AN: the women are obviously in charge here lol.

Chapter 13

Kreka sat opposite of Gabrielle and Xena as they told her what Anastasia was planning to do. Last week everything was chaotic and the Romans came to Balaam. So far nothing else has happened, except this news troubled Kreka a lot. She had never seen someone with such ambition before, except Xena. It seems that her daughter was following in her footsteps but there was something else. Anastasia was a queen now and she had say over every little thing that happens in the Caucasus region. She did not need Navaz to oversee everything she wanted to happen and since she was a commander, she could carry out any mission with little to no aid from her husband.

"Aptal kiz," she groaned. "That girl will be the death of us all," Kreka muttered and ran her hands across her face.

"Xena tried to convince her to stop her campaign, but it didn't work," Gabrielle said.

Xena remained quiet, not saying a word to either one of the women. She was remembering all the times that she was commanded by Attila to go on raids in Hun regions. She forced them to surrender unto Attila and Pannonia. They not only surrendered but Attila took control of all the regions surrounding Pannonia. He wanted a united Hun utopia, much like the Romans. Anastasia also wanted the same thing, but she was a queen and commander. Those two don't normally mix.

Attila was not in charge of his army, Xena was. She oversaw everything and carried out her own missions without Attila's permission and some with his permission. Anastasia didn't need anyone's permission to carry out an attack. And she didn't need Navaz either since she was a queen and commander.

"She doesn't listen!" Kreka growled. "Xena, why can't you talk some sense into her?!"

Gabrielle turned and saw Xena's mind wandering off elsewhere. "Xena?" she nudged her arm.

Attila growled. "I command you to stand down!" he yelled and Xena paused in front of the entry way.

She turned around. "What?"

"I order you to stand down Xena, as your king," he placed his hands on his hips and ousted his chest.

Xena smirked. "Since when do you order me around like a common soldier?" she challenged him. "I train your army to be the best. I lead all the attacks and you have always trusted my judgment. Why stop trusting me now?"

"You don't listen Xena. You never have. Stand down now," he ordered for the last time.

"Xena..." the blonde said her name for the third time.

The warrior blinked and turned to see Kreka and Gabrielle gawking at her. "What?"

Kreka rolled her eyes and slammed her hands on her knees. "You need to tell your daughter to stand down. She is not prepared for what she is about to do! She will drive us into the ground!"

Xena nodded and sighed. Suddenly a smile crossed her lips and Gabrielle raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "She needs to work with Navaz. She can carry out whatever plan she wants to but she needs his help. This is his land too. She needs to realize that they are supposed to be a team and she isn't willing to work with anyone. If they work as a team then her plan will work."

"You can't be serious? You are going to allow her to do this campaign? This is very unlike you, Xena." Kreka folded her arms, not thrilled to hear this at all.

"And how exactly are you going to convince her to work with Navaz?" Gabrielle asked.

Xena shot her smug grin and the blonde shook her head, knowing that look. "You are. She listens to you."

"How am I supposed to do that?!"

"Work your philosophical magic, Gabrielle. I have faith in you," Xena winked and the blonde groaned.

To take a break from conversing with the elite soldiers she was busy teaching Csaba how to write Latin. A language that she really disliked because it was used across the Roman Empire, but she it was very useful she hated to admit. Her mother forced her to learn how to read and write in Latin and she wanted Csaba to learn how to as well. Although she learned at a very young age and Csaba would be thirteen soon.

She sat with him at the table in her quarters and observed him writing with the ink quill on the parchment. Sitting beside him for the last hour or so, she continually corrected his penmanship which was not that good. She now knew why her mother was always so frustrated with her when she misspelled words.

"tatlı çocuk," she leaned forward in her seat and pointed at his ill written sentence. "That's the wrong verb, Csaba and you misspelled that other word."

He groaned and dipped the quill in the ink pad to write the sentence over again for the third time. "Can we take a break mom?" he begged.

She sighed. "Alright, we can take a break. You've been practicing for hours." She smiled and he set the pen down, sinking into the chair with relief. "Not bad for your first try." She said and he shrugged.

"I don't see the point in learning Latin anyway." A phrase she often said herself to her own mother. She understood why it was important now but at the time she didn't.

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's important I promise." She leaned back in the chair.

"But we don't even speak Latin," he said and crossed his arms.

"No, but Romans speak it, read it and write it. It's important to know other languages besides our own."

Gabrielle walked into the room and Csaba smiled upon seeing her. His mother was less enthused at her presence. She waltzed over to the table and saw Latin on the parchment and looked at it curiously. She eyed Csaba's green eyes.

"Learning Latin, huh?" she said.

He nodded. "Yeah but to be honest, I'm not a big fan..." he quirked his mouth.

She pat his shoulder and eyed Anastasia sitting quietly in the chair opposite her. She was glaring at her. Her radar eyes. "Latin is important."

"That's what mother said," he groaned. "Do you know Latin, Gabrielle?"

"Yes..." she lifted her eyes and saw Anastasia about to leave. "Hey could I borrow your mother for a few minutes?"

He nodded and hopped out of his seat. "She's all yours," he grinned and hurried out of the room, anxious to get away after being cooped up for hours.

"What do you want, Gabrielle? Has mother sent you here to talk to me?" Anastasia circled around the table towards her bookshelf to put back the parchment, quill and ink set away.

"No, she didn't."

Anastasia grinned and turned around, placing her hands on the back of the chair. "You're lying to me, Gabrielle. You never lie to me."

"She told me to come here and talk to you about Navaz –"

The young queen scoffed. "Navaz!" she waved her hand. "He has been ignoring me and his mother is probably spreading her hatred in his ears about me."

Gabrielle pinched the bridge of her nose. "Forget about Tuya. I'm here to talk to you –about you." She said and Anastasia frowned, avoiding her gaze. She pulled out a chair. "Sit with me," she said and Anastasia finally met her eyes. "Please."

Finally relenting, Anastasia sat down beside Gabrielle and adjusted the veil attached to her crown upon her dark hair. Gabrielle exhaled heavily and twiddled her thumbs in her lap not sure where to begin. Xena asked her to come and convince Anastasia to work with Navaz, but she thought that approach was too forward and probably wouldn't work.

"Anastasia, I've known you for a long time and you would say that we are friends, right?" she asked and Ana nodded silently. "More than friends," she smiled and continued, "you used to tell me all your secrets with ease and I would keep them from your mother and I still haven't told Xena about the secrets you've shared with me."

Ana's eyes widened at that. "Really?"

Gabrielle nodded. "I would never betray your trust but I sense...a lot of change in you. You aren't the Anastasia that I have come to known over the years. You're different. You're not acting like yourself."

"I'm the same person that I've always been. You and mother expect me to be that innocent little girl that I once was but I'm not that little girl anymore. I haven't been her in a long time. I left her behind a long time ago."

"I don't expect you to be the same. You are a woman now and you are very smart and you are a good mother. The way you've been acting is not...it's not you. You –"

"You think I'm acting like my mother and that scares you." She took the words right out of Gabrielle's mouth. At this point Gabrielle knew that Anastasia was fully aware of what she was doing and how she was acting. She reached forward and grabbed the blonde's hand. "Listen, Gabrielle, I'm not like my mother. We are two different people but I meant what I said. I'm going through with my campaign and there's nothing you or mother can tell me to convince me otherwise."

Gabrielle sighed. "But Ana you aren't listening –"

"No! You are the ones who aren't listening! My mother is just trying to control me and –"

"She's trying to help you." The blonde interrupted.

"No she's not. She wants to control the entire army, Gabrielle. She wants to ransack Rome as much as I do. She doesn't want to listen to me. If she really wanted to help she would have listened to my plans instead of debasing my authority as queen and commander. So you see, she's the one not listening, not me."

Both women stared at each other in a moment of silence and Anastasia sighed, crossing one leg over the other, adjusting her dark dress.

"I know my mother better than you Gabrielle. I've known her my entire life. She can be very controlling."

"She's not like that anymore, Ana." Gabrielle combated and saw the Hun's eyes narrow at that, disbelieving her. "She was really upset at the way you reacted. She blames herself for your behavior."

At that Anastasia's defensive stance was broken and she frowned sadly. "She thinks this is her fault? But why?"

Gabrielle shrugged a shoulder. "Maybe she thinks that she failed in raising you. She doesn't want to see you fail and would do anything to help you, you know that." She rose from the chair. "I think you should talk to her. We aren't your enemies, Ana and neither is Navaz. Talk to them both and make them understand how you feel. You may be surprised." She smiled softly and kissed her forehead then left the room.

Csaba sat with Xena inside her yurt waiting for Gabrielle to return. Xena hoped that Gabrielle was able to talk some sense into her daughter, but she had her doubts –not in Gabrielle, but in Anastasia. As she patiently waited for her to return she was teaching Csaba how to properly sharpen his sword since he already trained with Navaz today on the bow.

He held up the sword, "what do you think, grandma?" he asked.

She folded her arms. "My name is not grandma how many times do I have to tell you that."

The boy grinned smugly, knowing that got on her nerves. "But you are my grandmother ya know..." he said and his smile widened.

"Grandmothers are old ladies. Do I look like an old lady to you?" she teased and leaned in towards him.

He playfully chuckled, "well, you're like ten times older than me so yeah I'd say so."

She glared at him for awhile longer and then smiled, pinching his cheek firmly. "Ten times huh? Maybe I've been too lenient on you during our training sessions." She grabbed the sword from his grasp and looked over it to make sure he sharpened it correctly. "Better...but it's not good enough. Try again." She placed the weapon in his lap.

He gasped, "but I already did it three times!" he whined and she handed him the stone. He grumbled and snatched the sharpening stone from her palm.

"It would have been perfect the first time if you didn't use your sword to hit tree trunks..." she said and the color drained from his face. "I have eyes everywhere," she winked and he groaned, sharpening the sword in silence.

Gabrielle walked into the yurt and smiled seeing Csaba sitting beside Xena. Csaba lifted his eyes and saw one of his favorite people. "Gabrielle! Did you finish speaking to my mom?"

Xena looked to her blonde consort. "Csaba go outside."

He groaned and got off the floor. "Fine, fine. I will leave you two to your girl talk," he teased and drug his sword on the ground. Xena cringed when she saw that but chose to ignore it.

Gabrielle sighed and sat down in front of Xena who was anxiously waiting to hear how it went. "Well, the good news is, she's not unapproachable," she smiled. "She doesn't think you're listening to her and I don't think she is losing herself. I think she's just upset with you."

At that moment the dark haired warrior lowered her eyes in shame and felt the blame shifted upon her again. She didn't want her daughter of all people to be upset at her.

"She wants you to be proud of her."

Xena lifted her chin. "But I am proud of her."

Gabrielle grabbed her consort's hands, squeezing them firmly. "I think you need to show her that. Tell her that. She's still going through with her plan so there's no stopping her."

Xena looked past Gabrielle's shoulder and saw Anastasia enter the yurt, standing in the doorway. Gabrielle turned and smiled. She leaned forward and whispered in Xena's ear. "I'll be outside."

Anastasia shared a brief smile of recognition with Gabrielle before she left. She stepped forward and met eyes with her mother. "Can I talk to you?"

Xena nodded and pat the empty spot next to her on the floor. Anastasia sighed and walked over. Xena grabbed her daughter's hands and helped her to the floor gently. Together they sat on the floor and the young queen's eyes roamed around the yurt. She had not visited often and felt more awkward being in a room with her mother than with Gabrielle. She looked over at the blue eyes that kept staring at her. She knew that her mother was being very patient and quiet, waiting for her to speak first.

"Mother," she began, "I just want to let you know that I...it's not as if I don't want your help and I know you mean well but...I can handle this on my own. I just wanted you to listen to me but you didn't want to. You shut me out without hearing me out first. I don't want you to be angry with me I –"

"I'm not angry with you," Xena said softly. "I just want to make sure you know what you're doing. I don't want you to fail and be disappointed with yourself and the outcome. Sometimes, things don't always go as planned as you know from past experience."

Anastasia nodded and looked in the mirrored eyes beside her. "I was really hurt that you took my position away from me. I negotiated that deal without you. I thought I was making the best decision at the time and I wanted to please everyone, including Navaz. I want to be a good commander and you demeaned me. You undermined my authority as queen."

Xena sighed and ran her hand across her face. Now she felt awful for the way she treated Anastasia, but she was only trying to help her but it obviously didn't come across that way at all. She had no idea she was overstepping a boundary with her daughter and knew she was responsible for the way Ana felt. She was more than upset, she was hurt and felt underappreciated. That wasn't her intention at all.

She grasped her daughter's hand. "Listen, Anastasia, I am not trying to humiliate you. That wasn't what I wanted to do. I just wanted to help you. I didn't want you to go down a path that you could never come out from. I realize now that I shouldn't have taken your position from you without your consent. The idea of you being a queen also never crossed my mind. I still see you as a little girl but I know...you are far from that now."

She inhaled deeply and leaned in closer to her daughter's solemn face. "Can you forgive me? Please?"

Anastasia nodded and then her mother embraced her warmly, crushing her. She gasped for air. "Mom, I can't breathe."

"Sorry," Xena grinned and pulled away, fixing her daughter's collar on her dress. "So...does that mean you don't want my help?" she asked with an eager grin.

Ana rolled her eyes. "When I want it I'll let you know. I promise."

Xena wasn't going to argue with that. It was better than having her daughter shut her out. She eyed her daughter's stomach and grinned widely. "So, are you hoping that this time you will have a girl?" she raised an eyebrow and Anastasia sighed heavily.

"I don't mind if I have another boy but I'm sure Kreka will be really upset again if it's a boy." She shrugged her shoulders.

Xena's eyes roamed her daughter's body and looked at her full cheeks. "Well, I see that she can't say anything about you being too thin anymore." She winked.

Anastasia gasped and touched her cheek. "Are you saying I'm fat?"

Xena stood up and walked over to grab some wine. "No, of course not." She poured a glass of wine and turned to see her daughter's miffed face. "I want you to focus on yourself and the baby first, not your campaign. Understand?"

"Yes, yes I know." She sighed. "I guess I should go talk to Navaz now. He's been ignoring me." She tried to stand and Xena walked over and grabbed her hand, helping her to her feet. "Thanks," she smiled faintly.

Csaba ran inside with his sword and Anastasia gasped. He walked over to his grandmother with fiery eyes. "Okay, it is ready for inspection!" he beamed.

Xena set down the glass of wine and looked over the sword and smiled down at the boy's hopeful face. "Good enough."

He grumbled and took the sword from her grasp. "I'll make sure it's extra sharp for our training session. You'll see."

"Oh yeah?" Xena grinned and sipped the wine.

He turned to his mother. "Kreka is asking for you. She wants you to pick out fabric for your dress."

Ana frowned, cocking her head. "Dress?"

"Yeah, for the senlik!" he grinned from ear to ear. Xena choked on her wine and covered her mouth. He looked to his mother's angry face and folded defensive arms.

Gabrielle entered the yurt and saw the look on Anastasia's face and Xena shook her head silently behind her daughter at Gabrielle. Ana turned to her mother with a menacing glare and Xena drank some wine quickly. "Alright, who did it? Who let Kreka be in charge of this? I told you I didn't want a senlik!" she growled.

Gabrielle cringed and she began backing out of the yurt and Anastasia spun around. "Gabrielle!" she yelled and the blonde smiled sheepishly then exited the room. "Gabrielle!"

Csaba grabbed her arm, firmly looking into her eyes. "Mom. No stress, remember?"

Anastasia huffed and looked down at her son and smiled softly. "Stress? I'm not stressed. No." she turned to her mother who was casually sipping her wine. "You knew the entire time." She narrowed her eyes.

Xena smiled softly. "I have no idea what you're talking about." She sipped the wine again, avoiding her daughter's harsh eyes upon her.

Csaba grabbed his mother's hand and began escorting her out of the yurt. "I can help you pick out the fabric. I know you will look really nice in burgundy." He grinned and she sighed trailing behind him against her will.

Khan Arpad, leader of the Magyars in the Eastern Steppes of the Caucasus, read over the letter he received from the White Hun Queen, Anastasia. He smirked and set the letter down on the table and looked outside at the snowy mountains. Winter approaching quickly. He stroked his beard and squinted his eyes.

"Anastasia," he muttered. "I have heard this name before."

His vizier spoke up, "she is the daughter of Xena, mother of Prince Csaba. Attila's grandson..."

Arpad nodded. "Ah, yes. I definitely remember her now." He grinned mischievously and turned to face his vizier. "She was just but a child the last time I was in Pannonia and now she is a Queen, wife to Khushnavaz. Xena would be very proud of her."

He remembered Xena well and he did not fancy her that much when they met. She was very forceful and he realized that her attitude had trickled off onto her off spring it seemed. Attila paid him so he wouldn't invade Pannonia and he kept his promise even long after the Hun King died. But now, Pannonia was ruled by the Bulgur Huns and the rest of the Pannonians fled to the Caucasus it seemed.

"Well," Arpad scoffed, "it seems the child has now made a name for herself and she wishes to ally with me against Persia and the Roman Empire."

The vizier's eyes grew. "She is very ambitious, sir. What will you say? Will you ally with the Huns?"

Arpad sighed heavily. "I wish to see Queen Anastasia for myself. She is my neighbor after all," he chuckled. "I will ride out tomorrow to meet with her. Make the arrangements. I will arrive by nightfall to Balaam."

"Yes, of course, my king," the vizier bowed his head.

Malka read over Anastasia's decree and he frowned, folding the letter up. He had met Anastasia only briefly before he returned to his home in Kazakhstan. Now he was faced with a conqueror and that conqueror was Xena's daughter. He knew that if he declined, Anastasia would come to his land herself and convince him to side with her.

"What do you want to do, Bey?" Ghar asked.

Malka sighed heavily and folded his arms. "I will ally with Xena's daughter. I do not wish to see the wrath of young Anastasia upon my land. She is more than a Commander, she is a queen too. If she is anything like Xena then I'd rather side with her. Besides, Peroz and his brother, Hormizd, is begging to tax my land and I will not pay them. Surely, they will invade Ghazna if they do not collect their taxes by the end of this season."

Ghar nodded. "You believe the young Hun Queen is capable of rivaling the Sassan family, Bey?"

Malka smiled at his elite soldier. "With Xena by her side I am sure the Persians will feel her wrath if they do not comply with her. I long to see the Sassan family fall."

"She will create a new Hun Empire," Ghar stated.

"I believe she will."

Xena circled around Gabrielle with her blade. "Come on Gabrielle I'm waiting," she teased.

The blonde shook her head and held up her sword and charged forward clashing swords with her consort. "I'm getting better you have to admit!" she grit her teeth and Xena knocked her down with a swift kick to the shins. Gabrielle landed flat on her back and she gasped.

Xena smiled and leaned over her sparring partner. "Not good enough apparently." She chuckled and grabbed hold of the blonde's arm, lifting her off the ground. "Did you abandon your sword while you were Consul in Rome?"

Gabrielle huffed and brushed some dirt off her pants. "I couldn't exactly train while I was writing for Odoacer, Xena." She saw the warrior's eyes narrow at the mention of the emperor's name. "He mentioned to me that you knew him when Attila was alive. What was he like? Did you think he would end up as emperor?"

Xena shook her head. "I don't like Odoacer and neither did Attila. There was always something off about him. I'm surprised the Roman Senate allowed a Hun to be emperor of Rome."

"He convinced the Senate to wipe out his documents about him being a Hun," Gabrielle said and twirled her sword. "Do you think he will come looking for me?"

"I doubt it! Odoacer doesn't give a shit about people apparently since he treated my daughter, Ernak and Dengi horribly. His own people!" Xena groaned and thrust her sword forward. "Are we going to spar or talk about idiots?" she raised her eyebrows.

Their swords clashed together once more and Gabrielle swerved to the left, dodging Xena's attack. She ducked when she saw Xena's sword swing over her head. She kicked Xena in the shin, sending her staggering backwards. Gabrielle grinned and went straight for her gut, thrusting her sword forward. Immediately, she regret her move when Xena grabbed her arm and flipped her over her head and onto her back again.

"I should have seen that one coming," the blonde sighed and slowly rose from the ground.

Xena held out her hand and sheathed her sword. "Truce?"

Gabrielle shook her hand firmly and leaned towards her ear. "For now." She whispered.

"You want more, huh?" Xena teased. "Maybe you should spar with someone more your speed."

"Are you saying that I am not good?" Gabrielle folded her arms.

Xena wrapped her arm around her petite scribe and exhaled heavily with a big grin. "No, you're just really out of practice."

"Only with my sword..." the blonde said, implying something else and Xena's eyes widened at that. "I could show you," she lead her towards their yurt and Xena arched a curious brow at her. "Unless you have commander duties.."

"I'm not a commander anymore, remember?" Xena smiled and walked with Gabrielle to their yurt.

Navaz sat up in his bed wide awake. He peered over at his wife sleeping soundly next to him and smiled softly. He was glad that they were able to talk together and she even came to his room and had been here ever since. He wasn't entirely sure if her plan was going to work, considering he was not one to start wars, but as long as she was his wife, he would side with her.

He gently brushed her hair long hair away from her face and saw her chest rising and falling heavily as she slept on her side, her mouth parted and her arms tucked beneath her cheek. Tracing his fingers along her bare arm he leaned his body towards hers, pressing his chest against her back. He pecked her bare shoulder and she stirred in her sleep then slowly rolled over onto her back. Her arm sprawled on the pillow.

Gradually he scooted away from her and leaned his cheek on his palm, staring at her as she slept. He saw her eyebrows furrow in her sleep and she adjusted her body, rolling over onto her side again, her face towards him with her arm draped over her hip.

Her eyes fluttered open tiredly and she saw Navaz gaping at her. She smiled faintly. "Navaz..." her eyes adjusted to the candlelit room and saw him grinning down at her. "What are you doing?"

"I didn't mean to wake you," he whispered.

"You didn't." she frowned and rest her hand on the unsettled child inside her.

He smiled, nodding his head and inched closer to her, placing his hand on top of hers. His smile disappeared and her hand slipped from underneath his and she stared up at his worried face.

"What?" she asked.

"Csaba's father. He was Attila's son." He said and she nodded. "And your mother wanted to kill him because you had a child with him?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She smiled widely and sighed. "I was fifteen, Navaz. If you're thinking that she might kill you, I promise you she won't."

"Are you sure? She hasn't been very nice to me after what happened with the Romans..."

She touched his cheek. "If she wanted to kill you she'd let you know real fast. My mother tends to stay angry at things for awhile but she'll get over it." she saw the disbelief in his eyes. "If it makes you feel any better she was angry up until Csaba was born." She playfully hit his shoulder and his eyes grew in shock.

He cleared his throat and leaned back onto the pillows staring at the ceiling. "That's not very reassuring."

Anastasia kept smiling and rose from the bed, leaning on her elbow. "Just don't suck up to her. She really hates that."

"So what do I do?" he turned to her slightly amused face. She was enjoying this, he thought.

"Just be yourself!" she said. She traced her fingernails along his bare chest and grinned deviously. "Although, there is one thing that my mother really hates."

He widened his eyes. "What?"

"Don't marry another woman," she lifted her eyes and he smirked.

"One woman is enough for me."

She snarled and punched him in the chest and he grunted. He sat up and rubbed his chest and turned to her menacing glare. "By God, Anastasia," he croaked and let out a soft cough. "I have a new rule. No hitting your husband." He shook his head and kept rubbing his sore chest, trying to breathe properly. She smiled and laid back down on the pillows.

He gently punched her in the arm and she gasped and slapped him back. He pinched her arm and she crinkled her nose and pinched his bicep. Grinning, he pinned her arms down to the pillows and crawled on top of her.

"Navaz, no," she smiled and he leaned downward kissing her softly. "Get off me," she protested, breathing heavily and he stared down at her, both smiling at one another.

The door of the bedroom opened and Navaz groaned. "Your highness," Zolten announced and Navaz rolled off of his wife. "Sorry for the intrusion but King Arpad of the Magyars is here. He wishes to see the Queen."

Anastasia rose up off the bed and shared a glance with the king. "I will be there in a moment," she said and Zolten nodded. "Oh and, could you get my mother?"

"Of course, my queen," Zolten bowed his head and left the room.

She climbed out of the bed and grabbed her dress, slipping her arms through the sleeves and buttoned it up in the front. Navaz swung his legs off the bed and eyed her backside, her long hair dipping to her hips. "You want your mother's help?"

"I just want her to observe. She knows Arpad. He came to negotiate a deal with Attila a long time ago in Pannonia. I want her to be there without Arpad knowing," she turned and smiled at his worried face. "You trust me, right?"

He rose from the bed and walked over, buttoning her collar for her and smiled down at her. "Yes, I trust you." He kissed her forehead then grabbed her crown and veil, placing it on top of her head. He smoothed out her black veil over her hair and rubbed her arms. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, I can do this by myself." She said with a faint grin on her lips.

Gabrielle moved her last chess piece on the board and cheered victorious. "I win, again!" she laughed and clapped her hands.

Xena groaned and finished off her wine. She pointed the empty glass at her consort. "We play again." She grabbed the half empty bottle of wine and poured another glass. Gabrielle moaned and fell backward against the pillows on the floor.

"Come on, Xena! This is the third game!" she lifted herself up and saw Xena arranging the board again. "Just face it. You lost, not once, but three times! You suck!"

"Practice makes perfect," Xena hid her soft smile. "If I win you have to do something for me, fair?"

"Like what?" Gabrielle raised a curious eyebrow.

Xena grinned deviously. "Polish my boots for a week."

Gabrielle scoffed. "And what do I get if I win?"

"Well," Xena's eyes drifted to the ceiling, pursing her lips. "I'll cook for a week, how's that?"

Gabrielle cringed. "I'd rather you not. You're not very good at cooking, no offense." She chuckled and Xena frowned deeply. "Okay, if I win then you have to wear a dress for a week."

"No way!" Xena shook her head.

"Xena, a deal is a deal!" Gabrielle leaned in and the warrior groaned lowly. "Come on...don't be a poor sport, Xeeeena..."

"Fine, fine." Xena relented and set up the chess board ready for their fourth game in a row this evening.

Gabrielle grinned mischievously and stretched her arms outward. "Prepare to lose."

"In your dreams, Gabrielle," Xena made her first move and the blonde studied the board trying to decide her next move.

"Xena!" Zolten called from outside the yurt. Xena groaned and set her wine glass down.

"For crying out loud," she grumbled. "What is it?" she yelled back.

"Queen Anastasia asks to see you to oversee the meeting with King Arpad. They are in the Adame," he said and there was a long silence.

Gabrielle grinned. "Looks like she needs you after all."

Xena smiled at her blonde consort. She immediately jumped up and slipped on her black pants. "I will be there!" she called out.

"She asks that you remain discreet," he said.

Gabrielle grabbed her pants and boots getting ready herself. She slipped off her gown and threw on her tunic. Xena stood, lacing up her pants. "This game is not over. I will win again."

"Yeah right," Xena smirked and threw her slip aside and grabbed her black tunic, slipping it over her head. "Better get that wax ready, Gabrielle. It's got your name on it," she teased.

The Magyar king walked into the conference room within the Adame and saw Anastasia sitting at the end of the table looking very much like the queen she has become. He smiled softly and bowed his head. "Queen Anastasia," he greeted.

She bowed her head curtly. "Arpad," her response short. She gestured to the seat at the end of the table. "Sit, please," she offered. He took the seat at the end of the table and took off his fur cap and set it in his lap. "I wasn't expecting you."

"Yes, I apologize for the impromptu arrival, your highness. I wanted to speak to you immediately. I hope I was not interrupting anything?" he smiled with a bit of sparkle in his dark eyes.

Not exactly, she thought. "Not at all. You've come to discuss my alliance with you, is that why you came?" she asked. Lifting her eyes for a brief moment she saw her mother and Gabrielle enter the room from a separate door and lurk in the dark corner of the room. She smiled and turned her attention to Arpad.

"Yes. I must say I was surprised to find the daughter of Xena sending me a letter as a Hun Queen no less. My condolences for your mother," he bowed his head.

She nodded. "She is very close to my heart always," she hid her smile. "So, my alliance. Will you join me or not?"

He chuckled and swirled his fingers on the tabletop. "I am surprised to find a Pannonian in my neck of the woods. One of Attila's Huns of course. If I'm not mistaken it was your mother that convinced the righteous king to decline my offer." He tapped his fingers on the table.

She squinted her eyes and Xena shook her head over in the corner. She inhaled deeply. "My mother is no longer in the picture and neither is Attila. I am offering you a deal. I wish to unite all the Hun tribes together to defeat the Persians and Romans. Zeno sent his men to Balaam not too long ago. I don't want another invasion so I am making alliances with the kingdoms surrounding my own." She paused and placed her elbows on the table. "Will you ally with me or not?"

"What happens when I decline your offer?" he smiled.

"Then I will ransack your territory and claim it as my own." She bat her eyelashes with a soft smile.

Gabrielle ran her hand across her face. Xena rolled her eyes and folded her arms, listening to her daughter. She was using threats to get what she wanted, much like Xena did long ago. It worked, but Xena was not sure her daughter had the strong negotiation skills to make Arpad back off.

"Mother like daughter," Arpad laughed lightly. "I admire your young spirit, your highness. But threatening me will get you nowhere."

"I'm not threatening you. That is a promise. I will claim your territory if you do not ally with me," her eyes darkened.

"Sounds like a threat to me." He frowned. "Why would you want to ally with me anyway?"

Anastasia looked over at her mother briefly and Xena narrowed her eyes, nodding to her to go ahead. "Your army is strong and would be a great asset to my kingdom against Persia and Rome." She said and Xena gave her an encouraging smile and Anastasia turned back to the Magyar.

"You want my army? Ambitious girl," he rubbed his chin. "How much coin will you pay me if I give you control of my army?"

She panicked and didn't even think she would get this far. Briefly staring at her mother she saw her holding up one finger at her. She inhaled deeply and smiled at Arpad. "One fourth of my husband's treasury."

"A fourth?" he scoffed. "No deal."

Anastasia frowned and then saw her mother holding up three fingers and then just one, glaring at the Magyar. "One third and that's my final offer."

He hummed quietly and rubbed his beard, staring at the eager young queen. "Alright, I will take your offer." He smiled and stood. She stood up immediately after him. "I will expect it delivered to my kingdom." He said.

The queen looked over at her mother and Xena shook her head. "You will receive the money once you send me your army," she grinned and he turned, glaring at her. "For insurance, of course. So I know you won't go back on your word."

"Fair enough." He put his fur hat back on and bowed from the waist. "It was a pleasure to see you, your highness." He chuckled lowly then exited the room.

Anastasia exhaled heavily and slumped back into the chair. Xena and Gabrielle came to her side. "You did a really great job!" Gabrielle cheered her on and rubbed Ana's shoulder.

Lifting her eyes she saw the look on her mother's face. "That is too much money! I can't give him one third of our treasury, mother!" she griped.

Xena smirked. "You're not going to give him anything." She said and her daughter gave her a bemused look. "You will take his army and claim it as your own." She saw the shock on her face and Gabrielle smiled. "I told you that you would need my help."

"So I just gave him a giant bluff?" Anastasia cocked her eyebrow.

"Magyars are greedy. He just wants the money. He doesn't care about your campaign or alliance. He doesn't take you seriously, Anastasia, because you are young. Attila knew way back when that giving him money would keep him away from Pannonia. His thought process hasn't changed." Xena said.

Gabrielle chimed in, "and since he won't have an army anymore he won't be able to attack you."

Xena grinned. "What she said." She thumbed her partner beside her.

Anastasia sighed and frowned, not wanting to admit that she needed her mother's help. Although, she didn't know what she would have done if her mother weren't standing over there giving her silent advice. "I still think I can do this by myself," she muttered.

"And you can but you still need help. Don't be stubborn, Ana." Gabrielle advised and the young queen folded her arms.

Zolten walked into the room and all three women turned to him. "Forgive me, my queen," he bowed his head. "I have received word from Emperor Zeno. He wants to meet with you and Navaz personally."

Anastasia's jaw dropped and Xena shook her head. "That bastard won't quit." Xena growled.

"Tell him I will meet with him," Ana said.

Xena spun around with wide eyes. "Anastasia, no!"

"Mother, you said you want to help me right?"

"More than anything."

"Then help me negotiate with Zeno. Teach me."

Xena pinched the bridge of her nose. "Negotiating with emperors is not my strong point..."

Gabrielle grinned. "I can help you, Ana. I worked for Zeno and Odoacer. I know how they think and what they will ask." She eyed Xena and saw the disapproval in her eyes. "Let me help you, please?"

Anastasia nodded and turned to Zolten. "I will meet with the emperor." She smiled and Xena shook her head, knowing this was a bad idea.