Gabrielle walked over to a chair and sat down. She was exhausted, she realized. The shock of finding out she's Athena's daughter combined with the stress of having to confront Xena was weighing on her.
"Oh gods. What am I going to do? She asked herself, but before she could think of an answer there was a knock on the door.
Gabrielle stood, "Come in." She called to the door. It opened and a slender, dark haired amazon stepped inside and walked over to her.
"Hello, Princess. I'm Solari. I'm here to show you around and answer any questions you might have."
Gabrielle smiled, "It's nice to meet you Solari. Please, call me Gabrielle."
"Um, okay." Solari said with a hesitant tone. "Shall we?" She asked, motioning to the door.
Gabrielle nodded and headed out the door, Solari a few steps behind.
They hadn't gone far when they heard a commotion coming from the center of the village. Glancing at each other in question, they headed toward the noise to find out what was going on.
They arrived just in time to see Xena, with Krycus still over her shoulder, and Ephiny walk to the center of the village and stand in front of a raised platform, which held Melosa and a handful of her guards. Xena heaved the unconscious man off her shoulder and dumped him on the ground.
"Got a present for ya." Xena told melosa sardonically. "This is Krycus, a wanna be warlord. Him and a bunch of his buddies are camped at your outer border. My guess is that they're the ones who set that ambush.
Either trying to demoralize you or frame the centaurs to start a war between you so they could come in and take over the territory."
Melosa laughed, "Thank you, Xena. I accept your most welcome gift. Guards take him to a holding cell, and question him. The rest of you gear up, and get ready to move out. We're going to show these morons what it means to threaten the Amazons."
With those words a resounding cheer went up, and amazons started moving swiftly around the village gathering weapons and armor.
Solari turned to Gabrielle, "I have to go help get stuff together. The amory is over there." She pointed to a hut on the other side of the village where amazons were going in and out with weapons and equipment. "Head over and ask for Eponin, she's our weapons master. She'll get you anything you need for the upcoming battle. When you're done, come back here." she turned and trotted off.
Xena glanced around and spotted Gabrielle as Solari walked away. Her eyes widened in surprise as she noticed the young woman's new attire.
Xena walked over to her, "Why in hades are you dressed like that?" Xena asked with an angry tone.
Gabrielle looked Xena in the eye, and calmly said, "Before Terrais died, she gave me her right of caste. I'm an Amazon Princess. This is my new outfit."
"YOUR A WHAT!" Xena asked through gritted teeth and narrowed eyes.
"An Amazon Princess!" Gabrielle replied, a hint of anger now showing in her eyes and voice.
Xena turned, paced, and let out a string of curses.
"Damn it, Gabrielle! I don't have time to deal with this right now. Stay here. We will sort this out when I get back."
"Xena, I can't stay here. I have to go and help them fight. I'm their princess, it's my duty, my responsibility to join them in this." Gabrielle said, her anger rising along with her voice.
Xena with an intimidating glare, stepped up to the young woman, towering over her.
"You will stay here, where it's safe, or I will tie you down and make you stay. Is that clear?"
Xena asked, a threatening tone in her voice.
Gabrielle just stared at her, hurt and disappointment showing clearly in her eyes. Then she lowered her gaze, shook her head and turned walking to her hut.
Xena sighed. She knew she had crossed a line with the young woman, but she couldn't let her go out there and get hurt or killed. "Great! Just great! I'll make it up to her when I get back." Xena thought to herself. Then she turned and headed off to find Melosa.
Gabrielle was livid. "I can't believe she did that. Talking to me like I'm a child. Like she has a right to tell me what to do. Gods, I've had enough of that in my life. First my parents, and now her? No! No more!"
Gabrielle walked into her hut and called, "Athena!"
A flash of light and the goddess had her arms around the young woman holding her. "I'm so sorry, Gabrielle."
Gabrielle returned the embrace, seeking comfort from the pain and frustration of Xena's treatment of her.
After several moments, Gabrielle released the goddess. With a look of hardened determination, she told Athena, "I've made my decision."
Athena nodded, "I know." And in a flash of light, they were gone.
Xena found Melosa in the council chamber going over battle plans with her lead fighters.
When she walked in, all eyes turned to look at her.
"Ah, Xena, perfect timing. I wanted to go over our strategy with you and Ephiny since both of you have seen the camp and know the layout." Melosa said, with a grin. Then she glanced around and noticed someone was missing. "Where's our princess? She asked the gathered group.
"I sent her to her room." Xena replied, flatley.
That got a round of chuckles from the gathered amazons.
"You what?" Melosa asked, her expression darkening.
"I told her to stay here. That she wasn't to join in the fight." Xena answered.
"Xena, you had no right to tell her that. She is an Amazon Princess now, and under my authority." Melosa stated firmly. She turned to one of the amazons and said, "Go get our new princess, she should be here for this."
The amazon nodded and headed out the door.
Xena stared at Melosa for a moment, her eyes narrowed. "She is not a fighter, she hasn't had any training or experience in battle. If she goes out there, she's gonna get herself killed." Xena stated with finality.
Just then, the amazon that went to get Gabrielle, returned.
"I can't find her. She's gone." The amazon told them.
"What do you mean she's gone." Xena and Melosa said, in unison.
"I mean, she's gone. I looked everywhere in the village and asked around, no one has seen her." The amazon replied, frustration coloring her voice.
They all looked at one another, not sure what to do.
Finally, Xena spoke up. "Alright, let's not get crazy. She's probably off sulking somewhere. She was pretty pissed off at me. She'll come back when she's ready. Right now we need to deal with those soldiers out there. If Gabrielle hasn't turned up after that, then we can worry."
Everyone nodded their agreement, and then turned their attention to making a battle plan.
Once they were in agreement on their strategy, Melosa gathered her people and they set off to defeat the small army at their border. The battle was swift and ruthless. Those few that escaped would speak of the horrors they had witnessed and warn others to stay away from Amazons.
When they returned to the village after the battle, Xena went straight to Gabrielle's hut hoping that the young woman had returned.
As soon as she walked in, she knew that Gabrielle had not been back.
"Damn it! Where in Hades is she? I know she was really pissed, but she usually returns when she calms down. Well, Xena, maybe you pushed too far this time." She thought to herself.
She went to find Melosa to start a search.
She found her on the central platform. The rest of the village gathered around it.
"She's not back, is she?" Melosa asked, already knowing the answer by the look on Xena's face.
"No." Xena says, in a flat tone.
Melosa divided the search parties, and sent them off. Xena went to the stables and checked on their belongings to see if maybe Gabrielle had grabbed her stuff and just finally had enough and taken off.
To her relief, she found that all of Gabrielle's things were exactly where she left them. Now Xena was starting to worry. What if something happened to her?
Xena cursed in frustration, sighed and headed back to the hut hoping to track the young woman's movements.
She walked inside and looked around, examining everything for clues. She found nothing. No signs of a struggle, that was a relief, at least.
So, she walked outside, and examined the door, and the ground around the hut. Still nothing. She could clearly see the footprints where Gabrielle had walked to the hut earlier, and the prints coming and going of the amazon sent to get her. Nothing else, not even fresh tracks from Gabrielle leaving the hut. Xena was truly puzzled.
"What in hades could have happened to her?" Xena wondered to herself.
Xena headed back to the central platform, where she could see Melosa talking to one of the search groups. She waited for them to finish, then walked up and asked, "Find anything?"
Melosa shook her head, "Not yet. That group was assigned to search all the huts and communal buildings. I'm still waiting for the others to report in. Did you find anything?"
Xena sighed, "Nope. I checked on her belongings, and it's all there. I searched in and around her hut, and nothing. It's like she just vanished."
Melosa studied her for a moment, then asked, "Who is she to you? You don't seem the type for a fan club."
Xena gave her a wry look, "She's a friend."
Melosa cocked her head, eyes questioning, "You have friends?"
Xena gave her the same look she'd given Ephiny. "Amazons!" Xena thought to herself.
Melosa studied her for a moment, reluctant to get too personal, but needing to know, "Just friends?" She asked the warrior.
Xena's brow furrowed, "Yes. A good friend. Nothing more." Xena stated flatly.
"Not that I wouldn't like to be more." Xena thought to herself, remembering the moment their eyes had locked during the fight with the raiders. She had felt such an intense connection with the young woman, that it had distracted her, leaving her open to a whack on the head. Her feelings for Gabrielle had grown and deepened over time. "It doesn't matter anyway. I've seen the way she fawns over all those cute little boys we come across. She wouldn't be interested in someone like me." Xena chides herself.
"Okay. No offense. Just asking." Melosa said, apologetically.
Xena shrugged, "You're not the first."
Xena turned then, hearing footsteps approaching. Another search party had returned. Xena could already tell by the looks on their faces that they hadn't found anything either.
Finally, all the search groups had returned. There was still no sign of the young woman.
Xena was beside herself with worry and cursing herself for her behavior toward the young woman who held her heart. She had only been thinking of her safety. Xena couldn't stand the thought of her getting hurt or worse killed. Xena knew she acted like an overprotective, brooding hen toward Gabrielle, she just couldn't help it. Now it may have cost her not only her best friend, but her heart as well.
The Amazons and Xena continued to search for signs of Gabrielle for a long time after she disappeared. Xena stayed in the village for many weeks hoping to find some clue, some sign as to the fate of her friend.
Eventually, Xena was called away to help a friend who was in trouble. Grief stricken and heart broken, Xena left the Amazons to go help an old childhood friend. Getting a promise from Melosa to send word if they discovered anything, and a promise from Xena to return to continue her search.
It would be a long time before anyone would see Gabrielle again.