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Chapter 1

Eve tilted her head against the driving wind and rain. She pulled her hood tighter around her face holding it there to prevent it from flying off. Bright blue eyes narrowed looking out over the turbulent seas, barely able to see the darker line across the horizon meaning they were approaching their destination. Letting go of the deck she turned her five and a half foot frame into the wind, slowly making her way up the stairs to the helm. The captain saw her approaching and held out a hand pulling her close.

"Messenger, you should be below deck. It is far too dangerous up here for you. The Elijans would be lost without."

"Call me Eve friend and I trust in Eli to keep me safe. I follow my heart for that is where he lives on. When will we be making landfall?"

"Soon as the storm breaks Mess... Eve. Too dangerous to come in now, you asked to put ashore in a very unsafe area."

She nodded her acknowledgment and went to her knees on the deck. In her heart she called to God and Eli asking them to quiet the seas. She was already doubtful about coming to Japa and wanted to be in and out as quickly as possible. After a few moments the sky began to clear and the waves turned from raging whitecaps to gentle swells. Rising to her feet she saw the captain clasping his hands in prayer praising Eli. She pushed her wet shawl back running well tanned fingers through her lustrous brown hair that wisped around her face in the gentle breeze.

It didn't take long to make it into shore, but it did take long to convince that captain to let her go alone. She was here for her own selfish reasons and would accept the consequences of her actions without involving anyone she didn't have to. After saying it was a test of his faith to let her leave the captain and crew promised to pray for her till she returned.

Her bare feet made their way quickly across the landscape and practically ran to Mt. Fuji; her hands constantly moving to the pack at her side containing her mother's ashes. Every time Eve's fingers grazed the urn she felt a pang of quilt. On her way home Gabrielle had stopped in India, finding Eve and informed her of her mother's death. Together they had returned to Amphipolis to lay her to rest beside her brother and mother. Gabrielle, not wanting to linger with the painful memories made her way to Egypt where she knew she would always be welcome in what had been Cleopatra's court. Waiting till she was sure mother's lover had left she took the ashes and returned to Japa.

It took only hours, following the trail of Gabrielle that she knew so well to find the Fountain of Strength. Working in the close to freezing conditions, Eve labored hours build a rectangular wall of rocks, packing the cracks with snow. Holding her breath she removed the cover to the urn and poured her mother's ashes into the container she had built careful to pour below the stones so that nothing would be lost to the wind. Once she coated the bottom she began moving back and forth to the Fountain of Strength cupping her hands and carrying water to sprinkle over the body of her mother. Slowly she began to take form, and eventually because the familiar figure of Xena whom Eve had come to know and love. From her pouch she removed a knife and cut the inside of her palm sprinkling the blood over her mother's body causing color to return to the pale form.

"Blood to blood. Your blood races through my veins and to you I return it."

She then leaned down opening Xena's mouth blowing a soft stream of breath into her.

"Breathe to breathe. To the one who gave me my first breathe to you I return it. Strength to strength. You gave me the strength to live not once but twice to you I return it!"

With the last syllable she brought her fists down on her mother's chest and life rushed back into Xena. She sat up with a start gasping for air, coughing trying to clear her lungs. She started to shiver a brought her knees up to her chest and began to rock back and forth shaking her head. Eve quickly removed her own shawl and wrapped it around her mother's bare form. Storm clouds began to gather overhead and Eve forced Xena to her feet. Half pulling and half carrying her, she managed to get her mother down the mountain and back to the ship. By this time, Xena had regained a level of composure and was just staring at the ship. Eve gently coaxing brought her on board and found her clothes. Once Xena was dressed her and Eve sat on a cot in the cabin that the captain had given Eve.

"Mom, I know there is really nothing to say. I don't quite understand what I have done but I intend to stay here and set it right. This captain, he is a good man. He will take you to Egypt where Gabrielle was headed last time I saw her. I love you Mom, I'm sorry, but I knew I could save you and I couldn't live with myself if I didn't. This may be the last time I see you but know that those souls will be set free, it was the gift Eli's God gave to me for all the work I have done in will do. Please mom, understand."

Blue eyes met blue eyes and held them in a soft embrace. Eve could not read what Xena was feeling. There were too many emotions behind those eyes. Xena slowly, brought her hand to the side of Eve's face and held it there a moment before brushing a brown lock behind her ear.

"There has never been such a lucky or proud mother as me. Go well in this life daughter, I shall see you in the next."

With nothing left to say Eve left the ship, asking the captain, who readily agreed, to bring Xena to Egypt. Without ever looking back she set out to bring Eli's message to the island of Japa. Her mother looked for the porthole in the cabin watching the daughter she barely knew, yet knew better than herself, walking away with a single tear forming in her piercing blue eyes.