Nero's eyes followed Xena as she marched purposefully into the row of tents pitched for the healers and support staff. She had been strangely distant; resorting to using runners to instruct the commanders of each troop. The Xena he knew was very much hands on and he had seldom seen her off the horse since she had donned that helmet. He watched her vanish into the tent of her Elijan companion, Eve. He could have sworn she was a little shorter than he remembered. Something was wrong.
Eve pulled the helm from her head and shook her hair free. It was sweltering under the sun wearing these leathers. She didn't know how her mother coped. She hurriedly stripped off the cuirass and leggings which hung a little loose on her smaller frame. A quick change and a brief appearance amongst the men would convince them that 'Eve' hadn't disappeared either and that all was in order.
Instinct born of years as the champion of Rome alerted her to a presence outside the tent. She kicked the discarded armour under her pallet and quickly drew on her olive robes.
Nero tore the tent flap open and menaced inside. Eve fixed him with her most peaceful smile and randomly remembered that she hadn't fooled Gabrielle with it.
"Centurion," Eve nodded her head respectfully. "Is there something I can do for you?"
He cast his eyes about the tent and stepped into her space grabbing her wrist tightly.
Livia would have gutted him with her sword for such an insult but she was Eli's messenger now. She just couldn't pick up a weapon again.
"How about the truth? Where's Xena?"
"I haven't seen her," Eve insisted, "Now let go of me."
Nero only squeezed tighter and his grey eyes hardened.
"No woman commands me."
Eve lowered her eyes and then rammed her foot into his instep, twisting her wrist to free her trapped arm and striking out with the flat of her other palm against his chin before he could recover. Nero found himself flat on his back and Eve's eyes boring into his as she pressed the heel of her foot sharply into his throat.
"No man touches me without my consent," Eve informed him quietly.
Nero blinked his eyes in shock that this frail looking peace lover had bested him.
"But you're an Elijan…"
"I'll pray for forgiveness later," Eve snapped and relieved the pressure on his windpipe only to whip her foot back and upwards to land a precise kick to his temple. She knelt down quickly and checked his pulse. He was out cold.
"Nighty night," Eve murmured and stood up, ripping Sekhmet's icon from his neck. She turned swiftly belatedly aware of a second person entering the tent.
"Well I guess I didn't need to worry after all," Xena said giving Nero a dispassionate look. "Learnt a few new tricks in Indus and Chin?"
"I learnt I couldn't preach Eli's message if I was dead," Eve replied with a relieved smile. "Did you find Gabrielle? Is she with you?"
Her mother's expression became sombre.
"Sekhmet hurt her," Xena said gruffly moving past the unconscious Roman and recovering her leathers. Eve could feel the anger radiating from her mother and recognised her effort to control her temper.
"What happened?"
"She cut the tattoo from her flesh…. Damn near flayed her alive."
Eve's hand went straight to her mouth. She felt heartsick. She looked into her mother's eyes and saw her own distress mirrored there.
"Aphrodite needed help to save her," Xena said. "They're doing what they can for her now."
Xena finished changing and rested on the pallet. Eve took a seat next to her and waited quietly. She knew the value of silence.
"Gabrielle didn't deserve any of this…." Xena began hesitantly; the image of her bards lacerated flesh not leaving her mind. Only the Gods knew what other torture she had suffered at the hands of Sekhmet. Guilt settled on her shoulders. Gabrielle had been alone in this cursed desert because of her. Because she had chosen the forgiveness of strangers over hers. "This never would have happened if I had just listened to her in Japa…I had to save those souls didn't I? And what good did it do? In the end it looks like I've made little difference to their fate."
"You didn't know this was going to happen," Eve said softly. "You can't second guess yourself like that. We both know you can't change the past."
Her daughter understood guilt; in a way that Gabrielle never could. Eli's God had been the path to her redemption.
"I thought when I found her everything would make sense," Xena admitted. "I didn't expect her to...be with somebody else."
"Mom, Gabrielle doesn't know you're alive. You really think she's going to feel that strongly for a Goddess? Aphrodite's immortal – there can't be any future in it."
Xena gave Eve a strange look and wiped an errant tear from her eye. She nudged Nero's body with her boot.
"What's up with laughing boy here?"
Eve recognised the change of subject. She knew her mother would not speak of this again. Eve held out the lion icon in her hand.
"All the troops loyal to Nero have these. From what I've been told they wear the icon to invoke Sekhmet's protection."
"Interesting," Xena said and narrowed her eyes in thought remembering the skirmish at Sekhmet's temple. "Her own priests don't wear these."
"They wouldn't need to," Eve pointed out. "They have already sworn their souls to her service. Prayers alone would be enough to get her attention."
Eve gave her mother a curious look.
"What are you thinking?"
"That Nero here has just lost his ability to commune with God," Xena said. "And we just found a way to summon one."
. . . . . .
Gabrielle twisted uncomfortably in her sleep; pain etched into her gaunt features as her body convulsed in the nightmare that gripped her. Aphrodite who had been sitting in the chair next to the bed put the scroll she had been studying to one side and leant forward solicitously. She reached a hand to Gabrielle's forehead, her fingers tracing gently through her hair. It had the desired effect.
Gabrielle relaxed into her touch and her limbs stilled as the nightmare receded. Her hand lingered longer than necessary as she caressed her cheek before settling back into the chair.
Khnum watched in silence from the doorway, a faint wondering smile on his lips. Aphrodite really was Gabrielle's friend and something more. It was clear from the way the mortal responded to the Goddess' touch that they had been intimate. This was a very different Aphrodite to the one he had known before; she had changed. Ares hovered at his shoulder.
"Blondie awake yet?"
"Stirring," Khnum advised. "Won't be long now. Why do you do that Ares?"
"What?"
"Hide who you really are in all that bluster," Khnum challenged him quietly.
"Don't kid yourself. I'm the God of War. My interest in Gabrielle is strictly professional."
Khnum folded his arms and followed Ares away from the doorway.
"I saw the scar on her wrist Ares – not the best flesh work I've ever seen but a good enough repair given your limited skills as an artist. You did a better job when you fixed her skull but then I suppose you must be more familiar with chakram injuries."
Ares face betrayed nothing.
"A word of advice Khnum. You just stick to pottery and leave warfare to the experts."
He flashed away.
. . . . . .
Slowly the world came into focus and it was pink, blond and beautiful. Gabrielle's voice was a hoarse whisper.
"Dite?"
"Welcome back," Aphrodite said softly; her ancient eyes blinking back tears. "Don't scare me like that again."
Relief flooded Gabrielle's eyes. She had been afraid she had imagined her before; that she was still alone with Sekhmet in the dark. Helpless against her divine strength and infinite cruelty; the razor slice of cold metal through her tender skin. Sensing her rapid distress Aphrodite drew her carefully into her embrace. Gabrielle shuddered as those loving hands wrapped around her back; her body instinctively recoiling against the physical contact as her mind retreated to the dark.
"Hush now. Relax," Aphrodite told her; easing her hold but not letting her go. She drew back enough to read the panic in Gabrielle's eyes and understood that it wasn't personal. Sekhmet had done this to her. Shame replaced the fear in her young lover's face and the Goddess spoke quickly to assuage her guilt.
"Gabs…You remember what I said to you in Greece? That first night, you remember?"
Gabrielle nodded. You didn't forget sharing your body with the Goddess of Love for the first time. There were rules; there had to be. Aphrodite would never give her more than she could take. Heart constricting her head slumped as a sob hitched her breath.
"I would never hurt you," Aphrodite promised her. "And I will do anything to make you feel safe again. Safe with me."
Gabrielle wept quietly on her shoulder and this time she accepted the comfort of her lover's arms without question. The Goddess held her close, softly kissing away the tears until sleep claimed her.