Slow Poison
Chapter 4
by Becky Lutzke

Xena stood outside the tent staring toward the distant black clouds, watching them churn and heave toward the heavens. A violent storm was brewing just off the horizon. Her heart and mind felt like that right now. Anger seethed up and threatened to poison all she had done over the past two years, just like the poison that was ravaging Gabrielle’s body now. The breeze whipped the flap of the tent, warning of the storms imminent arrival. HA-Ku slipped quietly up next to Xena and watched her silent vigil of the horizon.

“She is alive, that in itself should give you hope,” he said.

Xena took a deep breath and nodded. The herbs Hasan wanted to give Gabrielle would induce a death-like sleep. They would actually slow the functions of her body until a cure could be administered. It would only give Gabrielle a day, maybe a day and a half. No more than that, afterwards Gabrielle’s soul and body would be resigned to fate. As she turned, she noticed Ha-Ku motion to someone in the shadow of the tent.

“Xena, this is Sambhir. He has an interesting story to tell you.” Xena’s brow rose as a man deeply tanned by Apollo’s hand stepped into the waning light of evening. His short hair was as dark as the river styx and his eyes flashed red in the last rays of light and took in every nuance around him. He was not a muscular man, per se, but neither was he frail. In one hand he held a walking stick with a serpent's head grip. He was very much like Ha-Ku’s people, with the loose fitting clothing worn for travel in dry, hot areas they normally lived. He carried himself with an air of dignity.

“You are Xena, Warrior Princess. Destroyer of Nations. However, you are also known to me in another name. I know you as the Warrior Princess of Calmai.” Xena flinched slightly. “Yes, Xena. The Warrior Princess of Calmai is well known among my people, and we have not forgotten.”

“That was a long time ago and I was another person. If I could -- " Xena started, but was cut off by the snake charmer.

“-- you would change things?” Sambhir moved forward and stared intently into Xena’s eyes. Xena felt a chill as if something or someone had walked through her soul. She pushed it down though, allowing the warrior control to present nothing but a calm persona. Sambhir nodded, “You are not the warrior you once were, changed you are and your friend I believe is the cause for this.” Sambhir motioned to where Ha-Ku had set a small table outside with pillows for his guests. Tea was brought and poured. “Your friend, strong she is, focused, but even naja’s touch can overpower the strong and focused.”

“Naja?”

“Yes. Naja. In my country, the naja are the most feared and respected of all animals. It is said when Buddha was caught in a violent and unexpected downpour that lasted for ten days, the naja offered to cover him from the elements, keeping him safe and protected. For this Buddha blessed the naja by placing his two fingers on the back of his hood. This blessing is visible even today. But the naja’s bite is extremely deadly. Only a few drops can kill a child or an adult within an hour.”

“This is all fascinating I’m sure, but what has this got to do with Gabrielle?” Xena was fast becoming irritated. She wanted facts, not stories of other lands and holy men who blessed dangerous animals.

“Patience. As I said a few drops of Naja’s venom..”

“It’s a snake?” Xena leaned forward with interest.

“Yes, a snake. I believe the Egyptians call it an asp, but we call it naja.” Sambhir continued again. “As I was saying the venom -- ”

“It’s a cobra?” Xena persisted.

The snake charmer looked at her strangely for a minute, then nodded. “Yes, Xena, a cobra as you say here.”

Xena had seen many cobras during her time in Chin. She also knew the effects of the venom, but Gabrielle wasn’t reacting in the normal way. “But Gabrielle should be dead by now if she had venom from a cobra going through her system. How...”

Sambhir smiled, some people could invariably test one’s self control. He carefully reached over and poured a cup of tea, and looked into the cup considering its contents. Xena calmed herself, understanding this man would not be rushed. “If one were to take the venom and dilute it, then it would have the effects it is having upon Gabrielle. It would be a slow death. But one would have to know how to dilute it properly. Either a healer or a snake charmer.”

“Your not implying -- Aaron? No, he did lead me astray on what he thought it was.”

Sambhir shook his head. “No, Aaron is a wise man, but has no knowledge of naja’s venom. But I, I am both healer and snake charmer to my people.”

“You mixed the poison?” Xena crackled with contained rage.

Sambhir looked gravely up at Xena. “Yes, but not for the purposes you think. I am an honorable man. I would never mix for poisoning of another. The mixture Gabrielle received is used in a ceremony, to open the path to Naja’s mind so we can communicate. In proper doses, the effects are minimal, but used repeatedly over a long period of time. It can kill. We know this and are careful therefore to limit its usage. Two moons ago, a man came to me asking me to mix such a diluted form for him. He was crippled, and in constant and severe pain, a shadow of his former self. He said he wished to end his life so that he could pass onto to his final reward, but before he did so he wished to consult with the Gods to make sure he would receive his place in paradise. You must know Xena that all life is sacred to us, but a life such as he described would be permitted to end it out of mercy.” Xena nodded, she had several times while leading her army administered a mercy blow to a soldier, releasing him from this life. It was not a favored job, but it was necessary sometimes. “I told him to return that afternoon. I asked the Naja for his deadly blessing and then milked the precious drops of his gift. I prepared the dosage. When the man returned I gave him the soft kiss of Naja. For six hours he remained in a trance, shouting names of people, yours among them. When finally he returned to himself he said the Gods had granted his wish. So I gave him the fatal dosage. I explained that the effects would be immediate when administered into the blood, but slower if drank. But he must take the full dosage. He thanked me, and left to carry out his last wishes before death.”

“How much did you give him?” Xena asked, desperately hoping for a cure close by now. But also wary of how much Gabrielle may have running through her system now.

Sambhir held up his little pinkie. “The naja bestowed ten tears for his purpose.”

A cold chill ran through Xena. The dosage Sambhir indicated was enough to kill five men at least. “Then she will die.”

Sambhir shook his head. “No, when introduced in small amounts through the blood stream it induces the effects that Gabrielle is going through. But it can also be defeated. Ha-Ku came to me earlier in the day when he saw his son carry Gabrielle into the tent and listened outside the tent when he heard she had been poisoned, he suspected I may be needed.”

Xena gazed suspiciously on the man. “How could you possibly know all that’s going on? We haven’t told anyone.”

Sambhir replied, “We are a nomadic people, Xena. We glean information from where we go. Our children are all over and they tell us things. Your Gabrielle, her stories enthrall them. So the children watch over her all the time, hoping for a chance to hear another story. But in this case, Aaron came to me, too, telling me he was baffled by Gabrielle’s symptoms. After his description, I came as quickly as possible. So you see, we know a great deal more than you think.”

“Can you help Gabrielle?” Xena asked gravely, not knowing whether if she should even hope.

“Yes, I believe so. I have mixed a antidote, but you must understand it has to be administered through the blood stream. It is not an easy process. Gabrielle sleeps the sleep of death right now. We must administer the antidote, then shock her system into waking up to disburse it faster. It is a dangerous process. She may still die.”

"Do it then,” Xena replied quickly.

Sambhir nodded thoughtfully, then spoke once more. “There is one other thing. Gabrielle’s system has been through a great deal -- if this does work, it will be many a moon before she can ever be touched by Naja’s kiss again.”

Xena nodded in understanding. “I have to find Kirilus, and stop him from trying to administer any of the poison to her again.”

************************************************************************

The marketplace seemed almost barren now as the man moved quickly toward the tents of the Eastern travelers. Here and there people were rushing off toward the warm glow of lights from home, children were saying their goodbyes to friends and gathering up toys and traders were placing the last of their wares into wagons or closing store fronts. The sun was fading fast, being replaced by ominous storm clouds. A stooped figure moved from the doorway of an alley were he had been watching a warrior, a snake charmer and a bookmaker talk. He needed to finish his errand quickly before a certain warrior could intercept him. His plan was going marvelously, until those brats had interrupted him in the alleyway. Then that little bitch had caught him unawares and broke the bottle. He moved silently along the rows of stone baked houses, stopping briefly to catch his breath. He glanced about watching for any sign of his prey’s protector. Nothing but the cold silence of the deserted marketplace echoed around him. He took a slow painful breath, and let it out. He looked down upon his crippled body and shook his head in angry grief. He had been such a handsome, strong man; the terror of many of a village and the choice of maidens who appreciated his amorous overtures. But now...now...as he looked down, his body bent in pain from injuries he should have died from and the ever-present pain when he breathed...now, he was just a faint image of his former self. All because of them: Xena and Ares. Even the thought of them had left a sour taste in his mouth. He shook himself and looked out over the darkening marketplace. Then he set off again, heading toward a tent in the distance dyed the color of blood. Upon reaching the tent he moved carefully to a side hidden from view, and made a slow slit through the worn canvas with his knife. He moved through the opening, accidentally bumping a stack of baskets. He stopped, watching as they wobbled and then settled back into place, their deadly cargo hissing excitedly at being disturbed. A sigh of relief escaped his lips, and then he set about lighting a candle he had brought and moving through the tent, intent on snaring the object of his search. He had just found what he was searching for when the sound of voices drifted to him on the wind. Quickly he grabbed the bottles set out and slipped back through the opening he had made, just as Xena and Sambhir entered the tent.

“I have a special performance tonight. You noticed the circular arena I have constructed at the edge of town.” Sambhir moved among the rows of baskets piled around him.

Xena’s eyes grew large as she counted the baskets. “There must be at least fifty snakes here. Why so many?”

Sambhir turned around, gently tapping one of the baskets and causing its inhabitant to hiss rather loudly. “To sell, to glean venom from, to amuse the crowds. I started out with seventy-two when our trip began several months ago.”

Xena shivered a little, she never did really like snakes. The snake charmer went back to assembling the things he would need for Gabrielle. “Sambhir, I’m curious. Why are you helping me? If you know..”

“If I know about Calmai, or what once was Calmai?” Sambhir sighed and turned to fully face Xena. “I will never forget what you did to the city of Calmai, and I will never ever forget what you did in the Temple of Naja. I still have nightmares every night of the heads that decorated the city walls, of the priests you left hanging in the town square, and of the many men who you defeated.” Sambhir closed his eyes tightly, attempting to push the memories back. “But I have heard about the Xena that has been in this town. She did not come roaring in with ultimatums and death. She walked in with a bard, laughing and smiling. So I listened to the stories the children told. I went to see the bard perform. She is light and hope. She has changed you.”

“But if you know what I was, why don’t you hate me? Why haven’t you tried to kill me?” Xena asked, her voice low and cold.

“Remember this Xena. Nothing and no one are really what they seem.” Sambhir finished his task, placing the last bottle in his bag. “We are ready.”