I Never Run Away

Xena sat at her desk, tapping her fingernails on the table incessantly while Gabrielle paced the room. Her eyes watched the blonde Amazon dig a hole into the ground while muttering to herself. Gabrielle halted and whipped her head around, glaring at the Empress.

"This is not a good idea. You should not ally with Darius. He is your enemy."

"But, he will give me Egypt," Xena smiled and waved her hand nonchalantly.

Gabrielle cocked her head, now in utter confusion with this woman. "I thought you wanted Corinth."

"Oh yes. I will have that too, Gabrielle. Don't you worry about that." The Empress propped her boots on the desk and leaned back in the chair, lacing her fingers together.

The Amazon snorted and lightly let out a mocking laugh to which Xena narrowed her eyes towards her. "You can't have both, Xena. You can't be in control of Arcadia and be the enemy of Greece at the same time."

"Why not?"

"Because it's suicide!" she spat and Xena blinked slowly with a emotionless expression. She sighed and rubbed her sweaty forehead. "You are just asking for Alexander to come here and attack. I don't want that to happen."

This intrigued the Empress and she crossed her arms. "You don't want Arcadia to be attacked or you just don't want me to have Corinth and Egypt?"

"All of the above," Gabrielle spoke with a stern tone. "Why won't you work with me?"

"Because you are beneath me."

Gabrielle's mouth gaped and she slammed her palms on the desk. Both studied each other, never taking their eyes off each other. "Why are you doing this? When you put me as your second in command you –"

"No, no!" Xena threw her legs off the table and stood, inches away from the Amazon's face. "You begged for your life. You begged me to give you this position so I wouldn't plunge my sword into you."

"I wouldn't have done it if you were going to be this unfair."

"Life isn't fair, Gabrielle," she hissed. "So, are you saying that you'd be rather be dead than work with me?"

Gabrielle bowed her head and turned around. She inhaled sharply and waltzed away from the desk. The longer she stayed with Xena the more confusing it was. She gives gifts after nearly choking someone to death –what an oddity, Gabrielle thought. She smiles when she is about to go for a kill and then is somewhat disgusted with the corpse afterwards. Also strange. And now, she is using her wit to get what she wants, but still, she is smart, but she is greedy.

"That's just it, Xena. You aren't working with me. You are ordering me around." She turned on her heel and clenched her fist. "You work with me or I'll make sure my sisters will never leave you alone. You will be attacked by all the Corinthians and if you don't stop, someone is going to kill you."

"Someone...like you?" Xena raised a curious brow and smirked.

"I didn't say that."

"Oh but you want to, don't you?"

Gabrielle bit her inner cheek and opened her fist and clenched it once more. She felt her veins popping out in her arms the longer she continued to play this game. Though, she was realizing she wasn't very good at this anymore. She was just getting angry and Xena wasn't. She was so calm and collected. How could she be?

"Let's just talk about Darius for now."

Xena shrugged a shoulder and sat back down. "As you wish."

"What are you going to tell Stateira? She is expecting an answer today."

"I'm not going to tell her anything," Xena said and eyed the flustered Amazon. "You are."

"What?"Gabrielle placed a hand over her queasy stomach. "Why me? You're in charge here."

"Am I?" the Empress chided with a chagrin. "You're going to tell her that I will accept Darius' offer. I will take Egypt."

Now, the queen felt her nightmares coming true. She truly was on the wrong side of the fence. "But then you will be the enemy of Greece."

"Not so fast, Gabrielle," she stood and walked over to the Amazon. "I will let him fight in Corinth. I'm sure Alexander has his scouts there already knowing him." She let out a sigh and stared down at Gabrielle. "If Darius wins Corinth I will take it from him and since I will have Egypt as promised, I can have both pieces of land."

Very strategic, Gabrielle noted. "And then you will let me go?"

"Maybe," Xena leaned down closer to the blonde's face. She rubbed the soft fabric of the tunic in between her fingers and noticed Gabrielle tensing her body.

Gabrielle watched the Spartan very carefully and felt fingers on her bare skin. She stepped away and adjusted her blouse. "What are you doing?"

"You like the clothes I gave you, yes?" she asked and Gabrielle stood still whilst looking into her eyes as if she were trying to find out some huge secret. "They look very nice on you," she said and Gabrielle lifted her chin distrustfully. "Just your size."

"Funny how that worked out," the Amazon snidely replied.

"Yes. Very funny."

Shahbanu Stateira returned to Susa, Persia after a week long journey traveling overseas to Sparta to meet with Xena to which she never saw her or spoke to her during her two days she stayed in the stronghold. The Persian Queen walked into King Darius' throne chambers and took the veil off her head.

Her husband smiled, delighted at her presence and his daughter walked over to greet her mother briefly. Darius waved his hand dismissing his servants and looked at his wife. "So, what does Xena have to say about my offer?"

"She accepts."

"Excellent," he nodded.

"I did not even get a chance to speak with her," Stateira said sourly.

He frowned and ran his fingers down his braided beard. "Really? Then how did she accept my offer?"

"Perhaps she likes to be hidden from her enemies," she said with nonchalance. "Her second in command, which is a woman might I add, spoke with me."

"Well, no matter. She is no longer my enemy. But now she is Alexander's target. I will sign over the papers for Egypt and deliver them to her after we invade Corinth. I am counting on her to defend me when I attack."

His wife scoffed. "I do not believe she will defend you, husband. She is a woman who plays by her own rules. She didn't have the courtesy to show her face in front of me. I am a Queen. She is not."

"But, she is important," he said and his wife rolled her eyes. "Alexander will want Egypt and if she has it then I will not have to worry about the Macedonian coming to ransack it as long as it remains under Xena's control."

"And you truly believe that she won't try to overthrow you one day, Darius?" she questioned him and he shot her a look of disdain. "You should be wary of her. She is dangerous and she is smart."

He laughed lightly. "She can try to play her war games with me but it will not work."

"I told you not to ally with that heinous woman, Darius," Sisygambis spoke as she entered the throne chamber. Stateira covered her hair with the veil and bowed her head.

Darius stood abruptly and kissed his mother's hand. "I offered her a deal. I give her Egypt and I don't attack Sparta. This way I have Alexander's hands away from Egypt and in the hands of Xena."

"You should have allied with the Macedonian. He is far more reliable than that Spartan woman," she scoffed. "If you had done what I told you then we could be friends with Alexander but you went against my word and allied with the most hated woman in Greece. I sure hope you know what you're doing, Darius."

He lowered his gaze, slightly embarrassed. "Mother, I know what I am doing. I am King of Persia. Alexander will not come here to ransack us and if he does, Xena will aid me."

"Well, I sure hope you know what you're doing. I hope that you have not signed our lives away and this kingdom as well, Darius." She turned and sauntered off with her maids following her.

Xena stood on the stairs outside of the palace, observing Leo taking his daughter to be buried next to his wife that passed years ago. The horsemen of Leo's cavalry carried Eia's body draped in the crimson robe gently over their shoulders slowly following Leo as he guided them by riding his horse through the training grounds. She wrapped her arms around herself and breathed out shakily.

All of the girls that Eia trained with followed the horsemen, though they refused to shed a tear. They would cry in the privacy of their homes. Spartans do not shed tears for their fallen soldiers and warriors. The fallen were celebrated and commemorated for their deeds on the battlefield and off as well.

Gabrielle walked towards Xena and placed her arms behind her back. She witnessed Eia being carried off to be buried. She would have thought that the Spartans burned bodies like her sisters did, but apparently not. Their customs were very different here. She also wasn't sure that keeping the body preserved until it was buried was exactly sanitary but she wasn't here to question. She already learned that from Xena since she arrived. No questions, just answers.

Though, she curiously eyed the Empress beside her and saw tears in her eyes which she refused to show her emotions in front of others. Though, she knew that Xena cared a lot about Eia and it was perhaps the only time she witnessed the emotionless Empress was in fact not emotionless at all. She was human, just like everyone else.

"She will be missed," she said aloud and saw Xena frown.

"She died a warrior. She didn't even make it to see a war once in her life."

Gabrielle cleared her throat and looked at the horsemen drifting further and further away from the palace grounds. "War is ugly. It was probably a good thing that she didn't have to witness that."

Xena mockingly snorted and turned to the oblivious Amazon. "Spartans live by war, Gabrielle. It is their life. This is an embarrassment for Eia's family and herself."

"Why do you care about Spartan traditions anyway? You're not even from Sparta."

"What kind of a leader would I be if I did not accept a culture's traditions and customs?" Xena asked and Gabrielle looked away.

"If you were truly a leader and conqueror then you would make the Spartans submit to your culture," the Amazon said and was grabbed firmly by the Empress. "Are we really doing this again?"

Xena pursed her lips and stared into Gabrielle's eyes for a few moments then let go of her arm. "You like to live dangerously, don't you Gabrielle?"

"I wouldn't say that." I'm just not accustomed to dealing with people such as yourself. "So you agreed to Darius' offer. Does that mean the deal with the Isthmus is off the table?" she asked whilst gazing at the stars in the dark sky.

"Now, why on earth would you think that?"

"Because you are his ally now."

"I told you. I don't do alliances. He is just another pawn in this game. Alexander doesn't want Darius pillaging Greece anymore than I do. I will attack Darius from above and from the canal as well."

Gabrielle frowned confusedly and turned to the brunette. "Then he won't give you Egypt."

"Oh, I'm not going to be there. That's where the rebels come in. They will revolt against Alexander and the Isthmians hate Alexander and Darius. I know what I'm doing, Gabrielle. Don't ever doubt that."

She had this all planned out and once again Gabrielle was left out. The more she listened to how deranged Xena's plans sounded, the more sense they made. It was the perfect ambush. Alexander's men would fight Darius and the rebels would fight Alexander and his crew as well as the Persians. The Isthmians will fight anyone who come near them and Xena sits back and watches the chaos unfold before her eyes. She doesn't even have to lift a finger or deploy her men. Strategy indeed, Gabrielle took note.

"And what about my sisters?"

Xena smirked and asked, "what of them?"

"I don't want them to get slaughtered by the Isthmians or Persians."

"I wish them the best of luck," the Empress pat Gabrielle's shoulder and returned to the palace.

Gabrielle gasped barely above a whisper and she followed Xena. "You're just going to let them die?"

"I do not have time to protect everyone, especially your sisters, Gabrielle. You belong to me now. They have plenty of Amazon Queens at their disposal to fight the Persians."

Gabrielle halted and gaped at Xena's backside, covered in all black clothing. "How did you know that my tribe has multiple queens?"

Xena stopped and turned on her heel, casting a malicious smile. "I told you, I have spies everywhere."

Gabrielle was left alone in the atrium and she bent over, digging her fingernails into her hair. She exhaled deeply and sat down on one of the benches with her head in between her knees. This whole time Xena had been watching. She was lurking. She always had been and now it was out in the open. Spies? What spies? Where did they come from and how could they hide in the Amazon tribe in the forest?

So many questions unanswered. Gabrielle rose and kicked a vase with her boot and stormed to her room.

That night, Gabrielle was unable to sleep. Knowing that Xena had been watching her sisters for gods knows how long really irked her. She had been spied on this entire time and had no idea. Truly, she wasn't fit to play this woman's games at all. Xena was too smart. She was older and wiser than her, yes. She was also cunning and knew how to attack people verbally and physically. She had no problem killing people or seducing them either.

Kyla entered the room and set a tray of food down onto the bedside table. Gabrielle jolted awake and pulled out her dagger. The helot gasped in fear and stepped away. The Amazon grunted and plopped back down onto the pillows.

"Sorry I thought you were someone else."

"You mean, you thought I was the Empress," the helot said and then poured a glass of juice into the fluted glass.

Not that she could kill Xena anyway. She had already tried that before and it didn't work out for her then and it wouldn't work now. Though, she was still unnerved that her sisters had been watched this entire time.

"I have to go talk to her," Gabrielle hopped out of bed and Kyla sighed, just finishing setting up the breakfast tray.

Gabrielle waltzed through the halls and eyed the doors. Her doors. She took in a deep breath and marched to the chambers and knocked on the door. No answer so she just walked in, not minding the guards watching her every move.

Xena tied her bandeau from behind and didn't bother to turn around. She grabbed her sword laying on the desk and sheathed it at her hip. "Morning, Gabrielle. Sleep well?"

"Were you watching me this entire time? Before I even came to Sparta? Did you watch me?"

Xena smiled and slowly turned with a hand haughtily placed on her hip. "Curious?"

"Just answer me."

"How else was I going to get you to come here, Gabrielle?"

The Amazon clutched her tunic and shook her head. No, this could not be happening, she thought. Suddenly she felt like she was violated in every possible way. "So, you knew who I was this whole time? And you stole Indila knowing that I'd come."

"Very good, Gabrielle from Potidaea."

This was truly all a game to her. Xena knew the entire time who she was and even where she came from.

"What was it that you said to me when you arrived?" Xena pondered, feigning her innocence. "Oh right, 'shouldn't you make it your business to know who I am'." She chuckled. "I know exactly who you are, Gabrielle. I know where you come from and even what hut you sleep in. I know a lot of things about you." She approached the nervous queen.

She continued, "I even know about that poor pathetic excuse of a treaty you tried to impose on the Isthmians last year. You can't hide anything from me." She grinned and Gabrielle had look of horror in her emerald eyes. "So you see, you will not win this game with me, Gabrielle. Not you, not Alexander and certainly not Darius."

She traced her finger along the blonde's soft plump cheek and trailed down to her shoulder which was slightly hidden by the white blouse. "A young queen...far from home..." she whispered and Gabrielle breathed heavily as Xena's finger kept tracing further down her torso down to her abdomen.

"I...wonder." She cocked her head and felt the queen tremble slightly. "What would your parents think of you now?" she lifted her eyes and Gabrielle closed her mouth, nostrils flaring as her breathing intensified.

Gabrielle saw Xena inching closer to her face and she was too stumped to move or push her away. At this point, she felt dead inside and felt more than violated. Xena knew absolutely every little thing about her, but how? That smile. Enticing, curious and eerie all at once. How could she know? Why would she care? What is her game? Her true game.

Xena grabbed onto Gabrielle's arm and pulled her close. "I can help you," she whispered. "We could be such friends, Gabrielle."

No, we could not, the queen thought inwardly.

"Give me full control of Corinth. I know your sisters will be lost without you. Don't want Darius to rape and pillage your dear sisters, now do you?" she said with a smile and heard the Amazon breathe deeper. Faster. Heavier. "Give it to me and we can be friends."

Friends. What is even the meaning of that word to this woman? Gabrielle, frozen in place, listening to the hot breathy words in her ear, she didn't know how to answer. She stared at the wall and Xena's fingers gripped firmer, tighter, on her arm.

"What...what is a friend to you? Giving you what you want through force and coercion?"

Xena raised her eyebrow and pulled away, gaping into the jades eyes beneath her. "I warned you about what would happen if you did not submit and surrender Corinth, Gabrielle. Your sisters will be slaughtered not just by Darius but by me."

"Then why would I want to be your friend? Friends don't do that to each other."

"So I should be fair and play more games with you until I get what I want?" Xena snickered. "I can do that all day long. But the question is...can you?"

"If I give you Corinth then will you let me go?"

Xena stepped away and crossed her arms. "No."

Gabrielle snarled. "Why not?!" she yelled.

"Because I like having you around," she admitted and the blonde cringed, contorting her soft features into an ugly grimace.

"Excuse me? You like having –what does that even mean?"

Silence.

Gabrielle inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. She began backing away and raised her palms. "Alright. You know what, I'm going to my room. I just...can't..." She turned and stomped out of the chambers.

Xena frowned sadly and groaned lowly. She then unsheathed her sword and whacked one of the statues, slicing right through the bust and it slid off, crumbling to the floor.

The messenger from Sparta arrived to the large estate situated in the outskirts of Amphipolis. He dismounted the horse and pulled the box from his bag filled with letters and other necessary items that were to be delivered by the end of this week. He walked up the large house and set the box down carefully and knocked on the door.

Without waiting for the door to be answered he quickly hopped back onto the horse and trotted off through the barren roads of the large village.

Cyrene, head of her household opened the door moments after the messenger fled. She looked around to see who was at the door, but there was nobody she could see before her. She stepped out and stubbed her boot on a wooden box placed in front of her doorstep.

She frowned and picked up the box. She grazed her fingers along the signature design and walked back into her home, slamming the door behind her. She dropped the box onto the table and folded her arms. She had not expected one of these boxes until later this year. What a surprise.

Cyrene was tempted to open the box and the longer she stared at it the more she wanted to throw it out the window, but she just couldn't. bracing herself, she unlatched the lid to reveal what was inside. Her eyes gazed at white and gold fabric and pulled it out of the box gingerly.

A dress. She scoffed and wrapped the dress over her arm and then saw a pair of really gorgeous gold earrings to go with the dress. She picked up the jewelry and admired the fine detail put into these earrings. Quickly, she was thrown out of her daze and she threw the earrings back into the box and chucked the dress to the other side of the table.

She sat down at the table, glaring at the dress for quite some time and then heard the front door knob turn. Gasping, she grabbed the dress and hurried to fold it and stuff it back into the box.

"I'm back!" a young brunette girl walked into the house and Cyrene was busy trying to place the lid on the box before the girl could see. Closing the door, the girl sighed deeply. "I got oranges. Michael was out of apples. I hope that's –" she turned and her eyes lit up.

She set down the basket of fruit onto the ground and ran over. "Is that for me?" she asked and Cyrene grumbled. It was no use trying to hide the box with gifts inside now. "Let me see!" she pushed Cyrene out of the way and tossed the lid aside and pulled out the white and golden stitched dress out. She gaped at it in awe and held it up to her thin frame.

"It's not even my birthday," she said and then spotted the earrings. She set the dress down and clutched the earrings in her palm. "Wow, so pretty."

Cyrene folded her arms and wagged her head. "Helena, you have enough dresses."

"No, I don't," the girl said and held the dress and earrings close to her chest. "I like this one. I can keep it, right?" she asked and batted her big hazel eyes. Cyrene smirked at the girl's persistence and pat her face gently. "Thanks!"

"You should be careful with those earrings. They look expensive."

Helena nodded and grabbed the box in one arm while holding her gifts in the other. "Don't worry. I will keep them locked away in a safe place," she smiled and walked to her room.

Cyrene's smile faded and she grimaced. "Xena..." she muttered. She wondered why that daughter of hers wouldn't send money instead but no she sent lavish gifts instead, at least twice a year and never attached a note or letter of any kind with the gifts either. Cyrene believed that giving gifts was the only way of Xena apologizing and showing how much she cared but they were just things. That's all.

"So does this mean that I will get extra gifts for my birthday?" Helena emerged from her room and Cyrene smiled faintly.

"Maybe you will but I wouldn't count on it," she said and ran her fingers through the girl's long brown hair.

Helena gasped, alarming the nervous woman in front of her. "You know what would go great with that dress? Some really nice shoes. Like those pretty gold sandals I saw in the market."

Cyrene chuckled anxiously. "Helena, those are very expensive..." she said and the girl frowned. She hated to see her upset and she pinched Helena's cheek. "For your birthday maybe you can get them."

"Really?" her face broke out into a smile. "The one with the gold laces."

"I know which ones you're talking about," Cyrene said with a coy smile. "So, out of apples?" she walked over to retrieve the basket and Helena shrugged her shoulder.

The two sat down at the table, peeling the oranges and Helena looked over at Cyrene curiously. "So, who sends me those gifts? You never told me."

Cyrene paused and bowed her head. "A friend," she lied.

"Do I know this friend?"

"No, you don't."

"Have I met this friend?"

"No," she answered curtly.

"Will I meet –"

"What is it with you and all of these questions suddenly?" Cyrene interrupted and gave Helena another orange to peel.

Helena sighed and sat in silence, peeling the orange. She threw the peels on the other side of the table and eyed the woman beside her. "I was just curious."

"I know...but it's better that you don't know who it is," Cyrene reassured the girl and grabbed another orange.