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These pages were last updated: August 29, 1997
ŠJuly 1997
The following is a bit of alternative fiction based on certain characters from the Xenaverse. It is not meant to infringe on anyone else's rights. If you don't agree or disapprove, please go read something else.
Gabrielle was really glad she was sitting down. She glanced at Xena, who stared impassively at Ephiny, then she looked at her regent. Gabrielle took a slow breath and spoke softly to the blonde, "Let me see if I understand this. Your researchers discovered this little," her mouth twitched, "detail," Gabrielle's eyelids fluttered a little as she made the understatement, "before the joining even happened. But, you successfully hid it from the council because you were afraid of what Xena might do." Ephiny looked at the warrior princess and winced in regret. The regent nodded softly. "Now someone has been asking for that particular bit of information." Another nod. "Which means there is probable reason to believe that there will be a challenge." Gabrielle blew a breath and swiped at her bangs. She pursed her lips in thought. "Is there any reason I couldn't just change the law?" She got a different kind of wince from the blonde.
The Queen's regent fidgeted. "Amazons are very protective of their heritage. If the law has been around for ages, they will see it as a matter of tradition as well as a matter of law."
"Even if it hasn't been used in years?" Gabrielle's head tilted in curiosity. Her eyelids creased thoughtfully.
"Probably especially if it hasn't been. It makes it seem more. . official. . ."
Gabrielle nodded understandingly. She was from Potedia, a place known for its traditionalism. Thank the Gods Xena had shown up. She looked up at her lover and wondered how Xena was taking this. Xena's expression remained neutral. Gabrielle shook her head and wondered how someone so expressive could manage that particular look.
The Queen sighed. "And we'd need to call a full council if we wanted to change the law, because it applies to *me.*" A nod. "But if we call council, then they become apprised of the law and"
"They'll probably want you to,"
"Fulfill it." Another nod. Gabrielle's brows shot up and she shook her head in wonder, "All of them? With witnesses?"
"Yes." Ephiny had the grace to blush.
"And if we didn't, the consequences would be?"
"It would be as if the joinings never happened and another contest would have to be called."
"Can I just ask? How in Hades could such a stupid law be enacted?" Gabrielle's hands flew up in frustration.
"It may have been borrowed." Xena spoke quietly, yet the impact of her voice could be felt in the whole room. The warrior looked peeved but relaxed. Her stance was easy, but her arms folded. It was another expression that caused the bard to marvel.
Gabrielle questioned, "Borrowed?"
Xena sighed, "The Amazons may have borrowed the law from another country, when it was forming. It happens a lot more than you think. They may have looked at a code from a country where the marriage of the ruler had to be formally authenticated. It's a way of insuring the heir."
"But Amazons don't. . ."
"But the law may have been written anyway, depending on how old it is. The Amazons do have to reproduce."
Ephiny nodded, "That's what my researchers thought too. That's why we didn't, I mean why I didn't tell anyone. We figured, why add fuel to the fire?" Xena shook her head and grimaced. The blonde regent was apologetic, "Sorry." Xena shrugged.
"What if just Xena and I?" Gabrielle posed the question carefully. She and her lover had taken some daring chances in the past so she wasn't entirely selfconscious about lovemaking, but this was something completely different. It wasn't about spice, it was about politics.
"See that's the problem.," Ephiny began, "If you hadn't publicly accepted Kalai and Arete as your consorts, we might be able to wriggle out of this. But, since you did accept them and they accepted you, then it's a binding contract. If you don't. . .get witnessed," this time it was Gabrielle who winced, "then people could go about saying that they weren't really your consorts and there is a possible problem of public shame. They might be required to leave the nation."
"But why?"
Ephiny tried to explain an involved political concept simply, "Because you didn't trust them."
Now that made no sense to Gabrielle. "But. . ."
Xena placed a hand on Gabrielle's shoulder and she looked into her mate's eyes as she explained it a little more fully. She'd gotten the hang of explaining things to Gabrielle, "They might be perceived as a danger to the nation. If the Queen didn't trust them, then the council would be forced to ask why." Gabrielle's mouth opened and shut. The last thing she wanted to do was cause problems for Kalai and Arete. Her expression took on a kind of intensity that she usually wore when writing.
She finally vented with, "This is stupid." Her whole body looked frustrated.
Ephiny heartily agreed. She was grateful the issue hadn't come up with Solari and herself. Not that she would have let it stop her, but they might have put off the joining for a bit.
Gabrielle's expression remained serious. "I refuse to do something that might embarrass Kalai and Arete. Something like this should not be a "have to," I don't care what anyone thinks. It's not fair to them. Loving should be. . .*loving,* and for that reason only." Ephiny nodded in agreement, but she knew politics. Sometimes loving had nothing to do with it. Before she could say so, Gabrielle continued on, "But, I believe this law definitely demonstrates something that needs to be fixed in the nation. This is what we're going to do then. Call a council."
"But that could take weeks." Ephiny's mouth hung open. There were villages that were a great distance away. Not all Amazon villages were on the nation's land. Portions of the tribe extended throughout the whole of Greece. Besides the festival wasn't that far away time wise. This decision might prevent some of the smaller villages from showing.
Gabrielle was aware of the problems, though she didn't show it. She spoke forcefully, "I want everyone in one place so we can hash this out. This may be an antiquated law that affects me, but it's not the only one that doesn't make sense. While the council is being gathered, have the researchers pull out any law that is incompatible, improbable, impossible, stupid or just plain ignorant and we'll pile them up for the council to go through. I want the code simplified to something manageable. And it is going to be done if I have to drag the Amazons kicking and screaming." Gabrielle grinned in a wicked kind of way, "It was the council that pushed the joining contest through, so the council is going to deal with the results." Ephiny started to smile again. Gabrielle looked determined. "Meanwhile, *I* am the Queen. There must be a way to make this easier on *everyone.* If need be, I'll make some sort of amendment. If the council decides the law must be seen through for whatever reason, I'll change the law so that my consorts will have a say in the results. They deserve it and I'll not have it any other way."
As the bard spoke, it seemed to Ephiny that Gabrielle's whole body changed. Suddenly the young woman didn't seem like a villager who happened to be an Amazon Queen. Gabrielle had taken on the mantle. Now she was *the* Queen. Ephiny had a brief vision of the future and was in awe.
Xenite Temple | Fan Fiction Site | Home Page
These pages were last updated: August 29, 1997
ŠJuly 1997