General Copyright/Disclaimer:

Xena: Warrior Princess, Gabrielle, Argo and all other characters who have appeared in the syndicated series Xena: Warrior Princess, together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fan fiction.

This story includes writings from the Warrior Lesbian Discussion Board, lovingly shaped and pieced together by Zeta, Antigone and Old Warrior.

I would like to thank the following bards for their contributions:  Femmy, Ignacio, Terri, Cedar,
Ambyrhawke Shadowsinger, Philomel and the entire Warrior Lesbian family.

On behalf of the WLDB I would like to thank the WLDB webmasters Scott and JEM for all their hard work and support.

Special thanks to my Xena, Deb, for her masterful artwork and Rookie for her layout and design.
 

Love/Sex Warning/Disclaimer:

This story depicts a love/sexual relationship between two adult women.
We invite you to share with us now, the romance, passion and love of Xena and Gabrielle.
 
 
 
 
 

Original Artwork by Deb
http://debb.home.texas.net
 

by
 

Logo Design by Yasmin: http://members.theglobe.com/lessite/lessite.html
and
the Warrior Bards

he movement of the mare beneath their hips pressed the two women closer together in their ride. Gabrielle was aware of the familiar heat against her back - a warm, liquid sensation that recalled all those nights she had slept lazy and selfless in Xena's arms. Argo whinnied and slowed her pace to a walk.  The feeling of being close to her was the same.  Nothing had changed except their name for it.  How often had she closed her eyes to listen to the unsteady

pounding of her own heart?  Was the cadence any different now that they were married? Married!  The word made her shiver with disbelief.  In those luscious and stolen moments she had never dared to think of what enfolded her --- never dared to touch the lips that whispered her name again and again like a caress in the darkness --- never dared to call what they shared by it's rightful name.

She thought now of the moment she had first seen the Warrior Princess and the storm that had awakened inside her.  Her stomach fluttered a little at the image.  From the start she had felt it, a craving, almost a hunger --- one that she seemed to feed ceaselessly without filling.  She inhaled deeply, catching the scent of the woman on the back of her open throat.  She had followed the warrior because she was so very different, but what she had come to love in her at last seemed utterly familiar.

"You okay?" The woman whispered at her back.

Gabrielle swallowed and managed what she hoped was a visible nod.  She was thinking about the hand wrapped around her waist.  Xena's fingers were curled under her breast, a lock of her golden hair trapped between them. Her hand was so strong, callused like a man's.  Yet, soft as well. Why did she never expect the mixture of light and shadow in this woman? Why was she always surprised to remember her softness and her fears?

She thought now that she had never seen both aspects more clearly than she did at this moment.  She could feel the nervous tension in the woman's movements, the tightness of her abdomen, the tremor in her voice.  At the same time, she sensed perfect confidence and an unrelenting sense of purpose. Xena had made her intentions perfectly clear, indeed --- was making them clear even now in the way she was stroking her breast.  She felt a small strangeness at the newness of the sensation, but this was quickly replaced by a current of desire that flowed like a spring from some hidden place deep inside of her.

Am I okay?  She wondered, musing the question over in her mind.  She had thought that morning to find herself in bed with Perdicus…

But if the truth be known, she had thought every morning of finding herself in bed with Xena.
 
 
 

arlier that morning, they had gathered at the Shrine of Clio awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom.  Xena and Gabrielle were engaged in conversation and as usual, Joxer was laughing and joking around.

Somehow, Gabrielle had forgotten about her betrothed for a short while.  As she remembered, she was embarrassed to find that she wasn't more bothered by his absence.  She glanced over toward the door, and then back at Xena.  Their eyes met without saying anything.  Why should she be surprised?  The presence of the warrior woman had always driven all other thoughts from her mind.  No one else existed when she was under her shadow.  Gabrielle looked away briefly, and was the first to break the momentary silence.

"Well, Perdicus is a bit later than I thought he would be," she said nervously.  "I know he had some last minute things to do, and I'm sure he's just been delayed."

"Oh, I'm sure," Xena said with a shrug.

"Or maybe he's changed his mind," Gabrielle laughed softly.

A serious expression appeared on Xena's face. And while looking straight into Gabrielle's eyes she said, in something just above a whisper, "Then he's a fool."

Gabrielle returned the smile awkwardly; knowing and feeling so much more inside than the smile gave away.  Soon she found herself staring neither at Xena, nor the door, but down at her feet.  Her heart was beating faster.

For Xena, the events of the past few days and the meaning of her life with her precious Gabrielle could no longer be denied.  "Xena I'm gonna marry him," she had said.  Those words had been hauntingly pervasive in Xena's thoughts and dreams since spoken from Gabrielle's lips.  Nobody, maybe not even Gabrielle, could understand how the warrior felt inside; forced to pretend to be strong and always in control.  Could Gabrielle know that her strength and power came from the bard?  Could she see that Gabrielle was the strong woman and Xena was only following her?  When she had told Gabrielle that seeing her happy would make her happy, she hadn't been completely honest.  Before Perdicus entered the temple, Xena knew their future depended on finding the words to express what was, and always had been, in her heart.

"Gabrielle..."

Gabrielle shut her eyes... Still, they begin to tear.

"Gabrielle please... look at me."

Strong but gentle hands lifted her face upwards and she saw her own emotions reflected in the warrior's eyes.

Smoothing Gabrielle's golden curtain of hair, Xena leaned down.  She kissed her on the cheek and proclaimed boldly, "I love you, Gabrielle!"

The young bride stared at the line of her beloved's brow.  All she could hear was the pounding of her own heart and the soft voice of the woman standing before her.  The words seemed to last forever.  She traced their echo with the edges of her awareness, knowing that their resonance reflected a deeper meaning than simple words could convey.  She had never, never in her life, known the pure happiness she now felt.

With the woman's sapphire eyes upon her, Gabrielle realized Xena had finally conquered her own heart.  It was her turn now to do the same.  Tearfully she said, "You don't know how long I've waited to hear you say those words! I stopped listening to my heart long ago because I was afraid of loving you.  It's always been you, not Perdicus – I love you too!"

By the time these words had taken shape, the woman was already wrapping her in her loving arms.  Xena would make Gabrielle forget about Perdicus --- forget about him in her embrace.  She held her tightly, kissed her on the sides of her face, and gently whispered in her ear, "Gabrielle, it's okay.  Everything is going to all right; I'll make sure of that.  We are going to be together now, forever."

When their embrace loosened, and Xena could see Gabrielle's shining face, she took a small step back and glanced at her sweetheart in her wedding dress.  Gods, how beautiful she is, Xena thought to herself.

Dizzy from her closeness, Xena instinctively took Gabrielle's hand.  Her eyes following every curve of Gabrielle's young body, she lowered herself down onto one knee and said, "My dearest Gabrielle, will you marry me?"

The bard gasped.  In front of the gods, in front of the whole damn world if need be, the Warrior Princess was proposing.  This woman whom she loved more than life itself. Xena held her hand and promised to her, her heart, forever.

"Xena!"

"Gabrielle, I want to settle down and spend the rest of my life with you.  I know I can make you happy and I'll give you more than Perdicus ever could.  Besides, I'll kneel here at your feet forever until you say yes."

Joxer and the priest looked dumbfounded, but the lovers smiled.  To them, there was no one else in the room.  Gabrielle looked intently at the love of her life down on her knees, waiting anxiously for her reply.  After some brief but seemingly excruciating moments, she responded.

"Oh Xena, I've dreamed every night of spending the rest of my life with you and now you ask me to marry you?  The gods have answered my endless prayers.  Yes, I will marry you."

Oblivious to the astonished faces around them, Xena stood up and sought out Gabrielle's lips.

In a state of shock, the priest interrupted their romantic moment.  It had taken him a few moments to react, but he vehemently declared, "Uh, this is very unusual, it is not our custom.  Two women cannot..."

Simultaneously, Xena and Gabrielle turned and looked at the priest.  All it took was that one loving look.  Instantly, he saw beyond their eyes and into their hearts and souls and realized that their love was a gift from the gods.

"Please forgive me.  I see now that the Gods have already blessed this union."  Gabrielle and Xena met the priest's eyes in kindness and wept.

"Let me now join the two of you in love.  Xena, do you take Gabrielle as your wife?  Do you promise to love her and protect her and share your life with her until death do you part?"

"Now and forevermore, I do."

"And you Gabrielle, do you take Xena as your wife?  Do you promise to love her and protect her and share your life with her until death do you part?"

"Yes, I do.  For eternity."

The priest said prophetically, "Then, I now declare you…uh…wife and…I mean…"

"Married women", Xena concluded with a beaming smile.

"Married women."  He echoed with satisfaction.

At long last, they lovingly embraced and shared a kiss that could have lasted candlemarks…days…years, they didn't know and they didn't care.

They parted lips and turned to leave the altar.  Unbeknownst to Gabrielle and Xena, Perdicus had entered the temple and had witnessed the entire ceremony.  Coming out of the melancholy shadows, he stood at the rear of the Temple.  Brokenhearted once again, he knew there was nothing he could do.

"I'll always love you, Gabrielle. But, I think I've always known!"  Their eyes said a loving goodbye and Perdicus left the temple.  This time, Gabrielle did not succumb to his grief and did not follow after him.  It was as if a weight was lifted, and Gabrielle felt free...freer than she ever had before, and so desperately in love, but not with Perdicus, never with him.  She took a long deep breath and as she exhaled, she released Perdicus forever.

With eyes and mouth wide open, Joxer said, "Uh, eh, oh, this is so surprising.... I mean, not really surprising, I always thought... ok, maybe not, but.... anyway, good luck!"

Xena and Gabrielle burst out laughing, thankful for his uncanny sense of humor.  This time though, he was right on time.
 
 
 

he temple doors swung open and Xena burst outside grinning from ear to ear with Gabrielle right beside her.  With their hands tightly clasped, they stopped momentarily in the courtyard and Xena surveyed the area.  A crowd had gathered and surrounded the newly married couple.

Despite all the attention, Gabrielle's eyes were focused only on her lover.  She watched as the woman searched the crowd and let out an ear-piercing whistle.  To the distress of those gathered, Argo immediately answered her master's call and rushed headlong through the mass of well wishers.

Xena quickly mounted her horse and she lovingly extended her hand down to her bride with a big grin, "Come, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle smiled mischievously as she spied the place Xena had made for her - not in back as usual, but right in front of her.  An oblique glance over to Xena revealed the enjoyment on Xena's face; and an equally quick raising of the eyebrows, which she hoped no one else observed.  Nonetheless, it was obvious to the crowd though, that they were in love.

Almost blushing, Gabrielle accepted the invitation and grasped Xena's hand.  She was soon lifted up and sitting securely in front of the Warrior Princess.  Xena bent closer, extending one arm to grab the reins.  The other she wrapped securely around Gabrielle's waist, a bit high up in fact.  The rosy blush darkened when Gabrielle heard Xena breathe in her ear…..

"G a a b r i i e e l l l e …It's time for the honeymoon!"

Joxer broke their haze as he yelled above the cacophony of the crowd, "Good luck and a safe journey."

Both Xena and Gabrielle waved and smiled in return as Argo carried them away.  The powerful mare seemed to sense their urgency and she ran in a strong gallop over the bridge of Strymon guarded by the "Lion of Amphipolis."  Argo didn't slow until the sights and sounds of the village were far behind them.  For a long moment they were silent, enjoying the nearness of the other and the gentle clip clop of her hooves along the pavement.
 
 
 
 

t was then that Xena felt the sweet effect of her first intimate touch from Gabrielle, who had grasped Xena's thigh in an effort to stay centered, not just on Argo, but in the moment.   At the touch, Xena couldn't help but kick Argo, causing the horse to move into a trot.  This increase in movement pushed Xena harder into her bride's backside.  She could feel the impatience of her own passion, building like a storm in the knot of her stomach.  Though her mind

raced to think where they would be best secluded, Xena's attention was distracted by the wonderful body in her arms.  Her lips ached to touch and taste the love of her life.But where?  She decided to head in the direction of Troy and see what the fates had in store.

Xena pushed Argo on, her gallop expressing their need to be together.  Rounding a black cliff, a spectacular wine dark sea came into view.

"By the gods Xena, where are we?" asked the curious bride.

"You don't remember this place?"

"No."

"There, across the water.  It's Troy."

"Troy?  I can't believe it."

"Remember we have not been here since the end of the war.  Peace has smiled on Troy and the soldiers have finally laid their weapons aside.  There's new life here, now.  I have never seen the Aegean look so beautiful, almost as beautiful as you, Gabrielle."

The bard felt the heat in her cheeks and throat.  To hide her embarrassment she gave a golden toss of her head.  "So, is this where we are going to spend our honeymoon?"

"We're almost there."

Leaning down now and again to kiss Gabrielle's cheek, Xena guided Argo along the edge of the sea until they arrived at Hellespont.   It seemed fitting that they should find themselves at this narrow strait where the famous lovers of Hero and Leander had once pursued their love.  There was no torch in the temple now to guide their passion, but Xena seemed to know what she was seeking without it.

"There Gabrielle."  Xena pointed to the shadow of a small island in the Aegean.  "There is where we will spend our honeymoon.  Lesbos."

"Lesbos?"  The bard drew in a sharp breath.

"Fitting, don't you think.  We'll find passage up ahead."

"Lesbos?"

"Yes already.  Now, quit asking so many questions and come with me."

As they boarded the small, oared craft, Xena mused to herself whether kissing Gabrielle would work as well as the nerve pinching for her seasickness.  It was an easy matter to test the hypothesis.  As the night wind from the North filled their sails, the patient warrior princess tested it again and again.  They kissed until the sights and sounds of the radiant island called out to them.
 
 
 
 

awn had risen as they sailed, and the light in the East was streaked with crimson.  They strolled off the boat hand-in-hand, leading Argo behind them.  They were surprised to find the little island jumping with activity.  All about them, women's voices raised in song and bands of brightly-clad girls carried baskets of red poppies in their arms.  To the right and left, the women could make out bands of dancers, also female, moving in sensual patterns across the sand.

Xena could sense Gabrielle's eyes upon her, but said nothing.  She knew the woman was searching the crowd, trying to understand what made this village so different from all the others.  She could hardly wait to hear what her naïve bride would say.  This was one time when it was hard for her to maintain her Warrior composure.  If Gabrielle didn't say something soon, she was going to burst out laughing.

As Xena had anticipated, Gabrielle stopped walking and said, "Hmmm…Xena, what's going on here?"

"What do you mean?"

"The only time I've seen more women was at the Amazon Camp."

The warrior clicked her tongue and gave Gabrielle's hair a playful tug.  "We're in Lesbos, honey."  She chided.  "What did you expect to find?"

The bard giggled to herself nervously, thinking how far away she felt from the tiny temple where she had planned to marry Perdicus.  It was as if she had left her old life completely, arriving at a strange land where the women embraced each other openly.  She watched with wide eyes as a pair of women to her right kissed boldly in the street, linking arms to carry a small child between them.  She thought of her hometown of Potadeia and sighed, recognizing that she had come a very long way indeed.

"Do you hear that?"  The warrior's question interrupted her thoughts.

Gabrielle looked up, "What?"

"That lyre."  The dark head moved towards the west, where the morning sun still hadn't reached.  "It's coming from over there."

Now the bard could hear the unmistakable song of the lyre as the simple, sad notes reached across the air to them.  She was struck at once by the intensity of the melody, an aching rose from the music as plainly as if from a woman's voice.  She stopped in her tracks, surprised to find that her throat had constricted with feeling.

"What is that?"  She breathed, shaking her head in disbelief.  "Who is that?"

The warrior tugged her gently forward, guiding her footsteps to a thrall of women circled around a small-carved dais.  In the center sat a dark eyed lady with the lyre on her lap.  Her body was small and feral, as if each sinewed limb was an extension of the instrument itself.  She wore a robe of deep azure and her bare shoulders suggested both fragility and strength.  When they approached, she stopped her playing, and turned her wild eyes on each of them in turn, before granting them the smallest, enigmatic smile.

Please

Come back to me, Gongyla, here tonight,
You, my rose, with your Lydian lyre.
There hovers forever around you delight,
A beauty desired.

Even your garment plunders my eyes,
I am enchanted,
I who once complained to the Cyprus-born goddess,
Whom I now beseech.

Never to let this lose my grace,
But rather bring you back to me,
Amongst all mortal women the one,
I most wish to see.

The song finished with such intensity that each woman felt the words had been sung directly to her, as if the poet had whispered them directly into the hollow of her ear, or the secret folded tissue of her womb.  Gabrielle understood then who the woman was.  She had read her scrolls many times, and recognized the poem as one of her favorites.  She could not have said why she felt so awed in her presence, but was as if one of the immortals themselves were among them.

"Welcome to my island."  Sappho said kindly, and after such music there was a strange emptiness to her spoken voice.  "May Artemis bless your union and grant you joy and happiness."

Though she wanted to answer, Gabrielle found she could not speak.  Her tongue stuck thickly to her mouth, and she was grateful when the warrior nodded.  "We thank you for your hospitality."  She said, stepping forward.  "The island of Lesbos is beautiful almost beyond singing.  But how did you know we were coming?

The woman laughed, and hidden in the laughter they could hear the music of her lyre, lyrical and layered, as a seashell spiraled in upon itself.

"Artemis has been waiting for you to open your eyes."  She smiled kindly to see the smaller woman flush.  "A love like yours could not escape Her attention."

They spent the day feasting with the women of Lesbos, and listening to the poetry of Sappho.  There was dancing and wine, lamb and olives, and a great celebration of movement and color.  Gabrielle eventually overcame her shyness and read three of her scrolls to the poetess.  She was pleased by the woman's appreciative response, and by the cheerful encouragement of the inhabitants.  Still, she was more pleased by the warrior's familiar scowl, who seemed embarrased to learn how closely the bard had recorded their lives together.  Xena had never read her scrolls, she knew, and it felt good to share them with her.
 
 
 
 

"Gabrielle, before I met you, I had lost hope and my heart was barren.  Then you came into my life at Potadeia and everything changed."

Gabrielle's voice was very small as she observed, "You didn't want me by your side at first.  You tried to send me away.  Why?"

The warrior sighed, clenching her fists at her sides.  "Only because I felt I didn't deserve you.  I'm still not sure I do.  You looked at me like I was some kind of hero, but inside I felt like a monster."

"You were never a monster."  The bard's voice was firm.  "And it's time you let that go, Xena.  The only reason you are capable of doing good now is because that goodness has been there inside of you all along.  For a long time I loved something in you that you couldn't even see.  Now we both see it clearly.  I believe the priest was right when he said that our union is a gift from the gods.  Destiny brought us together.  It was written in the stars long ago but we dared not look at it."

Xena's eyes fell upon her angel of the light – the brilliance of her smile, her hair spun of gold from the sunlight, though now it was almost white in the moonlight. "You are so incredibly beautiful in your wedding dress, the sweetest vision of my entire life.  For the love of Aphrodite, why did I wait so long?"

Gabrielle laughed, and the sound was music, clear water over stone.  "I ask myself that same question.  You know the only reason I said yes to Perdicus was because I knew I could no longer battle the temptation.  Maybe I hoped that he would take me away from you so that the longing would disappear.   And now you're here---by the God's Xena.  Let's not torture ourselves anymore.  We are here now and you are mine forevermore.

Playing softly with her bride's fingers, Xena nodded and said softly, "I want to make love to you."

The wide green eyes darted suddenly towards the wall. Gabrielle's awkward expression of apprehension and bashfulness was unmistakable. She licked her lips.   "I've never --- I mean --- this is my first time, Xena."  She swallowed hard and there was a faultline of trembling at the corners of her mouth.  "I'm scared."  She breathed.

The warrior almost laughed with relief.  "My dearest Gabrielle, don't you know that I am just as scared as you?  Why else would I agree to let you marry Perdicus in the first place?  Why else would I lie beside you every night, close enough to hold you but never daring to?  I'm terrified of you --- terrified of how important you became to me in such a short time.  I'm scared of being hurt, scared of making a fool of myself, scared of pushing you away.  But I'm tired of being afraid, aren't you?"  She stopped speaking and let her gaze settle on the woman's upturned face.  When she spoke her voice had darkened with such intensity that Gabrielle could feel its fingers along her spine.

"Let's not be afraid anymore."

Her heart was pounding, and Gabrielle could feel the flush of heat in her cheeks and throat.  There was an urgency to Xena's voice that had not been there before.  It frightened and excited her.  Raising her head and looking into the woman's sapphire eyes, Gabrielle stammered, "I know you have been with men, but have you been with other women as well?"

My innocent Gabrielle.  So that's what this is all about, Xena thought to herself.  This hadn't even occurred to Xena, but as she saw the seriousness in Gabrielle's face, she knew this was of great importance and hoped she would find the right words.  She thought purposefully about it for a few moments.

Gabrielle knew what she wanted to hear, but in the silence, she wondered if she really wanted to know the answer.  She held her breath and prepared herself for the worst.

With abundant tenderness, Xena replied, "Gabrielle, you know that I have been with many men.  But, it might surprise you to know that I never loved any of them.  You are the love of my life and please believe me when I tell you that I have never been with another woman.  You and I my love, it's going to be our first time.  Are you ready for that Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle didn't have to answer; she clasped her lover's hands and laid her lips upon Xena's.  She tasted the sweetness of her tongue and the textures hidden there.  She could feel the desire building, as if there was something buried deep beneath the seam of her that she wanted.  She trembled to hear the moan from the woman's throat and the click of strong white teeth as their lips unlocked.  The night breathed softly now.

Whispering in her ear, Gabrielle said, "Yes, Xena, I'm ready."

Where she had been timid, it now seemed the bard could no longer keep her hands off her beautiful wife.  Desire overwhelmed her—she felt it in her throat and her stomach and her fingertips.  She couldn't bear to wait any longer - she began to undress Xena.  Slowly and seductively, she stripped off her leathers until the Warrior Princess stood strong and naked before her.  No longer a prisoner of desire, she moved closer, clasping her in her arms from behind.   Gods, how she loved feeling Xena's firm body up against hers.

Languidly, she ran her fingers down the smoothness of the warrior's back.  Hard shoulder blades and silken skin greeted her with impossible paradox.  How could anyone be so strong and so soft at the same time?  The softness excited her, and she sought it hungrily.  Placing her left hand gently upon Xena's right breast, she began to circle the nipple with her deliberate fingers, pinching very lightly.

"G a b r i e l l e... whhhat are you trying to do to me," the warrior breathlessly gasped. Astounded by the sheer raw unbridled passion, Xena's body groaned for release.  Oh, how this girl from Potadeia excited her.

"Still think I have hands like a sailor?" teased Gabrielle, as she strolled confidently in front of her lover.  Xena was speechless, but Gabrielle thought she could hear her flesh cry out, mouthing the words she left unspoken.

Provocatively, the bard removed her clothing before Xena's watchful eyes.  The sight of the naked bard was incredibly beautiful  -- it had never failed to take her breath away, even when Xena had been forced to scowl or turn her head to hide her reaction.  The warrior did nothing to obscure her response now.  She stood breathless at the feast before her.

"Xena, make love to me."

Gabrielle's wish was her command – she captured the woman in her forceful arms, carried her deeper into the hut, laid her upon the furs and bathed her with kisses.

Xena slowly trailed soft touches and kisses down, across and back up the ravishing body before her.  Gabrielle surrendered with delight, as the woman sought out her breast, teasing the nipple before taking it into her mouth, suckling and gently nipping it to hardness.  Again, Xena moved downward along the sleek young body beneath her, savoring the feel, scent, sounds and taste of her Love.

Gabrielle immersed herself in the flood of sensations spreading through her.  Her breath came in gasps and her body arched with pleasure as Xena's tongue hungrily probed her heated womb.  The young bride barely felt a slight twinge as skilled fingers gently slipped past her virgin's veil.

Caressing and plunging, tongue and fingers danced to a symphony of beating hearts, soft cries and ragged breaths rising to a crescendo.  Burying her nails into Xena's strong shoulders, Gabrielle came on the crest of the wave, a virgin to the warrior, calling out her name first in passion, then a breathy voice that filled Xena with a profoundly protective impulse to enclose her love in her embrace and never let go.  She had heard the bard speak her name many, many times since they left Potadeia, but never had the sound carried more power or eroticism.  In that moment, she knew that the woman belonged to her at last.

Dreamlike, the bard's head came to rest on the pillow, her breathing labored. Carefully Xena pulled herself up and laid her body directly on top of Gabrielle's.  Savoring the taste of her lover's sweet nectar, she rested her head on her bride's chest and listened to the furious pounding of her heartbeat.

"Xena?"

Xena raised her head and their eyes met.  Gabrielle took Xena's strong hand and tenderly kissed it.  For a moment she looked almost sad, as if she were only just beginning to understand how precious and fragile their love could be.

"What is it, Gabrielle?"

"Don't ever stop loving me," she whispered anxiously.

Welcoming the delicious softness of sinking into her lover, the warrior sighed and closed her eyes, She could not, in all her life, recall a moment in which she had been happier.  Somehow her heart felt light and full at the same time, and she could not tell whether she had been hopelessly lost or finally found.

"Never, Gabrielle."  She answered, smiling.  "Never."

"One more thing, Xena."

"Yes…..?"

A blonde eyebrow raised, and a glint appeared in green eyes. "Are you ready for me?"

Xena pulled her lover closer, her breath caught in her throat, and she bit her lip in anticipation.

"Now and forever…G a b r i e l l e…"

Somewhere in the distance, the soft notes of a lyre drifted on the breeze……

"Together……now and forever….."

The Bard and the Warrior, entwined in a Lover's Knot, once again floated into a timeless space……
 
 

(We hope you enjoyed our story,
Zeta and the Warrior Bards)

zeta@sierranv.net