Meleager stood. "My watch is in a few ticks – got a few things to do before then. See you in the morning … and Gabrielle?"

"Yes?" the bard replied, also standing.

He gave her a sheepish grin. "Thanks." He patted her shoulder and walked off.

Gabrielle sighed and shook her head, but she was smiling. OK, first good deed for the night is done. Now, find Svetla, get some water on … and wait for Xena. She felt a pleasant shiver run through her body. Hope I can keep it down…

The "Ritual" went much like it usually did, the only difference being that it started with a nice kiss, and this time Gabrielle didn’t hesitate to soap up her warrior herself – all over, taking her time with many of Xena’s more sensitive spots. The attention wasn’t lost on the tall woman, who seemed on the verge of losing herself to Gabrielle’s loving hands, when she suddenly reached down and gripped the bard’s soapy wrist before her young lover could reach between her legs.

"That’s enough Gabrielle," Xena gasped. "Please, just finish washing me, all right?"

"OK," the bard grinned. The rinsing completed, the toweling dry began, and once again, Xena had to gently dissuade her partner from getting too intimate about it. Mildly puzzled, Gabrielle was further put out when her warrior insisted on donning a shift before her rubdown. I’m never gonna get a chance to use those scented oils, the young woman mentally snorted.

Xena settled onto her stomach and tried to relax as her bard began the massage – noting, somewhat uncomfortably as Gabrielle straddled her buttocks, that the young woman didn’t seem to have her breeches on under the short skirt. Gods, what kind of ravenous beast have I let loose here? Xena couldn’t help smiling to herself. Still, her partner’s loving hands worked to ease the tension in her body, and the little kisses that peppered her back every so often were a nice addition. The warrior decided to let it go.

Xena was nearly dozing when she felt Gabrielle drape herself over her back, nuzzling behind her ear. "Wanna turn over?" the bard purred, unmistakably grinding her hips against the warrior’s muscled bottom.

Xena fought to still her quickening heartbeat. OK, she sighed, time for a talk… "Gabrielle," she began, "I don’t think that would be such a good idea…"

"Oh but I do," the bard whispered huskily, licking at the warrior’s ear. "I’ll keep quiet … I promise…"

Xena mentally groaned, then, steeling herself, she did turn over, gently pushing her bard off her in the process. "It’s not the noise that’s the problem…"

Gabrielle furrowed her brows. "Then what is the problem?" she asked, with just a note of worry. "Don’t you … want me?"

"Ahhh, Gabrielle," Xena sighed, her partner’s small voice causing her chest to tighten, "you have no idea how much." Xena’s entire life for more than two years had been one of maintaining a series of sometimes very delicate balances, and she was finding that admitting her love and becoming intimate with her bard had set some of those balances quite out of kilter. New ways of handling herself and their relationship would take time for both of them to work out, but whatever the emotional side things, there were also very real practical reasons for slowing down as well. At least, just a little bit – for now anyway. We really are both new at this.

The warrior pulled her bard into a gentle hug, inhaling deliberately, trying to find the right words. "I want you more than anything," Xena assured her lover warmly, then continued, more seriously, "but what do you think would happen if, say a half hour from now, Pollux and the mercenaries decided to ride through the camp? So we’re here, mostly naked, locked around each other, too distracted to notice for a vital couple of moments…"

"Yeah, OK," Gabrielle groaned, "I get the point."

"I’m not sure you do," Xena replied gently. "It’s not just here and now, protecting this camp." She paused. "Gabrielle, there are going to be lots of times and places it’ll be … safe enough to make love, and I promise we’ll find them all," she chuckled, "but I’ve been thinking about all the times someone’s tried to sneak up on us, in the dark, at night, and I don’t think it’ll be … practical sometimes. Maybe even most times. Understand?"

Gabrielle sighed, a grudging comprehension dawning on her. "Yeah, I do," she said sadly, "but I don’t have to like it."

Xena held her closer. "Ah Gabrielle, please believe me. I don’t either. If I could make love to you every single minute of every day, I would." The warrior sighed, then admitted, honestly, "Gods, sometimes the need to be with you is so strong I’d rather tear my teeth out than stay away."

"Oh Xena … I feel that way too –"

"I know," Xena cut her off, as gently as possible. "And if I were anyone else, that would be a wonderful thing. But I’m not, and that’s why this so … necessary." She sighed. "There’s almost no such thing as an old warlord…"

"But…" Gabrielle began.

"But I’m not a warlord anymore," Xena finished for her. "I know, and you’re the one I have to thank for that." She kissed her bard’s head lightly. "But that’s what I was, and that’s all that matters – there are too many bodies behind me. Too many people want to see me dead, and since I’ve found you, I’m not about to give them the chance. I want to live a long, long life, because…" The warrior faltered a moment, then looked up again. "Because whether or not I deserve it, I have a love…"

"We have a love," Gabrielle said softly, gently taking her warrior’s hand in her own. "Ours. Together."

Xena looked into Gabrielle’s eyes. "Yes, we do," she said quietly. "So please, understand – I just don’t want either of us to die because we got careless. I … need you too much the rest of the time too." The bard felt her heart melt again at her warrior’s simple admission. Xena blinked. "We both have to outlive anyone who has reason enough to kill me, and there are so many…"

Gabrielle sighed, nodding. "You’re right. It would be stupid for one of us to be killed or hurt because we were too wrapped up in … being intimate to notice someone sneaking up on us. I couldn’t live with that." She paused, kissed the hand gently. "I need you too," she said quietly.

Xena accepted this with a slight nod and warm caress, deeply touched by having her own words returned. "I know it’s not fair to you," the warrior said ruefully, her voice just a warm whisper. "You’ve never hurt anyone. I’d give you a lifetime of pleasure if I could, and it’s not just about being safe on the road. If I thought we could settle down somewhere, make a home…"

"You’d do it. For me," Gabrielle replied, the warm intimacy of their conversation filling her heart. Then she sighed. "But you’re right. We can’t do that. A … a still target is easier to hit." She shrugged deliberately, looking away. "Besides, it’s not just about us – it’s all the good we do as we travel too. I know how important it is to you." She smiled. "It’s one of the things I love about you."

Xena smiled back. "I had a good teacher."

Gabrielle held her lover closer, gave an exaggerated sigh. "Well, it would be awfully selfish to stop now just because we finally found each other." The young woman gazed again into those depthless blue eyes. "But we’ll have our home Xena, I promise. Some day, no matter what it takes, I swear I’ll see you sleep easy and free. I swear it."

The taller woman started to protest, but Gabrielle silenced her with a fingertip to her warrior’s lips. "But until then, we have to keep moving, and we have to stay on guard."

The warrior nodded, then chuckled mirthlessly. "Maybe if we could keep our heads when we made love…"

"Not a chance," Gabrielle insisted. "I want your undivided attention. If you have to even think about listening for anything but the way you make me moan, I’ll feel cheated." Xena chuckled softly and shifted around to lay with her raven head on Gabrielle’s shoulder. The bard thought that as much as she loved being in Xena’s arms, she rather liked the feeling of Xena snuggling against her sometimes. "I guess I’ll just have to learn to control myself," Gabrielle teased.

That earned a moment’s honest laughter from her dark lover. She felt teeth clamp just painfully over her breast. "That’ll be the day," Xena breathed. The warrior raised her head so her happy, blue eyes could gaze at her bard’s face. "Besides, I think all that, um … youthful enthusiasm makes you kind of cute."

"Ugh," Gabrielle rolled her eyes. "Please don’t call me that. Call me small, call me young. Call me yours. I’m all those things. Call me my name – especially my name, because I love hearing you say it. But barmaids get called ‘cute’ – by the gods, rabbits, even bugs can be called cute. I hate that word."

"How often do I call you beautiful?" the warrior smiled.

"Oh, just often enough," the bard replied, blushing. "Any more often and it wouldn’t be that special."

"Very well then, my small Gabrielle, my young Gabrielle…" with each new endearment, Xena was planting feather light kisses along the bard’s neck. "…my loving Gabrielle, my strong Gabrielle, my brilliant Gabrielle, my beautiful Gabrielle, and above all my Gabrielle…" She ended by placing her last soft kiss on her lover’s lips, then rested with their faces just touching. "Consider yourself anything but cute."

"Mmm, Xena," Gabrielle moaned. "If you were serious about keeping alert, I think you’d better stop now."

Her warrior chuckled again. "Good plan." She rose up and grabbed for the blankets, then the two of them snuggled together comfortably beneath them. "Good night, Gabrielle."

"Good night, my love."

* * *

Many miles to the north, Pollux was bent over a map. He and Race had lucked out somewhat a few days before: When Stophacles had disappeared, roughly half the men under his command had elected to join up with the mercenaries. The two of them had only allowed those who were uninjured and had horses to come along, but it had still swelled their ranks appreciably. If their estimates of the Amazon force were reasonably accurate, by the numbers they were nearly even, and even felt they had an advantage in that all the men were mounted and could move fast. Now they just had to figure a way to make that work, and soon – they’d been pushing everyone hard, and the troops were getting tired, but vengeance outweighed every other concern.

They would kill the Amazons, Xena, and Meleager, or die trying. That was that.

"OK," Pollux mused, staring down at the parchment, "we know they’re still heading west, but they’re not on either of the two main roads, so that leaves the Ipress road."

"Which makes sense," Race concurred. "It winds around a bit but it cuts through heavy woods – dense trees, lots of cover. If you’re an Amazon, it’s smart."

Pollux nodded. "That means we’ve been staying roughly parallel to their route, and likely we’re ahead of them. So, do they turn north, or south?"

Race again resisted the urge to scratch at his empty eye socket. "Well, if they were heading south, they would have done it by now, turned off and followed the coast – lots of villages and cities to run to for protection, including…" He stuck the map with the point of his knife.

"Amphipolis," Pollux grunted, "home turf. But the runner says they haven’t been spotted near there."

"Right," Race nodded. "Now, the Ipress doesn’t cross many other roads, so if they are going to head north it’d have to be either here, at the Strymon river, or here, at the border of Macedonia."

"Perfect," Pollux smiled. "We can be at the Strymon by morning. We wait for a day, and if they don’t show, we head for Macedonia, which is even better. Just across the border the road clears the woods onto an open plain that goes on for miles. We can camp there, then run ‘em down when they come out of the trees. Easy pickings."

Race grinned. "With luck, we’d even have time to dig a few slit trenches. Then we draw ‘em out and hobble what horses they do have. Like you said – easy pickings."

"Agreed." Pollux settled back, his hands behind his head. "Revenge, my friend, is sweet."

* * *

The next couple of days were slow and easy. Lilith’s followers took to singing as they traveled – the Ipress road was practically unapproachable, and nearly uninhabited, so Xena couldn’t see any advantage to keeping quiet. Besides, they were getting very close to their destination and everyone’s spirits were high.

Gabrielle chalked it up to a combination of knowing she wouldn’t have much more time with Lilith, their casual ease with any topic, and, in some ways, her own re-discovered passion and need to just know more about the physical side of love. In any case, her questions about Lilith’s beliefs became increasingly detailed.

"I guess what I don’t understand," the bard asked one afternoon, "is why anyone would want to be a priestess? I mean, don’t get me wrong – whatever you want to do with your own body is your business. But where I come from, um, well…"

Lilith smiled. "Do you enjoy your pleasures with Xena, young one?"

Gabrielle blushed. "Um, of course, but, well, that’s the point – I mean, I feel that way because it is with Xena."

The Priestess thought for a moment. "Imagine, then, feeling the same way about all the sons and daughters of the Earth as you do about Xena. What then?"

Gabrielle pondered this for a moment. "No, can’t imagine it … I don’t think anyone else could make me feel that way. I love her – I mean, I really love her, with every part of me."

"Then you are indeed fortunate, young one," Lilith replied quietly. Then, smiling, she tried again. "The priestesses simply learn to cherish all life in the same way, to see every person as a part of the whole, and to open themselves to each according to their need. I do not pretend it is an easy path, no matter what some might feel – indeed," the Priestess chuckled, "I have known many a young woman who simply believes this to be a way of satisfying her own lust in the guise of serving some higher purpose."

Lilith sobered slightly. "I have never begrudged anyone their own pleasure – if one wishes to take a new lover every day, providing one is mindful of the consequences to oneself and others, and will own up to the responsibilities, that is in itself a remarkable thing. Yet, for our ceremony to work, one must love all, find what is desirable in all, give of oneself and not simply take. It is the celebration of life and love and pleasure, all at the same time."

Gabrielle tried to get her mind around it. "No, I’m sorry Lilith," she said finally, "but I couldn’t do it. It sort of … cheapens it to feel that way about everyone. Do you know the story of how people used to have two heads, and four legs?"

Lilith smiled. "And how we now all look for the other half of our soul? Yes, young one, I have heard it, and I understand the way you feel. It is a truly precious thing to find one’s soulmate. I would that everyone could do so. As I said, being a priestess is not an easy path, and to give up this search for a time and embrace all equally is perhaps the greatest sacrifice they make. Yet the world is full of broken souls in need the Goddess, in need of healing of one kind or another, and to dedicate oneself to reaching these, to showing them love is possible and then giving them that love unconditionally, if only for a moment, this is what we strive for."

Gabrielle thought for a moment. "So what about Meleager?" she asked slowly. "I mean, you seem pretty ready to give up the ceremony for him."

"Only if he wishes me to," Lilith chuckled. "And in truth I know he does, and I will do so when he asks. As for the other priestesses, they are free to follow their own hearts and cease any time they wish, and at some point all do. Indeed, it is rare for one to serve more than a few years, and often I insist they … retire? Yes, retire well before then. To be a vessel for the Goddess is a joyous calling for the spirit, yet one also has a responsibility to one’s own body."

The bard blushed a little. "Um, yeah," she bit her lip, "that … that makes sense. And I can’t imagine it’s fun all the time – too many sweaty, unwashed…" She let the thought drift off and shuddered.

Lilith laughed. "Why do think the ceremony begins with a ritual bathing, young one? I assure you, in this case there is nothing symbolic about it."

* * *

Xena and Solari eased their way through the trees, neither making so much as a whisper against the leaves. Just ahead, a small herd of deer grazed peacefully in a clearing. The warrior raised a hand, signaling Gabrielle and the rest of the Amazons behind them to a halt. The relatively uninhabited Ipress road had offered the caravan safety, but the relative lack of villages or towns gave them few opportunities to barter for supplies. Food was starting to run low, and it was decided to stop for a day and do some hunting and foraging.

Solari tapped Xena on the shoulder. "We’ve got company," she whispered.

"I know," the warrior nodded back. Just over to their right, a pack of wolves was approaching the herd just as stealthily. Why can’t things ever be simple? Xena mentally snorted.

Xena thought for a moment, balancing the risks of scaring off the wolves with the knowledge that letting them attack the herd would scatter the deer and leave her and the Amazons back at square one after an hour of tracking them. The warrior knew wolves as noble creatures, well-organized and mostly keeping to themselves, which is why their behavior now puzzled her a bit. They crept towards the herd steadily, apparently uncaring of the human hunters who were even slightly upwind. They have to smell us, so they why aren’t they avoiding us? Shielding her eyes from the sun, Xena looked closer, taking in the protruding ribs. Damn, that explains it – the whole pack is starving. About the only time they’re really dangerous. All right, leave them be.

"We back off," Xena whispered to Solari. "They need these deer more than we do."

The Amazon nodded. "I’ll have the archers spread out. When the herd scatters, maybe they can…"

Solari was cut off by a loud shriek from the edge of the clearing, as the wolves’ approach startled a huge, furred shape out of the brush. The skittish deer immediately began to flee, as the shape wheeled around to face the wolves. A boar, Xena noted in surprise. A really big boar. "Fall back!" she called out. "Stay clear!"

"Too late now," Solari shouted as the boar charged into the pack. Several wolves swarmed around it to attack, but in their hunger and confusion, several others turned on the Amazons.

Xena barely had time to draw her sword as a huge wolf leapt at her. The warrior dodged aside, landing a stout blow to the side of its head with the hilt as it went by. They quickly spun around to face each other, Xena holding her sword out, blue eyes locking on yellow as they both snarled, staring each other down. Back off, the warrior commanded. I will hurt you if I have to. Back off…

A moment later, the wolf warily circled around the tall warrior, never losing eye contact, then broke and charged off to help fight the boar. Xena let a feral smile slide across her face, glancing over the battle. Several of the wolves had been hurt, but the boar was definitely getting the worst of it. The warrior pulled herself away from the primal spectacle and turned back to the Amazons.

"Gabrielle!" Xena shouted in alarm. The bard was surrounded by a helpless and worried group of Amazons, all uncertain what to do as their Queen circled and battled with the one remaining wolf who had attacked them. Two other wolves lay dead nearby.

Both bard and wolf were moving too fast and unpredictably for anyone to help without fear of hurting, or at least distracting Gabrielle. The wolf would charge, the bard would knock it aside with swift blow of her staff, and the wolf would scramble around for another attack. Xena drew her chakram. "His eyes, Gabrielle!" she shouted. "Remember eye contact!"

For a brief instant the pair froze. Xena could see the tension in the bard’s body relax almost imperceptibly, and when the wolf charged again, Gabrielle unleashed a whirling series of blows to its head. The animal collapsed to the ground, one leg flailing weakly as it lapsed from consciousness.

Xena didn’t even try to hide her smile as she quickly put away her chakram and ran over, gripping the bard’s shoulder with one hand while the other ran through strawberry-blonde hair. "Can’t I leave you alone for a minute?" she chided gently.

Idly caressing the warrior’s side and hip, Gabrielle shook herself, then chuckled. "Nope. Every moment is a new adventure."

Xena smiled down at her love. "Well, so much for a quiet day in the woods."

One of the archers coughed quietly. "Um, my Queen?" She half drew her bow and gestured with it towards the still twitching wolf.

Gabrielle took a step back. "Put that away," she said sternly. "He fought well. Leave him alone."

The archer smiled. "Of course, my Queen. I’m sorry."

Xena rolled her eyes. "All right everyone, regroup," she announced. The warrior waved her hand towards the howling and squealing a dozen yards away. "Let’s give this clearing a wide berth and see if we can’t figure out where those deer ran off to. We’ve still got a lot of hungry mouths to feed."

As the group headed back around into the forest, Xena kept one arm draped lightly over Gabrielle’s shoulders. "You know," the warrior began conversationally, "when the story gets back to the Amazons that their Queen fought a wolf – and won – they’re going to be very proud."

"You think so?" the bard replied, teasing, but with an edge of seriousness underneath.

"Oh, I know so." Xena gave her an affectionate squeeze. "But they won’t be half as proud as I am."

Gabrielle blushed lightly. "You don’t know how much that means to me."

Xena just smiled. "Gabrielle, I’m always proud of you…" She sighed. "You said that not a day goes by I don’t do something that amazes you. Well, I want you to know I could say the same about you. I know I don’t very often, but…"

"It’s all right Xena," Gabrielle said softly. "You may not say it, but you show it all the time." The bard smiled. "Hey, remember that time we broke into Troy?"

"How can I forget it?" Xena chuckled.

The bard chuckled back. "It kind of scared me a little when we did it, but afterwards, I was so … happy you trusted me to handle myself. It was … a special moment, you know?"

Xena grinned as she walked. "Yeah well … Do you remember a couple of weeks before that, when that bunch of highwaymen ambushed us?"

"Ummm," Gabrielle thought for a moment, then blushed lightly. "Oh yeah, that…"

It was like any normal day: Up at dawn, a quick breakfast followed by an hour or so of drilling, then they packed up and headed out, moving south with no particular destination in mind. Except that right around mid-day, a group of about eight bandits had charged out of the forest on either side of the road. Xena, of course, had launched herself off Argo and instantly taken down two of them before she even drew her sword.

Gabrielle had watched, fascinated as she always was by the warrior’s technique. Many fighters, the bard knew, had favorite moves and tricks which they used again and again, but the really interesting thing about Xena was that she never quite did things the same way twice. Xena was simply so good in combat she almost never felt truly threatened, and could improvise practically at will – reveled in doing so, in fact.

But on that day, while Gabrielle had studiously observed the way Xena dispatched multiple opponents, the bard was suddenly aware of two other bandits stealthily approaching from the rear. Without even really thinking about it – later, the bard would remember being frankly irritated at being distracted from watching Xena – she waited until they were in range, then lashed out first to her right, then her left, catching both men off guard by driving the ends of her staff hard into one solar plexus, then the other. With a quick pivot, she cracked them both across the temple, dropping them to the ground.

Then Gabrielle had gone back to watching as Xena finished off the rest. When one of the men behind her stirred and tried to rise, the bard simply leaned back without even looking, jamming the staff into his groin. After that, there were no further distractions.

When Xena had been satisfied none of her opponents would regain consciousness any time soon, she turned and checked on Gabrielle, then smiled as she sheathed her sword. "You all right?" the warrior had asked, grinning.

"Um, sure," Gabrielle had answered, a little confused. "Any reason I shouldn’t be?"

"No," the warrior had replied, still grinning. "None at all. Come on…" With that, Xena had mounted Argo and they’d continued on their way.

Xena smiled at Gabrielle, letting the Amazons move a little farther ahead. "When I saw what you’d done, and that you were practically unaware of what you’d done, not even winded, well, between that and you smuggling my chakram and whip into that prison just a few days before, that was when I knew … well, that was when I quit worrying so much. You’d be fine on your own."

Gabrielle gave a dry snort. "Like you haven’t had to rescue me plenty since then."

"True," Xena chuckled, then shook her head and said simply, "but you’ve rescued me too…" she looked down, "in a lot of ways." Xena stopped walking and took her bard in her arms again, looking deep into those green eyes as she caressed the small of her partner’s back. "You’ve…" The warrior struggled for words, which never came easily. "You taught me how to feel again, Gabrielle. Don’t ever doubt, you’re the best thing that ever happened to me."

The bard smiled. "And I could say the same to you." She raised herself up slightly and gave her warrior a firm kiss, then for a moment they just held each other.

Xena sighed, then pulled away. "Come on, let’s not get all mushy in front of the Amazons – that’d shoot down both our reputations pretty quick."

The bard laughed. "Welll, I’m not so sure about that," she crinkled her nose, "depends on what kind of reputation you want. But OK…"

* * *

A day later the caravan reached the border of Macedonia and swung north. Everyone was feeling a spirit of jubilation – in a day and a half, two at the most, they would reach their valley and the long, arduous journey would be over. The forest opened into an wide plain as night fell, and they camped on the edge of the woods.

"Should be smooth going from here on," Meleager remarked to Xena as they set up the watches.

"Let’s hope so," the warrior mused. "Open ground isn’t the best terrain for the Amazons."

"True," he nodded, "but all the Guardians are mounted, and it’s almost flat until we hit the foothills. No high grass, almost no scrub – no way anyone can sneak up on us, not any sizeable force anyway."

"It also gives us nowhere run to or hide," Xena said, then shrugged. "No way around it though. Just hope our luck holds. Make sure the scouts know to stay alert – with no cover they’ll be easy to spot too."

"Hm, good point…"

A half mile away, a pair of runners, well hidden behind craftily constructed hunting blinds, noted the campfires at the forest’s edge, then patiently waited for the scouts to pass them by. Remaining hidden until the moon had set, they slunk off into the darkness.

By morning, the mercenaries had finished setting up the last of their traps on and around the road where the grassland gently rose into the foothills, then took cover in the sparse woods there – it wouldn’t do to be spotted while the caravan could still retreat to the other end of the plain. Their quarry would reach them just before sundown.

"Revenge," Pollux sighed again, "is sweet."

Something was wrong. Gabrielle didn’t know what just yet, but when one of the Guardians knocked on Lilith’s wagon and breathlessly informed them that Xena wanted to see them both, she knew it had to be serious. And when she and Lilith reached the front of the column and saw Meleager, Morgin and Solari, her stomach sank even further.

They gathered around Xena in a loose circle. "We’ve got some decisions to make," the warrior stated flatly, getting right to the point. "The mercenaries are here, a couple of miles up the road, waiting…"

"So we retreat," Morgin began, then was cut off by a pair of glaring, ice-blue eyes.

Xena exhaled slowly, then said patiently, "Wouldn’t do any good. They’re mounted. All of them. They’ve formed into battle lines, so they know we’re coming. It’s a safe bet they’d know if we tried to run. With the wagons, we couldn’t possibly move fast enough to get away." The warrior paused, letting what she’d said sink in. "Running isn’t an option. It’s that simple."

"So what are our options?" Gabrielle asked carefully. The bard had taken in the way Xena was standing, how every fiber of the warrior’s being was on alert, coiled and ready to spring. This by itself made the bard understand just how serious the danger was, but she also knew that when Xena was this focused, you had to be very deliberate in how you said things.

The warrior turned to look at Gabrielle, saw how her bard was both steadfast and understanding, and was suddenly aware of her own iron hostility, barely held in check. The battle hasn’t started yet, Xena, she sternly reminded herself. Quit treating your allies like they’re enemies. "All right" she said absently, fighting for calm. "We don’t have many choices. In fact, we really have only one: Stand and fight."

"She’s right," Meleager agreed, nodding, his expression grim. "No way they don’t know we’re here. The only thing we can do is keep…" He glanced at Lilith. "We have to keep the non-combatants out of it."

Xena nodded back. "I have a plan," she said simply. "It’s not much, I admit, but it gives us a chance." She looked around the circle. "I won’t lie to you though – I expect heavy casualties, no matter how this turns out. Morgin, Lilith, will the Guardians stand?"

Lilith looked like she was about to say something, but Morgin spoke first. "Of course," the First Guardian answered with authority. "All of us have long since pledged to die in defense of the following. We’re ready to do so now." Lilith lowered her head, but smiled.

Xena gave a dry chuckle. "I’d rather you make the mercenaries die in defending the following," she said without a hint of irony, then clapped Morgin on the shoulder. "but thanks." The warrior turned slightly. "Solari…"

The Amazon groaned. "Aw come on Xena. If you think for one second a single Amazon is going to back down from a fight, you deserve to be tied over an anthill." Solari turned and bowed deferentially to Gabrielle, then said knowingly, "Unless of course, my Queen thinks otherwise…"

"You kidding?" The Amazon Queen gave a graveside laugh. "I wouldn’t even try to hold ‘em back. They’ve been kinda edgy, frankly, and could use a good fight – just to work off their, um … tension from guarding all these eager women," Gabrielle finished, nudging Solari with the hint of a blush.

"Damn right," Solari nudged her Queen back. "And Xena, let me tell you – frustrated Amazons are nasty enemies in battle."

The warrior shook her head. "All right, all right…" Xena quickly collected herself, growing serious again. "For what’s it worth, we do have a slight numerical advantage – I’d put it at less than ten, but it’s something. There’s also a low hill to the west, and it’s not much, but it’s our best shot. We should form up the caravan behind it and put every soldier on top. We’ll be in full view of the mercenaries, and we just have to hope they’re more impatient than we are. I’m not about to charge into them…"

"Traps!" everyone around the warrior said, almost simultaneously. The circle began to giggle.

Xena rolled her eyes and nodded. "Yes: Traps. We let them come to us, not us to them."

Solari continued to chuckle as she said, "So we rain arrows down on them as they charge … pepper their ranks … penetrate them, oh, as best we can…" She laughed again. Everyone else laughed too.

"This is serious, people!" Xena growled.

Morgin nodded soberly, then said, "The way to stop men on horseback … well, real men," she began, losing her own battle with herself and laughing again, leaning back and cupping her hands in front of her crotch. "You’ve gotta … thrust at them, with big, manly spears … show them how yours are way bigger than theirs…"

Xena made her disgust plain. "This is no game," she hissed.

Gabrielle threw an arm around her warrior. "Xena," she said quietly, "let them joke. Sometimes laughter is the only defense, you know?" The bard lowered her head and, although she still chuckled, let a seriousness into her words. "You know we’re all focused on everyone’s safety. You’ve seen how good everyone is – depended on it already a few times. We’re all friends here…"

Friends… Xena cut her bard off with a raised hand and closed eyes. "You’re right…" The warrior chastised herself. This isn’t your army Xena. These are your friends. Everyone here takes their responsibility seriously, even if they handle it differently than you do. They might want you to lead them, but you don’t own them. "You’re right…" Xena took a deep breath. "Fine then, let’s make preparations and move out. Morgin, since you seem to know so much about spears, make that your first priority. Gather up as many as we have, make sure they’re all at least six feet long – longer, if possible."

"This will be done," Morgin smiled, then furrowed her brows. "However, I don’t think we have many."

"I know," Xena nodded, thinking. Then a slow smile spread across her face. "We can tear the planks off the sides of the wagons," the warrior said slowly. "Rip them down lengthwise, then sharpen one end – ought to be able to get three or four out of each plank. They won’t last long, but…"

"But neither will they have to." Morgin positively beamed. "We only have to stop a single charge. I’ll see to it – we’ll have dozens by the time we reach the hill. We can work as we move." She saluted and hurried off.

The warrior turned to Solari. "How’s the arrow supply?"

The Amazon shrugged. "Considering we won’t need any more after today, one way or the other? We’ve got plenty. Extra bows too, if any of the Guardians know how to use them."

"Good," Xena smirked. "Go pass ‘em around."

"Yes, my General," Solari chuckled, saluting, then she smartly turned on her heel and headed towards the massing Amazons.

Meleager took Lilith’s arm and turned her away slightly, leaning in to talk quietly. Xena took that as her cue to do the same with Gabrielle. Before the warrior could say a word, the bard had silenced her with a finger to Xena’s lips.

"No chance," Gabrielle said gently, smiling. "I am not going to stay out of this battle. No way. I’ll be right there, watching your back." Xena started to protest, but the strawberry blonde cut her off again. "And don’t worry – the Amazons can watch my back. You won’t even have to think about me."

Xena pulled her bard into a tight embrace. "Not much chance of that, my love." They took a long moment to simply hold each other, letting the warmth of their bond surround them, comfort them.

Barely six feet away, Meleager and Lilith were doing the same. The aging warrior cleared his throat a little. "Um, Lilith, I uh … just in case … I mean…" He let out a long breath, then pulled away slightly and looked deep into the Priestess’ gray eyes. "What I’m trying to say is … I love you Lilith, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

The Priestess hugged him tight again, smiling against his chest. "I know, my dear one. I know. You have made me happy in my time, and I love you as well, for you have touched my heart. There is joy in your words, such pleasure in knowing your soul. Spend the rest of your life with me dear one, and I will love you forever."

"I love you Lilith," Meleager said quietly, as if re-affirming them to himself, then more strongly, "By all the gods, I love you Lilith." They kissed warmly.

Without breaking their own embrace, Xena and Gabrielle both took a moment to glance at the pair. "I think," the warrior mused, "these are the strangest battle preparations I’ve ever been involved in."

The bard chuckled and snuggled closer. "I’m not knocking it."

Xena reached up and cradled her love’s head so she could look down into those wonderful eyes of green. "Me neither," she whispered, before covering Gabrielle’s lips with her own.

The four of them rejoined the caravan just as it was moving out. Meleager went to help the Guardians with the spears, while Gabrielle decided it was a good time for the Queen to give some words of encouragement to the Amazons. This left Xena with Lilith.

The warrior pursed her lips. "Lilith," she began, "I have to ask this…"

The Priestess shook her head. "No Xena," she said quietly. "I am sorry, but I will not fight. I would not be of much use in any case, not for long. To be in the midst of battle, to feel the anger and pain around me, so strong…" She sighed sadly, looking at the ground, then looked up again. "No, I cannot."

Xena recalled the manic look in the immortal’s eyes after she had subdued the crew of the slaver’s ship, fully realizing now where it had come from, and why. "I understand," the warrior nodded soberly. "Stay behind the hill with everyone else. If the battle goes badly, move out and make a run for it – don’t stop until you reach the valley, all right? No matter what else happens, I will not let the mercenaries take this caravan."

The warrior was startled by the Priestess suddenly surrounding her in a close embrace. "Ah, Xena," she sighed, gave a soft sob. "You and Gabrielle, and all who have fought so hard to protect us, endured so much so selflessly, you are the true joy of the Earth. I have known so few like you … you will fill me hope for generations upon generations. I pray the Goddess your lives are long and happy."

Despite herself, Xena felt oddly touched by the immortal’s words, let herself hug the smaller woman lightly. "Thank you Lilith. I … I wouldn’t have missed this for the world," she chuckled. "Now, I’ve got things to do, if you don’t mind."

Lilith laughed softly and released the warrior, smiling as she wiped at her tearing eyes. "No, it is I who must thank you. No matter what happens this day, I will remember you all, always, with a special place in my heart."

"Take care Lilith," Xena smiled, then brushed past to find Argo.

Svetla walked up and placed a hand on Lilith’s arm. "My Priestess," she said quietly, "we are witness to a miracle. These are the most noble of souls, to place themselves in such danger for our sake … truly they were sent by Inanna."

"Yes they are," the immortal responded, her face growing serious, "and I will not stand idle and watch them perish from the Earth." She turned to the slim blonde. "Send word to the priestesses Svetla, and gather the faithful – we have preparations to make."

"What will we do?"

Lilith favored her with an oddly serious smile. "We shall do what has not been done for well over a thousand years. We must give of ourselves completely, Svetla, and if Inanna favors us we shall, at least in this small time and place, win over anger and hatred…"

* * *

Race was drumming his fingers on his saddle horn – a noise that bugged Pollux to no end. "Where are they?" Race asked. "They should have been here an hour ago." The drumming continued.

Pollux gritted his teeth and didn’t bother to answer. All the men were keyed up and ready for battle after days of hard riding and laborious preparations, and this interminable waiting was only making everyone anxious and more than a little cranky. Blowing up at Race over something so inconsequential wouldn’t help anything.

Finally, Heptus rode up with a scout. "Well?" Pollux snapped.

"Spotted ‘em sir," Heptus replied, a bit out of breath, "on a low hill to the southwest."

Now it was Race’s turn to snap at him. "And? What are they doing there?"

"Nothing, as near as I can tell. I think…"

"What in Tartarus is that supposed to mean?" Race cut him off. "Nothing?"

Pollux silenced his partner with a curt wave, staring at his lieutenant. "Just give the full report."

Heptus narrowed his eyes, then spoke in a deliberately calm, measured voice. "Like I said: The Amazons and those whore Guardians are set up on a low hill a mile or so southwest. The caravan seems to be hidden somewhere. They’re just sitting on the hill. They’re not moving. It doesn’t look like they’re going to move. End of report, sir."

"Great," Race snorted. "Fine, tell everyone to get ready – we’re moving out."

"Are you really that stupid?" Pollux spat, finally losing his temper. "That’s exactly what they want! We’d be Amazon pincushions before we even reached the hill!"

"So what do you want to do, oh great leader?" Race sneered back. "Sit here on our butts, waiting for the light to fade so they can slip away in the dark?"

"We need a plan…" Pollux began.

"To Tartarus with plans!" Race shot back. "All we’ve done is plan! I’m sick to death of plans! It’s time we act!" He yanked on his reigns, turning the horse around to face the men as he drew his sword. "I say we attack, now! Ride at them hard and fast – who’s with me? Kill them all!"

Pollux fumed silently through the cheers that thundered around him. We’re all gonna die, he thought to himself. Then he sighed. Yeah, like that won’t happen sometime anyway. With that he drew his own sword. "All right then!" he shouted. "Let’s make this a battle even the gods will remember!"

Within seconds, fifty-two mounted, heavily armed men thundered at full gallop across the plain, toward the setting sun, and revenge.

* * *

Xena stood looking out over the plain, an odd mix of emotions inside her. There was the usual adrenaline-filled tingle in her limbs that she always felt before a battle, and she understood this – it was almost as familiar to her as breathing. Yet, standing on that hill, one hand lightly keeping contact with the warm, bare skin of Gabrielle’s back, her bard’s hand resting over her shoulder in turn, the warrior also felt a strange, almost sensual peace. To have such seemingly opposed feelings at once was confusing, focusing, and yet liberating at the same time.

She took a moment to gather her thoughts, then leaned in closer to her love. "Gabrielle," she began quietly, "if something should happen…"

"It won’t," Gabrielle cut her off. "You won’t let it, and neither will I. Look around Xena – we’ve faced much worse odds than this." The young woman chewed the inside of her lip, then just chuckled. "Do you believe in destiny?"

The warrior narrowed her eyes. "Actually no. I believe we control our own."

Gabrielle smiled. "Then there you go – are you going to let a few mercenaries come between us?"

Xena grinned back, gave a light chuckle in return. "Point taken." She kissed the smaller woman on the temple, then glanced around. Every archer was ready, everyone had a spear within easy reach, the troops seemed no more edgy than usual before a battle. Victory isn’t in question, the warrior thought. But how many casualties will there be? How many of these women will I mourn at day’s end?

The warrior sighed, then glanced over her shoulder towards the caravan.

The sight made her pause. "Meleager?" she frowned, clearly annoyed. "What are they doing? They should all be in the wagons."

Meleager turned to look, then frowned himself. "Beats me."

Every single one of Lilith’s followers were gathered around the immortal, arms draped over each other’s shoulders in a series of close, concentric circles. They swayed slightly, seemed to be chanting something.

Meleager shook his head. "I’ll run down and –"

"Here they come!" Solari shouted. "Archers!"

"Damn you Priestess," Xena muttered, reaching for her own bow, deliberately taking time to notch an arrow and draw before she faced the enemy. The mercenaries were riding at full gallop, dangerously fast and well spread out – a less easy target for their arrows than she might have hoped.

Wait … wait… "Now!" the warrior howled, letting fly, notching and releasing another almost immediately as the Amazons did the same.

The arrows fell in lethal arcs. A number of mercenaries dropped as they or their horses were hit. Their ranks were thinned, but the rest thundered on, barely slowing – this was a suicide charge, and everyone on both sides knew it.

"Spears!" Xena commanded, dropping her bow and charging halfway down the hill, her own spear in hand, the Guardians and half the Amazons following while the rest continued to fire their bows as fast and as accurately as they could. Xena and those with her crouched and planted the butts of the spears firmly into the ground, then raised the points, forming a tight line. A few riders were able to skirt around, a number of others managed to pull up short, but the rest crashed the line with brutal force, sending horses and riders to the ground in bloody heaps.

Xena felt the impact as the spear shattered in her hands, and barely had time to roll aside as the horse she’d impaled flipped almost completely over. A spare second later she was on her feet, sword drawn, decapitating the rider as he groggily tried to rise.

The warrior glanced around, desperately searching for Gabrielle, then caught sight of her. The bard, Solari, and a couple of other Amazons battled against a half dozen men, but Xena quickly lost the strawberry blonde again as a still-mounted mercenary charged at the warrior. She flipped and hit him with both feet square in the chest, knocking him down, driving her sword through him as they hit the ground.

And then she heard … singing?

For some reason, it stopped her dead in her tracks.

Xena rose to her feet and looked up the hill. Lilith and her followers were standing in a tight group, silhouetted against the setting sun, a swaying chorus framed by clouds that glowed with such a bright, golden light it was almost impossible to look at directly.

"My one love has blossomed,

My one love, the one my body loves best…"

Xena shook her head, trying to clear it. There was a powerful current of sensuality carried on the song, not so much in the words as in the slow rhythm with which they were delivered. It was the same low and high combination they’d heard the first day they passed Lilith’s camp, only magnified, carried through a hundred voices, warmly affectionate yet indisputably sexual. The feeling flowed down the hill in a palpable wave, washing over her, making her limbs tremble.

"My well-stocked garden of the plain,

My one love is an orchid by the water…"

The pull of a hundred hearts was irresistible. Emotions on edge from battle were swayed easily to an equally strong feeling of joy edged with physical arousal, which began to seep into Xena’s very core. Everyone else was gripped just as powerfully, and all around the warrior the fighting had slowed or stopped altogether. She saw Morgin and Dulith standing in a group with three mercenaries, the two women joined in song, the men swaying in place, occasionally trying to raise their weapons, only to lower them again in confusion.

"My honeyed one, my honeyed one sweetens me always.

Sweetens me always…"

By now all the Guardians had joined the chorus in song, adding to the pull of the music, feeding the swirling sensations it carried. More than a few Amazons had joined in as well, and if they didn’t know the words, they caught the rhythm, and lent their voices to the notes. Xena was losing herself to the overwhelming pull of the emotions surging within her and everyone around her, realizing she was feeling theirs almost as clearly as she did her own. It was all she could do to put one foot in front of the other, desperately trying to keep moving through the swaying crowd, using every ounce of concentration to stay focused on one thing: Finding Gabrielle.

"My eager impetuous caresser of my body,

My one love is an orchid by the water…"

Lilith and her followers began walking down the hill as they sang, their brilliant white gowns drifting off their bodies as they moved. The very few combatants who had any will left to fight lost it at that moment – the sheer sight of so much smooth, feminine beauty, offered so freely, would have left an army speechless.

And it did. Two of them.

"Xena!" Gabrielle shouted, running over and throwing her arms around her warrior.

"Gabrielle…" Xena moaned. The flood within her became a raging torrent, the feel and the sound and the smell of her love surrounding her, deliciously warm and alive and loving and perfect in the way that only Gabrielle could be. The warrior’s hands ran unconsciously over the bare skin of her bard’s back, only her iron will keeping her from reaching lower and gripping Gabrielle’s wonderfully firm bottom and pulling her in for a kiss that would certainly kill them both. She forced herself to pull back slightly, gasping, "We … we have to get out of here … Lilith, she’s…"

"No…" Gabrielle insisted, whispering. "No … we have to stay … please? We have to stay…"

Xena scooped up the smaller woman in her arms, trying to shake off the tingling sensation from wherever Gabrielle’s bare skin touched her own. The warrior’s arousal was growing dangerous in its intensity. With great difficulty she began walking in a straight line, ignoring the couples and small groups which were beginning to form and drift to the ground together around them. She had no idea where she was going, just followed her feet downhill. Anywhere just to get away.

"We … have to get out of here Gabrielle," Xena stammered, "too powerful … don’t want to hurt you…" There was a lone boulder near the base of the hill and Xena headed for it, irrationally thinking that if they could just get behind it they could somehow shield themselves from Lilith’s immeasurably amplified empathic powers.

Gabrielle gripped her warrior’s head in her hands, deliberately bringing them to a halt and locking her deep green eyes to blue. "I won’t break, Xena," she said huskily. "I want your passion. Take me…"

The smoldering look in her bard’s eyes made Xena believe it. She covered the smaller woman’s lips with her own, felt Gabrielle’s hand gripping the back of her head almost painfully. Xena’s entire world collapsed to the single point where her mouth and tongue joined with her bard’s, the warrior nearly climaxing right then and there from the sheer loving sensuality of it.

The strength left Xena’s arms, but Gabrielle landed easily on her feet, through some miracle or force of will never breaking the kiss. Now Xena did squeeze her bard’s firm buttocks in her hands, making her small partner moan and press her body against her dark lover as they both shuddered. "Take me Xena," Gabrielle gasped.

With her last ounce of determination, Xena broke away and took one of the bard’s hands in her own, pulling and half dragging her around the other side of the boulder. With another soul-searing kiss they collapsed to the ground, the raven-haired woman pushing the strawberry blonde onto her back. "I’m going to take you Gabrielle," she rumbled throatily, "take you places you’ve never been…" After plunging her tongue into Gabrielle’s willing mouth again, she clutched the bard’s green top in an iron grip. "No time for niceties," she growled, then tore the material away and seized on the soft, inviting flesh underneath.

Gabrielle moaned and raised her head, hungrily claiming her lover’s mouth again, snapping a shoulder clasp in her haste and desperation to get Xena out of her armor.

At the start it was the fiercest lovemaking either woman had ever known. It was primal, fighting for advantage, each knowing the other’s needs instinctively yet always goading the other on.

Then, slowly, after a time, the easy warmth of the love between them gentled the pace, if not the intensity as they each began responding only to the other’s shuddering rhythms. Every sensation melted into the next until neither could be certain where one of them ended and the other began. It seemed as though the moans and cries which carried to them from everyone else fed their desire, pushed them higher still. Carried on an ocean of love and pleasure, they found a place where they were a single entity, one being bound together by joy.

And as the first rays of dawn painted the sky, they collapsed against one another, exhausted and senseless. It would be hours before either could stir.

* * *

Solari awoke groggily. She smiled, even though it felt like she had a bad hangover, except her head didn’t hurt, and the mid-morning light didn’t bother her eyes. Then her memory of the night before slowly came back to her, mostly in unconnected bits and pieces. Merciful Artemis, she mentally groaned, that was … that was amazing. Maybe I oughta think about staying with Lilith in that valley of hers…

The next thing she was aware of was that a guy was under her, which wasn’t altogether unpleasant. She always figured that some day she’d find the right girl to join with and settle down, but she still enjoyed herself when she could have a man. In fact, when a nice guy and her own unpredictable mood happened at the same time she rarely passed up the opportunity. Actually, it’s probably better this happened with a guy, she reasoned, if it’d been a woman, there would have been no reason to stop and it probably would have killed me. Rolling a half-opened eye downward, she mentally snorted. Although you didn’t do too bad for yourself girl … nice one actually.

The sight of her reasonably well-endowed partner suddenly made her realize that she was naked too. Although for that matter, she noted, so was everyone else. The Amazon looked around, grinning wickedly. Well here’s something you don’t see every day. Yah, definitely one to tell the granddaughters – although probably not until they’re older. The hillside was covered with scores of naked women, perhaps forty naked men, piled together mostly in twos and threes of random genders, although a few larger groups were scattered here and there.

Solari saw Adrea and Dulith tangled together and asleep a few yards away, and chuckled. Sorry Juna, but I think those two are gonna be about inseparable after this. Actually, her thoughts turned serious for a moment, now that I think of it, this little group grope is likely to upset more than a few women back home. Orit over there has been joined for what, five summers? Oh well, she mused, maybe we’ll get a few new pregnancies, so it wouldn’t be all bad.

By necessity, a nation entirely of women had to make a few concessions to procreative realities. Expectant mothers were revered by tradition, but also by tradition, how they got that way was never, ever questioned. Joined couples could decide things for themselves in whatever manner they were comfortable, but once it happened, that was that and discussion ended. Solari glanced around again. Well, no help there – seems like most of us managed to find other women … guess we’ll just have to claim extenuating circumstances or something … or just keep this quiet. She mentally snorted. Yeah, like that’s gonna happen … oh well, no sense worrying about it right now.

In looking around, Solari slowly realized there were also roughly a dozen, fully clothed, very dead bodies lying in places as well.

Don’t want to think about that just yet either. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then brought her thoughts back to her own situation. So, who is this guy anyway? Then she turned her head to get a better look at who she’d wound up with as he stirred into wakefulness. "Aw, Hera’s tits … you’re Pollux? The one who’s been causing us all this trouble?"

"Yeah, that’d be me," he said sleepily, shaking his head and smiling. "Warrior for hire … at least I think I used to be." He looked up at her. "I don’t know your name … sorry about that," he said softly, "but I’d guess you’re an Amazon?"

"The feathers are always a dead give away," Solari chuckled, then glared down at him, just because she could. "I’m Solari, and I’m an Amazon General, and don’t you ever forget it."

"Not likely," he gasped. "And I’m honored…" Then he groaned. "Aw, centaur crap! I’m supposed to hate Amazons!"

Solari impulsively gripped his half-hard – though still quite impressive – member in her hand. "Didn’t hate me last night, did you?" She squeezed, felt him stiffen a bit more. "Or now…"

Pollux moaned loudly. "Uhhn, looks that way … I guess I’ve got some, uh, adjustments to make."

Solari grinned seductively. "Didn’t know these things were adjustable," she quipped. "Why not run down the list of features for me again, hmmm?" With that she straddled him fully and guided him inside her.

* * *

Xena awoke, smiling as she realized Gabrielle was once again lying on top of her. Have I mentioned this is a really nice way to wake up? Granted, she felt sore and scraped all over … also, she couldn’t help notice, her lover’s fingers were still inside her, buried between her legs. Guess she did win that last round, the warrior thought idly. Still, despite the soreness she simply felt too loved, satisfied, and good to want to move.

On the other hand, she also realized she couldn’t take the chance that everyone else would just feel the same. She held her lover a little tighter, then shook her gently. "Gabrielle?" she whispered, "C’mon love, wake up…"

Gabrielle stirred, pumping her fingers absently. Xena found herself responding, despite the pain it caused. I knew you had stamina my bard, but I had no idea … No way I’m riding today. Hades, I’ll probably be walking bowlegged for a week. She grinned. If I remember it right, we both will…

That thought made her pause. She glanced down at Gabrielle’s body a little more carefully, found her fears confirmed. She took in the scratches on her bard’s back, the handprints that still hadn’t faded on her pale buttocks, the light bruising around the visible nipple, and cringed with guilt.

A guilt which was easily brushed aside by Gabrielle gifting her with twinkling, half-open eyes and a warm, loving smile. "Morning…" Then the bard realized where her hand was and blushed. "Um, sorry about … uh, here…" She stammered as she carefully extricated her fingers, rewarded with a grateful sigh.

"No Gabrielle, I should be sorry," Xena said quietly. "Look at what I did to you…"

The bard cut her off. "Uh, excuse me? Xena, if anything you look worse." She started to silence the warrior’s protest with a finger to her lips, then remembered where those fingers had just been and thought better of it. Instead, she settled over on her elbow, leaving their legs entangled as she fixed her lover with a sultry grin and licked her hand clean, enjoying the obvious flush of desire it provoked.

"Mmm, Xena, listen – I know last night was, um, strange, and I’m not saying I want to make love like that all the time," she grinned sheepishly, blushing. "But I love that you’re so passionate Xena. It’s one of the things I love about you most, and I also love you for being able to share my own passion so freely. You made me a very happy, very satisfied woman, warrior mine. I just hope, well, I hope I did the same," she finished, her blush deepening.

Gabrielle once again draped herself over her tall lover, head pillowed on Xena’s breast, sighing as they embraced. "I love you Xena, so much," she said warmly. "Now, if we’re finished with the self-recrimination thing, I think we’re both due some serious cuddling," she chuckled, snuggling in.

Xena shut her eyes and bit her lip. I really should know better by now, huh? "I love you, Gabrielle." Blinking back a tear, she raised her head and kissed the red-gold hair. Then with a reluctant frown, she listened closely to what was happening on the other side of the boulder they were sheltered behind.

Satisfied there was nothing going on – at least, not anything dangerous – she held her love a little tighter and found herself relaxing again completely. Yeah … cuddle … sounds good. She sighed contentedly. "I want you to know, my bard, last night was the most wonderful, most honest love I’ve ever made in my life." She smiled warmly, caressing her love gently as she held her close. "You’re the one my body loves best, Gabrielle … and all the rest of me too."

* * *

When the sun was at its height, Xena gave Gabrielle a last kiss and finally, gently, extricated herself from her lover. She donned her leathers, then found Argo and dug around until she came up with Gabrielle’s spare set of clothes. The bard’s outfit from last night had been effectively shredded, and the warrior was a bit embarrassed.

Gabrielle laughed, tossing her destroyed green top away as a lost cause. "At least my boots and belt came through it OK. That buckle means a lot, you know?" Xena chuckled.

The two of them walked across the hill. The warrior had on her usual outfit, except for the swirling breast and back plates. The broken clasp was beyond a quick fix. And if I ever needed proof Gabrielle is stronger than she looks…

All two hundred people were standing or sitting in various states of undress, and a range of moods. Most were in pairs or small groups, talking quietly and laughing. What drew Xena’s attention immediately was Race, backed by about ten fully armored men, arguing with Pollux.

Xena approached Solari, who stood watching the exchange, arms crossed. "Xena, my Queen," the Amazon nodded.

"What’s going on?" Xena asked.

"Pollux has had a change of heart," Solari said. "Now he wants to ride with the caravan, help protect it, and live in Lilith’s valley. So do most of the men actually, a few Amazons too." She looked down and chuckled. "Artemis forgive me," she muttered, "I almost decided to do the same…"

Pollux had his heavy leather pants on, but was naked from the waist up. "I don’t care about that," he was saying loudly. "I’ve found a different path – no big deal. Hey, if you want to keep fighting and slaughtering people and get paid for it, then go ahead." He shrugged. "But know this: If you ever cross me Race, I’ll drop you without a second thought," he said, matter-of-factly.

Race sneered. "So this is the great warrior Pollux? One good lay and he’s tamed. You disgust me!"

Xena smirked. "This is just guy … well, it’s mercenary stuff." She shook her head. "Race will give up and leave soon enough. Solari, as quietly as possible gather some Amazons and Guardians. Arm yourselves and keep an eye on Race and his men. I don’t think this will turn violent, but no sense taking chances. Just make sure they head out the opposite direction we do, all right?"

Solari chuckled. "No problem. I gather you’re going to tackle the daunting task of getting everyone organized?"

Xena rolled her eyes. "Someone has to…" Then the warrior leaned in and asked seriously, "Do you believe Pollux?"

Solari leered and laughed. "Hey, who do you think is the reason he likes Amazons now?"

Gabrielle snorted. "Solari, you are incorrigible!"

The Amazon shifted to a smirk. "Like you, my Queen, are ever so chaste – I count at least ten hickeys between you … don’t even want to count the scratches and bites…"

Gabrielle blushed, tried to say something, then just turned away and followed a chuckling Xena. They found Lilith with Meleager at the top of the hill, Meleager seated with the immortal reclined against him. The couple were wrapped up in a large wool blanket and, apparently, nothing else. The immortal smiled as they approached. "Joy and love to you, Xena and Gabrielle," she purred. "Inanna has blessed us beyond measure. This day shall truly remain sacred among the faithful for all time."

"Good afternoon to you too," Xena grinned. "That was … an interesting tactic Lilith. It seems the only casualties were mercenaries who died in the charge – well, and Gabrielle’s outfit." She chuckled, then added, more seriously, "You took a big risk."

Lilith continued to smile. "No more than did any of you. It was … let us say an act of faith. I believed in my Goddess, in the love she bears to all things, and in the love that lies within us all. I and those who follow me simply released it." She gave a silvery laugh. "And you Xena, and you Gabrielle, you fairly glow with it."

The warrior smiled and ran a hand through her bard’s hair, was gifted with a warm smile and a light blush in return. "Yeah well," Xena sighed wistfully, "still, I think we’ve had enough afterglow for one day. We should get moving."

"Yeah," Meleager sighed back, "guess we should … if I can find my clothes." He laughed lightly and wrapped his arms around Lilith, nuzzling her hair for a brief moment before he looked up at Xena. As if searching for something to say, he asked, "So, is Race going to be trouble?"

"Don’t think so," the warrior answered. "I’ve got Solari looking after him just in case, but I’m pretty sure he’ll just shout himself out and go away. My biggest concern is that he’ll track us and find the valley."

Meleager scratched his chin. "Then defense will have to be a top priority once we get there … put a couple of gates in the tunnel…" his voice drifted off. Then he shook his head. "Yeah, let’s just get there first. C’mon Lilith, let’s see if we can find something to wear."

The immortal laughed and playfully kissed his chin before rising smoothly to her feet, standing gloriously nude under the bright noon sun. Xena raised an eyebrow, sweeping her with an appreciative glance. Gabrielle just stared.

Lilith winked at them, then looked down at Meleager. "The Earth gives us all we need, dear one, yet it does not grow clothing that I am aware of," she grinned slyly, then casually glided off down the hill towards the wagons, naked as the day she was formed.

* * *

"By all the gods," Gabrielle breathed. "It’s incredible."

Xena settled an arm around her shoulders and nodded as they drank in the sight. Lilith’s valley was as lush and green as the immortal had promised, filled with trees of a surprising variety and an expanse of flowing grassland, split by a slowly moving river who’s source was a high waterfall tumbling down the cliffs in the distance, and which ended in a small lake. Some miles to their right, the warrior could make out the steaming plumes of hot springs. The winters here would be pretty mild, she mused idly. It was one of the most beautiful places Xena had ever beheld in all her travels.

Warrior and bard stood on the edge of a low drop off at the exit to the tunnel along with Meleager, Lilith, and a number of others, all of them momentarily speechless. Finally, it was Pollux who spoke first. "This … this is," he began, voice choking with emotion, "this is the closest I’ll ever get to seeing the Elysian Fields. I don’t deserve to be this lucky … I hope you can forgive me some day. Thank you for this chance … thank you all."

Xena held Gabrielle a little tighter as she regarded him for a moment, noting the open emotion on the ex-mercenary’s face. Tears were falling, and he seemed barely in control. Been through a lot of life changes in a mighty short time, haven’t you Pollux? Xena thought. Tartarus of a shock when it hits you, huh?

The warrior shuddered lightly, and feeling it, Gabrielle gave her a reassuring squeeze. "Dinar for your thoughts?" the bard asked.

Xena looked down into those loving green eyes, filled with soft concern, and smiled warmly. "Just thinking that some paths to redemption are a lot easier than others, and that out of everyone here, I’m probably the luckiest one of all."

Gabrielle bit her lip and hugged her love close. "Sometimes Xena," she chuckled, sniffling, "you say the sweetest things."

Xena held her precious bard for a moment, pressing her face into the red-gold hair. "Yeah, well," she chuckled lightly, "don’t go spreading that around." She sighed. "All right, enough mushy stuff. Time to get practical again."

Reluctantly, Xena let Gabrielle go, then turned and addressed everyone. "C’mon folks, you’ll have the rest of your lives to enjoy the view, but we’ve only got a few hours of daylight left and we need a ramp so the wagons can get over this drop off – it won’t just build itself."

Meleager sighed. "Yeah, you’re right. The work here is just beginning – we’ve got a village to build, crops to plant, defenses to figure out. Not to mention we’ve got to recruit a few hundred more settlers, import all kinds of equipment we don’t have yet but will need, about a million other things we probably haven’t even begun to guess at…"

Lilith laughed, wrapping an arm around his waist and pressing the side of her face against his shoulder, a single tear falling down a sculpted cheek as she looked out over her beloved home. "There will be time enough, my dear one. Now that we are here at last, there will be time enough. With Inanna’s love and that of our hearts it shall be such pleasure living it through, all of us with the Goddess … one precious day at a time."

A few weeks later, Xena sat comfortably on the ground of a nice little isolated glen they’d happened across. They’d found it by following a small river for no reason, and now they were miles away from anywhere in particular. She was propped up against her saddle, dressed in a shift while mending a tear in Gabrielle’s. The bard sat on the other side of their small campfire, intently scribbling away at a scroll.

The warrior bit through the end of the thread, tested the stitching to make sure it would hold, then folded the shift neatly and put it aside. She settled with her hands in her lap, watching her lover for a time, allowing herself the simple joy of being well-fed, warm, safe, and together.

They had spent some time with Lilith and her followers, both assisting with the construction and just wandering the valley by themselves, unwinding after the arduous journey. Xena smiled at the memory of the two nights they had spent camped by the hot springs. I don’t know where you got them from, my bard, but I think you got me hooked on scented oils.

Saying goodbye had been difficult and a lot more emotional than Xena had expected. She owed the immortal a great deal for getting her to admit what was in her heart, and found she’d grown extremely fond of Morgin as well.

Xena chuckled lightly thinking of the First Guardian. Morgin had wound up in an odd relationship with both Pollux and Torin, one of the half-dozen Amazons who had decided to stay. The three of them had taken to drilling and sparring together, their vastly different military backgrounds giving them a lot to discuss and learn from each other. Soon they were rarely apart, sharing meals and work details, and then one day, things had just … happened. Still, it seemed more than a few relationships involving multiple partners had been formed in the valley, and Morgin seemed happy, so Xena was happy for her.

After leaving, Xena and Gabrielle had journeyed with Solari and the Amazons until they reached the Ipress road, where they had parted ways. The Amazons spent a night in celebration, bidding a warm farewell to their Queen before swinging east and heading home the next morning, while warrior and bard had continued south with no specific destination in mind.

Now, here they were, a day later, improbably taking a day off. Just a day. Not a bad thing, really. Xena watched with affectionate amusement as Gabrielle silently – and not so silently – mouthed sentences, made random gestures, would scribble something down only to look disgusted and cross it out, then repeat the process, all in the course of putting their latest "epic adventure" down on parchment. She’s so beautiful when she’s writing … so serious about everything.

Finally, Gabrielle sighed and gave a resigned shrug, carefully blotting off any excess ink before rolling up the scroll and tucking it back in its case. "So," Xena asked nonchalantly, "how’d it turn out?"

The bard set the case aside and crossed the camp, settling down next to Xena with a self-disgusted groan. "It’s how it turned out that’s the problem," she grunted, crossing her arms and staring at the fire. "We’re talking about a story that basically ends with the biggest orgy in history, and that wouldn’t exactly fly in a tavern full of farmers. I’d probably be stoned just for telling it."

Gabrielle cut herself off with another grunt, tightening her crossed arms even as she leaned against her warrior, who slid an arm around the bard’s tense shoulders and let the smaller woman continue to rant as they watched the dancing flames. "Aw, just forget it," the bard sighed. "Even if I did get a chance to tell it, no one’s ever going to believe it anyway – a bunch of women stop a battle by singing, and then over two hundred people make love, not war? Merciful Artemis, I was a part of it and I don’t quite believe it. This one’s getting sealed up, stowed away, and never taken out again."

Xena grinned, leaning in to nuzzle the bard’s neck, then sucking an earlobe between her teeth. "Even if I ask really nice? I like how it turns out," she purred.

"Uh, well," Gabrielle stammered back, the tension in her body slowly easing, "I suppose on um, special occasions…"

"Mmm-hmm…" Xena continued to purr, running her lips and tongue in a relentless assault over the bard’s ear.

"Ohhh … Um, Xena?"

"Yesss?" the warrior hissed, with deliberate sensuality.

"Now would be special, right?"

"Mmm, very…" Xena whispered, moving her attention to the side of the bard’s throat, feeling the thrumming pulse under her lips. "Do we need words to tell this story?" She slid a hand up under Gabrielle’s top, slowly caressing the warm skin she found hidden there.

The bard moaned, turning to face the warrior, straddling her lap, wrapping her legs around Xena’s hips. One callused hand still moved slowly under her top, while the other skillfully unfastened the bard’s belt, then slipped down under the back of her skirt. "Nnnhh … yeah we do…" Gabrielle chuckled breathlessly, "… but just the loud parts…" She began nibbling the taller woman’s collarbone, then groaned when her lover once again captured her earlobe. "Oh, gods," she breathed, "I love you Xena…"

Small hands were tugging up the warrior’s shift, fingers tracing light patterns over the warm, sensitive hollow of Xena’s back, making the tall woman shiver. "And I love you Gabrielle," she whispered, just before sealing their mouths together. "For as long as Earth endures…"

Disclaimer: No immortals were harmed in the writing of this story. Lilith almost got a cold, but some nice hot tea fixed her right up.

Author’s notes (a better term would be "Ego’s notes". I guess I go on sometimes):

I realize that Lilith and Inanna are powerful figures in the lives of some modern women (maybe a few men too), and I sincerely apologize to anyone who might have been offended by the way I characterized them here. I had no intention of ever making that aspect of the story particularly accurate, and don’t pretend to know much about either beyond a general familiarity with the legends and a small amount of follow-up research. Although I based things loosely on myth and history, I pretty much made it up as I went along to suit my own evil purposes.

On the other hand, I decided to defer to Homer and Plutarch and place the main Amazon city in Themiscrya, on the Thermodon River south of the Black Sea (among other things, they’re said to be the first to use iron weapons. How ‘bout that?). This puts them pretty far afield from Greece as it’s depicted in X:WP but it suited the story, since traveling by wagon from there to upper Macedonia would take at least a week or two, and leave a large caravan open to ambush as it crossed the Bosphorus and headed through eastern Thrace. There really isn’t any other route you could take.

Oh, and there never was a chain ferry at Byzantium (modern Istanbul). I made that up. I have no clue if such a contraption would even really work, but once I got the idea for that scene I wasn’t going to let a little thing like physics stop me – after all, Xena doesn’t. However, for a time Byzantium was ruled by a series of Alexander’s generals after his death.

In the "Things I can’t take credit for" department, Lilith’s ceremony isn’t entirely my creation. The "three-formed Goddess" benediction was stolen outright from some Web site or another. I came across it one day while working on something else and I liked it enough to save it (I’m a terrible information pack rat), then months later as I was writing this it just worked so well I pasted it in pretty much as is. Trouble is, I can’t for the life of me remember where it came from. I think it’s Wiccan, but I’m not sure. If anyone can give me information on this, I’ll duly credit the source.

The "who will plow my so-and-so" part of the ceremony, as well as the final hymn sung by Lilith and her followers are historical, adapted from the real Sumerian hymns and poems of Inanna, as translated in Inanna: Queen of Heaven and Earth by Diane Wolkstein and Samuel Noah Kramer (used entirely without permission, but I suppose you can’t exactly copyright something that’s 4,000 years old). I altered the original text a great deal, first to tone down the graphic language, edit out some things I’m sure seemed romantic to the Sumerians but would just make a modern audience laugh, and also make it gender neutral so it would fit the story better.

For example, and for anyone who cares, the translation originally read:

"My vulva, the horn,
The Boat of Heaven,
Is full of eagerness like the young moon.
My untilled land lies fallow.
As for me, Inanna,
Who will plow my vulva?
Who will plow my high field?
Who will plow my wet ground?
Great Lady, the King will plow your vulva.
I, Dumuzi the King, will plow your vulva.
Then plow my vulva, man of my heart!
Plow my vulva!"

Hmmm … See what I mean?

Everything else about Lilith’s ceremony I made up (and yes, Dumuzi – Inanna’s lover – is the name I used for Morgin’s horse. Honestly, I did it for no reason).

And you can thank Angelique for her pencil artwork "Cuddle2", which definitely inspired me (ahem) while writing that last scene.

Lastly, I know I ignored the entire third season. The Rift arc hadn’t been resolved when I started this way back in December ’97, so I ignored it, hoping I could fit it in later. I was maybe halfway through when I got very busy with other (read: Paying) jobs which took most of my free time and the bulk of my creative energy (plus I admit there were stretches when I simply got blocked or lazy), so I often couldn’t do more than dabble at it for months.

As season three progressed however, and knowing how anal I am, it was clear if I wanted to stay current I would have to do a major revision (lotsa issues, you know?), which didn’t really appeal to me. Plus, I liked it the way it was, especially Xena’s interplay with a more innocent Gabrielle – who, I admit, I kind of miss. I did add some season three references here and there, all about Xena’s past, and that was fun, although as a personal aside it was hard to keep writing sometimes knowing these two had some awful times ahead. Still, I think if and when I ever do a follow up story it’ll be interesting to try my hand at figuring out how they got back together.

The worst problem with taking this long though, is that a number of things I thought were pretty clever have long since turned into Xenafiction cliches. But again, unless I was going to do a major rewrite, there was no avoiding it. Besides, I think a lot of what I came up with was still pretty clever. I hope you thought the same.

For anyone who’s interested, I did deal with season three in "Two Souls", which I took some time out from this story to write (another reason this took so long). However, that was my own personal follow up to Sacrifice II, and I decided ahead of time to write it as if – in the right light and you squinted hard enough – it could be mistaken for an actual episode, so it’s not an alt story. Still, even if you don’t read much general fan fiction (hey, I don’t either), if you’ve managed to read this far I think you’d like it anyway. The romance between Xena and Gabrielle is as obvious as I could make it while keeping their clothes on, and there’s a lot of overlap in certain areas between it and this story (it’s also a lot shorter). (And I apologize for the shameless plug.)

In the end, I figured if Hollywood can release The Hunt for Red October, with its submerged phallic symbolism years after the end of the Cold War, I can offer a more feminine counterpart: Consider this the Top Secret, pre-Rift, "story that never officially happened".

I sincerely thank every bard who’s ever written Xena fan fiction. If all of you hadn’t written such wonderful stories, I never would have been inspired to try.

"Thank you and good night."

bracer99@mindspring.com

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