*********

Although they gave one another occasional side glances, wondering what the other was thinking, they did not talk much as they traveled. What was important was already said, as painful as it was, and neither felt the need to further dwell on the subject of their buckled future together. Mentally it took too much concentration and emotionally it was a trial. Both warriors needed to direct their attention on the problem at hand; the rescue of a friend and undoing of a hazardous Amazon tribe.

Halfway to their destination Iolaus and Gabrielle at first heard the high pitched giggles of undisciplined young Amazon hopefuls, then saw and met with a weary Solari. Six other Melosan Amazons were with her, appearing equally worn. With them were the children, the young girls the
amazon-animals were going to indoctrinate into their tribe.

"None of them belong to any of the Amazons in the tribe." Solari told her queen about the girls, "Some were taken from their families and others volunteered to go, hoping for the exciting life of an Amazon warrior. I don't think any of these kids knew what they were getting themselves into." She looked over her shoulder at a group of pre teens who were tittering over something they thought quite hilarious, "A few of them still don't understand. They're coming with us because they think one tribe is as good
as another. When we get back to our village we'll have to show them what being an Amazon is really about."

'Or send them home.' Iolaus thought but kept silent.

"What happened after we left?" Gabrielle asked, "How are our numbers?"

"Two are seriously wounded." Solari reported, solemnly. "Would have been more but we got the jump on them. Almost thought we were going to take the camp and have total victory but these women are incredible fighters. They don't give up easily. It's as if they aren't even human."

Iolaus met Gabrielle's eyes briefly.

Solari continued, "I think we took out ten of their numbers but it came at a high cost."

"You mean other than the two wounded Melosans?" Iolaus spoke aloud for the first time.

Solari glanced at him but spoke to Gabrielle, "Tamara and Bria have both been captured." She paused momentarily then added, "We found Mieka's body."

All looked over at the wrapped form prostrate over the saddle of Solari's horse.

Iolaus nodded, "I saw it happen. I'm sorry."

For a moment Solari's eyes burned with indignation but, for her queen's sake, she kept her thoughts in check. She didn't trust men and probably never would. Sometimes the Amazons were forced to work with them and Solari herself had had a fling with a Greek soldier or two, sometimes males could be entertaining if used the right way, but they simply were never to be trusted.

"I'm surprised Tamara was captured." Gabrielle commented, remembering the Amazon's determination.

"She was distracted." Another Amazon, Lavina, came up beside Solari. "By *what* I'm not sure but I saw her guard drop when she spotted or heard something. The enemy got a jump on her. She could have been killed but instead they carried her away to an area ..." Lavina paused, "I think I saw her taken to a stable -- and there was a man there."

"Leverage." Gabrielle thought aloud, "She and Bria are going to be used as bartering tools."

"Their lives for our queen's." Solari agreed, "I don't think they knew who you were when we fought, Gabrielle. I have a feeling Mieka gave them a totally counterfeit description of you before she died."

Lavina smiled, "Mieka was loyal to her tribe and our queen until the end."

A respectful moment of silence followed.

Diverted, recalling when he was the guest of the amazon-animals, Iolaus studied a short, thin metal length with a rough edge - a decoration really - which was tethered to a strip of dark leather. It dangled from Lavina's right shoulder. "We're going to need a lock pick." he commented out of the blue, pulling at the adornment; snapping it from the leather. He recognized the Amazon's dubious expressions. With a wry smile Iolaus added, "An old hunter's trick."

Gabrielle understood Iolaus well enough to know he had a purpose. She acknowledged his cleverness. Then, shaking off the silent admiration for a moment, she cleared her throat and spoke to Solari: "About six miles down this path, in a small clearing, Ephiny and Trista are waiting. Go to them
and tell them Iolaus and I are rescuing Tamara and the others."

"But ..." Solari started.

"No one is to interfere." Gabrielle stated firmly, "I want all the Melsoan's back in our village, ready for battle. When we return it may be in a hurry -- and we could have the enemy right behind us."

*******

"And you've been here for three months?" Anyone looking at Tamara now would have been shocked. Not because she was chained hard against a piece of strong fencing in the pig pen, which now housed more than one prisoner, or because her face was currently a mass of cuts and bruises. The surprise would come because she was speaking gently, some might even say tenderly, to the man who sat before her, the slightly besotted prisoner who blithered and begged forgiveness.

"I fought them at first, really I did." he said, "But they are so strong. I never had your resolve, Tata. But your mother and I missed you when you left ..."

"But you understood why I left, didn't you?" Tamara whispered.

"Because you weren't accepted into the Greek army?" He gazed at her and nodded slowly, "Honestly, I'm not sure."

"It wasn't just that I wasn't accepted, Papa, it was that a woman as patriotic as I was could not physically fight for the land she loves. I'm more than capable but was expected to to stay at home and keep quiet."

"You wanted to go to a warrior academy and we wanted you to go. You were so eager."

"Papa, you could not afford the academy. Besides," she enforced, "Mama as much as told me she was unhappy about the prospect. I knew I was born to be an Amazon and ..."

"Tata ... your mother is dead." Gusaus whispered, his head now bowed low.

Tamara's green eyes grew wide and for the first time in over a year, even when she saw her beloved Betha murdered, tears slipped from them and slid down her cheeks.

Bria, who had been listening to their exchange from across the pig pen, was fascinated despite herself. Tata ... Tamara was so strong but ...

Leaning her head against a curtain of chicken wire Bria listened to Tamara
and Gusaus and was momentarily reminded of her own dysfunctional childhood.
It was the abuse of her uncle that drove Bria to become an Amazon. The
memory of his shouts and threats of violence took attention away from a more
current physical pain: A broken arm and the torturous throb of a cracked
rib.

Carefully focusing, afraid she might be losing her lucidity, Bria pulled at
the rope that bound her to a sturdy fence peg. They hadn't bothered to chain
her because the animal amazons felt she was no threat. They were right. She
could barely think clearly let alone break free. She heard voices whispering
to her ....

"Bria ... Bria ... Can you hear?"

It came from behind a bush, near the pen. A voice. Maybe two.

"It's Gabrielle."

"Motion to us or something." came a man's voice.

The Amazon looked up and over, "Queen Gabrielle?" she whispered.

Tamara and Gusuas heard Bria and looked over, watching and listening.

Iolaus, seeing his opportunity, crawled on his hands and knees from behind
the thick leafed bush - his dagger held crossways between his teeth. When he
positioned himself right behind Bria, he began to cut away at the rope. As
he worked on the bindings Iolaus eyes searched the encampment, making sure
none of the enemy Amazons were watching them. Right now they were too busy
burying their dead and contemplating revenge. None suspected the Melosans
would return so quickly to rescue the prisoners.

"You'll need the key." Gusaus whispered urgently over his shoulder.

Gabrielle was trying to unlock his chain but the thin pick was not working.

"Who has it?" she asked and looked over at two of the masked warriors in the
distance.

Gusaus motioned in their direction, "Panther has it." he said, "She's keeper
of the keys this week."

Gabrielle studied the dark masked women for a moment. She then looked over
at Iolaus who was pulling a hurt and quietly protesting Bria behind the bush
he and she so recently occupied. Between the two of them they could probably
take the two animal amazons out and rescue their friends. But it would take
surprise, a warrior's guile and a whole lot of luck.

"If Hercules was here he could just break these chains with his hands."
Iolaus stated lowly, now crouched beside Gabrielle. "Let me try." he offered
and motioned for the bard to hand him the tiny pick. He nearly chuckled when
he caught Gabrielle's expression. For a split second she thought he was
going to attempt to do what his partner did so easily ... break the chains
with his hands!

"I don't think ..." Gabrielle began, expecting Iolaus to have as much
trouble as herself with the picking chore. Then she heard the crisp pop of
something inside the lock. 'Oh no,' she thought, 'he broke the pick.' But it
wasn't that at all. The lock separated and Gusaus was free. If Iolaus had
caught onto what Gabrielle was thinking he showed no indication, merely
crawled over to Tamara and attempted to do the same.

'Don't under estimate him, girl.' Gabrielle heard the voice in her head once
again. It was Xena ... but no, not really this time. It was a woman but not
her best friend.

Gusaus moved to check on Bria.

"You're Iolaus?" Tamara asked as he worked on her chains, leaning in close.

"The one and only." he replied, listening closely for the comforting snap of
success.

She studied the hunter, lifting what might be considered a flirtatious brow.
"Somehow I thought you'd be bigger." she commented with wry humor, despite
the situation.

"I'm big where it counts." Iolaus replied unflinching, allowing the words to
purposely dangle.

'Your heart.' Gabrielle mentally inserted, thus deterring in her own mind
what might otherwise be an alluring moment between the man and and sultry
Amazon. Jealousy. Gabrielle couldn't deny it but also couldn't really deal
with it right now.

**You let him go ..You let him go .... YouLetHimGo ... You let ...**

"Damn." Iolaus hissed when it seemed Tamara's chain would not part,
"Gabrielle, this may take awhile." Iolaus spoke quietly but urgently, "Get
Gusaus and Bria out of here. We'll meet you on the road."

"I can't just leave you here ..." Gabrielle began, more than worry or
chivalry infusing her tone. She really didn't want to go without him,
especially if it meant leaving Iolaus with Tamara, who was obviously
interested in this new male play toy.

**'Stop it, Gabrielle. You're being childish.'** came the voice in her head.
This time it was her own.

"I won't leave Tamara now that I've found her." Gusaus chimed in from Bria's
side .

"Go." Iolaus insisted, "Better that three of you are safe than all five of
us captured." Then, when he saw the two hesitate, "Bria doesn't stand a
chance if you don't get her help."

Struggling, Gabrielle looked behind her at the Amazon. She didn't look well.

"We'll be all right." Tamara insisted.

Gabrielle was prepared to argue further but she hesitated for two reasons.
The first was because a loud click was heard from the lock around Tamara's
wrist. Iolaus had managed to pick the lock after all. One problem solved.
Second, a war cry was heard from in the middle of the encampment. The rescue
had been spotted by their enemy.

"Son of a ..." Iolaus scrambled to his feet and grabbed Tamara by the wrist.
Desperate, he flung her toward her father, "Go, get Bria out of here!' he
shouted, "And get Gabrielle ..."

But it was too late. The animal amazons swooped down on them and Gabrielle
had already raised her seis. She was fighting two of their opponents at a
time.

Gusaus didn't need to be prompted further. Although strong, he was not well
and his fighting days were over. He helped Bria to her feet and urged Tamara
to follow. They had to get back to the Melosan camp and warn the others.
Gabrielle had wanted it and so did Iolaus. He respected them both ... and he
wanted to leave.

Despite the fact the two warriors were out-numbered they fought well, using
survival skills that were trained and elemental. They fought back to back,
not even aware they had fallen on an old tactic used by themselves and their
usual partners in battle.

"Gabrielle," Iolaus, breathing heavily while kicking out at a goat faced
Amazon, called: "Go now, before the next wave comes in and overwhelms us!"

"What, and leave you hear to do battle by yourself?" she countered.

"Your tribe needs you!"

"Hercules needs you!" Gabrielle crossed her knives and pushed forward
violently, watching as a baboon masked amazon toppled backward, over the
railing of the pig pen.

"No he doesn't!" Iolaus exclaimed, "Hercules is married. It was last Spring.
The girl's name is Hebe ... She's a half goddess of some kind." His voice
quivered ever so slightly, "I'm alone Gabrielle. I have no one ... and don't
want you hurt! Please, if you have any feelings at all for me **leave**. If
you don't and are killed I really will have nothing left."

Gabrielle was stunned and could only gape at him. From anyone less pretty it
might have looked ridiculous. **Hercules ... married?** "Why didn't you tell
me?" she nearly cried.

"I guess I just needed to be sure ..." Iolaus wavered, unclear. It had made
perfect sense as he walked alone, thinking about how he was going to
approach Gabrielle, into Amazon territory. He didn't want her to want him if
it was just because they were two lonely people needing company. He wanted
her to agree to be his wife simply because she thought it the best idea in
the known world. He wanted Gabrielle to love him and be with him **despite**
Hercules and their brotherly bond.

Incredibly short sighted, Iolaus now realized. He would never have thought
of going after Gabrielle while Xena was still in the picture so why did he
think it so important for her to agree to be with him, with Hercules in the
the mix?

As the first wave of Amazon's picked themselves up off the dusty ground the
second wave was coming at the couple full force. This was the perfect
opportunity to run ... but neither did. They just stood, staring at one
another as the animal amazons surrounded them.

They fought briefly and superficially but eventually they both knew the
battle was over.
Dazed, Iolaus and Gabrielle allowed the women to grasped their arms and
shoulders, holding them still.

"Your friends have escaped." stated a firm, mature voice Iolaus knew well.
"A job well done, brave warriors. However," she stepped in front of the
prisoners, "You two now have very uncertain futures."

Gabrielle's eyes grew wide at the elaborate peacock mask. She watched as it
focused on Iolaus.

"The last time I saw you, Iolaus, you were to be whipped. A punishment for
disobedience." Peacock looked from the hunter to Gabrielle, "Since your own
pain seems to be less of an issue than that of your friends," She lifted a
hand to touch Gabrielle underneath the chin, "I think we'll discipline your
little Melosian girlfriend. Perhaps her screams and the sight of her tender
flesh being torn will teach you a lesson in conformity."

Iolaus shouted, "Leave her out of it!" but he was ignored.

The couple were dragged to the middle of the village and Iolaus watched in
misery at Gabrielle was strapped, face forward, against a wood and bamboo
wall, her smooth, pale back facing the wrath of the tribe's viscous whip
wielder.

Tiger was by Iolaus side and whispered in his ear, "Do you think she'll hold
up as well as Mieka did?"

Iolaus' shout of "No!" as he was held in place by five powerful Amazons,
chimed in with the whip's first crack in the warm air above Gabrielle's head
....

((To be Continued ... Soon))