Usual disclaimers apply.
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Chapter 20
"Take that back, Violet!"
Hearing Eve's yell, I turned to find Eve circling Violet with her staff. Groaning, I moved in that direction rather quickly. The last thing I needed was for Eve to take Violet out, or Violet to try and take on Eve.
"I don't think the elders thought this whole, let's have Sam train the little kids with staffs, thing out enough," Rory quipped moving to help me while Zivah and Daria contained the rest of the girls.
"Probably not," I agreed. After all they weren't thinking about the generation of staff wielders that they would have at the end of my tutelage. Granted they were the best trained non-warriors in the nation but they were going to be an even bigger challenge once they became older.
"Okay girls, what's the problem this time?"
"Violet is lying about Mommy, and she won't take it back," Eve huffed.
"Violet?" I hated that Brenda's daughter was practicing with Eve's group. She constantly picked on Eve, but I hadn't had a choice. I was having to meet about ideas to choose Athena's successor so Brenda and her age mates were brought into Eve's class since the times had overlapped.
"I'm not lying," she glared up at me. "Eve isn't any part of Gabrielle like you and her sisters are so Gabrielle isn't her mommy."
Taking a deep breath I counted to ten before kneeling and looking at the eight year old. "You listen to me, Violet. Gabrielle is Eve's mother the same way that Xena is and you had better never say otherwise. It doesn't matter if a part of Gabrielle is in Eve or not. She is her mother. You live in an Amazon village for the gods' sake, you should understand that!"
"My mommy said," Violet started.
"I don't care what your mother said, it stops now." My voice was cold and it was all I could do not to leave class and find Brenda.
"Take it back, Violet!" Eve demanded again.
"No," Violet smirked and I stood up. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised by what happened next.
"I challenge you, Violet!" Eve announced crossing her staff in front of her.
Hearing snickers from my friends I groaned again. "Shit, Mom is going to kill me."
"Everyone form a circle," Daria announced to the classes. "Princess Eve and Violet will be participating in the official challenge!"
"Thanks."
"No problem, Sam." Daria grinned at me as the little girls formed a circle around Eve and Violet.
Figuring I'd let them fight it out with some supervision, I decided to make sure they understood the rules of the challenge as it pertained to them. "Okay, the first rule of the challenge is the most important one: you are never to hold a challenge unless it is being referred by me or someone that I approve. Understand?"
Two heads nodded and I continued, "The second rule is that when the match is over, it's over. Whomever is declared the winner is just that and another challenge won't be given just because you don't like the results."
"Can we fight now?" Eve asked.
"In a minute." I glared at Daria as she laughed. "The match is over when one of the people fighting is disarmed, is put on the ground, or yields. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Sam," Eve answered frustrated.
"I understand," Violet confirmed.
"Alright, the weapon of choice is staffs. Begin."
The familiar circling began and I waited for Eve to knock Violet on her ass. Hearing the footsteps my heart sank when the arm came around my shoulders. "Who's your money on, little one?"
"Eve of course," I answered looking up into Mama's eyes. "Yours?"
"Trouble." Mama smirked as she watched the match in front of her. "They're a little young for a challenge aren't they?"
"Eve initiated it," I sighed at the eyebrow. "I told her a story," I said in way of explanation. "Anyway Violet told her that Mom isn't her real mom because she doesn't have any of mom in her like the rest of us do."
"Damn," Mama squeezed my shoulders before releasing me. "I was hoping we could avoid that conversation for another ten or twenty years."
"I think you're going to have it today," I shrugged. "She needs to know and she needs to understand that Mom is her mom, no matter how she came to be."
I returned my full attention to Eve and Violet waiting for the match to be over. I didn't have to wait very long when Eve used her staff on one of Violet's kneecaps causing the girl's leg to buckle. Placing her staff at Violet's neck Eve used her most serious voice, "Yield."
"Violet?" I questioned.
"I yield," she finally submitted.
"The winner of the challenge is Eve," I announced to the crowd.
The little girls around me cheered and I shook my head as I noticed Eponin seemingly coming from nowhere up to Addy. "How much did you make?" she asked quietly.
"Five dinars, Mama." Addy gave her a gapped tooth grin. "I did just like you said and made them give their word as an Amazon that they'd pay up if they lost."
"Good girl," Eponin tugged Addy's braid before heading towards Mama and me while Eve ran off to her friends.
"You know you're going to get me in trouble, Ep."
"How's that, Xena?"
"Teaching your kid to bet will teach my kid to bet and my wife will not be happy that her six year old is doing that already."
Shrugging Eponin slapped Mama on the shoulder, "It's the warrior way, got to teach them young."
"Teach them what young, Eponin?" Mom's voice was suddenly too close and I automatically stepped behind Mama.
Stammering Eponin mumbled something about Amazon ways and took off grabbing Addy's as well as Mavis's hands before high tailing it away from the practice area. Mom already was holding onto Eve's hand and from the look on Eve's face I figured that Mom had heard about the challenge and Eve and I needed to find a quick escape route if Mama couldn't make her understand what had happened at the arena that day.
"I want to know what happened here today," Mom glared at Mama and me. "I heard rumors of my six year old daughter issuing a formal challenge to an older child and it being accepted. Not only that but it was encouraged by my fifteen year old daughter. Any truth to these rumors?"
"I kicked Violet's butt," Eve supplied in way of answer while I groaned and ducked behind Mama fully. "And we made five dinars."
Mama groaned this time and held up her hands in surrender, "Talk about Eponin for that one, Gabrielle. Not me."
Mom rolled her eyes, and I took the opportunity to speak after stepping out from behind Mama slightly. "She tried talking first, Mom. You know I wouldn't let her do this without trying to solve it in other ways first. Violet was teasing her and telling her that you aren't her mom. It was the only way to get Violet to stop the taunting and I gave them specific and age appropriate rules for the challenge.
"I know you want us to try talking first, especially Eve, but we are Amazons and you above all people, should understand what that means. Sometimes you have to kick someone's butt in order to have peace if there is no other way for it to be solved."
Mom's stance had softened a little as I was explaining and she finally took a deep breath. Kneeling she looked at Eve seriously, "You are my daughter, Eve. I don't care what Violet told you. I do think that your mama and I need to talk with you about this though. How about we get a picnic and go to your treehouse?"
Smiling broadly, Eve nodded. "Yeah, can we bring some of Yaya's nutbread? She was making it today and it smelled really good."
"Of course we can take some nutbread," Mama replied. "After all I can't have you or your mother not having nutbread when it's available."
Standing up again, Mom walked towards me and put her hands on the side of my face. Pulling it towards her she gave me a kiss on the forehead. "We will talk later, Sammy. I love you."
Smiling gently she turned and took Eve's hand once more not giving me time to respond. "Mama?"
"We'll let Mom know about the picnic. Eat lunch in the dining hall today and keep your eyes and ears open about the twins." Mama then kissed me on the forehead as well. "You did the right thing, little one. We'll talk tonight. I love you."
I watched as Mama then walked towards the dining hall feeling Daria come up next to me I turned into her for a hug. "Who knew being a big sister would be so challenging?"
Giving me a light kiss Daria then smirked at me, "You should have figured it out, Sam. After all, you are all your mothers' daughters."
Punching her on the arm as she continued to smirk at me I then withdrew my sword from the scabbard. "Wanna spar?"
"Bring it on, princess," Daria responded pulling her sword from its scabbard as well. Hearing Rory and Zivah place bets on us made me grin and I knew that Mom didn't stand a chance about stopping the betting. It was just too much of an Amazon thing.
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Xena and Gabrielle were glad they'd supplied Eve's treehouse with three ancient versions of bean bag chairs. The chairs had been Sam's idea and they were glad that their designs had worked out so well. Otherwise they'd be sitting on a hard wooden floor rather than in the chairs.
Eve was currently sitting in Gabrielle's lap, leaning against her mother in contentment. Gabrielle looked down at her daughter and kissed the dark brown head. She looked so much like Xena, and though she acted like her warrior-mother, Gabrielle saw a lot of herself in Eve as well. The way the girl ate for one, her temper, and the way she seemed to just charge into situations without thinking things through. Well, as much as a six year old was capable of thinking things through.
Looking over Eve's head at her wife Gabrielle nodded. "Trouble, your mom and I would like to talk to you before we have our picnic."
"Is this about what Violet said to me?" Eve asked quietly.
"It is." Gabrielle shifted the child on her lap so she and Xena could now see her face. "Do you have any questions for us before we talk about what she said?"
"Are you my real mommy?" Eve's voice was barely a whisper and Gabrielle wouldn't have heard her if the girl hadn't been sitting in her lap.
Putting her hand under Eve's chin, Gabrielle tilted it so she could look directly into those familiar eyes, "You listen to me, Eve. I am your real mommy. I am your mommy the same way that Xena is your mama. Just because you didn't grow in my tummy doesn't mean that you are not my daughter."
"How did I get in Mama's tummy? Did a god put me there?"
"Yes," Gabrielle answered quietly. "Your mama and I were fighting Caesar and we got hurt very badly. When we were healed Eli's god gave us a gift for helping him. That gift was you."
"Did Eli's god take part of you to make me like Artemis did for the twins or like Auntie did for Sam?"
"No he didn't, sweetie." Gabrielle watched as Eve's face fell and hugged the girl tighter in response. "At first your mama and I were very confused because we didn't know how you got in her tummy."
"Were you happy?"
"We were so happy," Xena interjected. "We couldn't wait to meet you, Trouble, no matter how you got into my tummy."
"How do you know Eli's god put me there?"
"When we went to visit Eli, before he died, a messenger of Eli's came to us and told us that she wanted us to be her parents," Xena continued. "After she told us that she disappeared into a ball of light and I felt you kick in my tummy. Your mommy and I knew right then just how special you were."
"You did?" Eve's eyes grew wide at the announcement.
"You bet we did," Gabrielle kissed Eve's temple. "After all not everybody has a child who chose them to be their mommies."
"Yeah," Eve's grin was from ear to ear. "I really picked you?"
"You did," Xena brushed her hand down Eve's cheek. "And we are so glad that you did because we love you very much, Eve."
"So what Violet said isn't true?" Eve moved and threw her arms around Gabrielle. "If I picked you to be my mommies than you have to be my real mommy even if Eli's god forgot to put part of you in me like he was supposed to," looking into her blonde mother's face Eve wrinkled her brow. "Do you think it was his first time making a baby? Maybe that's why he messed up."
Holding in her laugh Xena began to nod as Gabrielle's eyes sparkled, "You know, Evie, I bet that is exactly what happened."
Eve shook her head and then moved to hug her warrior mother. "He should have asked Auntie how to do it right or Artemis. They'd have helped."
"I'm sure they would have," Xena responded as Eve let go of her and moved to the picnic basket.
"I'm hungry can we eat now?" Eve asked in all seriousness.
"Of course, I'm a bit hungry myself," Gabrielle replied as she and Xena linked hands for a few moments before moving their daughter and laying out the food.
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