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I
wrote this one for Chelsea. It isn't exactly A/G. This takes place
after You Are There.
Archive: Whoever wants it. Please tell me about
it.
Disclaimer: They aren't mine. I am just borrowing them for a
little while.
Last of His Kind
Gabrielle and Xena had been making their way
back to Greece for the last three days. They weren't in any hurry.
There would be plenty to occupy their time on the way.
Therefore they were surprised when Ares made his
appearance.
Xena reacted first to his presence. "You know, I would have
thought you would at least wait until we had returned to Greece to
start any new schemes."
Ares laughed. "No schemes Xena. I'm just the messenger this
time. I have a message for Gabrielle. It was left at one of my
temples. I found it as I made the rounds. Making sure all of my
temples were intact." Ares handed Gabrielle a folded piece of
scroll.
It read:
Dearest Gabrielle,
I have been avoiding holding you
to your promise, but I find I am in need of your
services. If
you remember that day in the forest, please come to me as quickly as
you can.
Thank you,
Your friend of the
forest
When Gabrielle spoke it was directly to Ares. "I take it
you've read this?"
"Certainly. Quite cryptic isn't it? But then I take it you
understand what it means." Ares said slyly.
"Allow me to get to the point. Ares I will be in your debt if
you will take me to the temple where you found this note." Gabrielle
said steadily.
"Gabrielle, no!" Xena cried. "Whatever is in that note can't
be that urgent."
"Yes Xena, what is in this note is that urgent. Otherwise
Ares wouldn't have been relegated to errand boy, would he?"
Gabrielle said with conviction.
"Ares which temple was it?" Gabrielle asked.
"The one closest to Poteidaia." He replied.
Gabrielle turned to Xena. "I will meet you there. Don't
worry. I shouldn't be in any danger."
Gabrielle walked over to Ares and added, as they were about
to fade out. "I hope."
Gabrielle turned to Ares as they appeared in front of his
temple. "I hope to return soon. If I don't give these things to
Xena."
Gabrielle set her belongings down on the steps to Ares
temple. She turned towards the woods and began to run. She ran as
fast as she could. Slowly the joy of running so fast and almost out
of control overcame the seriousness of her mission, and she began to
remember.
There was nothing Gabrielle loved more than to run in these
woods. Sometimes when she could escape from her chores she would run
for hours. In these woods she was free of everything that held her
back. She could pretend whatever she wanted, and here they could be
true.
Today she had run farther than ever before. She slowed her
pace and looked for a place to rest before returning to the same
stifling life she was escaping from. She could see light through the
trees ahead.
She walked slowly into the clearing. It was the most
beautiful thing she had ever seen. The sun shown through the leaves
in dazzling display as the wind whipped them back and forth. The
clearing was covered in flowers in every size shape and color. There
was a brook running through the middle of the clearing. It's sound
adding to the splendor of the scene.
Gabrielle slowly dropped to her knees amongst the flowers.
For surely something this enchanting was of the gods. She stared,
mesmerized by the beauty around her when a new vision entered her
sight.
Into the clearing stepped the most beautiful living
thing she would ever see. It was the purest white imaginable. It
walked across the clearing and stood in front of her. She was being
given an intimate glimpse of this magnificent creature.
As it stood in front of her she tried to put into words a
description of what she was seeing, but everything was too mundane
for the elegance that was standing in front of her. As she watched
it dipped its head, and touched the single horn crowning its head to
her hand and pierced it. When it removed the horn there was not a
mark on her and she felt as if she had just woken up, instead of
having run for miles.
Then she heard a distinctly masculine voice in her head.
Get up
child. I don't need your worship. I am not as magnificent as you
make me seem.
"Oh, but you are. You are the most magnificent thing I have
ever seen." Gabrielle exclaimed.
The voice sounded more amused now than anything.
I
suppose you have seen everything, to name me the most
magnificent?
Now Gabrielle was roused to defend herself. "No I haven't
seen everything. I didn't say I had. I'm only thirteen summers old.
I said you were the most magnificent thing I've ever seen. You're
rapidly sliding down the scale of nicest though!" She said with a
rather fierce scowl.
The amused voice was back. Oh, I
can't have that. Will I redeem myself if I offer you a
ride?
Gabrielle's face shone at the thought. "Really? You would let
me ride you?"
I
wouldn't have offered if I didn't mean it. As he
spoke he knelt down so she could mount his back.
After Gabrielle was mounted he stood up. Hold
on to my mane, and lean forward. That's right, just like that. Now
hold on! With
that he leaped forward beginning a ride that Gabrielle was never to
forget.
When they eventually made their way back to the clearing the
ice had been broken. They were well on their way to being lifelong
friends. Even if they were never to see each other
again.
"What is your name?" Gabrielle asked innocently as she lay
against his side in the clearing.
I will tell you my name if you promise you will never speak
of me to anyone. He
told her gently knowing of her love of telling stories.
"That's easy enough to do. For one no one would believe me,
as for two. This is too special to share with anyone else."
Gabrielle turned and hugged him.
All right little one, I will tell you. My name is Taric, and
here your people call my kind Unicorns.
"You said here we call you Unicorns. What did you mean?"
Gabrielle asked softly.
Trying to wheedle a story out of me are you? Well then I will
tell you one. I am the last of my kind here. When the magic started
to fade the others left for other worlds where the magic is strong.
I have stayed, trying to keep the magic alive.
"What magic?" Gabrielle questioned.
The magic of belief. Belief in wild tales, in hope, in faith,
in improbable things. That belief is slowly draining away here. I am
trying my hardest to bolster the belief, but I am
failing. Taric
said sadly.
"I'm sorry. I will believe. I promise that for as long as I
am alive I will believe." Gabrielle promised him.
Thank
you, sweetling. I appreciate that you will do that for me. But now,
I think it is time for you to be getting home. If you will climb on,
I will carry you to the edge of the forest.
"Before I go I want to give you another promise Taric."
Gabrielle said earnestly.
What
is that, little one? Taric
asked kindly.
"If you ever have need of me, I will come immediately. If you
ever find you are in need of someone who believes." Gabrielle said
solemnly.
I shall keep that promise dear to my heart. Thank you. If you
should ever have need to reach me, you will know what to
do.
Taric gave Gabrielle one last wild ride through the forest.
At the forest edge Gabrielle hugged him goodbye and reiterated her
promise. Believe me, little one, when I say that you are meant for
great things. One who believes as much as you do will always be
meant for great things.
She returned to her regular humdrum life with no one the
wiser to her experience. However she returned to that life with
belief.
Gabrielle came back to herself as she again approached that
same enchanted clearing. She slowed and entered the clearing at a
walk. It was amazing. It was still the same after all these years.
And it was still the most beautiful thing she'd ever
seen.
She waited, breathless with anticipation. She was rewarded
with the sight of him coming into the clearing from the other side.
She didn't move, hardly daring to breathe, as he came towards her.
He was the same after almost 40 years.
He approached her now as he had then. He stood still for a
moment before once again piercing her hand. This time it felt as
though her soul had been cleansed.
You
have hardly changed little one. He
said affectionately.
"I have changed though. I'm no longer the innocent I was all
those years ago." Gabrielle said sadly.
Ah, but to me you haven't changed. For you still believe. I
have kept my eye on you all these years. You did much to keep the
magic alive. With your stories, and your brave deeds. You have
indeed more than kept both of your promises to me.
"You are a hero yourself. You stayed out of the kindness of
your heart. To me you will always be a hero. What is it you need me
for, Taric? Why have you called me here?" Gabrielle asked
curiously.
The magic has been dying faster than I thought it would. I
trapped myself here with no way to join my kind. I need your belief
to be able to leave. He
continued as he saw her stricken face.
There, there my dear. There is no need for such a sad face. The belief is not totally gone. Belief can never be totally gone. There is simply no more I can do for your people. I am tired child, and I would like to rest amongst my own kind.
"I wish you could stay, but I do understand. I will miss you,
my friend Taric." Gabrielle said tearfully as she hugged him good
bye.
As I
shall miss you my little one. Have a good journey. Did I not tell
you that you were meant for great things? He
asked as he walked once more for the edge of the clearing. Only this
time there was a shining gate standing there. On the other side of
that gate was a beautiful world. Gabrielle could see many other
unicorns in every color of the rainbow.
"You did indeed. Not the least of which was meeting you."
Gabrielle responded in farewell.
He acknowledged her words with a bow, and continued through
the waiting gate. After the gate closed the clearing slowly began to
fade into an ordinary clearing. The flowers faded from view and the
sun became hidden behind clouds.
Gabrielle returned to Ares temple to await Xena. She returned
to their life of adventure, but she returned to that life with
belief.
The
End
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Picture Courtesy of Chelsea |
