XWP: Awakenings 8 - Ides of March part 1 of 2 parts - 02/08/2021

 

Ides Of March, An Awakening VIII

by Hunter Ash

ripperbard7@yahoo.com

frost29@post.com

Disclaimers:  As usual, I don’t own Xena, Gabrielle, etc etc etc. For the suits and skirts, don’t bother suing me, it definitely wouldn’t even be worth the court costs.

Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex: The story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender.

Violence: Gladiatorial games and a rough description of crucifixion. No bad language. Warning! This story gets a little rough for our favorite characters and can be painful to read. It was painful to write.

Storyline: This is part of the Awakening series. I hope each one can stand on it’s own but you might want to start with the others and catch up.

Ides of March: the Amazons have been attacked and some taken prisoner, Gabrielle and Xena must figure a way to get them out of Rome before the Ides of March. There’s one problem, Caesar and his crosses are waiting for them.

Iolaus frowned at the sound of a rider approaching. Xena and Hercules weren’t due back from hunting for another day. He put down the bucket of water and pulled off a glove and drew his sword. He waited in the light snow of the territory the Romans called Agri Decumates, Gaul.

The Greek felt his pulse begin racing and his stomach turn over when the rider came into sight, a Roman soldier approaching at a trot. The Roman spotted him between the creek and the cabin and stopped in the clearing surrounding the cabin. The soldier approached the man slowly with his hands up and palms extended.

The Roman’s eyebrows raised in surprise when the cabin door opened and a small blond woman stepped out cautiously with a bow and arrow, arrow notched. She was dressed like the blond man facing the Roman with a sword, in a woolen tunic and trousers tucked into fur lined boots.

"Are you the Roman citizen Brie?" The Roman called, stopping in the snow.

Gabrielle cocked her head in puzzlement and stepped further out the door.

"I’m Brie, citizen of Rome." she answered, slightly lowering the arrow while Iolaus moved closer to the cabin.

"I bring a message from Brutus, aide to Julius Caesar." he indicated a message tube in his belt.

Gabrielle lowered the bow and straightened out of her stance. "Then you are welcome once you drop your sword." Iolaus moved to the door with Gabrielle.

The Roman’s eyes flashed with anger but he pulled his sword and approached the two cautiously, hilt extended. Iolaus sheathed his own sword and took the Roman’s.

Gabrielle moved aside and motioned into the cabin to the Roman who went through the door cautiously.

"I am Corin, Centurion." he said simply.

"I am Brie and this is Ivar of the Northern tribes." Gabrielle responded, indicating Iolaus. She sat down at the table and the Roman joined her. Iolaus took up a position next to the fire, always keeping an eye on the Roman. Gabrielle poured a goblet of ale for the Roman.

"Thank you."

The cabin was of simple Northern design. One main room with beds against the walls, the main area being around the fireplace. The Roman noticed the small child playing on one of the beds, staring at him with frank curiosity.

Gabrielle opened the wax sealing on the tube and pulled the parchment out and began reading, frowning. She got up and handed the parchment to Iolaus and went to a shelf above one of the beds. Grabbing a piece of parchment, pen and vial of ink she returned to the table and began writing carefully.

She noticed the Roman’s surprised look and smiled at him.

"I was trained as a bard."

"I’m sorry, just surprised. I know of you. Brie the gladiator, the only female to win the wooden sword of freedom in the Arena. My brother was there and wrote me of the match. He said you were astounding." the Roman grinned and Gabrielle felt herself beginning to blush.

"I was fortunate and more skilled that day," she said. "How did you know I was the same Brie, the one that was in Rome."

"Caesar sent word to the borders that you might return to your people and if you were to return to Roman territory that he wanted to be informed of it. When Brutus sent the message to one Brie of the northern tribes who also is a citizen of Rome, I put two and two together and got you." he grinned.

"Clever, you’ll go far."

Gabrielle rolled the parchment up and placed it in the message tube, lit a candle and sealed the end of the tube once again. She handed the tube to the Roman who stood easily. Iolaus handed him his sword without a word.

Gabrielle opened the door for the soldier.

"Thank you for delivering the message." she said simply.

"Thank you for the ale. By the way, I didn’t see you if Caesar should ask." he grinned and mounted his horse easily and turned with a wave, moving down the road.

Iolaus grinned and shook his head. "What is it with you? Everyone you meet suddenly becomes your friend."

"Don’t ask me." his blond friend complained with a smile. "What do you think of the message?"

Iolaus unrolled the parchment and began reading aloud.

"Gabrielle, I hope this finds all of you well and safe. A friend of ours has learned where you and your family are and would like to see you. A reunion at this time probably would not be good so I suggest waiting to see him after the spring snows melt. I know he’ll be disappointed if you move north beyond his traveling ability but things will be different in the Spring and I hope all of you can return home in the Spring without worry. Be well, vale. Signed Brutus."

"Caesar knows where we are and is planning on moving against us." Gabrielle commented, moving back towards the cabin and suddenly grabbed a running toddler as Sasha attempted to rush by her and out the door. She lifted the dark haired child above her head, getting a responsive squeal of delight from the child. The bard swung the child around and jumped into the snow with her mate’s daughter, both of them laughing and tickling each other.

"How did Caesar find out?" Iolaus frowned and then grinned, watching his friend and child playing in the snow. Gabrielle shrugged her shoulders and launched a snowball at him, catching him at the chest, sending snow down the front of his tunic.

"Hey! That’s cold!" he yelped and began dancing away down the path to the creek to retrieve the water bucket.

When he returned a moment later Gabrielle had Sasha up and moving back inside the cabin to warm up.

"I don’t know but he did. Maybe he threatened Brutus once he found out that Brutus actually owned me and knew who I was."

"Gabrielle, gladiator and citizen of Rome. That still feels weird." he smiled and sat down by the fire and removed his arm from it’s sling and began working it back and forth, stretching the almost useless muscles.

"Try being on this side of it," Gabrielle grinned back, pulling Sasha’s wet boots off.

"What do we do?"

"What else can we do? We go north and hope that the Spring does bring some changes in Rome." Gabrielle lost her smile. "I want to go home, Iolaus. I was missing for so long, my family must have gone crazy!" The Greeks had moved south at the first sign of Spring in the North, barely getting through the March snow, hoping they would be able to sneak into Greece without Caesar or Ares knowing about it. They all wanted to see their families and their homeland again.

"Over a year without knowing where you were. It drove all of us crazy. Your family, Xena’s family, all the Amazons, everyone looking for you. We just didn’t think to look in a gladiatorial arena." he teased.

"I certainly didn’t choose it!" she managed to smile back but flinched, remembering the various faces of the fighters she had been forced to kill in the Arena. She didn’t think she’d ever get used to those memories.

"I wish Herc and Xena would get back. If Caesar thinks Xena is here soldiers are probably already marching." Iolaus complained.

"I know. I don’t know if we should stay here and wait for Hercules and Xena or chance moving North and let them catch up with us. I really do not want to fall into Roman hands again."

"Me either," he whispered, looking at his crippled arm and saw Gabrielle looking at her scarred arms.

"We have Sasha to think about, let’s pack." he suggested.

"I agree." Gabrielle quickly began moving about the cabin. She stopped for a moment and looked out the window, hoping against the odds to see her mate and friend riding up. Open clearing and woods met her eyes. "Come on, Xena, time to come back." she whispered, focusing on her mate.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A day later found Iolaus pulling his sword again as Gabrielle grabbed her sais from her boots, standing up on the seat of the wagon and looking back down the road. Iolaus stopped the horses and waited for the bard to give directions, fight or flight.

He was relieved when he saw the bard sigh and put the sais back in their holders and leap from the wagon. "It’s them!" she grinned and waited until the two horseback riders approached a couple of hundred yards and then ran to meet her mate, Xena, as the warrior slid from the back of Argo and grabbed the bard into her arms.

"We’re fine, Sasha’s fine." Gabrielle answered the main questions before Xena could ask them and was rewarded with the warrior’s lips.

Hercules grinned, watching from his horse as they kissed and then, after a moment, coughed to break them up. They both grinned and blushed at him.

"Sorry, Herc. Iolaus has missed you terribly." Gabrielle grinned.

"Feeling’s mutual," he muttered and moved his horse towards the wagon.

Gabrielle hugged her mate again. "Gods, I hate it when you’re gone!" the bard muttered.

"Me too, little one. What’s going on? We found the cabin wrecked and signs of a large group of riders on horses. Good thing I knew how to look for your Amazon trail signs."

"Brutus sent word that Caesar knew where we were." Gabrielle answered as they began walking Argo towards the wagon where Sasha was looking out the back of the wagon, a big grin for her mom.

Xena grinned back and opened her arms as the toddler struggled out of the wagon and ran the few feet to her mom. The warrior lifted her daughter in her arms and hugged the blue eyed child.

"So you got out of there." Xena stated.

"Yes, we thought we’d take a chance on the road rather than be captured by the Romans."

"I can understand that and I’m glad you did. We were frantic when we saw the cabin and then realized that you had escaped. I couldn’t lose you again, Gabrielle." Xena’s eyes became pained with the thought of being without her mate again and Gabrielle smiled and hugged both wife and daughter.

Xena watched as Gabrielle climbed back up onto the wagon with a sad smile. So much had changed with her mate. Gabrielle had been gone for over a year, captured by Roman soldiers and sold as a slave. Xena shook her head in amazement once again at what had happened to the bard.

Going from a beaten and raped Roman slave to gladiator in the Arena and winning her freedom with those deadly sais of hers. Just the thoughts of all those men abusing her bard was enough to send Xena into a berserker fury. Gabrielle knew that Xena still had to work a lot of it out of her system and didn’t say anything when Xena disappeared into the woods and came back exhausted and her sword needing sharpened. Sai, a dagger like weapon that was absolutely dangerous in the bard’s hands. It still amazed Xena at how skilled Gabrielle was with those sais and with most any weapon put in her hands now. The warrior remembered when Gabrielle hated to even pick up a sword, now she was deadly. Watching the bard work out was a revelation, it was like watching a dance, a dance of a deadly animal about to leap on it’s prey. Dancer had been an appropriate name, Xena often thought when she watched Gabrielle move now.

And Iolaus, the warrior reflected, taking several sword hits and a good beating trying to save Gabrielle from being taken. Losing the use of his arm and almost all the strength in the hand for it. Over a year of nightmares for all of them but particularly hard on Gabrielle and Iolaus.

It had taken time for the healing to begin, even after Gabrielle had returned to them. Time for Gabrielle to figure out who and what she was and Xena wasn’t sure the bard had found all of those answers yet.

The blond was no longer Gabrielle the bard, innocent traveling storyteller and companion of Xena, warrior Princess. She wasn’t Brie, Roman slave, either, nor was she Dancer, Roman gladiator and now free Roman citizen. Gabrielle still woke up some nights thrashing and would spend the rest of the night crying in Xena’s arms.

Xena grinned at the largest change in her life, Sasha. The small child of her one night with Ares when the God of War had messed with her mind and memories, causing the warrior to forget the last two or so years with Gabrielle. She still cursed that night spent in his arms but not the result. Sasha was a delight to her moms and her adopted dads/uncles - Hercules and Iolaus.

Xena secretly thanked the gods for Gabrielle’s acceptance of Sasha. The warrior knew she had been fortunate. The bard had been upset, of course, Xena was upset about the circumstances, but the bard had put that aside and accepted Sasha as her own. Having raised Sasha for the first few months without Gabrielle had been hard and Xena had been worried that Gabrielle might not bound with the child but that had happened faster than Gabrielle had gotten comfortable with her own self.

Sasha grinned back and began chatting with her mom as the warrior rode alongside the wagon, Gabrielle guiding the horses.

Gabrielle yelped and Xena pulled her sword in reflex as a bright light filled the road in front of them. Gabrielle attempted to slow her heart rate down as she looked at Artemis standing in the middle of the road where nothing had been a moment before.

"Artemis?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

"Yes, Gabrielle. I’m sorry to just drop in but its important." the goddess answered.

Xena noticed the tense look and blood on the goddess’ hunting leathers.

"What is it? How did you find us?" the warrior asked.

Artemis smiled slightly. "Some of us have been keeping an eye on you and keeping Ares from finding you. Now I need your help."

"What it is? What’s wrong, Artemis?" Hercules asked.

"Gabrielle," the goddess choked and Xena jumped off Argo and moved next to the wagon, closer to her mate. "The Amazons and Centaurs were attacked by the Romans. The survivors are with the northern Province Amazons in Belgica and need you." Artemis lowered her eyes.

Gabrielle felt her head beginning to spin as a roaring filled her ears. She wasn’t aware of Xena jumping onto the wagon and grabbing her, holding her up.

"The Centaurs, did any of them and their families get out?" Xena questioned urgently.

"Some of them made it out with the Amazons." Artemis answered.

"Ephiny? Solari? Eponi?" Gabrielle whispered, tears beginning to flow down her cheeks. Xena tightened her hold on the bard, feeling her own heart breaking.

"I can’t say who. The Romans are planning on attacking the northern Amazons next. Caesar knows that they can’t move north in the winter snow and have no allies left in the Roman territories. He plans on wiping them out and dragging the two of you back to Greece." Artemis answered.

"Caesar will have traps waiting for us every ten miles between here and there." Iolaus complained.

"Yes, that’s why you’re not going that way." Artemis said through gritted teeth. "If you agree to help."

Gabrielle turned to look in her mate’s eyes.

"You could stay here with Sasha and keep her safe," Gabrielle suggested.

"No way, little one. I was without you for over a year, we’re not going to be separated again." Xena insisted.

"What about Sasha, we can’t take her into the middle of a war?" Gabrielle demanded.

"Look, I’ll be back in a candlemark, I don’t want to attract Ares’ attention." Artemis said and was gone with a flash.

The four adults looked from one to the other for answers with frowns.

"I have a suggestion," Hercules muttered, not looking at any of them.

"Yes?" Xena urged.

"Have Artemis take Iolaus and Sasha to Eddvar’s steading up north and we go to help the Amazons." he said simply.

"I’m not leaving you, big guy!" Iolaus protested and Xena frowned.

"Gods, this is not easy!" Xena complained. "I lost Solan for so long because I sent him away and was trying to protect him. I can’t take Sasha into the middle of a fight and I can’t stay with her. I have to know what happened to Solan!"

"I can still fight and sit a horse!" Iolaus protested.

"No, my friend. Not in a battle. Someone has to keep Sasha safe and you’re the best one for the job now. Eddval, Axel and the family will protect both of you to the death if need be." Hercules said softly, ruffling Iolaus’ hair and the blond dropped his head, acknowledging the logic, Iolaus knew that Hercules was right about their adopted Germanic family. The Northerners considered the Greeks family and had welcomed them warmly and would go into a blood feud for any of them.

"Oh gods," Xena muttered.

Gabrielle sat watching the ground in front of the wagon while the others debated and discussed. Her Amazons? Survivors? That meant a large number must be dead or captured. Her friends, her family. The bard snapped up her head.

"Artemis!" she called, surprising the arguing Hercules, Xena and Iolaus into silence. The Goddess of the Hunt appeared instantly. "How many did the Romans capture?" she demanded. Artemis dropped her head and refused to answer. "How many?" Gabrielle demanded again and the bard felt Xena stiffen beside her.

"Twenty, including Ephiny." the goddess said quietly.

"Gabrielle," Xena began, a warning in her voice.

"Don’t even think of stopping me on this one, my love." Gabrielle countered.

"I’m not going to let you do this." Xena growled.

"Do what?" Iolaus asked. Then he began frowning. "Exchange yourself? No way! No!" he shouted at Gabrielle.

Xena saw that familiar clenching of the bard’s jaw and shook her head. "No, Caesar will just kill you and the prisoners." Xena continued to protest.

"No, he won’t." Gabrielle said simply.

"Why wouldn’t he? He can’t be trusted!" Xena insisted.

"Because, my warrior, you’re going to kill him."

"What?!" several voices questioned at once.

"Artemis will take us to Rome where I’ll exchange myself as Amazon Queen for my tribe. She’ll take Hercules to the Northern tribe where he will help fight the Romans off until we have a treaty with Caesar to leave Roman territory. Iolaus will take Sasha to the north and, with the money I won in the Games, will buy a good chunk of the most wild forest he can find from the tribes and Hercules will move the Amazons and Centaurs north, away from the Romans." Gabrielle stated evenly.

The other three Greeks and goddess frowned.

"You’ve always been against killing." Xena frowned.

"I’ve had to re-evaluate that the last couple of years. He threatens you, Sasha, Iolaus and Hercules and now he attacks my Amazons and the Centaurs, including Solan. No, this war has expanded far enough."

"Damnit!" Xena cursed, unable to find any other plan that had a chance of working. "Caesar won’t sign a treaty if he already has you."

"We’ll send word that he may have some of the Amazons but that the survivors have joined up with another group, are dug in securely and the Queen is willing to negotiate the release of the prisoners. He’ll deal because he can figure to make a public spectacle of my death and then go in and wipe out the Amazons anyway." Gabrielle reasoned.

"I can’t let you do it!" Xena protested again. "If something went wrong, you’d still end up dead."

"I know that but we can’t just walk away either. If we make a stand with the Amazons now everyone will die, including Solan. The Amazons can’t fight Rome anymore. You know that, Artemis."

"Yes, I was hoping you’d plan this."

"Gods, keeping their plans to themselves except when they need help," Xena muttered.

"Can you get us to Rome, Hercules to the Northern Amazons and Iolaus with Sasha to Axel?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yes." Artemis asked.

"Don’t you gods lose power outside of your territories?" Xena muttered, unhappy with the situation.

"Sometimes, some of us Greeks get along with the Northern gods very well. You should see Othinn on a Wild Hunt. He’s not bad for a male and he likes you." Artemis grinned.

"Terrific," Xena muttered and then turned to the demi-god son of Zeus, "Hercules," Xena pleaded.

"I can’t think of a better plan right now either." he muttered.

"Oh gods. Sasha, come here, my little one." Xena turned and grabbed her daughter from the back of the wagon, tears threatening to spill over her eyes.

Gabrielle bit her lip and jumped down from the wagon, grabbing two sets of travel bags, and walked over to Artemis while Hercules said his good-byes to Iolaus and Xena tried to explain to her toddler that she was going to be gone for a little bit but would be back as fast as possible. Gabrielle looked over to Artemis with a silent prayer that they all made it back, but especially Xena.

"After this is over, you’ll take her to Sasha and not make her travel over land?" Gabrielle whispered.

"Yes, my word on it. Gabrielle, I don’t want you going into this planning on dying. I want you alive!" the goddess hissed at her favorite.

"So do I, goddess. Caesar won’t kill me easily." the bard promised.

"Good! Stall for time with Caesar, politics are boiling over in Rome and the ice is melting under that pot." Artemis advised.

Xena jumped down from the wagon and carried Sasha over to her mate and goddess and the two Greek men joined them. Gabrielle ran back to the wagon and led Argo over to the small group and hugged Sasha before handing the small child to her uncle Iolaus, trying not to let the child see her tears.

"Let’s get this over with." Xena growled.

In a flash Artemis was gone with Iolaus and Sasha. Xena blinked, trying to fight back tears as Gabrielle reached out and held her hand.

"I’m sorry, Xena. You should have stayed with her."

"No, not if you’re going to do this. According to your plan I’m the only one who can get you out." Xena smiled grimly.

"You always do."

Xena ground her teeth, trying not to remind the bard that Xena hadn’t been able to find or rescue Gabrielle for over a year and a half while the bard suffered whippings, beatings, rapes and fighting as a gladiator. Xena wasn’t feeling as confident in her abilities to protect her mate as she once did.

Artemis appeared again and disappeared with Hercules.

"Gods, that is so weird!" Gabrielle complained as they waited. "What about the horses and our stuff?"

Gabrielle turned and found the wagon and belongings gone.

"What?"

"They disappeared with Iolaus and Sasha." Xena grinned.

"Gods, I hate how they can do stuff like that!"

Xena managed to laugh. "If you ever claim your immortality as the daughter of Apollo, who knows what you could do." Xena teased.

"Oh, I am not thinking about that! I don’t want that kind of power, thanks!"

"Why not?" Xena asked casually. "You could just zap the Amazons to safety and kill Caesar."

Gabrielle frowned. "No one should have that much power, not even the Gods. Look what it does to them. Ares is a pain in the neck, causing all kinds of strife just for his amusement, Aphrodite has been known to cause absolute havoc in people’s lives and my own father goes around having numerous affairs with women because he can get away with it."

Xena grinned, "That’s my love. Just checking."

Gabrielle punched her lover on the arm with an amused smile.

"Seriously, little one. This isn’t going to be easy." Xena lost her smile.

"When is it easy?" Gabrielle countered as Artemis appeared before them.

"Where to, my Chosen?"

"Just outside of Brutus’ apartment. Xena, pull up your hood."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Xena was impressed, moving through the streets of Rome after dark could be trickery but Gabrielle was silent as a cat and blended with the shadows almost as well as the Warrior Princess. They had waited in an inn until after dark and then slipped out their window into the streets towards Brutus’ apartment. Xena had made some discrete inquiries and had found that Brutus and Caesar were in Rome and that the Amazons were scheduled for execution on the Ides of March. Two days away.

Xena quickly scaled a wall and leaned an arm down to her mate and was further impressed with Gabrielle joined her at the top without a sound. The warrior moved along the wall quickly and jumped up onto the balcony of what Gabrielle had pointed out to be Brutus’ bedroom. At Xena’s hand signal the bard followed and drew out her sais quietly, watching the street and alley below while the warrior slowly opened the doors and crept in.

After a moment, Gabrielle heard a low whistle and slipped in through the doors and shut them behind her.

"Strike a light," she heard Xena whisper and quickly lit the candle she had in her pouch and found a lamp on a small table by the balcony doors. When her eyes focused in the light she could see Xena straddling Brutus with her dagger at his throat.

"Xena! Gabrielle! Are you out of your minds!?" he demanded in a low voice.

"Maybe." Xena agreed with a grin and pulled the dagger back slightly. Reaching under his pillow she pulled out a long and sharp dagger and tossed it to the bard, who caught it easily. Xena sat back on her haunches, pinning the Roman to the bed.

"Why didn’t you go North? Caesar will have you both on a cross!" Brutus demanded, attempting to sit up but not having much success. He settled for leaning on his elbows.

"You have my family members." Gabrielle answered.

"Oh gods, I hoped you’d have gotten far enough north before you heard." he muttered.

"Where are they, Brutus?" Xena asked.

"In Caesar’s dungeons and no one gets in to see them, not even me."

"Any chance of getting them out?" Gabrielle asked her mate.

"No, we might be able to trick one or two people out of there but not that many. Damnit, Brutus! You knew the Amazons are our family!" Xena hissed.

"Yes, I know that! Do you think I had a choice? It was either that or my son on a cross for letting Gabrielle go!" he growled back.

"No." the bard whispered and Xena was up and by her mate’s side in a flash.

"This isn’t your fault, Gabrielle. It’s Caesar’s!"

"Xena is right, Gabrielle." Brutus agreed, sitting up in his bed. "It’s Caesar."

"Well, we’ve got two days to stop him." Xena smiled a smile that sent chills down the spine of the Roman and then she frowned as he shook his head.

"No, he moved the execution of the Amazons to day next."

"What? What about the Ides of March?" Xena demanded.

"He’s making a special announcement in the Senate. One he says will rock the world." Brutus said bitterly.

"He wouldn’t dare." Xena whispered.

"Yes, he would." Brutus nodded his head and Gabrielle went pale.

"He’s going to declare himself King or Emperor?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Rome won’t let him." Xena frowned.

"The Senate won’t let him." Brutus matched her frown. He wrapped a sheet around his body and walked over to the two women and gently took the dagger away from Gabrielle’s hands. "I need that for the Ides of March."

"Brutus, you?" Xena asked, sitting down at a small table as the Roman gestured to a chair, Gabrielle sat between them. "He’s your friend."

"You once asked if Caesar had any friends. I didn’t want to face that question right then but I have to now. I think he’s planning on killing me and Octavian and naming the child he has with Cleopatra as his heir after proclaiming himself Emperor. I’m supposed to go back to Britannia but he’s chosen my escort for me and there’s only enough supplies packed for a one week trip."

"Not a good sign," Gabrielle agreed.

"They’ll kill you, Brutus." Xena said.

"No, I’m not the only one. There will be many of us. The trick will be getting Marc Anthony to listen to reason before he starts using that sword of his. If we can keep him calm, we’ll live." Brutus said simply.

"What do we do about the Amazons?" Gabrielle demanded and Brutus shook his head.

"I don’t know. With the announcement coming up, Caesar isn’t about to postpone or stop the execution. He needs the spirits of the Roman citizens soaring and nothing does that like a good day at the Games. He knows the Amazons are amazing fighters and plans on having several bouts with them before crucifying them." Brutus explained.

"Crucify?" Xena whispered and Gabrielle fought back tears.

"Yes, either that or burn them as torches in the Arena."

Gabrielle fought back from losing dinner at the thought of Ephiny and her other Amazons on fire.

Xena reached out and held the bard’s hand reassuringly.

"Xena," Gabrielle looked into her mate’s blue eyes and saw pain.

"No, Gabrielle. We’ll find a way."

"Can you think of one?" she whispered.

"What?" Brutus frowned.

"Gabrielle, no, please." Xena whispered but the bard closed her eyes and pulled her hand away from her mate and reached into her pouch. She handed the Roman a message tube, her jaw clinched.

"Take that to Caesar at first light and send a messenger back here with his response." she told Brutus.

"What is it?"

"My offer of a treaty with Rome as Queen of the Amazons. If Caesar agrees the remaining Amazons and Centaurs will leave Roman territory for the northern woods where, hopefully, they’ll never be seen by a Roman again. It also offers a political exchange of prisoners." she explained.

"Who would you exchange for the Amazons?"

"Myself."

Brutus stood up in shock and quickly grabbed at his sheet, blushing as he tried to retain his dignity of being nude under the sheet. "No! I won’t let you! Xena, you can’t let her!"

"I don’t have a choice, Brutus. We can’t let our friends die."

"What’s the rest of the plan?" he suddenly demanded and Xena’s eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Don’t try and toss me around, Xena. Neither of you would come here without a solution, a way out. How can I help? What is it?"

"I’m going to kill Caesar myself and Gabrielle won’t have to exchange herself."

Brutus shook his head. "I don’t think it’ll work. If only we could delay the executions until after the Senate meeting, then all of it would be ended. The Senate would gladly accept the treaty terms if they can claim the land and the Amazons leave."

"When would the executions take place?" Gabrielle asked, frowning in thought.

Xena’s eyes narrowed again.

"Depending on the fights, right near sunset." Brutus answered, getting up and pouring wine for all of them, still trying to keep his sheet around him.

"How long can someone last on a cross?" she asked, not meeting Xena’s eyes.

"Depends on if he has them nailed to the wood and how badly they’re flogged before."

Xena’s fists clenched tightly together. "Gabrielle," she warned with a growl.

"How long?" Gabrielle asked again, ignoring her mate.

"A day or longer, depending on how strong the person is." Brutus answered with a puzzled look.

"Long enough to survive past the Senate meeting and Caesar’s end?" she asked.

"Gabrielle," Xena growled again and Brutus went pale.

"No! I mean, yes, it’s possible, but not for you!" again he jumped to his feet and began pacing. "That would mean being on a cross from dusk to probably noonday." he protested.

"You’re not going in there! We can save the Amazons after Caesar’s gone, they’re strong enough to last that long." Xena argued with the bard, knowing what was going through her mate’s mind.

"We don’t know that. Most of them are probably wounded and many more will die in the Arena before the cross. They’re tired, hungry, wounded and beaten and saw their families, friends and lovers killed. They won’t last and you know it." Gabrielle argued back, the jaw taking on that familiar stubborn set.

"Gabrielle, you don’t know what it’s like." Xena whispered, tears in her eyes.

"No, I don’t but I’ve been in the Arena and I can hold my own in a fight in there. I’m also strong and, as you’ve said, my love - I’m stubborn." Gabrielle attempted to smile.

"I was crucified in the field, it’s different in an execution. Brutus, tell her."

"No," the Roman whispered, turning pale.

"Tell her, damnit! Describe it for her!" Xena hissed.

The Roman sat back in his chair and closed his eyes. "The prisoner is taken to a post, his hands chained above him and his clothing ripped down the back. He is then flogged with a whip that has small iron balls on the ends of the strands. It causes massive welts with the first few strikes. The next strikes rip the skin open and continue until the skin is hanging in ribbons. Then the prisoner is dragged to the patibulum, the cross beam of the cross and tied to it. Then 7 inch spikes are driven through the wrists of the prisoner, causing intense pain through the arm. If the prisoner is lucky and the executioner good, the bones can be missed in the wrists."

Brutus took a drink of his wine, beginning to sweat in the cold night air.

"Then the cross beam is attached to the stipes, the upright beam, and the legs are twisted around the cross so that the ankles are against the sides. Uncomfortable and painful. The executioner then takes a small piece of board and places it over the ankle and drives another spike through each ankle."

Gabrielle fought to control her stomach.

"Because of the position, the prisoner must raise themselves up to be able to breath. Eventually they can’t do it any longer and the lungs begin to fill with liquid. The body is starved of oxygen and the heart begins to fight. A strong fighter can last for two to four days, depending on how much blood they lose during the flogging. Eventually the body stops breathing. Its painful and drawn out."

"You can’t face that, little one." Xena whispered. "No one can willingly."

"Tell me how to save Ephiny and the others." Gabrielle said simply.

Xena growled, jumping to her feet and beginning pacing. Brutus looked helpless, unable to think of anything different as well.

"All right, but only if I don’t come back tonight." Xena bargained with her lifebond.

"Where are you going, never mind, I know where you’re going." Gabrielle also stood up and grabbed her mate in a tight hug.

"Xena, I don’t like this. Caesar knows you’ll come for the Amazons." Brutus protested.

"I know but I have to try. If I can kill him tonight then Gabrielle won’t have to even think about exchanging herself and you can get the Senate to agree to the treaty and release the Amazon prisoners." She slipped her dagger back into her belt. "Besides, that would remove the blood from your hands and those of the Senate."

Brutus blushed profusely.

"If you don’t come back?" Gabrielle whispered, holding Xena closely.

"I’ll either be dead or waiting in a cell for you to show up to join me." Xena slipped off her bonding bracelet and left it on the table while Gabrielle wasn’t watching. The warrior knew if she were captured she’d lose it.

"You won’t be alone," the bard whispered and kissed her tall warrior.

"I love you." before the bard could respond the warrior was out the door and over the balcony.

"Gods, she’s amazing." Brutus muttered.

"Yes, she is." Gabrielle agreed. "She’s only got a couple of hours to get in and get out."

"What do we do?"

"Wait until after dawn, either she’ll have succeeded or you’ll have word of her."

"Oh gods, I hate waiting." Brutus complained.

"Well, you might pass the time by getting dressed." Gabrielle suggested with a smile.

Brutus looked down at the sheet he was still tightly holding and blushed again. "I’ll be right back." he muttered, grabbing a clothes off a chair and heading for a dressing screen.

Gabrielle spotted the bracelet and fought back tears.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Gabrielle couldn’t believe that she had actually fallen asleep as she blinked rapidly, standing in Brutus’ bedroom with her sais in hand in a defensive stance. The pounding on the outer door continued and she heard movement in the other room and went to the door of the sleeping room. She saw Brutus crossing the marbled floors, dagger drawn to the main door. Gabrielle couldn’t hear or see who it was.

After a moment the Roman nodded and turned towards the bedroom. Seeing Gabrielle at the door he motioned her into the room. She walked out of the bedroom cautiously.

"I’ve given the servants the day off." he explained as he sat down on a sofa.

"What is it?" she whispered as she saw his expression and he ducked his eyes. "He has her?"

"Yes, they were waiting for her or you. Fortunately, he doesn’t seem to know about the other plan. Maybe that’ll work to our advantage, he won’t be looking for assassins in the Senate now that he has Xena." Brutus said thoughtfully.

"And me." Gabrielle whispered.

"No, I won’t let you do it!" he argued again.

"Do it, Brutus! It’s the only way I can save her and my Amazons!"

"Damnit! If this doesn’t work I’m pulling you off that cross myself!" he promised as he stormed out the door, grabbing the message tube with him.

Gabrielle let the tears begin to fall silently as she took off her bonding bracelet and placed it next to Xena’s. Then she placed her sais with them. Either Brutus would get them back to her or she wouldn’t need them.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Xena growled and threw her head backwards, hitting a Roman guard in the nose and was most satisfied when she heard the crunch under her skull. He yelped and the three other guards dragging her along grabbed on even tighter and the one with the broken nose punched her in the small of the back three times. Xena gritted her teeth and continued the struggle with a yell.

The warrior saw red filling her world when she heard Caesar laughing behind her as his guards tried to drag her down the stairs of the dungeon. She almost shook off her guards when one had enough and crashed his fist along Xena’s jaw, stunning her.

When her head cleared she was chained to a wall at her wrists and feet. She stood up to relieve the pressure on her wrists and looked at Caesar standing in front of her. She growled at his smug look.

"Xena, you never learn."

"How did you know?" she asked.

"You have one obsession in your life and that’s me. Once I captured the Amazons I knew that would draw you out if I couldn’t find that little bard of yours. I was right. Rest up, Xena. Tomorrow you go into the Arena and you won’t be coming out."

"Don’t bet on it, Caesar." she hissed and the Roman laughed and continued laughing as he left the cell area.

Xena looked around and wasn’t surprised to see a large number of Amazons in cells, chained to walls and chained to the pillars. It hurt her to see so many of them wounded and there at all.

"Ephiny?" she called out and saw movement at one of the cells. The Amazon Queen moved to the front of the bars and Xena growled at the sight of her broken arm.
"Xena? What in Tartarus are you doing here?" she demanded. Xena, looking around realized a large number of familiar faces were missing. She prayed they had made it out and weren’t dead.

"Do they know who you are?" the warrior asked, ignoring the question.

"No. Why?"

"Because your Queen has an idea that might get all of us out of here, at least the Amazons." Xena grinned around the bruised jaw.

"What’s she doing here!?" Ephiny demanded, face turning red with anger.

"She’s safe for now. Tell me something first."

"What?"

"Were there any prisoners in here when you were brought in?" Xena asked, looking around at the other women.

"Yes, one man in for stealing, why?"

"Where is he?" the warrior asked.

"In this cell with us." another Amazon answered.

"How does he smell?"

"What?" Ephiny asked and then her eyes narrowed as well. "He doesn’t." she growled and grabbed one of the Amazons. Xena watched as the Amazon unlaced her boot and wrapped the lace around her hands and moved among the women crowding the cell. After a few minutes Ephiny nodded to the warrior.

"It’s something I used to do in my Conqueror days," Xena explained with a shrug.

"How did you get here?" Ephiny demanded.

"I tried to kill Caesar but he was expecting me."

"Gods, will nothing stop that man?" Ephiny growled.

"If we don’t then there is someone who might." Xena said grimly.