Last chapter! Thank you all for being so patient and I hope this satisfies everyone ;)

Forgiven Debt

Day Before The Bacchanalia

As promised, Xena was able to convince Caesar to allow his daughter to observe the gladiators. She accompanied the prefect's daughter to the sands where all the male gladiators stood in a row, single file. Julia smiled at the men, admiring their physiques and chiseled bodies and finely cut hair and clean shaven skin.

Xena eyed all of the warriors and they gave her a sly smile as she passed them by. The plan to take over the ludi was in place and now all they had to do was wait until the right moment to strike. The gladiatrices lingered beneath the barracks' roof, gossiping about Lady Julia's wandering eyes upon the men.

Julia stopped in front of Ares and he kept his gaze forward, not daring to look into her eyes. She raised an eyebrow, her eyes trailing up and down from head to toe, gazing at the Spartan's flesh. While she was busy ogling the Champion, Julius Caesar stood on the balcony overseeing his daughter's meeting with the gladiators.

His eyes glanced over at the Thracian and she lifted her head, giving him a warm smile. He couldn't help but return the smile. Ares saw the prefect's sickening infatuation with Xena and furrowed his eyebrows. He did his best to keep focus but it was hard to when Caesar had his eyes on her and his head elsewhere.

Julia's fingers traced against his pectorals and his body tensed. She emits a teasing smile. "Are you nervous to be in my presence, Spartan?"

"I'm at your service, Lady Julia," he says calmly.

Xena made her way over and stood towering over the daughter of Caesar, glaring at the Spartan who tried so desperately not to be distracted. She narrowed her bright blue eyes to slits and put two fingers onto her neck close to the jugular vein and Ares smirked.

Julia spun around and Xena lowered her hand and gave a pearly white smile. "Are you enjoying yourself?" asked the Thracian.

"Yes. It was kind of you to convince my father to allow me to come in contact with the gladiators although I do not wish to know how you were able to convince him," she says lowly and a bit disgusted at the thought.

"Is it possible to see two of them spar? I'd like to pick out the two gladiators," Julia added.

Xena's eyebrows rose. "Your father wants to save the entertainment for the party tomorrow evening. No point in tiring them out before the events to come, wouldn't you say so Lady Julia?"

"Hmm. I suppose so. I'd like to see the Spartan go up against someone tomorrow night. I'm sure my father's guests would love to see the Champion of Rome in the flesh. I will ask my father if I can pick the opponent."

Ares turned to face forward and felt Xena's eyes burning right through him but he didn't give her the satisfaction of meeting her smoldering gaze. "I will do anything the Lady wants," he prompts with a slight bow of his head.

Julia nodded and smiled at the other gladiators. "This has been an entertaining morning. I will return to the villa now," she told her servant.

Xena waited for her to leave the sands and walked over to Ares and was mindful of Caesar's watchful eyes above her. "This is not the time for you to show off," she whispered.

"Well, I am the Champion. Wish you could be the champion, Xena? Or are your eyes set on the laurels?"

"Jealously isn't a good look on you, Ares. Watch what you say or I might drive the sword right through you and leave you behind with all the other dead Romans," she whispered in his ear with a menacing smile on her lips.

"Xena!" Caesar yelled from the balcony and she turned around, stepping away from the Spartan. "Join me on the terrace!"

Ares did not hide his feelings easily. "Go on. Your master is calling you," he told her.

Pompey met with Caesar inside his office and interrupted his servants undressing him. He knocked on the wall and the prefect turned around and dismissed the servants. "Caesar, why are you having a bacchanalia tomorrow? What is the purpose of it?"

"It is a fitting moment, my dear friend. There will be an announcement tomorrow as well."

Pompey nodded and crossed his arms. "Would this impromptu celebration have to do with Xena's input at all, sir?"

Caesar frowned and placed his hands on hips, glaring at his so called friend. "She did suggest it. We have a connection, you know."

"She will be planning your death, Caesar. She's a snake. She's been out for you since she laid eyes on you. If I were you I'd have slit her throat the moment she pulled a blade on me."

"You aren't me, Pompey and I don't think we should continue this conversation anymore. Make sure everything is prepared for tomorrow evening and I don't want to look at you until the party. Understand?"

"Loud and clear," he said. He turned to leave and Xena stood in the doorway presumably listening to the entire conversation. "Xena," he greeted.

She grinned. "Pompey."

Julius Caesar welcomed her into his office and had a tray of wine and food set out on the terrace for them both. She looked around the room for any weapons visible to the eye and calmly followed him out to the terrace to seat beside him.

He looked out at the barren land over the balcony and she held a full glass of wine, staring into the oblivion as well although she could not be thinking the same as him. Her eyes shifted to the prefect and he looked pleased, at ease and arrogantly confident. He was probably imagining himself as emperor of Rome, she thought.

She turned her gaze to the lands ahead and tapped her fingers on the glass over and over. Her mind was on the take over and how it would play out tomorrow evening during the party. She knew everyone in the barracks was waiting patiently and months went by and they were starting to doubt her. Now that she had Caesar in the palm of her hand she could follow through.

She wasn't entirely sure if Caesar clued into her games or if he was so blinded by his ego that he failed to notice all of the signs. Her quick change of heart after a near death experience should've tipped him off, but it didn't. He was so eager to get his hands on her that he'd let anything slide. Foolish leader, she thought. She wondered how Rome would handle his decision to be emperor but that wasn't going to happen as long as she was here. She couldn't allow it –not after what he'd done to her people in Thrace. He slaughtered many of her kind and his weird infatuation with her only brought on her prolonging existence.

That will be put to an end soon.

"What are you thinking about?"

He stirred her out her thoughts and she whipped her head around. She quickly recovered and gave a charming smile. "I'm thinking about your announcement tomorrow. You know, we could rule many tribes together."

"That would be something to see but I still don't trust you, Xena. How will I know that you won't kill me in my sleep?"

"If I wanted to kill you, you'd be wide awake," she teased and saw the color in his face drain completely. "Can't get rid of the warrior in me."

He chuckled nervously and sipped the wine. "And what a fine warrior you are. You've proved that in the arena. I'd like to see you go back in the games soon. We'll have another game coming up in a month's time. It's not that I don't appreciate your company but I'd much prefer you to win coin."

"For my freedom?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You will never be free unless you die in the arena. That will be your freedom. You still owe me a debt for almost taking my life. Don't think that I've forgotten."

She crossed one leg over the other and refrained from saying something to spoil the moment. This was not the time to lash out despite her desire to. Her heart fluttered and she turned away then took a gentle drink of the wine.

"The prefect never forgets the wrongs done to him," she says and he nods, agreeing with her. "And I will never forget the wrongs done to me either."

They slowly turned their heads and their eyes met. She half smiled and clinks her glass with his. "I look forward to hearing your speech tomorrow, Caesar. It will be most…interesting."

Day of The Bacchanalia

Xena was able to leave the villa at dawn before everyone awoke inside. She had to pry Caesar's arms off her in bed which was troublesome enough. She dressed in a lavender gown and sandals, making sure that she looked presentable. She walked through the silent villa and there were no servants awake yet which was a good sign.

She hurried outside to the women's barracks and made sure to go unnoticed by the guards posted outside. She crept through the tunnels and peered into each room of the sleeping gladiatrices on their floor cots and finally approached Callisto's room.

Stepping inside she kicked the thin blonde in her backside. Callisto groaned and rolled over to see her favorite Thracian standing over her. Rubbing her spine she sat up in bed and smiled deviously.

"Xena, what brings you here so early in the morning? Have you come to finally fulfill your promise?" she winked and paddled the empty spot next to her.

"As enticing as that sounds, I'll hold off," she reneged on her deal entirely. The thought of sharing a bed with Callisto made her sick to the core. "Today is the day. I need you to tell the other women to get ready."

"Ah, yes," the blonde stood up and stretched her thin arms over her head. "I get to slaughter the Romans just as you said, right?" her eyes grew with excitement.

Xena nodded. "Yes, just as I said but you need to get rid of Sorso before the bacchanalia. I trust that you can handle that without anyone noticing?"

Callisto leaned on the wall and kept that eerie smile on her lips. "Anything for you, Xena."

"I mean it. Do it discreetly or you'll mess up this entire plan."

"Of course, of course!" she waved her hand. "I'll take care of it. Don't worry your pretty little head, Xena. I got you covered. I've been dying to kill that Syrian for awhile now anyway."

"Just see that it gets done. I don't want any problems."

Callisto nods. "Uh huh."

Xena turned to leave and the blonde grabbed her arm. She widened her furious eyes and Callisto came closer to her.

"Have you been visiting the champion's chambers as of late, Xena? I hear you two like to roll around like weasels in the late hours of the night," she licked her upper lip.

Xena rolled her eyes and snatched her arm away and stormed off to head back to the villa.

Callisto came out of her room and leaned her elbow on the doorway. "Was it something I said, Xena? Did I hurt your feelings?!" she yelled and laughed loudly.

"Get back to your room, Callisto!" Galix appeared from another hallway.

She scoffed. "You keep your head where it belongs, Galix, right in Olympia's mouth," she winked and walked back into her sleeping quarters.

The Thracian walked outside and was heading towards Ares' private quarters across the way. She kept a watchful eye everywhere she looked and especially the balcony above the training grounds. Nobody was to appear until the sun glistened on the sands. She had some time but not a lot. Caesar would send for her soon if she didn't come back to the villa in a timely manner.

"Open the gates!" a man yelled.

Xena gasped and ran back to the pavilion near the women's barracks and hid behind a pole, staring at the huge gates on the other side of the grounds. She walked ahead to get a closer look and what she thought had been long gone had appeared once again.

"Gabrielle…" she whispered and smiled widely.

Two Roman guards carried the Greek gladiatrix by her arms towards the gates. She was covered in blood, mud and her clothing was tattered, showing almost every inch of her flesh. Xena dug her fingernails in the wooden column and knitted her brows.

"We caught her lurking around the perimeters. We believe she belongs to General Pompey and sought it best to bring her back to where she belongs," one of the Romans said.

The two guards looked at the sight of the short Greek fighter and opened the gates. "Bring her to the barracks. I will send someone to alert Caesar and Pompey of her arrival."

The two Romans dragged Gabrielle through the sands and Xena ran to hide behind another pole and then they entered the barracks in the back entrance to the infirmary. Xena slowly slipped away and ran to the infirmary to take a closer look and perhaps pry those Romans' arms off of Gabrielle.

Ares stepped outside to grab water and get an early training exercise in before everyone was awake and invaded the sands. He caught Gabrielle being escorted by Roman guards and Xena obviously spying on them. He snickered.

"So, the Greek is back," he says and dipped the ladle in the well to drink from. He wiped his mouth the backside of his hand and eyed Xena following the guards. "Can't stay away from the blondes, can you?"

Once they were out of plain sight and inside the barren infirmary the Romans released Gabrielle and she stood upright. She smiled at the two men and they bowed their heads accordingly. Xena peered from behind the doorway and frowned at the men who seemed to be cordial with Gabrielle instead of dragging her like a ragdoll across the sands.

She walked into the room and Gabrielle's jaw dropped. "Xena!" she ran to her and wrapped her arms around the tall Thracian. She squeezed her tightly and closed her teary eyes. "I thought something happened to you! I'm sorry I couldn't come back sooner!"

She pulled away and saw the confusion on Xena's face. She chortled and looked back at the men who stood with smiles on their faces.

"Don't worry about them. They're with me. They're not Romans."

Xena touched her friend's face covered in blood and cocked her head. Gabrielle grabbed her hand and wiped the blood off her cheek.

"It's not real. I just needed a way to get back to this ludi."

"Gabrielle…" she shook her head. "Why did you come back here? When Caesar finds out you're here he is going to kill you."

The Greek nodded. "I came back for you. I promised myself I'd come back and I brought reinforcements."

This surprised the brunette and she exhaled deeply. "Reinforcements?"

"I had to bargain my way to get these men but they're waiting outside over the hill. I saw a bunch of caravans and horses approaching the ludi. What's going on?"

Xena couldn't wrap her head around all of this. She thought Gabrielle was long gone or dead. She never expected her to come back to this den of filth. "I…there's a bacchanalia tonight. I'm going through with my plan. We're going to take over the ludi tonight during the party."

"Excellent! This works out great. I'll be here to help you."

"Not if Caesar or Pompey sees you."

Gabrielle raised her eyebrow. "Those guards won't make it to the villa. I have more men posted outside and they'll be dead soon if not already."

The Thracian grinned and folded her arms. "You've thought of everything." She paused and stared at the luminescent green eyes beneath her. "You really came back for me?"

"I wasn't going to abandon you. We all deserve freedom. The gates of freedom await us," she says with flushed cheeks.

Xena couldn't wipe the smile off her lips and it took a great deal for her to stop herself from embracing her and planting her lips on hers. But not now. Focus, she reminded herself. "I…I was on my way to tell Ares to alert the gladiators to prepare for tonight but it's too late now. Everyone will be awake in the villa."

Gabrielle frowns, thinking of the Spartan and thought of what Callisto said about them in bed together. She couldn't stomach the idea but she needed to focus. "I'll tell him. Go before someone sees you."

She nodded and quickly left.

"Xena!"

She came back to the room and looked at her with big blue eyes.

"We will be free."

The Bacchanalia

Guests swarmed the inside of the villa and the women especially gawked at the gladiators who were oiled and standing off to the side against all four walls of the atrium. Some gladiatrices were chosen to attend the celebration and they stood in the center of the atrium with their hair coiffed, skin oiled and in their best gear that was fit the arena.

Xena did not join the rest of the females and instead was gifted a gown by Julius Caesar himself. It was hard for her to break away from him during the party and the gladiators and gladiatrices constantly had their eyes on her, waiting for her signal to strike.

When she was finally able to break away she maneuvered her way through the crowd. Many of the Roman nobles did recognize her and whispered behind her back as she passed by. They spoke of what a barbaric fighter she was in the arena yet the women somewhat complimented her on her attire for the evening.

She chose to ignore the comments whether good or bad and went to the cellar to alert Gabrielle and the others waiting in the barracks. She slipped through the doors and acted as if she was grabbing a bottle of wine for the guests.

Gabrielle and Callisto were waiting at the bottom of the staircase behind the gate that led into the female barracks. The two blondes were not happy to be around one another but all of the hatred they previously had gone completely out of mind and sight for tonight's plans.

"What's going on up there?" Gabrielle asked.

"I haven't given the signal yet. They are getting impatient. What about the men you brought? Where are they?"

"They're waiting outside the villa. They took care of the guards. Just waiting on your command so I can tell them to raid the villa."

Callisto sneered. "This is taking too long, Xena. I want to slice through the Romans upstairs. You don't get to have all the fun."

"You will get that chance," she promised. "Did you take care of Sorso?"

The blonde lifted a brow. "Oh I took care of him alright. He won't be seeing the next sunrise if that's what you mean." She wiggled her brows and Gabrielle rolled her eyes dramatically.

Nara came downstairs to grab a fresh pitcher for the wine and gasped upon seeing Gabrielle behind the gates.

"You!" she dropped the pitcher and ran back up the stairs.

Xena followed her and wrapped a hand around her mouth and pulled her back into the dark cellar. Callisto gripped the iron bars and stared at the frightened maid with wily brown eyes. Gabrielle frowned at Nara, remembering how she was so mistreated by Julia and Nara as well.

She shoved Nara into the gates and backed her way up the stairs. "Take care of her!" she pointed her finger at the two blondes and made an escape.

Callisto grinned and pulled out a dagger from her breast and snatched Nara's arm and pulled her close to the gates. "Servant of Lady Julia," she hissed.

"I'll scream!"

Gabrielle stepped in. "No, you won't." she snatched the dagger from Callisto's hand and stabbed the maid through the throat. Nara croaked and fell limp to the ground and clutched her neck as blood poured down her white gown.

The lithe blonde laughed and turned to the Greek warrior. "Gabby! You surprise me!"

Xena made her way back to the atrium and smiled at a few guests then casually made her way over to the row of gladiators by the wall. She approached Ares and stood in front of him with her back turned to not cause a scene.

"Gabrielle's back. Bet you were happy to see her," he whispered.

He was so lucky he couldn't see the satisfactory smile on her face. "Did she tell you the plan?"

"Oh yeah, she told me. I know what to do but you need to prompt the Romans. This can only work if you give the signal, Xena, otherwise we're all going to die," he hissed.

"We're not going to die," she spoke over her shoulder.

Caesar waved his hand at her to come join him. She briefly eyed the Spartan when she turned and then walked around the fountain to meet with the prefect. He was with his daughter and wife, Calpurnia. It was obvious his wife was not fond of her but she didn't care about her or anyone else at the moment. Her mind was in full battle mode and all of these nobles hadn't the slightest idea what was to come.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked her.

"Very much," she played along. She turned to his daughter and smiled. "Lady Julia, wouldn't you like to see the Champion of Rome in a friendly spar with another gladiator? I know you requested it yesterday."

She grinned widely and looked to Pompey for approval. He sighed heavily and nodded, giving her the go ahead. "I would like to choose the best gladiator to fight against the Spartan."

Xena stepped aside and extended her arm to the four walls lined with gladiators. "Take your pick but choose wisely."

Julius Caesar, dressed in his finest robes approached the dais and raised his hand to grab everyone's attention. "Fellow Romans," he announced all the conversation in the room ceased. All eyes were on him now.

"Allow me to present to you the Champion of Rome from Sparta," he says and waves his hand to Ares.

Ares remained calm and looked over to Xena and she nudged her head. All of the gladiatrices were cleared off from the dais and he stepped onto it and let his arms rest by his side and puffed out his oiled chest. All of the women gawked at him, completely in awe. Xena rolled her eyes with a flutter of her eyelashes at the noblewomen's reaction.

Julia inspected the men and tapped a blonde gladiator's shoulder. "You'll do."

Helkios stepped onto the dais and stood beside Ares. Julia stepped onto the dais and stood in front of them, ogling their sculpted physiques. Pompey frowned at his wife's fascination with the gladiators and didn't appreciate she was so interested in them and he cursed his friend for allowing Xena's suggestion to become so fruitful.

"Draw your weapons," Caesar commanded the gladiators.

Ares and Helkios looked at one another and drew the swords at their hips and both looked over Julia's head to Xena who waited patiently standing behind the prefect.

Xena waited until the crowd was completely focused on the two gladiators in the center of the room. She held up two fingers to them and they gripped their swords, ready to strike. She was signaling for them to wait for Caesar's command to spar.

Julius Caesar emits a huge smile, intrigued by the way this celebration was going. After the spar he planned to make a speech about proclaiming himself as emperor.

"Begin!" he waved his arm downward.

Xena grinned and gave a slow nod to Ares and Helkios.

This was it. This was the moment –the long awaited moment.

Ares smiled at Lady Julia and lifted his blade and plunged it right through her chest. Everyone in the room gasped.

Pompey ran forward and Xena turned around and stole the sword out of his sheath and pointed it at his chest. He dropped the wine glass and looked into her hungry eyes and menacing grin on her lips.

"Kill them all!" she yelled.

With a loud cry she swung the sword and sliced through his neck and decapitated him. His head rolled on the floor and she kicked his body into the wall and then stabbed another Roman man who was coming at her with a short sword.

She spun around and saw all of the gladiators and gladiatrices attacking the noblemen and women. The floor was covered in blood and corpses already. She looked around for Caesar and saw him escaping with Calpurnia through secret passageways hidden within the villa.

Growling she ran across the room and jumped over the fountain, following after them. The doors opened after a nobleman called for the guards. The men that Gabrielle brought stormed in and slaughtered the Romans trying to make an escape. The entire villa was filled with chaos as people ran about; screaming for their lives, crying out for aid but nobody would save them now.

Gabrielle ran inside with Callisto and the other gladiatrices that were in the barracks.

"Kill all the Romans! Leave no one behind!" she yelled.

Callisto gripped her two swords. "Don't have to tell me twice, Gabby."

Gabrielle ran through the chaotic crowd scurrying about and saw Pompey's head on the floor and cringed. Ares cried out as he thrust his blade through a Roman noblewoman. She turned to him and frowned.

"Ares!" she calls his attention and he emits a smile. "Where's Xena?"

"She took off after she killed Pompey."

She sighs and looks around, not knowing where to look first. There was so much going on, so many dead Romans, so many people screaming and running for their lives. She felt a sense of relief when she saw the Romans mangled and slaughtered to death. She was treated like a dog in this ludi and she felt like justice had been served. Finally.

He furrows his brows and wiped the bloody sword on a drapery wrapped around one of the marble columns.

"Gabrielle," he says and she turns with big eyes, chest heaving heavily. "What will you do with your freedom now? Return to Greece?"

She lowers her gaze, unsure of what to think of the future now. She had grown accustom to this lifestyle as a slave. Now she was no one's slave and she was free. She earned her freedom and it was all thanks to a rebellious Thracian who entered her life.

Caesar and Calpurnia ran through the tunnels beneath the villa and Xena was hot on their trail. They ran to a gate and he rattled it. With their luck of course the gate was locked. Xena slowed in step and grinned as the three were at a dead end now.

"Well, well, well," she says.

Calpurnia gasped and turned to the furious and bloodthirsty Thracian. "I've done nothing to you!" she begged for her life.

"You exist."

Xena narrowed her eyes and walked forward at the frightened noblewoman. She looked her in the eyes and slowly a grin appeared on her lips and she drove the blade right through Calpurnia's gut and rammed her into the wall, forcing the blade in deeper –so deep one could hear the bones crackling and innards bursting within her.

She withdrew the sword and the wife of Caesar slid down the wall, leaving a long trail of blood from her backside. She held her innards pouring out of her midsection with a palm and viscous blood trickled out from her mouth.

"Julius Caesar, Prefect of Rome, General of Gaul," the Thracian spoke to him and his eyes widened in fear. She never took her eyes off of him. "This is the end."

"It…it doesn't have to be this way, Xena. We could rule together. Build a huge empire. You could be the next Empress of Rome, Thrace, Syria –the world!"

She snorts. "I would never rule by your side, Caesar. You sicken me."

He backed into the gate and felt defenseless like a child. No weapon, no men to save him. He had nothing.

She pinned him against the gate and grabbed his crotch in her hand and he groaned. "You murdered my people," she hissed. "You treated me like I was less than. I was not a human to you," she whispered in his ear. "I was the slave, you were the master. Who's the master now?"

She licked her upper lip and with a quick move the blade was shoved into his ribs beneath his heart. He let out a hefty gasp. She twisted the blade inside, breaking multiple ribs.

Pulling out the blade she repeatedly plunged it back into his body several times until his white robes turned crimson. Xena clenched her jaw and stepped away and his body slid off the sword and he dropped to his knees, gasping for air.

"You will never be emperor."

Dawn approached and after several hours of fighting all of the nobles were dead. The villa was silent and all of the draperies were ripped down, the wine and food scattered around the room and the fountain was filled with Roman blood.

Xena returned to the upper level of the villa and felt utterly drained after such a long night. She stayed in the tunnels staring at Caesar's body until she knew he could not revive from the dead. She wanted to make sure he was dead and stayed dead. If he ever became emperor that would not look good for Rome or the rest of the Grecian world.

Her eyes glanced at the copious amounts of blood and she dropped Pompey's sword onto the ground and walked towards the doors. Sunlight encroaching. Peace, at last. The sun was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. She never thought the sun would become such a good omen until this very moment.

She stepped outside of the Roman villa and closed her eyes, breathing in the fresh air. Air was a wonderful thing ad for once the smell of death did not bother her because it wasn't of her own people. She avenged her people and was able to save everyone in the wretched ludi. Everyone was free of their debts now.

"Xena…"

Her eyes shot open and stared at the golden haired warrior at the bottom of the stairs. She smiled and stared at the sun rising in the sky and the hair that matched it. Yes, the sun was her best omen as of late.

Gabrielle ran up the stairs and Xena's heart raced and her smile grew.

She grabbed the blonde's hand and kissed it gingerly and then leaned downward and grazed her lips softly. Gabrielle's cheeks flushed and she stared into the Thracian's Aegean eyes, so calm. Before, when they first met she often thought of those eyes being hard and cold. Now they were warm and inviting.

"We are free," Gabrielle whispers.

"At last."