Within the village main hall, Gabrielle sat before the villagers able to be in attendance. Xena stood on one side of where she sat, while Ephiny stood on the other. All three were anxious to try and figure out just what had happened during their relatively short absence. After taking a moment to gather her thoughts and fully immersed in her "queen mode", Gabrielle raised her hand to quiet the crowd, to which they all responded accordingly. After lowering her hand back to the armrest of her chair, Gabrielle took a breath and looked out at the women in the room for a moment before she began to speak.
GABRIELLE
Okay, I've already seen the destruction outside and just how many of the women here have lost their lives to the enemy. I can see that it's not looking good for everyone here, but now that myself, Xena, and the others are here we'll help you protect this place and everyone here. But given that we've been gone for a bit, other than Clover telling us that you spotted a suspicious army coming here so a group was sent to investigate and then all killed except for Clover, we're walking into this situation blind. So before we do anything I need someone to fill us in on any information you have.
Fauna stood from her seat and explained what they knew about the situation.
FAUNA
After Clover and her group left, we waited for them to send word about what we might be dealing with, but when it never came and then saw the enemy nearing the village we knew that they weren't a friendly force. So we gathered our defenses and have been trying to hold them back since. Unfortunately due to our focus being on defense, couldn't send out a search party for Clover and her group.
(Sad tone) However, after what we witnessed during the fighting, we assumed that they were all killed. And I suppose except for Clover who was fortunate enough for you and Xena to find her, we were right.
Gabrielle sighed sadly as she recalled the disturbing carnage she and Xena had seen when they found Clover and then again just outside of the village. Who would do this and why? Not to mention how? Did word somehow get out about the village? Gabrielle was confident that none of the non-native residents who had stayed there including herself and Xena would have told anyone about this place. So how did such a massive force find them? And what were they after? Hopefully, the villagers in the room would at least have some answers to the plethora of questions that Gabrielle had swirling around in her head as she tried to piece together the scenario that she, Xena, and the rest of the people there had now found themselves in.
GABRIELLE
Do you know who you're up against?
FAUNA
No. We've seen no signs of a banner or leader. In fact, the enemy doesn't even seem to wear any kind of matching armor or clothing.
GABRIELLE
What about demands? Do we know what they want?
FAUNA
Unfortunately, we don't. We've tried to get in contact with whomever their leader is but all efforts of communication have been unsuccessful. None of them will even listen to us at all.
GABRIELLE
Could it be a language issue that's stopping communication?
FAUNA
No, it doesn't seem that way. While we haven't exactly sat down and spoken with the enemy, during the fighting we can clearly understand one another perfectly.
GABRIELLE
Just how big is this army? We saw a lot of them dead. Their numbers must be dropping.
FAUNA
We thought so too after the first couple of days. But each time they come back their numbers don't seem to be affected. It's almost like there's no end to them.
Gabrielle thought for a moment as she tried to think about who the enemy could be but nothing came to mind.
GABRIELLE
So what I'm hearing is that we're dealing with a seemingly unending force that we basically know nothing about.
No one responded as Gabrielle sighed and tried to think of anything else that might help give them more information about what exactly they were up against.
XENA
There's something that I've been wondering about when we were just riding in.
FAUNA
What's that?
XENA
The bodies, why were your people attacking the enemy corpses?
GABRIELLE
Oh yeah, I forgot about that. It did seem strange. Why were you guys doing that Fauna?
FAUNA
We were making sure they were dead.
XENA
I saw those bodies out there and they already looked pretty dead to me.
FAUNA
You would think so but who or whatever were up against seems to be much more durable than the average people.
XENA
Meaning?
FAUNA
Meaning a hit or injury that would kill or incapacitate anyone else, well except maybe you Xena, doesn't take them down permanently. They'll go down for a little bit but then they just keep getting back up unless we cause severe damage to them. That's why we we checking those bodies outside.
Gabrielle looked at Xena as she noticed her becoming thoughtful.
GABRIELLE
What?
XENA
I knew something about some of those bodies from where we found Clover seemed odd. The ones outside look the same way.
GABRIELLE
But what does it mean?
XENA
I don't know. None of this seems to make sense. I'm not sure what it is, but everything about this feels like there's something more going on here. Who or whatever is behind this is serious. Whatever they want with this village, they're obviously determined to get it.
GABRIELLE
But based on what we just heard how do we stop them?
XENA
I don't know. I'm gonna have to see what exactly we're dealing with first before anything.
GABRIELLE
So we just have to sit around and wait for the next time they decide to attack? Xena, there has to be a better option. We don't even know if or when they'll be back.
XENA
Based on what we know, I'm certain that they'll be back. We don't know what it is but they obviously have some reason for attacking the village. And given that they hadn't actually taken anything other than the lives of some of the women here and keep coming back, they're after something other than just blood.
Which is why until they come back we need to bolster the village defenses and prepare every able-bodied fighter for when they strike next.
(Angry tone) We might be blind going in, but when whoever these bastards are come back, I Will get to the bottom of what they're after and make sure that when we're done with them, whatever's left of their forces live to regret ever coming after this village or its people.
Gabrielle saw the intense look in Xena's eyes and knew that even though she wasn't an Amazon or lived here anymore, this village and its people were just as important to her as they were to Gabrielle and everyone else there. This village had been their home for a long time, and because of everything that had happened and the friends they had made there, it meant a lot to both Xena and Gabrielle. This was why it angered Xena so much that they were all in danger from an unknown enemy that obviously had no issue with slaughtering nearly half of the village who had come out to stop them. Xena felt a light touch on her arm that brought her attention away from her rage as she looked down at Gabrielle who wore an understanding expression. As she too felt the same anger and sadness for what was happening to the people that they had become so close to.
XENA
We'll stop whoever's behind this. I swear it.
GABRIELLE
So what do you wanna do? Start setting up the village defenses?
XENA
Yeah. I think that'll be our best move. It'll be smarter to do that now before they come back. This way when they do we'll be...
Xena was suddenly cut off mid-sentence as the doors to the village hall were flung open as a slightly out of breath guard rushed inside and the whole room turned around when they heard the commotion of her hurried entrance.
VILLAGE GUARD
Just over the hill, the enemy, they're coming back.
The crowd immediately became restless as they talked amongst themselves and stood up as they turned to Gabrielle and Xena for their leadership on what they should do. Even though Xena wasn't technically one of them, they all trusted her and knew that if anyone could stop the seemingly never-ending army they had been fighting for weeks it would be her. Along with Gabrielle who as their queen was skilled in her own right. The situation had seemed hopeless for the women of the village up until then. But now with Gabrielle, Xena, and the others back, the residents of the village had a renewed sense of optimism that they could stop and hopefully drive off the enemy that had been plaguing them for good.
EPHINY
Gabrielle, you're our queen, and Xena you're, well...you. What do we do?
Gabrielle looked at Xena as she stood up.
GABRIELLE
This is more your area of expertise than mine. I'll let you take the lead on this. What do you wanna do?
Xena put her hand on Gabrielle's shoulder and smiled slightly.
XENA
No Gabrielle you're their queen, so the only way this will work is if you're leading these people.
Gabrielle put her hand over Xena's.
GABRIELLE
Okay, then we'll do this together like we always do.
XENA
I wouldn't want it any other way.
GABRIELLE
Good, it's settled. So then Xena what do "we" wanna do?
XENA
I'll tell you what we're gonna do.
Xena gave Gabrielle's shoulder a gentle squeeze as she looked out at the crowd before letting go and stepping forward to rally the room for battle.
XENA
We're gonna get out there and we're gonna fight. We're not gonna let those bastards take anything more than what they already have. We're gonna avenge your fallen sisters when destroy these animals and drive whatever's left of them when we're done them right back into whatever hole they crawled out of. We're gonna show them what happens when you screw with the women of this village and make them regret ever even thinking of coming after this place.
The crowd roared in their readiness to fight and defend their home. Seeing that her short rally speech worked to fire everyone up, Xena raised her fist in the air as she gave Gabrielle a look for her to finish up. Which Gabrielle did.
GABRIELLE
Now let's go and protect this place. For the village!
CROWD
For the village!
With a rallied spirit the villagers quickly filled out of the village hall as many of them hurried to prepare for battle. Including Xena, Gabrielle, and the others. But even with little time to get ready and facing an unknown enemy, Xena and Gabrielle were determined to protect the village. But they and the others would find doing so far more difficult than they could have ever thought. As many of the strange unknowns of the situation would soon come to light which would be ironic as the upcoming battle would also lead to a series of dark and tragic events. Of which none of them could have ever foreseen.
TO BE CONTINUED...