Path of Forgiveness

[ A/N: Sorry about the lack of updates, I was finishing up one of my websites. More of my fan fiction is on there by the way, check out www.sapphire-online.com ]

[ A/N 2: About the 6 years thing, it was meant to be the 6 years Xena and Gabrielle were awake, otherwise I suppose it would be 31. ]

CHAPTER FOUR - BATTLE STRATEGICS

I woke up the next morning, the sun shining in my eyes brightly. I squinted and rubbed them with the back of my hand, yawing before sitting up and stretching. I took a deep breath and climbed out of bed. My bare feet carried me over to the window, and I looked outside. It was a beautiful day, though no one seemed to be enjoying it. The pain of the recent battle still looming over their heads, and the anticipation of the battle soon ahead. I watched Varia enter the meeting hut, Mother and Gabrielle close behind her.

I left the window and put on my sandles before walking out of my hut and across the way to join the others. As I entered the room they all looked up, no doubt wondering who interrupted. Mother smiled when she saw it was me and beckoned me over to her side. Varia was intently studying the map before her. She pointed to a point near the back, “There. We should enter their camp there.”

I looked closer to where she was pointing. It was a site that the Romans typically used to camp at when waging battle. I shook my head, “No.”

She looked up at me, “Why not? There’s a forest there, they wouldn’t see us coming.”

“Yes they would. You see there?” I pointed to a small line near the forest, “That’s a small dirt path. They station soldiers there, as well as a couple in the trees, so they can be forewarned of enemies.”

Mother pointed to a river near by, “What do they have for guard there?”

I looked at it awhile before answering, trying to remember. “Coming by water would give us the element of surprise. They do station guards near by, but if your quick you can eliminate them before they make a sound. No one would see, there’s a hill you have to climb before you even reach the camp.”

Varia nodded, but Gabrielle spoke up, “Isn’t this just giving Ares what he wants? His war?”

Mother turned to Gabrielle, “Not if we get this over with quickly. He wants a long lasting, huge war. If we make the Romans see that they’re making a mistake messing with the Amazon Nation, then maybe they will surrender. It’s worth a shot, at least.”

Gabrielle nodded, still not looking satisfied but did not press the issue any further.

“We’ll attack at night,” Varia announced. “I will tell my sisters to prepare for the battle.” She rolled up the map and put it away. She turned back and looked at me, and it felt like time stopped. She stopped moving and just looked me in the eyes for a while, before dropping her head and shaking it like she was trying to snap herself out of a dream, and then walked past us to the door to tell the other Amazons the plan. I watched her go, staring at her until she was out of sight.

“Ahem.”

I stared out the door, no longer looking at her but thinking. She keeps giving me these looks, and I can’t understand what they mean. Its impossible for her to even be interested in me in the slightest, I know that. But then what is she thinking when she looks at me like that?

“AHEM.”

I wish things were different. I wish either that I never attacked her village, or that she wasn’t beautiful and strong, or that I could control my own feelings better than this. But wishing never gets anyone anywhere, it’s a fools errand. You don’t wish, you just do.

“EVE!”

I jumped at the sound of my Mothers voice and I whipped around to face her, “Yeah? What? What’s wrong?”

She blinked slowly and just looked at me for a minute. “What, may I ask, was that?”

Oh shit. “That? What do you mean?”

Mother took a deep breath, “Eve, sweetheart, I know you have a big heart and all, but I don’t think you’re aiming it in the right direction.”

“What are you talking about?”

Mother gave me a sidelong glance, “Don’t play dumb with me, I’m better at it.”

I sighed.

“Xena, a word.” Gabrielle said, giving Mother her best ‘I mean it’ look. Mother looked from her, to me, then back at her, then held up a finger for me to give her a minute as Gabrielle pulled her over to the side.

Now, I swear I don’t try to eavesdrop. But many years of training has made my ears accustomed to hearing things I shouldn’t.

“Why are you discouraging her?” I heard Gabrielle ask.

“I just don’t want to see her hurt,” Mother answered.

“Just because you’re afraid of getting hurt, doesn’t mean she is.”

There was a long pause, “What are you talking about?” I think this would be the part where she’s better at playing dumb than I am. Though I can still see right through it.

“It doesn’t matter. Support her Xena, who knows, maybe Varia would be good for her.” Gabrielle had a note in her voice like that was the end of the discussion.

Mother looked over to me, before taking a breath and heading back over. I kept my face neutral, so it didn’t look like I was listening in.

Mother put an arm around me, “Alright, but if she hurts you, she’s dead.”

I smile a little, despite myself. “Don’t worry about it, Mother. I don’t think she’s interested anyway.”

Gabrielle scoffed, but when me Mother and I looked at her she offered no explanation. She just smirked slightly.

“I hate when she does that,” I whisper to Mother.

“Try dealing with it for 6 years,” she whispered back.

I can’t even begin to imagine.

**********

As nightfall drew nearer, the Amazons were busy sharpening their swords, and working out battle strategies. Fear was thick in the air, but I knew when the time came it would turn into adrenaline. Varia was at the far end of the camp, explaining to the women their positions. Many nodded, some just stared at her, just trying to sink it all in I guess.

As the hours wore on, many of them became restless, just wanting it to all be over with. Finally the time came. We were advancing on the Romans camp.

Mother tried to convince me to stay behind, but I firmly refused. I stayed to help, and that’s what I am going to do.

There was an eerie silence as we crept along the bank of the river. The only sound that could be heard was the water next to us, the rippling of the tide making a calming hum. Varia held up her hand as we drew closer to our destination, ordering us to stop. She pointed at two of the girls, and then back towards the camp. They were off, silent as foxes. The came a little closer, hidden behind the thicket. They drew their bows, and fired at the two guards standing watched. They fell without a sound, as both of the arrows had pierced their throats.

The two women made their way back to us, and Varia nodded her head at them in approval. We were off again. With the path clear, we had no reason to be quiet, but it’s always better to be safe than dead.

We climbed the hill fast, but silently. I could see the lights of the Roman camp becoming brighter. I gripped my staff tightly in my hands, not sure if I’m ready for this.

And then we were there, in the light. Many soldiers were already down, because they were not prepared. We had a good lead on them. Finally a soldier screamed, “AMAZONS!” and that was the cue for more soldiers to come out, armed and prepared to fight.

Mothers battle cry rang through thier camp, and the sounds of death and suffering were all around. I fought a few men off with my staff, but made sure my blows were to stun and to knock out, not to kill. Blood was already littering the ground, Romans and Amazon’s alike.

I heard Varia yell, “Archers!” and her back up appeared on top of the hill, their bows drawn. They fired at the exact same moment, all but a few hitting their mark. We were winning, though with all this death it’s hard to see the gain. I know what Mother would say though, if there wasn’t this battle there would be a worse one, with more deaths on our side. War is sometimes, inevitable.

I was so fixed on watching the archers hit their mark and wishing that we didn’t have to go to war that my senses failed me. Something hit my head hard, and the last thing I saw was Varia, fighting off a group of soldiers.

TBC....