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.
The sun was up, the sky was blue, the air was muggy. It promised to be a warm day and the scents of the woods and the field hung heavy. Spectators had gathered at the edge of the field, some of them straddling the fence so they could get a better view. Gabrielle was seated in the shadowed dais and watched as Iolaus explained the next part of the contest.
Again two facets of being were combined. In this case it was the body and the heart. They would be tested by having the candidates take part in several small physical event and one large one. The physical events included tests of martial skill (such as wrestling, sword play and believe it or not, archery), balance and other feats of strength. The final event, the largest one, would be a free for all distance race, with the only limitation being that there should be no weapons. Xena grinned in anticipation. This would be the fun part.
Things got noisy after that. Spectators cheered on their favorites. Coaches shouted advice. Bodies slammed to the ground. Metal clashed against Metal. The contest inspired a lot of play acting among the kids, who ran about the field probably a bit more freely than they should have been allowed (one kid almost got the stuffing knocked out of him when some poor fellow got thrown). Colorful banners flew when the wind finally picked up and started moving the air around. Someone named Salmoneous was making a slew of cash off of a concession stand and he was very happy about it.
Even though Xena was her personal favorite (like who hadn't figured that out) Gabrielle rooted for her table mates too (when they weren't competing against Xena that is). Toris and Meg somehow found themselves in near proximity and at first their glances at each other were kind of baleful, then they found themselves getting into the spirit of the contest and forgot that they were mad at each other. At any point in time one or the other would root for either Joxer or Xena as the occasion allowed. Amazons rooted for Amazons. The other spectators rooted for whoever they were betting on. Xena and Gabrielle's mothers would have rooted for Xena, except they were supposed to be impartial (good luck).
Of course Xena did very very well. She was, after all, very skilled, very strong, and very persistent. This surprised no one (except the one coach who realized now he was going to lose a lot of dinars). However, the warrior princess, had an odd experience while wrestling with a sizable blonde Amazon. She thought for a moment that she'd been felt up, then had tossed that idea as inappropriate. Wrestling was, after all, a contact sport. It wasn't until she found herself looking down into some serious green eyes, after pinning the woman to the ground, that she questioned if her first idea wasn't correct after all.
Joxer held his own, even in the swords contest. His newly acquired abilities allowed him to duck and jab with the best of them (almost) and he actually managed to win two rounds and stay in the game. Kalai demonstrated her extraordinary balancing skills on a sawhorse and her definite talent at knife throwing. Arete caught and lifted a huge, oiled sow and held on which impressed everyone, including Xena (she also began to suspect that Arete let her win the wrestling match, because she hadn't shown that much strength when they were competing. This didn't mean that Xena couldn't have beat her fairly, just that the warrior's strategy might have been different if the Amazon had actually been trying. It annoyed Xena, which meant Arete was gonna get a solid taking down once the competition was over.)
By the time the smaller contests were over, the candidate choices had been narrowed down to twelve. Xena, Joxer, Kalai, Arete, Maphaus (the seedy looking intelligent guy), Drakus (the odious good looking guy), Cynthia (an Amazon-- the one with eyes for Talus), Talus (a warrior--the one enamored of Cynthia), Helen (Amazon, limber and tough), Althus (warrior and the only nobleman to make it this far), Hector (warrior, kind of hairy), and Lyneaus (a farmer who kept getting lucky). Cynthia and Talus hung in there for two reasons, to outdo each other and thus to impress each other. So far they were succeeding in their goal.
One unsuccessful candidate was very vocal in his disappointment, but found his situation improved by the presence of a very buxom nurse. He got well a lot more quickly than he expected. Meanwhile the candidates who were supposed to participate in the run were told that they could have a few moments to relax and prepare. Meaning, it was lunch time and nap time and it was too hot for anyone to do anything quite yet.
Xena took the opportunity to capture Arete's ear. Literally. "The next time you fake out on me, I will rend you like a piece of cloth. Do you understand?" she spoke in a low hiss. Arete winced at the tone and at the pain in her ear and nodded.
"I'm sorry Xena, I just wanted you to win." Xena let go of the Amazon's ear and narrowed her eyes. Arete covered her ear with her hand.
Xena shook her head, "I wish you Amazons would let up on trying to allow me win. What fun is a contest if you all keep," she made a *gah* noise in her throat, "helping me? hmm?"
Arete's warm green eyes gazed into blue one's. She smiled and laughed and her voice turned seductive, "You sure do like your fun, don't you." Then she kissed the stunned warrior on the lips quick and strode away. She turned around and waved, "I'll do better in the race. You just watch me."
Xena raised her eyebrows and touched her lips. Now *that* was an interesting experience.