Antony
and Cleopatra, An Awakening XXVII
Frau Hunter Ash
Gabrielle steeled herself as the Captain of Octavian’s guards motioned for the bard to precede him down into the inner workings of the war galley. The bard had heard stories of the horrors of being a galley slave. Nothing was worse than that fate, even her fate as a gladiator slave had held more promise than that of a galley slave.
The bard tried to breathe as little as possible below decks, the stench was horrendous. She noticed the Guard Captain wincing as well as they followed a Roman guard to the rowing supervisor.
The guard explained Gabrielle and her mission. The Leader frowned, motioned for the guard to open the grate to the deck below them, where the slaves stayed, slept and ate when they weren’t on duty rowing.
“I am looking for a criminal named Eli Ben-Mishael!” the Leader shouted into the darkness below. Several voices shouted out from below and Gabrielle leaned forward and whispered in his ear. “Those of you claiming to be Eli Ben-Mishael come up!” he ordered.
Five men crawled from the filth below and stood before the guard and Leader, their chains rattling from their wrists and ankles. Gabrielle looked at each closely while her face stayed hidden in the hood of her cloak.
She pointed at one and motioned for him to be taken back. Eli didn’t have black eyes. Another one was sent back, Eli was taller than Gabrielle.
The rest were unrecognizable in their long beards, unkempt hair, filthy loincloths and filthy bodies.
“I don’t know,” Gabrielle muttered. “Eli, what is the color of Gabrielle’s eyes on the full moon?” she asked.
Every man hesitated, not daring to look at the stranger but one raised his head slowly.
“Yellow,” he whispered.
“Don’t be a joker,” the guard snapped.
“No, it’s alright,” Gabrielle said, laying her hand on the guard’s arm to hold his whip. “What is the name of Eli’s brother?”
“Which one?” the man asked, his blue eyes showing some spark of life.
“Which one tried to out guess Xena?” Gabrielle smirked.
“Asher.”
“Eli,” Gabrielle said gratefully and resisted hugging him in front of the Romans. “Take this slave to the camp and have him cleaned up and then have him brought to Lord Octavian’s tent within two candlemarks.”
Gabrielle winked at Eli as the guard pulled him out of the line and then harassed the others back into the darkness below. The bard moved forward and looked down at the hopeful faces starting up at her.
“I am Brie of Jarl Eddval’s family!” she announced in Germanic. “Do I have any kith or kin here?”
“I am cousin to Axel, cousin to Eddval the Just!” a man shouted.
“Your name?” Gabrielle called back.
“I am Vladimar the Dane, my childhood name was Vlad the Cat.”
“Come up,Vladimar, you are my kin,” Gabrielle resisted grinning and started to turn away from the hold.
“Gabrielle? Is that you?”
The bard was shocked to hear her name from someone below and quickly looked back down.
“Who calls?” she yelled back.
“Well, actually,” a voice said reluctantly. “It’s Autolycus.”
“Auto? By the Gods, get up here!” she said firmly and helped him climb out of the dark crypt. She recognized his smile, even through the grime and thick beard. “Gods,” she whispered.
“Can you get me out of here?” he asked softly.
“Join those two over there and keep your mouth shut, especially my name,” she ordered and he nodded, quickly moving to stand next to Vladimar.
“Is this all, MiLady?” the Guard Captain asked, weariness sounding in his voice.
They had been searching for the slaves on 10 ships already during the morning hours and now it was early afternoon. He was hoping they were done.
“Yes, Captain,” Gabrielle said softly. “These are the ones I was sent to find by Lord Octavian. Have them cleaned up and brought to me.”
“Yes, MiLady,” the Captain saluted her and motioned for the ‘slaves’ to move ahead of them.
“Have their chains struck as well,” Gabrielle ordered.
“MiLady, they’ll escape first chance they get!” the Captain protested.
“Auto, Eli, swear by the gods you won’t escape if those chains are removed,” Gabrielle instructed.
“I swear by all the Gods and Goddesses that I am yours,” Auto said easily.
“I swear by the sacred name that I won’t escape, MiLady,” Eli said.
Gabrielle turned to Vladimar. “Vladimar the Dane, I swear that you have your freedom and will travel with me to our family if you don’t try and escape while I have business with the Romans. Do you agree?”
“Ja, I swear to be patient.”
Gabrielle turned to the Captain. “The German swears as well. Strike their chains.”
“Yes, MiLady.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Gabrielle ordered plenty of food and watered down wine brought to her small tent, which had been set up next to Octavian’s. The guards outside were loyal to Octavian and Agrippa and had strict orders that no one was to enter the tent without Octavian or Gabrielle’s permission.
The Roman Emperor and Admiral were taking no chances of her identity being discovered and relayed to Antony before the battle.
She waited impatiently and pulled her hood up when she heard movement outside her tent.
“MiLady?” one of her guards called.
“Enter,” she replied back and stepped back into the shadows.
The tent flap was pulled back and three figures entered slowly.
“Thank you, Daril,” Gabrielle said, dismissing the guard. The bard watched from the shadow of her cloak as Eli, Autolycus and Vlad looked at her in confusion.
Gabrielle waited until the tent flap was lowered again and pulled her hood back, opening her arms.
“Eli, Auto!” she laughed in delight as they ran to hug her tightly.
“Gabrielle! Oh thank the gods!” Autolycus said softly.
“How did you do this?” Eli questioned. “How did you know where we were?”
“I had a dream of you being captured by the Romans and Asher being crucified,” Gabrielle explained and pointed to the table. The three men attacked the food ravenously. “Take it slow, guys.”
Vlad grinned. “Thank you, cousin,” the Viking said in Germanic.
“You are very welcome, Vlad,” Gabrielle smiled.
“I didn’t know that Auto or Vlad was here, that was the Fates,” Gabrielle quickly explained the circumstances of being there and finding them.
“What happens next?” Auto asked, sitting back with a contented sigh. “Gods, I haven’t had food like this in two years.”
“How in Tartarus did you end up in the Roman galleys?” Gabrielle asked with a smile.
“Well, I…” Autolycus hesitated. “I made a slight miscalculation and I entered the wrong room at a royal villa I was invited to. Seems there was this wonderfully rare sapphire in the same room. Of course when I saw it, I had to take a look.”
“Of course!” Gabrielle agreed, still smiling.
“Well, I didn’t realize it had a hand trap in case someone got curious,” Auto explained.
“And you were caught,” Eli added.
“Well, when I tried to explain,” Auto continued. “I couldn’t find my invitation to the palace and the young lady who invited me suddenly had a lapse of memory.”
Gabrielle and Eli laughed softly. Autolycus grinned and shrugged.
“It seems she forgot who I was. She forgot to tell me her fiancé was the owner of the villa and the sapphire,” Auto finished.
“Well the plan is to help Octavian win the battle, pick up Xena,” Gabrielle explained. “Put Eli on a ship to Judea, see our families and head back north with Vlad.”
“Then let’s do it,” Auto said with a grin.
“You three will sleep with the servants,” Gabrielle said thoughtfully. “We’ll stay out of sight tomorrow and be with Octavian on his ship during the battle or you can wait here.”
“I’ll wait here,” Eli smiled. “I’ve had enough of ships for awhile.”
“You look good for a galley slave, Eli,” Gabrielle said softly. “I’m sorry about Asher.”
“Thank you, Gabrielle,” Eli responded, his eyes emotional. “We knew there was a chance of that happening. He was trying to protect me.”
“I have a surprise for the two of you,” Gabrielle smiled slightly. “Sasha is nearly grown and studying with the Northern Gods and we live up there now with Hercules and Iolaus. The biggest change was that Xena and I had a son.”
“A son?” Auto asked, surprise reflected on his face. “Who? How?”
“The deities of the Northern Amazons gave us a child, a son and we named him Asher,” Gabrielle continued.
Eli’s eyes filled with tears and he lowered his head.
“Thank you, Gabrielle,” he said softly.
“My pleasure. You’ll like him, Eli,” Gabrielle said with warmth. “He’s strong and intelligent.”
“Like his parents,” Eli smiled and his smile widened when Gabrielle began blushing.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Xena roamed around the camp all through the day, checking and double checking everything and going over the plans once again with Antony and his officers.
“I don’t like it,” one of his general complained. “We haven’t had a report from your spy in two days. He must have been caught.”
“So what?” Antony demanded. “He didn’t know our plans, he can’t tell them anything. He didn’t even know Xena is here.”
“Good, everything depends totally on surprise,” Cleopatra’s Admiral said.
“Yes, and the blessings of the gods,” Antony added. “Xena’s presence here should reassure all of you that the gods are on our side. Artemis herself brought her and Gabrielle here with the plans to defeat Octavian.”
“And the other Greek is now gone,” one of the Egyptian officers pointed out.
“She wasn’t a warrior,” Antony frowned. “It doesn’t mean the gods have abandoned us.”
“The omens say we should wait a day,” one of the priests insisted.
“You wait a day and Octavian will see how the ships are positioned and counter our plans,” Xena argued. “It’s tomorrow or we have to change the plans, totally.”
“Xena’s right, tomorrow is the day,” Antony said firmly. “Now see to your troops, half ration of wine tonight.”
“Yes, Lord Antony,” the officers saluted, leaving Xena and Antony alone with the few servants left.
“Will you join Cleopatra and me for dinner?”
“Of course, Marc,” Xena smiled at the Roman. “I’d be delighted.”
The Roman didn’t see her eyes narrow and harden when he turned to give dinner instructions to a servant. Xena knew if he was going to make a move on her it would be after dinner.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Xena watched Antony carefully throughout dinner without letting him notice but didn’t see him put anything in the wine. The conversation was strained, as she expected before such an important battle. She lost track of what was being said after awhile as Antony and Cleopatra talked about their plans for restructuring Rome in their liking.
The warrior frowned as her eyelids seemed to become heavy and everything became fuzzy. Xena tried to sit up from her Roman sofa when she realized that Cleopatra was unconscious and Antony was watching her closely.
“How?” Xena muttered as she dropped her goblet and tried drawing her dagger.
“I coated the insides of the goblets,” Antony smirked. “I’ve been watching you, judging how much to use on you. Looks like I was correct in figuring out that the rumors of your father being one of the gods. There was enough narcotic in there to kill a full grown man twice your size.”
She looked over at Cleopatra, suddenly afraid for the Queen.
“Oh, don’t worry about her, I didn’t use that much on her,” Antony grinned and stood up with an exaggerated stretch. “You know, I wish you had gone along with this the easier way. We would have had a great time, a few rolls across the bed and I would have sent you back to your precious Gabrielle, undamaged.”
“You won’t get away with this!” Xena snapped, trying to hold her head up. “I’m not some slave girl you can threaten into silence!”
“Oh, it’s quite easy, Xena,” Antony purred as he reached down and removed her breast dagger. “You’ll be found dead tomorrow morning, your sword buried in one of five dead assassins sent from Octavian. Seems that his spies must have seen you and attacked you. I thought five was an honorable number to take out the Warrior Princess, what do you think?”
Xena felt her heart begin to speed up; there was actually a chance he could go through with it. The worst feeling in the world was feeling helpless and Xena was overwhelmed with it.
Antony laughed lightly and picked the warrior up and threw her over his shoulder. Xena pounded weakly on his back as he headed for the back of the tent and the bed.
“Struggle all you want, I like it rough!” Antony laughed as he threw Xena on the bed he shared with Cleopatra.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Gabrielle sat up in the bed with a sai at someone’s throat.
“Gabrielle, friend! Gabbymom!” a familiar voice insisted, barely above a whisper.
“What?” the bard questioned and then blinked when the figure hovering over her raised a hand and the lantern next to her bed fired to light. “Sasha?”
Gabrielle dropped her sai and grabbed the young teenager into a hug.
“What’s going on? How did you get here?” Gabrielle demanded, taking in the sight of her daughter in simple woolen trousers, a tunic and leather boots with criss-crossed lacings, northern style. What was surprising was the cloak on the girl’s shoulders.
Gabrielle couldn’t resist reaching out and touching it, carefully.
“Feathers?”
“Falcon feathers, it belongs to Freya,” Sasha answered with a smile.
“The fabled coat of flying?” Gabrielle asked in admiration.
“Yes, she sent me,” Sasha smiled slightly.
“What’s wrong?” Gabrielle demanded, becoming fully awake.
“Mom needs us, get dressed,” Sasha suggested.
Gabrielle was dressed in record time and looked at her adopted daughter.
“How do we do this?”
Sasha managed a small laugh and walked behind Gabrielle and wrapped her arms and the cloak around them both.
“Close your eyes,” Sasha whispered.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Xena growled and swung her fist at Antony’s head and actually managed to connect with his nose with about half her strength, knocking the Roman back from her.
“Bitch!” he snapped and backhanded her with a vicious blow that caught the warrior across the eye, sending Xena to the bed again. Antony shouted in anger and jumped on the bed with her and straddled her, he began backhanding her with a closed fist.
After a few moments, Xena could barely focus and was scarcely aware that her clothing was being torn from her body until she felt his teeth at her throat, bruising her.
Xena screamed in frustration and brought her knee up between his legs, connecting with just enough energy to sending him falling off the bed clutching his genitals.
The warrior turned over and tried to crawl off the bed but the Roman recovered enough to grab her arm and drag her to the floor with him.
“Gods, I’ve wanted you for years!” Antony growled, pinning her to the floor. “Yes, I want everything Caesar had, including you!”
“Caesar had my lust and heart, something you’ll never touch,” Xena snapped.
“I’ll be satisfied with your body and your battle plan,” Antony grinned and reached under his tunic to free himself for the assault.
Xena blinked in confusion for a moment as she looked over and saw Antony a couple of feet from her, holding his head and moaning. Gentle hands were helping her sit up and a soothing voice was trying to reassure her about something.
“He drugged and beat her,” someone said.
“I’ll kill him this time!”
Xena recognized the second voice and sat up.
“Gabrielle, no!” she shouted.
The warrior bard, sai held in a striking poise above Antony’s chest, hesitated.
“You swore not to kill him while we were here,” Xena said, trying to think clearly. She glanced up into blue eyes. “Sasha?”
“Hi, Mom,” Sasha smiled slightly.
“That oath didn’t include allowing him to rape you!” Gabrielle growled, her eyes shifting to Bacchae yellow. “That ranks up there with trying to kill us.”
“That was also his plan,” Sasha added, watching Gabrielle on the verge of killing the Roman without moving to stop her.
Xena frowned.
“You kill him now and all it will do is set Cleopatra against Octavian with everything she has. She’ll convince herself that we were working for Octavian,” Xena argued.
“Xena! Damnit!” Gabrielle shouted as she looked down in the fear-filled eyes of the would-be Emperor. “You can’t ask me to ignore this!”
“What are you?” Antony whispered.
“Your death, Roman!” Gabrielle hissed, letting her fangs extend and felt him trembling under her.
“After the battle tomorrow, we’re out of here,” Xena promised. “We’ll never see them again, I promise. Cleo loves him.”
Xena blinked, trying to fight against the drugs in her system as she watched Gabrielle trembling in rage.
“Sasha, stop her, please,” Xena begged.
“This is her decision, mother,” Sasha said casually. “She has the right, she decides her path.”
“Vengeance shouldn’t be her path!” Xena argued, still unable to sit up.
“Her path has never been set except to be with you, that’s why she’s constantly being tested,” Sasha said. “Even more than you, mother. Your destiny is to redeem yourself for your past; hers is to discover her path. She’s meant to be with you but she must discover herself outside of you as well. Neither of you trust that she’s strong and a warrior in her own right.”
“Gabrielle, please,” Xena begged.
“I’ll have all of you killed if she doesn’t, Xena,” Antony threatened.
“No you won’t,” Xena growled. “You’ll keep your mouth shut or risk that Cleo just might believe me. After tomorrow our debt to Artemis will be paid and you’ll be out of our lives.”
Gabrielle felt the berserker fury fading and retracted her fangs. Antony, sensing the change in the bard, lost the fear in his eyes and began to smile.
Gabrielle’s eyes narrowed and a growl sounded from deep inside her chest. With a scream of rage she plunged the sai downward as Xena yelled in protest.
Antony opened his eyes and turned his head slowly, his nose touching the sai buried in the wooden floor. He could feel where it had clipped his ear.
The bard growled again and stood up from the Roman and kicked him between the legs, hard. The Roman began to turn red and then blue from the pain.
Gabrielle quickly crossed over to Xena and began examining her mate closely in the candlelight.
Sasha, leaving her mother in Gabrielle’s hands, walked over to the moaning Roman and bent over him.
“Let me introduce myself, Marc Antony,” she hissed, looking very much like her mother when angry. “I am Sasha, daughter of Xena and Ares, adopted daughter of Gabrielle. Next time you touch either of my mothers, I will make your death very long and painful. I’m from the North, ever hear of the Red Eagle?” she asked softly.
Antony’s eyes widened as he looked into her enraged blue eyes and he nodded.
“Good, then I don’t have to give you the details of how your men would find you hanging from your tent pole with your lungs ripped out through your back, right?”
“Sasha?” Xena questioned.
“Coming, Mom,” Sasha called over to her mothers. She reached down and ripped Antony’s medallion of rank off. “Keep quiet tomorrow and avoid Xena or die very painfully. Tell Cleopatra that Xena is with the generals on land, overseeing the battle.”
Sasha walked over and wrapped the cloak around the three of them.
Antony blinked, staring at where the women had been.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“Guards!” Gabrielle shouted when she opened her eyes and saw they were back in her tent in Octavian’s camp.
The tent flap opened immediately and Gabrielle blew out the candle nearest her.
“Fresh water, bandages, healing herbs, immediately!” she snapped.
“Yes, MiLady!”
“And send for Lord Octavian and Admiral Agrippa!”
“At this hour, MiLady?” the guard questioned. He knew she was important but not knowing exactly who she was made it difficult to judge her rank and importance. He debated whether it was worth risking waking the Emperor of Rome and his Admiral at her orders in the middle of the night before a major battle.
“Yes, I have information from Antony’s camp!”
“Yes, MiLady,” he snapped to attention and left.
“Xena,” Gabrielle sobbed as she and Sasha helped the warrior to Gabrielle’s bed.
“I’ll be okay, Little One,” Xena whispered, closing her eyes. “It’s not too bad, actually. Just the drugs making me fuzzy.”
“Your nose, your eye socket and several ribs are broken,” Sasha countered. “You have bruises everywhere and a major bite on your neck.”
“Thank the Fates for god-healing abilities,” the warrior muttered.
The guard rushed in with the medical supplies and placed them on the table and glanced over at the wounded warrior.
“By the gods, where is the scum that did this?” he demanded. “I’ll castrate him personally! Who is she?”
“My mate and this girl’s mother. Just send for Lord Octavian and Agrippa, we’ll deal with the rapist tomorrow, soldier,” Gabrielle promised.
“MiLady, do you not remember me?” the guard asked softly.
Gabrielle frowned as he removed his helmet. Before her stood a middle aged man of Centurion rank. A common enough face, with military short hair, graying at the temples.
“I’m sorry,” Gabrielle shook her head as Sasha began cleaning Xena’s wounds with a warm wet cloth.
“I’m Barita, I was with you at Phillipii,” he answered.
“You were one of the recon soldiers sent with me to Brutus and Cassius’ camp,” Gabrielle smiled. “One of Octavian’s soldiers.”
“Yes, Lady,” he grinned. “I never forgot you or the child.”
“Sasha, this is one of the soldiers that helped me rescue you from Brutus,” Gabrielle explained.
“I am grateful, Roman,” Sasha smiled and then winced as Xena whimpered.
“Who did this to her?” Barita asked.
“Someone who will pay in the end,” Gabrielle promised and glanced up as Octavian and Agrippa entered the tent, both looking ruffled and irritable.
“Outside!” Octavian snapped to the soldier and Barita saluted and quickly left. “Xena?”
The Emperor moved a candle closer to the warrior and took in her battered face and bruised body that the sheet was barely covering.
“Antony?” he demanded, his voice low with rage.
“Yes, he wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer,” Gabrielle responded, soaking another cloth in the herb infused water.
“How did she get here?” Agrippa demanded.
“This is Sasha, our daughter,” Gabrielle said casually. “She has some unusual talents. We got Xena out of there before he finished.”
“Thank the Gods for that small favor,” Octavian muttered. “This has gone far enough, Gabrielle, tomorrow you both are out of here. There’s no further need to risk yourselves for this insanity.”
“No, we finish this,” Xena protested, opening her one good eye. “Tomorrow I go back to Cleopatra and show her what Antony is like. All we can do is hope that she turns from him and petitions for peace.”
“She’ll have it, conditional surrender,” Octavian promised. “She can keep her throne as a Regent ruler under Roman control.”
“The condition for surrender?” Gabrielle asked, already knowing the answer.
“Antony, alive or dead,” Octavian growled and Agrippa nodded.
“The Roman Senate and people won’t accept any less than Antony’s total defeat,” Agrippa agreed.
“I know, let’s hope this is enough to convince Cleo what’s best for Egypt is not Antony,” Gabrielle muttered.
“Any change in plans?” Octavian asked.
“No, he thinks the battle plan is still good and that we’re on his side because of Artemis and Cleo,” Xena said softly.
“I hope you’re right,” Octavian said thoughtfully. “I suggest we try and get some sleep, if possible. Do you wish for my healers?”
“No, she heals quickly,” Gabrielle shook her head, wiping away her own tears as she looked at her wife.
“Come, Agrippa,” Octavian ordered. “I want a backup plan if this turns into a land battle.”
“Yes, MiLord.”
“Xena,” Gabrielle whispered, holding the warrior’s hand.
“Gabrielle,” Xena attempted to smile. “He drugged me, only way he got this far.”
“I know, my love,” Gabrielle tried to smile.
“We’re going home after this, we are officially retired from saving the world for a few lifetimes,” Xena said softly. “Solan’s gone, our mothers are getting older, Joxer is dying, Iolaus is crippled. You’ve been hurt so many times, I can’t count anymore. I’m tired too, Little One.”
“I know,” Gabrielle smiled, stretching out next to her mate. “I have a surprise that might help.”
“You found Eli?” Xena smiled, closing the eye that wasn’t swollen shut.
“Yes, and another surprise,” Gabrielle said, curling up around Xena’s arm while Sasha applied herb-soaked cloths to Xena’s face. “Autolycus.”
“What?”
“Seems he got caught with his hand wrapped around a jewel a couple of years ago, and his pants down,” Gabrielle grinned.
Xena laughed and then winced. “Don’t make me laugh, you cruel wife!”
Gabrielle laughed lightly and hugged the warrior’s arm tightly.
“I hate being away from you, for even a night,” she said.
“Me too,” Xena responded.
“Both of you should sleep,” Sasha suggested.
“Tell me something, Sash,” Xena mumbled. “The Greek gods can’t function too well in the north because their powers wane, how is it Freya can send you here?”
“There is a strong German presence in the Roman army and Freya is one of the most popular of the Northern gods,” Sasha explained. “Worship of the Greek gods is waning, even the Roman worship of the gods is becoming superficial while the Northern gods are still worshipped daily.”
“I found one of Axel’s cousins in the galleys too, he’ll come home with us back to his tribe,” Gabrielle muttered.
“Good, the faster we get home, the better,” Xena muttered. “I’ve had enough of dancing to the whims of the gods.”
“Soon, love,” Gabrielle whispered. “Soon.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The battle was furious from the very beginning with neither side winning the advantage. Both fleets countered each other’s strengths and weaknesses, surprising everyone on both sides.
Octavian and Agrippa both agreed that they would have been in serious trouble without prior warning of Antony’s plans. As it was, both sides were evenly matched throughout the day.
Xena and Gabrielle, watching on Octavian’s flag ship, looked at each other and Gabrielle sighed heavily and leaned her head on Xena’s arm.
“It’s time, isn’t it?” she asked softly.
“Yeah, let’s finish this,” Xena nodded and put on her Roman helmet and fastened the officer cloak around her shoulder.
“Yes,” Gabrielle turned and looked at Sasha. “You’ll watch out for her?”
“Both of you,” Sasha promised and moved behind her mother and wrapped the cloak around both of them. In a moment they were gone.
Gabrielle stepped out of the shadows and approached Octavian and Agrippa, drawing her cloak hood up.
“Xena is with Cleopatra,” she told both of them.
“After this I hope the gods keep to themselves and let us humans set our own destinies!” Octavian grumbled.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Xena stepped out of Sasha’s cloak and glanced back. The warrior wasn’t surprised that she couldn’t see her daughter. The warrior also wasn’t surprised that no one seemed to notice her appearing out of the shadows when she hadn’t been there a moment before.
Xena quickly moved up to the upper deck of Cleopatra’s flagship and worked her way through the officers and approached the Queen.
“Xena? Where have you been?” Cleo demanded.
“Recovering,” Xena answered softly and removed her helmet revealing her bruises and broken eye-socket.
“Sweet Isis!” Cleo exclaimed. “What happened?”
Xena reached into her tunic and pulled out Antony’s medallion and tossed it onto the map table in front of Cleopatra.
The Queen grabbed up the golden chain and medal and looked at it closely and stared at Xena, her face hardening.
“My room,” the Queen suggested or ordered, Xena wasn’t sure which but she nodded and walked behind Cleopatra.
Xena flinched when Cleo spun around angrily.
“What are you implying, Xena?” Cleo demanded.
“I’m not implying anything, Queen Cleopatra,” Xena said calmly and handed the Queen the tattered remains of what had been her gown the night before. “It’s the truth; you know what I was wearing last night.”
Cleopatra examined the gown, noting its rips and then sniffed it. Xena watched the Queen’s face fall.
Xena picked up the decanter of wine and sniffed it and then sniffed the goblet Cleo had been drinking from. “Do you notice a difference?”
Cleo sniffed and nodded.
“He’s built up a tolerance to the drugs,” Xena explained. “He does this often, usually only with slaves and servants. He drugged us both last night.”
“I always thought the servants were willing,” Cleo said wearily, sitting down on her sofa.
“Some might have been,” Xena agreed. “Most weren’t from what Gabrielle and I have found out. I wouldn’t go along willingly and he tried to force me. He got rough.”
“Did he….”
“No, someone came in and stopped him,” Xena answered. “What will you do, Cleopatra? You know that Antony isn’t what is best for Egypt or Rome.”
“I know,” Cleo muttered, a tear escaping down her face. “You’ve been in contact with Octavian, haven’t you?”
“Yes,” Xena admitted. “As your friend, Cleo.”
“Will he negotiate?”
“Yes, you’ll remain Regent of Egypt under Roman rule,” Xena explained. “No loss of land, minor forfeit of wealth to help pay for the war, and you won’t be paraded through Rome as a war trophy.”
“Antony?”
“He’s the non-negotiating point, total surrender of Antony to Octavian, either alive or dead,” Xena finished.
Cleopatra nodded.
“You’ve hurt me, Xena,” Cleo said regretfully.
“I know, Cleopatra, and I am sorry,” Xena said softly. “That was why Gabrielle left; she couldn’t take the pain we were going to point out to you. She went against her patron goddess to try and stop this.”
“You knew Antony would try and force you?”
“Yes, he has a reputation for it and he made moves on me the first day,” Xena explained. “Once we observed Antony and his plans for Rome and Egypt, we were put in an impossible situation. That’s why I’m leaving and joining Gabrielle. We’re going home, Cleo. We shouldn’t have come.”
“I understand, Xena,” Cleo said calmly. “Remember me to your gods; I fear mine have abandoned me.”
Xena nodded and left the Queen to her thoughts and grief to stand by the rail of the great ship, watching the battle. The warrior heard the Queen reappear and begin snapping orders to her officers and their shouted protests.
The Greek warrior turned as Cleo shouted at her officers, demanding that they immediately turn her ship for Egypt.
“But abandon Lord Antony?” one demanded.
“He has betrayed Egypt and your Queen, leave him,” Cleo ordered.
Xena walked down the steps and back into the shadows.
“Let’s go, Sasha,” Xena said softly and felt familiar arms wrap around her.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“Xena! Gabrielle!” Cyrene shouted with delight as the two entered the inn first, followed by the three men traveling with them. She quickly wiped her hands on her apron and moved between the tables to hug them.
“Oh Gods, it is so good to see you!”
“You too, Mom,” Xena smiled and hugged her mom tightly.
“I thought you both were in the North! Where’s the baby?”
“The gods messed with our lives again,” Xena complained. “We took a short route to Egypt and now taking the hard way back to Germania. Mom, you remember Eli and Autolycus.”
“Of course, welcome,” Cyrene said enthusiastically. “Come, sit! Torris, bring food and drink!”
“Yes, Mom,” Torris shouted from the kitchen. “Hi, Xena, Gabrielle!”
“I’ll let Gabrielle fill you in on the details and tell you about our son, I want to visit Argo.”
“She’s in the pasture behind the stable,” Cyrene smiled softly. “She’s getting up there, Xena. Take an apple; she’s getting grumpy in her age.”
“So am I,” Xena grinned.
A candle-mark later, Gabrielle found Xena in the pasture, leading Argo around and occasionally leaning against the horse’s neck. The bard smiled at the fondness that was still so apparent between the horse and mistress.
“The horse is still beautiful,” a male voice commented beside her and Gabrielle jumped, spinning to her right with sais in hand.
Gabrielle tried to stop her heart from pounding so hard as Apollo laughed at her.
“Gods, Father!” she snapped, sheathing the weapons alongside her boots. “What brings you here?”
“I bring news,” he said easily, leaning on the fence rail watching Xena and Argo, with his daughter. “You know Antony abandoned his men and the battle when he saw Cleopatra leaving him during the battle of Actium.”
“Yes, we watched that much before leaving Octavian,” Gabrielle nodded.
“She took him back,” Apollo announced and nodded at Gabrielle’s stunned expression. “Yes, she couldn’t turn him over to Octavian after all. Because of his perceived cowardice during battle his troops have lost hope and he’s taking to drinking heavily.”
“What about the negotiations with Octavian?”
“Nowhere without turning Antony over to Octavian, Cleo and her officers fight on,” Apollo answered.
“Damnit! All that for nothing?” Gabrielle demanded. “Xena was almost raped, beaten, and drugged and it didn’t work?”
“I believe it did work,” Apollo countered. “The war is lost for Cleopatra and Antony. Octavian is what is best for Rome and Egypt. Artemis doesn’t get what she wants but she was being selfish.”
“I’m tired of doing what’s right for everyone else,” Gabrielle snapped. “What about what is best for Xena and me? When do we get to put ourselves and our family first?”
“Now,” Apollo answered. “I’ll take you and Xena home today, you won’t have to travel all that way and be apart from your son any longer.”
“Thank you, Father,” Gabrielle said gratefully. “We do need to make one stop, though.”
“Gabrielle, just send word to them,” Apollo advised. “Artemis may turn them against you.”
“I am Queen of the Black Forest Amazons,” Gabrielle said firmly. “To give that up, it should be in person.”
“You failed in a blood oath of vengeance, what will they do?” he asked with a frown, pulling the hood of his cloak back.
“Possibly demand my death,” Gabrielle answered calmly.
“That I won’t permit!” he growled.
“You may not have a choice, Father,” Gabrielle countered. “I have to face them.”
“Alright, but do it in the Spring after spending a winter with your son and wife. I’ll have a say if they put you on trial,” he growled.
“Thank you, Father,” Gabrielle said softly.
“I’ll also talk to the gods about leaving you two alone for awhile,” he muttered.
“I would be grateful for that,” Gabrielle agreed. “We should be ready to leave in a couple of days. Can we stop and see my family?”
“Easily done, Artemis may be upset with you but she won’t dare do anything bold with me around. You were her Chosen but you’re my daughter and Xena is the daughter of Zeus and Hecate, that carries a lot of weight,” Apollo smiled.
“I just wish for a normal life,” Gabrielle muttered, watching Xena smile as she stroked faithful Argo’s mane.
“After all you’ve been through, I don’t doubt it,” Apollo nodded. “You know that you’re the strong one in this equation, don’t you?”
“Hardly,” Gabrielle smirked. “Xena’s the warrior; I’m a reluctant combatant at times.”
“Yes, but haven’t you ever wondered why everything seemed to go against you in particular?” he questioned.
“Besides the fact Ares was responsible for most of it?”
“But why you?”
“Without me, Ares figured Xena would be weakened and go back to him and her Warlord ways,” Gabrielle answered.
“Exactly, even while you were gone, it was the hope that you were alive that kept her going,” Apollo smiled. “You were left to the hounds while Xena had friends and family around her.”
“I remember you leaving me in that nightmare,” Gabrielle pointed out, losing her smile.
“Yes, and I ranted and raved at Zeus for days until he threw me out of Olympus for two months until I calmed down,” Apollo shrugged. “Wasn’t my choice and we didn’t have enough proof that it was Ares behind the plot to separate you two.”
“The Bacchanalia and my child, Ares wasn’t around then,” Gabrielle growled.
“You know Artemis couldn’t break into the Spirit Realm and take on Alti and Bacchus because of her weakness in the North, right?” Apollo asked.
“Yes,” Gabrielle nodded.
“I’m even weaker than she is,” Apollo explained. “You belong partly to Bacchus because of that damned blood curse and there’s nothing I can do about that and he was able to use that. As for your son, the Greek gods had no idea the Forest Spirits of the north would think of something like that.”
“He truly is from Xena and me?” Gabrielle demanded.
“Truly, he is as much both of yours and Xena’s as if she were a male,” he assured her.
“The Bacchanalia had nothing to do with it?”
“Only in that facing Alti led you to the Forest Spirits, that’s all. Nothing about the Bacchanalia affects your son, not even your blood lust. He might like his meat rare, though.” Apollo smiled.
“I can live with that,” Gabrielle grinned in relief.
“Make arrangements with everyone and I’ll take you to your family in two days.”
“Thank you, Father,” Gabrielle smiled, hugging her father, the most handsome god among the Olympians.
See what happens next in "Love's Return, An Awakening XXVIII"