By L. Crystal Michallet-Romero
Copyright © January 10, 2002 L. Crystal Michallet-Romero
All Rights Reserved
Reworked: January 12, 2004
MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures. All other characters are mine.
Rated: NC – 17
Violence: Yes
Sexual Violence: Yes
Subtext: Yes
Extra Warning: As the main character was raised by Alti, I feel it’s necessary to warn that this story deals
with child abuse and molestation issues. It may trigger abuse issues for some. This story should be unpleasant
for all readers, but to know Ari, it’s important to know where she came from.
Announcement: I'm fully aware that the use of Italics, according to grammar rules, is meant to be used
sparingly and only to emphasize certain words. However, for the comfort of the readers, all sections of the
story that can be construed as childhood abuse scenes are now placed in Italics in order that anyone may skip
these more disturbing scenes if they so wish. I decided that as long as I knew the rule, then it would be all right
to break it especially if it helps the reader.
All Feedback Welcomed at: CrystalMichallet@yahoo.com
Note to Readers:
The spelling of the bard’s hometown, Potidaea, is taken from The Times Atlas of World History (Atlas 75).
To anyone watching the four women, it would seem that they had been traveling for many years together. But
to the travelers themselves, there was a silent uneasiness that seemed to filter through the group. Although no
one spoke openly of it, the tension was always near, threatening to escape.
Ari found it easier to keep to herself. Although she had seen these women so many times in Alti’s magic pool,
being with them in real life and understanding the dynamics of how they interacted was, at times, difficult. The
dark child never understood the slight comments that Xena and Gabrielle made to each other and she could
not understand why sometimes her birth mother only had to glance at the blonde and the smaller woman would
laugh hysterically. It was as if they shared a private form of communication that no one else could hear.
Whenever the girl saw Eve join in the revelry, all she could do was watch and try to figure out what had
caused the laughter.
Eve was an enigma. There were times when Ari felt anger from the prophet. Sometimes, it felt like she hated
her, but why, the young woman did not know. Sometimes, when the dark child’s mind was clear, she tried to
remember back to the days before her mother Alti had died. Each time, the girl saw images of events
replaying in her mind. They were only blurs that came in incoherent patterns that neither made any sense, nor
showed her why her younger sister was sometimes angry. For Ari, delving too deeply into the memories
caused a blinding pain in her head, so rather than think too much about it, she would simply ignore the few
times that the young woman seemed angry and concentrate on other matters.
Ari would watch how the prophet acted around Xena. Their light and easy banter was not lost on her. Each
time she saw Eve with the older woman, the dark child felt a stabbing pain deep within her heart, but could not
have explained why it existed. All she knew was that every time she saw the warrior princess hugging the
younger woman, or when she saw her sister sitting close to their birth mother, the older woman’s arm laying
over the prophet’s shoulder as she held her youngest close, Ari felt a stab of envy, but did not understand why
it existed. Each time her resentment toward her sister was quieted, the girl moved through the days as best as
possible all the while paying close attention to the new family dynamics that now surrounded her.
Even though Ari knew of Xena and Gabrielle’s relationship, she was still amazed whenever her sister
addressed the blonde as her mother. As if they always shared equal responsibility in raising Eve, the two
women accepted, and the prophet established them as her parents. Whenever the tall girl tried to understand
the relationship between the three, she found herself more confused and at the same time, angry because she
was not included within the circle of three. But rather than voice feelings that she did not totally understand,
she chose to maintain her distance, keeping her family at bay. Ari reasoned that at times it was easier not to
delve fully into it, but rather to remain apart, yet always watchful in hopes of learning more.
During her entire life, Ari grew up in a world by herself. Aside from Alti and the occasional men who were
brought back by the sorceress for blood sacrifices, the dark child never interacted with another soul. Because
of this, she found it difficult to be surrounded by so many different personalities yet she did her best to get
along and fit in with her new family.
“Can’t you see the perfect beauty of it all?” Eve’s voice was taking on that familiar, awe inspired quality that
Ari began to recognize as the prophet’s preamble to a sermon about Eli’s miraculous gifts.
The two young women stopped on the dirt road, each one looking in the direction of the open field. Eve’s
face held a serene smile, while the dark child slightly scowled as she stared at the two long, fuzzy ears that
poked out of the underbrush. Near the entrance to the forest, Xena and Gabrielle stopped their horses and
waited patiently for the two laggards.
“W-What?” Ari’s impatience was unmistakable. “That rabbit?” her disbelief was evident as she began to get
irritated with her sister’s so-called lessons.
“Yes! Just look at it for a minute, see its pure beauty, its remarkable characteristics. Why, you can see how
such a simple creature is a gift of Eli!” Eve’s tone was filled with reverence.
With a slight frown, Ari gazed back at the wild rabbit. The taller girl tried to see what her sister was talking
about. Her brows were furrowed, eyes squinted until the strain of staring began to hurt.
“Bah! You are daft!” The girl finally snorted as she looked down at Eve from her higher vantage point on
horseback. In agreement, Thanatos, her stallion, snorted as he shook his head, his black mane fanning out,
then falling over his neck. The large beast puffed air through his nose as he impatiently stamped and then
settled back down under Ari’s firm control.
“Ari, you’re not trying hard enough. Just look at it, let a stillness fall over you and you’ll see what I mean!”
Eve whined as she sat astride her short, white fat horse.
Ari stared again at the small animal in the field, its ears twitched as if it knew it was being watched, then it
moved further into the bushes. When it came out into the open clearing, the young woman watched it. Unable
to understand her sister’s concepts, the dark haired girl just shook her head and turned to the woman.
“You’re trying to t-tell me that a creature, that r-rabbit, was created by Eli and is a gift of Eli?” she asked.
When Eve’s smile formed, Ari shook her head again. “You are a loon! Next, you’ll be telling me that the
rabbit is Eli!” the taller sister snorted.
