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 stories' chapters preceding this one, you should do so now. I want to give a big thanks to my followers, and a heavy shout out to Monica. Please enjoy. :-)

Xena & Gabrielle

A Turn of Fate

By Ahkiken

Chapter 43: Gravest Perturbation

Becoming as aphotic as the darkening dwelling she chose to occupy, Xena felt insensible to Japa's salvation. Losing Gabrielle after mending their disunity was a humorless irony to her. Throughout the Warrior Princess and her soul mate's separation, she'd avoided talking to the bard, now all she coveted was to hear Gabrielle's melodious voice. Their last night in each other's embrace was sealed with a promise, one that the former warlord would retain. Thus the little island she'd originally decided to succor with her death could be set aflame for all she minded.

Xena's cogitation focused on Gabrielle's wellbeing, knowing that the Conqueror would imprison her in a dungeon because of the Omphalos shard's prognosticating power. Not selling her renewed fiancée's masquerading skills short, she wondered if Gabrielle was proficient anent to deceiving everyone on Ri's world for an unseeable amount of time.

'What if the Conqueror successfully executes my beloved before I can ascertain a remedy to stall off this mysterious goddess' plot?' Xena's musings hounded her. 'I can't lose Gabrielle...especially to a situation I've incidentally invoked.'

Accustomed to channeling her sadness into rage, she remembered the absent chakram to amplify the fury within. Howbeit Xena's hold on her temper had filtered out while thinking about Harukata's query concerning looking for the circular weapon. Therefore, Xena had to admit she hadn't meticulously searched Gabrielle's cabin for the disc, finding it easier to accuse Ri of its disappearance.

Arising off of the floorboards to use two flint stones to alight the lantern and brighten her transported lover's room, Xena thought of the bard's twin. Ri must be suffering mentally from her ordeal, having a mutual affinity with Gabrielle. The disadvantaged girl was surprisingly propelled to another world that greatly differed from her own. How alone and fearful she must've felt after discovering that the woman whom constantly issued motley threats happened to resemble her Lord.

'Milady...' Xena's cognizance produced the supreme title of her conquering doppelgänger. 'She even dream about touching Gabrielle in any fashion, I'll kill the Conqueror.'

Internally infuriated at the Conqueror's presaged, critical imposition, the Warrior Princess bent onto her knees to scan underneath the Amazon's cot for the missing yin-yang circlet. Seeing nothing that resembled her godly weaponry, she did stumble across a closed satchel. Curiously henting the hidden bag and opening it, Xena uncovered the cropped blonde's private scrolls. Temporarily forgetting her chakram's whereabouts, she decided to sit on the floor and sift through the countless parchments.

Jittery fingers undertook flipping through multiple scrolls whilst Xena quickly perused romantic and phantasmagorical words that were written on each one she'd viewed. The ex-warlord wasn't keenly interested in Gabrielle's sentimentalism that related to her or the heroic deeds she had accomplished. Instead, she became fixated on another scroll that accounted her fiancée's inner tumult and lack of vim to attain a particular goal.

[We were traversing to Amphipolis together preceding our separation and Xena's advancement there alone to surprise Cyrene. She may be talented at shading secrets, but I'm positive that she's planning something for my approaching birthday. Withal my arrival to Cyrene's establishment will be postponed due to learning 'bout a bounty hunter who's attempting to cash in on the Warrior Princess' infamous reputation. The reward seeker is just a half-day's ride ahead of my position, and fortunately for me, but not her, I can discern that her tracks leads to Amphipolis as well. Once I catch up to her, I'm going to infuse the bounty hunter's waterskin with Joxer's nocent gravy; that should effectively hinder the pursuant's progress 'til I am able to warn Xena. Though I am knowledgeable that Xena can handle any supposed threat, I'm inclined to save this woman's life, because I know she'll die by my soul mate's hands, and that's not acceptable to me. I'm thoroughly aware that I cannot alter Xena's thrill or penchant for fighting, nonetheless, I am intent on trying to tamper her kill count. Rashly casting Ephiny's inherited, ceremonial staff into the river, where do I begin to justify my actions for privately wanting her to walk a non-violent path similar to me? Violence is prevalent in our daily lives, and she does keep us safe by wielding a sword, but... Am I wrong for harboring ratiocinations that revolves around relinquishing deadly weapons and settling down...starting a hospice? Aspirations for building a place that would shelter the ill and wounded did falter, however, the happenstance of running into Najara again had reignited my longing. While cleaning her injuries, she'd broached the subject, proclaiming that we could still run it together. Despite my decline and attestation that I belong with Xena, the desire was reawakened, but my best friend will never settle in a singular locale. Xena's drive is to traipse the world, defending the innocent from murderous people, and I... I'll continue to accompany her as my vocation becomes nothing more than a dream. Or, if Najara's pronouncement has any clout, I will remain at Xena's side until I'll have to decide between her and my own soul. Question is...which will I choose?]

Proceeding to read more of the bard's writings, Xena skipped over every loving-entailed scroll in her search to discover the ones that exemplified Gabrielle's veiled doubts and hopelessness.

{X&G}

Finishing stirring the spices in Ri's dinner, Kenji was a tinge hesitant to intrude upon the sorrowful storyteller who stayed reposed in a fetal posture. Having her back facing him, the only evidence the monk had to disclose that she remained wakeful was the constant shaking of the strawberry-blonde's shoulders. He promptly commiserated with Ri, knowing that she was a victim of hapless circumstances. The Japian man could purely imagine how out of sorts he'd be if he was teleported somewhere unknown and had to suffer repeated threats from a thunderous person.

Kenji's cognition drifted back to when he helplessly watched whilst his friend and colleague, Gaija, had gotten his soul ingurgitated by Yodoshi. His appendages began to tremble involuntarily as he vividly recollected every detail of that rainy night and how terrified he'd become from the atrocious sight. Abandoning the teahouse, he dastardly ran through the storm, too scared to look backwards at the haunting place that consumed his fellow monk. His caitiff deportment aside, had it not been for Akemi's mercy, Kenji never would've escaped, and he would have shared Gaija's tragic fate also.

Picking up Ri's dinner, Kenji descried the aqua-eyed woman and shrug off his past fright. 'Perchance I can solace her fears.'

The storyteller's ears detected Kenji's movements coming to her. Beginning to calm her warbly breathing and ceasing the tears that escaped sealed irises, Ri remained immobile 'til the bald male approached the cot.

"Ri-Kun?" He queried, unsteadly.

"Y-yes?" The erstwhile Handmaiden stammered, keeping her back to Kenji.

"Are you hungry, 'cause I've prepared a delicious meal for you?"

Ri didn't really have an appetite, nevertheless, she chose not to be boorish to an individual who'd displayed such veritable generosity. "Sure, Kenji-San, I'm deeply grateful for the dish you've made me."

Kenji was visibly heartened that Ri decided to eat something in lieu of dismissing him so she could wallow in dolefulness. He patiently waited while she privily wiped the wetness off of her eyes and countenance. Feeling less vulnerable to face him, she lifted herself into an appropriate position. Leaning back against the wall, she forced a winsome smile when the monk sat the plate across her lap.

"It's fried rice and chopped fish." Kenji evinced.

"Thank you." Ri uttered, using the utensil to scoop some of the edibles into her oral orifice.

He raptly observed her chew the food, knowing its flavor would satisfy Ri's palate better than the okayu she'd considered tasted bland. As she swallowed, Kenji's jovial anticipation had waned once he recognized that Ri wasn't eager to digest a second helping of the meal he'd personally knew was toothsome.

Dejectedly watching Ri use the fork to coolly prod her supper, Kenji felt impelled to ask, "Is the repast not to your liking?"

"I am sorry, Kenji-San." Ri apologized, looking bashful. "It smells delectable, but it's flavorless."

Kenji became intrigued by her notion. "I'd just recently seasoned it. Do you wish me to add additional spices?"

"You have done enough for me." She declined sweetly. "I haven't ever been this greatly distraught before. Maybe my current circumstances are affecting me internally."

"I understand." Kenji concurred, offering, "Do you want water?"

"That'll be delightful." Ri accepted.

Strolling to the table and dipping a cup into the new bucket of clear liquid, Kenji filled it to its brim prior to handing the container over.

"Thanks again." Ri bestowed her patented civility.

"You're welcome, Ri-Kun." Kenji replied.

Thereon, she relinquished the utensil to drink contentedly. Ri hadn't realized how parched she candidly was until the refreshing water soothingly quenched her thirst. Greedily consuming it, she didn't stop till the cup was completely empty.

Modestly drying her moist lips, Ri quietly expressed, "Forgive my drinking manners..."

"It is all right." Kenji conveyed, reaquiring the cup from her hand. "You've slept throughout the afternoon and hadn't ingested any liquids. It only makes sense for your body to react that way from receiving much needed sustenance. Now you merely have to put extra provender into your anatomy."

Aware that she had almost gone the entire day without eating an adequate amount of nourishment, Ri glanced downwards, analyzing the ignored feast. It did appear appetizing, yet she couldn't omit how plain the rice and pieces of fish tasted. Albeit in the end, she kenned that Kenji was correct in his advisement to masticate a bit further 'fore hunger got the best of her, inciting the maiden to gormandize in an uncouth fashion.

Taking another bite, Ri was curious about the Cronus. "How late is it, Kenji-San?"

"It's nearly nightfall." He rejoined.

Her unalloyed astonishment coerced Ri to try articulating around a mouthful of her meal, "Oh..."

"I can leave and give you privacy, if that's what you'd like." Kenji proposed.

Ri's head shook fervently. "I rather not be by myself."

"Okay." Kenji assented, returning to the vessel of water to refill Ri's cup.

After its replenishment, he presented it to Ri, who gladly took it. As the water helped wash the insipid food down her throat, she mentally marveled how it was possible for a ship to get fresh H2O on a regular basis. She started ruminating that they had a store of it on the huge watercraft.

Allowing her connate inquisitiveness to prevail, Ri probed, "Kenji-San, may I query you apropos to how water is accumulated?"

"Sure, Ri-Kun, I'll be happy to answer that." He consented, sitting in a cross-legged posture on the floorboards of the cabin. "I'm certain you are educated and know that saltwater is hazardous to your health?"

She slowly nodded, recalling one of the Conqueror's tales relating her numerous adventures on Terra. "Milady informed me that it doesn't proffer nutriment. She avowed it percipitates dehydration instead."

"Exactly." Kenji emitted, constantly awestruck and fascinated by Ri. "Well, this warship is uniquely built to let water seep in from the sea underneath the fourth tier. It's my duty to draw the seawater out of there and boil it in the caboose that's located on the lower deck. Once the water condenses, it becomes sufficient to drink."

Kenji's listener was becoming increasingly interested in his notification, thereby provoking a question, "I'm nowhere near an expert on anything nautical, notwithstanding, letting a cornucopia of water within, wouldn't that offset the ship's balance, engendering us to sink?"

"Excellent deduction, Ri-Kun, but no. The warship's size can accommodate the weight without consequence." Kenji disclosed, 'fore automatically praising her intelligence because he was unable to contain the piquancy she aroused in him, "You are indeed riveting."

Ri's cheeks reddened for the briefest of seconds, preceding her resumption of eating. Her cerebration repudiated the monk's plaudits for solely being a show of kindness. Then her mind situated on the Conqueror's twin and the feasibility of winning favor with the peppery warrior. If she could just attain Xena's compassion akin to Kenji, Ri wouldn't have to overthink 'bout getting threatened or conceivably murdered by her.

Introspection of death caused Ri to remember her gravest perturbation. "Kenji-San, did you warn the Shogun of what I relayed dealing with my dreadful foretelling?"

"I did not."

"Why?" Ri inquired, laying the utensil on her plate. "I'd envisioned us getting beset by assailants, and a man in yellow armor got beheaded. I also saw Xena-Sama-"

"Yellow..." Kenji interjected, fastly behooved to add, "Did the armor look similar to a golden hue, or-"

"No." Temporarily shutting her pupils, Ri scanned the tragic memory, hence opening them to report, "It was the color of sunfire."

"That's Koska's coloration." Kenji grew alarmed, not capable of staving off the plausibility that the storyteller's precautionary foresight was warranted to apprise Harukata. "You had a vision of his demise?"

Ri's lissome fingers clasped her platinum necklace, stating, "The Omphalos shard broadcasted your warriors' quietuses, Kenji-San..."

"Don't fall into trepidation, Ri-Kun." The monk tried alleviating his own rising discomposure. "Assuredly if anyone opposes this vessel, the Shogun and his elite Samurai will prevent them from carrying out their chaotic deeds. Even the Warrior Princess could singlehandedly devastate the pirates' ranks by-"

"She dies, too." The desperate Greek zealously disclosed, flummoxing Kenji profoundly.

"Xena-Sama doesn't survive the assault, either?" He quizzed.

"No..." Ri professed. "I don't think anybody does."

To Be Continued...