Julia, a philosopher from the city of Delphi, cleaned her office as her thoughts dwelled on the past. She discovered underneath her desk a scroll with a journal entry she had written long ago…an entry about her. It was dated to have been written a month ago, when she had last heard of this siren of her heart.

Today, I heard that Livia has been fighting for an entity other than Rome. Apparently, Emperor Augustus discovered that she was having a love affair with Ares, the God of War. I was shocked. Livia has changed so much from the girl that was my lover when we learned together at the academy. I still can’t figure out why she left me. We were so happy. Then, one day, she just sort of spaced, and over the next few weeks, she seemed to change, until the day she left me. I know that this love is going to be the death of me if I dwell on it, but how can I forget that first taste of Livia’s mouth on mine?

Julia sighed. Forget her. She is probably dead now…though why can’t I believe it? No word about her has been out since the news about Ares. As she raised her hand to throw the scroll in the fireplace, she lost her nerve, and tucked it back in her desk. Suddenly, there was a knocking on her door. “Come in,” she called.

Phineas, her only friend, sauntered into her small abode. “Still cleaning?” He asked in a concerned tone.

“Yes. Every time I try to throw away the past, I think of her, and what we had haunts me,” Julia replied sadly.

Phineas fixed her with a worried gaze. “Juls, I have to tell you something. New word has spread about Livia.”

Julia looked up, surprised. “She’s alive?” I knew it!

Phineas nodded. “Yes, and what’s more, her name isn’t Livia.”

Julia’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

“Do you remember the tales of Xena, the Warrior Princess?”

Julia grinned. “Yes. She was a fascinating character.”

Phineas sighed. “Not was, Juls. Is. Remember the sacred one, Eli, and his followers? They were considered a threat to the gods, and so was Xena’s daughter, Eve. Apparently, Xena tricked the gods into thinking that she, her friend Gabrielle, and Eve were dead. Then, Ares sealed Xena and Gabrielle in an ice tomb, where they lay frozen for twenty-five years. Eve was raised by Emperor Augustus, who renamed her Livia. When she was twenty-five, her mother was released, and she and Gabrielle went to Eve and convinced her using the prophet Eli’s god not to kill anymore followers. Then Xena and Eve killed the gods, but you know that story.”

Julia gaped at Phineas. “You’re telling me that my Livia is Eve, the one who brought forth the death of the gods?”

Phineas looked at her gravely. “Yes.”

Julia felt as though her mind was being blown into outer space. My Livia…is Eve. Eve, the daughter of Xena, and the sacred one that brought death to the gods. Ahhh…this is too weird. “My Livia is alive,” she whispered happily.

Phineas smiled weakly at his friend. “Yes, Juls. Rumor has it she was baptized and cleansed of her sins, so she’s good again.”

Julia felt her face smile widely, and then she frowned. “I wonder if she ever thinks of me, now that her mind is empty of Ares’ brainwashing?”






FLASHBACK

“Livia, you’re such a dork!” Julia laughed as I tickled her with a piece of straw.

“Me? A dork? No, really?” I joked sarcastically.

Julia giggled. “You’re so weird.”

“Oh, and like you’re not?” I shot back.

“Me? Weird? How so?” Julia asked with a grin.

“You’re all shy one minute, and the next, you’re acting all feisty and jumping on me and hugging me,” I replied.

“Oh, and you don’t like my hugs?” She countered.

I grinned. “They’re okay until you start sniffing my hair.”

Julia blushed. “I didn’t know you noticed that.” She turned away, ashamed.

I immediately rushed up behind her and turned her to face me. “Juls, I don’t mind it. I think it’s cute. I love it like I love-,” I broke off before I could certainly ruin our friendship. I looked at the ground.

Julia lifted my chin with her hand. “Like you love what? Or who?” She whispered.

“Nothing. It’s nothing,” I tried to escape her eyes, but they locked with mine.

“Livia,” she began, and she seemed to look deeper into my eyes, “who do you love?”

“You,” I choked out, and I felt the tears from below welling up in my eyes. “I- I love you, Julia.”

“Livia, don’t cry,” she whispered. “I love you, too.” Before I could reply, she closed the distance between our mouths and kissed my lips softly.

END FLASHBACK

Eve awoke from her sleep with a start. “Ugh,” she groaned. “Is this your revenge, Ares? Taunting me with the one I loved and lost?” I miss her so goddamn much. She’s my every desire. An idea came to the young woman. Maybe if I see her again, and explain why everything happened, she’ll forgive me, and we’ll be together again. I should ask Gabrielle. She stood, clothed herself in a fresh pair of pants and a wavy shirt, and walked out of her room and down the hallway until she reached her mom and Gabrielle’s room. Turning the knob, she entered.

“Hey sweetheart,” Xena greeted her daughter lazily.

“Hi Mom. Gabrielle, can we talk?” Eve asked her stepmother, who was cuddling with her mother.

“Sure. One second,” Gabrielle replied. She slid out of Xena’s arms, and gave the warrior a sly wink. “I’ll be back for you,” she whispered. She followed Eve to Eve’s room at the inn, and sat with Eve at the table.

“I need to go on a journey, but before I do it, I need your opinion,” Eve began. “Gabrielle, you saw how messed up I was. I killed people for Ares’ satisfaction, though I never loved him the way I did someone else.”

Gabrielle perked up. “Someone else?”

Eve nodded. “Yes, a lover I had from when I was fifteen to when I was twenty-four. Her name was Julia. I loved her the way you love my mom. I left her when Ares offered me ownership over the known world. I was too stupid to see that my heart was with her instead of Ares.”

Gabrielle studied her. “Do you still love her?”

Eve thought for a moment. “Yes, I do. There hasn’t been a moment that has gone by since I left her that I haven’t thought of her.”

“So what do you intend to do?” Gabrielle asked.

“That’s the thing. I’m afraid if I go to her looking for a way back to her heart, she’ll reject me because of all the evil things I’ve done,” Eve answered sadly.

“Eve, did she love you back?” Gabrielle was curious to know.

“Yes. I know that she loved me. She told me, and when I left her, I could see it in her eyes,” Eve confirmed.

“Then you have to have faith in that love she had for you. It’s like what Eli used to tell me all the time. Loving is forgiving,” Gabrielle told her stepdaughter. “You need to trust that she loved you once, and that if you’re not over your love for her, maybe she’s not over her love for you.”

Eve sighed. “How am I going to approach her? ‘Hey Juls, I know I’ve been away for a year but I still love you’?”

“Approach her. Start with ‘Hi, how are you’ and move to ‘I know I’ve been away, but can we talk?’ and then tell her how you feel,” Gabrielle advised.

Eve groaned. “That’s a great idea and all, but what if-,”

“Eve! Stop thinking about 'what if’s'! Go to the girl! Tell her how you feel!” Gabrielle urged impatiently. “Where does she live?”

Eve shrugged. “She’s probably still in Delphi. That’s where the academy is where we studied for nine years.”






Xena drank her port whilst pondering what Gabrielle and Eve were up to. She almost considered listening in, but remembered what had happened the last time she overheard them. Still, she was curious.

“Hey, you,” a teasing voice tickled her neck. “Where’ve you been all my life?”

Xena grinned, recognizing the voice. “If I remember correctly, you’ve been with me for most of mine, due to a certain twenty-five years of frozen incapacitation.”

Gabrielle wrapped her arms around Xena’s waist. “True, yes, and you’ve been in most of mine as well. Though, cutting off those twenty-five years, I can remember being stuck in Poteidaia waiting for some warrior to come and take me away.”

Xena laughed. “I can you remember you then. You were such a talkative little bard. It was so cute.”

“I was cute?” Gabrielle asked, arching her eyebrow.

“Yes, you were cute,” she said, turning in Gabrielle’s arms. She looked her lover in the eye. “And now you’re absolutely adorable.”

It was Gabrielle’s turn to grin. “You’re more sweet than you’d care to admit.”

“You brought that out in from me,” Xena replied. “I won’t ask what’s going on with Eve, but is she doing okay?”

Gabrielle smiled. “She said it’s okay to tell you.”

Xena grinned. “Then spill, woman.”

“Xena, your daughter used to have a girlfriend that she loved, and she misses her a lot,” Gabrielle began. “She wants to go see her, but she’s afraid that this girl will reject her because of the way they broke up, or because of the bad things she did.”

Xena’s mouth was a set line. “I know the feeling.”

Gabrielle winked. “Which is exactly why I told her that if her ex had loved her once, there was a chance that she could forgive Eve and they could be together again. She’s going to Delphi to find out if it’s too late to fix their relationship.”

Xena thought quietly. “Wow. My daughter loves women.”

Gabrielle poked Xena’s stomach. “It must be genetic.”

Xena gripped Gabrielle’s finger. “I guess I’m not the only one in my family that both messed with Ares *and* loved a beautiful woman.”

Gabrielle tugged her finger loose. “Oh? Who is this beautiful woman that you love, and why haven’t I heard about her before?”

“Scamp. You know it’s you,” Xena told the bard.

“Damn straight,” Gabrielle said with a wink. “Eve is leaving tomorrow morning, just to let you know.” She traced her fingers along Xena’s lips.

“Mmm,” Xena kissed Gabrielle’s fingers. “Eve’s going, eh? Do you know what that means?”

“Just you and I, allll alone,” Gabrielle replied, smiling when Xena took her finger into her mouth and sucked it.

“Mmhmm,” Xena told her lover, and they leaned in to share a passionate kiss.






“Phineas, do you think she’ll ever come back to me?” Julia asked her friend.

Phineas smiled. “Juls, I used to ask myself the same thing when Tatiana left me for three months. Do you remember that?”

“How could I forget?” Julia replied. She remembered how her friend had been so depressed for those three months, with only the hope in his heart that Tatiana would come back to him. Finally, Tatiana had returned, and they were married.

“So you see? If it was meant to be, Livia- er, Eve, will come back to you,” Phineas reassured his friend.

“Oh, Cupid. I hope that it’s meant to be!” Julia prayed. “Those nine years were the best of my life!”






FLASHBACK

“You know, we don’t have to go through with this,” Julia told me nervously.

I sighed. “Juls, you deserved at least a full grade on that essay. That old, stupid geyser needs to pay for giving you only twenty-seven out of thirty-five.”

“But- but Livia, we could get into so much trouble!” Julia whimpered.

“No, I’ll get in trouble. You, on the other hand, weren’t with me at the time I did any of this. Got it?” I told her.

“Livia, you are NOT taking the blame for something both of us are responsible for!” Julia protested.

“Yes, I am. You’re the victim here, and old Egeus is the offender. I’m your defense,” I told her proudly.

“But- oh, fine. I know it’s impossible to change your mind, so let’s just go do it and try not to get caught.”

“That’s my girl,” I said with a grin. “Now come on!”

We ran together up the stairs and hid outside Professor Egeus’ bedroom.

“All clear?” I whispered to Julia.

“Why are you asking me?” Julia asked curiously.

“I said to watch the rear,” I answered.

“Oh, I’m watching a rear, all right,” she replied, and I felt a warm hand grip my butt’s left side.

“Julia!” I gasped.

“Oh, shh! You know you like it!”

We both started giggling hysterically.

“Who’s out there?” An angry voice filled the hallway. Old Egeus had woken up!

Julia and I hid behind the stairs. Please don’t let him catch us! I prayed to whoever could hear me.

“Must be those damn rats,” Egeus grumbled. “Lily, you keep watch.” He strode back into his room.

“Lily?” I whispered. “Who’s Lily?”

Julia tapped my shoulder, and pointed with a shaking hand to the biggest, scariest looking canine I had ever seen.

“Oh, that Lily,” I managed to say without gulping.

“Livia, what do we do?!” Julia asked frantically.

“Uhhh,” I tried to think fast. An idea came to me. “Julia, I have an idea.”

“What? What?”

“I need you to trust me.”

“I do.”

I drew in a deep breath. “I need you to hum a lullaby to the dog while I take care of the old bastard that owns her.”

Julia’s eyes widened. “You want me to do WHAT?”

“Hum a lullaby to the dog. Some animals just need music to keep them calm,” I told her quietly.

Julia drew in a deep breath, and then nodded. “Okay, Livia.” She approached Lily, who promptly growled, and hummed a sweet song.

Lily seemed not to notice at first, but after about a minute, she grew tired and lay down, closing her eyes in comfortable slumber.

I crept into Egeus’ small bedroom, taking care to be absolutely silent. The old geyser was snoring loudly on his cot. Trying not to roll my eyes in disgust, I drew a packet of powder from my belt. The merchants had called it “Itching Powder”. Into his dresser I poured the contents, and snuck out of the room as quickly as I had entered. “Juls, come on,” I mouthed to my girlfriend.

Slowly, we tiptoed back down the stairs and into the room we shared, and immediately burst out laughing.

“Oh, my Gods,” Julia laughed. “Livia, that’s the craziest thing I’ve ever done!”

“Me too, Juls!” I howled in amusement.

“I was convinced that dog would tear me to shreds!” Julia exclaimed.

“Aww, Juls. You know I wouldn’t have let her,” I told my girlfriend sweetly.

“I know. I trust you,” Julia replied, looking up into my eyes. Her deep brown eyes gazed into my blue ones, and before either of us could stop ourselves, we were kissing, and Julia had fallen to the bed, taking me with her.

~~~~~

“Wow,” Julia whispered as she lay tangled in my arms. “That was amazing.”

“Yes, it was,” I replied quietly, and kissed her hair. “I know now it’s even better than Sappho described it to be.”

She stirred in my arms, and I felt heat as her skin brushed mine. “Since when have you been reading Sappho?”

I blushed. “Since you brought the scrolls here. I’ve sort of been sneaking.”

She giggled, and pecked at my neck with her lips, giving me chills all over. “My Livia’s a scroll-worm.”

“Yes, but only you can know that, dear,” I told her, and tickled her bare back with my fingertips.

“Oooh, that feels good,” she giggled, and reached up to kiss my lips gently. “I love you, Livia.”

“I love you, too, Julia.”

END FLASHBACK

Eve opened her eyes groggily, yawned, and then remembered her dream. She loved reliving the first time she and Julia had made love, and a smile spread across of her features. “Ahh, time to get up,” she groaned, and rolled out of bed.

“Eve?” Her mother’s voice filled the room.

Eve looked up to see Xena leaning in the doorway. “Morning, Mom.”

“Morning. Gabrielle told me about your trip. Are you all packed and ready?” Xena inquired of her daughter.

“Yeah, everything is in my bag. I am just gonna wash up, and then I’m hitting the road,” Eve informed her.

“All right. Let me know when you get going so Gabrielle and I can see you off,” Xena told her daughter with a warm smile.

“Aww, Mom!” Eve exclaimed, touched by her mother’s caring nature. “You don’t have to!”

“No, no. You’re my daughter, and you’re about to undergo a journey to find the one you love. I’m proud of you, sweetheart,” Xena replied. “Eve, you do know that whatever happens, Gabrielle and I are always going to be here to support you, right?”

Eve smiled. “Yes, Mom.”

“Good. Now go, and bring me back my daughter-in-law.”






Phineas nudged Tatiana. “Look at sleeping beauty,” he whispered, and pointed at Julia. The philosopher had fallen asleep at her desk with a shy smile on her face. “Doesn’t take a genius to figure out she’s dreaming about her love.”

“Awww!” Tatiana exclaimed. “That’s so cute. Phinny, we need to step in and help them!”

Phineas kissed his wife’s cheek, and winked at her. “Don’t worry, Darling. I have a feeling that those two will be reunited sooner than we think.”






Eve sat atop her horse as the mare galloped down the trails connecting villages. She knew that she had been traveling for several hours, though didn’t know how many. I will be eternally grateful to whoever invents a device that can tell time while traveling, she inwardly vowed. She allowed her mind to drift to thoughts of Julia.

FLASHBACK

“Livia, you shall be rooming with another of our students,” Madame Ecclesiates informed me in her nasal voice.

“Okay, as long as they don’t stare at me while I’m changing,” I joked.

She glared at me. “Was that supposed to be humorous?”

“Um, yes, but let’s forget I said it,” I gulped. The old bat clearly had no sense of humor.

She decided to forgive me, I suppose, because she continued reading to me the rules and regulations that I would need to abide by while attending the academy. Finally, she finished. “Your roommate’s name is Julia. Go get unpacked.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I replied, and ran down the hallways of the academy, my trunk dragging closely behind me. Finally, I reached my room, and pushed open the door. I saw the sleeping form of a girl on one of two double beds. My eyes ran up and down her body, and my mouth watered; this girl was exquisite. Just when my curiosity arose as to what her face looked like, she stirred, and lifted her head from the bed. With only one glance at her face, I knew she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Her deep brown eyes gazed into my blue ones, and our eyes held silent contact for a few minutes.

Finally, she spoke. “Hi, are you Livia?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but no sound came out. When I found my voice, I could only choke out a few words. “Yes, are you Julia?”

The angel nodded. “Yes, I’m Julia. So, um, I guess we’re rooming together then?”

Trying to regain my composure, I stood up straighter. “Yeah. Hope you don’t mind wild parties, games with nudity, and utter debauchery during out-of-class hours,” I joked, and I winked at her.

At my wink, she began blushing profusely. “Okay,” she managed, and blushed deeper when she realized I was still watching her.

I tried to twist my face into an attractive expression. She looked at me and started to giggle. My heart fluttered at the sound of her laughing, though it occurred to me I didn’t know what the expression looked like. Glancing to the mirror at my right, I found the source of her amusement: I looked like a grinning idiot. Blushing now myself, I dragged my trunk into the room and began to unpack.

END FLASHBACK

Eve grinned. We were so young, but already our feelings for each other had begun to develop. She rode on steadily. Eventually, she came to a sign. “Delphi, twenty miles,” she read aloud. “Well then, guess I’m almost there. Hope she lives near the academy.” Eve sat up in her saddle, and she rode on.






“Alone at last,” Gabrielle whispered to Xena.

“Yes, we are,” Xena replied, and captured Gabrielle’s mouth with her own.

The couple’s kiss turned into a make-out session, and before long, they were united as one.

“Mmmm, that was fun,” Gabrielle whispered as she lay atop Xena. Their bare skin was cool with perspiration, and Gabrielle tingled as Xena shifted her hips, allowing her to lie more comfortably.

“The best ever,” Xena told her bard, and kissed Gabrielle’s temple. “You are truly amazing, Gabrielle.”

“As are you, Xena,” Gabrielle replied, and lay her head down to sleep. The couple slowly drifted into the realm of slumber.






Julia awoke to discover that once again, she had fallen asleep thinking of Eve. She grinned as she remembered once again that Eve was alive and well. Oh, Eve…such a pretty name. Sure, Livia is also a pretty name, but either one suits a beauty like you.

Julia stood and walked out into her garden. Since moving out of the academy half a year ago, she had found a nice, comfortable home with a garden and a few rooms for her leisure. As she watered her roses, she noticed a pair of tan, muscular legs on the outside of her picket fence. As her eyes climbed the legs, she noticed a familiar scar on the kneecap. The scar was in the shape of a boomerang. Memories flooded back. She looked up into the familiar blue eyes of Eve.

“Livia?” Julia whispered.

“Juls,” Eve replied nervously.

“You’re- you’re standing outside my fence,” Julia said for lack of sweeter words.

Eve looked startled. “Yes. Um, I could leave, and go somewhere, if you don’t want to talk to me. I- I just travelled from Athens to see you.”

"You're standing on my flowers," Julia announced for lack of better words.

Eve stepped back. "Um, sorry."

“But...from Athens?” Julia gasped. “That’s a day’s travel from here!”

Eve grinned. “Well, um, I made it in half a day.”

Julia saw Eve’s grin and felt her heart flutter. “Livia, or, um, Eve,” she began, “did you really travel from Athens just to see me? Or are you also here on business?”

Eve’s jaw dropped. “How’d you know my name is Eve instead of Livia?”

“I know a lot more than you think. Now, please, Eve, answer my question,” Julia begged.

Eve closed her mouth for a second, and then reopened it to speak. “I came for the sole purpose of seeing you.”

“But why?” Julia asked, feeling the tears of happiness welling up in her eyes.

“Because I miss you, and I know I screwed up a year ago when I left you. Julia, you are the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I let you down. I came here to see if there was any hope for us to be together,” Eve blurted out.

Julia felt her heart pounding. “Do you love me, Eve?”

Eve nodded nervously. “Yes, Julia, I love you. I’ve loved you since the day I met you; I loved you the nine years we were together; I loved you when I left you; I love you now, and I’ll love you forevermore.”

In one giant leap, Julia flew over the fence and landed on Eve, knocking her to the ground. “I love you, Eve. I always have, and I always will. Never leave me again!” Her lips claimed Eve’s, and the reunited lovers rolled around on the ground enveloped in passion as their tongues rediscovered each other’s mouths.






“So, you’re back together, then?” Phineas asked Eve and Julia as the couple cuddled on Julia’s couch.

“Very much so,” Julia declared, and put her hand possessively atop Eve’s thigh. The warrior blushed a deep hue, and tried to hide her face, but Julia noticed immediately. “Why are you blushing? You know you like it!” She squeezed higher up Eve’s thigh and the warrior felt her mind flying into thoughts of desire.

Phineas felt awkward watching. “Uh huh. Well then. Congratulations. I’ll just…go now.” He turned and heatedly exited the philosopher’s hut, trying not to think of what the women would do next.

“You’ve toned up,” Julia purred into Eve’s ear, squeezing the muscles she found all over the warrior’s body.

“Yeah,” Eve managed to wrench out. “I don’t know if you heard, but I was a warlord, and that took a lot of exercise.”

“Mmmm, I heard you were all big and bad, but I loved you anyways.” The philosopher nuzzled Eve’s ear, delighted by the responses from her lover.

“I loved you, too,” Eve whispered truthfully. “Not a day has gone by that I haven’t thought about you…about us.”

“Same here,” Julia told the warrior before gently nibbling the soft lobe of Eve’s ear. “I wrote letters to you sometimes. I have them all here, if you’d like to read them.”

“Of course, I’d love to,” Eve whispered back. “But first, I need to take care of a lil’ something.” She gently lifted the philosopher from her lap, and carried her over her shoulder to Julia’s bedroom.






“That was intense,” Julia breathed as she lay in Eve’s arms. “You’ve gotten better.”

Eve gave a short laugh. “Take it as a sign that I missed you.”

Julia giggled, and her breath tickled Eve’s chest. “In that case, you missed me like the winter misses the summer’s heat.”

Eve stroked Julia’s short hair. “I did indeed, and there was plenty of heat in what we just did.”

Julia laughed aloud. “With all that you’ve been through, you’ve still kept your sense of humor!”

“Yeah,” Eve told her before briefly stretching her arms, “that, like my love for you, will always remain.”

“Eve?” Julia whispered.

“Mmm, yes?” Eve replied.

“Did- did you and Ares ever- you know?” The thought of her Eve with someone else in bed haunted Julia.

Eve gently put her hand under Julia’s chin, and lifted it so their eyes met. “No, Ares and I never made love. I didn’t love him. It was more like a lust for power kind of thing.”

Julia sighed in relief. “Thank the gods. Er, God, that is.”

“Mmmm, you’re an Eli follower?” Eve mused quietly.

“Yeah, shocking, isn’t it? I started studying his teachings a month ago, directly after the death of Athena,” Julia answered, and then grinned, “which I do believe you were responsible for, O Child of the Twilight.”

Eve laughed. “If there was ever anyone the gods hated more than my mom, it was me.”

“Very true,” Julia giggled, and she kissed Eve’s bare chest. “Speaking of your mother, when do I get to meet her?”

“Mmm. Well, she is very much interested in meeting you, and when I left, we figured that if there was any chance of you taking me back, I could introduce the two of you,” Eve informed her hopefully.

“Well, sweetie, it seems that I have taken you back, so whenever you want us to go, we’ll go,” Julia whispered, and to emphasive her point, she gently nipped the tender skin of Eve’s neck.

“Oooh, good,” Eve groaned happily, and she kissed Julia’s soft blonde hair. “I’ve missed this so much.”

Julia rested her head on Eve’s chest. “Does this mean you’ll never leave again?”

“Julia, nothing could take me away from you ever again,” Eve swore, and the couple slept together peacefully.






Phineas peered out the window of his small house. Things are going to be so much happier for Juls now that her lost lover is back. I just hope that people don’t try to tear them apart. Those two clearly are meant for each other.

“Being a Peeping Tom?” Tatiana asked from behind her husband.

Phineas turned and winked at his wife. “Just making sure that everything is good over there.”

Tatiana smiled. “You’re so sweet to be doing so much for them.”

“I try,” Phineas said with a wink.

“Don’t worry, Phinny. I think that those two are going to stay together no matter where life takes them.”






Morning came slowly upon Athens. With a yawn, the Warrior Princess climbed out of bed and stretched her arms. Gabrielle was sleeping soundly, and when she couldn’t find Xena, she pulled the blanket over herself. Xena grinned. I love this woman so much. Her thoughts turned to her daughter. I wonder if Eve got there okay? Probably. That girl’s a fighter. Hopefully she achieved the task she left for.

“Xena?” Gabrielle whimpered half-asleep. “Where are you?”

Gazing at Gabrielle in adoration, Xena lay back down and tugged the blanket so that it was covering them both. “I’m here, Gabrielle.”

“Mmmm,” Gabrielle mused, still half-asleep. “How many horses are in the kitchen?”

Say WHAT? Xena quirked her eyebrow. “Er, as many as you want, sweetheart.”

“And…and…how many chickens?” Gabrielle mumbled.

“Same answer,” Xena chuckled. She is so adorable!

“Okay then,” Gabrielle mumbled, and buried her head in Xena’s chest.

Xena stroked Gabrielle’s short blonde hair, savoring the moment. I hope Eve and Julia are having moments of their own.






“Yeah, so um, this is where I work,” Julia said, gesturing to her office.

“What sorts of work do you do?” Eve asked curiously.

“Well, the magistrates of Delphi have questions occasionally, and so they come to me for guidance. Or, sometimes, a spokesperson will need a speech written, and if for whatever reason they are unable to write it themselves, they ask me to,” Julia answered.

“Heh. Sounds cool,” Eve replied, looking around the office.

Julia went to her desk and pulled a sack from underneath it. “These are for you. They’re, um, letters I wrote to you while you were gone.”

Eve took the sack and drew a scroll from it.

Livia,

Today is your twenty-fifth birthday. I hope you’ve having a great time. Since you’ve been gone, my life has been a winter of woe, and a smile from me is rare. All the same, you have my best wishes for this day, tomorrow, and everyday for the rest of both of our lives. You have my heart with you wherever you go, for I will never desert you, regardless of whether or not we’re together ever again. Although my soul cries out for just one kiss from you, I know that I should just be thankful that I ever met you, and that I ever had the honor of being loved by you.

Love eternally,
Julia

Eve felt the tears from her heart build up in her eyes. “Julia, that was beautiful,” she choked.

Julia crossed the distance between them in two strides, and wrapped her arms around her lover. “I missed you.”

Eve put her arms around Julia in turn. “I missed you, too. I am just so glad that you forgave me for leaving you.”

Julia smiled onto Eve’s shoulder. “Yeah, just don’t do it again.”

Eve sighed happily, savoring the feel of Julia pressed against her, wrapped snugly in her arms. A question entered her mind. “Juls, where do you want us to live?”

Julia closed her eyes in bliss. “Anywhere, as long as we’re together.”

Eve smiled. “I wish that we could have kids. I’d love to see little Julia’s running around.”

Julia laughed. “If they came from both of us, they’d have your stubborn nature and your tendency to get into fights.”

“Oh?” Eve asked. “And what about your talkative personality? Would they be chattering all day long?”

“Pffft. You know you love it.”

“Perhaps.”

Julia put her hand behind Eve’s neck and pulled her head down for a passionate kiss. When it ended, she regarded Eve with a wry grin. “Perhaps?”

Eve licked her lips, drowning happily in the taste of Julia. “Definitely.”

“Yeah, it would be great if we could have our own kids, though,” Julia mused.

“Mmm, yes, it would be great,” Eve told her lover, and dropped her hand to stroke Julia’s belly. “Just think. The baby would grow inside you and be feeding off of you. You’d become mentally attached to the baby, and it would depend on you for its survival.”

Just then, as her hand lay on Julia’s belly, she felt a dropkick against her palm.

TO BE CONTINUED…


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