TWO

One Day Nearer to Dying

"Xena, Xena, Xena, Xena..." chanted Callisto, idly trailing her breast dagger across her thigh. Staring at the blood that was beginning to draw, she stopped her chanting and smiled. "Xena is gone, Xena is gone, Xena is gone..."

"Callisto!" cried the usually collected voice of King Ares, bursting through her chamber doors.

The chief inspector smirked perversely and swiveled around to face her leader, her head tilted playfully. "Yes?"

"Xena escaped. I want you to go out and find her."

The dark smile slowly disappeared from Callisto's face and she straightened head. "What?" she asked maliciously.

Ares raised an eyebrow, challenging her, and closed the distance between the two. "Xena. Escaped."

Callisto stood up with such ferocity that even Ares was taken aback. "You let her get away?" she screamed, eyes darkening with fury. "I practically handed you to her- you said you would take care of her! And you let her get away?!"

"I offered her a proposition. She refused."

"A proposition?! Why didn't you kill her?!"

"Xena would make a valuable asset to our team. I want her, Callisto. And you're going to bring her to me."

Callisto's features twisted in a paroxysm of rage. "I'll bring her to you, Ares. But she won't be alive when I do."

Ares lowered his gaze to lock his with Callisto's. "You kill Xena, there's nothing stopping me from doing the same to you."

Callisto simply smirked back in reply. "The kingdom may fear you, Ares, but I don't. I'll do what has to be done."

Ares considered hurting her to assert himself, to command respect, but then he remembered who it was he was dealing with. Physical pain wasn't the way to go about punishment with Callisto. She reveled in it. She took it as a challenge and would always find a way to strike back at her abuser. Ares had enough dead guards on his hands to know that. A more rational ruler would have had her incarcerated or perhaps executed long ago, but Ares followed instinct. Callisto showed passion, skill and cunning. She may have gone about things the wrong way at times, but she got more done for Ares' reign than anyone else in his control.

Which is why he wanted to control Xena. She showed that same promise, but with a helpful dollop of sanity thrown on.

Instead of assaulting her, Ares narrowed his eyes and glared. "You'll do what you're told. I want her alive." Venom dripped from his tongue as he spoke, but he knew his vehemence was wasted on this audience. He turned from her and removed himself from her chamber.

"So," Callisto said to herself, "he wants Xena, huh? Well... he always did go for the killers."

Ares sat dolorously upon his throne, thinking of the dark and mysterious woman called Xena. What did she think she could accomplish on her own? Without his aid, her attempts at reform were useless. Without the aid of fellow indignant citizens, her attempts at reform were simply stupid. But this was a sort of stupidity that Ares, to himself, would admit he respected. It wasn't out of respect for her mission, by any means. It was that she was a worthy opponent. Even today, she had managed to humiliate and excite him.

Callisto had succeeded in bringing her in. Her obedience and restraint in that venture was surprising. The king ordered to be alone with the vigilante, and, when she stayed silent, began to question her. Finally, he had asked her to join his team.

She had smirked in response. "Not a chance in Tartarus."

Ares had trouble repressing the smile that played upon his lips. "If you worked with me, you'd have a place to sleep. You'd have income. I'd have a queen. We'd both win, Xena."

"Being your queen is definitely a loss to me, Ares."

"I could keep you here until you agreed, you know."

"The only reason I'm here right now is because I want to be. I'd like to see you try."

Ares couldn't recall much more of their encounter, but he remembered the sharp pain in his calf, and then, ultimately, black out. When he awoke, there was an arrow in his lower leg, courtesy of Xena. Upon pulling the weapon out, he smelled the tip. Of course. It had been coated in a mild toxin, allowing him to lose consciousness and her to escape.

Xena lay upon the hard mattress, wondering where tomorrow would take her. Would she remain with the farmer and take refuge a day longer? No; that would not do. If she wanted to spark change, she needed to embrace and intensify her innate fearlessness. If she wanted to spark change, she would have to be radical.

Across the way, a young girl named Gabrielle was thinking the very same.