"Keep away from me, " Theo yelled then slashed the air, a warning.

Xena smiled like a wild woman. "Are you ready to die, Theo?"

"I'm a captain," Theo shouted with a quivering voice.

Xena stared at him, weighing his fear with his command. Where were the seasoned soldiers?

She turned to the group and shared, "If Amazon's captured Draco, he's dead."

Theo shouted, confidently, "You're dead!"

Xena leaped forward, extending her arms ready-to-guard. Contests of strength shouldn't be new, especially with prisoners. As Theo stabbed at her chest, the dagger disappeared from his grip. All of the boys stepped back, some cringing to hide their eyes. Xena grabbed Theo's collar then pulled him to up on his toes.

"I'm the warlord, Xena," she whispered.

Theo collapsed into Xena's arms. Many of the boys tossed bows and knives, stepping away, subordinates. Though, power was shifting in Xena's favor, she didn't push it. Rhythmic shadows paraded from a greater campfire. The crowd parted.

A young man, of eighteen, strut forward. He had dark curly brown hair dangling off his tanned shoulders. Every itch was a trained warrior. A 3-inch gash on his left-forearm was only a week old. His leather trousers were torn from the many years his father used them. Finger-weapons filled hidden pockets that Xena had designed. Standing behind the young man, two teenagers cocked bows set on Xena.

The young man spoke with an deep even tone, "I am Zeth."

The boys seemed relieved. Their commander arrived.

"Theo made a mistake," he continued. "You are free to go, Xena."

"Let me take these children." Xena laid Theo's limp body on the ground.

"My father's warriors?" Zeth laughed, hearty, like his father. "Be gone. I haven't will to mock ignorance."

All the boys stood taller, stretching to be men by Draco's famed army. Without looking about, Xena felt many arrows cocked in her direction. A fight was foolish when she had so much to learn.

Xena dropped Theo's dagger. "You're right," she said, noting Zeth bridled anxiety. "Can we talk before I go?"

"Agreed."

Zeth and Xena waltzed into the woods, side by side, nonchalantly measuring each other. Moonlight accentuated their toned sinews as the path continued toward a great blaze.

Xena knew the cocked arrows stopped as they proceeded uphill. If not a threat, she wondered how Zeth valued her company. He could have killed her at the gorge. Occasionally, he stared at Xena but not as a boy in many degrees. Xena stretched her neck and sighed.

"Is it far," she asked?

"Relax," he replied. "My hunter's bounty is yours to share."

Zeth led the way through a maze of campfires heading to the highest ground. Xena studied many circles of sleeping children. From the orange glows behind, she guessed seventy children were here, too many to save considering the terrain of travel.

By a small pond, Xena and Zeth approached a fresh campfire where a medium-size guard-dog crept into the shadows. It was an asset above loyal men in Drakonian philosophy. To Xena, dogs were an easier animals to out-think and challenges to outrun. She glanced quickly, noticing a bundle buried under a loose pile of earth. For now, she played a guest.

Zeth said, "If bear is not to your liking. I can have dried venision delivered."

By a collection of arrows, Xena glanced at a tied satchel bulging with thin circular impressions. Ample bear-meat jerky still dried in a shallow dish. She selected several pieces, sampling one.

"Thanks," she said.

By an unfolded sleeping blanket, two water flasks sweat with inviting droplets. No wine for a novice leader? Xena turned and smiled at Zeth bringing a bundle of kindling near the fire. In many ways, Zeth stood apart from his father, too clever for his age.

Crossing her legs, Xena sat first. "What happened to these children."

Zeth bent, grabbing a piece of kindling, then tossed it into the flames. "Caesar," he said, sluggishly pacing back and forth. "I heard you fought him."

"Yes, and he's more than you're able to conquer."

"We know, " he said. "Every one of those boys came with me for shelter."

"What if King Aegis, or someone else, perceives this youthful army as a threat?"

"We're traveling north, to a farm." Zeth exhaled like dragon and calmed. "It's risky to train boys to fight against men. And, impossible to do nothing when they face hungry lions in a sealed ring."

"Surely, you know of the fortress at Corinth?"

"Traitors!" Zeth sat on the opposite side of the campfire.

"How so," Xena asked, intrigued.

"Caesar's spies dressed as soldiers protecting our villages. After they mapped our homes and paid many palms, invaders came in the night."

"What about the families?"

"Dead if they're lucky." Zeth sighed. "I only take those who ask to join our army."

Zeth opened a water flask and sipped slowly. Then he squinted at Xena, weighing her expressions.

"And, your father," Xena asked.

"We know better," Zeth whispered. "Children need distractions from their fears."

"True," Xena whispered. "Why take me?"

"Information." Zeth rubbed his temples, looking down at the flames. "You know, Romans."

Xena swallows a large piece of jerky, raising her brow in disbelief.

"All right." Zeth flashed a blushing grin. "I wasn't sure how you would react. Dad always said, keep your worries close."

"Wise," Xena said, wiping her palms on her thighs. "Draco must be proud."

Zeth offered a handshake. "No hard feelings?"

"Not yet." Xena shook once, firm and quick. "We leave in the morning."

"We? I promised safe passage to Thebes."

"Wrong," Xena said. "Caesar already calculated an obvious plan."

Sensing approaching footsteps, Zeth rolled to his side, clutching for his short-sword. Then, he climbed to his feet, taking aim.

"No," Xena yelled.

She grabbed his ankle, helping him fall. From the woodland shadows, a red-hair boy, of six, plodded forward. His blue eyes were pink with recent tears. Though half-asleep, the child stopped and started to shake.

Xena spoke in gentle tones. "I win," she said, sitting back then winking. "Who is this handsome warrior?"

The little boy shared an exhilarated smile. "I'm Douglas with a D."

Xena tugged Douglas close to hold him. "I'm Xena, a friend of Zeth's Dad."

The little boy climbed into her lap, smiling to Zeth measuring the moment. Where were the guards who were suppose to be watching Xena?

Rubbing Douglas's arms to keep him warm, Xena playfully grinned. The mild invasion said something else in the way Zeth sat then rocked, recalculating.

Zeth shifted glances from Douglas to Xena. "We can talk later."

Rubbing sweat on his father's trousers, Zeth finally stood, fighting the urge to pace. Who or whatelse might be slipping through by his soldiers?

Xena handed Douglas a peice of jerky which he snatched and nibbled then reached forward, taking more.

Zeth filled his gnawing silence, "You're good with children."

"It's easy to please, anyone," Xena says. "When you know what they want and how-far they are willing to pursue it."

Half-listening, Zeth nodded in agreement. In the middle of a pitch path, a single torch moved up and down then away. Confidently, Zeth stretched and turned to Xena. With a tame grin, he studied the show she offered.

Xena spoke softly to Douglas, "Are you a good soldier?"

Douglas poked Xena's black-leather arm bands, nibbling his jerky. "Ah-ha."

She partially spoke to Zeth, "Do the other boys know you are here?"

"Uh-uh, I was quiet." Douglas pushed a bruise on Xena's arm and playfully looked for a reaction Xena briefly faked.

Zeth smirked, acknowledging Xena's hint, and stepped. "I'll handle it."

Yawning, Douglas leaned back to look up at Xena. "Are you an Amaton?"

"No."

For the moment, Xena sensed she was unwatched. It wouldn't last. Holding the little boy's left hand, she noticed a diamond-shaped tattoo, inside the boy's wrist. The child pulled forward, hiding it in folded arms. Distracting his discomfort, Xena grabbed a water flask and let Douglas open the top.

She pointed to his wrist and spoke with admiration. "Where can I get one of these?"

Douglas leaked chortles as he laughed. "You can't, silly."

"Why not," Xena asked?

The child leaned back. "Daddy says," the boy started. "He told me . . . "

Douglas fidgeted in Xena's lap, pulling apart matted strands from her long raven hair. She was a big toy and a warm chair offering food. As Xena sipped water, Douglas's bounty of jerky dissapeared. Starved children learn fast.

"Don't they give one for girls," Xena asked?

Douglas reached for his turn at the flask, looking up at Xena's pretty blue eyes. "Only boys can be princes."

The child sipped, spilling some. Seeing as Xena wasn't mad, he continued drinking some of his take. Then, he handed the flask to Xena and draw a deep breath.

"That makes sense, " Xena said. "Are you a little Viking?"

Douglas gazed at Xena, wide-eyed. "You know Daddy?"

"Sh," Xena said, stroking the child's red-hair. "All good soldiers keep their special words a secret."

"I know," he said, yawning.

"Sh," Xena whispered. "Sleep makes a warrior big and strong."

Her eyes fixed on Zeth's flame, aware of furtive footsteps circling the camp. She knew, the Corinthian forces depended on the largest businesses in the Sparta. Three times a year, the governors paid salaries, instead of Casear's tax.

Xena glanced at the bulging sack filled with dinars, payment going out. What lay under the sand didn't matter for the moment. She was watched.

As Douglas yawned and leaned against her, Xena caught a scant view of Zeth studying from the shadows. He didn't stall to capture Gabrielle. Certainly, he knew what leverage, her capture could provide. Perhaps, that was part of the value he held for these children.

Rocking Douglas, Xena felt his small frame curl against her stomach. She enjoyed the sound of heavy rhythmic breaths. Solan was probably that way. She bet, Zeth once enjoyed the warmth of his mother before Draco had her killed. It couldn't have been easy for Zeth raised in squaller of Draco's fallen army.

Xena laid Douglas on Zeth's sleeping blanket. As several credulous teenagers took over, Zeth crept away with his dog obediently following. He was beaten but not defeated. Knowing Zeth would some trail to follow, Xena nestled next to Douglas. Gabrielle and help should arrive in the morning. As for now, she tackled her best task.

Without her sword and chakram, she sharpened her greatest weapon residing between her ears. If not Casear then who could successfully pose as an invading Roman army, unnoticed? A person like Zeth was clever but not enough to weild the tactics Xena saw.

It took an experienced someone to outwit a king like Douglas' father. Regardless of Corinth, Athens, Sparta; every rescue militia found dead-end tracks and clueless witnesses. Xena knew Ares, and most of the other gods, wouldn't devise a back-door escape for mere mortals. This was local evil by a new Greek legion.

Napping beside Zeth's fire, Xena protected Douglas, her paying mission. Gabrielle would write a brief story. Then, she'd know Xena's best deeds had yet begun.