Goddess of Battle
Chapter 2
The morning sun shone down on Gabrielle's shoulders, it's light bathing her in golden
warmth and sparkling like wet diamonds through the red of her hair. She was enjoying the
day and a new story tantalized the edges of her thoughts, almost like a lover. The surf
gently shushed over her feet, the water's warmth begging her to submerge in it. Her boots
swung at the end of her staff, which was balanced across her shoulder, and the creak of
the boots as they swung kept time to her step.
A slight tremor beneath her feet caused her to pause. The sound of hoofbeats suddenly
splashed through the water behind her. Xena and Argo raced by, the mares hooves
spraying water and sand over the bard. The staff and boots dropped from her limp hand
into the surf and a loud "XENA!!!!" echoed reboundingly off the cliffs.
Xena leaned closer into Argo's neck and whispered "Faster" into her ear. The Palomino
snorted and responded by stretching out even farther. Xena cinched her thighs tighter into
the saddle and clenched her knees into the mare's flanks. The blonde of the mare's mane
mingled with the raven black of her mistress as she and the mare became one. To Xena it
felt as though the mare had grown wings and taken to the air. As Gabrielle's scream of
indignation reached her, the warrior princess smiled. Reaching the end of the beach she
spun Argo around and trotted her back down the beach.
Gabrielle stood rooted to the spot, slowly wiping gobs of wet sand off her arms. Her staff
floated in and out with the waves, her boots filling with sand, acting like anchors to the
wayward weapon. "Xena, sometimes..."
Leaning down from the saddle, a wicked grin painted on her face Xena cooed, "Well you
said you wanted a bath..."
Gabrielle threw the latest gob of mud to fill her hand. Xena ducked, but the bards aim was
true and the gob landed squarely on her cheek with a loud splat. The bard grinned and
said "Looks like you could use one too."
Both women laughed as Xena dismounted. "So what were you so lost in thought about?"
she asked as she slapped Argo's rump, sending her off to forage.
"I had this great idea for a new story."
"Not another one about me, I hope."
"It's .... ARRRGGGGG"
"Gabrielle!? What's wrong?"
"It's gone!!! It's gone!! You and that horse of yours made me totally lose my train of
thought!!"
"Sorry."
Gabrielle's anger quickly vanished, Xena was truly sorry. She wasn't the type of woman to
apologize for anything unless she truly meant it. "It's ok. It'll come back to me."
High up on the cliff, Athena watched the trio and barely held back a chuckle at Xena's
antics. Hermes was not as successful at containing his laughter - "Magnificent isn't she?"
Athena preened with pride at her brothers remark. "Yes she is, isn't she"
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Chapter 3 Or
Back to the library.
