XWP - Awakenings 01 - final - NC17

Xena, Warrior Princess
Awakenings 01 - A Visit Home

Ms. Hunter Ash
ripperbard7@yahoo.com
frost29@post.com

rating: NC-17

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“Xena?” The warrior was surprised and more than a little cautious when she turned and found Herdoctus standing near the stall. She slowly walked out from saddling Argo and faced her love’s father. He dropped his eyes and when he looked back at the warrior she was stunned to see tears in his eyes.

“Can I talk to you before Gabrielle comes back in?” he asked softly.

“Sure.”

“I’m..... I’m not a good father,” the man began to pace and Xena waited for him to continue. “I try, I just don’t know how to handle emotions and feelings. I swore to the gods when Gabrielle was born that I would never lay a hand on her like my parents did me but.... I’ve failed both her and Lila,” He looked over at the warrior. “I’ve heard things about you, can you understand the rage?”

Xena nodded, softening a little. She had been fortunate, her mother and her brothers had been a good family.

“I swear I will never touch Lila again,” he swore passionately. “I’m sorry about earlier. You asked her to marry you?”

“Yes,” Xena nodded.

“You mean it, you won’t just use her and then tire of her?” Herdoctus stopped, looking deep into the warrior’s eyes.

“I’ve told Gabrielle that I’ve had many sexual partners, most of them have been one time encounters. Gabrielle is different, I intend to spend my life with her.”

“You’ve not been with her yet, have you?” he asked, frowning.

“Herdoctus!” Xena growled.

“No, please, don’t misunderstand me. It’s just that, how do you know you’ll stay with her?” Herdoctus clarified.

“How does anyone know? She is my soul, I can’t live without her any longer,” Xena shrugged and Herdoctus nodded.

“Swear to me that you’ll try and make her happy.”

“I’ve already sworn that oath to Gabrielle,” Xena said with a frown.

“Then that’s enough. I’m sorry, warrior. She deserves better than me for a father,” Herdoctus complained.

“You’re attempting to change, Herdoctus. So am I and with Gabrielle’s help I’ll make up for my past. It’s up to you to make up for yours with your family. Go talk with Gabrielle and tell her you’re trying.”

“No,” Herdoctus shook his head. “It’s too soon, she won’t believe me.”

“Yes, she will. She has a talent for seeing only the good in people, she’ll believe you,” Xena insisted.

“Next time, warrior.” Herdoctus promised and was out the door before Xena could protest further.

“Damn! Stubbornness must run in the family!” she grumbled.

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Xena was grateful that Gabrielle had agreed to ride on Argo when they left the village. They were late in getting started, later than Xena liked but she knew that Gabrielle didn’t want to spend another night in her family home. Xena hadn’t been able to convince either father or daughter to talk to each other. Gabrielle was still angry and hurt over his words and he was too ashamed to take them back yet.

Gabrielle had been puzzled by Xena’s actions; up to the point when they left, the warrior kept trying to convince the bard to talk to her father. Gabrielle’s jaw had taken on that familiar clench and the warrior had to concede defeat. The bard was just too angry to talk to her father right then.

Gabrielle had been pleased but surprised when Xena asked her to ride in front of her on Argo but didn’t understand why until Xena slipped her arms tightly around the bard and began to nuzzle her neck from behind.

“Oh, no fair!” the bard protested with a moan as Argo walked steadily along once they were out of sight of the village.

“All’s fair, my bard,” Xena whispered and began to nibble on Gabrielle’s earlobe.

Gabrielle leaned over and back, Xena finally was able to kiss the bard like she had wanted to in the barn. Gabrielle’s arm circled around the warrior’s neck and held her tight in the embrace. The kiss was everything both women had been dreaming about. Gentle and tender at first but quickly turning into something very passionate. Xena was surprised to find that her inexperienced bard was a bundle of energy and passion, her tongue demanding entry past Xena’s lips and Xena moaned with the contact. The she felt Gabrielle’s hand tighten in her hair, holding her prisoner at the bard’s lips. Both tongues began a fight for dominance that left both women breathless. Xena pulled back laughing.

“Must remember to breathe,” she muttered.

“Oh, Xena,” Gabrielle reached back and grabbed her warrior by the thighs, welcoming the growl she received and delighting in the warmth she could feel her hands causing in the taller woman’s body.

Xena’s lips moved down, trailing her tongue along the bard’s neck, sending shivers over the blonde’s body. The lips settled on the bard’s neck and the warrior’s teeth began to lightly nibble on Gabrielle’s neck, causing her moans to increase, the bard’s hand’s beginning to move seductively between Xena’s thighs.

Argo stopped dead in the road with a snort, drawing the women out of their haze.

“I think we need to find a place to camp,” Xena suggested.

“I agree totally, my warrior,” as a hand crept up between Xena’s thighs and Gabrielle was delighted with the gasp from her warrior as her fingers began to struggle past the undergarments.

“You keep that up and we’ll never get off this horse and that is not how I intend my first night with you!” Xena lightly slapped at the hand.

Gabrielle giggled but withdrew, leaning back into her warrior.

“Hmmm, doesn’t look too inviting around here, we’ll move on a bit.”

“Okay,” Gabrielle settled back into her warrior’s arms and let the motion of the road lull her into a light sleep.

Xena was pleased with the trust the bard gave her, always trusting Xena to keep her safe, even on the back of a moving horse. The bard hadn’t been sleeping lately and the visit with her family had been emotionally exhausting for everyone. All Xena wanted to do was get somewhere safe and secluded for both of them to rest, heal and discover each other as well as what this new development meant for them. Unfortunately the landscape wasn’t cooperating very well. Poteidaia may have been a small village but the surrounding land was well-developed farm land and wasn’t offering much in the way of secluded campsites. Xena frowned.

It was well into dusk when Xena finally found a site that would do. She moved Argo carefully through the brush and almost thanked the gods when the horse worked her way unerringly to a good sized creek, tumbling over lots of boulders and creating mini waterfalls and pools. The clean water promised fish and bathing and relaxing in the morning.

Xena managed to dismount Argo and pulled Gabrielle down into her arms and cradled the bard, softly carrying her to a fallen log. Gabrielle mumbled and started to blink. “Stay here,” Xena ordered. “Just rest, I’ll make camp.”

The bard started to protest but Xena stopped her with a light kiss. The bard smiled and leaned against the log. Xena smiled and quickly went about setting up camp. There was a chill in the air and she wanted a fire going as soon as possible. They were both tired and their cold tolerance would be low. Xena wrapped the bard in her traveling cloak and a blanket and set about starting a fire. Within a candlemark she had a fire roaring, food cooking over it and their sleeping mat and blankets set up. Xena was a little worried, Gabrielle had curled up next to the log and had been tossing in her sleep again, although she quickly slipped further into sleep when Xena would touch and whisper reassurances to the bard.

Moving to the log with their dinner she sat next to her bard.

“Come on, sleepy-head, time for food,” Xena lightly shook her bard and was pleased to see Gabrielle smiling at her.

Gabrielle felt familiar hands shaking her, and the most wonderful voice in the world talking to her; and she sat up, blinking.

“Smells good. Hey, you actually cooked,” The bard sat up, rubbing sleep out of her eyes, looking around in wonderment. “Wow, I must have been out.”

Xena smiled. “Yup, you’ve been tired and today wasn’t easy.”

“That’s an understatement!” Gabrielle took the plate of food and began to eat with an appetite that Xena was glad to see return. “Gods, I can’t believe we went through that today!”

Xena frowned, “Any regrets about us?” she whispered.

“Not a chance!” Gabrielle lightly hit the warrior on the arm and leaned against the taller woman. “Now that I’ve got you I’m not going to let you go.” the bard promised. “I’m just glad I overheard you before I left. Thank the gods for Lila.”

Xena grinned in agreement. “I think that stubborn streak of yours runs in the family.”

“Hey! What stubborn streak?” the bard protested playfully. She felt her eyes beginning to droop a little. “Whoa, did you put something in the food?”

Xena laughed and took the plate from Gabrielle’s hands. “No, little one. It’s just all catching up with you and me.”

Gabrielle looked up and saw the weariness on her warrior’s face. “You too?”

“Yup, neither of us have slept decently for weeks. We’ve been driving ourselves crazy with our feelings and hiding them that we’ve been a bundle of nerves. Then the scene with your family wasn’t exactly relaxing.”

“You’re right,” Gabrielle agreed, her head beginning to drop forward and she snapped it back up with determination. “This isn’t how I wanted the night to be like,” she complained.

Xena knelt down and placed a finger over the bard’s lips. “Quiet, little one. Get ready for bed. We’ve got the rest of our lives and I don’t want to rush this.” Xena held out her hand and the bard was stunned to see it shaking.

“Xena?”

“I’m nervous, I’m so scared of loving you and I’m too tired to think right. I want to hold you tonight and convince myself that it’s real. Am I making any sense?”

Gabrielle reached out and held the hand to her lips, kissing each fingertip and then the palm. “Yes, my love. Perfect sense. I want it to be special too.”

“Let’s sleep, little one,” Xena said softly.

For the first time in months they both slept soundly, Gabrielle laying curled against Xena, their fingers intertwined, Xena’s arm over her bard, both dreaming of the coming day and their future together.

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Gabrielle was very surprised when she opened her eyes and found the sun was all ready up. She was almost in shock when she realized that Xena was behind her and still asleep. This was such a rarity that the bard lay there, fingers intertwined with the warrior’s, enjoying the moment, relishing the feel of Xena nuzzled at her neck.

They had been spending many more nights under the same blanket since fall had began but Gabrielle had never felt this connection before. After months of agonizing over her feelings for the warrior Gabrielle now felt peaceful, nervous, calm and excited. She wanted nothing more than to turn over and begin loving her warrior, but she wanted both of them awake and coherent when it happened. With a twinge of fear, the bard realized she wanted to really be sure that’s this is what Xena wanted between them.

Careful not to make too much noise or movement, the bard got up and grabbed a towel from their travel packs. Xena had mentioned a stream nearby and Gabrielle wanted some time to herself before the warrior woke up.

With a grin, she left the other towel over a tree branch, grabbed clean clothes and her staff, and headed for the water.

The water was cold but refreshing and Gabrielle felt like months of tension was falling from her body as she streaked through the water in the pools and currents. Feeling like a river otter without her clothes on in the water, the bard delighted in the sensation of the water and the sun beating down on her skin. It promised to be a warm day for fall and she was grateful. With a smile she crawled up onto a rock on the opposite shore and stretched out along the rock, letting the sun begin to warm her body.

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Xena was surprised to find her arms empty when she woke in the morning. She frowned Gabrielle almost never beat her up, preferring to sleep as long as possible. Xena looked around and realized that the sun had been up for over a candle-mark.

“Wow, I must have been tired,” she mumbled and then smiled. “And content.”

Xena noticed a towel hanging on a tree branch near her and grinned. Taking the hint she left her armor off, content to just carry her chakram with her down to the river. When she spotted Gabrielle the warrior thought her heart had stopped.

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Gabrielle reflected on her mother’s question: Was Xena her soulmate? The bard certainly thought so, and probably had since the first time she saw the warrior. Gabrielle hadn’t known the total depth of what feelings she would come to have for the former warlord, but she had been drawn to Xena since the beginning. It felt like she was waiting her whole life to meet the warrior.

Why had she resisted all her parents’ attempts at marriage when every girl in the village was usually married by fifteen except for Gabrielle? She remembered the long fights her mother and father had over it; he insisting she find a suitable mate and her mother holding him off. Gabrielle had always been puzzled over that. It wasn’t often that her mother stood up to Hedoctus but when it came to Gabrielle’s dreams of something beyond Poteidaia, Hecuba had always been encouraging.

When Xena had saved Gabrielle and the other village girls from the slavers, the bard had seen fear in her mother’s eyes and hatred in her father’s. Her mother had always puzzled her, she reflected. She had been grateful to Xena for saving Gabrielle’s life but had also been very thankful when the warrior had moved on.

Gabrielle’s parents hadn’t counted on the bard following on her own accord.

It was almost like Hecuba had been waiting for someone to sweep her daughter away, and had feared that was Xena. Now, Gabrielle grinned to herself, it had been.

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The bard was breath-taking. Xena couldn’t find the words. Gabrielle had already been in the water and was now on a smooth rock, leaning back on her elbows, letting the sun dry her beautiful skin. Xena hadn’t seen the bard look so relaxed in forever. She felt her heart pounding as Gabrielle lay back on the rock, her naked skin shining in the sun. Xena grinned and stripped out of her nightshirt and left the towel and shift on the bank as she slowly entered the water, trying not to make any extra noise. She almost yelped at the cold water though but gritted her teeth.

She ducked under the water and easily swam the short distance across the current and, with absolute silence, slid out of the water and up onto the rock where Gabrielle was sunning herself. With the grace of a stalking tiger, the warrior moved slowly and carefully up close to her bard and then, with an evil grin, shook her head quickly, sending cold water flying all over the bard.

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“Xena!” Gabrielle shrieked, sitting upright in a flash only to be captured by the warrior’s waiting arms. A muffled protest was cut short by Xena’s lips and hands traveling over the bard’s back. The bard let the warrior lower her back to the rock slowly, keeping a firm hold around Xena and refusing to break contact with the woman’s lips. Again the kiss was passionate with tongues exploring, tasting, and reveling in the different textures and feelings the kiss was invoking. Gabrielle’s hands, no longer restricted by Xena’s leathers, moved along the taller woman’s ribs, feeling the soft skin covering the firm muscles underneath. Xena’s head moved down, kissing every inch of skin between the bard’s lips to her nipples and back again. By the time Xena’s lips seized one of the nipples, Gabrielle was gasping for air and running her hands through her warrior’s black hair.

“Oh gods, Xena.”

Xena continued her exploration of Gabrielle’s body with her tongue by kissing and licking away the remaining water off the bard’s skin, sending shivers of delight over the young woman’s body, her hands replacing her lips on the bard’s nipples. Gabrielle was squirming and gasping, her hands in the warrior’s dark hair, unconsciously encouraging Xena’s head lower. Xena smiled and eagerly slid down the length of Gabrielle.

Xena looked up as Gabrielle moaned, green eyes meeting blue. The warrior had never seen such unmasked desire on anyone’s face like this before and she moaned with the intensity of Gabrielle’s eyes.

“Xena, please.... I’ve waited so long!” Gabrielle pleaded, raising her legs, her hips bucking, begging the warrior with her body as well as her voice.

Xena moaned again and gently parted the bard’s lower lips, lovingly exploring her lover, causing Gabrielle to growl and toss her head back.

“Xena! Now, please!”

Xena groaned at how wet the bard was and knew this wetness wasn’t from the water. With ease she slipped two fingers into her lover and began her explorations of the bard’s sexual lips with her tongue. Within moments Gabrielle was rocking, matching the rhythm of Xena’s fingers, which were entering slowly and backing out, teasing the small woman into a frenzy. The dark haired woman’s tongue reached out and began a slow teasing of the bard’s clit, bringing forth cries of passion from the small woman. Xena felt her own body responding to her lover’s building orgasm. Her attention to Gabrielle’s body increased in speed and roughness. Xena was rewarded with hearing the bard screaming the warrior’s name again and again as Gabrielle’s muscles began contracting, waves of her orgasm overcoming her, again and again.

When she could breath again, Gabrielle found herself in Xena’s arms, being cradled and rocked.

“Hey, you okay?” Xena was asking. In response Gabrielle hugged her lover fiercely.

“Gods, I never thought it could be like that!” she whispered.

Xena felt herself blushing and held her love tight. “I love you.”

“By the gods, I love you more than life itself, woman!” Gabrielle grabbed the back of Xena’s head and pulled her down for a rough kiss, moaning at the softness of the lips and the taste of her own passion on those lips.

Xena looked down at her lover, her fingers lightly tracing Gabrielle’s lips. “You scared me for a moment.”

“Hmmm,” the bard muttered and began nuzzling Xena’s neck, causing the warrior to shiver. “You literally took my breath away, my love.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Xena grinned.

“You have no idea! Let me show you.”

Xena found herself on her back on Gabrielle’s towel with the bard attacking her neck with renewed energy and the warrior found that it was her that was breathless, gasping with the dancing energy shooting through her body. Gabrielle moaned in Xena’s neck as her hand found one of the warrior’s nipples. She moved from the neck to Xena’s lips with a rough kiss that again took the warrior’s breath away and then moved back to her neck.

“Remember the bacchae cave?” Gabrielle whispered as her hand began to dance lightly across the warrior’s ribs and around her breasts. Xena felt her body arching under the bard’s hands, her body being played like a fine instrument. The warrior wasn’t sure if she was in any kind of control over her body any longer and was surprised to find that she didn’t care right at that moment.

“Yes!” she hissed.

“You have no idea how many nights I’ve dreamed of biting you again,” Gabrielle’s voice was low and husky and brought forth a moan from her warrior.

“Yes!” Xena’s hands found the bard’s hair and then her shoulders, grabbing on almost painfully, as if needing something to center on. Gabrielle smiled and continued the downward trek of her fingers, playing in the dark triangle of Xena’s hair, causing the warrior to growl with need.

“Gabrielle, please!”

“Begging, my warrior?” Gabrielle whispered and then bit down a little harder. Any reply Xena might have had was lost in her cry as her body began to shake. The younger woman sensed that her lover needed her and quickly. She knew there would be time later for the soft and gentle loving that she suspected the warrior was capable of but for right now they needed each other, almost with a sense of desperation. Having denied themselves for so long had taken a toll and their bodies demanded satisfaction and their souls demanded connection on all levels.

Xena felt herself giving over all control to the fierce little bard in her arms. Never had she given up so much to a lover. The warrior had always struggled to stay in control, never leaving herself open, especially her heart and now she found she was lost. She couldn’t control her body and its dance of delight under the bard’s roaming fingers and talented bite. She couldn’t control her emotions any longer, Gabrielle had totally possessed her heart and soul and now was claiming her body. Her body had never responded like this, not with anyone, not even Ares, with all his godly charm.

Gabrielle was amazed, as the warrior’s body responded to her every touch, and then felt a shock pass through her own body as it responded to Xena’s moan. Gabrielle whimpered with the intense feeling racking her body, matching her warrior’s rhythm.

The bard had never felt anything like it before, not even on her wedding night with Perdicus. Gabrielle also knew she would never feel like this with anyone else, again. She willingly gave her heart, soul and body to the tall woman writhing beneath her hands and teeth.

Gabrielle thought she was going to go over her own edge, as she entered the warrior with her fingers. The feeling was so incredible that the bard lost all coherent thought. She whimpered as the warrior’s body responded, muscles contracting to try and capture the bard’s fingers and expanding, demanding more. Again the warrior cried out at the new sensation, as Gabrielle’s thumb found her sensitive spot and began stroking the warrior’s clit.

Xena’s hands grabbed the blonde’s shoulders, her fingernails beginning to dig into the soft skin, and Gabrielle moaned in response, her own passion lost with the warrior’s.

Xena wasn’t sure which sensation was causing her body to rock and her soul to soar higher, the fingers dancing inside her, the thumb over her swollen clit or the teeth that seemed to have a talent of finding the most erotic spot on the warrior’s neck.

Xena’s hands grabbed the blonde’s shoulders, her fingernails beginning to dig into the soft skin, and Gabrielle moaned in response, her own passion lost with the warrior’s. Gabrielle could feel the connection, her soul to Xena’s - body to body. Sensations she was pulling from the warrior, causing her own body to tremble.

The bard sensed the build up of energy in Xena as well, as within herself and glanced up to see the warrior’s body arching, every muscle standing out as sweat covered both their bodies. Gabrielle could feel the edge for both of them, she felt Xena’s body shaking uncontrollably and saw a tear escape from the warrior’s closed eyes and heard a small whimper.

The warrior found herself approaching a point of no return and realized something that startled her, she was afraid to step over that point. She had never gotten this far with anyone, Xena’s need to be totally in control at all times having stopped her before this point. She whimpered with all the feelings running through her body and soul.

Gabrielle looked up from her nibbling and saw a tear escape the warrior’s closed eyes and felt Xena’s muscles tightening around her fingers and the warrior’s nails almost breaking the skin on her shoulders. The bard felt the shaking body and understood.

“I love you, Xena. Let go,” she whispered and bit down again.

Xena screamed a primal scream and then the bard’s name. Wave after wave overcame the tall woman.

This time it was the warrior being soothed, held safely in her bard’s arms. She reached out and held close to Gabrielle, Xena’s tears flowing softly.

“It’s all right, Xena. I’m here. I’m never letting you go,” Gabrielle quickly drew the warrior into her arms, softly holding the gasping and sobbing woman, stroking the dark hair. The bard kept repeating this over and over again, until she felt Xena responding.

“Sorry, don’t know where that came from,” Xena tried to sit up but the bard caught her lips again.

“Don’t apologize, damnit. All I know is that something incredible happened between us. I love you.”

Xena smiled and reached up to caress her lover’s cheek. “I love you, marry me.”

Gabrielle grinned. “I thought I already said ‘yes’.”

“Amazon wedding?”

Xena grinned at the surprise and hopeful look on the Amazon Queen’s face and sat up to face her lover.

“You mean it? A bonding ritual?”

“I’m already your champion, let me be your mate,” Xena leaned forward and kissed the blond again.

“Yes, yes, a thousand times, yes!” Gabrielle threw herself into the warrior’s arms, both of them laughing and kissing.

It was only minutes before Gabrielle found out that Xena could, indeed, be a gentle lover as well as a tiger.

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