Chakram, An Awakening XVIII

by Frau Hunter Ash

Disclaimers:  

Ownership:  Repeat after me: I don’t own Xena, Gabrielle, etc.  I’m borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don’t bother to sue me, you wouldn’t even get court costs.

Violence:  about a normal television episode.

Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:  the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex.  If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave.  Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

Feedback:  always welcome and responded to!

Storyline: A runaway slave and his mystic brother ask Xena and Gabrielle’s help in stopping their local war god, Kal, from obtaining the Chakram of Light.

            The story can stand on it’s own but it is part of a series and you might want to catch some of the earlier parts to know exactly who is whom.

A Visit Home, an Awakening 1
 An Awakening, Discovery, 2
 Amazon Bonding, Awakening 3
 Healing, Awakening 4
Trial of a Roman, Awakening 5
Gladiator, Bard, Warrior, Mother; Awakening 6
Reunited, Awakening 7
Ides of March, Awakening 8
Children of Gods, Awakening 9
Even with Ares, Awakening 10
Settling with Brutus, Awakening 11
Darkness Awakening, Awakening 12
Amazons North, Awakening 13
Amazon Darkness, Awakening 14
The Wild Hunt, Awakening 15
Bard Scrolls, Awakening 16
A God’s Twilight, Awakening 17

Xena stopped outside Sasha’s room and listened for a moment.

“Why do we tell people that my father’s name is Aramus and that he’s a soldier somewhere?” Xena heard Sasha’s voice asking.

“Well, you know how some people pray to Ares for help in battles and stuff?” Gabrielle began answering and Xena leaned against the wall, curious.

“Uh huh,” Sasha answered and Xena could almost imagine the child nodding her head to her Mum.

“Well, if people knew you were the daughter of a god they wouldn’t know how to act around you or how to treat you.  People sometimes treat other people bad when they get confused or scared.  Most people haven’t seen anyone who is the son or daughter of a god,” Gabrielle continued.

“What about Uncle Hercules?”

“He gets treated differently and sometimes it hurts him,” Gabrielle answered gently.

“Why didn’t you and Mom want Ares to be my father?”

“We knew that he wouldn’t be a good father.”

“Why?” Sasha persisted.

“Well, a long time ago,” Gabrielle began her answer to her adopted child and Xena smiled at the sound of Gabrielle slipping into her bard voice.  “Long before you were born, your Mom learned how to be a warrior.  Ares, the God of War, helped teach her how to be a warrior and encouraged her to do wrong things.”

“Mom did wrong things?” Sasha asked and Xena felt her jaw tighten and was very glad that her mate was handling this and not her. 

Xena could face an entire army by herself but facing a 7 year old’s questions was frightening.

“Yes, she did.  Sometimes people either choose to do bad things, like the Roman bandits who took you when you were little, or they make bad choices and end up doing bad things and fall away from the right path,” Gabrielle tried to explain.  “Your mom did both and Ares encouraged it and wanted her to continue to do bad things.”

“Why does he want to do bad things?” Sasha asked.

Gabrielle sighed, wondering that herself.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, “there are things about some of the gods that I don’t understand.  He is the God of War and I don’t understand the need for war.  Your mom was very good at war and Ares wanted her to keep doing that.”

“She didn’t keep doing bad things, though,”

“No, she didn’t.  She realized what she was doing was bad and felt terrible about it.  Your mom began changing and began doing good things for people.  That’s when I met her.  Ares, your father, was really, really angry at your mom and me and he’s done a lot of bad things to us because he wants your mom to go back to war,” Gabrielle explained.

“I’ve heard you and Mom talking sometimes, Ares sent those bandits after you that made you a slave before I was born, right?”

Xena closed her eyes with the pain of that memory, Gabrielle had been taken as a slave, sold into a gladiator school and had been forced to endure rape, beatings, floggings, and was forced to kill to survive.  All because of Ares.

Gabrielle smiled a sad smile.  “Yes, it was because of Ares.  That’s why we didn’t want him to have any contact with you until you were older.  He wants you to become a warrior and do bad things, like your mom did a long time ago.”

“Being a warrior isn’t a bad thing,” Sasha frowned.

“No, not at all. There are many good warriors, like your mom.  Joxer is a good warrior and Hercules too.”

“And you,” Sasha grinned and suddenly hugged the bard.  “Love you, Mum.”

Before Gabrielle could respond the precocious child was up off the bed and heading out the door.

“Hi, mom, bye, Mom!” she yelled as she ran down the hall.

Xena grinned at her disappearing offspring and turned to enter the child’s bedroom and frowned when she saw the serious and meditative look on the bard’s face.

“Hey, what is it, little one?” the warrior asked as Gabrielle began folding Sasha’s freshly washed clothes.

“Just thinking,” the bard muttered.  “Even Sasha thinks I’m a warrior.”

“Is that a problem, my bard?”

“Yeah, I think it is,” Gabrielle answered.  “Was that my path? I didn’t want that.”

“I know you didn’t want to kill or be a warrior but, even without Ares, we don’t know that you wouldn’t have ended up here,” Xena responded as she sat down on Sasha’s bed, watching her bard.

Gabrielle frowned.  “You think I would have ended up killing?”

“I don’t know but I know it was likely to happen eventually if you stayed with me and you know it.”

The bard sat down on the bed beside her mate.  “Yes, I probably would have killed eventually but would I have become a warrior with all these deaths?”

“No, I don’t believe so.  You certainly wouldn’t have picked becoming a gladiator,” Xena agreed.  “What you are is a talented bard, a wonderful mom and someone who can take care of themselves and protect others if needed.”

The bard smiled.  “I’ll take those descriptions,” Gabrielle said as she hugged her mate.

 

 

 

Xena frowned as she approached the small home on the edge of the town, her warrior instincts kicking into high gear.  Her incredible hearing noted the lack of noise coming from the surrounding woods and no sounds coming from the barnyard either.

The warrior drew her sword from her hip and adjusted her gauntlets as she approached the barn cautiously.  She could see movement through the boards.

Xena knew that Gabrielle wasn’t due home for another couple of candle-marks yet.  Xena’s son, Solan, wife Reija and newborn son Kiryk were off visiting Gabrielle’s mother in Poteidia and had taken Sasha, Xena’s daughter with them.

The warrior was not in a mood to deal with anything.  It had been a long day working in the blacksmith shop, the inn had been packed at lunchtime and Gabrielle hadn’t had a chance to spend any time with Xena and the warrior was grumpy.  Now someone was in the barn.

The only things that should be in the barn were Argo, Xena’s prized horse, and two cows. 

            Xena stopped and listened, sword at ready.

            “No, I say we go back to Judea and organize some of the men and go after the chakram.  We don’t need the help of a woman.”

            “I know it goes against your grain, Asher, but Caleb suggested her and I’ve heard of Xena,” another male voice responded.

            “It’s against the nature of God!” the first voice protested.

            “So is Kal!  If she’s our best shot at stopping him, then I say we ask for her help.  I know you haven’t been out of Palestine before but you have got to start adapting a little bit,” the second voice urged.

            “What does that mean, Eli?”

            “Not everyone that you’re going to meet is evil just because they don’t believe the way you do.  There are good people among other religions, cultures and countries.”

            “Have you lost your mind?” the first voice, Asher, demanded.  “God says that any who do not believe in him are heretics and worthy of death!”

            “Would you destroy half the known world?” the second voice, Eli, countered.

“If they turn from the word and glory of God, yes.”
Xena could almost see the second man shaking his head.          

“Asher, not everyone is your enemy just because they don’t believe in our God,” Eli’s voice sounded tired.

“Yes they are!” Asher insisted.

“Asher, either you get some tolerance and work with me or go back to Palestine because you’re attitude is just going to cause problems,” Eli insisted.

“You’ve been out among the heathens too long, brother,” Asher’s voice dropped a notch in anger and Xena’s eyes narrowed.

“Maybe, but I’ve learned a lot from those heathens, things that will help our people.  If you insist on coming with me then keep quiet and observe, you’ll learn more that way.”

“I don’t see why we need help in doing it!”

“Because I’m not a warrior and we’re going up against a War God!”

Xena opened the barn door and stood in the entrance, knowing that the sun behind her was framing her body in silhouette and with the light reflecting off the sword she was presenting a formidable image.

One man, dressed in the more traditional clothing of the Mid-East, fell off the end of a hay bale and the second man jumped to his feet, a sword in his hand as well.

The second man was dressed in similar clothing to the first but the main difference was the sword and the fact that he knew how to hold it.  His body stance told the experienced warrior that he knew how to handle it as well. 

“Asher, no!” the first man cried out but the second man ignored him and glared at the warrior.

“You’re in my barn, friend,” Xena growled softly.  “Drop the sword and explain why you’re here or leave.”

“Heathen country,” the man with the sword spat.  “Women owning property.”

“Oh, it gets worse,” the warrior grinned.  “I own the property and I’m not married to a man, either.”

“Asher, drop the sword,” the first man insisted as he gained his feet.  Asher finally seemed to listen to the first man and lowered his sword and Xena lowered hers but entered the barn cautiously.

The first man, whom Xena took to be Eli, moved in front of his brother and held out his hands showing he was unarmed.

The warrior looked into his blue eyes and lowered her sword further.

“I apologize for my brother, he hasn’t traveled much and hasn’t been among people of different religions and cultures,” Eli stammered.

“Except Romans!” Asher hissed behind his brother.

“I’m not overly fond of the Romans, myself,” Xena muttered.

“I’ve heard that and that’s one of the reasons a friend of mine thought you might be able to help us.”

“Who are you and why didn’t you wait outside instead of hiding in the barn?” Xena demanded.

“My name is Eli and this is my brother Asher Ben-Mishael,” Eli moved aside and pulled his brother to stand next to him.  Xena could see the family resemblance and then her sharp eyes took in the slave collar and the broken manacles on the brother’s wrists.

Eli nodded, taking in her glance.

“My brother is an escaped slave.  I know this could cause lots of problems for you and if you don’t want to help us, it’s okay.  I would ask that you give us a candle-mark head start though  before you turn him in,” Eli said quickly.

“I don’t like Romans and I despise slavery.  I’m Xena, come into the house but pull up his hood so his collar doesn’t show,” the warrior instructed, motioning them towards the door, careful not to turn her back on Asher and his sword.

“Thank you, very much!” Eli said gratefully and practically threw his brother through the door of the barn and headed towards the main house.

 

 

Gabrielle was surprised to find two men sitting at the table with her mate when she entered the small house.  Xena looked tense but not on alert and the bard let her guard relax after quickly glancing around the room. 

The warrior bard quickly placed the men from the desert regions but the blue eyes led her to believe that they probably weren’t Arabic.  Gabrielle noted the one man armed with a sword but the second one only had an eating knife at his belt.

“Hey,” Xena said in greeting as the bard walked in slowly.

Gabrielle walked behind Xena and placed a hand on her mate’s shoulder.  “Hi,” she responded and nodded to the two men.  “What’s up?”

“Our company here is Asher and Eli from Palestine, they’ve come to ask our help with something,” Xena answered easily, resisting the urge to wrap her arm around Gabrielle’s waist.

The bard sensed Xena’s stiffness and moved to the empty chair and sat down, keeping her eyes on the men.

“She’s too small to be of use against a god!” the shorter of the two men protested.

Gabrielle grinned as Xena frowned.

“You’d be surprised,” the bard responded. 

“This is Gabrielle and she is experienced in fighting,” Xena responded.

“What’s this about a god?  Ares is still out of our lives, isn’t he?” Gabrielle asked her mate with a frown.

“Yes, I think one of the Olympians or Hercules would have warned us if Ares managed to start roaming the country again.”

Gabrielle’s face reflected her puzzlement when the shorter of the two men began muttering under his breath, his face an angry red.

“What?” she demanded and the taller one began blushing out of embarrassment.

“I’m Eli, this is Asher,” he began explaining.  “He’s not accustomed to people who have had personal dealings with gods.” 

“I wish I hadn’t either, at times,” Gabrielle grinned, trying to get the young man to relax but that just seemed to make him even angrier.

“Never mind him right now,” Xena growled and Eli put a restraining hand on his brother’s arm to keep Asher quiet.  “Tell Gabrielle what brings you to us.”

“A scholar friend of mine, Caleb, lives in a town between here and Palestine.  He sent a messenger to me that the local God of War, Kal, is trying to get his hands on the Chakram of Light,” Eli said.

“Chakram of Light?” Gabrielle questioned, looking at Xena.

The warrior shrugged.  “Chakrams are common in the east, like in India.  What isn’t common is that they return to you and can cut through any metal, like mine did.”

“Did?  You don’t have the chakram any longer?” Eli asked, his voice suddenly intense.

“No,” Xena answered simply.

“Where is it?  How can we get it back?” the young man suddenly demanded.

“We can’t, it’s lost forever,” the warrior replied.  “Why?  What is the Chakram of Light and how is it different than a regular chakram?”

“Your chakram was the Chakram of Darkness, only someone totally immersed in the darker side of human nature; war, violence, power, could touch it.”

Both Gabrielle and Xena looked at each other.  “Ares,” they both muttered.

Eli looked puzzled.

“Ares gave me the chakram when I became his Chosen Warlord,” Xena stated.

“That explains it, he stole it from Kal, the God of War, and gave it to you,” Eli said thoughtfully.

“It also explains how a human could touch it, a female is inherently evil,” Asher responded and Eli hit him on the arm.

Both Gabrielle and Xena felt growls rising in their throats.

“That attitude doesn’t help us, Asher,” Eli scolded. 

“Why can’t Kal just take the chakram,” Gabrielle asked.

“No one who has been touched by violence or the baser nature of things can touch it, only a saint could retrieve it,” Eli answered.

“Why would Kal want it then?” Xena asked.

“Once it’s off the altar, then anyone can touch it and use it.  The Chakram of Light has the power to kill gods, the deities themselves.”

“Whoa!” Gabrielle found herself muttering and Eli nodded.

“They should all be destroyed anyway!” Asher muttered.

“Have they done something personal to you or are you just naturally ill-tempered?” Gabrielle finally demanded.

Asher began blushing a bright red and glared at the bard. 

“There is only one true God in the universe and the existence of these lesser gods is an affront to Him!”

“Which god is that?” Gabrielle asked with a puzzled look.

“Yahweh, the God of Abraham, the god of my people,” Asher responded.

“We’ve dealt with the Children of Abraham before,” Gabrielle commented, “They weren’t this intolerant.”

Eli quickly placed his hand back on his brother’s arm and glared at him.  Asher gritted his teeth.

“My brother is a Zealot, he believes there is only one true religion and one true god for the world,” Eli quickly explained.

“And you, Eli?” Xena asked softly and wasn’t surprised when the young man blushed himself and refused to meet the eyes of either Xena or Asher.

“I’ve seen many things in my travels and I’ve meet some good people.  I believe that the God of my people is my true god but I’m not sure he’s the god for everyone,” the young scholar admitted.

Asher surprised Gabrielle and Eli by jumping to his feet but Xena seemed ready for it as she also jumped to her feet and reached over the table to grab the young man by his robe and arm.  She pulled the young zealot off balance and onto the table, face down, his body pinning his arm beneath him as he reached for his sword.  The warrior hit two pressure points at the back of his neck and Asher yelled with the sudden realization that he couldn’t move.

“Shut up!” Xena ordered and glanced over at Eli and Gabrielle, on their feet a second later than the brother or the warrior.  “You are a guest in my home and you are not allowed to kill or hurt your brother or anyone else in here.”

“Please don’t hurt him!” Eli begged.

“He says blasphemy!” Asher shouted.  “Thou shalt have no other God before me for I am the Lord thy God and I am a jealous God,” the young man quoted.

“Asher, calm down!  God is still my God!  I haven’t turned from him!” Eli protested.

“If you accept that there are any other gods then you do! Just accepting other gods is blasphemy!” Asher growled.

“Asher, other gods exist and they exist for other people,” Eli grumbled.  “Who do you think we’re going up against?”

“They work for Shaitan, the enemy of God!”

“Eli, send him home, he’s just going to get in the way and possibly mess up whatever you’re trying to do,” Xena advised.

“He can’t go home, as a runaway slave he’s being hunted,” Eli sighed heavily, sitting back down.

“Slave?” Gabrielle questioned, her own face going pale.  She quickly looked and found the slave collar and manacles on the young man laying  on her table.

“He’s an escaped slave,” Xena stated and watched as Gabrielle touched her own neck, the bard remembering her own collar.

“He’ll be killed if he’s captured,” Eli stated.

“He can go to Palestine and hide in the caves like the rest of the Zealots, criminals and rebels,” Xena muttered.

“He’d never make it back,” Eli countered.  “You’ve heard him, he can’t keep his mouth shut for ten minutes.”

“How did he end up a slave anyway, given his attitude?” Xena asked.

“The heavy taxation by King Herod left my family with nothing and my two younger brothers were sold into slavery to pay the taxes.  Asher escaped from the Roman family he had been sold to when he saw me in the market in Desyme.”

Xena released the pinch holds and Asher fell back into his chair, rubbing his neck.

“All right,” she warned.  “You behave until your brother finishes telling us why you’re both here.”

Asher muttered under his breath but nodded in agreement.

“So Kal, a minor God of War, wants to get his hands on this Chakram and kill Zeus and any other god that gets in his way in become the Supreme ruler of Olympia.  You want to stop him somehow and you need Xena’s chakram to do it?” Gabrielle stated and grinned when both Eli and Xena stared at her, amazed looks on their faces.  “The pieces fit,” she responded to their unspoken question.  Xena turned to Eli.

“She’s got it,” he grinned.

“How does my chakram fit into this?” Xena asked.

“By combining both chakrams together causes the power to destroy the gods to be neutralized and Kal won’t care about it then,” the scholar responded.

“But we can’t get to it,” Gabrielle complained.

“Why not?” he asked.

“It’s trapped in a cave with Ares and we don’t know where. Hopefully, for all eternity,” Xena answered.

“Then the rumors of Ares disappearing are true,” Eli muttered.

“Yes, my chakram was broken and embedded in the cave walls during the fight,” Xena answered.  “Useless to anyone.”

“And you don’t know where the cave is?” Eli questioned.

“No, I don’t,” Xena growled.

“Then we have to find another way to neutralize the chakram,” Eli muttered, his eyes thoughtful and unfocused.

“Why not leave it where it is?” Gabrielle asked.  “It doesn’t sound like Kal or anybody else can get it.”

“Kal will eventually find someone who can get it for him and then he’ll terrorize the world,” Eli said simply.

“Who hasn’t been touched by violence or the baser parts of human natures?” Gabrielle asked thoughtfully.

“Maybe a child or someone simple minded,” Xena suggested and Eli began to turn pale.

“Oh God, I pray that Kal hasn’t thought of either of those!”

“Amen,” Asher responded.

“So your plans are?” Xena questioned Eli.

“Get the chakram before Kal does, neutralize it and possibly destroy it.”

“Sounds simple, as usual.  That means it’s going to be complicated,” Gabrielle complained and then smiled at her mate.  “What is it with you and war gods?”

Xena blushed and growled.

Asher, watching the two women interact, almost turned purple but decided to look at his feet.

 

 

Gabrielle found Asher staring into the fire of the small house in the middle of the night.  She smiled when he noticed her and started to get to his feet, blushing.

“No, don’t get up, Asher,” she said simply and sat down in a chair across from him, wrapping her blanket around her.

“I couldn’t sleep,” he muttered and went back to staring at the flames.

“I understand that, neither could I,” the bard responded easily.

“What is keeping you awake?” he asked.

“Something that was said earlier,” Gabrielle answered, also watching the fire.

“About taking on the gods? Most people would be scared,” Asher commented.

“No, I’ve dealt with gods and goddesses before, both good and bad.  It was about you being a slave.”

The young Hebrew blushed bright red in the firelight and unconsciously pulled at the manacle on his left wrist.

“You’re worried about the Romans finding out you harbored a runaway slave?” he asked, his eyes bright with anger.

“No, not at all,” the bard answered.  “My memories were just keeping me awake.”

“You were a slave?”

“Yes, to a Roman,” Gabrielle stated, letting Asher lead the conversation.  The bard knew that the young Zealot wasn’t happy being in a home owned by two women, in a heathen country, or especially asking for help from heathens and wanted him to get more comfortable around her and Xena.

“Did Xena buy you from the Roman?”

“No, I was sold illegally into slavery.  I was gone from my family and Xena for almost two years.”

“You couldn’t appeal for justice?” Asher was frowning.

“No, Caesar was hoping to find me and use me against Xena.  He knew that she cherished our friendship and would risk her life to save me.  I couldn’t let anyone know who I was,” Gabrielle explained.

“Were you mistreated?”

Gabrielle felt her jaw muscles tightening and looked over and found the young man watching her.  “Yes,” she finally responded.  “I was abused from the first moment that renegade Roman soldiers captured me and the abuse didn’t stop until I won my freedom.”

“I was whipped for not obeying my master or his harlot or his wife,” Asher said simply and returned his eyes to the fire.

“I was flogged for not responding fast enough or refusing to go to the bed of the school owner,” Gabrielle said softly, letting the young man absorb the common ground they shared.

“School? What kind of school?” Asher looked up, obviously curious.

“Gladiator, I was taught to fight and I was taught to kill,” Gabrielle answered.

“I wish someone had taught me, I’m not the best with a sword,” Asher complained.

“Why take it up at all?”

“To fight for the Lord, to rid my land of the Romans and make the Earth ready for the Kingdom of God,” he answered sincerely.

“Kingdom of God?  I’m afraid I don’t know that ideal.”

“When the god Yahweh returns to the Earth,” Asher began with a smile.  “When the Jews return to their moral ways and honor Yahweh, He will return to Earth and return our land to paradise.  All the nations of the world will bow before him and we shall be raised back to our rightful place as his Chosen children.”

“How is fighting with a sword going to help bring your god back to Earth and his people back to him?”

“The reason our land is desolate and we are under the yoke of slavery to the Romans is that the Children of Abraham fell out of favor with the one true god by accepting the ways and customs of the heathens around us.  Once we clear the heathens out and those that accept Roman rule and Roman gods, then Yahweh will turn His favor to us again,” Asher answered intensely.

“And to do that you need a sword?”

“I know you’ve fought Romans, it’s the only way to sweep them out of my land,” Asher frowned.

“Very likely it’s suicide, I moved my Amazon tribe out of the Empire and they were still slaughtered by Romans,” Gabrielle shook her head with the painful memories.

“You’re an Amazon? One of those women who turn from the rightful rule of men?!” Asher demanded.

“Asher, I have a feeling we’re about to head down the way to a long argument that neither of us could win and will only make things worse.  Drop it, okay?” Gabrielle urged.  “I know most of your fellow Zealots and rebels end up dead, is that what you want for yourself and Eli?”

“I’m not afraid to die, I will sit at the right hand of Yahweh a hero!”

Gabrielle, feeling her years of experience compared to the young man in front of her, sighed heavily and lowered her eyes.

“You’ll still be dead, your parents will be without their sons and the Romans won’t even remember you after a few days.”

Gabrielle noted the Zealot’s clenched jaw and flashing eyes and held up her arms out from under the blanket.  She didn’t wear her normal bracers or bracelets to bed and Asher could see the massive scarring on the inside of the young woman’s wrists in front of him and then he turned pale when she turned her arms and showed the scars on the other side. 

“I was crucified by the Romans,” she explained.  “My tribe is still dead, my family was told that I had died a criminal on a cross and my best friend watched me almost die.”

“You regret trying to save your people?”

“No, not for a minute and I would do it again but I’d also try and find another way other than violence,” Gabrielle said softly.

“I’m not afraid to die,” Asher insisted.

“You would be if it’s crucifixion,” Gabrielle muttered.  “Violence isn’t always the answer, Asher.”

“That’s what Eli always says,” Asher muttered.  “It’s the only thing that the Romans understand.”

“Then maybe someone should teach them something new?” Gabrielle suggested with a smile.

“You’re a warrior and preaching the Way of Love like my brother?”

“The Way of Love?” the bard questioned.

“It’s what my brother believes,” Asher said with a frustrated smile. “He believes that violence is never the answer, no matter what.  My brother Eli would let someone run him through with a sword before lifting a hand to defend himself!”

“He’s stronger than I am, then,” Gabrielle muttered.

“He won’t defend himself at all,” Asher complained.

“Maybe it takes more strength not to pick up a sword than to use one sometimes, you might think about that and give him a break,” Gabrielle suggested.

“You became a warrior,” Asher countered.

“Because I had more to live for than to die for, I guess,” Gabrielle said thoughtfully.  “Your brother has a principle, a way of life that he’s willing to die for, just like you do.”

The young Hebrew looked thoughtful and Gabrielle stood up with the blanket wrapped around her.

“I never wanted to be a warrior, Asher,” Gabrielle said softly.  “I did it to save my life.  Don’t try and force your brother into something he’s not, you could destroy more than his physical life.”

Gabrielle smiled and walked outside of the home and sat down on the bench outside, leaving the young man to his thoughts. 

The bard didn’t look surprised when a figure stepped out of the shadows around the corner of the house and sat down next to her.

“I overheard your conversation,” Eli began.

“I heard you in the hall,” Gabrielle responded.

“Thank you for talking to him,” Eli said simply.

“Not a problem,” Gabrielle grinned at the taller man and he smiled back. 

“You have the most gentle energy,” he commented and then began blushing as Gabrielle raised her eyebrows in question.  “No, that’s not a statement to flatter you.  It’s what I sense about you.”

“You haven’t seen me in a fight,” Gabrielle smiled a sad smile.

“I have a feeling you only do what is necessary.  The Way of Love isn’t for everyone.  It’s very difficult and not meant for everyone.  I fail a lot, myself,” he grinned.

            “Really?” Gabrielle grinned.

“Yes, I’m not sure I’m strong enough most of the time.  Asher is part of a large movement in Palestine, they desire to overthrow the Romans and the corrupt rich and royal Jews.”

“What do you want, Eli?” the bard asked.

“Me?  I don’t know.  I haven’t found what God has called me to do yet.”

“Who is Caleb?”

“Part of the Order that I’ve studied with, learning the Way of Love as well as the other Ways.  He is the most scholarly among us and most serious, if he called for help then the trouble is real,” Eli explained.

“We’d better get some rest, we’ll get everything together for the journey tomorrow.  Xena will take Asher to her work and get those manacles and that collar off of him.”

“Thank you for everything and I’m sorry.”

“For what?” the bard asked with a puzzled face.

“For whatever my brother says in the future,” Eli grinned and Gabrielle found herself joining in his smile.

“You will have to keep him quiet whenever we’re around Romans or nobility,” Gabrielle agreed.

“You mean around most anyone!”

Gabrielle laughed and Eli joined her but they both knew the words were true.  It was going to be difficult to keep Asher’s rebellious nature in check.

 

 

"I hate ships," Gabrielle muttered as the group stood on the dock of Eion. 

Sasha looked up at her Gabby Mum and smiled and the bard couldn't help but smile back. 

It had been a hectic day, getting the basic travel stuff together and then Solan, Reija, Sasha and the new baby had come home and Sasha had insisted on going with them.

That had led to a huge argument with Asher firmly on one side and Gabrielle on the other.  Both Eli and Xena tried to stay out of it, mostly.  Asher had been against taking a small female child into possible danger and Gabrielle knew he was right, if Sasha had been any other child but the child had whispered to Xena and Gabrielle that Sasha just "knew" she had to go with them.  It was one of those feeling things she got.

Gabrielle and Xena had the difficult task of convincing the young men that Sasha could come along without revealing that she had special gifts, gifts she had received by being the child of Ares and Xena.  Ares, the God of War and Xena the daughter of Zeus, Hecate and Cyrene. 

Knowing Asher's hatred of any god but his, both the bard and warrior wanted to keep Sasha's birthright quiet.  That made convincing him that the small child could come along with them to fight a God of War extremely difficult. 

The argument had finally ended when Eli had squatted down and looked Sasha deeply in the eyes. Neither man nor child spoke but everyone could sense something passing between them.  At last Eli had stood up and turned to his brother and announced that Sasha was going with them and if Asher didn't agree then he could stay behind and dodge Romans as a runaway slave.

Asher had turned bright red and stormed out of the house but didn't say anything when they left for the coastal town with Sasha riding behind Gabrielle.

"I thought you were from Poteidia," Eli commented as he stood beside the bard while Asher sat on a pylon sulking and Xena haggled their fare across the Mediterranean to Judea.

"I am," the bard responded with a smile.

"Isn't it a coastal town?" the scholar questioned.

"Yes, that doesn't mean that I ever went out on the boats," she said grimly.

"Ah, seasickness?" he smiled gently.

"Major," Gabrielle muttered, her face already going pale at the thought of getting on a ship. 

"My stomach doesn't like it but I don't get too sick," he commented.

"I do," she grimaced again and then turned to Eli with a thoughtful look.  "Why did you agree to Sasha coming?" she asked as Sasha broke away from them and ran to her Xena mom, who was coming down a gangplank from the ship.

"Her eyes told me that she's going to be needed during our journey.  Like most students of the Ways, I have a little bit of a gift and sometimes just know things.  So does Sasha, I could see it in her and knew that she has received a little bit more knowledge than we have."

"But she doesn't know what she knows, she says it's just a feeling."

"You trust that feeling though," he stated.

"Yes, she's been right before and she's special."

"She's part god, isn't she?"

Gabrielle felt her body tense.

"No offense," he quickly stammered, seeing the bard's eyes narrow and the body shift slightly.  "I sense divinity around her, that's all.  I don't mean to pry."

"Are you an oracle?" Gabrielle frowned; trying to figure out the two men she was traveling with.  One a religious zealot and the other a scholar and possible mystic?

"No, I have some healing gifts and some insight.  A lot of us do, especially those who believe in the Kingdom of God.  It's something that God touches us with to help us do his work," the young man answered.

"Like being the Chosen of Ares will make you a better fighter and more likely to have victory in battle," Gabrielle said.

"Yes, God gifts some of his children with ability to do miracles and predict the future and sometimes with a touch of madness, I think."

"Xena's calling us to the ship.” Gabrielle said as Xena waved to them.  “Oh Gods, grant a smooth sailing," the bard muttered under her breath as they began walking towards the gangplank.

"Amen," Eli muttered next to her.

 

 

Xena walked up behind Gabrielle on the deck of the small ship later that evening as the bard hung over the railing.  The warrior waited with a pained expression of sympathy until Gabrielle could stand upright again and placed an arm around her mate's shoulders.

"I'm sorry, little one, it's the quickest and safest way to Syria," Xena said softly.

"I know, I know, just put me out my misery, okay?"

Xena smiled down at her mate and knew the bard's frustration.  There was nothing anyone could do.  Eating small bits of ashes helped settle the stomach and Xena could always use some pressure points, only then Gabrielle would be faced with losing all sense of taste and would always be hungry.  Once the pressure points were released she was usually sick with whatever she had eaten on board the ship.

Gabrielle had decided to suffer with the sickness.

"You know where we're going they frown on our type of relationship," Xena began cautiously.

"I know, it's punishable by death in most of the countries on that side of the sea," Gabrielle nodded. "And with Asher's hot temper you think it's a good idea if we not share the same bedroll on this trip."

Xena sighed with relief; she hadn't quite known how to approach her mate with this suggestion.  Normally the warrior didn't care what anyone thought but she didn't want to have the added hassle when they weren't really sure what they were walking into.

"Yeah, I guess so," she agreed.

"Probably for the best," Gabrielle agreed and sighed herself.  "Won't be easy, you know," she continued with a gleam in her eyes and was pleased when Xena's eyebrows went up in playful questioning.

"Really?" the warrior whispered, pulling the bard into her arms.

"Nope," Gabrielle whispered back, "You're irresistible," the bard said as she leaned up for a kiss and then surprised her mate by backing out of Xena's arms with a grin.  "I guess we shouldn't be doing that, someone might see us."

"Gabrielle," Xena growled and Gabrielle smiled her impish grin before her face changed when another high wave rocked  the ship and hung onto and over the railing as the battle with her stomach interrupted the couple's playfulness.

Xena grimaced, as Gabrielle was sick once again.

 

 

Once on solid land the bard was back to her friendly self and Asher found himself loosening up in spite of himself as they rode along the dry land of the Syrian coast.

"Your people think that your god has turned away from you because your people stopped following his laws?" the bard questioned as they rode behind Xena and Eli.

"Yes, the Torah says: If you follow My laws and are careful to keep My commandments, I will provide rain at the right time, so that the land will bear its crops and the trees of the field will provide fruit," he quoted. "Then Yahweh also promises that we will have so much that the threshing season of wheat will last until time to harvest the grapes and we will have our fill of food."

"What else?" Gabrielle questioned.

"That we will sleep without fear, that Yahweh will chase away all our enemies.  He says that five of us will be able to chase away a 100 and a 100 of us will be able to defeat ten thousand."

"Wow," the bard commented, processing the information, "What happened to change that?"

"The people turned away and began breaking the covenant with God and He turned from us.  The Torah says: Thus, I will be a God to you and you will be a nation dedicated to Me. If you come to denigrate My decrees, and grow tired of My laws, you will have broken My covenant.  I will then do the same to you.  It's said that God will direct His anger against us and we will be defeated by our foes and that God will send the plague against us and give us to our enemies.  The land will became barren and we will be scattered among the nations and remain desolate and our cities in ruin with every sword turned against us."

The bard frowned in thought.  "So if you rid your land of the Romans and those Hebrews that break your covenant with your God what will happen?”

"Then He will turn His favor once more to us and restore our land and make the nations of the world bow down to us under Him," Asher smiled, his eyes shining brightly.

"And the Zealots are willing to use force to achieve this?"  Gabrielle could see Xena and Eli listening in on the conversation as well.

"Yes, we are soldiers for God and have His blessing and protection.  King Herod spends riches on buildings and we pay for it in taxes that leaves us with nothing.  He prefers the Roman life to that of a good Jew," Asher answered simply.

"How can you fight against the Romans?"

"We take our example from the great David and the Maccabees, we hide in the caves of the mountains and strike on Roman army units and harass and destroy the property of rich Jews and heathens.  We encourage the people not to pay their taxes to Rome and Herod." 

“So why are you traveling with Eli to neutralize the Chakram of Light?” the bard questioned.

“I saw Eli and just escaped, he was already looking for you and Xena, and I’m along for the ride.  After he settles the chakram thing then we’ll return to Palestine and I’ll join the other Zealots hiding out from the Romans and corrupt officials,” Asher answered.

“Mum?” Sasha’s voice interrupted the question the bard was about to ask the young religious fanatic.  Gabrielle glanced over her shoulder to the child holding on behind her.

“Yes, Sasha?”

“Trouble,” the youngster said simply.

“Xena!” Gabrielle called just as Xena reigned in her horse and was motioning for Eli to stop.

Fifteen riders appeared at the top of a grassy ridge ahead of the travelers.  Both groups took in each other.  Xena and the others dressed much alike in flowing shirts and billowing trousers, the second group was dressed in armor and carried the curved swords that were popular among the desert people.  The armor reminded Xena of the Persians.

The lead soldier drew his sword and sounded out a desert war cry and pushed his horse forward in a charge down the hill with the rest of the soldiers following behind.

“Let me guess,” Xena growled, “Soldier priests of Kal?”

“Good guess,” Eli agreed.

“Let’s ride, where to?” Xena hated being in unfamiliar territory, especially a foreign land.  Canyons could lead to dead-ends, locals could be hostile, and the terrain could turn against you in a moment.

Eli turned his horse to the right and began riding as fast as his horse could be encouraged to run.  The small band of travelers right behind him with Xena holding back to take up the rear.

“At least they don’t have archers!” Gabrielle shouted to Asher.

“Thank God!  Eli, hurry!”

“Gabrielle, make sure everyone is safe!” Xena called.

“What are you doing?” her mate demanded.

“I’m going to delay them, leave trail signs if you can!”

“I’m not leaving you!” Gabrielle protested as they rode.

“Keep Sasha safe!” Xena insisted and the bard growled but nodded her head in agreement.

Xena pulled her horse up to a stop and growled when Asher rode up beside her.

“What are you doing?” she demanded.

“I’m a soldier, unlike my brother,” he responded, drawing his sword.

“Alright, just do exactly as I say,” the warrior growled.  Seeing the flash of anger in his eyes, Xena hesitated.  “I mean it, Asher.  I’m a lot more experienced at fighting than you are.”

“Alright, I agree.”

“Then when I say, ride as fast as you can in the middle of them with your sword and keep low.  Make only one pass and then wait for my next move!” Xena ordered.

Xena drew her sword and waited for a moment and then shouted her war cry and spurred her horse into action with Asher a moment behind.

 

“Eli, where are we going?” Gabrielle shouted as she rode beside him with Sasha clinging to her Gabby Mum.

“It’s a longer way to Caleb’s house,” he responded.

Gabrielle hated leaving Xena behind and swore under her breath, cursing any and all War Gods.  “Hang on, Sasha!”

 

 

Xena turned her horse and Asher moved his horse around to be next to hers as they faced the soldier priests, who were also turning their horses.  Xena had managed to take two priests out with her sword and one with her dagger and Asher had also killed two priest soldiers. 

“They’re tougher and more skilled than most priests,” Xena muttered.  “When I give the word we go back through.  I really hate this but take out the horses.”

“What?” Asher asked with a frown.

“They can’t follow if they don’t have horses, as much as I hate to hurt the horses,” Xena explained.

“I don’t care about the horses, why not kill the men if we have the chance?”

“We’ve a better chance with the horses, just do it! We don’t have time to argue!”

Xena spurred her horse into action as the soldier priests drew closer, trying to shut off her mind to what she was about to do.  Asher, grumbling, was right behind her.

The warrior steeled herself and headed straight for the riders coming at them.  She tried to close her ears and mind to the screams of horses and the yells of their riders as they fell.  Xena ducked several swords and broke through the group and had started to break for the trail Gabrielle, Eli and Sasha had taken when she realized that Asher wasn’t with her.  Xena stopped her horse with a curse and turned to see Asher fighting two priests on the edge of the group. The rest of the group was beginning to divide between following her and heading towards Asher.

Xena swore a general curse and threw her dagger and moved her horse back towards the warrior priests.  The dagger buried deep in the eye of one soldier about to stab Asher and Xena reached down and grabbed the war axe she used as backup to her sword since losing her original chakram and sent it flying.  It cut the throat of the other priest the young Jew was fighting.

Xena forced her horse through the center of the soldier priests again, flaying with her sword in all directions and caught the shaft of the war axe and yanked it out of the throat of the priest with her left hand in time to strike out with it and cut the throat of another priest.

“Move!” she yelled at Asher and then swore again as his horse went down.  Xena flipped off her horse and landed next to the young religious warrior, parrying a sword strike from one of the priests.  She grabbed the dying soldier and yanked him off his horse and grabbed the reins of his horse.

Xena reached down and pulled Asher to his feet and handed him the reins.  “Go!” she shouted and turned to take on four soldier priests on horseback crowding close to her. Throwing the war axe and following through with a series of sword strikes, Xena cleared a little space and Asher was able to mount the horse.

Xena slashed at the horses nearest her and then grabbed another priest off his horse and mounted it in his place.  With a shout the warrior followed a fleeing Asher, continuing to slash at the horses in her way.

 

 

“Sasha, is your Mom okay?” Gabrielle called to the child behind her.

“Yes, for now but she’s angry at Asher,” the young voice reached the bard.

“Figures,” the bard muttered, following behind Eli through a forest.

“What?” Eli asked over his shoulder, slowing his horse down in the forest terrain.

“Sasha says that Xena and Asher are alright but Xena’s upset with your brother,” Gabrielle grinned as she slowed her horse as well.

“Why am I not surprised?” Eli’s blue eyes danced in amusement.  He glanced around the forest.

“Caleb’s place is about two miles from here, the trail branches off in three different directions.  Can you mark the trail for Xena to follow but hide it from the soldiers of Kal?”  the scholar asked.

“Yes, she knows to look for Amazon signs,” Gabrielle answered.

“That’s right, I heard you tell Asher that you are an Amazon.  Good thing you cut that conversation off!” Eli grinned as they moved along the path.  “He has a particular dislike for women warriors, especially the Amazons and gladiators.”

“Terrific, I fit that on all accounts,” the bard complained.

“I know but he does realize that you didn’t become a gladiator of your choice.  Xena told me a little bit about that on the ship.”

“You mean while I was heaving up my guts?”

“Yeah, something like that,” Eli smiled.

They continued on until they reached the end of the forest and faced three different paths.  Eli pointed to the left path and Gabrielle nodded and dismounted, leaving Sasha on the horse.

The Amazon Queen moved to the woods next to the left trail and broke several branches and turned and found Eli watching her with a puzzled look.  The bard grinned and walked back to the horses.

“Xena will know the pattern.  Now, let’s move down the middle trail for a bit and then backtrack,” she suggested.

“Mum!”  Sasha screamed and Gabrielle instinctively ducked.

Both warrior bard and scholar mystic were surprised by the energy bolt that cut down a tree just behind the bard.  Eli dived off his horse while Gabrielle grabbed Sasha as the child leaped from the horse she shared with the bard.

The three began to run for the trees as energy bolts exploded around them.

They had almost reached the trees when Gabrielle was thrown forward into a tree by a blast hitting her square in the back. 

 

 

Xena and Asher moved as fast as their horses would carry them, the warrior cursing the blood covering her hands and legs from the horses and men she had slain, especially the horses.

“Why didn’t you listen? You could have been killed!” she yelled at the young Zealot.

“I don’t take orders from a female!” he snapped.

“Then your mother must have had her hands full in raising you!” the warrior growled back and wanted to backhand the Zealot as he glared at her.

“I was doing fine!” he yelled.

“Right! One against ten on horseback, I don’t think so.”

“They don’t seem to be following, why?” Asher asked, glancing backwards.

Xena checked as well and frowned.  “I don’t know, those with horses should be all over us.  Unless…”

“What?”

“Sasha!” Xena spurred her horse to an even faster speed.  “They were a diversion, meant to split us up!” she yelled as Asher struggled to catch up.

“Eli?”

“Kal is after Sasha, Gabrielle or Eli,” the warrior growled.

 

 

Xena was off her horse before it had completely stopped when they reached the crossroads and she saw Gabrielle sitting by a tree, her head between her knees and Eli kneeling next to the bard, dabbing at Gabrielle’s back with a cloth.

Gabrielle looked up at the sound of the horses and dropped her head again.

“Where’s Sasha?” Xena demanded as Asher finally stopped his horse behind hers and dismounted.

“He took her,” Eli said simply, his eyes filling with tears.

“Who?”

“He didn’t introduce himself but I’m guessing it was Kal,” Gabrielle muttered.

Xena squatted in front of Gabrielle and gently raised the bard’s head up and frowned at the sight of the blood trickling from her mate’s mouth, cut cheek and hollow eyes.  The warrior then raised up and took in the sight of the bard’s burned back.  Something had burned a hand’s width wound in Gabrielle’s back.

“Where is she, Gabrielle?” Xena asked softly, her blue eyes intense.

“I don’t know.  Fire bolts came out of nowhere and we were running for the trees. Next thing I know someone has me by the neck and holding me off the ground,” Gabrielle stated.  “I kicked and fought back and got thrown into a tree.”

“Before she could get up he backhanded her and then kicked her.  He drew his sword and was aimed at her neck,” Eli said.  “Sasha and I stopped running and Sasha agreed to go with him if he spared Gabrielle.  Sasha walked over to him and they disappeared and Gabrielle passed out.”

“You didn’t try to protect her?” Xena frowned.

“I’m not a fighter, Xena, I cannot raise my hand in violence,” the young man answered.

“I can understand sacrificing your own life for a principle but you didn’t fight for a child?” the warrior demanded.

 “I understand your anger and I will do anything I can to get Sasha back except fight or do violence,” Eli said simply as he lowered Gabrielle’s tunic down.  The bard hissed with pain and gritted her teeth.

Xena frowned but stood up and helped Gabrielle to her feet.

“Can you ride?” the warrior asked briskly.

“Yes,” the bard answered and then frowned as Xena turned and started towards the horses.

“Xena?” Gabrielle called softly but the warrior kept walking.  The bard’s eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement, she knew Xena had heard her.

“You can ride behind me and Eli behind Asher,” Xena stated, quickly mounting the horse she had taken from the priest of Kal.

“Xena? What is it?” Gabrielle questioned.

“Let’s move,” Xena ordered.

“Where?” Eli asked, coming up behind Gabrielle.

“Wherever the chakram is, that’s where Kal will be with Sasha,” Xena answered.