WHAT IS TRUTH BUT A PERSONS PERCEPTION

Xena looked up as Gabrielle was brought in to her personal study by Iona who had a wide grin on her face as she shoved the younger woman in front of her harshly. "You know why you're here don't you?" Gabrielle looked at the sunlight behind the Empress all of her bruises had now healed up leaving no trace that she'd ever been hit. She breathed in deeply eyeing the Empress who didn't look up as she signed one of the scrolls on her desk. "Let me guess I'm here because I broke the rules." Xena looked up sharply so far in these past few days she hadn't been able to speak to Demetrius they'd both been far to busy but now everything was now just about complete in terms of the royal banquet.

Her day had been going fine until Iona had told her about Gabrielle leaving the palace the other day which was forbidden. She stood up slowly putting her quill down. A part of was getting truly annoyed now by Gabrielle's presence and she was getting tired of the constant complaints from staff about her though they'd lessened during this week. She sneered slightly things between them weren't going well ether during these talks she had grabbed her in rage something she had not done for many years to anyone. Her patience was dwindling fast it felt like a huge draining effort on her part. She knew she hadn't been herself in these past few days the stress of the banquet had been getting to her but Gabrielle's attitude didn't help matters.

She raised her hand as she met the woman's green eyes. "You left the palace with out permission!" Gabrielle turned eyeing Iona in disgust. "No I had permission Chara gave it to me, but this bitch behind me burnt the proof and then locked me in a room and beat me." Iona stepped back as she eased up her sword. "The animal is lying Empress, as I've already told you she left with out permission."

Gabrielle turned eyeing her. "You disgust me Iona, you lack honour." Iona eyed her blade. "You see the animal can't even admit to her wrong doings!" Gabrielle breathed in deeply turning to face her fully. "Pray the day never comes when I get free of my leash Iona, because when I do I'm going to show what pain and suffering really means!" Xena moved forward looking at them both. "Silence!" She watched as Iona stepped back a smug smile on her face. She turned to Gabrielle. "You do not threaten my staff, remember the rules!" Gabrielle eyed her for a long moment. "Your rules disgust me, there one sided and unfair!" Xena slammed her fist down hard on the table. "You told me that it was a long time before the werewolf scout found you, I want you to continue that story right here and right now!"

Gabrielle narrowed her gaze eyeing the taller woman everything was always her fault even when it wasn't. This seemed like such a regular pattern in her life in that no matter what she did she couldn't keep most people happy. This woman now saw her as no more than a thing to command and be cruel to she was pretending to listen to her life story but the truth was that she didn't care for the words. She closed her eyes before opening them painfully allowing an old painful memory to flood her mind.

8

Gabrielle put her hands on the wooden door of the shop feeling the hard wood under her finger tips, she was tired and hungry and frankly she'd had, had enough. The dress that the Amazons had given her twelve months ago was almost rags now and her boots had, had it. She was getting cold and the winter's snow was just adding to her discomfort. The only way she could stay warm herself was to transform at night and use her fur to keep her warm and stay in side dark caves. She was tired of being cold and tired of being hungry as well as having to hunt and eat live food to survive and she now wanted warmer clothing! She pulled harder on the wooden plank which was bracing the door to the small house which had been turned in to a store.

She pulled harder hearing the sudden crack of the wood as it began to come free. She could feel the cold and the snow under her worn out shoes, she took in deep breath forcing the wood free in a violent motion. She put it down slowly looking around her at the empty night street no one was out here but her due to the cold snow most were in the tavern drinking. She put her fingers on the door handle forcing the door open with her shoulder as she stepped in side it had been so long since she'd walked in to a shop. The last shop she'd been in had been in Potidaea before she'd been captured by the slavers, she'd gone there to pick up bread for her mother in the morning before meeting Seraphin in the afternoon.

She moved in side the shop eyeing all of the items on the shelves she could see them in the darkness perfectly it had been twelve months and despite that she'd gotten used to being cursed she still wasn't used to having such crystal clear vision at night. She turned grabbing some bread rolls putting them in her Amazon bag. She turned moving up the dark sections with all its goods then grabbed a thick heavy set of boots and trousers, they weren't quite her size but she didn't care she could adjust them. She turned putting a thread and some needles in her bag then turned grabbed a white shirt which wasn't her size ether, but she didn't care.

She turned taking more food, the store was empty and she needed to be quick. She kicked off her old shoes sliding her feet in the black knee high boots which were slightly too big, but it was better than nothing. She finished putting the rest of the items away as her gaze fell up on the weapons in their rack. There were swords and daggers all shining in the darkness she breathed in moving her hand over one of the long daggers before gently pulling it out of the rack looking at the blade seeing it glimmer.

She spent all her time during the day avoiding bandits and staying away from their camps and never using the road, a part of her desperately craved a security of some kind. She was no warrior but the bandits scared her more than she'd like to admit. She had, had nothing but bad dreams about the day the slavers had captured her and the leader had scared her face recently. She took in a deep breath turning the blade in her hand so its blade was pointing upwards she needed this weapon, even though she didn't need it, she had to have it for her own piece of mind.

"Hey you!"

Gabrielle turned only to feel the pain as a fist impacted with her face she felt the solid floor as she slammed in to it side first. She gripped the weapon tighter turning to meet the eyes of an angry shop keeper, the big man was well muscled and in his late forties. He had a long thick black beard which was turning white in places and short dark hair. She could see a heavy sword in his hands and the anger burning in his eyes as he looked down at her his anger voice hitting the air as he eyed her bag which was lying close by, a piece of bread had fallen from it. "You slimy dirty little thief, I'll have your guts on a platter for stealing from me!"

Gabrielle got up slowly ignoring the pain and the fear as she got to her feet. "Please I can explain!" The man's eyes narrowed as he eyed the door then turned back to her eyeing her from top to bottom. "How did a little pip squeak like you get in to my shop?" His sword suddenly shot up finding her throat. "I mean look at you, you're just a dirty little brat who doesn't look strong enough to lift anything?"

He sneered slightly. "Who helped you get in to my shop?" Gabrielle breathed in deeply. "No…one, I did it all myself." The pain suddenly hit her as he grabbed her long hair which was still down to her waist but had become thickly mattered and dirty. "Please I'm telling you the truth!" The shop keeper pulled harder on her hair. "You're lying and if you don't tell me the truth I'm going to make your life very uncomfortable, I'll start by making another scar on that pretty face of yours!" Gabrielle felt the fear and pain hit home she couldn't go through that again, she couldn't let some one harm her the way that slaver leader had! Not again!

She felt her hand clutch the dagger tighter as her arm moved of its own accord slamming in to the man's chest in a violet motion. She heard the ripping and tearing of material as the long thick blade punctured its target sinking in to flesh as she forced it in deeper. The hand let go of her hair as the shock appeared in the taller man's eyes. She felt a wet feeling under her finger tips as the blade went in fully there was a moment of cold silence as he stood still staring at her the shock still in his eyes which darted as it became clear what had just happened to him. Gabrielle eased up her other hand using it to force his sword hand down so the blade was away from his throat.

She spoke slowly no longer caring for his pain as her vindictive tone hit the air. "I'll go to Tartarus before I let another person touch my face!" She didn't think as she pushed her foot outwards, causing him to slam in to the floor as dagger was forced free from his chest. She watched as he started to shiver as the red blood flowed out of the open wound. Death took over and his finger let go of his weapon causing the sword blade to clatter as it hit the hard wood flooring. She looked down in to the darkness seeing the red bloody dagger which was in her hands. The dark red blood was coating her fingers, it felt like her world had suddenly frozen as the anger faded and she slowly raised the bloody weapon to eye level.

She hadn't meant to kill him, it wasn't her fault he had made her do it! He had wanted to hurt her! She felt herself shiver as the panic set in, she hadn't meant for this to happen it had been an accident! She backed away slowly grabbing her bag with her bloody hand as she kept hold of the bloody weapon she had to get out of here! She'd be hung if anyone found out that she had done this!

"Well, well you're a little lost aren't you?"

Gabrielle turned sharply raising the weapon in the direction of the older male voice. "Whose there!?" She watched as a huge figure with brown fur which was streaked white in places appeared in the darkness the huge clawed feet slammed in to the floor boards as the hazel coloured eyes met her own. She stood still staring as the huge werewolf came closer to her stopping with inches of her dagger.

A wide smile slowly formed on the wide jaws. "Oh yes you are very lost young one." Gabrielle blinked she hadn't seen another werewolf in twelve months not since the black werewolf with blue eyes had bitten her. She knew werewolves could talk she'd learnt that very early on when she'd changed for the second time after being bitten and had started rambling to herself. The middle aged brown werewolf eyed her as moved his clawed hand up eased the dagger out her hand then threw it on to floor close by. "You won't be needing this anymore I'll fix the problem you have here" He walked over to the man's dead body easing up his clawed hands then brought them down full force where her weapon had gone in.

He tour the flesh wide open as his light hazel eyes narrowed then eased up a bloody hand looking at it. "Next time aim for the throat, humans go down much quicker that way, the weak, pathetic little flesh bags that they are." He turned walking towards her. "Now what's your name young one?" Gabrielle stared at him. "My…name?" The brown werewolves smile widened. "Yes your name." Gabrielle stared at her bloody hands. "It's Gabrielle." The brown werewolf eyed her for a long moment. "How old are you Gabrielle?" Gabrielle looked up slightly everything about this felt so surreal. "I'm seventeen." The brown werewolf shook his short mane. "You're very young then and you won't get all that big strong muscle in werewolf form until you hit your prime when you reach twenty two."

His bloody clawed hand moved to gently take hold of her arm. "I know this must be new to you and very scary." Gabrielle eyed him in disgust. "I'm not new to this! I was bitten twelve months ago I've been fending for myself ever since then." The brown werewolf raised his other bloody hand. "My, my, you have really slipped through the net. No doubt when we both get you to the werewolf city they'll be pleased to see you. I bet they'll make a warrior out of you, they always do to those who are hardy and have lived it rough." Gabrielle blinked. "Werewolf city?" The brown werewolf turned eyeing her for a long moment. "I'll explain everything on the way, but you have to leave right now. It has to look like a werewolf attacked this man and not common murder and you need to keep your boots out of the blood." Gabrielle moved forward following him what was going on? What did he mean werewolf city?

8

Xena narrowed her gaze looking at Gabrielle for a long moment. "So you murdered a man in cold blood and that werewolf covered up your actions." Gabrielle breathed in deeply. "I was afraid, I seventeen and I was scared I thought he was going to kill me, he had a sword to my throat. I'm not proud of what I did I've never forgotten the look on his face when I stabbed him or all the blood on my hands from the dagger blade." She breathed in painfully. "He was my first kill and it changed everything for me, I never looked at anything the same way again." She shook her head. "He wasn't a nice man but he was someone's husband and he may have had sons or daughter and I took him away from them, all because I was hungry, cold and desperate." Xena looked at her desk as she leaned on it. "What did the werewolf mean by getting muscle and being in your prime at twenty two?" Gabrielle looked at her hand for a long moment before looking up. "Young werewolves are slightly smaller than the adults they aren't as well muscled and they don't get a winter coat unlike the adults who do."

She breathed in deeply. "When you hit twenty two and your female or male puberty really kicks in, your body gets bigger and much more muscular in places like your neck, arms, legs after which you grow your first true winter coat which you'll malt in summer for a thinner coat. Your mane also grows much thicker and longer, it happens over a space of twelve months in total." She lowered her gaze. "The only difference between the two genders is male werewolves get bigger man hoods and broader chests while females get larger hips and much more fur on the chest. In human form the same puberty changes take place as normal and can be much earlier. Though werewolves in general don't consider you a grown up until your twenty two despite how you may look in human form."

Xena ran her finger over her desk. "Interesting." She turned eyeing the blonde haired woman. "So the werewolves have a city?" Gabrielle breathed in feeling herself tense up she could see where this was going. "Yes." Xena eyed her for a long moment. "How many cities do they have?" Gabrielle felt her teeth grind together. "Enough." Xena turned moving closer to her so she was standing over her. "How many?!" Gabrielle felt a cold smile form. "Enough to burn this palace to the ground and destroy Corinth, you should pray that, that day never comes to pass." She narrowed her gaze. "It will be a bloody slaughter." Xena didn't think as she grabbed her shirt pulling her forward violently. "Many others have made that claim and I've defeated them all."

She let go harshly watching as Gabrielle stepped back unfazed by her actions. "I'm not afraid of a bunch of over sized dogs!" Gabrielle breathed in deeply. "You should be, because every one of them hates you with a passion. You've had so many of us killed that a lot of us want nothing more than to see you die." Xena narrowed her gaze. "Are you one of them?"

Gabrielle laughed slightly but it was cold laugh even to her own ears. "What I think and feel has never been of much concern to anyone through out my life time. I know even in this room my opinion would never matter to you, after all you've already judged me." Xena snarled aloud eyeing Iona. "Get her out of my room." Iona turned shoving Gabrielle towards the door, Xena narrowed her gaze watching as she disappeared from sight. Stupid animal she had a nerve to tell her that the werewolf nation would burn her palace to the ground no one had ever successfully breached her palaces walls. Even the Northern Rebels had not been successful!

8

Gabrielle slowly used her clawed hand to push the door to her room open before walking through on all fours using her back foot to push the door closed. Her gaze drifted up to the small table where she could see that food had been laid out for her. She eased herself up slowly on to hind legs something felt very wrong about this. No one ever laid her food out on the table anymore she looked at the stars outside for a moment before looking down at the cooked platter which was still warm. She looked around her making sure that no one was in room. Nothing about this felt right her food was never warm when it was served to her and it was normally always cold and left outside her door on the floor.

She moved closer eyeing the disk which was some kind of bird she leaned a little closer breathing in the smell deeply, it was pigeon. She stopped feeling the shock hit home as she looked up realizing for the first time that her pet was missing and no where in site. She moved away suddenly feeling the panic hit home her pet was gone! Some one had taken it from her! They'd been in to her room with out her consent! She felt her body freeze as the horrible truth hit home. She slowly moved to stand over the table eyeing the meat on her plate someone had killed her pet and served it to her as a cruel demented joke! She felt the pain hit her hard, how could someone do this?

She understood hatred towards her, but towards her pet? It had been a little helpless bird! She felt her claws dig in to the table top she eased her fingers inwards leaving deep claw marks on the dark wood surface. Her eyes drifted downwards as she caught sight of a note under the plate she pushed the plate away carefully using two clawed fingers to open the note reading it carefully.

"A gift to the palace monster, do enjoy it, it was killed and cooked up just for you, your handler Iona."

Gabrielle couldn't stop her roar of anger hitting the air as she her other clawed hand smashed in to the table sending it and its food flying. The table smashed in to the wall opposite, it hit the floor hard causing the plate to smash on contact. She felt all of her teeth grind together as she narrowed her gaze Iona had done this! The bitch had killed her pet and served it to her!

End of part 23

Silvermoonlight