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Chapter Eight: Amazon
Justice

When
the first rays of dawn slowly crept over the windowsill Xena found
herself in her room in Queen Melosa’s hut, securely wrapped
in the arms of her young lover. Cautious not to disturb her
peaceful sleep she got up and hurried to the healer’s hut
where she originally was supposed to spend the night. The
evening’s conversation with her brother had taken more out of
Xena than she would have thought possible, so it was fortunate that
her presence at the healer’s hut hadn’t been
necessary.

“c1″> 

When
Xena opened the door, it was very calm with the girls and the other
occupants of the infirmary still asleep. Anara took the opportunity
to check on Xena’s thigh. To the Amazon healer’s great
surprise, it was almost completely healed. The skin around the
sutures was healthy without any sign of it having recently sported
the angry red and pale white of inflammation. Anara cast the dark
haired warrior an inquisitive look but Xena only shrugged her
shoulders and gave her a lopsided grin.

“c1″> 

“c1″>"Don’t search for an explanation, Anara. It
has always been this way, I can’t explain it either but it
comes in handy when one’s a warrior."

“c1″> 

The
Amazon healer obviously wanted to question her further but then
thought better of it. "There’s no doubt about this. I
think we safely can take out the stitches but you should keep the
bandage on for another day or two."

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Xena
nodded and even let Chulapa work on her thigh. The young woman
eagerly had accepted the Queen’s proposal that she should
begin with her apprenticeship as a healer now, without waiting for
the harvest festival. She not only showed great eagerness but also
had a real talent for the healing arts. Her kindness and
sensitivity had a calming and reassuring effect on her fellow
Amazons.

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“c1″>-x-x-x-x-

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When Xena
left the infirmary to help Gabrielle with the wheelchair the Amazon
council met once again, having spent almost all of yesterday with
intense and controversial discussions. This day Queen Melosa was
far better prepared, she already had decided what she wanted done
and had passed the better part of the night away with preliminary
talks with most of the council members. At “EN-US” class=”c1″>midday,
Solari, in her function as captain of the royal guards, was ordered
to call all adult members of the tribe to the central square by
blowing the great horn.