AN: well it's been real guys lol. This battle was extremely difficult for me to write because of the way it's written. I had been avoiding it but I decided to face my fears LOL. Good luck and team Xena all the way :)
Chapter 24 –Greek Eye Part II
Day One
Baldwin sat underneath a large canopy, protected from the harsh sun. He had been waiting for Xena and her army to arrive for a week now. He was growing impatient but knew that she would come. She never backed away from a war especially if it was on her turf. He had heard many things about Xena and the way she ruled her split empire for years.
Posing as man, he scoffed inwardly. He wondered how long she could have done that for if she were not found out? How long could she have passed herself as a male emperor? If not for someone blabbing then she would have continued to rule as Sultan and Emperor of Greece and Persia. Though, Baldwin once had Jerusalem long before Xena came along, long before she was even ruler of Greece.
He wanted the holy land back and in his grasp again. Saladin also had Jerusalem when he took from Baldwin. The Saracen won Jerusalem fair and square but it was only because Baldwin had less soldiers at his disposal. If he had a huge army like Saladin then he would have won for sure.
This time, he wanted to be prepared. Xena had an army of over two hundred thousand men. She was always well prepared and nobody challenged her, of course why would they? She was posing as a man not as a woman. Now that everyone knew who she truly was, they wanted her gone. Exterminated. Baldwin did not want Xena to be killed, he just wanted his land back. Although, he began to think that Saladin was going to fight him for Jerusalem. Baldwin was confident in Saladin to take Xena's army down. For once, he was evenly matched against Xena's large army.
The leper king waft the mosquitoes from around his eye slits and stared at Saladin standing under the canopy, looking out at the sand dunes.
"You believe that Xena is willing to risk all of her men to fight me?" the king croaked.
Saladin smirked and he folded his arms. "Baldwin. Xena is not just an empress. She is a warrior. She knows how to fight."
"Yet you have never fought with her in battle...you do not know her skills...her strategies..." he inhaled deeply and coughed.
The Saracen chuckled softly under his breath. "I don't need to see her in battle to know that she is good at what she does. You underestimate her just like the Crusaders do because she is a woman. Are you truly so sexist, Hebrew king?" he turned to face the masked leper.
Baldwin squinted his eyes and tapped his gloved fingers on his knees. "My wife is an excellent queen. I do not believe she is unworthy of ruling an empire, Saladin. Xena is a fine empress and sultan. There is no female equivalent of sultan in any language. She is a Valide Sultan. An overseer but she is a liar and she is a heathen. She pays no attention to God or the Church and for that, she needs to be gotten rid of. Jerusalem does not belong to her."
Saladin nodded and turned around. He covered his eyes from the sand debris flying through the air. He saw a sea of black riding towards them. He smiled and saw huge flags, Greek flags of course. Greeks in the land of Persia.
"Why don't you tell her yourself, Baldwin?" he mused and motioned to the open sands.
Baldwin rose from his chair slowly and made his way over to Saladin. He looked out and saw Xena leading her army through the sandstorm. He clenched his hand into a fist and smiled beneath his silver mask.
"She finally makes an appearance." The king said and cleared his throat, his lungs filled with shards of sand. He really did not like this desert. The palace Xena had was where he wanted and needed to be.
Xena's army halted and the sea of soldiers parted and she rode out through the middle, wearing a black mask, covering her face. Baldwin's eyes widened and Saladin raised an eyebrow. She rode to the middle of the field in between her army and Baldwin's camp.
"She still hides her face," Baldwin noted.
"She does not trust you," Saladin said. Xena waited patiently in the middle of the field. "She wants to talk." He snapped his fingers to one of the soldiers to retrieve his horse.
Baldwin backed into the canopy and saw Saladin mount the horse and sheath his sword. "You are willing to speak to her?"
The Saracen smiled at the king and wrapped a veil around his face. "Baldwin, you must have little faith in me. Perhaps she is willing to surrender?" he kicked his horse and rode off. The leper king grunted and sat back down in the chair, exhausted already especially from the heat.
Xena clutched the reins of her horse and Saladin trotted close to her, a few feet away. His eyes lingered at the large army behind her, all wearing black masks just like her. He wondered if she brought those girls that were at her palace in Thebes. He wouldn't know because everyone looked the same.
"An army of black masks, Xena. Why?" he said and uncovered his face. Her mask hiding her true emotion, concealing her face before him.
"You side with Baldwin, Saladin? Why?" she cocked her head. "You sought for my help yet you go behind my back and betray me."
Saladin gave her a crooked smile. "You speak too soon, empress. I have not betrayed you. Your Anatolians are waiting for you. Have you come to surrender?"
"I don't surrender to anyone." She said flatly, her voice muffled behind the dark mask. "Baldwin's army will be slaughtered if he fights me and I'll make sure to wipe out all of his flanks one by one."
"God shines upon you, Xena. You have many allies behind you. These Templars are ruthless fighters in battle. I won Jerusalem years ago. I hope to see you keep the land for yourself."
She smiled beneath the mask. "So you can take it from me?" she implied.
"Maybe one day, but not today." He winked and she lifted her chin, eyeing him suspiciously and with extreme caution. He looked up and saw a falcon circling around them. The bird came down and landed on his arm. A message tied to the bird's talon. He retrieved the message and the bird flew off.
Reading the message to himself Xena frowned. "What is that?" she asked.
He smiled and tucked the small note in his cloak. "A message from my home base. Peace be upon you Xena," he curtly bowed his head and rode back to Baldwin's camp.
Peace was what she really wanted but she knew that this would not end peacefully. A lot of people were going to die and she hated to do this but these Crusaders were challenging her position and authority. She won this land on her own and now it was to be taken from her not because she was a tyrant ruler but because she was a woman and the Templars did not like that.
Xena marched through the gates of her palace and was met with Osman and Borias standing inside the compound. She lifted the mask from her face and frowned at the two. "Saladin sides with Baldwin and you do not attack them?" she eyed Osman.
Borias stepped forward, "Baldwin has been waiting for you, Xena. He didn't attack us because you weren't here."
Osman nodded. "And Saladin does not side with Baldwin."
She raised an eyebrow and her eyes darted back and forth between the two. "What are you talking about? I just saw him on the enemy's side. I just spoke with him!"
"He is going to betray Baldwin." Borias said and saw her eyes widen at that. "He has his army of men scattered within Baldwin's army. He is on your side. For now," he muttered.
Xena folded her arms and all of her girls trailed inside the compound talking with the Anatolian soldiers behind her. "Why would he do that? That doesn't make any sense. There is no point in fighting with Baldwin if Saladin is going to attack him."
"That's what I said," Borias turned to Osman. He tried to tell him that was very unusual but the chieftain refused to believe it.
"If the Saracen wants to fight the Hebrew king then let him. Less work for us all," Osman said with an eager smile. He did not want this war any more than Xena did.
She shook her head. "This is wrong. Something is wrong." She walked through them and head to the inside of her deserted palace. She was suddenly bombarded with some of the girls and she tensed up.
"Where would you like us to be, empress?" Helena asked.
"Stay inside the palace and don't come out until I tell you." Xena said and marched inside.
Gabrielle found Xena waiting on the highest wall on the outside of the palace, watching the pitch black field. Baldwin's entire camp was lit by torches and Xena sat in the cold desert night. Watching and waiting.
"When do you think they will attack?" the blonde asked, not evening startling the stoic empress.
"Soon. I am waiting for his attack first. I know he will strike first." She pointed to the outskirts of the enemy's camp. "They have catapults. He is going to use those to try and tear down my wall."
Gabrielle pursed her lips and leaned on the stone wall, wrapping her arms around herself. Suddenly she felt incredibly nervous. This was not a tiff between the Templars, this was a huge war. If she didn't know any better, she'd say that Xena was nervous too. Her eyes were fixated on the field miles away from the palace.
"I am assuming you have a plan," she said and Xena turned to her. Her face lit by the moonlight, her blue eyes sparkling.
"I always have a plan, Gabrielle." Finally, a smile appeared on the empress's harsh face and the blonde grinned. "I won't let Baldwin win. This is my land. My empire. I didn't rise from nothing to have this taken away from me. Baldwin will be sorry he ever set foot on this land."
Gabrielle nodded and stepped closer to the brunette. "And what will you do when this is all over? Send us back to our homes?"
Xena shrugged a shoulder. "I tried to make you all leave before and that didn't go very well now did it?" she smirked. "But I think...I will stay in Jerusalem for awhile. You know, keep an eye on things."
"But you miss Greece don't you?"
Xena nodded. "Yes I do. I started everything there but I need to be here. For myself, for my people, my family. I owe it to myself to win, Gabrielle. I am not going to allow them to win and take what is rightfully mine."
The blonde frowned and exhaled heavily through her nostrils. She saw the fires rising in the fields. They had many tents set up in the desert while Xena's army was settled inside the palace compound. Xena had the advantage here being in such a large building. She was well protected, but this land had been conquered before by others despite the large compound.
"Gabrielle," she began and the blonde turned to look up at her. "I hope this is the last war you ever see."
Day Two
Baldwin's army of Templar Knights rose early in the morning to gather up their supplies to attack Xena's palace from afar. He wanted to use the strategy that Saladin used on him when they fought in Jerusalem long ago. It was one of the best tactics he had ever seen Saladin use and he knew it would work to win the holy land from Xena.
Baldwin trotted on his horse to the front flank. He witnessed Saladin behind the line of catapults behind the fourth flank. Using catapults to attack the walls of the palace was the best way to catch Xena off guard. She was completely concealed. Hiding in that compound of hers. Her army was also inside, waiting or perhaps lurking. As he trotted in the hot sands he squinted his eyes and saw Xena standing on the north wall, glaring at him. Unmasked, he could see, but she was too far to see her face. Though, he could feel her eyes burning into his skin even from afar.
He was half expecting Xena to attack his army in the morning but there was no sign of any man outside the compound or inside the gates. There weren't any men along the wall either, only Xena standing by herself, glaring. Baldwin scowled and trotted along his first flank of men. Thousands in the first legion and he had many more to fight. If Xena was as good as a strategist as Gregory claimed then this could go on forever but he hoped not. Jerusalem was his and only his. Disputes with Saladin would have to be worked out at a later date. But first, Xena needs to go. She needs to be eliminated.
The leper king trotted to the back flank where the catapults were being loaded. Saladin oversaw the soldiers and spoke to them harshly as he waited for all the catapults to be ready to launch. He halted on his horse and stared down at the Saracen.
"We will attack the wall. Once it falls, I send the first legion to attack. Xena will send her army to defend the palace." Baldwin said, very sure of himself.
Saladin nodded and looked ahead at the desolate desert and saw Xena standing on the wall alone. "She awaits for the attack." He smirked. "She anticipates your plans, Baldwin. Xena is not to be underestimated yet you demean her strategies."
"I do not demean her, Saladin. She is a fool to stand there and watch her palace be blasted into pieces." He grunted and trotted along the flank of catapults. "Fire at will!"
Saladin shook his head and waved his hand. "You heard what he said!" he griped at the soldiers as they were holding onto the ropes of the heavy siege engines.
Xena saw fiery ballistic bombs hurling towards the palace. She turned and ran down the wall. "Get off the walls!" she yelled at her archers crouched down along the walls. They quickly ran down the stairs and inside the palace.
She waited until everyone was inside and then closed the large doors behind her. They ran to a stairwell that lead to underground tunnels of the palace. The walls of the palace shook and she lifted her eyes up at the ceiling. Pushing the men in front of her as they stopped. She growled. "Go!" she yelled and they ran down the stairs.
Borias turned when he saw Xena and her men entering from the narrow staircase. He marched over to her. "What is going on up there?!" he hissed. "They are attacking the wall!"
She wiped the sweat off her brow. "I know." She brushed past him and the underground room was filled with almost everyone. It was extremely crowded and she stepped over a few soldiers as they were sharpening their swords.
Osman stepped over a few men and growled. "Xena! We are waiting down here like cowards while they fire at the wall!"
She frowned deeply. "Let them attack the wall. I don't care about the wall." She said and turned to look at the gaggle of girls talking quietly with themselves. "They want to bring down the wall so they can attack on foot."
"Don't you have catapults?" he asked and watched her eyes linger and the palace was struck again. Everyone gasped and she placed her hand on the wall to not fall over.
"No and I don't need them to win."
"So we are just going to wait down here then?!" he asked.
She smiled. "That's the plan." She turned and walked off to go talk to the female trainees. Osman groaned and threw his hands in the air in frustration.
Gabrielle rose to her feet when she saw the empress weaving her way in between the mass of soldiers to get to them. She walked over to her and grabbed her arm. "What's going on up there?" she whispered and then saw lingering eyes and let go of Xena's arm, her cheeks flushing bright red.
Another attack hit the wall and rocked the foundation of the large palace. Debris fell from the ceiling and the girls indistinctively covered their heads, talking at all at once to one another, expressing their fears and worries.
Xena brushed some dust off her long sleeve and walked over to the group of girls with a small smile. "Don't worry. They will stop firing by nightfall."
Astremia scoffed and rose to her feet. "You mean we are staying beneath this palace while they are attacking us?!"
"That's right."
"That is the most ridiculous plan I have ever heard of!" Astremia yelled and the other girls saw the empress glaring down at everyone, especially Astremia with the loud mouth.
"You need to have faith in me, Astremia. I have done this many times. There is no point in us staying outside while they continue blasting the walls." Xena shook her head and walked off.
Gabrielle quickly followed her, trying to be discreet. "I don't think a lot of people are understanding your strategy, Xena." She whispered and saw eyes glancing upward at them both. "They are nervous."
"Do you trust me?" Xena grasped the blonde's shoulder.
"Y...yes," she muttered.
"So, trust that I know what I am doing, Gabrielle." The empress smiled and pat her cheek gently then walked off, weaving through the crowd.
Day Three
Baldwin oversaw his attacks against the wall of Xena's palace. Saladin stood beside the ballistic flank in the back. He had seen no sign of Xena and he knew why. She was going to attack Baldwin's army with full force. She wanted the wall to come down. Baldwin was too arrogant to see through Xena's plan. He believed he can just walk right in and slaughter her army with ease.
Now it's the third day and Saladin was growing weary of his enemy's plan. He wanted to attack, but he couldn't. He had to wait for Baldwin to fall back so he could attack and then Xena would not have to fend off the leper king's army by herself. Saladin had this all figured out. He only hoped that Xena trusted him which he knew she didn't. She did not trust anyone.
The leper walked over to the Saracen and looked onward at the wall that refused to break and crumble. "What is her palace made out of? Stone from the Heavens?" he mocked. "I want to send in the first legion to attack her palace. Her walls are too thick. I will have the catapults moved closer so I can strike with more force."
Of course, what a brilliant plan, Baldwin. "A fine idea," Saladin grinned and whistled at the soldiers behind the siege engines. "We move to the center of the battlefield!" he yelled.
Gabrielle and Helena hunkered down on the north wall and ducked for cover every time the wall was hit by Baldwin's machines. They lifted their heads once the attacks stopped. Slowly their eyes were over the wall, watching closely.
"They are moving on foot!" Helena whispered.
Gabrielle smiled and grabbed Helena's hand and they ducked down as they ran across the wall by themselves. "We need to tell Xena," she bit her lip, "I mean the empress." Her cheeks flushed.
They ran inside and down the stairwell into the underground part of the palace. They both saw Xena talking to Osman and Borias, having a very hushed conversation together. Gabrielle ran up to the trio and their conversation ceased.
"They are moving on foot close to the palace." She said and Xena nodded, folding her arms.
Helena stepped forward to stand beside her friend. "And they are bringing the catapults with them!"
"Good," Xena smiled and turned to the chieftain. "Osman I want all of your archers on all sides of the walls." He curtly nodded then ran off to find his soldiers to quickly head up to the walls of the compound. "Borias, remember that oil I told you to send?"
He eyed her curiously. "Yes..."
"I want it brought to the north wall. All of it," she showed a crooked smile and he shook his head, stifling a laugh.
"You are insane." He muttered then walked off, yelling at his Osman's men to follow him to the tunnels to retrieve the barrels of oil that were brought by ship.
The room was soon being evacuated so quickly that Gabrielle didn't know what to do next. Her heart raced and the moment she saw Xena about to leave her side she gasped breathlessly. She grabbed her arm and the empress spun around, smiling with warm eyes.
"What...what's going to happen now?" she asked in a soft voice.
Xena saw fear in the blonde's eyes. This is why she did not want these girls to come here. They had never seen war –true war. They were all afraid but she had to remind herself that these girls chose to stay and they wanted to fight. She wasn't stupid enough to send these young girls onto the field.
She placed her hand over Gabrielle's, feeling the warmth radiating off of her. She truly was afraid. "We aren't going to leave these walls. We will fight inside the compound. We will not go into the field."
Gabrielle cocked her head. "But don't we need to be in the field to win?"
"Not necessarily, Gabrielle. Baldwin grows bored attacking my palace walls. I'm going to make sure his men do not breach these walls. You trust me, right?" she grazed her palm on Gabrielle's full cheek.
The young trainee nodded. "I trust you but that doesn't make me any less nervous."
"We will win, Gabrielle. I promise." The empress grinned from ear to ear. "I'd be worried if you weren't nervous at all."
Saladin saw Xena's men running across the wall, scattering everywhere but they weren't coming outside to fight. Well played Xena, he thought. He looked behind him and saw Baldwin sitting on his horse in the back of all the flanks. He wasn't going to come near these walls. He was too sick and too cowardly to fight face to face. He was too weak and Saladin wondered why this king remained alive still.
Osman ran along the wall and looked at Baldwin's men marching forward. Those Templar Knights with those large red crosses on their tunics and chainmail armor. "Have your bows ready!" he yelled and walked down the wall watching all his men grab arrows from their pouches behind their backs, ducking behind the wall.
Xena came to the north wall and saw a sea of knights coming for her palace, marching slowly. She also saw Saladin with the catapults and frowned at him. He smiled at her and trotted on his horse giving her a subtle wave. She wasn't sure what his intentions were or when he supposedly was going to attack Baldwin's army. She had little faith in everyone right now except the men at her disposal.
She unsheathed her sword and walked along the wall behind the archers, eyeing the knights coming closer and closer. Osman called out. "Fifty yards!"
"We will not let those Templars come over these walls!" she yelled. "We will not let them break through this wall with their machines!"
"Forty yards!"
"We have more men than them!" she kept walking along the wall twirling her sword casually. "We aren't leaving this compound until all of those Crusaders are dead!"
"Thirty yards!" Osman yelled and folded his arms. The archers waiting patiently with their bows.
She turned and walked the other way and eyed the girls standing on the west wall. Some terrified, others excited but all were nervous. She and Gabrielle shared a glance and smiled at one another. "Fight for the people in this empire not for me!" she yelled and the men looked up at her as they crouched down against the north wall.
"Twenty yards!"
She stopped in the middle of the wall and lowered her eyes, glaring at the knights. "We fight honorably and...freedom." she eyed Borias and he winked at her.
"Ten yards!" Osman growled lowly. Xena's eyes widened when she saw the army coming closer. "Prepare your bows," he said to his men. The archers pulled their bows tautly and the wood creaked. At this moment everything was silent.
"Kill them," Xena commanded. Rain of arrows poured onto the Templar Knights below. Xena watched as many of them fell to the sands, moaning in agony. She smiled once they saw the rest of the army running towards the wall with ladders.
She stormed down the wall and felt the walls shake. She stumbled and leaned against a tower. Spinning around she saw the catapults at work again. "Where is the oil?!" she yelled and marched down the wall.
Borias leaned over the side and saw the barrels of oil being hoisted up by pulleys to the wall. Osman's men grabbed the barrel one by one and Xena frowned. "Line them up along the entire north wall." She demanded.
Templars climbed the ladders up to the wall and Xena spun around, kicking down a Templar that was attempting to climb over the wall. She snarled and peered down the wall and saw over a dozen ladders on her wall.
She grabbed one of the barrels oil and with the help of Gabrielle and some of the other girls they tipped the black oil on top of the knights. She smiled at the girls and turned to the archers. "Ignite the oil!"
Archers dipped their arrows into the torches surrounding the wall and shot at the oil soaked Templars, igniting their bodies. Screams of agony filled the air and Xena smiled then kicked the ladder down full of the knights and they toppled over falling into the fiery oil below immolating themselves.
"Aim at the catapults!" Xena yelled then ran across the wall to Osman who just threw a knight over the wall. "Dump all the barrels of oil on them," she said and he nodded turning to his men, yelling at them to carry out her orders.
Saladin, in the center of the field, arched an eyebrow. He saw oil being dumped onto Baldwin's men and then archers igniting them on fire. He was suddenly very amused. He had never seen Xena in action before but he was glad that he did. He witnessed a new tactic he could use in the future. Her army was without fancy ballistic machines but relied on archery and guerilla warfare to conquer the knights.
"Hold your fire!" he yelled at the catapult holders. All the soldiers eyed him curiously. "Do not waste precious ammo. We wait." He wanted to see what else Xena could do. It was not the time to attack. First he would watch how strategically ousted these Templars and use these skills for himself later.
Baldwin gripped the reins of his horse as he watched his first flank being set on fire by the heathen woman. "She is obliterating all of my men!" he growled and coughed, leaning over on his horse. "Second flank march ahead to the palace!" he demanded and his men marched forward as he remained behind.
Xena crouched down and a chest was brought up to the wall. She waved her hand to motion the girls to come close to her. They all crouched down around the chest. She unlocked it and opened it. she pulled out a small bottle and smiled at them, though they looked confused and interested.
"I want you all to throw these at the knights below."
Gabrielle picked up one of the clay bottles. "What's in them?" she eyed it curiously and tapped on the side.
Xena grabbed her wrist firmly. "Be careful with that," she hissed and the blonde's eyes widened in fear. "They are filled with Greek fire. Throw them and allow the archers to ignite the Greek fire. Do not get any of it on you. Even the slightest bit and you will burst into flames that cannot be put out. You understand?"
All the girls nodded with wide excited grins. They all picked up a few bottles into their arms, being very cautious, as if they were holding a baby. Walking steadily to the wall they leaned over peering down at the knights and threw the bottles down, hitting a few of the men on their heads.
Borias kicked one Templar and threw him over the wall. Breathing heavily he turned and eyed Xena. "There are too many of them."
She smirked. "Not for long." She folded her arms. "Ignite the Greek fire!" she yelled at the archers.
"Greek fire?!" he gasped. "Xena..."
"Baldwin wants Jerusalem so bad he's going to have to try very hard to take it from me." She lifted her chin and saw more men coming her way. Shaking her head she turned to Borias, her former lover. "Tell Osman we need more archers."
"We have no more archers!"
She cursed beneath her breath. "Then we will fight the old fashioned way." She unsheathed her sword and ran to the opposite of the wall to help Osman's men get the Templars off her wall. She cried out and plunged her sword into a Templar that almost stabbed Osman in the back.
The chieftain spun around and saw a Templar inches from his face and Xena withdrew her sword and the knight fell over. Osman gasped and took a step to the side. He turned and saw Xena holding a blood sword in her hand and both smiled.
"You owe me," she teased.
"Fighting for you isn't enough?" he playfully teased back.
She heard footsteps behind her and growled. Twirling her sword around she thrust it into a Templar's gut from behind. He dropped his sword and she slid the sword out from his body and he fell to the ground by her boots. Osman blinked and shook his head.
"Stupid Templars," she smirked.
She felt a sting in her arm and gasped. Glancing down she saw a large gash on her upper arm and spun around. A Templar smiled at her. "Xena, the heathen woman."
She growled and clashed swords with the Templar and he backed up, continuing to fight with her. Gabrielle lifted her head as she grabbed a bottle of Greek fire. She saw Xena fighting against a Templar and then another one came from behind her and kicked her in the spine.
Xena crashed into the tower and groaned. Gabrielle gasped and unsheathed the sword at her hip and ran forward, thrusting the blade into the knight's back just before he was to strike Xena through her side. Xena growled and spun around, grabbing the other Templar knight by his collar and threw him over the wall.
Gabrielle stood motionless as she held the blade stuck in the knight's back. She let go and backed away slowly and bumped into the wall. Slumping down she couldn't believe she killed someone like that. Killed someone to save Xena of course.
"Gabrielle!" Xena ran over to the frightened blonde and knelt down beside her. Cupping her cheek she turned her face to meet hers. Those horrified green eyes of hers. "Gabrielle..." she said softly, "you really have to stop saving me," she half smiled.
"He was going to kill you but I...killed him." Gabrielle lowered her eyes.
Xena stood and grabbed the sword out of the dying knight's back and kicked him over the wall. She then wiped the blood off on her black pants and stood towering over the young blonde. "Fight with honor, Gabrielle. Think of the aftermath later, not now." She urged.
Gabrielle lifted her eyes and Xena held out her hand. She smiled and grabbed her hand rising to her feet and grabbed the sword.
"Xena! They are retreating!" Osman called out. She spun around and smiled seeing the men running back to their camp far away. Everyone along the wall cheered and Xena clenched her fist. The entire sands below were up in flames and the smell of flesh burning was not something she wanted to smell.
She turned and grasped Gabrielle's cheeks and kissed her lips. Gabrielle's eyes widened and Xena pulled away with a big smile. She felt the heat radiating off of the blonde's cheeks. She took a step back and leaned on the wall with a hand on her hip.
Gabrielle touched her lips and felt maybe slightly embarrassed like she had been exposed in front of everyone. Did she just do that out in the open for everyone to see? "What was...that for?"
"You ask too many questions, Gabrielle," Xena shrugged her shoulder and turned to watch the Templars leaving the area.
Gabrielle turned, her smile immediately disappearing when she lay eyes upon Borias leaning against the wall with his hand over a large wound in his side, blood pouring out all over his hand. Her eyes widened and she shook Xena's arm. "Xena..."
The empress frowned and snatched her arm from Gabrielle. Finally turning around her eyes widened seeing Borias wounded. She knelt down and looked at the large gash on his side. "Let me see," she said and swatted his hand away.
Shaking her head lightly and pressed her hand against his wound to clot the bleeding. "Osman! Take him down below!"
Now it was nightfall and all of the bodies were brought back from Xena's walls and were to be set on fire so no disease would spread within the coming hours. Saladin stood by the leper king, the infuriated king growled lowly.
"She destroyed both of my flanks," he grumbled.
Saladin hid his smile. And you are next, Baldwin, he thought. "I told you that she is not to be underestimated, Baldwin. You did not take my words seriously."
Baldwin folded his arms and felt weak just standing over the horde of corpses before him. "Just do it," he waved his hand and left the area. Saladin followed him just after the soldiers lit the bodies on fire in the pit they dug.
Standing under the canopy the king took off his glove and glanced at his diseased hand. "We will attack the wall tomorrow morning. Once we breach her palace then the Templars will invade and slaughter Xena and her Anatolian allies."
Still at that wall, Saladin thought. "You believe that close combat your men will win?" he inquired, curious to know. The king slipped his glove back on and turned to face the Saracen.
"I do not have any other choice now do I?" Baldwin sat down gingerly in his chair, relaxing his sore body. "I still have a lot of men."
"So does she."
"Indeed, but I will see that all her army will be wiped out tomorrow. I will have Jerusalem once again. This is not over yet." He tapped his fingers on the armrest impatiently and Saladin smirked then walked off to go to his tent.
Xena sat beside Borias as he lay on a table. His torso bandaged and she cleaned the blood off his skin with a damp cloth. His eyes fluttered open and he winced as he tried to get up. She gently pushed him back down onto the table.
"Don't even think about it," she said and he gave her a weak smile and relaxed. She smiled faintly and dipped the cloth into the water and continued cleaning his bare chest.
He sighed heavily and stared at her as she kept dressing his wound. "The Templars...?"
"They retreated but they will be back," she said and lifted her eyes, meeting his. "You're staying here. I won't let you go back out there."
He frowned and grabbed her wrist, rising slowly, inches from her face. "I'm not going to stay here."
She smiled and grazed her fingers along his cheek. "You have more important things to worry about than fighting with me. You've done enough of that already." She leaned forward and pecked his lips and winked at him. "Thank you for helping me."
"I would help you no matter what, Xena. You know that." He smiled and she nodded, lowering her eyes.
She pushed him back onto the table gently and stood. "Stay here and don't move or I'll hurt you." She warned and he shook his head. She gave him a small smile and walked off.
Gabrielle met eyes with the empress as she was coming her way. Rising to her feet she wiped her wet hands onto her pants. "How is he?"
"Alive," Xena jested. "How are you?" she grabbed her shoulder and Gabrielle stiffened.
"I...I'm okay," she answered in a hushed voice.
"Killing people doesn't get any easier the more you do it unfortunately," Xena said.
Gabrielle hung her head and was disappointed that was what Xena meant. She thought that she was talking about what happened earlier. She unconsciously touched her lips, recalling the moment hours ago on the wall.
"Gabrielle?"
The blonde snapped her head up towards the empress and immediately retracted her fingers from her mouth. "Yes?"
"Are you sure you're alright?" she pressed, raising an eyebrow.
Smiling gently, she nodded. "I'm alright." She said and Xena pat her shoulder then turned to walk off. "Xena!" The empress turned at her voice. "About earlier..."
A smug grin crossed Xena's face and she placed a finger over her lips. "Our little secret." She winked then sauntered off to go check on the rest of the wounded men.
Our secret, Gabrielle nodded and folded her arms. Everything with this woman is a secret, she supposed.
Day Four
Yesterday's battle against Baldwin's Crusaders was not too difficult but Xena lost a lot fighters. They were severely wounded but so far no deaths which was good on her part. She couldn't say the same for Baldwin and those Templar Knights. Their supply of arrows was limited and they had no more oil. Early in the morning the catapults started again, threatening to tear down the wall of the palace.
Xena realized that they couldn't stay below the palace. The palace walls creaked as it continuously was hit over and over again. As they waited inside the doors of the palace, the air was still and quiet. In just a few moments she heard the wall come crashing down outside those doors.
Her eyes darkened and she heard the Templars pounding on the doors, trying to ram through it. She turned around the first thing she saw was fear in those girls' eyes. She also saw fear in the Anatolians and even some of her men. She would be lying if she said she wasn't afraid herself. It had been a long time since she fought in a war like this. In fact, she had never really set foot on the field herself in years. She always conducted the decisions and army from afar or in another city entirely. But not this time.
The sound of the Templars yelling outside alarmed everyone. Debris began falling from the ceiling. Xena closed her eyes and breathed in deeply to calm herself. Her heart racing. She had completely lost faith in Saladin. So far he had done nothing. It was day four and he still was with Baldwin. Saracens could obviously not be trusted, just like Sidon.
Her eyes shot open and she saw the look of fear before her. "Those Templars are going to come in here and try to slaughter us all. They will come." She pointed to the large doors. "They are making their way through. Do not think they won't come!"
All eyes darted towards the doors and saw the wood breaking off from inside. "We have a limited supply of arrows and no more oil. We must rely on our combat skills to fight against them. We aren't going to let them take this city, right?" she asked.
Everyone cried out and she smiled, turning around, she unsheathed her sword. Waiting patiently for the doors to be knocked down at any moment now. She gripped the hilt of her blade and held it in front of her, ready to strike. She was the first one, heading the horde of men and young women behind her.
"Come on..." she whispered and felt sweat dripping down her cheek as she waited in the hot palace with thousands of her men. Everyone remained quiet and very still.
The wounded soldiers beneath the palace heard the loud ramming against the doors above. Borias lifted himself off the table and frowned. The palace walls shaking. He knew that the wall was already down. Those Templars were going to come inside and ransack the place.
Xena grit her teeth and then the ramming against the large doors at the entrance stopped. There was loud yelling and swords clashing against one another. Furrowing her eyebrows, she lowered her blade. Without thinking, she ran to the stairs on the opposite side of the palace.
Breathing heavily she looked out of one of the large windows and saw Saladin's army attacking the Crusaders and a big smile graced her lips. He did not betray me after all, she thought. She ran back down to the foyer and saw shocked faces on all her men and the young trainees.
She head towards the doors and unlatched the lock and the soldiers eyed her curiously. She swung open the doors and stepped outside. There she saw Saladin riding through, plunging his sword in the Templar knights that tried attacking him.
Saladin raised his sword and glanced over at Xena as she stood in the doorway of her palace. He winked at her then rode off to fight with the rest of his men.
She turned around at all the shocked faces behind her. "What are you all waiting for?!" she yelled and they raised their weapons. "Attack them!" she pointed her blade at the fleeing Templars.
Gabrielle ran to the doorway and Xena grabbed her arm, pulling her aside as everyone else ran past them outside to fight against the Templars.
"Gabrielle," the empress smiled softly. She leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Fight honorably," she pat her shoulder and the blonde grinned warmly.
Hours later after the battle the Hebrew King Baldwin stood underneath a canopy a few yards from Xena's palace. He had his arms folded and she smiled, sauntering over to him, covered in blood and sand in her long locks.
"You lost, Baldwin." She said and he lowered his eyes. "Jerusalem is mine."
The king glared at her. "I would have won if not for Saladin's treachery against me."
"Can't trust those Saracens can you?" she winked and eyed Saladin standing off to the side. "Leave this place and don't return. If you do, you know where to find me."
Baldwin uncrossed his arms and cocked his masked face. "There will be another crusade against you Xena. You are under God's watchful eye."
"Well, God must be shining upon me at this very moment." She bat her eyelashes and he groaned lowly. She lifted her head and saw the dark clouds looming over the holy city. "He seems upset with you." She teased.
"This is not over Xena. We will meet again." Baldwin spun on his heel and walked back to his camp to gather up the rest of his troops and leave the area.
Everyone behind her cheered and she grinned at them all and gave a nod at Osman for his help. She also eyed all the girls that had big smiles on their faces and she nodded at them as well.
"You see Xena, I was on your side all along," Saladin walked up beside her and she spun around.
She arched an eyebrow. "Would have been nice if you attacked yesterday."
"I was waiting for the opportune moment." He smiled and she shook her head. "Jerusalem is yours now."
"It's always been mine."