"Hercules, hey wait up a minute," shouted Iolaus from the wagon. He turned to Gabrielle who was sitting next to him. "OK?" he said anxiously.
The bard nodded wordless, and rubbed her back with both hands.
Hercules had dismounted and had approached the wagon. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"Gabrielle's a bit stiff, she needs a break," said Iolaus. Hercules smiled at Gabrielle and held his arms out and lifted her down from the wagon.
"I think you are the only person that can still do that," she said, breathlessly and walked around rubbing her back and trying to straighten up. Solari was now by her side.
"Are you alright, Gabrielle?"
"Just my back. It's been coming and going." She leant against a tree and closed her eyes. Solari looked at the tired features of her queen and friend. She beckoned Iolaus and Hercules over.
"I don't think we'll reach the centaur village tonight," she said plainly.
"Agreed," said Hercules.
Gabrielle opened her eyes. "Don't stop on my account. I'm fine."
"You're shattered. And if you are not, you should be, because I am," said Iolaus with a grin.
"We've had to take an indirect route because of the wagon," mused Hercules. "But there's a clearing a couple of miles away, I believe."
Solari nodded her assent. "We can scout up there and see if the wagon can make it easily. Selene, Asteria, Walia," she called.
Selene, Asteria and Walia all approached the group.
"Selene, me and you will scout the area, while the others remain here." Solari turned and faced Asteria and Walia. "Watch the queen," she added sternly.
All three of them nodded although Gabrielle noticed that Selene was listless. She approached the Amazon and took her hand. "We'll get back to the village soon. I'm sure your sister will be fine."
Selene swallowed, nodded and smiled gratefully at Gabrielle.
"See you shortly," said Solari with a little bow at Gabrielle and her and Selene disappeared into the forest.
"Now Gabrielle, sit down on that trunk, and I'll sort that back out," said Hercules. Gabrielle did as she was asked and Hercules started to massage her lower back.
"That's it, aahh. Hercules, are you married?" groaned Gabrielle.
Iolaus laughed. "Magic fingers hasn't he? I'm sure that's why this has improved so much." He pat his leg and Hercules blushed.
"Drink, my queen?" asked Walia.
"Don't mind if I do," replied Gabrielle.
"Alive or dead?" Asked Iolaus.
"Oh very dead," said Hercules. "Sshh," he added and stood up. The rest of the group followed his lead. His face broke into a smile as he saw Solari and Selene emerge from the trees.
"What's wrong?" he asked as he saw their worried faces.
The two amazons approached them. They were both breathless and a water skin was pushed into both their hands. They drank deeply.
"The clearing," said Solari, and took another swig from the skin. "There are people already there." She looked around at the group. "They look like slavers."
"Slavers!" exclaimed Iolaus. "But wha-"
"They had cages, and chains. Enough for a whole village."
"How many?" asked Hercules seriously?
Solari and Selene looked at each other. "About thirty," said Selene.
"Good odds," said Hercules. "For us," he added.
"Doesn't seem many if they intend to take most of a village," said Asteria.
"Our village," said Gabrielle quietly. "That's what they want isn't it? Why they are here."
Hercules nodded slowly.
"Still Asteria is right," said Walia. "That's not enough to take on our village. They'd be beaten in moments."
"If the village was fit," said Selene, thoughtfully.
Hercules and Iolaus exchange anguished glances.
"What?" asked Gabrielle?
"A village near Scupi," whispered Iolaus. "Antzas, he's one of the men who live at the centaur village, got word that his brother and family were in a village that completely disappeared. Every member. He went to look for them, but nothing."
"How does a village just disappear?" asked Solari appalled.
They all looked at each other astounded. Hercules turned to look at Selene. "It's like you say. The slavers would be beaten in moments if the Amazons were fit. But they are not."
"You think the illness and the slavers are connected?" asked Gabrielle.
"It's possible. Poisoned grain, poisoned water, easy enough to do. Wait for a couple of days and then attack. Minimises risk of casualties, and you don't need many in your army. Increased profits," the demi God said bitterly.
"We have to stop them," said Solari with steel in her voice. "They could be aiming to move at anytime."
"Sounds good to me," said Iolaus.
"I'm coming," said Gabrielle before anyone could say anything.
"Gabs, be reasonable. If anything happened to you, Ephiny and Epinon would kill me. And then there's Xena."
"So I'll stay here, by myself, shall I?" said Gabrielle with a raised eyebrow.
"Good point," said Solari. "But you stay back when we take them on."
Gabrielle nodded, and everyone headed for the wagon or their horses with the feeling of excitement building.
"Looks like we arrived just in time," whispered Solari to Iolaus.
The hunter nodded, and watched as Selene and Walia went to their right and Hercules and Asteria to their left. He looked behind him and saw Gabrielle standing by Argo stroking the palomino's nose. He looked around again and gave Solari a nudge in the ribs with his elbow. Her bird call was the signal for them to start.
They jumped up and ran the short distance to the slavers camp. The slavers were packing up and obviously not expecting an attack of any order and certainly not in the middle of the night. A couple raised the alarm but by the time the other few had scrambled into action the four amazons and two men were in the midst of them.
Although Iolaus was handicapped by his injured leg, he could still fight and he enjoyed the feel of over powering men twice his size. He looked up and saw that as usual Hercules was sending men several feet into the air. Iolaus turned his attention back to his opponent. The taller man had a sword and brandishing rather clumsily, Iolaus thought. After feinting right and left, Iolaus stopped and the slaver made a lunge. Iolaus ducked down and then man toppled over him. Iolaus picked up the sword before the slaver could reach it and with a blow to the head using the hilt, rendered him unconscious.
Solari was brandishing her sword with her customary grace. Anger was coursing through her body as she thought about the fate that could have befallen the whole village. Slaves! She parried right, then left, and then knocked the man's sword from his grasp. She felt no remorse as she plunged the sword through his belly. She pulled it from him and he toppled to the floor. Solari wiped her forehead with her wrist and spun left to see what was happening with Walia, but felt pain across her face. She stumbled backwards, dropped her sword and clutched her face. She could feel the blood ooze from her nose and through her hands. Solari felt a kick to her stomach and she fell backwards, gasping and winded. She looked up and saw through blurred vision, a large man, sneering at her, making a figure of eight with his sword.
"Amazon bitch! You've spoiled our plans. See you in Tartarus."
Solari's eyes widened, and she swallowed deeply. She watched the blade descend but it never reached it's destination as the thug lurched forward and dropped the sword. Solari reached for the blade and in a fluid movement flicked the sword backwards into his chest. As he fell dead to the floor she looked to see who had distracted him. It was Gabrielle.
Solari scrambled up. "What are you doing?" she hissed.
Gabrielle grinned at her and twirled the tree branch she had used as a staff. "You should know Sol, I never listen," she said, and swung the "staff" and caught a ruffian across the ribs. "Just don't tell Xena."
"For Artemis sake," muttered Solari, and started to join the fray again.
Hercules had seen Gabrielle fighting alongside Solari, and decided to end the battle immediately. "Iolaus," he called. The blonde man looked up and grinned and moved towards Hercules and started to fight back to back. Hercules increased the power behind his punches and soon there was a pile of unconscious men at their feet.
Despite the beginnings of a headache, Solari had finished with her latest opponent and looked up to see Gabrielle being forced into a corner, her movements increasingly awkward as she tired and tried to protect her bump. She ran towards where they were fighting, but before she could aide her queen, the slaver fell to his knees with an arrow in his back. She turned and saw a smiling Asteria. Solari walked over to Gabrielle and was concerned to see blood on the bard's arm and the bard leaning against a tree wearily.
"Gabs, are you alright? Sit down," she said gently and guided Gabrielle to the floor.
"I'm fine," said Gabrielle, softly as she cradled her stomach.
"I think Xena will find out," said Solari, and flicked her head at Gabrielle's arm.
"Great," said Gabrielle, and watched as Solari ripped some cloth from a dead man's clothes and held it against the wound.
"Right. You." Said Hercules, and picked up one of the wounded slavers with one hand and held him high up. "Now spill the beans."
The slaver coughed and spluttered, but said nothing, so Hercules tightened his grip.
"We put something in the river." Hercules squeezed his grip further. The man was gasping and his voice was a hoarse whisper. "We were going to take the bitches to the markets."
"What did you put in the water?" growled Iolaus.
"Dunno, dunno," said the man panicked as he saw Hercules ball his fist. "We got it from some bloke, didn't ask questions. It worked before. It wears off quick once they stop drinking it."
"Near Scupi?" said Hercules, bitterly.
The man nodded and Hercules punched him and then dropped him unceremoniously on the floor.
"Everyone ok?" he asked and looked around. All the slavers were dead or unconscious. Walia was having a long drink form a water skin, Selene was looking around the camp and Solari and Asteria were sitting with Gabrielle. Hercules pointed at the group and him and Iolaus walked to them.
Asteria was wrapping Gabrielle's arm as she sat patiently on the floor. Solari was watching intently trying to focus her eyes properly.
"Hercules," said Gabrielle with a smile.
"Can't miss out on the action, eh?" he said laughing.
"What's the plan?" asked Solari seriously. "We need to let the village know."
"And get these to jail." Hercules looked at Gabrielle. "I know they have poisoned your tribe and what they were going to do-"
"Take them to Scupi," said Gabrielle. "If they can find out anything about those poor people it'll be worth it. Besides I don't think the village is in any fit state to hold this many." She looked expectantly at Solari.
"Much as I would like them to suffer for what they have done to the village, they committed worse crimes elsewhere." Solari nodded and then winced. "Agreed."
"It's too late tonight, besides we've had a long enough day," said Iolaus. He looked at Gabrielle. "You must be exhausted. "
She smiled at Iolaus but her weariness was apparent.
"We can shackle them in their own chains. At first light a couple of us can go to the centaur village. They can send runners to the amazons and let them know to drink from another source. Then we can finally get you home," he smiled at Gabrielle.
"Sounds like a plan," she said, and rubbed her back gingerly. "Sol, you are going to have a couple of shiners in the morning."
Asteria sniggered. "Pony will still love you," she said. "I've bound your arm, but it will need stitching. How's your back?"
"Comes and goes. "
Solari said quietly, "Gabrielle. Thank you for saving my life."
Gabrielle squeezed her hand.
"Although when Xena sees this she'll kill me. And Eph," slurred Solari.
"Leave them to me," replied Gabrielle, wearily.
"I think you should get some sleep." Solari turned to Hercules. "Want me to do first watch?"
"Nah, we'll do it. Just make sure they are uncomfortable and secure and we are set."
"Is it always this dramatic around you?" The scout looked at the two men.
Hercules laughed and turned away, but Iolaus shook his head.
"This. This is quiet!"
"Good trip?" asked Joxer.
Xena and Epinon merely smiled at him and got off the wagon jadedly.
"You're back!" exclaimed Cyrene as she emerged from one of the huts. "Girls, you must rest. You've been up all night."
"So have you," said Epinon, too tired to care that she had been called a girl for the first time in years.
"We'll rest when you rest," said Xena and gave her mother a hug.
"How are they?" asked Epinon concerned. She was lifting pots, pans and waterskins off the wagon. Any container that could be found was commissioned into use.
"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes," said Cyrene, and stopped, putting her hand to her mouth. "They are keeping water down, the herbs are working. Look around, listen."
Xena looked up and saw a few people walking tentatively around the village. There were also more sounds that contrasted sharply with the silence of the previous night.
"How's Piri?" said Xena to Joxer who was helping Epinon unload the wagon.
Joxer smiled fondly. "She's asleep. I don't think she had slept for days. She admitted she was feeling a little tired."
Xena raised an eyebrow. "She must have been dead beat."
She then caught sight of a figure emerging from the healers hut. "Pony," she said.
Epinon looked at Xena and then followed her gaze. She smiled broadly as she saw Ephiny stride towards them. The regent stopped by her old friend, and Epinon gently punched her on the arm. Ephiny draped her arm around Epinon's shoulders and squeezed. They shared a tender smile before Ephiny turned to Xena.
"Thank you for what you have done, all of you. I feel so much better, you wouldn't believe it."
"How's Aella?" asked Xena.
"Better, much better. The wound isn't oozing any more and the fever is down. She's sleeping now." Ephiny looked down at the ground, slightly embarrassed.
"Xena, Epinon I insist you have something to eat. I suppose you are going to do another run?" Cyrene put her hands on her hips and gave her daughter a hard stare.
"We need to Mother. The clean water is helping flush through the contaminant and helping with the symptoms."
"Hopefully tomorrow we can look at diverting the water towards the village. Until then we are relying on bringing the water to us. I'll make it a priority and as people recover they can replace you, and the guards."
"Good thinking Eph," said Xena. She wiped her forehead with her hand. "Come on Mother lets have some breakfast and then-"She spun around. "Horses. Centaurs, "she corrected herself.
The group turned to look at two centaurs galloping towards the village. They waved and trotted towards them.
"Vassilis, Sotiros, good to see you." Xena held her hand out and shook Vassillis' hand.
"Where is that water from?" asked Sotiros suspiciously.
"The south," said Epinon quickly.
The centaurs both nodded. "Good," said Vassilis. "The northern source has been poisoned."
"What?" asked Cyrene. "How?"
"Come and have some breakfast and explain it to us," said Ephiny.
The centaurs nodded and followed the group into the deserted dining hall. Cyrene had already started to cook food, figuring that the recovering amazons would start to feel peckish. The amazons and Joxer sat at a table and Cyrene and Xena brought several plates over. The centaurs stood watching. They were aware that they had several pairs of eyes boring into them.
"Now we don't want you to worry," started Soriros.
"When people say that, you automatically do," added Xena drily.
"They're all fine," said Vassilis quickly.
"Gabrielle," whispered Xena. "What happened? Tell me!"
"They stumbled across a group of slavers. The slavers poisoned the northern water source and were waiting for you all to fall so sick that you couldn't fight back." Vassilis paused looking at the stunned faces. "Don't worry. The slavers got what was coming to them. Hercules and Asteria rode and advised us of this. They were anxious you were told of the water situation."
"Wow," said Joxer puffing his cheeks out. "They are all ok?"
"Apparently so. The plan is the slavers are being brought to our village before being taken elsewhere." Soriros looked at Ephiny's startled face. "They've done it before," he said gently. "They took a whole village. They need to have a trial. Gabrielle agreed."
Ephiny looked at Epinon and the weapons master nodded.
"Fair enough," said the regent. She looked at Xena who was staring into space.
"Xena," she said. The warrior princess jumped slightly and looked at Ephiny. The regent turned and pinned Soriros with a stare. "And they are well, all of them?"
Soriros looked at her and nodded. "They didn't mention any injuries. They plan on returning once the slavers are collected by our guard."
"Xena," repeated Ephiny, and this time the warrior princess smiled at the regent.
"Looks like we have a bit of work to do getting the place ready for the queen," said Xena with a falter in her voice.
"Better wake Piri. I'm sure she'll want to examine Gabrielle and the others when they return," said Joxer getting up. "Tell Tyldus I'll be staying for a couple of days, until they recover fully."
Vassilus smirked. "And being with the lovely healer has nothing to do with that decision, Joxer," he teased. Joxer blushed and left the hut.
"Come on Xena, let's do another run. I'm sure we'll be back before they are," said Epinon. Xena could see the concern in her friend's eyes and knew it would only leave once she saw Solari safe and well. Those thoughts mirrored her own regarding Gabrielle.
"Looks like I'll be cooking for a happy homecoming," said Cyrene happily.
Xena kissed her mother on the cheek and shook both the centaurs' hands and left the hut with Epinon.
