Aetheogamy

The sun had barely begun to peek over the horizon before Xena was up, bringing Argo out into the courtyard to inspect her hooves and legs in preparation for the next journey. Nearby, Hecuba was feeding the chickens, and the warrior was well aware of the older woman's gaze on her as they both performed their chores.

When the chicken feed was all gone, Hecuba squared her shoulders and marched over to where Xena stood.

"Xena," she said, clearly struggling to keep her tone firm. The warrior was as polite as she knew how.

"Yes?"

"You've taken one of my daughters already. Please don't take the other."

Xena's hands stilled. She looked directly at Hecuba. "I never asked either of your daughters to come with me," she said, quietly, but with force. "In fact, if you'd been there, you would have heard me tell them both to stay here. It's dangerous, I said. It's not a world for a nice girl, I said. My life is hard and cruel, I said." She paused to get her voice under control. "But Gabrielle didn't listen, and every day I thank the stars and the sun for that. If Lilla's anything like her sister, she won't listen to me either. Or to you," she added with only the slightest touch of humor.

Hecuba stared at her. "Xena, I'm not blind," she said, also quietly. "I can see that you love Gabrielle, and she loves you. But it's just not right to put her in such-"

"Well, you know love," Xena interrupted flippantly. "It's never convenient. That's life."

Hecuba bristled, and would certainly have said more if the door to her house had not opened and her husband not come storming out.

"Xena," he growled angrily. The axe was once again in his hand. His two daughters emerged close behind, followed in turn by Joxer.

"Dad, stop it," Gabrielle said, but he ignored her. His gaze never wavered from Xena.

"I told you to leave once, and you didn't listen," Heterodotus accused. "This time you're going to listen, understand?"

Xena gave him and his axe a disdainful look. "I'm leaving," she said as if talking to an idiot.

"Good," he said, seeming to become only more angry. "My daughters are staying here."

Silently, Gabrielle moved forward, pushing past her father to stand by Xena's side.

"I'm sorry," said Xena, and she sounded like she honestly meant it. "Lilla can and should stay here. I don't want her with us. It's too dangerous and she won't like it. But Gabrielle comes with me. I made her a promise."

"What? To keep her safe?" Hecuba asked bitterly. Gabrielle answered before Xena could.

"No, Mother," the bard said. "To keep me happy. Which I can't be unless I'm with Xena."

Heterodotus started forward with the axe, but Xena, scowling, simply reached out and twisted it from his grasp. She shoved it into Joxer's chest; the would-be warrior grabbed it instinctively. Xena turned and swung up onto Argo's back.

"We'll come back and visit," Xena said over Argo's head to Hecuba, who made no effort to hide her tears as Gabrielle embraced her. Then quickly, before her father could mount another attack, Gabrielle reached up and took Xena's hand, and the warrior pulled her up. Gabrielle settled in behind Xena, her hands resting securely on her lover's waist.

As Argo was starting forward, Lilla rushed in front of her and grabbed the reins. "Xena, please," she entreated. Xena jerked Argo's head aside, pulling the reins from the girl's grasp.

"You don't like me any more than I want you," the warrior said. "Why would you want to trust me with your life? Your sister did, and her life is exactly what it cost her. Stay here." She guided the horse carefully around the girl and then spurred Argo quickly into a trot.

Lilla pressed her lips together and held back tears. After a moment, she turned and ran into the house.

Joxer stood uncomfortably beside the two bereaved parents for a moment, gazing after Argo. Finally, embarrassed, he handed the axe back to Heterodotus and followed Lilla inside.

In another moment Joxer returned, looking confused. "Hey," he said to the couple, who hadn't moved. "I thought you guys had three horses. How come there's only two in the pasture?"

Hecuba and Heterodotus looked at each other in consternation. "Lilla!" the mother shrieked, running into the house. The father ran to the gate and stared down the path.

Joxer looked confused for a moment; then his face hardened in grim determination. "Don't worry," he said firmly to Heterodotus' back. "I'll bring her back." He turned and ran back toward the pasture.

"Xena," said Gabrielle quietly as they moved through the woods. Xena sighed.

"I know." The warrior pulled on the reins and brought Argo to a halt. They both slid to the ground and waited.

It was only a moment before another horse came into sight, Lilla crouched over its back. She sat up in surprise when she spotted them, and the horse came to a stop.

"Go back," Xena said, but her expression was resigned. Gabrielle was expressionless. Lilla looked defiant.

"I won't. I want to meet the Amazons."

"You realize," said Xena to Gabrielle, "this will destroy any chance I have of ever getting your parents to like me." Gabrielle made a face at her.

"Xena, please. Don't be mean."

"Mean?" Xena repeated incredulously. She strode over to Lilla's horse and took hold of its bridle. "Get down." Lilla looked anxiously down at her.

"But-"

"Get down," Xena repeated with barely controlled patience. "A second horse will only slow us down in the long run."

Still looking nervous, Lilla slid to the ground. Xena patted the horse's nose, reassuring it, and looked back in the direction from which they had all come. "Perfect," she said sourly. Just then, Joxer appeared, riding another of Gabrielle's parents' horses.

"Joxer," said Xena, holding up the reins. "Take this horse back to the farm."

"Xena," said Joxer firmly, "I've come to take Lilla back to -- What?"

"Take the horse back," Xena instructed, pushing the reins into his hand. "Tell them Lilla will return to them in a few days. I'll make sure she's safe. They won't believe it, but tell them anyway."

"But-"

Xena interrupted for what felt like the dozenth time today. "Shut up, Joxer. Just do it. Don't make me tell you again."

Cowed, Joxer turned both the horses around and returned the way he had come.

"Gabrielle," said Xena, turning back to the sisters, "get back on Argo. We have a lot of ground to cover."

"I can walk," Gabrielle said. She and Xena locked eyes. There was a silent battle of the wills for a long moment, during which Lilla looked anxiously from one woman to the other, fidgeting.

At last Gabrielle relented. "Oh, all right," she said, rolling her eyes. She allowed Xena to help her back up onto Argo's back, and they set off again.

"I'm really fine," Gabrielle insisted quietly as they made their way along the forest path.

"Can't be too careful," Xena replied, and that was the end of that.

"You certainly seem fine for someone who was dead a few days ago," Lilla ventured timidly. Gabrielle gave her a small smile. Xena looked away so that neither sister saw her expression.

"Um, how long do you think it'll take us to get to the Amazons?" Lilla tried. Xena stared at the path ahead of them.

"Probably get there by midday tomorrow," she replied. Lilla nodded slowly. Gabrielle couldn't keep a smile from spreading across her face.

"I can't wait to see Ephiny again. And Anaira, and Solari, and all the others -- just think how big Xenon and Mimi must be by now. I wonder if they'll even remember us."

"Mimi will remember us," Xena said gruffly, and cleared her throat. Lilla looked lost.

"Who's Mimi? Who are all those people you're talking about, Gabrielle?" she asked, a note of pleading in her voice. Gabrielle sighed.

"Well, it's a long story ... Ephiny is the Queen of the Amazons in my absence. My regent. Solari is one of her best warriors ... Anaira is a woman who became an Amazon last year. Xena and I introduced her to Ephiny...."

"I'm gonna scout ahead," Xena announced abruptly, and moved off with long strides into the underbrush. Gabrielle watched her go and scowled briefly.

"Is she okay?" Lilla asked. Gabrielle looked down at her sister.

"She'll be fine. What happened with Anaira and Mimi is kind of a sore topic." The bard went on to tell the story of how she and Xena had met Anaira, how they had helped her rescue her daughter from the God of War, and how mother and child had then joined the Amazons. It took a while in the telling, and Xena returned as Gabrielle was moving on to the tale of the war they had later fought against the renegade Amazons.

"Almost time to stop for lunch," Xena said when Gabrielle paused upon seeing her. "There's a stream up ahead. Anyone want fish?"

"I'm not hungry," Gabrielle said. Both Xena and Lilla looked worriedly up at her.

"Are you sure?" Lilla asked. Gabrielle nodded.

"I'll just have a piece of bread or something. You two go ahead and eat."

Xena's brow furrowed with displeasure, but she made no comment. They walked on in silence.

Continuity note: in "Theodicy" Gabrielle tells Ephiny and Xena the truth about Hope. In "Maternal Instincts" she does the same again. Oops. The reader will just have to pick which version s/he prefers, and try to pretend the other never happened. I know y'all are pretty skilled by now at willing suspension of disbelief, so you can handle it. :)

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