Chapter Twenty-two

The five of them rushed over to Buffy. Only Dawn hung back, afraid.

"Is – is she . . . ?"

Giles knelt down and felt Buffy's neck for her carotid artery.

"She's alive, I can feel a pulse. It's very weak, but it's there."

"Would you look at her?" Xander said. "That must have one hell of a fight. You think Xena was some kind of rogue Slayer?"

"We need to get her to a hospital," Dawn insisted.

"Dawn, you know we can't do that. Not only would there be questions we can't answer, but when Buffy's wounds begin to heal themselves as quickly as they do -- you see what I mean?"

"Epson salts," Tara said.

"What?"

"She needs to soak in Epson salts and warm water, you know, to help with the healing."

"Do we have any?" Willow asked.

"Upstairs, under the bathroom sink."

Giles gently picked up Buffy, and as he carried her up the stairs, Dawn ran ahead to start running warm water into the bath tub. He laid her down in the tub, then waited outside as Dawn and Willow undressed her and brought her dirty, wet clothes out to him.

"And I suppose you're going to say those are priceless, also?" Anya asked.

"Well, they are in remarkably good shape to be 2000 years old," Giles answered. "These are probably the most detailed examples we have, and are certainly in the best condition, of any clothing from that era. So, yes, I would say they're worth quite a lot. And do not say Ebay."

Anya shrugged her shoulders, not particularly impressed.

……………………….-

"We need to get her cleaned up," Gabrielle said to Ephiny. "We need warm water and some rags. And I could use some help getting her into bed."

"Right away, My Queen," Ephiny answered and began issuing orders to have water heated, and had a litter brought to carry Xena to her hut.

"That's not necessary," Gabrielle told her. "The visitor's hut will be all right."

"With respect to your wishes, My Queen, I believe she would be more comfortable in the queen's hut."

Gabrielle allowed them to carry Xena as she followed behind. As she did she was puzzled at the actions of her sister Amazons. As she passed, they would go to one knee, heads bowed. Those she spoke to trembled and hurried to do her bidding.

Once Xena was washed and covered with a clean blanket, and Gabrielle was satisfied she was resting comfortably, she left the hut to join the others for the midday meal. As she approached them, they all knelt and bowed to her.

"Okay, I think we've had enough of this bowing and scraping. I don't know what's going on, but it's beginning to get a bit tiresome. Will you all get up off the ground and finish your meals?"

Slowly they rose to comply but no one dared took her in the face.

"Ephiny!" Gabrielle yelled out.

Immediately Ephiny was in attendance, bowing at the waist.

"You require something, My Queen?"

"Will you stop that?"

"My apologies, My Queen. I didn't mean to offend you."

"Ephiny, will you PLEASE tell me what's going on? Why is everyone treating me like this? Why all the bowing, and what's with the 'My Queen'? My name is Gabrielle. Or did you forget in all the excitement?"

"You really don't know?"

"If I did, I wouldn't have to ask."

"My Queen, do know how many of us have EVER seen even ONE of the gods?"

"Uh, no."

"None of us! Never in any of our lives have we seen one. Even the great goddess, Artemis, whom we worship, has never graced us with her presence. But not only did you call out for the war god Ares, but he appeared at your command! And when you instructed him to heal your friend, he forced yet another god to obey your wishes! Do you not see why we are in awe of you? What powers you must posses that even the gods obey you!"

Gabrielle could only stare at Ephiny. It had never occurred to her that by using Ares' love for Xena to save her life, she had given the appearance of having the dominion over the gods.

Suddenly she burst out laughing as she realized the absurdity of it. And as if given a cue, the others began laughing with her, although they had no idea of why they were doing so. But if the mighty Queen Gabrielle was laughing, then there MUST be something to laugh about.

………………..-

"How much longer do you think she's going to sleep?"

Willow looked up at Dawn from the dishes she was washing.

"I don't know. It's only been a day or so . . . ."

"Twenty-six hours," Dawn interrupted. "She's been sleeping for twenty-six hours. Shouldn't she be awake by now? Her cuts have all just about healed up."

"I'm sure it won't be much longer."

"Have you and Tara figured out how she got back?"

"No. We have no idea how it happened. Anya said she contacted Halfrek, and she said it wasn't her, or D'Hoffryn."

"I wonder if she killed Xena. As bad as Buffy looked, I know Xena had to have looked worse."

"Well, if she did, then maybe it's in one of the scrolls we haven't read yet."

"I wonder what she'll say when she wakes up and sees she's home."

"Probably that I'm starving to death!"

"Buffy!" Willow and Dawn said together.

"You shouldn't be up!"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm weak, and a little unsteady, but I sure am hungry."

They went to help Buffy to one of the stools. Neither mentioned how pale and how sickly she looked.

"What would you like?"

"It doesn't matter, just something quick, and filling."

"How 'bout pancakes?"

"That sounds good. And bacon, and sausage, and a couple of fried eggs. A glass of milk wouldn't hurt."

Dawn poured the milk while Willow started frying bacon and mixing up the pancake batter.

"I guess you're wondering how you got home, huh?" Dawn asked.

"Well, I assume you found a spell – or something."

"Nope. You just reappeared where you were when you left."

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