DISCLAIMER AND AUTHOR'S NOTE: All Xena stuff is the legal property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures, I just felt like using it. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fiction. All other characters that appear belong to me. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies may be made for private use only and must include this copyright notice and disclaimer. Hm, I'm not sure whether Lila knows shit about treating wounds and stuff, but for the purposes of this story she does.

A New Family
By Kristjan Brezovnik

Callisto was watching from a distance as the object of her next plan walked into a trap. It was a young woman and she was traveling alone. She soon noticed the four thugs she had hired closing in on the young woman. She mounted her horse and slowly started to ride towards the young woman.

The young woman noticed the four men and she looked around for a place to hide. Unfortunately, there wasn't any.

The four men soon got closer.

"Hello, little one."

The young woman gulped, scared.

"Hello," she said, trying to keep as much distance between herself and the men as possible.

"Oh, you're not afraid of us, are you?"

The woman didn't respond. The men surrounded her.

When Callisto got close enough, the men were already trying to rape the woman. Callisto cried her war cry, somersaulted over the head of her horse and attacked. The young woman looked at her savior and then one of the bandits hit her on the head. Then they approached Callisto.

"Well done," she said.

"Any time, Callisto," their leader said.

"I'm afraid that was your last time," Callisto said and swung her sword.

Three men fell down with their throats slashed. The fourth just barely managed to avoid being killed, but Callisto lunged after him and finished the job. Then she cleaned her sword and loaded the corpses on her horse and took them away.

When she returned, she noticed that the young woman was beginning to stir. She dismounted, took her sword and made a bad wound on her leg. She bit her teeth and cleaned her sword in the grass. Then she went to the young woman and shook her.

The young woman moaned and opened her eyes.

"How do you feel?" Callisto asked.

"My head hurts."

Callisto smiled and helped her sit. The woman looked around.

"The bandits?"

"They ran away."

"Good. Oh, thank you for saving me."

Callisto smiled again.

"You're welcome."

"Hey, you're wounded," the young woman finally noticed.

"Oh, it's nothing."

"What do you mean nothing?! This is a deep gash!"

"I…"

"Do you have any bandages in your bag?"

"Yes."

The young woman got up and went to Callisto's horse. She staggered the first few steps, but she quickly regained control. She rummaged through the bag until she found the bandages and the gourd. Then she returned to Callisto.

"Sit down," she ordered.

Callisto sat, amused, and let the young woman take care of the wound. She observed her and noticed that she knew what she was doing.

"Oh, my name is Lila," the young woman introduced herself after she had cleaned the wound.

Callisto thought.

"I'm Cally."

"You'll have to rest until the wound heals."

"I will."

"Where will you stay?"

"Stay?"

"Yes, in which inn?"

"In none."

Lila looked at her.

"You have to. You can't ride around with a wound like that."

"It's not like I have a choice."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm currently low on money and I can't afford a room."

"Oh." Lila thought. "You can stay at my house," she offered.

"Your house?"

"Yes, in Poteidaia."

"No, I can't."

"Sure you can."

"But what will your parents say?"

"Don't worry, they'll help you."

"But I can't pay you."

"You don't have to."

"But I can't just lie around and eat your food."

"I'm sure my mother will find something for you to do. That is if you come with me."

Callisto pretended to think.

"Okay," she finally said.

"Great!"

Lila finished dressing the wound and then helped Callisto get up.

"Thanks," Callisto said.

"No problem. I'll just get your horse and then we'll walk home."

Home, Callisto thought and sighed. Lila got the horse.

"Okay, lean on me."

Callisto leaned on the younger woman and they started to walk.

Finally, they got to Poteidaia.

"Mother! Father!" Lila called.

Her father was the first to come. When he saw the newcomer, he froze for a moment.

"This is Cally," Lila said. "She saved my life."

Her father eyed Callisto suspiciously for a few moments.

"Thank you," he said.

"She was wounded in the leg and she has to rest until it heals. I told her she can stay here."

Her father hesitated.

"Of course," said her mother, who just came out. "Come in."

Lila gave her father the reigns of Callisto's horse and then took Callisto inside.

"Sit here," Lila said.

Callisto sat.

"You were attacked?" Lila's mother asked.

"Yes. Four bandits attacked me, but Cally saved me."

"Thank you. You can stay until your leg heals."

"Thank you," Callisto said and put on her best innocent smile.

Lila suddenly noticed the way her father stared at Callisto.

"What is it father?" she asked.

"I remind him of Callisto," Callisto said and smiled when Lila looked at her, startled. "Don't worry, it happens all the time. I'm a woman, blond, wear leather and have a chakram. Not to mention the name. It's useful sometimes when I get attacked, but not so useful when I try to get a room. Even Xena once thought I was Callisto."

"You met Xena?" Lila asked, excited.

"Yes, once, about a year ago."

"Was she traveling with someone?"

Callisto pretended to think.

"Yes, I think she had a companion. A young woman, I think, with reddish hair."

"Yes! That's my sister, Gabrielle."

"Really?!" Callisto pretended to be excited.

"Where are you from?" Lila's father asked.

"Ah? Athens."

"And what does your family do?"

"My father's a merchant and my brother's in the militia."

"And your mother?"

"She died in an accident when I was little."

"Father," Lila said and gave him a warning look. Then she turned to her mother. "Can she sleep in Gabrielle's bed?"

"Of course."

"Can you get her a robe? She can't lie around in that armor."

"I will."

Lila turned to Callisto.

"First, you get out of that armor and wash yourself. Then you'll put on one of my mother's dresses and then I'll check the wound again. Father, would you please leave us," she added when she noticed Callisto's glance.

The father left and Callisto started to undress.

When Callisto was all dressed up, Lila just stared at her.

"Is something wrong?" Callisto asked.

"Ah? Oh, no. I was just admiring your looks."

Callisto looked down. She knew men found her attractive, but she never cared about it. Apparently women also thought she looked great. She didn't care.

"Thank you," she said sweetly.

"I'll take care of your leg now," Lila said and came closer.

She put the stuff she needed on the floor and carefully started to take the bandage off.

"Does it hurt?" she asked.

"No," Callisto said, looking around. "Are those scrolls?"

Lila looked.

"Yes. Gabrielle writes about her and Xena's travels. She's a bard, you know."

"Really? Is she good?"

"Oh, yes. You want to read them?"

"The scrolls?"

"Yes."

"May I?"

"Sure. Gabrielle said that I may lend them around if someone wants to read them."

"Great! I will."

After Lila had taken care of her wound and showed her around the house, Callisto started to read Gabrielle's scrolls. She was right about the deep bond between Xena and Gabrielle, but she hadn't suspected it was that deep. When Gabrielle had nearly died, Xena had written down her thoughts and as much as she hated to admit, Xena had changed, she was not the monster Callisto remembered. She sighed and looked up. She froze.

Lila and her mother were working in the kitchen, but Callisto didn't see them, she saw her own mother and sister. A tear slipped out of her eye, but she hadn't noticed it.

Lila noticed her hard breathing.

"Are you okay?" she asked and approached Callisto.

Callisto jerked and the illusion disappeared. She gulped. Then she noticed the tear and quickly dried it.

"Yes," she said, nodding, and took a deep breath.

She got up and left to get another scroll.

The next morning Lila was awoken by a horrible scream. She sat up and looked around, trying to determine the source. She quickly realized that it was Callisto.

"Are you okay?" she asked, still a bit shocked.

"Yes," Callisto murmured and turned away.

"What happened?" Lila's mother asked when she and her husband came.

"Nothing. I think she had a nightmare," Lila explained.

"Oh."

The parents left and Lila got up. She refreshed herself and dressed up. When she was done, Callisto was still lying in her bed, hiding her face in the blanket. Lila wanted to talk to her, but she decided against it. She went to her mother.

When she was gone, Callisto got up. Her eyes were a bit red, but otherwise there were no traces of nightmare. She got up, refreshed herself, dressed up and went to the kitchen.

"Good morning," she greeted sweetly. "Mmm, smells delicious."

"Good morning," Lila's mother said.

"Are you all right?" Lila asked.

Callisto smiled.

"Yes, I'm fine."

Lila's father didn't say anything and he still observed Callisto with distrust, though not with as much as the day before.

The day passed uneventfully and Lila and her mother found some simple tasks that Callisto could do while sitting down. Callisto loathed house work, but she also found it sort of relaxing as it took her mind off other things. Not to mention that skills she would acquire here could come in handy someday. She noticed that even Lila's father wasn't so resentful toward her anymore.

At night, when Lila was just returning from the toilet, she noticed that Callisto was having another nightmare. She heard her call for her mother and was begging her not to leave her. Lila was shocked for a moment and then decided to wake Callisto up.

"Cally," she said softly, shaking her gently.

Callisto immediately woke up and after a moment pushed her away.

"Leave me alone," she said and turned away.

Lila stared at her, surprised, and then returned to bed.

In the morning, when Lila woke up, Callisto was already up and in the kitchen, helping her mother.

"Good morning," she said.

"Good morning," her mother said.

Lila sat down. Callisto observed her for a while, thinking. Strangely, a part of her wanted to apologize and the other part didn't. She decided that it didn't really matter what she wanted, the fact was that she had to apologize.

"Lila," she started. Lila looked at her. "I'm sorry," Callisto continued. "I was surprised. Nobody ever woke me up before because there's usually no one around to do it. Thank you."

Lila smiled, relieved that Callisto wasn't offended.

"No problem," she said.

Callisto suddenly felt much better. It confused her that a simple act of apology would make her feel better. She didn't care what Lila or her family thought about her, they would soon die. But the thought still bothered her. She shook her head.

In the afternoon, when there was nothing else to be done, Callisto resumed reading the scrolls. She had finally gotten to those about herself.

She was surprised to find that Gabrielle forgave her for the death of her husband. Then she recalled what Gabrielle had said about her when she was dead and it disturbed her even more. She shook her head, trying to chase away the disturbing thoughts. She came here to kill Gabrielle's family and nothing is going to change that.

She resumed reading and the more she read, the more her thoughts bothered her. She finally put away the scroll she was reading, went to her horse and started to brush it.

The thoughts, however, still bothered her.

"Is everything okay?"

Callisto jerked and turned around. It was Lila's mother. She nodded.

"Yes."

"You seem distressed."

"I miss my family," Callisto admitted.

"When was the last time you saw them?"

Callisto smiled bitterly. She knew they weren't talking about the same family.

"It's been a while."

"Then maybe you should visit them."

"That may be a problem."

"Why?"

"I'm not exactly welcome there."

"I see. Do you want to tell me about it?"

Callisto shook her head.

"No."

"Well, if you change your mind, let me know."

Lila's mother left. Callisto stared after her, thinking how the woman would react if she suddenly confessed that she was Callisto. She smiled, amused. The woman would probably die of fear. She returned to brushing her horse.

She was alone for a few minutes and then Lila came.

"You should be sitting, not walking around with a wound like that."

"My butt was hurting me and I could use some fresh air."

"Oh."

Lila then quietly observed Callisto brushing her horse. Callisto noticed that and she glanced at her from time to time.

"You want to try?" she asked after a while.

"Ah? Well…"

"Yes or no?"

"Yes."

"Here."

Callisto gave her the brush.

"But I've never done this before."

"You'll learn."

Callisto guided Lila's hand for a few strokes and then let Lila do it by herself.

She sat down and observed Gabrielle's sister and imagined it was her own. She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't hear Lila's mother and she jerked, startled, as the woman gently shook her.

"Yes?" she asked, hiding her mild annoyance.

"You said you wanted to learn how to prepare new dishes."

"Oh, yes."

Callisto got up and followed the woman inside.

"Mmm, that was delicious, Hecuba," her husband said after the lunch.

"Well, you should thank Cally, she did all the work, I only instructed her."

"Cally, this was delicious," the man repeated his praise.

"Thank you," Callisto said sweetly.

She did not really care what they thought about her cooking, but she was glad to know that she could pass as a cook in some inn if her plans called for it.

"I think she would make a fine cook if she wanted," Hecuba said.

"Absolutely," Lila agreed. "You could rival Gabrielle, she's also a great cook."

Callisto smile. She knew that Gabrielle was a good cook.

As the days passed by, Callisto read more and more of Gabrielle's scrolls and, although she hated to admit it, she felt that there was something missing in her life. At first she thought it was her family, but then she realized that it wasn't just family, but having someone to care for and be cared by. She usually killed anyone who cared for her or she felt that she might care for, but her decision to kill this family was no longer so strong as it was before. The longer she stayed, the less she felt her need for revenge. She was well aware that this was just an illusion and that it would be over as soon as they found out her real name. They love Cally, not Callisto.

She envied Xena to be able to find such a friend as Gabrielle and for the first time in her life she wished that she didn't kill Gabrielle's husband. She felt strange, regretting a murder that hurt Xena, but then she realized that she didn't regret the murder, but the fact that she had hurt Gabrielle. She had to admit to herself that in spite of Gabrielle's loud mouth she liked the young woman. And her sister too. She thought about Lila. She was even more naive than Gabrielle, but she was so pure and innocent. Callisto wondered if she would also be like her if Xena hadn't burned down her village.

Finally, she made a decision.

One morning Lila was woken up by her father. She opened her eyes and yawned.

"Has Cally said anything about leaving?" her father asked.

Lila was immediately fully awake and looked at Gabrielle's bed.

"No," she said.

"Well, she's gone."

"Gone?"

"Yes, she took all her stuff."

Lila considered her options.

"Is Mother up yet?"

"Yes."

"Can you tell her to make me something to eat?"

"You're not going back to sleep?"

"No, I'm going after Cally."

"No way."

"Father, I have to. She just ran away and I want to know why."

"Lila…"

"I'm going, whether Mother gives me some food or not."

The father sighed.

"You're just as stubborn as Gabrielle."

Lila smiled.

"I know."

The father left and Lila quickly refreshed herself. Then she dressed up and prepared her bag.

"Morning, Mother," she said as she entered the kitchen.

Her mother gave her a worried look. She knew it was better not to argue with her, because she would ran away like Gabrielle and gods only know when she would return. She finished preparing the food and gave it to Lila.

"Be careful, Lila," she said.

"I will," Lila promised and hugged her mother.

Her mother hugged her back. Then Lila hugged her father and left.

When she was far enough from the village, Callisto stopped. She dismounted and tethered her horse. She looked around and stretched. Then she took her sword and started to practice. She was a bit rusty, not practicing in a couple of days, and she practiced twice as long as she usually did.

When she was done, she lay down and lay still for a while, trying to clear her mind. She missed her family so much and now that she had found another, she had to leave it, not wanting to hurt them. She cursed Xena for taking away her family and all the chances to get another. She screamed, frustrated, and sat up. She took a few deep breaths and then went hunting.

Lila had been traveling on foot for several hours and she was about to make a short stop, when she noticed a fight in the distance. She stepped off the road and tried to get closer without being noticed. She soon noticed that it was Cally and that she was under attack. She hurried up.

Callisto was enjoying the fight, because it's been a while since she had killed someone. She was toying with the bandits, who thought that a lonely woman would be an easy prey. She took her time before she killed a bandit and the bandits were getting more and more frustrated. Finally, she decided that she had enough and decapitated the nearest bandit.

"Okay, creeps, playtime's over," she said and grinned. "It's time you do some dying."

She impaled another bandit, spinned and slit another one's throat. The rest quickly realized that it was in their best interest to vanish. Callisto stared after them for a few moments, smiling wickedly, and then started to clean her sword.

Suddenly she felt that someone was watching her. She looked up and saw Lila. She gulped as she felt a strange emotion. She considered what it might be and finally decided that it was probably shame. She was confused, because she was never ashamed of killing before.

Lila got closer, her eyes widely open. Callisto took a deep breath.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"I… You just left and I wanted to know why."

"Because my leg is fine and I didn't want to bother your family anymore."

"You could have waited until we woke up."

"Well, I woke up and I left."

"It looked to me as though you ran away."

Callisto was surprised.

"Ran away? Me?"

"Yes."

Callisto laughed, but she knew that Lila was right, she was running away.

"Go home, Lila."

"Not until you tell me why you ran away," Lila insisted.

"I have my reasons," Callisto said and got up, resheathing her sword. "Now go home."

"Cally, please…"

"Go home!" Callisto yelled, losing her patience. "Just go home, damn it!"

She went to her horse and rode away.

"Cally!!" Lila called after her, but Callisto ignored her.

Several hours later Callisto passed through a village which had been recently under attack.

"What happened?" she asked a woman she met.

"Slavers," was the woman's only response.

Callisto cursed and turned her horse around.

The caravan of slaves was traveling slowly, not fearing anyone. They had many beautiful women and the buyers would pay well. Suddenly the back guards reported that someone was approaching and the caravan stopped.

The leader observed the approaching rider.

"Hm, that one is truly exquisite. Get her."

His second-in-command nodded and left.

Callisto noticed the approaching men and took her chakram. She threw it at them and then took her sword. The chakram sliced three necks and pierced several helmets before returning to Callisto. She put it away and rode through the approaching men, swinging her sword around, killing everyone in its path.

When she was through the greeting party, she took her chakram again and threw it at the leader. The chakram slit the fat neck and killed several surrounding soldiers, before proceeding to the cart cages, cutting them open. Callisto then stopped her horse and somersaulted over its head, catching the chakram in the air. When she landed, she put it away and looked at the freed slaves. She noticed that Lila was among them. She had a couple of bruises, but otherwise looked okay.

Callisto turned around and killed the guards and then ran toward the returning soldiers. She yelled her war cry which together with her murderous look extremely unnerved the soldiers. She quickly killed three more and the rest suddenly lost all will to reclaim their property and retreated.

Callisto stared after them for a few moments and then turned around. The freed slaves had all escaped to the forest. She took a deep breath and went to her horse.

"Cally!" she heard Lila call, but she ignored her.

She mounted her horse and rode away.

Lila stared after her, sad. Then she saw the abandoned horses and she made a decision. She had never ridden a horse before and she hoped that she could control it. She mounted the nearest one and took the reins. She took a deep breath and hoped that the horse won't throw her off or run away like crazy. She gently spurred the horse and the horse moved.

Callisto soon felt that she was being followed. She turned around and was a bit surprised to see that it was Lila. She considered stopping for a moment, but decided against it and spurred her horse again.

Lila saw that Callisto was moving away even faster. She spurred her horse again, determined to find out why Cally was running away.

Callisto finally stopped for lunch. She looked down the road and saw that Lila was nowhere to be seen. She sighed and tethered her horse. She made a fire and prepared the rabbit she had caught in the morning.

She was just about to begin eating when she noticed that someone was approaching. It didn't take her long to identify the rider as Lila. She sighed and started to eat.

Lila was relieved to finally see Cally and she slowed down a bit. When she reached Callisto's camp site, she stopped the horse and dismounted. She nearly collapsed, because her whole body hurt. She slowly regained her balance and tethered her horse next to Callisto's before approaching Callisto.

She stared at her, not knowing what to say. Callisto ignored her. Lila stood for a while and then sat a couple of steps from Callisto. She slowly gathered her courage.

"Why did you leave, Cally?"

Callisto ignored her.

"Cally?"

Callisto slowly turned her head and stared at Lila for a few moments.

"Go home, Lila."

"Not until you tell me why you left."

"Why do you care?"

"I like you. You were like a sister to me."

"A replacement for Gabrielle?" Callisto asked with a sting in her voice.

"No, like another sister."

"Oh."

"Why did you leave?"

"Because it's time for me to move on."

"You could have waited until morning."

"Aha."

"Then why didn't you?"

"Because I didn't. Now go home."

"No. I want to know the reason."

"I woke up and I couldn't fall back to sleep. So, I decided to get up and leave."

Lila stared at Callisto for a few moments, thinking about the simple explanation.

"You're lying."

Callisto was surprised.

"Why would I be lying?"

"Because you're hiding something."

"Ugh, if only I had waited for those few hours, at least I wouldn't have you on my back now," Callisto said, annoyed.

"And why didn't you?"

"I told you."

Lila rose her eyebrows, not believing her.

"Come on, why did you really leave?"

"Damn it, you're just as stubborn as your sister," Callisto said.

Lila was surprised.

"You know Gabrielle?"

Callisto sighed and then put on a wicked smiled.

"I killed her husband," she said.

Lila's eyes went wide.

"But I thought Callisto killed Perdicus."

"I am Callisto. Cally's the short version of the name."

Lila's face paled. She was shocked.

"Then why did you save me?" she asked after a while.

"I didn't. I hired those men. I wanted to kill you and your family because I wanted to hurt Gabrielle and through her Xena," Callisto said, her eyes glowing with hate.

Lila gulped.

"Then why did you leave?"

Callisto looked away.

"I changed my mind."

"Why?"

Callisto looked back at Lila, annoyed, but her expression immediately softened. She stared at Lila for a few moments, afraid to admit the truth.

"I… I started to care. You were like a family to me and I didn't want to hurt you." She paused. "It's been a long time since I cared about anything beside my revenge."

She looked away, feeling uncomfortable.

Lila stared at the most dangerous warlord in the entire Greece. She was afraid of her, but at the same time she also liked her. She knew well who Callisto was and she was surprised at the confession she had just heard. But she had also seen Callisto's soft side and she had a feeling that Callisto was changing. She decided to help her.

"Ah, Callisto?"

"Mmm?"

"Why don't you come home with me and tell my parents the truth?"

Callisto turned around, astonished.

"Excuse me?" she said. Lila gulped. "They'd kill me on the spot. Well, at least try. I don't want to hurt them, Lila."

"Don't worry, I'll protect you."

Callisto laughed.

"You? Protect me?"

"Yes," Lila said seriously.

Callisto's expression became serious again.

"No, Lila. I don't want to cause you any trouble."

"Don't worry, I can handle my parents."

Callisto rose her eyebrows. If the matter hadn't meant so much to her, she would've been amused.

"Look, Lila…"

"Leave my parents to me. At least escort me back to Poteidaia."

Callisto sighed and thought about it.

"Okay," she finally agreed.

Lila smiled, happy.

"Great. Just let me eat something and then we'll leave."

They arrived to Poteidaia the next morning. Suddenly Callisto stopped.

"What is it?" Lila asked.

"Argo."

Lila looked.

"Oh, yes. Xena and Gabrielle are here. Will you wait for me? Please?"

Callisto sighed.

"Yes."

"Thank you," Lila said and slid off of the horse.

Callisto also dismounted and stared after Lila. She thought about leaving, but she had a feeling that Lila would follow her again and she didn't want to endanger her again.

Everybody turned when Lila stepped through the door.

"Lila!"

Gabrielle hugged her sister.

"Hello, Gabrielle."

"Did you find Cally?" her mother asked.

"Yes."

"Why did she leave?"

"She didn't want to hurt us."

"Hurt us? How."

Lila took a deep breath.

"Her real name is Callisto."

"What?!" the rest of the family and Xena said in unison.

Lila gulped.

"Callisto was here?" Gabrielle asked.

"She called herself Cally," her father said.

"How did she get here?"

"She saved me from some bandits. She was wounded so I brought her home. I didn't know it was Callisto."

"Where is she now?" Xena asked.

"She is waiting for me."

"What?!"

Xena wanted to go after Callisto, but Lila stepped in her way.

"Wait," she said.

"What?"

"She is changing."

"Callisto changing? Tartarus will freeze over before she changes."

"Some would say the same thing about you a while ago."

Xena bit her teeth.

"I'm going to travel with her," Lila continued.

"What?!"

"No way," Gabrielle said.

"Yes, I am."

"No, you're not. She's dangerous."

"So was Xena when you went after her. You gave her a chance and I'm giving Callisto one. And besides, if she wanted to hurt any of us, she wouldn't have left, would she?"

There was a silence.

"I just came home to tell you that, I didn't want you to be worried."

"Worried?" Xena asked sarcastically.

"You know what I mean. I'll visit as often as I can."

Lila quickly left so that others wouldn't try to persuade her not to go.

Callisto was brushing her horse, when Lila came back. She looked at her expectantly.

"I'm coming with you," Lila said.

Callisto was astonished.

"Excuse me?" she asked, not sure, if she had heard correctly.

"I'm coming with you," Lila repeated.

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am."

Callisto stared at the younger woman, surprised.

"Look, if you go with me then you'll be a constant target for my enemies and I'm not talking only mortals here. Ares, for example, would try and use you."

"I know, Callisto. I still want to go with you."

Callisto sighed, thinking.

"I assume that you would follow me even if I beat you up right now."

Lila gulped.

"Yes."

Callisto shook hear head.

"You're just as stubborn as Gabrielle."

Lila smiled.

"Yes, you said that."

Callisto smiled and shook her head again.

"Okay." Callisto mounted her horse and then helped Lila. "Say, are you any good with telling stories?"

"Well, I'm not as good as Gabrielle, but I can tell a story or two."

"Do you always compare yourself with Gabrielle?"

"Well…"

"Don't. She's unique and so are you. You can't be another Gabrielle, just be you."

Lila was surprised and she thought about what Callisto had said.

"Okay," she said after a while.

The End