Xena pulled up not too far from Callisto, ignoring everyone but her.

“Where’s Gabrielle?” Xena asked menacingly, then looking toward the prison, she yelled out, “Gabrielle! GABRIELLE!”

After waiting a moment, Xena looked back at Callisto, “I said, where’s Gabrielle? If you’ve hurt her….”

“Relax,” Callisto replied calmly. “I don’t have your precious Gabrielle.”

“What are you saying? You messenger….”

Callisto laughed. “I can’t believe you fell for that! But the truth is, she’s not here. They say she left almost three months ago looking for you. But I guess it doesn’t really matter. Even if you can’t watch her die, you can watch her friends and family burn, before I kill you.”

“That’s never going to happen,” Xena answered.

Then suddenly Xena was back-flipping off of Argo and easily avoiding the arrows that were fired wildly since the archers hadn’t expected her to do anything.  And while spinning, Xena threw her Chakram high into the air. It sailed off in a looping arc, then flew down to the cage, its razor sharp edge cutting through the ropes that held the front of the cage together, weakening it enough that those inside were able to push it down, much to the surprise of Callisto’s guards.

As she landed cat-like on her feet, Xena simultaneously caught the returning Chakram and pulled her sword from its scabbard.

Callisto was screaming — at her men to attack, and in anger and frustration that her plans were being thwarted. And drawing her own sword, she and Xena ran at each other, intending to kill the other.

The men of Poteidaia were fighting with anything they could find – some with the few weapons Gabrielle had supplied them with, and others with the poles that had made up the bars of the cage, and picking up the swords and spears that had been dropped by Callisto’s thugs. Only the children and women, except Gabrielle, stayed within the relative safety of the cage.

As more of the villagers acquired weapons, Callisto’s men began to fall back from the vicious assault, and soon most of them were running away. Xena and Callisto were taking turns as they fought each other – one, then the other would take the offensive, often exchanging punches and kicks as well as narrowly avoiding being hacked or stabbed.

Soon Callisto realized that more and more she was on the defensive. Xena’s skill, experience and strength was making the difference. As they fought, Callisto was using her peripheral vision to look for some kind of advantage. Then she saw it — Gabrielle was standing atop an overturned wagon, using its extra height as an advantage, and was using a spear she picked up as a battle staff to fight with.

As she ducked under Xena’s sword, Callisto was able to scoop up a fallen dagger, then spinning away from Xena, she hurled the knife toward Gabrielle.

“Gabrielle!” Xena yelled out, hoping the battling bard would be able to duck out of the way.

Gabrielle looked in Xena’s direction just in time to see the dagger flying towards her, but not in time to avoid it. But just before the dagger struck her, Perdicus jumped to the top of the wagon, putting himself between the deadly missile and Gabrielle, knocking her to the ground and landing hard on top of her, and saving her life. But the blade had pierced his back and cut into his heart.

Even with the wind was knocked out of her, Gabrielle managed to get out from under Perdicus and cradle his head in her lap. As she felt the life slip away from Perdicus, Gabrielle cried out, her face on his, caressing him as she wept.

Xena looked back around for Callisto, but she had vanished. Seeing that the battle was all but over, Xena ran to Gabrielle and Perdicus. As she knelt down to try to help, Gabrielle looked up at her.

“He’s dead!” she wailed. “My husband is dead!” And she began to cry even harder.

Despite her grief and tears, Gabrielle became aware of severe cramps in her belly, cramps that turned into pain. “Xena! Something’s wrong!”

Gabrielle doubled over, grabbing her lower abdomen. She cried out again in pain, then passed out.

tbc