Xena Warrior Princess; Sins Of The Past

Chapter Thirteen

  Draco fell backwards and hit the ground.

  "Sheeeya!" Xena jumped after him and landed heavily on his chest just as he made to get up.

She stabbed the ground with her staff, an expression of degrading satisfaction on her face as she looked down at the defeated warlord.

  "I haven't touched the ground yet, Draco, but you have." She put one foot on the ground, leaning on her staff she looked at the archers. They lowered their bows, looking unsure. Xena looked back at Draco. "Looks like I'll have to finish you off myself." She pressed the staff roughly into his chest just below his throat. "Of course now, maybe you're willing to make a deal." Xena rested the end of the staff against his throat. He didn't say a word. From the villagers there were mutters of; "No deals!"  "Kill him!"

  "If. I let you live, you and your army clear out of the valley by sundown." He still did not say anything, just looked up at her sideways, the staff still pressed into his chest.

 "Swear it!" Xena's jaw was clenched, her eyes blue flint. "On the head of Ares!"

  When the warlord spoke, his voice was gravelly. "I swear, on the head of Ares, god of war, to be out of your valley by sundown." There was complete silence. The warrior held the staff in place for a moment longer then with one last shove at his chest stepped off him completely and walked around him to stand inside the doorway.

  Draco stood.

  She faced him. "Then go."

  Gar got to his feet from where he had fallen earlier and seeing his leader about to give in to defeat pulled his dagger. He came up behind Xena, arm poised to strike down the Warrior Princess.

  "Xena!" Gabrielle called in warning. Draco pulled the hidden dagger from the back of his amour and threw it.

 Gar fell, dead.

  The warlord walked round Xena and looked down at the dead man. Xena turned her head slightly to look as well, evidently not surprised by Gar's actions.

  Draco looked at the warrior. "A deal's a deal." He said lightly then he turned and left, his men following him out silently. Xena turned and looked after him, her blue eyes softening from the icy flint of before. The headsman came up behind her, a mixture of embarrassment and relief on his face. "You can take the loot wagons, of course."

"I don't want anything." She replied looking out over the now empty barnyard.

*

  Sometime later Xena walked through the door curtain into her mother's tavern, it was empty of life, all the candles blown out except for one on the counter, the tables cleared of mugs and bowls.  She moved over to the table where she had left her saddlebags earlier and started tying them closed.

  There was a light tinkle as someone came through the curtain behind her. She turned to see her mother coming towards her, smiling. The she held her arms out towards her daughter, an offer. Xena leant down and embraced the older woman. "Mother, forgive me, please." Her voice was quiet, hopeful, so much younger then the warrior who had just defeated a battle hungry warlord.

 "Oh I forgive you, my little one." Xena smiled into her mother's hair, her eyes closing. "I forgive you." She repeated softly. They parted, her mother holding onto her arms, unwilling to let her go completely. "So happy to have back again."

  "You know I can't stay for long."

  Her mother nodded, still smiling though somewhat sadly now.