Chapter 8
"Xena." called a voice softly. "Xena can you hear me?"
Fighting through the darkness in her mind, the warrior answered. "Gabrielle?"
"No, Xena... it's me... Caecilius." Trying to focus on the voice calling to her, it took a moment to realize were she was. Immediately she wished she were somewhere else.
"You've been asleep most of the afternoon." Laughed the boy nervously. "I was starting to think you weren't coming back."
"Can't get rid of me that easily." joked the warrior, trying to ease the pain in her shoulders.
"It will be dark soon. Don't guess anyone will be coming by today." There was no mistaking the pleading tone in his voice.
"No, I suppose not." Xena agreed unable to offer him the reassurance he sought.
Caecilius nodded skyward. "Clouds are moving in. It will probably rain later tonight."
"Good." she replied. 'Fresh water would felt wonderful right now.' Quietly she studied the evening sky, watching large gray clouds roll in from the West. As Apollo's chariot dipped behind the hillcrest, it bathed the approaching clouds in a sea of red. 'Blood red.' thought the warrior wearily.
A chuckle from the young man, drew her thoughts earth bound. 'He's so pale.' she thought, studying him for a moment. "What's so funny?"
"It's the clouds." Caecilius answered. "They just reminded me of something."
"What?"
He eyed her thoughtfully before continuing. "Well, once when I was little we went to Athens for a festival. There was this guy there with a...what did he call it? An alement, no that's not it. Oh yeah, an elephant."
"A what?" Questioned the warrior.
"An elephant. It's like a ....no, it's more like a....well... well actually it's not like anything. It was gray and had four legs, each as big around as a tree trunk. The thing was huge, it stood as tall as two men standing on each other's shoulders. But, what was really odd with it's head. On either side of it's head were two large floppy ears, they started at the top of it's head and hung down almost to it's chin."
Listening to the young man's description, Xena noticed his pain was momentarily forgotten as he spoke. The corners of her mouth turned slightly upward as she listened.
"Instead of a nose it had a...a...well it looked like a snout only it was real long."
"How long." questioned the warrior with a raised eyebrow.
"At least twice as long as your arm."
Xena chuckled. "A snout, twice as long as your arm?"
"Yeah," Protested Caecilius. "The guy called it a trunk. The creature used it to pick up things."
Once more Xena raised an eyebrow at him. "This...elephant used it's nose to pick things up?" There was no mistaking the disbelief in her voice.
Taking a defensive tone, Caecilius answered. "Yes, that's right." Then Xena did something Caecilius had not expected. Tilting her head back the warrior roared with laughter. Recovering from his surprise at the warrior's reaction, Caecilius joined in the laughter. The sound echoed across the meadow.
When she was able to speak again, Xena informed him. "You'll have to tell that one to Gabrielle, she'll love it."
Growing solemn, Caecilius spoke in a soft almost apologetic tone. "She's dead, you know."
Catch off guard, Xena could not find the words to reply.
"So are we." he added. "No help is coming, Xena." Pausing to take a deep breath. "We're going to die here."
"Caecilius you can't..."
"I'm sorry..." he said, cutting her off. His body began to tremble. "about your... friend." Though he fought to control the trembling, the effort was in vain. "I wo...would like to... have met her."
"Caecilius don't give up. We can still get out of this."
The young man laughed weakly. "Oh Xena... if only I had... your faith. You're so strong...I admire that."
"What about your sister? Don't you want to see her again." asked the warrior, grasping for anything to give the young man hope.
For a moment the trembling subsided. "It's going to be hard on her. Not knowing what happened to me. There won't be anyone to tell her."
"Caecilius don't you quit on me!" ordered the warrior angrily. "Do you hear me? Don't you give up!"
"I'm sorry." he whispered as he slipped back into unconsciousness.
+
Darkness crept stealthy over the village as horse and rider approached. Both were bathed in sweat, having been pushed to their limits. Gabrielle slowed Argo to a walk, allowing the mare a chance to cool down. Following several lengths behind was Septimus, his own mount on the verge of collapsing. Gabrielle had wanted to ride the entire distance without stopping. Fortunately, Septimus managed to convince the bard that the horses, as well as the riders needed an occasionally stop for rest and water.
Reluctantly the bard agreed to the breaks. She knew it was reckless to push the horses so hard. But, riding hard and fast took all of her concentration. Every time they slowed down or stopped Zared's mocking voice would ring in her ears. 'If you had gone to look for her after the raid, you might have found her in time.' She shook her head trying to clear it.
Riding into the village, a small army of children ran forward to greet the riders. "Gabrielle is back!" screamed Joia as she charged toward the bard. Small faces smiled up at the petite blond, as the children gathered around Argo. Normally, the sight would have filled the bard with joy, at the moment it only added to her feelings of loneliness.
Amal stepped through the doorway, wiping her hands dry on an apron tired to her waist. "Thank the Gods." she whispered, spying the young woman.
Agathe reached the bard first. "Oh, wee one you are a welcome sight." called the gentle giant as she waited for the smaller woman to dismount. Once on the ground she hugged Gabrielle briefly. Holding the bard at arms length, she frowned. "Child you look like you've been fighting harpies."
Gabrielle smiled at the comment. "Truth is Agathe I feel like I have."
"Gabrielle." Amal called touching the bard's arm. "Welcome back."
Gabrielle turned to greet her. "Thanks."
Amal searched behind her. "Where are the others?"
"They'll be here in the morning."
"Did you find that monster?" Agathe asked.
"Yes," replied Septimus as he dismounted. "But he managed to escape. The soldiers were searching for him when we left."
Dread crept into Amal's voice. "And the child?"
Touching the older woman's hand reassuringly Gabrielle smiled. "She's safe." A sigh of relief passed through the growing crowd.
"Amal," Gabrielle asked. "Where you able to send someone to the cave to search for Xena?"
The look of hope in the bard's eyes nearly broke her heart. "Yes, I did send someone."
Gabrielle's face brightened. "Where is she?"
Amal looked to Agathe for help. Unable to offer any the large woman bowed her head. "Gabrielle, I'm sorry. The cave was searched, but we didn't find her."
For a moment a gambit of emotions passed over Gabrielle's face before it slipped into an emotionless mask. Turning on her heel she mounted Argo in one smooth motion.
Septimus grabbed the reins. "Gabrielle where do you think you're going?"
"To find my friend." She answered determinedly.
Shaking his head in disbelief. "Gabrielle, you and the horse are exhausted, you need to rest. Besides, it's almost dark. Please wait till morning."
"No!" she shouted angrily. "I've waited to long already." Jerking the reins free, she kicked Argo into a trot. Septimus watched helplessly as her disappear into the darkness.
"Xena." called a voice softly. "Xena can you hear me?"
Fighting through the darkness in her mind, the warrior answered. "Gabrielle?"
"No, Xena... it's me... Caecilius." Trying to focus on the voice calling to her, it took a moment to realize were she was. Immediately she wished she were somewhere else.
"You've been asleep most of the afternoon." Laughed the boy nervously. "I was starting to think you weren't coming back."
"Can't get rid of me that easily." joked the warrior, trying to ease the pain in her shoulders.
"It will be dark soon. Don't guess anyone will be coming by today." There was no mistaking the pleading tone in his voice.
"No, I suppose not." Xena agreed unable to offer him the reassurance he sought.
Caecilius nodded skyward. "Clouds are moving in. It will probably rain later tonight."
"Good." she replied. 'Fresh water would felt wonderful right now.' Quietly she studied the evening sky, watching large gray clouds roll in from the West. As Apollo's chariot dipped behind the hillcrest, it bathed the approaching clouds in a sea of red. 'Blood red.' thought the warrior wearily.
A chuckle from the young man, drew her thoughts earth bound. 'He's so pale.' she thought, studying him for a moment. "What's so funny?"
"It's the clouds." Caecilius answered. "They just reminded me of something."
"What?"
He eyed her thoughtfully before continuing. "Well, once when I was little we went to Athens for a festival. There was this guy there with a...what did he call it? An alement, no that's not it. Oh yeah, an elephant."
"A what?" Questioned the warrior.
"An elephant. It's like a ....no, it's more like a....well... well actually it's not like anything. It was gray and had four legs, each as big around as a tree trunk. The thing was huge, it stood as tall as two men standing on each other's shoulders. But, what was really odd with it's head. On either side of it's head were two large floppy ears, they started at the top of it's head and hung down almost to it's chin."
Listening to the young man's description, Xena noticed his pain was momentarily forgotten as he spoke. The corners of her mouth turned slightly upward as she listened.
"Instead of a nose it had a...a...well it looked like a snout only it was real long."
"How long." questioned the warrior with a raised eyebrow.
"At least twice as long as your arm."
Xena chuckled. "A snout, twice as long as your arm?"
"Yeah," Protested Caecilius. "The guy called it a trunk. The creature used it to pick up things."
Once more Xena raised an eyebrow at him. "This...elephant used it's nose to pick things up?" There was no mistaking the disbelief in her voice.
Taking a defensive tone, Caecilius answered. "Yes, that's right." Then Xena did something Caecilius had not expected. Tilting her head back the warrior roared with laughter. Recovering from his surprise at the warrior's reaction, Caecilius joined in the laughter. The sound echoed across the meadow.
When she was able to speak again, Xena informed him. "You'll have to tell that one to Gabrielle, she'll love it."
Growing solemn, Caecilius spoke in a soft almost apologetic tone. "She's dead, you know."
Catch off guard, Xena could not find the words to reply.
"So are we." he added. "No help is coming, Xena." Pausing to take a deep breath. "We're going to die here."
"Caecilius you can't..."
"I'm sorry..." he said, cutting her off. His body began to tremble. "about your... friend." Though he fought to control the trembling, the effort was in vain. "I wo...would like to... have met her."
"Caecilius don't give up. We can still get out of this."
The young man laughed weakly. "Oh Xena... if only I had... your faith. You're so strong...I admire that."
"What about your sister? Don't you want to see her again." asked the warrior, grasping for anything to give the young man hope.
For a moment the trembling subsided. "It's going to be hard on her. Not knowing what happened to me. There won't be anyone to tell her."
"Caecilius don't you quit on me!" ordered the warrior angrily. "Do you hear me? Don't you give up!"
"I'm sorry." he whispered as he slipped back into unconsciousness.
+
Darkness crept stealthy over the village as horse and rider approached. Both were bathed in sweat, having been pushed to their limits. Gabrielle slowed Argo to a walk, allowing the mare a chance to cool down. Following several lengths behind was Septimus, his own mount on the verge of collapsing. Gabrielle had wanted to ride the entire distance without stopping. Fortunately, Septimus managed to convince the bard that the horses, as well as the riders needed an occasionally stop for rest and water.
Reluctantly the bard agreed to the breaks. She knew it was reckless to push the horses so hard. But, riding hard and fast took all of her concentration. Every time they slowed down or stopped Zared's mocking voice would ring in her ears. 'If you had gone to look for her after the raid, you might have found her in time.' She shook her head trying to clear it.
Riding into the village, a small army of children ran forward to greet the riders. "Gabrielle is back!" screamed Joia as she charged toward the bard. Small faces smiled up at the petite blond, as the children gathered around Argo. Normally, the sight would have filled the bard with joy, at the moment it only added to her feelings of loneliness.
Amal stepped through the doorway, wiping her hands dry on an apron tired to her waist. "Thank the Gods." she whispered, spying the young woman.
Agathe reached the bard first. "Oh, wee one you are a welcome sight." called the gentle giant as she waited for the smaller woman to dismount. Once on the ground she hugged Gabrielle briefly. Holding the bard at arms length, she frowned. "Child you look like you've been fighting harpies."
Gabrielle smiled at the comment. "Truth is Agathe I feel like I have."
"Gabrielle." Amal called touching the bard's arm. "Welcome back."
Gabrielle turned to greet her. "Thanks."
Amal searched behind her. "Where are the others?"
"They'll be here in the morning."
"Did you find that monster?" Agathe asked.
"Yes," replied Septimus as he dismounted. "But he managed to escape. The soldiers were searching for him when we left."
Dread crept into Amal's voice. "And the child?"
Touching the older woman's hand reassuringly Gabrielle smiled. "She's safe." A sigh of relief passed through the growing crowd.
"Amal," Gabrielle asked. "Where you able to send someone to the cave to search for Xena?"
The look of hope in the bard's eyes nearly broke her heart. "Yes, I did send someone."
Gabrielle's face brightened. "Where is she?"
Amal looked to Agathe for help. Unable to offer any the large woman bowed her head. "Gabrielle, I'm sorry. The cave was searched, but we didn't find her."
For a moment a gambit of emotions passed over Gabrielle's face before it slipped into an emotionless mask. Turning on her heel she mounted Argo in one smooth motion.
Septimus grabbed the reins. "Gabrielle where do you think you're going?"
"To find my friend." She answered determinedly.
Shaking his head in disbelief. "Gabrielle, you and the horse are exhausted, you need to rest. Besides, it's almost dark. Please wait till morning."
"No!" she shouted angrily. "I've waited to long already." Jerking the reins free, she kicked Argo into a trot. Septimus watched helplessly as her disappear into the darkness.
