Part 1: On the edge of the cliff

It had been a long time since she had stopped to really feel her surroundings, the caress of the cold spring breeze arriving, the roar of the waves hitting the hull of the ship and a deep silence.

With her eyes closed, Gabrielle remains meditating, trying to concentrate on what she can track in the distance, however, for now she can only hear the singing of the albatrosses, indicating that they are close to reaching the port. “ Concentrate, don’t listen, look for the enemy… What do you see? ” – Gabrielle forces her eyelids so that not even a ray of light enters her eyes.

But this time, from the darkness emerged that face, with a penetrating gaze and a shy smile, looking directly at her. “ Concentrate, what do you see? ” Little by little her strength was running out, the burning sensation began to take over her eyes, contrasted with a salty taste in her mouth. Her strength gradually migrated from her mind to her hands, to the point where they trembled.

“I see you…” Her heart jolts, trying to loosen that blind knot that formed a short time ago. At the same time, a chill takes over her body, and hiccups begin.

“I love you…” . Although it was spoken almost in a whisper, inside her it was the loudest scream she could give. Her conscience awaits the return of her beloved, but reason, like an avalanche, knocks her down into reality and reason, everything is gone, there are only memories.

When she opens her eyes, still blurry, she begins to admire that wooden urn, with the most beautiful ornaments she has ever seen, reproducing that feared and captivating armor, which for a long time terrified so many. In a reflexive act, she hugs him with all the delicacy possible. “Forgive me, for not having said what I felt, I wished so much that you were here . ”

Silence took hold of her for the rest of the trip, the weather, the climate, went unnoticed, the only thing that mattered was the memory of that look. Near the entrance to the port there was an inn, they said it was one of the best meals they prepared there, sailors from all corners of the Mediterranean Sea went there to eat, so it was common to hear loud chatter in several languages, not very recommended for those who can’t stand shouting.

Despite the chaotic environment, Gabrielle couldn’t hear anything, she just calmly walked over to the counter. “Please, how much is the room?” The tavern owner, focused on the drinks he was preparing, and without looking at her, said indifferently, “It’s 5 denarii per night, plus 2 denarii for cleaning the room… Long trip?”

“Tavius! Where’s the drink? Hurry up, you dirty pig, for Poseidon’s sake!” The shout manages to stand out in the midst of the commotion, with an accent reminiscent of Egyptian.

Suddenly a sharp, dry crack echoed through the room. The chatter suddenly stopped as everyone looked in the direction of the noise. Gabriele looked back at the innkeeper, and his posture changed, an imposing gaze, a defensive stance, and in his hand a polished steel halberd, with dark brown leather adornments, under the counter. “Calm down there, Octavius, I just thought it was taking too long, no need to get angry!” said the sailor who had complained a moment ago.

He slowly resumes his duties without saying a single word, but remains staring at the complaining sailor, however this does not last long, since Gabrielle caught his attention, precisely because of her indifference to what had just happened.

“Girl, you don’t seem to be from here… It was a tough trip, wasn’t it?” One of the few things that catches his attention is the calm amidst the chaos, and this girl standing in front of him is certainly different from the others standing there. Gabriele seems to be looking at him, but her mind is too far away to react and respond.

Silence takes over the place again, everyone looks at that imposing figure unharmed, looking at Gabrielle, pale and trembling. Octavius ​​can’t even speak, surprised by that figure standing before him. Gabrielle comes to, realizing the situation and replies “It’s nothing serious, thank you for your concern… Could you tell me what’s for dinner?”

“If you say so… We have roast lamb, hare soup, ground beef with vegetables…” Octavius ​​says, still suspicious. To him, that face looks familiar, but he doesn’t know any blacksmith in the region who is skilled enough to make the armor she is wearing. “Hare, please, and some fresh water would be nice.” Gabrielle sits down and crosses her arms, taking advantage of the wait for dinner to admire that small urn again.

“It was one of your favorite dishes, remember?” Gabrielle whispers, looking at the urn, but this time, she didn’t need to close her eyes for the unexpected to happen. “Gabrielle?” She hears a familiar voice calling her from behind her “What do you want for dinner today?”

Gabrielle looks up, and she is no longer in the tavern. She realizes that she is sitting on a dark brown robe, looking at a waterfall, to the right Argo taking advantage of the break to eat some apples from a nearby apple tree, and to the left, Xena’s gear. “Gabrielle?” The voice seems closer, suddenly she feels a hand on her shoulder, when she turns around she sees that familiar face, friendly, but worried as always.

Her eyes suddenly begin to burn incessantly, that salty taste gradually takes over her entire palate, tears fall involuntarily at the same time that she feels like smiling. “Xena, is that really you? ”

“No, imagine, Princess Lya at your service!” Xena imitates a royal bow with an air of mockery. Gabriele can’t hold it in and joins in on the joke, laughing for a few seconds. “Warrior Princess, good joke Xena.” “Come on Gabrielle, tell me, what’s going on.” Xena sits down next to her and remains waiting, paying attention. “So…?”

Gabrielle remains looking at her for a while, gathering strength to speak, her heart starts to race with adrenaline “I missed you… Seeing you, hearing you, it’s been hard living without being with you.”

Xena holds her hand and intertwines her fingers with hers. “Me too…”. Gabrielle, feeling the warmth of her hand, feels an inexplicable shiver run through her. “That’s what was missing…” Gabrielle looks at her again for a few more minutes amidst a whirlwind of feelings, from anger, to joy, mourning, pleasure, and finally peace, which she hadn’t felt in a long time.

Before she could speak, Xena interrupted her. “You don’t need to say anything else, I’ve known it all along… The answer is yes.” Gabriele remained petrified, she couldn’t believe what she had heard. At the same time, her beloved raised her hand and ran it over her face. She could feel their hearts beating faster as they got closer, and for the first time, the first contact that sealed their union occurred. It was so strong that her mouths could be felt pulsing between them, in an enveloping and passionate embrace, to the point of boiling over, but it was interrupted for a moment, for a pause and a deep exchange of glances. This time, both of them inadvertently chanted “I love you…” at the same time.

“I think we better prepare dinner, what do you prefer, Gabrielle, fish or hare?” Xena asks with a jovial air. “We can have hare, your favorite dish,” Gabrielle replies between sighs.

“Okay, in the meantime, I’ve already left the firewood ready here, you can start preparing the fire while I hunt for our dinner.” Xena gets up, but this time without any rush, very unusual for someone who lives on alert. Before entering the forest, she stops for a moment, instinctively knowing that Gabrielle is looking at her and she returns the look with a wink and a smile.

Gabrielle then turns to look for the firewood, but hears knocking, as if it were a woodpecker on a nearby trunk, she stops for a moment to look in the direction of the sound, but finds nothing.

Again, the same knocking sounds, this time they seem closer, but no bird is found. A few minutes later and the fire is ready, just in time for her warrior to arrive with dinner already enjoyed. “Everything ready?” Xena approaches the fire and fanns the embers with a twig.

“Yes, just need to season, I think I still have some herbs that you kept in my bag.” Gabrielle turns to get them when she hears her beloved humming the song of her homeland, this time it sounds a little different in some parts. “Here they are,” Gabrielle turns and hands them to Xena who includes them in the pan suspended over the fire.

“Now I understand why you managed to break the sirens’ spell on Ulysses…” Gabrielle remains seated, admiring her as she sings and prepares dinner. “That’s right, and why do you say that?” Xena discreetly raises one of her eyebrows, she seems to already know what is coming, but she still wants to hear it.

“It’s your heart singing, so beautiful, not to mention your voice, it gives a…” Gabrielle stops talking, the feeling of shame taking over her completely. For a moment, silence takes over both of them, Xena continues to finish mixing the stew, so that the seasonings set the flavor well, but she can’t hold back that embarrassed laugh. She then leaves the dinner to cook, and approaches Gabrielle, sitting next to her.

“So?” Xena tilts her face down, opening her eyes wider, showing an anxious expression that inevitably breaks Gabrielle’s shyness. “Yeah… I’ve always liked hearing your voice, it gives me peace… But when you hum, I get a chill down my neck, have you ever felt that?” Gabrielle picks up a blade of grass to fold with her fingers, trying to ease her shyness.

“Yes, in fact, how about if I sing for you?” Xena changes her expression, she seems more excited. Gabrielle looks at her in surprise. “Do you want to?” Xena repeats her pleading and mischievous look, expecting a yes.

Gabrielle remained without reaction for a moment, but she nodded her long-awaited yes. Xena then changed position, sitting behind Gabrielle, so that Gabrielle could lean against her bust, while she could hug her.

So she starts to hum, Gabrielle didn’t know, but this position makes her body react to her singing, vibrating in the same intoned tones, and thus intensifying each note.

Gradually, that sound seems to be getting closer to Gabrielle, a heat begins to be felt near her right ear, and suddenly, a short kiss followed by a nibble, and a purr, it was sudden, but momentary. Xena watches the shiver spread abruptly throughout her beloved, and resumes singing.

A short time later, they realize that dinner is ready, they get up, eat and prepare to sleep. As a reflex action, Xena lies down as usual, leaving her sword and chakram at her right side, while Gabrielle lies down next to her. For a brief moment, Gabrielle cannot resist and for a moment goes back to admiring the face of her beloved. However, the Warrior’s instinct had already noticed, and she raises her arm waiting for a hug.

Gabrielle doesn’t think twice, she gets up a little to lean against her bust. “I can feel your heart beating fast, are you okay?” Gabrielle looks a little worried. “I was going to say the same to you…” Xena starts to stroke Gabrielle’s hair. But that doesn’t last long.

Suddenly Xena begins to feel an abnormal and uninterrupted shaking, some sobs and she gets up a little, delicately turning her beloved’s face to see if everything is okay. Gabrielle could not resist and let those long-held tears show. “What happened, love?” Xena’s expression remains serious, investigative.

“Please take me with you, teach me everything you know, I want so much to be like you, I love you so much.”, Gabrielle fights back the sobs to be able to fully express her well-kept truth.

“And I will be like you.. I will never leave you, even in death, I will be with you.” Xena wipes Gabrielle’s tears, and reassures her by kissing her eyes, then moving down to her mouth, thus bringing them closer in a complete embrace.

A few minutes later, sleep takes over them and they go to sleep, the feelings of peace and joy are so full that nothing else matters, the cold wind, the heat of the fire, what really matters is that pulse felt in the embrace of their loved one, the feeling of security, of being protected in their fortress.

The next morning, Gabrielle is woken up by a different smell, a bit of mold, an exaggeratedly strong light coming from her right side, the floor seems to be much softer than usual, behind her head, something a little softer than that muscular support that she was already getting used to.

“Xena… where are we? Xena?” Gabrielle, no longer feels that fragrance of her beloved, seems to be alone in the place. Her heart accelerates, and forces her eyes to open quickly, in a state of total alert, however, they are blinded by the brightness of the window.

“How did I end up here, in the… tavern… Oh no…” Gabrielle feels a lump in her throat, a stabbing abdominal pain, as if a dagger had been stabbed into her abdomen, but little by little she begins to hear nearby voices, a little muffled, coming from her left side.

“How long has she been there?” says a somewhat jovial voice. However, another voice, somewhat familiar, responds: “And what does it have to do with you? Isn’t there anything else to do? Get out of here!”. “Gabrielle? Is that you? Can I come in?”

Gabrielle is already strategically positioned behind the door, wielding her katana defensively and maintaining absolute silence. Suddenly, there is a jolt, the door bends a little inwards, another jolt, on the third, the cracking sounds of the wood fibers breaking can be heard, on the next blow, the door partially breaks in half, throwing some splinters a few meters ahead, and a few more kicks are given so that it opens completely.

Before they even manage to enter the room, Gabrielle stealthily waits for the intruder to enter and before completing a second step, taking advantage of the fact that his weight was still on one leg, she first trips him and he hits the ground instantly.

She quickly moves towards him, moderately forcing the crossed sais under his neck, enough so that he doesn’t dare to move, or resist the blow. Meanwhile, she takes the opportunity to monitor the entrance to the room through the reflection of the mirror on the wall, thus being able to anticipate the arrival of reinforcements.

However, without looking at the intruder, he releases his salts and instinctively applies pressure points under the stranger’s jugular. “I have just cut off the blood flow to your brain. You have 30 seconds, or you will die a very painful death if you do not start talking. Who are you, who do you work for, what are you doing here, why did you break into my room, and what is your mission?” Adrenaline is pumping, there is no time to reason, only to extract the information, process it, plot a safe escape route and review the next steps in a safe place.

While she presses him to talk, she mentally simulates the most stealthy escape routes, or that if she is being chased, she can easily escape. “Not by the stairs, there are a lot of people in the tavern, if I bump into someone, there will be a fight, no… By the window, if I don’t fall properly, I could break my leg, no chance of running… A disguise would be good, but until I find some clothes, it’s a shame I don’t have the staff here… but I have the sheets and the curtain, I can make a rope, good! Then I’ll go through the market in the village next door, and escape by the south staircase, near the wall, there are a lot of carts there, if necessary, I can grab onto the bottom of one of them and lose him or them, who knows…”

“Gabrielle, cough… oh.. calm.. ma.. it’s Virgil!”, Gabrielle freezes for a moment, suddenly looks at him in surprise, carefully removes the pressure points, helps him get up and sit on the bed.

“Virgil??? I’m sorry…” Gabrielle analyzes him, looking for wounds, but refocuses to try to justify herself, “it was a reflex… are you okay?” Gabrielle is disarmed for a moment, regretting what she did, trying to ease the scare and checking that no serious injuries were caused to him, but there is no sign of scratches or bruises.

“Cough… Cough… No, it’s okay, calm down, it was just a… scare” Virgil is still slowly catching his breath. Still looking at the floor, he adds: “It’s like I got beaten up by Xena… I have to admit… you two are very similar…” Gabrielle feels a blush rise at the compliment, but remains focused on her patient, “Uh hum…”, she says in a whisper.

“Very well… not a scratch, apparently.” The bard stands up, still looking at Virgill, a little disoriented, and remains in that position for several long minutes. Despite her usual calm voice, her body remains rigid and ready for any sign of danger.

“How did he find me here, I didn’t tell anyone I would be coming back… There’s something strange about this… He seems very dizzy, I wonder if he’ll be okay? I’d better make him some tea, and then he can rest and I’ll try to understand all this better…”. Meanwhile, Virgill feels he’s being watched and slowly turns his gaze to Gabrielle. “Gabrielle…” says the young bard with a choked air.

“Yes?” Gabrielle abruptly comes back from her thoughts, but her body reacts as if she had been slightly startled. “Why are there two of you… three…?” Gabrielle slightly raises her eyebrows in surprise at the question and before she can answer, she sees her friend going limp and before thinking she tries to hold him so he doesn’t fall. However, for a millisecond he slips from her hands, falling to the ground unconscious.

The bard then carefully examines his jugular and feels his pulse, which seems to be normalizing. Very carefully, and applying a little more force, she lifts him up and lays him down on the bed. “Gods, what’s happening here… Calm down… It was just a scare… I’d better make some tea…”

Gabrielle then turns to her bag and takes out some herbs, among them some mint leaves. She stops for a moment and can’t resist looking at them, she picks out one, the prettiest one, and brings it close to her nose. Its fragrance enters her lungs, bringing back memories of the teas prepared by her beloved for a brief moment, until she regains her lucidity and continues preparing the drink.

After lighting the fireplace and putting the water to boil, she began the next step of the recipe by adding the already crushed leaves to the heated liquid. However, this time, she saw a familiar hand guiding hers, firm and strong in appearance, but with a delicate and gentle touch that accompanied her until she had poured all the leaves. A shiver ran down her spine, and she slowly turned her face, trying to find whose hand it was, and saw it again, by her side, smiling, but this vision did not last long.

It didn’t take long for the drink to be ready, filling the room with that pleasant and familiar aroma. Gabrielle then grabs a glass, pours herself a cup and sits on the edge of the window, turning her attention to Virgill still resting, as she begins to enjoy the tea. “What did he mean by that… Do I look like her?… Oh her… what a warrior, loving by the way… What I would give for another one of those blue gazes…” Gabrielle seems to be watching him, but her mind wanders again.

Some time later, the bard begins to move in bed, slowly opening his eyes and turning his face to Gabrielle. Still recovering his senses, he sits up in bed and remains still, giving the impression that he needs to say something, but without knowing what to say or how to say it.

The bard then stands up, takes a cup and pours the same tea for him. “Thank you…” he says in a slightly choked voice. “I’m sorry, Gabrielle… I tried to get here as quickly as I could…” Gabrielle sits in the chair next to the bed, facing him “Me too… Thank you for worrying about me, but I have to fulfill what I promised… To her…” her face darkens a little and she looks at the floor for a brief moment.

“I’ve been sleeping for 2 days?” Gabrielle changes her expression, this time more expressive, serious. “Yes… don’t worry about the cost of the inn, a friend of yours paid… He was the one who warned me about you and asked me to come first…” He said in a worried tone, trying to anticipate her reaction… would she be angry? I had to do something, for them, for my father… “But… who warned you?” asks the bard in a firmer voice.

“Lord Helton… you must remember him…” Gabrielle lifts her face, her eyebrows jumping in surprise and astonishment. “The priest?” Inside, she feels a shiver rising, from her feet to her head. Morpheus… so it wasn’t a memory… she’s in the dream world? But how is that possible, her soul must have been freed… Gabrielle feels a discomfort in her stomach, and stands up. “Is he around here?” she asks in a more animated tone.

“Yes, he’s in another room, we arrived here two days ago…” Virgill gathers his strength and stands up, still a little awkward. “Can I tell him that you want to see him?” Gabrielle nods, and they both head to the room where their friend is. After a few light knocks, Elton opens the door, an elderly man, with white hair and light blue eyes, somehow reminding her of that gentle and subtle look, that feeling of emptiness intensifies a little, but momentarily she recovers.

“Gabrielle… it’s so good to see you again… Come in, please, and pretend the house is yours.” Helton shows a warm smile as he raises his arm toward the room, reproducing a noble gesture given to royalty. Gabrielle smiles for a moment and accepts the invitation, followed by Virgill soon after.

Helton then pulls out a chair for her to sit down, and following her across the table, Virgill prefers to sit by the open window, still trying to catch his breath. The priest remains looking at the bard for a while, then turns to her. “Let me guess, he scared you, didn’t he?” Gabrielle looked at him, still dismayed, and a little embarrassed, as if she had committed a crime.

“Actually… no, I wasn’t expecting the visit…” Helton, with a more severe expression, looks back at the bard, and hears him humming his favorite song, the one made by his father, discreetly. “Apparently, he was well received then.” The three look at each other for a moment, and let out a brief laugh.

“Helton, you had to be there… I knocked several times, but there was no sign of life, not a sound, and I started to get worried… So using all my strength, I gave one last blow, and the door split in two, but when I entered, there she was…” Both of them still sitting, paying attention to every detail that the bard said, for Gabrielle it was an avoidable accident, but for Virgill, it was an epic adventure and they were amazed.

The shame was gradually replaced by admiration, a little pride, but not believing what she heard when she realized the way he told the story, it made her feel completely different. So… was that how she felt when she saw me telling her stories?

Helton stands up, excited “Bravo… bravo… what an adventure, my young man!” The priest cannot contain his smile and turns to Gabrielle, who remains looking at the bard in shock. It doesn’t take long for her to feel that she is being observed and she looks back at him, but without being able to speak for a brief moment.

“We came to accompany you on this journey, my young warrior, and from the looks of it, I believe you received a beautiful gift from someone who admires you.” Gabrielle smiles in surprise, filling herself with a calm she hadn’t felt in days. “So it wasn’t a dream… or a vision?” she asks in a slightly hoarse tone.

“More or less, Morpheus never forgot what you did, but he asked me to come here to warn you and ensure your protection. You made a little visit through your dream passage.” Helton then takes some fruits and offers them to her and the bard. “So, you mean it was her? Not a memory?” Gabrielle feels like she knows, but refuses to believe it, remaining with a youthful anxiety waiting for the answer. “Yes, your bond is unbreakable… She herself asked for it…”

“Is there any way… to…” Gabrielle stops the question as she gets lost in her thoughts. “Yes, there is… You will need to be strong.” Gabrielle stiffens her body, bringing out that tension again before the battle, gathering her strength “Will I need to face my dream passage…?” Helton nods and remains silent.

“We can begin… I’m ready.” Gabrielle says in a determined tone, but Helton realizes that the answer was mainly for herself. “Very well, let’s begin…” Virgill excuses himself and leaves the room, taking one of the chairs from the room with him, positioning himself outside the door, ready in case it is necessary to come to their defense.

Helton asks her to drink the herbal tea and lie down on the bed while he finishes the preparations. “This oil will keep your body fluids while you’re in the passage… Don’t worry, I’m a gentleman…” Gabrielle, already lying down, looks at him with a sweet smile “I know, just like it happened to her, it must happen to me.”

The priest stands there for a short while, watching her, amazed at what he has heard. “Surely my young lady, you have indeed inherited the wisdom of your beloved…”. Gabrielle stands petrified for a moment, astonished by what she has heard. Helton laughs discreetly “Don’t worry, your dreams are well kept…”.

Then, he begins the ritual, but with a more formal voice echoing through the room the liturgy that was once narrated to his beloved during her rescue mission, but this time, both the priest and the bard took turns speaking, until she fell asleep in a peaceful and deep sleep.

Gabrielle feels a change occur in her back, the softness of the bed hardening like stone and growing cold, sensations of hunger and damp cold arise that take over her completely to the point of trembling. She opens her eyes, steadies her hands and applies enough strength to stand up.

A cold wind blows through her, applying enough force to unbalance her for a moment. Ahead of her, there is a passage in a forest, and at the end of it, a clearing with a lit fire, warm clothes and food ready, looking back, a high cliff, and at the end, another passage amidst lifeless trees, in a rugged and dark terrain.

“ Gods, it’s too high, I have to stay away from this… I might fall if I lose my balance again…” Suddenly she hears groans, screams, the metallic and off-key echo of swords clashing frantically in the distance, coming from far below, and a unique war cry familiar to her. “ Xena? It’s you!”

Without thinking twice, she looks down and tries to find a way to get down this precipice, but her attention is interrupted by a voice, which echoes inside her “ Close your eyes… concentrate on the sounds… what do you see?”. Gabrielle relaxes all her muscles, and begins to pay attention to each sound.

I… see a battle… I see you… riding… full of fury… despair… that irregular buzzing… I know that sound… it’s your cha… Gabrielle opens her eyes and instinctively moves to her left. Something passes extremely quickly by her, being able to feel the shift of the wind and a hollow boom right behind her.

Turning around, she notices the circular weapon stuck in the trunk of one of the trees. On the ground, a few meters of vine cut by the weapon. The bard can’t help but smile at the brilliant idea that came to her. Grabbing the vine, she begins to tie it while a new scream emerges from within her, which comes out as a hoarse whisper Xena… hold on tight… I’m coming… I… love you…