This story will contain the following: two women as life partners and mothers, spankings to minor children, and anyone else whom the author deems needs it.

The rights of Xena, Gabrielle, Cyrene, Argo, etc. belong to REN pics and whomever else makes a profit from using them. I own nothing.

All that said, enjoy.

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"Are you sure this is going to work? I still say we just confront the bastard and kill him." Eponin was pacing in front of Mom and I shook my head once again.

"I am sure, Ep." Mom put her hands out and stopped Eponin mid pace. Keeping her hands on Eponin's shoulders mom looked up at the woman and put on a stern face. "This plan will work. I am not going to let those men go onto another tribe's land and let it become their problem."

"But sending the girls to the village to ask for help? You really think they'll do that?" Eponin ran her hand through her hair. "Amazon tribes aren't really known to help each other out."

"Why not?" I finally spoke up. "I mean we're all Amazons why not support one another?"

Solari shrugged her shoulders and answered before Eponin could, "Pride mostly. Who's the best tribe? Who has the strongest warriors, the best queen, that sort of preening."

"Sounds like a bunch of …"

"Don't you dare say it, young lady," Mom glared at me and I smirked.

"Would you rather I swore in another language like Mama and Eve do?"

"I would rather you not swear at all." Mom glared at me again and I shrugged.

"Warriors, what ya gonna do?" I shrugged.

Zivah and Rory snorted at this as did Eponin and Solari. "I do have access to a wooden spoon, Sam."

Ducking my head I took the warning to heart, "That's okay, a warrior knows when to back down as well. How do you want us to do this? The men will be at the inn for a bit longer. They had double helpings of Joxer's gravy."

Mom nodded and simply sighed as Eponin started pacing again. "Okay then, let's go over the plan one last time before we it in motion." Turning towards me Mom came over and placed her hands on my shoulders the same way she had done to Eponin. "No heroics, Samina. I don't care how good of a warrior you may be, you are not Xena."

"I know, Mom." I bent down to hug her. "But I am my mothers' daughter."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Mom replied giving me a solid swat on the bottom before going over the plan one last time.

"Sam do you really think this is going to work?" Zivah echoed her mother's sentiments as we rode towards the Amazon village.

"It should providing everything goes as the plan says it should."

"Yeah, so, is it going to work?" Rory prodded. "I mean seriously we're just going to go into the village and ask for help taking out some bastard that wants to hurt my sister when they've never met us before."

"Yep." My reply was short and as we fell into silence my senses became more focused to our surroundings. Mom's warning about veering from the plan was still ringing in my ears but I knew I would do what was needed despite the attention the queen and my mother would give my backside if she deemed it necessary.

Finally seeing a symbol in the trees we stopped and made the Amazon symbol for peace. Women surrounded us quickly dropping from the trees and a tall woman with honey colored locks stepped forward. "Who are you?"

"I am Samina and these are my fellow sisters, Zivah and Rory. I have a message for your queen from Queen Gabrielle."

"You are subjects of Queen Gabrielle?"

I nodded, "We are."

"Dismount and we will take you into the village."

I nodded and we slid from the horses. Taking Mavri's reins in my left hand I made sure my right was ready in case I needed to draw my weapon. The other women had made no move against us but the atmosphere wasn't exactly friendly. The fact that the woman in front of me hadn't given me her name was not lost on any of us.

"Why does Queen Gabrielle send children as messengers?" the honey blonde spoke again.

"Well, Goldielocks," I began.

"Excuse me?" The woman turned and her hazel eyes bored into me. "What did you call me?"

I shrugged, "Goldielocks. I have to call you something since you didn't deem us worthy of your name."

I raised myself to my full height and narrowed my eyes, "I may not be a full warrior but I was raised with more respect than that. My mothers taught me to be respectful of others especially our fellow sisters."

"And who are your mothers to be so wise?"

"Xena and Gabrielle."

The change in atmosphere was immediate and Rory chuckled, "Way to channel Aunt Xena, Sam."

"Aunt Xena?" One of the other women finally spoke and turned to Rory. "Who are your mothers?"

"Ephiny and Eponin."

"And yours?" the same woman posed to Zivah.

"Ephiny and Eponin."

"Any more questions?" I finally spoke once more. "Because time is an issue right now. We really need to get this message to the queen."

Goldielocks stepped forward once more. "And you shall. My name is Regina."

I smirked, "Hello, your majesty. Why the deception?"

We began to walk again and the woman shrugged. "We do not often get visitors especially other Amazons. When we realized your ages we became more alarmed wondering if the rumors of slavers in the area were true."

"We haven't heard anything about slavers but we do know of some men who are going to try and get onto Amazon land. Our queen's note will tell you more."

"Tell me, Princess, how is it Queen Gabrielle sent her daughter and nieces on this mission?"

"Please, Queen Regina, it's just Sam. We are here because we were coming to visit you along with two of our best warriors. Our queen wishes to establish ties to other Amazon villages hoping that we can find common ground in areas that will benefit us all."

"That sounds promising," the queen stopped as we cleared the woods and saw the village for the first time. It wasn't as big as our village but the huts were well made and I noticed what seemed like longhouses scattered throughout the village. There were only a few individual huts.

"What do you think?"

"It's nice," I smiled at her. "Different than our village but then again I expected that. You have many longhouses though…"

Regina nodded and we walked on towards the structures. "We choose to live in family units in a larger building. We're a very communal tribe and since we don't have a lot of land it made sense for us to live in this manner. It also helps that everyone has a place within the house and no one is ever alone."

"And where do you conduct official business?" I asked.

"The queen's official hut. It holds a table large enough for our small council and a few guests. That's where we are heading now. I wish to introduce you to those members of my tribe and read the letter that Queen Gabrielle has sent with you."

"Thank you," my relaxed pose was broken when my hand reached out to stop the arrow that was flying towards me. It had no tip and the size of it was a bit smaller than a normal arrow. "I think one of your junior girls lost this," I smirked handing it to the queen. "Now, what were you saying about us being introduced to the council?"

"How did you?" one of the guards finally broke the silence.

"That's nothing," Rory spoke up. "I mean with Xena as her mom did you really think she couldn't catch arrows? She can do that in her sleep by now."

"Queen Regina?" I prodded again giving Rory a warning look.

"Oh, yes," finally coming to her senses she turned to the guard who had spoken. "Atyri please go and tell the council members to meet in the queen's official hut in ten candle drips. We have important matters to discuss."

"Yes, my queen." The woman ran off and we were finally led the rest of the way into the queen's official hut to wait.

"You want us to risk our warriors for someone we do not know?"

The question was asked of me by an older warrior on the council. Through introductions I had learned her name was Naya and her steely grey eyes matched her hair as well as her carriage. "Yes. Are we all not sisters within the nation? How can you turn your backs on one so young that will surely be killed if given back to the family of her birth?

"Zivah has shown herself worthy time and time again," I continued. "She has been adopted as if Ephiny had given birth to her and her arrival in the tribe was blessed by Artemis herself."

"Please," Naya stood at this point. "Artemis never shows at adoption ceremonies you probably don't even know what she looks like."

I was cut off by Rory's chair flying back, "Look you, pompous windbag, not only did Artemis bless Zivah into the tribe, Aphrodite is Sam's goddess mother, and Aunt Hestia has taken a special interest in Sam's little sister, Eve. Surely you have heard of Eve?"

"Then why not ask Artemis for help?" Another warrior spoke and I sighed holding my hand up to Rory.

"Because it is not the job of Artemis to help us now. It is the role of our fellow sisters. If you choose to say no, that is your right. Just know that Artemis will also know of your refusal to help Zivah."

"And you, Zivah, what have you to say?" Regina spoke again.

"I can only ask that you help me defeat my former uncle. The way women are treated in my birth village is horrible and if I had not had the fortune to find Aunt Xena and Aunt Gabrielle I would certainly be dead or married already. Married against my will."

Zivah stood up and looked at each woman at the table. "I am Zivah, daughter of Ephiny and Eponin and I am asking fellow sisters for help."

"And what have you learned in your time with us other than to beg for help?"

Zivah's dagger flew over Naya's head taking one of the large feathers sticking up with it before landing solidly in the wall behind the woman. "Not much, obviously." Zivah cooly moved to retrieve her dagger and then sat down once more nodding to me to resume.

"Any other questions?" I asked quietly.

"If you're such good friends with the gods prove it. I want proof we will be blessed before committing our warriors to danger," Naya spoke again and I sighed heavily. Mom had warned me that this would probably happen and as much as I didn't want to give in I decided to follow the plan.

"Fine. But if they're mad, it's on you." Narrowing my eyes at Naya I looked at the ceiling of the hut and took a deep breath. "Auntie Dite, Artemis, a little help here please."

The smell of roses was in the room followed by the strong scent of leather. A shower of pink butterflies and a silver flash then gave us visual proof of the goddesses in our midst.

"You called, my little warrior bard?" Dite came over to me to give me a hug and kiss and I nodded.

"Yes, I'm sorry to bother you on your sisterly bonding day, but we have a situation and some certain members of this tribe didn't want to offer help unless they knew without a doubt that Artemis would know of it."

Seeing the look of steel in Artemis' eyes I allowed Dite to keep her arm around me as her sister turned to the table. "Who dares challenge Samina in her assertion that I would know of this? Who dares demand an audience with me for doing the right thing and helping out a sister Amazon?"

There was dead quiet in the room and I quickly moved from Dite to put my hand over Rory's mouth. Dite chuckled and Artemis turned to look at me. Raising her eyebrow she winked quickly before turning her glare back to the table.

"I want an answer, now."

"I am the one that demanded the proof," Naya finally spoke.

"You doubted Samina?"

"I doubted the word of children no matter the letter from Queen Gabrielle to our queen." The woman bowed slightly to Artemis. "Forgive me for my doubt."

Artemis walked around the table and I smirked as the council members fled their seats leaving Naya as the only target for the fuming goddess. Hearing Dite chuckle softly didn't help and watching as Rory and Zivah remained relaxed while Artemis postured had me moments away from doing something I knew would be inappropriate.

"Artemis," I finally stepped forward. "I understand why you are upset at being summoned in this manner but we must come to a decision soon. We are running out of time and I wish only to keep Zivah safe."

"Of course," the goddess turned back to Naya. "I will speak with you later, but I agree with Samina. Zivah must be kept safe, she is too important to the nation for anything to happen to her."

"Dite shall we?"

"I thought you would never ask, Arte!" Dite grinned and snapped her fingers at the same moment Artemis waved her hand.

The room was suddenly filled with Mom, Eponin, and Solari as well as more chairs. Only the new chairs were padded in dark leather and looked rather comfortable.

"Aphrodite, Artemis?" Mom's had her sais at the ready and had obviously been getting ready to strike. "What in the hell is going on here?"

"We decided to intervene," Artemis stated. "We brought you and your horses here and have transported the men who were after you someplace where they will never bother you again."

"What did you do?" Mom demanded rounding on the goddess.

"Chillax, my little sweet pea," Aphrodite moved to give mom a hug. "We took care of everything. The last thing we want is for our favorite Amazons to have issues with those nasty mortals."

"Not that we don't appreciate it but we could have handled it," Mom said quietly.

"We are aware of that," Artemis stepped forward. "However this is how it was meant to play out."

"Why?" Zivah's question caused all eyes in the still silent room to be focused on her. "What about me is so important that two goddess intervened on my behalf?"

"You will find out in time, child." Artemis smiled at Zivah as she crossed the room. Kissing Zivah on the forehead Artemis looked into Zivah's dark eyes. "Nice dagger skills by the way. Nebula taught you well. And Rory less sarcasm might be something you consider in time though I know it suits you and will always be a part of who you are."

Rory had the good nature to blush, "When I'm stressed my mouth takes over."

Looking at her sister Artemis began to laugh at Rory's comment and then disappeared in a flash of silver before any of us could offer our thanks.

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I hope this chapter was enjoyed.