Xena and Eponin were in the lead with three Amazon warriors behind them, taking turns doing dove calls and waiting to hear a response. Eponin worried about Xena. Not one word had passed between them in candlemarks.

"Xena, you know we’ll find her."

"I know." Xena’s voice was flat, betraying no emotions. Inside, her thoughts were spinning. ‘Where are you, my little bard? Are you hurt? Please hang on, Gabrielle. Please hang on until we get there.’

"We should have brought more food." Eponin tried to engage Xena in conversation, knowing it would probably fail. She was all too familiar with the warrior princess and her stoic nature. Xena didn’t acknowledge the statement. Her thoughts were on one thing, Gabrielle.

Gabrielle straightened out her clothes as best she could, then crawled until she reached the wagon. Erika and Jors reached out and helped her up. "Here, let us help." Erika said. Once inside, they laid her down on the floorboards. Erika looked over at Rikki. "Rikki, don’t look." The young girl turned around, tears streaming down her face, her queen’s screams playing again and again in her mind. Jors checked the queen’s head wound for any sign of it reopening. The dried and caked blood had indeed been reopened. Fresh crimson trickled down the side of her head. Tearing a piece of cloth from her skirt, Erika pressed it against Gabrielle’s wound. "It’ll stop bleeding in a minute. It didn’t open up much." She lied. It obviously needed several stitches, but fortunately most of the wound stayed closed by dry blood, keeping the loss to a minimum.

"Thanks." Gabrielle said hoarsely. She looked at Jors, who was trying to decide if she should look for more injuries. "It’s all right, Jors. There’s nothing you can do." The young Amazon nodded sadly. She was old enough to understand the meaning of the screams. "Help me up." She gasped. The memory of being on her back was too painful. The older girls helped her sit on the hay pile. "They’re all passed out. If you run, you can get to the road."

"My Queen, we can’t leave you here and you can’t run." The oldest one protested. "You know what they would do to you if they woke up and we were gone."

"You have to. If they wake up…" She left the thought. "You just have to." Erika fully understood the implication. Jors was busy trying to calm down a hysterical Rikki.

"Jors and I can carry…wait, what’s that?" She heard a dove call. "My Queen, it’s a dove." Before Gabrielle could reach out to stop her, she moved to the back of the wagon, stuck her head out, and returned a nightingale call. It was returned, acknowledging the call. "Gabrielle, they’ve found us." The bard tried to straighten up. There wouldn’t be much time before they arrived.

"Erika, Jors, come here." She rasped. The two Amazons moved closer. "When the Amazons get here, be careful. Too many noises are going to alert those men. Make sure Rikki gets out first, then you two. I’ll come out once I’m sure you girls are safe." Gabrielle knew she wouldn’t be able to walk for any kind of distance, if at all. Another dove call. Erika answered it with the ‘help’ bird call. Gabrielle pulled her back. Looking at her and Jors intensely, she spoke again. "You two know what happened out there." Both girls lowered their eyes and nodded sadly. "I’m not asking you to lie, but I am asking you to respect my privacy. If you need to tell someone, then do it, but ask them to respect me too."

"Yes, My Queen." They answered in unison. Gabrielle nodded.

"Make sure you help her." The bard said, pointing at the young girl in the corner, crying softly. As much as Gabrielle wanted to be strong and help Rikki, she couldn’t. Another bird call, another answer.

Xena and Eponin scouted the perimeter of the camp. The Amazon motioned for the others to circle around to the wagon. That’s where the bird calls came from. Xena and Eponin waited until the Amazons were in position to give the signal. There were no sounds from the men except snores.

Erika motioned for Rikki to come closer to her. The young girl was trembling now with fear and still blubbering. The older girl leaned down and whispered in Rikki’s ear. "You see that woman over there?" She pointed at the Amazon who was barely visible in the trees. Rikki nodded. "I want you to go run to her. She’ll take you out of here and get you somewhere safe. We’ll be right behind you." The little girl cried again.

"I can’t. I’m scared." She wailed. Erika put her hand over the girl’s mouth, afraid her cries would be heard by the men.

"You’re going to have to carry her. Wait for the warrior to give the signal, then go as fast as you can." Gabrielle whispered. Erika nodded. Jors moved closer to the edge of the wagon. "Get ready to run." She croaked. "Don’t stop until you’re safely away."

Xena and Eponin watched as a tall girl carried a small one in her arms, running into the trees and disappearing. Two down, two to go. A moment later, they saw a dark haired girl run out. That left only Gabrielle.

Gabrielle moved as best she could to the edge of the wagon and eased herself down. She felt her legs buckle. She tried to grab the wagon, but missed. The pain between her legs made the bard unable to stifle a scream of pain. The Amazons leapt forward from their hiding places in the trees and rushed forward to rescue their queen. The sound had awakened at least one of the men, who yelled and kicked the others awake. With Gabrielle in their arms, the Amazons were defenseless.

Xena and Eponin entered the campsite, the Amazon running in with sword raised and yelling, drawing attention away from the others. Xena somersaulted into the fray, yelling her familiar battle cry.

"Xena!" Tynuis said, fear evident in his voice.

"Well, I’m glad you heard of me." She hissed as she swung her sword at him. The battle was on. Being still drunk and slightly groggy, it only took a few swings for him to fall. Gronos and Largas were busy with Eponin. Xena moved in and engaged Gronos.

"This isn’t your fight, warlord." Gronos hissed.

"You hurt my friend, that makes it my fight." Xena growled back, launching into a low foot sweep. She connected with force, taking his leg out from under him. Gronos rolled quickly, swinging out with his sword, putting himself off balance. In seconds it was over. Xena wiped her sword on the dead man before putting it back in her scabbard. She looked over to see Eponin doing the same thing, Largas lying lifelessly on the ground below.

The Amazons carried Gabrielle into the woods, setting her down gently on the ground. The bard heard the ayiyiyi cry of Xena. Her thoughts passed between being ecstatic that Xena had come for her and scared that Xena would find out what happened. She struggled to get to her feet, failing miserably.

Xena and Eponin bolted over to the other Amazons. Gabrielle was lying against a tree, doing her best not to cry. Xena saw the honey hair marred with dried blood and dirt. She ran over to the bard and started to check for other injuries. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" Xena asked as she ran her hands over the bard’s arms and legs. Gabrielle reached out and stopped the warrior’s hands.

"I’m fine, just hit my head a little." She said hoarsely. The bard tried to get up, but Xena’s strong hands gently pressed her down.

"Let me, Gabrielle." She cradled the queen in her arms and easily stood up.

"Thanks. I guess I’m just worn out." She allowed Xena to carry her, nestling her head against the warrior’s strong shoulder. Xena walked carefully, aware that every movement seemed to hurt Gabrielle. The bard’s body was flinching with each step. Xena did her best to maintain an even gait, worrying that the head injury was worse than it seemed.

Xena handed the bard over to Eponin, then vaulted up onto the horse. Not being Argo, it wasn’t trained to sit down on command. She leaned down and picked up the queen. She started to separate Gabrielle’s legs to put her into position in front of her on the saddle.

"No!" Gabrielle panicked. "Uh…I’m afraid of falling. I feel a little dizzy." Xena tightened her grip on the bard.

"I won’t let you fall, Gabrielle." She said softly, not understanding the bard’s worry.

"Xena, could you please just hold me?" She croaked. Gabrielle tightened her hold on Xena’s neck. The warrior said nothing, but cradled the bard in her arms and released the reins. Eponin moved her horse over and took the loose reins, leading Xena’s horse back to the village. The others went ahead, no reason for them to keep the girls away from home any longer.

Gabrielle did her best not to cry out in pain, trying to focus her thoughts on the strong body holding her, keeping her safe, protecting her from any more harm. Unknown to Gabrielle, every time she did gasp in pain, the warrior felt every muscle clench in the bard’s body. Xena did her best to keep Gabrielle still, a very hard task indeed while riding on a horse.

By the time they reached the village, the girls had arrived, been hugged and squeezed several times by relieved mothers and aunts, seen by Saras the healer, and sent home to eat and get some rest. Two Amazons were standing by with a litter, ready to carry their wounded queen to the healer’s hut. All they had been told was that the young queen was hurt. Once inside the gate, Xena swung her foot around and slid down gracefully with the storyteller in her arms. The Amazons moved over with the litter but a look from Xena moved them back. She carried Gabrielle all the way to the healer’s hut in the center of the village.

Using a wet cloth to gently rub away the blood, Xena expertly stitched up the gash on Gabrielle’s head. "You’re all set." Xena said as she put the needle away. Saras had tried to treat Gabrielle, but Xena insisted that the bard would only be taken care of by her. That led to a rather heated discussion between the women in which Xena made colorful comments and suggestions about the healer’s parentage and Saras threatened to have the non-Amazon locked up for interfering with her attempts to treat the queen of the Amazons. In the end, Ephiny relented to the warrior, causing a string a remarks to be hurled her way by Saras. "Gabrielle, are you sure you’re not hurt anywhere else?"

"Just a sore throat, that’s all. Probably just need to get some rest."

"Do you want to sleep here?"

"No. Xena, would you help me to the palace? I want a hot bath and a soft bed." She still felt the slime of the men on her. Xena smiled at the small request for comfort.

"I bet you’d like some food too." She teased, rewarded with a small smile from the bard.

"Maybe a little." What she really wanted was several strong glasses of wine to numb her mind and body.

Xena carried her to the palace while a large number of Amazons watched on, cheering their heroic queen for saving their children. Xena leaned in and gently whispered into the queen’s ear. "You hear that, Gabrielle? That’s for you, my little bard. You’re a hero to them…and to me. You kept those girls safe until help could arrive. Them and yourself."

"I did what I had to do." Gabrielle said softly, her ragged voice too low for Xena to fully understand the tone.

Once in her room, Xena put her down on the bed. "I’ll ask the guard to get someone to prepare a bath for you."

"Already been taken care of, Xena." Ephiny appeared in the doorway and looked over at the bard. "I’ve ordered food for you as well as the bath. Xena, do you want to join me in the food hut? They’re preparing a small feast for all the rescuers of the children. They understand that Gabrielle can’t come. Erika told them that she had been hit in the head and was very weak." Seeing Xena’s confusion of the name, she added. "She’s one of the girls that Gabrielle protected." The warrior nodded with understanding.

"I’ll come back and check on you later, unless you want me to stay?"

"No, you go ahead. Besides, it is in your honor, at least partially."

"You sure?" Xena asked. She had hoped that they could sit down and talk about what happened in the cave. Apparently the bard wasn’t ready to talk about it yet. The warrior turned to Ephiny. "I don’t want to be pushed into speeches, you understand?"

"Uh yeah, Xena, I understand." Ephiny said. Xena reached for the door.

"Xena?"

"Yes, Gabrielle?"

"Don’t be too long, okay?" The was a touch of fear in her voice. Xena had listened to that voice speak to her long enough to know the emotions associated with the tone of voice. She turned to Ephiny.

"You know what, I’m really kinda beat from the long ride. I’m going to stay here and just relax with the queen. Extend my apologies and thanks, will you?"

"Sure, Xena. I’ll have more food sent in. Knowing our queen, it won’t go to waste." She left. Gabrielle was sitting on the edge of the bed, impatiently waiting for the bath to be ready.

Xena remained quiet, unsure of what the bard wanted to talk about. This wasn’t the right time to mention the note, or was it? She hated having to start a conversation. "Gabrielle, how are you feeling?" She asked, hoping that the bard would guide the discussion.

"Tired, hungry, dirty." The last word was said in a slightly lower voice.

"Well, the food and bath are coming. Do you want to lay down until they get here?"

"Will you stay here? Promise not to leave?" Realizing that her voice betrayed her fear, she quickly tried to correct herself. "I mean, I don’t want to sleep through dinner." She forced herself to smile.

"Don’t worry, Gabrielle, I’m not going anywhere." Xena pulled a chair up next to the bed and sat down.

Gabrielle rolled over, facing away from Xena. She didn’t want to lay on her back. Closing her eyes, she tried to rest. Images came to her mind, burning through her closed eyelids. Gronos holding her down, forcing his way in…

She quickly opened her eyes and rolled over to make sure Xena was still there. She was, looking at the bard with concern in her eyes. "Gabrielle, are you all right?"

"Uh yeah, I’m fine, Xena. I guess my mind isn’t ready to settle down after all the excitement, that’s all." She laid back down, but this time facing Xena. She half closed her eyes, keeping Xena’s body within her gaze, focusing on the strong hands that have protected her so many times before. Within a few moments Gabrielle was dozing.

Xena watched over her, watching the bard’s body rise and fall with each breath, her eyes twitching under the closed lids. Brushing some wayward hair off of Gabrielle’s face, Xena wondered what kind of dreams she was having. The eyes were moving rapidly, her lips moving softly. Her body twitched, then stilled. There was a soft knock on the door.

Xena let the serving girl in and quietly motioned for her to put the food on the table. Once alone again, she gently shook Gabrielle’s shoulder. "Sleepyhead, it’s time to eat." Gabrielle jumped and let out a short cry, her eyes wild with fear. "Gabrielle!"

Xena’s voice snapped her out of her nightmare. Xena’s eyes held concern and worry. "Sorry," she mumbled, "I guess I’m just restless tonight."

"Well, just relax. I’ll bring the food over to you." Xena went to collect the food tray. Gabrielle tried to sit up straight, but it was too uncomfortable. She stuffed the pillows behind her back and slouched against the headboard. It wasn’t as painful, although it still ached. She shifted her legs and winced slightly. Xena was walking back over with the food and noticed. "Gabrielle, are you sure you aren’t hurt anywhere else?"

"No." Gabrielle responded a little too forcefully. "I’m fine, Xena. Just tired. You know, it’s not every day that I get kidnapped." She tried to make a joke of it, but the warrior wasn’t in a laughing mood. She was too concerned about the bard’s spirits.

"Well, here’s dinner." Xena said, trying to change the subject. Gabrielle nodded and moved to a chair by the small table. They ate in quiet silence, Gabrielle too preoccupied to carry on a conversation and Xena never certain of what to say.

After dinner, the bath was brought in and filled. Nervously, Gabrielle realized that Xena wasn’t leaving. "Xena, I can handle the bath myself. You go on and relax."

"Are you sure, Gabrielle? I can wait if you need me."

"No, I’m fine. Go on, I’ll see you in the morning." She put a more pleasant tone to her voice, trying not to arouse suspicion.

"All right, my little bard, I’ll go." Xena moved over to the doorway. "Gabrielle, when you’re ready to talk about the note, I’ll be here." Gabrielle had forgotten about the note with everything that had happened. All she could do was nod.

Gabrielle gingerly lowered herself into the bath, breathing sharp intakes of air as the warm water touched her most painful area. Soaking for a while, she thought about the implications of Xena being here. She came back for me, she read the note and still wants me around. Gabrielle’s heart sang slightly at the implications, but was quickly dashed. Before the rape, she would have given anything to make love to the strong warrior and have Xena return that love. Now she was certain that there would be no physical love for her anymore. No one could ever touch her that way again. She let the tears fall down her face, dropping and blending with the cooling water. She scrubbed her skin thoroughly, trying to remove the feeling of the men. Washing between her legs was not only the most physically painful part, it was also the most emotionally painful. She was completely worn out by the time she lifted herself out of the now cool water. She donned a clean pair of breeches and a shift, then settled back into bed, letting her tears and exhaustion carry her over into an uneasy slumber. She prayed to Artemis that the nightmares that she was sure to have wouldn’t wake anyone else up, especially the six foot warrior in the next room.

The entire village was abuzz with stories of the heroic rescue of the girls. It took almost a full candlemark for Xena and Gabrielle to reach the food hut. Everyone they passed wanted to congratulate them or praise them. Gabrielle forced a smile onto her face and used her best storyteller voice to relay the rescue tale to those that wished to hear it first hand. Xena noticed that the story was very short, leaving out everything that happened between the attack in the road and the rescue. She decided that she would ask Gabrielle about that later. It was very unusual for the talented bard to omit any part of a story. The queen ate little at breakfast, but enough for Xena not to make an issue of it. Again she didn’t try for conversation with the warrior, able to hide it with the continued interruption of their meal by well-wishers.

They were walking back to the palace when a woman came running over to them. "My Queen, please wait." The woman yelled as she ran closer. Gabrielle and Xena stopped to wait for her. "My name is Mikki, my queen. I am Jors’ mother. I wanted to thank you personally for saving my daughter’s life."

"I didn’t do much, Mikki. It was the Amazons and Xena that rescued us. I just tried to keep them calm until the real help arrived." Gabrielle held her hand out to shake the grateful mother’s. Xena listened to the exchange. It was always like the bard not to take credit for her own heroism.

"I know what you did to protect my daughter, Queen Gabrielle." Mikki’s voice took a slightly lower and much more serious tone. Gabrielle tensed, hoping the woman wouldn’t reveal her secret.

"I did what I had to do, Mikki. Let’s leave it at that." She said the words gently, but refused to make eye contact. Mikki reached out and lightly touched the bard’s cheek.

"You are a very brave woman, Gabrielle. I will forever be in your debt, as will Jors." The Amazon sighed as she looked into the eyes of her youthful queen. "You’re so young, not much older than my Jors. Artemis bless you." Mikki stepped back and looked at Xena. "Thank you, Xena. I am also in your debt."

"Thank you." The stoic warrior replied. It was always hard for her to accept compliments. Mikki gave Gabrielle a serious look before nodding and moving on to her daily tasks. Gabrielle started walking again. The long soak last night helped to ease the aching and although the pain was still uncomfortable, she was able to hide it from Xena. Her voice was stronger, although still a little raspy and sore.

"Gabrielle, what was that all about?" Xena asked as they entered the palace.

"All what?" She replied, although she knew exactly what Xena was talking about.

"About what you did for the girl. Gabrielle, you still haven’t told me how you found them or what happened while you were captive."

"There isn’t much to tell, Xena." They neared the throne room. "I have some parchmentwork to catch up on. You’ll excuse me, won’t you?" She moved over and put her hand on the door latch.

"Sure, Gabrielle. I’ll go see about someone retrieving Argo and then I think I’m going down to the training grounds. I’m sure someone will spar with me."

"Just don’t put too many of my Amazons in the healer’s hut." Gabrielle teased, forcing a lopsided grin from her companion.

Xena spent the day exercising with the Amazons and listening to people talk about the improvements they’ve made over the moons to the village. Gabrielle spent the day in her throne room, alternating between sobbing and vomiting. Once she had closed the door and left orders not to be disturbed, the events of the past days came rushing to her, destroying all her defenses like a wave destroying a small raft. Closed eyes saw the men on top of her, taunting her, hurting her. Open eyes couldn’t see through the river of tears.

Three days passed with Gabrielle avoiding serious conversation with Xena except to say that she wasn’t ready to leave the village yet and only the barest of details revealed about the kidnapping. As restless as Xena was to be in one place for so long, she knew she couldn’t leave without her Gabrielle. She also noted grimly that the bard made no offers to tell her stories, something in which the Amazons were always a willing and enthusiastic audience. It only added to her growing concern over the storyteller. Each night, as Xena lay in bed, thinking about the note and Gabrielle, she had heard whimpers and small cries coming from the room next door. As much as she wanted to go and comfort her little bard, something seemed to hold her in bed. Gabrielle made no mention of nightmares and Xena didn’t push it, although she knew she should. It was only through Gabrielle’s constant pushing of her to tell her own nightmares that the warrior had found a tentative peace with her demons. Xena also noted grimly that the young woman had not written any stories or prose, something that was normally a nightly ritual.

Argo had been brought in the previous day, a little larger for the good food and lack of exercise. Xena decided to go over to the stable and give her war-horse a good rub down and some quality time. She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop on the conversation between two Amazons who were outside the stable, but at the mention of the queen’s name, the warrior put her brush down and walked closer to the door to listen.

"I’ve been up half the night with Rikki. The nightmares just don’t seem to be ending."

"I know what you mean. Jors is a strong girl, but even she is waking up screaming for help." Mikki replied.

"It’s just so hard. Rikki is only eleven summers old. She doesn’t understand. She keeps asking me why Queen Gabrielle was screaming so much. What am I supposed to tell her?"

"She’s too young for the truth, Maris. Jors is only a few summers younger than the queen. I don’t think I could bear the thought of that happening to my daughter."

"How many were there?"

"Three, and from what Jors said, they took turns."

"Oh the poor child!" Maris exclaimed. Xena stood there in shock, the meaning of the conversation settling in. Her body trembled as her emotions went into overload. Slumping to the hay littered ground, she buried her head in her arms and sobbed like never before.

"Oh gods, no, not Gabrielle." Xena cried over and over. Maris and Mikki heard the strangled cries and entered the stable.

"Oh my gods, Xena. I didn’t know you were in here." Mikki said softly, giving Maris a look of guilt. Xena took deep breaths and fought to regain control. Standing up to her full height, she wiped her eyes and walked out of the stable, not looking at the two sad faces.

Xena stood outside the door to Gabrielle’s room, trying to find the courage to enter. Time passed and she still didn’t reach for the door handle. Finally she turned around and stormed out of the palace, heading for Artemis’ temple. Her anger and rage were in full force by the time she arrived at the stone structure.