Disclaimers;-) Don’t own up MCA does. They don’t know I have them, but I’ll put them back afterwards, promise. Everything else is mine, so hands off!!!
 
Comments ;-) Contains girl-on-girl action, and a bit of violence. Deal with it.
 
Thankyous ;-) Kitty for putting up with me and this epic that’s been going on for too long now, and for giving a home to all my fan fic ramblings.
 
Feedback, comments, requests, you know where to send them! Enjoy! MBard
 
 


The Fates Have It


Part 1

 
It happened so fast. Too fast. If she hadn't been so preoccupied with the three men in her way maybe she could have gotten to the bard sooner. Stopped the dagger herself. All she could do was scream ‘No’ as she heard the familiar sound of metal soaring through air, meeting flesh and causing a guttural sound she could never get used to in all the years of fighting she'd lived through. It was unusual for the warrior to feel useless, inactive, redundant. But that's how she felt when she saw the dagger connect with the young body and slay it to the ground. She could do nothing to prevent it, nothing to stop it from happening. And she certainly couldn't save her young friend now. In a fit of uncontrolled rage she lashed out at the mercenaries that were left. She couldn't feel the physical pain of her attacker's lucky swing at her back with a log. Her mind was focused on one thing only. Destruction. A blackness she had not felt since her warlord days suffused her body and took over her mind. She quickly disposed of the man with the log, a quick flick of her sword arm sent him lifeless to the floor. The two that were left had a brief look of recognition cross their faces, a look of terrified inevitability passed between them as they realised the last sight they would ever see was Xena, Warrior Princess. True enough the warrior fulfilled their fears with little effort on her part. Her sword struck one of them, killing him instantly, the other lifeless due to Xena's neck pinch manoeuvre.
 
But still Xena's rage raced through her body. Her veins pulsed with a blood lust she had not felt in a long time. She kept hearing the anguished moan of her friend repeat itself over and over in her mind and darkness clouded her vision. Although she knew the bard needed her help more than ever now she could not respond to her pleas just yet. There was one thing left the warrior princess had to do. An act of total revenge was the only thing that could free the warrior princess from such a dark, violent feeling that now encompassed her. She quickly scanned her surroundings and focused on what she knew she would find. The coward who had wielded the dagger in the first place was stood frozen to the spot. Witness to Xena's swift killing of his men had made him think twice about any further action. He thought of pleading with her but when he opened his mouth to do just that no sound came out. The warrior now stalked him, getting closer as she wiped the blood from her sword on her exposed thigh. She relished the feeling, had forgotten how sweet it was to have the sticky blood of the enemy mark her skin as a sign of victory.
 
She was within inches of the man now. Could smell the stale breath, the unwashed stench of him. His eyes conveyed pure fear. Xena smiled a feral smile at this and her eyes darkened another shade. He still couldn't speak and sweat now fell from his brow in fast, fat drops. Xena wanted to take this slow. Revenge is only sweet if the person receiving it took their time to die. So they could see the pleasure on your face as you exacted it. So they had time, in their agony, to think about what they'd done and know that they had made a mistake.  Boy have you made a mistake.' Xena thought. 'One you'll now pay for.'
 
Xena brought up her sword so the man could see the stains of blood already adorning it.  He swallowed hard, thinking soon his blood would be splayed over it like a trophy for the warrior princess to bear. She took a step back, knowing exactly where to stab him in order for it to be fatal but not immediate. Her right arm was poised, her lips curled into a contemptible grin, her eyes practically narrowed shut. She wanted revenge. She needed it. Sure she knew it wouldn't bring her friend back, and she even knew deep down in her the bard's reaction to committing such a deed as this. But that didn't matter. It was for the bard she did this after all. Again Xena wished she'd been able to stop that dagger herself. She'd sworn to protect her lover no matter what. It should have been her flesh the fatal metal met with.
 
With this thought firmly lodged in her mind, and no other thoughts allowed to invade it she focused again on the imminent pleasure of revenge. ‘You're last mistake was hurting the woman I love. I want you to understand this as I kill you.’ She pulled her arm back, gripped its hilt with both hands and lunged forward……
 
****************
 
Before Aphrodite
 

Peaceful nights were rare for the two of them. So often lately they'd taken their rest alongside hordes of angry men, readying themselves for battle. Xena slept rarely and always with a half-hearted effort. Needing to stay alert for much Gabrielle's sake as her own. They'd been drawn into a fierce battle for a peaceful village that the warrior felt she owed a debt. The young Gabrielle had not complained. She knew it would be like this with Xena. It was the very thing she craved. Adventure. Excitement. The thrill of seeing her warrior companion in combat had never left her even if sometimes what Xena got them into chilled her heart and quieted the adventure a little. But it had been a long couple of months for them both. They'd spent little time together. Xena always in her warrior mode, ready for anything. And the bard had learned to become more alert to this shift in her friends nature. Even if it meant putting their friendship aside for a while and with it her feelings that had somehow grown beyond the normal restraints of friendship. What a time to discover such feelings, the bard despaired. Surrounded by dozens of anxious villagers, in a constant state of unease with no time or place to think these new feelings through. Nor opportunity to see if Xena felt the same.
 
Yet a full moon had passed without more word of trouble from the village they had saved and their routine slowly returned to normal. Xena allowed herself to relax in the bard's company again. Grateful for her innocent presence, the calming effect she had on her dark emotions that coursed through her veins after a battle had been fought and won. She appreciated the bard's friendship. The little things she did to make Xena feel herself again. It seemed the bard knew instinctively when Xena ached for silence and would bury herself in her scrolls until the warrior spoke again. Or when the silence became deafening she would bring lightness to dark by spinning a bawdy tale out of thin air. Xena wondered when she'd come to depend on Gabrielle so much. When had the annoying little blonde become so appealing to her? So welcome. When had she turned into the beautiful young woman who now stood by her side no matter what?
 
A fear struck in Xena's heart when she realised just how deep her feelings of friendship ran for Gabrielle. She realised the need in her was not only for a friend in Gabrielle but something more, something she hadn't imagined she could ever feel. It was unmistakable though. The warrior knew that much. Now she had found the feelings that she'd been burying probably for a long time knowing her, they wouldn't stop torturing her. She thought that the battle would quench their hunger or that Gabrielle would finally leave her after being dragged into another person's fight for the umpteenth time, but of course the bard would never leave her. And Xena wouldn't want it any other way, only now she didn't have the excuse of the battle to explain her mood swings, her silence or her tenseness around the bard. No, the only thing that would explain that would be admitting her need to Gabrielle. Her need of love from the bard instead of the hero worship Xena mistook from her every time she caught Gabrielle staring at her with a distant look in her eyes. Even though their battle was over the warrior still felt as alert and physically on edge as if she was facing her enemy all over again.
 
Up high on Mount Olympus, the Goddess of Love watched from her viewing hall the amusing spectacle of the magnificent warrior princess be turned into an emotional wreck because of her feelings for that mousy little bard Dite had always favoured. She laughed out loud at the two of them, awkwardly taking a dip in a stream. Xena nonchalantly discarding her clothes on a nearby rock believing the bard to be out of sight, but Dite could spot Gabrielle cowering behind small rocks in the cool pool, covertly eyeing the naked warrior form.
 
It made Dite feel proud that she could be the overseer of such a strong power as love, even if those she blessed often had to suffer for their pains before the final reward. Unlike her maniacal brother Ares, whose godhood only brought death and destruction to the world, Dite had the pleasure of seeing happiness and harmony wherever she spread her thoughts. Unlike that time Bliss got hold of Cupid's arrows of course, what a mess that had been to clear up. But none of the other Gods reaped so much reward for what they did, and even though she appeared arrogant at times, her brothers and sisters often admitted that after Zeus it was Aphrodite's name that got called out more times by mortals than any other God.
 
Dite settled back and poured herself a large cup of nectar, once again turning her eyes to the two women in torment below who had emerged from the stream and were sitting round the small fire Xena had started drying themselves off. The goddess wondered if just for once she could go back on her word and help things along a little. Though she had made sure at birth that the two women were destined for each other she never had any control over their lives from that moment on, not real control anyway. Sure she could cast the odd enchantment here and there, place the right thought at the right time into a mortal's mind when it called for it but generally, as with Xena and Gabrielle she had to let nature take its course. And if that course, overseen by the other Gods as well, meant that two people destined to be together never actually met well so be it, Dite would just start with another new born. It was a rule Zeus insisted upon the Goddess of Love following for otherwise everyone would walk around content and in love all the time, and as her father pointed out, where was the fun in that? And it was the one rule she could usually remember to abide by. But she was tired of watching the warrior and bard sneak longing glances at each other, or make excuses to feel the other's body on the pretext of a massage or a cold breeze in the night. And as much as Dite loved to hear the thoughts of those she had enchanted torment themselves with questions about their desires, it was getting very repetitive to hear those two go at it all the time. The goddess frowned at both their inaction as she watched Gabrielle through her viewing hall offer to dry the warrior's hair.
 
'Now would be a perfect opportunity babe to tell that hunk of warrior what you would really like to do to her right this minute but no, you are ACTUALLY GOING TO DRY HER HAIR! It’s a wonder as a bard that you ever get an entire story out of your mouth when you can't even say three little words. And you my beautiful warrior.' Her gaze shifted icily down to Xena, whose eyes had closed in rapt contemplation of how the bard’s hands were innocently touching her. 'You're worst than she is. At least you've done this kind of thing before. And you are older. For Gaia’s sake when Athena was handing out the gift of wisdom you must have been at the back of the queue. Can't you see what that young woman feels for you? For once can't you stop being the tough, I-take-no-shit-from-no-one-Xena, and put faith in your feelings?'
 
The more Dite watched the strained exchanges below the more angry she became that it was taking her two favourite enchanted ones so long to get it together. And the angrier she became the less likely she was to adhere to her father's rules and stay put. She finished off her nectar in one swallow hoping that if she had enough to drink she'd forget about those two and leave them to it. But that didn't work either. Now Xena was massaging Gabrielle's shoulders, like she did so often after they'd rested for a few days to ensure the bard's muscles didn't tighten in a surprise attack. But this time Dite could see the look of desire that kept crossing Xena's features before she quickly drew her warrior mask down over them, and she could hear both their thoughts in succession, basically spelling out that each woman longed for the others love. Quite frankly it was giving the Goddess of Love a headache to watch and listen to them both and if for no other reason than to rid herself of feeling so groggy Dite broke her word, closed her viewing hall and shimmered invisibly down to where the warrior and bard were resting.
 
Xena stiffened immediately and stopped her ministrations to the disappointment of the bard. For a brief moment she had felt something touch her, a hand reached out to her shoulder and pressed there for a short time. Xena was sure of it; as sure as she could feel the bards shoulders under her own callused hands.
 
Dite glared at her, stood only three feet away from the warrior's back, and cursed whichever God it had been that had given Xena such acute sensory perception. She was not supposed to feel anything. Well least she knew the bard would not notice her touch. The goddess moved around to stand between Gabrielle and the fire. She liked watching the bard’s green eyes reflect the orange fury of the flames and the shadows that flickered across her face. Xena had resumed her massage once more and Gabrielle closed her emerald greens. Dite sighed at the sight, if she had known the bard would turn into such a beautiful young woman she may have had second thoughts about enchanting her and instead kept her for herself in one of her many temples across Greece. She would have made a fine priestess, Dite thought and unconsciously licked her lips at the thought of what kind of worship Gabrielle could perform for her. She was quickly brought out of her reverie when she heard the warrior let out a soft moan of delight behind Gabrielle's ear and the goddess remembered she hadn't brought the bard up to speed on matters yet.
 
Delicately this time, in case the bard had picked up any of those warrior skills of Xena's, Dite placed a hand on the bards right shoulder and let it rest their for a few seconds. Then she withdrew it and herself to the edge of their campsite to watch where the two women would now go after a revelation from the Goddess of Love. Oh they wouldn't know it was down to Dite what they experience from now on. (Though she had her doubts how long it would be till Xena figured it out). All the goddess had done was bring all the feelings and emotions that can sometimes take years to cultivate and express to the forefront of the women's minds. It’s a simple time saving device really. And Dite leaned back against a tree to see it at work.
 

After Aphrodite
 
Gabrielle thought she'd imagined it the first time. Thought that her ears were playing tricks with the night air, making it sound just like a soft moan. She focused again on the gentle rubbing of her shoulders, pouring all her concentration in remaining as restrained as possible in the arms of the woman she had grown to love. But there it was again. A sound coming from behind her ears, soft and sensuous, a bit like what she'd heard in the Amazon camps on numerous occasions. Even a sound similar to ones she'd made herself, in the still of the night, when she hoped Xena would be asleep and not hear her pleasure herself. But this sound wasn't any of those things. Not the whistling of the wind in the trees, or quiet moans of relief. No she knew who owned this sound. And up until moments before she would have probably reasoned that she couldn't possibly be hearing correctly and quickly extricated herself from Xena's grasp. But just after the second moan reached her delicate ears, she had felt a wave of something wash over her. She just couldn't name it. But suddenly knowing that sensuous noise came from her warrior princess and also knowing that she had caused it made Gabrielle feel incredibly liberated. Yes, that's the word for it, for that wave. She felt liberated. Free. Open. All the feelings that had been building up, all the times she swore to herself that she couldn't be in love with her best friend for fear of what that phrase meant. All the doubts had suddenly disappeared and in their place was a simple, exquisite taste of freedom.
 
She wondered if Xena had felt it too, for Gabrielle noticed that the tone of her massage from the warrior's large, strong hands, had changed and instead of hard short strokes across her shoulder blades, Xena seemed to be sculpting the bards skin as if she were a master artist.  It was the same moment Gabrielle remembered hearing her moan a second time and feeling the tide of freedom wash over her. Her shoulders relaxed of their own violation, and she couldn't help her body's reaction to the warrior's skilled touch. Gabrielle leaned back against Xena, feeling firm breasts heave through the cotton shifts they were both wearing. She thought that Xena would pull away when she had leaned against her. On other occasions when Gabrielle had been enjoying the same sort of slow massage a little too much the warrior had done just that. Removed herself from the situation. But this time the situation was different. Somehow, and the bard did not know how exactly, Xena was actually reacting in favour of the closeness between them. Her hands played in soft circles around the tops of her shoulders and down the upper part of her arms. Another moan, almost silent, escaped from the warrior's lips and this time Gabrielle smiled at the sound. She shifted back even more, pressing more of her body into Xena's. Her breath became shallow and quick, and she could feel a second heat source spring up inside her which she knew was directly related to what Xena was doing to her body.
 
For the warrior's part, it also hadn't gone un-noticed how the bard was reacting to her touch. Nor had it escaped her how her own massaging had changed, or how it was causing feelings of desire she could usually suppress long enough till she was alone to deal with them. When Gabrielle had moved against her, it was like a written invitation for the warrior to explore more of her. And that's just what she intended to do. She didn't care that this was Gabrielle, her best friend, in front of her. It didn't matter that she had told herself time and time again that what she felt for the bard was one sided and could not ever be expressed. That if she did it would mean losing Gabrielle forever. It only mattered that she wanted to touch the bard’s soft skin. To explore her body as she had done in her fantasies. The only thing that mattered right then was quenching the thirst of desire that she could feel running between the apex of her legs, like a fast flowing river at this rate. Xena began to rub along the top of the bard's arms at the same time as moving her face down so it was within an inch of Gabrielle's long soft hair. The scent was intoxicating and was all Xena needed to give her that last ounce of will to go through with her seduction.
 
'Gabrielle?' Neither woman had spoken since they'd returned from the stream so hearing the low, husky voice of the warrior startled the bard a little and she moved as if to get up. But Xena held her firmly in place and repeated her name again. 'Gabrielle?'
 
The bard swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. 'Yes Xena'
 
'I want you.'
 
Gabrielle shivered at the intensity of Xena’s voice, but remained tightly pressed against her. For once in her life the bard was lost for words and a palpable silence drifted between them only to be broken with the shallow breaths of both women.
 
Eventually Xena spoke. 'Well aren't you going to say anything?' Her hands became busy again with their journey down Gabrielle's arms. Xena found the small delicate hands that she'd dreamed of touching her and entwined her own much larger ones with them.
 
'What do you think I should say?' It was hard for Gabrielle to speak as she felt Xena's thumbs trace the tops of her knuckles. She never knew such a simple touch could feel so erotic.
 
'Whatever you want to say. Whatever you feel.' The warrior accompanied her words that were whispered softly into Gabrielle's ear with a quick flick of her tongue along the lobe. Gabrielle shivered once more.
 
'By the Gods I want you too.' Gabrielle blinked at her words, not believing her thoughts were spoken out loud.
 
'I was hoping you'd say that.'
 
The warrior took one of her hands away from Gabrielle's grasp and moved her golden hair to one side, exposing her neck. She waited for a moment, focusing slowly on the fine hairs that had bristled at her touch. She bent her head lower, and blew softly across the nape of the bard's neck. It caused Gabrielle to let out a small moan of delight. Xena smiled, pleased she could invoke such a response with such a simple gesture. She lent in again, only this time she let her lips rest against the softness, and parted them just enough so she could taste the bard's skin. For Gabrielle the touch was electric, it sent shivers right down her spine and caused a flood of desire in between her legs.
 
The bard closed her eyes to the sensations coursing through her body, and drifted off to a place she never thought she'd go to with her best friend. Xena's kisses along her neck and shoulders had grown in their nature and she now kissed the younger woman with more urgency. They still hadn't made eye contact since this new turn in events between them. Gabrielle was leaning far into Xena now who had only the awkward support of a felled log to brace both their weights. The warrior princess was too intent on the softness before her to move even an inch away from the warmth that engulfed them both. But soon that wouldn't be enough for Xena. She wanted to see Gabrielle's face as she brought her pleasure. Needed to see in the bard's emerald eyes that what she was doing, what they were doing was right. That it was something they both wanted and not something that Xena alone was feeling. Though with the moans that escaped Gabrielle's throat Xena's doubts about the bard's part in all this were quickly dissipating.
 
Aphrodite raised her eyes to Olympus and sighed when she heard Xena still doubt her feelings. There they were, blessed by the almighty Goddess of Love herself, and getting all hot and heavy because of it, and still the warrior had doubts. ‘Well some things even Gods can't fix I guess.’ Aphrodite admitted to herself. And just as she was about to shimmer back to Olympus, disappointed that yet again the warrior princess fought her own desires a loud moan reached her ears and she turned back to the source of that sound to find Gabrielle straddling Xena, locked in a passionate kiss. Dite beamed at them both. 'Well hot damn, it looks like my little gift worked after all. You go for it girls. Later.' And with that the Goddess of Love disappeared to find her own bit of action back at Olympus. Watching the bard and warrior like that had created an itch the Goddess of Love needed scratching, she only hoped Athena was around to help her out.
 
Gabrielle had withstood the slow caresses of Xena for as long as was humanly possible, but just like Xena needed assurance from the bard, Gabrielle was anxious to touch the warrior's lips with her own and look into her eyes to make sure all this wasn't some elaborate hoax, or one hell of a hot dream. Just as Xena was building up to gently turn Gabrielle to her for their first kiss the bard beat her to it by jumping up and straddling the surprised warrior before she could take a breath. And once there, face to face with the woman she's wanted for so long Gabrielle didn't waste any time in claiming her lips for her own. What she'd always dreamed would be a slow tender kiss between them soon developed into a battle between both their tongues for possession of the other. Xena couldn't hold back anymore, and let all her feelings for the bard flood into their first kiss. It was the warrior's moans of delight that had stirred Dite, in a brief moment when the two passion filled women broke their hold on each other for a much needed breath. But as soon as Gabrielle had filled her lungs she caught a glimpse of the desire in Xena's azure eyes and that was all she needed to move in again for a second helping of what she was quickly becoming addicted to.
 
They sat entwined like lovers for what seemed a lifetime. Neither dared to explore more of the other beyond their impassioned kisses and the odd stray fleeting touch of their breasts pressed tightly together. Sure the Goddess of Love had gotten them this far, but now both women were hesitant of who was going to make the next move. Xena wanted to rip open the shift Gabrielle wore and devour her body, making the bard hers forever, but she held back in fear that it would be too soon for the younger, inexperienced woman. Maybe all Gabrielle wanted for now was the gentle and not so gentle caresses of the warrior's kiss. Yet each time the bard reached for her mouth it caused the warrior's restraint to waver that little bit more and soon whether Gabrielle wanted to move further that night or not would cease to be an issue for the warrior princess for she would have to act on her desires somehow.
 
She pulled away for much needed air and held Gabrielle's face in her strong callused hands in order to keep the young excited woman at bay for the time being. But Gabrielle kept trying to kiss her and it was proving difficult to keep her hands just on the flushed and slightly damp cheeks.
 
'Xena what is it?' When she realised the warrior was no longer responding to her teasing mouth the bard stopped and pulled free of her hands.
 
Xena smiled and reached out to Gabrielle but the bard turned her head and would not let the warrior feel her. 'Gabrielle?'
 
'No Xena, answer me. Why did you stop?'
 
'I...its not what you think. I just...don’t you think all this is happening a little too fast?'
 
Gabrielle frowned at Xena, and swept locks of sweat filled hair from her forehead. 'You started it remember.' The bard was annoyed and quickly left Xena's lap to get some space between them. She reached for their water skin and took a large gulp from it, cool water dribbling down her chin a little. She brought a slightly shaky hand up to wipe away the water but was stopped by an equally thirsty warrior.
 
'Allow me.' Xena reached out and gently wiped the liquid off of Gabrielle, then placed her wet fingertips to her own mouth and sucked the water off.
 
Gabrielle stood open mouthed as Xena finished her seductive display. The warrior raised an eyebrow at the surprised look on her young companion's face. 'I think I missed some.' The warrior whispered, bending down to suck the bard's wet chin. Gabrielle's knees felt weak and she shivered involuntary at Xena's renewed interest in her.
 
'I thought you said it was too fast.' Gabrielle barely got her words out as Xena continued to kiss her face and she turned to receive a hungry tongue from the warrior.
 
'Maybe it is.' Xena said in between more kisses. 'I mean, a few moments ago I was massaging your shoulders and keeping my desires to myself as usual.'
 
The bard tried to fix Xena in the eye to make sure she'd heard her correctly, but the warrior had her firmly in her grasp and the only thing on Xena's mind were more kisses.
 
'What did you just say?' The bard struggled free from Xena's hold long enough to take a deep breath and try and let her mind catch up with their actions.
 
'I said that for once I couldn't hold back any longer, just like I can't hold back now.' Xena narrowed her eyes at Gabrielle and drank in the sight of her heaving bosom pressing tightly against the restraints of her shift. She edged closer but it was Gabrielle that moved out of reach this time.
 
'You mean that...you’ve always wanted to....I mean I never thought...' The bard was flustered and her mind had questions that her speech couldn't keep up with. Under different circumstances Xena would have found it amusing to see a flustered Gabrielle struggle with her words when usually she was so eloquent, but on this occasion it only kept her from her goal of possessing the bard. Which was something she now needed to do, to Tarturus with whether it was too soon or not.
 
'Gabrielle.' Xena placed her hands on the side of Gabrielle's face and held her confused gaze with assured eyes. 'Just tell me its what you want as well. Tell me that you've wanted me for as long as I've wanted you and we'll worry about why this is happening now another time.'
 
Gabrielle felt tears sting her eyes. Strange that they'd not formed before, when the moment her fantasy was fulfilled as she kissed Xena for the first time. But that was raw passion, sprung from some un-foreseeable source. This time Xena was actually asking how she felt, and in return she'd opened up to Gabrielle some of her thoughts and feelings. 'It is what I want, its what I've always wanted.' She stroked the side of the warrior's face and felt a tear roll down her cheek. Xena was soon there with a delicate hand to wipe it away.
 
'Then lets finish what we started.'
 
The bard couldn't manage any more speech, Xena had made sure of that. All she could do was nod her agreement and reach for her shift. Xena stood fixated to Gabrielle's movements as the young woman gently freed herself of the garment that had kept her muscled body hidden from view for so long that evening. Xena drew in a sharp gasp as Gabrielle's body was revealed to her. The shift now rested on the ground next to them and Xena was relieved that she'd already put out their bedrolls and blankets for the night as she knew a delay now would drive her insane.
 
She reached for Gabrielle and pulled her naked body close to her. Their difference in height meant Xena had to stoop to see all of Gabrielle but that just served to cause her shift to groan silently against her breasts and Gabrielle wasted no time in freeing the warrior of the cloth. They stood naked next to each other, moonlight glinting off their tanned and sweaty flesh. Gabrielle leisurely looked over the toned body of her companion with complete abandon. She could see drops of sweat glisten in the firelight and could smell the intoxicating scent of Xena mixed in with the unmistakable aroma of arousal. Without words she took Xena by the hand and led her to their blankets. She cupped Xena's face in two small shaky hands and brought her lips down to meet her own. Tenderly she kissed the warrior, letting her know in that kiss how much her heart had ached for this moment. She journeyed lower and began to kiss and lightly suck on her neck, licking the salty sweat from her. Her knees began to feel weak again and she wondered when Xena would take control and put her out of her misery. Just as the thought crossed her mind Xena enclosed Gabrielle in a fierce embrace, claiming her mouth with the unbridled passion she always knew she'd feel for her bard.
 
Somehow they managed to fall to the ground without too much discomfort and once there they rolled around exploring each other's bodies, vying for who could remain on top the longest. Of course it was Xena who won that particular battle. Finally pinning the smaller woman beneath her, her own weight supported by her strong arms. A feral smile played across her lips and she arched an eyebrow at Gabrielle. The bard curled her own lips in a sensuous smile, letting the warrior think that she'd indeed gotten the upper hand. But just as Xena was starting to enjoy her superiority her face changed and she let out a hard moan.
 
In the tangle of their bodies Xena hadn't paid attention to where Gabrielle's hands had gone. But the bard knew exactly what she was looking for.  Her hand found soft dripping wet lips that pulsated as soon as she extended her fingers along the length of them. Gabrielle decided she liked the feel of another woman's sex, which somehow felt different to when she touched her own, and dove in to explore more of Xena. Which is when the warrior let out her moan and almost fell on top Gabrielle in her surprise at the bard's un-inhibited actions.
 
Gabrielle couldn't suppress a giggle and laughed into the mane of black hair that covered her face. But she didn't stop the exploration with her hand, now rhythmically stroking the length of the warrior. Xena quickly recovered and raised herself up on her arms to get a better view of the mischievous bard.
 
She arched her eyebrow as she spoke. ‘Where did you learn that?’
 
‘I am not as innocent as you think princess.’ Gabrielle replied and to make her point she curled her fingers slightly around Xena's pulsating clit.
 
Xena shuddered and let out a hard moan. ‘Obviously not.’ Her breaths were coming in short sharp bursts now as Gabrielle pleasured her. All her instincts were telling her to take control of Gabrielle. To be the one exploring her flesh and not the other way around. It was how she had always imagined making love with the young sensuous woman. But Xena hadn't accounted for how it would feel having Gabrielle touch her, and she didn't have the will to break that magic spell now. She shifted position a little to get a better view of the bard so she could see her face as they made love, being careful not to move too far in case she lost contact with the one thing she never thought possible.
 
Gabrielle reached up with her free hand and began to tease Xena's erect nipples whilst never losing time with her other hand. All Xena could do was let out moans of delight each time Gabrielle's thumb grazed her sensitive nub. She knew that much more of this torture and she would lose what self-restraint she had left. Whether Gabrielle knew it or not she didn't want to guess, but the warrior princess was close to begging the bard to go that one step further and fill her completely. Which is exactly what the bard intended to do. In one fluid stroke along the length of Xena's sex, Gabrielle plunged three fingers knuckle deep inside her and let out an exquisite sound so loud it startled Argo nearby who was grazing on a patch of grass.
 
‘By the Gods Xena...you feel so good.’
 
The warrior replied with a grunt and found a comfortable rhythm to match that of the bard. Gabrielle pulled her hand back just to the edge of Xena's glistening canal, teased the folds their a little with the threat of desertion then entered her again with as much force as the first time.
 
It proved too much for the warrior. She needed to possess Gabrielle now before the waves came crashing and she lost herself to euphoria. Without disturbing Gabrielle and what her hands were doing, she levered her arms so she still supported most of her weight, but could also reach for the tantalising flesh of her lover. Once in the right position she wasted no time in delving into the bard's wetness, amazed at how much juice was flowing there and that she was actually living out her fantasy at long last. For Gabrielle the touch was divine, she'd never felt another woman's hands on her intimate self and it felt wonderful. More wonderful than the brief night spent with Perdicus, who she had loved but whom she had never been in love with. The passion she felt now as she moved back and forth into Xena, feeling fingers inside her match the movements she made with her own was something she knew she could only feel with this woman. If there had been others before her, as she knew there had been for Xena, Gabrielle was sure that it wouldn't have felt like this. And she prayed to every God she thought might listen that Xena felt the same as she.
 
Their movements began to grow in their urgency. They were a mesh of sweat and sticky heat. Each vying to possess the others mouth with their tongue. Each relentlessly teasing the other's clit with their fingers. They fell into a rhythm together, using the other's body as a lever to force more contact inside them. Gabrielle pushed hard down on Xena's hand wanting to engulf it all, needing the rush of pleasure that coursed through her whole being each time Xena caught her swollen nub. For Xena it was enough to send her over the edge just touching Gabrielle in this manner, but the bard hadn't stopped pumping her hand inside her and each time the bard curled her fingers inside the crevices of Xena's sex the warrior let out a deep throaty groan. And when both of them thought they couldn't exert any more energy in their love making Gabrielle detected muscles begin to clamp around her hand just as she felt her own insides scream out. Her whole body began to tense as Xena stroked her clit one more time. At the same moment Xena could feel her own impending climax rush through her body, causing her to bare down on Gabrielle's shoulder not caring if there were bite marks left in the morning. It meant so much to them both that they could climax together their first time that their voices were indistinguishable from each other, as loud intense screams were thrown out in to the quiet night air.
 
They rocked against one another, each soothing the tremors in their bodies as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over them until eventually, with less throaty moans of delight, they quieted themselves to a gentle pace. Finally stopping completely, receding their touch at the same time, and lay in each other's arms.
 
‘I love you Gabrielle.’ Xena whispered into the soft golden hair.
 
‘I love you Xena.’ She whispered back, leaning up for a gentle kiss which sealed both their hearts and passions forever.
 
**********
 
Back at Olympus
 
Aphrodite couldn't resist taking a peep at what was happening back at the clearing. She'd promised herself she wouldn't check on Xena and Gabrielle, so sure that what she'd left them doing would carry on without her presence. Not to mention the fact that if she saw anymore action like that she'd have to attend to herself as there was no sign of Athena when she got back to Olympus and she was isn't in the mood for anything else right now. But the curiosity in her won out and she re-opened her viewing hall to see the two new lovers embracing, whispering words of love.
 
Dite frowned a little, disappointed she'd missed the good stuff, but then a huge smile broke out and she had to concede that it was better this way.
 
‘The Goddess of Love does it again’.
 
She said to no one in particular and giggled to herself. Satisfied with her latest triumph she left her viewing hall in an excited mood, forgetting to close it properly as she went off to party somewhere else on Olympus. And anyone knows that leaving viewing halls unattended in the playground of the Gods was just an invite to trouble.
 
Gods are nosy creatures, each wanting to know what the other is up to and doing all manner of underhand things to find out. So leaving a viewing hall open, with a God's personal view of the world in it, was just too much for most of them and they succumbed to their inherent mistrust of each other and took a peak. Dite had even been guilty of it herself on certain occasions, usually to ensure that Ares’ destruction didn't mess up too many of her enchantments. So when a God happened to walk past Dite’s hangout, just a few minutes after the Love Goddess herself had left, they just couldn't help craning their head around the opening and seeing what Aphrodite was up to. What they saw was definitely shocking, a naked warrior princess kissing that Amazon she hung around with. That wasn't supposed to be the way it happened. And it was definitely not supposed to happen yet. The God who had been so nosy in the first place rushed out of Dite’s place, wishing never to have laid eyes on what they saw. ‘That irresponsible half sister of mine. She has no idea who she is messing with this time. Zeus is gonna be so pissed’. And off they went to warn Dite of the wrath that was about to be unleashed.
 
**********
 
The morning after
 
The bright sunshine broke through the trees and lit up the grassy grove which Xena had thought would make a perfect site to take a break from the road for a while. She smirked to herself at how true those words sounded in the aftermath of the previous night's developments. Perfect had been about it, she considered, as she woke up fully, stretching the night from her muscles slowly so not to disturb her sleeping companion next to her.
 
They had spent many more hours making love. Discovering each other's bodies, each of their desires. Until Morpheus claimed them both just before first light. Falling asleep in Gabrielle's arms, Xena had never felt more at peace with herself and the rest of the world than she did in that moment. To think of it this morning, in the cool morning air, a tear escaped its hold from her eyes and she had to fight every urge in her body to flee from Gabrielle's side, lest she awake and tell Xena it had all been a horrible mistake. But Xena soon came to her senses and quieted her racing thoughts so they ran succinctly and with clearer meaning.
 
‘She said she loved you, and Gabrielle wouldn't lie about that now would she?’ Xena pondered the thought for a while whilst she started to get up, but felt a firm grasp around her waist stopping her thoughts and movement in mid flow.
 
‘And where do you think you are going?’ The bard mumbled sounding more awake than Xena expected for the slumber-loving bard.
 
‘I was going to start a fire, make some tea.’ Xena fell back down and tried to find Gabrielle's face underneath the blankets and thick golden hair. She found a fully awake bard frowning at her.
 
‘Why not stay here with me, why the quick getaway?’ Just as Xena had fears that their night together was a mistake for the bard, Gabrielle had similar fears running through her mind. She'd been awake just as long as Xena had, enjoying the presence of the warrior's body next to her in a new light, but had also thought that Xena would want nothing to do with her once she woke up. It seemed as though her instincts were right.
 
‘Getaway? Gabrielle I'm not going anywhere. I thought you were asleep.’ Xena was irked by the expression on her lovers face and her warrior heart began fearing the worse.
 
Gabrielle could tell Xena was getting annoyed with her, and read that to mean she thought it had been a mistake to touch her the way she had done the night before. ‘Well I've been awake for as long as you. I thought you'd know that.’ Really the bard meant, ‘I thought you'd have reached out to me like I wanted to reach out to you.’
 
‘You were as still as if you were asleep, I didn't want to disturb you.’
 
‘Oh, and why not?’ Gabrielle had still not cottoned on that the look of fear she could see in the azure pools of Xena's eyes was over losing her and not reflecting what the bard assumed was rejection.
 
‘Because I know how crabby you get when I wake you up in the mornings. And it was rather a late night for us both.’ Her voice was gentle but she couldn't hide the worry that showed in her eyes. Xena eased herself up on one arm and looked to Gabrielle who seemed to be considering the warrior's words.
 
‘Is that the only reason?’ Gabrielle felt a little more at ease, thoughts of Xena's rejection were subsiding but she was still confused as to the look Xena was giving her.
 
The warrior frowned at her lover, causing the bard to swallow hard and her heart to beat faster. Xena could be incredibly intimidating at times, even with a simple gesture as a frown. It caused tears to form in pale green eyes and Gabrielle fought desperately to hold them back.
 
‘Of course that's the only reason. What do you take me for Gabrielle?’ Xena's anger was getting the better of her. Whereas before she feared the bard's rejection, now she was hurt by Gabrielle's assumption that last night had meant nothing to the warrior. It meant everything to Xena. And if either of them were thinking rationally they'd be re-igniting the flames that had burnt so bright between them the night before, but in matters of the heart rational thought became as illusive as Pandora's box. 
 
The bard struggled with her tears, realising too late that she'd hurt Xena's feelings even though her feelings were as equally vulnerable. ‘I didn't mean...I don’t think you would....’
 
Xena interrupted her. ‘Use you for sex!’ As soon as she said it the look of pain that crossed Gabrielle's face made the warrior regret her words, but they were out there now and couldn't be taken back. And her anger was still very near the surface.
 
‘No that's not what I was thinking. Xena I was....I didn't know...I mean when you got up...,’ words failed the bard when she needed them most and her tears began to gently fall free. She shielded her eyes from Xena's inquisitive gaze, wanting to keep some of her dignity intact.
 
A silence fell between them, only broken by the sound of Gabrielle's quiet sobbing. It softened the warrior's heart to hear Gabrielle cry, but still she was angry at being judged so harshly by her new lover. But then hadn't she had similar thoughts when she first woke up? It had crossed Xena's mind that Gabrielle would want nothing to do with her once morning came, perhaps she'd even thought that it had just been an experiment for the younger woman to see what all the fuss was about. They had spent a lot of time with the Amazons in the past, where Gabrielle had been witness to women being openly loving with each other, and had heard them being as equally loving in the privacy's of their own huts when night had fallen. In her own anger Xena had forgotten that she was as worried about Gabrielle's reaction to her as the young bard was clearly confused about what she would do. Shouting at her and making her cry was not going to help either of them.
 
With a tenderness she never knew she possessed Xena reached under the bard's lowered chin and forced her to look at her. She should have asked this question when they had first begun to talk that morning, but fear had prevented Xena from doing it, and inexperience had probably prevented the bard.
 
‘Did you mean it last night when you told me you loved me?’
 
Gabrielle blinked through her tears, incredulous that Xena even had to ask such a question. ‘Yes I meant it. Did you?’ Gabrielle couldn't mask the fear that showed in her eyes this time, and Xena realised straight away that it had been there all along but she had read the look as rejection of her, not fear.
 
‘Oh Gabrielle,’ this time it was tears escaping the warrior's eyes as she reached to Gabrielle and engulfed her in a strong embrace. ‘I love you. Of course I love you. So much.’ She bestowed kisses upon the bard's soft hair as Gabrielle wriggled into Xena's arms to return the gesture of comfort. ‘I'm sorry for what I said, I was angry. I didn't know what to think.’
 
Unaccustomed to seeing Xena so free with her tears and words, Gabrielle moved her so she cradled the tall warrior in her arms like a new-born child. She whispered softly in to the mane of dark hair. ‘Shush, Xena. Its okay. I'm sorry too, for doubting you. I didn't know what to expect, and when you tried to get up. I was so scared you wanted to leave me, that you thought last night had been a mistake.’ The warrior quieted her tears but held onto Gabrielle just as tightly, tilting her head so she could look at the bard with her next words.
 
‘Last night was wonderful Brie,’ it was the first time Xena had shortened the bard's name and Gabrielle beamed at how it sounded. ‘I will never leave you. Ever. You make my soul, my heart complete. Without you I'm not whole.’ She twisted a little more and suddenly felt the bard's lips brush against her own. It was as if the bard needed to ground herself in the moment, and the only way to do that was to feel the warrior's lips pressed tightly to hers. When the kiss ended, leaving a somewhat dazed warrior behind, Gabrielle gently giggled as she stroked the side of Xena's damp cheek.
 
‘What was that for?’ Xena managed to eventually say.
 
‘For being you. For saying what you did. And meaning it.’ The bard touched her lips to Xena's once more and again moments passed between them filled with the promise of love without either of them needing words to express it. 
 
The kiss ended naturally and they broke their hold on each other at the same moment, both opening their eyes together to see a mirror of their love reflect back at them. They smiled, each taking in the weight of their words. It was the bard that spoke first.
 
‘So, what now?’ As she spoke she shifted in Xena's arms so the warrior became protector, folding her arms around Gabrielle's waist and bringing her in so Gabrielle leaned her back against her strong frame.
 
‘What do you mean?’ Xena began to lay gentle kisses along the bard's exposed neck, relishing the taste of the soft warm skin.
 
‘Well I for one don't feel like going straight back out on that road looking for good deeds to perform.’ Gabrielle closed her eyes to the sensation of Xena's lips against her flesh finding a particularly sensitive spot.
 
‘Oh really and what did you have in mind?’ The warrior smiled and nipped at Gabrielle's earlobe.
 
‘I thought we could go see your mother for awhile.’ Xena's reaction was exactly what Gabrielle expected and she prepared for being let go of so suddenly and didn't flop to the ground as the warrior had wanted.
 
‘What?’ The bard giggled as a puzzled look crossed Xena's features.
 
‘You haven't visited her for ages, and I know she'll be pleased to see you. Besides, she's always known that there was something between us, even when we didn't. I think she'll be pleased to know that her daughter has found herself a nice young woman to tame her.’ Gabrielle was pushing it now but she was having way too much fun winding Xena up. She giggled as Xena arched her left eyebrow so high it almost disappeared under dark, sweaty bangs.
 
‘Tame? You think you can tame me, huh bard?’ Xena adjusted her position again and Gabrielle soon found herself pinned underneath the warrior with no means of escape.
 
‘Oh I've already tamed you, warrior. You just don't see it yet. Stubborn, that's your problem. Your mother warned me of that.’
 
‘Speaking of my mother, how come you know so much about her all of a sudden? And why exactly do you want to go see her?’ Xena stretched her long frame over the smaller woman, the blankets falling off them both and revealing the creamy flesh Xena had wanted to see all along. She lent down further and found the pulse point on Gabrielle's neck, feverishly rapid at the desire that had suddenly ignited between them again. If Gabrielle didn't want to tell her she knew she could use her skills to persuade her, and she didn't have her traditional neck pinch in mind.
 
‘Ahhh, well...’ Gabrielle felt her heartbeat rise again and a yearning pull at her loins. ‘Cyrene has always been kind to me, and she makes the best nut bread this side of Athens.’ It was a risk to avoid answering the warrior's question properly, but one the bard was willing to take if it meant she'd see how far Xena would go in getting the information she craved. As she thought, Xena wasn't satisfied with her answer, and the bard found that she was rapidly losing her self-control just by Xena sucking a certain way on a pressure point at the base of her neck.
 
‘How...are...you...doing...that?’ Gabrielle panted between each word, barely able to contain her body from reacting to the exquisite touch.
 
‘I've many skills bard, and know more about pressure points than there is to know.’ The warrior grinned up at her lover, momentarily breaking contact with the task at hand and giving Gabrielle a short respite. ‘Now are you ready to tell me?’ Still the bard pushed the limits of both what her own body could take and how far Xena would carry out her interrogation. She glared at the warrior with a playful smirk rising to her lips.
 
‘I'm serious, her nut bread is to die for.’
 
That did it for Xena. Gabrielle's defiance sparked a flaming desire deep within the warrior, and although she knew the bard could probably go on teasing her this way Xena had her own teasing in mind. She arched her eyebrows and that smouldering look that crossed her face so many times when she was focused on something passed quickly across her features. ‘So you wanna play do you my bard?’ she whispered into Gabrielle's ear.
 
‘I don't know what you mean.’ Gabrielle giggled, hoping Xena would continue to show her the knowledge she laid claim to about pressure points.
 
Xena placed her lips softly to Gabrielle's neck and re-instated the slow sucking motion with her mouth she had begun earlier. It had the desired effect on the bard, who’s entire being shook with the feeling Xena had brought to the surface in her. She groaned beneath her and began to respond to the touch, reaching her hands around Xena's muscled back and tracing circles across her sculpted shoulders.
 
Xena smiled up at Gabrielle, hiding her smirk well. With Gabrielle so enthralled in her actions she didn't see the mischievous glint to the warrior’s eyes. She had every intention of getting Gabrielle to give in to her, but enticing the bard with desire was not the way she wanted to do it. No, it would be much more fun to....
 
....A high-pitched yell broke the quiet morning air, quickly followed by Xena's raucous laugh. The bard squirmed to no avail as Xena held her waist in strong hands, tickling mercilessly the spot which she knew drove the bard insane with laughter. No matter which way Gabrielle tried to turn and shift from Xena's underhand attack, she kept on being squeezed and stroked until she was lost in a fit of hysteria, tears of laughter flowing down her face and loud squeals escaping her throat.
 
‘Xena, come on...that’s so unfair!’
 
The warrior just smirked at her lover and smiled a winning smile down at her. ‘Oh but you gave me no choice Brie.’ She didn't relent but slowed her tickling down to give the bard a chance to catch her breath. Thankful for the small respite Gabrielle took in air as if it was the last she'd ever breathe and wiped her wet eyes on the back of her hand. ‘Ready to tell me now?’ Xena accentuated her request with another playful dig in Gabrielle's side. The bard erupted in another fit of laughter and twisted so much underneath Xena that half her naked body adorned their blankets and the other half was covered in the loose grass around them.
 

‘Yes...please stop it Xena…I'll tell you anything…just no more tickling.’ She eased herself up to a kneeling position to allow much needed air easier access to her lungs, as Xena let her grip change into the gentle caress of a lover. She smiled at the younger woman, red in the cheeks and sweaty from the exertions her body had no choice but to go through.
 
‘Sorry Brie.’ Xena was sincere but couldn't help her own laughter breaking out as she spoke. ‘But all that talk of taming me and nut bread.’ Gabrielle looked at her, trying to show annoyance with her own version of Xena's raised eyebrow look. ‘Well you have to admit, you did it push it a little.’
 
Gabrielle couldn't stay annoyed at Xena even if she wanted to. She was looking at her with her poor puppy dog expression, and her hands were still tracing the sensitive contours of her waist, straying every now and then to the tops of her toned thighs, making the bard forget how she'd been writhing around insanely with painful laughter moments before. Her frown slowly faded and her face lit up with a wide smile. She considered for a moment a counter attack using similar techniques to those of the warrior to bring her defences down, but as usual Xena was one step ahead of her.
 
‘Oh no Gabrielle. Don't even think about it. If you thought that was bad...well I'd just quit while I was ahead if I were you.’ Reluctantly the bard had to accept defeat on this occasion and held up her hands giving in to the warrior this time.
 
‘Good, now that's better.’ Xena sneaked in for a quick kiss before turning the bard around and snuggling against her. She found a gentle mound of long dead tree to lean her back upon, and thoughts of how this whole thing had developed between them sprung to the forefront of her mind as Gabrielle settled herself in front of her, reaching for a blanket to keep their naked bodies warm.
 
Xena frowned at the thoughts as she tried to piece together the exact moment she felt overwhelmed with the desire to touch her best friend. All inquiries about her mother were quickly forgotten as it slowly dawned on her that someone, other than herself and Gabrielle, had had a hand in all this.
 
**********
 
Meanwhile on Olympus
 
Aphrodite shimmered into view as she came to a slow halt before the drinks fountain. She'd not found Athena or any other Goddess to play with on Olympus so had gone down to Lesbos to check on what Sappho and her gang were up to. She'd been in the middle of a rather spirited game of Hide and Seek when she felt her energy levels slipping, and her ingenious way of seeking invisibly a rather curvaceous young woman was threatened, as she noticed herself re-appearing at the most inopportune moments. So a quick dash home and a large nectar would fix that and to that end she grabbed a cup and filled it from the free flowing fountain, gulping the sweet drink down quickly in case her playmate back on the island got caught by someone else. Just as she was ready to continue with her chase and put herself out of the misery her body had been going through ever since seeing the bard and warrior get it on, a hand reached out of nowhere and stopped her escape.
 
‘Hey!’ She barked, turning to see who was being so bold. The Love Goddess broke out into a huge smile when she saw it was Athena standing before her. ‘Athie! Good to see you girl!’ Aphrodite, suddenly not interested in returning to Lesbos and catching some action there, squeezed up to the Goddess of Warriors and gave her one of her more seductive smiles.
 
Athena raised her eyebrows in contempt and scowled at her half-sister. ‘You know I hate it when you call me that.’ She moved away from Dite and fetched her own drink, knowing she'd need it by the end of their conversation.
 
‘Whatever. Say where were you earlier on? I wanted to party, still do if you're up for it?' Dite trailed a finger along the top of Athena's golden breastplate, following the dip in the middle to gently brush against her skin.
 
‘Forget it sis, we have to talk. What in Tartarus have you been up to?’ She brushed the hand away and stared at Dite.
 
‘I've been down on Lesbos, checking out my girls. Why? What's up?’
 
‘Before that you idiot! What have you been doing with a certain warrior princess and her little sidekick?’ Athena raised an inquisitive brow as realisation hit Dite’s face.
 
‘Oh that,’ the Goddess of Love giggled, still proud of her helping hand in that matter and poured herself another nectar. ‘Don't they make the cutest couple?’
 
‘No, well yes, but that's not the point.’ Athena was growing more frustrated with her dim-witted sister by the second.
 
‘Then what is the point Athi..Athena?’ Dite smirked.
 
‘The point dear, foolish Aphrodite, is when Zeus finds out you've messed with those two he is gonna go ballistic! And you being his favourite won't help you this time. He'll be out for your blood, that is if he were able to spill it of course.’ Finally the dinar began to drop, and Aphrodite's luminous features began to grow as pale as Hades’. ‘Ahh, not feeling quite so cute now, are we?’ Athena admonished, finishing her nectar in a large gulp, relieved she'd been able to get off her chest what she'd seen in that damned viewing hall earlier on. 
 
‘Wait a minute. Why should Zeus be so concerned with those two? Apart from that stupid fling Xena had with Hercules years ago, I bet Zeus doesn't even remember what they look like!’
 
The Goddess of Warriors sighed, wishing some calamity in Athens like a flood or a battle would call for her and spare her from Aphrodite's ignorance. For a woman as beautiful as she was she sure lived up to the ancient adage about blondes, Athena thought.
 
‘Its not Zeus you should be concerned about.’
 
Now Aphrodite was really confused, she felt that groggy feeling take over her body again. ‘Hang on you said Zeus would be pissed at me.’
 
‘I think you'll find the phrase I used was he'll go ballistic’
 
‘Whatever! If its not him I should be worried about then way say he'll go mental?’
 
Athena's anger at Aphrodite's interpretation of her words was wearing a hole in the thin veil of sisterhood she still had left for the Love Goddess, and she gritted her teeth to stop her from bursting out and laying her fist in such a pretty face. Slowly calming herself she talked to Aphrodite as if she were a small child, a very stupid small child.
 
‘Zeus is gonna be angry because the Fates have got a bee in their bonnet about any of us messing with Xena and Gabrielle after the last disaster with Ares.’ She let Aphrodite's mind catch up, allowing her to make the link between their brother's deal with the Fates cutting Xena's life thread and the mess they had to sort out when it was Gabrielle who plummeted down that fiery pit instead.    
 
‘Oh.'  Was all Aphrodite could manage and Athena could see she still wasn't sure of the consequences of her actions. Again Athena tread carefully with her words.
 
‘So because of that the Fates have decreed no more handouts, no more deceptions, no more interfering with Xena and Gaby, until they are satisfied that their destiny's and those of people they encounter along the way have not been altered by what the Gods have done to them.’ Finally she could see a masked look of fear cross over her sisters eyes as it sunk in what exactly her little helping hand had created.
 
‘I didn't know about that.’ Dite admitted truthfully. Sure she'd gone against her father's rules, but she'd done that before and could always twist out of it easy enough, like Athena said she was the main man's favourite offspring. But to mess with the Fates, that was big, Dite realised, and suddenly she felt very dizzy.
 
Athena found herself relenting as she saw the look of fear that adorned Aphrodite's pretty features. Maybe she shouldn't have said anything she considered as she fetched another glass of nectar for the Love Goddess to calm herself with. She gently stroked the side of Aphrodite's face, trying to bring her back to the present. Not interested in admonishing her sister anymore, she wanted to offer comfort if Dite would let her.
 
‘Here drink this sweetie.’ She offered Aphrodite the cup, which was taken in shaky hands and then sat down next to the fountain, motioning her sister to join her. ‘I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told you. I just got so worried when I saw the two of them together through your viewing hall.’
 
Dite quirked her eyebrows at Athena, unsure of how she could have been in her viewing hall without her feeling her essence. Athena saw Dite’s confusion and explained. ‘You left the door ajar, and well I couldn't resist taking a quick look.’ The Love Goddess smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand, admonishing her stupidity. ‘I'm always doing that! I'm gonna get Hephaestus to fix a lock on that thing.’ Athena smirked but hid it when Dite glared at her, obviously still panicking over what the Fates will tell their father.
 
‘What made you interfere in the first place? I thought the two of them were working things out naturally.’ Trying to remain focused Athena sought to get to the root of Dite’s enchantment, in case there was anything that could be done which would appease the Fates.
 
‘They were. But you know how Xena is right? She was never gonna get around to telling Gabrielle how she really feels, and I was worried that Ares would come along and mess things up again, or any of you for that matter. I didn't consider that the Fates were still keeping tabs on them. I mean I put a really powerful love spell on them both when they were born, but you never know if that's gonna be enough, right?’ It was sweet to see that Aphrodite had really only meant for good to come out of her meddling, and Athena realised she respected her sister more than any other God, for having such a pure heart underneath all the hair and pink fuzziness.
 
‘That's the whole point though isn't it? We don't shape their lives sis, we just tamper with them a little and see what they do with the choices we present them.’
 
‘Well in that case the Fates don't have any right in interfering either.’ Aphrodite scowled.
 
‘Shush, not so loud, if they hear you.’
 
‘I know I know, we don't question the Fates. But honestly Athie..sorry Athena, if those three already weave mortal’s lives then they'd know that Xena and Gaby were gonna get together eventually. I don't see what the problem is.’
 
But she did, and so did Athena. It wasn't something the Goddess of Love liked to think about but she had to face the fact that perhaps Gabrielle and Xena's destiny was not to find the love that they shared for each other but to remain as close companions as they always had been. And if that was the case, she'd screwed up big time.
 
Athena followed the same thoughts as her sister and came to the same conclusion. The Fates weave mortal’s lives, and only they know what will happen from one day to the next. And Zeus will not be pleased to find out another one of his offspring has angered the only three deities that even he is accountable to.
 
‘Well, Dite. We won't know if that was their destiny now or not, will we?’ Aphrodite slowly shook her head. ‘Come on, you might as well go get it over with and tell Zeus what you've done before the Fates have chance to. See what punishment he dishes out, and what the Fates want in recompense.’ 
 
Dite agreed and stood up, downing the last of her nectar as she did so. She feared that after this was over the Fates would tear her two precious mortals apart, denying them a love Aphrodite had nurtured between them for years. She could always go on and enchant others with her powers of love, but it had been special to bring some happiness to Xena's dark heart. And after all Gabrielle had been through at her warrior's side it had lit up the whole of Mount Olympus in Dite’s eyes to see the bard's wishes finally come true. A mask of sorrow flanked the Goddess of Love as she moved away from Athena, for once not selfishly thinking of what would happen to her after Zeus was through but thinking of a couple that didn't know perhaps how little time they had together.
 
It was unusual to see the bubbly Goddess so inanimate as she headed off to Zeus’ hall, and it pulled at Athena's heart to witness it. She left her own place by the fountain and followed till she caught up with Aphrodite.
 
‘Dite?’ Athena took her sister's hands, knowing that she'd probably regret what she was about to say but going ahead anyway. ‘If there is anything I can do to keep Xena and Gabrielle together you know I'll do it, don't you?’
 
A relieved smile lightened Dite’s features for a moment, and odd as it was, she thought she could feel a tear form in her immortal eyes. ‘Thank you Athena. I hope you succeed. For their sake, not mine.’ The two sisters looked at each other, sharing in a brief moment of sisterly love that is usually kept very much in check amongst the warring family of Olympians. They hugged and Athena held Aphrodite close, willing her to be strong in front of their father. The Goddess of Love broke the contact first and took in a deep breath. They didn't exchange any more words. Athena stood there as she watched Dite slowly walk away and shimmer out of view. She was left alone to consider what could be done to save Xena and Gabrielle's love if the Fates’ called for that as their compensation. Lost in deep thoughts, Athena shuddered immediately when the anger of Zeus rocked the foothills of Olympus and the ground beneath her began to shake. She sighed and headed off to her temple in Athens, needing some quiet time whilst she figured out what to do.
 

On the road again
 
For once Gabrielle didn't mind riding up high on Argo. She didn't feel as dizzy at the height of the gentle warhorse, or worry that she'd fall off when the mare cantered a little too fast. In fact, Gabrielle thought to herself, there wasn't any place she'd rather be than riding behind Xena on a beautiful spring morning like today. 'Well maybe one place,' the bard thought and giggled to herself, holding Xena even tighter around the waist as a crimson blush rose to her cheeks.
 
'Hey are you okay back there?' Xena held Argo's reins in one strong hand and with the other she gently stroked the smaller hands that were locked lovingly around her.
 
The bard contained her lustful thoughts as best she could and tried to disguise the blush in her voice when she spoke.
 
'Uh-huh. Just thinking, that's all.' Her eyes drifted close and a new wave of heat washed over her when in her mind she relived passionate moments from the night before.
 
'Oh yeah? What ya thinking about?' Xena could sense a change in the bard; she was usually so talkative when they rode together. If anything Xena assumed the inquisitive storyteller would want to talk even more now they had become lovers, to discover things about each other that were still deeply buried. But seeing Gabrielle so quiet lost in her own thoughts worried Xena.
 
The warrior princess had been doing a lot of thinking that morning too. Thinking about how she finally couldn't hold back her love for the bard, and how Gabrielle had also felt overwhelmed to return that love in the exact same moment, when in the past Xena always feared rejection. It bothered the usually stoic warrior that the Gods seem to have had a hand in uniting the two of them, even though it was what Xena had been secretly hoping for all these years she didn't want to have to give thanks to the Gods. But it wasn't her pride that she was worried about that morning. No she had a more pressing fear in her heart. A fear that if the Gods had orchestrated her union with Gabrielle, well one Goddess in particular in fact, then it was equally in their power to take that precious gift away. As Ares almost had with all that trouble in Chin. Xena would do anything to prevent that from happening again, but what can a mortal, even one as powerful as Xena, do up against the will of the mighty Olympian Gods? And as these thoughts crashed through her mind she assumed Gabrielle was thinking the same thing.
 
But the bard's thoughts hadn't even caught up to figuring out how this whole thing had happened. She was still lost in the happiness she was feeling over being able to tell Xena what her heart had wanted to say for years. And also recalling their lovemaking of the previous night was keeping Gabrielle's mind far from paler thoughts.
 
'Come on bard, you've been quiet all morning. What's in that pretty little head of yours?'
 
Xena tried to keep the concern she felt masked by enquiring as casually as possible, and she might have succeeded if not for wanting to see her lover's face to truly determine what she thought. But the minute she turned around she knew that her eyes had betrayed her own thoughts. As she quickly glanced and saw Gabrielle's face all flushed a contented grin begin to fall from her mouth she realised not only had the bard's thoughts drifted off to a much more welcoming place than her own mind, but also that Gabrielle could detect that there was something hidden beneath Xena's questioning which she would now have no choice but to explain.
 
'Xena what is it?' The crimson colour drained from Gabrielle's cheeks too quickly for the warrior's liking and she silently berated herself for not being able to keep her own emotions from showing just as easily. In the past she would have been able to hide something from Gabrielle if it meant the bard would be spared from harm, but now their love was out in the open Xena just couldn't control her heart anymore. And drawing her warrior mask over her face wasn't as easily done in front of Gabrielle now.
 
'Tell me Xena. I know something's bothering you, I can see it in your eyes. Is there something approaching us? Are we in danger?' Ever the practical bard, Gabrielle let go of Xena's waist and rested her hand on the staff that was tied to Argo's saddle.
 
Xena gently smiled at Gabrielle, wishing it were something as simple as an ambush or a wild beast to contend with. She pulled on Argo's reins and slowed her to a halt. Then looked back to Gabrielle, her eyes confused. Xena offered her arm to the bard and helped her get down from the tall horse before effortlessly sliding off herself and gathering Argo's reins in one hand. She led Argo to a small mound of tall grass by the roadside and whispered in her ear. The mare seemed to understand and happily began chomping away as her mistress returned to Gabrielle's side.
 
'Xena?' Gabrielle's concern was growing. Xena wasn't making any attempt to defend herself so a surprise attack was out of the question but that didn't explain the look of worry in the warrior's dark eyes as she approached Gabrielle, and yet again Gabrielle feared the warrior was going to break her heart.
 
But Xena had no intention of breaking the heart of the woman she loved. She did intend to tell her of her suspicions however and if that meant worrying Gabrielle further it couldn't be helped. They both knew that they loved one another, and despite this new turn in events in their relationship not being down to them as Xena heavily suspected by now, she felt sure from now on they could control what happened between them.
 
The warrior stopped in front of Gabrielle. So close the bard could smell the soft scent of her skin and the delicious aroma of Xena's leathers. It never failed to intoxicate her. Until now she would have felt guilty for having such arousing thoughts about her best friend, but now Gabrielle enjoyed the freedom of being able to think of Xena as her lover. And despite her concerns and fears over Xena's sudden strange behaviour Gabrielle couldn't help smiling up at her and placing a delicate hand over her breastplate.
 
The warrior returned the loving gesture, taking her hand from her chest and placing it softly to her lips, kissing the fingertips at first then taking the palm and laying a long hard kiss to it. She knew she needed to be honest with Gabrielle but first the least she could do was reiterate her love for her. She wrapped her strong arms around Gabrielle's tiny waist and brought her into the length of her body. Such a difference in height might have appeared odd to others, but to the two of them it felt as if they had been made for each other and fit together perfectly. Xena tentatively moved her face close to Gabrielle's, silencing another questioning look from her with a heart-searing kiss. It took the bard so completely off guard if it hadn't been for the support coming from Xena's strong frame she would have surely melted to her knees.
 
In that kiss Xena poured all of her heart hoping Gabrielle would understand that she meant the world to her. It was difficult for Xena to express in words, and she knew that when Gabrielle found out that the Goddess of Love had brought them together the bard would begin to doubt Xena's feelings again, the kiss was to make sure that didn't happen.
 
The warrior let her grasp of the smaller woman go. Gently so she didn't topple over from the unexpected kiss. Gabrielle's eyes were lightly closed and a serene look adorned her face. Xena couldn't help herself caressing the side of her cheek, slowly bringing her lover back to the present.
 
'Hey are you okay?' Xena gently whispered, lightly stroking some golden hairs away from her eyes.
 
All Gabrielle could do was nod. It made Xena smile and an almost shy laugh released itself from her as she realised the impact she had on this woman.
 
Finally Gabrielle opened her eyes and stared deeply into azure pools of blue.
 
'You take my breath away Xena.'
 
It was such an honest confession of how deeply Xena affected her that Gabrielle lowered her eyes in case it wasn't what Xena wanted to hear. On the contrary it was the reassurance she'd wanted to instil in the bard.
 
She tilted Gabrielle's face so her eyes were once again upon her own. 'You do the same thing to me every time I look at you Brie, I don't want you to ever doubt that.'
 
Gabrielle frowned slightly, mixed emotions coming to the surface too quickly to comprehend what Xena was telling her. Why should she doubt the warrior's feelings? There was something Xena wasn't telling her and despite the passion that was growing inside her from being kissed in such a tantalising way Gabrielle knew now wouldn't be an appropriate time to act on it.
 
She backed away from Xena a little to see her more clearly and also to get a little distance from the tall, handsome warrior who would no doubt be able to detect the bard's arousal if she stayed any closer.
 
'Are you going to tell me what all this is about?' There was a slight nervousness to Gabrielle's voice, and her eyes reflected the confusion she was feeling.
 
Xena sighed a heavy sigh and looked away from her lover. She spotted a clump of rocks off to their left and led Gabrielle towards them by the hand. This would sound better if they were sitting down. Once she got herself settled and adjusted her scabbard on her back so it was more easily accessible should they be interrupted by something less than friendly she turned towards Gabrielle.
 
'You know I love you don't you?'
 
Above all Xena's greatest fear in all this was not what the Gods might do next but what Gabrielle would feel about her after she found out the truth. Whether it would change the bard's feelings towards her or make them stronger. She knew in her heart it would probably be the latter. And not only because of the sudden change in perspective between them or the passions they unleashed through their bodies the previous night. But because of the love that they'd always shared, whether physical or not, ever since Xena had found the small, feisty blonde in Potiedea. And what if they'd never spoken about how they truly felt before the interference of Aphrodite? Xena knew that the love had always been there, but it didn't help contain the remote fear in her that for Gabrielle things might be different when confronted with the truth.
 
'Of course I know you love me. If this is about this morning Xena, I've apologised for that already, remember I'm not as used to how this works between women as you are.' Gabrielle was growing impatient, she knew that Xena could be stubborn but she hadn't realised that the warrior princess could experience so much anxiety.
 
'Its not about that Gabrielle, and for the record, I've not had that much experience in this arena before either.' At a later date Xena was going to ask the bard exactly what she'd heard about the warrior's sexual past, as she couldn't help think she'd been slightly mis-informed. Though only slightly, Xena acknowledged with a private smile to herself.
 
'Then for the love of Zeus will you tell me what's going on?' Now the bard was really agitated and Xena knew she'd put it off long enough.
 
'Remember last night when I said I thought things were happening too fast between us?' Xena made sure she kept her eyes focused on Gabrielle to gauge whatever reaction she'd have through all this.
 
With a nervous voice Gabrielle answered her. 'Yes I remember. Why?'
 
'Well I think I know why it felt that way.' Xena paused knowing the next bit was the hard part but also knowing that Gabrielle might take some convincing. 'Now don't go jumping to any conclusions, but we were somehow enchanted, if I'm not mistaken by Aphrodite. She, shall we say, brought things to a head between us.'
 
Gabrielle's expression changed. She suddenly didn't want to be this close to Xena because she couldn't believe what she was hearing. If the warrior wanted to end things with her she was sure going about it in the most elaborate, cruel way. Every urge in the bard's body was telling her to lash out at Xena, or run away from her but she tried to contain her anger long enough to understand the warrior's behaviour.
 
'So you're saying Aphrodite fixed up the whole thing?'
 
Xena could see she was losing Gabrielle again. That her inquisitive nature had yet again jumped ahead of the conversation they'd been having and had indeed come to the wrong conclusion just as Xena feared. The warrior reached for Gabrielle's hands and took them firmly into her own.
 
'No that's not what I'm saying. I have always wanted you Gabrielle, you must know that by now. The nights I have spent watching you sleep, wishing that I could tell you how I felt, reach out to you like I had in my dreams. But I didn't dare in case you said no. I was resigned to thinking that you would only ever be a fantasy to me. And then last night...last night I felt so drawn to you, so aroused by you. That wasn't Aphrodite either; it’s how I've always felt when we've touched. But something happened to give us both the courage to open up to each other, remember? You must have felt it too because I sensed when your body relaxed before me, it was almost the same moment as when I took the courage to tell you my desire.'
 
Gabrielle blinked at Xena, she was clearly confused as her brows knitted closely together but she was also a little overwhelmed at what Xena told her. She was fast finding out that though Xena was a woman of few words, when she did speak it caused goose bumps to form on Gabrielle's skin and filled her heart with more love than she thought she could feel for another person.
 
'So your saying that the Goddess of Love arranged things so we wouldn't be able to hold back any longer?' The bard wasn't totally convinced.
 
'Yes that's exactly what I'm saying.'
 
'Why would she do that? And how come you're so sure this was all down to a God?'
 
Xena sighed and thought hard how to explain something as indescribable as a gut feeling to somebody.
 
'I just know it was down to her....'
 
'A gut reaction?' Gabrielle asked incredulously and frowned once again at the warrior.
 
'Yes you could say that. Look Brie I don't know why she did it, or even if it was Aphrodite that somehow moved things along for us, or if it was another God. But I do know that if it hadn't been for that intervention then you and I would not have confessed our feelings to each other last night.'
 
Gabrielle wanted to protest, but she knew Xena's last statement to be the truth. In her heart she knew that under normal circumstances she would rather have fled from Xena than risk losing her because of rejection. And Xena seemed to have felt as equally vulnerable in expressing her love before now.
 
'I suppose you're right. I did feel different suddenly, I thought I was just reacting to you but now you've mentioned it I did feel a sense of freedom suddenly, of not holding back any longer.'
 
Xena finally smiled, glad to have gotten Gabrielle thinking along the same lines as she and also relieved that it hadn't seemed to change her feelings towards her.
 
'That's exactly how I felt. Its not that my desire for you had never been there before, it has. It was just suddenly I couldn't help myself.'
 
Gabrielle smiled, remembering how exactly the warrior princess hadn't been able to help herself when it came to exploring the bard's body.
 
Xena followed the same thoughts as Gabrielle when she saw the bard curl her lips into a sly smile. The warrior raised an eyebrow at her in a seductive arc unable to mask how the same thoughts were occurring to her, nor what effect they were beginning to have on her body. 
 
They both looked at each other. Their gaze intense, the meaning un-deniable. Though Xena wanted to have a serious conversation with Gabrielle all such thoughts lost their way when her mind drifted to their lovemaking and her eyes travelled so deeply into the bard's soul. And in turn Gabrielle was finding it hard to concentrate on the severity with which Xena had spoken when she felt her body being caressed by Xena's gaze.
 
Tentatively, as if a more sudden movement would break the spell that had some how been conjured between them, Gabrielle leaned in closer to Xena and gently brushed her lips against the warrior's. For such a simple, slow gesture Xena wasn't prepared for her reaction to it and she elicited a soft moan as Gabrielle removed her lips from hers. She wanted more than that brief touch and without thinking of where they were, in plain view of the road where anyone could happen upon them at any moment, she pulled Gabrielle to her and crushed her lips against the bard as if discovering her all over again. Her tongue fought with equal intensity as the bards for entrance to her mouth and on this occasion Gabrielle acquiesced first and felt the strong muscle delve deep into her, with a passion that stirred a small fire in the pit of Gabrielle's stomach.
 
The bard's hands moved up to rummage through the warrior's thick, dark hair that felt as soft as silk. She found out last night how much she relished running her small hands through the warrior's long hair during their lovemaking, but hadn't realised until that moment how powerful she felt when she did that. All the times she'd combed Xena's hair after they'd bathed because the warrior could never be bothered to de-tangle the thick mass herself, or gently stroked strands of hair as Xena slept and Gabrielle had awoken in the middle of the night from a bad dream because touching the silkiness always made her feel safe again. Those times paled in comparison to how she felt now, dragging her hands through thick strands, pulling a little too hard to let the warrior know that she could take control of the situation at any moment if she wished to.
 
As Xena devoured her mouth with kisses, placing stray kisses to the sides of her mouth, taking her bottom lip between gentle teeth and lightly biting the flesh, Gabrielle was weaving her own erotic power between her hands. She began to massage the back of Xena's head, then the nape of her neck. Pinching the sensitive skin at first then kneading it with her fingertips. Somehow knowing that it must feel exquisite to the person underneath her touch. Despite never being caressed in such a way herself, she knew what effect such movements could have upon the body and sure enough Xena broke free from the bard's mouth to lean back into Gabrielle's caress and relish the sensations that went hurtling down her spine each time fingers met with flesh.
 
They were now so close sunlight couldn't even break through the gap between them. Gabrielle was practically sat atop Xena still kneading her tender flesh, alternating between the gentle caresses and pulling firmly on the warrior's locks. Each time she made contact the warrior murmured a soft moan. Xena, quickly losing what self-control she had left, reached out her strong arms and began to undo the laces of Gabrielle's top. Wanting so much to be able to kiss the bard's firm young flesh once more, wishing more than anything that Gabrielle would lower her face to hers and claim her mouth as her own.
 
The bard was slow to realise where the warrior's hands had strayed, caught up in her own dream of caressing Xena in an oddly intimate way just by finally being able to stroke her hair. When the bard felt her top slipping, and her heavy breasts that had always felt so incumbent to her in the past became loose and free it dawned on Gabrielle what was actually happening between the two of them, but not only that how exposed they were to the outside world.
 
In between deep breaths, for Xena had worked her way free of Gabrielle's grasp and began to kiss the contours of her neck causing the bard to momentarily lose her awareness once again, she firmly pushed Xena away from her, repositioning herself somewhat so she wasn't so close to the warrior.
 
'Xena.' Gabrielle began before being cut off with another kiss. Every urge in her body was telling her to let go her inhibitions and give in to the passion that was building inside her but she held fast, the Gods only know how.
 
'Xena.' She tried again, this time with a little more force in her voice and it got the warrior's attention.
 
The dark eyes of the warrior slowly became focused on the anxious look the bard was giving her. Her heavy breathing began to slow down and she regained her composure enough to speak.
 
'What is it my love?' She extended a delicate hand and stroked the side of Gabrielle's face.
 
The bard smiled at the touch and wished she could be as un-inhibited as her older companion. Nothing would please her more than continuing with the fiery passion that had so easily built up between them, but her innocence shone through and she was just not ready to be taken out in the open like this.
 
'I think we had better stop now before we both regret what we are doing.'
 
Gabrielle realised immediately that Xena had misunderstood her words. The warrior dropped her hand from the side of Gabrielle's face, her eyes registering pain and anger at the same time, and stood up so quickly the bard didn't get chance to explain herself before Xena shrugged her shoulders at her, mumbled something that sounded like 'If that's the way you want it Gabrielle', and then turned to check on Argo.
 
Her demeanour was one of total rejection and the bard wondered how Xena could be so sure of herself on the battlefield yet in the more personal arena of love was always doubting herself and Gabrielle. But then again she'd been left with little choice. Xena's fear seemed to have come true, Gabrielle did not want anything more to do with her now she'd heard the truth about the God's enchantment. She practically skulked over to where Argo was happily oblivious to the two of them, not giving Gabrielle a backwards glance as she did so. Her mind racing through how she could go on travelling with Gabrielle after their shared intimacy was over, how she could just go back to being her best friend. She knew she wouldn't be able to. 'Damn you Aphrodite' Xena thought as a hollow feeling in her heart took over her whole body.
 
Suddenly Gabrielle found herself in a role that Xena had taken on before now. It was her turn to re-assure Xena's doubts for once. Her turn to be the one to quell any fear that ran through Xena's mind. It felt oddly comforting knowing that she could do this for her lover when there was so much she was still learning about being in love. Yet she tread softly over to where Argo stood, knowing that Xena's warrior anger was probably nearing the surface round about now and she didn't want to be on the receiving end of it should Xena lash out without thinking.
 
Seeing that Xena was busying herself with brushing, rather forcefully she noted, Argo's mane, Gabrielle decided to busy herself as she talked. She went over to their saddlebags and pretended to look for one of her scrolls.
 
'Its not what you think you know.'
 
No response from Xena, apart from a moment when she lost her momentum with the brush and it got tangled slightly in Argo's soft mane.
 
'If you had just stayed a second longer I could have explained but no, you had to go all stoic on me. Now who's jumping to conclusions?' Gabrielle couldn't resist the slight dig, besides she figured that the only way to get Xena to face her was to goad her into it. Only she forgot how that never had worked on Xena in the past, why should now be any different? When the warrior didn't want to talk to her that's exactly what she did. Gabrielle had no choice but to pour out her heart to Xena's turned back, that she now only half saw because Xena had moved to the other side of Argo.
 
'Okay, well I guess you don't have to answer that.....Look Xena I wasn't saying no to you because of what you said about Aphrodite, what you told me hasn't changed my feelings for you, if anything they've made them stronger.  I was saying it because of where we are. I don't know about you but the thought of being caught doing...you know...that…out in the open like this isn't something I'm ready for just yet. I got embarrassed is all.'
 
Well least she'd said it, and it hadn't sounded as foolish to her as it had done rehearsed in her mind when she walked over to Xena. Gabrielle now waited to see if Xena would require further proof that their love was as strong as it ever was.
 
Finally Xena turned and smiled over Argo's bent neck, seeing only worried eyes and Gabrielle's anxious face staring back at her.
 
'You mean that don't you?'
 
Gabrielle nodded her reply.
 
'I guess I am hot headed at times too.' It was the only apology Xena was going to make because she felt embarrassed for over-reacting the way she did enough already and just wanted the two of them to forget about it.
 
Again Gabrielle nodded not giving the warrior any indication that she was letting her off the hook quite as easily as Xena wanted. Gabrielle wondered if Xena would swallow her pride and apologize, for she knew that Xena hardly ever did that. Even when she was blatantly wrong she hated to admit it, the incident with one of her scrolls and no available leaves sprang to the bard's mind as she waited for Xena to speak again. She smiled at the memory, so long gone now, and almost wavered her resolve to stay silent and let the warrior squirm a little more. But only almost, it was her turn to have the upper hand for once.
 
Xena raised her eyes to the heaven's with annoyance as she realised her bard would not be settling for anything less than a full on apology and stole herself to give her what she wanted.
 
"Come on Brie, you gotta admit I had cause to think what I did. What you said was ambiguous after all."
 
Gabrielle looked at her with a sly grin and just shook her head. She began running a hand lazily through Argo's mane as if she had all the time in the world to wait. Xena had stopped her own ministrations to her horse now and poor Argo was caught literally between the two women, and as if to show her displeasure she snorted at Xena and nudged her with her nose, giving her the final push she needed to swallow that warrior resolve of hers.
 
"Okay okay I get the idea." She scowled at her horse. "Who's side are you on anyhow?"
 
Gabrielle giggled but quickly hid her smirk when Xena turned to her, her eyes sincere.
 
"I am sorry for stomping off the way I did. I should have realised what you meant." She drew closer to Gabrielle, who also stepped toward Xena, satisfied for once the mighty warrior princess could be proved wrong after all. She was enjoying the feeling of superiority when Xena spoke again, softly in her ear. "But if you are so embarrassed about getting caught out in the open," Xena accompanied her words with a slow lick of her tongue along Gabrielle's ear lobe. "I'd do up your top if I were you, cos Brie, you can see everything." Then Xena threw her head back letting out that raucous laughter of hers and startling Argo a little with her sudden change in temperament.
 
The bard quickly looked down at herself and saw what caused Xena's fit of laughter. Everything was indeed hanging out. A crimson blush flooded Gabrielle's cheeks and she swiped at Xena who was still amused by her own joke then turned away to re-tie her top, muttering something under her breath.
 
"Need a hand with that Gabrielle?" Xena tried to reach round Gabrielle with her long arms but the bard swiped her hands away, scowling at the warrior.
 
"I can manage thank you." The bard fumbled with the ties to her top, slightly annoyed at Xena for turning things around the way she always did so she'd end up the victor yet again. Xena was still laughing gently and eventually Gabrielle regained her sense of humour and started to laugh reluctantly at herself as well. "I can't get these damned things to stay tied." She turned back to Xena, her top now half done but still leaving ample exposure for the warrior to draw her breath in when she saw her.
 
"Here allow me, can't have you startling the natives now can we?" Xena sneaked a quick kiss to Gabrielle's lips to stop her from responding to that last remark then deftly criss-crossed the ties together. She stepped back and surveyed her companion. "There you go, respectable once again. Though if you ask me, I preferred the way it looked before."
 
"You would."
 
Xena smiled at Gabrielle, unable to deny such a charge against her. The bard smiled back. All their misunderstandings forgotten, the bard felt her cheeks cool down as her embarrassment subsided.
 
The two new lovers stood staring at each other for a few moments. Almost forgetting why they'd pulled off the road for a break in the first place. They just stood, enjoying a moment when their only thoughts were of each other and how far they had come over the years. The pain that had been hard to rid themselves of after all they'd been through with Hope seemed to have finally dissipated and in its place they'd each found a love deeper than what they had felt before. Xena was sure that Aphrodite's interference hadn't caused that feeling to appear, but all the same thinking about how she had suddenly come to realise her love for the bard made the warrior think about the Gods and how they always find a way to interfere in her and Gabrielle's happiness somehow.
 
Sadness clouded over her eyes and she let her gaze drop from Gabrielle's. Questions that she'd not let herself contemplate before now bombarded her mind. Why had the Gods interfered in the first place? Was it even Aphrodite's doing? A thought of Ares flashed through her mind, but even Xena didn't think this was Ares' style. Bringing the two of them together would more than likely drive the God of War insane with the jealously he has always held for Gabrielle. No Xena just couldn't see how this would serve Ares' purpose of forcing Xena back to her old ways. So what was the purpose?
 
Her eyebrows knitted together as they so often do when Xena was faced with a problem she couldn't find the answer to. Gabrielle could see the anxiety in her warrior's eyes and knew that their moment of being perfectly content with one another was over for the time being.
 
"You're thinking about Aphrodite aren't you?" Gabrielle gently lay a hand on Xena's arm to bring her back round.
 
Xena smiled a small, downhearted half smile and nodded. She hadn't wanted it to be this way with Gabrielle. In her dearest held dreams she and Gabrielle simply accepted their love for one another and started on this new chapter of their lives with no worries about what would happen to them next. But as Xena knew so well, when the Gods lent a 'helping' hand in mortal’s lives, the path was never clear afterwards. She just worried what was in store for the two of them.
 
To be continued….