As soon as the news became known, it was decided that Eponin should return to 'Wave Dancer' and see if she could get a look at Xena as she was brought off of Veranius's ship. Although the rest of the fleet would dock at the lower wharves, outside the Servian Walls, the flagship carrying the Admiral and Caesar would moor not too far away from where Nebula's ship lay and offer a good chance to see what shape the Warrior Princess was in, for no one had any doubt that Caesar would have kept her close to him.

The Weapons Master stood at ease on the deck of the ship, leaning on the rail and talking quietly with the pirate captain, "You know, Nebula, Ephiny really wanted to come down here with me, but there was no way we could find an excuse for her to do so," she sighed, "Besides which, she had too stay at Pompey's palace to make sure that Gabrielle and Xena's brother, Toris, stayed put. They're both going out of their minds with worry."

"Their descriptions are plastered all over the city," the tall, dark, pirate told her. "You make sure that they all stay well hidden. That palace is probably the only safe place in Rome for them at the moment." She glanced up at the crowsnest where one of the Amazon's was keeping watch for the arrival of the fleet, "Anything?" she called.

"Nothing," came the reply, followed by, "Wait a minute .. Yes! They're just clearing the bend. The lead ship should reach here shortly."

"I hope she's okay," murmured Eponin showing signs of agitation, "Gabrielle is really jittery and she might do something stupid if she thought Xena was in real trouble."

Nebula sighed, "Caesar is not known for his mercy, and Xena hasn't got the reputation of someone who bends willingly to the command of others. I suspect that mixing the two is a recipe for disaster, and Caesar's got the strongest hand to play."

Frowning, the Weapons Master leaned as far over the rail as she could manage, trying to get a glimpse of Veranius' ship, "I can see it," she announced, "By the gods that's a big boat!" she exclaimed as she watched the trireme approach, oars rising and dipping to the beat of the drum heard through the bowels of the ship even at a distance.

As it came closer, Nebula frowned, "There's something wrong with the base of the mast," she told Poni, intrigued by the sight, "No," she amended, "they've got a grating up against it and it looks like they've got someone lashed to it."

"One of the Carthaginians, perhaps?" hazarded Eponin, although a sinking feeling she told her just who it was.

"Tall woman, black hair," informed the pirate.

"Oh gods. That's got to be Xena." muttered the Amazon in concern.

They waited, watching with stark interest as the big ship came ever closer. Across the river, they could see the men, women and children lining the banks to cheer their heroes home. Those on board the 'Wave Dancer' only had eyes for the woman bound to the grating.

"Sweet Artemis," whispered Eponin in utter disbelief, "Look at her back!"

As the trireme moved past them, the evidence of the brutal flogging that the Warrior Princess had taken was graphically illustrated by the crusted scabbing that covered her whole back. The occasional trickle of blood could be seen, caused when motion cracked open a healing cut.

"Poseidon's beard!" returned Nebula, incredulously, "I've never seen anyone survive something like that. I wonder how long ago it happened." She shook her head trying not to contemplate the pain involved.

"I'd better get back and let Ephiny .. and Gabrielle, know that they've arrived ... and just what's been done to Xena." She gave Nebula a questioning look.

"Don't worry, I'll follow her to find out just where they're taking her. I probably won't stand out as much as your Amazons," the pirate grinned.

"Be careful," cautioned Eponin.

"Always," the grin widened, "Just ask the big fella!"

"Can't," smiled back Eponin with a glint in her eyes, "Eph's banned me from going anywhere near him." As Nebula raised a questioning eyebrow she added, "Seems I make him nervous."

She left the ship quickly, wanting to get back to Pompey's palace before the streets became impassable.

Xena was aware of the ships entry into the River Tiber. Even bound as she was she could see and hear the throngs of people that lined the banks to cheer for their hero, Caesar and the successful Admiral, Veranius. She felt mildly repulsed by the unquestioning support these people gave her enemy. - Don't they realise that he's using their backs to climb to power? - she asked herself, feeling angry contempt for the masses and their blind ignorance. - He cares nothing for them or anyone! His only love is power! -

Once the ship had started travelling up the wide river, Flaccus had released the ropes that bound her legs, waist and neck, "You'll be needing to use your legs so you might as well get some feeling back into them," he'd told her tonelessly.

The muscles spasmed violently and painfully as they were released and it was a toss up which hurt more, her legs or the raw patches on her back as the scabbing was disturbed by the removal of the ropes. - At least there's no infection, Patroclese did a good job, - she acknowledged. Truth to tell, the agony of her back had receded over the days to a harsh throbbing, - Either I've become used to the pain, or I'm healing pretty quickly, - she guessed. Whatever the reason, she knew she was lucky to be alive. Most other men or women would never have survived.

Slowly, she worked on tensing and relaxing her legs to get some feeling and control back in them. She knew it would take some time, which was why Flaccus had cut them loose. She didn't relish the anguish that she would have to endure when they released her arms. She guessed that it wouldn't happen until Caesar was ready to disembark, and she would be given no time to get any use back into them before she was chained once again.

As the ship moved slowly to its designated mooring place in the upper wharf, Xena was almost certain that she caught sight of a familiar face on one of the ships already there. - Eponin? - her mind queried, - Surely not! What would she be doing here? -

Sailors running around the deck obscured her view of the ship where she had seen the woman she believed to be the Amazon Weapons Master and, by the time she had an unobstructed view once more, whoever it was had gone. But she locked eyes with a tall, striking woman, full of confidence and dark good looks, and her eyes seemed to sympathise with her plight and say, - I know who you are, - yet Xena knew that she had never met whoever it was before in her life.

Her mind had been so intent on concentrating on the woman and her ship, that she failed to register the fact that Flaccus had spoken to her. Two sharp blows, one to each biceps with his vine staff, jerked her attention back sharply, forcing her to stifle a yelp of pain as her sun blistered arms seared on her locked muscles.

"You will learn to pay attention, slave," he growled as he took a firm grip of her hair and turned her head towards him, "If you show any sign of your tricks when we get off this tub, I'll have you staked out for a week, and then I'll have the rest of your hide off of you. You got that?" he demanded slamming her head against the grating for emphasis.

Xena's nodded reply was not acceptable.

"I said have you understood," he demanded once more and again slammed her head against the thick wood of the grating.

Wincing from the shooting stabs of agony that travelled up her lacerated back and into the newly created wound on her head that was starting to bleed, Xena forced out a soft, "Yes."

"I didn't hear you, slave," Flaccus told her as he banged her head down again, "Now say it again, louder."

"Yes, I understand," she said in a stronger voice.

"Sir," he said in a firm commanding voice, again smashing her head into the wood.

"What?" she questioned in slightly hazy confusion as the incessant pounding on her skull began to take it's toll.

"Yes, I understand, sir," he insisted cracking her head hard onto the grating once more.

"Yes, I understand .. sir," she repeated dully.

"Good, I'm glad we've got that settled. You're slow at learning, slave, but I've got all the time I need to educate you .. and your friend."

He saw the sudden tenseness in her frame as his words registered and recognised the fire that flashed in her eyes as a rekindling of her rebellious nature, "Keep your hands off her, Flaccus," her voice, settled into it's lowest, deadly, register, warned him.

"You're backsliding, slave," Flaccus returned, a note of mock regret in his words, followed by half a dozen heavy numbing blows to the backs of her thighs, "Now what do you say?"

"Go to Hades!" she snarled with venom.

"Wrong answer," he replied with exaggerated patience, once again beating her legs with his staff. "You keep this up and that little bard is going to be a mass of welts from head to heels," he warned, "So I'll ask you again. What do you say?"

He watched as Xena, breathing heavily against the burning agony of her injuries, forced her stubborn will back down. She swallowed a couple of times before forcing out the words that brought bile to her mouth, "I beg forgiveness."

"Sir," reminded Flaccus almost gently.

Taking a shuddering breath and screwing her eyes shut against the humiliation she repeated, "I beg forgiveness, sir," self-deprecation in every line of her body.

"Much better," Flaccus almost purred, "and as a reward, I'll let you off of that thing early, so long as you sit quietly and behave yourself. What do you say to that?"

Xena knew the technique. She'd used it herself often enough in her past. Inflict unbearable pain until you got the concession you wanted from the prisoner, and then give a reward. After the overly harsh treatment the merest relief from the torture seemed like an act of great compassion and kindness, bringing gratitude from the sufferer, who moved one step close to total subservience. Xena knew the game, yet still she felt the gratitude well up within her at the thought of being let off the grating a mere candlemark or so early.

She forced her will to stamp on that feeling, - I will not be broken like some animal, - her mind flared, - But I need to make him think he's winning. Perhaps, then, he'll leave Gabrielle alone. - "Thank you .. sir," she managed to grate out without it sounding full of sarcasm. She loathed herself for doing it, but would do whatever she could to protect the bard.

It had been a long while since they had used Gabrielle as a direct threat, but now that she was within their reach, the threat had potency once more and could be used to whip the Warrior Princess into line, with far better results than applying the physical lash to her would bring.

"There's a good girl," Flaccus chuckled as he held his hands out, to a waiting guard, for the heavy leg irons with the long chain between the cuffs. He knelt down and quickly locked them into place. Next came the leather belt, the Centurion reached around her and then tightened the three stiff buckles behind her back, making her gasp at the fiery torment the leather raised.

With a sharp dagger he cut the bonds on first the right arm and then the left, both falling limply to her sides. After six days of being held in one place, the muscles had grown stiff, set, and unresponsive. The sudden change of position brought tears to Xena's eyes as lancing pain shot through her arms.

Lifting each of her unresponsive hands in turn, Flaccus locked the manacle cuffs around her wrists, before taking the collar chain being offered by a third guard, and locking it firmly to the metal about her neck, "Sit," he instructed firmly, and smiled grimly as the woman sunk onto the deck after a moments hesitation. He waited until the grating had been removed before locking the leash around the mast, "The healer will be along to check your wounds and feed you. Make sure you behave yourself," he warned, poking her with the toe of his boot when she failed to respond.

Drawing another deep breath, she answered dully, "Yes .. sir."

"Far better," approved Flaccus as he turned to go, "Keep a close eye on her, a griffin doesn't change it's feathers overnight."

Xena squeezed her fists closed and looked blue eyed murder at Flaccus's retreating back. She could and would endure what she had to keep Gabrielle from harm. - But someday, Flaccus, you and I are going to have a short conversation in a dark corner. -

From her vantage point at the ships prow, where she appeared to be doing some work on the ship's lines, Nebula had watched the confrontation between Xena and Flaccus. She couldn't hear what was being said, but she recognised what was being done. She had involuntarily winced and flinched at each strike of the centurion's staff as it had hit the abused woman, and each time he had slammed her head against the heavy grating. With the pain from her existing wounds, the pirate failed to comprehend how she managed to resist the demands being made on her for as long as she did.

She shook her head and muttered, "Ephiny's not going to like it when I tell her what I've seen." She looked around the ship at her six borrowed crew members. Each of them bore a grim look on their faces, moving tensely as if ready to throw themselves into a fight. If their reactions were anything to go by, the rest of the Amazon's were going to be fighting mad, and the rescued Queen ready to go to war to recover her friend, "Hercules isn't going to be too happy either," she mused quietly. "Ah, Nebula, you old pirate, how do you manage to get yourself into these things?" she asked herself with something of a mocking chuckle.