1 Poteidaia
It was a clear, crisp morning on the outskirts of Poteidaia, when the warrior was awoken by the sounds of a skirmish nearby. The warrior was up in a second running toward whomever needed her help or whatever was happening, past the small section of woodland she had chosen to camp at for the night. As the warrior came out into the clearing, she could see a young woman struggling with a rough looking man by the well where she was going to get the water for the morning cooking and watering of the farm animals. “Let me go, helppp!” the girl yelled into the quiet morning. The man put his hand tightly over the girl’s mouth, as he pulled on the ropes binding her wrists. “Now, you shut up girly. You’ll get a good price at the slave auction and I can have a little fun with you before I take you back to our camp”.
The man and girl both turned their heads in the direction of a whoosing sound coming nearer. Before she knew it, the rope restraining her was sliced into and she fell to her knees on the hard, cold ground. The man was startled and before he knew it a sword was at his throat. The warrior raised her arm and grabbed her Chakram out of the air as it came back to her like a boomerang. The man was visibly shaken at the site of the chakram and the girl stared in awe. She had heard many stories of the warrior who wore the chakram, as well as the one who wore it before her.
Gabrielle, known as the Amazon Warrior Queen, stood in front of them, a hard look on her stern face, tanned and with a few lines from the sun and the years and sadness since she had last seen her Warrior Princess alive. She missed Xena so much and had been on a quest to find a way to bring her back for over ten years now. Her quest had brought her around the known world and finally back to Poteidaia, where it all began….
Dr. Dena E. Xavier, professor of Ancient Studies with an expertise in Amazon history and ancient Greece and Rome, sat at her desk at the University of Chicago’s Ancient Studies Department. She was concentrating on the screen of her desktop waiting patiently while the computer program tried to fill in the missing pieces of the scroll she was attempting to decipher, when she heard a knock on her door. Before she could say a word, her coworker/friend, Charlotte McGavin, came barging into her office.
“Hey Dena, have you thought about tonight yet?” Asked the redheaded coworker as she bent over to look at what was so interesting on the professor’s screen. “Charlotte, I have a lot of work to do. With these scrolls that were just brought in from the dig site, I don’t have a minute to spare.” “But you know I don’t really get into the bar scene anyway.” Charlotte crossed her arms and gave the Professor a look as she shook her head. “Dena, you need to get out and have some fun.” “You haven’t had a date in forever and you rarely go out with friends unless it’s related to work.” “Oh, I almost forgot, Ilsa will be there. You know she likes you and wants to go on another date with you.” Dena sighed before saying, “Charlotte, I just didn’t have a connection with Ilsa. There was something missing so what was the point of continuing dating? I will know when I meet my soulmate and I definitely know Ilsa Randall is not her!” “oh, I forgot”, Charlotte said while rolling her eyes. “Your so-called soulmate is a recurring dream you have of an Amazon Warrior from centuries ago. “Dena hung her head and said softly, “but It feels so real, but at the same time, it is so frustrating because there are thousands of years that separate us, if she even ever existed.” “Dena”, Charlotte said in a soft calming voice as she put her arm around her friend’s shoulder. I just know what a wonderful person you are and you could get anyone you wanted. I always have people asking me about you and if you are seeing anyone. It must be the blue eyes and the leather jacket you wear”. Dena looked up in surprise. “What’s wrong, Dena?” “Nothing Charlotte, just déjà vu. Just felt like I remembered someone saying that to me before”. “So, is it a No on tonight then? Asked Charlotte. Yes, it’s a No Charlotte, maybe next weekend. I have a long drive home and want to spend the weekend going over the scrolls and maybe sit by the lake and do some fishing. I’ll see you Monday.” OK Dena, but if you change your mind, you’re always welcome.” Thanks Charlotte, Goodnight.
Dena shut her computer down for the weekend and grabbed her laptop, backpack and leather jacket and headed out the door to faculty parking. Summer had just recently turned into fall and this would probably be the last week she drove her Motorcycle to work. It was chilly as she climbed onto her Tiger 800 XC, so she turned on the heated grips for warmth. She loved this bike. It was good for commuting and she could become a weekend warrior on it as well. It was a great off-road bike to get her to her favorite fishing spots. Dena drove the little over an hour drive to her home not far over the Illinois/Indiana border to her cabin in the woods near Beverly Shores. As she pulled her bike onto the front porch, she heard her house phone ringing and someone leaving a message. Cell service was not always reliable out in the woods, so it was necessary to keep a landline so the University could get in touch with her. She went inside, put a pot of coffee on and a hot pocket in the microwave. She sat down and pushed the blinking red button on her answering machine. She heard the excited voice of her graduate assistant, Gary. “Dr. X, you are not going to believe what we have found’!! I am at the base of the ancient wall in Poteidaia. We found an entrance to a tomb, but you are not going to believe this, but inside it was freezing, like I mean literally made of ice. But amazing as that is, you will not believe, I don’t even believe it. But, frozen in a block of ice is a preserved Warrior Woman. Call me when you get this message!” The phone hit the floor as Dena stood there not believing what she just heard. What a discovery this would be. She had to get the Warrior to the University for proper study and Xrays. She picked up the phone and dialed Gary in Greece.
After saving the young woman at the well, the warrior escorted her back to her home in Poteidaia. “Thank you so much for saving me back there. My name is Teresa”, the young woman said while looking at the warrior with admiration. “I’m Gabrielle and you are welcome. Long ago, I was also rescued from would be slave traders near that very spot. That day changed my life forever.” “Yes, I know” said Teresa. “You are a living legend in Poteidaia. We have read of your adventures with the Warrior Princess, Xena. Your Sister Lila and niece Sara, have copied your scrolls so everyone who wants has an opportunity to read the legendary battling bard’s work.” Gabrielle blushed at the girl’s compliments. “I’m just a person like anyone, nothing special. I grew up right here in Poteidaia, just a simple farm girl.” “Oh no, I would never call you simple, stated Teresa. You are an Amazon Queen and a mighty warrior who fought along side Xena the Warrior Princess, former Destroyer of Nations. You fought Caesar and the Gods of Olympus! You are definitely not simple or ordinary.” “Well, whatever you say Teresa, but here is my sister’s house and just like everyone else, I need to rest, eat and use her outhouse.” “See, I am very ordinary” Gabrielle chuckled as she made her way to the front door of her former childhood home, now the home of her sister Lila and her niece Sara. “Goodbye Gabrielle and thank you again for everything you did for me this morning. That guy ran so fast, once he tells the others the Amazon Warrior is here, they won’t be back around.” “You’re welcome Teresa, see you around.” Said Gabrielle as she turned to knock on the door.
As the door opened Gabrielle was greeted by her sister Lila. She would never get used to seeing her younger sister looking so much older than herself. The 25 years that Gabrielle was frozen in suspended animation with Xena, kept her body young during that time. So even though Gabrielle was close to 60, she had the body of a 35 yr old. But, seeing Lila with wrinkles and gray hair, would always be hard to get used to. “Gabrielle!” Lila exclaimed as she opened the door to see her sister after 10 years away. “Gabrielle, I have missed you so much. We haven’t had word of you in so long, I was afraid something had happened to you and we would never see you again.” “Please tell me you have come home to stay awhile this time. Sara will be home soon from the market and she will be so excited to see you again.” “Well Lila, you could say I am coming home to stay for quite awhile I guess.” Gabrielle stated as she avoided making eye contact with her sister. Gabrielle knew that Lila would not like her plans and why she was back in her home village.
“Oh Gabrielle, I am so happy you are here! I will never get over you looking as young as Sara.” “Oh I can’t wait to hear of your adventures and what you have been up to for the last ten years.” Gabrielle smiled as she could still hear the excitement in her sister’s voice and see the twinkle in Lila’s eyes that she had as a young girl listening to Gabrielle tell her stories true, made up or exaggerated for Lila’s entertainment.
Lila made her way to the fireplace to get the kettle to make them some tea, Just as Sara came in carrying a basket of dried fish, cured beef and assorted vegetables from the market. Sara dropped the basket onto the table and wrapped her arms around her Aunt. “Aunt Gabrielle! Oh I am so happy to see you. Mother has worried so much about you over the years. I always reassured her that you can take care of yourself and that you were perfectly fine.” “Oh Sara, it is so good to see you. I have missed you both so much. Thank you for taking care of my little sister so well.” This caused a chuckle to come from Sara as she always found it funny that Gabrielle was the big sister to her mother.
“Please tell me you are going to stay with us. I mean, at least for awhile, but if you decided to make your home here, that would be so wonderful.” Stated Sara as she looked hopefully from her Aunt to her Mother. Lila looked at Sara and gave Gabrielle a knowing smile and said, “Sara, Gabrielle knows she is welcome here for any amount of time she wants to stay. But, my sister would never be content in one place. She has been on a life adventure since she was 17. The small town life was not meant for Gabrielle. She was meant for other things.” Gabrielle gave her sister an appreciative look and small smile. Lila poured them tea and sat down at the table. “Now, Gabrielle, tell us what you have been doing for the past 10 years.”
Gabrielle sat silent for a moment as she sipped her tea. She then looked into the eyes of her sister and niece for a moment before saying “maybe it’s best if I just start at the beginning.”
Dr. Xavier sat in her office at the University of Chicago, anxiously awaiting the email from her Graduate Assistant, Gary Moore. She had received another call from him, during the past week, and he was beginning to make progress with getting the approval of the Greek government to loan the body and artifacts to the University. Dena was beginning to get very nervous that they would deny their request to ship it to America. Dena was already thinking of getting a flight to Greece if she had to when her computer dinged, letting her know she had a new email message waiting for her. She opened the email hoping it was good news. Gary had sent a short message via email as he was unable to call from his current location. The message just said: “Got approval from Greek government. Will be contacting you soon with details about how and when we are going to ship the body. We are waiting to hear from a Captain of a fishing freighter with enough room and the correct temperature to keep the ice frozen and the body as we found it. See attached pictures of the find. Talk to you soon, G.”
Dena sighed, relieved she would get to study this amazing discovery at home and not in Greece with the Greek authorities and scholars looking over her shoulder and watching her every move. Although, she was certain the Greek Government would send a representative to accompany the body back to Chicago and to stay for the duration of the loan and to have full access to her findings, she sat thinking as the first picture from Gary loaded on the screen. Dena took in a breath as she could not believe what she was seeing. The figure was not completely clear through the ice, but she could see the blonde hair and profile of the Warrior as she thought to herself, “it can’t be her, can it. I must be losing my mind, it looks just like the woman from my dreams!” “Get a hold of yourself Dena”, she said in her mind as she stared at the face that was so familiar and yet so illusive. “I have got to get it together and be professional here. What would my friends and colleagues think if they knew I was looking at a picture of a corpse and thought she was the woman of my dreams, literally!” Just then, Charlotte gave a quick knock as she opened the door and proceeded to come in. “OK Dena, I am not going to take No for an answer today. You have been working almost around the clock on this find and I know it is important and means a lot to you, but before it gets here and you are consumed with your research, then you can take a night off.” Dena rubbed her forehead and sighed. “Fine Charlotte, I don’t have any food at home right now anyway, so I’ll go, but only for dinner and I am not staying out late. I have a lot of preparation to do for the arrival from Greece next week.” “OK deal”, stated Charlotte as she gave Dena a quick hug from behind as she sat in her desk chair. “We are all meeting at that new restaurant/bar just off campus called, “Mount Olympus”. “Who all is going to be there tonight?”, asked Dena. “Oh just the usual crowd,” Charlotte said as she made her way to the door. “Me and Tom, Deb, Jim, Stan. Just the usual group of the history faculty. Oh and Ilsa Randall. See ya later!” Charlotte said as she existed fast shutting the door quickly behind her. “WHAT” oh, sighed Dena, how do I get myself into these situations? I should have just said no and got a pizza on the way home.”
Dena decided to stay and work until it was time to meet everyone at Mount Olympus. There was really no point in driving all the way home and back. She always kept extra clothes in her office in case of situations such as this. She browsed through her office closet and decided on blue jeans, a shiny silk blue button up and her thin black leather jacket and short boots. It was at about 6:40 that Dena left her office. She decided to just walk since it was only about 10 minutes away and it was still unseasonably warm. As she passed the Quad, she saw several of her students and familiar faces. Most of them were sitting on benches talking, reading, walking dogs or playing Frisbee. Just as she was passing by a former student yelled, “heads up Dr. X!” On instinct it seemed and without looking, she stopped the Frisbee within an inch of her nose. With precision and ease she turned in one fluid motion, the Frisbee was thrown at breakneck speed. It ricocheted off one tree then another and back into the hands of the young man who had thrown it. Everyone stopped and stared and whispered to one another as Dr. Xavier turned quickly and continued up the sidewalk to the restaurant. “How did I even do that?” she thought to herself. “Whatever, I guess I got lucky.”
Dena got to the restaurant and made her way to the desk. She let the hostess know she was waiting on the party of McGavin and to let them know she was at the bar. As Dena sat at one of the few empty bar stools and told the bartender she’d have a Michelob Ultra in the bottle. She turned to take in the décor of the bar. There were the standard Greek pillars and busts of Gods and Goddesses. Vines hanging around the top of the restaurant and some clay vases and pots on shelves with depictions of Greek and Roman life painted on them. Just the usual stuff you would find at a home store to give the appearance of what TV and movies have made us to believe this is what it looked like then. Sure, there was some of that type of architecture and statues, but for the most part, they were only in specific areas and everyone didn’t go around wearing a toga and thinking all day while being fed grapes by slaves.
“Hey stranger,” said the brown haired, brown eyed woman as she sat down on the empty stool beside Dena. “Are you going to buy me a drink? I think it’s the least you can do after not hearing from you in almost a month.” “I’m sorry Ilsa, I’ve been really busy at work. I have been meaning to give you a call.” Dena said as she nervously peeled the label from her bottle. “Oh you have, have you? I thought we had a good time that night. Even though you refused to come in for coffee after our date. I waited for you to call and by the end of the week, I knew I wasn’t going to hear from you any time soon.”
“Look Ilsa, I did have a good time. I am very busy right now and just don’t have time to go out much.” “Well, I am busy too and won’t wait around forever.” “OK, I have an important find coming in from Greece that will take up a lot of my time for the next few weeks, after that I will give you a call and maybe we can go out to dinner and see a movie, you know as friends I mean.” Ilsa thought for a moment then said, “Do you think I could see the artifacts sometime from your dig in Greece? I am just on the floor below you, you know. Come by my office any time.” “Sure, it will be here next week, you are welcome to come take a look.” said Dena. Ilsa stood up from her stool and leaned forward and gave Dena an awkward hug. “See you around love”, Ilsa said as she turned to leave. Just as she was leaving she bumped shoulders with Charlotte McGavin who was approaching Dena from the hostess area where the young woman was pointing for her to go to find her friend.
“What was that all about Dena, and why is Ilsa leaving so soon?” “I think she got some feelings off her chest and did what she came here to do, so no point in staying the rest of the night I guess. You know she really doesn’t get along with the others anyway. It is probably best she left.” “Look Dena, stated Charlotte, I am sorry for fixing you up with her to begin with. She seemed like a nice woman and she teaches medieval war strategy 300 so I thought you two might have a lot in common. I was just talking to Jamie in the administration building earlier and she told me Ilsa can be a little nutty, especially when it comes to relationships. She had a friend in Financial Aid who dated her and it didn’t end well. The girl ended up getting a job at another university to just get away from her.” “It’s OK Charlotte, I can handle the situation with Ilsa”, said Dena. Just then the others in the group came in from the warm fall air. “Our tables ready Dena, Let’s just go have a nice meal. We are all excited by your teams new discovery and can’t wait to hear the details, “said Charlotte as she ushered her friend to the table to have a pleasant meal with their mutual acquaintances.
6. Poteidaia (Gabrielle’s Story)
Gabrielle sipped her tea as she gathered her thoughts to begin telling her sister and niece where she has been and what she has been doing for the past 10 years. It was not easy to bring up the memories and definitely not easy to talk about them. She set her cup on the old wooden table, leaned forward and with sad eyes, began her tale…
Port of Jappa, ten years ago: Gabrielle stood on the deck of the fishing vessel as it began to leave the Port of Jappa and begin the long sea voyage that would take her to Egypt, land of the Pharaohs. She still could not believe that Xena was dead. She refused to believe that she would not see her again or be able to bring her back somehow. They had faced death and came back from it many times together. Xena never gave up on Gabrielle and she would never give up on Xena. Gabrielle had exhausted all her hopes of finding the answer of bringing Xena back in Jappa. She had learned that Akemi had betrayed Xena and lied to her when she had told Xena she could not go back into her body after battling and defeating Yodoshi, the evil spirit holding the 40,000 souls hostage, whose deaths, Xena was indirectly responsible for. Akemi had loved Xena in a very twisted way and had wanted her for herself, even if that meant Xena would have to join her in the spirit world.
Looking out at the open sea, Gabrielle takes the small urn, holding Xena’s ashes, from her satchel. “Oh Xena, If I had known sooner what you had planned, I could have helped you and stopped you from sacrificing your soul needlessly. Akemi lied to you Xena. After you released the souls, you did not have to follow them in order for them to move on. Akemi just wanted you to be with her for eternity. I was told by a village elder in Jappa that you were tricked by Akemi in this horrible way. I love you Xena and I promise I will scour the Earth until I find a way to be with you again.” As the ship got further out to sea, Gabrielle was beginning to feel sick from the motion of the vessel on the rough waves. Luckily, Xena had taught her the pressure point on her wrist to stop her sea sickness. She tapped her arm and immediately began to feel better. Her thoughts went to the last day she saw Xena alive. That was the day she had taught her to use the pinch on the neck to disable someone she needed to interrogate. She often wondered if it was 20 seconds or a couple of minutes that they actually had to talk and have the pinch removed before they died. Gabrielle felt the spots on her neck that she knew would cut off the flow of blood to her brain. She also remembered the first night without Xena. She had used the pressure point pinch on her own neck that night and only took it off at the last second as her eyesight began to dim and she felt herself becoming weightless. She had almost let herself die that night. She really didn’t know how she was going to go on without Xena and seriously thought about ending her life right then and there. But, she knew she would more than likely go to spend eternity at the resting place for the spirits of fallen Amazons and never have a chance of ever seeing Xena again in this world or the next. So, at the last possible second, she removed the pinch from herself and fell to the floor with blood streaming from her nose and tears streaming down her face. She laid on the floor in a mess of crying, coughing and wailing for what seemed like hours then she chuckled and spoke aloud. “Xena, I just realized I could have at least counted how long the pinch really does take before death comes. I always thought you said 20 seconds because you wanted them to hurry and tell you what you wanted to know and didn’t want to wait for a couple of minutes. You were never patient when it came to some things. I was so close to just ending it all she thought. This sorrow pierces my heart and stabs my very soul. Oh Xena, where are you and how can I get there. I know I have to stay strong, just as you did when you thought I was dead after Hope and I plummeted into that volcano pit. You never gave up on me and I have to be the strong warrior you taught me to be and never give up on you. It’s just so hard living without you. Gabrielle returned Xena’s ashes to her satchel and headed down to the cargo hold to find her a cozy corner to lay down her bedroll for the journey ahead. She was mentally and physically exhausted and would sleep often during the long voyage.
7. The Amazon Warrior arrives in Egypt
Gabrielle was tossing and turning on her bedroll in the cargo hold of the ship she had bought passage to Egypt on. She was having a nightmare. She saw the image of Xena’s headless crucified body hanging on the crossed beams of wood. Behind Xena she could see Akemi with a wicked smile on her face, holding Xena’s head in her outstretched hand. Gabrielle was jolted awake by the sounds of the heavy anchor being lowered into the depths of the Mediterranean sea. She gathered her things and hurried to the deck. She was anxious to get back on land again. When she emerged from the hold, she had to shield her eyes from the bright Egyptian sun. In the distance she could see the famous Lighthouse of Alexandria she had heard tell about. It was huge even at the distance she was away from it. She threw her bags in the small boat before being lowered to the water and the crew rowing her to the docks.
Gabrielle was not sure where to go but knew she needed to talk to an Egyptian scribe soon. She did not like being away from Xena and was determined to get her back as soon as possible. “First things first, Gabrielle”, she thought to herself as she made her way through the streets of Alexandria looking for an Inn. She couldn’t wait to find a room, food other than fish and squid, and to take a nice long bath. Gabrielle found an Inn that was very similar to inns in Rome. Since the death of the last pharoah, Cleopatra, Egypt was not the glorious place it once was. That glory had been crushed under Roman rule. It was very different from the majestic, mystifying place she remembers the last time she was there with Xena so many years ago.
Gabrielle found a small Inn and gave the innkeeper roman coinage to stay at least 2 nights and to visit the bath house behind the inn. She entered her room at the top of the backstairs and laid on the bed as she was exhausted from her journey and her walks through the dusty streets of Alexandria. She laid there for several minutes before getting up and pulling the scrolls from her satchel along with the urn holding Xena’s ashes. She sat the urn on the nightstand beside her bed. “Well Xena, I have made it to Egypt. That was the place where we had said we were going before we left for Jappa, remember? Well, I thought this was a good place to start in finding a way to get you back. I also wanted to let you know that I have began writing scrolls again. I am keeping these so someday you will know what happened after your death and what I did to find you. It also helps to keep me sane. Oh Xena, I am so lonely without you. Sometimes I just feel like I am walking around in a fog and the only way I know I will finally find my way out is when I find my way to you.”
Gabrielle Grabbed a change of clothes, soap and a towel from her other bag. She made her way to the bath house and was glad to see no one else was in there. She didn’t really feel like making small talk and wanted to just lay back and relax in the hot water and steam. When she entered the water her muscles immediately began to feel so much better as the tension was slowly released by the heat of the water. She missed Xena washing her hair and scrubbing her back and ears. She sighed heavily as she leaned back and closed her eyes. After scrubbing her body and hair, she decided to get out when she heard voices near by. She got out and dressed as two other women entered the bath house talking between themselves and paying no attention to Gabrielle as she picked up her things and left. She stopped at the bar and asked if a plate of meat, anything but fish, and some fresh fruit be sent to her room. After she ate she planned to get a good nights sleep and begin her search for a scribe early the next morning.
8. The Book of the Dead
Gabrielle woke the next morning to the sounds of the street vendors setting up their booths for the day. She made sure Xena’s chakram was securely fastened to her belt and her sais were placed inside her boots and made her way to the bar area of the inn. She decided to have eggs for breakfast and to inquire where to find an Egyptian temple where she could speak to a scribe. The innkeeper let her know that most of the temples were now under Roman control and gave her directions to find the house of an old Egyptian man named Abubakar who may be able to help her. After finishing her breakfast she set off to find the old Egyptian.
Gabrielle knocked on the door of the simple dwelling and waited patiently as she heard someone moving slowly to the door. “Hello Miss, how may I help you?” Stated the old man that stood in the doorway. “Hi, my name is Gabrielle and I was told by the Inn Keeper, where I am staying, that I could find a man named Abubakar here?” “I am Abubakar. How can I be of service to you?” “Well, I have heard of a book that can allow someone to speak to the dead. I really need to find it and I was hoping you knew the location.” Abubakar looked around to make sure no one was listening then quickly ushered Gabrielle into his home. “The book you speak of has powerful magic in its words contained within it. It is the Egyptian Book of the Dead. It is a sacred book to assist the soul in its journey in the afterlife. It also contains a collection of spells to speak to and assist those in the afterlife. What is your purpose in finding this book and how do you know of the sacred text?” Gabrielle gave the old, Egyptian a condensed version of what she was trying to accomplish and how she had heard of the book when she was last in Egypt. He listened without judgment but let her know that sometimes it is better to let souls be. She told him that was not possible. She must get her back. “I may know where you can find a copy of some of the passages contained in the book. We lost so much knowledge and history when the library of Alexandria was burnt to the ground by Julius Caesar. “Gabrielle shuddered at the name. She still remembers how Caesar had her and Xena crucified on that snowy mountaintop so long ago. If not for Joxer and Amarice getting them off the crosses, Eli’s prayers and oddly enough, Callisto in her Angelic form bringing them back from the dead, they would have never returned. She thought of her old friends for a second. They were all gone now. Abubakar was still talking and Gabrielle refocused on his voice. “I know where you can get a transcription of the original scrolls that were housed in the great library. But, they will not be easy to obtain. They were taken for safe keeping near here but were moved as more Romans began occupying the city. The transcription has been taken to Cairo. Once there, it was unfortunately stolen from the hidden place within the Great Pyramid by tomb robbers. It was purchased by a Roman Governor and he has the sacred scrolls, bound in a book, among other sacred Egyptian items, on display and under guard at his palace in Cairo. It will be very dangerous if not impossible to retrieve the transcript.” Gabrielle thought for a moment and her only response was “Do you know where I can buy a Camel?”
Gabrielle returned to her room at the Inn after purchasing a Camel, supplies and different clothes for her journey through the desert. She estimated it would take her 5 or 6 days to reach Cairo, if she was able to avoid the random sandstorms. A knock at her door took her from her thoughts as she let the young boy into her room with a tray of food. She had ordered a lot of food as she was not wanting to take a lot of supplies with her. She had stopped at the market and bought some dried meats, some cheese and bread for her trek. She also bought two extra water skins. She knew she would need water more than food on her journey. So, with the next days task weighing on her mind, she sat down to eat her dinner of stew, roasted chicken, bread, cheese and two tumblers full of water. She wanted to make sure she was not dehydrated before leaving tomorrow. After dinner, she sat down to write two letters. She had been dreading writing these letters, but knew she had to do it before leaving Alexandria.
Her first letter was to Eve and the second to Lila. She would send them both to Lila and ask her to have someone take it to Eve as soon as word was heard of her returning to Rome. As far as Gabrielle knew, Eve was still in Chin. She began writing:
Dear Eve,
By the time you receive this letter, I know you will of heard of your mother Xena’s death in Jappa. Your mother was brave and selfless to the end. She loved you so much and I love you too. You were and always will be our baby girl. She was so proud of you and how you overcame your past to become a great spiritual teacher of peace and love. I wanted to be that at one time, but it was not my destiny. My destiny was to become a Warrior for justice, like Xena was in her final years. I am going to try and find your mother in the spirit world and try to get her back somehow. I just have to keep trying. She never gave up on me and I cannot give up on her. I refuse to believe our story ended in Jappa. It was not supposed to be that way. If only we had stayed with the Amazons years ago and raised you, our daughter, we would be old and grey and would have not missed out on your first 25 years, as we lay frozen in time. I do not know where this journey will take me or when I will see you again. But know that I think of you often and you are always in my heart. I love you.
Your other mother,
Gabrielle
As she signed the letter, she had a tear leave her eye and she wiped it away quickly. She knew she had another letter to get through and had to get rest and could not afford one of her sleepless nights of crying in between her nightmares. She got out a fresh piece of parchment and began to write.
My dearest sister Lila,
I am in Alexandria, Egypt and heading to Cairo tomorrow by camel. I am not sure where I will be when you receive this letter. I know by now the news of Xena’s death has reached Greece and Rome. I have enclosed a letter for Eve. Please have it sent to Rome as soon as you get word that she has arrived back from Chin.
Oh Lila, I am lost without Xena. We should have never went to Jappa. Xena’s past came back to haunt her and she allowed herself to be killed in battle to save the souls of others. I could have brought her back with the magic waters from the mountaintop where we said our final goodbyes. Sorry if I’m rambling and not making a lot of sense. I am just so devastated. I know, even though I never got to tell you, that Xena was the love of my life and I was hers. We are soulmates and I just have to talk to her again. I have to find her. I miss her voice, those looks she gave me when she was annoyed with me. I miss her arms around me at night. I miss our closeness and her companionship. Oh Lila, I am dying without her. She is the other half of me and I will find her again someday. I just have to.
I love you Lila, I miss you and hope to see you again. Please hug Sara for me and give her my love. I keep you both in my heart and think of you both often.
Your big sister,
Gabrielle
Gabrielle folded the letters and wrote Lila’s information on the outside before sealing it with candle wax. She would drop it off at the local merchants on her way to the stables in the morning. The merchant provided letter delivery service for a small fee. The next trip he would make to Rome for goods, he would deliver it there and then it would be transferred to another courier to be taken on to Potentiate.
Gabrielle turned back the blankets on the bed and blew out the candle sitting beside Xena’s ashes. Before laying her head down to sleep, she whispered in the direction of the urn, “Goodnight my love.”
9. Journey to Cairo
The next morning, Gabrielle was up early and heading to the stables with her bags and supplies to get her camel. She had bought some new clothes to protect her from the scorching sun. She no longer wore the knit tops and skirts, but covered herself with long tight black leather pants, a sleeveless short black leather top, cut low and laced up the front with maroon suede laces. Her boots were made of maroon leather and came up to just under her knees. She had her sais in the sides of the boots and she wore the chakram on a clip on her side against a maroon belt and had her Katana sword sheathed and attached on her back. She had slid silver bands on the tops of her arms and maroon leather wrist bands with a silver swirl design on her forearms for added protection. After she secured the supplies on her camel, she covered herself with a light tan robe with a draw string around the waist, and wrapped a cover over her head to protect her against the burning heat of the Egyptian sun. She Took out a compass and began heading south into what look like an endless sea of sand.
10. Beverly Shores, Indiana (present day)
Dena sat at her small desk in her cabin in the woods staring at the laptop and the words she had deciphered from the ancient scrolls. The scrolls were found in jars near an ancient wall in Poteidaia near the burial site of the warrior woman. So far she was only able to piece together a few phrases. The scrolls were found in clay jars and were very dry and brittle. Some of the sections had been broken off over time and crumbled away. The computer program will give some indication of what possibly a word could be to form a complete sentence in the ancient writing, but was not much help with longer missing sentences or paragraphs. From the first scroll she was working on, she had gotten all she could out of it. There wasn’t much left of it. It had stuck to the side of the vessel and most of the writing had been torn away or faded. What she did get it seemed like it was a story being told about a battle. She was surprised to find mention of the Greek Gods of Olympus such as Ares and Aphrodite. It referenced an event called “The Twilight of the Gods”. “This must be a mythical story”, thought Dena as she scanned the other words to see if she could verify this theory. One line was talking about mankind not needing the Gods anymore and their time had come to an end. Dena moved on to the second scroll. It seemed to be some type of description of who may have written the scrolls. It stated:
My Sister Ga…….wrote these stories ba.ed on h………………..a. There was just so much missing but maybe the warrior in the ice is Ga……. Or the woman writing about her sister is the woman in the ice. This was going to be a long, tedious project to decipher and piece together the words from the pieces of ancient parchment in the jars. Dena was not a linguist, so she would turn this project over to the Linguistics team for interpretation. She would keep a copy of the scrolls herself on her computer to see what she could make of them, but she definitely needed help in that area. Even though she was slightly frustrated at the slow process of interpreting the scrolls, she was very excited about the phone call she had received from her Grad Assistant, Gary, the night before. Gary had let her know they had extracted the ice sarcophagus from the tomb in Poteidaia and it had been loaded onto a refrigerated truck. The freighter was waiting at the harbor and by morning it would be loaded into the hull’s refrigerated area and they would be on their way to New York. Once they arrived in New York, the next step would be to load it onto a refrigerated semi headed for Chicago. Dena sat back and sighed...”I can’t wait to meet you warrior woman.”
11. Gabrielle’s journey through the desert
Gabrielle had not stopped much on the first day on her journey to Cairo. She knew she would not be able to travel at night so she kept going as long as she could without endangering or overworking the Camel. She had only had enough money to buy one camel. She needed to save what little she had left. She just hoped he was a strong camel and would make the trek without dying and leaving her to try and walk to Cairo. It would not be easy to walk across the desert with a limited supply of water, so she decided to not think about that and would only worry about it, if it happened.
The sun was beginning to set behind the sand dunes up ahead. She knew she needed to setup her camp for the night before it got too cold and dark. She slid off the side of the camel and removed a wooden stake from her bag. She pushed it far into the ground and tied the harness around it to keep the camel from wandering off. She pulled some hay from another pouch and held it in front of him. The camel took it out of her hand with a long tongue and began chewing away. Gabrielle smiled and gave him a pat on the head before beginning to lay out her bedroll and blankets. She knew it could get very cold at night so she had made sure to bring extra blankets on this journey. After preparing her bed she took a small chunk of bread and sliced off a piece of cheese and laid it on the bread with a thin piece of dried fish. It wasn’t the best meal, but it would do. After eating she drank some water, dug a small hole in the sand to to relieve herself and after covering it up she went back to her bed and pulled the blankets over her head.
“Gabrielle, wake up. I caught us breakfast.” “I don’t want to get up yet, it’s too early. You cook breakfast Xena. Wait, Xena is that you! “Gabrielle awoke sitting up quickly and looking around for Xena before the hot sun brought her back from her dream into the harsh desert environment and the quiet loneliness surrounding her. As she got up, the camel stood from his sleeping position of legs folded under him and looked at Gabrielle expectantly for more hay for his breakfast. After tending to the camel she took a bite of bread and cheese with a few gulps of water and climbed onto the camel as he lowered himself so she could climb upon him to begin her second day of her journey.
Gabrielle’s trip through the desert was uneventful until the last day. As afternoon came on the final few miles of her journey, the wind began to pick up until she was unable to see as the sand was getting in her eyes and feeling like tiny knives on her face and hands. The storm had blocked out the sun and she was not sure how close to night it actually was. She could no longer ride the camel and was trudging through the sand pulling the camel by his harness. She was about to stop and wait until the storm passed before she got turned around and got lost, when she saw a faint light in the distance. She pulled the harness and trudged through the sand heading for the light. About an hour and a half later she saw shapes of buildings and dwellings coming into view and gave a sigh of relief as she neared the entrance to the Egyptian city of Cairo.
12. Adventure in Cairo
The sun was rising on the horizon as Gabrielle made her way into the awakening streets of Cairo. In the distance she could see the dark triangular outlines of the pyramids on the Giza Plateau. She thought about what a breathtaking site it was and wished Xena was there to share the view with her. With a sad sigh she headed for a stable area. As she stood outside the stable doors a young Egyptian youth asked if he could be of assistance. “Would you be interested in purchasing my camel?” Gabrielle stated as she looked around at the stalls of horses, camels and assortment of farm animals held there. The stable hand felt the legs of the beast and checked its teeth and gums and turning to Gabrielle stated he would give her 10 dinars. Gabrielle smirked and said “Give me 15 and it’s a deal.” As Gabrielle placed the coins in a small pouch tucked behind her red leather belt, she patted the Camel on the head and bade him goodbye and thanked him for his help getting her to Cairo.
Gabrielle strolled through the streets of Cairo. She finally came upon an Inn where she could relieve herself of the bags and gear she was hauling around after selling her camel earlier that morning. She was about to go in when she heard a commotion and turned to see what was happening. There were several Roman soldiers cracking whips and herding a group of Egyptians into wagons. She asked a passer-by what was happening there. “Those are the workers the Romans take to the fields to harvest grain to be taken back to Rome, Miss.” Stated the man before walking away. Gabrielle knew if they were willing workers then a whip would not be needed. She knew they were used as slaves for Rome. She watched the wagons until a large palace on a nearby hill caught her eye. “That has to be where the Roman Governor lives and that is where I will find the Book of the Dead.”
After storing her satchels and washing in the basin in her room she had acquired, Gabrielle made her way to the tavern that was attached to the side of the Inn and could be entered from the Inn or at the street. She sat at a table in the back of the room so she could watch and listen and think what her next move would be. Gabrielle saw round bread being served with different toppings and asked the young Egyptian girl who came to take her order what it was. “Oh that is a Pisna. It is a dish from Rome. It is a Focacius bread and it is flattened and with cooked vegetable and cheeses. It is very good, for a Roman dish that is.” Gabrielle decided to try this pisna with a tankard of red wine to wash it down. When the girl returned and placed the pisna in front of Gabrielle, she chuckled as the size and shape reminded her of Xena’s Chakram. She thought about Xena throwing this and it reminded her of the pie fight they had in that tavern before Eve was born when Lachrymose, the God of Despair, shrank Argo and Gabrielle had to make him laugh to get him to return her to her actual size. She wasn’t sure how to go about eating the Pisna so just picked it up and took a bite out of it. She was amazed at the taste and loved the melted cheese. “Oh Xena would have loved this. “ After finishing her meal and wine she decided to take a nap until nighttime. After dark, she planned to make her way to the Governors palace and look for a way in.
Gabrielle awoke from a dreamless sleep later that night. She lit the candle by her bed and smiled at the urn that held Xena’s ashes. “How did I sleep you ask? I slept OK, but I will never sleep really well again until I have you back Xena and tonight I am going to the Governor’s palace to get the book I need to do that. The Governor is named Lucius Julius Vestinus. That’s a mouthful huh? I overheard his name being mentioned by some Roman soldiers in the tavern earlier today. I’m going to leave you here while I go on this adventure, so don’t try and follow me.” As Gabrielle stood up to get her things together before setting out, she wondered to herself if she was going mad. “Well, I can’t blame the furies. Xena killed them long ago. I guess this is all me.”
13. The Governor’s Palace
Gabrielle made her way through the dark streets of Cairo. The residents had all closed up shop and retired for the night several hours ago. Once she was heading towards the hill that the Governor’s palace sat on, she kept to the shadows and moved soundlessly behind the desert palm trees and bushes. When she reached the top she listened for any sound or voices. She could see two Roman soldiers by a small fire, standing guard at the main doors to the palace. She moved with a warriors stealth and was not heard or seen by the guards as she moved towards the back of the palace where the Roman horses were housed in the stables. When she was sure there was no one at the back to see her. She removed her chakram from her belt and threw it at the top stone block near the roof. The chakram stuck firmly in the stone. Gabrielle then reached behind her and removed a long rope she had coiled and hanging from her maroon leather belt. She began swinging the rope at her side in a circular motion. She let the rope go and it wrapped around the chakram. She tugged on it to make sure it was secure as she scaled herself up the side of the palace after tying the rope around her waist.
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When Gabrielle hoisted herself over the edge of the turret and silently dropped to the roof of the palace. She reached over the side and retrieved her chakram and rolled and attached the rope to the back of her belt. She listened for any sounds of guards or any sounds nearby. All was quiet, so she made her way to an open doorway with a staircase leading into the top floor of the palace. Gabrielle came upon a long hallway lit by ornate lanterns attached every few feet along the walls. She heard the sounds of guards walking toward her and hid behind a curtain before she could be seen. Once they had passed, Gabrielle moved quietly along the hallway until coming to a small passageway. She went down a small staircase at the end of the narrow passage and came upon a kitchen area. As she stood for a moment to decide where to go next, an Egyptian woman entered the kitchen. The woman saw Gabrielle and gave a small startled cry. “Wait, I didn’t mean to scare you. I seem to be lost. I was trying to find my way to the governor’s collections room. I am a guest of the governor’s and he told me I could look at his collection of Egyptian items whenever I wanted.” Gabrielle thought to herself that her story wasn’t the best, but hopefully the woman would believe her. “Do you think you can tell me where to go, I am lost.” The woman looked Gabrielle up and down and didn’t seem convinced of her story. “I do not want any trouble, I have not seen you here before. I am a slave here and will be beaten or worse if I am caught helping anyone who is an enemy of the Governor or of Rome. I can tell by your clothing and weapons that you are not supposed to be here.” Gabrielle sighed and looked the woman in the eye as she stated. “You are right, I am not a guest here, but I don’t want to hurt anyone, I just need to get something that the governor has in his collection. My name is Gabrielle and this item I need may be able to get me back to the person who means more to me than anyone ever has. I am sorry I lied to you, but can you please help me?” The woman thought for a minute and said very well, but if you get caught, please do not tell anyone you have talked to me. My name is Neferin, by the way and since your reasons for being here are pure, I will help. The area near the collections rooms will be filled with roman guards. I will be passing by there as I begin to setup the area for breakfast in the main dining area nearby. I think I can get you there if you get under my food cart and pull the curtain around you.
As they neared the collections room, Gabrielle could hear the mingled voices of the Roman guards nearby as the curtain was pulled back and Neferin pointed her in the direction of the room. Neferin whispered that she would be back in less than a candle mark so Gabrielle must be quick. Gabrielle gave Neferin a nod of her head as she made her way into the large room lit with torches. The room was massive as well as impressive with hundreds of items on display, all acquired by the Romans in the conquests of other people’s lands and cultures. As she passed by the golden statues illuminated and shining she saw a collection of scrolls and books laid out on an ornate marble table. The bard in her wanted so much to look through these scrolls and what ancient wisdom she might find within, but she knew she had to stay focused on her mission and be as quick and as silent as she could while doing it. To the right of the marble table she saw a podium with an ancient looking book on display. She made her way silently to it and gazed upon the cover. It was the Book of the Dead. From her little knowledge of Egyptian glyphs she had determined this was the book she was looking for and slid it into her satchel as she made her way back to the hallway where Neferin would be returning with the cart.
As Gabrielle stepped silently into the passageway, she heard the sound of the carts wheels on the stone floor coming in her direction. Within a minute or so Neferin was ushering her once again under the cart and drawing the curtain closed around her. When the curtain opened next she was by a side door on the lower level of the palace. “You can get out through this entrance with a better chance of not being seen. Did you get the book you came for?” asked Neferin. “Yes I got it and thank you so much for your help. It would have been a lot harder to get this without you. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you?” stated Gabrielle as she smiled at her new friend. “Yes, here I have written down the name of my uncle Amadidad. He will be able to help you with the translations in the book. Please let him have the book once you have your answers. It belongs with the Egyptian people. Also, let him know I am well and working in the palace. Even though I am a slave, it is a better place than the ones working in the fields.” Gabrielle assured Neferin she would follow her wishes as she disappeared into the darkness of the Egyptian night.
14. Contacting the Spirit World
Gabrielle retrieved her belongings from the Inn and set on her walk to just outside of the city where Neferin had written directions to find her uncle Amadidad. After about an hours walk, Gabrielle saw some tents and camels coming into view in the distance. As she approached the camp she came upon a young man fixing the roping of a tent and she let him know she was a friend of Neferin and was sent here by her to see her uncle Amadidad. The young man instructed Gabrielle to wait there. When he returned her ask her to follow him and was taken to a large tent. As she was told to go inside it took her a few seconds for her eyes to adjust from the bright sunlight to the dimmer interior of the tent. Once she was able to see, she saw an area that appeared to be for sitting and sleeping and a table arranged with some fruits and grains for cooking. The young man advised her to wait there and Amadidad would be there shortly.
A few minutes later a tall, Egyptian man who looked to be in his 50s with a few streaks of gray in his hair, came through the opening of the tent. “I am Amadidad, Neferin’s uncle, and who are you and how do you know my niece? Amadidad asked as he looked Gabrielle up and down suspiciously. “My name is Gabrielle, she helped me to acquire this.” Gabrielle said while removing the book from her satchel and presenting it to the man. “You have our people’s scared book of the dead, where did you get this and how was my niece involved?” stated Amadidad. “Your niece is a slave in the Governor’s palace. She wanted me to let you know she is well and not to worry about her. She helped me to acquire the book. I promised her I would return it to you and ask for your help in contacting the spirit world.”
“Contacting the spirit world can be dangerous and not advised. Who are you trying to contact and what is your purpose in doing so?” asked Amadidad. “Someone very dear to me, my soulmate in fact. I have to find her and speak with her. There is so much I need to tell her and I need to find a way to return her to the land of the living. Please help me.” Stated Gabrielle as she looked upon Amadidad with pleading eyes. Amadidad motioned to Gabrielle to sit as he handed her a cup of water. “Here, drink this. It is a long walk from Cairo to our camp, you must be tired.” Gabrielle drank the water straight down after thanking the man for his kindness. Amadidad gave Gabrielle a caring look as he started to talk to her about her request. “I understand wanting to talk with our loved ones who have passed on, but most times it is best to let them rest in peace. They are no longer a part of our world and we should not trouble them with our mortal sorrows and problems.” “But, you see she is not at peace, she was tricked by an evil spirit into thinking she must stay in the land of the dead in order for others to remain in peace, but that was a lie to trap her there for eternity. If I cannot bring her back, I need to tell her and help her move on to a place she can rest. She would move the heavens and earth if it was me in the same situation. She never gave up on me and I will not give up on her.” Stated Gabrielle just as her conversation with Amadidad was interrupted by a young Egyptian entering the tent in an excited manner.
“Uncle, I am sorry to interrupt, but I have urgent news from the city.” stated the young man. “Mouman, sit and calm yourself, what is this news that has you so worked up?” stated Amadidad as he looked at his nephew with concern. “I saw a cross being erected on the bottom of the hill beneath the Governor’s palace and I overheard everyone in the market talking about a slave who is going to be crucified at dawn tomorrow for stealing from the Governor’s collections. Uncle, that slave is Neferin!”
15. Rescuing Neferin
“No!” shouted Gabrielle as she abruptly stood up after hearing the news from Mouman. “Neferin is not responsible, I am the one who stole from the Governor. She will not be killed for a crime that I committed. I will not let that happen to your niece, Amadidad. I will save her.”
Gabrielle explained her plan to Amadidad and Mouman and asked to borrow a horse so she could get back to Cairo quickly and to be able to get herself and Neferin out of the city after she rescues her from the Romans. Amadidad agreed but told Gabrielle of his concerns that neither she nor Neferin could make it back alive. Gabrielle told Amadidad to not underestimate her. She has been in many situations in her past that seemed dire, yet she had escaped. She assured him she would take Neferin’s place if it came to that.
Gabrielle had made it back to Cairo early that evening and had found a hiding place for herself and her horse, where she could watch the guards and think of a way in and out quickly, when the time came for Neferin to be nailed to the cross. Gabrielle could still feel the pain of the spikes being driven into her hands and feet when the Romans had crucified her and Xena so many years ago. She would not let Neferin suffer that same fate.
As the sun began to appear over the horizon, Gabrielle mounted her horse and waited patiently until she saw the gates open and Neferin being brought out in chains by five Roman Guards. The guards unlocked the chains and laid Neferin on the cross, with one holding each arm down and one holding her feet. The fourth guard was holding a hammer and stakes and the fifth was standing watch. There was a crowd of people standing around gawking at the spectacle before them. Just as the guard placed the first spike in the palm of Neferin’s hand and raised the hammer, Gabrielle pulled the Chakram from her belt and threw it faster than the eye could see. The guards were startled as the head of the hammer was cut off and fell on top of the guards head, it ricocheted off the helmets of the other guards as Gabrielle came riding in on her horse, as she pulled back on the reins and the horse stopped abruptly with dust flying up from the ground, she leapt over it’s head while at the same time, pulling the Katana sword from it’s sheath with one hand while catching the Chakram with the other. Before the guards had time to react two of the guards were rolling away from her strong kick and one was ran through with the Katana. Gabrielle heard the other two guards drawing their swords and felt the air change behind her as the sword was swung toward the back of her head. Gabrielle instinctively swung her sword behind her, deflecting the blow as she lifted her leg taking the sais from her boot twirling in her hand and stabbed the guard behind her, as the last guard turned and ran back into the safety of the palace walls. The bystanders stood in awe of the Warrior Woman as she leapt unto her horse and rode toward the woman on the ground, leaning to the side of the horse she swooped down grabbing Neferin by the arm and pulling her on the back of the horse before riding at break neck speed out of Cairo and to the desert where Amadidad and the others had relocated to meet them.
Neferin held on tight to the Amazon Warrior as they traveled a fair distance into the morning sun. They did not stop until they reached the camp. As Gabrielle pulled her horse to a stop in the hot desert sands, she jumped off and helped Neferin down. “Gabrielle, thank you for not only saving my life, but freeing me and taking me to my people! But, I am afraid you have put yourself in great danger by doing so. The Governor will surely send a patrol of soldiers to capture you.” “Don’t worry Neferin. I will be alright. I have faced worse foes than the Roman Governor of Cairo. Anyway, there is no way I would let you die for something that I did or for helping me.” Neferin smiled at Gabrielle as she turned to the sound of her Uncle’s voice as he ran toward her with his arms opened. “Neferin, my Niece, I thought I would never see you again.” “Oh Uncle Amadidad, if not for Gabrielle, I would not be here, she is not to blame for what could have happened to me. I chose to help her escape with the Book of the Dead. I knew I may be implicated when the crime was discovered, but it was worth it to me to get the book back to our people and to help Gabrielle. I hope you have agreed to help her Uncle.” Stated Neferin as she looked hopeful up at her uncle.
“Well, dear niece, I had thought of telling Gabrielle no, but since she has brought the book and you back to us, then I will help her.” Neferin hugged her Uncle and smiled at Gabrielle. “It will take me until night fall tomorrow to prepare the ceremony and perform rituals needed before we can contact the realm of spirits.” stated Amadidad, as he walked into his tent to begin the preparations.
15. Getting some answers
Gabrielle waited patiently while the preparations were made for her to finally have a chance to contact Xena.
The next night Amadidad emerged from his tent, wearing ceremonial robes and tall white priest headdress. Gabrielle and Neferin, both got up from the small fire area and walked toward him. “I have made the preparations and am ready to begin the ceremony. I will need the ashes and something of the deceased to call upon her spirit.” said Amadidad. Gabrielle handed over the urn containing Xena’s ashes and unclipped the Chakram from her belt and gave it to him. Amadidad, took the remains and Chakram and proceeded to motion for Gabrielle and Neferin to follow him into his tent. Once inside, he placed the items on the ceremonial table setup at the other end of the spacious tent. Amadidad closed his eyes and raised his hands. He opened his eyes and looked down at the open Book of the Dead that was placed on the table between two large lit candles. Amadidad began reading the incantation to open the spirit world and call on the spirit of Xena.
Gabrielle sat by Neferin, waiting to finally be able to contact Xena and speak to her again after so much time away from her. Gabrielle watched as the wind started to pick up and the desert sand began to swirl around the tent. Amadidad began to speak. “We call on Horus the keeper of the underworld to bring forth the spirit of Xena, the Warrior Princess.” Amadidad began chanting sacred words from the Book of the Dead. After several minutes, he turned to Gabrielle. “Xena’s spirit is not coming through, I am going to summon a watcher spirit who assists the souls to the underworld to help us to find her.” After several more minutes a great mist began to appear over the altar. Within the mist Gabrielle began to see the outline of an Egyptian headdress. The smokey presence began to speak. “The spirit you call on is not in the underworld. Close the portal between our realms and leave the spirits in peace.” Gabrielle stood and ran toward the altar. “Please help me, she has to be there.” The spirit turned toward Gabrielle and raised its staff and pointed at her. “Stop, you are not Egyptian or an Egyptian priest. You need to return to your own people to seek your answers. The spirit has moved on from the underworld. She is no longer alive, but is also no longer in the realm of spirits." Gabrielle was blown to the ground by a gust of strong wind as the ghostly figure disappeared into the portal and it closed with a great force. Amadidad and Neferin rushed to her side and helped her to her feet.
“I am sorry you were not able to contact your Warrior. I wish there was more we could do to help you, Gabrielle.” exclaimed Neferin as she assisted Gabrielle in wiping the sand from her clothes. “Thank you both, for everything you have done for me. I at least know what my next move has to be. I need to return to Greece and pickup my search for Xena there. But, I will need a camel to get back to Alexandria. I can give you a few dinars, but don’t have many left. “You have done so much for us Gabrielle, please take one of our camels.” Stated Neferin as Amadidad nodded his head in agreement. “Thank you both for everything”, said Gabrielle as she affectionately squeezed Neferin’s hands. Just as Gabrielle was about to gather her things and begin her journey North, one of Neferin’s cousins rode up on his horse. “Uncle Amadidad, Roman Soldiers are riding this way, they are in search of Neferin’s Warrior friend Gabrielle. The Governor is riding with them as well and has vowed to capture her at all costs. They are about an hour away.” stated the cousin. Neferin began helping Gabrielle pack her belongings onto the camel and giving her two extra water skins. “You must hurry, please be safe and goodbye my friend”, said Neferin as Gabrielle bade them goodbye and began riding North as fast as her camel could move.
16. On the Run
Gabrielle rode through the day and night, only stopping for brief rests for her camel. She was afraid the animal would not make it to Alexandria and she would die in the dessert or be caught by Governor Vestius and his soldiers. After a couple days barely resting or eating, Gabrielle made it to Alexandria, tired, sun burnt, and with a very worn out Camel, but they were alive. Gabrielle made a quick sale of her camel for a few dinars and headed toward the docks to find passage back to Greece.
Once she secured a spot in the hold of a ship headed for home, Gabrielle went to a darkened table in the corner of a bar where no one could sneak up on her and she had a clear view of the entrance. After the barmaid took her order of chicken with grilled vegetables and some Ale, Gabrielle let herself catch her breath and relax for a few minutes. Getting away from Cairo had been so hectic that she had had no time to think of what she had learned about finding Xena. She now knew she was running out of options, but she knew she must get back to Greece and call upon The Fates for answers.
Gabrielle had a history with The Fates and knew they would probably not be glad to see her again. The Three Fates, resided in the Temple of the Fates and each had a job working the threads of the loom of life. Clotho, spins the thread of life, Lachesis measures the thread of each mortal and Atropos cuts the thread of a mortal when it is their time to die. When the thread is cut, then Celesta, the Goddess of Death, will come and take the souls away. Gabrielle had many encounters with the Fates as well as with Celesta and she did not know if they would be willing to help her, but she had to try. She would never give up her quest to find Xena. Gabrielle leaned back and closed her eyes to rest while her food was being prepared. Unbeknownst to her, Vestius and the Roman Soldiers had arrived in Alexandria and were headed to the docks.
17. Captured
Governor Vestius and his soldiers spread out over the docks inquiring at every ship if a warrior woman with Gabrielle’s description had been seen on the docks. The captains and crews of all the vessels were told they would be in grave danger of arrest or even death if they were hiding Gabrielle or knew of her whereabouts and did not let them know. Vestius informed them to scour their ships as she might be a stowaway. She was wanted by Rome for various crimes and anyone who gave information to lead to her arrest, would be greatly rewarded.
The captain of the vessel that Gabrielle had secured passage on stepped forward. He cleared his throat, getting the attention of Vestius. “Yes, what is it man, spit it out!” demanded the Governor as he looked at the captain of the rickety old ship. “Sir, a woman matching that description had paid me a few dinars for a spot in the hold of my ship headed to Greece. I told her to be back here a couple of hours before sundown as we would be setting sail at that time.” Said the old captain with nervousness in his voice. “Very good man, you will be paid for your honesty. It was smart of you to speak up. Now, my soldiers will wait in the hold of your ship for the woman. When she gets here, do not let on that your deal has changed or that we are waiting for her or you will be sorry.” Stated Vestius as he instructed his soldiers on what to do. “Yes Governor, you have my word.” said the old captain as he led them to the hold of the ship.
Gabrielle had spent the rest of her time after eating, writing in her scrolls. She wrote letters to Xena, letting her know her progress and where she was going next. Writing in her scrolls kept her sane and gave her confidence that someday Xena would read them, she hoped. She berated herself internally when she had doubts, but sometimes the thoughts just crept into her mind and she struggled to push them out. She knew she would keep trying until she had no breath left. Gabrielle often wrote what she had wanted to say to Xena before her death, but their time was cut too short and she regretted everyday, not letting Xena know some of her deepest thoughts and feelings about some of her actions over the past years. Today, she decided to “talk to Xena” about Perdicus and why Gabrielle had married him.
Gabrielle, picked up her pen and began writing...”Xena, there has been something I have always wanted to tell you, but it just never seemed like a good time. And after we became more than friends, it didn’t seem to matter anymore. But, I always felt I should tell you and someday I would. Anyway, what I want to say is, I never loved Perdicus. It was wrong for me to marry him. I always felt as if I caused his death. I was young and flattered he wanted to marry me, but it was you I was in love with, even then. When I told you he had asked me, I kept waiting for you to tell me no, that you loved me and wanted me to stay with you. When you never did and told me not to worry about you and do what I want. It broke my heart. So, I told you later I was going to say yes. I thought for sure you would protest, when you heard me say I was agreeing to marrying him. But, you didn’t. I was heartbroken and in my young mind, I thought, “fine, I will marry him since you don’t want me.” It was a foolish, spur of the moment decision, that I regretted from that moment on. I realized too late when we were saying our goodbyes after the wedding, that you did love me, but had just not been to a point where you could say it yet. I only thought and talked of you on our wedding night. I had wished I could turn back time and say no to him. I also felt as if it was my fault he had become a soldier and was so torn with what to do. There were just so many emotions and I made a terrible decision that cost the life of Perdicus who had good intentions, but I think after our wedding night, he too had to know who really had my heart. I felt terrible guilt after Callisto killed him. I felt I had put him in that position, by not being truthful and using him to try and get you to confess your feelings for me. I have not confessed this much, even to myself, but after he was gone, I felt a since of relief. It is awful I know. That is one reason that I stayed away from fighting and tried to go on a more peaceful path. I felt I had to in order to redeem myself for my thoughts and actions. I still feel regret, but know I was not to blame for Callisto’s actions. That is why I told you never again. I knew from that moment on I would be with no one else until I was with you. I also understand you were hurt by my marriage to Perdicus and that is why you tried to pull away from me sometimes like with Ulysses and Antony. I know you were hurt and I am sure you know how jealous I was. There was no way my love for you was hidden during those times, when I showed anger and jealousy. I am glad we worked through all that and came together stronger than ever. We are soulmates and I love you and you love me and we will be together again! I swear Xena, I will find you!
Gabrielle knew it would be time to return to the docks soon, so she rolled up her scrolls and packed her bags and began the walk through Alexandria to the ship that would bring her home to Greece. As she stepped unto the ship and paid the Captain his dinars, she had no idea what lay waiting for her as she began climbing down into the dark hull of the ship. As Gabrielle stepped on the last rung of the ladder, she was grabbed by two men, one on each arm and a third that held a knife to her throat. A lantern was lit and as the light filled the dark interior of the ship, Governor Vestius stepped forward with a sinister grin upon his face. “Well, so this is the Amazon Warrior that has stolen not only my book but my slave as well. You owe me quite a lot. “stated Vestius as he looked at Gabrielle. “The book belonged to the Egyptian people and people are not property. You kidnapped Neferin and held her captive as a slave in your palace.” said Gabrielle defiantly. “How dare you talk to a Roman Governor in this manner. You stole my valuable property and you will pay for it. We are taking you to Rome. You can pay me back for your crimes in the arena. An Amazon Warrior will be a great attraction and addition to the Gladiators of the Coliseum. If you are alive after 8 years of fighting. You will then be set free. But, I doubt you will make it even 8 months, little Amazon girl playing at being a Warrior.” mocked Vestius as he looked down his nose at Gabrielle. “I think you highly underestimate me Governor.” sneered Gabrielle, as the Governor turned and ordered his guards to shackle the prisoner for the trip to Rome.
18. Welcome to the Colosseum
Gabrielle had been placed in the cargo hold of a Roman ship and shackled to other prisoners by hand and foot. The metal of the shackles rubbed on her wrists and ankles allowing blisters and rashes to form. Her boots, sais, katana and bags had been taken from her. She was given only bread and water twice a day during the voyage. But, she had it better than the ones on the lowest deck that were heading to Rome to be house and field slaves. Gabrielle was shackled to others that were to be Gladiator’s for the amusement of the Romans. The other soon to be Gladiator shackled to Gabrielle was the only other woman in the hold. She told Gabrielle her name was Claydesia and she had been in Egypt with the Roman Army, working as a spy but was caught stealing weapons from the Roman Armory in Cairo and sentenced to the arena. She was well trained in combat and if not she probably would have been executed. “We have it much better than the ones below us in the lower holds. We will be fed and dressed well and will get medical attention when needed. Also, if we survive 8 years, we will be freed and famous as unbeatable Gladiators. I have only ever heard of two who have ever accomplished this feat. No woman has ever made it eight years. Of course, there are not too many women who have ever been Gladiators. I think including us, there have been three.” Claydesia stated as the guard told her to be quiet.
After several days on the ship, they arrived in Rome and moved to a wagon caravan of cages for their transfer to the arena. Gabrielle saw the great Colosseum come into view as they passed over the last hill before reaching their destination. As she rode through the noisy crowded streets of Rome, she felt like an animal on display as the citizens gawked, pointed and harassed the new “Gladiators” coming into their city. Gabrielle watched in silence as a giant door was opened and they started a descent downwards into where, unbeknownst to her, she would remain for a very long time.
19. The Poteidaia Precious Cargo Arrives (Present Day)
Dena stood on the Ancient Studies Department’s loading dock just staring at the blue sky. It was a sunny but chilly day, but Dena did not feel the cold as she awaited the refrigerated truck to arrive from New York with the frozen cargo inside. She had not been able to sleep well the last few nights as not only her excitement, but vivid dreams of a time long past had plagued her more everyday as the time to receive her precious cargo drew nearer.
Just as the images from the previous night’s dreams were going through her head, they were pushed aside as she spotted the truck turning into the alley, stopping and beginning to back up to the dock where she waited.
Before the truck had come to a complete stop, Gary had jumped out and ran up the few steps to the dock. “Dr. Xavier, can you believe it is finally here?” Gary announced in his excitement. Dena laughed and said, “hello to you to Gary. And thank you for getting this here in one piece and in the same condition as found. This means so much to me and the university.” “No problem Dr X.” Stated Gary looking proud of his accomplishment and at the admiration of such a well known, great scholar of Ancient Studies not only in the Midwest, but the rest of the country as well. Dena gestured for the dock workman to bring the forklift over as Gary slide the door upwards to reveal a large green tarp over the slab of ice that sat upon wooden skids. The forklift driver lifted the skids up only a few inches and very slowly at the direction of the professor, the ice was lowered to an awaiting cart attached to a small vehicle to be driven to a large refrigerated examining and research area setup just for this amazing find.
The workman had finished his job of placing the ice slab in the refrigerated room and Gary had said his Good nights to Dr. Xavier, letting her know he was jet lagged from his trip back from Greece and would see her sometime tomorrow after going home and getting some sleep, Dena slowly removed the tarp turned on the overhead light and stared through the ice at blond hair and the kindest, prettiest side profile she had ever seen. Dena felt a sadness come over her knowing the woman inside the ice was dead. She looked so alive like she could sit up and talk to her. She looked so suspended in time. It did not seem fair or right that she should be laying there unmoving. Dena moved closer and placed a hand upon the ice. When her fingertips made contact with the cold surface it was like a lightning bolt pulsed through her and she fell back with images of the woman in the ice upon a horse, walking by her side, laughing, swimming together, laying under the stars, holding hands, embracing, kissing, crying, all types of emotions and thoughts that seemed like memories, flashed through her mind coming up from her very soul and right before she lost consciousness, the name Gabrielle passed through her lips.
Dena woke up a few minutes later on the floor disoriented and feeling overwhelmed with emotion. “What just happened to me” she said aloud as she got off the floor and to the desk chair that had been setup in the work area with a desk, for her to use as she did her research. As Dena sat clearing her mind, the name Gabrielle came into her thoughts again. “Is your name Gabrielle?” She said to the woman in the ice. “Get a hold of yourself Dena how could a woman that has been dead for over two centuries tell you her name. I must be working too hard. I wish you could talk to me. Why did you have to live so long ago.” Dena sighed as she talked through not only the ice barrier that separated them, but time itself. In the far corner of the immense room stood a figure in the shadows watching and listening to Dena, who was unaware of their presence.
20. Gabrielle’s first tournament
Gabrielle sat in her small room beneath the floor of the Colosseum wondering how she was going to ever get out of there. The area was a maze of underground rooms and tunnels that had guards at every turn. Also, she was locked in her tiny cell most of the time. She had been there a week when she was told that tonight she would be fighting to the death in the arena. She could already hear the roar of the crowds that were as loud of the roar of the lions the Romans had caged not far from the area she was in. She had been given leathers. Her Gladiator clothes consisted of a small black leather top with straps that stopped just below her breasts. She had a skirt that reminded her of Xena’s with the long pieces of leather to let her legs move freely. Underneath she wore black shorts of a very stretchy material. She had black leather wrist bands and black boots that stopped just below her knees. She was not given her chakram but allowed to pick a sword or use her Katana she had been captured with. Gabrielle had chosen her Katana, as she had learned to use it with a great skill since her time in Jappa. The guards of the arena’s armory laughed at such a thin sword and did not believe it would stand up to the heavy thick Roman swords. Her sword would be waiting for her when she entered the arena and she must leave it in the arena if she is the winner before exiting. Gabrielle did not yet know who her opponent was and would not know until she stepped into the arena.
Gabrielle was summoned by the guards who walked her down a long passageway to where a door made of bars stood closed. She could see her Katana sword and a shield laying just beyond the entrance to the arena floor. She stood there as she heard an announcement and the people all hushed to hear the names of the contestants. The speaker proceeded, “Citizens of Rome, your Emperor has brought you a spectacle today that has not been seen before. We have two Gladiatrices for you today. The first is an Ex Roman Spy with amazing skills not only with the sword, but also with the mace. Citizens meet Claydesia!! The crowd cheers and some boos are heard. Quiet please Citizens of Rome, we have an Gladiatrice who is skilled with the Jappa thin sword Katana please cheer for the Amazon Warrior Gabrielle!!! Cheers were heard so loud that Gabrielle could not hear the bars being raised. When she stepped out into the light she was blinded by the sun. She had not been outside in over a week and only been in the dark dimly lit cavern she now called home.
The announcer continued, “When the horn sounds you will fight to the death.” A second later a loud horn echoed throughout the arena. Almost before Gabrielle had time to raise her shield, Claydesia was upon her with her sword coming down to strike. Gabrielle was able to move her shield just in time to deflect the blow. “Claydesia, I do not want to kill you. We can both refuse to kill each other.” pleaded Gabrielle as Claydesia’s sword came across Gabrielle’s exposed stomach making a superficial cut to her abdomen. “I plan to win and keep winning Gabrielle. I want to be free. Sparing your life will only make me seem weak and they will kill us anyway. Don’t worry Gabrielle, you will be joining your fallen Amazon sisters soon enough.” said Claydesia as she began swinging the mace over her head. Gabrielle ducked just in time before the spikes of the ball from the mace struck her. Before she knew it Claydesia’s sword was coming at her from above as her mace was headed straight for her legs. Gabrielle jumped as the mace passed below her and turned her shield to deflect the sword coming from above. As her feet hit the ground she reached behind her pulling her Katana from its sheath and looking Claydesia in the eyes and said, “I am sorry for what I am about to do Claydesia, but you have left me no choice”. As the last word of Gabrielle’s sentence left her lips, she ran toward Claydesia and just before getting to her she jumped from her right foot as Xena had taught her so many years before and flipped while in the air and turning as her Katana spun in hand and connecting with the back of Claydesia’s neck. Gabrielle landed on her feet behind Claydesia and said “I am sorry”. Just then as Gabrielle was re-sheathing her Katana, Claydesia’s head slid from her body onto the arena floor and her body fell to its knees and then flat on the ground as blood poured from the open cavity where her head was moments before. The crowd went wild with cheers of “AMAZON, AMAZON, AMAZON….” Gabrielle walked to the barred entrance laying her weapon on the ground and moving back into the darkened tunnel as the guards let her in and told her to stand still. They then proceeded to brand, with a hot cattle prod to her arm with Vestius seal, showing she was his Gladiatrice. The pain was awful when the red brand melted her skin around it. She cried out in pain, but kept it under control as she did not want to ever seem week to her captors. They then led her to a hot bath area where slave women washed and dressed her and her wounds then she was taken to a table where she was able to eat her fill of food and taken to her cell to rest until the next battle.
21. Looking Through the Ice of Time
Dena sat in the very cold research room with a heavy parka, gloves, hat and scarf. She had a small stool she was sitting on while using a magnifying camera hooked to her laptop trying to see more details of the Warrior Woman through the veil of ice. “Hmm, you have a brand on your arm. You do not look like a slave, unless you are an escaped slave. Wait, that seal is a Governor seal. V, now let me think what Governor during the time you would have died, have been in charge anywhere near where you were found? The scars upon your body look like marks made by weapons. Swords or knife wounds. What pain you must have suffered and what and how did you get buried in this ice. The ice has been sculpted into an actual coffin. How were you kept like this for 1000s of years? There are so many questions and I wish I could ask you. What is this by your arm? Are those scrolls! Oh please let them hold the answers to who you are and where you come from.” Just then Gary Moore walked into the research area. “Good morning Dr X. How’s your Warrior this morning? My, she sure is pretty. Too bad she’s dead…” Dena stood up, turned around and gave Gary a look that could turn the most gruff man to stone. “Don’t talk that way about her ever again” said Dena in a low gravelly voice Gary had never heard her use before. “I’m sorry Dr. Xavier, I did not mean any disrespect. Please forgive me, I didn’t mean anything.” “It’s OK Gary, I’m sorry for overreacting” Said Dena as she shook her head and thought what is wrong with me? “I think I just need some rest Gary, I am just under some pressure with this find and research. Please once again I am so sorry.” “ Don’t worry about it Dr. X, It’s OK. “ Dena gave Gary a small smile and then motioned for him to come and look at the laptop at the brand and other findings she has discovered that morning.
22. The Gladiatrice years
The days turned into weeks and the weeks into years as Gabrielle fought week after week to survive in the Colossuem. As time went on, many came from all parts of the known world to see the spectacles of the Colossuem and the Amazon Warrior. Gabrielle had kept track of the days and kept looking forward to the time she would be able to leave this life she had almost become accustomed to. She had fought and defeated many Gladiators and Gladiatrices over this time and had always come out victorious. She had become a legend. No one called her Gabrielle anymore, they only knew her as the Amazon Warrior. That was fine with her, for she had to just become a warrior during this time of her life to survive if she was ever to become Gabrielle again. She had changed so much since that day as a young farm girl, she had met Xena. She had grown and learned and experienced so much. She didn’t know at that time she had many more experiences ahead of her.
She had more scars now from all the fights and a demeanor of a hardened warrior, but at night when she would write to Xena in the scrolls, she just became Gabrielle again. Because more than anything, she just wanted to be Xena’s Gabrielle once more.
Gabrielle only had a few weeks left before she would win her freedom. She was a celebrity now, as all victorious Gladiators were. She was given her Chakram to use in the arena now. “Her Chakram”..that made her laugh. Who ever thought it would ever be hers. She had told Lila the night she had left Poteidaia that she was going to travel with Xena and become a Warrior like her and Lila had laughed. When Gabrielle fought now she felt as if she had become that warrior and no one laughs. She had defeated three Gladiators in the arena at the same time. No one thought that she would be able to defeat three, but she had taken out two with the Chakram while taking out the third with her Katana sword. She had then been put into the arena with wild beasts. She has a scar on her shoulder from a Lion’s claws as it held her down while the people cheered thinking finally something has brought down the Amazon Warrior. But, even though she didn’t know if it would work, she had used “the pinch” on the Lion and he fell over dead after stumbling around for about a minute and a half.
23. The Fates
Gabrielle’s days in the arena came to an end with not much fanfare. She did not see Vestius again, but was one day given a letter of freedom with his seal upon it. Throughout the eight long years spent in the arena, she had honed her skills as a warrior and grew indifferent to her predicament, but Xena never left her mind or heart and she continued to write in her scrolls and had enough to fill the heavy satchel she had slung over her back. She changed into the black and maroon leather clothing she had been captured in and left her Gladiatrice leathers and armor behind. She sheathed her Katana once again to her back, snapped her Chakram upon her belt and inserted the sais through the hoops of her leather boots. She didn’t look behind her as the gates to the Colosseum were opened and she was free once again.
Gabrielle did not have a horse but chose to walk as that was how she had traveled the majority of her time with Xena and after. She was on her way to the temple of The Fates. She was not going to waste any time as eight long years had passed and she was still determined to find a way to get Xena back. She stopped at a few bars along the way and in exchange for a meal she would once again become the bard and tell tales of Xena and their adventures together. She also would get tips which helped her to purchase a bed roll and other supplies. Now she could camp anywhere with her bedroll and fry the fish she caught in the rivers and ponds in the new frying pan she purchased in the last town she went through. Gabrielle thought about the time Xena would bend and break her frying pans using them as a quick weapon against thieves who would sometimes surprise them when camping in the woods. Gabrielle shook her head and thought she would give anything if Xena was still with her to break this frying pan as well. Gabrielle was within half a days walk to the Temple of the Fates as she lay down on her bedroll for the night and looked up at the stars. She drifted off to sleep thinking of lying there with Xena holding hands as they figured out the shape of the constellations in the night sky.
Gabrielle had awoken this morning, hoping when she reached the Temple that the Fates would actually speak with her. She just wanted to know where Xena’s spirit is and if they knew anyway to reach her.
Gabrielle could see the peak of the temple over the tops of the trees as she got closer to exiting the forest. As she came upon the stone steps she took a deep breathe and proceeded to enter.
24. At the Mercy of the Fates
As Gabrielle came through the entrance of the Temple of the Fates, she thought back to the last time she was in the Temple and had destroyed the loom that held the strings of life and the course of events. Julius Caesar had the Fates change the past and had made her and Xena’s worlds entirely different.
Gabrielle had destroyed it and reset things back in the right order. The Fates were not happy about what she had done. But, that had been awhile ago, so she was hoping that time would have lessened their anger. The Fates have always creeped Gabrielle out. Especially how they finish each others sentences. It was like they had a hive mind. As she entered further into the temple she was greeted by the Fates working at their long repaired loom.
“We are Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos. Who has come into the Temple of Fates? Step into the light so we can see you”. Gabrielle stepped out of the shadows and into the site of the Fates. “Gabrielle, why have you called on the Fates after you disrupted the flow of time the last time you were in our Temple. You desecrated our temple. Why do you dare step foot in here again?”
“I know I am probably the last person you want to see in here, but I am out of options and I need your help. Please, you are my last hope.” Pleaded Gabrielle as she stood below the loom and the three fates staring up at them with hopeful eyes. The Fates stood silent while listening to Gabrielle’s plea. After what seemed an eternity, they finally spoke. “We have decided to hear what it is you ask of us, please proceed.” stated the Fates. Gabrielle stepped forward and began her request. “As you three know, Xena was killed 10 years ago. She was tricked into staying in the spirit world instead of letting me bring her back with the magical waters on that mountain in Jappa. I have been searching for a way to communicate with her and to find a way to bring her back all this time. I have traveled from the far East to Egypt, where I was captured and taken to Rome for many years. I have now been set free and am coming back to Greece to find an answer to how I can contact and see Xena again. The Spirit that spoke to me during the ceremony in Egypt years ago, told me that Xena’s spirit was not reachable and I needed to go back to where I came from to find my answers. You three are the only ones who can tell me where she is and how to reach her. Please, help me.”
The Fates looked at Gabrielle with their expressionless faces and told her information she did not want to hear. “Xena’s soul has moved on. She may have many reincarnations, but her soul and physical body will not be recognizable as Xena for many lifetimes. The Xena you seek will not appear in the mortal realm for another 2000 years. The chances of your soul and body that will recognize Xena and be recognized by her during your reincarnations is very slim. Her soul is being pursued through time by a Shamaness with extraordinary powers, who wishes to do her harm. We are afraid this news is not want you want to hear, but it is the truth. There is nothing more we can do for you Gabrielle. Go and live your life. There is no hope of you seeing Xena again.” The Fates were truly cruel to Gabrielle and she said no more, but turned and exited the temple.
25. Over the next few months, Gabrielle wandered the countryside lost in her thoughts and sadness, as she made her way toward Amphipolis. She had promised Xena years ago that she would bring her remains back to her hometown for burial beside her beloved brother Lyceus.
As she neared the gates of Amphipolis, she thought of a time when this was a thriving area and village, but it was mostly in ruins now, with only a few dwellings scattered here and there with peasants who worked the remaining fields. Xena’s mother Cyrene’s tavern and inn had long ago been abandoned. The entire place was like a tomb, as Gabrielle made her way to the mausoleum where Xena’s family were laid to rest. As she entered the tomb, she took Xena’s jar of ashes from her satchel for the final time.
Gabrielle placed the jar on a small stone bench between her brother and mother’s coffins. Xena’s other brother Toris, was not buried here. Gabrielle thought he was buried with his wife’s family somewhere North, but was not certain of that.
The night before she reached Amphipolis, Gabrielle had a dream about the time when she and Xena were frozen and suspended in time for 25 years. She dreamt of the events leading up to that day and felt the coldness on her skin as the ice was slowly melting and she was waking up. As her eyes became clearer she saw Xena’s face, but it was different in a way. The room was not the ice cave and Xena was dressed in strange clothing she had not seen before. As she opened her mouth to speak Xena’s name, she abruptly woke up from the dream. As she sat up on her bedroll, near the dying embers of her campfire, she knew at that moment what she must do.
26. Aphrodite
As Gabrielle left the tomb she removed her chakram and aimed for the stones and dirt that sat above the opening. The chakram struck the stones in a way that loosened them enough to fall and collapse, sealing the entrance to Xena’s families resting place forever. Gabrielle once wanted to be buried there as well, but she knew that she would not be placed there because of what she had planned. “Goodbye Xena, I am going to see Aphrodite. I need her help. The only way for me to get to you now is through the help of a God or Goddess and she is the only one who might agree to help.”
Gabrielle knew there was a temple to Aphrodite between Amphipolis and Poteidaia. She wanted to go back home to see her sister and niece before she set her plan in motion. She wrote of her plan in her scroll for Xena to read one day. “Dear Xena, This is the last scroll I will write to you. The next time I say anything to you, I am hoping it will be face to face. I have tried all I know for the last ten years to find a way to bring you back to this world, but I have failed. I have accepted that I will not be able to bring you back here so since I cannot bring you to me, I am going to bring me to you. The Fates told me the Xena I know and love very much, will not be back on Earth for 2000 years. So, I am going to enlist the help of Aphrodite in getting Celesta’s tears so I can appear to be dead from the essence of death and then have her freeze me in a tomb below ground. I hope to stay there until the time you are back in your physical body. Then, somehow I will get rescued from my icy grave. Yes, I know there is a lot of details to be worked out but I am hopeful Aphrodite can help me and we were OK frozen for 25 years, what’s another 1,975 more?” Gabrielle wrote the words with more confidence than she was actually feeling, but she was going through with this and no one was going to stop her. There is so much I want to say to you. But, just know that I love you and only you and always have. You are my soulmate and we will meet again. I have to get to you. The Fates told me that Alti is pursuing you through time. I have to warn you.” Gabrielle rolled up the scroll and wrote “Last” on the outside and placed it in her satchel. She was going to bring these with her through time and her long slumber she desperately hoped she could get Aphrodite to help her achieve.
After walking and resting for a couple of days, Gabrielle finally saw the top of one of Aphrodite’s temples peeking out from the tops of the trees. It had been so long since she had seen her friend, the Goddess of Love. Since the twilight of the Gods when Xena killed most of them, there were only smaller lesser Gods and Goddesses remaining except for Ares the God of War and Aphrodite.
As Gabrielle entered the temple, it looked almost abandoned. No one really worshiped these Gods of Olympus anymore. There were no offerings on the altar and a lot of the structure had started to look cracked and worn. It was sad to see her friend’s temple in disarray. Aphrodite had really loved and cared for her and had helped them both in so many ways over the years. She needed one more favor from her so she began to speak, hoping the remaining Gods still listened for the prayers and requests for help from mortals. “Aphrodite, are you listening? It’s Gabrielle, remember me? I need your help. Please hear me.” Gabrielle waited in the temple, hoping for an answer as the evening shadows began to move across the walls, she lit a candle for light and almost had a heart attack as all of a sudden Aphrodite was standing before her. She still looked just the same, as a God she did not age, she had her long wavy blond hair and her pink undergarments shown through a sheer robe she had draped over her shoulders and wrapped around her. “Holy Crap Aphrodite! Are you trying to kill me? I’m not immortal you know” said Gabrielle, as Aphrodite just smiled and gave one of her devilish giggles before speaking. “Hi little one! Give me a hug, I haven’t heard from you in ages. What have you been doing? I was worried about you after we heard about Xena. I thought you would come to me then, but what has it been? 10 years? “ Aphrodite said as she squeezed her friend tighter. “ I would have come sooner, but I was not able to leave Rome for many years, but that’s a story for another time. Right now, I need to ask your help. You are the only one I can turn too. I need you to help me to die” Gabrielle said as Aphrodite looked at her wide eyed and confused.
27. The Plan
Aphrodite listened to Gabrielle explain how her plan to be frozen could work like it did the first time, but she was not convinced it would be that easy even with the help of a God. “Little one, 2000 years frozen and 25 years is a major difference. You both came out OK by shear luck the first time. There is no way to know what a hibernation of that length would do to a mortal. I just don’t know if I want to be a part of something that could kill you before your time. I mean it is a gnarly idea and I know the Warrior Babe would be glad to see you, but are you really willing to take that risk?” “Yes Aphrodite”, said Gabrielle without any hesitation. “If I die then I die, but I am dying without her already, so it won’t make a difference. Even if there is only one chance in a million, I am willing to take that risk.”
“Oh Gabs, fine, I will help, I mean I am the Goddess of Love and what is more romantic then two soulmates finding each other over millennia. I got to be a part of that. I am not sure how I am going to get Celesta to agree to share her tears and how am I going to get her to cry?” “Hey, you’re the bard, you tell her your love story and make her weep”, chuckled Aphrodite as she put her arm around Gabrielle and snapped her fingers. As she snapped pink glitter appeared and they were both transported to Mount Olympus to find Celesta and start the preparations for Gabrielle’s so-called frozen death.
28. Back Home in Poteidaia.
“So, stated Gabrielle to her sister Lila and niece Sarah. “Now, you just about know everything. Well, you know an abridged version, put all the important parts. Well, are you going to say anything?” Lila and Sarah sat with expressionless faces at all that Gabrielle had told them of the last ten years. But, all Lila could think about was she did not want to lose her sister again. “Gabrielle, I know you love Xena, but she is dead. I have lost you to her so many times, I don’t want to lose you again. Why can’t you just live out your life here with us. Fate will bring you back together in the future if it is meant to be.” “I agree with Mother”, stated Sara as they both sat waiting for Gabrielle to reply.
“Lila, Sara, sometimes fate needs a helping hand. Xena and I have found that out many times in the past. I will miss you both so much, but this is something I must do. I love you both and you have each other and I need Xena and she needs me. Aphrodite is preparing everything that I will need and will meet me here in three days. I noticed the old storage cellar that father dug out for winter supplies is still out by the old barn near the stone wall. I am wanting to be put there so you and Sara can watch over me for as long as you are both alive. I am not sure what can be done after you both are gone, but I will have to take my chances. Aphrodite will conceal it as best she can to keep my tomb from being opened too soon. She will tell me the rest of the plan when she arrives in three days.” “Alright Gabrielle”, Said Lila as they both stood up and held each other close for a long hug, one of only a few they had left to give each other.”
29. Gabrielle’s Long Sleep
As the days passed and time was drawing near, Gabrielle anxiously awaited Aphrodite’s arrival to her girlhood home in Poteidaia. Sara helped Gabrielle clean out the old supply cellar while Lila prepared the last meal she would have with her sister. The sun was setting as the three sat down to dinner. Lila had prepared all of Gabrielle’s favorite dishes of chicken livers, corn on the cob, goat’s cream and of course nut bread for dessert.
Lila didn’t eat much as she sat looking at her sister knowing soon she would no longer see her again. Sara watched her mother and was sad for her. Her mother had lost so many people in her life. She hated to see her suffer again, but knew Gabrielle had to do what she had set her mind to. She had seen her and Xena together when they had rescued her from Ghurkhan who had brainwashed her since she was a girl into becoming not only one of his wives, but his number one wife, which at the time she very much wanted to be. Through Gabrielle and Xena’s determination, and Gabrielle’s love for her niece, Ghurkahn was killed and she escaped with them and was returned to her mother. She will be forever in her aunt’s debt for what she had done for her as well as for her mother. Her mother would no longer be alone now that she had been reunited with her.
Gabrielle could not sleep that night, knowing it was her last day awake for a very long time and possibly forever, if something went wrong over the centuries that she would be asleep. Sarah and Lila had said tearful goodbyes to her before they all had retired for the night. Lila could not face watching her sister go into the tomb that would be her death. Even if she were to be alive in the future, Lila would not and would never see her again. She wanted to remember her saying goodnight and retiring to her old bed in the room they had shared until that night when Gabrielle had been sneaking out and awakened her by being clumsy. She had told her she was going to go find Xena and travel and be like her. It seems like once again she was doing the same thing. Sara and Lila were finally asleep after a tearful struggle to sleep, when Aphrodite appeared at the foot of Gabrielle’s bed. “Hey, Little One. It’s time to go. “ said Aphrodite, startling Gabrielle from her thoughts. “You’ve got to stop sneaking up on people like that. You want to give me a heart attack before I even get in the tomb?” Gabrielle said with a hint of sarcasm to her Goddess Friend. “Whatevverrr, anyway, do you have everything you want to take with you? I got Celesta’s tears. Good thing she’s a sucker for a sad love story and was crying before we even got a chance to ask her for her tears. But anyway, here they are.” said Aphrodite as she held the small glass vile in Gabrielle’s face.
Gabrielle stood by the opening of the old cellar as Aphrodite prepared her icy tomb. She proceeded to climb in and lie down in the sarcophagus made of ice. She placed her weapons beside her and her scrolls as she looked up at her old friend for what would be many years if the fates allowed. Aphrodite began to speak to give her some last minute instructions. “Before you drink that Gabs, I have to tell you a few things. I will put a spell on this tomb that it will only be discovered when the Xena you will recognize is on the Earth and an adult. You don’t want to come back when she’s five. Also, the closer you get to her in distance, the more she will begin to have flashes and memories of her past with you and in this time. She will not truly remember who she is until you are awake and speak the words, ‘Xena, I love you’, then it will all come back to her. “Thank you Aphrodite, I will be forever grateful to you. I will see you in a couple of thousand years. “ Said Gabrielle as she drank from the vile and the image of the Goddess began to fade until there was nothing by blackness and then she was no longer aware of anything. Aphrodite, with a tear in her eyes, bent down and placed a small kiss on Gabrielle’s lips and brushed her short blonde hair from her face. “Goodnight Little One, I hope you find your love and happiness.” Aphrodite sealed the top of Gabrielle’s coffin with ice and looked at her friend through the ice one last time as she turned and left the cellar, concealing the entrance for what would seem an eternity.
30. An Old Enemy (Present Day)
Dr. Ilsa Randall sat in her office on the 2nd floor of the Ancient Studies Department. She had been dozing off when she had a vivid dream of a time past. She was with Dena, yet it wasn’t Dena, but someone who looked just like her….they were arguing about something and fighting, but the sounds were muffled and the vision fuzzy, but it cleared enough as she was looking into the face of a small blonde woman who looked like the woman in the ice. She had strained to hear and made out one word or a name…. Alti! This Dena like person had called her Alti..it seemed so familiar. As she woke up and became aware of her surroundings, she felt this jealousy take even more hold of her. She didn’t care if the woman in the ice was long dead. She felt a hatred for her and how she loathed the way Dena fawned over and gave this dead woman a loving stare that she had longed to see from Dena and probably never would. Just then a devilish idea came into Ilsa’s head and she walked down to the 1st floor to the refrigerated room and swiped her staff card on the electronic reader and the door unlatched. Ilsa made her way into the darkened room with only the lights from the computer monitors and the buzz of the refrigeration motors could be heard. Everyone had gone home for the night and Dena was probably back in her secluded cabin thinking about her little bitch on ice. ‘Well, thought Ilsa. Lets see what happens when the bitch thaws. How will you like your Amazon when she is a puddle of rotten flesh Dena! “ thought Ilsa as she switched off the refrigeration units one by one. Smiling as the room became silent for a moment before the beeping of the refrigerators, letting anyone listening know they were no longer cooling as the temperature display began moving upwards. She slipped away into the darkened hallway and out of the building, laughing internally.
31. The Amazon Awakens
As the ice began melting, the body inside started to come back to life. The heart slowly began pumping, the lungs pulled in air as the ice melted away from the mouth and nose. Synapses in the brain began to fire and the nerve endings came to life throughout the body. It began shivering uncontrollably and then the eyes popped open. It was dark except from a dim strange blue light emanating from somewhere on the other side of the room. The body began to think, but did not know who or where it was. It only felt cold, hunger and fear. She stood up and felt like her muscles and bones were locked in place. It was very painful at first, to even move. She saw weapons and instinctively knew what they were and how to use them. She picked them up and put the sheath around her back and the Chakram on her belt loop. She already had noticed the knives in her boots loops. She must have had some kind of magic put on her. She was in a place she that she had never seen before and that noise..the beep, beep, beep, beep. It was driving her insane. She looked around for a way out, but she only saw a door and no windows. The walls and door were made of some type of metal. She tried the door handle but it was locked. She must be in some kind of dungeon she thought. Just then, she heard footsteps approaching from outside the door. She thought fast and hid beside some tall metal cabinets. She needed to get a look at her jailer and a surprise attack could aid in her escape. If only she could remember who and where she was. She knows she is a warrior and she knows she is from Greece, but other than that she feels like it is just beneath the surface of her thoughts, but it is not coming through.
32. Coming Face To Face
As Dena came down the hallway after stopping at the lounge to get her morning cup of coffee, she could hear a muffled beep coming from the other side of the research room door. “Oh no” She said a loud as she realized the noise was the refrigerators letting them know the temperature was dropping. She swiped her card and entered the room spilling some of her coffee as she sat it haphazardly down on a small table inside the door. She turned on the florescent lights and stepped forward, realizing she was walking in about an inch of water. “What has happened here” She thought as she ran to the melted tomb of the Amazon Warrior. “Oh my God, she has been stolen. Someone has melted the ice and stolen her body. I’ve got the call security, this is just not possible. How and Why? “ Said Dena as she turned to run to the phone that hung on the wall by the door. As Dena turned around she came face to face with the blonde Amazon Warrior and there was recognition on both their parts, but the recognition was only a feeling and short-lived as a Katana Sword was heading toward her neck. Something deep inside Dena took over and she leaned back at the same time her leg came up as the sword missed her throat by centimeters and kicked the wrist of the Amazon. The sword flew from the Warrior’s hand slid across the floor and only stopping when the end stabbed into the wall. As Dena spun around she grabbed the cup of hot coffee and threw it into her attacker’s face. The Amazon did not see that coming and screamed out in pain as the hot liquid splashed the still cool flesh of her face. Dena used this moment to grab her and hold her arms to her sides. Dena had no idea how she had managed to subdue this woman, but she did not have much time to think about that as she was trying to calm the wild woman down. “Please, calm down. I am not going to hurt you.” The Warrior became still in her arms as she seemed to understand what the woman was saying, even though it was a language she had not been familiar with. Dena began to come to the realization that this woman was dressed as the Amazon warrior in the ice and looked a lot like her. She turned the woman around and was about to say what have you done with her body and why are you wearing her clothing, when she realized she was looking at the woman from the ice and her dreams,in the unthawed, living flesh!
33. How Is This Possible?
“I won’t hurt you, please stop fighting” explained Dena as she proceeded to sit the woman down in a desk chair near by. The Amazon felt she could trust this woman, whoever she was. Dena felt dizzy and disoriented all of a sudden. She began to stumble and leaned on a long table that held the monitoring equipment. As she was attempting to regain her coordination, she began to see visions in her mind’s eye. She saw the warrior, but she was dressed in a long maroon skirt and blue blouse. Her hair was long and reddish and she looked so young. She was looking up at her with such admiration. Then she saw her walking along side her as she rode a light tan horse with a beautiful white mane. The warrior woman looked a little older in this vision and had on a shorter skirt and a green top and was holding a staff and smiling and talking. She looked so happy, innocent and beautiful. What kind of life had she had and how did she get here. The visions began to fade and Dena was brought back to the present when she heard the woman speak in a gravelly voice that sounded like someone that had been in a long sleep such as her. “ Are, are you all right?” The words coming out of her mouth seemed odd to herself, but yet she understood them. Dena stared at her and said, “How do you speak English and how are you alive after being frozen in ice for so long. “ The warrior woman shook her head and shrugged and just said, “ I don’t know who I am or how I got here.” Unbeknownst to them both, Aphrodite had put a spell on Gabrielle to give her the ability to speak and understand whatever language was spoken by the modern day Xena. She figured it would be very difficult if they could not understand each other.
34. Remembering
Dena didn’t know if she should pinch herself to see if she was dreaming or not. How was this scientifically possible. Was there some type of unknown chemical in the ice or was the woman before her frozen so quickly that her ice coffin acted as a cryogenic deep freeze? Then Dena realized that soon others in the research group would be coming into the building and the Greek authorities supervising the research were due to come in later in the morning, that is why she was there before anyone today, making sure everything was up to standard. She knew this woman she has felt she has known for eternity, would be taken to Greece and studied and never set free. She had to think fast. She turned to the Amazon sitting in her desk chair and said, please trust me. You are in danger if anyone finds you here. Come with me quickly. “ I don’t know why, but I trust you completely” Gabrielle said as she smiled at Dena. That smile and trust melted Dena’s heart and at that moment, she knew she would do anything to keep this woman safe. Dena held out her hand and Gabrielle took it and she felt a warmth spread over her and visions of this woman from the time she remembers, but wearing leather with a sword and fighting beside her. The Professor smiled back and said, “my name is Dena and you are not safe here, please come with and I will explain what I can.”
Meanwhile, across campus in a small studio apartment, Professor Ilsa Randall was sleeping and dreaming. Her dreams were of a time long ago when she was the Shamaness Alti. Her memories were all coming back to her. She was seeing when she met Dena in the past when she was Xena! Yes that was who Dena was. Xena. She was going to make her Destroyer of Nations, but Xena turned away from her and became her sworn enemy along with her sidekick girlfriend, Gabrielle. She had followed Xena through time and now they were both in this world, in bodies that looked like their old selves and that bitch Amazon Gabrielle was here to. Yes, she was the woman in the ice. At that moment an alarm clock went off and Ilsa sat up in a pool of sweat. At that moment she knew exactly who she was. She was not Ilsa Randall. She was Alti, and this time she would have her revenge!
35. Welcome to the Future
Dena ushered Gabrielle into her office and locked the door. “Look, I know you must be confused, but you are not in the world that you are used to. Things will look a lot different than you are used to and people will want to keep you hidden if they find out where you came from. I will explain what I can and maybe once your memory returns you can explain things to me as well. Right now we really have to get you into some different clothes. I have some clothes in here in my closest. They will have to do for now.” Dena said as she hurriedly pushed the hangers aside and grabbed a pair of jeans and a t shirt. She grabbed a pair of scissors from her desk drawer and cut about 5 inches off the bottom to fit the Amazon’s height better. “Here, please change into these clothes.” Said Dena as she handed them to Gabrielle and turned around while she got dressed. Gabrielle thought these were very strange garments. Dena turned around to find Gabrielle dressed and trying to find a way to get her sais in her boots. “I’m sorry but you will have to leave the weapons here. You can’t just walk around with them in this place and they will be recognizable to some of the people around here as the ones that were with you in the ice.” Gabrielle really did not want to give up her weapons but she complied and handed them over. Dena placed her clothes and weapons with her satchel of scrolls in her closest and locked it. Hopefully they would not think to look there until she got back to move them somewhere more safe. Right now, she needed to get the warrior out of here to a safe place and come back and review the tapes to see what exactly happened overnight.
Dena led Gabrielle out of the building and to faculty parking. Gabrielle saw lights and images pass by her in a blur and nothing was familiar. It was all so foreign and strange. She was relieved when they were finally outside and she could see blue sky and green trees, but it hurt her eyes as they have not seen daylight in centuries. They were almost to Dena’s motorcycle, when a car came screeching into the parking lot at an unsafe speed. Behind the wheel was Professor Ilsa Randall, now known to herself and soon to others as Alti, the powerful shamaness who had wreaked havoc and curses on people for millennia. Alti had seen Dena coming out of the building with the blonde and immediately recognized her as Gabrielle. She was enraged that she was alive and knew she must have had some magic performed on her to survive in that ice. “So, I set you free. Well, I hope you enjoyed your brief time here, because it is about to end.” At that moment Dena turned when she heard the screeching tires and revving motor and saw Ilsa Randall headed straight for them, just then she was pushed out of the way and as she fell on the grass beside the parking lot she saw the BMW hit the Amazon Warrior and in slow motion she hit the windshield cracking it and rolled over the top and onto the pavement. In that moment Gabrielle’s memories had flooded back into her mind. She knew exactly who she was and why she was there. Dena got to her feet and was at the Amazon’s side in an instant. She was not moving and was bleeding from a gash on her head. Dena turned her over and held her in her arms. “It is going to be OK, I promise. “ Said Dena as the Warrior’s eyes fluttered open. “Xenaaa...I found you” said the warrior as she drifted between conscious and unconsciousness. Dena heard her say Xena, but thought she just had misspoken. She had a serious head injury, she needed to get her to a hospital. She looked around and saw Ilsa getting out of her car. “Ilsa! What have you done and why?” “Oh you don’t know Dena or I should say Xena. I have waited centuries for this moment. Your little bitch is dying and soon you will join her and this time neither one of you will be coming back ever!” Alti pulled a knife from her jacket pocket and walked toward Dena. As Alti raised the knife and ran toward Dena, Gabrielle yelled “XENA, I LOVE YOU!” At that moment a million memories of time long ago raced through Dena’s mind. Xena, I am Xena the Warrior Princess and Gabrielle is here and Alti is trying to destroy us once again. Alti saw the change come over Dena. She saw before her eyes Xena being reborn. Xena raised her arm and blocked the knife from striking. “Alti, you have made the last mistake you have ever made. At that moment Xena grabbed the knife and threw it with precision into Alti’s throat. Alti collapsed on the ground...dead. Xena ran back to Gabrielle’s side. “Gabrielle, it’s me, Xena. I remember. I love you! I will never lose you again! Please stay with me. Help is on the way”. Xena could hear sirens in the distance. A crowd had gathered and Gary and Charlotte were soon at her side. The ambulance was there and loaded Gabrielle into the back. Charlotte walked up and said “ Dena, Ilsa must have went crazy with jealousy. Gary was pulling up and saw everything, plus a dozen other students sitting on the benches in the quad. “ We know it was self defense. Dena let her know she was going to ride in the ambulance to the hospital. Campus police told her they would meet her at the hospital for a statement, but so far by all accounts she would not be charged as it was self defense. Xena got in the ambulance and held Gabrielle’s hand. Charlotte told her she would meet her at the emergency room.
36. Reunited
Xena was pacing in the waiting area as Gabrielle was taken back for X Rays and an MRI to see if she had a head injury or any broken bones or internal injuries. The police had already been there and taken her statement. Just then Charlotte came in and took Dena’s hand and led her to the seating area. “You need to sit down Dena. The Greek authorities and police reviewed the security tapes and Gary just texted me that Ilsa had turned off the security cameras right after her faculty pass was used to gain access to the refrigeration area. Apparently she turned it off and came back later with possibly another person or maybe herself and stole the body. She possibly was selling it or just getting rid of it out of spite toward you, but so far the police have had no luck in finding it. I do have one question Dena. Who is the woman who was with you that Ilsa hit with her car?”
Xena knew these questions were coming and luckily she thought fast as always. “Her name is Gabrielle Porter. We knew each other as undergraduates at Notre Dame. She had DM’d me and we talked and she said she was going to be in town so she met me after work last night and Ilsa must have seen us going out to dinner and then on our way for breakfast, Ilsa must have saw us again and jealousy had taken her over. She hit her with her car and then tried to stab me. It all happened so fast.
“Dena, that is all just awful. I am so sorry I ever introduced you to Ilsa. What a lunatic she turned out to be. I feel partially responsible.” Dena put her arm around her friend Charlotte and assured her there was no one to blame but Ilsa herself. No one could have foreseen what she was capable of. As they sat there in silence the emergency room doctor came out and asked for Dena Xavier. “I am Dena” she said as she got up to meet the Doctor. “How is she Doc, is she going to be OK?” The doctor gave a small smile and stated that she had a mild concussion and some bruises but she would recover. “We are going to admit her for observation and if she is still stable by tomorrow, then we can release her as long as she has someone to stay with.” The doctor said. “Don’t worry, she will be staying with me. I will take good care of her, I promise.” Dena said as the Doctor told her she could visit her shortly on the 6th floor, room 602.
When Xena entered Gabrielle’s hospital room, she was looking at all the tubes and machines with wonder. When she looked up, there standing at the end of her bed was Xena. Gabrielle started to move but she got dizzy from her concussion and held her head. Xena was at her side in an instant. “Hey you have a big bump on your head, just stay put”. She looked into Gabrielle’s eyes and it was like no time had passed at all. She put her hand gently on the side of her face and brushed her blonde bangs from her eyes. “I love you Gabrielle” “I love you to Xena or should I call you Dena?” Gabrielle chuckled as tears filled her eyes. She couldn’t believe she had actually found her soulmate again. “It is odd because I am Xena and Dena. I remember being Xena and my life here as Dena. But, I will always be Xena to you Gabrielle” She said as she leaned forward and their lips met. Finally, Gabrielle was home again, no matter what century it was. She was home…
37. One year later…
Charlotte McGavin had never seen her Friend Dena as happy and excited as she was right now. “Dena, I am so happy for you. I didn’t think this day would ever come. You and Gabrielle are the perfect couple. I am so glad she came back into your life. It’s like your a different person with her around.” “Thank you Charlotte and thank you for being such a good friend all these years.” Just then Gabrielle walked up and took Xena by the hand. “Gabrielle, it was a beautiful ceremony. I took some pictures of you two saying your I do’s just as the sun was setting over the water. “So where have you decided to go on your honeymoon?” “Oh, I think we might just camp in the woods under the stars” Said Gabrielle as she smiled up at Xena. Xena smiled back and said “I’ll catch some fish and you can cook it. Oh and I put frying pans on our gift registry”. Gabrielle gave Xena a playful punch in the arm and they walked away from the crowd holding hands and looking out across the water. Unbeknownst to them there was a Goddess sitting under an umbrella in a beach chair smiling and then with a twist of her wrist she was gone in a twinkle of sparkles as she said, “I just love a happy ending.”
THE END…...for now anyway….