Conqueror

By

Catherine Wilson

It pains me to say it, but Catherine is not writing anymore. This, however, should not stop you from letting her know how you liked the story. And what a story it is.

Hailed as a first Conqueror story, as it was written before "The Armageddon" episode aired, it still stands as one of the best in the genre. The same quality of writing and imagination is present here as in the rest of Catherine's work, I would venture to say even more so. The one thing I couldn't help but keep in mind as I read the story is the fact that - think about this - it was written before the show's concept of Xena the Conqueror.

In it we have a successful warlord accepting the fealty of the village she is camped near, a fealty paid in flesh. The hostage girl, Gabrielle, is a challenge and a welcome distraction for the Conqueror, Xena unwittingly setting a snare that would, in the end, render even the most masterful of tacticians impotent to avoid the stirrings of the heart. Sounds familiar? And again, I want to remind you that this story was written before any other Conqueror story. As before, Catherine has set the new standard for fan fiction, one which has been reached by a precious few out there.

Now that I've used my most flowery words and degraded myself to this maudlin blubbery, go read the frikkin' story, ok?