AN: Gabrielle notices a change in Anastasia and fears that history is repeating itself.

Chapter 12 –Gabrielle's Intuition

Xena slammed her sword down on the table and everyone in the room flinched. Gabrielle lifted her eyes and saw malice across Xena's face. Dengi and Ernak remained quiet and had their hands in their laps. Navaz sat with arms folded and Kreka sat beside her sons with her eyes fixated on the table in front of her.

"None of this would have happened if we just did what I said in the beginning!" she yelled and everyone lowered their eyes. "Because of you two," she pointed to the sons of Attila, "and your idiocy and reckless behavior, we were attacked!"

"You can't blame everything on us!" Ernak combated.

Xena picked up her sword and pointed it dangerously close to the young king's throat. "Oh is that so, Ernak? Because you and Dengi not reporting back to me like you were supposed to, we were ambushed! My daughter was almost kidnapped!"

Ernak sunk in his chair and hid his face with his hand, feeling more embarrassed than ever.

"And you," she directed her attention to Navaz and he looked up at her. "You were supposed to have the Adame guarded. An attack like that has never happened in my entire life as commander! Nobody gets inside an Adame without me knowing! That was my job when Attila was alive and you know what? Nobody ever set ten feet from that dwelling."

She grunted and shook her head. "If it weren't for Gabrielle my daughter would have been taken or dead, thanks to your incompetence!"

Gabrielle raised an eyebrow. "Xena," she spoke and the warrior spun her head around. "Yelling at everyone is not going to solve anything."

"I have never had an ambush like this before. I have never had a bunch of people that do not listen to me!" her eyes focused on the blonde scribe.

"She is right," Gabrielle said and Ernak's jaw dropped. "Nobody listened to Xena and this is what happened. Emperor Zeno is not Theodosius and he is not Valentinian. His army is much stronger and more ruthless."

Kreka twiddled with her thumbs on the tabletop. "Emperor Zeno has declared war on this land now. We need to gather ourselves and listen to one another –listen to Xena. She is a good commander and has overseen an army of over two hundred thousand men. Anastasia is no longer fit to be commander. I can take her place."

"Mother!" Dengi griped.

Gabrielle leaned forward, eyeing Kreka from two seats down. "You would do that?"

"Of course. If Xena allows it," the khatun half smiled, her eyes meeting Xena's.

Xena sighed heavily and folded her arms. "The only time we ever got along was on the field."

"My point exactly. Enact me as commander, Xena. Your daughter cannot fulfill her position." She narrowed her eyes and Xena relented, agreeing to her offer.

Navaz frowned deeply. "Do I not get a say? This is my kingdom! My land!"

Xena snapped her head around and glared at the king. "You lost your say when you almost got my daughter kidnapped."

Csaba waited outside the room his mother was in. He jumped to his feet every time he saw the door open and women coming in and out. He saw a young maid exit the room and ran to her, grabbing her arm.

"Can I see my mother now?" he asked.

The girl smiled softly. "I'm sorry, your majesty. You are not allowed to go in there." She walked off down the hallway.

He groaned and sat back down on the floor, leaning against the wall, resting his chin on his knees. He waited for hours to find out at least a little bit of information but those women didn't tell him anything. He sat outside for the entire day, waiting and waiting some more.

He heard jingling sound from around the corner and knew immediately that it was Xena. He smiled and jumped to his feet when he saw her round the corner with Gabrielle. "Thank god you're here!" he said and Xena stopped in front of the room. "Can I see her now? I've been waiting hours."

She smiled gently at the boy and pinched his chin. "I'm sorry Csaba but I told everyone to stay out of this room."

"But she's my mom!" he begged and she nodded.

"I know and you will see her, but not now." She opened the door and he rose to his toes, trying to see inside but he couldn't really see anything except a lot of people crowding the bed. Once the door was closed he groaned, crossing his arms.

Gabrielle grinned and he plopped back down on the floor. "Don't worry, she'll be alright."

"I just want to see her," he mumbled. "Why are they taking so long? Does that mean something is wrong?"

She shook her head and sat down next to him. "She is being well taken care of, Csaba. Nothing is going to happen to your mother, not under Xena's watch." She nudged his arm and he smiled faintly.

"You should go eat something," she suggested.

He shook his head. "No, I'm going to wait here until I can see her." He stood his ground and she sighed, leaning against the wall.

Emperor Zeno turned when he saw Flavius Anastasius enter his chambers. "Ah, governor. You bring news back from Armenia I hope."

The governor nodded. "Yes emperor."

"And you've brought the queen? Xena's daughter. Yes?" he asked and the governor lowered his eyes. He frowned. "I ask you to do one thing and you incompetent fools cannot follow my simple instructions!"

"Sir! The White Huns attacked our fleet! The leaders were Attila's sons!"

Zeno rubbed his chin and nodded his head, tracing his finger along the table. "Attila's sons." He began eerily, his tone calm. "They are working with the White Huns. And why do I not see the woman, Anastasia, before me?"

Anastasius let out a heavy exhale. "She has a royal fleet at her disposal, emperor. I was told that she is carrying a child."

The emperor let out a loud laugh. "The lineage of Xena continues it seems. The girl spreads her legs for King Navaz and will bear him a child of true Hun blood. Those Hun women breed like rabbits." He clenched his fist. "Tell Odoacer to send me his best troops. I will train them under my watch and see that the Shah brothers of Persia are on our side. We will attack those Caucasus Huns from all sides."

"Yes, emperor," the governor bowed his head and quickly exited the room.

Zeno looked out the window at the sea surrounding his beloved holy city. "I will exterminate all of the Huns." He turned to his scribe. "I wish to write a letter to Queen Anastasia."

The scribe quickly grabbed fresh parchment and dipped the quill in the ink, ready to record. Zeno tapped his foot impatiently and narrowed his eyes. "Tell her that I wish to meet with her in person. I would like to see the face of this almighty queen." He turned, "don't write that part." He said and turned back to gaze at the sea. "Also, tell her that I wish Navaz to be present. You got that?"

The scribe nodded. "Yes, your majesty."

Kreka entered her yurt and saw Tuya slowly making her way to leave. She blocked the doorway and folded her arms. "Just where do you think you're going?"

Tuya smiled softly. "I am not your prisoner, Kreka. Allow me to pass. I wish to speak with my son. I know that Romans came here." She walked forward and was face to face with the former wife of Attila, inches from her face. "Get out of my way."

"You're not going anywhere. I can't trust you."

Tuya's smile grew. "I will not relay what happened between us to anyone. Now, let me pass. I do not belong to you."

Kreka refused to move and Tuya growled lowly. "Wrong. You do belong to me now. You tried to murder me!" she hissed and pushed the queen mother down onto the floor. Tuya gasped and Kreka unsheathed her sword at her hip, walking forward and Tuya's eyes widened. She scooted backward on the rug.

"Scared?" Kreka grinned and inched forward, pointing the sword at Tuya's neck.

"Kreka Khatun!" Navaz's voice boomed through the yurt and Tuya smiled at her son. He saw the sword in her hand and pointed directly at his mother. "What are you doing?!" he yelled and ran forward, helping his mother to her feet.

Kreka lowered her sword and frowned. "This is not what it looks like, Navaz."

He grasped his mother's shoulders and grimaced at the hazel eyed khatun. "You dare raise a sword to my mother? The queen mother of the White Huns?" he hissed.

"Your mother is the one who raised her sword to me!" she yelled. "She tried to kill me!"

Tuya grabbed her son's hand and stared into his shocked dark eyes. "You believe her Navaz? After all, she is a Barbarian Queen. She apparently thinks I tried to kill her. Why would I do such a thing like that?" she winked at Kreka.

Kreka gasped and sheathed her sword. "Deceitful cadaloz!" she hissed. "You lie in front of your son? In front of the king?!"

"I'm not the one who pointed a sword in my face now am I?" Tuya grinned.

She held her tongue and looked to the miffed king. "Navaz, I know she is your mother and you are inclined to believe her but she is a liar!" she yelled and he frowned, creasing his brows. "Xena will vouch for me."

"I'll have no doubt she will. You and Xena are very close." He said flatly.

"I am not a liar and neither is Xena. Ask her for yourself."

Navaz eyed his mother and she smiled up at him. He grabbed Kreka's arm and ushered her out of the yurt. She growled and swat his hand away, trying to get away.

"Take your hand off of me!" she spat. "I am a queen!"

Ernak and Dengi stood outside the Adame and saw their mother being pulled along by Navaz and Tuya walking behind. Ernak ran forward. "Let go of my mother!" he grabbed his sword and then immediately a horde of soldiers surrounded him when he pointed the sword at Navaz.

Dengi folded his arms and cocked his head at the king. "Take your hands off our mother, Navaz."

"She accused my mother of murder. I am taking her to Xena to put an end to this."

Ernak chuckled and lowered his blade. "Alright, go ahead. My mother is not a liar." His eyes darkened. "But let go of her or you will have to deal with me later."

Navaz released their mother and Kreka spun around to Tuya. "You gain nothing from this. You will only embarrass yourself in front of your son!" she whispered.

Xena stood at the foot of the bed gazing down at her daughter sleeping on her side. The healer came up beside her and she touched her arm, startling her. "How is she?"

The woman smiled softly. "She will be alright. She has some minor bruises on her back but other than that, nothing too serious."

Xena nodded and folded her arms. "And the baby?"

"I could not find anything wrong with the child she carries," the woman said. "Shall I tell the king of her condition?"

Xena frowned at the mention of Navaz. He promised her that Anastasia would be safe, but she was nearly taken by Romans just as Zeno wanted. He was careless and though she knew that he cared for her daughter, she couldn't help but think to strangle him with her bare hands.

"Yes. Tell him," she finally said and the woman nodded then left the room.

She rounded the bed and pulled down Anastasia's dress and saw the bruises on her backside and frowned. She pulled the dress up by her leg and saw a bruise on her hip. She came to the other side of the bed and sat down gently, careful not to wake her. Smiling softly she brushed her daughter's hair away from her now fuller face.

Anastasia stirred and her eyes fluttered open. She saw her mother with a warm smile on her face. "Mom..." she held her aching head and sat up slowly.

"Don't get up," Xena pushed her back down onto the pillows. "How do you feel?"

"I have a headache," the young Hun queen groaned and then her eyes widened. She swung the blankets off herself, staring down at her child and Xena pressed her hand on her arm.

"Nothing's wrong, Anastasia. You'll both be fine," she reassured her.

A breath of relief escaped her lips and she relaxed on the pillows. "Where is Navaz? Did you get rid of the Romans?"

Xena pursed her lips and tapped her fingers on her thigh impatiently. "Yes, we handled them."

Ana grinned and swung her legs over the bed and tried to get up and Xena pushed her back down. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Mom, I'm fine. I want to know what is going on." She tried to get up again and Xena firmly placed her hands on her shoulders. "Mom! I am the commander! I should know what is happening!"

Xena snarled and looked into her daughter's eyes. "You are not the commander anymore. I appointed Kreka as the new commander."

Anastasia gasped and shoved her mother back and rose from the bed. "You what?!" she yelled and shoved her again in the chest. "How could you do this to me?" she hit her shoulder and Xena tightened her lips and bit her tongue. "I am not a child! You can't just take my position away from me. A position I proposed in the first place!" she hit her again and Xena grabbed her fist, crushing it and Ana gasped.

"You are not fit to be a commander. You are too inexperienced!"

Anastasia growled and flung her arm out, taking a step back. "Mother, I am a Queen now. My role outranks you." She folded her arms. "I am above you and you can't tell me what to do."

Xena smirked. "I don't care if you are a queen, Anastasia. You're not commander anymore."

"I may be your daughter, but when politics are concerned I am still a queen and your word means nothing to me." She grabbed one of her long robes and slipped it on and stormed out of the room.

Gabrielle heard the doors fling open and saw Anastasia storming down the hallway. Csaba smiled and hopped to his feet. "Mother!" he called out but she ignored him and rounded a corner with a few guard following behind her. He frowned confusedly at the sight of her leaving without saying anything.

Xena came out of the room and Gabrielle saw the look in her eyes. A look of anger and sadness mixed together. "What happened?" she whispered.

"I told her she was not commander anymore and she didn't take the news very well," Xena grumbled and walked down the hallway.

Csaba followed Gabrielle and his grandmother. "What's wrong with her? Why is she so upset?"

Gabrielle smiled down at the boy as they rounded the corner. "Politics."

He nodded. "Of course. Always politics."

Anastasia saw Navaz walking with his mother and Kreka coming towards her direction. Navaz's eyes widened seeing her out of bed so soon. "Anastasia –"

She held up her hand and stopped in front of him. "I need to talk to you." She said and he hesitated. "Now!"

He raised an eyebrow. "I am occupied with something else. I was on my way to see your mother."

She grabbed his hand. "My mother can wait. This can't," she pulled him along and he turned over his shoulder seeing Kreka fuming and his mother less than amused by his wife's assertive behavior.

She lead them to the office and closed the door behind her. He folded his arms. "What is this meaning of this and why are you out of bed?" he asked.

Anastasia's lip quivered and she punched his arm and he gasped. "You let my mother appoint Kreka as commander! You are a king! You have power over my mother! Just because she is a commander doesn't mean she gets a say in everything!"

He rubbed his arm and frowned at his irate wife. "It's not like I had a choice in the matter, Anastasia. Your mother is not easy to negotiate with! You of all people should know that." He saw her nostrils flaring as her breath quickened, her fists clenched and her eyes wild. "I didn't object to the idea either. I don't think you should be a commander while you're pregnant."

Her lips parted and eyes widening. She shoved him backward and he stumbled back into the table. "You have no say in what I can and cannot do! Our baby is not due for months, Navaz!" she saw his sword strapped to his hip and unsheathed it.

"Anastasia..." he put his hands up as she pointed the blade at his chest with a wild smile.

Xena and Gabrielle walked into the room and both saw Anastasia holding a sword close to Navaz's chest. Xena squinted her eyes and spoke calmly. "Anastasia, put the sword down."

At the sound of her mother's voice, her smile faded and she inched closer with the sword towards her husband. "Go away mother. Navaz and I are having a private conversation."

"Put it down," Xena said again, her voice still calm.

Gabrielle frowned deeply and saw the same attitude that Xena had a long time ago. The fire in her eyes, the smile on her face. A hardened heart. "Anastasia!" she yelled and the young queen spun her head around, staring at the fuming blonde. "Put the sword down. Now." Her voice dark and Xena eyed her, surprised to hear that tone in her voice. She hadn't heard it often, especially towards someone close to her.

Anastasia's heart raced and slowly she lowered the sword and turned to Navaz as he was already backing away from her, adjusting his cloak. She furrowed her eyebrows and threw the sword across the table and glared at her husband.

She growled and then pushed Xena and Gabrielle out of the way and stormed out of the room. The three stared at each other in awkward silence.

Gabrielle paced back and forth inside their yurt hours after that little incident they witnessed with Anastasia and Navaz. Xena sat on the bed, her eyes darting back and forth as she watched Gabrielle pace incessantly.

"Did you see the look on her face?" Gabrielle shook her head, fuming and folded her arms. "Her eyes were filled with anger! I've never see her act that way before." She kept pacing.

"She is just upset," Xena chimed in.

Gabrielle paused and glared at her warrior. "No, she's not! She's turning into you!" she spat and saw her consort's eyes grow in alarm. "The old you..." she corrected, her voice softer and quieter. "I've seen that look in your eyes before and I never wanted to see it again but I saw it in her eyes."

Xena sighed and held her face in her hands. Gabrielle turned and saw the warrior sulking and went to sit on the bed beside her. "This is my fault." Her voice muffled in her palms.

Gabrielle placed a hand on her back and leaned into her shoulder. "No it's not. You can't control what your daughter does or feels, Xena. She was really hurt when she thought you were dead. She wanted to take vengeance and I thought...that left her mind, but apparently it hasn't."

Xena lifted her face from her hands and wiped her cheeks. Gabrielle wrapped her arm around her broad shoulder, smiling softly. "You know...Dengi told me that she was going to tax Pannonia and rule it by proxy in Balaam..."

"She what?" Xena spun around and looked into the big green eyes under her.

The short haired blonde nodded. "She wants to take Pannonia back from the Bulgur Huns. That's why they were captured by Odoacer's soldiers. The Bey of Pannonia sent them to Rome when he found out who they were. She's on a mission, Xena –a mission to kill."

"And she wants my help," Xena sighed heavily. "Was that her plan all along? Is that why she asked Navaz to make her a commander?"

Gabrielle shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know but whatever is going through her mind is not good. She is inexperienced and asked for your help. She must have a plan in her mind to attack everyone, including the Bulgur Huns."

"She's been waiting for this moment," Xena frowned. She was not pleased to hear this. She didn't want her daughter to go down a path that she could never come out from. She didn't want her to turn into something she was not. Anastasia was very kind albeit stubborn sometimes. She knew what she wanted when she wanted it. She was not a child anymore –not the innocent teenager she once was.

"You can't let her do this to herself, Xena. You know more about this path of darkness than anyone here."

The warrior nodded. "I know but I can't convince her to do anything. You should have seen the way she reacted when I told her she couldn't be a commander anymore."

"If anyone can convince her, it would be you." Gabrielle smiled softly and Xena eyed her with uncertainty.

"No, Gabrielle. I didn't magically change overnight and I wasn't the one who decided to change. You convinced me. I can't convince my daughter to do that. She won't listen to me."

The blonde frowned and realized that Xena was probably right. Why would Anastasia listen to someone that walked down that path for so long. Xena's words would have empty meaning to them but it was unlikely that she'd listen to Gabrielle either.

"Maybe she needs to be reminded of something that she loved or someone –someone like Ellac," she suggested and Xena eyed her with a half smile. "He would not like her behavior if he was alive."

Xena nodded. "You may be right, Gabrielle, but if she has distanced herself already then she won't listen to you or me."

Gabrielle's head hung and thought of the first time she met Anastasia. She was only thirteen and a very smart young girl. She was kind but very assertive. She didn't want to see someone that she watched grow up turn into a monster and she wondered if Xena thought it was too late to convince her otherwise.

"Who are you?" the teen asked.

Gabrielle pushed her empty bowl away from her and felt nervous that Xena might come out of her room any minute now. "Gabrielle..." she said and the girl nodded, wiping her mouth and the blonde cringed.

"My name is...Anastasia," she said.

A soft smile graced her lips recalling the moment the two first met. The girl's voice so sweet and innocent.

"Are you sure your mother won't mind we are using this?" she asked.

Anastasia smiled, shaking her head, "we're just borrowing it. I'll give it back when we're done."

And when she attempted to teach Latin to her and Xena was furious the following day.

"What do you think Gabrielle?" she asked with a smile.

Gabrielle took a step back and looked at the gown, and thought it was very beautiful, but she figured Anastasia would look beautiful in anything, just like Xena would. "Well, it's very nice, but I think it's a bit too...revealing for you," she nervously laughed and put the dress away and grabbed a long sleeved blue dress instead. "What about this one?" she offered.

Or when Anastasia tried picking out a dress by herself for the first time and sought out the most revealing one only to anger Xena.

The longer she sat in silence remembering the sweet moments she had with Anastasia as a teenager the more she knew that she couldn't let her become someone she was not. Anastasia was slowly following into Xena's old path and although Xena still evoked her power as commander and skillful warrior, she now thought before she acted upon everything she did in life. Xena no longer used her sword first and thought later. She used both or sometimes ignored her sword altogether until necessary. Anastasia was not thinking, she was acting.

She was allowing her heart to harden and that soft exterior was soon to be wiped away with hard shell. She wasn't using anger to drive her, she was using pain. Everything she loved was gone and even though her mother lives, that pain still dampened her heart and mind. Pain and anger go well together and Anastasia was letting both of those feelings project in her thinking. Anger clouds the mind as Xena has said many times but what about pain? Does pain cause the mind to drift? Gabrielle wasn't sure, but she knew the Hun Queen was hurting inside.

Gabrielle turned to Xena, watching her gape at the wall in silence. "You have to try and talk to her. If you won't do it then I will."

Xena sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "She seemed to listen when you told her to put the sword down. She didn't even bat an eye at my voice."

"Then I will talk to her," the blonde narrowed her eyes. She too stared at the wall intensely, thinking that this conversation was not going to be easy but Anastasia was not Xena. She was softer and that hard exterior had not yet formed completely. It was not too late.

Anastasia was inside the office with a group of elite Hun soldiers. She stood at the end of the table and pointed to the map on the table. "I want a group of our best mercenaries on the borders of Persia." She began and the men nodded. "We border with the Magyars. They came to Pannonia a long time ago to discuss an alliance with Attila. I want to make peace with them and convince them to join us against Persia and Emperor Zeno."

Zolten frowned and rubbed his chin, "my queen, are you sure that it is wise to spread ourselves so thin? What if the Magyars do not want to ally with us?"

"We will force them to ally with us," her jaw clenched and he folded his arms, peering at the map. She drug her finger across to the Nezak Hun area in Kazakhstan. "Send word to Malka that we will need his alliance against Persia. The Sassan family's empire is wedged in between the Caucasus and Kazakhstan. If we join together then we can push Peroz and Hormzid out and force them to surrender under us."

Zolten shook his head, not liking this idea that his young queen had. "Your highness, what is the point of asking the Nezak's to join us? They are the only nation that is peaceful and had no quarrels with the Sassanid Empire in the last twenty years."

"I want to unite all the Huns under one empire, Zolten," she smiled and leaned against the table. He eyed her suspiciously. "Attila is gone. The Huns are scattered and warring against each other! I want to bring everyone together. We are stronger in numbers. Emperor Zeno will not come to Balaam again unless he brings his sword. I will not talk with him or any adviser of his!" she spat and Zolten backed away slowly, fearing the look in her eyes.

"Your highness," a maid at the door called out softly.

Anastasia spun around, snarling. "What?!"

"Your mother wishes to speak with you."

The queen turned back to the map on the table. "Tell her I don't have time to talk to her."

"Why not?" Xena appeared in the doorway and her daughter spun around, glaring at her. She sauntered in and stood beside her daughter, not taking her eye off her. She peered down at the map and saw it marked with wooden totems in several areas. Magyars, Kazakhstan, Persia and...Pannonia. Perhaps what Dengi said was true after all. Anastasia was on a mission.

"What is this? Planning an attack on the entire Hun nation?" she asked.

Anastasia folded her arms. "Mother, this doesn't concern you."

Xena stood up right, equal height to her daughter. "I am chief commander. Anything that you do needs to be brought to my attention and I don't recall you being commander anymore, Anastasia. I revoked that position from you."

"I don't need you to tell me what to do, mother. I am a queen."

Xena pursed her lips and looked to the men standing behind her daughter. "Out," she said.

"You can't tell them to leave!" Ana hissed.

"Get out," she told the soldiers and they quickly left the room. She turned to her irate daughter. "Now you're going to listen to me. You cannot attack Huns outright because you are angry, Anastasia. That is poor decision making."

Anastasia smirked. "I'm not going to attack them. I want to recruit them to my side to fight against Persia and the Roman Empire." She motioned her hand to the map. "I will create a White Hun Campaign."

"White Hun Campaign..." Xena muttered. "You have no idea what you are doing, Anastasia."

"Yes, I do!" she combated. "What is so bad about uniting all the Hunnic tribes together? We used to be united. Everything fell apart when Attila died. Dengi ruined the alliance with the Atlyn Huns and Ernak sought war against the Bulgurs. I want to unite everyone under one empire."

Xena's eyes widened. "Empire?" she said and her daughter did not even blink at the word. "You want a Hun Empire?" she folded her arms. "You are ambitious. May I remind you that since you are married the king rules the empire, not you. He conducts all the rules, policies and regulations. You have no say in the process."

"Then this will be a new Hun Empire. Men make too many decisions in this world. I want to be an important Queen. A Queen of the Huns will not sit back and do nothing like all the other queens before me. The Queen of Scythia commands her own people."

Xena arched a brow. "The Queen of Scythia is not a Hun, Ana. She killed her own brother to take the crown. She is ruthless. You don't want to be like her."

"Attila killed his brother to become king," Anastasia said.

Xena nodded, "that's because Bleda was an awful king and person. The Scythian Queen's brother was a good king. She wanted power –she's power hungry and that is why her land has never been conquered. Everyone fears her. She executes her own people for miniscule crimes. She is a tyrant. You are not."

Anastasia narrowed her eyes. "Have you come to persuade me to stop my campaign? Because if you are then you can forget it. I'm going through with my plans. I know it will work."

"Anastasia..." Xena began and touched her daughter's shoulder. The young queen shrugged her hand off and stepped away, focusing on the map again. Xena groaned lowly. "I don't think you understand how this works. Campaigns are different than simple alliances. The only way for a campaign to work is through force and violence, not peace."

Her daughter turned with a smile. "You really have no faith in me, do you?"

"I didn't say –"

"You don't have to say it. You took my position away as commander and why? Because you think I am inexperienced? You didn't even give me a chance! I am carrying out my campaign with the Hunnic tribes and I don't need you. You aren't my chief commander anymore. I revoke your position."

Xena's lips parted and couldn't believe that she had been demoted, something that never happened to her and by her daughter of all people. "You are making a big mistake, Ana. You need my help."

"No I don't. I've watched you command Attila's army since I was a child. You thought you were helping me by taking on the role of commander but you only did it because you didn't believe what I am capable of. I will take back Pannonia and I will create a new Hun Empire stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Indus River."

"Anastasia –"

"I will become Conqueror of Asia. You doubt me but I know I can create a new Hun Empire –a better one."

Gabrielle waited outside of the conference room and finally saw Xena come out of the room. Her face solemn and yet confused. She was not angry nor was she irritated, she looked distressed. "How did it go?" she dared to ask.

"She revoked my position as chief commander." Xena said.

"She did what?" the blonde gasped. "She can't do that!"

"She can, Gabrielle and she did. She is a queen. Her status outranks me. I can't control what she does but she thinks she can create a new Hun Empire. Not even I was that ambitious at her age." She folded her arms. "She is young and thinks she doesn't need my help. But she will."

Gabrielle stepped closer to her consort. "And if she doesn't need your help?" she whispered.

"Then I will have no choice but to watch her fail." Xena frowned and walked off.

Navaz sat in his private quarters and many letters were delivered to him to oversee before they were sent off. He frowned and unfolded one of the letters and grimaced. He then picked up another one and another one, and another. He threw the last letter on his desk and yelled at his messenger.

"What is the meaning of this?!" he spat.

The messenger lowered his eyes, "Queen Anastasia wishes to send these letters to the Beys of all the Hun provinces."

"I'm aware of that, but why?" he tapped his fingers on the desk impatiently.

"She is ordering a campaign to unite all the Hun tribes to against Persia and Rome, your highness."

Navaz ran a hand across his face. He had no idea his wife was so ambitious and was doing this right under his nose. He would have guessed Xena would have a say in this or at least be told of this plan.

"That woman," he grumbled. "She's going to give me grey hair." He rose from the desk and passed his messenger. "Do not touch those letters. I will have words with my wife."

He barged into his wife's room and saw her sitting on the bed in a black nightgown. The evening was late, too late to be awake. He stormed in and stood at the foot of the bed. She lifted her eyes and raised an eyebrow.

"Just what do you think you're doing? A campaign?! Why was I not informed about this little plan of yours?" he folded his arms.

She smiled. "I am the commander of your army. I oversee the military, Navaz. I know what I am doing. Do not doubt me like my mother."

His eyes grew as he stood infuriated with her. "And where exactly is that mother of yours?"

"She's probably off with Gabrielle somewhere. I revoked her position as chief commander a few days ago." She began braiding her long hair.

"Excuse me?" he scoffed. "Anastasia, I told you that you can't be commander anymore. I agreed with Xena. This is not a good idea. You are carrying my child –our child!"

"I am well aware!" she spat. "You don't have to remind me. I am reminded of it every day." She lowered her eyes and focused on braiding her hair once more.

His stance softened and he uncrossed his arms at her tone. "You don't care about our child?" he asked, a bit hurt.

She lifted her eyes. "Yes, I do."

"Then renounce your position as commander!"

"No!" her voice raised slightly. "You made a deal with me, Navaz. Like my mother, I keep my promises. I will not renounce my position. End of discussion."