Life and Love

Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I do not own Xena or Gabrielle.
Description: This fanfic takes place right after “Is There a Doctor in the House?”


A note to readers:

Though I am a lesbian, I am a virgin, so I don’t exactly know every detail of sex between two women. However, I will try. Also, if you are under 18, DON’T READ! If you are offended by two women in love and/or having sex, please do not read, and here is nice hug to put you back on your feet, you silly nilly. *hug* If lesbian sex is illegal in your state or country, don’t read; I don’t want you to get in trouble! Also, consider moving to Massachusetts.

Enjoy!

Your humble bard,
Warrior Mutt



“Xeeeena, can you PLEASE just let me walk?” Gabrielle whined.

Sighing loudly, the Warrior Princess tried to smile, though the pain in her heart made it nearly impossible. She had almost lost the love that encouraged her to keep going through life without fear. She tried to remember how she fell this deeply in love with the beautiful, blonde little bard. Her memory brought her back to that fateful day when Draco’s men had tried to take Gabrielle away to appease with the soldiers’ lusts. She remembered how Gabrielle had struggled against the soldiers even though she knew that they could easily kill her in an instant. It was that strength, that bravery, which Xena had first admired, and gradually fallen in love with. Plus, she wasn’t exactly hard to look at; the bard’s soft blonde hair that fell all over her face, those caring green eyes that bore into Xena’s and made her inwardly shiver with desire. Yep, Gabrielle was a hot tamale, (Author’s note: HEHEHEHE) and Xena knew she could only dream, and never experience, the taste of Gabrielle’s lips on her own.

“Xena? Hello? You did that sighing thing again, which usually comes before a ‘Gabrielle, I told you no’, but you never said it. What’s going on? Hello? Xena? Are you listening?” Gabrielle poked Xena with her finger, sending shivers through the warrior’s body.

“Gabrielle, you DIED back there; do you understand the risk in rushing back into everything?” Xena tried gently. The pain stabbed at her heart as the image of her dead best friend came into her mind. Tears started welling up in her eyes, and the warrior turned away from the bard. “Gabrielle, you wait here, okay? I’ll be right back!” The warrior tried to force those words out without her voice shaking. Xena began to walk into the woods.

“Oh. Where are you go-" Gabrielle started to ask, but then realized that Xena just needed to be left alone for a while. I wonder why she’s been so completely devoid of emotion lately…is it something I did? Gabrielle felt a pang in her heart at the thought of hurting her best friend…and secretly, the woman who held her soul without even realizing it. The Elysian Fields were happy, Gabrielle thought, but I wouldn’t want to be there because it wouldn’t be paradise if I wasn’t in Xena’s arms. If only she knew that it’s her smile that lights everything up for me, even if in the darkest night…




Xena walked through the meadow while the tears streamed down her face, hoping not to sob so loud as to let anyone know of her crying. Still, the sobs came, and she felt wretched. She approached a large rock, sat on it, and held her head in her hands.

“Why, Aphrodite," Xena sobbed, "do you have put me through this torment? I wish I didn't love her so much, for every moment I spend having to ignore her is agony for my heart!

“Awww, hon, don’t be that way!” Xena snapped her head around to see Aphrodite looking at her with concern.

“Aphrodite, what in Hades are you doing here, and how long have you been listening to me?” Xena growled as she wiped her tears and tried to compose herself.

“Hey now, hey now! No reason to get gritchy with the little, HOT goddess of love!” Aphrodite sputtered. Then, with a smile, she continued, “And also, what I heard doesn’t matter, really, because I like, already knew that you love Gabrielle.”

Xena jumped. “Don’t say that so loud!” She hissed. “If anyone hears, if Gabrielle hears, it will end our friendship! She is an impressionable young girl, and knowing her family, she will probably think that two women in love is a bad idea!”

“Don’t be too sure of that, Snookums,” Aphrodite said with a wink, “our little bard has the good old happy-in-the-pants, can’t-live-without-you love for you too.”

Xena gasped. “You lie!” She accused. “There is no way in Hades that Gabrielle could ever love me after the evil I’ve done!”

Aphrodite laughed. “Babe, it’s not unusual for the hero and the sidekick to be in love! Take your buddies Hercules and Iolaus, for example. I sent Eros out to shoot them with love’s arrow, and now they’re doing it like bunnies. It’s all very nor-“

“But it’s wrong! Gabrielle is young and innocent, Aphrodite! Being with her would adulterate her purity! By the gods, why would you make her fall in love with me?!”

“Whoa whoa whoa, slow down, hon! Who said anything about *making* Gabrielle? I didn’t orchestrate this! Dang, woman, it was all natural!” The Goddess of Love protested. “By the way, she’s really concerned about you. Apparently, you haven’t like, said much more than a word to her, and now she’s all ‘waaah she’s going to leave me behind’. You *might* want to work on how you treat the object of your affection.”

“Aphrodite,” Xena growled, “don’t you dare start advising me on how to treat Gabrielle. Damn it, it’s bad enough that I’m in love with her, but with Gabrielle feeling the same way, you and I both know that it’s doomed!”

“Doomed? What in the name of Ares’ tight buns are you talking about?!” Aphrodite blustered.

“Think about it, Aphrodite. With all that’s in my past, I have many enemies, and as it is, they constantly kidnap Gabrielle. Now, think about it. If someone like Callisto, who has sworn to take away everything I love, were to hear that Gabrielle and I were lovers, she would kidnap Gabrielle again, and instead of toying with her with ropes and fire, she’d outright kill her without a moment’s hesitation! I couldn’t live with myself knowing that Gabrielle was dead because of me.” Xena sighed and massaged her temples. “I promised Gabrielle that I wouldn’t go back to my warlord ways if something happened to her, and I’m going to keep that promise, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to help bad things happen to us. I cannot let her be harmed because of my love for her.”

Aphrodite watched the Warrior Princess. “What do you propose to do then, Xe? Gabrielle is never going to stop loving you, and you and she both are barely restraining yourselfs from grabbing each other and fornicating every time your eyes meet!”

Xena stood. “Then I must find a safe place for her, and leave her there.”

“Oh, sure. That’ll *totally* work,” Aphrodite snorted. “You’ve tried that tons of times, babe. You know there’s no way in Hades that she’d ever let you leave her somewhere and not go anywhere.”

“I know, which is why this time, I’m making sure she won’t follow,” Xena replied. “This time, she won’t want to follow.”





When Xena approached, Gabrielle quickly put her scroll back in Argo’s saddlebag. Best not to have her question what I was writing about, she thought. Xena’s face was stony, and as she reached Argo, Gabrielle noticed that the sadness she had seen in her eyes before was more intense than ever.

“Gabrielle, instead of going to Nieros like we planned, I think we should change course and go to the Amazon country. We could check up on Ephiny and her new son,” Xena informed her. Ugh, I just know I’m going to hate myself for this, the warrior thought miserably.

“Amazon country? That’s great! I’m curious to see what’s going on!” The bard replied excitedly. She grinned at Xena. “Just think, I can read the sisters more of my scrolls about the amazing Xena, Warrior Princess.”

Xena smiled weakly. “Uh, great. You have fun with that.”

Gabrielle’s mouth fell open in shock. “’Great’? ‘Have fun with that’? By the gods, Xena, what’s wrong with you?! You usually hate when I talk about you and your heroic deeds!”

Xena tried to smile wider, though failed. “I guess I’m just too tired to argue, Gabrielle. Sorry.”

Gabrielle felt tears welling up in her eyes. “Xena, what’s wrong? Really, I mean. You’re never too tired to tease me. Have I done anything to hurt you?” Her voice shook as she spoke, and the tears flowed freely.

Xena saw the tears on her sweet bard’s face, and felt horrible. “Gabrielle, don’t cry! Please don’t! Gods, I’m so sorry! You haven’t done anything wrong! I’m just having personal issues that I can’t really discuss to anyone!”

“But why? Are you all right? Xena, if something’s hurting you, I need to know so that I can stop it! I hate seeing you hurt.” The bard began to slide off Argo smoothly, but her foot got caught in the saddle and she fell.

“Gabrielle!” Xena ran to Argo and caught the bard in her arms, then helped her to stand. Facing the bard, she noticed the hurt in the bard’s eyes as she gazed into Xena’s icy blue ones. Gods, I wish that just once, I could just kiss her and make it all better. Instead, she took Gabrielle in her arms, holding the bard against her, and stroked her beautiful strawberry blonde locks. “Don’t cry, my little bard. Please.”

Gabrielle choked when she heard “my little bard”. She clung to Xena’s chest tightly, and sobbed into her neck. She closed her eyes and focused on nothing but that beautiful, muscled hand that was stroking her hair gently.

Xena led Gabrielle over to a grassy area and sat down, bringing the bard with her in the warrior’s arms. She held Gabrielle to her chest, trying to ignore the delicious scent of the bard’s hair, and rocked her in her arms.

Gabrielle relaxed in the warrior’s arms, and started to drift off to sleep. Xena suddenly became very aware that her sleeping beauty had her mouth open against the Warrior Princess’ neck, and it was started to make her tremble with need. She tried to lift the bard gently onto the soft grass beside her, but even in sleep, the bard clung to her and mumbled, “No, no.” Xena couldn’t help but grin; this woman who held her heart was adorable!

“All right, Gabrielle,” the warrior whispered to the sleeping bard in her arms, “I’ll hold you now, but later, we need to hit the road. This is for your own good, you know. I hope one day you’ll know that I’m just looking out for you. You deserve so much more than a life of traveling with an ex-warlord who can’t take her eyes off of you.” Sighing, the warrior spoke those words for the first time to Gabrielle’s sleeping form. “I love you, my little bard.”






“Xena, Argo keeps reaching her head around, and I think she’s trying to bite me!” A yelp rang out. “Xena, she bit me!”

The Warrior Princess turned and raised her brow at her chestnut-haired horse. “I thought we agreed that you’d be nice, girl.” Looking up at Gabrielle, who was rubbing her ankle and muttering, Xena couldn’t help but chuckle. “You okay, Gabrielle?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say perfect, considering I’m being forced to ride on a grumpy beast that seems determined to buck me off or eat my leg!” The bard grumbled. At being called “a grumpy beast”, Argo neighed and twitched.

“Gabrielle, you’re not being forced to do anything. I just believe that you should be more careful since you’re still recovering from your injuries from back in Athens. You need rest and to give yourself a chance to heal.”

“I am healing! See? I can move my arms without feeling pain in my chest! Yep, all healed!”

“Gabrielle, NO.” Xena began to turn back to the path, but she heard the bard grumble something incoherently. “What was that?”

“Oh, nothing. Just how I’ll wait till *you* get a blister and then *I* can walk freely,” Gabrielle said with a smirk.

“Hmmm,” Xena replied, “sounds like someone needs to be gagged.”

Gabrielle gulped. “You wouldn’t dare!”

Xena gave her an evil grin. “I wouldn’t?”

The bard giggled nervously. “Well, I suppose a few more days of relaxation wouldn’t kill me.”

Xena felt a pang in her heart, but smiled anyway. She knew she would miss these cheery moments with her bard.






They arrived in Amazon territory after miles of Gabrielle whining, Xena teasing, and Argo nickering. With a smile, Ephiny approached the trio.

“Xena, Gabrielle. It’s great to see you again.” Ephiny watched as the Warrior Princess helped her friend off of Argo. “Gabrielle, how are your wounds healing? I could get some healers to take a look, if you wanted.”

Gabrielle smiled warmly. “Thanks, Ephiny, but I’m mostly healed, although *certain people* won’t believe me.” She flashed a look at Xena, who scowled.

“An entire journey listening to this, Ephiny. An *entire* journey!” The warrior told the Amazon in mock annoyance.

Ephiny laughed. “I take it you could use a drink then?”

“Actually, I’d like to talk to you in private, if that’s all right. It’s very urgent.” Xena said in a quiet tone.

“Oh,” Ephiny noticed a pained look in Xena’s eyes. “okay, just a moment.” She gestured to Eponin, who was watching them from afar. When the Amazon beauty approached, Ephiny told her: “Eponin, could you see to Gabrielle? Xena and I need to talk.” Eponin nodded, and Ephiny led Xena into her hut.

“Ephiny, you must promise me that you won’t repeat any of this to Gabrielle.” The warrior began.

“I swear,” Ephiny replied.

“Tomorrow morning, I’ll need you to distract Gabrielle so that she’ll never know I’ve gone. Only later, give her a note that I’ll write for her tonight.”

“Gone? Wait, are you leaving her here?” Ephiny was shocked. “Xena, don’t do that! It would destroy her, as it would you! You mean so much to each other!”

“Ephiny, that’s exactly why I have to go! I’m in love with Gabrielle, and I know she loves me too, but I’m totally wrong for her! She’s a sweet young girl and she deserves someone gentle, kind, and not with a dark past! She would only be in danger if she and I were lovers.”

“Yes,” Ephiny began, “but you would protect her! Ugh, Xena, give your relationship a chance! Don’t say no to it if you haven’t experienced it yet.”

Xena groaned. “Ephiny, you don’t get it. Gabrielle has a pure heart. Pure sweetness, pure beauty, pure love. I don’t deserve that. Look at my past. I cannot alienate her with my dark heart!”

“Xena, at least tell her why you’re doing this, in that note you’ll write.”

“No, Ephiny. She must not know that I love her, or she’ll follow me. She’ll believe that she can talk me into giving ‘us’ a chance.” The warrior sighed. “I know her so well.”

Ephiny set a worried gaze on Xena. “You do realize that you’re going to miss her a lot, right?”

Xena gave her Amazon friend a sad smile. “Crazily. But I need to go. I’m not right for Gabrielle. She deserves so much better than…me.”

Ephiny gave a sigh of her own. “All right, I’ll help, simply because she’ll need protecting if you’re not going to be around. But Xena, I hope you know what you’re doing. When you write that note that you want me to give to her, be sure to put it gently; there’s no need to hurt her more than guaranteed.”

“Thanks, Ephiny. The last thing I’ll ever want is to hurt Gabrielle.”






“Mmmm! Xena, try some of this wine!” Gabrielle was on her third cup of fine wine, and was getting quite schnockered.

She’s funny when she’s drunk, Xena thought with a grin. Amazons were looking at the pair and laughing. “Gabrielle, haven’t you had enough wine?”

“Nopity nope! Not nearly enough! Nope, nope, nope!” Gabrielle slurred as she downed her drink.

“Gods, Gabrielle. You haven’t even touched your dinner! There’s roasted rabbit and some bread!” Xena pointed to the food in front of the bard. Wait a minute. This feast might be the ultimate opportunity to get Gabrielle to fall for someone else. An ache filled Xena’s heart at the thought of her friend with someone else. Leave it alone, Warrior Princess. You know that it would be better for Gabrielle to find someone new. Scanning the room, she saw several Amazons around Gabrielle’s age. “Who here is single and would treat Gabrielle right?” She whispered to Ephiny.

“Well, there’s…you, you, you, and hmmm, you.” Ephiny replied.

“Ephiny.” Xena scowled.

“Fine, fine. Try Mara, that redhead over there.” Ephiny pointed to an attractive redhead with green eyes and a dazzling smile. Mara was watching the drunk Gabrielle and winking at her. “She’s nice, strong, protective, and if you won’t have Gabrielle, she will.”

“Thanks, Ephiny. I’ll see if I can get her interested,” the warrior replied. Xena approached the table where Mara was sitting. Mara looked at Xena with a smile. “Hello, Mara. I noticed you looking at my friend, Gabrielle.”

Mara’s smiled faded. “Oh. Um. I’m really, really sorry. Oh, Gaia, this is embarrassing. I shouldn’t have been winking at her, I’m really sorr-“

“No, no! Don’t be sorry. I was just wondering if you could tell me about yourself.” Xena reassured Mara with a gentle smile.

“Myself? Oh. Um. I’m into hunting, and I’m Eponin’s niece. I like the color blue, and um, I suppose this information is really useless to you.” Mara said with a blush.

Xena chuckled. This Amazon seemed terrified of her. “Mara, you have no reason to fear me; I was just wondering if you’d like to, erm, be with my friend. You know, as a lover?”

Mara gulped. “Well, um, I do find her very attractive, but anyone who has heard anything about the new, reformed you knows that you have deeper feelings for her than you’d care to reveal.”

Xena’s mouth fell open in shock. Does everybody know?! “Well, that’s really not important. What is important is that she finds someone more her age, like you, to give her the love, protection, and respect that she deserves. Why don’t you go over there and talk to her?”

This time, Mara was the one whose mouth fell open in shock. “Are you kidding me? You’d give that sexy la- erm, that lovely woman to me? With the way that you clearly love her?”

“No joke. Go get her. But,” Xena tapped her chakram. “remember to treat her with respect, or else,” Xena growled, “we’ll be talking again soon, and then you’ll have a reason to be scared.”

Mara’s eyes widened. “Um, yes sir! Er, ma’am!” The Amazon got up, walked over to Gabrielle, and started flirting with her. Xena couldn’t bear to watch, as she knew that her heart would break to see Gabrielle falling for the redhead, which the Warrior Princess was certain would happen. Xena walked back over to Ephiny, and leaned close to her ear.

“Ephiny, I’m going to go to my hut and gather my things. I’ll drop the note by your hut,” Xena whispered to the Amazon.

Ephiny sighed sadly. “You’re really serious, aren’t you? All right, I’ll give it to her when you’ll have gotten far enough away. But Xena, just give this one last thought. Look at Gabrielle. Do you really want to leave her behind?”

Xena glanced at her beloved bard, and felt tears. “I don’t want to, but I must. Let me just hold her one last time.” She approached the drunk bard, and put her hand on Gabrielle’s shoulder. When she turned, Xena leaned in and kissed Gabrielle’s cheek, and then pulled her into a tight embrace. “Gabrielle, you are the best person I have ever known. I just want you to know that.”

Gabrielle giggled. “Silly Xena! You’re like a big ol’ teddy bear! Silly nilly! Hey, did you meet Marana?” She pointed excitedly to Mara, who was looking in terror at Xena once more.

“Yes, we’ve met. Gabrielle, I’m going to go and patrol the perimeter. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Xena said, trying her hardest to keep the tears that she knew shone in her eyes from flowing. Slowly, the Warrior Princess went into her hut.

Picking up a piece of parchment, Xena wrote to Gabrielle the goodbye scroll.

Gabrielle,

I’ve decided to travel on my own again, the way I did before you. I’ve missed those times with just Argo and I. Traveling with you was fun, but I need to get back to being by myself. Please do not follow me, Gabrielle. I need to concentrate on myself and those in danger. Have fun with Mara; she likes you and she’ll treat you well.

Your friend always,
Xena

It caused the Warrior Princess great pain to be writing such words to the bard that she so loved, but she swore to herself that it was for the best. Dropping off the parchment in Ephiny’s hut, she saddled up Argo, and the pair rode off into the night.






Mara led Gabrielle to the hut that she and Xena were supposed to be sharing.

“It, uh, was great talking to you, Gabrielle,” the Amazon purred, and she leaned towards the bard for a kiss.

Gabrielle turned her head. “I may be drunk, but hahaha, I’m not kissing you, ya great derf! My heart is for her!”

Her? Mara wondered. Does she mean the Warrior Princess that gave her to me? “Gabrielle, do you mean Xena?”

“Yep, yep! The sexy one! Now ‘scuse me, but everything is loud and I wanna go to sleep. Shush up!” The bard giggled and fell asleep right away on her bed.

Gabrielle loves Xena, Xena loves Gabrielle but wants me to have her, Mara thought. This is way screwed up. I can’t come between these two, not when it’s clear of their love.

Mara exited the hut and went to Ephiny. “Ephiny, I have a situation. I think that Gabrielle-“ Mara began.

“-Loves Xena, I know. But Xena refuses to see that she is Gabrielle’s soul mate out of her fear that she isn’t good enough for her,” sighed Ephiny. “Gods. This really is a miserable situation. Mara, Xena just left here and she isn’t coming back for Gabrielle. When Gabrielle wakes up with a hangover tomorrow morning, she’s going to want Xena, and she’s going to feel horrible when she learns that Xena left.”

Mara felt great pity for both Gabrielle and Xena. “Ephiny, Xena told me to romance Gabrielle, but I can’t. I won’t fall in love with someone whose heart belongs to someone else, and I won’t make her fall in love with me. They belong together. What can I do to prove that to Xena? I’ll do anything, Ephiny. My mother spoke to me of true love when I was young, and I want to make sure that they get theirs.”

Ephiny listened to the young Amazon with a smile. “Mara, I am so proud to call you my sister Amazon. Now, listen.” She gave Mara instructions on how to get to Xena. “Now go, and make me even more proud!”

Mara ran to the stables, got her horse, and galloped off into the woods.






When Gabrielle got up the next morning, she yawned and looked around for her love.

“Xena?” Gabrielle called. No answer. Gabrielle sighed. She’s probably out hunting. Gabrielle tried to remember everything from the night before. She remembered Xena had hugged her, and kissed her cheek. With a smile, the bard touched that spot on her cheek. Then, she remembered a redheaded Amazon named Mara leaning into to kiss her. Oh, gods. I didn’t. Please tell me I didn’t kiss her. Gabrielle went into a panic. Running out of the hut, she scanned the area for Mara. There was a gentle tap on her shoulder, and she turned around to see Ephiny. “Ephiny, help! I think I kissed Mara! If I did that, it would be betraying my heart! You can’t tell anyone this, but I love-“

“-Xena. I know, Gabrielle. We all do. And don’t worry, you didn’t kiss Mara. You pulled away because you love Xena, and Mara knows that,” Ephiny told the bard gently.

“I pulled away? Thank the gods! But where is Xena? Does she know that I love her? Oh, damn, damn, damn! She must be horrified or embarrassed!” Gabrielle looked as though she might cry.

Ephiny reached out and put her hands on the bard’s shoulder. “Gabrielle, Xena didn’t hear anything because she left while you were drunk.”

“Left? Where’d she go?” Gabrielle looked alarmed.

“I don’t know, but she asked me to give you this,” Ephiny said, her voice full of sorrow as she handed Gabrielle the parchment.

Gabrielle read it quietly, and when she had finished, she looked up at Ephiny. Tears were welling in the bard’s eyes. “She’s done it,” she whispered as the tears began to drop, ”she’s gotten tired of me, and left me forever!” Gabrielle began to sob raggedly, and Ephiny felt great pity for the bard.






Xena rode on Argo as the mare galloped through the woods. “Yahh, yahh!” She yelled. Come on, Argo. We have to get as far away as possible so that I won’t be tempted to go back. Ugh, I know that I will never stop loving her, but I need to be far away so as I’m not tempted.

The Warrior Princess continued in this state of mind for miles. Finally, when it was noon, she stopped, and reaching into her saddlebag to find the meat Ephiny had given her before she left, Xena found a crumbled up piece of parchment with Gabrielle’s neat writing on it. Curious, Xena read it.

To the Warrior Princess of my heart,

If you’re reading this, either I’ve gotten the courage to tell you of my feelings, or you’re looking for something to read. Both are highly unlikely, but I shall write to you anyway.

Xena, I love you. I have loved you from the first time I saw you. I remember how Draco’s men were being cruel to my sister and I, and you came. You, my knight in shining armor, came and rescued us, and from that moment that I first saw your face, I was entranced by your beauty.

From then, I’ve loved you, and my love grows with each passing day. When I died and my spirit went to the Elysian fields, sure, they were peaceful and happy, but it wasn’t bliss. Why? Because you weren’t there. My idea of bliss is you being in love with me. I know that could never happen, what with my talkativeness that I’m sure annoys you, or my constant need to be rescued. But I love you, Xena, and I will forever.

Whenever you look at me, I melt under your gaze. When you touch me in the slightest, my body cries out for you. When you say my name, it makes me feel so incredibly special, and I want to just kiss you there and then.

You may never love me, Xena, but my heart is yours till the end of time.

Love always,
Gabrielle

Tears flowed down Xena’s face as she read the parchment. She’ll forget about me in a few months, the sad warrior tried to convince herself. After last night, her virginity and her heart probably belongs to Mara. She cooked her meat, ate briefly, and rode on.






“Gabrielle, just come to the feast. Please,” Ephiny begged from outside Gabrielle’s door. “You need to eat!”

“No. I have no appetite anymore,” sobbed the bard. “When she left me, my heart, appetite, and will to go on went with her.”

Ephiny sighed. Hurry up, Mara.






Xena settled for the night in a forest where the leaves were thick in the trees, which she found useful should she need to hide. After eating some leftover meat, she lay out her bedroll, and covered herself with a blanket. It feels so lonely without Gabrielle to say goodnight to me.

Suddenly, Xena heard hooves approaching at a fast speed. She drew her sword, and her hand went to the chakram at her belt.

“Xena!” A familiar voice called. “Xena, it’s Mara! Are you here? Xena!” Mara rode into the moonlight on a beautiful black mare.

“Mara, I’m here, but why are you? Shouldn’t you be taking care of Gabrielle?” Xena asked the Amazon.

“Xena, you made a mistake in leaving her with me,” Mara began.

“If you’re going to say that she was so good in bed that I’m crazy to have given her away, don’t even start,” growled the angry warrior.

“I wouldn’t know that, Xena. She refused to sleep with me,” Mara told her.

Xena was shocked. “But she was so drunk, and you’re not bad looking! Why did she say no?”

“Because she loves you, of course! No amount of alcohol could get that girl to sleep with anyone else! Xena, my mother used to tell me stories of true love, and I think you and Gabrielle are soul mates.”

“No. We couldn’t be. Not when she deserves so much better!” Xena said both to herself and the Amazon.

“Ugh, will you cool it with that already?!” Xena turned to see Aphrodite standing behind her with a pissed off expression. “Honestly, woman! Most people consider it blessing when the Goddess of Love blows things off her schedule to counsel them on their feelings! You act as though I’m contagious with the plague!”

“Aphrodite, leave me alone. You’re the last person-“ Xena began tartly.

“Firstly, I am more than a person! I am an incredibly beautiful, popular, loved, cherished, spec- well, all that and more, goddess. Secondly, I am the Goddess of Love! I *know* when people are soul mates. Why? Because I control their love lives! So, listen up.

“A relationship is never easy; it takes a lot of commitment. Sure,there’ll be fights, and both partners will feel at some point or another that their lover deserves more than just them. But that doesn’t mean that it’s true. They still deserve each other, because with soulmates, the two lovers don’t do deserve anyone else but each other.

“All Gabrielle wants from you is your love, loyalty and support. No one could ever love Gabrielle the way that you do, because you are her soulmate. Could you give that to her, Xena, or will you let her be denied of the powerful love that you feel?” Aphrodite looked Xena squarely in the eye.

Xena was silent for a moment. “It will take me a day to get to her. If she loves me the way that I love her, she is probably feeling like her heart has been ripped out of her chest, and because of her love for me, she may to something drastic. I need to be there now.”

“Buckle up, missy, cause I’m going to take you for a wild ride!” Aphrodite said, a proud smile spread on her face. To Mara, she added, “You just wait here for me, mmkay?” She winked naughtily and the Amazon blushed a deep red.

“Here we go!” Aphrodite said with a grin, and with a flash of light, Xena, Argo, and the Goddess of Love were gone.






Gabrielle sobbed onto her pillow. “It’s all my fault! I drove her away,” she wailed. “I must have talked too much, or take too long to get up every morning! Or maybe it was my cooking, or the fact that I constantly needed to be rescued! Oh, Death, just take me!” The bard rolled over onto her side. “I want her back. I love her, but I can’t have her.”

Suddenly, two warm arms curled around her from behind, and Gabrielle felt kisses on her hair and shoulders. “Who’s there?” She croaked.

“Someone that has loved you since that first day I rescued you,” came a gentle voice.

Gabrielle’s heart caught in her throat. It can’t be. No, no! She left me. It can’t be Xena, even if it is her voice. The bard turned around in the mystery woman’s arms, and gazing lovingly into her eyes was Xena, her Warrior Princess. “Xena?” She whispered.

“Gabrielle, listen. I love you. I have loved you from the first time I ever saw you, and my heart falls deeper everyday. I was too afraid to tell you for a while, because I was scared that you’d be repulsed at the idea of two women in love. Then, Aphrodite told me you loved me, but I was worried that I wasn’t good enough for you and that being your lover would put you in danger. But I’m not scared anymore, because Aphrodite told me I’m your soul mate. Just tell me if you can ever forgive me for hurting you this way,” the warrior finished with hope.

Tears of happiness shone in the bard’s eyes. “Say it again.”

“What?”

“That you love me,” pleaded Gabrielle.

“Oh, Gabrielle, I love you with all my heart! You are my soul, and the one person that gives me hope for redemption!” The warrior declared.

“Xena, I love you!” Gabrielle squeaked happily. “Oh, gods, this is so great! This night couldn’t get better!”

“Couldn’t it?” Xena asked with a smile, and she claimed Gabrielle’s mouth in a passionate kiss. The bard was surprised at first, but when Xena probed her tongue against her lips, Gabrielle gladly opened them, giving the warrior complete access to the inside of her mouth. Xena rubbed her tongue against Gabrielle’s silky one, savoring the feel of Gabrielle’s very soft lips against her own. Xena deepened the kiss, and Gabrielle moaned into her mouth. The Warrior Princess felt heat build up inside her at the sound of Gabrielle’s moans. Her center became slick with desire, but she knew she needed Gabrielle’s permission to go further.

As if on cue, Gabrielle broke the kiss and said in a low, sultry voice, “Xena, take me. I want you to be my first,” she gave a sexy growl, “and my last.”

With a sexy growl of her own, Xena rolled over on top of Gabrielle, and claimed her mouth once again, this time fiercely, and began to unbutton the bard’s tunic during the kiss. She started to trace kisses to Gabrielle’s chin and down her neck, sucking on places as she went and leaving small bruises, as to mark her territory. Though unbuttoned, the tunic was still in the way of the warrior’s current destination. Gently nipping the tunic with her teeth, Xena tugged until Gabrielle’s arms left the sleeves and the tunic went over her head. Xena tossed it on the floor next to the bed, and gently bit Gabrielle’s neck, earning a low moan from the bard. Pulling down Gabrielle’s skirt, the warrior pulled back quickly to look at the bard beneath her, and her breath caught in her throat.

“Gabrielle,” the Warrior Princess began, her voice full of desire, “you’re exquisite.”

Gabrielle smiled up at Xena. “Thank you, but will you please remove your shift so that I may see you?”

Xena grinned. “Of course, my little bard.” She pulled off the shift that had been clinging to her sweating body.

Gabrielle licked her lips. “You’re quite glamorous yourself, my Warrior Princess.” She grinned a sly, naughty grin, the corner of her mouth curving upward. “Now come here.”

Xena started pressing her lips against Gabrielle’s shoulders, giving her small butterfly kisses. With her right hand, she reached to stroke Gabrielle’s left breast, causing the bard to arch her back and squirm with pleasure. With her mouth, she took the bard’s right breast, rolling her tongue over the nipple.

“Xena…oh…please…,” the bard cried out in pleasure, “oh…don’t…stop…oh!”

Xena sucked the nipple gently while stroking her fingers over Gabrielle’s left nipple. Then, she trailed her tongue over to the bard’s left breast and gave the same treatment to it. After moments of Gabrielle crying out in rapture, Xena put her mouth in the hollow of Gabrielle’s breasts, and sucked on that area, giving it yet enough territorial bruise. Slowly, the Warrior Princess dragged her tongue down Gabrielle’s chest and teased the bard’s navel.

“Xena…please…lower,” Gabrielle begged, her voice thick with passion.

Xena responded by sucking just above the triangular mound of pale blonde hair.

“Please…Xena…please,” cried the bard.

“Yes, my love,” Xena whispered, and she dipped her head between Gabrielle’s thighs. Her tongue tapped Gabrielle’s stimulated clitoris before licking around the nub in large circles.

“Oh…oh…Xena!” Gabrielle screamed in near-orgasm.

The warrior began licking the bard’s clit in upward-downward flicks, then side-to-side, causing her lover to shudder. Sensing that the bard needed that release, Xena inserted two of her fingers into Gabrielle’s slick heat, pumping them in and out harder and harder each time. The warrior grinned as she went through the barrier representing Gabrielle’s purity, and with her tongue, she spelt out “Xena, Warrior Princess” on the bard’s twitching clit.

“XENA! Gods! Oh!” Gabrielle screamed as she came.

Xena lapped up all of Gabrielle’s juices, then, with a smile, returned to the bard’s side and kissed her gently. “Was that fun, my little bard?” She whispered lovingly.

“Gods, Xena. I had no clue that could feel so good. I mean, I knew that when people spoke of orgasms, they’d describe pleasure, but that,” Gabrielle paused, “that was heavenly.”

“I have many skills,” the warrior told her with a wink. “I love you, Gabrielle.”

“I love you. Xena.”






A Brief and Humorous Interlude

Aphrodite: (approaching Mara and talking in her girliest voice) Tell me about an Amazon’s views on lovemaking.

Mara: Um, we’re mostly a lesbian group, but, uh, wow, you’re mouth is getting really close and- mmmm, wait! Whoa! What about your husband, Hephaestus? I don’t want to get in trou-

Aphrodite: Not to worry, you sexy morsel. He works late. *RAWR* Now come worship your goddess!

(moans and cries in the night)






Yet Another Interlude

Eponin: Ephiny, I feel like I haven’t been honest with you.

Ephiny: Eh?

Eponin: I love you, you know. I have since we were little kids, and now you’ve grown up into a sexy, curly-haired minx, and to be honest, the fact that you bore a centaur kinda turns me on.

Ephiny: Oh. Well. What do you propose to do?

Eponin: Ravage you till you’re raw and spent.

Ephiny: Oh. (to her son) Go visit Auntie Norima! (Exit centaur son) (to Eponin) Let’s get this party started.

(more moans in the night)






Last Interlude, I promise

Somewhere near Athens

Iolaus: Oh, Herc! Oh, oh, oh! Baby! That’s good! Oh, oh, oh!

Hercules: All right, I’m spent.






Back to our heroes

Gabrielle smiled at her lover’s sleeping form. The warrior’s head lay between the bard’s breasts, and her arm lay possessively across the flat stomach. The warrior started muttering in her sleep, and Gabrielle struggled to make out the words.

“Gabrielle…no…you can’t die…no…wake up…no,” mumbled Xena.

So that’s why she won’t talk to me about when I died! Gabrielle shook the Warrior Princess awake. “Xena!”

“Wha?” Xena opened one eye and peered at her young lover. “Gabrielle, what’s going on?”

“We need to talk,” Gabrielle informed her.

Xena realized that this must be really important for the bard to have taken the risk of shaking her awake. Rolling over off of Gabrielle and onto the bed, Xena rubbed her eyes and said in a half-awake voice, “What is it, my love?”

“I heard you talking in your sleep,” Gabrielle began, “and I know you were dreaming about when I died.”

Xena felt an ache in her chest. Hades! Now she knows about my nightmares. “Yes, I was.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you’ve been dreaming about that day?” The bard inquired.

Xena sighed. It’s time to let it all out. “Gabrielle, when you died, that was my worst nightmare come true. As you know, I’ve loved you since we met, and it was like my entire heart had been ripped out of my chest in one big pull. I know you’re alive now, but I can still see you dead in my nightmares sometimes. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to feel strange or like you were the cause of my pain.”

Gabrielle kissed the warrior’s lips softly, then pulled back to look into her clear blue eyes. “Xena, I understand that it hurt you that I died, but I’m alive now, and I don’t intend on leaving you alone ever again. I love you, and I’ll fight to stay alive just so I can live my life tasting your kisses.”

The Warrior Princess smiled. “Thank you, Gabrielle.” She kissed her bard deeply. “Now, may I go to sleep, my little bard?”

Gabrielle smirked. “Why, yes, I suppose you can, my Warrior Princess.”

With a quick kiss, the lovers went to sleep in each other’s arms.

THE END