taught her for seasickness. That had helped initially but it hadn’t stopped her from throwing up after every meal.
When things still had not improved by lunch the third day, she decided to pay the clan healer a visit. Whatever this was, she needed it gone before her soulmate returned. The warrior did not know about her nausea or her inability to keep food down. Gabrielle had made sure of that by sending Xena away a few days earlier, ostensibly to see what news she could glean from the surrounding human settlements and to work some of the wanderlust out of the warrior’s system.
She hadn’t wanted to worry Xena unduly and the astute warrior would have suspected something amiss if Gabrielle hadn’t sent her away when she did. It had been her hope that whatever was causing her malaise would be gone before her soulmate returned. But there hadn’t been any improvement and the warrior was expected back any day now.
At the clan healer’s residence, she was greeted by one of his assistants who led her to the treatment room. It was located near the back of the house, in a huge room that reminded Gabrielle of a small hospice. It held 12 beds, all of which were empty.
A short while later, the healer hurried into the treatment room, followed closely by two of his assistants. He gave Gabrielle a bow. “Golden one, how may I be of assistance?”
The bard returned his bow and said, “Please, call me Gabrielle. I’d like to think we’re not strangers.”
“I am an old man who has spent his whole life in Chin. Foreign names are hard for me.” The healer said.
“You had no problems repeating Xena’s name after hearing it once.” Gabrielle pointed out.
The healer chuckled. “Xena’s name is well-known in Chin. And her name is easier than… Gabrielle.”
“You’ve a point. But I’d really appreciate if you could use my name.”
“I will try.” The healer said. “Now, Gabrielle, will you please tell me what I can do for you?”
“I haven’t been feeling well these past few days.” Gabrielle said.
The healer waved her to take a seat on one of the treatment beds. His assistants quickly moved a folding screen over to hide the bed from the rest of the room. He nodded at them and told them, “Leave us. Do not let anyone in here without my permission.” When his assistants had left, the healer turned back to the bard and said, “Now, tell me your symptoms.”
Gabrielle told him about her sensitivity to smell, aversion to strong smelling foods, nausea, and throwing up after every meal.
“How long has this been going on?”
“This would be the sixth day.” Gabrielle said.
The healer nodded, as if she was confirming something he already knew.
“What’s wrong with me?” Gabrielle asked.
The healer gave her an inscrutable look and took a seat on a stool. He opened his mouth to say something then seemed to change his mind. After a long pause, he finally said, “There’s nothing wrong with you. You are in the prime of your life.”
“That wasn’t what you were going to say.” Gabrielle noted.
“It wasn’t.” The healer agreed.
“Tell me.”
“I—“ The healer stopped, realising there wasn’t any way to sugar-coat things. He said, “Those are all early signs of pregnancy.”
Gabrielle’s jaw dropped and she stared at the healer in incomprehension. It took a while before her brain finished computing what he had said. “Are you saying I’m pregnant?” She shook her head emphatically. “You must be mistaken. I can’t be pregnant.”
“There is no mistake. You are more than a month into your pregnancy. That is usually when the signs start.” The healer said.
“That can’t be right. I haven’t. I—“ The bard was so shocked by the news that she could not think straight. “How can you be so sure?”
“Your aura. Or I should say—your baby’s aura. It becomes visible around 4 weeks after conception.”
“So you knew before I came here.” Gabrielle said. At the healer’s nod, she asked, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“It wasn’t my place to say anything.”
“Does anyone else know?”
“Anyone who looks at your aura would know. But rest assured that none of us would gossip about such matters. The last thing we want to do is intrude upon your privacy or cause any offence.”
A thought struck Gabrielle. “Ji Yu—he knew. That was why he made all that fuss. He thought I’d cheated on Xena.”
The healer sighed. “That boy was always a little impetuous.”
“Does everyone believe I went behind Xena’s back and slept with someone else?” Gabrielle asked tentatively.
“It is not uncommon to seek comfort in the arms of another when one’s soulmate is dead.”
“I. Did. Not.” Gabrielle said, enunciating each word clearly. When the healer did not respond, she dropped her head into her hands and muttered, “Xena’s gonna hit the roof…” A host of conflicting emotions threatened to overwhelm her. But when she heard her soulmate calling for her out in the village, she told the healer, “Xena must not learn about this.”
***
The warrior had travelled all through the night without stopping. She’d already been on her way back but had picked up the pace when she’d felt Gabrielle through their soul-link the day before. Being on foot, it had taken her much longer than anticipated and Xena couldn’t help but blame herself as day turned into night then back into day again. She should have suspected that something was amiss when the bard had suggested Xena travel the countryside by herself. Gabrielle would never do that unless she had a good reason. And the reason she’d given had been flimsy at best.
But Xena had only been too keen to leave. It hadn’t even crossed her mind to question why her soulmate was sending her away. When she finally reached the village, she went straight to their room but Gabrielle wasn’t there. She then searched in a few of the bard’s usual haunts without any success.
Their soul-link wasn’t any help either. It told her that Gabrielle was somewhere in the village but could not narrow it down any further. That was why she had resorted to wandering around the village calling for her soulmate. “Gabrielle!”
She was contemplating continuing her search in the surrounding forest when Gabrielle’s voice sounded from behind her. “I wasn’t expecting you back so soon.”
Xena spun around. The bard looked a little green around the gills and a tad unsteady on her feet. She quickly closed the distance between them, gingerly placing an arm around her soulmate. “Are you sick? You’ve been throwing up since yesterday.”
“How do you know that?”
“I felt it. And you’re a little green around the edges. C’mon. Let’s get you to bed.” Xena bent down, gathered the bard into her arms and made for their room.
Gabrielle burrowed herself against Xena’s chest, drawing comfort from her soulmate’s presence but also feeling a little queasy from all the sudden movement. “Slow down. Unless you want me to puke all over you.”
“Sorry.” Xena slowed down and shortened her stride to avoid jarring her soulmate. “Better?”
“Good enough.”
Back in their room, Xena gently let Gabrielle down onto the bed then snagged a chair with one foot. She sat down and studied her soulmate intently. “You don’t have a fever. Is it just nausea and vomiting?”
“That’s about it.” Gabrielle said.
“When did it start?”
There was an almost imperceptible pause before Gabrielle said in a chirpy voice. “I just have an upset stomach. You know, from eating too much oily stuff.” She studiously avoided looking at Xena, aware that her soulmate was giving her the ‘I wasn’t born yesterday’ glare.
“Gabrielle…”
“Xena, the clan healer says I’ll be fine. So can you stop worrying? I’ll be good and rest.” Gabrielle said, trying once more to deflect the warrior’s questions. She needed time to process what she’d just learn before breaking the news of her pregnancy to her soulmate.
Xena wasn’t happy. She wanted answers. But she also knew she wasn’t going to get anything out of Gabrielle when the bard was in this kind of mood. Hopefully the clan healer would be able to shed some light on what was wrong with her soulmate. “Have you tried the pressure point?”
Gabrielle let out a heavy sigh. “I think that only made it worse.”
“Hmmm… Guess numbing your taste buds isn’t the best idea. I’ll make you some ginger tea. That should help.” Xena gathered all the pillows in their room and placed them on the bed, using them to prop Gabrielle up slightly so that she would not be lying flat on her back. The warrior leaned down, kissed her soulmate on her forehead and told her to get some rest.
***
Gabrielle let out a huge sigh of relief when the warrior finally left the room. She was not naïve enough to believe that Xena suspected nothing. But, at least this way, her soulmate would be more worried about her condition than what had caused it or what it implied.
She was still struggling to come to terms with the revelation that she was pregnant. As she’d told the clan healer, there was no way she could be pregnant. She had never betrayed Xena—at least not that way. Although she really couldn’t blame anyone for believing otherwise—a month ago, Xena had been dead. Besides, it was impossible for her soulmate to get her pregnant.
Unfortunately, that left only one possible explanation—divine intervention. Her first thought had been Eli. The timeline was right. It had been approximately one month ago that they’d visited a temple dedicated to him. Eli had been responsible for Xena’s pregnancy and he certainly could be behind hers. But if he was, what reason could he possibly have?
Her second thought… had been Dahak. The evil god had tricked her into giving up her blood innocence and added insult to injury by impregnating her with his evil spawn. In her naiveté, she had welcomed the child with open arms, blood of her blood, and flesh of her flesh. She’d named the child, Hope; convinced the little bundle of joy nestling in her arms was the physical embodiment of the hope she'd lost when she went against everything she believed in and lost her blood innocence in the process.
Xena, with her vast experience and intimate knowledge of evil, had seen the child for what she was, the offspring of Dahak—a physical embodiment not of hope but of evil. But Gabrielle had thwarted the warrior princess' attempt to kill Hope, fleeing into the protective arms of the banshees who’d kept Xena occupied while she’d fled with her daughter, her only hope.
Had she been rational at the time, she would have realised that the banshees wouldn’t have protected and worshipped her if Hope had just been an innocent baby. But Gabrielle hadn't stopped to think, her only goal at the time was to protect her daughter—from Xena, who was pursuing them with a vengeance, determined to rid the world of an evil before it could come of age.
The warrior had caught up to them, as Gabrielle knew she would. Thinking quickly, she had placed Hope in a basket, lowering it into the river below. Her heart broke as she watched the current carry the basket away, bringing her daughter with it. She'd lied to Xena then—lied to her best friend that Hope was dead. That innocent lie would later come back to haunt her, to haunt them. Before the year was over, Hope would return, this time to carry out her father’s evil will.
Once again, Gabrielle had been blinded by her love for her daughter—believing that a young child could never be inherently evil, regardless of whom her father had been. She’d been so wrong. Hope had used her, used her love; all so that she could kill Xena’s son, Solon. Shocked by her daughter’s role in Solon’s death, Gabrielle had poisoned Hope.
Her betrayal had caused an insurmountable rift between Xena and her—a rift that had nearly destroyed them both. Gabrielle never wanted to go through all that pain, guilt and regret ever again. Luckily for her, Dahak was dead. Hercules and Iolaus had killed him.
But Dahak’s death did not make Gabrielle any less conflicted about being a mother. Her experience with Hope had scarred her for life. And that was before taking into account how Xena would take the news of her pregnancy.
What would her soulmate think? When Gabrielle first learned that Xena was pregnant with Eve, she’d all but accused the warrior of cheating on her with one of her many lovers. And despite her soulmate’s protests to the contrary, Gabrielle had seethed for many days at the thought of the warrior in the arms of another.
It was not difficult to imagine that Xena would think she’d been unfaithful to her. After all, most if not all of the Southern Forest clan dragons already believed that, so why not Xena? The mere thought made Gabrielle physically sick. She leaned over the side of the bed and dry heaved into a bucket.
***
“Sip this.” Xena said, handing a steaming cup of ginger tea to Gabrielle. “Be careful, it’s hot.”
“What’s in it?” Gabrielle asked, taking the cup and sniffing at it.
“Ginger, honey, chamomile, and a touch of lemon.”
“No wonder it took you so long. I thought it was going to be just ginger and hot water.” Gabrielle said, blowing gently into the cup.
With a little sleight of hand, Xena produced a small lemon seemingly out of thin air and placed it on the bedside table. “I got this for you. Took me a while to find a tree. It ain’t used much in Chin.”
“What’s it for?” Gabrielle asked, staring curiously at the yellow fruit.
“A theory I wanna test. When the nausea hits, scratch the skin and smell it. You’ll need to carry it around.”
“Huh… I never knew lemons could be used in that way.” The bard took a small tentative sip of ginger tea but it was still too hot. She made a face. “Can you hand me a spoon from my pack?”
The warrior picked up Gabrielle’s pack, rummaged inside and came up with a wooden spoon. She passed it over to the bard who used it to stir the hot tea, speeding up the cooling process. After a while, the tea had cooled enough that Gabrielle could sip it more comfortably. She gave a small sigh of relief as the tea did its work. Her rebellious stomach settled and she no longer felt like emptying her guts into the ground. “This is the best I’ve felt all day.”
“Good. Now stay here and rest.” Xena said.
Seeing her soulmate get up to leave, Gabrielle asked, “Where are you going?”
“Gotta go talk to the cooks.”
***
Technically, Xena hadn’t been lying. She’d dropped by the kitchen to give the cooks some suggestions for Gabrielle’s dinner. But it would take some time for the food to be ready. In the meantime, she would pay the clan healer a visit.
She hunted the healer down in his study and knocked on the door.
The healer did not look surprised to see her. “Xena, come in. To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“Bi Dan.” Xena said as she entered the study and closed the door behind her.
The healer’s forehead furrowed in confusion. He had been expecting the warrior but he certainly wasn’t expecting Xena to bring up his one-time protégé. “What about Bi Dan?”
“You should reinstate him.”
“Did he ask you to intercede on his behalf?” The healer asked.
“No. I overheard your assistants talking about what happened.”
“Then you know that he made a fatal mistake. He could have killed you.”
“But he didn’t.” Xena said. “Look, everyone makes mistakes.”
The healer shook his head, obviously not agreeing with Xena’s assessment. “A healer cannot afford to make mistakes. It could mean the difference between life and death. How can I reinstate him to chief assistant when he made a mistake that only a novice would make? He has lost the respect of his juniors.”
“That was not what I heard.” Xena told him. “Your assistants agree with him. If it’d been anyone but me, he woulda been right. It’s not his fault I don’t play by the rules.”
The healer looked unconvinced. “That is the difference between a good healer and a great healer. Bi Dan is book-smart. He knows everything there is to know about the art of healing but he does not deviate from the tried and tested. Not everyone responds in the same way—one man’s meat is another man’s poison. To be a great healer, he must be able to assess and evaluate the patient’s condition and find the best treatment for that patient, not use what has been proven to work for others.”
“Then teach him.” Xena said. “Bi Dan’s heart is in the right place and he has the knowledge to be a great healer. He just needs someone to show him how. If you demote him, he’ll never reach his full potential. That’d be a waste.”
There was a long pause as the healer pondered Xena’s words. The warrior wasn’t wrong. He had promoted Bi Dan precisely because of his potential for greatness. The young assistant could be the greatest healer their clan had ever known. And he was only a thousand years old. It had been his hope that Bi Dan would take over from him in time. Those hopes had been dashed when the young dragon made that critical mistake. But, everyone made mistakes. He’d made his fair share and would not have become clan healer if his own mentor hadn’t been patient with him. Xena’s words had merit. “I will think on what you have said.”
“Thank you.” Xena said.
“But that’s not the main reason you are here.” The healer said.
“I want to know what’s wrong with Gabrielle.”
“What makes you think there is something wrong?” He asked.
“I’m not here to play games.” Xena told him. “How long has she been sick?”
“Six days.”
Xena nodded. It made sense. Gabrielle had sent her away 4 days ago. And she hadn’t sensed anything amiss at the time. Her soulmate had obviously been trying to hide her sickness from her.
“Is it—serious?” Xena asked. The warrior’s healing skills tended towards the practical. Her diagnostic skills were more… rudimentary. She could treat Gabrielle’s symptoms but she wouldn’t know if there was some serious underlying illness until and unless the bard’s condition worsened.
“Alleviate her symptoms and she will feel better very soon.” The healer said.
“There’s something you ain’t telling me.” Xena said.
“I have told you everything I can.” The healer said.
***