ForevaXena's FanFic . . .
The Eyes Of Eire
(a.k.a Amazons, Druids & Thieves, Oh My)
by Linda Crist
a.k.a. Texbard
DISCLAIMERS:
Most
of these characters belong to Studios USA and any other owners of Xena: Warrior Princess and
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.
This story was not written for profit and no copyright infringements are
intended. The story
itself is mine. Please
don't reproduce it, in whole or in part, without asking first.
A
few ideas came from Lois and Clark: The
New Adventures of Superman, "When Irish Eyes Are Killing," episode
written by Grant Rosenberg. No
copyright infringements intended toward DC Comics, Warner Brothers, or December
Third Productions. NO,
this is NOT a Xena/Superman cross-over.
This is classic alt Xena/Gabrielle
Kallerine
is back. Once again,
this is not a Buffy/Xena crossover.
Kallerine is an Amazon bacchae slayer who just happens to look like Sarah
Michelle Gellar.
Violence:
Take one warrior princess, blend thoroughly with a bardic Amazon queen, toss
in the king of thieves, add one feisty red-headed
druid, sprinkle in a few greedy villains, mix liberally with a handful of
Amazons, and yeah, some swords are likely to cross.
Maintext:
Rated R. Two women in
love who sleep together as often as possible.
Questions/Comments/Suggestions
welcome: texbard@earthlink.net
Website:
http://home.earthlink.net/~texbard
Updates
Only List: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/texbardupdates
Updates/Chat
List: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/texbad
Setting:
This story falls sequentially after "Divinity."
For those new to the Xena/Gabrielle series, it is in order, "March
the 16th," "A
Solstice Treaty," "The
Sixth Sense," Cleopatra
4 A.D.," and "Divinity."
To read them, go to my website:
http://home.earthlink.net/~texbard
and scroll to the bottom to find links to MaryD's and ForevaXena.
Additional
Background Info: A
refresher note regarding framework within the show --
my Xena/Gabrielle series parts ways with the show after the 4th
season. What that
means is no pregnant warrior, no Eve, no 25-year ice cave time warp, no twilight
of the gods, no new chakram, no angel Callisto, no Akhemi, and no battlin' bard
(although Gab does fight in this series both with staff and with sais, she just
isn't the killing machine she became in the 5th season).
Cyrene, Toris, Amarice, Eponin, Gab's family, Eli, Hercules, Iolaus, all
the Greek gods, and especially Xena, are very much alive.
Octavian is still a very young Roman leader.
Joxer is dead because he died in my first story.
Callisto is in Hell for breaking her deal with the devil to not
physically harm Xena during "The Ides of March."
Also in this timeline, they last saw Alti during "Between the
Lines," when Xena chakkied Gab's hair off.
I have made Xena's history in the Norse lands a part of her history in
the series, but only up to the part where she locked up Grindle, so in this
Xenaverse, Grindle is still locked up with the ring.
My Xena never has, and never will, set foot on the island of Japan.
Chapter
5
(posted December 17, 2001)
The door to the inn flew open, propelled by a knee-high boot. Xena shoved her captive inside, ushering Morrigan after him. They stood near the entrance in a swirl of snowflakes and frost-tinged wind. The disgruntled barkeeper quickly pushed his way behind them, securing the door lest his few patrons freeze to death. He turned to admonish them and stopped, studying the three dour figures before him. He thought better of it and silently slipped back behind the bar, muttering curses against warriors under his breath.
"Autolycus!" the warrior's voice carried across the low din of a dozen or so villagers who had gathered around a central fire pit to raise a pint against the chill. She grasped Kernunnos' bound wrists and dragged him along behind her, approaching the king of thieves, whose eyebrows had risen into his hairline. "Is this the guy you stole the mask for?"
"Y … yes … Xena, how'd you find him so quickly?" Autolycus gulped down his ale and stood, wiping his hands on the hem of his tunic.
"Where's Gabrielle?" Concerned blue eyes darted around the room, searching for her absent soulmate.
In light of his dinner conversation, and the bard's revelations regarding her relationship with the warrior, the king of thieves allowed a hint of an amused grin. "She went to your room. Said it has been a long day, and she was tired."
"You can say that again." Xena turned her attention back to Kernunnos. "As for him, he was lurking around in the woods behind a tree." She swiped at the small nick on her throat. "He thought he was going to take me out."
"Now there was your first mistake." Autolycus twitched his moustache, smirking at the ex-god. "Hey … I thought you were off to find your friend Loki and deliver the mask. Why are you still here, anyway?"
"I could ask you the same question," Kernunnos growled. "And I don't have the mask. Someone knocked me over the head and took it. I assumed you'd hired someone to steal it back so you could re-sell it."
"I couldn't get a boat back to Greece in the dead of winter, and … hey …did you just say you don't have the mask?" The king of thieves locked eyes with Xena, reading the worry on his friend's face.
"Let me see if I understand this story, from start to finish." The warrior roughly pushed the ex-god onto a bench and sat down across the table from him. Morrigan took a seat next to her former lover, and Autolycus sat in the remaining space across from her. Xena's eyes flicked to each face at the table, before they settled on Kernunnos. "Loki is in the underworld. I assume you were there too, after Morrigan killed you, correct?"
"Why should I answer your questions?" The former god crossed his arms defiantly and jumped, feeling a dagger pressed into his side.
"'Cause ifen' ya don't, I'll be inclined to send ya back to the underworld again." Morrigan leaned in close, her upper lip curling in distaste. "Only, judgin' by the way yer bleedin', I'd wager yer a mortal now aren't ya? You'd be goin' back to the underworld as a dead mortal, not as a dead god. Ya sent a lot o' mortals to their graves, Kernunnos. How'd ya feel if ya were ta meet up with some of 'em? They'd be on equal footing with ya. Maybe better. Wouldn't it be a fine thing to watch some of 'em fin'ly extract their revenge against ya?" She grinned evilly, traces of the old Morrigan rising to the surface as she watched him squirm. "So … you'd best be answerin' the lady's questions."
Xena quirked one brow at the term 'lady,' and watched in amusement as the defeated man began to speak. "Yes. I was in the underworld, and heard rumors about Loki. It was sort of a joke. All the dead gods found it humorous to go take a look at the only god who wasn't free to roam about the place. He is bound to a very large rock with heavy thick chains that I believe were forged by your god Hephestus. Anyway, I went alone one day to try to get to know Loki better, and we struck up a conversation." The ex-god turned toward the druid. "Do you mind putting that thing away while I talk? It's annoying."
Morrigan partially complied with his request, laying her dagger on the table, well out of his reach but where she could quickly grab it. "Go on."
"One thing led to another, and I told him about Morrigan and the mask. He pumped me for information." Kernunnos grew thoughtful. "In retrospect, I think he already knew about it. He told me if I could get the mask to him, he could use it to get free. I knew about Ragnarok, and called him on it. We cut a deal. He told me if I would allow him to touch me, to make me mortal, he would tell me where the portal back to the land of the living was. If I could get the mask back to him, he promised that once he was free and Ragnarok is accomplished, he would turn me back into a god, and we would re-create the universe together."
"Why did you trust him?" The warrior frowned skeptically at his story.
"I didn't. No more than he trusted me. He said he had to make me mortal, otherwise if he told me how to escape as a god, I might just take the mask and not come back." A wicked smile graced Kernunnos' lips. "He would have been right." The smile disappeared. "But I had nothing to lose. I was a low-rate dead god in the underworld. I was bored and vastly outranked. I thought being mortal, or even obliteration through Ragnarok was desirable compared to what I had. It was a gamble. One I was willing to take."
"So he made you a mortal and you tried to steal the mask, but weren't able to," Xena guessed.
Kernunnos hung his head in shame. "I discovered being mortal isn't much fun. I don't know how to fight effectively without my powers. I couldn't breach the traps in the cave to get to the mask, so I went in search of someone who could." He stared pointedly at Autolycus, who sat back smugly, self-satisfaction evident on his face.
"And you don't have any idea who stole the mask from you?" the warrior got in his face, daring him to lie to her.
"If it wasn't him …" he gestured toward the king of thieves. "… then I don't know who did it. I was camping out in the woods. I had one more day of travel before I would have been back to the underworld. Someone knocked me out while I slept. I woke up the next morning with a large lump on the back of my head. Whoever did it left the club they hit me with next to my bedroll. I was a little dazed, but searched my bags immediately. The mask was gone. It's all they took. Strange because I had another pouch of gold in the same bag next to the mask"
"Whoever it was obviously knew what they wanted. Probably means they know about the mask's powers. Great. Just great." Xena dropped her head, her elbows resting on the table as she massaged her temples. "Nothing's ever easy, is it?" she mumbled, more to herself than anyone else. "Listen … I really need to get upstairs." The continual roil in her guts told her that Gabrielle was in a bad state. "Autolycus, I need you to bunk in with Kernunnos here. We'll keep you tied up." She eyed the former god. "I don't trust you," she stated matter-of-factly. "Tomorrow we'll go to your campsite and see if we can pick up your thief's trail. Then we'll turn you over to the local reeve."
"No need." The king of thieves panned the room, his eyes coming to rest on a stout man near the fire pit. "That's the local reeve there. I'll go speak to him."
After a brief conversation between Xena, Autolycus, and the reeve, Kernunnos was on his way for an overnight stay in the village dungeon. Morrigan left to salvage the remains of her evening with Bridgid, and Autolycus retired back to the bar. The warrior was up the stairs to the second level before he ordered his next pint.
She made her way down the candle-lit hallway, careful to avoid making any sound on the rough wooden floor. The noise of revelry wafted up the staircase behind her, gradually fading as she reached the last room on the hall, as directed by Autolycus. She approached the door to their room and opened it carefully, wincing at a rather loud creak in the hinges. She peered inside as Gabrielle looked up from the desk, turning toward her, dried tear tracks evident on her face. "Hey." Her smile was genuine, but her voice was flat and listless.
"Hey sweetheart." Xena crossed the room in two steps, resting her hands on the bard's shoulders as she leaned in for a kiss. "You wanna talk about it?"
"Where've you been?" Gabrielle stood, half-falling into a warm hug that went a long way toward lifting her gloomy spirits. She hung onto the warrior, tucking her head under Xena's chin and soaking in the scent of leather and wood smoke from the fire pit. Both women were shaking slightly, almost as if they'd been apart for much longer than a few candle marks.
"I was on my way back, when Kernunnos caught up with me and tried to take me out." She felt the bard stiffen in her arms, and hugged her more tightly. "I'm okay. Long story short, he's mortal now and someone stole the mask from him. We don't know who, but we're going to try to find out tomorrow. The village reeve is taking care of him until morning."
"Gods." Gabrielle made brief eye contact before burrowing back into their embrace, her voice muffled against soft leather. "This just gets more and more complicated. Pretty typical for us, huh?"
"Yeah." The warrior finally smiled, brushing her lips across fine blonde hair. "Keeps things interesting, at any rate. Now …" She pulled back, tracing a tear-stained cheek. "… why the tears?" Her voice softened, and the smile twisted painfully. She sighed, debating her urge to give voice to a mental puzzle she worked on while escorting Kernunnos to the inn. "You know, it'll be a year at the end of next week."
Gabrielle closed her eyes in aggrieved acknowledgement. "I was writing in my journal when you walked in. I started reading back and figured that out. When I was catching up with Autolycus, I told him about us …" she smiled and then her eyes filled with tears. She blinked, scattering a few that the warrior caught with her fingertips. "… and I told him about the crucifixion. I guess it just brought all of that back to me, almost as fresh as when it happened. Must be the timing. I even had to look at my hands, you know …" Make sure there weren't any scars.
Xena
very gently lifted first one hand, and then the other, her own hands trembling
as she carefully examined them, before kissing the inside palm of each one.
She pulled Gabrielle back against her, holding on with a good portion of
her considerable strength, as her own tears dampened the bard's head. "I'm so sorry. If
there was any way I could have saved you from that …"
"Xena,
don't." She placed two fingers flat against the warrior's lips.
"Neither of us is to blame. We've
talked about that. We both know
we'll very likely carry these particular scars for the rest of our lives, if not
on our hands and feet, then on our souls. It's
not something we'll ever forget or take lightly.
And I have a feeling that every year, when the Ides of March rolls
around, we'll think about it."
"Maybe."
She kissed the two fingers. "I
wish we weren't here, in this place. I'd rather be at home where we can take it easy, give
ourselves time to grieve if we need to."
"Yeah."
The bard released her, moving to their bags and rummaging for a sleep
shirt for her partner. Without even
thinking, she helped her out of the leather pants and armored vest as she
continued to talk. "We aren't
going to make it back in time to have our joining ceremony on the day of the
equinox, are we?"
Xena
swallowed, as a lump tried to form in her throat.
"No." Damn.
We shoulda talked about that before we left. I got so caught up in my own stupid plans.
"Gabrielle, I'm sorry."
"I'm
not." The bard finished
undressing her, and tapped a broad shoulder.
Xena automatically ducked down so she could reach, feeling the warm
well-worn shirt as it was drawn over her head, settling at mid-thigh length.
"Xena, winter is still in full force.
Our friends and family probably wouldn't be able to make it for the
ceremony anyway. Traveling would be
too difficult. I was thinking we
should put it off a moon or two, wait for spring and nice warm weather.
And I'd kind of like for our anniversary to fall on a date that isn't so
close to Ides. Maybe even wait for
summer solstice."
Xena
stood back up, pulling her hair from the confines of the shirt collar.
"You wouldn't be upset at putting it off again?"
"No."
Gabrielle grabbed both strong hands, drawing the warrior to the bed.
She turned back the covers and crawled in next to the wall, settling
against thick goose down pillows as the warrior followed after her.
She snuggled up to the long body and felt two reassuring arms wrap around
her. "Xena, we've already
spoken of our commitment to each other in private, a dozen times or more, in a
dozen different ways. We already
wear our joining rings." She
held up her hand and Xena's joined it, as they admired the matching tri-color
braided gold bands for a moment.
"So
the ceremony is just a formality?" The
warrior was secretly looking forward to the festivities, and felt slightly hurt
at her partner's perceived nonchalance toward the whole affair.
"No.
Oh, no." The bard
interlaced their two hands. "I
know we need to have it to make our commitment a legal one, but I really want to
stand up in front of all our family and friends, and tell them just how much I
love you." She smiled and
watched a matching one form on Xena's lips.
"It'll be an awesome party, and all the more reason to wait until
the weather is good, and we have enough time to finish up our plans."
"Then
wait we will." The warrior lay
back more fully, and felt Gabrielle's head come to rest just below her shoulder.
"We'll have the finest joining ceremony in the history of the Amazon
nation." She smiled secretly.
She'd spent candle marks in the council's scroll room, reading up on
joining ceremony requirements for an Amazon queen and her consort. The scrolls contained actual accounts of several such past
ceremonies, and had filled her head with some nice ideas.
Yeah, and I'm gonna make you feel like the queen you are, my bard.
Her hand slipped under Gabrielle's shirt, making soothing caresses
against the soft smooth skin of her partner's back.
The
bard's hands did some exploring of their own, pushing the warrior's shirt up,
and wandering in circles against her flat muscular belly.
She rolled over and found a pair of waiting lips, their kisses slow and
undemanding. She finally broke off and her lips moved to the warrior's
stomach, planting kisses in the wake of her fingertips, which wandered lower.
Xena
felt the first faint fluttering in her gut and sank down lower into the
mattress, letting her partner decided where things would lead.
She felt a questing hand swirl repeatedly through coarse dark curls while
the bard continued to kiss her stomach. She
whimpered at the mixed emotions her partner's attentions caused.
On one level, it was one of the most comforting sensations she had ever
felt, and on another it was equally erotic.
A
pair of green eyes looked up at her. Gods. Those eyes were full of love.
And something else. I
think she plans to devour me. The
bard placed one last kiss on her belly and then followed her hand.
Yep. The first touch
of the warm lips wrenched a strangled cry from the back of Xena's throat, and
she automatically drew up her knees, giving her lover better access.
Her
own hands continually stroked up and down the bard's back and legs, occasionally
wandering over a rock-hard butt. I
think she's laying claim to me. And
I think I like it. She felt
teasing kisses at her inner thighs, and more intent ones as Gabrielle took her
time, enjoying the exploration. She
nuzzled the dark curls, inhaling the musky sweet scent of Xena's arousal, all
the while listening to the warrior's constant murmurs of pleasure.
She
kissed the curls and moved lower. A
pair of strong hips came off the mattress, as the warrior felt a deeply intimate
kiss, as if the bard were kissing her on the mouth.
Oh my gods. She
couldn't remember anything that had ever felt that good.
In fact, she couldn't remember much of anything at all at the moment. What she did feel was cherished … worshipped even … and
she allowed herself to give in to the pleasure, softly crying out Gabrielle's
name.
The
bard continued to kiss her, gradually lessening the intensity, her cheek finally
coming to rest on the warrior's belly, facing her.
Long fingers eagerly sought her face, tracing her cheeks and lips.
The warrior shifted, drawing her back up against her. She could feel the bard's heart beating, almost as strongly
as her own. Gabrielle's breathing
was irregular, and the bard placed several almost anxious kisses on an exposed
expanse of collarbone. Xena
suppressed a chuckle at her lover's need. Now.
I think I need to take care of you, love.
They
still didn't speak, but somehow both shirts finally came off, and she rolled the
bard onto her back, looking deeply into smoldering green eyes before she closed
the distance, kissing her with clear purpose.
"Mmmmm." It wasn't exactly a word, but summed up what they were both
feeling. One hand slipped between
them, and she slowly brought the bard up to the place she had so recently been,
holding on tightly as Gabrielle trembled against her.
The
sensations reached their height of intensity.
"Xena … oh gods." The
warrior continued to touch her, whispering in her ear and kissing her face and
then her lips.
"I
love you, Gabrielle." Finally,
she reached up, pushing sweaty blonde bangs out of the bard's eyes, studying
them at close range. "Thank
you." She kissed her gently.
"For loving me."
"Always."
Gabrielle curled into her arms as the warrior drew the covers over both
of them.
No
more words were necessary. They shared several more kisses, sated bodies succumbing to
the pleasant lethargy of Morpheus' realm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Strong
winds battered the shutters on the windows of the room, stirring the warrior
from her twilight slumber. She stared up into the darkness.
Just as well. She had
slipped in and out of true sleep, her need to stay alert to danger warring with
dark dreams. Been a while since
I dreamed about that.
She
regarded the warm body resting solidly against her, allowing the reality of the
love they shared to chase away the remaining shadows.
I deserved what I got, back in that compound.
But you … she captured the bard's hand, carefully removing it from
its curled clasp around her own upper arm, briefly kissing it before tucking it
against her chest, holding on as it settled between her breasts.
You, my love, should never have known the horror of that day.
How
many did I send to their graves by crucifixion?
A hundred? Five hundred?
A sense of self-loathing wrapped itself around her heart.
At least that many. No,
what Caesar ordered for me was poetic justice.
She
shuddered, remembering the anguished screams of the men she sent to the crosses,
as her soldiers nailed their hands and ankles to the splintered wood, breaking
their legs, not to add to their pain, although it certainly did that, but
because breaking their legs sped along death.
Kept them from being able to lift up and draw breath.
I told myself I was being so much more merciful than a lot of the
other warlords by breaking their legs.
We
didn't get such a lucky, break, did we love?
It had taken hours for them to die of the suffocation that eventually
claimed those crucifixion victims who weren't fortunate enough to bleed to death
or die of exposure first. She bit
her trembling lower lip, trying to will the tears away.
Caesar couldn't have chosen a worse punishment for me, than to make me
watch you die in the same manner by which I condemned so many innocents. Just like you. No.
She shook her head slightly. That
pain made my own crucifixion pale in comparison.
She
knew it was over when she felt her spine splinter.
Why didn't you just run away, my bard?
They were gonna kill me anyway. I'm
the one they really wanted. You …
you could have been spared so much pain. I
couldn't believe my eyes when you picked up my sword.
By the gods, Gabrielle, I didn't even know you knew how to hold it, much
less wield it the way you did. You
broke my heart, love. Did you know
that?.
You.
You gave up everything you believed in, in the blink of an eye. For me. I wasn't
worth that, Gabrielle. My life
wasn't worth the price of your soul.
I'm glad things worked out the way they did.
Glad beyond measure. But I'm
gonna carry this particular piece of guilt with me for the rest of my life.
As
if hearing her thoughts, the bard shifted in her sleep, snuggling up tighter and
burying her face into Xena's chest, sighing in utter contentment.
The warrior waited until she settled down, tucking the covers around a
bare shoulder that had become exposed. "Too
nippy in here for that, my bard," she quietly whispered.
Do
you know how much I wish I would have woken up alone in that prison cell?
She closed her eyes, remembering the pain the simple act of breathing had
caused at that moment. Every muscle
from the waist up ached from the internal and external bruising the beating had
caused. She had tried to move her
legs, then remembered that she couldn't. And
then became aware of the arms wrapped around her, and the warm legs her head was
pillowed against. It had taken
everything … everything she had left … to keep from completely breaking
down, and letting the blessed darkness that was calling to her just take her.
But
she had known, the minute she saw Gabrielle's tear-filled eyes, and her brave
smile, that she needed to hang around. Just
a little while longer. You
sacrificed your chance to live, for me, love.
The least I could do was sacrifice my chance at an easy death.
It was surely the lesser of the two sacrifices.
Her arms reflexively pulled Gabrielle more tightly against her. Gods, Gabrielle. She kissed the bard's head. Watching what they did to you … she swallowed, the tears flowing freely, trickling into her ears and pooling in the hollow of her throat. Her eyes squeezed shut.
She remembered that last moment of eye contact. She found her wits long enough to express on last thought. Gabrielle you were the best thing in my life. It seemed so inadequate a sentiment for someone who meant everything. The bard had looked at her with so much love. There were no accusations … no regrets … in those misty green eyes. I love you, Xena. There, lying on twin crosses in the snow, knowing they were going to die. For a split second, it had driven away the cold, and the fear, and the pain.
Then those sensations slammed back into her with enough force to stop her heart for the longest moment, as they both watched the soldier place that wooden placket against Gabrielle's palm. The green eyes had jerked away quickly. You were so brave. You never uttered a sound. How did you do that? It had been more than Xena could bear. Each blow of the hammer, driving the spikes into her soulmate's hands and feet, had wrenched anguished cries of grief and anger from the warrior's own gut. You didn't want me to hear you suffer, did you love?
She barely felt them nail her own hands down, and her ankles were numb. She kept watching Gabrielle, who refused to allow her to share her pain. And so she hung on even longer. She had no lower body strength, and she used what was left of her powerful chest and shoulders, pulling herself up again and again to breathe, forcing air into her tight lungs, oblivious to the cold metal that ripped further at her flesh with every movement. No way, was she going to go first, and make Gabrielle be alone at the end.
Finally, the bard's strength gave out, her tortured body going limp as the blonde head drooped down. Her chest stilled. Xena had wept then, and quickly followed her. There was no more reason to cling to life. The peace they found in the Elysian Fields made their manner of death inconsequential. I sometimes wish … No. Don't go there, Xena. You can't go back. There's no point. Everything happens precisely as it should. Deal with it and move on.
She forced herself to focus on the task at hand. Oh gods. I never did discuss the Norselands with her, did I? And then there's that curse on the mask. Well … she mused … our breakfast conversation should certainly be interesting.
Wide-awake, she listened to the wind as it continued to howl, rattling the walls and sifting in around the window crevices. The fire in the corner fireplace had long since burned down, but the warmth of their bodies under several layers of bedclothes precluded the need for her to build it back up until morning. A wild note in the storm made her shiver, and Gabrielle's hold on her strengthened. Felt that, did you? She finally smiled. If that storm doesn't let up some soon, we may be stuck here for a while longer. Which, she reflected, wouldn't be such a bad thing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fragrant
minty steam drifted up in a swirl, tickling the bard's nose as she inhaled,
adding a dollop of honey to the thick mug and stirring it.
The fire in the fireplace crackled pleasantly, small red sparks
occasionally snapping and flying up the chimney.
One shutter was cracked open, revealing a cloudless blue sky and a new
foot of snow on the ground below. A
strong steady wind threatened to wrench the bare branches from the trees, and
the few villagers who were out at the early candle mark ducked their heads down,
holding rough woolen wraps tightly against their bodies.
Thick panes of glass held the worst of the cold at bay and the fire
glowed, warming her feet as she looked around the room contentedly, halfway
wishing they were snowed in.
She
closed her eyes and sipped her tea, drawing the edges of a soft navy blue
blanket around her body. Opening her eyes, she turned toward a quiet rustle from the
bed. The warrior shifted and made a
tiny mewling noise, rolling to her side and tucking her fist under her chin.
Gods, she's adorable when she sleeps.
Gabrielle smiled and stood, stealing to the bedside to simply observe her
lover. Not like her to sleep in.
Poor thing. I think all the
stuff from the past that's been haunting us lately is wearing on her a lot more
than she's willing to admit.
The
bard herself had slept like a rock. Or
on a rock, she chuckled inwardly, thinking of Xena's granite abdominal
muscles, covered by a smooth soft layer of warm enticing skin.
I think I surprised her last night.
She shook her head, still smiling. She
still doesn't understand how much I desire her.
Great gods. Her eyes
roamed leisurely along the warrior's exposed upper body. I never dreamed it would be like this.
Xena
sensed her watcher, her eyes slowly opening and blinking.
She frowned, trying to comprehend the block of bright daylight that
painted the hard wood floor below the window.
What in Tartarus? What
time is it? She looked up and
the frown instantly became a smile, as her eyes came to rest on a fair face and
a pair of sparkling green eyes. "Hey,"
her voice rasped, a sexy timbre that sent pleasant tingles up Gabrielle's spine.
"What're you thinking about?"
"Something
that might make us get a late start."
She set her mug on the night table and crawled onto the bed, reclining on
her side and reaching out, idly making order of the dark mussed head.
Their eyes met, lingering on mutual memories, and the bard leaned closer,
savoring a delicious kiss.
"Mmmm."
Xena reluctantly pulled back, trailing her fingertips against the bard's face.
"You let me sleep in."
"You
looked like you needed it." She
accepted the warrior's invitation, snuggling into an outstretched arm and
feeling Xena pull her close. "Besides,
it's less than a candle mark past dawn. As
many people as Morrigan has to deal with at her hut, I'd guess we've got a
little time before she'll be here."
"Time enough to go downstairs and grab a hearty breakfast, at any rate." Xena started to rise and found a firm hand holding her in place.
"No
need." Gabrielle got up and
retrieved a basket from the hearth. She
moved back to the bed, perching on the edge of the mattress as she pulled back a
checkered cloth, revealing hearty brown rolls, a slab of mellow light cheese,
and an assortment of dried fruit. "I
already took care of it."
"One
of the many reasons I love you." The
warrior snagged a roll, tearing it in half and drizzling more of the honey onto
it, then offered her partner a bite. "We
might have time for breakfast and dessert."
She raised a coy eyebrow, her meaning not lost on the bard.
"That's
what I was thinking about …" Gabrielle munched on the nutty bread, the
taste of honey rolling around her mouth. "Mmph."
She swallowed. "That's what I
was thinking about when you woke up."
"Really?"
Xena smiled warmly, drawing out the word. She picked up the basket, leaning over and setting it on the
floor. A bubbling laugh rose up in
her throat, as she felt an insistent tug at her hip and she willingly went with
it, using the momentum to roll Gabrielle onto her back. She hovered over her lover, watching the bard lick her lips
as she looked back up at her in anticipation.
"Gods, you're beautiful."
Her own lips gave testament to her words, planting light kisses all over
Gabrielle's face. "Wish I had
all day with you."
"This
is nice, Xena." The bard felt
a solid thigh slip between her legs. "Really
nice." Their lips met in a
much more intense kiss.
"If
I can't have all day …" the warrior's voice husked, as her hands began to
wander. "… guess I'll just have to make up for quantity with
quality." Gabrielle arched up,
responding to her, and she put her whole heart into the task at hand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A
candle mark later, bathed, full, and satisfied, warrior and bard emerged from
their room, tramping down the stairs with their gear stowed in efficient
fur-covered backpacks. The warrior had procured the packs the day before at
the market, pleased with the snow-resistant quality of the thick deer hide from
which they were constructed.
Xena
still hadn't discussed either the Norselands or the curse of the mask with her
partner. She decided to put off the
Norselands discussion for a while unless they were forced to go there.
I know we have that 'no more secrets' rule, she chided herself. But … Her thoughts trailed off, grateful for the
infinite patience Gabrielle was capable of exhibiting toward her.
The 'no more secrets' rule didn't have any deadlines.
It was more a rule that they would not hold back the important things,
nor withhold information if directly asked.
They were allowed to take their time in divulging information of a
non-critical nature.
She
knew her time in the Norselands was an important detail from her past that she
had yet to share. She also knew it was one of the most shameful chapters in her
history. Her psyche was already
fragile, and she couldn't bring herself to dredge up and hash out yet more
damning evidence against herself. The
dark memories they shared between them were too close to the surface.
Between the pending anniversary of the crucifixion and Britannia's close
proximity to Eire, her emotions were as raw as they had been in a long time.
Since … well, she realized, since she'd watched Gabrielle
willingly throw herself into a lava pit, dragging Hope with her.
At
least when we were crucified, we were going together.
'Course, if Gab hadn't sacrificed herself like that, I might never have
rectified my wrongs against the Northern Amazons.
Gods … I wish …
She felt a profound sadness. I
wish I had some good stories from the past to share with her.
With every new revelation, she half-expected the bard to finally become
disgusted with her. Instead, she
received Gabrielle's own brand of unconditional love, seeing in those green eyes
a reflection of herself she could never see when looking into the mirror.
"Hey."
A concerned hand patted her on the arm.
"You okay?"
"Yeah."
Come on warrior, snap out of it.
You've got a potentially dangerous mission ahead of you.
This is no time to start feeling sorry for yourself.
"Yeah. Just thinking
about what we need to do first."
A
brief discussion with Morrigan the day before had revealed that the snow was
very deep in some parts where they might be traveling.
Xena decided it would be cruel to hire horses and force the poor beasts
to wade through impossibly high drifts. She
knew how much Argo hated such a chore, although the faithful battle horse would
have cantered through the gates of Tartarus if the warrior asked her to.
"Xena,
I've been meaning to ask ..." The
bard hesitated, although she had learned that she was one of the few who had
free rein to question her partner's decisions.
"… not to belabor the obvious, but if horses are going to have a
hard time getting through the snow, how are we going to do it on foot?
You and Autolycus are tall, but not that tall.
Kallerine is a little shorter than you.
As for me and Morrigan …"
"Auto isn't going with us." They made their way across the inn's main room where Morrigan and Kallerine were waiting. "As for travel, don't worry, I've got it figured out."
"I figured you probably did." Gabrielle shrugged off her pack, dropping it in the corner behind the table. "Just checking." She turned her attention to the table. "Morning. Everyone settled in at your place?"
"As well as can be expected under the circumstances," the druid's voice bore a note of sadness. "Bridgid couldna understand why I was leavin' 'er again so soon."
"I was thinking about that last night …" Xena stopped, as a bedraggled Autolycus entered the room.
"Morning ladies ... Xena." He smiled charmingly, despite his appearance.
The warrior ignored the dig. "You look like Hades, Auto."
"Why thank you." He mock-bowed. "I've heard Hades is a rather attractive fellow."
Two blue eyes rolled toward the ceiling, and Xena took a seat. A fair-sized breakfast crowd filled most of the tables in the room, and the constant low buzz of their chatter was quickly grating on her nerves. "Gabrielle and I have already eaten, and I assume you two ate at Morrigan's." The druid and the slayer nodded affirmatively. "Auto, order your meal. I've got a new plan for you, but we need to discuss it with Morrigan first."
"Okay. Be right back." He began weaving his away around the tables toward the bar, returning momentarily with a plateful of pancakes and a tall mug of apple cider. A server followed him with a round of cider for the table. The mugs were passed around and eagerly accepted. Autolycus slipped the server a gold coin, garnering two raised eyebrows from the warrior.
Heh. She put two and two together, not missing a meaningful glance and a brief lingering of fingers as the coin changed hands. Maybe that explains his appearance. And his good mood. She re-focused her thoughts. "We no longer know who … or what … we're up against here." Xena's serious gaze fell on each face at the table in turn. "Gods know I love Pony, but I'm no longer comfortable leaving Bridgid behind, and we can't take her with us."
"I'm feelin' the same way, Xena." Relief evident in Morrigan's features. "What do ya have in mind?"
"I want to create a diversion." The warrior's voice was low, careful not to carry beyond the immediate table. "Auto, I need your powers of stealth. I want you and Pony to take Bridgid, go find Ronan, and ask him to take you back home to Greece. I need you to sneak Bridgid out of the hut, however you can. Make it look like you and Pony are preparing to come meet up with us or something. And I want Johanna, Amarice, and Raella to stay behind, leaving the appearance that they're still taking care of Bridgid. Amarice still has a cough, but she's on the road to recovery. She and Raella should have enough strength back by now to defend themselves and Johanna if they need to. Plus the village militia is also nearby."
"But …" Morrigan started to protest until the warrior held up a hand.
"Hold on." She produced a rolled piece of parchment. "I wrote a note to Ronan, asking him to do this as a favor to me. Morrigan …" She reached across, patting the druid's hand. "Gabrielle and I are to be joined in a few more moons. I was planning to invite you to the ceremony anyway. Bridgid will be safe in our village with Pony until we return. You can travel back there with us, stay as long as you like, and take Bridgid home whenever you're ready."
"Oh, Xena, I don't know …" Doubt clouded Morrigan's eyes.
"Hercules and Iolaus will be there." She tossed out the bait. Come on Morrigan. I wanna put as much distance between Eire and Bridgid as possible.
"Well …" the druid considered for a long moment. She wanted Bridgid to be safe, and the thought of seeing Hercules again didn't hurt matters any. It was a terribly long voyage for the little girl to make without her mother, but she had come to trust Eponin, and knew the weapons master would protect her daughter. "Okay. I would feel a whole lot better if Bridgid were out of harm's way."
"I thought you needed me to help steal back the mask." The king of thieves appeared almost hurt.
"Bridgid's safety is much more important, Autolycus." The warrior blew out a breath. "And the mask … it's cursed. The fewer of us around it, the better. Anyone who handles it too much will be under its spell. They'll feel compelled to sacrifice the one they're in love with to the druids. Correct, Morrigan?"
"That would be correct." She and Xena shared a knowing smile, as a clue slapped Autolycus on the forehead. He reddened, remembering the information he'd shared with them the day before.
"Gotcha." Xena elbowed him in the ribs. "Autolycus, get Bridgid to Greece, and go find Cupcake and bring her to our joining. I'd love to meet her."
"I … err … that is …" He coughed into a napkin, flustered. "Okay, so maybe I do love her a little bit." He peered sheepishly at his companions. "And the server is just a fling, okay? It's not like Cupcake and I are committed or anything." This last part whispered to an amused warrior.
"Yet," she whispered back, enjoying the near panic in his eyes at her comment.
"Xena … you and I shouldn't handle that mask." Gabrielle frowned. "Should we?"
"Hopefully it won't come to that." She squeezed the bard's leather-clad thigh under the table. "Morrigan will be with us, and she can touch it without harm."
"Good." The bard relaxed. "I don't think Kallerine should handle it either. Wouldn't want her to go staking Amarice or anything."
The slayer immediately blushed a complimentary shade of red to that of the king of thieves. She hastily gulped at her cider, wishing she could blend into the woodwork.
I see Aphrodite's been busy. Xena mentally ran through all the couples in their little group. And with a little bit more of that … she eyed Morrigan and thought about a certain son of Zeus. Gotta make sure 'Dite knows she's invited to the joining. "Okay." She rose as Autolycus finished his breakfast. "Auto, you know what to do. The rest of us, we need to go have a chat with Kernunnos. Find out where he was camping when the mask was stolen. Then we need to gather some slender branches and make ourselves some snow shoes."
"Snow shoes?" An inquisitive blonde brow rose. "Xena, what are snow shoes?"
"A little something I came up while I was in northern Chin." She smiled mysteriously. "They'll make it easier for us to walk in the snow drifts. Let's get going."
They followed her through the inn's front door and out into the clear cold morning, securing wraps and packs as they walked.
A thoughtful bard sidled up to her. "Northern Chin? Xena, when were you in Northern Chin?"
"Later." Blue eyes pleaded for a reprieve and softened when the bard merely nodded. She clasped Gabrielle's hand, interlacing their fingers. It was the quickest way from Lao Ma's territory to Valhalla, love. And a route I wish I'd never traveled.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Wow. These are great!" Gabrielle took a tall step, the wide flat bottom of her snowshoe landing in the light unpacked powder. She watched in fascination as tiny snow pellets squiggled away from under the leather-bound edges, running behind her almost like water. For the first few steps, she held her breath each time her foot landed, expecting to break the surface of the waist-deep drifts. Waist-deep for Xena, that is. "Why don't we fall through?"
"For one thing …" With a long stride, the warrior fell in next to her. "… your weight is distributed over a greater surface, so in effect, you're lighter. For another, it's more difficult for an object as wide as these shoes to sink for the short period of time they stay in one spot. Takes longer than it would if you were just wearing your regular boots. It works more like a toboggan."
"Toboggan?" The bard's breathe was labored, but no unpleasantly so. She was enjoying the crisp air as it entered her lungs, invigorating her after their somewhat languid start to the day. "What's that?"
"Oh." Blue eyes twinkled. "You've never gone tobogganing?"
"I don't think so." Gabrielle almost toppled to one side, grabbing hold of the warrior's forearm right before she completely lost her balance. "Whoa."
"Easy. These things take some getting used to." She held on until her partner steadied herself. "And you'd remember it if you'd ever been tobogganing. It's sort of a sled, but you don't need horses or oxen to pull it. And it doesn't have runners. It's just a big piece of wood that you slide downhill on. Or sometimes we'd make a wood frame and stretch oiled canvas over it to make one."
"Why would you want to do that?" The bard had very little use for snow. She shivered, remembering frosty winter mornings in Potadeia when it was her job to rise early and break the ice in the water trough, then draw buckets of freezing-cold water from the well to fill it for the sheep and goats her father raised.
"Because it's fun." Kallerine drew abreast of them. "My sister and I used to spend hours playing on a hill at the edge of our village."
"So let me make sure I understand …" Gabrielle was unconvinced. "You sit on a flat piece of wood or stretched canvas and slide down a snow-covered hill because it's fun? And then what?"
"You keep doing it until you're too tired to climb the hill anymore." The slayer smiled, her eyes looking far off into the distance in pleasant memory.
"I've never been either, Gabrielle." Morrigan trudged her way next to the others. "But it sounds like something Bridgid might enjoy." Her eyes met the bard's and then flicked down toward the snow.
"Don't worry." Gabrielle clapped her on the back. "Pony and Autolycus won't let anything happen to her. If I had a child …" She felt blue eyes watching her in her peripheral vision. "… I'd trust them to take care of it. Both of them have risked their lives for us. On more than one occasion."
"I know it's for the best." The druid's voice quivered. "I just miss 'er so much. Every time I leave 'er and come back again, she's grown a head taller."
"Another day and we'll reach Kernunnos' campsite." Puffy white clouds of air escaped her lips as the warrior spoke. "With any luck, we may be able to pick up our thief's trail. If not …" She left her sentence unfinished. If not, we travel another day to the portal of the underworld and I go in to find Loki.
Frightened green eyes peered intently at her, and she reached out, placing her hand in the small of Gabrielle's back, gently patting her through her thick wool cape. Okay. She's terrified. And angry. She made that pretty clear back in the village. They hadn't argued in front of their friends, but as the warrior carefully laid out their plans, Gabrielle had grown quieter and quieter, her jaw clenched firmly and her forehead etched in a permanent frown. I'd best be saying something to make this better.
"Have no fear, Morrigan." Or you either, my bard. She kept her hand on Gabrielle's back. "I plan to get that mask back as quickly as possible. I've got a joining ceremony I need to be at in another moon or so, and I need to get back home." And nothing, nothing, will keep me from that. No cursed masks, no dead or living gods, and no godsbedamned snow or ocean.
The bard grabbed her arm, removing it from her lower back. For the briefest second the warrior thought she was being pushed away, then just as quickly felt a smaller hand seeking hers, as Gabrielle twined their fingers together. "If anyone can find our thief, it's Xena." The bard squeezed her partner's hand, and felt a squeeze back. All's forgiven, honey. I don't much like the thought of you traveling to the underworld. I just get so scared that something will happen to you. And maybe I won't get to go with you right away this time. "She's the best tracker in the Amazon village."
The warrior felt a gentle flush across her cheeks and pulled up her hood, garnering a raised blonde brow in her peripheral vision. "True." Kallerine chimed in. "I was in one of her tracking classes. You should've seen us. She about ran us into the ground."
"I … um … think I'll scout ahead a little." Xena trudged forward, away from them, taking long easy loping strides on the snow's surface, her body well used to maneuvering on snowshoes. The cold air quickly cooled her skin and she breathed a sigh of relief, glad to be out of the limelight. The light wind whispered in the branches over her head, and a few winter birds twittered back and forth, discussing whatever it was that birds discussed. A bright flash caught her eye, as a red fox quickly slunk away through dense scruffy underbrush.
She let her hood fall back against her shoulder blades, enjoying the cool fingers of air that lifted her hair and blew it about her face. Spotting a wintergreen bush, she smiled, roving off-trail through the trees, and kneeling down to collect several hand-fulls of the scarlet berries, stuffing them in a pouch inside her cloak. Those'll be a nice after dinner treat. She moved away from the trail toward a walnut tree, which still bore a good amount of nuts. She wrapped both hands around the rough bark and gave the tree a few sound shakes, sending a scattering of the meaty nuts raining down around her into the snow. She collected those and added them to the berries.
I've missed this, she mused. While it was true that some of the Amazon stores were supplemented with foraging, most of their fruits and vegetables were grown in large gardens and communal fields that everyone in the village took turns at tending. She had led the fall hunt for the year, and they returned with the largest supply of venison and rabbit in village history. There was enough smoked and dried meat in the storehouse to feed them well into spring, even if it was late in arriving.
Still, it wasn't the same as the day-to-day existence she and Gabrielle had shared in the past. Living completely off the land kept her hunting and foraging skills well honed, and she made a firm decision not to let those skills become lax in her new-found settled state. She had been self-sufficient since her fourteenth summer, and she wasn't about to start becoming dependant on others for her survival. Or Gabrielle's. She had learned to expect the unexpected.
Not that having a ready supply of food was a bad thing. Both she and Gabrielle lived with few reserves when they were on the open road. Neither had an ounce of body fat to spare. Living with the Amazons had changed that. While neither woman was by any means overweight, both had lost some of the gauntness to their trail-hardened bodies. It felt good to know that neither of them had to go hungry. Gabrielle looked healthier and happier to her healer's eyes, and the warrior rarely heard her partner's stomach rumble with true hunger pangs anymore.
The relatively quiet winter in the village had been good for both of them. Xena's leg was fully healed from her battle injury in Egypt, and sleeping in a real bed was much more refreshing than the unforgiving ground. She woke each morning with a lot fewer aches and was able to sleep more soundly in their hut than she could out in the open. The Amazons kept a constant watch at their gates as well as in the territory surrounding the village, and it didn't fall completely on Xena's shoulders to stay alert for danger.
She ruefully acknowledged that those skills needed to stay sharp as well. And camping in caves in the winter don't cut it, she growled internally. Winter travel's greatest hazard typically meant checking for bears in the caves they considered using for shelter. Raiders and other riff-raff tended to hole up in the winter. It was too cold to be out, and too difficult to make a quick escape after an attack. She made a second firm decision to take to the road for a while sometime in the late spring or early summer, just to make sure her survival skills got a proper workout.
She unconsciously fished in her pouch, digging out a walnut and cracking it in her fist. She plucked out the moist nutmeat, popping it into her mouth and chewing thoughtfully. Quiet footsteps alerted her and she cocked her head, smiling at the familiar swish of wool against leather as her suitor approached her from behind. "Hey there." She turned to face her partner.
"You okay?" Gabrielle drew closer. "Hey." She placed one hand on her hip, pointing with the other at the telltale shell bits littering the snow. "Were you planning to share?"
A lazy smile graced the warrior's face. "Yes." She retrieved another nut, cracking it and offering it to the bard. "And yes."
"Why'd you go running away?" The bard asked around a mouthful of walnut.
"I … it was nothing. Just needed to breathe for a minute." She kicked at a downed log, pushing it over in the snow.
"We embarrassed you, huh?" Gabrielle grinned up at her stalwart companion. "Sorry about that."
"S'okay." Dusky lashes blinked almost shyly. "So does this mean we're okay?"
"Xena." The bard sighed and sat down on the log, patting the space next to her, squeezing a firm thigh as the warrior took a seat. "We were always okay. It's just … the thought of you going to the underworld … I know you've been there before. A couple of times. I don't know that I'll ever be okay with that concept. Guess I'm always afraid they're going to decide to keep you once you get down there."
"Listen." Xena 's fingers chaffed a wind-burned cheek. "It would take a lot more than the measly powers of the underworld to separate me from you. I made you a promise that time … after Autolycus helped me come back. Remember?"
Gabrielle's heart skipped a beat, remembering a light-hearted conversation in a forest not far from the Amazon village. Too light-hearted, covering up emotions that were too raw for them to openly discuss at the time. Xena. Promise me that you'll never die on me again. And Xena's deadpan answer, complete with rolled eyes -- Oh, I promise. "But." Incredulous green eyes studied serious blue ones. "We were speaking in jest." Weren't we?
"I never make a promise I don't intend to keep. Even one made in jest." The warrior carefully studied her hands, which were folded in her lap. And damned if I'll ever break that one. Not if I can help it.
"But how can you …" How can she possibly keep a promise like that? She watched the strong profile, the warrior's throat working as she swallowed a few times. Trust you to find a way, love, one way or another. She placed one hand over the warrior's clasped ones, waiting until Xena looked at her. "I know you don't. And I’m going to do my best to keep the same promise to you, deal?"
"Deal." Warm eyes smiled back at her, as Xena stood and hauled her to her feet. "We'd best go catch up with the others. Morrigan's the only one familiar with these parts, and we need to start thinking about finding shelter for the night. I don't like the looks of those clouds."
Gabrielle looked up, beyond the skeletal treetops above them, noting the gathering gray cover that was rapidly obscuring a beautiful blue sky. "Rats. This is gonna slow us down, isn't it?"
"Maybe not." The warrior took her hand and they began snowshoeing their way back toward the trail. "Seems like lately it snows at night and clears off by morning. But just in case, I want to find a nice substantial cave or even a building if we can. The open woods are too risky."
"Not to mention too cold." The bard shivered in reflex.
"No cold bards," Xena stated resolutely.
Gabrielle smiled. "You know, Xena, I haven't slept cold in a very long time."
"Well, I'm gonna make sure you never do again." The bard missed the mischievous glint in her partner's eye, as the warrior quickly scooped up a handful of snow and dropped it expertly down Gabrielle's cloak. "'Course all bets are off in broad daylight." She took off, running with surprising grace given the deep snow and the uncommon shoes on her feet.
"Hey!" Gabrielle yelled in outrage. Shaking hard, working the frozen lump down her back and onto the ground. "You are going to pay for that, oh warrior princess of mine!" She paused, studying the warrior's gait, and did her best to imitate it. To her great pleasure, she only stumbled a few times, getting the hang of their little game of chase in no time.
Xena tempered her pace, giving her partner time to catch up, only staying far ahead enough to keep the bard from actually catching her. She reached the trail and stopped, bending over with her hands on her knees, even her conditioned body unused to that particular form of exertion. Just as she was catching her breath, a solid force tackled her, taking her down to the snow.
She laughed, rolling both of them over and over, losing snowshoes and cloaks in the process. They finally bumped into the base of a tree, Gabrielle sprawled on top of her, pinning her in triumph. "I got you! You're mine now!"
The warrior briefly considered simply bucking the bard off, and then reconsidered, raising her arms back and over her head, resting them in the snow. "Oh, I surrender to Gabrielle, queen of the Amazons." She sighed dramatically. "Have your way with me, your majesty. Just … be gentle." She suppressed a chuckle, her body shaking with the effort.
"You mocking me?" The bard got nose to nose with her, searching the blue eyes and getting lost in them. Xena's tongue poked out, swiping her on the lips. Gabrielle's eyes grew wide, then closed, as she tilted her head to the side, giving an experimental lick back before making more solid contact. She kept it up until both women were breathing rather hard. "Better get you out of the snow before you freeze to death."
"Snow?" The warrior cupped her face with both hands. "Keep that up, sweetheart, and the winter thaw is gonna come early."
"Oh." Gabrielle blushed. Xena drew her back down, enjoying another kiss, the warrior's hands wandering up and down the bard's back, slipping under the deerskin top to the soft wool undershirt, giving gentle strokes of encouragement.
A throat cleared and both women looked to the side. Kallerine and Morrigan stood on the trail across from them for a moment, both shaking their heads in feigned admonishment. "Never mind us. We'll just forge on ahead. Come on, Morrigan." Kallerine tugged at the druid's sleeve. "Didn't you say there's a cave another couple of candle marks ahead?"
"I did." Morrigan followed after her. "Go on about your business, ladies. We'll leave a marker at the trailhead that leads up to the cave, so ya can find us when yer of a mind to."
"Gods." Gabrielle buried her face into the warrior's chest, resting there until they were out of earshot. "Thought they were further ahead of us."
"So did I." Xena raked her fingers through fine blonde hair. "Guess we should get our cloaks and shoes back on, and get going."
"Yeah." The bard pecked her on the lips one more time and rolled away, reaching for her scattered belongings.
They quickly donned shoes and cloaks, exchanging more than one smile in the process. Xena stood to her full height, waiting until the bard finished tying the last binding on her shoe. As Gabrielle stood, she found herself drawn into a warm hug, which led to another very nice long kiss. "One more for the road." The warrior re-shouldered her pack, helping the bard buckle hers into place.
They followed the snowshoe tracks in front of them on the trail, neither woman in any hurry to reach the cave.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The dull thwack of a small hatchet striking wood rang out across the ice-covered pond, echoing off the tall trees on the far side. A great snowy owl hooted his displeasure at the disturbance, his large yellow eyes blinking into the darkness. A half moon shone through a break in the gathering clouds, dusting the pond's surface in an almost iridescent glow.
The warrior paused, using a firm shove of her boot to finish felling the slender sapling she planned on cutting into firewood. It cracked and splintered, then dropped to the ground, sending up a swirling mass of loose powder as it landed. She shoved it with her foot again, rolling it over toward another tree she had already cut down.
She looked up at the sky and frowned. So far, the snow was holding off, and the night air was completely still, with not a single hint of a breeze. It was bone-chilling cold and the temperature had been dropping steadily since sunset. For no apparent reason, her nape hairs prickled and the frown deepened. What was that all about?
She shrugged and swung the axe up over her head again, preparing to chop the long trunks of the trees into fire-sized logs. A cheerful fire was blazing inside the nearby cave, the strong scent of pine reaching her nose, which twitched in appreciation. Whoever had used the cave last had left just enough wood to start a fire. Xena volunteered to chop more wood while Gabrielle began setting out the fixings for their dinner. Morrigan had started the fire and gathered a few buckets of snow to melt for water, and Kallerine took off with her bow and quiver of arrows, determined to hunt down some fresh meat to add to their dried venison and fruit.
Soft boot steps slushing through knee-deep snow approached from behind and she stopped, shouldering her axe and turning to face her partner. "Hey there."
"Hey yourself." Gabrielle closed the distance, holding out a buckskin flask. "Here, thought you could use a warm drink."
"Thanks." The warrior unstopped the flask and tilted it up to her lips. She grinned as the liquid hit her mouth, taking a few swallows. "Good stuff." The bard had added honey and spices to rich red wine, and warmed it near the fire. It was extra weight to pack, but well worth it on long cold winter evenings in the great outdoors.
Gabrielle took a couple of sips, then offered it back to her partner. "More?"
"No thanks. That stuff's dangerous." She gestured toward the half-chopped trunk of the first tree. "Goes down too smooth. I'll hold off until I get back inside. I'd hate to get buzzed and lop off my foot."
"Good point." The bard re-corked the flask, slinging the leather carry-strap over her shoulder. She re-settled her cloak and crossed her arms underneath, rocking back on her heels and gazing across the pond to the dark timber beyond it. She shivered. "Nice night." So why do I have a sudden case of the creeps? "Although I can feel my nose hairs freezing."
"Cold?" Xena saw the tremor as it ran through her partner's body. She buried the axe into the log and opened her own cloak, inviting the bard inside. She felt the solid body press against her and wrapped the long wool ends around both of them. "Better?" Her voice purred directly next to Gabrielle's ear.
"Yeah." A little. She couldn't shake the vague sense of uneasiness that settled over her. Light nibbles at the side of her neck distracted her from her heebie-jeebies, and she turned her head, sharing several long slow kisses with the warrior. "You know …" She felt curious hands roaming up and down her sides through her leather top. "… we keep this up and we're gonna make ourselves crazy. Not like we're gonna have any privacy for the next few days."
Xena chuckled and relented, closing her arms around the bard in a gentle hug, rocking her slightly from side to side. "True." She stole another kiss. "I could kiss you for candle marks, Gabrielle, and be perfectly happy to go no further."
"Really?" The bard looked up at her, the faint moonlight rendering the warrior's eyes almost colorless, and casting interesting bluish highlights in her dark hair. She closed her eyes as Xena reclaimed her lips.
"Really." She tucked Gabrielle's head against her chest, resting her chin on the pale head. "Kissing, when it's done right, can be better than sex, in my opinion. And in some ways much more intimate and passionate."
"Well …" the bard tilted her head up and drew Xena's face down with one cupped hand. She moaned as the warrior proved her point, finally coming up for air in a pleasant sensual haze. "Anytime you want to test that theory, just let me know."
Xena pecked her lips one more time and resumed their warm embrace, quite forgetting the firewood and dinner for several long moments. Funny, she mused. Who would ever have thought that standing knee-deep in the snow, in the woods of Eire, in the bitter cold, could be so pleasant?
A quiet rustle at the tree line caught their attention, and both women reluctantly opened their eyes and turned toward the noise. "Oh," Gabrielle whispered in wonder. A doe and two tiny fawns moved out of the trees into the open, stepping daintily to the edge of the pond. The doe pawed at the thin ice at the edge, breaking the surface and bending her long elegant neck to take a drink. The two timid babies did likewise, the sounds of their gentle lapping reaching the warrior's sensitive ears.
"Early spring fawns," Xena whispered in her ear, remaining perfectly still. Another sound, a shifting of snow and a brushing of hide against pine needles, almost undetectable, drew the warrior's attention and she squinted, her eyes coming to rest on a large shadow. She stiffened, then relaxed as a truly magnificent animal stepped out of the trees.
"Xe …" A hand clapped gently over the bard's lips. Xena felt the smaller body stop breathing for a minute, then resume at a slightly faster rate.
A large white buck with massive antlers strode toward the doe and fawns, snuffing the air for any sign of danger, liquid black eyes gleaming in the moonlight. The