No Greater Love
by Lynn M. Price
Continued from Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Five
Protectors...
"How many times?" Eponin asked, her voice soft, as she continued to stroke Scout.
"What?" Mariah said, startled.
"How many times did you almost lose your life?" The warrior repeated wanting to hear Mariah's story for herself. The flutist's eyes narrowed at the thought of Eponin hearing her talk with Salla. Mariah then realized something; when she wasn't with Xena or Gabrielle, either Ephiny, Eponin, or Solari had been with her or hovering nearby. Hmm, she thought to herself, I've picked up three guardian angels.
The former high school English teacher's thoughts then turned to the oncologists, surgeons, nurses, physical therapists, *and* Xena and Gabrielle; combined, all those people had saved her life quite a number of times. "Five, Eponin." The flutist put her thumb and index finger an inch apart. "I've been that close to death five times."
"How?"
Mariah looked around to make sure they were alone and lowered her voice. "Well, once I almost drowned when I was a little girl; I don't even remember that, but my parents told me about it. Then twice with the cancer, once when Gabrielle and I were kidnapped by Galvous, and the last time occurred when I was trapped in the Dreamscape. Come to think of it, even Ares had a hand in *that* one!" she mused.
Eponin shook her head. Gabrielle was right; Mariah *had* been through a lot.
The flutist continued. "It's hard to believe, isn't it? I mean, I never thought much about dying when I was younger; I always thought it wouldn't happen to me. A lot of people feel that way where I come from; they think they're immortal. And when you *do* come face-to-face with it, it puts a whole new spin on your life and how you choose to live it." Her eyes became unfocused as she thought of her life-altering brushes with death. "Ah, well, I guess I better get to bed," she stated as she came out of her reverie. A huge grin lit up her face and she couldn't resist the gentle gibe. "Are you going to tuck me in, my mighty Amazon nursemaid?"
Eponin gawked at her and Mariah burst out laughing at the look on her face. "I'm sorry, Eponin. Truly, I am. I hope I didn't offend you; I know what you're doing, and believe me, I'm thankful." Her voice was sincere as she laid her hand on the warrior's arm. "I know you and Ephiny and Solari are looking out for me. And I appreciate that more than you know."
Eponin peered into those smiling blue eyes, felt that warm hand on her arm, and knew the game was up. A gleam lit up her features; might as well have some fun, she thought. "Well, since you brought it up, Mariah." The stocky Amazon grabbed the flute player, easily hoisted her over her shoulder, turned, and carried her out of the stable towards the large visitor's hut.
Mariah was stunned at the ease at which she had been picked up. "Come on, Eponin, put me down," she implored to no avail as she struggled against the Amazon's iron grip. "Please? I *said* I was sorry! Have pity, woman!"
Eponin stifled her giggle at Mariah's pleadings. "You asked me if I was going to tuck you in, and that's exactly what I'm going to do," she replied her voice serious.
"Eponin, I'm begging you!" Mariah said as they entered the hut. She was surprised to see Xena, Gabrielle, Ephiny and Solari sitting on the beds having a drink. They had decided to make an early night of it, too.
"What's going on?" Gabrielle asked. The sight of Mariah slung over Eponin's broad shoulder was almost too much for her to bear. The other women ducked their heads and hid their grins.
"She said she wanted her mighty Amazon nursemaid to tuck her in," Eponin replied with a smirk.
"Come on, Eponin, I *said* I was sorry," said an apologetic but still-struggling Mariah.
The Queen took pity on her friend. "We can take it from here, Ep," Gabrielle told her, a mischievous look on her face. "Why don't you put her down and have a drink with us? Xena and I will make sure she gets to bed."
"Well," said Eponin, pretending to think it over. "If you think that's best." She eased Mariah's feet to the floor and helped her stand. "No hard feelings?" Eponin asked, the smile lighting up her eyes.
Mariah couldn't help but laugh and the other women joined in. Eponin clapped a friendly hand on her shoulder. "Now let's have that drink," she said as she poured out two cups of wine, giving one to Mariah.
"A toast," Mariah said, a smile still on her face, "to Amazon guardian angels." She and Eponin clinked their cups together and each took a healthy swallow of wine. They moved over to the unoccupied bed and sat down.
"Guardian angels?" Ephiny asked, her voice puzzled.
"She's onto us," Eponin told the regent, her voice solemn, the wine cup hiding her grin. She looked at Mariah, and they both snickered.
Mariah decided to let Ephiny off the hook. "I know that you and Eponin and Solari are keeping an eye on me when Xena and Gabrielle aren't around," she explained. "'Guardian angel' is a phrase where I come from that means protector. And I don't think I could ask for better protectors!"
"How did you know?" Solari asked her, her voice curious.
"Well, besides Xena and Gabrielle, you three are the only ones who know who I really am. It makes sense that you'd be watching my back."
"And you don't mind?" inquired Ephiny.
"Would it matter if I said yes?" she replied in a teasing yet challenging tone of voice.
"No," chorused Xena and Gabrielle, quashing *that* debate before it got started. "But," Gabrielle added, "since you know, I suppose we can back off and give you some space. Just don't get into any trouble!" They both grinned at their friend from the future.
Mariah smiled. "There...you see?" She gestured at her best friends, affection written all over her face. "My two sisters, always looking out for me. Now what kind of trouble could I get into in a village full of Amazons?"
"Oh, you'd be surprised," Xena answered, arching her eyebrow. "Did you already forget about your little adventure earlier this evening?"
The flutist's face grew pensive as she remembered the choking Salla. "No," she said as she looked at the contents of her half-empty cup. "I don't think I'll *ever* forget that, Xena." She decided to shift gears
in the silence that followed. "Salla said something tonight that has me thinking; she said she's now in my debt. Is that true?"
Eponin nodded, her voice serious. "Oh, yes, Mariah. You saved her life; according to our custom she's honor bound to do the same for you if and when she can."
"Even though I'm not an Amazon?" the flutist queried.
"It doesn't matter," Solari chimed in.
Mariah was quiet, mulling over what she heard; as she sat there, another thought struck her. "Hey, what's the story with Salla anyway? How did she wind up here? What happened to her?" Curiosity overwhelmed her despite her encroaching fatigue. She struggled to contain her yawn.
Ephiny peered at Mariah and saw the glassiness in her eyes. "We'll tell you tomorrow," she said as she looked at Solari and Eponin. They caught her drift and finished their drinks; all three women stood up to take their leave.
"Make sure you tuck her in, Xena," Eponin needled as she exited the dwelling.
"Thanks, Ep," Mariah bantered back, using the warrior's nickname. She could stifle it no longer; she yawned and stretched, the day's events finally catching up with her. She dressed for bed, as did her two friends. They kept a few candles lit in case they had to get up during the night. Mariah crawled under the blanket and soon was asleep, as were Xena and Gabrielle.
The flutist thought the bed was lonely without Myklos.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Explorations...
It was dark when the sleeping Mariah felt someone shaking her. She opened her eyes; Xena stood over her.
"You still want to go for that ride?" the warrior asked in a quiet voice. She was dressed in her customary leathers and armor, candlelight glinting off the metal.
"Yeah," she said with a yawn. "Just give me a few minutes to get ready." Xena nodded and walked out of the hut. She stretched and rolled out of bed. She looked over at Gabrielle; the bard slept, snoring lightly as was her habit. The flutist dressed, picked up her staff, and met the warrior outside. After attending to their respective calls from Mother Nature, they walked over to the stables, saddled their horses, and led the animals to the outskirts of the village.
The reddish-pink tinge in the eastern sky signaled another beautiful day as the two women mounted up. Xena took the lead, spurring Argo to a slow canter to warm up the mare's muscles, Mariah matching her pace on Scout. As the sun peeked over the horizon, they were galloping across the countryside, the horses in their glory as their hooves pounded the ground.
Xena was right. The land in the Amazon territory *was* beautiful. The many shades of green were breathtaking, as were the rolling hills and virgin forests. They came to a clearing by a stream and slowed their horses to a walk. Xena turned to the flutist. "Are you up for a little workout?" she asked as she removed a staff from Argo's saddle.
"With you, there's no such thing as a little workout," Mariah said with a grin as she dismounted and palmed her weapon.
Xena dismounted as well and watched as Mariah removed her wedding ring and placed it on her necklace. They each warmed up and soon were engaged in a battle of wits and skill, the resounding cracks of their staffs carrying far in the stillness of the early morning. As before, it took Xena a long time to penetrate her defenses; she caught the flutist off guard by dropping her staff and grabbing Mariah's. The two women wrestled with the weapon before Xena twisted the staff and their bodies so each woman stood back-to-back, the weapon clutched in their hands high over their heads. The warrior bent over and pulled her friend over her back, flipping her.
Mariah found herself flying up and backwards over Xena's back, the ground coming up in a flashing blur. "Whoa! Xena!!" she cried as she braced for the impact. She kept her knees bent as her booted feet thudded on the ground. She hung onto the staff for support after she landed and stared into Xena's smiling blue eyes. "You've *got* to show me how you did that!" the flutist exclaimed, her exertions flushing her face.
Xena laughed. "Yeah, I thought you'd like that move. It's saved Gabrielle on more than one occasion." The warrior took her friend through the maneuver step by step, flipping Mariah several more times to get her accustomed to the motion. Then it was Mariah's turn try out the move on Xena. It was awkward at first, Mariah nearly pulling the two of them to the ground as she overbalanced while trying to flip the warrior. With some coaching, the flutist soon felt the warrior move up and over her back, landing gracefully as she always did. Xena allowed her to try it several more times to get it down pat. Xena then showed her several defensive moves to utilize after the back flip. Once the flutist began practicing the new moves, Xena moved off and began her own workout.
Mariah watched Xena out of the corner of her eye as she practiced; she so enjoyed seeing her friend at work. Xena possessed such a grace and beauty, whether she wielded a sword or launched into a series of gravity-defying flips. The warrior felt alive as the blood coursed through her, her body responding to the increasing demands she made on it. She took a well-deserved break and watched Mariah practice for a few moments.
She fits in so well you'd never know that she's not from here. And she has the gift of getting along with almost everybody she meets. Amazing...she's come so far in such a short time. I wish she could see herself as others see her, Xena thought to herself with a smile, thinking of their infamous "warrior" discussion of the other evening. Her strength, her courage, her spirit, that wild sense of humor. How could you explain Eponin carrying her in like that last night? Xena didn't think the stocky Amazon had that kind of humor in her. Mariah brings that out in people. I wonder how well Gabrielle and I would fit in her world, how well we would cope if we were uprooted. If we had someone like Mariah to show us the way, we'd be all right...
Mariah looked up from her practice to see her friend staring at her. "Hey, are you all right?" she asked.
"Yeah," Xena said, coming back to the present. "You want to go for a swim?"
"I'd love to," the flutist replied still looking at her friend, her eyes narrowing. "Are you *sure* you're all right?" Xena heard the concern in her voice.
"Never better," the warrior said walking up to her and clapping her on the shoulder. "Come on. Last one in's a bacchae!" Both women took off at a dead run for the stream.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Talk The Talk...
The Amazon village bustled with activity as Xena and Mariah rode back and stabled their mounts. After tending to their horses' needs, they returned to the visitor's hut where Gabrielle had just finishing dressing. "Hey, you two! How about some breakfast?" the bard asked them.
"Sounds good," said Xena, Mariah nodding in agreement. They walked over to the kitchens and eating area; there, Mariah saw the cooks preparing food for the villagers. Each woman grabbed a plate and helped themselves. They then walked over to the fire where they scooped out a cup of hot tea from the simmering pot. Looking around, they spied Ephiny and Solari who waved them over to their table.
"Where's Eponin?" asked Gabrielle after greeting the warriors. She, Xena, and Mariah sat down and began to eat.
"She was at the armory. She should be here by now," Ephiny replied, craning her neck as she looked around. "Ah, here she comes." The stocky warrior got her food and tea and joined them at the table.
"Heard Xena showed you an interesting move today," Eponin said with a grin.
"Yeah...how'd you know about that?" Mariah asked, puzzled.
"Nothing gets by those Amazon sentries," Xena told her with a smile. She explained the flip maneuver she taught the young flutist.
"Isn't that move something?" Gabrielle said. "I remember the first time Xena pulled it on me...she scared me half to death!"
"Yeah, well I thought I was going to have to change my breeches," Mariah said in a droll voice. Solari almost spit out a mouthful of tea at her statement and they all shared a hearty laugh.
"Mariah, my friend, you do have a way with words," Eponin said with a grin.
"Oh, I needed that in my old line of work," she replied. She looked around, saw they were alone, and lowered her voice as she continued. "You teach 130 teenagers five days a week, ten months a year, and you better have a quick wit and a glib tongue. They'll eat you alive if you don't!"
This comment whetted the appetites of the Amazons who wanted to know more about her twentieth century life. She was brief as she told them about her job as a high school English teacher. They shook their heads in wonder as she detailed some of her duties, adventures, and challenges.
Mariah's mind shifted to another topic when she saw Salla sit sown at a table full of warriors some distance away. "You said you'd tell me her story," Mariah said as she gestured at Salla.
Ephiny took a drink of her tea before she began. "Salla's had a hard life as of late. As you know, she's from another Amazon village. What you don't know is that last year, her village was attacked by a warlord named Salukas. Salla was hurt pretty badly, so badly in fact the invaders thought she was dead; that's what saved her. During the fighting, she escaped, crawling away to safety. Some travelers found her lying on the side of the road; they took her in and nursed her back to health." The regent stopped her recitation.
"That's not all, is there?" Mariah asked in a flat voice.
Ephiny sighed. "No. The worst part is she lost everyone she cared about and who cared about her--her mother, sisters, cousins, aunts, friends...even her horse. Salukas killed everyone and everything, including the animals and livestock. When she was well enough, she made her way here. Salla's mother had close ties with our village and we were more than happy to take her in. As far as we can determine, Salla was the only survivor. It was a massacre, Mariah; you know, if you traveled there now, you'd never know a village once stood there. Salukas completely razed the place."
"But why?" Mariah was stunned by this amount of carnage.
"Because he hates Amazons," Ephiny said. "It's that simple."
Xena's eyes narrowed as she listened to the regent's story. "Well, the good news is Salukas won't do that again," she said, her voice low.
"No?" Ephiny asked. "What makes you say that?"
"Because he bought it at Corinth," the warrior princess replied.
The table fell silent. "Does Salla know?" asked Solari.
"I'll tell her later," Gabrielle said with a sigh. "She ought to know. Maybe knowing he's dead will help her find some peace; the gods know she could use it." She rose to her feet and looked at Ephiny. "Let's take care of the work on that trade agreement." The regent nodded and stood.
Eponin looked at Xena and Mariah. "Solari and I are going back to the armory. You want to come with us?" Xena nodded in assent, but Mariah shook her head no.
"I just want to take it easy and roam around today, if you don't mind," the flutist said, her voice distant, her mind elsewhere.
Gabrielle stared down at her. "Are you all right?" she asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I-I just want to sit here for a little while. I'll catch up with you later."
Both Xena and Gabrielle had seen that pensive look on their friend's face before; it meant she had something on her mind she needed to work out. They decided to leave her alone to do just that.
Mariah told her friends good-bye and watched them as they walked off. She decided to grab another cup of tea and one of those honey pastries that had been calling her name. When she walked back to her table, she noticed Salla was now alone. Changing direction, Mariah approached the red-haired warrior. "May I join you?" she asked.
Salla looked up and smiled at the queen's friend. "Sure." She watched as Mariah sat down across from her.
Mariah sipped her tea as she studied the red-haired warrior. Man, she's been through the ringer, the former teacher thought. The only indicators of the trauma Salla had endured were the fading scars and the slight, haunted look around her eyes. Most people wouldn't have noticed, but Mariah wasn't most people. She had her own scars and had seen that haunted look in her own eyes staring back at her in the mirror when she battled her cancer demons.
"Salla, I'm taking Scout out for a ride this afternoon. You want to come?" she asked as she ate her pastry.
Hazel eyes bore into blue as the warrior thought about the offer. While on duty that morning, she had seen Mariah and Xena riding their mares; she wished she could've been out there riding with them. And although she too felt the bond she now shared with Mariah, she was leery around new people until she got to know them. "Why?" she asked, her voice a little suspicious.
"Why not?" Mariah countered. The former teacher could sense Salla's wariness. It was an attitude she found in many of her students when she first met them, an attitude she was skilled at confronting and overcoming. "You said you like to ride. What have you got to lose?"
Her sparkling blue eyes issued a silent challenge to the Amazon, a challenge she couldn't refuse. She grinned at Mariah; what *did* she have to lose? "OK...you're on. When do you want to go?"
"How about just after midday?"
Salla thought. "That'll work. I'll meet you at the stables."
Mariah rose to her feet. "I look forward to it. See you then."
The warrior watched the flutist as she walked away.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Back In The Saddle...
The sun was past its zenith as the woman flew over the countryside aside the chestnut-colored mare. Her smile rivaled the sun in terms of brightness, the wind whipping her hair around her face. When she felt the horse begin to tire, she reined her to a halt and dismounted, giving the animal an affectionate rub.
"You are a speed demon, aren't you?" Scout nickered in reply to the hazel-eyed woman.
Salla took the mare's reins and walked her back to the stream where Mariah awaited. She found the former teacher sitting beneath a large shade tree playing her flute.
"Did you have a good time?" Mariah asked her, a smile on her face.
"It was great!" Salla enthused. "And you weren't kidding about Scout's loving to run!" She flopped down on the ground next to her.
Mariah couldn't help but laugh at the warrior's obvious delight. "Yeah, Myklos sure knows how to pick 'em, doesn't he?"
"He sure does," Salla replied, meaning in her voice as she grinned at her new friend. "He's one lucky guy."
Mariah laughed a little and blushed at the compliment. To hide her discomfiture, she began to play a tune from one of her favorite movies.
Salla sat back and closed her eyes, remembering the ride, letting the music wash over her. There was something so...different, so unique about Mariah's songs; she'd never heard anything quite like them before.
She could've listened to her play all day. "What's the name of that one?" she asked when the tune ended.
Consternation set in for a moment as the flutist came up with a plausible answer. "Oh, uh, I call that one, 'Rudy,'" Mariah responded, thinking of the film's title.
"It's beautiful. How long have you been playing?
"Oh, it seems like years," Mariah joked, sidestepping the question. "I played when I was younger, then stopped. I just started again earlier this year."
"Why?" Salla was curious.
Mariah was silent before she answered. "It was a rough time in my life; I needed something to help me deal with my problems." She cradled her instrument. "This has brought me a great deal of peace, Salla."
"What kind of...problems were you dealing with?" The warrior's voice was a little hesitant.
Oh, don't want to go down *that* road yet. "I'll tell you about it sometime when you have a month to spare," she said with a smile as she rose to her feet. "Do you mind if we head back? There are some things I need to do." Jeez, does *that* sound lame, Mariah thought.
Salla hid her disappointment. "Not at all. I've got some stuff to do, too." The women mounted Scout and rode back to the village.
Mariah's mind was in a turmoil during that ride. Do I dare tell her the truth about me, she wondered. Would it help or hurt? If I did tell, could Salla keep it a secret?
Salla was thinking as well; she wanted to confide in someone. She wished she could open up and share her dreams and fears with someone who understood the anguish she had suffered. She had hoped that someone would be Mariah. The warrior sensed something about her, but couldn't quite put her finger on it. But on the other hand, Salla thought, what would a flute player from Athens know about losing her home, her family, her hope?
More than Salla ever dreamed she would know.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Loneliness and Friendships...
Time was a blur, each day blending into the next.
They had already been in the village a week. There was so much for Mariah to do: meeting people, checking out the weapons in the armory, learning more maneuvers with her staff, sparring with Xena, Gabrielle, and various warriors, playing her flute in the evenings, listening to Gabrielle tell her stories, writing in her journal, riding with the warrior princess in the mornings and Salla in the afternoons...her days were filled with activities, which kept her mind occupied.
Unfortunately, Mariah couldn't occupy her heart.
Xena and Gabrielle were wonderful. They knew she missed Myklos, and did what they could to help her deal with his absence. Mariah was sure they were tired of hearing about him when they talked at night in the visitor's hut, but they weren't. Mariah was their sister, and they were there for her, just like they knew she was there for them. During the day, oftentimes, they went their separate ways, Gabrielle working closely with Ephiny on political matters that affected the village, Xena and Mariah working out with the warriors as the women taught and learned from each other, and, later in the day, Mariah and Salla going off with Scout as they drew closer to each other, realizing just how much alike they were.
This was an important time in Mariah's life, and she knew it; friendships were created and bonds were forged that would benefit her in the future. In the evenings, Eponin, Ephiny, and Solari would often get together with her, Xena, and Gabrielle to talk and get to know each other better. Mariah told them more about herself, her twentieth century life, and showed them her cancer scars one memorable evening when she detailed that long story. The warrior women were impressed by the scars as Xena and Gabrielle had been when they first saw them so many months before. The Amazons didn't say so outright, but they were also impressed with Mariah's fortitude in dealing with both her cancer battles and her new life. They too shared stories, telling the flutist about their many struggles for survival. And as time went on, the three "guardian angels" hovered about her less and less frequently as she became part and parcel of the village
life. Mariah fit in well, making many friends thanks to her good humor and easygoing personality.
When she and Salla were together, Mariah never discussed the massacre that so devastated the warrior; she didn't want to be the first to broach that issue. Likewise Salla was hesitant to probe too deeply into her friend's background, finding Mariah reluctant to dredge up her own past. So they talked about music, horses, life in the Amazon village...innocuous topics that kept them from safe. For now.
But through it all, Mariah missed her husband. The ache she felt at their parting had not dissipated as time went on. She often wondered how he was, what he was doing, and if he was as tired of bathing alone as she was. She missed him in her bed and in her life; she missed his eyes, his hands, his touch. She missed her soulmate.
When she went out with Salla in the afternoons, Mariah often sat under a tree and played many of her favorite love songs and ballads, including "Come On In Out Of The Rain," while her friend rode Scout. That particular song helped her deal with her marital loneliness as it had helped her in her single life, and she was glad her new friend found some happiness through horseback riding.
One day, Salla asked her to sing it. Mariah tried to beg off, but the warrior insisted. "You said one day you would; let's hear it. Come on; what have you got to lose?" Salla told her, using the same words Mariah had used.
Mariah saw the silent challenge in Salla's eyes, the challenge *she* knew she couldn't resist. She stood up and began to sing the ballad:
Salla whistled and applauded when she finished. "Boy, that was *great*!" she enthused. "You've got to sing it some night for everyone!"
Mariah demurred. "I think as a singer, I'm a better flute player!"
"So tell me about you and Myklos and why that song means so much to you," Salla said, changing the subject, looking for a way to get around Mariah's objections.
Mariah told the story of how she met the old merchant in Tyldus, how he gave her the flute, how he had died before she returned to play for him, how she met Myklos at the gravesite, her doubts about marrying him, and how the song gave her comfort. Salla's romantic nature was swept up by the story.
"So why didn't you want to marry him? He sounds wonderful!"
"Oh, he is wonderful," Mariah enthused. "I wasn't ready to settle down, though."
"What changed your mind?"
Mariah looked at her friend and again debated whether or not to tell her the truth. "Lots of things...I-I guess he just wore me down, weakened my resolve to stay single."
Salla suspected there was more to the story than that, but decided to let it pass for now as she had done with other things. During their talks, Salla had noticed several inconsistencies with Mariah's stories, but as Mariah didn't press her about her past, Salla did likewise for her friend. "So when will you sing that song for us? You've got to!" Salla said, getting back to the topic at hand.
"Oh, I don't know..."
"I've got an idea: how about you sing it for me for my birthday present?" the warrior suggested. "Aw, come on...please? I get to pick when and where!"
"Today's your birthday?" Mariah asked in dismay. "Oh, Salla, why didn't you say something earlier?"
"Ah, I didn't want people to fuss."
"Well, we're going to fuss, my friend," Mariah said, interrupting. "Let's go out tonight, OK?"
Salla balked, but Mariah verbally twisted her arm until the warrior surrendered. "All right," Salla grinned, caving in. "Where do you want to go?"
"Xena told me about this inn that's not too far away. Why don't we get a group together and go out and party?"
"Sounds great," the warrior agreed. "Let's meet around sunset. But I still want you to sing that song," Salla reminded her. "And that's the only present I want you to give me."
"Well, OK," Mariah agreed a little reluctantly. "If you really want me to, I will. We better get back so we can eat first." Mariah rose to her feet and pulled up her friend. "I'm not about to go out drinking on an empty stomach! Hey, how old *are* you now anyway?" she asked as they got up on Scout.
"Twenty-four," Salla said. Mariah couldn't see her huge grin as the warrior sat behind her on the animal. "Can you remember way back to your twenty-fourth birthday? You know, being you're so much *older* than me," she teased her friend.
Mariah mimicked the voice of an old woman as she spoke. "Gee, I don't know, honey...the brain gets pretty feeble when you get to be my age," she said, poking Salla in the ribs.
The two women shared a hearty laugh as they rode back to the stables.
It would be an evening neither would ever forget.
Chapter Thirty
A Night To Remember...
"Hey, Mariah! Where are you going?" Solari asked as she walked up to the flutist and the small group of Amazons preparing to leave the village. They carried torches as it would soon be dark, the sun having just set.
"A few of us are taking Salla to the inn for her birthday. You want to come along?"
Solari decided she'd better, just to be on the safe side. That inn could get a little rough sometimes, the warrior thought to herself, and with Mariah still not being very familiar with the area...
"Do you think Xena and Gabrielle would like to come? I've looked all over for them," Mariah asked her.
"Xena's off with Eponin, the gods know where, and Gabrielle's busy with Ephiny hammering out that trade agreement. I don't think either one can make it," Solari replied as the women left the village.
Night descended as Mariah, Solari, Salla, and three other Amazons entered the tavern. It was fairly quiet and the women had the place almost to themselves. Only one other table was occupied, by a group of men who looked like soldiers. They ignored the Amazons and the Amazons ignored them. The serving girl came over and Solari bought the first round; soon laughter was heard coming from the warrior women's table as they celebrated Salla's birthday.
Their peace was short-lived as half a dozen scruffy, dirty, inebriated men entered the inn. "Damn Amazons," one of the men announced as he stared at their table. "Why don't you go back where you belong?" he shouted to them across the room.
"Forget about them," Solari advised. She was used to this attitude by outsiders, especially men.
The women continued their festivities. It was time for another round. There was no sign of the serving woman, so Mariah made her way to the bar to buy their drinks. As she placed her order with the bartender, one of the obnoxious, filthy men made his way towards her. The smell he gave off almost made the young flutist gag. Great, she thought to herself sarcastically. I just *love* dealing with drunks. She ignored him as he stood next to her, swaying, his eyes bloodshot with booze.
"Hey," he slurred, "you don't look like one of them." He gestured at her Amazon friends. "Why don't you join our party?"
"No, thanks," Mariah said, trying to be polite. The last thing she wanted to do was to provoke or encourage this pig.
"Oh, what? You too good for us?" He turned and shouted to his mates. "Hey, this bitch thinks she's too good for us!"
Mariah bridled at being called a bitch but kept her cool. Her blue eyes flashing, she tossed her dinars on the counter and began to collect her drinks from the bartender. The drunk grabbed her arm and swung her around. "You're coming with me."
She threw off his arm and shoved him away from her, eyes glaring as she swallowed her fear. "Back off, man. I'm not in the mood." Salla looked up and saw Mariah shove the drunk; she nudged Solari.
He moved closer, and spoke, his breath overpowering in its foulness. "I'll put you in the mood." He ogled her.
"I don't think so, Romeo." She turned back towards the counter. He grabbed her, spun her around, pinned her against the bar, and tried to kiss her. She felt him groping her.
Twisting, she brought up her knee sharply into his groin. He howled in pain and let go, doubling over, clutching his crotch. "Now leave me alone or you'll get worse," she leaned over and told him. The table of soldiers looked up at the disturbance.
She straightened up as she heard the approaching footsteps, her stomach lurching down to her ankles at what she saw. Oh, shit, she thought to herself; she wished she hadn't left her staff back in the visitor's hut.
On her left stood the drunk's friends, all five of them, and they were not happy with her treatment of him. "Why'd you do that?" said their leader. "He didn't mean no harm." Mariah saw the Amazons stand up and come over; they approached on her right.
"Yeah, I guess attempted rape doesn't mean much to you goons," Mariah retorted, indignation replacing fear.
"It ain't rape if you ask for it, and the way you look, sweet cheeks," the leader leered as he ran his eyes over her covered body, "you're just *begging* for it." He licked his dry, caked lips.
Mariah's eyes narrowed at those words. Solari put a hand on her arm; the warrior could see the anger on her face, feel the tension in her body. "Come on. Let's get out of here." The Amazon started to pull her towards the door. The warrior felt this was not the time or place for a fight. Mariah allowed herself to be led away, still angry but not wanting to push it.
"Yeah, why don't you warrior whores go to Hades where you belong? It's a damn shame Salukas didn't kill *all* of you off when he looted and burned that Amazon village last year!" The men's raucous laughter echoed through the tavern. Mariah glanced at Salla and saw the crushing despair reflected on her friend's face as this drunken bastard dredged up the memory of her slaughtered family on this day of all days.
*That* was too much for the flutist to bear; her anger hit the boiling point and she knew it. Anger overruling her usual better judgment, she shrugged off Solari and walked up to the man who had voiced those hateful words. "What did you say?" Her voice was low, dangerous. She stood toe to toe with this piece of scum as she looked up at him.
"I said you're a bunch of warrior whores, bitch," he smirked. "Now what're you gonna do about it?"
"This," she said, her grim smile not reaching her eyes. She stepped back, the punch a blur as her left fist connected solidly with his nose, crunching cartilage, blood spraying out in all directions. Her hand
shrieked in protest from the blow, pain flaring up her arm as she had put the whole force of her body behind the punch. He screamed and grabbed his mangled nose, the blood pouring between his fingers. Mariah seized him by the shirt with both hands and held on tight, shaking him. "Now let me tell *you* something, asshole," she told him, loud enough for all to hear, as he cradled his battered and bloody face. "First off, they're not whores and I'm not a bitch. And if I *ever* see you or your pissant friends around here again, I will personally kick the living shit out of each and every one of you! Now beat it!" She gave him a tremendous shove back into his crowd of followers.
The women were stunned, especially Salla; Mariah knew about the massacre and never let on about it? And the Amazons never suspected that the calm, fun-loving flute player possessed this kind of rage. Only two people knew she had that capability, Xena and Gabrielle, because they both had seen her anger in action earlier that year: once when they were attacked by the bandits outside of Risa, once in Galvous's camp, and once again just before she was kidnapped and taken to the Dreamscape.
Mariah breathed deeply in an effort to calm herself down. She clenched and unclenched her left hand, noticing it swelled up with each passing minute. She wondered if she broke something. Dammit, she berated herself; she was more angry at her own actions than at the drunks who provoked her.
She twisted around, her anger evaporating, and faced the still-surprised Solari. "*Now* we can get out of here."
Nobody saw the knife as it came out of the boot of the man who first accosted Mariah. As the flutist turned to leave, she felt the searing sting in her back, the blade slashing through clothing, skin, muscles. She cried out at the contact, felt the blood run down her body. She stumbled against a table and almost fell, a sharp pain settling in.
"Amazons, attack!" Solari cried, and the brawl was on. The women defended their friend as she defended them. The six drunks never had a chance against five Amazon warriors in their prime. In a matter of minutes, the barroom floor was littered with their battered and bruised unconscious bodies.
Mariah staggered over to a chair and sat down near the soldiers, cradling her swollen left hand, soaking up the pain in her back. Solari came over as soon as she dispatched her enemy. "Lean over," she told the flutist as she examined the knife wound. It was located on the left side of her back, horizontal, low, just below the shoulder blade. The Amazon grabbed a bar towel and held it against the gash to staunch the bleeding.
"How bad is it?" asked a shaky Mariah as Solari directed her to lean back against the chair to maintain pressure on her bleeding laceration. Her back was singing the "Ave Maria" by this time, and in a most painful key.
"It could be worse," Solari told her. "You'll definitely need some stitches." The warrior examined the flutist's hand with a critical eye. "You may have busted a bone or two; we better take off your wedding ring." Solari was gentle as she removed Mariah's gold band, putting it on the chain around the flutist's neck. She grabbed another towel and wrapped the injured hand.
"Stitches? Damn, Xena's going to kill me!" Mariah said, her voice disgusted, her eyes tearing up from the burning agony coursing through her back and hand. The still-sitting soldiers perked up at the name of the warrior princess. Xena was in the area?? So the scuttlebutt was true after all.
Solari chuckled. "No she won't. She's been in her fair share of bar fights. And you had good reason to knock that guy around, for Salla's sake; I'm just sorry you beat me to it! Come on," she said as she got
Mariah to her feet, putting pressure on the knife wound. She grinned at her friend and whispered in her ear. "And look at it this way; you'll have another interesting scar to add to your collection."
"Great," muttered Mariah as she wiped away the tears. She looked at the approaching Salla. "Sorry about your birthday," she said, her voice contrite. "I didn't mean for this to happen."
"Hey, don't worry...it's a birthday I'll never forget!" Salla told her with a warm smile, grateful for her friend's quick rise to her defense. She stood on the other side of Mariah and put an arm around her to lend a helping hand. The remaining Amazons encircled them as they walked back to their village.
The soldiers watched the women leave. They looked at each other, finished their drinks, and left the tavern.
Solomos's camp was a week away. This advance party of scouts decided to split up, with three men heading back to report the news, the other three men remaining to check out the area and to try and keep an eye on Xena.
The warlord wanted his revenge on the warrior princess.
Maybe this would be the time to get it.
And take care of a few Amazons as well.
Chapter Thirty-One
A Stitch In Time...
"Have you seen Mariah?" Gabrielle asked Xena as they dressed for bed.
"Not since earlier today," Xena confessed. She looked around the visitor's dwelling and saw that Mariah's flute and staff were both present. "She's probably out somewhere with Salla."
"Those two sure have hit it off, haven't they?" Gabrielle said with a smile. "I'm glad...for both of them."
A frantic tapping sounded at the door before Xena could respond. "What is it?" the bard called out.
Solari burst in. "Xena, Gabrielle, we need you. There's been a-a an accident," the warrior explained in the vaguest of terms. The blonde grabbed their medicine bag and they rushed to the crowded, well-lit healer's hut.
They were stunned when they saw Mariah lying face down on a cot surrounded by a group of Amazons, her clothes caked with blood, Salla kneeling next to her holding her uninjured hand. "What happened?" asked Xena as she dropped to her knees beside the flutist and examined the gash on her back. It was long, but not too deep, her clothing saving her from a more serious injury. She then saw the swollen left hand.
"Stupid me," Mariah said as she gritted her teeth against the pain. "I got in a fight."
"You?" Disbelief was evident in Gabrielle's voice as she got down next to Xena and saw the wounds. She knew how much her friend hated fighting; Mariah must have had a good reason, the blonde thought to herself. She turned to Solari for an explanation.
Solari gave the short version of the night's events at the inn as she brought over towels and bandages. Mariah moaned as Xena's expert fingers felt her injuries. "Solari, get a jug of cold water, a jug of wine and several cups. Salla, go stir up the fire and put a couple of pots of water on. It's too crowded in here; everyone else leave." Salla and Solari rushed off to do her bidding, the others left to spread the word about the fight. "Gabrielle, help me get her undressed."
They got Mariah in a sitting position. It was a painful procedure to cut and remove the flutist's top, and they were as gentle as possible. Salla heard her friend biting back her groans and her heart went out to her. She turned around to give her a look of encouragement and her eyes widened when she saw the scars.
They were unlike any scars Salla had ever seen before. The longest one started just below Mariah's breasts, running down the entire length of her abdomen and stomach, ending just above her groin. When Xena and Gabrielle turned Mariah, Salla saw the seven inch scar running down the center of her upper back. So that's why Mariah wears the type of clothing she does, Salla thought to herself. She walked over to the bed. "What on earth..." she began as she once again took hold of her friend's hand.
Xena looked up, ready to order Salla out of the hut, but the look on Mariah's face stopped her.
Mariah turned her head and looked at her hazel-eyed friend. "I'll tell you all about it later," she said, her smile wan. She closed her eyes and clutched Salla's hand as another wave of pain washed over her; she willed herself not to scream.
Xena stood up, grabbed the medical bag searching for the various herbs she needed while Gabrielle removed Mariah's boots.. Once the herbs were found, she tossed some into one pot, some into the other. The mixtures would soon be ready. Solari returned with the water, wine, cups, and a pair of soft leather slippers. "I thought Mariah might like to wear these until her hand heals enough to lace up her boots," Solari told Xena.
Xena nodded her thanks. "Pour her some wine and have drink as much of it as she can; she's going to need it." She then grabbed the jug of cold water, thrust a towel in it, wrung it out, and set to work on Mariah's swollen left hand. "Where did you punch him?" she asked, her touch gentle as she felt the bones and tissue. Gabrielle got up to stir the herbal mixtures simmering over the fire.
"Right in the nose," Mariah said as she watched Xena prod her hand. She yelped when the raven-haired warrior hit a sore spot. She grabbed the large cup of wine Solari offered her and drank deeply, Salla still kneeling by her.
"Why did you hit him with your left hand when your right-handed?" a curious Xena wanted to know.
"The semi-rational part of me thought that if I was going to break my hand, I'd rather break the hand I don't use that often," Mariah answered, trying to keep her shaky voice light.
Xena grinned up at her. "Always thinking ahead, aren't you? Well, you got off lucky; it's a good thing you didn't aim for his jaw. Nothing's broken, but your hand's going to be in a world of pain for a few days."
She immersed bandages in the cold water and wrapped Mariah's hand in the water-soaked cloths to reduce the swelling. "Next time, kick 'em in the groin."
"That's what I did to the first guy, and look where it got me," Mariah said as she gestured at her bleeding back. She took another long swallow of the Amazon wine and felt it coursing through her system. She felt a little giddy from blood loss, the shock of her injuries, and the quick ingestion of so much alcohol.
Xena couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Come on. Now it's time for the hard part." With Salla's help, she eased the flutist back onto her stomach. Gabrielle came over carrying a bowlful of one of the herbal remedies and some towels; the other remedy they would give to Mariah later to ease the pain and help her sleep.. After giving the bowl and towels to Xena, she readied the needles and thread they would need to stitch up the gash.
First Xena washed out the wound using the warm herbal infusion, Mariah gasped, biting back a scream, flinching at the burning sensation. Silent tears ran down her cheeks. It took all of her will power not to leap off the bed. "Yell if you feel like it," Xena advised her as she cleaned the injury.
"Don't...feel...like...it," Mariah panted. The flutist couldn't see the small grin on Xena's face at her friend's tenacity and spirit.
The warrior princess got up, filled another large cup of wine, and brought it back to the cot. "Drink up," she said. Mariah shook her head, her stomach already in bad shape because of shock and the wine. "Come on," Xena urged. "What we have to do next is the worst part and you'll need all the help you can get."
"I can't," Mariah said, her voice miserable. "I'd just puke it all back up." Mortified, she buried her tear-stained face in the pillow. Salla once again took a hold of her right hand.
"Hey, it's OK," the red-haired warrior told her in a soft voice. "You can do this; it'll all be over soon. We're here with you. Are you ready?"
Mariah took a couple of deep breaths and psyched herself up for the inevitable. "Do it," she said, bracing herself.
Xena looked at Salla; the warrior understood and took a tight hold on Mariah's hand and arm. Solari moved over to Mariah's left side and grabbed a hold of her as well, careful of her injured hand. Gabriellewalked over carrying the threaded needles.
"On the count of three," Xena said. "One...two...three." On three, she slowly poured the contents of the cup directly into the open wound, careful to saturate the entire area, steeling her ears and heart against what she knew would follow.
Mariah's agonizing scream echoed off the walls of the healing hut as the alcohol bit into her raw, exposed flesh. Her body jerked, twisted; she tried to pull herself free but she was held firmly in place by the warriors on either side of her. Xena heard Gabrielle's sharp intake of breath at Mariah's cries. Soon, the pain became too great and the flutist blacked out, much to everyone's relief. Solari and Salla released their hold when they saw she was unconscious.
Xena and Gabrielle blotted up the alcohol and began to stitch up Mariah, first rejoining the severed muscles under the skin and finally sewing the skin itself back together. When they were done, they sat back and looked at their handiwork. It wasn't as smooth as her other scars, but they weren't twentieth century surgeons, either. They knew their friend wouldn't mind; she wasn't vain about her many scars. Gabrielle poured another cup of wine on the now-closed wound as a further precaution; Mariah's body spasmed at the contact, but she remained unconscious. The bard wiped off the alcohol, dried her off, and bandaged her up.
A weary Xena leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on Mariah's forehead. "You did all right for yourself, kiddo." She brushed the matted curly hair off the flutist's damp face, stood up, and stretched. "Now let's hear the *whole* story," she told the warriors.
Solari, with Salla's help, related the events at the inn. "When she heard that comment about Salla's village, that's when she reared back and punched that guy. Then she grabbed him, shook him, and called him every name in the scroll!" Solari said as she finished her recitation. "I didn't know she had it in her; I mean, she's always so calm..." Solari trailed off.
"Not many people know she does," Gabrielle said, her voice thoughtful.
Xena turned to Salla and Solari. "Well, Gabrielle and I will stay here with her tonight," she told them with a small smile. "Thanks for all of your help." The two women nodded and prepared to leave as Gabrielle spoke up.
"Salla?" the queen addressed the red-haired warrior.
"Yes?"
"Stop by here tomorrow, would you please? I think Mariah will want to have a long talk with you." The blonde's smiled at the hazel-eyed woman who nodded at her and left. The bard then turned her attention to Solari. "Solari?"
"Yes?" The warrior's voice was wary, waiting for the rebuke from her queen for not protecting her friend.
"Thanks for keeping an eye on her," Gabrielle began, her voice sincere. She knew that Solari had been the one to take charge when the flutist had been injured.
"Gods, I am so sorry, Gabrielle," Solari interrupted, disgusted at herself. "I should've stepped in, gotten her out of there earlier..." she trailed off.
"No, she's an adult and she learned a valuable lesson tonight," Gabrielle told her. "Hopefully, she'll be more careful before getting in a bar fight, especially when she doesn't have her staff!" The bard walked over and gave Solari's arm an affectionate squeeze. "Thanks for being there when she needed you."
Solari glanced at the still-unconscious Mariah. "You know, she packs a mean punch," she said, admiration in her voice.
"Yeah, well don't tell her that," said Xena. "We don't want to have to follow her around for the next twenty years patching up her hands!" The three friends shared a laugh, and Solari exited the hut to go to her own dwelling. Xena and Gabrielle cleaned and packed up their healing supplies.
Mariah groaned as she returned to consciousness. Gabrielle walked over to the fire, poured a cup of the herbal painkiller, and brought it over. "Shh, you're all right," the bard soothed as she knelt next to her friend. "We're all done. Here. Drink this." She guided the cup to Mariah's mouth and helped her as she drank its contents.
"Gods, that stuff is horrible," Mariah grimaced.
"Well, get used to it because you'll be drinking a lot of it for the next few days," Xena said as she came over. "How are you feeling?"
"I've been better." She could feel the pull of the stitches. "How many?"
"Twenty," Gabrielle said as she stroked her friend's hair.
Mariah closed her eyes. "I am such an idiot! What in Hades's name was I thinking? Dammit, I *knew* better than to do something stupid like that!" Tears oozed out, a combination of shock, pain, and self-recrimination.
"Then why did you?" Xena asked, her low voice curious, not condemning, wanting to hear her side of the story.
"Oh, it was that crack about the massacre at Salla's village," she opened her eyes and looked at her friends. She explained the events that led up to the fight. "That's what sent me over. It wasn't the names; it wasn't the fact I was manhandled. I know I probably shouldn't have done it, but you didn't see Salla's face; I did, and she was devastated. She didn't deserve that." Her tear-filled eyes began to droop as the painkillers and sleep inducers began to take effect.
"We'll talk more about it tomorrow," Gabrielle said as she covered her friend with a blanket. "Get some sleep; Xena and I will be with you tonight. We'll have to wake you up every few hours to give you more medicine and change the bandages on your hand."
Mariah's good right hand reached out and grabbed the bard's. "Thanks for everything." She squeezed the queen's hand, released it, and then reached for Xena's. "I'm sorry about what happened..." she trailed off as she felt the warrior's firm hand in hers.
"It's OK. Rest now," Xena told her, her smile warm. Xena released her hand; the flutist closed her eyes and was soon fast asleep, her breathing deep and regular.
Xena and Gabrielle looked at each other and sighed, the night's events wearing them out as well. They looked down at their sleeping, wounded friend. "This from a woman who claims she's not a warrior. So what does she do? She takes on half a dozen men to defend her friend. Never mind that she hates fighting, and never mind she was probably scared half to death," Gabrielle noted in a wry voice. The bard walked over to a cot. "I'd hate to see what she'd be like if she *enjoyed* mixing it up!"
Xena chuckled as she also moved to a nearby bed. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Say what you will, but even though she doesn't like fighting, I'd want the two of you to back me up any day."
"Been there, done that, don't mind it a bit," Gabrielle yawned as she stretched out on the bed. "Good night, Xena."
"G'night."
Soon the two women joined their friend in quiet repose.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Aftermath...
Xena and Gabrielle awoke several times in the night to check on Mariah, put fresh damp towels on her left hand, and give her more of the herbal painkiller. At dawn, Xena decided to get up for the day, take Argo and Scout for a run, and go for a workout. She nudged Gabrielle.
The bard's eyes snapped open and she sat up. "What's the matter?" she asked, getting out of bed.
"Nothing." She explained her early morning plans. "When Mariah wakes up, give her more of that painkiller and try to get some food in her, but nothing fancy: tea, bread, broth...keep it simple. It wouldn't hurt her to get up and walk around a little, either. I'll be right back." The warrior princess smiled at the bard and left for the visitor's dwelling to dress and gather her weapons. She soon returned wearing her leathers and armor and carrying her friend's flute, a knee-length shift, and Gabrielle's clothes, all of which she gave to the bard. Xena then left again, this time for the stables and her workout.
Gabrielle walked over and sat on the bed next to the still-sleeping Mariah. She pulled the blanket down and removed her friend's bandage from the knife wound. Satisfied with how she was healing, the bard put on a fresh dressing. She then unwrapped Mariah's bloated left hand, which was not as swollen as it was last night, the fingers and knuckles bruising as they healed. She dampened another cloth and rewrapped it. Seeing that she still dozed, Gabrielle decided to change and make a quick trip to relieve herself.
When the blonde reentered the hut, she saw Mariah stirring. She poured another cup of painkiller and knelt down next to her friend. "How do you feel this morning?"
"Like death warmed over," Mariah said as she took the cup and drank it off, grimacing at the taste.
Gabrielle chuckled; she had that look on her own face often enough when Xena made her drink that particular remedy. "Think you can sit?" At Mariah's nod, she helped the flutist straighten up.
As she sat up, gravity pulled the stitches; Mariah closed her eyes against the inevitable wave of pain she knew would follow. Much to her surprise, it was tolerable. That herbal stuff really works, she thought to herself. Gabrielle helped her don the long shift, put Solari's slippers on her feet, got her out of bed, and helped her outside to the latrines to relieve herself. Upon returning, Mariah collapsed on the bed, the simple task wearing her out in her weakened, slightly drugged state.
"I'm going to get us some breakfast," the bard told her. "Don't do anything foolish while I'm gone like getting up."
"No, I think I did enough foolish things last night to last a lifetime," Mariah told her. Gabrielle smiled at her and left for the kitchens.
Mariah sat on the bed, eyes closed, alone with her thoughts and pain. She never heard Salla enter the hut. The warrior stood there for a moment watching her wounded friend; I wonder what she's thinking, Salla thought as she walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. Mariah flinched, startled, when she felt the warm hand, the movement pulling her stitches. She groaned a bit at the sensation.
"Gods, I'm sorry," Salla said, jerking her hand away. "I thought I'd stop by and see you before I went on duty. Did I hurt you?"
"No, no, you just surprised me," Mariah replied. "Here...sit down." She patted the bed and the warrior sat down next to her. "How are you?"
"I should be asking you that," Salla said.
"I'm OK. Jeez, you'd think with all of these scars I'd be used to getting stitched up!" the flutist said jokingly.
The two sat in an easy silence as Salla worked up the nerve to say what was on her mind. "I wanted to thank you for what you did last night," she began.
"What part, almost breaking my hand or getting slashed by the horny drunk?" Mariah said, her voice light, still joking. She was a little embarrassed at Salla's gratitude; she wanted to deflect it.
"Stop it," Salla insisted, her voice almost angry. Mariah looked at her in surprise. "You just stop it right now. Don't you *dare* belittle what you did!. I won't let you. You stood up for me; you defended me, my family, my home. No one's ever done that for me before."
"Well, there's a first time for everything," Mariah mumbled, turning red. Now it was Salla's turn to look surprised. "I was terrified, Salla; I don't like that side of me coming out and I sure as heck don't like fighting. Do you think that I do?"
"Well, you lived in Athens, and it can be a pretty rough place," Salla began. "You have all those scars, and the way you belted that guy..."
Mariah cut in; she could see the unasked questions all over her friend's face. "Look, I know you have to go pretty soon, but I need to talk to you, and it's important. Do me a favor, will you? Come back later. I-I'll tell you everything then; I promise."
"All right," Salla said as she rose to her feet. "By the way, how long have you known about....me?" she asked, her voice hesitant.
"I found out the morning after the party."
"And you never said anything? Why?" Salla was curious.
Mariah thought for a moment. "I thought I'd let you tell me about it when you were ready. Where I come from, that's what friends do."
"Then thanks for that, too...my friend," Salla said with a soft smile as she walked towards the door.
"Hey, Salla?"
"Yeah?" Salla turned around.
"You're welcome...for everything," Mariah said, a cocky grin on her face. Salla grinned back at her and left.
After eating a light breakfast, Mariah slept some more, the painkilling remedy working its magic. She awoke when she heard Xena enter the hut at midday. This time, Mariah was able to sit up on her own with no assistance. Xena came over and examined her as Gabrielle sat next to her on the bed.
"Wiggle your fingers," the warrior told her. Mariah did; it hurt to do so. "Keep moving them, but don't overdo it," Xena advised. She then checked out the knife wound while Gabrielle rewrapped her swollen left hand. "You're a quick healer," Xena noticed as she helped Mariah put the shift back on her body.
"Yeah, well, it's not like I haven't had any experience with getting cut open. The only difference is that this time, there was no medical reason for it."
Xena chuckled as she rebandaged her friend. "You know, the story's all over the village." Mariah looked at her and Gabrielle in surprise.
The bard nodded. "Oh, Amazons just love to gossip!"
"So what are they saying?" Mariah asked as she studied her injured hand, almost afraid to know.
"Oh, how the queen's sister defended the honor of the Amazon nation." Mariah's head jerked up at Gabrielle's words.
"I wasn't defending anyone's honor," Mariah mumbled. "I punched out a drunk who insulted a friend. That's all."
"That's not how they see it," Xena told her.
"I don't care how they see it; I have to live with what I did," Mariah answered, her conscience getting the better of her. "And I'm not that proud of it. I replay that scene over and over again in my head and each time I hope for an another outcome. Could I have done something different? I keep asking myself, was that punch really necessary?"
"Maybe for Salla's sake it was. And it sounds like those men may not have given you much choice," Gabrielle said.
"I had a choice all right; to turn around and walk away, but I chose to fight, and now I have to deal with the consequences of that choice, right or wrong." Nervous fingers fiddled with her necklace and the wedding band it held.
"A lot of people think you were right," Xena observed
"Yeah, well, they're not me," Mariah said, her voice upset. "They're not sitting here with a swollen hand, twenty stitches in their back, and a whole lot of questions and doubts about their actions!"
"Now you listen to me," Xena said. "Yes, you fought and yes you got hurt, but you took a stand; you took a stand and defended a friend when she needed you." She looked at Gabrielle and smiled. "I can't remember the number of drunks I've knocked around who've bothered you."
Gabrielle laughed. "Yeah, I've lost count over the years, too." She grasped Mariah's uninjured right hand. "Look, Mariah, sometimes, like it or not, we have to fight for what we believe in, and last night that's exactly what you did. Xena taught me that; sometimes, you have to fight for the greater good."
Mariah was silent before she answered. "I guess that's what's bothering me: did I fight for the greater good?"
"Only you can answer that," Xena said, her voice gentle. "But knowing you as well as we do, you probably did."
The three women sat there in silence until Mariah spoke up. "I have a favor to ask...the rings and necklaces I gave you? Can I borrow them this afternoon?"
"You're going to tell Salla about yourself, aren't you?" Gabrielle asked.
Mariah sighed. "Yeah. I've given it a lot of thought and I've decided to 'fess up. Besides, I don't like lying to my friends."
"I'll go get them," Gabrielle said with a smile as she left the hut.
Mariah turned to Xena. "How long will it be before I can start riding Scout again?"
"At least a week. Why?"
Mariah looked down and played with the wrap on her left hand. "Well, I know how busy you are with Argo and your training and everything, and it's not really fair for you to have to take care of Scout, too, although I know you'd never say anything; what do you think of letting Salla exercise her?"
"I think it's a fine idea," Xena told her, an understanding smile on her face. She knew how much the red-haired warrior enjoyed riding and caring for her friend's horse. Catching Mariah off guard, Xena leaned over and enveloped her in a warm hug, careful of her stitches.
"What's this for?" asked a surprised and pleased Mariah returning the hug. Xena wasn't known for being so conspicuous with her affection.
"For my friend who's always putting others ahead of herself," Xena said. They sat there like that for a while, Xena sensing her friend could use the comfort the hug brought her, and she was right. Mariah felt better, her conscience not battering her quite as hard as it had earlier. Then Xena pulled back and looked her in the eye. "And quit kicking yourself about what happened. You did what you felt you had to do at the time." She rose to her feet. "Don't tell Gabrielle, but I would've done the same thing."
"What do you mean, 'don't tell Gabrielle?'" the bard demanded as she entered the hut. She had overheard the last part of their conversation. "What makes you think I wouldn't have punched that guy, too?" she asked as she put the rings and necklaces around Mariah's neck.
"Oh, you know, 'words before weapons,'" Xena said, winking at Mariah.
"Hey, there are times when words just don't cut it," Gabrielle argued.
"And so spoke Gabrielle, the battling warrior bard of Potadeia," Mariah teased. All three women laughed at her words.
"Come on," Xena said as she helped Mariah to her feet. "Let's get you out of here for awhile. It's time for lunch, so let's eat, oh battling warrior flutist of Tyldus!"
The three women were still laughing as the walked to the eating area.
Chapter Thirty-Three
The Truth Comes Out...
Mariah was embarrassed by the attention lavished on her by the warriors who heard about the previous night's events. Many came over to the table while they ate and commended her for her actions.
Xena and Gabrielle had never seen their friend's face so red from all the compliments she received. But all of the excitement started to wear her out. After they finished eating, the warrior and the bard walked her back to the healing hut, first making a quick trip to the latrines.
"How much longer do I have to stay here?" she asked them as she settled back on the bed, her voice tired.
"One more night. If complications set in, we have everything we need here to help you," Xena explained. "And we'll stay with you again tonight, just to be on the safe side." She brought over another cup of the herbal medicine and watched as Mariah chugged it down.
"No complaints?" Xena asked in mock surprise when she finished.
"No way, that stuff works wonders! I don't know what's in it, but this is the least amount of pain I've ever been in after being sewn back together." She spied her flute. Gabrielle caught her look, and brought the instrument over.
"Do you feel like playing?" the bard asked her.
"I might later on," Mariah answered. She put the instrument to her lips, blew, and tried a few finger movements. Her left hand wasn't very cooperative, but she knew it wouldn't be for a while. She put the flute down on the bedside table with a sigh.
"If you play, you take it easy," Xena admonished. "Nothing too fancy."
"Yes, Mom," Mariah said with a twinkle in her eyes.
Xena grinned at her. "Anything else we can do for you?"
"Yeah. Can you take yours and Gabrielle's necklaces and rings off from around my neck? It'll make it easier when I talk to Salla."
"Sure," Xena told her coming to her assistance. Soon Mariah held her grandfather's gold ring and her silver high school class ring in her hands. She put those alongside her flute on the table. She felt that
familiar sleepy sensation come over her as the painkilling herbs went to work in her system.
"If you don't mind, I think I'll grab a nap," she told them. "You two don't need to hang around here; get out and enjoy yourselves. It's a beautiful day." She stretched out on her right side, tired of lying on her stomach. "I'll see you later."
"We'll be back around sunset to get you for dinner," Gabrielle told her. "By the way, the cooks want to know if there's anything special they can make for you."
"Nah, that's OK," Mariah told her. "If they feel they want to do something, tell them to surprise me."
"Never tell an Amazon cook to surprise you," Xena warned her with a smile. "You never know what you'll get!" The warrior put a warm hand on her arm. "Sleep tight, friend."
"Not a problem," Mariah said with a slight smile of her own, her voice drowsy.
Xena and Gabrielle walked out of the hut as she closed her eyes and gave herself over to sleep.
Mariah opened her eyes as the afternoon sun peeked through the windows of the hut. She guessed she had dozed for an hour or so. She sat up and stretched, stopping when she felt her back muscles pinch around the stitches. So far, so good, she thought to herself. She unwrapped her left hand and examined it; soon, the swelling would be down enough where she could put her wedding ring back on.
She heard a light tapping. Glancing up, she saw Salla poke her head in. They grinned at each other.
"Well, you're looking a lot better than you did this morning," the hazel-eyed warrior noted as she entered the hut.
"Feeling a lot better, too," Mariah said. "And I'm glad you're here." She watched as her friend sat next to her on the bed.
"Gabrielle told me last night that you wanted to talk to me. It-it has to do with those scars, doesn't it? I mean, I've never seen scars like that before! How'd you get them?" Salla struggled to contain her curiosity.
Mariah's smile was gentle as she studied her friend. "It's a long story, Salla, a story you may not believe, but for once it'll be the truth."
Salla's eyes narrowed at those words. Mariah lied to her? About what?
"I'm not really from Athens, and I'm not really a flute player...well, at least I wasn't up until earlier this year," Mariah began. "My real name is Mariah Evans...and I'm from the future."
Mariah was familiar with the stunned, disbelieving stare that appeared on the warrior's face; she had seen it on Xena and Gabrielle when she told them that fateful day so many months before. The look initially became more pronounced as Mariah explained her past life as a high school English teacher, how she wound up more than two thousand years in the past, how Xena and Gabrielle took her under their wing and taught her what she needed to know to survive in her new world, and how she kept her identity a secret for her own protection. As she spoke, though, Salla came to believe her more and more, especially when confronted with the two rings, tangible proof of the story.
Salla mulled over what she heard as she fingered the rings. "It sounds incredible. Do things like that happen often where you come from?" she asked as she returned the rings to her friend.
"No, not at all," Mariah laughed. "Actually, my old world's not much different from this one, except we had more bells and whistles and luxuries. No, it's a simple twist of fate that I wound up here; that's my only explanation."
"What about the story of how you met Myklos? Did that happen the way you told it to me?"
"Yeah, that story is true, as was the story of how I got my flute. And yes, he does know who I really am. Not many people do: you, Xena, Gabrielle, Myklos, Eponin, Ephiny, and Solari...you are the only ones who know, and it needs to remain that way," Mariah said stressing the need for secrecy.
"So why are you visiting the village?"
"Where I come from, we have something known as life insurance, Salla. Coming here is my life insurance, my protection. Down the road, if I ever need help, and Xena and Gabrielle aren't around, I can now come here for that help."
"And the scars?" Salla wanted to know.
"That's the worst part of the story, my friend," Mariah said as she told her an abbreviated version of her cancer battles: how she was diagnosed in her early twenties, her neck and abdominal surgeries, how the disease came back the second time on her spinal cord, the paralysis, her back surgery, learning how to walk again, and the chemotherapy treatments. Mariah showed her the scars as she told the story.
Salla's eyes softened as she examined the scars and listened to the details of her friend's life and death struggles. Still waters run deep, the warrior thought. To look at Mariah, one would never guess at her trials and tribulations. And she didn't let her problems get in the way of living her life. I was right about her, Salla decided. What a fighter she is, a true warrior in every sense of the word. "What about your family and friends?" she asked.
"My family is here now," Mariah said, conviction in her voice. "Myklos, Xena, Gabrielle, my friends here and in Tyldus. I didn't have much of a family left in the twentieth century; I was an only child and my parents died some time ago. I had a few aunts, uncles, and cousins, but that was it. I had one very close friend that I still miss; her name is Sandy, and she's an English teacher, too." Mariah fell silent.
They both sat, neither one talking, for some time. "So why did you decide to tell me?" Salla needed to know.
Mariah looked at the warrior "I'm not a liar by nature, Salla. I've wanted to tell you for some time, and when you saw my cancer scars last night, I knew you'd want some sort of explanation. I don't like lying to my friends; and I feel I can trust you."
"Why?"
There was no simple answer to this simple question. "We're a lot alike, you and me," Mariah said. "We've both survived some rough times in our lives and came out on top. We've both lost our homes, our worlds, and our families, and we've both had to start our lives all over again. There's a bond between us, Salla; I know you sense it, too. I've felt it since that first night we met. And we're friends; friends shouldn't keep things from each other."
Salla had the feeling that Mariah's friendship was not something doled out lightly, and she was right. During her life, Mariah had friends, but few friends she would literally trust with her life. Salla was now part of that circle. The warrior was moved that this woman saw her as a friend, someone she could trust with her most dangerous secret.
"I have a favor to ask of you," Mariah said.
"Name it," Salla responded without hesitation.
"While I'm laid up, and if it's no inconvenience, would you take care of Scout for me? It would only be for a week or so."
Salla's eyes lit up. "You mean it?" The huge smile threatened to split her face in two. She planned to ask Mariah if she could.
Mariah couldn't help but laugh at her friend's expression. "Yeah I mean it. You like Scout and she likes you. You're good for each other."
A mischievous gleam appeared in those hazel eyes. "I'd love to!! I'll do it, but on one condition: you still have to sing that song sometime."
"Girl, you aren't going to let me out of that, are you?" Mariah grumbled good-naturedly. "Here I get into a fight, let you ride my horse, tell you some of my deepest, darkest secrets, and you still want me to sing? I ask you, where's the justice in this world?" she said in mock indignation.
The two women were still giggling when Xena and Gabrielle walked in. "It's sunset already?" Mariah asked in amazement as she returned the rings to her friends. The afternoon had flown by.
"Yeah, and it's time for dinner," Gabrielle said, her stomach growling to prove her point. She turned to Salla. "Oh, Eponin needed to see you at the armory right away. She said it was important."
Salla arose to her feet and took a hold of Mariah's right hand. "I better get going, then. I'll see you later...my warrior friend." She squeezed the hand, released it, and smiled at everyone as she left.
"Man, why does everyone keep telling me I'm a warrior?" Mariah wanted to know as she cleaned herself up for dinner with help from her two friends. "First you two, then Salla..."
"Maybe in the hope that one day, you'll believe it," Xena told her, her voice serious.
Mariah just shook her head as they walked to dinner.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Recovery...
Dinner that evening was a festive affair, the cooks roasting a large pig in Mariah's honor. The wine flowed freely and toasts were made, but the flutist stuck to water; she didn't know how alcohol and herbal painkiller would mix, and she felt it better to be safe than sorry.
After dinner Gabrielle got up and told several stories about her travels with Xena. Then the bard surprised Mariah by telling the story of their capture by Galvous earlier that year, focusing on Mariah's bravery when Galvous drugged and attempted to torture her. Her face reddened when Gabrielle detailed their exploits during that adventure; she leaned over towards Xena. "Now I know how you feel when she talks about you in public!" Xena's knowing laugh was gentle as they focused back in on Gabrielle and her story. The bard told the saga with much skill and flourish, wringing every bit of drama she could from it, using her considerable talents to the fullest.
Applause and cheers greeted her when she finished her tale, Mariah whistling as she couldn't clap with her swollen hand. The Amazon musicians came out and began to play. Soon, many warriors were up and dancing around the fires. Gabrielle sat down next to Mariah, a smug look on her face.
"Why'd you do that?" Mariah wanted to know, her face still pink.
"What, a bard can't tell stories about her best friends?" Gabrielle's face looked innocent, but the flutist knew better.
"Yeah, but you made me sound....oh, I don't know, so...heroic," Mariah tried to explain. "That's not me."
"Did I lie about what happened there?" the Amazon queen challenged, smiling.
"Well, no..." Mariah started.
"Did I exaggerate at all?" the bard wanted to know.
"No," Mariah sighed.
"Do people tell you what songs to play?" Gabrielle asked, her voice gentle.
"No," Mariah conceded, knowing where this was headed.
"Then how can you tell a bard which stories to tell?" the blonde finished, a note of triumph in her voice.
"Yeah, but my songs aren't about you," Mariah answered, a thoughtful look appearing on her face. "Although, after tonight..." she trailed off.
Xena smiled at her friend. "Give it up, my friend," she advised her. "This is an argument you can't win. I've been traveling with her for years and I can't get her to stop talking about me. What makes you think you can stop her?"
"Well, I can hope, can't I?" Mariah asked with a grin. All three friends shared a laugh. "But be warned, oh infamous bard...a song about you just might be in the works!"
"I look forward to that!" Xena exclaimed. "I would *love* to hear a song about the exploits of this battling blonde from Potadeia. And so would the Amazons!"
"Hey, just remember," Gabrielle bantered, her emerald eyes shining in the fire-lit night, "you never want to anger a bard!"
"Yeah, well, you don't want to anger a flutist either, especially one who has a way with words," Mariah needled her, a huge grin on her face. At this point, Salla, Eponin, Solari, and Ephiny returned from their dancing and asked if they could join them. They gladly made room for them at the table.
The seven women talked and laughed into the night. During the conversation, Salla told them about Mariah's agreement to sing the song she so wanted everyone to hear, "Come On In Out Of The Rain." Xena turned to Mariah. "Now I *can't* wait to hear that!" The warrior and the bard enjoyed hearing their friend sing and wished she did it more often. Xena looked at Salla. "So when are you going to have her sing it?"
Salla thought it over. "How about the day her stitches come out? We'll celebrate that evening, and she can sing for us." She grinned at Mariah. "I mean, after all, you didn't have the chance to sing it on my birthday!"
"Yeah, well, I was a tad busy last night," Mariah kidded in a dry voice. Xena and Gabrielle were relieved Mariah could finally joke about what happened at the inn, and joined in the laughter that erupted at the comment.
Gabrielle turned to her. "Hey, if your hand's healed up, we should do another one of our duets that evening." The bard quickly explained their music-and-story routine. The Amazons were eager to hear them perform. Soon the women had a program of entertainment planned out.
Mariah tried to hide the yawn that threatened to escape her lips. As much as she enjoyed the evening, it was catching up with her in her healing state. Xena and Gabrielle noticed, and decided to call it a night.
The three of them said their good-nights and arose from the table, Gabrielle going to the visitor's hut to gather their sleeping shifts, Xena escorting Mariah back to the healing hut. Once there, the warrior helped her prepare for bed and gave her another cup of painkiller.
"Hey," Xena asked her as she helped Mariah remove her shift.
"What?"
"Were you serious when you said you'd write a song about Gabrielle?" There was a mischievous glint in those blue eyes.
The flutist mulled it over. "I could try...what do you think?" Mariah asked her.
"I think it would be great," Xena said as she removed the bandage from Mariah's back.
"I'll have some fun with it, but I won't hurt her feelings," Mariah assured. She would never do anything to hurt her friends; she loved them both too much for that. She remained still as Xena examined her back.
"Still looking good," the warrior told her putting on a fresh dressing. "We'll give you more painkiller throughout the night, and after that, you should just have to take it when you feel you need it. I'll
adjust the herbs so you won't get so sleepy. About six more days, and the stitches can come out. That gives you six days to write that song."
"Can't do much of anything else until I'm healed up," Mariah told her, "so I've got the time to do it."
"Time to do what?" Gabrielle asked as she entered the hut with the shifts.
"Oh, uh, time to practice my songs and get ready for the party we're having the night my stitches come out," Mariah said, trying to keep a neutral look on her face. Oh, it was so hard to do when wanted to laugh!! She didn't dare look at Xena or she would've lost it then and there. Xena bit back a grin and turned around as well.
If Gabrielle suspected anything was amiss, she didn't let on as she gave Xena her shift. Soon, all three of them were settled in their beds and sound asleep.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Oh, Happy Day...
The days passed by as Mariah's back and hand healed up. Soon, she was able to play simple tunes on her flute as her left hand still was not up to more strenuous work. Also as time went on, she needed the herbal painkiller less and less.
Little things were annoying; the fact she couldn't wash her hair without assistance (her hand wasn't yet up to that) or take a long soak in a hot bath (she couldn't get her stitches wet). Xena and Gabrielle helped her with those particulars. Salla updated her on Scout; the mare was doing well, but Salla said she missed Mariah. When Mariah walked into the stables with her one day, she found Salla wasn't kidding. Scout let loose the loudest whinny Mariah ever heard when she saw her mistress! The flutist laughed when she went over to her horse; they were both thrilled to see each other.
"She looks great," Mariah told Salla. "Thanks for taking such good care of her. And while I'm here, you take her out anytime you'd like. It's the least I can do for you keeping an eye on her for me."
Salla waved her off, but was pleased with her friend's reaction, and touched by the offer. She had cared for Scout as if the mare were her own animal; doing so filled the void she had since Erama's death.
She and Mariah spent time together during the flutist's recovery period. In the afternoons, Mariah took long walks to keep in shape as she couldn't swim or work out with her staff. Often when she was out, Salla would come find her, riding up on Scout. The warrior would let the horse graze while she and Mariah sat under a large shade tree and talked. Now that they knew the truth about each other, their discussions became less casual as they learned more about each other's hopes, fears, and dreams. One memorable day, not long after she had been injured, Mariah told Salla all about her cancer battles.
"I remember it so clearly. I had finished up college, I had my first teaching job, and I had my whole life ahead of me. I had seen several doctors, but none of them could tell what was the matter with me. Until that day..." Mariah trailed off, lost in her memories. "You know, he couldn't even tell me I had cancer." Her laugh was still a little bitter after so many years. "He said I had a 'malignancy.' I had to *ask* him if I had cancer! I was twenty-one, Salla, and in mind, my life had fallen apart. I thought that was the end of my world that day, but things sure didn't work out the way I expected them to work out!"
She told Salla about the disease, the treatments, the recurrence, the surgeries, the nightmares, her anger, and her fears of another recurrence. And after hearing all about her friend's fights, Salla decided to venture into uncharted territory: she opened up about the day of the massacre.
"Gods, it was horrible," Salla recounted, her voice hesitant at first as a shiver went through her body. "We had no warning; Salukas's men must've tracked down and killed every sentry before the attack. The men came riding into the village. It was terrifying, Mariah. I remember some of it...fire, blood, screaming, pain." She closed her eyes as scenes from that awful day played through her head, her body trembling with suppressed emotions. Mariah, her heart going out to her friend, took her in her arms and hugged her. Salla lost all control and wept in anguish and rage and loss. Mariah said nothing; she just sat there and held her, comforting her in silence, letting Salla work through her inner turmoil as she choked out the rest of the story: her injuries, her escape, her recovery, her devastation.
It was some time before Salla's tears were spent. "Thanks," she said as she straightened up. "I know that doesn't begin to cover it, Mariah, but thanks for being here..." she trailed off.
"How many other people have to you told about that day?" Mariah asked her, her voice gentle.
"Not many," Salla confessed. "I've been afraid to."
Mariah sighed. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I was the same way until Xena and Gabrielle taught me that being strong doesn't mean being alone. And you know what? Opening up to them and talking about my cancer demons was the best thing I did to help myself heal and move on."
"That is so hard for me to do."
"It was hard for me, too, Salla. I used to think it was weak to open up to people, if I let others share my pain; I was so wrong." Mariah fell silent for a moment. "But look at it this way...opening up is exactly
what you're doing here with me."
"Yeah, but you've been through rough times."
"How will you know others haven't if you don't talk to them?" Mariah pointed out.
And that got Salla thinking long and hard about some unresolved issues in her life.
A few days later, the day before Mariah got her stitches out in fact, Ephiny came looking for her. "What did you say to Salla?" the regent wanted to know.
"Why? What's the matter?" The concern was evident in Mariah's voice.
"Nothing. Everyone's noticed it, though. She's finally talking about the massacre. How did you get her to do that?"
"I'm not sure, Ephiny. I guess I just listened to her."
"Well I'm glad you did. We haven't seen her this open, this talkative, since she's been here. And a lot of that is due to you."
"I'm glad I could help."
Ephiny studied her in the afternoon sunlight. "You know, I'll bet your were a heck of a teacher in your time." The regent walked away leaving a surprised and pleased flutist in her wake.
There wasn't much else for Mariah to do during those six days except talk, sing, play her flute, walk, and write the bard's song. Gabrielle worked long hours with Ephiny to finish the details on the trade agreement, so that kept her busy. Xena stopped by often, but Mariah knew the warrior had things to do and felt guilty about keeping her from those things. The activities kept her mind off the maddening healing itch in her back. She longed to scratch herself silly, but didn't want to hinder her quick healing or ruin her friends' handiwork by ripping out her stitches. And writing that song was hard...she wanted to have some fun and do her friend justice, but Mariah had never been much of a songwriter!! Still, she pulled a tune together she hoped would go over well at the party. And she had a little something special planned for her two best friends that night as well.
The day finally arrived when Xena, aided by Gabrielle, took out the stitches; Mariah was chomping at the bit! Xena laughed at her friend's impatience as she went to work on her in the healing hut.
"Now this may hurt," Xena warned as she began to remove the sutures. Mariah, lying face down on the cot, braced herself for the worse, but Xena's touch was gentle as she cut and pulled out the threads. Mariah felt some pinching, but nothing that she hadn't felt before. Gabrielle cleansed the area with a warm herbal infusion when Xena finished.
"Was there a lot of bleeding?" Mariah wanted to know.
"Nope," Xena replied. "They came out clean as a whistle. Give it another day to heal up before you get it wet and take it easy when you work with your staff and ride Scout." Mariah sat up and saw that her friends had a couple of mirrors so she could see her newest scar. "So what do you think?" Xena wanted to know.
It didn't look bad at all, Mariah thought. It was about five inches long and maybe a quarter of an inch wide; her friends had done a great job of patching her up. "You two do some nice work," Mariah told them, her voice admiring.
"Well, you ought to know," Gabrielle teased her. "You're the voice of experience!"
"Let's just hope we won't have to do something like that again for awhile," Xena said, her tone matter-of-fact.
"Yeah, one barroom brawl in a lifetime is enough for me," Mariah sighed as she began to dress. Her hand was almost fully functional, and she had been able to put her wedding ring back on several days ago.
"Will Myklos be upset when he sees it?" Gabrielle wondered.
"No, I don't think he'll mind," Mariah said absentmindedly as finished dressing.
The bard and the warrior exchanged a surprised look. "He won't?" Xena arched an eyebrow.
Mariah's blush went clear to the roots of her curly brown hair when she realized what she said. "Um, well, he, uh, likes to explore them," the flutist mumbled, looking at the floor.
"New territory for him then, huh?" Xena asked her voice neutral as she fought back the urge to grin.
Gabrielle couldn't contain her giggles any longer. Mariah couldn't resist her friend's infectious laughter, and Xena joined in as well. They left the healing hut and returned to their own dwelling to rest up before the evening's party.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Reconnaissance...
The same day Mariah had her stitches removed, Solomos's scouts returned to his encampment.
"We've had word Xena's at the Amazon village that's a week's journey from here," one of the scouts reported.
Solomos was pleased at the news; *very* pleased. His army had grown strong thanks to the raids they conducted since losing at Corinth. He knew he and his men were ready to take on the warrior princess; the Amazons were a bonus.
The warlord turned to Panas. "Order the men to break camp. We're leaving tomorrow morning for that village. To keep them sharp, we'll conduct raids along the way. I want the men in top form when we go up against the Amazons and Xena. Plan on being there within fourteen days."
"Yes, sir," Panas said as he saluted and left.
Solomos turned back to the scouts. "You did well to keep several of the scouts there in the area. Hurry back there and help them reconnoiter. I want the best intelligence possible when we attack. Now go."
The scouts saluted and left Solomos alone in his tent.
His mouth watered at finally getting revenge on that warrior bitch and her friends.
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