The miniature vibrant banners that outlined the vendors stall set up on the streets of Amphipolis, snapped in the warm breeze above Damia's head as her fingers rifled through the chain necklaces scattered in a wooden box on the counter.

She selected one chain and held it up into the light, muttering to herself as if he would like it or not.

The crowd of people shopping around her snatched her out of her musings as they pushed into her and took her with them, as they gathered in a group; Damia found it the perfect opportunity to sneak the chain into the front pocket of her leather pants as she went with the crowd.

The mass of people began cheering as the pounding of hoof beats from the army's horses came closer. She suddenly found herself surrounded by a group of men pushing her back behind them, as they vied for a better position where they could get a better look at the General riding her horse in the front of her army. A low growl left her throat as she gave up the fight, and made her way to the back of the crowd.

Coming up between two stalls behind the people, she stood on her tiptoes to peer over the heads of the crowd to find the stables she knew Casey would be waiting to take care of the horses as they arrived.

The army passed by where she stood in the crowd, and she peeped through two women standing behind, overtly starring in the direction of the General, studying her every move.

Xena came to a halt in front of the tavern. The crowd, her family from the tavern and the troops that had dismounted from their horses surrounded her.

She tossed the end of the rope tied around Canis to the soldiers.

"Tie him up in the supply tent, until we're ready for him." She coldly directed.

Ceja wiggled out of her father's arms who was standing close by and ran to Xena as she dismounted her horse, wrapping her arms around her legs and looking up at her aunt.

"I'm glad you came back!"

She grinned at the child as she swung her up to her hip. "Me too little one, I couldn't wait to get back here to see this cute face of yours!" She teased as she tickled her belly, eliciting a giggle from her, while they headed for the tavern with her family.

The yearning exposed on Damia's face from seeing the display of affection between the two and her missing her own mother faded as she waited for them to disappear into the tavern, and crossed the street to where the local stables stood and where the army kept their horses while staying in town.

Just as she had suspected, Casey was busy in the stockyard that ran along beside the stables, cleaning out the hooves of one of the horses that one of the soldiers had ridden on earlier.

When she reached the fence and climbed over, she hesitantly approached them.

"Casey hi!" she greeted him as she picked up a nearby horse brush from a bucket. In addition, she moved to the opposite side of the horse from Casey. He had not spoken one word to her, and he certainly had not glanced in her direction.

"Still not talking to me?" she probed as she began brushing the steed.

He casually dropped the horse's foot he had been working on, dusted off his hands, and took in a deep breath to calm himself before he gave her an answer.

He stood up and leaned into the horse.

"Damia you were caught snooping around the General's tent!" he barked, looking around to see who was watching. He lowered his voice and continued.

"My job as an outrider was taken away from me, now all I can do is take care of the horses and shovel their crap!"

Damia's chin dropped to her chest, her eyes still peering up at him, as she readied herself to give a heartfelt apology.

"I'm so sorry Casey; I never meant to..."

He cut her off though before she finished her apology, and grabbed her hand to stop her from continuing with her brushing.

"But you did, and now I'm the one paying for it."

He yanked the brush from her hand and threw it in a nearby bucket, grabbed her by the arm and jerked her around the back of the horse to where she had been standing, in front of him.

He squeezed her shoulders and added in a shaky voice. "This army is the only family I have, and I'm not about to let anything." his throat thick with emotion. "Or anyone take that away from me, not even you!"

He gave her a giant shove backwards, in the direction of her horse tied up along the fence, already geared up to ride.

"There's no reason left for you to stay here any longer, with your mother gone, just take the horse and leave town."

He turned away from her, and made his way back to the stable without looking back.

Damia stumbled back a step and watched him walk way; she dug in the pocket of her leather pants, pulling from it the gold chain from the market place and, squeezing it tightly in her fingers, she threw it spitefully at him. She then spun around to make her way to her horse, first patting him on the nose before mounting him and riding out of the fencing of the stables.

Her horse broke out into a full run as they sped out of the open gates of the fencing and down the now empty streets, the crowd of people that had once inhabited it now either had continued with their shopping or had followed the army into the tavern.

Her fingers trembled as she griped the reins of the horse tighter, and the pounding of the horse's hoofs was in rhythm with the drumming of her broken heart beating loudly in her ears.

She hunched over closer to the horse and pressed her hand against her tight chest, as the wind drown out the loud sobs that escaped it, catching the tears streaming down her cheeks and blowing them back into her hair.

Finally reaching the outskirts of town, she pulled on his reins to slow down, and turned him around to take one last look at the town. Her face now streaked from the tears, her heart felt broken into a million pieces she swore that would be the last time this would ever happen to her again as she rode off again away from Amphipolis.

thank you Anca :)