Gabrielle looked at Xena's sleeping form, wrapped in the blankets of the bed, her raven hair covering her face. The sun wasn't quite up yet, but it's first rays were tinging the horizon with soft hues of blue and mauve. Gabrielle moved quietly away from the bed to the window. She seated herself in the chair and propped her legs upon the sill. She thought about what Xena had told her of Le Ann's illness and the similarities...sea Grey eyes...No, she could not remember any warlord with sea grey eyes. Even in Their games of Who Am I, there had never been a warlord mentioned with sea gray eyes...hard faces and the color of hair..yes. Gabrielle looked down at the note in hand and read it again ‘As I played the fool for Ares, so now you play the fool for Xena.' Fool for Ares......so many play the fool for Ares...but she could remember no one in particular off hand. But then, sometimes she never saw the whole story; that was Xena's gift. They would always tell each other what happened afterwards to fill in the gaps...but... The next two lines obviously referred to her story. Gabrielle shivered. Whoever it had been, had come into her room, planted the thorns, watched her performances, and had been following her for a while. And then the note was signed with a cryptic ‘K'. So lost in thought, Gabrielle never heard Xena come up behind her. A twinge of pain in her calf muscle brought Gabrielle back to herself. "Sssssss...oh, not now." She dropped her leg from the sill and rubbed the muscle. "That'll teach me to prop you up for to long."

"Gabrielle?"

Xena's voice startled the bard so much, she fell off the chair. She looked up at Xena as her friend moved to help her. "You know, you could warn a person when You're around, instead of sneaking up on them."

Xena picked Gabrielle up, righted the chair and sat her on it. "Sorry, I'm not accustomed to having someone talk to aching body parts?" Xena snickered. The bard made a face at her and continued to massage the muscle. "Let me have a look at it Gabrielle."

"Xena, it's only a muscle spasm. I shouldn't have had my legs propped up for so long." Gabrielle stood and stretched the calf muscle slowly. "You know who it is, don't you?"

"I believe so, but I'm not sure yet." Xena dressed, and headed for the door. "I'll meet you downstairs." Gabrielle watched Xena leave. "Okay, so I'm to stay in the dark till she knows for sure. Sometimes, Warrior Princess, you are very exasperating to be around." Gabrielle dressed and quickly headed downstairs. Xena was talking with Mia across the room, Merric was moving a heavy cast into place behind the bar with the help of another man.

"Gabrielle"

Gabrielle turned when the deep voice called softly, peering into the shadows. "Yes, what can I do for you?" She saw a man there, hunched over his meal.

"I wanted to thank you for the stories. You are a gifted storyteller." He rose from his chair. "May I ask a slight favor?"

Gabrielle assessed the man to be elderly, and harmless in nature and approached without hesitation. "Well, that depends. What can I do for you?"

"Could you help me to my donkey outside? The pain in these ancient bones makes moving extremely difficult." Gabrielle looked over at Xena who was heading into the kitchen area. She seemed unconcerned, so Gabrielle nodded her assent.

"Sure, it would be my pleasure." She placed an arm gently around the man's back, and helped him across the inn. So intent on her task, the bard never saw the gleam that came to the man's eye.

"I have heard of your stories near and far, even Euripides has spoken of you. You know, he is our town storyteller right now." He let her lead him out of the door and to his donkey. "Thank you, child."

"You're welcome. Euripides, huh? What village are you from?" Gabrielle watched as he grabbed hold of the rope, noticing his hands seemed different in some way.

"Oh, I'm from Pantheon, a small village about a day's ride from here. I come to sell my wares and then return to care for the missus. She doesn't like it when I'm away. " He winked at her with a slight grin, but never pulled his cowl back. "Well, thank you, young lady." She watched as he wandered off down the road, then he turned back. "Goodbye Abos Tirhan." With that, he rounded a curve and was gone from sight.

Something clicked in Gabrielle's mind. She began to shake, even though the sun's rays held the city in its warm grasp.. Xena's firm hand grabbed her shoulder from behind and Gabrielle was pulled into a comforting hug. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just cold. Mia have breakfast ready?" Xena nodded and watched Gabrielle enter the inn, then looked off toward the road out of town.

Breakfast was a quiet affair, although Xena would periodically quiz her about the exchange with the strange old man. Gabrielle would simply say ‘It was nothing.'

"I'm going into town and pick up the haltertop from Ha-San this morning Xena. Why don't you check on Le Ann and we'll meet back here in front of the inn."

"All right, but I want Merric to accompany you. He needs the fresh air from the kitchens." Gabrielle nodded, not wanting a confrontation right then about Xena's over protectiveness. Anyway, she was feeling a little unsettled. Her stomach wasn't quite right, so she agreed. As if on cue, Merric came bounding out of the kitchens.

"Gabrielle, Mia says I get to go with you to the market area. May we go now? Please."

Gabrielle chuckled at the young boy. "Yeah, hang on." Gabrielle polished off the last of the fruit and hard-boiled egg she was eating, then grabbed up her staff and pouch. As she headed toward the door, Merric chatted on happily about the juggler he had seen balancing three swords on the top of his head, while throwing three balls up through the air. Gabrielle looked back at Xena giving her an ‘You owe me' look and then disappeared out the door with her young spitmaster.

Xena left to check on Le Ann, whom she hoped was faring a tad better this morning. What she found was anything but fare. Aaron was just covering Le Ann's body with a white shroud when Xena entered. The warrior's whole manner changed as her healer's mask fell into place to handle the situation. "What happened?"

"Too weak to fight off the effects." Aaron laid a hand on Jethom's shoulder, and then left the room as the man fell to his knee's in grief and wept over the body of his wife. Methuse stared for a moment from the open doorway. He had gone out early that morning and used the dinar that Xena had given him to pick up some of the sweet succulent fruit from the east that his mother had loved so much, but received too rarely. "Momma?" He walked past Xena and Aaron toward his mother, each step removing another piece of the light from his face. Standing near his father, he reached out a tentative hand. "Momma, come on. You gotta wake up now. Please, momma." Jethom, even in his grief, pulled his son close and hugged him fiercely.

"Momma's not here now, Methuse. She's gone to Elysia." Jethom's eyes watched his wife's unmoving body, but his heart was with his child. He too had lost his parents at a young age, now his son needed him even more than ever. He would not fall into the bleak abyss of pain he now felt inside him. He would fight for his boy. Xena watched as father and son cried together, seeking the reassurance of each other's love. She motioned Aaron outside.

"What exactly happened? She should be fine. Gabrielle made it through the night, why not her?"

"Her body was too weak. Yes, she had been eating right and such, but Le Ann had also been sick with a small cold. I think the combination of fighting the cold and the poison were too much for her system. She just didn't have the strength. I think I have identified the poison, too. Pan's Fire. If it's what I think it is, Gabrielle is far from safe. It still hasn't left her system. In fact it's back building. It's deliberately gone dormant, for how long I don't know. When it comes back, it will sweep through her like wild fire, not leaving a spot on her untouched."

"Then there must be a cure. You must have it." Xena's heart was in her throat as she nervously glanced toward the marketplace.

"Yes, there is a cure, and no, we don't have it. Athens might though, even the Amazons may have it. But we don't carry the ingredients here for this poison." Aaron looked back at Jethom's doorway, then at Xena. "You have to make sure Gabrielle doesn't ingest any more of the poison into her system. It will be fatal if she does, it may already be too late. She's strong, how she's survived this I'm not sure. She needs to stay still too, activity..."

"Activity will only send it through her system faster. Oh, Gods, she went to the market. Between yesterday and today." Xena bolted toward the market, intent on finding her friend.

At that moment a boisterous little boy was getting Gabrielle into more trouble than she knew. Gabrielle and Merric stood watching as a man boasted about his staff abilities, and that if any man could beat him, he would give 100 dinars to the orphanage in the village. Of course Merric stepped forward and opened his mouth and inserted a foot about that time.

"I don't know about any man, but my friend Gabrielle could beat you without breaking a sweat." Merric smiled broadly.

"Merric..shhhh" Gabrielle glanced around, all eyes were on her and Merric now.

"Oh, really," retorted the boaster. "Well, let's just see what this little lady can do then." The man approached Gabrielle and Merric. To say he was a giant of a man was not an understatement. He stood as tall as Xena, weighed at least 250 pounds. His ominous form seemed to cast a shadow the size of the Zues's temple wherever he went.

"No really, it's not necessary. I'm not.." Gabrielle tried explaining she was only out for a short visit to the market.

"See, little man, your friend is afraid and weak. Nothing here to worry about. She's just a woman." The man turned around and began to walk away.

"Are you sure about that?" Gabrielle's voice resounded over the area. ‘What am I doing?' Gabrielle thought. She had dropped her pouch into Merric's hands and stepped within the circle of people that was around them. The man turned back and grinned. He knew exactly how to goad her into a fight. She had the look of an Amazon, though she was much smaller than they were normally. Shouldn't be too hard beating her.

"Well, the little miss isn't a scaredy cat after all." He toyed with his staff, giving a wicked thrust and feint here and there. He continued to mock her with the way he held his staff so leisurely. He chuckled at her until her first strike hit him square in the shoulder. It wasn't the weak slap he'd expected. This was a stinging blow that left his fingers tingling. His expression changed to one of pure indignation.

"Maybe you should think before you speak." Gabrielle's next blow was blocked, then the contest turned into a battle, each warrior trading blows back and forth. Gabrielle's feet were abruptly swept from under her, but she rolled in time to avoid the next stroke to her head. ‘Gods, how do I get myself into these things.' As she rose, the bard stumbled and received an angry shove from behind. She turned ready to ward off a blow, when she saw it was one of the watchers in the crowd. She glared at him and turned, stopping another thrust aimed for her back. The blows between the combatants became savage, as each one attempted to ward off the other's advance. Then as she ducked and swung, she saw him favoring his left leg. ‘So much for being nice.' Two quick blocks and a heavy thrust to the leg had her opponent on the ground. One last blow and his staff was out of his hand. Then reversing her swing, her staff came to an abrupt stop just above his voice box. "Do you yield?"

He nodded as he wheezed and shook in pain. She removed the staff from his throat and caught the purse as it was thrown up to her. As she moved to the edge of the crowd a wave of nausea passed over her . Her arm had started burning during the fight, but the bard figured she had over extended the muscle. "Come on Merric, lets go."

"You really taught him a thing or two. Oh, he thought you were one of these weak women, but you knocked the wind right out of him." Gabrielle steered the young man into a nearby alley, between the houses that lined the street. Her head was beginning to ring and the noise of the market was starting to rush over her.

"That's enough! My staff work is not for show or to be hawked as an amusement. It's for defense and protection. Don't do that again." Gabrielle's exploding temper left the boy speechless. He stared down at the ground, and ran his sandal through the dirt.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean, I never.." He took a deep breath and looked back up at her. "It's just that Xena and you are the first ones whoever cared about what I thought or wanted to be my friend. I never meant...Gabrielle? Gabrielle, What's wrong?" Gabrielle leaned against the cool stone wall, nausea and dizziness almost overcoming her.

"Merric, find Xena. Now, you need to get help." Gabrielle was already sliding down the wall of the alley. Merric caught her as she hit the ground. He helped her the rest of the way down, then pillowed her head on her pouch.

"Okay, just hang on Gabrielle. I'll get help. Just hang on." She heard the sound of his footsteps as they receded down the alley. Then a sharp pain shot through her, taking her breath away. Gods! Where was Xena when she needed her? Why couldn't she tell which way to go? She heard the sounds of the nearby market place again, but they seemed so distant now. Then someone grabbed her head harshly.

"Poor Gabrielle...not feeling well." She looked up to find the old man she had helped out of the inn.

"Please, I need help. Help me." Another sharp grappling pain enclosed her in its tight fist and the scene wavered again. Perspiration ran down her face, caressing her flushed features.

"Help me.. Heeeellllp meeeee. Oh, Xeeeena." He taunted her with a chilling laugh. "I'm afraid there's no one here to help you at the moment, my dear." He crouched down next to her and pulled a thin glass jar from inside his cloak. His hood pulled back for just a moment and Gabrielle finally saw her enemy.

"You're dead. Ares set you up and Xena killed you. You're dead." Gabrielle fought to keep her vision clear.

"No, she will only wished she'd killed me," might be an alternative. "But as for you, now, that's another matter. Is the pain too much? Need a little relief? Well, I have just the thing right here." He held the jar up to the sunlight and Gabrielle could see a honey type substance inside. "Soon Xena will know what it's like to lose the one thing you love the most. She and Ares played me for the fool. But now they are the biggest fools. By tomorrow you'll be dead, Xena will be devastated and Ares...well, let's just say Ares has a little surprise of his own coming. Now, drink." He grabbed her throat in a fierce grip, tilted her head back and brought the jar to her lips. The honey liquid slowly flowed toward the opening. Gabrielle fought to get away, but to no avail.

The sound of children approaching caused her assailant to look away. Ha-San's children had entered the end of the alleyway. It was the opening Gabrielle needed. She punched forward with one of her arms as hard as she could and sent the jar flying against the far wall. She heard it smash into pieces.

"Damn you! This is not over! I will be back." Gabrielle collapsed into the dirt as he released his hold on her throat, an ocean of pain washing her toward darkness. The man quickly rose and took off before the children could reach them. The bard heard the sound of Ha-San's people's language, sharp, unintelligible cries, but music to her ears none-the-less...and then the sound of feet stopping near her.

"Gabrielle?" the lilt of a soft voice came to her through the haze.

Gabrielle looked up through pain hazed eyes. "Narus?" Another pain slammed through her abdomen and she lost what little strength held her head up. She felt the thin muscular arms of Ha-San's son embrace her.

"Hang on Gabrielle. Xena sent us to find you. Hang on." Narus held her as her body shuddered with each agonizing pain that wracked her body. Gabrielle only vaguely heard the quick short language of Narus's people as she was lifted up into strong arms and carried off.

"A man..in a black cloak..Ki..Krul.." She opened her eyes, but the brightness which assaulted them felt like a thousand needles. She moaned and then all went black.

" MOTHER!!" Narus yelled. He ran as quickly as he could toward his family's tent, being careful with the precious burden he carried. Ha-San was out of her tent instantly, the he color draining from her face, when she saw who her son was carrying.

"Here, quickly Narus." Ha-San led Narus to an empty sleeping pallet and settled Gabrielle onto it. "Quickly, we need mandragora for the fever. Oh Allah! She's burning up. Also a couple of buckets cool well water. Send one of the young ones after Xena."

"Already done mother." Narus was at her side with the mandragora. "I'll be right back with the well water." He was gone in a flash. Ha-San worked quickly, forcing Gabrielle to ingest the potent herb. Xena entered the tent right before Narus.

"What's happened?" Xena dropped next to Gabrielle's side. She stared at her friend's fever-wracked body. She knew the worst was happening. Gabrielle's breathing was labored, the poison was fully ravaging her body now.

"We did as you asked. We searched through the marketplace and found her in one of the alleyways. There was a man bending over her. She said his name was Ki..Krul. She couldn't get it out."

"Kirilis."

"He was making her drink something. But she fought back and it broke against the wall in the alley." Narus watched as his mother worked over Gabrielle.

Ha-San sighed wearily. "She is very ill. I don't know how much more we can do for her. If we had the antidote or knew what the poison was, we might be able to help her. But.."

"The poison is called Pan's Fire. It's rare and used very little any more." Xena picked up Gabrielle's hand, feeling the heat radiate through her fingers. "There's a flower that counteracts it, but they are hard to find and they bloom in the fall of the year. I could get the antidote from Athens, but by the time I got back she would be dead."

Ha-San rose and spoke quietly to her son. He was gone with the gentle whoosh of the tent flap. She reached over and took firm hold of Xena's shoulders. "We may have what you seek. I'm not sure, but one of the traders that was here with us yesterday I believe had the flower you seek. He left this morning for another village, I've sent Narus to get it."

"Gabrielle will be dead before he gets back. She doesn't have much time now." Xena was frantic. Nothing in her medical training had covered how to stop a poisons progression except with the antidote. Ha-San studied Xena for a moment and then seemed to come to some decision.

"There is a way to slow her body's responses down. It may keep her alive long enough that Narus can get back here with the antidote, but it's very risky, and if Gabrielle has ingested any of the poison from the alleyway, it won't work. You have to decide, Xena, whether to take the chance." Xena looked down at her friend, watching as she shook even in her unconscious state. The pain that ravaged her friend's body removed all of the tranquil visage she was accustomed to seeing on the bard's face.

"All right, what do you have in mind?" Ha-San moved to the tent flap and spoke rapidly to several children standing nearby. The children nodded and took off in different directions. Ha-San then moved to a low table near Gabrielle and pulled out a few bowls and then crossed the room and started a fire in the cooking area.

"We give Gabrielle Allah's Silent Death."

Xena looked at Ha-San incredulously. "You want to kill Gabrielle?"