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Xena and Gabrielle exchanged worried glances than looked back at the two women huddled together, their arms clasped around each other tightly.

"What do you mean, love?" Lila asked as she gently stroked Sasha's face.

The other woman looked up at Lila, and Gabrielle nearly smiled with the love she saw between them. Her sister had found the other part of her soul, just like Gabrielle had in Xena. The world was almost a perfect place. Almost.

"She was screaming and yelling at him when he took me away, pleading for him not to hurt me. He got so mad he stalked back over to her and slapped her hard on the face. Then he told her he'd deal with her later," she stammered, then buried her face in Lila's chest and sobbed.

"We'll find her, Sasha. We promise," Xena whispered.

Gabrielle walked over to her mother and laid a hand on her face. "Why don't you help Lila try and calm her down. Perhaps a soothing tonic."

"Of course, my dear," she murmured and left the room.

Xena stood by the window with her arms crossed in front of her and a deep frown on her face.

"What do you think he did to her?" Gabrielle asked as she wrapped her arms around her lover.

"I don't know. She wasn't in the house when we came looking for Sasha and her father. She wasn't locked away with her, either."

"Surely you don't think he...."Gabrielle trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

Xena turned to her and tilted her chin up. "No, I don't think she's dead. But I think we should head back to the village and ask around. Surely someone's seen her."

"Ephiny is still there. Maybe she will have found something out about Sasha's mother."

"Let's go pack," Xena said.

*********************

The sun was barely up when the two met up with a breathless Ephiny on the road to the village.

"You two aren't going to like this," Ephiny growled.

Gabrielle grasped hold of Ephiny's shoulders. "You found Sasha's mother?"

Ephiny nodded. "Oh, I found her all right. In a few more hours she'll be put up on the auction block."

"By the gods," Gabrielle murmured, and turned to Xena. "What do we do now?"

"We buy her back," Xena said through clenched teeth.

Xena and Gabrielle, along with Ephiny headed into town.  The three woman came up with an idea to get Sasha's mother. By the time they reached the village they realized they only had a candlemark to put their plan into action.

 Xena immediately headed off in one direction, Gabrielle and Ephiny walked into another. They were to meet back in the center of the village as soon as they could.

 Just about a candlemark later, the three slowly made it back into the village center. No one recognized nor paid much attention to any of them especially Xena, who was sporting a peasants' dress, a far cry from her leathers.  Ephiny needed all control just to keep herself from laughing.  Xena flashed her a look from acrose the square that told Ephiny she'd better watch out.

 Gabrielle was dressed in a captain's outfit and Ephiny was her servant by her side. Gabrielle had a hat on and looked little like the story telling warrior that she was.

 The crowd grew, mostly consisting of men, or at least the ones that appeared to be the bidders. Gabrielle took her spot directly in the center of the area where the auctions would take place, yet she made sure there were a few people in front of her. Gabrielle could sense the eyes on her, trying to figure out who this woman was.

 "What do you think you are doing here?"  A rough looking man standing near her commented.

 Knowing she wanted to send a message to those standing at the village center, she casually raised her arm and with the back of her hand knocked the man flat on his back.

 Xena who was watching the interaction from across the crowd, put a proud smile on her face. "That's my bard!" she thought.

 After a few minutes the auction started with a young dark haired woman being sold for 8 dinars as a body slave.  Xena kept a watch around the crowd for anything out of the usual and to check out the men that she assumed she'd be fighting before the afternoon was over.

 Xena looked over at Gabrielle and Ephiny and with a simple eye movement that went unnoticed by anyone else, Ephiny motioned for Xena to look at something.  Xena quickly saw Sasha's mom being ushered around and it appeared that she was due to be on the block soon.

 ****

 He knew his plans were finally working the way he wanted and nothing was going to stop him. As he surveyed the village area for possible hitches to the plan, someone caught his eye.

 "What is she up to?" the God of War smirked as he asked himself.

 "Xena, you can't really believe that you're going to walk out of there with that woman without going through me first?" Ares chuckled to himself again.

 Ares figured he better not take any changes with Xena interferring with things. "Not this time Xena!" he said as he disappeared.

Sasha's mother was being led out into the public's view.  The auctioneer announced that bidding would start in one quarter candlemark, thus allowing all to take in this woman's health and attributes.

Xena started to move closer to the stage preparing to bid on this woman when a chill went up and down her spine.  She turned in place and sniffed the air.  "Talk about bad smells, Ares.  When was the last time you washed?"

The War God materialized to her left, once again asking, "How do you do that?"

Smirking, the warrior replied, "I have many..."

"Yah, yah.  I've heard it all before, but one of these days Xena, I will figure out how you do that trick of yours."

"Promises, promises." said Xena as she turned to face him.

Ares looked her over and could appreciate Xena in her peasant dress.  It was a far cry from the leathers she normally wore, but smiled at the fun they could have playing Warlord and Peasant Girl.  He moved toward her, going to brush her cheek with the back of his hand, but the hand never connected with her soft flesh.  Instead it was caught in a rock hard grip that defied him his goal.

Their eyes locked as the battle of wills began.  Ares knew if he used his god strength that this would be one battle that he could win, but what a waste of a battle.

He stepped back, regarding the warrior.  "You really are something else.  Not many would deny me and still be standing."

A smirk appeared on her face and one eyebrow slowly rose to be hidden by her bang.  They continued to stare at one another as the noise around them started to increase.  Yelling could be heard from around the gathering.

"If you'll excuse me Ares, I have some business to attend to right now."

"Xena, Xena, Xena.  What?  Do you think you are going to buy that woman?  No, I don't think so.  This is one time when I've decided I'm going to win.  You will not be bidding on her."

Before Xena could do or say anything, Ares grabbed a hold of her and together they vanished.

**********

At the front of the crowd, Gabrielle was standing next to Ephany and just upped her bid to 5 dinars for Sasha's mother.

The auctioneer announced, "I have 5 from the captain down front, do I hear six?"

She turned to see Xena standing next to Ares and quickly faced forward.  To Ephany she said, "We have trouble."

"Like that's anything new with you two?" asked the Regent.  "What is it now?"

"Five dinars and a hen!" said someone from the left.

"Ares."

"Here?  Now?"

The auctioneer announced, "The man in the red cap has offered 5 dinars and a hen.  Come on folks.  Look at her.  Still has her looks and she would be a great breeder to add to your stables.  Not to mention all the years of hard work.  Don't let this one go."

"Yes," replied the bard.  "Speaking to Xena.  I wonder what he wants now?"

The auctioneer announced, "5 dinars and a hen, going once."

Ephany looked back just in time to see both Xena and Ares vanish.  "Uh oh."

"Six dinars," shouted the bard.

"You're gonna love this one, Gabrielle." whispered Ephany.  "He just vanished..."

"Great, then we..."

"... with Xena."

"Six dinars going once.  Six dinars twice."

"Six and a hen!"

"The gentleman in the red cap has upped the bid.  Do I hear..."

The bard looked at Ephany and said, "Well, if nothing else, she will keep him busy.  Let's stick with the plan since I have no clue where he took her... YET."

"... going twice."

"Seven!"

This bidding war went back and forth between Red Cap and "the Captain" for a while.  Neither seeming to want to give on on this prize.  The Auctioneer was ecstatic.  What was originally going to be just a 5 or 6 dinar sale has now increased to 15 dinars from the captain in the front.

"I have 15.  Do I hear 16?"

"16!"

Gabrielle hissed, "This is ridiculous."  Then growled. "20 and death to the next person who bids!"

A hush came over the crowd.  Those around the petite captain backed up a pace or two worried that the evident anger would be unleashed on one of them.

"A little over kill there, huh, Gabrielle," whispered Ephany.

"Um, 20 dinars is bid.  Do I hear more?" asked the auctioneer as he cleared his voice.

Gabrielle shot daggers at him for asking that question.  He knew he would pay as dearly if another person gave a bid at that moment.

"Going once, twice, SOLD!" shouted the auctioneer.  "Please come up front and complete your transaction."

"Maybe, Ephany, but it's over now.  Let's get Sasha's mom and get out of here, fast!"

The two walked forward but did not reach the front before Red Cap intercepted them.

"She was to be mine!" exclaimed the irate man.

"Was, maybe, but is mine," replied the warrior bard.  Turning, they proceeded to pick up their "purchase".

The man reached out and grabbed Gabrielle's arm.  Time slowed for Gabrielle at that moment.  She intercepted the hand and twisted.  The next thing folks saw was Red Cap on his knees looking up into the eyes of the stormy seas.

"Two rules if you want to live longer than the next candlemark." growled the blonde.  "One never try to touch me again and two, refer to rule number one.  Got me?"

The man, in obvious pain from the hold on his arm nodded his head.

Satisfied, the bard released him, saying, "Get out of here."

He moved quickly back into the crowd as far from her as possible.

Behind her, Gabrielle could hear muffled laughter, "She is rubbing off on you."

Turning around, Gabrielle tried to give her Regent 'the look' but fail when she too started laughing.  "Come on you.  Let's pay, get Sasha's Mom, and then find Xena."

**********

Xena looked around and discovered she was now well outside of the village.  She turned on Ares, catching him off guard and landed a shot to his stomach.

Ares smirked at her attempt.  He had been expecting something like that and was ready for it.  "Now, Xena, I just want to talk."

"Well, I just want to buy back that woman.  Send me back now, Ares."

"Nah, I don't think so.  I want her to be sold.  I'm priming that daughter of her to take up the sword in the future and go after her.  Her mother will be the perfect excuse for her to turn to me in worship.  Then, I will train her.  She has such potential."

"It's not gonna happen, Ares.  Sasha will be raised with the Amazons and they will teach her.  She will not follow you.  Now, send me back." replied the warrior.

"As soon as the auction is over Xena, I'll happily send you back, but not until then."

The warrior started heading in the direction of the village and was stopped in her tracks.

"Xena, you don't get it do you.  You are not ruining this plan for me.  I've been working on this one for years.  The regular beatings helped to build character in Sasha, although he did go well beyond my orders on that last beating, but then again, he is a good follower."

"WHAT?" shouted Xena.  "You ordered him to beat her?"

Chuckling, Ares said, "Xena, that village has been mine for years.  She was not the only to get a good beating."

Ares saw it, it was her eyes.  He saw death staring him in the face.  He had slipped and informed her that he was the cause of some of the beatings that had been received by the bard.  "Well," he thought, "This is one way to keep her busy."

The warrior shook with the knowledge that Ares was the cause of the pain that Gabrielle suffered as a child.  The fury in her was building and now there was none to stop her.  Then again, this was the perfect target for her fury too, after all, she could not kill him with her bare hands.

"I'll get to clobber him, get rid of some of that excess anger, and still give Gabrielle time to take care of business.  I just love it when a plan comes together!" thought the warrior.

She launched a vicious kick at him connecting with his chin and the fight was on.  The two exchanged several rounds of blows, neither giving an inch.  After a quarter candlemark of fighting, both were breathing heavy.

Then is happened.  The Warrior Princess smiled that sexy smile of hers.

Ares smiled back thinking, "There's my girl." Then was on the floor as a result of a roundhouse kick.  He cleared his head and looked up to see the woman being escorted from the town by that captain and his whore.

"I've won, Xena.  Sasha's mother will have a life of slavery and Sasha will one day be mine," laughed Ares.

"Oh, I don't know about that.  I'd predict a family reunion in about 4 candlemarks from now," replied a smirking warrior.

Ares looked up at Xena and then back down the road.  He watched the gait of the captain as he quickly strode up the path, straight for him.  "Nah, it couldn't be."

Xena purred, "If you were going to say one very vexed bard, yah, it could be.  Care to stick around for this one?  She is slamming that staff into the ground pretty hard if you ask me.  I think she wants to stick it to a certain God of War, but then again, I could be wrong."

"ARES!" growled the bard.  "Get up off the floor so I can knock you back down again!"

The God turned to Xena, asking, "You start giving her grumpy lessons or something?"

With a smirk, Xena replied, "Or something.  Seems that when my bard does not get enough sleep and some serious cuddle time that she makes my bad moods look pleasant."

Rising to his feet, the War God turned to confront the angry storm approaching fast.  "Well, well, well.  If it isn't my favorite irritating blonde," sneered Ares.

"Cut the complements and prepare to be pummeled."

Ephany and Sasha's Mother walked over to Xena.  Ephany handed Xena a bag containing the warrior's armor.  All three watched as the bard started to circle the grinning god.

Xena leaned over to Ephany, whispered, "This is gonna be good.  I know that Aphrodite showed her how to channel a little bit of her power.  If she is fighting for love, then she can't loose."

Ephany whispered, "If she is fighting for you Xena, then she is Fighting For Love."

"Okay, blondie, let's see whatcha got," taunted the God of War.

A grin appeared on the bard's face and she faked to the left and spun right with her staff striking out at the God.  Her staff caught him behind the knees and for the second time that day, the god graced the floor of the forest.

Ares shook his head not believing that the bard had actually connected at all.  He grinned thinking about how fast she was and flew to his feet, staff materializing in his hand.  "So you what a lesson?  Okay, bard, try this one."

Ares swung at her shoulders, but the little warrior just ducked below the staff and countered with a jab at Ares' foot.  The god started hopping on his good foot and again was dumped to the floor by a sweeping leg.

Ares stared up at the bard, who could see anger blooming in their brown depths.  Doing what came naturally to her, she smiled at him.

This caused Ares to fume.  He rose from his spot on the floor yelling as he again attached the bard.  Instead of dodging the swing, she met his staff with her own.  They exchanged several blows when the finally came together.  Both breathing hard.

"I'm just playing with you, little girl.  You about ready to give it up?" asked Ares.

"What?  Give it up to someone with such a small stick.  I don't think so," replied the blonde.

"Shows how much you know, it's a staff, little bard."

"Who said I was talking about the thing in your hands?" asked the bard.

Xena and Ephany snickered on the side as they heard the Queen's retort.

Ares' face turned several shades of purple and started to fight in earnest, but every blow he sent the bard's way was either blocked or evaded.  Yet as hard as he tried, he could not breech her defenses. Ares finally stood back, pulled his arm back and let a ball of blue fire fly at the bard.

Not thinking about what she was doing, Gabrielle moved her right hand, grabbed the ball of energy and threw it back at Ares.

Ares stared wide-eyed as the blue sphere came back at him.  So surprised was he that he failed to react in time.  The glowing mass hit him in the chest sending him 20 feet backwards.  He moaned for a moment and shook his head to clear it.  When he went to rise, there was a green-eyed storm staring down at him, with her staff at his throat.

"You give up?" asked the bard.

"Maybe," replied the God.

"Wrong answer."

"For now."

The bard backed away, turned and then ran to her partner.  "Are you all right?  When I saw you talking with Ares, I just thought it was par for the course with us, but when Eph said you both vanished, I was worried, and the bidding was taking forever, and all I wanted to do was come and find you, and..."

The bard's ramblings were silenced as Xena kissed her.

A throat cleared, getting the attention of both Xena and Gabrielle.

Once the two parted, Xena said, "Take a breath every now and then, will yah?"

"Mind telling me where you learned that trick?" asked Ares.

"What trick?" asked Gabrielle.

"Look, blondie, not everyone can just catch one of my energy balls.  How'd you do it?"

"No clue.  You'll have to ask Mom one of these days."

"Oh, my precious one," announced Aphrodite as she appeared in a sparkling haze.  "You called me Mom."  She threw her arms around Gabrielle and held her tight.

The God looked at the Goddess of Love and Gabrielle and started backing away.  "No, it can't me.  There is no way I'm related to that, that..."

Gabrielle pulled away from the Goddess and walked over to Ares.

"But, Uncle Ares," stressed the bard, as she reached out as if to hug him.

Back peddling, Ares held his hands out in front of him.  He yelled, "Don't!" and then vanished.

The bard walked back over to the others.  Aphrodite threw and arm around her waist while the warrior encircled her shoulders.

"Come on, tiger," said Xena, "let's reunite Sasha and her mother."

"Sounds like a plan." answered a smirking Gabrielle.

"And I'll get us there in style," announced the Goddess of Love.

Suddenly, all 5 woman disappeared from the clearing.

***************

Aphrodite transported the little group in her charge to Gabrielle's home....

"Okay sweet pea, I thought I would drop you all off outside the house. No sense scaring the Tartarus out of Lila and Sasha by just popping into their bedroom," she giggled.

"Thanks, Mom," Gabrielle said. This time the word Mom came rolling off her tongue much more easily.

"Think nothing of it little one. Well gotta go and spread some lovin' around..."

"Will you be coming to visit us at the Amazon village, Aphrodite?" Xena asked as she smiled at the Goddess.

"Count on it Love Muffin." With that she snapped her fingers and disappeared in a puff of hot pink smoke and sparkles.

"Don't call me Love Muffin!" Xena grinned.

Gabrielle turned to Zarra, Sasha's mother, and gently touched her arm as she spoke...

"Zarra, I think it would be a good idea if we went in together. Sasha is healing, but she is wild with worry over what happened to you. The faster she sees you are fine, the faster her soul will heal. I have already started her body on the road to recovery. Now it is time for her soul."

Zarra nodded and walked into the house, with the three women following behind.

****

Hecuba was cleaning the table and humming when she looked up and saw Zarra. What a welcome sight she was.

"Thank the Gods you are safe!" Hecuba said as she embraced her friend.

"I am safe now," she said looking over to where the three warriors stood. "But no thanks to the Gods! Thanks go to your daughter and Xena and their friend Ephany." There were tears in her eyes. "Now I must see my Sasha, please."

Gabrielle and Zarra went into the bedroom where Sasha was recuperating...

Sasha was being rocked back and forth by Lila, who was stroking her hair and whispering quietly to her. Zarra saw the tortured look on her precious daughters face. She felt terrible pain at seeing her daughter so distraught. Lila was the first to notice Zarra walking toward the bed, and she smiled at the older woman.

"Sasha? My precious one... I'm here now," she said as she quickly went to the other side of the bed. She sat down, and hugged her daughter gently. "No more crying for you, Sasha. All is well now, thanks to them," she said as she nodded towards the Warrior and Bard. Sasha held her mother as tightly as she could and cried. Only this time the tears were of joy, not sorrow.

Lila looked at the love of her life and then looked at her sister and Xena. And in a low whisper said... thank you to both of them. She knew she could never repay them for the gift that had been given her, but she vowed she would spend her life trying.

After Sasha was reunited with her mother she seemed to start feeling much better, and with each passing day she became stronger. Gabrielle was right...not only did her body heal, but her soul as well. Ares had lost again.

****

The wagon was loaded with the things that Hecuba wanted to take with her to the Amazon village. Sasha, Lila and Zarra were comfortably ensconced in the wagon and of course, Lila was making sure that Sasha was as comfortable as possible. She was almost as protective of Sasha as Xena was of Gabrielle. It did not go unnoticed by Xena. She watched as Lila fussed over Sasha and laughed when Sasha said that she could take care of herself.

Zarra and Hecuba would ride up front and Hecuba would handle the wagon. Ephiny, Gabrielle and Xena had their horsed and would ride along side.

It was time to leave. Gabrielle looked around at the home she had grown up in and then rode up to wagon.

"Mother? It must be difficult for you to leave your home, and everyone you know to go to the Amazon's with us?" Gabrielle asked her mother.

Her mother smiled at her daughter and replied, "It's the easiest thing I have done in thirty years!" she smiled and continued... Moving her hand in an arc she said, "This was never a home. There was never any joy here, Gabrielle. There is no one here in this town that I will miss. Gabrielle, all the people I love and care about are right here with me. This is home. This wagon... the Amazon village. So it doesn't matter where we make our home as long as we are together."

There wasn't a dry eye left as they started their journey home.