AN: I revised the summary because it was too vague. Kinda bad at summaries.
Title taken from Chapter 38 of "The Commander's Poet" when Xena is trying to control her daughter when she was a teenager and Gabrielle is the confidant of Anastasia at the time. Some things never change.
Enjoy ;)
Chapter 11 –Mother Commander
Anastasia stood in front of the captured Roman soldier, holding the sword close to her. She kept eyeing her mother silently and then eyeing the kneeled Roman in front of her. Dengi held the soldier and waited for quite some time, holding the rope around the man's neck. He waited, and waited...and waited, for Anastasia to do something. Interrogate him, hit him, just something, but he got nothing.
"Ahem," he cleared his throat and she lifted her big eyes. "Aren't you going to interrogate him?" he whispered.
She nodded and looked over at her mother standing off on the side with Gabrielle shaking her head, leaning up against a wall. For the first time in her life, she was mute and didn't know what to do. When she proposed the idea of being the commander for Navaz's army, she didn't actually think she would have to act upon anything until now. She did alright with the Persian Shah, Peroz, but that was political, this was just straight up dangerous and definitely her mother's territory.
Gabrielle nudged Xena's arm. "She obviously doesn't know what to do, Xena," she hissed. "Help her!"
Xena smirked and watched her daughter stare at the Roman, completely clueless on what to do and how to approach the situation. She realized that Anastasia took on a role that she was not ready for and had no experience in. With another nudge from her blonde consort she swatted her away and walked forward, standing behind her daughter.
"Ask him why he came here," she whispered.
Anastasia turned with wide troubled eyes. "Why can't you ask him?" she whispered back.
"Because, Ana," Xena grabbed her shoulders and forcefully turned her round to face the Roman. "You are the commander," she hissed.
But I don't want to be a commander anymore, Ana thought. She turned around, holding the blade close to her and pleaded with her eyes. "Mother, you can take my place as commander."
Xena folded her arms. "I thought you could do it by yourself?" she grinned smugly.
"Well, I was wrong," she pushed the sword into her mother's chest. "I can't do it by myself."
Xena took the sword from her grasp and gently pushed Anastasia aside. She held the end of the blade at the Roman's throat. "Who sent you?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
The soldier remained quiet and Xena eyed Dengi. He nodded and yanked on the rope around the soldier's throat, cutting off his air. She grinned and stepped forward, holding the blade to his neck. "Tell me who sent you or you die in thirty seconds," she whispered.
"Z...Zeno!" he finally blurted out and Dengi released the strain on the rope.
"Why did Zeno send you here?" she asked, titling his chin upward and he spat at her. "Tell me!" she kicked him in the chest and he flew backward, landing on his backside a few feet away from Dengizich. She walked over and stomped her boot on his chest and he coughed, gasping for air.
"Tell me why he sent you and I will release you," she said sweetly and he nodded. She let her boot off his chest and Dengi hoisted him up to his knees again.
"He wants...the Queen. He only wants the Queen..." he said, breathing heavily, blood dripping from his mouth.
Xena nodded and walked over to her daughter's shocked face, handing over the sword. "We have our information." She said and Ana took the sword cautiously. "Now, kill him."
Anastasia's lips parted and Xena kept glaring at her, completely focused. "You want to be a commander, Anastasia. You need to kill him," she pushed the sword to her chest. "Do it." she whispered and walked off to stand next to Gabrielle.
The blonde wagged her head and leaned against the wall. "I really hate when you do that," she said.
"Do what?"
"Kill people. I mean, well...I guess this is a good exception," she noted Zeno's soldier still kneeling and Anastasia standing in front of him. He gawked up at her, barely able to kneel before her. "She's not going to do it, Xena."
Xena waited a few moments longer and Anastasia was hesitating too much. Thinking too much of the aftermath. Growing impatient, she marched forward and ripped the sword from her daughter's grasp and plunged the blade into the Roman's chest. Blood splattered all over Dengi and he cringed, letting go of the rope and walked off, wiping the blood off his face.
She grinned and kicked the soldier down and withdrew her sword. Anastasia stood with wide shocked eyes. She handed the bloody sword to her daughter and pat her shoulder. "You hesitate too much, Anastasia. Don't think about it. Just do it."
Anastasia's face contorted and walked over, leaning over the staircase balustrade outside the Adame, retching and dry heaving.
Gabrielle cringed and Xena turned away, rubbing her temple. Dengi shook his head and turned to the Hun soldiers. "Take the Roman away."
Xena stepped forward, "put the body on a pike," she said and Dengi eyed her curiously. "To send them a message."
Dengi nodded, "do as she says."
Gabrielle grabbed Xena's arm. "Hey what do you think you're doing? That sounds like old Xena behavior." She hissed and peered over her shoulder listening to Anastasia still vomiting in a corner by herself.
"Gabrielle," the Hun warrior turned and cupped her cheeks. "I am taking Anastasia's place as commander. You know how these Romans are. They need to be taught a lesson. They don't know I am alive and I plan to keep it that way." She pat her cheek then walked inside the Adame.
Inside the large office Anastasia sat at the table while Navaz knelt down, talking to her quietly. Xena and Gabrielle stood off close to the map on the wall, whispering among themselves. Gabrielle rubbed her chin and her eyes kept veering over towards Anastasia.
"She is not ready to do this, Xena." She whispered.
Xena nodded and crossed her arms. "I do not recommend being pregnant while commanding an entire army."
Gabrielle shot her a knowing look. "But you did it!"
"And it was very difficult," she frowned. "I was not allowed to go into the field and had to do all the decision making behind closed doors. But I had help," she frowned sadly.
"Borias helped you," Gabrielle stated and Xena nodded. "And you want to help Anastasia the same way he helped you."
Xena sighed and saw Navaz trying to talk to his sick wife and she kept shaking her head, whispering to him, though her voice was rising, obviously irritated. "Except there is a difference between Anastasia and I. She is too soft, like her father. She doesn't know how to command an army, Gabrielle. She has watched me for years and thought it was easy until now. She may have overextended her offer to Navaz, not knowing that it was going to be difficult."
"She wants to learn. Teach her, Xena. You are a good teacher," Gabrielle smiled and traced her fingers along the warrior's arm gently.
Xena let out a heavy exhale and walked over to her daughter and Navaz stood, moving out of the way. Anastasia wiped her cheeks and hid her flushed cheeks and teary eyes. She grinned and knelt down in front of her daughter.
"I want you to be the commander of your army, Ana, but you can't do it alone. You need my help," she said softly.
Anastasia inhaled heavily and averted eye contact with her mother. "I thought I could do it by myself but I can't even interrogate a Roman, of all people!" she grunted and folded her arms.
"Anastasia," Xena grabbed her arms, unfolding them. "Commanding an army is not easy and it comes with practice. You will fail many times, but this time, we can't afford to fail." She said and saw her daughter begin to sob. "Don't cry, no crying," she said firmly.
Ana's eyes widened and she suddenly felt like she was a child again, fearing her mother's stern voice.
Xena sighed and quirked her mouth. "I'll tell you what. I'll be the commander in chief and you can be the commander and work under me." She smiled softly and her daughter bit her bottom lip, unsure to take the offer. "Your father did the same for me before I had you. He was commander in chief and I was commander. Your role will be just as important as mine and we will work together, alright?"
Anastasia finally nodded and Xena pat her knee then stood. Gabrielle waltzed over and tapped Xena's shoulder. "So does this mean I get my job back as your scribe?" she wriggled her eyebrows.
Xena rolled her eyes. "If you want to, Gabrielle. Nobody is forcing you," she teased.
"I'd rather work as your scribe than Odoacer's any day!" the blonde beamed and Anastasia smiled faintly.
Xena groaned and unrolled a large map across the table. "Dengi said that the Romans bear the crest of Zeno so that means Odoacer is communicating with him. The Roman mentioned that he wanted the queen," she eyed her daughter, "that means Zeno wants to talk to you."
Ana frowned. "And will I?"
"Absolutely not," Xena scoffed. "Now, he probably sent mercenaries, thinking it would be easy to persuade you to come willingly to Constantinople. A Roman soldier is dead and the others will report back to Zeno. He will see you as a threat just as he saw me as a threat. Never go to your enemies. Let them come to you so they know you will not surrender to them. You understand?"
Her daughter nodded and rose from her chair, leaning her palms on the table, overseeing the large map. She dragged her finger from Balaam to Constantinople and cocked her head. "It would take nearly two weeks at least to travel from the eastern empire to the Caucasus. Odoacer must have sent a message to Zeno a month ago at least."
Gabrielle grinned and sat down, writing on the parchment, recording everything. Xena nodded and gave a brief smile at her daughter. "Right. So I think we should barricade the entire area, including Scythia, like I mentioned before. Zeno is not stupid enough to send more mercenaries. He will probably send an adviser of his or something to talk to you."
Anastasia bit her bottom lip and was unsure what to say next. She lifted her eyes and stared at her mother focused on the map. "And...will I talk to them?" she asked softly and hesitantly.
Xena grinned, "of course you will. Show the emperor that you are willing to negotiate with him. Offer him a deal. War is often fought behind a table, not a sword. If you offer a good enough argument, Zeno will see you as a threat and maybe back off for awhile."
The young queen smiled and nodded. "Okay, I can do that. I was able to convince Peroz to come up with another negotiation but I haven't heard from him in months."
Gabrielle's eyes widened at that and she stood. "About Peroz..." she began and all eyes turned to her. "He is going to ally with Odoacer behind your back. I heard him talking about it in Rome awhile back. He is not going to agree to your terms," she eyed Anastasia and Navaz, both with angry yet shocked faces.
"Persians," Xena grumbled. "We will deal with him next, but Zeno is more important. He has already sent people to take you to him. Peroz has done nothing. He is hiding like the coward he is."
Anastasia rubbed her forehead and felt her head throbbing. It had been a stressful day. She didn't expect the day to turn out the way that it did. She spoke before her mother could, "I think we should guard the borders we have with Persia. I don't want the shahs getting any ideas."
Gabrielle nodded. "I agree with her." She eyed Xena for the go ahead.
"Alright. We will guard the borders as well," Xena said. "But we need some help. Some outside help."
The room remained silent and an idea popped into Gabrielle's head. "I have an idea!" she said and everyone turned to her, gaping down at her. She never realized how short she was until now as she stood in front of the three looming warriors.
"We can ask Kreka to contact her tribe in Ashina. They were a great help against the Persians years ago."
Xena smiled and nudged her arm. "A brilliant idea, Gabrielle."
Anastasia furrowed her eyebrows. "Are you sure Kreka is going to agree to that?"
A devious smile crossed Xena's lips. "She will because you are going to convince her. You are the commander and queen of this land, Anastasia. This is your second lesson –convincing another monarch to side with you even if that monarch is your close ally. They will not always agree, but it's your job to make them see they will benefit from your cause."
The queen felt her face drain of color and she folded her arms. She had a somewhat good relationship with Kreka, but sometimes, she did not get along with the woman at all, especially when it came to royal duties. Kreka was probably more headstrong than Xena was. She is the Barbarian Queen after all.
"You mean...I have to talk to her...alone?" her voice low and almost broken. Afraid.
Xena bobbed her head slowly, staring at the fear in her daughter's eyes.
"What if she says no?!"
"Then you will just have to convince her otherwise, Ana. This is not a game," Xena raised her eyebrow and Anastasia exhaled heavily. "Kreka is part of our family but she is also a queen too. Do not think of her as a relative during your discussion or you will fail. There have been many times that I had to speak with her about political matters. She is quick to turn off her friendship and turn on her queen-mode in front of others. I am not an exception and do not think you aren't either."
Anastasia suddenly felt so much pressure was upon her and this was truly the first day of her enacting her role as a commander. She didn't know how her mother was able to do this for so long and now that she was back, she picked up her commander skills with a snap of a finger. It was so easy for her.
Gabrielle climbed on top of the bed, wearing a white slip. She sighed heavily and waited for Xena to get out of her garb and into her slip. "You were really understanding today about Anastasia's anxiousness over being a commander."
Xena shrugged a shoulder. "You told me to help her so I did."
She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but the old Xena would not have done that. She would have lost her temper and yelled at everyone. Instead you were very...kind to her. I like it when you act that way. I wish others could see that side of you more often."
The warrior looked over her shoulder and threw her tunic aside. "I can't be kind to everyone, Gabrielle."
"I know, but still, I prefer you this way." Gabrielle rolled over onto her stomach and rest her chin on her hands. Her eyes focused on Xena's backside and her long hair. She raised an eyebrow and saw Xena bend over to slip her boots off. A clap of thunder sounded through the skies and she pursed her lips.
"Xena..." her voice lingered and she smiled cheekily.
Xena paused and lifted herself up and pulled the slip over her head. She knew that tone of Gabrielle's voice and she knew she was going to ask something. "What is it?" she asked flatly.
"Can I brush your hair?"
Xena turned with an arched brow and a half smirk on her lips. "You want to...brush my hair?" she asked and Gabrielle nodded. "What a weird thing to ask." She snorted and then grabbed a brush and threw it at the blonde.
Gabrielle yelped and caught the brush just before it smacked her in the face. "No offense, Xena, but your hair looks like a bird's nest." She chuckled and Xena cast her a glare, but sat down on the bed without complaining. Then, she grabbed a section of the dark locks and ran the boar bristle brush through her long tresses.
Xena sat patiently and crossed her legs on the bed as Gabrielle brushed her hair. She winced slightly as the brush caught the tangles in her hair, but she remained silent.
"Do you think that all these conflicts with the Romans will ever stop?" Gabrielle asked.
The brunette shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think so. The emperors do not like Huns. They want to exterminate everyone to fulfill their Roman utopia."
Gabrielle sighed, already knowing the answer to that question but it pained her when Xena said those words. Now it was true and nobody could do anything about it. She grabbed another large section of Xena's dark hair and began streaming the brush down her locks.
"Have you ever thought of just leaving and hiding somewhere? Nobody knows you're alive anyway."
Xena frowned and fidgeted with her thumbs in her lap. "I hid in Kazakhstan. Anastasia has a life here. I can't just leave her here. I was separated from you and everyone for a year. I don't want to leave anyone behind again. Ever."
Gabrielle swayed her body back and forth and kept brushing the dark tresses gently. "I mean, we could go somewhere else. We don't have to stay here. We can take Navaz with us."
The warrior turned and grabbed the blonde's wrist, gazing into her solemn green eyes. "Gabrielle, what's all this talk of leaving?"
"I just want you to be happy. I don't want you to spend your life commanding an army and constantly fighting people."
Xena smiled warmly and cupped her consort's cheek. "I am happy, Gabrielle." She said and saw those green eyes linger elsewhere. "I am happy to be wherever you are. As for war and commanding an army –I can't stop doing that. That's all I've known." She said and cocked her head. She lifted Gabrielle's chin able to stare into her eyes once more. "Are you...happy?"
The blonde gave a faint smile. "Of course. I have you here with me."
"It doesn't matter where we are. Pannonia is a place that is filled with so many memories. Good and bad. But, it's just a place. You are my home, Gabrielle." She gently poked Gabrielle's heart and squinted her eyes as her smile grew.
Gabrielle's cheeks flushed bright red. "Forget what I said earlier," she muttered.
Xena winked, "I won't forget what you said. I've thought about it before. I wanted to leave the violence behind me, but when I was stuck in Kazakhstan with Malka I realized that everything that I built my life around was gone. I didn't want to follow my sword anymore, but I felt like I was betraying myself and who I really was. I can't stop being who I am. The sword is my life. You are my life."
"Can you promise me something then?" Gabrielle leaned forward and Xena nodded. "Promise me that whatever happens, you won't become a monster, Xena. I can't watch you go back to the way you were when we first met."
Xena's head hung and she frowned sadly.
"Don't get sucked up in the violence again. I know it's easy to do. I've seen it happen to you before. Fight for the good of your people –of your family. Don't seek revenge or vengeance." She shook her head and grabbed Xena's chin to look firmly in her eyes. "I saw vengeance in your eyes when we were in Stagira. You wanted to kill Odoacer. I saw it in your eyes. I don't want to see your heart harden again. So, promise me."
Xena nodded. "I promise," she said in a soft voice.
"I won't let that happen to you again. I can't allow it to –"
Xena smiled and grabbed Gabrielle's cheeks, leaning in closer. "I promise, Gabrielle." She whispered and touched foreheads with her. "I always keep my promises, don't I?"
Gabrielle nodded and the warmth of Xena's hands upon her cheeks warmed her entire body. She suddenly jumped when she heard thunder again and rain pouring down outside of the yurt.
A drip-drop sound was heard from across the room and Xena turned to see the yurt's fabric roof leaking. She groaned and crawled off the bed to grab something to catch the water in. She grabbed their water basin used for washing their faces and set it on the floor.
Gabrielle heard the rain slowly dripping into the marble bowl and cringed. "That has to be the most annoying sound I've ever heard in my life."
Xena climbed back onto the bed. "Then you shouldn't be in my interrogation room." She teased and the blonde shot her a glare. "Torture is my specialty."
"That isn't funny."
"It wasn't a joke," Xena arched an eyebrow and Gabrielle smacked her arm. "Hey!" she winced.
Anastasia sat on her bed, brushing her long hair. The sound of rain was calming and that was definitely needed after today. She had so many things rushing through her mind and she wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing or not. She knew she could trust her mother. After all, Xena was Attila's commander for a very long time and then a commander for Ellac, then Dengi and Ernak later. Now, she was Anastasia's commander and Navaz's.
She sighed heavily and combed through the knots at the ends of her hair. She had to give Navaz some credit. He was being very understanding about this entire situation and tolerated Xena more than she expected him to. She thought he was going to decline her mother's offer to be commander, but he was alright with it. She wasn't sure if she should be suspicious of that or not.
Her eyes lingered on the fireplace in the room and her eyes were fixated on the flames while she kept brushing her hair. She thought it would be best to stay in the Adame in the queen's quarters. She normally stayed with Kreka in the yurt beside the Adame, but she told herself to make an effort to get closer to Navaz, even if they were not lovers, he could at least be her friend.
The more she thought about her marriage with Navaz the more thankful she became with each passing day. She could have married an awful man, but Navaz was nice and he was making a huge effort to involve himself in Csaba's life. She also saw that her mother did not dislike Navaz and she actually trusted his judgment. Xena didn't just like anyone and Anastasia knew that Navaz was nothing like his awful mother, Tuya. He was very kind and very patient. Ellac was not patient, but he was sweet and loved her a lot. He would do anything for her and she wondered if Navaz would do the same for her?
She saw the door to her bedroom open and Navaz came inside, closing the door behind him. Her eyes dropped to her hair as she combed through the knots, the same knots, over and over again. He smiled softly and walked over to the bed, his eyes fixated on her beauty and the ivory sleeveless gown she wore.
He hardly ever saw her in anything sleeveless or low cut, showing off her chest. He cleared his throat softly. "May I sit with you?" he asked and she nodded, meeting his eyes for a brief moment.
He sat down and saw her avoiding his gaze. He lend his hand out and she eyed his palm. "Let me help you," he offered and she slowly handed him the comb. He grinned and scooted closer to her and held her long dark hair in his hand and he gently ran the comb through her locks.
"Your hair reminds me of an Arabian horse," he said.
She raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?" she asked quietly with a small grin.
"They have hair black as night and they are the best horses in the world. They are said to be the most beautiful creatures," he said and she turned slowly, staring into his brown eyes and her smile widened.
"You're embarrassing me." She said shyly and hid her smile.
He leaned in closer and pulled her hair back from her hidden face. "You are very beautiful, Anastasia. I don't say it enough. You are my wife and my queen. You deserve to be treated like one." He smiled and her cheeks flushed. He leaned in close to her and kissed her cheek.
She turned to gaze into his eyes. Her body relaxed and her demur softened by his gentle touch. She smiled and leaned in, kissing him on the lips gingerly. She then pulled away and saw the smile on his face grow as did hers.
He cupped her cheeks and kissed her lips again and she did not turn away, but leaned into him. He briefly pulled away and she scooted back against the pillows, staring at him with wide blue eyes. He caught sight of her exposed slender thigh as the slit on her dress opened slightly. Slowly he laid beside her, propping himself up on his elbow and she lifted her knee, not taking her eyes off him.
Unconsciously his eyes drifted to her slender neck and her bare arms. He would have never thought a woman's arms were a sight of beauty until now. He rarely saw Anastasia in anything other than her long sleeved cotton dark dresses. She was always covered from her neck down, concealing herself and sometimes wore a burgundy veil, hiding her long tresses.
She noticed his eyes fixated on her arms and she began feeling self conscious. "What are you staring at?" she half smiled.
He lifted his eyes. "Your arms," he said softly.
"My arms?" she raised an eyebrow. Of all the parts on her body, he chose to stare at her arms.
He nodded. "And your neck." He fingers glided along her bare collar bone and she shivered at his gentle touch. He saw the strange look she was giving him and couldn't help but laugh. "Sometimes the smallest things are most appreciated."
She shrugged a shoulder and kept smiling. His eyes drifted down to her breasts and his eyes grew. She caught his eyes this time, not looking at her arms or her neck. She raised an eyebrow and leaned against the pillows, smirking at his wandering eyes.
He felt almost embarrassed for staring for so long. He was never in a room alone with her since she told him she was pregnant. Now that they were alone he was just starting to notice small things about the subtle changes in her body. One being the size of her breasts and he couldn't stop staring.
Anastasia finally let out a laugh and he shook his head, turning away. "You act as if you've never see me before, Navaz."
He grinned and ran his fingers through his short dark hair. "Well, not since we shared a bed last...I haven't. Forgive me." He said softly.
Wow, he was being so polite, she thought. Too polite. She was not used to that at all. Not even Ellac was as polite and coy as him when they were alone. She smiled, enjoying seeing such shyness from a man. She wasn't used to seeing that before. She grabbed his hand, squeezing it firmly and he turned, gaping into her light blue eyes.
She guided his hand closer to her body and saw him stiffen and resist. "Relax..." she advised and he stopped resisting. She saw the apprehension in his eyes and smirked. She placed his hand on her swollen abdomen and saw the tension leave his eyes and his fingers relaxed on the curvature of her body.
A smile crossed his lips and she smiled, placing her hand over his. His large hand nearly covered the entirety of her belly. His eyes grew as he felt a small flutter against his hand and he was tempted to pull away. She pressed her hand against his, putting her other hand on top. His stiff fingers relaxed once more when she had her hands over his.
Another small movement grazed his palm and he smiled, turning to meet her eyes. She grinned widely seeing the excited look on his face. A moment that she once had with Ellac a long time ago and Navaz had the same expression. A moment of joy that she was happy to share. And to think that she wanted to ignore her child –their child's presence all because of her sour attitude about the marriage. She thought of what her mother said and knew she was right but was too stubborn to admit it until now.
A glimpse of happiness in the midst of chaos and war was enough to satiate her for now. She took her hands off of his and he kept his hand on the child.
"It will be a boy for sure," he said with certainty and scooted closer to her.
"Don't tell Kreka that," she said and he eyed her curiously. "She was more than disappointed when Csaba was born. She really wanted a girl because we're surrounded by men." She joked and he smiled, nodding his head.
"A princess would be nice too." He said and she smiled softly, sinking into the pillows, finally able to relax, though she was beginning to feel a bit awkward as his hand continued to roam across her belly. "Or both," he said with a sparkle in his eyes.
Her eyes widened and she sat up abruptly. "That is not funny. Don't make jokes like that." She pointed her finger in his face.
He chuckled. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry." He gently pushed her back down to the pillows.
Suddenly, the doors swung open and Anastasia gasped, grabbing Navaz to shield herself, feeling super exposed. Navaz furrowed his eyebrows and held his arm out to the side, covering his wife.
"What are you doing in here?! You can't just come into the queen's chambers!" his voice loud, but firm.
The Hun soldier turned around. "Apologies, my king," he said awkwardly and hung his head. "Xena asks for you to come outside. There's been an attack at the border."
Navaz growled lowly. "I will be there in a moment," he said and the soldier hastily left the room, closing the doors behind him.
Anastasia began getting out of bed and he shook his head, placing his hands on her shoulders. "You stay here." He said with a small smile.
She frowned. "I want to come. I am the commander. I should be there with you," she pleaded and tried to get up but he pushed her down gently.
"Anastasia. Your mother is not carrying my child. You are. I want you to stay here." He said and saw the disappointment in her eyes, the first time he saw that look and he definitely didn't want to see that again. "I will have Xena come and relay the information to you when I'm finished. Okay?"
She folded her arms. "Fine," she muttered and sat back against the pillows, scowling.
Xena waited outside the Adame with Gabrielle beside her. She swung her sword around casually as she patiently waited for Navaz. She began whistling and then heard footsteps coming down the steps. Turning, she smiled smugly at the young king.
"In the queen's quarters, huh?" her eyebrows rose and he avoided eye contact with her. "I hate to interrupt your evening with my daughter but I need you on the field." Her tone darkened. "The Romans came through our borders. Dengi and Ernak are with your men right now. Zeno sent more men that we thought. They are not mercenaries."
He frowned and squinted his eyes as the rain poured down on them, soaking their fur cloaks. "They will not reach my camp will they?" he asked.
She shook her head. "Not if Dengi and Ernak are holding them off. They've done this a hundred times." She hit his arm and he jumped. "But we are going to ride out to meet with them," she grinned and hopped on her horse.
Gabrielle smirked seeing the shocked look on the king's face. She mounted Xena's horse and wrapped her arm around her waist.
"Anastasia will be safe here, won't she?" he asked with concern and mounted his horse given to him by a soldier.
Xena scoffed. "You are such a worrier, Navaz. My daughter can take care of herself. She is not helpless but I trust your Adame is well guarded," she smiled then rode off and he sat on his steed, dumbfounded.
"Protect the queen," he advised his men that stayed behind.
"Yes, your majesty." The soldiers said and ran back to the Adame.
Dengi drove his sword into a Roman, not once, but three times. "Fucking Roman dog! Swine from hell! Semen from all the Huns' cocks!" he growled and plunged his blade into the dying soldier for the fifth time.
Xena raised an eyebrow and Gabrielle's eyes grew, listening to the once sweet boy she knew, spout off obscene and crude phrases. "You kiss your mother with that mouth, Dengizich?" she called out and he spun around.
"'Bout time you showed up!" he snarled. "There's more of them than we thought!" he saw a Roman charging for him and he cried out, raising his sword in the air and slicing through the soldier's arm and kicked him to the ground.
She hopped off her horse and grabbed Dengi by his soaked fur collar. "Nobody gave you an order to attack!" she hissed.
"What was I supposed to do? Let them invade the grounds?!" he spat in her face and she shoved him backward.
"You are supposed to send a scout to report back to me first not attack because you feel like it, Dengi!" she yelled and he rolled his eyes. She tightened her lips and grabbed his arm firmly. "I am the commander in chief. Anything and everything needs to be reported to me first! You know the rules."
He frowned. "Apologies." He said in a low voice and she released his arm.
She shook her head and saw the Huns attacking the Romans. She didn't see any more Romans and figured that Dengi and Ernak took care of everything. "Where is Ernak?" she asked and he shrugged his shoulders.
Gabrielle heard someone yelling in the distance and she spun around. Her mouth parted when she saw Ernak riding through the rain with a rope wrapped around a Roman's neck, dragging him through the mud. "I think I found him..."
Xena gasped and saw Ernak riding towards them with a big smile on his face, dragging a Roman through the mud. "For the love of –" she stepped forward in his path and Ernak shook his head.
"Xena!" he yelled. "Get out of the way!"
And she folded her arms, not budging. Gabrielle's eyes darted from Xena to Ernak, riding dangerously through the rain at great speed. "Xena! What are you doing?!" she shouted.
Ernak grunted and yanked on the reins and skid to a stop, a foot away from Xena. He breathed heavily and glared at her. "What the hell, Xena!"
"Just what do you think you're doing?" she asked calmly, noting the Roman tied up.
The young Hun king smirked. "I brought you a Roman officer. Pretty good, huh?" he wriggled his eyebrows and she groaned. "Oh come on, Xena! I did good!"
"No!" she pointed her blade at his throat and he backed away, eyes wide and fearful. "You are being reckless!"
While Xena continued to reprimand Ernak about his reckless behavior Gabrielle saw two Roman horsemen riding towards the grounds in the darkness. She narrowed her eyes and then ran forward, snatching the sword from a fallen Roman and hopped onto Xena's horse.
"Gabrielle!" Ernak called out and Xena spun around to see the blonde riding back towards the Adame.
"Gabrielle!" Xena ran forward and growled. "She just stole my horse!" she roared aloud and Ernak chuckled. She spun around. "You think this is funny, boy?" she waltzed over to him holding her blade outward.
"No, ma'am," he shook his head and saw her eyes widen. "No, Xena!" he corrected himself.
She lowered her swords. "Your father would be ashamed of you both," she eyed Dengi and he lowered his eyes. "Acting like irresponsible animals," she grumbled. "Get rid of the Roman. He is of no use to me."
Ernak gasped, "but, Xena!"
"Do it!" she walked off when she saw Navaz heading towards them. "I did not teach you to act this way," she said softly and both young men hung their heads in embarrassment.
Navaz halted the horse and looked at Xena's irate face and her hair drenched, her bangs pulled from her face. "What's happening?" he asked.
"Gabrielle stole my horse. She is going back to the Adame," she said and he immediately spun around, eager to go back. She grabbed his reins, stopping him. "There are no more Romans here. We should have barricaded this area like I suggested! You underestimated Zeno!"
Anastasia got out of the bed and walked over to her vanity set and pulled out a small vial of perfume. She frowned and set it aside then opened a drawer, scrounging through her notes that she kept. Letters that she wrote to her mother that she would keep forever. Not knowing that her mother was alive at the time, it made her feel better to write down her thoughts to keep her close always.
She smiled softly and her sweet moment was interrupted. A hand was wrapped around her mouth and she screamed, grabbing onto the strong arm that was wrapped around her neck. She was being drug backwards and she saw her sword on the other side of the room.
She growled and bit the hand around her mouth and the Roman hissed. She gasped breathlessly and ran across the room and grabbed her sword off the wall and turned around to see not one but three Romans, surrounding her with weapons. She pointed the blade at them and grimaced.
"Your highness, come with us willingly and we will not harm you," one Roman said with a smile.
"Get out," she said and wafted the sword at them and they gradually came closer to her, enclosing her in a circle.
"She is with child," another Roman said quietly.
"All the more reason for her to obey." The Roman officer smiled. "Come with us, your highness. We will not harm you..."
She gripped the sword and backed away slowly. "I am not going anywhere with you!"
"Do not make this difficult!" he snarled. She gave him a small grin and he shook his head. "Hun swine. Get her!" he growled at his lower subjects.
The other two Romans charged for her and she swung her sword, clashing with one Roman and saw the other coming for her to her left. She kicked the other soldier in the chest and he fell to his back, sliding across the wooden floor.
She grit her teeth and felt the weight of the Roman's sword coming down upon her. He knocked the blade out of her hand and she gasped. He grinned and she grabbed him by the back of his neck and head butt his forehead, sending him stumbling backward.
She quickly turned and saw her sword. She reached down for it and then was hit with a fire poker in her back and she fell to the floor. She winced and cradled her child. She saw her sword and furrowed her eyebrows, getting to her knees slowly she reached for her blade.
The Roman officer stomped on her hand and she cried out in agony. He pressed his boot against her hand and gasped for air. He grinned and shook his head. "What a brave woman you are. You are almost as good as your mother but not quite. You are too slow." He kicked her to the ground and she cringed, laying on her side, bringing her legs close to her.
The doors swung open and Gabrielle ran inside with a slew of Hun soldiers. She pointed the sword at the three Romans. "Attack them!" she yelled and the soldiers rushed in and the Romans' eyes grew and began backing away, trying to escape through the large windows they came in.
Gabrielle saw Anastasia lying on the floor and she knelt down beside her, running her hand across her dark hair. "Anastasia..." she whispered, shaking her head lightly. "Are you alright?"
Ana cringed and grabbed Gabrielle's arm firmly, looking into her eyes. "The baby...I.." she exhaled softly and rest her head on her arm.
Gabrielle cursed beneath her breath and nodded. She called for help while the Huns were fending off the three Romans, which seemed to be tougher than they anticipated.
"Protect the queen!" A few of the Hun soldiers came over and formed a circle around Gabrielle and Anastasia.
"What the..." Gabrielle growled. "She needs help! She can't stay here!"
The soldiers did not turn their heads but one of the head officers by the name of Zolten, spoke to her with his back turned. "We are not permitted to lay eyes upon the queen if she is dressed like so, kadin."
Gabrielle grunted and tugged on one of their pant legs. "For the love of god," she muttered, "give me your cloak!" she ordered and the Hun stared at her confusedly. "Give it to me!" she snarled and he took it off and she draped it over Anastasia. "Now you can look at her." She rolled her eyes and they finally turned around.
Zolten picked up Anastasia in his arms and quickly exited the room. Gabrielle shortly followed, leaving the rest of the soldiers to get rid of the Romans.
To be continued.
