Therius approached the tree that Gabrielle was tied to personally, his face expressionless. He looked at her limp body, seemingly lifeless, and was glad when he noticed that she had finally stopped bleeding.
"To be perfectly honest, I was hoping you'd survive. Even if Xena doesn't rescue you you're worth more to me alive than dead." He didn't expect a response fro the blonde, and looked up into the distance. "It's getting late, though," he said. "You're friend might not get here in time." Therius took a few steps to his left, coming around to see his captive's face head-on. He kneeled down in front of her. "Not that that's a bad thing. You're fairly attractive after all, I mean… I could just forget about the money and keep you for myself-"
"Don't you even think about it. She's mine." Therius smiled and stood up, turning towards the voice behind him.
"Xena! What beautiful timing- I was beginning to lose faith in you, you know." Therius paused, examining the situation. "What's all that? Did you bring some friends?" Xena was not amused even in the slightest.
"I've come to make a new deal with you, Therius, and I think you might want to heavily consider it." Therius smiled again, subtly this time, stepping forward with his hands behind his back.
"We already had a deal, remember?"
"Yes, I remember. But your deal sucks and I have a better one. Care to hear it?" The venom in the warrior princess' voice was beyond the point of lethal, and she knew it.
"Sure, go ahead. Amuse me." Xena stepped forward, tightening the space between Therius and herself with a confidence unmatched by anyone around, and began to speak with as much control as she could manage.
"Behind me is the Royal Army in its complete ranks, including all of the royal artillery backed by the fury of two childless monarch parents. In front of all that is a very angry Xena who is, also, currently without a princess and, to top it off, without a Gabrielle. Let me also remind you that this is the same very angry Xena who annihilated a fair portion of your pathetic army early today before she even had any allies fighting behind her at all. That being said, things don't look too good for you, Therius, but by all means: If you still want to stick with your deal, I can play along." Xena cocked an eyebrow. "How's that for amusement?" Therius sneered at Xena, stubborn.
"I'm not giving into you, Xena! I'm not going to just give up like a coward!" Xena's lips twitched and her eyes lit up. She snarled at Therius.
"Then you'll die like one."