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 healers told them that Xena, while she needed rest, could be safely moved and could attend the dance, so long as she didn't stand up and boogie on a leg that didn't support her. The warrior princess had no problem with that. Arete would have carried her out of the hut, but Xena declined gracefully. She left the hut under her own power. On crutches, but by herself.
Now that Xena was officially, up to a certain point, one of her consorts, Gabrielle decided there was no more sleeping alone. She asked the warrior which would be easier, Xena in her room or her in Xena's room. The raven haired beauty grinned and shrugged. It didn't matter to her as long as they could be together. Arete suggested that they check the height of the beds before deciding, since Xena would have to deal with the way her hip moved. Kalai suggested that privy location might also be a consideration. Xena couldn't believe she was discussing this with them, yet it made perfect sense. It was, after all, part of their duty now. It ended up being a moot point, since none of them stayed in their previously arranged rooms. The Amazons had been busy.
They ended up being directed by serious faced Amazons to two rooms with adjoining doors. Cyrene designed the room for the larger families who very occasionally traveled through their town (you know for family reunions and the like). All of women's belongings had been moved. Arete's and Kalai's into one good sized room and Gabrielle and Xena's into the other. Arete helped Xena settle onto the very roomy bed. Her eyes sparkled with good humor.
Kalai played with the door that connected their rooms and noted that it locked on either side. For some reason, this gave her the giggles. Gabrielle stared at the room arrangements and shook her head. "Well, seems they have this all figured out for us, doesn't it." A funny noise came from Xena's direction. At first Gabrielle didn't know what it was, then she realized that the warrior was laughing so hard she couldn't vocalize. In fact her whole body was crunched up, save for her one leg and tears were rolling down her face.
Gabrielle got worried and rushed to the warrior's side, "Xena?" She laid her hand gently on the prone leg, "Xena?!"
Xena kept trying to catch her breath, her eyes full of merriment. "They're keeping us decent." She was finally able to say. "Socially acceptable. They put us in the Family Room!" Xena fell into another fit of chortles. "Gods the looks on their faces when we crossed the line!" Xena gave out a full belly laugh.
Gabrielle looked astonished! "You Knew!"
Xena grabbed her love's hand, "I saw Cherise showing you the book and figured it out while Arete was carrying me. They set us up. I figured I'd give them something to stew about. See how they would handle it."
Gabrielle looked at Kalai and Arete and they grinned at each other. "There's something you should know Xena." Gabrielle began to explain.
The dance was better attended than one would have expected. Of course a few of the attendees were injured, but most were not and the party seemed to be in full swing by the time the Queen and her consorts arrived. Xena had refused the crutch and walked with the support of Gabrielle's arm, though it looked like it was actually the other way around. The beautiful Kalai was escorted by an elegant Arete. They were all dressed in high Amazon fashion, save for Xena, who wore her newly repaired leather and armor. Of course they looked magnificent.
Things slowed for their entrance, but Gabrielle was quick to start up the festivities again. She sat, once again upon a dais, but this time there was a chair by hers and two others just down and to the side. The guards stood to the sides of those two chairs. Gabrielle leaned over to Xena, "Do you ever wonder how they do this so quickly." Xena shrugged and grinned.
"I never worry about it as long as it works," she said as she settled herself into a comfortable position. Her expression was very minutely pained and only someone who knew her very well would know that she suffered.
Gabrielle looked concerned. She knew that expression meant that Xena hurt a lot. "Would you like some port love?" Xena smiled gratefully and Gabrielle made the signal.
Xena sipped her drink and gazed over the dance with watchful eyes. She grinned into her cup when she saw what she was looking for. She waited for Gabrielle to finish what she was saying to Kalai before inserting a few simple words. "They're here."
Gabrielle grinned over at Xena and gave her a wink. Then she nodded to Kalai. "You ready?"
The wiry Amazon grinned, "very." The queen and her consort stepped off the dais and entered the dance.
The music was fast and held a sensuous beat that Gabrielle and Kalai took full advantage of. Xena watched with amused eyes the mother's expressions went through several alterations from astonishment to scandalized. Then she signaled the blonde Amazon when she thought the rhythm was taking a new turn. "Show 'em your stuff Arete." The strong Amazon practically hopped off the dais to add her own body to the hypnotic mixture. Soon Gabrielle was part of what seemed to be a very erotic sandwich that happened to be part of a dance.
Meanwhile the warrior princess looked like she was the aristocratic voyeur who enjoyed watching her lover play. But, from Xena's point of view she was only keeping her goals simple. She was going to sip her port and try not burst out laughing.
The music changed to something slow and heartwarming. The three stayed out on the dance floor, dancing close together in what was almost simply a moving group hug, again with Gabrielle quite apparently in the middle. They seemed to be talking and laughing up a storm. At one point Arete broke away, allowing Gabrielle to turn and pull Kalai into a dance embrace. She made her way to the dais. Her green eyes were warm, "Xena, Gabrielle says that the dance is slow enough, if you feel up to it. She would like very much to dance with you."
Xena thought about it, set her port on the arm rest and accepted Arete's extended grasp. The warrior walked Xena slowly to the where Gabrielle danced with Kalai and then they blended into the dance, so that it seemed, at first that all four of them danced together, then they partnered off. Xena danced with Gabrielle, their bodies moving in slow voluptuous movements. The warrior princess took the time to whisper something teasing into her love's ear, something that lit up her face like a lantern. Then they switched partners in that same slow motion, with Kalai ending up in Xena's arms and Gabrielle in Arete's. Again there were the simple movements that spoke of heightened senses and erotic pleasure. Again Xena whispered something that seemed to light up the face of her partner (in this case it was a sort of, "You done good," phrase.) Then they switched again and Xena was faced with the tall, gentle Arete who simply offered her body as a support. The final moments of the dance were much easier on Xena's body. This time the only thing Xena whispered was, "Thank you Arete."
There were two purposes for the way they danced. One was to send a message to their parents and the matchmaker. The other was to send a message demonstrating unity. It worked. Those who payed attention saw that they were amiable partners (and some even speculated that they were more than just amiable) and so they took that to mean that all was well and worries about potential trouble and political rifts were effectively nipped.
After the display, Xena settled back to watch and didn't worry about dancing. As the dance progressed she was joined by a weary Amazon compatriot or her sweetheart when they were ready to rest. Always she greeted them with smiles and friendly words. After a certain point, Xena could not keep the grin off of her face. She had kept careful watch to see that those for whom the message was intended received it. And they had, loud and clear. There was one other thing that Xena noticed. Joxer, Meg and Toris never showed up.