Cast Your Eyes on the Ocean
© HonoH
Note II: This is about love. Make up your own mind on the particulars.
Xena slowly opened her eyes, realizing as she did so that she’d fallen asleep. Small wonder, she thought. Almost automatically, she made an inventory of her surroundings. Everything seemed exactly as she’d left it—a deserted beach, surf ringing in her ears, the occasional seagull, and a sky with just enough high, misty clouds in it to make the temperature comfortable. A perfect day.
And the perfect person to share it with. Xena’s hand gently ruffled the bright blonde hair of the head that was making her belly a pillow. Gabrielle was still sound asleep. Small wonder there, too. It had been an exhausting few months.
Three years had come and gone since the day the two of them had rejoined Gabrielle’s tribe. Ostensibly, they’d come to leave Xena’s newborn daughter, Lycea, for the Amazons to raise. That wasn’t what had happened.
Xena often wondered if Gabrielle had seen right through her about that whole affair, and grimaced at her own choice of words. The warrior, in a fit of brutal self-honesty, had come to realize that she’d carefully chosen to have a child. An ordinary child with an ordinary father, born the ordinary way.
Looking back, it seemed so obvious. She and Gabrielle had gone to help defend a small city against Roman incursion. From the start, Xena had thought Calion, the governor of the city, was a remarkable man. However, she hadn’t really felt . . . that . . . about him. All the same, she’d had an affair with him. And surprise, surprise, she’d turned up pregnant.
Gabrielle’s behavior had puzzled her at the time, but no longer. The younger woman had simply accepted the affair and Xena’s pregnancy as if it was everyday news. Furthermore, when Xena had talked about leaving her baby with the Amazons, Gabrielle hadn’t tried to talk her out of it even once. In retrospect, Xena realized Gabrielle knew better than Xena herself that they would be raising the child together, and she well knew Xena’s motivations. For, much as they both loved Eve, and much as they realized her destiny had to take her away from them, her absence was painful. Lycea was an ordinary child—at least, as ordinary as a child of the Warrior Princess could be—and she would be with them for a long, long time.
They’d settled with the Amazons, Gabrielle as their Queen and Xena as the Queen’s Champion and War Chief, and they were happy. Gabrielle had united the larger Amazon tribes, believing that by standing together, they would be more able to stand against Rome. Eventually, the larger group had attracted some of the smaller tribes and even a few renegade tribes, like Siri’s in the south. The tribes that had gone their own way, disdaining the protection of the larger group, had perished. Their losses had grieved Gabrielle. She’d redoubled her efforts to bring the Amazons together, to make them a force to be reckoned with, even by Rome. Her efforts had worked.
With Amazons, though, even peace was a chore. Many tribes still held a sense of superiority over others. There were times when that could become truly taxing. Xena remembered an old adage that Borias had loved to quote: "Diplomacy is the art of saying ‘nice doggie’ until you can find a stick." Gabrielle was the one to say "nice doggie," but Xena wielded the stick on whomever that didn’t work. Neither would force their views on others. However, Amazons, like all warriors, responded to superior fighting skill, and Xena was more than willing to provide that. If reasoning didn’t earn their respect, a challenge often did.
But there were times when the everyday grind of keeping the frictions between the tribes down wore especially Gabrielle to a frazzle. Her sensitive nature left her open to wounds, and while she invariably kept her cool in public, Xena had seen her private tears too often to be fooled. For the past moon or so, Gabrielle had been sleeping and eating less and less as she tried to keep the peace, and it was starting to show. Thus, Xena had made a quiet suggestion that the two of them get away, if only for a day. They’d drafted a babysitter for Lycea, packed some food, made for the beach, and spent the day relaxing. Just the two of them.
Xena ruffled Gabrielle’s hair again, and the Amazon Queen shifted a little, then opened her eyes. "Morning," said Xena.
"Morning yourself," Gabrielle muttered, closing her eyes again. The younger woman sighed softly. "Okay, this was one of your better ideas."
" ‘Course it was." Xena lifted her head slightly. "I think it’s about to come to an end, though. I hear a horse. Amazon, from the sound of it."
Gabrielle sat up, scanned the area, then grabbed her clothes and started dressing. Xena chuckled and started pulling on her own clothes. The entire Amazon nation simply had no need to know that their Queen and her Champion had been skinny dipping in the ocean. Decorum, after all, had to be maintained.
They were both safely dressed by the time the horse and its Amazon rider came cantering down the beach. Gabrielle stepped forward.
"Ardath, I trust you remember what Xena threatened to do to anyone who bothered us today," was how she greeted the rider.
The tall, dark-haired woman dismounted, bowed briefly, and gave her Queen an impish look. "Sorry, my Queen. It wasn’t my idea, my Queen. Kill me if you’d like, but I’m just a messenger, my Queen."
Xena and Gabrielle traded a look. "What’s so important?" Xena asked bluntly.
The other Amazon sobered. "Autolycus is here, Milady Champion. He says he has important news. Oh, and there’s someone with him. A gorgeous redhead." Ardath’s eyes sparkled lecherously.
Gabrielle shook her head with a grin. "Always on the prowl, Ardath? Too bad—if she’s who I think she is, she’s married. To a man."
Ardath looked disappointed. "Such a waste. Autolycus said his news would be of interest to your Champion."
The Queen and Champion traded a resigned look, and Gabrielle sighed. "Well, a little relaxation’s better than none, I suppose. Let’s see what’s so important."
Xena whistled, and a few moments later, two horses appeared from further down the beach: Argo, Xena’s mount, and Scathach, Gabrielle’s. A few minutes later, three horses and riders were headed back toward the Amazon lands.
~~~~~
Autolycus, the King of Thieves, stood casually in the middle of the Amazon village. He remembered coming here once before on a mission to steal Xena’s body before it could be cremated. Judging by the looks some of the Amazons were casting his way, he wasn’t the only one who remembered. Of course, a man was a fairly unusual sight in Amazon lands anyway. They seemed to be fine with Rebecca’s presence.
He looked at his teacher. Rebecca stood calm and serene as always. She was one of the most beautiful women he’d ever met, and he respected her in a way he’d never respected another person. Period. She was close to two thousand years old and had the wisdom and grace to prove it.
Five years had passed since the thief had discovered he was Immortal. Rebecca had taught him about his gift—and the curse that went along with it. Staying forever young and impervious to wounds and illness, to death itself save only for beheading, yet cursed to watch loved ones grow old and die and forced to fight for his life against other Immortals who would take his head and the power that resided within him. He’d accepted both sides of his new life along with the sword whose hilt was visible over one shoulder.
The sound of riders interrupted his thoughts. Xena and Gabrielle emerged from the dark woods into the light of the village. They’d changed little, but Autolycus could see the faint lines encroaching under Xena’s eyes. Age was even starting to make headway on the once-babyfaced Gabrielle. The thief shook off the thought.
Xena dismounted and approached. "Autolycus, good to see you old friend. And Rebecca, I’m glad to see you haven’t killed him yet."
Rebecca’s smile made the sunlight seem dim by comparison. "It was a temptation once or twice, but on the whole, I’m glad I didn’t."
Gabrielle approached. "Autolycus, Rebecca, welcome to the Amazon nation," she greeted formally. "We were told you bring important news."
Both Immortals seemed to sober. "As a matter of fact, yeah," confirmed Autolycus. "Don’t suppose we could talk about that in private."
Gabrielle waved a hand toward the round hut that housed the Council of Tribes, and the four started walking toward it.
A moment later, all was chaos.
There was absolutely no warning. One moment, the village was peaceful. The next, strangely-garbed warriors leaped out of literally nowhere and attacked.
No ordinary warriors, was the vague thought that flickered through Autolycus’ mind as he drew his sword. Already, Xena was yelling orders and throwing her chakram. To his right, Rebecca already was fighting off two, and Gabrielle had pulled her sais. The thief was a good fighter, both with his hands and feet and now with his sword, but the attacking warriors were like nothing he’d ever seen.
He and Rebecca almost unconsciously flanked Xena and Gabrielle, knowing their Immortal bodies could recover much more quickly from damage than the mortals’ would. It didn’t take long to realize that these warriors were specifically trying to kill the Queen and Champion. And Autolycus had a good idea of why.
One by one, the strange warriors fell. It occurred to Autolycus that someone was firing arrows, but nothing outside his immediate danger penetrated. He stabbed one through the chest, then automatically followed that with a beheading stroke, as Rebecca had trained him to do. As one Gabrielle had killed suddenly recovered and stood, he realized beheading was the best option in any case. He also realized the creatures, whatever they were, had no blood to speak of.
And then it was over. Apparently, the Amazons had realized what Autolycus had, and heads were literally rolling all over the village. Unfortunately, it wasn’t just the strange warriors who had died. The sound of wailing was heard as Amazons discovered their dead sisters.
"Rebecca, are you . . ." came Xena’s voice.
Autolycus turned to see Rebecca kneeling and gasping as she clutched an arrow in her chest. "Get it out," she wheezed.
Xena braced the other woman’s body against her own and pulled the arrow free. Rebecca leaned against her, face pasty. "Xena," the Immortal woman whispered, "that girl. The blond one."
Xena followed Rebecca’s gaze to where Ardath knelt keening over her adopted daughter, Lilith, lying dead on the ground, an arrow in her chest.
"Pull the arrow out, Xena. She’s to be one of us." Rebecca’s words seemed to startle Xena, but she absorbed them. Rebecca then slumped against the Warrior Princess, dead.
Xena looked uncomfortable as she laid Rebecca’s still form on the ground. "This doesn’t seem right," she muttered, and walked over to Ardath.
Gabrielle, too, looked a little uncomfortable with just leaving Rebecca there, but apparently realized the Immortal would recover just as well without interference. The Queen walked away, trying to determine what the damage was to her tribe.
Rebecca suddenly gasped in a breath, coughed, and sat up. Her student helped her to her feet.
"So what’s going to happen to the girl?" Autolycus asked.
"I’ll teach her," Rebecca told him. "She’s gotten good training as a warrior here, but there’s more to Immortality than swords, especially for women."
Something about that puzzled Autolycus. "Can you take on more than one student at a time?"
Rebecca’s smile was gentle. "Autolycus, I am no longer your teacher. You’ve learned all you can from me; you’re ready for the Game."
The knowledge was bittersweet for Autolycus. Over the past five years, Rebecca had come to be much more than simply an arms instructor for him. She, her husband, and the children they’d adopted together had come to be his family. The thief had never been one to stay in one place for long, but somehow, things were different now. Perhaps it was the knowledge that he would never be able to have a permanent home at all that made him want to cling to Rebecca’s simple homestead.
But the Immortal woman seemed to understand. "You’ll do well, my friend. Your life will always be an adventure. And you will always be welcome to me."
A short while later, Autolycus and Rebecca joined Xena, Gabrielle, and the other Amazon leaders, Chilapa, Amoria, Siri, Yara, and Thetis, in the Council Chamber.
Xena opened the discussion with typical bluntness. "I don’t suppose your news would have anything to do with what just happened."
In answer, Rebecca pulled a parchment from her belt and handed it to Gabrielle. "This is from Joshua, a priest of the Israelites. He lives in the south, an area the Romans have already taken over."
"You’re of the Israelites?" Amoria asked. "I didn’t know any of them lived in Rome."
The beautiful Immortal’s eyes darkened. "Some do. They live as captives, mostly. Israel has suffered much under both the Greeks and the Romans."
"Rebecca, Autolycus," Gabrielle suddenly broke in. "Have you seen what’s in this letter?"
Both Immortals nodded.
"What is it, my Queen?" asked Siri in her typically sober way. Autolycus had a feeling the young leader never smiled.
"Ares. There’s an army forming in the south, and they’re calling upon Ares," said Xena almost distantly.
"But the Twilight," protested Thetis. "I thought the Olympians were no longer . . ."
"They’re inactive in this worlds-realm," Gabrielle interrupted, also seeming distracted. "But Ares never gave up. With the coming of the Roman legions and their devotion to Mars, he never completely lost his power."
Chilapa shifted. "I know the Romans changed the names of the gods, and they mostly only pay lip-service to them. How is it that Ares has retained power?"
"Because the Romans are conquerors," stated Xena flatly. "The power of War remains within them. If Ares can keep goading them to fight, and if their worship continues, he could own all of Rome . . . and everything the Romans conquer. There are no other Olympians left to stop him."
Gabrielle gave a strange half-laugh. "So Ares has decided to take out the one thing that can stop him: you." Her eyes focused on Xena. "I don’t think it’s a coincidence that he’s making his move now, with Hercules busy in Eire."
Xena was silent for a moment. "Then it’s up to me to stop him."
"It’s up to us to stop him," corrected Gabrielle.
"No, Gabrielle." Xena’s voice was hard. "You have responsibilities here. This is my fight."
Gabrielle suddenly stood. "Excuse us a moment. Xena, a word."
Xena sighed and followed Gabrielle outside. Autolycus pulled out his moneybag.
"Okay, I’ve got twenty dinars on Xena. Anyone want to call?" He looked around the table.
"Thirty on Gabrielle," said Chilapa.
"I’ll match you on Xena," put in Thetis.
"Forty on Gabrielle," added Amoria.
"Twenty on Xena," said Siri suddenly.
"I’ll match you on Gabrielle," put in Yara.
"Fifty on Gabrielle." The last statement was from Rebecca.
"You’ve got a bet!" exclaimed Autolycus heartily.
The betting was completed by the time Xena and Gabrielle rejoined the Council. Gabrielle looked vaguely smug, while Xena looked both disapproving and defeated. Rebecca cleared her throat and daintily plucked Autolycus’ moneybag away from him.
"My last lesson," the Immortal woman told him. "Never, ever bet against an ancient."
"Thanks," Autolycus snorted.
"Xena and I will be leaving in two days’ time," announced Gabrielle. "Chilapa, you’ll speak for me in Council. You will also be regent until Lycea is of age, should both of us die. If that happens, I want you to take the Amazons north. You’ll make contact with the Northern Steppes Amazons. There, at least, you’ll be safe for awhile."
"But how will we know?" asked Chilapa.
"Yakut, the shamaness of the Northern Amazons, will know if we’ve died," explained Xena. "She’ll send guides to lead you to their lands. Siri, I want you to take over as War Chief in my absence." Siri nodded, quiet and intense as ever. The Warrior Princess turned to Autolycus. "Autolycus, you got anything important to do in the next few months?"
The thief gave Rebecca an irritated glance. "Well, I was thinking about replenishing my empty purse."
"Good. We need you to find Hercules and tell him what’s happening." Xena sat back for a moment. "There’s no way he can get here quickly enough to help us, but he may be able to finish what we start, should we fail."
There were other arrangements to be made. Many of the Amazons argued that they should accompany their Queen and War Chief on their mission, but Xena and Gabrielle stood firm. This was to be a private war.
"We won’t be fighting Ares’ army," explained Gabrielle gently to Siri as the auburn-haired, blue-eyed young woman tried to argue with her—as she had for the past two days. "We’re going for Ares himself. Numbers will have no meaning in this fight."
"But if Ares sends more assassins . . ." protested Siri.
"We’ll take care of them." Gabrielle’s voice was firm. "Besides, I don’t think he’ll try the same trick again. It’s not like him. If I were to guess, I’d say this attack was meant to get our attention. Ares wants to confront us . . . and he won’t leave the job of killing us for anyone else. What I’m concerned about is the Amazon nation. You and the other leaders must keep it safe." Gabrielle glanced behind Siri. "Autolycus, are you ready?"
The Immortal thief waited until Siri was gone to speak with Gabrielle. "Gabrielle, are you sure about this? Why don’t you wait for Herc to get back?"
"It’ll be too late then." Xena’s voice startled Autolycus. The tall warrior stepped beside Gabrielle. "He’s too far away. We need to get south as quickly as possible to head Ares off. Any delay will cost Greece."
Rebecca walked up to them, young Lilith by her side. Gabrielle smiled at the girl.
"Lilith, learn well what Rebecca has to teach," the Queen instructed her. "I want you to have a long, long life."
Impulsively, the blond girl threw her arms around her slightly-shorter Queen. "I’ll never forget you, my Queen," she sobbed.
Gabrielle gently disentangled herself from Lilith’s arms. "Courage, dear heart. Autolycus, Rebecca, thank you for your help."
Rebecca inclined her head. "Thank you, Gabrielle. I promise to teach this young one well. The Lord bless and keep you both." The Immortal woman turned to her former student. "And Autolycus, be well in your journeys. May our paths cross again, and soon."
Autolycus took his teacher’s hand and placed a stately kiss on her knuckles. Then he turned to Xena and Gabrielle. "I’ll deliver your message to Herc." It seemed best to just stick to business. He’d said goodbye to these two before, but never like this. Never when he knew it might be forever.
"Thank you, Autolycus." Xena’s voice was softer than her wont. "I hope to see you again soon, old friend."
"Goodbye, Autolycus," said Gabrielle very softly.
Rebecca put an arm around Lilith’s shoulders and led the weeping girl away. Autolycus knew his footsteps would soon take him in the opposite direction. Away from Xena and Gabrielle, away from Rebecca . . .
It struck him that he was ending this life, the first of many.
Reluctantly, he turned, heading north already. As he reached the edge of the village, he turned back.
There they stood, light and dark, fire and ice.
Autolycus saluted them, a shade of his old persona making one last appearance, and then turned to where the dark wood fell before him.
~~~~~
Gabrielle sighed softly, her eyes on the ocean. Scathach shifted restlessly beneath her. So strange to think that two days ago, she and Xena had been frolicking like children on this very beach. Now, after only briefest time in which to say goodbye to those who meant the most to them, they were heading away again.
The Amazon felt tears pricking her eyes as she remembered Xena having to leave Lycea. The three-year-old had cried and cried, and so had Xena. So had Gabrielle. But they had to make the world safe for Lycea—and for all children.
A gentle, strong hand touched her shoulder. "Dinar for your thoughts?" asked Xena’s voice.
Gabrielle turned to her Champion. "This isn’t like any other time, is it? I feel it deep in my soul."
Xena’s eyes were troubled. "I know what you mean. I’ve felt that way ever since the attack at the village."
For a moment, both looked out across the ocean. Always the same, yet ever changing, thought Gabrielle. Like Xena. Like me.
"Whatever happens, Gabrielle," said Xena softly, "whatever happens, we’ll be together. We know that."
Gabrielle looked back at her soulmate, the woman who meant more to her than anyone or anything ever had. "Yes. We know that."
Two horses and riders turned along the beach, heading south.