2.

But it didn't suit her to be afraid. She was her mother's daughter. She was not afraid of anyone. On the contrary, everyone should be afraid of her. She gathered all her courage and took a deep breath. She was clenching her fists with excitement. This was a situation she had to deal with after stepping into adulthood for the first time in her life, and she was alone. As she approached the figure step by step, she began to hear the sound of its deep breathing.

When she got closer, she realized that it was a large person wearing a sackcloth cloak. They were out of breath. They were leaning against one of the trees, breathing. When they noticed Xenia coming, they timidly hid into the cloak. This gave Xenia courage. She walked towards them with more confident steps. A groaning sound was heard from within the cloak. Xenia asked, extending her hand towards them.

"Hey, who are you? What's wrong?"

The cloaked individual groaned again, in an animalistic yet pained voice. Their large size and the sound they made made Xenia think it might be a monster. But it probably was a suffering monster. She had learned from her mother that one should help someone who is suffering, even if it is a monster. When she slowly opened the hood of what she thought was a monster, she came face to face with a pair of tired sparkling blue eyes.

"…."

"I guess you don't like talking much."

"…."

"Do you want me to help you? Are you ill? Or just injured?"

"…."

"Oh okay, I asked a lot of questions. My mother, Gabrielle, sometimes says that I ask too many questions."

The cloaked one suddenly showed a frightening reaction.

"Did I say something to make you angry?"

The cloaked one groaned in pain again. They looked like they were crying. But it's not like they're crying. The situation was quite confusing.

"I think you have serious problems. You refuse to talk but you need help. I will take you to my mother."

Xenia wanted to take their hand. But they weren't moving.

"Come on!"

They pulled back again.

"I think you are very strong. But you need help. Don't you want to come to mom's? Then I will take you to my secret shelter. Would you come with me?"

Xenia held out her hand to them. The cloaked one reacted, timidly and slowly, taking her hand. Xenia was happy that they accepted her offer of help. They walked through the forest for a while. They stopped when the trees grew thicker and the sun was no longer visible. Xenia pointed her finger at a huge cave.

"This is my secret shelter. I come here to dream. Nobody knows its location. Now you've learned it too. But don't tell anyone. Oh, what am I saying? You don't talk anyway.

"

After turning on the kerosene lamp standing on a stone and illuminating the interior, she pointed to the pile of hay in the corner.

"Come on, sit here, let's check if you're hurt. If you are injured, I will bring you healing ointment."

Xenia slowly removed the cloak, carefully trying not to scare or hurt them. What she saw was a middle-aged woman. There were gray spots on his long, uncombed hair. She was wearing a simple, makeshift old dress, her feet were bare, and she could not lift her head from the ground. But her stance was proud and scary. She was huge.

"I guess you're not injured. But you must be hungry. Do you want me to bring you food?"

The woman nodded willingly.

"What is your name?"

The woman raised her head and looked at his face for the first time. She moved her lips as if she wanted to say hhe name, but she couldn't.

"Oh, I guess you went through a difficult time. Don't tire yourself out, I'll be back. You lie down, there's a blanket here too."

Xenia laid the woman down on the straw and covered her with a blanket.

"Wait for me okay? Don't go anywhere."

Xenia ran out of the cave. She had to hurry. It was about to get dark. She had to immediately go and buy some bread and come back. When she quickly ran through the dark forest, the sun was really about to disappear behind the mountains. She was taking a piece of bread from the food shelf when she suddenly heard a voice behind her.

"Oh Xenia, where have you been? I was worried."

"Did I…. I met someone, mom. She needed help. I think she's hungry too. I need to bring her a piece of bread."

"But the sun has set and it's not safe outside, honey."

"I'll be right back, mom."

"We are under threat these days, dear. Unfortunately, it is not possible for me to let you go."

"But..."

"Don't talk back! Now we promised to have dinner with the orphans, you should prepare for that."

"Alright."

Xenia thought the woman wouldn't starve to death overnight. She was determined to go to her early in the morning. She and her mother got ready and headed to the house where the orphaned children lived. The children were very happy to see them. Even if they didn't have a family, Queen Gabrielle would always be there for them. Eeleven children, who were orphaned in the war and lost their family due to illness, were staying in a huge house. With them there were homeless people who acted as parents and grandparents. They gave the children a warm family home. The homeless people with them had also found a place to stay.

Queen Gabrielle also donated a field for them to plant. They ate their dinner happily. Gabrielle then read them one of the scrolls she had written. It was a story that Xena used the Katana sword in the past. Gabrielle had heard this story from Xena. She had also told that the sword pierced her chest and since then she always carried the scar. Both the orphans and Xenia loved listening to the stories of the magnificent warrior Xena.

"So she had a scar on her chest. How cool." said Xenia.

"Sometimes what we experience leaves traces on us. This is useful for us to be able to remember the past." said Gabrielle.

She caressed his daughter's hair. She was looking at her with proud eyes. They returned home early in the evening because they were tired throughout the day. The weather was cool that evening. Xenia was looking out the window while her mother was getting ready for bed.

"I wonder if the cloaked woman was cold alone in the cave. Her clothes were also very thin. But she was a strong woman. Maybe she wouldn't be affected by the cold." Xenia spoke to herself.

She went to bed thinking about that woman. Although it took her a while to fall asleep, she woke up early in the morning.

When she realized that his mother got up even earlier than that and went to the Enlightened One, she prepared food, water and clothes without wasting any time. She thought it would be a good idea to go by horse. That would be easier.

Meanwhile, Queen Gabrielle had already woken up early and wandered around the city, talked to those in need and listened to their requests, and then gathered a few of her most trusted men in her study to discuss Caria's security problem. This group included Americe, the Enlightened One, Eve, and Virgil.

"I don't know how to stop this planned invasion of our lands without shedding blood!" Gabrielle said, rubbing her forehead thoughtfully.

"Then we will shed blood if necessary!" It was Virgil who said this.

"Yes!" "Americe agreed."

"It's not that easy. Gabrielle created a nation here that has been living in peace for years and does not harm each other. Now such a war is very contrary to the life and philosophy of our people!" Eve said as she walked over to Americe and Virgil.

"Of course we have the ability to fight if necessary. But I would prefer such a path to be our last option." said Gabrielle, then slowly walked towards the Enlightened One, who was listening calmly to what was being said next to him.

"What do you think?" Gabrielle asked him.

"I agree with you." said the Enlightened One, "But I don't know… How do we do it?"

"I think we should fight. We must kill them all!" cried America again.

"NO!" retorted the Enlightened One. "There must be another way!"

"My brother is right!" said Eve, placing her hand on Americe's shoulder. "Just as Solan once saved Elisian Fields from the attack of demons without war and with reason, this time he will find a logical and humane way, one more time!"

"It's true," said Virgil, "He will find a way."

Gabrielle looked around frantically. She hoped no one had overheard their conversation.

"Okay, shut up now! You're giving too much away. Don't use names! This is a very important issue. He is the Enlightened One!"

Everyone nodded and remained silent.

"I don't know if I can find a way this time!" said Solan, looking worried.

Gabrielle could understand even the slightest fear or concern on his face. She quickly approached him.

"What are you thinking?"

"I have a strange feeling!" said the young man, "As if everything would change this time. I can't name it, but it's a really strange feeling."

"Is this a prophecy?"

"Maybe… It seems like something we never expected will happen."

"Is it a good or bad thing?"

He placed his withering hands on Gabrielle's shoulders and looked into her eyes.

"Gabrielle, you know you are like a mother to me. I wanted to come back here, so that I could experience the things I couldn't experience with my mother. I came here with such hope and joy. But when I found out she was dead... That's when I replaced her with you. Now, I can't lie to you. Of course, there are good aspects to what I feel, but I can't say that only good things will happen. I have a feeling that very, very bad things will happen too..."

"I hope good things happen. Otherwise I don't know how to cope."

…

As Xenia dismounted her horse and headed towards the cave, she hoped that the woman would be okay. She brought her fresh cheese, bread, apples and water. Even though she thought her dress was very worn out, she could not find suitable clothing for her. She was only able to bring one of Virgil's sandals for her to wear. Its size did not fit any of the women in the household. Then again, she stole Virgil's leather trousers and a shirt from the laundry hanging in the garden.

"At least it's better than being cold," she thought.

As she entered the cave with heavy steps, she saw that the woman was not on the hay stacks. She panicked a little. Where could she have gone? She immediately turned on the kerosene lamp and explored the cave with its weak light. But she wasn't in the cave.

"Hey! "Hey!..." she called out. She didn't know her name.

She received no sound or response. Apparently the woman was gone. She just disappeared. Xenia sat hopelessly on the haystacks. She was glad that the woman was at least in good enough health to leave the cave. She put the food she had brought and the sandals into her horse's saddlebag. She had to go now.

Just as she was about to mount the horse, the horse suddenly neighed and reared up. It looked scared. As the horse took a step back, Xenia suddenly saw a sharp-toothed wolf staring at her, drooling from its mouth. It looked very aggressive. Its eyes were red. It looked at Xenia and growled angrily.

Xenia knew that she had to remain calm in such situations. But she was still too inexperienced to do what she knew. Her legs shook with fear at that moment. The environment looked even more spooky because it was dark among the dense trees.

Even though she remained calm, the wolf continued to come towards her. While she was backing up with scared steps, she did not see the small rock behind her and suddenly fell to the ground. However, the wolf made a sudden move and attacked Xenia.

At that moment, a sharp stick, coming from nowhere, grazed the wolf's body. The wolf was injured. It ran away crying like a puppy. Xenia was astonished by what she experienced at that moment. While she was sitting frozen on the spot where she fell, the cloaked woman suddenly appeared from behind the trees. She extended her hand to Xenia, who was sitting on the ground.

"So you didn't leave," said Xenia as she took her head and got up from the ground. The woman still didn't speak.

"I thought you were gone. But honestly, I'm glad you didn't leave. If you weren't here, the wolf would have eaten me already. I owe you my life, thank you. I brought you clothes and shoes. I also prepared something to eat. I think you must be hungry since yesterday. In fact, who knows when was the last time you ate?"

Xenia took the food out of the basket. The cloaked woman looked so hungry that she was devouring everything Xenia had brought in huge bites. This made Xenia smile. While watching her, she realized that the woman was actually covered in dirt. In fact, wouldn't it be perfect if she washed in the lake before changing?

"Hey you, let me take you to a lake very close to here. You will feel really good. What do you say, let's go by horse?"

The woman had already finished her food and water. She nodded her head and agreed to go with Xenia. Suddenly she jumped on the horse like the wind. It was as if she had been riding a horse for years. She extended her hand to Xenia from over the horse.

"Are you going to ride the horse?"

The woman nodded.

"Well, so be it."

Xenia took the woman's hand. The woman quickly and strongly pulled her up, in front of herself. Xenia pointed the direction with her hand.

"Turn right a little further and go straight."

The woman was galloping the horse. Xenia was afraid for a moment but the woman held her tightly on her waist. She was maneuvering the horse expertly among the dense trees. She went in the direction the girl showed and jumped off the horse when they arrived the lakeside. She also held Xenia and helped her down. The woman walked towards the water and ran her hand through the water. Sunlight was dancing on the lake. The water was warm.

"Come on, get in! You will feel relieved when you get clean," Xenia said.

The woman quickly took off her clothes and jumped into the water. She was actually getting more relaxed as she swam. Xenia sat on a rock and waited for her to wash up. After spending time in water for a while, as if playing with water, the woman went to the shore. Xenia took the clothes she had brought for her out of the bag and handed them to her.

The woman was shivering with cold because the weather was cool. Xenia was nervous about staring at this naked beautiful woman in front of her, but she didn't show it.

After putting on the trousers, the woman tried to put on Virgil's shirt which was full of complicated threads, but she was not very successful. It even looked funny from afar. As Xenia looked at her, she started laughing.

"It's not that hard to wear. You look so silly."

The woman looked at her with an incomprehensible expression.

"But you're not that silly. Okay. Sorry. You saved me. You also ride the horse very well. But you can't put on your shirt."

Xenia looked at the woman mockingly.

"Let me help you."

She started to straighten the strings on the shirt's collar. The woman had allowed her to do it. Xenia suddenly noticed the scar on the woman's chest. Her eyes remained fixed there for a while until the woman noticed this, she rubbed her wound with her hand.

"I think it's an old wound. Were you injured in an accident or in a battle? Or were you once a skilled warrior? Like Xena. She also had a scar on his chest. She was a tall woman with piercing blue eyes, like you. If only she had lived to be at your age..."

Xenia stopped suddenly. She thought to herself for a while.

"Or you…. Oh no, this is ridiculous. Xena is dead. The Japanese army killed her and cut off her head. I've been hearing this from my mother for years. Oh, you've confused me so much right now. But it's still impossible. Isn't it? This is impossible, isn't it?"

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TBC