by B L
Miller
part 3
It was nightfall by the time Xena found the cave she was looking for. The opening was
barely wide enough for the reluctant Argo to squeeze through but the cave itself had
plenty of room for them. There was evidence of previous occupants, most likely Xena's army
when they had passed through there summers ago. A small ring of stones marked the location
of a long dead fire and a small pile of dried wood was gathered at the far end of the
cave. Xena started the fire while keeping one eye on her unrestrained prisoner. The
warlord was certain that she wouldn't try to escape, especially when Gabrielle unloaded
the saddlebags and bedrolls and started to set up camp. Xena watched with great interest
at the speed and ease at which the Amazon laid everything out, as if she did it all the
time. Once the fire was going, the warlord unsaddled Argo and brushed her down before
bringing the wineskin and saddle over near the fire. She sat down and used the saddle as a
backrest. Gabrielle had finished laying out the bedrolls on opposite sides of the fire and
had already started water to boil for tea. Xena unstoppered the wineskin and took a deep
draught before holding it out to the Amazon. "Go ahead, you fought them as much as I
did." the warlord said when Gabrielle seemed reluctant to take the skin. The warlord
watched her take a small swallow before trying to return it. Xena refused. "What's
the matter, Gabrielle? I know you Amazons like good wine."
"Well...I'm not much of a drinker, I guess." she said. Despite the civil
treatment she had received that day, the bard was still wary and wanted to keep her senses
as alert as possible. Xena leaned forward and took the wineskin. She took another drink
and handed it back to her prisoner. This time Gabrielle got the message and took a decent
swallow. Apparently Xena was trying to be sociable and the bard wasn't about to do
anything that might cause the leather clad woman to become angry again. They passed the
wineskin back and forth, slowly draining it, the pot on the fire forgotten. Indeed,
Gabrielle only remembered it when all the water had boiled away. She looked at Xena
apologetically. "I'm sorry. I'll get some more."
"Don't bother." the warlord replied as she took another drink. "I'm not
in the mood for tea anyway." She removed her armor and sprawled out on her side,
propped up on one elbow. She went to pass the skin back to Gabrielle but couldn't reach.
"Move closer." the bard hesitated for only a moment before grabbing her bedroll
and moving around the fire until she was within arms reach of the leather clad woman. She
adopted the same relaxed position as Xena and took the wineskin. The orange glow of the
flames flickered off her well-developed abdomen, highlighting the muscles for Xena to see.
The warlord openly gazed at Gabrielle, her eyes traveling up and down the bard's body. By
the gods, this woman is beautiful, Xena thought to herself. She took the almost empty skin
back and finished it off, tossing the empty sack behind her. "You must be anxious to
get back to your village, to your lover."
"Um..." Gabrielle noticed the frank examination and the hunger in Xena's eyes
and swallowed nervously. "I don't have a lover."
"As queen I would think you could have anyone you chose." the warlord
replied, rolling onto her stomach. The move put just that much closer to the young blond.
"I...well, there was someone that I wanted, but...." she looked into the
fire, the conversation and closeness combined with the wine was making it hard for her to
think clearly.
"Your friend? The one you said I reminded you of?"
"Yes." Gabrielle admitted. "She's the only one I ever wanted."
"Why didn't you become lovers?" she pulled herself closer to the bard, her
own desire heightening when she heard Gabrielle's breathing quicken. "Did she want
someone else?"
"N-no, not that I know of." her heart beat faster when she looked up from the
fire and caught the blue eyes staring at her cleavage. "I guess she didn't find
me...desirable." the emotions were getting too strong for Gabrielle and she stood up,
intent on returning her bedroll to the far side of the fire and away from the powerful
presence. Xena rose and wrapped one long arm around Gabrielle's waist, pulling her close.
"That's too bad." the dark haired woman said huskily. "Because you are a
very desirable woman." she pulled the bard closer, until bare skin connected with
soft leather. Gabrielle's hands went to Xena's upper chest, intent on pushing herself
away. This wasn't her Xena, this was a warlord holding her prisoner, she kept telling
herself. Her body told her a different story as her hands slid up to wrap around the
taller woman's neck. The unique scent of leather and Xena filled Gabrielle's nostrils,
making it hard for her to concentrate.
"We shouldn't..." she made the mistake of looking up into the blue eyes, dark
with desire. "I-I never..." she was silenced by the pressure of Xena's lips on
hers. The warlord's tongue pushed past the bard's lips and demanded entry to her mouth
while one strong hand reached between them to undo the laces of Gabrielle's top. The young
woman whimpered when tongues collided and dueled within her mouth. Xena's hands became
more insistent, one deftly undoing her top and the other cupping and squeezing her firm
rear. Gabrielle felt her knees go weak under the oral onslaught and she tightened her hold
around the taller woman's neck.
The warlord smiled at the surrender and guided them to her bedroll. As she lowered
Gabrielle down, she pulled the lace free, causing the green top to open and expose the
hidden treasures within. Xena's tongue blazed a trail down the bard's throat and chest
until her lips wrapped around one pink nipple. Gabrielle gasped and her back arched
involuntarily at the delicious contact. She tried to think of a reason why she shouldn't
allow it to continue but with each flick of Xena's tongue Gabrielle's reasoning skills
dissipated. Her fingers buried themselves in the raven hair and she had no control over
the sighs and moans escaping from her lips. Xena brought her hand up to knead and fondle
the other breast, capturing the nipple between her thumb and forefinger and squeezing
firmly. "Oh sweet gods...." Gabrielle cried when the warlord switched the
position of her mouth and hand. Xena couldn't remember the last time she had felt someone
so responsive to her. It was as if the young queen's body was meant for her to enjoy. The
soft moans and cries only served to drive Xena further. She slipped one powerful thigh
between Gabrielle's legs and pressed against her, eliciting a deep groan.
Xena propped herself up on one elbow and looked down at the face flushed with desire.
"Open your eyes, Gabrielle." she commanded. The warlord held her gaze while she
slipped her hand down to unfasten the belt. "So beautiful." she murmured as the
leather fell away and her fingers hooked around the edge of the bard's skirt. "You
want this."
"Yes" came the breathless reply. Skilled fingers unwrapped the folds of
material, revealing the golden triangle of curly hair. Xena's hand slipped between
Gabrielle's thighs.
"You need this." she urged, her fingers pressing against the wet folds but
not entering.
"Yes." the bard replied breathlessly, her hips arching on their own. One lone
finger slid between and was soaked instantly with Gabrielle's passion.
"You need me." Xena commanded as another finger joined the first, both
resting just outside the young woman's opening. The bard's hips rocked, trying to draw the
warlord in.
"Yes."
"Tell me." she brought her thumb in, resting just to the side of Gabrielle's
clit.
"Please." the bard begged, reaching down to capture Xena's wrist. The warlord
held fast, refusing to give in.
"Tell me, Gabrielle." she wiggled her thumb, sending a jolt of pleasure
though the young woman.
"Please, Xena, please." she cried. All of her senses were concentrated on the
burning need between her legs. "I need you."
With those words spoken out of pure desire, Xena brought her head down and captured a
nipple between her teeth at the same time she plunged her fingers deep within Gabrielle's
core. "Oh gods!" she screamed as her hips came off the blanket, trying to draw
more of Xena into her. The warlord began pumping her fingers in and out while her thumb
went to work on its task. She brought her head up and watched Gabrielle's face as she
increased the rhythm of her strokes. The green eyes were shut tight, unintelligible grunts
and cries came from her mouth and her arms flailed about helplessly until they found
purchase in the long tresses of raven hair. With a strength born of passion, she pulled
Xena's face down for a kiss.
"So responsive." the warlord growled before hungrily claiming her mouth. She
pulled her fingers all the way back until only the very tips remained inside the bard,
then added a third finger and sank them back in as deep as she could go. Xena buried her
face in Gabrielle's hair and increased the speed and force of her strokes. Coherent speech
was impossible for the bard as her body took over and her hips bucked frantically against
the warlord's questing fingers. Xena groaned at the damp tightness that gripped her
fingers and wished she had removed her own clothes as the dampness between her legs
increased. Gabrielle's hips met the warlord stroke for stroke and the series of 'oh gods'
and 'yes Xena, more' increased in volume. The raven haired woman sat up and brought her
other hand down through the golden curls until she reached Gabrielle's clit. The frantic
rocking made it hard for her to maintain contact with the sensitive nub and Xena resorted
to flattening her fingers against it and rubbing back and forth rapidly. Gabrielle's
fingers dug into the warlord's upper arm and she gritted her teeth as she felt herself
lose control. Xena felt the spasms begin deep within the young woman and gave her one last
deep plunge. Gabrielle's body arched and stiffened as she climaxed and a scream of
pleasure was torn from her lungs. She collapsed weakly back to the ground, the warlord's
fingers still inside her. Only when Gabrielle's inner muscles stopped twitching with
aftershocks did Xena slowly remove them, the action drawing another moan from the near
unconscious woman.
The warlord stood and quickly removed her clothes before laying down against the still
recovering woman. She ran the back of one long finger against the soft skin of bard's
cheek. "You're so beautiful, Gabrielle." she murmured. She took the smaller hand
in hers and brought it to her mouth. Xena took one of Gabrielle's fingers into her mouth
and nibbled and sucked on the tip. Once it was thoroughly wet, she brought it down to
circle her own dark nipple, sighing at the feeling. "Touch me." she groaned,
pressing Gabrielle's hand firmly against her breast. Xena's legs wrapped around the bard's
thigh and pulled it against her aching sex. Gabrielle opened her eyes and watched her best
friend's face as Xena rocked against her. She squeezed the breast beneath her hand and
felt the hard nipple press into her palm. The knowledge of what she was about to do hit
her and Gabrielle withdrew her hand.
"What's wrong?" Xena asked when she felt the break in contact. The bard
couldn't meet her gaze, choosing instead to look down between them. Gabrielle mumbled
something unintelligible. The raven haired woman put her fingers beneath the bard's chin
and tilted her head up until they could make eye contact. "Tell me." she said,
wanting to straighten out whatever was obviously making the Amazon uncomfortable so they
could go back to what they were doing.
"I don't know what to do." she whispered. "I've never been with a woman
before."
Xena released her grip and looked at her in disbelief. "You've never slept with a
woman before?"
"No." her cheeks flushed slightly with embarrassment. "I've only been
with one person before, my husband, and that was only for one night."
"You've only had sex once?"
"Well you don't have to say it like it's a bad thing, you know." she shot
back, now clearly uncomfortable. This was not how she dreamed her first time with Xena
would be.
"Hey...look at me." she gently turned the bard's attention back to her
instead of the fire. "I didn't know. I thought you were...experienced." she took
Gabrielle's hand and put it back on her breast. "Like this." Xena put her hand
on the bard's generous breast and gently kneaded the warm, soft flesh. Gabrielle mimicked
the warlord's actions and soon found herself squeezing and fondling Xena's erect nipple.
She smiled when she saw the blue eyes close and the full lips form a small smile.
Gabrielle went on instinct after that, taking her cues from the older woman's body
language and soft groans. Xena soon resumed her rocking motion against the bard's thigh,
soaking it with her wetness. She rolled onto her back, pulling Gabrielle on top of her.
She guided the bard's mouth to her breast. "Suck me, Gabrielle...mmm, yes, like
that." she moaned. The young woman experimented, learning what pleased Xena and what
didn't and how much was too much. It only took a couple of ouches from the warlord for her
to learn the limits and stay within them. She brought her hand up on her own and began
squeezing and pinching the other nipple, causing Xena's hips to rock beneath her. The
warlord could take only so much of Gabrielle's exploration before she needed more. She
shifted the young woman off of her and guided the smaller woman's hand between her legs.
"Touch me, Gabrielle." she kept her hand on top of the bard's, guiding her
between the folds. "Go inside." she croaked, her voice thick with need. Worried
about hurting her, Gabrielle slowly entered with one finger, marveling at the texture and
feeling of actually being inside Xena. "More..." she added a second finger,
feeling the slight pressure of the inner walls surrounding her fingers. "More."
Gabrielle added a third and finally a fourth finger, slowly stretching the wet skin around
them. Xena reached down and tried to reach the bard's sex, frustrated to find it beyond
the reach of her hand. She grabbed Gabrielle's thigh and guided her to a kneeling
position, the bard's upper body laying across her torso. "Move your knees
apart." she commanded, smiling at the speed at which the young woman complied. She
slipped two fingers in deep, pleased at the renewed wetness against her fingers. Gabrielle
moaned and pressed deeper with her own hand, drawing a similar response from the warlord
beneath her. They worked each other, meeting stroke for stroke as both fell into the spell
of passion. Xena added a third finger, stretching the young woman as far as she felt
comfortable, and began pumping her with the same enthusiasm as before. Gabrielle gripped
the warlord's thigh and cried out at the sudden change in tempo. She increased the motion
and speed of her own hand within the older woman, unsure if she would be able to continue
as she felt herself rising again. She rocked back and forth, meeting the long fingers
thrust for thrust, blindly seeking the impending release. She buried her head into Xena's
hip and her hand stilled as a violent orgasm ripped through her body. She collapsed
against the warlord's body, shuddering when she felt the fingers slowly pull out of her.
Gabrielle began moving her hand again, refusing to succumb to her need to recover in her
quest to bring the woman she loved the same pleasure she had received. She laid there,
slowly pulling in and out until she felt enough of her strength return to move. She
shifted her position and knelt next to Xena's thigh, giving herself better leverage.
Gabrielle increased her motions in an attempt to match the pace of the older woman's hips.
"Harder." Xena cried, her hips bucking frantically. Gabrielle gritted her teeth
and pumped as fast and hard as she could, amazed by the amount of fluid flowing out and
covering her hand. With a mighty yell Xena arched up and stayed suspended in the air, her
inner muscles spasming around Gabrielle's fingers. The bard went to pull out but was
stopped by Xena's hand around her wrist, keeping her inside. "Wait." she gasped.
After a few heartbeats, she lowered her hips back to the ground and released her grip on
Gabrielle's wrist. The bard slowly pulled out and rubbed the aching muscles in her arm.
Xena laid there, eyes closed, letting herself slowly come back to earth. When she finally
opened them, she saw Gabrielle looking down at her, a mixture of emotions on her face.
Xena held her arm out to the side, silently inviting the young woman in. Gabrielle smiled
and scooted up to lay her head against the raven haired woman's broad shoulder. The feel
of Xena against her and the steady heartbeat beneath her ear served to quickly lull the
bard to sleep.
Xena laid there for a full candlemark listening to the steady breathing of the woman
sleeping next to her. Never before had anyone elicited such a response from her. Usually
Xena dictated all the actions, her own pleasure all that mattered. Yet tonight she wanted,
no, needed to please Gabrielle, to take her over the edge, to watch her face the moment
she sailed away to ecstasy. One touch of that soft skin, one taste of those lips was all
Xena needed to surrender herself to the joy of giving pleasure to another, to give instead
of just taking. She reached out and brushed away a lock of hair from Gabrielle's face and
sighed. 'If only you weren't their queen,' Xena mused. 'I'd keep you with me, by my side
as I conquered Greece. But you are their queen, aren't you? You control them, guide them,
lead them into battle. They do what you tell them to.' the warlord thought about being in
charge of a whole army of Amazons. Unlike the men she usually filled her armies with, the
warrior women were strong of heart, not likely to betray their leader for a few dinars.
'With you at my side and your Amazons at our back, we could crush all those who oppose or
defy us.' she thought about the two warriors she fought with at the tavern. That could
pose a problem but she was sure that she could handle it. After all, she had convinced
their queen to surrender to her. With their leader on her side, it was only a matter of
time before they all became loyal to her. If one or two chose to oppose her, what
difference would their lives make in the grand scheme of things? With thoughts of an army
of well trained Amazons under her control and their queen in her bed, Xena slipped off to
a comfortable slumber.
Solari was awakened by the sound of pottery smashing against the floor and a string of
expletives. "Ep?" she got out of bed and knelt down on the floor next to the
stocky warrior. She reached out her good arm to help Eponin up only to have it smacked
away angrily.
"I don't need your help, Solari. I just wanted to get to the pot. Guess I can't
even do that without help now." She said dejectedly. Saras came out of the back room
where she slept when she had patients.
"What is going on here?" she held her torch out to see to two women on the
floor. "Eponin, I told you to stay in your bed. Do you want to rip all your
stitches?" she chastised.
"I don't care." she snapped back. "What difference does it make? I know.
I can feel it. You may not want to tell me the truth but I know." she lowered her
voice and looked at her bandaged thigh. "What good is a warrior who can't walk?"
"Eponin, that's not true." Solari said. "You just have to give yourself
time to heal. You've been hurt before in battle and came through just fine." she
looked at the healer. "Tell her, Saras, tell her that she'll be fine."
The healer looked down at them, truly not wanting to have this conversation.
"Solari, you need to get back to bed. I'll get someone to help me with you,
Eponin."
"Go to Hades, Saras. I don't need your help." she growled. She set the table
she had knocked over back up and tried to pull herself up. Solari put her hand on the
table to keep it from falling over again while Saras came over to help. Eponin used her
good leg to push herself back into the bed before the healer could reach her.
"Ep, I know it seems bad right now, but you will get better."
"Save your words for someone who cares, Solari. I'm not buying them. I've seen
enough injuries to know when one is permanent. I saw you wiggling your fingers earlier.
You'll be okay. Be happy for yourself." every word was said with anger and rage and
Solari's face showed the hurt at the words spoken by her best friend. Saras put her hand
on the tall Amazon's shoulder.
"Go back to your bed, Solari, there's nothing that can be done tonight." the
healer said softly.
"Yeah, go back to your bed, I don't need your pity."
"No, it looks like you have enough of your own, Ep." Solari shot back. Saras
guided the tall Amazon to her bed.
"Be gentle on her, Solari." the healer whispered. "This is hard on her,
you know that. Don't take what she says seriously."
"I've never seen her like this, Saras, it's like she's given up."
"Shh, you rest. Things will be better in the morning." the healer lied. She'd
seen the cycle before and knew the worst was yet to come. Warriors were always the hardest
to deal with when they were permanently injured. More than any other class of Amazons, the
protectors of the village were the ones that took their positions as a reflection of who
they were and when they could no longer be warriors because of an injury, many went
through a period of self pity and depression. Most came through the other side just fine,
finding another vocation that allowed them to work despite their limitations. Sadly, she
had seen far too many that never came out of their depression. Most of them ended up
falling on their own swords, unable to bear the thought of not being a warrior anymore.
Looking over at Eponin, Saras prayed to Artemis that the stocky warrior would choose to be
one of the former and not the latter. The healer went to her counter of medicines and
picked out a mixture of pain and sleep herbs that she hoped would calm Eponin down and
allow her to rest. She mixed them together and added water to make a potent drink.
"Trying to keep me drugged, Saras?" the stocky warrior said as she took the
offered cup. "I suppose it's just as well. At least when I'm talking crazy I don't
think about the fact that I won't be able to be a warrior anymore." the healer knew
better than to try and argue with the depressed woman. Words would make no difference at
this point. Saras knew she could only heal the physical wounds caused by the warlord. The
emotional ones were beyond her reach.
"I don't understand. That isn't like Eponin. She's always been so strong."
Ephiny sighed. Ilanna sat down in the chair next to her. Saras had just left after giving
the blond ruler a report on her patients. Ephiny rubbed her eyes and thought again of
their queen being held captive by the same person that did so much damage to her friend.
She walked over to the wall of ceremonial masks, drawing strength from them. "May
Artemis have mercy on your soul if you've done anything to harm Gabrielle, Xena, because I
won't." she vowed. She left the conference room to go check on the progress in the
jail, Ilanna close behind.
Gryne slipped the last link through the cutout in the granite and sealed it with molten
steel. "Hephaestus himself couldn't have done better." Ephiny said as she
inspected the smithy's work. One large slab of granite anchored two thick chains drawn
over pulleys. The manacles were designed more like gauntlets, tapered to be smaller at the
wrist, making it impossible to wiggle out of. The leg manacles were fashioned similarly
and had their own set of thick chains attached to the granite. Ephiny picked up one of the
wrist manacles, ran her finger through the inside of it, and frowned. "Gryne, we
don't torture our prisoners. Remove the burrs."
"Oh yes, we wouldn't want to make Xena uncomfortable, do we?" Gryne grumbled
before picking up her rasp and file. "I don't know why we don't just put her on a
rack or better yet just kill her on sight."
"Because we're Amazons, not animals!" Ephiny roared. All morning she had to
listen to women complaining about her decision to capture rather than kill the warrior
princess. "Something had to happen to cause Xena to change. We owe her a chance to
explain herself before we pronounce sentence."
"What's to explain, Ephiny? You place too much trust in her because of what she
did for you. She was a warlord, they don't change. Look what she did to Eponin and
Solari."
Ephiny dropped the manacle. She was tired of defending her decision to every Amazon she
came across. "Just make sure the insides are smooth. That's an order." she said
firmly before storming out, the pounding in her head increasing.
Gabrielle opened her eyes and looked around. Her mouth tasted like something died in it
and her head protested the sudden movement. The soreness between her legs and her nudity
confirmed the fuzzy memory of the previous evening's events. There was no sign of Xena but
Argo and the saddlebags were still there. The fire was heating up a pot of water so she
knew that the tall woman would be returning soon, most likely only gone long enough to
make a trip to the woods. Gabrielle laced her fingers behind her head and looked up at the
cave ceiling. She couldn't help but smile at the memory of touching Xena intimately. The
smile left when she allowed the reality of the situation to enter her thoughts. It wasn't
her Xena. No matter how hard she tried to pretend that they had made love, Gabrielle knew
that it didn't mean as much to the warlord as it did to her. There had been nothing gentle
in Xena's touch. It had been raw, passionate, and exciting, but not loving. It had been
enjoyable, most certainly, but it wasn't the way Gabrielle had pictured it would be. What
would happen when Xena got her memory back? Would she remember what happened between them?
Would she regret it? Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Xena returning.
Xena looked down at Gabrielle laying under the cover of the blanket. She had the
pleasure of waking up over two candlemarks earlier and enjoying the sight of the beautiful
naked woman lying sleeping next her. She had been tempted to wake the bard up and take her
again but she knew there would be plenty of time for that. She watched as Gabrielle
self-consciously wrapped the blanket around herself and reached for her clothes. The bard
turned away from her to reach for her shirt. Xena knelt down behind her pulled the blanket
away. Gabrielle leaned back against the leather-clad woman as long hands reached forward
and cupped her breasts. "You're so beautiful, Gabrielle. I want you...now." she
breathed into the bard's ear as her fingers found the rapidly hardening nipples.
Gabrielle moaned with pleasure but reached down to cover the larger hands with her own.
She knew she couldn't handle another session like last night so soon. "Xena...I
can't. I'm...a little sore." she shyly admitted. She was answered with a soft chuckle
and the feeling of Xena's fingers resuming their task.
"You won't be for long. I'm sure I can make you forget all about that."
"I have a headache." Gabrielle said distractedly.
"I'll make you forget about that too." the warlord murmured into her ear
before nibbling the soft flesh of Gabrielle's neck. Xena loved the effect her touch had on
the young queen. She lowered her right hand until she reached the bard's soft curls. It
took only the slightest pressure from her to get Gabrielle to spread her knees apart,
opening herself to Xena's questing fingers. Like any well planned attack, Xena knew
exactly what she was going to do and when she was going to do it. Her fingers explored,
slipping between the folds and coating them with Gabrielle's warm wetness before bringing
them up to lightly brush against the young queen's clit. Xena heard the soft gasp and
smiled. So responsive, she thought to herself as her fingers continued to gently stroke
the bard's most sensitive spot.
Gabrielle floated helplessly under Xena's touch. All rational thought was gone, as was
her headache. She could no more stop the taller woman from touching her than she could
stop breathing and she suspected that Xena knew it. She allowed herself to be guided onto
her hands and knees and felt the warlord shift behind her. Xena kept up the pace against
the clit with her right hand while her left hand slid down Gabrielle's buttocks and
forward until her fingers found their goal. The bard let out a deep groan and her body
jerked forward at the sudden invasion of two fingers but Xena held her fast, refusing to
let her prize go. She played Gabrielle like a fine instrument, sending her higher and
higher until she felt the young woman's body begin to stiffen. She stopped all movement of
her fingers and grinned at the protesting moan from Gabrielle. Without warning, Xena
flipped the bard onto her back and straddled one thigh. She wanted to see the young
woman's face when she sent her over the edge. Gabrielle looked up at her with half-closed
eyes, silently begging for her to continue. Xena grinned and kept her fingers still.
"Please."
"Please what, Gabrielle?" she twitched the fingers still trapped inside the
bard.
"Ungh...Xena, please..." she tried to move her hips but stopped when she felt
the warlord start to pull out.
"No no no...please what?" the warlord taunted, this time moving her fingers
against the clit slightly, drawing another sensual groan from the bard.
"Oh gods, Xena...I need...please..." Gabrielle's head moved from side to
side, her hands were balled into fists and it was all she could do not to reach down and
finish it herself. "Please...take me."
Xena smiled at her victory and leaned down until her lips were against the bard's ear.
"Remember that I'm the only one who can make you feel this way, Gabrielle...only
me." both sets of fingers began moving again, sending Gabrielle over the edge in a
matter of heartbeats. The young queen's scream echoed off the cave walls as her body
flooded Xena's hand with the passion she created.
Much later, after her own needs were taken care of by the willing bard, Xena laid back
against the saddle, Gabrielle curled up in her arms. It was time for the warlord to put
her plan into action. "You know, Gabrielle, I'm not some ruthless warlord out to
destroy and conquer, I just want to make the world a better place." she felt the
queen stiffen in her arms and increased her grip. "That's all your Amazons want,
isn't it?"
"They just want to be left alone, to live as they see fit without interference
from the outside world. They have no interest in conquering the world." Gabrielle
said softly. Her mind raced to figure out where the taller woman was going with her
comments.
"Gabrielle, that's all I want, a land free from bandits and warlords, a place
where children can be raised in safety and peace. The only way to make that happen is to
have a strong army, like yours. An army to protect and defend their homeland, to take back
what is rightfully theirs from those who've come before and taken it away. Tell me,
Gabrielle, do the Amazons control as much land now as they once did?"
"No, but the land we have now is enough for us. There are other ways to live
without wars and battles. The Amazons have made treaties with their neighbors, they've
learned to make the land they have meet their needs." she didn't like the direction
of the conversation and fully suspected that Xena was up to something.
"That's not enough, Gabrielle...they've learned to settle for what others will
'let' them have. How long do you think it will be before someone comes along and decides
that they want more Amazon land? How will your people stop them?"
"We won't give up any more land. Our warriors protect the forest surrounding the
village and the river at the other end is a natural barrier."
Xena shifted until she was face to face with the bard. "Gabrielle, you're no
warrior. You have no understanding of what it takes to create and keep peace. I do. If you
truly are their queen, you have to allow them to fight, to take back what is rightfully
theirs. Together we could bring the Amazons back to what they once were, the most fearsome
group of warriors ever assembled. They could have their land back...be free to live as
they chose, without answering to anyone else." hearing no argument from the queen,
Xena pressed what she thought was her advantage. "Gabrielle, when you were growing
up, you watched the lands your mothers fought for taken away. Now you're their queen.
Don't you want to do the right thing? Don't you want to make your goddess Artemis
happy?"
Xena's last sentence set off the warning bells in Gabrielle's mind. There was no way
that her Xena would ever reference the gods in such a manner. This was definitely the
warlord talking. The bard thought fast, realizing that Xena had no memory of her and thus
believing that she had grown up with the Amazons was something that Gabrielle could use to
her own advantage. "Yes, I want to make my goddess happy." she said, not at all
liking the direction the conversation seemed to be going.
"Then you must want to restore your Amazons to their former place of glory. I can
help you with that, Gabrielle. I can help you become the greatest leader the Amazons have
ever known."
"I want to be a great leader." she replied, sounding as if she was willing to
accept whatever Xena offered. "I want to make my mother proud, goddess rest her
soul."
"Then let me help you. Gabrielle, I'm a leader, I know how to bring your Amazons
back to their true station in life. If you put me in charge of your warriors, I guarantee
you that no one will ever dare speak of the Amazons as if they were a joke. Together we
can reclaim all that has been lost and then some, proving to the rest of the world that we
are a force to be reckoned with."
Gabrielle forced herself not to shudder at Xena's words. She made it sound so
believable. The bard understood now how the warlord had been able to make so many people
follow her blindly into battle. She also understood Xena's real intentions, to make the
Amazons her own personal army. 'That's what you wanted all along, isn't it?' the bard
thought to herself. 'You didn't want me, you wanted control over the Amazon army. Sleeping
with me is just a way for you to get that control, isn't it?' Gabrielle believed that Ares
was somehow involved in all this, that he was the one who had changed her Xena. Perhaps if
she could get the warlord onto Amazon land, under the protection of Artemis, the spell
could be broken. Yes, that's what she had to do, the bard thought. Ares wouldn't be able
to touch Xena then. "It would be a great day for the Amazons if they were to return
to their former glory." she said. "You're right, you do know more about leading
them into battle than I do. Perhaps you should take control of the Amazon army."
"Yes, Gabrielle." the warlord tasted victory on her lips. "With you
leading the people and me leading the army, the Amazons would be unstoppable." she
reached over and fondled the bard's breast. "We would be unstoppable." she said
huskily, claiming Gabrielle's mouth with a searing kiss. Xena's passion rose as it always
did when she felt a plan falling into place. Gabrielle plotted and planned the series of
lies she would have to tell Xena to keep her believing that she would gain control of the
women warriors. The bard didn't want to think about what would happen if the spell wasn't
broken once they reached Amazon land. The thought of ordering her sisters to capture the
woman she loved was unbearable. 'Then again, you don't really love me, do you?' she
thought as the warlord continued to touch her breast. 'This is all just another skill of
yours, seduction. You don't find me desirable and when you get your memory back you still
won't.' the pain of her thoughts was too much to bear. She needed to lose herself, to
forget about wars and warlords and battles. She returned Xena's kiss with equal passion
and soon both women forgot about trying to manipulate the other.
Ephiny watched the Amazons practicing on the training grounds. Every single warrior had
signed up for extra sparring time, every archer for time on the practice field. No one
wanted to take any chances with the warrior princess. If they weren't working on their
skills, they were working on their armor. Gryne worked feverishly to provide chest armor
to those that were assigned to the inner ring of fighters. Bows were restrung, arrows
sharpened. They worked as if they were going into the most important battle of their
lives. Saras prepared for heavy casualties, certain that the warlord would not be taken
down without a fight. Litters were made, bandages rolled, supplies of herbs restocked. The
preparations reminded her of the Centaur-Amazon wars of so long ago.
The blond ruler reviewed the plans with Ilanna again. Thirty-six pits had been dug,
each to contain a warrior and archer. Another twenty warriors would be hiding in the trees
that ringed the field. Saras and her assistants were positioned behind the trees closest
to the village. Ephiny looked at the battle map again. Their plan would trap a small army
with no problem. She was satisfied that it would prove successful against Xena. She didn't
believe that every warrior would be necessary but there was no way she was going to take
any chances. Better to overpower the warlord with sheer numbers than to underestimate and
have her escape from their clutches. The other problem of keeping her warriors from taking
matters into her own hands had been more difficult than Ephiny had planned. Already ten
had been reassigned from the inner circle to the trees because she was uncertain of their
ability to restrain themselves. The rings under her eyes from lack of sleep were testament
to the internal struggle she faced. There had been no improvement in either Eponin's
physical condition or her mental one. Solari was released and sent back to her hut, her
prognosis much better than her friend's. Already the tall warrior was wiggling her fingers
and complaining only of the residual ache in her shoulder. She still had to keep her arm
in a sling for half a moon but was assured that there would be nothing more than a scar as
a permanent reminder of her battle to protect her queen.
Saras was glad that Eponin was the only patient in her hut. She had to move all her
supplies and anything breakable away from the sullen and angry Amazon. Although several
friends came in and out during the day to visit the stocky warrior, none seemed able to
raise Eponin's spirits, even Ephiny.
The only thing the stocky warrior thought about was Xena. She thought about the
leather-clad woman all the time. The battle replayed itself over and over in Eponin's
mind. She second guessed every movement, every action. Her dreams filled with visions of
Xena helpless under her blade, begging for mercy. She fantasized about running the warlord
through again and again with her sword. She thought about her sword, lost forever, a
weapon handed down from generation to generation in her family. Xena would pay for that
too, she swore.
"Do you see that? Do you see what's happening?" Artemis said angrily. Athena
glanced at the scrying bowl but said nothing. "Look Ath, look at what's happening to
my Amazons. They're going to kill Xena. You know she won't go down without a fight. Dozens
of my children will die. Are you happy now?"
"Artemis, please calm down. No one will be killed. Xena will fulfill her duties
and protect Gabrielle. Look, already they've been intimate. Surely you can't think that
she'd-"
"What? That she wouldn't sell Gabrielle out for money? For power? You haven't been
paying attention. She's not loving my child, she's using her to gain control of the
Amazons. Can you imagine the pain Gabrielle is in? You don't hear her, Athena. You don't
hear her begging me, pleading with me to help her get her Xena back. It tears me apart to
stand aside and let this continue." the Moon Goddess stormed over to the table and
slammed her fist down again on the model of her sister's beloved Athens, which now looked
more like a pile of rubble than Greece's most prosperous city. "Whatever you were
thinking has failed, Athena. Please, lift this spell. Give Gabrielle back to my Amazons
where she'll be safe. I don't care what happens with Xena anymore."
"Artemis, if we do that than Ares has won and all of Greece is lost. Do you think
that he won't send Xena and her army after the Amazons? This isn't just about Athens or
even one mortal. He wants war. He wants to destroy all that we love and cherish in the
name of his own personal pleasure."
"I don't care! I'll protect my Amazons."
"Like you have so far? Artemis, your Amazons are scattered throughout Greece.
Small villages that barely survive, many of them don't even live in their villages
anymore. Your once proud and strong women are now just small groups living off the land.
You couldn't stop that from happening any more than you can stop Ares from one day
destroying all of your children with his forces if he gets Xena back. The only way to keep
that from happening is to keep her from returning to him. Gabrielle is the key to that.
Please, you must be patient."
Artemis leaned against the table and sighed. "I hate this, Athena. I hate this
more than you know."
Convinced that she had the queen under her control, Xena continued to formulate her
plan to control the Amazon warriors and turn them into her own personal army. She
questioned Gabrielle endlessly about the strength of her force, their loyalty to her, any
special skills that they possessed. Gabrielle used her bardic skills to provide just the
right lies to make the warlord believe her. After two days of questions mixed with carnal
pleasures, Xena was certain that she not only could take control of the army with little
to no problems, but that she also had complete control over their queen. Gabrielle made no
attempt to refuse her advances. The warlord suspected that the smaller woman was falling
in love with her, especially after one particularly passionate session. Spent beyond
anything she ever remembered, Xena was almost asleep and swore she heard the young woman
whisper that she loved her. She opened her eyes but Gabrielle had rolled over and the
warlord decided not to pursue it. Now in the darkness of night, Xena stared up at the
ceiling and thought about her own feelings toward the young queen. Gabrielle was supposed
to be just another pawn in her quest for control. Yet Xena felt the young woman slipping
past her defenses. Already she found herself wanting to learn more about Gabrielle, she
found herself being more gentle with her sexually and touching her more often. Perhaps it
was possible to have her as a true lover. Certainly it didn't seem to bother Gabrielle
that she was a warlord. Even the fact that she was still being held hostage didn't seem to
matter to the young woman. She made no mention of the ransom except to say that she was
queen and the Amazons would do as she commanded and believe whatever she said. Gabrielle
had even worked out a story that she swore would be accepted. The two Amazons that Xena
had battled in the tavern were traitors attempting to assassinate her and they made up the
story of the ransom in order to protect themselves. By the time Gabrielle had finished
explaining her story to Xena, the warlord was convinced that it would be believed and
everything would work out the way she planned. The bard even suggested that they go to the
village early to further support her story instead of showing up on the day the ransom was
due. In actuality, Gabrielle feared that the Amazons would have something planned and
hoped that by showing up a day early that they would be able to avoid any confrontation
before she had a chance to speak to Ephiny.
Xena insisted that Gabrielle ride in front, partially so she could keep an eye on her
in case it was a trap and partially so she could run her hands up and down the queen's
thigh whenever she pleased. The warlord was still amazed at how strong her desire for the
young woman ran. The way Gabrielle looked at the height of her passion was something that
Xena never tired of seeing. And the way the queen made her feel...well that was something
special in itself. It was as if Gabrielle put every ounce of her being into giving her
pleasure and Xena's body responded time and time again. Gabrielle's breeches had been left
behind on the first day, something that the warlord was now glad about since it gave her
the freedom to explore without barriers.
The trail they were on ran above and parallel to the main road, affording Xena a clear
view yet still allowing them to remain unseen. The warlord's hands were busy under
Gabrielle's skirt when they approached the edge of a ridge. Without warning, Xena removed
her hands from their warm, wet playground and reached for the reins with one hand to stop
Argo and used the other to cover Gabrielle's mouth. "Don't make a sound." she
whispered into the bard's ear. As quietly as possible, Xena slipped down and helped
Gabrielle to the ground. Together they looked over the ridge to see what had triggered the
warlord's senses. On the road below them, a wagon containing a half-dozen young women was
being led by three scruffy looking men with four heavily armed men on horseback following.
Xena motioned for Gabrielle to move back away from the edge. "Slavers." she said
quietly. The bard nodded in agreement and the memory of her Xena rescuing her from a
similar fate so long ago filled her mind.
"What are you going to do?" Gabrielle whispered, assuming that Xena would
intervene.
"They haven't seen us yet. We can wait until they've passed." she replied,
her concern at the moment getting to the Amazon village.
"Xena, you can't just leave those girls without any help. You're all that stands
between them and a life of slavery. Please, you have to do something." she pleaded.
Xena looked from her to the wagon and then at the ground. She had purchased slaves from
time to time herself. She was always fair to them and eventually all of them earned her
freedom from her. All of them, of course, except for those that betrayed her trust. Those
she dealt with the same way she dealt with disloyal soldiers, swiftly and severely. She
looked at the men, calculating the different ways she could attack and what the possible
outcomes would be. There was no way she could attack them alone, the men were both in
front and behind the wagon. The girls would be vulnerable to at least one of the groups.
The only way to pull it off was to have Gabrielle help her. Was it worth the chance? She
didn't know these girls, they meant nothing to her. If she used the queen to help her and
she was killed, there would be nothing for her to either ransom to the Amazons or use to
gain control of the women warriors. Yet if she didn't help, the young women in the wagon
were certain to be sold into a life of slavery, most likely to men not as fair in their
treatment as she had been. It came down to Xena making a decision, do nothing and allow
six innocent girls to be condemned to a life of living Tartarus or risk ruining all her
plans to save them. Xena knew that if she didn't try to save them, no one would. Gabrielle
was right, she was the girls' only chance.
"Get your staff." she whispered. "Go down the ridge, over there."
she pointed to a gradual incline that would leave Gabrielle safely behind the slavers.
"When I release the girls, get them to run back down the road. Their village is less
than a half-candlemark away." the bard moved to retrieve her staff when she felt an
iron grip on her arm. She turned and for the briefest instant thought she saw something
familiar in the blue eyes of the warlord. "Be careful." Xena said, her face
betraying no emotions. Nonetheless, Gabrielle swore she heard the briefest hint of concern
in the warlord's voice.
With her sword in her hand, Xena removed her cape, leaving it on the ground next to
Argo. She motioned for Gabrielle to go ahead and descend while she kept her eyes on the
slavers. Once she was certain the queen was on the road behind the group, Xena moved down
an incline much steeper than the one she sent Gabrielle down. The warlord ended up on the
edge of the road ahead of the wagon. She hid behind a tree until the wagon was almost on
top of her. She threw her chakram vertically at the wagon just behind the horse's hind
quarters, slicing through both the reins and the harnesses. The wagon came to a dead stop,
tipping backward and sending the occupants sprawling out onto the ground while the horses
took off, happy to be away from the man with the overenthusiastic whip. Xena let out a
shrill cry, startling the portly man who was trying to get to his feet. She somersaulted
through the air, landing feet first against his chest at the same moment she caught her
chakram. "Run!" she yelled to the confused girls as she sent her chakram sailing
again, this time at the four men on horseback. Three fell but the fourth one saw the
weapon coming and ducked in time to avoid joining his friends in the world of
unconsciousness. Xena had no time to deal with him as the other two men that were leading
the wagon unsheathed their swords and advanced on her. One swift kick to the head of the
portly man made sure he would remain out for the duration of the fight. She flipped off of
him and landed between the two sword wielding men, twirling her own weapon while her eyes
narrowed. "Come on, boys. You like to take young girls from their home, let's see you
stand up to a real woman."
Gabrielle brought her staff around in a defensive position while the girls ran past
her. "Keep running and don't stop until you get to your village." she yelled,
her eyes never leaving the behemoth of a man who was advancing on her, sword drawn. One
girl stumbled just before her and Gabrielle was left with no choice. She gripped her staff
tightly and ran forward until she was between the man and the girl. "Meddling
bitch!" he swore as he raised his sword. She brought her staff up just as he swung
down, the force stinging her hands. She swung as hard as she could, catching him just
below his ribs. He didn't flinch, but stopped and grinned at her. "Uh oh." she
said softly, her eyes darting back to see if the girl was still there. Thankfully she had
gotten up and ran after her friends, not daring to look back to see what the big man would
do to the little woman with the stick.
Xena wiped her sword on the shirt of the dead man and looked back in time to see
Gabrielle backing up under the force of the behemoth's blows. Knowing she would never
reach them in time, Xena let out a yell and threw her chakram forcefully. The large man
howled in pain as the round disc sliced through his left shoulder. Unfortunately it was
not in time to keep him from knocking Gabrielle's staff from her hands. He lifted his leg
and connected his boot against the bard's chest, sending her flying backwards to the
ground. In the back of his mind he knew he was a dead man but he was damned if he wasn't
going to take the meddling bitch with him. He towered over Gabrielle, certain that the
tall woman would never reach him in time. He raised his sword high above his head,
determined to impale the wide-eyed blond. Xena looked at the scene before her, the
behemoth standing over the now helpless bard. In that instant all thoughts of Amazons,
dinars, or power were replaced in her mind by the overpowering need to protect Gabrielle.
She threw her sword with all her might. The behemoth felt the burning sensation and looked
down in amazement at the blade sticking out of his chest, covered with his own blood. The
bard scampered back out of the way as he fell forward, his eyes revealing his surprise and
shock the instant before his lifeless body hit the ground with a mighty thud.
It took a few moments for Gabrielle to get her rapidly pounding heartbeat under
control. She looked at the dead man, sword sticking out of his back, chakram from his
shoulder, and realized that Xena hadn't reached them yet. She got to her feet and looked
ahead to find the leather-clad woman on the ground, leaning against the wheel of the
wagon. So concerned was she that Xena might be injured, Gabrielle didn't bother to
retrieve her staff as she ran to her friend's side. What she saw when she got there
stopped the bard in her tracks. She had expected Xena to be covered with blood, no doubt
all of it from the men now lying dead in the road, but she didn't expect the thoroughly
confused look on Xena's face. Gabrielle quickly knelt down next to her. "Xena? Xena,
are you all right? Are you hurt?" she fired off the questions in rapid order while
her hands roamed up and down the leather-clad body looking for any sign of injury.
"Gabrielle?" she reached up to touch the side of the bard's bruised face and
her heart broke when she saw Gabrielle flinch. Everything came back to her in a flood of
memories, from surviving the gauntlet and saving the baby all the way through the throwing
of her sword with all her might to save Gabrielle. She looked at her best friend's face,
remembering how each and every bruise got there from her own hand, her own fist. She
remembered tying Gabrielle up, holding her own sword to her best friend's throat, the
battle in the tavern, everything. Her blue eyes welled up with unshed tears.
"Gabrielle." she wanted to apologize, to tell her best friend that she didn't
mean to hurt her, that she wasn't the monster that the bard had been with the last few
days. All she could do was look helplessly at the green eyes looking down at her and
wonder why Gabrielle didn't run away with the girls when she had the chance.
"Xena?" she asked tentatively, her heart skipping a beat at the look of
recognition in the warrior's eyes. "It...it's really you, isn't it?" she put her
hand to her mouth as her own tears started to fall. "Oh Xena, it is you. It's really
you." unmindful of the blood and gore that covered the warrior's body, Gabrielle
threw herself against Xena, holding her as tightly as she would a piece of driftwood in
the harshest ocean storm. "It's you, it's really you..." she said over and over,
her tears falling unchecked against the warrior's neck. All the fear and frustration of
the past few days caught up with the young queen. Finally knowing that she was truly safe
with Xena at last, she found herself unable to stop crying. "Hold me." she
choked. Xena complied immediately, grateful for the contact and certain that she didn't
deserve the beautiful creature in her arms. She shifted slightly, pulling Gabrielle onto
her lap. For the next half-candlemark they sat there, neither woman able to control the
steady stream of tears that rolled from their eyes.
Eventually Gabrielle pulled back and looked at her. "Xena, what...what exactly do
you remember?" she asked tentatively. The warrior thought carefully before answering.
"Nothing, Gabrielle. The last thing I remember is holding you when you were
scared. You...had a bad feeling, right?" she asked, although she knew the answer. She
remembered every detail, every heart-wrenching detail of what she had said and done.
"Uh...yeah...Xena, that was almost a quarter-moon ago. You...you don't remember
anything?" Gabrielle wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed.
"No...I don't remember anything except that suddenly we were here, in a fight. I
don't even know why." she lied.
"Xena, I know a cave not far from here...there's a small pond nearby where we can
wash up. Let's go there. I'll try to explain what happened." the warrior nodded,
grateful that Gabrielle wanted to go back to the cave and not head for the Amazons. They
walked over to retrieve their weapons before Xena whistled for Argo.
"Do you want to ride?" she asked, uncertain of just how close Gabrielle
wanted to be to her anymore. She had done so much, so very much to hurt her. Xena couldn't
even bring herself to think of how she seduced and used Gabrielle, it hurt too much.
"Actually, I'd rather walk if you don't mind." it seemed so long since she'd
been able to just walk alongside. Xena nodded, trying not to let the hurt show. 'You're
scared of me, aren't you?' she thought to herself as she mounted Argo. She almost turned
the horse in the direction of the cave when she remembered and stopped herself.
"Which way?"
"Over there. There's a path up to that ridge and there's a trail from there."
Gabrielle explained, pointing to the ridge where they first spotted the slavers.
Continued in Part Four
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