Untitled

Disclaimers: same as in Part 1.

Part 3

As she stopped cutting some of the vegetables, she held the knife in her hand. The handle in her right, the blade in her left, she squeezed on the blade. Xena walked over, not yet realizing what Justin was doing. “Justin?” The emotions of that day that continue to haunt her were burning like a bush in front of her eyes, blinding her from what she was doing. “Justin! Please!” Xena got the knife out of her hand, but saw that she had cut herself pretty bad. “You’re losing a lot of blood. What were you thinking about? What’s wrong? Look, I’m sure we can help you if you let us.”

“You don’t understand. There are some things that can’t be solved or fixed just like that. I apologize, mistress Xena, but, even if I killed, it would not relieve me of the burden of the guilt I carry with me. I know you understand this, so please, don’t try to help me with this.” Her light brown eyes clouded with tears as she bowed in apology. She would remember how her mistresses came to her rescue on a different occasion, just weeks after that incident at the museum.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

While trying to hustle for a single apple, she heard the cries of young girl in trouble. The screams came from an alley way, just around the block from the square. Two guys held the girl’s arms, while the third was ripping her garments off, exposing her breasts.

The sounds echoed through Justin’s head as she ran to the sounds of torment grew louder. She couldn’t think, only react to the sounds and the visual that haunted her every day and night. As she reached the alley way, her heart pounded faster, her feet gaining speed as she rammed the guy before he had the chance to stick himself inside her. As they both rolled on the ground, she flung his body off hers using her feet, pushing the man in the air and against the wall.

Two more figures appeared in the alley way, racing towards the two guys that still held the young girl. The sounds of yelling heard, like a war cry, “lalalalalalalalalalalalala!!!”

Justin was quick to her feet, but stayed in a ducked position as she saw this tall, slender, raven haired beauty flipping over her as one of her long legs flexed straight with her foot landing across the face of one of the men still holding on to the young girl. He had let go as his body practically flew through the air and landed on his backside. All you heard was a big thump. At that point, a short haired, strawberry blonde went after the other man, jabbing him with the end of her staff in his stomach, then twirling it and hitting him across the back of his head knocking him on the ground.

Justin ran to the girl who’s back was still up against the wall. She spread her arms across facing the alley way, her back against the terrified young girl, shielding her from any more danger. The men all got up and ran in different directions, leaving the girls alone, emptying the alley way.

The smaller of the two women that helped out went over to Justin. “Are you two okay?”

“Don’t touch her, leave her ALONE!!!!” Justin turned around, taking off a piece of her own clothing, covering the young girl, she whispered to her, “are you okay? Everything will be okay. No one will ever hurt you again.” She embraced the girl, who was shaking horribly. The girl fell into her embrace and broke down crying, streams of tears that seemed to have no end.

Justin felt the hand of the short-hair girl on her shoulder. “My name is Gabrielle. And this is Xena. We only came to help. We heard the screams, too. We mean you no harm.”

“She’s right, You know?” Xena said as she laid her hand upon the other girl’s shoulder. “Come on. Let’s get you two out of here before those bastards decide to bring reinforcements.”

The four of them walked out of the city and into the country side to this house that seemed to come out of nowhere from behind some secret garden. The front of the house was made out of cobblestone and decorated with floral vines scattered all over the exterior camouflaging it from invaders. The entrance to the front door was a stair case of several steps downward to a four foot walkway.

At first glance of the doorway, Justin, still holding the girl in her embrace, was hesitant about entering. Yet, she felt she could trust these two women. There was an feeling of ease, that she could relax, but wasn’t about to. At least, just not yet.

Gabrielle opened the door and motioned for them to follow her in, while Xena and Justin simultaneously looked around to see if they might have been followed. Gabrielle then walked down this long hallway to where there were two doors. She opened them revealing the living room. Two sofas faced each other in the middle of this room.

Justin sat the young girl down on the sofa, sitting down with her. The girl had stopped crying when she finally spoke, “I don’t know how to thank you for what you did for me, for what all of you did for me.”

“I’m sorry that I couldn’t get to you sooner. I wasn’t totally sure of where the screams were coming from.” A tear welled up in her eyes, then flowed down her cheek where the young girl brought the back of her fingers and wiped the tear away.

Gabrielle interrupted, “Who were those men? Do you know them?”

“The man that ripped my top is my future husband’s brother. He was jealous of his brother and took it upon himself to prepare me for my wedding night. He said he was in love with me and that he should have been the one who should be marrying me. I am to be married in three days. My name is Tamuka. But my friends call me Tamu.” A slight grin brought a little light to her face.

“I’m so sorry,” said Gabrielle, as sadness and concern showed in the green of her eyes.

“My name…,” she hesitated, bowing her head. Xena walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder she nodded, then caressed her arm and gently squeezed. Justin continued, “My name is Justin. I…, I…” she could do all but stop the tears as the memories flooded her head and visions of the young girl that was raped and killed while she lay helpless next to her. And then remembering the other blonde woman, the demigoddess, Callisto, and that night she was rescued, and condemned for eternity to be immortal.

She would later tell Xena and Gabrielle what Callisto did, but still could not mention all of what she went through. Nor could she talk about what happened before the demigoddess appeared. Seeing how much this upset her and how self destructive Justin would get, both would no longer press the issue. Xena told her lover that it would be better to wait for Justin to tell them when she was ready to.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Xena started to say, “Justin, I know…”

“Do you? Do you really? Can you understand that I’ve been made immortal just to amuse that bitch? That I live with the fact that there was somebody that I couldn’t help?!?” Her voice was beginning to carry through the hallway as she started to yell more. Her emotions were emerging and starting to take over. Her body began to tremble uncontrollably. She was feeling sick to her stomach at seeing those painful events flash before her eyes. Her body could feel it all as if it were happening at that very moment. That was something she didn’t want happening. She could no longer contain her anger as it seemed to get the best of her. The worst was about to happen as her emotions let loose. The tears now flowed down her face like the waters down the rapids. “HE RAPED US BOTH! HE KILLED HER WHILE I LAY BOUND TO THE BED NEXT TO HER, ONLY INCHES FROM TOUCHING HER!!!!!!”

Justin fell to her knees in front of the warrior princess. The tall woman knelt down in front of the distraught girl, “Justin, I know what it’s like to lose someone like that. Or have you forgotten how old I am? Ssshhhh. It’s over now. Gabrielle and I are here for you. You know that. We’ll get through this together.”

Unbeknownst to them both, three pairs of eyes were affixed to the scene over hearing almost everything. Gabrielle walked over and knelt between Xena and Justin, putting her arms around her. Once again, like the first time, Justin felt an ease come over her. She had never felt such comfort, such compassion, such peace within herself then while she has been in this house.

After smelling, then seeing that someone was bleeding, Gabrielle’s fangs began to protrude from her mouth. She gently smoothed them back in with the tip of her tongue. Justin was still not totally used to seeing this, but understood about Gabrielle being a daughter of Bacchus. The two smiled at Justin, who eventually gave a slight grin in acceptance. Then Gabrielle said, “okay, let’s get you cleaned up. We’ll talk about this later when you’re up to it. Okay?” she brushed the small stands of blonde away from Justin’s face, and the tears that stained her rosy cheeks, giving her a soft kiss.

Meanwhile, in the doorway, by the hall, Melinda couldn’t help herself but get all emotional. Janice had seen Mel’s face, as a tear ran down her cheek, she reached up and wiped it away with thumb and her hand cupped her friend’s face. “You are one emotional gal, Melinda Pappas. I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”

Under her breath, Mel said, “Oh, I can think of quite a few things.” As she grinned.

The warrior princess and her bard helped Justin to her feet. “Hey, let’s all head back to the living room. We could always fix something up later,” said Gabrielle.

“Gabrielle, you go on ahead. Tell them one of your stories for now while I tend to Justin.”

After seeing the blood, her fangs were starting to show again and she understood why she should hurry to the other room and tell them one of her stories. “Okay, Xena. Just hurry back.”

As they left the kitchen, the tall warrior went into one of the cabinets and brought out one of the many first aid materials and started to sow some stitches on newly found immortal. “Justin, I know what it’s like to keep things bottled up inside. It eats away at you. It can destroy you. And I know that you have a kind heart, and that you’re a good person. Don’t let what happened in the past take away that light that we see in you.”

This was the most she ever heard Xena say anything in one breath. In fact, this was the most she had ever hear her say that much in one day. “Every day, mistress, I am bound to you both by the very kindness, and goodness that you show me. In your words, in your actions, I am eternally grateful and will continue to be your servant throughout my eternal immortalness. There is nothing in this world or the next that could ever change my mind, my heart, or my soul. You both are not only my mistresses, by new world. A world that I can be safe in, even when in danger. I owe you both my life eternal.”

Pondering on Justin’s words, she has known what it’s like to carry the guilt on your shoulders and not be able to share it with anyone. “You owe us nothing, young one. Just, try not to stain the good silverware.” She grinned, arching an eyebrow.

“As you wish, my mistress.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Back in the city… “I have a little job for you, my dear little one. I need you to find a certain little bitch that seems to have betrayed me. Especially after all I’ve done for that bitch. She owes me. She owes me big time. I didn’t make her immortal just so she could do her good deeds.” Her face expressing a curious look, “no. That little wrench is supposed to be MY play thing. Go! Find her and bring her back to me.” She turned around, looking out of a bedroom window, out into the streets of the city below her. “I let you go because you let me play with you. That’s no fun.” Smiling, she said, “but don’t you worry, Justin. You’ll be back here, begging for me to take you back. And then the real fun will begin. Once I get my hands on Xena and Gabrielle’s weapons, I’ll will have regained full goddessness and then there will be nothing and no one that can get in my way of having the world bow at my feet. Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As they sat in the living room, Janice couldn’t help but stare back and forth between Mel and Xena, and Gabrielle. “How? How in the world? I…. I just don’t get it. I thought you guys were dead. What happened? How can this be that you guys are still around? I mean, are you both immortal goddesses?”

“Hold on there a minute. Take it easy with the questions. We’ll answer all of them. Melinda, we understand you found the scroll you father hid away.”

In her southern accent she answer with her mouth and eyes wide in amazement, “why yes. How did you know?”

“Don’t worry about how we know. Just tell us if you’ve had some kind of encounters recently.”

Janice was quick to answer, “yeah. How did you know about that, too?”

“We already knew that someone would be after our weapons, and the weapon of a certain goddess who still looks to destroy me, if not kill me. We just need to be sure who it is that we’re dealing with first so we can know what our next move will be,” Xena said calmly, knowing how much Mel seemed to be upset by the expressions that passed over her face. “Melinda, is there something you’d like to say?”

Janice’s eyes began to well with tears. Choking at her words, “I didn’t get up quick enough to stop her.”

Xena couldn’t sit down any longer. “Her?” She mumbled, “Callisto.”

“Yeah, how… never mind.” Janice got up, practically jumping to her feet, the anger that still raging within her crossing in the expression in her face. “That bitch got a hold of Mel, and no matter how many times I whacked her over the head with my pistol, she just kept getting up. She said something about being a demigoddess and that whatever she wanted she would get and there would be no stopping it.”

She would pace back and forth in front a window that lighted the room. Thumping with her boots, she pounded her fist into her other hand. She pulled out a stubbed cigar and lit it, staring through the window practically forgetting about everybody else in the room with her. Janice didn’t even know that Mel was standing right behind her.

Dr. Pappas put both her hands on the archeologist’s shoulders. Janice leaned back against her as her lover put her arms around her waist. “Janice. It’s alright. That’s part of the past now. Let’s not dwell on that.”

Covington turned around to face Mel. She put her arms around her waist and lay her head upon her lovers chest and cried quietly. “I am so sorry. I just… We’ll be ready for her next time. I promise you, love. I won’t let her touch you ever again.”

“I’m not so sure it’s going to be ‘we’ that will be ready. It’s more like me and Gabrielle who will handle this.”

“Now hold on just a minute.” She broke away from Melinda’s embrace and headed towards the warrior princess. Pointing and waving a finger at her, “don’t even think for one minute that I’m just going to let think that you will be the one to take care of the other blonde. Whatever you might be thinking, I’m in. I’m not letting that bitch get away with what she did.”

“Now you hold on just a minute little one,” said Xena.

The ancient one stood up and positioned herself in between them both. “Hey you two. Let’s not argue about who’s going to do what. We all have to agree on a plan and talk this through. Xena has always come up with a plan that has worked over the millennia. I think we should eat first. I know you two had a very long flight from the states. I’m sure that you’re both very tired, too. I say we go into the dining room.” Motioning over to Justin, who had just walked in, “would you please prepare the dining room for some coffee. I’ll get us something to eat.”

“As you wish, my mistress. But, if I may say, dinner is ready. I was coming to request if you would like for me to begin serving. Everything is already set on the table.”

“Justin, sometimes you still amaze me,” Gabrielle said as she placed her hand on the young one’s shoulder, they smiled together.

Justin opened the doors of the living room, motioning for her mistresses and the guests to follow. As they entered, the table, made of old mahogany, was decorated with an array of different plates. There was a huge bowl of salad in the center with tomatoes, crispy lettuce, sliced carrots, radishes, and cabbage. Another bowl was filled with mashed potatoes, and a smaller one of thick gravy. At one end of this long table, enough to feed about a dozen people comfortably, was another bowl. This was filled with pieces of fried chicken. At the other end, piled on a big plate, were corn on the cob. The girls thought they died and went to heaven at the site of this feast before them.

“Please, y’all didn’t have to go through all this just for lil’ ol’ us. Oh, look. And salad to boot,” said Mel to Justin.

“Nonsense. It is with great please that I serve the descendants of my mistresses. I am more than honored to be of service.” She bowed her head to them all and asked to be excused.

“I don’t see why she can’t stay.” The young blonde was quick to take the girl’s hand, “why don’t you join us?”

At that precise moment, there was a knock at the door. Xena was quick to her feet, feeling in her gut that something was definitely wrong. “Don’t answer that.” She held Justin’s forearm. Directed them all to stay where they were, she whispered in Justin’s ear. With a nod, she was off and running out of the dining room. In less than five minutes, she came back with a whip, and a pistol that was tucked underneath her shirt.

“You can never be unprepared,” she said.

“Okay, everybody, stay here. I’ll go check it out.” Xena was worried of who it might be. Justin followed anyway, feeling that it was somebody looking for her.

Mel leaned over to Gabrielle, “is she always this paranoid?”

“Melinda, I’ve learned over the many centuries that her gut feelings are never wrong. I trust her with my life…” her words trailing off, feeling that something was definitely wrong.

In the hallway, before the front door, “Xena. This one is for me. They’ve come to bring me back to her. If I refuse, they back might hurt you and Gabrielle, and your guests as well. I’m afraid for you all. But, I’m not afraid to die. She could take away my immortality.”

“Justin, the only way they’re going to get you is through me. And I’m not going to let that happen. Besides, the only way she would be able to take away your immortality would be with the --- dagger. And only Gabrielle and I are only ones left that know exactly where that is.”

The warrior princess signaled for Justin to stay back, behind the door while she answered the door. She opened the door and saw an amazon of a woman. She had seen her before, but could not yet place where. “Yeah, what do you want?”

“She knows I’ve come for her. It would be easier on everyone involved that she come peacefully.” Her arms were crossed in front of herself. Her eyes showing determination. The muscle in her arms showing of some strength.

“Oh yeah? And what if she doesn’t want to come? Or better yet, what if we don’t want her to go? Then what do you think you can do to prevent me from wiping that smirk off your face.” Her eyebrow arched in perfect form. A evil smile of her own, the blood of war boiling within her, the muscle of her stomach tightening with the anticipation of a battle about to erupt surging through her veins. She made herself ready.

“If it’s a fight you want, Warrior Princess, then so be it.”

ššššššš

(continued in Part 4)