They made directly for the men's suite, aware that everyone was going to be waiting for them there. The Amazon guard that secured the wing of the palace occupied by the queens and their male companions, bowed their heads in salute as Ephiny passed, and wondered just what had happened to put such grim looks on the faces of everyone in the Regent's party.

The guards swung the doors open as the blonde Regent and her companions approached and they were met by a volley of strained, tense questions all about how Xena was faring. Waiting until the door had closed, Ephiny held up her hands and said forcefully, "Silence! We won't get anywhere if you all babble on like a gaggle of geese." She glared around at the suddenly quiet room, knowing that the anger that had been rising within her all afternoon and evening had suddenly boiled over.

She wiped a hand across her brow and forced herself to calm down, "Look, I'm sorry for snapping, but it's been a really bad day." She sat down on one of the chairs scattered around the room as Hercules did the same, running his fingers through his hair in an effort to ease the tension he felt.

"Wine Eph? Hercules?" offered Eponin, standing by a pitcher.

"Water for me, please," returned the demi-god morosely.

"And me, Poni. I've had enough to drink for one day," agreed the Regent.

"Alright, Ephiny," the bard said as she came to sit next to her friend, "Just how bad does Xena look."

The Regent drew a deep breath and, looking Gabrielle square in the face, she replied, "Bad." She grasped the bards hand and threw Toris a look as the dark haired man slammed his fist into the wall in frustration and anger, "Getting ourselves worked up about it, and breaking our own bodily parts," she frowned in Toris's direction, "are not going to help her. We need to stay focused on our objective, which is to get her away from Caesar."

"Tell us how she looked," demanded the blue eyed male image of the Warrior Princess.

"What Poni said earlier is true. I didn't see the full damage, but the blood that was soaking through the shirt she was wearing suggests that her back is pretty well ripped raw." Ephiny closed her eyes to screen out the infuriated looks that stole over her friends' faces. "She's pretty bruised up around the head and I suspect over most of her body. Her feet are bloody and blistered from a barefoot walk through the streets. She's picked up fresh welts over her arms, and we saw a bunch of guards beat her on the Temple steps. I'd say she takes more than one pounding every day, because she refuses to give them an inch without them forcing her to."

Taking the goblet of water from Eponin's hands she took a couple of long grateful draughts before she added, "Caesar's carrying a few wounds himself. He's got a fairly new scar down the length of his jaw, a broken arm and some heavy bruising around his throat. If I had to guess I know who I'd put my money on for having done it .. which probably explains her back, if nothing else."

Eponin handed Hercules his water and the big man tossed it back in a single long swallow, then sat moodily cradling the cup. Iolaus looked at Ephiny and then back at his friend before he spoke, catching the worried glance that the Regent threw at the son of Zeus, "Umm, Herc? You haven't said much." His eyes were drawn to the silver goblet that gave out a screech as his friend crushed it in one mighty hand, "Ah, I guess that means you're not too happy about the situation," he offered.

Light blue eyes were raised to his, "Happy is not a word I'd use to describe my feelings at this time, no," rumbled the big man. "Try livid, furious, incensed or enraged, but nothing like happy!" He squeezed the remnants of the goblet into a ball and threw it with all his might at the wall opposite him.

Iolaus flinched as he heard the metal punch a hole through the solid stone of the wall and take off for parts unknown. As he gave his friend a pensive look, he knew he couldn't remember a time when he'd ever seen him this mad before, - Not even when Deianeira and the kids were killed! - He was certain it was because this time he was on the spot, and still he couldn't do anything to help someone he loved. Moving across to Hercules's side he patted the man gently on the shoulder and gave it a squeeze, letting him know that he understood.

"Ephiny tell me exactly what happened from the time you first saw her," Gabrielle insisted softly. She needed to know the worst. She needed to know if her friend would be able to hold out until they figured out a way to snatch her from the predators jaws.

"You're the bard, Gabrielle," the Regent gave a wan smile, "but I'll do my best."

She told them about the parade, how Xena had been made to kneel before Caesar on the temple steps. The way the crowd had howled for her blood, and Xena's reaction to Caesar's speech. The beating she'd got for trying to resist and then how she'd been chained as an exhibit in the banqueting hall. The humiliation of being forced to sit through the Romans' taunts and having scraps thrown at her. The whip's stinging reminder to make sure she behaved herself in Caesar's presence when they had gone to watch Hercules fight the Ethiopian. The way she had to be half dragged from the temple when Caesar finally dismissed her.

Gabrielle sat quietly, a far away look in her eyes as she absorbed everything that Ephiny had to say. - I told her to be careful. I told her not to make them angry. I knew that stubborn pride of hers would get her into trouble. Oh, Xena! Please take care. Try to keep out of trouble until we can get out of this miserable city! -

"There is one good thing .. well maybe two," the Regent added at the end of her description, "Caesar has agreed to match Xena against Hercules in a pit fight at the new moon, which means they have to ease up on the beatings or she'll never be fit for it." She smiled encouragingly as she got a more hopeful look from the bard, "I also tried to let her know you were safe. The message was pretty oblique, I had to be careful what I said, but she may just have got the idea and, with luck, will understand what it means."

"Thank you Ephiny," the bard gave her a weak smile.

"There's not much else we can do for now. Just sit tight. You lot should keep your heads down, and the rest of us make sure our plans are damn watertight so that we can pull this off and get out of here with whole skins," she told them all.

She was just about to stand and head back to her apartments, when a commotion at the doors took her attention.

Nebula ghosted along in the shadows, keeping the figure ahead of her clearly in sight while she trailed along behind her. It had been something of a shock seeing an Amazon sneak out of Caesar's palace. The pirate very much doubted that Ephiny knew of the nocturnal visit, and would undoubtedly be interested in hearing about it.

The Amazon moved hurriedly through the streets, making a straight line back towards Pompey's palace, not looking to make any detours as she headed back for the quarters that the Amazon Guards had been assigned upon reaching Rome.

The pirate watched as her quarry slipped past the sentry with a soft word and melted back into the stillness of the silent barracks, - Ephiny's definitely got problems here, - she thought, - I wonder if she realises it? I suppose I'd better go and let her know the news. -

Having never been to Pompey's Palace before, Nebula had to pick her way around the building, and then run the gauntlet of the Roman's guards, before she was finally conducted to the wing of the building that housed the Amazon Regent and her retinue.

"Hi," she greeted the two Amazons doing sentry duty on the door, "If Ephiny's in there, I need to see her."

The two women cast glances at each other and then firmly crossed their spears in front of Nebula, "Sorry, we've got orders to let no one in."

"Hey look!" she told them sternly, "You know who I am, if it wasn't for me none of you featherheads would have got here, so just be good girls and get the damn door open so I can talk to Ephiny."

"Listen, we already told you that no goes in there without permission," snarled the taller of the two guards, "And that means no one, including you!"

Nebula gave her a long hard glare before speaking to the Amazon as she would to a rather slow child, "If I need permission, open the door, put your head in and ask for it. Or if you'd rather, I can arrange for you head to go through that door without opening it first! ... Your choice."

She saw temper flare in the guards eyes, and was aware that the other Amazons standing sentry along the corridor were turning their heads to see what the problem was. Nebula hoped that someone from inside would come and investigate the noise, before she was forced to get rough.

"Now look here, pirate!" snarled the angry Amazon, "Just who do you think you're threa...."

The door to the apartment flew open with a sudden bang, and a very unamused Eponin stormed through it, radiating authoritative ire in all directions, "What in the name of Hades is all the yelling about!" she demanded in a tone just short of a roar that gained everyone's immediate attention as she glared up and down the corridor. Amazon heads snapped back to look directly in front of themselves, not wanting to attract the weapon master's attention.

"This .. pirate doesn't understand the words 'no' and 'permission'," returned the tall guard who was still smarting under Nebula's threat to throw her through the door.

"Since when did you learn to understand them, Berra?" growled the weapons master testily. She waved a hand at the woman as her back stiffened in defence, "Alright, alright, you were just doing as ordered, but next time just ask if we want to see the visitor, don't start a major brawl in the corridor, we'll have the Romans thinking we're more barbaric than they already do."

Turning on her heel, Eponin headed back into the room before realising that Nebula wasn't following, "Well? Are you coming?" she demanded brusquely.

"Just waiting for an invitation," grinned the pirate, "wouldn't want anyone to think I was gate crashing," she added levelling a glare at Berra and getting one back in return.

Nebula followed Poni into the big room that seemed somehow to be almost crowded by the amount of people there. The pirate looked round with interest picking out the familiar faces of Hercules and Iolaus, whom she treated to a long, lascivious, grin. She, of course, knew Ephiny and Eponin and so presumed the third woman had to be Gabrielle, bard and Amazon Queen.

At first glance she thought that there must have been some mistake. The small honey blonde looked anything but Amazon material her whole demeanor seemed gentle and non-threatening and, after spending quite some time in Amazon company, Nebula knew that that was far from normal. However, when she looked up, and misty green eyes caught the pirate's gaze, the tall dark woman reconsidered her evaluation. There was a quiet strength to Gabrielle, nothing showy, just a confident air and a steady competence that asserted itself. A second glance also told the sailor that the bard was far from being a weakling. The muscular frame wasn't obvious. but anyone looking could see the sleek ripple of strength and an unconscious sense of co-ordination that spoke volumes.

- Well, - mused Nebula, - Amazon Queen, bard and warrior. A woman of hidden talents and depths. Wonder what she's like on a ship? -

In the instant it had taken to recognise and evaluate Gabrielle, the door had been swung shut behind them and three more men moved into sight. From the descriptions that Eponin had given her, she recognised Autolycus and Joxer before turning her head and meeting a familiar blue eyed appraisal. Familiar, because she'd encountered it's twin only a candlemark previously outside the Temple of Jupiter, - Xena's brother, Toris, obviously, - she identified, - Well the looks obviously run true in that family. -

Ephiny drew everyone's attention, "This is Nebula," she introduced, "She's the captain of the ship that brought us here and she'll be taking us back to Greece once we've managed to rescue Xena." She then proceeded to acquaint the pirate with everyone formally.

After making a few noises in the direction of social smalltalk, Ephiny asked the question everyone wanted to hear the answer too, "Did they take her to Caesar's palace?"

"They surely did, and they had a whole maniple to guard her. I thought those soldier boys were hanging around to escort Caesar home. You can imagine my surprise when they formed up around her and marched her off," the sea woman told them, "Look, is there any chance of getting something to eat and drink here, I've been stood around on streets since just past midday and I'm both famished and parched." she grumbled.

Iolaus grinned and threw her an apple, "Chew on that while I pour you some wine," he told her.

She snagged the apple with graceful ease, grinned and said, "Thanks Curly," before she took a large bite from it chewing thoughtfully. Swallowing, she looked up and told them, "You know, thinking about it, I shouldn't have been surprised at the amount of guards she's got. While I was hanging around waiting for the parade to start, I overheard some of the sailors off the trireme gossiping, and they reckoned that in the time Caesar's had her she's been responsible for the death or hospitalisation of close on twenty men .. and that's with all the chains and injuries she's been carrying around with her. Those legionaries in that unit are the handpicked elite from Rome's legions and they're all pretty scared of her."

"Xena, is not someone you mess with lightly," Gabrielle told her. "Caesar knows that, which is why he's gone to such lengths to take and hold her."

Ephiny allowed the pirate to finish her apple and take a long draught of the wine that Iolaus handed her, before asking the woman to fill them in on what had happened on the march through the city, knowing that everyone in the room felt the need to know what their friend was suffering through.

"The march was bad for her. She's carrying around a lot of pain and wounds and her strength looked like it was flagging. It was only the sedate pace that allowed her to keep going .. it probably didn't help her having to walk in bare feet. To be honest, I'm surprised that she made it to the temple steps without being dragged half the way. She took a couple of heavy falls, but those guards got her too her feet before she could be dragged too far." She took another mouthful of wine and allowed it to trickle down her throat.

"Ephiny's most likely filled you in on the scene at the temple, and what went on inside. When they came out they just marched her off to Caesar's place. She was being supported by two of the soldiers, but she was alert ... I was well hidden in the shadows, but she spotted me. I think she knew I was a friend. What I want to know is how she managed to do that. None of those Romans had any idea I was there."

Half a dozen voices said at once, "She has many skills," then laughed weakly about it.

"Thank you, Nebula," the bard said when the recitation finished.

"Just make certain you get her out. I don't like the Romans. I don't like Caesar, but I would like to meet her," the pirate grinned.

"I'm sure she'll want to meet you too," Gabrielle grinned in return.

With everyone talking quietly, the sailor stood and took Ephiny by the elbow, "I need a quiet word with you." The Regent arched an eyebrow at her, inviting her to continue.

"I think you've got a breach in security and some traitors in your ranks. I just followed an Amazon back here, and I picked up her trail as she was coming out of Caesar's side gate."

The door closed behind the four women as they entered Ephiny's apartments. Besides the Regent and the pirate, the Queen and the Weapons Master were also there. Ephiny motioned them all to take a seat and then turned to Nebula and asked firmly, "Tell Eponin and Gabrielle what you've just told me, and then give us all the details that you've got."

Taking a breath, Nebula explained once more the situation as she saw it, "After I followed the guards to Caesar's palace, I was just about to drag anchors and head up here to give Ephiny a report, when I saw an Amazon slip out of the side gate of the building."

She noted the intense looks that sprang instantly into all the women's eyes, "I know you are hardly going to be friendly with Caesar, and the fact that that particular Amazon came out of a side entrance, kind of made me think that something might be going on that you didn't know about. So I decided that I'd better follow whoever it was wherever they were headed for next. As it turned out, she came straight back here, passed a word to the guard at the barracks and slipped back inside."

"Did you see who it was?" questioned Eponin sharply.

"Who? The woman I tailed or the guard?" responded the pirate.

"Both," Ephiny answered curtly.

"Well, I'm fairly certain that the one I tailed was that chunky, pug nosed, girl .. Jery? something like that anyway," Nebula told them.

"Jerushan!" breathed Eponin explosively her muscles tense, anger clear in her voice. The pirate saw the Regent touch her friend's shoulder lightly drawing her attention. The was a faint shake of the pale curls and the weapons master allowed herself to relax .. a little.

"What about the guard?" pressed Ephiny.

"That was Essaine. I recognised her because she was pretty good up top on the yards," filled in the sea woman.

"Ephiny?" questioned the bard in confusion, "What's going on here?"

The Regent gave her Queen a worried look. She had more than enough to worry about without the problem of domestic Amazon squabbles added to it. The only thing was that with Jerushan dropping in to visit Caesar, it looked like the domestic problems were about to get more complicated.

"Ephiny?" repeated Gabrielle, concern evident in her voice and eyes.

"When I," she threw a look at Eponin, "we decided to come after you and Xena, we decided that it wouldn't be wise to leave Solari with the problem of keeping an eye on some of the more vigourous dissidents .. so we brought the leaders with us."

"Tarelle," stated the bard flatly.

"Yes. Her and seven of her playmates. We thought that bringing them with us and keeping a close watch on them would keep them out of trouble," explained the Regent, "Eponin, Solari and Malonda hand-picked the rest of the sisters to make up the guard so that we could be certain that we'd be able to keep a close eye on Tarelle and her clique."

"Then how did Jerushan get out of the barracks and why was Essaine on guard duty?" demanded the small, green eyed, woman.

"Because neither Jerushan, nor Essaine are part of Tarelle's seven." Eponin butted in.

"I guess we have a real problem here guys," interjected Nebula, "because unless you can sort out just who to trust in your group, Caesar's going to know everything we've got planned and the outcome of that ain't going to be pretty."