SON OF DRACO-2
XENA fan fiction

©_Feb 16, 1999_Ann Logan

In Mystic forest, one winter's morning, snow feathered to an aging camp ground sparkling under a climbing sun. Dozens of frozen ash teepees were surrounded by abandoned sleeping blankets. All the tree limbs were dark and twisted, bare to the least limb. Not one leave covered the greenish brown turf.

Pulling the hood of a bearskin poncho off her head, Gabrielle squinted with hazel eyes, scanning for evidence. The area was quiet except for her steps and Hercules plodding several yards ahead. He walked two strides for every one she took and often stopped to narrow his lead. Despite the cold, Hercules kept his arm exposed to the shoulder. He liked the freedom of movement. A flourishing pine forest, lured Hercules up a sloping passage.

Coming to a halt, Hercules raised his muscular arm, opening and closing his vast hand. Gabrielle stopped in place, listening to a winter bird singing a prolonged solo. She looked for it, among the highest limbs, glistening silver. On the tallest tree, she spotted a yellow canary with a purple ring around its neck. As the bird's song ended, Gabrielle looked down. Hercules was gone.

With furtive steps, Gabrielle moved to a tucked cove. By the edge of a frozen pond, she saw him circling a large ice-crystal mound. Then, he rushed to action raising his fist over the crystal.

He shouted, "Xena," and stopped from hitting the mound.

Gabrielle ran to the site, seeing small rainbows extended from the base of the crystal. A warm breeze smelled of August Jasmin. At the head of the crystal, Gabrielle spotted a female arm with a familiar black leather band.

"Stand back, " Hercules ordered.

Gabrielle looked at the crystal. "Is she?"

"No!"

Hercules took out a dagger and placed it on the edges of the crystal. After several guessed locations, Hercules tapped the dagger with the stone, watching small ice cracks run the length of the crystal mound. He rested the cusp of the dagger on another section and gently chiseled.

"She's alive," he said. "I just need to be careful not to crack off a limb."

Gabrielle knelt behind him. "Easy."

"I know." Hercules delayed another tap of the stone. "Keep back."

Gabrielle spotted a child's hand emerging from flaked sections in the middle of the mound. "How many are in there?"

Hercules tapped and watched a large section, 6-foot long by 3-foot round, crack free.

"I don't know, " Hercules said.

Lifting with his legs, he carried the freed section to a clearing flooded with sunlight. Gabrielle watched him for a moment. Then, she hurried to Xena, moving freezing ice sections from her face.

"Gabrielle!"

She stood, watching Hercules holding it up the ice section while studying beginning to end.

"You want to be trapped among them?"

"I forgot," she said.

Hercules hurled the section into the sky then returned to the crystal mound, chiseling another area covering Xena's torso.

"Stay back, " he said.

The large ice piece plunged into the pond, splitting the ice then spitting a murky spout. When the displaced water rained down, Gabrielle hurried to the shoreline. Flopping fish landed everywhere.

"Leave them," Hercules said.

Gabrielle scowled as turned around.

"Poison, " Hercules said.

Gently, he lifted Xena's body from the shattered crystal. As if cued, a little boy with wavy brunette curls awoke from within the crystal mess. He stretched a yawn with half-open eyes then laid down to rekindle his sleep. Hercules lightly tossed Xena, catching her and tossing her again. She didn't move.

Gabrielle felt Xena's hand. "It's not cold."

"It's not ice, " Hercules said.

"Let me get a fire going."

"No." Hercules glared back, once.

As Gabrielle lifted the little boy, he hugged her neck and nestled around her. He was easy to carry though Gabrielle wanted to rest. She limped following Hercules' heavy footprints. He's strides were smaller, a consideration for Gabrielle. When she started down the slope, Hercules watched at the base with Xena still in his arms.

"I have my reasons," he said.

"You could let me in."

"Not now, Gabrielle."

By night fall, Hercules carried Xena and the sleeping child along a winding dirt road along the base of Mystic Chasm. Tucked under a recessed cliff, Hercules spotted a lean-to hunter's cabin. He entered, laying Xena and the little boy on the floor.

"Perfect," he said.

In a distant corner, a small wood pile sat beside a circular stone fireplace. On the opposite wall, a window faced a level patch of sand. Kneeling by the fireplace, Hercules buffed two pieces of kindling until smoke burst into flames. Then, he piled on more wood, headed outside, and almost colliding with Gabrielle stumbling in.

"Excuse, me." He held the door for her. "Keep the fire," he said.

"Where are you going?"

He glanced at Gabrielle barely standing in place then he studied the night above her shoulder. The winds howled with an odd sweet scent, Hercules didn't like.

"Never mind, " Gabrielle said. "Just bring me back some food. I'm not a god."

He glanced down at Gabrielle.

"Block the door," he said. "If anyone, other than me, calls, don't open it."

Gabrielle limped to a chair then dragged it to the entrance.

"Food?"

"I'll try, " Hercules said. "Stay put."

When Hercules left, Gabrielle braced the chair under the door knob, testing it once with a tug. It held firm. Then, she limped across the room, peeling her bearskin poncho from her aching shoulders. Xena and the little boy slept side by side. Oh, if Xena would just get up!

Gabrielle dropped her poncho barely missing Xena. Sitting on the floor, Gabrielle yanked off her boots. Her swollen crimson toes twinkled, freedom.

"Xena?"

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