The King and the Enemy

20

A week later Xena was feeling much better, the bruises in her body were almost no existent, the wound on her shoulder was finally healed, and the scratches in her face were almost completely faded. Her leg and side were still a little sore though.

She had avoided most of the group in the past week, venturing out of her chambers at night To eat and stretch her body.

When they saw her for the first time In A week everyone just stared. Her hair was down, something she usually didn't do, and shiny and probably the cleanest it's been in a few weeks. Her face wasn't swollen and she walked normally. She probably looked like a whole new person

"You look better," Sif said.

"I feel better." She said as she grabbed an apple from the dinning table.

"I think we know where your aunt is," Thor said.

She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Really? Where?"

"Fighting with your people," Loki said. She turned and looked at him. He was dressed in his regular black leather with green and gold accents. In the pre-dawning light shadows danced off his cheekbones. His eyes skimmed her body and she turned away.

"I need to talk to her," she said as she took a bite out of her apple feeling uncomfortable in the groups presence.

"Can you fight?" Thor asked.

"Yes," she answered.

"Then go get ready."

Twenty minutes later Xena and the rest of the group were making their way through the city. Civilians ran in the opposite directions and they soon found themselves upon the fighting. The group swarmed into the battle quickly, but Xena stayed back and searched the mass of bodies looking for her queen. She couldn't see very far, she need to be higher up.

She found a building she could easily climb and scaled up it until she reached the roof. Looking down on the fighting she quickly spotted who she was looking for. The woman's blond hair flowed around her as she cut though every Asguardian that came upon her.

Xena quickly climbed down the building and ran in the direction of her aunt. She watched as she effortlessly cut off an Asguardians head with a giant sword.

"Deja!" Xena yelled over the noise of war.

Her aunt turned at the sound of her name. When her eyes found Xena she looked surprise, then angry.

"I heard you were fighting with them," She yelled back, approaching Xena, her sword at the ready.

Xena held up her hands in surrender, "Let me explain," she pleaded.

Deja was almost right in front of her, her sword rising in her hands. Xena quickly pulled out her daggers and brought them up in defense. Deja swung her should and Xena's daggers blocked it, the clang of metal on metal ringing though their surrounding

"Explain what? How can you even stand to look at them after what they did to your brother, to your father, to you?" She swung her sword upward this time trying to cut her hands off. Xena jumped backward to avoid it. Deja came after her swinging her sword with all her strength.

Xena dodge her attacks, staying on the offense. She didn't raise her daggers to harm, only to block when necessary.

Deja finally had enough and brought her sword up for another strike but instead of swinging it she kick out with her feet. Her feet rammed into Xena ankles knocking her feet right out from under her. Her daggers flew from her hands as she fell, before her body hit the ground Deja jumped onto her making her body thump into the ground ten times harder that it would have.All the air in Xena's lungs rushed out of her. She gasped and struggled for breath.

Deja sat atop her chest. She pull out a small knife from her boot and put it against her throat.

"You're a traitor," Deja spit as she raised the knife a over her head with both hands. Xena knew she was going to plunge the knife right into her chest where her heart beat wildly. She closed her eyes, waiting for the knife to pierce her skin.

Suddenly Deja's weight was thrown off Xena's chest. She opened her eyes and search her her savior. Her eyes landed on Loki, one of his hands outstretched. His skin was blue and covered in markings, and his eyes glowed red.

Xena eyes widened as his appearance fade back to normal. She had heard the rumors that Loki was not truly an Asguardian. However, she thought they were just rumors.

Loki's eyes met hers. She knew that he was asking if she was okay. She nodded her head quickly and he turned and faded into the crowd of fighting bodies.

Xena turned to look for Deja. She found her aunt on the ground to her left. She scrambled over to her and gently touched her. Her skin was ice cold but she was breathing just find. Loki had frozen her.

Xena picked her up and lifter her on her shoulders. Her one shoulder aching in protest. She quickly made her way though the fighting bodies and away from the war zone. She found it strange that no one attacked her while she carried Deja away.

She slowly made her way back to the palace. Once there she had a guard take Deja down to the dungeon where she had been in prisoned and told him to send down a healer once she was in her cell.

A few hours later Xena was sitting in the dinning hall at the table when Thor, Loki, Lady Sif, and the Warriors Three walked in. Their armor was splattered with blood and they all looked dirty.

"Did you find her?" Thor asked when he saw her. She nodded her head. "Well?" He asked expectantly.

"She's down in the dungeon," she answered as she got up from the table and turned to leave. She only waited around to see if everyone got back okay.

"Wait, what?" Thor asked.

She sighed and turned to face him. Her eyes found Loki though. She inspected him, looking for any part of his Jötun form. He gazed back as her a curious look in his eyes.

Pulling her eyes from him quickly she answered Thor's question, "She's here, down in the dungeon. I will talk to her tomorrow." With that said, she turned and left the room.