Disclaimers and Stuff: All the characters here belong to Renaissance Pictures and MCA/Universal.

There is some violence and some (romantic if graphic) lovemaking between women. If you don't like that sort of thing, don't read it.

* Anytime you see an asterisk, the paragraph it appears at the end of is referring to events that occurred in the story ENEMY MINE, of which this is a direct sequel. You really don't have to read that to enjoy this but it might help.

Any and all feedback greatly appreciated. gldartt@ns.sympatico.ca

Enemy Ours

by

G. L. Dartt

The whole world seemed to have stopped in that moment before dawn, when everything was still and silent as those that prowled the night found themselves places to hide while those which thrived under the day's aegis had not yet began to stir. There was no breeze to rustle leaves, no sound of insects breaking that dawn hush as the first glimmers of light began to tint the eastern horizon.

She looked down on the warrior woman who was still caught in Morpheus's power. Lightly, at a knife's edge to awaken at the slightest hint that things were not right, but sleeping none the less. Luxurious dark hair spread over the bedroll and the classic, beautiful features were peaceful in their repose, eyelids that cast butterfly touch shadows of dark eyelashes upon the bronzed skin of high, proud cheekbones. The full lips were parted slightly, the barest hint of white teeth bared as Xena breathed easily and evenly through the sculptured nose, the chest rising and falling with steady monotony.

Beside her, tucked up against the warrior's side as if she belonged no where else, a smaller woman with coppery red hair slumbered deeply, curled up in the other's arms. Both were fully dressed, a wise precaution in this area of bandits and wildness, but the redhead had sometime over the night wormed her hand into the warrior's tunic and now it rested peacefully on the larger woman's right breast, rising and falling with the steady motion of the chest.

The tall, slender woman dressed in black leather which left her long legs and mid drift bare, her blond hair flowing wild about elven features, sniffed, rubbed her nose with the back of her hand, and rolled her eyes briefly.

"Well, isn't this just precious?" she said acidly as she reached out and kicked Xena soundly on the base of the foot with one booted toe.

Instantly Xena was rolling away from her sleeping companion, snatching her sword in one smooth motion and springing upright. Standing almost six feet tall even in bare feet, Xena was magnificent in her fury and surprise. Then she saw who was standing there, and she lowered her sword.

And her brows.

"What do you want?" she said with disgust.

"That's why I always look forward to our little get-togethers, Xena," Callisto said silkily. "You're always so charming."

"That doesn't answer my question," Xena said, a little more evenly now that she had finished shaking the sleep from her head.

"Now why else would I be here?" Callisto responded and as one, the two warrior women looked down at the redheaded Gabrielle, who still had not stirred.

Six years before, while Xena had still worn the mantle of warlord, her army... and therefore, by natural extension of command, Xena herself... had been responsible for the torching of a small village named Cirra. Callisto was a survivor of that holocaust and had dedicated her life to trying to destroy Xena and everything she was or loved. However, by the time Callisto had implemented her plan for revenge, Xena had turned her back on her old life and had begun to make repartition for her evil acts. It didn't even slow the blond down and their encounters had been both bloody and soul searing. Callisto had even ended up dead at one point.

That hadn't slowed her down either.

But in the course of regaining her life, and through a series of circumstances involving Hera, Hercules and an apple from the Tree of Life, not to mention some ambrosia, Callisto had ended up somehow as a goddess. That had lasted for all of a minute before Xena managed to send her plunging into a flow of lava where she was seemingly doomed to eternal captivity.

That merely gave Callisto pause for thought.

The discovery that her sister had not died six years before after all, and a deal with Artemis had resulted in Callisto in becoming an Arrow of Artemis, a servant to the Goddess of the Moon in return for maintaining her immortality and all the advantages that entailed.*

The main geas of that service was protecting a certain Amazon Queen from immortal threats. An Amazon Queen who spent most of her time trailing about the countryside at her warrior's side, gathering material for all her bardly tales and getting into more trouble that one would think possible for one small woman.

Callisto frowned as she looked down at the slumbering bard and prodded her not so gently with her toe. Xena was looking at Callisto worriedly. She was suddenly very aware of what Callisto's presence portended.

"What is the threat?" she asked with decided tension in her voice.

"Tell me Xena, does your little friend always cop a feel in the night?" Callisto asked impishly, not answering the warrior princess's worried question.

Xena rolled her eyes. "What has brought you here?" she tried again. Maybe if she asked it in enough different ways, she would eventually get an answer.

Callisto ignored her, crouching down next to the redhead. She nudged the bard to wake her up, then again, harder when there was no response. She smiled at Xena who was watching with no little trepidation. "She really is difficult to get up, isn't she?" Casually she bent down and screamed.

Xena started abruptly as the shrill shriek shattered the dawn's peace, birds exploding from the trees surrounding the clearing, echoing throughout the small valley where they camped. The effect on Gabrielle was equally as shattering, the bard sitting up abruptly, groping for the Amazonian staff lying beside her on the ground. Green eyes clouded with sleep looked fuzzily at Callisto who was leaning back on her heels, giggling helplessly.

Horror and fear mingled in Gabrielle's sleep dazed face as she desperately scrambled away, not stopping until she had reached Xena's feet, sheltering behind her friend's comforting form. Without taking her steely gaze from Callisto, Xena reached down and grabbed Gabrielle's arm, gently helping the bard up until she stood beside and slightly behind the warrior princess, staff thrust forward threateningly.

"If we're quite done amusing ourselves," Xena said aridly.

Callisto, vastly entertained by this, opened her mouth to respond.

"Calli, do I have to stay in the woods anymore?"

From the underbrush, a whip-thin ten year old poked her head over a log. Astonished, Xena and Gabrielle watched as the girl with long flaxen hair and familiar brown eyes strolled casually into the clearing. The was a an old burn scar along her jaw which enhanced rather than detracted from her elven features, a smaller version of the blond warrior's.

"I thought I told you to stay put until I came and got you." Callisto's tone was an aggravated mix of exasperation and affection.

"I thought you were in trouble when I heard you scream," the child said calmly. She stopped in front of Xena, staring at her insolently. "So you're the one who killed my mama," she said coldly. "You don't look so tough."

And promptly kicked the warrior princess in the shin.

Xena yelped and Callisto immediately swept the child up and tucked her under one arm. "What do you think you're doing, Cassiope?" Callisto scolded the outraged child. "Kicking her in the knee isn't going to get you anywhere. A knife in the guts maybe... But kicking her in the knee is just gonna make her mad and you don't wanna see her mad. What am I gonna do with you?" She lugged her over to a convenient boulder and sat her down firmly. "Now stay there until I tell you to move."

The child kicked her feet rebelliously but stayed on the rock when Callisto turned away with a last warning shake of her finger. The little girl did make a rather obscene gesture at the retreating back however just to show what she thought of the whole thing.

"Your sister, I presume," Xena said sardonically, reaching down to rub painfully at her shin.

Gabrielle, recovered somewhat from her rude awakening, peered curiously at the girl. "Is that Cassiope?" she asked wonderingly.

"You think I'd be dragging her all the way out here, otherwise?" Callisto queried darkly. She shot a glance over at the child who was now staring, fascinated at Xena's golden palomino, Argo, which grazed a few feet away. She looked back at Xena. "Can she pat Argo? She won't hurt her. She likes horses." Her tone indicated there were quite a few things Cassiope didn't like, much to those things' dismay.

Bemused, Xena nodded her permission and Callisto called over to the child. "Xena says you can pat her horse. But don't try to ride her. And don't leave the clearing. Don't go out of eyesight. Don't pick up anything that doesn't belong to you. And don't kick anyone else."

She turned back to the two women, hoping she had covered everything, very much afraid she hadn't. She sighed deeply. "I couldn't find anyone to stay with her," she complained. "She's got half the village terrified of her and the other half want to string her up. She's burnt down two sheds and beat the stuffing out of the blacksmith's two teenage boys. We couldn't get out of there fast enough."

Torn between amusement and wariness, Xena raised an eyebrow. "Is that why you're here?" she asked. "You're looking for a babysitter?"

"You wish," Callisto said, regaining some of her normal aplomb. "I got one word for you."

"Valasqua."

***

"Gabrielle. Gabrielle, are you all right?"

The words seemed to be coming from very far away and with an odd reluctance, the bard slowly opened her eyes and looked around woozily.

"Xe..Xena," she muttered, discovering she was sitting on the ground, head leaning forward over her bent knees. Her staff had fallen in the grass a few feet away. "What happened?"

"You fainted," another voice said with more than a trace of disgust.

Gabrielle looked up to see Callisto and felt the dizziness spin around her once more. So it was true. Her unwanted and definitely unpleasant protector was here for a reason. And the reason came in the terrifying form of a rogue Amazon named Valasqua.

Valasqua had killed the previous Amazon Queen, Melosa in a challenge; chilling when one realized the Queen had raised Valasqua as her own daughter after her own mother has been killed in the Centaur wars. She had preached the old ways, convincing more than a few to her vision of returning the Amazons to glory through the spilling of blood. When Gabrielle had returned to the village on the way to returning Xena's body to Amphipolis, the Amazon first tried to convince the princess, Gabrielle to give up her Right of Caste and renounce the throne, handing over the mask to her. When Gabrielle refused, Valasqua tried to kill her. Fortunately, Xena was able to use Gabrielle's body (her own being somewhat incapacitated at the time, being dead and all) to fight the woman and drop her onto pikes before gaining a piece of the ambrosia they all had been after. The bard was saved, Xena returned to life and the Amazon, Ephiny was crowned interim queen in Queen Gabrielle's absence.

The peace lasted for all of three minutes when the fatally wounded Valasqua staggered into the village and before their horrified eyes, consumed some ambrosia, becoming a goddess bent on destroying Gabrielle. That was when Xena had first called on an immortal Callisto for help.

Gabrielle had never been hunted before, never been targeted for the sole purpose of being exterminated. At least, not with her being aware of it at the time. It was a singularly unpleasant experience and not one she was eager to repeat. Yet here they all were and it seemed the nightmare was starting again.

Gabrielle shook her head and allowed Xena to help her to her feet. She swayed a bit, her warrior's arm supporting her comfortingly about her waist. Gratefully she leaned against Xena's strength, drawing on it as freely as it was given.

"What about Valasqua?" Gabrielle was amazed at how steady her voice sounded.

Callisto claimed the rock that her sister had vacated to play with Argo, sitting cross-legged as she propped her elbows on her thighs. She flicked a quick glance to check her sister's whereabouts then stared at the other two intently, resting her chin on the back of her laced fingers. "She's out," she said flatly.

"How do you know?" Xena asked, eyes glacial chips.

Callisto rolled her eyes. "Don't you ever get tired of asking that?" she asked rhetorically. "I know because two days ago, Artemis showed up and told me that she was. I thought this geas had ended when I found my sister. My mistake. I suppose, I should have realized that as long as I am immortal, the goddess thinks she owns me."

"Yet here you are," Xena said pointedly.

"Yet here I am," Callisto agreed blandly. They stared at each other a moment.

"How did Valasqua get out of the lava?" Gabrielle asked after unsuccessfully trying to decipher that cryptic look between the two leather clad warriors.

"Olympian intervention," Callisto answered shortly.

"Ares," Xena spat bitterly.

"You would think that," Callisto grinned. "And you'd be wrong. It was Artemis herself."

"What?!? Why?" Xena and Gabrielle spoke together.

"Because Valasqua's an Amazon and as one of her sworn chosen, Artemis had no choice but to listen to her petition to be freed," she explained. She held up a hand to forestall any questions from them. "Don't ask me, it's some kind of 'god' thing, something about owing their worshipers. Now I'm not saying that maybe Ares didn't put the idea in Valasqua's head or that he didn't have a hand in reminding Zeus of the small print they're required to follow, but it was Artemis who had to release her. And it was Artemis who sent me here to protect Valasqua's most obvious target."

"Where...where is Valasqua now?" Gabrielle asked.

"Apparently she's in the southern village of Kavalla, the pirate's stronghold, gathering up a band of followers. Her first target, according to Artemis, is Potedeia," Callisto revealed. She glanced over at Cassiope who was now trying to get Argo to eat some wild flowers from her hand. "The village we were staying in happens to be between Potedeia and where Valasqua is right now. I didn't want the Amazon bitch making a little side trip and going after Cassiope. Valasqua's not too fond of me, either, you know...." The 'thanks-to-you' was implied if not actually said.

"How close is she?" Xena asked. The bard felt warrior's hand tighten on her shoulder comfortingly.

"From what Artemis tells me, we have about a week before she reaches Potedeia and slaughters every one of Gabrielle's relatives," the immortal said cheerfully.

Gabrielle made a small sound deep in the back of her throat. "How powerful...is she still a god?" she asked, not wanting to hear the answer. The memory of those maddened eyes, milk-white with barely contained power, the sound of her name on lips that dripped poisonous intent...it still gave her nightmares on occasion.

Callisto laughed. "Oh, hardly, Gabrielle," she said. "It's not like Valasqua was ever really a god, you know."

"No?"

"No, she's more like a....a godling," Callisto explained. "Honestly, if we had really been gods, like say Artemis herself, do you really think a couple of mere mortals like you could have dumped us in a lava pit? No, ambrosia can get you started but most of the Olympian's power is based on their worshipers. The more they have, the more powerful they are. Who's ever heard of Valasqua, let alone worshiped her?" Callisto spread out her hands expansively. "No, she's got some tricks; the lightning bolts, the whirlwinds, the enhanced senses, and the ability to heal real quick, but she's beatable....very beatable, as a matter of fact."

Xena raised an eyebrow. "How?"

"Artemis told me about this crystal," Callisto explained, getting to the heart of the matter. "It reverses the effects of ambrosia. Our only chance is to get it and use it on Valasqua. She'll be mortal again. Then we can take care of her. I know where it is but it's not going to be easy to get it."

"We'll leave in an hour," Xena stated.

"Oh, not so fast." Callisto held up a hand. "There's one other thing. Somebody's gonna have to watch Cassi," she added lowering her voice. "I'm not going to risk her in the caves where the crystal's kept." She glanced sideways from beneath sly eyes as the other two followed her gaze to the little girl in the meadow. To where the little girl was supposed to be.

"Oh, for Zeus's sake," Callisto cried, leaping off the rock. "Where's she gotten to now?"

***

"What about Cyrene?" Gabrielle offered, as she and Xena stood beside the now saddled Argo, watching as Callisto frantically searched for her wayward sister. They had offered to help but Callisto had told them that bringing new players into the game would just make the kid hide better. It was a skill Cassiope had developed while a slave and she was extremely good at it.

So while they waited, the bard linked her arms tightly around her warrior's waist, Xena's arm resting warmly across the redhead's shoulder. Sighing, Gabrielle leaned into Xena's neck, taking the opportunity to breath the woman's scent deeply, nuzzling the sharp rise of collarbone beneath bronzed skin.

"Gabrielle," Xena warned fondly as she leaned away. She returned the bard's impish grin with a raised brow and answered the question. "I don't think so. There's that thing with Callisto capturing the village, taking over my body and trying to kill her. Mother wouldn't forgive that. She's funny that way." She looked to where Callisto beat the underbrush. The slightest of movement at the top of a tree caught her attention.

"Oh yeah," Gabrielle allowed. She thought hard. "Well, it definitely can't be my parents. They adored Perdicus and I haven't.....they don't know about...you know."

Xena did know. The last encounter with Callisto had revealed the fact that Gabrielle's dead husband had in fact, been a rapist of young girls while a part of Helen's army. He had married Gabrielle in an attempt to run away from it, hoping Gabrielle's innate goodness would 'save' him. Cynically, Xena thought it was more the bard's innocence that attracted him. In any event, the information had profound repercussions, not the least of which was the two women finally revealing their true feelings for each other. Xena supposed she owed Callisto for that.*

"Besides, that's where Valasqua is headed," the warrior reminded dryly. Her gaze never left the shadow lying outstretched on the branch.

"Oh yeah," Gabrielle offered, who had been trying very hard not to think about that. "What about the Amazons?"

Xena frowned. "I think Valasqua is going to make a point of seeing them," she reminded pointedly. "Sooner or later." Keen eyes traced the small form crouched in a tree.

"I'm sure," Gabrielle explained. "But if we can't stop Valasqua at Potedeia, do you really think it matters where our loved ones are then? And I think Eponin will be a perfect guardian for Cassiope."

Xena raised an eyebrow, considering the thought of the tough Amazon who had taught Gabrielle the basics of the staff. The bard was right in that if anyone could handle the little terror, it would be her. The warrior princess allowed herself a moment of amusement as she realized Cassiope was perched in a perfect vantage point to watch every second of her sister's search. Furthermore, the child had stayed within the clearing albeit in a tree at the very edge. It seemed the child was as good at skirting the line of honesty as her sister.

"Un, Callisto," she called over finally, deciding the game had gone on long enough. "Look up."

Callisto turned to her, confused, then looked up in time to see Cassiope gleefully launch herself into midair and plummet towards the startled immortal. With her heart in her throat, Xena took an involuntary step forward, seeing Callisto catch the thin bundle with difficulty, the pair of them falling on the ground as the older sister used her body to take most of the impact.

Xena pounded over, Gabrielle a step behind her. Cassiope was sitting on Callisto's midsection, looking down with an unmistakable air of triumph and joy. The breathless woman stared back at the child with astounded aggravation.

"Gotcha," Cassiope chortled. She poked her sister in the chest. "I win, I win, I win," she giggled, adding an enthusiastic jump at each word. Callisto let out a little grunt every time the child landed.

Xena had seen Callisto in many guises, in many moods. She had never seen her flustered before.

"I don't think I can survive this," the blond confided to Xena in an aside as she got up and dragged the recalcitrant child to the horses.

Xena looked over at Gabrielle who was watching with wide green eyes. The bard had both hands clamped over her mouth to stifle the laughter that threatened to escape. The warrior raised an eyebrow and Gabrielle had to turn away, shoulders shaking silently.

Clearly Cassiope had turned out to be far more than the immortal had expected. However, Xena could see that the child did have an oddly endearing charm, a mischievous embrace of life that slavery had not taken from her. And despite the way she continually aggravated Callisto, the blond warrior clearly and totally adored her little sister. The fact Cassiope adored her right back was apparent in the way her dark eyes followed her sister when she wasn't looking.

Xena shook her head and followed the two blonds, gathering up Argo's reins and mounting smoothly. Callisto lifted her sister to the top of a large bay pony, then got on a big black gelding with a white diamond on his forehead.

"The Amazons are on the way," she said to Callisto who glanced at her curiously. "I think Cassiope will enjoy spending time with them."

"Didn't Valasqua cause enough damage to their little town?" Callisto said sardonically. "Cassiope is all they need." Despite her words however, there was a definite note of fond pride in her tone.

"I'm sure they can handle her," Gabrielle interjected, having gotten her burst of merriment under control before joining them. She took the hand Xena reached down for her and allowed the warrior to pull her up onto Argo, settling behind her on the palomino's back. "And they'll be able to protect her if we, well if we can't...." Her voice trailed off as she realized how unwilling she was to finish the thought.

Callisto nodded and they rode east out of the clearing towards Amazon lands, limiting their pace to that of the pony's shorter legs. Cassiope was thrilled at the thought of meeting the tribe she had only heard about in legend and had to be physically restrained from pushing her sturdy little mount into a headlong gallop in an effort to get there quicker.

It took the morning and part of the afternoon to reach the forest which was the Amazon's territory's primary border. They pulled up shortly after entering the woods, Xena and Gabrielle going through the ritual greeting of dismounting and raising their hands over their heads, crossing them at the wrists as Callisto and Cassiope watched curiously. To the child's wide-eyed appreciation, four masked warrior women dropped out of the trees to surround them, drawing their swords and crossing them respectfully. Two of the border guards escorted their Queen and her guests to the village where Ephiny, alerted by a runner, awaited them in the central square by the village well.

She hugged Gabrielle tightly and nodded respectfully at Xena. Callisto and her sister she stared at in open astonishment.

"I don't understand," the interim queen said. Her curly ash hair flowed around strong features that were apprehensive as she gestured towards the blond warrior who was walking towards them. "Isn't that Callisto?"

"It's okay, Ephiny, she's with me," Gabrielle said, and boggled inwardly at the words coming out of her mouth. She never figured she'd ever be saying anything like that. Callisto who had joined them just in time to hear this last part, favored her with a double take but did not press it.

Ephiny was confused. The last time Gabrielle had been here during the mess with Xena's dying and subsequent resurrection, Gabrielle had poured her heart out to the Amazon. Everything had come out then, how she felt about Xena, how lost she was without her...everything. And she had told her about Callisto's murder of Perdicus. Ephiny was about to respond when Gabrielle used her royal prerogative to forestall any further argument, holding up a hand.

"Callisto is an Arrow of Artemis," she told the Amazon. Which basically finished the conversation as far as the Amazons were concerned. Artemis was their patron goddess after all.

"My apologies," Ephiny said stiffly, bowing slightly to the bemused Callisto. The slender blond had not had any dealings with the Amazons outside of her brief encounter with Valasqua. She was totally unaware of their customs and rituals. Being an Arrow of Artemis placed her high in the Amazonian culture, just beneath the queen herself. "I ask forgiveness for any offense I have caused," the Amazon added awkwardly.

Callisto opened her mouth to offer her normal sarcastic opinion on that when she became aware of her sister watching intently from her perch on her pony. It was an unusual position the young woman found herself in, that of being a role model for her sibling. It had significantly altered her behavior in the recent past. With an effort, she clamped down on her first biting reply and quickly formulated another.

"No offense taken," she said graciously. Then, for good measure, added, "It honors me to fight on the Amazons' behalf."

Gamely she ignored the odd look directed her way by Xena and the odder one she got from Gabrielle as she turned and helped her sister off the pony. "And this is my sister, Cassiope," she introduced. "I need the Amazons to protect her while we go after Valasqua."

That name definitely got Ephiny's attention and at her urging, they moved to the palace where they were joined by the other Amazons who served on the tribe's governing Council. That included Eponin, Solari, the Healer, Marnleus and the tribe's domestic administrator, Philipus. The last two had been followers of Valasqua but they had been present for the rogue's last mad rampage and as Gabrielle quickly brought them up to speed on the events of the day, they realized the threat she presented. Willingly, they went over everything they knew about Valasqua and the abilities of ambrosia. Then Callisto described caves which, according to what Artemis had told her, were the hiding place of the crystal. The area was known to their historians, and they went over those legends as well.

Eponin, upon being informed privately by Gabrielle that it might be a good idea that she became Cassiope's guardian while the child was in their village, had introduced herself to the young girl and regaled her with tales of Amazon battles long past, promising to teach her about the staff. Cassiope, completely captivated by the gruff warrior woman, fell asleep in her lap, and after asking Callisto's permission, the royal guard bore the little girl off to the dormitory where most of the Amazons not yet bonded resided.

That gave Ephiny the signal to wrap things up as well. They had pretty much covered all they could and after consuming a light supper, they all went off to their assigned huts for the night. Xena, Gabrielle and Callisto paused briefly near the well, the dim square dancing with shadows from the torches scattered about the perimeter.

"We should leave at first light," Xena instructed, looking at the immortal.

"I'll be awake," Callisto said dryly. As an immortal, she no longer needed to sleep and for her, the hours until dawn would be tedious at best.

Xena nodded briefly and looked at Gabrielle who brushed a tired hand across her eyes. "I'm going to check on Argo," the warrior explained. "You go ahead."

"I'll be in our hut," Gabrielle responded, resting her hand fleetingly on the warrior's arm before moving off into the night. "Don't be too long."

"I won't," Xena promised. She gave the bard a gentle little shove towards the line of structures outlined in the flickering torch light, looking after her until she abruptly became aware of Callisto's sardonic gaze.

"What?" she said sternly, an eyebrow raised warningly.

"Oh, Xena, I'm guessing we won't be worrying about any immortals looking for virgins anymore," Callisto allowed with an annoying smirk. "Finally got her to do the deed, did you? Tell me, how soon did you pounce after I revealed all about Perdy-boy?"

Xena stifled a sigh. "Jealous?" she asked in a bored tone.

Callisto was clearly disappointed at not getting a rise out of her longtime antagonist. "You know, you're starting to take all the fun out of this," she pouted. "Getting to torture you was part of the reason I protect the irritating little bard."

"Sorry, Callisto," she said in a tone that revealed how little she really was. She grinned suddenly. "I would have thought you wouldn't have the energy anyway. Cassiope keeps you on the go."

The blond's face underwent a remarkable transformation, softening perceptibly. "She''s a handful," she agreed with a note of pride. Then she frowned as she realized Xena was trying to divert her. With another, less convincing leer, Callisto tried one last time. "Tell me, Xena," she said, moving closer. "Does the bard really look past the warlord, or is that part of the attraction. Do you...'punish' her?" She reached out and stroked the warrior's bared arm with a slender finger, glancing at her from beneath slyly lowered eyes.

Xena regarded her with tolerated amusement. "Oh, we punish each other. And what a sweet pain it is," she responded with a slow, deliberate drawl. She reached out and lifted the narrow chin with a strong forefinger. "You know, Callisto" she said, not unkindly as she studied her with sensual eyes. "Perhaps you ought to try it some time. It certainly would make your nights pass faster. And you might learn a whole new way of living."

The warrior favored her with a parting caress on her cheek and strode regally towards the stables, her actions stunning the blond and rendering her momentarily speechless. For long moments Callisto stared into the darkness where Xena had disappeared, then with an irritated shake of her head, she reluctantly went off towards the hut which earlier had been indicated as to where she was expected to spend the night. As she got there, she was surprised to see a female form sitting on a bench beside the door. Eyes narrowed, Callisto allowed a hand to drift to the hilt of her dagger, frowning as she got close enough to recognize the tall, brunette Amazon.

"Solari, isn't it?" she asked as the woman stood up. Callisto did not perceive any threat but then again, she really wasn't sure what she was supposed to be sensing here.

"Yes, Honored Arrow," Solari nodded, holding her hands out to show she was unarmed.

"What do you want?" the blond said as she released her grip on the dagger.

"To speak with you," Solari offered.

"Really," Callisto said without interest.

She brushed past Solari and went into the hut. There she found a flint to light the lamp and did so. She was surprised when she turned to see the Amazon had followed her and was now leaning against the door, watching her intently in the soft glow of the flame.

"Well, it's clear you don't take a hint," Callisto allowed. She sat on the bed and leaned back against the headboard, arms crossed, knees up. "What did you want to say?"

"I would share your bed this night," Solari offered. The words were formal, clearly a ritual offer of deep meaning. It was totally lost on the blond.

Callisto frowned again. "Don't you have one of your own?" she said with annoyance. She got up and sat on the bench next to the window. "Fine, go ahead, it's not like I sleep anyway." No one had told her she was to have a roommate. Well, she supposed that they were probably still rebuilding from Valasqua's last attack and space was limited.

It was Solari's turn to be a little confused. "No, I mean I wish to offer myself to you," she elaborated. She took a few steps closer and daringly put her hand on the slender blond's forearms, looking intently into the dark eyes. "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I would be honored to share pleasure with you."

Callisto blinked. For all her experience in battle and hardship, Callisto had avoided anything like this with a rabid apathy. She viewed love and all its little games with contempt, a belief that it was a trick nature played on humans to get them to reproduce. And of course, any who tried to take her by force rapidly ended up dead. So the combination of an obsessive psychotic personality and a reputation earned in blood was such that only the most courageous... or foolish, approached her. And her brief experience with the war god Ares while she occupied Xena's body had only proved the point. If he was unable to satisfy her, then mortal men were not even worth the attempt.

She had not been a warlord in Xena's mold, using her body to reward and control her followers. Instead she ruled her small band of cutthroats by being completely ruthless and inspiring their fear. She had never hesitated to terminate anyone who displeased her in any way. In fact, when Theodoris, her old lieutenant, had attempted to make an offer she had been totally revolted. She had derived great pleasure in killing him for that affront. By killing him, she believed she was killing finally any love, any affection, any...of this that would ever be directed at her.

Solari took this silence to mean assent and since she had little idea of Callisto's reputation or past, she took the opportunity to lean forward and kiss the blond. Astonished, Callisto's opened her mouth to protest. Solari construed that as an even greater invitation and quickly pulled the slender woman closer, deepening the kiss with delicious passion. The next thing Callisto knew, she was being swept up in strong arms and carried to the bed, the Amazon never losing contact with her mouth.

Dazedly, Callisto wondered how much practice that move had taken to perfect. Actually, the blond was in a bit of a quandary. She needed the Amazons to protect her sister and she was pretty sure that her first instinct to violently throw the woman through the hut wall would probably not go over well with the tribe's ruling council. Then there was the unmistakable fact that her first instinct had been fleeting at best and another, more primal desire had rapidly taken over, one she had never felt before. It didn't help her thought processes either that her leather and armor seemed to be disappearing at a phenomenal rate. It was terribly distracting.

This was absolutely unthinkable. Love was a weakness. A vulnerability she could never afford, it's physical expression of pleasure a foolish indulgence of the mindless. Callisto had no time for it and certainly no desire for it. It was something she could exist without for eternity if need be.

And if the Amazon would just stop kissing her and doing that thing with her tongue, and oh, that other thing with her left hand...ooh, not to mention what she was doing with her right....and gods, what was she doing with her legs....well, if she would stop all this for a minute, Callisto would tell her just that. Except, when Solari finally did release her mouth and began to trail down the blond's neck to her breasts, Callisto found herself curiously breathless and unable to utter a word.

And then, pretty soon, she found herself not wanting to speak at all.

***

Xena quietly entered the hut she customarily shared with the bard during their visits to Amazonian land. She stopped in the doorway, seeing the huddled form beneath the sheet in the silvery sheen of the full moon. It hung heavy in the sky to the east, pouring its brightness through the open window to her right and falling gently across the peaceful face. She spent a few moments silently observing those lovely features. She marveled, as always, at the woman she loved more than life itself, her light in the darkest of existence. At the fact that the bard loved her back. Finally she entered, pulling the woven straw door closed behind her. She removed her armor and leathers by the light of the moon, disdaining the use of the lamp waiting by the bed. She deposited her equipment on a convenient chair sitting next to the far wall. Her sword and chakram she placed close to the bed where they would be easily reached.

With a sigh of weariness, she slipped in next to the bard, carefully sliding her arms around the firm waist and snuggling against the warm, silky smooth back. She felt the woman stir and she smiled gratefully, burying her face in the coppery hair. She hadn't meant to disturb her but of course, the ease with which the bard woke meant she had been merely dozing.

"Xena?" Gabrielle muttered sleepily.

"Hmm, should I be worried you had to ask?" Xena rumbled with a hint of amusement. Idly she slid her hand under the bard's light linen nightshirt, running lovingly over the muscled stomach, and down a firm thigh.

Gabrielle moaned softly and stretched like a cat in the embrace. Still half asleep, her body nonetheless responded as Xena's hand lazily made the return trip up to the bard's breasts, pausing to fondle them, the nipples growing taunt beneath her palms.

"You will never need worry about that, my love," Gabrielle assured her, pressing back against the warrior, tilting her head to the side to offer her neck to her lover.

"Are you sure you're not too tired, love?" Xena whispered, nuzzling the bard, brushing feather light kisses along the shoulder and up to Gabrielle's ear. "I know it's been a long day."

"Oh, Xena," Gabrielle responded. She rolled over so that she was facing the warrior, staring into shadowed eyes that glinted brilliant blue even in the dimness. "Do you know how long it's been?" she cried plaintively.

While on the road, they'd only make love when Xena was totally convinced that the surrounding area was completely secure and safe. Those times were few and frustratingly far between. To be in a place where they knew they didn't have to look over their shoulders and to have a large comfortable bed to boot, was a luxury beyond measure.

"Actually I do," Xena allowed with a rueful smile. "Too long." She reached up to cradle the bard's face in sword-calloused hands as she kissed her deeply, lingering over soft lips and the taste she craved constantly. "Far, far too long," she groaned, trailing down over the chin to the throat which throbbed with a pulse ever increasing..

Gabrielle drew her back up, reclaiming the strong lips, letting passion find it's own pace without effort or insistence. Despite the difference in their heights, when they were together like this, the fit was amazingly perfect, melding them together in a rock-solid union of love and want. It was comforting and passionate and everything fine wrapped in a silk cocoon of warmth and adoration.

Xena regretted the need for them to stay apart, regretted the times when she had to hold the younger woman at arm's length for their own protection. When she was with the bard like this, feeling the strong lithe form moving against her, the slender arms about her, she was home in a way she had never been anywhere else. Or with anyone else. Sometimes it felt as if her heart would literally explode out of her chest so great was the emotion she felt for this woman. It was the Elysian Fields just to lie there, kissing the sweet lips, holding her without reservation or distraction. It was something she could spend an eternity doing.

But the bard had her own demands and they parted long enough for Gabrielle to sit up, allowing Xena to remove the shirt, raising her arms so that the warrior could pull it up over her head before tossing it casually aside. Gabrielle lay back, looking up at Xena with such devotion that the woman's breath caught in her throat. The warrior took a moment to admire the compact body in the silver light, smiling as she drew feather light fingertips down over the redhead's breasts and stomach, stroking the firm abdomen and over the top of her thighs.

"You are so beautiful," she murmured, bending down to kiss each nipple with tender longing, tonguing them gently before reaching up to that wonderful mouth, capturing the small sounds humming from the long smooth throat, prompting a responding purr as Xena carefully lowered herself onto the waiting body.

A strong, olive-skinned leg pressed between the smaller, tanned thighs, moving to spread them apart, opening the bard up to a skilled caress which gently touched the sensitive nub. It swelled and hardened in immediate response, small hips rising to meet the adoring fingers, welcoming them into the wet heat. The dark-haired woman was forced to draw back by a less skilled but much more insistent hand so that it could find its own goal, sliding down between them to fondle the warrior, bathing in the hot pool of readiness waiting there. Xena moaned into the bard's mouth, supporting her weight on her knees and elbow as with a languid, gradually increasing pressure, they built on each other's desire. Together they sought out and requested entrance, pushing deep inside to find smooth places which drove urgency beyond the ability to bear it, creating a rhythmic rocking that quietly and steadily built until it was time to surrender to it's irresistible command....

"Xena." The bard turned her head, freeing her lips to breathe the beloved name into the night, whisper soft and achingly sweet as spasms surged through a small form which maintained it's need to please even as it was pleasured.

"Oh, Gabrielle. My beautiful Gabrielle." Voice throaty, Xena's muscled body arched and tensed with a sensual cry of delight. A velvet slick interior clenched in strong waves that held marvelously tight the small fingers which continued their motion despite the muscles gripping them. Shaking, she struggled to keep from collapsing on the bard, letting only her head slip down to the bard's chest.

Pulsations finally ceased as slowly, ever so slowly, they withdrew with reluctant hesitation, making sure desire was totally sated before sliding around sweat dampened backs. Xena fell down on her side, pulling the bard close, removing the small space that had been between them. Breathing eased and the need now was to hold on as tightly as possible, clinging in the glow that surrounded and filled them.

"Xena."

"Yes, my heart?" A vibration rather than words that rippled through the bard.

"I love you."

"Gods," was the reply, a prayer of thankfulness from one who tended to use the word as a curse. "Oh gods, I love you too." The warrior kissed her gently.

Gabrielle smiled and buried her face in the dark, raven-thick hair, tightening her hold on the elegant neck. "Now, go to sleep, little one," Xena commanded softly. "We have to leave early tomorrow."

And the bard was glad to follow that command, letting her warrior's love surround her in a protective embrace that drove away all her fears and all thoughts of a rouge Amazon.

***

Xena woke in darkness, shortly after the moon had set and before dawn heralded the day's arrival. Carefully she eased herself from beneath the bard's slumbering form and grabbing a linen tunic, she went outside, heading down to the river. The water was chill and refreshing, dashing away any hint of sleep and she finished quickly, pulling on the tunic and wringing the excess water from her hair as she walked back to the village.

She loved this time of morning, unlike Gabrielle. All her senses seemed at their absolute peak and every nerve ending was alive and ready for whatever came their way. Though the threat was very real and she had to deal with Callisto once again, there was a spring in her step and her heart was light at the challenge that lay before her despite it's seriousness. A plan was in place, the obstacles defined, the end goal clear and beckoning. That made it manageable. She would triumph and in doing so, protect the love of her life. Life was good.

Xena was surprised to find Callisto sitting outside the guest hut on a bench. She was positive she hadn't been there when she went down to the river. Any other time, she would have passed by, using her many skills to remain unnoticed. Except the blond's face was curiously blank and pale. It bothered her, curiosity an irresistible lure.

Cautiously, Xena approached the slender woman. Callisto was clad in a thin robe and she huddled within it, seeming very small. The immortal did not move until the warrior was in front of her. Then slowly she looked up and Xena could not help but react to the terrible shock those brown eyes held.

"Callisto?" Xena queried anxiously, her hand reaching out but not quite touching. "What's wrong?"

At first, it seemed the blond warrior had not heard, then slowly she motioned back into the hut with a bare flick of her eyelids.

"Un...last night. This woman....Solari? She was...waiting for me....and we...ah...." Callisto's voice trailed off dully.

Her blood ran chill and Xena swiftly entered the hut.

No sign of slaughter. No dead body. Just the unmistakable scent of passion and an Amazon sprawled across the bed, sleeping soundly with a big, fat, smug smile on her face. Xena let out a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. She should have know. Death would hardly have disturbed Callisto. But lovemaking....now there was a horse of a different color.

Xena exited the hut and, after considering it for a few moments, settled herself down beside the blond. They sat silently for a few moments, the horizon lightening to the east.

"It was your first time?" Xena asked gently.

A long pause. Then Callisto nodded ever so slightly.

Xena took a deep breath. "Are you alright?"

Callisto didn't answer, staring at the ground intently. Gingerly, Xena reached out and put a hand on the immortal's shoulder. "Callisto, are you okay?"

Callisto shrugged briefly under the comforting grip.

Xena wondered if this was some sort of absurd joke the gods were playing on her. She wished Gabrielle were here. The bard did the sensitive chats. Xena preferred action. She knew if Callisto was swinging her sword, or trying another one of her insidious plans of revenge, her response would be clear and easy. This was beyond her.

"I didn't know it could be like that."

Callisto's voice was soft, almost inaudible.

"Un, it can be quite good," Xena allowed lamely. She paused, searched for some words. Surely she could come up with something better than that. "How do you feel?" Oh gods, that was pathetic.

"I don't know," Callisto said in a pitifully small voice. She looked up at Xena plaintively, almost as if she wanted the warrior to tell her what to do next. "How am I supposed to feel?"

Xena wished she was absolutely anyplace else than right here. Her pleasant morning feeling was a rapidly fading memory. She squirmed and thought about it. It had been an awful long time since she had first....though Gabrielle's reaction was still fairly fresh in her mind.

"Solari's a good woman," Xena offered slowly.

Callisto nodded, a little more emphatically this time.

"Un, did you like being with her? Was it pleasurable?" Xena tried again.

The nod was definitely enthusiastic now.

"Okay, then maybe you should talk to Solari," the warrior said kindly. "My impression of her is that she doesn't...offer herself lightly. She must have been quite taken with you. And if you liked it...and you like her...then maybe you can work something out."

"Work what out?"

Callisto couldn't be that dense, could she? Xena considered. Yeah, when it came to something like this....Xena could well believe that this was totally uncharted territory for the blond.

"A relationship," Xena explained. "You know, two people like each other, like being together, want to be together more." She paused. "Do you want to be with her more?"

Callisto went back to studying the ground again. "I don't even know her," she said in a low voice. "And we're leaving today." Real anguish colored the last words..

"No one said you couldn't come back," Xena pointed out reasonably. "You have to, anyway. Cassiope is staying here."

Callisto swallowed convulsively. "Why is this happening to me?"

Xena thought about that for a minute, studying the profile of her long time enemy. For the first time, her heart truly went out to the young woman. Had she been so different? When darkness lay claim to her soul and suddenly there had been that hint of light offered freely and without reservation?

"Maybe it was time," Xena offered gently. "Maybe you were ready." She squeezed the thin shoulder lightly, almost with affection. "You don't know where love is going to come from, or when it's going to hit you. But you know, when you finally let your heart accept that first little bit, it just seems to keep coming from all directions. The more you let in, the more there is waiting to reach out to you."

Her keen hearing picked up soft sounds from within. "Solari's waking up. I think you should go in and be there when she does."

Callisto shot her a stricken look but obediently got up and went back into the hut. Outside, Xena could hear Solari's sensual "good morning" and Callisto's more subdued one. Then Solari's playful urging of the immortal to get out of that robe and get back into bed. When Xena heard the unmistakable whispers of cloth over skin and Solari's appreciative laugh, she decided she had eavesdropped quite enough and quickly got out of there.

She highly doubted they'd be leaving as early as she'd hoped. She allowed herself a bit of a grin. She'd bet that Callisto certainly hadn't found the previous night boring.

***

"I don't believe you," Gabrielle said as they stood next to Argo, later that morning. "It's impossible. I think you're making it up."

Xena flashed her a grin and tightened the pack on the palomino's back in preparation for the day's journey. The Amazons had gathered in the square for their departure, surrounding the big well which served as the central point of the village. Callisto's black gelding stood saddled, idly grazing as a young Amazon held his rein. Eponin sat on the well wall, gently teasing the ten year old Cassiope who was trying unsuccessfully to swing a quarterstaff twice her size. Ephiny leaned against the ornamental staff and tried to suppress her impatience as befitted her royal stature.

Of Callisto, there was still no sign and the sun was already high in the sky. Gabrielle, who had forced herself to get up hours ago without complaint and could care less about her royal stature, was rapidly losing her patience. Breakfast was a memory and she began to wonder if lunch was going to arrive before they left. Her stomach decided that wasn't such a bad idea.

"C'mon Xena, this is a joke, right?" Gabrielle persisted, tugging on the warrior's arm.

For answer, Xena nodded at the guest hut across the square.

In the doorway, Callisto had appeared. So did Solari, her arm wrapped firmly around the blond's waist as they walked towards the group.

Gabrielle goggled. Xena smirked. Cassiope didn't even notice and the rest of the Amazons watched with varying degrees of shock and astonishment. Not so much that Callisto had spent the night with an Amazon. Outside of Ephiny, they really didn't have a good idea who she was anyway and Callisto was quite attractive if a little skinny. More than one of them had thought about it. But Solari?

The brunette Amazon was exceptionally choosy and took a long time to get anywhere with anyone. To have nailed a newly arrived guest in one night was some kind of record for the royal guard.

"Good thing we didn't have dinars on it, huh?" Xena said quietly, leaning over and speaking in the bard's ear.

Gabrielle just shook her head wonderingly. The pair paused halfway across the square, turning to look at each other. A few words were exchanged, quiet, intent, then Solari gave a parting squeeze and decorously wandered off to the practice field. Callisto did not immediately resume her progress, staring after the Amazon's retreating form for long moments.

Her revery was interrupted when Cassiope rushed up to her sister, showing her the staff, telling her about her night in the Amazon's dormitory and how Eponin had promised to teach her to swim. Callisto listened solemnly and then, surprising herself, not to mention Cassiope, she reached down and picked her little sister up. She kissed her soundly on the cheek and carried her easily to where the others waited.

"I want you to be good while I'm gone," she instructed the child. She kissed her once more before letting her down.

Cassiope considered this as she stood in front of her sister. "I'll be careful," Cassiope allowed cautiously. She smiled brightly up at her big sister.

"No, you be good, and do what the Amazons say," Callisto insisted, one hand on the child's shoulder. She hesitated, then added. "I especially want you to listen to Solari."

"Who's she?"

"Just someone I want you to get to know, all right?" She squeezed the small shoulder affectionately.

"Okay," Cassiope agreed and wiggled out of her sister's grasp.

Callisto watched her bound off to rejoin Eponin, then quickly retrieved her horse from the other Amazon, mounting without speaking. Xena and Gabrielle exchanged glances, then as the bard swiftly hugged Ephiny, Xena vaulted onto Argo and reached down, pulling the younger woman up before urging the palomino after the gelding which was already trotting out of the

.square.

Just before they left the village, Callisto looked back to see a lone figure standing lonely and proud in the practice field. She raised a hand briefly, got a wave in return, then resolutely stared forward as they urged their horses into a gallop.

"Don't you say a word to her, Gabrielle," Xena warned gently over her shoulder. "Not one word."

"You're sure taking all the fun out of this, Xena," the bard replied. "You know that?"

"That's my job," the warrior replied dryly.

***

They camped that night next to the entrance to the caves. They could have easily entered then, but the sun was low and they decided to wait for a fresh start the next morning rather than make a incursion still tired from the ride to get there. Especially since Callisto had indicated that there were three challenges that must be overcome before they could reach the crystal. The horses, they let loose to drift back to the Amazon village. Artemis had told Callisto that once they secured the crystal, it would instantly transport them to where ever the godling was. They had little time left to argue. Either it was true, or they didn't have a chance at fulfilling their quest anyway.

That was all Artemis could or would tell her immortal charge. Callisto didn't know how the challenges would appear or how difficult they would be. All she could advise was that it was probably wisest that they be fresh and rested before tackling them.

A large fire was built, it's light pushing back the night as Xena and Gabrielle quietly ate their supper of venison, vegetables and bread, which had been provided by the Amazons. Afterward, Xena sharpened her sword, as Gabrielle cleaned up. Callisto sat on a log and stared into the fire, dark eyes blank as the flames flickered off an elven face devoid of expression.

Gabrielle shot an impish look at Xena and sat down close to the blond warrior though still well out of arm's reach. "So Callisto," she offered. "Solari's a really wonderful woman."

Xena looked up frowning as Callisto shot the bard a hard glance from the corner of narrowed eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said.

Gabrielle merely stared back at her with an innocent smile and Callisto sighed.

"How...how did you know?" she asked after a long pause filled with the soft snap of embers. Her voice had lowered so that only the bard would hear. Xena, taking the hint, got up to check the perimeter of the camp.

"Gods, who didn't when you two came out of the hut," Gabrielle said, rolling her eyes.

"No. How did you know she...know Xena was the one?" Uncomfortably, Callisto picked up a stick and poked at the fire, sending an explosion of sparks to rise briefly glowing into the night air.

Gabrielle thought about that for the moment. This was not really going the way she had anticipated. She had hoped to get a few digs in at the blond, payback for the last time they had gone after Valasqua. Callisto, however, was not co-operating. This woman wasn't the sarcastic, bitter person of that time. This was someone who had let the love of a child wrap firmly around her heart. A heart she didn't even know she had and now, suddenly, there was someone else who had also managed to touch it in some inexplicable way.

"I just did," the bard said, knowing it was inadequate but lacking the words to explain. "I felt it deep inside." She touched her chest. "Here, deep in my heart. I wanted to be with her. I was empty when I wasn't. I was complete when I was. When she died...uh, that's a long story," Gabrielle added as Callisto looked up sharply at that. "Anyway, when she died, I knew for sure. When she came back to life, it was like I was given second chance." Unconsciously she reached out and put her hand on the immortal's. "Not everyone gets second chances, Callisto. So it's best to accept love when it appears. It might not work out. But if you don't at least try, you might be throwing away your only chance."

Suddenly she was aware that she was actually touching the woman she had once tried to kill, who had came closer than anyone to forcing her to forsake her blood innocence. Shaken, she withdrew her hand abruptly, and looked around for Xena, relieved when she saw her standing by a tree, barely visible beyond the circle of light. The warrior princess was watching her intently and Gabrielle allowed that look to wash over her, driving out the disturbed emotion.

Callisto did not notice the bard's unease, lost in thought as she stared into the glow of the fire and seeing instead the angular face of a brunette Amazon.

Gabrielle, finally conscious that Callisto was not longer paying her any mind, took the opportunity to get up and leave the campsite, joining her lover. Wordlessly they moved deeper into the woods and darkness, letting the night air surround them as they found a convenient log fallen next to a creek where they had earlier drawn water. Xena sat, leaning back against the pile of rocks at one end of the log, motioning the bard to sit in front of her which Gabrielle happily did. Xena wrapped her arms warmly about the bard and drew her tightly back against her.

"I thought I told you not to do that," Xena rumbled in fond exasperation.

"Hey, words are my business," Gabrielle replied with some asperity. "I know when to talk."

"Oh, no question," Xena allowed teasingly. "It's the not talking you have a problem with."

"Yeah, well..." Gabrielle shrugged and allowed a somewhat sheepish smile. "It wasn't what I expected."

Xena nodded, resting her chin on the coppery hair. "Hmm," she allowed ruefully. "I could have warned you about that. She's been....unpredictable lately."

"Unpredictable," Gabrielle tasted the word. "That says it all right." She leaned back against her warrior, resting her head on that chest. Idly she entwined her fingers in Xena's, resting them on her bare abdomen. "Do you think she's in love with Solari?"

Xena was quiet for a few moments. "I think you can easily fall in love with the first person you ever sleep with," she said. She raised an eyebrow quizzically as Gabrielle twisted around to look her in the face at that. "C'mon, remember what Circe said about her being a virgin. She was right about you. There's no reason to think she wouldn't be right about Callisto." She paused. "Besides, Callisto told me it was this morning. She was pretty shook up by it."*

Gabrielle nodded and relaxed back into the embrace. "It's just so hard to accept," she said softly. "This is Callisto we're talking about after all."

Xena shrugged. "Hey, I changed," she reminded. "And you're the one who said love could break the circle of hatred. Callisto loves her sister."

Gabrielle pursed her lips. "She does, doesn't she."

"And you were right, the more you love, the more you are loved," Xena said softly into the bard's hair, tightening her hold. "Solari just walked through a door Cassiope had already broken down."

"I like that," Gabrielle smiled. "I'll have to remember to put that in when I write the story about this." She squeezed the warrior's hand and snuggled closer..

"I guess we should be getting back," she added after awhile.

"I know," Xena said. But neither of them made any effort to move.

"Xena," Gabrielle whispered. "I know we...can't, out here. But after this is over, can we spend some time with the Amazons? I know we're together and I love being with you. But...last night was really nice. I miss that. I miss being...close to you."

"We will," Xena promised. She nuzzled the bard's neck apologetically. "I'm sorry, Gabrielle. I said we'd make more time to be together. I haven't been very good at that lately. I miss being close to you too."

"Well, it really has been one thing after another," the bard allowed. "There was that village with the wolves. And the prince who got caught by those slavers. Not to mention that mess with Joxer. And we had to go when Hercules sent for us. We've been busy."

"Yes, but that's no excuse," the warrior said. "What we have is...it's really special, Gabrielle. I don't want to let time slip away and find we didn't give it the attention it deserved." She leaned to the side so that she could look down into the sweet face silvered by moonlight. "I do love you. With all my heart. And maybe you can't tell, but I do want and need you...all the time."

Gabrielle smiled brightly and reached up a hand to caress the strong face. Xena smiled back and bent forward, covering the bard's mouth in a gentle kiss that went on and on. Finally they drew apart with a sigh, and reluctantly, they got up off the log.

Hands linked firmly, they walked back to the campsite.

***

They each carried a pack containing supplies and ropes as they entered the cave. Xena had no intention of passing the challenges only to be stopped by something as mundane as a sinkhole and she made sure they had everything they might need. Preparation had been one of her trademarks as a warlord. It was one of the few traits she was content to keep in her new life. Torches were prepared that would burn slowly and last for hours, and waterskins were filled though they expected to find more water inside.

Callisto led the way, her immortal senses drawing her to the resonance of the crystal deep inside the mountain, just as Artemis had promised it would. The stalagmite festooned cave they entered eventually gave way to a series of more refined tunnels, clearly manufactured with an unnatural symmetry. Amazed, Gabrielle took a moment to put a hand on the cold stone, surprisingly smooth beneath her fingers under the dust of time.

"Who made this, Xena?" she asked as they took a rest break in one of the cross branches.

"I don't know," the warrior answered thoughtfully. "No one does. Legends have this place existing as far back as people can remember. All these caves are linked in some way, too. This one, the one Callisto found the Tree of Life in, the one where we got the ambrosia....This mountain holds a lot of secrets."

Gabrielle shivered and Xena patted her leg gently. "C'mon," she said.

They got up, and hurried to catch up to Callisto who had gone on to scout out what lay ahead. Hours passed as they moved through the tunnels, following the immortal's lead which took them ever deeper into the maze of crisscrossing caves and halls, alternating between natural formations and the even passageways bored into the mountain.

They found their first obstacle in a dead end, a wall that loomed before them. There were engravings etched into the stone, crumbling but still legible in the torch light. They appeared to be pictures of some sort, the faded paint still maintaining the faint color of an age long past.

"Strange, they look Egyptian," Xena said, kneeling at the base of the wall as she brought the torch closer in an effort to see better. "What would Egyptian markings be doing here? Except...they're not quite." She frowned. On the other side of the world, in four millennium, identical carvings would be discovered in South America in a pyramid shaped structure hidden deep in the Amazon rainforest. They wouldn't know what they were looking at either.

Gabrielle peered curiously over her shoulder. "When were you in Egypt?" she asked.

Xena shook her head. "A long time ago," she said. "I'll tell you about it sometime."

"This is the first challenge," Callisto said then with conviction. They looked at her and she nodded. "We have to figure out what these markings mean. It opens a door."

"How..." Gabrielle began.

"Artemis," Callisto answered wearily. "I just wish the bitch would tell me flat out and spare us the games," she added irreverently, shocking the bard.

"Games are what the gods do best," Xena grunted. She looked at the other two. It had taken most of the day to reach this point. Gabrielle was still game but her face was smudged with dirt and tiny lines of fatigue radiated from her green eyes shaded with red from the smoke which the torches gave off. Xena was feeling a bit weary herself, not to mention grimy, the remains of cobwebs and dust draping her armor and leather. The caves were stuffy and monotonous, making it hard to think beyond the need to keep walking down one tunnel after another.

"I heard water a little bit back," she said. "I suggest we go back there and make camp for the night. We'll think better after a good night's rest."

Callisto nodded. "I'm going to stay here," she said. "Maybe something will come to me. And it will keep me occupied tonight."

Xena nodded and the pair left the blond to it, exiting the dead end and traveling down the side tunnel where Xena had heard the water. It opened up to a cavern which bordered a small black pool which lapped against the far wall, clearly flowing from beneath it. The color of the pool came from the granules of stone resting on the bottom though the water itself was clear and tasted wonderfully clean and cold, a welcome change from the water skins which had grown tepid and warm during the day.

The two women took the opportunity to wash, changing to linen tunics. Xena found some wood washed up on the shore, indicating that the source of the pool originated outside the caves. She also took notice of marks on the rock face. Sometime in the past the water had overflowed it's banks and filled the cavern. Xena didn't think there was any danger but she made a note to sleep light this night.

They built a small fire, more for light than heat and as Xena took the opportunity to check their supplies item by item, Gabrielle wrapped herself in a blanket, huddling on her bedroll. The encompassing dark of the cave took over as the fire died down, embers glowing red, and the bard was suddenly aware of the immense mountain of rock pressing down on her. Sounds seemed magnified, the unceasing drip from the ceiling, the lap of the water on stone, their breathing unnaturally loud in the still air.

Gabrielle shivered and was immediately comforted by the strong arms pulling her onto a large warm body as Xena joined her under the blanket, the vibration of the warrior's heart, slow and steady, calming her and bringing her own heart rate down.

"Are you okay?" The voice was whisper soft, a breath that tickled Gabrielle's ear.

"I always am with you," she whispered back in an effort to reassure her warrior and then realized it was true. She snuggled against Xena's side, resting her head on the broad shoulder, the swell of a breast beneath her cheek. Quickly sleep overcame her, there safe and secure in her lover's arms.

***

"I've discovered that seven of these markings move," Callisto informed them when they joined her early the next morning. She rubbed her fingers over the markings in question, pressing down on them. "I think there's a certain combination in which they have to be pressed."

"We could be years trying to find the right one," Xena grumbled.

"There must be some clue," Gabrielle insisted, lifting her torch higher to cast light on the lower markings. "If we could somehow translate these..."

Xena leaned back on her heels and studied the wall before her. She recognized some of the markings. One meant freedom, another meant time. But there was no way to know for sure if indeed they did mean that. Just because they looked Egyptian didn't mean they actually were.

"Can we break through?" she offered with a sigh.

Callisto flashed her a arch look. "If it were that easy, any muscle-bound lunkhead like you could do it," she said. "I know you're used to just ramming through things, Xena. I was there at Cirra, remember?"

Xena showed her teeth but she wasn't smiling. "So, what's the solution?" she asked the blond pointedly, stung by the unexpected reminder.

"You're the one who reads Egyptian," Callisto reminded.

"You're the immortal with a line to Artemis," Xena countered.

"You're the military genius," she said, voice dripping acidly. "As all those villages found out."

"You're the one who comes up with convoluted plans," Xena responded coldly.

"For revenge," Callisto retorted in outrage. "Not word puzzles."

The argument was beginning to get heated when a sudden click silenced them both. Gabrielle, who had studied the various groups of markings, realized there was only one string of seven characters that repeated over and over within the others. She had pressed the markers in that order and the click indicated that something happened. The grinding of rock made them step back and before their eyes, the wall slid back to reveal another tunnel, dust sparkling in the torch light as it settled.

"Well," Gabrielle noted as she looked back at the other two. "It's a good thing one of us knows when not to talk."

Satisfied she'd scored big by the look on Xena's face, she grinned and picking up her pack, strutted through the opening. Xena and Callisto exchanged suffering glances.

"How do you put up with her?" the blond asked.

"Sometimes it's a trial," Xena admitted.

"Are you two coming or what?" Gabrielle called from far down the tunnel.

***

The dust lay heavy in these passages, rising with every footstep. They paused long enough to rip up some cloth and tie the pieces over their nose and mouths so that they wouldn't be breathing in the choking stuff. It was clear that no one had passed this way for centuries. Again the tunnels went on and on, their sameness wearing on the mind. If it weren't for the fact that they were dutifully marking every junction and turning, they'd think they weren't getting anywhere at all. Just going around in big circles.

The large room they entered came as a surprise. They were actually halfway across before the difference in the structure penetrated their dulled senses. They whirled, backs to each other as the chilling sound of falling stone, the roar of the rock slabs slamming down to block both openings, trapped them. With a series of small explosions, the torch holders on the wall flared to life, revealing the large space of the room.

Alertness returned with such clarity that they realized there had been some kind of outside influence, some gas in the air, some kind of spell...something that had blunted their senses in the tunnels they had been following. It was only now they realized it. It had even affected Callisto for all her immortal advantages.

Callisto ripped the kerchief from her face and let lose a stream of invective that impressed even Xena's warlord acquired vocabulary and profoundly shocked Gabrielle who thought she had a pretty good library of curses herself. The slabs of stone barring the doors were totally immovable and it didn't take them long to realize they weren't getting out that way.

"What now?" Gabrielle asked, looking at Xena intently.

To the warrior's dismay, Callisto was also looking to her, clearly expecting her to solve this. For an instant, responsibility lay heavy on the woman's shoulders then with an unconscious shrug, she threw it off and looked keenly around the room.

"This has to be a challenge," she said. "The second one. So there must be a way out."

"You're right," Callisto said in surprise. "This is the second one, and strength is the key." She hesitated, looked at the doors. "No one's that strong," she added doubtfully.

With a unspoken consensus, they dropped their packs and spread out, going over every inch of the room, various statues of the Olympians carved into the walls to watch their search with blank, unseeing eyes, the torches throwing wild shadows as nameless things skittering away in the flickering light leaving thick webs draping the walls. It was Gabrielle who found the etchings by gingerly pulling back the thick strands. This time in clear Greek even if the words didn't make sense right away. It was in the form of a riddle, something Gabrielle was quite good at.

"It had to be the right hand of Zeus," the bard insisted. She pointed back at the statue which framed the door where they had entered. "Grasp the right hand of the king of gods, his strength will be yours," she recited.

Before the other two could say anything to contradict her, Gabrielle strode over to the statues hand jutting from the door frame and tugged at it. For a few seconds, nothing happened, then it shifted slightly and Gabrielle turned back with a triumphant grin as the now familiar grinding sounded. A grin that disappeared a second later when a split occurred in the center of the floor.

"Gabrielle!" Xena cried as the floor began to swiftly disappear into the walls, so swiftly that their feet were taken out from under them.

Xena found herself carried along helplessly until she rammed into the far wall. There she lay stunned on the brief lip that was left, a ledge of about two feet jutting out from the door which had opened even as the floor disappeared. She carefully rolled over and looked across the pit that separated her from the other two, heart clenching in her throat.

There was no ledge there, the floor having slid flush against the wall. And that door, the one they had entered through, was still barred by the heavy slab. Gabrielle dangled from the stone hand, clinging desperately to the statue. From the other hand, Callisto had also managed to secure a hold and was now glaring at the bard.

"Not your right hand, dummy," the blond said irritably as they hung there. "His right hand. It was this one that opened the door."

"Shut up, Callisto," Gabrielle said, gritting her teeth.

"Hang on, Gabrielle," Xena called desperately. Below the two women, three foot metal stakes jutted up from the bottom of the pit, thickly clustered with sharp-edged points. Skeletons, some human, signified the end of previous challengers who had guessed the riddle wrong.

Xena was frantic, eyes darting about the room. Their packs containing the ropes had dropped into the pit, caught on the rusted metal tips beyond her reach. There was nothing close enough to secure her whip to and nowhere on the flat ceiling for her to use it to swing over to the bard. She could leap the pit, barely, but there was nothing for her to catch onto beyond the outstretched stone arms which were barely supporting the two other women.

Gabrielle let out a squeak as the masonry crumbled and dropped a little. It would not last much longer. "Xena!" she cried.

"Hang on," Xena commanded. This was her worst nightmare. There was nothing she could do. There wasn't enough time.

Callisto rolled her eyes. "Oh boy, am I gonna regret this," she muttered.

"Xena," she yelled. "Catch."

The blond warrior swung herself over to where Gabrielle was, grabbing the bard around the waist. In that brief second that the hand supported them both before disintegrating completely, Callisto linked her hands in the bard's waistband, braced her feet against the sheer wall and tossed the bard up and over her head before falling backwards into the pit and the pikes waiting below.

The bard, propelled by Callisto's not inconsiderable strength, augmented by immortality, found herself flung through the air towards Xena. She had an impression of the room spinning wildly about her, the yawning dark of the pit below her as she fell towards it and then she was brought to a sudden wrenching stop as her hands grabbed at the ledge wildly. Callisto's throw had been a bit off and Gabrielle now clung desperately to the brief lip at Xena's far left as the warrior tried to get to the bard without falling into the pit herself.

She looked up to meet the hot blue eyes of Xena, flaring with the terror at just how close she had come to losing her. Then strong hands grasped the redhead's wrists as the warrior pulled her up and onto the ledge.

"Oh gods, Xena," Gabrielle gasped, flinging her arms about the warrior's neck.

"It's okay, you're alright now," Xena muttered, holding her tightly.

"Callisto!" The bard drew back, horrified and together they leaned over slightly to look down into the pit.

Callisto lay impaled on the pikes, the rusted metal jutting up through the slender torso at her stomach, and chest. Her legs splayed, the thighs and calves caught on the cruel points and her left arm was pinned through the wrist, her right through the bicep. One more metal point exited from her left eye socket, having entered the back of her neck and propping the blond head up grotesquely. Blood flowed freely down the poles to pool around the base of the metal.

"Oh gods," Gabrielle made a small sound in the back of her throat, covering her mouth with her hand, eyes wide with horror. "Xena, is she..."

"I don't know," the warrior said somberly, her face stoic. "I can't te..."

Callisto's right eye flew open, prompting a strangled scream from the bard.

"You have no idea how much this hurts," the immortal hissed through gritted teeth, voice reverberating eerily from the metal impaling her neck.

"Hold on, Callisto," Xena instructed. "I'll be right there."

"Oh, I'm not going anywhere," Callisto responded acidly.

With Gabrielle bracing her legs against the frame of the door, the thin end of the whip wrapped firmly around her wrists, Xena used the leather braid to lower herself into the pit, landing with the utmost care in the narrow area between the wall and the first row of pikes. Leaning hard against the sheer stone, Xena sidestepped along the perimeter of the pit, skirting the sharp spikes until she was able to retrieve Gabrielle's staff which had fallen in when the floor had taken the bard's feet out from under her.

Using the Amazonian wood as a brace to support her unsteady footing, Xena made her way through the lances to the center of the pit where Callisto lay helpless, unable to get the leverage needed to lift herself off the terrible spears thrust through her body. If the warrior princess was not as long legged as she was, it would have been an impossible task. As it was, she had to remove her skirt and toss it up onto the ledge before entering the thicket of metal, the points a mere inch below the crotch of her leather breeches.

"How you doing?" Xena asked gently as she positioned herself amongst the pikes next to the horribly injured woman. There was barely enough room for her to fit her feet between the rusting rows of metal.

"Oh, just fine," Callisto muttered grimly.

"Just hang in there a few more seconds," Xena advised soothingly and slid her arms beneath the woman between the thin poles. "Here we go," she warned. Bending her knees slightly, but not too much, Xena clenched her teeth and with all her strength, lifted the woman straight up.

Callisto screamed as she was torn from the spikes, the awful pain too much to bear and blackness claimed her briefly. When she came to, she found she was clinging to Xena's neck like a child, her breath coming in ragged sobs, held in the warrior's powerful arms as somehow, impossibly, the warrior princess, carrying both Callisto and Gabrielle's staff, negotiated through the pikes to where the whip dangled.

"Up you go," Xena grunted, boosting the woman up and onto the ledge with a mighty heave, Gabrielle's helping hand preventing the sorely injured blond from falling back. Xena retrieved the packs and tossed them up, aiming at the dark space of the door. Then she made a leap and grabbed the whip, pulling herself up as quickly as possible to spare Gabrielle's arms.

Exhausted, the warrior helped the seriously depleted immortal to her feet, and the pair of them stumbled through the door, joining the bard in the dark corridor. Painfully, Gabrielle took her pack and staff before handing over the now coiled whip. Xena propped Callisto up against the wall while she redonned her skirt and hefted the remaining packs onto her back, one over each shoulder.

Gabrielle lit two torches, handing one to Xena and keeping the other. The bard looked anxiously at the warrior, sighing when Xena shook her head, knowing this was not anyplace to spend a night. Firmly, the warrior princess urged them on and, supporting the semi-conscious immortal between them, they staggered into the dark passage awaiting them.

***

Another two hours passed before they found a suitable place, a cavern bisected with a rippling stream winding through the stalagmites. Wearily they dropped the packs and threw their torches together in a depression in the sand in lieu of a campfire, lowering the immortal carefully to the sand. Xena took a moment to look at Callisto's terrible wounds, trying to discover if her healing skills were needed or even up to the task of being able to help. The gaping rips had ceased to bleed and were beginning to close up, the empty eye socket filling up with a milky, gelatinous fluid that the warrior princess didn't care to examine too closely. The immortal was very weak as her body drew all it's resources for healing and she thought Callisto might need to take in some nourishment to support her ability. Clearly the immortal was in a great deal of pain, she didn't even bother to argue when Xena advised her to eat.

Gabrielle threw together some bread and venison for supper, making some rather dry sandwiches which Callisto ravenously devoured as if it were the finest of banquets. Afterward, the immortal rolled herself up in a blanket and promptly fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, almost coma-like as her body sought to finish restoring her.

The other two ate as well though less hungrily and when they were done, Xena pulled Gabrielle aside, having noticed her stiffness and subtle wincing. She removed the green top to examine the bard's shoulders and back which had been strained, first by grabbing onto the statue, hanging on for her life, and then by holding the whip for Xena's trip into the pit..

"You should have told me you hurt your back," Xena scolded as she spread salve over Gabrielle's knotted muscles, massaging it in with strong, gentle hands.

"It didn't hurt until now," Gabrielle protested tiredly as she leaned forward, copper hair falling about her face. She managed a small grin. "Though if I had known you were going to do this..."

Xena allowed a ghost of a smile to drift over her face. "You don't have to hurt yourself to get me to do this," she murmured softly.

"Mmmm," Gabrielle agreed in a sleepy voice.

"Hey, lie down on your stomach," Xena instructed. "Before you fall over."

Gabrielle did not need to be asked twice, happily settling on her stomach as the warrior straddled her hips and returned to the job at hand, drawing out the pain and replacing it with a delicious lassitude.

Xena continued the massage until she was sure her lover was completely asleep, then got up, pausing briefly to bestow a fond kiss on a smooth shoulder blade. Then she leaned back on her heels, finally letting the events of the day flow through her.

Inside, she was screaming. It had been so close. She would be having nightmares over this for months. She remembered her feeling of despair, the horrible sense of helplessness as she watched Gabrielle dangle above those spikes. She had been about to fling herself across in an effort to impose her own body between Gabrielle and what waited when Callisto had made her move.

She swallowed hard and looked down at the woman she loved so much...too much. Losing the bard would be the end of her, she knew that. She remembered the night Gabrielle had made her promise not to turn into a monster if something happened to the bard. Xena had made the promise, realizing only later how easy it would be to keep. If Gabrielle died, Xena wouldn't have time to turn into a monster or anything else. She'd be dead by her own hand long before.

Finally, she rolled her shoulders, easing the tension as she twisted her head back and forth. This sort of speculation did little good to anyone, least of all herself. She sighed and pulled off her armor, rubbing a finger ruefully over the swirls of metal, smearing the dirt. She really needed to clean it but it made little sense considering there would only be more of the same tomorrow. She lay it down, leaving it for the nonce. It wasn't wet so there was no threat of corrosion. She drew off her hot leather and took a moment to wash in the stream, pulling on a linen tunic. She glanced at the bard, still clad in her skirt and....Xena smiled suddenly....her boots.

Xena pulled them off and unwrapped the short brown skirt, leaving the bard clad in only her breeches before joining her, draping the blanket over them both. She lay on her back as she stared up at the stalactites dripping from the roof, weariness dragging at her even as sleep stubbornly eluded her. It didn't help that the bard was restless as well, whimpering a bit as she rolled over, draping her arm and leg across the warrior's breasts and thighs. Xena felt a jolt as the bard's warm flesh covered her, even through the linen, her nipples hardening in unmistakable response as her loins tightened involuntarily.

The warrior forced herself to breathe deeply. This was just a reaction to the day's events, she knew. Death had come close and now she wanted to drive it away totally, her body demanding it prove that everything was still functioning, that the one she loved still lived and that they both still needed. It was perfectly natural, an attempt to renew the sense of being alive.

Knowing that and controlling the desire that welled up inside her were two different things however. She sighed and tried to concentrate on the rock formations above her.

Xena became aware that Gabrielle was twitching, eyes fluttering as she battled a nightmare. Usually the warrior's presence was enough to ward of the night terrors for the bard but not this evening as with a sudden jerk, Gabrielle woke, eyes blinking dazedly as she looked into the dark-haired woman's concerned face.

"It's all right, love," Xena murmured, stroking the tangled hair. "It's just a bad dream." She rubbed the bard's neck gently.

"Mph, sorry I woke you," Gabrielle groaned and buried her face in the warrior's shoulder, trying to get comfortable as she snuggled closer.

"You didn't," Xena admitted softly and closed her eyes, trying to grasp sleep by sheer force of will.

It was a losing proposition, for both of them. The bard's breathing was ragged as she lay still, clearly attempting not to disturb the warrior any further but no closer to sleep than Xena was. For long moments they lay there, a rigidness to their bodies that could not be mistaken for relaxation in the slightest.

"Xena," Gabrielle whispered finally. "I'm sorry, I can't sleep."

"I know," Xena said, fondly pressing her lips to the sweaty forehead. "I can't seem to get to sleep either. It was a bad day today. Maybe if you tell me what the dream was about?"

Gabrielle closed her eyes. "Ugh, I don't even want to think about it," she said softly. "I was on the side of the pit and I looked down and it was you lying there...." She hugged the warrior tightly, trying to drive the demons away. "I can't lose you again," she whispered. "It would destroy me. I don't think I could go on without you."

"Well, I'm right here," Xena soothed. She rubbed the bard's back gently, running her hand up and down the smooth, bare skin.

Despite herself, her fingertips lingered, becoming something more sensual, dancing along the bard's spine in long strokes that went all the way down to the hollow at the base. Gabrielle pressed into the caress with a moan, her hand sliding up to Xena's breast, cupping it lightly but hesitating there.

They both knew the rule. It was so easy for them to become lost in each other, to shut out the world around them. On the road, that could have deadly consequences.

"Xena, I'm sorry, I just need you so much," the bard said quietly, keeping her hand still but the longing clear in her gaze as she looked at her lover.

The warrior smiled. "Never apologize for that," she said, voice low and throaty. She glanced over at Callisto who appeared to be out of it for the night. Of course, with the immortal, there was no way to tell. She looked back to meet Gabrielle's eyes who were now hopeful, a half smile on her face. Xena returned the smile.

"C'mon," she said, sitting up.

***

The alcove next to the stream was well out of sight and earshot of the camp. It was bordered by rocks that surrounded a flat area of hard packed sand which sparkled in the light of the torch Gabrielle jammed in a crevice. Xena dropped the bedroll she had been carrying, spreading it out over the ground as behind her, the soft babble of the water made an almost musical backdrop for them.

Xena looked up from where she was kneeling on the blankets, her dark eyes smoldering as she took in the sight of Gabrielle standing by the torch. It's light made the bard's body golden, clad only in the briefs, her breasts bare beneath the soft coppery strands of hair that fell lightly upon them. Emerald eyes stared back at her, their green tinge catlike as the bard walked to her, stopping in front of the warrior, her muscled stomach a mere breath away from her face.

Xena smiled and rested her hands on the woman's waist, leaning forward to press her lips gently on the flat navel. Gabrielle took a breath, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the touch briefly, then opened them again as she bent over, sliding her hands down the warrior's back to the hem of the linen tunic. She bunched the cloth in her hand and slowly pulled it up and over the warrior's head, the dark hair falling away as the bard casually tossed it to the side. The warrior hooked her fingers in Gabrielle's waistband, drawing the breeches down over the soft swell of hip, letting them drop to the ground where the bard stepped out of them, kicking them over to join the discarded tunic.

"Come here," the warrior said, her voice low and seeming to vibrate through the bard. Smiling, Gabrielle did as requested, dropping to her knees so that they were face to face, placing her hands on the wide shoulders as the warrior wrapped her arms around the small body, holding her close. The touch of skin on skin was a homecoming for both of them, and the feel of the warrior's mouth covering her own healed Gabrielle in places she had not even known were hurting from the day's events.

Gabrielle pressed her hand to the side of the warrior's neck, the pulse throbbing beneath her palm, the unmistakable sense of life renewing her own. Fingertips ran over the small scar behind the ear, then back down to wrap around the warrior's neck and pull her closer, her tongue darting out to meet Xena's, moving against each other, entwining as each sought entry to the other's mouth.

Gently, the warrior lowered her to the bedroll, resting her on her back as she continued the kiss until finally Xena released her mouth and slipped over the chin and down her throat, brushing kisses all the way. The bard groaned and threw her head back, delighting in the feel of the warrior's lips and tongue, gasping as the mouth found her breasts, nuzzling gently before taking a nipple into her mouth, prodding it with a tongue before closing her lips over it, suckling hungrily then trailing over to do the same to the other.

"Oh gods, Xena," Gabrielle whispered. She tangled her small hands in the thick raven hair, gripping the head and pulling it tight against her as her lower body turned to liquid. "You feel so good..."

She felt the bright edge of teeth against her skin, knowing her lover smiled as she went on with her mouth's ministrations to her breasts, the warrior's hands drawing slowly down the bard's stomach and resting briefly on her hips. Gabrielle parted her legs, flexing her knees as she felt the warrior leave off the breasts and continue downward, trailing a thin line down her belly, pausing to plant a kiss firmly on the triangle of hair. Then the calloused hands were on the inside of her thighs, spreading her wider and she tensed as she felt the warm breath bathe her. And there the warrior paused, wether in appreciative observation or to submerge herself in the scent, the bard didn't know. She only knew what she needed and she raised her hips eagerly to meet what she didn't find.

"Xena," she cried out, trying to force the head down. It did not move an inch and she knew that she was being teased.

"Damn you, warrior princess," Gabrielle muttered.

The laugh then, deep and low and shaking her bones. The warrior's kisses began trailing along the soft skin of her inner thighs to her knee and leg before sliding over and starting the slow trip back up the other trembling limb. She knew that Xena would bypass her a few times, building the desire to an almost unbearable level, going all the way up to her mouth then all the way back down to her ankles again until she was squirming and crying, demanding satisfaction. Then and only then would the warrior grant her mercy.

Maybe she relaxed slightly, eased her tension a little in predicting the warrior's next move. In any event, the commanding mouth covered her suddenly, the fingers invading her with gentle yet insistent force sending a jolt all the way to the top of her head, the surprise causing her to raise her entire upper body with the sensation of it.

"Gods, Xena," she exclaimed and fell back, withering helplessly at the firm thrusts that seemed to reach so deep inside, the skilled, talented tongue that knew exactly what to do and where to go until the unrestrained joy of it exploded, the spasms of pleasure leaving her weak and spent, sprawled on the bedroll as the warrior slowly drew away, kissing her way up to reclaim her mouth. The bard could only sigh softly against the lips, wrapping her arms tightly around her neck.

"You fooled me," she said after a while.

"I know," Xena chuckled. "I meant to."

Gabrielle smiled and kissed her warrior gently. She let her hands wander at will over the large body covering her and as she heard the breath catch, she smiled again.

"Now let's see if I can fool you," she muttered. And to her surprise, she did.

Twice.

***

Callisto woke abruptly. She blinked, relieved to have both eyeballs functioning again and shot a quick look around the camp. The fire had burnt down to embers that barely lit the rocks next to them and with a shudder, she swiftly rose and rebuilt it. The light was a comfort to a woman who'd had her fill of caves and caverns, especially after that incident with Hercules left her trapped. She would be so glad when this was over, when she could once more breathe fresh air and see the sun.

She sat cross-legged by the fire and took stock. Her healing ability, bolstered by the food and sleep had done its job, repairing all her wounds and returning her to her normal, keenly alert self. She glanced over at Xena and Gabrielle who slept deeply, wrapped around each other so tightly it was hard to see where the warrior ended and the bard began. She tried to muster up a snort of disgust and only managed a brief stab of envy. An image of Solari's face appeared in her mind though it had never been far away and she wondered what the Amazon was doing.

She was profoundly disturbed at that thought and tried to concentrate on something else. She wondered what time it was. Her internal clock told her it was very early in the morning but there was no way of knowing how accurate it was here in this never-ending night. She supposed she might as well trust it as not.

It had been five days since she had appeared in Xena and Gabrielle's campsite. That left two days to get past the final challenge, find the crystal and intercept Valasqua before she reached Potedeia. She wondered if the bard's little village knew what was approaching.

She looked over as Xena stirred, slowly easing away from the bard and going over to join Callisto by the fire. The warrior, clad in a rather wrinkled linen tunic, found some left over venison in her pack and bit a piece off. She offered the rest to Callisto who shook her head.

"No, don't need it now," the blond said shortly. Paused. "Thank you."

Xena nodded, chewing thoughtfully. "Pretty close yesterday," she said after awhile.

Callisto grinned. "Oh, I wouldn't have died," she said. She thought about it for a moment, then added, surprising both of them with her admission. "Not that it was an advantage in a position like that. It hurt like Hades. Those spikes did a lot of damage. And my body couldn't heal as long as the wounds were being held open."

"It did look pretty painful," Xena offered.

"Immortality isn't necessarily all it's cracked up to be," Callisto allowed. She paused. "Which leads me to a question. When we use the crystal on Valasqua, what will you do then?"

Xena looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"She'll be mortal again." Callisto looked at her curiously. "But I don't think she's gonna stop coming after Gabrielle, no matter what. Are you going to kill her?"

"If there is a chance to take her alive," Xena said after long moments of thought. "We hand her over to the Amazons and let them decide her punishment. That's what Gabrielle would want."

"Interesting," Callisto said slowly. "I doubt she's thought that through."

Xena eyed her, finally decided that the woman was being sincere rather than sarcastic. "What do you mean?"

Callisto contemplated the fire. "One of the things ambrosia does is grant the ability to see beyond yourself if you really concentrate," she related slowly, trying to find the words to explain. "In the lava pit, I had little else to do besides concentrate and when I looked beyond myself, I found Valasqua."

"And," Xena prompted.

"Xena, no matter what you think of me, or what you think of all the things I've done, I think you can admit that I had a reason for turning out the way I did," Callisto pointed out.

"All right," Xena accepted that for the moment.

Callisto shook her head. "Valasqua didn't have a reason," she said. "Oh yeah, she lost her mother in the Centaur war, but she had a hundred mothers with the Amazons. Melosa herself raised her and loved her as her own. And how did Valasqua repay her?"

Xena was silent and Callisto poked the fire idly. "Valasqua likes pain, she likes what it does to people, she likes what it makes them do," the blond said evenly. "I may have hurt a lot of people, Xena, but there was always a method to my madness. And I never felt anything when I caused pain. She does. She derives pleasure from it, a lot of pleasure. She's a dangerous person to keep alive."

"Not my decision to make," Xena shrugged after taking that it.

"No, it'll be Gabrielle's," Callisto reminded pointedly since it was clear the warrior princess was not getting her drift at all. "As queen, she will have to hand down the sentence." Callisto looked at Xena knowingly before getting up and picking up her pack. "I'm going to scout ahead."

Leaving Xena to think dark thoughts about something she had not really considered before.

***

They found the third and last challenge late that morning. Their first hint was their torches which sputtered and died, plunging them into inky blackness. Wisely they immediately froze, and Xena dug a flint out of her pack. As she feared, the flint was unable to generate the slightest of sparks.

"Now what?" Callisto's unmistakable tones echoed through the cavern.

"Gabrielle, where are you." Xena's first priority was to find the bard. The touch of a small hand on her arm eased her fear.

"Right here, Xena" Gabrielle said. "This is the third challenge isn't it? The test of faith."

"It seems so," the warrior allowed, linking her fingers with the bard's. "Callisto, you mentioned something about ambrosia enhancing the senses. Is that true of your type of immortality, as well?"

There was silence for a moment. "Yeah, my hearing and sense of smell are a lot better than when I was mortal," Callisto offered thoughtfully. "I have better night sight but nothing that can penetrate this."

"Can you still sense the crystal?"

"Yes."

"Good. Gabrielle, give her your staff to check for obstacles," she ordered. "Callisto, lead on. All our faith's in you, now."

A snort of laughter from the blond and a startled sound from the bard greeted this but Gabrielle did as she was asked, accidently smacking Callisto in the arm as she tried to pass her the staff. Xena drew a rope from her pack and working by touch only, she linked them together to make sure they wouldn't lose each other in the blackness. She inadvertently discovered Callisto was ticklish, the immortal giggling as the warrior princess tied the rope around her waist, her knuckles brushing her bared navel.

"Oh, Xena, if I had known what a nice touch you had..." the immortal muttered suggestively.

Gabrielle elbowed her in the ribs. Not accidently.

"Oh sorry, Callisto," the bard offered innocently. "I was trying to find Xena."

"Un huh," came the disbelieving response.

With Callisto leading, Gabrielle second, and Xena bringing up the rear, they started off, going about ten feet before the bard fell flat on her face, tripping over some unknown obstacle on the ground.

"Be careful, there's rubble on the floor," Callisto offered sweetly.

Gabrielle growled and Xena hauled her to her feet. "Will you two behave yourselves?" the warrior scolded impatiently.

The two subsided and they started again, this time with Callisto being quick to inform them of the footing. Time became meaningless in that horror of endless darkness, eyes aching with the strain of searching fruitlessly for the tiniest bit of light, stumbling on rocks and barking shins painfully on stone that even the probing staff could not warn of. Concentration narrowed until all that concerned them was putting one foot in front of the other while keeping enough slack in the rope to keep from being cruelly tugged along yet staying far enough back to keep from trodding on the one in front. The staff warned them when the flooring ended but it became a nightmare of carefully feeling their way along the edge, imaginations filling in much more horrible details than truth as images of spiked pits and bottomless holes filled all their minds as they worked their way around and ever onward.

When they completed the challenge of faith, it was without fanfare or celebration, just the ruby light that stabbed viciously from the crystal sitting on the altar in the center of the cavern they staggered into. Tears streaked the grime on their faces as they blinked, trying to focus in the dim light that nonetheless seemed unbelievably bright after their recent ordeal. It took several minutes before their eyes adjusted and they could see their prize.

"Oh, Xena," Gabrielle breathed as Xena let out an oath.

Callisto shook her head, hands on her hips as she glared at their prize.

"What in Hades are we supposed to do with that?"

***

The crystal was a ruby square that took up a good portion of the large dias, looming over the three women who stood staring at it in disbelief. It stood three times the height of a large man and was twice again as wide. It sides were polished and buffed while it's color was that of fresh spilt blood. It had to weigh as much as a small mountain.

"Oh, I bet Artemis is laughin' her ass off right now," Callisto said bitterly.

Wearily Xena untied the rope from around her waist before freeing the bard. Callisto, in a display of aggravation had severed the bond with her dagger, the swipe of the blade relieving very little of her pique. Gabrielle sat down on a boulder and just stared at the gigantic gem.

"I don't understand," she said in bewilderment. "How can we use this? We can't even move it."

Xena looked at Callisto. "Are you sure Artemis said to use the crystal on Valasqua?" she asked, trying to keep the frustration from her voice. "And not lure Valasqua here?"

"She said that once we had secured the crystal, it would transport us to where Valasqua is," Callisto responded flatly. She glanced at Xena and made and after-you motion. "Go secure the crystal, oh Warrior Princess."

Xena rolled her eyes and together, the two leather clad warriors moved closer until they were within arm's length. Looking up put an ache in their necks.

"I don't believe this," Callisto said and reached out, placing her hand flat against the side. She jerked her hand back immediately. "Ouch."

Disbelievingly she stared at her hand, lacerated as if by a razor in a series of closely spaced parallel cuts. Blood flowed freely to drip to the floor. Stunned, she could only look at it. Xena grabbed her wrist and drew her away.

"Gabrielle, get some cloth from the pack," she instructed. "And get a torch lit."

The bard had already complied by the time the two warriors had joined her, jamming the torch into some rocks and laying the cloth out. Xena sat the shaken Callisto down on the rock Gabrielle had vacated and examined the wound.

"Why am I bleeding?" the blond said through gritted teeth. "Did that thing take my immortality?"

"I don't think so," Xena said, tilting the palm to catch the light. "I think there's something holding open the wounds." She drew out her breast dagger and held it in the torch to sterilize it. When it was glowing hot, she held it out and Gabrielle squirted it with water from one of the skins, cooling it off. Holding Callisto's arm steady, Xena gently probed one of the wounds with the tip of her blade and with a flick, sent something to fall tinkling onto the ground. The wound, free of the obstruction, immediately ceased to bleed, closing up without leaving so much as a mark.

Callisto jerked and slapped the warrior stingingly on the arm.

"Ow," she complained.

"Do that again and I'll give you something to complain about," Xena warned.

Gingerly, Gabrielle bent down and picked up the two-inch long shard of crystal that was completely transparent, using the cloth to protect her fingers from the keen edge. She held it up, the glow of the torch glinting off it. She could see it only because of Callisto's blood staining it.

"I thought you wanted me to secure the crystal," Xena said with a crooked grin.

"Funny," Callisto responded in a tone that indicated it was not at all. "Just take out the rest, will you."

Working steadily, Xena removed four more splinters from the immortal's hand, Gabrielle catching them in the square of cloth. Callisto flexed her hand, wincing and shaking it a bit when the warrior had finished.

"Did I get them all?" Xena asked, noting the wince.

Callisto nodded. "Yeah, but they burned, like acid," she said. "It's just going away now."

"What do we do with them?" Gabrielle asked as they examined the shards, visible only where the immortal's blood made them so.

"I think they'd make really good arrow heads," Callisto offered with a grin.

"My thought exactly," Xena said, nodding.

Neither of them were known as archers but both Xena and Callisto had trained with and mastered the bow. They hoped to make some proper arrows from materials in their packs. Gabrielle saved them the trouble, finding five short shafts on the altar, already notched and feathered. None of them were surprised when the crystal splinters fit perfectly and shortly, they had five arrows set and ready.

"No bow," Callisto pointed out.

Gabrielle popped up from behind the altar, bearing a large, ornate bow in her hands. "Look what I found," she said.

"Anything else?" Xena asked, raising an eyebrow as she flexed the string experimentally. It was with unspoken agreement that she would wield the bow while Callisto engaged Valasqua. She put the arrows carefully in a makeshift quiver she had attached to her back.

"I think that about covers it," Callisto said.

"Now we should give thanks to Artemis for her help," Gabrielle said. She dug out some jewelry she had picked up on her last shopping trip, laying a broach reverently on the altar. It was silver and shaped like a leaping stag.

Xena looked stoic as Callisto rolled her eyes. "If you ask me, if it weren't for Artemis we wouldn't have to be going through this in the first place," the immortal said. "She oughta be giving thanks to us."

Gabrielle ignored her as she knelt and briefly offered her prayer of thanks to the Goddess of the Hunt. There was a pause, then a glow surrounded the broach and it disappeared, indicating the offering was accepted.

Callisto leaned over in an aside to Xena. "I think they just like free stuff," she said.

Privately the warrior agreed but she would not say so out loud. Gabrielle did not share her disrespect for the gods and Xena would not presume to try to rattle the bard's faith in any way. There was a swirl of light and a form appeared on the altar before the kneeling bard. Both Xena and Callisto's hands drifted to the hilts resting over their shoulders, pausing as they finally recognized the slender female dressed in green.

"Oh, Honored Artemis..." Gabrielle began but was stopped by the upraised hand.

"There is no time," the goddess said, waving her hand to create an opening within the crystal. "Go quickly. Valasqua has already begun her attack."

Before they realized it, the three women were being pushed through the opening, falling and rolling onto the grassy turf as the sun streamed brightly about them. The air was alive with screams and yells and the pounding of hooves and the roar of fire. Greasy smoke darkened the sky as the woman scrambled to their feet.

Disoriented, Gabrielle peered at the village under attack by the horse borne raiders.

"This isn't Potedeia," she exclaimed then blanched with horror as Callisto screamed beside her, the immortal's face twisted as she stared at the burning huts before her.

The Amazon village burned as Valasqua's army descended upon them.

***

"CASSIOPE!"

Callisto was running for the village, drawing her sword but as fast as she'd moved, Xena was faster, three feet in front of her, her sword also out. They hit the first wave of fighters, sliding through them with ease, leaving the corpses to fall unnoticed before taking the next group. Gabrielle, bringing up the rear, knew enough to leave the fighting to the warriors. Not that she couldn't wield a mean staff, she could and did when anyone got too close, but her position was defensive and she was well aware of it.

The Amazons who had organized a spirited defense, noted the presence of their queen and the two new warriors joining them and they quickly took the offensive, knowing the tide had suddenly turned somewhat in their favor. They knew they could not defeat Valasqua who was gleefully blowing up the structures they had just finished rebuilding after her last visit, but no pathetic band of men were going to beat them, particularly in their own turf. With the arrival of Xena and Callisto, they could leave the godling to them and concentrate solely on the rag tag army Valasqua had assembled.

Callisto raced into the center square in time to see the small form of her sister dart into a hut. Behind her, Solari cut down two raiders before following the child in. Two seconds later, the slender form of Valasqua standing on the queen's dias at the end of the center square, blew the hut into an expanding ball of flame.

Xena saw it too, and as she battled four raiders, she watched out of the corner of her eye as the blond stopped dead, staring at the demolished hut, sword dropping from nerveless fingers. Heart aching, the warrior princess sliced across her opponents and took an abortive step towards the immortal. She stopped as a line of fire appeared around her.

"Why Xena, so glad you could join me in time to see my glorious victory," Valasqua said, voice dripping with poison as she duly noticed the warrior's arrival. "I do hope you brought Gabrielle with you. It will save me having to track her down."

Xena split her attention between the godling and Callisto who turned towards them then. Xena had never seen such eyes. It was as if all the horror of the world had settled within the slender blond and Xena knew in that moment, there would be no going back for Callisto this time. The humanity Callisto had found in the last few months was gone, ripped away as if it had never existed and a greater darkness claimed her soul, far beyond that which had held it before. The only two who might have reached through it had been in that hut which had collapsed in a heap of flame and sparks.

Callisto screamed them, a terrible cry of agony and lose. Instantly she was moving towards Valasqua and only then did the godling become aware of her. A faint frown crossed her face as if she were trying to place the blond, then it twisted in pleasure as she raised a hand, pointing it at Callisto.

Moving calmly but quickly, Xena pulled the bow from her shoulder and drew her first arrow, drawing it back smoothly and aiming at the godling. Gently she released her fingers, the arrow streaking through the air just as Valasqua let loose her bolt of lightning which caught Callisto full in the chest, flinging her across the square. The godling let out a scream as the arrow struck her in the thigh. Disbelievingly she yanked the arrow out and stared at the blunted tip with confusion. The wound in her thigh continued to bleed and Valasqua tossed the shaft aside and glared at Xena with milk-white eyes.

Xena grimaced. So the other four weren't spares, she thought as she leaped out of the ring of fire and flipped through the air to avoid the lightning that crashed into where she had been standing a split second before. She landed and rolled, coming up with another arrow already notched. She fired and was moving once more, not stopping to see if it reached it's target.

Judging from the scream and temporary break in the explosions, she had a pretty good idea it had and she dared another glance as she pelted across the square. Valasqua was removing the second arrow from her right shoulder and that wound too, continued to bleed. It must be driving the rouge Amazon crazy that it seemed like Xena was scoring with untipped arrow shafts. How long had it been since she'd last felt pain?

Then Callisto was up and moving again, leaping on the godling with a scream, stabbing wildly at her with her dagger, infuriated at how little damage she was inflicting. Xena had her third arrow draw but was unable to fire, no clear shot open to her without the risk of hitting Callisto.

Patiently she waited and finally Valasqua managed to throw the immortal off her, slamming her to the ground. The third arrow took the Amazon high in the chest and this time, it did more than wound. The white in her eyes flickered, turned brown, returned to white. The bolt tossed at the warrior princess was weak, fizzling across ground like ball lightning. Xena actually could leap over it and did so, dodging behind an overturned wagon. She leaped up, the fourth arrow ready and once more she had to wait as Callisto beat on the chestnut haired woman, this time scoring bloody damage on the weakened godling.

The immortal actually drove Valasqua to the ground, slamming her head on the rocks over and over again. Xena dared to run closer, standing above the pair.

"Callisto, get out of the way," she screamed.

Callisto did not even look up. Knowing she was going to regret it, Xena kicked the immortal aside and shot the fourth arrow into the stunned godling. The blast of lightning and an infuriated immortal hit her at the same time. The lightning was weak, only giving her a mild buzz, the last shot as white eyes turn permanently to human and the Goddess of Chaos became a mere mortal once more. The backhand from Callisto was not, sending the warrior princess careening across the common, blood streaming from her split lip and nose.

Well, she knew she would regret it and she did, she thought dizzily as she staggered to her feet. She groped for the last arrow, shocked as she was unable to find it. She looked around anxiously and found it lying on the ground about ten feet away. She made a step for it, ducked a swing from a raider who immediately died under the sword of Ephiny who had appeared from mopping up the front and dived for it, scooping it up.

She notched it and stood up, drawing the bow. Callisto held the semi-conscious woman up with one hand, a dagger in the other. Grinning her maniacal grin, she brought it up to draw it across the Amazon's throat and suddenly Xena knew what the fifth arrow was for. Who the fifth arrow was for.

"Callisto!"

Callisto turned and looked at her, no recognition in those brown orbs, nor any sense of sanity. Xena closed her eyes as she released the arrow.

Which buried itself in Callisto's heart.

***

An eerie silence fell over the square as the two former godlings fell to the ground. Ephiny took a step towards Xena, then, after a look at the warrior's face, changed her mind and motioned two of the guard to take Valasqua. With the last of the ambrosia purged from her system, the rogue was merely a mortal woman, one who had made herself an enemy of the Amazon nation. Any followers she may have had at one time had long ago disassociated themselves from her. The two guards were not gentle as they hauled the battered brunette to her feet and dragged her off.

Gabrielle came running out of where she had spent most of the battle, fighting occasionally but mostly helping the wounded and injured get to safety. She skidded to a stop beside the warrior and threw her arms around her. Xena hugged her back, dropping the shattered bow to the ground. It had snapped as she let the last arrow fly, its purpose done. Her eyes never left the crumpled form on the ground.

Gently she pushed the bard away and she walked towards Callisto, waving away two Amazons who had been about to pick her up.

"I'll do that," she said roughly as she knelt beside the sprawled body, looking down at the woman who seemed so small as she lay on the cold ground, the wild blond hair brittle across the elven face peaceful for the first time in six years. Gently Xena brushed the hair back. She had made this monster. Watched as the monster had somehow retrieved a little bit of humanity back only to see it slip away once more. And finally she had to finish the job she started so long ago in Cirra.

"Oh, Callisto," she whispered. "I am so..so sorry."

She was vaguely aware of Gabrielle behind her, of the warm hands resting on her shoulders, of the bard crying the tears that she could not. She drew a soft fingertip down the cold cheek.

Where will you end up, Enemy Mine? Will Hades be glad to see you? A wry smile touched her lips. I suspect not. Were the three acts of protecting a bard enough to make up for the evil you did? If there is justice, it was and perhaps you will end up in the Elysian Fields. And perhaps you shall find Cassiope and Solari waiting there for you.

"CALLISTO!"

A small form crawled out from beneath the rubble and came barreling across the square. Xena's heart went cold in her chest as the ten year old kid threw herself on the inert body, evading the bard who attempted to stop her, to prevent her from seeing her sister.

"C'mon, Calli, wake up," she screamed, tears streaming down her face. "I'll be good, I promise. Please don't go away. Please don't go away again."

She grabbed the shaft protruding from the woman's chest, yanking it out and throwing it as far as she could. It landed at the feet of a scorched yet basically unharmed woman who's face was gaunt as she looked down at the body in the square. Solari had chased Cassiope into the hut and grabbed her, the pair leaping through the window on the other side just as Valasqua blew it up. The explosion had thrown them some distance, the Amazon doing her best to protect the child, the debris covering them. It took some time for them to dig their way out.

To find this.

Cassiope buried her face in her sister's chest, sobbing hysterically. Her heart breaking, Xena carefully reached out to pick the child up, freezing in stunned disbelief as Callisto's hand twitched, then raised weakly to touch the child's head.

"Cassi?" the voice was a croak, a mere shadow of the acerbic tones that normally came from the woman.

Xena was unceremoniously shoved aside by Solari who knelt beside Callisto. Shaking, the Amazon reached out to touch the ashen cheek, the dark eyes wet with tears as they looked down at the blond who looked back in bewilderment.

"We thought you were dead," Solari said, swallowing hard.

"I..what happened?" Callisto responded and winced. "I thought Valasqua killed you...." She tried to sit up and with her sister's help, was able to. She looked around dazedly at the demolished village. "Help me up."

Carefully they helped her to her feet and still staggering a little, one arm about Cassiope's shoulders, the other around Solari's waist, she moved them over to where Xena stood next to the bard, watching with a wealth of emotions warring on her strong features.

"I remember now," Callisto said weakly. "You shot me."

And she promptly kicked the warrior princess in the shin.

***

Xena slowly pulled on her leather tunic, mended and cleaned by an Amazon earlier that day. Her armor had also been polished to a deep shine. She carefully attached her chakram to her hip and slipped her sword over her back. With a frown, she checked her boots, the black leather oiled and looking far better than they had for some time.

Well, she thought, have to look my best for Valasqua's trial.

She shook her head, sighing. She knew in her heart that the verdict was a forgone conclusion. Even Valasqua offered no defense, as aware of Amazon law as anyone.

But she also knew that Gabrielle would not bring down the sentence everyone was demanding. There was absolutely no way the gentle bard would sentence Valasqua to death. It went against everything she believed in. Yet Xena could see no way that Gabrielle could justify allowing the Amazon to live, not satisfactory. It could very easily end up costing the bard any status with the Amazons at all.

She wished that as soon as the battle had ended, she had swept Gabrielle up and rode off on Argo, the horse having easily made its way back to the village long before her rider had. But she had promised the bard that they would stay here a while.

Not that they had spent any time together. Between helping in the cleanup and the demands put upon the redhead by the ruling council, they only saw each other in passing. Gabrielle was even sleeping up at the dormitory, part of which had been designated as the temporary palace, her duties keeping her up so late that she didn't bother making her way back to the hut she normally shared with Xena.

Xena could have joined her there, of course, but the dormitory was just that, many beds in a common room, Amazons living in each other's pockets. She couldn't stand that. She hated being around people as it was. Of course, after today's trial, it might all be moot. Xena left the hut, exiting into the bright sunshine. She should have let Callisto kill Valasqua, she mused. Before she shot her.

That led her thoughts to her former nemesis and she glanced over at the hut where Callisto had been recuperating under the tender ministrations of Solari and Cassiope. Solari was just leaving and the brunette gave her a brief nod. There had always been respect between them but now there was also Callisto between them. Xena had hurt the woman she loved and no matter that Cirra had happened long before she knew her, no matter that Callisto had achieved a sort of peace since, Solari still felt angry at Xena for bringing pain to Callisto. Both knew it wasn't quite rational but then, love rarely was. Xena accepted that.

"Callisto would like to see you," the Amazon said shortly. "I'm on my way to the trial."

Xena nodded. "I'll stop by now and be along shortly," she said, and altered her course to enter the hut.

Inside, Callisto was lying on the bed, listening as Cassiope told her the proper way to wield a staff. The child looked up as the warrior entered. The two had come to a sort of understanding, mostly due to the little girl's fascination with Argo and she no longer tried to kick the warrior in her knee whenever the opportunity presented. Neither did Callisto.

"Cassi, go find Eponin," Callisto urged, patting the child on the back. "And don't forget anything so you can tell me it all later." Obligingly, the child scooted out the door and left the two warriors to contemplate each other.

"How are you feeling?" Xena asked, finding a chair and, flipping around, straddling it.

Callisto shrugged. "My chest still hurts, it's hard to breathe sometimes," she said. "I'm sore all over. I'd forgotten how it feels to be mortal." She flashed that demented smile, half little girl, half demon. "Better than Tartarus though."

Xena nodded. She hesitated. "I...I'm sorry I shot you," she said slowly. They had not really discussed it; in fact, this was the first time they had been alone together.

Callisto shrugged again. "You did what you thought you had to," Callisto said, dismissing it without interest. Again the smile. "Compared to the quicksand...."

Xena narrowed her eyes, grinning thinly. There had been so much hatred and bloodshed between them, it was hard to believe that they had actually gotten to a place where they could sit and discuss things like this so casually. Or even half joke about it.

Callisto grew serious. "You know there's a problem here," she offered.

"Gabrielle's sentence," Xena said flatly.

The blond nodded. "Solari tells me that if the sentence is not death, there will be an outcry for Gabrielle to be removed," she said carefully. "There's no way around it. Too many want Valasqua's head."

"So it will come to that," Xena said softly. "I had hoped that.....The only way to remove the Rite of Caste now that she's queen is for her to be challenged. It's a combat to the death."

Callisto shifted as she found herself a more comfortable position. "You're her champion," she said knowingly, Solari having filled her in on the history of the Amazons. "Outside of myself, Xena, no one here stands a chance against you. And I won't be fighting, even if I were able. I'm not on the Council. So it will be Ephiny or Eponin.....or Solari. And you'll kill whoever it is." Eyes bore into the warrior princess. "You know if it's Solari..." Her voice trailed off without finishing the thought.

"I know," Xena said, bowing her head. She sighed and rested her chin on her arms crossed on the back of the chair. "I don't want to kill anyone here. These women are my friends, Gabrielle and I find sanctuary here. But Gabrielle.....she won't sentence someone to death."

"Not even if it means somebody else dies? An Amazon she likes....or you by some fluke? Or her if she accepts the challenge herself?" Callisto was honestly curious. "She won't kill, but she'll let somebody else in her name?"

The chair back which Xena had been gripping suddenly went with a snap. Neither woman took notice, keeping their eyes on each other. Callisto smiled suddenly.

"There was a time when seeing you and the bard in such a no-win position would have been tremendously entertaining to me," she said. She shook her head ruefully. "I guess I have changed. All I feel is bad that I can't offer some kind of solution."

"I don't think there is one," Xena said, face bleak. "Not without Gabrielle being destroyed. She either has Valasqua killed by her order, or someone else will die for her choosing not to. She would gladly die in a challenge but....I won't let her do that."

Xena thought her head was going to explode. Her only hope had been that the Amazons would let the sentence pass. Callisto's words had dashed that. And it had been a faint hope at best. The punishment for the crimes Valasqua committed was death. That was the law, a law set down for centuries. Even Valasqua accepted it in her own way and was resigned to it. For Gabrielle to set it aside meant the Amazons had no choice but to remove her as queen. If Gabrielle were still only a princess....well, the Rite of Caste could be given up to the queen. That was no longer an option, one lost the day Valasqua had killed Melosa and became......

Valasqua had been queen.....Gabrielle had vacated the role when she hopped on the coffin being dragged by Autolycus....Valasqua had taken back her crown and the majority had followed her......Gabrielle took it back when Valasqua died....except, of course, she hadn't.....

Callisto had been watching the warrior princess face closely. She smiled. "Oh, I know you, Xena," she said in gleeful anticipation. "You have an idea."

Xena allowed a return smile. "I don't have it completely worked out," she said. "But I think maybe...just maybe there is a way out here. And Gabrielle doesn't have to kill anyone." She abruptly stood up. "I have to go."

"Wait," Callisto said, struggling to slide her legs over the side of the bed. "Take me with you. I don't want to miss this." She reached for a tunic hanging on the hook.

Xena hesitated, anxious to leave but keenly aware of the note of pleading in the blond's tone. It was impossible for her to disregard that and with a resigned sigh, she helped Callisto on with the tunic. She was however, too impatient to wait for the blond to make her ginger way to the center square where the trial was being held and she swept the slender woman up in her arms, ignoring her embarrassed objections, carrying her out the door and out into the sunshine.

Eponin raised a surprised eyebrow when Xena deposited the outraged Callisto on a seat beside her and Cassiope but the warrior didn't stay long enough to listen. Instead she immediately started making her way through the crowd in search of Gabrielle. She found her with Ephiny, Solari and a few others of the council, all of whom were pale at what would take place this day, but none more so than the bard.

Gabrielle was in full Amazon regalia, the royal mask pushed back on the top of her head in preparation for donning it for the trial. The staff in her hand was not her normal weapon, but an ornately carved bar of wood fit for a queen.

Xena drew her away briefly, heart breaking as she looked into the strained face, the green eyes dark and shadowed. The bard took a deep breath, putting her hand on the warrior's arm.

"It's okay, Xena," she said calmly. "I accepted the rite and the responsibilities that go with it. If the verdict is guilty....I will bring down the sentence I must." Only the white knuckles of the terrible grip Gabrielle had on the warrior's leather bracer displayed how much this was tearing her up inside.

Xena shook her head, smiling as she drew a finger down the bard's cheek. Quickly she offered her idea to Gabrielle who listened intently, frowning occasionally, then nodding with more and more enthusiasm though there was one last sticking point.

"She'll still die," she pointed out.

"But she'll die as a warrior," Xena said intently. "And you are giving her that chance, Gabrielle. That's more than she deserves, but it will be her choice. And that takes it out of your hands."

Gabrielle was doubtful. "I don't know," she said slowly. "I feel like a coward...."

"No," Xena spoke sharply. "You are not a coward, Gabrielle. You have more courage than anyone I know. You always do what's right. And this....this is right."

"But what if you..." Gabrielle began worriedly.

Xena allowed a bit of arrogance to show through. "That will never happen, Gabrielle," she said confidently.

"Trust me."

***

The trial went as expected and it was time for the sentencing. The Amazon, Valasqua, stood between her two guards, bound and smiling contemptuously at the bard as she was brought to stand before her. There was dead silence in the square as the entire tribe waited for their queen's words.

Gabrielle stood proud on the dias, the mask pulled down over to obscure her face which most knew would be exceptionally somber. She thumped the staff three times as was required, then her words echoed through the square.

"Valasqua, know that you have been judged guilty of crimes against the Amazon nation. The penalty for such crimes is death by the blade, with your body thrown to the scavengers, forever denied the Amazon funeral of a warrior." A pause, and en mass, unconsciously, everyone leaned forward. "But I cannot sentence you to death."

An uproar, the confused babble of voices which were loudly and forcefully hushed by the royal guards who did not appear happy about it. Gabrielle reached up and removed the mask, tucking it under her arm as she stared in Valasqua's smirking face. She waited until there was relative quiet once more.

"The reason I cannot," Gabrielle said, and her voice reached every corner of the square. "Is because I am not rightfully the queen. When I chose to follow Autolycus and Xena's body, I abdicated. You asked who would follow you and the majority affirmed your claim to the throne, accepting my abdication. The royal mask was given back to me only upon your death. Since clearly, you did not die, that means you never stopped being queen. The queen of the Amazons can only be challenged. She may never be sentenced. Cut her free." Shocked but moving automatically at the command, the royal guard did just that, cutting the bonds of the confused Valasqua and stepping away from her.

There was a stunned silence that swept over the crowd like a physical blow as the Amazons tried to work their way around this new bit of information. Only one person in the crowd immediately saw where this was going and Callisto laughed appreciatively, leaning over to the still puzzled Eponin.

"Not much wonder I never beat her," she chortled into the brunette's ear. "Xena knows all the angles."

Up on the dias, Gabrielle handed the mask over to Valasqua who took it without thinking, clearly still floored by what was happening. "But know this, Valasqua," the bard continued and the crowd listened avidly. "I now challenge for your rule. It shall go here in this square at dawn tomorrow. Do you accept this challenge, or do you choose the Ritual of the Cliffs?"

At that moment, as per ritual, Xena stepped forward, allowing the Amazon to know exactly what the challenge entailed. "I fight as her champion," the dark warrior said with a feral grin.

If Valasqua refused the challenge, she would be escorted to the top of the cliffs and be expected to take her own life by flinging herself off. But her body would be recovered and granted a full royal funeral as befitted the queen. Provided she accepted that option. Of course, there was not one woman there who believed Valasqua even gave it a fleeting thought.

"I accept your challenge, warrior," Valasqua said, the ritual words oozing hatred. She looked back at the bard who watched her warily. "And when I win?" she asked, stepping outside the ritual for a moment.

"I will challenge again the next day," Gabrielle said quietly. "Without a champion." She ignored the sharp look Xena shot her way.

Valasqua threw her head back and laughed. "I thank you for the incentive, Gabrielle," she said with pleasure. She caught Ephiny's eye who nodded coldly.

"And if you still live," the curly blond Amazon said flatly. "I challenge the next day."

"Then I, the next," Solari added in her even tones.

Valasqua looked around, knowing every Amazon on the dias felt the same, that even if she somehow managed to kill Xena, the challenges would never cease until either she, or the entire Amazon nation lay dead.

And that was just fine with her.

***

Gabrielle sat quietly at the head of the bed watching as Xena removed her armor, then her leathers. The bard had her legs bent before her, arms wrapped around her knees. Her eyes were dark in the flicker of the lamp light, the coppery hair seeming an even deeper red in the flame. She had removed the Amazonian garb and was now in a linen tunic that was a couple of sizes too large for her. She looked like a little girl, the warrior princess thought as she carefully placed her weapons next to the bed and drew on a light robe.

"Are you angry with me?" the bard asked softly.

Xena raised an eyebrow, honestly surprised. "No, why would I be angry?" she asked as she sat on the foot of the bed, tucking one leg up under her as she faced the smaller woman.

"For challenging Valasqua without a champion," Gabrielle offered. "I saw your look."

Xena shrugged. "It's not going to happen so why worry about it," she replied, then paused, looking at the bard. "I was a little surprised you thought you needed to," she added after a bit.

Gabrielle sighed. "She asked me," she said. "I know it won't happen either." She looked at her feet intently, digging her toes into the sheets. "You're so...remote tonight," she said finally. "I thought you were mad at me."

Xena shook her head, leaning forward to rest her hand on the bard's knee. "I'm not mad, Gabrielle," she explained. "I've just been thinking."

"About?" Gabrielle raised her eyes to meet hers.

Xena took a deep breath, slow to gather her thoughts. "A lot changed for you when you accepted the queen's mask," she said. "We been going about our own way, avoiding it. But there's going to come a time when they won't be content to let you wander all over the countryside. You will have to be more than a queen in name only and some hard decisions will have to be made. You were prepared to make one today and I saw what it cost you inside."

"You don't think I can do it?" Gabrielle's voice was even but her face was shaded with hurt.

"Of course you can, and will," Xena said, glad to see the features clear at her words. "No matter how much it hurts you. You will always do the right thing for the Amazons. You will be a great leader. When you decide to finally lead them for real. Or when they decide it's time."

"You think they're going to ask me to stay?" Gabrielle asked.

"I don't know," Xena said. "They might. Sooner or later, they will."

"Are you asking me what I'll do then?"

"I know what you'll do," Xena said, eyes steady on hers. "You accepted the responsibility and you would never shirk it. The question is, what will you ask me to do?"

Gabrielle rested her chin on her knees and regarded the older woman. "I would ask you to stay with me," she said evenly.

"And if I told you that I couldn't?" Xena asked shortly.

"Then I guess I.." here, the bard's voice faltered a bit. "I guess I would have to let you go." The large green eyes welled up, but the tears did not fall.

Xena nodded and moved closer, putting her hands on her shoulders. "If you ask me, I will stay," she said huskily. "If I can. But if I can't, it won't be because I don't love you. I just want you to understand that there may be demands on me I cannot ignore either. And I will always, always come back to you. Where ever you are."

Gabrielle nodded. "I understand what you're saying," she said slowly. "I guess we have been avoiding it, haven't we?" She shook her head briefly. "We make a difference, don't we? To so many lives. But then, those lives sort of become our responsibility."

"Everything has consequences," Xena agreed. "Not just the bad, but the good as well."

Gabrielle slid her hands up the warrior's arms, feeling the corded muscle through the thin cloth. "Just as long as the consequences of loving you," she said, scooting closer, "is you loving me."

"Forever," Xena smiled as she pulled the bard close to her. Carefully she bent her head and kissed the woman, sliding her hands down Gabrielle's sides, then to her legs, stroking the flesh gently. Slowly she slipped them under the nightshirt and back up over the hips, fingers dancing over the ribs lightly.

Gabrielle smiled when they parted. "Hmm, are you trying to have your way with me?" she asked, grasping the warrior's wrists through the cloth and holding them still.

"Are you objecting?" Xena asked with a raised brow.

"Nooo," Gabrielle said slowly, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Not exactly."

"Ahh, you want something special," the warrior said knowingly. "And just what is it you wish, my queen?" Her eyes widened appreciatively as the bard whispered in her ear. "Hmm, I think I can manage that. After all, I have many skills."

"I know," Gabrielle said. "That's why I asked." She frowned. "But...I don't want you to be too tired for tomorrow."

"Gabrielle, this renews me," the warrior said seriously. "You renew me. Just being with you makes me strong in ways I've never been before."

She leaned forward and kissed the redhead once more, gently slipping her tongue into the bard's mouth, running over the edged teeth before meeting the warm flesh within. She reached under the nightshirt and gently cupped the bard's breasts, rubbing her thumbs over the nipples, feeling them stiffen. Gabrielle moaned into her mouth and pulled back, pulling off her tunic in one quick motion, tossing to the side. Then she was tugging at Xena's, demanding it be gone as well. Grinning, Xena doffed the linen shirt and reached for the bard once more, the pair of them sinking onto the bed, wrapped in each other's arms.

"Do you know how much I love you, my warrior?" Gabrielle murmured against the full lips that curved up as they heard the words.

"I know," Xena responded, pulling her close to her as they kissed for what seemed forever, leisurely taking the time to explore each other thoroughly.

Finally, the warrior rolled over on her back, carrying the bard over on top of her.

The bard smiled and sat up, straddling the strong hips, knees on either side of Xena's waist, her buttocks tickled by the warrior's soft triangle of hair as she rested her weight on her heels. She lay her hands on the top of the muscled stomach and looked at Xena expectantly.

The warrior slid her sword-calloused hands along the bard's inner thighs, stroking the smooth skin slick with readiness, slipping ever upward until they found their goal. Her deep blue eyes gleamed in the lamplight as she watched the bard lazily give herself totally over to the warrior's fingers which gently stroked the wetness. Gabrielle kept her eyes locked on hers, her green eyes intent with an almost hypnotic quality.

The warrior loved this as much as Gabrielle did, the bard surrendering to her caresses as she looked up to see her every response, spread open to whatever her hands chose to do, lost in the sensations that flooded her body in wave after wave. With her free hand, Xena reached up to fondle the small breasts, rolling the nipple between thumb and forefinger, purring as the bard arched back, groaning. She slipped two fingers into the hot wetness, thrusting in a slow, easy rhythm as her thumb flicked the nub hard with desire. With steady motion, Xena built the bard's pleasure, the hips rocking against her belly and Gabrielle whimpered, her breathing harsh in the night.

"Xena..." she moaned. "Please.."

And the warrior increased her pressure until with a final cry, Gabrielle spasmed and fell forward, caught by a strong arm that pulled her tight against the larger body even as the long slender fingers continued to move gently, drawing out the last of the pulsations before slowly withdrawing and sliding around the smooth back.

"Xena," Gabrielle muttered, sated and safe within the strong arms.

"You're hopeless," the warrior rumbled fondly.

"No, I'm helpless," she returned happily. "You make me so."

"Mmm," Xena agreed, hugging her tightly, only to loosen her grip a moment later as the bard raised up and began to kiss her way down the lengthy body. With a smile, Xena relaxed and let her bard return the favor, giving herself up totally to Gabrielle's ministrations.

And discovered she could be rendered rather hopelessly helpless as well.

***

Xena stood in the center square motionless, balanced on the balls of her feet, her sword held easily in her right hand. Her chakram was with Gabrielle, who held it for her until the challenge's end. She didn't need it. She had battled Valasqua in Gabrielle's body while dangling over the fire and spikes. Even in the lighter, less powerful form, she had defeated her. When Valasqua was a godling, Xena had crossed swords with her, and only the woman's ambrosia-induced power had kept the warrior princess from cutting her down. The Amazon would not have the ambrosia protecting her this time. The outcome of this challenge was a foregone conclusion. She knew it. Gabrielle and the rest of the ruling council on the queen's dias at the end of the square knew it. The Amazons stacked four deep as they surrounded the square knew it. Callisto, settled comfortably on a bench between Solari and Cassiope, their backs resting against the stone wall of the well, knew it.

Valasqua knew it.

Xena could see it in her eyes. And that made her dangerous. The animal cornered always came up with the surprises. Nor could Xena forget that this woman had defeated Melosa, a formidable fighter that Xena herself had battled. So she did have skill. And more than one warrior's last battle came as a result of overconfidence.

Xena readjusted her grip and smiled ferally at the Amazon who faced her. The woman was stripped down to a loin cloth and nothing else, choosing speed over protection. And hopefully a psychological advantage. It made Xena, dressed in her full armor, look like a bully. Of course, it was wasted on the warrior princess. Xena didn't care what she looked like.

This woman had threatened Gabrielle, had tried to kill the bard on more than one occasion. For that alone, Xena was determined to kill her. The information about the sort of woman she was which Callisto had passed onto her was just a bonus.

Xena looked at her and knew that Valasqua was deliberately provoking her. Standing there, sword lowered, looking as helpless as possible. She was trying to goad the warrior princess into casting aside her sword, to make the fight more honorable. Though what Valasqua knew about honor was debatable indeed. Still, it was kind of intriguing. Xena was never adverse to a challenge now and again.

With a contemptuous smile, she tossed aside her sword, eliciting a few gasps from the crowd, knowing by the sudden glee in Valasqua's eyes that she had guessed right. With an oath, Valasqua instantly brought her sword up and struck at the unarmed warrior.

Which Xena had also anticipated and she countered with one of her very favorite moves, catching the blade between her palms, and twisting it out of the Amazon's hands, flipping it up in the air before catching it in her right hand. She widened her eyes in look-what-I-got expression and grinned widely at the Amazon, twirling the weapon by her ear. She made a few playful feints before tossing it aside.

Callisto snorted. "What a showoff," she scoffed.

Xena was circling the Amazon warily now. The time for play was over and it was now time to finish this. Valasqua's face was flushed red with fury, realizing that her ploy had not worked and that she had been humiliated to boot. Though both were unarmed, Xena was clearly the more powerful of the two, having both a height and weight advantage. Valasqua's only chance was to get in one killing shot. And she would have but one chance at it.

Xena was well aware of this. This fight would not go on for very long. Both were too skilled for them to engage in anything less than fatal blows. And with Xena's armor covering her chest with layered leather over her abdomen, most of her vital organs were protected. That left only her head vulnerable, the bridge of her nose, the temple. But they made for very small targets.

So Xena was surprised when Valasqua went for the warrior's leg, a quick lunge that attempted to smash her kneecap, trying to cripple her. Xena barely managed to take it on her leg instead, letting it snap the femur which would heal clean rather than the knee which would always be a problem. She fell to the dirt and caught the follow up blow that would have crushed her temple. It had been a good move but Xena was equal to it even on her knees, strong hands catching the slender Amazon's ankle and diverting it past her head which left Valasqua wide open for the sharp, vicious blow to her abdomen, driving the air and a good portion of her internal organs out of place. As Valasqua bent forward, blood gushing from her mouth and nose, Xena finished her, grasping her head in vise like hands and twisting sharply. The Amazon's neck snapped and the warrior dropped the corpse onto the ground where, with a few final convulsions, the once goddess of chaos was no more.

More tired than she cared to admit, Xena looked down at her vanquished foe with a combination of sorrow and triumph...sorrow at another life senselessly wasted, triumph that this particular monster would never threaten her Gabrielle again.

Her Gabrielle who had now rushed over and was hugging her tightly as she demanded a stretcher be brought.

"I don't need a stretcher," Xena grumbled as she tried to get to her feet.

"Don't argue with me," Gabrielle snapped with uncharacteristic anger and surprised, Xena fell back, raising an eyebrow at the Queen of the Amazons who was very much in command here.

Bemused, she lay still as the Amazons lifted her to a stretcher. She caught Callisto's eye who returned her grin. "That was pathetic, Xena," she informed her. "I could have done a better, quicker, cleaner job even now."

"Well, next time, we'll get you to do it," Xena replied evenly, with a glint in her eyes.

Solari wrapped her arm around the blond. "I don't think so. There's no more need for her to ever have to fight again. She just has to concentrate on getting better," the Amazon said warningly at Xena who eyed her with amusement even as Callisto stared at her lover with open astonishment. Then the stretcher was picked up and Xena was being borne off to the healer's hut where no doubt she would hear similar comments only in greater detail, from the bard.

Behind her, other women gathered up their former leader and carried her off to the hut where her body would be prepared for a royal funeral. In death, if not in life, Valasqua would be recognized as a rightful queen of the Amazons.

***

Epilogue

The whole world seemed to have stopped in that moment before dawn, when everything was still and silent as those that prowled the night found themselves places to hide while those which thrived under the day's aegis had not yet began to stir. There was no breeze to rustle leaves, no sound of insects breaking that dawn hush as the first glimmers of light began to tint the eastern horizon.

Gabrielle leaned sleepily against Argo's side. They had spent the last six weeks here in the village while Xena's amazing recuperative powers healed her broken femur and Gabrielle had a chance to have the warrior all to herself for a change. Though she knew it was time to go, the bard would miss their time here. And their friends...including, much to her surprise...Callisto and Solari. The two couples had spent a lot of time together as both warrior's regained their strength.

This leave taking was much different than the previous one. Only Eponin, Cassiope, Ephiny, Solari and Callisto were there to see the two off. Argo snorted in the cool morning air, her breath ruffling the dark hair of the warrior princess who was clasping arms with Ephiny.

"Take good care of our queen," Ephiny insisted.

"I always do," Xena replied, and stepped aside as Gabrielle and the Amazon embraced. She clasped arms with Eponin and Solari, then looked down at Cassiope.

"Take care of your sister," she informed the child solemnly. "She has a habit of getting into trouble."

"I will," Cassiope responded gravely.

Xena looked up to meet the dark eyes of her long time enemy.

"What will you do when all the monsters are gone?" Callisto asked with a gentle smile.

"Find myself an Amazon and settle down," Xena returned the smile.

"I hope I'm the Amazon you're referring to," Gabrielle said at that moment, joining them. She reached out and touched Callisto on the arm. "Take care of yourself, Callisto. I think I'm actually going to miss you."

Callisto grinned her demented grin. "You've been out in the sun too long, bard," she said.

"Maybe," Gabrielle allowed and before Callisto could stop her, the bard stepped forward and embraced the startled blond.

Awkwardly, Callisto endured it, patting her on the back a little for lack of anything else to do. Xena laughed and recaptured the bard in a strong arm about her waist as the bard stepped backward. "Time to go," she said, and in one easy motion, lifted the bard into the saddle before springing up behind her. She and Callisto shared a half grin and nod, then she reined Argo around and the pair rode out of the village.

The Amazons dispersed, Cassiope dashing off towards the practice fields as Eponin followed at a much more sedate pace. Callisto was left standing alone, looking after the mounted horse until it disappeared in the distance.

"Look after yourself, Enemy Mine," she said softly.

Then she turned and headed towards the hut where the slender form of Solari stood waiting in the doorway. Towards a new life where Callisto was no longer the sole survivor of Cirra.

The End