Queen 9

Over and over I watch myself being stabbed and hacked at by deranged Amazon warriors. All I can seem to do is ask why? I scream the question every time the blade pierces my skin. Blood gushes from every wound and there doesn't seem to be anyone willing to stop the madness. Where are the guard? Where is Xena?

My eyes fly open as I suck in a lungful of air. Panic fills me as I take in my surroundings, my chest heaving as I try to get the air I need. Xena is half on top of me, tears streaming from her eyes. She's saying something, but the pounding of my heart is so loud in my ears that I can't hear anything else. Was it just a nightmare?

I allow my eyes to close again; the energy has seeped from my body. It feels like seconds have passed when I open them again, feeling just as drained as I did before. My breathing seems loud, coming fast and shallow. It's darker than it was before, I wonder how long I've actually been asleep.

'Heeyy.' Her voice coos in my ear. She laying next to me, head above my shoulder and an arm draped across my chest. Her hand comes up, fingers sweeping across my cheek.

'Xena?' My voice sounds rough and dry. Jumping out of the bed she runs across the hut briefly before running back with a mug of water In her hand.

'Here.' She lifts my head a little, offering the mug up to my lips. At first, the liquid feels soothing against my throat, but soon it becomes to much as I cough and sputter. She quickly puts the water down on the floor, leaning over me with concern. Everything hurts, so with some effort I manage to lift my hand to her cheek. Her eyes are brimming with tears, a mixture of pain and happiness continually floats across her features.

'Sorry.' She takes my hand in hers, kissing the back of my knuckles.

'You did nothing wrong.' She whispers against my hand.

'I lost….badly.' I watch as the tears finaly spill over, cascading down her cheeks.

'You died.' Her voice cracks.

'Again?' I manage a small smile, I don't want to think about death just yet.

'Gabrielle.' She admonishes as anger flares briefly in her eyes.

'Who's Queen?' I feel sick to my stomach, my head is swimming.

'Don't worry about that right now. You have a fever. You were stabbed.' She barely gets the last sentence out as she clutches my hand to her lips.

'No wonder I feel like Tartarus.' My eyes close as I try to will all the aches and pains away. Her head falls to my shoulder, her body shaking as her tears spill out onto me. With some difficulty, I reach my other arm over, resting my hand in her dark hair.

'I love you.' I whisper as her pain seeps into me. She seems to cry harder against me. 'Xena, it's ok, I'll be fine.' A growl emanates from deep within her throat as she lifts her head, glaring at me.

'I lost you, I actually lost you. I didn't stop her in time.' She shakes her head; obviously the conversation in her head is not reaching her lips. I want to tell her it's not her fault, she only did what I told her to do. How were we supposed to know? But I can't manage to get any more words out. My stomach is twisting and turning as the room rocks back and forth, as if on waves.

'Gabrielle?' She gasps my name as her hands start feeling my forehead and neck. Despite the pain, I sit up and lean over the side of the bed. My stomach muscles convulsing painfully, trying to relieve me of my stomach contents. All that comes is some bile as my body continues in its effort to make me retch. With each muscle spasm I feel like I'm being stabbed again and again.

I collapse back against the bed when it finally stops, the event having taken everything out of me. I want to take account of all my injuries but I'm finding it hard to lift my head at the moment. Gently, Xena lifts a cup to my lips; this time it's not water.

'You need to sleep.' She whispers, and I understand what she's given me as a fog clouds my mind and sleep overcomes me.