Labor Pains

Part 11

"Ok turn around and tell me which one is me."

Gabrielle, Melosa, Ephiny and Cyrene turned to face four Xenas. They now had to choose which one. Moments slipped by before Gabrielle pointed to the second "Xena". "That's Meg."

"That" Ephiny pointed at Xena number 4, "Is Lysia. The tattoo on her thigh."

"This is my daughter." Cyrene said putting her arms around Xena number 1's shoulders..

"No, mother. That's Princess Dianna. It will work. If we can fool my mother with this there is no reason we should not be able to fool A....anyone else." Xena number 3 stepped away from her place. "I will stay here. Lysia will head west. Dianna east and Meg north."

"But I don't want to go north alone." Meg whined.

"In each direction is a village within a days ride." Gabrielle explained to her. "and you won't leave until Xena goes into labor. Hopefully that way 'he' won't know that the child is being born and by the time 'he' does figure it out..... we will have the child safely hidden."

A familiar voice came from outside the hut "Excuse me....I'm looking for Xena."

"You sent for him???" Gabrielle questioned Xena.

"Who better to hide the child than the...."

"I'm Autolycus, King of Thieves. Maybe you've heard of me?"

"Gabrielle go get him before he becomes guest of honor at an Amazon Gauntlet." Melosa ordered wondering what Xena was up to now. Hercules had arrived three days before. After one look at Hippolyta he had left for the Centaur village saying that if needed he would be close.

While Gabrielle went to get Autolycus. Lysia, Meg, Diana and Xena positioned themselves in the hut. If they could fool the self-proclaimed, King of Thieves the plan was sure to work.

Autolycus strode into the hut. He was exceptionally pleased with himself. Not only had he gotten an invitation to the Amazon village, now he was being escorted to the Queen's hut. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light of the hut, he shook his head. "Now old boy there can't be four of them. Look again." Still four Xenas sat silently. "I take it I am to choose which is the real Xena?" In practiced unison the four women nodded. "All right then.... You..." he pointed at the third Xena, "Are an impostor. Sorry my dear but you slouch, Xena never slouches."

"See I told ya I couldn't do it."

"Meg be quiet." Gabrielle hissed.

"hmmmm..." Autolycus absentmindedly played with his beard as he studied the remaining three Xenas. Time stretched on. Finally he pointed at the first Xena. "You my dear have never killed. " He took her hand and kissed it gently. "A Pleasure to meet you Princess."

Diana joined Meg sitting with Gabrielle. All watched as Autolycus studied both Lysia and Xena. More time passed. Afternoon drifted into evening before he spoke again.

"This is Xena." He said pointing at Lysia.

The women erupted in laughter. Xena sitting beside Lysia smiled. She knew her plan would work. Reaching out she touched Autolycus' shoulder. "No I'm Xena. This is Lysia."

"ahhh... is this why you sent for me?"

"No In a few weeks I will need you to hide a precious jewel."

"A Jewel? You are going to trust me to hide it....where is it now?"

He watched as Xena's hand patted her stomach. "Here. I will need you to hide this child, from me and it's father if it is a boy."

"All right but who's the father?"

"One of the Gods."

"A....." he got no more out. Melosa and Ephiny had both quickly knocked him to the ground.

"DON'T speak his name." Xena warned ice dripping from her words, murder in her eyes.

"Ok, Ok, Ok." He said picking himself up. "So I take the baby... if it's a boy and hide it.... where?"

Lysia stepped up and whispered to him the name of the village Hippolyta had suggested.

Part 12 - labor starts

Messengers from across the Amazon Nation had come into the small village in the in the last week or so. Each with a tale of a skirmish in every corner of Greece. The Horde attacking to the west. The Romans to the North. One kingdom attacking another. Xena, Melosa and Gabrielle knew Athena was keeping her promise. With so many battles, so many warriors calling on him Ares could not ignore the blood feast being served to him, and in doing so he might well miss the cries of a newborn child.

Terris Xena was a beautiful baby, like her mother she was smiles and laughter. Already her eyes were turning green and her hair promised a rich red gold. She would be her mother's child in appearance. Gabrielle doted on her daughter knowing her time with her was short. At two and half months Terris had most of the Amazon's securely wrapped around her little fingers.

Xena watched as Gabrielle and Melosa played with Terris. She knew soon it would be time to tell them and send the decoys on their ways. Her pains had started with the dawn and were getting closer together. She clenched her teeth as another pain racked her body.

"Xena isn't she......" Gabrielle looking up from the baby noticed her agony. Having recently suffered it herself she knew what it meant. "How long?"

"Since dawn"

A call sounded through the village. Quietly the three look-a-likes donned their disguises. Once dressed they wrapped themselves in blankets and headed toward Melosa's hut.

Meg was the first to be sent out. An hour later Diana. Lastly Lysia left the amazon village. Amazon guards surrounded the hut, as Xena silently suffered the pains of bringing a child into the world.

A thought crossed her mind between pains....'What if the child looks like Callisto?'

Part 13 - Delivery

Quiet, the whole of existence seemed quiet. Only the soft encouragement of Gabrielle voice could be heard. High on Mount Olympus, Ares waited impatiently for the delivery of his child. In Tartarus, Callisto's torment ceased so she too could await the birth.

As Xena had requested no birthing ceremony was held for her child. Only Gabrielle's soft encouragement whispered in her ears. Pain after pain racked her body. Solon's delivery had been much easier as she remembered. Errant thoughts ran through her mind. What if the child was a boy? What is the child was a girl? What if the baby looked like Callisto? What if ..... what if...... what if...... Desperately she tried to block the thoughts from coming concentrating only in delivering this child. Autolycus waited outside the door in case the child was a boy.... to whisk him to safety. Nine months of worry would be over in a few moments. With a scream and a push Xena's child emerged into a world unsure of what it's birth meant.

"Xena" Cyrene said catching her daughter's eyes with her own. "You have a beautiful daughter. What do you wish to name her?"

"Cyrena Gabrielle." The two women both stunned looked at their namesake. "Ephiny will you raise her as your own, teach her the lessons that will stand her well in life? I think you will find her to be a fighter.." a smile tugged around the warrior's face as she reached her arms out for her daughter.

"Of course Xena." Ephiny responded. Hiding her worry over raising the child of the god of war.

"Oh Xena she's beautiful.... not as beautiful as my Terris.... but beautiful none the less."

"NO!!!" Ares outraged cry rang through the halls of Olympus. So sure had he been that Xena would bear him the son he wanted. As he stormed through his palace, Hermes appeared before him.... "What do You want?"

"Just delivering a message.... Zeus says you can visit Xena now that the child is born. .... Oh congratulations on the birth of your daughter."

In another palace on Olympus Artemis and Athena toasted the news, and in Tartarus, Callisto turned once again to her tormentors...

The End
Read Growing Pains The Adventures of Terris and Cyrena, Or Send Del a Comment, Or Back To The Library