by Cat
mailto:cat@beltran.nu

WARNING: Xena, Gabrielle, and all our other friends are property of Universal Studios/ MCA. I am using these characters without permission in a solely not-for-profit way. Any characters not originally from the series are my own creation and are not to be used without permission.

Warning: This story contains material of a graphic nature. It is what I consider a dark story. The violence contained within this story exceeds that of the television series to the best of my knowledge and is directed at our favorite sidekicks. If you object to or feel you cannot handle violence, by all means read another story. May I shamelessly suggest Strength of Souls or Berries? Otherwise, enjoy. Just to let you know, this is going to be a long one.

Relax, I'm going to be surrounded by Amazons. What could possibly go wrong? Famous last words, Gabrielle snorted to herself. What could go wrong was that they were driving her insane! If she thought Xena could be overprotective at times Now she longed for her friend. At least Xena knew when to back off, or at least act like it. These Amazons could be a bit overzealous in the protection of their queen. They were always on the defensive. If anyone even looked at her wrong, they were ready for attack. She looked at the three Amazons that accompanied her. Well two and a half anyway, she thought with a smile. To her left and a little in front of her was Tonea. She had hair that was equal mixtures brown and blonde and was pulled back into an efficient traditional Amazon style braid. She dwarfed Gabrielle in size, but so did most of the Amazons for that matter. She was well built and one of their best fighters and could also be as intimidating as Tartarus itself for those who she did not trust. To her right and in the same position was Cratia. Now there was someone who stood out in a crowd. She was only slightly smaller than her counterpart, but she was slightly more curvy in places than her friend. With her fiery red hair blowing about her, she certainly attracted attention. Which was quickly sent away by a single look on her part. She swore they were the two most intimidating Amazons in the tribe. Figures. Lessa on the other hand Lessa was barely twelve summers old with pale blonde hair the color of fresh hay, but tried her best to be as intimidating as her counterparts. More often than not, and much to their dismay, she failed miserably; often with the help of a certain queen. Gabrielle wanted to have a little fun on her visit to Thonaly, and found a great compatriot in Lessa for times she wanted to ditch her guards. Mind you, it didn't take long for them to find the dodgers, but it was fun in the mean time. She suspected that the Amazon Regent, not to mention a certain leather-clad Warrior Princess, had given Cratia and Tonea specific instructions, but they were overdoing it more than just a little. Ephiny and Xena had her best interests in mind, she was sure, but she felt like a baby with two big strong warriors protecting her. She could more than protect herself, especially in a town like this.

Thonaly was a tiny village just past the outskirts of Amazon territory. It was also one of the few villages to not yet have a treaty with her people. She was here to rectify that. She wanted the people of Thonaly to see that they had nothing to fear from the Amazons. She also wanted to see what the village itself was like. It was her hope that Amazons could occasionally walk the streets and trade with no conflict. Having two armed warriors follow her wherever she went did not exactly help her make her point. The young Amazon was along to learn the business of trade and treaties, something she already seemed to have a knack for. Walking around she could memorize exactly where she was, draw a map of her surroundings, and divide it into fair territories. Gabrielle had decided that this simple trip would be a perfect learning opportunity for her.

At least Lessa seemed to be having fun. Between her and Lessa's antics, most of the town seemed to relax and realize that Amazons are normal people, just like them. Cratia and Tonea still intimidated them, but they served their purpose. Gabrielle couldn't wait for this to be over though. She had been in negotiations with the village elders for most of the day yesterday and for most of this morning. They would have the formal signing of the treaty late tomorrow morning. In just two days from now she would meet back up with Xena in the Amazon village. Another day after that and they were meeting Hercules and Iolaus for a much needed break. At least they didn't think she was some fragile child that would break in a strong wind, anymore that is. She had proven herself to them. What would it take to prove herself to the Amazons?

She sighed to herself, but Lessa caught the action. She seemed to understand what her queen was going through. Even she knew that there was a difference between protecting your queen and smothering her. She tapped her queen on the shoulder, being almost as tall as she was, to get her attention. When she had it she smiled a mischievous smile that could only mean one thing: trouble, for the other Amazons that is. Gabrielle picked up on the meaning instantly, and smiled back. She raised one eyebrow in question: What's your plan? The younger girl pointed to a booth they would be passing momentarily. The canopy protruding from it offered the perfect escape, with the small ally behind it a perfect hiding place. After being chastised by the protectors last night, they had been good all day. Surely they didn't expect that to last?

The two walked along, minding their own business until they reached the stand. Instantly, they ducked in and disappeared amongst the wares. The shop mistress simply smiled at them. She had seen the two smaller Amazons dodging the two larger ones most of the afternoon yesterday. She found it quite amusing, not to mention comforting since it meant that not all of them were quite so frightening. The older lady slyly spied out of her tent, pretending to be straightening something. She saw the two others walking on; not yet having noticed their missing companions. She motioned to the younger women that the coast was clear to which they responded with a smile before taking off down the ally.

They took a right turn, planning on cutting behind some of the stands before returning to the market. That plan came to an abrupt halt as they nearly walked straight into two very large and very annoyed Amazon guards. "Oh centaur" she never got to finish her curse, being cut off by Cratia.

"What in the name of the great goddess Artemis do you two think you were doing?" she demanded, arms crossed in front of her. She drew herself up to her full height, going into full intimidation mode. Gabrielle, who had spent far too much time with Xena to fall for it, was not impressed.

"Trying to have a bit of fun while we're here, but you have successfully brought that to a halt every chance you get," she snapped back. The larger woman blinked in surprise before regaining her composure.

Behind her, Tonea tried to keep a smile off her face. She understood what the young queen was going through, though that did not deter her from her duties. Watching as she spouted off a few colorful curses that could have only come from a certain Warrior Princess, the older Amazon was again struck at how much the young woman who stood before her had changed in the span of only a few seasons. No longer was she the innocent village girl who couldn't tell what end of a sword to point at someone. Now she was very much the Amazon she claimed to be. She had grown up, physically and mentally. She knew the regent and Xena both wanted her protected, and definitely did not want to face them should anything happen, but she also knew they were going overboard just a bit. They were in a small village just outside Amazon borders and the most harmful thing they had come across so far was some kids throwing stones at a barn, not seeing the women approaching. She remembered the shock on their faces when the queen batted one back at them with her staff and Cratia caught one with her bare hand. The children's parents had appeared at the ruckus and were torn between scolding their children and protecting them from "those savages." The queen and Lessa had managed to calm them down, though Cratia still scared a few years off their lives. She turned her attention back to the present.

"I am not a child!" Gabrielle was screaming. "I do not need two overgrown babysitters watching my every move. I have lived on the road for years now, defending myself against far worse things than any of the stories that get back to you show."

"But Xena was with you," Cratia interrupted.

"Sometimes, yes," Gabrielle conceded. The two Amazons raised identical eyebrows at the word "sometimes". "But even when she is, she gives me room to breathe. When we face danger, we face it together. I fight along side her. Yes, she is there to watch my back, but I watch hers just as often. She gives me the chance to do it myself. She knows I can protect myself, something you obviously do not." She was going to go on, but saw that what she was saying was reaching them, somewhat.

"We have been assigned to protect you," Cratia stated simply, green eyes flaring.

Equally green eyes met hers evenly. "And you can do that, when it is necessary. I am your queen, not a piece of glass. I have seen far more of the world than you and have the scars to prove it."

"We're here to see that you don't get any more," Cratia replied.

Tonea could see both tempers ready to flare again and decided it was time to step in. "I think we are all just a little tense right now. We need to step back and take a break. Yes, we have seemed overprotective, but it is with your own safety in mind, not to mention fear of pissing off Xena and our regent." She added the last part with a smile and got two smiles in return. "How about we back off," she paused as Cratia's features tightened in anger. "A little," she amended. "On the condition you stop running off and trying to ditch us? You can go do the things you want to do, but we will be there with you. If any problems arise, we will take care of them. Does that sound fair?"

"Fine with me," Gabrielle replied, her tension slipping a bit from her voice. They turned to Cratia who mumbled something they took to be assent. The young queen turned back to the large redheaded warrior. "Look," she began. "I'm sorry for causing you problems. It's just I am used to doing what I want to when I want to. That's the way I am. I get in trouble sometimes, but I always get out of it, usually with Xena's help. I know you are concerned, and it's the whole 'warrior protect the queen' thing, but this queen, like all Amazon queens, can protect herself as well."

Cratia sighed, at least partially defeated. "You are not like most Amazon queens." She held her hand up to stop the young woman's protests. "But that is not a bad thing. We remember you when you first came and could not protect yourself. I'm afraid I still think of you in that way. You still have this innocence about you that makes us want to make sure you keep it. I'm sure you can fight, and I am sure you can do it very well, but we are your guard. It is our duty to see that you don't have to. I'm sorry if I was a bit overzealous in my duties." She offered her arm forward in forgiveness and raised her eyebrow in an unasked question.

Gabrielle accepted it with a grin. "I'll take this as a sign you two will relax and maybe even enjoy yourselves while you're here. The Thonalians are trying their best to be nice to us, and we are probably scaring them half way to Elysia. Let's go show them that Amazons aren't always as weird as we have been."

"Any ideas on where we should go next?" Tonea asked, certain her queen would have a couple.

She was surprised when it was their even younger companion who answered. She had almost forgot she was there, as quiet as she had been during their discussion. "How about somewhere with food? I'm starving!" Lessa said, emphasizing her point by rubbing her stomach.

Tonea smiled at her, then looked back up at her queen. "I think you're rubbing off on her," she laughed. Gabrielle tried to put on her best indigent smile, but couldn't hold it as she too broke out into laughter.

"I think you're all nuts," Cratia mumbled under her breath before joining in with a smirk.

It had turned out to be a quiet afternoon, the warrior thought to herself as she sipped her ale. Even Lessa, the young girl dozing beside her, had behaved. After lunch, they had wandered around the marketplace some more and their young queen showed off some of her bartering techniques. It was quite an impressive display. She herself had thought there was no need for Amazon warriors to know such things, but perhaps she had been mistaken. They had saved more than a couple dinars due to the queen's prowess. She even enjoyed herself, a little. Not that she would tell the queen or her other companions that. Oh no, she would never live that down. By staying back a ways, the villagers were more likely to approach the two young women, but always seemed to have a smile. She found herself relaxing and not being in what she had been told was "full attack mode" all the time. Tonea seemed more relaxed as well, though she was usually a bit more easy going in the first place.

She looked over to her fellow warrior. The brunette was leaning back in her chair with her foot propped up on one of the table supports and her mug of ale balanced on her knee. She was most definitely enjoying herself. Maybe she should take her cue from the woman. From their table off to the side of the inn's main room, they had a clear view of the entrance and the room as a whole. Most importantly, they had a clear view of their queen and were within her reach without being in her way.

The queen sat in a chair on a small raised platform in the corner of the room. Somehow or another it had come out that she was a bard. Turns out a couple of people had even heard of her before, said she was known as one of the better ones in all of Greece. It was probably an exaggeration, but it got the innkeeper into talking the young woman into performing. As if those protests were anything more than token in the first place. It was kind of cute seeing her blush at the mention of her accomplishments though, reminded her of her little sister. So the bard-queen took the stage, and had the people enthralled. She told mostly of the famed Warrior Princess and her great deeds since turning from evil, but upon request told a few old favorites with a bit of a new twist that had the people applauding. Anyway, dinner was free and people were offering her tips at the end of every tale.

Gabrielle finished another tale to the sound of cheers. She had to admit she loved that feeling. She loved telling the stories; she became so involved that sometimes she forgot where she was until the commotion at the end, like now. Now she wanted a drink of water, or maybe some of that good cider the innkeeper brought her earlier, and a bit of fresh air. Too much sitting in a room crowded with people. She stepped down from the small stage with a graceful explanation to the patrons. One even offered her a hand, as if forgetting she was an Amazon and was instead a normal local village girl. She tried not to laugh as she took it. She picked up her staff from its place against the wall, and tried to make her way through the crowded room. With all the congratulations and people pushing her this way and that, she ended up closer to the door than to her companions. Might as well make use of it, she thought. "Porch," she mouthed to the redhead whose eyes had not left her the entire evening. Cratia nodded and stood, intending to follow her queen. Tonea stayed with the sleeping Lessa at the table, seeing no point in waking the child.

Once outside, Gabrielle let the cool night air fill her lungs. She hadn't realized just how warm it had been in there. If possible, it was moments like this she liked even better then the time she spent telling her tales. A crisp, clear evening with thousands of stars and the only sounds around her being the faint din of the inn she just left. It was peaceful, relaxing. It was a time when she could be alone with her thoughts. It was often far too short. Sure enough, something knocked her out of her reverie and nearly to the ground. If it wasn't for her staff and the many hours of Xena teaching her balance, she was certain she would have fell. She whipped around, certain it was one of her companions teasing her; probably Tonea since Lessa was too small and Cratia did not seem to have much of a sense of humor.

What she saw surprised her. It was not one of the warriors, but instead was a man. Focused once again on the present, she noticed his slightly wobbly gait and a smell that told her he had been at the inn far too long this evening. "Sorry," he mumbled, leaning into her as if to steady his balance. His breath hit her face and filled it with the stench of alcohol.

"That's okay," she told him, separating herself from him in one smooth move, then taking a step back. She noticed that her hand had tightened its hold on her staff, though she didn't remember doing it.

"Hey," he said, taking a shaky step towards her. She stepped back again, only to have him step closer. Gods she hated drunks. "You're You're the one that was telling the stories up there, aren't you?" She nodded her head silently, knowing he wouldn't hear her response if she gave it. Sure enough, he continued. "You You were good. Really, really good. I would give you a dinar or two, but alas I spent them all on a little something to drink." He sighed dramatically, nearly losing his balance in the process.

"Thank you very much," she said, trying to be polite. "But that's really okay. Glad you liked the stories." With that she moved as if to walk away.

He stumbled closer to her again, as if trying to block her way. "How about I give you something else instead?" he asked suggestively. One did not have to be an oracle to understand his meaning.

"Really, that's okay," she repeated more forcefully this time. She stepped back and had her staff ready, just in case.

His face turned dark and when he spoke again, he had a much rougher undertone to it. "I want to give you something else," he said, moving ever so slightly closer. "And you are going to take it, and you are going to like it." With that he lunged at her, all signs of his drunkenness seeming to disappear as he focused on his task.

She sidestepped him and raised her staff to a full defensive position. "Back off," she warned. She knew her guard would appear any moment, and wanted to avoid making a scene as much as possible. He would not take the hint. He lunged at her again, and she blocked him with her staff, pushing him off. She glanced to the inn door to see what happened to Cratia, who had refused to let her out of her sight all day. Instead of the redheaded warrior, she found a group of the inn's patrons crowded in the doorway, watching what was going on. To them it was another form of entertainment for the evening. To her it meant she was going to have one angry guard once she got through all the drunks. On the up side, they seemed to be cheering her on.

That quick look cost her. The drunk came at her again, and this time she did not bring her staff around in time to completely block his punch. His fist connected with the side of her jaw and she had to take a step back to regain her balance. After that, instinct took over. She no longer cared about not making a scene; she wanted this guy out of her way. She landed a blow to his stomach, causing him to double over slightly. Taking the advantage, she turned and connected with his shoulder, nearly sending him down. One final hit across his back and he was out for the count.

The crowd cheered the bard's accomplishment, much to her dismay. However, when she looked back to the doorway, she saw the familiar form of Cratia as well as the innkeeper forcing their way through the last of the crowd.

Her guard was immediately by her side. She had seen the fight from her viewpoint over most of the watchers' heads, but could not reach her queen without hurting them, and she knew the queen would definitely not approve of that. In fact she had instructed them to leave the villagers alone just earlier that day. She had managed to get to the front with the minimum amount of damage to the patrons, though her temper was nearing its limits. "Are you okay?" she demanded when she reached the young woman, having seen her checking her sore jaw as she approached.

"Yeah," Gabrielle sighed, upset for having to knock a man out the day before a peace treaty with the town. "He isn't though." She motioned to the prone man.

"What happened?" both Cratia and the innkeeper demanded at the same time.

"He tried to jump her," one of the patrons called out, trying to be helpful. "That's what he gets for messing with an Amazon," he added to his peers.

Cratia removed her dagger from its sheath and approached the man. "Cratia!" The tone in the young queen's voice was unmistakable.

The warrior was unshaken. "That man attacked you," she nearly spat the word in disgust. "He drew your blood," she said, her tone meeting that of her leader's as she motioned to Gabrielle's split lip. "He must pay for his crimes." To her it was as simple as that.

The innkeeper stepped in, though his better judgement told him not to. "This man is not from our village. He is a traveler who arrived this morning. Please do not let his indiscretion destroy the treaty between our people. We will take care of him if you see fit to leave him to us." His voice shook slightly, but he managed to retain some semblance of calm.

Cratia opened her mouth to speak, but Gabrielle beat her to it, green eyes meeting those of her counterpart, daring her to disagree. "As far as I am concerned, this matter has been dealt with. You may do with him as you wish. The treaty is not at any risk, it will be signed tomorrow as agreed." The redhead was seething with anger, but knew better than to question her queen. As much as she disliked it, the decision was final.

Off to the side during all of this was another traveler. A single man very interested in the events unfolding. He had seen only the ending where the two women seemed to be in disagreement over something and there was a man out cold on the ground. "What's all the commotion about?" he asked one of the patrons casually, his eyes never leaving the scene.

"Oh, well you see the little one there is some sort of Amazon big-wig and the larger one is her guard. Seems the little one was attacked, that's the one you see on the ground, and the guard's upset she won't follow some sort of ritual or another with the attacker. Bet they're going to be leaving early for sure now," the rather intoxicated man explained, taking another sip of ale.

"Leaving?" the other man asked.

"Yep," he said, nodding his head vigorously. "Some time tomorrow afternoon, probably. Once they sign that treaty saying them Amazons won't attack and'll help us. One thing's for sure, tomorrow night we won't have a show like this," he sighed, truly enjoying himself. He turned to the traveler to ask him something, but he had disappeared. He shrugged, not completely sure he was ever there in the first place and turned back to the show.

Unfortunately for him, it had ended. Cratia resheathed her dagger as the innkeeper motioned a few of the men standing by to help move Gabrielle's would be attacker to the village jail for the evening. "How's the jaw?" Cratia asked curtly, trying to focus on something else and control her anger. It had been the queen's right to make the decision, that she knew. She just wished that decision had included herself teaching that man what happens when you attack an Amazon, especially a queen. To her, he was just another example of why no man should be trusted.

Gabrielle touched her injury gingerly and found that it really didn't hurt. "Not bad," she said honestly. "I've had worse. I can't believe that he got in," she sighed, walking back towards the inn now that the crowd seemed to have found a better spot than the doorway to stand in.

"Why did you go out there alone?" the warrior demanded, though her voice had softened a little.

"What? Now I'm not allowed to get fresh air without permission?" Gabrielle cried, truly exasperated with the overprotectiveness she had been putting up with for the past few days. She sighed and turned back to her guard. "I went outside for just a little while, planning to stay on the porch near the doorway. It's a crowded inn; nothing was going to happen. I did not consider it a risk."

By now they had reached their table once again, and Tonea caught sight of the queen's bloodied lip. "What happened?" she demanded, herself ready to go into full battle mode if needed. Worry etched her face and she looked up at her companion, expecting an answer.

"The queen was attacked because she did not have her guard with her. She went outside alone at night in a strange village and was attacked. She cannot understand why I am upset," Cratia explained, her voice stern and still edged with anger.

"Hey!" the younger woman exclaimed, letting her own temper flare. "I was right outside the door, and besides, when I left you looked like you were going to follow. How was I supposed to know that my guard would not be there when needed?" She knew it was a low shot and aimed at the warrior's pride, but she didn't care. She was not going to put up with this anymore. How something as simple as getting fresh air could turn into such an argument was beyond her. She looked back up at the woman's face, expecting to see her anger once again. What she saw was something all together different: shame. In Cratia's mind she was a guard who had failed to do her duty. Gabrielle was beginning to understand the woman's reaction. She still didn't like it, but at least now she understood it.

Tonea saw it as well, and part of her could sympathize. She too should have been protecting the queen. However, unlike her counterpart, she could see the big picture. "Other than your lip, are you injured?" she asked her queen.

"No," Gabrielle answered, shaking her head.

"And the man who attacked you?" she continued.

"Is out cold," Cratia replied, seeing where the other woman was going with this.

"And you were able to handle this on your own?" the brunette asked the queen.

"Yes," Gabrielle answered, beginning to see where she was going.

"Then what's the problem?" she asked, throwing her hands up in the air. "You were able to handle the situation alone with minimum injury and without your guard, just like you have been saying you can since we got here. Yes, we still should have been there as it is our duty, but you took care of it. I say you have proved the point you were trying to make earlier." She smiled at the queen's shocked yet pleased reaction. "But did you have to go and get a split lip in the process? When Xena sees that, she'll have our hides," she laughed, only partly kidding.

Gabrielle also laughed at the comment. "It's not Xena you have to worry about, I can handle her," she assured the larger woman. "It's Ephiny you have to deal with."

"Don't remind me," she laughed, shaking her head.

"Come on," Cratia interrupted, motioning for the queen to follow her. "Let's get something cold on that lip before it's too big to hide from either of them."

Beside her on the bench, Lessa stirred, waking from her little nap. She looked up at the laughing warriors and her queen, who seemed to have a hurt lip for some reason. "What did I miss?" she asked groggily, wiping the sleep out of her eyes. She was not pleased when her only response was laughter.

"Stop fussing and it will go a lot faster," Tonea sighed for what seemed the hundredth time.

"I just don't understand why I have to go through all of this," Gabrielle replied, motioning to her surroundings and attire. Instead of her usual traveling top, she wore a much smaller brown leather one with golden embroidery that was closer to the traditional Amazon style. Tonea was finishing braiding her hair with many small braids in an intricate style and Cratia was attaching the leather armlets and traditional shoulder armor, if you could call it that. It was more for show than anything. Lessa stood by with a necklace and earrings they had yet to adorn her with.

"It's traditional ceremonial wear. You are signing a formal treaty; it is proper to dress accordingly. It's bad enough you insist on wearing your other skirt," Cratia answered in her usual curt manner, motioning to the queen's usual traveling skirt instead.

"It's more comfortable," the bard shrugged simply.

"It's not proper," Cratia corrected.

Gabrielle looked to Lessa for help. She always seemed to support her at least. The smaller blonde shook her head, slightly ashamed. "It is a treaty signing. Besides, you can make a big entrance going all out like that," the girl smiled.

"It would make quite the show," Tonea agreed, hiding a smile.

"Augh! I'm out numbered!" Gabrielle sighed, throwing her arms up in the air, exasperated with her companions. Although not pleased with her movement while trying to finish dressing her, the warriors smiled at their small victory. "But can you at least tell me why I can't dress myself?"

It was finally time for the signing of the treaty. Gabrielle was dressed to the Amazons' satisfaction and walking across the courtyard to the platform they had placed outside for everyone to witness the event. She was really getting tired of the whole ceremony thing. She couldn't wait until she could be back with Xena and her normal life. Even Hercules and Iolaus were more accommodating than the Amazons and the villagers. She had to admit Lessa and Tonea were right; she did make quite the entrance. Heads turned and people pointed as she walked up to the table, the slight jingling of her necklace and soft thud of her staff sounding with each footstep.

The town elders were already assembled and stood waiting on the small platform. As she stepped up, each bowed slightly in respect. She bowed back as well, not sure what else to do with such attention. She looked over to her companions who stood just off to the side of the small platform and tried to hide a smile. Talk about letting their presence be known. Cratia and Tonea stood as straight and stiff as could be, each with their hand resting on the hilt of their sword and eyes never leaving her. Even Lessa looked intimidating. Though she was much smaller and didn't have a sword of her own she stood as straight as possible for a twelve-year-old with her hand resting on the hilt of the small dagger she wore. Unlike her companions, her face lit up with a small smile when she saw the queen's gaze.

Gabrielle turned her attention back to the task at hand. The town magistrate began his speech and she tried not to roll her eyes at the formality of it all, knowing that in only a few moments she would be saying something similar. "I Krikion, on behalf of the entire village of Thonaly, sign my name to this treaty and promise to uphold it to the best if my ability. The members of the Amazon nation will be welcome here for trade and recreation and will be under no threat by any member of this village for as long as this treaty holds. In return, the Amazons promise to be our allies and will come to our aid in times of strife and will offer no threat to the villagers of Thonaly. If needed, the Thonalians will offer the Amazons refuge and protection and this offer will be reciprocated in full. As it is written, so shall we follow." With that, he dipped the quill in the ink and signed his name to the bottom of the scroll. He handed the quill to the waiting queen, who took it graciously.

She took a deep breath and began her own, albeit smaller, speech. "I Gabrielle, on behalf of the Amazon nation, sign my name to this treaty and promise to uphold it to the best of my ability. Should it be needed, the Amazons will come to the aid of the Thonalians and this action will be reciprocated for as long as this treaty holds. As it is written, so shall we follow." She dipped her quill into the ink and signed her name with her usual bardic flourish next to the magistrate's. As she lay down the quill, the entire square erupted into cheers, aside from three Amazons who simply tightened their hold on their weapons and nodded their heads in a curt bow.

The magistrate calmed down the crowd for a moment to make one last statement. "Please, on the behalf of all of Thonaly, stay for a celebration in your honor and in honor of the signing of this treaty of peace," he said, though more to the crowd than to the visiting royalty that stood before him. Of course, he had no idea of her true rank, only that she served as an ambassador for his new allies.

"We accept your offer," Gabrielle told him and the villagers that stood before her. They erupted into cheers once more. She took a quick glance to her companions to see Cratia with a less than pleased look on her face.

"The celebration will begin in one mark of the candle. Please give us time to set up the festivities and the refreshments," he told her, then turned his attention to the men awaiting his instructions for the placement of the various goodies.

Gabrielle sighed and stepped off the platform to meet her fellow Amazons. "Did you have to accept?" Cratia demanded, more than a bit of intimidation in her voice.

"Considering it was agreed upon during the meeting yesterday, yes," Gabrielle answered dryly. "Besides, it's one last meal before we leave." She saw Lessa's face light up at the mention of food and Tonea raise an amused eyebrow. The queen's appetite was legendary, and she seemed to be rubbing off on the younger Amazon.

"Do you know the risks involved with you simply 'mingling' with these villagers. You saw what they were capable of last night, and that was only one at a much smaller gathering," Cratia said, once again exasperated at her young queen.

"That was an isolated incident by someone who is not even a member of this village, and I thought we dealt with this already," Gabrielle countered. She sighed for what felt like the hundredth time during this trip and rubbed her hand across her eyes, trying to ease the stress she could feel building there. "Look, I want to leave just as much as you do. There is nothing else I would rather be doing right now other than resting and joking with Xena on the road out in the middle of nowhere with no contract negotiations and no overprotective Amazons. We will stay for the celebration, then leave. We will be back in the Amazon village by tomorrow afternoon at the latest. Then you can have as much fun as you want trying to out-warrior everyone else. For now we are going to stay and enjoy ourselves, is that understood?" Cratia mumbled something in response that Gabrielle had learned to accept as her reply whenever she was outruled on a mattered. The young queen turned while rolling her eyes so only the young Lessa could see the action then began walking away.

"Where do you think you are going?" Cratia demanded.

"Back to the inn," Gabrielle answered simply. She turned and looked back at her companions. "If I'm going to this festival, I am going to at least be comfortable. And that means getting rid of this." She thumbed the long leather skirt she had been talked in to wearing. She turned around with a smile and began walking again, knowing they would follow and that poor Tonea was once again trying to hide a smile from her counter part.

From her room at the inn, Gabrielle could hear the festivities beginning through her open window. She had changed back into her more comfortable traveling skirt but had opted to keep the Amazon top on. It was just as comfortable as her usual top and it looked more official. She had also kept the necklace and armlets on, though she discarded the earrings and shoulder armor as she was not yet used to their weight. She sat on the pallet that served as her bed and rearranged the scrolls in her carrying case. She had not been lying earlier; she wanted out of there and to be back with Xena, headed to see her good friends. Anything she could do to make sure they could leave as quickly as possible, she had already done. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door. She briefly remembered the struggle it took just for Cratia to give her this much time alone. "Come in," she called, expecting to see the warrior, though keeping her staff within sight. Being around warriors as much as she had had certainly rubbed off on her. When the door opened, she was not disappointed.

The trio of Amazons walked in, two looking relaxed and almost as if they were going to enjoy the treats that awaited them, and one looking like Cratia. "Are you ready, your majesty?" Tonea asked with a slight lilt on the official title, knowing both the queen's preference and tradition.

"As I'll ever be," she sighed, pushing herself off the bed. She grabbed her staff and headed for the door, sparing one last glance at her scrolls before deciding they would be safe where they were. She closed the door behind her and walked down the steps, ready to meet the crowd she knew was waiting. With Lessa at her side and the two Amazon guards following instead of leading the way, she was starting to believe it was possible to have a good time. One whiff of the various foods that came floating towards her and she was almost positive.

Once outside, she greeted the people as kindly as she could, smiling and shaking hands with the few that dared to come close enough. It was not her they were afraid of, everyone thought she was as kind and friendly as could be. The guards That was another matter. They were afraid of them, especially the redhead, and Cratia built up that image as often as she could. Gabrielle was slowly but surely breaking the ice. The back of her mind told her to be careful, and that something was out of place, but she decided it was simply the overanxious guards getting to her. As far as they were concerned, anyone who approached her had an ulterior motive. She trusted them to take care of anything that would happen though, and knew she herself was more than capable of handling any trouble that this little village had to offer.

Something off to the side caught her attention. She grabbed Lessa's hand and led her to one of the small tables offering up an assortment of pastries. "Ooh, these are some of my favorites," she said, licking her lips much to the amusement of the woman manning the stand and her counterparts. "You have got to try these," she insisted, handing one to the younger Amazon. Seeing her face light up, the young queen smiled and offered one to each of her guards, much to everyone's surprise. Tonea took it immediately and popped it into her mouth with a smile, while Cratia eyed hers dubiously. "Come on, it's not going to kill you," she prodded. Finally the warrior took a bite and raised an eyebrow in appreciation, nodding her approval.

"If you like them so much, I'll make up another batch just for you before you leave," the woman offered with a smile.

"Oh no, I don't want you to go through any trouble," Gabrielle protested.

"Not at all," the woman waved it off. "It's not every day your cooking gets complimented by an Amazon ambassador. It would be my honor," she insisted. 'Think of it as a thank you present for putting up with us for as long as you have."

Gabrielle gulped. Had it really been that obvious? When she saw the smile on the woman's face, she decided it was a joke, and laughed along, albeit hesitantly. "It would be our honor," she began, but was cut off by a commotion behind her. People were yelling, children were screaming, and everyone seemed to be running away from something. She looked to her companions, who were instantly on guard.

"Raiders!" The word finally reached her ears. The entire village seemed to be going everywhere and nowhere at once. Several of the men were taking control, ordering others to find anything that could be used as a weapon and a few others were gathering the women and children together in a protective ring. An unspoken message traveled between Gabrielle and her guards. With a quick nod of her head, they headed into the center of the fray, weapons at the ready.

They fought off the few raiders that had gotten close to the council of elders, dispatching them with quiet efficiency, then turned to the village leaders. "What can we do to help?" Gabrielle asked, the tone in her voice clearly showing she would not tolerate being brushed aside or ignored.

"Leave," one man answered. She recognized him as the one who had caused so many problems in the council sessions. "This is none of your matter."

"Amazons do not run from battle," Tonea snapped back with a coldness that surprised even Gabrielle. One look into her eyes showed she was ready to tear the man apart for even hinting that they do so.

The young queen decided a more diplomatic approach was in order. "Signing that treaty made it our business," she quietly informed him. She showed just a bit of the fierceness Xena had taught her, just enough to get her point across; and had the added satisfaction of watching the man take a step back away from her. She and her Amazons were going to fight, whether the town council liked it or not.

"Please," Krikion pleaded, cutting off the other man's protests. Unlike his counterpart, he was not willing to turn down help in a situation like this, especially if that help was Amazon warriors. "The women and children Can you get them to the hills? There are some caves there we used the last time this happened. Please, can you get them there safely?"

"We'll do it," Gabrielle assured him, placing a comforting hand on his arm. He briefly nodded, then turned back to the other council members, some of whom were beginning to go their separate ways. She took that as a cue and turned to face her own companions.

"I am not going to hide with the women and children like some coward. I am a warrior!" Cratia growled. From the expression she wore on her face, it was doubtful her duties to her queen would win over her warrior pride. She would find some excuse, probably through the treaty, to stay in the village and fight.

"When we promised our protection, it was for the sake of the women and children," the young queen reminded her in a voice startling similar to that her mother used to use with her. "We will get them to the hills safely." She paused, waiting for another protest, but found none. She was actually going to be heard out for a change. "Look around you, what do you see?" she asked.

"Soldiers," Cratia replied dryly. "Attacking villagers."

"Organized, uniformed soldiers," Gabrielle corrected. "As if they belong to an organized army"

"There's not enough of them," Tonea cut in, catching on. She glanced around at the attacking force to be certain, but now it seemed just that much more obvious. If they were being attacked full force by an army they would have no time to stand around discussing it.

"A second wave," Cratia added, and it was not a question.

"Exactly," Gabrielle said, nodding her head. "By the time we get the women to the caves and back to the village, the second wave should be ready to attack."

"And we will be waiting for them," Tonea finished for her.

"It would be the last thing they would expect, and we would be keeping our word both to Krikion and to the treaty. It might just give the villagers the edge they need."

"Um" Lessa interrupted the queen after being unusually quiet for an unusually long time. "What if it's not the village they're after?"

"What?" Cratia asked in her 'I'm bored with this silly little girl' tone, and giving her a matching look.

The young Amazon was insistent. "I've been reading scrolls of past attacks on Thonaly and the surrounding villages. What if it's the women and children they are after? You know, for slaves and stuff? It wouldn't be that strange from what I've read. And they are supposed to be unprotected"

Gabrielle looked at her in surprise, not expecting the young Amazon to have thought of such things. Though the idea required the intelligence she knew the young woman was capable of, it saddened her to know someone so young knew of such things. True, she was an Amazon and most likely had been warned of such things, but that she truly understood the warnings frightened her.

"It would explain the missing troops" Tonea added, quite pleased with her young charge.

"So what are we supposed to do? Stay in hiding on the off chance they change their attack?" Cratia demanded, more than a hint of doubt in her tone.

"We'll see what it looks like when we get there," Gabrielle assured her, trying to calm her down. "Right now it is more important to simply get them there safely." Their conversation came to a halt as they reached the small grouping of women and children who were to be their charges. Two older men were with them, armed and ready to serve as protection if needed.

"You ready to go?" one of the men asked. He was about Tonea's height with short blonde hair. He had a muscular build and looked like he actually knew how to use a sword.

She nodded briefly in answer. "Is everybody here?" she asked, looking over the relatively small group that stood before her. She recognized a few of the women as shopkeepers or wives of prominent businessmen, including the woman she had met just moments before this whole mess began.

"All that are willing to come," the other man answered. He was slightly smaller with stringy brown hair that hung in his eyes and held his sword as if not quite sure of himself but willing to fight.

"One group already left," the first man added, explaining the small number. "This is all that's left."

"Great, let's go!" Gabrielle told him, hefting her staff into a battle-ready position and moving to circle around to the back of the group. Cratia and Tonea fanned out on either side of her, with Lessa between and slightly ahead of Tonea and her queen.

Together with the two men, the Amazons formed a protective circle around the women, who in turn formed a protective circle around the children. The men led the way, knowing the route and serving as scouts. More than once the village women tried to get Lessa to join the children in the center, but all of their attempts were met with glowering looks and usually a curt word or two with regards to Amazon versus village child rearing practices. Once the young Amazon nearly drew her dagger in response to being told that she was just a child. Only Gabrielle's quick thinking and smooth talking were able to sooth the situation, a situation nearly made worse by two smirking Amazon warriors who at least turned away to prevent themselves from laughing outright.

A short while after the dagger incident, they reached a rather dense part of the woods. The men, whom Gabrielle had learned were named Alion and Borek, had warned them earlier that the route to the caves passed through a small section of the surrounding forest before the uphill journey began. Everyone remained silent, even the children, and the joking around from earlier seem long forgotten. The guards kept a watchful eye on the surrounding trees, knowing this was a prime location for an ambush. However unlikely the idea may be, Gabrielle could not help thinking back to what Lessa had said earlier. What if it was the women and children they were after? The town itself was small and far from profitable. It was well before harvest, so there was no surplus of food or wealth from the sales to be had. So what were the raiders after?

A sound caught her attention. The snap of a twig, not uncommon when leading a group through a forest. What was uncommon was that it came from about forty paces away from the outermost member of the group. She looked to Cratia for confirmation. A nod. She heard it too. She gripped her staff tighter and readied herself for nearly anything. A quick look told her Tonea was on alert as well. They were being followed, that much was certain. What their pursuer's intentions were was another matter all together.

Another twig, this time closer and from the other side. That meant at least two pursuers, in possible attack formation, ready to close in on them. Gabrielle watched as Lessa drew her dagger. Alion and Borek were now on alert. Not trained in subtly in such matters, Alion held up a hand.

"What was that?" he asked once the mini caravan had come to a halt.

Cratia sighed. Now their pursuers knew they knew they were there. Great. Now they had nothing to lose. A noise came from either side of the group. "Ambush!" she shouted as men appeared from both sides and behind. It was a small contengion, dressed like the soldiers raiding the village and well armed. She ran to block a group of three men advancing on their small party, letting the fever of battle sink in and give her strength. "Not today, boy," she sneered, blocking a sword thrust meant for Alion and countering with one of her own. That got their attention. They changed the focus of their attack to the redheaded Amazon, who took them down in a matter of moments.

On the other side of the group, Tonea was similarly successful. One man had snuck through to Borek, who managed to defeat him, costing himself only a small nick on the arm. Gabrielle took down two men with her staff, a feat in and of itself considering Tonea was never more than an arms length away and went after anyone who got too close to her queen. Lessa herded several of the children away from a man who had gotten through the protective barrier, though she let Alion have the honor of facing him and taking him down.

Gabrielle looked around as the fighting seemed to come to a halt. Only three soldiers were left standing, and they were slowly backing away from the group. "Something's not right," she said as Tonea appeared once again at her side.

"That was too easy," the larger Amazon agreed.

"There wasn't enough of them," Cratia intoned, bringing her sword into battle position once more.

"Alion," Gabrielle called, bringing the blond man over to her. "Get these people out of here"

"But," he interrupted, only to be cut off by an insistent and temperamental young queen.

"No," she said coolly. "It's not over, more are coming. Get these people out of here and to safety now."

There was a tone to her voice he knew he should not question, but years of being taught to protect the young and women overcame his better judgement. "If you're fighting, you'll need our help."

Cratia rolled her eyes. "The women and children of your village need your help more than we do," Gabrielle told him. "Get them to safety. Don't leave the caves unless one of us or one of the villagers you know you can trust tells you it's okay. Do you understand?" A reluctant nod. "Good, now get going!"

He did as instructed, leading the way to the caves and trying to gather up the stragglers and weeping children. No sooner did he get the group together, than the second wave of the attack began. He started back as the soldiers began to advance, seeming to appear out of nowhere.

"No!" Gabrielle shouted at him. "Go!" She realized with a sudden sense of dread that Lessa was still at her side. "Go with them," she told her.

"I will not leave you, my queen," the young Amazon responded.

"Go with them or hide, but you are not going to fight," Gabrielle said as she readied her staff once more. Sensing another protest, she added, "That's an order."

"Yes, my queen," Lessa said softly before disappearing into the crowd, the dejection evident in her voice.

Gabrielle had no time to worry about the girl's hurt feelings as the approaching soldiers reached where the Amazons had decided to make their stand. Three Amazons against seven soldiers, she liked those odds. Three of the men went after Cratia, and the redhead smiled with both delight and something a little more feral. She was a warrior to her very core and lived for battle; in other words, she was truly enjoying herself. One man slashed at her from the front while another came at her from behind. She parried the blade with her own while simultaneously delivering a savage kick to the man coming from behind. Both went down shortly, leaving her with only one opponent.

Two of the remaining soldiers engaged Tonea, who used her large size to her advantage. With the large Amazon temporarily occupied, the final two men slipped in and aimed for what they thought would be an easy target: Gabrielle. The small blonde went into full defensive mode, turning in circles to keep the men in sight. One slashed at her arm, which she easily blocked and began a counter attack, nearly knocking the sword out of his hand. The other man came at her from the side, aiming low and trying to get her to lose her balance. Instead, she jumped over the blade and brought her staff upwards where it met his skull with a resounding crack. She turned her attention back to the first man, only to see Tonea send him off balance and nearly into her. She smacked him across the back of the head with her staff, knocking him out. The other man, still in a daze, tried for one final attack, only to be met by Cratia's fist.

"There we go," the large woman said, quite pleased with herself. "And not a scratch on any of us."

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet," the young queen told her, motioning to the surrounding area. While their attention was focused on the men attacking them, they failed to notice several others sneak around and block the path in the other direction, trapping four of the village women before they had a chance to escape to the hills. She was pleased, however, that Alion and Borek had followed her directions, continuing on to the caves and safety. That left only four women for the Amazons to protect against She did a quick count, rather a lot of soldiers. "Protect the villagers," she ordered. Cratia opened her mouth to protest, but Gabrielle cut her off. "Now!"

"Stay close," was her only response, and it was as close to an order as she dare give her queen.

The three of them formed a protective circle around the villagers, moving constantly to stop anyone from breaking through. Along with protecting the villagers, Cratia and Tonea made it clear they would protect their queen. They were allowing her to fight, but if things got out of control Cratia dodged another sword, whipping around with her own and slicing the man across the chest before kicking him into his comrades. She decided another man was too close to Gabrielle, and took him out as well.

The young queen, for her part, was holding her own. She had already taken two men out of commission and narrowly missed hitting Tonea when she turned around to face another but found her guard there instead. The brunette smile sheepishly, then stepped over the already unconscious man to face another attacker. Another man came after Gabrielle, but she noticed his attacks were lacking in strength; it was more like he was trying to throw her off balance. Seeing that the queen's attacker was a single man who looked like he barely knew how to hold a sword, the two guards returned to protecting the villagers from the other soldiers. The man overextended on an attack and barely caught his balance before Gabrielle counterattacked, spinning them both around. Now, even though he was inside the circle, he kept his attention on her. He attempted a downward blow to the head, which she easily blocked by stepping back with her staff. He tried a low slice, which she was also able to step away from.

He was forcing her backward; the realization hit her as she saw a smile spread across his face. But to where? She got her answer as an arm wrapped around her neck from behind and she felt cold steel at her throat.

"Stop!" the man who held her called out. He had a deep, almost rough voice and held his blade with a knowing hand. Gabrielle had yet to see him, but knew he was large and very strong as she struggled to breathe.

Immediately the Amazons, villagers, and soldiers spun around to face the young Amazon and her captor. Cratia and Tonea moved as if to rush him, and Gabrielle felt the steel edge press into her neck.

"Attack and she dies," the man said, and they stopped in their tracks. "Yes, I know she is important to you. I don't know why, yet, but I intend to find out. Put down your weapons and surrender without a fight and she lives. Don't and she dies."

Gabrielle watched a torrent of emotions run across her companions' faces. They wanted to save their queen, but to do so meant either giving in or most likely costing her her life. Years of Amazon training feuded with each other. In the end, there was only one decision they could make. After a quick glance to each other, the two guards laid down their swords.

"Smart," the man said, moving the blade away from the young queen's throat. For a split second she felt his grip loosen and she could breathe again before she felt the pommel strike the back of her head and the world went black.

Part 2

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