"Out of Tragedy"
Author: Adelaide
The pain. There was just so much pain. All Gabrielle could remember was the stakes being driven through her hands and feet. It was more pain than she ever imagined existed.
Her final glance, as she was being hoisted up by calloused Roman hands, was for Xena and Xena alone.
“Always.” Xena whispered. To any bystander the simple word would mean nothing, but to the two women it meant more than the world.
“I love you Xena.” Gabrielle barely could hoarse out the words, as she waited to join with her friend in eternal bliss on the Otherside.
The two crucifixes were jerked to their upright position, as the snow gently fell towards the dying women.
It had been hours now. Gabrielle hung on the dry piece of wood with no feeling.
No feeling physically and no feeling mentally. She had no hatred towards Caesar nor Brutus nor anyone as a matter of fact.
Xena was slowly drifting into her death, it would not be long now. But not Gabrielle. No, she was still strong. Something inside of her told her that she mustn't die, that she had to live.
It was almost sunrise, and Xena was minutes away from leaving her tortured existence behind and going into bliss.
Gabrielle, though, was still strong, so she thought. True, her body was tiring and numb, but her mind, her spirit held onto the small fragment of hope that she had left and kept her alive.
She kept saying to herself, help will come soon, don't worry, help will come soon.
As the sun started to creep over the distant horizon, Gabrielle glanced over to Xena. She watched with tears as her best friend slipped into Eternity.
In the very instant Xena died, the sun rose in extraordinary brilliance. The days would now go on without the Legendary Warrior Princess, and the earth knew it. Winds roared through the mountain peak and the snow ceased for the slightest moment showing the world the heavens as they bled oranges, reds, and yellows in mourning for their beloved protector.
It was the most beautiful sight Gabrielle had ever witnessed. Truly a deserved welcoming for Xena to the afterlife.
As soon as the beauty came it left and the snow resumed.
Roman solders looked up towards Gabrielle. No one had ever lived this long through a crucifixion. The Warrior Princess was now dead. The rallied sentries started to wager on how long it would take for the Amazon bard to die.
Gabrielle just looked up to the sky and whispered a soft prayer for Xena's safe passage to Elysia.
“May the gods be with you.”
Amarice, Eli, and his followers walked along the beaten path away from the tragic mountain top.
Each was silent, for a loss of words was among them.
Amarice knew they had to go back and get the bodies, but not without some help.
She knew the women were good friends, best friends maybe, with Hercules. Even though it went against all of her Amazon instincts, Amarice led the group in the search for the hero.
Hercules was not a favored person among Amazon tribes. All but Gabrielle's. He stood for everything the Amazons were against, male domination and glory.
They walked slowly, thinking. By a twist of fate, Hercules actually found them.
They had been walking, when the demigod stopped them for directions.
“Can you tell me where Hiphastia is?” He asked Eli.
“Sure traveler. Hiphastia is just over that rise to the south. Do you think you could help us out? We're trying to find Hercules.”
The man looked thoughtful, Amarice noticed.
“I'm Hercules. What can I do for you?”
The group looked flabbergasted, well, all except Amarice, of course.
“You're Hercules? Then you know Xena and Gabrielle!” Different shouts like these came the crowd.
“Yes, I know them, quite well actually, why?” Hercules’ face etched concern, but only Eli noticed.
“We need your help to regain their bodies back from the Romans.”
This hit Hercules like an ice arrow. He froze, unable to think, unable to move. First he lost Iolaus to Dahok, now Xena and Gabrielle to the Romans.
“What happened?” He finally choked out.
There was a pause, while the group of peacemakers looked at each other nervously.
Eli's eyes bore into Hercules’.
“Caesar ordered them crucified.”Gabrielle was barely conscious now. She actually thanked the gods that it was freezing whether, because if it wasn't she would've been in considerable pain and would have bled to death by now.
When she thought for sure she would die, she felt a glimpse of hope when she heard the sounds of fighting coming from her left.
Hercules and Amarice charged through the gates with great force. No one would be able to stop them. One after one the Sentries charged the pair, but their defense was futile against the Amazon and the hero.
They had defeated nearly all of the guards, when the rest finally retreated. It was now time for the difficult and heartbreaking portion of their task.
Slowly, Eli's followers grabbed ladders. First they went to Xena's body.
Gabrielle wanted to cry out but her voice was gone and she was sure no one would be able to hear her.
Each nail slid out easily under Hercules’ strong hands. Gently, he carried the body of his lost Warrior Princess down the ladder and handed it to four young men to place on the wagon.
Next they went to Gabrielle. Upon reaching the top of the ladder, Hercules saw her eyes still partly open. Assuming they had frozen like that, her gently placed his fingers over the lids to close them.
He almost fell off the ladder in shock when they reopened and Gabrielle hoarsely spoke the words ‘Help Me.’
Quickly, Hercules took off his huge coat and wrapped it around Gabrielle's prone figure. He then carefully slid the nails out and threw then to the ground in disgust.
Carrying the bundled form close to his chest, Hercules and the others walked out of the settlement and on to a safer place to rest.
Gabrielle was lain close to the fire and wrapped with every spare blanket they had.
Hercules was going to take Xena's body back to Amphipolis once Gabrielle was well enough to travel.
He had been sitting by her side for hours now and still their was no improvement in her condition. All of her wounds had been treated and she was given a nice warm broth to eat, but still she was not showing any signs of strengthening.
Seeing them up on the crosses like they had been was enough to make Hercules’ stomach churn. And to think of Gabrielle alive through the whole process. It was almost too much to bear.
Hercules gently stroked Gabrielle's damp forehead. Hopefully her fever would break during the night. Until then, though, he wouldn't leave her side. First Iolaus had died and now Xena. He was not going to lose Gabrielle. No, she was the only light left in this web of darkness and he was not going to let her go out.
He was in so deep in thought, that Hercules didn't even realize Eli had sat down until he started speaking.
tbc......