Even
With Ares
Awakening
- 10
Ms.
Hunter Ash
ripperbard7@yahoo.com
frost29@post.com
Disclaimers:
the usual: I don’t own Xena, Gabrielle, Solan, Ares, etc etc etc.
Don’t bother suing me - this is for entertainment purposes and no
harm is intended nor profit (I wish!).
Sex/Alt
Fiction/Subtext: Yes. Not really subtext because the relationship is
between two people of the same gender and it gets sexual, loving and
emotional and graphic. Same gender relationships with other
characters are also referred to.
Violence:
A good groin shot, a couple of beatings (character warning),
stabbings and a few deaths. The deaths aren’t too graphic, just
sword strike descriptions (no gore). Finally, one god gets his ass
kicked. Oh yeah - the word “ass” is mentioned a couple of times.
Feedback:
yes, please! I love getting feedback and responding to it. I also
love discussing the stories I write and X&G in general.
================================================================
Even
with Ares
Hunter
Ash
Torris
scowled as the two women walked into the inn just before lunch.
“What
in Hades did you two do to each other?” he demanded as he took in
their bruised and battered faces and bodies. Xena growled and
Gabrielle’s eyes flashed angrily. Cyrene quickly stepped between
her two children and turned to Torris, her oldest son.
“Torris,
they did nothing to each other and they aren’t going to tell you
what happened, so don’t ask again,” she ordered sternly.
Torris
grumbled but moved off to help serve the lunch customers. Cyrene
turned and smiled at her daughter and the warrior’s mate.
“Hi,
Mom. Thanks,” Xena smiled around the swollen lips.
Cyrene
took in the sight of her two daughters and smiled a rueful smile.
Torris had been right, they were a mess physically but their eyes
showed contentment, for the first time in a very long time, the
innkeeper thought to herself.
“Go
upstairs and change, Sasha is with Solan, running around somewhere in
the village.”
Xena
smiled at the thought of her toddler daughter and young teenager son,
very pleased that the boy had taken to his half sister so well.
Sasha just charmed everyone she came in contact with, her mother
thought.
“Hecate?”
Gabrielle questioned, bringing Xena’s mind back to focus.
“She
had a talk with Ares. He grumbled a lot but agreed to back off until
he talked with you,” Cyrene smirked.
“Gods,”
Xena muttered.
“Come
on, lover, let’s get changed and find the kids,” Gabrielle
suggested.
As
they climbed the stairs to their room, Xena reflected on how strange
the last two days had been for the couple. To try and counter Ares’
godly advantages, Xena had gone on a shamanistic journey at the
guidance of her goddess mother Hecate, goddess of magic and the dark
moon. Both the warrior and Gabrielle had faced darkness about
themselves and each other and embraced both the dark and light.
Leaving them to put both halves together in their lives and in
themselves.
The
journey had been difficult and dangerous, especially when Alti showed
up and attacked the couple, physically and emotionally. Making
Gabrielle relive the pain of the crucifixion at the hands of Caesar,
Xena to relive the pain of the broken legs, courtesy of Caesar, and
both of them to face the emotional pain of their own dark sides.
For
Gabrielle it had been facing Xena’s abusive sexual past towards
women and men, for Xena it was facing Gabrielle’s potential bacchae
blood coming to the surface.
Hecate
had also promised to threaten Ares into leaving the couple and their
children alone, even if he was Sasha’s father.
Xena
shook her head as she closed the door behind them. She didn’t
believe that Ares would give up so easily.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“What
are we going to do about Torris?” Gabrielle asked, holding Sasha on
her lap as they finished their dinner that night. The toddler was
beginning to get tired and both moms were hoping she’d nod off
soon. It had been an evening when the little one had been a bundle
of energy after spending the day with her big brother and just
watching her and keeping her out of trouble had worn both women down.
Xena
smiled at her mate and daughter across the table.
“I’m
not sure, my love. He feels displaced and his ego is bruised.”
“He
also hates that we’re lovers,” Gabrielle observed.
“I
know, I’ll try talking to him again. I’ve been thinking,” Xena
said thoughtfully and blushed at Gabrielle’s raised and teasing
eyebrows. “There’s a small house just outside the village at the
edge of the woods, a good piece of land that could be for sale, if
you’d like to take a look at it.”
Xena
smiled at the excited look on her mate’s face.
Then
Gabrielle frowned, “When did we get money? Mine went to buy the
Amazon land in the north.”
Xena
began blushing and stammering. “Well, I uh,” Gabrielle raised
her eyebrows again. “I have several stashes around Greece.”
“From
your Warlord days?”
“Some
of it.”
“We’re
going to talk about this,” Gabrielle promised.
The
talk turned into a debate. The bard insisting that it was blood
money and wanted nothing to do with it until Xena pointed out that
Gabrielle’s money had also been blood money.
Both
had been shocked at those words and the truth behind them.
Gabrielle
had stormed out of the inn and had taken a long walk, debating with
herself all the way. She could rationalize that she didn’t have a
choice in becoming a gladiator and certainly didn’t have a choice
whether she won those matches and the money or not. It was either
win or die.
Then
the other side debated with her. She had still bet on her matches
and the matches of others and had used that money. It had been for a
good cause, the Amazons needed that land to escape the Romans, she
reasoned. But then, wasn’t securing a future for her and Xena a
good cause, especially with the kids now?
When
Gabrielle had returned to the inn she hadn’t mentioned the money
again, just agreed to look at the house, to Xena’s relief.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
With
a smile, Gabrielle shook her head, as the crowd began gathering in
the tavern, anxious for her to begin her storytelling. Had it only
been a month since she and Xena had settled down?
The
bard grinned and grabbed a fleeing toddler as Cyrene came pounding
out from the kitchen, hot on the tail of said toddler. Sasha
squealed and giggled in Gabrielle’s arms. The bard handed Cyrene
her grandchild.
Cyrene
grinned at the bard’s delighted face.
“Is
Xena coming by tonight?” she asked.
“I’m
not sure, I hope so.”
“Me
too, I’m sending Sasha home with Solan now, maybe he can get her to
calm down!” Cyrene complained with a playful smile.
The
innkeeper noticed the bard’s disbelieving shake of the head as she
handed Sasha to her older brother as soon as he walked through the
door. The growing teen grinned and tickled his half-sister and
kissed Gabrielle on the cheek.
“See
you at home, Gabby Mom,” with a laugh he was out the door.
“He
knows I hate ‘Gabby’” Gabrielle complained with a laugh.
“Hard
to believe isn’t it?” Cyrene asked.
“What’s
that?”
“You
and Xena settling down, complete with a teenager and toddler.”
Gabrielle
laughed easily, leaning against the bar as Cyrene joined her. “Yeah,
I never believed Xena would settle down and I’m still not sure I
believe it.”
“How’s
it going with the blacksmith?” Cyrene asked, picking up mugs and
placing them on a tray.
“Really
well. I think she’s surprised at how much she’s enjoying
working with Dexicreon. He feels she’s got a real talent for it.”
“I
just worry about Ares, with Hercules and Iolaus gone,” Cyrene
frowned and Gabrielle shared it.
“I
know, he just gave up too easily for my comfort. Well, off to
storytelling and earning my keep.”
Cyrene
playfully swatted her daughter-in-law’s arm. “Earn your keep, my
foot.”
The
innkeeper was grateful for the help. Amphiplous was a growing town
and it was all that she could do to keep up, even with help from
Torris with the heavy stuff and one serving girl. Having Gabrielle
helping with the serving and then bringing in customers with her bard
talents was a godsend to Cyrene and both Xena and Gabrielle knew it.
It
also freed Torris to devote more time to his growing feed grain
storage and brokerage dealings and out of their hair.
A
candlemark later and Gabrielle found herself grinning from ear to ear
when her mate walked through the door and took a seat near the back,
returning her smile. Several strangers glanced back, wondering who
could ever have caught the attention of the beautiful and talented
young bard. Several had confused faces when they spotted the warrior
woman. Only one made the mistake of smirking. Seeing the coldness
seep into the tall woman’s eyes and the deadly expression on her
face, he quickly ducked his head back over his cup of wine and turned
to listen to the bard. Xena growled and made a mental note to keep
an eye on him when she and Gabrielle left.
Gabrielle
never missed a beat in the rhythm of her story even though she caught
ever nuance of the exchange between the drunk and her mate. She knew
that only months before Xena would have simply walked over and
pounded the man senseless. The bard wondered if the change was the
result of motherhood, Xena’s desire to settle down, her trust in
Gabrielle’s ability to take care of herself, or simply that she was
getting more comfortable with her trust in their love.
Gabrielle
made her own mental note: this one to tease and question her mate
about it later.
Even
though Xena wasn’t dressed in her usual leathers, she could still
intimidate the best of them, Cyrene thought with a smile. She had
also caught the exchange between the man and her daughter and
breathed a sigh of relief when Xena merely glared. The barkeep
stopped the serving girl and instructed her to keep an eye on how
much the idiot drank that night. One of Xena’s unofficial jobs had
developed into bouncing rowdier patrons out of the inn before they
could do any damage and Cyrene really didn’t want it to come to
that, especially if the man’s attention centered around Gabrielle.
The older woman knew Xena was handling herself well but when it came
to her beloved, well, Xena could be unreasonable, Cyrene chuckled to
herself as she took a mug of port to her daughter, careful not to
obstruct her daughter’s line of vision of both the man and
Gabrielle.
“Don’t
mind him,” Cyrene said easily as she placed the mug on the table.
Xena
blushed and smiled. “That obvious?”
Her
mother laughed. “Honey, why do you think everyone in Greece knew
you two were meant for each other long before either of you did? Just
don’t kill him.”
Xena
grumbled but smiled as her mother moved onto her work. The warrior
felt herself softening as she looked at her mate. She was always
surprised at the jolt that settled around her heart when she looked
into those green eyes. How could she have missed it for so long? she
wondered and then answered her own question. Fear. She had been so
afraid of losing the bard’s friendship that Xena almost didn’t
risk finding the love hidden there.
It
felt like a lifetime ago since they had visited Gabrielle’s family
and the ensuing emotional battleground that led to the revelation
that they were so head over heels for each other that they were
hurting and Gabrielle was about ready to leave her.
Once
again, Xena thanked the Fates for Lila, Gabrielle’s little sister,
for her eavesdropping and confronting the warrior with Gabrielle’s
feelings. Taking on Gabrielle’s father, sudden and unexpected
acceptance from Gabrielle’s mother and sister and then, Gabrielle
herself, it was all so unexpected and amazing.
Xena
let her mind drift back to their first morning together as lovers.
The memory of Gabrielle sunning naked on rocks next to a small river
still took Xena’s breath away. The bard already had her heart and
soul and by noon they had claimed each other’s bodies as well.
They had been almost insatiable since.
Then
the world had turned upside down in their lives. Their wedding had
gone fairly smoothly, the warrior reflected. Well, except for Ares
crashing the wedding night. Her bard still teased her about facing
Ares in the middle of the common grounds with only a skirt on, bare
breasts flashing, this never failing to get a blush from the warrior.
Then
the public bonding and the Romans poisoning Gabrielle, her mate.
Gods, Xena thought, it was probably only Gabrielle being the daughter
of Apollo that saved her. The long and painful effects had taken a
toll on the bard and had left Xena exhausted and emotionally drained.
It left her open for Ares to fool the warrior into thinking he was
Joxer, it was enough for him to trick her into an offering at one of
his altars, giving him an opening into her life again and erasing her
memories of Gabrielle.
Xena
gulped down half of her port, trying to get past the memories of
Ares. One week, she grumbled to herself, one messed up week and she
almost killed Gabrielle. And then found she was pregnant with Sasha.
Gabrielle
noticed the frown on her warrior and the second mug of port that her
mate ordered. She hated when memories crowded Xena. She cursed the
past once again, after all they had faced, the memories still haunted
both of them.
Nightmares
still plagued both of them, though not as frequently as they had.
The worst was when the memories invaded their minds during sex, both
cursing these memories the most as well as the guilt they each had to
fight. Each tried to reassure the other that they each understood
about the memories and didn’t take it personal but the guilt was
still there.
Gabrielle
despised those moments: her body writhing and responding to Xena’s
hands, lips and tongue only to freeze, ruining the moment. The bard
would find herself in Xena’s arms, trying to fight against the
memories of the rapists, with Xena struggling to bring her bard back
to the present, holding Gabrielle as the bard cried once again in
rage and pain.
Xena’s
memories were harder to deal with, those of the Destroyer of Nations
and the faces of her victims - both on the battlefield and in the
bedroom. Xena growled at the thought of how Gabrielle would have to
hold her and coax the warrior back to the present. It shamed the
warrior to know that Gabrielle knew what those memories were about.
Xena shook her head, Gabrielle still accepted her and loved her, even
though Xena had been an abuser like the men who had raped Gabrielle.
Once
again Xena felt unworthy of her mate. Then she looked up into her
bard’s eyes and felt that jolt around her heart again. Once more
the warrior knew that she could never face life without Gabrielle
again.
Nearly
two years without her bard had almost killed her. Only Sasha’s
birth had kept her going, and knowing Gabrielle was alive, the
warrior hadn’t give up hope.
Xena
smiled at her mate.
Gabrielle
was relieved to see the smile on her mate’s face. She wasn’t
worried about the two mugs of port, which was nothing for her mate.
It was the memories that worried the bard. They could bring the
warrior down for days if they took hold. The smile was a good sign.
Gabrielle went into the last of the story she was telling, careful
not to catch the eye of the man who had challenged Xena.
Xena
loved watching Gabrielle weave her magic with a story. Those green
eyes could come alive and dance, bringing each word to life. Xena
had seen a room of men reduced to subtle tears at one of her bard’s
tales.
Xena
also loved the fact that Gabrielle was writing and telling her tales
again. She hadn’t touched pen and paper after her slavery with the
Romans for months, even when trapped inside by snow in the Northern
country during the harsh winter. Xena had been worried that Gabrielle
wouldn’t go back to it and despaired that the abuse and killing
might have killed the sense of wonder the bard needed.
After
buying the house and property, Gabrielle had started writing again
and then offered to tell stories at the inn for Cyrene. Both the
innkeeper and Xena had been holding their breath, hoping for that.
Of course, Cyrene had readily agreed, insisting Gabrielle take a
portion of whatever coin she collected and a wage for waiting tables
during lunch and dinner.
Xena watched her
mate finish her tale and then accept the applause and demands for
more. With a tired smile she declined another story and the basket
passed around the customers. Gabrielle walked over and handed the
basket to Cyrene and turned to approach her mate when the man from
before stepped in front of her.
Gabrielle
shook her head.
“Do
you have a death wish, friend?” she asked with a rueful grin as she
peeked around his shoulder and saw Xena’s eyes flashing, the bard
could almost hear the growl from across the room.
“I
thought maybe we could have a drink together, a beautiful and
unattached woman like yourself,” he grinned, legs wide and thumbs
hooked in his belt, his stance challenging her to decline and try to
move around him. Gabrielle knew that if she tried he would reach out
and grab her by the arm or maybe even around the waist, thus ensuring
his quick and maybe timely death from one very upset Warrior
Princess.
“I
am attached, I am very married,” she informed him.
“To
who, a female? That’s not what a beautiful woman like you needs!”
he leered.
Gabrielle
quickly considered her options and, in effect, his future. She
leaned in closer to him, bringing a surprised smirk to his face.
With one quick movement she reached down slightly and grabbed the one
sai she still continued to wear, even in the village, and brought it
up between his undefended legs, hard.
The
handle and her fist sank into his groin. She backed up as he doubled
over and fell to the floor, gasping for air. The bard quickly
sheathed the sai and looked down at the man turning several shades of
red, blue and white.
“Cyrene,
I think he’s had too much to drink,” she commented while Cyrene
tried to keep from smirking. The man’s two friends quickly grabbed
and picked him up.
“I
think you should take him up to his room,” Cyrene suggested sternly
as they began to drag him away.
Gabrielle
tried to fake an innocent look and smile as she approached her
laughing warrior.
“What?”
she questioned and then squeaked when Xena stood up and embraced her
in a passionate kiss. “Xena!” she protested when the warrior
finally let her up for air. Good-natured laughter surrounded them
and then howls when Xena grabbed her and threw the bard over the
warrior’s shoulder and headed for the door.
Gabrielle
pounded uselessly on her warrior’s back, turning extremely red.
Applause, howls and rowdy suggestions followed them out the door.
“Xena!
You are impossible!” she yelped and tried to catch her breath as
Xena let her down and continued walking towards their new home.
“Nice
move with that idiot,” Xena commented, wrapping her arm around the
bard’s shoulders.
“Thanks,
good thing my over protective mate makes me carry a weapon even in
town,” Gabrielle grinned, leaned up and placed a kiss on her mate’s
cheek, causing Xena to blush.
“I
love you, Gabrielle.”
“I
love you too, warrior mine.”
The
warrior closed the door to their new home with a slam and pinned her
bard against the door with her lips and body. Gabrielle moaned and
wrapped her fingers in Xena’s dark hair, holding her mate even
closer as her tongue fought back for dominance.
Xena’s
hands were all over her mate and one finally worked their way under
the bard’s blouse to grasp her breast, playing over a sensitive and
erect nipple. As Xena’s other hand grabbed her tight ass cheek
Gabrielle moaned again and felt her knees go weak. The warrior
growled and brought a thigh between the bard’s leg, keeping her
pinned to the door.
Gabrielle
finally broke free, gasping and clinging to her warrior.
“Bed!
Now!” she demanded.
The
bard yelped again as the warrior lifted Gabrielle over her shoulder
and made her way through the darkened house to their bedroom. Xena
dumped her mate onto the bed with a grin, trying not to laugh aloud
at the bard’s indignant look.
Gabrielle
couldn’t hold the look any longer and laughed herself. This
playful side of her mate was something that had surprised and pleased
her. It even surprised her even more when Xena was playful and
affectionate in public.
Gabrielle
lit the lamp next to the bed and looked over at her lover.
Xena’s
eyes narrowed at the mischievous glint in her mate’s eyes and
leaned back against the door as Gabrielle’s hand stopped her from
moving.
Slowly,
with maddening patience, the bard began unlacing her blouse, one lace
at a time. Xena felt her face beginning to blush as the bard ran her
hand over the material, revealing erect nipples underneath. Instead
of removing the blouse the bard next moved to her belt and slowly
unhooked the belt, dropping it beside the bed and unlaced her skirt
tie. Xena’s breathing quickened as Gabrielle’s hips moved off
the bed and her head fell back in exaggerated desire.
Then
the bard moved to her boots, gently removing her sais and placing
them on the table next to the bed. Her hands trailed over the supple
leather of the boots and up her thighs, feeling the tight muscles
underneath. Xena whimpered as the bard groaned when she ran a hand
lightly over her own groin region. The warrior restrained herself
back against the door with nerves of steel and the gritting of her
teeth.
Gabrielle
slowly unlaced the boots, again moving slow enough to drive her mate
to a frustrated growl. Standing next to the bed, the bard grinned an
evil grin and removed the boots.
With
continued slow movements, Gabrielle stepped out of her skirt and
revealed to her mate that she wasn’t wearing anything underneath.
Xena’s breathing became even more shallow and rapid as her hands
began to shake. She crossed her arms with, she hoped, a stern and
strong expression but could tell from Gabrielle’s dancing eyes that
the bard wasn’t fooled by her nonchalance.
The
blouse followed the skirt and Xena tried to remember to keep
breathing as the bard slowly approached her, body moving like a cat
in the shadows.
Xena
unfolded her arms and let Gabrielle begin unlacing her own tunic top,
the bard moving much too slowly for the warrior. A small whimper
escaped, bringing a smile to Gabrielle as she lifted the tunic off
her mate and gasped at the sight of her lover.
The
bard thought once again that she’d never get enough of Xena, even
if they lived forever. She leaned up on her toes and kissed her
warrior softly, careful not to touch her body to Xena’s, teasing
the warrior. Her mate groaned and closed her eyes, knees almost
buckling.
Gabrielle
slowly unbuckled the warrior’s belt and let it fall to the floor,
followed by the trousers. A warning growl kept Xena’s hands braced
against the door as the bard went to her knees to remove Xena’s
short boots.
Xena’s
legs began trembling to match her hands as Gabrielle’s hands began
caressing her legs, first on the outside of the thighs and then on
the inside, just stopping short of her sex. This brought out a moan
from the warrior and caused her to thump back against the door.
Gabrielle
lightly trailed her hand between Xena’s legs and groaned at how wet
her mate was as she and leaned on her warrior’s thigh. As her
fingers parted her lover’s lower lips and began teasing Xena,
Gabrielle blew lightly across the dark patch of hair in front of her,
Xena’s legs almost buckled again and the warrior’s fingers
interlaced through the blonde’s short hair.
The
warrior cried out as the bard’s fingers entered her and her tongue
found Xena’s clit. The warrior’s hand hit the door as she tried
to steady herself.
“Gabrielle,
please!” the warrior cried. The bard drew back and pulled Xena to
the floor and quickly positioned herself between her lover’s legs
again, pulling more cries out of her lover as Xena’s hips began to
rock with the rhythm the bard’s hand and tongue were setting.
Gabrielle
drew up for a moment and watched her lover’s face as Xena’s body
began to climb higher and higher.
“Gods,
I love you, woman,” the bard said softly and Xena’s blue eyes met
hers with answering passion. Gabrielle interlocked her hand with
Xena’s while she increased the speed and depth of her other hand
and returned to worshipping her lover’s body with her tongue.
Xena
felt her muscles contracting around the bard’s hand and her throat
protesting as her cries began getting louder and stronger until she
felt the beginning of the edge. Then her cries turned into whimpers
as her body shook, begging for release.
“Let
go, lover,” a voice whispered and Xena screamed her lover’s name
and felt her body curl up around her bard’s hand. Gabrielle
crawled up and took the warrior into her arms while Xena caught her
breath.
“Goddamn
cold floor,” Xena muttered as she snuggled into Gabrielle’s arms.
The
bard laughed and pulled Xena to very shaky feet. Fortunately it was
only a few feet to the bed.
Xena
grinned and fell on top of her mate and began kissing Gabrielle
passionately, bringing a leg between the bard’s and Xena, in turn
moaned, at how wet her mate was for her.
“Oh
gods, what you do to me,” she whispered in Gabrielle’s ear and
then moaned as the bard bit down on her neck. Xena responded with a
growl and thrust her hand between the bard’s legs and her own
thigh. Gabrielle threw her head back with a cry of passion, sending
a jolt through her lover’s body as their bodies connected together
in the passion.
The
warrior began a dance with her fingers and hand, taking her mate up
and then backing off, again and again until Gabrielle was a mass of
shaking muscles and nerve endings that were on fire.
“Please!”
the bard finally begged, gripping Xena’s shoulders painfully.
The
warrior grinned as she raised up from nipping lightly at one of the
bard’s nipples. Xena slightly moved up the bard’s body and
kissed Gabrielle again. The bard’s hands moved from the warrior’s
shoulders to her hair and the back of her neck as their bodies rocked
together.
“Now!
Please!” Gabrielle begged again and sank her teeth into the
warrior’s neck.
Xena
moaned and thrust hard into the bard, while her thumb found
Gabrielle’s clit. The bard cried around her teeth but refused to
release her hold on her lover’s neck, sending shivers down Xena’s
entire body as she began to shake with her bard at the approaching
orgasms.
How
many waves shook Gabrielle’s body? Neither of them could tell, her
cries followed by Xena’s and continuing as both shook out of
control.
Xena
opened her eyes and found Gabrielle curled up in her arms, both of
them breathing heavily. Xena smiled and pulled the blankets up over
them as Gabrielle sighed and nuzzled her way to her favorite position
in the warrior’s arm, head resting on her shoulder.
Xena
wondered if she should say anything to Gabrielle about the drop of
blood on the bard’s lips as she kissed it away. The bard smiled
and returned the light kiss, settling into sleep in her lover’s
arms.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Xena
looked up from the anvil in surprise at the sight of her older
brother heading her way, the anger on his face evident even across
the village common. The warrior placed the horseshoe she was working
on in the water bucket and walked out from behind the anvil, removing
the leather apron and adjusting her sweat-band.
Torris,
she could tell, was so angry that he couldn’t even speak when he
finally got up to his younger sister. His face was red and hands
were clenched by his sides. Xena waited, willing herself not to
narrow her eyes or provoke him in any way with her expression.
“What
is it, Torris?” she asked in a non-stressed voice.
“What
in Hades was that scene last night?!” he finally choked out.
“What?”
Xena frowned.
“Gabrielle
nearly castrates a customer and then you..... you!” he began waving
his arms around as he shouted. Xena maintained a calm appearance,
not giving into temptation to look back and grin at Dex, working the
forge. She knew that would just send Torris right over the edge.
“Gabrielle
did not almost castrate anyone. She took care of a potentially
abusive situation and didn’t permanently damage anyone.”
“Turning
his..... his... that into jelly wasn’t damaging?” he demanded.
“It
was either that or face me,” Xena said simply with a shrug, which
only seemed to irritate her older brother even more.
“What
do you call that scene you pulled?”
“Picking
up my mate from work?” she teased and grabbed his fist as he
attempted to swing at her. She easily held his hand in midair as he
struggled to complete the blow and finally gave up, pulling back,
sputtering in rage.
“I
have to hear about it from the other Council Elders! My sister
throwing her damned female sex mate over her shoulder! Like a
customer buying a whore!”
Before
Xena’s eyes and mind cleared, Torris found himself on the wrong end
of Xena’s powerful fists and on the ground nursing a broken nose
and bruised jaw. Xena struggled in Dex’s powerful arms, which were
wrapped around her. She finally tried to calm her breathing as she
glared down at Torris’ bloody face and ripped tunic.
Dex
relaxed his hold but didn’t let go as he felt the warrior’s
muscles relax. Torris scrambled to his feet, holding his nose and
glaring back at his sister. They both looked around at the small
crowd gathering around, including Cyrene running from the inn with
Gabrielle.
“Xena!
Torris!” Cyrene yelled as she parted the crowd to get to her
children with Gabrielle following. She turned Torris to face her and
took off her apron to hold it up to his nose and glanced at Xena to
make sure that her daughter was all right physically and mentally.
Gabrielle
started to pass by Cyrene and Torris and was startled when Torris
reached out and grabbed her by the collar and to pull her back.
“If
you hadn’t come along she’d never have come back!” he hissed,
pulling the bard off balance and stunning her with a fist just above
her eye, sending Gabrielle to the dust. Cyrene and several villagers
grabbed him and dragged him back several feet while Dex tightened his
hold over an enraged Xena.
Cyrene
quickly went to Gabrielle and helped the young woman to her feet as a
couple of other villagers rushed to help the bard up. She attempted
a smile, wiping at the blood flowing down past her eye. She quickly
turned and went to her mate, taking Xena’s face in her hands and
began talking to her warrior.
Gabrielle
knew the look in Xena’s eyes. She had seen that same berserker
madness in Xena’s eyes when the Romans drove seven-inch spikes
through the bard’s wrists when Caesar crucified her. It had taken
Xena hours to come out of that rage.
Finally,
Gabrielle saw Xena’s breathing begin to slow down and her eyes
start focusing.
“Gabrielle?”
she whispered and the bard nodded to Dex, the big man gently removing
his arms from around the warrior. He gave her a quick squeeze on the
shoulder and returned to the shop.
Xena
looked around and noticed everyone had gone about their business but
were still keeping an eye on the couple, seeing how the interesting
afternoon was going to end.
Gabrielle
smiled and nodded. “I’m here, my love, and I’m fine.”
“You’re
bleeding,” Xena protested.
Gabrielle
took her warrior’s hand and led her to the shade of a nearby tree.
“It’s
nothing, my love,” Gabrielle said simply as Xena tried to wipe the
blood away gently, to get a look at the cut above her eyebrow.
“Where’s
Torris?” Xena growled.
“Inside
the inn with Cyrene. Xena, promise not to hurt him.”
“Gabrielle,”
Xena growled, warningly.
“Please,
this is going to be hard enough to work around.”
“He
hit you!” Xena hissed, her eyes narrowing and flashing.
“Yes,
and he tried to hit you. You also broke his nose and maybe his jaw,”
Gabrielle said simply.
Xena
glared towards the inn.
“Pounding
him anymore isn’t going to help,” Gabrielle argued with the
silent warrior.
“Would
make me feel better,” Xena countered and was surprised when
Gabrielle smiled and took Xena’s face in her hands again.
“I
love you, my warrior. The best thing right now is for both of you to
avoid each other. I don’t know what else to suggest.”
Xena
sighed, letting her anger flow away. “I don’t either. He’s not
likely to move away and I’m beginning to like it here a lot.”
“Me
too,” the bard slipped her hand into Xena’s and began walking her
back to the blacksmith’s shop area. She leaned up and gave her
warrior a quick kiss on the lips. “I don’t want you to go all
stoic because of him either,” Gabrielle warned and started walking
towards the inn.
Gabrielle
frowned as she walked into the inn and saw Cyrene wiping away the
blood from Torris’ nose with a wet cloth. Xena’s older brother
caught her eye and looked away. Cyrene frowned at her son.
“Get
in line, Gabrielle, I want a look at that cut,” Cyrene ordered.
“I’m
fine, Cyrene.”
“I’m
not going to lose a good bard to infection! Bad enough my son will
now have a bent nose and his meals will be non-chewing for awhile.”
“Is
his jaw broken?” Gabrielle asked, still keeping her distance.
“No,
but it won’t feel good for awhile. Maybe it’ll keep his mouth
shut!” Cyrene snapped and Torris growled, getting a slap upside the
head from his mother.
“If
you could talk I’d make you apologize! I know you and Xena used to
fight all the time but you do not lay a hand on a woman! Even if she
is your sister and especially Gabrielle! Do you realize how close you
came to dying?” Cyrene demanded while Torris grumbled.
Gabrielle
sat down at a table with a heavy sigh. Fortunately it was after the
lunch rush and there weren’t any other customers.
Torris
looked over and glared at her. Gabrielle finally snapped and she was
standing over the man before Cyrene could move to stop her.
“Listen,
damnit! I am not going away! I faced a lot worse than you to be with
Xena, don’t make me show you what I learned from them! Find a way
to deal with it already! I’d think you’d be happy for her,”
she shouted and then spun on her heel and went to the kitchen to
clean up.
After
wiping her wound off, the bard found she was still pent up and went
out the back and to head headed for the tree next to the stream
behind the inn, a favorite place of hers and Xena’s. With an angry
growl she began practicing a weapons routine with her sais, working
out some of her anger.
She
was always quick to try and calm Xena down, now she found she also
had trouble dealing with her anger. With a shout she threw her sais,
burying them into a nearby tree. Gabrielle grabbed them and spun in
a complicated pattern, letting them fly into the tree again with
another shout.
The
bard attempted to smile when she saw Xena standing nearby, leaning
against a tree. Gabrielle blushed and retrieved her sais and walked
over to her mate.
“So
much for the peacekeeper,” she muttered.
Xena
drew her into the warrior’s arms, holding her close.
“I
love you so much,” Xena said simply. “Mom told me you had words
with Torris. Fortunately for his ass, he’d already left.”
“It
was more a case of having words AT him,” Gabrielle grinned,
nuzzling Xena’s chest, tightening her hug.
Xena
leaned against the tree and slid down, pulling a giggling Gabrielle
with her. The bard snuggled into her warrior’s arms with a
contended sigh.
“We
need to go take Sasha off Mom’s hands for awhile before dinner,”
Xena whispered.
“I
know, I’m teaching her letters while your Mom makes dinner,”
Gabrielle informed Sasha’s mom with a grin.
“Really?”
“Yup,
she’s smart.”
“Takes
after her Gabby mom,” Xena grinned.
“I’ll
get you for that tonight,” Gabrielle promised.
“I
hope so, little one.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“Hey,
beautiful, how about a kiss?” a male voice demanded from behind the
bard one night and the speaker nearly got an elbow in the jaw.
Gabrielle almost dropped her serving tray when she turned and saw
Hercules and Iolaus standing behind her grinning.
The
bard sat the tray down and leaped into the demi-god’s arms for in a
big hug and then, with a grin, proceeded to hug Iolaus as well.
“It’s
good to see you both! What brings you two this way?” she asked and
then raised her eyebrows when she realized there was a figure
standing behind Iolaus. She caught the eyes and shy grin of the
growing boy.
“Ketli?”
he nodded and then grinned when the bard hugged him as well,
switching her greeting to Germanic.
Gabrielle’s
grin faded when she saw the expression in Hercules’ eyes.
“Oh
gods, it’s serious, isn’t it?”
“’Fraid
so, where’s Xena?”
“She
should be here any minute for supper. Grab a table and I’ll join
you in a bit.”
The
warrior was also pleased when she walked in and to see saw her
friends sitting at a table with Ketli, the young orphan from their
adopted northern Germanic family, and her own kids. Then she also
saw the tension in the men’s faces.
Gabrielle
walked over with a mug of port and food for her mate and a quick kiss
before scurrying off to finish serving dinner to the other customers.
Xena made the rounds of the table, giving hugs to everyone and
taking Sasha into her arms.
Xena
caught the two men’s grins.
“What?”
she demanded as Solan giggled and ate quickly to cover it.
“Just
thinking how good motherhood and settling down have been good for you
both. How long since we were here?” Hercules smiled.
“Five
months,” Xena switched to Germanic. “You have grown, Ketli Axe
Hand.”
The
boy blushed and grinned. “Sasha is beautiful, Ylsa,” he
answered, using her adopted Germanic name and watching the child.
Xena nodded in agreement and sat her daughter in her own chair and
took in the German boy.
The
boy had grown from the seven year old she had last seen. Now he was
taller and leaner with blond hair and flashing blue eyes that
betrayed his northern origin. The warrior was glad to see his quick
smile, though, he hadn’t exactly had an easy life, she reflected.
The
dinner continued with small chatter, catching up on what had gone on
between the friends, Solan discussing his continuing training in
tracking and hunting with Xena, the warrior mother proudly discussing
her daughter’s speed of learning, and Ketli’s impression of his
travel to Greece with his adopted fathers.
Xena
had raised an eyebrow at that one, getting a blush from both men and
a laugh out of the warrior woman.
The
warrior led her guests and family to the small house at the edge of
the forest, knowing that Gabrielle would skip storytelling with
Hercules and Iolaus in town. Both Greek men were impressed with the
small home and the delight in which Xena took in showing them around
and Solan’s pride in his growing fur collection from his hunts.
They sat by the fire drinking port and cider while waiting for
Gabrielle.
Xena
could sense the tension in the room and was grateful when Solan
volunteered to put Sasha and Ketli to bed.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Gabrielle
sighed when she walked in the door and walked over to hug the men and
Solan again. She settled in front of the fire between Xena’s legs,
leaning back into her mate.
“This
isn’t good, is it?” she asked, breaking the tension finally.
“No,
it isn’t,” Hercules confirmed and stared into the fire. “Since
Caesar’s death Rome has been in confusion and in an uproar. After
the assassination, Brutus was given the governorship of Crete. Marc
Antony tried to seize power but Caesar’s will legalized the
adoption of his grandnephew Octavian and gave him most of the estate.
Octavian went to Rome to claim his inheritance, which includes all
succession rights of Caesar, and has been courting the aristocrats
but especially Caesar’s veterans.”
Hercules
took a sip of his port. Xena began massaging the bard’s shoulders.
“Antony
got his assignment changed from Macedonia to Gaul. Thousands of
troops have been joining with Octavian, even though he doesn’t have
the authority to raise troops. Antony is getting very worried and
has been plotting with Brutus. That led to a temporary truce between
them including an alliance. Brutus went to Gaul, in secret, to
negotiate with Antony and raise public opinion for Antony. Nothing
does that better than a battle victory,” Hercules said bitterly.
“Battle?
In Gaul?” Gabrielle whispered. Frowning, Solan moved his chair
closer to that of his moms.
Iolaus
ducked his head, wiping away sudden tears.
“Oh
gods,” Hercules muttered as he wrapped an arm around his mate’s
shoulder. “Brutus led Antony’s troops right to the Amazons and
Centaurs.”
“What?!”
Xena whispered in disbelief.
Hercules
nodded, fighting back his own tears. “Axel, Iolaus, Ketli and I
went to visit them, to arrange trading for the winter furs just after
the attack. We found three survivors, one burned beyond hope and two
who are now with Axel’s tribe. They told us what happened.”
“Only
two lived?” Gabrielle whispered, grasping Xena’s leg tightly as
the room seemed to spin.
“Yes,
a little girl named Tyro and an old woman named Sterope.”
“Ephiny,
Solari?” Xena choked out, wrapping her arms around her mate’s
chest.
“Brutus
ordered their execution himself.”
The
two women gathered Solan into their arms as his tears finally broke.
“How?”
Gabrielle asked, eyes flashing brightly into Hercules’.
“Crucifixion.
They said he questioned the Amazons and tortured them, trying to find
out where you were,” Hercules said softly.
With
a shout Gabrielle broke free from the embrace and dashed out the
door. Xena hugged Solan even tighter for a moment and then pulled
back, looking closely at her son.
“I’m
okay,” he said simply. Xena nodded and grabbed her cloak and
followed Gabrielle into the night.
Xena
found her mate sitting by the same stream that ran behind her
mother’s inn, rocking back and forth, her arms wrapped around her
knees. The warrior knelt down and gently placed the cloak around
Gabrielle’s shoulders and took the bard into her arms, both letting
the tears flow.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The
next day the small group of mourners rode up the mountainside until
they reached a bare spot on top of one of the smaller ones.
Soon
a huge bonfire was laid and ready and everyone gathered around.
Solan began a drumbeat with Iolaus keeping a base beat with him.
Hercules handed a torch to both Gabrielle and Xena and then stepped
back and bowed his head respectfully.
With
an Amazon wail of grief, Gabrielle bent forward and threw her torch
onto the bonfire. Xena followed with a howl of her own. Most of the
next candle0mark was spent with the two women dancing, singing and
howling their grief while Cyrene chanted prayers to Hecate and
Artemis.
As
the fire began to die down, the two women and drummers were
exhausted, having pounded and howled their grief to the sky and
flames. Xena slowly wiped her face of the sweat and tears and
approached her mate, who was kneeling on the ground near the fire,
staring at the flames and breathing heavily.
Gabrielle
stood as the warrior approached her and slowly removed her Amazon
Queen mask. She picked up her staff and looked at it carefully and
then threw it into the fire, surprising the warrior.
“My
tribe is dead but the Amazon spirit will never be killed!” she
vowed.
Xena
nodded and waited, watching her lover’s blazing eyes, bordering on
the berserker rage. Gabrielle walked to her lover slowly and reached
to Xena belt and pulled out the warrior’s dagger. Xena didn’t
move, even when Gabrielle sliced her hand open once again and gripped
her fist around the blood.
“Ephiny,
Solari - all of them, Brutus and Marc Antony will pay,” Gabrielle
hissed and Xena closed her eyes, fresh tears escaping. She
understood her mate’s suffering and the desire for vengeance but
she also feared for her little bard. With a heavy sigh she took the
dagger from her mate, cut her own hand and let the blood run onto the
ground.
“For
our family and our tribe, My Queen,” she vowed with her Queen and
then drew Gabrielle into her arms again.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“This
could take awhile,” Xena warned as they sat around the table the
next morning and Gabrielle nodded, her eyes still bright with grief
and anger. It had been a rough night for both women, both plagued by
nightmares again.
“I
know, just as long as it happens someday,” Gabrielle stated.
“I’m
not going to let you turn into an assassin, damnit!” Xena snapped
and Gabrielle’s eyes narrowed. Hercules and Iolaus looked very
uncomfortable.
“I’ve
killed, remember?”
“Inside
the Arena when you had no choice. Choosing to take someone’s life
ahead of time is something totally different. That’s a line of
darkness I don’t want you to cross, please,” Xena’s eyes were
pained and Gabrielle’s face softened.
“I
want revenge, yes, but most of all I want justice.”
Xena
nodded. “Then we’ll figure it out. Right now I think we should
wait and see how things develop between Antony, Octavian, Brutus and
Cassius. I don’t want to get caught in the middle of a civil war
unless we can use it to our advantage.”
“All
right, you were the general, my love,” Gabrielle leaned back,
finally her eyes easing up.
“Are
you going to be okay, Dex wants me to go to Desume, a customer over
there has a special order for us. I’d be gone two days,” Xena
asked with a frown and Gabrielle attempted a reassuring smile.
“Actually,
yes. I want to take a trip to the woods just north of here. There’s
a shrine to Artemis I’d like to visit.”
Xena
nodded, understanding. “I thought I’d take Solan and Sasha with
me, if you don’t mind.”
“Of
course not, my love.”
“What
about you three, my friends? What are you plans for the near future?”
Xena asked their two best friends.
“We
thought we’d stay here for a week and then head over and see our
families to introduce them to Ketli,” Iolaus answered with his
characteristic grin.
“Great,
we love having you two here, I just wish it was under better
circumstances,” Gabrielle said, wiping away a stray tear. She
stood quickly. “I’m going to help Cyrene at the inn,” she
announced and quickly kissed her mate and was out the door.
Xena
struggled with her own tears.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Gabrielle
was a little disappointed that Artemis didn’t make an appearance at
the shrine when Gabrielle visited and sacrificed to the Goddess in
honor of her fallen Amazons. In fact, she reflected, she was very
disappointed and wondered why the Goddess hadn’t been around at all
to see her Chosen.
The
warrior bard was pondering that and Brutus’ actions when she
noticed a rider approaching her hard and fast. Gabrielle’s eyes
narrowed and she reached down and drew a sai into her hand as her
horse stopped, ready for whatever command she might throw at the
mare.
The
rider, a young girl in peasant clothes, stopped her horse far enough
away from the bard to show she wasn’t dangerous.
“Are
you Gabrielle, friend of Xena?” the girl asked breathlessly.
“Yes,
what is it?” Gabrielle replaced the sai after determining that the
girl was alone.
“My
father found a young boy tied up in the woods, he’s been hurt bad
and he’s asking for you. Said his name is Solan.”
“Lead
me!” Gabrielle ordered and the girl turned her horse as the bard
urged her horse to join the girl’s as they flew down the road to
Myrcinus.
The
girl’s house was on the edge of the village and they arrived
quickly. Gabrielle was off her horse and impatiently waiting by the
door for the girl to open it before her horse had even skidded to a
stop.
“Father!
I found her!” the girl shouted as she opened the door.
An
older man, skin tanned and weathered by years in the field, stepped
out from a back room and approached the bard with an easy smile.
“You
are welcome in my home, I’ve sent for the healer,” he said simply
and motioned for her to join him in the back.
Gabrielle
whimpered at the sight of the young teen lying on the simple cot. He
had a broken nose that was turning into two black eyes, split lips,
an arm in a splint and he was deathly pale.
“Solan!
Can you hear me?” Gabrielle asked as she knelt next to the cot,
taking the boy’s hand carefully.
The
teen opened his eyes with a groan, his body twitching in pain.
“Gabby
mom?” he whispered.
“I’m
here, Solan,” with experienced hands she quickly lifted his tunic
and hissed at the bruising along his ribs and frowned at the knot at
the boy’s stomach. He groaned loudly when she poked him. Internal
injuries were definitely a fear.
“We
were attacked, Mom said Ares warrior priests,” he whispered.
Gabrielle’s
eyes took in the rope burns at his wrists and noted that he was able
to easily move his legs until she tried to bend his legs into his
stomach, again he groaned in obvious pain.
“What
happened, Solan?”
“They
hurt Mom really bad and took her and Sasha away in a wagon. They left
me tied to a tree,” the boy began to cry and Gabrielle started
talking, trying to ease his physical and emotional pain. Finally a
young woman walked in with an older woman, both carrying satchels.
“I
am Polyphonte and this Nomia, I am her apprentice,” the girl
introduced herself.
“I’m
Gabrielle and this is Solan. He’s been beaten badly, broken nose
and bruises but I’m worried about his stomach. There are a couple
of lumps and they’re rigid and painful. It hurts him to bend his
legs to his stomach and he’s very pale,” Gabrielle said quickly
as the older woman moved forward and the younger one pulled up a
stool for her mentor.
“You
have training?” the older woman, Nomia asked.
“No,
but I’ve seen plenty of wounds and beatings,” Gabrielle answered,
watching the older woman’s hands fly over the boy, much as hers had
done. The young woman, Poly went to a table and began pulling out
herbs and mixing them in a mortar.
“You’re
too young to have such knowledge,” Nomia smiled.
“So
is he,” Gabrielle commented, wincing as he groaned in pain again.
“They
always are,” the old woman agreed and took the cup that Poly handed
her of the mixed herbs and wine. She held the boy’s head up gently
and got him to drink most of the wine.
“Solan,
do you know where they took Xena and Sasha?” Gabrielle asked,
hoping to get more out of him before the pain herbs hit.
“Something
about a temple,” he muttered, eyes closed.
“You
are needed elsewhere,” Nomia observed.
“Yes,
his mother and sister have been kidnapped.”
“Then
go, we won’t know until tomorrow if there is bad bleeding inside.”
“Solan,
I’m going to find them and get them back!” Gabrielle promised and
dashed out of the back room. She approached the father and daughter.
“Thank
you, I’ll pay for whatever cost the healer wishes. I have to leave
for a bit, if I don’t come back within two days, send word to
Cyrene in Amphipolis at the inn that Solan is here and hurt.”
“Don’t
worry, he is welcome to stay here as long as necessary. You’ll be
back,” the farmer said optimistically.
“Thank
you.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Gabrielle
cursed Ares with every curse she had ever heard of and invented quite
a few along the way as she rode hard. How in Hades did Solan end up
in Myrcinus, she wondered. It was north of Amphipolis and not on the
way to Desume in the East. The only solution Gabrielle could see was
that he was left as bait for her to find and attempt a rescue of Xena
and Sasha. That meant the priest warriors must be headed for the
temple of Ares at Crenides, north of Desume.
Gabrielle
growled and urged her horse on faster. She knew she was heading into
a trap but was determined to get Xena and Sasha back, she’d just
have to change Ares’ plan, she thought as the wind whipped through
her short blond hair.
The
bard wasn’t surprised when she caught up with the small band of
warrior priests late that day. She left the road, leading her horse
deep into the woods next to the road and left the mare to take to the
trees. Gabrielle was hoping that Ares hadn’t mentioned some of the
bard’s Amazon talents when instructing his warriors.
Gabrielle
moved through the trees with the grace of a stalking tiger and got
close enough to see the camp they were setting up next to the road.
She by-passed the sentries easily and slid into the shadows. The
bard stifled a moan as she saw her lover in hay filled wagon with
Sasha next to her.
Xena
was unconscious, her hand covering an obvious wound in her side.
Like her son, her face was bruised and cut and there was a bad gash
across her left thigh. Her weapons were sitting on the bench seat of
the wagon.
Sasha
was quiet but it was obvious she had been crying and it broke
Gabrielle’s heart to see the little one clinging to her unconscious
mom as the men ignored her and Xena while they sat up camp.
Gabrielle
turned her eyes from her mate and daughter and focused her rage down
to take in the camp and its’ set up. Pretty basic, she thought.
Men are so typical. Horses tied to a rope line, sentries positioned
every so many yards apart, watching the outside of the camp, several
others gathering wood for a fire while another prepared dinner for
the group.
One
leaned over the wagon and checked on the woman and child. He ignored
the terrified cry from the child and felt Xena’s neck for a pulse.
“She’s
still breathing but I don’t know how,” he yelled to the man
preparing dinner.
“I
don’t know either but I’m glad she is, Ares said not to hurt
her!” the other one complained.
“Then
he should have tried to take the kid away from her without hurting
her!” another one snapped back, nursing a broken arm.
Gabrielle
was pleased to notice three men lying on blankets and moaning in pain
and most of the rest were nursing bruises and cuts. Two of the men
weren’t long for the world, she thought as she watched them.
Xena
and Solan had put up quite a fight. There were five horses without
riders and Ares’ priests were known for their fighting skills and
blessing from their God.
Gabrielle
settled into the fork of the tree she was in, deep in the shadows and
waited.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The
figure moved through the shadows quietly as death. A hand reached up
into the wagon slowly and removed the sword lying there without being
seen or heard. The only indication that something was wrong was a
slight thump near the horses. None of the priests even turned their
heads in question.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
When
the sun finally rose the next morning the head priest groaned,
grabbing at his ribs when he turned over. He stood up slowly and
walked over to the wagon and blinked several times.
Every
sleeping man found themselves jumping out of their blankets and
cloaks, grabbing for weapons as he started yelling and kicking at
them.
“Where’s
the brat!?” he demanded.
“What?”
someone demanded back, trying to untangle themselves from their
blanket.
“The
kid! Where’s the kid!?” he shouted.
“What
are you talking about?” another man demanded and ran over to the
wagon and was stunned to see the warrior woman still in the wagon but
not the child. “Maybe she had to use a tree and climbed out,” he
suggested.
“Then
find her!” the leader shouted.
“The
horses are gone!” another voice came from across the camp and the
head priest began swearing as he trotted that way.
Nothing
was left of the horse line except the cut rope. The guard was
missing and so were the horses.
The
priest screamed in anger and stormed back over to the wagon and
noticed the missing sword.
“All
right, damnit! Xena’s pet is somewhere around here and I want her
found!” he screamed and the able bodied warriors scurried into the
bushes and trees.
Gabrielle
grinned, holding a wide-eyed Sasha high in a tree, hidden in the
shadows.
“Something
to remember in the future, Sasha,” she whispered, “Men seldom
look up.”
Gabrielle
wrapped part of the horse rope around Sasha’s waist and secured the
other end tightly to a branch. It was dangerous to leave the child
but she needed to get Xena away from the warriors and there were
still too many of them to take head on.
“Stay
quiet for me and we’ll get your Mom back soon, okay?” she
whispered and the young child nodded simply. With eyes wide she
watched her Gabby Mum move from the tree into other trees and
shadows.
A
candle-mark later, the priest called everyone back to camp and was
enraged to find four men missing.
“Did
any of you find the sentry from last night?” he demanded and they
all shook their heads.
“Damnit!”
he cursed, kicking at the body of one of the warriors who had died in
the night.
“Why
don’t you call Ares to help?” one of the priest warriors
suggested.
“Because
he can’t interfere with the brat, something about the other gods.
That’s why he sent us on this job, moron,” the high priest
snapped.
Gabrielle’s
eyes narrowed, that was good information to know. Ares wouldn’t be
popping up out of thin air and getting in her way. She quickly
counted and found six warriors left, including the priest. Ares
hadn’t been taking any chances sending that large of a group out to
kidnap Sasha.
She
frowned; she needed to find a way to lessen the number somehow and
didn’t want to wait until nightfall to do it. Then the bard
grinned when she saw the bow and arrow next to the corpse. Gabrielle
also spotted her mate beginning to regain consciousness and breathed
a sigh of relief. Must be that healing god gift thing, she thought.
A
well-thrown rock sent the warriors dashing into the woods and the
bard into the camp to grab the bow and arrows and then back into the
trees. The high priest was an extremely bright red when he called
everyone back to camp to find two more men missing, this time they
found the corpses after some searching, each with an arrow through
the throat.
Another
well-placed arrow in the thigh of a warrior sent him to his knees
yelling in pain and dropping his sword.
Gabrielle
dropped out of the nearest tree with Xena’s sword in one hand and a
sai in the other. The high priest screamed in anger and charged the
small woman.
Unknown
to Gabrielle, Xena was awake and managed to pull herself up by the
sideboards of the wagon and gritted her teeth as the bard grinned,
facing the onslaught of the warrior priests.
The
first man rushed the bard with his sword extended and Gabrielle
easily parried the sword thrust with her sai and embedded Xena’s
sword through the man’s stomach and out his back. She quickly
yanked the sword free by placing her foot on the man’s chest and
pulling, shoving him backwards as he clutched at his gaping wound.
She quickly jumped forward as he fell and buried the sword in his
throat as he fell, pinning him to the ground.
The
warrior bard parried another sword with the sai as she pulled out the
sword and lashed out with a quick sidekick into the chest of the man
whose sword she had trapped in her sai. With a well-practiced move
of her wrist the man lost his sword.
Gabrielle
switched her balance to the other foot and spun quickly, coming
upright and placing the spinning foot along the jaw of another
priest. She met the sword of the High priest head on.
The
man’s rage gave him additional strength and Gabrielle found herself
almost bending over backwards under the pressure of his sword against
hers. She slashed out with the sai, forcing him to pull back to
avoid getting the weapon in his stomach. Gabrielle pressed the
advantage and broke the stalemate of the swords and flipped out of
the way of his next thrust.
As
the man, who she had kicked picked up his sword and charged her
again, the bard spun, racking her sword along his stomach. Gabrielle
switched her grip on the sword and thrust backwards, several times,
sending the sword through his stomach three more times before
switching the grip again and facing the last two fighters.
Instead
of rushing her they stopped and began flanking her. The one was the
warrior she had shot with the arrow and he wasn’t moving quickly,
and Gabrielle’s eyes narrowed in concentration.
The
bard spun rapidly, confusing the two warrior priests, especially the
High priest who was blinking in confusion as he tried to speak and
find his next breath as he couldn’t seem to understand the sai
sticking out of his throat.
Gabrielle,
taking advantage of the other man’s slowed responses, came out of
her spin on the run and forward flipped under his guard to bury the
sword in his chest. Before he could instinctively slash down with
his sword, she kicked his legs out from under him and buried her
other sai in his throat.
Almost
growling with the onslaught of the energy coursing through her veins,
the warrior bard blinked and sat down heavily on the ground, looking
around her. Xena watched as her breathing slowed and the dazed look
began to leave her mates’ eyes.
“Gabrielle,”
Xena said softly with a groan.
“Xena!”
Gabrielle jumped to her feet, ran to the side of the wagon and
vaulted into the bed of the transport holding her mate, taking Xena
into her arms.
Xena
attempted a smile for her mate.
“Gods,
I’ve been so worried!” Gabrielle whispered, brushing a lock of
dark hair out of her warrior’s eyes.
“Guess
it’s that god healing thing, that wound should have been fatal,”
Xena agreed with a whisper. “Sasha?”
“Hang
on, my love,” Gabrielle smiled and gently lowered her love back
onto the hay and jumped out of the wagon. She looked back at her
mate with a smile. “I’ll be right back.”
Gabrielle
quickly climbed the tree and grinned at the smiling child sitting
patiently in the high tree top, just where she had left her. She
grabbed her daughter for a big hug.
“Guess
what, little one! Your mom’s awake and asking for you, should we go
see her?”
“Yes,
Mum,” Sasha agreed with a grin. Gabrielle smiled and pulled out a
harness like bundle of straps from a pouch she had left hanging on a
branch near the child. She quickly harnessed the small child onto
her back and climbed down carefully and then released the squirming
little girl when they reached the ground.
Gabrielle
was all smiles as she lifted the child into the wagon and watched
Sasha lay down next to her mother, curling inside Xena’s arm. Xena
smiled back at her mate and down at her daughter.
“You
get to rescue me again, my love,” the warrior said softly.
“Yup,
Solan is alive, with a farmer and healers,” Gabrielle stated before
Xena could ask the next question.
“Is
he all right?”
Gabrielle
lost her smile and Xena closed her eyes in pain. “They didn’t
know when I left.”
“I’m
going to kill Ares this time!” Xena growled.
“No,
my love, you’re too injured,” Gabrielle debated with her mate.
“He’s
gone too far this time!” Xena protested.
“Yes,
and this time he gets to answer to me!”
“What?”
“They
were setting up a trap for me. They left Solan where he would be
found. Ares wanted his priests to kill me and deliver you and Sasha
to him at his temple where he thinks Hecate won’t interfere.”
Xena
growled, not wanting to let loose with the string of obscenities in
front of her small daughter.
Gabrielle
nodded in agreement. “I’m going to get my horse and then we’re
going to the temple. I’m going to have a talk with the God of
War,” Gabrielle told her mate grimly.
Xena
wasn’t sure she was strong enough to argue with the stubborn set of
her mate’s jaw.
“Whatever
Gabrielle wants, Gabrielle gets,” she muttered as the bard trotted
away.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Xena
sat up in the back of the wagon, chakram in hand and sword across her
lap. Sasha sat next to her mom, eyes wide, sensing the seriousness
in her two moms as Gabrielle pulled up next to the temple of Ares.
“Gabrielle,”
Xena’s voice stopped the bard as she jumped down from the seat and
faced the temple. The warrior knew the stubborn set of the bard’s
jaw and frowned. “Let’s just go home and face this another day,”
she argued with Gabrielle’s eyes and determined body language.
“No,
my love. Not this time.” Gabrielle said flatly and then her eyes
relaxed and she managed a small smile as she leaned over, kissed her
mate and gave a quick hug to Sasha. “If something happens....”
“Nothing’s
gonna happen!” Xena hissed.
Gabrielle
closed her eyes for a moment and then began strapping on one of the
swords she had taken from the soldiers and followed that with a
dagger at the small of her back. Xena was surprised when the bard
pulled out a spike from her leather wrist bracer. Gabrielle smiled a
quirky smile. “Never let them know all your weapons,” she quoted
her former gladiator trainer and friend, Nikki.
“If
something happens, get home. Do not come in after me. Promise me,
Xena!”
Xena
growled and grabbed Gabrielle’s hands into hers, trying to fight
back tears and a wince of pain. “I can’t promise that,
Gabrielle. I’m not leaving you!”
“You
have Solan and Sasha to think of,” Gabrielle argued.
“I
can’t live without you!” Xena protested.
“You’re
a mom now, yes you can.”
“You’re
as much their mom as I am so you had better come back, damnit!”
Xena insisted.
“That’s
something Ares and I are going to talk about,” Gabrielle’s eyes
narrowed and Xena saw the mental shift of her little bard into
hardened Arena fighter and realized that she was now looking at
Dancer, the gladiator deadly enough to win the coveted wooden sword
of freedom from Caesar’ s hands himself.
Xena
released her mate’s hands with a sad nod, knowing that any further
argument was useless. Dancer turned and sprinted up the stairs,
hesitating a moment at the door and then going in.
Xena
wrapped an arm around her daughter, trying to comfort Sasha and
herself.
“It’ll
be okay, Sasha. It has to be.”
“Gabby
mum?”
“She’ll
be back, Sash,” Xena promised and closed her eyes, offering a
prayer to Apollo and Hecate to watch over their children. Xena knew
that Gabrielle meant to pound it through Ares’ head to leave them
alone or die trying to kill him to end it once and for all.
The
warrior knew her bard was willing to do just that if it meant saving
Sasha and Xena from Ares.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Gabrielle
spotted two priests and three worshippers in the temple as she looked
around. She pulled up the hood on her cloak and entered quietly,
sitting down on one of the benches as she took in the temple.
It
was as she would expect of the God of War, fire blazing in the center
of the room, a few benches for worshippers, an altar that was so
stained with the blood of animal sacrifices, and maybe other
sacrifices, she thought, that it looked like it had been painted a
deep rust color. Behind that, up several stairs, was a stone chair.
Tapestries
of various symbols and knotwork design lined the walls, mostly in
reds and blacks.
Finally
the three worshippers made their offerings and left, leaving
Gabrielle and the priests. The bard stood slowly and approached the
altar where the two men waited, watching her. As they realized she
was female a puzzled and surprised look hit each of their faces.
Before they could question her they found a sai under each chin, both
froze.
“The
God of War and I have something to discuss, get out,” she hissed,
increasing the pressure on the sais, forcing the men’s heads back
even further. They nodded agreement around the metal sticking into
their jaws and Gabrielle pulled back slightly to sheath one of the
sais and drew the sword. The priests rushed out of the door,
slamming it behind them.
“ARES!”
the bard screamed.
“You
know it’s customary to offer a sacrifice when you want something in
my temple,” a voice said in a bored manner and the God of War
appeared on his throne, lounging across it rather than sitting in it.
Gabrielle’s
eyes narrowed and she pointed the sword in his direction.
“I
take it that you’re a little upset with me?” he grinned as he
stood up.
“Your
men almost killed my wife, kidnapped my daughter and possibly killed
Solan. I also figure they were waiting to kill me. Not to mention
tricking my wife into sex with you. Yeah, I’m a little pissed off
at you,” she snapped, watching him carefully as he stepped down the
steps, she kept the altar between her and the god.
“MY
daughter, bard. Not yours,” Ares lost his bored expression and
looked angry.
“You’ve
got about as much claim to her as a stud horse to a colt,” she
sneered and ducked as an energy bolt shot out of his hand. She
grinned as she straightened up. “What’s the matter, Ares? A
little too close to home?” She dived across the floor, rolling
into a defensive stance with her sword and sai as she dodged another
energy bolt.
“She’s
my daughter!” he yelled.
“Not
even close! Is that why you wanted me dead, because you know she’ll
never be yours as long as Xena or I am alive?” she demanded.
“Xena’s
been mine and will again.”
“Get
over it!” she shouted back. “The only way you could even get
close to Xena was to trick her. How does that feel? To know that
she prefers me to you?”
The
bard yelped as another energy bolt hit closer that time. She moved
closer to Ares as he growled.
“With
you out of the way, she’ll come back to me!” he sneered.
“Not
a chance and you know it, that’s why you’re so desperate to get
a-hold of Sasha. You know Xena will never go back now that she has
the kids and me. Even if I’m gone she won’t come back to you,”
Gabrielle countered.
“How
do you know that for certain, Gabrielle?” Ares lowered his hand and
she moved a little closer. “Doesn’t it drive you crazy to think
of her in my arms that night? To know that her body was all over
mine and I was deep inside of her?”
“What
kind of delusion are you under?” She demanded. “The only way
you’ve ever had her is through tricks, what kind of power or love
is that? Have you ever made her beg for sexual release? Funny, I
never hear her scream your name,” Gabrielle smirked back and
parried a sword slash as the God of War drew his sword and slashed at
her with a yell of anger.
The
bard found herself falling back as she quickly had to parry and block
a series of blows that were almost too fast for her to counter. As
she felt the wall behind her, the warrior bard wasn’t so sure about
her skill in surviving a straight out match against the God of War.
She became convinced when her sword was knocked from her hand and her
other hand pinned to the wall and a sword at her throat.
Gabrielle
closed her eyes and waited.
After
a moment she opened her eyes and found Ares contemplating her, his
face still angry.
“Why
do you fight me? Join us! With Xena and you at my side, we could
conquer the world! Xena and I could bring the world to its knees and
you could bring order to it.”
“After
you’ve slaughtered thousands, right?”
“What,
still on the peace kick?” he demanded. “With a sword in your
hand now, bard? Peace loving Gabrielle, now a fighter who can take
out several of my best warriors, all of them?” Ares lowered the
sword point but held her wrist to the wall and moved closer to her,
almost pinning her body against the wall with his. “Tell me you
don’t feel the fire now when you fight. That’s what Xena and I
feel! I can make you feel like that everyday for the rest of your
life,” he promised.
“You
try to kill Xena, Solan may die, you try to kill me and kidnap Sasha
and now you’re offering me.... what? The world, your body? I don’t
think so!”
“Do
you think you can just pretend that Sasha’s not the child of a god?
Why do you think your friend Brutus was looking for you? He knows if
he has Sasha he’ll have my favor and can control his own destiny.
He wants Xena dead and he wants you either dead or in his bed, either
way at this point.”
“No,”
Gabrielle whispered in disbelief.
“Yup,
he’s become quite ambitious since he killed Caesar and you, for
some strange reason, drive him crazy.”
Gabrielle
surprised the god with an upper cut of her palm to his nose,
loosening his position against her body and effectively stunning him.
Before he could recover he stumbled back a few feet and looked down
at his ribs in disbelief. Gabrielle started to move forward to
follow through with the stroke but he quickly recovered enough to
hold his sword up in a defensive position as he looked down at the
dagger sticking out of his ribs on the left side.
Ares
raised his hand, staring at the blood with a stunned expression on
his face.
Gabrielle
couldn’t resist a smirk as he looked back at her. She switched the
sai to her primary hand and circled away from the wall.
“How?”
he questioned, pulling the dagger out with an obvious grimace of
pain.
“A
gifting from one of Xena’s parents. Xena, Sasha and I now have the
ability to cause you pain. We can even kill you if we get in a good
enough shot. Still think you’re invincible?” Gabrielle taunted.
He
stumbled back a couple of feet, still looking at the blood on his
hand when the bard shouted an Amazon war-cry and the God of War found
himself having to quickly recover as he had to block and parry
strokes from the warrior bard’s sais, forcing him across his own
temple.
Ares
had to admit that the bard was good, as good as one of his warrior
priests. This Gabrielle was new, before the bard had always been
restrained, holding something back in her fear of killing someone.
This Gabrielle let loose with all the anger of the last two years on
the God of War and he found himself taking several blows from the
blunt end of her sais and she took several blows from his fists
without falling. Ares was impressed.
With
a growl he attempted to recover and slashed out, taking a hit from
one of the sais along his arm as his sword connected with the bard’s
shoulder.
Gabrielle
shouted in pain and dove backwards, off of Ares’ sword, raising a
hand to her own blood as he growled, holding his own wounded ribs.
The bard regained her feet and spun on one foot as he charged her,
taking another sword slice along the arm but getting in a solid
strike in his lower back with the sai.
The
God of War howled in pain and rage as he hit the floor, holding his
back and writhing in pain. Gabrielle also fell to her knees, holding
her shoulder in pain. Both could feel the blood flowing from their
wounds. Gabrielle could see that her sai had probably gotten a
couple of good internal organs or a lung. She narrowed her eyes and
struggled back to her feet, attempting to stumble closer to Ares.
“Listen
to me, damn you!” she growled. “You’ve tried to take my mate
from me one too many times. Tell me why I shouldn’t rip your
equipment off right now!” she demanded and was surprised to see
something she had never seen before in the dark eyes. Fear.
“Go
ahead, will killing me make you feel better or will you be like me?
Want to cross that line, bard?”
Gabrielle
felt her fist clench in anger as she pictured the thought of Xena
with him in a cave behind a waterfall, conceiving Sasha that night.
She gritted her teeth as she remembered Solan’s battered body and
Xena’s near brush with death. Then she screamed with rage at the
thought of Sasha spending any time with him.
“Gabrielle,
don’t, please,” a voice brought the bard’s eyes back in focus
as she realized she was straddled across the god with her sai held
high, about to strike for the chest or throat.
Gabrielle
didn’t look up, knowing that Xena was in the doorway of the temple.
“After
all we’ve been through because of him?” she demanded, noticing
the blood slowly seeping from his mouth. A lung stab, the
experienced gladiator noted, he would have to get some special
healing from one of the other gods for this match.
“I
know he deserves it but you don’t,” Gabrielle could sense Xena
moving further into the temple. Ares didn’t look away, keeping his
eyes on Gabrielle and the raised sai above his heart and throat.
“Don’t become what I was, he’ll win. He won’t have me but
he’ll have you and I couldn’t live with that,” Xena pleaded.
“I’m
not the same innocent bard you first met, Xena. I almost lost you to
him! How many times?!” Gabrielle demanded and her eyes narrowed as
she felt muscles beneath her tense up. She let out a warning growl
and tightened her grip on the sai.
Xena
caught both moments from the fighters.
“Ares!
Don’t move! Don’t push her, damnit!” she shouted.
“If
she doesn’t kill me now I WILL kill both of you!” he promised,
coughing on his blood.
Gabrielle
hissed and her body tensed.
“Gabrielle,
please! Don’t let it take you!” Xena pleaded, moving a little
closer. “Come home with Sasha and me. Let’s get our son and go
home.”
“You
almost died, Xena. If it hadn’t been that you’re the daughter of
a goddess, you would have died!” Gabrielle protested, feeling the
strength beginning to ebb from her body as her wounded shoulder began
pounding at her. The fighter knew that she was losing the energy of
her anger and that something had to happen soon.
“Yes,
but I’m alive and Sasha is alive and not in his hands.”
“Come
on, damnit! Do it and claim your place as a fighter!” Ares taunted.
“She’s
already a fighter, Ares, but she’s also a bard and she’s my wife,
my Queen and my life. You’re not worth it,” Xena said simply and
Gabrielle slowly began lowering the sai.
Xena
bent down and helped her bard stand up and then steadied her as the
blood loss began to take a toll. Xena looked down at Ares and drew
her sword out and placed it at his throat.
“Remember,
I’ve already crossed that line many times,” she hissed.
“Xena?”
Gabrielle protested.
“Listen,
Ares,” Xena growled. “We are now on a little more equal terms,
remember that and stay away from me, my family, my friends, my
children and my mate. Next time, I’ll cut off parts of your
anatomy that would be very embarrassing for a god. Got me?”
Ares
merely nodded and was gone in a flash of light.
Xena
turned in time to catch Gabrielle as she stumbled. Together they
managed to work their way out of the temple where the two priests
were standing, wondering whether to try and enter or not. They took
one look at the wounded women and decided not to approach their
temple or god right then.
Xena
helped her bard into the back of the wagon, quickly ripping away part
of Sasha’s blanket into a bandage. She placed it over Gabrielle’s
wounded shoulder as the bard closed her eyes.
“Sasha,
can you do mommy a big favor and hold that there while I drive the
wagon and take us to get Solan?” Sasha nodded and pressed down on
the makeshift bandage but pulled back quickly when Gabrielle moaned
in pain.
“It’s
okay, go ahead and press,” Xena smiled reassuringly and the child
smiled back and pressed down on the bandage. Gabrielle attempted a
smile at her mate and daughter.
“Think
he’ll leave us alone?” she whispered.
“For
awhile. We know that he can’t touch us himself and he knows he’s
vulnerable to attack from either of us or Hercules. He’s pretty
much a coward when it comes to his own skin,” Xena grinned.
“Or
parts of his anatomy,” Gabrielle smiled back.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
By
the time they got back to Myrcinus to the farmstead, Xena’s wound
was much better and she thought that she might actually live. She
grinned. Gabrielle’s wound had stopped bleeding and the bard was
sleeping with Sasha’s hand holding the bandage steady in the moving
wagon.
The
healer’s apprentice was at the home of the farmer and quickly
rebandaged Gabrielle’s wound and stitched up Xena’s, applying
salve to prevent infection. They found Solan alive and awake though
in a lot of pain from the bruised internal organs and broken nose.
He winced more than smiled but managed around the pain when he saw
both women and the little girl walk into the room.
“He
needs to stay here for a few more days before he can travel and
neither of you should travel either,” Poly, the apprentice
instructed.
“You
are welcome to sleep in my bed,” the farmer offered quickly.
“The
barn would be just fine,” Xena said easily as she sat next to her
son.
“Mom,
are you okay?” he whispered.
“I
am now. My kids are okay and my wife kicked Ares’ butt,” she
grinned.
“Ares?”
he questioned. “Wow!”
“Yup!
I can’t wait for her to write that one down!” Xena agreed,
sending a teasing look to her mate across the room.
“I’ll
get you for that, warrior mine,” the bard promised.
“I’m
counting on it,” Xena responded in a husky voice.
