Hi there, it took long to wait for this chappie didn't it? My apologies for it, but I'm getting very little time to write.
Faith-therenegade, thank you for you're review, the next chapter took a while but now it's here I hop you'll enjoy it!
Athyna, Hey what's keeping ya with the sequel. Anyway, here's the next chapter of my story, no writers block this time, just to little time to write.
Shastalily, Thnx for the review once again, nice to see how Ares also double crosses the general, enjoy the next chapter.
Diva'sDream, the best chapter yet? Really? Wow thnx, hey hope this chapter is good as well, enjoy it!
Freakinred, Hey there thnx again for you're review. I hope you'll forgive me for the lack of update, but as you already noticed there is little time and lots of other stories, anyway I always like you're reviews they make me lol!
Chapter 7, Zennon.
At day break the two women had continued their journey. Camilla had told Callisto that they should be able to reach a village called Zennon at the end of the day. And Camilla was correct, the two women were standing on a hill, looking down at Zennon. You couldn't really talk about a village though.
"A village huh?" Callisto said sarcastic. "It almost is twice the size of Athens."
"It was a village ten years ago." Camilla replied.
High walls were circling Zennon, protecting the people from any kind of invaders. There were watch towers everywhere, all of them occupied with at least three guards. It was Fascinating to see how Zennon had grown in only ten years.
"Look at the walls protecting the city, I think General Maxim has never been here, well at least not with his army."
"That's good news, we can have a nice evening rest where none of us has to keep guard." Callisto looked at Camilla and saw her glancing behind her. That was the fourth time already, something was obviously troubling her. "Camilla, what's wrong."
"I think someone is following us."
"Really? More mercenaries?" Callisto asked.
"No, I don't think so, but I'm going to find out who it is." She gave her horse a swing to turn around.
"I come with you." Callisto said.
"No, it's alright, you go to Zennon and find a place where we can rest, it won't take long."
Callisto narrowed her eyes "Are you sure?"
Her friend smiled "Yes, see you soon." Then Camilla rode her horse back into the forest.
The feeling that had been lingering inside her was getting stronger, she was definitely right about the fact that they were being followed. However she did not believe that mercenaries were following them. As soon as she thought she was close enough Camilla jumped from her horse and tied it to a tree.
"I'll be right back little one."
She stroked the horse a few times and then walked into the forest, heading east. Inside her head she started thinking who it was that was pursuing her and Callisto. Ares was no option and the General either. A sudden sound distracted her, and it was nearing her fast. It was difficult to hear where the sound came from, it seemed as if it came from all around her, no wait it was coming from…behind her. Camilla turned immediately, in a flash she saw something coming at her, a reflex followed and lighting fast she moved her left hand up and catches the object that was coming right at her.
Her eyebrow moved up when she looked at the round chining object in her hand. She frowned "I have seen this before." Someone was coming from behind her, but she already knew who it was, Camilla smirked and threw the object away as hard as she could. It landed in a tree. The dark haired woman turned around and saw her suspicions were correct. There were three people in front of her, Xena, Gabrielle and Joxer.
"Hello Xena, why am I not surprised to see you here?" Camilla said, she paced forward and folded her arms.
"I don't know, maybe because of our little conversation in the pub?"
"Hmm, you mean Callisto?" she answered sarcastic.
"Yes I mean Callisto."
Camilla took a few paces closer "well you better forget about her, because if you come all this way to kill her you just made you're self a new enemy."
Xena's face was calm and she even showed a thin smile "I didn't follow you because of her, I followed you because I want to warn you-"
"About Ares." Camilla interfered. "Too late, Ares has already shown himself."
"You know his plans?" Gabrielle asked.
"Isn't that obvious, he wants me back."
Gabrielle raised an eyebrow "You knew? But why are you still going after the General then?"
"Have you ever met the bloody Roman Gabrielle?" Camilla asked. Gabrielle replied by shaking her head. "Well I have, too many times to be honest. He killed my son, an innocent ten years old boy. And the worse part about it is that he enjoyed killing him."
"I might have been brutal once, but I didn't do things like that and I'm sure you did neither Xena. I want to end all his evil deeds and give my son a proper burial, if that isn't clear enough for you I don't care, just stay away from me and Callisto." Still a little angry Camilla turned and walked back to her horse.
"Camilla wait."
Frustrated the dark haired woman stopped and turned back round.
"We can help you." Xena said.
Camilla sighed "I don't want you're help and I don't think Callisto would appreciate it either, just go back to your own business and let Callisto and me do ours."
Again Camilla turned to leave and this time Xena let her leave and didn't bother to stop her again.
Xena sighed "Let's go."
Gabrielle followed but Joxer remembered something "I'll get you're chakram" he said to her.
"Xena we can't just leave." Gabrielle said hurrying to her friend.
"I'm not planning to leave, but Camilla is going to Zennon, we can't go there so we go to a village north of the forest."
From behind them the two women could hear Joxer groan and scream. They looked at him and saw he tried to pull out Xena's chakram with all the strength he possesses. No matter what he did he couldn't get it out of the tree. Both Xena and Gabrielle had to laugh at the clumsy show Joxer put up.
"So what are you planning to do now?" Gabrielle asked
"I'm not sure yet, but we can't come this close to Camilla and Callisto again."
Xena walked forward to help Joxer to get the chakram. Both her hands reached for the chakram and in a single movement Xena managed to pull it out of the trees. She looked at Joxer and raised her eyebrow.
"What? I could have gotten it out, I was just testing to see if you could."
Xena ignored Joxer's smart talk and walked back to Argo. "Come superman, we have to reach the village before nightfall."
Gabrielle who already stood beside Xena, smirked and was the first one to start walking, taking Argo with her. Joxer followed the two women closely singing his favourite song.
"Joxer the mighty, rolls through the-"
"Joxer shut up." The tone in Xena's voice made him decide to do so. Because the last time he kept singing he had a blue eye for over a week.
"Halt, there are no weapons allowed in Zennon, only the Zennon soldiers are allowed to carry weapons."
Callisto was just about to enter Zennon, when a tall muscled soldier stopped her by placing his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him and frowned.
"I can get them back when I leave right?"
The soldier smiled "off course." He said.
She sighed and removed her sword from her back. It was handed to the soldier together with the two knifes she carries.
"Thank you, have a nice stay at Zennon."
At least the soldier was polite. Callisto took her horse to the stables and then walked into the large crowd of people. She'd never been here before, most people would probably not know who she is, good. Slowly she paced through the market. People were yelling at her trying to convince her to buy something. She simply ignores them, all she wanted was a hotel with a warm bed and some good wine. On her left she saw a part of Zennon that wasn't as busy as where she was now. She wormed herself trough the crowd to reach it. And then she saw the hotel. Callisto walked inside, in only five minutes she had arranged a room for her and Camilla.
Now she was sitting at the bar, enjoying some nice wine. She will look for Camilla later, right now she really could use a drink. Why did Camilla ask her to go to Zennon already, there must be a reason for this? She probably knew who the person was that was following them and obviously Callisto wasn't allowed to know. A sigh left her mouth and then she took a firm sip from her wine.
"Depressed?"
Her eyes moved up and locked themselves on those of Ares.
"Beat it Ares."
"Where's Camilla?" he asked, completely ignoring Callisto.
"That's none of you're business."
The God laughed and seated himself next to Callisto "Don't you want to know where she is?" he leaned closer to her. "Because I know where she is right now."
Callisto ignored the God and turned her back towards him. Ares shrugged and ordered a drink.
"What if Camilla was with Xena right now, what would you do?"
The blonde woman turned back round and aimed questionable eyes at Ares.
"Please Ares, you can't confuse me you can only make me a happy woman by leaving."
Playfully the God of war threw his arm around her and pulled himself even closer.
"I don't want to leave, I'm having such a good time with you."
Not appreciating this at all, Callisto grabbed his wrist and pulled his arm away from her. She removed herself from her seat and decided to exit the pub. Still Ares refused to leave her alone and followed her outside. Together they mixed themselves into the crowd.
"So, Callisto, how does it feel to be good?"
"I don't feel any different I despise you just the same."
The god had to laugh at Callisto's sarcasm, he stepped aside to prevent himself from colliding with an old man and moved to Callisto's other side.
"Awh, come one, isn't there a single thing you like about me Callisto?"
"No, and I can't imagine there is any other mortal who likes something about the God of war."
Ares shrugged "Well they do visit my temple plenty of times, bring me food, wine. If they don't like me why would they bother to visit me and bring me gifts?"
Callisto stopped walking, she turned to face Ares "because those people fear you, their afraid that if they don't pray to their god and give him gifts their god might turn against them."
She continued walking again. Suddenly someone tapped Ares on his shoulder.
"Excuse me?"
It was a female voice, Ares turned and before he knew he saw a fist coming straight at him. It went too fast for him and he could not stop the fist from landing straight at his eye. He screamed and moved his hand to his eye to temper the pain. With his other eye he looked at the woman who just punched him, it was Camilla.
"Awh, does it hurt?" she said sarcastic, pulling up a wick smile.
"I thought gods couldn't feel pain." Callisto said, rather confused by the pain Ares was in.
"Did you see how hard she hit me, we gods don't feel as much pain as you but we have our limits as well."
The dark haired woman paced forward "Just leave us alone Ares, then I won't have to hurt you again."
The God of war hissed at her and then flashed out. Being a satisfied woman Camilla laughed and turned to Callisto.
"You really hit him hard." Callisto said smiling.
"He just ought to leave us alone."
"Agreed, hey, managed to find someone?"
"It wasn't much, just a few robbers." Camilla lied and Callisto saw it.
"So Ares was right after all." She said as she walked away from Camilla.
"Right about what?" her friend asked curious.
"You were with Xena weren't you?"
Knowing that she could not ignore Callisto's question, Camilla decided to explain everything to her friend. She sighed and started talking.
"Yes, I knew Xena was following us, it all started in Torus. I met her and accidentally told her the wrong things, but nothing about you. She followed me and I noticed this. I just went back to tell her to leave us alone Callisto, believe me I don't like her either."
Finally Callisto looked up, she looked angry "you should have told me." She said.
"I know, but I was afraid that you would leave and go after Xena."
"You were right." Callisto said and hurried her way to the stables. "I am going after her."
Camilla grabbed her arm to stop her "Callisto please, I need you to help me getting Dent back."
Callisto pulled her arm free "I will help you Camilla, after I killed Xena." She continued her way to the stables. Camilla watched her disappear, she wanted to go after Callisto, but she decided not too. It was something Callisto had to do on her own, right now her anger takes control, the anger she has for Xena. She needs to control it and by facing Xena she can learn how to do that. Just to make sure Callisto doesn't kill Xena or Xena doesn't kill Callisto, Camilla decided to follow Callisto on a safe distance so that she might be able to stop the women before someone gets killed.
Wow, Callisto is pissed, will she turn evil again? We'll find out in the next chappie! Please review!