DISCLAIMER: The characters of Zilandra and Aphrodite (the 2^nd!) are the property of Heartstarter. The characters of Xena, Gabrielle, Ephiny, Melosa, Eponin, Magdelus, Iolaus and Hercules remain the property of MCA/Renaissance Pictures and Studios USA. No copyright infringement is intended and this is a non-profit story.

PLEASE NOTE: This story is the 5^th in a series of 5… the stories before are called Hard To Say Goodbye; The Weekend Visitor; That Scroll and Wasted Moments.

WARNING: This story is written a little differently to the others, sometimes it sees the story from an outsider’s point of view and sometimes it’s through the eyes of our beloved bard. There is foul language, rather shocking moments, and multiple love sessions (explicit sex scenes) between women (everyone’s getting a bit!). Kinky? Sometimes… but always fun! If you don’t want to read about this sort of stuff, or for some reason it’s illegal where you live, then you should boycott this story. For everyone else: enjoy! All comments and suggestions are welcome and I promise I’ll write back! Write to Heartstarter at: ripley@corplink.com.au

By: Heartstarter

"Who were you talking to back there, huh girl? You know there’s just you and me out here, don’t you? No Gabrielle." Argo whinnies again. Xena puts the saddle on and attaches her pack.

"I know you miss her girl, I do too. But we’ve gotta let her do what she needs to do, we’ll see her again soon." Xena takes one last look around, before getting up on Argo and riding out of the clearing. I stay in my hiding position for about ten or twenty minutes after she leaves, just to make sure she isn’t coming back for anything. Finally I figure the coast is clear. I step out of my spot and stretch, oh Gods, my bum is so numb and my back is killing me… I tell you, I’ll be glad to get to the Amazon village, even if Xena is mad with me, at least I can have a hot bath, a good rub down and a real bed to sleep in!

"Oh Melosa… oh yes… I’m coming… hold me my Queen… oh… Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"Gods I love it when you call out my name."

"I love it when you fuck me."

"You’re enjoying yourself then?"

"Yes… can’t you tell?!"

"I just wanted to hear you say it!" Melosa strokes Ephiny’s hair, they look at each other and smile.

"Ready for another round?" Melosa asks.

"Not just yet, I want to catch my breath. But thanks." Ephiny pulls her knees up so she’s in a squatting position as Melosa extracts the dildo from deep inside her. She places it beside them on the bed and rubs her hands up and down Ephiny’s legs.

"Maybe we shouldn’t do this." Ephiny says.

"Why? I know you enjoy it."
"It’s not that…"

"Is it because you were Terreis’ lover before she died? You know you’re not committing any act of incest here. She and I were sisters, not you and her."

"It’s not that, it’s just that most of the people I’ve slept with are now dead. And I don’t want you to die."

"I’m not going to die, and anyway, it’s not your fault most of the women are dead, we were at war with Krykus, wars kill people."

"That may be so, but almost everyone who is still alive I haven’t slept with. Don’t you think that’s a sign."

"No, I think that’s good luck… just think, if you hadn’t slept with them and they’d died you’d always wonder if you’d missed out on anything, wouldn’t you?"
"I suppose so."

"I know so. How many of those who died do you think I’ve slept with?"

"I don’t know. How many?"

"All of them."

"Bullshit!"

"It’s true. It’s a Queen’s duty to sleep with all her tribe, once they are of age. It gains respect. Of course not all of them knew they were sleeping with the Queen, that’s also a duty of the Queen."

"How could they not know?"

"I got them too drunk to know who or what they were doing."

"So why do I get the privilege of knowing I fucked the Queen? Is it because you think I fuck the best out of everyone you’ve done? Or is it because I was with Terreis?"

"It’s not because of either of those things… You see… there… there comes a time in every Queens’ life, when she is getting towards the end of her reign as Queen, like I am now…"

"How do you know you’re near your end?"

"Well, Xena defeated me in a challenge, yes it’s true she let me live and regain my title while she’s away, but the next one who raises a challenge may not have that mercy. I may be killed and-"

"But Xena’s a freak! She’s an amazingly strong woman, normal people aren’t like her, at least not anyone who’s going to demand the royal challenge."

"You never know… Anyway the point is that there comes a time when a Queen must choose a mate. Someone from her tribe. She makes that decision in the moments after she finishes having sex with them. She then tells that Amazon some duties of the Queen and then the Amazon will know she’s been chosen."

"You mean you’re… you’re choosing me?" Ephiny asks, amazed.

"Yes. I’ve always wanted it to be you, I just didn’t know if I could have you. You and Terries seemed so happy that I didn’t know if I’d get the chance to be with the one I wanted or if I’d have to choose someone else."

"You could’ve had me, I’d never deny my Queen anything."

"That’s not the point. You have to want to be with me. Don’t say yes because I’m your Queen. Say yes because you want to."

"Yes. Yes I’ll be your chosen one. I want to be with you." Ephiny and Melosa kiss passionately. Ephiny disentangles herself and says,

"Well, if I’m going to be your chosen one, there’s something I want to know. I’ve been thinking about this for a while now."

"What is it?"

"Well, when Xena and Gabrielle were here, and Xena demanded the Royal Challenge… you said that if she lost they’d die, me too. Would you really have killed me?"
"No."

"Are you sure… I mean Amazon tradition says…"

"I could never kill you Ephiny. I would’ve found a way around it."

"You’re not just saying that?"

"No. I told you, I’ve felt strongly about you for a long time. Why would I kill someone I love?"

"You love me?"

"Yes."

"Oh… Well I love you too… and I’m not just saying that because you’re my Queen or because you said it first but because…" Melosa puts a finger up to Ephiny’s lips.

"Ephiny." She says quietly.

"Yes?"
"No more talking." Melosa leans in and kisses Ephiny. They start running their hands over each other’ naked bodies, Ephiny pushes Melosa down onto her back and lays on top of her, careful not to break the kiss…

"Is she spying?" Xena wonders to herself. Zilandra turns and sees Xena, she smiles and waves, then cautiously looks around. Xena does the same and when she turns back, Zilandra is walking towards her.

"Xena! It’s good to see you again!" Zilandra says, she goes to hug Xena, but Xena puts out her hand and they shake instead.

"What are you doing?" Xena asks.

"I’m playing this game with some of the Amazons, it’s a tactics game or something. One person has to close their eyes and count to twenty and everyone else has to hide. Then the person who had their eyes closed has to find them. Pretty neat, huh?"

"Yeah." Xena says, unimpressed.

"Is Gabrielle here too? I’d sure love to meet her. Do you think she’d see me?"

"Slow down! No she’s not here, you’d get along great and if she was yes you could meet her."

"Wow, that’d be great… Listen I’ve gotta go, I have to hide, but I’ll see you later, right? How long are you staying?"

"Don’t know yet, but I won’t leave without saying goodbye."

"Okay. Bye." Zilandra runs off back the way she came. Xena continues towards Melosa’s hut…

"I think I’m ready for another round my Queen, what about you?"

"I’m sure I could be convinced… what did you have in mind?"

"Well I thought I’d…" Just then there is a knock at the door. Melosa and Ephiny look at each other in alarm. Without waiting for a response, Xena walks in. Ephiny grabs the blankets and pulls them up over her breasts with one hand and flings the dildo over the side of the bed with her other, averting her eyes from Xena’s. Melosa stands up and turns around, covering her bottom with a pillow.
"I… um… sorry… I… I’ll wait outside till you get dressed." Xena stammers, moving back through the doorway. She closes the door and shakes her head. Over in the sparring square Zilandra and another Amazon are practising with staffs.

"I thought she was playing that game…" Xena mutters. She shrugs her shoulders and says,

"She must’ve got caught already." Xena watches her a couple of minutes longer, surprised with the ferocity and depth of Zilandra’s fighting. The other Amazon goes down, Zilandra throws down her weapon and walks away in disgust. Xena raises her eyebrow as Melosa and Ephiny arrive beside her.

"She’s certainly a wild one you’ve sent us." Ephiny says.

"What did you do to her? She wasn’t like this when she was with me." Xena replies.

"No, she wasn’t like this the first two days she was here, but when Iolaus left she suddenely took on this ‘I hate the world, it owes me something’ attitude. And she can fight, very well at that. I think she’d put even you to the challenge Xena." Ephiny says.

"I wouldn’t go that far." Melosa interjects.

"How are you Xena?" They shake.

"I’m fine.. and you?"

"Keeping out of war… where’s Gabrielle?"

"She’s studying at the Academy in Greece. At least I hope she is. She wants to leave, I told her she had to stay. But I don’t know, last night I got the strangest feeling she was close by. Of course she couldn’t be, I mean she would’ve had to walk all the way here, that’s non stop for seven days to catch up to Argo and I, and even then she’d be pushing it to catch up."

"I’m sure it’s just your imagination Xena. But if she is here, our girls will find her. I’ll send out a party now, just in case."

"No, it’s alright. I’m sure she’s not, just wishful thinking on my part."

"Why?"

"We parted on bad terms. A silly fight. Everything will be fine."
"You want to talk about it? I think the steam room is free."
"No thanks. But I do want to talk to you some more about Zilandra."

"What specifically?"

"Well how is she settling in?"

"Alright I suppose. She fights well, Iolaus led us to believe she couldn’t fight at all."

"I didn’t know either… but I saw her in the square and she’s got some good moves."

"Yes. But she’s a loose cannon, she’s unpredictable. That can be a bad thing in a tribe. We work as a team, a concept I’m not sure she completely understands."

"Hmm. Tell me more…"

"I reckon she’d be great in bed!" Eponin says.

"Yeah, she seems dangerous, yet somehow innocent." Magdelus agrees.

"I’m gonna ask her into the steam room, then put the moves on her."

"No way! I said I liked her first!"

"Yeah, well we both know you’ll never do anything."

"How would you know?"
"Oh come on, I mean I know you’ve got the hots for me and I’ve given you plenty of opportunities and you’ve never touched me…" Zilandra walks in.

"Girls, girls, girls. There’s plenty of me to go around. Why don’t we all go into the steam room and have some fun?!" Zilandra says. Eponin and Magdelus look at each other. Eponin says,

"We’re not supposed to do that. It’s against the Amazon rules to do things with more than one person at a time… unless you’ve got permission from the Queen."

"I do." Zilandra says.

"We’ll get our wraps." Eponin says, jumping up.

"Strip down quickly. I’ll meet you in the steam room." Zilandra says. She leaves the hut with a self-satisfying grin on her face…

"So… is it just me, or is it hot in here? I think I might take my wrap off. That alright with you two girls?"

"Uh-huh." Eponin replies eagerly. She elbows Magdelus who just giggles and nods her head. Zilandra unwinds the wrap slowly and throws it onto a peg on the back of the steam room door. Her breasts jiggle slightly as she does this, Eponin and Magdelus can’t help staring at her. She feels their gazes so she starts to run her hands over her body. She starts by running her hands through her hair, she pulls it up into a loose bun and ties it. Then she runs her hands over her breasts, down her stomach and over her thighs. She walks towards Eponin and Magdelus, still touching herself. She starts to play with her right breast, grabbing it and playing with the nipple. It becomes hard and her breathing becomes a little faster. She is close enough to Eponin and Magdelus now that they could touch her, they just sit on the seat watching her. She continues to play with her nipple, then starts making the other one hard.

"You two wanna play too?" She asks. They both nod. Zilandra takes one each of their hands and places them on her breasts, they do as she did before, playing with the nipple, making it hard. Zilandra moves closer and puts a hand on each of their heads, running her hands through their hair.

"Harder." She commands. Eponin and Magdelus obey, pinching her nipples between their fingers.

"Eponin, come and bite my nipple." Eponin takes her hand away. She puts her mouth over the hard nipple and bites, softly at first, but then harder as Zilandra pulls her head closer.

"Lose the wraps, girls." Zilandra says. Eponin and Magdelus stop their ministrations and take off their wraps. They let them drop to the floor and take their places again. Zilandra lets them go for a couple of minutes before she says,

"Okay, now to the good stuff… Eponin, you lay on your back on that seat. Magdelus, I want to see you eat her pussy."

"Oh!" Magdelus looks shocked, but they both do what Zilandra says. Eponin lays on the seats and looks at Zilandra, as Magdelus goes down on her. Magdelus opens Eponin’s lips and licks up and down in long, full strokes. Then she licks Eponin’s clit, Eponin writhes around under her, enjoying the sensations. Zilandra looks on and starts to touch herself again, first she grabs her nipples, hard this time, pulling them away from the breast. She continues this with her left hand as her right moves down her body towards her clit. She starts rubbing her clitoris and lips in the same long motions Magdelus was licking Eponin.

"Put your tongue inside her." Zilandra says to Magdelus. Magdelus obeys, opening Eponin up and then diving in with her outstretched tongue. Eponin lets out a moan and grabs Magdelus’ head, pulling her in even further.

"Oh, so you want something to grab do you?" Zilandra asks Eponin.

"Yes. Please." Eponin manages to pant.

"Well then get a hold of me." Zilandra says. She moves so she is over Eponin’s face, she lowers herself onto Eponin’s straining tongue and puts Eponin’s hands on her bottom. Eponin grabs on tight and brings Zilandra even further into her mouth. She sucks all the juice off and moves her tongue about feverishly, wanting to taste more. Magdelus keeps up her work on Eponin’s clit and surrounding area, every few seconds poking her tongue in and out of Eponin’s hole. Finally Eponin can stand it no more, she takes one hand from Zilandra’s bottom and grabs Magdelus’ head, pulling it in hard to her clit. Magdelus keeps flicking her tongue around as Eponin reaches the height of her orgasm. She breaks contact with Zilandra’s wet area, who doesn’t seem to mind. Zilandra takes one of Magdelus’ hands and makes it rub her clitoris. Eponin’s orgasm subsides and so she and Magdelus change positions, this time Eponin is going down on Magdelus and Magdelus is helping Zilandra rub her clit. Magdelus is already soaking wet when Eponin licks her, so she opens her up and sticks her tongue deep in her. Magdelus moans and says,

"Zilandra, I want to put my fingers inside you."

"Fill me up, baby." Magdelus stops rubbing Zilandra’s clit and sticks two fingers inside her. Zilandra continues to rub her own clitoris and moves up and down on Magdelus’ fingers. All too soon both Magdelus and Zilandra are coming. Eponin is feeling horny again so she says,

"I want to come again, somebody fuck me."

"Only if you make me come again." Replies Magdelus. So, Eponin drives her fingers deep into Magdelus, as Zilandra stops rubbing her clit and puts two fingers inside Eponin. Within moments, all three are moaning and writhing and generally making a lot of noise and commotion inside the steam room. When their shudders have passed they all lay on the seats, sweaty and exhausted.

"I don’t feel so good." Magdelus says.

"This heat probably isn’t helping." Eponin says.

"Why don’t we go back to my hut and cool down." Zilandra suggests. They all pick up their wraps and leave the steam room…

"So then she says that she wants to leave the Academy." Xena says.

"What did you say to her?" Melosa asks.

"Well, I of course said no. I mean, she hasn’t even been there a month, she’s not ready to leave yet."

"How did she take that?" Ephiny asks.

"Well, that’s when the fight started…" Xena replies. She then starts telling Melosa and Ephiny all about the fight back at the Academy…

"How are you feeling now Magdelus?" Eponin asks. The three of them are back in Zilandra’s hut.

"Better, I think I’ll lay down for a minute if that’s all right."

"Sure, just move those things off the bed." Zilandra says. Magdelus makes herself comfortable as Zilandra and Eponin sit on a couple of chairs.

"So, tell me about Princess Gabrielle… have you met her? Will she be Queen one day? How often does she visit?"

"Well, we’ve only met her once, but she seems okay, a little young and innocent maybe…" Eponin says.

"And she doesn’t know Amazon ways and traditions." Magdelus puts in.

"Yeah, but she’s alright. Very level headed. She’ll become Queen when Melosa dies and she hasn’t been back here since she became the Princess."

"Why not? Shouldn’t an Amazon Princess be with her tribe."

"Oh, well she’s not a real amazon, you see she tried to save an Amazon’s life - her name was Terreis and it was Terreis’ dying wish that Gabrielle have her rite of caste. She didn’t even know what it was, but she said she would."

"Oh. I see."

"What sort of chicks do you think she’s into?" Eponin asks.

"Do you think she even likes girls?" Magdelus chips in.
"She’d better ‘cause she’s an Amazon now!" Eponin squeals, breaking into laughter.

"But she hasn’t been brought up like the rest of us, maybe she’s not into that."

"Oh she’s into it all right. She likes the strong warrior type." Zilandra replies.

"How do you know that?"

"Because, she does it with Xena!" Zilandra says.

"No way!"

"Yes way. And Xena is totally gone on her."

"How do you know that?"
"Well ‘cause I was travelling with Xena and every night before she went to bed she’d write in this scroll and tell Gabrielle what we’d done and where we’d been that day."

"They could be just friends."

"Nah, I stole a look at it one night after Xena was asleep and I saw what she wrote… they’re definitely doing it! Pity."

"Why?" Eponin asks.

"Because I’m gonna make Gabrielle mine… so I guess I’ll have to get Xena out of the way to have her… although I wouldn’t mind a piece of that warrior wrapped around me, I mean have you seen her thighs? You could get your head crushed between those!"

"Yeah, wonder how she manages not to squish Gabrielle!" Eponin says, all three of them break up into laughter. The other two are still laughing hard when Zilandra says,

"I can see why Xena would be knocked out by Gabrielle, you know what I mean? I haven’t seen her in person, but Xena keeps a sketch of her tucked away in her bag…" The other two stop laughing and look at her.

"You were snooping around in the Warrior Princess’ personal belongings?" Eponin asks, looking horrified, yet excited at the same time.

"She would’ve killed you if she caught you." Magdelus puts in.

"I didn’t go looking for it, it fell out when I grabbed the scroll …" Zilandra whistles and continues, saying,

"What a hot piece of pussy!" Eponin and Magdelus look from each other to Zilandra in horror.

"Don’t say that about Gabrielle, she’s our Amazon Princess. Every Amazon must respect the royal line." Eponin says.

"I’ll respect her alright, when she’s lapping at my pussy and begging for more!" Zilandra starts to laugh again, expecting the other two to join her, but they stay silent. She stops laughing and says,

"Hey… Gabrielle will be the queen one day and you know what I heard about Amazon Queens? Correct me if I’m wrong, but… I heard that it’s a Queen’s duty to sleep with all her Amazons whether they know it’s her or not." Eponin stands up and slaps Zilandra, then she pulls the wrap tighter around herself and says,

"Let’s get out of here Magdelus. We don’t have to stay and listen to this filth." Magdelus gets up off the bed, adjusting her own wrap. They get almost to the door before Zilandra grabs Eponin’s arm and says,

"You’d better not tell anyone about what I said, or I’ll tell them about your little indescretions… You know the rules."

"You said you had permission." Eponin says.

"Yeah, well I lied."

"You wouldn’t tell, you did it too." Magdelus says.

"Try me… the rules don’t apply to me anyway, I’m not an Amazon." Zilandra replies. Eponin yanks her arm free and she and Magdelus run from the hut, casting wary glances behind them…

"I don’t think she’s done anything with any of the girls, but I think some of them wouldn’t say no if she showed up at their door on a rainy night, if you catch my drift." Melosa says. Xena stands and replies,

"Alright, well I’ll go and talk to her, see if I can get this straightened out. And thanks for listening to the other stuff as well."

"Any time Xena, you know we’re here for you." Melosa says.

"Thanks. I’ll talk to you later." Xena leaves Melosa and Ephiny. She walks towards the hut Melosa said was Zilandra’s. As she gets closer, two women, one whom Xena recognises as Eponin and another whose name escapes Xena for the moment run from Zilandra’s hut, they’re casting wary glances over their shoulders and don’t seem to notice Xena’s presence.

"Interesting." Xena mutters to herself. Xena enters Zilandra’s hut (again without knocking!), Zilandra is standing stark naked in the middle of her room, grinning smugly to herself.

"I’m… ah… sorry…" Xena stammers, she turns around quickly and mutters,

"Just my luck today, every Amazon I see is naked, and none of them are my lover. Maybe I really should knock… but this lot are a bunch of…"

"It’s alright. I haven’t got anything you haven’t seen before." Zilandra says. She continues to stand in plain sight as Xena concentrates on the floor.

"I’ll wait outside." Xena says.

"No, it’s alright, just give me a minute and I’ll be dressed." Xena just nods as Zilandra puts on her clothes. She tries to stand silently in the room, but figures she may as well get on with what she came here for.

"So, you want to tell me why I just saw Eponin and the other girl… uh… Magdelus run from here, looking like they’d seen a Bacchae?"

"Well, I thought I was just being ‘one of the girls’ when I suggested that the three of us bed down together later."

"You what!?"

"How was I supposed to know Amazons aren’t allowed to do that?… I’m finished, you can look now." Xena turns around, as Zilandra straightens her skirt.

"Zilandra, what’s this ‘come fuck me, I’m a bad ass’ attitude you’ve suddenly adopted? Ephiny tells me you’ve been like this ever since Iolaus left." Xena asks.

"I’m just trying to fit in Xena, to be like everyone else. The others are all so confident, and have known each other for ages. I thought if I acted like them that they’d like me."

"Ephiny tells me that you can fight too."

"I’m a quick learner." Zilandra replies, shrugging her shoulders. Xena raises an eyebrow at her.

"Alright, I know how to fight… what’s the big deal? How do you think I managed after my parents died? I learnt a few things along the way." Zilandra confesses.

"Look, Zilandra. You don’t have to be somebody you’re not here. Just be yourself. The way you’re acting, you’re scaring people away."

"Alright. I’ll try. Thanks Xena."

"You’re welcome. Now, how about some sparring practice… I want to see if you’re as good as Ephiny says." Xena says.

"Sure." Xena and Zilandra leave the hut.

"Ah… what a beautiful day. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, I’m not listening to boring old people talk about writing… this is living… I must look wonderful in the sunshine! Actually, I probably don’t, I’ve been travelling for days… how many I wonder? Five? Six? My hair must look a mess…" I take out my brush and run it through my hair.

"Well, it can’t be that many days, I mean Xena hadn’t even reached the Amazon village when I caught up to her… There, that feels better." I say, putting my brush back into my bag.

"Wouldn’t want to look too untidy when I arrive… it feels good to be back on Amazon territory… wonder if I’ll meet any of the gang on the way, surely someone I know will be patrolling… Ephiny, Eponin… and Centaurs! I wonder if they’re here…. Maybe I’ll see Phantes or Tyldus. Maybe they’ll mistake me for a tresspasser and try to kill me…" I stop in my tracks.

"No, no that wouldn’t happen. Would it?" I look from side to side, take a couple of deep breaths, then start running, heading for what I hope is the track to the Amazon village.

"Maybe I shouldn’t run. That might draw more attention to me and then they might think I’m some kind of animal and shoot me clean through the heart with an arrow…" I slow down to a quick walk.

"Gods, listen to me, I’m getting all irrational. I’d better pull myself together before I see Xena. I’ve got to be strong and make my point." I stop walking all together as the Amazon village suddenly spreads out before my eyes.

"Ah! My Kingdom!" I chuckle and shake my head.

"Well, one day maybe, although not too soon I hope." I watch the tiny figures go about their work for a few moments, before walking on further. I stop under a large tree and put my bag down.

"I think I’ll wait until nightfall before I go in, I’ll have a rest, get my ‘rational thoughts’ hat on and then find Xena… and see everyone else of course. I should probably give Xena time to settle in too, she must also be tired from the journey. Don’t want to meet up with an overtired, grumpy Xena!" I sit down, resting my head against the truck of the tree, staring out over the Amazon village.

"How was the sparring practice?" Melosa asks.

"Oh, she’s alright I suppose, but she’s no Ephiny." Melosa smiles at the comment and nods.

"But you know, that’s one of the problems…" Xena says.

"What? That she’s not as good as Ephiny yet? Well, what did you expect Xena, she’s only been here a week or two."

"No, I mean the fact that she’s any good at all."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when I met her, we talked about where she was from and what happened to her parents, stuff like that, but when I was speaking to her before, she said some things that just don’t match up with what she first told me."

"Like what?" Melosa asks.

"Well, for starters…. The fighting aspect, previously she told me that she could cook and sew, but couldn’t hunt or fight. Now she tells me that she’s pretty good at fighting and tracking, and I gather she’s killed before, because she says she had to protect herself after her parents died… which brings me to another point, she told me that she was living with an aunt and uncle after her parents died, but they died just a few weeks ago from fevers… now it sounds like there never were any relatives, she must’ve been by herself for years."

"How long since her parents died?"
"Five years."

"That means she’s been on her own since she was twelve years old! Are you sure about that Xena?"

"I’m not sure about anything, but she’s acting very strange… there are a couple of people I want to speak to before we decide anything… I’ll tell you as soon as I know."

"Alright. We’re having a feast tonight in honour of your arrival so don’t be at it too long. Anything you don’t get done will have to wait until the morning." Xena’s stomach rumbles, she smiles at Melosa and says,

"I’ll be there… and don’t worry, I’ll find out what’s going on and fix it. I promise you that."

"Oh, I’d bet money on it." Melosa says. Xena leaves the hut and goes in the direction she saw Eponin and Magdelus go earlier. As she crosses the sparring square a young Amazon cautiously approaches her.

"Excuse me, Xena?"

"Yes." Xena stops and faces the young girl, whom she tops by about a foot and a half.

"Um… I was on patrol and I saw our Princess."

"Gabrielle?"

"Yes."

"Did you speak to her?"

"No, as I don’t know her very well, I just watched and made sure she was safe."

"Where is she now?" Xena asks.

"The last I saw, she was resting under some trees just outside the village, the south entrance. I told the patrol group who took over from us that she was there, so they’re watching her."

"Why did she stay under the tree instead of coming further?"

"I don’t know, but she looked tired."

"She didn’t see any of you?’

"No."

"Alright, thanks, I’ll go and get her… listen… which one is Eponin’s hut?"

"The last one on the right, down there." The girl points to a row of huts.

"Thanks. What’s your name?"

"Aphrodite."

"Like the Goddess?" Xena asks incredulously. The young girls nods and blushes.

"My mother called me that because she was madly in love with my father, and Aphrodite told her he was the one she would have a child with."

"Oh. Well, thanks again Aphrodite… and don’t tell anyone else the Princess is here, alright?"

"Okay." Aphrodite walks away. Xena shakes her head and changes her direction in search of Gabrielle.

"Hey, Princess."

"Aahh!" I am startled awake. I turn around and see Xena with a mischevious grin on her face and a twinkle in her eye.

"Don’t do that!" I say, standing up and brushing leaves from my skirt.

"What are you doing here?"

"I can be, I’m an Amazon Princess…" Xena raises her eyebrow at me. I roll my eyes and say,

"Oh all right, I was going to follow you until you got into trouble and then I’d rescue you and you’d remember how useful I am to you."

"Well that’s very sweet of you, but what if you’d got into trouble? How would I have known to come and rescue you?"

"Me? Trouble? Huh!"

"Like a moth to a flame."

"Am not!"

"Do I need to remind you… Morpheus, Titans, Amazons… Need I go on?"

"Hey missy, I’m not the only one who finds trouble, I mean in just about every village we go to, someone hates you and wants to kill you… and what about when you left me and met Darius and got hit by that arrow, huh?" Xena holds her hands up and says,

"Alright, point taken. I’m glad you’re here safely."

"Thank you. I’m glad you’re safe too." We hug tightly. Wow, maybe she won’t be mad at me after all! Xena puts her hand under my chin and makes me look at her.

"You don’t get away with it that easily Princess, there’ll be a lot more talking later. But right now, there’s something I have to get sorted out." Curses, nearly got away with it!
"What?" I ask.

"The girl I sent here - Zilandra is acting really strangely and I have to find out why."

"Now?"

"Unfortunately yes, but you go and see Melosa and Ephiny, I’m sure they’d love to see you. Oh, and there’s a feast tonight - on the account of my arrival, I guess it’ll be a double celebration now!"

"Great, I’m starved! I’ll keep the ale cold if you promise to be there soon." I say as Xena’s stomach rumbles.

"Oh I will, don’t worry." Xena picks up my bag and slings it over her shoulder.

"I’ll walk with you to the village, then you’re on your own."

"Okay." We walk in silence for a few minutes. What should I say to her? Should I try and make a joke? Should I act like we never had that fight? Maybe if I just take her hand. Yeah, that’s a good idea. I slip my hand into Xena’s, she flinches.

"Sorry." I mutter, taking my hand away.

"No, it’s alright, I was miles away, you just startled me." I put my hand back in hers and we continue towards the village.

"You know, it is good to see you. I’m sorry how things turned out back at the Academy." Xena says.

"Me too." I say.

"How did you catch up to me so quickly?" Xena asks.

"I caught a ride with a family from Athens right to where it becomes Amazon land, then walked the rest of the way. I stumbled across your camp late yesterday and hid until today, when I came the rest of the way. I thought you’d already be at the village."

"You were near me last night?"

"Yes."

"I thought I could feel you."

"I know, I saw you looking around all the time, I was worried you were going to come out and look for me."

"No. I was too tired."

"Lucky I wasn’t a threat then."

"Very." We get to the Amazon village, Xena takes my bag from her shoulder and hands it to me.

"A word of advice before I go… always knock before going into a hut."

"Of course. Why?"

"I’ll tell you later."

"Okay, well you be careful."

"I will. Later."

"Bye." Xena leaves and I make my way to Melosa’s hut. I knock on the door.

"Come." Melosa says.

"Hello Melosa, hello Ephiny."

"Gabrielle! What a surprise. Come in." Melosa and Ephiny share a look as they make their way over and hug me.

"Xena told us you were studying at the Academy in Greece." Melosa says.
"I was, but I’ve left now."

"Oh. Not exciting enough for you?" Ephiny says with a grin.

"Among other things. Now, tell me… what was that look you two gave each other when you said it was a surprise to see me?" I reply.

"Nothing." Ephiny says.

"What look?" Melosa asks innocently.

"Come on, you two. Spill it." I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Oh all right, Xena told us she felt like you were near her last night." Melosa confesses.

"Wishful thinking, I think was how she put it." Ephiny adds.

"Yes. So when you arrived here, well it wasn’t really a surprise. You know how intuitive she is."

"Mmm. I knew she sensed something last night, I had to be so careful."

"She’s certainly something." Ephiny says.

"That she is."

"Have you seen her yet?"

"Yes, she came and interrupted me from a very peaceful little nap I was having. She’s gone to sort something out, something with that girl she sent here?"

"Yes. She’s a bit of a loose cannon. I’m not sure exactly what’s going on, but Xena seems concerned about her behaviour." Melosa says.

"I’m sure she’ll take care of it." I assure them.

"Yes. She’ll let us know what it was all about."

"Um… I guess this is a good time to ask…" I start.

"What is it?"

"Where will we be sleeping?"

"There’s a spare hut in the far corner of the village, it belonged to Terreis and it will be yours until such time as you become Queen, then you will live here." Melosa says, sweeping her arm around the hut.

"Oh. Right… Well I might go and put this stuff away and finish my sleep. Xena tells me you’re having a feast on tonight."

"We certainly are. You must join us."

"I wouldn’t miss it." My stomach rumbles.

"Funny, that’s what Xena’s stomach said!" Melosa says with a laugh.

"I know, I’m starved!"

"We’ll let Xena know you’re at the hut."

"Thanks. See you later." I am almost out the door when Melosa says,

"Hey, what happened to the eagle’s head on top of your staff? Isn’t that the one Ephiny gave you?" I gulp, turn around and manage to stammer:

"Ahh… yeah… it… it fell off in a fight and then I couldn’t find it again. I’m really sorry Ephiny."

"That’s okay, it used to bug me anyway!" Phew! I don’t know what it is, but everyone seems so relaxed here today, this is great! I turn and head for our hut, nearly running into a young amazon.

"Sorry. My fault." I say. The young woman looks at me, her eyes light up and she hugs me saying,

"Oh wow! You’re Gabrielle aren’t you? I’ve heard so much about you! It’s great to finally meet you."
"Ah. Hi." I say, untangling myself from the young woman.

"I’m sorry, where are my manners, I’m Zilandra… I spent some time with Xena. She tells me you’re studying at the Academy."

"Yes that’s right. Listen, I don’t mean to seem rude, but I’ve had a long journey and I’d like to have a sleep before the feast tonight. Maybe we can catch up then?"

"Which hut are you staying in? I could help you unpack, give you a nice massage before you go to sleep? How about it?"

"No, it’s alright thanks. I don’t think I’ll have any trouble falling asleep."

"Oh come on, just a quick little massage, I mean I bet your feet could do with a good rub, and I’m really good, just ask anyone."

"Oh all right, but you can’t stay very long, I really do want to go to sleep soon."

"Sure, no problem. Never know, you might even fall asleep while I’m working my magic."

"I doubt it, but come on." We walk to the hut, Zilandra keeps her hand on my back the whole way, even when I move away, her hand goes with me. She is sending tingles up my spine - the bad ones though, not the good ones and I silently pray that Xena finishes whatever it is that’s so important and gets back quickly. We get to the hut, I open the door and locate a couple of candles and some striking stones. I light the candles, placing them both on the table in the middle of the room and put my pack down. The light is minimal, I’ll have to remember to ask Melosa for a couple of extras… although the sparse light will go beautifully with Xena’s tanned skin! Mmm… what a lovely thought, my lover’s naked body in the candle light! I jump as hands are suddenly placed on my hips. They’re definitely not Xena’s.

"What are you doing?" I ask Zilandra, moving out of her reach. Her hands stay firm.

"I thought you were going to fall, you had a really weird, glazed look on your face."

"Oh. Well, I’m fine. Thanks." I move further away from her and she takes her hands from my hips. I look towards the bed, it’s already made up, so I sit on the edge and start undoing my boots. Zilandra comes over and says,

"Let me help you with that."

"It’s okay."

"Just let me help, it’ll be done twice as fast then."

"Fine." Zilandra goes to work on my left boot, her hand seems to be hitting my leg a little too often, so I hurry with the boot I’m working on. This cannot be happening, I think as icy fingers run up my spine again. The boots come off, I stretch out my toes as Zilandra says,

"Lie down and I’ll get to work. You’re going to enjoy this, I promise."

"I think I should just sit for the moment."

"No, trust me, it’s so much better lying down."

"Well, alright, if you think so."

"I know so." I pull my skirt in tight around my legs, keeping my thighs mashed against one another as I lay down. Where the hell is Xena?! I yell in my head. Well she’d better not try anything… Zilandra sets to work on my feet…Gods, that does feel good. Oh yeah, well at least she gives good foot massages. I feel so relaxed, so tired. But I won’t fall asleep, just in case she tries something… I won’t… I…

"You two are going to be in a lot of trouble, you do realise that don’t you?" Xena says exasperatedly.

"But we didn’t do it on purpose! She said she had permission." Eponin cries.
"I know, I know, but you’ll have to tell Melosa."

"Do we have to? Can’t this just be our little secret?" Magdelus pleads.
"I’m sorry, but I think we have to tell her. There’s something else going on here that we need to expose. I promise I’ll put in a good word for you, and you know how fair Melosa is, you’ll get a fair hearing."

"Oh alright. But will you come with us?" Eponin pleads.

"Yes." Xena, Eponin and Magdelus walk towards Melosa’s hut. Melosa and Ephiny are leaving the hut.

"Melosa!" Xena calls. Melosa and Ephiny stop. Xena and the others walk closer.

"Where’s Gabrielle?"

"She’s gone to your hut, Terreis’ old place. She wants you to meet her there."

"Did she go alone?"
"I presume so, although she did talk to someone outside here just before she left."

"Who?" Xena asks.

"I’m not sure, we were inside at the time." Melosa replies. Ephiny pipes up saying,

"It could have been Zilandra, I think she’s the only one who hasn’t met Gabrielle and-"

"Take these two inside, now! I have to find Gabrielle…" Xena yells, she turns to Eponin and Magdelus and says,

"Don’t tell her anything until I get back."

"Okay." Eponin says. Xena turns back to Melosa and says,

"Go into your hut with Ephiny and these two, don’t let anyone else in, if Gabrielle’s at the hut I’ll be back with her."

"What’s going on Xena?"

"I don’t have time to explain, just trust me!" Melosa and the others go back inside the hut as Xena runs off.

"Gabrielle!… Gabrielle!" There is no answer from inside. She steps back a pace from the door and with all her strength she kicks it open. A large splinter of wood is dislodged and the door swings wide. Gabrielle is laying on the bed, naked. Xena runs to her. She shakes her…

"Gabrielle? Gabrielle, can you hear me?"

"Xena?" I open my eyes to find Xena clutching at my shoulders.

"Xena, what’s wrong?" She pulls me in tight and hugs me until I can hardly breathe.

"I thought you were dead!" She cries into my hair.

"Dead, why would you think… Xena I’m naked." I struggle in her embrace and look down at myself.

"Xena, I wasn’t naked when I fell asleep. Did you do this?"
"No."

"Then who… oh no, I don’t believe it! There’s only one person who could have, but surely she wouldn’t… but she must have."

"Who?!" Xena yells.

"Well it must have been Zilandra, she came here with me and said she’d give me a massage…" Xena’s eyes grow cold and angry.

"But it was just a foot massage, I had only taken my boots off. She’s really strange Xena, and she scared me. She kept touching me and saying things that made my skin crawl."

"That little bitch I’ll kill her. I can’t believe she would do this!"

"Calm down Xena, she hasn’t done anything that bad to me, I mean I know she didn’t have sex with me."
"Do you? How can you be so sure? You were asleep."

"Xena, just trust me, I’d know okay?"

"Okay, I’m sorry." Xena kisses my head and hugs me tightly.

"Ah… Xena, I can’t breathe."

"Sorry." She says again.

"It’s alright. What are we going to do about her?"
"You get dressed and go to Melosa’s hut. I’ll meet you there soon."

"Xena, please don’t hurt her, we don’t know it was her. Just bring her back and we’ll talk to her."

"Oh I’ll talk to her alright and…" Xena stops mid sentence.

"What is it Xena?"

"Did you lock the door?"
"No. Why would I do that, I knew you were going to be coming here when you’d finished."

"Well the door was locked when I got here. From the inside." I look around sharply and grab some blanket to hide my body.

"You don’t think she’s still here do you?" I whisper to Xena. She puts her finger to her lips to silence me, then gets up off the bed. She picks up a candle and takes it to every possible place a person could hide in the room. She doesn’t see anyone, and neither do I. Xena does a thorough sweep of the room and finds nothing.

"How did she do it? Or where is she?" Xena asks. I shrug. Xena sets the candle down on the table again and comes back to the bed. She puts a hand on my shoulder and says,

"Are you really alright? You’re not just saying that she didn’t force herself on you when you were asleep just so I don’t get mad are you?"

"No I’m not. I want you to find her Xena and teach her a lesson. She gives me the creeps, you know on the way over here she kept her hand on my back all the way, even when I moved away from her." I shiver at the memory.

"I’ll find her Gabrielle. Now get dressed, I’ll walk you to Melosa’s hut, then I’m going to look for her."

"If you don’t find her straight away please come back, I don’t want you to miss the feast."

"I won’t I promise." Xena kisses me and I stand up. I find my clothes neatly folded on the chair. I put them on and pick up my bag. I reach in to find my brush, but the contents of the bag have been rearranged. I take everything out piece by piece, I find my brush at the bottom, but the piece of parchment with the picture of Xena drawn on it is gone. I go back through the contents, which are now on the table.

"What have you lost?" Xena asks.

"My picture of you."

"Are you sure?"
"Yes, Xena I’m sure, I’ve looked through here twice and it’s gone!" Xena comes over to me and puts her arm over my shoulder, I lean into her as a tear runs down my cheek. That was my favourite possession, Xena got it done for me, and the one she keeps of me in her bag too.

"It’s alright, we’ll find it. I promise we’ll get it back." I just nod and sniff.

"Put your boots on and lets go." Xena says. She extinguishes the candles and we walk to Melosa’s hut. Xena knocks on the door and says,

"Melosa, it’s Xena, open the door and let Gabrielle in." The door opens and Xena nudges me forward, I reluctantally go in.

"Now just stay with the others until I get back."

"Be careful." I say.

"I will." She replies.

"I can’t find her anywhere." Xena announces.

"Maybe she’s left the village." I say hopefully.

"I doubt it, but there’s nothing else we can do tonight. We’ll have to wait until morning."

"That would be wise, easier to see your attacker." Melosa says.

"Precisely." Xena replies.

"Can you please tell us what’s going on now?" Ephiny asks.

"Yes. And quickly, the feast will be starting soon." Melosa adds.

"Alright, well as you know, I have found Zilandra’s attitude and behaviour to be very different from when I left her a couple of weeks ago. There were things she told me today, which were not consistent with things she’d told me on the journey here."

"What sort of things?" Eponin asks.

"Things to do with her background, what skills she had or didn’t have. Anyway, it’s irrelevent the main thing is that she lied to me then… she’s got an ulterior motive for being here. Now, I didn’t know that until this afternoon when I spoke to Eponin and Magdelus… Girls, would one of you please tell everyone what Zilandra said and asked you today?"

"Okay, but do we have to say everything?" Eponin asks, her face paling slightly.

"The circumstances don’t matter, we’ll get to that later. Just tell them what she said."

"Okay… well, Magdelus and I were talking to Zilandra and she asked us about Gabrielle, had we met you, what you were like, if you would one day be Queen, how often you visit and stuff like that. We told her what we knew and said that you weren’t brought up in an Amazon village, just that you’d saved Terreis and she gave you her rite of caste… Then I said that I wondered if you like to be with girls… you know, like that…" She looks hopefully at me, I nod as the colour rises in my face and Xena raises her eyebrow at her.

"We weren’t being disrespectful, I swear." Eponin adds quickly.

"It’s all right, keep going." I say. Eponin nods and continues.

"Well then she said that you did like girls because you were with Xena…"

"Congratulations, by the way." Magdelus adds, standing and moving closer to Xena and I. I take Xena’s hand. Eponin elbows Magdelus, who takes her place beside Eponin again.

"Anyway, we asked her how she knows that and she said that she found a scroll Xena was writing to Gabrielle when she travelled with her…"

"You wrote a scroll?" Ephiny asks, amused. Xena says nothing, I squeeze her hand and smile as Eponin continues.

"Zilandra then said that she was going to make Gabrielle hers. And then she got really dirty and said how she’d like to have sex with Xena, because of her strong thighs and…"

"Move on." Xena says as Ephiny starts giggling. Eponin obeys.

"Then she said that she saw a picture of Gabrielle in Xena’s bag and said she was beautiful and that she thinks Gabrielle is a hot piece of…" Xena interrupts, saying,

"Right. So, she thought Gabrielle was lovely to look at and her comments got very crude from there about what she wanted to do with Gabrielle and you slapped her because she was being disrespectful, is that right Eponin?"

"That’s right." Eponin agrees.

"Then we left her hut." Magdelus adds.

"Yeah, but on the way she told us not to say anything, or she’d tell everyone about the other stuff."

"What other stuff?" Melosa asks.

"We’ll get to that in a minute. Now, Zilandra met Gabrielle earlier and tried to come onto her, then while she was sleeping she stole the picture Gabrielle has of me from her bag."

"Why?" Melosa asks.

"The only reason I can think of is that she wants something for target practice." Xena replies.

"Right." Melosa says.

"Anyway, as I said before, there’s nothing more we can do tonight, she’s probably going to keep a fairly low profile for the time being, but we should be on the lookout just in case."

"So, what’s this other stuff?" Melosa asks.

"Alright… Your turn this time Magdelus." Xena says. Magdelus gulps and looks guiltily from Eponin to Melosa. Melosa raises her eyebrows in a look that says, "Well?"

"Well, we were in Eponin’s hut… talking about… Zilandra, we thought… she was quite nice and…"

"Okay, I can see where you’re going, you thought she’d be great to screw and…" Melosa says, trying to hurry Magdelus.

"Well she came in and said we should all go to the steam room together."

"And did you go?" Melosa asks.

"Yes."

"And what happened?"

"We had sex with her."

"At the same time?"

"Yes."

"A threesome?"

"Yes."

"You know that a threesome is against the Amazon rules, unless the Queen has given you permission, don’t you?"

"Yes."

"I didn’t give you permission."

"Zilandra said she had your permission."

"But after it was over, she told us she had lied, and that she didn’t have your permission." Eponin adds.

"The permission has to be given to all three of the participants at the same time." Melosa says.

"We didn’t know that, we’ve never done anything like this before."

"That’s true, which is why I am so dissapointed in you two."

"Don’t be too hard on them Melosa. I think Zilandra is very cunning." Xena says.

"That’s true. Alright. But I do have to punish you, you understand that?"

"We understand." Eponin and Magdelus say together.

"Alright. Well, I think that for your punishment, seeing as you like other people in on your sexual acts, that you perform a sex routine during the feast tonight, right after the main course. Make it a good show girls." Melosa says.

"Yes Queen Melosa." They reply in unison.

"Alright, you may go, the feast will start in one hour."

"Thank you." Eponin says. Eponin and Magdelus leave the hut quietly.

"Melosa, I need to speak to you outside please.’
"Of course." They leave the hut. Ephiny and I sit in silence, I can’t think of a single thing to say… finally I can’t stand it anymore. I get up and sneak out the door, listening to Xena and Melosa.

"I think she wants to be caught." Xena says.

"Why?" Melosa asks.

"To fight me, to beat me. To take my place and be with Gabrielle."

"But if she kills you, then why would I want to be with her?" I interrupt.

"Gabrielle, I thought you were inside."

"I was, and now I’m out here. Why does she think I would be with her if she killed the one I love?"

"Because, it would prove that she’s better than me, stronger than me. That she could protect you better." Xena replies. Ephiny arrives outside behind me.

"But I wouldn’t love her."

"I don’t know, maybe she thinks she could make you love her or something, okay? I don’t know, but I promise I will find out. Now, I do believe we’ve got a feast to get ready for!" Xena says.

"Absolutely! One hour Xena - don’t be late, that means no scroll writing!" Ephiny says. Melosa leans into Xena and quietly says,

"I’ll place extra guards on, they’ll tell us if she shows up." Xena nods. She grabs my arm and whispers,

"You don’t leave my side."

"Fine with me." I reply, hugging her. We walk towards our hut, our arms around each other tightly.

"At least the door still shuts, you didn’t damage it too much."

"I’ll have a proper look at it tomorrow in the daylight." I suddenly remember the present I was going to get Xena… should I still get it? Yeah, why not but what will I tell Xena?…

"Oh no." I say.

"What is it?" Xena asks.

"I left something back in Melosa’s hut. I’ll just go and get it."

"What is it."

"Just something."

"Alright, we’ll go and get it together."

"No! No, that’s alright. I can go by myself." I say.

"Gabrielle I really don’t think it’s a good idea, we don’t know where Zilandra is."

"I’ll be alright Xena, you said yourself that she’d probably stay out of sight for a while. It won’t take long anyway."

"Oh alright, but be careful. Keep to the well lit areas."

"I will." I leave the hut and walk towards Melosa’s hut, detouring just before I get there…

"Oh my… What is- don’t worry, I don’t think I want to know."

"Can I help you?"

"Ah… yes. I want a… um… you know…"

"Of course. Will this one be suitable?"

"Yes. It looks fine." I reply, looking shyly away from the woman.

"Are you sure?"
"Yes."

"Okay. That’ll be 3 dinars."

"Fine." I hand over the money and take my purchase from the shop.

"Xena! Xena! Wake up! What happened?" Tears form in my eyes.

"I happened." I turn around, Zilandra is standing behind me, with a piece of cloth in her hand.

"A simple poison can kill even the mightiest of warriors." She says.

"What did you do to her?" I ask, tears now running freely down my face.

"Just put her to sleep. Permanently. Now come here and let me console you, my poor, dear Gabrielle." She takes a step closer to me.

"Don’t you touch me." I warn her. I look out the corner of my eye for my staff, there’s no way I can get to it before her.

"Come now my dear, don’t be afraid. I would never hurt you. I love you."
"You don’t even know me." I yell.

"I know enough. I’ll tell you what I know about you, and you tell me when I’m wrong… Okay, now when I was just a young girl, my parents were killed, and I was all alone, poor me… I had no-one to protect me, so I learnt to protect myself. Now, I came across a lot of dirty old men, who wanted me for their slaves and other things, but I found that I didn’t really like their kind, not even when I met a nice boy. You see I had certain needs and wants that I couldn’t get from nice boys or bad boys or any boys at all and I couldn’t tell anyone about them either because, unless you’re an Amazon, it’s not considered proper. Well I didn’t know what to do because I was so young and there was no one to teach me anything… Then one day I heard a story about a brave young woman, who was only a couple of years older than me. She was very beautiful and she ran away from her village and her betrothed to be with another woman! So I vowed there and then that I would find this woman and make her mine."

"You’re crazy." I say… was that Xena’s heartbeat I felt?

"Not crazy my dear, in love. Shall I go on with the story?"

"If you must." I say… yes I’m sure Xena’s still alive.

"Well, then one day when I’m travelling, I hear a story about the woman you’ve run off with… a woman by the name of Xena, well they tell me terrible things about this woman, but then I hear that you don’t mind her violent ways, so I think, well, I’ll just learn to be a great warrior, then I’ll defeat this Xena character.. making it look like a horrible accident of course… and then I would console you and you would fall for me and forget all about your precious Xena."

"I could never forget Xena. And I could never love you."

"I think you could, if you only gave me a chance."

"Never."

"We’ll see about that." Zilandra comes towards me, I stumble back behind Xena’s body. As Zilandra is about to step over Xena, Xena springs up and knocks Zilandra over with one punch. She goes down, but springs to her feet again. She comes at Xena, who does a quick one-two punch combination, then follows it up with a kick to the stomach. Zilandra flies backwards and hits her head on the door, knocking her out, She stays still on the ground, eyes closed. Xena looks at her and says,

"I can’t believe it was that easy. I thought she was a great warrior?"

"Xena! How did you do it? I thought you were dead, then I thought I felt your heart beat."

"I was just pretending to be knocked out, I let Zilandra overpower me easily because I knew she’d tell you what she was thinking."

"Oh. Was she still hiding in here or was she outside?"

"She was outside, I heard her jump from a nearby tree, so I let her come and get me."
"But why didn’t the poison affect you?"
"She didn’t have the right mixture, it smelt more strong than it was toxic."

"Oh, well I’m just glad you’re all right. What should we do with her?"

"I’ll carry her to Melosa’s and we’ll go from there." Xena bends down and picks Zilandra up. She throws her over her shoulder and we leave the hut…

"Aphrodite!" Melosa yells.

"Yes my Queen?" Aphrodite comes over to the room the Amazon’s use for holding prisoners, where Xena, Melosa, Ephiny and I are standing with the unconcious Zilandra.

"Aphrodite, I want you to stand guard on this prisoner, you will be relieved at some stage during the night. You are not to talk to the prisoner if she wakes and do not let her escape. She’s regarded as extremely dangerous."

"Yes my Queen."

"Good." Melosa says, stumbling a bit as she turns to us.

"We’ll leave her there until morning, then I’ll decide what to do with her, no use in ruining a good night of eating, drinking and being merry for one stupid wannabe warrior." Melosa says. Xena, Ephiny and I smile in agreement.

"Alright! Onwards to the feast!" Melosa shouts… I personally think she’s already had a few celebratery drinks! I put my arm through Xena’s and we follow Melosa and Ephiny to the hall.

"Yeah, get it on you two! Get naked!" Melosa shouts from the head of the table. Eponin and Magdelus just smile shyly and continue kissing each other, their hands moving all over each other’s bodies. They are more naked than clothed and have drunk enough that they’re not too embarrassed about going for it in front of everyone…

"I would like to make a toast to our wonderful guests… Xena: the Warrior Princess and Gabrielle: the Amazon Princess." A huge roar goes up in the hall, Xena and I smile and raise our glasses high with everyone else.

"That’s now the 4^th time she’s made that toast Xena, I think she’s wasted."

"Actually it’s the 6^th. I think you’re wasted, ‘cause you can’t even remember how many toasts we’ve had!"

"Oh yeah, well what about you? Try and stand, I bet you can’t." I challenge. Me… drunk? Huh, I don’t think so! I could drink plenty more than this and still be fine. Xena stands up, she wobbles around, managing to grab hold of the table just before she falls.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha!" I laugh.

"Who’s the drunk one here Xena?" I say, laughing even more.

"Hey my little bard, you’d better be careful, I get mighty horny when I get drunk and you might be in for a good session of tongue lashing… that is you doing it to me… so you’d better…" Xena stumbles over and goes crashing down onto her chair. I burst out laughing again and move closer to her with my chair.

"I’d better what? Take you home right now?" I say seductively.

"Well…" Xena starts. I grab her lips in a passionate kiss… oh how I’ve missed this! She puts her hands on my thighs and runs them up and down a couple of times, before getting daring and pushing them up under my skirt. She stops kissing me and says,

"I want you so badly."

"Well then I guess we’d better get back to our room, wouldn’t want to let everyone see my gorgeous body." I reply.

"I’m with you babe." I stand and help Xena up. I catch Ephiny’ s eye and mouth "We’re off" to her. She nods and gives me two thumbs up, I smile in return. We get outside into the fresh air, and I mean fresh, it must be 5 times warmer in the hall compared to out here. Xena and I stumble along back to our hut.

"You know Gabrielle, I have to tell you something very serious." Xena stops and spins me around to face her. She puts her hands on my shoulders and says,

"I want to fuck you all night long, I don’t want to stop or catch my breath or think about sleep or tired bones or anything, I just want to make love to you."

"Well Xena, do you want to fuck me or make love to me? ‘Cause they’re not the same thing, you know?"

"I want to do both."

"Well then lets hurry, ‘cause I’ve got a surprise for you."

"Really?"
"Yes, and I hope you’ll like it." We start walking again and enter the hut, which is a lot warmer than outside, but not as hot as the hall was. Xena flops down on the bed and says,

"Come over here my little bard…"

"Just let me light the candles." I reply. I get both of them started, and when I look over at Xena, she’s completely naked… how did she do that without me hearing her? I walk over and sit on the bed, discarding various pieces of clothing. Xena helps me untie my boots, I kick them off and turn around until we are facing each other nose to nose. Xena runs her hand from my neck, down between my breasts, over my stomach, and back to my neck. Then we start to kiss. Her tongue fills my mouth, hot and full… a sensation I have missed very much. We continue to touch and kiss for a long time, becoming more and more turned on by the second. I decide to go for it, so I stop kissing her and say,

"Would you like your present?"

"Can’t it wait?" Xena asks.

"Oh no, I think you should have it now."

"Oh all right." Xena says reluctantly. I bend down and take the bag from under the bed. I place it in Xena’s hands. She opens it up and takes out a strap-on sex toy. She looks to be in shock and doesn’t say anything. Then she, drops it onto the bed and starts to cry.

"Xena, what is it? Don’t you like it?" I asks as tears well up in my eyes. Xena wipes a tear from her cheek and says,

"Don’t I satisfy you? Am I not good enough, that you need something else?"

"No, no not at all… it’s just that while I was at the Academy I heard lots of stories about what you used to be like when you were a ruthless warlord. I heard about what you and your lovers did and some of the toys you used…"

"But I’m not like that any more!" Xena cries.

I know… but I thought maybe I wasn’t satisfying you and that you might want something more… I thought I was doing the right thing." I say, tears now streaming down my face too.

"Oh honey, I’m sorry." Xena says, she pulls me closer and hugs me… Did she just call me honey? I hug her back as she says,

"Gabrielle, my warlord days are over… I have only used a sex toy a couple of times and I didn’t really enjoy it… but if you want to give it a go, then we can."

"Well, I guess I am curious about them."

"Hey, you want to hear a funny story?"
"Sure, I could use a little cheering up." I reply.

"Yeah, I think we’re drunk… when else would I be caught crying?"
"Good question… So, what’s this story?" I asks, wiping the tears from my face.

"Well, when I got here, I went straight to Melosa’s hut. I knocked and then walked in and Melosa and Ephiny were in bed together!"
"No way!"

"They were, and guess what else?"
"What?"

"They had a dildo…" I look at Xena with a puzzled look on my face.

"It’s like the thing you got me, but without the straps to hold it in place."

"Oh… you’re kidding? They were doing it and they had sex toys?"

"Yep. I was so embarrassed, I practically ran for the door." I start laughing, so does Xena. When our laughter subsides I say,

"Maybe this thing I bought will enhance our sex life even more… And we don’t have to use it all the time, just when we feel like it."

"Are you really comfortable with this?"

"Yeah… I mean I’m nervous about doing it, but I feel okay because I’m doing it with you, and I know you’ll be gentle."
"Of course. You know you can trust me."

"Alright, well, you want to use it now?"
"Let’s just see what happens, okay?"
"Okay." I take the strap-on and place it on the table beside the bed. Xena opens the covers and climbs into bed, waiting for me to join her before she closes them. We snuggle in close to each other, our hands exploring each other’s bodies as we start to kiss again.

"It is very good to see you." Xena says between kisses.

"Uh-huh… I was fantisising before about how good your skin would look in the candlelight."
"And how does it compare?"

"Even better when I can feel it!"

"Good. Now lay down on your back, I’d like to try something new."

"Being on my back is new?" I ask.

"No, but that’s where you’re going to start. Now do as I say." I lay down and get comfortable. Xena kisses me on the lips, then marks out a trail of kisses down my neck and over my breasts.

"Gods that feels good." I murmur as Xena moves lower, kissing my stomach.

"Turn over." She says. I do as she demands wondering what exactly I’m in for. She runs her hands up my legs, over my buttocks and onto my back. She starts to massage my back, shoulders and neck.

"That’s so... nice." I say. Xena massages my back for a couple more minutes, before kissing my back, this sends my body into spasm of pleasure. She takes her kisses south, moving down to my bottom and thighs. With her right hand she grabs my bottom, while kissing my thigh. I moan and say,

"Oh Xena, grab me harder." Xena obeys and lets her left hand caress the inside of my thighs, with every stroke getting closer to my curls. I try to move my body closer to her hand, but she stops me.

"No, no, no, let me do what I want."

"Oh."
"Trust me, you’ll love it."

"Okay." Xena continues to kiss my thigh, she runs her hands over my bottom and back, then she slowly glides a finger through the cheeks of my bottom. The touch makes me moan, and sends hot sparks to my groin, stirring up desire and lust.

"You like that?" Xena asks.

"Uh-huh." Is all I can get out. She runs her finger up and down a couple more times, I feel myself getting wet and I push slightly into her finger. Xena notices my wetness and runs her finger through my folds. She then takes the moisture and uses it to lubricate my bottom. She goes back and forth between the two areas a few times, before concentrating exclusively on my bottom. She runs her finger up and down, as my breathing becomes ragged and I push onto her finger harder. She is starting to get worked up herself and moves closer to me. I reach a hand around my body to touch her, but she takes her hand from my bottom and pushes it away saying,

"No touching for you."

"Why not?" I ask.

"Shh… Just enjoy the feel of my finger."

"Okay." I reply. Xena puts her finger back where it was as my breath catches again. She slides her finger up and down and then presses it into my tight hole. I gasp and she takes it out quickly.

"I’m sorry, did I hurt you?" She asks.

"No, not at all, it was wonderful."

"Again?"

"Yes please." I reply. She puts her finger back in my hole and slowly moves it in and out. I move the opposite way to her, and drive her finger in further with each thrust of my hips. She moans as she goes deeper inside and my breath becomes very fast.
"I want you to fuck me Xena." I pant.

"How?" She asks.

"However you want. Just do it now!" I demand. Xena takes her finger from my hole, she slides two of her fingers into my other hole and slides her thumb back and forth over the one she’s just exited. I gasp and start to ride her, I know my orgasm isn’t far off and as much as I would like to savour the feel of it, the more I want her to just bring me to a climax again and again and again, so I rock hard on her fingers, and each time her fingers go all the way in, her thumb pops in as well. It only takes a few rockings before I am calling out her name and coming all over her. She thrusts deep and hightens the sensations. The orgasm last for ages and when I am finished I am breathless. Xena takes her fingers out and holds me.

"What can I do for you?" I ask her.

"Fuck me, anyway you want."

"Okay." I say. I turn over and push her down onto the bed, then I lay on top of her and say,

"You know, with that toy I would be able to go deeper and fuller inside you."

"Mmm…. I like the sound of that!" Xena says.

"Should I get it?" I ask.

"Yeah." I get off Xena. She moves so she’s the right way up on the bed and makes herself comfortable. I pick up the strap-on and put it on. This feels so weird, but I really want to do it… Imagine how far inside her I could get… too bad I can’t actually feel her wetness myself… If I was a guy, imagine what Xena would feel like on my dick! Oh Gods, did I really just think that?… Well it is true though, she’d feel great, I mean I love how she feels around my fingers and…

"Gabrielle?" Xena asks, touching my arm.

"Hmm. What?" I ask startled.

"What are you daydreaming about?"
"Oh, you know, the usual - you… fucking you to be precise."

"Well don’t just think about it, get over here and do it!" I get back on the bed and straddle Xena, careful not to touch her with the strap-on. I run my fingers over her breasts and tweak at the nipples. She gasps and writhes under my hands. I bend down and lick the nipples, which have become very hard. Xena grabs my bottom and squeezes me. I move lower so I am resting on her knees and thighs. I run a finger through her folds, which are wet and glistening. She closes her eyes, moans and pushes onto my finger. I open her folds and flick my tongue through them, then I hold her open and thrust two fingers deep inside her. She arches her back and engulfs the fingers, I bring them in and out a few times, before removing them altogether. She opens her eyes and looks at me.

"Time for something else." I say. With one hand I continue to hold her open, and with the other, I guide the toy into her. She lets out a breath and says,

"Gods Gabrielle, you feel so good."

"You like that?" I ask, slowly and carefully sliding in and out of her.

"Oh yes. You fill me up. But I want you to do me harder."

"Are you sure? I don’t know if I can." I ask.

"I’ll guide you, don’t worry." She says. I slide out of her and take my legs from under my body. I then lay down on top of her, and with her help I slide back into her.

"Oh Gods, that feels good." She moans.

"Fuck me Gabrielle." I thrust in and out of her again, harder than before, she moves under me, panting and moaning. She digs her nails into my back and pulls my bottom towards her. We move together and a few moments later Xena calls out my name.

"Oh Gabrielle, oh Gods. Oh… oh… oh…" She pulls me deeper into her as the last of her orgasm passes. She opens her legs wider and I take the strap-on out of her.

"So, how was it?" I ask.

"Very, very good. We’ll have to try it on you sometime."
"I look forward to it.’ I reply. I take the strap-on off and place it beside the bed, then I snuggle up in Xena’s arms and fall asleep.

"Oh my head… it’s pounding." I complain, packing the last of my belongings up.

"Mine too. How much do you think we had to drink last night?"

"I don’t know, but I’d hate to be on cleanup this morning!"

"I’ll second that… hey have you seen my chakram?" I look around and point to a hook in the wall.

"Right where you left it."

"Oh, that’s right." She takes the chakram and puts it on her belt.

"Well, I think we’re ready to go." I say.

"Yeha, I wanna stick around to hear Zilandra’s fate though, is that alright with you?"

"Yes. I haven’t got anywhere to be…"

"And we’ll be talking about that later." Xena warns.

"I know." I reply innocently. We leave the hut and see Melosa walking towards us.

"Morning you two, how did you sleep?"

"Very well, and you?"
"Haven’t yet. But I’ll catch up later. I’m just about to go and see Zilandra, would you like to join me."
"Yes. I feel responsible for bringing a bad egg like that into your village, I just had no idea." Xena says.
"It’s alright."

"No, I mean if I had’ve picked up on anything I would’ve tried to sort her out myself."
"But you might’ve brought her closer to Gabrielle sooner, and you wouldn’t have been there to save her."
"That’s true I suppose."

"Anyway, what’s happened has happened, time to deal with her." The three of us walk to where Zilandra is being held. She is now awake and looks angry.

"Morning Zilandra. How did you sleep?" Melosa asks. Zilandra looks up, scowls and says,

"How do you think?" Melosa smiles and says,

"Oh good, you’re a morning person! Well, let’s just get on with this then shall we? Aphrodite, Ephiny, take the prisoner outside." They take an arm each and escort Zilandra out to the sparring square.

"By order of myself, Melosa, Queen of the Amazons I hereby ban you from our tribe and our territory. You are never to set foot on Amazon land again, if you do you will be killed. Is that understood?" Zilandra just continues to scowl.

"You will now be escorted from our land by Ephiny and Aphrodite, and I wouldn’t try anything stupid as there will be many groups of foot patrols watching you… Take her away." Melosa says. Ephiny and Aphrodite start to walk Zilandra away. She struggles against them, breaks free and turns back to the rest of us.

"I slept with Eponin and Magdelus… at the same time… I would tell you to punish them, but they weren’t all that good…"

"I am aware of your trickery towards them and they have been dealt with accordingly, it is none of your concern now." Melosa waves her off and Ephiny and Aphrodite grab onto her again. Melosa says,

"Well, that’s all taken care of, are you two leaving as well or staying?"

"We’re going to move on as well, we’ll keep an eye on her, make sure she stays away."

"That’d be great. Well, it’s been good to see you, even though your stay was short."

"We’ll be back soon. Promise." I say. Melosa and I hug, then Xena and Melosa shake hands,

"Don’t send us anymore special cases Xena, I think everyone’s had enough for now!"

"Oh don’t worry, I won’t." Melosa nods and goes back to her hut. Ephiny, Aphrodite and Zilandra are almost out of the village grounds when Zilandra yells back over her shoulder,

"You will be mine Gabrielle! And if I can’t have you by being like Xena, then I’ll be the complete opposite. One day!" I shiver and move closer to Xena. She puts an arm around me and says,

"Come on you, we’ve got a lot to talk about."

"I’m not going back Xena."
"I know and I won’t make you. I’ve gotta figure out how I’m going to punish you for disobeying me when I told you to stay at the Academy."

"Does it involve spanking!?" I asks mischeiviously.

"As a matter of fact, it just might."

"I think I’m gonna like this punishment!"

"I’ll change my hair colour, I might even see a healer about that new injection goat thing or whatever it is… yeah, I’ll change what I look like…" Zilandra stops walking and turns back to look at the forest which surronds the Amazon village. She raises her hand to block the sun from her eyes and says,

"And the name’s Najara, not Zilandra… and we will meet again Gabrielle. One day you will be mine."

Thanks for taking the journey through these 5 stories with Xena, Gabrielle, Argo, Ripley and myself… I hope you’ve enjoyed them. I will be working on some new stories very soon so I hope you’ll swing by and catch up with the four of us again. - Heartstarter.

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