A Single Step
By Kennedy Northcutt

For disclaimers and stuff, see Part 1

Part 12
Chapter 15

Gabrielle breathed deeply of the fresher air outside the inn as she leaned against a crumbling stone wall. It took her a bit to get her bearings as she glanced around the town. The sun was dipping toward the horizon in the west. Her gaze caught sight of the stables and she noticed Star was outside in one of the corrals.

Gabrielle walked over to the corral and stopped at the fence. Her mare knickered softly and came over to the fence as Gabrielle pulled an apple from the pouch at her hip. Sensing something in her human’s demeanor, Star placed her head over the fence and let Gabrielle lean against her for support. The horse munched the apple as Gabrielle stroked her soft neck.

“Thanks, girl,” Gabrielle said. “This has been a whirlwind of a trip for both of us. Hasn’t it?”

The mare blew out a soft, apple-scented breath.

“I really hope Eve and Aryana are having a better go of it than we are,” Gabrielle continued softly. “And what’s with Virgil seeing Xena?” She pulled back enough to look into the mare’s amber eye. “Why does it seem that everyone—first Aryana, now Virgil—can see Xena but me? It’s not like I don’t want to. I do.” And then she stopped as a realization hit her. “I really do miss her, but…”

The horse knickered again, as if in answer to some unspoken question.

“Yeah,” Gabrielle said. “I really do need to have a conversation with her, don’t I? We should get all of this out into the open.” Another soft knicker. “I’m just afraid of saying what I really think and having her go away forever, I suppose. Does that make sense?” A louder knicker. “Okay, you’re right. We can’t keep going like this.” She scratched the mare’s cheek. “It’s just hard to let go when I’ve held onto my anger for so long. She gave up on us.” The mare snorted. “Okay, fine, we both gave up on us. But…” Gabrielle sniffed back tears. “It hurt so much that she wouldn’t let me bring her back when I had the chance. All I had to do was put her ashes into the fountain, despite her protests to the contrary. I had the chance and I blew it.” A tear rolled down her cheek and she swiped it away. “I’ve spent years trying not to feel sorry for myself. Xena made her choice and I needed to move on.”

“It was a stupid choice. I was wrong.”

The sun had set by this point, casting long shadows over everything. Gabrielle turned to find a faint specter in the deepest shadows near the stable wall. The specter was tall, with dark hair framing a face as familiar to Gabrielle as her own.

“Xena?”

“Yeah,” Xena smiled wistfully.

Gabrielle put a hand to her mouth as tears rolled unbidden down her cheeks. “Wha…how?”

The shadows deepened as night closed in. Xena’s spectral form moved away from the stable wall and approached Gabrielle. She stopped next the shorter woman and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her. Xena reached out to touch Gabrielle, who was now crying openly, but her hand passed through Gabrielle’s cheek.

“It’s a really long story, sweetheart. And we both know I’m not the bard in the family.” Xena smiled wryly.

Gabrielle refused to look at the ghostly figure standing next to her. She tried not to imagine that this moment was real. How could she? It had been fifteen years.

Xena stared at Gabrielle’s profile. She wanted nothing more than to touch the bard. But her hand passing through Gabrielle’s very mortal flesh told her it wasn’t possible. So she gazed in wonder, instead. She noted the lines around Gabrielle’s eyes that hadn’t been there before. Tiny lines that marked the years of Gabrielle’s life without her. She also saw the white hairs mixed in with Gabrielle’s strawberry blonde. There was no mistaking Gabrielle had aged and she had not.

“Why won’t you look at me?” Xena asked, as the night deepened and darkness surrounded them. A few torches in the distance cast just enough of a warm glow to see by. “Gabrielle?”

Gabrielle sighed, then turned reluctantly. Her gaze met Xena’s and there was anger behind the green eyes still shimmering with tears.

“Where have you been?” The words came out through gritted teeth in a voice choked with emotion.

Xena looked away and back again. “I’m dead, Gabrielle. Still am. Can’t you tell?” She reached for the railing and her hand passed right through the worn wood. “See?”

Gabrielle crossed her arms over her chest. “I know you’re dead, Xena. But how are you here? Why now? What’s changed?”

Xena turned away, unable to face the anger and disappointment in Gabrielle’s gaze. Those green eyes spoke volumes. Gabrielle was obviously furious with her for not finding a way to return to the mortal realm sooner. Then again, Xena was just as angry and disappointed that Gabrielle hadn’t moved on before this.

“Does it really matter?” Xena shot back in frustration. “Would it be asking too much for you to just be happy to see me?” She chuckled incredulously, threw up her hands and turned away, then back again. “I mean, it only took me, what, a few years to make it back here? No big deal, right? I should just be grateful you’re not throwing my chakram back in my face and walking away.”

“You,” Gabrielle pointed an accusing finger that shook with unsupressed anger. “You wouldn’t let me bring you back. I could have, you know. I had the water from the fountain right there within reach, but you told me not to put your ashes in. You said you had to stay dead in order for those souls to have peace. You gave up!” It was her turn to throw up her hands in exasperation. “Xena, Warrior Princess! Always playing the sacrificial hero in order to save the world! And why? Because some spoiled demon’s child told you that you had to stay dead and you believed her! You…Ugh!!!” She took a calming breath and slowly let it out. “Do you know what these last fifteen years have been like for me? Do you?” Her voice rose again with each word. “No. Because. You. Weren’t. HERE! You were lounging in some…some…tranquil afterlife in Japa. Well, I hope it was worth it. I sure hope it was. But the true question still begs an answer: Why are you here now?”

Xena just stood there in silence for a moment. “Is that it? Are you done?”

Gabrielle certainly wasn’t done. The ale in her system had just kicked in and she was just getting started on a rant that had been broiling for years. But then she caught the smirk on Xena’s face and the wind left her sails.

“Fine,” Gabrielle took another calming breath, as she leaned against the railing for support. Star, sensing her mistress’ distress, rested her chin on the bard’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry.”

Gabrielle waited for more. When Xena remained silent, she looked at her, really looked at her. Gabrielle noted the dejected slump to the warrior’s shoulders and the downcast tilt to the dark head. She also noted the uncharacteristic dark circles under Xena’s eyes and the grayish pallor to her skin. She really did look like a ghost.

“Me, too,” Gabrielle conceded. “I’m sorry that I didn’t just put your ashes in the fountain and be done with it. To Hades with those ten thousand souls and their peaceful afterlife.”

“It was a lie, Gabrielle.”

Gabrielle’s breath hitched. “What?”

“Akimi lied,” Xena admitted softly. “I didn’t know. I am so, so sorry.” A tear slipped from Xena’s eye and trailed down her cheek. “You have every right to be angry—livid even. I just hope that some day you can find it in your heart to forgive me. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but you deserve to be happy. That’s all I want for you. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. Be happy, Gabrielle.”

Gabrielle pondered that for several heartbeats. Anger flared, but then died just as suddenly. It was all water under the bridge anyway. There was no getting those lost years back. All she could do was move forward. Wasn’t that what Gabriel had said? All hope was not lost.

 

Gabrielle sighed again. “I’m sorry, too. I should have known, or at least suspected, something wasn’t right. There was just too much going on. And then you were dead and I never had the chance to grieve…”

“Yeah,” Xena returned to Gabrielle’s side. “But I’m the one…”

“No,” Gabrielle cut her off. “No more, Xena. I’m not that naïve kid who followed you from Potidea. She hasn’t existed for a very long time. It’s time for me to admit that we both made choices. I have to live the rest of my life with the choices I’ve made.” She looked at Xena. “I just hope you can find peace in your own choices and move on.” She then straightened. “Speaking of which, why haven’t you moved on? Shouldn’t you be in Elysia or with Eli or something? What happened?” She put a hand to her head. “Wait, let me sit down while you explain yourself. I’m not really in the best shape these days.” Gabrielle found an overturned bucket and sat down on it, then almost teetered over onto the ground. She righted herself and then sat with her head in her hands. “Okay, go ahead. Talk.”

Xena studied her for a moment. “Are you sure you want to hear the whole, sordid tale?”

Gabrielle looked up with bleary eyes. “Well, maybe later. I’ve had a bit more ale tonight than usual, so I’m not completely sober. Besides, it’s been a long day and…”

“Gabrielle?”

They both turned to find Virgil at the edge of the torchlight. He was looking around in confusion.

“Hey, Virgil,” Gabrielle sat up. “I knew you would come looking for me, eventually.”

“Is she here?” He approached her cautiously. “Really here?”

“Xena?” Gabrielle asked, already knowing the answer. “Yeah, she’s here. Thanks for the heads-up, by the way.”

He looked around in confusion again, obviously unable to see Xena’s ghost. “Do you need me to stay? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Virgil,” Gabrielle said, appearing more sober than she felt. “We were just catching up.”

“Oh,” he gave a tentative smile and a little wave. “Hi, Xena.”

“She says hi, Virgil,” Gabrielle said. “Now, can you give us some privacy? Please? Xena was just about to explain what happened to her after she died.”

“Oh, yeah, right,” he backed away. “I’ll just…” he motioned over his shoulder “…go back to our room and wait for you there.”

“Don’t wait up,” Gabrielle said. “I might just camp out here. Spend the night in the stables with Star.”

“Oh, o-okay,” he said as he turned on a heel and returned to the inn.

Xena chuckled. “Like father, like son. Some things never change.”

“He’s a good friend, Xena. Leave him alone.”

“Oh, oh, sure,” Xena crossed her arms over her chest and gave Gabrielle an incredulous look.

“No, we’re not sleeping together,” Gabrielle walked to the stable door and ducked inside. Then poked her head back out. “You coming?”

Xena followed. Except that Gabrielle closed the door before Xena got there and she had to actually walk through it. Once she was on the other side, she spotted Gabrielle sitting on some straw in a corner.

“So,” Xena said as she walked over to where Gabrielle was lounging.

“Sit.”

Xena sat next to Gabrielle. She sank slightly below the straw, then noticed what was happening and did a course correction.

“Huh,” she said. A beam of moonlight broke through the clouds outside and shone into the stable. Xena’s image faded but didn’t disappear completely. “Just like old times.”

“Not quite,” Gabrielle replied. “You’re a little more opaque than you were when…well, you know.” She frowned, squirmed and reached into the straw, pulling a rather shriveled potato out and tossing it away. “And I’m not as fond of roughing it as I used to be.”

“Well, you could go back to your room at the inn,” she frowned. “I’m sure Virgil will have warmed the bed up for you, by now.”

Gabrielle rolled her eyes. “Really, Xena? Is that what you think? That I would sleep with Joxer’s son?” She shuddered. “Ew. He’s Eve’s age. Speaking of…”

“How’s Eve? Have you seen her?”

“She’s fine,” Gabrielle shifted uncomfortably again. “Still doing the message of peace and love thing. She has quite the following. Travels around Greece and tries to keep a low profile. We met up with her in Athens and she is traveling to Aryndahl with us.”

“Aryndahl?”

“Yeah,” Gabrielle leaned back against the stable wall. “It’s a kingdom in Northern Thrace.”

“I know where it is, Gabrielle. I just don’t understand why you’re going there. What’s in Aryndahl that’s worth anything? Besides sheep and farms.”

“Your granddaughter.”

Silence stretched for a time. The moonbeam actually intensified and Xena nearly disappeared for several heartbeats until a cloud passed over the moon and she reappeared again.

“That explains a lot,” Xena mused. “I wondered who that kid was.”

“You’ve seen her?”

“Yeah,” Xena replied. “Visited her, actually. Couldn’t figure out what the connection was, until now. Sure explains why she looks familiar.”

“Eve gave birth to her during her time as Livia,” Gabrielle explained. “She gave her up, kinda like you did with Solon. Didn’t want to expose a child to a life of violence and bloodshed. Like mother, like daughter.”

“And Aryana’s father?”

“Eve killed him. Or, rather, Livia did. He believed having a child would domesticate Livia and they could settle down together. She wasn’t having it. Lopped his head off.”

“Kinda like Borias and me,” Xena confessed. “He wanted us to settle down in one place and I was having none of it, either.”

“You didn’t kill him, though.”

Xena shrugged. “He died, anyway.”

“And then we met.”

Xena smiled fondly at Gabrielle. “Best thing that ever happened to me.”

Gabrielle ducked her head as she absently picked at the straw. “You really didn’t think so, at the time.”

“I was a little too preoccupied with my own selfish path of redemption to truly appreciate you, Gabrielle. I’m sorry.” Xena sighed heavily. “I am so sorry for so many things that happened between us.”

Gabrielle locked gazes with her. “Are you? Really?”

Xena was taken aback. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Anger flared in Gabrielle’s eyes again. “Because you just left me. After all we’d been through—all the leagues we’d traveled together, everything we’d done—you just gave up. On us. On a life together. You answered a summons from your past and I followed you to Japa. No questions asked. We were finally equals. You gave me the chakram for safekeeping and then you died without telling me what was going on. To top it all off, you believed that you had to stay dead. You wouldn’t let me bring you back. We could have spent these last fifteen years together. We were supposed to settle down and enjoy life. But, no. You had to make decisions for both of us, Xena. How do you think that makes me feel?”

“Angry?”

“Livid!” Gabrielle was breathing heavily now. She stood up and paced. “I have spent the last fifteen years trying to reconcile myself to your choices, and I just can’t.” She rounded on Xena. “I really want to hate you for what you did, Xena.” She stopped and suddenly got very quiet. “But I still love you.” Tears streamed down her cheeks unbidden. “I’ve been so lost without you. You said you would never leave me. And you did. You just…left.”

“I know,” Xena ducked her head in shame. “I…” She looked up and saw the raw pain in Gabrielle’s eyes. “I should have tried harder to find a way back to you. I screwed up. Can you ever forgive me?”

There was such pain and pleading in Xena’s words and in her expression that Gabrielle felt the years just melt away along with her own anger and pain. They were together again, if not in the mortal realm, then…

Gabrielle returned to her place next to Xena. “I’m not the same person I was before.”

“I know.”

“Do you? Do you really?”

“Yes,” Xena shrugged. “I never stopped loving you, Gabrielle. Even when I was trapped by my own hubris in that Japa afterlife. I never gave up on us. But I also had a lot of time to figure out just how much you had matured during the years we were together. I know you’re the best of both of us. I should have accepted that, instead of ignoring it. I should have told you everything.”

“I gave up on us, Xena,” Gabrielle said flatly. “When you disappeared, I searched and searched. As I headed to Egypt looking for a way to bring you back, there was a storm. That’s when I lost your ashes. That’s when…” She swallowed over a sudden lump in her throat. “I thought that’s why your spirit no longer came to me. I thought you were gone or angry that I failed again or...”

“No,” Xena shook her head. “There was a barrier that I couldn’t cross when you left Japa. I tried, but I could only get as far as the last fishing boat. So I made my way to the top of Mt. Fuji and tried to see you on the horizon. I stayed there for a really long time. Until…”

“Until?”

“An old man came to me and told me I was the one keeping myself there. My guilt over what I had done was the only barrier keeping me in their afterlife. He was pretty blunt about it. He told me to let go, to stop blaming myself for what happened. I didn’t belong there anyway. I had no ancestors there to keep me in their afterlife.”

“And Akimi?”

“She finally confessed that she lied to keep me there. She knew I didn’t belong, either.”

“She loved you.”

Xena smiled sadly. “In her own twisted way, yeah. But she realized her love was unreciprocated. My heart was always…” She looked over at Gabrielle. “Somewhere else.”

Gabrielle nodded. “So you managed to return to Greece.”

“I made it as far as Olympus, yeah,” Xena said. “It’s a lot different there than it was before the Twilight.”

“I know.”

“Oh?” A dark brow rose in question.

“I was there, recently,” Gabrielle admitted. “Had a run-in with a boar and somehow made an unexpected detour into the immortal realm. Michael was there.”

Anger flashed in Xena’s eyes. “Michael,” she growled. “What did that snake want with you? Why I oughta…”

“Settle down, Xena. I didn’t accept his twisted offer. Not that I ever would. He wasn’t really after me, anyway. He wanted your chakram—well, Ares’ old chakram that could kill the gods, actually. Before you merged the two chakrams together and neutralized their power. He didn’t know you’d done that, by the way. I guess he isn’t as all-knowing as we’ve been led to believe.”

“Now I know what he was after, at least,” Xena calmed considerably. “There’s a lot going on in the immortal realm these days. Apparently, Michael and his merry band of archangels are at war again. He kept going on about a Savior here in the mortal realm and how things were going to change dramatically because of this Savior’s existence. I guess Lucifer and his demon armies are at it again.”

“You haven’t seen him…”

“No,” Xena answered quickly. “I have actually been a little preoccupied with another of our nemeses from the past.”

“Oh?”

“Ares.”

“Ah,” Gabrielle nodded. “I always wondered when he would pop back into my life again. I’m sure he knows about Aphrodite.”

Xena smiled. “He does, yes. That was a nice thing you did for her, by the way. Setting up a place of worship and recruiting some priestesses for her new temple.”

“She’s been a good friend over the years,” Gabrielle admitted. “She was there for me when…well, you know.”

“When I wasn’t. Yeah, I get it,” Xena added wryly.

“And Ares?” Gabrielle asked curiously.

“Up to his old ways,” Xena said. “Scheming, as usual. Trying to figure out a way to recruit followers so he can get his powers back. Fortunately, he doesn’t have someone like you to do that for him. Times are tough for the Olympians who survived the Twilight. Most have just faded from existence. Michael and his armies kept track of them and kept them in line long enough to let their legacies and followings die out. And now that there is a war in the immortal realm, Michael is too preoccupied with that to bother with Ares or Aphrodite. Probably why the goddess has been able to use her newly-regained powers without setting off any celestial alarms.”

“Makes sense, I guess.”

“I just hope Ares doesn’t figure out a way to make his own comeback,” Xena looked thoughtful. “Things are already getting pretty heated with this Savior of Michael’s in the mortal realm. I don’t know what it will mean for those of us who are still…well, you know.” She looked down at herself.

“Speaking of which, why aren’t you in Elysia with Solon? Why are you here, Xena?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Gabrielle frowned. “Not obvious, no.”

“I came back to be with you, Gabrielle,” she gave a wry grin.

“But, why now? How are you here now? Not that I’m complaining, mind you. We really have needed to reconcile, for a very long time. I just don’t understand why it’s happening at this particular moment.”

Xena thought about that for several heartbeats. “Hm. Good question.” She shrugged. “I don’t have an answer. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you’re on a quest?”

Gabrielle shook her head. “Or maybe…never mind. Maybe things are just converging to bring us back together. Let’s just leave it at that. Gabriel said something about it when I was…” she pointed up.

“Gabriel?”

“Yeah,” Gabrielle shrugged. “I think he’s one of the higher-ups in the heavenly realm. He actually ordered Michael to return to wherever it is that they go when they aren’t harassing us.”

“Huh,” Xena pondered that. “I guess there’s definitely more to all this than I thought. Wouldn’t it be great if Michael actually had to answer to someone besides himself?”

“I think it has something to do with Eli’s god.”

“Makes sense.”

“Anyway, Gabriel was alluding to a resurrection, of sorts,” Gabrielle continued. “I’m not sure if he was talking about you or someone else. It’s all a bit fuzzy now that I’m here in the mortal realm again. Kinda like a dream.”

“Well, no one has said anything to me, so,” Xena shrugged. “I would have remembered something that significant.” She tapped a finger to her temple. “Things are still pretty sharp up here.”

“Mm,” Gabrielle shifted and then frowned deeply.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“I know that look, Gabrielle. It isn’t nothing.”

“It’s just…” She shook her head. “Even if we could find a way to bring you back, there’s no body to bring you back into. I cremated your body and lost your ashes at sea.”

Xena frowned. “Oh, yeah. There’s that, I suppose.” She then looked thoughfully at Gabrielle. “Why did you do that, by the way? I never thought to ask you.”

Gabrielle looked away. “I couldn’t stand the thought of those warriors finding you and mutilating your body anymore than they already had. Besides,” she shrugged, “it was a lot easier to carry ashes in an urn than to try to bring your whole body back here to Greece.”

Xena nodded. “Ah, yeah. Never thought of it that way. You have a point.”

“And…”

Xena’s brow rose. “And?”

Gabrielle shifted again. “I couldn’t stand to see you like that.”

“Like what?”

Gabrielle met Xena’s confused gaze. “You know.”

“No, I don’t. What?”

“Xena, you really don’t know?”

“If I did, would I keep asking?” Xena frowned.

“When I found your body…” Gabrielle swallowed with effort as fresh tears sprang to her eyes. She took a moment to compose herself as memories of that night reimurged vividly in her mind. “I found your body hanging from a tree in the woods.”

“Oh.”

“Without your head attached.”

Xena’s eyes widened as she took that in. Shock, then anger registered. And then she saw the tears swimming in Gabrielle’s eyes, along with the slight quivering of the woman’s lips.

“Oh,” Xena said softly. “I am so sorry, Gabrielle. I had no idea. That must have been horrific for you.”

Gabrielle took a deep breath and let it out, then swiped the tears from her cheeks. “It was… It was storming, like the gods were pissed off about what happened to you or something. I marched right into their camp and demanded they return your head to me. I fought their leader and killed him. None of the others challenged me after I severed his head from his shoulders. I took you with me. Once I was far enough away from their camp, I made a funeral pyre and…well, you know the rest.” Silence followed her words.

They just sat there in silence for a time. A cricket chirped in the far corner of the structure and a horse nickered outside. Gabrielle shifted again, reached under the straw and lifted another potato out. She tossed it out the window.

“So, what did you do after you set sail for Egypt?” Xena finally broke the silence.

“I made it to Egypt.”

“Right,” Xena nodded. “You said that’s where you were headed.”

“I thought I would find a way to bring you back from the dead while I was there,” Gabrielle said. “I met with their current ruler, King Tutenkamen. Nice enough guy, but really young to be ruling all of Egypt. One of his advisers sent me on a quest to find their Book of Life. But things didn’t go as planned—they never do. It turns out the book was encased in the sarcophagus of one of their former pharaohs. I almost died trying to retieve it. There were all these traps and barriers to navigate. When I finally got the book and escaped from the tomb, a band of marauders was waiting for me outside. They took the book and vanished across the desert without a trace. I gave up after that and returned to Greece. The pharoah was good enough to reward me for the treasures we were able to remove from the tomb. Apparently, his only concern was that we hadn’t disturbed the remains of the previous pharaoh, which we didn’t. He then confessed that he knew who the marauders were. He said they were mercenaries pledged to protect the Book of Life with their very lives. When word spread that someone was after the book, they converged on the tomb with the sole purpose of retrieving it and hiding it again.”

“Whoa,” Xena was enthralled. “So you had the means to bring me back to life and those guys took it from you?”

“Yeah,” Gabrielle smiled crookedly. “The only thing was, they didn’t count on my abilities to remember a good story.” She tapped her temple and winked.

Xena cast her a sidelong look. “You read the book.”

“Not exactly,” Gabrielle’s smile wryly. “I had the forethought to take a translator with me, just in case. He transcribed the pertinent pages, which I then destroyed. No one should have that power at their disposal. It’s too dangerous.”

“You destroyed them?” Xena looked incredulous. “Why?”

“I just told you. That kind of power is way too dangerous.” Gabrielle explained again. “Besides, one of the main points of the process stipulated we needed a body to bring your spirit back into. Mainly, someone who had only recently died. And there just wasn’t anyone available. Not to mention I had no idea where your spirit was actually located, at the time.”

“So, let me get this straight,” Xena tried to wrap her mind around what Gabrielle was saying. “You had the means to bring me back from what was contained in the book, but you didn’t try because you didn’t have my spirit or a body to bring me back with?”

“Exactly,” Gabrielle glanced around nervously. “Let’s just say, the information in those pages was both interesting and a bit scary. In the wrong hands, really bad things could happen. It’s no wonder those marauders showed up and took the book away the moment we emerged from the tomb. There is no telling what evil might be unleashed if that information ever fell into the wrong hands. There was even something in the book about bringing an entire army of the dead back to life to do one’s bidding. Can you imagine? A bunch of mindless corpses coming back from the dead to take over the world of the living?” She shuddered.

“Creepy.”

“Exactly,” Gabrielle met Xena’s gaze. “Besides, no body, no resurrection. So the incantation wouldn’t have worked, even if I wasn’t terrified that you would come back as some kind of creature.”

Xena’s expression fell. “I suppose.”

“Yeah,” Gabrielle continued. “Trust me on this, I read those pages over and over again until I had them committed to memory. Then I threw them in the fire to keep them out of anyone else’s hands. There was nothing in there about bringing a soul back to the mortal realm without a fresh corpse to return it to.” Another shaft of moonlight peeked from behind a cloud and Xena’s image faded. “And don’t even think that we can just borrow some random corpse. I am not spending the rest of our lives trying to picture you as you were when you were alive. After what happened with Callisto, I just can’t go through that again.”

Xena slumped down further. “Okay, fine.” The moon ducked back behind the clouds again and Xena reappeared. “You win.”

Gabrielle studied Xena for several heartbeats. “Why do I get the feeling we will be revisiting this discussion sometime in the near future?”

“You said it yourself,” Xena shrugged. “No body, no resurrection.”

“Xeeeeeenaaaaa.”

“Gaaaaabbbbrieeeellle.”

“I love you.”

“Right back at ya.”

***

 

Chapter 16

 

“Where can they be?”

“Yeah, they shoulda been here by now.”

“Excuse me, ladies,” an gray-haired man in a faded green jerkin trimmed in black and a pair of faded black pants approached the table of the two women. “Have you seen a rather handsome gent pass through here recently? Dark hair. Mustache.” He twirled his own gray mustache. “Dressed smartly in a black jerkin similar to mine?” He looked down at his shabby clothes. “Just a bit, newer?”

Eve shook her head. “Afraid not. Haven’t seen anyone since we came down to break our fast.”

“Ah,” the man nodded his gray head. “Well, if you do see him—his name is Rance, by the way—would you mind telling him his granddad is looking for him? I’d be much obliged.” He tipped an imaginery hat and sauntered away with a slight limp.

“We’ll get right on that,” Aryana said to the man’s retreating back, as she bit off a piece of bread and chewed. “And you would be?” She called a bit louder.

He stopped, turned and smiled. “Ever heard of the King of Thieves?” He then took another swipe of his mustache with raised brows and a cheshire grin.

“Can’t say that I have,” Aryana looked at Eve, who merely shook her head.

His expression fell. “Well, that’s rather disappointing. Guess my reputation didn’t reach quite this far north. That’s what I get for not letting that little bard follow me around all those years ago.” He kept muttering as he turned and limped away without a backward glance. “Young’uns these days. There’s no accounting for the fickleness of youth. Why, in my day, when you had a reputation for being the best at something, you took pride in the nickname people gave you. You gloried in it, shared it with anyone who would listen. Not these days. No one knows anything…” The door closed behind him and his words were lost as he walked outside.

Aryana and Eve waited until he left the inn’s main room before they resumed their meal.

Aryana snorted and then sipped her ale. “Crazy old man.”

“Hey,” Eve swatted Aryana’s arm with the back of her hand. “Show some respect for your elders. He may be a little…” she twirled a finger next to her temple, “touched in the head, but he’s lived a long life. Good for him. He obviously knows a thing or two about staying alive.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Aryana resumed eating. “Who do you think this King of Thieves guy is?”

“I have no idea,” Eve replied with a shake of her head. “I’ve never heard of a King of Thieves in all my travels. It might have something to do with the man in black, though.”

“Well, I’m sure he’s probably not someone who would be a follower of yours,” Aryana smirked. “Thieves don’t generally go in for peace and love and all that.”

Eve pondered that for a moment. “Well, for your information, I’ve run across some nefarious people in my travels. Contrary to popular belief, the average citizen is no saint. We’ve all done things that we’re not proud of. Even a common farmer sometimes gets it into his head to steal his neighbor’s pig or cow. And some of us just want to move forward and forget that our past deeds ever existed.”

“Yes, I know,” Aryana gave her a pointed look.

“Yes, well,” Eve returned her attention to her food. “Just remember that I’m still your mother, faults and all.”

Aryana glanced around at the deserted great room. “This place sure isn’t busy, is it? That old guy was the only other person we’ve seen since last night. The barkeep hasn’t even made an appearance, yet, this morning.”

“Maybe they don’t get a lot of travelers passing through here,” Eve shrugged. “Who knows?”

“This is the main trade route straight through Aryndahl and to the lands beyond,” Aryana said. “This inn should be packed with travelers. There were merchant trains constantly moving through Aryndahl, even in the dead of winter. This isn’t normal. Just sayin’. There is something going on.”

Eve looked around thoughtfully. “Come to think of it, where are the followers? Have you seen them at all since we got here?”

“Oh, them,” Aryana rolled her eyes. “They made camp outside of town. Something about wanting to give you some space. They’re waiting for you to rejoin them.” She lifted her tankard to her lips and muttered something unintelligible.

“What did you just say?”

Aryana made a point of setting her tankard down and turning her full attention on Eve. “I said, I may have suggested to a few of them that we really don’t need an escort all the way to Aryndahl.”

“You didn’t.”

“Yes, I did,” Aryana tipped her chair back and leaned against the wall. “They weren’t just crowding you. I’m not used to having a bunch of do-gooders constantly following me around. It’s disturbing. They were annoying on the boat and they’re still annoying on dry land. Don’t you get tired of it? All that constant fawning?”

Eve was thoughtful for a moment. “Not really, no. They need me.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean, why? They’re my followers. They look to me for guidance and hope. They…”

“Face it, you’re the one who needs a bunch of people who follow you around like love-sick puppies.”

“Wh—”

“Yes, you heard me,” Aryana sat upright again. “You enjoy having them wait on you, hand-and-foot. They’re like your personal retinue. They take care of everything and you don’t have to worry about a thing. Isn’t that, hm,” she pretended thoughtfulness, “hubris?” She looked at Eve with a raised brow. “Why don’t we just leave them here and continue on the rest of our journey without them? I’m sure they will be a lot safer here than in Aryndahl, anyway. Unless…”

“Unless?”

Aryana smiled wryly. “Unless you can’t live without them, oh great servant of Peace and Light.”

“I…” Eve frowned and plopped her chin on her fist.

“Face it. I’m right and you know it.” Aryana dared Eve to argue with her with a challenging look. “You can be a normal person—a traveler like the rest of us—for a while. Tell me I’m wrong, and I will march right on out there to bring them to you myself.” Her expression remained annoyingly challenging. “Come on. Tell me I’m wrong. I dare you.”

Eve breathed out a heavy sigh. “Fine. You win.”

“Great,” Aryana finished her ale and slammed the tankard down on the table. “Let’s grab our stuff and get out of here. We can make really good time and be in Aryndahl before anyone is the wiser to your disappearance.”

Aryana stood up while Eve remained seated. As Aryana headed for the stairs, Eve continued to stay where she was. She pondered Aryana’s accusation for several heartbeats, as she stared at the empty room.

“Are you coming?” Aryana asked from halfway up the stairs?

Eve let out a sigh, then heaved herself to her feet and headed toward the stairs. “Do not think that this, in any way, means that I concede. I am still your mother, whether you like it or not.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Aryana continued up the stairs with a new spring in her step. “Whatever you say, Messenger.” She then disappeared around the corner.

Eve glanced up at the ceiling in incredulity. “God of Eli, how did I end up giving birth to such a disrespectful person?” She considered that for a moment as she slowly climbed the stairs. “Must have something to do with the fact I didn’t raise her myself. That is the only explanation that makes sense.”

 

***

 

“What’s that noise?”

“What noise?”

Gabrielle pulled on Star’s reins and listened. “That.”

Virgil’s eyes widened as he recognized the noise. “Horses!”

They both kicked their mounts into a gallop as a group of riders rounded the bend behind them. The men were riding hard and bearing down on them quickly. Gabrielle spared a glance over her shoulder and recognized the lead rider. It was the commander from Athens. He had spotted them and was kicking his mount harder in order to gain the upper hand.

“We need to lose them!” Gabrielle shouted above the clatter of hooves.

“I’m open to suggestions!” Virgil shouted as he, too, glanced over his shoulder. “Those guys mean business, Gabrielle! They’re catching up fast!”

They rounded another bend. “There!” Gabrielle yanked the reins hard and steered them into a thick stand of trees. Virgil followed. Tree branches slapped and battered them as they drove their mounts deeper into the woods without slowing. Realizing the horses were much better equipped to maneuver through the trees on their own, Gabrielle loosened her grip on the reins and ducked low against her mount’s neck. She glanced over to see Virgil doing the same.

With a silent hand signal, Gabrielle motioned for Virgil to follow her lead. She yanked down on the left rein and her mount veered around a thicket, then she quickly reined in hard and dismounted. She sent Star off with a slap to the hindquarters. Star raced off with Virgil’s mount right next to it. Gabrielle and Virgil then ducked low inside the thicket and waited.

Their pursuers took the bait and raced past the thicket without a backward glance. Gabrielle waited for the men to disappear, then scooted out of the thicket and surveyed the area around them.

“That was close,” Virgil breathed out a sigh of relief. “I thought they had us, for sure.”

“We’re not out of the woods, yet,” Gabrielle smirked. “No pun intended.”

“What about the horses?”

“I’m not worried about the horses. I’m more concerned about finding somewhere to hole up until those Romans give up their pursuit.”

Virgil gave her an incredulous look. “You really think that’s going to happen? I can’t believe they figured out where we are.”

“Someone must have tipped them off.”

Gabrielle sat down on a fallen log and surveyed the surrounding area. There was a creek to their left and a dense thicket to their right. Not the best hiding place, but certainly not the worst. All they really needed to do was stay hidden until nightfall and then continue on in the dark. There would be enough moonlight to see by.

“What if…”

“How about…”

Gabrielle looked at Virgil. “You first.”

“No,” he joined her and wiped the dirt from his pants. “You were saying?”

“Well, we could hide in that thicket until nightfall,” Gabrielle said.

Virgil eyed the thicket with trepidation. “Did you see the size of those thorns? I don’t think even a rabbit would dare hide in there. Not to mention spiders…” he cringed. “Ugh.”

“Okay, fine,” Gabrielle crossed her arms over her chest. “What do you suggest?”

“I…” he began, then stopped. “No idea,” he shrugged. “Like I said before, this is all new to me. I haven’t been an adventurer for a long time. I’m just an innkeeper.”

“And I’m just a humble hospice manager,” she shot back sarcastically. “Seriously, Virgil. We’re not amateurs at this. Make a suggestion.”

“Fine,” he huffed. “Maybe we can head toward the sea. Stick to the coast until we reach Aryndahl. ”

“That’s not a bad idea,” she considered thoughtfully. “Or we could stay and fight.”

“Just the two of us?” He swallowed audibly.

Gabrielle patted the weapon at her hip. “We have a definite edge, if you know what I mean.”

He snorted and rolled his eyes. “There were at least twenty soldiers, Gabrielle. I don’t think one chakram is going to take them all down.”

“It would if Xena were wielding it,” she ground out in frustration. “She wouldn’t even hesitate to confront them. She would just…” She stood up and marched in the direction of the main road.

“Hey! What are you doing? Where are you going?” He hissed loudly.

Gabrielle pulled the katana from its scabbard and held the chakram with her other hand. “I’m tired of running, Virgil. It’s time to end this, once and for all.”

The sound of horses drew closer. Virgil glanced from the thicket to Gabrielle’s retreating figure. He hesitated for just another heartbeat before sighing loudly in exasperation and joining her. They broke into a run as they headed toward the road and then broke through the bushes at the road’s edge. Twenty riders trotted ahead of an elaborate carriage that stopped in the road.

“Citizens,” a man next to the driver climbed down from the carriage to confront them.

Gabrielle held her katana and chakram up threateningly. “Why are you chasing us, Roman?”

The man looked down at his clothing, which was obviously not Roman. He wore a gold breastplate over a tan jerkin and black breaches. His head was bare and dark hair hung to his broad shoulders. “Why would we be chasing you? We are on important business. Stand aside and allow us to pass. Do you know whose carriage this is?”

Virgil and Gabrielle shot each other questioning looks over their shoulders, as they realized their mistake. These guys weren’t Roman, but who were they?

“No, not a clue,” Gabrielle shrugged, as she lowered her weapons. “We’re not from around here.”

“Obviously,” the man eyed them with disdain as the mounted men shifted in their saddles. “Stand aside and let us pass or my men will have no alternative but to arrest you for obstructing the carriage of the High Lord Councilor to Queen Sharihanali, Ruler of all Aryndahl and Protector of the Faith.”

“Oh?” Gabrielle craned her neck to catch a glimpse of the carriage.

“What is the meaning of this delay, Magnus?” A bald, portly man dressed in court finery stepped from the carriage. “Why have we stopped?”

All the men pressed fists to their armored chests and bowed their heads.

“Your lordship,” Magnus turned to address the man. “My apologies. These travelers were blocking the road.”

“We thought you were someone else,” Gabrielle resheathed her weapons. “We’re not from around here.”

“Who are you?” The High Lord barked. “What business do you have in this kingdom?”

“We’re meeting some friends in…” Virgil winced when Gabrielle pointedly stepped on his foot.

“We’re meeting friends in one of the local villages, your lordship,” Gabrielle interrupted. “May I be so bold as to assume we are honored to find ourselves in the presence of thee High Lord Councilor, Lord Jerell?” She did her best curtsy and bowed her head deferentially.

This seemed to placate the man, as he held out a hand to her. “Please, madam. Your curtsy is completely unnecessary. I am only a humble servant to the queen. But it pleases me that my reputation has spread to our southern neighbors.”

Gabrielle could tell that his words and expression didn’t match, in the least. He was a pompous ass who reveled in courtly customs. His grip in hers was not that of a seasoned warrior, but of a politician used to manipulating others in order to gain advantage.

“Your reputation and that of your queen has reached Athens, my lord,” Gabrielle said. “That is where we have traveled from.”

“Such a long journey,” he suddenly turned his beady, gray eyes on Virgil. “And you, citizen? Are the two of you more than mere companions?”

Virgil cleared his throat. “Uh, no, my lord. We are merely friends and traveling companions.”

“Mm,” the man returned his attention to Gabrielle, as his eyes raked her from head to toe lasciviously. “You are only a day’s ride from the castle.” He glanced around them. “Are you traveling on foot, then? I can offer you a lift in the carriage, if you have no objections. The journey would be much more comfortable and much shorter, I assure you.”

“We are honored by the offer, my lord,” Gabrielle replied. “But we have horses nearby. We really do need to meet up with our friends in the village.”

“And which village might that be?” His expression changed slightly to show a hint of irritation at the rebuff. “We could certainly take you there. My men would be happy to bring your horses along. It would be no trouble at all.”

Gabrielle was trying to figure out a way to extricate her hand from his, without offending him. She could tell that this man was very dangerous, if a bit of a dandy. He was still eyeing her like a piece of meat that he wanted to devour and his hand was now sweating in hers. The whole situation was becoming unbearable.

“My lord,” Virgil interjected, as he placed his hands on Gabrielle’s shoulders from behind. “The truth is, we are late for an appointment with her betrothed.”

“Oh?” Jerell’s brow rose as he dropped her hand and took a step back. “You are betrothed, my dear?”

“Yes, my lord,” Gabrielle practically sighed in relief. “We haven’t yet met, but I am told that Benu is a wonderful man. He raises pigs and keeps a farm on the outskirts of the village. Lots of pigs.”

“A whole herd of pigs, my lord,” Virgil added. “He’s…he’s my older brother. Much older. I am escorting the bride-to-be to her bridegroom. The wedding is on the morrow, if you would be interested in attending. I’m sure the entire village would be ecstatic to have you there. Would you possibly grace us with your presence, my lord? Please? It would mean so much.”

“Yes,” Gabrielle added with more enthusiasm than she actually felt. “Having the High Lord Councilor at the wedding would be the greatest honor of all our pitiful lives, my lord.”

They were both laying it on thick, yet hoping Jerell would turn them down flat. After all, how could he accept such a lowly invitation? He was the Lord High Councilor.

Both Gabrielle and Virgil looked on hopefully. Their expressions were pleading as they waited for the man to accept or decline the ridiculous invitation. But there was a moment when they thought their ruse had gone too far and he would accept.

“As honored as I am by your invitation,” Jerell said, “I must decline. I have important business at the castle with her majesty. Therefore, I shall bid you farewell and safe travels, citizens.”

Gabrielle and Virgil watched him return to the carriage without a backward glance. They moved out of the road, as the riders and carriage passed by and disappeared out of sight.

“That was really close,” Virgil sighed with relief.

“Yeah, I thought he was going to accept your cockamamie proposal,” Gabrielle rolled her eyes. “Nice save, by the way. He was really starting to give me the creeps.”

“He was looking at you like a wolf who hadn’t eaten in months,” Virgil added. “I thought Aryana said he is planning on marrying the queen.”

“Jerell is twice her age. He’s obviously not interested in anything but power.” She shuddered. “The man is definitely a creep.”

“All the more reason to get rid of him before he actually goes through with his plans,” he said. “I don’t know what she sees in him.”

“Which is why we need to get there and find out.” Gabrielle let out a loud whistle and the horses came trotting up to them.

They both mounted and nudged their horses into a trot. It was definitely time to find out exactly what was going on. The only way to do that was to meet back up with Aryana and get the full story, Gabrielle realized.

“I know one thing,” Virgil commented.

“What’s that?”

“There is something seriously off about that guy.”

“How so?”

“I can’t put my finger on it,” Virgil looked thoughtful. “It wasn’t just how he looked at you. There was something else. Something…” He shook his head in confusion.

“I suppose.”

He shrugged. “I don’t really know how to put the feeling into words. Ha! There’s a new one. I guess I just felt like there was something more to him than meets the eye. Something deeply evil. Like his outward manners and politeness didn’t actually match what was in his soul.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Just a feeling. Comes with the territory when you’re an innkeeper. I’ve become good at reading people.”

“Hm,” Gabrielle pondered that for a bit as the leagues passed.

Lord Jerell was definitely someone or something more than he seemed. Gabrielle hadn’t merely felt uncomfortable as his gaze met hers. She had felt downright revolted by the way he looked at her. His lascivious look made her feel dirty and slightly ill.

It was like…no. It couldn’t be. Could it?

He made her feel like a demon in hell again. Like she was one with him. But he wasn’t Lucifer. He was most definitely human. His sweaty hand in hers was flesh and blood, not whatever scaly substance Lucifer had become after his transformation. But there was also something in the depths of Jerell’s eyes. Something dark and sinister. Virgil was right about one thing—Jerell wasn’t what he seemed.

 

***

Continued in Part 13