AN: more action in this chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter Fourteen
Xena, Xayida and Gabrielle were taken to the dungeon below the Vatican. They were thrown in and Cardinal Peter locked the door. Xena ran to the bars and gripped them tightly, glaring at the man. "You can't arrest me. I am Queen of Greece! This is unjust!" she spat.
Peter smirked, "we have reason to believe you are plotting against the church, your highness. Your past actions against Rome are proof enough."
Xena rolled her eyes, "oh please. Saying hateful things is different than acting upon them. I never did anything against Rome. There is not a single drop of blood in my name."
He frowned, "you are involved in illegal trade with the Ottomans. An enemy of the church. You also waged war against the Macedonians a few years ago. Not to mention you are not kind to those who betray you, majesty."
Xena sighed, figuring this was a losing battle anyway and she had no reason to argue with this cardinal. "At least let them go. They have nothing to do with my actions." She begged and Xayida folded her arms, quite shocked at her sister's humility and selflessness.
Peter smiled at Xayida and Gabrielle, "they are with you, your highness. They are equally as guilty as you." He tucked the keys into his pocket and Xena eyed his pocket carefully. She frowned deeply at him and he chuckled leaving the cell, "you will see the Pope soon."
Xena growled and shook the barred door, "when we will see him?" she asked.
"When he has time for you. He is a very busy man, you know," he smiled and descended into the darkness with the Roman military following behind him.
Gabrielle sat down on the stone bench and buried her face in her hands. She was beginning to think that befriending Xena was a bad idea. Xena was always running from some problem or issue and Xayida was right. Wherever Xena went, she was always targeted and now she was in prison and not just any prison, the papal prison for a crime she did not commit. She knew Xena didn't kill the archbishop but the cardinals did not see it that way. They saw her and knowing her past actions and behavior, they saw the dead archbishop with a bullet in his head and immediately assumed it was Xena. This was not how she wanted to spend her time with Xena at all. Not to mention, Xayida was a pain to be around. All she did was complain about awful her sister was and she never had anything positive to say.
It was bad enough she had to spend a few days with the two in one room and then in a small caravan on the way to Rome. Now, they were stuck in a small cell together and she knew this wasn't going to end well for everyone. Xayida was angry, she saw it in her eyes. She looked ready to kill her sister if she only had the weapon to do so, although she was sure that Xayida wouldn't need a weapon to kill Xena if she really tried.
Xena paced back and forth and Xayida groaned loudly. "Look what you did, Xena. You always get into trouble and now you roped me and Gabrielle into this mess!"
Xena snapped around and glared at her younger sister. "Why do you always blame me for everything? You know I didn't kill the archbishop. You were there with me!"
"That's not what the cardinals think! They think you killed him and now we're here!" she folded her arms and leaned against a wall in darkness. "I should have never sent that letter to meet with you. I should have never met you again and this wouldn't be happening," she mumbled.
Xena frowned, "that's enough, Xayida. Even if you didn't meet with me, something still would have happened and you could have been dead by now," she sighed and looked over to Gabrielle sitting alone in the corner being very quiet. She walked over to her and knelt down in front of her.
"I'm sorry Gabrielle. This is all just a giant mess and I've made it worse by dragging you along," she touched her knee gently.
Gabrielle lifted her face out of her hands and stared at the queen. "I agreed to come with you, remember?" she half smiled and Xena grinned at her grabbing her hand for comfort. "Hardly anyone comes out of these prisons alive, Xena. They are going to kill us."
Xena shook her head, "no they won't, I'll make sure they won't!"
"Do you know what they do to Amazons?" Gabrielle said seriously and Xena became silent. "They burn them in public. I am going to be burned at the stake!" her eyes filled with tears as she thought of all her sisters back home including Freya. She didn't want to leave them and die because of a misunderstanding in the church. She knew this wasn't Xena's fault but because of the misguided cardinals, they blamed her and now they were stuck in this together.
"No they're not Gabrielle. You're not going to die. None of us are going to die," she said calmly trying to reassure her friend.
Xayida scoffed, "that's right, you keep spewing those lies Xena. Gabrielle is right, we're not going to make it out alive. We're all going to die and who knows how long we'll be in here for?" she sighed folding her arms and she slid down the wall and sat on the cold hard ground.
Xena stood up and marched over to her sister and picked her up by her collar and pushed her against the wall. Xayida's eyes widened and she felt Xena's hand tighten around her throat. "You keep acting like this and I might just leave you in here to rot," she grimaced and tightened her grip. Xayida coughed and tried to pry her hand off her neck.
Gabrielle stood up now becoming concerned. "Xena, stop! You're killing her!" she yelled out and Xena ignored her. "Xena!" she yelled and Xena turned her head towards her. "Please," she shook her head and mouthed, 'don't'. Xena frowned and let go of her sister's throat. Xayida gasped for air as she fell to her knees, clutching her throat. She began coughing violently and dry heaving. Xena stared down at her and extended her hand to help her up.
Xayida lifted her eyes and saw Xena try to help her. She took her hand and Xena lifted her up. Xayida rubbed her neck and Xena lifted her eyebrow staring into the mirroring eyes. The younger queen left her side and went to sit in a corner on the opposite side of the cell. She curled up by herself and laid down facing the wall, refusing to talk.
Xena folded her arms watching her sister seclude herself. Gabrielle frowned, "you were choking her to death," she whispered.
"If I wanted to kill her I would have already," Xena turned and went to sit down on the bench. She rubbed her temples feeling her head pounding. Gabrielle sighed and came to sit next to her.
"Maybe you should stop trying to talk to her through violence and bickering." Gabrielle suggested and Xena gave her a curious glance. Gabrielle continued with a wary face, feeling her stomach begin to turn into knots, "you should try to be more sensitive."
"Sensitive?" Xena raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "I don't think we've met before. My name is Xena," she joked cynically.
Gabrielle smiled at her subtle jesting. "I'm serious Xena. Try it my way and if it doesn't work you can go back to...your way," she said and Xena remained silent. "I know there's love in that heart of yours," she poked her chest and Xena smirked.
"It's not about love, Gabrielle. My love for her never left my heart, but it has faded," she stared at Xayida and figured she might be sleeping by now as she was very quiet and the rise and fall of her chest was very subtle. "She almost escaped me once. I thought I had lost her for good," she thought of the time when they left Wallachia for good and remembered the time when she almost lost her sister for eternity.
Gabrielle was beginning to feel cold in this dark cell and scooted closer to Xena for warmth. "What happened?" she whispered, begging to know.
Xena sighed, "after we left Wallachia we were on our way back to Amphipolis. We stopped in Macedonia and I guess Borias was still angry with me that I went behind his back and tried to attack the Ottomans. He sent mercenaries after us and they poisoned our food..."
Macedonia 1439
Xayida and Xena traveled together for quite some time before they reached Macedonia to stay for a few days. It had been raining for the last three days and it was impossible to see the road not to mention it was incredibly dangerous to travel in a storm. Xayida was able to convince Borias to give them proper tents for their travel as long as they promised never to return to Wallachia.
Their men set up more than twenty tents and Xayida shared a tent with Xena, as usual. They always shared a tent unless Xena requested to have a separate tent for herself but that was usually only when there was a man with her, especially Borias. Xayida sat down in the tent polishing her swords and saw Xena come in with a soaking wet cloak.
"Where have you been?" Xayida set the sword down and looked at her sister. Xena threw the cloak down and let her hair down and it was very damp.
Xena threw down a bag and it made a loud thud on the floor. Xayida eyed her cautiously. "Look in it," Xena smiled and the young sister looked inside and pulled out many guns and pouches full of gunpowder.
"Xena, where did you get this?" she asked feeling nervous.
"Courtesy of the Ottomans," Xena smiled and sat down next to her sister and wrapped herself in a blanket, trying to warm her damp body off.
Xayida lifted her eyebrow, "the Ottomans just gave these to you?" she questioned feeling very skeptical. Xena remained quiet and Xayida sighed, "Xena, what did you do and should I be worried?"
Xena grinned, "relax. I didn't steal them. I met with Ottoman emissaries and agreed to fight with them. I wanted their gunpowder so they gave me an abundant supply," her eyes lit up and Xayida shook her head in disappointment.
"Xena, you know it is illegal to have gunpowder in Macedonia, don't you?" Xena nodded. "And...they gave you more than just this small bag?"
"The men are guarding the tent with the rest of the weapons and powder," Xena said casually and Xayida gasped.
"Xena!" she exclaimed. "Oh my god, we're going to get caught and thrown in jail, I just know it," she buried her face in her hands. "Why do you do this to me?"
Xena smiled and grabbed a bowl of rice and bread. She scooped up the rice with the bread and ate some of it. suddenly she tasted something sour and incredibly off about the rice. She spit it back into the bowl and wiped her mouth. "What did you do to this rice?"
Xayida frowned, "nothing. I ate some earlier. Why?" she saw Xena pick up some of the grain and smell it.
"Who is in charge of the grain?" Xena asked immediately.
"Marcus," she saw Xena get up quickly and she stood up grabbing her arm, "wait, Xena! What's wrong?"
Xena left the tent to find Marcus in the pouring rain. Xayida stayed behind and folded her arms very puzzled by her sister's behavior. Xena burst into the tent and saw Marcus on the floor vomiting blood. Her eyes widened and then realized Xayida at the rice as well.
"The grain is poisoned!" Xena came back into the tent and Xayida's eyes widened in fear. Xena rummaged through her bags and found an herb and told her sister to eat the leaf. "Eat this, quickly!" she urged and Xayida at the leaf, making a face of disgust at the sour bitter taste of the herb.
A couple of hours later Xayida laid down on some blankets and Xena sat beside her. Xayida coughed and spit up some blood in a bowl beside her face. "Am I going to die?" she croaked.
Xena smiled weakly, "no. I'm here, remember?" she brushed her sister's hair away from her sweaty forehead.
Xayida nodded her head and Xena propped more pillows behind her head. She breathed out heavily and felt her lungs become restricted. "I'm glad you...didn't eat anything," she smiled and Xena sighed. She wiped the blood off her sister's lips with a cloth and stayed beside her. She reached for her Xena's hand and gripped it weakly. "How do you feel?"
Xena frowned as she was more concerned for her sister than herself. "I'm fine, don't worry about me," she squeezed her sister's hand tightly.
"But.." Xayida's eyes drifted down towards Xena's stomach, worried for the life that was inside her. She coughed some more and Xena lifted her head and she spit some more blood into the bowl.
Xena sighed, "you don't need to worry about me, Xayida. Let me worry about you for once," she smiled and Xayida smiled at her, closing her eyes feeling exhausted.
The next morning Xena fell asleep next to Xayida ensuring her safety and she watched her as long as she could until sleep finally took over. One of their men came into the tent and cleared his throat. "Xena, we found the men responsible," he said and Xena groaned, not quite awake yet. She turned to her still sleeping sister and thought it would be alright to leave her for little while so she could meet these intruders.
"Show them to me," Xena grabbed her cloak and wrapped it around her body, pulling the hood over her head.
She followed him out into the field and saw the two mercenaries tied up and beaten pretty badly. She raised an eyebrow at them and saw the emblem on their cape clasps. She knelt down and ripped the clasp off and examined it, recognizing the design immediately. "Transylvanians," she smirked and put the clasp in her cloak pocket. "Borias sent you to kill me?" she asked.
One of the men spat in her face and she stood up wiping the saliva off her face. Doran, one of Xena's men pulled out his sword and Xena stopped him, preventing him from harming the man. Xena took the Wallachian's sword from its sheath and his eyes widened in fear. She smiled and lifted the sword in the air and he shut his eyes in fear of dying right then and there.
With a quick swipe Xena decapitated the other mercenary, freeing the other man allowing him to live. He opened his eyes and saw his comrade's head on the wet ground. He gasped and Xena wiped the blood off onto the dead man's clothing.
"I want you to deliver a message to Borias," she smiled and threw the sword down into the snow. Bending over she pinched his cheeks between her fingers, "tell him if he sends any more mercenaries my way, I will make sure to tell the Ottomans to blow his kingdom into smithereens," she hissed. "You got it?" she whispered and he nodded his head. She let go of his face and he blinked up at her. "Oh and, tell him that I want to talk to him in person," she said and the man remained silent. "Now, get out of here!" she demanded and Xena's men let him go and he took off running in a hurry, almost tripping over his own feet.
Xena sighed feeling tired and somewhat light headed. She returned to her tent and saw Xayida was awake, barely though. She smiled and took off the damp cloak. "you're awake," she grinned and grabbed some water for her. Xayida drank the water slowly and coughed slightly. "How do you feel?"
Xayida exhaled slowly, "better," she rubbed her eyes and frowned, "what's going on?"
"Borias sent mercenaries and they poisoned our food. I took care of the problem," she smiled and Xayida didn't like the sound of that. Usually when Xena took care of things, someone always died in the process.
"why would he do that?" Xayida croaked, feeling her dry throat not doing justice to her speech. Xena sighed and laid down beside her.
"He is very vengeful," she said and ran her fingers through Xayida's long dark hair. "I want to talk to him," she muttered.
Xayida turned her head towards her sister, "why would you want to –" she saw Xena's eyes and she knew instantly what she meant. "Xena, no. Don't do that. It's better that he doesn't know!" Xayida groaned now frustrated at her sister, completely forgetting her ill state. "He will come looking for you," she touched Xena's hand warmly.
Xena sat up leaning on her elbow, "Xayida, he will just keep coming after us if I don't tell him. If I tell him, he will stop sending his idiot men to kill us!" she firmly said and Xayida fell silent.
"Well," the younger sister sighed, "you know him better than I do," she smiled and now it was Xena's turn to be silent. "Thank you for watching over me," she whispered and kissed her sister's hand.
Xena smiled, "I would do anything for you, you know that." She leaned over and kissed her sister's forehead.
"I know," Xayida said in a raspy voice and coughed lightly. "Are you really going to tell him?" she furrowed her eyebrows a bit worried for her sister's safety.
Xena nodded, "yes I am. He has a right to know," she stopped and looked at her sister's worried face. "He should know, right?" she was starting to have second thoughts about this entire idea now.
Xayida shrugged her shoulder slightly, "if you want to tell him, do it. I'm not going to stop you," she smiled holding onto her hand and coughed lightly. "But could you tell him to not poison my food anymore?" she frowned and Xena smiled at her, watching her cough and then her smile died. She made her drink some water and decided to stay here in this area until Xayida was well enough to travel.
Gabrielle leaned against Xena's shoulder and exhaled slowly seeing her breath in the cold crisp air. "How long did it take for her to recover?" she looked up at Xena.
She sighed, "a few more days. We left the area quickly and I sent an emissary to Transylvania."
Gabrielle didn't forget that small part of the story that Xena seemed to glance over. "What was so important that you couldn't tell Borias?" she asked and saw Xena's eyes lower and scratch her arm anxiously. "Even your sister knew. What was it?" she saw Xena was not keen on answering, and thought she was being a bit too nosy. She sighed and leaned against the wall, wrapping her cape around herself. "You don't have to tell me," she smiled.
Xena turned her head and saw Gabrielle sitting curled up against the cold wall trying to get warm. "I'm sorry Gabrielle it's just...I haven't talked about myself a lot and –"
"It's okay Xena," Gabrielle grabbed Xena's hand warmly. "You don't need to tell me your secrets," she winked, "friends are allowed to keep secrets, aren't they?"
Xena smiled, "I guess so," she held Gabrielle's hand and sighed looking over at Xayida who was sleeping and curled up on the cold ground. She then stared at the cell across from theirs. It was dark and she couldn't see anything. "Gabrielle –" she turned her head and saw her friend was asleep and she smiled, slipping her hand out from under hers and she went to sit by herself against a wall close to the door to see if anyone would be coming by. She didn't feel like sleeping at all so she decided to keep watch. She didn't hear anything down in these tunnels so far, except a few small animals roaming around.
The following morning Xena woke up and she hadn't even noticed she fell asleep. She felt someone next to her and saw Xayida sleeping close to her with her head resting in her lap. Xena ran her fingers through Xayida's long locks and smiled down at her. She had always been there for her younger sister, even in their childhood together. Xayida always looked up to Xena and sought after comfort from her when she was upset, afraid or sad. This time was no different. Xena thought her sister was such a mess and she felt like she was to blame for a lot of it, but perhaps some things never change.
Gabrielle was curled up on the bench with her cape wrapped around her body. Xena squinted at the little sunlight that was in the cell and sighed. She needed to get out of here, but she was at a loss.
Suddenly a small rock was thrown at her from the dark cell across from hers. She frowned and picked up the rock and set it aside, choosing to ignore it. Then another rock was thrown and this time it hit her arm. She frowned and moved her sister out of the way and Xayida stirred in her sleep. Xena was careful not to wake her and she walked over to the door, staring at the dark cell.
"Why don't you show your face instead of throwing rocks at me?" Xena whispered. She heard some rustling in the cell and raised a curious eyebrow.
"You always liked a more direct approach," a sultry voice emerged from the darkness and Xena's eyes widened as she clearly recognized it. The voice now had a face and she came to the door, staring into Xena's shocked eyes, merely ten feet away from her. "I didn't expect to see you in here, Xena," she hissed.
"You!" Xena hissed. "I thought you were dead!" she growled and the woman opposite her chuckled lowly.
"I managed to get around. What's the matter, Xena? Not happy to see an old friend?" she smirked and Xena grabbed onto the bars and grimaced. She peered behind Xena and saw Xayida sleeping on the floor. "You brought the brat with you?" she raised an eyebrow.
Xena frowned and looked at Xayida who was now starting to wake up at the worst time possible. "I don't know why you ever kept her around..." she smiled as she saw she was getting under Xena's skin. "Although...she and I had quite the friendship at one time," she chuckled.
Xena didn't exactly know what she meant by that and that immediately stuck in her mind. Xayida yawned and turned around to see Xena standing against the door talking to someone. She frowned and stood up coming closer and her eyes widened.
"Alti?" Xayida said in disbelief and grabbed Xena's shoulders and felt her sister tense her body up.
Alti grinned, "little Greek flower," she waved at Xayida and she grimaced at her. "The sister that was never good enough," she frowned and Xayida shook her head. "But," her eyes narrowed and she smiled deviously, "she made up for it later, didn't you?" she winked.
Xayida cringed and Xena turned to her sister, "what is she talking about?" she asked.
Xayida pulled her sister away from the door, "Xena don't listen to her. She's evil and talks nothing but nonsense!"
"I know that," Xena snatched her arm away from Xayida. "You aren't still in contact with that piece of garbage are you?"
Xayida gasped, "of course not! I thought she died a long time ago!"
A Roman came to their cell and he brought some friends along with him. Gabrielle finally woke up to all the commotion and saw Xena and Xayida huddled together in a corner talking. The man opened the door and snapped his fingers, "take her," he pointed at Xena.
"No!" Xayida pulled on her arm and one of the men kicked her aside and she fell onto the ground. Xena growled and punched one of the guards in his face and stomped her heel on the other's foot and threw him on the floor.
Gabrielle's eyes widened, "what is going on?!" she tried to help and Xena held up her hand.
"Gabrielle, no, stay back!" she begged and then the head prison guard put a black bag over Xena's head and wrapped a rope around her neck. Xena tugged on the rope as he began pulling it tighter.
Xayida frowned and got up to attempt to help her sister and the man grabbed a dagger out of his sheath and stabbed Xayida's palm and stuck it into the stone wall. She cried out in pain and Gabrielle covered her eyes as she saw the dagger inside of Xayida's hand and blood poured down the wall.
Xena grumbled and was completely blind. The other two guards grabbed Xena's arms and tied them behind her back. She breathed heavily and tried to fight back but it was a bit useless now. They pushed her out the cell and the prison guard locked the door once more.
Gabrielle shook her hands trying to remain calm. She exhaled slowly and came to Xayida, "should...I...should I pull it out?" she asked, unsure what to do.
Xayida had tears rolling down her cheeks and she took the dagger and pulled it out herself. She cried out and dropped to her knees, holding her bleeding hand in her lap. Gabrielle knelt down and ripped a part of her cape off and grabbed Xayida's hand. "Let me see," she said and Xayida shook her head. "Let me see!" she forcefully grabbed her hand and saw the severe wound in her palm. She sighed and began wrapping her hand as carefully as she could.
The Macedonian queen wiped her eyes and her breathing soon turned to normal, "where are they taking my sister?" she stammered.
Gabrielle shrugged her shoulder, "I don't know, but it can't be good." She tied the fabric around her wrist and wiped the tears away from her cheeks. "Who were you two talking to at the door?" she whispered.
Xayida frowned, "somebody that I thought me and Xena got rid of a long time ago," she whispered and heard Alti talking to herself quietly in the opposite cell. She decided to go see her for herself now that Xena was gone. "Alti!" she shouted and the woman appeared from the darkness once more. "What are you doing here in Rome?"
Alti grinned, "business, my flower, but I think the better question is, what are you doing in Rome? And with your sister...I thought you two parted ways," she smiled eerily at the queen. Xayida cringed in disgust at the woman. Gabrielle appeared behind Xayida watching the two talk together.
"wouldn't you like to know?" Xayida sneered. Alti sighed and leaned against the wall casually. "Do you have anything to do with what has been happening in the church?" she was starting to feel bold for asking this.
Alti raised her eyebrows, "you wish, Xayida. I'm afraid the Romans don't like my kind too much," she shrugged and winked at her.
Gabrielle tugged on Xayida's sleeve, "she looks like the shamanesses from the Siberian Amazons," she whispered as she recognized her tattoos on her forehead. Though Alti was dressed in Turkish garb. A large green robe with a skirt to match and gold top. Her headpiece was even Turkish as well.
Xayida sighed and placed a hand on Gabrielle's shoulder, "she is...or was," she turned to look at Alti and saw that eerie smile on her lips. "She was banished by the Amazons and went to work for the Ottomans. I guess she was arrested," she sighed and bit her lip. "Xena and I befriended her once..." she sadly admitted. "And then...I did something very terrible..." he felt her head begin to throb and Gabrielle became concerned.
"Go on..." she said softly.
Xayida shook her head, "you don't understand Gabrielle. I went behind Xena's back and did something unforgiveable. Not even Xena knows what terrible things I did," she whispered and turned away from Gabrielle, not daring to show her face, feeling ashamed of herself.
Gabrielle frowned and came 'round to face her. "What did you do? I'm sure if you told Xena, she would forgive you," she encouraged her.
"No! She will never forgive me for what I did!" Xayida yelled and brushed past her, going to stand in a corner by herself. "Xena is right, I am a liar," she mumbled. Gabrielle stood at a fair distance listening to her. "I betrayed her many times," she turned to face Gabrielle with teary eyes, "everything I said to Gabrielle. I'm sorry," she shook her head, "I lied to you just like I lied to Xena for years. She is right, I did not tell you everything about me." She wiped her tears and Gabrielle folded her arms, willing to listen. "I hear the stories she tells you when you think I am sleeping. She cuts out the parts she doesn't want you to hear..." she sighed, running her fingers through her thick hair.
Gabrielle raised an eyebrow, "what does she not want to me to know?"
Xayida shrugged, "Xena has secrets as do I. The story she told you last night..." she saw the shocked look in her eyes. "Yes I heard her," she continued, "she left out a very important part of that story. And the story about when she attacked the Ottomans in Wallachia. It didn't end like that. She organized a party to ally with the Ottomans weeks prior. I knew about it and Xena told me to stay out of it."
Gabrielle couldn't wrap her head around this all. "Why would Xena leave out parts to her stories? It doesn't make sense."
"Secrets are very powerful, Gabrielle. We all have them, but some of us have deeper and darker secrets. She is probably trying to spare you of her dark past. I warned you about my sister before, Gabrielle. She knows a lot of dangerous people and I do too." She sighed and looked down at her wounded hand and saw blood seeping through the fabric. "You are not safe around her or me."
Xena was taken to a separate room in the opposite side of the prison and the men hooked Xena's wrist to a hook. She couldn't see a thing and she heard a lever and chains rattling. Her heart began racing and she winced as she was being hoisted up into the air with her arms attached to the pulley.
The guard ripped the bag off her head and she breathed out finally. She moved her legs and saw she was at least two feet up in the air. She groaned and kicked the man down with her leg and he fell down. Growling he wiped his bloody lip with a napkin.
"Restrain her legs!" he demanded and the men grabbed rope and tied her legs together. He smiled and stood up. Obviously he was not here to talk, he was here to play games and Xena watched his curious dark brown eyes. He flipped his long hair and smirked at her. "You are making this more difficult than necessary, your majesty."
Xena frowned and he grabbed her face. Her eyes widened and he was very close to her face. "Why did you kill Archbishop Maximilian?" he let go of her cheeks and she snapped at him.
"I didn't kill him," she said flatly. He nodded and grabbed a whip. She bit her tongue and looked up at the ceiling.
"Are you working with the Ottomans?" he asked and unraveled the whip. He nudged his head to his men and they tightened the ropes and she winced feeling her arms being pulled up.
"No," she managed to say and he came close to her face once more. "This is illegal. You can't keep me here and torture me without a trial first," she said and he smiled at her with his doe eyes.
He pulled out a matchlock from a bag on the table nearby. "This is yours isn't it?" he waved the gun in her face and she remained silent. "And you used this to kill the archbishop, didn't you?"
"I did not kill him!" she said angrily and he chuckled under his breath. He snapped his fingers and the men pulled the chains down and stretched her arms out even more. She cringed and still did not show any pain.
"That's not what the evidence says. You came to Rome with the Queen of Macedonia. Of all places, why come to Rome? You never liked Rome, your majesty," he smiled and continued, "you were set out on doing something devious, weren't you? So you decided to kill the archbishop because he wanted your gunpowder and you wouldn't give it to him, right?"
Xena felt her limbs stretching to their full capacity and she glared at the prison guard. "Maybe instead of torturing me you should focus on what real evil is going on in your precious church," she grumbled.
He frowned, "you dare say such blasphemous things?!" he grabbed a crowbar and hit her shins and finally she cried out in agony. "Just admit that you killed him and your life will be spared!"
She breathed heavily and smiled at him, "I didn't...kill him."
He threw down the crowbar nodded at his men. They pulled on the chains and her arms lifted higher in the air and she cringed, feeling a ligament tear in her arm. "Strip her down to her undergarments," he snapped his fingers and the men took a knife and cut her dress from the back and threw it aside.
A man grabbed a stool and cut off her sleeves and threw them on the ground. The prison guard lifted his brows and noticed her black heeled ankle boots. He took off her shoes and threw them into the fireplace. He then saw her hair up in a bun and he took out the broach and her long hair came tumbling down her back.
A Roman officer came into the room and saw the Greek Queen tied up and being tortured. "Sir, the Caliph is here to see you," he said.
Xena lifted her eyebrow finding that odd that the Ottoman Caliph would even dare step into Rome. He frowned at the officer and threw down the whip, "fine," he turned back to Xena. "I'll be back later," he looked to his men, "don't let her escape and don't let anyone in either," he commanded and left to follow the officer to meet with the Caliph.
She smiled at the two guards, "well this is fun, just the three of us," she said and the men frowned up at her. "Romans meeting with Ottomans...how unusual..."
"Quiet!" one of the guards said and Xena smirked.
"You know...I can have you hanged for this illegal act," she hissed.
One of the guards took his staff and struck her right in her midsection. She coughed and felt that the wind was knocked out of her. "You stay quiet now." He demanded and she cringed at the pain traveling through her torso and her arms.
Xayida sat on the bench and heard some footsteps from the down the dark hallway. She stood up and went to the door and saw the same prison guard walking with someone. "Where did you take my sister?" she yelled.
The guard stopped and smiled at her, "she's receiving special treatment," he winked and walked away. Xayida shook the bars and saw him disappear up the stairs with the Roman officer.
Alti smiled, "I can help you, Xayida," she smiled and Xayida snarled through the barred cell door.
"I don't need your help. You've helped enough," she turned and began walking away then saw Alti standing in front of her. She gasped and Gabrielle backed up against the wall.
Gabrielle looked at the empty cell across from them and felt like this was a really bad nightmare. This woman was standing in their cell. What kind of sorcery is this, she thought?
Alti touched Xayida's cheek softly, "you used to be such a sweet girl..." she smiled, "and Xena ruined that for you didn't she?"
Xayida slapped her hand away and Alti glared at her and began choking her. Xayida held onto her throat and coughed, trying to breathe. Gabrielle panicked and frowned, running to help her and Alti shoved Gabrielle into the wall.
"And who is this annoying blonde friend you have here?" Alti smiled at Xayida. "Another one of Xena's victims I'm sure," she winked and finally let her hold on Xayida go and she dropped to her knees, coughing violently. She knelt down and lifted Xayida's chin and stared into her fearful blue eyes. "We have secrets, don't we, Xayida?" she smiled. "Even secrets we keep from those close to us..." she whispered in her ear, "just like you kept a secret from Xena for ten years, isn't that right?" she hissed.
Xayida snatched her face away from her and stood up, "stay away from me," she said and really wished she had a weapon right about now.
"Oh but we used to be such good friends once upon a time!" Alti smiled. Xayida shook her head and backed up against a wall, nowhere to run or hide from this woman.
"You were never my friend, you were a nightmare," Xayida said and Alti frowned.
"That's not what you said all those years ago," Alti chuckled beneath her breath. "You don't remember do you?" she walked closer to her, "let's make you remember," she frowned and placed her hands on either side of Xayida's head and closed her eyes channeling off her energy.
Gabrielle saw Xayida trying to fight back but then her eyes widened and saw both of the women collapse onto the floor beside one another. She ran over to Xayida and slapped her cheeks. "Xayida!" she yelled and still no response. "This is not good..." she whispered to herself.
Tempe Valley Castle, Macedonia
Xayida's messenger came into the room and handed the letter to the scribe. He opened the seal and read it immediately. He put his hand over his mouth and shook his head. "This is terrible!" he exclaimed.
Solan came running in from playing outside with one of the servant boys and he smiled seeing a letter in the scribe's hand. "Is that a letter?!" he ran over to him, "is it from mother?" he asked begging to see it.
Zakos, the messenger lowered his eyes and the scribe smiled sweetly at the boy, "why don't you go play outside?"
Solan frowned, "but I'm done playing outside. What does the letter say? Is she coming back soon?" he hoped that would be the case. She had been gone for a long time and he was used to her coming back within a week or so, but it had been almost three! "Please, can you tell me?" he pleaded and the scribe looked into his bright blue eyes.
He definitely wasn't going to tell him that his mother was imprisoned in Rome and was in quite a bit of trouble. He didn't want to let the boy hear such things. "I'm sure she will return soon. She's a very busy lady, you know."
Solan sighed. He hoped that it was a letter saying when she would return or at least tell him what she was doing. "She's been gone for a long time," he twirled the wooden sword with his wrist feeling a bit disappointed that she wasn't returning soon.
Zakos grinned at him and wrapped an arm around the boy's small frame, "she'll be back, she always comes back."
Solan nodded, "I know, but this time it's really long!" he grinned and the scribe left the area to go deliver this letter to the treasurer of Macedonia. Solan walked with Zakos outside again and he frowned, quirking his mouth to the side, "where did she go this time anyway?"
"I believe she went to Greece," he said and subtly skipped over the part where she traveled to Rome with Xena, her elder sister.
His eyes lit up, "oh Greece! I've never been there before. I'd like to go there one day," he smiled and then ran outside into the snow to play with his friend. Zakos' smile disappeared as soon as the boy left his side. He was worried for his queen and of course, for her sister as well.
Perhaps, it was a mistake allowing Xayida to meet with her sister after all these years, he thought.