"Make sure to save some for me, Gabrielle. I could use a good scrub."
Gabrielle's reply made Xena smile with fondness. "Yeah, I know!"
A short distance away, crouched low behind the bushes, stared two figures. One, a tall man with deep, brooding eyes and a warriors body, and the other, a thin youngster with a conspicuous amount of hair that stuck up at all angles.
"Strife, you fool! You were supposed to affect Xena's apponent during the battle."
Aries voice was a growl of anger. He felt like pounding the nuscience into oblivion, but he figured that his relative still had some useful purpose.
"I'm sorry. Really I am. But there were these two girls and an open well...."
"Nevermind that. You blew that plan, so now we have to come up with another."
"I know! Let's boil them where they bathe!"
Aries just looked disgusted.
"I think I'll visit Dardanus and call in an old favor."
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"Aries, old man! What can your poor servant do for you?"
Dardanus was nausingatingly gracious as he bowed to Aries. He knew very well that he owed the god a large favor, and it would be prudent not to upset him.
Smiling demonically, Aries sat with a florish on the psudo-throne Dardanus had set up.
"I'm calling in the favor you owe me. And don't try to weasel out of it, because it won't work. I need you to set up a little deviousness for me. And your involvement is the key."
"My lord! I would never..."
Aries raised a royal hand negatively.
"I want you to attack a village not too far from here. Kill everything. Even the lowliest animal. Then lead a trail to my closest temple. Once there, I want you to lure my prey into the temple. Once inside, I'll do the rest."
"What a wonderful plan, my lord! But I do have one question. Exactly who is the prey we're after?"
A slow pronounciation slipped slyly from Aries lips.
"Xena!"
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Milaska was disgusted. She was a slave of the vile warlord, Dardanus, and had heard every word of his and Aries conversation.
Weak little man. If he didn't keep me chained like a dog, I would tear him limb from limb. Memories of the days when she had roamed the forests, free and happy, came to mind. A warrior in her own right, she had only been taken after ten of Dardanus' men had fallen to her sword, and the rest had tangled her up in a net.
Slavery sat heavy on her shoulders. Two years of serving the vile worm was more than enough. It would serve him right if this Xena discovered that plan and messed it up. Then Aries would be mad with Dardanus for a good, long time. Ideas spun crazily in her mind. Yes, I think now is the time to liberate myself.
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The next morning, after stealthily stealing the key to the locks of her bonds, Milaska was briskly walking in the direction Aries had told Dardanus that Xena was staying. The brisk breeze caught her unbound hair and blew the mass of red curls across her face. Not too long now, she thought to herself. Suddenly, the edge of a sharp blade stopped her dead in her tracks as it rested against her throat. "Who are you?" A deep, female voice asked calmly. Casually, Milaska swiped the hair out of her face and asked back, "WHO are YOU?" The blue eyes twinkled as the woman replied, "Xena. My name is Xena. Now are you going to answer me?" Milaska smiled in relief. I found her, and before the worm could! "My name is Milaska, and I've been searching for you." "Why" Xena asked. She was naturally suspicious of anyone who said they were purposely looking for her. "I came to tell you that your in danger. Aries is plotting to trap you." "So, they want to get me to the temple, do they?" "Yes. But first, they are supposed to distroy a whole village. I guess to get your attention." Still slightly sceptical, Xena asked, "Why have you come to tell us this? You put yourself in danger, if what you say is true." Milaska's reply was honest & blunt. "It's true. My owner was a warlord named Dardanus, a vile little worm if there ever was one. My goal is to punish him for the last years of slavery he put me through. If you are the insturment of that punishment, then so be it. I just don't want anyone else to suffer under his cruel hands like I've suffered. But honestly, I would take great pleasure in seeing to Dardanus myself. His kind doesn't deserve to live." Xena & Gabrielle both could feel the hatred the young red head radiated. "That path only leads to more distruction, Milaska. I know. I've been there." Gabrielle nodded in agreement. "Xena's right. Your free now. You shouldn't be wasting it by plotting revenge." "Then you won't stop them?" Milaska asked. Xena smiled and picked her saddlebags up off the ground where they were laying. "I never said that." I started this last Sunday, so I thought I'd finish it tonight. The tiny village, nestled snugly between towering mountians, was suspiciously quiet. Not a lamb's cry nor a cows plaintive moo could be heard. Xena, Gabrielle, and Milaska had arrived long before and warned the villagers of the oncoming danger. Now, after evacuating the people, lighting fires at the central temple to distract the enemies, and probing the points of vulnerability of the village, they lay in wait at the one place the warlord was sure to center his attack on, the temple. Gabrielle and Milaska rigged traps to stall the enemies, but Xena disdained the use of such aids. They also decided upon a way of alerting each other to the approach of the warlords army. A larks call, a sound natural to the area and above suspicion, would alert each other of the oncoming battle. Settling in behind blinds and doorways, with the feel of adrenaline coursing through their veins, they waited for the approach of Dardanus. "Report." Dardanus called as the man he had sent into the valley for recognisance returned from his duty. "My lord, the village is quiet. I did not see any villagers, but there may be a possibility that they are at the temple at the center of the village. I saw the sacrificial fires lit from the hillside. I suggest we attack from the south, as this is the blindside of the temple and a clear track straight in." Dardanus smiled. Perfect. Now his men wouldn't have to chase squealing women down in the fields. But then again, they did seem to like that quite a bit. But no, this would take less time. With a decisive nod, he leaned toward his second in command and replied, "The south, then. Rouse the men. It's time we did the god of wars' plan the justice it deserves. FOR ARIES!" Milaska saw them coming first. She was stationed at the back side of the temple, invisibly tucked behind a large marble column leading up to the pathways around the building itself. Riding at the lead of the army was Dardanus, swinging his sword like a banner. Swiftly, she pulled the line she had strung between the opposite post taught, forming a trap to knock any warrior riding a horse right out of his seat. At the last minute, she remembered to call for her new friends, stationed at the other corners, keeping watch. Milaska watched Dardanus approach. She could feel the horses' hoofbeats in time with her heart, pushing blood through her body in steady pulses. Dardanus never saw the line. He hit it at full gallop, knocking him from his horse to strike his head hard on the stone walkways below. Bloodlust warred with her minds knowledge. But before she could strike a blow against her former master, the Dardanus' army swarmed around her. She quickly drew her new sword and swung it fiercely against the blows of the warriors. Everywhere she turned, steel as sharp as razors flashed toward her, but she blocked the blows and managed to sneak under their guard to drop them where they stood. Finess had nothing to do with her actions. Kicks intermingled with the sounds of bodies crashing into one another, and slowly, the numbers of men started to decrease. It wasn't until a break in the battle a few minutes later that she caught a glimpse of Gabrielle and Xena fighting at her back for protection. Xena chanted her battle cry and agiley flipped her apponent over twice to tumble two others to the ground. Gabrielle was swinging her staff in a spirited display of bravery, warding off the blows of a warrior determined to fell her. He struck her staff out of her hand and started to smile gloatingly. The look never quite registered as Gabrielle used one of Xena's favorite moves and kicked him in the face. The man dropped like a load of rocks. Xena smiled when she saw the move her friend used, but didn't stop the agressive attack she was waging against the apposing army. The flat of a sword struck Xena's hand just above the wrist, and her sword flew up into the air in a reflexive movement. She watched it for a brief second, then flipped backwards to catch it in her other hand. Her smile was challenging, and none of the nearest warriors could withstand it's power. They charged forward to be met with a seeming wall of steel, so fast was the blade in Xena's hand wielded. The ranks of men were rapidly declining. Many of the men turned and raced back the way they had come, once they saw the end was near. Only a brave few stayed to defent their fallen master, still laying unconcious on the ground. Then as suddenly as it had started, it was over. Wounded & dead men lay scattered across the ground, their blood a testament to the stupidity of war. Xena, Gabrielle and Milaska walked towards each other, victorious yet saddened by the needless carnage. Yet, unknowingly to the three women, Dardanus was awake and moving for the dagger he always kept hidden in his high boots. He drew it out, and was ready to throw it into the back of the nearest woman, Xena, when Milaska saw his evil intent. The sword in her hand went flying through the air, end over end, until it's point met with the chest of Dardanus. The force of the weapon burying itself in his chest threw him backwards, then he lay still. The three women stared at the warlord, frozen at that moment by the violence still vibrating in the air. An instant later, the spell was broken by a cold wind blowing out of the mountains and curtaining the scene with a billow of mist. "I didn't want to kill him. I was going to turn him over to the villagers, for them to judge. But he was going to kill you, Xena. I couldn't let him do that." Milaska was shaking. She had killed before, but it had never affected her quite so much as this had. The words Xena and Gabrielle had spoken earlier had found a home in her formerly frozen heart, melting the chill that had formed during the time of her slavery. She no longer felt the urge to revenge herself on the warlord Dardanus. But now, she realized, she would have to live with his death for the remainder of her days. "You saved my life. No one will blame you for his death. Least of all, me. You acted on instince, Milaska. Defending another. There can be no blame for that." Xena saw her involuntary reaction, and gently wrapped one arm around her shoulders. Gabrielle stepped forward and did the same. "You saved the life of my best friend. I'm definitely not going to condemn you for killing the slime." Milaska's shaking slowly ceased as the warmth of her newfound friendship comforted her. "I know you're right, but I think I may never forget this day." "No, you won't. Nor should you. Let this help build who you are. Only with experience can we grow." _______________________________________________________ "Where is that fool? He should have been here long before now." Aries' agitated pacing across the stone length of his temple increased with every turn. Strife, lazily resting against a large statue of the the pacing god, merely grinned evily and laughed. "Exactly what do you think is so funny?" Aries questioned. Strife didn't bother to move from his relaxed position. "The fact that I have never seen you quite so anxious before. It's almost like your awaiting the outcome of your first battle." Aries didn't reply. He was tempted to go and visit the village Dardanus was pillaging, but at the same time, if Xena was there, it would be showing his hand. Yet the wait was a torture in itself. At that distructive thought, Aries calmed his wayward emotions and settled in to await the outcome of his plot. "Xena, what are we going to do about Aries?" Milaska asked. Xena looked up from sharpening her sword to look deeply into her eyes. "I have an idea, but implementing it will be the hard part." Gabrielle, who was tending the camp fire they had started as dust approached, helpfully added, "You know we'll help you any way we can, Xena. Whatever it is that you're thinking of, we're both in." Xena smiled gratefully. The dancing flames of the fire cast beautiful shadows over the three women, painting them in flashes of gold and red. She couldn't help thinking that if her plan failed, the lives of her two friends would rest on her overburdened soul forever. But Xena cast the thought away. The plan would work. It had to. "I need to draw Aries away from his temple. At his temple, he has an edge over us. Once he's out, I need to draw him to an abandoned shrine to Hestia, not too far away. Once there, I should have an advantage enough over him to keep him safely tucked away for awhile. At least, I hope so." "We could just walk away, you know." Milaska stated quietly. The anger in her had dissipated and a strange calm had been left in it's place. The method she mentioned, was an obvious alternative. "Aries won't let it drop at that. He would just follow us and try again at a time when we would have less information about his plot. At least now, we know what his intent is." "Not that he will stop coming after us anyway," Gabrielle replied. "He's too intent upon getting you back in his clutches, Xena. I think he'll just keep trying, no matter what." Xena silently agreed. The fate of her friends lay heavily in her hands. Aries would keep following her til the ends of her days. "Neither one of you should be involved with this. It's me he's after, not you. Milaska is right, Gabrielle. Both of you should walk away. I can't stand the thought of either of you being injured on my account." Milaska & Gabrielle stared at each other a moment over the roaring fire, and simultaniously, shook their heads. "No way. We're in this together." Gabrielle agreed with Milaska's strong statement. "Right. You can't get rid of us that easily." Xena saw quickly that neither was going to change their minds. She nodded her head in agreement. "Alright then. If that's what you want. Aries will go down. And it will be the three of us that will do it." The next morning, Aries was agressively pacing the confines of his temple again. Dardanus had never shown up, and neither had Xena. The fool! Aries thought angrily. That blasted Dardanus can't follow the simplest of orders. How hard could it be to draw Xena's attention, especially with a village full of dead people as bait? Tired of waiting, Aries called out in a carrying voice, "Strife! Get in here. I need you!" Within seconds, the recalcitrant god appeared before his relative, lazily smirking and reeking of recent sexual excesses. "You called?" Strife asked, his tone bordering on disrespectful. Aries lips curled disgustedly at the youngster, but he answered none the less. "Go to the village Dardanus was to attack. Find out what happened. Return as soon as you can." Aries turned away before his words could quite register fully. When they did, Strife was quick to whine, "But I was busy..." "NOW!" Aries yelled at the top of his lungs, cutting off the younger gods words mid sentence. Realization suddenly dawned on Strife as he fully understood the extent of Aries anger. With the blink of an eye, he was gone from Aries presence, minus the normal flair he usually projected while doing so. When Strife arrived at the village, he found the residents in perfect health and the dead bodies of Dardanus' warriors, which the villagers were hauling toward a communal grave they had dug away from their homes. The atmosphere was surprisingly cheerful, for being a duty of somberness. Strife hid himself behind a small hut and listened in on the conversation going on around the corner. "Thank the gods Xena came and told us about the attack before it happened. If it wasn't for her, we would all be dead right now." "Yes. Even though I've heard nothing but bad things about the woman, she turned out to be rather nice. Helped my wife and children leave when I was out hunting." Another voice replied. "We should go out to her camp and tell her of our gratitude. We don't want her thinking her bravery was unappreciated." "I thought she was long gone by now." "No, the little blonde she was with mentioned that they would be camped by the mountain cliffs, at the base of the stream. She said that if we needed her for anything, to just send for them." Strife grinned. Those were the words he wanted to hear. But before he would return to Aries with the information, he decided to go and see for himself. No point in getting yelled at if the witches weren't there, he figured. Xena, Gabrielle, and Milaska were just about ready to set off for Aries temple. Xena was checking the cinch on Argo's saddle when she heard a soft noise, not one commonly heard in the forest, from the thick bushes tucked against the side of the cliff. She raised her hand in warning to her two friends, and on silent feet, started to circle around the bushes with deadly intent. With the faint popping noice that preceded his appearance, Strife arrived at the camp, & couldn't believe his good luck. Not only were they there, but from what they were saying, they planned on coming straight to Aries! Less muss, no fuss, he thought humorously to himself. But the next second, he dared no think at all as the sharp edge of a sword was pressed against his jugular. "Strife. What a surprise." Xena's cool words flowed like ice over the inexperienced god. He stood shaking in her hands, afraid to move a muscle. "I know you heard what we just said," Xena started. His slight nod in answer was all she had been waiting for. "Forget it. I want you to take a message back to Aries. Tell him to meet me at sunset at the abandoned temple of Hestia, on the other side of these mountains. If he's truly interested in converting me back, he'll meet me there. If not..." She let her sentence trail off. She stepped back and removed the blade from his neck. "Understand?" Xena asked. The popping noise his disappearance was answer enough. "Xena! That was a god. Admittedly a weak one, but a god, none the less." Gabrielle and Milaska rushed up to her, with Gabrielle quickly doing a visual check to make sure her friend was all right. "I don't think that occured to him. I was counting on his cowardice to hold him still. As many times as he's run from a battle, I was pretty sure of his response." Milaska was the first to ask what was truly on her mind. "So, are we still going to Aries temple?" Xena's face was lit up with high expectation. "No. Instead of going to get Aries, he's going to come to us." The abandoned temple stood in dignified ruin in the approaching twilight. Tall columns of carved marble rose high into the air, showing the breaks and cracks of long abuse. Xena, Gabrielle and Milaska wound their way through the silent sentinals, stopping finally at the entrance, which stood invitingly open for them. Xena dismounted and stepped gingerly through the doorway. Cobwebs hung in huge curtains everywhere. Light from the setting sun showed thru the holes in the roof, causing a dappled effect on the refuse strewn floor. The natural shadows of the building's interior only added to the effect, making the whole seem like a setting from some long gone world. "Xena, would you mind telling us what your plan is now?" Gabrielle asked unabashedly. Xena withdrew her sword and stepped forward. "Do you see the large hole in the floor just ahead?" She nodded in the direction of the last sunbeam. Just behind the near blinding light lay a large opening that could easily hold the frame of a giant. It was just barely concealed by cobwebs covering the opening. What made it even more difficult to see was the fact that it was hidden by the shadows an brigh light combination. "Whatever you do, don't fall in. I need your help in covering that opening with as many webs as we can. When Aries gets here, I plan on tricking him into falling in." Gabrielle nodded her understanding, but Milaska asked, "What's to keep him in there, though?" Xena stepped close to the opening and looked down. "Gods of Olympus cannot escape the ground. Caves and holes are traps they can't escape through the sides. Once he falls in, he won't be able to get out that way. And second, the hole is occupied by the largest spider in existence. Zeus created it not too long ago for some strange reason, but because he made it, it's protected by his powers.Once Aries falls in, the spider will keep him blocked in there for quite a while. He can rage against it all he wants, but he won't be able to kill it." Gabrielle smiled her approval of her friends plan. "And then he won't be able to come after us for a while, right?" "Right." Xena replied. "Well, times wasting. Let's get to work." Aries appeared at the requested time, wearing an amused expression on his suave face. Xena's attempt to intimidate Strife had brought the first true smile to his face in many days. His appearance here was as much in part to converting back his former ally as it was to complimenting Xena for her tactics. Xena stood just inside the shadows at the edge of the hole. She patiently waited until Aries began to inspect his surroundings before stepping forward. "Xena! My dear! I have to complement you on how you handled Strife's ineptness. Absolutely brilliant. Such inspired force reminded me of when you used to be on my side." Xena stood in a relaxed pose, her hands resting comfortably on his hips. "Dream on, Aries. You and I both know that I will never go back to that time in my life." Aries moved forward with a lithe movement. "But that was your most glorious time, Xena. You should revel in the greatness you achieved, not lament the part you played." Xena tossed her head negatively. "Enough. I wanted to meet you here to discuss a proposition. Not talk about the past." "Fine. What did you have in mind?" "Simply this. If you can beat me, here and now, I will return to your following. If not, I will never step back under your power, and you will have to admit that. Agreed?" The devilish grin spreading across his face was the only answer Xena recieved before Aries leapt to attack. Xena had no plans of facing a long term battle, so when he flew through the air in a kicking move, Xena easily flipped over the hole and landed on a ledge behind the opening. Aries was startled by her movement, and overcalculated the distance. Instead of crashing into Xena's body, he lost momentum and fell violently into the hole, crashing against the sides and an object that squealed loudly when he hit it. Aries hit the rough floor with a thud, and immediately rose to dust himself off. "You really didn't think this would stop me, did you Xena?" He called up the hole. But before he heard a reply, a large object encompassing the entire opening, blocked the light and moved toward the god below. Aires threw bolts of energy at the approaching spider, but they only served to anger the creature all the more. He began to struggle as the monster spat thick webs at him, cocooning him in sticky, white film. "Damn you, Xena! Damn YOU!" Xena and Gabrielle stood facing the young woman, Milaska, as she prepared to head back to her one time home. Her face, once shadowed by the tortures of slavery, showed with happiness and a trace of sadness at leaving her new friends. "Thank you for everything you both have done for me. I can never tell you how much your friendship means to me." Xena stepped forward and grasped her arms in a gentle grip. "You don't need to thank us. Just remember, if you ever need help for anything, don't hesitate to ask." Gabrielle rested her hand on Milaska's shoulder and looked up thru her golden/red bangs. "I wish you didn't have to go. We make a good team, don't you think, Xena?" Xena smiled but admitted, "She has to make her own way, Gabrielle. I understand that." Turning back to her new friend, she said, "But if you ever decide to join us again, you are more than welcome. I don't have a lot of friends. And I'm very happy to call you one." "I will miss both of you. I owe you so much." "No you don't. Friends don't owe friends. Or expect to be repaid. That's what friendship is all about." Gabrielle's words were wise beyond her years. With a final clasp of thier arms, Milaska stepped away. "Goodbye, my friends. Til we meet again." Xena and Gabrielle watched as she walked into the setting sun. "I liked her, didn't you?" Gabrielle asked. "Yes. Destiny had her hands in this day, I think." The End
