POST AFIN 2

Chapter 2

Her long nights of sleeping under the stars was about to come to an end as Gabrielle set up camp just outside the boundaries of Amazon lands. She wanted one more night of solitude as she tried to find some peace of mind under the canopy of darkness. As she had journeyed home, she realized that she needed to go back to the one familiar thing left in her life amidst the pain and loneliness that had been her only companions as of late. At first she had craved the pain that had filled the void left by her soul mate. The pain was better than the numbness that took over forcing her to seek solitude in the first place. But even the self-imposed isolation she had at one time enjoyed left her haunted by images of what could have or better yet, should have been.

At first light, she found herself standing in the forest with her eyes closed as she listened intently to the soft rustle of the tree tops above her knowing her sisters were nearby, waiting. She didn't need to announce her arrival, it was news that she had no doubt had already reached the village. Movement to her left had Gabrielle tilting her head, her eyes still closed as she listened intently trying to identify who was approaching her. Her lips twitched into a small smile when she recognized the soft voice calling out to her, tentative and filled with uncertainty.

"Gabrielle? Is that you?" Varia approached quietly, afraid that any sudden movement might scatter the ghostly image of the Amazon Queen that appeared before her. She hadn't seen Gabrielle since she had come to tell them about Xena's death almost three years ago.

"Yes Varia…" Gabrielle took a deep breath before exhaling slowly and opening her eyes. "I'm home…" She turned to regard the young woman who had been given reign over her beloved Amazons when she left in search of, what, she didn't know anymore. Varia looked the same, strong and capable but perhaps older and wiser.

Varia stopped just short of touching Gabrielle taking in the thin frame of the older woman she had come to love as a sister. She could still see the mournful look in the dull green eyes that had once shined bright with life and love causing her to let out a shaky breath. Closing the distance between them, Varia reached out to envelope Gabrielle in a hug. The move had several Amazon's dropping from the trees around them.

"Is it really you Gabrielle?" A tall, red headed woman peered around Varia's shoulder.

"Yes…" Gabrielle held her arms out to pull the young Amazon against her and Varia. It didn't take long for the others present to join in the embrace reveling in the presence of their once beloved Queen.

"You're too skinny Gabrielle…" Varia gave a gentle squeeze to Gabrielle's shoulders when their hug ended. "Ainia go on ahead and have Camilla prepare a feast to welcome our Queen home…" She looked over her shoulder at the tall red head.

"I'm on it…" Ainia called out as she took off in the direction of the village.

"Please…don't make a fuss over me." Gabrielle tried to smile, the light that had once filled those green eyes was all but gone.

"I'm not making a fuss…I just want to make sure I don't kill you when we get a chance to spar." Varia tried to joke.

"It's been a while." Gabrielle reached down and ran her finger along the edge of the chakram that was hanging from her hip. It was a constant reminder of Xena, one that Gabrielle had thought about getting rid of many times, but in the end, she just couldn't let it go.

"I'll give you a chance to rest up and…" Varia gave Gabrielle's side a playful pinch. "Fatten up…"

"Yeah, well…we'll see." Gabrielle gave a noncommittal shrug of her shoulders.

"Come on…everyone is going to be so happy to see you. And we have a few new faces…" Varia reached out to wrap an arm around Gabrielle's shoulder to pull her along. "In fact, there's someone I'd really like for you to meet…she's…um…a bit of a handful…maybe you can help out with this one…"

"What? Don't tell me you've lost your skills of persuasion…" Gabrielle allowed herself to be pulled along.

"Me…?" Varia rolled her eyes. "Never…it's just…" She hesitated before continuing. "You'll just have to see…"

"Well, lead the way my friend."

"By the Gods Gabrielle it's so good to see you…" Varia sighed as she pulled Gabrielle closer. "Do you think that maybe you'll stay a while?"

"Maybe…" Gabrielle couldn't stop herself from stiffening slightly from the first physical contact that hadn't required her to defend herself in a very long time. She tried to relax, willing herself to accept the subtle comfort being offered by Varia. With a small smile, she decided to give herself over to the moment as her Amazon's led her towards the village with an infectious excitement she couldn't deny.

"Has Eve arrived yet?" Gabrielle asked Varia as they stepped into the boundary of the Amazon village. The minute her feet touched Amazon soil, she felt a peacefulness settle over her, a peacefulness she hadn't felt in a long time.

"Um…no…we've had no word that she is coming…" Varia touched Gabrielle on the shoulder to stop their progression. "Is there something I should know?"

"Well…apparently she is on her way and Aphrodite sent me to intervene…" Gabrielle hesitated, not sure how much she should reveal.

"Don't tell me…" Varia frowned. "This has something to do with Ares…"

"Yes…I believe it does but Aphrodite and Artemis aren't being up front with me." Gabrielle lightly shrugged Varia's hand from her shoulder. She still wasn't comfortable with being touched since her self-imposed exile. The move did not go unnoticed by Varia who only gave her a sad, but understanding smile.

"Okay…how about we have something to eat and get you settled before we meet again…" Varia sighed.

"Okay…but please don't put me in my usual quarters…" Gabrielle looked away from Varia's searching eyes. "There's just too many memories there…" She explained.

"I understand…" Varia grimaced under the weight of sadness that suddenly radiated from Gabrielle. "I'll have Ainia make the arrangements."

"Thank you Varia…" Gabrielle finally said when she looked back at the young woman who was now Queen.

With a quick nod, Varia acknowledged the thank you. She watched as Gabrielle's eyes swept over the village taking in the changes and the apparent expansion that had taken place while she was gone.

"It looks different, but the same." Gabrielle let out a heavy breath.

"Well, we've taken in some of the Northern Amazons..." Varia paused when Gabrielle raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "They had an epidemic that almost wiped them out. We have absorbed about thirty-six that were out on a hunting expedition when the outbreak took place."

"Really…?" Gabrielle tilted her head to regard Varia. "Cyane?"

Varia shook her head sadly as she answered the unspoken question that Gabrielle hadn't asked outright. "But her sister Breleia is with us…"

"Wouldn't that make her Queen in Cyane's place?" Gabrielle questioned.

"No…Cyane had another sister who has taken over. Leia…" Varia started to say but stopped when Gabrielle gave her a confused look. "Um…Breleia goes by Leia…and" Varia hesitated again. "Look Gabrielle, we've got a lot to go over. How 'bout we save it for later. I'm sure you're tired and hungry." Varia looked away, unable to meet Gabrielle's questioning gaze at her sudden dismissal.

"Yes…I suppose you're right. Is Camilla still running the mess hall?" Gabrielle felt the slight stirrings of excitement to see her old friend again. She shivered at the unfamiliar feeling of anticipation she was now feeling.

"She is…why don't you go visit while I make sure everything is ready for you. We can talk more later..." Varia said as she started to walk away, leaving Gabrielle slightly stunned by her sudden departure.

"Okay…" Gabrielle said under her breath as she turned toward the mess hall. She couldn't stop herself from smiling at the familiar sight of one of her favorite buildings. As she made her way across the compound she felt the gaze of many eyes upon her. She knew that some were watching her with curiosity, some with affection, and maybe one or two with disinterest but something had her stopping just short of the mess hall entrance. The overwhelming feeling that she was being watched with a mixture of animosity and uncertainty caused her to look around in confusion. She had never had the feeling of animosity in her village, disinterest maybe, but never the hostility that seemed to reach out to her, seeking to find her. Standing straight and tall, she held up her head in a regal way, almost daring whoever had the nerve to regard her with such hostility. But with that hostility came something so familiar it almost took her breath away.

"By the Gods…it is you!" Camilla threw her arms wide open for Gabrielle. "It's about time you returned…"

"It's good to see you Cami." Gabrielle allowed herself to be pulled into a hug by the woman she had come to regard as a mother figure during her visits to the Amazons. Their friendship began long before Xena and Gabrielle had been sealed away in a frozen crypt some twenty-five years earlier but unlike Gabrielle, Camilla had aged and was now essentially twenty-five years her senior. It had been Camilla that had helped Gabrielle get through those first few weeks after Xena's death. Her dark brown eyes always saw deep into Gabrielle's heart, seeing more than most. The dirty blonde locks that were pulled back into a tight braid were longer than Gabrielle had remembered but it seemed that almost everything was different than she had remembered. In her heart she knew why she had been drawn to Camilla from the beginning…it was because she reminded Gabrielle of Lila her sister. "It's good to be home."

Camilla pulled back to give Gabrielle a good once over and frowned as she shook her head. "You've gotten too skinny. You must not be taking care of yourself." She gave Gabrielle's shoulders a gentle squeeze as her soft brown eyes carefully studied the figure in front of her. "She wouldn't approve of this Gabrielle."

With a heavy sigh, Gabrielle brought her fingers up to pinch the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes as she tried to stifle her frustration. "So I've heard…" She blew out a long breath before opening her eyes again to find that Camilla was still regarding her with concern.

"Well…it's true." Camilla huffed as she pulled Gabrielle back into a bone crunching hug. "I've really missed you. You're going to be staying awhile I hope?"

"As long as I need to." Gabrielle looked away in an attempt to hide the uncertainty she was feeling. "Eve is coming."

"Oh…" Camilla pushed Gabrielle back so she could look at her again to gage her reaction to the idea of seeing Eve again. She knew how much it hurt Gabrielle to be in Eve's presence having had that discussion before Gabrielle had disappeared. "Are you okay with that?"

"Surprisingly, yes. It's been too long since I've seen her. I shouldn't have left her alone. She's all I have left of Xena…" Gabrielle cleared her throat around the lump that had formed.

"You're right…and you are all she has left as well." Camilla smiled reassuringly. "It will be okay Gabrielle…"

"I know." Gabrielle nodded. Tilting her head, she took a deep breath, breathing in the fragrance of sweet breads and smiled. "Smells good…you've made my favorite."

"Well, we couldn't very well have a visit from our Queen and not serve her favorite sweet breads now could we." Camilla grinned.

"I'm not the Queen anymore Cami…you know that." Gabrielle frowned.

"You will always be my Queen Gabrielle…no matter what." Camilla gave Gabrielle's cheek a gentle pat. "Now why don't you go get settled while I finish this amazing feast."

"Okay…I'll see you in a little while." Gabrielle gave Camilla a shy smile. It had always amazed her that anyone thought she could be a leader let alone a Queen, but Camilla's comment warmed her heart. The idea that people still regarded her as such just reinforced what Aphrodite had told her, she was still needed here. She grinned over her shoulder as Camilla shooed her from the mess hall.

When she stepped outside, the sun had already made its move across the sky to indicate that it was late afternoon and Gabrielle realized that things would begin to pick up as hunting parties, sentries, and those in training would soon be descending upon the quiet that now surrounded her.

She looked around in hopes of finding someone to lead her to her quarters so she could rest up for what she had not doubt would be a late night of celebrating. A flash of red caught her eye as she turned to her left seeking a familiar face and she smiled when she recognized Ainia.

"Gabrielle, I've got your room ready if you want to follow me." Ainia grinned at the woman she had come to know as a living legend.

Taking a deep breath, Gabrielle let out a heavy sigh as the feeling of being watched came over her again and with it the same sense of hostility she felt earlier. Something shifted in the air causing her to look over her shoulder but she couldn't see anything, at least not with her eyes. She could however detect a slight distortion that indicated they weren't alone, but whoever it was wasn't ready to make their presence known yet. The idea that it was anyone other than Aphrodite or Artemis didn't cross her mind.

"I hope you like it okay…" Ainia opened the door to reveal a small but well-appointed room. "It's not too small is it? Varia said you didn't want your usual room…"

"No, this is just fine. I didn't see a point in anything bigger…since it's just me now." Gabrielle tried to smile at Ainia but the fact that it didn't quite reach her eyes didn't go unnoticed.

"Well, I'll, um…let you get settled." The red head gave a slight bow as she backed away from Gabrielle. Even though Gabrielle was not their current Queen, she couldn't help but show her the respect she felt Gabrielle deserved. "If you need anything…just let me know."

"I appreciate it…" Gabrielle watched as Ainia gave just the hint of a bow as she left.

With another heavy sigh, Gabrielle tossed her satchel on to the bed before dropping down to sit next to it. She was suddenly exhausted by the day's events and pondered whether she had time for a nap, but decided against it if she wanted to get any sleep later that night. It wouldn't be long before someone would come to her door to take her to the banquet she was sure was in the works even though she had asked them not to make a fuss. "Any excuse to have a party…" A small smile tugged at her lips as she recalled the many parties her and Xena had hosted over the years in the Amazon village. A light, painful jolt stabbed at her heart at the memories of her and Xena enjoying the camaraderie of her Amazon sisters on many occasions, filled with food, good company, and as always good drinks.

It didn't take long for the weapons master and Varia's partner to find Gabrielle as a small knock on her door indicated she wasn't to be alone any time soon. When Gabrielle opened the door, she was greeted by a blonde with the darkest brown eyes that soften to the color of suede when she tilted her head up catching the late afternoon rays of sunlight as she regarded Gabrielle.

"Elle…it's good to see you." Gabrielle stepped away from her door to allow Brielle to enter. They were about the same height and build but Brielle had a more muscular frame than Gabrielle who had let herself go over the past few years.

"Varia said you'd arrived…and she also said you'd lost weight." Brielle wrapped her arms around Gabrielle's thin frame and squeezed gently. "Looks like a stiff breeze could knock you over if you ask me…" She pulled away, placing her hands on Gabrielle's shoulders. "How are you…really?"

A shrug of the shoulders was the only response Gabrielle could muster at the moment as she tried to pull away from Brielle's touch. She had already had more human contact in the past few hours than she had had in the last three years and it was taking its toll on her.

"Don't think I didn't notice how quickly you pulled away Gabrielle…" Brielle sighed as she reached out to brush blonde bangs from Gabrielle's forehead. "You still miss her…?" It was a statement even though it was phrased as a question.

"Almost every second of every day…" Gabrielle tried to smile but it was a weak effort at best.

Brielle nodded her understanding as she moved further into Gabrielle's room. "I won't pretend to understand…if something happened to Varia…" Her voice trailed off as she turned her head away from Gabrielle's sad expression. It was a reality she faced everyday having a Queen for her partner.

"You look good Elle…still in charge of weapons training?" Gabrielle asked in an attempt to lighten the conversation.

"I am…got a lot of work to do with these young ones coming up. I could use some help if you're up for it." Brielle challenged. She had already talked to Varia and knew that Gabrielle needed to get back to work and back into fighting shape.

"Subtle Elle…I see you've been talking to Varia." Gabrielle rolled her eyes. "I will take you up on that…from what I understand you're in need of a little guidance…" She frowned slightly as she remembered what Aphrodite had told her. "At least someone is from what I understand." Her words were spoken quietly almost not reaching Brielle.

"Ah…Leia…" Brielle crossed her arms and watched Gabrielle's expression change to deep concentration. "I see you've also been talking to Varia. What has she told you?"

"Not much…" Gabrielle moved to sit on the edge of her bed as Brielle pulled up a chair to sit across from her. "I know that she is from the Northern Tribes…Cyane's sister is what Varia said. Young and full of anger…"

"Let me tell you something Gabrielle…" Brielle leaned forward as she placed her hands on her knees. "About eight months ago, something happened…I can't explain it but Leia was never…" She hesitated as she tried to find the words to explain. "She wasn't much trouble…always eager to learn and help, but one afternoon she fell from a tree…it took almost two weeks for her to wake up. When she did…she wasn't the same person."

Gabrielle bit down on her lip as she thought about what Brielle had told her. She had heard of cases where people hit their heads and lost their memory but she wasn't sure that was the case here. "Does she still have her memory?"

"Yes…as far as we can tell. It's just now…I don't know…" Brielle shook her head. "You'll just have to see for yourself I guess."

"It will be hard for me to make a judgement in this instance because I didn't know her before." Gabrielle tried to reason.

"I know, but I am hoping that maybe you can help…we don't know what else to do. If this continues…I'm afraid we'll have to banish her…" Brielle shook her head sadly.

"What about the Northern Tribe? Won't they take her back?" Gabrielle asked, surprised that no one had suggested that.

"No…she is too much of a threat to her sister Meinoe who has taken Cyane's place as queen." Brielle explained.

Gabrielle looked down at her hands for a moment as she contemplated whether she had the energy to put into helping someone overcome the demons she herself tried so hard to keep at bay. "I won't make any promises Elle…but once Eve arrives we can talk some more. Okay?" Gabrielle said with a sigh.

Even though it wasn't said out loud, Brielle knew that Gabrielle was dismissing her in that quiet way she had about her. She didn't need to hear the words, it was present in the soft, tired tone that Gabrielle used as she ran her fingers through her short, blonde hair. Brielle tried to smile when she finally saw the light green eyes fully for the first time since her arrival. The sadness that still captivated those once vibrant eyes almost took her breath away.

"It's good to have you back Gabrielle…" Brielle jumped up and hugged Gabrielle one more time. "Whatever it is we're about to face, I'm glad you're here…"

Giving Brielle an awkward pat on the back before letting go, Gabrielle smiled and this time it reached her eyes. It may not have shone as bright as it once had, but it was still there in the gentle upturn of her mouth as she watched Brielle leave. When she was finally alone, she laid back on the bed and looked up at the ceiling letting out a long exhale of breath. "You'd better tell me something soon Aphrodite…" She said to the air that seemed to shimmer around her. It was as if an acknowledgment filled the spaces in-between as the shimmer dissipated, leaving the air still as Gabrielle let out another heavy sigh.