At the far end of camp, virtually out of sight to anyone who didn't know any better to look, was a large cell full of female prisoners from anywhere and everywhere around. The blonde saw the pain and fear on their faces and in their eyes and reflected it back. She walked towards them with the guard, watching her footing occasionally so as not to trip, (the guard's stride was larger than hers and she had to do a little work to keep pace) until they were at the gate. The guard reached into a pouch and pulled out a heavy set of keys. He looked at them and rolled his eyes, and then stuck a key into the lock. It was the wrong key. So he tried the next one, which was also wrong, and the next one and the next one and the next one until the correct key, also the last one on the ring, fir into the lock. The blonde was pulled towards the cell and pushed inside. Taking three steps, she finally spoke.
"Alright. Everyone out." The women inside all looked at the menacing guard just outside of the cell and then at the new woman who stood before them. She motioned for them to move with her hand. "Come on, quickly! We have to leave now!" The guard nodded in agreement, reaching up and removing his heavy helmet. Long black locks tumbled down and out of it, and the guard smiled subtly at the women.
"Come on. We're here to rescue you and the princess," she said. "But we have to hurry. So move! Go, go!" The guard and the blonde ushered the prisoners out of the cell, but there was one near the back who was more hesitant than the others. She eyed the guard when she came to her.
"Who… Who are you?" she asked. There was a sense of knowing and judgment to her voice despite her question. The guard did not smile, but offered her hand out and pulled the woman from the cell shutting the door behind her.
"My name is Xena," she said, and the woman reacted to the sound of the name, retreating back to the other women. "Gabrielle, I need you to take these women into the forest where they'll be safer. I'll go and find the princess and will meet you at the castle."
"But Xena-"
"Just go, Gabrielle. We don't have much time-"
"Don't have much time for what?" a dark voice called from behind them. Xena whipped around, her eyes narrowing immediately.
"Therius," she sneered. Her lip curled involuntarily.
"You look good, Xena," the man said with a smile. "Really good." Therius looked the warrior before him up and down, his smile turning to a dark grin. He liked the way she looked in his army's uniform, the armor fitting her in a surprisingly flattering way. He didn't understand why he didn't recognize her before, though. "How've you been all this time?" Xena was not interested in engaging in a conversation with a man so utterly beneath her.
"I've been fine, thanks," she said flatly.
"I'm quite surprised to see you. I didn't think I would so soon, but I guess under circumstances like these… You were bound to make an appearance." Xena finally turned her body completely to face Therius, one hand behind her back.
"Right, of course… Now cut the crap, you know why I'm here. Where's the princess?" Therius smiled and then laughed, purely amused.
"Oh yes, right. I'll hand her right over to you and call the whole thing off." Xena was irritated, angry, but in her last rational moment she signaled to Gabrielle with the hand behind her back to take the prisoners and run.
"It'd be easier if you did it that way," she said. Therius scoffed.
"Of course. But why would I want to make anything easier for you? But then again, I guess I wouldn't want to go up against the Black Pegasus army alone either." At this, Xena smiled devilishly, dropping the helmet that was still in her other hand down to the ground at her feet.
"I meant that it'd be easier for you… And obviously, Therius, you don't know me very well anymore. Aiy-aiy-aiy-aiy-aiy-aiy-aiy-aiy-aiy!" Xena engaged Therius in battle, keeping up with his every move and then some. He was a good fighter, but not good enough, and one of Xena's advantages was knowing exactly why. Eventually the Black Pegasus arm came to attention, defending their leader against Xena and allowing him to disappear and retreat beyond their ranks to safety. He went into his tent with a menacing grin.
Gabrielle slower her pace to a walk, turning around and making sure that everyone was still with her. She was relieved to find that she hadn't lost anyone, but could not bring herself to smile. She had some things on her mind.
One of the women from the back of the group had migrated forward during their escape, and in silence she approached Gabrielle.
"Why are you helping us?" she asked. Gabrielle turned her head to look at the woman beside her.
"Because it is what's right," she said simply, honestly. The woman beside her was quiet for a moment.
"But if you're helping us then what is that other woman doing? You have such a good heart, such a light spirit, but that Xena…. What is the connection? Why is she with you?" The words hit Gabrielle hard in the gut, and she found herself unable to respond for a long while. She thought about it and her eyes misted over. What was the connection?Where was Gabrielle's relevance to Xena's life? These were all things that lurked deep in the back of Gabrielle's mind, but she never took the time to think about them in any seriousness. It never really mattered… Not until last night, anyway. It had been a long time, but why? A sea of questions bubbled up in Gabrielle and began eating away at her. Her nostrils flared and tears pushed against the backs of her eyes but she refused to cry. She stiffened her upper lip and let her expression glaze over.
"How dare you say something like that," she said. "Xena is a good woman and she has done so much for me…" Gabrielle looked the woman in the eyes directly, not wavering at all. "She is with me because we're a team," she said. It was all she could say, and she had to believe it.
It was only a few minutes before Gabrielle heard a rustling in the trees and briefly froze to listen. The women caught her attentiveness and looked around. The blonde walked in the direction of the sound a few steps, keeping between it and the group of escaped slaves. Her staff tight in her grip, she motioned for the women not to move, and then took another silent step forward, listening intently. Against the uneven earth she heard the footfalls of horses and the clink of metal armor. It sounded like an approaching army, the king's army, and this made Gabrielle smile.
"Hello?" she called out into the distance. She was answered then by a sudden eerie silence, and just as she was about to call out again and let the king and his army know where Xena was, there was a hissing sound, followed then by a searing pain in the blonde's stomach that knocked the wind out of her. She fell to her knees, stunned, and turned as much as she could towards the women behind her. "Run!" she cried, although her voice was weak.
"We're not leaving you, not after you helped us escape," one of the women said. Gabrielle heard accelerating hoof beats coming closer, and she winced at the pain from taking in a deep breath.
"I'll be fine," she promised, but she didn't even half believe her words herself. Her body forced her to lie down on her side. "Just run." And before she could say anything else, Gabrielle blacked out.