Chapter Twenty
Back In Camp
Gabrielle woke up in the darkness, disoriented at first, but then she felt her and Xena's arms and legs wrapped around each other. And she was very much aware of Xena's wonderful, familiar scent.
"You're finally awake," Xena said quietly. "I thought you were going to sleep all night."
"What happened to the torch?"
"It burned out a while ago. So, how was the future?"
"Fine, I guess. And since I'm back and you're alive, I assume Alti was defeated, again."
"It wasn't Alti at all. It was all Morgar. He was one of those religious fanatics who thought he would take revenge on us because I killed so many of his 'benevolent guardians' -- the gods."
"Benevolent guardians? What ever made him think the gods were that? Self-serving and arrogant is more like it."
"Self-serving, arrogant, AND pompous, if you ask me."
"So, how did Willow do?"
"She did great. Her magic wasn't as powerful as Morgar's, but she had all these little tricks that kept him off balance until I was able to kill him. He said he was bringing someone to protect us, and he did. It just didn't work out quite like he planned."
"What was she like?"
"She was okay. I thought that she would be scared or angry or homicidal when she woke up, but no, she was relatively calm and levelheaded about it, until I told her Morgar wanted to keep her sedated and use her magic while she was unconscious. I told him there was no way he was going to keep you, her, unconscious for who knows how long."
"Then I guess it was a good thing you didn't let him."
"At the time I was more concerned about the potion he was putting in your body. But now, after everything that happened, I wouldn't be surprised if it was poison."
"Well, thanks for looking out for me."
"I have to. What would I do without you?"
Gabrielle found Xena's mouth in the darkness with hers, and kissed her tenderly. "I know what you mean," she whispered, and kissed her again. Then there was a noise at the door.
"Who's there?" Xena yelled out.
"Yakutamor would like to know if we should save the remains of supper for you." It was one of the Amazons whose voice neither recognized.
"Are you hungry?" Xena ask Gabrielle.
"Starved! When was the last time you ate?"
"Breakfast."
"Yes!" Gabrielle yelled out. "We'll be out soon!"
Together, they sorted out their clothes in the darkness, because it was easier than trying to find a flint and steel to relight the torch. But eventually they were dressed and left the hut for the dying communal fire. Supper was the usual stew, but saltier than Gabrielle was used to.
"That was Willow's magical gifts to them," Xena explained. "She enchanted a goblet so it would never empty of salt as long as she was here. I think they've filled everything they could find with salt."
"That was nice of her. If she was like Buffy or Dawn or Tara, then she must have been a very good person."
"She was. So, tell me, what was it like being in the future?"
"Different, as you might imagine. They had this box, I can't remember what it was called, but it had a window in the front of it and you could see tiny people in it putting on plays. And there are still wars going on with these strange weapons, but I can't quite recall what they were, except they made a lot of noise and killed a lot of people. And there was something, I'm not exactly sure how it worked, but if you touched it somehow it made bright light come from a spot on the wall or the ceiling."
"Willow did something like that with a dinar using magic. She made it float near the peak of the roof and glow as bright as daylight."
"They also had this ball with a map wrapped around it. And it seems like there was more land and another ocean somewhere but I can't remember."
"Maybe you should write down everything that happened. I'm sure people would like to read about what the future is going to be like."
Gabrielle got a troubled look on her face. "I thought about that, but it seems like the more I try to remember what I saw, the less I can recall. It's like a dream that slips away when you try to think about it. I can see all of their faces, and remember their names, and I know they had a bathroom inside the house. But there were other things, too. Like they had different symbols for numbers, and it seems like they were so much easier to use, but all that comes to mind are the Roman numerals and our Greek letters. It's so frustrating!"
"Maybe you're forgetting the things that you're not supposed to know about. Maybe the future is reserved for the Seers and the Mystics and the Shamans and the people living there, and not for those who visit because of magic."