When In Greece...
Prologue through Part Eight
by Lynn M. Price

Copyright 1998 by Lynn M. Price. The characters of Xena, Gabrielle, and Argo are the property of "Xena: Warrior Princess" and Universal/MCA. The rest are mine. This story may not be sold and may be archived only with direct permission of the author. Any archive must carry this entire copyright statement.

Lyrics to the song "In My Life," by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
Copyright 1965, Northern Songs Ltd.

The events in this story take place between "Been There, Done That," and "The Dirty Half Dozen."

This work contains mild profanity and scenes of mild violence.

This is a first attempt at fan fiction, and is the first in a series of planned stories.

With thanks to the late, great Mark Twain and his "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" for providing the inspiration needed to complete this piece of fiction.

And a great big "thank you" to all of you who write and read fan fiction.
You are the wind beneath my wings...

Date of work: 1/1/98-1/10/98

Prologue
There's No Time Like The Present...

"OK, folks listen up!!" The chattering of the students slowly died down. "Since it's the weekend, you won't get too much homework. You need to finish reading Act II of *Hamlet*. It won't take you *that* long," the teacher laughed as she heard the good-natured moans and groans of her teenage charges. "And when you come back on Monday, we'll discuss it before we begin Act III. Are there any questions?" A loud bell rang through the building, cutting off their time together. The students rose out of their seats, exiting the classroom.

"Have a good weekend, Miss Evans," various students called out.

"Oh, I will!! You have a good weekend, too! And do that reading!!" replied their teacher.

She sighed fondly as she watched them leave the room. Mariah Evans considered herself one of the luckiest people around. She was blessed with a good job, great students, and a love for what she was doing with her life. She said a silent prayer every day, thankful for her life and how it was going. It wasn't too many years before that she found herself at death's door on more than one occasion as she battled cancer. Now, after several surgeries and chemotherapy, she still battled some of those private demons the cancer had left with her--fear, the almost-constant worries about her health--would it ever end?

"Mariah?" said a voice, taking her out of her reverie.

"Hey, Sandy! I didn't hear you come in! How was your week?" asked Mariah.

"Glad it's over, girl, glad it's over. Do you have plans for the weekend?" queried Sandy. She was dressed in a winter jacket, a backpack slung over her shoulder.

"Not much," replied Mariah. "I've got to get some notes ready for next week, grade a few essays...what did you have in mind?"

"How about taking in a movie? I heard that the new James Bond flick is a must-see."

"Sounds great!" said Mariah enthusiastically, her blue eyes lighting up. She was a movie junkie, and the more action, the better! "Let me put on my coat and get my stuff. Wait for me, will you?"

"Sure," said Sandy, smiling. That Mariah is something else, she thought, as she watched her friend load up her backpack. Not many people had her love for life and her love for teaching. Still, Sandy sensed that something was under Mariah's surface...something that had not been there in her pre-cancer days...

Sandy thought back to that awful time nearly seven years ago...she and Mariah had been the best of friends even then, which was unusual for Mariah, for she didn't get close to many people. Mariah had felt sluggish, noticed some swollen lymph nodes in her neck. A doctor confirmed her worst fears--cancer. She went into what she called her "battle-mode," remaining somewhat distant from people, putting on a tough facade to mask her fears, not showing many of her inner emotions. Sandy marveled at the survival instinct Mariah developed. Not many people could have gone through what Mariah did and not become bitter by it, Sandy thought, especially when the cancer came back the second time....

What Sandy didn't know was the emotional toll the disease took on her friend. Mariah, physically, was OK; emotionally...well, that was a different story. She knew nothing of her friend's private broodings in the middle of the night, her nagging worries of recurrence. Sandy knew nothing of Mariah's nightmares.

The nightmares didn't come as often as they used to when she was first diagnosed. They came often enough though, usually in the stressful times of Mariah's life. Those were the nights Mariah dreaded, the nights she would struggle to fight her way out of the dreams, waking up shaking, in a cold sweat, her brown curly hair matted to her head, her face wet with tears, unwilling to go back to sleep.

Those were what Mariah called privately her "dark nights of the soul."

"Well, I'm ready. Thanks for waiting, San," said Mariah, as she hoisted her backpack over her right shoulder.

"Hey, no problem. I've got to ask you something, Mariah. When you're teaching the King Arthur legends...." their voices trailed off as the women walked down the hallway to exit the building.

"....so that's what I do," finished Mariah, as the duo stepped outside. "Man, it sure is a bright day, isn't it?" It was cold, but the sun was shining brightly, reflecting off snow-covered surfaces. Mariah reached in her bag, pulled out her sunglasses, and put them on. Teenagers were milling around the high school, shouting to each other, waiting for rides. A typical late winter's day in northern Illinois.

"It sure is," agreed Sandy. "Is the weekend supposed to be nice?"

"I hope so. I've had enough of this cold weather!" laughed Mariah, as she stepped around a small but hard pile of melting snow.

"Come on, let's get out of here. Hey! Watch where you're walking!" cried Sandy, grabbing at Mariah's arm. Mariah had slipped on an icy patch on the sidewalk.

"God, I HATE this time of year!" said Mariah. "This stuff thaws, then freezes, then thaws again...it's a miracle we don't all break our necks! Nice grab there, Sandy!! Thanks."

"You're welcome. And if you wouldn't wear those sneakers on the ice..." began Sandy.

"Yeah, I know. But I keep thinking, if I wear them the weather will warm up!" laughed Mariah.

"Jeez, you never give up, do you?" said Sandy, fondly. "You're the eternal optimist."

"Yup, that's me," said Mariah. "Whoops, I better be careful. Look at all of this ice!"

"Here, hang on to me," said Sandy. "I'm wearing the better shoes today."

"You mean everyday, don't you?" said Mariah with a grin, as she took a hold of Sandy's arm. Mariah's insistence on wearing sneakers in all kinds of weather was known throughout the school. In fact, her students nicknamed her "Nike" because of her shoe preference.

"Girl, I am going to buy you some boots next Christmas, I kid you not," grumbled Sandy good-naturedly.

"I wouldn't wear them," said Mariah, slipping as she walked. "Hey, this is a lot worse than it looks."

"I know. Just hang on, we're almost to my car. You come with me, and I'll give you a lift over to yours," Sandy replied.

"WHOA!!" cried Mariah, as she slipped wildly on the ice. As she felt herself falling backwards, she let go of Sandy as to not pull her down, too. The last things Mariah remembered were landing flat on her back, a blinding light, and a terrible pain coursing through her head as the blackness enveloped her...

Part One
In A Time Of Ancient Gods, Warlords And Kings...

Xena, Gabrielle, and Argo walked along the path in the forest. It was a beautiful day--the sun was high overhead, birds were singing, and water rushed over the rocks in the stream parallel to the path. It was a good day to be alive, thought Xena.

"What are you thinking, Xena?" asked the young bard.

"Not much."

"Hmmm...with you, it's never 'not much,'" grumbled Gabrielle. Try as she might, sometimes it was difficult drawing the warrior princess out of her shell of silence.

Xena laughed. "OK, OK...I was just thinking about what a pretty day it was."

"Well, why didn't you just say so?"

"What? And get all soft on my best friend?" Xena grinned at her.

Gabrielle just had to laugh. Xena had a wicked sense of humor when she wanted to. Sometimes, though, it was hard to tell when Xena *was* being funny, as she was so serious most of the time. She's gotten better, thought Gabrielle. She's not as moody as she was two years ago when I first met her. Maybe she's leaving some of those demons in her past behind her...

Argo whinnied. Xena stopped, putting up her hand to stop Gabrielle as well.

"What is it?" whispered Gabrielle.

"I don't know," replied Xena. "But stay close."

"I know the drill," said Gabrielle, as she grabbed her fighting staff.

The women slowly approached a bend in the path. They noticed a figure lying on the earth, a figure that looked familiar, yet out of place. An odd-looking bag lay next to it.

"What is that?" asked Gabrielle.

"It looks like a woman," replied Xena.

"But she's dressed so strange," noted Gabrielle, as Xena knelt down next to the body. Xena found the woman was breathing, but those breaths were shallow and ragged. She gently turned the woman over, examining the back of her head. A frown crossed her face.

"Well, it's going to take her a while to tell her story, Gabrielle. Look." Xena pulled back her hand. It was covered in blood.

"Is she going to be all right?"

"Hopefully, but only time will tell. We better make camp. There's a clearing over there by the stream. Start unpacking Argo, while I get a place ready to treat her."

Gabrielle's only answer was a nod, as she picked up the strange bag, and took it and Argo over to the clearing. She quickly and efficiently unpacked the horse, set up camp, and started a fire. The bard carefully placed the bag aginst a nearby tree. She noticed Xena had prepared an area, and was going over to pick up the unconscious woman.

"Wait," said Gabrielle. "Let me help. You get her arms and I'll grab her legs."

Xena nodded, and the two women carried the unconscious woman into camp. When they put her down, a moan escaped her lips.

"Gabrielle, get the medicine bag, will you?"

Gabrielle ran and got it. "Here it is. What do you want me to do, Xena?"

"Start removing some of her garments. Why she's all bundled up on a warm day like today is a mystery to me. She'll get overheated if we don't get some of those clothes off of her. And take that metal band that surrounds her eyes off of her face. I need to roll her over, and I don't want it getting in my way. I'm going to put some water on to boil, and get the healing herbs ready."

Gabrielle walked over to the girl. She knelt down, and gently removed the metal band encircling the unconscious girl's eyes. What was it, she wondered as she looked at it. Gabrielle stared at the strange clothing. Where to start? She noticed a strange metal-like track running down the center of the outer garment. She followed the track until she came to small handle. She experimented with the handle, sliding it up and down the track. She pulled the handle down until it came to the end of the track, and the garment opened like a flower in the spring.

"Remarkable!" exclaimed the young bard. She had never seen anything like it. She opened the garment, and gently lifted up the woman as she took it off of her. Easing her down, Gabrielle noticed the other strange items. The woman was wearing pants! And on her feet! She had never seen footwear like that in all of her travels. Gabrielle felt the girl's high-necked shirt. Silk, she wondered? Were those clamps and holes holding it together? And what was that band of silver around her right wrist?? And those rings! What were those strange markings covering the silver ring on the right hand? The bard was full of unanswerable questions.

"Gabrielle, come here." Reluctantly, she got up and went over to Xena. On her way there, the bard put the metal band by the strange bag. "Keep stirring up the pot, will you? I need to get that head wound cleaned so I can stitch it up." Gabrielle nodded, and Xena went over to the still-inert form.

Like Gabrielle, she was fascinated by the strange garments, but knew this was not the time to focus on them. Gently, she turned the girl over so she lay on her stomach. Xena began cleaning the head wound. She knew it would hurt, and was glad the woman was still unconscious. When the wound was clean, Xena began stitching it shut, being careful not to entangle any hair in the stitches. When that was done, she eased the unconscious woman onto her back again, examining her more closely.

She's not old, though Xena. Late twenties, early thirties...around my age, I should think. Xena began to remove more of the garments. She needed to find out if the girl had any other injuries. Like Gabrielle, she was fascinated by the pants and footwear as she removed them and the silk shirt from the girl's body. Who is this girl, thought Xena. And where does she come from? Xena sucked in her breath as she examined the girl's neck and stomach. Look at those scars, she thought. Was the woman a warrior, too? Were those wounds from battles? Xena looked at the scars more closely. They didn't look recent. And, no, they couldn't be battle scars, she thought. Xena had battle scars of her own, knew much about battle wounds, and none of the wounds she had seen or treated left the crisp, clean lines these scars had. Surgical scars? She must have needed to be cut open, and it was a highly skilled surgeon with a fine blade who made those cuts, the warrior decided. Xena wondered what had been wrong with her. She looked at the girl's hands. The hands were soft, the fingers long and supple, not a callous to be seen. Not many people had hands as soft as these. The stranger wore two rings, a gold one on the left hand, a silver one on the right. And the silver band around the right wrist...what was that, she wondered. Xena's examination raised more questions and no answers, and the warrior had other pressing matters.

"Gabrielle, come here, would you please? Bring some blankets and bring a cup of that herbal medicine. We've got to get her to drink some of it."

Gabrielle soon came over with the blankets and medicine. Her eyes widened when she saw the scars covering the girl's body.

"Xena, what...?"

"Gabrielle, I don't know. We'll have to ask her when she can talk. I'm going to try and wake her up long enough to drink. And no questions. That'll have to wait."

Xena knelt behind the woman, slowly lifting her up and cradling her head. She began to talk to her softly. "Hey, come on! We need you to wake up."

The woman's eyes fluttered open. "Gabrielle, give me the cup." Gabrielle handed it over, and Xena pressed it to the woman's lips. She drank, coughed a bit, then drank some more. Soon, her eyes became heavy, and she fell into a drug-induced sleep, still cradled in Xena's arms. Her breathing became more regular; it was no longer shallow or ragged like it was when they first found her. Xena laid her down gently, covered her with a blanket, checked her pulse, and was satisfied with what she found.

"We'll have to wake her up every few hours to give her some more. I hate to do it, but the herbs will speed her healing. Gabrielle, keep an eye on her. I'm going to get us some dinner." She whistled for Argo, jumped on her back, and rode out of the camp.

Gabrielle was alone with the stranger...

Part Two
Over The Rainbow....

Gabrielle walked over to the unconscious girl's strange bag. She had never seen anything quite like it. It was made from leather, but it had those strange metal tracks like she saw on the girl's outer garments.

She wanted desperately to look through the bag, but she knew that it wouldn't be right. She'd hate it if someone went through her belongings. Stooping over, Gabrielle picked up the strange metal band. She put it around her eyes, and was startled to see everything go dark! Hurriedly, she took it off. She sighed as she put the bag down, laying the metal band carefully upon it, and wandered around the camp. She noticed a strawberry bush nearby. Grabbing a rag, she walked over to the bush, pulling off the ripest and plumpest of the bush, sampling some as she worked.

Xena soon returned with three rabbits.

"Three rabbits? I didn't think you were THAT hungry," said Gabrielle.

Xena grinned. "Well, we've got three people in camp. How about tending to the fire while I skin these?"

"OK. I found some strawberries, too. We'll split them for dessert."

"You mean you left me some?" teased Xena. She knew the bard adored strawberries. Changing the subject, Xena said, "How is our patient doing? Any change?"

"Still sleeping soundly," said Gabrielle, as she stirred up the fire. "When do you think she'll be able to talk to us?"

"Tomorrow, hopefully," replied Xena, as she began to skin the rabbits. "That was quite a gash on her head. I wonder what caused it? The ground around here is hard, but it isn't *that* hard. It's almost as if she fell on a rock, but there were no rocks where we found her."

"Do you think she was attacked somewhere else and left there?" asked Gabrielle.

"No, I don't think so. She still had that bag, so I don't think she was robbed. Also, I didn't hear anyone else in the forest. It's strange..."

"You're telling me! It's a mystery, but hopefully, we'll have some answers tomorrow. I'm going to fill up the water bags, and get some water for Argo, too," said Gabrielle, as she walked over to the stream.

Xena placed the skinned and spitted rabbit carcasses over the fire, and walked over to Argo. As she began to brush out the horse, she again thought of how lucky she was that Gabrielle entered into her life. Xena wasn't the easiest person to travel with, yet the cheerful young bard rarely complained, always chipped in. Oh, Gabrielle wasn't a morning person, but how many people were? Xena reflected back upon the two years they had been together...she felt those years were two of the best she ever had. Even through all of the difficult times--Callisto, Perdicas, the Bacchae, Velasca, Ares, The Furies, Cupid and Bliss--Xena wouldn't have traded those two years for the world.

As Gabrielle strolled back in to the camp, the two girls heard a moan from the strange woman. Xena left Argo, and went over to the stranger, as did Gabrielle. Mariah moaned again as she opened her eyes.

She saw a horse and two women. The shorter girl was young with reddish-blonde hair; the other woman was older, taller, and had long, straight black hair. They wore strange clothes, she thought. The shorter girl with the emerald eyes wore a green halter top and a short skirt. The taller woman with the piercing blue eyes wore a leather bodice from shoulder to mid-thigh, and was wearing some kind of armor-type plating that covered her torso and upper body. Mariah looked around. Where am I, shethought, puzzled. What happened to me? Why am I lying in the middle of a forest? Correction, as she looked under the blanket. Why am I lying *naked* in the middle of a forest? Where are my clothes? Oh, god, my head hurts, she thought. Where was the school? Where was Sandy?
Where am I??

"What happened to me?" she whispered.

As the two women approached her, the shock of her injuries and situation were too great. Mariah fainted dead away.

Xena and Gabrielle looked at each other. Xena bent over the unconscious girl, examining her. As she straightened up, she said, "Well, we'll wake her up later and give her more of the herbal medicine. We can't do anything else for her now. The best thing she can do for herself is to get some sleep. Let's eat."

The two friends ate in an easy silence, questions about the mysterious woman whirling through their heads. After they ate, they went over to the woman, gently woke her up, and gave her more medicine. Later, as they sat around the fire, Xena sharpened her sword and Gabrielle worked on her scrolls. The young bard loved to document her adventures with Xena, and this encounter with the mysterious woman promised to be a dilly!! Xena watched her young friend at work.

"Gabrielle, we should probably sleep in shifts tonight."

Gabrielle glanced at the sleeping woman. "Why? Do you think she'll cause trouble?"

"No, but you saw how she reacted when she saw her surroundings. I don't think she's from around here; she seemed frightened. If she woke up, and she thought she was alone, it could be pretty terrifying for her."

"Huh," said Gabrielle. "I'll tell you what, Xena. I'll take the first watch, and wake you in a few hours, OK?"

"Sounds good," said Xena. "When you wake me, I'll give her more medicine."

The two friends got up, stretched, and laid out their bedrolls near the fire. Xena crawled in, relaxing for the first time all day. She watched Gabrielle, back at work on her scrolls, and soon fell into a light doze.

The next thing Xena knew, Gabrielle was gently shaking her. "Xena, it's your turn to watch."

"Thanks, Gabrielle. Any change?" Gabrielle shook her head. "No? Well, sweet dreams, my friend."

Gabrielle smiled at her as she crawled in to her bedroll. Soon the young bard was sound asleep, snoring ever so lightly as was her habit.

Xena walked over to the banked fire, and took another cupful of the herbal medicine. She walked quietly over to the unknown woman, and gently woke her up. She was groggy, still unsure of her surroundings.

"Here," said Xena. "Drink this."

The young woman began to protest weakly, but Xena waved her off. "I know, I know," the warrior said gently, "but you will heal faster if you drink this. Trust me."

The girl grasped the cup. Xena helped her steady it as she drank it off. The young woman sat up, pulling up the blanket to cover her nakedness, wincing at the pain in her head.

"You've got quite a gash back there," Xena said. "It'll be sore for a few more days."

The young woman felt the back of her head. It was slightly swollen, tender to the touch. "Do you think I could have a little water, please?" she asked.

Xena smiled at her. "Of course." Xena got up, returned with the waterbag, and sat down next to the woman. Again Xena steadied the girl's hand as drank deeply from the bag. When she was done, Xena too drank from the bag.

"Who are you?" asked the stranger.

"My name is Xena. The girl sleeping by the fire is my friend Gabrielle. Who are you?"

"Mariah...Mariah Evans," replied the woman. "I-I haven't had the chance to thank you or your friend for helping me. What happened to me? Where am I"

"You don't remember? You don't know?" asked Xena, her blue eyes narrowing.

"I-I'm not sure," said Mariah. Xena noticed Mariah's eyes were beginning to droop, a sure sign the herbal medicine was again working its magic.

"Don't worry about that now," soothed Xena, as she helped Mariah lie back down. "There will be plenty of time to talk in the morning. You're safe here. The best thing for you to do is get some sleep. Rest now." Xena watched as Mariah's eyes closed and her breathing steadied into a slow, deep, natural rhythm.

Xena stood up. Well, at least the girl knew her name...that was something. Sometimes, with head injuries, people forgot who they were. That doesn't seem to be the case here, Xena thought. But there were still many unanswered questions that would have to wait until morning. And what kind of person had two names? Xena continued her watch over Mariah until dawn began to creep in from the east. Deciding to let Gabrielle sleep, Xena crawled back in her bedroll to grab a little more sleep herself. It looked like tomorrow would be an even longer day than today.

Part Three
Secrets And Dreams...

The girl slept.

As she slept, she dreamed.

Dreamed of hospitals, drugs, pain. Dreamed of nausea, scanning machines, wheelchairs, I.V. hookups. She was poked and prodded by people in white jackets, jabbed with needles...god, would it ever end? Stop, she begged. Stop it, I can't take anymore....

"STOP IT! DO YOU HEAR ME? I'VE HAD ENOUGH!! STOP IT NOW, DAMN IT!!"

The screams instantly awoke Xena, who jumped to her feet, sword in hand. Gabrielle, too awoke, but not with Xena's speed, scrambling to her feet, her staff at the ready.

The two girls looked around, and quickly discovered the source of the screams. It was the strange girl, thrashing around in the blankets. They put down their weapons and ran over to her. Xena knelt down and gently shook her by the shoulders to wake her up.

"Mariah! Mariah? Hey, Mariah, come on, wake up," Xena urged. Was this a result of the head injury, Xena wondered, or did this woman carry around her own private demons, too?

Suddenly, Mariah's eyes shot open. She looked around wildly, not realizing where she was, her breaths coming in shallow, panicked gasps. And then she saw the tall woman from the night before.

"Mariah, it was just a dream," said Xena soothingly, taking her into her arms to calm her down. "You're awake, now. You're OK."

The woman's body still trembled with the vivid memory of the dream. Would it ever end, she wondered silently. After all this time, to still be plagued by these damn dreams...these thoughts trailed off as her heartbeat slowed to its usual rate and the trembling eased. Mariah's breathing returned to normal too, and she began to relax in Xena's arms. As the young teacher calmed down, she began to take in her surroundings. What a beautiful place, she thought. It's like it's untouched by civilization. This can't be home. It can't be. And if this isn't home, then where am I? Suspicion, fear, and dread gnawed at her heart. Nothing looked familiar. Nothing at all.

Xena watched Mariah carefully as the girl eyed the surroundings. "Lean over, will you?" asked Xena. "I want to see how that head wound of yours is healing."

Mariah leaned over, as Xena tenderly felt the area around the wound, sensitive to the pain she was causing Mariah. She eyed it expertly. Thanks to the medicinal herbs and her stitching, it was healing very nicely. It would be days before the stitches could come out, though. Suddenly, Xena made one more unexpected discovery: another one of those mysterious scars on Mariah. This one began just above the base of her neck, ran down the middle of her back, and ended about seven inches down from where it started. Xena didn't notice it yesterday, for when she treated Mariah's head wound, the girl was still wearing her high-necked silk shirt. Xena motioned Gabrielle to come over and take a look. They exchanged puzzled glances. Xena lightly ran her fingers down the scar line; it also was too smooth and too fine to be a battle injury. Another surgical scar? This girl had a spinal injury? Xena remembered the warriors she knew with spinal injuries. Most of them had lost the ability to use their legs. Many more were dead. Xena noticed some bruising around shoulders. That must be from the fall, she thought.

While Xena examined her head, Mariah looked at her watch to check the time. Nothing. She tapped on it a few times, but it was no use. The batteries were dead. Damn digital watch!! Suddenly, she felt Xena's fingers tracing her spinal scar line. She flinched and stiffened up.

"Sorry. Did I hurt you?" asked Xena, as she helped Mariah straighten up.

"No...well, not much," admitted Mariah, tugging the blanket. "My upper back and shoulders are sore, though. How's my head look?"

"Oh, you'll have a headache for a few days, but that should clear up. Your back is bruised up a bit, but that should clear up too, if you don't overdo it. Do you think you can stand up?" Mariah nodded, carefully. "Gabrielle, give us a hand, will you?"

Gabrielle and Xena stood on each side of Mariah, and slowly lifted her to her feet. Mariah's back spasmed, her vision swam, and her stomach lurched violently. She saw two Xenas and three Gabrielles. Suddenly, she leaned over, losing the blanket, vomiting up what little her stomach contained. She wretched until she brought up nothing but bile. She was a little shaky, but felt better as she leaned against a tree, slowly getting her stomach, her eyes, and her nerves back under control. When she opened her eyes, she was relieved to see one of each woman again.

Gabrielle looked at Xena. Would this woman be all right? Xena's affirmative nod told her what she needed to know. Gabrielle coughed delicately. "Ah, I don't mean to intrude, but even though it should be a warm day, we better find you some clothes."

Mariah looked down at herself, realized she was stark naked, and began to laugh in spite of herself. Xena and Gabrielle joined in, and the tension they all felt was broken. Mariah's laugh broke off suddenly as pain lanced through her head. Xena saw the look on her face, went to the medicine bag and returned with a packet of white powder.

Xena said as she returned, "Gabrielle, let me introduce you to Mariah. Mariah, this is Gabrielle, bard of Potadeia." The warrior walked over to Mariah, draped the discarded blanket over her shoulders, and gave her the packet of white powder. "Here. Put a little of this in your mouth, and wash it down with water. It'll ease the pain in your head. And sit down. Your head may not be quite ready for your feet."

Mariah gratefully did as Xena said. Soon, the sharp pain became a dull ache she could better handle. In the meantime, Gabrielle scrounged through their supplies, looking for some clothes. Xena walked over to the bard, and began to talk to her in a quiet voice Mariah couldn't hear.

"Gabrielle, I know you have a lot of questions for her, but take it easy. There's more to her than meets the eye"

"Why? What's the matter?" asked Gabrielle, her voice concerned.

"I don't know," admitted Xena. "It's almost as if she doesn't belong here...my gut's telling me something isn't right. Those scars, her clothes, that metal band she wore around her eyes,..." Xena shook her head. "No, something isn't right," the warrior repeated, almost to herself.

"Do you think she's some kind of spy? Do you think Ares sent her?"

"I don't think so," Xena said. "Just keep an eye on her. And to play it safe, try not to tell her too much until I get back. There's a village up ahead. Maybe someone there knows who she is. I need to get more healing herbs, and I better get her some clothes so she'll fit in. She can't wear that stuff we found her in. I'll also get some food for breakfast. It looks like she might be with us for awhile, at least until her head heals up and we can get some answers from her." Gabrielle nodded in agreement.

The bard walked over to the stranger, carrying a long shirt.

"Put this on," said Gabrielle. "It'll help keep out the morning chill."

"Thanks," said Mariah, donning the shirt. But she had a more immediate need. She had to urinate. Desperately. She looked around the forest, not seeing what she needed. "Uh, I need to go to the bathroom. Is there an outhouse nearby?"

"Outhouse?" Gabrielle mouthed to Xena. Xena just shrugged her shoulders. Mariah eyed the two women, her suspicions growing.

"You know, an outhouse. A place where you relieve yourself??"

Understanding dawned upon the two women. "Gabrielle will take you where you can go relieve yourself," replied Xena quickly. "I'll go see about breakfast. Why don't you two wash up while you're at it?"

The bard shot Xena a look, but the warrior whistled for Argo, jumped on her back, and galloped away, hoping Gabrielle could not see the huge grin on her face. Gabrielle sighed. "Come on," she said to Mariah.

"It's over this way..."

Part Four
The Village People....

Xena rode slowly into the town, as to not spook the villagers. She soon found what she was looking for--the marketplace. She picked up some bread, cheese, and fruit for their morning meal. She also bought some more healing herbs, and browsed through the clothing, guestimating at Mariah's height and size. A shopkeeper soon came to her assistance.

"May I help you?" he asked politely.

"Yeah," said Xena. "I need to buy some clothes for...for my cousin. I wonder what colors would look good on her?"

"Tell me about her," said the shopkeeper, all smiles, eager to make a sale. "Height, size, hair color, eyes, skin coloring..."

"Let's see," Xena answered. "She's comes up to about my shoulder. She's medium sized. She has short brown curly hair, blue eyes, and is of fair coloring. Does that help?"

"Oh, yes," said the shopkeeper, eyeing Xena to get an idea of the size and height, pulling out several items. "She'd probably love..."

"Great. I'll take those two. Wrap them up for me, will you? I'll be back shortly," Xena said, walking off. The shopkeeper stared at her as she headed over towards the local inn/tavern.

Xena walked in the tavern, her eyes adjusting to the dim light and the crowd of people. She didn't need a drink--she needed information, and what better place to get information than the local watering hole?

The barkeep approached her, warily eyeing her armor, the sheathed sword on her back, the chakram hanging on her right hip. "How can I help you?"

"I'm looking for someone," said Xena, "and I heard she was from this area. Do you know anyone by the name of Mariah? Brown hair, blue eyes, fair skinned, about a head shorter than me?"

The barkeep shook his head. "No, there's no one like that around here. Do you want a drink?"

"Yeah, a cup of unwatered wine, and if you have a full wineskin for sale, I'll buy that too," replied Xena.

The barkeep reached under the bar, and pulled out a full, fat wineskin. He walked over to the wine cask and poured out a cup of wine. "That'll be four dinars," he said. Xena placed the money on the bar, picked up the cup and the wineskin, and stepped over to a nearby empty table.

As she nursed her drink, she listened to the swirls of conversation around her. No mention of any missing girls, no mysterious occurrences...yet all of her instincts told her that all was not right with the world. She finished her drink, picked up the wineskin, and left the tavern, returning to the marketplace to pick up her purchases.

Part Five
Breaking The Waves...

"Mariah, can I ask you a question?" Gabrielle called to the girl, who was relieving herself behind some bushes after Xena rode off to town on Argo.

"Fire away."

"About those clothes your were wearing...." Gabrielle began.

"Hey, I don't mean to interrupt, but I wanted to ask *you* the same thing," said Mariah, as she stepped back into view. "Oh, do I feel better!!" Now if I could only get rid of this rotten headache, she thought. "I'm sorry, Gabrielle; you were saying??"

"Those clothes you were wearing...I've never seen clothes like that before," Gabrielle began carefully, as they walked down to the stream to clean up. "They're not from around here, are they? And you...you're not from around here either, are you?"

"I don't know, Gabrielle. Where exactly is 'here'?" asked Mariah, her voice quiet as she stopped in her tracks, both wanting and fearing Gabrielle's answer. That question of where she was was still uppermost in her mind.

"Ah, I think we better wait until Xena gets back," replied Gabrielle, hedging.

Mariah was a little disappointed, yet relieved. "You're probably right. Let's go get cleaned up."

The girls stripped off their garments, Mariah also taking off her watch and her rings, and they eased themselves into the waters of the nearby stream. It was cool and refreshing. Mariah longed to dive in, go for a hard swim, and then wash her blood-caked hair, but knew enough to not get the stitches wet for a few more days. Instead she washed the dirt off of her face and body, as did Gabrielle. With the bard's help, she got back on dry land, and the two women sat on the rocks, the sun drying their still-damp bodies. Mariah looked out over the calm, peaceful waters, leaned back, and closed her eyes. I could almost get used to this, she thought, if I knew where *this* was. Little clues were falling into place, and she didn't much like where those clues were taking her.

"Mariah?" Gabrielle asked, breaking in on the girl's thoughts.

"Hmm?"

When Gabrielle didn't respond right away, Mariah opened her eyes and looked over. She saw the bard looking (but trying not to look) at the scars covering her upper body. Mariah sighed with resignation. Well, it would have to come out sooner or later, she thought. Let's travel down that road now and get it over with.

"I've never seen scars like those, not even on Xena. Were you in some kind of an accident?" began Gabrielle, blushing a little at her forwardness.

Mariah didn't answer right away. Finally she said, "If you don't mind, could we not talk about it until Xena gets back? It's a long story, and I'd hate to have to tell it twice."

"Sure," replied Gabrielle with a smile. "We're dry enough. Let's get dressed."

Gabrielle put on her green halter top, her skirt, and laced up her boots. Mariah put on the shirt Gabrielle gave her earlier, her pants, her sneakers, her rings, and her watch. Gabrielle watched her, fascinated.

The girls walked back to camp, Mariah squinting, shading her eyes with her hand against the shining rays of the sun. Oh, for a pair of...

"Hey, have you seen my sunglasses?" Mariah asked.

"Sunglasses?" What were sunglasses, thought Gabrielle. Inspiration struck. "Do you mean that band of metal you wore around your eyes?"

"Y-Yes," replied Mariah, looking oddly at Gabrielle. Band of metal?? These people never heard of sunglasses? "Do you have them?"

"I put them by your bag, over near that tree," said Gabrielle. "Let me get them for you."

The bard hurried over to the tree, and soon returned with the item. She watched as Mariah looped the long hooks over her ears, and rested main part of the frame on her nose.

Gabrielle stared at the young teacher. "You look so different, Mariah. Those things...sunglasses...they help you see?"

Mariah laughed. "Not really. What they are good for is keeping the sunlight out of my eyes. I'm glad they weren't damaged when I fell on the ice..." she broke off her conversation. "When I fell on the ice," she whispered.

"Fell? Ice? You mean you remember what happened to you?" Gabrielle asked.

Mariah sat down suddenly, closed her eyes, her head aching, temples pounding. God, I would KILL for some Tylenol, she thought. Suddenly, she remembered something. "Gabrielle? Would you please bring my backpack over? And the waterbag?"

"Are you in pain? I have more of that white powder Xena gave you earlier..."

"No, no, that's OK. I have something in my bag that'll work just as well," she said, as the bard came over to her with the items. Maria unzipped the bag and pulled out a small bottle. Gabrielle watched Mariah as shook two white pills from the bottle, put the bottle back in the bag, picked up the waterbag, put the two pills in her mouth, and took a long pull from the waterbag. Her jaws worked as she swallowed the pills.

Gabrielle, shocked at what she had just witnessed, didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything.

At that moment, Xena and Argo stepped into the clearing. "Anyone hungry?" The warrior stared at Mariah; she was wearing that strange metal band around her eyes, the band she wore when they found her. Xena's eyes narrowed. She would find out about *that* soon enough, she thought. First things first.

"Mariah, do you think you can keep some food down? I brought some bread, cheese, and fruit, and there's still some rabbit left over from last night. Gabrielle, why don't you stir up the fire while Mariah helps me unload Argo?"

Gabrielle was almost bursting in her effort to keep silent as she worked on the fire. Mariah walked over to Argo and helped the warrior unload the horse.

Xena handed her the food. "Take these things over to Gabrielle. She'll show you were to put them," said Xena, as she put the herbs, wineskin, and clothing off to the side.

Mariah did as Xena directed. She also took off the sunglasses and stowed them in her backpack. She sensed, that for some unknown reason, Xena was uncomfortable with her wearing them. Soon, the three girls sat around the fire eating a late breakfast. Gabrielle, as was her habit, ate hugely. Xena smiled fondly at her young friend. What an appetite! I don't know where she puts it, the warrior thought to herself. Mariah ate sparingly as the Tylenol took effect, being careful not to eat too fast and bring it all back up.

As the meal wound down, it was time to get some answers. Head injury or not, Xena decided, there were some hard questions that needed to be asked.

"Mariah, do you feel like talking now? asked Xena.

The young teacher looked at the warrior and the young bard. "Yes. I think we *all* better do some talking, Xena," she said quietly.

Part Six
The Conversation...

Xena cleared her throat, a little unsure of where to start. Talking was Gabrielle's forte, and, true to her nature, the bard jumped right in.

"Could you tell us about yourself?" Xena looked at her friend, but thought they might as well start somewhere.

Mariah laughed a little in an effort to dodge the question. "That could take some time. What do you want to know?"

Gabrielle thought for a moment. "How old are you?"

Mariah sat back. "I'm twenty-eight."

Well that didn't get us anywhere, Xena thought, but the plucky bard had another question ready. "Where were you born?"

"Lombard. It's a town outside the city of Chicago," replied Mariah.

Xena and Gabrielle exchanged glances. Lombard? Chicago? Where in Hades' name were *those* places, Xena thought to herself. I *knew* something wasn't right. Just how wrong would it get, she wondered.

Mariah was purposefully being a little vague; not out of spite, but because of the nagging, disquieting thought running through her mind, a thought that slowly seemed to be developing into a reality. And that reality was almost too terrifying for her to even consider. "Where were you two born?" she asked.

"I was born in Potadeia, and Xena's from Amphipolis," Gabrielle answered.

Potadeia? Amphipolis? Where in the hell are those places, thought Mariah. The names had a Mediterranean, almost Greek flavor. Greek...Greek???

Gabrielle's mouth opened, but Mariah had another question ready and quickly asked, "What's the name of the biggest town in this area?"

"Athens," replied Xena. "It's about a week's walk from here."

"Athens. Athens, Greece? And it's a week's walk away?" Realizations dawned upon her.

"Well, of course," said Gabrielle, looking at Xena a little doubtfully.

The young teacher leaned back, exhaling audibly as her suspicions were confirmed. The clothing the two women wore and their reactions to hers, Gabrielle's questions about my scars and the sunglasses, the waterbag...I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore, Toto, she thought ruefully, that famous line from *The Wizard of Oz* running through her head. She looked down at her hands. She was surprised they weren't shaking. They would be soon enough. Be careful for what you wish for, Mariah, her mother had always told her...you might just get it. But Greece...ancient Greece? Why here, of all places? Xena interrupted her thoughts with another question.

"Can you tell us more of what happened when you hit your head?" the warrior asked.

"I think I can, but first I need to ask another question," said Mariah. She took a deep breathe and took the plunge. It was do or die, she thought...crunch time...got to know one way or the other. But how to be sure? Suddenly, inspiration struck--*The Iliad*!! She had taught it often enough. And it was based on an actual event. That would have to be her point of reference. "The city of Troy," she asked, "is it still in existence? Is that war between the Trojans and Greeks still going on or did it finally end?"

"It ended some time ago," said Xena. Mariah's heart sank as her worst suspicion was just confirmed. The time had come for all to be told. Chin up, girl, she told herself. What's 2,000 years between friends?.

Hysterical laughter began to bubble up, but she pushed it back under the surface. She got up, and paced back and forth in front of the fire, ignoring the throbbing in her head, the roiling in her stomach. She paced

silently for several moments, her sneakers kicking up dust as she phrased her thoughts.

"What I'm going to tell you sounds impossible," she began. "I'm having a hard time believing it myself, but it must be true, it has to be..."

"Mariah," said Gabrielle, but Xena gently waved her silent.

"You were right, Gabrielle, when you said I wasn't from around here. I can't really explain how I got here. It must have been that crack on the head I got when I fell on the ice. I'm from a place thousands of miles away, a place across the seas, a place most travelers have never been to, a place that hasn't even been discovered yet by civilized man. And that's not the worst of it. I'm not only from another place; I'm from another time as well. As near as I can figure, I'm from a time more than 2,000 years in the future. I'm from the twentieth century." There!! Now it's been said, she thought.

There was silence. Gabrielle spoke up, lightly joking, trying to ease the tension which could be cut with a knife. "Mariah, I think you hit your head just a *little* harder than you thought." Xena said nothing.

She had feared Mariah's tale would turn out to be something like this. The clues all pointed to it. She mulled over what she had just heard; the implications were staggering.

"Well, do you have a better explanation, Gabrielle, because I sure don't!!" The hysterics rose to the surface. Tears streaming down her face, her breaths coming in gasps, Mariah stormed out of the camp.

"Hey, wait..." said Gabrielle, getting to her feet, but Xena stopped her.

"Let her go, Gabrielle. She's had one shock on top of another. She won't go far. Let her be by herself for awhile. She needs to work through this. And you and I need to talk."

Part Seven
Reality Bites...

My god, thought Mariah, as she marched down towards the stream. What am I going to do? I'm stuck here! I've got no friends, no family. And my job? Could I even *do* my job here, she thought. Most of what I teach hasn't even been *written* yet. Would they even allow a woman to teach, let alone some stranger? What am I going to do? How will I live? She sat down and held her throbbing head in her hands, the tears streaming down her face. How could this have happened? I crack my head open on some damn ice, and suddenly I'm 2,000 years back in the past, in ancient Greece? It sounds like something out of *Star Trek*! She thought back to when she was a young girl, immersing herself in books like *A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court*, watching television shows like *Dr. Who* and movies like *Somewhere in Time*. She used to dream about traveling to other eras. She always wished something like that could happen to her, but she knew things like that didn't happen in real life. Be careful for what you wish for...well, I got what I wished for all those years ago.

Mariah grappled with her churning emotions as the reality of her situation began to sink in She stood up, walked around, trying to control her shaking hands and her ragged breathing, her head throbbing with every beat of her heart. The Tylenol would wear off soon; she would need to take some more. Tylenol, she thought wildly. Now there's an image--Tylenol in ancient Greece!! Hey!! It's good for what ails you!! After a hard day battling those Trojans, take some Tylenol to sooth that aching head and those sore muscles. Trojans...stop! Don't *even* follow that line of thought. Whoa, you've got to get a grip, girl. Calm down. Deep breaths. Come on...you can do it. If you're stuck here, you better figure out what you're going to do to survive. It's battle-mode time, she thought. You need to learn how to fit in. Eat what they eat, wear what they wear...do whatever it takes, Mariah, she said to herself, you do *whatever* it takes. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Except you're not *in* Rome, are you? Suddenly, a thought struck her. Would her actions here interfere with future events? Oh, that's just GREAT, she thought, momentarily angrily. If I do anything here, I could muck things up down the road! I can't think about that now. And then the truly frightening thought hit her, the one thought she wasn't yet ready to face: what if my cancer comes back again? Her face went white. I'd die, she thought bleakly...that'd be it for me.

She slowly sat down again, burying her head in her hands, sobs racking her body as she allowed the emotions running rampant through her body to get the best of her for now. Cry, she thought. Get it out of your system now, kid. You won't have time for the tears later. You'll be too busy surviving. She knew the time for clearer thinking would come after she exhausted her emotions....

Mariah, however, wasn't the only one puzzling things out. Xena and Gabrielle sat around the fire, discussing this recent turn of events.

"Xena, do you believe her? That's one heck of a story!!"

"She has to be telling the truth, Gabrielle. How else can you explain all the strange things she has? The clothing? Those scars? We know she's not from around here...maybe the gods are involved. You know how Zeus loves to stir things up...or maybe it *was* an accident. I don't really know," Xena said with a sigh as she leaned back. "But think back to all of the strange things that have happened to us. Remember when the Fates altered reality so I could see what my life would have been like if I hadn't followed the sword? Or when I was cursed with madness by the Furies? Or when you, Joxer, and I were caught in that repeating day because of a lover's plea to Cupid? Try to see it from her point of view. It's frustrating when you're the one that's being affected, and no one else seems to be. My bet is she's scared witless."

"So what are we going to do? We can't just leave her here, Xena."

"No, we can't..."

"Could you send her back? You know, give a little crack on the head, knock her out again? If it was a blow on the head that sent her here, what about another whack to send her back? It might work!"

Xena gave her friend a doubtful look. "No, it would probably kill her. She's still suffering from that first head wound. Another hit on the head...no, that's not an option we have, Gabrielle. And it probably wouldn't work. We're going to have to keep an eye on her. We don't know what knowledge of the future she has. If she fell into some warlord's hands, and he managed to get information from her...it could change everything we know ."

"What do you mean, Xena?"

"Well, think about it, Gabrielle. You saw how different her clothes were...she's from 2,000 years in the future. And the clothes were just one little thing!! What kind of world did she come from? What does she know? Remember...knowledge is power...and knowledge can turn the tide of battle in an instant! Ten years ago, I would have done *anything* to get the kind of knowledge needed to defeat my enemies!! And knowledge of the future? If I had that kind of knowledge ten years ago, and used it to my advantage, I would've been unstoppable."

Gabrielle looked at her best friend. "Maybe you're right." The young bard thought for a few moments before speaking again. " You know, if we taught her *our* ways, she would fit in better, Xena. Taught her how to dress, how to live off the land, how to defend herself, how to act in a crowd so she wouldn't stand out...she needs to learn how to keep a low profile so she *won't* become a target. That might help her keep her mind occupied, too. And we won't always be here for her; eventually, she'll need to find her own way here, and she's going to need the skills to do that."

Xena thought this over, and nodded her head in agreement. "Sounds good. That's what we'll do. Come on. Let's go find her."

The two women got up and walked along the stream until they found Mariah, sitting on the shoreline, staring out over the water. What thoughts were running through her head, wondered Gabrielle, as she put herself in Mariah's place. How would I deal with it if I were taken from my world? No Lila, no family, none of her Amazon friends, and, worst of all, no Xena...how would I cope? What would I do? How would I react. Probably much the same as Mariah, thought the young bard. Fear, anger, tears...

"Mariah?" The two women sat down on either side of the young teacher. Gabrielle put her hand on the girl's shoulder. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you earlier. It's just that-"

"I know, Gabrielle," Mariah replied, clasping the bard's hand. "I-I'm still having a hard time believing it myself."

"We do have a plan to help you," said Xena. "Now that you're here, you're going to need to learn our ways so you won't stand out. There are some pretty unscrupulous people around here, people who would use your knowledge for their own means, and if word got out about you..." the warrior left the statement unfinished.

Mariah sighed. "Yeah, I guess I would be a pretty tempting target, wouldn't I?" She laughed a little and looked down at her pants and sneakers. "I guess I better start getting with the program by getting some new clothes."

"That's not all," Xena said. "You're going to have to get rid of a lot of your things. Hopefully, you can keep a few small items, but those...what did you call them, sunglasses? You'll have to get rid of those, your footwear, and your clothes. Probably your bag as well."

Xena rose to her feet. "Come on. We better get to work. I bought you some clothes when I went to town. And you could probably use something for the pain in your head," she finished, as she reached down to help up Mariah.

Mariah reached up and grabbed Xena's wrist. "I don't know how to thank the two of you," she began, as Xena hauled her to her feet.

Smiling, Xena said, "The best way you can thank us is to learn, and learn well so you can fit in and have a life for yourself. That's your only hope if you want to make it here, Mariah. "

Mariah agreed. What other choice did she have? They headed back to camp.

Part Eight
Fireside Chats...

It was nighttime of that first fateful day of Mariah's new life.

Earlier, the women went through Mariah's belongings, tearing all of her twentieth century clothing into small strips, putting the strips on the fire to burn. The sunglasses were tossed on the fire; the flames licked greedily at the plastic and metal offering. Mariah, dressed in one of the outfits Xena picked up for her that morning, threw her watch and her sneakers on the fire as well. It would do her no good to hang onto them.

Most of the contents in the bag were also tossed on the fire...her students' essays, her portable Shakespeare book, her checkbook, money, wallet, credit cards, pictures, the bottle of Tylenol. None of these things will help me here, she thought sadly, as she dragged a bare big toe through the dirt. Mariah stared at the flames and wondered. Will I be like the phoenix that rises from the ashes to start my life anew? Or will I slowly burn out and die like most fires? She had no answer for herself. Finally the bag itself was burned. After the fire burned itself out, the ashes would be buried deep within the earth, hopefully never to be found.

There were, however, a few things Mariah refused to part with.

"I can't get rid of my rings," she said. "My parents gave me those rings before they died. They're my only link with them. When I wear them, I'll turn them so the designs face inward. That way, they'll look like other rings." Xena agreed, but cautioned her to not forget to do that.

Then there was the matter of her journal.

"I won't give this up," she said tersely, cradling the book in her arms. "Words are my life, writing keeps me sane. Look, I'll keep it hidden somehow, but, please, you can't burn it, Xena. It would be like burning my soul."

Gabrielle, who herself realized how much words and language meant to her, sympathized and offered a solution. "We could keep it covered in the bottom of my scroll bag. That way, if anyone just looked in the bag, it wouldn't be seen." Mariah threw the emerald-eyed bard a grateful look.

"Fine," replied Xena. "You two work it out. But whatever you do, Mariah, you have to keep it hidden away. And the only time you can use it is when we're alone in camp."

Afterward, the women returned to the creek. It was time to start thinking about supper, and what better supper than fresh fish? The warrior and the bard taught Mariah how to fish. That wasn't too hard; Mariah had fished when she was younger, and, after a few tries, she was handling the pole with ease.

Xena and Gabrielle looked at each other. Maybe this wouldn't be so difficult after all.

"Gabrielle, stay here with Mariah, would you? I'm going to brush down Argo after I feed and water her." The warrior smiled at her friend as she walked away.

Mariah turned to Gabrielle. "So how did you two meet up?"

Gabrielle smiled, her green eyes sparkling, eager at the chance to tell a good tale in front of a willing audience. "It's quite a story. It was a few years ago when I was still living in Potadeia. The village had just been attacked by slavers. We were being taken away when I hit one of the men. He was going to whip me when this woman appeared from out of nowhere. It was Xena. You should have seen her fight!! It was amazing. I'm still awed watching her fight. She's incredible. After that, I just had to get to know her better, so I followed her. She didn't like it at first; I think she was too used to being on her own. She soon came around. We've been traveling together ever since."

"So where did Xena learn to fight?" asked Mariah.

"That's a story in itself, and even *I* don't know the whole of it. What I do know is this: ten years ago, *her* village was attacked by a warlord named Cortese. She led an uprising against him, and her brother

Lyceus was killed in the fighting. She started taking more and more land around her village to protect it. Soon, all the killing and mayhem turned her into one of the most ruthless, bloodthirsty warlords around. She was out absolutely out of control, a killing machine. That was the time when the name 'Xena: Warrior Princess' brought nothing but fear and dread. Then she met a man who helped her turn her life around, a man who took her from her path of destruction put her on the path of good. She was just starting to travel that new path and turn her life around when I met her."

"So what exactly do you two *do*?" asked Mariah, as she pulled a fish from the stream. "Is Xena some kind of soldier-for-hire? A mercenary?"

"Oh, no!! Xena would never do that. Those days are behind her," I hope, the bard said to herself, thinking of the few lapses Xena had had since they met up. "No, we travel. We help people. We see the world," Gabrielle said simply. "We live."

"And you...are you a warrior too, Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle laughed at that. "I'm more the bard type than the warrior type. Xena's taught me a lot about handling myself in a fight. I'm not too bad, but I'm not *nearly* in her league. No, I'm more comfortable telling a good story than mixing it up in a fight. Don't worry, though. We'll teach you some moves so you can take care of yourself when we get in a fight."

"'When we get in a fight,'" Mariah repeated.

"With Xena, it's never 'if,' it's always 'when,'" replied the bard, laughing. "You'll see."

"What kind of weapons does she use?"

"Anything. Everything. Her main weapons are her sword and her chakram, but she can use anything in a fight, from her fists to fish to frying pans. And has." Gabrielle chuckled to herself, thinking of some of Xena's more memorable fights.

"What do you use? Do you use a sword, too?" asked Mariah.

"Oh, no. Xena said carrying a sword makes you a target. I use an Amazon fighting staff," said Gabrielle, as she struggled to pull another fish from the stream. "I think we have enough. Let's clean these and start cooking them."

After their dinner of fresh fish, the women sat around the campfire. Xena sharpened her sword, Gabrielle worked on her scrolls, and Mariah, after cleaning up the dishes, stared silently into the fire. I have to tell them, she thought. She screwed up her courage, and looked at her two new companions.

Mariah spoke up. "You asked me a question earlier today, Gabrielle, and I never answered it. I-I think I'm ready to, now."

Gabrielle put down her scrolls and Xena set aside her sword. They both looked at Mariah, waiting for her to begin.

Mariah sat back, crossed her legs, tucking in her bare feet, the flames of the fire reflected in her blue eyes. "You wanted to know about me. It's only right that I do tell you. You two are going out of you way to help me...it-it's the least I can do."

"Mariah, you don't have to do this now..."

"No, Xena, I want to." Who am I kidding, she thought to herself, I *need* to. She exhaled audibly. "It's a long story..."

Gabrielle perked up, her green eyes dancing in the firelight. That was her favorite kind!!

"All you know about me is that I'm from another land, another time. I am a teacher." They could hear the quiet pride in her voice. "I taught teenagers. After they finished their studies, some went on to study more, others chose to go out into the world. There were over 3,000 students at my school, and over 200 teachers. Some of those teachers taught mathematics, some taught science, others taught history. I taught speech, literature, and writing."

Gabrielle smiled at her. "So that's why you couldn't give up your journal! Hey! I don't mind. I think it's great we have something in common. I mean, something in common besides fishing!"

Xena spoke up. "Yeah, great...now I got *two* of you who'll be talking my ears off!" She rolled her blue eyes in mock frustration, a smile on her lips.

Mariah smiled back at them. "Books, reading, writing, teaching, my students, school...that was my life for the last few years. In fact, I was leaving school when I slipped on that ice, cracked my head open, and wound up here. It was a life I loved. And I will miss it." Tears welled in her eyes as she continued her story.

"But I had another life while I was a teacher...it was not a pleasant life." Her eyes closed with the pain and fear of those memories, visibly struggling with her inner emotions. "It was a time of sickness...it was during this time that I got those scars you asked me about earlier, Gabrielle."

Xena's eyes narrowed as she listened more intently to this part of the story.

"It began around seven years ago. I had an illness, a disease that caused growths to form in my body. It was a deadly disease. If I had done nothing, the disease would have killed me. I didn't have many choices if I wanted to live--and *I* wanted to live!! The first thing that needed to be done was to cut out the tumors--growths--they knew about. So I went to a surgeon who did that. That's where I got this scar," she pointed to the barely visible four inch scar in the fold at the base of the left side of her neck, "and the scar on my stomach." She lifted her top so her companions could better see the vertical foot-long scar that ran down the center of her abdomen.

"But surgery wasn't enough. Soon after, the tumors started growing again. It was worse the second time. I began to have pain in my back, terrible pain, and soon after, lost the ability to walk. It was then they discovered the growth on my spinal cord. They had to cut me open and scrape it out. That explains the scar you saw on my back earlier today, Xena."

Gabrielle winced at the thought. By the gods, what this woman had gone through!!

"The second time, I was treated with drugs that killed the disease. It was hard, though. The drugs made me very sick, and I still had the problem of learning how to walk again. I had to be on those drugs for almost a year..."

"But I did it," she said, her eyes hardening against the memories. "By god, I did it. I took all that medicine. I vomited, I hallucinated, I stumbled around like a baby, when I was learning to walk again. And after all of that, I vowed to do something with my life, to make something of myself. I *survived*," she said, blue eyes blazing in the firelight. And, she said silently to herself, if I could survive all that, then I damn well can survive this.

For a few moments, no one spoke as Mariah breathed deeply to reign in her emotions.

"No one doubts that," said Xena, as she watched the young teacher calm herself down. "Sometimes, though, in order to survive, we need help. I didn't understand that myself until I met Gabrielle." The warrior smiled at her best friend, who smiled back. "And not just help in surviving the physical side of injury or disease, Mariah Sometimes the soul needs healing as well." Xena's eyes searched Mariah's, the warrior remembering her screams of that morning.

Mariah stared back at this warrior woman who seemed to be able to see into the deepest recesses of her heart, as Xena said, gently, "We're going to help you. And, by the time we're done with you, you *will* be able to make your own way in this world. You'll see."

Xena stood up and stretched. "We've had a long day...all of us. We better get some sleep. Gabrielle, don't even *think* about staying up talking half the night. It's hard enough to wake you up now," Xena said with a smile. "Sleep would do us all good, especially you, Mariah. With a head wound, you want to get all of the rest you can. We'll stay here one more day so you can get some of your strength back, and then we'll be on our way."

The warrior walked over to her sleeping place. Gabrielle sighed, got up, and walked over to her own bedroll. Mariah stayed by the fire a few more moments until she too decided to turn in.

She hoped the dreams wouldn't bother her tonight.

Continue...

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