"What have you done?!"
"Did you see that?"
" She slit her throat!" the annoyingly sharp voices of all those shocked but incredibly angry women began to echo throughout the thick woods at pretty much the same time, completely revolted at the unexpected sight of blood trickling down their friend's neck.
"What are you talking about ? " Xena exclaimed, gazing in wonder at the now boiling mad warriors. " It's just a graze!" she added, when she finally realized that the nervous Amazon that she had held hostage had indeed managed to cut herself in her sword while trying to escape her grasp.
"It's barely a scratch!" she vainly tried to excuse herself, rolling her eyes at the ridiculousness of the situation. It was of no use though. The crazed Amazons were feeling way too offended to pay attention to anything that wasn't that crimson thread now caressing Mereya's chest.
" You drew blood!" several of them began screaming- notable desperation in their voices, as if the world itself was about to end then and there with those few drops of blood now mixing with the yellowish sand beneath their feet.
" She tried to kill me!" the so called victim accused, throwing the Warrior Princess a deadly glare while wrapping her hands around her neck to stop the bleeding. "You saw her! You all saw her! "
"She attacked one of us...on our own lands!" another one said, casting yet another scandalized glare in Xena's direction.
The conclusion to such statement was more than obvious.
"That's punishable by death!"
"Kill her!" another Amazon called out, stretching her bow. " She deserves to die!"
Soon, at least twenty deadly weapons were having the well intentioned Warrior Princess as main target….Xena flinched….This wasn't good…..Not good at all…..
XXX
A huge fire was efficiently dissolving the darkness of the night around them, turning everything less private... The camp was silent- most of Athena's warriors were asleep, resting for the following day's battle- and Gabrielle had just finished changing the linen bandage covering her injured arm….Despite the fact that she had failed to notice the blood trickling down her arm -up to the tip of her fingers - during the fight , once they got back to safety, she could distinctly sense the burn on the surface of her lacerated skin….The wound was already infected, so medical care was a must.
" Athena should take a look at that wound." a remarkably unfriendly voice stated the very moment the Bard detected movement behind her.
" There's no need to. It's not deep." she replied, without bothering to turn around. She knew who it was and she certainly didn't want to face the mocking gaze that she could just bet was directed her way. It had been an outrageously long and tiresome day, and having to stand Elenis' self centeredness for even one more minute was the last thing she needed.
….In all appearances though, she didn't have a choice.
"That's what usually happens when inexperienced people decide- against their better judgment- that they belong on the battlefield ….You could have lost that arm…." she contemptuously continued, taking a sit on a log in front of Gabrielle." You certainly deserved to lose it...The Fates have been far too kind with you... "
" Well I haven't…It's barely a scratch. What is your problem, anyway?" she finally exploded, rising to her feet. Behind the spiteful voice nonetheless, there was also a hint of curiosity in Gabrielle's eyes….Why did Elenis hate her so much? Was it only because she was Xena's friend- and her past conflicts with the mighty Warrior Princess had fueled that unjustified anger towards her- …..or was it more than that?
Seeing her volcanic reaction, Athena's Chosen couldn't hold back her laughter. For some reason, the Bard had always managed to infuriate and amuse her at the same time….She was a woman of striking contrasts, that worthless peasant from Potidea, Elenis had to admit to herself while carefully analyzing her interlocutor's each and every move….
" Me? I don't have problems….of any kind….You will be the only one busy counting them in the morning….That infected wound is likely to be one of them by the way….And trust me, I know these things…." she said, pointing towards her arm. " The sword that cut you was a bit…how should I put this...rusty…."
It took Gabrielle a couple of seconds to process Elenis' line, but once she did, her eyes widened in surprise.
"How do you know that?"
" That you have…. problems? It shows. What I'd actually want to…"
Her line was rudely interrupted by the now trembling with rage Bard.
" Stop deflecting! You are well aware of what I'm talking about! How do you know that the blade was rusty?"
" Let's just say I have a keen eye for detail….And plenty of experience on the battle filed to tell the difference…"
Balling up her fists, Gabrielle closed in the distance between them.
" You cutthroat bitch! You were the one who did this! "
" Are you sure? Do you have any proof whatsoever in favor of those inconceivably unfair accusations?"
" The sick joy in your eyes is all the proof I need!" the Bard barked, sending a punch straight to her cheekbone.
Athena's sudden presence cut short the rest of her attack though, giving her opponent enough time to put some useful distance between them.
"What is the meaning of this? Gabrielle, your energy is more than admirable but make sure you use it in tomorrow morning's confrontation! There's no honor nor point in fighting each other!" she uttered making sure that both women got the idea.
" I was off to bed anyway….." the Bard simply retorted in a Xena like steely voice, heading for her tent.
As soon as she was out of sight, Athena rushed by her Chosen's side, helping her up.
" Is the stage set for tomorrow?" she inquired in a soft voice, caressing Elenis' face, where a dark blemish was starting to from.
" Everything is ready. I can't wait to get rid of this pesky Blonde! "
"This time tomorrow, Xena will be cursing the day she met my dear old brother…..That arrogant weasel will loose everything that matters to him in life: his army and his Chosen! Two for the price of one..."