Iolaus watched from a grove of trees at the edge of the slaver's camp. He had gone to the outcropping that Lessa had told him about, but was so infuriated with what he saw that he knew he had to get closer. This way, if the chance presented itself, he would be ready to act and he could get Gabrielle out of this awful place. He couldn't believe what he had seen; it could not be real. But edging closer to the camp, he saw it was all too real and poor Gabrielle was being forced to live through it.

From where he hid, he had a clear view of the courtyard-type area in front of the main slaver's hut, yet no one seemed to see him. The young Amazon was staked out on some kind of rack, her hands tied above her head and her feet tied to the sides. She had large gashes down one arm and one leg, but from the dried blood he could tell they had sealed themselves for the most part. Though he could not see them from where he was now, from his earlier perch he knew she also had several large welts across her back, some of which had split open. From the whip hanging at the side of the rack, he had a fair idea of what caused them. Even in the fading light, he could see the dark bruises that had already formed across her body. Even her face wore the signs of her abuse, but from the set of her jaw and the fire in her eyes he could see even from where he hid, he knew she was far from defeated.

He did not know how much longer he could take it. He felt like there was a knife twisting in his heart every time he forced himself to look in her direction. But he had to look, he had to watch. If there was even the smallest chance of an opening to get in and free her, he had to take it. But watching one of his best friends go through an ordeal like this was beginning to be simply too much. Seeing the marks on her body, he knew what kind of pain she must have been in, his own body aching in sympathy for someone who should not have had to go through something like this. He forced himself to think about her, and how she was hanging on, in hopes it would help himself. If she had survived this long, and actually had to endure the suffering instead of just seeing its aftermath, he could wait just a little while longer. He didn't know what else to do, his mind focused on only one thing; he simply had to get her out of here. The sun had nearly completely set. If he waited he would have darkness on his side, along with a great deal of surprise. He fingered the hilt of his sword. Soon.

Gabrielle bit the inside of her lip to keep herself from screaming. She would not give this pig the pleasure of breaking her. No matter how bad it hurt, she would not scream, she would not even whimper. She would remain strong until help arrived and she and her fellow prisoners got out of this place. Despite the pain threatening to rip her in two, despite the hollow forming in the pit of her soul, she had to remain strong and hold on. She would do it because she simply had to, because there was no other choice.

Something off to the side caught her attention. At first she thought it was just the men lighting the fires to illuminate the camp for the night. No, there was something else, something further back in the wood. The light of the sentry fire glinted off something metallic hidden in the bushes. She forced herself to focus through the darkness on what it could be.

No, she thought as the realization hit her. Her eyes followed the metal to a hand, then followed the hand upward to the partially obscured head of blond curls. The hollow in her heart grew as recognition set in. Iolaus. How did he know? Lessa, her mind answered for her. It was the only explanation. Her eyes searched the surrounding area, but did not see any sign of her friend's usual traveling companion. He was alone. Surely he was not foolish enough to attempt a rescue on his own. The Amazons had not yet arrived; she had heard no calls to announce their arrival. She doubted they would even make it by tomorrow, and that was if Lessa was lucky enough to make it through and find them. She knew he would never let the young Amazon follow him, he would send her on to the village to get reinforcements. Even if only Hercules was with him, there would at least be a chance; but one small mortal, no matter how good a fighter, against an entire regiment of soldiers did not stand a chance. How much worse could this situation get?

As if in answer to her question, Aurilus appeared from his hut, munching on the charred leg of some animal as he approached. The smell of the smoked meat reminded her of how long she had gone without food, and she fought the rumbling in her stomach and the way her mouth watered just from the sight and smell of the food. It surprised her that she still had an appetite after everything that happened. Some things never change, she thought, and would have smiled, had she been anywhere but where she now stood.

"Hello," he grinned, leaning idly against the side if her rack with one hand while continuing to chomp noisily on the leg. It was clear he was trying to remind her of her lack of food, rubbing it in her face. Like she needed the reminder, she thought to herself. She would not give in, not over something as small as a chunk of meat. She had gone without food before and knew she would probably again before this whole thing was over. "Don't feel like talking, huh?" he asked, tossing the leg behind him, a great deal of meat still on the bone. "Maybe this will help," he growled. His fist instantly connected with her stomach.

She fought the urge to curl up in pain, the ropes on her wrists helping in that aspect. Even if she had wanted to move, they held her firmly in place as her abdomen took the abuse. The only sound she made was the air being forced out of her, and the deep breath she gasped at afterward. She forced herself to meet his eyes, showing no weakness and glaring back at his cool gaze.

"No?" he asked, trying to sound amused. Instead, his voice wavered just enough for her to know he was unnerved by her actions. He had clearly expected her to break by now. He had obviously never dealt with an Amazon before. "I would have thought you had learned your lesson by now," he said, forcing a bit more bravado into his voice. He pushed himself off the rack and moved to stand in front of her. "Didn't your beating earlier teach you anything?"

She simply raised an eyebrow back at him, defiance oozing from her. Obviously not, you sorry excuse for a man, she thought to herself, but did not say the words. She would not answer, she would not talk. To talk risked screaming, to scream risked breaking. She would not. She was the queen of the Amazons. Amazon queens did not break; they were strong in any situation, leaders among their people and all others. She repeated those words over and over in her mind, the mantra giving her that much more strength to fight whatever he would do to her next.

"Maybe you need another lesson," he commented, his growing temper coming through in his tone. He reached for the whip at the side of the rack, hoping to phase her. She did not move; she did not even flinch. Warning bells went off in the back of her mind as he pulled the whip back as if to strike, but the worn leather never made contact with her skin. Instead, something far worse happened.

Iolaus had had enough; he could not bear to see his friend hurt one more time. As the bull of a man pulled back the whip, he charged, letting his rage scream from him as he attacked. He pulled out his sword as he ran, throwing his scabbard into the midst of the now attacking soldiers, throwing one off balance. He parried the blows they offered him and struck back with his own. As he cleared a path towards his goal, he realized he had not really thought out his plan. If he got to Gabrielle and freed her, he still had to get her out of here, and he did not know if she could even walk. Glancing around quickly, he saw that even more soldiers were appearing from all corners of the camp. There were too many of them. He had no time to think about that now as he fought off yet another, then another, edging closer to the center of the camp. He could finally see Gabrielle again through all the men. At least one thing had worked out; he had taken all the attention off her and prevented a further whipping. The large man still held the whip in his hand, but was busy ordering his men, directing them in the best way to capture the invader. He wished he had listened. As he fought another two men in front of him, more grabbed him from behind. He had no idea how many, only that it was apparently enough as he felt himself go down.

"Iolaus!" Gabrielle realized she had actually spoken the word, but she did not care. She watched helplessly as her friend fought the crowd of soldiers that were forcing him down. He did not succeed. Three gripped him from behind while another two tore the sword out of his hand. He still fought, kicking anything that came near him and trying to pull away from their grip. Finally, he was face down in the dirt, literally only a few paces from his goal, held securely by far more men than one would think it would take for such a small man.

"It looks like our ambassador has a friend," Aurilus commented, crouching down to see what his men had captured. He grabbed a fistful of Iolaus' hair and forced his head up to meet his gaze. "Now who do we have here?" The small man refused to answer; his only response was to glare back at his captors. Aurilus was unnerved. He simply was not accustomed to people defying him, and for it to happen twice in one day was unheard of. He twisted the hair tighter in his grasp, threatening to tear out a handful at a time. "Who are you and why are you here?" he demanded.

Iolaus still refused to answer. This infuriated the large man even more. He signaled for his men to pull the invader to his feet. They did so, keeping three men holding him from behind while a fourth held a sword to his throat from the side. Aurilus decided to go for the sure thing, the man's pride. "You're rather small to attempt such a daring rescue, did you honestly think you would succeed?"

"Who said I was alone?" Iolaus taunted, keeping his own temper in check. He tried to ignore the blade that edged closer to his neck as he spoke.

A flash of fear crossed the dark man's face before he spoke. "If there were others they would have attacked by now," he reasoned, though it sounded like he was trying to convince himself. "No, you were alone. The question is, who are you?" He paced back and forth before his captive. "A villager who followed us? Not very likely, we covered our tracks and it will be days before they realize we have their women. A friend of the Amazons? Perhaps a secret bodyguard who hides from the others? No, the Amazons would not choose a man for that job, especially not one so small. A friend of the ambassador? Perhaps a lover?" He saw Iolaus' eyes darken at the words. "Yes, you definitely care for her, that I can see. Now let's see just how much." He turned to his men. "Tie him up," he ordered, motioning to the rack across from Gabrielle.

Iolaus decided he did not like the sound of that. As they tied his hands over his head, he decided he did not like the sound of it at all. Noticing there were no ropes to tie his feet to the sides, he got an idea. All he had to do was wait for one of them to get close enough and then he would attack. That plan was dashed as the soldiers grabbed the ropes from the other rack and proceeded to tie his feet to the sides while still holding a sword on him and preventing him from moving. Though he may not have cared much for his personal safety at this point, he definitely cared for that of his injured friend and the soldiers made certain he could see their leader waving a dagger in front of Gabrielle as he was tied. There was no chance that he would be able to get to her before the man made his move. There was nothing he could do.

Once he was certain the small man was secure, Aurilus spoke again. "Tell me who you are and where you came from," he demanded. When it looked like his new captive was not going to respond, he slammed the hilt of his dagger into Gabrielle's chest. Again, she fought the pain and sense of nausea that passed over her, but she refused to make a sound. It did not matter; his actions had the desired effect. He had learned with the other Amazons that it was possible to get results simply by threatening the one they seemed to care about. It appeared the same held true for this man.

"Iolaus of Corinth," the blonde man responded, making sure he was loud enough to be heard. He could not bear to be the source of any more pain for his friend.

"Are you alone?" Aurilus continued, his blade idly tracing the etchings on the gauntlets Gabrielle wore. When the man paused, he held up the blade as if to strike again.

"Yes," Iolaus sighed, hanging his head as if in shame. It was not exactly a lie, but it was not exactly the truth. If the girl got through like he thought she would, he would not be alone for long. In fact, he was not even supposed to be alone.. If he had simply waited, he would not have gotten himself into this mess. Raising his eyes slightly to look at his friend, he knew he could not have waited, he had to take the chance he did.

Aurilus struck Gabrielle again anyway. She did not flinch; she simply rolled with the punch as much as her ropes would let her, much to his dismay. "Hey!" Iolaus exclaimed, pulling on his own ropes trying to get to her.

Aurilus flipped the knife in his hand, aiming the blade at the Amazon's exposed stomach, and raised an eyebrow. Iolaus stopped his struggle. "How did you know where to find us?"

Iolaus knew it was pointless to resist. He only hoped his lie was affective. "I heard about what happened at the village and tracked you here."

"Then they know about us?" the large man demanded, his voice slightly rushed at the danger that implied.

Great, Iolaus thought to himself. Way to go. Now he thinks they're going to be after him. "No, they don't," he tried, but saw the doubting look the man gave him as he fingered the blade once again. Okay, quick, think of something. "I heard about the attack, but was told the women were taken to safety. I decided to follow the tracks of the soldiers who attacked and try to find out who did it. I didn't know about the women until I got here." Good, that sounded somewhat believable.

Aurilus seemed to buy it. "But now you do know, and I'm afraid that means I cannot let you go," he told the small man, his voice anything but apologetic. He turned to his men. "Boys, make sure he doesn't get any ideas about leaving tonight," he instructed.

Several of the men chuckled as they approached the prone man. Iolaus was helpless against the assault, the ropes holding him in place. All he could do was stand there while his body was attacked from all sides.

"No," Gabrielle whispered, straining at her own ropes as she tried in vain to get to her friend. He was there because of her; she could not let this go on.

Aurilus heard her cry and saw her actions and was intrigued. An idea began to form in his mind. He had not been planning on doing this until later, but he had no qualms about speeding up the process. Besides, it would be something he would quite thoroughly enjoy. "Stop!" he ordered, holding up his hand. After one final punch, his men turned to look at him, leaving the battered Iolaus hanging on the ropes for support. "I believe I have a way to break this man's spirit without breaking his body."

"I wouldn't bet on it," Iolaus spat.

"Oh, but I would," the other man assured him, walking closer to meet him and meeting the defiance in his eyes. Soon enough that would be gone. "It will lower the value of one slave, but insure that I get my dinar's worth out of you. Besides, even if she survives, she's not going to be worth that much when I am done with her." Iolaus' eyes darkened as the meaning of his words sank in. When Aurilus spoke again, it was not to the small man, but to his men. "Untie the ambassador and show her to my quarters. Make sure she is secure, then leave her."

"What about him?" one of the men asked, motioning to Iolaus.

"Leave him; he's not going anywhere," Aurilus answered, chuckling as he walked towards his hut.

As the men approached Gabrielle, her eyes widened, knowing exactly what was going to happen and trying to gather the strength to fight it. The men untied her hands first, two of them holding her arms and forcing them behind her back where they tied them again. Gabrielle may have been injured, but she put up far more of a fight than they expected. Next, they untied her feet, stepping back out of the way as she kicked out at them. Her body screamed in pain, but she knew she had to keep fighting. The men forced her forward from behind, their greater strength and number winning out over her best attempts to escape or at least do some damage before having to accept what the Fates had waiting for her.

"Gabrielle!" Iolaus cried as the men led her in front of him. He pulled at the ropes in vain while the men holding her simply laughed.

She looked back at him as they forced her into the hut. "Don't be afraid," she whispered before disappearing into the tent.

"No!" Iolaus shouted, his anguished scream cutting into the silence of the night and echoing off the surrounding rockface before fading away into nothing.

"What is going on out there?" Cratia demanded, eyeing the group of women huddled around the small window. The thick chains she wore prevented her from just getting up and seeing for herself. That, and the sharp pain that shot through her body every time she moved. She had a feeling that one of the men had unknowingly damaged their leader's merchandise during the last confrontation. At least she would have the pleasure of knowing one of the pigs would get their due.

"There was a fight of some kind," Morian told her before turning back to the window. "A man tried to free your friend, fought through many of the soldiers before they took him down."

"A man?" Cratia said, more to herself than to anyone else before turning to her fellow Amazon. "Who could it be? What man would want to help an Amazon?" Tonea just shrugged, as much in the dark as her friend.

"He looks more like a boy than a man," Ryel commented, standing on her tiptoes to see out the window.

"No, he's definitely a man," Grana assured her. "Just a small one."

"Iolaus," Tonea sighed.

"But if he's here, should Hercules be here as well?" Cratia asked. She turned to the women still gathered around the window. "Do you see anyone else out there?"

There was silence as the four women searched the little area they could see. "No," Grana answered. "No one else."

"Did you say Hercules? Wow, she really does know everyone. Do you really think he will come?" Joelle asked shyly, turning away from the window to face the Amazons.

"Yeah, she said Hercules," Tonea answered. "If the man out there is who we think he is, he's a good friend of his." She struggled with her chains in vain one more time before giving up and leaning back against the wall.

"What else is going on out there?" Cratia demanded. They said the man had gone down, had he been captured? Had he gotten away? She prayed for the latter, knowing that if he did it would not be the last they saw of him.

"They tied the man up the same way they had tied you two," Morian answered. She could not hide the grimace that crossed her face. "They were questioning him, but hitting your friend instead. Now there is a bunch of men beating him up."

"They stopped!" Ryel interrupted. "Maybe they're done?" she asked hopefully.

"I doubt it," Cratia commented.

"No, I think they have decided on something worse," Morian said, unable to keep the fear and sorrow from her voice. She turned away from the window and sank down to the ground with her back against the wall.

"What is it?" Tonea demanded. Iolaus' harrowing wail answered for her. "No," she whispered, fearing the worse.

"They killed her, didn't they?" Cratia asked, tears forming in the proud warrior's eyes though she did not try to hide them. "Sweet Artemis, they killed her. Those sons of bastardized bacchae If they think that's going to break us I will kill that pig with my own bare hands if I have to!" she shouted.

"No, she's alive," Grana assured her, moving to kneel beside her. "At least she was when" she trailed off, suddenly unsure of herself. She had a fair idea of what fate awaited their friend, and feared they would take that worse than her death.

"When they what?" Cratia asked, a cold edge to her voice. The older woman looked away, not able to face the maddened warrior. "Tell me!" the redhead demanded, pulling on her chains in anger.

Slowly, Grana turned to face her again. "When they took her to the head slaver's hut," she answered solemnly.

The reality of the words sunk into her. Suddenly, she was a flurry of activity, kicking and punching and pulling at her chains, attacking everything and nothing at once, ignoring her own pain as she let out her rage, her screams bouncing off the stone walls only to be drowned out by more. Grana stepped back out of her reach though Cratia had not yet touched her or any other of the village women.

"Cratia!" Tonea called, grabbing the other woman's arms and pulling the warrior to her. She too felt the rage, the sorrow that the old woman's words had caused, but knew there was nothing they could do about it now. They had to save their strength if they were going to get out of this. She held the other woman to her, rocking slowly back and forth as she would with a child, letting the tears fall down her own face to mingle with those of her friend. "They will pay, believe me, they will pay," she assured her, repeating those words over and over until both were able to deal with their feelings once again.

The door to the small cell opened much later that night, two guards unceremoniously depositing their burden in a heap on the floor, then leaving without saying a word. There was no mistaking who the small form could be; the screaming had died down some time ago and the cell's occupants had simply been waiting since then.

"Gabrielle?" Tonea asked, edging as close as her chains would allow. The huddled being did not move. "Gabrielle?" she tried again, this time louder as the fear crept into her voice. The young woman still did not move. She looked up to the village women, her gray eyes pleading for them to do something, anything, to help her queen.

Grana and Morian crept closer to the small form, cautious not to make any movements that would surprise or scare her, knowing the ordeal she had just been put through. Grana reached out to touch the battered woman, fighting back tears as she flinched away. "It's okay, you're safe now; at least for a little while. We're not going to hurt you."

The blonde head turned, pushing her face out of the dirt as she attempted to ease her ragged breaths. Green eyes peered through strands of blood encrusted hair, focusing on everything and nothing all at once. She made no sound, her silence more chilling to the warriors than her screams had been.

"Gabrielle?" Cratia tried, her voice and face a flurry of far more emotions than the villagers had though possible from such a stoic warrior. They were slowly learning that there was more to her, just as there was more to the battered woman who lay before them now. They had underestimated these Amazons, thinking they were no more than savages. The laughter they could hear coming from the courtyard proved to them just who the real savages were.

"Ryel, get some water. Joelle, give me your empty bowl," Grana ordered and the two young woman quickly moved to comply. Before she could ask, she saw them tearing small strips of cloth from their skirts to use as cloths and bandages, forming a small pile on the floor next to the two mugs of water they had saved earlier. She had chided the warriors for refusing to drink as much as she had thought they should then, but realized just how handy it would come in now. Slowly, she applied a damp cloth to the young woman's brow. At first Gabrielle flinched away once more, then she didn't move at all.

Quietly, meticulously, Grana and Morian worked, washing off the drying blood from wounds they knew would more than likely just be opened again in the morning. They had to do something, the older woman thought to herself, trying not to picture her own daughter, not much younger than the girl before her now, in the same situation. What scared her more than anything was the fact the child in front of her wasn't moving, not a single flinch. Looking at the green eyes, she saw them glazed over; the girl was in another place. Let her be; this reality was too harsh.

Finishing their makeshift treatment of the young Amazon's back, they rolled her over to see what wounds they had missed. Her ribs were bruised to a point they could see them even in what small light the moon threw through their window, but her other gashes seemed to have sealed themselves for now. Morian knew the girl needed rest and far more healing tools than she could provide, but that she would get neither unless some miracle happened before the next day dawned. Seeing how this current situation put her belief in miracles on hold, she simply hoped what little they had done was enough.

Grana could not help but stare at the stains of blood across the clothing the small woman wore. So much, and yet she seemed not to feel it. She just wanted to take this child into her arms and hold her, not letting anything happen to her ever again, but she knew that was not possible. In the heart of her hearts, she wished it was, but that did not make it come true. She saw how the young woman's top looked ready to fall off and sighed. The whip had probably cut through the little protection it had offered. "Turn her over again," she commanded, and the four women carefully did so, not wanting to cause any more pain. She had been right; the back of the girl's leather top had nearly been cut through in several places. She was not about to let anything happen that could encourage the pigs outside even further. She took the long tassels that hung from the sides of the garment and began to wrap them around the center piece and straps along with a few of the remaining rags in hopes of making them just a bit stronger. Anything had to help.

When she was done, she sat back to look at her work. Pitiful, but the best she could do given the circumstances. She sighed, wiping strands of hair out of her tired eyes.

"Do you think she would be more comfortable on her back?" Ryel whispered. Seeing the look she got she added, "I mean, maybe she could breathe easier that way."

Grana understood what the girl was getting at and nodded. Once again, ever so carefully, they turned the young Amazon over. Once again, the older woman wanted to cry when her charge made no sound. She checked and found that the green eyes were still open, blinking occasionally, but still rather glazed. "Sleep now," she whispered. As if on command, the green eyes closed.

"Thank you," a voice came from the shadows on the other side of the small cell.

The old woman looked over and saw in glint of the moonlight two pairs of eyes, one gray, one green, watching her. They had been so quiet, she had almost thought they had drifted off to sleep. She should have known better. They obviously cared for this girl very much. There was no chance of them getting any sleep tonight. "Let's hope it's enough," she sighed. She brushed a stray strand of hair away from the sleeping girl's face, then scooted back up against the wall next to the two larger Amazons.

"It's more than we could have hoped for," Cratia told her, doing her best to give the woman a reassuring smile. It seemed to work. The baker shut her eyes and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Grana opened her eyes to find a scene nearly identical to the one she had drifted off to the night before; there was only one major difference. Daylight. She pushed herself off the wall and looked up, right into the fiery green eyes of the large redheaded Amazon. She smiled shyly as she stretched her sore muscles and stood. Looking around the small room she found the others to be awake as well. Well, all but one. She looked back to the Amazons chained to the wall to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

"She's there," Tonea assured her.

The older woman wandered the few steps over to where the battered form of the small woman still lay. In the daylight the damage inflicted on her was that much more obvious. She wanted to look away, but her heart wouldn't let her. She had to know she was okay. She knelt down next to the prone form and found, despite her earlier observations, the girl was not asleep. Green eyes stared up at the beams holding the ceiling together. This time though, they were not glazed over. Instead, she found a fire that would have scared her to her very core had it been coming from anyone but the woman before her. The eyes darted back and forth, keenly aware of every movement, every sound in the room, yet the body they were attached to did not move. The sound of wood on wood drew her attention to the window.

"It seems our captor has found a new toy to play with, at least for this morning," Cratia told her. Though her heart went out to the young warrior strung up in the courtyard, she could not help be grateful that it took attention off of her queen, at least for a little while. Poor Iolaus, she thought. You came to save your friend, and at what cost? You may be doing what you came here to do, but in a far different way than you originally intended.

"Poor man," Grana sighed, not wanting to look out the window at what she knew would not be a pretty sight. He had seemed strong though, fighting off that many of the slaver's men the night before. Maybe he would make it through, maybe he would survive. He was probably to be sold as a slave as well, she thought. They would need to break him first though. She started to wonder if he would even want to survive, given that as his future.

"Here, eat," Morian told her, handing her a bowl of gruel and a piece of dry bread.

"They came with breakfast already?" she asked, surprised. How long had she been asleep? More importantly, how long were they going to let the child rest? Last time they took her long before breakfast was served.

"Yeah," the other woman affirmed. "They even brought enough for her." She motioned to the young Amazon on the floor. "We got her to eat some of it, and take some water, but it was quite the chore. She won't move unless you make her and even then she barely does. I just hope we get out of here soon, before things get worse."

The old baker just nodded. They would get out, they had to. Thinking back to who this young woman had as friends, she knew there was no choice in the matter. One way or another, they would get out, and one way or another, that pig of a man would get his due.

It was near midday when the guards came to the cell door. There was no mistaking what they wanted. The occupants had been foolish to think they could go a whole day without the slavers having their fun. Two men walked over to the prone form as several others held the cell's occupants at bay with their weapons. They weren't taking any chances any more. Sure, they knew well enough to stay away from the chained Amazons, but the way some of the village women were looking at them, they could see a new threat forming.

Gabrielle surprised guards and prisoners alike by walking on her own. Though it was a painful task simply to stand, she refused to let the slavers think she was broken. She stood as straight and tall as her injuries would allow, holding her head up high as befitting the Queen of the Amazons. She was led to the center of the camp, a man on each side of her in case she decided to fight. There was no way of that actually happening though, as she was using all of her energy simply not to collapse. To fight would give away her weakness, and let those pigs know her true condition.

Aurilus was waiting for her when she reached her destination, the all too familiar poles outside his hut. He tried to hide his look of surprise at her continuing defiance, but she saw the rise of his eyebrow, the twitch of his lip. He walked over to her and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look upward while he tried to exert some form of control over her. Both knew it was only a tactic to look strong in front of his men.

"Did you enjoy your little rest?" he asked, squeezing her harder when he got no response. Disgusted when she still refused to respond, he released his grip, throwing her head slightly back as he stepped away. "I certainly hope so, because it will be the last you get for quite a while," he began again, forcing boldness into his voice. "Of course, you could always earn it again, like you did last night," he sneered, rubbing his hand across his leather just in case she didn't get his meaning.

She understood, there was no way she could not. The marks on her body, the pain in her soul, she carried fresh reminders of exactly what happened. Instead of breaking her or weakening her resolve, she was more determined than ever to survive. A sound from across the courtyard indicated she was not the only one to understand. She could hear Iolaus pulling at his bonds, calling out threats and obscenities to the slaver who had harmed her, but she refused to look at him. She knew one look at the condition he was sure to be in, a condition caused by trying to help her, and her resolve would break.

Aurilus slowly backed over to where her friend stood, a smug smile on his lips. "As you can see, I found other ways to amuse myself this morning." He draped an arm casually around Iolaus' shoulders, maddened when he realized she still wouldn't look at his mornings activities. He signaled his men, one of which twisted Gabrielle's head to make her look towards Aurilus and her friend.

Still, she would not look; she had to keep up her strength for just a while longer. Her eyes focused on the crossbeam of the stand Iolaus was bound to, darkening when she found blood even there.

That seemed to be enough for Aurilus, who knew only that she was looking his way and was having a reaction. That's all he cared about. He pulled the small man's head up by his matted curls and whispered in his ear, "I'm going to break her yet."

Iolaus gathered up enough strength to get across a point of his own. He spit in the slaver's face, a rather difficult task considering how dry his mouth felt. "Don't count on it," he managed to say, his voice sounding rough to his own ears.

Aurilus wiped the wetness from his face and punched the man in the stomach, pleased when he heard the heaving sounds of Iolaus trying to breathe again. He tucked a finger under the bruised and bloodied chin and raised his head to look into bloodshot eyes. "Oh, but I do," he assured him. "And once she goes, you and her precious little Amazon guards are going to go right along with her." He stepped backward away from his most recent captive and turned to face his men. "Tie her up," he ordered with a casual wave of his hand.

"Why are you slowing down?" Xena demanded, reining her palomino in just enough as to not run into the horse in front of her.

"The horses need a rest and so do we," Ephiny told her, not at all phased by the tone of the warrior's voice. She fully understood her want, no, need, to close the distance between herself and her friend as quickly as possible. She also knew that running the horses into the ground was not going to help one bit. They had been going since daybreak, and now the sun was already nearing its highest point. They were making excellent time, but both the riders and the horses were growing weary. She did not know what would await them at the slaver's camp, only that they needed to be prepared for anything and tired warriors, even Amazon warriors, would not be at their best. "The river is just beyond the next rise. We can stop there and water the horses."

Xena simply nodded in ascent. She did not want to stop, not when she knew Gabrielle needed her and time was of the essence. However, looking down at the frothing Argo and the way the mare's chest was heaving, she knew a break was in order. Though the Amazons seemed more than willing to push on if need be, they wouldn't get much farther with the horses if they kept up this pace, and that would cost them precious time in the long run. No, a break was good, even if it did have its drawbacks. She slid from her saddle and led her horse to the cool stream. She gently rubbed the animal down, allowing her mind to wander freely. Instead of concentrating on the terrain ahead of her, now her thoughts drifted to Gabrielle and what she was more than likely going through. What Lessa had told them was not that bad. It was more than she would ever wish her dear friend to have to experience, but she could survive. But the warrior's mind kept thinking up new possibilities, and worse case scenarios. She could not calm the feeling of terror in her stomach. Something told her that what the girl had seen was only the beginning of something far bigger, and much worse.

"We'll get there soon," Ephiny said, her voice interrupting her friend's thoughts. She lay a reassuring hand on her shoulder, feeling the tightness of the muscles there. She had a fair idea where her friend's mind was, and that she needed to refocus it. "See that bridge just down the river a bit?" she asked, pointing to the sturdy wooden structure. Xena nodded silently. "That's the bridge Lessa was talking about. The river is too dangerous to cross here; there's a wicked undertow through the center that the horses could never get through. But, once we get across that bridge, it won't be much further. Then, we will get Gabrielle, and the others, and make that pig pay for what he has done." She paused for a moment to collect herself. Anger would get them nowhere. They could not be blinded by their emotions; it would only cost them in battle. They knew what they needed to do, now it was simply a matter of doing it.

Xena knew what her friend was trying to do, and silently thanked her for it, but it didn't make that much of a difference. Gabrielle had taught her to embrace her emotions, use them as a strength, not a weakness. That was hard to do when those very emotions threatened to overwhelm her completely. But she would fight it; she would do what needed to be done, and counted on the Amazons to do the same. The back of her mind registered that Ephiny was still talking, saying something or another, but she wasn't truly paying attention. She finished her ministrations to her horse, only to find some kind of dried meat shoved into her hand. She looked up at the blonde as she tried to give it back. "No thanks," was all she said.

"Xena, you need to eat something," Ephiny told her, refusing to take it.

"I'm not hungry," was the response, and it was the truth.

"Neither am I," Ephiny admitted. "But, we have to eat and set an example for everyone else. Do you know what Laira would do to us if we didn't?" She smiled, thinking of the old healer who was like a second mother to nearly everyone in the village. Her smile darkened as she thought of how that same woman was now preparing for the return of the warriors, and just whom they would be bringing.

Xena chewed at the meat, not seeming to taste it, as she became lost in her thoughts once again.

Ephiny interrupted her before she could get too deep. "Maybe Iolaus will have some new information when we get there," she tried. "He's supposed to meet us at the outcropping Lessa told us about."

Xena just nodded, knowing her friend to well. He probably tried to angle himself into a better position by now. She just hoped he was smart enough to stay down and under cover until the reinforcements arrived. Once they found him, wherever he was hiding, he could update them on the situation and they could alter their plan of attack if needed. She wanted to get in and out of there as quickly as possible, her primary goal being Gabrielle's safety, but her secondary goals including the safety of everyone else involved. She turned to the Regent, her mind once more focused on the task at hand. "Hercules is supposed to meet us there as well, right?"

"If he gets there in time," Ephiny agreed, remembering her instructions to the scout. She was to find the demi-god, if possible, and let him in on everything that happened. The same went for the two that traveled to Thonaly. They even brought an extra horse just in case, so he could get there that much faster.

"He will," Xena assured her. "If he finds out what happened, and that Iolaus is already there, he'll get there." She turned to look out across the river, and through the terrain they still must travel. The bad feeling in the pit of her stomach grew. She just hoped they made it there in time to help her friends.

Gabrielle held back another scream as pain arched through her body. She could do this, it was only pain, she reminded herself. The pain stopped, and for a moment, she thought her mind trick had worked. Slowly, she opened her eyes again to see Aurilus standing in front of her with his back to her. He was talking to his second in command, Diomedes, for the second time since she had been brought out that day. He went in spurts, having his fun. He was just as likely to taunt her as he was to actually touch her, trying to break her spirit as well as her body, but frequently took breaks to bark orders at his men, eat, or have these little mini-discussions with his lieutenant. She silently thanked the Fates for giving her a warlord with a short attention span. The thought threatened to bring a smile to her face, one that she had to quickly bite back down. She was definitely beginning to lose it; her touch with reality seemed to be fading. Then again, she thought, maybe it was just some sort of defense mechanism of hers. She had heard of people surviving in the oddest of ways, maybe this was just hers. She was a bard, and frequently delved into the more hidden corners of reality; it made sense that skill would help her now. What was she talking about? Her mind must really be starting to go. She had to focus. She had to keep in control of her thoughts, or risk losing control all together. If that happened, Aurilus would truly win, and that simply was not acceptable.

She tore her gaze back to the outside world, looking straight out across from her, beyond where her captors where having their discussion. She saw Iolaus, and knew from his worried eyes that he saw her as well. His appearance still chilled her to her core, but now she could actually stand to see him. She had waited until she had the support of the ropes to look, afraid she would lose her strength if she did. When she had finally mustered up the courage to do so, she nearly lost all of her resolve, but he did the oddest of things. He smiled at her. Through all of the pain she knew him to be in, he still managed to find a way to let her know that he was all right, or at least as well as he could be considering the circumstances. It broke her heart to know he was thinking of her, even in a time like this. But, it also gave her strength, and even more of a determination to survive. She would do so for his sake. She would do so for the sake of her guards and the village women who she took responsibility for. She would survive for as long as she could simply because she had to. She would not break; she would die before she gave in to the likes of Aurilus. In the back of her mind though, was another voice. A voice of doubt. A voice that pleaded that the Amazons get there soon because she did not know how much more she could take.

A backhand across the face brought the girl's attentions back to the man in front of her. "You were drifting off. Can't have that now, can we?" Aurilus sneered. If her mind was wandering, her spirit must be beginning to break. This could prove very useful. He continued, though the only reaction he got from her was a cold stare. "Unfortunately, I must leave you for a short time. I have other investments to look after. But don't worry, Diomedes here will be more than happy to keep you company." His second in command stepped forward, a lecherous grin on his face. "If I am successful, and I usually am, your friends will soon have some new roommates to contend with. Perhaps they will even be as profitable as your Amazons." He laughed a deep laugh as he walked away towards his quarters, leaving Diomedes behind to face his new charges.

The smaller man grabbed Gabrielle by the throat, forcing green eyes to meet brown. "Don't think I've forgotten what you did," he warned, squeezing tighter, cutting off her precious airflow. "You will pay for your insolence, and you will pay dearly."

"Diomedes!" Aurilus' voice cut through the courtyard area, causing the other man's head to snap around. "Remember, I want her alive when I come back, and preferably conscious."

The second in command released his grip, smiling as the young woman could not resist the urge to gulp for air. "Of course," he called back to his commander. Looking back to Gabrielle, he said in a voice just loud enough for her to hear, "I'm looking forward to this." He backed towards Aurilus' hut with a smug smile on his face as he awaited his final instructions.

The rider pushed the horse as fast as he could. He had to get there in time, there was simply no way around it. If what he had heard was true, lives depended on it. He thought back to the urgency in the scout's voice, and what little he had already discovered, and his heart told him the truth. He knew the people involved, knew them well enough to know he must not fail. Time was of the essence, but looking at the position of the sun in the afternoon sky, he knew that precious time was running out.

The pain was gone. She was free to move her arms and legs again, and they did not hurt. In fact, she felt energized. Looking around her, she saw she was no longer in the slaver's camp. Instead, she was in a field of wildflowers that seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see. She turned around as she heard someone calling her name. It was Xena! She was here! Gabrielle was no longer alone. She ran to her friend and wrapped her arms tightly around the warrior.

"What was that for?" the dark woman asked, truly surprised but not letting go.

"Just because," Gabrielle smiled, pulling back.

Xena took her hand and led her back to a small campsite situated between the field of wildflowers and a gently rolling stream. They sat down together next to the stream and watched the sun set across the water, enjoying to simple peace and quiet of the moment. The night was clear and beautiful as Xena rose to tend to their small campfire. Gabrielle relaxed and leaned against a fallen tree next to the fire, listening to the soft sounds of the evening. There was the chirping of crickets hidden in the field, the gentle lapping of the water against the shore, and the quiet crackling of the firewood.

The wood cracked particularly loud just as she felt a sharp pain in her back. Something bit her. No matter; it was the only imperfection in this perfect place. The firewood crackled again, and again she felt a pain in her back. Again and again it came. This time she felt as if something was slicing through her skin. She closed her eyes, wishing it away. She opened them again slowly...

The pain was back, ripping through her entire body. Her eyes began to focus on her surroundings once more. She was back at the camp, still tied to the rack. The sharp cracking sound was the whip as it cut a path across her back. There was no Xena, no field, only the dirty men taunting her. She was not free, and was beginning to doubt she would ever know freedom again.

Iolaus had tried to save her, she remembered. He had tried to bring her the freedom she so desperately wanted. He had tried last night, and failed. He ended up getting caught in the process. She remembered seeing him tied to a rack the same way she was; the way he struggled and screamed when they took her into the tent. She had survived. He had given her a ray of hope, and she had clung to it. He had failed, but perhaps more would follow. Perhaps they would succeed. Just like she had survived before, she would survive now. She had to. The new pain blended with the old; she was oblivious to it. It did not matter, it was only pain. It seemed like she had lived with so much for so long, what could more do? Nothing. She was not yet beyond it, but it was no longer important. What was important now was surviving.

Slowly, she raised her head and looked across the compound at her would-be savior. He was still tied to the rack, fresh blood mingling with dried blood across his face. His vest had been stripped off long ago and now lay in the dirt at his bound feet. Because of her he was in this situation. Because he cared and tried to help her... She was responsible for his pain, this she knew. His eyes met hers and she knew he would never feel that way. But she did, and that was all that mattered to her now.

Her mind began to clear once again, and she noticed him flinch after every crack of the whip. Then she noticed something else. After each crack behind her, she heard another, smaller crack. For every lash she received, he received one of his own. Her heart broke at this knowledge, and she had to fight for her will not to follow its example. He would not want that. He would never want to be the source of her pain in the same way she was now responsible for his own.

The whip cracked behind him again and his body reacted in reflex. He did not care about his own pain, that he could live with. More torturous than the whip across his own back was what they were doing to the young woman across from him. He would do anything to stop it, this he knew without a doubt. She was his friend and he cared for her deeply, perhaps more so than he would let himself realize. Seeing her in pain was unbearable. They planned to kill her, this he also knew with unwavering certainty. She would not break; she would not give them the pleasure they so craved. So they would kill her. It would not be quick, but drawn out, slowly tearing her life away. They wanted her to set an example for the others. They wanted her to scream. She had last night; the sound of it still haunted his memory. Since then, she had not made a sound. That's what scared him more than anything else. She showed no outward emotion; not fear, nor hatred, nor pain. She had to feel something, he was sure of it. Looking into her eyes though...

Those eyes, normally so vibrant with life, showed a whole new kind of energy. There was a fire there like nothing he had ever seen before. The defiance, the determination... Her body may have remained still, fooling the slavers into thinking she was near her breaking point, but her eyes told the truth. She would fight them with every last bit of strength she had, and then she would fight some more. But how much more could she hold out? Watching her, he saw, for just the briefest of moments, those eyes glaze over. She was in another place then, somewhere he could only hope was safe. But it showed her weakness. Though she was not nearly as close to breaking as the scum thought she was, she was beginning to falter. If only she could hold out a bit longer. He had no idea how long, but even a bit would do. Then there was a chance; then there was at least some hope. But, raising his head to look at the small figure once more, he had to wonder if he was asking too much.

"We'll have to dismount here," Ephiny said as she signaled the other riders. They had reached the outer edge of the wood that surrounded the camp. The horses would not be able to travel without being spotted, and the ridge Lessa had spoken of lay only a short distance away anyway.

The Amazons quickly did as they were told, a small troupe preparing a temporary camp to watch over the horses until the others returned. As the majority of the women approached the treeline, Solari's voice rang clear, just loud enough to be heard by all. "Rider approaching!"

The contingent turned as a whole, archers readying their crossbows as the decidedly male figure came closer. "Wait!" Xena called out, recognizing the large form, and knowing only one man would dare ride so recklessly this near Amazon Territory.

"What is it?" Ephiny asked, her brown eyes not yet quite able to make out the form.

"It's Hercules," Xena explained, making her way past the archers to greet her rapidly approaching friend.

The Regent signaled her archers to stand down as she too was now able to see just who it was. They did so immediately, though she noticed several keeping their bows at the ready. Tensions were high among the women, and few were ready to trust any man after hearing what happened to their queen.

"Xena," Hercules said as he dismounted and grasped the warrior's arm in the traditional greeting. "I came as soon as I heard. I take it I made it here in time?" he asked, still slightly out of breath.

"I hope so," was all she was able to say as Ephiny arrived.

"That's Talin's horse," the Amazon said, greeting the large man in the same way he had just greeted his friend. She motioned to the frothing mare another Amazon was currently leading away to where they were keeping the other horses.

"I hope you don't mind, but hers was the better horse, and as soon as I heard what happened..." he trailed off, knowing the rest to be an obvious decision. She nodded in approval and motioned him to follow her back to where the other Amazons waited at the edge of the forest. As they walked, he quickly told them how he met the two Amazon scouts in Thonaly and they told him of Gabrielle's abduction. He took the horse that they offered, and was a fair distance away from the city when he ran into the other scout. Her horse was more rested, and the better steed to begin with, so they traded and he made his way here as fast as he could, following the Amazon's directions. When he finished, he looked around expectedly. "Where's Iolaus?" he asked. They had told him his friend would be waiting for him, but he was nowhere in sight.

"He's supposed to meet us at the outcropping," Xena explained, hoping again that their small friend had actually stayed put.

"If he didn't run off and do something stupid," Hercules muttered under his breath, voicing her thoughts. Seeing Ephiny's raised eyebrow, he explained. "I know him too well. If this outcropping isn't close enough, he probably went off to find someplace with a better view. Let's just hope he has some new information for us. I don't like what little we've got."

Xena nodded in agreement, but did not say a word as they neared the edge of where the camp sentries were supposed to be stationed. The entire group seemed to drop to the ground at once, crawling out of sight of the supposed guards. She was surprised when they came upon none, until they reached the outcropping and saw what Solari and Eponin had waiting for them. Four sentries, bound, gagged, and rather unconscious lay thrown next to several large trees, their weapons securely out of reach.

"Report," the warrior said, Ephiny not raising an eyebrow at her taking control. Both knew who was truly in charge, and it wasn't worth the fight. All that was important now was getting their friends home.

"The outer sentries have been removed from their posts," Eponin answered, sending a look towards the bound men that let her wants be known. She then glanced over at Hercules a bit nervously, which sounded alarms in the back of Xena's mind. The weapons master was hardly known as timid.

"And?" she prodded.

"And we found your friend Iolaus," Solari answered for her fellow scout, meeting the warrior's gaze. She motioned for them to follow her as she crouched low in the tall grasses among the rocks. Reaching her destination, she backed off, letting them see the sight she was currently trying to block from her own mind.

Ephiny looked first, her anger threatening to boil over as she backed away from the edge to let her friends have a look. She had known it was bad, but this... this was something far worse than simply bad.

Xena and Hercules peered over the edge, the trained warriors barely catching the gasps that threatened to escape from their throats. Below them lay the camp, set up efficiently, and with far fewer men than originally thought. It was the center of the circular setting that held the source of their fears, and the source of the pit in the bottom of Xena's stomach. Their friends, both of them, hung from large rack-like structures in the middle of a courtyard area. Two blonde heads hung low, two bodies covered in blood, cuts, and bruises that could be seen even from where they now hid. No other Amazons were in sight, and no others needed to be. This was enough to fuel the blood of any of the warriors who now stood ready for battle, waiting for their commands.

Xena watched for a moment longer, her eyes transfixed on the horrors before her. She saw a man different from Lessa's description of the leader approach Gabrielle from the side of the rack. His fist connected solidly with her jaw, yet the girl did not seem to react, sending chills down Xena's spine. "Tell your Amazons to get into position," she told Ephiny, her voice cold and devoid of the emotion that threatened to overwhelm her as the former warlord went into battle mode. "We're going to free them, and we are going to free them now." Blue eyes met brown, and they were as cold as the voice that next spoke. "And I don't care if we have to take out every one of those men to do it."

Part 4

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