Title: A Girl With A Chakram
Summary: Gabrielle's Adventures after Xena.
Rating: PG (for violence)
Disclaimer: I do not own any of Xena, I'm just a lowly fan who likes playing and pretending he does, ^_^.
Author's Notes: Um….yeah, I wrote this a while back and…let's just say the dreaded block is back, so bare with.
Dedication: To Mandy and Chris, you know why, :)
"A Girl With A Chakram"
~Part One~
Dawn arrived and Gabrielle began fluttering her eyes coming back into the world of the living, an actual night of sleep—the Gods must be smiling on her this day. Though she didn't have faith in the Grecian Gods—they were dead, or at least most of them; of the two that weren't one of them deathly needed to.
She grabbed her Sais and flung one of them at the open air as Ares caught it standing before her, "You're getting good Blondie."
"Ares," she said full of contempt.
"Xena taught you well." He looked around, "Where is she anyway?" He stared at Gabrielle's pained face and heard her quietly say, "You didn't hear?"
He chuckled, "What did she like get married?"
She swallowed hard, "No." He gave her a smile as he studied her, she'd changed so much over the years, a true warrior, but he'd never admit that to her. He looked her up and down, stopping at the chakram, "You have her chakram."
Gabrielle slowly unhooked it from her belt and hefted it in her hands, "Yeah."
"Xena wouldn't leave her chakram unless…" Ares stared at her for a long time, "Gabby tell me she's taking a shower in a mirage." Gabrielle placed the chakram on her hilt and started packing her things, "Gabrielle tell me she's scouting, and letting you hold it for fun…tell me, tell me anything, tell me something!" His voices ran in a mad rush and Gabrielle stopped turning to look at him as she pursed her lips, "I'm sorry Ares, she…she's gone."
"No, no, she, she wouldn't die. She's too smart for," he trailed off, but Gabrielle's warn eyes told him she was telling him the truth and a sorrowful expression came upon his face. Gabrielle looked up at him and said, "What are you doing in the land of the Pharaoh's anyway?"
"I wanted to see if you two were ok, you know visit and do my ritual asshole routine." She shook her head, "I'm sorry Ares." She stopped and looked at him, "I mean that." He sneered, "Well whatever, that's just a little too scary for me. Good luck here in the land, it's a battle ground." He started to pop off when he waited and said, "Xena trained you well Gabrielle, trust yourself." As an afterthought he said, "But that still doesn't change the fact I think you're an annoying little blond." He started opposite Gabrielle leaving her alone once again. He never changes, she thought. She knew he was looking for a quick exit, she knew he needed his time to mourn—he loved Xena, oddly enough.
She placed her pack on her horse and mounted on setting for the nearest town.
* * * * *
"Alfanz! Alfanz! Alfanz where are you?" Alfanz stuffed the scroll inside his coat and ran into his hut, "Yes mama, what is it?" Miret shook her head, "Where have you been, I've been calling you all morning."
"Sorry mama, I was…"
"Writing in your scrolls again," she said disappointed. He looked away and nodded, "Sorry mama."
"It's all right, I need you to go to the market and bring us some more blankets and food, we'll be having a guest stay with us."
"Who?"
"An old friend from Greece. Her name is Gabrielle."
"Gabrielle? As in the Battling Bard?"
She nodded and smiled, "Yes, she and Xena saved me and a few slave drivers when I was enslaved in Greece, but that was a long time ago. She's traveling through the Land and she sent word asking if she could stay the next few days. Now go to town, and be careful. The Pharaoh's men might be roaming about, be sure and not to offend any of them. Keep to yourself, and if one of them tells you something, do it—no questions."
Alfanz nodded, "Yes mama, I understand. I will be back soon." He grinned, and became giddy; the magnificent Gabrielle was going to stay with them. She was a legend herself, stories from her scrolls even reached these parts, about her adventures with Xena the warrior princess.
He couldn't wait to meet her.
* * * * *
She's gone…she's really gone.
Ares wandered through the land in a numb state, his eyes threatened tears. That was the worst part of being human, if her remembered correctly, the emotions; the love, the hate, the pain, the sorrow…he knew now that mortals were the bravest in the world, not just warriors because they choose to live life, and that was the hardest thing to do in the world.
He sighed looking around, he'd been walking around for days, alone and it was…boring. He ached for a good fight or two, if Xena were…had it been a while ago, he and Xena would probably have been sparing by now back there with Gabrielle. He loved those fights, she was so raw, so alive—she loved it, he saw it in her eyes. Now, as he looked around by himself, he was lonely, he had no friends. He felt like a fool, who would've imagined it, a God wanting a friend.
He turned back and gazed in the direction of which he came and thought for a long while weighing his options finally concluding that Gabrielle would need some help in some shape way or form. With his mind made up, he ran back to Gabrielle, hoping she'd let him be with her on her journey. That self-righteous part of him felt sick to his stomach, but having been mortal, he knew the need of human contact, and not just in a sex kind of way.
"Gabrielle!" He called out, "Gabby, baby come on wait a minute will you!" He took a deep breath before yelling at her. She turned her horse around and watched him, "What do you want?"
"Need a guide?"
She sighed, "What do you want?"
"You're the chakram holder now, so that means…"
"Ew, Ares…"
"No! I don't mean…God Gabby is that all you ever think about? What I meant was, adventure is going to be coming around you now, it's your destiny, and I've been itching for a little action…"
"No."
"Gabrielle…"
"Ares no."
"Come on, haven't you ever wondered what it'd be like to go on an adventure with the God of war?"
"No."
"Come on, please." Ares gave her a puppy face and she said, "That's just scary you begging." She sighed again and watched him carefully; "You try something funny I'll hurt you." He nodded, "Swear, I will be on my best behavior."
"Oh God," she muttered and said, "Let's go." The two started their journey, Gabrielle riding the horse, and Ares on foot. Quickly he said, "Can I ride up there with you."
"No."
"Please."
"No."
"Gabs come on."
"No."
"Gabrielle," he whined. This is going to be a long journey, she thought.
* * * * *
"That'll be 10 pieces." Ten? Alfanz grabbed his coin purse and handed the man his money, things had sure been on the rise these days, and every thing was becoming more expensive. He hunched the bag over his shoulder and started heading home, "Gabrielle," he muttered to himself in a mystified sort of tone. The crack of a whip brought him back to his senses, and he continued on hoping it wasn't for him. "You! Peasant boy!" It was for him and he took a deep sigh turning to face the callers slowly. "Yes sir?"
"You're coming with us."
"Where?"
"To work in the palace. You're under arrest for stealing those goods." The officer gave him a wicked grin and his goons approached the boy slowly. "B-but I bought these, ask him!" The shop owner cowered away and closed his shop, the townspeople stared helplessly as they began to take him away, "N-no, please! I have to go home!" The chief officer smacked him across the face, causing him to fall and his belongings clanging on the floor the contents going in all directions. "Get up," the disgustingly hideous man called out, sweaty and horribly stout as he grabbed the boy by his arms harshly. The rest of his goons moved in toward the crowd picking those who would be good slaves. A young girl was chosen to go to the palace, the mother ran up to the officer yelling, "No! You can't take her," and he slashed at her killing her in cold blood.
Suddenly a sharp whistle filled the air, as if something were cutting through the air, and the officer's helmet clanged, knocking him down, as the familiar whistle moved to each officer. The chief stared at the flying weapon and his eyes fell on its owner, landing in her hands, a blond woman, with a red midriff and black boots. "You'll pay for that dearly."
Gabrielle moved off her horse and said, "Really?" He nodded as he attacked her. She jumped over him, turning back to kick him sending him sailing to the ground. She gripped her Sais and the man pulled out his sword, once again running to attack her, she avoided the sword, punching the man with the handle ends of the Sais and kicked him in the stomach, which sent him flying into a barrel of water, it burst on impact. The crowd was gone, and it left only Alfanz, Gabrielle, and Ares. "Way to go, Gabby. I didn't have to help you or anything." He looked around, the other guards were gone, and the chief of them was running in the distance. She turned to Alfanz, and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Are you ok?" He nodded, "Yes. But you might be in a lot of danger now, those were the Pharaoh's officers, they'll come looking for you." He looked around, "Oh my things…"
Alfanz started to gather his things, and place them back into the pack. Gabrielle squatted down and helped him. He nodded his head slowly and said, "Thank you miss, you're a wonderful person."
She smiled, "No problem, can you do me a favor?"
"Oh anything," he replied.
"I'm looking for Miret, she lives around these parts can you help me find her?"
"Are you Gabrielle?"
She nodded, "Yes I am."
His smile brightened, "Oh my mother's been expecting you, that's why she sent me to town, to bring more blankets and food for you," he turned to Ares, "and I believe I bought enough for us to also feed your friend." She smiled, "You're Alfanz?" He nodded, "Yes, you've heard about me?"
"You're mother's mentioned you once or twice." He smiled, "It's an honor to meet you Gabrielle." She smiled, "It's nice to meet you too." He blushed and Ares smirked in the background, "Come, we must hurry before the officers come back."
Together, Alfanz's belongings back in his pack, the three headed toward Miret's home.
