Standard Legal Stuff: Xena and Xena: Warrior Princess are registered trademarks of MCA. The characters of Xena and Gabrielle are the sole property of MCA. This story is not meant as an infringement of any copyright, and is not written with the intent of sale or profit. The rest of the story is copyright 2000 by Bracer, and may not be duplicated without credit to its author. If you hate it, blame me, yadda yadda yadda.

Violence: Well, yes, there be violence here. It happens around Xena and Gabrielle. If you’re really squeamish, read something else.

Sex: As far as this story goes, Subtext is Maintext, so expect to read about two women who are very much in love, and have been for quite a while. You might also find some additional sexual activity between other partners of random genders -- I make no promises, nor any apologies. If that’s not what you want to read or you’re under 18, there’s lots of other wonderful fanfic out there, so stop reading now. Of course, if that is what you want to read, please enjoy yourself.

Xenaverse Timeline: I started this halfway between the end of season four and the beginning of season five. As season five went on, it was clear there was no way to make this "fit" with current events, so eventually I just decided not to bother trying. Consider this as taking place sometime after "Succession," then maybe happening as an alternative (ahem) to the rest of the season. So when you find no mention of Xena being pregnant, or that Amarice is still with the Greek Amazons, or that Yakut is very much alive, or the gods haven’t fallen -- well, that’s because as far as this story goes, none of that happened. Now, if you happen to get a few "echoes" of certain actual events from the show, well … it was an interesting exercise, and fun to write.

Other: Just to keep myself consistent, this does sort of follow up my previous story "As Long as Earth Endures." You don’t really have to have read it for this one to make sense, but a detail or two here and there might escape you. Also, gather supplies and settle in for the long haul: this is the first of a three part series, to be continued in "One Queen."

A warm spring day graced the land, exactly the kind of day that that invites you to do nothing at all except enjoy it. Which was, for the moment at least, exactly what they were doing.

Gabrielle breathed deeply facing the rising sun, seated in a half lotus, her mind clear, her spirit full. In a few moments she’d switch to a more strenuous position and start the meditation again, bringing herself back to stillness against the strain.

Aiden may have been an evil man, but the techniques he’d taught her hadn’t been. The evil was in the uses he’d put them to. Many things were like that, Gabrielle had found over the years. Whatever his intentions, the lessons had been powerful, and useful, and she found them a great comfort all the same. If life had taught her anything, it was that you had to find the good in everything.

Gabrielle inhaled, then exhaled slowly, deliberately. For most of her years she hadn’t considered herself a particularly spiritual person -- generally respectful of the gods, sure, more often than not ruled by her emotions, certainly, but she always came back to judging moral questions with her intellect. And in the end, that intellect had failed her. Her emotions ran too deep, she found, to be contained by reason alone. Yes, she’d kept herself fooled for a long time, slipping into a habit of rationalization, with disastrous results, and more times than she wanted to count.

Eventually, not long after deliberately letting a Roman leader, Crassus, be killed, she realized she had to find a new way. Making sure Crassus was executed hadn’t been a mistake, and even at the time, she’d felt the rightness of that decision in her bones. He’d crucified whole villages, and he’d do it again. No doubt there. Sometimes a festering limb had to be cut off.

But that didn’t mean she’d been comfortable with being responsible for ending his life. Funny thing about killing. You never erase what someone has done, only stop what they can do next … and you never know the future. People can change.

Finding her own way had often proven every bit as painful as realizing her own contradictions. But she’d had to try, and through all the pain and mistaken paths, certain things had, at last, become clear. Now rather than fight her emotions, or find clear cut reasons, she simply tried to understand them, to see things as part of a greater whole. And somewhere along the way, she had finally understood herself, and the life she shared.

Dying does that to a person, she reflected with a grin. It makes you see what’s important. Like love.

Gabrielle opened her eyes, gazing down on the clearing at the bottom of the hill. Xena was putting herself through a series of aerial drills, powerful legs sending her through the air in a precise set of twisting flips, then a short pause before starting again, every move graceful, powerful. Perfect. Respectful as always of Gabrielle’s meditation, Xena refrained from yelling out battle cries, but the look of sheer physical joy on her warrior’s face was clear even from a distance.

Gabrielle smiled and closed her eyes again, shifting to a full lotus, her breathing deep and even, clearing her mind, setting it adrift. A few memories surfaced and she let them float by, no longer the painful threat they once had been…

Lies. Betrayal. Death. Anger. Hate. A love so recently admitted, so soon torn apart.

Then, reconciliation. A fearful rebuilding of trust.

Fire and the end of the world. A vision of dying.

A search for answers to which they didn’t even have questions.

And that terrible, wonderful day after Satrina and Corinth, when memories of the past and visions of the future had frozen her companion in between. "No Xena," Gabrielle had said, her anger boiling over at last, beyond frustration with the walls that still separated them. "Get this through your head -- I will not leave you! Not after all we’ve been through! Not over some vision." She was practically screaming, every muscle taut as she stood over Xena, and for a long moment the warrior had just sat there on a fallen log, staring at the ground.

And then, the woman once proudly hailed as The Conqueror, The Destroyer of Nations, The Lion of Amphipolis, raised her raven head slowly, staring up at the only one, mortal or god, to whom she had given her heart. Xena trembled visibly, face written in an open vulnerability so deep, it was like looking into the ragged wound of her soul.

A silent tear spilled down a sculpted cheek, and in a voice so small the bard almost couldn’t hear the words, Xena said, "I can’t let you die again, Gabrielle … I can’t lose you. It’s worse … worse than any cross in Tartarus … I…" The warrior closed her eyes.

The bard couldn’t help smiling then, even as her own eyes brimmed over, all her anger draining away. She knelt before the warrior, lifting Xena’s chin, looking into those clear blue eyes, so clouded with fear, so wrenched by indecision, seeing the quiet desperation Gabrielle knew she alone was ever allowed to see. It swelled her heart suddenly, filled again with the simple knowledge that no matter what befell them, she was still, in all the world, the one person Xena trusted.

The one person Xena loved.

Gabrielle had lifted a gentle hand to her warrior’s cheek, brushing away the tears, and said, softly, "Oh Xena, you will never lose me. Ever." She moved in closer, until their faces were almost touching, whispering, "Don’t push me away Xena. Don’t make us give up everything we had, everything we still have … because of something that might be." She slowly straddled Xena’s lap, taking the warrior’s face in her hands, bringing their bodies so close nothing separated them, nearly inside each other’s skin.

Gabrielle was barely able to remember the last time they had shared this favorite, intimate embrace. More than a year -- not since Brittania, and Dahok.

Her voice barely above a whisper, her own tears falling, Gabrielle looked down into the eyes of her warrior, saying, "Because if there’s one thing I know with absolute certainty, it’s that I love you, Xena … There’s no one else for me, not in this life, or any other. ‘Even in death, I will never leave you,’ remember? Please remember, Xena." Kissing her warrior’s face, stroking warm skin and the frozen muscle underneath. "Please, remember…"

And the warrior had stared deep into her eyes, the both of them seeing the simple truth: They would rather die together than live apart…

Because that wouldn’t be a life at all.

"Gabrielle … gods. Please don’t leave me … I love you so much…"

Tearful, hesitant kisses. A gentle caress slowly leading to passion for the first time in far too long, seeking comfort in closeness, reassurance in intimacy.

Learning again what they already knew -- they had always had the love. A love that guided them through the uncertain times that followed. A love that proved stronger than death. Stronger than destiny. Beyond Heaven and Hell. A love that would last until the end of time.

Now in the present again, slowly, Gabrielle brought her consciousness back to herself, exhaling, taut muscles feeling the strain. As she opened her eyes she found Xena lying on her side a few feet away, propped up on one elbow, just watching. No surprise there.

"Go anywhere in particular?" the warrior asked. The eyebrow was up, but just a bit, almost by reflex. It was an honest question.

Gabrielle rolled her head around, sighing contentedly, settling on her own side and elbow, facing her warrior, smiling. "Nah. Here and there," the bard said, simply. "Mostly that day after Corinth, actually." She chuckled a bit, then added, warmly, "That was a good day."

Xena just nodded. "Yes, it was." The warrior lay her head down on her upper arm, reached out with her free hand to run it through her bard’s short hair. Gabrielle took the hand gently, kissed the palm, then held it against her face.

And for a time they just lay there, gazing into each other’s eyes, warmed by the sun and their own hearts. Not a word needed to be said. They were together, and always would be. Soulmates, through this life and all the others that would follow. Forever.

Which didn’t mean they wouldn’t, on occasion, be separated. Far to the south and east a storm of righteous hatred and holy war was building, and as is often the way of war, it would come at the worst time.

Night fell at the end of another long, terrible day. It would be a few hours yet before the village would finally quiet down, the sounds of the blacksmith’s hammer and the shuffling of sandaled feet made their way into the hut, muffled only slightly by the wooden shutters on the windows. The candles spread throughout the room remained unlit, and in the dim cool of the fading light, the young woman whom others knew as Queen of the Amazons sat in her chair, resting her head in her hands.

I can’t do this anymore, Chilapa thought, and not for the first time. Her people had never complained, she knew. Most of them were actually quite happy with her reign. She was patient, knew how to settle disputes with gentle words -- or harsh ones, if the situation warranted. She’d also successfully organized their defenses when Anza started acting up again to the south. The Queen of the Amazons had to be strong, after all.

But being strong, all day, every day, was tiring. The Nation -- or what’s left of it -- was alive and secure under her rule, but it wasn’t growing, and it certainly wasn’t thriving. And now…

Now there were complications beyond her worst fears, and the young woman had no idea how to handle it. She remembered some advice she’d been given once -- Just ask yourself, ‘What would Ephiny do?’ -- and mentally snorted. Ephiny had been a true Queen. In comparison, Chilapa considered herself a pretender.

The one ray of hope was being offered by Artemis herself, speaking through the High Priestess, Terisia: "Gabrielle must return."

Gabrielle would know what to do. Gabrielle would make things right. Gabrielle was the Queen the Amazons needed.

Artemis, my goddess, she offered in silent prayer, I’ve never asked you for anything before. As an Amazon I’m ashamed to do it now. But please, great Huntress, let Gabrielle be quick. I tried, I really did, and you have no idea how very, very sorry I am that I’m not up to it…

Xena and Gabrielle both looked up as they packed their belongings. Sharing a brief glance and a nod, they stood and waited, but without any particular concern. Whoever was approaching through the thin forest was making plenty of noise and doubtless didn’t intend any harm, but it paid to be cautious.

The man who stepped out of the brush was young and tall, with a lean, wiry build. He looked vaguely exhausted as he shrugged the numerous small packs slung across his back and shoulders, trying in apparent vain to get them settled more comfortably, but he smiled at the sight of them. "Oh, hi there! Sorry to interrupt like this, but I’m guessing you’re Xena and Gabrielle?"

"Who wants to know?" Xena replied evenly, crossing her arms, smiling back.

"Oh, gods … sorry! Forgot my manners. I’m Gareth, I’m a, well, a tracker of sorts. I find people," he said proudly. He held out his hand.

The warrior pointedly ignored it, though she still smiled. "Well, you found someone. Care to tell us why?"

He pulled back his hand and slapped himself on the forehead. "Ah … silly me! Sorry. We’re Grecian Express. I mean, I’m with Grecian Express. Actually, I’m sort of a sub-contractor … Well, never mind. Thing is, we deliver messages, guaranteed throughout greater Greece, with special rates for foreign lands and people like you who don’t have a, well, you know, a fixed address. Grecian Express, when it absolutely, positively has to be there in a week or less. We have offices in Athens, Sparta, Neopolis…"

Xena groaned audibly, turning away from him and closing her eyes. Chuckling, Gabrielle stepped around the warrior, patting a solid shoulder as she passed. "This has Salmoneus written all over it. Bet you a dinar?"

Xena opened her eyes, grinning. "No way."

"Wow," Gareth said, obviously surprised, "you know the chairman? I’ve never met him myself, but…"

Gabrielle couldn’t help the short laugh as she approached him. She waved him down. "So I guess you have a message for us?"

"Oh, yeah…" He fumbled around in the small case slung to one side, coming up with a square of folded parchment, sealed in wax with the words "Grecian Express" written on it in flowery script, beneath which was a listing of cities in tiny letters. "It’s for Xena though," he took a step towards the warrior, holding out the parchment along with a small scroll and quill. "Could you sign here, along with the date? Found you in five days, you’ll notice," he finished with a broad, self-satisfied grin.

With a sigh, the warrior complied with his request, taking the message. Gabrielle shook her head slightly, then asked, "Can we offer you anything? You look a little tired."

He wiped his brow. "No ma’am, but thank you, all part of the job. I have to get going -- gotta be in Antalus with another delivery by tomorrow or I lose my commission. There’s a stream over there though, could I refill my skins?"

Gabrielle suppressed another chuckle. "It doesn’t belong to us. Please, go ahead." She caught him by the shoulder. "And by the way, if you follow the stream, just west of here there’s a narrow pass through those hills that leads straight to Antalus. Should save you some time."

He let out a relieved sigh. "Oh gods that’s great. Thank you!"

"No problem," Gabrielle smiled. As he hurried off, the bard turned to Xena. The warrior was sitting at the base of a tree, a pained expression on her face. Instantly concerned, Gabrielle crossed over and knelt beside her. "Xena," she began gently, "what’s wrong?"

Without looking up, the warrior’s low voice trembled, "It’s Mother." With a shaking hand, she held the note out to her companion. "She’s sick." The warrior closed her eyes. "Gabrielle … she’s dying."

It was well into the night when the warrior and bard reached the outskirts of Amphipolis. It was all Xena could do to keep herself from spurring Argo to full gallop, but the mare was already dangerously exhausted after two days of riding almost non-stop, much of it double. A less loyal mount would have stopped already and refused to go another step.

When the inn finally came into view, Gabrielle could feel the tenseness in every muscle of the warrior’s body. "Xena," she said, quietly but firmly, "stop. Stop right here. Come on love, ease down … that’s it…"

The bard slipped out of the saddle, taking Xena’s arm as the warrior dismounted, blue eyes wide and fixed on the inn. The tall woman started to move forward, but Gabrielle held fast, saying gently, "Xena, wait. Hang on now. Your mother said she wasn’t that sick yet, and it won’t do any good for you to go in there looking ill yourself. Let’s just take a minute here, OK?"

Closing her eyes, Xena sighed, then nodded, leaning back against the mare’s flank, arms dropping to her sides. Gabrielle retrieved a cloth from the saddlebags along with a waterskin. She wet the cloth and carefully wiped the grime and dust of the road from her warrior’s exhausted face, then down her shoulders and arms, watching as the cool night air on damp skin helped ease her partner a little. Finally, Gabrielle gathered up the Xena’s wind tossed hair into a loose ponytail and secured it with a silver clasp.

Taking Xena’s face in her hands, Gabrielle brought their lips together warmly for a long moment, putting as much reassurance into the kiss as she could, letting her companion know she was there for her, then wrapped the taller woman gently in her arms, simply holding her, saying nothing. Gradually, a bit at a time, at least some of the tension in Xena’s body seemed to dissolve.

Running her hands lightly over Gabrielle’s back, the warrior took a breath. "Thank you," she whispered softly.

The bard pulled away slightly, running her thumbs along the warrior’s jaw. "Any time," she smiled. "Now, go on. I’ll see to Argo."

Xena blinked away a tear, but kissed Gabrielle once more, lightly, smiling back, touching their heads together. "I love you, you know."

The bard nodded. "I know," she breathed, still smiling lightly, "and I love you, Xena. Always." Then Gabrielle nodded towards the inn. "Go," she said, brushing past her companion, taking Argo’s reins and heading off slowly towards the stables.

The warrior sighed. Bless you, Gabrielle… She took another few seconds to collect herself, then strode towards the door.

The front tavern was dimly lit, the candles having burned low, although it was a bit of a surprise to find so many candles going at all, since the place was empty of customers at this hour.

Then Xena suppressed a gasp as she spotted Cyrene, sitting in a chair by one of the tables, a tray of dishes beside her. Her mother’s eyes were closed with her head lolled to one side, and for a long, terrible moment, Xena was seized by the thought she might have been… Too late. Please … gods no…

But as she crossed the room, the warrior noted with relief her mother’s slow, even breathing. Quietly, Xena knelt beside the chair, uncertain what to do. Then Cyrene’s eyes gradually opened.

"Xena," she whispered groggily, breaking into a grin. "Well, you got here fast. Figures … I guess this means I owe Salmoneus his bonus…" She chuckled, causing the warrior to smile as well, although Xena could feel the tears threatening.

"Fast as I could," Xena said softly.

Cyrene sat up a little straighter, rubbing her eyes. "Gods, must be after midnight. Didn’t mean to drift off like that." She gave a half grin and shrugged. "Happens sometimes these days."

Xena swallowed. "Mother, what … is it?"

Cyrene smiled and brushed her fingers through her daughter’s hair. "Nothing anyone can do anything about," she said matter-of-factly. Xena started to say something, but Cyrene cut her off with a wave. "Not now. Tomorrow," she said, raising an eyebrow. "It’s late, and I’ll bet you’re exhausted." The aging woman looked around, seemed puzzled. "And where’s Gabrielle?"

The warrior brushed her eyes absently. "The stables, taking care of Argo…"

Cyrene grunted with dissatisfaction. "And you let her do it too, didn’t you?" she scolded, waving an arm to indicate the room. "Xena, I’ve got a fully functioning inn here, you know? I’ll get Jed up. He’ll take care of Argo." She stood and stretched, groaning as her spine made an audible pop.

"Mother…" Xena began, standing as well.

Cyrene fixed her with a look. "Don’t you ‘Mother’ me. If you look like you could use a rest, poor Gabrielle must be dead on her feet. Jed handles the horses. It’s only his job and the gods know he loves doing it. You want to help? Take these dishes into the kitchen. I’ll get your room ready."

Xena chuckled in spite of herself. "Yes Mother," she said, as contritely as she could.

Jed came down the stairs just as Xena was returning from the kitchen. He smiled and unselfconsciously wrapped Xena up in his huge arms -- tall as she was, the warrior barely came up to his chest. "Xena! Xena!" he said happily.

"Good to see you too Jed," she smiled back as she disentangled herself from the gentle giant. Jed was the blacksmith’s son, and they’d grown up together. He’d always been big for his age, but his mind hadn’t grown with his body. Inside his head he remained a child, but he was all heart, with a special spot in it reserved just for Xena, his steady friend who often shielded him from the taunts and insults of other children.

She hadn’t seen him since… Well, since I left … after Cortese. But now he hugged her and grinned broadly as if all the years and changes since then didn’t even exist.

"I’m going to take care of your horse, OK?" he said brightly. "Real good care of him."

"Her," she corrected him gently, smiling back. "It’s a her, and her name’s Argo."

"Argo," he said slowly, then he beamed. "Like Jason’s ship!"

"Yeah," she replied, chuckling softly, although Argo wasn’t named for that. "Like Jason’s ship."

"Neat," he finished, then hurried out the door.

Xena sighed with a smile, shaking her head slightly as Cyrene came down the stairs. "He works for you now?" the warrior asked.

"Yeah." Her mother gave a wistful smile. "He and his sister both. Rita’s a fine cook, and Jed’s wonderful with animals, children too. Kids flock to him like a lodestone -- just one more reason it’s nice to have them around."

"Timon?" Xena asked, wondering about the blacksmith.

Cyrene sighed. "Well, their father lost his wits over the years. Just got worse after his wife passed on, must be ten years back. Most days he didn’t even know where he was. Anyway, one night this past winter he lit up his old forge again. No reason. Burned down the house and him with it -- could say he died with his shop. Jed got Rita out, and they could’ve built a new place I guess, but I knew I’d need some help by then so it was no trouble taking them in. It’s been a … good arrangement for all of us."

"Glad you were there for them," Xena said slowly. Then she thought about it for a moment. Mom knew she was ill this winter?

Before she could say anything though, Gabrielle came in, a little breathless and carrying most of their gear. Cyrene just chuckled and hurried over to help the bard set it all on a nearby table, then pulled the smaller woman into a warm hug. "Hey sweetling. Good to see you again." She pulled back slightly, then blinked. "You’re looking … fit."

"Good to see you too, Cyrene," Gabrielle sighed. "How … are you?"

"Well enough," she smiled. "We can do all our catching up in the morning. Right now though, I’m not too proud to admit I need some rest." She shot a pointed look at Xena, who rolled her eyes in return. Cyrene gave the small blonde a final squeeze. "Good night, Gabrielle," she said, then whispered softly, so only the bard could hear, "and take care of Xena. I expect she’ll need some holding tonight."

Gabrielle blinked back a tear and nodded. "Count on it."

Cyrene turned and embraced her daughter. "Good night, Xena. Thank you so much for coming," she said softly. "I know it’s pointless to say this, but don’t worry about me just yet, all right? Get some sleep."

The warrior held her mother tight. "I’ll try," was the best she could manage. "Good night, Mother."

With that, Cyrene ran a hand through Xena’s hair one last time before heading up the stairs. Without a word, the warrior began gathering up their belongings, Gabrielle doing the same, keeping as silent as her partner.

They slowly made their way up to Xena’s room, and then Gabrielle came to an abrupt halt inside the open door, the warrior nearly running into her back. "What’s wrong?" Xena asked, peering in over the bard’s head, then did a double take herself.

The room was much the same as it had been since her childhood, but her old bed had been replaced by another one more than twice the size, obviously new, although the same quilt she’d had as a child was draped over the headboard. The bed was turned down, with a number of fluffy looking pillows waiting for them.

Xena just shook her head, suddenly too tired both physically and emotionally to think about it. She set the saddlebags on the table against the wall, then closed the door. While Gabrielle sorted through a few things, Xena sat wearily on the edge of the new mattress. "Whoa," she grunted. "This is … comfortable."

The bard sat beside her, experimentally bouncing a little. "Mmm, I’ll say." Catching her warrior’s eyes, Gabrielle looked thoughtful. "You need anything before we turn in? Water? Some wine? Maybe a rubdown?"

With a deep sigh, Xena slipped an arm around her partner’s waist, resting her head on the bard’s shoulder. "Just you."

Gabrielle smiled slightly. "No problem," she said quietly, kissing her warrior’s hair, giving her a gentle squeeze before rising and heading for the wash basin.

A few minutes later, Gabrielle slid into bed, naked, holding up the covers for Xena who gratefully did the same. It was an unspoken rule. Life on the road, wary of ambush, gave them little opportunity to simply lay together, bare skin on bare skin. Whether or not they would make love was often beside the point. After Britannia they’d somehow spent over a year without such contact, each afraid of breaching those walls, but since Corinth they never passed up even the slightest chance.

And certainly on this night they both craved that kind of warmth. Xena blew out the candle and willingly surrendered herself to Gabrielle’s embrace, raven head cradled on the bard’s shoulder. Gabrielle stroked her hair before kissing it gently, then the bard whispered, "Go ahead."

With the gentle words from her love, every bit of the strain of the last few days hit Xena all at once before she could even try to stop it. The tall woman suddenly began shaking with silent tears, holding Gabrielle as tightly as she dared, weeping until at last, unable to cry anymore, she drifted into an uneasy sleep.

Several days ride away, camped in the forest, two Amazons settled in for the night.

"So," Leah began, "what are we going to do now?"

Amarice let out an exaggerated sigh. "I don’t know yet. I said I’d think of something in the morning, so I’ll think of something in the morning. Now I want to sleep -- is that too much to ask?"

"OK," the blonde said simply. Although easily a full head taller than Amarice, Leah was a season or so younger. An Amazon born and trained, Leah unerringly deferred to her elders -- however slightly elder they were. Frankly, she was simply amazed and honored to be along on this trip at all, but every battle-seasoned soldier was needed back in the Nation, so she supposed it made sense.

The two of them had been tracking Xena and Gabrielle for a couple of weeks, following thin clues from town to town all over Greece until they found the trail. They’d been sure they were getting close, a day or two behind at most, and then when they’d reached the village of Theron and found the warrior and bard hadn’t gotten there yet, they camped and waited.

And then two days went by and Xena and Gabrielle refused to show up. It was clear they’d gone somewhere else, and the two Amazons had no idea where that could be. Leah ran the last week or so over in her mind, trying to remember the details. There was … something, tugging at the edges of her mind.

The blonde sighed and lay back, knitting her fingers together over her taut, bare stomach as she closed her eyes. We were in a tavern, asking about Xena … What was it the bar girl said? The girl had been quite pretty -- a little plump for Leah’s taste, but definitely worth looking over. So while Amarice had been questioning the innkeeper, she’d let her gaze linger on the serving girl. The girl had been talking to another, older woman, a friend or maybe a relative … and she said … she said … ‘Someone else looking for Xena?’

Then it clicked. And two towns before was that old merchant who’d sold Xena a new bridle. He had that redhead daughter with the cute smile, and he said … he said … ‘I can tell you what I said last time, they headed down the road to Parmus.’

"That’s it!" Leah shouted, sitting bolt upright.

Amarice groaned, raising her head. "What’s it?"

"Amarice, we aren’t the only ones who’ve been trying to find Xena and Princess Gabrielle!"

"What?" Amarice repeated, rubbing her eyes. She’d finally managed to drift off, and this interruption annoyed her no end. Leah was supposedly a good fighter and a great tracker, or so she’d been told -- "Trust me. That one could follow a sparrow across rocky ground," the hunting elder had said, after Amarice had expressed a great deal of doubt about her assigned companion when they’d first set out to find Gabrielle. Maybe what the elder said was true, but over the last couple of weeks Amarice had come to the conclusion the sparrow probably had more brains. Leah was practically a walking cliché: tall, buxom, blonde, spouting a constant stream of chatter that did little to dispel the impression there wasn’t a thought in her unfairly pretty head. Amarice was vaguely embarrassed to call her a sister Amazon.

Now Leah shuffled over, so excited that Amarice thought she was going to pop out of her leathers -- something the curvy blonde nearly did anyway. "Everywhere we asked about Gabrielle and Xena, everyone answered as if they’d said the same things before," Leah bubbled, "and, well, a few others who were listening in even said so. It was just part of the background, but when I thought about the details, I remembered! See, last time was in that tavern…"

After several minutes of Leah relating every tiny scrap of information about each person they had questioned for the last week, Amarice cut her off with a wave. "That’s enough," she said, a little more curtly than she probably should have, "I believe you." The small Amazon rubbed her eyes, thinking. "OK," she began slowly, "then whoever this other guy was, he found them before we did, and whatever happened they changed course."

"Then we should try to find this other guy!" Leah went on. "We can head back to Parmus, ask the innkeeper again -- maybe that serving girl would know something, and…"

Amarice covered the blonde’s mouth with her hand. "In the morning," she said, letting her irritation show.

Leah pulled back. "Right," she said, apparently oblivious to the smaller woman’s mood. "In the morning. Morning morning morning…" The blonde crawled back over to her own bedroll and, almost instantly it seemed, fell asleep.

Amarice closed her eyes, breathing slowly, trying to let her temper drain away -- whether she was testy from being startled out of a sound sleep, or just from the fact the dumb blonde had figured things out before she had, Amarice couldn't tell, and didn't want to think about too deeply. It took quite a while before she was finally able to drift off again.

Xena woke to find herself still curled up on top of Gabrielle. Judging by the sunlight streaming in through the window it was well after dawn -- much later than she usually stirred. The sound of morning patrons shuffling around in the tavern downstairs was unmistakable. Raising her head slightly, her blue eyes were immediately captured by green, and a warm smile.

"Mornin’," the bard said softly.

The warrior returned the smile. "You too." She lay her head back down on Gabrielle’s breast, feeling her bard’s arms tighten around her ever so softly, just allowing herself a moment more of the smaller woman’s loving comfort. Was a time when I wouldn’t have allowed this -- would’ve hated seeming … weak, Xena mused. She looked back on all the years she’d wasted in being numb, or lost in useless stoicism for its own sake. For more than a decade she never once cried, not even finding a reason to. I cried when I … gave up Solan. I mourned for Borias. Then… Nothing. No feelings, no emotions -- save for rage and, occasionally, boredom -- were allowed within the iron prison she constructed inside herself.

But not anymore. Xena looked up, finding in those emerald eyes exactly what she knew would be there: concern, warm willing acceptance, and above all, an expression of love so open that the warrior could feel it radiating into her very bones, lighting every corner of her once darkened soul.

Never with you, my Gabrielle. If the last two years together had proven anything, it was that unless they could entrust themselves to each other completely, nothing meant anything.

"Thank you, Gabrielle," Xena sighed softly, laying her head back down, inhaling deeply of her partner’s clean, comforting scent. "I needed this."

The bard just nodded, kissing the top of her head. "I know." She nuzzled the raven hair for a moment, voice just a warm whisper. "Anytime, Xena. I’m here." They snuggled together a little closer, settling again into the easy peace between them.

Minutes later, however, the bard’s stomach growled audibly under Xena’s hand, and the tall woman chuckled in spite of herself. "Hmmm, I think I know what you need though." She raised herself and planted a quick, if heartfelt kiss on her bard’s lips.

Only to have her head held fast as Gabrielle deepened the kiss, parting her lips and inviting the warrior inside. Xena was a bit surprised, but no more so than by her own reaction as she sank back down, shifting over to fully cover her lover’s body with her own.

The warm softness of the bard’s skin beneath her and the caress of her lips sent tiny shivers through Xena as nothing else in her life ever had, or ever could.

Gabrielle broke away slightly, their faces still barely touching. "Right now," the blonde said, a bit breathless, starting a trail of gentle kisses along her warrior’s jawline, fingers tracing down Xena’s spine to the sensitive small of her back, "I’d say … we both need … this…"

The slow, smoldering sensation her bard ignited with her soft mouth and roaming hands made Xena moan softly, from deep in her chest. There was no urgency in the soft caress, just an easy, loving fire, mixed with a gentle passion. Gods, I guess it has been a … long week. The sounds of the tavern below faded away. Just take our time for once. The taller woman shifted slightly, causing the both of them to quietly gasp as their rapidly hardening nipples brushed against each other. "Mmm, I … ohhh yes…"

It was mid-morning by the time Xena and Gabrielle made their way downstairs. The breakfast crowd was gone, and customers for the noon meal had yet to arrive. Two local men sat at one corner table, sipping from mugs, talking over something in hushed, serious tones, but the place was otherwise empty. Cyrene was wiping down the bar, chatting with a slim woman in her late twenties, whose dark brown hair was pulled back in a braid. She was the first to notice the warrior and bard.

"Xena!" she chirped excitedly. "Cyrene said you were here!" She hurried over and wrapped her arms around the taller woman.

Xena smiled. Gods, just like her brother. "Good to see you too Rita," she said warmly before pulling away. "You must have been, what, twelve when I saw you last?" The warrior’s smile suddenly turned wistful, recalling the memory of the small handful of villagers -- Rita among them -- who’d actually waved a sincere goodbye on that terrible, fateful day when Xena and those who would become the beginnings of her first army rode away from Amphipolis, never to return. A day of shame, anger, and stubborn pride that was burned into her mind like a brand, every detail as fresh now as when it had happened, no matter how she tried to forget it.

Sensing the shift of mood in her partner, Gabrielle placed a gentle touch on the small of Xena’s back. "Hey," the bard said, smiling, "you want to introduce us?"

The warrior blinked, then returned the smile. "Yeah. Gabrielle, this is Rita, Jed’s sister -- you met Jed, right?"

Gabrielle chuckled. "Oh yeah, sure did. Good to meet you Rita. If you’re half as nice as your brother, I’m sure it’ll be wonderful knowing you."

"So, you’re Gabrielle then," Rita replied. For just a spare second, her cheerful expression seemed to droop, but just as quickly it returned. "I’ve heard so much about you. Are you really a bard?"

"Um, more or less," Gabrielle said, feeling just a little self-conscious. Xena gave her an uncertain look, knowing it had been some time since Gabrielle performed for an audience, although she had begun writing again in just the last few weeks. The small blonde just shrugged, smiled, then nodded. "Yeah. I am."

"Great," Rita laughed, "you’ll have to tell some stories during the noon meal then. I’m fed up with all those old tales these farmers still think are amusing."

"Rita," Cyrene broke in, "I’m sure Gabrielle isn’t here to keep you amused with stories."

Gabrielle chuckled, fixing the older woman with a chiding look. "Hey, are trying to deprive me of an audience?"

"Better watch that, Mother," Xena said, smirking. "If I’ve learned anything over the years, it’s never try to keep Gabrielle from an audience." She got a playful poke in the ribs for the comment, but waited until everyone had turned towards one of the tables before giving the bard a slap on the rump in return. She leaned in and whispered quietly, "At least, assuming you’re sure you’re ready for one."

"Yeah … it’s time," Gabrielle answered quietly in return. "If I can’t do it here for your Mother, then I can’t do it anywhere. And watch where you put those hands warrior," she then growled in mock sternness, as Xena continued caressing her hip after the love tap on her behind. "Don’t start anything you can’t finish," she said, taking her seat.

Xena pushed Gabrielle’s chair in, taking the opportunity to playfully lean in and nip at the bard’s ear as she did so. "Who says I can’t finish?" she whispered, just a little more breathily than necessary.

"Mmm," Gabrielle shivered. "Good point."

The only one who noticed the brief, intimate exchange, Rita abruptly turned and headed for the bar, asking over her shoulder, "Um, is cider OK with everyone then, or would you care for something else?"

Everyone eagerly agreed with the cider, and while Rita filled a pitcher and fetched some mugs, Xena looked up at Cyrene. The warrior found she couldn’t quite bring herself to ask the question burning in her mind, and searching for something else, casually asked instead, "So, Mother, what’s with the new bed in my room?"

Cyrene leaned her crossed arms onto the table, shrugging. "Had it made after I sent for you. Figured you’d both be more comfortable than on that tiny old thing you used to have. Besides," she continued, matter-of-factly, "that old one creaked something awful. Noticed it that time you were all here last, for Gabrielle’s birthday -- bad enough we had assassins and gods keeping us up that first night, then it was you two until almost dawn the night after. Don’t think anyone slept a wink. Minya sure seemed mighty cranky the next morning anyhow."

Gabrielle was almost grateful to Rita for suddenly knocking all three mugs off the bar -- it diverted attention from the fierce blush that suddenly burned in her face. Although she noted with some satisfaction that Xena was clearly flustered as well, if only for a moment.

"Well … thanks Mother," the warrior replied evenly.

Cyrene gave a wry smile. "Well, like I said, it was as much for me as you. I’ve got paying customers to think about, and I need my own rest these days too."

Rita set the mugs and pitcher on the table, along with bread, cheese and fruit. "Looks like Verras and Mildon are about done," she said, indicating the two villagers in the corner who were rising to leave. "I’ll just clear their table and go get the noon meal started then. You um … I know you all have some talking to do, so call if you need anything."

Gabrielle couldn’t help notice that although Rita seemed friendly and calm, she wouldn’t meet anyone’s eyes, and there was an odd note of … sadness? Resignation? The bard wasn’t quite sure what it was exactly, but given the reason for their visit it could be almost anything.

Besides which, Xena had quickly fallen quiet and tense again. Gabrielle took her warrior’s hand under the table and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Xena squeezed back and offered a strained smile in return. Then the warrior took a breath and said, "Mother, what’s … wrong?"

Cyrene sighed and shrugged again. "It started about a year ago. I noticed I was getting tired a lot more easily, got these odd pains inside once in a while." She chuckled. "At first I just figured I was getting old. Then early this winter -- wasn’t long after you were here last -- I took ill with a cold or something. It went away in a week or so, but when I coughed … Well, there was blood. Brendan, the healer came by. He poked and prodded and started finding these lumps inside me, here, there, sort of everywhere."

Xena’s face was neutral, and everything about her was outwardly calm, but her grip on Gabrielle’s hand under the table slowly grew tighter. The bard simply bit the inside if her lip and said nothing.

Cyrene continued. "He’d seen this before -- Hades, so had I, when Dian, the old midwife passed on, years back. Brendan, bless his heart, he called on a few other healers he knew. One even came here from Athens, but they all said basically the same thing…"

Xena suddenly broke in. "How long?"

Cyrene smiled at her daughter, looked down briefly, looked back. "A few months, more or less," she said simply. "Could make it to see winter Solstice if the gods smile my way." She chuckled again. "Haven’t offended any of them recently either, so I guess…"

Xena abruptly stood so fast her chair tipped over behind her. "Don’t even joke about them, Mother," the warrior said, voice low. She crossed the room, putting both hands on the bar, leaning against it heavily, head bowed.

Cyrene sighed as she stood and crossed to her daughter, Gabrielle following. "Ah Xena," the old woman said, smiling again, placing a hand on the warrior’s solid shoulder. "I’m fine, really. I’ve made my peace with it." Her voice was soothing, steady. "It’s the way of things. And dying’s not the worst that can happen to a person." She chuckled softly and shook her head, running a hand over her daughter’s raven hair. "If anyone should know that, it should be you … you and Gabrielle."

The warrior lifted her head slowly, turning blue eyes threatening to spill over with tears to her mother’s. "I just … I can’t…"

Xena gave a loud groan and slammed her fists against the top of the bar so hard every cup and plate stowed beneath it rattled loudly. Then she laid her head on her arms, her whole body taut.

With some effort Cyrene pulled Xena into an embrace. "I know sweetheart … I know…"

Gabrielle stood a step or two away, holding her hand over her lower face, trying to keep her own tears in, not knowing what to do or say. Then Cyrene turned her graying head towards the bard and held an arm out, gesturing quietly, and Gabrielle quickly closed the distance. For long time, the three women simply held each other, silent and not so silent tears falling.

Finally, at length, Xena pulled away. The warrior wiped at her face and took a deep breath. She ran her hands down her mother’s and Gabrielle’s arms, then turned and headed for the door. "I’ll be … back soon … I have to…" Shaking her head as if to clear it, the warrior simply left without another word.

Gabrielle chuckled dryly and wiped at her own eyes. Turning to Cyrene, the bard shrugged. "She will be back. She just … I dunno. Sometimes she…"

Cyrene stopped the bard by brushing her knuckles over Gabrielle’s cheek. "I know," the old woman said softly, nodding. "She’s always kind of done that. Has since she was a little girl. After a good run, or a few drills, she’ll stride back in here with a plan of some sort." Cyrene gave a short laugh. "Promise you’ll help me talk her out of it?" she teased, slipping an arm around Gabrielle’s waist and leading the younger woman back to the table.

"Yeah," the bard sniffled. "Deal."

Gabrielle had amused the afternoon crowd with a few tales -- her heart hadn’t really been in it, she knew, and the fact she hadn’t performed for an audience in months didn’t help her delivery either. Still, she was pleasantly surprised to find her voice still carried, that her memory of the tales was good, that she could still call up the right emotions at the right times, even if it was a bit by rote. It helped keep her mind off things, calmed her in the way it always had, and the appreciative patrons didn’t seem to notice if her performance was a bit off. The applause warmed her in a way she hadn’t felt in a very long time.

I don’t know what I was afraid of, she mused as she sipped a mug of cider between stories. I’m still me, still Gabrielle, still a bard. She glanced at the newly forming calluses on the palms of her hands, the sais causing a slightly different pattern to emerge than from when she carried a staff. At least that hasn’t changed, after all.

Certainly Rita and Jed had enjoyed her performance, and the cook made a point of saying so. Afterward, the bard helped Cyrene clear the tables and wash dishes, both of them keeping the conversation light and inconsequential. Gabrielle returned to her room to try writing for a while, then spent an hour or so in yoga and meditation. It helped.

It was the middle of the afternoon when she came back down to the tavern, finding Xena alone, seated at the bar. "Hey," Gabrielle said as she approached the warrior, who turned her raven head and gave the bard a smile.

"Hey yourself."

"How’d it go?" the bard ventured, taking the stool to her warrior’s left.

Xena shrugged. "Productive," she said simply. "Plenty to do around here. Roof could use some work. There’s that wall over on the west end that never seems to get built…"

Gabrielle placed a hand lightly on the small of Xena’s back. "Not what I meant," she said quietly.

Xena looked down, took a breath. "I know," she replied, voice just above a whisper, then raised her head, meeting the bard’s eyes with a tight smile. "Not yet," she said simply. "Later. Tonight. I promise."

"OK," Gabrielle nodded, slipping her arm around Xena’s waist and caressing the warrior’s hip lightly as she rested her temple against a solid shoulder. Xena nuzzled her cheek against the bard’s golden hair in return, and they spent a moment in comforting silence.

Rita entered from the kitchen, dusting her hands on her apron. When she spotted the couple at the bar she froze for a spare second, then turned and quickly left the same way she came in.

The evening meal passed quickly. The crowd was a little heavier than usual for a mid-week night since word had gotten around that not only was Xena back in town, but that her storytelling companion was performing in the tavern. However, few patrons did more than gawk at the tall warrior, seemingly too intimidated just by her presence to even approach, and Gabrielle only told two stories.

Not in the mood to tell anything in particular, Gabrielle took requests, quickly settling into the tale of Theseus and the minotaur, always a crowd favorite. The bard added her own embellishments, turning Minos’ simple maze into a labyrinth filled with deadly illusions and traps -- just to be a little more exciting.

Sure enough, it was a hit, and as Gabrielle smiled at the crowd, Cyrene shouted from the bar, "Why don’t you tell us about how King Sisyphus captured Celesta?"

Gabrielle suddenly felt her elation drain a bit. "Um, I don’t think you want to hear that one just now," she said slowly.

"Sure we do," Cyrene said back, calmly but loud enough to be heard, "Don’t we folks?" There was a huge cheer of agreement.

The bard glanced over at Xena, seated at the corner table. The warrior had an unreadable expression on her face, but nodded. "Go on," she mouthed silently.

Gabrielle swallowed. "OK," she paused. "Well, as I’m sure you all know, Celesta is the sister of Hades, herald of the Underworld, messenger to those … to those about to die…"

The bard began almost by rote. It was a hard one for her to tell, even after so many years. It had happened only a few short months after she and Xena had begun traveling together, and as Gabrielle related the tale she couldn’t help looking back on her younger self, seeing that innocent village girl’s first real experience with death and dying. And within minutes, she was speaking as if telling the tale directly to that young girl, her voice taking on an intimate quality, but carrying easily through the crowded room, and every patron felt it, hanging on her every word.

"…so all over the land, people were in great pain, wracked by terrible wounds or … or disease, but unable to die, their suffering unable to end," Gabrielle went on, her eyes staying fixed on her warrior’s, pale glints of ice blue gazing out as the dark woman settled further back into the deep shadows of the corner.

Gabrielle continued, her voice changing to haunted tones as she neared the end, relating the death of Talus. "…and, as Celesta guided him through the doors of the afterlife, into the domain of her brother, Hades, the young woman wept, holding the warrior for comfort. But through her tears, held in those reassuring arms, she heard the warrior whisper, ‘All things die, my friend. Celesta is not evil, and nor is her brother Hades. It is simply a part of the cycle of life.’"

Emotionally exhausted, Gabrielle hung her head, barely hearing the subdued applause and heartfelt weeping from the patrons around her. She found she couldn’t even move.

Cyrene stepped out into the middle of the room and clapped her hands for attention. "All right, all right. Come on folks, that’s enough. Gabrielle’s traveled a long way to be here and I know almost all of you have to be up with the dawn. It’s an early night so come on, scoot!"

One by one the patrons shuffled out, many of them stopping by the bard to offer a few words of thanks or coins. Gabrielle accepted them with a smile she didn’t really feel, and within a half hour or so the tavern was once again empty. Cyrene, Rita and Jed got busy clearing the last of the dishes.

Gabrielle slowly crossed the tavern and took a seat next to Xena, who still sat in her chair in the corner, looking as tired as if she’d just fought a war. The bard took her warrior’s hand and gave it a short squeeze.

Xena gave her a thin smile in return. "Did I really say that, when Celesta took Talus?"

Gabrielle chuckled, nodding. "More or less. I don’t remember exactly -- wasn’t in the best frame of mind to keep track of the details. But it was pretty close."

Xena smiled back, gave a mildly self-conscious shrug. "I don’t remember that at all. All I remember was having a double armful of grieving young bard to handle and didn’t really know how to." She gave a strained chuckle. "Must’ve sounded good at the time."

Gabrielle gave the warrior’s hand another squeeze before raising it to her lips. "It did … Trust me Xena, it did."

Cyrene came out from the kitchen carrying a tray with mugs of steaming tea. The warrior raised an eyebrow. "That wasn’t subtle, Mother," she said, but with a strained note of humor.

"I can’t afford to be," Cyrene answered, raising her own eyebrow. She took the seat next to her daughter, opposite Gabrielle, then looked away and sighed. "Xena," she began, turning her eyes back, "I know you’d move the heavens and Earth to change this if you could. And, what’s more," she added with a smile, "I know if anyone actually could do that, it would be you, and that means a lot to me -- don’t think it doesn’t." Cyrene took a breath, then continued. "Maybe there was a time, not long ago, when I would’ve let you do it too. But I feel at peace for the first time in a very long time. My life is good now…"

"Then why are you so set on leaving it?" Xena asked, a little sharply, the words out before she could stop them.

Cyrene just shook her head slightly and smiled. "Because I’m old," she said simply. "Because I probably wouldn’t have many years left in any case. How many more times are you going to come back here and chase Celesta away?" She chuckled, "Figuratively, if not for real?" She took the warrior’s hand. "Xena, you’re my daughter again. I spent more than ten long years punishing us both for a sin that was mine alone -- No, listen to me," she said, cutting off the warrior’s protest. "You rose above that, even without me, and you’ve made me very proud. Toris has quit wandering, and he’s made his peace with the past too, mostly thanks to you I think. He’s built himself a good, quiet life as a merchant. Even Rita and Jed are a comfort, in their way."

Cyrene smiled, tightening her grip. "I’m happy Xena, truly happy. And yes, some part of me doesn’t want to leave all this, but most of me knows that if I do, I can go with my friends and family around me -- my family, Xena, something I once thought I’d never have again, that I didn’t even deserve to have. And I can die happy, with everything as perfect as it can possibly be, in my little corner of the world at least. How many people can say that? Maybe it’s selfish," she admitted, "but that’s the way it is. Please, understand."

The warrior was quiet for a time, staring at their clasped hands, her thoughts jumbled. Then, abruptly, her mind settled on a single image: Gabrielle, lying on the cross, turning to look at her. "I love you Xena," the bard had said, filling the warrior’s heart with such peace and joy…

…because we were going together, she finished her own thought. She sighed. Maybe Mother is right. To be able to choose when you die, who you die with, who you have around you … how many of us get that chance?

Finally, Xena looked up, not at her Mother, but into the face of her beloved. Gabrielle was all warm concern, and it made the warrior smile. She nodded slightly before turning back to Cyrene. "I do, Mother," she said simply, almost too low to be heard. "I do understand." It’ll take some time to accept, she admitted to herself, but at least time is something we have a little of.

Cyrene gave a sigh, almost in relief. "Good," she said quietly, then blinked back a tear. "Good."

Xena leaned over and kissed her mother gently on the forehead before giving her a long, lingering hug. Then Xena stood. "All right," the warrior said, clearing her throat. "I’m going to check on Argo, she how rested she is." She broke into a wry smile. "If I’m going to be staying through ‘til winter there’s a few things I need to do. I’ll be out before dawn, but I’ll likely be back by nightfall."

"All right," Cyrene replied, smiling.

Xena circled around the table and ruffled the bard’s hair briefly, eliciting a chuckle before she ran a thumb over Gabrielle’s cheek, wiping away an errant tear. The warrior leaned in and kissed Gabrielle’s head, saying quietly, "Go on up to the room if you want. I’ll be there soon."

"OK," Gabrielle nodded, "I’ll um, I’ll just finish my tea first."

The warrior nodded, then left. Cyrene sighed. "Well," the innkeeper chuckled, "that went better than I thought it would."

"I guess," the bard sighed, sniffling as she smiled and picked up her mug. She took a sip, pleasantly surprised to find the tea hadn’t cooled much. It was soothing, with hints of mint and honey. "Mmm," she murmured, "this is good, Cyrene."

"My own blend," the innkeeper replied, picking up a mug as well. "I’ll give you the recipe, especially since it’s one of Xena’s favorites. I know she’d appreciate that." She caught the bard’s eye, breaking into a warm smile. "And please, call me ‘Mom’ would you? Seems appropriate -- even if you two never seem to get around to making it official."

Gabrielle blushed. "OK … Mom…"

"Ought to scold you for failing to make my daughter an honest woman," Cyrene teased, then added, softly, "except you did, in too many ways to count." She blinked, shook her head. "Still," she continued, the teasing smile back again, "Toris is probably getting married toward the end of summer -- if he ever gets up the courage to ask, anyway. I promised myself I wouldn’t push either of my children into anything on my account, but, it would be nice, hmm?"

Gabrielle found herself staring at the table, blushing again. "Well … I’m an Amazon Princess, you know, and … that kind of makes things … complicated…" she stammered. Not to mention dying a couple of times -- that complicated things too. She suppressed a sudden shiver, then searched for something else to talk about. "Um, so what’s this about Toris? Where is he anyway?"

Cyrene just gave her an indulgent smile, but seemed content to allow the dodge for now. "He’s in Crete," she said, "buying up Egyptian stuff -- rugs, little statues, that sort of thing. Seems they’re all the rage in Athens. Normally he’s not that ambitious, but he has his heart set on buying some land, building a house. Should be back in about a week. Anyway, he met a girl in a village south of here maybe a year ago -- gods, you’d think he was sixteen again the way he gets when he talks about her. Her name’s Mera. She makes leather goods, that’s how they met. A little older than he is I think, but I admit she’s very attractive, seems pretty down to Earth."

"I look forward to meeting her," Gabrielle said, then couldn’t help a yawn. She took a last sip of tea and stood. "But I think I really should turn in. If Xena’s getting up before dawn, I will be too," she chuckled. "I’ll stay here tomorrow though -- I think Xena wants me to."

"Sure," Cyrene replied, rising and folding the bard into a warm hug. "We can talk in the morning. Good night Gabrielle."

"Good night … Mom."

Back in their room, Gabrielle was just finishing up a quick wash over the basin on the dresser when Xena returned. "Hey," the smaller woman greeted her partner.

The warrior gave her a smile. "Hey yourself," she said, easily surrounded by her bard’s gentle embrace.

"Mmm, you doin’ OK?" Gabrielle asked quietly, listening to her warrior’s steady heartbeat against her ear.

"Yeah. Better than I thought," Xena replied, just as softly, then broke away. "C’mon, early day tomorrow, and all that," she chuckled. A chuckle which abruptly shifted to a slight wince and a groan as she reached behind herself to undo her scabbard.

Gabrielle instantly shuffled around to take over the job. "Hey, what’s that?"

The warrior gave a wry smile. "Not much, but um, I’ll take you up on that offer of a backrub from last night … assuming it’s still good, of course."

The bard chuckled. "Like I’d pass on a chance to put my hands on you. No problem." She affectionately squeezed a solid shoulder. "C’mon, let’s get you out of this stuff…"

Minutes later the warrior lay naked, face down on the bed with a few towels arranged under her. The bard quickly got out of her own clothes, then rummaged around in one of the bags until she came up with a small leather case. Inside were several stoppered vials, each containing a differently scented oil, and pleasant memories made the small woman smile lightly as she looked them over.

Although Gabrielle had said it almost as a joke, the simple truth of it was that she really did love to run her hands over Xena’s body, the silken skin and toned, hard muscle underneath proving endlessly inviting. She knew every inch of her warrior, and in fact a good massage had been a part of their relationship almost from the beginning.

Gabrielle sighed, her smile widening as she remembered a certain young village girl trying to keep up with one very fit warrior. At first it left her almost too stiff to walk in the morning, and so, during those first months Xena had taken to working her strong hands over Gabrielle’s calves, thighs, and lower back, soothing the bard’s frequent muscle cramps and screaming limbs by the campfire every night. The village girl had decided it must be in return for her doing all the cooking, although the warrior shook her raven head and grumbled about how it was, "Just the practical thing if we’re going to get anywhere tomorrow."

It wasn’t long before Gabrielle couldn’t help noticing that Xena’s strict regimen of drills -- not to mention the actual fighting -- often left the dark warrior with knotted muscles and sore spots. Once the young woman had learned to know the signs, it was the most natural thing in the world to offer to do something about it, and to her surprise Xena quickly progressed from a grudging acceptance of the attention to even asking for it … sometimes with a carefully hidden shyness that made Gabrielle smile and warm inside.

The young woman’s implicit knowledge that she was among the small number of people that the complex and often intimidating warrior would allow to be this close -- and the quiet sounds of pleasure Gabrielle learned she could coax from her all too taciturn companion -- was a secret delight to the bard, even back when she didn’t quite understand why it seemed so special. Gabrielle had even learned to gauge how upset Xena was and how well they were getting along in general by how frequent, or not, their rubdowns were.

The oils had been added soon after they’d become physically intimate. And, Gabrielle chucked to herself, quit pretending why we couldn’t keep our hands off each other. The bard especially enjoyed the addition, finding it could make the experience either comforting, romantic, or deeply erotic depending almost purely on the scent used, and Gabrielle had made a clandestine habit of looking for new ones at every shop and marketplace they passed through. She had a variety to enhance almost any mood, from neutral olive, to jasmine, to rose, and even an exotic combination of sandalwood with an undertone of something spicy that left the skin with a surprisingly warm, and decidedly tantalizing tingle -- And sweet Artemis, the memories that scent carries now…

For tonight though, Gabrielle chose the pleasant comfort of simple almond oil. Climbing on the bed, she straddled her partner’s firm buttocks and poured a small amount of it into her hand, rubbing her palms together to warm it before she began working it into her partner’s gratefully accepting muscles.

"By the gods Xena," Gabrielle said, in a teasing, if somewhat reproachful tone, "what did you do? You’re one big knot back here."

"Mmm … wasn’t what I did, it was what I overdid that’s the problem," Xena chuckled.

"Uh huh, and what might that be?"

The warrior sighed. "Tossed around some boulders, destroyed a couple of trees." She chuckled again, wryly. "It’s an old lesson Gabrielle -- whatever you do, never, ever throw yourself into a workout when you’re angry."

"Hmm, yeah, I think you’ve told me that a few times," came the gentle reply. "Want to talk about it?"

The warrior took a moment to just enjoy her bard’s loving attention. They both knew she was stalling a bit, but Gabrielle didn’t mind in the slightest -- Xena would speak up eventually.

The warrior had promised she would, and Xena always kept her promises.

Finally, some time later, as Gabrielle continued the massage across Xena’s shoulders and began down one arm, the warrior spoke. "I thought for sure this must be the work of some god or another, trying to get back at me," Xena began. "I think I wound up screaming at all of them -- even the good ones." She sighed, then said quietly, "Guess I went a little … nuts."

Gabrielle had shifted off to one side of the warrior, kneeling as she worked on a hand. The bard let the warrior’s admission go without comment, even though she knew that when Xena lost control, it meant she was coldly screaming things like, "Take the village!" Then the ex-warlord would do her level best to follow those words with action.

Still, even though Gabrielle said nothing, blue eyes stared into green for a moment. A silent understanding passed between them, then Xena nodded. "That’s when a couple of trees died," the warrior said simply, before closing her eyes and shifting her dark head on the pillow. Gabrielle went back to soothing a callused hand.

Xena gave a low moan as a tight tendon went back into place under her bard’s gentle pressure, then the warrior continued, "Of course, with the gods maybe I’ll never know for sure, but since none of them even came to gloat … Well, it’s not likely it’s them." She sighed. "Then I wanted to blame a mortal enemy, an old one, or a new one, that maybe it’s poison, or sorcery. Again, not likely, but always possible, and that’s really the worst thing -- the not knowing for sure."

Gabrielle kept silent as she listened, slowly and gently climbing over Xena’s body to begin working on the other arm as the warrior talked. "Then I went through every god who still might owe me a favor, or who I thought I could possibly trick into helping. Then I thought about sorcerers I could get word to, and how to convince one of them. I was drilling the whole time, wearing myself down. Eventually," she snorted, "I wore myself out."

As the bard moved to work down a pair of strong legs, Xena crossed her arms in front of her, resting her head on them. "I was lying there, so exhausted I could hardly even breathe, when I had one last thought." The warrior took a long breath, let it out slowly. "I realized I wasn’t thinking of doing these things for Mother. I … wanted to do them for … for myself, because I … I…"

Gabrielle gently draped herself over her warrior’s body, running a soothing hand over the raven hair. "It’s OK Xena," she whispered, "I’m here…"

The warrior took a shuddering intake of breath and released it again. "Because I just got her back, dammit!" she sobbed quietly. "Because for years all I wanted was my Mother’s love again, and now I have it and I’m just going to lose it!"

"You won’t," Gabrielle said quietly, brushing a tear from the side of the warrior’s face, kissing the back of her neck gently. "No matter what happens Xena, you’ll never lose your Mother’s love. Not now. Not hers, not your brother’s … and never mine." She nuzzled Xena’s shoulder. "We all love you Xena, no matter where we are, no matter what happens to us. Always remember that. As long as you hold that love in your heart, it never goes away."

The warrior turned onto her back under the smaller woman, cupping Gabrielle’s face and bringing their lips together in a desperate, if tender kiss, and the bard returned it gladly, putting every ounce of love and reassurance into it that she could. "I love you, Xena," Gabrielle whispered, "and I will always love you … just as your Mother will, always." She gently kissed away the tears, saying softly, "Hold her in your heart Xena … Hold her in your heart…"