At first light Leandros woke and carried on his way. With every step he felt his confidence dwindling. How was he going to do this without getting himself killed in the process? His fear fought to make him turn and go back to the only place that had actually been a safe place for him for the past week, but his resolve urged for him to continue.

However, when the encampment came into view just a short walk away, the sight filled Leandros with dread. His stomach rolled sickly, his body already anticipating the consequences of what could occur if he were to take those first steps through it. He looked around and saw most of the men he had grown up with sat around the campfires, sat upon fallen logs, poking the flames either in boredom or cooking their food. At the other end of the camp Leandros clocked a few of the more aggressive members blowing off steam. They wrestled each other, showing no mercy as they threw punches. He watched with rising fear as they gained various cuts and bruises in their quest to outdo each other with their testosterone-filled displays of strength. Leandros didn't envy them. He knew too well what it was like to get caught up in the sparring matches the others took part in. He'd been unfortunate enough to be dragged into many against his will, beaten to a bloody pulp as the band's weak punching bag, and thoroughly beaten anyway if he refused to take part.

Opting to stay away from them he scouted the camp for the tent he was looking for. His hiding place restricted his view to most of the area but by a stroke of luck he managed to spot the green and silver silken flag. It waved easily in the breeze just beyond a small grassy rise. It was easy enough to see, but the way to it was far from. Many guards patrolled the paths. It was as though security had increased in his absence. As he moved quietly among the bushes, Leandros wondered whether his brother had become suspicious since he'd left. Darius wasn't normally over protective of himself. He wasn't afraid. So why the extra guards?

Slinking away from behind a sleepy guard, Leandros stayed low and moved lightly, moving with speed until he reached Darius's tent. The two men stationed outside talked, completely distracted. They had their heads together as they talked and ate, one leaning lazily on the spear he was using more as a support than a weapon. Leandros held his breath and flattened himself against the tent, keeping his eyes on them until he backed into it.

The inside was warm, and as soon as he stepped in a strong smell of lavender and other perfumes permeated the air and assaulted his nose. It wasn't overpowering. No. The scent was more nostalgic than anything. It pulled at his memories, taking him back years before when he lived at home with Darius and their mother. Back when things had been simpler.

~X~

"What are you doing, mommy?"

The dark haired woman smiled fondly as she looked down at her son. He was only small and could barely look over the table top. His fingers gripped the edge and his nose poked over, his eyes searching as he stood on his tip-toes to investigate. He watched as she continued to thread the needles through the wool. It was rare that they could afford to buy new material to create clothes. The money they did have went toward funding his father's army. They normally got to spend what was left over which, after the men had been appropriately fed and watered and all their weapons bought, wasn't much. Still, it was enough and his mother knew from experience how to make the best of what they had. He'd walked into the kitchen plenty of times and found her knitting or stitching something.

"Mommy?"

"I'm making you a hat, Leandros. See?"

She lifted what she'd done already to show her son. He smiled and gasped excitedly, his eyes brightening with enthusiasm. "That's for me?"

"Yes, son. Do you like it?"

He shook his head eagerly, reaching out. He frowned when she pulled it away with a chuckle. "Not yet. It isn't finished, Leandros." She looked around briefly. "Where is your brother?"

"Darius is outside. He's catching dinner."

The dark haired woman looked at her son, surprised. "He is?"

"Yeah." Leandros pouted and crossed his arms. "He won't let me play, mommy. He said I'm too small. I'm not small, am I? I'm bigger than the fish! I could catch them easily!"

His mother laughed at his bluster and stroked his cheek. "Oh, son, you will soon learn that it doesn't matter how big you are or how small something else is. It takes skill and practice to be able to do something well. That includes fishing. Darius has been practicing for a long time."

Leandros lifted himself onto the wooden chair beside his mother and sat heavily. "It's not fair. I wanna be bigger so I can practice like big brother."

He looked up at her and caught her loving smile. "You will, son. Some day you will be big enough. But don't be so eager to grow up so quickly."

"Why not?"

"Because when you get bigger, everything becomes harder."

"Why?"

His mother's laugh rang in the morning air. She looked at him; he caught the twinkle in her eyes as they caught the sun. "So curious? And at such a young age too. Everything becomes harder when you grow older because the gods challenge us. They give us trials to overcome. It's a way to see which of us are strong enough to cope with the life given to us, and it is so we can worship them."

"Must we worship them, mommy?"

His mother paused for a moment, lowering her task on her knee. "Leandros? When you ask for something what do you say when you are given it?"

"Um…thank you?"

"Precisely. Worshiping the gods is like saying thank you for what they have given you."

He stopped to think about that for a moment and stilled. He closed his eyes and thought really hard, imagining the gods he had been told of in his head and very quietly whispered, "Thank you."

"What were you saying thank you for?"

Leandros opened his eyes and grinned at his mother's curious face. "I was saying thank you to the gods for giving me you."

His mother gasped. He noticed her eyes suddenly filling with tears and her quivering lip. He touched her hand, confusion worrying his features. "Mommy? What's wrong? Did I do wrong?"

She placed the knitting needles and wool on the table and pulled her son to her. His arms immediately circled her; his nostrils filled with the mixed scent of lavender and oil that was very distinctly his mother. As he cuddled to her closer he heard his mother sniff tearfully.

"You did nothing wrong, Leandros. I'm just thankful that I have you. You and your brother."

"What about daddy?" he inquired curiously.

She didn't answer. Instead, she sat back and brushed his hair back gently with her hand, smiling through her tears. "I love you, Leandros. Promise me that you will never change. That you'll remember what is in here?" she asked, placing her hand over his heart.

Her request sounded strange and confused him but he nodded nevertheless. "Yes mommy."

"That's my boy." She wiped her eyes. With one quick movement she pulled him onto her lap and turned him toward the table. "There you go. Now you can reach."

Leandros reached out for the hat. "Almost done?"

"Almost," she agreed.

He waited patiently upon her knee until he finally grew too tired to keep his eyes open. When he did finally reopen his eyes, the daylight outside had faded into early winter darkness. He could see nothing in the deep blue; nothing but flakes of snow gently whispering against the shutters left ajar or fell to build up against the sill outside. The candles placed at intervals around his room were all left untouched. All except one; its flame flickered every now and then, coaxed into a burning dance by the cold chill seeping in from outside.

He moved to sit up and felt something fall from his head. The woolly hat fell in a little pile in his lap. The material felt soft when he brushed his fingertips against it. He smiled excitedly at the object; it was as though he had a small piece of his mother with him. The slight smell of lavender and oil lingered within the fibres and tickled his nose, comforting him as he listened to the shouting of his parents downstairs and felt the sudden disquiet in his heart.

"Leandros?"

~X~

Leandros opened his eyes. The woollen hat was centimetres away from his nose. The material he held in his hands was worn – threadbare from years of use and age. He couldn't believe that Darius still kept it; much less that it had survived everything they had been through. The smell of his mother was long gone. All that remained now instead was the smell of smoke, blood…death. A scent he had grown too familiar with since her passing.

"Leandros?"

He jumped at the sound of his name being said and turned quickly, still holding the hat tightly within his grasp. "Darius?"

Darius frowned at him, the healed scars around his eyes and cheek deepening with the wrinkles that years of worry, tiredness and stress had created. He let go of the tent flap and approached his brother curiously, his steps a little shaky and uneven. "Is that really you? You look so…different," he finished, gesturing to all of him.

With a smile Leandros reached up and brushed a hand through his hair. "Yeah, a couple of things have changed."

"Indeed. Look at what you're wearing. You almost look like a common peasant." Darius released a relieved breath and pulled him into a hug, squeezing him tightly. "Thank the gods you're alive! When you left I thought for sure that you'd died, or something had happened to you. When you didn't come back, I thought the worst. As time wore on I started to believe…"

"Well, I'm here," Leandros interrupted Darius trail of thought.

Darius moved back and smiled. "And I'm glad of it."

Leandros watched his brother move away toward the table at the back of the tent. It didn't escape his notice that he had to lean against the surface as he grabbed a silver pitcher and poured some strong smelling wine into a beaten tankard.

"Wine?" he asked over his shoulder.

Leandros shook his head. "No thank you, brother. I had some quite recently and it did nothing for my state," he chuckled.

Darius narrowed his eyes at his brother's face. "Yes, I was going to ask how you got the bruises around your eyes. Did you bump your nose?"

"I-…it was a…minor misunderstanding. Nothing more," Leandros replied flatly.

"Understood." Darius moved to his chair and fell into it, his wine sloshing around in his tankard. "Ah, gods," he complained.

"Are you alright?"

Darius scrubbed a hand down his face. "Hardly. I feel like I've taken one of Zeus's thunderbolts to my body, and he wasn't holding back."

For a moment, all thoughts of trying to put things right and explaining his change of heart toward Xena and her companions disappeared. Instead concern for his brother filled him. Upon first impression anyone would think that he was fine. His brother was normally a strong, brawny man; a result of their adopted lifestyle. But Leandros knew his brother enough to sense the difference. He looked more slender and his cheeks had gauntness to them, as though he hadn't eaten in days. It was strange to think that his brother looked so differently already. He had only been gone for a week but it was as though he'd been gone for months. But then again it was immeasurable how much could change in so little time. He himself had changed in so many ways that sometimes, it scared him.

He approached and pressed the back of his hand against his brother's forehead. "Darius you're burning up. What is wrong with you? Have you been eating right?"

Darius frowned and pushed his hand away. "Don't coddle me, brother. I'm fine."

"It doesn't look like it," Leandros disagreed.

"Are you a healer now, perhaps? Learned a few tips while you've been away, hmm?" Darius snapped. He opened his eyes long enough for Leandros to notice the strange unfocused look in them.

"Darius? We need to talk."

"I expect we do. I'm surprised you managed to escape with your life, Leandros. Xena is a formidable woman. I'm proud you manage to complete the mission given to you."

"That's the thing." Leandros took a deep breath. "Brother?"

~X~

"Xena? Do you think he's gone back to his brother? After keeping him away so long it would make sense that it would be the first place he'd run back to, right?"

Xena carried on walking. She kept her eyes trained for signs of travel. She'd kept a distracted sort of attention on Gabrielle's questions as they moved. She knew they were being followed but by who, she still didn't know, only that they were making more noise than they ought to be if they were out to kill or ambush them.

"Yes, that's what I'm thinking," Xena replied.

Gabrielle sighed. She could tell something was up. Xena looked around constantly as they walked, her eyes darting toward the trees every now and then. She wondered if the warrior princess had picked up sounds with her keen hearing that she hadn't. All she had heard since leaving the town was the wind blowing through the trees or the occasional animal sounds.

"What are we going to do when we get to him?"

"Try and get him alone so I can apologize and keep him from making the same mistakes his brother did. The last thing I need is another warlord baying after my blood."

"Hmm, tell me about it. I wish for once that we could have a normal day and relax. Just the two of us."

Xena paused and looked over her shoulder, smiling. "What?"

Realizing what she'd let slip, Gabrielle looked away to prevent Xena from seeing the way her blood coloured her cheeks. "Oh, I just meant…us and…Argo, y'know? A day off from saving the world every now and then couldn't hurt, could it?"

"Maybe not," Xena agreed. Her eyes darted toward the trees once again when she heard another sound. "Gabrielle? Come here."

Gabrielle tensed at the quiet order but she didn't hesitate. Her already boiling blood burned hotter when Xena looped her arms around her waist and pulled her to her body so that her back rested against Xena's chest. "Xena? What are you-?"

"Shh. The bushes. Listen," she whispered.

They both remained quiet. Following Xena, Gabrielle listened carefully. At first all she could hear were the mixed sounds of nature. But after a while her ears picked up a sound that shouldn't have been there. The sound of a dry twig snapping under pressure, the hint of a cry – not an animal cry, but one of a human - breaking on the wind.

"Someone is following us," Gabrielle stated.

"Yes. They have been since we left the town," Xena whispered back.

"Who do you think it is?"

"I don't know yet. Quickly!"

They hustled over to the side of the road and hid in the tall grass between the trees. With that and the cover of dawn's shadows, they were easily concealed. Minutes passed by. Before Xena decided to start moving again a figure broke out from the trees. The woman stumbled about, yawning and moaning. It only took a second for both women to see her before they realized who it was.

"Juliette?"

Taken by surprise Juliette gasped loudly and jumped back. When she finally recovered Juliette squinted at them. "Xena? Gabrielle? Is that really you two?"

"Yeah. What are you doing here? You're supposed to be back at the town with Selena."

Suddenly, Juliette's eyes widened and she started to whimper and cry. "Oh gods!"

Xena frowned. She grabbed the woman's shoulders and shook her as gently as she could. "What? What is it?"

"I had a vision, Xena. It's about Leandros. He's going to get himself killed!"

"A vision" Gabrielle inquired. "Are you a mystic?"

"No, a seer," Juliette answered tearfully. She looked to the taller woman imploringly, gripped her forearms pleadingly. "Xena, we need to stop him!"

Xena glanced at Gabrielle and they exchanged a look of worry. "Did you see who did it?"

"No, I only saw a blade sticking out of his back."

"Son of a bacchae!" Turning on the spot, Xena led the way down the path they had originally been following just moments ago, now with more purpose in their steps. "C'mon!"

~X~

He glanced down at the small hat in his hand and brushed his thumb across the material, hoping to gain whatever strength he could from it. Gods know he needed it. Talking to his brother had become somewhat of a difficult task over the years, what with the negative influences of the men he'd hired over the years, and the trouble it took trying to get him alone. The ones that had claimed to follow Darius's campaign against the warrior princess had been the most dangerous, and bloodthirsty mercenaries they'd managed to find. Watching his brother spend time with the men he'd sensed that he'd adopted some of their dark attitudes. He didn't know how to address his brother anymore. The kind and caring young man he had been seemed to have died the day Xena's army had inadvertently destroyed their village. But maybe he could save him – implore to the humanity that still remained within his brother and coax him away from the life of death.

"What is it?"

"Brother? Xena…she–she is still alive."

The cup stilled inches away from Darius's lips and he sat up further in his chair, his eyes suddenly becoming more focused. "What happened?"

"Well, she isn't evil, Darius. I couldn't do it. It would have been murder if I'd have killed her in cold blood. It wasn't what our mother taught us."

"Then what have you been doing for the past week?"

Leandros fiddled with the hat. "Just staying with them. I've learned so much. If you would just sit down with her and listen you'd know she's changed as they say," Leandros implored.

Darius stared at his brother for a long minute, sipping at his wine as he contemplated. Leandros didn't know what his brother was thinking, but whatever it was seemed to have been undertaking serious thought. After he downed the rest of his wine Darius played with the cup, rolling it in his hand and looking into the bottom.

"I was surprised when you agreed to go when you were nominated to do the job," Darius said quietly.

Leandros looked down, ashamed that he'd ever considered it, even after he'd known the truth. "I know, but it was your wish, brother."

"No…it wasn't."

Unsure of whether he'd heard him right or not, Leandros glanced up and saw a strange look in his brother's eyes. He looked haunted by something as he stared blankly at the cup.

"What do you mean?"

Darius sighed. He lowered the cup, resting it upon the arm of his chair and looked at him. "You are my brother, Leandros. I didn't want you to go. It was just that...ugh!"

His words suddenly broke off in a cry of pain. The tall man curled in on himself, struggling to draw breath, and clutching at his head as though something were inside it. Something painful. Leandros could do nothing but watch, confused and concerned as Darius bent and coughed until it turned into a hacking fit.

Then, just as it looked as though Darius was going to get better, Leandros watched as his brother's face twisted into a look of disbelief and disgust. As he rose out of his chair, brandishing the tankard he held over his head as though he was going to throw it, Leandros took a step back. He braced himself for the object to hit him. However, when he saw something flash in Darius's eyes and heard the groan of pain before he clutched his side, Leandros ran to kneel before his brother.

"Darius? What's wrong? Brother?"

Darius looked up. His expression was torn; it looked as though the muscles in his face refused to comply with what he wished. Leandros couldn't tell if he was sad or angry as his brother struggled internally. He could only watch and listen to the pain whimpering coming from the man before him.

"Leandros…?"

A shock travelled down Leandros's spine. The way Darius said his name sounded so innocent, so free of the pain and guilt he'd carried with him over the years since their village's massacre that he felt like he was a child again, listening to his big brother give him chores or asking if he wanted a story reading.

"What's wrong with you, Darius? Tell me!"

Darius reached up and grabbed his shoulder, squeezing hard. "Something wrong, Leandros. Bad…feel sick all the time." He closed his eyes as though he was exhausted. "Just want to sleep…"

"Broth-"

"What's going on here? Leandros?"

Leandros felt his blood turn to ice when he recognized the voice. He turned his gaze to the man standing in the tent entrance. Ivan stood in the threshold with two other brutish looking men, a dark smirk upon his face. "You! I'm not going to lie to my brother anymore, Ivan! Darius? Brother, he almost killed me the other night. He threatened to kill me...I-,"

"Go ahead. He can't hear you, boy. He's too far gone," Ivan laughed.

"What?"

Leandros looked down at his brother. Darius's head hung forward, concealing his face from view. But as Leandros lifted it he saw that Darius's eyes had glazed over. He looked as though he was passed out, but he was still holding himself up effectively. However, when he tried to get his brother's attention, Darius would not move, speak, or show any signs that he even knew Leandros was there. It was as if he was a husk of the person that he was. A shell.

"What have you done to him?" Leandros shouted, his voice trembling with anger. His blood burned when he glanced up at the silver pitcher filled with wine. "You poisoned him!"

Ivan drew his sword and lifted it before his face. He looked into the blade's reflection, his voice assuming a tone of indifference. "It was necessary."

"For what?"

"My plan. Did you really think I was going to stay second behind your worthless brother forever? It was inevitable that he would grow weak, become sympathetic to you or forget his cause. I knew a while back that he was losing his way. He even told me that he didn't want to fight anymore – that he was getting tired of chasing Xena. The fool! I had to do something."

Leandros sprung from his place on the floor and flung himself at Ivan, but he never got close enough to throw a punch. Instead, at the first sign of an attack the two men charged, grabbing and holding him in place, leaving him to struggle, their arms like vices; tight and unyielding. While Leandros fought to free himself of the two bulking men holding him, Ivan never moved, still looking at his reflection as though Leandros had never tried to attack him.

"You bastard!" Leandros spat. "You didn't have to poison him! Why couldn't you just let him go? He doesn't want to fight anymore! Why kill him?"

"I couldn't just let him go. He would have ruined everything. And the poison won't kill him. Not straight away anyway. It just kills nerves…feelings, pretty much that kind of thing until he dies eventually. He's practically brain dead right now."

Leandros watched with rising fury as Ivan casually strolled over to his brother, knelt by him and grabbed Darius's hair, wrenching his face up so they could all see him. Darius looked back at them with unfocused eyes, a gaunt face and a gaping mouth. "See?" Ivan smiled.

"Get off him!" Leandros shouted, tugging desperately at the arms binding him.

"The poison is almost undetectable. With your brother being as simple minded as he is, it wasn't that much of a chore to feed him it," Ivan spoke on as though Leandros never said anything. "You know yourself that he'd developed a drinking problem, so it was easy. Sprinkle a bit in his drink every now and then and he wouldn't notice. I was getting tired of this slavery thing. He never kills, and we never captured Xena. The men were getting tired. In case you haven't noticed, they hate Xena almost as much as I do. It was only a matter of time before they would want to revolt. Luckily for them, I had that idea in mind already and they looked to me; a proper leader of men, to guide them. They follow me now. But you?"

Ivan lifted his sword, narrowing his eyes in concentration as he carefully placed the sharp tip at the pulse on Leandros's neck. Being unable to move, the blade sliced cleanly through the surface layer of skin. Though it wasn't deep enough to be fatal, Leandros still felt his hot blood trickle down his throat and over his collarbone.

Ivan pulled the sword away. "No, I won't kill you yet. I never thought you'd really kill the warrior princess. You don't have the balls for it. You're too gentle for a man's task," he sneered wickedly, enjoying the flush of anger that filled Leandros's face. "I've got something else in mind for you."

Before Leandros could fight further, Ivan lifted his sword, and with a quick jerk, brought the hilt of his sword down hard against Leandros's temple, making the world go black.

Thanks for reading! Please, if you can/have the time, drop me a review to tell me what you think. Until next time!