Chapter Four


Who Are You?


“Get up!” Xena ordered. She pulled the smaller woman up.

“Xena?” Gabrielle questioned. The pain in her head still resided. “We have to get out here.”

“Who is the we? I can leave whenever I want, you on the other hand — well, you have other plans,” said Xena with an evil grin. “You see, you’ll be the second example. My information tells me you are some importance to that village.”

“Xena?”

“How do you know my name? You kept screaming it out there. I’m afraid you have me at a single disadvantage you know me, but I don’t know you,” Xena said. “No matter.”

“You saved my life more times than I can count,” Gabrielle said. She had to find some common ground. Something that would trigger something in Xena’s mind.

“I saved your life?” chuckled Xena. “I saved your life. Hear that boys, I saved her life. Nice try blondie. You are still going to die. Doesn’t matter if your village gives us what we want.”

“And what is that Xena? We don’t have gold. Very little harvest,” Gabrielle shouted.

“Hercules. And now that I think of it, just another village to conquer,” Xena said.

“Doing Ares bidding again I see,” Gabrielle said. “You know, he wanted me to side with him and stop you.” Gabrielle backed up closer to the wall.

“I don’t care about Ares,” Xena said. “Watch her, make sure she doesn’t go anywhere.”

“Who are you? What happened to the Xena I know?” Gabrielle asked. It was one last plea to try to get through to her friend she thought she knew. Gabrielle sighed. She could wonder what was going to happen to her now.

“You know now don’t you?” Ares asked.

“I know that, that is not Xena. What is going on?” Gabrielle asked with frustration. “Why is she doing this?”

“She’s not doing much of anything. Well, she’s doing what comes naturally to people like her,” Ares said.

“You said I was the only hope. What did you mean by that,” Gabrielle asked.

“Only you can defeat her,” Ares said.

“Hercules could,” Gabrielle replied. She thought Hercules will somehow figure out a way to get her and Xena out of this.

“He could. He knows you are the key. Keep trying to talk to her. It’s what you do best. The Gods know you are annoying enough when you talk,” Ares remarked.

“How am I supposed to talk to her?” Gabrielle asked. “She won’t even look at me, let alone give the time to talk. She’ll kill me and not think twice about it. She’s tried to do it before and well —.”

“You have to prevent her from killing you. If she kills you, she’ll die too. Maybe not right away, but she will. If she kills you, she’ll be devastated. You are still apart of her. Something is controlling her,” Ares said.

“Why are you so willing to help. I thought you would be proud your Warrior Princess returned.”

“All in the past. I know I can’t sway her from her path. She swayed to easily She either allowed herself or something forced her. Whatever the case maybe, she is a liability because she still has the goodness streak in her,” Ares warned. “She saved your life again, and she didn’t know it.”

“What do you mean?” questioned Gabrielle. Ares was making sense. They way she had been feeling. And when Xena killed Minos, she got very ill. It was like someone stabbing you with a thousand daggers all over your body.

“You were to be the first one killed,” Ares said. “You are on your own.”

“Shut up in there. Crazy bitch. Talking to yourself,” the guard yelled through the door.

“Have to get out of here,” Gabrielle said. “There has to be a —.” She looked down and saw a rope. “If I can somehow —.”

“I thought you might try to escape,” Xena said. She entered the cell. “Ah you were right. Ares was trying to stop me. Whatever is in your village must be mighty important to keep me from getting it.”

“There is something important there,” Gabrielle said.

Xena struck a curious eyebrow. “What is so important?”

“Eternity,” Gabrielle said.

“Eternity?”

“If you kill those people — if you kill me — you’ll die,” Gabrielle said. Be honest with her, she thought. Be honest with her and she may let you live or go.

“We all die eventually. We just never know how or when,” remarked Xena. She moved in closer to Gabrielle.

Don’t give her your fear, thought Gabrielle.

“You don’t fear me do you?” Xena asked.

“Should I?”

“I can’t figure you out. You know me, yet I don’t know you,” Xena said.

“Take me with you. I want to be like you,” Gabrielle said. “I’m not who my parents that I was.”

“It’s hard proving you are a different person,” replied Xena. “Why would I take you with me? What possible of use could you be to me?”

“I’m willing to die for people I care about,” Gabrielle said.

“You are willing to die for those pathetic villagers. You are stronger than I thought,” Xena said. She proceeded to walk out of the prison cell.

“I can be of valuable use to you. I’m a good talker,” Gabrielle said. “I’m a bard.”

“A bard you say. It would be nice to have someone document my triumphs. After killing Hercules, I’ll set my sights on the Amazons and the Centaurs.”

“No. You are friends with the Amazons,” warned Gabrielle. “I’m the Queen of the Amazons.” She knew she was no longer Queen, but Xena wouldn’t know that. And if Xena knew she had a Amazon Queen, then she’ll most likely protect her. Amazons fetched good slavery money. Even though Xena was against slavery, she wasn’t above getting money.

“I have no friends. The sooner you learn that, the longer you might live,” Xena sternly said. “Even if you are the Queen, you’ll be s nice prize.”

“Take me with you,” Gabrielle pleaded. “If you don’t think I’ve killed before. You are wrong. I have. I’ve killed my child,” a somber voice said. “I’ve killed out of anger and hatred.”

“Oh you have, have you?” Xena said.

“Yes. And I’ll do it again if I have too.”

“Better not make promises you may have to live up to little girl.” Xena left the prison cell.




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