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. :)

She paused to rest at the first solid ledge she found. Who knew that climbing was such hard work? Xena made it look easy. Her nails were chipped something awful and she had scrapes all over her body. Her hands felt like she wouldn't even be able to hold onto a mug, let alone her staff (and she didn't have that with her, did she. . .) Her hair was knotted and moist with sweat, and her muscles hurt in places she'd never even thought of before. And from the looks of it, she didn't even think that she was half way. No wonder the Gods had chosen Olympus for a home. It kept people like her away.

Still somehow she would manage. Overtaxed muscles or no, Xena was up there. And she had, apparently, made the climb. The potedian wasn't even quite sure how *she'd* known how to climb, let alone made it this far. It was as if an intuition took over, or the Gods.

"That would be mostly it, I think." Gabrielle would have plain fallen off the ledge, if it weren't for two warm hands holding on to her shoulders. "Whoops, There you go. Can't have you spoiling Xena's efforts." There was a smile of terribly bright proportions.

Gabrielle gazed with astonishment at the figure who was supporting her. "Who?" The strawberry blonde's hands clutched at the dark brown arm that now proffered itself to her grasp. It felt solid. She wasn't falling. It, no. . She had to be real.

The Goddess smiled, unhurt. "My Queen, I would think you would recognize me." Gabrielle's glance fell past a glittering smile to the quiver at the woman's side. Then she looked back up into a gaze that seemed to be made up of forever.

Artemis.

The Amazon Queen knelt, or rather attempted to. "No, Gabrielle. No formalities. We haven't the time." She nodded towards the grey face of the mountain. Then she turned and smiled at her Amazon, "But it an honor to finally meet you. You have served my people well and I owe you much."

Gabrielle blinked in astonishment at the statement and when her eyes opened, there was a lighted tunnell before her. "By the Gods."

"Indeed," Artemis said sweetly. Then she informed the Queen, "This will take you the rest of the way. You only have to step in and it will carry you up."

Gabrielle took a step forward, then turned. "Were you here for Xena?" It was an unintentionally multilayered question.

"No." The Goddess admitted, "I wasn't." Her answer was most intentional, "But I am now, just as I am here for you."

They looked for a time at each other. "You'll take care of her, if anything happens?" The bard asked. The Goddess nodded, understanding. Gabrielle looked into the bright, "Thank you," the red head intoned, "for everything." The Goddess said nothing. Then the bard stepped into the light, the stone closed and and Gabrielle disappeared.

Artemis lingered a few moments after, considering. She finally answered where only the air could listen, "No, thank you." Then in a flicker of light, she moved.

Xena was hardly sweating when she was done, but she was confused about her location. There was blood everywhere, which made sense since there were bodies everywhere too. Obviously, she had been at work here, but for what reason? She looked about, trying to remember how she'd gotten there and why.

"Hello, Xena. I see you made short work of it." The goddess appeared to Xena's side. The warrior didn't even bother to jump, but raised an eyebrow. For some reason, this didn't surprise her. Of course, she'd been dealing with Gods and the like for so long. . .

Then she smiled at her friend, "I suppose, Aunt Arty, that I did." Time had allowed her to accept the truth of herself and had given her some peace about the matter. Besides, for some reason Gabrielle loved this Goddess, and whom her heart loved, Xena loved.

"Arty?"

"You'd prefer Artypoo?" There was a teasing grin associated with that statement.

The Goddess looked at Xena in horror, "Gods NO." Artemis' hand clutched at her naked chest.

Xena dropped the sword that she was holding. It clattered to the ground metalically. She sighed, "I need a bath. Gabrielle's going to hate this. We were supposed to be on vacation." Now she was remembering. What had Ephiny said? Something about how only Atlas should always bear the weight of the world. Everyone else got days off. Hmmph. Sneaky bitch. And too very right. Aside from this little confrontation, things had been pretty peaceful in the old Amazon lands. For once.

Artemis smiled softly, "Well, Gabrielle's waiting at the hotspring for you. I took the liberty of. . .explaining. She took it quite well actually."

"Oh, so you tell her why I'm doing this, but not me? Damn it. Nobody tells me anything anymore." There was a pause, then they both started laughing. It was an old joke between them.

"Well, it seemed she already knew. Besides, Gabrielle has always told things much better. It is after all, her talent," Artemis grinned, "and You're less likely to chop *her* head off." Xena snorted another laugh. Another old joke. "Come on, Let me take you home."

Xena sighed wearily, and then, made a decision. She shrugged out of the silk tunic and stood naked and gory. The tunic dropped besides the sword, "One less thing to worry about." Seeing the portal open, she smiled. Then warrior queen stepped through and into a different world.

Artemis waited till the portal was closed before sighing and slumping in utter relief. She looked up to the mountain that she was barred from, but spoke to the wind. "It's done!!" Then, glimmering, she vanished.

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İMay1998

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