Light flickered across the room from the lit candles as Xena stood leaning over her desk. Her eyes studying the large map spread out before her when a knock on the door broke her intense concentration.
XENA
Enter.
The Conqueror's eyes glanced up as the door opened and Leonidas entered the room.
LEONIDAS
You're up late my lord.
Xena looked back down at the map as her lieutenant shut the door behind him and walked up to her desk.
XENA
I could say the same for you.
LEONIDAS
Fair enough.
XENA
So what brings you up here at this hour anyway. I would think that wife of yours would be missing you. .
LEONIDAS
I told Sarah I would be joining her shortly after I told her I wanted to come check on how the little one is doing. You have told her about her sister, haven't you?
Xena let out a small saddened sigh as she sat in the chair behind her.
XENA
Yeah I told her.
LEONIDAS
How is she?
XENA
Shetook the news about as well as you could imagine someone learning that someone they love has been made to suffer so horribly.
Xena shook her head disapprovingly as she clenched her fists that rested on the arms of her chair.
XENA
I could've gone the rest of my life without seeing the devastated look I saw in Gabrielle's eyes when I had to tell her about her sister. And what I wouldn't do to ensure that I never do again.
A moment of silence fell over the room as even in the dim light, Leonidas could see a tired and saddened look that was painted over Xena's face.
LEONIDAS
I have no doubt that you'll get the little one's family back safely and at long last bring an end to this conflict between Draco and yourself for good. But you mustn't push yourself to hard my lord. It's been a long day, and you look exhausted, I don't think there's much more you can do about Draco tonight. Perhaps you should call it a night.
Xena smirked.
XENA
(Joking tone) What are you, my mother?
LEONIDAS
(Joking tone) No, but I could go get her and have her tell you the same thing herself if you'd like.
XENA
(Joking tone) You know this smart ass side of yours that's come out around me over the past months isn't something that until not long ago I would've tolerated at all.
The Conqueror's lieutenant chuckled.
LEONIDAS
Well I suppose I should count myself lucky that's no longer an issue then shouldn't I?
Xena smirked as she shook her head and stood as she gathered the map she had been looking at and rolled it up as she walked out from behind her desk.
XENA
Well unfortunately for you no one said that still couldn't be the case. So here you go smart ass.
With a small chuckle, Xena walked past her lutenant as she playfully shoved the map she had against his chest forcing him to take the paper as she let go of it and kept walking toward her bedroom.
XENA
Have fun spending the night studying that map and the battle plans written I have on it because I want them fully memorized by tomorrow. And if they aren't, you'll be joining the stable hands with the smallest shovel I can find.
LEONIDAS
Wait a minute, you aren't serious?
Leonidas turned around to see Xena continuing to her room without giving him a reply.
LEONIDAS
My lord?
Xena looked over her shoulder wearing a smirk on her face that told the man that she was indeed serious as she casually waved for him to leave.
XENA
Good night.
So as he watched Xena shut the door to her bedroom behind her, Leonidas sighed in defeat as he turned around and left the Conqueror's quarters with the papers forced upon him.
LEONIDAS
(Thinking to himself) Apparently her sense of humor still needs work.
(Sighing) So much for getting a good night's sleep.
Xena quietly shut the door to her bedroom and walked over to a chair and placed the candle on a nearby table as she sat down and took off her boots before standing up and looking over at Gabrielle who laid tucked in her bed before stepping behind her primacy screen and getting charged into her night clothes and walking over with a blanket to the pile of pillows that sat on the floor at the foot of her bed and settled herself down in the pile as she covered up and prepared to go to sleep.
GABRIELLE
Xena?
Thinking Gabrielle had been asleep, Xena was a bit surprised when she heard the young woman's voice in the darkness as she shifted to get more comfortable as she replied.
XENA
Yeah?
GABRIELLE
Do you think my mother and sister will ever be able to forgive me for leaving them with those slavers while I escaped?
XENA
What?!
Hearing what she thought was one of the most ridiculous questions she had ever heard, Xena sat up and turned to see the shadow of Gabrielle's form through the darkness of the room, still laying in the bed.
XENA
Gabrielle, how could you possibly think that they could hold any of whatever's happened to them against you? Nothing that your sister has gone through is your fault. You running away that day was to get help. I thought we've been over this already.
GABRIELLE
But if I had stayed then maybe I could've protected Lila, and then she wouldn't have been...
Gabrielle's words cut out as Xena heard the young woman begin to softly cry, bringing the Conqueror to her feet as she moved to the nightstand beside the bed and lit a candle so she could see before getting into the bed beside Gabrielle as she gently tugged the younger woman toward her.
XENA
Gabrielle, come here.
With her arms around Gabrielle, Xena let the young woman's head rest on her shoulder as she leaned back against the pillow and gently tried to soothe her.
GABRIELLE
(Crying) I just left her Xena. And because I couldn't save her she ended up being forced into being used as nothing more than an object. If I hadn't run that day then maybe I could've...
XENA
Done what? Gotten beaten even worse than you had?
Xena pulled Gabrielle away from her, so the young woman could look her into her eyes.
XENA
Gabrielle if you had stayed and tried to fight back they would've done so much worse to you than what they did. Likely even did exactly what your sister's been through. Possibly worse. Don't you understand that they would have killed you? But likely not before they made your last moments in this mortal world a living hell. You did the right thing. Because if you hadn't, we wouldn't be here right now, and there'd be no plan to save your sister at all. Instead, both she and you, if you were even still alive, would be in the same exact circumstances that your sister is living in now anyway.
Xena gripped Gabrielle's shoulders firmly in an effort to get the seriousness of her point across.
XENA
(Stern tone) Nothing that happened to your sister, mother or anyone else who was taken was your fault just because you managed to get away when Draco's men came to your village. I need you to understand that. None of it is your fault. None. You understand? Because if you don't, I'll tell you this over and over again as many times as I need to until you finally get it through your head.
Gabrielle sniffled as she nodded slightly.
GABRIELLE.
(Quiet tone) Okay.
XENA
(Stern tone) Okay what? I wanna hear you say it, Gabrielle. What happened to your sister is not your fault.
Gabrielle let out a small, sad sigh as she did as she did as the Conqueror said.
GABRIELLE
What happened to Lila isn't my fault.
Hearing Gabrielle repeat those words and hoping that she would believe them, Xena softened her expression and gently drew the young woman back into her embrace and just held her for a while.
XENA
We're gonna free your sister from Draco. Then we'll find your mother. And you'll see. It might take time, but it's gonna be okay.
GABRIELLE
But how can you be so sure?
Xena smirked.
XENA
Come on Gabrielle I know I might have changed a bit since you've been here, but I am still the Conqueror of Greece and a highly skilled fighter with years of battle experience. I've taken out army's triple the size of Draco's with far less resources at my disposal. So trust me, once we're ready that bastard won't even know what hit 'em until it's too late.
Hearing the confidence in Xena's voice, Gabrielle pulled away from her as she gave the woman a slightly worried look.
GABRIELLE
But he nearly killed you before. I remember the last time you went off to face his army you ended up with an injury that no one thought you'd be able to survive, let alone recover from.
Slowly Gabrielle brought her hand up to rest in the center of Xena's chest over the woman's nightshirt where Gabrielle could only imagine the scar left behind from what she had heard was Draco's sword as she remembered how vulnerable Xena was for a long time during her recovery.
XENA
Ì won't let that happen again.
Xena placed her hand over Gabrielle's.
XENA
Draco's power took me by surprise before. But this time I'll know what to expect, and I'll be ready for him with a few tricks of my own. So trust me, Gabrielle, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to my facing Draco again when the time comes.
GABRIELLE
But I heard that he was inhumanly strong when you fought him before, how are you even supposed to beat someone like that?
Xena scowled for a moment at the thought of how she still owed the god of war, Ares, for getting involved in the conflict between herself and Draco and how the god was the one responsible for giving Draco the power he used to nearly kill her when she and the warlord last met. And had already been planning around that possibility that the god could get involved further when her and Draco's armies met on the battlefield again.
XENA
Like I said, he got lucky in taking me by surprise before. But now that I know how low he's willing to stoop to win, then if I prepare for him to go even lower than I'll already be there ready for him when he does.
GABRIELLE
I guess that makes sense.
Gabrielle lowered her eyes for a moment as she had a troubling thought and raised her eyes to meet Xena's again.
GABRIELLE
But still Xena, please just promise me that you'll be careful and come back to me after face him again. I love you Xena and don't wanna lose you.
XENA
I promise.
Xena gripped Gabrielle's hand as she looked into the young woman's eyes.
XENA
And when I'm done, Draco will never be able to hurt anyone again. Your sister and everyone else that he's tormented will be safe. Then you and I will have the rest of our lives to spend together.
Placing a light kiss on Gabrielle's lips, Xena softly smiled as she pulled away from the young woman and moved to get up from her bed.
XENA
Now get some sleep. Unless you'd be more comfortable back in your room instead?
GABRIELLE
I'm fine here. That is if it's okay with you if I sleep here tonight.
XENA
Sure, If that's what you want.
The Conqueror stood up and began walking back to the pillow pile where she had been laying before.
GABRIELLE
Wait, you aren't really gonna sleep on the floor, are you?
Xena stopped and looked back at the young woman.
XENA
I'll be fine.
(Half Joking) You'd be surprised how many times I've fallen asleep in far less comfortable places.
Gabrielle looked down at the blanket that covered her for a moment as she responded.
GABRIELLE
Still, it doesn't seem fair that you sleep on the floor in your own room.
XENA
Yes well if you're sleeping there I wouldn't wanna make you uncomfortable by just hoping into bed with you.
Gabrielle thought for a moment as the image of waking up and seeing Xena laying beside her brought a slight blush to Gabrielle's face that she was able to hide in the dim light as she kept her answer as casual she could.
GABRIELLE
You wouldn't be making me uncomfortable at all. I mean we're just sleeping, so it isn't really a big deal. Right?
Xena smiled softly.
XENA
No, I guess it's not.
And so Xena came back over to the bed as Gabrielle pushed over to one side as Xena laid down on the other and the two got comfortable beneath the covers. And after getting comfortable Xena closed her eyes for a bit but could feel herself being watched and peeked her eyes open to see Gabrielle looking at her with an uncertain expression in her eyes and moved her arm for Gabrielle to come closer. So taking the Conqueror's invitation, Gabrielle scooted to lay snuggled against Xena, as the woman put her arm around her and the two gradually drifted off to sleep. But as Gabrielle lay feeling safe and secure in the Conqueror's arms, with the plans to rescue Lila and for Xena to fight Draco and his army set in place, it would be only a short time later when Xena would ride off into a true battle for the first time since being injured by Draco some months ago. A battle that for as much as Xena made promises that she could handle and had tried to prepare for, it would be a fight like Xena could have never predicted. And as a result would very likely be her last.
TO BE CONTINUED...