Xena Warrior Princess; Sins Of The Past

Chapter Ten

  Xena walked into a dark stone building, she paused just inside the entrance -which was lit by two wall torches- and glanced around, it had been long time since she had seen this place.
 A piece of silver armour hung on a stand to her left, a silver helmet stood on a mounting to her right, to honour the memory of the dead who dies fighting.
A clay coffin rested on a stone table in the centre of the room, a sword lay on it at an angle so that if the person inside were alive they could have held it between two clasped hands. Two torches cast shadows across the carvings of skulls and axes that decorated the sides of the coffin.
Xena walked up to stone table, and stood looking down at the coffin, her eyes unfocused with distant memories. She blew dust off the head of the coffin, brushing her hand over it to make sure it was free of dirt.  "You always did have trouble keeping your face clean." A slight wry smile curled her lips as she rested her hands gently on the surface. 

 "Since you've been gone, I kind of lost my way."  She smiled slightly again but wistfully. "Now, I found it."

 "I thought I could start over." She looked away from the face carved on the lid of the coffin.  "But no..." Her eyes roamed around the room. "They don't trust me.
"Not even Mother." Remembered sadness filled her eyes.  "I can't blame her, she can't see into my heart." The warrior looked down at the coffin then, looking into its face. "But I've got to believe that you can."
 There was a slight shake in her voice when she spoke again.  "And I wish you were here."
 Gabrielle walked quietly into the entrance curious to see what Xena was doing. She came to a stop and stood quietly watching as the hardened warrior poured her heart out to her dead brother completely unaware of the young woman's presence.

 "It's hard to be alone."
Gabrielle spoke then. "You're not alone."
Xena turned quickly, her expression blank.    
Gabrielle smiled at her.

The warrior's face softened then and her lips curved upwards ever so slightly.

****

  In a large storage barn in Amphipolis, the villagers had gathered. The Headsman paced back and forth between the doors and the crowd, glancing apprehensively at the closed doors every time he turned.
 Then there was the sound of men and horses from outside.
The doors were pushed open and Gar and a fellow soldier in Draco's colours, walked in, followed by two more soldiers who parted to reveal Draco flanked by the green arrowed archer and a personal guard. All were armed to the teeth.

 "Which one of you considers yourself a leader?" Draco asked as his men took up places around the door, preventing any escape.
The Headsman stepped forward.
 "Ah, your emissary said you were interested in making a deal." The warlord smirked. "I found that amusing enough to agree to this meeting." Then his voice took on a more serious tone. "What do you have in mind?"
"We, uh, took the liberty of putting together a few wagons of loot... Some very valuable things as well as supplies, we hope you'd take that and leave us in peace.

"Why would I want to do that?" Draco asked, his eyes glinting. The Headsman looked rather uncomfortable as two of Draco's men walked up behind him and stood there, obviously intending  intimidate the old man  "Well, ah, we thought that if we pledged to supply your troops whenever you're in the area that might be very valuable to you." He looked over his shoulder at the soldier standing there. "More valuable than a bunch of dead villagers."

 "But not nearly as entertaining".  Draco smiled sadistically.

 "However perhaps there is a deal to be made, you do have something I want." The warlord watched the Headsman closely.
"Xena."

"Xena." The Headsman said glancing over his shoulder again. "But she's not here."

 Draco kicked out; the Headsman fell to his knees.  "Where is she?"

"I don't know!" The Headsman said looking up at the warlord pleadingly. The warlord grabbed him by the front of his tatty shirt. "Let me show your fellow citizens what happens to those who don't cooperate with Draco."

"Please, don't kill me."

"Oh, in a few minutes, you'll be begging me to do just that, you lying sack of..."

"He's not lying."  A female voice said.

Draco dropped the Headsman with a thud, and straightened.

  Xena stood silhouetted in the doorway behind him.

 "Hello Draco."