GENERAL COPYRIGHT/DISCLAIMER
Xena: Warrior Princess, Gabrielle, Argo and all other characters who have appeared in the syndicated series Xena: Warrior Princess, are the sole copyright property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures. This is just for fun. No copyright infringement was intended.
LOVE/SEX WARNING/DISCLAIMER:
This story depicts a love/sexual relationship between two consenting adult women. If you are under 18 years of age or if this type of story is illegal in the state or country in which you live, please do not read it. If this thought disturbs you, you may wish to read something other than this story. By the way what are you doing here anyway?
PLOT: Well this started to see if I could write several different kind of love scenes, so you figure it out.
Cliché disclaimer: The majority of the action takes place in the Amazon village at festival time. Again, you figure it out.
Gabrielle looked around the lush forest. She had just finished relating a story to her warrior who was quite appreciative. (Well, she had said that's a good one Gabrielle. High praise from the queen of quiet.) Though there were clouds on the horizon, the sun was shinning through the trees and the bard was happy. Xena had gotten down off Argo to rest the mare, and she and Gabrielle were walking hand in hand down the forest path. Xena kept one ear on Gabrielle occasionally smiling down at her friend. The rest of her senses continually scanned their surroundings. Instead of feeling ignored, this gave the bard a feeling of being safe and protected. Besides, there was one place Gabrielle knew she had Xena's full attention. When their bodies were twined together and their souls separated only by skin and sweat, Gabrielle knew her warrior was totally focused. The pair had been traveling together for seasons, and had become lovers a few moons back. Gabrielle smiled fondly at the memory and unconsciously began to hum a little tune.
"And what is that all about?" the warrior inquired with a knowing grin. Gabrielle had a certain sway to her walk when her thoughts turned carnal. Xena had come to recognize it and began to review her mental geography to determine if there were any suitable stopping places nearby.
"Nothing," replied the bard innocently. "I was just thinking." This was said with a sidewise look at the tall woman striding next to her.
"I believe I know about what," returned Xena with a leer as she cocked her head, "but it looks like you'll have to wait. We have company." The warrior stopped and raised her arms, clasping her hands in the Amazon symbol for peace. The bard quickly did the same. Momentarily three masked warriors slid to the forest floor, arrayed themselves in a wedge to and dropped to one knee before their Queen.
"Please, stand up," Gabrielle motioned with an embarrassed wave. Amazon courtesy almost always made her feel skittish.
"My Queen," said the first warrior as she lifted her mask. The young woman rose and the warriors behind her followed suite.
"Teka!" exclaimed Gabrielle with a smile. "It is good to see you again."
"And you My Queen," the scout answered back.
"Teka, you can call me Gabrielle. I have told you that before," Gabrielle noted with a grin. Teka blushed at this remark causing the Warrior Princess to raise and eyebrow to her partner. "But who are your friends?" Gabrielle continued ignoring the gesture.
"May I present my patrol? Shena and Lytrien."
"Your patrol?" Gabrielle inquired. "Congratulations." The scout leader drew herself up proudly as Xena mentally shook her head over the bard's manipulations. "What brings you here?"
"We were searching for you My Queen," the scout stated as Gabrielle exchanged eye rolls with Xena over the Amazon's formality. "We heard you were in the area and Regent Ephiny would like to invite you to the spring festival."
"What is this one for?" inquired the Warrior Princess with a drawl. "The fact that the sun is shining? Or not shinning?" Gabrielle threw a mock glare at her friend.
"It is the Spring Equinox Festival," the scout continued unaffected, "to honor the midpoint between Winter and Summer Solstice. There will be games, dancing and feasts." This time the scout smiled, sure of her reception.
The bard's eyes lit up at the mention of food. "Xena, can we go? You said we didn't have to be in Corinth in a hurry. Please?"
Xena smiled down at her friend. "Of course we can go Gabrielle. Ephiny would probably never forgive me if I caused you to miss a party? Not to mention having your stomach growl at me from here to Corinth."
"All the Amazons will be pleased if the Queen would preside over the festival," stated Teka warmly. "We could escort you in the morning."
Xena's eyes narrowed at the scout's tone, but Gabrielle took no notice and continued, "When is the festival?"
"In three day's time. It will run for seven days culminating with the grand banquet to honor Artemis and the overall winner of the games. Just like last time."
"Just like last..." Here the bard hesitated, her eyes growing round. "Ah, Xena," she began in her best innocent voice, "It's okay if you want to go to Corinth without me. Or maybe we could both go," she continued nervously. "I am sure Ephiny won't mind."
Xena turned from her contemplation of the scout worried at her friend's change of heart. When she saw the vivid blush on Gabrielle's cheeks and the knowing glint in Teka's eye the warrior answered in an amused voice, "Oh no Gabrielle. You gave your word. I would like to here more about this festival."
"Well, it is pretty much like any festival," Gabrielle replied looking everywhere except at her partner. "All the warriors compete for honors in separate events and the final day if there is a tie, the winners have a competition to determine the winner of the festival. That wasn't needed last fall as Ephiny won two of the seven events."
"Is that what you are competing for, honors?" Xena asked the scout leader sternly.
"It is indeed an honor to excel in the games," the scout answered with a straight face.
Gabrielle could sense the growing tension between the two warriors and decided some distance would be a good thing. Besides, it looked like she had some explaining to do. "Teka, why don't you, Shena and Lytrien return to the village. There is still a bit of light left. Tell Ephiny we will be there in plenty of time for the festival. Xena and I have some business to take care of first. We will follow you in the morning."
Xena raised an eyebrow at that but didn't contradict her friend.
"May ... we serve you in any way Queen Gabrielle?" the scout inquired with a direct look at the bard. Xena noticed the pause indicating a more personal offer of service and her expression darkened.
"No. No," answered Gabrielle as she could feel Xena's anger growing. It was almost a furnace at her back and she wondered how the scout didn't melt under that regard. "You just go ahead. Xena and I will be along later."
"Be sure to tell Ephiny that the Queen is bringing her Champion with her this time," Gabrielle knew she was in trouble when Xena stressed the title that she normally didn't even like to use.
"I will be sure to inform the Regent," Teka said sliding her mask back on. With one more bow to their ruler, the Amazons turned and headed out.
"Would you care to explain what our business is that caused you to turn down such a solicitous offer," Xena inquired darkly of her partner.
"I just thought I should tell you a bit more about the festival so you could decide if we really should go," the girl said hesitantly. "Could we please make camp? I'll explain everything."
Xena just nodded and moved off into a clearing on the left. The warrior and the bard had a comfortable routine and both set about readying the campsite. Gabrielle gathered wood and started a fire while Xena scouted the perimeter and dispatched a rabbit for dinner. By the time she returned Gabrielle had the pallet set up and had a chopped vegetable and spice stew ready for the addition of the meat. The meal was cooked and they ate in silence. After dinner Xena brought out her sword and started to methodically examine the weapon for nicks and any sign of dullness. Figuring the bard had stalled long enough, the warrior paused in her sharpening and said, "Okay, we have made camp. You fixed my favorite dinner and you have cleaned up. That is about enough beating around the bush. Do you want to tell me what is going on?"
"Do you remember about six moons ago you left me to save King Aganon?" the bard asked.
"Gabrielle you know why I did that," Xena interrupted. "I only had two days to get there. I almost foundered Argo as it was."
Gabrielle placed one hand on her warrior's knee to reassure her. "Xena, I am not mad at you. Okay, so I might have been at the time but I understand. Anyway, I went to stay with the Amazons. It was right around the Autumn Equinox. They had planned to dedicate the harvest to Demeter and Artemis. The Royal guards were talking about it when I walked out of my hut for breakfast and they asked me if I was going to take charge. I was quite excited about presiding over my first festival so I agreed." Gabrielle knew Xena was quite liberal, but she was unsure how her lover would accept the next part. Resolutely, the bard plowed ahead.
"When Ephiny found out she went berserk. She started ranting about me jumping in without looking again. *Don't you say anything.* I said something like, 'If I am old enough to be Queen I am old enough to preside over a festival.' She gave me a look and said I was right and that if I thought I was ready then maybe I should take over some of the ruling duties. Then she proceeded to tell me exactly what I would be doing," When Gabrielle paused to look at Xena the warrior just raised an eyebrow at her so the bard continued. "What Teka said was true as far as it goes. There are competitions and it is an honor for an Amazon to best her sisters on the field of play but the real prize is the winner of the day's event serves the Queen by becoming her escort for the evening." When Xena just looked at her, the bard stressed, "The WHOLE evening."
The Warrior Princess blinked and stared at her bard. "Let me get this straight. You slept with these women?" The red-faced bard merely nodded unsure of the level of her partner's agitation. "They basically won you in a contest?"
"It was not like that," Gabrielle protested hotly. "The warriors were fighting to prove they were the best. They compete to show how much they have to give the Amazon Nation. It is only right that the Nation give something back. The Queen is the embodiment of the Nation and that is me," she ended weakly. "Xena this all happened before we were together like that. You knew you were not the first woman I was with. I told you that. I just didn't describe my first in detail."
"We will get to the details later," the warrior replied. She was still having trouble picturing her partner as the trophy in some sport. 'Not that I wouldn't do anything for her favors,' Xena thought quickly. I just didn't realize the whole Amazon Nation felt the same. Now that she thought about it though, the Amazons had looked on Gabrielle as a woman grown long before Xena. While Xena had watched the young girl blossom slowly, the Amazons treated her as an adult from the first. There were quite a few long looks now that she remembered the farewell dinner the Nation had given its Queen when the warrior came for her. Xena had thought it was her imagination at the time, but now she realized the Amazon's were actively lusting after her partner at least two moons before she and Xena had become lovers. In fact it was shortly after that visit that the two finally expressed their desire for one another. "That was why wasn't it? That was why you seduced me," the warrior said as a grin spread over her face. "All this time I thought it was me chasing you. You had it all planned."
"Trust me. Nothing was planned," the bard disagreed shaking her head ruefully. "It was most certainly wanted, but when the opportunity presented itself I just sort of went with the flow. Those women merely helped show me what I was missing and gave me a glimpse at what we could have together. I don't think I would have had the courage to try before, and I definitely would not have known what to do." This was said with a wicked grin to her partner as she realized the warrior was not infuriated with her.
"Speaking of 'those women' exactly who and how many are we talking about here?" Xena gave her partner her best I am a mean nasty warlord and you better answer quick glare.
"I will tell you only if you promise not to do anything to them," Gabrielle cautioned. When Xena just stared at her she insisted, "You have to promise."
"Okay, I promise," the warrior groaned with her crossed fingers carefully hidden behind her back.
"Six," answered the slightly red faced bard.
"Six?" repeated Xena with a slightly startled look that flowed into a wicked grin. "In one week huh? Well it looks like there will be no more comments about my sexual past."
"Come on Xena," protested Gabrielle, "six is nothing compared to some of the tales I have heard about the Warrior Princess."
"And where have you been hearing those tales?" the warrior inquired laughing.
"Bards do swap stories you know," answered her fair hared partner. "And you should here some of the ones they tell at the Amazon village. You can start a fire without any tinder according to those women."
"Speaking of those women," the warrior drawled slowly, "you were going to mention details. I guess six makes sense, seeing as how Ephiny won two events. She and I are going to have a conversation, I tell you."
"Xena you promised," argued Gabrielle suddenly nervous for the Regent's safety.
"Relax Gabrielle. I am not going to attack any of your old flames. After all, if you started doing that Hercules and Iolaus would probably get offended and Ares would probably kill you. Now please tell me the names of the women who won the other five events."
"Actually I won the staff competition," Gabrielle stated proudly. "I guess all of your training has started to pay off. Not to mention the almost daily practicing with smelly thugs."
"If you won the staff competition then who was the sixth woman?" Xena asked.
"Well, you see," the bard began slowly, "the foot race ended in a tie."
"A tie? So that means both of them..." Gabrielle just nodded at her friend's unspoken question. "At the same time?" Now Gabrielle was truly glowing. So much blood rushed to the embarrassed woman's face she thought she might faint. After one shocked look, Xena started to laugh so hard that soon there were tears running down the warrior's face.
"Come on bard," laughed the warrior. "You love stories. Let's hear this one."
If you have questions or comments you can e-mail me at: prosper4@hotmail.com
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URL: /STO/amazons/festival1.html
UPDATE: 082499
copy; July 1999