Two Women, A Man and a Baby - Artemis Prime

Disclaimers: the following story was written before I saw "Key to the Kingdom" so any similarity betweent the two is purely coincidental. Like always, all the characters belong to Ren Pic and MCA/Universal; I just like to play with them.

Rating: PG - there's some blood, but nothing too gorey - there's also some kissing and thoughts about other things, but only within the imagination of the reader.

Prologue

The man's feet couldn't carry him fast enough through the woods. Ever since last winter's attack on the hunting party, these woods were feared by the local villagers. Many had heard of Artemis's quick temper, but few had actually seen the consequences of it...and lived. The remains of those men had been horrifying.

The man picked up his pace and tightened his hold on his cargo. He wanted to glance down at the child he held in his arms, but he feared it may slow him down. Zeus be praised, though, that the child was remaining quiet. He brought the child closer to his chest.

He had been travelling almost half a day now and was very near the village with the healer. He resented that his own village was too small for any healer to live in. They wanted to be where the excitement was, it seemed to him, and his tiny village of five homes apparently didn't fit the bill. Which meant that people had to travel much of the day through treacherous territory just to be cured of their ailments.

Gods how he wished he was closer!

"Soon, daughter," he breathed into the child. "We'll be there soon."

A twig snapping caught the man's attention and he ground to a halt, not even breathing. He nervously looked around him, trying to find where the sound had come from. A branch creeked and the man whirled. "Who's there?" he called out with fear in his voice.

Silence.

The man brought the child closer to him. He seriously considered running right then. But if Artemis was there, nothing could help him.

The sound of a knife being thrown was heard and then felt as it impaled itself in the man's left shoulder. He staggered forward, but kept his daughter close.

"Your money," a dirty voice called.

The man couldn't respond. His shoulder was in such pain, pain like he'd never experienced. He was a farmer, not a warrior!

"I said, your money." A form stepped out to the man's right. He did not look pleased. His sword was raised to waist level and threatened to stab the man.

"I...I don't have..." the man tried to say.

The form shook his head. "Not quite the answer I was looking for." He stepped forward, sword firmly in hand. It was then that he noticed the child. "Hmmm, interesting." He rubbed his chin. "Family man, eh?"

The man's eyes went wide with fear. If they tried to even touch his daughter...

"Perhaps you had better give me the answer I'm looking for, or else your dear child may live to regret it."

"No! I told...you...I don't have..." he gasped out the last few words. He could feel the blood running down his side from the knife.

The form raised an eyebrow and sighed. "Well, if that's your final answer." Without warning, he ran the man through.

The man didn't know what to feel or how to react. He thought it an interesting sensation to have steel run through his abdomen. Then he felt the burning and the pain. He groaned, fell back and hit the ground, still clutching his daughter.

"Check his clothes," the form said to another emerging from behind a tree. "He's gotta have something."

The new figure rummaged through the dying man's clothes. "Hey, the kid's still alive." He backed away.

"So?"

"So shouldn't we do something?"

The killer gazed at the figure. "Kill it." He began walking off.

The dying man's mind raced with fear for his daughter. "Nnnn...ooo..." he spurted out.

The figure stared at the man, unsure what to do. He didn't have long to decide. A dagger pierced his neck and he fell, dead, his head strangely twisted and eyes open towards the dying man.

The killer searched through the dying man, but found nothing, not even a single dinar. "Waste of my time," he muttered. He looked at his partner. "Can't waste time making decisions, my dear boy. Act or die." He chuckled and pulled out his dagger, wiping it on his pants.

The child cried.

The killer stopped and looked at the child. "And you, shut up!" He grabbed the child and tossed her from her father to the grass a ways off. It cried louder, then was silent. The killer rose and left, cleaning off his sword as he went.

The last sound the man heard was his child landing with a thud on the grass. He wanted to cry out, but the words were lost in his throat as he died.

Chapter one

"Xena?" the bard said. "Do you think this is really such a good idea?"

"Of course it is. Now just relax."

"It's just that...well, I mean I don't really think Argo is going to like this very much."

"Argo's just fine with it. Now be quiet."

Gabrielle looked over at her friend who was quietly talking with her steed. She looked up into the heavens. "Gods above I can't believe I let Xena talk me into this." She gulped nervously.

"Okay. Whenever you're ready," the warrior called out.

"Heh, that's funny. You're a riot. Hey, maybe you could be become one of those stand up comediens at those new taverns they're opening all over. You know, Planet Greece?"

"Quite stalling." She glared at her companion. Sometimes Gabrielle talked too much.

"Stalling? Who's stalling? I'm just saying that maybe you could get into that line of work if you ever..."

"Gabrielle!" The bard was quiet.

Okay, Gabrielle, you can do this. You've practiced this a lot. You can do it..., she thought. After all, it's not that far. She looked at Argo. No, this'll be easy.

Xena shifted her stance in impatience.

Gabrielle took a deep breathe and slowly let it out, shaking her arms and lifting her feet. She breathed in once more...and began running as fast as she could. She ran, gaining speed and when she hit the springboard, she felt pretty good. This isn't so bad. She even grinned. And just when she was about to land on Argo's back...

The mare moved forward.

Xena's eyes went wide as she watched her friend fall flat onto her face. "Gabrielle?" She knelt down to the still form. "Gabrielle?" she called again.

Pain. Hurt. Everywhere.

She groaned.

Xena tried to conceal a laugh.

Gabrielle slowly turned her head. "Easy, you said," mocking Xena's voice. "Argo's just fine with it." She got to her knees, her hands still clutching tufts of grass. "Ugggh."

"Here." The warrior princess offered an hand to the Amazon princess, who grugdingly took it. She started wiping off the grass and dirt from her friend's skirt and BGSB.

"No, don't bother," the bard said in a harsh tone. "I'd rather stay like this thank you very much." She glared at her friend, who was still trying to hide her amusement. "A reminder to you that horses and I do not get along." She pushed her way past Xena. "Now, if you don't mind, I would like to wash away the dirt from my mouth, if that's okay with you."

Xena shrugged and watched Gabrielle head for the stream. She looked over at Argo, firmly intending to scold the animal, but stopped. She could have sworn she'd seen the mare wink at her.

"Sure, just jump on Argo like I do," Gabrielle said in her Xena voice. "It's real easy once you get the hang of it. Huh. Yeah, right." She felt her entire front section scream in pain every time she moved. "She's gonna pay for this," she said under her breathe. She furrowed her brow and stopped. She looked down and found a large piece of grass and dirt stuck in her BGSB. She slowly pulled it out with a sigh. "She's really gonna pay for this."

Gabrielle bent down at the stream and cupped some water, bringing it to her mouth. She rinsed her mouth and could feel the dirt swirling around in there. She spit it out on the banks. She stuck her tongue out in disgust. "Don't worry, Argo will go for it." She wasn't really angry, more embarrassed. It looked so easy when Xena did it. She gulped another mouthful and looked around her. The forest was quite pretty this time of year. The leaves were out in full and were only slightly waving in the wind. The late day sun filtered through the trees casting strange and wonderful shadows on the earthen floor. She spit the water out and sat back, groaning and rubbing her stomach. She could feel the bruises start.

Gabrielle lay on the side of the stream, trying to relax and enjoy her surroundings, when she heard something. It sounded like singing. She sat up and looked around. There on the other side of the stream and down to her left, she saw a figure apparently holding something. He reached into the water and dunked something in, brought it up and held it close to his chest. Gabrielle squinted trying to see who it was. Her eyes widened.

Joxer?!

She looked again. Yes indeed, it was Joxer. But why was he singing and what was he holding. A strange thought ran through her mind. She couldn't believe it, but curiosity got the better of her. She stood, with a groan, and walked down the stream until she was across from him.

"Joxer?" she called out.

"...never needs a place to..." He looked up. "Gabrielle?" He stared at her a long time. She looked down and remembered the dirt on her.

"Joxer, what are you doing?" She put her hands on her hips. She didn't really care how dirty she was right now.

"Oh, uh, well..." he stammered, looking around nervously. "I, uh..."

"Is that a baby?"

Joxer gulped. How would this look to his warrior reputation? Still, Xena had had a child. Even Gabrielle, although he still wasn't sure how that all went. He took a breathe. "Yes."

Gabrielle cocked her eyebrows. "Where did you get it?"

"I found it."

"What do you mean, you found it? Joxer, where did that baby come from?" She couldn't hardly believe what she was hearing.

"I told you, I found her." He carefully got up, gently holding the child.

Gabrielle crossed the river and stood next to Joxer. She looked in on the baby wrapped in a cloth and apparently asleep. A smile spread across her lips. "She's beautiful."

"Yeah, she is." Joxer looked down at the baby and pulled the cloth closer around her.

Gabrielle reached in and stroked the child's cheek. "What's her name?"

"I don't know."

The bard looked up at Joxer. "What exactly is going on here?"

Joxer looked at the ground, unsure of how to begin. "Well, I was out practicising some of my swordwork..." He saw the glare from Gabrielle. "Okay, I was taking a short cut through the woods and I nearly fell over her."

"She was just lying there? No one around?"

"Well, no one alive. There were two dead men near her, but that was it. I looked around, but couldn't find anyone. And then she started to cry, so I took her with me."

"When was that?" Gabrielle began cooing to the child.

"This morning." He smiled as he watched Gabrielle with the baby. The thought of this someday happening with "their" own children filled him with happiness. He liked the idea. Gabrielle looked back up at him and he glanced away. "I couldn't exactly leave her there, could I?"

"No, of course not. I'm just surprised, that's all."

"Why? That a warrior like me couldn't handle a little baby?" He became defensive.

"Uh, no. I meant that..."

"I know what you meant," he interrupted. There was a long silence.

"Xena's gonna wonder where I went off to. We better bring her along." Without even thinking, she lifted the baby from Joxer's arms and into her own. This feels so good, she thought. Not like Hope at all. Memories flooded her of her time with Hope, all the times with her own daughter. She gulped and then smiled down at the baby. She thought she saw the child smile back. The bard crossed the river and headed back to Xena and Argo.

Joxer was somewhat disappointed that Gabrielle had taken the child. He wanted to hold onto her forever! Finally, he found someone who liked him, maybe even loved him and didn't think of him as some buffoon. He found himself liking the baby, too. He hadn't really had much experience with babies, but he knew it felt right holding her and getting her to drink some water. And she smiled when he sang his song to her. He rushed after Gabrielle, who was now heading up the hill back to camp. He caught up to her and walked alongside, constantly checking the child while Gabrielle whispered noises to her.

"I talked with Argo and I think she's sorry for what..." Xena began when she heard the bard approaching.

"Xena," Gabrielle called out softly. "There's something you need to know."

She turned and for the first time in ages was shocked. Completely and utterly shocked. There coming towards her was Gabrielle holding a baby and Joxer fawning over it. Both were laughing and smiling and acting, well, like parents over this baby.

She cocked an eyebrow. "You want to tell me what in Olympus is going on here?"

Gabrielle turned her attention away from the child and smiled at Xena. "It's a baby."

"I can see that," she said sardonically. She went over to them. "I mean, why do you two have it?" She looked down on the child. She also noticed how happy Gabrielle looked, even Joxer. It was almost as though the child suited both of them. She closed her eyes and shook the thought away. Joxer may love Gabrielle, but right now, Gabrielle needed her own time. She was still recovering from her death and resurrection with the whole Callisto/Ares/Hope deal of a few months ago. Great, another thing to add to the list of worries and problems.

Still, though, Xena found herself taken in by the baby. It had woken up and was smiling at the three friends. Xena touched the child's forehead and gently stroked her fine hair. The baby made a face and started crying. And made something else.

"Whew!" Xena exclaimed. "When was the last time this child was changed?"

Gabrielle brought the baby to her shoulder and patted it gently. "There, there. The mean old warrior princess didn't mean to upset you. Shhhh. That's a girl."

"Um, Gabrielle?" Joxer said. He waited, but the bard was caught up in the baby. "I think she might need a new diaper or something." He tried reaching for the child, but Gabrielle brought her forward, just out of Joxer's grasp.

"Well, now. Let's just see what we've got here for you, hmm?" She took the baby to the camp and gently laid her down on the sleeping fur. She searched her bag for something to use, but found nothing. She sat back, thought, and snapped her fingers. "Ahh." She reached over to Xena's saddle bag and pulled out...

"Oh no you don't! That's my best..." She stopped and stared at Joxer. She hardly wanted to mention that she wore silk underwear with Joxer around. She thought he would find it, well, un-warrior like to say the least. She leaped over to Gabrielle who was taking off the old clothe and was set to put on the silk one. "I'll never get it clean."

The bard stared up at her friend. "Xena, don't be so selfish. Look at this baby." She glanced down at her. "How can you say no?"

Xena rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. "Fine," she sulked.

The child began to cry again and Joxer immediately went to her. Gabrielle finished the task and held her again. "Shhh. Xena's not all bad, just a little...gruff is all." The baby still cried.

"Come on now, there's nothing to cry about. Shhh." She rocked the child and patted her more, but she continued. In fact, she seemed to get louder. Gabrielle bit the inside of her cheek and wondered what else she should do. "When was the last time you fed her?" The question was directed at Joxer, but the Amazon didn't look at him.

"Uh, about an hour ago. I gave her plenty of goat's milk that I had brought with me." He too was beginning to get worried. She hadn't cried that much since he first found her. His mind began to work, slowly, but he finally came to a conclusion. "Maybe I could hold her." He put out his hands.

Gabrielle raised an eyebrow and tightened her hold. But the baby was crying even more loudly and nothing seemed to calm her down.

"Go on. Give her to him," Xena finally said.

Gabrielle didn't like the idea, but consented. And an amazing thing happened: she stopped crying. The bard and warrior were both dumbfounded.

Joxer walked around, gently rocking the baby and quietly singing Joxer the Mighty. Within moments, she was smiling and almost giggling. That made Joxer smile in his crooked smile like way. He loved that feeling; the feeling that someone actually enjoyed his company and genuinely liked what he was doing. He glanced at Gabrielle and Xena. "Guess she likes me," he said weakly.

"Guess so." Xena looked down at the dirty clothe. "Oh, Gabrielle, I believe that is your's." She pointed.

Gabrielle swallowed hard and tried to laugh, but it sounded more like a groan.

Onto part two

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