Forever Changed...

 

It was when Gabrielle entered the village of Minos that she saw him.

 

He was a large black man, haughty, yet muscular.  He was in his 50s, but he obviously maintained good health because he could pass for mid to late 40s.  He was familiar to Gabrielle.  He had long grey-black hair, tied up into a familiar-looking black hair-holder on top of his head, hanging out like the longest of mohawks, reaching down to his mid back.  He was shirtless, helping carry large stones to what appeared to be the foundation of a house being built.  He reminded Gabrielle of Hercules, in a way.  A black, older Hercules.  A man who looked very familiar to Gabrielle.  His hair, his build, his dark eyes, his black goatee, his golden earrings pierced in both ears.  When the realization hit Gabrielle, she went rigid with shock.

 

It was Draco.

 

Draco – the very same warlord that fought Gabrielle and Xena in years past.  The same Draco that threatened to destroy her village of Potadaeia.  The same Draco that tried to kidnap Hestian virgins.  The same Draco who was hit by Cupid's arrows and struck with endless love for Gabrielle.  The same Draco that tried to kill Gabrielle if she could not love him back.  This warlord, who Gabrielle had thought could try to change, yet failed, giving in to his carnal appetite for destruction.

 

And here he was, Draco the Warlord, helping build a family's cottage.  Here was Draco, but a different Draco.  An older, gentler Draco, giving a helping hand to those who were in need.

 

An elderly woman nearby approached Draco as he set the stones down in the foundation.

 

"You're still the kindest man I've ever met, good sir."

 

"No, ma'am," said Draco.  "I'm just doing what I can do for the better of all of us."

 

The elderly woman caught Gabrielle staring at Draco.

 

"It looks like you've caught the eye of quite the beautiful young woman."

 

"Is that so?" said Draco.

 

Draco turned around, glanced at Gabrielle -- and his amused grin from his conversation with the elderly woman slowly went away.  His face went completely still, eyes widening.

 

Gabrielle could not help but smile -- one of the biggest smiles she had given in a long time, very uncontrollably.  "Draco."

 

"Sweet, sweet ghost…" said Draco.

 

Immediately, Gabrielle realized what this awkward situation looked like -- she being here all of a sudden, frozen for 25 years in a cave, assumed dead by the rest of the world, now traveling alone after Xena's death, and now whisked out of nowhere into Draco's life.  He thinks she's a ghost!

 

"No, Draco," she quickly replied.  "No, I'm not a ghost.  No.  I'm real."

 

"How could this be?" he said.  "I had heard about your death.  You and Xena."

 

"No.  We were frozen in some cave -- Ares.  It's a long story.  We did not age at all.  We weren't killed, Draco."

 

"And where is Xena?"

 

Gabrielle takes her time, mustering the strength to give the answer she's dreaded giving to anyone she could possibly run into that was curious.  "Draco -- Xena was killed in battle -- in the land of the Rising Sun."

 

Draco said nothing.  He stared at her, still in shock, almost disappointed.

 

"Look at you, Draco," said Gabrielle.  "You're… you're still… Draco, only… wow."

 

"I mourned you," said Draco with a more serious tone.  "I mourned you and Xena -- but especially you.  I mourned like no man had ever mourned the death of a loved one."

 

She grows serious with him, remembering that this man was madly in love with her from Cupid's magic -- and probably still is.

 

"Gabrielle, I never forgot you.  I still think of you.  I think of the last time we were together, where I almost killed you out of my weakness and wickedness.  After I got word of your death, I never forgave myself for what I almost did to you."

 

"And so you put away being a warlord?"

 

"I've never touched a sword in 25 years.  Now -- I just live life the best way I can.  You and Xena both taught me that."

 

Gabrielle smiled again, even bigger than before.  She first thought to herself, are you crazy?  This is Draco we're talking about!  Draco the warlord!  How is Draco the warlord making you smile so uncontrollably?  What's wrong with you Gabrielle?

 

But Gabrielle continued smiling, so pleasantly surprised that another evil person could turn good, and that she again had something to do with it.  It was the best feeling imaginable to the bard.

 

"Gabrielle… you're still so young… and so very beautiful."

 

Gabrielle then stopped smiling, growing awkward.  She reminded herself that he was still in love with her.

 

Immediately, Draco sensed her discomfort.  "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean that."

 

"Yes you did," she said, understanding.  "But it's okay, Draco."

 

"Now that you're back, all that I wish is that you remain happy in your life.  That's all I wish, just like I do this community and its people.  Happiness.  It's what we're all entitled to."  And with that, Draco turned back to the house, resuming his construction work.

 

Gabrielle was as still as a statue, still shocked at how this once-former warlord was now the kindest man she had met in a long time.  It was peculiar how it was so.  Draco -- not only a changed man, but a man with restraint.  Persistent, Gabrielle walked toward Draco.

 

"You need help, Draco?"

 

Draco smiled -- a man who has seen a lot in life, and now receiving the help of the still young and still beautiful girl of his past dreams.  "Of course."  The girl of his past dreams, now back from the dead and quite possibly a girl for his present dreams.