THE SPECTRE of Hassim hung over everything for a few days. Suleiman reported from his sources that after the ship had docked Hassim had gone out into the countryside to check up on his estates, and while it was common knowledge that Nebula intended to have him brought to trial most of the Court thought she was bluffing. The real test would be whether or not Khalil believed it, and what information he would convey to his cousin. "Either he'll show," Nebula said to Joxer, "and we'll nail him, or he'll leave the country to avoid us, and we'll be rid of him. Either way you won't have to worry about him any more."

"I'm not worried," Joxer said loudly. Everyone seemed to be tiptoeing around the subject, Nebula and Xena and Suleiman alike. He could swear even Eve was looking at him funny lately, and it wasn't like he was going to shrivel up and die just because Hassim might or might not be around or something. Honestly. "Your move," he said.

"Ha." Nebula shook the dice, rolled them, looked at the throw, and shook her head. "Have I told you lately how much I hate you?"

"Yes," Joxer said cheerfully, marking the score on the ivory pegboard.

He spent a great deal of time with Nebula, mostly at night after the business of the day was concluded, playing dogs-and-jackals or stones, talking about politics, drinking and telling dirty jokes, or any of a myriad other things Nebula might think of to do. She'd always been a gregarious person, but it seemed that at court she had no friends that she could just hang around and have fun with, and it was sad. He was careful to hide that he thought this because he suspected she wouldn't appreciate it. Maybe once the whole woman situation thing was cleared up she could have buddies again, and maybe invite Morrigan for a visit or something.

Of course, then he'd have absolutely nothing to do. Xena and Gab were busy with their duties, and although he still wanted to talk to Xena about some things she was doubly busy taking care of Eve and all. And Gabrielle, well... If everyone else was treating him like he was Chin porcelain, Gabrielle wasn't treating him at all. He kept catching her looking at him, but she never said anything directly, and something was wrong, and he didn't know if it was something he was doing or what. But it never seemed to be the right time to ask her, and she always seemed to be coming when he was going and vice versa, and they kept looking at each other and exchanging vapid pleasantries, and the tension was practically making him scream. But at night he could come here and talk with Nebula, and forget about it for a little while. Just like she was forgetting about the Court and everything and just kicking back and relaxing. It worked out well for both of them, he decided, so where was the harm?

Well, maybe once this whole thing with Hassim was over everyone could relax for a while. If there was anything that Joxer knew it was that life around Xena and Gab was one crisis after another, and all he had to do was wait them out. The lulls in between the storms were more than worth it. He rolled the dice and they came up perfect. "There," he said, pleased. "It all comes out right in the end."

-----

Gabrielle sat on the bench in the training arena and wondered if Suleiman would mind if she threw a temper tantrum, and if she cared that he minded at all.

"Very good work this morning, little one," Suleiman said. He was wiping off that damned sword, that sword which had become the be-all and end-all of her existence. She thought about the sword when she went to sleep at night and was still thinking about it when she rose in the morning. She dreamed about it in between, and during the day every sword she saw on every guard or nobleman reminded her of it. I will find some way to defeat that sword or I will die trying, she swore to herself, and it did not occur to her that anything about this statement might be funny.

But another training session, another failure. "You're improving greatly," said Suleiman as if to rub it in. "You are much quicker and much more aware, and you may have the potential to be as great a warrior as Nebula or Xena herself some day."

Gabrielle forced a gracious smile; while Suleiman never looked down on people for lack of ability, he very rarely praised anyone either. "Thank you," she said. "I owe it to your training."

"You owe it to yourself, little one. To your own heart and your own spirit. Never forget that." Suleiman looked up. "Ah, what's this?"

A small boy raced across the sands of the arena. "Papa!" he called. In one easy motion Suleiman sheathed the sword and caught the boy up in his arms, laughing. "Aren't we the enthusiastic one today?"

Gabrielle smiled. "Hi, Kwame."

"Hello, guard Gabrielle," the boy said politely. "Papa, papa, I was hunting rabbits and I almost caught one with my hands. It was like this." He indicated a rabbit the size of a small sheep. "And there were pretty butterflies and I tried to catch one for Mama, but they flew away. Come and see where the butterflies were."

Suleiman laughed again. "Ah, see, Gabrielle? No matter how I try to civilize the boy he is still turning into a Sumerian nobleman. Giving orders to his poor old father at such an age." He set the boy on his shoulders. "It appears that I must go and look for butterflies."

"Go ahead," Gabrielle said. "I wanted the chance to do some solo work in any case. Thank you for the workout. Kwame, be careful of those rabbits. They can be really mean."

"Hah," said Kwame. "Silly guard Gabrielle, rabbits are not dangerous, and I'm a fierce warrior just like Papa, aren't I, Papa?"'

"Not yet, but you will be." Suleiman waved goodbye to Gabrielle, and Kwame twisted around and waved as well. Gabrielle returned the farewell and watched them leave, taking their momentary bad mood with her. She wondered what Eve would be like at that age, if she would be that cheerful and that curious about the world. I hope so, she thought. I hope so. If we can only find a safe place for her to get to that age...

Shaking that thought out of her head as well, she returned to thoughts of the sword. What she needed was someone to practice on, darn it. She ducked around a phantom strike, visualizing Suleiman in front of her--and even in her imagination, he was one step ahead of her all the time. Damn and double damn. Okay, what if she blocked with the right sai here and brought the left one around--no, that wouldn't work. Okay, if she feinted down and to the left--no, her head just got cut off. Okay, if she ducked low and came around in an entire circle, sweeping up with the sai, she should be able to come up with the point right under Joxer's chin--

"Joxer!" she yelped. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Sorry!" He backed off, hands held up appeasingly. "I didn't want to startle you. Sorry--mpfh!" The burnoose he was wearing about his head and shoulders to keep off the sun fell over his face, and he shook himself free of it. "Darn it. I still don't know how to work this thing."

"You have to throw the longer piece over your shoulder, like this." Gabrielle quickly put away the sai--having pointy objects waving around when Joxer was about was generally not a good idea--and took the cloth and readjusted it. "Hold still--there." Satisfied, she stepped back. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Nebula wanted Xena down in Court with her for some debate before the public audience this afternoon, so Xena said I should come let you know she'll just be going straight there afterwards." Having delivered this message all in one breath, Joxer seemed to run out of things to say and looked around the training arena for some topic of conversation. "Uh, I saw you working out. You looked good."

"Thanks, I guess."

"You're welcome."

"Oh...sorry. I didn't mean it like that. It's just that I'm trying to figure out this maneuver, and..." She snapped her fingers. "Wait a minute. Joxer, can you help me out?"

"Uh....sure. Be glad to."

"Good. Stand right there." She placed him carefully in front of her. "Move your foot a little bit...There. Now." She stepped back and drew her sai. "I want you to pull your sword and come at me with an overhead sweep from the side, and..." It took her a minute to realize how bad the mistake was. "You don't have your sword, do you?"

The look on his face told her the mistake was even worse than she'd first thought. "I'm sorry," she said quickly. "I didn't realize...Well, come with me. We'll get Suleiman or Xena to take you down to the armory and..."

"No."

"I mean, I'm sure if you talk to Xena she can..."

"No!" Joxer backed off a couple of steps, like a nervous horse. "Listen, I've got to go. I'm supposed to meet Nebula for lunch, and...I gotta go." He turned to leave.

Gabrielle wondered if she should let him go. He was obviously upset, but then on the other hand she might make things worse, but then on the other hand it wasn't like it normally was, was it? Not like it normally is, something in her mind said bitterly, well, whose fault is that? Who's avoiding who? No, she shouldn't let him go. Definitely not.

"Joxer!" she called. "Wait!"

But he was already gone. Gabrielle cursed and tried to return to her training, but try as she might for a long time she could not get the image of the sword into her head.