When In Greece...
Part Seventeen through End
by Lynn M. Price
Continued from Parts Nine through Sixteen
Part Seventeen
The Pinch...
It was the predawn morning of a new day. They were five days out of Risa, near the village of Nikos.
Mariah, as was her custom now, was training more and more with Xena and Gabrielle, working out with the warrior early in the morning and the bard in the afternoon. This was in addition to the sudden ambushes they threw at her. The teacher was getting better; her friends were impressed at her rapidly developing abilities. She soon would be able to hold her own if she got into a tight situation.
Xena, working with Mariah on how to better cover her back, decided to throw in a twist. When Mariah swept her staff back to where Xena was supposed to be, the warrior launched herself up in the air, flipped over Mariah, landing in front of her. Mariah, to her credit, recovered quickly, but not quickly enough.
"By the gods, Xena, how could I defend against something like that? asked Mariah, a little aggrieved. "I mean, come on, how many people can do that?"
"Enough," said the warrior. "And it would only take one." The warrior cut off her words, stiffening slightly. So did the teacher.
"I think there's someone's out there," said Mariah softly.
"Good. You heard him, too. Act like we don't know he's there. I'm going to get Argo and check him out. I want you to look like you're headed back to camp; luckily, it's in his direction. Meet me over there."
Mariah said nothing as she begin to gather her things.
Xena whistled and Argo appeared. She jumped on her horse, and sped off to get behind their unknown visitor.
Mariah moved in the direction of the unknown person, her heart pounding faster and faster with each step she took. Her senses were alert, picking up the sites, sounds, and smells of the forest around her. As she entered a thicker part of the woods, she heard a noise to her left. Glancing quickly, she saw a man break out of the brush and run. "Hey!!" she yelled, running after him. When she got in range, she threw her staff at his moving legs. The staff made contact, tripping up the fleeing man. He fell and rolled onto his back, breathing hard. Mariah stood over him, also breathing hard, her staff back in her hands where it belonged. When he tried to get up, she hit him with the staff, knocking him back down. She stood over him, guarding him, until Xena showed up scant seconds later.
If the warrior was surprised at this scene, she didn't show it. She stalked over to the man and hauled him to his knees.
"Who are you?" Xena asked. "Why were you watching us?"
The man refused to answer.
To Mariah's surprise, Xena's hands lashed out at the man's neck, jabbing him in two places.
"I've just cut off the flow of blood to your brain. You'll be dead in thirty seconds if you don't answer my questions."
The man struggled against the pinch as he felt the life drain from his body. "Darius," his voice quavered. "I-I'm Darius."
"That only answered the first part of my question," Xena growled.
"Galvous," the man panted. "He heard you were around here. I was sent to watch you and your friends."
Xena grabbed him by the shirt, her blue eyes narrowing dangerously. "How long have you been watching?"
"Since Risa," Darius gasped, blood dripping out of his nose, near unconsciousness.
Xena stared at him for a moment. Her hand shot out, and she released the pressure point on his neck. Darius collapsed, but Xena didn't wait long for him to recover.
"Just where is Galvous?" she asked him.
Darius knew enough not to resist. "He's less than a day from here. I swear it!" he yelled as Xena made a motion towards his neck.
Xena hauled him to his feet. "Now I want you to take a message to Galvous, bright boy. You tell him to stay away from us if he knows what's good for him. I beat him once and I'll do it again. You tell him."
Darius nodded, fear in his eyes as Xena shoved him away from her. He ran off, stumbling as he moved. Xena had a troubled look on her face.
"Come on," she said to Mariah. "We need to get Gabrielle up and get on the move. Galvous may be closer than he thinks."
"But-how..." began Mariah. "What did you do to him, Xena?"
"Pressure points," the warrior said as she grabbed her friend's arm to pull her along. "I'll explain as we head back to camp. We've got no time to lose." She whistled for Argo, jumped on, helped Mariah up behind her, and rode back to Gabrielle.
Part Eighteen
Slings and Arrows...
As they rode back to camp, something went wrong.
Argo threw a shoe.
The mare pulled up sharply. Xena and Mariah quickly dismounted, the warrior looking at the horse's rear hoof. "Damn!" she said in frustration. Thinking for a moment, Xena made a decision.
"I hate to split up but time is against us, Mariah. You go back to Gabrielle, wake her up, and explain what happened. I'm going to take Argo to Nikos to get her shoe fixed. You two meet me there as fast as you can. Don't delay! We don't know exactly where Galvous is, and we need to put space between us and him. It's me he's after; I don't want you two getting mixed up with him."
"Done," said Mariah, as she took off for their camp.
Xena watched her leave, and then turned to Argo, talking soothingly to her. "Hey, it's OK girl. Come on, we need to get out of here." She led the mare towards Nikos, going as fast as she dared with the horse's injured hoof.
Mariah ran into the camp as the sun was coming up out of the eastern sky. Gabrielle was still asleep. Mariah knelt down next to her friend, urgently calling her name and shaking her.
Gabrielle opened one eye and looked at Mariah's anxious face. "Hey, what's wrong?"
Mariah quickly explained about the man who had been spying on them and about Galvous being in the area. "And Xena wants us to meet her in Nikos. Argo threw a shoe and she's taking her there now," finished the teacher.
Gabrielle jumped up. "Come on. Let's get our gear together and get moving." The girls moved about the camp, packing their belongings as quickly as they could.
Mariah suddenly heard Gabrielle gasp. She turned and saw her friend clutching at a small dart sticking out of her thigh. Mariah ran over to her, catching the bard as she collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Six men materialized out of the woods, including the one she and Xena had confronted earlier. Mariah stood up, her staff at the ready. "What did you do to her?" she demanded.
"The same thing we're going to do to you," replied one of the men. At that moment, Mariah felt a sharp pain in her leg as she too was struck by a dart. Her vision blurred and she stumbled as the drug took effect, the strength draining from her body. Strong arms grabbed her as the blackness overwhelmed her.
"Tie them up," said Krius. "Even though they'll be out of it most of the day, Galvous said to take no chances. You," he said, pointing to Darvos. "You wait here for Xena and tell her if she wants to get her
friends back, she's to meet us at our camp tomorrow. You will bring her there. Tell her if she tries anything funny or if she shows up without you, Galvous will slit their throats. Darius, you come with us. Galvous wants a full report on what you've observed. The rest of you, cover our tracks. Take the time and do it right! And remember to cover them as we travel back to camp. I don't need to tell you what a good tracker Xena is."
The men rushed to follow Krius's orders. Gabrielle and Mariah were bound hand and foot. The men lifted their unconscious forms, carried them over to a nearby hidden wagon, and unceremoniously dumped them in. A blanket was thrown over the two sleeping figures to hide them from view. The area was carefully swept of any tracks or trails that might telegraph where the men and their captives were headed.
Krius smiled at his efficiency as he and his men journeyed back to their camp. Galvous would reward him well.
Part Nineteen
Waiting Games...
Xena took Argo to the blacksmith's in Nikos where the horse was shod. Time passed. The warrior was getting impatient waiting for her two friends. They should *be* here by now, she thought to herself.
When Argo was ready, she rode back to camp, looking for her friends all the way. Instead she found Darvos sitting next to the fire.
"Who are you?" she said angrily as she quickly dismounted.
"I'm Darvos," he said, "and if you want to see your friends again, you'll listen to what I have to say."
Xena's eyes narrowed to icy blue slits. "What do you mean?" she said slowly.
"Galvous has them. He wants to make a trade; you for them. You come with me tomorrow to his camp, and he'll let your friends go. If not," he said hurriedly as the warrior advanced on him, "Galvous will slit their throats. Your choice."
Xena stopped in her tracks. Galvous had her, and she knew it. As she looked around the camp, she saw the signs that the area had been expertly cleaned so tracking the kidnappers would be next to impossible. She thought for a moment before she spoke. "OK Darvos, we'll play it your way. But if *anything* happens to my friends, and I mean *anything*, you'll wish you'd never been born. You and Galvous both."
The warrior prayed that Mariah and Gabrielle would be all right until she arrived at Galvous's camp the next day.
In the twilight of that same day, Gabrielle slowly came back to consciousness. She was lying on her stomach. Her head pounded from the drug, her arms and legs ached abominably from being tied, and her thigh throbbed from where the dart struck her. It was difficult to swallow with the gag in her mouth.
Where am I, she thought to herself as she strained to look around. The bard spied another person lying on the ground near her. At that moment, a man entered the tent where she was being held. He walked over to the other prone figure, pulled out a knife, and slashed the ropes that bound its wrists and ankles and cut the gag from around its mouth. He then walked over to Gabrielle. "I'm going to remove your gag. If you scream, I'll kill you." Gabrielle nodded, and the man removed her gag. Pulling the bard to a sitting position, he cut the ropes that bound her ankles and her wrists. "You can't go anywhere, so don't even *think* about escape. You just sit tight until Xena gets here tomorrow. You can be comfortable or uncomfortable. It'll be your choice." He walked out before she could answer.
Gabrielle crawled over to the unconscious figure. It was Mariah. She tried to awaken her friend, but the teacher was still deep in the grip of the sleep-inducing drug. Gabrielle looked around, woozy, her eyes adjusting to the dimming light. She stood up, walked, stumbled, moving her aching arms and legs in an effort to loosen them up. She heard Mariah moan softly as the drug lessened its hold on her. The bard walked over to her, sat down, and cradled her friend's head in her lap.
Mariah slowly opened her eyes to see Gabrielle staring down at her. "Do I even want to know what happened?" she murmured dazedly.
"We've been kidnapped," said Gabrielle, still a bit groggy herself. "Xena's supposed to show up here tomorrow."
Mariah closed her eyes, the drug still affecting her, her muscles aching from their rough treatment. She fell into a light doze, her head still cradled in the lap of the bard. When she awoke an hour later, Mariah found Gabrielle curled up next to her, also asleep. It was night. Someone had come in while they slept and lit the oil lamps.
Mariah sat up, the muscles in her body crying as she moved. She looked at Gabrielle, and decided to let her sleep. Standing up, she winced at the pain in her head, shoulders, and arms. She looked around. They were being held in a tent. She noticed a chamber pot in one corner, and used it. Spying a washstand, she walked over to it, poured some water in the basin, dipped a towel into the cold water, and wiped off her face. The coolness of the water on her face felt wonderful. She also rinsed off her wrists, sore and raw from being bound for so long. She poured some water in a cup and drank deeply. Gabrielle stirred. Mariah poured another cup of water, and took it, the basin, and the towels over to her sleeping friend. Sitting down next to her, she began to sponge off the bard's sleeping face, hoping the cool water would do for Gabrielle what it did for her.
Emerald green eyes fluttered open. "How are you feeling?" asked Mariah quietly, as she began to gently clean the girl's bruised wrists.
"Better," replied Gabrielle, as she began to fully awake. She too was stiff and sore from their rough treatment, but she was feeling better thanks to her friend's help.
"Here. Drink this." Gabrielle slowly sat up and took the cup of water from the teacher. Water had never tasted so good, she thought.
"I wonder where we are," Mariah asked her friend.
"You're in the camp of Galvous." The two girls swiveled their heads at the sound of the man's voice. The man was tall, taller than Xena, and had an ugly scar on the left side of his face. Two men stood behind him. "I am Galvous. And you will come with me," he demanded, as the two men behind him entered the tent and pulled the girls to their feet. "We have much to discuss before Xena arrives. Take them to my tent and see that they are fed. I want them in good shape. For now." Mariah and Gabrielle, their arms pinned painfully behind their backs, were dragged, struggling, out of the tent.
Part Twenty
Questions And Answers...
Xena sat by the campfire that night trying to keep a lid on her surging emotions. Galvous! Why, after all these years, did he have to show up now?
She thought back to when they rode together, years before. At first, she though they were alike, Xena and Galvous. Over time, however, Xena noticed he had streak of cruelty she never before suspected. She grew tired of it, his mind games, and him. When she decided to end their partnership, he attacked her. She left him lying in the dirt, the edge of her sword leaving a long furrow on his left cheek. He swore revenge; she walked away in disgust, taking her army with her.
Now, he was getting his revenge, she thought to herself grimly. All Xena could do was wait until tomorrow. And pray.
Darvos was behind some bushes relieving himself.
She picked up Gabrielle's saddlebag containing the bard's scrolls and Mariah's twentieth century journal. The journal! Xena dug it out of the bag and held it in her hands. Galvous could not get hold of it, could not find out about her friend's dangerous secret. Hurriedly, her heart breaking as she worked for she knew how much that book meant to her friend, she ripped out pages, throwing them into the fire She tore and ripped and shredded until all of the pages and finally the book itself were feeding the flames of her now-roaring campfire.
Darvos entered the camp. "Hey, what are you doing?" he cried out.
"The fire was a little low," Xena answered nonchalantly. "I was just getting it going again."
Darvos looked at her suspiciously, but the warrior's face told him nothing. "We better get to sleep," he told her finally. "We've got a bit a traveling to do tomorrow if you want to see your friends again."
Xena said nothing as she watched Darvos settle in for the night. She herself wouldn't get much sleep, she knew. She could only hope that Gabrielle and Mariah could hold their own until she arrived. Especially Mariah.
Mariah and Gabrielle were in Galvous's tent finishing up their meal. Even though they were hungry, it was almost impossible for them to eat, nervousness making the food sticking in their throats as they tried to swallow. The water and a rather decent wine helped wash their meal down.
Galvous watched them silently as they ate and drank. They intrigued him, fascinated him, especially Mariah. He peered in on them several times while they were unconscious. He knew about Gabrielle; how could you know about Xena and not know about the spirited blonde bard who traveled with her? Darius had briefed him on what little he had seen during his observations, for it was almost impossible to get close to the three women. No, Galvous thought to himself, this new girl was the unknown element. Why was she traveling with the warrior and the bard? It was time for some answers.
Galvous leaned on the table. "Who are you?" he asked Mariah. "Where are you from?"
Gabrielle looked at the teacher, her face not showing the fear running through her. How would her friend answer? This was not something they had discussed.
Mariah looked at Galvous as thoughts whirled through her head. She was not the best of liars, as she was an honest person. But as a successful twentieth century high school English teacher, she did have a bit of the actor inside of her. More than one student had told her that! Well, here goes nothing, she thought, putting on her best poker face.
"I'm Mariah. I'm from Athens."
"What part of Athens?" Galvous asked.
"I live over by the Academy for Performing Bards," she lied smoothly, silently blessing Gabrielle for telling her about that place.
Galvous sat back. He studied her blue eyes to see if there was something she wasn't telling him.
Mariah matched him stare for stare. She knew her life and Gabrielle's could depend on these next few minutes. Her hands in her lap grew sweaty with the strain.
Galvous turned his attention to the bard. "Why does she travel with you and Xena?" the warlord asked Gabrielle.
Gabrielle was ready for him. "We met her in Athens the last time we were there. She's a musician; she was playing at the inn where we stayed. We started talking, and found we had a lot in common. She asked if she could travel with us for a few months. You know, get out and see the world, that sort of thing. We said yes. We travel, we meet people, I tell stories, she plays the flute," Gabrielle finished simply.
Galvous looked at his captives as he thought over what he heard. It meshed with Darius's reports of what he had witnessed. Something told him, however, all was not as it seemed. They were hiding something; he was sure of it. Their stories seemed too smooth, too perfect, too pat. Perhaps it was time to break up their little party, he thought. He turned to Krius. "Take the bard back to the tent. I want some private time with...with the musician." Krius pulled Gabrielle out of her chair, and dragged her from Galvous's tent.
Mariah watched in terrified silence as her friend was removed from the tent. Her heart thumped painfully in her chest. She was alone with the warlord. She clenched and unclenched her fists under the table. She was frightened, but didn't dare show it. Galvous got up, picked up his and Mariah's empty wine cups, walked over to a side table, and poured out two more cups of wine. With his back to Mariah, he asked her over his shoulder, "Will you join me in another round?"
"Do I have a choice?" she retorted.
Galvous smiled as he brought the cups back to the table, placing Mariah's in front of her, and his in front of his own place setting. "My dear, we always have a choice," he said smoothly as he sat down. "I just want to get to know you better."
"Is that why you drugged and kidnapped us?" Mariah asked sarcastically. "If that's the technique you use to meet women, Galvous, it needs improving."
Galvous studied Mariah, liking what he saw. Those flashing blue eyes. She was full of fire and spirit, just like Gabrielle. He sat back and relaxed in his chair. "I thought the two of us should get to know each other, Mariah," he said, drinking his wine. "That's all."
Mariah said nothing as she looked at the warlord and the scar dominating the left side of his face. "Where did you get the scar?" she asked him finally.
"From your friend Xena," he replied.
"Huh. I bet she gives you another one on the right side to match it when you see her tomorrow," Mariah said nastily as she sample the wine. It wasn't too bad, she thought as she rolled it around the inside of her mouth. A little muskier than she normally liked. She sipped some more.
Galvous's eyes narrowed as he watched her nurse her drink. "Forget about Xena. I want to know more about you, Mariah."
She shrugged her shoulders, dodging the dangerous territory. "What's to tell? My name's Mariah, I play the flute." She began to relax a little as the wine wound its way through her system. "You know, nothing special. Just an average, ordinary girl from Athens."
She was a tough nut to crack, but he would break her soon enough, he thought to himself, amused. He liked the tough ones. He relished the challenge. He enjoyed the struggle. Galvous looked at her. "More wine?"
Mariah looked at her cup, surprised to see it was almost empty. "No," she said, "I've had enough."
Galvous stood up. "Then let's take you back to Gabrielle."
Mariah also stood up, and the room began to sway. She gripped the table tightly and closed her eyes as a wave of dizziness swept over her. Galvous came alongside of her, put an arm around her in support. "Feeling strange, my dear? Yes, I suppose those sleeping herbs do tend to make one a little woozy. But don't worry, Mariah," he said, his voice hardening, his arm tightening its hold on her. "You'll soon tell me anything and everything I want to know about you. And I do mean *everything*," he hissed.
Mariah opened her eyes. Galvous's words burned in her ears. She tried to push herself away from him as she fought the effects of the drug coursing through her body. "You son of a bi--," she whispered as the drug finally overwhelmed her. She collapsed unconscious against the warlord.
Krius reentered the tent. He had been waiting outside after he removed Gabrielle. "This one will be out all night. Take her to the interrogation tent and get her ready," he said, smiling cruelly as looked down at the unconscious form he held in his arms. "Bring Gabrielle there in the morning, too. For now, let her spend the night worrying about what's happened to her friend. We'll have some fun with the both of them tomorrow before Xena gets here." Krius grabbed Mariah's unconscious form, hoisted her over his shoulder, and carried her out.
He would break them both soon enough, Galvous thought to himself. And he would enjoy it. Immensely.
Part Twenty-One
Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down...
Galvous was right about Gabrielle. She spent most of the night pacing, worrying about her friend.
Xena's earlier words echoing in her brain, she wondered what *would* happen if Mariah told him the truth about herself? That she was from the twentieth century? Would he believe her? Laugh at her? Kill her? Torture her? The gods only knew.
The bard managed a few hours of restless sleep. The sun was shining brightly when she awoke late the next morning. There was still no sign of Mariah as the bard wandered over to the chamber pot to relieve herself. That finished, she cleaned up and waited. She didn't have long to wait.
Krius came in with another man. They both carried ropes as they advanced on Gabrielle. Her eyes widened at what she saw. Try as she might, the bard was no match for the men. Fighting for all she was worth, the men pinned her down her writhing, struggling body, tied her arms behind her back, and tied her feet together. Pulling her to her feet, she was rudely thrown over the other man's shoulder and taken to the interrogation tent. There, she was none too gently placed in a chair and tied tightly to it. The men left her.
Gabrielle looked around, and saw Mariah lying on a table. Her friend did not move.
Xena was up before dawn that morning. She had spent most of the night berating herself for not going after her friends, but she knew how utterly vicious the warlord could be. He was more ruthless than she had *ever* been. She gave Darvos a kick to wake him up. "Come on, sleeping beauty," she said to him. "It's time to see Galvous."
Darvos tried to stall, but Xena was on to him. "Let's go," she growled at him. "And no tricks. How long will it take us to get there?"
"We'll be there before the sun is at its highest," Darvos answered.
"Want to bet?" Xena asked nastily. "We'll be there long before that, you little weasel." She mounted Argo and pulled Darvos up in front of her where she could keep an eye on him. Lightly spurring her horse, they galloped out of the camp.
Mariah couldn't move. It wasn't for lack of trying.
Her head pounded as she slowly awoke. Getting drugged twice in one day did absolutely nothing for her. She had always hated that empty, vague feeling of returning to consciousness after being under the effects of an anesthetic. She hated it when she had to have surgery, and she hated it now that she was at the mercy of some crazed Grecian warlord. Lethargy threatened to overwhelm her, but she fought against it as she had fought the other battles in her life. Anger and rage began to build in her as her strength slowly returned.
As she began to take in her surroundings, she realized she was lying on some kind of table. She could move her head, but that was it. Her arms, legs, and body were strapped down tight. She struggled against her bonds.
"Mariah!"
She looked to her right. Gabrielle was sitting there, tied to a chair, attempting to free herself. "Gabrielle?" she said.
"Just hang on," said the bard, feverishly working at the ropes that bound her.
"Yes, just hang on," said a male voice in the doorway. "We'll be with the two of you soon enough." Gabrielle swiveled her head in the direction of the voice. It was Krius. The lieutenant exited to get Galvous. Mariah closed her eyes and prayed. She prayed for the strength she would need to endure whatever Galvous planned to do to her and her friends.
"Mariah, what ever you do, you can't tell them the truth about yourself," said Gabrielle urgently.
Gabrielle didn't know if her friend had heard her, or how long the teacher could hold out. She prayed that Xena would hurry.
Xena was hurrying, as fast as her horse could carry the double load. She pushed Argo to the limits of her endurance. She spied a camp in the distance.
Galvous entered the interrogation tent and looked at his two prisoners. Oh, this is going to be good, he thought to himself deliciously. He walked over to the bard and checked her ropes. "Oh, don't struggle too much, my dear," he said to her as he lightly stroked the side of her face. "It'll be your time soon enough." Gabrielle pulled her head away from him in disgust. He walked over to Mariah.
"Well, good morning, my dear. Sleep well? How are you today?" he asked solicitously.
Mariah glared at him. "Oh, I'm fine," she answered sarcastically. "I'm a bit tied up at the moment, though, but other than that, I'm just great!"
Galvous chuckled at her. "I see your long sleep didn't diminish your spirit."
"You wish," she shot back as she fought the restraints holding her to the table.
Galvous looked at Mariah. She returned the look, rage and anger turning her blue eyes into ice.
"Oh what a fire is in your eyes!" Galvous exclaimed as he walked around the table.
"Get ripped, Galvous. I've had it with you and your little warlord games. Why don't you crawl back under your rock?" Venom dripped from Mariah's voice.
The warlord's eyes hardened dangerously. He unsheathed the dagger he brought with him. Mariah's ears perked at the sound of metal grating on metal. Galvous looked down at her and met her eyes. "You mocked my scar last night...how would you like one of your own on that pretty face?" Mariah stiffened up, her eyes widening, but she said nothing as she caught sight the dagger out of the corner of her eye coming down towards her face.
She twisted her head in an effort to get away from the blade. Galvous grabbed her hair, pinning her head and the right side of her face to the table, exposing her left side. Galvous saw the four-inch surgical scar on her neck. Mariah struggled against her restraints in both anger and frustration.
"Oh, but I see you already have a scar," Galvous purred, tightening his hold on her hair. He lightly traced the scar with the tip of the dagger. "Such an interesting one, too. Where did you get it?" he asked softly.
Mariah, breathing hard, head and heart pounding, hair hurting, said nothing as she felt the blade caress her neck. Gabrielle looked in her friend's fear and anger-filled eyes.
"I asked you a question, girl. WHERE did you get that scar?"
"Piss off," Mariah hissed, the fear, rage, and anger boiling inside of her.
"Such a stubborn girl...tsk, tsk, tsk." Galvous said lightly as he released his hold on her hair. "I wonder how stubborn you'd be if it wasn't your own neck on the line." Galvous turned towards Gabrielle, the dagger still in his hand.
"Mariah, don't tell him anything!" yelled Gabrielle, still struggling in the chair. "Don't tell him *anything*!"
Krius burst in. "Xena's here. She's coming over the ridge."
Damn that Darvos, Galvous thought to himself angrily, stopping himself short.. This would have to wait until he was done with the warrior princess. He then smiled to himself. The anticipation of breaking the two girls would make the wait that much more enjoyable. He resheathed the dagger, bent over, and lightly kissed Mariah on her forehead. "I'll be back soon, my dear. Wait for me, will you?" He went to meet Xena, laughing as he exited the tent.
Part Twenty-Two
Showdown...
Xena and Darvos dismounted from Argo. The warrior sent her horse away as they walked in to Galvous's camp.
Galvous stepped in to view. "All right," Xena said to him. "I'm here. Now where are my friends?"
Galvous called Krius over to him. "Bring them out here and tie them up to those two posts." Krius motioned to another man, and they entered the interrogation tent. Soon they came out with Xena's struggling friends. The warrior said nothing, but her eyes narrowed as she watched Gabrielle and Mariah dragged to the posts and tied tightly to them.
"As you can see, they're fine," Galvous said, watching her. "Which is more than I can say for you."
"What do you want, Galvous?" asked Xena.
"Revenge. Pure and simple. I've waited years for this, Xena. And after I'm done with you, I'll have some fun with your playmates over there."
Xena's eyes hardened at that remark. "Oh, you're real tough when it comes to picking on girls, aren't you? Why don't you have a crack at me? You did once before, and I mopped the floor with you. What's the matter, scarface? Are you afraid to try again?"
Xena's goading had the effect she hoped for. Galvous drew his sword; Xena drew hers. "She's mine," the warlord said. "Nobody touch her but me."
"Come on, Galvous," Xena taunted. "Come and get me."
Galvous's small force of men formed a semicircle around the two fighters. Galvous lashed his sword out at Xena; their blades met in a deadly duel of steel. Xena pushed him away; he came at her again. She parried the blow. Mariah had never seen Xena in action, and it was an awe-inspiring sight. The warrior woman fought with a strength and skill Mariah had never before seen, her sword whirling, twisting, connecting, flashing.
Galvous began to tire. His men, sensing this, closed the circle. Xena whipped out her chakram, and threw it, all the while dueling with her former ally. The chakram whirled around the camp and ricocheted off the two posts, cutting the ropes holding her friends. Gabrielle and Mariah reacted quickly when they were free. They each grabbed a nearby staff and went to work on Galvous's men while Xena fought the vicious warlord.
Gabrielle and Mariah fought with all of the skill and training Xena had instilled in them. Their staffs tripped men up, knocked swords from hands, cracked ribs, thumped skulls. They never hesitated as they battled the men who had kidnapped and held them prisoner. Gabrielle went after Krius with a vengeance, remembering his rough treatment. Mariah, still enraged at what these men had done to her and her friends, went after Darius and Darvos, the men who spied on them. She took care of them in short order, and battled on against Galvous's dwindling band of men, as did her friend from Potadeia.
Xena, meanwhile, was still engaged in her battle with Galvous. Blood streaming down her face from a lucky shot by the warlord, she also had to fight some of his men who tried to intervene on their boss's behalf.
Galvous tried one final desperate charge at the warrior; to his surprise, he found her blade embedded in his chest. He collapsed slowly, the life draining out of his body. Xena stood over him, an unreadable expression on her face, her blood dripping into the dirt.
This took the fight out of his men. When they saw their leader was down, the soldiers fled, carrying their wounded comrades. Soon, the only people in the camp were Xena, Gabrielle, Mariah, and the dying warlord.
Mariah and Gabrielle walked over to Xena and stared down at Galvous. Xena looked at her friends. "Hey, are you two all right?" she asked softly. She grabbed Gabrielle in a long hug, and after releasing her, did the same to a still-angry Mariah.
Mariah looked down at the dying warlord, her face and body quivering in anger. The fighting had taken much of the edge off the young teacher's rage at being kidnapped and assaulted by Galvous, but she was still upset. She knelt down next to him as he lay dying. "You know," she told him softly, "we have a certain twelve-letter word for people like you where I come from. But I promised myself I wouldn't introduce that word to this world." Galvous's chest rose one final time, and then was still. She stared at him for a moment, then turned away, her tensions easing as the rest of her rage and anger left her.
Xena stood over her, the warrior's hand on her friend's shoulder. "Come on," she gently. "Let's get out of here."
Tears came to Mariah's eyes as the stress and strain of the last few days' events began to finally take their toll on her emotional state. How many sleepless nights will *he* cause me, the teacher wondered to herself as she got to her feet.
No other words were spoken as Xena put an arm around each of her companions and slowly led them out of the abandoned camp.
Part Twenty-Three
Endings, Beginnings...
It was a few weeks after their run-in with Galvous and his warriors.
Their physical wounds were healing, as were their psyches. The bad dreams and sleepless nights they all suffered began to leave as they discussed the events of those fateful days. They reached out to help each other heal physically, emotionally, spiritually.
Mariah, for some time now, had been thinking long and hard about the direction she wanted to go with her life. The traveling, fun that it may have been at one time, was beginning to wear on her; she wanted to settle down for awhile. She needed a rest. The teacher made a difficult decision; the hardest one of her new life. She decided it was time to move on. The hardest part would be leaving her friends, her sisters. As she reflected though, she knew she needed something else in her new life, something other than her friends, who had already given her so much, could ever hope to give her. And she wanted to return to Tyldus to fulfill her promise to the kindly old merchant who gave her the flute. It was a promise she fully intended to keep.
They were sitting around the campfire one night when she broke the news to Xena and Gabrielle.
They didn't try too hard to talk her out of it; they knew, had expected, that she wouldn't want to travel with them forever, but that didn't stop the bard and the warrior from shedding tears over her decision.
They loved her as a friend, as a sister; they would miss her laughter, her stories, her flute, her singing, and her courage in facing the difficulties and challenges of her new life.
As she prepared to go on her own way, Xena and Gabrielle gave her a few gifts. Gabrielle gave her a frying pan, and a small traveling case with some blank scrolls. Mariah looked at them as Gabrielle explained.
"You know Xena had to burn your journal. One day when you're ready to write again, you'll need something to write on. Use these to start a new journal as you start a new life." Mariah hugged the bard close to her, this bard who was so sensitive to the needs of those around her. Xena gave her a beautiful cutting knife, flint for starting fires, and some valuable words of wisdom. "Remember, keep a low profile, my friend. And if you ever need us, send for us. We'll come right away." Mariah hugged the warrior, this woman who had done so much to restore the faith she thought she had lost forever.
Mariah had gifts for her friends as well. She pulled out two necklaces, one gold, one silver. She had picked them up in a village they had visited several days before. Strung on the gold necklace was her
grandfather's gold ring, on the silver necklace her high school class ring. She gave the gold chain and ring to Gabrielle, putting the necklace on the young bard. "I want you to have this, my friend. As I leave my old life behind, I want someone who was like my grandfather to have his ring. Someone who is full of wonder, stories, and life. I know you probably won't be able to wear it much, Gabrielle, but I want you to have it as a remembrance of our time together....a remembrance of how much you mean to me." Gabrielle hugged the young teacher in gratitude, tears glistening in her eyes. Mariah, tears in her eyes, then turned to Xena. "And you...warrior, philosopher, teacher, healer, and, most important, friend. I want you to have this." The young teacher draped the silver chain and ring around Xena's neck. "I received this ring during a time in my life when I learned a great deal about myself as a person. For you who taught me so much, much more than you'll ever know, I give this to you as a remembrance of our time together....a remembrance of how much *you* mean to me." Xena looked at the ring hanging around her neck, reached out, and hugged Mariah, greatly moved by her friend's gesture.
After Xena and Mariah parted, the warrior looked down at her friend. "So where will you go?" she asked.
"First, I'm going to Tyldus. I have a debt to repay," she said, and she explained about the merchant who gave her the flute. "After that...I'm not exactly sure. One thing I do know is that wherever I go, wherever I live, wherever I make my home in my new life, you two are always welcome. I'll send word to you telling you where I will have settled. We have a saying where I come from: 'Mi casa, su casa': my home is your home. Remember that. Always."
"Oh, we will," said Gabrielle. "You can't get rid of us that easily! We'll be around so often that you'll probably get sick of seeing us."
"Never," laughed Mariah. "The door will always be open."
"And YOU remember, Mariah," Xena said, "if you ever need us, you send for us."
Gabrielle had a thought. "What *will* you do, Mariah?"
Mariah was silent for a moment. "I'm not sure, Gabrielle, but I want to stay lost to history. I *need* to. I may play the flute, I may write, I may even try to teach again...but whatever I do, and whatever happens to me, I know one thing: I'm going to live my life here to the fullest, thanks to the two of you."
Mariah packed her gear and her gifts, grabbed her staff, and looked at her friends. Would this be the last time she ever saw them, she wondered to herself, as she hugged them one final time. Something in her heart told her it wouldn't, that later on, there would be more adventures, more learning, more sharing, more giving...
Xena and Gabrielle watched Mariah walk away until she was out of sight. They too wondered if they would ever see their friend again. Would they ever swap stories around the campfire, hear that marvelous flute and her singing, listen to her roaring laughter....
Only time would tell.
THE END
Now that you've read this story by Lynn, check out the sequel "Heart of Darkness".
Return to Parts 9-16
Return to XenaCrazed's General Fan Fiction and Poetry
Go to the Absolutely XenaCrazed Home Page