The Final Battleground,
The Journey Continues
by Frau Hunter Ash
(a.k.a. Dana Cooper-Kjarr)
Disclaimers:
I don’t own Xena, Gabrielle, Ares or any of the others, this is meant for entertainment purposes. Don’t bother suing me, this is my life, in other words: I have no money.
Subtext: I don’t think it’s subtext any longer, even Lucy thinks Xena was “outed” and Rob recently commented on the profound love between Xena and Gabrielle. This story assumes a loving and physical relationship between Gabrielle and Xena. No sex but plenty of love.
Violence: a beating but even less than a typical episode.
Storyline: My own continuation of the saga of Gabrielle and Xena after the controversial “A Friend in Need.” My muse has been driving me crazy the last few days and finally gave me the scene to build the story around. This is shorter than my usual stuff but it needed to get out, maybe someday I’ll expand it.
Contains spoilers to the ending of the series.
The ship hit another rough wave and Gabrielle held onto the bunk under her and gritted her teeth.
“Xena,” she whispered.
“I’m here, Gabrielle,” a voice in the dark answered and the bard felt a weight settle in next to her.
“I’ve gotten used to traveling by boat but sometimes…” the bard muttered.
“I know, I know,” Xena responded, wishing she could ease her soul mate’s discomfort but there was very little she could do in this state between life and death.
“At least that mess in Egypt is over,” Xena commented, hoping to distract the seasick bard.
“Yup, with your help,” Gabrielle muttered.
Traveling to Egypt and helping Cleopatra’s daughter with a problem with enemy armies had kept the bard distracted and given her a focus for her energy. The long sea voyage had given Gabrielle a little time to grieve but it wasn’t easy for her.
There were advantages to having Xena around as a somewhat solid ghost but there were disadvantages too. Gabrielle never knew whether she was alone or not and it was hard to grieve losing Xena when she really wasn’t gone. The bitch of it was that Xena wasn’t really there either, not the way Gabrielle wanted.
No one else could see Xena but some could sense her presence and Gabrielle figured it probably helped that the bard herself was somewhat empathic. Making the connection solid was the fact that Xena and Gabrielle were soul mates and were determined to be together, even with Death trying to separate them.
The sea voyage to Egypt from the Japans had consisted of countless arguments and some anger between the two. Gabrielle was still angry at the situation and figured she really wouldn’t get over it either, the anger would only lessen, never going away. Xena had listened to Gabrielle yell and rant and had taken it with little argument back or discussion. When the warrior did argue back it went nowhere but in circles.
The bard was upset with Xena for dying in the first place, even if it was to save 40,000 souls. She was also upset that she hadn’t been given the chance to stand with her mate at the end.
Then Xena had decided to stay dead to redeem those souls. That had really been a yelling point for Gabrielle. When Xena had stopped the bard from bringing the warrior back, Gabrielle hadn’t had much time to think about it nor to make the decision. She had abided by Xena’s wishes and let the opportunity to bring Xena back to life fade with the setting sun.
Now that she had some time to think about it, Gabrielle was extremely angry with both Xena and Akemi. She had argued with Xena that it should have been Akemi to take responsibility for the souls, not Xena and the warrior had agreed but pointed out that it was done. Xena had caused the death of those villagers, accident or not, and now she was paying for it so they could peace.
Gabrielle had thrown a fit over that and fortunately there wasn’t a lot in a small ship’s cabin to break.
To work off the energy the bard had continued her sword practice, her daily work out was now even more rigorous than Xena’s had been. Stretching, muscle building and practice with the various weapons the bard now carried and used. Gabrielle had also refused to talk to Xena for three days, no matter how much the warrior had pleaded.
They had finally started talking when Gabrielle finally broke down into a night of tears and a spectral Xena held her, trying to comfort her.
Not much about the entire incident in Nippon made sense to the bard, especially losing Xena permanently. Only Xena’s ghost being with her was making it bearable, barely.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Gabrielle reflected back to Egypt and was glad it was over. It had been a time of discovery for the warrior bard and Gabrielle knew Xena had intended it as such. Xena had stayed in the background, forcing Gabrielle to take the lead in decisions and in the fighting, when it came down to it.
Gabrielle, in turn, had resisted only for a bit and then accepted her new role as solo hero. She discovered that she wasn’t just a mirror of Xena and no longer the student. Gabrielle did things differently than Xena would have and her fighting style was different, not as many gravity-defying flips but more acrobatic and inventive. Now armed with sword, sais, and chakram, the little bard turned warrior was deadly when pushed.
Xena had expressed her pride in her mate many times during that trip and Gabrielle had blushed but accepted the praise. The one thing the bard didn’t use was “the pinch.” She found she was reluctant to use one of Xena’s trademarks. She already had the chakram and discovered it responded to her just as it had to Xena but Gabrielle wasn’t ready to use the pinch even though Xena had shown her how to do it.
Cleopatra the Younger had urged the bard to grieve and move on with her life but Gabrielle had smiled a sad smile and simply shook her head. She wasn’t ready to let go of Xena, even on the surface where others could see her grief. They couldn’t see Xena standing beside her at times and comforting her at night but they could see the haunted look that had overtaken the bard.
They could also see the sealed box that held Xena’s ashes. Cleopatra the Younger had offered a tomb of honor for the Warrior Princess but Gabrielle had politely refused, saying she wished to take Xena’s ashes home to the family crypt. In truth, Gabrielle wasn’t sure she was going to let go of the box even though Xena was urging her to settle it.
Xena felt her heart go out to Gabrielle as the young woman began to cry again. The warrior had lost track of how many times she had held the bard as she cried. They had both run out of arguments.
The warrior had hoped that Gabrielle could understand her decision. Xena had known when she chose death that it would be permanent this time; it was the only way to make up for what had happened all those years before in the Japans.
Xena knew it was the right thing to do but it was killing her to see Gabrielle grieving. The warrior wondered if she should just leave and let the bard move on without her but anytime she began to talk about it Gabrielle wouldn’t listen, talk about it or even consider it.
Gabrielle had even threatened to cross over if Xena even considered leaving her.
Xena knew that the bard had taken more than a fair share of
chances in the battles she had faced in Egypt and Xena was worried. Gabrielle was moving and reacting but not
really living. Xena was worried that
the bard might actually be looking for her own last battle.
Gabrielle had questioned her endlessly about what it meant for Xena to be dead and what the “rules” were.
Those had been some of the most difficult discussions because Xena didn’t have all the answers herself, either Gabrielle had argued that if the souls were at peace, how could they become restless again if Xena had come back to life and Xena really didn’t know how to explain it. The warrior couldn’t even explain her role now in the universe. All she knew was that she was caught in the realm between living and dead and unable to move on as long until the souls choose to reincarnate back into the life cycle.
Both the bard and warrior hoped that some of the souls would wait for a few more years at least. Xena wanted as much time with Gabrielle as she could as long as the bard was living.
Xena knew that they would be together when Gabrielle crossed over but didn’t want to see Gabrielle’s life end any time soon.
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Xena watched as the bard dressed the next morning, again marveling at the dragon tattoo that now decorated her soul mate’s body. The work was magnificent and looked beautiful on the bard’s back. The warrior felt a pain filling her body, wishing she could lovingly touch that body once more. She was able to touch Gabrielle and hold her but something happened when they tried to get intimate; Xena disappeared.
Gabrielle had howled over that part of the “rules,” and Xena had to agree with her life-mate.
The bard felt the passionate stare and turned with a smile. “I love you too,” she said simply.
“At least the sea has calmed down,” Xena grinned.
“Yeah, should be a smooth docking,” Gabrielle agreed, packing the last of her things into her pack.
“Decided where we’re heading yet?” Xena asked, her hand on the bard’s shoulder.
“Not really, Eve is off somewhere in Palestine or India and I have no idea where Virgil is. Everyone else is gone,” there was a note of sadness in the bard’s voice and she leaned onto Xena’s hand. The warrior felt the bard lean back into her.
“I’m still here, my bard,” Xena whispered.
“I know,” Gabrielle angrily wiped a tear away.
“I’m sorry, Gabrielle,” Xena said.
“For what this time?” the bard tried to smile.
“You stuck by me, even when all the gods were against us. That cost you twenty five years and our families,” Xena said softly.
Gabrielle turned and smiled into the beautiful blue eyes of her warrior. “I didn’t even think twice, Xena. My place was with you and always has been and always will be.”
“Maybe a visit to the Amazons?” Xena suggested, changing the subject.
“I don’t know, I feel kinda lost, without direction,” Gabrielle admitted.
“I know,” Xena’s voice was compassionate.
“Maybe I’ll visit Lila and Sarah, see how they’re doing,” Gabrielle muttered, grabbing up her pack as they felt the ship easing into the harbor.
Xena frowned, wondering how to help.
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Gabrielle moved quickly through the coastal town of Elaea, buying few supplies and brushing off a few offers of company for a romp in nearby taverns. The bard was still adjusting to not talking to Xena out loud whenever they were around people. Gabrielle could see Xena next to her but knew no one else could and it was still difficult not to talk to her mate. Gabrielle could barely remember a time when they weren’t together.
Xena, however, could talk all she wished to the bard since no one else could hear her. The warrior looked puzzled as the bard hesitated. Xena then frowned as she realized they were standing in front of a temple and spotted the statues of Aphrodite.
“A temple? You normally don’t hit temples,” Xena commented.
Gabrielle laughed softly, glancing around quickly to see if anyone noticed she was laughing at nothing, at thin air.
“That’s usually because you were with me, my stoic warrior,” Gabrielle muttered.
“Quiet, my bard,” Xena advised and Gabrielle shifted to mentally talking with her mate.
“Aphrodite is a friend and we don’t have a lot of them left,” Gabrielle muttered in her thoughts and Xena kept quiet, this was one argument she couldn’t win and so she wisely kept silent.
“She has been a friend, let’s say hi and see if she shows up,” Xena agreed.
“Thank you, Xena,” Gabrielle thought simply and entered the temple. The bard dropped a couple of coins into the offering box and sat down on a bench as priests intoned chants and offered sweet incense at the altar. A few people were also sitting on benches, offering their own prayers or pleadings.
Gabrielle waited patiently until the other petitioners had left and the priests had moved outside to some duties or something. The bard approached the altar with a glance back to where Xena still sat on the bench.
“Not a word, warrior!” Gabrielle warned and turned back to the altar.
Xena was notorious for her irreverence to the gods, especially since she had killed most of the major Olympians when they were hunting her infant Eve. The warrior tolerated Aphrodite because the Goddess of Love had never worked against them. True, some of the schemes the Goddess had come up with had gone a little awry but she never wanted to hurt either Gabrielle or Xena. Aphrodite also considered Gabrielle a friend.
“Aphrodite,” the bard began softly. “Can you come? I’d like to talk.”
The bard burst into a grin as the air near the altar shifted and began shining and Aphrodite appeared.
She quickly hugged the bard tightly and then backed up and began looking the bard over, including turning Gabrielle around.
“Ooooo! Nice work, babe! It suits you!” Aphrodite squealed at the sight of the tattoos.
“Thanks,” the bard continued grinning.
Aphrodite then glanced over at Xena. “Sorry to hear about your early crossing, tall, dark and gorgeous.”
“You can see her?” Gabrielle asked.
“Of course! I’m a Goddess, remember?” Dite grinned. “I’m glad you’re sticking around though. You are totally messing up this couple thing between you, though.”
“I didn’t have a choice,” Xena growled, walking up behind Gabrielle.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Dite dismissed the argument with a wave of her hand. “So what’s up, Green Eyes?”
“You’ve seen the strands of Fate, right?” Gabrielle questioned and felt Xena’s spirit body stiffen behind her.
“Yeah,” Dite answered slowly and cautiously.
“Will Xena and I be together when I cross again?” the bard asked.
“Yes, you two are fated to be together through eternity, with every life you lead and inbetween,” Dite answered with a smile.
“Thank the gods,” the bard muttered. “I was worried with this half-state she’s in.”
“Don’t worry, babe. She’s your soul mate and only divine interference will keep you two apart,” Aphrodite smiled and then grew cautious again as Gabrielle’s eyes narrowed.
“Wait a minute!” Gabrielle growled. “You said ‘early’ crossing.”
“I did?” Aphrodite asked innocently and then held up her hands in protest as Gabrielle’s hand dropped to the chakram now at her side. “Whoa, gorgeous!”
“What did you mean by ‘early crossing’?” Gabrielle demanded and brushed off Xena’s hand on her shoulder.
“Gabrielle,” Aphrodite had lost her smile. “I can’t explain.”
Both Xena and Aphrodite were surprised when Gabrielle clenched her fists and screamed in frustration.
“Xena can’t explain everything about this half-dead state of hers! You can’t explain what?” she demanded.
Aphrodite tapped her foot impatiently and raised her hands to snap her fingers and Gabrielle pointed at the Goddess.
“Don’t you dare duck out on me!” she warned. “You owe us! We’re the reason you can zap all over the place and drive people nuts!”
“Babe, listen,” Dite tried to calm the bard down. “There are some things we can’t talk about.”
Gabrielle again shook off Xena’s hands. Her eyes widened suddenly.
“You’ve seen the strands of Fate!” she snapped. “Xena wasn’t meant to die so soon!”
Aphrodite looked into Xena’s eyes and then at Gabrielle.
“Yes, I’ve seen the strands,” the Goddess admitted, her usual fluffy attitude suddenly turned serious. “Xena wasn’t meant to die this young without you. You two are meant to be together, either in life or in death, not like this.”
Gabrielle’s head dropped forward, her anger suddenly turned to grief again and she let Xena lead her to the nearest bench.
“Gabrielle, let it go!” Xena urged.
“What do you mean, let it go?” the bard demanded. “I wasn’t meant to lose you!”
“It’s done, Gabrielle!” Xena snapped, pulling Gabrielle’s chin up until the bard’s green eyes looked at her. “We can’t change it!”
“Damnit!” Gabrielle shouted and jumped to her feet, pacing in front of the altar. She spun to face Aphrodite. “If this is against the Fates, can’t it be fixed?”
“I don’t know how,” Dite admitted. “No one can bring her back without someone staying in that netherworld for all those souls.”
“Then take me! I want her alive!” the bard shouted.
“That makes even less sense,” Xena complained.
“Fine!” Gabrielle snapped. “Now what do we do?”
“Move on with your life, my love,” Xena said softly.
“Damnit!” Gabrielle collapsed into Xena’s arms as Aphrodite wiped a tear from her cheek and disappeared.
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Gabrielle set up camp quickly and efficiently, it did take longer without Xena but they had been camping on the road forever. The bard was self-sufficient now.
Xena was frowning as she watched her mate go through the motions. Gabrielle was quiet, that was no longer unusual but she was even quieter than she had been over the last two moons.
The pain was practically visibly radiating from the warrior bard.
“Gabrielle, please,” the warrior pleaded but Gabrielle refused to meet her eyes, brushing away a tear again.
“I need some time to process this, okay,” she muttered and Xena merely sighed.
Xena was hurting too but needed to be strong for her mate. The warrior didn’t like the idea that she was separated from Gabrielle either.
“What’s the matter?” a voice suddenly demanded. “Trouble bard?”
Gabrielle spun quickly with sword in hand and Ares found the blade of her katana at his throat.
“Go ahead, you can’t hurt me and you know it,” he taunted.
“What do you want, Ares?” she asked, pulling the sword back. Gabrielle wasn’t sure if the sword could hurt him or not, it had been blessed specially by the Ghost Killer priest in Nippon. It just might hurt a deity, she thought, but decided to keep that thought to herself for the moment.
“I heard the talk you had with Dite,” he commented and glanced over at a snarling Xena. “And you!” he shouted. “How in Tartarus could you think this was a good idea?”
The warrior shrugged and continued to glare at him. “What do you want, Ares?”
“For once me and the bard agree, you were an idiot!” he shouted.
Gabrielle couldn’t help but smirk, “I never thought I’d see the day we agreed about anything except how fantastic Xena is.”
Ares turned and glared at Gabrielle and she instinctively retreated a step.
“You let her! You let her stay dead!” he shouted.
“I followed her wishes,” Gabrielle muttered.
“Screw her wishes! This isn’t the best thing!” he countered.
“Stop shouting at me and tell me what you want!” she shouted back.
“You, actually,” he answered with a feral grin and flashed an energy bolt from his hands, catching the bard unprepared but not defenseless.
Gabrielle’s wrist snapped the katana sword around and was surprised when the blade deflected the energy ball away into the trees.
Ares looked astonished and Xena looked as shocked but grinned as Gabrielle took a fighter’s stance with the sword. The warrior recognized the grin on the bard’s face, it was the same type of smile she got when facing a good fight.
“I don’t know what you want, Ares, but I don’t think so!” Gabrielle snapped as Ares drew his sword and closed the space between them.
Xena couldn’t be more pleased with her mate as she watched her lover and the God of War fight. She could see Gabrielle’s senses shift as she listened to the noise under the surface, just as Xena had taught her.
The swords moved so fast that sparks flew and Xena gritted her teeth, feeling more helpless than ever since her death. She screamed in frustration as a strike caught Gabrielle across the left bicep and the bard hissed in anger and flipped backwards. She raised her sword and blocked another slash and countered with two of her own that drove Ares backwards.
“Ares, what do you want with Gabrielle?” Xena screamed.
“If you won’t do it then I will!” he shouted and backhanded Gabrielle across the small clearing.
“Do what? Stop it!” Xena screamed.
Gabrielle shook her head and rose up on her hands and knees, trying to clear her head. She was thrown to the ground when an energy bolt hit her square in the back. The bard looked around and grinned when she realized that Ares was sitting on his tailbone and rubbing his head.
“What in name of Zeus is that?” he demanded, pointing at the bard’s back.
“A gift,” Gabrielle muttered, once again the dragon tattoo had protected her from a supernatural being.
“Whatever!” he muttered and leaped to his feet. “As for you, Xena, I intend to fix things!”
“What?” she demanded as he began fighting with her mate again.
“To bring you back!” he snapped.
Gabrielle was so surprised by his sentence that she momentarily hesitated. It was enough for Ares to backhand her again and follow through with another energy bolt to her chest and head.
Xena screamed when Gabrielle didn’t move.
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The bard moaned, it felt like her body had been stomped by a Cyclops who had been in a bad mood. She tried to raise her head and groaned again.
Gabrielle pulled herself upright on her feet and glared at the shackles holding her arms up above her shoulders, taking the weight off her wrists and arms. She had no idea how long she had hung suspended by the chains but it felt like at least a candle-mark by the pain in her wrists, arms and shoulders.
Looking around the bard found herself in a stone room that was decorated with red and black banners with various symbols and weapons. A black throne with red cushions and a set of simple furniture finished the room.
“Ares,” Gabrielle muttered.
“Yup,” a voice agreed and Xena appeared in front of the bard.
“Xena, where am I?”
“Mt Olympus, the Hall of Ares, his personal space,” Xena answered, gently stroking Gabrielle’s cheek and then lightly kissing her lips.
“What does he want? Has he gone insane?” Gabrielle asked as Xena pulled back slightly. “And where are our weapons?”
“Your weapons, my love,” Xena corrected with a smile. She pointed to a table and the bard could see her cloak covering something, probably her weapons and clothes.
Gabrielle blushed as she realized all she had on was her leather halter-top and skirt. Her boots, over tunic and everything else had been removed.
“Why the hell did he take my boots?” she asked.
“He’s afraid I taught you the trick of hiding lock picks in your clothing like Autolycus,” Xena grinned.
“Terrific, bet he enjoyed that, didn’t he?” Gabrielle growled.
“Not with me screaming at him the entire time,” Xena reassured her bard.
“Thanks,” the bard said softly.
“As for what he wants, I don’t know,” Xena admitted, the worry clearly showing on her face.
Xena had never seen Ares like this and she had seen him in all kinds of moods. She had seen him angry enough to throw energy balls just for the fun of it, she had seen him beside himself with lust, she had seen him battle crazed and she had even seen him drunk. She had never seen him this manic.
“I’ll answer that!”
Xena spun around, raising her hands in a fighting pose out of reflex.
“Don’t bother,” Ares taunted and then turned to Gabrielle. “You are the key, you know.”
“Just get to it!” she snapped, rattling her chains.
“It’s simple, either Xena goes back to the Land of the Dead and convinces that little bitch to take her place or you get to die as well,” Ares explained, his eyes flashing.
“What? Are you insane?” Xena demanded trying to hit Ares and screaming in frustration when her fist went through him.
“Yes!” he agreed. “With anger and grief! I don’t like a world without you in it!”
“Ares! Give it up!” Xena yelled back, “It’s done!”
“You weren’t meant to die!” he screamed as he drew his sword and sliced a chair in half with one stroke.
“I know you don’t care about all those souls but I do!” Xena protested.
“You’re right, I don’t care,” he agreed and backhanded Gabrielle.
“No!” Xena screamed. “Stop that!”
“I don’t think so,” Ares grinned and slapped the bard, cutting her lower lip.
Gabrielle yelled and pulled at her chains.
“I can’t come back!” Xena screamed. “But if I did I’d find a way to hurt you!”
“Good, either fighting me or with me, as long as you’re alive until your appointed time!” Ares shouted and punched the bard in the stomach.
“I can’t leave those souls in the netherworld!” Xena protested, her fists clenched in helplessness as Gabrielle bit her lip to keep from crying out in pain.
“Then she dies and you lose her,” Ares countered, hitting Gabrielle across the jaw.
Gabrielle shook her head as stars danced around her eyes.
“If she dies then we’ll be together,” Xena growled.
“No, if she dies here then she moves onto the Amazon lands and you’ll both be separated until all those souls are reborn. How long do you think that will be?”
“Aphrodite said we’d be together!” Gabrielle protested.
“Not if you die before Xena leaves the weird space she’s in,” Ares informed the couple.
“Xena, let him kill me, I’ll risk it!” Gabrielle shouted and then cried out slightly as Ares kicked her in the chest. “Damnit! You can’t trust him! We’ll be together, don’t sacrifice those souls or your death meant nothing!”
“Shut up!” Ares yelled and kicked her again.
Xena rushed to Gabrielle’s side and gently raised the bard’s head. Fresh blood was flowing from Gabrielle’s mouth and her eyes were barely open and were unfocused.
“Ares, please!” Xena begged.
“You can come back if the source of all this mess takes your place,” Ares said, a little calmer.
“Source? Yoshido is dead.”
“Not him, the bitch that tricked you,” Ares snapped, throwing himself onto his throne.
“Akemi?” Xena asked, confused. “Yes, she tricked me to get close to her father so she could kill him but he was the evil one. I’m the one who killed all those people.”
“You were honoring the wishes of your little friend, you didn’t know the customs and the fire wasn’t intentional,” Ares argued. “She had no right to ask you for an honorable burial. She should have challenged her father to an honorable battle with you as her champion, according to their customs.”
“I’m still responsible for those deaths, accident or not,” Xena said in a stubborn voice.
“Why? Do you hold Gabrielle responsible for the death of that Arab boy?”
“No, she didn’t mean to kill him. That’s different,” she continued to protest.
“Why, one death or 40,000, same cause. An accident took those lives and that boy. Should Gabrielle’s soul be lost for it? You didn’t think she should pay with her life, let alone her soul,” Ares snapped.
Xena frowned and glanced over at the apparently unconscious bard.
“That witch Akemi deserves to be caught in the netherworld, not you. By all of Olympus, Xena!” he shouted. “Even Eli’s god let you into their paradise, He figured you had paid for all your past debts.”
“Ares,” Xena said softly, her face puzzled and contemplating.
“How many times do you have to die before you let the past go?”
“I never thought I’d hear the God of War telling me to let go of my warlord past!”
“Yeah, well,” Ares shrugged. “I miss you, I miss irritating you, I miss tempting you, and I miss watching you. Tartarus, I even miss bantering back and forth with that irritating little bitch over there.”
“Ares, you’re willing to risk 40,000 souls just to bring me back?”
Ares laughed heartily.
“Xena, numbers of dead don’t mean anything to me! I am the God of War, for crying out loud!” he shouted. “I watch thousands fall in battle every year. For you, I’d wipe out all of Greece.”
“You’ve gone insane,” Xena shook her head and began to look panicked as she began to fade from sight. She realized Gabrielle must be falling away into a deep unconsciousness for their connection to be slipping.
“Xena, convince your friend to take your place or Gabrielle dies in a few short candle-marks, I promise you,” Ares threatened and Xena screamed as she faded from the room. “Look in the water if you want to see her.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Xena resisted shouting in anger as she looked at the familiar teahouse. Nothing had changed but then she figured it wouldn’t, time didn’t exist here. As she crossed the bridge the warrior hesitated and looked down into the still waters of the pond. At first she couldn’t see anything but the movement of the beautifully colored fish they called koi. Then the water seemed to shift and the images of Ares and Gabrielle appeared.
The God of War lifted the bard’s head up by her hair, painfully. Xena whimpered slightly at the look of pain on her mate’s face and the blood still lightly trickling from her lips. Xena did scream in anger as she watched Ares deliver a vicious blow to Gabrielle’s ribs again. Xena’s shout matched Gabrielle’s pain-filled one but the warrior was pleased when the bard grabbed onto her chains and lifted herself up. Xena couldn’t hear what was transpiring between them but she could see the bard’s mouth forming a familiar curse. Ares wasn’t paying attention to the movement and ended up flying several feet backwards from a well-placed kick from feet of the bard in his chest.
Xena whimpered as the scene faded. Gabrielle was fighting back but that could be both good and bad, the warrior reflected. If she angered Ares even more than he was he might lose control and kill her sooner than he planned. Then again, fighting back showed how much life the bard still had in her.
Xena entered the teahouse and began a pot of tea brewing. She always loved the green tea from Chin and the Japa islands. Next the warrior changed into a kimono, very similar to the one they had dressed her in when she first appeared in the Netherworld.
As the tea simmered the warrior lit incense and sat down and tried to clear her mind of the images of Gabrielle’s suffering. Xena set her mind on Akemi.
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Gabrielle managed to smile as Ares glared at her from the floor.
“Are you enjoying this?” she demanded, spitting blood at him.
The God of War seemed to hesitate and lose his anger.
“No,” he admitted. He sat up and rested his arms across his knees, contemplating the bard. “We’ve had our differences but you always helped me when I needed it. No, I’m not enjoying this.”
“Then why? Can’t you just accept the way things are?” Gabrielle snapped.
“No, everything is messed up because of this,” Ares frowned. “She wasn’t supposed to die this soon.”
“Why didn’t you try and bring her back when we fought the gods if she wasn’t supposed to die this soon?” Gabrielle asked, puzzled.
“Because you two were together,” he said simply. “The future is never set in stone but some things are. I didn’t know Xena was going to live past that little trick she pulled on the other Olympians.”
“The difference this time is that I’m alive, isn’t it?” the bard said softly and Ares growled.
“Yeah, you are clever for a mortal,” he muttered.
“I’m supposed to be with Xena on either side,” Gabrielle said, more of a statement than a question.
“Yes, you were supposed to either both live or both die. Not this damned half-way between realms.”
“Then what happened?” Gabrielle pondered.
“Besides Xena sending you off away from the battle to protect you? Yeah, there was more to it,” Ares agreed.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Xena wasn’t surprised when Akemi opened the door and stepped into the room. The young girl didn’t say anything but took a seat across from Xena as the warrior went through the ritual of pouring the tea for both of them.
Unlike Western culture that had little regard for the act of drinking or eating, the Nippon had complicated rituals surrounding the simple act of having a cup of tea at times. Xena chose this as one of those times. She wanted Akemi to realize that the warrior understood some of the girl’s culture now and Xena wanted time to adjust to Akemi being there. She wanted to gauge the girl’s reactions.
After the silent ritual of drinking tea together, Akemi looked deeply into the warrior’s blue eyes and smiled slightly.
“I am pleased to see you, Xena,” she said softly.
“Akemi,” Xena hesitated, it was considered very rude to rush right into a subject among these people but she was also in a hurry and needed answers. “Akemi, I don’t have much time. Do you know what is happening with Gabrielle?”
“Yes,” Akemi said easily. “I watch the two of you all the time.”
Xena frowned. “Even with your soul at rest?”
“I will never be at rest without you,” the girl said simply and reached across the short table to stroke Xena’s cheek. “I love you.”
“Akemi, I can’t,” Xena responded. “I love Gabrielle, she’s my soul mate and my life.”
“She is among the living and will have her own life, you are here, with me.”
Xena felt a chill pass over her body as realization hit her.
“I’m not here for the 40,000, am I?” she questioned softly and knew the answer when Akemi looked away, refusing to meet her eyes. “I’m here for you. It was the murder of your father that the souls want revenge for.”
Akemi continued to look away.
“There was no one else in your family to make amends, it was your actions that set things in motion for that accident,” Xena continued.
“Yes,” Akemi admitted. “My death should have settled things, it was an honorable death but my father was so evil that my evil act just added to his and held the souls hostage.”
“Why didn’t you challenge him to an honorable combat with me as your champion?” Xena asked.
“All you wanted was money, you didn’t recognize what love was in those days. You would have never challenged him for me, you would have tossed me aside,” Akemi accused and Xena sat back heavily.
“You’re right, I probably wouldn’t have then,” Xena agreed, remembering what she had been like. “But why this? Why am I in your place? Why didn’t you tell me I could go back?”
“I thought that when you crossed that you would be with me. I would choose to stay in this in-between space with you,” Akemi’s voice was filled with sorrow and pain and Xena frowned.
“Then you met Gabrielle and knew I would go back if you told me the truth,” Xena said bitterly.
“Yes, I knew you would fight to get back to her if you had the choice,” Akemi admitted.
Another insight hit Xena and her jaw clenched in anger.
“You gave Gabrielle that tattoo to keep her alive, you knew if she died she’d come to me. You wanted us separated. Is that why you chose a large design? To take up the time she had to rescue me?” Xena demanded and saw the truth in Akemi’s dark eyes.
“And you still went to her anyway!” Akemi’s emotions finally surfaced as she shouted at the warrior.
“Akemi, you’ve got to let me go back, this isn’t right!” Xena urged.
“What is right? My father beat my mother all the time and came to me at night,” Akemi shouted back, jumping up and beginning to pace. “My mother caught him in my room, she heard my cries of pain. She tried to stop him and he began beating her and my brother stepped in. He killed my brother with a dagger and then slit my mother’s throat. I ran away that night and was later captured by slavers. Is it right that I pay for his crimes?”
“No, it’s not but I don’t totally understand your culture and customs of the children paying for the father’s crimes either. Is it right that I’m paying for your actions?”
“I love you and you loved me, we could be happy here,” Akemi protested.
“Gabrielle is my best friend, my partner, my love, and my soul mate. Even the gods and goddesses know we’re meant to be together,” Xena countered.
“That fire is still your responsibility as well as all the others you’ve killed, Xena,” Akemi tried changing tactics.
“I’m tired of paying for my past,” Xena snapped. “I’ve died several times, Akemi and each time I fought back to be with Gabrielle. She died with me and for me, I’ve paid for everything.”
“Soon she will be out of your reach and you’ll return to me,” Akemi said with confidence.
“Akemi,” Xena shouted and jumped to her feet, grabbing the young girl by the arms. “Don’t force this! If you let Gabrielle die I swear that you will never see me again! I’ll spend eternity roaming the earth as a ghost before returning to you!”
“Then it would be for eternity!” Akemi snapped back, sparks flashing in her eyes. “You can’t cross and be with her until all the souls move on and I refuse to release you!”
Xena removed her hands before she tossed the young ghost in front of her into a post. The warrior took several deep breaths to calm her anger.
“Akemi, please, you’re condemning the three of us to misery,” Xena pleaded. “Do you really think I could ever love you if you did this?”
The girl looked troubled but stubborn.
“If I can’t have you then she can’t either!”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Gabrielle blinked and cautiously looked around; same throne, same wall hangings, same weapons, same place. What was different was that she was lying in the middle of sleeping furs and pillows and someone was holding her.
The bard hesitated, taking in the scent of leather and the feeling of strength but she still frowned, something wasn’t right and she realized it was Ares holding her.
“Quiet, I know you’re awake,” his voice whispered in her ear. “Those ribs of yours are cracked and you don’t want to go jumping about with them.”
“What are you up to now?” she demanded.
“Nothing, I thought you’d be more comfortable here instead of those chains,” he said simply, not moving his arms from around the bard.
“Ares, you usually don’t confuse me but this is getting close,” Gabrielle admitted.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he confessed. “I had to get Xena moving so I used you to do it.”
“You’re not going to kill me?” Gabrielle reached the point of confusion.
“No, that was a bluff but one I had to back up with some physical stuff,” Ares commented and laid back onto the furs and pillows, removing one of his arms as he lay on his back.
Gabrielle twisted around to look at him, trying to judge whether she believed him or not and growled with the pain. She tried to ignore it.
“And Xena?” she demanded.
“She’ll either convince that little bitch to take Xena’s place and I can bring her back to us or she won’t and will continue to be a ghost,” Ares shrugged.
“You won’t separate us?” Gabrielle asked softly.
Ares smirked at her. “Does that make sense? I’m doing this to set things right, not mess them up even more!”
“You want to set things right? After teaming up with Hope, killing Eli, and siding against your family when they tried to kill Eve, when have you ever done what was right?”
“Hey, who says what is right? Truth is a matter of perspectives!” Ares countered, sitting up on his elbows. “You once swore the Way of Peace was the way for you and for humanity, now look at you. You even wear Xena’s chakram.”
“I found my way was one of friendship, my connection with Xena. As for the chakram, I’m damned good with it. Want a demonstration?” she hissed.
“I’ll pass,” Ares admitted with a laugh.
“What happens if Xena doesn’t convince Akemi?”
“Then I heal you, send you back to wherever you want and go start some major wars somewhere,” Ares shrugged.
“And Xena comes back to me,” Gabrielle finished.
“Yes, as a ghost,” he countered and sat up, facing the bard. He gently stroked a cheek as Gabrielle looked puzzled. “As a ghost who can’t touch you for long, as a ghost who can barely kiss you, as a ghost who can’t love you physically.”
Gabrielle felt tears beginning to fill her eyes again and fought them back.
“What kind of life is that, Gabrielle?” he demanded. “You can’t move on and find love somewhere else and she can’t move on to be reborn. This isn’t what was meant to be.”
“Xena,” she whispered, a tear escaping as she closed her eyes. She felt Ares brush the tear away.
“Just pray that Xena is successful,” he whispered, pulling
the crying bard into his arms. He
almost looked embarrassed and hoped that none of the other Olympians were
watching.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“Akemi,” Xena pleaded. “If you do this you will never rest, this is wrong and dishonorable.”
“Love can never be dishonorable,” Akemi argued firmly.
“Then let me return to my love,” Xena said simply.
“If I stay here and let you go, I’ll never see you again,” the girl’s voice was filled with sadness and Xena sensed a weakening.
“I have no doubt that our souls will meet again in another life, but this isn’t the time,” Xena urged.
“You will continue to be with Gabrielle, no matter where your souls go,” Akemi protested.
“Yes, that’s true,” Xena admitted. “She is my soul mate but you and I will be friends and we will be close. You can find an honorable path.”
“Xena, you were my first and only love.”
“We were both selfish, I only wanted money and conquest; you wanted revenge,” Xena commented. “You were too young and filled with hatred to truly love and so was I.”
“Then you found Gabrielle,” Akemi said bitterly.
“I left the warlord path just before finding her,” Xena continued. “With her help I found the light and my true path and my true love.”
“Then go, Xena,” Akemi turned away from the warrior.
“Akemi, I’m sorry I can’t give you what you want,” Xena said gently, placing her hands on the girls’ shoulders.
“I know, just know that I love you.”
Xena turned from Akemi and closed her eyes.
“Gabrielle,” she said softly.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“Xena?” Gabrielle sat up, questioning. Ares sat up behind her, a grin spread wide.
Xena looked stunned when she took in the site of Gabrielle and Ares both sitting up on the sleeping furs. She noticed Gabrielle’s wince and quickly crossed the room when the bard grabbed her ribs.
“Are you okay?” she asked quickly.
“I will be,” Gabrielle smiled, stroking the warrior’s ghost cheek.
Xena’s eyes narrowed as Ares grinned at her. “You did it, right?” he asked.
“Yes, Akemi released me,” Xena answered. “What’s going on, Ares?”
The War God laughed and placed his hands on the bard’s shoulders. Gabrielle closed her eyes and Xena watched, fascinated as a purple light covered the bard’s body and then faded.
When Gabrielle opened her eyes, she grinned.
“I never meant to kill her, I needed you desperate enough to convince your friend in the netherworld,” Ares explained. “Now it’s time to bring you back, even if it is with Gabrielle.”
The bard turned and glared at him for a moment before breaking into a grin.
“Hang loose, Gabrielle, we’ll be back,” Ares grinned and snapped his fingers.
Both Xena and Ares disappeared.
“Oh Gods, please let this work,” the bard whispered, reaching for her boots.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Xena looked around, recognizing the familiar surroundings of Tartarus. She was surprised to see a male sitting on Hades’ throne and suddenly felt very uneasy. That throne had become empty when Xena herself had killed the Lord of the Underworld.
A young man stood up and walked up to the warrior and God of War. He was shorter than Xena and looked very much like Hades and the intensity in his eyes furthered Xena’s suspicion that she was looking at Hades son.
“This is Pluto, son of Persephone and Hades,” Ares introduced, confirming Xena’s suspicions.
“Greetings, warrior,” Pluto said simply and gestured to chairs near his throne.
“I killed his father, why would he help me?” Xena demanded as Ares led her to a chair, the warrior keeping a cautious eye on the new Lord of the Underworld.
“Because I put him on that throne with Jupiter’s permission and help,” Ares answered.
“Jupiter?” the warrior asked.
“Zeus’ name this incarnation, it’s the name the Romans gave him,” Ares grinned.
“Zeus is alive?” Both Pluto and Ares grinned at Xena’s confusion.
“Everything comes around again, Xena,” Pluto answered. “The Twilight will happen and your daughter does have a hand in it but the gods over-reacted. The change will come slowly, your daughter Eve is just spreading the seeds that will take hold. It’s something the gods will have to face. Eventually they will lose their followers and most of their powers, just like the Sumarians and the Egyptians are losing theirs now.”
“I hope this doesn’t mean I have to take them on again for Eve,” Xena grumbled.
“No,” Are grinned. “Hera and Zeus are back, Artemis is now Diana and Athena has actually gained enough wisdom to earn her title.”
“Then why isn’t Hades back?” Xena questioned.
“He is but he has given over to me,” Pluto answered. “He and Persephone are in the Fields, enjoying being married.”
“The Olympians agree with this?” Xena questioned.
“Yes, total agreement, they feel they owe you at least twenty five years,” Pluto responded. “If not more.”
“Hercules will be glad that his father isn’t dead,” Xena commented and grinned when Ares snarled at the mention of his half brother.
“How do we do this, Pluto?” Ares demanded.
“Xena drinks this,” Pluto picked up a goblet off a table next to his throne. “She goes to sleep, I do my thing and she wakes up alive.”
“Sounds simple,” Xena muttered, taking the goblet from the Lord of the Underworld.
“It’s not,” Pluto admitted. “It’s painful and my end is complicated.”
“Painful?” Ares demanded.
“It’s okay, anything to get back,” Xena assured the god.
“Oh now you agree to come back!” Ares teased as Xena glared and drained the contents of the goblet.
Ares grabbed his favorite warrior as she dropped the goblet and screamed in pain, almost writhing out of the chair.
“Pluto!” he shouted.
“Sorry, just ride it out,” Xena heard Pluto commenting as pain racked her body and oblivion surrounded her.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Gabrielle squeaked as Ares suddenly appeared in front of her with a very naked Xena in his arms. The War God quickly placed the warrior on the bed as Gabrielle rushed over.
The bard was concerned about the worried look on Ares’ face and Xena’s sweat covered and thrashing body.
“What’s happening?” she demanded.
“Just be patient,” he snapped. “Pluto said this wasn’t easy for anyone.”
Gabrielle pulled a muslin sheet up over her friend as Xena whimpered with the pain, even while unconscious.
“Her spectral body is becoming human again, something against the scheme of things so it’s not easy,” Ares explained, running a hand over Xena’s forehead.
It seemed like forever before Xena’s body stop twitching and she seemed to drift into sleep.
Ares sighed and sat down heavily on the bed of furs, silk and muslin.
Gabrielle wiped a tear from her face as she lay next to her warrior.
“Is it over?” she whispered.
“Yeah, now you both can start living again,” Ares said wearily.
“Ares, I can’t thank you enough,” Gabrielle began.
“Don’t mention it. We’ll call it even because she wouldn’t have come back unless it was for you,” Ares smirked. “I’m still going to tempt her, seduce her, and I’ll get her in the end.”
Gabrielle felt her eyes flashing with an age-old irritation with the god and narrowed her eyes as he laughed at her reaction.
“Not likely!” she hissed.
“Sleep, wake up together and leave when you’re ready,” Ares smiled and stood up. “When you step through that door you’ll find yourself where I took you from.”
Before Gabrielle could respond the god was gone.
The bard lay back down next to Xena and pulled the warrior into her arms, this time she would be the one to comfort the warrior during the night.
The morning would begin her life with Xena again, it would also be different, Gabrielle knew.
They had both changed and there was no going back in some ways.
Gabrielle thought she was still dreaming when she opened her eyes and found blue eyes looking down at her. Then she grinned, remembering the night before.
“I’m alive?” Xena asked softly, “If I touch you, I won’t disappear?”
Gabrielle laughed and pulled the warrior into her arms.
“Let me show you how alive, my love,” the bard whispered.
The warrior bard Gabrielle then proceeded to show her warrior mate how alive they both were for the rest of the day.
THE END