Chapter 39 – Heroes, Heists and Helmets

"Xena, what happened to Athens?"

"Ahhh… Gabrielle… where's your sense of adventure?"

"I left it about 2 villages back on the side of the road. Seriously, Xena… what are you up to?"

"Geez… Gabrielle…. Don't you trust me?'

"Mmmhmmm…you are up to something. I feel it."

Xena shook her head. "AH HA!"

Gabrielle was tired, "What is so exciting?"

"Over there…" Xena pointed.

Gabrielle opened her eyes wide, looked around and then turn back to Xena was a narrow gaze. "There is nothing there."

"What? Sure there is…..maybe you're just not looking hard enough," the warrior gestured to a hill off a short way.

"Xena…. It's a hill, Xena…. A hill…."

"NAH… it's MORE than a hill, Gabrielle…. Look…."

Gabrielle looked carefully now and thought she caught a glimpse of something reflecting from the top of the hill. "What is that?"

"Ahhhh…. See…. You thought I'd lost it... Admit it…."

Gabrielle gave in, "I admit it. You are right….. There is something there," she paused and then looked directly at the warrior, "And yes, I thought you'd lost it…."

"HAH!" Xena chimed.

"I'm still not sure you haven't."

"Very funny…."

"So?" Gabrielle asked now.

"So what?" Xena answered back picking up the pace slightly.

"So….why are we headed for a shiny thing on a hill?"

Xena kept plugging forward, "That shiny thing on a hill is a temple, Gabrielle."

"A temple for who? Or should I say for what?"

Xena stopped and turned to the bard. "It's a temple to Hermes."

Gabrielle rolled her eyes. "Why on earth do you want to go THERE?"

"Because there is something there we need to get."

"OoooooKaaay."

"The helmet is there. Bad idea to leave it lying there, don't you think?"

Gabrielle just shrugged and raised her hands to signify she was fine with whatever Xena thought was best.

After a while the temple became much larger in view. Xena stopped at took note of all of their surroundings.

"Worried about something?" Gabrielle asked.

Xena kept studying the area, raising her finger to her lips for Gabrielle to be quiet. Gabrielle began looking around herself now. She didn't hear anything or see anything but she trusted Xena's inclinations. The warrior had a sixth sense about danger. That was something that she had come to both understand and appreciate over the years.

Xena leaned in closer to Gabrielle. "Over there," she gestured past a small line of tall bushes.

Gabrielle squinted in an attempt to bring whatever Xena sensed into view. The bushes were moving slightly. "Do you think they know we're here?" she whispered to the warrior.

Xena just shook her head. "Listen, Gabrielle," the warrior started, "I am going to head through those trees and try to get behind whoever that is." Gabrielle nodded her understanding. "Head the opposite way and see if you can get in through the back of the temple. There is supposed to be a chamber behind the altar. Try and find it…..the helmet should be there."

Gabrielle put her hand on Xena's shoulder, "Be careful," she cautioned as she turned to make the short journey. Xena gave the bard a one eyed smile, "always."

It only took a few minutes for Gabrielle to reach the back of the temple. She had not encountered any obstacles at all. 'Something is not right,' she thought to herself. Whether or not the gods were gone; a prize like Hermes' helmet should still have multiple protections. She thought perhaps she should call on Aphrodite, but Xena seemed to feel things were well in hand, so the bard continued on, sai at the ready.

Xena made her way to the far side of the line of bushes silently. She carefully began to reach into the bushes when a figure popped up before her, "XENA!"

"Autolycus!" Autolycus looked very much the same. He was still fit though he had gone mostly gray. Xena had wondered what became of him after all of these years but she certainly was not surprised to see that he had not slowed down.

"What are you doing here?" the thief asked trying to hide his emotion at seeing a friend that had not aged a day.

"I suppose I don't need to ask what YOU are doing here," the warrior raised her eyebrow.

"Xena, the helmet of Hermes is a great prize."

"Yes, I know," the warrior agreed, "But it isn't that much of a challenge anymore. What is this all about?"

"Ahhhh," the thief said, "For me, no… it is not much of a challenge – a few traps – child's play really."

"What traps?" Xena asked with concern.

"Oh you know….the usual god nonsense….triggers for flying knives… a trap door lava pit… all the unoriginal…"

Xena was moving quickly toward the temple with Autolycus now trying to catch up calling after her, "What is wrong?"

Xena kept her forward pace, "Gabrielle…."

Autolycus rolled his eyes as they reached the temple and crouched behind a large pillar, "You sent Gabrielle here alone?"

Xena shot him a look of disgust, "Gabrielle can handle herself."

"Well, of course she can…" Autolycus said, "But just in case why don't I take the back." The thief broke away from the warrior deliberately and carefully making his way around the side of the building.

Gabrielle was looking around the back of the temple. It was quiet, too quiet. She debated what her next move should be. There were few offerings here now. It gave her a clear line of sight to the back wall which was adorned by a large painting of Hermes with Zeus looking over him. She was sure that would be the hiding place. Zeus above Hermes, it made sense. She started to make her way to the first step when she felt something thrusting her toward the ground.

Stunned, she rubbed her head which had hit the marble floor with some force, "What the..." as things came into focus, "Autolycus?"

"Hello. You can thank me later." He said still lying partially on top of her.

"Thank you? For what? Almost knocking me unconscious?"

He just shook his head and picked up a small but heavy statue that was lying nearby and promptly threw it onto the stair. As daggers flew over their heads he covered the bard again with his body, "That…" he answered.

Gabrielle was till slightly dazed, but she was relieved that the thief was there. "Does Xena…"

"No," a voice beckoned from the other side of the temple, "I had no idea that he was here…but I shouldn't have been surprised to find him skulking in the bushes," she laughed. Xena understood that the helmet would be a great asset to Autolycus in his endeavors.

"Skulking?" The thief seemed a bit insulted. Gabrielle was still rubbing her head and trying to process the entire scene including the man standing before her.

Xena raised her eyebrow a bit as she helped Gabrielle to her feet, "Well…."she said, "Yes… skulking."

"I do not skulk"

Gabrielle rolled her eyes. "Okay…so how do we get this helmet?" She smiled at the thief.

"AHHHH," Autolycus beamed with pride, "We fly."

"Autolycus," Gabrielle began, "We don't have the helmet yet TO fly."

"Oh… you have such little faith," he jabbed.

"Okay," Xena said, "Show us your wings then."

"No wings…" he pointed to the ceiling. Draped above were fairly long silk banners in red, gold, and purple.

"That is not going to hold you," Gabrielle offered, "And how do you propose getting up there?" Gabrielle was happy to see their friend well, but she also was curious how this man, who was not so young had planned to 'fly' across the room.

Autolycus just smiled. The king of thieves always had a plan – some intricate and elaborate scheme to achieve his conquest. "Well," he said, "I plan…"

Before he could finish his thought Xena had let out a warrior's cry and pitched herself into a series of flips finally reaching a long red banner and began her swing across the ceiling.

"….Or….." the thief frowned, "You could just do that I suppose."

Gabrielle grinned. Xena was not much for elaborate schemes but she certainly matched the thief when it came to flair. Some things would never change.

It only took seconds for Xena to reach the far wall. She looked a bit like a goddess herself cloaked in the purple silk that supported her weight. "Okay, Autolycus…. Now what?"

Autolycus shrugged, "How should I know?"

Xena spun slightly and glared, "You mean to tell me that you don't know how to release it?"

He shrugged again.

Gabrielle studied the painting, inching as close as she thought would be safe. Zeus was holding a lightning bolt in one hand and had a large shield in front of him. She squinted hard to try and see.

"Xena," she called, "Look at the shield."

Xena spun back around to face the painting. There it was. The middle of the shield was adorned by an emerald. It was not painted – it was embedded.

"Good call, Gabrielle," the warrior acknowledged as she removed the gem. A panel opened, making Hermes invisible and revealing the helmet in that sat on a golden pedestal. Xena reached for the helmet, nearly dropping it and catching it. She was surprised a bit at the weight. She grabbed a hold of one of the wings and set the helmet on her head.

"You can let go now," Autolycus called with more than a hint of disappointment in his voice.

Xena let go and found herself floating. It was quite an exhilarating feeling. For a moment she felt unsteady, but as with most things it took no time for her to have command of the task and she soared over head. She was now playfully swooping down; nearly into the two friends.

"Xena!" Gabrielle called with a bit of a chuckle. "Come down before you hurt yourself!"

"Or us…" Autolycus grumbled.

"Ha!" the warrior laughed finally coming to rest next to the bard who simply raised an eyebrow with the shake of her head. "You've gotta' try it, Gabrielle."

"No thank you," the bard patted Xena's arm. "I'm still dizzy from that tackle," she looked at Autolycus.

"Oh…" he griped, "You're welcome… again."

Gabrielle winked at him and finally put her arm around his. "It is good to see you Autolycus."

"It's good to be seen… though I must say I wish I looked like you."

Xena smiled at their friend. "Autolycus… the helmet needs…"

The thief sighed. "I know…. I know…to be in safe hands…"

Xena licked her lips and sighed. "Never going to stop, are you?"

"Hmmm….. no…. but then you're not one to say anything about slowing down are you?" He winked now at the warrior.

Xena took stock in his statement for a moment as she removed the helmet and handed it to Gabrielle who nearly dropped it. Gabrielle looked around the temple and saw an ornate bag on one of the offering trays. She thought it would be best to hide the prize. She motioned to Xena, pointing it out. Xena's expression of agreement told the bard all she needed to know. As Xena watched Gabrielle make her way across the room her eyes narrowed and she took a deep breath.

"I don't know, Autolycus," she said with the hint of a smile creeping to her face.

"Don't know what?" The thief asked?

Her voice was quiet as her smile grew watching the bard struggle to place the helmet in the bag, all the while juggling both and muttering to herself in some frustration. "Some things…" she paused as Gabrielle did a little victory dance with her newly filled sack, "Some things are worth slowing down for."

Autolycus just looked at the bard. He had known Xena's heart for many years. Part of him had always wondered when she would fully realize it herself. He smiled now. "Indeed," he said, "Indeed."