The Dragon - Chapter 13: The Curse

"There is a straight, between Sicily and Italy," explained Gabrielle after some days of recovery, "that is guarded on one side by a great whirlpool called Charybdis - surely you remember Charybdis - and on the other by Scylla, that monster that had Ulysses met. Scylla will take six men off of any ship, and Charybdis will surely swallow us whole.

Xena shrugged, "Then we go through Italy. We will take a ship to the west and then another down to this island. Like attacking an army from behind."

"And how will we find a ship that will take us to Aeaea?" asked Gabrielle, "The only captain willing to go, and only for Circe's riches, was Autolycus' son, who found his demise in Scylla's jaws with the rest of his crew."

"Oh Gabrielle," said Xena, "did you forget that I was once a pirate? We will hijack one."

When she had adequately celebrated her mother's return and she was sure that Gabrielle would live, Eve left to resume her destiny that was to spread the ways of Eli.

Xena and Gabrielle stayed in Amphipolis as Gabrielle recovered, but it wasn't long before the younger woman grew restless, anxious to rid the threat of Circe from her conscience. So as soon as she was able, she insisted she and Xena begin their journey back to Aeaea.

They were both silently overwhelmed with joy and nostalgia as they hiked through the countryside of Thrace. Looking ahead, Xena pictured the young, naive farmgirl smiling beside her, long hair blowing in the Thracian breeze and green eyes full of wonder about the world. But when Xena turned back to catch a glimpse of the bard, she saw wisdom and pain that she never could have pictured in her soul-mate.

As the sun began to set and Gabrielle seemed nowhere near stopping, Xena suggested they make camp.

"Why don't I go and catch us some dinner?" said Xena, "Nothing but berries and bread in our packs; you know I never liked sweet things."

"'Cept me," joked Gabrielle, "No, Xena. You have taken such care of me these last weeks. You just relax, I will find us some food."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Xena," said Gabrielle, "I'm not a little girl anymore."

Xena smiled, "I know." She laid back on her bedroll, kicked off her boots, crossed her legs, and patted her belly, "Alright, lady. I could go for some rabbit."

Gabrielle gave Xena a long kiss on the lips and said, "I love you," before she crossed into the dense woods.

It did not take Gabrielle long to find a rabbit - but as she readied her sai, she heard a sound behind her. She turned, but saw nothing, and when she turned back to the rabbit she found a massive lioness in its place, stalking her like pray.

She slit its throat in self-preservation, and started to back away, but turning around she saw two more cats before her. She slaughtered these as well, but more only took their places. She was surrounded, and kept killing them but they would not stop coming. She reached for the chakram - but Xena had it. She collapsed to her knees, head in her hands, willing the madness away. But still she screamed: "Xena!"

Xena heard the cry and was by Gabrielle's side in seconds. She saw her Love huddled on the floor, dripping in red, surrounded by the carcasses of rabbits and deer and birds.

"Gabrielle," said Xena, "Gabrielle, what happened?"

"Xena, why am I still mad?"

"What?" asked Xena.

"I thought that my mind would return when you did. But it has not, and even worse now you must see me - like this." She sobbed pathetically into Xena's arms.

"It will get better, Gabrielle," said Xena, "I will never leave you again. I promise. Nevermind dinner. We have that bread. Come back to camp and let's get some sleep."

At night Gabrielle tossed and turned in Xena's arms, her tattoos paining her as though they were muscles sore after the exertion of saving her life. She slithered her way out of Xena's embrace, careful not to wake her, and made her way to a stream.

There Gabrielle removed her top and laid it beside her. She cupped her hands underneath the stream and used them to pour cool water across her back, instantly soothing it.

She did this a few more times before catching a glimpse at her reflection in the moonlit stream. She twisted slightly, peering at the serpent across her back, staring into its hateful eyes.

She let the water fall over her back once more and moved her hand slowly, gently, to the beast's face, which mocked her so constantly where she could not see it. She felt the rough texture of the mark, which she could barely differentiate from her untouched skin. And then she curved her fingers and dug her nails into its eyes, hating that it must always see her in her weakest moments and willing it to look away.

She could hear footsteps approaching her and she asked, "What did Akemi say when you left?"

Xena stopped, surprised at the question, "Gabrielle, what are you talking about?"

"When it was time for you to come back to Earth. To me. When you left Akemi in the afterlife with the other souls and you came back here. What did she say?"

"I-" Xena stuttered, at a loss for words.

"She was angry, wasn't she?" said Gabrielle, "I bet she raged, and cursed my name."

Xena did not answer, but Gabrielle looked deeply into her eyes and she could tell that she was correct.

"Akemi, that- that selfish bitch!" cried Gabrielle, "Those souls are still at peace, aren't they? Even though you are back on Earth. She lied to you about all that, just to be with you."

"I thought you had forgiven Akemi, Gabrielle? After all, she had been protecting you." Xena indicated Gabrielle's tattooed back, and was concerned to find blood dripping down it from her small self-inflicted injuries.

"Ha!" said Gabrielle, and now even Xena feared the madness in her eyes, "You mean this curse that keeps me from death? Oh Xena, you're such a fool! Clever Akemi, disguising this punishment as a gift. With you in the afterlife and myself trapped on Earth, unable to join you as long as this serpent guards my beating heart? Akemi truly would have you all to herself. But I won! Your little bitch wanted so bad to keep me from you that she brought us back together!"

"Gabrielle, what happened to your back?" asked Xena, lightly touching the wounds.

Gabrielle flinched, "Don't touch me!"

Xena was taken aback - and noticeably hurt.

"I'm sorry," said Gabrielle, "Xena, I- I don't know what's wrong with me. I have so much hate in me that I never had before."

"You are right, you know," said Xena, "Akemi was not pleased to see me go. She said that you had become a monster, and that I would never want to be with you again."

"And what did you say?"

"I said that you once saved me when I'd become a monster, and so I would do the same for you."

"And the souls?"

Xena shrugged, "Maybe Akemi truly believed it. Maybe we just waited out the clock long enough. The souls have moved on. Akemi gave you that gift to protect you, Gabrielle. It wasn't to keep you from me."

"Do you believe that?" asked Gabrielle.

Xena thought for a long moment, "I want to. I don't like to admit when I make mistakes."

"Neither do I," said Gabrielle.