DISCLAIMER: The characters of Xena: Warrior Princess remain the property of MCA/Renaissance Pictures and Studios USA. No copyright infringement is intended and this is a non-profit story.

SUBTEXT: this story does depict to women in-love and even though there is nothing graphic in here, there are implications of two women making love. If this offends you....read no further.

If you’d like to write to Hoggle Bard....and she’d love you to!!...write to: hoggle_bard@hotmail.com

Argo stamped her hoof and whinnied impatiently to her mistress and the bard as they argued over something too small to even worry about. She was hungry, and she knew the constant bickering was slowing them down sufficiently to delay her mealtime, but not enough to allow them to stop all together so she could feast on the lush grass surrounding them. The palomino mare was growing tired of the bard's whining, and even the sound of her own mistress's snapping back at the girl. She didn't know what had put the two of them in such a foul mood, but she hoped it wouldn't continue all day.

"...and my cooking was not the problem! If you had caught better fish, we wouldn't have had such a lousy breakfast!" Gabrielle continued. She didn't know what it was that was driving her argument, she knew it was completely ridiculous but for some reason she'd been irritated with Xena all day. She wondered what was wrong with her. It wasn't like her to start a fight with Xena over nothing, but then it wasn't like the warrior to continue such a stupid argument. And here they both were, arguing pettily over nothing like she and Lila used to do when they were children. Gabrielle realized how stupid they were being and was about to apologize to Xena when the warrior turned around and yelled back at her about how Gabrielle always managed to ruin perfectly good fish, and then blame it on her. The younger woman did a double take. They really did sound like children! But Xena's insult drew out the catty little girl inside her and she had to respond, and so the argument continued. But some rational part of Gabrielle really did want to find out why Xena was acting so strangely, and why she was as well.

"Breakfast was awful because you've been in such a strange mood all day! What's wrong with you, Xena? Did you get out on the wrong side of the bedroll or something?" The blonde's words bore into Xena's mind, she knew that the petty squabbling was ludicrous, but she couldn’t help it. Everything about Gabrielle was driving her insane. The little things that she used to love that her bard did now somehow seemed so… so… irritating! She now knew why Ares and Callisto always referred to Gabrielle as an irritating little blond. The nagging annoyance at her companion continued.
"What choice do I have about what side of the bedroll I get out of? You’re always in the way and usually push me out when I’m asleep. Did you ever stop to wonder why I’m always up before you? It’s not just because you’re a lazy little-" Gabrielle attacked Xena with her staff.
Xena had been too busy yelling at the girl to react and had been caught off guard. The warrior was knocked onto her butt as the staff end hit her in the stomach. Gabrielle looked at Xena sitting on the ground looking shocked. Her first instinct was to run over to her, through her arms around her love, and apologize, but something stopped her. She thought about how Xena treated her like she couldn’t fight and was in constant need of protection, and she smiled proud of herself. She didn’t know what was wrong with her, but she felt good about hitting Xena, like it was well deserved even if she couldn’t place exactly why. Xena picked herself up and glared at the bard, towering over her she opened her mouth to speak, but Gabrielle beat her too it "In the way am I? Lazy? Well, fine. You don’t have to worry about me cluttering up your bedroll anymore, Xena. I’m leaving you" and with that the bard removed her scrolls and some other things from Argo’s saddlebags, put them in her bag, and walked off in the direction they had just came from.

Argo looked at the bard storming off and then at her mistress and shook her head. She expected Xena to jump on her back and go after the temperamental girl, but the warrior just screwed up her face and pulled at her reins "Come on girl" she said "We don’t need her" and they continued off down the road.

Ares watched from the nearby trees and laughed. Though he couldn’t hear exactly what was being said between the two mortals, he could see his plan was working perfectly as the smaller woman knocked Xena down and stormed off, and the warrior continued along without her like nothing had happened.
"Wow" said the warrior beside him "That was easy"
Ares turned to his companion, and smiled "Fargus, you have no idea how hard I have tried to get Xena back on my side. I’ve tried framing her, blaming her, setting the furies on her, playing her parents, everything but her little bard has always been there to stop her. Hades, even killing the kid won’t help because Xena promised she wouldn’t come back to me if the brat dies." His face showed all the frustration he had endured over these mere mortals, and he continued "I want her to lead my army, but the irritating blond always seems to help her." he smiled " But now, now I will have Xena back, and it was so simple! All I had to do was to get Xena to see the kid how she really is, an irritating, annoying interfering little pest, and the same spell on Gabrielle’s view of Xena. I didn’t realize before how much influence the little brat had over her, but now…she will be mine again."
The God of War laughed loudly and slapped the mortal beside him on the back. Fargus smiled at Ares and prompted him, realizing that the god liked talking about his latest victory, and it was always best to keep a god in a good mood.
"I get it, this way neither of them will care about each other at all and no one will be around to stop Xena when you try to convince her to join you again, right?" Ares looked at the man beside him. He had chosen Fargus to assemble Xena’s new army, and he was to be second in command, providing Xena didn’t find it fitting to kill him instantly, he was an annoying, pitiful excuse for a man, but he was loyal. Besides, Ares didn’t want to waste a better warrior on the chance that Xena may strike him down immediately, and he had lost too many good men to Xena.
"Yeah Fargus, that’s right" And with that, Fargus was left alone as the God beside him smiled and disappeared.

Gabrielle started to slow down after about two hours. She had walked off most of her anger and was left confused. Why had she been angry in the first place? Why had she left? All she could think about was how much Xena annoyed her. Everything about her. Even the sexy raised eyebrow look she used to love, she now saw as patronizing. It was like she was looking at Xena through different eyes. She shook her head and kept walking, she couldn’t even remember what she had seen in the warrior to begin with.

The bard stopped at the clearing where she and Xena had camped the previous night. The ashes from their fire where still visible, as where the bones from breakfast. Gabrielle sat down on a log and thought about what had happened. She hadn’t even thought where she was going, she had just been so mad at Xena and needed to leave. She tried to think of where to go. She had never actually thought about what she would do without Xena. She could go back to the academy, or home to Potadeia, or to the amazons. When Xena had died, she resolved to stay on and rule the Amazons, but then Xena had come back to her, and she had left with her warrior. Now, she couldn’t stand to be around her, and wondered when all of these feelings had started. She remembered that she had loved Xena, but she couldn’t remember how it had felt. The night before they had made love and fallen asleep in a passionate embrace, and when Gabrielle had awoken, Xena had started a fight with her, and they had fought all morning. The feelings of annoyance towards Xena had grown stronger as the day had progressed, and now here she was on her way to nowhere without Xena. But the fact was she didn’t want to be around Xena, couldn’t even stand the thought. Gabrielle decided to go back to the amazons and figure out what was wrong with her.

Xena marched along pulling the confused mare behind her and going over the day in her head. What had gotten into Gabrielle? She wondered. The look on the girl’s face as she had knocked her down had been… pride! The bard had started an argument, hit her, and then had the gall to leave her! Xena was happy that she now could see Gabrielle for what she truly was… a useless little pissant. ‘Wait’ Xena thought stopping her trek and putting her head up. The last time she had been thinking this ‘clearly’ about her bard was when…. Ares.

Though Xena couldn’t shake her feelings of distaste towards her former best friend, she had wondered where they had stemmed from and why. The night before, she and Gabrielle had been fine… well more than fine, she grinned. And now, they were…separated. In the state that she was, the idea of being away from the bard did not bother her that much at all, in fact, it was a relief to be away from the loud mouthed worthless little… She shook her head, trying to shake the foreign but strong feelings away. Xena realized that these feelings, though they seemed real, were not her own. She know underneath she loved Gabrielle, even if she couldn’t place why or how right now. The warrior had been enchanted enough times to realize that this new outlook wasn’t how she truly felt. Why would someone have put a spell on her and her bard to separate them? Who would gain from them being apart? The God of War, of course. He was using her own little warlord rule of divide and conquer. He knew that she would never submit to him if Gabrielle were there, or even if she was dead. But with her out of the picture this way, Xena realized, he thought she would be vulnerable to him and his quaint world view. She knew she had to let him know that his plan wouldn’t work, and make him think that it hadn’t worked at all until she could release her and Gabrielle from the spell. As much as it bothered her to do it and as difficult as it may have been, she knew she had to get her irritating little companion back, like nothing had happened. Xena climbed up on Argo’s back and started her off in the direction they had come from at a gallop.

Fargus had watched the two women walk further away from each other, and marveled at the simplicity of Ares’ plan. He was ecstatic to think that he would soon be a head figure in Xena, the Warrior Princess’s new army! As he climbed down from the tree, he allowed his fantasy about his future position to overtake his consciousness again.

Xena would call him into her tent to discuss the plans for the raid on the next small village. She would be just stepping out of a hot bath. She would call him over and pull him in…

"General!" A young warrior yelled as he saw his leader descending a tree alone. Fargus snapped out of his daydream and stared furiously at the voice that had pulled him from his favorite world. The young man he recognized to be one of his right hand men approached him running clumsily. "Sir" he began breathlessly "The men are waiting upon the hill for your command, do we attack Xena?"
Fargus looked at the boy in much the same manner as Ares had looked at him. "No Stalinus, we wait for Ares to tell us when he has the Warrior Princess on his side. There’s no point wasting good men fighting her, when if we are patient, we will have her lead us without a fight."
Stalinus grinned up at his commander admiringly, no wonder Ares had chosen this man to assemble the army, he thought, Fargus was brilliant. The older man started to walk towards the hill where his army was waiting for him, but stopped. Turning back towards the boy he smiled slyly "Stalinus," he said imposingly, rubbing his hands together as greedy inspiration hit him "gather a few of the men and ride west a short distance. Xena’s little bard is travelling alone and I want her."
The young warrior smiled and answered eagerly "You want to use her as bait for Xena?"
Fargus shook his head and said to the confused boy "No, she’s no good for that now. Ares has seen to that, besides, it never seems to work, Xena always gets her back."
The boy looked puzzled "then why…?" he began.
"Because I think she will fetch a good price as a slave. A feisty little Amazon bard like her should be worth a few dinars, and besides… before I sell her, I want what was Xena’s." laughed Fargus as he watched the boy run towards the hill. And nobody will be around or care enough to save her he thought as he followed the warrior.

Gabrielle was walking along muttering to herself about how she should have seen before what Xena was like, and asked herself why had she followed the arrogant warrior from her home that day out of some fool hero worship? The more she thought about it, the more she realized that the last few years she had spent with Xena had been a complete waste of her time. Granted without having left Potadeia she would never have gone to the academy, become an amazon, or seen the world, but she couldn’t for the life of her figure out how she had put up with Xena all that time. Xena had hit her more than once, lied to her, ignored her, treated her like a child, played with her emotions, dragged her across half of Grease by her feet at a gallop, and tried to kill her! Some rational part of Gabrielle’s heart reminded her why she had, Because you love her, and that’s not all there is too her. But that part of Gabrielle which was still thinking clearly was fading fast and being replaced by more examples of why the warrior she had traveled with for so long was so awful.

Lost in these thoughts Gabrielle almost didn’t hear the sound of horses galloping towards her. Before she turned, she estimated that there would be 4 or 5 men and as they were slowing, she guessed that they were after her. Gabrielle readied her staff and turned towards the men.

"Hey there little girl." a toothless warrior leading the small party grinned to her. "How ‘bout you come and have some fun with us, eh?" He leered as his friends dismounted and approached Gabrielle. The girl looked at the men in annoyance and distaste "Look, I’m really not in the mood for this right now, I’ll fight you some other time, ok.?"
One of the men advancing upon her turned to another and said "See, I told you she wouldn’t be able to fight without Xena to protect h.." The staff hitting the side of his jaw stopped his completion of the derogatory sentence. The staff end then landed in his groin hard, incapacitating him. The blond woman who had looked so vulnerable seconds before had a fierce look in her eyes.
"Can’t fight without Xena huh?" She said, swiping her staff across the neck of the warrior who was running at her with his sword above his head.
"Need her protection, do I?" She planted her staff in the ground and kicked a third man in the chest sending him flying backwards into the last of the warriors coming at her. The toothless man who had been watching the display in disbelief suddenly found his tongue "You’ll pay for that missy". He climbed down off the horse and walked towards Gabrielle swinging his sword expertly in front of him "But, I have orders to take you alive."
The small woman clutched her staff and swung it at his head. The old warrior knocked it with his sword and thrust the weapon forward, lunging at the woman’s hand hoping to knock the staff from her. Gabrielle jumped backwards and kept retreating. Toothless, smiled, feeling assured of his victory against the girl, and advanced slowly, enjoying the game "Oh yes little one, you are a good fighter" he backed the bard against a tree and sneered "But not any match for me, without your warrior". And with that he charged again, this time the rage that had entered the girl before had returned, and she jumped forward at him. Moving her staff around the back of his neck, she pulled his head forward and down towards her upward moving knee. As he fell to the ground in stunned pain, he heard the girl above him spit " ‘My warrior’ can kiss my…" and passed out.

Xena and Argo galloped along the dusty road as Xena formulated her plan. The first step was to convince Ares that nothing was wrong… of course that required that she convince Gabrielle to help her convince Ares that nothing was wrong. That, she concluded, was going to be difficult. With Ares, all she would have to do is treat him as she normally would, be her usually charming self, and in the mood she was in, that wasn’t going to be hard. But talking to Gabrielle? She didn’t even want to see the woman, much less pretend that she was feeling the same way about her as she normally did, but she knew it was necessary. Convincing Gabrielle might prove veeeerrrrry difficult though she assessed. The only chance she had was to hope that the bard’s hatred of Ares was stronger than her annoyance with Xena. She urged Argo to go faster; knowing she didn’t have much time before the increasing effects of the enchantment caused Gabrielle’s negative feelings for her to overtake those she had for the God of war.

They kept at a hard pace until Xena thought that they had gotten close enough and had enough time to stop and allow Ares to approach her, as she knew he would. Xena pulled up Argo for a drink at a small lake, dismounted and went to the saddlebags for some food. She opened the bags and rummaged around, looking for the apples she had put in there earlier. Not finding them she realized that Gabrielle must have taken them, and all the rest of their food, with her. This small move caused Xena’s blood to boil for her former friend "That little…" she began, but stopped when she felt the presence of a certain God.

"Hello Ares" She said turning to face the presence behind her.
Damn, how does she do that? he wondered to himself before replying "Hello Xena."
He smiled and crossed his arms across his chest. "Travelling alone, I see." He walked around behind Xena and said quietly in mock sensitivity "What’s a matter? You two love birds have a little fight?"
Xena turned so she was facing him and put on an annoyed expression "What are you talking about Ares?".
The God of war’s smile faded "Gabrielle. You and Gabrielle, at each others throats, hating each other, her leaving you… ring any bells?"
Xena looked at the God in confusion and aggravation. "Gabrielle and I are just fine, why would you think we weren’t?"
Ares shook his head and drew at straws "But she left. She hit you and then she-"
"Went off to talk to Joxer. She was practicing what she was going to say to him with me and she got a little carried away. Since we got rid of him yesterday she has been thinking about telling him what she really thinks of him and his puppy love for her, it really bothers her, and I guess it all just came to a head. She went the way we came from to find him, she was going to catch up with me at the next village in a day or so." Xena hoped it didn’t sound to rehearsed and narrated. It was a pretty lame excuse, but the best she could come up at such short notice…
"So why are you going after her" Ares queried, trying to assess the truth of what Xena was saying. Xena put on a seductive smile and said, "Because I missed her" Xena’s tone made the God smile again, but when the meaning of all of what she was saying sunk in, he frowned. If what Xena said was true, his enchantment had failed. He tried to assess whether Xena was lying, but the sly smile on the woman’s face did not look like the expression of a woman who was in anyway annoyed with her lover. Xena could see that Ares was evaluating the believability of her story and she said "If you think Gabrielle and I are at war, come and check up on us later, you’ll see that it’s far from true."
She widened her seductive smile and added "Oh but, give us a little time alone together first, after all I am going after her for a reason…" She let the meaning sink in with the God.
"Now, is there any reason you came to see me Ares?" she inquired seriously.
Ares smiled as Xena mounted Argo "Oh yeah, Xena just checking to see that you haven’t changed your mind about joining me again and leading my Army"
Xena looked down at him from the tall horse and replied "The answer’s no, Ares. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a bard to catch"
Ares stepped back from the horse and threw up his arms "Well, you can’t blame a guy for trying" Xena smiled at him, "Oh, not that I don’t believe you, but I will come and drop in on you and the blond a little later, since you offered". Xena nodded and started Argo into a gallop along the road.

Ares watched his favorite warrior go. He thought about the conversation. If the enchantment hadn’t worked, he would be very annoyed. Very, very annoyed. He thought of the other option, that his warrior princess had been lying. He knew she was smart, it was possible that she could have figured out his plan and was trying to trick him. He smiled to himself. Xena may have been a good actress but if the enchantment had worked and she was trying to fool him, there was no way she was going to be able to convince the brat to go along with her plan. When he visited them later, he would see. He laughed loudly as he disappeared.

Gabrielle stopped at a lake an hour later to eat. She pulled the loaf of bread and apples out of her bag and smiled at them. Poor Xena will be so mad when she realizes that I took all the food Gabrielle thought cruelly Well she’s a warrior, she can hunt. She relaxed and bit into an apple happily. Suddenly she heard a horse approaching quickly. She stood up and turned around hoping she wouldn’t have to do anymore fighting. She saw Argo and Xena galloping towards her at full speed and rolled her eyes in disgust. Not only is she an arrogant, annoying ex-warlord, but she’s stupid too. Can’t she take a hint? She shook her head and bit into the apple again as Argo stopped a few feet from her and Xena jumped down.

Xena opened her mouth to tell Gabrielle what to do to follow her plan, but she noticed the blond eating one of her apples and frowned instantly. "Nice of you to leave some food for me." She said sarcastically and grabbed at the apple Gabrielle was holding.
The bard looked at the warrior "What are you doing here? Surely you didn’t come after me all this way for some bread and a few apples? I thought I made it clear that I didn’t want to be around you anymore, so get up on your horse and go!"
Gabrielle pushed Xena in the chest and threw her another apple. Xena stared at Gabrielle who was standing with her hands on her hips and an ugly scowl on her face. The expression drove a feeling of revulsion at her friend through her, and she wondered how they would ever be able to convince Ares that they were fine even if she did get the bard to agree to it. Just being around her, made Xena sick and she could tell by the look Gabrielle was giving her, that the feeling was mutual. "Look, I know what you think of me right now, because I feel the same way about you but-" Xena began before Gabrielle’s interrupting made her realize that had not been the best way to begin.
"Oh, I see Xena. You feel the same way about me? Why exactly is that? I don’t treat you like a child, I don’t make you feel like a silly sidekick, I don’t-" Xena tried to control her mounting anger and focus on the task at hand, getting Gabrielle on her side, then after they had fooled Ares, she could tell the bard where to go.
"Gabrielle, the reason we feel this way about each other is because Ares has enchanted us. Do you want him to have the satisfaction of knowing it worked?" She knew she had gotten the girl’s attention.
"He thinks that if he splits you and I up, that I will go back to him. We have to make him believe that his spell hasn’t effected us, that we still-" Gabrielle stared at the woman in front of her, telling her what she thought was wrong slowly, as if she wouldn’t understand it any other way, and her anger built up again.
"I don’t need a spell from Ares to show me what you are really like! Besides, even if I do believe you, why can’t you just tell him ‘no’, or can’t you do that without me?" She taunted.
Xena’s anger boiled. Did Gabrielle think she was stupid? Of course she had thought of the apparently easiest solution! She looked the younger woman in the eyes and spoke very slowly and deliberately to get her point across "In case you hadn’t noticed Gabrielle, Ares doesn’t much like you. The only reason he lets you live is because he knows I wouldn’t have let him get away with killing you, and it would strengthen my resolve not to join him. But now, if I refuse him, and he knows his spell has worked and that I no longer care, he’ll kill you. "
Gabrielle questioned the warrior "Why do you care either way?"
Xena softened her frown, her anger depleting a little bit, "I know that at the moment we both feel anger, annoyance, frustration, irritation, almost hatred towards each other, but it’s not real. Though its hard to believe right now, I know under this I love you, and you love me, and I don’t want you to die."
It had taken a lot for Xena to say that when her feelings towards the bard where so up in the air, she hoped this would be enough to convince Gabrielle to work with her, but just in case it wasn’t, she added "If you don’t work with me Ares wins. And wouldn’t you love to see his face when he realizes his spell failed and we haven’t changed at all?"
Gabrielle smiled at the thought of the God of War turning around and storming off before disappearing. "Alright," She said "but when he’s gone, I don’t want you to follow me again, I’m going back to the Amazons. Even if it is a spell, I don’t love you now Xena, and I can’t stand being around you, so when this is over, so are we alright?"
The words would normally have crushed Xena, but the way she felt about Gabrielle now, accompanied by the little sneer on the Amazon’s lips, it didn’t bother her at all "Fine by me." She said walking over to the saddlebags and pulling out their bedroll.

Ares heard them before he saw them. He watched the blanket over the bedroll move and the sounds coming from beneath it, did not seem like those of a couple fighting. Xena’s head emerged from the blanket. He hair was ruffled and she had a sly smile on her face, she glanced at the direction Ares was watching "Hi Ares" She said as he materialized. "Well, it looks like you caught up to your brat… er bard" He said nonchalantly.
Gabrielle poked her head out from under the covers and looked at the God. "Geez, even in the middle of nowhere we can’t get any privacy" Xena looked at the girl and smiled.
Though the tone in Gabrielle’s voice wasn’t directed at her, she still felt like throttling the blond, it took all her strength to turn her grimace into an apparent doting smile. Gabrielle was having a hard time keeping her temper under control as well. Her proximity to Xena was making her uncomfortable and irritable. Her plan was to project all the negative feeling she had for Xena onto the God of War, but it was a strain to even look at the warrior beside her without yelling at her. "What do you want Ares?" She said, not trying to hide her annoyance.
The God looked puzzled and angry "So you and Xena, nothing wrong between you two?" He hinted gesturing to the pair.
Xena smiled "Ares, I told you we’re fine. Why the sudden concern?" Ares frustration became clear "That’s impossible! The spell… Gabrielle, are you sure you don’t feel any anger, hatred towards Xena?"
Gabrielle imagined that the God had said the word ‘Lila’ instead of Xena, and answered truthfully "No, I love her".
Xena turned to look at Gabrielle, the way she had said that had sounded to sincere, she wondered if the spell hadn’t been broken, but the quick look the bard shot her told her otherwise.
Xena glanced at Ares "What spell?". The God was too angry and confused to care that he had revealed his failed plan.
"I put a progressive irritation spell on the both of you, you should be at each other’s throats…" Xena prepared for the hardest part, she looked at the bard and then at Ares.
"Maybe our love is too strong to be tainted by your spells. Now if you don’t mind, we’d like to be alone" and with that she leaned in and kissed Gabrielle who sat stiffly beside her. Ares waved his hand at the couple aggressively and turned and walked off, disappearing sulkily.

As soon as the God was gone Xena and Gabrielle jumped back from each other hastily. Xena threw off the blankets and stood up. It worked! She thought happily turning to her former friend. Now all we have to do is find the cure… Gabrielle interrupted her thoughts "You kissed me!"
She said angrily advancing on the warrior "I told you we were through and you kissed me! There was no need for that, he was already fooled. Bad enough I had to pretend to be rocking the bedroll with you" Gabrielle shuddered at the thought and continued to advance on Xena with her finger pointed "You know what I think? I think you just can’t accept the fact that I don’t love you anymore. Get over it Xena! Now get out of here, I don’t ever want to see you again!"
Xena fumed at the accusation that her kiss of the bard had been anything more than revolting to her. Her she had made such a sacrifice just for the life of this girl, and she was treating it like something she had wanted to do.
"Believe me Gabrielle, I would rather kiss Argo than kiss you again any time soon! Her breath is better."
Gabrielle seethed and raised her staff to hit Xena…again. The warrior was expecting this and grabbed Gabrielle’s wrist, forcing the weapon from her grip. She then tripped the Amazon so she fell on her butt, repaying her from their earlier confrontation. Gabrielle lay on the ground looking up at Xena with loathing in her eyes. "I can’t believe I ever loved a washed up, heartless murderer like you" she spat.
Even with the spell clouding her mind, the words struck Xena. This was her worst fear, that Gabrielle saw her this way. It was the reason she had taken so long to extend their relationship beyond friendship, and now Gabrielle had admitted that her worst fears were true. Xena turned silently and got up on Argo, turned the horse and galloped away without giving the bard a second look. As soon as Gabrielle had said the words, she wished she could suck them back in. She had wanted to hurt Xena, to say something to upset her, but even under the influence of Ares’ spell, she realized that she had gone too far. She didn’t really think of Xena that way, she just wanted to… but whatever she had intended, she had gotten her wish, Xena had gone. Most of her mind leapt at the realization that she would not have to see the warrior again, but some small part of her mind, (or was it her heart?) mourned the loss of her love. Gabrielle smiled at the sight the Xena and Argo getting further away and simultaneously a tear rolled down her cheek.

Fargus paced furiously inside his tent. How could that little bard have single handedly defeated five of his best warriors?! When they had returned to the camp, their bodies and egos bruised he had questioned them as to how exactly they had let a small blond woman get the better of them. Them. Five big brave warriors! Fargus was disgusted. If they thought she was bad he thought contemplating punishment for his men. This time he had sent fifty men to capture the girl, she may have been able to withstand an assault by five, but fifty, without Xena? Impossible! And when I get her … Lost in thoughts of revenge he did not see the God of War approach him and was startled when the deep voice barked his name. The tone in the God’s voice told Fargus that Ares’ plan had not been successful, Xena had not consented to join his army.
"Yes my lord?" He said pitifully. The God looked angry and sulky.
"Xena refused? Even without the bard?" Fargus queried cautiously.
Ares looked at the sniveling warrior and shook his head "No, my spell didn’t work at all."
Fargus was confused "Then, what we saw?" he questioned "Not about them, they were going to meet up later, but Xena went back after the kid, last I saw they were rolling around like cats in heat". His expression changed back to a scowl.
"Anyway, I’m not going to give up. Someday, I’ll have Xena back on my side…" and with that he dematerialized into thin air.
Fargus’ face dropped. Xena and the bard were back together…and he had just sent half his army after the girl…he had just sent half his army to their graves. He gulped and sat down cursing Ares and Xena. She would probably be after him next, he reasoned trying hard not to panic. Suddenly a soldier outside his tent called to him "General?". Stalinus poked his head through the flaps at the door.
Fargus waited for the boy to fearfully inform him that the warrior princess was riding their way, fast. But the young man’s smile told him otherwise "Sir, the party you sent out caught the bard, follow me and I’ll take you too her".
Fargus was beside himself, here he had been expecting impending doom, and he had been rewarded with a feisty little blond captured for him! He followed Stalinus out of the tent.

Gabrielle stood chained to a pole in the center of the camp. She looked around for some way to escape. Approaching her were three of the men she had beaten up earlier, including Toothless, all laughing and holding their weapons out in front of them Great Gabrielle thought. Toothless reached her and put his sword up against her neck "Well, little missy. I told you you’d pay for what you did. Not so tough now huh?" He laughed.
Gabrielle struggled against the ropes holding her hands and her feet. Toothless leered at her "Now, the general plans to sell you to the slavers, thinks you’ll make quite a dinar for him. But I say we have a little fun first, huh?" He was inches from her face, and the girl could smell the alcohol on his breath, she spat at his face. The warrior’s smiled faded and he wiped his face with a sweaty hand, he then slapped Gabrielle across the face.
"Don’t play with me, little girl" He said running his hand down her face, and along the top of her BGSB. Gabrielle resisted the urge to throw up when the unwanted touch was accompanied by a glob of drool falling from the warrior’s mouth, down her cleavage. "On second thoughts, little missy. I might buy you myself…" and he moved his lips to where the saliva had gone against the struggling girl.

Gabrielle closed her eyes and waited in fear and loathing for the touch that never came. She opened her eyes and saw that Toothless was on the ground and his friends where walking away. In front of her now was a man who was clearly the leader of the army, and a young warrior who was watching the general admiringly. The general smiled cruelly at Gabrielle and spoke "I don’t know how you managed to defeat the small party I sent after you the first time all on your own. You look like such a vulnerable little thing. But I don’t look lightly on people beating my men, perhaps I should just let them deal with you anyway they want, hmm?" He said turning to Toothless who was nodding gleefully.
Fargus then turned back to Gabrielle "No, why should they be rewarded for having being beaten by a young girl!" He laughed and looked back at Toothless who was now worried and shifting on the spot.
"They will be punished," He continued seriously waving an arm in the direction of Toothless and his gang. A few more soldiers came and took the failed warriors away. Fargus moved closer to Gabrielle and whispered tauntingly in her ear, "though not in the same way as you will be, my dear."
Fargus motioned to a guard standing close by "Take her to my tent, keep her bound" Then he turned back to her "I have some business to attend to my girl, but I’ll see you soon." With that he laughed and turned walking to the tent the soldiers Gabrielle had beaten were taken.

Xena rode hard for several hours until she came upon the temple of Aphrodite she had seen the last time she had passed this way. Jumping down off Argo she ran into the temple looking around for something to break to get the vain Goddess’ attention. Her mind kept saying, why are you doing this? Why do you want to be cured? It’s so much more peaceful without the brat…’ but she kept shaking the thoughts and walked around the temple. Seeing a large statue of the Goddess, she pushed it over so it crumbled into hundreds of rock fragments.
"Hey! What’d ya do that for!" Aphrodite said as she ran towards the broken statue.
"Just trying to get an audience with you" Xena said smiling.
The Goddess pouted and crossed her arms "Well, there are easier ways, like asking for once, duuuh".
Xena looked at Aphrodite in frustration. "Look, I’m sorry, next time I’ll call out. But I really need your help."
The Goddess of Love frowned at the warrior ."Uh huh, and I’m supposed to help you after you stole my diamond and turned it into a fish constellation?"
Xena had forgotten that Aphrodite was still mad at them for that.
"Aphrodite, this is important! Ares had put a spell on me and…" But Xena couldn’t even say her name, the idea of Gabrielle was making her sick. "…her" she finished.
The Goddess frowned. Ares? Messing with her fave couple? She turned to Xena "Look, I’m still peeved at you, the blond and the monkey boy for what you did… but… well… I like you warrior babe, and we can’t have war win out over love can we? It would ruin my rep!"
Aphrodite opened her hand and a small vile materialized into it. She handed it to Xena "This is a love potion, it will counteract the effects of Ares’ spell and should have you and the bard back on track when you both take it."
Xena looked at the small vile of pink liquid opened it and took a sip. Immediately visions of her Gabrielle came flooding back to her, along with feelings of warmth and love. She smiled at the Goddess gratefully, then turned and started out of the temple anxious to go after her love.
"Hey!" Aphrodite called out from behind her. Xena turned to see the Goddess smiling playfully "After you get her back, you better come here and clean up the mess you made." Xena nodded and thanked her, running out of the temple. She jumped back up on Argo and went after her bard.

Fargus entered his tent and found Gabrielle tied down to the pallet in the corner of the room. He was happy that his guards had assessed his intentions and tied her there, he really felt like her after beating his men. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was. Just a little while before he had been fearful of his life, and now, here he was, he had the bard, and soon he would use her as bait for the warrior. Since Ares had told him that the plan had failed, he realized he would not be able to sell the blond to slavers because he would never get Xena. Although he knew that in the past, anyone who tried to ransom the bard to the warrior ended up dead, Fargus somehow considered himself smarter than his predecessors and was sure he could have the blond and the warrior as well. He could picture it all now… He would keep Gabrielle under constant surveillance, heavily guarded at knifepoint by his best men, day and night. Xena would not be able to free her, and she would do his bidding under threat that the girl would be hurt if he didn’t. Hades, he may even give the warrior a little time with the bard each day to strengthen her resolve. In the mean time they would become the fiercest fighting force the world had ever known, and in time, he was sure, the warrior princess would forget the bard and fall for him... yes… ah what a plan. He turned from his daydream to the girl who was before him.
"So, Ares plan failed, and he just gave up. Thought he would try again later, but not me," he began "you were going to be sold as a slave, because your Xena wouldn’t care and I think you would be worth quite a bit, but I had to change my plan because Ares failed".
Fargus felt empowered telling the girl that Ares had failed, but that he wouldn’t. "But since he failed, and your warrior will come for you, I will use you for bait, to get her to join my army."
Gabrielle was annoyed, that she was only of value as bait to Xena. She contemplated telling him that she and Xena were no longer together, but assessed that this would be the quickest way to be sold into slavery, and probably be bought by Toothless, or someone like him. She shuddered and assessed the situation. Pretending Xena would come after her would keep her alive and in relatively good condition until she could find a way to escape on her own… yes. That plan would have to do for now. As much as she hated the idea of pretending her hated ex was going to save her she knew she must.
"She will come for me, and if I am harmed she’ll kill you and every one of your men" Fargus smiled at the fire in the young girl’s eyes.
"My dear, I don’t plan to harm you..." He grinned and approached her slowly "…I plan to pleasure you."

Xena had traveled back to the spot were she had left Gabrielle a short while earlier. Argo was getting frustrated with the warrior running her backwards and forwards. Away from the bard, back to the bard, away from the bard, and now back again. She wished her mistress would just make up her mind! Xena pulled Argo up when her sharp vision caught sight of a familiar staff lying by a bush. Xena jumped down off the horse and walked over to the staff. She picked it up and looked at the prints on the ground. She could see there had been a struggle, and Gabrielle was never without her staff. The tracks had come from the same direction as the spot where she and the bard had separated the first time. She leapt up on her war-horse and they followed the tracks.

Stalinus stood at the edge of the campsite with another man and watched for the warrior princess. Fargus had questioned their blond prisoner about the whereabouts of her companion, and she had told them that she and Xena had planned to meet in the small town 1 days ride from where they were in a couple of days. This had reassured Fargus that he wouldn’t have to worry about Xena showing up in the immediate future, but just incase he had ordered Stalinus and another warrior to stand guard and look out for her.
"You know this really was a clever place for a campsite," Stalinus began "General Fargus sure is smart! We can see anyone approaching from the road from this hill, and the lake on the other side prevents anyone from coming up here the other way".
The warrior beside Stalinus rolled his eyes. He was sick of hearing about Fargus! He thought the general was a pompous idiot and believed that he wasn’t fit to run Xena’s new army. He was sick of Stalinus talking so highly about a man he despised.
"Yeah, great spot." He said sarcastically.
Stalinus detected the tone and looked at the man beside him "What’s wrong with this spot?" He said with his hands on his hips.
The other warrior smiled, "Oh nothing, except that any intelligent attacker would attack from those trees. There is only a small area they would have to pass by undetected before they could climb up the other side of the hill, and enter the camp near the general’s tent without being seen…" Suddenly both men realized the implications of this observation and bolted towards the general’s tent.

Xena had seen from a distance that the tracks were leading towards the hill. She knew that to continue following them, she would have to ride through a wide clearing with no cover to hide. She guess that the army would be positioned at the top of the hill, it was a sensible place to keep an army, she had done the same thing on more than one occasion. Xena looked around for an alternative way toward the hill. She saw an area of tall trees that appeared to follow a river, which she knew ended in a lake beyond the hill. She led Argo through the trees until she saw the hill up ahead. She moved to the edge of the trees and looked out. There was a small clearing she would have to cross before she could climb the hill. She assumed there would be guards placed on the side facing the road and the clearing. That meant that she had to hope that she could get to the bottom of the hill without being seen. She got off Argo and spoke to the horse "I’m going to get Gabrielle. Sorry I’ve been running you around so much all day, girl. But I’m back to normal now." She stoked the horse’s mane "You wait here until Gabrielle and I get back."
The mare nodded and whinnied softly as the warrior prepared to make a dash across the short stretch of clearing.

Gabrielle knew she needed to delay the man approaching her, so she put her quick mind and mouth to work "Ah, what did you do to the men that I defeated earlier?" She said smiling at the general "I bet you made them miss their fight with me!"
Fargus smiled proudly at the girl, she seemed to like the idea of him roughing up the men who had attacked her. He decided to give her a thrill, after all, it would be so much better if he could get the little bard to like him, it would crush her big warrior, make Xena easier to manipulate.
"Oh yes. I made them scream. It won’t do for a general to let his men get away with being beaten by one woman, amazon or not" His changed tone did not go unnoticed with the young woman, she wondered why he had softened his tone and stopped his advancement. She assumed getting him talking was helping.
"So, this is your army, huh? How many men are in it? It must be hard running an army, giving orders, conquering villages, looting, killing, how do you find the time?" Gabrielle hoped that something would happen to divert the general’s attention, she didn’t know how much longer he would put up with her questions without remembering his original plans for her.
Fargus begun to answer her questions, pulling out a wineskin and pouring himself a mug and one for her. She accepted the mug but did not drink, putting it on the table beside the pallet.
"You know, I could drink a lot easier if you would just untie these ropes around my wrists". Fargus smiled and shook his head, so Gabrielle tried using his ego against him.
"What do you think will happen? My feet are tied, I am unarmed, and you…reprimanded your men for being beaten by me, surly you don’t think I could possibly be of any threat to you."
Fargus thought about what the girl said. It was true, she was just a small woman, still bound to the pallet and without her weapon, and he was a mighty warrior general. Besides, if he was going to get her to like him, he should try to be hospitable. He began to untie the ropes. Gabrielle scanned the area around her for a weapon, but the only thing near her was the mug of wine. She smiled as the ropes fell to the ground. As soon as her hands were free she picked up the mug and thrusts its contents in the face of her enemy. Fargus screamed as the alcohol stung his eyes. Gabrielle bent down and began loosening the ropes around her ankles. The general wiped his eyes and grabbed the girl by the hair, pulling up her gaze to meet his. He failed to mask his rage, and desire. Gabrielle swung the mug in her hand as hard as she could at his temple. Fargus was knocked off his chair, pulling Gabrielle down with him as he held her hair. The bard struggled free and punched the man in the stomach before kneeling and picking up the chair. She brought the chair down upon the general hard and the flimsy wood shattered on impact with the man’s head. Fargus was out cold.
Gabrielle untied the ropes and stood up and saw Xena smiling at her. The sight of the warrior turned her stomach. "What do you want?" the bard said coldly.
Xena looked from Gabrielle to the unconscious man at her feet "Well I had come to rescue you, but it looks like you don’t need my help." She grinned cocking an eyebrow.
Gabrielle shook her head in disgust. "Of course I don’t need your help! How dare you insinuate that I do" she glanced at the sweaty man on the floor, then back at Xena and narrowed her eyes, "Besides, I’d rather stay here and be raped and beaten by these slimy thugs than go anywhere with you".
The pain in Xena’s eyes was clear, but she waved it away reminding herself that this wasn’t Gabrielle speaking, but the spell. She reached into a pouch on her belt and pulled out the small vile. "Gabrielle, drink this" she said advancing on the girl.
The bard picked up a fragmented chair leg and swung it widely at the advancing warrior "You stay away from me!". Xena frowned and let out a war cry, leaping into the air and flipping over Gabrielle’s head, landing directly behind her. She pulled the bard into her and held her head back. Gabrielle struggled vainly but knew that it was pointless. She spat at her captor. Xena’s astonishment quickly dissipated as she wiped the spit from her cheek with one hand, still holding the girl by the neck in her other. The warrior tilted the girl’s head back again and uncorked the vile with her teeth, pouring some of the pink liquid down her love’s throat and forcing the bard’s mouth closed. Gabrielle spluttered and coughed as she swallowed the liquid, but Xena held her in the uncomfortable position firmly until she saw the love flowing back into the younger woman’s eyes. Xena released her hold and smiled down at the blond, overjoyed to have her back. Gabrielle was lost for words and a tear ran down her cheek.
"Oh Xena," she began as more tears began to fall "I’m so sorry". Xena cupped the bard’s face in her hand and kissed her lightly on the lips.
"I missed you" she said simply.
Gabrielle felt a strong hand grabbing her ankle and looked down to see Fargus coming to, and seeking revenge. She shook her leg against his grasp but the hand attached to it remained firm. Xena, not wanting to spoil the intimacy of their reunion choose not to kill the man on the ground. She pulled out the vile and tipped the last of it’s magic liquid down the general’s throat, picked up her bard and carried her out of the tent and down the hill.

Fargus’ eyes began to focus and he heard the young blonde above him apologizing. Though he could not see very clearly, he followed the voice and grabbed on to the woman’s leg, holding on for dear life as she tried to shake him off. He then heard another voice, a deeper woman’s voice and closed his eyes and froze. He felt something pressing against his lips and wondered if his fantasies about the warrior princess might actually be coming true, he opened his lips invitingly and felt something warm run down his throat.

Stalinus burst through the door and saw his commander lying dazed on the floor and ran to his side. "Sir!" he called out grasping the older man’s face in his hands and shaking him lightly.
The general opened his eyes slowly and saw the most beautiful man he had ever seen. He smiled up at Stalinus as another man came rushing through the tent flaps "Sir, Xena and the prisoner have escaped," the warrior at the door said.
Fargus looked over at the man by the door and frowned "So? Why should I be concerned with that?" and looked loving into the eyes he had woken back into, gently stroking Stalinus’ cheek.
The warrior at the door stumbled confused "Ah… shouldn’t we go after them sir?" He questioned impatiently.
Fargus sat up and glared at the warrior "No, leave them. And leave us!". The warrior stormed out of the tent muttering curses to himself. General Fargus sure didn’t deserve to run this army, and now he could see why Stalinus was so obsessed with their commander and was in such a high position in the army. He threw his helmet down on the ground "Well, if that’s what you’ve got to do to move up in the ranks around here, I quit!"

Gabrielle giggled as Xena bolted down the hill with her cradled in her arms. "Xena, I can walk you know." She said loving every moment of it.
Xena smiled at the blond in her arms, "Oh no, I’m not risking it. I can’t have you running away from me again."
They reached the bottom of the hill and Xena put the bard down and whistled for Argo.
Gabrielle was disappointed, she had hoped that Xena would want to…make up after their fight, but the practical warrior clearly had other plans. The younger woman pouted at Xena, who looked at her seriously, "Gabrielle, we have to get to the town. We’re almost a day late as it is, and Herc and Iolaus are expecting us."
She hoisted herself up onto the mare who was happy (though she would never admit it) to see the bard with her mistress. Then Xena reached down for Gabrielle’s hand.
"We have to ride hard if we’re going to make if before sundown." Gabrielle grumbled and accepted the hand.

After riding for a while with the warm bard pressed up against her back, Xena decided it didn’t really matter if they were a day late, after all that had happened she wanted a chance to talk to Gabrielle without any other company or the crowds of an inn. She slowed the horse at a clearing and jumped down, reaching up and delicately lifting her confused friend out of the saddle "Xena, I thought you said-" Gabrielle was cut off by Xena’s searing kiss.
She sunk into it, and was disappointed when it ended.
The warrior looked at her seriously "I changed my mind." Then Gabrielle pulled Xena in for another kiss. "I hoped you would."

A little later to pair had set up camp and sat on their bedroll beside the fire eating a rabbit Xena had caught. The warrior watched her companion eating the meal and grinned impishly "It’s good to have you back, my brat, …er my Bard." Gabrielle slapped her playfully and finished eating.
When she finished, Gabrielle put down the plate, moved closer to the dark haired woman and nestled into her shoulder. She thought how nice it felt to be there again, and shuddered at the thought that she had tried to send Xena away. Gabrielle glanced up at the warrior who was smiling at her lovingly and said sincerely "Xena, I hope you know I didn’t mean any of the things I said. I love you more than anything, and it breaks my heart to think I could possibly have set out to hurt you". Xena kissed her softly on the forehead and replied "I know. I love you too, and I was under the spell too, remember? I wasn’t exactly pleasant either".
Gabrielle put her arms around Xena’s waist and pulled her closer. She lifted her head and kissed Xena’s neck, working her way up to her lips. The bard smiled into the soft skin as she heard the warrior moan softly. Gabrielle reached Xena’s lips and gently kissed them, braking the kiss quickly and looking Xena in the eyes "Now" she began kissing the older woman between each word "would * you * really * rather * kiss * Argo?" Xena laughed and pretended to hesitate, and Gabrielle slapped her again.
"Hey!" She protested "Haven’t you hit me enough today? Ya big bad bard!" and with that she pulled the blond in for another kiss. Gabrielle bit her lip gently and grinned evilly "Oh no, I don’t thinks so…"