“c1″> 

At the
time, it didn’t occur to him that she could have been
speaking about anyone other than the Conqueror threatening his
security. But now he began to wonder.

“c1″> 

Perhaps
even then she tried to keep her family safe. Perhaps she always
cared for them but wasn’t able to show it to people who had
disowned her. Perhaps the loving and caring kid she once had been
never really was dead.

“c1″> 

“c1″> 

“c1″>-x-x-x-x-

“c1″> 

“c1″> 

His
musings abruptly were interrupted by a soft voice calling his name.
"Toris, I’m sorry but the sun is going down. Last night
was an exception but usually men are not allowed to stay in the
village during the night. A tent has been prepared at the clearing
where Xena’s soldiers are staying. Solari, the leader of the
royal guard, will show you the way. Your son is already asleep.
Queen Melosa agreed to let him stay. He’ll be safe in the
healer’s hut."

“c1″> 

"Thank
you, Gabrielle, but I’ll take him with me. I don’t want
him to wake up and not knowing where I am. He won’t even stir
when I pick him up. One night in “c1″>Albion a whole bunch of
sheep panicked during a storm and stampeded through our camp. Our
tent was destroyed and I barely managed to get us out alive but he
never even blinked."

“c1″> 

He
stood and stretched. With a last look at his sister, he said.
"Can you tell me more about her tomorrow, Gabrielle? Perhaps
you can help me to get to know her better."

“c1″> 

“c1″>"I’ll try but it certainly would be easier to
talk to her yourself. She surely won’t answer all of your
questions but she will try."

“c1″> 

“c1″>"I’ll think about it, Gabrielle, take good
care of her."

“c1″> 

“c1″> 

“c1″>-x-x-x-x-

“c1″> 

“c1″> 

The
blond woman studied Xena’s sleeping face before reluctantly
waking her up. A shadow of a smile crossed her own features when
she remembered the first time she had tried to rouse the tall
warrior from sleep. The boy really had been lucky the day before
because back then she was unceremoniously thrown out of bed. They
shared a bed for about a quarter moon having soon learned thus to
keep their respective nightmares at bay but they weren’t
lovers yet. The following night, Xena even was afraid to let sleep
claim her for fear of hurting her again, and her smile broadened at
the thought while she asked herself how she could have been this
blind this long.