WARNINGS AND DISCLAMERS

The sun had been up for a candlemark by the time Xena felt she'd put enough distance between them and any of Brantius' men that may have survived. The warrior had to make sure it was safe to stop and take care of the bard without putting her in any further danger.

When they got to the campsite that the warrior had picked out she again had Argo kneel and stepped off the golden mare with the bard still tucked safely in her arms. She loosened one hand from the small bard only long enough to grab the edge of a blanket from Argo's saddle and threw it to the ground giving it a push with her foot to unroll it. She then knelt next to the blanket and gently laid Gabrielle down on her side.

Xena went back to Argo's saddlebags and got some salve to put on the wounds that would deaden the pain some and would help with the healing. Besides being good at dispensing pain with a whip Xena had also learned how to treat the wounds so that the victim would last longer for more torturing. This same treatment was also good to use on people like the bard that you were trying to help.

The warrior built a small fire to heat some water to clean Gabrielle's wounds. While the water was heating Xena went back to the small bard and started checking her over thoroughly for any serious injuries requiring immediate attention.

Gabrielle had many bruises, but the only cuts into the flesh that Xena could find were in the bard's wrists from the rope and the 40 slashes across her back made by the whip.

Xena got some rags and the warm water and started cleaning as much of the dirt and grim from the bard's wounds as she possible could and then poured a little of the port over them to help disinfect the areas. Xena then started to gingerly apply the salve and then covered the salve with bandages to keep it from drying out.

Gabrielle had continued to moan during most of Xena's ministrations and she was grateful that the bard had remained unconscious. Xena sat Gabrielle up and leaned the bard against her so she could get the bandages around her chest.

While the warrior was working trying to get the small bard wrapped she opened her eyes and looked at the warrior. Gabrielle was looking at her like she wasn't really sure who she was. Xena started to talk to Gabrielle to try to reassure the small bard in her arms that everything was going to be all right and she was safe. "Gabrielle I'll be finished in a second please just be still."

Gabrielle blinked at the warrior and then questioningly said, "Xena...?"

"Yes it's me, you're safe." The warrior answered. The bard seemed to be somewhat reassured either by her words or the sound of her voice. Gabrielle relaxed into her arms and closed her eyes again.

Xena laid Gabrielle back down on the blanket and went to get a tunic out of the saddlebags to replace the bard's missing top. Xena returned and carefully put the tunic on the bard and laid her back down to let her sleep for a while longer.

It was getting close to noon when the bard awoke and started to move. The first move caused the bard to moan loudly as her body told her how sore it was. This time more slowly and cautiously the bard started to ease herself from the blanket.

"Good afternoon little bard! Are you hungry? I have some warm stew on the fire mostly made from odds and ends. I couldn't go hunting and leave you here alone and unconscious." The warrior greeted her.

Gabrielle eyed the warrior warily. "The fact that I'm still alive and here with you tells me that you didn't stay away like I asked you to."

"I'm sorry Gabrielle I just couldn't let that maniac waste a perfectly good bard, especially one who likes to tell stories about me. It might actually hurt my reputation if it got out that I failed to rescue the only bard who believes in me." The warrior said with a grin as she arched an eyebrow at the honey-blonde with jade green eyes.

"How did you get me back without being killed and what happened to Brantius?" The bard questioned.

"Him and I had a talk..." Xena watched as the bard flinched, "and I convinced him that it would be a good idea if you were to leave with me." The warrior said eyeing the bard and hoping she'd let it drop. The flinch that the bard made at the mention that her and Brantius had talked sent a sinking sick feeling to the warrior's gut.

"Xena I know how persuasive you can be, but what's to keep him from just coming after us again?" The bard continued, not really believing that the warrior just talked Brantius into letting her go.

"Gabrielle don't worry about Brantius any more. He won't be coming after us again, I convinced him that, that too was a very bad idea and he agreed with my reasoning." Xena replied.

Gabrielle was skeptical of the warrior's answers, but knew that Xena didn't intend to tell her anything about what really happened. "Ok... well I think I'm ready to try some of that odds and ends stew. It sure smells good."

Xena poured some of the stew into a mug and handed it to Gabrielle and then backed off to sit down. The warrior's heart was still aching badly over all the things that Brantius had said to her and she had to know how much of what he said was the truth and how much were just plain lies. Xena really hated prying, wishing instead that the bard would just tell her, but they hadn't really been able to talk to each other for a while now.

"Gabrielle, I realize that it's probably none of my business, but like I said Brantius and I talked." Xena studied the bard's face as she spoke. "He said some things that I'd like to ask you about... you don't have to answer if you really don't want to." She continued to watch the bard for any reaction to her words, but the bard only stared into her mug of stew. Finally the bard nodded only slightly and Xena took that to mean she could ask.

"Gabrielle, Brantius said that you were a virgin when he kidnapped you... is that true." the warrior watched the bard intently waiting to see if she would answer.

"Yes." The bard replied softly, without looking up into the intense blue eyes that she knew was trained on her.

The warrior watched as silent tears started to slowly roll down the honey-blonde's cheeks. "Oh Gods Gabrielle... you were married, I had no idea that... Gods I'm so sorry." The warrior anguished, realizing that Brantius... damn him had told her the truth and that the bard never had a chance to be with Perdicus before his death.

"Gabrielle the next question is a little more personal and if you'd rather not answer you still don't have to... I'll understand." The hurt that the little bard was going through was evident and it was tearing at the warrior's heart.

The warrior was scared to ask the next question... she didn't want it to be true. The possible answer scared her because Brantius had actually told the truth about Gabrielle being a virgin. "Brantius also said that he raped you..." The warrior's heart felt like it was going to pound out of her chest.

Gabrielle only then looked up at Xena with tears still running down her face. "No... I'm still a virgin. He thought I had lied to him and he did touch... he checked for himself." The bard paused as tears continued to roll down her cheeks and her voice started to quiver slightly.

Gabrielle now turned her face up and looked into the icy-blue eyes staring at her. "He started to... to rape me, but said that he decided it would be more fun to wait until this morning so that you could check for yourself that I was a virgin before he made you watch as he and then his men had their fun." When the bard had finished, she hung her head again as even more tears started to roll down her face.

"Gabrielle I'm sorry... I didn't know... I guess it never occurred to me that you might still be a virgin. Most girls are raped long before they're even old enough to marry and besides you were married... I had no idea that you never..." the warrior was starting to feel very awkward and didn't know what to say to the small bard sitting across from her.

"Xena there is no need to blame yourself for what someone else did or didn't do to me." The bard replied to the warrior.

"Gabrielle he hurt you because he wanted to torture and then kill me. He really only wanted to hurt me... not you. You were just a way of getting to me." Xena pulled the note she'd received from Brantius out of her leathers and walked over and handed to the bard. "Your message to me sounded like you hadn't read the other side... turn it over." Xena paused trying to collect her thoughts. "Gabrielle he thought you were my... lover and that's why he took you, that's why he was going to rape you... he wanted to hurt me before he killed us both."

Gabrielle finished reading the note from Brantius and laid it down. "Xena you still can't blame yourself for what he did to me or what he even thought of doing. It's just not your fault. I've always known how dangerous it was to travel with you and it was always my decision to stay and you can't blame yourself for my decision either." Gabrielle paused, thinking about all that had and hadn't been said and decided to continue.

"About my marriage... we were so tired that evening... GODS who am I KIDDING!! I can't lie to you, even if I can lie to myself. We didn't do anything because I was scared and Perdicus was really great about it. He said we could go slowly and that we wouldn't do anything until I was ready. Neither of us knew that that would be our one and only chance." The bard became silent and sat with quiet tears continuing to roll down her cheeks.

"Gabrielle I'm glad that you don't blame me, but I do blame myself. It was because Callisto was after me that Perdicus was killed and this time it was Brantius that was trying to kill me. It seems that your being with me has pretty well ruined your chances for happiness so far."

Xena got up and started to pack things back into the saddlebags. She then turned around to face Gabrielle, "As soon as you feel like it we need to go back to the camp and pick up the rest of our things." Then the warrior turned her back to the bard again seemingly busy adjusting things on the mare.

"I guess I'm about as ready as I'm going to get." With that said the bard tried to stand up, but didn't succeed.

"Xena could you hand me my staff? I think I'm going to need it to lean on until I feel a little stronger." Gabrielle said to the warrior.

Xena walked back over to the bard. "I'm sorry Gabrielle, I wasn't even thinking." Xena helped the bard stand and then handed her the staff to lean on to balance herself. Xena then picked up the bard's blanket and folded it. The warrior then tied it to the saddle with the rest of their gear.

Xena waited as Gabrielle walked over to her. "Come on you can ride on Argo with me until you get to feeling a little better." The warrior stated as she mounted and turned and put out her arm to help the bard up.

"Xena you know I don't like to ride and I'd really like to try and walk." The bard answered.

"Gabrielle don't be silly and argue with me, give me your hand now or I'll get off and throw you over the saddle." The warrior said as she gave to bard her 'no nonsense' look.

Gabrielle knew she just lost that argument and that Xena would do exactly as she threatened. Gabrielle reached her hand up to the warrior and Xena hoisted the bard up behind her.

Xena turned and looked over her shoulder at the bard. "All set?"

"Yeah, I think I'm ready." Gabrielle said hesitantly.

Xena welcomed the change of Gabrielle again riding with her, but hated that it was the bard's injuries that had caused the change.

The warrior then headed the mare in the direction of their old camp to pick up their things.