Dream Lover

Dream LoverXena was riding Argo down a dirt trail through the woods. It was a month later. She had endured a number of quote, "adventures," unquote.

She had reached the village and tracked down and beaten the Cyclops without much trouble, being far more agile and skilled in combat. She had him down and was thinking of blinding him, but he had started crying in fear. It was then she had realized, that despite his size, he was still a child in age and intelligence. Questioning him, she found that his parents had recently died in a rockslide and he had not much idea of how to live except by stealing.

The Warrior Princess had taken the child Cyclops back to the village with a plan. After some persuasion she had talked the elders into an agreement to feed and house the Cyclops in return for his doing heavy work for the village as a whole. When she had left, everyone was happy including her. She had not really relished the thought of killing or blinding the big child if no equitable arrangements had been reached.

Next she had beaten some bandits that had been making a stretch of road impassible, by the expedient of capturing their leader and jailing him. When the rest of the thugs attempted to free their leader, they fell into the trap the local militia had set up with the Warrior Princess' help and were all captured or killed.

She had also saved a farmer on the road one night, from a thug on horseback who was attacking him. She had tried to disarm the thug, and knocked him off his horse. But after she picked up his skull-encrusted sword he had run onto it by accident as he charged her trying to get it back. Though badly wounded, he kicked her in the stomach, then staggered away with the sword stuck in him while the Warrior Princess was gasping on the ground. Before she could catch him, he had mounted his horse somehow and had galloped off into the darkness.

Now Xena was free of any missions for the moment, her belly was full from a meal with the grateful farmer and her purse was heavy with dinars paid for the bandits' capture. She should have been satisfied but she was miserable. In between the adventures, her mind was always returning to the bard and she often dreamed of Gabrielle at night.

With a sigh, Xena pulled Argo up and dismounted to let the horse cool off. She was lonelier than she had ever been and could not seem to get her mind off of her friend for more than ten minutes at a time.

"Dunno why I'm so unhappy, girl," she said with a wan smile. "Only another four years and eleven months to go and Gabrielle'll be back. I can do that standing on my head ... not." Patting the horse's muzzle, she took the reins and began leading her along the trail.

Walking along immersed in her own sad thoughts, her keen senses nonetheless noticed the movements in the brush nearby; someone was following her but remaining hidden. Without appearing to, she came on guard and ready for anything as she kept walking. Straining her senses, she suddenly became aware of a familiar scent on the breeze; a perfume almost.

By the gods. Could it be? The warrior felt herself tremble. If I didn't know she was in Athens, I'd swear that's Gabrielle. But what...

At that moment, the bushes parted and Gabrielle came running down the slight embankment to come up beside her. Xena struggled to keep her face neutral, though her brain was threatening to jump yammering out of her skull. She kept walking and glanced at her friend as if she had just seen her not five minutes before; she had to keep up that Warrior Princess cool.

"What are you doing here," she drawled in an uninterested tone. "How did you do?" Inside her brain was shouting, "Hi, hi! Oh, I'm so HAPPY to see you. Please say you're back for good, please please please..."

Xena wasn't looking at her friend, but she could hear the smile in the bard's voice. "I won," she said proudly.

"You won." Xena digested that as her depression settled back in. It was just a vacation or something before starting. Gabrielle would be leaving and she would soon be alone again. Her heart fell into her boots.

"Then, why aren't you back in Athens," she asked, barely keeping the sadness out of her voice.

"Well, I'll tell you," the bard said. "I decided it wasn't for me."

"Oh?" Inside of Xena, the hope and excitement began again.

"Yeah," said the bard carelessly. " I decided that instead of just telling stories, I'd rather be out here living them ... with you..." she added softly.

Xena finally dared to look at her friend and smiled. "Well, it's good to have you back," she said, then her face stiffened and she whipped out her sword and spun around. There stepping out of the bushes ahead of them were five armed ruffians who were obviously ready and willing to cause trouble for two women alone on the trail.

As she prepared for battle, beside her with no sign of fear and every evidence of pleasure, Gabrielle chirped, "This is gonna make SUCH a great story!"

The warrior glanced at her friend and met the green eyes that were sparkling with excitement. "By the gods, it really IS good to see you again," she grinned. Then the thugs charged and with a battle cry Xena was among them like a lion on a pack of dogs. They lasted about as long.

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Hands and lips moved across Xena's trembling body with butterfly soft caresses, leaving behind trails of bubbling warmth. Her nipples and groin ached with arousal and were nibbled and tickled and stroked with tenderness and love, causing her to groan with the sheer pleasure and sweetness of it all.

On top of her, Gabrielle whispered between kisses, "Tell me, Xena, who do you love?"

"You, ohhh, you, Gabrielle. I love you."

"Me?" The sweet smiling lips nibbled and sucked and kissed all over her.

"You ... Gabrielle ... you." Xena shivered between each word as the sweet torment went on and on. "Oh, I want you. I need you. I LOVE you. Please, Gabrielle, please..." she pleaded.

"Xena..." Her name was spoken softly, with love.

"Oh, yes, yessss ... Gabrielle..."

"Xena, wake up..." The words were tender.

"Gabri-elle...?"

"Xena, wake up. Please..."

By the gods! NO! Not again... Her eyes flew open to the dimness of the night camp and Gabrielle's face close to hers.

In terror Xena peered at her friend's face. Please gods, she didn't realize ... but this time there was no doubt. She had heard too much. Tears of shame flooded down the warrior's cheeks, and she tried to roll to her feet but then came to the realization that she was being held. In two strong arms; Gabrielle's arms. Gabrielle's naked arms were holding her against Gabrielle's naked body, under her blanket.

"Gabrielle, what..." she started, but her voice was silenced as the bard kissed her softly for a moment, then pulled back and looked into her eyes. Blue met green in the dim firelight and Gabrielle looked unsure and a little scared of what she had done. Xena swallowed with fear.

"Gabrielle," she said thickly, "W-Why...? How did you know ... when did you find out? Was it just tonight?"

The young woman smiled timidly. "No. I-I've known since I followed you to the stable and overheard you talking to Argo the night you left ... it was then that I realized what had happened that night you were moaning in your sleep ... y-you were dreaming ... of me..." Gabrielle blushed crimson. "And again ... t-tonight..."

Xena closed her eyes in shame and a tear leaked out. "Oh, Gabrielle, I-I'm sorry. I never wanted you to know how I felt ... it-it's not fair to you a-and now you've given up your chance at the Academy ... I'm so s-sorry ..."

"Xena, look at me..." The warrior opened tear filled eyes and blinked rapidly.

"I went to Athens because you said I should; it wasn't for me." The still blushing bard trembled, but spoke calmly. "You are my dearest friend in all the world ... my family. I love you; I have for a long time but I was so stupid that I didn't know how to tell you..."

"Oh, my dear one, you weren't stupid," Xena breathed, "just inexperienced..."

The small woman laid her head on the warrior's muscled chest and kissed her neck softly. "And you have many skills, dear Xena. Please ... teach me..." she whispered, her breath warm against Xena's throat.

"Gabrielle, oh, Gabrielle..." Xena felt as if the world was spinning, but she was happier and at the same time more scared than she had ever been in her life. Gently she tilted the bards face up to hers and looked into her eyes. What she saw there stopped her breath and made her heart hammer.

"Let me loose," she whispered. Gabrielle looked hurt, but did as she was asked. However, Xena only pulled back for a moment and plucked aside her nightclothes, then came forward once more. The bard sighed as they embraced again and this time their total nakedness caused them both to shudder.

"I-I'm in love with you, Gabrielle," Xena whimpered through the pounding blood in her brain, and felt her heart seem to melt in molten flame.

Tears shone in the green eyes. "And I'm in love with you, Xena. You are the warrior of my heart."

Moving forward, their lips met tentatively at first, then more passionately, mouths opening and tongues touching briefly as the warm smoothness of their bodies seemed to melt together. Then Xena felt Gabrielle's lips smiling against hers and the warrior knew at last that she had found her dream of happiness ... and that it was no dream after all, just Gabrielle.

The Beginning....

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