A HIDDEN INNER FACE WHICH WE HIDE FROM OTHERS

Xena slowly walked through the palace corridors she'd had no meetings today it was a strange sensation as she had been so busy these past months or so it felt to her. She knew why, autumn was drawing in and the important people liked to spend more time where they lived. In a few more months winter would finally set and in some of the cities the snow would fall then the winter solstice celebrations would take place. She didn't take part in this but her staff did, they decorated the palace and celebrated, she made sure that they all got gifts and they all gave her gifts in return, but she'd never really spent time with anyone since her late husband. They used to drink warm honey mead together and share gifts as well as joke about things. She turned another corridor maybe now that she was getting to know Gabrielle better she could ask her if she'd spend time with her during the celebration though she wasn't even sure if werewolves celebrated the winter solstice.

She felt herself freeze in the corridor as something dawned upon her despite all they'd talked together she still really didn't know anything about this woman. She didn't even know if she liked alcohol, she didn't know what her favourite dish was or what coloured clothing she liked to wear, or even if she had any thing which made her really happy. Her gaze shifted as she looked up at the sun light which was drawing in through the windows of the long corridor. There was one person though who could answer this Thaleia she was Gabrielle's closest friend and despite her role change to being her personal maid nothing much had really changed between them or she'd seen.

Thaleia and Gabrielle seemed to talk in the mornings and afternoons, although Gabrielle wasn't fully open with her and was still very guarded. They seemed to have really come to an understanding and they respected each other very deeply. It was also clear that Gabrielle trusted her more than anyone else and she came to her when she needed help with anything or so it seemed. She walked down another corridor catching sight of Thaleia who was just about to go out in to the royal gardens. She moved forward watching as the young woman turned to meet her gaze her calm voice hitting the air. "Good morning Empress." Xena adjusted her shoulder plating slightly as she felt a smile form. "Hello Thaleia."

She paused before speaking. "I was wondering if you could help me with something?" Thaleia blinked feeling the surprise take over it wasn't very often that the Empress ever asked for things like this. "How can I help you Empress?" Xena took in a deep breath before looking up as they both started to walk through the royal gardens. "What does Gabrielle like?" Thaleia turned sharply feeling the shock take over. "What do you need to know?" Xena raised her hands. "I want to know everything, you've spent more time with her that anyone else and after I was talking with her last night I realized that I don't know that much about her personal tastes or even her family apart from before she became a werewolf." Thaleia put her hands behind her back as she carried on walking watching as the taller woman followed her. "She never talks about her family to me Empress, I have tried to speak to her about them but she just becomes very cold and guarded when I bring up the subject."

She shook her head. "She never talks about her history to me ether all I've heard are bits and pieces here and there, you should feel privileged that despite what's happened between you both that she's telling you so much about her past Empress because you know more than me or anyone else." Xena lowered her gaze as she breathed in deeply. "Yet I know all this but I don't even know if she drinks or even what her favourite food is." Thaleia looked up slightly. "Gabrielle really loves rabbit and lamb stew, she likes fish as well as chicken and quail but only on the bone. She also likes thicken milk with honey as well. She hates green apples and alcohol, she says she can only taste red apples and alcohol does nothing for her. I think alcohol not having any effect is because she smokes personally."

Xena eyed her for a long moment. "She only smokes when she's tense from what I've seen." Thaleia nodded as they walked past the tall trees. "I agree Empress I've noticed that as well, as soon as there's uncertainty or she's unsure or very frustrated and trying to focus she lights her pipe." Xena raised her eyebrow. "So we've both noticed that." Thaleia looked down in deep thought. "It would seem so." She raised her hand. "Oh I know one thing she does love." Xena stopped watching as the other woman did the same. "What's that?" Thaleia felt a smile form as she put her hands together. "She really likes birds." Xena stepped closer. "Birds?" Thaleia felt her smile widen. "Yes Empress she loves them she has a huge soft spot for them."

Xena felt her eyes dart as she remembered the pet which Iona had killed that had been a bird. "What kind of birds does she like, other than Wood Pigeons?" Thaleia put her hands behind her back. "She loves Collard Doves, Turtle Doves, she also like little birds small like Gold Finches, Black caps, Dead Sea Sparrows and Gold Crests." She shrugged her shoulders. "It's very strange to think that her being a werewolf that she'd have a love for these small birds and doves. I mean this morning she was putting out the bird feeders." Xena turned sharply. "Bird feeders?" Thaleia turned pointing at Gabrielle's balcony which now had a complex branched section attached to it. Hanging off it were string feeders with bread and coconut shells full of seeds. "There like feeding areas for birds you hang them off a branch and the birds come in and eat off them and you can watch them."

Xena looked up watching as a group of five Dead Sea Sparrows came flying in they landed on the branches working there way down to one of the coconut shells then started to eat the seeds inside while other hopped from branch to branch calling out noisily. She felt a smile form how fascinating she'd never seen anything like this before. It was a completely new to her and she could now understand why Gabrielle would get so much pleasure out of it even from this distance it was like having part of the royal garden near your room. It made sense now as to why Gabrielle had needed the branches last night because she had been making this and that brought up another thought in her mind. Gabrielle had a creative personality and she constantly needed to keep herself doing things, when she had been bored some time ago it had impacted on her depression and made her even more miserable that was very clear to her now.

The younger woman loved creating things and trying things out she'd never met anyone who was like this before. All the people she knew where generally interested in the formal side of life they weren't artist and didn't care for art in general. She'd always loved creative people though, she had a deep love of plays and loved looking at pottery and wood carvings but that had always been as close as she'd ever gotten to these people it had always been as though she was looking from a far. Now for the first time in her life she was actuality living with a creative person and it was fascinating, all these ideas all these things in Gabrielle's head were so interesting. That was in essence the other side of her personality to her people she was their king and a warrior, but behind closed doors she was a gifted carpenter who had a soft spot for birds and was very sweet and gentle with children.

Thaleia looked up slightly. "If you were planning on giving her a gift I think the greatest thing you could do would be to end the hunting law." Xena turned slowly to the other woman. "I have something to tell you Thaleia and it must stay between us." Thaleia looked up the confusion spreading across her face. "Yes Empress." Xena took in a deep breath watching as more birds landed on Gabrielle feeders. "I'm writing up the amendment which will end the hunting law, but Gabrielle doesn't know about this at present, I'm hoping to show her it very soon as I promised her I would do this." Thaleia nodded suddenly understanding where the tall dark haired woman was coming from. She felt a slight smile form. "I think she will approve of that very much, though she never says it I believe her people's welfare matter to her, I think it's the reason that she stayed despite what happened between you both."

Xena shook her head meeting her dark gaze. "I think it's more than that Demetrius brought it up in one of our meetings, he says she's staying here because here she has real friend which is you and for that reason she won't leave and I agree with him." Thaleia looked down Demetrius had said that of all the people to say this she hadn't expected him to say it. Despite that she was now at a high station she didn't have the courage to ask him to dinner she was far too afraid that he'd probably say no. He was a warrior but a gentleman and a part of her still believed that he'd have no real interest in her and would prefer a noble woman. It hadn't stopped her loving him though she'd had deep feelings for him for many years but had never been able to act on them due to her fear of rejection.

She broke out of her thoughts looking at the Empress. "I'm flattered that Demetrius thinks so much of me, its very kind of him." Xena eyed her for a long moment, she was sure that she'd heard a slight catch in the other woman's voice but maybe that was down to being told that the head of her royal army approved of her. "I agree." Thaleia turned slowly to face the taller woman. "I don't think I'm the only reason that Gabrielle stayed here though I believe she stays for you Empress." Xena blinked feeling the confusion take over. "What makes you say that Thaleia?" Thaleia breathed in deeply. "Because you let her bury her dead lover, I think that meant an awful lot to her, because she loved him very deeply."

She paused before speaking. "I think she stays because deep down she still sees the good in your heart despite all that's happened between you and I think it matters to her now that you approve of her being here I also think that she is starting to respect you once more." Xena looked up slightly. "You really believe that Thaleia?" Thaleia nodded as she felt a wide smile form. "Of course Empress." She turned eyeing Gabrielle's balcony. "My deepest apologises but I need to carry on with my duties I still haven't brought Gabrielle her washed cloths." Xena raised her hand. "Of course." She watched as the dark haired woman walked away she took in a deep breath eyeing Gabrielle's balcony again.

There was truth in the other woman's words Gabrielle was now starting to respect her once more but she knew it would take more time. The truth was that now for the first time ever her thoughts were drawing her back to when she'd first met the younger woman and she'd wanted her to be a friend. Somehow she wanted that once more it felt like a need and a longing which she wanted to for fill deeply. She no longer cared at how it would be viewed by others outside the palace she owned this palace and what went on in side was her business and no one else's concern. Gabrielle had been honest she had enemies as well as did she and she could understand that but maybe that was were this longing came from Gabrielle was a leader just like her and someone she could really talk to about her feelings of being in control and something told her that Gabrielle would understand her pain better than anyone else.

8

Gabrielle shook her mane slightly as she sat on the bed. "So Kalika's bringing my dinner?" Thaleia turned to her friend. "Look you have nothing to worry about Gabrielle I'm here to ensure that nothing goes wrong between you two." Gabrielle raised a clawed finger scratching her long ear. "That woman hates me I'd rather she didn't serve my dinner at all." Thaleia shook her head. "Look she just doesn't understand you that's all she just needs to get to know you better." Gabrielle narrowed her gaze. "I don't believe she wants to get to know me she said I got this scar on my face because I deserved it."

Thaleia breathed in sadly shaking her head she had heard through palace rumour how Gabrielle had reserved that a scar she had stood up to a slave trader leader who had given it to her, to teach her a lesson because she wouldn't do as he commanded. "Well you didn't deserve that scar and she was just being cruel saying that." Gabrielle looked up slightly as some one knocking on her door harshly she spoke keeping her voice even. "Come in." She watched as the cook opened the door. She folded her arms despite that in werewolf form it looked slightly odd as watching as the older woman came in to view. Kalika raised her food dishes speaking coldly. "I brought you, your dinner…Gabrielle."

Gabrielle felt her teeth grind together as she forced a fake smile. "What did you put in it deadly nightshade or some other lighter poison?" Kalika eyed Gabrielle in disgust as she carefully placed her food down on the table. "No I wouldn't do that after all you are the Empress's friend now." She turned eyeing Thaleia. "You're her private maid now, lucky you." Thaleia breathed in hearing the sarcasm in the other woman's tone nothing had gotten better between them ever since she'd told the Empress what Kalika had been doing to Gabrielle, in fact it was just getting worse. She took in a deep breath looking up. "Yes and I got this position for doing the right thing, that's the difference between you and me."

Kalika stepped back giving her a cold look. "Evidently…the Empress standards are slipping." Gabrielle looked up slightly catching sight of something on the woman's shoulder she hadn't seen it before because the last time they'd spoken Kalika had been wearing a dress but now she was wearing white chiton robes. On her shoulder was a clear branding of an eagle's head with the Roman symbols IX which stood for nine just under its neck. She eased up her clawed hand to her face narrowing her gaze. "Before you insult my friend again there's something I want to know?" Kalika turned sharply. "What's that Gabrielle?" Gabrielle raised her clawed finger pointing at the branding. "Where did you get that brand?"

Kalika froze on the spot she turned slowly eyeing Gabrielle. "I got it in the Roman city of Ostia on a visit ten years ago." Gabrielle stood up slowly staying on her hind legs. "That's funny because Romans tattoo visitors but they don't brand them." Kalika eyed the branding. "Well I wanted something different and I took a branding." Gabrielle stepped forward. "Yet Greek citizens aren't allowed burnt brandings by law, as the buying any Greek slave is illegal in Rome under Greek law and is punishable by death. Only Roman born slaves, gladiators and members of high state in Rome have brandings as well as generals in the Military. Oh yes and werewolf gladiators they are normally branded before they get turned."

She tapped her clawed foot on the floor. "Have you ever heard of the cruentus creatura?" Kalika folded her arms feeling her anger burn. "No I haven't and I think what your saying about my branding is foolish I got it given to me by a friend." Gabrielle felt a cold smile form as she carried on speaking ignoring that the older woman had even spoken "Cruentus creatura means bloody servant." She felt her gaze narrow. "There very special werewolves and the Romans love them even though they keep them a secret from the public. These werewolves give themselves to the arena willingly, but they don't fight oh no their only job is to turn slaves, these slaves are turned against their will and then get thrown in to the arena to fight the gladiators."

She took in a deep breath. "The cruentus creatura are loved and adored by the Romans who they work for there paid lots of money, they get food, sex and anything else they want and they live the decadent life style of a rich Roman noble. The werewolves of Greece hate them as in there eyes there traitors because they sell out their turning services to the highest bidder. Greek werewolves believe only those of strong blood should be turned not just anyone." She shook her mane. "Of course if a cruentus creatura were to betray the Romans who they work for they wouldn't just loose their job, but they'd loose everything there position, there power and they'd also be thrown out of Rome never to return. The werewolf Imperial Council won't let them back in to any of the werewolf cities because their traitors to the race, it'd be a very hard life for them."

Kalika moved towards the door opening it sharply. "Well I've never heard of this cruentus creatura you speak off and I'm not a Roman I was born in Thessaly and my older brother was ripped apart by a werewolf in front of me and I survived!" Gabrielle looked up slightly. "I'm sorry for your brother and I'm sorry for what happened to you, no one should ever have to go through that." Kalika eyed her in disgust. "Of course you are." Gabrielle watched as she left slamming the door behind her she narrowed her gaze how curious. Thaleia turned watching as Gabrielle sat down at the table carefully picking up a spoon with two of her clawed fingers. "What was that all about Gabrielle?" Gabrielle eyed the potato stew putting her spoon through it before turning to her friend. "It's okay Thaleia it was nothing."

End of part 40

Silvermoonlight