The pair posed as husband and wife on their journey for, although Xena had done an excellent job in drawing off the warrior bands after the bounty, both Patroclese and the bard thought that precautions were in order. As they were certain that any hunters would be looking for two women, it seemed reasonable to assume that she would pass detection as a travelling physician's wife.

However, no matter how quickly they were managing to make the journey, the crease of worry seemed to be permanently on the bard's features as she tried to convince herself she would get to Xena in time. After all, the Warrior Princess had had to drag half way across Greece to achieve her aims, so with luck they might even make it to Narbo ahead of her.

Yet still the doubts persisted, and Patroclese frequently heard his companion mutter, "She has to be alright."

"She will be," assured the healer for what must have been the hundredth time, "We'll get to her and find her in one piece, I have no doubt," he told her although there was an edge of concern in his tone that belied his words.

Torone was a rapidly expanding commercial port with ships from many different lands. It was a thriving, noisy, bustling place that quickly swallowed two newcomers into its mass with an impartiality that can only be found in such a big town that was indifferent to it's populace. All were welcome here .. those hiding, those seeking. Identity mattered nothing to the city watch .. their only concern was to keep the peace .. however violently they needed to do it.

"We better get down to the docks and see if we can find a ship heading for Narbo, or somewhere close," Gabrielle told the healer, eager to be on her way.

"Um, Gabrielle," responded her companion, "It might be better if we got you somewhere out of sight while I go and find us a ship." He looked into the blonde's green eyes, concern etched on his face, "There are still men looking for you, even if we have got this far without any problem. But the docks might be different ... There could be people down there with a description of you, there just on the off chance that they'll be able to grab you."

Gabrielle smiled and shook her head disparagingly, "Oh come on, Patroclese. Have you seen anyone look at me twice?" she asked him. "I think Xena's pulled everyone away from this whole area who has any interest at all in trying for the money."

"Do you think that Caesar, won't have planned for the chance you might take a ship to go after Xena?" he asked her seriously, "He seems like the kind of man who lays deep plans when he wants something." He grabbed her arm and pulled her into the shadow of an alleyway as he became aware of a warrior beginning to take too much notice of them.

The man emitted a coarse laugh and shouted, "If she's any good, let me know. I might try her myself," as he grabbed suggestively at his crotch.

Gabrielle flushed redly in the shadows, flustered by the man's obvious meaning, and annoyed that she hadn't realized that she was being watched. Although Patroclese had his arms around her in a 'lustful' embrace, he effectively ignored her close proximity as he concentrated on the warrior who, luckily, lost interest in them when one of his mates drew him into a tavern.

"Look," he scolded as he turned towards the bard, "Do you really want to risk everything on the chance that I'm wrong about this?"

Gabrielle wanted to tell the healer that he was being over cautious, but there had been a look in the warrior's eye that hinted at something other than what he'd suggested, and the bard knew that she couldn't afford to take the chance that Patroclese was wrong. Finally she shook her head, knowing that frustration and impatience could bring disaster if not held in check. - Focus - she thought - Xena's always telling me to focus! - She nodded her agreement and added, "Okay. Let's find a quiet inn somewhere. I'll keep a low profile while you find us that ship."

Relieved at her agreement, the healer guided her through the crowded streets, taking sudden detours if he thought anyone was paying them too much attention. Eventually they came to an inn, set back away from the popular sailors district, obviously geared to cater for the needs of travellers who wished to be close to the docks, without being intruded upon by the raucous sailors on shore leave.

A room was quickly secured with Patroclese telling the host, "My wife needs to rest, she's in the early stages of a delicate condition, and I don't want to drag around the docks while I find passage on a ship."

The innkeeper nodded his understanding and, once the healer was satisfied with the hosts assurances of good lodging, led Gabrielle to a small, but comfortable room at the end of the upper landing, while Patroclese, left for the docks and, she hoped, to find a ship that would suit their purposes.

While he was gone she paced the floor restlessly. He seemed to be taking forever, and she had unconsciously began to count her steps as she moved between the window and the wall, avoiding the small table in the centre of the floor, - One, two, three, four, five six, seven and turn - she counted in her mind, a litany to give her something to concentrate on other than just where Xena was and if she was safe.

Although it had seemed like much longer, Patroclese had returned within two candlemarks. When he rapped on the door, the tension she had been building up inside her was so great that she almost leapt three foot off the ground! She cautiously went over to the door and asked, "Yes, who is it?"

"Me," came the answer, "Patroclese," he clarified, just in case she hadn't recognised his voice. She quickly opened the door for him and he slipped in shutting and locking it behind him once more.

"Did you find one?" she asked at once.

He smiled broadly, "The Perinax is sailing on the midnight tide bound for Elne, which is no more than two days hard travelling from Narbo. With luck we'll be there before Xena." Gabrielle started to gather their things together, but he stopped her with, "We better wait until dark."

"Why not get aboard now," demanded the bard still impatient to be doing something .. anything .. that got her closer to her goal.

He looked at her calmly and told her, "There a far too many people around the docks asking after a blonde bard," he told her. "Getting to the ship at night should help us disguise you a bit, especially if we wrap a cloak around you."

Much as she hated to, Gabrielle could only agree with his logic and be grateful for the fact that the healer seemed almost desperate to make up for his inadvertent betrayal of the Warrior Princess. His thoughtfulness and help had kept her clear of trouble so far, and his knowledge of Narbonensis, its geography, people and their ways, would be invaluable. With a deep sigh of impatience, they settled down to wait for darkness. Gabrielle returning to her pacing, while the healer sat on the bed and watched her.

A candlemark after the sun had set, a pair of stealthy figures picked their way through the jumbled, ill lit, streets of Torone's harbour quarter. Patroclese guided them with a surety that soon brought them to the docks themselves, without attracting any unwanted attention.

The Perinax was a large ship, or so it seemed to Gabrielle. It looked sleek which spoke of speed, "With luck we'll get a quick passage," she whispered to the healer as he guided her to the gang plank. She sensed rather than saw his smile in the darkness.

"Let's get aboard," he urged her.

"I hate boats," muttered the bard, at least thankful that Xena had taught her how to control the nausea that always assailed her on sea trips.

She followed Patroclese up onto the main deck of the ship where he motioned for her to wait while he went and spoke to the captain. After a brief conversation, he signalled for her to join him and said, "Let's go below to the cabin."

Gabrielle followed him down the companionway steps that ran under the ship's bridge. He led her to a door at the end of a small corridor and opened it for her, motioning for the bard to precede him. She stepped through into a small windowless cabin that was dimly lit with a smoky lantern. As her eyes adjusted to the gloom, she realized that they were not alone. Two, fully equipped, Roman legionaries stood before her.

"Quick, get out!" Gabrielle screamed at the healer as she snapped her staff up to menace the soldiers, "You've been tricked. It's a trap."

The limited space in the cabin was not really the best place to try and use a weapon of the staff's size, but as the soldiers advanced on her, Gabrielle used the tip to jab the closest man, hard in the gut, doubling him over so that she could deliver a quick downward blow to his head to drop him to his knees. She followed through with the swing and used the momentum she had gathered to whip the second soldier's feet out from under him. Covering the soldiers with her staff, the bard backed her way towards the cabin door, and instructed Patroclese, who had stood motionless just inside the cabin, "C'mon, we've got to get out of here."

"I'm sorry, Gabrielle," he told her, a twinge of true regret in his voice, as two more Romans grabbed her from behind and wrested the staff from her hands. Gabrielle struggled violently, but she was no match for the two burly soldiers and she could see, another four just behind them as well.

"Why didn't you get away while you had the chance?" she questioned the healer, a touch of reproach in her voice, "You might still have been able to get to Xena and warn her about the trap."

Ignoring her look and her words both, Patroclese turned to the men restraining the bard and barked with an air of authority, "Let her go. There's no reason to be rough with her."

Realization hit her like a forceful blow. Patroclese was far from the friend he had pretended to be. As soon as the legionaries released her, Gabrielle whirled on him and slapped him as hard as she could across the face, "Traitor!" she hissed at him, now fully aware of his authority over the soldiers by the way they had obeyed him, "How could you do this?" she demanded sick to her stomach that she had fallen into his artfully laid snare.

"No traitor," he protested calmly, "I've served Lord Caesar man and boy, as my family have served his for generations." He looked at her with a tinge of sadness in his eyes, "I regret that this had to be, but I owe my allegiance to Caesar and but follow his commands. You should understand that, Gabrielle. It's not far from your argument about Xena not being a traitor to the Amazons, because she isn't one."

The bard looked daggers at him, unable to refute his logic, she hated him the more so because he was right. The fact that he had betrayed both her and Xena by first befriending them and leading them into traps, was unpalatable to her, but fully understandable considering the master he served.

He signalled for the legionaries to leave the cabin, "The door is to remain locked, unless I give instructions otherwise, and a two man guard is to be on duty at all times." He turned back to the bard and smiled in a friendly, compassionate way that Gabrielle personally found totally unsuitable for the occasion, "Make yourself comfortable, Gabrielle," he told her, "we've got a long voyage ahead of us." As he reached for the door handle he looked at her and said, "If you should need anything, just get the guards to let me know. I have no wish for you to be uncomfortable."

She quickly snapped back, "I need my freedom."

A slight smile played on his lips as he answered, "Sadly that is the one thing I cannot give you."

Struggling further was going to get her nowhere, but she needed to vent her frustration and defiance so she snapped at him, "Enjoy this little victory while you can. Your precious Caesar hasn't got Xena yet, and when she finds out the part you played in this you'll be lucky if you can escape with your life."

"No doubt you are right," Patroclese agreed, "You know Xena best. But I don't think even she will be able to avoid capture this time." Patroclese slowly, almost reluctantly swung the door closed and turned the key in the lock. Gabrielle was left in the confined cabin, knowing that she had been caught as neatly as a fly in a spider's web.