Disclaimer: Xena Warrior Princess, its characters, and all related materials are the property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures. The other characters are mine. Like the show, I’m playing around with time lines, as well as items which could not have possibly existed in Greece during Xena and Gabrielle’s time.
Rated: PG-13 Violence: None Sexual Violence: None Subtext: Yes
Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated at: crstljaguar@aol.com
First and foremost, I’d like to give a big thank you to Bill The Semi-Bard (who is really a full fledge bard!) for his awesome editing skills!
A big thank you to Ambyrhawke Shadowsinger for sweeping up behind Bill and I.
Next, I’d like to give a very big thank you to, you know who you are, for sharing your tale of an encounter with a woodchuck! Thanks for having a sense of humor and allowing me to poke fun at your expense.
This story was inspired from the interview with Björk in the special issue of Time: Music Goes Global.
With meticulous care, the bard glanced at first one, then another. Her brows were creased in deep concentration while her fingers gently poked and prodded. Not pleased so far with any of the selections, she frowned as she continued to sort through the basket.
"Gabrielle, would you just pick one?" the impatient warrior shifted in place as she crossed her arms.
"Xena, this has to be done carefully. This is a very special holiday; we can’t just settle on the first one," the blonde tried to explain to her companion.
With an audible sigh, Xena glanced at the basket of fruit. Seeing one, she reached into the basket and held it out to her lover, "How about this one?"
Gabrielle glanced at the fruit, her expression incredulous as she took the offered fruit and inspected it. "Xena, this isn’t even ripe yet. Look," she said as she pushed the tip of her thumb into the unyielding fruit. "We can’t have that tonight; it’s not ready."
"Gabrielle….." the warrior’s tone was laced with annoyance, "I just don’t understand how difficult it can be to pick out a pomegranate."
"Not just any pomegranate, but one worthy of tonight’s celebration," at the thought of the night of love in store for them, Gabrielle’s cheeks turned a slight shade of red as she glanced up at Xena. Then she turned a dismissing glance toward the owner of the fruit stand who hovered nearby.
"Oh yeah!" Xena smiled blissfully as her mind conjured up images of what the night would bring for them. Then, as an after thought, she arched a questioning brow, "Gabrielle, not that I need an excuse to make love to you, but tell me again why we’re doing this?"
"Because, tonight is Samhain, the Celtic holiday when time and space are temporarily merged and the spirits are free to either pass their blessings or tricks onto the living. Depending how, um, good tonight is, the spirits may bestow us with a blessing…." The bard’s seductive voice trailed off as a sly smiled crossed her lips, then she held the fruit up toward her warrior lover, "And the pomegranate is a symbol for the Goddess, Persephone. Tonight is when she has to leave her mother, Demeter, to join her husband, Hades, in the underworld."
"But if we’re not in Celtic lands anymore, why are we celebrating their holiday? Can’t we just chose one tradition to follow?" Xena’s impatience at shopping was starting to show through the tone of her voice.
"Xena, we could just celebrate the tradition of our own people," the bard agreed, then smiled as her eyes got a far off look, "but we’ve traveled to far lands, and learned so many other traditions and beliefs. Some similar to what we know, yet others… so very different. I just thought it would be nice if we started our own tradition by incorporating what we like from others! Maybe by mixing up all of the traditions, we can create our own special magic," the bard’s excitement was contagious.
"Sort of like making them our own?" the tall warrior’s lips turned slightly upward as she smiled down at her lover.
Gazing upward, the bard’s green eyes sparkled in the afternoon sun. "Well, why not have our own traditions, things that are just ours alone?" Gabrielle’s voice lowered as she looked shyly away.
"All right, we’ll start our own tradition by honoring the traditions of other cultures, but don’t ever ask me to dress up and go from door to door!" Xena stated firmly as she returned her glanced to the contents in the basket. "Now, tell me again, why a pomegranate?"
"Because the pomegranate represents the Goddess Persephone and the sacrifice she is making," the bard explained. When Gabrielle saw her tall lover arch a puzzled brow, the bard smiled as she reached over to a pomegranate that had been sliced open and sitting on a plate, "See how womanly the pomegranate is?" Gabrielle asked with a hushed whisper as she showed the inner fruit to the Greek warrior.
For a moment, Xena glanced down at the multitude of seeds nestled within the fruit. Her lips scowled as she tried to understand her lover’s words, then, as she focused on a single seed, her lips turned into a broad smile as dawning came over her. "Oh yes, I can defiantly see the similarities!" Xena agreed as she took the fruit from her bard and began to compare the shape of the seed to that, oh so special, and sweetly delicious nub nestled between Gabrielle’s nether lips. As if reading her mind, the bard grabbed the fruit from her hands and returned it to the plate.
"You’ll just have to wait for that!" Gabrielle chuckled as she saw the innocent expression cross over her warrior lover. "For now, I have to find the right one, then tonight will be perfect." The smaller woman returned to her hunt for the perfect pomegranate.
Glancing around, Xena released an audible sigh. She shifted from foot to foot as she grew impatient. As an idea came to mind, the dark warrior slyly smiled as she turned back to her lover. "Hey, Gabrielle, why don’t I just go ahead and set up camp, do a little hunting, get our dinner started, then you can come and join me when you’re finished?"
"Yeah, ok. Where will camp be?" the bard asked, only half of her attention on Xena and the rest on her search.
"I’m not sure…I think I’ll ask the stable hand if he knows a nice…umm, secluded area outside of the village to camp. I’ll leave word with him as soon as I find out," the warrior explained before leaving her bard.
"Yeah….ok," Gabrielle replied as she dug through the basket, her fingers touching every fruit as her eyes scanned for the best one available. For Gabrielle, time seemed to stand still as she carefully examined each fruit. After what seemed an eternity for the fruit stand owner, the blonde smiled as she held up her chosen treasure.
"How much for this one?" she asked. With great deliberation, the owner looked at the fruit, then named her price. "Hah! You’re kidding! For this? Why, I’ve seen better fruit out behind the tavern in their trash heap!" The blonde customer stated in a slightly higher voice.
With a patient sigh, the owner shook her head as she glanced heavenward, praying to the gods for patience. Against her better judgment, the fruit stand owner merely shook her head and allowed the stranger to haggle down the price. Once the coins were in her hand, the owner hurriedly gathered her fruit together. It would bode ill to be caught out past dusk on All Hallow’s Eve, she reasoned to herself as she watched the blonde walking away, whistling with each light step she took. No, it would not bode well at all, the fruit owner thought with a shake of her head.
Gabrielle found her way to the stable. After inquiring about Xena, the young man handed her a small parchment. With an arch of a brow, she read her lover’s words, then turned to the man.
"Excuse me, but do you know which way to, umm, the Forest of Tears?" Gabrielle asked. At her question, the man’s eyes grew large; his face paled as he stared at her.
"The Forest of Tears! Why would you want to go there?" he asked with a shake of his head.
"That’s where my friend said we were setting up camp, see, right here, the Forest of Tears," she showed the man the parchment with Xena’s handwriting.
He glanced at it, swallowed nervously, then gulped. "Your friend is daft if she wants to stay there!" His voice was harsh as he shook his head.
"Why?" Gabrielle’s brows furrowed as she tried to understand what could be wrong with Xena’s chosen site.
"Why?" the man’s voice was stern as he gestured wildly, "Because nothing good ever came of that place! Why, by Zeus, I swear that forest is haunted!" he hissed, "It’s filled with all kinds of bad spirits, there is evil in that place! Everyone knows that!" he spat.
For a moment Gabrielle thought over his words. She watched him as he turned away, his back to her as he continued to sweep up the stable. Then, with a smile she nodded her head. So, Xena, you were listening to me last night when I told the townsfolk the myths of trickster spirits that walk on All Hallow’s Eve, the bard thought to herself. So, you want to have some fun tonight, huh, Xena? Ok, we can have some fun, she smiled as she turned to the man again.
"Ok, but how do I get to this forest?" she asked again.
"You mean after all I’ve said, you still want to go?" the man seemed to cringe.
Seeing the look on his face, Gabrielle smiled and shook her head. "Oh, I see! Xena put you up to this, right?" She chuckled, "You know, if she’s trying to scare me, it’s not going to work. Two can play at that game!"
"Beg pardon?" The man’s expression was filled with confusion as he glanced down at her.
"I have to admit, you’re good. But it’s not going to work. No, Xena’s got to get up pretty early in the morning if she’s going to play a trick on me!" Gabrielle explained with satisfaction. "So, how do I find this oh, so spooky Forest of Tears?" she chuckled as she mimicked being frightened.
"Head out of town, due east, follow that road all the way," the man’s frown was visible as he scratched his chin.
"Thank you," the bard all but chuckled at the man’s dramatic abilities. As she left the barn, she heard the man mutter under his breath, "Foolish woman!"
"No, Xena, you’ve got to be pretty smart to fool me!" the blonde spoke out loud as she made her way from the village. As she walked down the dirt road, she found herself chuckling. She had filled their prior evening with the tales and traditions of various lands and of monsters and demons who played tricks on unsuspecting villagers and made lone people vanish, never to be seen again. With a chuckle, Gabrielle only smiled. "Nope, this is one bard who will not be unsuspecting!" she promised as she made her way toward the forest her friend had indicated.
After nearly a candle mark, Gabrielle noticed the sun slowly setting as she stood at a fork in the road. As she tried to remember the instructions, she reread the parchment from Xena, then glanced down the left fork in the road. In the distance, she noticed the road disappearing into the lush greenness of a small forest. With an arch of a brow, she looked toward the right fork in the road. The trees, like the left side, were large and looming in the distance. Before she could decide which way to go, a sound caught her attention. Glancing to the left, she noticed a wagon moving slowly down the road. Harnessed in front of the wagon was a single mule.
The wagon itself was painted a brilliant blue hue and was covered with a brown canvas tarp. Along the side of the wagon in a vivid color of yellow was the name, Paidiko’s Fine Utensils And Eating Supplies, the name of the man’s peddling business. In the back of the wagon were numerous containers that rattled and clanked against each other. When the wagon grew closer, the bard waved at the driver.
The old man glanced down at her, his scruffy beard moving slowly as he chewed on the tip of a thin stick. "You’re an awful long way from the village," his scratchy voice said as he assessed her. "You shouldn’t stay out here, All Hallow’s Eve will soon be upon us. You must get indoors, young lady," the old man advised.
"I know, but I’m looking for a friend. We’re going to be camping out tonight." She explained as she smiled up at the wizened face.
"Camping? Tonight? Oh, no, miss! You should not be camping outside, especially not tonight!" he shook his head as he removed his hat, then wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Trust me on this! All Hallow’s Eve is not the time to be outside. The spirits, they can be mean sometimes," his voice grew deep, "especially if they judge you harshly!"
"Thank you, but I’m sure we’ll be ok. Would you happen to know which of these roads leads to…" She halted dramatically before saying, "The Forest of Tears?" the bard asked the man, keenly watching for the reaction she was certain she would get.
She was rewarded when his eyes shot open wide as he stared down at her. "The Forest of Tears! Now why would you want to go there? Don’t you know that there are horrible spirits living in there? Why, not two years ago, two young ones came up missing. That forest swallowed them! It’s a hungry place, it will eat the very life and soul of anyone who goes in it. Mark my words, young lady, you don’t want to be there at night!" he stated, then asked again, "Why in Hades would you even want to go there?" Then he waved away her question, "Let me guess, your friend is there, yes?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, she is. Could you please tell me which road will take me there?" she asked again, giggling inside at his terrible acting abilities.
The old man scratched his stubbly beard as he looked down at the old mule that pulled his wagon. Shaking his head, he looked down at her. "I shouldn’t ought to tell you, but since you’re so bent on going to meet up with your friend, it’s that one on the right. Just keep going that way and the forest will be the one to greet you, but remember, I told you not to go there!" he warned with a nod, then picked up the reins, whistled at his mule and coaxed it down the road.
Gabrielle grinned as she watched the wagon’s slow progression. She heard the man’s soft voice singing a bawdy song about Aphrodite and a Cyclops, then returned her attention to the fork in the road. At the sight of the distant forest, the bard sighed, then began to move down the dirt road. In less than half a candlemark, the sun was slowly setting, and she had made it only half way to the forest
The orange-red hues of the sky cast an illumination over the tall treetops. For a moment, Gabrielle stopped and watched the trees moving in the wind. The long branches fanned upward toward the sky then dipped down like clawed fingers toward the earth. Each time the wind blew through the branches, she saw the tips scratching at the ground as if to dig into the earth. With a shudder, the bard pulled her cloak closer around her body. When she realized how she was reacting to the setting, , she smiled at herself.
Ok, Xena, now you’ve outdone yourself! Your little joke was almost going to work, she thought with a smile. No, I will not let this place get the better of me, she vowed as she bolstered her courage and began to walk toward the dark forest. Before she could take more than a few steps, a loud neighing sound arose from deep within the forest. She heard the sound of hooves and waited until the galloping horse emerged from the thick tree limbs.
"Argo?" She recognized Xena’s horse immediately. Riderless, the golden mare galloped from the dark shadows toward her. "Whoa, Argo, whoa! Calm down, girl," she coaxed the horse as she grabbed the reigns, her heels digging into the ground as she tried to stop the mare’s headlong flight. After a moment of physical struggling, the horse stopped in her tracks and looked down at the bard with wide eyes and blew through her nostrils. Argo tossed her head up, then paced nervously.
"That’s better girl, it’s all right! Shh! Its all right!" Gabrielle soothed the frightened animal. "What happened girl? Where’s Xena?" she asked as she patted down the horse. She felt the damp sweat pouring from the mare’s back, noticed the slight foam that came from her mouth. As the bard inspected the saddle, she tried to understand what had happened. There was nothing to show that Xena had fallen off, the saddle was completely intact. The fact that there was no blood anywhere on the saddle reassured the now worried bard.
"Come on, girl, let’s see what happened to Xena," the blonde spoke in a soothing voice as she hoisted herself into the saddle. Once seated, she took the reins and brought the horse around. At a slight trot, they made their way back to the forest. As the bard’s mind raced over the numerous possibilities, the horse suddenly stopped before entering the forest.
"Come on, girl," she tried to coax as she lightly tapped Argo’s side. Refusing to move, Argo stepped back, her head bobbing up and down as she bit down on the reins, her eyes rolling in her head from fear. When the horse almost bucked, Gabrielle jumped from her back. "Ok girl….all right," so cooed as she softly stroked along Argo’s nose. "It’s all right, you don’t have to follow, just wait here for us, ok?" she said as she turned toward the darkness. Dropping her satchel of clothing and scrolls by the road, she removed her cape and draped it over the bag.
With a sigh, Gabrielle looked off in the distance and wished, not for the first time, that the sun would not be setting so soon. Shaking away this thought, the bard looked back at Argo who was now pacing nervously, her head turning toward the forest, then back toward the open clearing. As if she was too close to the darkness, Xena’s horse moved to the open clearing and stood waiting for the bard.
"Ok, this is fine, it’s going to be ok," Gabrielle spoke softly into the air, attempting to bolster her courage, as she moved toward the darkness. "You know, Gabrielle, this whole thing could just be part of Xena’s little joke," she said to herself as she crossed the threshold of the forest, "Yep, just one big funny joke … that she is defiantly going to pay for!"
For a moment, the bard wasn’t certain why it felt so….creepy, then she realized that the forest held an eerie silence. The insects that usually buzzed were silent. Not even the gentle chirping of crickets could be heard. Just as she realized this, a sudden sound called down from above her. "Whoo, whoo, whoo!" the gentle cadence called down to her. Jumping at the sound, the blonde had her sais in her hands ready to do battle. When she saw the golden eyes looking down from a branch of a tree, she chuckled to herself.
"Calm down, Gabrielle, it’s only an owl," she chided herself as she returned her weapons to her boots. Chuckling at her own reactions, she glanced up at the owl, then bowed regally. "And how are you, my ‘Whoo’ friend?" she smiled as the initial fear dissipated slightly. The owl’s eyes blinked once, then returned to its silent vigil.
"Ok, now to find Xena," she said to herself as she continued to walk down the dirt road. The trees all around her seemed to be closing in, their tendrils reaching down for her. As a shiver crossed her spine, a faint, distant howl brushed through the trees.
"Xena?" she called as she glanced into the darkness, the road below her feet all but disappearing in the darkness. From somewhere nearby, she felt a sharp branch scratch over her cheek. Blinking at the sudden stinging contact, Gabrielle ducked her head as she pushed through the low tree limbs.
"Xena…" she whispered as the forest grew cold. "Xena, this is a really good joke, I have to admit that! You win, ok?" she called out a little louder. Before an answer could be heard, she felt a cold hand resting on her shoulder. Turning suddenly, she was greeted with a glowing skeletal figure, the bony fingers reaching out for her. With a yelp, then a full-blown scream, Gabrielle turned and ran as fast as she could away from the creature.
Through branches and over dirt, her feet carried her further into the dense, dark forest. Finally, panting and out of breath, she turned behind her and searched for the creature that had tried to grab her. When nothing was seen, she looked around in hopes of finding a direction to go toward. Off in the distance, she saw the slight glow of a fire’s light. Sighing with relief, the small bard began to make her way to the camp.
"Xena!" She called out a bit louder as she climbed over fallen trees. "It’s about time I found you!" her voice was loud enough to show her anger. "So help me, Xena…" she began to say, but grew deathly silent when she broke past the last branches into the forest clearing.
Gabrielle glanced around the empty camp. In the center of the clearing was a neatly made campfire, but the wood that had been gathered was left strewn around the camp. Xena’s pack sat untouched by the dying embers. As the bard moved around the camp, she glanced at everything, hoping that she could find some clues to what had happened to her lover. After what felt like an eternity of searching, Gabrielle suddenly became frozen in place as a low, wailing sound arose from behind her. As the hair stood on the back of her neck, she turned slowly around and stared wide-eyed into the dark forest.
"Oooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," the deep, resonating moan of a man in pain echoed through the branches.
For a moment in time, Gabrielle thought her heart had stopped. Her mind was frozen as her body was petrified with fear. As her hearing became acutely aware of everything around her, the sound reverberated through the darkness again.
"Oooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," it called out, beckoning for her like a phantom in the night.
"Oh…my…." Gabrielle said after she looked up into the thick branches of the trees. A face, large and white glared down at her, it’s eyes casting rays of red heat. Instinctively, the bard turned and ran away from the sight, away from the campfire. Panicked and filled with fear, she found herself running through the dark forest, the low branches of the trees slapping her rudely in the face, her feet stumbling over hidden rocks and branches. As she slowed her pace, the blonde glanced over her shoulders to see if she was being chased. Once more panting and out of breath, she turned back around and saw a large phantom standing in the middle of her path.
Gabrielle released a slight scream while her hands grabbed her sais of their own volition. As she stood almost petrified with fear, the creature slowly raised its arms and she flinched as if struck.
"BOO!" it called out.
"Boo?" The bard’s thoughts spun. "What kind of a demon says, ‘Boo!?’"
When the chuckling laughter came from the creature, she remained frozen, her weapons at ready as she stared at the dark spirit.
"XENA!" the bard recognized her lover’s laughter. With the danger gone, Gabrielle returned her weapons to her boots.
Unable to control her fit of hysteria, the warrior removed the blanket that was covering her head as she buckled over holding her sides. "Oh….G-Gabrielle! You …s-should see your face!" the warrior cackled in the darkness.
Angered, Gabrielle reached out and slapped her lover’s shoulder, "Xena, this was all a-a joke?" She screamed at the warrior who was laughing so hard that tears fell from her eyes.
"Yeah….I-I’m…..sorry….oh, Gabrielle! Your expression was priceless," Xena giggled like a hyena as she fought to control her fits.
With only a shake of her head, the fuming bard turned away from her lover and moved back to the campfire. The sound of Xena’s cackling followed her as they made their way back through the dense forest. When they entered the open clearing, the bard folded her arms over her chest and glared at the warrior who suddenly sat on the ground, her giggles breaking free as she tried valiantly to control them. Seeing Xena like this, the bard shook her head as a sigh escaped her control. Then with a smile, she began to echo her lover’s giggles. Soon they were both laughing uncontrollably and the clearing rang with their laughter.
"So … this was … all a-a joke?" Gabrielle asked through her spasms of laughter.
"Yeah," Xena nodded as she wiped the tears from her eyes, then doubled over from more fits of laughter. "I’m s-sorry!" she chortled as she held her side.
"The camp fire…the logs, the packs, it was all part of the joke?" the blonde asked Xena.
"Yeah…" Xena’s chuckled softly as she nodded.
"The stable man…and the old man out on the trail…even Argo, that was all part of the joke?" Gabrielle asked as her giggles raged out of control. At her question, Xena suddenly sat up and looked around.
"Argo? What do you mean? What happened to Argo?" she asked as she stood and looked around the camp.
"Come on Xena, joke over. It’s ok, I know you planned it all and I should have figured out that Argo was in on it!" Gabrielle laughed heartily.
With a look of concern, Xena turned to her. "No, Gabrielle, I’m serious. What do you mean? What happened? Where is Argo?"
At the seriousness of her lover, the bard’s laughter came to a halt. "You mean you didn’t send her out of the forest all worked up?"
With a gulp and a shake of her head, Xena shook her head no.
"Oh, come on, Xena! Fun is fun, but the joke is over! You’re not going to try and tell me that you didn’t set this all up? That you didn’t tell the stable man to try to scare me, or that you didn’t talk the peddler into scaring me, or Argo into running out of the forest like she was afraid?" Gabrielle was starting to get annoyed at the length of this joke.
"No, Gabrielle. I swear, I didn’t talk to anyone and I certainly didn’t send Argo away. I had her right there," she pointed to a nearby meadow. "I was going to take her saddle off as soon as I set up camp, but then I thought of playing this trick on you. Argo had become occupied with the grass, so I left her alone to eat," Xena explained. Then she looked down seriously at the bard, "And I most certainly did not talk to anyone. I just gave the parchment to the stable hand to give to you."
"Then what about all of his talk about there being spirits here?" Gabrielle hoped that it was all part of the joke.
"Gabrielle, that rumor has always existed about this forest. I knew about it a long time ago, but my army never had any troubles." Xena answered.
"Then you’ve been here before?" The bard suddenly felt a chill cross her spine.
"Yes…well, I mean, we never camped in this forest, but we used it as a short cut to get to Amphipolis. We never saw anything that resembled a spirit," Xena explained with a shake of her head.
"Then this place isn’t….haunted?" the bard asked.
"No Gabrielle, it is not haunted," Xena assured as she moved to gather the fallen wood, "And I don’t know what spooked Argo, maybe a woodchuck, or something," Xena offered.
"A woodchuck!" Gabrielle snorted, "Come on Xena, maybe Joxer would be scared of a big furry rodent, but Argo would never get that spooked by one!"
Just as she spoke, a low, moaning sound came from the darkness of the forest. "Oooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh."
Both women, suddenly froze in place, their gazes locked on one another. Gabrielle’s green eyes were pleading for confirmation that Xena was still playing her trick. With a gulp and a negative shake of her head, the warrior remained silent as she glanced nervously around their camp.
"Oooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh." The moaning grew in intensity as the two women looked around at the all pervading darkness outside the camp. When Gabrielle noticed her lover’s widened eyes staring upward into the trees, she turned and followed her gaze. With an audible gulp, the bard saw a huge and hideous face glaring down at them from the treetops. "Oooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," it moaned deeply.
"Gabrielle…" Xena’s voice was hushed as she drew her sword, then keeping her eyes on the face, she moved slowly to the dying embers.
With only a nod, Gabrielle moved to Xena’s discarded pack. As the warrior kicked dirt onto the embers, the bard hoisted the pack to her back, never once taking her eyes off of the glowing face. When the creature released another deep moan, the bard took one glance at her lover. At Xena’s nod, she turned and ran in the direction that led from the forest.
"Oooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," the cry rang out in the forest.
"Run, Gabrielle!" the bard heard her lover shout from behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the dark outline of Xena following close behind. The sound of their crashing footfalls were drowned by the wailing sound of the spirit. With curses and mutters under her breath, her lover followed closely. Only when they broke out into the clearing did they slow their pace.
Panting, Gabrielle rested her hands on her knees as she was bent over fighting for air. "So I-I…g-guess you had nothing to do with that, either?" she asked her lover who had sheathed her sword. The warrior’s breaths were labored as she glanced back at the dark outline of the trees.
"No, that definitely was not me, Gabrielle," she said as she glanced down at the blanket she still held, then began to roll it up into a tight bundle.
"Xena, w-what in Tartarus was that?" the bard asked as she stared around at the darkness of the trees outside the circle of moonlight. In the distance, Argo neighed as she moved toward them. When the blonde spotted the outline of her bags and cape on the trail, she went to retrieve them.
Xena followed her. "I…I don’t know Gabrielle, but I suggest that we find another place to camp out for the night!" The warrior, not usually prone to fear, now urged them quickly away from the dark forest.
"Agreed," was all the bard could say as she followed her lover toward Argo.
Deep within the forest, a slight muffled laughter filtered through the trees. With an uncontrollable chortle, the little winged, manlike figure rolled over onto his side, his wings enfolding his body like a cape. Near him, his friend giggled uncontrollably as they watched the two humans and the horse run from their forest. The small creatures were both members of the Fae Folk, better known by humans as ‘Pixies’, and they were both young for their kind.
"O-Oh, did you see that!" the blonde haired pixie child giggled as he glanced up at his friend. With a broad grin and an impish chuckle, the dark haired pixie leaned against the tree as he fought for air.
"Oh, too, too funny!" he snickered as he took the hollowed out gourd, placed his mouth on the smallest opening, and wailed out a hideous sound, "Oooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" He giggled, and fell down with laughter, his wings twitching in amusement.
"Well, for funny, how about this?" The blonde pixie flew up to a pumpkin they had placed in the tree earlier, then pulled the leaf from in front of the carved face and allowed the candle within to brighten up the glowing, scowling face.
"Oh, yeah! That was such a good idea! And did you see how that little one jumped when the tree branch got caught on her shoulder?" The dark haired one giggled as his wings fluttered, carrying him slightly off of the tree branch and they both spun through the air laughing.
The children of the Fae Folk never needed to wander far for their amusement. All they had to do was wait in their trees and watch for unsuspecting visitors to come to their land. Then, like their fathers before them, they would try to scare the wits out of any human who wandered into their forest. As long as it was harmless, adult pixies left their children to their own devises. It was reasoned that there would be enough time for seriousness, because once they grew to be adults, they were expected to be guardians of the forest, as their parents before them had been.
The forest was all that they knew, for from as far back as they could remember, their people had lived here, safe from harm.. Although the pixie elders knew that the world was much bigger than their tree filled land, their magic, their powers remained deeply rooted within these forests and glens and the trees that were their home. Knowing the awesome responsibility that the children would inherit, the Fae Folk gave liberal freedom to their offspring.
Pixie children could generally do what they wished and every once in a while, they actually did good, like years before when they were able to help the two young human lovers escape the disapproval of their parents. With the pixie children’s help, the two humans hid in the forest, protected and fed by the Fae Folk, while their parents hunted outside for them. Then, the pixies guided them to the other side of the forest and pointed them toward the human city that would take them and allow them to be with each other for the rest of their lives.
Pixie children were never considered bad, they were simply allowed to enjoy the amusements that were freely at their disposal and enjoy them they did.
As the two pixie children continued to congratulate each other on their fine trick, from a nearby tree trunk, a stern voice called down to them. "Aluishus, are you scaring humans again?"
The blond pixie child flinched. "No, mother!" he shouted.
With a deep-set frown, his mother hovered near the entrance of their home, her eyes boring deeply into him. "W-Well, um…not much, mother," he offered with a contrite look.
"I thought so! Stop scaring those poor humans! Don’t you think they have enough to worry about? Lands sake, you’re as bad as your father when he was your age! Now come on in, it’s late!" She scolded, then flew into their home.
With an apologetic smile, Aluishus sighed, then waved at his friend. "I’d better go," he said as his fairy wings began to carry him upward.
"Yeah, me too," the dark imp sighed before blowing out the candle inside of the pumpkin. "My mom will be looking for me, too," he said as he made certain that the candle was out. Then he flung himself soaring through the air toward his treetop home. "See ya tomorrow," he yelled.
Epilogue
"I’m telling you Xena, a peddler came down that road and warned me against going into the forest!" Gabrielle insisted as she stood at the fork in the road. Behind her, she heard Xena using her flint and steel to start a torch.
"And I’m telling you, Gabrielle, that isn’t possible," she said as she began to blow, then waited for the moss at the tip of the wooden stick to catch fire. When the flame caught, the warrior stood and moved to her lover. She pointed the torch out toward the left road. "That road is all washed out, it happened years ago. And even if it wasn’t, the road ends at a river with no bridge. There is no way that a peddler could have come from that way."
With a shake of her head, the bard moved around the open clearing. By the light of the full moon, she searched for any proof that she could give to her lover. "I know what I saw, Xena, and it came from that direction," she said firmly. As her foot hit an obstacle, a slight thumping was heard against her boot. Kneeling down, she felt to see what her boot had, struck, then strained to pull up the slight board.
In silence, Xena moved behind the bard, the torch held high as she watched her lover brushing off the crusted dirt from a piece of old, rotting wood. At the sight of lettering, the bard quickly tugged at the faded board until it broke from the earth. Leaning down, Xena began to help the blonde clean the dirt from it.
"Paidiko’s Fine…." Gabrielle whispered the part that was legible, and her eyes grew wide. A pale expression crossed her features.
"I can’t make out the rest," Xena said as she continued to rub the dirt from the last part of the board, squinting as she tried to make out the partial letters.
"It says, ‘Paidiko’s Fine Utensils And Eating Supplies,’" the fear in Gabrielle’s voice was barely masked as she carefully returned the wood to the ground.
Xena was skeptical. "How do you know that? I can barely make it out."
"Because…t-that’s what it said on the old man’s wagon," Gabrielle explained as a shiver crossed her spine. Xena glanced down at her lover as understanding dawned.
"Oh," was all the tall warrior said as she looked at the old, rotting wood. "Umm, Gabrielle, is there anything in the Samhain tradition that requires us to celebrate it outdoors, under the stars?"
With an uneasy chuckle, Gabrielle brushed the dirt from her hands as she looked up at her lover. "You know, Xena, that’s the beauty of creating our own traditions… we can make them whatever we wish!" She tried to smile as she saw her lover’s stern expression through the flickering torch light that she held high.
"Then, my dear bard, I say we spend tonight’s holiday back at the inn in the village," Xena said firmly.
"You’ll get no arguments from me," Gabrielle glanced nervously around, suddenly afraid to be out in the open under the bright full moon. Without waiting for a response, Xena turned and moved toward Argo. With her pack secure, the warrior princess dropped the torch to the ground, stomped out the flame, then easily mounted the large mare’s back.
"Ready?" Xena asked as she held a hand down for the bard. Nodding, Gabrielle took a hold of her lover’s strong forearm, then hopped upward as Xena pulled her onto the horse’s back. "I say the sooner, the better!" the warrior said as she felt the smaller woman’s arms snake around her waist, then coaxed Argo into a fast trot back toward the village.
As Gabrielle held on tightly, she laid her head against her lover’s back. With each movement from Argo, she felt Xena’s muscles rippling under her touch. The smell of leather wafted to the bard’s nostrils as she tried to find a logical explanation for what had happened. When she opened her eyes, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck rising, as a cold chill seemed to touch her shoulders.
The bard knew that she should not have looked back. Deep within her soul she knew that nothing would be accomplished by glancing back at the road where they had just left. But despite her inner warnings, she turned and caught a glimpse of the fork in the road.
By the full moon's light, she saw only the emptiness of the road. Then as if someone or something had read her thoughts, she heard the distant clanking, rattling sounds of a wagon rolling over the road. With wide eyes, Gabrielle watched as the peddler’s wagon pulled into the moonlight and passed the fork in the road. As she felt her heart racing out of control, the bard shut her eyes tightly, then opened them, hoping that the apparition would be gone.
With a wide smile and a tilt of his hat towards her, the old man nodded and took up the reins of his mule. With only a slight clicking sound, he urged the mule onward. Gabrielle watched as the spirit wagon moved a short distance before vanishing into thin air as the bawdy song about Aphrodite and a Cyclops floated in the wind.
With a shake of her head, the bard buried her face against her lover’s broad back. As the cold wind blew past them, she closed her eyes as the strangeness of this night’s events filled her mind. Although she had told many a tale before, this, she suspected, would be one that many of her listeners would not believe.
"But I don’t care whether they believe it or not," Gabrielle thought as she clung tightly to her lover’s strong back. "For me at least, from this day forward, Samhain, All Hallow’s Eve, will always be a night filled with magic."
Happy Samhain!
Anyone who wishes to know the words to the bawdy song about Aphrodite and a Cyclops, please send your requests to:
Ambyrhawke@aol.com ;-)
 |
Main : What's New : Library : Gaming Room : Census Room : Staff Pix : Map Room : Link To Us : Forum : Newsletter : Guestscroll : Webrings : Contact Staff |