Disclaimers: I Don't Own Them! Oh but how I wish I do =P. All rights reserved to those who created out lovely ladies blah blah blah don't come after me for stealing them I'm just letting the muse loose and creating something entertaining for not only myself but to share with others as well. If you feel the urge to feed the bard please send all comments, questions, so on and so forth to: Chrystal.Henricksen91@yahoo.com
This was written awhile ago not sure when and I am aware that some people might disagree with how I wrote it but hey it's my world and if you don't want to be a part of it then stop reading! =P It is a spin off and slightly less confusing version of a series I started but lost the muse to finish.
Written for all those currently seeking their soulmate. Enjoy. -CH
The crowd of kids yelled and laughed at the boy and girl fighting in the middle of the circle. A blonde was pushed to the ground, her head bouncing off a rock as she hit the ground. The older boy twice her age laughed and looked down at her.
“You learn you lesson yet?” Lium asked grinning.
“You're a bully!” Gabrielle fought back the tears threatening to come out. She stood back up and faced him.
“I'm the one person,” Lium got in her face. “You don't want to mess with.”
“Oh, you are so wrong there, pal.” A voice growled.
“Xena!” Lium jumped as the dark haired girl of nine summers stood behind him.
“What did I tell you about beating up the kids on my street?” Xena growled. “Or in the village at that?”
“I-I-I thought you were in Athens .” Lium stammered glaring at another boy.
“Do you want another broken arm, Lium?” Xena growled grabbing his arm and twisting it. “Quit beating up kids, before I beat you up!”
“XENA!!” A man yelled running over to them.
Xena looked up and as the kids scattered, she grabbed Gabrielle's hand and tugged on it. “C'mon!” She growled taking off across a field with Gabrielle in tow. She turned and looked at the man following them. “Can you climb?”
“I'll fall-” Gabrielle began as Xena jumped into the tree and pulled her into the tree.
“Follow me.” Xena said laughing as she moved from tree to tree.
Gabrielle yelped when she was grabbed and pressed against the older girl and her mouth covered.
“XENA!” The man growled. “You've touched my son for the last time! I'll see you out of Amphipolis and in Athens at that school for disobedient children-”
“Can it, Samuleus!” Xena laughed. “I was keeping Lium from beating up another kid!”
“I'm going to tell your mother!” Samuleus growled.
“I'm so scared.” Xena laughed. “Be a man, Sam...Or are you going to let a kid beat you?”
“You'll rot in Tartarus, Xena!” Samuleus growled before stomping off.
Xena started laughing and looked at Gabrielle. “C'mon...I can clean up that cut on your head for you.”
“Xena!” Cyrene shook her head as her daughter came into the kitchen. “Samuleus just left...what were you doing? The village has had enough of your-” Cyrene looked at the door and a smile spread across her face as she saw a child dart back around the corner. “Who's your friend?”
“Lium was beating her up.” Xena said getting the medic bag out. “She has a cut on her head.”
“Were you protecting her?” Cyrene asked looking at her daughter.
“Yeah.” Xena smiled as she went to leave the kitchen.
“Xena...take this out with you.” Cyrene said smiling as her daughter left the kitchen and went onto the back porch. She went and stood at the door, watching as the two girls sat on the steps. She listened in on them.
“You know my name...what's yours?” Xena asked as she wiped the younger girls' forehead.
“Gabrielle.” Gabrielle winced.
Xena smiled at her. “Let me stitch you up...lay down for me?”
“Do you know what you're doing?” Gabrielle asked looking at her.
“Just lay back.” Xena chuckled pushing her back.
Gabrielle watched as the older girl pulled out needle and thread. “Is it going to hurt?”
“Yeah.” Xena nodded. “But I only have to do three or four stitches...here, have some nut bread.”
“I love nut bread!” Gabrielle smiled her eyes widening.
“Good.” Xena nodded. “Lay still...I'll make this quick.”
Cyrene watched the two girls. She'd never seen her daughter so gentle with another person let alone another kid. She could tell her daughter did a good job and was done before no time. She smiled and went back to her work in the kitchen.
“Mom...do you think we can have another for dinner?” Xena asked standing at the door.
Cyrene turned around, “If she can come in and introduces herself.”
Xena turned and looked at Gabrielle, “She won't hurt you.”
Gabrielle blushed shyly and crept around the corner with her head down. “My name is Gabrielle, ma'am.”
“Don't you ‘ma'am' me.” Cyrene chuckled. “Your mother wouldn't happen to be Hecuba, would it?”
Gabrielle's head shot up and she nodded her head. “How did you know?”
“Your mother gave birth to you right her in this inn.” Cyrene smiled at Gabrielle. “I was wondering when I'd get to see the little girl who I help bring into this world.”
“You were born here too?” Xena smiled at Gabrielle. “That almost makes us sisters!”
“Xena, go show Gabrielle your room.” Cyrene chuckled. “I'll bring you two your meals.”
“Come on!” Xena said taking Gabrielle's hand again.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” Gabrielle asked sitting on Xena's bed. “Everyone says your mean.”
“I am.” Xena nodded lighting a few candles. “You're that one girl who everybody makes fun of, because you run around talking nonsense-”
“It's not nonsense!” Gabrielle said defensively. “I'm going to be a bard one day and I'll go to the Athens Academy of The Performing Bards.”
“And I am going to be a warrior.” Xena took out a sword that she could barely hold up. “This...this is my fathers.”
“Where is he?” Gabrielle asked looking at her new friend.
“He went away.” Xena said turning and placing the sword back. “He went to be a real warrior.”
“I'm sorry.” Gabrielle said nodding her head. “I don't know what it's like to lose a parent.”
“Girls...supper time.” Cyrene said opening the door. “Here you go.”
“Thanks, Cyrene .” Gabrielle said smiling at her.
“You're welcome, dear.” Cyrene smiled and left the room.
“Eat up.” Xena said sitting on the bed and eating.
Xena laughed as Gabrielle nearly fell again. “Come on, slow poke!”
“I'm not slow!” Gabrielle grumbled. “What is it you wanted to show me?”
“This...” Xena pulled some tree branches aside and Gabrielle smiled as she walked through and found herself in a clearing full of wild flowers. “This is pretty!”
“Only I and now you know where this is.” Xena said nodding as she stepped behind her. “This'll be our little getaway.”
“Really?” Gabrielle asked smiling as she looked at her older friend.
“Yeah.” Xena pushed her. “You suck!”
“Unfair!” Gabrielle pushed her back and then took off. They wrestled and play fought each other through the wild flowers and tall grasses. The sound of laughter filled the air and wild butterflies flew up into the blue sky fluttering away.
Ten years later...
“Gabrielle!” Cyrene yelled from the back door at the now fifteen year old.
Gabrielle put down the sack in her hands and went over to the innkeeper. “Yes, Cyrene ?”
“Xena will be returning soon from Athens ...do you think you could go tidy up her room for her?” Cyrene asked stirring something in a bowl.
“Xena doesn't like her things messed with, even you should know that.” Gabrielle shook her head. “Especially since-”
“But she's still been nice to you, right?” Cyrene asked worried. “Some of the other families have said that she'd been on a rampage-”
“Losing Lyceus like that crushed her.” Gabrielle ran her fingers over her lips and shrugged. “The rest is sealed and strictly between us.”
“You two are always difficult to break up.” Cyrene laughed nodding at the counter. “If you'd finish unloading the cart for me, I've some nutbread for you.”
“Thank you.” Gabrielle said grinning as she rushed out the door.
Xena watched the blonde slip out the door and go back to work on unloading a cart. She watched in fascination as she'd started feeling strange feelings for her best friend. It was difficult for her to not act on her feelings, as she was only four winters older than the younger girl. As Gabrielle headed towards the barn, Xena walked quickly into the back door.
“Xena!” Cyrene smiled. “You're back!”
“Ssshh!” Xena shook her head. “I don't want her to know yet.”
“Okay.” Cyrene shrugged her shoulders. “Where's-”
“Here.” Xena put a sack on the counter. “Now tell Gabrielle to go for a walk, maybe she should go to a quiet place for awhile until I ‘return'.”
“Okay.” Cyrene nodded smiling at her daughter. “Better hurry out the front door, here she comes from the barn.”
“Crap!” Xena hissed running through the kitchen door to the front of the inn.
Gabrielle sighed as she finished putting the last of the supplies away and then the cart. She walked into the kitchen and grabbed the bread Cyrene had out for her. The older woman must've been in the main room, so she decided that she'd go for a walk, quite possibly visit their secret hideout. As she walked, she found herself near the hideout anyway, so she walked in that direction. Stories swam in her head as she walked and she was there before she knew it. Little did she know, she was being followed.
Xena trailed her friend soundlessly. As soon as Gabrielle entered the hideout, Xena waited a few moments before following after her. When she did, she smiled as she stood in shadows and her friend lay in the grass bathing in the sun.
Gabrielle smiled as she started to have the strange feelings for her best friend again. She knew she had a crush on her; she wasn't deaf to hear how the other girls felt when a certain boy would go strolling by. No, she and Xena were the outcasts of the village. They stuck together, they did everything together...the only thing that frightened Gabrielle most was her father looking for someone to match her up with for marriage. Her friend was too rough around the edges and no boy would step forward to take her hand, but Gabrielle...she knew she was too sweet and innocent to pull that off.
“You're romanticizing, bard.” Xena laughed as her friend jumped.
“Warrior, I'm gonna-” Gabrielle began.
“What? You're gonna what?” Xena asked placing her hands on her hips.
Gabrielle thought for a second and an evil grin came over her face. “Shower you with kisses and hugs!”
“Oh, no!” Xena took off as Gabrielle chased her. Unfortunately, being in a long peasant skirt doesn't help, and Gabrielle tripped over a rock. Xena was quickly at her side, but found herself in a wrestling match trying to keep the younger girl away. “Don't! Oh, come on!”
“Paybacks are a Bacchae!” Gabrielle laughed getting a hold of the older girls' neck and sinking her teeth into it.
“Hey!” Xena growled trying to suppress a moan.
Gabrielle pulled away and looked down into the stunning blue eyes she secretly loved. “I've been kinda lonely around here...no one else would come around me. They thought you going to Athens was a hoax to try to beat them to Tartarus.”
“Only Lium.” Xena chuckled. “Mother didn't baby you, did she?”
“No.” Gabrielle shook her head. “Although, my parents are getting sick and tired of me always hanging around the tavern-inn.”
“Your father's just jealous because nothing he did got him closer to you.” Xena said before realizing it.
“And what exactly did you do?” Gabrielle asked looking at her friend. “I don't recall-”
“I don't either.” Xena shook her head. “Can we just drop it?”
“Not before you tell me-” Gabrielle gasped as Xena's hands found her ass and squeezed it before rolling over and pinning the younger girl to the ground.
“Gabrielle, you talk too much.” Xena said shaking her head.
“We're friends, aren't we?” Gabrielle asked changing the subject. The older girl was just too close for her to ignore her rising body temperature and the ache in between her legs.
“Yeah.” Xena said nodding. “What? What's wrong?”
“What if I tell you that I think I'm in love with somebody?” Gabrielle asked watching Xena's expression go from happy to unreadable.
Xena moved off her and sat down. “What do you mean? Who?”
“What I mean is...while you were gone, I got time to think about this person and I all of a sudden have these feelings I can't explain-” Gabrielle took a deep breath. “Like when I'm around them, I get warm all over and an ache between my legs-”
“You should tell your father-” Xena began as she interrupted her friend.
“My father would kill me if he found out who this person is.” Gabrielle said shaking her head. “I can't tell him.”
“I can't help you.” Xena shook her head. “I've to go help mother with something...I'll see you later.”
Gabrielle watched and followed her friend as she went back to the inn. She stood by the door and listened as her mother spoke with her.
“Did you find her?” Cyrene asked looking at Xena who was washing her hands.
“Yeah.” Xena said nodding.
“Xena...what's wrong?” Cyrene asked concerned at her daughter's actions.
“Gabrielle's in love with somebody.” Xena shrugged her shoulders. “I don't know who.”
“She wouldn't tell you? Her best friend and she wouldn't tell you?” Cyrene chuckled and shook her head. “Must be some person for her to like so much as to not tell you who it is.”
“She's probably scared I'll go find them and beat them up.” Xena said shrugging her shoulders again. “I'm going to my room.”
“You go rest, dear.” Cyrene nodded as Xena left the kitchen.
“She's full of it!” Gabrielle said shaking her head.
“Gabrielle!” Cyrene jumped shaking her head. “You scare the Tartarus out of me...what are you doing-”
“ Cyrene ...sit down.” Gabrielle pulled the chair out and looked at her. After the older woman sat she started. “The reason why I didn't tell her was because I thought she wouldn't be my friend again.”
“Why would she do that, Gabrielle?” Cyrene shook her head. “You two are best friends-”
“I think something's wrong with me.” Gabrielle grabbed another chair and sat down. “I get all these feelings...I get all warm all over, and ache between my legs-”
“Oh, honey, you must love this person very much.” Cyrene said looking at her. “Who is it, dear?”
“That's just it...I do and it scares me.” Gabrielle took a deep breath. “I think I'm in love with Xena.”
Cyrene nodded. She'd seen the transition from worship to something different in the younger girl's eyes, but she did not doubt that it was love. “Honey, some girls are raised to be told what to do, how to do it, and when to do it...you should just go talk to her. She's upset right now because you won't tell her.”
“How am I supposed to tell her?” Gabrielle shook her head. “I'm fifteen, she's nineteen! She'll think it to be a little crush from the baby farms!”
“I don't know, just go talk to her before I beat you upside the head!” Cyrene said chuckling as Gabrielle got out of the chair and got out of the kitchen in a flash.
Xena lay on her back and wiped the tears from her eyes. She knew she should've told Gabrielle before she left how she felt...now it was too late. A knock at her door make her jump and wipe her face furiously.
“Xena...I need to talk to you.” Gabrielle walked in and shut the door, locking it behind her.
“I want to be alone right now, I'm tired-” Xena began.
“You're upset because I didn't tell you who this mysterious person is.” Gabrielle crossed her arms and walked over to the bed, lying down beside her on her stomach. “I don't think you can handle hearing who it is.”
“I think that's for me to decide.” Xena said shaking her head. “Or are you scared I'll beat him up?”
“Her.” Gabrielle corrected.
“ Her? ” Xena looked at her friend. “You're in love with another girl?”
“I told you, you couldn't handle it.” Gabrielle sat up, but was stopped by a gentle but firm hand on her shoulder.
“Please, talk to me.” Xena said sitting up behind her.
Gabrielle couldn't help it. She took Xena's hand and kissed it and as she turned around, she let out her deepest secret. “I'm in love with you, Xena.”
Xena froze. Everything she'd wanted to hear was spilling out of Gabrielle's mouth and it all seemed foreign to her. She took a deep breath, “You're in love with...me?”
“Yes.” Gabrielle nodded. “I know I'm only fifteen a child in your eyes, and you're nineteen a grown woman, but I don't think this is just a childish crush.”
“You said that you get warm all over and you have an ache between your legs for me...is that true?” Xena asked looking at her.
“Yes!” Gabrielle shook her head. “Don't ask me to explain any more...I don't have the words, but I can tell you that when you were gone, I cried every night for you and I had to be near you somehow...so I helped your mother as much as I could, against my parents wishes.”
“Why...” Xena shut her eyes trying not to let herself go. “Are you sure...I mean, I don't want you stepping into something you're not positive of-”
“I'm sure, I'm so sure...it kills me to think of all those innocent kisses and hugs-” Gabrielle was cut off as Xena kissed her.
Xena's lips pressed against Gabrielle's. She felt the girl's mouth slightly open in shock and took advantage by sticking her tongue in Gabrielle's mouth. Gabrielle groaned and felt herself lowering to the bed, pulling Xena down with her...
“No way!” Xena growled shaking her head. “I'm sorry, Bri... but I can't take any more of this story.”
Gabrielle glared at the warrior. “You ruin everything!” She shook her head and crossed her arms.
“I'm sorry, but...what happened to Cortese in all of this? Had you been there, there still would've been the threat of Cortese-” Xena began.
“It's called a story for a reason, Warrior.” The amazons across the fire from them laughed.
“Ephiny, Solari...shut up!” Xena growled. “I'm sorry, I just don't think that even had we grown up together, one, I'd be so willing to fall for you...I was the one beating all the kids up for Hade's sake!”
“Oh, forget it.” Gabrielle grumbled, “You never let your mind wonder for anything.”
Xena watched as Gabrielle pulled the blanket over her shoulders and lay down.
“Somebody's in the dog house.” Solari chuckled darting under her own blanket as Xena glared at her.
“Good night.” Ephiny said nicely as she joined her lover.
Gabrielle wiped a tear from her eye and shut them as she felt her hair being pulled back and a kiss on her cheek.
“I wasn't trying to be mean, baby...” Xena whispered in her ear. “If I hurt your feelings, I'm sorry.”
Gabrielle shook her head. “It's fine, don't worry about it.”
“Obviously, it's not fine if you're crying over it.” Xena said gently wiping a tear from her loves cheek. “Talk to me...please?”
Gabrielle rolled onto her back and shook her head. “Why do you always have to criticize my work in front of other people? I know you were different growing up, but do you really think I'm going to run around telling everyone you were as ruthless and wild as you were a warlord, save the murdering of innocent people?” Gabrielle shook her head. “I was only making up a story on what I thought it'd be like if we did grow up together...I mean, I was born in the tavern inn in Amphipolis.”
“I know.” Xena nodded. “And then your mother took you to Poteidaia.” She sighed and laced their fingers together. “I'm sorry, Bri...sometimes I forget what a bard you can be and I just say things.”
“Did you like the story though?” Gabrielle asked looking up at her lover with hopeful eyes.
“A story from my woman?” Xena smiled as she brushed a lock of blond hair behind Gabrielle's ear. “Of course.”
“Good...I'm thinking about working on it and making it up into a scroll.” Gabrielle said grinning.
“I don't think so-” Xena began before her mouth was covered by the lips of the bard queens.
Gabrielle pulled away just as Xena was beginning to respond to the kiss. “Don't tell me what to do.”
“Will it get me more of these?” Xena asked pecking her on the lips one kiss after another, never lingering too long.
“Maybe.” Gabrielle laughed bringing her hands to the warriors' cheeks. “Maybe not...”
“Oh, you...paybacks are a Bacchae!” Xena growled and before Gabrielle could move, the warrior's teeth sunk into her neck.
“Oh, Xena!” Gabrielle squealed laughing.
“You two do remember that we're over here don't you?” Ephiny asked sitting up.
Xena released her loves neck and looked at the Amazon. “This isn't half as bad as listening to you two have sex last night so bug off!”
“Come on, Eph...Leave her alone.” Solari grinned pulling her lover down.
“Gabrielle, control your warrior.” Ephiny said before lying back.
Xena started to go after her but was stopped by Gabrielle. Gabrielle looked over at Ephiny and grinned. “Oh, I will.” She kissed her and pulled her down to the ground. She looked up at the warrior and grinned. “I love you, my Warrior.”
“I love you too, my Queen.” Xena whispered kissing her again.
Gabrielle settled down in her warriors arm for what would be the place she would remain, for the rest of her life.
Fini