Part 19
Xena packed her things into a bag and she went down the hall with the twins in her arms. She put them in their cradles and she began to pack their things and she packed Eve's, Chloe's, Serenity's, Dawn's, and Solan's things as well. She threw their stuff into the bag with her things and had one of the servants take it out into the hall. She went to Gabrielle who was standing with Joxer, and holding their son.
"Gabrielle . . ." the 17-year-old queen started. "You've been such a tremendous friend . . . I don't know how to thank you." Gabrielle smiled.
"Take me with you." She said. Xena's eyes widened. Joxer looked at his wife.
"Gabrielle . . ." Joxer started. She turned to him.
"I love you, Joxer, so much. I love our little boy. Xena's my best friend, and I want to be there for her. I need her and she needs me. Please understand." She said. Joxer nodded. "I want to go with you two."
"No." Gabrielle said. "I'll come back to see you, I promise. I just need to be there for her." Joxer nodded. Gabrielle kissed him softly and held baby Perdicus. Xena stood there uncomfortably.
"Gabrielle, you don't have to do this." Xena said softly.
"I want to." Gabrielle said as she finished hugging Joxer.
It was an hour later that Xena was saying good-bye to her husband. She kissed him softly and said that she'd be stronger without him. She knew that Solan was to be king, but she was going to keep him with her. He would be king one day, just not yet.
Xena and Gabrielle were each given two horses. Xena put the bag with all of her and all of the kids' things on one horse and she rode the other. Gabrielle did the same and she held little Perdicus on her lap. Xena's horses had a wagon they were hitched to. Xena put Eve, Chloe, Serenity, and Dawn back there. Chloe was instructed to hold Solan, and Eve was instructed to hold her newborn sisters.
Xena and Gabrielle rode off with the children and Ares and Joxer watched on with sadness in their hearts. Ares knew that he'd made a mistake by trying to overpower Xena. He knew that she wouldn't come back to rule. He knew that Xena would raise the children to be normal people, but she'd probably agree to let Solan be king one day.
Xena and Gabrielle rode in silence as the children slept. Every once in a while, they'd look at each other with smiles on their faces. They knew that their lives were about to start now, and they were going to have the rest of their lives to just be themselves.
Xena packed her things into a bag and she went down the hall with the twins in her arms. She put them in their cradles and she began to pack their things and she packed Eve's, Chloe's, Serenity's, Dawn's, and Solan's things as well. She threw their stuff into the bag with her things and had one of the servants take it out into the hall. She went to Gabrielle who was standing with Joxer, and holding their son.
"Gabrielle . . ." the 17-year-old queen started. "You've been such a tremendous friend . . . I don't know how to thank you." Gabrielle smiled.
"Take me with you." She said. Xena's eyes widened. Joxer looked at his wife.
"Gabrielle . . ." Joxer started. She turned to him.
"I love you, Joxer, so much. I love our little boy. Xena's my best friend, and I want to be there for her. I need her and she needs me. Please understand." She said. Joxer nodded. "I want to go with you two."
"No." Gabrielle said. "I'll come back to see you, I promise. I just need to be there for her." Joxer nodded. Gabrielle kissed him softly and held baby Perdicus. Xena stood there uncomfortably.
"Gabrielle, you don't have to do this." Xena said softly.
"I want to." Gabrielle said as she finished hugging Joxer.
It was an hour later that Xena was saying good-bye to her husband. She kissed him softly and said that she'd be stronger without him. She knew that Solan was to be king, but she was going to keep him with her. He would be king one day, just not yet.
Xena and Gabrielle were each given two horses. Xena put the bag with all of her and all of the kids' things on one horse and she rode the other. Gabrielle did the same and she held little Perdicus on her lap. Xena's horses had a wagon they were hitched to. Xena put Eve, Chloe, Serenity, and Dawn back there. Chloe was instructed to hold Solan, and Eve was instructed to hold her newborn sisters.
Xena and Gabrielle rode off with the children and Ares and Joxer watched on with sadness in their hearts. Ares knew that he'd made a mistake by trying to overpower Xena. He knew that she wouldn't come back to rule. He knew that Xena would raise the children to be normal people, but she'd probably agree to let Solan be king one day.
Xena and Gabrielle rode in silence as the children slept. Every once in a while, they'd look at each other with smiles on their faces. They knew that their lives were about to start now, and they were going to have the rest of their lives to just be themselves.