“You’re not alone, I can help if you
let me,” Xena said as she looked into his eyes and he looked
back at her. “I know, I just have to get use to it I guess,
I’ve been alone for so long,” Ulysses whispered and
Xena nodded. “I know but you’re not any more,”
she said as she brought his hand up to her lips and kissed the back
of it and that’s the way they fell asleep. As the days passed
by, the busier everyone became, Xena felt that she had about as
much work to do as Ulysses did, with getting fitted for clothes and
worrying about this and that for the wedding. It was a particular
day, one not so special, she was in the room with Marguerite,
Camille and the seamstress working on one of the many dresses that
they thought she obviously needed.

 

 

“I think this will be a nice dinner
gown,” Marguerite said as she looked at Xena who was standing
patiently on a stool while the seamstress made the adjustments.
“What do you think Xena?” Camille asked and Xena just
hunched her shoulders, “its okay I guess, I mean I’ve
never been one to fancy dresses that much,” Xena said and
Marguerite nodded. “So I’ve noticed,” she said
and Xena raised any eyebrow at that. She was about to say something
when the door opened and Ulysses walked in with one hand over his
eye and Virgil behind him constantly apologizing.
“Virgil,” Ulysses said as he spun and looked at his
friend, “will you stop apologizing already,” Ulysses
said then sat down on the sofa. “I just didn’t see you
and I thought you would have saw it,” Virgil said,
“what happened?” Xena asked and Ulysses looked at her,
“I got hit in the eye by Virgil’s staff,” Ulysses
said and Xena got down off of the stool and walked over to
Ulysses.

 

 

“Let me see,” she said as she removed
his hand and she tilted his head back so that she could see the
extent of the damage that was caused. “Does this hurt?”
Xena asked as she pressed down below his eye, right by his cheek
bone, “shit,” Ulysses said as he pulled his face away.
“Bring me a cold cloth,” Xena told Virgil who ran off
to go and get it, “how did this happen?” She asked as
she pushed on a couple more spots but he only winced at those,
“I wasn’t paying attention and just walked right into
it,” Ulysses said and Xena nodded. “Marguerite can you
grab that jar with the green stuff in it for me please? It’s
over on the dresser.” Xena said and Marguerite retrieved the
jar and brought it over to Xena who took the top of and dipped her
fingers into the potent cream.

 

 

“Uggh…what is that?” Ulysses
asked as pulled his face away but Xena grabbed him,
“it’ll help the blood circulate better so you heal
faster,” Xena said as she rubbed it into the area that would
soon be a black eye. “It stinks,” Ulysses complained
and Xena shook her head at him, “all men are the same when it
comes to pain, you’re just babies,” Xena said.
“Hey, I resent that,” he said and Xena grinned at him.
“By the way I like your dress,” he said with a smile as
he looked at Xena’s dress and she smiled back at him,
“really? It doesn’t feel like me,” she said and
he nodded. “It fits you well, like you were poured into it
and you look gorgeous in it as I’m sure you’ll look
gorgeous out of it,” he said with a grin and Xena smiled as
she slapped him on his arm. “Ulysses I’m really
sorry,” Virgil said as he handed Xena the cloth,
“Virgil I’m going to kill you if you don’t stop
apologizing, it was an accident, a stupid one on my part because I
wasn’t watching what I was doing,” he said then winced
as Xena pressed the cold cloth to his eyes.

 

 

“Hold it down firmly, I want to reduce any
swelling there may be,” Xena said then stood and wiped her
hands and went back onto the stool so that they could finish with
her dress. “Are you a healer?” Camille asked and Xena
grinned at her, “when the occasion calls for it, I was taught
by our healer in Amphipolis, she’s a great healer whose been
every where and she’s taught me everything she knows,”
Xena said and Camille nodded. “Must certainly come in
handy,” she said and Xena nodded, “at times it
does,” she said as she winked at Ulysses who smiled at her.
“That dress looks like it was made for royalty so it looks
good on you,” Ulysses said and Xena smiled at him. “You
think?” She asked, “I know,” he said back and
Xena smiled and let the seamstress continue her work.