Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything belongs to the person who owns Xena: Warrior Princess, anyone know who that is?
Dawn was fast approaching, casting the ruined town of Amphipolis in an eerie orange glow. A lone woman, shoulders hunched with age pulled her tattered cloak tightly around her frail shoulders, shivering in the early morning mist. The woman surveyed her surroundings as if trying to regain her bearings.
Smiling slightly, her step more determined, she strode down the dusty street, finally coming to a dilapidated stone monument. After a moments hesitation she pushed open the creaky wooden door. To the casual observer, this room appeared quite unremarkable. It was dark, dank and smelled faintly of sewage. Water dripped steadily from the slimy walls. A large stone tomb lay in the centre of the building, and it was towards this that the elderly woman walked. Carefully, she eased herself to the floor, sitting with her back against the mossy tomb, brittle limbs creaking in protest.
Slowly, as if causing her great pain, she pulled out a quill and parchment from her battered bag and began to write.
The Final Writings of Gabrielle: Battling Bard of Potidaea
It has been forty years. Forty long and painful years since Xena, my soul mate abandoned me, and still the pain is as raw as the moment I found her bruised and battered body hanging headless in a yard. Such an undignified end for one of such bravery, loyalty and selflessness.
I can almost feel her strong body against mine as we shared tender kisses in the night, hands caressing as we desperately endeavoured to discover all we could about each other. Yet that was another time, back when I was young and vital. Not yet at the mercy of the ravages of age.
For many a year, I have carried the chakram of the warrior princess with pride, taking over her mantle to fight for the good. Peace through violence. Yet never had I quite reached the brilliance of my mentor, and even the bravest of warriors must lay down their weapons when the mortal body fails.
So now I have brought myself to the tomb of Lyceus, Xena's beloved brother; the one place she always wished to be buried, for I feel my time is near and...
The woman took a great shuddering gasp. The quill dropped to the ground as her hand gave a giant spasm. It seemed to her that a fair voice called her forward, a voice she had not heard for many a year. Closing her aged eyes, the sweet noise washed over her like cleansing waters. A soft hand on her deeply carven cheek drew the woman from her reverie.
"Xena?" She rasped, cringing at how reedy and thin her voice had become. There was no affirmation, yet it seemed to her that her body became lighter, the mortal aches and pains giving way to a new strength and vitality. Looking down at her once mottled hands, she noticed they had become white and strong.
"Y'know Xena, I'd forgotten how wonderful it feels to die!" Gabrielle grinned up at her friend as Xena drew her from the mortal coil.
They both laughed, and for the longest time, they couldn't stop.