The whimper of the frightened innocent in her arms made the decision for Xena. They want to hurt her, she thought to herself. And I won't let them.
The milling crowds anger was palpable as Xena did nothing towards their request. Male voices, raised in anger, shouted threats at Xena, managing only to spur their neighbors on into violence.
"Mellina, listen carefully. I want you to hold on to me as tightly as you can. Don't, for any reason, let go. Understand?"
Xena's whispered instructions for the girl was confirmed by the childs arms hugging tight around Xena's waist.
I don't want to harm these people, Xena debated, but if they attack, I'll have no choice.
Giving diplomacy one last try, Xena asked, "Let us ride out of here, and no one will be hurt. Do you truly want to shed blood this day?"
Their response was a chorus of voices raised in the cry, "Kill them!"
Reacting instantly, Xena dropped Argo's reins & drew her sword. Argo, trained to follow instructions from Xena's legs, stood still, waiting to spring into action.
Preparing to withstand the surge, Xena and the crowd was caught off guard when a masculine voice cut the tension.
"I don't think you want to do that."
Turning as one, the crowd spotted a single man leaning against a nearby building.
"Another stranger!" a voice shouted.
But Xena instantly knew her benefactor. Standing well over the crowd, Hercules was unmistakable in his tall, lean form & lithe movements.
The thought barely registered before the crowd once again surged to kill Xena & the child.
Chanting her war cry, Xena met her attackers efforts with a swift kick of her leg, thrusting the angrily attacking man back into the three behind him, causing a domino effect and toppling them all.
Her mighty sword, swinging with a high whistling sound, connected with a wooden staff that was being thrust into her face. The vibrations rattled down the staff and forced the peasant to drop his weapon.
Effortlessly controlling Argo's movements with her lean legs, Xena battled the attacking villagers as best she could without outright killing them.
Then the unthinkable happened. A young man, filled to bursting with undirected rage, thrust a pitchfork up & into the tiny thigh wrapped around Xena's waist. The child screamed in pain, alerting Xena to the danger.
Rage built in her at the sight of the deep puncture wounds, steadily flowing blood. Time then seemed to stand still for Xena. She could hear Hercules flinging the attacking villagers away, trying to get to Xena & the child. But Xena's blood pulsed with the instinct to harm those who attacked Mellina.
The old Xena burned brightly in that instant, as she cruelly laughed & slashed at the villagers, who, realizing that the tide of the battle was turning, fled the reach of the deadly blade.
"Xena! Get out of here! I'll hold them off."
With Hercules words, sanity returned. Xena had cut a swath around Argo, forcing the villagers to seek less deadly prey.
The shifting of attention caused a break for freedom. Xena didn't hesitate as she kneed Argo forward at a gallop through the opening. She cleared the riotous group & looked back.
Hercules was bravely battling aside the farm tools the villagers attacked with. Then in an extraordinary show of force, Hercules picked up several long, uncut logs behind him & effortlessly tossed them at the crowd. Leveling all with one blow, Hercules looked up & saw Xena waiting at a safe distance.
The villagers, alive but unconscious under the logs, did nothing to stop him as Hercules jogged to where Xena waited. At his approach, Xena smiled in pleasure.
"Thank you. You didn't have to do that."
Spying the tiny girl in her arms, Hercules argued, "Yes, I did." "How did you come to be here? I thought you were visiting you mother."
Hercules laughed & replied, "I was. But something inside me screamed that I had to come here. It was as if my future depended upon it."
Xena mulled over his words for a second. Yes, it does feel like the hands of fate are involved. But Xena brushed the thought aside when she heard the stirrings of the defeated village.
"We had better go. I don't think they're going to give up if they don't have to."
"Agreed. If you don't mind?"
Hercules held up a hand & Xena smiled as she helped him mount behind her. Then with a swift pace, Xena & Hercules rode out of the dangerous area, Mellina still curled firmly on Xena's lap.
Chapter 4
For days after, Gabrielle's life was idyllic. During those days, she & Artemis would roam the vast forests Artemis loved. She painstakingly taught Gabrielle how to use a bow like the greatest of archers & how to track anything during any condition.
One day, Artemis had Gabrielle close her eyes as she transported them to a vast, arctic region. There, she had her follow a snow fox's tracks back to it's lair.
Such adventure felt familiar and yet brand new to Gabrielle. She thoroughly enjoyed everything she learned. New worlds were discovered & layed at her feet. Artemis took pleasure in every acomplishment Gabrielle met.
Her mind was so fast, she learned after only one or two times trying. And every night, she & Artemis would take each other to the heights of pleasure.
Yet something was missing. Gabrielle felt a sense of urgency to return to something, but who & when eluded her. Her memory was seemingly wiped clean of any of her previous experiences, allowing Artemis a clean slate to write on.
But gradually, Gabrielle felt the difference. After mastering her amazing skill at the bow, Gabrielle would turn to express her joy, but the woman standing behind her in approval seemed wrong somehow. But determined to enjoy herself to the fullest, Gabrielle locked away her doubts.
Until the nightmares came. Sound asleep one night after a bout of lovemaking, Gabrielle found herself in a dream unlike any she had ever known. She was standing before a woman, hidden mostly by deep shadows, but somewhat recognizable by a glowing halo of midnight black hair. Gabrielle watched as line after line of long dead men came forth out of an infinity of blackness, to point an accusing finger at the shadowed woman. Each blamed her for the loss of families, friends, or comrads.
Then suddenly, the line was gone. A deep, echoing voice asked for evidence of her goodness. Gabrielle wanted to speak for the still figure, but her lips wouldn't form the words. She tried to step forward, but harsh female hands held her back.
With tears streaming from her eyes, Gabrielle watched helplessly as the figure was judged & found lacking. A bright light engulfed the figure, and yet the features remained concealed. The light began to evaporate the woman's image. Crying out in loss, Gabrielle broke free from her captors & ran towards the light. But it seemed to be getting further away as Gabrielle's strength waned. Finally, in sheer exaustion, she fell.
And awoke in her bed. Artemis was sleeping peacefully beside her, her head & gleaming breasts pressed against Gabrielle's side. Slowly, as to not awaken her companion, Gabrielle arose to stare at the moon.
Tears shimmered in her eyes as she wrapped her arms protectively around herself. Intense feelings of loss poured through her, & it took all her willpower to keep from collapsing in a sobbing heap.
But what did it mean? Gabrielle wasn't sure, but the idea persisted that it didn't have to happen that way.
Moon madness, Gabrielle mentally scolded herself as she stood looking up at the glowing disk far above. Maybe it's all just because of the moon.
Neither seeing or hearing the approach of her lover, Gabrielle jumped a little in surprise when Artemis tenderly wrapped her arms around the shaking girl.
"My love, is something wrong?"
"No. Only a nightmare."
"Tell me about it. Sometimes the horrors of a dream can fade with spoken words."
Reluctantly, Gabrielle sat, & against her better judgement, told Artemis everything.
Her destiny is trying to call her to it's path, Artemis thought. That destiny didn't include the goddess, and Artemis knew that. I won't give her up that easily, she thought to herself.
At the end of her story, Artemis sat forward & clasped Gabrielle's hands tightly between her own.
"It's a message. Obviously, I am the figure being taken away & you are trying to come after me." Artemis smoothly lied.
"But you're a goddess. No one can take you away from anything you don't want to."
"True, but you can be taken away from me." Confusion filled Gabrielle at the riddle Artemis spoke.
"I don't understand. How can I be taken away from you?"
Grimly smiling in return, Artemis replied, "As an immortal, beloved, I will continue long after your death. We only have a few short years together, at least in this lifetime."
The statement didn't upset Gabrielle like it should have, but she replied similarly.
"Then what will we do?"
Yes, Artemis thought. Now is the time. I have her.
"There is only one way for us to stay together. You must become immortal too."
***
"I must get to Ortygia. Gabrielle is waiting for me there."
Leasurely riding beside the walking Hercules, Xena felt peace surround her. Riding like an experienced horsewoman, Mellina sat before Xena, rocking gently with the movements of the horse.
Walnut brown hair blew in silky strands into Xena's face, and with a tender motion, Xena ran her battle-scarred hand over Mellina's locks in an effort to smooth them down.
"Those villagers are still trying to find us. It's also getting late. The way the weather looks, we'd better find shelter. Somehow, traveling on to Ortygia in the midst of a storm just doesn't seem smart, especially with a child."
Hercules words made sense. Wind whipped leaves & branches sharply, while dust flew overhead in stinging clouds. The sun was being covered by the intense storm moving in.
Xena knew Hercules was right. Shelter for the child held priority. The warm body in front of her shivered slightly, & Xena drew her back against her chest for added warmth. The little girl snuggled contentedly.
"Do you see anyplace to ride out the storm?" Xena asked aloud.
Expecting an answer from Hercules, Xena was startled when Mellina spoke.
"Just ahead is a canyon. Lots of caves. We can stay there."
"How do you know that?" Hercules quesioned.
Mellina smiled, wide & toothy, making Hercules unconciously do a double take. "My mommy & daddy took me there."
Even after several minutes, Hercules couldn't get over the thought that the child looked familiar somehow. Maybe I knew her parents once. Yes, that must be it.
Satisfied with his decision, Hercules' wandering eyes focused intensely on Xena. She was beautiful, but not in the classical sense. Her strength & determination to right the wrongs she comitted showed with every breath, every look.
Here is a woman who has walked through fire & come out determined to keep others from walking the same path. Deep inside, Hercules could feel an answering passion, matching Xena's in every way. Yet Hercules saw much more.
For the first time, he recoginzed the feminine instinct to mother in Xena that he had never seen before. Her tender gestures, unending concern, and visible compassion for this foundling child awoke a blazing passion in his heart. Daenera looked just like that with the children. And for the first time since their deaths, Hercules recognized the same thing in Xena that he had loved about his wife. The ability to love unconditionally.
With new eyes, Hercules surveyed the woman he was now sure was part of his future. Her head was held proudly, black hair twirling about in a silken veil. Xena's eyes, the most beautiful in the world, glowed intense blue in the darkening light. Firmly muscled limbs guided the horse confidently, with long, smooth thighs gripping the sides in sleek flexes. Graceful arms held the reins. Her breastplate molded her chest into high firmness.
The thought of kissing & touching her in the places he saw set a fire in his loins like tinder. But he quickly tried to hide his body's response when the source of his desire abruptly reined to a stop. "The weather looks to be taking a turn for the worse. Why don't you ride for a wile so we can get out of the storm quicker?"
Hercules mentally groaned in torment, but grasped her offered hand none the less.
Riding behind her is going to be torture, Hercules thought. Every movement brought her firm buttocks into contact with his groin, which he was still trying to control from his earlier thoughts.
To counter the effects her rear was having on him, Hercules tried to remember every problem Hera had ever tried to cause him, just to distract his wayward thoughts.
Riding in front of him is torture, Xena thought. For the last hour, she had been carefully studying him so he wouldn't notice. Every detail intrigued Xena, from the gleam of his chestnut hair, the strong angles of his jaw, & the slick gleam of his lips after he ran his tongue over them. Broad shoulders, muscled arms & a contoured chest of rippling muscles told of a life not wasted with useless activities.
But his hands fascinated Xena the most. Large hands, fully capable of crushing or killing, moved gently, never swinging a sword unless necessary, & only killing when required to save anothers life. Lightly tanned, like the rest of him, they bore calluses on his palms, fine golden hairs near the knuckles, & evenly trimmed, short fingernails. Long fingers, not at all fat, flexed with his movements. Hands that could cause distruction but instead create peace.
When Hercules mounted behind Xena, she became all the more distracted by the feel of his muscled chest & legs rubbing against her, & those hands, entirely too sensual, rested against her sides.
No one could have devised a better torture method, Xena decided. With urgency goading her on, Xena nudged Argo into a slow gallop. All the while, Mellina rested happily against Xena's warmth.
