Gabrielle bent down and pulled the woman to her feet.

“There’s no need to do that. I’m not very
comfortable with all the bowing down.”

The woman grabbed onto Gabrielle’s hands, kissed them, and
began begging again.

As she did one of the men saw what she was doing and yelled out
to her. “You! Girl! Get away from there!”

She looked momentarily at the man and the turned back to
Gabrielle, pleading even more fervently, fearful that they would
leave. When the man saw this he stormed over to them, intending to
forcible drag the girl away, but Xena stepped in front of him, not
speaking, but glaring at him with a cold, icy stare.

After several moments, he made a disgusting noise and stomped
off, saying over his shoulder, “Go on! Let her kill that
baby! It should have died months ago, anyway!”

“Where’s your baby?” Gabrielle  asked
gently.

“This way,” she answered, and led them to a small,
one room cottage.  Next to the fireplace was a crude,
makeshift cradle. The girl lifted her baby up and handed her to
Gabrielle.

“What’s your name?” Gabrielle asked as she
took the baby.

“It’s Gabriana,” she replied.

“And your baby’s name?”

“She doesn’t have one. When she was born, everyone
thought she would die, and they said it would be bad luck to name
her, so I never did.”

Gabrielle unwrapped the infant to get a better look at her.

“She’s so tiny! And so frail. Did that man say she
was a few months old?”

“She’s five months old.” Gabriana said.

“Five months?! I would have said five WEEKS
old!”

Gabrielle put the baby against her chest, cuddling her.

“Oh, my,” Gabrielle  said, dismayed. “She
is so very sick.”

“What’s wrong with her?” Xena asked.

“Her heart is weak. Her lungs barely work. Her liver is
damaged, as are her kidneys, and just about everything else.
It’s a wonder she’s lived this long.”

“Maybe she was waiting for you,” Xena suggested.

Gabrielle gave Xena a warm smile, then sat down in the only
chair, still holding her close. As she did a faint violet glow
surrounded the infant.

“This may take a while. There’s a lot to do,”
Gabrielle said as she closed her eyes.

Xena and Gabriana sat down on a bench next to the table. After a
short while, Xena removed her sword, Chakram, and breastplate.