For Better or Worse
By
Enginerd
(October 1997)
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Index |
Arriving at the altar with Meleager, Xena
yawned, exhausted from the extensive and multiple discussions she had with her
bard the last evening.
The guests arrived in waves, in numbers that
startled both Meleager and Xena. "Do you know who any of these people
are?" Xena asked, only remembering a few.
"Most, uh...some, uh...oh...there's my
Dad and Willis," Meleager blurted happily and waved at them. Xena sighed
and kept her eyes out for Lila at the end of the aisle. "Oh, and there's
"She said yes?" He whispered as he
looked out over the growing crowd.
"Not exactly," Xena relayed
honestly, making Meleager concerned, but not as concerned as he became when the
musicians started playing the incidental music.
"Oh Gods," he blurted.
"You're not going to get sick are
you?" Xena asked.
He looked at her and quickly and
unconvincingly shook his head no.
"You know Gabrielle, you're going to
have to talk to me someday," her mother patiently informed a stubbornly
quiet Gabrielle as she finished mending the seam of her yellow bridesmaid
dress.
"The music has started," Lila
announced to Gabrielle and her mother as she rushed in Sarah's room.
"Where IS she!?!" Lila blurted anxiously, looking around the room.
"What do you MEAN where IS she?"
Her mother snapped indignantly. "She should be with you!"
"Well she's NOT!" Lila snapped
back. The three women looked at each other a moment when the realization of
what happened set in.
"Oh Gods, she has cold feet,"
Gabrielle blurted for all of them.
"Spread out, she couldn't have gotten
far in that dress," their mother added.
"Nice tune," Meleager he mentioned
as he started breathing again, feeling more comfortable with the incidental
music that was being repeated.
Xena looked up at the priest who started to
look around anxiously and concluded something was definitely wrong. Her eyes
drifted back to the end of the aisle, which was not supposed to be empty.
"So, what do you mean by 'not
exactly?" Meleager asked the Warrior Princess, who sighed heavily.
They found Sarah.
"Gabrielle, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have
left her in there alone," Sustra relayed guiltily.
"Sustra, this isn't anyone's fault
except Sarah's," Gabrielle blurted with annoyance.
"Sarah, the music has started! Come out
of the kitchen," Lila pleaded through the door, glancing at her sister,
mother and Sustra.
"No! I'm not coming out! It's all a HUGE
mistake," she sobbed into a plate of nutbread. The women on the other side
of the door rolled their eyes.
"Sarah, it's not a mistake. Now come out
of the kitchen!" Gabrielle blurted impatiently to her sister.
"NO!" Sarah countered.
"Young lady, you take down those
barricades from these doors right this minute!" Her mother ordered her.
"NO!" Sarah countered.
Gabrielle pulled everyone away from the door.
"I've got an idea..."
"Fire?" Lila guessed eagerly.
"We could SMOKE her out!"
"LILA!" Gabrielle and her mother
blurted with annoyance.
Sustra grinned.
"Hmm..do ..Hmm da..do..da
...Hmm..do...Hmm..da..do...da," Meleager happily hummed the incidental
tune, drawing an amazed gaze from the Warrior Princess.
"Really catchy...isn't it?" He
smiled.
"Sarah dear, please...at least tell me
why you don't want to get married...Meleager has a right to know," her
mother pleaded through the door.
"How do I know its ME he really loves
and not my KINGDOM!!" Sarah sobbed.
"What was that dear? I can't hear you
very well through this door," her mother relayed.
"So, did you try, 'we BELONG together,'
that's always good one," Meleager added helpfully, then started to hum
again.
Xena looked at him blankly.
As Sustra quickly checked the other
entrances, the matron of honor stood on the flower girl's shoulders outside the
highest kitchen window. Gabrielle quickly peaked in and saw Sustra
unsuccessfully try to open a ground level window on the other side of the
kitchen. Sustra shrugged.
"This is the only entrance that isn't
locked," Gabrielle whispered her report to her sister below.
"Gabrielle, I can't keep you up like
this! Climb IN or DOWN!!" Lila snapped, feeling her legs wobble under the
weight of her sister.
"Just a moment more...when she moves to
the door," Gabrielle relayed.
"What about 'you love her and you want
to marry her?' Simple yet to the point," Meleager the Helpful offered,
making Xena cringe.
"Meleager...don't you think they are
taking a long time?" Xena asked, ignoring his advise. "I should check
on...." Xena started to leave.
"Don't leave me!" Meleager blurted
fearfully, grabbing her arm.
"Meleager!" Xena snapped through
clenched teeth as she yanked her arm free.
The commotion between the two drew a
concerned look from the priest. Meleager and Xena looked up at the priest with
plastered-on smiles.
"Please...don't leave me," he
blurted through his smile, making the Warrior Princess groan.
Hecuba sighed, rubbing her temples. No matter
what she said, she was unable to convince her daughter to be rational. She
prayed Gabrielle would be more successful with her bardly skills. Hearing a
loud crash of pots, a very concerned mother pounded on the door.
"Girls! Girls! What's going on in there?
Gabrielle! Sarah! Your DRESSES!!" She blurted through the still barricaded
door.
"Gabrielle?!?...My Gods, are you
ok??"
"Ughh...FINE!"
Hecuba heard more pots drop.
"Sarah, you are GOING to MARRY
him!"
"NO! You can't make me!!"
Hecuba rubbed her temples again. So much for
Gabrielle's bardly skills she was counting on.
"Look, he's waiting at the ALTAR! He
loves YOU and he's willing to marry YOU...Gods only know WHY."
"That's the PROBLEM!"
"Stop acting like an idiot...marry the
guy!!"
"IDIOT?!?"
>From the metallic clinks, clangs, and
clatter mixed in with the sounds of various clay objects shattering from behind
the barricaded door, Hecuba hoped the wedding presents would include a lot of
kitchenware.
Lila and Sustra rushed to Hecuba's side.
"What's going on in there??" Lila asked, hearing the commotion. She
looked to her mother who just kept shaking her head.
"Gods, what did I do to deserve
this?" Hecuba sighed. "They will probably kill each other. Well, at least
we don't have to plan the funeral...everyone's here already."
"There's always smoke," Sustra
suggested with a grin, eyeing Lila, who smiled shyly, suddenly feeling flush.
Hecuba looked at the two and rolled her eyes.
When the commotion in the kitchen stopped,
the three women looked at each other. Hearing the wooden barricades being
removed and dropped to the floor with thunks, they anxiously eyed the door.
"Or you could write her a poem,"
Meleager happily suggested, continuing to hum with the music.
"That's it!" Xena hissed. "I'm
going to see what is taking them...," Xena blurted in frustration.
"Look...There's Lila!" Meleager
interrupted with relief, stopping Xena's attempted escape.
"Finally," Xena sighed with relief,
hearing the mind-numbing incidental music stop and the Poteidaian march finally
start.
The tired guests all turned to watch Lila.
Except Xena, who noticed an extremely weary looking Hecuba join her concerned
husband in the pews. After whispering something in his ear, she kissed him on
the cheek and they turned to watch the aisle.
When Lila began her march down the aisle
throwing petals down, Xena noticed something very wrong. The youngest
Poteidaian was wearing a pink dress. As she passed Meleager and Xena, Lila
stopped for a moment.
"Don't worry, everything's
fine...now," Lila relayed.
"What HAPPENED?" Xena whispered
with irritation, eyeing the pink dress.
Lila looked at Meleager and plastered on a
smile. "Everything's fine now...gotta go," she whispered uneasily,
and moved to the other side of the altar.
Xena looked down the aisle for her bard, who
was next. After a few moments, Gabrielle finally appeared...in a pink dress. As
she marched down the aisle, Xena noticed the bard's forced smile.
"What HAPPENED?" Xena whispered to
the bard, eyeing that...dress. She really hoped Gabrielle wouldn't ask her how
she looked in it.
Gabrielle looked at Xena, then her dress, and
sighed heavily in defeat as she shook her head and proceeded to join her sister
at the altar.
The musicians finished the march and looked
for a cue from the priest for the Entrance Hymn. When the priest saw Sarah at
the end of the aisle, he nodded and the Hymn started.
"Gods," Meleager gasped with awe.
"She's so beautiful," he blurted, making Xena grin at her friend.
As Sarah limped by with the long train
flowing behind her, Xena noticed that a large number of beads were missing.
Hearing an odd sound, plink...plink...plink, plink plink plink...Xena's gaze
dropped to the floor to find a trail of beads.
Xena's eyebrow raised as she looked up at the
bride, who smiled warmly at Meleager as they clasped hands and stood together
at the altar. With a questioning look to Gabrielle, she saw the weary bard
mouth "Don't ask."
"Welcome all to a most joyous occasion,"
the priest began. "The union of two people in the eyes of the Gods, family
and friends,"
Looking around the room, Xena wondered if
there would be as many happy faces at their wedding. Not surprisingly, her gaze
was drawn to her stubborn bard in that disturbingly pink dress. Xena knew
Gabrielle was making her work to get her to say yes. But she didn't mind. In
fact, she rather enjoyed the challenge.
"Xena," Meleager whispered
anxiously.
"Hmmm?" Xena responded, grinning
when the bard turned to her. Xena wondered why the bard was motioning with her
head towards the altar.
"The EGG!" He blurted, snapping her
out of her thoughts.
"Oh yeah...sorry," she blurted with
embarrassment.
Xena retrieved the box from Meleager's father
and handed it over to the priest, who eyed her with annoyance.
"The second Traditional Item is the Red
Orchid of Love," the priest smiled. "A rare flower representing the
beauty of love when it blooms. As with a garden of flowers, love between two
people must be tended to and cared for, for it to thrive," the priest
informed the nodding congregation.
The priest nodded to the Warrior Princess,
who turned to a nervous Willis, who held out the flower. Xena surprised him
when she simply smiled and took the Orchid from his shaking hand.
After Xena presented the Orchid of Love to
the priest, who placed it next to the egg, the priest smiled upon Meleager.
"The third and final Traditional Item is
the wedding poem. As a declaration of his love, the groom shall speak the words
from his heart," the priest announced then nodded to Meleager who smiled.
Almost done.
Meleager slid his hand under his leather
tunic to retrieve a neatly folded piece of parchment. He grinned at Sarah, for
in a few moments they would finally be husband and wife.
Looking at Xena, Meleager opened the
parchment with a sly grin. A piece of cake.
He cleared his throat as he opened up the
poem to read it.
Sarah looked at Gabrielle with an excited
smile. The bard was even excited to hear what Meleager finally came up with.
Though she felt rather guilty for not helping him, she knew he was better off
with his own words. They would be a much better gift for Sarah.
Suddenly, instead of the sweet words of
endearment which everyone expected to hear, Meleager moaned and started to gasp
for air.
Sarah's mother shook her head with
disappointment as she looked at her husband, who felt bad for the poor warrior.
Xena nudged Meleager to get the show on the
road. "Just read it," Xena urged him through the clenched teeth of
her smile.
Sarah looked at Gabrielle and Lila who
shrugged.
Meleager looked back at Xena in horror, then
looked at the parchment in his hand and moaned weakly again.
Sure, it was probably bad but this was
ridiculous, Xena thought. She snatched the parchment from Meleager's hands
before he had time to react. She opened it up and read the words that had
paralyzed Meleager the Mighty.
There once was a woman from Amphipolis
Her conditions would prove most ridiculous
she'd practice all day
"Without interruptions" she'd say
Missing the romance of an afternoon tryst
"Wonderful," Xena said flatly.
"Meleager?" Sarah urged with a loud
whisper for him to do something.
Gabrielle wondered why she was receiving that
unamused look from the Warrior Princess.
Meleager coughed again, still
hyperventilating as sweat beaded on his brow. I'm a dead man. Dead. Kaput. No
longer living. Not alive. Mortally challenged. Crossing the river
The priest sighed. "Xena, as you have
agreed to stand by him...you can read it for him," the priest offered to
move this ceremony along.
Xena's eyes widened in panic. "Uh...read
THIS?" Xena repeated as the priest nodded. She shot an annoyed look to
Meleager.
"Please," Sarah begged. Xena eyed
the Poteidaian sisters who all had pleading looks on their face.
Xena sighed heavily, took a moment and
coughed. Looking over the parchment, Xena nodded weakly. Meleager's head
drooped as he moaned and wiping the sweat from his brow.
"When I wake" Xena started in a
soft voice, then paused and cleared her throat.
Meleager's head snapped up in surprise.
"I need to see you," Xena added
more loudly and glanced down at the parchment.
The sisters smiled with relief.
"When I travel," Xena spoke,
looking up at the bard, who was smiling warmly at her radiant sister. "I
need you beside me."
Meleager grinned happily for those were the
words he wanted to borrow in the first place. Meleager looked at Sarah and
nodded convincingly. He hesitantly looked over at the bard, who didn't seem
upset at all about using her words. He exhaled with relief and smiled. This was
going well, very well.
Hecuba looked at her smiling husband and
nodded approvingly.
"When I fight, I need to know you are
safe," Xena relayed, staring at the parchment full of words she was not
reading.
Suddenly realizing the words spoken were not
Meleager's, Gabrielle looked to her warrior. When Xena looked up from the
parchment, their eyes locked.
"When I cry, I need you to hold
me," Xena spoke softly, unable to take her eyes off Gabrielle, who stood
mesmerized by the warrior's heartfelt words.
"When I sleep, I need you in my
arms." Xena took a deep breath.
"This is what I need," Xena paused.
"I need you. Please...marry me,"
Xena asked once again.
The priest exhaled with relief. "I
pleased to FINALLY pronounce you husband and wife. You may KISS the
bride," the priest boomed happily.
When Meleager and Sarah kissed, the relieved
gathering burst out in cheers and applause. Together, hand in hand, Meleager
and Sarah left the altar as husband and wife.
Hecuba squeezed her husband's arm as she
whispered in his ear. "One down, two to go."
The gathering grew agitated waiting for the
rest of the wedding party to leave.
"Gabrielle!!" Lila blurted, tapping
her distracted sister on the arm.
"Hmmm?" Gabrielle responded
absently, still looking into those crystal blue eyes.
"Move it!" Lila pushed her along,
just as anxious as the crowd to leave.
"Oh," Gabrielle said absently as
she started to leave the altar. She paused a moment in front of Xena and
searched her eyes. Eyes that showed strength, confidence and incredible love. A
warm smile filled the bard's face.
"Ok," Gabrielle relayed simply to
the warrior, who's face lit up with a huge smile. "Let's go,"
Gabrielle added with a sly grin, holding out her hand.
Lila rolled her eyes impatiently.
Hecuba sighed and got up from her seat
determined to move things along. "A mother's work is never done," she
relayed wearily to her husband.
With furrowed eyebrows, Xena eyed the bard's
extended hand and raised her eyebrow as she looked into the bard's face.
"Ok let's go...or ok you'll marry me?" Xena questioned the bard.
Lila suddenly found this delay interesting.
"Both...now let's ..." Gabrielle
answered, gabbing her grinning warrior's hand.
"What's TAKING you so long??"
Hecuba interjected, feeling embarrassed at the annoyed glares of the gathering
who wanted to leave.
"She said both," Lila relayed
happily.
"That's wonderful dear, now would you
two PLEASE get a move on it?" Hecuba asked with annoyance.
"You're sure we should?" Xena
asked.
"Absolutely," Gabrielle responded,
squeezing her warrior's hand.
"Ok then, we will," Xena couldn't
wipe the grin off her face if she tried.
"Great, a decision! Now MOVE it!"
Hecuba blurted impatiently.
Xena eyed the anxious woman. "Yes
mother," she responded and raised the bard's hand to her lips and planted
a tender kiss. As the two finally left, hand in hand, Hecuba's eyes darted
quickly to Lila, who grinned.
"Told you she said both," Lila
added.
At the reception, on his first mission for
his wife, a smiling Meleager headed to the punch bowl. He didn't make it. A
pair of hands belonging to a very annoyed Warrior Princess emerged from behind
a column and grabbed him.
"XENA! You sure do have a funny way of congratulating
me..." He laughed uneasily as she drug him into a secluded corner.
"You STOLE Gabrielle's ...poem..."
Xena eyed him coldly, making him cringe.
"It was an accident! I swear!" He
blurted, then crumbled under her continuing gaze. "Alright, alright...I
meant to use one of her poems," Meleager admitted. "The first one I
pulled out was perfect...But when Lila almost caught me, startling the Tartarus
out of me, I guess I got the wrong one...." He chuckled uneasily.
"How could you STEAL Gabrielle's
poem??" Xena snapped.
"I was just going to BORROW it. YOU were
the one with the idea to COPY a poem...I just couldn't find the one I
liked!" He responded defensively.
"So you just rummaged through her
bag??" Xena blurted still amazed.
"Well...yeah," Meleager admitted
with a cringe.
"She will KILL you if she find's out,
you know that don't you?" Xena relayed.
"Finds out? She didn't seem so upset
with me using her words at the altar..." He noted with confusion.
"Those were not her words...they were
MINE," Xena snapped.
"Really? Wow, they were really good
Xena" Meleager smiled. "Gee, does this mean you'll have to write
another poem for your wedding?" Meleager asked, drawing a very cold glare.
"Congratulations," a teary
Gabrielle hugged Sarah tightly. More beads dropped to the floor. The two looked
at each other and chuckled.
"Thank you," Sarah looked into her
sister's eyes, unable to find any better words. Gabrielle grinned and hugged
her again, not needing any more.
"Gabrielle!" Lila rushed up to the
two. "Oh, congratulations Sarah," she mentioned casually to her
sister.
"Thanks," Sarah blurted flatly,
feeling like a third wheel as Lila eagerly grabbed Gabrielle's arm.
"Gabrielle, you know, I've been thinking
I really don't know all that much about the Amazons...would you mind telling me
about them?" Lila asked the surprised Amazon Queen.
"Now?" Gabrielle chuckled.
"Well, you and Xena will be leaving soon
and who better to tell me about the Amazons than their Queen," Lila
explained with a smile.
"Actually, Sustra could..."
Gabrielle mentioned, spotting the loyal Amazon serving some drinks.
"Sustra!" Gabrielle called out, making the Amazon smile and head
their way. Gabrielle eyed Sarah, who immediately recognized that familiar
conspiratorial gaze.
"NO!...I mean...oh Gods," Lila
blurted, blushing a deep crimson. Sarah grinned and shook her head.
"Something wrong?" Gabrielle
innocently asked her flustered younger sister.
"No, nothing," Lila spoke weakly as
Sustra joined them.
"Your majesty," Sustra spoke
formally and bowed. "Is there something you need?" She asked,
glancing at Lila and smiling warmly before returning her attention to her
Queen.
"Well actually, my sister Lila has
recently become quiet fascinated with the Amazon culture," Gabrielle
relayed, making Lila cringe and Sarah roll her eyes with amusement.
"Really?" Sustra smiled.
"Gabrielle would love to explain
everything to her but Gabrielle and I have some things we need discuss, would
you mind educating our youngest sister?" Sarah jumped in, to the horror of
Lila, who's eyes widened with embarrassment.
"I wouldn't mind at all, it would be a
pleasure," Sustra smiled happily until she noted the flush on Lila's face.
"Are you ok Lila?"
"Sure," Lila weakly replied.
"I just need a drink," she added.
As the two
"Educate??" Gabrielle relayed to
Sarah with a smirk, who nodded.
"Are you saying you don't want our
sister educated?" Sarah asked innocently.
"I don't have a problem with that, but
mother might," Gabrielle relayed with a chuckle.
"I might have a problem with what?"
Hecuba asked, overhearing the end of the conversation.
"Uh...a long engagement?" Gabrielle
suggested.
"You know, I haven't seen my husband in
a while. I think I better see what he's up to," Sarah blurted with a
smile.
Gabrielle and Hecuba eyed the Queen as she
abruptly left. "I thought she would have stopped that once the wedding was
over," Hecuba informed a surprised bard, who watched her mother smile and
shake her head.
"Gabrielle, I wanted to tell you
something," her mother took her daughter's hand and smiled at her.
"Actually a couple of things," she added, squeezing her daughter's
hand.
"Your father and I are very proud of
you. The Amazon's couldn't have a better Queen," she told her firmly,
generating a big smile on Gabrielle's face.
"And I want you to know I AM happy for
you," Hecuba informed her daughter, who's emotions welled up upon hearing
those precious words.
"I am happy you have found
happiness," her mother reached out to wipe the tear from her daughter's
face.
"I had a very hard time accepting Xena.
And I can't say that now that I know her a little better, I am any more
comfortable with her past," she admitted to her quiet daughter. "Or
any less worried it will catch up to her AND you," she added.
Seeing Gabrielle about to respond she held
her hand up and continued uninterrupted.
"But the woman that's with you today,
the woman that helped with the dress and helped Meleager is a good woman...who
cares deeply. I see her love for you, in so many ways...it reminds me of your
father and me," Hecuba's eyes now started to moisten. "And if you and
Xena share even half that love, you two are very, very fortunate," Hecuba
informed her daughter, who smiled broadly.
"I love you Gabrielle." Her mother
pulled her daughter into a tight embrace. "Don't ever forget that."
"Xeeenaaa" Gabrielle uttered
slowly, her voice dripping with warning as she stopped her staff exercises in
mid-sweep. Her eyes shifted to meet the source of her distraction, the warrior
lounging on the side of the grassy hill, smelling a freshly picked wildflower
as she intently watched the bard.
"Yes Gabrielle?" The warrior
responded invitingly, hopeful blues meeting piercing greens. As the bard's eyes
narrowed, the warrior immediately realized she was not going to be successful
this beautiful day.
The determined bard exhaled loudly and
resumed her practice.
"Just had to go and say you needed to
know she's safe in that poem, didn't you?" An annoyed Xena muttered to her
brilliantly poetic self. Xena sighed, tossing the flower over her shoulder in
defeat.
Now, Gabrielle was intent on practicing ALL
the time. Going so far as denying them a pleasurable afternoon to practice her
staff. Xena's eyebrows furrowed. All this to make YOU, Warrior Idiot, feel
better about her safety, Xena silently scolded herself and groaned.
Xena exhaled with exasperation as she laid
back on the hill and stared at the blue sky for a moment as a huge puffy cloud
passed by, blocking the sun. The resulting shadow covered the ground quickly, enveloping
the bard then the warrior. Just great. It will probably rain and make this
boring day even that much more enjoyable, Xena considered pessimistically,
still eyeing the cloud.
Funny, kinda looks like a big pillow, she
thought.
Propping herself on her elbows, the warrior
scanned the area. The bard did have good taste in practice fields, the warrior
noted, eyeing the field appreciatively. The foliage framing the bard's chosen
field was densely packed with lush greenery. An excellent source of cover in
the event of an attack, she considered. Of course, you would have to be near
it. It wouldn't offer any cover if you were attacked while standing in the
middle of a field like her tenacious bard. It was a good thing the area was
secluded.
Secluded and very un-"public" the
warrior sighed heavily as she eyed the bard gracefully whirl the wooden staff
through the air. The bard's muscles in her arms and stomach rippled as she
powerfully thrust her staff back and forth, back and....
"Gods," Xena moaned, unconsciously
ripping out a handful of grass. Adapt and overcome, you idiot!
The warrior grinned as a plan formed in her
head. "You know you're right," Xena called out, drawing a suspicious
gaze from the bard between blocks.
"Shouldn't let a good day of practice go
to waste," Xena announced as she got up from her very comfortable spot on
the hill and stretched her long body.
"Mmmm...." She moaned as she slowly
lifted her arms over her head and leaned to her right.
"Ahhhhh...." Xena let out another,
very sensual sound when she slowly leaned over to her left.
"Xena!" Gabrielle blurted, rolling
her eyes.
"Hmmm?" Xena replied as she rolled
her shoulders and let out another sensual moan.
"Would you MIND?" Gabrielle snapped
with irritation as she whirled the staff around her head.
"Gabrielle, I have to stretch."
Xena countered innocently, shrugging her shoulders. "You know how
important it is to stretch before intense physical activity," Xena added,
struggling to avoid an amused grin that was threatening her very serious face.
"Uh hun....well, could you do your
stretching a little more quietly?"
Gabrielle smirked as she blocked, blocked and
thrust.
The warrior unsheathed her sword and swung it
around, loosening her wrist up.
"Battles aren't usually quiet,
Gabrielle," Xena informed her as she switched the sword to her left hand
and proceeded to loosen that wrist up.
"I don't think I've ever been in a
battle as loud as you stretching over there," Gabrielle responded
sarcastically, whirling her staff around her waist with a graceful flourish.
"It's actually good to practice around
distractions...helps to develop and strengthen your focus," Xena relayed,
moving closer to the bard.
"I see," Gabrielle responded,
turning to face the warrior, who rolled her head around to loosen up her neck.
"And I suppose you have only been trying to help me with my focus."
Gabrielle commented skeptically, carefully eyeing her.
"Of course," Xena responded
truthfully. Although she considered the bard's current focus was in need of
major redirection.
"How thoughtful," Gabrielle added
flatly, returning to her staff exercises. Gabrielle found her focus on her
parries and blocks difficult as the Warrior Princess slowly circled her.
Amazingly though, she could actually track
the warrior's movements.
Gabrielle knew she could not rely on her
eyes, for Xena deliberately stayed just out of her line of sight. She knew she
could not rely on her ears, for Xena was quieter than the leaves rustling in
the breeze. However, there was something that screamed out the warrior's
location to the bard. It was Xena's unmistakable presence.
A powerful presence that the bard could feel
drawing her in.
"NO," the stubborn bard thought to
herself, not about to let the Warrior Princess distract her so easily. Feeling
the Warrior Princess getting within range, Gabrielle suddenly launched into a
staff exercise that happen to require the same space the Warrior Princess was
occupying.
To avoid getting hit in the head and chest, Xena
quickly blocked the end of the staff with her sword. Gabrielle proceeded with
the exercise as if Xena wasn't even there, causing the warrior to raise her
eyebrow.
"No break in form, not bad," Xena
responded, a little surprised.
With a slight smile on the bard's face,
Gabrielle silently continued to wield her staff in the prescribed steps of
Amazon forms. Forms that Xena was very intimate with. Up for the challenge,
Xena sheathed her sword and continued to circle the bard out of the Amazon's
line of sight.
"Ugh oh," the bard thought to
herself, considering now both of Xena's hands were free.
Even knowing the Amazon forms, Xena found
that sticking to the bard like her shadow without getting hit took some effort.
Gabrielle swiftly moved through the forms with a fluid grace and confidence
that Xena had proudly watch bloom over the past few years. Gabrielle's form was
very pleasing indeed, the warrior eyed her appreciatively.
"Very nice," Xena softly
complemented the bard, whispering in her ear.
Pausing a moment to catch her breath,
Gabrielle struggled to ignore the tingling sensation her tall shadow evoked
with a whisper. Tightly clenching her staff, the bard gulped and continued with
her practice.
"Careful, you'll tire your hands,"
Xena warned her with a warm and soft breath.
"Then you'll be more vulnerable to
losing your weapon," Xena continued to stand closely behind the bard and
whisper into her ear.
"I could teach you what to do if that
happens," Xena offered.
"If you want me to," Xena added
with a grin of satisfaction, noting the goose bumps on the bard's skin she
caused.
"You'll teach me what to do?"
Gabrielle repeated with interest, causing the warrior to grin.
"Mmmm Hmmm," Xena purred into her
ear and slowly reached around the bard for her staff. When the warrior wrapped
her long fingers around the wood, Gabrielle slowly let go, causing the
warrior's face light up with a large victory grin. A grin that was suddenly
wiped from her face when the bard grabbed the surprised warrior's arm and threw
her to the ground.
The stunned warrior looked up at the bard.
"You mean something like that?"
Gabrielle spoke innocently.
"Uh...yeah. Gabrielle, were did
you...???"
"Sustra," Gabrielle explained
casually.
"And what OTHER things did the Sustra
teach you?" Xena asked with annoyance, still sitting in the dirt. Both
proud and irritated with the bard.
"You keep this up and you just might
find out," Gabrielle blurted and shook her head.
"Gabrielle, I was only trying...I was
just...." Xena quickly tried to explain, pausing when the bard's eyes
rolled. "It's such a nice day Gabrielle," she added then sighed,
realizing the bard just wanted to practice.
"You ok?" Gabrielle offered her
hand with a sly grin
The warrior took the hand, allowing the bard
to help her up. She thought that fair since the bard helped her down in the
first place.
"Just wonderful," Xena muttered as
she brushed off the dirt and handed the staff back to the bard. "I think
I'll go for a ride. Let you practice," Xena offered, letting out a long
exhale and started to walk towards Argo.
"Hey...what about my lessons?"
Gabrielle asked, receiving a curious look from the Warrior Princess. "You
offered lessons," She reminded her sternly.
Xena turned towards the bard. "I thought
the Sustra already took care of...."
"You told me I could learn more if I had
different teachers and you DID offer lessons." Gabrielle countered.
"Perhaps later...I'm not..." Xena
was looking forward to the ride. It would help take her mind off of...things.
"If I loose my staff, I want to be
prepared," Gabrielle added firmly, very serious. "You offered lessons
Xena and I want them now...please?"
"All right. Fine. Lessons." Xena
sighed heavily, not thrilled at all with the prospect of this torture. However,
seeing the happy look on the bard's face made this torture tolerable.
Gabrielle folded up her staff, placed it in
her bag and quickly returned to the field with great enthusiasm. "Ok!
What's first?"
"Pressure points and leverage."
Xena blurted out. "They are more important than strength. A small woman
can easily get the upper hand over an old...distracted...warlord." Xena
informed her. "But I think you've already have demonstrated you understand
that concept." Xena rubbed her rear.
"You left yourself open and weren't
expecting me to do that," Gabrielle relayed, ignoring the warrior's
sarcasm. "But what if you had me in a hold, you'd expect me to try to
break that grip, right?"
"You can still use the pressure points
and leverage to get out of the grip...here, let me show you," Xena turned
Gabrielle to face away from her and wrapped her arm around the bard's neck.
"Ow." Gabrielle muffled a moan.
"What's wrong?" Xena let go
immediately.
"Ah...Never mind," Gabrielle
responded, shrugging. "It's nothing."
"You wouldn't have said 'OW' if it was
nothing. What's wrong?"
"Its just...its your bracers.
They...never mind. Sorry. Let's go on," Gabrielle responded, turning back
to resume her education.
Shaking her head at the bard's annoying habit
of not admitting when something is bothering her, Xena sighed and removed her
arm bands. After tossing them next to the bard's bag, Xena wrapped her arm
around the bard's neck. "Better?" Xena asked.
"Much. It wasn't really necessary
but...thanks." Gabrielle responded. Xena rolled her eyes and continued.
"Now, there are a couple of ways you can
get out of this hold," Xena started to explain. "If your attacker
pulls you in close...like this...." Xena pulled the bard against her,
causing Gabrielle to stiffened and muffle another OW.
"Gabrielle, what's wrong now?" Xena
sighed, once again letting go.
"It's nothing," Gabrielle responded
quickly. "You said there are a couple of ways...." Gabrielle repeated
Xena's statement grabbing her arm and wrapping it back around her neck.
"Gabrielle?" Xena asked, unwrapping
her arm.
"Its just...its your armor. It jabbed me
when you...not a big deal...really. I'm sorry...Let's go on ok? I never knew
there were so many options to getting out of a hold," Gabrielle relayed
with enthusiasm.
"Gabrielle," Xena sighed, rolling
her eyes as she took her armor off. As she walked off the field to placed her
armor down, she inspected it for the offending rough edges. Her eyebrow raised
at their suspicious absence.
Xena returned to the bard, who scratched the
back of her head. "Uh...thanks," she blurted sheepishly. Xena eyed
her bard.
"Uh Huh," Xena uttered as she
turned the bard and once again wrapped her arm around the bard's neck.
"Better?" Xena asked, softly whispering in her ear with a crooked
grin.
"Much. Thank you." Gabrielle
responded.
"Now, take your right hand and...."
Xena started to explain when the bard swiftly squirmed out of the warrior's
grip. Instead of trying to throw the warrior, the bard turned and wrapped her
arms around the warrior's waist. The bard tilted her head up, her lips slightly
parted and completely inviting.
"Gabrielle, the idea is to break OUT of
the hold," Xena relayed with amusement.
"Really?" The bard spoke
innocently, staring at the warrior's lips.
"Uh huh," Xena leaned in and
lightly brushed her lips on the bard's.
"You sure?" The bard added, just
above a whisper, gently kissing the warrior.
"Uh huh," Xena repeated, returning
the gentle kiss, lingering a moment longer to ensure it was properly returned.
"Oh. I think I'm going to need more
practice," Gabrielle added with a smile that brought a grin to the
warrior's face.
The Warrior Princess pulled the bard firmly
into her and captured her mouth with a intensely matched by the bard. When they
finally broke their kiss to capture a breath, the bard blurted "OW."
"What!?" Xena pulled back in
surprise and concern. "Ow" was not exactly the response she was
expecting.
"It's nothing. Never mind,"
Gabrielle quickly responded, kissing her warrior's neck.
"Gabrielle!" Xena groaned with
frustration, looking in her face for an explanation.
"It's just...It's..." Gabrielle
hedged. "Never mind," Gabrielle responded, kissing the warrior's jaw.
"WHAT!" Xena blurted.
"It's your leather." Gabrielle
informed her. "It chafes."
Part 1
| Part 2
| Part 3
| Part 4 | Part 5
| Part 6 |
Next Story - With Good Intentions