Warlord Daze

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.

Xex Alert: Oh Boy Is There. .This is a Prurient Piece with a Bit of Kink (If you hear the crack of the whip then you'll be in the neighborhood) Proceed at your own risk. :)

"What?!!" Xena looked down and tried to read the markings. She'd mentally turned this image upside down, horizontal, vertical and every which way. Yet, somehow she'd missed this. She didn't see how.

"You probably can't see it from that angle, but I can see it from here, very clearly." Gabrielle spelled it out, tracing the design with her finger. "See." Gabrielle grinned, "she loved you and left herself with you, though she had to go away. She even signed it."

"Signed it?!!" Sometimes it only took an alternate viewpoint.

"Well if you trace this line, all the way around, it makes a . . .Gamma. Hey! Cool! Her name began with Gamma. Like me."

Maybe it was the angle of the sun or the way her smile showed her perfect teeth. Maybe it was the way Gabrielle's arm stretched out and the golden hoops in her ears glinted. Maybe it was her unconditional sparkling hazel regard (and that regard already had a few laughlines started.) Xena's mind fired up though and she had a shattering moment of awareness and she suddenly realized why she'd found the brand on Gabrielle's shoulder so disturbing. She remembered it, vividly. The only thing missing were a few scars and the . . .

"Xena?" The warrior's attention snapped to the present. The bard settled her body between Xena's legs, her breast pressed against a nakedly sensitive mound. "I can see why you don't share this with just anyone. It's special. Really special. There's nothing else like this in the world. Thank you for sharing it with me."

The warrior's hand was amazingly calm for the amount of shaking she felt inside. "You're worth it." Did her voice just crack. . .No. She was feeling a little overwhelmed was all. What was this feeling swelling in her chest? She recognized it. It was something she'd come to appreciate each time she saw the bard and now it trebled. Hope.

Xena touched the Gabrielle's cheek and spoke with great emotion, "For you, anything." She leaned in for a kiss intending to express everything she felt at the moment. The bard saw her chance.

"Anything?"

Xena leaned back and narrowed her eyes at the tone of voice. What was Gabrielle going to. . .

"Would you," Gabrielle felt suddenly shy and blushed, ". . .would you. . .please. . I would like one like Shasta's" Her voice became a whisper, "I would like your mark Xena. Please. I would like. . ."

Xena stood up, quaking with anger, "NO!" She exploded. Everything in her rejected the notion.

Gabrielle looked stricken and backed away into the water, "but you. . .you. . . " Then she gasped and her mind filled with a new thought and it wasn't a pretty one. Rejection. Her whole face filled with it, her whole body. If she had been on dry land she would have curled up with it, but dry land held Xena. Who'd just rejected her. "You don't. . .don't. . " The tears started, the lip quivered."

All of Xena's impulses towards anger disappeared as soon as she saw that look roll over Gabrielle's body like a black cloud. Oh Gods. The warrior could have slapped herself. Instead she jumped in the water and strode out to Gabrielle.

The bard tried to pull away from her embrace, but Xena held tight. "No love. No. Not that. I love you. I want *YOU*. I just can't. . .I can't. . It wouldn't be right."

"But I . . ."

"Gabrielle, look at me," the bard lifted her eyes and saw only tenderness. Xena spoke quickly, before she chickened out. "I owned few slaves, Gabrielle. I was very very selective. I wooed them, like lovers, to make them loyal and if they proved themselves to me, I'd mark them. I'd draw my sigil on them. That way everyone would know they were mine and know not to fool with them. I told the slaves it was because I loved them, because they were special."

"To keep them loyal." Gods, this woman was smart. Xena found that it was hard to wipe tears when one's fingers are wet.

"Yes. To keep them loyal." Xena acknowledged her manipulations

Gabrielle gulped, "It worked."

"Mostly. There were a few who weren't worthy of my mark." She grimaced regretfully at what she'd done to those precious few. Gods have mercy.

"Did you love any of them?"

Xena pulled the bard close into her arms, "Some of them, with what I was capable of. But I was a user Gabrielle, and I know it."

Gabrielle sniffed, "You're capable of a lot." Xena shrugged. "And you always had a good heart." Oh, they could argue that one till the Gods remade the world, Xena thought. Gabrielle asked, her voice muffled, "Shasta? Rachis?"

"Yes. I loved them." Not the way she loved the woman in her arms right now though. Her salvation. Twice. Though one had/hadn't happened yet. "I set them free, because I loved them too much to keep them as slaves." Xena smiled, "I couldn't replace them. You know." Gabrielle nodded, "So I didn't buy anymore or accept anymore . . gifts."

Gabrielle had a thought, remembering one of Xena's earlier expressions. "Were you mad at me? For. . for pretending. . "

Xena thought carefully, "At first. Because I was scared for you. But now. No." She pulled back and kissed the bard softly, "You're exceptional as a slave," she purred, "but I don't need you as a slave," then Xena grinned wickedly, "except when you want to be." The gorgeous woman squeezed the bard tight and recieved a squeeze in return. Then Xena sighed, "Or when trying to fool a bunch of crazy warlords." They would be doing this warlord slave gig for awhile. (Though she could see that it had morphed into something quite different lately) Good thing Gabrielle liked it. Xena grinned diabolically, good thing she liked it too.

Gabrielle giggled. Then she shivered. She was starting to get cold. Early morning baths in cool water weren't for everyone.

"Come on love, let's get you out of the water." The warrior took Gabrielle's hand in her own and started forward.

The bard held back, her expression solemn, "Xena, there's a reason why I asked."

The warrior turned and looked at her lover. "I know." She squeezed the strawberry blonde's hand reassuringly. "I know there's a reason." And probably a good one. No doubt the bard would explain, "But let's talk where we can get you warm, okay?" Xena saw some resistance and a memory played out in her head. She'd never get the bard out of the water if she didn't find a point of compromise. She turned around and looked at Gabrielle. She recognized that determined expression, "If this is something you really want, we can work something out. I just can't see myself putting my sigil on you the way I did Shasta and Rachis. Besides," She stepped closer to the bard, rubbing her body against the bard, "I want to dry you down, then," Her next words were wickedly seductive, "wet you up again." Gabrielle shivered for a much different reason, "I want to taste you smooth and feel the difference." She slid her thigh between Gabrielle's and pushed up against the bard's groin. Suddenly the bard felt very very warm, "Don't you want me too?"

This time it was Gabrielle who led the way.