“Something is not right.” Mellina told Xena some time later.
The morning breeze had stilled, and the air felt heavy with the noon day sun. Xena agreed. Something was watching them. Or someone.
“Mellina, Skye. Take the children into the forest. You’ll be able to find better cover there and have the element of surprise if they should come in after you. Gabrielle, you go too.”
“But Xena...”
“The children need your protection more than I need you to fight off whoever it is that’s following us. And if something happens, you can lead them to Pylos.”
Gabrielle, knowing it’s pointless to argue, reluctantly agreed.
“We should split just inside the shadows at the treeline. That way, anyone watching won’t see us move into two groups.” Valica’s plan was agreed upon by all.
“Go. If all is well, we’ll catch up with you. But whatever happens, don’t look back.”
Xena locked eyes with Gabrielle, then watched as she disappeared into the trees.
*******************************************
The attack came without warning. Riding out of the dark woods and blinded by the sun, Xena Valica and the second Amazon, Aulenon, were struck instantly with the onslaught of a dozen blades.
Xena had drawn her sword and now slashed and kicked those surrounding her. the sound of her battle cry rang in the ears of the men falling beneath her fury. Next to her, Valica and Aulenon stood back to back as they fought their challengers. Five men circled around them, darting in to inflict what wounds they could. Valica saw them feint to the left, and deftly slipped her blade into the ribs of a marauder. This cry was ignored as the others moved to fill his place.
Xena had taken down two of her opponents before she agiley flipped off the back of Argo. Her feet squarely landed on the shoulders of the man behind her, dropping him to the ground like a sack of laundry. The remaining two fighters charged in without thought. Xena met their attack stroke for stroke, spinning out of reach of one to block the blade of the other.
Xena saw from the corner of her eye the man who was going to attack from the blind side of Aulenon and Valica, who had broken away from one another to fight individually. Never one to let a back stabber fill his purpose, Xena grabbed the chakram and sent it flying in the direction of the approaching enemy. It rapped sharply against his helmuted skull, dropping him to the ground along with his other fallen counterparts.
It wasn’t much longer before the four remaining attackers were taken out. Xena stood back to survey the damage, and that’s when she saw him.
Standing on a hill, not too far away, a black-caped man seated on a equally black horse watched with dispassion. He saw the fall of his eleven men, and rod away without a backwards glance.
“Who is he, Xena?” Aulenon asked as she stepped closer to see the retreating man.
“I don’t know. But I’m going to find out.” Xena dragged the only concious man she could find to his knees and rapidly lashed her fingers against the side of his neck. The mans face contorted visibly as Xena leaned close.
“I’ve just shut off the flow of blood to your brain. Tell me what I want to know or you’re a deadman.”
