This story contains lots of angst, some violence, mention of
love between two women (nothing explicit, sorry), possibly some consentual
BDSM (though they may have been pretending), and the death of a character.
If any of these things might upset you, read no further. Pretty much everybody
in this tale belongs to MCA/Universal & Renaissance Pictures. No characters
or plotlines were damaged except for one that TPTB left for dead.
I really liked the character Eponin in "Hooves & Harlots" and it's always bothered me that she just disappeared without a trace. I asked my Muse what happened to Eponin. This was the response.
I never thought I'd come back here. It's been over 20 years since my mother took me away from this place and my father. It had been an arranged marriage. He was a Lord and her family considered it an excellent match. He was cruel and abusive but after the first few years he'd left her alone. It became apparent from the subsequent parade of young girls into his bedroom that she was no longer youthful enough to meet his tastes. He had managed to father one child on her, and upon learning it was a girl he had beaten his wife severely.
I can remember the way she looked when she finally told me the whole story. The scar down the side of her face was pulled taut by her clenched jaw and stood out like a streak of ice. She was terrified of him and had never seriously considered running away until his eyes turned toward his own daugther with lust. That night she gathered some clothes and a little food and took her daughter away, eventually ending up with the Amazons. He finally tracked them as far as the outskirts of Amazon territory, but hadn't enough troops to approach any further.
After all these years I was sure he'd given up, but now, it seems as though he was just biding his time until he could build up his army and sour his people toward the Amazons enough to ensure their support. No one in the Amazons knows who my father really is except Melosa. Sigh. She picked one Hades of a time to go on a pilgrimage to Artemis' temple in the mountains. I know that Ephiny has no idea, or she never would have sent me on this mission. I couldn't tell her; this is too important.
Our Princess' life is at stake.
Two Amazons came tearing across the border yesterday with disturbing news. Lord Phastus had placed a bounty on the Amazon Princess' head of 10,000 dinars. We figure he somehow found out that she isn't here very much, but that didn't worry us since we knew she couldn't be better protected. We were apparently wrong, about a lot of things. Xena, a woman we considered a trusted friend, has turned Gabrielle over to that bastard for the reward.
I hear a noise and slip sideways into a hidden niche.
Better keep my mind on the job. The layout of the castle has come back
to me surprisingly easily, even though it does all look a lot smaller.
I can't believe that they have never fixed that hole in the south wall.
It was a fairly tight squeeze; I had to take off most of my weapons and
push them through ahead of me, but it got me in.
Ephiny sent me for information, but she doesn't
understand that this is all because of me. My fault, my problem, and it's
my place to fix it. I'm here to do one of two things; to rescue my princess,
or avenge her death. Either way, Xena is going to die tonight for what
she's done, and this threat to the Amazons will be over.
I have a pretty good idea where the bitch is staying from listening to the guards. Another turn up here and around the next corner -- ah, there's a guard outside the door. A sleep drug dart and poof, down he goes. I catch him just before he hits the ground and ease him down silently. I can't imagine even Xena could have heard anything. I roughly wipe a hand across my tearing eyes at the sound of my princess' screams. By the Gods, Xena is going to pay for this.
The latches on the doors here are still the same, a quick thrust with a slender stick and I'm in; hidden behind a wardrobe near the door. The room is lit by several candles, and I can see Gabrielle hanging suspended by her wrists from one of the ceiling supports. Xena is standing behind her, one hand on Gabrielle's shoulder and a short whip in her other hand. I'm so close I can see the sweat and strain on my princess' face, and I can take no more. I spring from my hiding place, sword in hand, and swing directly at Xena's exposed neck.
"Eponin, NO!" At the sound of Gabrielle's scream I reverse my grip on the sword to clip Xena behind the ear with the hilt. Of course, the blow never lands. Xena ducks, spins, and catches me in the shoulder with a roundhouse kick. I hit the far wall and land hard on the bed. Xena and Gabrielle look at each other and roar with laughter.
Oh Hades. I don't know whether to scream, or blush, or launch myself at both of them. I obviously really misjudged Xena, and I feel like a complete idiot. I don't like feeling this stupid, so I do the only thing a self-respecting Amazon warrior could under the circumstances. I walk over to my laughing princess, who is still dangling from the ceiling, kneel, and tell her that her nation is greatly concerned about her. I feel a bit better when they both have the grace to blush.
Xena cuts her down and stammers, "We were just, uh, well I had to make it look like I was interogating, yeah that's it...." Gabrielle howls with laughter at Xena's inability to get the whole sentence out.
"Thank the Gods that this was not all it appeared," I reply, smiling with relief. "Xena, my friend, I should have known better. I'm sorry."
"It's all right, Eponin. The idea was to convince everyone that I had betrayed Gabrielle, and it obviously worked. I never thought anyone could get in here, though. I set the guard positions inside and outside the castle myself. How did you do it?"
"I, um, lived here until I was about 9. I know just about every passage and hiding place there is here."
"You lived HERE?" exclaimed Gabrielle. "I had no idea! I thought you were born among the Amazons."
"No, my mother was accepted into our tribe shortly after we left here." I don't say any more. I can't tell my princess that my own father is the man behind this whole wretched business. I just pray to all the Gods that we can get through this without anyone finding out who I am.
"So where'd you get the armor?" Xena asked, poking me in the ribs. "You sure don't look like a featherhead."
"I borrowed it from a mercenary who joined us a few years ago. It's not what I'm used to, but it's kind of comfortable." The armor is sleeveless, light tan with a mid-thigh length skirt split on the sides. Matching bracers, arm bands and lower leg armor completed the outfit. Xena looks me up and down with a knowing smirk. In truth, it bears no small resemblance to her normal attire.
"Ephiny picked it out! Give me a break, Xena!''
"And how is Ephiny? Was all this her idea?" Gabrielle
asks. She was definitely miffed about my attack on Xena, even if the warrior
herself had no hard feelings.
"No! She just told me to find out what was going on."
"Then why...."
"It's, well, I jumped to a conclusion, and I was already upset, and I was just wrong. I'm sorry, okay?'' Gods! Just get out before you make an even bigger ass out of yourself!
Xena wasn't having any of that, unfortunately. "Eponin, what's wrong?"
She led me over to sit on the bed, and Gabrielle settled herself on the other side of me. ''No escape!" the queen said, taking my chin and turning my head so she could look me in the eye. I can feel her look straight into my soul.
"Gods. You never expected to survive this, did you?" she whispered and hugged me tightly.
I feel the bed shift as Xena sits down. Her hands rest on my shoulders from behind. I turn my head and shoot her a startled look. She raises an eyebrow. Ah crud. I'm really racking up points with the Warrior Princess tonight. Maybe I'll get lucky and she'll just kill me.
"Eponin, tell us. Is it Ephiny?'' the princess gives
me a look, and I know I'm not going to get away without telling them something.
"Ephiny is pregnant." Gabrielle gasps, and I continue
without waiting for the question. "Phantes is the father. "
Gabrielle meets Xena's eye over my shoulder. "Is that possible?!?"
"Oh yeah." I can just hear the smirk.
''Ouch." Gabrielle's face tightens in sympathetic pain.
I hope they think I'm that shallow - hope - hope -
"Eponin," - damn! - "I can't believe this just about unrequited lust..."
"XENA!"
"...love. There's something else going on here, isn't there?"
"You'd better tell us, Eponin. Don't make me make it an order. "
Xena jumps in before I can reply, "Some of the soldiers told me the reason Lord Phastus hates the Amazons so much is that they stole his daughter. It's you, isn't it? You thought that if your body showed up here that would be the end of it."
Damn, damn, damn. "Yes.''
''No! We're not going to let you sacrifice yourself! Xena, tell her."
"Better listen to your princess. She's just impossible to live with when she doesn't get her way."
"For Gods' sake, Xena, this is serious! You said yourself that we're badly outnumbered, and now our best warrior is...."
"Having a nervous breakdown?'' I offer.
Xena gently squeezes my shoulder. "Eponin, I think I have a solution, but it's going to depend on you. I know that even if we get Phastus out of the way, his officers will still go ahead with the attack because he has them convinced the Amazons have a lot of treasure. But if we could produce his heir...."
"You can't expect Eponin to participate in her own
father's assassination!"
"Gabrielle, we are not going to assassinate him.
We're just going get him out of the way."
I smile over my shoulder at Xena. "Dungeon?"
''Dungeon."
''Works for me."
"Xena, why couldn't you just bring the Amazon tart to my throne room?"
"Security, Lord Phastus. Even unarmed an Amazon can be very dangerous."
"Hmph. That little thing? She's not dangerous. In fact, when we're done talking, I'd like brought to my chamber. Tie her to the bed if it makes you feel better."
"Over my dead body." Xena pushes him into the open cell next to Gabrielle's, and we release the princess. Phastus curses, then looks closely at me. He assumed I was one of the many mercenaries he'd hired, and had just realized how serious an error that was.
"Hello, Father."
The stream of invective that follows is so perverse, so raw and personal that all I can do is turn and flee the room. Suddenly I'm sliding down the wall in the next corridor. I don't remember how I got here. Tears I don't remember crying are streaming down my face.
Gabrielle catches up with me and kneels to cradle my head in her arms. "That son of a bitch." I've never heard my princess curse before, and rarely have I heard anyone do so with such sincerity.
Xena comes pounding up. "Come on. We need to announce your return before Lord Phastus' cronies get wind of what we're doing."
"Xena...."
"It's all right, Princess. Let's go.''
The family was surprisingly easy to convince. My cousin Tomas took one look at me and hollered "Eponin!" A general chorus of god-thanking rounded out a resounding welcome that left me feeling very uncomfortable. I don't really know any of these people anymore, and, frankly, I'm not all that happy when I'm around this many men. I don't understand how they react in social situations, so I never know how to act. When one of my uncles suggested a marriage to one of my cousins to solidify my position, I contemplated jumping out the window. I would have made it too if Xena hadn't stepped in front of it.
I think they were so happy to have someone sane in charge that they would have accepted anyone. There wasn't one word of dissent as Gabrielle and I hammered out a peace treaty. We both signed it, and sent a messenger to Ephiny. When she arrives with an official delegation, we can have a public ceremony and put an end to this ridiculous situation. Now, if I can only fend off the matchmakers long enough to put someone else in charge, then I can go home.
I'm sitting here in my father's throne room, alone at last. I really don't feel comfortable in these clothes, gray pants and a blue silk shirt, but I have to wear the family colors for now if this is going to work. I can't wait to get back into my leathers 'n' feathers.
My thoughts are interrupted by a ruckus outside, and I run to the window. "Gods, no!" The army was setting up for battle, directed by several officers who had been conspicuously absent from my talks with the council. I don't have time to put on my armor, so I just grab my sword and run outside.
Panic reigns outside in the courtyard. I see one of my uncles and run to him. "What in Hades is going on?"
"Lady Eponin, some of the officers released your father, and he is leading troops out to meet the Amazon delegation. Only a third of the soldiers would follow them -- the rest are dead or locked in the barracks!"
I look around and spotted her cousin Justus leaning heavily against a fountain, blood streaming down the side of his head. "Justus, what happened?"
"Uh, Eponin, they're going to attack your friends...."
"I know! Go to the barracks and release the loyal troops. Bring everyone you can and follow as quickly as you can!" I start running for the front gate.
"Wait my lady! You can't go after them alone!"
"Watch me!" I growl, running on. Oh, Ephiny, hold on. I'm coming.
The sounds of swords ringing and screams of pain lead me directly to the fighting. I can see a party of about twenty Amazons completely surrounded by soldiers. Once or twice I see Xena flipping into the air before I collide with the rear guard. They didn't see me coming, and few live to regret it. I spin my sword, slicing at limbs and weapons. Time loses all meaning as I cut a wide swath through the troops toward the Amazon standard.
Suddenly, I am there, looking into her eyes. How can I be lost and found at the same time?
"Eponin! Behind you!"
I spin and face ... my father. The man who abused my mother, wanted to rape me when I was still a child, wanted to kill everything I'd ever loved. Father or no, I can't let him walk away from this.
Clang! Our swords rang together as we fought, sweat streaming down both our faces. I have more skill, but he has experience and the strength of the truly insane. Sometime during the fight I absently notice the battle has stopped. My troops have arrived and my father's soldiers were quickly overwhelmed. I come to my senses and step back. "It's over, Father, you've lost. Drop your sword." I am stunned when he falls to his knees and cries.
"I only wanted my daughter back! I don't know what terrible lies those women told you, but I only wanted you back." He dropped his face into his hands and wept.
Gods. He is truly mad. I can't help but feel for him. He is my father, and I remember sitting on his lap, him kissing my hair.... I put up my sword and drop to one knee, placing a hand on his shoulder. I don't even see the knife, and a tearing pain across my stomach makes me cry out.
"No!" So many voices screaming in my ear at once, and a splash of red goes by my head as I fall sideways, clutching at my midsection. I try to keep things from falling out, but the cut is too large, and I look down to see parts of myself noone should ever have to see. Why haven't I hit the ground? Arms, hers, holding me. I tilt my head back, and look into tear-fulled hazel eyes.
"Why didn't you wait for the rest of the army? Oh honey, please hold on! Xena, can't you do something?"
I try to look at Xena's face, but I can't really see very well. I focus on Ephiny again, since she's the only thing that isn't foggy.
"I love you, Ephiny." Everything is foggy now. I wonder if someone will remember to slip a dinar in my pocket for Charon?
Epilogue
The funeral fire burned brightly. Amazons stood at attention, red eyes testament to the number who longed to give in to public weeping. A single tear trickled down Ephiny's cheek as Xena sang her funeral song in a strong, clear voice.
"Goodbye, my friend," Xena whispered, as she finished singing.
Gabrielle placed a hand gently on Ephiny's shoulder. Ephiny turned to look at her and smiled weakly. "I'm going to stay here for awhile, Princess."
"Okay, if you're sure. I'm sorry, Ephiny." Gabrielle dropped her hand and let Xena lead her back to the village.
"Eponin, why didn't you tell me?" Ephiny looked up at the sky, then closed her eyes and smiled, knowing Eponin could feel her love.
