The River Baby

By: Emerald

As Xena and Gabrielle were teasing each other while walking towards
Athens, a strange man came out of the bushes gasping for air and
screaming "Desira and Ares" and then he held his neck tightly and
grabbed on Argo's saddle.He then yelled "Gabrielle!" and fell to the
ground.Xena kneeled down while Gabrielle put her hand on her mouth and
cried.Xena calmly looked at Gabrielle with a serious face unlike the
happy one she had while they were traveling.

Gab: Xena what happened.
Xena: I don't know. But we've lost him.
Gab: No.*Gab gasped and wiped her eyes with one of her scrolls*
Xena: Why did he scresm your name? Who's Desira? And what the hay is Ares
up to now?
Gab: *She hopped off the horse and knelt down by the man.* Zues no.
Xena: What?!?!?
Gab: I know this man.His name is Prune.
Xena: Prune?
Gab: Well,that's what Lila and I called him.Since he was so old and
wrinkly.
Suddenly a smile crept across Gabrielle's face like she was remembering
happiness from the past.She laughed softly and carefully.
Xena: You knew him?
Gabrielle then realized the old friend she obviously loved along with
her sister was dead.Her smile then vanished and a serious look stayed.
Gab: Yes I knew him,I loved him, So did Lila.
Xena: Was he a relative of yours?
Gab: No. Lila's friend who was living with us died,and Prune was her
father,he stayed with us after she died.We grew to love him so much, but
then he ran off and got re-married. We never heard from him again.
Xena: What does Ares and whoever this 'Desira' is?
Gab: Desira was his wife after .Lila's friend died.Her name was Tricia by
the way.
Xena and Gabrielle looked at each other in horror.The both jumped on
Argo and loooked for Ares.Xena was talking to herself outside when
Gabrielle went inside to get some more water.
What the hay is Ares doing with Gabrielle's,Sister's,Freind's,Dad's,2nd
wife???And what does it have to do at all with Gabrielle???
Gabrielle then walked out with two jugs of water.
Gab: Let's go Xe----
Gabrielle was cut off by silence.Gabrielle,without Xena knowing, grabbed
Xena's sword and held it in the air!
Xena: Gabrielle!!!
Gab: Shut-up Xena. Hush.
Gabrielle walked around and behind her stood Ares.
Ares: Now you too?
Gab: what did you do, to Desira!
Ares: Nothing,She's quite nice,we get along well.
Gab: I'm not buying it Mister!
Ares: Hmm.Strange.You seem to know everything brat.
Xena: Cut it out you two, Ares, why did Desira's husband die today
yelling out yur names?
Ares: He was getting in the way.
Gab: You can never answer anything straight out can you?
Ares: I'm afraid not...*he vanishes*
Gabrielle and Xena walked a little more and Gabrielle couldn't hold it
in any longer and she just burst out crying.Xena was already setting up
camp in the forest.Gabrielle just sat up along the river and picked a
daisy.
Gab: *to herself*Zues please, send me a sign,something,anything,tell me
it will be alright.Somehow it has to be alright .
Just then, Gabrielle noticed a basket running upstream, It wasn't empty.
I wonder what THAT could be? Gab thought.