Justice

by E.A. Week

A brutal attack on a young Amazon forces Xena to set aside personal animosities and come to the aid of her most formidable adversary.

Title: Justice

Author: E.A. Week

E-mail: e. at gmail dot com

Summary: A brutal attack on a young Amazon forces Xena to set aside personal animosities and come to the aid of her most formidable adversary.

Category: Mystery, drama.

Distribution: Feel free to link this story to any Xena/ Hercules or fanfic site, or distribute on a mailing list, but please drop me at least a brief e-mail and let me know you've done this.

Feedback: Comments are always welcome! Loved it? Hated it? Leave a review, shoot me an email, and let me know why!

Disclaimer: All the Hercules and Xena characters belong to Rob Tapert, Sam Raimi, and Renaissance Pics. I'm just borrowing them, honest! : )

Disclaimer 2: Rated R for violence and taboo sexual topics.

Possible spoilers: This story takes place during early Xena season three—between "The Furies" and "The Deliverer."

Note: This story was originally posted at Lessa's Smithsonian Page in 1997. As far as I know, that site is now defunct.

They traveled north together, up through the mountains, following the eastern-most of the three rivers feeding into the Strymon. The ground rose, gradually at first, then more steeply. The lush vegetation of the Strymonic Valley gave way to tall, imposing conifers. Although the summer days were warm, the nights in the higher altitudes were noticeably cooler.

"Have you ever been this far north before?" Gabrielle asked one afternoon.

"Not into the mountains," Xena responded. "I've been up the valley, almost to the end of the Strymon, but I've never followed this tributary before."

"I like it," Gabrielle decided, inhaling deeply. "The air smells so nice up here. And it's so dry and cool! This time of year, it's usually steaming in Poteidaia." From the other side of Argo, Xena smiled.

They continued on, walking at a leisurely pace so that the mare would not lose her footing. As they walked, Gabrielle talked incessantly about everything they saw: the birds, the plants, the animals. Everything seemed so different to her eyes.

"We haven't seen anyone in three days," she remarked.

"Not too many people live up here," Xena suggested, looking around. They'd seen no signs of human habitation since leaving a small settlement in the foothills three days earlier. "I imagine the winters must be difficult."

Gabrielle looked down at the river, running in a canyon beneath them. "That water looks so good."

"I wouldn't try it," Xena said wryly. "The water comes down out of the mountains and it's probably as cold as melted ice. If you want a bath, we'll have to find a pool that's been sitting in the sun for a while."

"Not a bath," said Gabrielle with a shudder. "But we should fill our waterbags." She looked at the sky. "Maybe we could get some fish for dinner, too."

"Hungry already?" Xena teased.

"Not really, but by the time we find someplace to fish, get our lines in the water, catch something, clean it, scale it, and cook it, I will be."

"All right!" Xena laughed. "We'll look for a place to fish."

"I love the mountains," said Gabrielle as they cast their lines into the water. They'd found a small, sandy crescent of beach at a bend in the river. Argo grazed in a clover patch nearby. "So green and peaceful—hey!" She began pulling excitedly on her line. "Got one already!" With a final heave, she tugged the fish out of the water. Gabrielle tossed the fish onto the sand and put another grub on her fishing hook.

Xena was struggling with another one. "At this rate, we'll have our dinner faster than we thought," she said, pulling the silver-finned creature from the river.

"I have a theory about fish," said Gabrielle, casting her line.

"Oh, no," said Xena. "The last time you got going about your theory on fish, we pulled a dead man out of the water."

Gabrielle rolled her eyes. "Well, that wasn't my fault," she said. "At least I think about things like this. You're the one who said the sound of the sea makes you want to draw your sword."

"I never said that!" said Xena, throwing her fish down with Gabrielle's and reaching for a grub. "You said—" she stopped short, her body suddenly tense and alert, her head turning from side to side. Gabrielle fell silent immediately, listening and looking. Xena had excellent hearing and an uncanny sense of danger. The young bard had learned long ago to trust her friend's instincts. Gabrielle pulled her line out of the water and unwound it from her staff.

They heard a single, unbroken scream from some indefinite distance away, then silence.

"Come on! It was from around the next bend in the river!" Xena whistled for Argo and leapt onto the horse, reaching down for Gabrielle's arm and pulling her onto the animal's back. Argo splashed through the shallow water at the river's edge. Deftly, Xena guided the mare around the next curve in the river.

"Xena!" Gabrielle whispered in horror. The warrior kicked her horse into a gallop.

A beach similar to the one at which Gabrielle and Xena had been fishing lay in this bend of the river. A hulking brute of a man stood at the edge of the water, the unmoving body of a young woman at his feet.

He spun about at the sound of the horse and stood momentarily stunned, then turned as if planning to flee upstream into the river. Gabrielle felt Xena pull the horse to an abrupt stop. As soon as she dared, the Amazon sprang down off the mare and into the water. With a shrieking battle-cry, Xena launched herself off Argo, somersaulted forward through the air, and landed in the river in front of the escaping man.

Gabrielle splashed through the water to the shore and checked the young woman, dragging the limp form further back on the sand to keep out of possible harm's way. The girl was breathing, but shallowly. Gabrielle didn't have time to tend her at the moment. Xena had driven the girl's assailant back onto the beach and Gabrielle sprang to her friend's assistance. Normally, Gabrielle would have let the warrior take care of him, but this bastard was enormous, maybe seven feet tall.

The battle ended quickly. Xena caught the man in the chest with one of her flying kicks. He staggered, and Gabrielle rendered him unconscious with one fast, hard blow to the back of his head.

"Good job!" Xena praised, gasping. She whistled for Argo. "Is that girl alive?"

"Yes, but her breathing is funny," said Gabrielle.

"Let me see your staff." Xena took a length of rope from Argo and used it to tie Gabrielle's staff along the man's shoulders, so that his arms would be immobilized if he regained consciousness.

"Help me get him onto Argo." With Xena lifting and Gabrielle pushing, they managed to sling him over the saddle. Gabrielle wiped her hands on her skirt, grimacing with distaste. The man's skin felt slimy and scaly, like a fish. Xena took the extra precaution of tying his legs together and trussing the rope that bound his legs to Gabrielle's Amazon staff.

"He stinks," said Gabrielle, wrinkling her nose. The man was completely naked. He had a rank smell about him that reminded Gabrielle vaguely of a brinish salt marsh at low tide.

Xena then went to the young woman. Face tight with outrage, she examined the girl's injuries.

"She's been hit hard on the back of the head." Xena peeled the girl's eyelids open and exhaled in dismay. "Her eyes are full of blood. We have to get help for her."

Gabrielle had noticed for the first time the clothes that the girl wore, and she gasped.

"Xena," she said softly. "This girl is an Amazon. Look at her clothes."

Xena's gaze flickered up and down. "You're right. I don't recognize the design, though," she said, referring to the pattern of ornamentation on the leather skirt and bodice. Xena slid an arm beneath the youngster's shoulders and another beneath her knees and gently lifted her up.

"Get Argo." Gabrielle went and fetched the mare's reins. "There's a path right here. It probably leads to their camp."

"I didn't realize there were Amazons this far north," said Gabrielle.

"There's tribes of Amazons everywhere." Gabrielle noticed Xena glancing down at the young woman in her arms with a slightly puzzled expression. "Hopefully, their camp is nearby."

(ii)

Xena got her wish more quickly than expected. The two women negotiated the barely visible thread of a path, Xena struggling with the youngster's body and Gabrielle keeping her eyes on Argo and the prisoner. About a mile and a half into the trees, Xena stopped short, glancing around.

With almost no sound, a woman dropped from the trees and landed on the path before them. Gabrielle heard a noise behind her and turned to see a second Amazon drop into the bracken. Immediately, Gabrielle let go of Argo's reins and clasped her hands overhead in the Amazon peace greeting. Xena could not do the same because of the body in her arms.

The first woman strode over to Xena.

"Alcippe!" she gasped. Then she took the girl from Xena, who stretched her arms gratefully.

"You are Amazons?" the second woman asked, coming up behind Gabrielle. It took a moment to register that the two guards were twins. Both women stood nearly as tall as Xena, lithe and very muscular, their skin darkly suntanned. Their garb was similar to that of the unconscious girl, but more adult-looking. Both women had black hair, elaborately plaited and coiled up on their heads. Unlike the Amazons of Ephiny's tribe, these women did not wear masks. Each twin carried a sword in a back-mounted scabbard and had a dagger on her belt. The guard who had landed behind Gabrielle also had a beautiful longbow in one hand.

"I am," the bard responded. "My name's Gabrielle. This is Xena."

The two Amazons froze, then regarded Xena with a mixture of surprise and hostility.

"Warrior-princess?" the first one asked.

"Some call me that," Xena responded.

The twins exchanged a fast, hard look. The second one glanced at the unconscious young woman, then at the man trussed up on Argo.

"Where did you find Alcippe?" the first one demanded.

"Beside the river at the end of this path," Xena said. She inclined her head towards Argo. "This man was standing over her, and he fled when we approached him."

"You captured him?" asked the second one.

"Yes," Gabrielle said, understanding their hostility. Amazons were notoriously territorial, suspicious of any strangers who approached their lands.

"She needs attention," said Xena. "She's badly hurt."

"We see. Come with us. We'll take you to Zelea, our queen." The first woman's voice had softened very slightly. "My name is Messeis. This is my sister, Marpessa." And they proceeded single-file through the woods.

(iii)

The ground sloped downward for several miles. Xena offered to help Messeis carry Alcippe, but the Amazon declined. She strode along the path, seemingly oblivious to the burden in her arms. Gabrielle admired the woman's strength. Alcippe was an adolescent, but a good-sized one. Large hands and feet seemed to indicate that the girl would some day be Xena's size, at least—if she recovered.

From time to time, Gabrielle glimpsed movement in the trees and she knew that other members of this tribe guarded the path.

Nothing, however, prepared her for the shock she received when they reached the village. They emerged from the trees so quickly that she almost hadn't realized they'd left the forest. The village had been built in a small valley in the mountains, cleverly secluded. One would have to know it was there to find it, Gabrielle realized, looking around in astonishment. The place was large enough to be a small town.

At the center of the village sat a large, square building of gray stone. Many of the dwellings around it were built of wood and looked very solidly constructed. This place had been here for a while. The Amazons had built their home with an eye towards aesthetics: the dwellings harmonized with the forest and mountains rather than detracting from them. Almost, Gabrielle thought, as if the village had sprung from the earth with the rocks and trees.

Messeis led them towards the stone building. There was a large, open space directly in front of this structure. Gabrielle guessed that this area probably served ritual purposes. The whole tribe could gather here. Right now, a large animal, probably a deer, roasted on a spit over a fire in the center of the open space. Several Amazons milled about, evidently preparing the evening meal for the tribe.

The women stopped working and stared open-mouthed as Gabrielle and Xena crossed the clearing with Argo, the prisoner, and the twins. Conversations ceased. A deathly silence fell over the entire village, followed by quiet whispers and murmurs.

"Help me get this pig inside the temple," said Marpessa to Xena. Gabrielle held Argo while the other two women untied the rope that bound his hands to his feet and dragged him off the mare.

"Phia!" called Marpessa. A young woman, perhaps two years older than Alcippe, sprang over.

"Take this horse to the stables, and groom her." The young Amazon nodded, and led Argo away. Gabrielle helped Xena and Marpessa get the still-unconscious man up the half-dozen shallow steps and into the temple.

Gabrielle blinked in the suddenly dim light. The temple was cool and pleasant, lit by shafts of sunlight streaming in through narrow windows. Messeis had already laid Alcippe down on the grey stone altar.

"Zelea!" she called.

A moment later, a woman emerged from the back of the temple. Gabrielle's heart jumped; Zelea had to be the biggest woman she had ever set eyes on. She topped even Xena by three or four inches, her shoulders broad, her waist long and narrow. Muscles rippled in her arms and legs.

Zelea seemed to be in her fifties, healthy and strong. Like the twins, she wore her silver-gray hair dressed up in an elaborate coronet of braids, from which a few wispy, renegade curls escaped. She had piercing, dark green eyes set in a broad, sensuous face. Her two-piece deerskin garb had been dyed a dark brown and beautifully decorated. Her exposed skin was tanned bronze by the sun and adorned by jewelry that looked to Gabrielle like pure gold.

The Amazon queen strode over to the altar and swiftly examined Alcippe. Her face tightened into a hard mask of anger.

"Alcippe," she said quietly. "No." Gabrielle noticed then a strong physical resemblance between the older woman and the younger girl. Perhaps Zelea was Alcippe's great-aunt, or even her grandmother.

"She has been raped." Zelea's voice was like the thunder of judgment.

"I know," said Xena woodenly.

"She's in a deep state of unconsciousness. Even if she recovers, she'll never see again. The blow to the head has blinded her." Zelea looked up at the twins. "Marpessa, take her to my rooms. Have Clymene tend her." With a nod, the younger woman scooped Alcippe into her arms and left the temple via a rear door.

"Now, this dog." Zelea went over to where Messeis guarded the unconscious miscreant. The queen stopped short. "Halirrhothius!"

"You know him?" asked Xena, astonished.

"Yes, but he's never given us trouble before. He stays to his part of the river. Where did this happen?"

"A beach at a bend in the river, east of here," said Xena.

"It looked like Alcippe was fishing there," added Gabrielle. "I saw her things. We were around the next bend in the river, and we heard her scream."

"She wasn't even supposed to be there!" Zelea frowned. "I don't like this. Halirrhothius is a brute, but a stupid one. He knows to stay away from the tribe."

"Not any more," said Xena.

"He'll be sentenced at dawn. Messeis, take him to one of the outer huts, and have him chained and guarded. There should be at least four women posted at all times. Arrange it." The younger woman nodded, and left the temple.

"My staff," said Gabrielle.

Zelea gave her a questioning look.

"That's my staff tied to him," Gabrielle clarified.

"Oh." Zelea untied the weapon from the prisoner's shoulders. She stared down at the wooden shaft, and looked at Gabrielle as though seeing her for the first time.

"You're an Amazon!"

"Yes." Gabrielle took the staff.

"Which tribe?"

"The tribe of Ephiny," said Gabrielle. "They're nomadic, but for a while they were living north of Thebes."

"Ephiny?" said the queen. "I've never heard of her."

"The tribe was once led by a woman named Melosa, but she's dead," Xena explained.

"Melosa!" Zelea's estimation of Gabrielle seemed to increase. "I knew her. A good leader and a great fighter. I'm sorry to hear she's gone. So this Ephiny is now queen?"

"Well, actually I am," said Gabrielle with a nervous laugh. "I inherited the Right of Caste through Melosa's younger sister, Terreis. But I wanted to keep traveling with Xena, so Ephiny has the leadership of the tribe in my absence."

Zelea's gaze shifted to Xena. She looked the warrior up and down. Xena returned the scrutiny without flinching.

"Warrior-princess." Gabrielle detected an edge of sarcasm in the queen's voice. Zelea studied Xena's chakram as though the weapon might tell her something about its owner. "This is a surprise. You're the last person I'd expect to find up here." The sarcasm suddenly went out of her voice. "Nor would I have expected you to help Alcippe."

Gabrielle swore a look of unspoken agreement passed between the two women.

"We would have helped anybody," said Xena, and Gabrielle noticed a slight emphasis on any. She glanced back and forth between Xena and the Amazon queen. What was going on?

Zelea's wide shoulders slumped a bit. "I don't know what we're going to do," she said. "Alcippe was to have one day assumed the leadership of the tribe when it's my time to step down."

"You know that already?" asked Xena. "Isn't she young?"

"It's been decided." Zelea spoke with a strange, detached finality. Gabrielle assumed that for whatever reason, Alcippe held Zelea's Right of Caste.

Messeis returned a moment later with two other Amazons who surely must have been either sisters or daughters of Zelea. They were easily the queen's height and build, and wore their hair in the same elaborate twists and coils on their heads.

The two of them hoisted up the limp body of Halirrhothius. Gabrielle noticed a large puddle on the stone floor where he had been lying, as though water had been leaking out of him. She again smelled the peculiar, salt-marsh stink about the man. Then the two women carried him out of the temple, one holding his shoulders and the other his feet. Messeis walked behind them.

Xena hunkered down and touched the water, then sniffed her fingertips. She stood, glanced at Zelea, but said nothing.

"Eriboea!" called Zelea. A moment later, a young woman of about Alcippe's age appeared. She wore garb of a much lighter color than the other women, and her hair was unbound, save a few strands tied back to keep out of her face.

"Clean this up." Zelea gestured to the water on the floor. The girl nodded, and hurried away.

"You are welcome to spend the night here as our guests," said the queen.

"Thanks very much, but I think we'll be on our way," said Xena.

"Of course we accept your invitation," Gabrielle contradicted quickly, glaring at Xena. For one Amazon to refuse the hospitality of another was an unspeakable disrespect. Gabrielle's rudeness would bring shame on Ephiny's tribe, should word ever get back to her. Wars among tribes of Amazons had started over less.

Besides which, it was getting late and Gabrielle welcomed the thought of a meal she didn't have to cook herself.

Xena returned Gabrielle's angry look, then said quietly, "All right. We'll stay."

"Good. Come with me and I'll show you to your lodgings." Zelea headed for the front door of the temple. Behind them, Eriboea returned with a bucket and sponges and began mopping up the briny water on the floor where Halirrhothius had been.

(iv)

Outside the temple, a large group of Amazons had gathered. Evidently, the women had heard what had happened to Alcippe, and had seen the prisoner being taken away. They stood talking amongst themselves until Zelea appeared on the steps of the temple with Gabrielle and Xena. Conversations abruptly ceased and the crowd of women fell silent.

"It's Xena," Gabrielle heard someone murmur.

"What's she doing here?" an angry voice demanded.

"Infidel!"

The shout came from the back of the crowd. Gabrielle glanced at Xena who stood with her head held high, her expression stoic. Gabrielle had seen that body language on her friend before, whenever they encountered people who remembered Xena's warlord past. The warrior had been called everything: murderer, butcher, destroyer, slayer. But infidel?

"Silence!" Zelea's powerful voice rang out. The Amazons fell quiet immediately, but many of them glared at Xena with hateful expressions.

"You've all heard about the attack on Alcippe. Xena saved our sister's life, captured the perpetrator of the crime, and brought him to us for justice." This news met with murmurs of both surprise and disbelief. "Further, her companion Gabrielle is an Amazon princess, trained in the tribe of Melosa." Now attention shifted to the young bard. "They'll be staying here the night. During that time, they are to be treated as honored guests." Zelea's hard green eyes swept the crowd. "I don't need to remind you of the penalty for discourtesy to guests." Zelea paused to let that sink in. "All of you have things you should be doing. See to your work."

Zelea showed them to the guest hut, a fine, comfortable dwelling. The fur-covered pallets on the floor looked heavenly to Gabrielle.

"I'd like to check my horse, if it's not a problem," said Xena.

"Not at all," said Zelea. "We'll find Phia, who's tending the horses this month." She explained to Gabrielle, "The younger women take turns with various responsibilities."

"And what was Alcippe supposed to be doing today?" asked Xena curiously.

"Gathering firewood," said Zelea. "She shouldn't have been anywhere near the river."

"And who was supposed to be fishing?" Xena pressed.

"Nobody," said Zelea, confusion evident in her voice. "The hunters brought back a deer this morning. There was no need for anybody to be fishing. Alcippe knew this." Zelea sighed. "Why did she go to the river?" she murmured beneath her breath.

Phia came over to them. If she harbored any resentment toward Xena, her face did not show it. "You wanted to see your horse? Come with me."

While Xena checked on Argo, Zelea showed Gabrielle around the rest of the village. The other Amazons greeted the visiting princess with deference. Gabrielle noted that the women of this tribe ranged in age from very young up to positively ancient. The bard observed a remarkable physical resemblance among most of the women. Many of them were tall, approaching Xena's height, and like Zelea, a handful even stood taller. The women were almost uniformly dark-haired, and more than half of them had curls. Gabrielle spotted a few with hair of a lighter chestnut color, and there were a couple of redheads. But none were as fair as Gabrielle. Many of the small girls stared at the visiting Amazon with frank curiosity.

Gabrielle also noted a definite pattern to the way the women dressed. The younger girls wore simple garb of light-colored leather, very little jewelry, and left their hair unbound. As the young ones began approaching adolescence their clothing became darker and they began braiding up more of their hair. As teenagers, their garb became still darker and more elaborately decorated, with more and more of their hair pinned up.

The fully grown women wore clothes of leather that had been dyed black or very dark brown, much decorated with metal, beads, feathers, and colored stones. In lieu of the masks that Gabrielle had seen on the Amazons of Ephiny's tribe, these women dressed up their hair into incredibly elaborate creations, ornamented with hairpieces of leather, wood, metal, and cloth. The twisted braids and coils fascinated Gabrielle. The women had made sculptures of their hair.

All the Amazons, even the children, had dark suntans from living outdoors. Gabrielle spotted a few women with blue or gray eyes, but for the most part these Amazons had eyes as dark as their hair. No wonder they're looking at me, she thought.

All of the women worked busily at one task or another. Some acted as sentries, guarding the perimeters of the village, with more posted overhead in trees. Others were making, cleaning, or repairing weapons. Gabrielle noticed women absorbed with the ordinary domestic work of any village: looking after children, tending patches of vegetables, tanning hides, making clothes, weaving baskets, preparing food, bringing firewood and water to the central area. Gabrielle didn't see one pair of idle hands.

Eventually, Zelea brought her back to the center of the village, where the Amazons had started to gather for their evening meal. Many of the women, especially the younger ones, had dropped their earlier hostility, and approached Gabrielle in curiosity. Most of them wanted to know about Ephiny's tribe. A few even asked politely reserved questions about Xena.

The warrior herself had yet to re-appear, and Gabrielle guessed she was still in the stables. The food was ready. As a guest, Gabrielle was invited to serve herself first. She did so, eagerly piling her wooden trencher with food from the big table. These Amazons lived well. Gabrielle took a seat on the lower step of the temple and watched the others. As she expected, the women took their food in a clearly fixed order. The nursing mothers and young children went to the table immediately after Gabrielle. The elderly women followed the mothers and children, then the remaining Amazons by age, from oldest to youngest. After the adolescents had filled their plates, Zelea took her own food.

One of the young mothers took a seat beside Gabrielle. "Hi," she said without preamble. "I'm Niobe." Deftly, she set her child down on the stone step, arranged the baby's blanket, then began eating.

"What's your baby's name?" Gabrielle asked.

"Iphis," the Amazon said proudly. "Isn't she beautiful?"

"She is," said Gabrielle. "Can I hold her?"

"Yes, of course!"

Gabrielle set her platter aside and lifted the baby onto her lap. The child seemed about five or six months old, a sturdy and strong little creature. A soft cap of silky black curls decorated her round head. Iphis had cat-shaped brown eyes, pudgy pink cheeks, and an endearing, toothless grin. Gabrielle burst out laughing and the baby laughed also, a deep gurgling sound. Dimples winked in her cheeks when she smiled.

"She's precious," said Gabrielle, feeling jealous. "I'd love a baby girl."

"Take care what you wish for," Niobe cautioned. "That's what I said. But I'm so glad she's a girl, and I can keep her here. If the baby had been a boy, he'd have been fostered someplace else."

Gabrielle tickled the baby. Iphis reached up and grabbed her hand.

"She's strong!" Gabrielle exclaimed.

"Isn't she?" Niobe marveled. "She's going to be a big, strong Amazon some day." The young mother chewed on a strip of meat, then said, "I'm sorry for what some of the others said about your friend earlier."

"It's all right." Gabrielle juggled the baby on her knee. "Not everyone realizes that Xena's not the way she used to be. She's been called worse."

"Anybody can see how she is by just looking at her," said Niobe. "You only have to look into her eyes to tell what's in her heart."

"Yes, exactly," Gabrielle responded.

"Sometimes people need to wander before they find their path," Niobe went on. "Deep down, I think Xena realizes her true destiny."

"I wish more people saw it that way," said Gabrielle, wondering if she and Niobe were having the same conversation.

Iphis looked appealingly at her mother, then opened her mouth in an indignant howl. Niobe burst out laughing, and took her child back. "She wants her supper, too." Niobe unlaced the front of her bodice and cradled the baby against her breast. Iphis nursed with happy, greedy little clucking noises.

Gabrielle spotted Xena across the clearing, and waved. The warrior was chatting with Phia, probably about horses. As Gabrielle watched, the two went and got food. Zelea gestured for Xena to come join her.

"Your friend is so beautiful," said Niobe. "She carries herself like a queen. She should have been an Amazon."

"She's the most beautiful person I ever met," said Gabrielle. "Inside and out."

Some of the smaller girls had finished their meals and were playing with child-sized Amazon staves. Gabrielle watched them parry and thrust.

"They're good," she said.

"It's one of the first weapons we learn," Niobe told her. "The girls don't learn how to use bladed weapons until they've acquired discipline."

The youngsters were incredibly acrobatic. Gabrielle watched them leap and tumble over each other's heads.

"The younger girls dress differently from the older women," Gabrielle said. "Why is that?"

"We consider physical decoration a privilege that the girls have to earn. As the young ones grow into warriors, they're allowed to dress their hair and wear more jewelry as a sign of maturity. The darker colors represent the acquisition of knowledge."

Gabrielle nodded.

"I don't know if there's going to be dancing tonight," said Niobe. "We normally would, to honor you as a guest, but with Alcippe..." she trailed off. Gabrielle put a comforting hand on her back.

"Maybe they'll dance for Alcippe's recovery," Niobe went on. "And to ask for retribution on the swine who attacked her!"

Niobe's anger seemed to upset the baby who let go of her mother's nipple and began to squawk and fuss. The young woman sighed.

"I need to change her. It was nice talking to you, Gabrielle."

"And you, too."

Gabrielle took the baby so that Niobe could re-lace her bodice. As Niobe stood, Xena wandered over, munching an apple. "What've you got there?" she asked, pointing to the squalling infant.

"A baby. This is Niobe." Gabrielle nodded at the Amazon. "And this is her baby, Iphis. She's kind of fussy right now."

"Hi!" said Xena, grinning down at the infant. Iphis briefly ceased her complaining while she contemplated this strange new person.

Niobe reached for the baby.

"She's yours?" asked Xena.

"Yes, she is. She's four months old."

"Oh." Xena glanced from the mother to the child, and as Niobe turned to walk away, Gabrielle saw an expression of shock and revulsion on her friend's face. Then the expression was gone. Xena continued munching her apple as though nothing had happened.

"What's wrong?" Gabrielle demanded.

"What's wrong with what?" asked Xena blankly.

"The baby—you just looked at the baby like she was some kind of monster!"

"Gabrielle!" Xena gave her companion an indignant glare.

"Xena—" Gabrielle shook her head with frustration. She knew what she'd seen! But the warrior kept chewing, a maddeningly innocent look on her face.

"Gabrielle!" Messeis came over to join the two visitors. "Zelea says we're going to dance tonight for Alcippe's recovery. She asked if you'd like to join us." Messeis gave Xena a cautious look. "You're welcome too, Xena, if you'd like."

"Oh, thanks but no thanks," said Xena. She finished the apple and lobbed the core into the firepit. "If it's all the same to you, I'm not much of a dancer. Two left feet."

Messeis nodded, and walked off.

"Listen, Gabrielle," Xena said quietly. "If they start doing anything you don't feel comfortable with, just leave them, and come find me."

"Like what?" Gabrielle asked blankly.

"Anything. Gabrielle, these Amazons aren't like Ephiny's tribe. They have their own code, their own way of living."

"Is that why you wanted to leave?"

"They're going to execute Halirrhothius at dawn, and it's not going to be pretty. What if they ask you to participate? You're a guest. And you helped capture him. They'll consider it an honor to have you join them. What will you do then?"

"I never thought of that," said Gabrielle, feeling sick.

"I didn't think you would, so I told Zelea. She said you won't be asked."

"Thank you," Gabrielle said. "What will you be doing?"

"Trying to get some sleep," said Xena. "But remember, you're a guest here. You shouldn't feel compelled to do anything that makes you uncomfortable."

Gabrielle nodded, baffled. She had a feeling Xena was talking in some strange code. "I'll remember."

(v)

"You call this sleeping?"

Gabrielle had returned to the guest hut to find Xena sitting on one of the pallets, propped up against the rear wall of the hut, running a stone along the blade of her sword. As if it needed sharpening! Gabrielle thought. A single torch flickered in a sconce on another wall.

"Well, you were making too much noise to sleep," said Xena, good-natured. She sheathed her sword and set it down beside the pallet with her chakram.

"The dancing was so much fun," said Gabrielle. She went to a table in the corner where a basin of water and a few soft cloths had been set out. She dipped a cloth in the water and wiped her sweaty neck, face, and arms. "Those women never get tired." She yawned and staggered over to the pallet that Xena had pushed up next to her own. "I'm going to sleep like a rock tonight." Gabrielle unlaced her boots and kicked them off.

"Hmm." Xena had slid down on the pallet, and now lay staring at the ceiling of the hut. She seemed anything but relaxed.

"Xena? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she murmured.

"Xena, please. If you'd rather not talk about it, just say so." Gabrielle flopped out on the pallet beside her friend.

"I'd rather not talk about it. Do you want a blanket?"

"Maybe later. I'm still warm from dancing." Gabrielle curled up on her side. Xena put one blanket at her friend's feet, then drew another up over herself. Gabrielle wished Xena would be more forthcoming. A dozen half-formed questions went through her mind, but soon faded as tiredness overwhelmed her. She slept.

(vi)

Gabrielle was normally a heavy sleeper, and it took a lot to wake her up. Once, she'd even slept on, oblivious, as Xena battled a band of thugs right next to her. Xena had joked that a herd of stampeding horses could not awaken her.

But the scream that jolted Gabrielle from sleep could have woken the dead. The bard snapped to awareness, heart pounding. In the next instant, Xena had enfolded Gabrielle in her strong arms, pulling her friend's head down to her bosom and firmly covering Gabrielle's ears.

Gabrielle struggled, but Xena held fast. Despite Xena's biceps blocking her ears, Gabrielle could still heard a muffled screaming, the most ghastly sound she'd heard in her life. It was a cry of agony and terror, and it went on and on and on, until Gabrielle thought she would lose her mind if it didn't stop. Beneath the screaming, she thought she heard a bestial growling and snarling. Gabrielle realized she could feel the ground trembling beneath her body. She clung tightly to Xena, swamped by the sickening fear of something awful happening.

At last the screaming stopped, and the ground ceased its shaking. Gabrielle could hear nothing save the pounding of Xena's heart and her own hammering pulse. Xena was drenched with sweat. Gabrielle then realized that she was, also.

A few moments later, Xena relaxed her grip. Gabrielle scrambled to her feet.

"What was that?" she asked weakly. Then it hit her: the prisoner!

"Gabrielle, don't!" Xena shouted, but the Amazon had already reached the door of the hut. Xena jumped up, and ran after her.

(vii)

Gabrielle raced barefoot through the pre-dawn light to the outer hut where Halirrhothius had been detained the previous day. She smelled a repulsive stench—a rotting, burning, greasy smell that made her eyes water and her throat hurt.

Part of the bard's mind told her to not approach the hut, but some nameless compelling force drove her forward. She sprinted through the open door of the dwelling, then stopped short, a scream dying in her throat.

Halirrhothius had been ripped to pieces. Literally. Even in the dim light, Gabrielle could see that the inside of the hut had been painted with the man's blood. Pieces of his body lay all over the floor, some of them burning. Chunks of his flesh had been flung against the walls, where they stuck, impaled on twigs and branches. The hut had been constructed around an old tree, and Halirrhothius had evidently been chained to the tree-trunk. Bloody stumps of his arms still hung from a pair of manacles.

Gabrielle gagged and looked down at her feet. On the ground before her lay the dismembered head of Halirrhothius, torn from his body. His eyes had been gouged out. His mouth hung upon in a final, horrific scream.

Gabrielle turned and staggered out of the hut, vomiting uncontrollably. A moment later, she felt Xena's strong, steadying hand on her shoulder. When Gabrielle was able to stop retching, she threw herself into Xena's arms, sobbing from a fear so dreadful and intense she could not even begin to fathom it. She imagined that the Horde might have done something like this, or perhaps a wild animal. The savagery of the act stunned her.

She heard footsteps, and looked up to see Zelea approaching. The queen wore an undecorated leather dress. She'd unbound her hair, and the curly mass fell around her shoulders. Gabrielle expected her to be covered with blood, but she wasn't. Whoever had killed Halirrhothius, it hadn't been her Zelea's face was stony and impassive as she pulled a torch from a sconce on a nearby post and threw it onto the roof of the makeshift abattoir.

"Justice has been done," she said simply, and walked away. At the edge of the horizon, the first rays of dawn glimmered through the trees.

(viii)

"Xena, you knew something like that was going to happen, didn't you?"

Gabrielle's query met with silence. Xena drew on her arm bracelets and gauntlets, then her breastplates.

"Did the Amazons do that?" Gabrielle pressed.

Xena fastened her knee guards, then picked up her weapons.

"Why aren't you talking to me?" Gabrielle demanded.

"Get your things together. We'll leave as soon as there's enough light. I don't suppose you're interested in breakfast?"

"Not right now. Xena, what happened out there?"

"Justice," said Xena simply.

"That wasn't justice!" Gabrielle said angrily. "They tore him to pieces without even a trial!"

"It's justice to them." Xena finished dressing, and picked up her pack. "Come on."

Shaking her head with frustration, Gabrielle followed.

On one of the tables outside the temple, they found a cold breakfast had been set out: dried meats, cheeses, bread, fruit, and a pitcher of fresh water.

Xena helped herself to the food. Gabrielle chewed on a small crust of bread, amazed that her friend had any appetite after the gruesome spectacle they'd just witnessed. On the other hand, Gabrielle thought, she's probably seen a lot worse on the battlefield. The bard packed some bread and cheese and fruit into her bag. She might be hungry later in the day.

The sun had risen above the trees by the time Xena finished eating. "I'll go get Argo," she said.

While she was gone, Gabrielle looked around the quiet village. The Amazons appeared to be sleeping late this morning. She spotted a couple of sentries up in the trees, but nobody else had stirred. Gabrielle could see the black smoke still rising from the burning hut. She smelled an odor somewhere between roasting pork and grilled fish. Bile rose in her throat, and she gagged. I may never eat meat again, she thought sickly.

Gabrielle could not tolerate being alone any longer, and ran to the stables. She stopped short outside the building when she heard Xena's voice. The warrior was speaking quietly to Zelea.

"...wish it hadn't taken this, but I'm glad we were able to meet as allies and not as adversaries." That was Zelea's voice.

"So am I." Xena sounded warm and sincere. Gabrielle could not believe that she could condone what the Amazons had done. True, Halirrhothius had committed a heinous crime and deserved to be punished. But nobody, not even the most bloodstained criminal, should be subjected to a death like that.

"What happens to the boys?" Gabrielle heard Xena ask.

"Hmm?" Zelea responded.

"I assume some of the children are boys," Xena clarified.

"The boys are sent to be fostered with the families of loyal warriors."

"I see." Gabrielle heard footsteps, and a moment later, Xena walked out of the stable, leading Argo by the reins. She raised an eyebrow at Gabrielle, but said nothing. Zelea came out of the stable a moment later. She'd once again donned her elaborate jewelry, although her hair still tumbled free. Idly, Gabrielle observed the tribe's queen. For the first time, it occurred to her that Zelea reminded her of someone she knew. Was it her face? Gabrielle couldn't be sure. Something in her expressions seemed familiar—the way she lifted her eyebrows when she spoke, her habit of inclining her head slightly. Maybe it was her posture, or the way she walked.

They passed through the central clearing on their way out. One of the young Amazons was getting her breakfast from the table, and turned at the sound of the approaching footsteps. For a moment, Gabrielle felt faint with shock.

The girl was Alcippe. Gabrielle almost hadn't recognized her. Awake and upright, with her face animated, she seemed a different person entirely. The youngster gazed in curiosity at the two strangers. Gabrielle saw that the skinny, gawky-looking adolescent stood fully Xena's height. One day, she would be at least as tall as Zelea. Her hair fell around her shoulders, a tangled mass of chestnut curls, full of red-gold highlights. She had luminous gray-green eyes and a full, sensuous mouth. Despite her youth, her face bore the unmistakable imprint of beauty. Her golden-brown skin was unblemished, her eyes undamaged. Gabrielle saw no signs of the previous day's attack on her.

"Hello," the girl said shifting from foot to foot. Her eyes and face communicated puzzlement to Zelea.

"Alcippe, this is Gabrielle and this is Xena," said Zelea. "They're traveling. Gabrielle is a princess from another tribe. They spent the night here."

"Oh." Alcippe nodded at Gabrielle. "It's an honor to have you with us, Gabrielle," she said. The girl eyed Xena, puzzled, but she said nothing. Gabrielle could feel the youngster's gaze on them as they left the clearing and walked towards the path that led through the trees to the river.

Zelea took them to the beginning of a path that led along the river, and bade the travelers farewell.

(ix)

"Well," said Xena, "do you want to keep going north?"

"No," said Gabrielle. "I want to go home."

"All right," said Xena without argument.

With Argo between them, the two women re-traced their footsteps and began making their way back down the mountain.

The journey south seemed to pass much more quickly. On their way north, Gabrielle and Xena had had no real destination in mind, so they'd wandered along at a leisurely pace. Now, with a definite objective to reach, they traveled at a more rapid pace. Although neither stated as much aloud, both women were also eager to get off the mountain and back into the populated countryside.

At the end of the second day, they once again reached the small settlement they'd encountered before heading up into the wilds of the mountain. They passed the night in the company of the villagers. In exchange for food and shelter, Xena and Gabrielle aided the settlers the following day in their efforts to build a barn. About mid-day, the travelers waved good-bye and headed out into the rolling green hills of the Thracian countryside.

Xena continued to frustrate Gabrielle, saying nothing about their visit with the mysterious Amazons. Nor would she speak of the death of Halirrhothius, nor of Alcippe's apparently miraculous recovery. After a while, Gabrielle determined that Xena planned to keep whatever knowledge she had to herself. She let the topic drop, telling herself that Xena would talk about the strange occurrences when the mood struck her. If ever.

They traveled southwest, toward Amphipolis. Xena wanted to check on her mother before they continued on to Poteidaia, to visit Gabrielle's family. The following afternoon, they approached a good-sized village, where Xena thought they might find a tavern and get some dinner. As they rode up to the outskirts of the village, they heard a commotion and a sudden hollering. Gabrielle heard a woman shrieking, "Thieves! Stop them!"

A moment later, half a dozen young thugs—most likely petty bandits—raced away from the town. Four of them carried baskets of stolen goods, two brandished staves in an effort to drive off anyone who might try to stop them.

The bandits had run out of luck, however, because they found the path of their escape blocked by Gabrielle and Xena, who'd jumped off the horse and stood with weapons at the ready.

"Hey, boys," said Xena, flashing her familiar, dangerous grin. "What's the hurry?"

The bandits paused only briefly, then charged at the two women. The four with the baskets threw down their booty, now more concerned with escape.

The untrained young men would ordinarily have proven quick work for the two seasoned fighters, but as they skirmished, Gabrielle could sense something strange happening. A peculiar lassitude began to descend on her, almost a sleepy feeling. The bard watched in shock as Xena's sword fell from her hand. Then slowly, weirdly, almost as though time were coming to a halt, Xena sank to her knees, then toppled to the ground.

A moment later, the bandits, their movements already sluggish, also fell over.

An instant after that, a creeping weariness enveloped Gabrielle. She dropped her Amazon staff, and crumpled to the ground. Her legs would not hold her up any longer.

She stared up into the puzzled face of a village woman who loomed over her. A man's face also appeared.

"What's happened to you?" The woman's voice seemed to come from very far away.

"My friend," Gabrielle whispered. She could barely make her voice work. "Please look after my friend."

"It's all right," the man said in a comforting voice. "We'll take care of you." Gabrielle felt someone lifting her by the shoulders. The man took her feet. As they carried her, she could see a couple of other men carrying Xena. Some of the other villagers were tying up the bandits.

The woman directed the men to take the two warriors into her own house, where they were put on a bed in one corner. Gabrielle, with a great deal of effort, turned her head. Beside her, Xena breathed deeply and regularly, a peaceful expression on her face.

She was asleep.

Gabrielle fought weakness and the urge to sleep. The village woman bathed their faces in cold water. The tingling on her skin revived the bard slightly.

"What's going on?" the woman asked. "What's wrong with you?"

"I don't know," Gabrielle whispered. "It feels like we've been drugged." But that made no sense. Neither she nor Xena had eaten anything in hours, and there had been no opportunity for anyone to slip a drug into their water bag. And anyway, that wouldn't explain why the thieves had been affected, also.

Daylight dimmed as the sun slid down the western sky. Evening twilight thickened. Gabrielle could hear villagers laughing and talking outside the house. The woman lit candles inside and prepared her evening meal, but Gabrielle could not even lift her head high enough to accept a mouthful of broth.

Twilight deepened into night. Gabrielle dozed in and out of sleep, unable to clear the fog from her mind, almost paralyzed by the weakness in her limbs. Beside her, Xena slept on, oblivious. From time to time, other villagers would wander into the hut, gaze down at the travelers, shake their heads, and leave. One visitor to the house bore news to the woman that the same bizarre malady seemed to have stricken the entire countryside. But while some people were rendered nearly unconscious by the strange affliction, others were not troubled in the slightest.

The night passed in a haze for Gabrielle as she drifted in and out of consciousness. By dawn, she could still barely move and Xena was still asleep.

As daylight increased and the sun's rays crept in through the windows of the hut, Gabrielle heard the faint sound of approaching hooves. The sound grew louder and stopped somewhere on the road passing by the village.

A few moments later, she heard a familiar voice calling, "I'm looking for a warrior named Xena. She's traveling with a young woman called Gabrielle. Have any of you seen them recently?"

Gabrielle heard the murmuring voice of the woman who owned the house. There was the sound of footsteps, and the woman appeared in Gabrielle's field of vision. Behind her walked Zelea. The Amazon queen had to duck to enter the house. Her face broke into an expression of relief when she saw the two warriors on the bed.

"Zelea," Gabrielle croaked, trying to lift her head. "Do you know what's wrong with us?"

"Yes." The Amazon fished into a leather pouch on her belt. She came out with a simple silver chain and slipped it over Gabrielle's head. Immediately, the weariness vanished. Gabrielle sat straight up, staring down at the chain.

"What is this?" she exclaimed.

Zelea didn't answer. She put a second chain around Xena's neck. The warrior's eyes blinked and she sat up, instantly lucid.

"Zelea," she said with a slight smile. "Is he dead?"

Part II

"No," said the Amazon, stepping back so that Gabrielle and Xena could stand up. "He's been imprisoned, and will be tried for the murder of Halirrhothius. You have to help me free him."

The woman who had sheltered Gabrielle and Xena had left their weapons in one corner. Xena retrieved her sword and chakram before responding.

"Now, why would I want to do a thing like that?" she drawled. "He's probably committed murder every day of his existence." Xena made an ironic expression suggesting a sudden flash of illumination, although the answer had been evident to her all along. "But of course, Halirrhothius was the son of Poseidon. That makes things different, doesn't it?"

Ignoring Gabrielle's bewilderment, Zelea said, "Posideon is screaming for justice. But the killing wasn't done in cold blood; Father was avenging the rape of Alcippe!"

Xena shrugged. "Well, you defend him, then. I'm sure Alcippe will be happy to testify on Daddy's behalf."

"Xena." Zelea's face was angry and swiftly growing impatient. "Alcippe has no memory of what happened. Father healed her body and wiped her memory of the attack. The only way she could testify would be for him to reverse what he did. If he does, Alcippe will be blind for the rest of her life, and will carry the scars of the attack to her grave!"

Xena suddenly became furious. "Yes, and what about the scores of innocent people who carry scars because of the wars caused by your father?"

Gabrielle caught her breath as the implications of the argument sank in. She seemed to realize suddenly why Zelea looked so familiar.

"You—" she managed, then struggled to find her voice. "Ares is... your father?" she concluded.

Zelea inclined her head slightly, lifting her eyebrows. Xena saw that Gabrielle recognized the expression. She wondered how the bard could have missed the resemblance earlier: Zelea was like a female twin of the war god.

"He's the father of all the Amazons in Zelea's tribe," said Xena dryly.

Gabrielle must be more innocent than Xena had thought, or at least less observant. Xena had spotted the physical resemblance in Alcippe as soon as they'd found the girl at the riverside. The appearance of the two guards on the path had confirmed Xena's guess, and Zelea's looks had eliminated any lingering doubts. From what Xena could see, Ares had no qualms about lying with his own daughters: Niobe's baby girl, Iphis, had visibly been fathered by him. But there was no way Xena was going to attempt explaining the god's perversities to Gabrielle.

"All of them?" said Gabrielle stupidly. "Who are their mothers?"

"The women that Ares keeps in his temple," explained Xena.

"You mean like priestesses?" asked Gabrielle.

"No, more like concubines."

Gabrielle flushed a sudden bright crimson, and Xena could only imagine the embarrassing visions that must be passing through her mind. Gabrielle thought of Ares as a deity interested mostly in warfare. The extent of his sexual activity had never really occurred to her.

"The children born to the women are fostered with the Amazons if they're girls, and with the families of warlords if they're boys," Xena concluded.

"So who's Halirrothius?" asked Gabrielle.

"One of Poseidon's sons," answered Zelea. "Have you heard of the mer-maids?"

"Yes, of course," said Gabrielle.

"Halirrothius was the son of Poseidon and a mer-maid. He was half-god. On land, he had a mortal form; in water, he was a mer-man— the upper body of a man and the tail of a fish. It's a good thing you captured him on land. It would have been impossible to catch him under water."

"And he lived in the river?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yes, I believe his mother swam up the river and spawned him in a mountain lake. He'd spend the summers up-river in the cold water. When winter came, he'd swim back down to the ocean, far to the south. He was a big brute, but he never gave us any problems until now. In fact, he usually ran away from Amazons. We knew which parts of the river he preferred, and in the summer, we'd fish and bathe elsewhere. I have no idea what prompted him to act so viciously, unless he was angry that Alcippe was fishing at his part of the river."

"And Ares killed him because of the attack?" said Gabrielle.

"Yes. And now Poseidon is seeking vengeance against Ares for his son's death." Zelea shifted her gaze to Xena. "You must help us."

"No," said Xena. "I won't do it." She knew she was being stubborn, but she had no intention of giving Ares anything, let alone her assistance. If he'd gotten into hot water with the other gods, that was his problem. She stalked out of the hut, fuming. Gabrielle followed uneasily. The warrior fetched Argo from a small, makeshift stable and prepared to mount the horse.

"Xena." Zelea appeared behind them. "I know you and Father have had differences of opinion, but-"

Xena spat, "He slaughtered three men without compunction to frame me for a crime I didn't commit; he impersonated my father and almost led me to sack a town full of innocent people; he let my worst enemy have my body, almost condemning me to Tartarus for her crimes; and he set the Furies on me and tried to make me kill my own mother! I'd hardly call that a 'difference of opinion!'"

Zelea looked equally angry. "Yes, and if you hadn't broken faith with him, he wouldn't have done any of that! You brought it on your own head, Xena! I sometimes wonder why he hasn't killed you outright for your arrogance!"

The villagers were staring at the arguing women. Xena became self conscious. She climbed onto Argo and drew Gabrielle up behind her. She kicked the horse into a trot, and rode swiftly out of the village.

It didn't take long for Zelea to catch up with them. She brought her large, black horse up alongside Argo.

"Xena, please be reasonable." She was pleading now, at considerable cost to her pride.

"Defend him yourself," Xena said curtly.

"Fine. If that's how you feel, give me those necklaces. You can sleep until Father is dead, and the gods have chosen someone else to take his place." Zelea held out her hand.

"What are these necklaces, anyway?" Gabrielle asked. It would be like her to stall the argument for a moment.

"They were forged by Hepheastus and given to us by Father as gifts."

"Is this like when Ares lost his sword?" asked Gabrielle.

"In a sense," Xena responded, without turning her head or slowing Argo. "But then, he'd lost his powers completely, and there was no god of war."

"That's right," said Zelea. "Now, his powers are being held in stasis. He's still a god, but he's not able to use his powers while they're holding him prisoner."

"So why did we fall asleep?" Gabrielle asked.

"You're warriors," said Zelea. "Anyone who fights habitually is affected, because you tap into Father's energy. People like Xena, who've been fighting nearly their entire lives, are affected much more strongly. That's why you were still awake, but weak, and she was fully unconscious."

"And these necklaces?" Gabrielle went on.

"They were forged by a god. They also have Father's energy about them. They counteract the weakness in you caused by his lack of power."

Xena kept refusing to look at Zelea.

"Xena," said Zelea. "Are you going to help me or not?"

The warrior brought Argo to an abrupt stop. Zelea had to fight with her stallion to slow him down. By the time she got the animal turned around, Xena and Gabrielle had dismounted.

"Gabrielle, watch the horses," said Xena. The Amazon queen swung down off her own mount. "Zelea and I need to talk."

The two women walked down the road until Xena felt they were out of Gabrielle's earshot.

"Zelea," she said, when she could get past her anger enough to speak. "I like you, and I respect you. But you must understand that I don't follow your father or worship him any longer. If he's gotten himself into trouble, he'll have to take care of it. Not me. I'm not his servant."

"You were, once," said Zelea. "Until you decided he wasn't good enough."

"He didn't want me to just lead an army," said Xena. "I was sacking villages and murdering innocent people. It was wrong, Zelea! I couldn't do it any more. I've turned away from that life. And if it means fighting Ares, I'll do it."

"You were his favorite," said Zelea flatly. "Do you know how many warriors would give the hearts out of their bodies for that honor?" She pointed to Xena's chakram. "You, of all warriors, carry an outward sign of his favor. And yet you flaunt your defiance of him in his face! He allows you to live, hoping you'll return to his service, but I wonder why he bothers."

"That's his decision," Xena said. She put her hand on the chakram. "And if he wants this, he'll have to take it from me. I'm not going to stop fighting him, Zelea. I'm going to keep doing whatever I can to protect innocent people from his rampaging warlords."

"You are so arrogant," said Zelea.

"You may call it arrogance. I call it compassion."

"Well, then." Zelea stopped walking and folded her massive arms on her chest, in such perfect mimicry of Ares that Xena would have burst out laughing had not the situation been so serious. "If you call yourself compassionate, where's your compassion for my sister?"

Xena stopped walking a few paces beyond Zelea. She stood unmoving, without turning around as Zelea spoke.

"Alcippe is twelve years old, Xena. She's just as innocent as all those villagers you've vowed to protect. Do you want her to be blind for the rest of her life, totally dependent on the tribe? Do you want her to live with the nightmares and horror of what that monster did to her? Do you want her to spend the rest of her life in fear that some other brute could stalk her, and she wouldn't even be able to see him, much less defend herself? Because that's what will happen if her memory is restored. A lifetime of blindness, pain, and fear."

Xena tried not to remember her own recent day of blindness.

"You believe the things that Father does are wrong?"

"Yes," said Xena through her teeth.

"And do you believe that Alcippe should be made to suffer for those things?"

"No," said Xena hotly, "of course not."

"Do you think Father was justified in killing Halirrothius? If some thug raped and blinded your little friend back there, wouldn't you seek retribution? Wouldn't you kill him?"

Xena scowled. "That's not the point—"

"Answer my question! Do you think Father was wrong to kill Halirrothius?"

"No!" Xena shouted angrily. "You know I don't think he was wrong! And yes, of course I'd do the same if it were Gabrielle! That's why I didn't tell her what he did. She doesn't approve of killing, no matter the circumstances. But I also think Ares has done plenty of things he should be called to account for!"

"But Xena," said Zelea in a soft, ominous voice, "he's not being tried for any of those other things. He's being tried for the murder of Halirrothius."

Xena scrubbed her forehead with her hands. "Gods have license to kill whenever they feel like it. I can't believe they'd haul in Ares for avenging his own daughter."

"The other gods are claiming that Ares killed Halirrothius with no provocation and not as an act of war. Each god is all-powerful in his or her own sphere. If a god kills in cold blood, without provocation, outside of his or her domain, then yes, it's considered a crime."

"What will they do if he's found guilty?" Xena asked quietly.

"Strip him of his powers completely. Then they'll either banish him to the wilderness, where he wouldn't survive a day, or they'll have him put to death."

"And what do you want me to do?" asked Xena with a sigh.

"Just describe to the other gods what happened the day of the attack. How you found Alcippe. You and Gabrielle were the only eyewitnesses. Father can clear himself if he can prove that killing Halirrothius was an act of retribution for the rape of his daughter. If you won't testify, he'll have no choice but to restore Alcippe's memory. And he won't do that."

"Won't do it," Xena repeated. "I can't believe he'd put Alcippe's well-being ahead of his own miserable survival."

"Then you don't understand him half as well as you think you do." Zelea's voice was like steel.

"What's so special about Alcippe?" asked Xena. "He must have thousands of children. I don't imagine he gives a damn about any one of them."

"Almost twenty years ago, one of Father's armies captured a palace in Persia as part of a war they were fighting. When the raid was over, Father found a girl hiding with some of the women. Her name is Nialia. She was five at the time, the bastard daughter of the king and one of his courtesans, a Slavic woman from the steppes. When I say Nialia is beautiful, I'm aware that even the word itself is completely inadequate." Zelea's eyes bored into Xena's, and her voice grew intimate. "I think you know what I'm talking about, Xena."

Xena glared back at the Amazon. She had no wish to discuss her own sexual proclivities with this woman.

"Father brought her back to his temple, and she was raised there. Like the other women, she became his lover when she was old enough. She's never been with anyone except him. She conceived Alcippe the first time they were together. Father's always been very indulgent of Nialia. He allowed her to keep Alcippe at the temple until she was weaned, something he never permitted with any of the women who serve him. Alcippe came to the tribe when she was almost two. She's clever, strong, very capable. The young women already look up to her. I've started grooming her as my successor. Nobody else in the tribe has her wisdom and foresight. If she doesn't become queen, the whole tribe will be thrown into turmoil."

Xena scowled. She didn't feel like defending Ares because the child of his favorite pet had been sullied. But Zelea had pricked her conscience. Xena knew that if she didn't try to help Alcippe, she'd never be able to live with herself.

"All right," she relented. "I'll do it. But I'm doing it for Alcippe. Not for Ares."

"Good. Let's get back to the horses." Zelea turned around and strode back towards Gabrielle. "We've wasted enough time already. The trial is today."

"How are we going to do this?" asked Xena, hurrying alongside her.

"You and I will need to take a drug that will induce a deep trance. Our minds will be free to travel to Olympus. Of course, we won't remember anything of the journey when we wake up again." Gabrielle and the horses were in view now. Xena could see that Marpessa and Messeis had caught up with Gabrielle. The three Amazons stood talking, Gabrielle gesturing energetically with her staff. "We'll have to ride very fast to make it to the Temple of the Furies in time—"

"The Furies!" Xena roared, stopping short. "How'd they get involved with this?"

"Alecto is defending Father. She was the only god willing to do it."

"They're not exactly at the top of my 'favorite people' list these days," Xena grumbled as she began walking again.

"I'm sure you can tolerate them for a few hours. Alecto will be our guide to and from Olympus. Gabrielle can stay behind with Marpessa and Messeis, on the outside chance the temple is attacked while you and I are in the trance."

The two women reached the horses. After a brief exchange with the other Amazons, Gabrielle agreed to ride with Marpessa so that Argo would not have to bear the extra weight. Xena and Zelea mounted their horses, and set off at a hard pace in the direction of the Temple of the Furies.

(ii)

The temple was the last place on earth Xena thought she would visit again. She was surprised at how little it had changed since she'd last been there. She half-expected to see her mother chained to the altar. Casually, she wandered over and helped herself to an apple from the bowl of fruit on a nearby table.

"Quite an improvement," she said to the attendant priest, who merely went red in the face and murmured something inaudible. He gestured for the two warriors to follow him towards an archway at the rear of the temple. He lifted an orange curtain, and they stepped into a back room that the temple priests most likely occupied.

Two blanket-covered straw pallets had been placed on the floor. On a small table sat two goblets. Xena lifted one and sniffed the contents. She recognized two herbs: one that would cause a deep sleep, another frequently used by clergy to reach a trance state that would open the mind to communion with the gods.

A moment later, Alecto appeared in a flash of silver light. The goddess hadn't changed since her previous encounter with Xena: the same shock of pale hair, the same shredded cape and gown, the same wild expression on her face.

"Warrior-princess," she said, addressing Xena in her peculiar, sing-song voice. And to Zelea, "She has agreed to testify on behalf of Ares?"

Xena lifted an eyebrow, fighting the urge to add sarcastically, Anything for Daddy.

"Very well." Alecto gestured to the pallets. The two women got settled. The priest handed each of them one of the goblets.

"The drug will take effect immediately," he said. "While you're in the trance, Alecto will be your guide at Olympus. The trance will last for only three hours. When you wake up, you'll have no memory of the experience."

Before they could drink, they heard footsteps in the main room of the temple. The priest left the room, returning a moment later with an out-of-breath Gabrielle.

"Hi," the bard said. "The twins are taking care of the horses. I wanted to see you before you go to sleep." She looked wistfully at the two older women. "I wish I was going to Olympus," she said.

"It's not like I'll be able to remember any of it," said Xena.

"Have fun anyway," said Gabrielle.

"Well, bottoms up," said Xena. She and Zelea swallowed the bitter concoction, then lay down on their pallets. Xena began to feel sleepy right away. She pulled a deep breath and closed her eyes, allowing herself to be lulled under by the sedative effect of the herbs. Her last conscious memory was the sound of Gabrielle's slightly worried voice as she addressed the priest. Before he responded, a wave of warm darkness rose up in Xena's mind, blotting out all awareness.

Seemingly a moment later, she blinked, surprised to find herself standing up in the small cell, looking down at her own entranced body and at the equally motionless body of Zelea. The spectral shade of the Amazon queen stood beside her.

Alecto held out her arms. "Each of you, take a hand."

Cautiously, Xena took one of the offered hands. Zelea took the other. In less than a heartbeat, they were gone.

(iii)

They materialized in a vast amphitheater-like chamber. Xena felt a jolt of surprise when she saw that the room was full of gods, all seated on tiers that rose up so far her eyes could barely make out the top rows. The murmur of their voices created a quiet hum.

She looked around the chamber in wonderment. Vast marble pillars rose up to a lofty ceiling. An unseen light source illuminated the room, almost as bright as day. A delicious scent that seemed both fruity and floral wafted through the soft, humid air.

Xena and Zelea took seats with Alecto and the other two Furies, Tisiphone and Megaera, in one of the lower levels of seats. From their vantage point, they had an excellent view of nearly the entire room.

The floor of the chamber was a vast, rectangular marble surface. Twelve large, heavy chairs had been arrayed along three outer edges of the rectangle: six at the back and three along the two shorter sides. All but one of the twelve seats were occupied, Xena saw. She realized that she was looking directly at the twelve Olympian gods.

A polished wooden table sat at the center of the floor. In a chair at the table sat Ares himself, back straight, head up, a murderous and defiant expression on his face. Xena saw that his sword had evidently been taken from him. He also seemed to be missing his rune-and-horns amulet. The gods had taken away his leather tunic and gauntlets; he now wore a simple shirt of black silk. A set of silver manacles chained his wrists together. Xena could see that his ankles had also been shackled. His normally well-groomed hair was an unruly mess, and he sported an ugly bruise on one side of his face. Xena couldn't imagine that roping him in had been an easy task for the other gods. Despite her anger at everything Ares had done, Xena felt a grudging spasm of pity for him.

She turned her attention from Ares to the other Olympians. She deduced the three gods along the left-hand side of the floor to be Hermes, the messenger of the gods; Demeter, the goddess of crops and grain; and Athena, goddess of battle and wisdom. All wore grave, impassive expressions.

Along the right side of the floor sat Artemis, goddess of the moon and the hunt, the patroness of Ephiny's tribe. Beside Artemis sat her twin brother Apollo, god of the sun and music. Artemis looked serious and watchful, but Apollo had a haughty, smug look on his face that told Xena he was pleased by Ares' predicament. Xena guessed that the empty chair next to Artemis was one normally occupied by Ares.

Xena then turned her attention to the six gods who sat behind Ares, along the long edge of the rectangular floor. To the left of Ares, she spotted two gods with whom she was personally familiar: Hades, as pale as ever, in full armor and helmet; and beside him, Poseidon. Xena felt a bit startled at the water god's apparent "mortal" form, and she saw immediately where Halirrothius had come by his enormous build. Poseidon towered over the other gods; the big chair could barely hold him. The water god must have been close to eight feet tall, with a massive chest and shoulders. He wore a pale blue robe. His skin had a greenish-blue cast. Like Ares, he had curly black hair and very dark eyes.

To the right of Poseidon sat Zeus. Xena identified the king of the gods based on his position at the center of the row of seats. She could also see a remarkable resemblance to Hercules, although Zeus lacked his half-mortal son's warm expression. Zeus had silver hair and a silver beard, and a big, craggy face. He wasn't as tall as Poseidon, but Xena knew he must be at least six-foot-four. He wore a robe that looked like white silk, heavily embroidered with gold and silver threads.

To the right of Ares sat the final three gods. Immediately next to Zeus was Hera, his wife. Xena studied Hercules' most wily adversary with avid curiosity. The queen of the gods was beautiful in a terrifying way: very tall, with a finely boned face and an arrogant expression. Hera wore a simple, striking turquoise gown. She had incredibly pale skin and a waist-length mane of curly chestnut-brown hair. Her eyes were a dazzling green and as hard as rocks. Her gaze kept flicking towards Ares. Like Apollo, she seemed pleased to see the war god in chains.

To the right of Hera sat her bastard son Hephaestus, god of the forge. Xena noted his scarred face and crippled leg, wondering which of the rumors about his disfigurement were true: the one that said Zeus threw the offspring of his wife's adultery down the side of Mount Olympus, or the one claiming Hera had done so because her son had been born ugly.

To the right of Hephaestus was his wife, Aphrodite, a goddess with whom Gabrielle had had personal contact. The goddess of love, beauty, and desire looked somewhat incongruous in her habitual see-through gown, but her expression was as concerned and sober as any of the other gods.

Xena tore her eyes from the Olympians and gazed around the rest of the chamber. Over on one side, she spotted two mean-looking types in black leather. From their garb and expressions, she deduced them to be Ares' sister Discord and her son Strife. In a tier directly behind Ares, Xena saw Cupid, seated with a small, dark-haired woman who must be his wife, Psyche. Cupid caught Xena's eye and winked. From this perspective, Xena could easily see the resemblance between Ares and Cupid: the bronze skin, the muscular build, the sensuous face and dark eyes. She marveled that a shallow, self-centered goddess like Aphrodite and a violent, hateful god like Ares could have produced such a beautiful and good-hearted son. She also wondered where Cupid had come by his wings.

"Rhea," Zelea murmured.

"Excuse me?" Xena whispered back.

"I saw you looking at Cupid. He gets his wings from Rhea, the Titaness. The mother of both Zeus and Hera." Xena nodded. Ares and Aphrodite were half-siblings. Evidently, incest was not the taboo among gods that it was among mortals.

Xena finally turned her attention to the gods sitting in front of her, and her heart went into her throat. In full view of Ares sat the three Fates. Clotho held a spindle in her hands. A single thread spooled into the lap of Lachesis. Atrobos, the Crone, held the thread in one hand, a pair of murderous shears in the other. Xena knew then that the thread was Ares' life-line. A chill raced down her back. She looked again and saw Ares' sword, still in its scabbard, resting against the chair which Atrobos occupied.

A hush fell over the room as Zeus stood.

"I see our mortal witnesses have arrived," he said, his powerful voice carrying to the highest levels of the amphitheater. "The trial can begin."

(iv)

"Ares, god of war, stands accused of cold-blooded and willful murder." Zeus glanced around the floor. "The victim was Halirrothius, the mer-man son of Poseidon. Ares claims that he killed Halirrothius in retaliation for the alleged rape of his mortal daughter, Alcippe. However, he refuses to have the girl brought here for questioning. He claims to have erased the memory of the attack from her mind. Conveniently, he also refuses to restore her memory, which does make suspect the verity of his claim."

Xena shifted on her seat. It occurred to her that Zeus hated Ares. Hardly surprising, considering the things Ares had done. Still, the evident depth of the older god's animosity startled her.

"The Olympians will allow Ares one more opportunity to restore his daughter's memory of this alleged attack. Will you agree to this, Ares?"

"No," said Ares through his teeth.

"Very well. Alecto, you have agreed to gather evidence on Ares' behalf. You have witnesses who can support his claim?"

Alecto stood. "I do," she said. "My first witness is the woman who found Alcippe. Xena of Amphipolis, also called the Warrior-Princess."

Xena stood. She met the gaze of Zeus without fear. It had always been her practice to treat the gods as equals, and she saw no reason to regard Zeus any differently.

"Xena," he said. "You claim to have found Halirrothius shortly after his alleged violation of the girl Alcippe. Can you describe for the gods what happened?"

"I was fishing at a bend in the River Strymon with my companion, Gabrielle," said Xena. Her voice rang out through the amphitheater. "We were traveling north through the mountains, following the easternmost of the three tributaries which feed into the river. We'd stopped to catch fish for our dinner. We heard a scream from around the next bend, and went to see if there was someone in danger."

"Excuse me." Apollo stood. "How could you possibly have known which direction this scream came from?"

Xena turned her head very slowly to the right, her intense gaze locking onto the sun god. She gave him a moment to let him know she would not be intimidated, then responded.

"Because I have good ears."

After a long moment of silence, a wave of titters swept through the assembled gods. Apollo flushed a deep crimson, but sat.

"When Gabrielle and I came around the bend in the river, we saw Alcippe's body lying on the beach, and Halirrothius standing over her."

"And how could you be certain Halirrothius was the attacker?" asked Zeus.

Succinctly and without mincing words, Xena described the blood on Alcippe's legs and the blood on the miscreant's genitals.

"When he saw me and Gabrielle, he tried to flee," said Xena. "I drove him back onto the beach, and Gabrielle knocked him unconscious. We knew the girl was an Amazon by her clothes, and we guessed that her tribe must live nearby. We tied up Halirrothius on my horse, and took him and Alcippe through the woods until the Amazon guards found us."

Zeus nodded. Xena sat. "Alecto, you have a witness who can describe the girl's condition?"

Alecto stood. "Zelea, Queen of the Amazons."

Zelea stood.

"Zelea, in what condition did you find the girl Alcippe?"

"Very serious. She had been struck hard on the back of her head, and was in a deep state of unconsciousness. Her eyes were full of blood, indicating they'd been damaged by the blow to her head."

"And you claim that Ares healed this damage?"

"Yes, he came during the night and healed her body completely. He also removed the memory of the attack from her mind. When she woke up the next morning, she had no recollection of what had happened."

"Excuse me!" It was Apollo again. Xena glared at him.

"Why should we believe the testimony of these women?" he asked. "Zelea is Ares' daughter and sworn servant. The warrior-princess is his lover."

Xena was on her feet immediately. "I am not Ares' lover," she countered. Ares laughed silently, despite his imminent peril. Xena shot him a withering look.

"They why did I see the two of you together a year ago?" Apollo asked.

"Because Ares allowed my enemy, a woman named Callisto, to possess my body so that she could escape Tartarus. This liaison you speak of occurred while Callisto's mind was in my body and my mind in hers." The revelation of Ares' sexual shenanigans provoked much laughter from the other gods, and Xena noted his red flush with grim satisfaction. "Later, I captured Callisto and returned her to the underworld so that I could have my body back."

"It's true," said Hades, taking his feet. "Callisto had conspired with Ares to gain escape from Tartarus."

"If I may add one thing," said Xena. "I once followed Ares, but I turned from his ways of mindless bloodshed and violence. I'm no longer his disciple, and I was certainly never his lover."

"Than why are you defending him now?" asked Apollo.

"Because of Alcippe," said Xena.

"Because of Alcippe," Apollo repeated. "You came here to defend the daughter of your sworn enemy?"

"She's done nothing," Xena said. "She's a child, and she doesn't deserve to suffer for the things Ares has done."

Apollo folded his arms, and pursed his pretty mouth. It stuck Xena that Ares bore a strong resemblance to his half-brother, but where Apollo was beautiful to the point of being effeminate, Ares bristled with virility.

"I don't believe you."

"Xena," said Zeus, "do you have a more compelling reason for defending Ares?"

"I'm here to protect Alcippe," Xena maintained.

"But why? Surely you owe her nothing."

Xena realized her testimony was in jeopardy. She glanced around at the assembled gods. Well, she'd lied to the Furies, and they'd believed her; the other gods might believe a lie also.

"Ares is my father," she said, her tone reluctant, as if this knowledge shamed her. "In spite of our differences, I still felt honor-bound to protect Alcippe, my sister."

The gods murmured in surprise.

"Can you prove this?" asked Zeus skeptically.

"She already has." Alecto stood. "I've seen her fight Ares to a standstill in hand-to-hand combat."

"Were there other witnesses?" asked Zeus.

"The Furies, Tisiphone and Megaera; Xena's mother, Cyrene of Amphipolis; Xena's companion, Gabrielle of Poteidaia; and Lysis, high priest in the Temple of the Furies."

"And all biased," Apollo argued. "None of them would be impartial witnesses. Zeus, I believe the warrior-woman is lying. She has no godly attributes about her."

"Xena, can you prove your claim?" asked Zeus.

"With your leave," said Xena.

"You have it." Zeus stepped back towards his own seat.

With a loud shriek, Xena sprang forward, somersaulting over the Fates and down onto the floor. She ran at the nearest pillar and ran up it, then pushed herself off, somersaulting backwards through the air, all while letting forth with her undulating battle cry. She landed on the wooden table in front of Ares, then sprang off again, tumbling through the air until she landed directly before Apollo. With a fiendish grin, she pulled her chakram off her hip and hurtled it into the air. The weapon whizzed about the vast chamber, madly striking pillars and walls, swooping so low over some of the gods' heads that they ducked to avoid it.

"Enough!" roared Zeus.

Xena held up her right hand and the chakram shot back to her. She gave the metal ring a cocky little toss in the air before putting it back on its clip. She glanced down at Apollo, who shrank in his chair as though fearful of catching some repulsive disease. Xena let go with another ear-splitting scream and vaulted herself back to her seat beside the Furies.

"I think," said Zeus, "she's demonstrated her godly attributes quite adequately."

Xena lifted her eyebrows with a faint smile. Up in the stands, Cupid pantomimed applause, flashing Xena a huge grin. He then raised both his thumbs in an evident gesture of approval. Xena dropped one eyelid in a half-wink.

"Alecto, have you any further witnesses to testify on Ares' behalf?" asked Zeus.

"No, I have not," the Fury responded.

"Very well." Zeus looked around the chamber. "You've heard the evidence presented. The Olympians will now retire to deliberate the case." In a flash, the eleven gods vanished.

A hub-bub of noise arose. Xena exhaled, unaware she'd been holding her breath. At the wooden table, Ares looked remorseless and impassive, though his eyes burned with anger. Xena didn't think the verdict would be decided in his favor. With no real physical evidence, Alecto could hardly hope to clear him.

Xena took in the other gods, wondering who among them would succeed Ares if the Olympians decided to have the war god executed. Perhaps his shrewish little sister Discord would volunteer herself. Xena felt surprised that Ares had not restored Alcippe's memory; in her experience with the god, he'd never failed to act out of his own selfish interests. But his stubborn refusal to undo Alcippe's healing made sense in one respect: the other gods doubtless knew that Ares favored this one of his children, and they'd had no qualms about exploiting the weakness in him. He would not allow them the satisfaction of hurting him through his daughter. As much as Xena disliked Ares, she had to admire his obstinacy on this point.

It was a shame, Xena thought, that the one time Ares made a compassionate gesture—no matter how selfishly motivated—that act had been seized upon and used against him. She had a sudden flash of insight into why Ares was so callus and hateful. If this sham of a trial was any indication of how the gods treated each other, then perhaps Ares was an inevitable product of his environment.

Perhaps the other gods had been waiting for an opportunity like this—a purportedly valid reason to depose Ares and harness his powers for their own use. Xena tried to guess which of the gods would benefit most directly from Ares' loss of power. Something else occurred to her, a possibility that should have been evident from the very beginning. Hastily, Xena gestured to both Alecto and Zelea. The goddess and the Amazon queen put their heads closer to Xena's, and listened as the warrior whispered her suspicions.

Zelea looked stunned. "I never thought of that," she whispered. "Which one?"

"I don't know," Xena murmured back. "But there's only one way we could find out." She quietly relayed her idea.

The Olympians materialized in their seats. Only Zeus was standing.

"The Olympians have reached their verdict," he began, then stopped. Alecto had stood.

"With your permission, Zeus, I believe some new evidence has come to light that could exonerate Ares."

The gods murmured.

"It's too late," said Zeus. "The judgment of the gods has been made."

"I believe it is customary for three recesses to be allowed at any time during a trial," said Alecto unflappably. "I would like to request a recess at this time."

The quiet murmur of the gods rose to an excited din. Zeus looked enraged, but Alecto seemed to have caught him on some small point of legality or tradition. After a moment, he snapped his fingers and a fine gold hourglass appeared in his hand.

"You have until the sand runs through," he stated. "No later." He flipped the thing over and it hung suspended in mid-air. Alecto vanished.

The gods continued to babble among themselves. The Olympians looked tense and frustrated that their small, mean moment of pleasure had been thwarted, even for a short time.

Xena realized her heart was pounding as she watched the grains of sand slide through the suspended hourglass. Judging by the reactions of the gods, her hunch had been correct. She found herself hoping that Alecto would get back on time. Moments crept by. The sand continued to spill down. As the allotted time of the recess drew to a close, Xena dared to look at Ares. He sat there, stubborn as a mule, unrepentant even in the face of his own probable demise. The other gods might destroy him, but they'd never get him to bend his neck. Xena despised his arrogance, but she respected that he'd stuck to his principles.

Xena regretted that she would recall nothing of this bizarre journey. She felt as though she'd learned a lot about the gods that controlled her world. Oddly, she now saw that Ares had his own warped integrity, while many of his fellow-gods had none whatsoever.

The final grains of sand ran through into the bottom of the hourglass.

Zeus stood again. The hourglass vanished.

"The Olympians have reached their verdict," he pronounced. "Ares, god of war, has been found guilty of cold-blooded and willful murder." Beside Xena, Zelea slumped. "The penalty—"

"Wait!"

In a glimmer of light, Alecto appeared beside the wooden table, wringing wet, hair plastered to her skull. She clutched a leather pouch in one hand. Zelea sat up straight again.

"Your time is up, Alecto," said Zeus.

"I have evidence that will prove Ares' innocence in this crime," she declared.

Zeus had a look of impatience about him, and for a moment, Xena feared he would not allow Alecto to present what she'd found. But at last, he relented.

"Make your claim."

Alecto twitched, restoring her habitual appearance in an instant. "I went to the river where Halirrothius was known to spend summers, in the cool water that comes down off the mountain," she announced. "Under the water, I found the entrance to a cave where he dwelled. There, I found proof that Halirrothius did not attack Alcippe of his own volition. He was bribed into the assault by another god, with the specific intent of having Ares falsely accused of murder."

"Bribed with what?" Zeus growled.

"With the promise of wealth," said Alecto, plunging her hand into the leather sack. She drew out a fistful of precious gemstones and gold coins, throwing the glittering treasures down onto the wooden table where they danced and flashed in the light. "There is a pile of gold and jewels three feet high in the cave. Halirrothius was also bribed with the promise of power," she went on. "Specifically, with the promise of Ares' godhood."

A collective gasp went up. Alecto had pulled from the pouch Ares' rune-and-horns amulet and held it up for the other gods to see. Beside her, Ares' face contorted with wrath and his eyes moved from side to side, as if assessing which of the other gods had set the trap for him.

"And do you know which of the gods was responsible for this bribery?" Zeus inquired.

"Yes, I do," Alecto responded.

"And can you prove it?"

Alecto reached into the leather bag and withdrew her last piece of evidence. Dead silence fell over the chamber as a single green peacock feather drifted from Alecto's hand to the surface of the wooden table.

Pandemonium broke out as the gods exclaimed among themselves, the most infuriated roars of protest coming from Poseidon. Xena watched as Hera glared at the back of her son's head with an expression so hateful, so ugly, so venomous, that Xena felt like a knife had twisted in her guts. Of all the evil she'd witnessed—and perpetrated—in her life, she didn't think she'd ever seen anything so malevolent as the look Hera gave to Ares in that instant. A heartbeat later, the queen of the gods vanished.

Xena let her out her breath in a silent exhalation. She wondered at the depth of hatred that would cause a mother to perjure her own son in such a manner. And if that wasn't bad enough, Hera had duped her brother's son into being the agent of the crime. She'd known that a simpleton like Halirrothius, who might have resented being half-god, half-sea beast, would not be able to resist the lure of full godhood. Hera had known that Ares would murder Halirrothius in retribution and undo the damage to his daughter. She'd known that Poseidon would demand Ares be brought to justice for his son's death. She'd known that the other gods would be more than happy to find Ares guilty and strip him of his powers. She'd played her husband, brother, and son against each other as deftly as any cold-blooded mortal Xena had known. The depth of her rancor was chilling.

"I should have known," Zelea hissed.

"Will Hera be called to account for this?" asked Xena.

"Is she ever?" was Zelea's bleak response.

The din of the gods finally quieted. Zeus addressed the gathering.

"In light of the new evidence, the Olympians have found Ares to be not guilty of this crime." Zeus looked disappointed. Xena glanced around the faces of the other gods, who mostly looked impassive. Aphrodite, however, beamed with relief. Like Zeus, Apollo seemed frustrated at the trial's outcome.

Hepheastus limped over to the table, and unshackled his half-brother. Without a word, Ares stalked over to Atrobos to retrieve his sword, then he vanished.

Alecto rejoined Xena and Zelea. "It's time for you to return."

Xena took one last, quick glance around the room, wishing mightily that she would be able to remember this experience and the strange insights she had gained from it. Resigned, she took Alecto's left arm. Zelea took her right arm, and the three of them were gone.

(v)

"They're coming around."

Xena blinked and stared up into Gabrielle's face. On the pallet beside her, Zelea stirred. The priest handed each woman a wooden jar of water. Xena drank gratefully. The sleep-inducing drugs had left her mouth and throat parched.

"What happened?" asked Gabrielle.

A moment later, Alecto appeared.

"Ares has been acquitted of any culpability in the crime," she announced.

"Nice of him to turn up personally and say thanks," Xena grumbled. Zelea made a face but said nothing. Alecto vanished again.

The women waited until the after-effects of the drug had worn off, then went out to their horses. Gabrielle and Xena handed the silver necklaces to Zelea.

"It was good to see you again," Gabrielle said to the Amazon queen.

"And you. And you, too, Xena. Thank you for your assistance. The tribe owes you a debt of gratitude. Especially Alcippe."

Xena nodded. "Have a safe journey back."

Without any further ado, the women mounted their horses, and went in their separate directions.

(vi)

Cyrene's tavern was almost deserted when Gabrielle and Xena reached Amphipolis. The lunch patrons had already left, and the dinner patrons had not yet arrived. Cyrene looked up from the bar with astonishment when the travelers wandered in.

"Xena!" she said, hurrying over to embrace her daughter. Xena gave her mother an awkward hug. "What brings you here?"

"We're passing through on our way to Potedaia," said Xena. "We thought we'd drop by."

"I wish you'd been here two days ago. You just missed your brother."

"Torris!" exclaimed Xena. "Do you know where he was going?"

"West. He was on foot, so you should be able to catch up with him."

"Wonderful," said Gabrielle. "That's just the direction we'll be going."

"I can persuade you to stay for dinner before you go chasing after him, can't I?" Cyrene asked.

"We never refuse a free dinner," said Gabrielle. Xena grinned.

"The stew's already on the fire," said Cyrene. "Gabrielle, could you keep an eye on it for a few minutes?"

"Sure," Gabrielle responded, taking a seat near the fire. Cyrene looked like she wanted to speak privately with Xena. Mother and daughter left the tavern through a door in the back.

(vii)

Xena had no idea where her mother was going, but she followed along nevertheless. Cyrene was silent as they left the village, passing along a narrow track and into some woods. Xena recalled playing among these trees as a child. Back in those days, the place had seemed a vast forest.

The terrain gradually became rough. About a mile outside the village, Cyrene climbed to the top of a small rise and pointed down into a steep gulley full of leaves and twigs and other debris.

"That's where I buried your father," she said without preamble.

Xena was stunned. She'd never have expected Cyrene to show her this place. "Mother," she began, then stopped. She didn't know what to say.

"Did you tell Torris?" she asked after a few wordless moments slid past.

"When he was home. I took him here, too."

Xena studied her mother. Cyrene looked so calm, weirdly at peace with herself, as if she'd come to terms with the fact that she'd murdered her husband.

"I had to know what happened," Cyrene said, leaning against a nearby tree. She gazed down into the gulley. "I had to know why he thought he should kill you. So I went to the Temple of Ares to see if there was anybody there who remembered your father."

"You did?" Xena was flabbergasted.

"Yes, about a month after the Furies cursed you. It took me a while to work up the courage. But I did. There was a priest there who remembered your father very well. He was a young novice at the time. Nobody is aware that he overheard what happened in the temple that night.

"At the time your father was alive, there was a priest in the temple who'd once been a soldier. He was about your father's age. He'd been lamed in battle and became a temple priest because he could no longer fight. He resented this bitterly.

"Your father had gone to the temple to seek counsel from the priests. He faced a crucial battle and didn't know if he should go through with it or not. Ares... he used to visit your father, when he was at home. I'd hear them arguing downstairs, but I was never sure who it was, only that your father seemed desperate to please him. I assumed at the time it must be some nobleman or warlord your father served. Later... when we were at the Temple of the Furies, I realized then whose voice I'd been hearing all those years earlier."

Xena nodded.

"Ares told your father to go through with the raid. Your father wasn't sure. He feared that he'd lose too many of his men. Ares ordered him. For days, your father was torn with indecision. Finally, he went to the temple to consult the priests, or maybe to argue with Ares himself.

"At the temple, he was goaded by the lame priest. By then, your father was drunk and probably at the end of his wits. He struck out at the priest and knocked him to the floor. The priest then taunted him in retaliation, saying that one of his children had in fact been fathered by Ares.

"You can imagine your father's reaction. He assumed the child in question was you, because after the night you were conceived, he was away on campaign for nearly the entire year. You were almost two months old when he finally came back. So you were the only one of his three children whose paternity might be suspect."

Xena nodded.

"As I said," Cyrene went on with a sigh, "your father would have done anything to please Ares. I think he felt horribly betrayed, that he'd been so loyal and this was the thanks he got for it. So he decided to destroy the child he thought that Ares had created."

"And you killed him," Xena concluded.

"It was the only way. He'd gone to the stables to sharpen his knife. I slipped in behind him. I honestly thought I might be able to talk him out of it, but he was ranting and incoherent. He came at me with the knife. Almost without thinking, I picked up an ax from a pile of wood and swung it at his neck. I still remember him staring at me with the blood gushing from the wound. He looked so very surprised."

Cyrne sagged against the tree-trunk, as if the strength had gone out of her for a moment. She seemed to collect her thoughts, then went on.

"I knew I had to get rid of his body. Nobody had seen him come back to the village. It was the dead of night. I pushed his body into a cart and hitched a mule to it. The moon was full. It was spring. The leaves weren't on the trees yet, so I had plenty of light in here. The bottom of the ravine was all muddy from the rains, so digging the grave wasn't difficult. Then I pushed leaves and rocks down into the gulley to cover the grave. I threw his weapons into a deep part of the river, so that his body couldn't be identified if it was ever discovered."

Cyrene was winding down now, speaking in a dull monotone. "I went back to the village, to the stable. I used a rake to stir the blood into the dirt floor and poured water on it, to make it seem like a muddy spot. It was almost dawn by the time I finished."

"Does anybody else know?" asked Xena. "Do you think anyone suspected?

"As far as everyone was concerned, your father either was killed in battle and his body lost, or that he ran out on me and never came back. A couple of people might have suspected, but they never said anything. They couldn't have proven it. The body was never found."

"I'm so sorry," said Xena. "I wish you'd told me this sooner. I hate to think of you keeping this to yourself, all those years."

"I hated myself. I'd deprived my own children of their father. And I had loved him so much, right up until that night he came home. I wonder if it would have been easier if I had despised him."

"You did what you had to," Xena said gently. "He would have killed you, and me, and probably Lyceus and Torris, too. You were trying to protect us."

"I know." Cyrene sighed again. "I worried endlessly that Ares would punish me for killing one of his followers. When Cortese attacked the town, I thought that was Ares' doing, especially when you organized the defense. And later, when you started conquering other villages... I thought that was his revenge on me. Turning you into a warrior like your father. Then you went away, and we started hearing stories about the things you were doing..."

"I'm sorry," said Xena. She knew how inadequate those words were, but she couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Later, when you started fighting against him, I held my breath, expecting you to die at any time. When he had the Furies curse you... I knew his vengeance had finally come full circle. He'd punish both of us at once by having you kill me."

Xena went over and hugged her mother. "Well, it didn't work."

"For now," Cyrene said, her voice muffled. "I'm frightened of what he'll do to try to win you back."

"I won't go back to him," Xena said stubbornly. She looked up at the sun. "We should go home," she said. "Gabrielle's waiting for us."

On the walk back to the town, Xena relayed briefly what had happened with the Amazons. Cyrene looked astounded that her daughter would give assistance to her greatest foe.

"Why did you do it?" she demanded angrily. "You should have let him die!"

"It was because of his daughter," Xena said. "She'd done nothing to deserve what happened to her. I couldn't let her go through life blind and tormented so that I could have revenge on Ares."

Cyrene looked troubled. "I suppose not."

"It's the greater good, Mother. If I hadn't helped her, I never would have been able to forgive myself."

Xena couldn't explain to her mother that in spite of the things Ares had done, he had many weaknesses. He was overly-emotional and often didn't think clearly; he tended to let his temper get the better of his rationality; he was lazy; he gave up an endeavor when he knew he'd been defeated. Xena knew she could exploit these qualities to get the better of him. As bad as Ares could be, Xena shuddered to think how much the world would suffer if he were usurped by a war god who was clear-thinking, level-headed, and determined to succeed at all costs.

Cyrene smiled then, and Xena knew her mother understood.

(viii)

Alcippe sat quietly fletching arrows in the afternoon sunlight. For the past few days, the tribe had been strangely attentive, hovering over her, never letting her get away from the sight of at least one other Amazon. Today they at least let her work at the outer edge of the village, where she could have a small amount of privacy.

She felt a familiar presence, and glanced up from her work. It was Ares. When he'd visited her as a child, she used to throw herself at him with squeals of pleasure. But she was almost an adult now, and destined to become queen of the tribe one day. She knew she needed to start acting with more dignity. So she put down her arrows and feathers. Standing, she simply said, "Father."

Ares didn't respond. He just looked at her. He seemed different, somehow—older, tired, sad?—Alcippe couldn't be sure. She realized he wore a new tunic and gauntlets. Alcippe wished she could read more into his expression. Finally, she reached out and touched the side of his face. Ares also seemed smaller than the last time she'd seen him, but that might be because she herself had grown.

Ares took her hand and kissed it. Then he handed her something. Startled, Alcippe realized it was his rune-and-horns amulet. She'd never seen him without it. Why was he giving it to her now? But he still said nothing, and Alcippe knew better than to press for explanations. She tied the leather cord around her neck. If Ares wanted her to have his amulet, that was his concern. She noticed that he had a new pendant of his own: a sword on a silver chain.

The he stepped away from her and vanished.

Puzzled, Alcippe just stood staring blankly at the empty spot where he'd been. She fingered the amulet again and again, as if it might give her the answers she sought. Finally, she sat down and got back to work on her arrows.

~The End~