Disclaimer : I don't own Xena or any other characters from the show.
Authors Note : Well another story I know so many others in the works, but this is one of my very first fictions that I wrote and when I was sorting things I found it, which prompted me to re-write a few things and post it.
Anyway enough of my rambling …………… please R&R it will make my day!
The Moment Of Truth
One fine day in Poteidaia Gabrielle and Xena embarked on their latest adventure. Whilst walking through Poteidaia to catch a ship to Rome, Xena sensed that someone was following them.
Xena stopped walking and looked around, Gabrielle noticed that that her best friend had stopped walking.
"Xena, everything ok?" she asked heading back.
"Yes Gabrielle everything is fine, why don't you go on ahead," Xena replied.
"Ok," she smiled heading off ahead.
Once Gabrielle was out of sight, Xena looked around, she had a look in her eyes that told her someone was near. As she sprung round pulling out her sword, Ares appeared.
"How long have you been following us?" she asked putting her sword away.
"Since you left Poteidaia," he replied.
"And why's that exactly?"
"Oh Xena you know why, how many times have I asked you the question."
"And how many times have I given you the same answer; no?" she asked sarcastically walking away from Ares.
"Join me Xena, you don't know what's coming!" he shouted.
Gabrielle had walked quite far in the time while Xena had stayed behind. A young woman was walking towards her, she couldn't tell who it was but got her staff at the ready, it was then she realised who it was.
"Hope?" she asked extremely shocked.
"Hello…mummy," she replied.
"What are you doing here Hope?" Gabrielle asked wishing her best friend were here by her side.
Hope had been evil from the moment of conception; Gabriele just couldn't see it, only Xena could. Gabrielle had believed in her daughter but darkness had consumed her, before entirely taking over.
"I could say the same to you mother," she spat bitterly.
"Hope please, " Gabrielle begged, "come with Xena and I, I want to be a real mother to you."
"Please spare me," she laughed, "I don't want or need you to look after me father does that and besides I'd have to be good if I travelled with you."
"Hope you still can be," Gabrielle said.
"Thanks but no thanks, gotta go, bye mummy." With that Hope disappeared.
"Gabrielle!" Xena called, "where are you?"
"I'm right here," she replied.
"There you are, are you ok?"
"Yeah I'm fine," Gabrielle replied quickly.
"You sure?" Xena asked looking at her best friend.
"Yes, anyway, why did you have to stop?"
"Ares had been following us."
"I take it he still wants you to join him," Gabrielle replied smirking at Xena.
"How did you ever guess," she replied sarcastically.
Xena and Gabrielle carried on walking through trees and fields taking in the wonderful sites and helping villages.
"Gabrielle get down!" Xena shouted as an arrow flew out of one of the tress, Xena caught it and took out her sword, "who's there?"
All of a sudden masked women jumped out of the trees.
"Who are they?" Gabrielle asked.
"Put your hands in the air like this," Xena said to a confused Gabrielle.
"You know the Amazon symbol of peace, yet you don't look like an Amazon and you are definitely not one," said one of the Amazons.
"Hey," Gabrielle protested, "don't judge a scroll by its cover."
"You've got guts, talking back to us," the Amazon replied.
Gabrielle looked at them as Xena looked on ready to defend her friend.
"So what are your names any way?" Gabrielle asked interested by the strange women.
"I'm Ephiny and this is our Amazon Princess Therase," Ephiny replied as Therase stepped forward.
"Nice to meet you," Gabrielle said smiling.
Suddenly angry Roman soldiers ran from behind the trees screaming and brandishing swords.
"Amazons attack!" Ephiny screamed as they all took our swords running at the Romans.
"No! Therase call them back the Romans will tear them apart," said Xena protecting Gabrielle.
"Cuckoo! Cuckoo!" Therase called as the Amazons backed away from the oncoming army.
"Therase look out!" Gabrielle called as an arrow flew through the air hitting Therase in her chest. She fell to the floor as arrows flew around them all. Gabrielle rushed over towards the dying Amazon.
"Gabrielle!" Xena shouted watching her friend dodge arrows.
Gabrielle made it to Therase and covered her body with her own protecting her from any other stray arrows.
"Gab-rie-lle," Therase said slowly, "I want … want you to have my … my right of cast."
"No don't talk like that, you're gonna be fine," Gabrielle said holding Therase's head in her arms.
"Please accept it," she said closing her eyes.
"Ok," Gabrielle whispered, Xena stood behind her friend and placed her hand on her shoulder, "she's gone Xena."
The Amazons looked to the floor as Gabrielle stood up, Xena placed her arm round her friend in comfort.
"What should we do now Princess?" Salare asked looking at Gabrielle.
"Why are you asking me? And what's with calling me a princess?"
"Therase gave you the right of cast and you accepted," Ephiny explained, "you're now the Amazon Princess."
Xena looked at Gabrielle who shrugged her shoulders confused.
"Ok, Ephiny take the tribe back to the Queen, tell her about your fallen Amazon I think she'd like to know, Gabrielle and I will stay and look for some answers," Xena said taking command.
Ephiny nodded leading the tribe away from the pair. Gabrielle looked around, as did Xena, finding nothing but some tracks Xena started to follow them until she heard a scream extremely familiar to her.
"Xena! Help me!" Gabrielle screamed being hoisted into the air by an angry Roman.
"Gabrielle!" Xena called running back into the opening she had been currently stood, she looked around there was no sign of Gabrielle only a crest which lay alone in the grass.
Ephiny and the other Amazons had heard the commotion on the way back from their tribe and they rushed towards Xena.
"What's happened to our princess Xena?" asked Salare.
"Caesar," Xena muttered picking up the crest.
In Caesar's palace Gabrielle was dragged into a main room where a man in a white outfit was sat in a throne.
"So you're Xena's friend?" he stated looking Gabrielle up and down.
"Yeah, you got a problem with that?" she replied obnoxiously.
"No," he replied shaking his head, "it just makes it more fun because now we kill you."
"When I say friend, we're not really that close," Gabrielle replied quickly.
"Really?" Caesar replied sarcastically.
"Yeah honestly," Gabrielle replied struggling to break free.
"Pompee!" Caesar called, "prepare the crucifixion."
"Crucifixion?" Gabrielle asked stopping and standing still, "who's getting crucified?"
"Don't worry I guarantee you'll have a front row seat," Caesar replied.
Gabrielle glared at him before being dragged back out of the room and out to where a cross had been made.
"How do you feel knowing that you're going to be responsible for your best friends death?" Pompee asked smugly.
"Well how does it make you feel now knowing that you're an asshole?" Gabrielle asked a hint of sarcasm lacing her voice.
"What's your name little girl?" asked Pompee advancing on her.
"Gabrielle, what's yours?" she asked.
"Pompee," he replied, "Pompee the Magnus."
"You look like a pompous ass to me."
Pompee frowned and tied her to the large wooden cross. Pompee raised the mallet and looked up at a very scared Gabrielle, "I'm so gonna enjoy breaking your legs."
Xena jumped up from underground and looked at Pompee, "I don't think so." She spun her leg and tripped him up.
"Xena," Gabrielle said relieved her friend had arrived to save the day.
"Amazons attack!" Xena shouted.
Amazons jumped from underground as well as running out form behind tree and bushes, they started fighting with the Roman soldiers. Blood was spilled and lives were lost but eventually the fight was over and the Amazons had won.
They all took Gabrielle and Xena back to their tribe where they had an initiation to welcome Gabrielle as the new Amazon Princess.
