Trial
of a Roman, Trial of a Couple
Awakening,
Part 5
Ms.
Hunter Ash
ripperbard7@yahoo.com
frost29@post.com
Disclaimers:
I don’t own Xena, Gabrielle, etc etc etc. This is to help in
keeping me somewhat sane and for entertainment. Don’t bother suing
me, I’m government property and have no money.
Subtext/Alt
Fiction/Sex: there is a loving and sexual relationship between
characters of the same sex. Violence: Description of the results of
a major poisoning, one actual poisoning. Kinda light this time
around.
Rating:
PG13
Storyline:
one of Gabrielle’s attempted assassins is put on trial by the
Amazons and Gabrielle and Xena discover an unforeseen complication
from Xena’s recent memory loss.
I
would hope this story can stand on it’s own but it is part of a
series and you might want to read the other parts first:
A
Visit Home, An Awakening
An
Awakening, Discovery
Amazon
Bonding
Healing
Trial
of a Roman
================================================================
Xena
watched her mate swing the staff over her head in a complicated
pattern and bring the weapon down on the foot of one of the warriors,
who yelped and dropped her guard. The bard quickly followed up with
a kick to the warrior’s chest that sent the woman flying backwards.
The Amazon Queen started to spin around and jerked to a stop.
Instantly, everyone froze and Xena was on her feet and over the small
railing that bordered the practice yard.
The
two warriors sparring with Gabrielle were by her side and the fallen
one was regaining her feet when Xena reached her mate’s side.
Gabrielle was gritting her teeth, hand at the small of her back. She
smiled through her pain at the sight of her soul-mate’s blue eyes
suddenly looking down on her.
“I’m
fine, just a twinge,” the bard protested before Xena could say a
word.
Gabrielle
shook off the concerns of the other warriors and reached out to take
Xena’s arm. “I’m fine, thanks for the practice. Time to quit,
I think.”
Only
Xena noticed that the bard was actually leaning on her arm for
support and not just as an excuse to touch her mate. Xena kept a
frown from her face as they left the practice yard and headed for
their hut. Once inside the door she turned to look closely at
Gabrielle and hissed as she saw the intense pain on the Amazon
Queen’s face.
“I’m
okay, just overdid it.” Gabrielle said softly, closing her eyes.
Xena took the staff from the woman’s hands and placed it beside the
door. Then she stood in front of the bard again. Gabrielle opened
her eyes and Xena wanted to break into tears at the amount of pain
she saw there. She reached out her arms and Gabrielle grasped her
warrior’s forearms and let Xena lead her to the bed they shared,
the bard leaning heavily onto the strong arms of her warrior,
gritting her teeth in pain.
The
bard sighed with relief as she lay down on the bed, taking some of
the pressure off her spine and muscles. Xena sat down on the edge of
the bed and stroked her lover’s forehead, silently cursing.
It
had been three weeks since their wedding and Roman assassins had
attempted the kill the Amazon Queen. Gabrielle had barely survived
the poison and her body still hadn’t healed totally. Somehow the
bard had lived, but the poison had been so devastating to her body
that she was still suffering. And with her, Xena suffered.
Gabrielle
opened her eyes and smiled at her mate.
“It’s
been a rough month, hasn’t it?” the bard asked softly, echoing
her mate’s thoughts. Xena smiled back.
“Yes,
it has, little one.”
“I
didn’t intend on overdoing it, I must have twisted wrong,” the
bard complained.
“I
know, Gabrielle. I’ll have dinner brought here tonight and get the
Healer to make you some of that pain killer tea of hers.”
“No,
no more drugs, please.”
“You’re
in pain.” Xena protested.
“I’ll
live, warrior mine. Those teas taste horrible and they make me fuzzy.
It’s the muscle that’s pulled, I can feel the difference between
the spine injury and the muscles now. I’ll be fine as long as I
take it easy for a couple of more days,” Gabrielle said, holding
Xena’s hand.
“All
right, little one. About tomorrow,” Xena began, slowly, to bring up
a subject they had been dancing around for a couple of days. One
that brought a frown to Gabrielle’s face instantly and that
infamous stubborn set to her jaw.
“There
has to be another way,” Gabrielle insisted.
“You’ve
been pouring over those old scrolls looking for a way for four days.
The Amazon law is clear, your assassin faces the death penalty,”
Xena countered.
“You
know how I feel about killing. I can’t be responsible for his
death.” Gabrielle’s voice grew edged.
“You’re
not responsible,” Xena protested. Her continued argument was cut
short when a knock broke their conversation. “Come in!” she
yelled and smiled when Regent Ephiny walked in.
The
Regent saw Gabrielle on the bed and frowned. “I thought so. One
of the warriors thought you were hiding your pain well, but that you
had been hurt again.”
Gabrielle
rolled her eyes in frustration. “I didn’t want them to know I
had pulled my back again. They already treat me like I’m fragile.
If this keeps up they’ll never spar with me again!” the bard
complained.
Ephiny
sat down on the other side of the bed with a smile. “Just give it
time. The Healer doesn’t even know how you’re alive, my Queen.
That poison kills full grown cattle in a matter of minutes.”
“I
know she has the appetite of a full grown cow, but really,” Xena
was rewarded by her bard with a pillow to her face.
Ephiny
grinned at the two women, and then grew serious.
“Gabrielle,
your presence is required tomorrow,” she said softly.
“I
know, Ephiny,” Gabrielle began but the Regent held up her hand.
“We’ve
been over and over this, my Queen. The Elders will judge the Roman
for his crime. You don’t have a say in this. You can speak when
they pass sentence on him but I can tell you this, it won’t count
for much. The law is clear. He attempted to kill an Amazon. He
attempted to assassinate the Queen of the Amazons. He attempted to
kill a royal member while under a banner of truce in the Amazon
Nation, and he left his delegate here to take the blame. On top of
all of that, he confessed.” Ephiny ranted off the charges facing
the one Roman assassin Xena had captured after Gabrielle’s
poisoning.
“You
didn’t torture him, did you?” Gabrielle demanded, flinching when
she attempted to sit up. She lay back down, with a grimace.
“No,
he freely confessed, proud of his mission. His only regret is that
you aren’t dead and he can’t get to a sword or rope to kill
himself,” Ephiny answered easily.
“Why
would he want to kill himself, he’s facing death already?”
Gabrielle asked.
“Because
he failed, he wants to die like a soldier, not a criminal,” Xena
answered.
“What
manner of death is he facing?” Gabrielle asked, the scrolls had
been unclear about that point, apparently leaving it up to the Elders
to decide.
Ephiny
shifted uneasily. “The traditional punishment for murderers is
poison,” she said softly.
Gabrielle
went pale and closed her eyes. “Anything like they used on me?”
she whispered.
“Yes.”
“I
can see why he would want to fall on his sword,” the bard muttered.
“It’s
actually a quick death. Like Ephiny said, we don’t know why you
lived through it, other than I’m damned happy you did.” Gabrielle
opened her eyes to smile at her mate in agreement.
“What
else?” the bard asked, looking back over to her Regent.
“Hanging,
decapitation by sword, execution by arrows.”
“Not
too bad, I’ve seen worse.” Xena commented and shrugged at her
bard’s frustrated look. “In Rome he’d be crucified, that is
not a nice death.” Xena’s eyes grew narrow in memory. She
remembered Caesar’s face as she was hung on a cross and her legs
shattered with a hammer. Gabrielle reached out and touched her
mate’s face gently, bringing her warrior back from the memories.
The bard knew about Xena’s crucifixion and broken legs. She also
knew of Xena’s intense hatred for Caesar.
“Any
death is too much for me,” Gabrielle complained.
“I’m
sorry, little one. After this is over I’m taking you somewhere
quiet and restful. I owe you a honeymoon.” Xena smiled at the
bard’s suddenly hopeful face.
“Really?”
the bard whispered and even Ephiny grinned at the small woman’s
delight.
“Yup.”
Xena nodded.
Ephiny
frowned again. “My Queen, you have to attend the execution,” the
Regent whispered.
Gabrielle
didn’t answer. Ephiny
looked up and saw Gabrielle’s clenched jaw and Xena’s pained
eyes. The Regent moved quietly out of the hut.
Both
of them were very aware of the bard’s reluctance to kill, even when
it was Callisto, the murderer of the bard’s husband. Gabrielle had
been unable to kill the insane woman, even when it meant her death at
Callisto’s hands.
Xena
sat quietly with her mate as Gabrielle struggled with her inner
demons. The warrior knew the time would come when the bard would
probably kill someone, most likely in self defense or in defense of
someone else. The warrior still dreaded that and would almost offer
a prayer to the gods that it not happen anytime in the near future.
The ex-warlord was terrified of the bard losing her blood innocence
and what that could do to a person. The only way Xena kept from
falling into the darkness was Gabrielle, and the warrior knew that
same darkness could claim anyone, even someone like Gabrielle. It
nearly had when her husband Perdicus had been slaughtered in front of
her.
Xena
didn’t know how to help her mate with this one. Falling into
darkness and being able to kill was something Xena didn’t have a
problem with. Although she did have to admit she could no longer
kill with ease and without reason, not with Gabrielle’s guiding
light showing her the difference between the warrior and the Warlord.
Xena
sat with the bard, watching the smaller woman thinking, and tossing,
and struggling with the inner and outer pain until food was brought
to their hut.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The
main hall of the Amazon Village was packed to the rafters for the
trial. At the far end of the hall a platform had been raised for the
judges, the tribal Elders. On the right another platform was for the
Amazon Queen’s chair and one for her Consort. On the left was the
platform for the accused and his speakers.
In
the center was a platform for addressing the Elders and the crowd.
The rest of the hall was taken up with chairs for the spectators.
Among the crowd were representatives from various other Amazon
tribes. Also in the crowd were Hercules and Iolaus, as potential
witnesses to the Roman’s capture.
One
missing face was Brutus and Xena was glad. Having anything to do
with Rome made her nervous, even if Brutus had helped capture the
assassin. The warrior trusted no one much and Romans even less.
At
the table of the accused the Roman sat, staring straight forward.
His hands and feet chained together and a chain running between that.
The Amazons had allowed him to wear his armor and rank of Centurion
for the trial and Xena could see that he had been treated well,
despite his crime against their Queen. The Amazons were being
patient.
One
possible outcome of sentence that Ephiny hadn’t told Gabrielle was
for the Roman to be turned over to the crowd for punishment. Xena
secretly hoped it didn’t come to that, the Amazons would rip him
into pieces for what their Queen had been through. She also knew
that it would be a painful death, beginning with an assault below the
belt.
Everyone
was restless but the room went quiet as the Elders walked through the
center and took their places at their table. Xena nodded to Ephiny
across the common ground and the Regent disappeared into the Queen’s
hut. A moment later she emerged with Gabrielle, in full ceremonial
dress, including mask and feathers.
Xena,
as Consort, put on her mask and waited for her Queen to join her at
the door. She offered the Queen her arm and drew her sword in a
ritual gesture of protection. Together they walked down the center
of the room and Xena lent her arm to her Queen as the smaller woman
mounted the platform and stood before her throne. The royal Consort
joined her and knelt on one knee, everyone followed. Gabrielle sat
down and everyone regained their seats as Xena took her seat slightly
to the right and behind Gabrielle.
Ephiny
entered and walked to the accused’s table, having been given the
task to speak for the accused. Byblis, an Amazon scholar like
Gabrielle, had been chosen to speak against him to the Elders.
Byblis
took the center platform, facing Gabrielle, taking in the Elders and
the crowd with her back to the accused table.
“My
Queen and royal Consort, tribal Elders, honored Regent, honored
guests,” she began, removing her ceremonial mask to speak better.
“Before you is a man accused of one of the most horrible crimes we
can image as Amazons. This Roman, Octavion, a Centurion of the
Praetorian Guard, is accused of the attempted murder of our beloved
Queen.”
The
crowd grumbled and shifted in their seats. The Roman raised his chin
in defiance. Xena’s eyes narrowed in anger.
“By
his own admission, one of his accomplices poured a powdered poison
into the Queen’s wine cup when he shook the Queen’s hand. This
took place at our Queen’s wedding. A public and royal function
that acknowledged the Queen’s bonding to her Consort the night
before.”
Again
the crowd rumbled, especially the Amazons.
“Our
Queen drank some of that wine and fell ill, so ill that she almost
died many times in the coming week. By this man’s own admission he
knew about the plot, he assisted in it, he fled the area with his
accomplices and he resisted arrest by his Commanding Officer, Brutus
- Proconsul of Rome, and by the Royal Consort.”
Byblis
paused for a moment.
“The
Roman was a guest of our tribe, a delegate of Rome, of Caesar. Our
Queen almost died and even now isn’t totally recovered. I would
like the healer to speak to you of this.” Byblis looked to the
Elders who nodded their approval.
Out
of the crowd, the Healer stepped forward and bowed to the Queen and
Consort, the Elders and then faced the accused. She bowed to Ephiny
and then, with a glare, turned her back on the Roman.
“Scholar
Byblis speaks the truth. Let me describe the effects of the poison
that this man and his comrades used. I will speak in simple terms
and without feeling. My feelings I will tell you after you have
heard what your Queen suffered.”
Xena
reached out and held Gabrielle’s hand as she shifted uneasily on
her throne.
“First
the powder was introduced into her wine. Our Queen doesn’t drink
much so she only had a small dose. This poison is deadly and usually
kills within an hour. I swear by the gods I don’t know how she
lived but I give thanks and sacrifice every day that she did. Within
minutes she was salivating, then the muscles began to twitch. With
her Amazon training our Queen ignored this as exhaustion and danced
the courtship dance with her Consort. By the end of the dance our
Queen was breathing rapidly, her pulse was racing and she couldn’t
see any longer because her eyes were dilated. The tremors started
getting worse. Her consort quickly took the unconscious Queen to my
hut. By this time the tremors were worse and she was slipping into a
coma. Violent convulsions seized her body. I induced vomiting with
charcoal and tannin tea. By the time Xena, warrior friend of the
Amazons, went in search of the assassins with the Roman officer,
Brutus, our Queen was in violent convulsions.”
Everyone
was deathly quiet and Xena was somewhat pleased the Roman had enough
sense to drop his head at the description of his handiwork.
“Her
breathing stopped several times. I was able to keep her breathing
with a technique that our friend, Xena, had shown me last time she
and the bard Gabrielle visited.”
Xena
swallowed with difficulty. She didn’t know about Gabrielle’s
breathing stopping while she was gone. She could tell by the way the
Queen was gripping her hand that the bard hadn’t known either.
“Her
skin turned blue and I fought, along with assistants, to keep the
blood circulating throughout our Queen’s body and kept forcing air
into her lungs.”
Xena
and Gabrielle knew those “assistants” must have been Ephiny and
her mate Solari; Gabrielle’s mother Hecuba and little sister Lila,
Xena’s mother Cyrene and her son Solan.
Gods,
they both thought to themselves, they must have been terrified!
The
Elders, guests and Amazons thought so too.
“Her
muscles kept contracting in unnatural positions and she was in agony,
screaming agony. Her body was literally being pulled into pieces by
her own muscles. I managed to get enough of a strong sedative tea
into her of help calm some of the contractions but not much. Her
screams ripped through the village for hours.”
Xena
was impressed with the descriptive language of the healer, but was
just in anguish hearing what Gabrielle had gone through.
“Hours
later the warrior woman returned with the prisoner. All the other
assassins were killed resisting. The Roman Brutus turned the
prisoner over to the Amazon Nation for judgment.”
“Did
our Queen recover that night?” one of the Elders asked. Xena knew
that all the Elders knew the answer to that but they wanted to drag
out all the information of just how Gabrielle had suffered.
To
put a Roman Centurion of the Praetorian Guard and a delegate from
Rome, they would have to show extreme just cause and they intended to
do just that.
“No,
as I said, she still hasn’t recovered. All of us waited the night
to see if she would survive. I truly didn’t think she would. I
knew the poison they used and it’s always deadly and very painful.
The body rips itself apart from the inside and the muscles constrict
the lungs and throat until the victim can’t breath and they die.
When our Queen regained consciousness it was horrible,” the
healer’s voice choked for a moment. “The merest touch of
anything would cause her to scream. Her muscles had so torn at her
that her skin was so sensitive even clothing and her own hair could
cause pain.”
Xena
could see Ephiny going pale from that memory and the warrior knew she
probably didn’t look much better behind her mask either.
“It
was hours before she could tolerate touch, light or noise again and
even then only in small measures. Her Consort was also in agony
during this entire time, watching her beloved suffer like this. It
took another four days before the Queen could get through a day
without pain medication and constant massage of her muscles from my
assistants and her Consort. This required night and day attention.
Almost all the village kept a vigil outside the hut for their Queen.
The danger finally passed and our Queen is now attempting to recover.
It has been most painful for her. The Queen’s muscles are weak
and damaged and will require months of rebuilding before we know for
sure that she can make a complete recovery. Her internal organs
might be sensitive to some foods from this point on, we don’t know
yet. Only the Gods know for sure if her life was cut shorter because
of this.”
Everyone
sat stunned, contemplating what they had heard from the Healer, as
she finished.
“Healer,”
finally one of the Elders spoke. “What the Romans used as a poison,
they knew there would be no survival?”
“Yes,
it was a combination of an herb from the north called Cowsbane by our
Northern sisters.” Everyone heard the Northern tribe gasp in
recognition. The Northern Amazons looked up at the Queen in
amazement. “And they combined it with strychnine. Both are deadly
unto themselves. Our Queen shouldn’t be alive but she is, thank
the gods.”
Everyone
muttered in agreement.
“Thank
you, Healer. Byblis, continue.”
“Thank
you, Elder. I would like the Consort to speak on this.”
Xena
was surprised, the scholar hadn’t asked her or Gabrielle about
this. The warrior could almost feel Gabrielle frowning under her
mask. The warrior slowly stood and squeezed the Queen’s hand
before jumping down from the platform and joining Byblis on the
platform in the center of the room. She bowed before her Queen, the
Elders and Ephiny.
Just
like at the wedding Xena and Gabrielle were hidden by their masks and
different clothing and weapons. Most of the delegates had found out
that Xena was the royal consort but Gabrielle and Ephiny had insisted
that they downplay that part of the events. In case some of the
delegates hadn’t figured it out, weren’t there or whatever, they
wanted to keep Gabrielle’s identity as Queen as secret as possible.
Her habit of traveling with Xena unprotected by a large guard of
Amazons was enough to drive Ephiny crazy, everyone agreed they didn’t
want all of Greece and the outside world knowing that she was also
Amazon royalty -a potential hostage. She was already a target just
traveling with Xena.
Xena
faced Byblis, face hidden by her mask.
“Consort,
you were there when your Queen took ill with the poison.”
“Yes,
I carried her to the Healer’s hut,” Xena answered simply.
“How
long had you been bonded to the Queen?” Byblis asked.
“We
were bonded the night before by the Regent and the Gods. Our public
bonding had just taken place when she was poisoned,” Xena answered.
“Not
long.” Byblis stated.
“No,
not long.”
“What
did you feel when the Queen took ill?”
Xena
frowned and shifted on her feet. “I can’t describe it, I’m not
a bard or scholar,” Xena began. “It was like all of my soul was
dying as I watched her screaming and thrashing in pain.”
“How
long did you stay with the Queen during her recovery?” the scholar
asked.
“Almost
every minute. Only our Regent Ephiny or my mother could get me to
leave her side to eat or get cleaned up.” Xena said simply.
“Did
you sleep?”
“Not
much,” Xena admitted. “I would hold her, singing and talking
until the pain would pass enough for her to sleep. I would sleep
in-between the attacks of pain when the medicine would wear off.”
“How
long did this go on?”
“Days
and nights. It was over a week before anyone slept through the
night, including the Queen.”
“Has
she recovered?” Byblis asked.
“No,
she is still in pain. She is working on regaining her muscle
strength but it is too slow for our Amazon Queen and she is
frustrated. She whimpers at night in pain and she gets up to pace
the floor at least twice a night, working out cramping muscles.”
Xena
saw Gabrielle flinch and smiled under her mask. The bard hadn’t
realized Xena knew about her pacing at night. The Amazon Queen
hadn’t wanted to worry the warrior. Gabrielle grinned to herself,
as if she could keep something from Xena!
“Will
she heal totally?”
“If
stubbornness can heal muscles, she will.” Ephiny grinned at that
comment then Xena was serious. “I don’t know. I’m a warrior
and I haven’t seen many injuries that caused this type of damage
without being permanent. We can only pray she keeps getting
stronger.”
“Thank
you, Consort. Do the Elders have any questions for the Consort?”
Byblis asked.
The
Elders looked to each other and then shook their heads. Xena quickly
took her place by the Queen’s side once more, glad to be out of the
center of the mess. Gabrielle took her hand and squeezed.
“My
Queen and Consort, Honored Elders, I would now turn to Regent Ephiny
to address this matter before you.”
“Thank
you, Byblis,” one of the Elders said as the scholar stepped down
and resumed her place at the accused table. Ephiny stood up and took
her place in the center of the room, carrying her royal mask.
“Regent
Ephiny, you are acting Queen when our Queen is away.”
“Yes,
I am her successor if anything should happen,” Ephiny answered.
“You
were here when the Queen was poisoned,” an Elder stated.
“Yes,
Elder. It was just as the Healer and the Consort described it. Our
Queen was in such agony that I thought she would die just from the
pain.”
“You
took charge of the prisoner when the Roman Brutus and Xena brought
him to our village?” another Elder asked.
“Yes,
Elder. I quickly saw that his armor was removed and all hidden
weapons found. I then had him chained hand and foot in the center of
the prison room. I then kept vigil outside the Healer’s Hut until
we knew if the Queen would live or not.” Ephiny answered.
“And
if she hadn’t?”
Ephiny
lowered her head. “I don’t know, Elder,” she whispered. “I
hope I would be strong enough to hold my hand until the prisoner had
been judged but revenge was in my heart as I waited for news of our
Queen. If she had died I might have killed him that night.”
Gabrielle
whimpered and Xena squeezed the bard’s hand again.
“We
understand Regent and don’t fault you for your feelings of love for
the Queen. I think every Amazon in this tribe was feeling and
thinking the same thing,” one of the Elders stated.
“When
did you question the Roman?” another Elder asked.
“Three
days later when we were sure that our Queen would live. He freely
admitted to the plot to kill the Queen with poison. He admitted that
he knew it was a fatal combination and dose. He admitted he knew the
plan of how to poison the Queen. He admitted that he and his
accomplices quickly left the wedding reception in an attempt to
escape capture. He freely admitted that his officer, Brutus and the
other Romans left behind at the reception were not in on the plot and
had been left behind to take the blame if it were discovered who had
poisoned the Queen,” Ephiny stated.
“Was
the prisoner mistreated or tortured for this admission?”
“No,
he was given the same food that we served on our tables and plenty of
water. He was given the opportunity to bathe himself with bucket,
water and soap and given a bucket that was cleaned daily for his
personal use.”
“Was
he given a blanket?”
“No,”
Ephiny smiled a grim smile at that one.
“Why
not?” an Elder asked.
“Because,
when he confessed everything he stated that it was fortunate Xena and
Brutus had taken him before he could fall on his sword and that he
would kill himself like a Roman the first chance he got. I didn’t
want to find him hanging from the rafters or the bars with his
blanket.” Ephiny admitted.
“Very
well.”
“Regent,”
another Elder spoke. “What do you think his judgment should be?”
Ephiny
looked at Gabrielle’s eyes behind the mask and hesitated. The
Queen could see the pain on her Regent’s face.
“I
saw one of my best friends almost die a most horrible death. I heard
her scream for nights on end and I’ve seen her suffer with the
after affects. I’ve seen her Consort go nearly mad with worry and
grief and I’ve seen their families run themselves into exhaustion
trying to care for the Consort and the Queen.” Ephiny lowered her
head. “I would wish death for the Roman in whatever manner you
deem fit.”
“Does
the Roman wish to speak on his behalf?”
The
Roman, Octavion, stood and bowed to the Queen and Consort and then to
the Elders.
“I
am Octavion, Centurion in the Praetorian Guard of Rome. I was sent on
a mission and I have failed in that mission. My fate is death and I
accept that.” The Roman sat down again.
Byblis
stood and faced the Elders. “There is one thing the Roman didn’t
admit to, Elders. Who ordered the attack on our Queen? Who ordered
her death?”
“Roman,”
an Elder began and the Roman stood. “Who ordered your plot against
our Queen. Your answer might spare your life.”
“I
cannot state that, even if I knew. I took my orders from the man
Brutus killed when capturing us,” he answered.
“Isn’t
it true that you are one of Caesar’s guards?” Byblis questioned.
“Yes,
that is what the Praetorian Guard is.”
“Isn’t
it true that Brutus stated to the Consort that you were assigned to
his delegation by personal orders from Caesar?” Byblis questioned.
“I
don’t know what Brutus told anyone. I was ordered by Samvius, my
officer, to come on this mission and then told after we were on the
road what the real mission was. I never met with Caesar and have
never spoken with Caesar.”
“Damn,”
Xena muttered under her breath.
Byblis
faced the Elders. “Honored Elders, although the circumstances
point that this was a plot from the highest ranks of Rome, we have no
proof to bring public charges against any other Roman than Octavion.”
Byblis’ face was red with anger and Xena felt the same anger. They
had all been hoping for enough proof to at least publicly embarrass
Caesar over the incident.
“Consort,
what is your feelings on judgment for this man?” an Elder
questioned.
Xena
stood up and glanced down into Gabrielle’s eyes. “I’m sorry,
little one. I have to speak the truth,” she whispered. Gabrielle’s
eyes filled with tears but she squeezed her mate’s hand in support.
“I
would wish death for him in whatever manner you choose.” Xena sat
down, praying that Gabrielle wouldn’t be angry with her. The Queen
leaned over to her Consort’s ear.
“It’s
all right, my love. I always want the truth from you.”
Xena
sighed with relief.
“My
Queen, what would be your wish for this man?”
Gabrielle
took a deep breath and stood, almost stumbling as her legs refused to
hold her upright. Xena was on her feet in a flash and helped steady
the Queen.
Gabrielle
grinned a frustrated smile under her mask. After a moment she nodded
to her Consort that she was all right to stand on her own and Xena
sat back down, on alert to spring forward again if the little bard
needed her.
“As
you can see, I am not fully recovered from the murder attempt. They
tell me I may never totally recover my strength. Before this I could
walk miles each day with little tiredness, I could swim a river
easily and I was dangerous with a staff. Now I can barely walk
across the common to the eating hut without pain. I have suffered
and continue to suffer because of this man and his obedience to a
murderous plot,” the Queen hesitated.
“I
am bitter. This man and his officers attempted to kill me on my
wedding day and take me away from my soul-mate.” Gabrielle
remembered another wedding day and watching Perdicus die, unarmed
right next to her. “I know the pain of that loss and what it would
have done to my Consort, my love. I don’t think this man can
understand this but I hope that all of you do, I am against killing
in general and have fought against it many times. In the last few
days I have come to realize that a line has been crossed in my soul,”
again the Queen hesitated and Xena frowned beneath her mask.
“I
call for this man’s death.” Xena heard herself gasp at the words
from her little bard. “Not because of his attempt to kill me or
because of the suffering I’ve gone through and continue to go
through. I call for justice because of the pain he caused my beloved
Consort, my blood-bonded mate and for the pain he attempted to cause
with my death. I know that if I had died that my consort would have
followed me soon and I can’t forgive that.”
Xena
could tell the bard was crying beneath the mask and wished she could
grab the Queen in her arms and comfort her. The warrior knew this
had to be one of the most wrenching realizations and decisions the
young woman had ever faced about herself.
“I
also call for his death as justice for the harm he attempted to cause
to the Amazon Nation. To him, his act was political and he now
accepts the usual political outcome of failure - death. For the good
of the Nation, let him face your justice with death.”
Everyone
was stunned into silence as the Queen resumed her chair, wincing in
pain. Only Xena could tell how much pain Gabrielle was in, both
physically and mentally. Then the crowd was grumbling in reaction
and agreement.
One
of the Elders stood and bowed to the Queen and then faced the crowd.
“We will retire and discuss this matter. Please await our
decision.” The Elders filed out of the hall and everyone broke into
conversation.
Xena
quickly knelt down in front of Gabrielle, taking the bard’s hands
in hers, seeking the green eyes of her love out through the masks and
wasn’t surprised to find the woman with tears in those eyes.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It
was less than a candle-mark when the Elders returned to the hall.
The spokeswoman for the Elder Council stood and bowed to the Queen
and Consort and then to Regent Ephiny. She faced the crowd.
“My
Queen and Consort, Royal Regent and honored guests; the Elder Council
of this Amazon Nation has made its determination in the case of the
Roman Centurion Octavion of the Praetorian Guard, accused of
attempted murder. In that he has confessed to his role, his guilt
wasn’t a matter of question. What faced us was the question of his
punishment.”
Xena
reached out and held Gabrielle’s hand, finding the bard trembling
slightly.
“These
are the things we considered: that Octavion came to us under a
banner of truce and goodwill; that he accepted our hospitality with
the knowledge he was going to commit a horrible crime against the
Nation; that he freely participated in this crime; that this crime
was political in motivation; that he attempted to kill a member of
our Nation; that this member was royalty and that royalty was our
Queen herself; that he cared nothing for the suffering he inflicted
on our Queen; that he cared nothing for the pain he caused her family
and our Nation through her suffering; that his only regret was that
he failed in killing the Queen.” the Elder paused.
“Other
things we considered; that the man is a soldier and not the one who
gave the orders; that it cannot be determined who gave the order;
that this man was following the orders of his superiors and had no
personal stake in the attempt.”
The
Elder turned slightly and faced the Roman. “Roman Octavion, it is
the decision of this Elder Council that your crime outweighs any
mercy. It is the decision that you shall be put to death tomorrow at
sunrise. You will be given parchment to make your will and testament
known to your people and any letter you may wish to write to your
family. These will be taken to the nearest Roman garrison and
official word will be sent to Rome of your fate. Your manner of
death will be that of what you attempted for our Queen, by poison.”
Gabrielle’s
hand tightened on her warrior’s and her breathing became shallow
and rapid.
“We
won’t use the same poison that you used on our Queen, we will use
the traditional Greek method of executing condemned murderers:
hemlock. You have until dawn, Octavion.”
The
Roman stood and bowed to the Elder Council and then to the Queen and
Consort and followed his armed escort from the Hall as the crowd
grumbled in agreement with his fate.
Gabrielle
stood up, trembling, and managed to bow to Ephiny and then the Elder
Council, allowing Xena’s arm to support her out of the Hall.
“How
can I help, Little one?” Xena whispered down to her little bard.
“Get
me out of here for awhile, grab Argo while I change, I’ll bring
clothes for you.”
Before
Xena could agree or protest the bard was moving towards the Queen’s
Hut.
The
warrior quickly moved toward the stables.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
