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. :)
The pilfered maps and plans were put to good use. No doubt Hercules would be revamping strategy, but the Warrior Princess felt she had a good handle on what the imposter would be thinking. They'd left a few stalling "gifts" for him and it would be at least a couple of more days before the half god could get his camp back in working order. The Amazons had been beyond clever in the implimentation of their traps.
Hercules wasn't given much of a chance to recover. Xena gave him until the traditional sun up (since she was . .mostly. .honorable in battle.) and then began launching her attack (she hadn't had that much sleep) upon his forces. The battle was short and bloody. Xena had been in her element and had given herself over completely to the experience. Her wild grin and maniacal laughter chilled her enemies and scared her friends a bit. She sent her people to search, but knew that somehow Hercules had escaped. He'd not shown up for the battle. Her one consolation was that Iolaus was not found among the dead. No doubt he was sporting a huge shiner as evidence of her visitation the night before. Maybe someday he would understand.
As soon as she arrived within camp, messy with blood and gore, messengers were sent to her Generals, with revamped plans. Hercules would be trying to regain control of his armies, so they would need to keep the pressure on. Xena knew what her goal was. It was simple. She would push Hercules from the center of Greece, towards Mt. Olympus. That's where she suspected she would find more answers to the question of where the "real" Hercules was located.
The plan called for small, daily retreats on his part. This meant her troops had to beat back his forces, she had to maintain the land taken, keep her troops strong and she still had to figure out a way to neutralize Hercules without killing him. It was her guess that this Hercules knew how to get the "real" son of Zeus, the good one who'd given her another path to follow, back.
Gabrielle, who was a quick learner, found herself spending some time learning the finer points of strategy by aiding Colchak and his son within the command tent during the battle. There was more than enough for her to do. It was her carefully crafted messages that would provide the information the other Generals needed to function. False messages were also sent. While looking at Hercules' plans, Xena had come to the conclusion that some of their messengers weren't getting the job done or were spies. The Amazons were used for the "real" ones and a few false ones. They could be trusted. The messages would arrive where they were supposed to.
Somehow, despite the overabundance of things to do, Gabrielle found the time to visit the wounded. It was hard for her to see so many die, or get hurt, whether their lives were given willingly or not. (The responsibility of her part in this war both weighed upon her and tempered her.) She found Xena there also and they walked among the wounded together. Then, when it seemed to Gabrielle that Xena's eyes were too round from trying to stay awake, the Queen, who was slave, led her consort mistress back to their tent.
(There would later be nights when the strawberry blonde struggled into their home, quite late, weary from her own inner and outward struggles. Sometimes Xena would be there waiting and the one to draw the hot bath. Sometimes she and Xena would arrive together, leaning upon one another for support. Sometimes it would be she who waited, with a bit of fear in her heart. The Amazons, eventually, took it upon themselves to make their tent ready, whatever the case.)
The compact woman's location within the center of the camp was heartening to Xena. Gabrielle was so busy, she didn't ask to go with the warlord out into the field. That was something Xena worried about a bit, but Colchak not only found Gabrielle's presence in the command tent useful, he found it inspirational and Xena believed in using the best of what was available.
Eponin and Solari continued to divide the duty of guarding the queen with each other and with Abne, the redhead who'd accompanied them to Hercules' prebattle celebration, and her lover, Jyni. They filled the function of guard proudly and shared a large tent (located close to the queen and her consort) between them. While they talked among themselves about their experiences (for it had been a real coup), None of those who'd been present during the celebration chose to talk much to those outside of their group, about what happened within the half God's camp, other than to say that their queen had carried the ruse well and their purposes had been accomplished. (Abne did share the events from her perspective, with her partner, but Jyni was sworn to secrecy and kept her pact. There would be time enough to tell the full truth later). Their compatriots found their reticence frustrating, but the stony faces (which had to be assumed by those brave warriors to keep from blushing) discouraged the less inquisitive from asking.
The really nosy persons were fed the rumors that Xena wanted passed on. One had Xena portrayed as a heartless bitch and Gabrielle as her poor suffering lover, who'd endured all for the cause. It was almost close enough to the truth that Solari was able to make it sound convincing, though it galled her to portray the Warlord at her worst when she knew how much the Queen and her lover really cared for each other. Xena, however, didn't mind being the bad guy as long as it served her purposes and it did serve her purposes.
Arden fought besides his Amazon lovers in battle. They fought so fiercely, so protectively of each other, that their foes had little chance. They established a bloody rhythm and cut a swath of death and mayhem that left survivors trembling in fear. Xena witnessed it all (as they witnessed her feats, in bits and pieces, between lunges, leaps, gouges and cuts.) and decided to keep them within her camp instead of sending them off as she'd originally planned. She could see a real use for them. All in all, despite Hercules' disappearance, the outcome of the battle had been satisfactory.
Xena curled into Gabrielle, spooning against her back. The cushions were soft against her body and protected her from the harshness of the ground. Gabrielle's breathing had finally evened into sleep's pattern. They'd been too tired to love that night, but it was a comfort to feel each other. For a moment, Xena's mind scattered along what if's and worry's path. She brought her thoughts to the present and found herself ever more grateful for the fate's gift to her. Then the innkeeper's daughter kissed her mate's hair and closed her eyes. The future would be here soon enough and morning would provide time for loving.
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This page was last updated: February 02, 1998
İFebruary 1998