“Do you remember that day when you tried to hurt Eve?”
At her question, the weeping girl grew still. Deep in thought, the dark child sighed before reaching up and rubbing her
forehead. The move indicated an impending pain in her head. Before Gabrielle could calm the girl, Ari shook her head
negatively.
“I-I… don’t know. T-Too many things in here… I t-think… ” Ari’s voice grew silent before she continued, “I-I think I
hurt a lot of people … b-but … I don’t know why I did,” she explained, then her voice turned into a soft whisper.
“S-Sometimes… I-I don’t know why… I j-just… I mean… I-I don’t know,” Ari finally gave up trying to speak.
“What do you feel, Ari?” Gabrielle asked after a moment of thought. “Tonight, when you attacked Eve, what were you
feeling? Were you thinking about anything?”
Ari remained silent, then sighed as her voice sounded distant, “I-I… don’t think of anything, I just feel… i-it feels like
there is too much and it’s s-suffocating me… and I hate it. I-I want it to stop… to leave me alone to-to… I don’t know,”
the girl shrugged as she lowered her head in shame. “I-It feels like there is too much….”
“Anger? Rage?” Gabrielle stated the girl’s unspoken thoughts when it seemed like Ari could not find the right words.
“Anger, yes, and… Rage.”
After Ari confirmed the healer’s words, Gabrielle felt another tidal wave of tears bursting from the girl. Filled with
sadness, the blonde pulled her close as she softly stroked her cheek. At her touch, the girl clung to her tightly, her arms
reaching around the smaller woman’s waist as her tears fell unabated.
“Shush, sweetheart, it’s all right, you’re all right now,” the gentle woman whispered softly as she felt Ari move from her
shoulder, to lay her head on her lap. “You’re all right now, no one can hurt you anymore,” she whispered as she softly
stroked her hair.
“Xena loves you and so do I and believe it or not, I’d bet that Eve loves you too. Someday she will understand what
happened,” Gabrielle promised as Ari’s tears continued to fall. After a moment of thought, the storyteller smiled as she
alternated between stroking the girl’s hair and rubbing the girl’s shaking back.
Sensing his mistress’ sorrow, the large black stallion moved toward them. With a slight puffing of air, he brushed his
muzzle against the blonde’s shoulder and then lowered his head to sniff at Ari’s hair. When assured of her safety,
Thanatos remained standing near them, offering his protection.
“How about a story?” Gabrielle asked Ari as she lightly scratched the stallion’s dark chin before he pulled away. With an
assenting nod of her head, the girl softly said, “Y-Yes….”
At the girl’s predictability, the blonde smiled as she began to tell the story of the god, Thanatos, his twin brother Sleep,
and their mother Nyx, the Goddess of night. She spoke of the gentle Thanatos and how with his brother, Sleep, would
ease the pain and suffering of the mortals. As the stallion remained steadfastly beside them, occasionally nuzzling against
Gabrielle’s offered hand, the woman told the story of the beast’s namesake to both the girl and her beloved horse.
~~~~~~
With only a sigh, Ari closed her eyes, as she remained lying with her head on Gabrielle’s lap. As the woman’s fingers
were stroking her hair, her comforting words were softly soothing. Although the dark child felt an unfamiliar calmness
filling her, her memories continued to replay within her mind. While the blonde’s soft, melodic voice told her a story, she
felt the familiar coldness seeping into her.
Unlike Gabrielle’s human and warm touch, the touch of her mother, Alti, was always cold. Just the feel of Alti’s fingers
caused a chilling effect to sear through her soul. When Ari could take no more of the memories, she shut her eyes tightly
in hope of closing them out. She fought with all of her strength to focus on the storyteller’s words, yet found herself losing
a never-ending battle….
Blame this on, Xena, Alti said as her bony fingers sought to both torment and please the little girl under her
control. And be angry, little girl. Be very angry because your furious passions will be my gift to Xena! Alti
whispered with tenderness, before a demented laugh escaped the sorceress and echoed throughout the cave.
The chilling effect of this laugh was etched within Ari’s mind and replayed itself over and over even while the storyteller’s
soft words lulled her into a soothing calmness.
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Sins of the Mother (2) - Passions
