Title: Family Obligations
Summary: Things are almost back to normal after Callisto’s second rampage and subsequent body swap. But there’s one thing Gabrielle must go back to Potidaea to do, and this time Xena’s coming along. Takes place after S2E08, “Ten Little Warlords.”
Tags: F/F, Xena/Gabrielle
Notes: Welcome back! These are the remaining two chapters, altogether around 6.5k words.
Chapter Four: Work
After lunch, Xena was debating whether to help with the farmwork or wait for Gabrielle when the woman herself burst through the front door looking every inch an embattled Amazon. Meeting her to take a split-second visual inventory, Xena saw she cradled her right arm to her side and bled from at least one cut just below her ribcage on the other side. And beyond being red-faced from running, she looked furious.
Xena stepped around her to look out the front door, listened carefully, and closed it. “Whoever it was, you lost them.”
Ignoring everyone’s cries of, “What happened?!” Gabrielle ground out, “They don’t know the woods around here like I do.”
Xena wordlessly sidled past Gabrielle’s flustered and hovering parents and began checking her over more closely. “Good girl. Are you all right?”
Giddy laughter pulled Xena’s eyes from Gabrielle’s hurts to her face. Glee cut through the fury and pain to paint a feral picture, and she brandished her staff - which had a bolt lodged at about chest level.
“Look, Xena, I caught another one!”
Rage flared at the thought anyone would dare shoot at her partner, but fierce pride followed it, and she offered a feral grin of her own. “I’m proud, but your arm’s dislocated.” Heedless of the blood flowing from Gabrielle’s stomach, Xena pulled her body close.
She looked into her face. “Gabrielle.”
The younger woman settled down a little and looked back up into Xena’s eyes. “Yeah?”
The moment went on for just a few seconds beyond what typical propriety allowed, but then Xena suddenly looked behind Gabrielle. “What’s that?”
“What’s wha-AAAH!” When Gabrielle turned to look, Xena forced her arm back into its socket - and then wisely stepped out of range of Gabrielle’s half-hearted kicks. Rubbing her shoulder, she roared, “Son of a bacchae, Xena, you are the worst!”
Ignoring the horrified glares of Gabrielle’s family, Xena drawled, “Always have been, I know.”
Gabrielle took a pair of deep breaths. “Sorry.”
Xena didn’t bother to respond, just brought her healing kit over and pressed Gabrielle into a chair. She knelt and eyed the cut on Gabrielle’s side. “I need clean cloths and water.” Both were pressed into her hands, and she began to gently clean the wound.
“Just a graze; no stitches this time. Tell me what happened.”
While Gabrielle explained about “Lord Denys” and his protection scheme, Xena put an ointment on the cut and bandaged it ever so carefully. She noted the family was calmer now; Hecuba patted Gabrielle, comforting herself more than her child, and watched Xena work as the others hovered nearby. After the explanation, Xena’s anger redirected toward herself. She should have questioned those skinny bandits who attacked that cart on the road to Potidaea! At the time, she was so pleased for Gabrielle to get the exercise and distraction of fighting them, she played the whole thing way too flippantly. Desperate men like those are a sign of something gone wrong, especially when they barely have the guts to threaten a donkey.
Herodotus growled, “Lord Denys has been getting everything the nearby towns can give him. And now they stoop to attacking women? How dare they!”
Gabrielle boggled at him. “You knew about this?”
He replied simply, “Yes.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
Hecuba answered for him, “We’ve been a bit wrapped up in our own problems, haven’t we? Besides, out this far from the big cities, it’s always someone. At least Lord Denys wasn’t hurting anyone until now.”
“Except he has,” countered Xena. “That warlord’s bleeding these communities dry and probably undercutting the merchants in some other area for a profit.” She finished bandaging and fought a sudden, clearly insane urge to give a peck to the well-muscled plane of belly in front of her face. Was Potidaea driving her batty? Instead, she merely patted it and looked up at Gabrielle’s face.
“That shoulder’s already bruising, but you’re fit to work. Ready to go back out?”
“Extremely.”
The pair grinned. Gabrielle helped Xena into her armor, they gathered up their weapons, and they went back into town.
* * * * *
Upon arriving, it took almost no time to learn that Denys’ goons had snatched some random hostages and returned to their camp. Their threats were nonspecific, but they evidently felt that some kind of punishment was due for the confrontation with the elder and Gabrielle. It was possible they just meant to scare the town, if they had any plan at all, but even that couldn’t be allowed as far as Xena and Gabrielle were concerned.
After asking for directions, they plunged into the wooded footpath to the encampment. The sounds of town gave way to the rustling of leaves and chirping of birds, and for a little bit, it was just as if they were on the road again. Gabrielle took a deep pull of late fall air, just slightly crisp and all the cleaner for it, and for once she just enjoyed the pre-fight peace away from everything that had gone wrong in the past day. However, partway there, she heard Xena clear her throat.
“Hey, are you really all right? Rough day for you, isn’t it?”
Gabrielle gave her a rueful look. “I’m just kicking myself for getting into a stupid fight with no plan at all. Sorry I forced us into another mess.” She looked away. “Maybe we could have done this without worrying about hostages.”
Xena gave her a little shove. “I’ve never known you to let someone bully an old man without doing something about it. That’s not an issue.”
They locked eyes to trade encouraging and grateful smiles.
“Besides, who knows if we would have found out about this at all, otherwise?”
“Right?” Gabrielle shook her head. She intended to hold this over her parents’ head next time they complained about her not sharing enough information.
“But I meant about what you did earlier,” Xena clarified awkwardly. “Perdicus’ family. Did it go okay?”
Gabrielle took a breath and thought a moment. “Yeah, I think so. It was a lot, but it was the right thing to do. And I’m very relieved it’s over.”
“Good. If they’d upset you too much, I was going to have to let all their animals loose and grease their pitchforks.”
Gabrielle snorted surprised laughter. “No vandalism! They weren’t mean. Talking to them just left my brain and feelings all... wobbly.”
“Weeell, I know knocking heads together doesn’t make you feel better the way it makes me feel better, but maybe helping these people will?”
“Fighting by your side makes me feel better, Xena.” They locked eyes again, and this time they held it.
“Yeah?” The warmth of Xena’s smile was so infectious, Gabrielle thought she might have stumbled on the finest compliment she could have paid the warrior.
“Yeah.” Just seeing her that happy was a balm for Gabrielle. And she meant what she said: Fighting to save innocents beside Xena, using the skills she’d taught her, watching her flourish in her element and lose even a drop of the guilt that burdened her soul - that was a perfect day, in Gabrielle’s estimation. There were bad days and bad fights, and sometimes Xena could get too much into her element on a battlefield, but the other days were worth it.
They were barely walking anymore, and a hand on Gabrielle’s elbow brought them to a complete stop.
“Gabrielle, I’m sorry. For everything you’ve been through. And no matter what you decide to do later, I’m glad to have you with me right now.”
“Xena…” Gabrielle sought the comfort of a hug, and Xena gave it readily, stroking her hair and wrapping her other arm around Gabrielle’s back. “It’s not your fault. At least no more than it’s mine.” Gabrielle further tightened her arms around Xena’s waist until they molded together just so. She felt Xena’s cheek rest against her head, and they just breathed one another in for a moment. A few moments. Gabrielle ventured to rub Xena’s back and was rewarded with a sigh against her hair.
Neither seemed to want to move, but then Xena brushed her lips over Gabrielle’s forehead and murmured, “Do you hear that?”
Gabrielle pulled back and listened. “No.”
Xena was looking into the trees. “It’s gone, but it sounded like an angry hostage. We must be close if I can hear him yelling, and it’s a good sign if he has the strength.” She shifted her eyes to Gabrielle. “Wait here. I need to sneak in for a closer look, and it’s risky in broad daylight like this.”
Gabrielle nodded. She knew stealth wasn’t her forte, at least compared to Xena. “I’ll stay hidden. Hurry back.”
* * * * *
Xena’s investigation revealed the hostages - two men and two women of various ages - to be in a tough spot. Denys’ men had cleared a wide area of trees for their camp. There were two closed tents - a small one for leadership and a large one for the other men, perhaps ten of them. In front of them stood a lookout tower about twice Xena’s height, topped with a crossbowman. The hostages stood in a free-standing, wood-and-rope cage on the other side of the tower, surrounded by four more crossbowmen. Beyond the tents a number of carts, animals, and related accoutrements were staked out near what Xena guessed was a storage shack, and most activity was going on over there.
There would be no sneaking up to that cage from the tree line. However, she did think she had all the crossbows accounted for. No one coming or going from the tents held one, and when the tower guard went off shift, he left his weapon for his replacement to use.
So there were only five projectile weapons to worry about in this flat, open expanse of enemy territory. Terrific.
She snuck away to return to Gabrielle and found her standing in front of her parents and sister, arms crossed, looking for all the world like a disappointed parent.
Xena gestured to them. “What are they doing here?”
“They apparently thought it would be helpful to show up.”
Great. Xena stared down Gabrielle’s family. “I can’t be looking after amateurs today. They’ve got four hostages and at least five crossbows. Go home.”
Herodotus scowled at her. “You think we can just let our daughter walk into something like that without even trying to do anything?”
After a long pause, Xena sighed impatiently. “Of course not; you’re related to Gabrielle. I should have seen this coming.”
“H...hey?” Gabrielle seemed unsure whether to be offended.
“Rule one,” Xena declared, raising up a finger, “is to do as I say. Rule two is to run as soon as you get into trouble. No fighting. You can follow us in closer to the camp, and when we release the hostages, you can lead them back to town. Got it?”
They grumbled, but Xena forced an affirmative out of them. “All right, wait five minutes and then follow us. We’re circling around the right side of camp, but you can go straight and get close to the treeline straight ahead. Just close enough you can see where the clearing starts, not so close someone can look in and see you. Don’t get caught.”
Gabrielle asked, “Do we have a plan?”
“Still working on it. ‘Distract the guard?’”
“They know what I look like. Unless you want to distract the guard?”
Xena shook her head. “I’m going to want my weapons on this one. Come on; we can walk and think.” Xena started away. She heard Gabrielle follow her but then repeatedly backtrack to her family to give them more advice.
“You really should do exactly what she says… Don’t forget to be quiet! I heard you coming five minutes before I saw you… Oh, and don’t show your face until the hostages are actually free. We’ll point them at y- HEY!”
Xena snatched the back of Gabrielle’s top and hauled her bodily away, backwards. After seven paces, she stopped, and when Gabrielle finally stopped wriggling enough to notice she asked, “Xena? What gives?”
“You just gave me an idea.”
* * * * *
“I’d like to make a trade!” Xena announced. She employed her best “cocky, irreverent warlord” grin and walked out from the treeline, pushing Gabrielle in front of her. She held the smaller woman’s wrists to the small of her back with one hand and held her staff in the other.
Gabrielle looked properly enraged and made sure to struggle, then wince and settle down when Xena pretended to wrench or brutally squeeze her wrists. “Let me go, you smelly barbarian!”
Now halfway between the trees and the cage, Xena pulled Gabrielle against the side of her body and held her own staff to her throat. “Grr, I’m threatening you to be still,” she growled into Gabrielle’s ear. Xena felt her shake with contained laughter but she could see that her face looked… well, at least kind of faux-alarmed. Good enough at this distance.
All five crossbows were aimed at them, and there was a flurry of activity at the tents beyond the guard tower.
“You’re still a smelly monster!” Gabrielle yelled theatrically. Smelly, huh?
Xena pressed closer to Gabrielle’s ear this time, cheek rubbing the side of her head, and purred, “Keep that up and see if I don’t bite.”
Gabrielle stopped breathing and gulped. Was her acting getting better, or was that real fear?
Xena leaned forward just enough to catch her eye. It held no fear at all. Just a few different kinds of heat. Xena abruptly became extra aware of every point of contact between their bodies.
“What’s going on here?” A harassed-looking, blond warrior in his late-thirties had emerged from the smaller tent and stopped between the guard tower and them. Mid-afternoon sunlight glinted off his breastplate and pauldrons, but his arms and legs were bare of metal. “Who are you, and what do you think you’re doing?”
Business time. “I’m here to trade for the hostages. This is the whelp that attacked your boys, isn’t she?”
The warrior looked over at the crossbowmen. One squinted at them and nodded. “Yes, boss, there’s no mistaking the outfit and the staff. Eugene would say the same if he wasn’t still out cold from it.”
The warrior turned back to the women and asked, “And why should we trade?”
“Those people can’t produce much of anything for you in a cage. But this little outsider doesn’t work anyway, and she’ll make a fine example for anyone else who wants to resist you.”
“And what do you want out of it?”
Xena gestured at the cage with Gabrielle’s staff before returning it to her throat. “I caught this girl because their families paid me to bargain for them. Thought she’d be a good chip. But you could also call it a gift to show my good faith. I think Lord Denys and I could do some lucrative business together.” She grinned again and narrowed her eyes.
The warrior glanced back at the leadership tent. “Hold your horses a minute. And don’t move even a step, or they’ll shoot.” He said the last mostly to his crossbowmen.
Xena stared them down as the warrior - clearly a lieutenant to Denys - went to confer with his leader. Five bolts. Definitely more than she could catch or block at once, assuming they could all aim at this distance. If she had to, she would cover Gabrielle’s body with her own and eat every bolt, but there was no need for it just now. Everyone kept their cool until the warrior re-emerged from the tent with a scruffy, brown-haired, surprisingly skinny man in his mid-thirties. He carried a curved sword and wore brown leather armor tailored to his form. Denys, presumably. Once they marched to the warrior’s previous position between the women and the guard tower, he regarded them cooly.
“Is catching this runt meant to impress me?”
“It’s more than your men could manage,” Xena replied.
Denys smirked. “True enough. Trade her, then.” He made a flourishing gesture toward the cage. Perfect.
Xena gave Gabrielle a shove, causing her to yelp as she stumbled forward and hauled herself upright again via her captured arms. Her injured shoulder must have howled at the movement, and Xena just barely kept from wincing. She’d be apologizing for that later.
As they neared the cage, one crossbowman went to unlock the cage’s padlocked chain - the only bit of metal on it - and the other three began to fan out, crossbows ready. They’d have to time this right.
When Xena and Gabrielle were five paces from the cage, Xena heard the snick of the lock’s tumblers giving way to the key. Immediately, she released Gabrielle, leapt forward, and used the full length of the staff in a long swipe to disarm the three crossbowmen without the key. She then tossed the staff back to Gabrielle, caught the bolt the shooter in the tower sent their way, and leapt out of the way of the disarmed crossbowmen. They were drawing melee weapons. While Gabrielle engaged them, Xena sent her chakram to disarm the one on the tower. On its way back, it bounced once and nailed one of the men fighting Gabrielle before returning to Xena.
Now there was one man left with a crossbow, the key holder, but his two remaining upright friends were in melee with Gabrielle. He tossed it aside and drew his sword. At the same time, Denys and his lieutenant were nearly on them, and three more fighters were running their way from in and around the tents. Plus, the hostages were working themselves out of the cage.
Xena drew her sword. “Get to the treeline; GO!” She pointed where she knew Gabrielle’s family to be and used the hilt of her sword to incapacitate a man Gabrielle sent stumbling her way. Now Gabrielle only had two foes, and Xena knew she could dance with them a long time without getting hurt, using her range and agility to every advantage. Her shouts and grunts made sweet music with the thwacks of her staff.
That left Xena free to engage the two higher-ranked warriors, the three more fighters behind them, and possibly the one in the guard tower if he could be bothered to come down. Easy enough.
* * * * *
After some frenetic swordwork and staffwork, a lot of shouting, and a little bit of fancy whip-work, Xena and Gabrielle had the cage full to the gills with groaning fighters. Not all of them were conscious, but they would probably live. Eventually, Gabrielle’s family returned with some more villagers, and the women were able to turn the warlord’s band over to Potidaea’s justice. As well as that of the surrounding communities Denys had plagued.
Gabrielle made sure to point out that if Denys had such profitable trade routes and all those extra carts, the villages could turn it to their benefit. But in the short term, they seemed more interested in recovering their stores from the camp and dealing with their new prisoners.
That was just fine with Xena. These sort of details were never her favorite to worry about anyway. Their work was done, and they all headed back to the farm.
Chapter Five: Home
“That was amazing!” Lila gushed. She was clinging to Gabrielle’s unbruised arm as they all walked home, and Xena was looking at her over Lila’s head, smirking in fond amusement. “You’re even better than you were last time, with Meleager! And Xena, you’re incredible!”
“Thank you,” Xena responded.
Gabrielle’s mother and father walked behind them without speaking, strangely blank.
Eventually, as they neared the house, her father said, “Xena… you restrained my child and marched her at five crossbows.”
Xena’s expression went grumpy and defensive. “...I did disarm them.”
“And… then you caught an arrow mid-air, before it could hit her.”
Gabrielle joined in, “A bolt, yes, after she armed me so I could watch her back.”
There was another long pause as he chewed on that. “Gabrielle, I’ve never seen anyone fight with a staff like you did. You taught her that, Xena?” Wait, was he really impressed with her, the useless, absentee daughter?
“Me and the Amazons taught her how, but she puts the work in on her own.”
Her father added a shade of accusation to, “And gets even more practice when you fight.”
Xena responded evenly, “Yes.”
In a pointed tone, Gabrielle added, “Like I did after lunch, when I was just trying to walk through Potidaea alone. Or last time I was here, just trying to visit.” Silence fell again.
Minutes later, once in the door, Gabrielle’s father touched her arm gently to get her to turn to him. “I lost a year off my life just seeing it, but… you helped those people. Helped the whole village, just like the last time you were home. I’m proud of you, sweetheart.”
Gabrielle’s pride spread from deep inside out to her skin, warming her through. “Really?”
He nodded. “You, too, Xena. Thank you for helping our village.”
Nonplussed, Xena said, “Wh- Oh- you’re welcome.” The transition from grumpy to awkward was particularly cute on her, and Gabrielle giggled at her stumbling. She heard and reached over to ruffle Gabrielle’s hair.
Gabrielle’s mother came up to her other side and hugged her close. “I’m proud of you, too, though I hope to never have to see you fight like that again. My heart can’t take it.”
“Mother…” Gabrielle could only sound so exasperated through her smile.
Her father said, “There’s not enough daylight left to go back out to the fields. How about we just get clean, eat, and settle in early? I’m sure we have something special we can eat to celebrate.”
“Actually, dear, we already have a special fish dinner stewing. Xena outdid herself this morning.”
Gabrielle didn’t have the heart to mention how much fish she and Xena regularly ate. At least it wasn’t typically well-spiced and slow-cooked, like this undoubtedly was.
Lila offered, “Since we’re settling in early, do you think you can tell us some stories, Gabrielle?”
“Sure!”
* * * * *
After all the drama, Xena and Gabrielle passed two peaceful days on the farm. They worked a little, answered endless questions, told stories, pampered Argo, practiced their combat skills, and rested. On one occasion, Gabrielle’s father found her almost-dozing under her favorite shade tree. She and Xena had completed their morning tasks, and there wasn’t enough time before lunch to bother starting another, so it seemed like an excellent time to laze.
“Can I speak to you for a minute, sweetheart?”
“Of course. But is this a father/daughter thing, or do you mind if Xena hears?”
He cocked an eyebrow and tilted his head, clearly taken aback. “I want to talk to you. Why would you ask to call Xena over just to talk to your father?”
“I wouldn’t.” Gabrielle pointed above her head. “She’s in the tree. I told her the best view of the farm was from up there.” When she and the tree were littler, her father used to boost her up to the lower branches just for the view. “She went up and fell asleep.”
Now chuckling, her father responded, “Well, let her sleep, then. I’m not here to yell at you; she won’t hear.”
Gabrielle shook her head. “She’s already awake; I can tell. Xena?”
Xena didn’t move a muscle, and Gabrielle sighed. “One second, Father. And you are not fooling me up there!” She got up and jumped at the lowest strong branch, but she couldn’t quite get high enough to pull herself the rest of the way. “I can’t believe you’re making me do this!” After a few more tries and some offers of help from her father, which she refused out of sheer stubbornness, she used her staff to pole-vault up. A little more ungainly wriggling and shimmying put her just about at Xena’s elevation. A poorly-contained smirk ruined what was otherwise a convincing picture of a warrior in repose.
Gabrielle climbed one branch higher and, without a word, put a foot to Xena’s shoulder and shoved her out of the tree. She of course landed easily and looked up at her traveling companion, who made sure to shoot back a proud grin.
“You know, you never actually asked me to move.”
Gabrielle felt her face go stony. Oh, that smarmy-
Her father doubled over with a burst of laughter. “Your face, Gabrielle!” He let the hilarity take over for a little while longer before he could continue. “There’s something about watching you two play around a tree like obstinate children. You like winding my daughter up, don’t you?”
“Oh, I had to find some way or another to burn out her extra energy. When we first met, she’d still be asking me questions in her sleep if I didn’t.”
Gabrielle summoned a half-hearted glare. “I cook your food, Xena; try to remember that.” She had to at least pretend to be stern, but really it pleased and surprised her that Xena would let down her guard and show some of her goofy side to her family. Most people only met the steely-eyed warrior, not the woman who endlessly teased her sidekick and couldn’t quite hide how much she enjoyed dressing up for a harebrained plan.
“All right, you have me there. Come on; I’ll help you down.”
Gabrielle didn’t need the help, but her mind gave her a flash of her hands braced on Xena’s shoulders and Xena’s strong hands on her hips, and she accepted the aid without a quibble. It felt exactly as she imagined, and only afterwards, when they caught each other’s eyes before letting one another go, did it occur to her that was an odd urge to have. Not a new one, admittedly, but an odd one to have toward a woman who so clearly had a way with men but didn’t look twice at any of the Amazons who had made passes at her in the village.
Meeting the Amazons had given rise to… so many questions for Gabrielle.
But Xena had been extra soft and close with her lately. Gabrielle originally wrote it off as hovering out of concern after Perdicus died, but it was more than that. Ever since getting her body back, Xena was more than solicitous, acted beyond mere friendliness; she was almost needy. And Gabrielle was not inclined to complain.
She watched Xena walk away for just a few seconds too long, enjoying the play of sunlight in her dark hair and the movement of everything below it. Then she turned her head to see her father considering her.
“You two are close, aren’t you?”
“Um… ha ha, like sisters!”
He nodded. “I can tell. You’d best not let her team up with Lila to pull a prank on you. You’ll end up down a well or something.”
Phew. “What did you want to talk about?”
He took on a deliberate, even tone. “Now, I meant it when I said I was proud of you for helping the village.”
“...Okay.” Her own tone went cautiously defensive
“And I can see you’ve learned a lot of new skills on your travels. And helped many more people.”
“That’s true.”
“I can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do; that’s become obvious. But when is it all enough?”
“Excuse me?”
An edge of pleading entered his voice. “Sweetheart, you don’t owe anyone. You haven’t committed any crimes to make up for, at least as far as I know. In all your fighting, you’ve never killed anyone. And you put yourself in so much danger, traveling with her. It sounds like you’ve already done more good than anyone owes the world.”
“You know, it’s only because of Xena that I’ve learned anything at all. You want me to just leave her to travel all alone?” She felt heat creeping up her neck along with the volume of her voice, but her father remained calm and kind.
“She said you feel responsible for her, but you aren’t. She’s a grown woman, and she doesn’t think you owe her a thing. Besides, weren’t you just going to leave her recently?”
Gabrielle choked on her next words and had to wrestle them out. “I didn’t want to. I... felt like I had to go with Perdicus, but I never wanted to leave her alone.” Plaintively, she continued, “I just had to make a choice at the time, okay? And this is my choice now. She’s my - we’re a team. And then there’s the things I’ve seen, Father, and the stories I’ve found! You’ve heard some of them. Lots of people hear them when I’m on the road.”
“If you wanted to be a bard, isn’t there an academy in Athens where you could go and learn safely? You’d have time to find a sponsor who could get you respectable work and make sure you’re guarded on your way to it.”
Gabrielle injected some steel into her retort, “I am a bard. And I have the best guard in Greece - when I need one at all.”
Herodotus showed his palms. “Okay. Okay.” He sighed and looked rueful. “I just had to try. And I promised your mother I would. I hope you understand someday.”
Gabrielle didn’t know what to say to that.
“Just try to think of your old parents before you do anything too courageous, would you?”
She replied faintly, “Sure…” When her father turned to walk away, she called out, “Father? Do you hate her?”
He turned back. “No, sweetheart. I think she could do more to curb your hero worship, but… I at least couldn’t hate someone you care for so much. And who is watching over you when I can’t. So you watch over her, too, okay? Keep each other safe so we can see you again. Now come on, it’s time for lunch.”
* * * * *
Xena noticed Gabrielle’s parents weren’t really cold to her after the hostage rescue, but they did scrutinize her every interaction with their daughter. An extra eye was cast on their sparring, joking, checking of injuries - nothing untoward. Barring the possibility they could read her mind and see the less-than-pure thoughts, she had no idea what it was about until Hecuba cornered her on the last afternoon.
“You’re different, you know.”
“Oh?” Xena was organizing her saddle bags in the main room of the house.
“From the last time you were here. The woman that saved us from slavers? I couldn’t picture a smile on her.” She paused. “Don’t you wonder why no one from town ever caught up with Gabrielle after she ran away from home?”
Xena stilled her hands and looked up at Hecuba. “...I did, actually.”
Somewhat defensively, she explained, “Aside from the head start she stole in the middle of the night, we didn’t rush to follow her because we couldn’t imagine you would let her or anyone else follow you. We thought we would run into her on the road, dragging her ego home in the dirt behind her.”
“Well,” Xena smiled faintly, “I did try to send her home. A few times.”
Hecuba nodded. “We’ve never been able to make that child let go of anything she really believed in. I did think that by having daughters I could avoid worrying over a warrior child, but it wasn’t to be. At least.. my husband and I see you care for her; she’s not just your hanger-on or servant. And she…” It taxed her to continue, but she did. “We agree she seems to thrive with you.”
Xena faltered, unsure what to say. Gabrielle’s mother had clearly been working on how to convey all this. “I’m glad you think she’s thriving. She’s my best friend.” She’s the source of the smile that surprises you so much.
Hecuba continued to struggle. “What I mean is that she was never passionate about farmwork, no matter that she was skilled at it. Stories and maps drove her, but she was never very sure of herself when she shared them. Now she’s sure and glowing whether she’s telling us stories or fighting next to you.”
Oh, if only she could have seen Gabrielle when Callisto replaced that healthy glow with blazing rage. Then again, best that she didn’t. They had gotten through it together; that’s all that mattered. “She’s grown a lot. And seen more than most.”
“Yes, I suppose she has. Look, I don’t like her being in danger, but I can see has no intention of stopping now. Even after everything with Perdicus, gods rest him. I don’t know how things might have been if she hadn’t followed you. But…” Hecuba sighed. “Please take care of her.” Xena supposed that was more approval than she could ever have hoped for. Not that she required it, but it did make it easier for Gabrielle, who spent the remainder of the visit nearly basking in her parents’ approval.
* * * * *
Gabrielle’s toe was tapping, she was so antsy for the road. It had been a nice couple of days, of course. She had snagged heart-to-hearts with all three of her family members, talked through her memories of Perdicus with them, regaled them with stories - and demonstrations! - of her new skills, got her fill of home-cooking, and even had a saddlebag full of more of it for the road. But the combined impatience of her and Xena couldn’t pry them away from her parents until they were ready to let go.
“Be careful. Make sure you eat right. And I want to see both of you home for a visit before next year, do you hear me?”
Xena stared, and Gabrielle started giggling. “Yes, mother. We will both make sure to swing this way next time we’re nearby.”
“I love you, sweetheart. Send more letters, will you?”
“Yes, father. Whenever I think I can.”
“Guys?”
“Yes, Lila?”
Lila put her arms around both travelers and walked them away from her parents. “Listen. I don’t know how to tell you this, but I think you’re going kind of feral out there in the woods. Camp less, if you can.”
“What?” asked Xena.
“Your table manners are atrocious. Here I thought you were out there going to fancy cities and meeting royalty, but you eat like you caught all your food with your bare hands.” She abruptly stepped back from them, patted their backs once more, and went back to her parents, suppressing a laugh.
Gabrielle looked up at Xena. Do we?
Xena shrugged. Probably?
They finally said their last goodbyes and got going.
* * * * *
Later, they sat meditively staring at their campfire, inches away from one another on a short log. Enjoying the peace and quiet.
“Xena, I’m glad to be back on the road with you. Visiting was nice, and I’m glad I did it, but… This feels like home.”
Xena threw an arm around her and pulled her into a snug half-hug. “Me, too.” Her tone went wry. “I’ll walk beside you as long as you can stand me.”
Gabrielle nestled closer and chuckled. “You’d better. You declared yourself a princess’ champion in front of my whole family, and they’re huge gossips. It’ll look pretty bad if you ditch me in a tavern somewhere. They’ll disown you.”
Incredulous, Xena asked, “Did they adopt me?”
“I actually think they did. My father made me promise to bring you around to help with the trees again.”
Gabrielle heard the smile under Xena’s grumble. “Hmm, I can’t even ditch you if it’s to work off a tavern tab? Between you and me, we eat about three men’s worth of food, and it’s not cheap.”
Gabrielle tilted her head up and blew in Xena’s ear, drawing a surprised laugh. “You’ve taught me too much about tracking; I’d find you after. And you’d be slow and starving without me to busk for dinars and bargain with them.”
Xena sighed theatrically. “It’s true. I’ve gotten used to having you around to take care of me.” The matter-of-fact tone gave way to a yawn. Gabrielle was close enough to hear Xena’s jaw crack.
“This trip was stressful for you, huh?”
“Mmhm. Domesticity and people-pleasing for its own sake aren’t my best skills, but it felt important. And your family was very kind to me.”
“I’m sorry. You were at least as sleep-deprived as I was, and nearly as stressed, and I dragged you there. But thank you for going.” Gabrielle felt Xena turn her head and look down. She sensed something in Xena’s pause and met her gaze. Already pale in the firelight, her blue irises just peeked from around her dilated pupils, and something in them caught Gabrielle in a frozen moment. She held her breath.
“Gabrielle, don’t apologize. I…” The word hung between them until Xena closed her eyes and pushed out a rush of air.
Spell broken, Gabrielle breathed but still didn’t move as Xena lowered her head and shifted to press their foreheads together.
“There isn’t much you could ask of me that I wouldn’t do. This was nothing.”
The intimacy of the moment struck Gabrielle all at once, blooming in her stomach and pressing up along her sternum. When Xena pulled away, Gabrielle stilled her with a hand on the back of the neck, keeping her mere inches away. Gazes locked again. Something about the look Xena was giving her was familiar. Her eyes a little wide, her expression a little stricken, but everything so focused on Gabrielle’s face.
I remember now. She looked like this after my wedding, right before…
She kissed her.
It was soft, and if Gabrielle held it for an extra few moments, it was due to apprehension at what Xena would do when it was over. She had just been so kind this last week - not patronizing or coddling, but supportive and wry and helpful and so, so beautiful, as always. She’d found that last bit compelling and distracting for some time.
When Gabrielle pulled back, Xena’s eyes were closed, eyebrows up, lips slightly parted - her whole face still in the moment of the kiss. Then, she relaxed, opened her eyes, and searched Gabrielle’s expression. Whatever she saw there (terror? want?) gave her the most fleeting quirk of the lips before she pressed a much firmer kiss to Gabrielle’s lips.
Grateful, Gabrielle pressed back and wrapped her free arm around Xena’s waist. The kiss continued, deepened, readjusted. When they both gasped for air and Xena moved on to exploring her jawline, the hand Gabrielle had on Xena’s neck tangled in her hair and moved up to deliver long, languid scratches to the warrior’s scalp. Xena sighed contentedly just as she reached the soft skin below Gabrielle’s ear. Gabrielle could only barely hear it over the pounding of her own heart. Was this really happening?
The low whisper sent a shiver from her ear through the rest of her body. “Gabrielle.” She almost groaned just hearing Xena say her name like that. Gods, she was suddenly a wreck.
“Yes?” Blue eyes floated in front of her own, and the seriousness in them blew away some of the fog of desire. “Xena?”
“Is this really okay?” Gabrielle felt the insecurity crash over her features, and Xena hurried to continue. “I have wanted to kiss you for…a very long time. But I don’t want to push you. I know you’re having a hard time.”
“I feel okay? Maybe? I just, lately I...”
Xena smiled and spoke softly. “It’s okay.” She kissed her cheek then and pulled her in for a hug so tight and close, she was almost in Xena’s lap.
Gabrielle snuggled in gratefully, not sure what they were doing but craving the closeness and skin contact. She yawned, and Xena finally pulled away enough to look into her eyes again.
“Why don’t we sleep? We can talk more tomorrow.”
“Yeah… okay.” Neither moved, unwilling to lose the close contact. “Maybe… want to lay our furs out together? ...So it’s easier to talk?”
“I’d love to.”
END