In the middle of the night, Gabrielle awoke from slumber to the comfort of Xena’s larger frame. After their rapturous lovemaking, the Conqueror had freed her from the bed posts. The Amazon had awakened several times throughout the night, only to find the warrior cradling her like a fragile new-born.
Gabrielle was amazed by the tenderness the warrior had shown her and a warmth closed over her heart remembering their night of exquisite passion. She examined the warrior’s slack features in the moonlight and could hardly believe that this was the same woman who had sent thousands throughout the Known World to their deaths. It was a cruel trick conceived by the gods in that, for a moment, Xena seemed so beautifully innocent. In spite of the dangerous predicament she found herself in, Gabrielle never wanted her time with the Conqueror to end. She wanted to be with Xena forever, but she was not so naive to think that the warrior would not slay her the moment she found out about the nefarious scheme she and Darphus were planning against the pre-eminent ruler. She thought long and hard about how she would alter their fate.
The covert mission called for Gabrielle to lead the Conqueror to the hot springs where Xena spent every full moon. The Amazon was supposed to keep Xena pre-occupied until Darphus and his cronies could make their move. At this time yesterday it seemed like a simple enough plan, but not today. Today things had changed dramatically. Today she didn’t want Xena dead. Today, she was hopelessly in love.
Gabrielle’s mind raced with the possibilities of an alliance with Xena, an historic alliance between the Conqueror and her people. To her dismay, every path she envisioned seem to lead to the edge of a plateau with Gabrielle and the Amazon Nation crashing to the rocks below. But there was one possibility that stood out amongst the rest and she returned to that seeming impossibility again and again. Finally, she thought to herself, stranger things have happened in her life and she could have hardly predicted that the long and winding road could have led her here. Here, to Xena, the Conqueror’s bedstead, with a woman she was crazily and madly in love with. Gabrielle began to make plans to take the next step, even though it could very well cost her life.
The first thing she had to do was stall for time. She mentally prepared the message she would deliver to Ephiny at first light, then fell back into a deep sleep.
Xena, the Conqueror awoke in the middle of the night from her slumber. She extricated her arms from around the Amazon Queen, smiling to herself at the perfect fit. She was amazed by her own tenderness and a warmth enveloped her heart that the little Amazon had pierced through the labyrinth of walls she’d constructed over the years. No one had weaved their way through her soul since Lao Ma and she had sworn no one ever would again. But now it was too late. The Amazon Queen was already there and Xena was powerless to stop her.
Xena found her way over to the castle window where she’d admired her handiwork nearly a month ago. She had been proud the last time she’d seen the bodies hanging from their crosses, their dying and pitiful pleas had given her an unspoken thrill. It had been absolute proof of the power she wielded over the Known World. Now, it merely sickened and disgusted her. She suddenly wished her life was much simpler and uncomplicated. She was tired of the weight of her responsibilities. She wished that she could spend the rest of her life with the Amazon, away from the politics and intrigue of her sovereignty and their Nation. But that could never happen, she knew. As the Conqueror, she also knew she would be forced to kill Gabrielle. Sadly, Xena took in a deep breath, shut out the sorrowful moans and walked away from the window. She snuggled up behind the smaller woman, savouring the last few days she would spend with the Amazon Queen.
Ephiny and the Amazons waited on the outskirts of Xena’s castle in the early mist of first light. They had travelled through friendly trees and only at night. They had received a message from Gabrielle, and Ephiny was relieved that the Amazon Queen seemed to be healthy and alive. What she was planning was extremely risky, given Xena’s temperament, but as she had told Gabrielle before, she’d never known a braver Amazon Queen.
The message was cryptic enough, but Ephiny understood it completely. At the light of the full moon, the Amazons would enter the castle as friend or foe, either to take over Darphus’ forces because Xena was dead or to ally themselves with the Conqueror. Ephiny wasn’t sure how the Amazon Queen would pull that one off but she had great confidence in her best friend and knew that no matter what, a great change was about to come.
"Darphus wants to kill you," Gabrielle announced as she washed Xena’s back. The two women bathed in the hot tub in the early hours of the morning.
"Darphus?" Xena snorted over her shoulder. "He doesn’t have the guts."
"He has help and there’s a plan underway right now," Gabrielle spoke carefully and slowly, her heart thumping in her chest. Xena turned around to face the Amazon.
"And who’s helping him?" Xena asked calmly. Her eyes narrowed into tiny slits and her mouth upturned into a smirk.
"I.I.I...don’t know," Gabrielle faltered. "But they’re going to ambush you in the hot springs at the full moon." Xena spoke slowly. "You don’t know who but you know all the details? That’s rather convenient, don’t you think?"
"I was going – " Gabrielle’s words were cut off as Xena’s fingers punched two dents on both sides of her throat, effectively cutting off the flow of blood to her brain.
"So, the Amazons are in a plot to assassinate the Conqueror. I thought you were just a little too good to be true," Xena sneered as she coolly interrogated the smaller woman.
"NO!!! Xena!!!" Gabrielle gasped, struggling mightily for air.
"No, what? The Amazons are not in on the plot or you’re not too good too be true?"
"I’m here…to…help!" the Amazon managed to spit out, her face turning blue from lack of oxygen.
"Is that right, little Queen? You mean help me to my death!"
"No! Xena! Let…explain!" Gabrielle was starting to see spots in front of her eyes and she panicked that it all might end right there.
"Explain what? You’re an Amazon but – "
"I love you!" the Amazon cried.
Xena paused for a moment, then mercifully, she released the points of blockage. Gabrielle collapsed on the side of the tub, sucking in deep breaths of air. Xena grabbed her by the hair.
"Now, tell me what’s going on, Amazon," she snarled.
"They want to kill you," Gabrielle confessed between heaving gasps. "They wanted me to help, and I agreed to help them. I wanted to help my people." Gabrielle swallowed hard and gained better control of her breathing. She took in another deep breath before continuing. "But you weren’t what I expected." Finally, she added quietly, "I don’t want you to die."
"Oh, that’s big of you," Xena said caustically. She let go of Gabrielle’s hair and barked out an order. "Go get dressed." Xena waited in the tub for a few more moments before climbing out after her. The two women dressed themselves in a deadly silence, each of them completely lost in her own thoughts.
The Conqueror lay in bed with her eyes wide open, watching the moon rise until it was high in the sky. It cast a peaceful glow over her castle, however, there was hardly peace in her kingdom. Gabrielle slept beside her. Xena watched the smaller woman toss and turn fitfully in her sleep and the warrior suspected that she was having nightmares from the turn of events. All day long, Xena had warily watched the woman, never letting the Amazon out of her sight. Whatever the truth was, she would find out soon enough. The Amazon confessed to sending a message to Ephiny stating that the Amazons would be here to help defeat Darphus. Xena didn’t believe it for a moment but let it pass, confident that she could play this game and keep her life intact. Darphus, however, wouldn’t survive the full moon. With that scenario running through her mind, she dozed off into a restless slumber.
"Xena, the Conqueror," the familiar voice rang out. Xena found herself once again manacled by heavy metal cuffs in her bedroom. She tried to twist around to face her nemesis, but the blonde woman held her firmly in place. Gabrielle slept undisturbed.
"Xena, Xena, Xena," Callisto whispered in that exasperatingly seductive voice of hers. "I told you, Xena, I’m the woman of your dreams. And your worst nightmare."
"Release me from this!" Xena barked. She wasn’t in the mood to play Callisto’s tiresome games.
"Hmm, Xena, the Conqueror. Are you sure you can still claim that title?"
"What are you talking about?" Xena sneered.
"Hmm, let’s see. That little girl in your bed conspired in a plot to kill you, then she sent a message to the Amazons and they’re supposed to come to your aid to defeat Darphus. You know, if I was a betting person, I’d bet it’s a message to attack and take over the castle."
"Get to the point, Callisto."
"My point is, why is she still alive, Xena? Why is that little brat still alive when anyone else would have been dead before they could say, "Xena, the Conqueror."
Xena didn’t answer. She had no rational reason why the Amazon still lived, all she knew was she couldn’t bear to kill her despite her outburst in the tub earlier.
"I’ll tell you why, my precious warrior. She’s alive because she’s guilty."
"Guilty?"
"She’s guilty, my sweet. Guilty of conquering Xena. Isn’t that right?"
"What are you saying?"
Callisto pressed her full body against Xena’s nude back and she lowered her voice to a sultry tone, lulling Xena onto a melodic wave of tranquillity. "She’s conquered you, Xena. Here," Callisto covered one of Xena’s breasts. "Here." She covered the other one. Her hand travelled down to the apex of Xena’s legs, where the triangle of hair was prominent. "And here," the blonde goddess gestured as her fingers played with the coarse hairs momentarily. Xena let out a soft moan. "But most importantly, she’s conquered you here," Callisto’s palm pressed between the hollow of Xena’s breasts. The beat of Xena’s heart forged out an acknowledgement.
"You’ll have to kill her, Xena. You can’t have someone like her conquer you, can you? You’re too good for her. She lies, she cheats. Oh, you don’t believe for a moment that Ephiny is merely her best friend," Callisto spat out the last word with the utmost disdain. The blonde goddess continued with her charges against Gabrielle. "She plays games. And you let her toy with you, Xena. My delicious warrior, you know what to do with her, don’t you?" Callisto murmured hotly in Xena’s ear. "Kill her!"
"No, I can’t!"
"You can’t?! Why, on Gaia’s green earth, not?! You’re the Conqueror. Xena, the Conqueror. Ruler of all the Kingdoms in Greece and all the Known World. Who would stop you? Who would question?"
"I can’t!" Xena repeated, anguish squeezed around her throat.
Callisto wrapped her arms around Xena’s waist, soothing the warrior with the touch of a goddess.
"And, why not, Xena? What is it you’re afraid of?"
Xena shook her head but could not speak. The words had never been uttered in her long and remarkable life. Not with M’Lilla, or Borias, or Nasikka, or Marcus. Not even with Lao Ma. Those words had simply never crossed her lips.
"I love her!" Xena blurted out, the words tumbling out of her like dice on a gaming table.
Callisto circled in front of Xena and planted a soft lingering kiss on her lips. "My sweet and luscious warrior, that’s all I needed to hear you say," she said and disappeared without a trace.
Another Realm
Xena finished off her last mug of port and left the tavern. After four straight days of consuming liquid spirits, nothing seemed to fill the aching black hole in her heart. She walked dazedly through the village, oblivious to the furtive glances and frightened people accommodating her path. Without giving it conscious thought, she made a decision to go to the mountains. Far away from her memories, far away from the Amazons where the liar had taken refuge, far away from those who had dishonoured her trust.
With Argo an unwilling companion, Xena trudged up the mountain with a grievous heart and devastated soul. After a while, the snow and thin air cleared her head and froze her bones, but she remained numb to its consequence. The freezing temperatures matched the cold blackness that boxed her in like a wooden sarcophagus. She railed at the Fates for giving her son back to her, but then let him be snatched away by the demon’s daughter. She wailed a tortured song, a song without words, because no words could ever subdue the seething beast inside. And nothing could give her back her son. A scream of anguish erupted from her lips once again into a vast expanse of empty white. Nevertheless, only a blank nothingness coloured her soul.
Xena’s spine rippled with his presence. She could always feel Ares before he made yet another intrusive appearance.
"Nice vocal," he said, "but you sure can’t dance to it." As if Xena felt like dancing, she thought wryly. "I feel your pain okay," he continued without regard for the obvious torment he was causing. "But how much longer before you start doing something about it?"
"My son is dead, you soulless bastard! What can I do about that?!" she spat out, livid that Ares wouldn’t leave her alone in her despair.
"Just goes to prove what I’ve been telling you all along. No good deed goes unpunished. Saving people, defending the weak, trusting somebody who betrayed you."
"Gabrielle..." Xena intoned, mystified that she was able to speak the ungrateful wench’s name.
"This whole atonement kick you’ve been on lately, it’s not you. You’re full of fire, bending the world to your will. Full of rage and revenge. Accept it, Xena. Embrace it. You know what to do. Who to kill."
Yes, Xena thought to herself. Miraculously, the vacuum of numbness slowly shed itself like a silk robe before a warm bath. Suddenly, everything was revealed to her in crystal clarity. She knew what she had to do. What must be done. The deceitful bitch would die. That was surely the answer. That would certainly obliterate her pain. The unspeakable agony she’d lived with since she’d found Solan’s dead body would evaporate. Her son had been found murdered by the evil child of the demon. The liar would pay for this and surely she must die.
Suddenly, Xena felt alive with an invigorating determination. Her eyes twinkled with sweet revenge. Ares was right. The conniving bard should pay for the sins of her past.
Back to Xena, the Conqueror’s Realm
For the first time in countless moons, Xena awoke refreshed and energetic. Likewise, it was the first time she had recalled an entire dream with Callisto, the enigmatic pleasure slave. She remembered being chained to manacles right in her own bedroom and she’d been forced to confess her love for Gabrielle. In the dream, she’d been terrified to utter those three cherished words, but as the sun crept slowly above the horizon, she knew those words were the building blocks for a dramatic change in her life.
Xena peered down at the Amazon Queen who slept at her side. She studied the relaxed features of Gabrielle and the way she curled against her shoulder, wrapping an arm neatly around her waist. The warrior was once again impressed by their perfect symmetry. She thought long and hard about how she would proceed. She wanted this woman in her life but she could not imagine a world where she, as The Conqueror, could maintain peace and a true alliance with the Amazons. And would their people be in favour of Gabrielle’s personal alliance with her? she wondered. The idea seemed preposterous.
The warrior considered how much courage it took for Gabrielle to confess her role in Darphus’ covert plans to assassinate her. Somehow, she must have had faith that Xena would not slay her on the spot. She professed her love for the Conqueror but Xena questioned how someone could risk so much with such a volatile temperament as hers. Maybe only love could do that, she mused.
The warrior gently shook the Amazon awake. They had much to discuss on the first day of the full moon.
Another Realm
Xena galloped along, swiftly edging closer to the Amazon village. She knew the reigning Queen would be protected by her Amazon sisters, but nothing would deter the Warrior Princess in her mission of destruction. The closer she got to her destiny, the more urgently she spurred Argo on with greater and wider strides.
As the sun gained a high perch in the sky, Xena crossed the border into Amazon territory. A greeting party descended from the trees, but Xena was in no mood for civil formalities. The fearless warrior easily fended off the four Amazons who dared to impede her progress. All four warriors slumped on the forest floor clutching their wounds and quietly slipped through Death’s dark door. The Warrior Princess galloped at breakneck speed the rest of the way to the centre of the village virtually unharmed.
Angry dust kicked up around Argo’s hooves and Xena saw nothing but a swirling hurricane of hatred. She recognised no one except those that would stand in her way of capturing her prey. Later, she would vaguely recall Ephiny being there as was Joxer but there was nothing save the vision of herself cradling her dead Solan that incited her fury. All she saw was the bright red mane of the one who caused the death of her only son. She lassoed the demon at the ankles and dragged her off behind a stolen horse.
Xena sped away, ignoring the cries of those who would stop her. She was keenly aware of the course’s obstacles that she swept her victim through - fire, water, rocks and mud - but she didn’t care. Gabrielle would pay for the death of her son and she would pay dearly. She knifed through the wind towards the great waters, tasting the salty mist in her mouth. It matched the bitter taste of vengeance on her tongue.
The Warrior Princess slowed to the edge of the cliff and dismounted. Her victim was unconscious. She surveyed the terrain and chose a perfect precipice from which to cast down the one who’d deceived her. The one who’s death would fill the vast empty darkness that had sucked the life right out of her. She untied the bard and lifted the smaller woman over her head. She took a few halting paces to the edge of the chasm and prepared to send the demon crashing into the waters below.
"VENGENCE!!!" she roared.
Back to Xena, the Conqueror’s Realm
"Why did you risk your life like that?" Xena asked as she brushed Gabrielle’s golden red hair. The Amazon sat between her legs on the edge of the bed.
"What do you mean?"
"I could have easily killed you, you know." Xena thought pensively, remembering the many people she’d slain for far less a crime than conspiracy.
"Yes, I know, but I didn’t want you to die. It was worth it to tell you how I felt."
"You were willing to risk your life that much? You were willing to die just to tell me how you felt?" Xena was incredulous that anyone would risk so much for her. She was used to people walking on eggshells around her, frightful of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. It wasn’t easy being around the Conqueror, not knowing when her anger would strike. And here was this brave little Amazon risking everything, her life, her people’s lives, her entire Nation just to admit her feelings for Xena. It made no sense.
"I knew there was some good inside you, Xena. I knew you wouldn’t kill me, even though for a moment I wasn’t sure."
"Yeah," Xena snorted, ashamed in retrospect that she had almost murdered the only person that mattered to her anymore.
"We can do a lot of good together, Xena," the Amazon said softly.
"I don’t know," the warrior said skeptically. Gabrielle turned around to face her. She touched the Conqueror’s cheek with the back of her hand.
"Together, we can do anything." She planted a soft kiss on each of Xena’s eyes, closing them with her sensuous lips.
"We’ll see," Xena said quietly, almost lost in the promise of the Amazon’s dazzling emerald eyes. Clearing her throat, she regained her composure. There was still much planning to be done.
"Okay, here’s the plan," she said.
Another Realm
"Aphrodite! Do something!" Solan shouted. He watched in horror as his mother held Gabrielle high over her head on the edge of the craggy cliff. He tugged on the goddess’ sleeve, and screamed at the top of his lungs, tears streaming down his face. He wanted to run to his mother and beg her to stop, that everything was gonna be okay, that his death had been determined by the Fates long ago, but he couldn’t. Aphrodite had said that Xena wouldn’t be able to hear him and she was right. But Aphrodite was a goddess, for Zeus’ sake, surely she could do something.
"I’m sorry, I’m not allowed to interfere, Solan," Aphrodite insisted, even as she was fearful that Ares would win in the end. She knew it had been that soulless bastard who pushed the right buttons to transform Xena into a raving maniac.
"But she’s going to kill her!"
The boy was right, Aphrodite knew. She couldn’t just stand idly by and watch Xena kill Gabrielle. Everyone knew that the two of them were meant for each other and should always be together. But how far could she go without invoking the ire of Zeus. Nevertheless, she figured if Ares could instigate war, she could instigate peace. Surely, there must be a way. A flash of brilliance gave her hope.
"Wake up, Gabrielle," she whispered into the wind.
Gabrielle awoke from her unconscious state to find herself held aloft by the strong arms of the Warrior Princess. She kicked Xena in the head forcing her to drop the bard. Then the Goddess of Love and Solan watched in horror as Gabrielle and Xena faced off against each other with the bard charging at the warrior screaming "I hate you!!!" Then both women toppled over the edge of the precipice and into the turbulent waters below.
"No!!!" Solan yelled.
"Enough!" Aphrodite shouted. With a wave of her hand, the two women were surrounding by a blinding white light and safely carried off into the healing water of the Land of Illusia.
Solan raced to the edge of the cliff and saw nothing. He expected to see two broken bodies floating on the surface.
"What happened to them? Where are they? Are they dead?" he asked Aphrodite, confusion etched in his youthful features.
"They are safe. For now," she added mysteriously.
"What do you mean?!" Solan asked with breathless excitement.
"I mean, they are in a place where they’ll be able to work things out. If they don’t survive that, well…" She let the thought trail off. "It’s the best I can do under the circumstances."
"Where did you send them?"
"It’s called the Land of Illusia."
"Like a dream?"
"Well, it’s more real than that. We’ll just have to wait and see."
In the depths of Xena’s castle, warriors who remained loyal to the Queen guided Ephiny and the Amazons through a hidden passageway. With the assistance of those who posed as guards for the Conqueror, they decisively eliminated the loyalists to Darphus. The fortress crackled with the tension of the treasonous lieutenant’s mutinous web while Xena’s domain remained vulnerable to an outside invasion.
Stealthily, the Amazon warriors made their way to the hallway that led to the hot springs chamber. They observed several soldiers lined up against the walls as they awaited orders from Darphus as he, Velasca and two other soldiers listened to the amorous noises coming from the private chamber. Ephiny recognised Gabrielle’s cries and hovered from afar waiting for Darphus to make his move.
Darphus, Velasca and two soldiers had surreptitiously followed Xena and Gabrielle through the corridor to the special chamber that enclosed the hot springs. Xena’s Second in Command steeled his nerves for the inevitable showdown with the Conqueror. His blood surged with anticipated triumph and his mouth watered with the pungent taste of victory. He savoured the knowledge of history marking him as the man who had conquered the most loathsome ruler in the Known World – the Conqueror. He imagined that the commoners who hated Xena during her reign would worship him in humble thanks as he sat aloft a golden throne, basking in the power of absolute sovereignty. But first he had to make sure the wicked bitch was dead.
As the small band of assassins crept ever closer to the chamber entrance, they were careful not to make any undue noise. They heard the passionate cries of Xena’s lover and it was clear to them how the Conqueror was engaging the Amazon Queen.
"Oh, Xena!" Gabrielle panted breathlessly as her muffled voice drifted through the solid wood doors. Darphus rolled his eyes at the smirking soldiers. He envisioned that the Amazon Queen would soon be writhing beneath him when he seized the spoils of victory. He had to hand it to Xena, though, she sure knew how to please her lovers.
Gabrielle’s cries grew louder. "Yes! Xena! YES!!!" she wailed. It was obvious that the woman was within moments of reaching her imminent climax. With a quick nod of his head, Darphus gave the order and the sound of soldiers crashing against the door reverberated throughout the mist filled chamber.
The first thing that confused Darphus when he burst through the wooden doors was that no one was in the water. The stone slabs that surrounded the bubbling waters were lined with burning candles. Steam rose from the pool obscuring a clear vision of the apparently empty chamber. Perplexed, he glanced around and only had a split second before two fingertips stabbed at the main artery in his neck. He clutched at his throat, wheezing for air.
"You didn’t think I’d be stupid enough to fall for this, did you?!" Xena snarled. She slammed Darphus back against the door closing off the other soldiers. Only Velasca and two others managed to gain entrance and Xena had her sword withdrawn and imbedded into the first soldier’s stomach before he realised he was even wounded. She sliced her blade the length of his abdomen and he crumpled wordlessly to the ground. The other soldier managed a weak parry before a wicked gash to his throat left him gurgling in his own blood. Moments later, he joined his comrade in a heap on the floor.
Meanwhile, Gabrielle and Velasca faced off against each other in the foggy chamber. The Amazon Queen held her own and Xena kept one eye on the smaller woman, instinctively feeling overly protective of her new lover.
"Xena, it’s…not…" Darphus gasped, knowing full well Xena didn’t believe a word of it and his life would soon come to a disappointing end. Coming from outside the closed chamber, he heard muffled sounds of clashing swords and crazily wondered why his soldiers would be fighting amongst themselves. What he didn’t know was that the Amazons, led by Ephiny and accommodated by other warriors loyal to the Queen, had attacked Darphus’ forces and trapped them in the East wing that housed the hot springs.
But none of that mattered now, Darphus was in a desperate fight for his life. With great effort, he reached for the hidden dagger he used in emergencies. For a moment, Xena glanced behind her to check on Gabrielle and Darphus arched his hand toward her neck. A heavy cloud of defeat settled over him as he became painfully aware that he would not live to witness the Conqueror’s death. He focused on the throbbing vein in her neck that would drain the lifeblood out of the evil daughter of Ares.
Gabrielle and Velasca continued to parry as evenly matched combatants but Velasca began to wear down the Amazon Queen and knocked her to the hard slate floor. Xena turned back to Darphus just in time so that the blade missed her neck but imbedded in her shoulder. Her own sword reflexively found its way across his throat as she deftly severed Darphus’ neck, unleashing a stream of blood that spurted out of him like wine from a skin. It was only after she saw the life seep out of his eyes that she realised how deeply the knife was imbedded in her and how much blood she was losing. Dark spots punctured her vision and the last thing she remembered was Gabrielle yelling, "Xena! Behind y–" as the clank of a sword’s hilt thudded against her skull. Soundlessly, everything became murky and the smooth stone of the chamber floor came up to meet her.
A quarter moon later, Xena and Gabrielle lay beside a warm campfire. With great relief, they had finally escaped the sounds of the celebrating commoners and all that was heard was the echoing symphony of night creatures. The flickering flames cast a peaceful tranquillity around them as Gabrielle redressed the wound behind Xena’s shoulder. Even though the blade penetrated deep into the muscle, it was a fairly clean laceration and Xena seemed to be a quick healer. She shuddered when she recalled how terrified she had been when Velasca rendered her wounded lover unconscious. After all they’d been through, there was no way she could stand to lose Xena now. Without thinking, Gabrielle had flung a dagger into the heart of the surprised renegade and rushed over to the prone Xena. The warrior regained consciousness and directed them to a secret passageway that led outside. Gabrielle helped the warrior onto her tan Palomino and the two women galloped away from the castle and the Kingdom of the Conqueror, leaving the Amazons to battle with those who wanted power for themselves under Darphus’ command. The battle raged on for days and in the ensuing chaos, Xena’s fortress was burned to the ground. Everyone had presumed that Xena and Gabrielle, as well as Darphus, were dead and the messenger god, Hermes himself, couldn’t have spread the news of the Conqueror’s death any faster.
When the smoke cleared, the Amazons were proclaimed the new rulers and in the aftermath of Gabrielle’s death, Ephiny assumed command. A new world order was promptly declared, one in which those who chose to rule themselves, were free to do so. Gabrielle was pleased with this turn of events but had yet to discuss with Xena the path chosen for them by the Fates.
"So what do you want to do now?" she asked Xena, broaching the subject they had long avoided. She had finished redressing the wound and sat facing the warrior on their shared bedroll. Xena lay on her side, resting her shoulder.
"I don’t know. I suppose you could go back to the Amazons, they’d welcome you there. Your mission’s accomplished," Xena replied with a wry grin.
"What?!" Gabrielle exclaimed. "Xena, listen to me. I don’t want to leave you. If I go back to the Amazons, I’m not going alone. I won’t go without you."
"You know that would be impossible. They’d kill me on sight. I wasn’t exactly a friend to the Nation."
Gabrielle brushed the hair away from Xena’s face and kissed her gently on the lips. "Well, I guess it’s just you and me then."
"You’d give up being their Queen just for me?" Xena asked incredulously. Nothing about this young woman, the pride of the Amazons, made any sense to her. In fact, there was still a strong element inside her that was highly suspicious of Gabrielle’s unconditional acceptance. And yet she wanted nothing more than to be rid of both their former lives and start a new path with the golden redhead.
"Yes…and…anything…else…I…can…think…of." The Amazon punctuated each word with a kiss to the back of Xena’s hand.
"So what do you want to do?" Xena asked, clueless as to which direction the life of a former Conqueror of the Known World would take.
"Well, how about if we try to help some of these people out. We could roam the countryside and right old wrongs."
"You’re kidding, right?"
"No, Xena, I’m not. We can do it." Gabrielle gripped Xena’s hand in a tight squeeze.
"But I’ve done some terrible things. I’ve killed so many people. I’ll never be able to wash their blood from my hands."
"Maybe not, but you have to start somewhere. Why not right here and now?"
Xena was silent for a long moment. "I don’t understand you, Gabrielle. You have so much waiting for you back with the Amazons." She wanted to add that as Queen, Gabrielle could have her pick of any woman as well. But the timbre in her voice and the pregnant pause spoke volumes. She knew there was no need to speak her thoughts aloud. "You can help a lot of people there too. Why me?"
"You might not see it, Xena, but there’s goodness in your heart. Or else you would have killed me when you had the chance."
"You really believe that?"
"I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t."
Xena smiled and closed her eyes. Suddenly, she felt utterly exhausted, the events of the past few days culminating into the colossal weight of sleep.
"Well, well, well. Isn’t this a cozy little scene?" Xena’s eyes flew open and she tried to turn towards the familiar voice of her former slave, however, her movements were hindered by the manacles at her wrists. Xena was shackled to a branch high above her head, her feet planted firmly on the ground but her body stretched to its limits. Nevertheless, she ignored the searing pain in her shoulder. A cool breeze made her wonder how and when she had been stripped of her clothing. She could see Gabrielle sleeping peacefully on their bedroll, oblivious to the drama that was unfolding. Callisto hovered behind her and whispered in her ear.
"You didn’t think you could get away from me, did you, Xena?"
"What do you want?!" Xena demanded through gritted teeth.
"I told you, my sweet," Callisto purred. "I am the woman of your dreams. And your worst nightmare."
The Conqueror’s former slave girl circled around to face her. Callisto was dressed in the shiny black leather of a warrior with a deadly sword strapped across her back.
"Well, Xena, I see you’ve finally done it."
"Done what?!" Xena spat out.
"You’ve given everything up for the irritating blonde. Even your title. The Conqueror." Callisto suddenly burst into gales of laughter. She tossed her head back and her long dishevelled hair waved in the dark light of the moon. Xena wondered if the enigmatic woman might be insane. "The Conqueror!" she roared. "She sure conquered you, didn’t she, Xena!" Her loud laughter resonated throughout the quiet forest but Gabrielle remained deep in slumber.
"How long do you think it’ll be before she turns you over to Ephiny?" Callisto asked, regarding the sleeping Amazon with unequivocal hatred.
Xena said nothing, although she had wondered countless times since she and Gabrielle left her Kingdom about Ephiny and the Amazons. She knew that word had spread that both she and Gabrielle were dead, but lingering doubts haunted her during the past few days and at any moment she had expected the inevitable descent from the trees by the devotees of Artemis. And yet...it was as if the golden redhead had filled an empty space in her she hadn’t known existed. Xena had never been happier in her life.
"You really don’t believe that fairy tale about Ephiny being her friend?" Callisto said with disgust, "Oh, and she’s in love with you, too?" she queried. "She’s setting you up, Xena!"
"Shut up!" Xena warned, her blood boiling with frustration. It was utterly humiliating that she had to endure the degrading taunts by this insane madwoman. However, a secret she would take to her grave is that Callisto possessed the unique ability to penetrate all her defences and strike the rawest sensual nerve.
"What do you want, Callisto?!"
"Oh, nothing much, Xena. Just your soul." Callisto’s face broke into a wicked grin. "Oh, and to torture you. You know, Xena, you should be on your knees thanking me. Of course, that would be a little difficult in your position," she laughed. "But I’m the one who got you two little lovebirds together. With a little help from a friend. She promised to send me to a place where I’d never cross paths with you again, but I couldn’t let that happen." For a moment, the blonde goddess gazed off into an unseen realm. She paused to think of what her life would have been like without Xena in it. Without the Warrior Princess’ invasion of Cirra, she might have lived a less dangerous life, a less hate-filled life and maybe her emotions would have been more under control. But that wasn’t her, and she knew it. That life would never have been possible. She addressed Xena again, "For a moment, it was tempting but I couldn’t allow you to go on your merry little way. And besides, I’d have no reason for living."
"You’re crazy!"
Callisto glared at Xena with contempt and swiftly withdrew a dagger from her leathers. For a moment Xena swore that Callisto would send her to her death. It couldn’t all end here, could it? she silently railed at the gods or the Fates, or whoever had led her down this dangerous path. For one bewildering moment, she wished that neither Gabrielle nor Callisto had ever been brought before her Court. Then, she would still be the Conqueror.
"No, I’m not crazy, Xena, but if I am, it is you who made me this way." Callisto watched as a mask of confusion clouded the warrior’s face. She leaned forward and slid the blade down the front of Xena’s lithesome torso. The blade left a line that descended the valley of her cleavage and her skin erupted into tiny goosebumps, bringing her nipples to instant attention. Xena’s eyes lidded over with a rapturous bliss but she fought her arousal and was troubled by the effect the blonde warrior was summoning deep within.
"Poor baby, you have no idea who I am or how much I mean to you. In any lifetime, Xena, you will pay for the sins of your past. Forever."
Xena was breathing heavily, her body unable to control its passions.
"Kill me now, then, if that’s what you want," she panted.
"Oh, no, no, Xena, Death won’t be enough for you. Don’t you see? I want you to live so you can endure the same torture I’ve suffered all these years. Now tell me, Warrior Princess, does the little brat know how I talked you out of giving her 40 lashes?"
Xena avoided Callisto’s piercing gaze and stared glumly at the ground. She warred with the conflicting emotions inside her and tried not to think of the endless tortures and nameless faces.
"You mean you didn’t tell her how much you wanted to see her whipped by your own lash? And how much of a thrill it would have given you? Hmm, it must have slipped your wicked little mind. But I can just imagine how exquisitely she would have screamed. Can’t you?"
"I’ve changed!" Xena shouted with a force borne out of guilt.
"Oh keep telling yourself that, dear, and maybe someday you’ll believe it."
Xena didn’t answer. She knew Callisto spoke the truth and there was no defence for her heinous impulses. Callisto continued with her graphic depiction of Gabrielle’s imagined torture, "...then, when you were finished with her, you would have come to me, anxious to expend your excitement in the most exotic of ways – "
"Shut up! Callisto!" Xena warned.
"Or you’ll do what?" Callisto moved close to Xena so that her lips were just inches from the warrior’s succulent mouth. One hand grabbed the thick mane of Xena’s dark hair. "You know you can’t resist me, my sweet," she whispered. Then she smothered Xena’s lips with her own, forcing her tongue inside. The Conqueror tried to fend off Callisto but her grip was too strong. Xena found herself succumbing to the blonde goddess as her body gyrated against Callisto’s black leathers, the smooth material melting into her heated skin. Callisto’s tongue searched and destroyed all resistance and Xena was powerless to go anywhere except wherever Callisto wanted to take her.
A radiant figure appeared at the edge of the campfire.
"Enough!" Aphrodite shouted. With a wave of her hand, a huge vortex opened up and illuminated the coal black sky as bright as the dawn of first light. Gabrielle awoke with a start and leaped up from the bedroll. She dazedly scanned the encampment that suddenly had two blonde women fighting over Xena.
"Xena!" Gabrielle gasped, when she saw Xena tethered to a tree by steel manacles. Her hair dripped with sweat and a thin film covered her naked body. Her head hung limply forward. Gabrielle wanted to run to her lover and release her from her confines but the maniacal blonde warrior stood in her way.
"I thought we had a deal," Aphrodite reminded Callisto.
"Deal, schmeal. You think I was going to let Xena walk away and live happily ever after?" She stood protectively in front of Xena, not wanted to give up her most prized possession just yet.
"You have no choice," Aphrodite warned although she hoped her false bravado wasn’t apparent to the demented Goddess of Evil.
"Yes, she does." Ares, the God of War, appeared out of thin air. "What do you think you’re doing, Aphrodite? You know you’re not allowed to interfere. Daddy will be furious when he finds out." He crossed his massive arms in front of him contemplating if he should tell Zeus or not. He just might be able to use this little faux pas somewhere down the line.
Aphrodite was afraid to answer. She knew she had been caught red-handed and she couldn’t think of a way to disentangle herself out of the suddenly complicated situation. Ares addressed Callisto.
"Very good, Callisto. We don’t want her going off with that little…little…whatever she is," he gestured dismissively in Gabrielle’s direction.
"My thoughts exactly," Callisto smirked.
"Oh, so now you’re on her side, Ares?" Aphrodite taunted.
"Well, she does have a few redeeming qualities, in any realm. And besides, she is the Goddess of Evil," he chuckled.
While Aphrodite and Ares debated the redeeming qualities of Callisto, the blonde warrior eyed the entrance to the vortex and prepared to make her move. Without warning, Callisto released Xena from her manacles and when the dark warrior collapsed in her arms, the goddess propelled herself and her charge headlong into the eye of the vortex. Momentarily, the vortex closed in on itself and the encampment was plunged into darkness once more.