AN: thanks to those that are reading this sequel. As I said, I'm writing this for my own enjoyment. I really enjoy writing these characters and this story is like my baby lol. I enjoy incorporating a lot of historical events in my work as some have noticed. This sequel is a lot different than its predecessor because it's more focused on family issues and matters, but I will definitely get to the battle parts soon enough. This chapter is a bit of a bump in the road for Gabrielle and Xena.
Enjoy :)
Chapter 17
Gabrielle stood beside Xena inside the conference room within the Adame. Navaz returned from Persia early in the morning and was told to report to the office to discuss what Anastasia agreed to with the governor of Constantinople the day before. The minute he heard 'governor of Constantinople', he feared the worst and wondered what his wife agreed to but it couldn't have been that bad if Xena didn't lash out at anyone.
Navaz sat at the table next to Anastasia while Xena and Gabrielle sat together on the opposite end. Gabrielle smirked smugly and nudged Xena's arm. "Alright, grandma commander, tell Navaz what we did" she teased and her cohort shot her a menacing glare.
The king raised an eyebrow. "Grandma commander?"
Anastasia grabbed his arm and whispered, "don't ask."
Xena did in fact lose the game of chess against her daughter and Gabrielle only won two games so that meant Xena had to win two games to break the score and win. But, she lost all three times against Anastasia and now Csaba was having the time of his life constantly calling Xena his 'grandma', a word that she never liked and encouraged him not to call her that from a young age. Obviously, it didn't work and it would never work now.
"Anyway," Xena grumbled, ignoring Gabrielle snickering under her breath. "I seized Pannonia from the Bulgur Huns. The territory belongs to you now Navaz. Ernak is staying there with two of your fleets to secure the area."
Navaz nodded his head slowly. He was impressed that Xena was able to complete his wife's mission and so quickly as well. He had heard about Xena's raids over the years but never knew how she operated under Attila until now. She definitely got the job done, which was profitable, but he didn't care about Pannonia like everyone else. That was the motherland of his wife and her family, but it wasn't his.
He gave a faint smile to his new commander. "That is very...remarkable, Xena, but I don't want to be in charge of Pannonia."
It was his wife that whipped her head around with her mouth ajar, gaping at the profile of his face. "Navaz, Pannonia belongs to you now. You are free to do what you want with it!"
He smiled and grabbed her hand. "It's not my land. Balaam is my home. Pannonia is yours." He said and she kept gawking at him. He turned back to the confused commander and adviser opposite him. "I want the sons of Attila to have control of Pannonia again. It is their land after all." He said and all three women stared at him in silence. "So, on to the governor of Constantinople then?"
Anastasia adjusted in her chair and rubbed her forehead. "Um, Flavius Anastasius came to talk to me. He wants us to organize a coup to overthrow Zeno and give him the throne. I already told mother about it but said I should talk with you about it first."
"Did Kreka and my mother agree with you during the meeting?" he asked.
"Yes but –"
He stood, "then do what you wish," he said and Xena frowned, rising from her seat.
"Now wait just a minute," Xena interrupted, "you're allowing this coup to happen?"
"That's right," he said.
Gabrielle stood. "And you are giving us free range to do whatever we want for this coup?" she asked just to make sure.
The king nodded. "Yes, Gabrielle. Do what you want. If Anastasia's party agrees with her then she doesn't need my permission to carry anything out. Isn't that what you wrote in that document you made me sign?" he winked and her lips turned into an eager smile.
Xena smiled deviously. "So I am in charge of the coup then?"
He sighed. "Yes, Xena. You're the commander, aren't you?" now growing impatient with these women questioning him over and over. "Anything else?" and all three women shook their heads. "Okay, now that this little meeting is over I have to ride out to Sevan." He began leaving the room.
Anastasia grabbed hold of his arm. "Wait, you're leaving again? You just got back," she frowned.
He smiled and kissed her forehead. "I will be back tomorrow morning. I have to make sure that the Shahs send their money to us. Hormizd offered to pay us if we stay away from Persia. I took the deal for now."
She nodded and lowered her head, folding her arms. He lifted her chin, staring into her solemn eyes. "It's only a day, Anastasia. Sevan isn't far from here. If you need me you can send someone to get me and I'll ride back." He said and she smiled faintly. "I know you're in good hands here." He turned and eyed Xena talking with Gabrielle.
"We can ride out to Troy in the next few weeks," Xena's face lit up and Gabrielle frowned.
"What about Anastasia's senlik?" she reminded her.
Xena groaned lowly, "right," she nearly forgot about that. "After the senlik then." She smiled brightly and the blonde rolled her eyes playfully. "It has been a long time since I was in Troy. You remember that base, don't you?"
Gabrielle scoffed. "How could I forget? Anastasia had her birthday there and you were so drunk and –" she saw the dark haired warrior's eyes darken. "I remember it," she smiled sheepishly. Turning around she saw Ana standing off by herself, her arms folded and her head hanging. She nudged Xena's arm, motioning towards the solemn queen.
Xena walked over to her daughter and lifted her chin, seeing tears in her glossy blue eyes. "What's the matter?"
Anastasia shook her head and wiped her eyes. "Nothing. It's nothing."
"Obviously not," her mother smiled warmly and brushed her fingers along her cheek. Ana sighed heavily. "Why don't you come back to the yurt with us? Csaba can come too." She motioned for Gabrielle to come to her aid.
"But my work. I can't just –"
Xena put a finger to her mouth, silencing her daughter. "No work today. Remember what I said about taking breaks? They are needed. Even for me," she said and Ana nodded.
Gabrielle hooked arms with the young queen and began walking out of the room. Xena trailed behind them and closed the doors.
The three walked down the long hallway that lead to the entrance of the Adame. Tuya caught sight of Xena, Gabrielle and Anastasia. She walked forward and called out, "Xena!"
The commander cringed at the sound of her name being called by that woman. Gabrielle abruptly halted with Anastasia and glared at the queen mother. Xena sighed. "Go on without me. I'll be right there," she advised.
Gabrielle frowned, "are you sure?"
"I'm sure," Xena said and then the two left. Reluctantly she turned around to find Tuya staring at her as she stood a mere three or so feet away from her. "What is it?"
The pale face queen mother smiled softly. "I want you to take a look at something for me." She said and lend her hand to the hallway. "Please?"
Xena groaned and followed the woman though she kept her distance. They arrived at a room not too far from Anastasia's quarters. Her eyes wandered around and she had passed the room before but it was normally used as a sitting room, but hardly anyone ever went in that room, or at all, from what she gathered. Tuya pulled out a key from the bracelet hanging on her wrist and Xena eyed her cautiously.
Slowly, she opened the door and stepped inside. Tuya smiled and turned to see Xena step in one foot at a time and fold her arms. The pale-faced Hun woman watched Xena walk around the room, examining every little thing quietly to herself. The more she walked around the more nervous Tuya became because she was too quiet, eerily quiet.
"What do you think?" Tuya asked.
Xena spun around and placed her hands on her hips. "It's a room. Am I missing something?" her eyes roamed around the almost empty room one more time.
Tuya nodded. "I know Anastasia is very busy and she doesn't have a lot of time to do anything lately so I thought I would do something for her."
Something nice. Very interesting, Xena thought. The nervous Hun woman continued, "I thought this could be the baby's room. It's the right size and very close to the queen's room. This room is hardly ever used for anything but I...wanted to ask you first."
Xena smirked and raised her eyebrow, sauntering over to Tuya. She saw the woman's brown eyes widen the close she got. "Trying to get on my good side, Tuya?" she teased and the queen mother lowered her eyes. "You would do this for my daughter?" she asked with suspicion.
Tuya nodded. "She and I don't always see eye to eye on things but I am...trying my best to have a better relationship with her." She said and Xena leaned in towards her face. She backed away slowly, her hands fidgeting behind her back.
The commander crookedly smiled. "Did Kreka put you up to this?" and Tuya shook her head. Sighing, she took another look at the room and shrugged a shoulder. "It's a nice room. I'm sure Anastasia will like it. Is that all you wanted? My approval?"
"Yes," Tuya answered curtly.
Xena brushed past the queen mother. "It seems you are giving her the best gift there is. What could I possibly give her now?" she winked then walked out of the room. Tuya stood in the room and wrapped her arms around herself, unsure if that was supposed to be a playful joke or a minor threat coming from Xena. She hoped that it was the former. She didn't want to seem like she was stepping all over Xena but Kreka said that she should be nice and that's what she planned to do –what she was trying to do.
Csaba was helping Gabrielle set out bowls and plates inside the yurt while his mother sat down by herself in the sitting area. He cleaned one of the plates with a rag and stared over at his mother. "Hey Gabrielle."
"Yes?" she handed him another plate.
"How come 'you know who' doesn't like being called grandma?" he asked and she chuckled softly.
"I think she doesn't want to feel like an old lady," she said and he stared at her with a bemused expression. "Your mother had you very young and let's just say your grandmother...wasn't exactly very happy about it."
He frowned and set the clean plate aside. "She didn't like me?"
"She loves you, you know that," she said and he kept gawking at her. She decided to sit down with him and saw his eyes linger over at his mother. She was beginning to get worried the longer Xena was absent and hoped Tuya didn't do something to her back in the Adame. But, Xena could definitely take care of herself.
"Listen Csaba, she loves you a lot and would do anything for you. When your mother told her that she was pregnant with you she was very...very...upset, but not at you." She tried to reassure the young teenager.
Csaba folded his arms on the table. "She was upset at my mom?" he alleged.
Gabrielle smiled, wagging her head. "No. She was upset at your father." She then saw his eyes widen at that. "She eventually let it go but it took her a long time. So, I guess, that's why she doesn't like being called that."
He nodded, sort of understanding why she didn't like being called grandma even though she was definitely his grandmother. At that moment Xena walked into the yurt and shook the snow out of her hair and threw her cloak on a chair. She groaned and Anastasia turned around, staring up at her from the floor.
Gabrielle left the table. "What took you so long?" she whispered.
Xena picked out some snowflakes from her long dark hair. "Tuya talks a lot." She exhaled greatly and looked over at her daughter and smiled. "How are you feeling?"
Anastasia creased her eyebrows. "I'm fine." She said and then tried to get off the floor but Xena placed a hand firmly on her shoulder.
"Don't get up. We'll eat on the floor," she said then walked over to the table to grab the plates and bowls. Csaba grabbed some of the plates in his arms and the spoons. She winked at her grandson and he smiled brightly up at her.
Gabrielle brought over the platter of spiced rice and set it in the middle of the floor. Csaba carefully set down the large bowl of mutton stew on the ground next to the next. Xena came to sit next to her daughter and placed the plate of bread on the floor. Then she ripped off a piece of the bread and set it on her daughter's plate.
Together they sat in silence eating. Csaba spoon some rice onto his bread and looked around at all the quiet women surrounding him. Gabrielle sat beside him on his right and his mother on his left. He wiped his mouth and lowered his plate. "So, I heard that we have Pannonia back." He said and Xena eyed him. "Are we moving back?" he hoped.
Xena smiled and sipped some water from her cup. "I think we have to stay here for awhile but maybe in the future we can." She said and he nodded, satisfied with that answer.
Gabrielle's eyes lingered on Anastasia whom was barely eating anything except rice and bread. "Aren't you going to have some of the stew, Ana?" she asked.
Anastasia lifted her eyes and chewed slowly, staring at Gabrielle then to her mother then back down at her plate. "I...am not feeling very good right now," she muttered.
Xena set her spoon down in her bowl and stared at her daughter intensely then over at Gabrielle whom was eating quietly to herself and gave her a shoulder shrug. "It will make you feel better," she said in a soft voice. She began reaching over for the ladle in the large bowl of soup and Ana's eyes grew.
"Mother!" she hissed and Xena retracted her hand. "Please," her voice calmed. "I really don't feel well." She said and immediately averted her eyes back to her plate of rice and half eaten bread. Just the smell of the meat was making her stomach churn. She couldn't bear to look at it much less eat it.
Csaba frowned and looked to his mother worriedly. "You're sick?" he asked.
She lifted her eyes at her son and smiled gently. "I'll be alright." She reached over and pat his knee.
After dinner was over with Xena drew the flap of the yurt back and saw the snow falling heavily. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Gabrielle. She smiled briefly then looked outside once more. "Looks like a blizzard."
Gabrielle nodded. "I've never seen so much snow before, not even in Pannonia."
"Welcome to the mountains, Gabrielle," she teased. "I think Anastasia and Csaba should stay here tonight." She suggested and her consort nodded in agreement. "Ana can have our room and we can sleep out in the sitting room with Csaba."
Gabrielle spun around and saw Csaba on the floor talking to his mother. "Hey, guess what? You're both stuck in here with us tonight. Csaba you'll sleep with us in here and your mother can have the bedroom."
He jumped up excitedly. "Alright! We can stay up and play games!" he said and saw the frown on his grandmother's face. "Or maybe not."
Ana frowned and turned around to her mother. "I don't want to make you both sleep on the floor. I can stay out here with Csaba."
Xena arched an eyebrow. "I'm not letting you sleep on the floor, Anastasia. Don't be ridiculous." She lend a hand to help her heavily pregnant daughter off the floor.
"So, we really can't play any games?" Csaba whispered and Gabrielle nudged his arm.
Xena turned around. "Why don't you teach him some Latin, Gabrielle? You're good at that," she gave her a wink then lead her daughter to the bedroom. The blonde adviser's cheeks flushed and then heard Csaba let out a loud sigh, obviously he didn't want to be schooled at this late hour.
Anastasia took off her cotton black dress and she had her long sleeved black gown on beneath her outer layer of clothing she wore. She took the pins out of her hair and slipped the veil off her long locks. Xena folded her dress and had already changed into a long sleeved slip of her own. She then grabbed her daughter's boots and set them next to hers on the far side of the room.
Sitting on the bed she watched her mother organize her armor on a chair and her sword on the table next to the set of chairs. She smiled softly and folded her veil up and set aside. Xena turned and smiled at her daughter warmly and sat on the empty side of the bed, bringing the blanket close to her.
"You didn't have to do this. I could have stayed out there with Csaba," she said, brushing her hair behind her ears.
Xena scoffed. "You're not sleeping on the floor." Her daughter let out a heavy exhale, knowing she wasn't going to win this argument. "If you need me you know where to find me." She kissed her forehead then got off the bed to leave the room.
Ana held her breath and watched her mother walking towards the sitting room. "Mother!" she called out and Xena spun around. "Will you...stay with me?"
Xena was hoping that she would ask that. She hadn't been able to spend too much time with her daughter and the time they did spend together, they were either arguing or discussing war, alliances and potential treaties. She smiled and slipped underneath the blanket, laying on her side, propping her head on her palm. Anastasia grinned and lay on her side, looking into her mother's warm eyes.
"You miss Navaz," she said and saw her daughter avert her eyes. "I've seen that look before Anastasia. With Ellac." Ana lifted her eyes and she adjusted herself, tucking one arm under the pillow. "And you love him." She said and Ana quirked her mouth. "If you love him why don't you just tell him?"
"I can't," Ana mumbled.
"Why not?"
"Because," she inhaled deeply and stared up at her mother. "I –I don't know if he loves me too."
Xena scoffed and peered down at the destress in her daughter's eyes. "He loves you, trust me. I know it was really hard for you after Ellac died. He loved you very much, but Navaz loves you too. Just tell him how you feel."
Anastasia nodded. "Okay, I will."
Xena smiled and kissed her cheek then lay down in the bed, closing her eyes. Anastasia stared at her mother in the dim candle lit bedroom and she really wanted to sleep but her mind was too wired, while her body was exhausted. She shifted in the bed and then a frown crossed her lips. She felt the child within her was as much unrest as she was right now. Resting her hand on her restless child she breathed out through her nose deeply.
Xena felt a pair of eyes on her as she was trying to sleep. "What is the matter now?" she asked, her eyes fluttering open to see distress all over her daughter's face.
"I can't sleep."
"I can see that," Xena said then scooted closer to her daughter. Both smiling at each other.
"Mom..." Anastasia lowered her eyes and Xena leaned her head against her palm, still gaping at her daughter. "You'll be there...when the baby arrives, right?"
Xena smiled and brushed her daughter's hair behind her shoulder. "I was there for you last time, wasn't I?" she saw that same look that Anastasia had in her eyes when she was pregnant with Csaba. That look of fear.
"Promise me."
Her mother sighed. "I promise." She then saw that fear leave her daughter's eyes. "I wish I could have seen you get married. I bet you looked beautiful."
Ana smiled faintly. "If you were here back then, I probably would have never married Navaz."
"Aren't you glad that you did?" Xena asked.
Anastasia sighed deeply. "I wasn't back then but I am now. He is a nice person and he cares about me. We are still learning a lot about each other." She said and saw her mother's firmly planted on her. "How do you and Gabrielle get along so well? You know everything about each other. I want my relationship with Navaz to be like that."
Xena let out a soft chuckle. "Gabrielle and I haven't always had the best relationship, Ana. You know that. She's been by my side for ten years now. The first thing every relationship should have is respect. You need to respect each other in order to have an established relationship. You don't have to be lovers, sometimes you can be friends. Respect is the key. Gabrielle and I always let one another know how we are feeling and we work together."
Ana nodded and bit her bottom lip. "I see. Navaz and I don't know how to work together yet. I don't think..."
Now you're getting it, tatli kiz. "You will. That comes with time. That's part of the reason why I didn't want you to be a commander. You and Navaz didn't seem to agree on anything. Every decision you make you need to make together."
"Together," Ana noted that. "I should do something for him, shouldn't I? I feel like he's always doing something for me."
Xena shrugged a shoulder. "That is all on you, Anastasia. I'm afraid I can't help you with that." She said. "Are you sleepy yet?"
The Hun queen shook her head. "Sorry..."
"That's alright," Xena said with a subtle smile on her lips. "I'll stay up with you until you fall asleep."
"You don't have to do that."
"I want to." Xena cupped Ana's cheek and the young queen blushed.
Xena and Gabrielle barged into Dengi's yurt and found him sitting with a young woman. There was a large water pipe in the middle of the floor that was at least three feet tall. Dengi's eyes widened as he blew out a large cloud of smoke from his mouth. Gabrielle folded her arms and Xena's upper lip quivered.
The son of Attila grinned at both women glaring at him. "Xena...Gabrielle...what are you doing here?" he chuckled, his eyes glazed over. The young woman with him stifled a laugh and then immediately they both stopped laughing, seeing the angry faces of the commander and adviser.
He cleared his throat and Xena crossed her arms, copying her consort. "Are you high?" she asked.
He scoffed. "No...nooo..." he waved his hand and she narrowed her eyes. "Yes. Yes I am." He tried to stop himself from smiling.
"I want you to go the Adame and take inventory of all the weapons. You think you could do that or are you too blazed?" Xena asked.
Dengi stood slowly and placed a hand on his hip, trying to sober up. "No, no, Xena. I can do it. I'm good." He said and both women looked at him in disbelief. "I swear!" he brushed past her and pat her shoulder on his way out, completely forgetting about his female guest.
The young woman adjusted the veil on her head and Gabrielle frowned. "And who are you?" she asked.
"Leila," the dark haired pale young woman said in a soft voice. "And you are?" she looked up at the short haired blonde and then to the long haired warrior.
Xena snarled. "She is my adviser. Listen, Leila, I don't know why you're in here nor do I care."
The Caucasus Hun stood up slowly, brushing the wrinkles out of her cotton dress. Xena stepped towards her and she gasped, backing away. "I'm not Dengizich's mother. You have no reason to fear me but if I ever see you in his yurt again I will tell his mother. Surely you know who his mother is, don't you?"
The girl nodded. "The wife of Attila..." she said softly.
Xena smiled. "That's right. I suggest you speak with her before you go off by yourself with Dengizich. Understood?" and Leila nodded then left the yurt.
Gabrielle chuckled. "Xena, why do you have to scare that poor girl?"
"It's amusing," Xena gave her a wink. "Besides, Kreka would kill that girl if she was the one who walked in here."
"Dengi is an adult, Xena. I don't think Kreka can stop him from seeing women on his own time."
"You really don't know her very well do you? How many years has it been now?" Xena teased. "Come on, Arpad is sending his army over today. I want to make sure they receive a warm welcome from us."
On the south side of the Caucasus Mountains, Xena stood with Gabrielle watching Arpad's army of men march and ride through the large snowy mountains. Xena snapped her fingers and Zolten came running to her call.
"Block the road towards Balaam," she instructed.
"Why would we do that?" he asked.
She turned around and grabbed him by the throat and slammed him up against a tree. "Because I said so, you worm!" she growled and he gasped for air.
"Xena..." Gabrielle, being the voice of reason. The commander glared at the officer and closed her eyes briefly then let go of his throat. Zolten fell to the ground, choking lightly.
"One more word out of you and I'll break your fingers," Xena said and walked off to stand next to the blonde adviser again. Zolten frowned and was helped up by another soldier. He glared at the commander as he rubbed his throat.
Gabrielle nudged her lover's arm. "I don't think we should block the Magyars. They might revolt and attack Balaam. This is supposed to be an exchange –money for men."
Xena grunted and folded her arms. "You have a point," she muttered. Turning to Zolten and the others just as they were about to leave. "Change of plans. Stay here and take the army to the Adame courtyard. Navaz will handle it from there. Bring me the soldiers that refuse to submit to m –us..." she said and Gabrielle smiled, feeling quite proud of herself.
Zolten's eyes darkened. "Yes, commander..." he whistled at the soldiers and walked down the path in between the mountains to meet with the Magyars.
Gabrielle cleared her throat, catching Xena's attention. "Um, Navaz authorized you to be the interrogator?" she whispered.
"He will."
"Xena, I swear to God..." Gabrielle growled and the commander turned to her, cupping her cheek with her black gloved hand.
"Gabrielle, trust me. I know what I'm doing."
"I know and that's what I'm afraid of..."
Xena slapped the Magyar soldier in the face as he hanged upside down by his ankles inside a secluded room in the Adame. "Submit!" she hissed.
He spat in her face and she gasped. "Pannonian cunt." He grinned, his face flushed from hanging for so long already.
She wiped her cheek and took off her gloves then walked over to the weapon rack. She picked up a large iron rod and grinned. She pat the rod against her palm and stared at the Magyar. "You know, I was trying to be nice but you don't want to play along. Now, we have to do this the hard way." She smiled and grabbed the man by his collar, lifting him up, inches from his face. She felt his hot breath against her nose and mouth.
"If you don't submit I will have to torture you and you don't want that do you?" she whispered.
He growled and wiggled his legs, trying to set himself free. She released him and his body swayed gently. "You betrayed my king! You took his army!"
"Wrong!" she yelled. "I have betrayed no one!" she swung the iron rod and hit him in the gut. He groaned loudly and coughed. "You submit to the Huns or die! I will kill every single of you if I have to."
The Magyar chuckled. "That's what you're good at huh, Hun woman? You kill people for sport."
Her eyes widened and she hit him in the legs with the iron. He cringed but bit his tongue. "I am not a murderer!"
"Yes you are. You slaughtered hundreds of your own people for Attila –your king. You are not even a true Hun. You are a Thracian yet you follow the lifestyle of a Hun. You have for many years. You are nothing. You mean nothing and you –"
Her hands trembled and she flung the iron rod aside and grabbed a long claymore from the weapon rack. She pointed the blade at his throat and looked down at his eerie smile. "You pervert the Hun nation with your Greek woman. You are a foreigner! Your daughter is a half breed yet the Hun king slipped his cock inside her to prolong the your lineage. Khushnavaz will be death of all the Caucasus Huns!" he spat.
She swung her sword across his neck and decapitated his head from his body. She breathed heavily and blood dripped onto the stone floor. Stepping away, she looked down at the bloody sword and the shocked eyes from the White Hun soldiers standing by the doors.
"Clean this up. Dispose of the body and tell no one this happened," she uttered and the soldiers nodded. She dropped the claymore and rushed out of the room.
Gabrielle saw Xena exit the room and walked alongside her, trying to keep up with her strides. "How did it go? Did he submit?" she asked.
Xena pursed her lips and kept walking through the long hallway, eager to get out of the Adame. "Yes, he did." She lied and she hadn't lied to Gabrielle in so long. She couldn't tell the person she loved that she went against her word and killed out of anger and rage. That Magyar spout off, running his mouth and she allowed it to get to her.
Anastasia stood in her bedroom with Kreka holding the dress up to her body. The Khatun grinned, nodding, quite proud of her work. "Do you think this will be up to your mother's standards?" she asked and Anastasia shrugged her shoulders.
"I'm sorry that she ripped the dress, Kreka. I know you worked very hard on it." Ana sighed and Kreka handed her the burgundy gown.
Gabrielle sat down in the chair after waltzing in. "I think it looks great. Try it on!" she begged and Kreka smiled excitedly. Anastasia frowned and looked at the sparkling gown in her hands. "Come on, Ana. We want to see it on you."
"I'll be right back..." Ana groaned and walked into a separate room to change into the gown.
Kreka organized her basket filled with sewing supplies. She turned to the Greek woman whom was missing a part of her. "Where's Xena? After all the work I put in this gown, I'd like for her to see it!"
Gabrielle sighed. "I don't know where she is. She disappeared a couple of hours ago. She might be off with Navaz. She told me to take the rest of the day off."
The khatun cocked an eyebrow and dropped the basket on the table. "That doesn't sound like Xena. She never takes a day off for anything, except when she's forced to."
That did sound a bit odd to Gabrielle now that Kreka said that. Xena had to be with Navaz, she told herself. She just had to be. Navaz was not in the Adame at all and Xena wasn't either. After that interrogation earlier today, Gabrielle figured that Xena was doing something else. Planning her coup to Troy, but why tell her to take the day off? Didn't she need her to advise the plans for Troy? Now this didn't make any sense at all.
Anastasia came out of the other room and held the back of the dress tightly. "I need some help with this..." she said shyly. Kreka grinned and briskly walked over to her.
Gabrielle stood from her seat and beamed at the sight before her. How could someone look so much like Xena yet be so different? "You look amazing!" she said and Ana's cheeks flushed at such a compliment.
Kreka was lacing the back of the dress and pulled tightly. Anastasia gasped. "Too tight?"
"You must be trying to constrict my lungs, Kreka." Ana snarled. The khatun loosened the laces.
Navaz walked into the queen's bedroom unannounced, figuring that his wife would be alone especially at this hour. "Anastasia, I –"
Kreka gasped. "Get out!" she yelled and stood in front of Anastasia. "Out! Out!"
"But I just wanted to talk to –"
"Out!" Kreka frowned. "You aren't supposed to see her in the dress!"
Navaz smiled nervously at the angry woman and Gabrielle shrugged her shoulder at him. He nodded and began backing away, shielding his eyes. "Okay...I'll come back later. Let me know when you ladies are finished."
Gabrielle frowned and ran to the doors. "Wait! Xena isn't with you?" she asked.
He peeked through his fingers. "No, I haven't seen her since this afternoon."
"Get out, you!" Kreka said and the king quickly left the room, closing the doors.
Anastasia rubbed her temple, feeling a headache emerging. "He didn't see me, right?"
Kreka spun around and rubbed the young queen's arms. "I don't think so. Now, take off the dress before you ruin it." she said and Anastasia gasped. "I worked really hard on this, Anastasia," she pressed.
Gabrielle turned to the two women and frowned. "I'll see you both later." She walked out of the room and went to look for Xena. She didn't know why, but she felt like Xena was up to no good. Something was missing. Something was wrong, but what?