25
This I HAVE done again correcting much of the mistakes I hope.
Amphipolis had become very busy and crowded full of people as the merchant traders came into town for the yearly event which was the whole of the summer arrangeing their caravans of goods that passed through on their way to the ships anchoured along the coast or going on their way upstream of the Strymon river. Staying at the inn for the season until the autumn winter storms ended their tradeing until the following year. This was for Cyrene a means to make money and with all her rooms full even Xena's she was happily run off her feet with the extra work.
The less desirable element also came to town to make a profit. the men offering their swords for hire as protectors to the caravans and the women offering their bodies and other delights and entertainments that were on offer. The Inn became filled with their ribald singing but Cyrene stood firm when she pushed them out at the end of the evenings revels.
Xena could hardly complain since it being an inn the needs of the customers came before everthing else. and Xena could not leave Gabrielle alone when the noise from below upset her but it was Xena who felt a little more claustraphobic and frustrated being forced to stay upstairs while Gabrielle began showing every sign of recovery.
Skirting the building's to the right of the inn and staying low hugging the wall he reached the bathouse behind the inn useing it as a screen to avoid being seen from the door at the back of the kitchen. During the day he studied the layout of the stable and woodshed around the small empty patch of ground and sprinted across round the stable door and saw the golden mare then he ran back to his cover. He may not have seen his quarry but the bay horse was there comfortably lodged so he was sure that she was definately staying here. During the night he hung around the bar distancing himself from the others most of whom he considered only there to boost their reputations. There was another guy who looked a bit more handy with his weapons and he had given him a hard time showing his contempt for him and calling him a stupid boy. He kept out of his way and hoped that before that if one ever had chance to he would be the one to kill the Warrior Princess. He was the one who had the right, and now that he was so near his goal the last thing he wanted was to end up loseing out to one such as that. In the meantime all he could do was wait it out and hope the woman would show herself sometime. He picked a good spot in the tree line to settle down in, not too close but able to see from and he began to arrange his hide. Finally he was going to get to kill the woman who had murdered his unknown father. Hours passed boreing and hot and unable to hold it back it slowly took him over and he gradually fell
deeply asleep.
" The soul always knows what to do to heal itself. The challenge is to silence the mind that it too may heal." Urgit's healer had told Xena and staying together shareing everything even the bed had been all part toward helping Gabrielle to heal. Since the rape she had maintained her distance and given Gabrielle space who up to now found it hard to speak let alone to converse and shied away from her and Xena hated that. She was careful to let the bard take the lead and not to push her while they spent their days and nights together and she talked mostly about the mundane and banal. Sometimes though the subject became more serious when they touched on what lay at the heart of Gabrielle's hurt. Some she'd heard before some of it was new and it was slow and sometimes painfully hard but Xena let her go on and bit by bit Gabrielle began to tell it all. Reading the scrolls had also become another way for Gabrielle since Cyrene had talked to her and she began finding more and more of herself in returning to each of her stories. Gradually she began to see the other Gabrielle and the other life that she had hidden behind the veil and almost forgot by her own self imposed barrier.
" This one even says that we make love and pleasure each other." Gabrielle suddenly paled and then blushed as she rolled up the scroll angry with herself again. " Oh does it? " Xena said reddening slightly and tried to make it sound offhand." Yes It does. We did, IT." Gabrielle tried and her voice croaked. Xena smiled. " You told me once this was about our love. Look, I didn't mention it, only I didn't want you to feel forced or to push you to do something you didn't want. Hey I'm just proud that you wrote it and I pray that one day we'll love each other like that again." Xena said and smiled gently and Gabrielle's eyes widened and her frown deepend." I wasn't, you wasn't, sorry I'm sorry I didn't mean anything I thought that you." Gabrielle's throat tightened and it almost made Xena cry." Sorry for what ? No Gabrielle the others I didnt love them, not like, we just useing each other but with you it was always so much more than that. I love you and I always shall you have done nothing wrong Gabrielle so please don't apologise." Gabrielle's face looked up her eyes like limpid green pools stared at her." I can't help it I think about it all the time and I know I should face it and not be scared, but I'm so afraid." " Afraid of the past or that you won't like it or enjoy it ? or just being afraid to speak? truthfully there is only one way you are ever going to know and find out. Please Gabrielle don't be afraid of me. Not that I couldn't bare it." Suddenly Gabrielle slid her arms around her and tears stung Xena as she put her hand under her chin and lifted her head and she bent to her and their lips touched in a tender kiss. It was the first time that they had been so close in a long time and for once Gabrielle didnt draw away as they held each other, not saying much, not needing to. Gabrielle walked and stood by the bed and Xena saw the tension written on her face." How else am I going to know." Xena motioned her to be quiet as she heard knocking on the door.
Cyrene stood with a lunch tray of bread cheese and small fruits a little goat yogert and jugs of cider and water to drink. Cyrene had heard sounds from the room after breakfast and had chosen to ignore as she noticed the change between them and she smiled approveing their new found closeness. This time there was no need to make an excuse to go to the stable." One of the caravan's has been attacked by bandits not far from Jorano." Gabrielle passed Xena a fearful look knowing she would have to go and Xena was quick to reassure her." I won't be long I promise." she said and once she had eaten Xena sprinted down the stairs and passed a small huddle of merchants in hot discussion over prices too busy to even notice her as she went passed. Cyrene put an arm around Gabrielle. " Don't worry we'll keep each other company."
From the moment she had reached the yard Xena moved steadily across the stable yard aware and ready with a sense that something was going to happen but as nothing did she reached the stable and saddled Argo Xena then walked the mare out. She needed the ride just as much as Argo needed the fresh air and open fields and Xena trotted the horse to the east gate and passed the remains of the caravan looking much the worse for it's journey and guarded by the militia while its outriders and drivers were being tended by the healer. The town was more than a week away from Amphipolis and if she got there by now the tracks would be old and the bandits long gone. There was little point in her investigating there but she wanted to see if the caravan had been followed and she gave Argo her head and trotted a wide circle til the town was no longer in sight and began to look through the mess of tracks running to and from Amphipolis. She continued looking, skirting in a wider arc until the light began to fade and she had to turn the horse for home. Suddenly he was jolted him awake by the sound of horses hooves and surprised he leapt up from his bed of ferns brandishing his father's heavy sword and startled the animal as it came in close seeing him at the last moment and reared up knocking him sideways and unseating the rider. Xena slid down from Argo with an angry curse and the noise roused the ragged warrior as he dozed against the bathouse wall and her ran to join the attack. With another coming out of the shadows and the threat surounding her Xena ducked one sword and then the other as they cut the air above her head and she let go of Argo's reins and drew her sword and the blades clashed again and again and she kicked the larger man out of the way and spun back and flipped the slighter attacker then she saw the flash of a blade coming at her from the right and she rolled away just in time before it grazed past. Two men no, one was a youngster still fresh faced and beardless the thought flashed through her mind. The other slightly older man dressed in dirty leathers and by the look of him it was plain he was the more knowledgable of the two and the more dangerous. Xena kicked him in the gut flooring him then turned to the younger and pushed him away." Go on kill 'im, get it done I'll wait." the older grinned from the floor showing a row of rotten teeth and Xena turned to him." Now why would I want to do that ? " Xena drawled. Rotten teeth grinned again." Well for one it would sure make my day. The little runt's been nothing but a pain in the ass getting under my feet. Go on Destroyer of Nations make my day and do it." " No." " What ?!" " I said No." Xena said calmly." Not good enough and reminding me of that name has done you no favours. If I kill him it won't be to please a piece of slime like you." she growled and the guy snarled." So much for a name." he jumped up and advanced waveing his sword with a foul curse on his lips not at first to Xena but the youngster and seeing his proposed attack Xena spun hard and sideswiped the killer with a round house kick to the head whilst her hands pushed the younger one out of the way but then 'rotten teeth' slid under her foot and deliberately slashed at her. The change ofattack was sneakily aimed from one to the other and Xena perfectly judged the underhanded move and jump kicked slamming her boot into him again and followed it with a downward slash across his chest with her blade. The killer gasped and clutched at his chest as his blood spurted and he fell in a heap with his blood staining the ground beneath him. The young man stared at the woman with open surprise." You killed him, gods you killed him. " " He was just a nasty thug who didnt care who got in the way." Xena said coolly. The young man flashed her a hurt look. The speed of the violence and the smell of the blood revolted him." You're just a killer like him so why should you care? " Xena checked herself." I don't kill unless I have to. Anyway so what is your problem what did you just want to do? " " It's not the same thing at all. You killed my father." The lad pouted resentfully. " Scuse me? I've killed so many fathers did your's have a name? " " Borias." Xena felt a sickening lurch in the pit of her stomach as if she had been kicked in the gut and she looked closer at the lad. She hadn't expected that, he'd grown so much she hadnt recognised him at all and he looked at her as if to a stranger. Was this her son? " Don't you remember me Solan?" Xena said carefully watching his face. " How do you know my name ? " " We are friends We met once with Kaliapas." he looked less than believing." Liar." He snapped." We have never met and my uncle has never called you anything but a murderer." Xena winced at that Gaia's time change had changed this too and argueing with him in front of the gathering crowd around them watching what was going on would have been unseemly and embaressing." Come inside and let me make sure you're alright and then we'll talk." Xena said. " NO WAY." Solan pulled back in horror and Xena grabbed him by the scruff." LET GO OF ME YOU BITCH." he shouted struggling. Feeling her temper rise Xena held back from boxing his ears.
" Hold there." A tall and robust man with a mass of greying hair hanging to the top of his leathered shoulders came through the crowd and he pointed to the dead man. Nicolo, a good man known for his honesty in thorght and deed and a soldier before Xena had taken up the sword and bacame lawman before she had left Amphpolis shamed by the death of her brother." Which of you did this as if I need to ask." His sarcasm was not lost on Xena. He didnt like that she had returned and he didnt care if he showed it. " Simple self defence he tried to kill me." Xena said and he jerked a thumb at Solan. " Was he trying to kill you too? " He looked contemptously while thinking, A stupid boy trying to make a name for himself and no doubt get himself killed." No." he said and Xena jumped, the sargeant at arms glared at her." I'll be the judge of that. He comes with me Gimmie." he held out his hand and Xena gave him the boy's sword." He's just an innocent, have a care Nicolo he lives with the Centaurs. You don't want to go upsetting them for no reason." Nicolo frowned." Then you won't mind if I keep him safe. For now." he said takeing the lad by the arm and leading him to the lockup and he stopped to tell two men to pick up the corpse and take it away for disposal. Xena swore under her breath. While it was true there was no room at the inn for him neither did she want Solan locked up in a cell. She grabbed Argo's reins to lead her to the stable and looked up and swore under her breath. At the back door was Cyrene and Gabrielle. " Well looks like it's started already and you've already killed one." " That was scum he gave me no choice mother, it was him or me." " And I suppose him and the boy were related." " NO." Xena said sharply and Cyrene looked surprised and a moment later Xena corrected herself." I know his parents." Gabrielle winced and looked away. " Well he didn't much sound like it." " Just a missunderstanding is all." Xena growled turning quickly and grabbed the reins. How could she explain this ? how could she tell her that he was her grandson any more than explain to him that she was his mother? She settled Argo down in her stall and then walked on to the lockup.
Nicolo looked up as the woman walked in to the lockup." Oh great you, what do you want. No can it I don't want to know." " Will you let me speak to him? " she asked. " Not that I don't trust you but not without me you understand." he growled at her and he pointed that she put her sword on the desk. Knowing it was the best she was going to get she nodded and followed him down the short passage to the cell door. Solan looked even less pleased to see her than Nicolo when he through the bars. " I don't have to put up with this. Why did you let her? GO AWAY." He shouted at her. " I will when you get smart and tell me what I want to know." She looked him over and saw no wounds for her to worry her and continued." Does Kaliapas know you are here and what you planned to do? " " What do you care ?" " I told you I am a friend. Does he know ? " As he wouldnt answer her she nodded. " I thought not. Right I'll send him a message and he can either pick you up or I can take you back home." She looked to Nicolo for conformation." Shove it, I'm not your kid now let me out of here and we can finish this right here and now." He looked from Nicolo to Xena." How long were you hideing under that tree, where have you been staying? " She asked but he just snorted at her and looked away. " Fine stay here then." she said and Nicolo snarled to Xena and walked from the cell. " Not one of your fans is he, wasn't trying to kill you. Go on tell me again that he wasn't." He said and Xena fumed. It was quite obvious that he would not believe anything she said." Do you object to my sending a message to the Centaur? " she said and to her surprise Nicolo shook his head." No if it's to get him away home the sooner the better. We don't need any more hotheads like him round here, gods you are a magnet for trouble and no mistake but I don't think you meant him harm. The other was an assassin wasnt he. You know him ? " " Just a thug, he might have thought himself better and if he had a name he didnt tell me." She sighed." And I'd better warn you, the bandits the caravan attacked from Jorano I checked for tracks and they were followed." She said indicating that the killers were in all probability near Nicolo nodded and then she turned and left.