THRONE OF THE WARRIOR KING
Xena walked up the corridor which led to Gabrielle's room she stopped as she caught sight of long deep claw marks across one of the walls as well as the shattered vases. She breathed in sharply as she caught sight of a huge broken desk which was lying on its side in pieces. The double doors of Gabrielle's room had been smashed open and were now hanging of there hinges. She moved slowly towards the doors catching sight of the bloody painted heretic symbol on one of them. Her gaze drifted to room which had smashed up there was not a single item in the room which hadn't been thrown or tossed. She had told Demetrius to go ahead off her and to tell him to stop his men from attacking her or firing at her instead they were to draw back along with the staff and stay clear of her.
She eyed the water which was now overflowing in to the bedroom clearly Gabrielle had really lost her temper now and had begun a rampage through the palace. She put a hand on her face taking in a deep breath, gods this was terrible, she looked up watching as Chara came towards her. She could tell that the scribe who was clearly shaken up. "What happened?" Chara looked up slightly. "Gabrielle just started smashing up her room, we couldn't stop her Empress. I tried to talk to her but she wouldn't listen to me." Xena looked at the room again, which was completely wrecked. "Was any one hurt?" Chara shook her head. "No Empress, all her anger was taken out on things not people."
Xena eyed her looking at the half destroyed hall. "Did she say why she was doing this? Was it because of what I did to her last night?" Chara looked up slightly. "She said she wasn't doing this for her, she said she was doing this for her lost love." She lowered her gaze sadly. "The mounted werewolf in the throne room, she said he was her lover." Xena took in a sharp painful breath she had thought last night that Gabrielle had been crying for a friend not a loved one, which made this situation even worse. She turned to her feeling her hand shake she her other hand on it to stop it shaking. "Who killed that werewolf in the throne room?" Chara felt her eyes dart. "It wasn't any one here Empress, the body was brought in by a traveller." Xena eased up her hand slowly. "I need the document on that body and I need it quickly, can you find it for me?" Chara nodded. "Yes Empress, but why do you need it?"
Xena looked up slightly. "Gabrielle is doing this because she thinks I killed her lover this is her retribution, she's destroying my palace because she wants to call me out so I'll face her." She looked at the long claw marks in the wall. "I didn't kill her lover though and I want to prove it to her, I am to blame for him being mounted though and I fully intend to give her his body, I owe her that along with so much more." Chara moved away. "I'll get that scroll for you I'll be back in a moment." Xena nodded watching as she ran away from her heading for the study she eased her hand in her pocket feeling the wooden Goldfinch. She eased it out slowly looking at it. Gabrielle hid her messages in side these wooden bird's wings, so what was hidden inside this one? She pressed on the chest watching as the wings snapped open revealing a beautifully written golden message inside, she slowly read it.
"Within my wings I give you love and want to forever see your eyes staring back at me. You are my light in the darkness my hope with in my dreams and I will always think of you Damokles and think of our love when I close my eyes in the darkness of the night."
She felt a painful knot twist in her stomach clearly this was the message of deep love and affection. Like the kind she had once sent to her husband back in the days when she thought there relationship had been about love. Gabrielle had loved Damokles very deeply, she pressed the Goldfinches chest watching as the wooden wings snapped shut clearly she had more in common with Gabrielle than she realized. She'd lost her lover as well though he had betrayed her, while Gabrielle's had been taken from her and all because of her hunting law. She knew now where Gabrielle was headed, she was going to the throne room she wanted Damokles's body back. She would stop at nothing until got there she would be relentless in her pursuit, she knew this because if she was in Gabrielle's boots she'd do the same thing.
8
Joxer sat back on his wide dark bronze throne which was surrounded by goat horns on both sides which gave it a very imposing appearance. He put his gold ringed hand to his face eyeing the small woman in front of him who had dark green eyes over shoulder length brown hair which had henna red highlights in it. Gods he loathed this little Imperial Council bitch, she was just a messenger nothing more. Adrienne eyed the Warrior King who was in his late thirties, he had a black high rimmed samurai helmet which was silver plated complete with white bull horns. The shoulder plates consisted of five heavy metal segments and a heavy four segmented chest plate which had two silver wolf heads meeting in the middle of the red flames.
He had heavy black and silver gauntlets and light black material sleeves, his leather trousers were made of the same black material. He had five segmented black plates which went up to his knees, he was also wearing heavy knee black boots and silver armoured gloves. Joxer had always had an obsession with Samurai armour and this suit was part of a gift which had been given to him, the armour had been specially made by werewolf black smiths. It was light weight much lighter than normal bronze and allowed for good movement.
Adrienne eyed him feeling her teeth grind together. "Have you forgotten, you and our race have an alliance?" Joxer narrowed his gaze as he eased his helmet off hanging it from one of his thrones horns. "No I made my alliance with Gabrielle your werewolf king, not with you you're just an annoying little bitch sent by the Imperial Council to talk for her." He leaned back in his throne. "And I have no interest in talking to you." Adrienne put a hand on her chest. "Well you should you bastard because I speak for Gabrielle!" Joxer watched as his identical brother Jace stepped forward, he was wearing tight white and black leathers from head to foot. The leather shirt was sleeveless and had long hanging tassels of gold and white.
His belt was also gold and white with a heavy gold buckle, the collar off his shirt had white and gold at the edges as did his black knee high boots. He narrowed his hazel brown eyes as he spoke pulling out a curved dagger which was meant for disembowelling. "You will not speak out of turn to my brother like this, you will show him respect!" Joxer pushed his short dark hair back as he leaned forward in his throne. "It's okay Jace." He watched as his twin brother stepped back respecting his wish, he had already lost Jet to the Empress and he would not loose another brother. He narrowed his gaze eyeing Adrienne. "Bring Gabrielle to speak to me because her voice is that of the true king. I don't care for your voice after all your speaking on behalf of those snivelling Imperial Council bastards, you call leaders."
He sat back further in his throne. "Or are you going to tell me that Gabrielle's occupied again? Like you did six months ago and then six months before that, because I'm starting to believe you don't have a clue where she is Adrienne." Adrienne put her hands behind her back. "Gabrielle is very busy she's engaged in her duties as Horn Hind back in Grand City, she sent me here to speak on her behalf!" Joxer felt a cold sneer form as a silent look of understanding passed between him and his brother. "Do not insult my intelligence Adrienne, you see unlike Gabrielle you're not honest or noble and you have no sense of honour, in fact you're something of a lying bitch." He eased up his elbow leaning on it. "And I've never trusted you in fact Gabrielle never spoke that highly off you…in fact to quote her she referred to you as the portentous, lying thorn in her side who she couldn't stand."
Adrienne eyed him for a long moment before speaking. "When Gabrielle is high on opium she says a lot of things she does not mean." Joxer breathed in deeply. "Allow me to point out the fact that she was not high when she stated this. When she talks business her head is always clear, its one of the reasons I admire her so because she has so much focus on issues and she never lets it be clouded by drink or drugs, unlike you." He looked up before speaking again. "Now I know your lying about her being busy I've listened to that lie for almost two years now and I'm very tired of hearing it. You're an annoyance and today I heard the most interesting rumour that at this moment in time Gabrielle is a prisoner in the Empress's palace in Corinth, which I find most curious. As you told me her mission in Corinth wasn't successful but she returned unharmed, which was clearly another one of your lies."
Adrienne blinked in surprise. "You must be mistaken I was talking to her this morning." Joxer eyed her in disgust. "I doubt that very much, my sources are far better than your pathetic Imperial Council spies. I also know that Gabrielle never diverts from a mission and for her to not go through with the mission in Corinth there had to be some monumental reason for it, because she never gives up. She's relentless to the end it's a quality I admire very deeply."
Adrienne sneered slightly. "You sound like a love sick fool Joxer, haven't you heard she only like women?" Joxer breathed in deeply keeping calm as he eyed her. "We've also had that personal conversation as well my…my we are a pathetic liar aren't we Adrienne? If I'm not mistaken she likes both genders and her last partner was a werewolf by the name of Damokles. She loved him very deeply even when he was gone from her life she never stopped thinking about him." He sat up eyeing her. "What's wrong Adrienne? Are you jealous that she never gave her heart to you or that she pushed away your advances? Not that I blame her there are far better women out there than you, who she could be with who would love her as she deserves to be loved. I'm guessing if she did ever sleep with you it was just to pass the time, after all she said she used to get very bored in the Grand City."
Adrienne turned walking away from him eyeing the other two warriors behind her. "Let's go!" Joxer eyed her as she walked towards the double doors that led out of his underground kingdom, a kingdom Gabrielle had, had built for him out of respect and friendship. "Yes that's right you pathetic little doggy go back to your Grand City and next time bring Gabrielle your alpha female with you!" He felt his knuckles crack as he eyed her. "If you ever come here again on your own Adrienne I'll have my men kill you and then I'll have my brother Jace turn you in to a pelt! I'll also make sure that your werewolf head is mounted on my wall as a trophy!" He watched as she gave him a dirty look before vanishing from site closing the double doors behind her, what he wouldn't give to kill her.
Jace turned eyeing his brother seeing his anger in his eyes as he leaned over. "Should I kill her for you?" Joxer turned him. "No her time will come and I swear I'm going to be there to see it." He turned eyeing his brother as he patted his shoulder. "Go have some fun you did a great job as always." He watched as his twin brother smiled as he walked down the steps away from his throne. He raised his hand watching as his brother turned to face him. "Be sure though to send one of ours best spies to the Empress's palace, I would like to confirm that little rumour about Gabrielle." Jace bowed his head respectful. "I will see it done brother."
8
Gabrielle snarled as she smashed her shoulder against the double doors which led to the throne room they had been locked no doubt to keep her from coming in. She leapt back feeling all her clawed feet scrape the floor did these stupid bastards truly believe for a second that they could stop her? She walked back further on all fours she would not be denied! They would not keep her from what she wanted! She tensed as she got in to position eyeing the door ignoring the pain in her shoulder from her last two attempts to break through. She'd break her shoulder if it meant getting through these doors!
She snarled eyeing the empty hall, the only surprise to her had been that there had been no warriors or staff in any of the corridors it was as if they'd all been pulled back completely, no one had challenged her or even raised there weapons to her. Some how that bothered her she loathed it when things were easy, it normally meant that there was a trap involved. The Empress had probably made one no doubt there would be a whole line of archers behind this door who would fire at her the moment she got through. Not that she cared she wanted a challenge! She roared with her might as ran at the heavy oak doubles door with all her might smashing her whole body weight against it hearing a deep crack as one of the doors wood spilt violently causing long splinters to fly through the air.
She snorted moving back again ignoring the cold blood as it ran down her shoulder from where the long splinters in the shattered wood had dug in to her fur right down to skin. One more push and one of these doors would finally shatter and then she could just tear it open. She stepped back further feeling all her clawed feet tap the decorative floor as she narrowed her gaze, it would all be over soon. She didn't think as she ran forward on all fours feeling her feet leave the ground as she smashed her shoulder in to the door watching as it shattered causing it to come open slightly. She stood up on her hind legs then put a clawed foot against it smashing it open fully watching as part of the wooden beam which had made up the shifting lock hit the decorative marble floor on the other side. The door creaked it was now hanging off it's hinges she eased herself back on to all fours moving slowly inside the massive throne room. She looked around her suddenly feeling the confusion hit home there was no one here! Why was there no one here? It made no sense! Why were there no warriors aiming weapons at her, she'd just broken in to the most important room in the palace?
She looked up eyeing the rafter high above her seeing no one hiding in them, this made no sense! Why would they just let her in here? The Empress hated her why would she just let her destroy her palace? She lowered her gaze to the floor maybe she wanted the honour of killing her all to herself, after all that would be the greatest challenge of all wouldn't it, for her to kill a werewolf with out anyone's help? She moved across the floor on all fours ignoring the hanging gold banner from last nights vile little party which she'd been a part off. She tensed coming to stand where she'd stood last night when she'd been chained and forced to dance in front of the royals. She looked up instantly catching sight of what she wanted she could see it behind a golden curtain.
She stood up on her hind legs moving towards it faster grabbing the golden curtain pulling it back violently watching as her lover's dead body came in to view. She stared at it sadly for a long moment before grabbing the chain dragging the mounted body in to the centre of the room. She looked around her seeing that no one was in the room and the second door remained closed, no one had appeared behind the second broken door ether. She eyed the broken door for a long moment, no one was attacking her? Why the hold up? She gentle eased her dead lover's body over so it was it on the floor on its side. She didn't think as she grabbed the wooden mount which the chain was attached to pulling it free with violent force watching as it tumbled as it came to a stop on the floor close by. She slowly went down on all fours walking forward so she could see her dead partners face as she spoke calmly not really caring that she was speaking to a mounted body. "I've missed you so much Damokles." She eyed the glass eyes. "They told me that you left me for another woman who lived in another city and I believed them."
She eased up her clawed hand eyeing the bronze ring on it, she carefully eased it free. "They were lying to me and all those years and I believed them, I shouldn't have, as you said you'd return to me and now here you are." She gently put a clawed hand on the larger one sliding the ring back in to place. "And now here you are and this should be returned to you, as it was always yours." She paused taking in a deep painful breath. "I love you Damokles I never stopped loving you even when you were gone. I thought about you all the time, I kept on thinking you'd walk back through the door to my room in the Grand City. I used to watch my door thinking that it would open and you'd be standing there smiling at me."
"You loved him very deeply didn't you?"
Gabrielle turned sharply watching as the Empress came in to view she could see a sad expression on her face she felt her body tense as her sadness turned to blinding rage in an instant. She snarled as she went down on all fours eyeing the other woman she had a nerve coming here now! She eyed her catching sight of the sword on her belt, clearly she wanted her challenge. She tensed eyeing her in utter disgust unable to stop her boiling rage. "You've got a lot of nerve to come here you bitch!" Xena took in a deep breath seeing the blinding rage in the green eyes as clear as day. She had told everyone not to enter the room no matter what happened she wanted to do this alone, she had caused Gabrielle so much pain and now she wanted nothing more than to put it right.
She took in a deep breath speaking once more in a calm tone. "I came here to speak to you." Gabrielle felt herself tense as she eyed her. "You and I have nothing to talk about!" She eased her self in to position on all fours feeling a cruel smile form. "No wait I stand corrected, we have one very important thing to talk about!" She didn't think as she came at her full force pulling herself on to her hind legs at the last second as her hand found the other woman's throat. She slowly lifted her up watching as her feet left the floor. She smiled enjoying the look of pain in the other woman's eyes as she both her hands found her clawed hand but she was unable to pry it loose.
Xena coughed feeling the grip tighten, her legs were both moving through nothing but air, the grip around her throat was like iron and she was finding it very difficult to breath. She watched as Gabrielle's other clawed hand moved tearing her sword free of her belt, the golden werewolf tossed it, she heard the clattering sound as it landed close by. Gabrielle eyed the dark haired woman moving her jaws closer to her face. "Interesting feeling isn't it? To be powerless and at some one else's mercy wouldn't you say?" She raised her slightly higher so she could see all her teeth. "You can't run, you can't hide, you just have to shut off in your mind and pretend that you're somewhere else."
She eyed her feeling her cruel smile widen. "But it gets harder after a period of time believe me you start to hear your own heart beat and feel the real fear of the unknown. What your feeling now is only a inclining of how I felt last night after you paraded me in front of your royal friends and turned me in to your dancing animal entertainment." She paused seeing the uncertainty in the other woman's light blue eyes, true she could kill her but she wanted to watch her squirm first. She wanted her to feel just how she'd felt last night. She eased her head closer feeling her teeth grind together as she spoke hearing the venom in her tone. "Tell me did you do the same thing to my lover over there before you killed him and then had him stuffed and mounted?!"
End of part 29
Silvermoonlight