Disclaimer
copyright: I do not own these characters, they are all ren pics. however
I do own the story idea. and if any of ya'll fuss about Phantes still being alive,
deal! it’s the fanfictions
and my story, hehehe.
sex: no sex in part one but you got your subtext, it’s a
love story.
violence: violence free.
feedback: any feedback or questions can be sent to me at red_hope@yahoo.com
homepage: http://www.oocities.org/red_hope1
dedication: this is dedicated to her.
Series: Series 3 - Putting the Puzzle
Together Series Number: 16 Story
Number: 52
By Red Hope
Very slowly, Xena
stepped forward to the throne in the middle of the village. She kept a straight
face as she lowered her head while lowering down onto one knee. There was only
one Queen she’d bow for in this world.
The Queen suddenly felt a
smile steal away on her expression. “Xena.” She
hastily rose up from her seat and went down the three steps to hit the dirt
ground.
The Warrior Princess finally
revealed her happy smile and after standing up, she was fully drawn into a
powerful hug.
“Gods I’ve missed you,”
whispered the Queen into Xena’s ear.
Xena lightly kissed the side
of the Queen’s temple, whispering back, “I’ve missed you too, Gabrielle.”
The Amazon Queen pulled back
but still clung to her friend’s arms. “How have you been?”
The warrior gave a faint nod.
“I’ve been okay. How’s the Amazons been treating you?” she lightly teased. She
noticed how Gabrielle wore her Amazon Queen attire; she hadn’t seen her friend
in that uniform since she was brought back from death a few moons ago.
Gabrielle gave a half chuckle
before answering, “Pretty good.” Then without warning, she hugged her best
friend again. “I really missed you, Xena.”
The warrior closed her eyes,
happy to not just see but also feel her friend in her arms again. “I know… I’m
here as long as you need me.”
The bard pulled back enough in
the hug to be able to see Xena’s face. “I know, thank you… I’m really glad you
came so quickly.”
“You know I would.” The
warrior then decided it was best to separate as she carefully released her
friend and took a step back.
Gabrielle noted her regent and
Solari finally joining her side.
“Its
nice to see you, Xena.” Ephiny quickly pulled the warrior into a warm hug.
Xena hadn’t quite expected the
hug but happily returned it and even received one from Solari.
“How about we go to my hut,”
suggested Ephiny.
Gabrielle nodded her agreement
and the group winded their way through the village to the regent’s hut. Once
inside, they began discussing future plans for the next few days.
“Are you expecting them to be
that hostile?” inquired the Warrior Princess as she took a chair near the
fireplace.
“They very well could be,”
replied Ephiny. “But we’re hoping they are not, we wouldn’t think so.”
“Especially if you are there,
Xena,” added in Gabrielle. She took another step back and leaned against the
windowsill behind her. “I would have had Solari or Ephiny come with me but they
need to stay here to take care of the village.”
“What about Eponin?”
The Amazon Queen shook her
head.
“She’s too busy dealing with
preparing the newest additions to the… troops,” explained Solari.
“So we thought our best bet
was having you go, Xena. You know that group of centaurs pretty well.” Ephiny
folded her arms against her chest.
“And why not send a few
Amazons with Gabrielle?”
“I’m too worried that they’ll
see it less as a peaceful talk and more of response to a threat.” Gabrielle let
out a faint sigh. “I thought it’d be better for you to accompany me, Xena.”
“I will,” promised the
warrior. “I was just a bit curious as to why I was chosen.”
“Welllll…
we’d like to send a legion for protection with Gabrielle but since we really
can’t, we thought we’d send an army.” Solari smirked at the Warrior Princess.
“Funny,” deadpanned Xena as
she threw a mock glare at the Amazon.
Solari and Ephiny both
chuckled between each other.
Gabrielle then straightened
off the sill quickly. “Xena, are you sure about coming with me to the
centaurs?”
Xena nodded before saying,
“I’m positive.”
That caused a small smile to
reappear in the bard’s worried expression. “Thank you.” She then turned her
attention to her Amazons. “Solari, we need to go check on Ep
and a few other things if I remember right.”
“Yes we do,” agreed the
Amazon.
“Eph, you think you can brief
Xena for me on what’s going on with the centaurs?” Gabrielle raised an eyebrow
at her regent.
“Not a problem, Gabrielle.”
“Thank you.” The Queen then
went to the door and signaled her second in command
to follow her. The pair then left the hut silently.
The regent walked over to her
desk and lifted her large desk chair. She carried it over towards Xena and set
it a little off to Xena’s left side. “Have you heard anything about what’s been
going on with them?”
“Afraid not,” admitted Xena.
“Well…” The Amazon sat down
and relaxed into her chair. “The centaurs are kinda of splitting into two
groups now.”
“They’re quarreling?”
“Unfortunately yes,” responded
Ephiny. “We had a small problem with some young Amazons and a joke that did not
go over so well.”
The warrior raised an eyebrow
at this. “What happened?”
“Well it seems that a few young
Amazons several nights ago decided to play a small joke on the centaurs.” She
paused for a moment. “Do you recall that statue in the centaur village?”
“Yes, the one of the first
centaur if I remember right,” answered the warrior.
“That’s the one.” Ephiny took
a deep breath before continuing with the story. “Well it seems these three
Amazons thought it would be funny to…”
“Vandalize?”
“Uh huh,” agreed Ephiny. “Now
we’re not sure how much truth there is to this but the kids said they
accidentally broke the front leg that was free in mid air.” She shrugged
briefly then added, “Now they thought the centaurs
wouldn’t be all that upset and it could easily be repaired.”
“That’s not the case huh?”
“No of course not.” Ephiny sighed.
“There is a strict law that if that statue is every vandalized, much less
broken, that the guilty part is suppose to pay a penalty.”
“What’s that penalty?”
“Death,” simply replied the
regent.
Xena raised and eyebrow. “You
are kidding.” She huffed when her friend shook her head. “They are kids,” she
muttered.
“Exactly,” agreed the regent.
“And that’s the problem. The centaurs see that statue as a symbol of everything
they are. For it to be ruined is an absolutely sin and holds
a high penalty. That’s why it has survived for as long has it has.” She
paused for a moment. “Half of the centaurs agree that it was an accident but a
small course of punishment should be taken for the vandalism. However, there
are those few centaurs that are firm believers in upholding the laws of their
forefathers.”
“Cute… real cute.” Xena shook her
head. “Always a few stubborn ones.”
“There are,” agreed the
regent. “But that’s basically what’s happened. Gabrielle wants to be there
tomorrow and try to come to some kind of agreement. Instead
of losing some more feathers around here.”
“Mmmm,” sympathized
the warrior. She then lifted her eyes off from staring at the floor to Ephiny.
“How has Gabrielle been?”
The Amazon pressed her lips
together as she considered what to say and whatnot to say. “She’s been better
than this,” she simply stated.
The warrior bit her lower lip
faintly then asked, “Her and Cheala doing well?”
Ephiny reached behind and
rubbed her neck while considering the question. When her hand rested back in
her lap again, she finally said, “Gabrielle seems to think so, yeah.”
“Hmmmm.” Xena lowered her gaze down to her intertwined
hands in her lap. “I’ve been pretty worried about her,” she admitted quietly,
“ever since I left her here a month ago.”
“She’s been really worried
about you too.” Ephiny held her breath for a second,
trying to control her urges but let it go anyway. “She’s really needed to see
you, Xena… honestly.”
The warrior sat up straight
and leaned back into her chair again. “They’re doing that bad huh?”
“Mmmm… its
not so much that really.”
“Then?” pressed on the Warrior
Princess.
Ephiny released a heavy sigh.
“Cheala can be a demanding girlfriend, Xena. I know
you don’t know her that well but I certainly do. And what doesn’t help is the
fact that Gabrielle has the disease to please.”
“Don’t I know,” agreed the
warrior. “She sure did surprise me when she told me she wanted to stay in the
Nation.”
“Yes I know.” The regent stood
up finally and took her chair back to her desk. She slowly turned around and
leaned against her chair. “One minute you were dead, Gabrielle brought you
back, and then the entire thing with Velasca.” She shook her head a few times.
“Not even I saw that coming between her and Cheala.”
“I never even knew of Cheala till Gabrielle said something,” stated Xena. “It
definitely… surprised me to say the least.” She quietly stood up.
“Xena, will you please talk to
Gabrielle about her and Cheala?”
“Why?” The warrior folded her
arms with a corked eyebrow. “The one thing I’ve come to learn about Gabrielle
is not to tell her what to do.”
“I agree but… I just think she
needs somebody to talk to right now.” The regent closed her eyes briefly while
saying, “She won’t talk to me or Solari or Ep about
what’s going on between her and Cheala.” She opened
her eyes again. “We constantly see the two of them fighting now and about three
out of five times I see Gabrielle with blood shot, red eyes.”
“I’ll try, Eph.”
The regent nodded faintly.
“Thank you, Xena. I know the three of us appreciate it.”
“Hopefully Gabrielle will
too,” retorted the warrior. She opened the door and stepped out, closing it
behind herself.
“I think she will,” whispered
the Amazon to nobody but herself.
~*~*~*~
“Hey sit down and join us,”
offered Solari.
Xena smiled at her friend and
decided to take the offer. She lowered her plate of food on the opposite side
of the bench from Solari and Ephiny.
“Sorry I didn’t get to talk to
you that long,” apologized Eponin, who sat to Solari’s right. “Things have just been crazy this spring
though.”
Xena nodded. “I can relate.”
The weapons master chuckled.
“Yeah I bet.” She poked a little at her food. “How have you been?”
“Pretty busy.”
“Yeah Gabrielle mentioned you
just finished visiting with your mother…?”
Xena turned her attention to
the second in command. “Yeah I stayed with her for two weeks.” She licked her
lips and quietly stated, “After everything I kinda needed some time away from…”
She fell short when she noticed Gabrielle by her side. “Hey,” she greeted and
smiled.
“How was your afternoon?”
asked the bard, she knelt down near her friend’s side. A small plate of food
was in her right hand.
“Relaxing,” admitted the
warrior. “Yours?”
“Pretty busy,” grumbled the
Queen.
“You sitting with us?”
inquired Ephiny from across the bench.
Gabrielle stood up and shook
her head in response. “Cheala wants me with her.”
“Ah… okay,” said the regent
quietly.
“I’ll catch you four later
on,” promised the Queen. She gave a tired smile and weaved her way through the hall
to sit with Cheala and some other Amazons.
“Can you recall the last time
she sat with us?” Solari huffed out angrily to Ephiny.
Ephiny didn’t reply and simply
continued eating her dinner.
Xena acted like she didn’t
hear their comments and continued eating her meal. She then decided to look up
from her meal. “So when did she last sit with you?”
“I’d say the last time was the
night after you left… about two months ago.” Eponin glanced back to where
Gabrielle was sitting with Cheala. “You see…” she
turned back to Xena. “those are Cheala’s
friends, not really Gabrielle’s.”
“As a matter of fact,” cut in
Ephiny, “a lot of those Amazons are the same ones that followed Velasca.”
Xena raised an eyebrow at
that, a very high eyebrow. “And does…” Xena had to choke out the name, “Cheala ever talk to you three?”
“Only if she needs
to find out where Gabrielle is.” Solari slightly jabbed her
chicken cutlet harder than she needed to. “But… they’re in love right?” She
gave a very fake smile. “We’re happy for them.”
Eponin grunted at that without
any further comment and ate her dinner.
Gabrielle quietly listened to
her girlfriend carry on a conversation with a few of their friends. She peered
up at them and suddenly nodded at a question. “We probably could.”
“We really should, hun,” persisted Cheala.
The Queen licked her lips.
“I’ll look into it, baby but considering how busy we are might be hard.”
“Gabrielle, Cheala could really use that extra equipment in the metal
shop,” persisted the one Amazon.
The bard felt her shoulder
slouch a bit more than a second ago. “I’ll try my best.”
Cheala smiled happily and
side hugged her girlfriend. “Thank you.”
“Uh huh.” Gabrielle forced a
smile on her lips before she went back to eating her dinner. She stared down at
her pile of rice and wanted to have some but at this moment she felt
like she wasn’t allowed to have any rice. Her stomach wasn’t hungry and
her mind was too busy worrying about her future.
“Baby, how long you think you
and Xena will be at the centaurs for?”
Gabrielle shook her thoughts
away and focused on her lover. “I really don’t know.”
Cheala frowned at the
answer. “You think you’ll be more than three days?”
“We could be, yes.”
Cheala nodded a little
and just turned her attention back to her friends.
The bard sighed quietly to
herself but then stood up, taking her plate with her. She went first to the
trashcan and disposed of the food she didn’t even eat. Then she tossed her
plate and utensils into the dirty plates bin, without any other care, she left
the hut heading into the cool spring evening.
She silently walked through
the village, making her way out of the gates of the village. Following the main
pathway through the forest, she finally came to an opening in the forest. She
found her favorite spot to sit in this secluded area.
Gabrielle then sighed dramatically as her back pressed into the cool, large
rock behind her. Her eyes drifted up to the star covered sky.
“Hey, what’s going on?”
The bard looked up when she
heard her lover’s voice. “Didn’t think you saw me leave.”
“Mmmm… I did.” Cheala stood on the edge of the clearing for a moment then
made her way slowly to her partner’s side. She knelt down beside her, her small
hands resting on Gabrielle’s thigh. “Why’d you leave?”
“Just needed some
time alone, honestly.” Gabrielle moved her left hand to rest on her
girlfriend’s own hand.
“What’s wrong huh?”
The Queen shrugged before
squeezing the Amazon’s hand. “Just stressed.”
“With?” persisted Cheala.
“Just with what’s going on
this spring.”
Cheala nodded a few
times. “Between the centaurs and spring preparations huh?”
“Yeah,” whispered the bard. “Pretty much.”
The Amazon studied her
girlfriend’s features momentarily then asked, “Anything else wrong?”
Gabrielle shook her head,
never really saying the word no.
“You sure?” The Amazon raised
a dark eyebrow as she took her friend hand and brushed back a long strand of
wavy black hair.
“Yeah… I’m sure, baby.”
Gabrielle forced a smile as she tried to give a reassuring squeeze to her
girlfriend’s hand.
“Hmmmm,”
was all the Amazon said. “Well, think you’ll be here
long?”
“Not much longer,” promised
the Queen.
“Alright.” Cheala stood up suddenly. “I’ll be in our hut.” She turned
and strolled off towards the village.
Gabrielle licked her lips and
pulled her legs up to press against the rest of her body. She dropped her chin
down on top of her knees as she stared ahead into the woods. Taking a deep
breath, she said loudly, “You can come out, Xena.” She watched as the slightly
glowing brass armour began to emerge out of the dark trees.
The warrior grinned at how
friend knew her so well. “You’re good.”
Gabrielle slightly chuckled.
“I just know you after a couple of years.”
“True,” agreed the Warrior
Princess. She approached her friend and asked, “May I sit?”
The bard unwrapped
her right arm from her leg and patted the ground. “Would love
it.” She brought her arm back around her legs as she watched her best
friend sit beside her.
Xena stretched her legs a
little then took a very long breath, as she started relaxing. “Ssso…”
The Queen grinned a little.
“So?”
“So…” The warrior faced the
younger woman. “How are you?”
The bard seriously thought
about that question but then finally replied, “I have been better than this.”
“When were you better than
this?”
“I’m not quite sure,” she
confessed to Xena. “Just been so busy… everything is hectic.”
“Yeah I know they have been
for you.”
Gabrielle really did not say
much else, her own silence taking her further from the grove than earlier.
Xena studied her friend,
letting the silence go for a little while. She thought about what to say that
didn’t sound like she was prying into her and Cheala’s
relationship. That’s when her mother finally came to mind. “Mother wanted me to
tell you she said hi and that she misses you.”
The bard came out of her
thoughts at hearing about
Xena smiled at the question.
“She’s doing well. She’s been pretty busy.”
“Has she? The
tavern doing well?”
The Warrior Princess nodded a
few times. “Business has picked up and she has three barmaids now working for
her.”
“Wow that’s great.” Gabrielle
chuckled at that different thoughts about
“Yeah I know,” whispered the
older woman.
Gabrielle shook her head a
little then said, “You know what though?”
“What?”
“I really miss traveling with you,” admitted the bard quietly. She peered
up into sad blue eyes. “All those adventures with you could be… dangerous but
at the same time it was a lot of fun and I felt free.”
Xena nodded a few times. She
then braced herself as she asked, “How have things been lately between you
two?”
“They’re okay,” replied the bard
quietly. “A bit tough but okay.”
“Anything major going on?”
Gabrielle shrugged slightly.
“No… not really, I guess.”
Xena nodded while they went
quiet for a minute or two. “Well… you know, I still
have an opening for a sidekick if you’re ever interested.”
The bard raised an eyebrow at
her friend; a tiny grin curled her lips.
“Well in your case I’m willing
to let you be my partner since I like you,” teased the Warrior Princess.
The Queen laughed quietly and
leaned over to hug her friend by the arm. “Thanks.”
Xena grinned herself; she bent
her head down to kiss her friend’s head lightly. “Well the offer is always open
for you, Gabrielle.”
The bard lifted her head, her
hands still holding onto Xena’s forearm. “I know, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” The warrior
filled her chest with air until she couldn’t anymore and after letting it all
out, she asked, “Tired?”
“Yeah I am.” Gabrielle smiled
up at her friend. “Just one question.”
“Hmmm?”
“How long do you think it’ll
take to travel to the centaur village?”
Xena waggled her right hand in
mid-air while saying, “Two days roughly. Why?” She rested her hand back on the
ground.
“Just kinda hoping this
meeting with the centaurs will take awhile.” She paused
the continued with, “Wouldn’t mind a break from everything.”
“Wellll…”
The Warrior Princess grinned at her friend. “There is a village on the way to
the centaurs. We could always…”
“Sidetrack huh?” teased the
bard.
“Mmmm,” agreed Xena with a
twinkle in her eyes. “It could be fun.”
“It could be.” Gabrielle
squeezed her friend’s arm that she still clung onto. “I’ll think about it.”
Xena laughed at her friend’s
sly voice. “Let me know what you decide, Queen Gabrielle.” She then stood up
from her spot. Her left arm slipped through her friend’s hands until her own
hand held onto both of the smaller hands. “Come on, you need your rest.”
Gabrielle felt herself hauled
up onto her feet as she stood up. “Thanks.”
“Welcome.” The
warrior then began walking to the village with the Queen at her side. Together
they walked quietly to the village. Finally making their way to the bard’s hut,
she turned to her smaller friend. “Gabrielle,” she said quietly, “if there’s
anything you need to talk about to me, please do.
Don’t be scared to do it.”
Gabrielle smiled
sadly at Xena and suddenly hugged her. “Thank you.”
“Go on.” The warrior
released her friend and started walking off to her own hut.
The Queen momentarily
watched her disappear into the dark distance. With a heavy breath, she made her
way inside of her hut.
~*~*~*~
“So what village did
you have in mind?”
Xena readjusted
herself in the saddle before replying to her friend. “The town is Pyros.”
Gabrielle nodded
several times as she considered the little sidetrack. While she thought about
it, she reached forward and ran her fingers through her horse’s mane then
patted him on the neck. “Pyros
huh?”
“Uh huh.”
“Huh.” Gabrielle then
looked at her best friend and shot her a big grin.
The warrior laughed
and knew exactly what that look meant. “Let’s go.” She tugged lightly on Argo’s left rein.
The Queen followed
right behind on her own horse.
And after about two candlemarks of riding, they arrived in the
“Lets see if we can
find a stable,” suggested the Warrior Princess.
The pair weaved their
way through the small town and finally found a stable at the other end. After
paying the stable boy for one day, they then untacked their horses.
“So what you feel
like for dinner?” inquired the warrior, she stepped out of Argo’s
stall.
“Not sure,” answered
the bard. “Any thoughts?” She left her horse’s stall
and walked out of the stable with Xena.
“Mmmm.” The
warrior shrugged. “We’ll see what we can find first.”
The smaller woman
laughed quietly. “Sounds good to me.”
And after about
twenty minutes of hunting through the town and some debating, the pair came to
decide on an inn that also served food. Once sitting at a table in the corner
of the inn, they began ordering their dinners from the barmaid.
Xena watched the
barmaid walk off and turned her attention back to her friend. “So you think
this talk with the centaurs will be tough?”
The Amazon Queen
leaned back into her chair and thought for a moment. “I hope not.” She shook
her head a bit. “I just can’t believe some of those centaurs are being that
extreme. I understand being upset somebody vandalized a sacred statue but to
kill children….”
“I know. I’m sure the
ones that want to uphold the law are the older centaurs.”
“You’re probably
right,” Gabrielle agreed.
Xena spotted the
barmaid returning with their drinks. She briefly smiled at the server as she
received her drink.
“Thank you,” stated
the bard to the barmaid. After she left, Gabrielle returned her eyes to Xena.
“This spring has been tough.”
“What has been going
on?” inquired the warrior.
The Amazon Queen took
a quick drink from her mug before replying. “Well Ephiny decided this year we
should go through the entire! inventory in the
armoury.”
“Oh gods,” muttered
the Warrior Princess.
“Exactly and this
includes all the different uniforms.” Gabrielle folded her arms against her
chest. “And too boot, she thought that whatever weapons or uniforms needs
replacing we should replace.”
“And who’s the lucky
person to do all that work?”
“Cheala
is actually in the armoury.”
The warrior didn't
say anything about that as she soaked in the information. Before she could
continue with the conversation, Gabrielle kept talking.
"Actually,
that's how I ended up meeting Cheala." The bard
pushed her chair back a little. "These," She lifted the necklace of
bronze feathers from her neck to display them. "were
made by Cheala. When… well while you were gone for
that bit of time and I became the Queen, I'd received this. I'd asked Solari
who made such beautiful work and she told me it was Cheala.
Asked to meet her, and well that's how we met."
Xena considered what
she heard before saying anything but after a moment, she asked, "Did you
meet her before or after you knew I was coming back?"
"Before,"
simply replied the bard.
The older woman
pressed her lips together briefly as a thought occurred to her. She then noted
their food coming so she moved a little out of the way of the barmaid. After
the server left, she began eating, as did Gabrielle.
"You haven't
really met Cheala yet huh?" asked the Queen
quietly.
Xena peered up from
her dinner. "Not really." She waited for a second. "What's she
like?"
"She's
young," joked Gabrielle lightly as ate a little of her chicken.
"She's rather good with her armoury work, I'll say that. Some of the jewelry she's done is pretty excellent."
The Warrior Princess
nodded for a moment and after swallowing down some carrots, she question,
"But what is she like?"
The bard laughed
slightly after the question was repeated. "Well Cheala
is… well Cheala." She decided she needed a
moment to think over that question, so she took a long gulp from her drink.
After putting it back down, she finally replied, "She can be tough but
gentle at times too. She's pretty out going… got a bit of a temper though."
She chuckled.
"Figures,"
teased the warrior, "you like tempers."
"Yeah
right," joked the bard. "Anyway, things aren't too bad." She
glanced up from the food.
Xena caught the soft
green eyes with hers. "That's good to hear… I've been worried."
Gabrielle suddenly
lowered her eyes back to her meal. "Yeah I know," she quietly said.
From that point on,
the pair were rather quiet during the rest of the
dinner. Afterwards, they decided to skip dessert and head to their bedroom. Once
in the room, they each separately went into the bathroom and changed into their
sleepwear.
Xena came out of the
bathroom once she was changed. She noted Gabrielle just lying on the double
bed, eyes closed and slow breathing. Going around to
the other side of the bed, she sat down on the edge next to her friend. Slowly
green eyes stared up at her. "Hey."
"Hey."
The warrior grinned
at her friend's word. "Tired?"
Gabrielle considered
momentarily. "A little but I'm okay."
"Sure?"
The bard considered
but then nodded with a silly grin. "Yeah."
She then suddenly had a devilish grin. "How about a back
scratch? I know how much you love those things."
Suddenly the warrior
had a glare but a grin was shaping her lips. "I do not."
The Amazon Queen
laughed and ordered, "On your back."
Xena then laughed and
crawled over her friend and directly into the middle of the bed. She flopped
down onto her stomach, her head turned to one side.
Gabrielle waited for
her to settle in, she then scooted a little closer and sat beside Xena.
Bringing her slightly long nails to soft skin, she started a very long process
of scratching. And all she could hear after that was an occasional sigh or
quiet moan from her friend.
After about ten
minutes Xena finally said, "This is great."
The younger woman
chuckled to herself. "Yeah I bet. When was the last time you had a back
scratch?"
The warrior grumbled
and muttered, "Since you left." She then closed her eyes as she
realized how she put that answer.
Gabrielle sighed
quietly to herself. "And uh…" She took a deep breath before
continuing. "Mom didn't give you one?"
"No… for
once," replied the warrior quietly. "She was really busy with the
tavern."
The bard nodded a
couple of times. "It sounds like it."
"Mmmm,"
agreed the Warrior Princess. She breathed in until her chest was full and
slowly released it all. She could feel how warm her body was, especially the
skin directly pressing against Gabrielle's own.
"You know… I've
really missed travelling with you," mentioned the bard in a quiet voice.
Xena opened her eyes
and lifted her head so that her chin rested on the pillow. "I've missed
having you with me."
"You've just
missed having somebody cook for you," teased the bard.
The older woman
laughed. "That too."
"Figures,"
chided the Queen.
Xena half turned her
head around to gaze up at her friend, just giving her a grin.
Gabrielle started
laughing quietly at her then just smiled back.
The warrior rested
her head back on the pillow and closed her eyes again. "So am I allowed to
ask you about you and Cheala?"
Gabrielle furrowed
her eyebrows. "Why couldn't you?" She then decided to focus more on
massaging her friend's back than just scratching it.
"Mmmm." The
Warrior Princess shrugged a little. "Just seems like a big sacrilegious
thing to do in the Nation."
"What?" The
Queen laughed a little. "Everybody scared to ask me about how things are
going between Cheala and I?"
"Pretty
much," replied simply the warrior.
The smaller woman
sighed at her friend's words and continued working the muscles on Xena's lower
back. "I guess because of things lately."
"What are the
things?"
"Well…"
started the bard, "everybody probably has been noticing me upset more
often than not." She finished with a shrug.
"Mmmm." Xena
forced herself to refocus on what her friend was saying instead of on the back
massage. "What has been upsetting you then?"
Gabrielle stopped the
massage briefly and in that brief second she faintly heard her friend whimper.
She just grinned to herself and continued the massage. "Cheala and I just get into a lot of fights anymore."
"Over
what?"
"Some
of the dumbest things that I can't even remember, honestly Xena." The
Amazon Queen shook her head. "Like right now, she wants me to stop
everything and have her armour hut remodelled."
"What'd you tell
her?"
The bard huffed and
replied, "Well what can I say? She's my girlfriend and I have to say
yes."
"You say no to
me just fine," teased the warrior.
Gabrielle let out a
small laugh. "Xena, that's not the same thing."
"Welllll," started the warrior.
"Xena,
no." The bard then tickled her friend's side a little for
emphasis.
The Warrior Princess
grumped a little then decided to move her hands up and place them under her
head. "So things aren't too well between the two of you?"
"Mmmm,"
agreed the bard quietly. "Hopefully things will get better. I think it's
just the pressure of the spring, yah know."
"But this
happens every year," reminded the warrior, "you would think she'd be
accustom to this."
"I'm sure she
is." Gabrielle shrugged a little. "But I'm not. The spring has been
taking a lot of my time and I think she dislikes that a lot."
"Gabrielle, it's
your duty to be the Queen… she has to understand that."
"She does,"
whispered the younger woman.
Xena turned her head
slightly and peered up at the bard faintly. She noted the expression on her friend's
face, which was a mix of frustration, upset, and stress. Lowering her head back
down, she muttered, "I know I have."
"Well in either
case, I think things will be okay."
The Warrior Princess
suddenly rolled over onto her back and responded, "I hope so."
Gabrielle smiled
sadly at her best friend.
"Come
here."
The Amazon Queen
lowered herself down and was pulled into a very strong hug. "Okay,"
coughed out the bard, "I can't breathe… Xena…." She coughed again
right as she heard laughter from Xena.
The warrior suddenly
released her hold and patted the younger woman's back.
"Gods you got a
mean hug."
Xena grinned
devilishly. "You said you always liked a good hug."
"Yeah
a good one… not a deathly one." Gabrielle sat back
up while shaking her head. "People don't know that one side of you."
"Oh? What side
is that, Gabrielle?" She smiled amusingly at the bard.
"That side of
you that's such a bratt."
Xena laughed and put
her hands under her head. "I think people can tell I'm a smartass at times."
"No, I said bratt… you are a smartass too but
few know you're a bratt."
"Yeah, I think
you and mother are the only two."
The bard huffed.
"Lucky me," teased the bard in a dry tone.
"Yes you
are," chided the warrior. She then suddenly had a thought occur to her.
"Have you done much writing lately?"
Gabrielle returned
her attention to her friend and after a second she started shaking her head.
"I haven't written anything since… well, you died."
Xena's eyes lowered
as she considered the bard's words. "Because of my death?"
Gabrielle shook her
head some. "At first yes but when you came back, no.
Everything was okay to write again then."
"Then why
not…." Xena trailed off.
"Just been too
busy," confessed the Amazon Queen. "All day I'm taking care of my
village then by nightfall, well…." She shrugged. "I have to take care
of Cheala."
"You need to get
back into it."
"Mmmm." The bard
shrugged and lightly patted her friend's stomach. "Maybe
someday." She then stood up from the bed. "We need to get some
sleep."
Xena nodded her agreement
as she rolled out of the bed. She quickly pulled the sheets back while her
friend was cleaning her face and hands in the washroom. After a few minutes,
the pair climbed into bed together.
"Goodnight,
Xena."
"Sleep
well," replied the warrior. She'd turned her back to her friend, as did
Gabrielle.
~*~*~*~
By the morning, the
pair had crawled out of bed, both in their normal morning grump mode as they
had every morning. Neither saying a word, they went about cleaning up and
preparing for their day. Once downstairs and eating breakfast did they finally
begin to talk with one another.
"Not much longer
till we get to the centaur village?" asked the bard quietly before she
sipped on her orange juice.
"No… about three
candlemarks of a ride," replied the warrior.
"Have you figured out what to tell the centaurs?"
"No not
quite." The bard sighed. "Spur of the moment."
Xena chuckled at her
friend's words. "Always your style."
"Learned it from
the best," taunted the Queen.
"Thank
you," retorted the warrior with a smirk.
Gabrielle just huffed
and continued eating her breakfast.
After their quick
breakfast, they left the inn with their things and sought out their horses in
the stable. Within a few minutes, they had their horses retacked and things
tucked away. Together, they left the stable and continued on their journey to
the centaur village. For most of the
ride, the pair talked about various things. Gabrielle telling all about the
different projects she has to do this spring. On the other hand, Xena spoke about
some of things she'd done since she left Gabrielle in the Nation. The talking
mostly lasted them a half a candlemark before their
arrival at the centaur village.
Once at the gates of
the village, they dismounted and waited for the guard to come to them.
"Queen
Gabrielle," greeted the guard, he slightly bowed his head.
"Welcome." He then glanced at the Warrior Princess. "Good to see
you again, Xena."
Xena just nodded her
response.
"Tyldus will be happy to see you two." The guard lead
the two of them first to the stables.
A younger centaur
came out of the stables and took the pair's horses. Then afterwards, the guard
continued leading them to Tyldus's hut.
"Here you
are." The guard pointed to the hut directly in front.
"Thank
you." Gabrielle smiled then headed for the door.
Xena watched the
guard go then joined her friend.
"Come in,"
called a male voice from inside the hut.
The Queen and warrior
entered the leader's hut and both were greeted by Tyldus.
"Thank you for
coming," started Tyldus. "We have much to
figure out about what's happened."
"Yes I imagine
we do," agreed the Queen. "I was hoping we could solve the problem
today if possible."
The centaur nodded.
"That's what I kind of thought. I have heard you are quite busy in the
Amazon Nation. I and the council appreciate you coming all this way during the
middle of things."
"Anything to
help my allies," stated the Amazon Queen simply.
Tyldus nodded.
"Let us go to the meeting room and I will request the council meet with
us." He stepped past the two women carefully and left the hut.
Gabrielle and Xena
followed behind him quietly.
Once inside the
meeting building, Tyldus requested a guard to bring
the council. He then offered Gabrielle and Xena to sit together near the
opposite end of the table. Within a few minutes, the other six council members
arrived. Along with them, Phantes entered the building. Each centaur found a
spot around the extremely long table except for Phantes, whom stood off to one
side of Tyldus.
"Queen
Gabrielle, along with Xena, have come to discuss the
slight problem with our statue."
All the centaurs'
eyes went onto the Amazon Queen.
Gabrielle felt
herself shudder as everybody looked at her.
"Now then,"
started Tyldus, "we have a rather strict law
about the desecration of our statue."
"Which is?"
inquired Queen Gabrielle.
"That whoever so
desecrates the statue must pay with their life," answered a council
member.
The Amazon Queen
sighed at this. "And why is there such a strict law as that? It was a pure
accident on a count of these young Amazons."
"Well if there
wasn't such a law as that then the statue would be ruined everyday of the
year," hotly spoke one council member. "Why do you think that statue
has stood as long has it has?"
The Queen sighed quietly to
herself. “I understand that, yes. But to punish children by death… that’s
unthinkable. It was a mere children’s prank.”
“It does not matter,” demanded
a council member, “if we let this slide then it means anybody can get away with
defacing the statue.”
“I think Queen Gabrielle is
right,” suddenly spoke up Phantes. “We are not talking about a couple of adults
that destroyed our statue to make us look like fools. This was a few kids that
were trying to play a joke and accidentally broke the leg.”
“Those young Amazons had no right
to be pulling that prank to begin with much less break it,” countered a council
centaur.
“Let’s put it this way,” cut
in Xena, she locked eyes with all of the centaurs around her. “If a couple of
your centaur children came into the Amazon Nation with intent to desecrate the
statue of Artemis and broke something on the statue. Then the Amazons get into
an uproar saying such an action is punishable by death. What would you each say
to that?”
The room fell silent after the
warrior had spoken.
“Are any of you willing to
hand over your child or grandchild willingly to up hold your allies
law?” questioned Xena quietly.
“So your answers, gentlemen?”
questioned Tyldus.
Each council member began to
shake their head, now understanding what Queen Gabrielle was trying to stop and
protect.
“Thank you,” uttered Gabrielle
quietly to her friend.
The warrior smiled softly, she
reached under the table and squeezed the bard’s leg to show her reassurance.
“That is what family is for,” she whispered.
That made a gentle smile
etched across the Queen’s expression; her stomach stopped turning.
“Now then, I think we need to
find some kind of solution to repairing our statue. Correct?” inquired the
centaur leader.
Again, the silent council
members started nodding.
“Any suggestions,
Queen Gabrielle?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact,”
replied the bard. “I thought that the Amazons could take your statue, along
with the broken portion. My sculpture artist, with the help of the children
that broke it, will first repair the statue. Then after they have repaired it
and cleaned it, they will coat it in gold to protect it for the future as much
as show our apologies for what has happened.”
Tyldus nodded his head
several times at the Queen’s idea. “I like it. How about the
rest of you?”
One by one, each council
member voiced their approval.
“Wonderful,” stated Tyldus, “I think that means we can adjourn now.” He watched
all of the council members trot out of the building.
He then turned his focus onto Xena and Gabrielle. “Thank you two for coming
here and resolving this.”
Gabrielle stood from her chair
and joined the centaur leader, her friend following behind quietly. “Thank you,
Tyldus. I take it you were not in favour of the death
penalty?”
“Not exactly,” expressed the
centaur. “I cannot quite understand something as significant as that and I
think that law needs to be changed soon here.”
The Queen chuckled at that,
which made the centaur grin. “And thank you too for the help, Phantes.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t much more
help but I tried.”
“Yes I know, I appreciate it,”
replied Gabrielle.
“In any case, nothing would
have happened to those children,” simply stated Tyldus.
“I would have seen to that.” He then held out his hand. “Thank you again,
Gabrielle.”
The Queen carefully shook the
centaur’s arm. “Thank you.”
Tyldus smiled and turned
to Phantes. “Why don’t you show them to a hut for the evening and help them
around with dinner tonight.”
“Yes of course, Tyldus.”
“Thank you.” The centaur
leader stepped past everybody and left the building.
“I’m sure you two want some
rest before dinner…?”
Gabrielle nodded. “Yes, that’d
be rather nice. When is dinner here?”
Phantes started for the door. “Always at sunset.”
“Perfect.” Gabrielle laughed
quietly and followed the centaur out, as did Xena.
Phantes led the two women
towards the guest hut as he spoke with them. “How has Ephiny been?”
“Rather well,” replied
Gabrielle. “Just as busy as me though.”
“I can imagine. I have not
seen her in quite awhile.” Phantes sighed.
“Well… I can deliver her a
message if you’d like, Phantes,” offered the bard.
The centaur brightened up at
this.
“As a matter of fact, I can
have Eph come here and pick up the statue herself with a few Amazons. I’m sure
she will not mind one bit.”
Phantes laughed lightly and
smiled. “That would be great, Gabrielle.”
The Queen smiled back. “I’ll
make sure to do that.”
“Thank you.” Phantes then came
to s stop and pointed to the hut to the right. “That is your hut, ladies. Your
things are inside already.”
“Thank you, Phantes,” replied
Gabrielle.
“Thank you too, Phantes,”
added in the warrior.
“You both are welcome.”
Phantes watched them head to the hut before he trotted off towards his own hut.
Gabrielle sighed in relief
once her back hit the comfortable bed. “Gods… what a day.”
Xena laughed as she stood over
her friend. “It was that bad huh?” She kicked at the bard’s boot.
The Queen groaned. “No guess
it could have been worse.”
“Yeah… they could have decided
our lives on a pyre would have been better than the kids.”
Gabrielle huffed at that idea.
“Glad you didn’t suggest it to them.”
The Warrior Princess chuckled
as she walked off and started taking her weapons off. “Well, I think this calls for a nap.”
The bard instantly sat up. “Oooooh are you feeling your old age, Xena?”
The warrior raised a dark eyebrow
at her friend. “I have you know being thirty-seven years old has its advantages
over your young age.”
“How’s that?” taunted
Gabrielle. “You got more excuse to take more naps?”
Xena’s lips were pressed
tightly together. “Rrrright.” Her head was bobbing up and down as she
walked across the room to where her saddlebags rested on the floor.
Gabrielle suddenly then felt
her stomach drop when she saw her friend coming back at her. “I really did mean
that in a nice way, Xena.” She put her hands up right when her friend stood
towering high above her. “I mean think about it, I love to sleep and I never
get naps in like you do.” She smiled sheepishly. “My hole is getting deeper
huh?”
The Warrior Princes bent down
until her face was close to Gabrielle’s. “Oh yeah… you are toast, bard.”
“Hades!” screamed the bard.
She quickly jumped forward right as Xena grabbed for her.
Gabrielle smashed into the
floor but before she could scramble onto her feet, Xena had a handle on her
feet.
“Xena! No no no! I hate this!” she screamed out.
The Warrior Princess laughed
evilly as she lifted her best friend by her ankles into midair.
“Oh gods, Xena,” moaned the
Queen, “all the blood is rushing to my head. I’m gonna
be sick.”
“Amazon shit… you’re fine,”
teased the warrior. “So am I really that old?”
“Xena,” whined the bard.
“What’d you say?” asked the
warrior teasingly.
The bard closed her eyes. “I’m
gonna be sick in your boots.”
“You better not or you’ll be
cleaning them,” stated the warrior with a chuckle.
Gabrielle groaned. “Xena, I
told you its okay being old. I mean at least you haven’t gotten to that stage
of your life where you fart all the time.”
“Gabrielle, you’re making this
worse.”
The Queen chuckled evilly.
“Sorry, I can’t help the fact you’re so old. I mean even your warhorse is
getting out of date like you.” She then suddenly heard a loud growl. “Uh oh,”
she whispered in fear.
“Out of date huh?” growled an
angry warrior.
“Oh no,” whimpered the bard.
She then suddenly found herself being swung upwards then thrown by her ankles
towards the bed. She screamed loudly as she could until her back crashed into
the middle of the huge bed. When she finally opened her eyes, all she saw were
dark blue eyes staring back at her. “Hi,” she muttered while pushing away a
little. She then saw an extremely sly grin creep across the Warrior Princess’s
face and her eyes twinkled.
“Out of date huh?” she
repeated to Gabrielle.
“Um well… yeah something like
that… you know, like expired, Xena.” She shrugged. “At least you don’t have any
grey hair… oh wait….” Gabrielle reached up as her eyes narrowed down to one
patch of hair to the right of Xena’s face.
Xena’s eyes went to the right
corners of her eyes as she watched Gabrielle grab a hair. She clamped her jaw
down when she felt a ting of pain come from the top of her head.
“Um well… you seem to have grey
hair now, Xena.” The bard held up the long strand of grey hair in front of her
friend’s face. A very shy grin crossed her lips.
The warrior snarled at the
hair and plucked it from Gabrielle’s fingers. “It's gone now.” She tossed it
over the bedside.
Gabrielle just giggled in
response.
“That’s it, you’re toast,
bard.” Xena suddenly attacked Gabrielle’s sides with her fingers, tickling her
to death.
“No, Xena! No ooooh gods, no!” The bard started laughing uncontrollably.
“Oh gods please no!” She then started thrashing around in the bed trying to get
away from her tickle attacker. “Xena, please! No!”
“You give, bard?” The warrior
then suddenly felt her breath taken out of her when the bard kicked her in the
stomach. She grunted at it and tried breathing again but didn’t stop tickling
her friend.
“No! You’re… are… you are! sssso old!” screamed the bard. Now
tears began creeping out from the sides of her eyes. “Stop… oh gods, Xena stop…
you’re gonna kill me!”
“Not until you say I’m not
old,” growled Xena. She tried lowering her body more over Gabrielle’s to keep
her from kicking her anymore or pushing her away. “And take back what you said
about Argo.”
“No!” yelled the bard. “That horsssse… has even more… more grey hairs!”
“That horse I know better than
you,” reminded the warrior.
Gabrielle laughed even more at
what her friend said, her stomach starting to hurt from all the laughter. “That
poor horse!” she screamed.
The Warrior Princess just
groaned at the latest insult she received from the bard. “I don’t know why I
keep you for a friend,” she taunted.
The Queen suddenly rolled onto
her side, still trying to get away from her tickle attacker. “Because… cause
you love… me.” Then the bombardment of tickles came to complete halt. Gabrielle
cringed and kept her eyes tightly closed preparing for her friend to attack her
unmercifully.
Xena grinned at her friend’s
reaction and just lowered her face close to the side of Gabrielle’s. “You’re
right… I do love you… bratt.”
The bard just chuckled evilly.
“I know… I’m so lucky; otherwise I’d really be toast.”
The Warrior Princess grinned
at that. “Mom is right; I couldn’t have gotten a better sister than you.”
Gabrielle slowly opened her
eyes. “Mom said that?”
“Uh huh,” whispered the older
woman. “Besides, if it wasn’t for you…. I’d be wondering, babbling idiot across
this country side.”
The Amazon Queen giggled at
that and rolled onto her back again. “Nah, you’d be fine without me these past
couple of years.”
“Gabrielle, the things I’ve
shared with you these past two years… its more than anybody knows about me. Not
even mother knows half of the things you know.”
The bard’s eyes lowered as she
considered that. “Why you tell me so much then?”
“Because I trust you,”
whispered the warrior, “and you try very hard to understand me.” She sighed
quietly. “Plus the fact I know if I tell you what I have done in my past, I
know you’re going to forgive me without question… not hate me.”
Gabrielle felt her chest fall
with a sigh. “Xena, I know you’ve done a lot of things in your past… stuff I
probably don’t even know about and only find out in time. But its in the past, what matters is who you are now.” She
smiled softly. “You’ve come a long way and still have
a ways to go but you’re becoming a better person each passing day.”
“I have been trying,” admitted
the warrior.
“I know, thank you.” The bard
smiled.
Xena studied her friend for
several moments. “But remember, the only reason I have gotten as far as I have
is because you’ve been at my side every step of the way. You’ve truly helped
put my life together again.”
“I’ve just been myself and
tried being a friend.”
“I know,” whispered the
warrior, “and keep going.”
Gabrielle grinned. “Sssso, that means you are old then huh?”
“Gabrielle,” growled the
warrior. A devilish grin reappeared.
The small bard smiled
sheepishly. “Well… maybe not that old.”
“Gabrielle,” warned the
warrior.
The Queen sighed but was
grinning. “Okay, you’re not old… I’m just really young.”
The warrior’s eyebrow started
arching up slowly.
“Okay okay!”
The bard laughed. “You’re so young.” She rolled her eyes.
Xena chuckled. “Thank you.”
She patted her friend’s side. “How about that nap?”
“Oh gods, sounds like an idea
from the Elysian Fields.”
Xena laughed at that as she
got out of the bed. “Haven’t had one for that long
huh?”
“No, not really,” admitted the
bard.
“When was the last one?”
Gabrielle shook her head as
she sat up. “I’m not sure really.” She considered it while she untied her
boots. “It had to be before you were….” She fell short as she peered across to
the warrior.
The Warrior Princess glanced
across the room while sitting in a chair. “Since I was injured huh?”
“Yeah,” admitted the bard
quietly. She shrugged as her eyes went back to her boots. “I just haven’t been
able to sleep that well ever since,” she admitted.
“Nightmares?”
“Half the reason,
yeah.” Gabrielle pulled her boots off. “Going to sleep just means I watch you
die again.” She laughed bitterly. “I hate that one.”
Xena had her boots off already
and was just staring across to the bard. “Why else?”
The Queen looked up from the
floor. “Just constantly stressed out between the Nation
and….”
“Cheala?”
whispered Xena.
“Yeah,” simply replied
Gabrielle.
The warrior chewed on the
inside of her lip. “Well I’ll be in the bed beside you, so you know I’m not
dead,” she tried to tease lightly.
Gabrielle smiled sadly. She
then stood up and came over to help her friend get out of her armour. “I know.”
“How did you sleep last
night?” questioned Xena.
“Actually better,” acclaimed
the bard. “I don’t know why but I always sleep better around you.”
The warrior chuckled at that.
“Call me the warrior of sleep.”
The Queen chuckled quietly at
that as she unhooked a few clasps. “Not sure… guess because I feel well protected.”
Xena grinned at that. “Come
on.” She stood up and slipped off the loose armour.
Gabrielle felt a warm hand
come to the centre of her back and push her towards the bed. “Beeeed,” she whimpered.
Xena laughed and easily pushed
her friend into it. She then climbed in afterwards.
Gabrielle rolled onto her side
to face her friend.
Xena brought her hands under
her head and closed her eyes.
“Xena?”
“Mmmm?”
“I have a real weird question
for yah.”
The warrior just grinned at
that. “What’s that, Gabrielle?”
“Have you found anybody?”
“What?” The warrior instantly
opened her eyes and turned her head to Gabrielle. “Found anybody?”
“Yeah you know… to date. Well
I know you don’t like calling it dating but you know what I mean.”
“Gabrielle, why are you asking
this?”
The bard shrugged. “Just curious.”
Xena sighed and just closed
her eyes again.
“Well come on now.” The bard
could see a small grin creeping along her friend’s lips. “Oh you have! Give,
Xena.”
The Warrior Princess laughed.
“Gabrielle… she’s more of physical interest and less of a mental one.”
“Hey fuck friends work too,
you know.”
“Gabrielle,” growled the
warrior. “I don’t do that.” She kept her eyes closed but raised an eyebrow
never the less.
Gabrielle laughed a little. “Oh nothing wrong with a fuck friend.”
“Gabrielle,” warned Xena.
“Well… at least tell me what
she looks like, Xena. And where did you meet her?”
“I didn’t really meet her,
Gabrielle.”
“Then how you know her?”
The warrior opened her eyes
again. “That’s it; I don’t know her… while at mother’s I just saw her in the
tavern.”
“You didn’t talk to her or
anything?”
“Gabrielle, that’s not me.”
The smaller woman huffed at
that. “Yeah all gunho about kicking strangers’ asses
but when it comes to meeting somebody new you hide in a corner.”
“And like you don’t?” taunted
the warrior.
“Ah well… that’s not fair,
this is about you, not me.”
Xena just laughed deeply at
her friend. “No, I did not talk to her, Gabrielle.”
“Well that’s alright… what’d
she look like at least?”
The Warrior Princess sighed despite
the fact she was grinning, she closed her eyes again. “She was a bit shorter
than me. Had long blond hair… a bit like yours,” she added. “Rather slender but
not sure about muscles or anything.”
“I know you prefer muscular.”
Xena shrugged. “It depends…
more concerned about who they are much less what they look like these days.”
“I agree to that,” retorted
the bard. “What colour were her eyes?”
“I couldn’t really tell… she
was too far from me.”
“Hmmmm.” Gabrielle nodded a bit. “Well… it’s a start.”
“Gabrielle, I’m not going back
there just to meet this stranger.”
“Oh come on, Xena,” started
the bard, “You could-”
“Go to sleep,” cut off the
warrior with a laugh. “I don’t wanna hear this.” She
turned over onto her side.
The Queen just lay there with
a big frown. “Absolutely no fun.”
“Sleep well,” teased the older
woman.
Gabrielle huffed and just
closed her eyes. “Sleep tight,” she muttered.
~*~*~*~
The Amazon Queen waved to Tyldus as her and Xena rode out of the centaur village.
“Don’t worry, Phantes. I’ll deliver the message to Ephiny.”
“Thank you,” called back the
centaur.
Gabrielle smiled and faced
forward again.
“Glad everything worked out?”
The bard nodded to her friend.
“I sure am.” She sighed contently. “Feel a lot better about that.”
“I know you do,” stated the
warrior. “Let’s get you home huh?”
“Yeah… home,” muttered the
bard sadly.
Together the pair
rode in silence towards the Amazon village, both knowing they’d be there about
a candlemark before sunset. They also knew that once
they arrived there they would have to go back to acting like friends that
weren’t as close as they real are. That also meant they would have to soon
separate yet again and that made both of them want to turn in another direction
away from the Amazon Nation.
“So uh… Argo has been well?”
Xena chuckled at the question that broke the silence. “Yes.” She patted
the side of her mare’s neck.
“You give her plenty of apples?”
The warrior corked an eyebrow at her friend. “Gabrielle, I just got
finished getting her to lose some weight after you.”
“Xena, she enjoys those apples with the centre
taken out.” The bard grinned and added, “then putting
the pieces of cheese in it.”
“Gabrielle, that cheese is bad for her.”
The Queen chuckled evilly. “Mustn’t be all that bad
if she constantly wants one.”
“You taught her a bad habit,” reminded the warrior.
“No, I praised her for putting up with you for as long as she has.”
Xena’s jaw dropped down. “She is my horse.”
Gabrielle just giggled at the look she was getting from Xena. “Yeah
well, you mistreat her… you don’t give her the apple treats.”
“She doesn’t need them!”
“Okay let’s ask Argo that.”
Xena growled, “Let’s not.”
“Ooooh because you know what
she’ll say.”
The warrior glared at her friend but she couldn’t help the grin that
was pulling at the corners of her lips. “She hates them.”
“Okay.” Gabrielle bent forward in her saddle and asked, “Argo, do you
like those apple treats?”
Suddenly Argo threw up her head and whining in happiness at just the
mention of apple treats.
“Well there you go, Xena.”
“She said she hates them.”
“Rrrrrright,” teased the bard. “She sounded
like she really didn’t want one.”
“I can’t believe this,” muttered the warrior.
Gabrielle grinned before questioning, “What’s that?”
Xena shook her head then looked back at her friend. “I spent years
training Argo to be what she is now. You do not realize just how hard it is to
train a horse let alone her.”
Gabrielle just giggled.
“Then you come along and completely destroy my entire system with her.”
Xena huffed as she turned her attention away.
“Funny how that works huh?”
Xena grunted for her response. “I couldn’t believe you ruined it.”
The Queen smirked. “I didn’t ruin it, just made it more fun for her.”
“Ha!” Xena turned some in her saddle to better face her friend. “You ruined
it.”
“Okay, Xena.” Gabrielle held up one hand as a huge smirk took her
expression over. “You are right, you’re always right. I’m so wrong and you’re
always right.”
The Warrior Princess glared at the other woman. “I hate when you do
that,” she muttered under her breath.
“Oh but I was just agreeing with you,” taunted the small bard.
Xena grounded her teeth together. “Well its
about time you realized I’m always right.” She threw a smirk at her friend.
Gabrielle huffed and rolled her eyes.
“And can I ask where you got that from?”
“What? The ‘you’re right and I’m wrong’ thing?”
“Hmmm,” answered the warrior.
Gabrielle snickered and suddenly looked away from the older woman. “I can’t tell, it’s a secret.”
“Okay I already know it has to do with mother. Give.”
The bard furiously shook her head as she started laughing.
Xena just sighed while her friend was laughing about something.
“Oh gods, I love mom,” whispered the bard between her laughter.
The warrior sighed again. “The things you two talk about, I can’t
imagine.”
“You wouldn’t want to,” stated the Queen. She took a deep breath then
said, “Mom always says you’re wonderful, fun to be around, but the only problem
you have is you think you’re always right.”
“Because I am,” simply confirmed the ‘always right’ one.
“Yeah sure… so mom told me to just let you think you’re always right
even when you’re wrong. Then you’ll stay happy with me.”
“I see.”
Gabrielle started giggling after her explanation. “She’s right though!”
She then leaned to the right of her saddle and started laughing more.
Xena just shook her head as her friend laughed. “Done yet?”
The smaller woman straightened up in her saddle again and filled her
chest with air. “Yeah… I think so.” She then shifted in the saddle some more to
get more comfortable. “Hades, you know what somebody should invent?”
“Hmmmm?”
“Someway to heat saddles in the winter time.” The bard raised an eyebrow. “I mean, in the winter
time these things are so cold. You realize how nice it’d be if they just stayed
warm all the time.”
Xena grinned at the thought. “I’d buy one. I’d love that.”
“I mean, the horse keeps the saddle fairly warm.” Gabrielle pressed her
lips together in thought. “But I mean a nice….”
“Low roast would be good.”
“Yeah exactly,” agreed the bard.
The Warrior Princess chuckled at that.
“Yup, I could see you be the first to get one of those.”
“Why you say that?” inquired the warrior.
A grin streaked across the bard’s features. “You love toys like that.”
“I do not.”
“Xena, come on now seriously.” The bard pointed at the chakram dangling
at Xena’s side. “What you call that thing?”
Xena glanced down at it momentarily. “A weapon,” she replied.
“It’s a toy… to you. Maybe everybody else it’s a weapon.” Gabrielle
laughed at that. “But to you, it’s a toy.”
The Warrior Princess snickered evilly. “It could be… but I’d never
admit to that.”
“Xena, you don’t need any weapons to fight. You have them for show and
for fun because they’re a toy to you.”
Xena didn’t reply but was grinning from ear to ear.
“Oh wait!” Suddenly Gabrielle’s face brightened up, and she started
talking rather fast. “Remember the time I bought that breast dagger!”
The Warrior Princess started laughing suddenly.
“You took that off me not because it was dangerous but because you
wanted it for yourself!” roared the bard.
“I did not!” Xena tried giving a serious look. “I was concerned you’d
nick your boob.”
“Centaur shit!” The Queen laughed, her eyes watering around the edges.
“You wanted that thing for yourself. That’s a perfect example of a toy you
wanted.”
The warrior just chuckled evilly as her response.
“You still have that dagger?”
“Let me check…” The Warrior Princes freed her right hand from the reins
and reached up. She pulled her breastplate out then peered down. “Oh yup, it’s
in there.”
A few chuckles left the bard. “One day, you’ll have to teach me that
squeeze your boobs together and the dagger pops out trick.”
“Nope.”
Xena grinned. “You’re not experienced enough for that.” She then paused and
decided to torment her friend more. “Plus, you don’t quite have the…” she held
up her right hand to her breasts again. “The right size to
just pop it out.”
“Oh gee thanks, Xena,” retorted Gabrielle. “At least mine don’t hurt
me.”
The warrior grunted at that comment. “True.”
Gabrielle then was silent for a little bit before looking at Xena
again.
The warrior quickly noted the serious expression on the bard’s face.
“Xena, can I ask you something and you answer honestly?”
Xena felt her stomach turn and her grip on the reins tightened. “I’ll
try my best, Gabrielle.”
“Thank you.”
“Go on,” urged the warrior, she felt herself tremble briefly in
nervousness.
“Okay, here goes….” The bard licked her lips as she put her question
together correctly. “Would you ever… well would you ever date me?”
The warrior quickly felt herself trying to swallow that question down
like a rock. “You mean… if you weren’t dating as of right now?”
“Yeah exactly.”
Xena chewed on her lower lip as she debated whether to tell the truth.
She knew she couldn’t lie to Gabrielle, she never had
and tried not to hide anything from her either. “I think I would.” She looked
seriously at the bard. “If I had to honestly say what kind of person is my
type, you would be it.” She shrugged. “Plus I’ve known you for so long, I know
who you are… I’ve always enjoyed being friends with you.”
“Yeah… I’ve enjoyed our friendship for the past two years.” Gabrielle
smiled and added, “And I always wanted an older sister, that’s what you’ve been
to me too.” She paused while in the middle of her thoughts. “I learned about
life from you.”
“I know you have,” agreed the warrior. She then felt tempted to ask the
same question of Gabrielle but yet that was all Gabrielle had told her. Looking
away, she decided not to ask the question of the bard. “I think we’ll be in the
village soon here.”
“Yeah I know.” The Queen gazed over at the western sky. “What you
think? About another fifteen minutes?”
“Around there.”
“Xena, thanks for taking me to the centaur village.”
Xena smiled at the thank you. “It was my pleasure. I was glad to catch
up with you.”
“Me too… I mean with you though.”
The Warrior Princess gave a warm grin. “I know.” She shrugged though
after turning her attention away. “Don’t forget though, I still have an opening
for a… partner.” She glanced back at Gabrielle. “If you’re
ever interested.”
“I know,” uttered the bard sadly. “You think you’ll stay tonight?”
Xena slowly started shaking her head. “No, I think I need to keep
moving.”
Gabrielle nodded without saying much else.
Then within those fifteen minutes after, the pair
arrived at the Amazon Nation. Xena
decided to take a small break before she moved on and to make sure Gabrielle
was settled. At the gates, Eponin had greeted them and Ephiny was soon to
follow along with Solari. The regent was rather excited to receive the message
from Phantes and the news that she’d lead the party to the centaur village.
The Amazon Queen, after getting her stuff from her horse, headed
directly to her hut.
Xena on the other hand stay by the gates with the three Amazons.
“How was everything?” asked Ephiny.
“It went well.” Xena leaned against the archway of the gates.
“Gabrielle settled everything peacefully and everybody is happy."
“That’s good to hear,” stated Solari.
“Gabrielle enjoy her time away?” Ephiny had a
rather worried expression.
The warrior considered the question for a moment then nodded. “I think
so, she slept a lot.”
“That’s good,” muttered the weapons master.
“She ate plenty and we had a good time.”
Ephiny smiled at that and grasped the warrior’s arm. “Thanks, Xena.”
The Warrior Princess sighed sadly. “I wish I could do more.”
“We do too,” agreed the second in command.
“But… only so much any of us can do,” reminded the regent as she
released Xena’s arm. “She has to decide what’s best for her.”
“Rather decide for her,” muttered Solari.
Xena huffed her agreement at that. “Well let
me know if things keep getting worse.” She peered down at her friends. “I’ll
come back and… see if I can’t settle things for good.”
“You have to be careful about that, Xena.” Ephiny paused. “We both know
how Gabrielle is about people telling her what to do.”
“Oh I know that… I was talking about Cheala.”
The warrior raised an eyebrow.
“I like her,” joked the weapons master, she pointed a finger at Xena.
Xena chuckled at Eponin. She then saw Gabrielle coming towards them so
she lifted herself off the gate. “Well I think this is my cue.”
The Amazons looked and saw the Queen coming their way.
Gabrielle joined the group and smiled sadly at her best friend.
“Well….”
Xena quickly saw Gabrielle’s eyes were red from crying. “Hey….” She
took a step forward, putting herself between the Amazons and Gabrielle. “What’s
going on?” She carefully reached and tilted Gabrielle’s face up towards hers.
“Its nothing,” whispered the bard. She gently wrapped her fingers into
her friend’s larger hand and pulled the hand away from her chin. “It just
wasn’t exactly a warm welcoming home.”
Xena closed her eyes for a second, her temper flaring inside of her and
she fought with it.
“Its okay,” reassured Gabrielle.
The warrior bit her lower lip as her dark blue eyes opened again.
“Yeah… right.”
The Queen sighed and whispered, “Come here.” Within a second, she had
her arms tightly around her friend in a long hug.
Xena pulled Gabrielle in close, as she would dare. “Please take care of
yourself, Gabrielle,” she murmured into the bard’s
ear.
“I’ll try if you do.”
“I will,” promised the warrior quietly.
Ephiny and Solari exchanged worried looks.
Eponin on the other hand shook her head faintly at the sad situation.
Finally the two friends broke apart. Xena then gave briefer hugs to the
three Amazons. Climbing up onto Argo, Xena said goodbye to them but stopped
when Gabrielle came beside her horse.
“I’ll see you soon,” promised the warrior.
Gabrielle smiled at that. “I’d like that.” She grasped her friend’s
leg. “I’ll miss you.”
“I know.” Xena then felt her smile go sadder. She then leaned down and
whispered, “Remember, I always love you, Gabrielle.” She placed a gentle kiss
on her friend’s forehead then afterwards uttered, “I didn’t come back from the
dead for myself.” She straightened back up in her saddle and tapped Argo in the
sides. She headed out of the gates.
Gabrielle turned a little and stood there, her arms against her chest
and watched Xena ride towards the sunset. Slowly, tears began trickling down
her cheeks.
Ephiny silently came up behind her Queen, her hands slipping onto her
shoulders in reassurance. “Gabrielle… you lost her to death once.” She squeezed
the sore shoulders that rested under her hands. “Don’t lose her again… not like this.”
The Amazon Queen closed her eyes and dropped her head back; a very low
whimper could be heard from her. “Oh gods….”
The regent gave one more squeeze then lowered her hands.
Gabrielle lowered her head back down and stared at Xena’s distant
figure. Then without another single thought, worry or fear; she made her final
decision. She took off sprinting out of the Amazon village.
A huge smile took over Ephiny’s expression.
“Xena!” yelled Gabrielle. “Wait, Xena!”
Xena heard Gabrielle calling for her and instantly halted her horse.
She turned in her saddle right as Gabrielle came up beside Argo. “What’s
wrong?” she asked hastily and in worry. She saw all the tears coming from her
best friend.
“Xena,” rasped the bard in a fast and scared voice, “I can’t keep going
on like this. I’m not happy here and I can’t stand being away from you. But I’m
too scared to face Cheala about any of it. I don’t
know what to do, Xena.” She started crying even more as she gripped Xena’s leg
tightly.
“Gabrielle, breathe… its okay.” Xena reached down wiping away the
tears. “I’m not going to leave you if you don’t want me to.”
“I know it’s just… I don’t know what to do, Xena.” Gabrielle shook her
head. “I don’t know… what should I do, Xena? I trust you more than anybody else
in the world. What should I do?” she begged.
Xena licked her lips slightly and brought her feet out of her stirrups.
She swung her leg over the saddle, and dismounted her horse. She stood tall
above her friend, her hands on Gabrielle’s worn shoulders. “You want to know
what I think you should do?” she uttered.
“Yes.” The bard searched her friend’s eyes for an answer.
Xena very gradually lowered her head and brought her lips against
Gabrielle’s own.
Gabrielle had closed her eyes then immediately clung to Xena for
support.
Xena slid her arms around her friend’s waist to help her and to pull
her in more. She opened her mouth slightly, letting the tip of her tongue run
across Gabrielle’s lower lip.
The bard sighed and didn’t refuse to open her own mouth. Her tongue running across Xena’s own.
The warrior then pulled her tongue back, her lips starting to separate
from Gabrielle’s.
Gabrielle opened her eyes and stared into tender blue eyes. After a few
moments, she then whispered, “Xena… really?”
Xena lowered her head again, her lips now going towards her friend’s
ear. “Yes… really,” she whispered gently. “Two years ago, yes… today yes, and
forever, yes.”
Gabrielle whimpered and pulled the warrior in for a strong hug.
Xena smiled to herself as she hugged what she’d always claimed as her
bard.
Ephiny just nodded at the scene of her two friends. “Finally…
after two damn years.”
The weapons master grinned at the regent’s words. “I really like her,”
she commented about Xena.
Solari chuckled and added in, “Definitely… just kiss the girl. I like
that myself.”
The Amazon Queen pulled back from the hug. “Xena?”
“Yeah?”
“Can you wait here? Give me like at least five minutes, okay?”
The Warrior Princess laughed softly at the requests. “Of
course.”
“Thank you.” Gabrielle released the warrior and did a quick turn
around. She went racing back towards the village, headed for her hut to find
her things.
Xena smiled at the sight and shifted closer to her horse. She folded
her arms while leaning back against Argo.
Argo whined in question.
The Warrior Princess turned her had to the right towards Argo. “Yes, I
guess that means you get apple treats again.”
The mare threw her head up and whined in question again.
Xena sighed in annoyance but was smiling. “Yes, whiney… you get the
cheese in the middle too.”
Argo threw up her head and whined in happiness then stomped her feet on
the ground in a little happy dance.
Xena grinned at her horse’s happiness. “I know how you feel… but she’s
still mine.”
Argo snickered with a nicker.
“Whiney,” retorted the warrior, “Now I know why she calls you Whiney.”
She then straightened up off Argo’s side as she saw
her bard racing back towards her.
Gabrielle came right up to her partner and held out her satchel of
scrolls to be placed in the saddlebags. “I have something to write about
again.” A happy smile formed across her lips.
Xena smiled too as her hand intertwined with Gabrielle’s and they both
held onto the satchel of stories together.
The End