"You wouldn't!" Xena stared up at her with an incredulous look. "Argo was mine!"
"Well, Xena," the Amazon tsked as she leaned in the saddle, "You should have thought of that before you wouldn't let me
bring you back."
"B-But… how am I going to get home?" Xena shot the blonde a hurt filled look.
"I dunno, why don't you try walking. That's how I got around our first years together," Gabrielle stated, then reined Argo
around and gently kicked her sides before galloping away.
"She wouldn't!" Xena stared at her lover as she disappeared down the road. A bright ray of the early morning sun glinted off
of the katana strapped to the blonde’s waist, and from the sais that were in her boots.
"Why, I oughta…" Xena growled as she quickly fastened her scabbard to her back, lifted the second bag, and began to run
after her disappearing bard.
Gabrielle couldn't conceal her smile as she waited for her lover at the top of the hill. Red faced, sweat falling down her
forehead, Xena slowly ran up the dirt road, the bag in her arms seemingly heavy. When she reached the top, the warrior
dropped the bag at her feet as she bent over panting and out of breath.
"Gee, Xena, you seem a bit out of shape. Maybe you've been lying around too much this past year?" The storyteller smiled.
When the warrior shot her a dark glare, Gabrielle wiped the smile from her face as best as possible as she looked away trying
not to laugh at her lover's discomfort.
"Ga… brielle…" Xena panted as she stood up and clutched her side, the pain of the jog up the hill proving too great. "I-I
can't believe you're going to hold this against me."
"Aw, Xena… I'm sorry," she smiled. "You know, you've got to expect this from time to time. After all, how else will I be able
to remind you not to do anything foolish if I can't tease you occasionally? Besides, I wouldn't make you run all the way home.
Come on, warrior. Hop on the back. I'm sure we'll be able to buy another horse in the next village," she held her hand down.
At the offer, Xena nodded as she grabbed their bag, took Gabrielle's hand, and hopped up behind the saddle.
"So what would you like, Xena? A bay or a black?" Gabrielle asked over her shoulder.
"Gabrielle! Argo's my horse," the warrior whined plaintively. "Gabrielle, it's always been this way. Her mother was mine, and
now Argo's daughter is mine…"
"Are you sure about that? Have you even apologized to Argo for not wanting to come back to her?" She addressed the
horse, "She can't just assume that you're ready to take her back with open... um, hooves…” She wrinkled her brow trying to
adjust her words, but then shrugged her shoulders and went with it, "…can she?"
Argo snorted and shook her head vigorously, making the tack jingle.
Xena's eyes went wide as her jaw dropped, "B-Bu…! Argoooo!"
"I'll tell you what, Xena," Gabrielle offered, swinging her leg over the saddle horn and dropping to the ground. "Get down and
we'll let Argo choose for herself." Xena frowned, but slid to the ground.
They stood side by side as Argo looked between them, blinking slowly. She stamped a hoof once. "I think she's waiting to
hear why she should consider taking you back," the smaller warrior suggested.
Xena looked at the ground, scuffing the dirt with her toe. Her eyebrows knit and she looked up, biting her lower lip. Glancing
at Gabrielle, she saw the Amazon nod towards Argo. The warrior took a deep breath to order her thoughts, and looked at
the horse solemnly; sadly. She spoke with true remorse coloring her words, "Look, Argo, I'm really sorry I left you like I
did... and didn't let Gabrielle pour my ashes into the fountain when she had the chance. I shouldn't have run off to Japa like
that and shouldn't have decided what to do all on my own. I never thought about what it would do to you," she glanced over
her shoulder, "or to Gabrielle." She heard Gabrielle sniff back a tear. Xena took a step forward, and reached out a hesitant
hand to stroke the palomino between the eyes. "I swear to you, girl, that I'll never pull a stunt like that again. I love you and
don't ever want to hurt you as badly as I did. Can you... can you ever forgive me?"
Argo looked at the dark haired woman long and hard. After a long moment, she blew out a soft breath and nodded her head.
Xena's face broke out in a happy expression as she hugged the horse's neck tightly, "Thank you, girl!"
When she pulled away, the tall woman looked at Gabrielle who smiled and motioned her assent to the warrior. Xena lowered
the stirrup a notch to its usual position. Gathering the reins, she placed her left foot into the stirrup. She bounced twice on the
ball of her right foot and pushed up into the saddle. Just as her foot left the ground, Argo swung away from the warrior
princess and bucked slightly, sending her flying onto her butt with an unceremonious thump.
Argo whickered and shook her head once more. Then she moved to Gabrielle and nudged her in the chest. The storyteller
smirked and looked at Xena sitting on the ground with a stunned look on her face.
She bit back a laugh, somewhat. "She said she could forgive you, honey. But I think she's a lot like her mom and she's not
going to forgive you so easily. I think you're gonna have to work at it a little longer before she does." Argo stamped her hoof
and nodded. Adjusting the stirrup back, Gabrielle mounted and extended her hand once more. Xena shook her head and
climbed behind her lover.
Gabrielle whispered over her shoulder, "You might want to consider adding apples to your apologies in the future." The
leather clad warrior sighed forlornly. "Don't worry honey, we'll get you a horse in the next village so that you don't have to
walk… no telling how long it will take Argo to forgive you." The blonde felt a smile tugging at her lips, then grew solemn. "We
have Zara to thank for the extra coins. We wouldn't be able to afford another horse if it wasn't for the delivery that Abu made
at the last minute."
"Yeah, I know," Xena answered softly, as Gabrielle looked out over the city of Athens.
Off in the distance, she saw the speckle of sails from the ships in the harbor. At the sight of the sleek, Moroccan merchant
ship cutting through the waves in the distance, Gabrielle released a sad sigh. She remained silent while watching its sails
flapping in the wind as is it carried the ship away from Greece.
"Will she be ok, Xena?" Gabrielle's voice broke through their silence. The warrior princess remained silent for a few
moments, then wrapped her arms tightly around the blonde's waist, her breath felt close to her cheek.
"I think so, Gabrielle," was all that Xena said before the smaller warrior turned Argo around as they headed toward home.
