Disclaimers: The characters of Xena: Warrior Princess and all other associated with the television series of the same name are owned by MCA/ Universal Pictures. This is a work of fan fiction and no copyright infringement is intended.
Subtext: I guess with my writing so far we'll just quit calling it subtext and call it maintext. Yes they are in love with each other.
Sex: Implied.
Violence: None. Yet<G>
Language: Mild
Spoilers:
Other: Part eleven in the series "Legends Legacy". Takes place about six months after "The Deal of a Lifetime"
When in Rome
By T.Novan
TNOVAN@aol.com
"Stop smirking!" I give her arm a slap as we watch from the balcony of our room.
"I’m not smirking. I’m gloating." She laughs, her smile growing wider.
"It’s not very becoming Xe."
"I’ve earned the right. Look at him," She points to the subject of our current conversation. "He’s an old man."
"He’s only in his early fifties. Might I remind you that in reality, you’re nearly sixty-f…"
"Don’t!" She holds that annoying finger up in my face, which I just grab and pull down. "Don’t say it Ri. Part of being a God and an immortal is never having to admit your true age."
"Oh you’re gonna be a riot when you’re a thousand."
As the procession passes by our window, Xe returns her attention to him. "Too bad he’s Roman."
"Excuse me?" I look up at her, not believing what I’m hearing.
"I said, it’s too bad he’s Roman. If he were Greek, I’d be there when he passes. I’d get to send him to Tartarus. I’d show him destiny then."
"You’re gloating again."
She crosses her arms, leaning against the wall. She sighs, "Yeah, I guess I am. I guess I’ll just have to learn to live with the fact that," she pauses and grins at me. "I’m gonna live forever and he’s not."
I just shake my head and turn for our room. "You should be ashamed of yourself."
"Nah, I gave up being ashamed of myself a long time ago." She follows me inside, closing the doors to the balcony and shutting out the sounds of the street below. "You taught me that. It was a good lesson."
"I should have taught you gloating isn’t nice."
She tosses herself down on the bed and stretches out. "Nice, no. But it’s fun and very satisfying." She looks to her fingernails and then looks to me and grins. "Not as satisfying as some other things I could suggest." She gives the bed a pat and wiggles her brows at me.
"You brought me to Rome to make love to me?"
"No, I brought you to Rome so we could just get away for a while. I know that being in the Underworld for so much of the time stresses you. Making love is just a suggestion. You have something else you’d rather do?"
"Not necessarily." I smile at her, moving to the bed, then settling over her hips. "Why Rome Xe? Of all the places we could have gone. Why Rome and why now?"
"I don’t know. Just thought it would be a nice change of pace." She gives me the ‘look’.
"You don’t lie very well. You know that?"
"I don’t lie to you very well." She runs her hands over my back. "I just want to be here when it happens."
"What?"
"When he dies. It’s coming sooner than he thinks."
"Xe that’s just mean!"
"Like breaking my legs and spending a great deal of time tormenting us wasn’t?"
"I know, but I thought we were past that."
"Ri," she leans up on her elbows, giving me a very serious look. "I can forgive a lot and I can overlook a lot, but I’ll never forgive him. Some things just can not be forgiven."
I sigh and nod. She has been very good about not living in the past and always looking to our future. Can I hold this one little grudge against her? No, not really. He did make her life miserable at every given opportunity.
***
I’m amazed when she steps out of the dressing room wearing Roman robes that drape to the floor. She does look magnificent, but then again when doesn’t she?
"Well?" She lifts her hands, then turns in a circle apparently awaiting my approval.
"You just want me to tell you how beautiful and gorgeous you are."
"That’d be nice."
"You know, Zeus made a wise decision when he made you temporary God of the Underworld. You certainly have the ego for it."
She leans against the door frame, crossing her arms. "Thanks. I’m very proud of it. Took me a long time to get it just right." She smirks. "Just enough not to annoy you, but big enough to impress everyone else."
"Ah ha! That’s it. That’s what it is about him! His ego is so damn big your’s doesn’t impress him and that makes you mad."
"Oh please." She rolls her eyes, pushing off the door frame.
"No, no. That’s it. You’re mad because he’s not impressed by you."
"Ri did you read a new book on trying to figure out your spouse or something? You’re putting an awful lot of energy into this."
"It’s just not like you."
"I’ve just waited so long for this. Allow me to enjoy it."
"Like anything I say is going to keep you from that."
"I’m sorry to admit it, but that’s true." She moves across the room and wraps her arms around me. "Let’s not talk about this anymore. Let me take you out of a nice meal instead."
"Now that is a plan I can get behind."
"Good. Glad to hear it." She leans in giving me a sweet, tender kiss. "By the way, have I mentioned lately how much I love you?"
"Not recently. You’ve been a little preoccupied."
Caressing my cheek, she looks deeply in my eyes, then smiles. "I love you."
Ooo how can I resist that?
***
Looking across the table at her, she smiles at me. "What?" I ask, taking a sip of my wine.
"You are beautiful."
"You are biased."
"Hmm could be." She nods. "Maybe I should ask someone else here." She starts to stand, but I grab her wrist and pull her back into her seat.
"Behave." I grin.
She settles back into her seat, leaning over, she brushes her lips past my ear. "I was just going to get a second opinion."
I find myself holding her head in place near my neck, encouraging her to nuzzle in, which she does. "I don’t care about second opinions. As long as you think so, that’s all that matters." She murmurs something. I can’t quite make it out though. Not that I particularly want to I’m pretty happy with what she’s doing now. "Xe?"
"Hmmm?"
"Let’s go back to the room."
She pulls back and grins at me, licking her lips. "Whatcha got in mind my little Bard?"
"All kinds of things and they require us being naked and sweaty."
She lifts a brow. "Naked and sweaty? My, my Ri. Sounds like quite the workout."
"It will be." I lean over, giving her a tender kiss. "Are you up to it?"
"I think I could keep up."
"Prove it."
"Ah, a challenge. One of my favorite things."
***
Looping my arm through hers, we begin a slow walk back to our inn. I feel her hesitate as a Roman officer rides by us. She stops, turns and watches him.
"What?"
"Not what Ri. Who. Brutus."
"Who?"
"Exactly. Brutus, he’s one of Caesar’s generals. Wonder what he’s doing in Rome?"
"Gee Xe, a Roman in Rome, how odd. Kind of like a Greek in Athens. That’s a real head scratcher."
She slowly turns, narrowing her eyes on me. "Caesar tends to keep his generals occupied and away from the city. A strategic move, to keep them from trying to form coups against him."
"You know more than your saying."
"Let’s just say a little birdie told me this might be a good thing."
"Un-huh. So you want to stand here all night and try to figure out why he’s here, or are you coming back to the room with me? Hot and sweaty, remember?"
Her hand comes up taking mine in a tight grip. "How could I forget? Let’s go." We resume our walk back to the inn. "So do I get anymore clues on this?"
"Nah. Let’s just say, when in Rome…"
***
Lying in her arms, I find myself trying to get air in my lungs. She pushes hair back from my face and grins.
"Is that what you had in mind?"
I gulp for air. "Oh yeah! That was is."
"Did I keep up with you?"
"Un-huh." I nod, finally managing to get in a badly needed deep breath. "Oh, you kept up just fine."
"Glad to hear it." She laughs a little, planting a kiss to my brow. "You weren’t saying much there at the end."
"I could talk for Gods sake!"
He entire body shakes with laughter, even as her arms tighten around me. "That’s was the plan, speechless Bards are cute when they’re reduced to moaning, whimpering masses of flesh."
"I must have been just adorable." I push up and look down at her. "You are so rotten."
"Yeah, I know. Don’tcha just love me for it?" She teases, pulling me back down.
"I don’t know why, but I sure do."
I can feel the evening about to start heating up again, when there is a knock on our door.
TBC…