"Oh Xena, I’m so sorry, you must think of me as a monster."

"I could never think of you as such. I’m just worried about you. Gabrielle you need to tell me what’s going on."

"No, I can’t." She pushed Xena away. Gabrielle needed to change the topic. "So Sophia, what are you doing here?"

"I’m on my way to Poteidaea for a visit."

"Really, that is where we are headed." Xena looked over to Gabrielle. "I thought it was about time that Gabrielle visited her family." *Now I’m wondering if that was such a good idea.*

Gabrielle could not believe that this was just coincidence. Therewas only three people who knew. "So are you here for pleasure? Or for business?"

"What do you think?"

"I think that maybe you should mind your business."

"This is my business, remember who I am Gabrielle. There are beings who care greatly about you. You don’t need to be alone at this time."

Xena was getting frustrated. *What are they taking about? Damn this code-talk. I’m going to get to the bottom of this.*

Gabrielle looked to Xena. "I’m not alone."

Sophia looked at Xena. "So I guess you know what this is about?"

"No, I don’t. Gabrielle refuses to tell me." Xena swiped her hand through her hair.

"So you are going into this blind." She faced Gabrielle again. "You might as well be alone. No disrespect meant Xena, but there is no way you can help if you don’t know what is going on. If fact, you might make it worse."

Xena raised her eyebrow. "Make what worse?"

Gabrielle silently pleaded with Sophia not to tell. Sophia sighed and shook her head yes. "I can’t tell you. She has to." Sophia walked to Gabrielle and grasped both shoulders. "Tell her, for both your sakes. She doesn’t need to hear it from anyone else." Sophia turned and walked away, giving the couple some privacy.

 ********

Xena looked at Gabrielle, who had started to shiver. There were plenty candlemarks of light left in the day, but Xena knew that Gabrielle needed to rest and regroup. "Come on, lets make camp, then we can talk." Gabrielle nodded her agreement.

Xena found a spot for camp in a meadow, about 60 paces from the road. As the three nearly finished making camp in relative silence Sophia stood up. "I’m going to go hunting; be back at sunset." She reached out a hug Gabrielle and whispered, "Tell her." She then took out her daggers, check the blades, and place them back. She walked to Xena and placed her hand on her shoulder. "She is going to need your strength." She headed to the woods leaving the two soulmates alone.