Gabrielle looked around the table of Xena's closest confidants and most loyal friends, she was sad to say it was a small group. Xena had on her normal bored expression, which Gabrielle knew meant she was anything but. Her feet were resting on the table and she had her chair tipped so that it rest only on the back legs. Her arms were crossed and her eyes slowly met each person's before moving onto the next.
"So, who's got an idea?" All eyes shifted nervously away. "Come on, why should I have advisors if you're all just gonna sit around and let me do everything myself."
Gabrielle knew what Xena wanted to do but didn't want to be the one to suggest it. Xena looked over at Gabrielle who shrugged. She ran her fingers through her newly shorn hair. She was so glad to be back to it. Everyone's attitude towards her seemed to change too. They actually treated her like an adult now.
"There really is only one choice." Palemon's voice was serious for once. Unlike Xena he looked anything but board. He was playing with his hands and picking at the bottom of his tunic. Gabrielle understood. After attending her first real war council with Xena she had wanted to throw up.
"Palemon is right, Dagnine must die. He's a danger and he has started insurrection in the army. If his behaviour goes unpunished, you'll see a lot more than simple desertion and drunken brawls." Leave it to Marcus to point out the obvious. Joxer who was sitting next to him looked like he was about to pass out. His face was pale and completely serious, he barely resembled the loveable idiot who had totted around after Gabrielle and Xena for all those years. After a moment he nodded.
"Xena, you know I have never been one for the death penalty but in some cases it's necessary. The longer he's locked up the more of a following him and his men are going to be able to gather. You could have a full blown coup on your hands. The last person you want in charge of all of Greece, Rome and Egypt is Dagnine." He took a nervous sip from the glass in front of him but his hand was shaking so bad a good amount of the drink spilled down his shirt. Nobody seemed to notice.
"Xena," Gabrielle's voice was soft. She knew what she would have said so long ago, send him to a prison, give him a chance to change, like you were. But she was older now, had seen so much and had faced the consequences of not dealing with a problem in the moment. "He's dangerous, he can't just be locked up."
Xena's eyes bore into Gabrielle. They seemed shocked almost as though Xena had wanted her to plead mercy so she could have said she was going with Gabrielle's judgement. Not this time. If Xena wanted to save this man's life it would be all up to her.
"Gabrielle, can you go get Solan from his chambers." Gabrielle stared back in shock, surely he was too young. "Now please, if Solan is to rule one day he will sit in a council like this one and will have to make these hard decisions."
Gabrielle rose from the table and bowed her head to everyone as she left the room. Solan's rooms were adjacent to Xena's so it was just a short walk down the hall. In the two weeks since he had come, everything seemed to get worse and worse and seeing Solan each day was the one ray of light that had brightened their day. That first night had not been quiet. Drunken riots had broken out in the barracks and someone had taken a painting of Xena and written SLAVE'S WHORE across it. Xena had forced the entire fifth regiment into drills that started at sunrise and lasted till sundown, which was not pleasant for the still hung-over soldiers. The next night there had been fires, men from the fifth attacking the rest of the regiments. Xena had docked a week's pay for the damages and taken confined them to the barracks but things only continued much in the same. Tavern-keepers came every morning will bills for what Xena's men had destroyed, there were more rapes than Gabrielle had known there were women in the city. Xena had taken to sending a trustworthy regiment out to prowl the streets each night to assist law enforcement which had helped protect Corinth but things within the palace had gotten worse. The night before the dinning hall in which Xena had taken to feeding the poor each night was burned to the ground as distraction for men attempting to break Dagnine and his officers out. That was why the meeting had been called.
Gabrielle paused outside Solan's door and took a deep breath before knocking. She almost hoped he wasn't in but she knew he wouldn't leave his room without a trustworthy guard and they were all in Xena's outer chamber. She could hear his feet move across the stones and approach the door.
"What's the code word?" Gabrielle smiled. At least he was being safe. Xena had a bolt installed on his door which could only be opened from the inside. Only six people knew the word and Solan was only to open it for them.
"Borias." The door flew open and Solan practically ran Gabrielle over.
"Oh thank the gods I feel like I've been trapped for months!"
"It's been less than hour since we came back from staff practice. How's your hand by the way." He held it up to reveal that it was extremely swollen and turning a lovely shade of purple. "Oh your mother is going to kill me but you won't fall for that trick again will you?"
"Am I the worst you've ever fought?"
"No your mother is. Speaking of we have to get back to her, she's summoned you to a council meeting."
His eyes lit up. "I get to go to a council meeting! She's really going to let me take over one day isn't she?"
"Yes she is," they started walking, "if you want to that is. Today you're going to see the less fun side of ruling. Your mother faces a very tough decision and she wants to show you that ruling isn't just a privilege, it's a burden." Ah she thought Xena sent me to set the scene. She plans everything doesn't she?
Gabrielle strode into the meet with Solan close on her heels a little of the glamour gone from his. She took her seat next to Xena and Solan took the chair on the other side. Xena no longer looked relaxed. She looked like a commander ready to lead her troops into battle. She had the same expression on her face as when they had rescued that Athenian garrison from the Horde.
"Solan, you know the unrest that has been going on since your arrival yes." She paused until he nodded. "You know the man behind it is Dagnine, the same man who trespassed on centaur lands and planned to steal their most sacred object. You know that despite my changing rules on the restriction of slavery, he has encouraged his men to continue selling slaves to feed his own pockets."
"I do." His face was grave now. He looked over to Gabrielle who tried to offer a supportive smile.
"The opinion of this council is to take his life. It had been decided he will not change his ways and that his men will attempt to free him until they succeed. Do you see any other options or do you agree with the advice of my most trusted companions?"
Solan sat back and thought a moment. "Can you send him to the centaurs?" Xena's eyes sparkled and she nodded for him to continue. "He would be removed from his supporters and the centaurs have enough warriors to defend themselves against even a regiment, after all didn't they almost defeat your army in the battle here." Xena could no longer contain her grin. She motion for more. "Well it sounds like his men committed the crimes against you and his main crime was against the centaurs. If you pass him into their justice it would only be fair since he'd be paying for what he did to them."
"And his men? What's to stop them from going after Dagnine and freeing him?"
"The ones who were with him were deserters. Lay your justice upon them as an example to the rest of the regiment and then break up what remains of the fifth and distribute them to other regiments were more trusted men and officers can keep an eye on them."
Xena leaned forward staring her son. Everyone around the table was amazed, a child had seen what they could not. "Did you sit in on many of Kaleipus' council's son?"
"No, well not really. I sat and listened through a hole in the tent."
"He would be so proud of you. Marcus. Take your ten most trusted officers and bring Dagnine into the smaller throne room, it seems the other was damaged in the fire. Joxer I want you to bring would of Solan's decision to Kaleipus and let him know that he should soon be ready to receive a new prisoner." Everyone got up but Xena called out one last command. "Joxer, make sure he knows who is responsible for this justice." Joxer grinned and offered a small bow. Soon it was just the three of them in the room.
"Solan." Gabrielle and Solan looked over at Xena, shocked to see a small glisten of tears in her eyes. "Please don't take this the wrong way but I am so glad gave you to Kaleipus." He looked a little hurt so she crossed the room and wrapped him in her arms. "I missed you every moment you weren't with me and my biggest regret in life was not getting to see you grow up, but if you had stayed with me Dagnine would be dead along with a whole lot of other men. I wasn't as mature as you are now when I had you and I would have ruined the beautiful soul that you have grown up to be."
The two were crying now as they embraced. Gabrielle rose quietly and headed for the door. Before she made it though she felt a hand grabbing her wrist. Solan looked up at her and threw his arms around her waist, burying himself in her chest. She softly stroked his hair until he pulled away.
"What was that for?" She smiled resting and hand on his shoulder.
"For helping my mom be better." Gabrielle's smile widened as he gave her one last hug and ran off. It was just Xena and Gabrielle staring at one another. Xena let go of face she had held for the whole meeting as she sunk on the bed.
"I'm still sentencing people to die Gabrielle." She slouched, her shoulders fell forward and her chin rested against her chest. "I'm still taking lives today, and more would have been taken if not for my son. I meant it Gabrielle, if he had been raised by him I would have probably heard 'kill them all' just like I would have taught him. What kind of person am I when the best thing I've ever done for my son is give him up."
Gabrielle sat down next to her, their thighs touching. She cupped Xena's face in her hands and pulled it up until she was looking in her eyes. "That makes you a good person. A selfish person would have kept their child and condemned him to life you just described. It takes a selfless person with so much love in their heart to do what you did. You weren't thinking about yourself, you truly wanted what was best for Solan. That means that good was always deep inside of you, it was something you were always capable of."
"How can you say that? Without you and Hercules there was nothing but darkness inside of me. Did Iolaus ever tell you what I did to you in this world?" Gabrielle shook her head. "For speaking out against me I had you crucified but you seemed special, so I had your legs broken too. I'm bad."
"Now you sound like Tara; Xena, you're not bad you just had some shitty choices you were forced to make far too young, went through some really horrible things and were alone. Everything you ever did was to protect yourself and originally Amphipolis. Yes, you've done bad things but so have I. We move on from them and try to make up for what we've done."
Xena's head fell forward and landed on Gabrielle's chest. They just sat there for a moment in silence, each breathing in deep, Gabrielle enjoying the smell of Xena's hair and Xena the scent of Gabrielle's skin. After a moment Xena moved and gently captured Gabrielle's lips. The bard's hands instantly wrapped around Xena, one wrapping her fingers up in flowing raven locks, the other gliding over a strong back. Xena moved so softly at times Gabrielle wondered if Xena was actually touching her or if she was just imagining it.
Xena made quick work of her top and flung it off to the side and then laid Gabrielle back into the soft down of the mattress. Her fingers traced a pattern that Gabrielle soon recognised as the Mehndi. Xena was copying the pattern that had revealed what both at already known; that their souls were entwined for an eternity. Her body seemed to float as Xena's mouth moved lower, her tongue teasing over the pulse points on Gabrielle's neck while her fingers continued to draw.
Gabrielle did jump when Xena reached her chest. Her lips locked onto to Gabrielle's nipple, suckling softly while her tongue flicked the sensitive nub. Xena's hand had reached Gabrielle's waist and she made short work of the belt holding on her skirt. Gabrielle offered a silent thanks that one of Xena's many skills was her magical fingers. The thought ran through her head again when Xena brushed over the soft curls that protected her lower lips. Xena teases, dipping her fingers between the folds but never quite hitting the spot that Gabrielle wanted.
Unable to take it anymore she offered a soft please and Xena's finger began circling her clit. She slid easily through the moistness and when Gabrielle could take it no longer she thrust her hips into Xena's hand creating the friction she so desperately needed. She could feel Xena, who was now kissing her way over her hips smile.
"Don't laugh, I need you." Xena smiled wide and her mouth came to a rest between Gabrielle's thighs. She paused a moment to inhale the deliciously musky sent coming from her lover. Her tongue darted out and ran the length of Gabrielle coming to rest over the sensitive nub. Gabrielle moans loudly and spread her legs wider. Xena began sucking on her clit, flicking it with her tongue, constantly changing directions. She slipped two fingers into Gabrielle who began to buck wildly. It didn't take long till a third finger slipped in and with one curl of her fingers Gabrielle shuddered and came. Xena continued her soft rhythmic motions through her lover's orgasm, greedily licking up all the moisture until Gabrielle's body stopped shaking.
She crawled up Gabrielle's body and stole a quick kiss so Gabrielle could taste herself of Xena's lips. She then laid back and pulled Gabrielle into her arms. After a few minutes Gabrielle spoke.
"See, just like I told the Amazon's, gentle and kind is the best kind of lover."
Xena laid a soft kiss on Gabrielle's head. "It's complicated." They both shared a soft chuckle. "Have you thought about going to visit the Amazons?"
"Yes, but I'd be an outsider, I'm not their princess or queen now."
"You could lie. Say you're visiting from the Northern Tribe. You'd finally get a chance to know Terreis. Convince Eponin to make the move while she still has the chance."
"I think I will once all of this is sorted out. I don't know how much they'll like you though. Technically I'm still your slave and I don't think the Amazon's would take very kindly to that." Her fingers had be tracing over the back of Xena's hand. She now realised she was drawing the Mehndi too.
"Oh don't you worry, I got something planned to lighten the mood after the fiasco with Dagnine is settled. Speaking of, we should probably get going. I think he's probably sweated enough in the throne room."
The stood up and Gabrielle started putting her clothes back on. "Are you bringing Solan to this?"
"No." Her face was hard, she was back to being the Warrior Princess Conqueror. "He's too young to see the justice I'll be carrying out today. Dagnine is going to Kaleipus, his officers are not." With that she grabbed her sword from where it rest from next to the bed and left the room, head held high with Gabrielle at her side.
