CHAPTER NINE
With one hand, she carefully lifted up the scabbard and slowly pulled the cast iron metal blade out. At a closer inspection, she noticed the eagles, lions and wolves engraved in the handle.
"Great, as if I didn't have enough on my mind with all that's been going on lately!" she exclaimed, turning her head as trying to better hear the sound coming from the left side of the wagon.
She slowly placed the dagger she found in her pack, at her belt.
"I'm back here Rags with the weapons!" she finally yelled as she recognized the familiar sound of his steps.
"General, the stable boy has brought your horse." Rags responded as he poked his head inside the cover of the wagon. "He said that you requested to be informed when he arrived."
"Yes, I did." Xena replied, waving the aide back as she climbed out of the wagon and leaped from the back. "You're doing a good job here, keep it up." She added slapping Rags on the back and walked away to collect her horse.
A few steps later, throwing her cloak back over her shoulders, she crossed the courtyard to the barn.
The rain had finally stopped and the sun was peeking out in between the clouds. Padon nodded his head up and down as she came closer.
Xena reached out, grabbed the reins, and pulled his head closer to her. She lifted his face up, placed a kiss on his nose, and whispered to him. "Hey boy!'You ready to go for a ride?"
She spared a glance at the groom standing on the other side, silently watching her.
"I've never asked you your name, have I?"
"Addai, general." The boy answered, avoiding eye contact.
Nevertheless, in spite of his obvious shyness, he walked over, patted Padon on the side, and smiled.
"He's all ready for your ride."
Without giving the boy's reaction a second thought, Xena mounted her horse.
"We'll return in a bit, time enough for you to finish your packing for the trip."
That said she gave Padon a nudge with the heel of her boots and trots off.
Hardly had she left the stables that none other than Aphrodite appeared mounted behind her.
Xena reached down and patted him on the neck to calm him down.
"Hey beautiful!" Aphrodite exclaimed full of childish excitement, as she wrapped her arms around her waist.
"Aphrodite! Long time no see!" Xena replied doing her best not to sound too surprised, turning her head to look at the Goddess. "What brings you here?"
"Well…Promise you won't tell?"
Xena flinched. Judging by the hesitation in her voice, she could tell that something quite wrong was about to happen.
Her persistent gaze is enough to convince the Love Goddess that they have an agreement.
"I sort of' came to warn you about my Bro. Apparently Hermes told him about some affair you were supposed to be having with the king here…?."
For more than a second, Xena looked shocked, just to change her expression into worried soon afterwards…. an unexpected response coming from her.
"Really?" she inquired, already anticipating the God's response. "Do you happen to know where he is now?"
"All he had said before he left was he had some unfinished business to take care of." Aphrodite responded, shrugged her shoulders and flipped her hair back.
With that, she disappeared, leaving quite an alarmed Warrior Princess behind her.
In no time, Padon was galloping across the meadow, heading to town.
XXX
The road suddenly becomes blurry as Gabrielle placed her hand to her head, trying to suppress the wave of dizziness racking her body. She wiped the sweat off her forehead as she looked ahead and spotted the entrance to the barracks a few feet away. She heard sword fighting in the distance and redirects her steps to the fields were she knew Perdicus must be.
XXX
The king sits in his chair behind his desk scribbling on a scroll. He tossed his pen down and sighed, shifting his gaze towards some of the flowers that he had sent Xena earlier.
With Blue Hydrangeas placed everywhere. He smiled as the image of her beautiful face when she walked into her office and saw the flowers rushes into his mind.
Then, right out of nowhere, a burst of blue light filled the room pulling him brutally out of his reverie.
XXX
Xena slouched over her stallion slapping his reins against his body urging him faster through the streets of the town. The pedestrians scurry out of her path as the horse and rider rush past. Padon suddenly stops in mid motion throwing Xena first forward then back as his front feet rose up in the air.
Xxx
Gabrielle leaned against one of the walls of the building next to the field and wrapped her arms around her upset stomach. She spotted her husband surrounded by a group of soldiers.
"Perdicus!" she yelled, waving at him.
The man turned around and waved, but, as he closes in the distance between them, his eyebrow's furrow up in question.
"Gabrielle what's wrong? You don't look too good."
She stood up and reached out to clasp his hand but before she managed to do that,
She fainted and fells into his arms.
Xxx
Two more taps to the side from Xena's boots before Padon's front hooves hit the ground. He spun to the right to give Xena a better view of what was going on in front of them, of what has spooked him.
Hermes has been standing just a few feet away for a while now, and he is not alone…. He is with an army of soldiers.
.
Still on the back of her horse, Xena unsheathed her sword and held it up over her head.
Her battle cry echoed out across the buildings of the city. The answer of whoops coming
From her soldiers filled the air back, seconds before the sound of boots running in the dirt
Takes over.
Swords ring out as the two armies meet. Hermes noticed Xena's horse charging his way an instantly disappeared. Xena reached the now empty place and turned around to observe the action.
She noted that her soldiers had everything under control and she continued her pursuit through the castle gates.
XXX
In the meantime, Perdicus appeared through the door of the healers with Gabrielle in his arms. He crossed the small room, laid her on a cot, and kneeled on the floor by her side.
He covered her hand with his and brushed her forehead with his free one, just to notice how dangerously hot it felt.
The healer came in and took a seat on the stool beside the cot. He placed a wet linen on her burning forehead. He looked down at Perdicus and shook his head.
Xxx
Xena reaches the bottom of the stairs of the castle. She urged Padon forward and they ascend towards the doors. When they reached the top, they halt as the doors open and a servant stepped out.
He baulked in surprise and backed up against the wall. With a triumphant smile, Xena rode the horse past the servant and through the doors.
"Where's the King?" she asked, looking at the frightened servant in search for an answer.
"In his study down the hall." The barely murmured response is soon given, and the next moment, the horse is galloping further into the castle and down the halls.
XXX
The king stood from his chair when the bright light finally faded, his eyes widening in surprise, as he discovered none other than the God of War standing before him.
With slow, confident moves, Ares approached the King and, placed both hands on the desk, he leaned forward, with quite a murderous expression on his face:
"I hear you have been busy courting my ….Chosen?"
The king nervously shook his head.
"Not to my knowledge. Who's your Chosen?"
Phillip slipped his hand under the desk and wrapped it around a dagger fastened underneath. He pulled it out and threw it at Ares, hitting his mark perfectly, inches away from the heart, and almost freezes the instant he saw the God glancing at the dagger, laughing.
"You are soooo dead. You do know right?"
Phillip's face went white immediately and he backed up against the window behind him.
Ares slowly came around the desk and stood in front of the man. Then looked him in the eyes as he reached up to the dagger and yanked it out.
The wound automatically closed. He flipped the dagger in his hand around and forced it to Phillips throat. He leaned in closer to Phillip with their faces almost touching.
"That was a very big mistake."
Just as Ares was about to slice Phillip's neck though, the office doors burst open.
XXX
Gabrielle slowly opened her eyes and the first sight she saw was her husband's face. She smiled up at him and he smiled back. Then she began to cry and all Perdicus could do is to Put his arms around her and rock her back and forth. He stared into space with a tear in his eyes.
XXX
"Ares stop!" Xena's voice heard loud and clear echoed throughout the hall.
Without releasing the king, Ares looked over at Xena.
"I'm going to get rid of your lover once and for all. He's the reason why you won't agree to marry me."
Xena dismounted and rushed over to the desk.
"Ares, you're wrong! Phillip and I aren't lovers."
She made her way around the desk and stood at the God's side.
The God looked at the king and pressed the dagger harder into his neck.
"Why should I believe you now? You've been hiding that this little scum bag made a pass at you and even kissed you, and has been courting you ever since you arrived!"
XXX
Perdicus and Gabrielle slowly walk back to their home. She tightens the blanket around her as a chill runs through her body. Perdicus squeezed her tighter in his arms.
He kissed the top of her head and released a breath. "I'm sure Xena will understand. We will just have to postpone our trip for a few days."
"I understand." Gabrielle leaned closer to him and sighed. "I can't wait climb in our bed."
XXX
"Ares' I'm sorry, I should have told you everything when it happened. But I was afraid of what you would do." She quickly responded, reaching up and grabbing the God's arm.
"I was confused; I didn't know what or whom I wanted to be with. Now that has all changed. I know whom I want to be with."
Ares removed the dagger, grabbed the king by the hair, pulled him to his knees, and yanked his hair back just to place the dagger back at his neck.
"Oh yeah, and why is that?"
Xena moved to stand in front of the man she loved and looked into his eyes. She put her hands on his arms and gripped them tight. "I had to make a tough decision today."
She glanced at the king and then back at Ares. She has tears in her eyes, and it is obvious that she was trying hard to control them.
One deep breath later, and she was ready to talk again, but still, the words pile up inside her throat:
Ares looked at her and shook his head.
"You've chosen him haven't you?" he screamed, pushing Xena away from him and getting ready to cut the king's throat.
For a moment, it looks as if time itself has frozen…
