DISCLAIMER AND AUTHOR'S NOTE: All Xena stuff is the legal property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures, I just felt like using it. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fiction. All other characters that appear belong to me. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies may be made for private use only and must include this copyright notice and disclaimer.
The Choice
By Kristjan Brezovnik
When Xena and Gabrielle arrived to Poteidaia, the village was empty, deserted. Gabrielle had a bad feeling and from the looks of things there was a battle not so long ago. They looked around, but all the villagers were gone. Gabrielle was seriously worried when she noticed that Xena was examining the tracks. She went to her.
"Did you find anything?" she asked, concerned.
"I think so," Xena said and started to follow the trail.
Gabrielle followed her.
They soon arrived at a large meadow which ended with a cliff beneath which a river flowed. When Xena saw the cliff ahead, she stopped, having a very bad feeling.
"What's wrong?" Gabrielle asked and looked around.
"I think it's a trap."
"A trap?"
"Mhm," Xena said and drew her word. "Stay here."
Xena moved onto the meadow and Gabrielle remained beside Argo, her staff ready.
Suddenly a war cry pierced the air and Gabrielle looked around to see where it came from. She didn't have to look long because Callisto came riding on the meadow. Gabrielle ran closer to assist Xena.
Callisto stopped her horse at a safe distance and somersaulted over its head.
"Hello, Xena," she said when she landed, grinning. "Nice to see you again."
"Well, it's not nice to see you."
"Oh, well, not everybody can be satisfied at once." Callisto looked around. "Attack!"
Xena looked and saw Callisto's soldiers rise from their hideouts and approach her.
"What did you do with the villagers?" she asked.
Callisto smiled.
"You'll see," she said teasingly, screamed her war cry again and attacked.
Gabrielle also noticed Callisto's soldiers and she prepared for the onslaught. She didn't have to wait long as Callisto's soldiers quickly swarmed all around her, the majority going for Xena, the rest for Gabrielle.
Gabrielle fought well, but there were just too many opponents and she was quickly taken prisoner. Xena noticed that and tried to free her, but she couldn't get close enough.
"Don't worry, Xena," Callisto called, "they won't hurt her! Yet!"
Callisto laughed and avoided a strike from Xena. Xena noticed that Callisto was apparently trying to capture her, but she had no intention of becoming a part of Callisto's sadistic games.
Unfortunately, there were just too many opponents and even though she started to kill them, they kept on coming. She considered retreating, but she couldn't just leave Gabrielle to Callisto. Finally she felt a blow to her head and her lights went out.
"Tie her up!" Callisto ordered and two of her men moved to execute the order.
Then they brought Xena to Callisto. Callisto slapped her a couple of times and Xena opened her eyes.
"So, Xena, I finally beat you?" Callisto said, her head cocked. She touched a scar on Xena's face. "Hurts, doesn't it? Hmm? Well, Xena, dear, it's about to get worse." She turned to Gabrielle. "Hello, Gabrielle."
Gabrielle didn't respond.
"Not so talkative anymore, hmm? Cat got your tongue?" Callisto asked and giggled. "Theodorus!"
"Yes, my Queen," Theodorus said and came closer.
"Bring out the surprise, will you?"
"Yes, my Queen," he said and waved at some of the soldiers, who immediately left.
Callisto turned back to her captives.
"Someone is going to die today, Gabrielle," she told the bard, "and it will be you who will decide who."
"What do you mean?" Gabrielle asked and Callisto could see that she was scared.
"You'll see," Callisto said and smiled naughtily.
"Leave her out of this, Callisto," Xena said.
Callisto laughed.
"I'm afraid it's too late for that, don't you think? Gabrielle made her choice when she joined you and now she has to pay the price."
The soldiers started to return and Xena and Gabrielle froze when they saw the people of Poteidaia following them.
"Surprise!" Callisto said and clapped her hands. "But I guess you already knew what it was, didn't you?" she cooed.
"Let them go," Xena pleaded, "they have nothing to do with me."
Callisto grinned.
"I know, but it makes things so much more interesting, doesn't it?"
They waited for a few minutes until the soldiers brought the people of Poteidaia closer.
"Okay," Callisto said and looked at the crowd, "I want Gabrielle's family to step out."
Nothing happened.
"If you don't, I'll start to kill people at random," Callisto threatened.
Hecuba and Herodotus stepped forward.
"We are her parents," Herodotus said.
Callisto looked at them and then at the crowd.
"Hmm, why do I have the feeling that you're not all of it? Hmm?" she asked and noticed that Gabrielle's parents jerked at that. "Okay, who's missing?" she asked, putting a dagger at some villager's throat.
"I am," Lila quickly said and stepped forward.
Callisto smiled.
"Good girl," she said and turned to Gabrielle. "Okay, Gabrielle, pick one of them."
"What?" Gabrielle asked, shocked.
"I think it's pretty simple. Pick Xena or one of your family, so I will kill her. Or him," she added and glanced at Herodotus. "Well, who's it gonna be, hmm?"
Gabrielle stared at Callisto, shocked, and then at her family and Xena. She couldn't choose any of them, they were all her family, including Xena, and choosing one of them would be like killing herself.
"I choose me," she said.
Callisto shook her head.
"Sorry, you were not on the list, sweetie," she said.
Gabrielle looked at her family again, all four of them, unable to decide.
"I'll give you another minute and then I'll kill them all," Callisto said. "Unless you give me one of them."
Everybody stared at Gabrielle, who just stood still, unable to decide. Xena could see the conflict in Gabrielle's eyes and she knew how hard it was for Gabrielle to resolve it. She knew that she would feel the same way if Callisto had demanded that she chose between her family and Gabrielle. She glanced at Gabrielle's family, who were watching their daughter, and then at her guards. Their attention was focused on Gabrielle. She looked at the other soldiers and saw that most of them were in front of her. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Then she suddenly pushed her guards away and ran to the cliff.
"Stop her!" Callisto immediately ordered.
"Xena, no!" Gabrielle cried when she saw her friend run to the cliff.
Callisto's men moved, but they were not fast enough and Xena jumped over the cliff before they could recapture her.
"No!!" Gabrielle screamed and fell to her knees.
Callisto stared at the spot where Xena had disappeared. She slowly walked to the edge and then looked over. When she could see nothing, she turned around and looked at Gabrielle.
"Looks like she made the choice for you," she said thoughtfully after a while and started to walk back. She glanced at Gabrielle's family and at the villagers. "Let them go," she said as she walked by Gabrielle.
The soldiers looked at her and then at Theodorus, confused, but when he nodded, they let go of the villagers and started to leave. Gabrielle's family immediately went to her and hugged her while the other villagers remained still for a while, until Callisto's soldiers were away, and then started to talk among themselves.
Hecuba hugged her daughter, but Gabrielle didn't move, still in shock. They remained still for a while and then Hecuba helped Gabrielle get up and took her home, still hugging her.
At home, Hecuba took Gabrielle to her bed and sat her there.
"I have to tell her mother," Gabrielle said absentmindedly and wanted to get up, but Hecuba stopped her.
"You will, sweetie, you will," she said and caressed her.
Lila sat beside her sister and hugged her. Their parents looked at them for a few moments and then Hecuba took her husband's hand and took him out. Gabrielle and Lila sat still for a few minutes and then Gabrielle started to cry. Lila hugged her even more tightly and caressed her and then Gabrielle suddenly hugged her back.
"Oh, Lila," she said.
The End