Xena and Gabrielle didn't meet in the forest, Xena didn't save Gabrielle from the warlords. Xena is still dark and full of anger, lust and she calls herself the „Destroyer of Nations". What happens if it is Xena who needs saving?

You've Seen Light In My Darkness

The whole place smelled nicely. The smell of white sage which was used to cleanse the energy filled the air. There were candles spread out in all the rooms. This hospice was quite new but everything seemed to be well done and prepared for everyone who needed help, who needed treatment or sought for a place to spend the last moments of their life in. Many people, many soldiers found their healing space here and every time there was someone who took a very good care of them. Gabrielle was a modest girl with a big dream which came true and she couldn't be happier. She was proud of her hospice and of the nurses who joined her in giving their helping hands. The building wasn't big but it looked very spacious from the inside. Big windows let the sun light in and when the weather was good the nurses opened them so the fresh air could fill the rooms and patient's lungs. Gabrielle's mother taught her that ventilation was important when healing process was taking place. Her parents were the most important people in her life and they helped her so much with building this hospice. They both died few years ago but their memory was still alive. In the middle room there was an altar with some sculptures and two of them were the sculptures of Gabrielle's parents. They were placed among the effigies of the Greek Gods.

There were moments when some of the patients who were on their way to be completely healed took their musical instruments and played soft songs to calm the patient's minds. It was also easing the pain in the sick people. Sometimes Gabrielle herself stood in front of her patients and was entertaining them with stories she heard or experienced. She was a bard and bards were famous story tellers. If there was just a single child in the hospice he would beg as long as it was neccessary for a story and it usually didn't take long until Gabrielle gave in and sat down to satisfy the kid's need. She knew that the healing process wasn't only about the body, often it was the person's soul that was in pain and was suffering. This was the approach she tried to use while taking care of someone no matter if it was a poor man from the next village or a rich warlord who suffered bad injuries in a battle. They all were humans. Humans are equal so they should be treated the same. Gabrielle was wise and had her heart on a sleeve but she was also naive. She was young and had practically no life experience except from the hospice where she heard so many stories that made her want to travel the world. She wanted to see the places people spoke about in their stories, she wanted to enjoy adventure and learn new things. Her heart was pure and full of love and hope and because she has never left her little village she thought that her idea about the world is the true one.

„Gabrielle!" one of the nurses called and ran to her. Gabrielle was washing the bandages and preparing them for the next use. „Yes?" she turned around so she could see the nurse's face. Her eyes opened widely when she saw how terrified the nurse looked.

„There is a big group of soldiers coming to Potidaea from the west," the nurse explained and her hand showed the direction.

„It seems there are injured men and the healthy ones are carrying someone on a stretcher," the nurse added and went to another counter to get ready for the new patients.

„OK, let's get ready. I need clean boiling water, bandages and some knives in case we will need them and someone make a fire. Don't forget to bring some blankets. Get to work. Thank you," Gabrielle gave commands and all the nurses who were inside immediately started preparing the place.

The blonde took few deep breaths. She knew this day will be a long one.

When the group of soldiers arrived Gabrielle looked at each and one of them and sorted them into groups according to how severe their injury was and how quickly they needed to be treated. One of the soldiers had a cut from a big sword in his hand, the next one had an arrow in his calf and the rest of the group had light cuts and bruises. It all went smoothly and very fast. Then Gabrielle looked at the stretcher and saw a woman with dark black hair dressed in leather with a sword in her hand and a round weapon in the other hand.

„This is our leader, please, you have to take care of her first!" one of the soldiers begged and Gabrielle could see worry in his eyes. It wasn't worry for the leader's life, it was more like a fear for his own life if their leader wouldn't survive. Gabrielle didn't want to waste any moment. She urged the men with the stretcher to move the warrior to another room where everything she needed to save someone's life was prepared.

„I will need someone to assist me," she said and followed the men mentally getting ready to do whatever she could. She always did but this time she felt something shifted inside her when she looked at the warrior woman. She was confused but now there was no time to try to figure it out. First there was work, then thinking. At least this was something she could count on. No matter how bad the injuries were or how busy her mind was with wondering about the person, she didn't try to think about anything else than saving a life. The men moved the injured from the stretcher to a bed and left the room to give the healer some space. Gabrielle came to the dark haired woman and began to examine her body looking for injuries. There were so many cuts and bruises that were bleeding, some of them were deep, some were on the surface. Her face was completely covered with blood and her lower lip was cut and swollen. Her left eye was swollen as well. When she looked at her body, she could see that some of her bones were broken. There were bruises signalling minor internal bleeding. She looked miserable. Gabrielle's heart almost stopped beating. She didn't know where to start.

„What's her name?" she asked the soldiers.

„Xena," one of them answered. Gabrielle stepped back a little bit and froze. She always wanted to know the name of her patient so she could talk to them and calm them down when they became angry or were in pain. Now she was confused. Her heart told her to save the woman's life but on the other hand her mind tried to convince her to let her die. Sad memories started to flood her head, faces of people she saw being killed by Xena. She saw faces of her parents who also found death at the end of Xena's sword. She felt dizzy and torn. What was she supposed to do? Was it revenge she felt inside her veins? Did she really want to let this woman die and betray every single rule she had only because of vengeance?

TBC