“c1″> 

The
last treatment was shortly before dawn. Xena decided to stay up and
tend to the few more seriously wounded to give Anara a break. The
healer only complied with her when she promised to keep off her leg
and rely on a crutch, and because there was not one long enough for
her tall frame, she accepted Gabrielle’s offer to use the
blond woman’s fighting staff to get around more
easily.

“c1″> 

“c1″> 

“c1″>-x-x-x-x-

“c1″> 

“c1″> 

“c1″>"Good morning, little one. You must be hungry, so
we’ll try with some soup. No, don’t try to sit
up." Xena eased herself behind the girl whose head now was
resting against her chest. "Here, take the bowl yourself.
It’s only lukewarm but that’s better for you now. Eat
slowly. Your body needs all the strength it can get to
heal."

“c1″> 

“c1″>"You’re not angry with
me?"

“c1″> 

“c1″>"Well, you deliberately disobeyed an order but the
boy certainly would be dead without you there. No, I’m not
angry; I‘m rather proud of you. Don’t get me wrong:
I’m pretty sure you left the village for the wrong reasons,
and you will have to answer the Queen for doing so, but you did the
right thing when you had to act. Only a true Amazon would risk her
life to safe someone she doesn’t know. The Queen will keep
this in mind also, and I’m sure she also is very proud of her
apprentice."

“c1″> 

Some
candledrops later, the bowl was finished off. "Try to sleep
some more now." Xena lowered the girl’s upper body back
to the mattress and gently tucked her in.

“c1″> 

“c1″>"Xena, why didn’t she ever tell me? I always
wanted to be like her."

“c1″> 

Eponin had
spent the whole night sitting at the girl’s bedside. She left
only to fulfil
her duties as weapons’ master
by attending the council meeting.

“c1″> 

“c1″>“I don’t know, Thania. You’ll have to
ask her yourself as soon as you’re better. I’m sure she
only did what she thought was best for you. She loves you very
much, you know. The Queen really had a hard time to keep her from
following Najara and killing her. She thinks she’s
responsible for what happened to you. I’m sure she will tell
you all you want to know. Give her some
time."

“c1″> 

"I
will, Xena. Please tell her, it’s not her fault. Najara and
the others are just mean."

“c1″> 

“c1″>"The others?"

“c1″> 

The
girl’s eyes were fixated to her hands and she nervously was
biting her lower lip.

“c1″> 

“c1″>"Please, little one, talk to me. Are there other
apprentices treated as you were?"

“c1″> 

“c1″> 

“c1″> 

“c1″>To be continued in Chapter Seven: All My Trials and
Tribulations

“c1″> 

“c1″> 

“c7″> 

“c7″> 

“c1″> 

“c8″> 

“c8″>