In the central
square she saw the answer to her question. Two men were standing on a
platform, nooses around their necks. The Spartans stared with
undisguised hatred at the Amazon Queen. A crowd started to form as
amazons came to see the spectacle.
Gabrielle climbed up on the platform. "Amazons! Today is a great day!
Today we celebrate our victory over the mighty Spartans!"
Cheers erupted from the gathered amazons. Callisto watched, fascinated
at the transformation that had gone through the once timid bard. She
realized that much had changed.
"Before you are the Spartan leaders," continued the Queen once the
cheering subsided. "They refused to order the surrender of their
scattered army. A brave, but ultimately futile, gesture."
With that last word, Gabrielle made a motion and the executioner opened
the trap door. The two Spartans writhed a bit, but overall died well,
thought Callisto. She was shocked at the bard's show of brutality. What
had happened?
Amid the renewed cheering, Queen Gabrielle stepped down and went to the
prisoner. The amazons made cleared a large circle which encompassed the
two women.
"So, what do you think of my little display?" asked the Queen with a
rather evil smirk, thought the captive.
"Dramatic," returned the prisoner. "Xee-nah would be proud."
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To Callisto's
satisfaction, that little barb stung, as evidenced by the backhanded
slap that turned her head. She looked back at Gabrielle and summoned an
innocent expression.
"Did I say something wrong?" she asked.
Gabrielle answered her captive with a question: "Why did you come back?"
'When did I ever leave?' thought Callisto as she simultaneously
replied: "Oh, you know, I had nothing better to do so I came over to
talk to you. I remember our heart-to-heart conversations quite fondly."
"How could you come back knowing that I'd probably have you killed on
the spot?" asked the Queen with more vigor.
"Now why would you want to kill me? I've always thought that our
relationship was rather special. And whatever happened to that 'I'm the
good one' routine you used whenever Xee-nah was around?"
"YOU KILLED XENA!" yelled Gabrielle into her prisoner's face.
That stunned Callisto. "I... What? When? How?"
"Don't you remember Patras?" questioned the Amazon Queen as with a
growing sense of fury she continued. "Don't you remember how you came
into town on your horse, Joxer tied up, stumbling behind you?"
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