“c1″> 

“c1″>"Yeah, and I can’t wait to tell her the good
news. She will be happy to get her little girl
back."

“c1″> 

“c1″>"Don’t give yourself to illusions, Toris.
I’m still a killer, I’m still dangerous, and what I did
in the past won’t be undone only by changing my way of life
regardless of how …

“c1″> 

“Two of
my soldiers will soon be arriving at class=”c1″>Corinth to get
mother to safety. They will explain everything to her. No one
associated with me is safe there as soon as the council gets my
letter of resignation. I left her the choice to go to
Albion class=”c1″>or to Chin. Tomorrow I will send another of my men to
find them and tell her about you. With Boadicea out of the picture,
you will have to move to Chin to be safe. The empress is a friend
and she also will be a great teacher for Lyceus."

“c1″> 

Before
Toris could say anything against Xena taking charge once again and
deciding about his life, Anara held a steaming mug in front of Xena
that she sniffed suspiciously. "I don’t need any
painkillers, Anara. Safe them for the others, and the sleeping
herbs also could find a better use."

“c1″> 

“c1″>"Don’t argue, just drink. Your body needs
rest. I need you back to operational mode as soon as possible, with
only one arm I can’t do all the work by
myself."

“c1″> 

“c1″>"All right, you win. Next time wake me before you
start on my leg again. I won’t tear the restraints when
I’m conscious." The healer simply nodded and took the
mug away.

“c1″> 

Toris
stayed at Xena’s bedside long after she’d closed her
eyes. He once again tried to reconcile the picture of so many years
with the sister he now could see, remembering the last time
she’d talked to him.

“c1″> 

“c1″> 

x x x x
x x x x x x

“c1″> 

“c1″> 

“c1″>FLASHBACK:

“c1″> 

Three
moons after his wife died while giving birth to a stillborn baby
girl, some two and a half years ago, he found a detachment of the
First Order clustered around the inn when returning from his
morning hunt. He entered the kitchen unhindered from the back door,
and heard the voice of his mother and sister coming from the main
room.

“c1″> 

"I
will not leave my home, Conqueror. Never!"

“c1″> 

"Oh yes,
you will. I don’t care what you think about it but you will
move to “c1″>Corinth. You will live in
the house I choose for you, and that’s all there is to
say."