Xena put her fingers over her companion’s lips. “Let’s work on that I’m the queen thing, hm?” She turned to regard Brendan. “Go rest. You’ll need it.”
With a quiet nod, the man turned to leave.
“Brendan.”
The grizzled gray head swiveled.
“Good job.” Xena said. “All of you.”
His face creased into a tired grin, and he sketched a salute at her, ducking his head before he turned and headed for the river.
Gabrielle waited for him to disappear, before she folded her hand over Xena’s, now lying slackly on the queen’s thigh. “Not so good news, huh?”
“No.” Xena admitted. “Lousy news. But at least they’re all back in one piece.” She turned her head towards Gabrielle. “I really wasn’t counting on this. Damn, I hate surprises.”
“You’ll figure out a way to beat him.” Gabrielle told her confidently.
A snort. “Yeah, after I figure out a way to get us down the river in one piece, with what little gear we got left. Maybe.” She picked up a rock and tossed it into the fire. “Stupid.”
“Those guys?”
“Me.”
Xena’s head tipped up again, and she held a hand up as Gabrielle was about to protest. Moving quickly, she placed two fingers between her teeth and let out a short whistle, galvanizing the camp into utter stillness again.
Gabrielle wondered what the difference was, between the bark and the whistle. The result seemed the same to her.
Off to the left, in the pitch darkness, a soft crackling was heard, as something moved nearby. Two of the soldiers next to Xena jumped up, drawing their swords instinctively.
Xena handed her cup to Gabrielle and stood up as well, towering over the two men as she rested her hand against the box for balance. Her eyes widened as the crashing got louder, and she drew her own sword as she let out a yell of warning.
It was chaos. Men dove for their weapons and servants dove for cover as the bushes exploded with motion, the shadows erupting into a swirl of bodies and the smell of….
“Heeeyahhh!!” Xena pushed past the men and lifted her arms commandingly. “Whoa!!!”
Horses. The lead animal reared up over the queen’s head, his hooves passing dangerously close to her head before he thumped down to the ground and let out a brassy snort. Then he nuzzled Xena in the chest, and whuffled.
Xena scratched his nose. “Hello, boy.” She whispered, before she turned and faced the rest of the camp. Lifting her hands, she spread her arms to indicate the horses, and smirked.
A low, amazed murmur sprang up, and several whistles followed. “Good on yer, Mistress! Hade’s codpiece!”
Gabrielle scrambled to her feet and bolted forward, as she spotted a shaggy head poking out from behind the black stallion. “Patches!” She threw her arms around his neck in delight, her eyes meeting Xena’s. “I told you.” She mouthed silently.
Xena grinned, and gave her a thumbs up.
It was like the gods had clapped their hands, and given them a blessing, changing dire misfortune to tentative hope in the single span of a minute. Gabrielle had always been wary of the gods, but now she was beginning to suspect that maybe, just maybe…
They liked her.
Xena laughed, as the men came forward to take hold of the animals. “Take care of them. Check their feet – the gods only know where the Hades they’ve been.” She nodded approvingly as Brendan came to take Tiger from her, leading the big stallion off. Then she turned and winked at Gabrielle, shaking her head in amazement. “Gotta love it”
For sure, she decided, the gods liked Xena. Gabrielle gave Patches a hug. Maybe it was the attitude.
Xena rested her hands on the pony’s back and leaned over, kissing Gabrielle on the lips. She paused and looked into her eyes. “We’re gonna make it home.” She whispered. “I’m not letting that stinking bastard stand in our way.”
Gabrielle leaned forward for another kiss. “Xena, wherever you are, is home for me.” She whispered back. “So I am home.”
Patches snorted.
The moon broke it’s cover, and spread over them, casting a silver light that chased back the shadows and outlined figures in gilded tones, lightening their hearts.
Save two, which already held a burning that was coming to burn clear any darkness.
Xena wanted, really wanted, to start off right away. Arriving near the stronghold in total darkness would improve her chances of surprise, she felt, and it would certainly satisfy her craving to do something.
Anything.
She was itching to redeem herself, in her own eyes. But it was dark, and it was cold, and taking her men, and the servants through rough territory in those conditions wasn’t a good idea. There was also her own condition to think of. Xena had discovered that her injury had left her without much of a sense of balance at the moment, and falling off her horse in front of the enemy wasn’t something she’d deal with in any sort of dignified manner.
So she’d reseated herself by the fire and resigned herself to waiting for the morning, knowing at least her rag-tag followers would do better for the rest.
“Hey, Xena?” Gabrielle appeared from the shadows and dropped down next to her, settling cross-legged at her side. “How did they find us?”
Xena looked at her in some mild confusion. “Brendan? He’s a tracker. Damn better be able to find his way back in the forest.”
“No… no… the horses.” Gabrielle replied. “I mean, we came over the mountain and down the river.. how did they follow us?”
Hm. Xena tipped back her waterskin and took a long swallow, to give herself time to think of an answer. Wine would have tasted better, but they didn’t have any, and she wasn’t sure getting drunk with her head half cracked was a good idea anyway. “How did they find us.” She repeated the question, wiping her lips with the back of her hand. “Well, y’know, muskrat…if I was a betting woman, I’d bet my underwear that I didn’t have a clue how they did it.”
Gabrielle blinked, as she absorbed the answer. “Really?”
“Really.” The queen replied. “Got any ideas?”
The blond woman’s eyebrows knit together. “Me?”
“You.” Xena reached over and tweaked her nose. “You’re the storyteller. You tell me how they did it.”
Gabrielle sat back, a thoughtful look on her face.
Xena took another sip of her water, content to sit and wait, the nagging ache in her head starting to prick her with it’s annoyance. She closed her eyes and tried to think of how she’d approach the stronghold tomorrow. The horses changed things immensely – now she had mobility, and speed, and the ability to carry their gear. But on the minus side, it was harder to move with secrecy if you were sitting on top of large, often intractable beasts.
Still, she was happier than Hades’ handbasket that she had them back. If only for her own sake, since Tiger would allow her to keep up with the army despite her injury.
“I think…”
Xena opened one eye, to see Gabrielle folding her hands together and leaning her chin against them, a look of intense concentration on her face. “You do?” She asked. “And here I thought you were just a beautiful saddle ornament of mine.” She teased.
“I think they smelled us.”
The queen tilted her body to one side and reviewed the camp. Delicately, she sniffed, then made a face. “Four score wet, dirty, leather and fur covered bodies all using the same hole in the ground to poop in?” She rocked a hand back and forth. “Eeeehhh… maybe.” She conceded. “But how in Hades did they know it was *us*?”
Gabrielle got up onto her knees and leaned forward, sniffing at the queen with a studious expression that almost made Xena start snickering She got closer and closer, until her nose was right up against the queens’ chest.
She took a long, deep breath.
Xena couldn’t hold it in any longer. She started laughing, grabbing hold of Gabrielle and shaking her like a puppy. “What are you doing?”
“Well.” Gabrielle grinned. “If *I* could tell it was you, I bet those horses could.”
“You can not.”
“I can.”
Xena studied her, a grin still on her face. “You saying I stink?”
“No.” Gabrielle settled next to her, leaning against the box. “I like the way you smell.” She said, laying her hand on Xena’s shoulder and tangling her fingers in the queen’s hair. “I like everything about you.”
A witty remarked died unspoken on Xena’s lips. Maybe it was the softness in Gabrielle’s tone, or the gentle touch of her knuckles, now brushing Xena’s cheek. As she watched, her companion leaned against her and she noticed just how tired and drawn Gabrielle’s face was. “Hey.”
The green eyes flickered, and focused on her. “Hm? Do you need something? How about some more tea?”
“I don’t need no stinking tea.” The queen told her. “I need you to get some rest.”
“I’m okay.” Gabrielle protested. “Really.”
“Horseshit.” Xena stretched her legs out, then pointed at her thigh. “Put your head down or I’ll nail it down.”
“But…” Gabrielle paused, then she eased down onto her side and curled up next to Xena, putting her head down on the proffered spot and curling her hand around the queen’s knee. The long day’s tension had her tied in knots, though how the queen had guessed that, she didn’t know. Though the ground was hard, she figured there wasn’t any place anywhere more comfortable than this.
Xena put a hand on her companion’s back, and felt the strain. Without a word, she shifted her other hand over and started a probing massage, her fingers working over Gabrielle’s tense body. After a few minutes, she felt the knots begin to relax, and she heard Gabrielle exhale in relief.
Again, she felt that curious mix of joy and consternation, and that nameless ache deep in her guts as she cared for this other person now in her life. As her fingertips kneaded the taut muscles, she found herself relaxing and taking more pleasure than she’d ever imagined out of the simple act.
“I think I’m supposed to be taking care of you.” Gabrielle commented, in a wry tone.
“Shut up.” Xena replied. “Just lie there and let me have my fun.”
Gabrielle wriggled into a more comfortable spot and gave in, gratefully accepting the touch. She picked up the rhythm of Xena’s hands, and her thumb echoed it, tracing lightly over the knitted fabric covering the queen’s leg. “Thanks.”
Xena merely chuckled.
“Y’know… I think in my family I was always the one doing stuff for everyone else.” Gabrielle said, unexpectedly. “Whether I wanted to or not.”
“Mm.”
“It’s a really nice feeling when you know someone wants to do something for you.”
“Did I say I was doing this for you?” The queen objected. “I told you I was having fun. This is not about you, it’s about me.”
Gabrielle gazed off into the firepit, watching the shadows dance across it. “It’s especially nice when you know that person really cares about you.”
Xena felt an idiotic lump form in her throat, making it difficult to reply.
“That’s such a special feeling.” The blond woman’s voice dropped to a whisper.
Yes, it was. The queen agreed silently. “The horses…” She had to stop, and clear her throat of an unusual huskiness. “Probably followed Brendan back here. Two of the men he had with him are my military grooms.”
“Oh.”
“But they probably did smell them.” Xena added. “So you were right.” She worked her hands down Gabrielle’s spine. “Just like you were right about them coming back at all.”
“It was just a guess.”
“It was a good guess.” The queen leaned closer. “I’m glad you were right.” She let her hands go still a moment. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Gabrielle felt the discomforts of her body slip away, replaced by a contented warmth. She had no idea how Xena was going to get them through the next few days, but whichever way she did it, Gabrielle intended on being right there with her.
Whatever it took. Whatever the risk.
She closed her eyes, and slipped easily into sleep.
Xena pulled the edge of her cloak over, and settled it around her companion’s body, tucking it neatly in around her. Then she lifted her eyes up and let them fasten on the fire, her expression going quiet and steely as she decided just how the blood spilling would begin.
**
The sleep had done her a world of good. Gabrielle found herself waking before the dawn, in the still, small hour when the whole world around her seemed to be shut down and silent.
Her body was stiff, and she realized she hadn’t moved at all while she’d slept – in fact, her fingers were still curled around the queen’s leg under the thick cloak that covered both of them. It was warm under the cloak, though; she really didn’t feel like moving despite the discomfort.
Xena’s arm was draped over her, a gentle weight across her shoulder and side, and she realized their hands had met and joined in sleep, fingers tangled together in a firm hold. It felt nice. Slowly, so as not to wake the queen, Gabrielle shifted and rolled over onto her back, biting back a groan as her body protested.
But she felt better as soon as she resettled herself, this time so she could see Xena’s profile in the faint light from the nearby fire.
The queen had fallen asleep with her head resting against a folded cloth, leaning on the box. Her dark hair blew fitfully in the breeze, half obscuring her face, but even so, Gabrielle found herself entranced by the vision of shadowed beauty she was gazing up at.
There were bruises across one whole side of her head, darkening the skin over her cheekbones, and a thin, dark line marked the scrape that crossed her jaw from it’s point almost to her ear. Still, it didn’t mar the even planes or detract even one bit from the powerful character.
One thing Gabrielle did notice, that relaxed in sleep, her customary watchful guard dropped, Xena looked far younger than she did awake. It made her wonder just how old her current pillow was, given how much she’d already done with her life.
Not to mention, what she’d done to change Gabrielle’s, in such a very short time.
Gabrielle thought about that for a while, lying there on her back with the scents of the camp drifting over her. Of all the places she’d ever imagined herself, this was without question the last place she’d ever thought she’d be, out in the wilderness with a squad of soldiers preparing to relieve a siege.
From what she’d heard Brendan say, there were a lot more soldiers attacking the stronghold than they had here. Could they do it? She studied the sleeping woman so close to her with quiet, curious eyes. Everyone was counting on Xena to make it work right, she knew. She’d heard the men talking.
They had no idea how they were going to do it, but they all trusted that Xena did, and that she’d find a way to win through. Gabrielle suspected that Xena knew that too, and she wondered what it felt like to know you were responsible for everyone’s expectations.
Not just their lives. Life to Xena really didn’t mean a whole lot, as she had come to realize. It was Xena’s ego and reputation at stake here, when faced with this really sticky problem she had to solve.
In which case, Gabrielle reasoned, they really had very little to worry about. She closed her eyes again. Xena would find a way, hopefully soon. Aside from being cold and uncomfortable in the forest, not nearly as romantic as stories would have lead her to believe – she found herself wanting to have it over with for quite a different, somewhat bemusing reason.
Her body wanted Xena’s touch. Though her experience in bed had been admittedly limited, she thought about it and how good it had made her feel with unexpected frequency.
Ah well. With a soundless, wry chuckle, Gabrielle put the thoughts out of her mind. A moment later, she felt a strong sense of someone watching her, and opened her eyes again to see who it was.
“Comfy?” Xena drawled, very softly.
Gabrielle rested her cheek against the queen’s belly, and grinned. “Yeah.”
Xena gazed at her for a few moments, then grinned back. “Too bad.” She said. “I’m gonna get up and go take a bath. Wanna come?”
Gabrielle glanced at the darkness around them, her brows creasing. “Xena, it’s freezing out.”
“Mmhm.”
“You’re going to go take a bath.. in the river?”
“Mmhm.”
“While it’s freezing?”
“Yep.”
“Are you going to take… your clothes off?”
Xena chuckled. “Of course.” She brushed her knuckles over Gabrielle’s cheekbone. “C’mon. It’ll be fun.”
“Fun?” Gabrielle seemed skeptical.
“You, me, naked…” The dark brows hiked suggestively. “Bet I can keep you from freezing to death.”
Gabrielle’s face twitched. “Okay.” She agreed, with a touch of hesitation. “I guess anything with naked stuff can’t not be fun, huh?”
Xena had to work over that for a minute before she decided it was a positive remark. “Let’s go.” She said. “Besides, I gotta stand up and stretch. My back’s killing me.” She waited for Gabrielle to sit up, then untangled her cloak from both of them and pulled herself upright, leaning on the box for balance.
“I could rub your back.” Gabrielle offered, as they started off, easing around the trees and through the misty gloom.
“You can rub more than that.” Xena assured her, with a soft chuckle.
“Oo.”
**
Getting to the river, though, Gabrielle found doubts developing. Xena led her to a spot where the bank sloped down to the water, and a bend in the stream had formed a calm little pocket. As she stood on the turf, she could see a gentle mist rising from it’s surface. The air was more than chilly, and she rubbed her arms as she felt the wind lift her hair and blow across the back of her neck. “Brr.”
Xena sauntered to the edge and knelt, sticking her hand into the water, then pulling it out and shaking the droplets off. “Ah.. just how I like it.” She peeked back over her shoulder. “Spine chilling.”
“Eh heh.”
The queen stood up and removed her cloak, slinging it casually over a nearby branch. Then she leaned against the tree and began unlacing her boots. “C’mon.”
With a sigh, Gabrielle walked towards her, kneeling at her side and untying the cords that held her boots to her calves.. “You know, Xena, now that we’re here… um… it’s really cold.”
“C’mon.” Xena tugged on the edge of her cloak. “Faster you get em off, faster we get in the water.”
“That’s sorta what I was afraid of.”
“Gabrielle.” Xena removed a boot and let it drop, then pinned her companion with an intense stare. “You ever done this before?”
“Um… no. No, of course not.”
“That’s why you should do it.” Xena dropped her second boot, and straightened. She held a hand out to Gabrielle. “C’mon. Live.”
“Live.” Gabrielle repeated the word, just before she took the proffered fingers. “I thought I was.” The ground felt cold and hard against her feet, and she winced at the dew’s chill on her toes. “Wasn’t I?”
“Make every second count.” The queen told her, suddenly serious. “Cause you never know when the seconds are going to run out on you.”
They stared at each other in silence, as the mist rose up and twined around their legs.
Okay, well, that did it. Gabrielle stepped closer and lifted her hands to the queen’s belt, unfastening it in silence as Xena undid the cloak catch at her throat and removed the protection of it from around her shoulders.
The cold air blew against her, but Xena’s fingers were sliding over her, loosening the tunic held tight to her body by her leather belt and ducking her head to gently kiss her on the lips.
Her heart started to pound. She slid her hands under Xena’s shirt and found the lacings that held the leggings snugly around her waist, not even really realizing it when her own shirt was slipped over her head leaving her body exposed to the chill.
Xena’s fingers circled her breast, and she felt her body respond with a ferocity that sent hot blood racing in all directions, warming her and making her almost glad of the cool night air. “Mm.” She felt the leggings come loose and her hands touched skin, as Xena’s lips became slightly more insistent and their bodies moved together.
She unlaced the soft, cloth ties on Xena’s shirt and felt it slip down between them, the queen taking a half step back to let it fall to the ground. Then their bodies pressed together again, and Gabrielle found her breathing growing shorter.
The next thing she knew, her feet were wet. She wiggled her toes, surprised when she found the water warmer than the air had been. But there was little time to wonder, as Xena’s thigh slipped between hers, and her body pressed forward, wanting the touch badly.
They moved into deeper water, the gentle current swirling around them and setting Gabrielle’s already sensitized skin on fire. The floor of the river here was pebbles, but they were small and round, and she kept her footing easily as she and the queen turned in a slow circle, immersed in each other as they were becoming immersed in the water.
Xena’s hand slid down over her hip and touched her belly, as Gabrielle planted tiny kisses down the queen’s chest, stopping and nibbling around her breasts.
It was amazing. Her entire body was tingling. Gabrielle felt the water climb up her chest, it’s surprising warmth brushing her skin as Xena’s touch became more intimate. She moved closer, her body’s need almost making her twitch violently as the queen began stroking her.
“Still cold?” Xena whispered into her ear, the teasing very evident.
“Ungh.” Gabrielle let out a little groan, getting one back as she intensified her nibbling. She slid her hand down between them, feeling Xena’s belly muscles contract and her body tense and shift as her touch moved lower.
It was insane. The mist from the river swirled around them, and Gabrielle felt like ever motion of the water heightened the fire now burning inside her guts. She uttered a small growl as her hands explored Xena’s body, losing track as the queen’s own touch became more intense and she felt herself press closer, wanting even more.
Xena’s arm snaked around her and she found her lips now captured, as their attentions increased again in intensity. She was almost gasping for breath, her chest heaving as she felt Xena’s breathing matching it, their bellies pressing together as passion took over completely.
The pressure built so fast, she almost didn’t have time to gasp as her loins contracted, and the intensity built to a level that force a hoarse yell from her throat, quickly smothered by Xena’s lips as she grabbed the queen in a fierce grip as she rode out the powerful contractions, feeling Xena’s grip on her just as tight as her touch brought the queen to the verge and over at almost the same moment.
They held each other, and Gabrielle felt her legs shaking so badly, she knew if she had been on land she’d have been flat on her back on the ground, unable to stand. Now the water’s brush on her brought back some energy, and she traced a gently erotic pattern over Xena’s skin as the queen nuzzled her throat and gave her a tiny nip. “Mmm.” She ducked her head and sucked in a mouthful of the water, then she swallowed some, and let the rest trickle from her lips over Xena’s chest, licking up the droplets as they fell.
“Mmm.” Xena responded, pulling them both back just a little, as she leaned back against a half submerged log. “So. Was I right?”
Gabriele’s fingers stroked over the soft skin on Xena’s thigh. “About what?” She glanced up, with puzzled innocence.
Xena chuckled, and kissed her.
“Oh, the water.” Gabrielle giggled, burying her face into Xena’s breasts. “It’s warm!”
The queen chortled softly. “There’s a thermal spring over there. It’s not a bath, but.. yeah.”
“You knew it was!”
“Sure.” The queen agreed cheerfully. “Just wanted to see if you had the stomach for it.”
Gabrielle exhaled, and allowed herself to melt into the snug embrace. “Glad I did.”
Xena savored the moment, living it to it’s fullest as she’d told Gabrielle to do. Because you really never did know, she knew more than most, when Hades would tap you on the shoulder and give you the token to cross the Styx.
Live. She hugged Gabrielle to her. Savor it.
**
They gathered on the small ridge just overlooking the plain that led up to the stronghold. In a stand of trees with dense foliage not yet touched by the frost, a thin line of horses assembled, riders holding reins in mostly experienced hands as the scene before them became clear.
Xena leaned her weight on her elbows, which rested on her saddlebow. She surveyed the mayhem going on, and sorted out her options, knowing them to be scant, at the very best.
Bregos, if he was, in fact, doing the planning and hadn’t died from the wounds she’d given him – had planned well. There were at least two hundred soldiers dug in around the stronghold, behind thick bastions of wood and straw, safe from the archers on the walls.
In evidence as well were the tools of siege, two battering rams sat squatly near one side of the gates, and a storming tower was almost complete nearer to the woods. From the look of the gates, the rams had been recently in use, and Xena allowed herself a moment of pride on seeing the stout wood battered but not broken.
She’d designed those gates, replacing the ones she’d blown out when she’d taken the city. Now, it seems, they’d held against the initial efforts of Bregos army though she doubted they would last that much longer, especially if the bastards were heading towards burning them out, as the siege towers indicated.
Well. Xena flexed her hands, and rubbed her thumb over Tiger’s reins. A huge pit, behind a rise out of sight from the walls held a bonfire, and she could see stacks of tar covered torches being lit in preparation. The smoke rose up from them, spiraling in an oily warning up towards the overcast sky.
There were four main garrisons of men, all well armed with crossbows behind every high point. Xena reviewed the weapons and determined riding into their faces, emotionally satisfying though that might be, was suicide.
Xena wasn’t planning on suicide today.
She looked to her left, where a shaggy pony head bobbed, and exchanged a quick smile with Gabrielle. The kid was braiding a bit of the animal’s mane and an image of those clever fingers put to more personal use broadened the grin on the queen’s face.
What a crazy morning. Xena could still feel echoes of that pleasure. They’d carried on until almost dawn, and now she could honestly say she was both clean and as relaxed as the situation would allow her to be as a result.
Life was good, despite the fact that her head injury made riding a horse a stomach churning experience for her, and she was now faced with having to beat an army four times the size of her small force with nothing but guts and luck.
“Mistress?”
“Hm?” Xena turned to find Brendan at her elbow. “Looks like they’re about to have a little roasting party.”
“Aye.” The old soldier agreed. “Men got as many arrows made on the trip as t’could. Got a decent few bows, but not like that lot.” He pointed at the crossbows, which were far more powerful. “Most got an edge of some kind, or a club… bout it, thought. No spears.”
No. Xena exhaled. And the space between the army, and where they were was too damn wide. She’d had the forests cleared back to keep anyone from having cover near the stronghold – now that decision was biting her in the ass as she realized any attempt to sneak up on the attackers would be damn near impossible.
A little wave of vertigo made her tense her hold on the saddle, and almost close her eyes. That had been getting worse during their ride, and she was starting to realize how much it was going to hamper her in a fight.
Not good. “All right.” Xena let the dizziness pass, then sat up and squared her shoulders. “We wait for them to attack.”
“Mistress?”
“Let em get fully engaged. Let em get to where they can taste winning.” The queen said. “Then we’ll hit em.”
“From t’back here?” Brendan queried. “Bushwhack em?”
“Yep.” Xena agreed. “We’ll start mowing em down from behind, and with any luck, they’ll see us from the walls and come out fighting.” She stretched her legs out, slipping her boots from her stirrups and letting them dangle down Tiger’s sides.
Brendan studied the troops, then he nodded, and turned his horses head around, moving back into the lines to start giving orders.
Gabrielle waited until he was out of earshot, then she steered Patches towards Tiger and managed to achieve her purpose without colliding with the larger animal. Pleased with her success, she imitated Xena, pulling her boots out of the stirrups and letting her feet dangle, stretching out painfully cramped muscles in legs very unused to riding. “There sure are a lot of those guys.”
“I know.” The queen replied. “But they’re between me, and a warm dry bed, so they’ve gotta go.” She affected a relaxed pose, gathering her confidence up and settling it over her shoulders like a second cloak.
She had no doubt she’d be needing ever inch of it.
Gabrielle looked at all the soldiers, and felt a sickening chill. She turned her head and looked up. “Hey, Xena?”
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