Eternal Spirit

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Eternal Spirit

Part 23

"You went out there, alone, in the middle of the night, to meet with a man who tried to kill you and didn't tell anybody?" Solari stared at the Queen in disbelief.

The Queen rolled her eyes in response. "Yes. I know it was foolish but at the moment it had seemed like the right thing to do." She shook her head in frustration. "I can't explain it Solari, it had to be done. I had to go." She played with a piece of thread from her clothing nervously.

Solari settled herself more comfortably on the bed and faced the Queen. She placed her hand atop Gabrielle's to get her attention. "You could have been killed."

The Queen threw her hands up in the air in anger. Her face flushed in irritation at the same sentence everyone seemed to be drilling into her since she arrived at the village. "I know that Solari. None of that makes any difference now." She rose to her feet and cupped her hands over her mouth. She could feel her hot breath against the inside of her hands. From a short distance she could see the essence of the moon light still beaming just as brilliantly as it did candle marks ago.

Solari hung her head for a moment. "That was the wrong thing to say. Of course she knows she could have been killed." She sighed softly and then made her way to the Queen's side. She placed her right hand on the Queen's shoulder gently. "I'm sorry Gabrielle. I..."

The Queen waved her into silence. "Let's move on Solari. What was done is done. The important thing now is that Ephiny and Serenity are going to be fine and Draden," her eyes clouded with darkness, "has been captured."

Solari smiled kindly. "Just how did Xena find you? So many missing pieces." She exhaled deeply.

Gabrielle shook her head contemplating the possibilities. "I simply have no idea. She is a woman of many skills." She met the eyes of her friend and smiled. "Let's go check on Ephiny and see if she has awakened yet." She grabbed her staff and lead the way out of the hut.

Solari closed the door to the hut behind her. "She will be up to lecture you in no time flat." Both women chuckled at the humor. Suddenly they fell silent as an echo of a familiar war cry sounded through the winds. They stilled their motions and looked to the left. They saw a warrior approaching on horseback. The Queen was the first to whisper, "Xena."

"Heeyah!" The warrior brought the mare to a complete stop and flipped off the saddle. The Queen was about to question where Draden was but at that very moment noticed something attached to the back of the saddle. A long rope led to the ground and around a pair of black boots. Draden lay on the ground bloody and unconscious his hands bound together in the same manner as his legs were.

Continued In Part 24