Part 7

A month later, a healed, but still a little stiff Xena, stood beside Gabrielle on a dais in the practice grounds of the Amazon village. An also mostly healed but "should have been still using her sling" Talia, and Aria, stood beside each other on a slightly shorter, and higher up dais behind them. They stood in full Amazon ceremonial regalia, as did Xena and Gabrielle who had, in the past month, taken to wearing the deerskin clothing of the Amazons they lived with. Even Xena, to Gabrielle's surprise and pleasure, had so readily adapted to the Amazon way of life that by the time she'd healed from her injury, it was as if she'd been born and raised Amazon. In the past, she'd always resisted it, saying she was a warrior, not an Amazon, but this time it was different, this time she had fully committed herself to it, determined to become as Amazon as she possibly could. She was determined to do everything as well as any other Amazon in the tribe so that she would be worthy of the honors bestowed upon her and Gabrielle and to not embarrass either Aria, Talia, or Gabrielle.

When she was able to move with less pain and without danger of re-injuring herself, she began to train with the other Amazons in the tribe when they would practice. She asked the tree runners to teach her to run in the trees like they did, until soon she could easily keep up with the fastest ones. She would run for miles with the ground runners, until she could run as far as they did without even being out of breath, and ready to run further. She hunted with the Hunters and helped them bring in food for the tribe, honing her own already considerable hunting skills. She wrestled and mock fought with the warriors to strengthen her body and learn moves she didn't know, and polish up on ones she already did. She worked and practiced as hard as any of the warriors in the tribe and was quickly accepted by them as if she'd always been among them.

When she walked in the village, the warriors in the tribe smiled, and waved at her, and greeted Xena warmly as the fully accepted sister she'd become. She'd even been made weapons by one warrior who'd become a close friend, Rhea, and she and Talia had grown closer as well, becoming nearly constant companions. Gabrielle and Aria likewise had become closer friends, finding they had similarities a well. Not normally, one to practice and drill as the others did, Aria was inspired to do so when she saw how Xena drilled, and practiced and sparred with the others, and often times with Talia. She took to doing the same with Gabrielle, who was also inspired by Xena's dedication. Gabrielle was so proud of Xena's dedication to learning to become an Amazon she felt like a proud mother.

When Aria had time, often for a candlemark or so after third meal, Xena would dutifully show up for her lessons in the laws of the tribe, and to Gabrielle's surprise, she hadn't had to be prodded to do so once. She went willing every night, and had even initiated it the moment she was well enough to move without pain. She had begun to wear the deerskin clothing of the tribe the minute she could put clothing on over her shift. Her clothing, made specifically for her, bore the markings that only she could wear, the markings of the "Queen's First Heir". Though technically, it wasn't true because Aria's eldest twin daughter was actually her "First heir" but because she was only five months old, Xena was allowed to carry this title in her place. Sadly, often infants and children didn't live to adulthood; in which case, Xena would in fact become Aria's first heir.

Gabrielle's clothing bore the markings of the "First Warrior's first heir", and only she had the right to wear those markings on her clothing, and carry weapons with the appropriate markings as was Xena. When they were passed in the village, they were saluted and treated as if they'd been born to Aria and Talia. Whenever they entered a yurt with others, no one entered before them except of course Aria or Talia. When they were already inside of a yurt, the warriors all left their weapons at the door before they entered. Even though they were no longer expected to, Xena and Gabrielle still left their weapons at the door when they entered a yurt where Aria and or Talia were. Now whenever they met Xena or Gabrielle in the village in passing, Aria and Talia addressed them as "Sister" respectively, and Xena and Gabrielle did likewise. It had become and easy, comfortable habit now.

Now, they stood on the daises before the entire tribe about to make it official, and Xena found herself nervous and keyed up inside, and feeling like she wanted to bolt like a scared horse, but she forced herself to stay where she was. She stood there looking very beautiful and very Amazon in her ceremonial doeskins and ornate, feathered mask that, like her clothing, indicated that she was heir to the Queen. Until the appropriate time, she wore her mask down concealing her face, as did Gabrielle, Aria, and Talia. When all the warriors had assembled before them, Aria raised her mask so that it sat on her head as hat would and began to speak.

"My sisters this is a day of celebration, for on this day, my First Warrior and I gain not only blood sisters, but heirs as well. Let it be known from this day forth by all the generations that I, Aria, Queen of this tribe as my mother was before me, and her mother before her and her mother before her on back to the beginning of the Amazon Nation, do declare it to be law that from this day forth Xena of Amphipolis is now Xena, sister, and heir to my right to rule as Queen. I declare her blood to be the same as mine. All are to obey her commands as you would mine without hesitation, and protect her as you would me. The children of my sister are also under the protection of this entire tribe, and all are expected to protect them with their lives. My First Warrior has sworn a life debt to Xena, and so, as her Bondmate, the life debt is also mine to take on and I accept willingly. Look upon this who I call my sister, and remember her well, for from this day forth, you will protect her with your lives".

At this pronouncement, as she had been taught, Xena raised her mask so that they could all "look and remember" her face. They had all seen her of course, and knew her well, but it was part of the ceremony, so they all obeyed, memorizing her features. Even the youngest of girls were made to look at Xena, and remember her, and told never to forget what she looks like. Xena swallowed hard, she felt guilty, the entire tribe was expected to lay down their lives for her, to obey her every word. When she'd been a warlord that would have thrilled her, now it only made her feel guilty that they should be so obligated. Talia lifted her mask and began to speak, it was her turn now.

"My sisters, like our Queen, I too take an heir and sister this day, I declare before you that I, Talia, First Warrior to Aria Queen of this tribe, do take Gabrielle of Potediea as my sister and heir to my right and title of First Warrior and do by consent of our Queen, make it so by law. I declare her blood to be the same as mine and will declare it so to all who question it. I pledge my life, and loyalty to her for all eternity, and all who dare to turn against her, turn against me as well, and will die by my hand. The children of my sister are now under my protection as well as the protection of this tribe. You will protect them, as you will her, with your lives. You are to obey her every command as if it came from me, am I understood my sisters?" Talia asked, and a loud "AYE!" Came from everyone there in unison, not one "Nay" was heard.

Gabrielle went pale; little did they know that she did in fact have a daughter, and that that daughter was Hope, sister to Vengence, the most evil being in the known world. They had just sworn to protect Hope with their lives, and if Hope found out, the entire tribe could be in serious danger. She exchanged a look with Xena; Xena had realized it as well. "Look upon this one who is my sister, and remember her well, and call her sister, for from this day forth, you will protect her with your lives". Talia went on, and on queue, Gabrielle raised her mask and allowed her knew "sisters" to "look upon her" as they had Xena. Then, Talia said something that stunned everyone, "I make another declaration on this day. I declare that I release the spirit of the one who was my daughter so that she may live in the Amazon Land of the Dead with a free heart. I will never forget her, for she was, and will always be, a part of me, but I cannot grieve forever, and it has been long enough. I have held her here far too long with my grief already. I have a new sister now, and I must allow room for her in my heart and that of her Bondmate. Go in peace my daughter, I release you, and know that I love you".

Gabrielle had tears flowing freely from her gray/blue eyes, and Xena wasn't far from it herself unashamedly. Several of the warriors who were old enough to remember what had happened years before wiped away tears as well. Talia stood there strong, and proud, looking straight ahead at nothing in particular, a single tear falling. Aria wanted to go to her, to hold her, but now was not the time, not in front of everyone; Talia wouldn't allow it nor welcome it. She wiped her own tears away at the memory of the loss of her toddler daughter, and her pride of Talia for releasing her grief and pain from the loss finally. She cleared her voice, "Sisters! Let the celebration begin! Cook has been preparing food since before dawn, and if we don't eat it, we will all have to answer to her, and that is not something I want to do". There was laughter, and the group broke up and scattered, some heading for their own yurts, most towards the center of the village to get some food.

Jokingly, Xena asked Aria, "So, should I call you "mom" now? Since you adopted me as your heir, in the outside world that makes you my mother". Aria grinned; enjoying the light hearted teasing of her new sister. "Please, the twins will be running, and hunting like the others before I know it, and making me feel old enough without you calling me "Mom" as well. Perhaps when you bring your children to introduce to the tribe, the twins will be old enough for them to play with, and to remember them. How old are your children sister?"."My daughter, Eve, is twenty seasons old, and her brother, Arex, is five seasons old. He would love to meet the twins, he loves babies. He's very much like his father, a boy by every sense of the word except with babies and children younger than himself. With them, he's very gentle, and loving, He looks after them, and takes care of them without coaxing from me or his Aunt Gabrielle. He's a very loving, and caring child".

Gabrielle smiled and joined in the conversation as they walked toward the center of the village for the first meal of the day. "I remember the time when he was three seasons old, and we had stopped to make camp for the night. Xena had caught a couple rabbits for dinner and was sitting by the fire skinning them; I was coming back from the woods with some more wood for the fire when I tripped on something and fell. I was more embarrassed than hurt really and sat there trying to recover what was left of my dignity".

"Xena sat there shaking her head at my clumsiness, but Arex came running over as fast as he could, to make sure I was alright. It was so cute; I tried to tell him that I was fine, but he told me to sit still, and not move, and he looked at my ankle, careful to touch it as little as possible. He looked just like his mother as he did that, and I just sat there watching him. He told me to straight out my leg, and took hold of it very carefully, and gently like he'd seen his mother do so many times, and told me not to move, that I had probably "spwained" it. He never could pronounce his "r"s then. He ran back to the saddlebags, and I watched as he began fishing through them".

Xena took the narrative up from there, "He asked me where the bandages were and if he could use his powers to make a splint for "Aunt Gabwiewwe's ankwe cause she huwt it" Xena said, coping her son's speech at a younger age. "His powers?" Aria interrupted, "Then it's true? He really is the son of Ares?" "Yes, he is, and he knows who his father is, and that he has powers. He also knows that he's not allowed to use his powers until he's old enough to understand how to use them, and when to use them. I allow Ares to take him now and then and teach him to use his powers properly, and spend time with him, and Ares has sworn never to teach him to use his powers aggressively, or out of anger. So far, he's kept his word. Anyway, I told him where the bandages were, and gave him permission to use his powers to make a splint as long as he was careful to control his powers because if he made a mistake, I couldn't heal Gabrielle, and he promised".

"He was always very gentle with me, he knew he was much stronger than normal children, and he understood that he had to be extra gentle or he might hurt someone without meaning to" Gabrielle said. He came back over to me, and told me not to be afraid, that he was going to "make it all bettew". He looked so much like his mother as he tended to me that it was uncanny, it was like watching a tiny Xena. When he carefully unlaced my boot, and got ready to remove it, he told me, "This might huwt, I'm sowwy" and he gently, slowly, took my boot off. Mind you, there was nothing wrong with my ankle, I hadn't hurt it at all, but he was working so hard, and trying his best to take care of me the way he'd seen his mother help people that I didn't want to disappoint him, so when he removed the boot, I pretended that it hurt, and he cringed when he heard my reaction, and apologized again. Then he wrapped it as gently as he could the way he'd seen Xena wrap an ankle, and used his powers to make a splint, and wrapped that around my ankle. He's really a remarkable little boy. Very smart, just like his mother, and very kind hearted as well".

They had come to the two long tables of fruit, and meat, and wild rice and vegetables, and had begun to choose what they wanted. The others already there stepped aside and allowed them to choose first, even if they were in the middle of choosing what they wanted. "What happened next?" Talia asked as she chose a turkey leg, using one arm as she held her still healing arm idle against her body. "He ran back to Xena to ask if he could use his powers again to make crutches, and then came back to me again, and made very beautiful crutches. He gave them to me, and stayed by me as we went back to the camp fire, then he ran back again, and got the firewood I'd dropped when I fell and brought them back".

They took their food and cups of Amazon wine and went into the communal yurt, Aria and Talia first of course, then Xena and Gabrielle. As usual, all the warriors stood and saluted them until it was returned, and then continued to eat. They had already taken the precaution of removing their weapons and left them at the door figuring that the Queen, her First Warrior and their heirs would be coming to eat their meal there eventually. Nearly the minute they sat, Xena and Talia began eating as if ravenous. Gabrielle and Aria sat there staring at them in amazement and amusement. "Exactly alike" Gabrielle commented, "Identical as two peas in a pod". It was true, their movements were almost exactly matched, they ate almost the same items at almost the same time, it was uncanny.

"I'm beginning to wonder if they weren't separated at birth somehow" Aria commented as she watched the two warriors eat heartily as if they hadn't seen food in days, oblivious to what their table mates were saying. Playfully, Talia snatched a piece of bread off of Xena's plate only to have her hand smacked playfully in return with a "Hey! Eat your own!" not a minute later; Xena snatched a small bit of boar's meat from Talia's plate, "Hey! That's mine! Melakia" Talia complained playfully, "Melakia?" Xena asked, "What does that mean?" "Mischievous Elder Sister" "We're the same age!" Xena complained, "Oh yeah, my mistake, you look so much older it just keeps throwing me off". "Oh you're gonna get it Talia!" Xena threatened with a grin.

"Oh yeah? Come and give it to me then old woman!" Talia got to her feet, trotted half way to the door, and taunted, "If you think you can catch me that is. Do you want me to find you a walking stick old woman?"."Oh that's it one arm! You're in for it now". Xena got up and went after her, Talia running out with a laugh, "One arm or not, you still can't get me". The others laughed to see the First Warrior and Xena playing with one another like children. They had never seen Talia like this, and were happy for her. Aria and Gabrielle laughed and shook their heads, "I think they've digressed back to childhood. I've never seen Xena play like that before, not even with me".

"I've never seen Talia like that, not even as a child. Talia was always very serious, very controlled emotionally and physically. She never ran, and played or roughhoused like the other girls. She seems to have found a soul mate in Xena, a kindred spirit. It's like they've known each all their lives," Aria said. "I think it's because she released her grief, let the little one who's gone before cross over finally. Now she can really live again" Aria said, staring blankly ahead at nothing really; her mind showing her pictures of Taria, the toddler born to Talia but lost so early in her life when she accidentally stepped off of a cliff. This train of thought caused her to remember the infant son she'd had to surrender to Artemis because she was unable to keep him being an Amazon. Her tribe was not one to kill infant boys as some did, though very few, it was a frowned upon practice.

"Aria? Are you alright? Aria?" Gabrielle was saying with Aria "came back to her senses" "What? Oh, yes, I'm fine, sorry, my mind wondered for a bit there. The one who has crossed over was such a beautiful little child; she looked just like her mother. I don't know what her father looked like, but the one who has gone before looked so much like her mother there was not doubt that she was Talia's child. Talia has never been demonstrative, never one to initiate affection, not even when we were alone. I usually had to initiate it, but when it came to our daughter, she would often kiss her soft little cheek when she would take her in her arms, sit her on her lap, or nuzzle her affectionately. When she was newly born, Talia would either carry her in her arms as she went about her duties, or carry her on her back in a carrier that had been made for her. She was rarely apart from the child unless of course when it was too dangerous for her to have the child with her".

Gabrielle knew that Aria's heart was braking all over again just to talk about the lost child, she could see it in her eyes, but she could also see that it helped her to talk about it. It was her way of releasing the pain of loosing the child as well she supposed. Taria had been born to Talia, but because she and Aria were bondmates, the child had "belonged" to both of them; they were both her mother, and no doubt shared responsibility for her care, and protection.

"That day when the one whose name is not to be spoken crossed over, it was the most horrible day in our lives. When she was first told about the accident, Talia didn't cry, she didn't wail, she didn't scream, she just stood there in shock as if frozen for several long minutes, and then she walked to the Forbidden Field. I ordered that no one follow her, not even her bodyguards, and I stayed behind as well. After a few minutes, the time it takes to walk from the village to the clearing, and then a few minutes more, there was a loud, pain filled wail, like an animal's cry. It was followed by two or three more, and tore through my very soul. I remember shivering. It wasn't human this wailing sound, Talia's very soul was in agony, and we were all shaken to the core. The bravest warriors were frightened by the sound, and I couldn't blame them, so was I. I'll never forget that day as long as I live".

Aria had stared blankly ahead as she'd told her tale, seeing that horrific day in her mind's eye; a tear fell from one blue/grey eye, reliving the pain, and grief of the day all over again. The entire yurt had gone silent as they all listened to the tale of the death of the one who'd passed. Most of the elder warriors usually ate before the younger ones, but this was a ceremonial matter, so the yurt just happened to be filled with mostly the younger ones who either hadn't been born at the time Taria died, or were too young to remember; but they knew to be respectfully silent whenever the Queen spoke aloud, even if she wasn't really talking to them, such as in this case. They waited to make sure she was finished before they began speaking to each other again, and when it was clear she had, they quietly resumed their conversations.

The rest of the meal was spent discussing the athletic events to follow, and other trivial small talk. The other warriors came and went as they ate and chatted, all were in jovial moods. There were to be running races for tree runners and ground runners, target contests for the hunters, and Archers, combat exhibitions. It would be a day of relaxation and celebration for all.