Chapter 21
Gabrielle stepped forward, but stopped when a cold hard voice greeted her. "Do not take another step, Gabrielle. This is none of your business and will be completed before you ever reach me. Go away, go back home. You and your whore are not needed here. Don't you have a daughter to raise? I am sure that Livia, the Bitch of Rome, is waiting for the return of her mothers."
Xena growled low in her throat when she saw Gabrielle go completely white. Her expressive green eyes dulled with pain and hurt. "She is your mother and you owe her a chance to explain to you what happened."
Elissa grinned at Xena. "She may have given birth to me the first time but she is not my mother. She killed my mother to help you run after your whelp. I had a mother, her name was Lysippe. My mother was a noble woman who taught me everything that I needed to know in order to rule after her passing. The most important thing she taught me was that the tribe and its safety always came before anything else. You, Gabrielle, took on the mantle of Queen for your tribe, then threw it on the ground and trampled on it. You walked away from a people who embraced you as if they meant nothing. I have no respect for you or your lover. What I do is none of your business, so if you want to do anything for me - leave. Leave this land, and leave me alone while I go to retrieve my sisters, who are captives because of your treachery."
"You have to stop her, she is crazy." Gurkhan pulled against the restraints but to no avail.
Without a word the knife in her hand, sliced off his manhood. The three other people in the room went still with shock. Elissa pushed a cloth into his mouth when he started to scream. "My work with you is complete, now I go to release the others." She rose gracefully from the bed, then moved to a bag that neither woman noticed when they entered the room. Elissa dropped the beautiful wedding garments from her lithe body then proceeded to dress herself in formal Amazon attire. Once more, she wore her tribe's silver armored battle clothes. The metal formed to her body like a second skin. Strong slender legs showed from mid thigh to just below the knees. Shields protected her calves while boots gave her a few inches of added height.
Xena thought Elissa looked like an angry Valkyrie ready to disperse justice. She wasn't wrong in her assumption because that was exactly what the young Amazon intended to do. Several knives found resting places on her body as a beautiful sword completed the ensemble.
"Elissa, wait! You cannot fight all of Gurkhan's men. This is suicide, please don't do this. We will find a way to help you rescue everybody." Gabrielle pleaded as she raced to her daughter's side, while Elissa walked toward the door without a backwards glance.
She stopped at the door but didn't turn around. "I don't have to fight all his men. If you would have taken the time to notice, almost all the men have lost something or someone to that monster. I only have to fight the ones that he hasn't abused, which are small in number. I don't need, nor want your help, Gabrielle. Leave me alone, I have a duty to my tribe to return the ones who were taken, and sold by the very men they came to help. My tribe has known nothing but deceit since we answered your call for help. I lost my mother, but I will not lose even one of the women who survived your betrayal of the Amazons." Elissa swept out of the room never looking back to see the heartbroken woman who was her mother.
Xena caught Gabrielle before she crumbled to the ground, tears streamed down her face as she silently cried. They heard the sound of fighting and rushed out the door to stop short when they saw Elissa fighting a group of guards. She was easily outnumbered ten to one but weeded down the number with each stroke of her sword.
They watched for several minutes before joining the fight. Xena's chakram sliced through the air at a guard who tried to blind side the angry Amazon. With her famous war cry, the Warrior Princess joined the fight. Gabrielle's sais fell into her hand as she followed the two people who meant the world to her. The lovers fell into a comfortable stance of fighting back to back. Elissa noticed them from the corner of her eye, but otherwise ignored them . She made her way into the harem causing several women to scream.
Sonata rose to her feet in shock. The new bride burst into the harem with a smear of blood on her face. "What is the meaning of this? Where is Lord Gurkhan? What are you doing?" She watched as Elissa moved among the women, six women held particular interest in the new First Wife. The prior wife wanted to know what this upstart thought she was going to do with these women. Sonata didn't have long to wait for an answer.
Elissa walked over to a new slave; she raised her sword bringing it down on the manacles that held the girl captive. She put out a hand to help the trembling girl to her feet. "You are free; do not worry about anything that you see in the halls. Go with my sisters and they will lead you out of the palace."
Deianeira protested at leaving her queen behind, but one look from Elissa quieted her. She led the other women out after picking up a sword from the fallen guards outside the doors. The other Amazons armed themselves as well, as did several of the other women. They moved into a circle to protect the unarmed women then moved quickly out of the palace. The women with family in the town ran home to be warmly welcomed by their families. The others stayed with the Amazons who waited for Elissa to join them.
Sonata raged as everything she worked for was taken away in a single night by a mere slip of a girl. Her anger caused her to act without thought. She attacked Elissa with a screech. Sonata grabbed a hand full of hair pulling with all her might. Elissa bent backward to release the pressure on her hair, bringing her sword with her. Sonata found the sword tip pressed into her throat. Her eyes went wide with fear and she slowly let go of Elissa's hair. The Amazon queen twisted her body around to advance on the taller woman.
"You are lucky that I don't have the time to teach you the lesson you so richly deserve. Now, if you treasure you life, you will show me another way to leave this place. There is someone behind me that I do not want to see."
"Why would I help you escape your enemy? If they are after you then that makes them my ally."
As soon as the sentence was out of her mouth, Sonata knew that she made a mistake. The sword came out like a striking snake. "Do not push me, I have had enough of people that I don't care for, and you may end up being the last one that I deal with this day." Elissa growled in a low fierce voice. She moved the taller woman back towards the back of the harem when she heard Gabrielle and Xena coming closer. They would be there any minute and she had no intention of being there to talk to them.
"There is a door behind that tapestry it will lead you through a tunnel which ends at the front of the palace."
Elissa gave a feral grin then punched the other woman knocking her out. She slipped behind the tapestry just as Xena charged into the room followed by Gabrielle. They looked about but there was no sign of Elissa. Moving carefully about the room, all they found was an unconscious woman crumpled on the floor.
"We are too late, she is gone again." Gabrielle slumped down onto a large floor cushion. Her head fell forward while she attempted to control the feelings that were overwhelming her.
"She can't have gone far. We will catch her don't worry, Gabrielle." Xena rubbed her shoulders in an effort to soothe her lover.
"No, she is gone, I know it, and I can feel it. Elissa will run until there is nowhere else to run. All I can do is continue to follow her in the hope that she will someday allow me to be a part of her life. I guess we have to find another boat, but I just can't do it tonight. I want to rest for a day then we can start again."
Gabrielle wasn't wrong; Elissa was already on a boat that Biopelo promised to have waiting for her. He was ecstatic to have his granddaughter back safely. The other women who had no family were given the choice of joining the Amazons and they agreed whole-heartedly. They were never given a choice before and almost all of them decided to go with the rescued Amazons. Biopelo promised that a ship would be waiting to take them back home the very next morning. Deianeira once again tried to convince her queen to allow her to stay, but had no better luck than she did in the harem.
Elissa knew that she must hurry on to her next destination. The sooner she helped free her sisters the sooner that she could return to her home. The slave master said that one-third of the women went to Gurkhan, another to Norway and the last to Jappa. Given that Norway was the closest to her current location that was were Elissa planned to look. She would negotiate with Odin himself if it meant their release. Little did she know that it would take that very thing.
Chapter 22 (This will not necessarily follow the original storyline but will hopefully cover all the bases)
Elissa moved through the Norse town with the ease of an accomplished warrior. People moved out of her way without realizing it. When she moved past them, they watched her in awe. Some whispered that she was a goddess, while other said she was a Valkyrie but none dared to ask her name or reason for being in their sleepy town. Her eyes stayed focused on a mountain that the others couldn't see. Once she made it out of the town, Elissa bowed down on her knees. Her voice rose in a chant to beg for an audience with Odin. Her eyes closed while she swayed from side to side then stopped when she heard the fluttering of large wings.
A beautiful woman on a winged horse landed in front of her. She jumped off with a lithe grace that came with the gifts she received upon becoming a Valkyrie. "Odin sends his greetings little goddess. Please, come with me to Valhalla." She turned but stopped when she heard Elissa's voice.
"I am no goddess, just an Amazon looking for her lost sisters."
"We see what you are and acknowledge it even if you do not." The Valkyrie bowed her head then mounted waiting for Elissa to climb on behind her. Once they were both safely mounted, the winged horse took off.
Elissa couldn't stop the smile from crossing her face at the exhilaration of flying so high in the air. All too soon, they landed on the steps of Valhalla, her escort walked up the steps that led Odin's guest to him. She stopped before large doors engraved with large ravens, Odin's messengers. "Odin awaits you inside, little goddess." She bowed then quietly left Elissa alone in front of the doors.
"Come in child, come in." A soft voice called to her from the other side of the door. A stately man sat on a large throne made from marble. His two wolves, Geri and Freki, sat quietly by his feet while the two ravens, Hugin [thought] and Munin [memory] guarded each shoulder. An eye patch covered the eye he sacrificed for the wisdom he gained from drinking from the Well of Mimir. The king of the Norse gods looked at the tiny golden warrior who stood before him. He could feel the part of her that came from her father. It radiated about her without her even being aware of it, which made her that much more enticing.
"Thank you for agreeing to see me, Lord Odin. I come to you in the hope that you can help me to find my lost sisters. I am Elissa, Queen of the Syeria Amazons. We answered a call from a supposed ally to help fight against a common enemy. They betrayed us and as a result, many of my sisters as well as my mother were killed. They further added insult to our ways by killing our goddess, Artemis. Being one of such wisdom, I am sure that you already know the fate of our other gods. Mt. Olympus is no more." Her voice dropped to a soft whisper.
"Come and sit beside me, child. I will help you if it is in my power to do so."
"I know that some of my sisters are here but do not know where to look. Your kingdom though beautiful is vast and my fear is that if I do not find them soon they will be lost to me forever. My home is lost to me until I can return those taken so unjustly." Her hand unconsciously stroked the head of Freki, whose tail thumped on the floor.
Odin watched Elissa's face as she remembered her reasons for being here. She represented all the things the Norse held dear - courage, loyalty and beauty. He took her small hand into his own large war roughened one.
"What are the names of the ones that you are looking for?"
"They are called Prothoe, Tecmessa, Melousa and Euryleia. Each of them are dark haired of medium height with dark eyes. Although their coloring is similar, they do not resemble one another. They are proven warriors who have seen combat on many occasions. Tecmessa is especially dear to me since we grew up together. Her mother was my own mother's mate. We are closer then many true sisters. She lost her mother two years ago to a hunting accident. Have you heard of any of them, Lord Odin?" Hope lit her eyes for the first time since she started her quest.
Odin was torn but he had no choice, since he gave his word to one who carried the blood of a god in her blood. He couldn't bear to see the light behind her beautiful green eyes dull. "I know of the women you speak. I must tell you that I did not know that they owed fealty to another. When they came to our land, they were offered to me in sacrifice, but I saw their courage and offered them a place here among my Valkyries."
"They are here, where my lord? May I see them, please? Are they near, are they well?" The questions rushed out of her mouth in a jumble of words.
"Yes child, they are near and you will be reunited with them soon. May I ask a boon?" Elissa nodded to the Norse God. "Stay with me for a short time and if any of your tribe wishes to stay would you allow this?"
"If any of my sisters wish for this then I will not stand in their way. I must warn you though that to walk away from ones tribe is unthinkable to our way of life. It goes against the very meaning of what we believe in the most. To an Amazon, the tribe is everything, well to 'real' Amazons." She couldn't hide the bitterness from her voice.
"Has one of your tribe turned her back on your tribe?" His eyebrow rose in surprise. Even though he made the offer, he didn't expect any of the women to accept. Odin knew about the Amazon way of life and respected it. Their ways were not that different from the Valkyries and by default his own. "You do not have to answer me because I can see it on your face that you have met such a person."
Chapter 23
Gabrielle and Xena found the rescued Amazons boarding a ship the next morning. Deianeira refused to say a word as to where Elissa went, but Xena took the opportunity to talk with Ainia. As the youngest among them, she was an easy target to wheedle the information out of. Bright blue eyes met green ones passing a silent signal between them Gabrielle wished the women a safe journey then walked away. The companions waited until they couldn't be overheard then stopped to talk about what they knew.
"She has gone to Norway." There was an odd note in Xena's voice that Gabrielle didn't catch.
"That is wonderful. How quickly can we find a ship to take us there? We won't be too far behind her. Maybe this time she will give me a chance to explain what happened, maybe she will give me a chance to get to know her. I know she isn't ready to accept me as her mother,, but maybe just maybe, she will allow me to be her friend."
"Gabrielle, it will all work out I promise. I, Norway, is a dangerous place so we must hurry and find Elissa. We will need to get away from it as quickly as possible. Odin is not a forgiving god." The last she said more to herself.
The small blonde looked at her lover confused but knew that Xena would tell her when she was ready and not a moment before. She went back to their room to start packing as quickly as possible. Xena followed lost in thought of another time in her dark past. She wondered what would be there to greet her when she arrived back in the land controlled by her former lover, Odin. That time seemed so far in the past that it didn't seem real. No matter how much she changed over the years there were still sins from her past that she needed to make amends for.
She knew that she would have to explain about her time as a Valkyrie and stealing the Rheingold from the Rhein Maidens. It was because of her own greed for power that a good woman became a monster. The thing she feared the most was the disappointment in her lover's eyes. Xena could never stand to cause Gabrielle to lose faith in her or their love.
They found a ship much easier this time and were at sea only two hours after the Amazons left to return to Syeria. Gabrielle felt more hope for this journey than their previous one. She looked out over the waters then closed her eyes. Her daughters face came to mind and this time there was a smile on it rather than the normal angry scowl. Their next meeting would be different; she knew what she needed to do. Elissa was her own woman and needed to be treated as a respected equal. Hopefully, in time they would be able to have some type of a relationship.
Xena came to stand beside the blonde bard. "I need to tell you about Norway and my time there before we arrive. It was a long time ago, long before I met you." She took in a deep breathe before she started to tell her story about meeting Odin, becoming a Valkyrie, stealing the Rheingold and finally the ultimate consequences for Grinhilda. The silence that met the ending of her tale was a heavy one. "I'm sorry Gabrielle, I know that you are disappointed in me but it was a long time ago." Her bright blue eyes filled with tears when still her lover never said a word. Xena turned to walk away but Gabrielle stopped her.
"No, Xena don't leave. I am not disappointed in you. You are not the same person, when are you going to understand that I don't hold your past against you. If you would only forgive yourself then you would never doubt my belief in you. I am only worried about what will happen to Elissa if Odin finds out that she is in anyway connected to you through me. Will he try to punish my daughter for what happened so long ago? We need to get to her quickly before she finds herself in more danger than she can handle."
"I know but I doubt that Elissa will tell him about either of us. She will be fine until we can get to her."
They stood close to one another in the comfortable kind of silence that only longtime companions could create. Each woman was lost in her own thoughts but were always aware of the woman next to them.
Chapter 24
Elissa joyfully greeted her sister Amazons. They looked healthy but she saw the sadness deep in their eyes for the hardships they endured. Thinking that both leaders perished in the battle then being sold into slavery were not experiences that any would ever forget. Tecmessa grabbed Elissa in a bone-crushing hug. The childhood friends laughed to see the other alive.
"I am sorry, my sisters, that you have endured such disrespect. Odin invited me to stay here for a while and I have agreed. You will all share my joy to know that almost twenty of our tribe are on there way or already back with the tribe. I must tell you that Odin has extended his offer to any who would like to remain as a Valkyrie. If any of you want this I will not stand in your way." They all protested loudly, but quieted when their queen lifted her hand. "I explained to him that it is unthinkable for one of us to turn her back on her tribe, but that I would extend his offer."
"That is a kind offer but I think that I speak for us all when I say, when can we go home, my queen?" Tecmessa answered formally for the group. "I know that you must be tired but we will follow you when you have rested."
Elissa brushed long dark hair back from her friend's face. "I will not be able to go with you." Once again, they protested but Elissa spoke over them. "I came for you, but there are still others in the land of Jappa that must be freed before I can return to our home. It is the promise that I made to them upon my mother's own grave. There is nothing that I can do to avenge her death but this I may do for our tribe. I want nothing more than to return to our lands and never again leave them. That way is blocked for me until I complete my journeys."
Dark brown eyes saddened with the realization that her friend carried a heavy burden, one that she would not turn her back on. They walked over to a balcony while holding hands to look out at the beautiful land below. The air held the cool kiss of the snow covered mountains. A brilliant blue painted the sky and water while deep inviting greens defined the woods and grasses.
Odin watched these women who previously belonged to his elite guard the Valkyries. They remained close even on their entrance into the hall of Valhalla. He knew that they shared a past but now knew why they acted as if they were family. The Amazons were honored warriors, even a world away stories of their exploits filled people's minds with awe.
Elissa saw the woman who escorted her to Odin. A small group of six Valkyries followed her only to stop in front of Odin. "My Lord, there is news of a great warrior in our lands. His name is Beowulf and he is not alone, he brings with him one known to us here in Valhalla. He goes to battle Grendel for the glory of the Danes and in your name."
She stepped up interested in leaning more about the brave soldier, but also to hear what caused the woman, named Brunnhilda, to sound so worried. Elissa's ears perked up when she heard the hated name - Xena. Damn that woman she leaves nothing but sorrow in her path.
Odin sent his ravens out to learn more about what his former lover was doing. If Xena was here then was Valhalla to meet the same fate as Olympus? The rumors ran through the home of fallen solders. Xena, the Warrior Princess, as beautiful as she was deadly. The Valkyrie called her a demon from the land of Jin.
"Will you tell me the story of this demon? It sounds like one from my own land?" Elissa smiled charmingly at the Norse God of Wisdom and War. She took a seat on the floor next to the pet wolves, who whimpered happily from her scratching fingers. He told her about his own foolishness with regards to the brunette he allowed his pride to believe. It wasn't that he knew that he wasn't attractive to women, it was just that he knew that Xena wanted him for his power not as a man. It somehow made what he did even worse, because he turned his back on his true lover Grinhilda.
"I am sorry that you lost the one that you loved, my lord but do not allow it to cause you to turn away from your love. Is there not something that can be done to save the woman she used to be?"
A deathly quiet answered her question as the dead warriors, Valkyries and Amazons waited to hear his response. The two who knew what it meant to carry the fate of others in their hands seemed locked in an internal struggle of wills. Air stiff with turmoil, power and challenge surrounded them but still no sound escaped their lips.
"I don't think that I am worthy of her forgiveness."
"Who are you punishing yourself or her? She tried to keep the Valkyrie on the true path and you allowed this demon to change a good woman into a monster. There is always a way to make things right if you are willing to do whatever is needed."
Gasps were heard throughout Valhalla. No one ever spoke to the ruler of the gods this way. They all waited with baited breathes to see what would happen to this tiny woman/goddess. Amazement replaced shock when Odin threw back his head and laughed.
"You are a bold little thing aren't you? I never tried to find a way and I should have. Thank you little goddess for showing me the error of my ways."
Elissa looked at him then smiled. "I have found that most times the answer is right in front of our faces, we just have to truly look and then we will see. My sisters wish to return to our home and I would like them to leave as soon as possible. They have been separated from their families for too long. Your generosity is appreciated in the honor that you have shown them." She bowed her head to him.
Chapter 25
Xena and Gabrielle arrived in Norway several days behind Elissa. The looks that Xena received as she walked through the village brought all the bad memories rusing back to her, of her arrogance and thirst for power.
Gabrielle took her lover's hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You aren't that woman anymore. We will make it all right after we find Elissa.” Gabrielle stopped when she saw a mural of Valkyries on winged horses. All the women were blond, except for one with black hair and cool blue eyes, she traced the figure with her finger.
"She was called a demon but I think that she was an amazing warrior." A tall blonde stood looking at the mural with hero worship in her eyes.
"No, she wasn't but now she is. I'm Gabrielle." The small bard put her hand out to the other woman.
"My name is Brunnhilda. Do you know the story behind the mural?" She looked at Gabrielle with interest in her eyes.
"Some, but I would love to hear the story the way that it was told to you."
Brunnhilda relayed all the intricacies that she heard for as long as she could remember. "Ever since I heard the first story I knew that I wanted to be a warrior like her, to live for battle, die with valor."
Xena heard the last part of this causing her eyes to sadden. "Well, I've gotten a lot smarter since then. I've learned to respect life, love, and peace."
"Why? What happened?"
The lovers exchanged a loving look. "Lots of reasons. Let's go and get something to eat, then find a place to stay."
All three women walked into a tavern with food roasting that made their mouths water. After finishing a wonderful meal, Xena looked around to try and find out who was watching her. She saw an attractive man get up from his seat to walk over to their table.
"You got a problem? I don't appreciate people staring at me while I'm eating."
"Are you Xena?"
"Who wants to know?" A dark eyebrow rose in challenge.
"My name is Beowulf." Without another word, he dropped a double raven lock that Xena had used to lock up Monster Grinhilda thirty-five years ago.
It's rusted clean through causing Xena to become quiet and serious. "Sit down and tell me how long ago you found it."
Beowulf explained about the monster terrorizing villages and how he followed its trail to a cave where he found the lock.
Gabrielle caught Xena's hand underneath the table giving it a supportive squeeze. "We will help you take care of this monster, but then we have to continue on our journey. We are following someone and don't want to lose them again."
Xena smiled at the small bard. Her love and support never ceased to amaze the Warrior Princess. "I think that we can accomplish both. Odin is not far from here and will no doubt look for me. If she came for the others, then he will know whether they are still here or where they are headed."
Gabrielle got up from the table while three sets of eyes watched her. "We need to find a place to stay for the night then we can go after the monster in the morning."
Feedback © CJS Place 2004-2008