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The Secret Scroll	By : wolvie Category: S through Z > Xena Views: 6940 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Xena, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-The Secret Scroll
- 1
The Secret
Scroll

By Wolvie || xena_dk78@hotmail.com

Legal
Disclaimer: The characters in this story, except
for one, were not created by me (much to my deep sorrow). They are the sole
property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures (except Ares, Aphrodite,
Artemis, and the other Gods, who belong to anyone, who believes in them). I am
using them for entertainment purposes without permission, and without any
monetary compensation. The storyline belongs to me, though.

Sexual
Disclaimer: This is a story of two people in love.
If it bothers you that they are both women, or it is illegal where you live, I
feel sorry for you. This story gets pretty graphic, so if you�re not old enough
for that, GO AWAY!

Rating: NC-17. And I mean it!

Timeline
reference: This story takes place before, during
and after episode 2.16/40 For Him The Bell Tolls. There are also
references to the storylines in episodes 1.14/14 A Fistful of Dinars, 1.20/20
Ties That Bind, 1.21/21 The Greater Good and 2.13/37 The Quest,
as well as hints towards several other episodes (plus a few inside jokes. Catch
them if you can!). It might be a good idea to watch the episodes mentioned here
by name, before reading this story, but it is not strictly necessary, I don�t
think.

Also, I have
prolonged the beginning of episode 2.16/40 For Him The Bell Tolls, and
changed some of the actions and dialog throughout the episode, so as to fit it
to this story; as well as altered the length of time, Xena and Gabrielle spend
apart during the episode.

Author�s Note: This is a slightly revised version of a story, I wrote back in �97,
which has just been sitting on my hard drive since. I hope you like it.
Feedback would be much appreciated.☺

*****

Chapter One

Where could
she be? thought Gabrielle. She was only supposed
to be gone for a candle mark or two. And that was four candle marks ago! Oh,
well, I suppose, she got sidetracked by some bandits or something. Nothing out
of the ordinary... she thought, as she returned to the parchment, she was
working on.

It was a warm
evening, early autumn, and with the fire burning, it didn�t feel cold at all.
Gabrielle was lying on her back on her bedroll, dressed only in her shift,
tapping her quill against her cheek. Hmm, let�s see now... Where was I...?
Oh, yes:

The
strong, callused hands of the warrior, continued to caress the bard�s rear,
while the bard�s hands wandered up and down the warrior�s back, eventually
ending up in the warrior�s long, raven hair...

�Huuhhh,� the
bard longingly sighed. If only there was some way of letting her know, how I
really feel about her, then maybe some of all these fantasies, could come true.
Maybe I could accidentally leave one of the stories just �lying around�, where
she would find it or something. Even though, my stories don�t contain names or
places, or even genders, it�s pretty obvious, who I�m writing about. A fierce
warrior and a friendly bard? Come on, you would have to be pretty stupid, not
to figure it out.

It would be so
simple: I would leave on some pretence, leaving a scroll on the ground in such
a way, so as to make it easy for her to read it, and when I came back, she
would meet me with open arms and a big kiss and... and, uh... Yeah, right,
Gabrielle. If it�s that easy, why haven�t you done it already?

You know why, she mentally chastised herself. Because you don�t want
to return to camp to find her angry or disappointed... Or maybe she would just
not be there anymore! And that would be the end of your dreams... your hopes...
your life! She shook her head to clear it. No, I�m not going to think
about it anymore. Let�s see...

The
warriors hand continued to caress the bard�s rear, eventually letting a finger
slip inside the bard�s breeches and down between the cheeks. The bard moaned in
delight, as their lips met in a fiery embrace, taking their breath away...

Hmm, this it
getting real good, thought Gabrielle, as her left
hand unconsciously started traveling down the length of her left thigh. Soon,
she had forgotten about her story all together, losing herself in the images
produced by her ravenous imagination...

*****

I bet, she�ll
be surprised, when she sees this little beauty,
Xena thought, as she made her way back to camp. In her hand, she clutched a
rather large eel, about three feet in length, still alive, trying to wiggle its
way loose. It had taken her awhile to catch it, but the look, she knew would be
on Gabrielle�s face, made it worth the effort.

Xena looked up at
the moon, and the smile on her face stiffened. She had been gone way too long,
and she knew, Gabrielle would be getting worried. And that was unacceptable to
Xena. She knew in her heart that she loved the bard more than life itself, and
that she would gladly give up that life, if to spare Gabrielle from any kind of
pain; be it the blow of a sword or a mere parchment cut. She had also long ago
resigned herself to the fact, that she and Gabrielle would never be more than
just good friends, but if that was all, she could have, she would still be
content for the rest of her life.

Once or twice,
she�d thought, she saw a fire burning in the emerald green eyes of the women,
she loved, but she had quickly dismissed it; believing, that the bard was
thinking of something, or someone, else. Oh, how she longed to sweep up
the bard in her arms and cover her with kisses from head to toe...

But she never
did. She couldn�t take the risk of losing Gabrielle�s friendship, or see the
look of horror and disgust, she was sure would be evident on the face of the
gentle bard, if she ever made an attempt to be... closer to her.

Shaking her head
vigorously to clear her mind, Xena continued on her way back to camp, using her
ability to be completely silent, in order to surprise the bard with her catch.
She jumped several feet in the air and landed on a thick branch. Knowing that
their chosen campsite was surrounded by large trees, she jumped from branch to
branch without a sound, in true Amazon style.

She reached a
large oak on the other side of the camp, across from Gabrielle. Xena peered
trough the leaves, and was just about to jump into the middle of the camp,
yelling her war cry, when she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, bewildered
by what she could see, but couldn�t quite believe, the bard was doing.

*****

Gabrielle was
lost in fantasy, her hands roaming all over her firm, young body; her right
hand coming to rest between her strong thighs, the other grabbing at her ample
breasts and erect nipples. Her breathing became ragged, as the motion of her
right hand became frenzied, and it wasn�t long before her back arched and she
cried out in ecstasy.

�XEEE...
AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH...�

She fell back
with a loud sigh of contentment, and tried to catch her breath. She looked up
at the moon, and realized, that it couldn�t be long, before Xena would return.
She quickly gathered up her things, put on her shift and curled up in her
bedroll. As satisfying as it had been, the bard couldn�t help but feel somewhat
empty at not having her warrior share the experience and be available to cuddle
up with afterwards. Tears came unbidden and Gabrielle cried herself to sleep,
thoughts of unrequited love filling her mind.

*****

Xena was stunned.

Not only, had she
caught her friend in a most private moment, and stayed to watch; she could have
sworn, that the bard had cried out her name in the end. The tiniest
flicker of hope sparked inside of her, as she reviewed her options.

Nothing had
really changed. Gabrielle still knew nothing of her desires, and Xena still had
no idea, how to broach the subject. What she did know, however, was that she
couldn�t stay in this tree any longer. A few powerful jumps brought her far
enough away from camp, so as not to be heard. She never saw Gabrielle crying.

She dumped her
catch and followed it to the ground, then leaned against a tree, while her
hands quickly sought out her already damp breeches. Oh, Gods, Gabrielle. How
do you do this to me? Being to far gone for any
casual love play, she pulled her breeches to the side and plunged two fingers
deep into her slick core, shuddering at the power of the release, she obtained
in seconds.

�Ga-bri-eeeeeeeeeelle...�

Her legs buckled,
as she cried out the name of the woman, who brought her to such heights of
ecstasy. She practically fell to the ground and lay there, panting, for several
minutes.

A look at the
moon, once again made her realize that she was late getting back. She returned
to the camp at a quick pace; this time being careful to make as much noise as
possible, not wanting to catch her friend in an inopportune moment and cause
her embarrassment.

She needn�t have
bothered, she realized, when she entered the campground; Gabrielle was fast
asleep already. Xena went over to the sleeping form, crouched down and looked
at her with all the love she felt, present in her eyes.

�Oh, Gabrielle, I
love you so much, but I�m afraid,� she whispered, while tugging a few loose
strings of hair back behind the bard�s ears. �I�m afraid that you don�t love
me, the way I love you, and that I will loose our friendship, if I try to make
an advance towards you. Oh, but Gabrielle, did I hear you right? Did you really
cry out my name, just as I have yours, more times, than I can remember?
If you only knew the real reason, I get up so early. If you only knew that I
need to quench the desires, I harbor for you, in order for me to get through
the day with any rational thought.�

Xena was now
gently stroking the bard�s cheek, losing herself in her thoughts and the
softness of the bard�s skin, tears filling her eyes. Reluctantly, she pulled
her hand away, knowing, she wouldn�t be able to restrain herself much longer.
She walked over to their saddlebags and found some herbs, which she stuffed into
the, now lifeless, eel. She went over to a bush, she had noticed earlier and
gathered some aromatic leaves, which she wrapped around the fish, before
covering it with hot embers. By morning, it would be cooked to perfection, just
the way Gabrielle liked it.

Xena quickly
undressed and curled up on her own bedroll, crying silently and cursing her own
cowardice.

*****

Unbeknownst to
both, a bet was being made between Aphrodite and her son Cupid, about whether
the Goddess of Love could break up a royal wedding, by way of a bell and the
most inept person, they could think of. A warrior-wannabe named Joxer the
Mighty...

*****

Xena awoke with a
jerk, her keen hearing picking up the sounds of a horse in full gallop. She
donned her armor with lightning speed and drew her sword from her scabbard. Running
to Gabrielle, she gently shook her awake.

Gabrielle yawned
and stretched, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. �W-what�s-�

Xena quickly
covered the bard�s mouth with her hand and motioned her to be quiet. She
couldn�t help but notice, how soft the bard�s lips were. �Somebody�s coming,�
she whispered and handed Gabrielle her staff.

A few
tense-filled moments later, a man on horseback entered the campsite. He pulled
the reins hard and brought the horse to a stop. �Are you Xena, the Warrior
Princess?� he asked, looking down at them.

Xena stepped in
front of Gabrielle for protection, and eyed the rider, sizing up this potential
threat. �Yes, I am. Why?�

�I have a message
from King Lias and Princess Diana. They urge you to come to the castle, as they
desperately need your assistance,� the man said, handing a sealed parchment to
the warrior.

Xena took it and
handed it to Gabrielle, never taking her eyes off the rider.

Gabrielle broke
the seal and read the parchment out loud,

�Xena,
We have a big
problem, and we need your help.
Philemon has been
kidnapped by the slave traders, who lost their business, when he married my
daughter, and their kingdom came under our laws. My soldiers have been
unsuccessful in their attempts to retrieve him.
You are the only
one, who can help us.
Please come
quickly.
Signed,
Lias, Rex�

Xena quickly
thought things through. The ex-slave traders were very dangerous, and she
couldn�t risk Gabrielle getting hurt. The mere thought made her stomach turn,
and had she been alone, she would surely have surrendered the contents of her
belly to the ground. But she didn�t have time for that. She took a deep breath,
steadied herself and made a decision.

�You, on the
horse, what�s your name?�

�I�m Crackton.�

�Okay, Crackton,
there�s a stream through those trees. Go and get some water for your horse, and
rest a while. Return in half a candle mark�s time, and we�ll leave for the
king�s palace.�

Crackton drew a
deep breath, and with a �Thank you,� made for the river.

Xena turned to
see Gabrielle squat beside the fire, looking at a package lying in the burnt
out embers.

�What�s this?� the
bard asked, as the warrior approached her.

�Oh, just a
little surprise, and the reason I took so long yesterday,� Xena said
apologetically.

Gabrielle fished
out the package, and Xena�s heart overfilled with joy, as she saw the look on
the bard�s sweet face.

�Oh, Xena, you
know, I love baked eel! Thank you.� She threw her arms around the warrior and
hugged her fiercely.

Xena closed her
eyes and fought to hold back the tears, she felt in the corner of her eyes. Oh,
how she wished, they could just stay like this forever.

Unfortunately,
this was the moment, the bard�s stomach chose to announce itself with a large
rumble. Gabrielle chuckled and broke the embrace, then sat down to enjoy her
food. She handed a piece of the eel to Xena.

�No thanks,
Gabrielle, I�m not really that hungry. Besides, I caught that for you, and you
alone. So please, enjoy, my bard.�

The bard leapt
up, and once again, the warrior found herself on the receiving end of a
vice-like hug. This time, however, before letting go, the bard planted a big,
wet smooch on Xena�s cheek, partly covering the warrior�s mouth.

�Thank you so
much, Xena,� Gabrielle said, before reclaiming her seat and continuing her
meal.

Xena�s insides
were in an uproar. Did Gabrielle really kiss me on the mouth? Or did her
lips simply miss their mark? And did she catch my slip of the tongue? The
warrior looked out into the horizon, as her tongue snaked out to savor the
taste, that was her beloved bard. She completely missed the fire in Gabrielle�s
eyes, as the bard secretly watched the warrior lick her lips... tasting her.

Gabrielle hadn�t
intended the kiss to be on the other woman�s lips, and she felt somewhat
frightened that Xena would take offence, but when she saw the bliss in the
warrior�s eyes, mirroring her own, her heart skipped several beats. Happily,
she went back to her eel, thinking, there might be a chance after all. She had
missed Xena�s slip up.

A peaceful
silence descended upon the camp, as Xena drank a cup of tea, watching Gabrielle
finish off the three-foot eel. It never ceased to amaze the warrior, just how
much food, the bard could hide away in that surprisingly flat stomach of hers.
Xena finished her tea, placed her armor between her legs, and started to polish
it. No need to look like Hydra-dung, when you go see a king, she
thought.

She quickly lost
herself in the rhythmic motions of polishing, and her thoughts on how to tell
Gabrielle, she couldn�t come with her this time. She knew, the bard wouldn�t be
happy, and it almost broke her heart. She could feel herself welling up, and
shook her head to clear her mind. Instead, she focused on Gabrielle, and how
the bard had looked last night and soon, her desires consumed her completely.

Gabrielle had
closed her eyes and didn�t notice Xena staring at her breasts; at the
movements, they made, when she bent her arm to place a morsel of food in her
mouth. She was completely lost in the softness of Xena�s lips.

How could
someone so strong, be so soft? the bard wondered. I
shouldn�t be thinking about her this way. It�s not doing any of us any good.
She will never see me as anything but a friend, and I should be content with
that. But, Gods, those lips... Gabrielle lost herself in her fantasies.

Just then, they
were interrupted by Crackton returning to the camp.

Gabrielle quickly
got up and breathed deeply, not realizing, she had been holding her breath.

Xena turned to
look and quietly cursed the man for interrupting such a perfect moment. When
she looked back at Gabrielle, she saw the bard stand up fast, breathing, what
she thought, was a sigh of relief.

Xena quickly rose
and began to don her armor. Hades� teeth! How could I have been so stupid?
She must have noticed it, when I said �My bard�, and then she probably caught
me looking at her and got uncomfortable or scared; not saying anything,
thinking, I would get mad at her or something. Damn it, I�ve ruined everything!
Now, she will never want to talk to me again, let alone hug me or kiss me,
the warrior scolded herself.

Gabrielle felt
tears well up in her eyes, but did her best to keep them at bay. She knew, Xena
loved her as only a friend, and she didn�t want her to see the disappointment,
she was feeling at being interrupted, or the desire still lingering in her
eyes; fearing, the warrior would get mad or, even worse, feel obliged to humor
her little friend and do something, she didn�t really want to do. She loved
Xena too much to put her in that situation.

The bard couldn�t
help flinching a little, when she felt the soft warmth of Xena�s hand on her
arm. Xena quickly removed her hand, once again cursing herself for not being
more sensitive.

�Gabrielle, we
have to talk,� Xena said, trying her best to keep her voice neutral.

Gabrielle felt
the tears returning to her eyes.

�Gabrielle, these
slave traders are very dangerous people; I should know, I was one of them once.
And even though, I know, you can take care of yourself, I would feel a lot
better, if you stayed behind on this one. I�m not sure, I could guarantee your
safety, and if anything should happen to you, I...� She paused to collect her
thoughts and keep the tears away.

Gabrielle�s heart
was breaking at the thought of the warrior leaving her.

�I once promised
you, that I would never return to being a warlord again, if anything ever
happened to you, and I know now, after all we�ve been through, that I would
sooner fall on my own sword, than break that promise. But still, Gabrielle, please,
let me do this alone.�

Gabrielle just
stood there for a moment, contemplating what to say. Maybe being apart for a
while, would be the best thing for both of them. It would certainly give her
some time to come to terms with what had just happened. �You are coming
back for me, aren�t you?� she asked timidly, part of her not wanting to hear
the answer.

�Well, of course,
I am. Gabrielle, look at me.� Xena put her hands on the bard�s shoulders and
turned her around. �Listen, you�re my best friend and that will never change. I
would never leave you, unless it was absolutely necessary, and unfortunately,
this time I think it is.�

Gabrielle�s heart
jumped. She�s not leaving me, at least not for good, she thought. Then
the word hit her. �Friend�; Xena saw her only as a friend. She turned around
again. �I... I�ve put some extra food in one of the saddlebags, in case you
don�t have time to hunt or fish on the way.�

�Thank you,� Xena
said and took Argo�s reins, then swung herself up on the horse. �And don�t
worry. I�ll be fine, and so will you. Consider this a vacation; a chance to get
caught up on some of your... stories.� The warrior chuckled inwardly at
the last comment, remembering the actions of the previous night. She rode Argo
across the campground, stopping next to Crackton. She turned and waved to
Gabrielle, too far away to see the tears slowly running down the bard�s face.

�Goodbye,
Gabrielle. I�ll see you back here in a quarter moon or so,� she yelled.

�Goodbye, Xena.
Be careful,� the bard yelled back, her voice almost cracking. Then, softly, out
of range for Xena to hear, she whispered, �I love you.�

*****

Chapter Two

Xena and Crackton
rode for two straight days, stopping only for brief periods to give the horses
a rest. They ate in their saddles, and even though, she wasn�t crazy about it,
they continued to ride during the night. Neither spoke much; Xena wanting to
get this over with and get back to Gabrielle. She had felt a pain like nothing
before, at the prospect of leaving her precious bard, if only for a brief
period.

When did I
start to have these feelings for her? she wondered.
I�ve never felt this way about anyone before. When I�m not around her, it�s
like somebody is stabbing me with red-hot pokers. Is this really, what love is
like? If only she felt the same way, I-

�Xena, look out!�
Crackton yelled out.

Xena looked up
and pulled the reins hard to the left, in order to maneuver around a large
tree, which she was heading right for. She brought Argo to a stop and quickly
dismounted. �Shh, it�s all right, girl, it�s all right,� she whispered to the
frightened horse. �I�m really sorry about that. Guess, I wasn�t paying
attention, huh? Shh, it�s okay now,� She turned to face the other rider. �Thanks,
Crackton.�

�Are you okay?�
he asked, genuine concern evident on his face.

�Yeah, I�m all
right. I was just thinking of... something else.�

�Your friend?�

�Yeah. I didn�t
like leaving her behind like that, but it would just be too dangerous to bring
her along.� Xena paused for a moment, as horrible thoughts filled her mind. She
shook her head. �Okay, come on. Let�s get going.�

She mounted the
horse again and the two rode on.

*****

They reached the
castle, just as dusk settled upon the land.

Xena wasted no
time, and went straight to King Lias, to find out, exactly what�d happened.

�Xena. Thank the
Gods, you�ve come. Diana has refused to eat until Philemon returns, and I fear
for her health.�

�What happened?
How was Philemon kidnapped?�

�We�re not quite
sure, but apparently there was a traitor amongst his personal royal guards.�

�The slave
traders may be out of business, but their pockets are still deep,� the warrior
exclaimed.

�Unfortunately, I
believe you�re right.�

�Do you have any
idea, where he�s being kept?�

�Well, we think,
they have him hidden in an abandoned mineshaft. Look over here.� The King led
Xena to a large table littered with maps. �As you can see, there are hundreds
of abandoned mines in this area,� he said and pointed to a spot, about two days�
travel away. �We have of course sent soldiers out to search, but there are
simply too many hiding places. Those mines are harder to find your way around,
than the maze of the Minotaur!�

�Oh, I don�t know
about that, but you�re right about the many hiding places. You could spend
years going through them all.�

�Unless I
possessed your skills, Xena. We will provide you with anything you need;
soldiers, weapons, you name it. Please, will you help us?�

�Of course, I
will help. I�ll leave a list of the things, I need, and set out at first light.
Don�t worry, Philemon is as good as home already. Now, if you�ll excuse me,
it�s been a long day and I would like to rest up for tomorrow.�

�Of course, Xena.
I have a room made up for you in the east wing.� King Lias snapped his fingers
and a servant came to take Xena to her room.

After giving the
servant a list of the things, she needed, Xena settled down to rest, but sleep
didn�t come easily. Her mind was filled with images of her bard and the
sadness, she had seen on her face, when she left. Oh, what she wouldn�t give to
once again se her radiant smile.

It was late,
before Xena finally managed to cry herself to sleep.

*****

After having
spent a couple of days in a small town, Gabrielle headed back out on the road.
She was still feeling a profound sense of loss, but a few nights in a real bed,
had cheered her up a little. She even found herself whistling a little tune,
she�d heard at the inn. Using her time off to think long and hard upon her
situation, she had resigned herself to wait for Xena�s return, and nothing but
friendship, from the woman, who owned her heart.

Just then, she
heard the noise, she dreaded most in the world.

Joxer the Mighty.

He roams through the countryside,
He never needs a place to hide.

With Gabby as his sidekick,
Fightin� with her little stick

Rightin� wrongs and singin� songs
Being mighty all day long

He�s Joxer

He�s Joxer the Mighty!

Oh, dear Gods,
no. Not him! Not now! Gabrielle thought, as she
quickly ducked behind a tree. Unfortunately, she wasn�t fast enough...

*****

Xena awoke early
as usual, but not rested, having spent the better part of the night, yearning
for Gabrielle�s touch, her smell... her taste.

Ever since that
first cold night, when they had huddled together to stay warm, they had slept
side-by-side, even after the weather broke. Xena, being the first to wake up,
would often find herself pinned down by the bard, having moved in the night. She
would lie there for a while, just looking at her sleeping friend, wondering,
what she was dreaming - holding her close, comforting her, when she could tell,
the dream was a bad one; trying hard not to giggle and wake her, when she heard
the bard�s sweet laughter; fighting the urge to kiss her, when she had to ward
off the bard�s roaming hands...

Xena stood up and
got dressed. After a light meal, conveniently located in the room, she went out
into the courtyard, where she found the King and Princess Diana waiting for
her, along with Crackton, who was holding the reins of two gray steeds and
Argo. Their supplies had already been packed, so after a short goodbye, the two
were off.

*****

The trip was
uneventful. Neither spoke much; Crackton had enough to do, just trying to keep
up with the furious pace, Xena kept. The raven-haired warrior herself thought
of nothing, but Gabrielle, her mind busy contemplating, what the bard was
doing.

They reached the
mining area in the late afternoon of the second day. While Crackton sat up
camp, Xena looked around for signs of Philemon or the kidnappers. It took her a
while, but just as the sun was setting, she discovered some tracks, that
someone had tried very hard to conceal. She returned to camp to eat and rest,
but found she wasn�t very hungry, nor was she tired.

When she finally
went to bed, her sleep was disturbed by horrific dreams of Gabrielle being
tortured and slain by monsters and madmen. She gave a yelp, as Crackton woke
her up by shaking her shoulder hard.

�Are you okay?�
he asked.

�Yeah, I�m all
right. Is it dawn yet?�

�It will be soon.
Come on, I�ve got some tea ready, if you want some.�

�Thanks.�

They sat in
silence, drinking their tea. Xena�s mind was still filled with the horrible
images of her dreams. Finally, Crackton broke the silence.

�So, what�s your
plan?�

�Well, I�ve got a
pretty good idea of where they have gone in, so I�m just gonna follow them,
find Philemon, get him out and be on my way.�

�What can I do to
help?�

�Just stay here,
�til I come out. I�m gonna need your help to get Philemon back to the castle. I
won�t be returning with you.�

�You going to see
your friend?�

Xena nodded.

�She must be
pretty special.�

�Yes, she is,�
Xena said, offering no more information.

When Apollo�s
chariot broke through the sky, they quickly packed up camp. Xena fastened her
sword on her back, put her chakram on her waist and threw her saddlebags over
her shoulders. She was carrying both her own two and two extra, packed with
food, water and medical supplies. She said goodbye to Crackton and thanked him
again, before heading into the mine.

*****

Xena went through
miles of abandoned tunnels, careful to mark each passage, she went down, but
every time she thought, she had found the right tunnel, she would come to
another fork or a dead end. She was getting quite frustrated, when she suddenly
thought, she heard some people talking.

Xena followed the
sound, but was soon met by a waterfall, cascading down from one of the tunnels
above. Even though, she wasn�t happy about it, the warrior decided to cross
through the waterfall. She was sure, there was good footing on the other side,
but it meant discarding her torch and the risk of her spare torches getting
wet, along with everything else.

Just then, she
heard people talking again, and decided, that she couldn�t wait any longer. She
bound her bags together with some rope, and threw them through the water. She
could easily hear them drop to the ground, a few feet behind the waterfall. She
took a couple of steps back, then ran towards the water.

Xena dove through
head first, her arms stretched above her head to cushion her fall. She hit the
ground and rolled forward. She lay panting on the ground for a few seconds,
then got up and dusted herself off. She searched around in the darkness, until
she found her saddlebags. Unfortunately, she discovered that none of the
torches had escaped the water. They were all too wet to be lit.

Cursing her luck,
Xena sat down against the wall and tried to think of her next move. Her right
hand played absently with her chakram, and then it hit her. She threw the
chakram in the direction of the tunnel and clearly heard it hit another wall.
She easily caught her round-killing-thing again, and by the sound, the speed
and the time it took for the weapon to make the journey, she was able to
calculate the distance to about 25 paces. She picked up her bags and pressed
on.

By using her
chakram, Xena was able to move almost as fast, as before. The only drawback was
that the kidnappers would clearly hear her coming. Also, she was beginning to
regret her choice of going through the waterfall. She hadn�t heard anything for
a while and was beginning to think, she had taken a wrong turn somewhere. Just
as she was about to turn back, she heard voices again. Much closer, this time.

Xena worked her
way quickly through the tunnels, but just as she thought, she saw a light in a
side- tunnel, she slipped in the darkness and made a bad throw with her
chakram, which embedded itself in the rock ahead. Annoyed at being halted so
close to her goal, the warrior stormed forward, not noticing the hole, before
it was too late.

With a loud
surprised yelp, Xena fell through the air, landing on the ground more than 50
ft. below. The fall knocked all the wind out of her, and she felt herself slip
into unconsciousness...

*****

Chapter Three

Xena lay
unconscious for over half a day.

When she finally
came to, she found herself in total darkness. She tried to stand, but
immediately fell on her back with a pained cry. She felt around and discovered
that she had sprained her right ankle, broken her left pinkie, and from the
pain and slight trouble she had breathing, she guessed that she had a couple of
bruised ribs on her right side, along with an assortment of minor cuts and
bruises. On top of all that, she had a splitting headache, but an examination
revealed no fractures.

Xena lay in the
dark, going over her options. She couldn�t call for help; the only ones who
could possibly hear her, were Philemon�s kidnappers and they wouldn�t help her.
Getting out wasn�t her concern at the moment, however. She needed food, water
and bandages to mend her wounds. Top of the list was fire, though. Not being
able to see anything, was bad enough, but she was also already shivering a
little, and she knew, that if she fell asleep now, she might never get out.

She rolled over
and started crawling forward. It didn�t take her long to reach a wall.
Disappointed, she crawled back the way she came. After what she judged to be
around 50 ft., Xena�s progress was halted by a large mass of boulders and
timber. She searched around and couldn�t suppress a little cheer. There,
hanging on a rafter, was one of her saddlebags!

She quickly
rummaged through it, but was discouraged, when she couldn�t find any food or
water. When she searched the bag again, however, her spirits were lifted
somewhat. She found her flint and some kindling.

She used the
flint and kindling to make a little torch. Xena had to quickly close her eyes,
when the light hit her, but once she had adjusted, she discovered that there
was a large amount of old, dry planks, buried among the rocks.

She fastened the
torch between some of the rocks and started to drag wood to the other end of
the cave. There, near the wall, she built a fire and made some more torches.
Using those, she was able to determine the layout of the cave.

It was about 100
ft. x 50 ft. and the walls bent inwards, giving it a kind of oval bowl-like
shape. Near the middle lay the rocks and wood, and Xena found that she had been
lucky not to land on the big pile. Had she been walking instead of running, she
would have landed on the rocks and surely died. Then again, if I�d been
walking, I probably wouldn�t have ended up down here at all, she thought
with a wry smile.

The walls of the
cave were smooth, which lead Xena to believe that it had once held water. This
meant that there was no way she could climb out on her own; even if she weren�t
injured, she wasn�t sure, she could have made it. She took one of her newly-made
torches, and stood, where she believed, she had landed, favoring her left leg.
She held the torch in her right hand and began to swing it back and forth.
Then, with one final swing, she hurled it upwards.

The torch flew up
and shone its light on the walls of the hole, she had fallen through. Xena
grabbed the torch with disappointment written all over her features, and hobbled
back to the fire.

It was at least
75 ft. to the top!

All the hard work
had taken its toll on the warrior. She removed her armor, grabbed the saddlebag
and dumped its contents on the ground. Besides the flint and kindling, the bag
contained only a blanket, some old rags, three scrolls and one of Gabrielle�s
spare shifts. No food or water anywhere.

Xena used the
rags to bandage herself up. Afterwards, she just sat and stared into the fire.
Having neither the energy, nor the desire to read about herself, Xena rolled up
in the blanket and tried to fall asleep.

She didn�t slip
into the arms of Morpheus easily, however, her thoughts on whether she would
ever see her beloved bard again. She reached out and grabbed Gabrielle�s shift,
put it up to her face and breathed deeply. The bard hadn�t had a chance to wash
it, and Xena inhaled the scent, that belonged to the women, she loved. She pressed
the shift to her body and cried herself to sleep...

*****

Xena awoke, not
rested, but less exhausted. She wasn�t sure, how long she had slept, but from
the dryness of her mouth and the rumblings of her stomach, she guessed it to be
around ten to twelve candle marks. Well, at least my headache�s gone,
she thought to herself. Now, let�s see if we can�t find a way out of here.

She searched the
cave for several candle marks, but found nothing that would indicate a possible
escape route. Her search was impaired by her physical condition. Although she
no longer had a headache, her sprained ankle made it difficult to walk for
long, and a couple of her ribs were still pressing against her right lung.
However, the fact that she was breathing with only minor difficulty, she took
as a sign that none of the ribs had punched through the lung.

After resting,
sometimes dozing of, by the fire, Xena made another attempt at finding an exit,
but it was to no avail. She also examined the hole, which she had dropped through,
and as far as she could tell, what had happened was, that the mineshaft above
had collapsed, when the miners had tried to enlarge it. They had dug too deep
and the floor had given way. She was strengthened in her beliefs, when she
found the skeletal remains of one of the miners buried under the rocks.
Dejected, Xena sat down by the fire.

By now, the lack
of food and water was becoming more and more of an issue. For the third time,
she searched the saddlebag, this time more thoroughly. She didn�t have much
hope of finding anything, but it was better than to just sit and do nothing.
Alas, once again, the bag appeared empty.

She had just
about given up, when she noticed that the bag didn�t seem as deep on the
inside, as the outlining would indicate. She searched it again, digging her
fingers into every nook and cranny. Finally, her fingers caught a hook-like
device in one corner. She pulled it, and the entire bottom of the bag came
loose. Xena looked down into the bag and saw... a scroll.

Xena let out a
breath, she didn�t realize, she�d been holding and put the scroll back into the
bag, not really acknowledging it. Just another damn scroll, she thought.
Why can�t I ever catch a break? She leaned back against the wall and
closed her eyes.

She let out a sigh
and put her hands on the ground. Her fingers touched something, and she glared
down at it. It was one of the first three scrolls, she had found in the bag. Well,
if that�s the way it�s gonna be... she thought. Let�s see, what your
take on our adventures is.

The first scroll,
she picked up, was entitled: �The Lost Sumerian Treasure�.

Xena started to
read it without much interest, but that changed as soon as she realized that
the bard didn�t simply retell the events of their lives, but also interjected
her own thoughts and feelings, making it read more like a diary entry than a
story. She had always assumed, that Gabrielle just simply repeated their
experiences.

When Xena got
about a third way down, she suddenly found herself more than interested.

Xena
thought, I was asleep, but that was not the case. I heard her threaten
Thersites, the assassin, on my behalf; telling him, that if he ever tried to
hurt me again, he would find himself in Tartarus so fast, it would make
Charon�s head spin.

�Well, I�m not sure that�s exactly, what
I said, but she seems to have gotten the gist of it,
Xena thought to herself, not being able to suppress a chuckle. That chuckle
quickly disappeared, however, when she read on.

I
also heard, what she said to the warlord Petracles, her former fianc�. But more
importantly, I heard his response. Was she jealous? And if so, was she
jealous of me... Or him? I didn�t know then, and I still don�t know. Maybe I
never will.

Xena put the
scroll down, a blank look upon her face. Had she really read, what she thought,
she had read? She read it again, this time carefully examining every possible
meaning of every word. It didn�t give her much of an answer, though. No matter
how much, she read into it, it was just as possible, that she was mistaken. She
didn�t find any reason to believe... to hope, that Gabrielle would ever want to
be more than just friends.

Disappointed, but
more eager, she picked up the second scroll: �Family Ties�.

Xena very quickly
realized, what this story was about; the time that Ares had tricked her into
believing, he was her father. She just sort of skimmed through it, not wanting
anything to do with the God of War. She was just about to put it down, when her
eyes caught the words, �... leave her.�

Xena quickly
re-read the passage.

I
didn�t want to ever be without her, but Atrius was her father, and I was not
going to be the one to come between them. Xena had the right to be with her
family and to deny her that would have hurt her beyond belief.

I
could never do that to her. She is my friend, and she deserves to be happy.
That was why, even though I didn�t want to, I was going to leave her; maybe for
good, maybe not, but at least for a while.

I convinced
her to go with Atrius to head off the warlord Kyrillis, while I got the former
slave-girls to safety. I hated lying to her, but I didn�t feel like, I had any
choice. She would never just let me go, she is too loyal for that (or is it
because of something else?), and so, I had to be the one to make the
break.

She said
�See you soon.�, and so did I. What she didn�t hear me say, was: �Goodbye,
Xena�.

Xena dropped the
scroll, her jaw literally hitting her chest. Gabrielle had planned on
leaving me? Maybe for good? Without even saying goodbye?! Doesn�t she know that
I would never let anything, or anyone, come between us? How could she have even
thought of such a thing? the warrior asked herself.

Maybe �cause I
never told her that! Oh, Gabrielle, how could I have been so foolish? Had the
marauders not gone after the village, I could have lost you; the one person
that means more to me than anyone, more than life itself.

With trembling
hands, Xena lay down the scroll and picked up the third one.

�The Needs
of the Many...�

Xena immersed
herself completely in the story this time. She chuckled, as Gabrielle told of
the villagers standing up to their assailants, armed only with fizzy-water and
corks, driving them away. She couldn�t help but cheer out loud, as Gabrielle
rode into the warlord�s camp on Argo, dressed in the warrior�s armor, much to
big for the bard�s slender form.

Then her
expression changed, as Gabrielle told of the nightmare of almost loosing her
best friend to a poisoned dart.

We
later learned that it was Callisto, who had shot the dart, but at that point,
it didn�t matter, who�d done it. All that mattered was Xena�s recovery. Xena
told me to hit Talmadeus at his camp again. I was so scared, but I had faith
that my raven-haired friend wouldn�t let me do it, unless she was sure, I would
be safe.

When
I came back and found her lying there on the ground, something inside me
shattered to pieces. It was my heart. I had lost my best friend in the whole
world. The one person, I thought would never leave me. The one person, I can�t
live without.

My
heart is mended now, but the scars remain. Xena is my best friend and I love
her dearly. I don�t think... No, I know, I wouldn�t be able to go on without
her by my side, in this life or the next...

Xena bowed her
head, as tears began streaming down her face. Oh, Gabrielle, how could I
have left you behind like that? What are you doing now? Are you sitting
somewhere, wondering, where I am? Thinking, I have left you for good?

I should have
told you, how I really feel about you, but I didn�t. I didn�t, because I was
afraid that it would ruin our friendship, that you wouldn�t want me in your
life anymore, that it would cause you to disgust and hate me... That you would
leave me. I couldn�t take that risk.

Xena realized
that even after reading the stories, she was no closer to finding out, how
exactly she was perceived by her friend. I�m still not sure, what to do,
should I ever get out of here. Do you... Could you ever love me, the way
I love you? I feel like, I�m lost in a big forest and your stories are clues to
finding my way out, but I can�t decipher them. I... I... Wait a moment!

Xena dropped the
scroll and reached for the saddlebag. She opened it and pulled out the last
scroll from the secret compartment. Okay, Gabrielle, let�s find out, why you
chose to hide this from me.

One part of the
warrior didn�t really want to read the scroll; thinking that Gabrielle had a
right to privacy, but the other part argued, that there was a good chance, she
wouldn�t make it through this alive, so she might as well go ahead.

That part won.

Xena stretched
and lay down on her left side next to the fire. She wiggled around a bit, until
she got comfortable. The scroll was neatly folded, and bound with a red ribbon.
Xena carefully unwrapped it and began to read.

My Confession
By Gabrielle of Poteidaia

I love you, Xena.

It�s not hard to write and yet, I can�t bring myself to tell you.
Why? Simple. I�m afraid that you don�t feel the same way about me, that I do
about you. It has always been difficult to tell, what was going on behind that
beautiful, but expressionless, face of yours, but over time, I feel, I�ve
gotten better at reading you. However, when it comes to this particular
subject, I am totally in the dark.

I�m afraid that if I tell you, how I long to kiss you, to taste your
lips, to smell your skin, to run my hands all over your strong body, to look
into your eyes and let you see my desire for you... To make love to you forever
and ever!

To hold you and never let you go.

I�m afraid that if I tell you, you will be angry with me, or think
me ridiculous or stupid or... Or leave me.

I can�t live without you, Xena. If you ever left me, I know, I wouldn�t
even try to go on. You are everything to me, and if friendship is all, I
can ever hope for, then so be it. Anything to be near you. And if keeping that
friendship, means that I can never tell you, how I really feel, then that is a
price, I am willing to pay.

I love you, Xena of Amphipolis. Mind, Body and Soul.
You hold my heart forever.

Xena rolled over
on her back, clutching the scroll in her right hand, her left arm covering her
face. Tears of joy and sadness blended and rolled endlessly down the warrior�s
cheeks. Suddenly, she saw their departure in a whole new light.

Oh, Gabrielle,
why didn�t I tell you, when I had the chance? If I had only known, then...

Her mind clouded,
as feelings of anger and infinite despair took control of her. Anger at
herself, for not revealing the truth to the woman, she loved. Despair, because
she might never have a chance to correct that mistake. She sat up, crossed her
legs carefully, being mindful of her sprained ankle, folded her hands in her
lap, bowed her head and did something, she had rarely done before...

Xena prayed.

�Great Goddess
Artemis, Goddess of the Wilderness,
the Hunt and Wild Animals, Virgin Protector of
Childbirth, Patron Goddess of the Amazons, I beg you, hear my prayer. I doubt
that I will survive this ordeal, so I ask You to please protect Gabrielle from
danger. To keep her safe from harm. I love her with all my heart, so please, I
beg of You, keep her safe in times to come.

�I know that I am
the last person, who should expect to get anything from any God or Goddess, but
I implore You, please do not let my mistakes, hurt the one I love. She is not
just my reason for living, she is the light that shines in the night for
so many others, including your own Amazons. I have done unspeakable things in
my past, but, please, do not judge her for my crimes. If protecting Gabrielle
means my death, then so be it. I shall gladly cross over, if only she is safe.�

Xena lay down
again and cried herself to sleep, clutching Gabrielle�s shift to her chest, all
the while continuing her plea to Artemis. �Please, great Goddess, please: Take
care of Gabrielle. Please... please... please...�

*****

Artemis looked
down upon the woman, who was pleading so hard for her attention. Such loyalty.
Such dedication for another. Suddenly, she understood, why Ares held her in
such great esteem, and why he was always trying to get her back.

And she�s not
even praying for me to save her own life. No, she�s asking me to keep her
friend safe. The woman, she loves. The woman, who loves her. And not just any
woman, either, but my Chosen, and the Queen of my beloved Amazons.

�I shall do as
you ask, Xena. I would have done it anyway, but I can�t help feeling
inadequate, because I can�t save you. I didn�t make the rules, Xena, but I have
to obey them, nonetheless: You didn�t ask to be saved, only that I help
Gabrielle, so I can�t help you. I�m sorry,� the Goddess said with a deep sigh.

�Hold on, Art. I
think, I have a way to solve your little problem,� a voice like the sweetest
honey exclaimed. It was Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love.

�What do you
mean?� asked Artemis. �You heard her: She only asked for my help in protecting
her friend. We can�t interfere with her own destiny.�

�Ah, but that�s
were you�re wrong, Art. You have to save Xena.�

�What are you
talking about? Has the peroxide finally begun to chew at what little brain you
have in that beautiful head of yours?� Artemis asked and ruffled her sister�s
platinum-blond hair.

�I�ll pretend, I
didn�t hear that, Art, but you�re, like, totally gonna owe me for this one.�

�Would you just
get to the point, please?!�

�Okay, okay,
don�t get your breeches in a bunch, will�ya? Man, you seriously need to get
some R&R, sis. You know, there�s this little dive, just outside Athens,
where-�

�Aphrodite!�

�Okay, lighten
up. Look, the answer is simple. Xena asked you to keep Gabrielle safe, right?�

�Yeah, and?�

�And Gabrielle
wrote in her scroll, that if Xena ever left her, she couldn�t go on, right?�

Artemis scrunched
her brow, trying to figure out, what her sister meant. Then, realization
suddenly hit, and she snapped her fingers. �Of course! My dear, sweet sister,
you are a genius!� the Goddess shouted and fiercely hugged her sister.

Despite being the
Goddess of Love, Aphrodite couldn�t help blushing a little at the rare and
unusual compliment, not to mention physical contact, from her very attractive
warrior sibling. �Yeah, okay, Art. Go on. Go help Xena get out of that cave.
And give her a bath, while you�re at it. I don�t care, how much they
love each other, she still stinks!� Aphrodite shouted at Artemis� back, as her
sister quickly left Mt. Olympus, heading for the mineshaft.

*****

Chapter Four

Xena woke up
feeling rested and relaxed. At first, she didn�t understand why, but then it
hit her. She wasn�t trapped in the cave anymore! She was lying on her bedroll,
next to a small fire.

The warrior
looked down and saw a scroll clutched in her left hand. She tried wiggling her
fingers and felt no pain. Unwrapping the bandage, Xena found that her finger
wasn�t broken anymore. She tried to stand up and found that her ankle didn�t
hurt either, nor did her bruised ribs. She unfolded the scroll.

Go help Philemon.
Afterwards, send him home and return to this place.
A

�Thank you, great
Goddess. I shall do as you ask,� Xena said.

She heard the
sound of hooves and turned around to see Argo happily munching on some soft
grass. Running over, Xena gave her a big hug, then returned to the campfire.
Next to it, she found her weapons and armor, sharpened and polished.

Xena quickly
gathered her things and went back to the entrance of the mine. There she saw
that her own markings had been erased and replaced with a silver arrow. She
said a silent �Thank you,� and went in.

By following the
marks, she soon found Philemon and his kidnappers. After a brief struggle, she
was able to free him from his restraints. He had a black eye and a split lip,
but otherwise, he was fine. They returned to Xena�s old campsite, where they
found Crackton waiting for them with the two gray horses and Argo.

After a short
goodbye, Crackton and Philemon left for home, while Xena rode off to find
Gabrielle.

*****

Xena wasn�t sure,
what the fastest route was. She certainly didn�t want to backtrack the whole
way, that would take to long. She came to a fork in the road and decided to go
left, but Argo had a different opinion.

�Come on, girl.
What are you doing? We�re going this way.�

Argo replied with
a snort and resumed going to the right. Xena, not wanting to hurt her, decided
not to argue. Then she heard an owl cry, and a thought entered her mind.

�Thank you
again,� she whispered and put the horse to a gallop; her mind busy,
contemplating how to tell Gabrielle of her feelings.

*****

�I�m just a
pathetic hero-wannabe, Gabrielle. Face it, I�m useless!�

�You�re not
useless, Joxer. I...�

Gabrielle looked
up, as she heard the sounds of a horse approaching. She recognized it immediately,
and ran to meet the warrior.

�Xena!�

Xena quickly
dismounted, and soon found herself on the receiving end of a big hug. �Hey,
Gabrielle. It�s good to see you again. I�ve missed you.�

�I�ve missed you
too, Xena.�

�Gabrielle, there
is something, we have to talk about, but first, what�s wrong with Joxer?�

�Oh, he�s in one
of his I�m-no-good-at-anything moods again,� the bard exclaimed with a sigh.

�Okay, I�ll go
talk to him,� Xena said and walked over to Joxer. She sat down next to him on a
log. �Hi, Joxer.�

�Hey, Xena,� the
would-be hero sighed. �Come to have a laugh at my expense? Wouldn�t blame ya,
if you did. That�s all, I�m good for!�

�Hey, that�s not
true, Joxer, and you know it. Trust me, when I tell you, that maybe you mess up
sometimes, but you always have the best of intentions. You may not be the best
swordsman around, but you do have the heart of a lion.�

�Yeah, I do,
don�t I? Joxer the Lionheart. Yeah, that has a nice ring to it. Thanks, Xena.�
�My pleasure,
Joxer. Now, do you think, you�ll be all right on your own for a while?�

�Of course. I�m
Joxer the Mighty, remember? You two go on. I�ve got important hero-stuff, I
have to do.�

�Thanks, Joxer.
We�ll see you later, okay? Come on, Gabrielle. Goodbye, Joxer.�

�Goodbye, Xena.
Goodbye, Gabrielle.�

�Goodbye, Joxer,�
the bard shouted, as Joxer ran of into the world; his armor clanging, like a
bell-tower at noon.

�So, did you have
any trouble rescuing Philemon?�

�Nothing, I
couldn�t handle. What about you? Why was Joxer so down?�

�Well, it all
began, when Joxer met Aphrodite and-� Gabrielle�s story was cut short by a
large lightning bolt ripping the sky, and the thundering roar that followed.

�We�d better find
some shelter. And soon,� Xena said, mounting Argo and dragging Gabrielle up
behind her. They headed towards, what looked like a cave.

Not again, Xena thought, as they entered the dark place, just as the rain
started to pour. She completely missed the silver arrow, carved next to the
entrance.

�Good thing, we
made it,� Gabrielle said, looking around. �Xena, look!� She rushed over to the
far wall of the cave, where large piles of dry wood lay scattered about.

Unseen by the
bard, Xena once again bowed her head in silent thanks to the Goddess.

They were
enjoying a quiet meal, consisting of a large rabbit, which had mysteriously
decided to stumble into the cave, while each contemplated, how to broach the
subject of their true feelings.

�So...� Xena
said.

�So...�

�So... what
happened with Joxer? You mentioned something about Aphrodite?�

Gabrielle took
out some parchment and a quill. �Oh, yeah. It was really strange. You see, it
all started with this bet...� The bard became totally engrossed in her story,
taking notes for future reference, as she was telling it.

Xena laughed out
loud more than once, but all of a sudden, she went quiet.

Gabrielle was so
lost in her tale, that she didn�t take notice of it, until she reached the end
of her story and discovered, that Xena didn�t join in her merriment. She looked
up and saw the warrior stand at the far wall of the cave; her head bowed down,
her right hand on the wall, her left at her side, balled up like a fist.

Gabrielle rose
and went over to her friend. �Xena? Xena, what�s wrong? Are you feeling all
right?�

�I�m fine,
Gabrielle,� the raven-haired woman answered through gritted teeth. �Go back to
the fire!�

�No. Xena, tell
me what�s wrong,� the bard said and put her hand on Xena�s shoulder.

Xena quickly
shrugged it off, not turning around, not seeing the hurt look on the bard�s
face, although she knew it to be there.

Gabrielle just
stood there for a moment, trying to keep her tears at bay. �Xena, please, talk
to me.�

Silence reigned
for a few moments. Then...

�You felt
something...� Xena mumbled under her breath.

�What?�

�You felt
something? Joxer kissed you, and you felt something?!� the warrior shouted into
the wall.

�Well, yeah,
but... but... he was under Aphrodite�s spell. I mean, come on, Xena, this is
Joxer, we�re talking about!�

�Yeah, well, when
I kissed you, you didn�t even bother to mention it afterwards! Or
maybe, it didn�t count, �cause I was �dead�. Or... or maybe, you were just
kissing Autolycus and not me, huh?!�

Realization hit
Gabrielle like a bucket of ice-water. �Xena? Xena, look at me,� she said
quietly. She put her hand on Xena�s shoulder again and turned her around. �Xena,
when you kissed me that time, it was the most beautiful thing, I�ve ever felt
in my entire life. I will never forget it. I have never felt so safe, than
right there with you.�

�I love you, Gabrielle. I�ve loved you from the
moment, we first met. I... I-I... �I long to kiss you, to taste your lips, to
smell your skin, to run my hands all over your strong body, to look into your
eyes and let you see my desire for you... To make love to you forever and ever!
To hold you and never let you go�.�

�Xena, isn�t
that...?�

�Yes, Gabrielle.
I found your scroll,� the warrior said, her voice breaking, tears starting to
flood her cerulean eyes. �You don�t know, how many times, I�ve thought about
telling you, how I really feel, but I was scared, Gabrielle. I�ve never felt
this way about anyone before, and I couldn�t imagine, what you would ever want
with someone like me. Someone, who has brought so much pain and suffering upon
the world. I... I couldn�t risk endangering our friendship; couldn�t risk
loosing you. I love
you, Gabrielle. You hold my heart in your hands. I am
at your mercy.�

Xena fell to her
knees, her head bowed down, her eyes closed, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Gabrielle dropped
down in front of the warrior and put her hand under her chin, gently lifting
her head up and looking into the warrior�s eyes. �I love you too, Xena. I
always have, and I always will.�

�Then, why...?� Xena
took a deep breath, trying to gather up the courage to ask a question, she
wasn�t sure, she wanted answered. �Why... why did you marry Perdicus?� she said
quietly, her voice barely a whisper.

�Xena, I...�

�You loved him,
didn�t you?�

�I... Well, kind
of, I...� Gabrielle stammered, then took a deep breath. �Yeah, I guess, I did
love him in some way, but that�s not, why I married him.�

�Wha... what do
you mean?�

�I think... I
think, I married him, because I was afraid. Xena, I had all these feelings for
you, which I didn�t know, how to handle. You see, back home in Poteidaia, I was
raised to believe that love between two women was something to look down upon,
something to feel ashamed about, and when I met you, I... it just... I don�t
know, I just couldn�t get it to fit, with what I had always been taught up to
believe. And then Perdicus came along and... Well, we travel around all over
Greece, going up against warlords and murderers, fighting injustice, and I
guess, I just wanted to experience something that felt a little more... uh... well...
normal.

�That all
changed, when you died. Xena, loving you doesn�t scare me anymore, but making
love to you did, and still does. I assumed that you�d been with other women
before, and my inexperience embarrassed me. I didn�t want to do something wrong
and have you laugh at me. At least with Perdicus, I had a pretty good idea, of
what I was getting myself into.�

�Gabrielle, while
it�s true, that I have been with other women before, please believe me when I
say, that I would never hurt you or laugh at you or anything like that.�

�I know that now,
Xena, but at the time...� the bard said, as tears started rolling down her
cheeks.

�Hey, it�s okay,
Gabrielle. It doesn�t matter anymore. It�s in the past. I just want to be with
you right now. Now and forever.�

�I love you,
Xena.�

�I love you too,
Gabrielle.�

They both leaned
forward to share a kiss, both looking into the other�s eyes. They saw a
reflection of themselves there, of the love, passion and desire, they both
felt. Their lips met, softly. They stayed like that for a moment, oblivious to
the world beyond, then leaned back again and looked at each other.

Xena stood up and
held her hand out to Gabrielle. �Come, my love...�

They went over to
the fire, never breaking eye contact. Xena gathered Gabrielle up in her arms
and laid her, ever so gently, down on their bedrolls. They stared at each other
and saw in each other�s faces, the kind of undying love, that only comes along
once in a generation. The warrior laid herself on top of Gabrielle, being very
careful not to hurt her.

�I want you so
much, Gabrielle.�

�I want you, too,
Xena, but I...�

�Hey, it�s okay.
You can tell me.�

�I... I�m scared,
Xena. I forgot to tell you this before, but... well, Perdicus and I... I mean,
we never... ah, that is to say, I never... uhm...�

�You�re still a
virgin?!�

�I... Yes.�

�But... but you
just said...?�

�I said, I had wanted
to experience it, not that I actually had.�

�But why?�

�You. I loved you
too much, Xena. I couldn�t go through with it. Perdicus didn�t say anything,
but I think, he knew... had known from the start, that my heart belonged to
another, and that I could never give myself to anyone else.� A single tear ran
down the side of the bard�s face.

�Oh,
Gabrielle...� Xena said and leaned forward. She stuck her tongue out and licked
the salty bead from the bard�s cheek. Then, she leaned in and they kissed again,
slowly at first, then more passionately.

Xena steeled
herself, letting the bard set the pace, not wanting to rush her. Her heart
jumped, as Gabrielle�s tongue timidly sought entrance, and both moaned, as
their muscles wrestled for superiority; tentatively, at first, then their
passion built and they stole each other�s breath away. The kiss seemed to last
an eternity. They both gasped for air, when their lips broke their tender
embrace.

Xena looked down
at her beloved bard. �Gabrielle, I want you to know, that we can stop, anytime
you want. Just say the word. You don�t have to explain. I�ll understand. I
could never hurt you.�

Gabrielle looked
up and saw the love in Xena�s eyes. In response, she pulled her warrior down
for another breathtaking kiss. Her hands moved up to intertwine themselves the
warrior�s raven hair, while Xena�s hands began to gently stroke the bard�s
sides. The hands moved down over the ribs and inwards, towards the laces that
held Gabrielle�s green top together.

Xena lifted her
head and asked: �Gabrielle, may I...?�

The bard simply
nodded, too caught up in the moment to speak.

Xena began to
slowly undo the lace, drawing it out, trying to make it last as long, as
possible, but Gabrielle wasn�t as patient. She brought her hands down and
grabbed the warrior�s wrists, moving them apart, pulling at the lace. The top
came undone, exposing the bard�s perfect breasts, the nipples already
stiffened.

Xena
unconsciously licked her lips, as the two orbs became visible. �By the Gods,
you are beautiful!� She couldn�t wait any longer. She slid down the bard a bit
and flicked her tongue gently across Gabrielle�s right nipple.

Gabrielle inhaled
sharply and arched her back at the sensation, bringing the nipple closer to
Xena�s hungry mouth.

Xena didn�t waste
any time. She lowered her head to the bard�s chest, captured her breast with
her hand and closed her mouth around the nipple. Neither could contain a deep
moan, as contact was made.

Gabrielle arched
her back even further, and Xena seized the opportunity to capture her lover�s
other nipple between the callused fingers of her left hand. She gently started
to tweak it, once in a while pausing to flick at it with her tongue,
alternating between each breast. While she sucked on one, she gently rolled,
pulled and massaged the other.

Gabrielle moaned
deeply and began to move her hands around the warrior�s leather-clad back. �Xena...?�
she whispered.

Xena immediately
looked up and removed her hands, concern furrowing her brow. �Is something
wrong? Do you want to stop?�

�No, but... I can�t touch you, Xena. I need to touch you!�

The warrior
smiled and sat back on her heels. She began to unhook the straps of her leather
tunic, but was halted by Gabrielle.

�No, let me,� she
husked.

The bard sat up and began to undress her lover. First one strap, then the other;
ever so slowly, until Xena�s full mounds were exposed to the bard�s hungry eyes
and equally hungry mouth. Gabrielle leaned forward and carefully took a nipple
between her lips, reveling in the feel and taste of her Warrior Princess.

Xena couldn�t
help a moan escaping her lips, as her bard started to gently suck the erect
teat. �Oh, Gods,
Gabrielle... Mmm... HIH!� She inhaled sharply, as the
bard, on a whim, ever so slightly raked her teeth across the stiff bud.

Gabrielle looked
up for confirmation and was rewarded with the sight of her warrior�s face, her
lids half-closed, her mouth open, desire burning in her eyes. �I take it, you
like that, huh?� the bard said with a wry smile.

�Oh, yes... Mmm,
keep going,� Xena said, reveling in the touch of the woman, she loved.

Gabrielle lowered
her mouth to Xena�s breast again, gently suckling, nibbling, sucking at the
woman, who meant everything to her.

Xena could feel
her heart pounding, as the bard continued her relentless attack on her bosom.
She moaned deeply and felt her juices trickle from her throbbing sex. Her
breathing became ragged, as Gabrielle increased the pace.

But the warrior
wasn�t about to let Gabrielle do all the work. Her hands moving to the bard�s
shoulders, she finished removing the strawberry-blonde�s top, then, quickly
succeeding in her task, Xena�s hands came up to cradle Gabrielle�s face and
gently pull her away from her chest, gently laying her down again. She planted
a trail of kisses down between Gabrielle�s breasts, ending just above the rim
her short skirt. She looked up at the bard, who nodded gently.

Xena slowly
removed the belt that held it in place and proceeded to slide the skirt down
Gabrielle�s legs. The warrior then kissed and licked her way up the bard�s
inner thighs, causing Gabrielle to shudder. The raven-haired woman placed a
finger inside the rim of the bard�s breeches. Looking into her lover�s eyes,
she slowly removed the last obstacle in her way. Xena softly kissed the bard�s
golden curls, before moving down, inhaling the scent of her woman. Gabrielle
shuddered and arched her back slightly.

�Mmm...� She
kissed the bard�s outer lips, causing Gabrielle to arch her back further.

�Gods, Xena... more...
keep going...�

�Whatever you
say, my love.� Xena placed her thumbs on the bard�s outer lips and pulled
gently, exposing the nub that she knew would bring Gabrielle pleasure. She
flattened her tongue and lapped at her.

Gabrielle moaned
deeply and started bucking her hips. Xena continued to slowly lick her lover,
sometimes stopping to flick at Gabrielle�s little bundle of nerves, causing the
bard to jerk violently, trying to find release.

�Mmm, you taste
soooo goooood, my love.�

�Aah... Xena... I
want... I need... ungh...�

Xena started to
gently rub Gabrielle�s clit, causing the bard to press her sex against the warrior�s
already slick fingers. She increased the pace and pressure, as the bard�s hips
started to buck furiously.

Xena matched her
lover�s speed, and just before the bard came, she stuck her tongue deep into
the bard�s core, sending Gabrielle plunging over the edge.

�Oh... Oh,
Gods... Xena... Oh... XEEE... AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH...�

Xena kept licking
and stroking, drawing out her bard�s orgasm. Only when she felt Gabrielle
coming down, did she stop, quickly sliding up, cradling the young woman in her
arms. She brushed a few sweat-soaked strands of hair back from the woman�s
face. �Shh, it�s okay,
Gabrielle. I�m here, and I�m never gonna leave you.�

�Oh, Xena, I love
you so much�

�I love you too,
Gabrielle. I love you too.�

Xena continued to
stroke the bard�s hair, whispering sweet terms of endearment in her ear, while
gently rocking the bard to sleep. She continued a little while longer after
that, simply because she could, free of fear or trepidation, before joining her
lover in the arms of Morpheus; her last thought, that Gabrielle had indeed
cried out her name that night...

*****

Chapter Five

Gabrielle awoke a
few candle marks later, to the feeling of Xena gently sucking on her nipple. �Mmm,
I could get used to waking up like this,� she said and yawned.

�Do you want to
sleep some more? There�s no rush.�

�Oh, no. I�m
awake.�

They could to
hear birds singing happily outside the cave. A look confirmed that it had
stopped raining.

�Good morning, my
love,� Xena said, drawing the bard in for a deep, passionate kiss.

�Hmm, good
morning, Xena.� Gabrielle yawned and stretched. Her stomach rumbled. �Mmm, I�m hungry.�

The warrior
chuckled. �When are you not hungry?�

�Ha, ha, very
funny. I�ll have you know, that I don�t really eat that much!� the bard
replied with a pouty smile.

�Compared to
what? A giant?� Xena teased, receiving a gentle shot to the ribs.

�Just for that, you
have to go get us breakfast.� Gabrielle looked out at the sun. �Or should I say
lunch? I didn�t realize it was so late in the day.�

�Neither did I.
Gabrielle?�

�Hm?�

�Any... any
regrets?� Xena asked, her lower lip trembling slightly.

Gabrielle raised
her arms and drew the warrior in for a kiss, putting as much love in it, as
possible. �None. Except, I wish, we�d done this sooner.�

�I know. After
last night, I can�t understand, why I was so afraid to tell you, how I feel. I love you, Gabrielle.�

�I love you too,
Xena.� The bard�s stomach chose that moment to once again make itself known. �But
right now, I need to eat!�

�Okay, okay,
love-of-my-life. There�s a stream to the east, not far from here. I�ll catch us
something to eat, you pack up our stuff and bring Argo. Okay?�

�Okay, my big,
dumb warrior.�

�Anything particular,
you want to eat?�

�How about
salmon?�

�Wrong season,
Gabrielle, which you very well know,� the warrior said with an angry/playful
expression on her face.

�Then how
about... uhm... eel?�

�Well,
remembering your reaction, the last time, I brought you that, I�ll see, what I
can do.� A big smile curved her lips. �I�ll definitely have to see, what
I can do...� With that, she got up and got dressed, kissed Gabrielle and then
left for the stream, while the bard packed up their belongings, humming a happy
tune, as she worked.

*****

Gabrielle found
her lover lying lazily next to the stream beside a small fire. She immediately
noticed a rolled up package of leaves, just sticking out from under some
red-hot embers. The bard smiled and laid herself next to the warrior. �You
spoil me, Xena,� she said, nodding toward the package.

�I love you,
Gabrielle� Xena said and propped herself up on one elbow. �You know, I�m no
good with words, so if spoiling you like this, is what it takes to show you,
how much I love you and retain your love for me, I consider it a small price to
pay.�

Gabrielle turned
to look at Xena. �Xena, you don�t have to do anything to �retain my love�. You
are the keeper of my heart, now and forever. No matter what happens, we�ll
always have each other...� The bard paused, then asked, �Won�t we?�

�Of course, we
will, Gabrielle. I will always love you. Don�t you know that by know?�

�Yeah, I do. I
just wanted to hear you say it. Oh, and just because you don�t have to
spoil me, doesn�t mean, you shouldn�t,� the bard grinned.

�Why, you
little...� Xena grinned and ruffled the blond woman�s hair. �Hm, your hair
seems a bit tangled. What do you say we take a nice, long dip in the stream?
I�ll wash your hair and then braid it for you. How�s that sound?�

�Well, what can I
say, other than... LAST ONE IN IS A SON OF A BACCHAE!� Gabrielle shouted, as
she jumped to her feet and ran towards the water, shedding her clothes along
the way.

Xena stood up and
enjoyed the sight for a moment, before she also took of for the water.

�Ha, ha, I beat
you!� Gabrielle shouted, splashing water in Xena�s direction.

�First of all,
you cheated. Second, you�d better watch it, or I�ll have to use my many skills
on you!� Xena answered with a splash of her own.

�Is that a
promise?� Gabrielle yelled back.

�Maybe. That
depends,� Xena said and settled in the cool stream.

�On what?� the
bard queried, as she too settled down.

�On what, I get
in return,� Xena said, chuckling.

�Oh. Well, I�ll
have to think about that,� the bard responded, a wicked expression settling on
her beautiful face.

The warrior
gulped hard. What had she gotten herself into? �Do you want me to wash your
hair now,� she asked, in hope of changing the subject.

�Uhm, yeah,
sure,� the bard answered absently, her mind racing with hundreds of fantasies.

Xena moved behind
the bard and cupped some water in her hands. When she let it run down over her
naked lover, Gabrielle was unable to suppress a shudder. Then it hit her. She
didn�t have to suppress anything anymore! She turned around to face her
newfound love, her eyes burning with desire.

Xena recognized
the look in her lover�s eyes. It was mirrored in her own. Taking a deep breath,
however, she put her hands on Gabrielle�s shoulders and gently nudged her
around. �First the hair...�

The bard let out
an exaggerated sigh of disappointment and laid her head back a little, to allow
the warrior better access.

Xena started to
carefully separate the entangled strands of hair, a little bit at a time. She
tried to be as gentle, as possible, not wanting to hurt her love.

Gabrielle lost
herself in the touch of her best friend. She loved it, when Xena would wash her
hair. It never ceased to amaze her, how someone so strong and powerful, could
be so gentle and loving. She was ripped from her thoughts, as Xena proclaimed
to be finished.

�Come on. I�ll
braid your hair after you�ve dried it.�

The warrior
started to move towards the shore. Gabrielle couldn�t keep her eyes from her
lover�s oh-so-perfect body and stared shamelessly at her.

Xena felt the
burrowing eyes of her bard and smiled happily. �You coming?� she called.

Gabrielle broke
from her fantasies and started towards the fire, mumbling under her breath, �I
plan to...� As she got to the shore, she knew exactly, what she would give the
warrior.

After Xena had
braided Gabrielle�s hair, they ate in silence, sitting up against some rocks opposite
each other. They hadn�t bothered to put their clothes back on, both confident
that the warrior�s keen hearing, would pick it up well in time, if anybody
approached the camp. Besides, they couldn�t get enough of looking at each
other!

Neither noticed
the food or how it tasted. They just sat and stared at each other, and Xena
could tell that the bard was up to something, but she couldn�t figure out what.

�Dinar for your
thoughts,� Xena said. When she didn�t get an answer, she repeated the question a
little louder. �Gabrielle? Dinar for your thoughts?�

Gabrielle still
didn�t answer. Instead, she put her plate down, walked over to the warrior and
put her hand out. Xena put her own plate down and took the hand.

Gabrielle led her
over to their bedrolls, laying next to the fire. She beckoned the warrior to
lie down and laid herself beside her. �I want you to show me some of your many
skills,� the bard husked and gently kissed Xena�s neck. �And I�ve figured out,
what to give you in return.�

�G... Gabrielle, I... I was only joking. You... mmm...
you don�t have to give me anything.�

�But I want to,
Xena.� She leaned over and put her mouth close to the warrior�s ear. �I love
you so much,� she whispered, nibbling Xena�s earlobe. �My virginity, Xena. I
want you to be my first. That is my gift to you.�

Xena breathed
deeply. Had she been standing up, despite her tall frame, her jaw would have
literally hit the floor. �Are... are you sure, Gabrielle? I mean, it�s... it�s
not something, you can ever get back.�

�I know. That�s
why I�m giving it to you, and only you, my warrior.� Gabrielle bent her head
down and softly kissed her lover.

�I love you so
much, Gabrielle,� Xena whispered and rolled the bard over on her back.

They kissed
deeply. Gabrielle�s hands were all over her lover�s back, while Xena let her
hands travel down to cup Gabrielle�s breasts, grabbing them, squeezing them
gently. She brought her hands closer together, her fingers seeking out her
bard�s erect nipples.

Gabrielle arched
her back at the exquisite feel of Xena�s callused fingers gently massaging her
pinkish teats.

�Are you sure
about this, Gabrielle?� Xena mumbled between kisses.

Gabrielle
answered by bringing her hands up to the warrior�s shoulders and gently
pressing down, urging Xena to travel further south.

Xena was happy to
comply, as she slid down her lover, until her head was level with Gabrielle�s
soft mounds. Gabrielle�s skin was flushed with heat and she shuddered and
moaned, when Xena blew cold air at her nipples, making them stand out even
more.

�Xenaaa...�

Xena smiled, as
she captured one of the hard buds between her lips, flicking her tongue over
it, while her right hand continued it�s assault on the other nipple.

�Uhh... oh...�
Gabrielle moaned, as her pelvis started to slowly gyrate.

Xena felt the
vibrations coursing through her love�s body and headed downwards. As her mouth
left Gabrielle�s breast, the bard lifted her head.

�Wha...? Ooh...�
she sighed and put her head back down, as Xena planted a trail of wet kisses
down the woman�s abdomen, her hands traveling along the bard�s sides.

Xena stopped just
above Gabrielle�s sex, burying her face in the damp, golden curls; inhaling the
scent that was the woman, she loved. �Mmm, I love the way you smell, my beloved
bard.� She swept her right hand through the woman�s pubic hair and down the
length of her sex, brushing slightly against Gabrielle�s clit. Gabrielle
moaned, as she looked down to see Xena bring her finger up to the bard�s mouth,
a single drop of fluid dangling from it. She raised her head and captured the
digit in her mouth, gently sucking it, tasting herself on her woman.

�I... mmm... I taste
good, too,� Gabrielle exclaimed wickedly.

Xena flattened
her tongue and slowly ran it up the woman�s labia. Gabrielle shuddered and
dropped her head back down. �Yes, you do, my love.�

Xena continuing
her oral ministrations, it didn�t take long before the bard started to move her
hips more vigorously, pushing against Xena tongue, urging it go inside. Xena
continued to lap up the sweet nectar, flowing from inside the bard. She wanted
to move on, but didn�t want to rush this, either. Finally, she gave in to
Gabrielle�s hips and pushed her tongue deep inside the bard�s throbbing sex.

Gabrielle arched
her back, almost bringing herself up to a sitting position and cried out, as
the warrior darted her tongue rapidly in and out of the woman. �Aah... Xe...
Xena... Gods... please... don�t... don�t stop... Oh...!� she yelled, before
falling back on the bedroll.

Xena continued to
lick the bard, while she placed her left thumb against the bard�s erect bundle
of nerves and started rubbing it slowly. She gradually increased the pace, as
she felt Gabrielle near her climax, but just before that happened, the warrior
slowed down again, almost stopping, eliciting groans of disappointment from the
bard.

�Xe... Xena,
what... what are you doing? Don�t... don�t sto- Aah...� The bard was halted
mid-sentence, as Xena wrapped her lips around the blond woman�s clit and sucked
hard.

So that�s how
you get her to be quiet, the warrior mused. I
must remember that.

�Oh, Xe...
Xena... please... I... I need you... Oh, Gods... To take... take me... now...
Please...� Gabrielle begged.

�Shh, trust me,
Gabrielle,� the warrior exclaimed, as she once again brought the pace up a
notch. She repeated the pattern several times, bringing Gabrielle right to the
edge, then yanking her back. It didn�t take long, before Gabrielle�s hips were
bucking so wildly, that Xena had trouble keeping her mouth on the woman.

�Xena. Xena,
stop. Please, stop,� the bard panted.

Xena immediately
brought her head up to look at the bard. �What�s wrong, Gabrielle? Did I hurt
you?� the warrior asked with a frightened look on her face.

�No. No, it�s not
that,� the bard said, trying to catch her breath. �I just... I can�t stand just
lying here anymore. I want... No, I need to taste you. Please.�

�Anything for
you, my bard.� Xena tried, but couldn�t quite keep a note of disappointment out
of her voice, as she crawled up to lay next to the bard. She wasn�t finished
yet, dammit!

�Wait, no, that�s
not what I meant,� the bard said.

Xena looked at
her quizzically.

�Here, turn
around.� Gabrielle put her hands on the warrior�s shoulders and gently tried to
nudge her around. Then Xena understood.

My, my, I
wonder, where she learned that? Xena thought, as
she turned around and lifted her right leg over the bard, straddling her young
lover. She quickly brought her mouth down upon her lover�s sex once again,
while the bard took her time, slowly exploring this, to her, new and unmarked
territory.

Gabrielle wrapped
her arms around the warrior�s hips, as Xena lowered herself down, until she was
gazing at the opening of her lover�s entrance. The bard lapped cautiously at her
warrior�s sex, already dripping with moisture; then, deciding she liked the
taste, she started licking more enthusiastically, soliciting deep moans from
between her own legs. Wanting to hear more of that, she brought her right hand
around and placed a finger at Xena�s opening.

�Oh, yes,
Gabrielle. Do it!� the warrior said and gasped, when Gabrielle slid her finger
in deeply. �Aah, yes. Please, Gabrielle. More! Oh, Gods!�

Gabrielle slid in
a second finger, then a third, and started to move them quickly back and forth.
Xena started to lick faster, rubbing her thumb across the bard�s hard nub. Both
women moaned and groaned, as both picked up the pace.

Gabrielle could
feel Xena�s muscles tighten around her fingers and realized, that the warrior
was getting close. She made a quick decision and put her left index finger in
her mouth to lubricate it. Then, just as Xena was reaching her climax, she
placed the finger at the entrance to Xena�s anus and plunged it deep inside of
her, sending the warrior screaming over the edge.

�GABRIEEEEEEEEELLLEEE!�

Xena�s hips
bucked wildly, and she almost passed out from the exquisite feeling of release,
washing over her. She managed to hold on to reality, however, and with
Gabrielle�s fingers still inside of her, she started to rub and lick her
lover�s pulsating sex at a furious pace.

Gabrielle�s hips
trashed around, and the warrior had to use both her hands to keep her mouth on
the bard�s clit. The bard started to move her fingers again, sending Xena on an
upwardly winding spiral of ecstasy.

Xena felt
Gabrielle near her peak and placed two fingers just outside the bard�s coral
opening. As she neared her own climax again, she plunged her fingers deep
inside her golden-haired lover and claimed her once-in-a-lifetime prize.

Gabrielle felt a
short stab of pain and cried out, but it quickly subsided, as Xena started to
move her fingers in and out. When her lover brought them almost completely out,
then added a third finger, only to bring them right back in, it was all over
for the bard.

They both came
together, screaming each other�s names at the top of their lungs. The ground
vibrated under them, and all over the land, small earthquakes would occur,
where none had ever been experienced before.

As wave after
wave of pleasure washed over them both, Xena used her last ounce of energy, to
get off her lover and lie down next to her. Nothing was said for a while, as
both women tried to catch their breath. Then, for once, it was Xena, who first
spoke.

�Gab... Gabrielle?� *Huff!* Xena took a deep breath
in an effort to gain control of her body again.

�Yeah...?�

�Are you okay?�

�I... I�m not
sure. Are we dead?�

The warrior chuckled.
�We might be, I�m not sure, but if this is what the Elysian Fields are like, I
don�t really care.�

�I second that.�

Several moments
passed, as both women tried to calm down.

�Gabrielle?�

�Yeah?�

�Where did you
pick up those moves?�

�Why? Did I do
something wrong?� the bard asked nervously.

Xena rolled over
and hugged the bard. �After this, how can you even ask? I have never... ever,
felt anything that comes even remotely close to that!�

�So you liked it,
huh? I was hoping, you might. I mean, when Ephiny showed me- �

�Ephiny?!�

�Yeah, she showed
me-�

�Ephiny showed
you, how to...? That bitch! I�ll kill her for this!� Xena started to get up,
her exhaustion forgotten, a murderous look in her eyes at the thought of their
so-called friend taking advantage of her sweet, trusting bard.

�Wha...?�
Gabrielle was confused at first, then it dawned on her, what the warrior was thinking.
�Oh! Oh, no, Xena. That�s not what I meant.� She clasped her lover�s hand and
dragged her back down.

�Then, what?�
Xena asked, refusing to meet her lover�s eyes.

�Xena, I didn�t
know, what to do. Xena, look at me. Please!� Gabrielle begged the warrior,
putting her hand on her shoulder, trying to get her to turn around.

After a bit of
coaxing, Xena turned to see the bard look at her with equal parts amusement and
love.

�It was after we
kissed, Xena. I was so confused. You were dead, and I was transporting your
body back to Amphipolis. Then, all of a sudden, I was in the middle of a war
for the title of Amazon Queen. I had accepted the title, when the guards caught
Autolycus trying to steal your body, with some story about you being in his
body. I didn�t believe him, until I saw him do things, that only you, or
possibly Ca- one other person in the world, could do.

�He rode of with
your body, and I followed him. I saw you take control of him, I closed my eyes
and... Puff! There you were. Right there in front of me. We didn�t talk much,
in fact, I can�t even remember, what I said, and then you kissed me, and I
remember feeling a sort of tranquility drape over me, like a blanket. I knew
then, that somehow, I had to let you know, how I really felt.�

�And Ephiny?�

�I told her about, how I felt about you,
and how nervous I was at the prospect of making love to you. I wanted more than
anything to make you feel, how much I loved you.�

�Gabrielle, even if we never made love, I
would have been happy just to have you in my life.�

Gabrielle smiled. �I know that now, but at
the time... Anyway, I told Eph and she showed me...� The bard trailed of, a
mischievous glint in her eyes. �The library!� she exclaimed, giggling.

Xena looked perplexed. �The library? What�s
so special about that?�

Gabrielle calmed down and explained. �In
the back of the Royal Amazonian Library, there�s a display of drapes with all
kinds of coat-of-arms and such.�

�Yeah, and?�

�Well, behind the one bearing the symbols
of Queen Hippolyta, there�s a secret passage going down to an underground room.
That�s where the adult section is located.�

It dawned on the warrior, what Gabrielle
was talking about. �You mean...�

�Yep. Scroll after scroll after scroll; all
dedicated to the art of lovemaking between women.�

�Oh. So Ephiny never...?�

�Never. I�ve only
ever wanted you. When you came back, after...� Gabrielle�s voice trembled
slightly at the memory of that terrible time.

Xena gathered her
love in her arms. �Shh, it�s alright. I�m here now, and I�m not going
anywhere.�

After a few
moments, the bard had calmed enough to finish her tale. �Thank you, Xena. Well,
I wanted to tell you, but I wanted to wait for the perfect time, the perfect
place... and the perfect words. That�s what the scroll you found, was all
about. I don�t know, how many draughts, I went through, before settling for
that one. Those were the words, I had planned to recite to you, when that
perfect moment arrived. But it never did. And the more, I postponed it, the
more, I lost my nerve. I�m sorry.�

�No, hey, it�s
okay, Gabrielle. Maybe you didn�t get to recite your scroll to me in person,
but I felt you there, when I read it. And it was beautiful, my love. You�re
sorry for not telling me, but you�re wrong; you did tell me.

�You are a bard, Gabrielle,
the best in the world, I might add, and you used the tools you possess to let
me know, what was going on. I think, that if either of us had had to actually
say it without any precedence, there�s a good chance, it would never have come
out. Not before it was too late, anyway.�

The two hugged tenderly,
and Gabrielle snuggled up to her warrior. They lay in silence, just watching
the clouds roll by.

�Xena?�

�Hmm?�

�How did you come
to read that scroll?�

�What?�

�Well, you still
haven�t told me, what happened, while you were away.�

�I�m afraid, that�ll
have to wait,� Xena husked and rolled towards the bard. �Because right now, I�m
more interested in finding out, what else, you picked up from the Amazons!�

Xena put her lips
to the bard�s, and they soon lost themselves in each other, the outside world
quickly fading away...

*****

Artemis smiled
down upon them from her chamber on Mt. Olympus.

�You did good,
sis,� Aphrodite said, as she joined her sister at the scrying bowl.

�I couldn�t have
done it without you, dear sister,� said Artemis and put her arm around the Goddess
of Love, giving her a gentle squeeze and a kiss on the cheek.

�Oh, by the way,
thanks for the lightning, dad,� the Goddess of the Hunt said, as a bright flash
of light announced the arrival of Zeus.

�My pleasure,�
the King of the Gods said with a smile.

The three were
soon joined by most of the other Gods, all coming together to gaze at the
perfect love beneath them; even Hades poked his head up to see, what was going
on.

Only Ares was
absent. He sat in his chamber on a throne of blood-covered skulls, and couldn�t
help shedding a single tear that fell to the ground and burned like acid,
knowing that perhaps, he had lost his star pupil forever.

It didn�t take
long, however, before his sick, twisted mind began to formulate new plans to
get his former Chosen back...

The end (and the
beginning...)
- 1
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The Secret Scroll

Chapter One