By Mike Ciani
Xena, while riding Argo with Gabrielle in tow, was recalling her dream from last night. A rather ominous and disturbing one she thought. A grimace appeared on the warrior's face as she thought about the events of her dream.
Fire, lightning, Amazon masks, an evil throaty laugh, and worst of all Callisto's face were the memorable parts of her dream. Evil laughter directed at Xena. The face of her worst enemy, still mocking and scornful, yet changed also. The images were quick flashes and blurs to Xena, but Callisto's face was as clear as the beautiful morning sky on this day.
Her trancelike state was broken by the voice of her friend asking, "Xena, can we stop in the next village? I want to do some shopping." Xena snapped out of her reverie looked down at Gabrielle and said, "Yeah, we can do that."
Gabrielle noticing Xena's semi-shocked reaction asked her friend, "Is something bothering you Xena? You're even quieter than usual. Which is kinda strange since I've been talking to you for the last five minutes."
Xena quickly assured Gabrielle that things were all right and there was nothing for her to worry about. "Gabrielle, trust me, everything is fine. I just had some trouble sleeping last night. I wasn't comfortable. Nothing for you to worry about though." With that Xena gave Gabrielle a cheerful smile to assuage any fears her companion may have.
Xena, Gabrielle, and Argo all entered into the village while the sun was close to its apex in the sky. Gabrielle started immediately searching for a peddler in the marketplace to haggle with.
Xena first found a stablemaster who would feed Argo while they were in town, and she then immediately headed for a tavern for a drink of ale.
The usual riff-raff was hanging around inside of the tavern boasting of feats while looking foolishly drunk.
One man was telling a tale of his sexual conquests as Xena walked up to the bar and ordered a port of ale for herself. The braggart then mentioned the name Xena in the conversation. Xena listened as he bragged how he defeated the great warrior woman Xena in combat and then how he had his way with the wench as he called her.
Upon hearing this, Xena slowly and deliberately walked up behind the man, and tapped him on the shoulder.
The ugly drunk turned around and said, "What in Tartarus do you want?"
Xena smiled at him and said, "Remember me sunshine?"
The drunk looked at her and said, "Nope, don't know who you two women are." Xena gave an unusual look to the guy when he stood up and said, "I might not know you two, but we can get closer if you like." With that he put his hand on Xena's butt, and was greeted with a boot to the face very quickly, followed by a toss over the bar and onto the floor.
Xena stood over the drunk and smiled when the guy looked at her and said to him, "By the way, I'M XENA." before landing a kick to his head that made him pass out. With that Xena went back to her drink and had a seat at a table.
Gabrielle was looking through the marketplace at some new bileous sports bras a peddler had at his market stand. She found a very pretty green one, knowing that green is Xena's favorite color.
She then asked the peddler how much he wanted for it.
The peddler said to her gruffly, "For you girlie, I'll let you have it for...oh, say 30 dinars."
Gabrielle, now wide-eyed said, "30 dinars for this thing. Ha! You're going to have to do much better than this buddy. This thing isn't worth more than 20 dinars. You know 20 dinars would be a fair offer for it."
The peddler replied by saying, "20 dinars!"
Gabrielle then said, "20 dinars, good then we are agreed."
The peddler said, "Hold on, 20 dinars, I didn't..."
Gabrielle gave a sweet smile and said, "Now 10 dinars would be a good deal for you in my opinion."
The confused peddler said, "10 dinars?"
She replied, "Fine 10 dinars it is, here you are and I'll take my this with me now." As she left with a big grin on her face, Gabrielle couldn't help but to sneak a look back at the peddler who was obviously lost and helplessly staring wide-mouthed.
Gabrielle then remarked, "Well...time to find Xena and see what she thinks of my new top." As Gabrielle headed off towards the tavern, she didn't notice the figure of a woman lurking around the corner watching her every move.
Back at the tavern, Xena told Gabrielle that they had to get back on the road if they were to make it to Parnassus by nightfall. The two women went and found Argo and headed out of town to get on the path to Parnassus.
While in a area surrounded with trees, Xena heard some rustling above them. All of a sudden a group of masked Amazon warriors dropped out of the trees, and immediately Gabrielle gave the traditional Amazon salute.
The leader of the group removed her mask, the mask of the queen. Gabrielle and Xena smiled as Gabrielle went up to her and said, "Hello Ephiny. It's been awhile hasn't it?"
Ephiny hugged her friend and replied, "Well, yes it has been over a year since you last visited the village."
As Gabrielle broke her embrace, Xena walked up to Ephiny and said, "Hello Ephiny. I just wanted to apologize deeply for breaking your..."
Ephiny cut Xena off and said, "Xena, while I was angry for a time, I do understand why you did what you did. You were angry Xena, and I have forgiven you, just as Gabrielle would have." With that the two warriors gave each other a warm hug.
Xena asked, "Well I am sure you didn't come tracking us here for a social call. What's up?"
Ephiny replied, "Well, some of our Amazon sisters have come up missing, and we can't find a trace of them, dead or alive."
Xena's face wrinkled into a frown as suddenly her dream from the previous night returned to her.
Gabrielle quickly picking up on Xena's silence looked at her friend. She then asked Xena, "Now something has been bothering you all day Xena. I want to know what's wrong, but if you won't tell me..."
Xena then started retelling her previous night's dream. "It was a strange dream I had last night. It was foggy in the middle of a forest glade and I saw Amazon women in masks. I heard voices all around me, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. Evil laughter that could give goosebumps and then I saw..." Xena stopped for a moment to contemplate how to say the next part. "Gabrielle, then I saw Callisto's face. But it wasn't exactly her, not like we used to see her at least."
Ephiny then interjected, "Isn't Callisto dead? I did hear about the events that occurred in Dahak's Temple from Joxer. He said you stabbed her with a dagger of Hind's Blood."
Xena morosely answered, "Yes, I did stab her with the dagger. I let my anger get the best of me. She was taunting me about Gabrielle's fall over into the firepit, and all I wanted to do was to stop her maniacal laughing. She baited me into killing her, simply."
Ephiny then asked, "Xena, you sound like you're almost sorry for killing her? You had to she was an out-of-control goddess."
"No Ephiny, I am definitely not sorry for doing what I did. It's just after I stabbed her with the dagger, she...", Xena voice started to waiver a bit.
Gabrielle looked at Xena with a glare, and was about to speak, when Xena cut her off by asking Ephiny when the last time she saw the missing Amazons was?
Ephiny had announced that most of the Amazons had been missing for weeks and a few even longer.
With that Xena immediately announced that they should head back to the Amazon village so she could help find the missing women. Gabrielle still stood with a rather angry look on her face as Xena mounted Argo and started to ride in the direction of the Amazon village.