In a way or another, the rebel-poet-slave Gabrielle is always defeated-captured-sold and faces the mighty-cruel-brooding Conqueror. After some (how much depends on the Bard) time and/or angst-torture-crucifixions, Xena is reformed by Gabrielle's love and they live happily ever after.

Well, in Conquered you won't find *anything* in line with the Conqueror bardic canon. First of all, Xena is not ruling. She's been defeated by Alexander, and is prisoner in Shark Island, at the mercy of the sadistic warden Thelassa. Gabrielle has lost a leg as a consequence of her crucifixion, and is bitter and angry. She wants to hate Xena, and the former Destroyer of Nations helps it in their first meeting insulting her and hurting her with her words. But Gabrielle doesn't leave, and slowly breaks the defenses of the Conqueror... and her own at the same time.

Conquered is a story *not* for those who hate to see the main charachters mistreated. There's a lot of suffering (both physical and psychological) for Xena and Gabrielle in this story, but boy, the story couldn't be as good without it. And Conquered IS definetly a very good story. Grammar and spelling are flawless. The characters are wonderfully outlined, their actions always have a reason, and while at the beginning you obviously side with the hurt, resentful Gab and her hate, but bit by bit you can't help but becoming sympathetic with Xena.

Leslie embarked for a really hard journey, trying to change both Xena and Gabrielle, and in my opinion she's made a wonderful job so far. Conquered strengthens my belief that the Conqueror genre can still give us many, many hours of wonderful entertainment. This story is absolutely a "do not miss."

The next night a hooded Xena sees and hears Gabrielle perform as the resident bard of Cyrene’s tavern. She kidnaps Gab, telling her she has been recruited to be the Conqueror’s bard. Gab’s stiff resistance causes Xena to use the pinch to convince her. In spite of that (is this the Evil Xena?) this is also a really funny scene on the road to the Conqueror’s castle. Her use of the pinch raises the questions: is this the vicious Xena we saw in those myriad back stories or was she just a seeker of ‘fulfillment’? Is she the legendary ruthless killer...or a victim of hyperbole? Well, when we learn what REALLY happened at Cirra and at that Northern Amazon sweat lodge we understand what stunted growth in a certain area of experience can do to a Warrior Princess. [Excuse me for grinning]. Not that this Conqueror is harmless. Enginerd has remembered that to defang a warrior is to remove the credible threat that keeps the edge to her character and the humour. "She is probably out on Argo. If she is upset, she won't be back for a while. You shouldn't be around her when she's like this," he warned. "How do you know that?!?" Gabrielle challenged, firmly believing the opposite. Palimon pointed to the long scar on his face. "I tried to cheer her up once."

There were other humorous nods to incongruities expressed on the show. There are some wonderful bits including Hecuba’s attack on Xena and Xena's scene with Cyrene was hilarious and delightful; though I wasn't happy about a five year sleep, I guess the show prepared us for that. The writer advises to proceed reading at your own risk so I won’t reveal anymore of the story line but will highly recommend it as a rewarding read. Great Warrior Princess action, sweet level headed Bard behavior, a tale that teases, other familiar characters, good and bad, and a chance to decide for yourself just who this Conqueror really is.

My overall reaction to the story is, it tweaks the show to my utter satisfaction.

In "Ever After", Xena's child gives us another view of the Conqueror and her relationship with her slave. Xena loves Gabrielle, but she can't allow herself to ever admit that, can't allow herself ever to want it. And Gabrielle can never allow herself to hope for it. Two people, caught in darkness, and too afraid to catch the light in each other.

These stories aren't pretty, but they are powerful and they will leave you with such a strong feeling of grief over lives and love wasted, of happiness denied. You'll hate them for all the right reasons and you'll love them for all the right ones too. I still catch my breath at the closing line of "Chattel", mourning at the bard who never had a chance at life, and I cried at the end of "Ever After", mourning for Xena who never gave herself a chance to enjoy the best thing in her life.

Gin does not follow the norm for the conqueror.There is no breaking of legs, or cringing slave girl. Gabrielle and Xena meet as near equals. Gabrielle as the Queen of the Amazons and Xena, the Rising Conqueror of the known world.

The story is complete in itself, and for those many that it will delight, it is followed by a series of books which expand this alternate Xenaverse and the characters.