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The Straw that Broke the Bard's Back
I don't own Textile industries, but I do have some child labor reediting this chapter, his name is Pepe… he's got the skills! :s
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Gabrielle silently made her way out of the camp. She could see Xena mounting up on Argo as the men and Centaurs gathered around her. Gabrielle dropped a single tear, the warrior would never understand, and that was the problem, and then the bard was gone…
Once she was well away from the Warrior's incredible hearing range, Gabrielle shouted, "Aphrodite!"
Aphrodite appeared behind Gabrielle, softly wrapping her arms around the bard, with a soft tone she replied, "I thought I would be hearing my name…"
Gabrielle pulled herself from the Goddess's grip, "I will join you, but on one condition."
Aphrodite stared at the bard, verbally acknowledging the bard's resolve, "And that is?
"I can't kill innocent civilians, including the Centaurs that aren't fighting."
Aphrodite took a disapproving tone, "We have to destroy the entire Centaur people."
"I don't care what you have to do; I'll have no part of it."
Aphrodite weighed her options carefully, she wanted Gabrielle on her side, but that would put her planned genocide of the Amazons on hold. It doesn't matter; she'd find a way to take care of them. She replied, "We won't kill all the Centaurs, is that enough?"
"I don't want cities full of people murdered either."
Aphrodite snarled for a moment, "Fine… I… won't allow Hercules to destroy entire groups of people anymore."
Gabrielle nodded; she was satisfied with Aphrodite's response as well as her own role in stopping some of the upcoming bloodshed, and yet… gnawing in the back of her mind she wondered if she was doing the right thing.
The former love Goddess extended her arm, "Take my hand my warrior bard. It's your destiny."
Gabrielle hesitated and then she grasped her hand. Next thing you know she was beside Hercules with Gabrielle as they marched on the centaurs of Corinth.
Hercules shot a look of surprise, "What is she doing here?"
Aphrodite approached the demi god, "She has come to join your army and she needs a suitable command. She knows Xena and we can now defeat her."
Hercules turned his head to the side ignoring the bard as Selenta shouted, "This little girl can defeat the warrior princess? Whatever…"
Gabrielle grinding her teeth replied, "Selenta, it's pretty simply, you've had an entire army from two City-States and you still couldn't defeat her, not even close. Your failure means you're stuck with me."
Selenta walked up to Gabrielle and spat in her face.
Like an avalanche of snow rushing down a mountainside, so came Gabrielle's anger. She'd had it, she'd been pushed around for months by everyone and there dog and she wasn't going to take it anymore. She charged Selenta and tackled the surprised warrior to the ground.
While Selenta was a better fighter under normal circumstances, she could not get an upper hand as Gabrielle rabbit punched her in the face. Two soldiers tried to grab Gabrielle as smashed the warrior's nose. Grabbing the bard, they pulled her back even as she kicked Selenta in the teeth. Gabrielle was still shouting when Aphrodite grabbed the bard's shoulder using her godlike powers to calm her down.
Selenta got to her feet, eyes blackened, nose and mouth bleeding as she pulled out a pair of swords. She said in a low cold voice, "You are going to regret that little girl!"
Selenta charged with her blades ready just as Hercules stepped in her way shouting, "Enough!"
Selenta cursed, "Get out of my way!"
"I will not, you had that coming and you know it. Now you are a highly valued commander and I'd never replace you, however if Aphrodite says that Gabrielle can be trusted, then she will be trusted it, and you will do nothing to her because I said so. I'm certain that you don't have the skill to take me on so know this, she dies… then you die. Now put away your swords and prepare your troops for battle with the Centaurs."
Selenta considered fighting Hercules for a moment, but with the Demi God standing in front of her and the fact she was surrounded by his Corinthian soldiers, and not her own loyal Theban troops, she reluctantly decided to sheath her swords.
Selenta spat a pool of blood on the ground that included a single tooth, she replied eyeing the bard directly, "I'll let the child live… for now." She stormed away.
Having resolved all of this, the army resumed its march towards the Centaur Lands of Corinth and against the people of Kaleipus. Aphrodite had not yet told Hercules that he wouldn't be allowed to kill off the whole Centaur people yet….
Aphrodite didn't exactly know what she was going to do about it, she wanted Gabrielle on her side, but Hercules would likely not listen to her. She cursed herself, the bard had put in a very bad position and she herself had let it happen.
Aphrodite scanned around looking for any chance to avoid the little spot of trouble she had put herself in, finally she saw such an opportunity. Xena was riding towards the Centaur camp with Borias. But then she cursed, Xena would get there in time yes… but it cost her too much time to divert around Hercules' army… which meant that Xena was going to be too late and wouldn't be able to save the Centaurs. Aphrodite's options were becoming suddenly very limited.
