Artemis stared over her shoulder, "She's tough. The only thing keeping her from breaking that centurion in two is the fear that Caesar's still got my Amazon Queen to threaten her with. As soon as she knows Gabrielle is safe, those Romans are going to find out just what one Greek woman can do."

"It still sucks, ya know?," shrugged the Goddess of Love, "I mean the Warrior Babe and me have never been close ... fact is she's interfered with some way cool arrangements I've had going. But Herc's kinda gone on her, so she can't be all bad. And she really knows how to yank Ares' chain ...."

"'Dite what are you rambling on about?" demanded Artemis impatiently. She was rewarded with a sisterly glare.

"It's just so uncool," she pouted, "Why don't we just ...."

"No way, 'Dite. We go interfering down there and Ares will know. We can't do anything yet, but we'll have a chance to play too soon." grinned the goddess with the chestnut hair, her face suddenly seeming very young.

"Grody! That's a real bummer. I hate just watching," grumbled Aphrodite moodily.

"Just chill out a little, sis. Things will work out fine ... so long as Ares doesn't work out that Herc's in on the gig," she added as an after-thought.

"Yeah well you better hope so, 'cause I happen to know that our muscular bro has a thing about the Warrior babe, and I'd be really bummed out if he got wasted over this. Hera's been way, way not fair to ol' Hercola and he doesn't need more negative vibes."

"Don't worry so much, 'Dite. We'll be there for him, and more importantly for her too. I want her to know who she's gonna owe a big favour to."

"Just remember I'm doing this more for Herc than anything else," warned the Goddess of Love, who really did care for her half-mortal brother.

Ares stood hunched over his own scrying bowl. His interest entirely focused on Xena. He had not been pleased with the punishment that Caesar had deemed to inflict on his favourite, but the more he thought about it the more certain he became that he could use the Warrior Princess's pain and hatred to return her to the proper place at his side, "After all, it was largely thanks to dear Julius that I had ten years of service from the greatest Warlord ever," he grinned happily. "I'm sure we can encourage history to repeat itself."

He brooded thoughtfully as he thought about the possible problems and implications that his direct interference would raise, particularly with Caesar, "Oh well, the arrogant pup can be taught a lesson or two and Pompey is far more ... respectful. It might be just as well to give Julius something to think about ... let him know just where his allegiance should lie. Pompey will prove quite useful in accomplishing that."

His eyes flickered back to the images of Xena being tormented by Flaccus, "Soon, my sweet!" he promised, "You need just a little more fire, just a spoonful more rage before you'll be willing to listen to my offer."

Eponin had jogged from the wharves to the Forum Boarium, then she'd had to push her way through the gathering, excited crowds that were beginning to assemble there before she could make her way along the quieter Vicus Aesculeti and from there was able to cut through some back streets to get to Pompey's palace.

She'd been chewing over the problem of just what she could and should tell Ephiny and Gabrielle, knowing that the likely reaction from her young, feisty Queen was going to be explosive. What she needed to do was get Ephiny alone so that she could sketch out the situation to her first and work out the best way to handle the bard.

The Roman guards ignored her as she took the marble steps two at a time, heading for the palace's entrance hall. From there she ran along the polished floor, putting the brakes on to skid to a halt outside of a double-doorway that led into another high domed hallway, with a long, broad double-banistered stairway that wound it's way to the upper apartments where she knew that she'd find the Regent.

Gabrielle paced the length of the long throw rug that stretched from the end of the bed to comfortable looking lounging seat that Ephiny sat on. - Twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five, turn, - she counted silently to herself, too lost in her worries to note either the long dimension of the rug, or the large proportions of the room.

Her anxiety stemmed from her desperate need of news of Xena. She fingered the hated collar at her neck as she paced out the length of the rug to the bed end, before turning to make her way back to where the blonde-haired Amazon sat watching her with a worried frown on her face. The bard ignored her.

- What's taking Eponin so long? - she asked herself for what seemed the hundredth time, - Surely the fleet's in by now. Why hasn't she come back and told me what's happening? - She stopped in mid-stride, her eyes widening as a wave of unreasoning fear hit her, - She hasn't come back because she's seen something really bad. Maybe Xena's dead and Poni's trying to avoid telling me! -

"Gabrielle?" Ephiny said concerned as she saw a wave of panic sweep over her friend, "What's the matter? Gabrielle?" she started to stand to go over to the younger woman.

"I've got to go," the bard said suddenly. "I need to see if she's alright."

"Gabrielle," the Regent said calmly, reaching out a strong hand to restrain the younger woman, as she tried to brush past and head for the doors. She tightened her grip when the bard tried to shake her off, and placed herself firmly in front of her Queen, securing a hold on her other arm as she did so, "You know you can't do that, you know all the reasons why you have to stay here, that collar not being the least of them. You won't do yourself, Xena or any of the rest of us any good if you just rush off and get caught. They're still looking for you, you know."

A wild gleam flashed in the bard's eyes. "Perhaps if Hercules tried again?" she pleaded, "He might be able to break it open if he had another try, and then I wouldn't be so noticeable. I could go and look for myself."

"Gabrielle, stop that!" Ephiny commanded firmly. "If I have to call the guards in to restrain you, I will," she warned her friend.

"You wouldn't do that, Ephiny," the honey blonde said with an almost frantic desperation.

"Wouldn't I?" came the flat reply, "There's too much at stake here to risk you throwing all our hard work away because you're not mature enough to wait for Eponin to get back here with the news."

Drawing a deep breath Gabrielle forced herself to get a grip, "That's not fair, Eph. You have no idea what he's been doing to her."

"Neither do you," the Regent replied gently, "Let's just wait to hear what Poni has to say. We've managed to get you and the others back in one piece, don't ruin everything now. What would Xena say if you allowed yourself to get caught again?" she asked.

"I know ... you're right," agreed the bard dejectedly, "But, Eph, for days now I've had this feeling that something's very wrong .. and just now, I felt ..." she threw her hands up in frustration, "Oh, I don't know what I felt, but I know she's in trouble." She slumped into the seat that the Amazon had just vacated and chewed moodily on a thumb nail.

"Gabrielle, even if you got past me, past the Amazon guards and Pompey's guards, both sets of whom have got orders to stop you, Toris and the others from leaving the palace, what do you think you were going to do?" asked the Regent gently, knowing her friend was a frazzled bundle of nerves.

"I ... I could ... O, Gods Eph, I don't know, something, anything! This just sitting waiting is driving me nuts!" growled the bard.

"Fat lot of sitting you've done so far," laughed Ephiny lightly, "You've just about worn a hole in that rug!"

"Oh, Ephiny, I know. I just can't settle." she gave the Amazon a weak smile, "At least when Joxer, Autolycus and me were running from Brutus's men I didn't have time to brood ... well not much time," she conceded.

The Regent sat down beside the young woman and put a friendly arm around her shoulders, "It will be alright, Gabrielle. It may take us a little time, but we'll get her back." She looked deeply into the troubled misty green eyes, "Hey, what chance does Caesar stand against a demi-god, a whole bundle of Amazons, a master thief, a hunter, a .. a ..."

"A Joxer," grinned the little Queen.

"Yeah, a Joxer, an ex-warlord's amazingly look-alike brother and a very, very determined bard. Hey," she gave the smaller woman a quick hug, "he's got a representative section of Greece up against him, and he's not going to know what hit him."

"Thanks Eph," smiled the bard.

"For what?" grinned back the Amazon.

"For caring. For being here. For helping Xena. I know you must still have worries after ...." she was interrupted by a finger against her lips.

"Shhh! Gabrielle. As I said before, I owe Xena my life several times over, what's more I owe her the life of my son, and the whole Amazon Nation owes her it's existence. Where would I be but here to help her when she needs it?"

Toris lay on the bed where a black cloud of gloomy despondency seemed to hang above him as he tried to block out the quiet conversation of the other men in residence in the room. When they had been marched into Rome in the dead of night, he had expected to be locked up in a dungeon, and his expectations hadn't been disappointed. He sighed as he thought about the past few days.

When they had been brought in, they'd been locked into a big cage-like cell. The guards had cut them loose from the rope bonds that had been used to secure them, and Autolycus had been confident that he could have them out of the cell in no time flat if they had been left alone for just a short while.

However, the chance never came. Four guards remained outside the cell the whole time they were in there. Admittedly, they were more interested in their dice game than their prisoners, but while they were posted there, the thief had no chance of opening the lock without being spotted and an alarm being raised.

They had been in there less a candlemark when the guards brought around a small loaf of bread for each of them, and a bowl of thin turnip soup. All of them had tasted finer fare, but they were hungry and the warmth of the soup was welcome in the dampness that seemed to permeate all dungeons as an essential element of their existence.

Finally the five of them had settled down for some sleep, knowing that exhaustion would make escape from captivity all the more difficult. They had insisted that Gabrielle take the bench, the rest of them had just found a patch of stone floor for themselves and huddled against the chill.

Toris knew that he hadn't been asleep long when he was disturbed by some kind of commotion at the prison door. He edged up onto his elbow and noted that the others were showing signs of interest in what was happening. All of them were alert as a proud looking Roman noble walked in with two women dressed in the exotic garb of Amazons.

"Ephiny?" he heard Gabrielle question softly, disbelief evident in her tone. The bard had scrambled to her feet and rushed over to the bars, "Ephiny?" she said in a stronger voice, "What in the name of Artemis are you doing here?"

Toris had moved from his place on the floor, to stand just behind the small honey blonde woman, his eyes studying the details of their visitors, taking it the arrogant stance and bearing of the blonde, good looking, Roman as he stood silently inspecting them all in turn. His eyes had widened slightly when he had looked at Toris and the dark haired man knew that the Roman had met his sister before.

He returned his glance to the Amazon with the fair curly hair and serious brown eyes as she answered the bard's question, "Looking for you," she had smiled, "Honestly, Gabrielle, I don't think I've ever met anyone with your ability to find trouble so easily."

"Ephiny!" protested the bard.

The Regent ignored her friend's indignation, and smoothly continued, "I recognise Autolycus ..."

The thief executed a precise bow and grinned, "Good to see you too, Ephiny."

"... and Joxer," she added, looking towards him as he grinned back at her, "So, I presume that you," she said looking at Toris's short blonde friend, "must be Iolaus, and you," she turned her eyes towards him and paused for just a heartbeat as she recognised the electric blue eyes in the face of a familiar seeming stranger, "can only be Toris." She smiled at the slight scowl that had etched itself onto his features, "Oh yeah! A definite family resemblance there."

Ignoring the scowl that had deepened on his face, Ephiny gestured to the Roman at her left hand side, "This is your and my host, Pompey the Magnus," she bit her lip to keep herself from smiling at the title, even though she was aware that the man had earned it in battle. She found such things just too pretentious.

"We've met before," responded Gabrielle flatly.

"I know, Gabrielle, but the others don't know him," agreed the Amazon. "I don't think any of you have met my second in command, Eponin, either," she finished the introductions by indicating the dark haired woman at her side. "As you've probably gathered," she said to the men, "My name is Ephiny and I have the somewhat dubious privilege of being Amazon Regent in the usual absence of our Queen, Gabrielle."

"Ephiny," broke in the bard, her frustration beginning to show, "Are you going to get us out of here?"

"That depends ..." began the Regent.

"Ephiny!" broke in Gabrielle in exasperation.

The Amazon held up her hand to cut off her friend, "It depends on whether you all give your oath to remain hidden in Pompey's palace. We cannot afford for any of you to be seen. There are soldiers searching everywhere for you, and that's only going to intensify with Caesar on his way back to Rome."

Gabrielle looked at Ephiny with an almost rabid intensity, "Are you sure?" she demanded, "Is Xena with him? Is she safe?"

Toris had also stepped forward eagerly at the Regent's announcement and gripped the bars with a fierce concentration that was not lost on either Ephiny, Eponin or Pompey, "Will we be able to free her?" he growled his voice pitched low with eager desire to succeed in this.

Ephiny looked at the pair. Their need was almost palpable and she could give them no reassurances, "All we know for sure is that Caesar is on his way back to Rome. It is likely that Xena is with him, and it's going to take a lot of work and cooperation to be able to pry her loose from Caesar's grip."

She gave the pair a stern look, knowing that it was these two who were going to cause the most problems, simply because they were the ones that Caesar wanted the most, "Now, do I get those promises?" she asked, or do you want to stay in there?"

Of course they'd made the promise. Which was why Toris was ready claw his way through the walls of his fancy new prison, because he'd not been allowed outside the door for three days. Admittedly, Iolaus, Autolycus and Joxer hadn't been allowed to go anywhere either but he hated the closed in feeling and the guards on the door with orders to make sure none of them left.

It hadn't been too bad the first day. Especially since he'd got to meet Hercules! He almost chuckled as he remembered Iolaus's face when he'd entered their suite of rooms to be confronted by his best friend.

He'd seen the big man make a small gesture for silence and had waited until Pompey and the Roman guards had left the room. Eponin had checked to make sure that Amazon guards were in place before turning and grinning the all clear.

Hercules had clasped his oldest friend in a warm embrace before saying, "You have no idea how good it is to have all of you here safely. With Brutus beating the bushes for you, we've felt powerless to help you."

Iolaus had grinned at the demi-god and said, "Hey, buddy. What brings you here?"

The tall, tawny-haired man smiled lazily at him and said, "When so many of my friends disappear, do you think I'm going to stay home and leave you all to have the fun and adventures."

"Hah," grumbled Autolycus, "You'd have been welcome to my place in this adventure. Not that it's not good to see you."

Toris had seen the big man's eyes fall on a subdued Gabrielle. He held open his huge, muscular arms, and the little bard flew into them sobbing, "Oh Hercules, you have to do something to get Xena away from Caesar. He's doing terrible things to her. I've seen it, I know it."

His massive hands gently stroked the young woman's hair until she had managed to gain control of her emotions. Then, holding her away from his body so he could look down into her green eyes, he told her solemnly, "I know, Gabrielle. We have a plan, but it means that all of you are going to have to stay hidden until we're ready to leave here. Will you do that for Xena?"

His blue eyes had held hers until she agreed to what he was saying, "One other thing," he told them all, "Here I'm known as Heston. If there are any Roman's about I cannot be seen to speak or listen to you .. it's part of our plan."

"Do we trust Pompey?" Toris had asked, drawing the demi-god's attention for the first time.

Hercules had looked him over with a professional eye before saying, "You must be Toris." he held out his arm and had taken the dark haired man's in a warrior's grip, "And in answer to your question, no! We trust no Romans, however friendly they may seem."

They had spent some time discussing the plans they had made for freeing Xena before Gabrielle had asked Hercules to break her free from the hated collar she wore. Hercules had smiled at her and fastened his strong hands on the metal exerting his strength to pull it apart. His huge muscles bulged, but the collar remained stubbornly in place. He'd tried two or three more times to break the obdurate metal, but with no success and had to finally surrender the struggle, although he promised to find a way to get it off of the bard as soon as he could.

With nothing else pressing for their attention everyone had finally turned in for the night, the erstwhile prisoners being exhausted from their travels. The next morning they had heard the news of the Carthaginian defeat and Caesar's victorious return.

Since then Toris had found worried apprehension growing inside of him. He knew Gabrielle felt it as well, and the confinement to the two suites of rooms, these and Ephiny's, began to grate on him. He had desperately wanted to go with Eponin to the ship, to catch a glimpse of his sister, to assure himself that she was alive and well. But neither he nor Gabrielle had been able to get Hercules and Ephiny to relent their restrictions, so now he was forced into impatient waiting for the news of what Eponin had seen.

He looked up as the door opened and one of the Amazon guards poked her head in, "Queen Ephiny asks that you all come to her rooms. Eponin has returned with news."

Toris almost flew off the bed in his eagerness to get to someone who could finally give him some news about Xena. He was closely followed through the door by Hercules and the others, all of them eager to hear about their friend.

Breathing deeply as she rounded the last corner of the corridor, Eponin slid to a walk and hurried to the door of the Amazon Regent's suite, "Who's in there?" she asked the guard.

"Just the two Queens," came the reply from Kyana

- Damn! - thought Eponin, - If I stick my head in there, Gabrielle's going to be all over me. - "Um. Do you think you can get Ephiny out here without letting Gabrielle know I'm back," she asked.

"Bad?" asked Hakine.

"Couldn't have been much worse without her being dead. Truth is I couldn't see how she managed to stay alive. Now just get Eph out here. I really don't want to have to let Gabrielle know this until I hear what Ephiny thinks," the Weapons Master told them.

Eponin stepped back out of view as Kyana opened the door and stuck her head round it to say, "I'm sorry to disturb you majesties, but Pompey has sent a messenger asking for your immediate attendance, Queen Ephiny."

Eponin heard Gabrielle say, "Should I come with you, Eph? Do you think he has news of Xena?"

"No, I don't think so. If Pompey had wanted both of us he'd have worded the message that way, and I think Eponin will be faster than any of his messengers." A slight pause, "Do you want to stay here or go over to the other suite with the men."

Eponin held her breath as she waited for the bard's decision, "No, I think I'll stay here. My head aches and I'm just too fidgety to be good company at the moment. Besides I want to be here for when Poni gets back."

"Fine Gabrielle, I'll try not to be too long," promised the blonde Regent.

Eponin could hear her friend as she crossed the floor of the large room and approached the door. As the Regent stepped out she saw Eponin and hesitated for an instant as her eyes widened in surprise. The weapons master raised a finger to her lips and beckoned the blonde forward.

Throwing a quick glance at Gabrielle, who had resumed her pacing, Ephiny stepped out quickly and allowed the heavy door to be swung shut behind her, "What's going on?" she demanded, "Did Pompey send a message or not?"

"No Eph," assured Eponin softly, "I just thought you'd better hear this before Gabrielle or the others do."

"That bad, huh?" she asked in concern.

"Gods, Eph! I've never seen anyone live through the kind of abuse she's been taking. It can only be that stubborn will of her that's keeping her alive." She proceeded to explain to a grim faced Regent just what she had seen.

Before Ephiny was out of the door Gabrielle had resumed her restless pacing. Her mind bounced from distracted thought to distracted thought, refusing to focus on anything but Xena and she knew that if she kept thinking about what was happening to her friend she'd go crazy.

Within moments she realised that she couldn't face being alone. She might not be able to have a civilized conversation with anyone, but she needed to have friends around her, in a way, as an assurance that she wasn't in this on her own, and that there were people there to help her.

Making a decision that she'd be better off with Iolaus and the others, she headed for the door and wrenched it open in time to hear Eponin's rather vivid graphic description of just how Xena's back looked. "Eponin?" she said in a quiet, frightened, voice, "Is she alive?"

The weapons master gave her a worried look and moved quickly to the young Queen's side, closely flanked by Ephiny, "She's alive, Gabrielle," Poni assured her, "She's pretty beat up and they're not treating her with kid gloves, but she's definitely alive and doing her best to stand up to them."

"You said her back looked raw?" the bard asked in almost a whisper, "What did they do to her?"

Eponin shot a worried glance at the Regent who gave her a short nod to answer, "Nebula thinks they whipped her ... a lot, many more than twenty and ..."

"What?" asked Gabrielle, pain written in her eyes.

"They crossed the lashes, Gabrielle. It's like cutting the skin into little diamond shapes. It really rips the skin up and doesn't leave a lot of whole flesh on the victims back once it's been done."

"Oh Artemis," Gabrielle closed her eyes to keep her anguish hidden from the two Amazons. - Xena, you promised me you'd be careful! - her mind railed, "When Caesar first took her he ordered her flogged and she took just twenty lashes. She nearly died from it."

"Gabrielle, I promise you she was far from being dead. I won't lie to you, she didn't look good, but she didn't look ready to book a place on Charon's boat either," Eponin tried to lighten the tone a little, "I think her injuries were well tended."

"Patroclese," said the bard simply.

"The healer that was with you at the village?" questioned Ephiny.

"Yeah, he's Caesar's personal physician," confirmed the honey blonde.

"Do you think he's told Caesar about you connection to the Amazons?" asked the Regent intently.

Gabrielle shook her head, "I don't think so. Caesar or Brutus would have made something of it." Her brows furrowed in concentration, "I think Patroclese felt really guilty about his part in all of this. He owes Caesar everything, but I think he likes me and Xena and he's been kind as far as he was able .. No I don't think he'd have told Caesar."

Both Ephiny and Eponin sighed in relief, "That might just be the key to making this thing work," the Regent muttered. She glanced around realising that they were still standing in the corridor. Pulling Gabrielle towards her apartments she motioned Eponin to follow and then sent Hakine over to ask the men to join them.

They had been arguing to no avail for some time. Both Toris and Gabrielle wanted to be part of the Amazon contingent that had been invited to witness the triumphal reception on the steps of the Temple of Jupiter. It had taken a firm order from Ephiny and Pompey to finally get them to submit to the inevitable.

"If Caesar lays eyes on you, the whole game is finished," Pompey said grimly. "I couldn't protect you and Caesar would have all the leverage he needed to keep his hold firmly on the Warrior Princess. I won't allow that to happen."

"Gabrielle, Toris, you must have patience," pressed Ephiny gently, "You know we're right about this. The Amazons will attend this parade and I'll tell you exactly what I saw, and how she was coping as soon as I get back."

"Alright, Eph," conceded the bard reluctantly as she looked at Toris until he gave a nodded agreement, "I hate leaving all of this to others. Xena's my partner. I should be there for her .. she'd be there for me."

"She'll understand, and believe me as much as she'd like to see you and Toris, she'd far rather you be kept safely away from Caesar," insisted the Regent.

"How long do these things last?" asked Xena's brother of Pompey. When he'd heard about the punishment that had been inflicted upon her, it had taken Hercules to prevent him from ploughing through the guards and out of the palace. He'd calmed down enough now to put a cap over his erupting anger, but it still bubbled waiting to explode at the least excuse.

"The parade and the presentation of the Laurels will take about a candlemark or two, then there's the victors feast." He shrugged, we should be through a few candlemarks after nightfall.

Iolaus moved over to his friend and touched his elbow gently, "We can wait, Toris," he told him calmly, "We've waited all these moons now, a few more candlemarks aren't going to take forever to pass."

Toris took a deep breath, forcing his impatience firmly down. He needed to be rational and clear sighted about this, - More like Xena - his mind quirked in thought. He forced his tense body to relax.

Iolaus gave a small smile to Ephiny, "We'll be fine. Just get back as quickly as you can. Are you taking Heston?" he asked casually.

The Regent appeared to consider that for a moment, "Yes, I might get the chance to wager on him in a pit fight."