Disclaimers: You know the drill by now. I do not own these characters. I love them but I do not own them. I stand to gain nothing tangible from this and only borrow the characters. I will return them in good repair, I promise.Warnings, of one sort or another: Yes, there will be love here. Yes, it will be between two women. If this bothers you, keep on surfin’. Violence? You betcha. This is Xena here folks, not Howdy Doody. Also there will be language and threats of possible rape. I promise nothing graphic there. I WILL tell you up front, so to speak, that things will turn out all right. Hey, I said, I LOVE these women! If all this is okay with you and you are of legal age and do not live where love between two women is illegal, go for it.
Timing and Logic: Well, forget logic. This is the Xenaverse. The timing is after Amphipolis Under Siege and follows my story In Her Dreams. It is a whole other way things might have gone. It assumes that our heroes have yet to find the courage to tell each other how they REALLY feel. Some may find this the most unbelievable aspect of my story. I guess you don’t live in the same world I do. Suspend your disbelief anyway. It might be fun.
Feeding the Bard: Should you care to let me know what you thought/felt please feel free to do so.
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By SER Logan5, AKA MommieBard
Nestled snugly into the light blanket, Gabrielle began to wake. She smiled at the touch of the tiny, soft hand on her midsection. A dusty rose color rose with the sun. She turned toward the touch she knew all too well. Eve had tugged her little self along one of the bodies she loved and was now depositing a drooling “kiss” upon Gabrielle’s navel. Lifting the tiny package, the bard smiled.
“I don’t suppose you could teach your mother to do that? No? I didn’t think so.”
The Bard’s nose wrinkled as she chuckled softly.
“Let’s get you cleaned up and let the big, bad warrior sleep. What do you think?”
Placing a kiss on Eve’s forehead Gabrielle cuddled the infant she loved so dearly.
“You know? You’re a great listener Evie. Not to mention the only living soul I can actually tell that I’m in love with your Mother. You won’t tell her now? Promise?”
“Tell her what?” Xena asked, stretching her limbs and groaning.
Gabrielle spun around so fast Eve clutched a handful of hair. “Yow! Sorry Evie, didn’t mean to scare ya. You okay sweetie?”
“Sure. She’s all right. Those are your blonde locks she’s clutching in those tight little fists, not hers.”
Xena could barely contain her laughter at the sight of her child grasping whole handfuls of the bard’s hair.
“Here, sweetheart. Come to Momma.”
“Hey! That hand is attached in case you hadn’t noticed.”
Gabrielle kissed the tiny hand as she gently removed it from her head.
“You can have the hair Evie. What’s a bald head between friends? Right?”
She leaned in so she could whisper in the baby’s ear: “Just remember to keep our secret.”
A wet hand grabbed the bard’s nose as more baby drool was generously awarded a nearby cheek.
“I’ll take that as a yes”, Gabrielle giggled.
Xena rearranged the sleeping shift to accommodate her daughter and set about the routine of feeding Eve. Once the child was settled in and sucking away, Xena looked up. The soft morning light embraced Gabrielle’s face, something Xena feared she would never be able to do. Warm green eyes watched Eve with such love and tenderness that Xena had to look away, lest the tears she felt forming betray her deepest secret. Pretending to stretch her right arm she brushed the forming tears away and turned back to her dearest friend.
“Well, Gabrielle, what would you like to do today?”
Gabrielle didn’t hear a word. She was completely lost in watching Eve at her mother’s breast. The infant was making the most adorable noises and had reached up a tiny hand to caress the breast she was not using at the moment. She had snuggled into her mother and Gabrielle couldn’t remember ever seeing anything so beautiful in her entire life.
“Gabrielle?”
“Mmmm?” Looking up, embarrassed at being caught watching such a personal moment. “Sorry, Xena. I didn’t hear you. What did you say?”
“She is cute, isn’t she?” Xena couldn’t help smiling.
“She is. She’s beyond cute, Xena, but…well…”
Nervous now, Xena raised her eyebrow. “Well what? What is it?”
“You’re just so beautiful.” The swallow was easily heard. Damn, now I’ve done it. “ I mean. Oh Hades, Xena. Why should this embarrass me? Surely by now you know I think you are beautiful?”
Now it was the warrior’s turn to blush. “Well, I …I mean.. Yeah, I guess I do but…”
Time to regroup, thought the blushing bard. Sitting on the ground next to the two people who meant the world to her, Gabrielle took a deep breath.
“Xena?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so happy. Contented. So much at peace as you are when you’re feeding Evie. Is that how you feel?”
Xena rubbed her right hand across her warm cheek, taking a moment to think before answering. “I never thought about it but yeah, I guess that’is how I feel. Content? Peaceful? Happy? Yep, that’s how I feel when I’m feeding Evie.”
Reaching over to touch Gabrielle’s leg, she looked into her friend’s emerald eyes.
“But that’s not the only time I’m happy, Gabrielle. These feelings were never even part of my world. Then you came into my life. YOU make me happy, Gabrielle. Very happy. Don’t you know that by now?”
Gently, Xena moved Eve so that she could finish her breakfast at the other breast. For just a moment she thought she saw something in Gabrielle’s eyes. No, she scolded herself. Just wishful thinking. Back to reality Warrior Princess before she hears you thinking and slaps your face.
“Xena, I..”
Suddenly, there stood Artemis. No balls of light or fanfare. She stood quietly. Tall and proud and patient, waiting to be noticed. It didn’t take long.
“By the gods! Sorry Artemis. What’s wrong? Has something happened with the amazons?”
“Breathe, Gabrielle.” Artemis smiled. Once again she was reminded just why this incredible woman was her Chosen.
“Well, geez. It’s not like YOU show up that often and…okay, I’m breathing. Now what has happened to my Amazon sisters? That is it, isn’t it? Please don’t tell me I’ve lost anyone else?”
Xena had finished feeding the now sleeping Eve and laid her snugly into Gabrielle’s bedroll. She gently placed a hand on the bard’s right shoulder, getting her attention. Looking into worried green eyes, she smiled to reassure her friend everything was going to be all right.
“Gabrielle. Whatever it is, we will deal with it. Okay?”
Artemis watched with great interest the immediate relaxing of the bard’s shoulder muscles and noted that her jaw had unclenched.
“Okay, Xena. You’re right. Whatever it is, we will get through it. Artemis…”
The air to the left of Artemis lit up with thousands of pink, silver and golden sparkles. Artemis rolled her eyes. The shimmering faded and there stood Aphrodite.
“Sorry I’m late.”
“As well you should be. I just got Gabrielle breathing normal again and here you come with the damn light show. What is it with some of you? Why all the …nevermind. We don’t have long and we’re wasting time.”
Gabrielle looked at Xena who raised her eyebrow and shrugged her mighty shoulders. Together, they turned to face the uninvited goddesses.
“Look, sweet cheeks, sorry I was late but I got interrupted.”
At this, Artemis grew a worry line. “Aphrodite. It wasn’t?”
“Yes it was and he’s suspicious of us. We don’t have long so we better just warn them and get out of here.”
“Warn us?! Artemis, what’s going on!?”
Xena’s hand had now reached around the bard’s shoulders protectively and she wasn’t about to let go.
“Xena, Ares said you have part of the rib of Cronos. Is it true? By all that is holy please tell me it is.”
Tartarus! Artemis WANTED her to have the rib? Now even she was having trouble breathing. She nodded.
“Good. Don’t let it out of your sight.”
Turning to face the bard, she spoke more gently. “Gabrielle, we have all known for a long time about Ares and his raping…”
“Whoa. Lighten up, Artie. Rape is an ugly word.”
Aphrodite couldn’t really argue it’s honesty but she cringed at it’s use in the same sentence as her brother’s name.
“It sure is.” Artemis snapped. “But it applies and you know it. Now hush up so we can get this done.” Artemis gently touched Gabrielle’s hand and looked into the warrior’s blue eyes.
“Like I said, we have all known about the way our brother enters the dreams of mortal women and …I don’t care, Dite, he rapes them. We didn’t know he planned on …thank you, Xena. If I’d known what he was up to, I would have saved you that confrontation and killed the little bastard myself. What with Zeus gone and all, Ares is a little out of control.”
“Excuse me? A LITTLE out of control?” The love goddess was uncharacteristically serious.
“Okay. He is way out of control.” She glanced quickly between her Chosen and the Warrior. “He has some sort of plan cooked up to destroy the two of you - once and for all.”
“Look. Ares knows where he can find me. If he wants me, tell him bring it on. Just leave Gabrielle out of this.” Xena pulled soulmate friend closer.
Artemis smiled. “No Xena. He wants to destroy BOTH of you and his plan, from what we can tell, gets real ugly. He is no longer content to just kill one or even both of you. He has something that he believes will destroy you first. Each of you. He won’t say what but it makes my skin crawl and that is a very BAD sign. He was really mad when you stopped his fun with Gabrielle. I am forever in your debt on that one, Xena. I didn’t see it coming at all. I’m sorry, Chosen. I would NEVER have let Ares rape you. I hope you know that.”
Xena had never seen Artemis so distraught or concerned about the feelings of a mortal. Even an Amazon.
“Okay. So if I got this right, Ares is planning to do something awful to each of us while the other one is forced to…. Gods, he never learns. There is no way in Tartarus I will let him hurt Gabrielle. And I think we all know what he plans to do to her. So help me, I will cut….”
Artemis chuckled. “If he does, Xena, I will personally hold him down for you.”
Up went the eyebrow. Gabrielle snickered and shivered simultaneously.
“My turn?”
“Your turn love goddess. No fancy poetry this time. Cut to the chase before we get caught.”
“Ok. Here the skinny. Artie and I figure there’s only one way the two of you can defeat Ares without killing him. Not that we object to your killing him, at this point mind, you. Trouble is, by the time Warrior Babe here gets close enough to kill him he could…”. Squeezing her eyes closed and clenching her entire immortal face, she shuddered. “Let’s not even go there. Okay, ladies. There IS a power on earth that is stronger than Ares. Stronger than any of us gods really. Even stronger than all of us together. You both know this. What you don’t know is how to harness or use this power.”
“Let me guess,” Xena smirked. “Aphrodite is here so we must be talking about love. Well, Gabrielle, you always said love was the answer.” The smile she gave the bard was tender and yet deadly serious.
Aphrodite spoke again.“It is. But it isn’t quite that simple. In order to defeat Ares’ evil plan. …and we should tell you he’s got some help from some of the others who figure they’ve got nothing left to lose with this twilight thing and all. To defeat Ares this time you will need ALL of your love - and you will need to focus it.”
Xena and Gabrielle looked at one another, puzzled to their boots.
Artemis grew impatient. “Look. Dite and I had hoped to give you two as long as you needed to resolve this on your own but there just isn’t any time left. I’m sorry to take the romance out of things.”
“Huh?” one word, two voices.
“Tell them, love goddess or I will!”
“OKAY!! I hate this. You know, I hate this, Artie. OK, tall, dark and gorgeous. You too, sweet cheeks. Listen up and don’t get mad. By rights,” she glowered at her immortal sister, “ you should be able to take as long as you need to get around to telling one another how you really feel.”
Two mouths opened and groped at the air, trying to fill two sets of lungs.
“Yeah, well, sometimes life sucks and I will get Ares for this if it’s the last thing I do. Anywho, you can only defeat Ares through the power of your love and if you keep pretending not to love each other he will win for sure.”
“Pretending we don’t love each other? What are you talking about? Gabrielle knows I love her. Don’t you?” The Warrior felt her heart climbing into her molars.
“Of course. You know I love you, don’t you?” The Bard glanced around wondering where in Hades all the air had gone.
Aphrodite looked at Artemis and sighed. Artemis nodded and urged her sister to continue. But it was Artemis who blurted it out.
“Gotta get past the fears now ladies or Ares will rape each of you while the other is forced to watch and…”
Xena pulled Gabrielle so tightly the bard winced while clenching her jaw so tightly her temples bulged.
“Daddy’s balls, Artemis! Did you have to say that?”
“Get on with it, Aphrodite! We’re running out of time and I’m running out of patience.”
“All right!! We all know you love each other. That isn’t going to cut it this time. Not because love isn’t enough but because fear and doubt cancel out much of love’s power. Xena?”
Swallowing hard, as if she knew what was about to be said: “Yeah?”
“You’re afraid to tell Gabrielle you’re in love with her because you doubt she shares your feelings and you fear she’ll reject and leave you. Does that about cover it?”
Pulling out of the warrior’s grasp so she could turn and face her, Gabrielle trembled.
“Is that true, Xena?”
If icy blue eyes could kill a god, poor Aphrodite would be dead where she glimmered. The stare was not totally lost on Artemis either, who shocked even Gabrielle by taking Aphrodite’s hand.
Tapping her booted foot, Gabrielle was doing some glaring of her own.
“Well, Xena? I asked you a question, Warrior Princess. Is this TRUE?”
A tiny half nodding movement of her head and another swallow later, the ex-warlord knew she had better answer the bard.
“Now, Gabrielle, don’t be mad. Please? I give you my solemn word I would never have acted on those feelings. I…"
“WHAAAT!?!”
The two goddesses exchanged looks. No one noticed. Water began to cascade down the warrior’s flushed cheeks. She made no effort to brush them away.
“Gabrielle, I know you’re mad and I don’t blame you. If you want me to leave, I will…”
“LEAVE? Why in Tartarus would I leave?”
“Well, I…I mean. That is, I know you don’t…”
Catching the retreating figure by an arm, Gabrielle sniffed back her own tears which were now making their way down a face struggling for control.
“Xena, be still. Please? You think I don’t love you? No. Wait. That’s not what I need to say. Xena? You believe I am NOT in love with you? Is that it? And because I am NOT in love with you - or so you believe - you think I am going to not only reject your feelings but leave you. Is that what you think?”
Xena tried to pull away. Both eyebrows shot up in surprise when the bard planted both feet and held her ground….AND her warrior.
“Gabrielle. Let go. Please?”
“Not a chance, sweetie!”
Gulp. “Sweetie?” A puzzled but, nonetheless, pleased smirk.
“Yeah, well we can get to that later. I will NOT let go. Not ever. Xena, how could someone so smart be so dumb?”
“Huh?”
“I AM in love with you, Xena. I think I always have been. Okay. Maybe not always but for a VERY long time. Hades balls, Xena. For the past two years I have lived in mortal fear I would talk in my sleep during one of my dreams…uh, I mean…oh forget it. Let’s just say I was afraid my secret would escape under cover of night.”
The tall and trembling warrior bent down to look directly into the bard’s captivating eyes.
“You’re in love with me? Hey, wait a minute. What kind of dreams…”
Artemis smiled, releasing Aphrodite’s hand.
“Sorry ladies, but there’s no time for sharing erotic dreams right now.”
Now it was Gabrielle’s turn to raise her eyebrows. “How did you know they were erotic…damn..”
Aphrodite and Artemis laughed out loud.
“Gabrielle, we all knew. Heavens child, all the gods and practically the entire known world knew. Only you and Xena stubbornly refused to see the ripples in the water. Unfortunately right now we have more pressing things to discuss.”
Xena stepped behind Gabrielle and put her strong arms around the bard’s small waist.
“Like how to stop whatever evil plan the god of war has cooked up this time.”
“And exactly how does Xena knowing I’m in love with her help with that? Not that I’m complaining mind you.”
“No Gabrielle. Not Xena knowing and not YOU knowing. Now you both know that you love each other completely and without reservations. Think a minute, Gabrielle. Now that you know all this and are certain things are okay between you…”
“More than okay,” Xena interjected.
Aphrodite began to shimmer pink and gold again.
Artemis continued: “Think, Gabrielle. Do you still feel the fear? Are there any feelings of doubt lingering?”
“No. No, I don’t feel that anymore. This is all so fast, Artemis. I won’t lie to you. I do still feel some doubt.”
Leaning forward until her lips were alongside a tempting earlobe, Xena whispered: “I think I can dispell that doubt if these two would get out of here and let us have a moment alone.”
A tingle went up and down Gabrielle’s spine as she leaned into the whispering warrior.
“Almost done, Warrior Princess. Then you can use any manner you choose to chase away my Chosen One’s doubts.” The smile was hard to miss. “Go ahead, Aphrodite, tell them.”
“We, Artie and I, have already bent a lot of rules by forcing you to reveal your true feelings before you were ready. We can get away with this only because Zeus told all of us a long time ago that you two were soulmates and off limits to the gods.”
“What!? Zeus knew about us? Wait a minute. Off limits to the gods? Then what is Ares doing trying to get Xena to have his child?”
“Or raping Gabrielle? And how does he think he is going to get away with this new plan of his if we are ‘off limits to the gods’?”
Shimmering more brightly now, Aphrodite looked at Artemis. “We gotta beat it outta here. Like now.”
“Okay. He gets away with it because Zeus is dead and Hera is gone and the others are too preoccupied with themselves to care what he does.”
“So exactly HOW does our love for each other give us the power to defeat him? And no more cryptic answers. It looks like you two are gonna bolt anytime now and we need to know what to do.”
Their perfectly timed nods told the goddesses Xena spoke for both of them.
Aphrodite sighed. “Sorry sweetcakes. Can’t tell you that. All I can say is that you were right, Gabrielle. Love IS the most powerful force in the universe. Why do you think little bro has tried so hard to keep you two apart?”
Four shoulders. One shrug.
“Look. The kind of love true soulmates have for each other is so powerful it spans all lifetimes, all beliefs, all gods and all eternities. You are true soulmates. Zeus knew that. Ares knows that. Remember, each of you has already broken the very bonds of death for the other more than once. THAT is the power of the love you have for one another. Ares doesn’t stand a chance in the face of that.”
“Artemis, do something!! We still don’t know how to protect ourselves from Ares.” Gabrielle could see them fading in and out and was becoming frantic.
“You will, Gabrielle,you will. Xena, I’m counting on you. No more doubts, Warrior. She loves you. She has always loved you. In every way. DON’T let Ares…”
As Aphrodite and Artemis faded from view, Xena shouted after them: “Don’t worry. I’ll never let her go, Artemis. Never.”
To Be Continued….
