Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters here that you recognize from the hit syndicated TV show Xena: Warrior Princess. I do, however, claim ownership to any original characters appearing in this story.

And Unto Us…

By

Nikki B

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I'm a candle in the wind

My future flickers before my eyes

I'm too restless to be satisfied with silence

So I'll push further through the night

Say you wanna put me out,

And that I'm wrong.

No, I've heard those lies before

'Cause the fire inside just keeps burning

Just won't stand it anymore

You came along

You pulled me up when I was down

The way you made me feel just

Took me by surprise

You took my hand

You stole my heart

You fed the fire

When you moved with me

You gave me back my life

Let the spirit move me

Let the spirit move me

Let your spirit move me

Let your spirit move me

Let the spirit move me

Let the spirit move me

- "Tara's Dance"

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Chapter 1: Flicker

"They've been camped there for three weeks and we've asked them to move over ten times," whispered Reia through her raven-like mask. "It's time to make them move."

The band of Amazons all turned to their leader, Queen Gabrielle, expectantly. The queen sighed and said, "We'll give them one more day. Send a rider into the camp and give them an ultimatum. If that doesn't work…we'll ask Xena."

"We already sent a rider early this morning," said Varia from the rear of the group. "She hasn't returned."

Gabrielle was about to say something when they were interrupted:

"You can come down now, Amazons. My guards have known of your presence for some time now," called a deep voice from below. "As have I. One of your Amazons breathes too loudly to be the whisper of the wind."

"And what shall we be met with, should we come down?" Gabrielle replied. "One hundred mounted troops? Perhaps a band of archers?"

"My name is Dimitrus of Thrace. To whom am I speaking?" said the voice. "And should you decide to come down from your so-called 'safe haven' of the treetops…only I will be here to see you."

Gabrielle looked to one of her Amazons who was perched further forward in the trees and leaning forward, trying to see whom they were speaking to. She was unable to spot him through the thick leaves, however, and shook her head at Gabrielle gravely.

"My name is Gabrielle of Potidea, Queen of the Amazons. Why have you not moved your camp from our grounds?" said the queen. She heard Varia's sword slide from its scabbard.

"Your little messenger came into our camp today asking us to move," announced Dimitrus with a hint of smugness in his voice. Then, his voice lowered an octave and he said, "She was gravely disappointed."

"AAH!" screamed Reia as an arrow flew out of the trees and pinned her arm to the tree trunk.

"They're in the trees!" shouted Varia, jumping closer to Gabrielle.

"Archers!" yelled Gabrielle. The Amazons around her drew their bows and shot in all different directions to try and pinpoint the position of their attackers. Gabrielle was pleased to find that all of their opponents lay in the trees directly ahead of them. Now, they weren't sitting ducks. Gabrielle raised her scepter. "Attack!"

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Xena adjusted her gauntlet and tossed her long raven hair over her shoulder as she reviewed the newly-drawn map of Amazon country. "You've increased our Western border by five kilometers, our Southern by three. Thrace isn't to going to be too happy about this version," she mumbled.

"In all due respect, your Highness," said Trina, her second in command, "we mapped the borders adequately to what the Thracian records say. Surely five kilometers is not something to go to war over."

"Five kilometers is just the excuse Thrace needs to worsen our already bad rapport into war-like tensions. But we cannot yield to them completely," said Xena, more to herself than Trina. "I want you to decrease the Western and Southern borders on this map by two kilometers. That'll be less noticeable by the king."

Trina nodded. "It'll be done, Commander."

"XENA! XENA!" shouted a voice from outside the hut.

Both women's heads snapped back and their swords were drawn as Reia burst into the hut, covered in blood.

"By the gods, woman, what's happened to you?!" asked Trina, running over as Reia fell to the ground with exhaustion.

A trail of blood dribbled from the corner of Reia's mouth. "We were ambushed on the Western border by Prince Dimitrus of Thrace. Varia is badly wounded. Five are dead… and Queen Gabrielle has been captured."

Xena felt a wave of dread wash over her and she jumped into action. "Take Reia to the hospice and send a team of ten to go find Varia and the others. I'll get Gabrielle."

"But Commander Xena, you can't—" began Trina.

"Do as I say!" barked Xena. "I'm pulling rank now, so go!"

Trina shut her mouth, bowed, and shouted the orders to other Amazons in the hut. "You heard the lady! Move it!" Xena put on her war mask and left.

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Faster on the ground than in the trees, Xena ran silently through the thick Amazon forest towards the Western border. Gabrielle had been hearing complaints of the presence of a small army camped there for the past few weeks. Why hadn't she seen this coming?! Xena scolded herself again and again for not sending one of her specially-trained warriors to check it out instead of letting Gabrielle investigate herself.

Movement to her right caught her eye and she came to an abrupt halt.

"Xena, the Warrior Princess."

Xena looked up to see a man clad in expensive leathers and golden armor casually standing on a wide branch, smiling down at her smugly. He had scraggily brown hair that didn't quite hang down to his shoulders, a smoothly shaven face, and dangerous-looking blue eyes. She removed her mask, seeing as that her identity was already known and there was no reason to wear it. "Dimitrus, I presume?"

Dimitrus dropped down to face her. "I have your little soul mate, Queen Gabrielle. Do as I say and no harm will come to either of you."

"You're are a real get-to-the-point kind of guy. I like that," said Xena with a smirk. "But if this is about the Amazon borders you can have them."

"Oh, this is more than that," said Dimitrus seriously. "You little Amazon whores have been living on Thrace's land for hundreds of years…you're like little parasites that just don't know when to stop. I've been paid two hundred thousand dinars for your capture and three hundred thousand for the capture of Queen Gabrielle. Don't you think it's a bit odd that she brings in more of a profit than you? Well, honestly, I couldn't care less."

"So you're a bounty hunter," she mumbled, then drew her sword, but before she could attack, ten men with crossbows aimed at her heart surrounded her.

"Surrender, Xena, or die. Your precious Gabrielle will live in prisons and be flaunted like a prize pig here, amongst the living, leaving you to rot in Hell all by yourself until she comes and joins you!"

Xena glared at him, but threw down her sword. "My Amazons will not stand for this; they will come after you!"

"You're right, they won't stand for this. And that's just what I'm counting on...that way, I can take them all out in one destructive blow." He paused long enough to laugh. "Take her away and lock her with the little blonde," commanded Dimitrus. "But make sure they can't speak or touch each other. Wouldn't want one of your famous escape plans to formulate, now would we?"

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Meanwhile, in a small village in Greece called Menaius…

"That one."

"This one?"

"Yes, that one."

"Okay, you sure?"

"Virgil!"

"Sorry, sorry. Just making sure."

Virgil picked up the apple that his wife had indicated and put it into a bag. "You're the one who refuses to eat apples that you don't choose."

"It's a habit," protested Eve as she went up and down the fruit cart. "I just get scared that I'm going to bite into one that has some big fat worm in it."

"Yes, but you'll eat pickles with tomatoes and cheese," said the man under his breath.

"I heard that!" growled Eve, irritated. "And it's not my fault I get cravings. It's also not my fault that I'm pregnant." She stuck her nose in the air and moved away.

Virgil just shook his head but followed behind like an obedient puppy dog.

"Four dinars," said the cart keeper, Ephraim, grinning to himself. He had lived in the village for thirty years and he had never seen a couple banter and tease each other like he had seen Eve and Virgil do. They were best friends, husband and wife, and (mockingly) arch nemeses at the same time.

Eve handed him the money and smiled. "Thank you." She turned back to Virgil and narrowed her eyes.

"What did I do now?" asked the man, exasperated.

Eve tried to hold her irritated stare, but it lasted no more than two seconds before she broke into a smile and began to laugh. "I don't know." She threw her arms around his neck and placed a not-so-light kiss on his lips.

Virgil smiled through the kiss and stroked her face as she pulled away. "I love your mood swings."

"I don't have mood swings."

Virgil inwardly smacked himself. "Of course you don't, sweetheart. Come on, let's finish shopping and then get home; the midwife said to stay off your feet."

Eve, as if suddenly remembering that she was eight months pregnant, looked down at her huge stomach and placed both hands on her back. "This sucks. I hate sitting around all day."

"Don't worry, just one more month," comforted Virgil, slinging one of her arms across his shoulders and rubbing her back at the same time. "Then you'll be able to see your feet again."

"I'm not looking forward to spending hours and hours in labor, even if it isn't in the middle of battle, thank you very much," said Eve with a groan.

Virgil laughed and kissed her temple comfortingly. "Don't worry. I'll be right there so you can cuss and scream and squeeze my hand as much as you want."

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Callie swung through the trees quickly and silently, watching her prey carefully. They were laughing and plodding along with a cart full of food and things like that in tow. The young girl picked up her speed and moved a few meters ahead of them, resting on a wide branch. Just before her prey moved underneath the branch, she jumped down, shouting, "I GOTCHA!"

Virgil and Eve stopped walking, allowing their eleven-year-old daughter to hit the ground with a loud 'oof.'

"What did I tell you about the trees?" scolded Eve, standing akimbo over her daughter. "You're going to get hurt someday and THEN what am I going to do with you?"

Callie sighed and rolled onto her back. "I'm fine, Mama, see?"

Eve rolled her eyes and  shook her head. "Don't do that again, okay?"

"Yes, Mama."

Virgil laughed and helped Callie up. "If I'm not mistaken, she gets it from YOUR side of the family, Evie."

Eve stopped walked and turn to face him. "S'that so?"

"Of course it is. She's the granddaughter of Xena, Warrior Princess and Gabrielle, Battling Bard of Potidea and Amazon Queen. You'd think she'd have a bit of a wild side, honey," he reasoned, moving towards their home again.

Eve hurried after him. "Well, you know, I'm not the one who told her crazy stories about how her Gammy Xe and Grammy Gabrielle 'valiantly fought off their enemies using the trees as their main weapon and, crying their war cries again and again like madwomen, sliced through the opposing troops like knives through butter!'" mocked Eve, gesturing wildly with an imaginary sword.

"Okay, okay, very funny, Eve," mumbled Virgil. Callie giggled.

Eve hopped after him, panting for air. "Jeez. Remind me not to do that anymore," she said, putting one hand on her back and the other on her chest. "I hate being out of breath all the time."

Virgil furrowed his brow worriedly as she gasped for air. "Hey, are you alright?" Eve abruptly stopped walking and fell to her knees, then began coughing hoarsely. "Eve? Eve!" He let go of the cart full of supplies and knelt next to her. "Callie, go get the healer! And hurry!" he said to his daughter.

Callie, too terrified to do anything else, turned and ran towards the village.

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The village healer, Thadaius, wiped his hands with a wet rag as he exited the master bedroom. He had been tending to Eve for over three hours and Virgil had not moved from his spot on a chair a few feet away from the door. Callie was sitting on the floor next to him, hands neatly folded in her lap, not saying a word.

"Virgil," said Thadaius quietly.

Virgil glanced up blankly. "What happened? Why is she like this?"

Thadaius looked straight Virgil's eyes and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Eve is going to be alright...For the moment."

"What do you mean?"

"Eve has accumulated many injuries over the years and yet they have left not more than two scars upon her fair skin. She is a strong woman, but I fear that even the strongest women can have problems with the simple act of giving life."

Virgil narrowed his eyes. "Speak clearly, Thadaius."

"Pregnancy has taken its toll on her health. This outbreak is a bit strange because she has seemed healthy for the past few months. My guess is that, since she is a skilled warrior, she knows how to disguise pain well and has been experiencing problems for a few weeks, thinking it was nothing out of the ordinary." He sighed. "I fear she won't make it past your child's first cry…but Eve has proven herself in times much more dangerous than this and has already had one beautiful child." He gestured to Callisto. "If given the chance, she will live." The old healer put his hand on Virgil's shoulder. "Good luck to you, son." He glanced outside and saw dark clouds brewing on the horizon. "A storm is coming. I'll leave the necessary items here and if you need me, come and get me."

Virgil nodded. "Thank you, Thadauis."

The old man smiled kindly and left without another word.

As soon as he was gone, Virgil heard sniffling. He looked down to see Callie with her knees curled up against her chest, crying. "Callie, hey, what's wrong, sweetie?" He sat down and pulled her into his lap.

Callie wiped her eyes. "I don't want Mama to die, Daddy! I didn't mean to make her all excited by jumping down from the trees. I'm…I'm sorry."

Virgil's face softened and he kissed his daughter on the forehead. "Callie, it's not your fault. Mama is just tired; she'll get better. I promise…I promise." He hugged her tightly, fighting his own tears. "Everything will be okay."

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Callie had fallen asleep in her father's arms by the time Eve finally awoke and choked out a few incomprehensible words. Virgil gently laid Callie on the couch and rushed to his wife's side. "Eve? Are you alright?"

Eve smiled up at him, her face gleaming with a thin layer of perspiration. "You tell me," she croaked, eyes full of mirth despite her situation.

Virgil sighed. "The doctor says you're gonna be just fine," he lied.

"You're so bad at lying to me, Virg'," teased the woman, her voice nothing more than a whisper. "You raise your eyebrows and make this cute little face every single time."

Virgil managed a crooked smile. "Okay, you want the truth?"

"The truth hurts, but it shall set you free!" she joked. They shared a laugh, but it abruptly stopped as Eve broke into a fit of coughs.

"Eve!" exclaimed Virgil, brushing a few strands of hair from her face. "Gods, Eve…this wasn't supposed to happen."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't think anything was wrong…"

Virgil shook his head. "No, no, it's not your fault!" he assured, taking her hand. "I don't know why this has happened, but I know that if Eli's God wanted it so, then He has a good reason. Okay?" he kissed her lips lightly and began to gently massage her swollen belly.

Eve smiled and closed her eyes, quickly falling asleep from the combination of her pure exhaustion and Virgil's comforting massage.

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Dimitrus was silent as his army marched onto the borders of Greece.

"Commander Dimitrus!" called a voice.

The warlord turned to see his second in command, Chilotus, approaching. He turned back around to face the oncoming road. "What news do you bring?"

"Our spies have located them in a small village called Menaius, not a day's ride to the west of here! May I suggest I take fifty soldiers to take the village and capture them?" asked Chilotus eagerly.

Dimitrus glanced behind him to the prison cart, where he knew that his two precious prisoners were being kept. "Yes. Do that, but do not put them in the same cage as those two. Wouldn't want them banding together."

"Yes sir! I'll get right on it!" He turned his horse around to face the army. "50 cavalry, come with me!"

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Menaius's village watcher, an old man whose real name was known to few but was referred to as 'Ortilis,' exited his hut and made for the village square, his only light coming from the moon and stars. Well over the age of 70, he had a long gray beard and equally long gray hair. He was the one who walked the streets at night making sure no children had wandered from home and no trouble was caused by mischievous teens.

This night, he could tell something was wrong. The air didn't seem right, the earth restless under his feet. He made it to the village square before he learned his beliefs that trouble was coming were correct.

A mile off, he could see a cloud of dust approaching…the dust being thrown up by at least fifty mounted soldiers.

Ortilis turned and ran as fast as his old legs could take him to the Town Hall, where he proceeded to awaken the entire town as he rang the alarm bell and lit a signal flame at the very top of the building.

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"So…we've been spotted already," mumbled Chilotus. "Guess you can't have everything you want… YAH!!!" He urged his force to go faster.

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Virgil bolted upright in bed as he heard the faint ringing of the town alarm bell. Running over to the window and throwing aside the shutters, he saw the Town Hall signal tower aflame. An attack was coming.

"Virg'?" mumbled Eve, rolling onto her side in bed.

The man turned to her as she peered at him through the dim light. "Eve, something is happening in the village. I've got to get down there."

Eve tried to sit up, but couldn't. "I'm coming with you."

"No, you're not!" insisted Virgil, gently but firmly pushing her back down. "Eve, you're sick! Stay here; everything will be fine."

Eve groaned. "Virgil, please…"

"No." With that, he grabbed his scabbard and militia armor and left.

He wasn't aware, however, of the small figure that followed him from the house into the darkness.

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Chilotus struck down the first village militiaman he met, slicing the man's throat with practiced ease. "Find the Messenger and the poet! Find them!" he shouted to his troops as they galloped forward. "I want them delivered to me in five minutes! No delay!" He ran towards what he assumed to be the Town Hall to find the little snitch who had warned the village of their arrival.

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Virgil locked swords with a nearby soldier and then brought his foot up to the man's crotch. He fell to the ground in a crumpled heap and the poet looked around, trying to find the leader of the attack. It was easy to find the leader: a tall man clad in gold armor with a snow-white horse slowly trotting towards the Town Hall.

"Can't run away from me," Virgil mumbled, following him.

As soon as he was gone, Callie emerged from the bushes to watch him go.

"Hey! Little girl!" barked a soldier, running at her. "Come here!"

Callie, without telling herself to do so, ululated like she had heard her Gammy Xe do so many times and jumped like a cat into the trees behind her, out of reach of the soldier, who soon gave up and went back to the Village Square.

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Virgil had almost reached the steps of the Town Hall when seven soldiers cut him off, swords flashing menacingly. Without bothering to address them, Virgil disarmed one and knocked another unconscious with a swift kick to the stomach. The remaining five attacked all at once. One locked swords with the poet and, with one strong shove, disarmed him. Two more came up from behind and clubbed him across the head with the hilt of their swords.

The last thing he remembered seeing before hitting the ground was a soldier setting the market aflame…

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Chilotus entered the Town Hall and looked around the sparsely decorated building that could've passed for an abandoned barn if he didn't know any better. "Anyone home?"

Two old men emerged from the shadows. "Who are you? What do you want with Menaius?" asked one of them; the shorter one.

"Are you the mayor?" asked Chilotus, ignoring his questions.

"Yes. My name is Diloneus," responded the short old man. "Please, sir, we are a peaceful people…please, call off your attack. We will give you whatever you want!"

Chilotus's dark eyes flashed. "I want the Messenger and her husband, the poet Virgil. If you give them to me, I will call off this attack and award you most generously."

Diloneus shook his head. "Surely, Sir, we can make some kind of arrangement! Those two mean so much to this town and its people…"

"I don't want to hear it," growled Chilotus, drawing a dagger. "Time to go." With a flick of his wrist, the dagger landed in Diloneus' chest. He then turned to the second old man, who was much taller and more built. "And who might you be?"

"I'm Ortilis, the town watcher! You shall be hanged for this!" shouted the old man in reply, drawing a rusted sword.

"So you're the one who gave away the surprise party," mumbled Chilotus. Ortilis charged and the younger man ducked, hit Ortilis in the stomach, then knocked him unconscious with a blow to the head. "Sweet dreams." A few soldiers entered behind him and he called, "Throw him with the Messenger and poet."

"We've captured the poet!" said one of the soldiers. Two men came in behind him, dragging an unconscious Virgil. "He was going to attack you, but we took care of him."

Chilotus smiled. "Good work. Now, go get the Messenger and bring her to Dimitrus!"

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Eve, her head swirling with images and sound, was only vaguely aware of the ten armed men that broke down the door to her room and surrounded the bed. She could only make out blurry shapes that lifted her from the bed and dragged her outside to lay her suspiciously gently inside a cart…and she was unconscious by the time her out-cold husband was dumped next to her.

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From the safety of the trees, Callie watched, mortified, as her parents were carted away like sacks of potatoes and she was torn. One part of her wanted to jump down and tell those men that they couldn't just take her parents like that! The other part…the larger part of her…knew that the best thing to do was sit, wait, and hope. She didn't know why she felt this way…it reminded her of the stories her Grammy Gabrielle had told her about her Gammy Xe and how they would sneak through the trees with the Amazons.

So she watched and waited…watched and waited as the army left behind a broken village. When they were finally out of sight, Callie jumped down and whistled. From the trees emerged the bay colt her grandmothers had given her for her birthday, whom Callie had dubbed 'Ulysses.'

"Come on," she said, jumping on his back. "We've got to get Mama and Daddy back from those soldiers. Yah! Yah!"

Ulysses whinnied and took off at a run, heading in the same direction the soldiers had gone.

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The next thing Virgil was aware of, he was being thrown from one side of a dark enclosure to another. He bolted upright, narrowing avoiding hitting his head on the metal bars above him, and looked around. It wasn't hard to figure out that he as in a wagon. There were metal grids on all sides. "Eve?" he whispered. Soon, he heard a weak moan from somewhere in the darkness and headed towards it. "Oh gods…Eve, Eve, honey."

Eve was lying on her side on a pile of hay. One foot was bent at an odd angle, and combined with the pressure from her pregnancy, her twisted ankle had swollen to the size of a melon. "Virgil…Virgil, where are you?" she whispered, her voice thick with pain.

"Right here," he said, sitting down beside her. The wagon hit another bump and they were jostled a bit, but quickly recovered. Virgil pulled her head into his lap. "Go back to sleep. Just go back to sleep."

Eve looked up at him, eyes misty. "So I guess it's my turn to tell *you* that everything will be alright?"

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Gabrielle and Xena stood proud and tall, even in their heavy manacles, as the gate to their jail cell was opened. They had arrived in a town Dimitrus called 'Ramesos' a few hours ago. From their prison cart, they had seen the army make a beeline through a small section of Amazon country, past Rome's capital, and out into what was probably the one place Xena and Gabrielle had never been before.

Dimitrus entered their cell. "Good day, ladies! Are you enjoying Ramesos's most generous accommodations?" He kicked away a rat.

"What is this place?" growled Xena, her face hard as stone.

"Ramesos is a bounty hunter's heaven. A market for people with prices hanging over their heads…and I must say, I was disappointed at how easy it was to capture the both of you. All the scrolls read that you two put up a great fight," said the bounty hunter with a smug grin.

"We have not yet begun to fight," said Gabrielle. "And, in the end, we will prevail."

"Oh yes, yes, yes…good over bad, nice over evil…we've all heard it before in your great, exaggerated tales of how brave Xena is!" he stepped closer to them. "Well let me tell you this: I will not be defeated by any means…whether they be good, evil, a godsend, or Lucifer's handiwork!" With that, he exited and closed the cell door. "Oh, and…by the way: your daughter and son-in-law will be arriving soon, Xena. Since I'm in a good mood, I'll give you three hours to spend with them."

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Meanwhile…

Callie pulled Ulysses to a slow halt as she came to a marker in the road: a skull placed on a stick with feathers coming out of the top. She remembered something like this being mentioned in her grandmothers' stories…

~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ (flashback)

"And then Xena told me to hold my hands high above my head as if I were reaching for the stars and moon in the sky. It seemed to me as if she had gone mad, for she put upon the ground her mighty sword and seemed resigned to a fate as of then unknown to me. My curiosity grew…but I did not suffer long nor needlessly. Soon, out of the trees came masked warriors as tall as Xena and as strong as Goliath! They removed their masks and suspiciously asked, in voices of fine silk and soft lather, what business we had in the land. My naïve young mind was unaware of what was truly going on until I heard one fateful name…a name that changed my life forever: the Amazons."

~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ (end flashback)

Callie dismounted Ulysses, who neighed softly, and led him through the woods, keeping an eye out.

"Such a small child, yet so strong and independent."

Callie stopped walking and looked around. That voice had not come from the forest…it had been inside her mind.

"Who are you?" asked the girl out loud.

"Speak not to the trees for they have ears of their own…they are always listening. And it would be unwise to advise the trees of your plans."

Callie frowned. "Who are you?" she thought, keeping her mouth tightly shut.

"Go forth and show me your face. Then I shall show you mine and tell you what you ask of me."

"I've lost my parents."

There was a long pause, and then the voice said, "Yet you do not ask for help? How very interesting…you are what the prophets say."

"What? The prophets?" Callie asked, this time out loud. She then realized the warning that she had received from the mysterious voice about the trees.

At least twenty masked figures fell from the trees around her, armed with anything from swords to pikes. She immediately recognized them as Amazons, for they were what her grandmothers had explained in their stories.

"Not even the bravest warriors enter Amazon lands during the night," said one of them, obviously the first to realize that Callie was just a child. "Why do you come here?"

Callie set her jaw as she had seen her grandmother and mother do so many times when standing up for themselves. "I have come here to seek shelter. My parents have been captured and I am not sure of what to do now."

The Amazon who had spoken before removed her mask to reveal a scarred but nonetheless beautiful face. She was no older than 25, with long ash-blonde hair pulled back into a clip, and big, round brown eyes that reflected the moon and stars above. "And yet you do not ask for what you need?"

Callie frowned. That was what the mysterious voice had said… "My grandmother says that to ask is to show your incapability to fend for yourself and that, only in times of great peril to your loved ones or in times of relaxation and peace, should you ask for forgiveness, health, or favors."

"And who might this grandmother be?" asked another Amazon.

"Xena, Warrior Princess of Amphipolis and Commander of an Amazon army!" said Callie, standing straight and tall. "Though I do not know which tribe she commands."

"There is but one tribe, for Queen Gabrielle was able to bring them all together," said the blonde Amazon, her eyes widening even more. "You are the granddaughter of our queen… and heir to the throne." They all bowed down on their faces to her.

"What? What is this?" asked Callie, exasperated. "Get up! I'm no 'heir!'"

"You are Callisto, are you not?"

"I'm Callisto."

"Then you are the heir to the throne. Please, come with us back to the village; your needs and questions will be seen to there."

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More to come veeeeery soon….