Disclaimers: See Chapter 1
Additional Note (Please Read): This tale is a companion with, The Conqueror & Ri: A Twist of Destiny. If you haven't read both story's chapters preceding this one, you should do so now. I'm catching some heat for this tale, but I can handle it. Thanks to all my readers and my lovely Beta, Jinxie 2013. Check out her story, Rewriting the Scrolls, but y'all know the drill; read my tales first. Enjoy ;-)
Xena & Gabrielle,
A Turn of Fate,
By, Ahkiken
Chapter 27: Tempest Maelstrom
Moku, adorned in his purple armor, traipsed the first tier to the armory. Because of the melancholy feelings the warship's occupants had endured for several days, due to Neji's execution, the elite Samurai wanted to train and meditate in hopes of calming his spirit. He, along with his fellow elites and their Shogun, was taken aback by Neji's request for the woman who caused his downfall to honor his death. It became even more shocking when Gabrielle accepted, decapitating Neji with one flawless stroke of her katana.
Moku wasn't angry at Gabrielle, but saddened by the demise of one of the greatest fighters of Shinto; especially at a time when their numbers were already lesser than Yodoshi's. The scarred Samurai shivered from the memory of his torture by the daemon. Every cut carved into his skin, whether thin or thick, was a torment. Moku swore he was going to die like the warriors he'd led on that fateful mission to engage the evil, former Shogun of Higuchi.
Moku shifted his cognizance to another thought that had bothered him for a while. He noticed Zicalus and Koska's attitude towards each other changed since the emergency meeting to discuss the plight of Morimoto and his five thousand Samurai that fought by his side to defend Higuchi, including, most importantly, its temple. Korei-den was the second to last temple to face destruction and, if it did get destroyed, Shin-den would be the only source of worship for Amaterasu's followers.
Moku understood Koska's concernment for Shinto, but he had to concur with his pupil, Zicalus. To leave Morimoto and his men on their own against an overwhelming, converging force couldn't be justified as honorable. If the Daimyo was pitted in battle with Yodoshi, which Moku knew he was, abandoning him to die would've haunted his conscience. Koska became unhappy with the Shogun's choice to continue onwards to Higuchi, then his and Zicalus' relationship seemed to strain.
'I'll question Zicalus about it soon.' Moku mused, opening a single door to the armory.
"Why wait for your death in Japa, Xena?" Gabrielle growled, her sais collided with Xena's sword. "When you can die here!"
Moku closed the door quickly. 'Gabrielle knows of Xena's fate?'
He had to inform the Shogun right away or Gabrielle and Xena would possibly kill one another. Coincidently, Denzo and Ito walked in his direction.
"You took Sokka down hard with that roundhouse." Ito praised. "After the singular squads' duels are completed, I doubt mine will fight yours, seeing how you are a part of the first and I'm in the fourth. But whoever your challenger is, they better watch out for that wicked attack."
"I can only assume my squad will go against the second and yours will compete with the third." Denzo surmised. "Still, everyone's very skillful, so we all need to be careful."
"Yeah." Ito conceded. "To win these upcoming duels, we get to battle alongside the Little Water Dragoon. The woman who killed-"
"Samurai." Moku rasped loudly as he could.
"Master Moku." Both men answered in unison.
"I need for y'all to get the Shogun for me." Moku replied. "Tell him it concerns the Warrior Princess and Gabrielle San. Go."
The two Samurai spun on their heels to carry out Moku's order, while the purple armored man acted similar to a sentry, keeping anyone from entering the armory, where two friends battled like enemies.
{X&G}
"What are you talking about?" Xena asked, blocking Gabrielle's strike.
"Don't play with me!" Gabrielle shouted, swinging her sais, impacting Xena's sword again. "You know damn well what I speak of!"
Xena tried to push Gabrielle backwards to disengage their weapons. Nonetheless, the bard pressed forward with a side kick, causing the raven-haired woman to block it using her knee. After the distraction, Gabrielle aimed a sai at Xena's midsection, but her broadsword guarded it. Hastily, the cropped blonde used her other sai to lock the blade in its prongs.
"How many lies will you tell me!" Gabrielle yelled. "Where's the trust you spoke so highly about!"
Xena pulled on her sword to disconnect it from the entrapment of Gabrielle's twin weapons. "Gabrielle, please stop this. I don't want to-"
"Hurt me!" Gabrielle twisted her sais to no avail, wanting to snap Xena's sword, knowing she couldn't. "You've done that, Xena! You're doing it now!"
"I don't want to fight you, Gabrielle."
"You have no choice!"
Gabrielle freed the blade, commencing her offensive. Her sais' deadly points met opposition from Xena's amazing defensive skills. No matter how fast the Amazon attacked, her former lover's sword deflected the strikes.
'Damn, she's gotten quicker.' Xena cogitated, fearing she would have to go all out to keep up with Gabrielle.
Countering Gabrielle's sai in her right hand, Xena kicked the other one out of the bard's left and vertically slashed at Gabrielle. The Samurai tucked under it, going for a sweep of Xena's leg, but the blue-eyed warrior lifted her foot and came down with an axe kick. Gabrielle dodged it by rolling back on her hand, performing a kip-up onto her feet. Utilizing her single sai, Gabrielle feigned a stab at Xena's leg, and when Xena went to guard it, the Samurai grabbed her sword-arm. Not missing a beat, Gabrielle turned her sai downward, aiming it at the tall woman's shoulder, but Xena captured Gabrielle's wrist before its purposed blow. The two women struggled with trying to contain the other.
"Gabrielle, please." She pleaded through clenched teeth.
"Why?" Gabrielle inquired, straining to contend with Xena's strength. "I should be the one to kill you. Not Yodoshi, Akemi, or anybody else in Japa."
Xena had no idea how Gabrielle found out she was to die. She refused to believe the Shogun broke his oath.
"Let's cease this foolishness." Xena responded. "No one is dying."
"Liar!" Gabrielle brought forth all her might to bring her sai down into Xena's shoulder.
Discerning no easy alternative to halt Gabrielle's action, Xena initiated the same sacrifice throw that Tanya used against Ekko. Falling backwards to toss Gabrielle overtop of her, Xena placed herself in a disadvantage as the Amazon gripped Xena's leg with hers, preventing the grapple from working. Gaining the upper hand by Xena lying beneath her, Gabrielle forced her sai inches from making contact with the Warrior Princess, while holding Xena's other arm down that wielded her sword. Gazing into Gabrielle's orbs, Xena saw the crazed look, marring her features.
'She intends to kill me.' Xena deduced, fearfully.
Unable to impede the slowly descending sai from piercing her skin, Xena summoned every ounce of her power to break her leg out from Gabrielle's and lifted it, forcefully, to flip Gabrielle over. Instead of being tossed supine onto the floorboards, Gabrielle landed in a standing position. Next, Xena rose, instinctively deflecting the sai that was thrown at her. Unarmed, Gabrielle withdrew her katana and steel connected once more.
"Whatever you heard, or think you know, it's probably half-truths." Xena was restraining the blood-lust. "I'll tell you everything, if you just stop."
"I know you are to give your life in Japa!" Gabrielle swung her katana with proficiency. "No need to deny it! You lied to me!"
Gabrielle's katana rapidly struck Xena's sword repeatedly. The petite woman was completely consumed by battle-lust. The only thing that would pacify her was Xena's blood on her blade. Xena couldn't hold back longer, not with Gabrielle exercising her full potential.
"There's a lot at stake, Gabrielle." Xena unwillingly averred. "Many souls hang in the balance!"
"Forty thousand to be exact!" Gabrielle affirmed, smirking briefly at Xena's surprised expression. "I'm knowledgeable of more than you realize, Xena!"
"No, Gabrielle. One hundred thousand souls suffer imprisonment by Yodoshi."
"You lie!" Gabrielle screamed in rage, taking multiple swipes at Xena. "All you've done is lie over and over!"
"I'm not." Xena clarified. "I am being honest. You're not listening to me. You never listen!"
"Listen?" Gabrielle's katana clanged harder off Xena's sword each time she spoke. "You told me you rather be with another! You'd confessed you loved someone more than me! You'd disclosed that Akemi had your heart! I heard your lies! I remember you leaving me broken on the floor after shoving me down and removing your ring! The band I gave to signify my love for you!"
Xena couldn't offer a confute, allowing Gabrielle to continuously attack.
"Then you presume I'll accept you back! That I would forgive you like nothing happened! I gave you a chance to come clean with me, even when I knew your life was to be forfeited in Japa! You'd kept feeding me lies! You can claim it was to protect me, but ultimately, it shows you don't respect me at all!" Gabrielle elucidated.
"I wanted to honestly confide in you." Xena's eyes stung from unshed tears. "The day we were inside Argo's stall, I started to explain to you how I felt about Akemi, but-"
"Goddamn Akemi!" Gabrielle came down with a powerful horizontal slash, causing Xena's knees to buckle from the impact of obstructing the katana. "I had enough of your ex-fuck, Xena!"
Xena's blood-lust begun surging within her as she knelt on one bended leg and knee, her weapon still linked with Gabrielle's. She'd grown abrasive with the knowledge of every time she began professing something significant, Gabrielle would interject belligerently.
"You aren't going to make it to Japa, Xena." She said in an eerie whisper. "You're gonna die here on this ship. And after I kill you, I'll commit hara-kiri. We'll be together in the afterlife, forever. Me and you. Not you and Akemi!"
"You're insane, Gabrielle." Xena became worried for her stability. "We are not dying on this ship!"
Letting Ares' dark influence flow to strengthen her, Xena lashed out, making Gabrielle detach their blades and nearly fall backwards. Rising, the dark warrior charged the bard, attacking fiercely, giving Gabrielle no room for error, nor an opportunity to parry. The young Samurai could barely keep up with the quickness of Xena, feeling her arms' muscles growing sore from guarding Xena's strong, hasty swings of her sword. Though fully focused on Xena's blade and hers, Gabrielle saw the speedy snap kick beforehand, incapable of causing its misdirection, coaxing her to falter slightly.
'I should have practiced more.' Gabrielle reprimanded.
Over the weeks, during her training with Harukata, Gabrielle tried to master using the katana with one appendage, instead of two, so she could have a free hand in combat. However, she never learned, although she'd informed the Shogun of it on the day he questioned her about Xena. She had been instructed to wield the katana with both hands and it became integral in her mind.
Xena thrust her sword at Gabrielle and the short-haired blonde took a gamble. Dropping her katana, to the Warrior Princess' sudden horror, she shielded herself with the left hand that the silver circlet was on. When the tip of Xena's blade posed a danger to the Omphalos shard, it released the greenish barrier, unexpectedly knocking Xena off her feet.
Xena's sword flew out of her grip while she rolled into a crouch, bewildered by what had occurred. "What the hell was that?"
"You aren't the only one with secrets." Gabrielle neglected to pick up her katana. "I've been through more than you can imagine on this fucking vessel, mentally and physically."
"It's true." Xena stated, standing. "You're under the Japian water god's protection. How?"
"No, Xena." Gabrielle corrected, a sadistic grin formed on her lips. "It's far complicated than that. Way more mystical."
"I don't know what happened to you, Gabrielle." Xena was losing control on confining her vexation. "But we can discontinue our strife and discuss it."
The aggrieved bard pointed menacingly at her soul mate. "No discussions! You had every opportune moment to converse with me!"
"I wanted to tell you the truth!" Xena asserted.
"Don't try your patented rectitude on me now! It's not working!"
"I did!" Xena's anger increased. "I tried in the stable and our third tier cabin, but you jumped ahead of me! Fussing and accusing me falsely! If you would just shut up and hear me, you'll-"
"I don't have to do anything you demand! I'm not some pawn you can move about, Xena!" Gabrielle debated. "Those days are gone!"
"Don't do this." Xena entreated.
"Your pawn has reached the end of the board, and now my abilities may have surpassed yours." Gabrielle clenched her fists. "We finish this, once and for all."
Understanding that her closest friend wasn't relenting, Xena expressed a final time, "Stand down, Gabrielle."
Ignoring Xena's plea, the kimono-clad Amazon ran towards her, doing a high-flying kick that got evaded. Twirling her slim frame, Gabrielle did a spinning heel kick, however, it was dodged also. Fast punches were let loose, and the tall woman hindered all of them from pervading her defense. Waiting for an opening that came when Gabrielle did a backhand fist, Xena countered it. Holding on Gabrielle's forearm, she flipped the smaller fighter over her shoulder, but the Samurai disentangled her arm while landing on her toes, and sprung upwards with a knee to Xena's chin.
Powerhouse palms effectively opposed her kneecap, then Xena ensnared the petite, hind leg, propelling Gabrielle in the air, but the cropped blonde did a flip, coming down with another kick targeted for Xena's head. Gabrielle's eyes glared at Xena dodging that strike too, so when her boots touched the floor, she decided to commence an offense. Nevertheless, the dark-haired combatant attacked before Gabrielle could. Doing three kicks in succession, Xena was proud of Gabrielle for guarding them, dampening her blood-lust. Her exultant mood switched to disdain once Gabrielle began countering the fourth quick jab she threw, and with a swift motion, the bard performed a counter-throw.
'Aikido?' Xena recognized the fighting style, converting the orbital toss into a cart-wheel. 'Harukata taught her aikido.'
Scared by the terrifying aspects of wounding the Amazon or getting wounded in turn, Xena chose to retreat from being in close proximity to Gabrielle, hoping to try dissuading her from continuing her aggressiveness. Two backhand flips gave Xena the distance she needed before her war cry sounded when she launched herself aerial in a swirling somersault.
Gabrielle followed Xena's tedious, yet magnificent airborne maneuver. The height Xena was able to soar had always left Gabrielle in awe, but over the many years of observing Xena's aerobatics, she knew with accuracy where her soul mate's flight would decline. Timing her assault well, Gabrielle gained momentum by sprinting to the designated spot, executing a spectacular butterfly kick, hitting Xena in her ribs. Xena grunted, falling down on the armory's floorboards.
"I've watched you throughout all our life together. You didn't really think I'll be idiotic to gawk at your impressive acrobatics like those morons we encounter during our travels." Gabrielle conveyed.
Xena clutched her side, assessing the damage. Satisfied that nothing was broken, she started to rise, until Gabrielle stood above her.
"Did that pain you, Xena? Did I wound your pride?" She taunted.
Xena was about to make a retort when a slap came upon her cheek. Sapphire eyes flared in fury, toying with the idea of beating Gabrielle to death.
The Amazon Queen noted her wrath. "What, fool! That made you mad? Do you feel humiliated? You don't know what humiliation is!"
Kicking outward, she made connection with Xena's sternum. Xena absorbed the painful hit, channeling it to her displeasure, praying to any god or goddess to sway her from hurting Gabrielle.
"Don't worry Xena, I will teach you its bitter taste! Just as you have taught me!" Her voice softened. "Me; the person who loved you more than any other ever had. You'd promised I could rely on you and trust you with all my faith. How can I? You're cruel and manipulative, unfit for my love. UNFIT!"
Shockingly afraid Gabrielle was going to assail her again, Xena attacked with a pre-emptive strike, using an uppercut to Gabrielle's solar plexus. The blonde tumbled over on her knees, gasping for oxygen and Xena proceeded to stand to her full stature.
"You will listen to me, Gabrielle! Yes, I am to die in Japa! I've recited the tale of burning Higuchi after the villagers stopped me from burying Akemi in her family's plot! The flames engulfed the town village and I've murdered forty thousand people! Their souls are now entrapped within Yodoshi! I must be sacrificed to save them, along with sixty thousand others, from that bondage!"
"Why?" Gabrielle asked, constraining her erosive behavior. "Why must you be the person to perish?"
"Because of being the sole mortal to use Amaterasu's Sacred katana on Akemi, only she and I have the means to aid Harukata in defeating Yodoshi." Xena answered softly. "Me and Akemi's lives are entwined by our actions the day she died."
Hearing Akemi and Xena's intertwinement caused a tempest maelstrom to mire Gabrielle's disposition from simmering down. "You fabricated all this time!"
Sensing Gabrielle's altering emotions, Xena adjured, "It wasn't intended. Listen-"
"It wasn't intended, yet it was your resolution to conceal everything from me! You never would have told me!" Gabrielle hurled herself at Xena.
Tears cascaded from aqua irises as her knuckles pummeled Xena's chest plate of armor. Xena didn't have the will to deter Gabrielle. She deserved the onslaught that was backing her into the corner of the walls.
"I wouldn't have done that to you!" Gabrielle cried. "I would've chosen honesty! You don't love me! You can't when you're set on abandoning me on a whim! You always do that! You always leave me! I hate you!"
The words from Gabrielle's mouth distressed Xena greater than the physical hits.
"Enough!" Xena blared.
Seizing Gabrielle's shoulders, Xena slammed her into the wall, their faces inches apart, gazing into one another's eyes for what felt like an eternity.
"There's a moment when I look at you." Gabrielle related, solemnly. "And no speech is left in me. My... My tongue breaks... Then fire races under my skin. And... I tremble, and grow pale."
"For I am dying of such love." Xena finished the last sentence of Sappho's poem she'd given Gabrielle on her twenty-third birthday.
"You pronounced you've found that love in me whilst we were in Thebes." Gabrielle sighed. "You didn't."
Closing her eyelids, the bard rested her forehead on Xena's. The Warrior Princess leaned also, taking and giving the little comfort she could in the brief, calming seconds. Xena's instincts conferred they weren't alone in the armory anymore. Glimpsing in the direction of the double doors, she saw that Harukata, alongside Moku, were looking at her and Gabrielle. Turning back to the woman in her arms and noticing Gabrielle's restored ire, she reluctantly acceded their short serenity was at an end.
Relinquishing her, she looked on as Gabrielle walked past the two men and exited the spacious area. Next, Xena scooped her broadsword, sheathing it. Seeing that Gabrielle departed the armory without her weapons, she began collecting them too. Grasping the katana, Xena made out the Japian symbol on its steel and it caused her to rein in the droplet that threatened to escape. She wouldn't cry in front of people. Her stoic facade forbade that weakness from being displayed.
"You and Gabrielle San have finally reached amelioration?" The Shogun queried. "I take it you've informed her of your destiny in Japa."
"Someone preceded me, Harukata. For your sake and theirs, the best hope for them is that I don't find out who they are." Xena eyed him coldly. "It will be a reckoning when I do."
The Shogun gazed at Xena while she dislodged the yin-yang chakram from the wooden wall, exiting the armory as well.
Moku trekked beside him, asking, "What happened?"
"Seems Kenji carried out his task with Gabrielle San." Harukata smiled. "Soon, everything will be all for the better. I'm certain of it."
{X&G}
In the late evening of twilight, soft tapping reverberated off Gabrielle's cabin door. Not receiving a response, Xena opened it and ventured inside. The declining rays of sunlight illuminated the room, as the wary intruder closed the door, setting Gabrielle's weapons down next to her cot. Xena observed the Amazonian Samurai sleeping, the cover of fur that was enveloping her lower back permitted the dragon tattoo to be broadcasted boldly. She studied the majestic creature, desiring to touch it.
Xena thought for hours about not coming to Gabrielle's lodgings after their physical altercation, but she had to talk to her and make sure Gabrielle didn't harm herself. She was disturbed and couldn't let them stay at odds with each other. Even if they have to endure a shouting match, Xena was insistent on trying to stress the reason for deceiving Gabrielle. Walking to the table where the basin of water sat, Xena lit the lantern beside it to brighten the cabin. Once she sighted the tub, Xena's keen nose smelled the scented strawberry oil that Gabrielle used when bathing.
'She must've taken a bath, prior to going to sleep.' Xena mused.
Xena dipped a finger into the tepid water, consciously disrobing her armor, leather battle dress, and boots. Submerging her nude body in the lukewarm liquid, Xena washed herself with haste. When she finished rinsing the soap suds from her skin, Xena got out the tub and dried the excess water off. Not bothering with re-dressing, she surrendered to the allure of wanting to hold the cropped blonde. Knowing full well that the judgment she was choosing could backfire, Xena pushed the boundary further by caressing Gabrielle's smooth shoulder while lying adjacent to her.
Precariously, Xena's forefinger traced a path from the milky skin to the outline of the dragon tattoo, ruminating how wonderful it felt to be touching Gabrielle in an intimate way. Then, she guided her digit up and down the middle crease of Gabrielle's back, causing the smaller woman to stir from her dreamy state.
"Xena." Gabrielle groggily moaned.
"Yes." Xena avowed.
Instantly becoming peevishly aware, Gabrielle's orbs opened, drawing from her. She reversed her prone posture, pulling the cover to hide her nakedness from Xena's view.
"What are you doing on my cot?" Gabrielle's sleepy haze vanished and she glanced at Xena's bare appearance. "What is this? What are you doing!"
Xena reacted to Gabrielle's harsh inquiries calmly. "I only want to speak to you. Please, hear me out."
"I don't wanna talk, nor do I want you here with me." Gabrielle replied. "Get out!"
Xena's hands stretched to cup the bard's face, but Gabrielle recoiled from it. "Let me explain."
"Elucidate what? That you were dishonest and never intended for me to find out you were ending your life for the Greater Good!"
"Gabrielle, many people are counting on me to-"
"I counted on you!" She interrupted. "I thought you looked forward to our marriage. I assumed you'd place me above the Greater Good. Instead, you showed the low standard I take on your scale of priorities, ranking me the lowest when it comes to your past and the good of others. How much lower are you willing to bring me, Xena? Do you want me to admit I'm destroyed? Fine, I'll submit. I am destroyed!"
The ache in Xena's spirit made her wish she had foreseen the retrograde of her decision to withhold the truth of her death from Gabrielle.
"I'm suffering, too." Xena proclaimed with tears. "Within me, I'm in agony for my flawed choice."
"You acted insidiously, purposely." Gabrielle shook her head, whimpering, "I dread going to Japa. I can't stop thinking about when you're gonna die there."
Xena went to enclose her arms around Gabrielle, but she turned on her side, away from the Warrior Princess.
"I can't stop." Gabrielle repeated, shaking from crying. "I can't stop."
Reeling in her need to comfort Gabrielle with gentle touches, Xena announced, "I can't either. I don't want to leave you. I despise what I have to do to help Harukata overcome Yodoshi in order to redeem everyone. Just listen to me. I beg you."
Gabrielle's cognition recalled Eli's visit with her and what he declared.
'Blood has to be paid with blood. Xena must redeem all the souls Yodoshi has trapped and find redemption in doing so for herself.'
"Back to redeeming ourselves again." Gabrielle satirized.
"What?" Xena queried in bafflement.
"Nothing." Gabrielle wiped the wetness from her cheeks, turning to look at the woman whom she regarded with mixed feelings. "Talk, Xena. I'm listening."
To Be Continued...