The following is a bit of alternative fiction based on certain characters from the Xenaverse. It is not meant to infringe on anyone else's rights. If you don't agree or disapprove, please go read something else.
Actually Jacosta's disappearance was Aulix's perfect excuse to rabble rouse. He searched through the neighboring towns and villages. He wanted to be sure that Jacosta was really missing, as opposed to hiding in some tavern somewhere. He knew she did that sometimes and had planned on calling her on it, but the opportunities kept passing by and he never got around to it.
The longer he searched, the more vexed and convinced he became that the Amazons had exacted a vengeance for the kidnapping. While he couldn't really say that *he* started it, he didn't mind letting the whole world know that the Amazons had taken his sister and the story, which started out as, "Uhm. .have you seen this woman," became, "and now, for the honor of my dead mother, I've got to get her back."
There were sympathetic listeners, but no one really wanted to go up against the Amazons. They were vicious fighters, known for their . . .thoroughness . . .in war. They felt mighty sorry for his sister, but maybe she'd be happier with them.
That didn't make the weasily man feel any better. He found the lack of support disheartening or, at least, annoying. Then he met the old man in the tavern.
"Are you really interested in getting rid of the Amazons?" the bent and gnarled creature quavered at him. At Aulix's affirmative the man cackled until he started coughing violently. His bony hand grasped Aulix's shoulder in support and he hacked into the man's face. "I can help ye."
Aulix tried to move away, but his body wouldn't operate. Instead he found himself staring into almost colorless eyes. "How can you help me?" he managed to spit out. He was more scared than he cared to let on. Those eyes blinked and the man grinned a toothless smile.
"I can help ye more than ye ever imagined." The room darkened as clouds took over the sky and the old man began to change shape, "More than you'll ever remember."
Gabrielle had sent everyone out, including Xena. Then, not smiling, but not frowning either, she'd crossed the village council hut to where Eudora sat, grabbed a seat by the redhead and introduced herself quite informally. Then she began carefully exploring the "tender" spots of Eudora's memories.
Eudora found herself experiencing the oddest sensation of heat in her chest and it plopped down gracelessly into the lower half of her belly. It didn't hurt, but she wasn't familiar with it and it made her feel odd and that only added to the surprising honesty which poured out of her mouth. By the time they were done, the Queen's warm hands covered Eudora's pale cool fingers in a clasp that seemed to burn into Eudora's skin, but not painfully so.
It wasn't until Gabrielle said, very gently, "I'd love to see those scrolls," that the Amazon realized just how much she'd revealed and, for a moment, she experienced a very real terror. Her blue eyes went extremely wide and she tried to withdraw her hands, but the Queen held them firm within her own. "It's okay," the bard said, over and over in tones so soothing that Eudora had to settle down. She found herself falling into the warm hazel gaze of the queen and they spent heartbeats and more heartbeats like that.
Gabrielle waited till Eudora's breathing was even again and the panic was gone from her expression. She managed, somehow, to gently pull her gaze from Eudora's. It had been both harder and easier than she thought it would be.
There was something going on here. She'd noticed it with Iovene earlier this morning and now, she noticed that same fiery, almost sexual, in the pit of her stomach awareness of Eudora. It unnerved her more than her expression revealed. It was the same feeling she had when she was around Kalai and Arete. It was the same feeling she had around Xena. When she first met the warrior it had been the seed of a compulsion and she had to follow. That feeling had only deepened until it was full fledged love for the warrior princess. The pattern was holding for Kalai and Arete. They were part of her very breath and the thought of losing them. . . Gods. And now, there was this feeling with Eudora . . .Gabrielle had to ask herself what the meaning could possibly be.
She would have to talk to Xena about it, for sure. Perhaps her wise warrior would have some insight. The only clues they had, it seemed, were the very scrolls that had caused them such problems to begin with and which Eudora had so thoroughly gathered. If it meant what she thought it did. . .well, she wasn't sure she was prepared for such a revelation and she didn't know what Xena would think of it.
A playful thought chose to skitter through her head at that moment. Well, it would prove one thing though. She and Xena really were meant to be together. She would have laughed out loud, but Eudora might take it badly. The Thought, however, relaxed her enough that she could focus on the present.
Eudora had been doing some thorough research and later they could discuss the implications. There wasn't that much of a rush for that kind of soul exploration and if it was true, then it would hold. She still had to deal with a public seduction, in front of select members of the nation. Then she and her lovers had an elemental to find, a council to return to, justice to seek and she was holding the hands of one of her Amazons who'd been abducted by someone who sounded suspiciously familiar.
Well, one challenge at a time.
Whatever Eudora's intent in the past, the original bad was obviously gone now. Gabrielle could see it in the woman's eyes and feel it in her voice. Eudora, if the Queen was reading the woman's expression right, was feeling the same buzz that she was. And that very intuition wiped away any thought of anger from the bard's mind. Perhaps, it was the fates leading them. In which case, she could hardly blame Eudora for the mischief she caused. Besides, the results. . .Gabrielle had to smile, very slightly (she didn't want to scare her Amazon off). . .the results had been worth it.
"Well, we have a few options that I can see," The Queen began. She kept her expression neutral, but her touch remained. Eudora's lip trembled and her heart beat faster than a herd of horses galloping, but she didn't try to pull away. She couldn't. She didn't want to lose the contact of Gabrielle's fingers. Eudora, was vividly aware of the Queen's nearness, her scent, the way her body fit into the seat next to hers. She wanted to be near the honey haired woman as long as she could be, because she knew it couldn't last. The thought was nearly her undoing. She was barely holding back the tears as it was.
Gabrielle inhaled then asked, "Cujen isn't that far from Skula, is it?" Eudora lifted her eyes, taken by surprise. She'd expected. . well. . she'd expected a word like . . treason. . to fall from Gabrielle's mouth. But apparently, it didn't even enter her thoughts.
Eudora nodded shakily. Cujen really wasn't that far at all from Amazon Lands. She began to wonder what the Queen was thinking. So she looked at the Queen's lovely, understanding face which held more than a trace of thoughtfulness.
The bard smiled winningly. "I think I know what we need to do." She squeezed Eudora's hands reassuringly and then stood up. It was time to call Velona in.
Eudora, whose hands had suddenly gone warm, became abruptly aware of the meaning behind the feeling in her chest and belly. It was more frightening than anything she'd ever experienced before in her life. The emptiness was gone.
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These pages were last updated: December 15, 1997
©December 1997