“c1″> 

"I
didn’t know about Thania, and I’m angry with me for not
knowing immediately but I believed her darkness being limited to
the fighting. I was wrong. I knew the first moment I laid eyes on
her what kind of fighter she is. Her eyes gave her away,
there’s no life in her eyes, that’s how I
knew."

“c1″> 

“c1″>Although she was sure not to get an answer Melosa still
had to ask because she really wanted to know more about this
enigmatic woman before the trial started, deciding about her living
or dying. "Did you have many people like her in your army to
know them so well?"

“c1″> 

At
first, there was no reaction but then Xena’s eyes found the
grey brown ones a few feet away, and after what seemed like hours
to the Queen turned her gaze to the flickering flames. Soon there
was a sad smile on her face.

“c1″> 

“c1″>"No, there weren’t many, Queen Melosa.
Usually they are loners; they don’t obey orders willingly. So
I never accepted them. There was only one, more than ten years ago:
myself. – Being dead inside made life bearable. I lived for
the fear I could see in the eyes of my opponents during battle, and
the pain I felt myself every day was eased by the pain I inflicted
upon others. Bloodshed and hatred were all I lived for, all I
craved."

“c1″> 

“c1″>"What happened? The Conqueror never was a ruthless
bloodthirsty monster, not even during the hardest
time."

“c1″> 

“c1″>"You’re wrong, your majesty. She was and I
still am. This monster is still there, right under the surface but
it no longer is in control. Over the years I learned to cage and to
tame it but it’s still there. You saw it during the fight.
What happened?! A woman I tried to kill one day saved my life the
next. She made an almost imperceptible hairline crack in my heart
but I didn’t know it then. It was the beginning of a slow,
gradual change. It took almost ten years to understand what was
going on inside of me, and the death of many innocent people. If
you don’t mind, Queen Melosa, I’d like to go to sleep
now."

“c1″> 

“c1″>"Yes, of course, sleep well,
Xena."

“c1″> 

The
black haired woman now knelt in front of the Queen. "Would you
please fasten my restraints, Mistress?"

“c1″> 

"I
don’t think this will be necessary any longer,
Xena."