Disclaimer: Xena and Gabrielle and the other characters from Xena, The Warrior Priness don't belong to me. I'm just borrowing them for this story. Which makes me sad, but, Alexandria does. So at least I have one kick ass chick to my name.
In the first chapter I have used the lyrics for the song, The Story by Brandi Carlile. It does not belong to me and i'm also just borrowing it for this story.
Violence: There will be violence, I mean, it's Xena. It's not overly graphic, but enough to make you cringe in certain parts. There is also a lot of offensive language.
Subtext: Subtext is maintext in this fanfiction. There will be graphic scenes of two women making love, and having sex. Lots and lots of angst and romance. If this bothers you, then you might want to stop reading this now, or you can open your mind and continue.
If you are under the age of eighteen, or this type of story is illegal where you live, then close stop reading now. Close the page.
Author's Note: The first chapter starts off almost a year after Xena's death in Japa, with Gabrielle currently residing with the Amazons.
Comments are very much appreciated.
If you wish to send them to me, my email is jacklavigne13@hotmail.com
Chapter One
All of these lines upon my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I've been
And how I got to where I am
But these stories don't mean anything
When you've got no one to tell them to
It's true, I was made for you
The Story by Brandi Carlile
Gabrielle awoke to a soft knocking on her door, and the warmth of the early morning sun on her skin, as it pierced through the curtains that covered the windows in her hut. She opened one eye slowly, surveying her surroundings before opening her other, blinking rapidly as the remainder of the dream she'd been having raced through her mind.
Strong hands trailing over her ribcage, soft lips and tongue sliding across her collarbone...
Another soft knock on her door chased the rest of the images out of her head and she sighed, sitting up, pulling the soft deer skin blanket up her chest to hide her nakedness as she did.
"Come in, Eponin," She called as she leant back against the headboard of her large bed.
The door to her hut opened slowly, a dark head peeking through to show the smiling face of the Amazons weapons master. Gabrielle smiled back at her as the Amazon stepped into the hut, closing the door quietly behind her. Even after all the years that had past since Gabrielle had first met Eponin in the Amazon village, little had changed about her. While Gabrielle had been asleep for twenty five years, managing to keep her youth, the Amazon had been very much awake and yet, she had changed very little. Despite the small wrinkles around her eyes, and the light grey that streaked her otherwise dark brown hair, she looked exactly the same.
"Something must be bad for you to knock on my door at such an early hour, Ep?" Gabrielle asked as she wiped sleep from her eyes.
Eponin smiled sheepishly, her chocolate brown eyes taking in her Queen's messy hair, and slightly glazed eyes, before drifting down her body. She was able to make out the muscular form hidden under the blanket, but only just. She cleared her throat before looking back up into the queen's emerald eyes.
"I'm sorry to wake you, My Queen, but our scouts just came back from their mission with important details of King Delvin's army," Eponin replied. "I thought you might want to hear the news as soon as possible."
Gabrielle's eyes hardened upon the Amazons words, her body tensing up as she thought about the possible information that her scouts had returned with. King Delvin, she thought. What a giant pain in my ass.
"Thanks, Ep," She sighed. "Get Elise and Alicia some food and water, and take them to the Council room and I'll meet you there in half a candlemark."
Eponin nodded her head, bringing her closed fist to her heart in a salute to her Queen before quickly departing the Queen's hut.
Leaning back against the headboard, Gabrielle closed her eyes and gently rubbed her temples to try and get rid of the headache she could feel starting to pound in her head. She had been with the Amazon's for a few moons now, after spending almost a half a year stumbling through Egypt. After a Amazon messenger had finally found her and a new friend she had made in the middle of the desert, they told her that the Amazons had been repeatedly attacked by this King Delvin, who wanted his name to be in the history books forever as the man that took out the fearsome women warriors, and pleaded with her to return to her Nation. And returning to Greece seemed like the right thing to do, as much as it hurt since Xena had died.
"Xena," Gabrielle whispered, her voice breaking as she thought of her soulmate. There was never a moment when the Warrior Princess wasn't on her mind. She still remembered everything, though for a small amount of time, she had desperately tried to forget. The pain was still as fresh as it had been all those moons ago, when she had looked out at the sunset, with Xena's spirit sitting next to her on the top of that mountain in Japa. After they had boarded the ship, and set out to the high sea's, Xena's spirit had slowly faded away, until it was only Gabrielle left, lying on the deck of the ship, with her pain as her only company.
Slowly pushing herself out of bed, Gabrielle grabbed her leathers and put them on, then slipped her sais into her boots before walking out of her hut, closing the door behind her and attempting to leave her anguish inside, so that she could deal with the things that the new day brought.
She squinted her eyes against the deep orange sun as it made it's way slowly above the trees of the forest that surrounded the village. She ran a hand through her short blonde locks before setting out towards the Council hut.
As she passed by the Practise grounds, she listened to the clanging of swords, as metal crashed against metal, and the loud thumps of wood hitting wood as her people sparred with staffs. She looked over the field, smiling slightly as her eyes caught a glimpse of deep red hair, and dark, midnight blue eyes. She stopped and watched for a while as the warrior woman laughed, easily besting her five opponents with the swords she held in each of her hands. She looked on as another five Amazons quickly surrounded the woman, their eyes shining with determination as they tried to disarm her. The red head just rolled her eyes before ducking under a sword that sliced through the air where her head had just been, then quickly swinging out her leg and kicking the feet out from the Amazon whose face showed her shock as she laid on her back, staring up at the beautiful woman.
"Oh, come on," the red head cried in mock anger. "This is much too easy! I thought you Amazons were supposed to be fierce. I've had a harder fight against a litter of kittens!"
The remaining four Amazons cried out in anger and frustration as they all charged the warrior at once. Gabrielle watched, a familiar tingle running up her spine as the woman quickly flipped over the suprised Amazons, and then kicked one in the square of her back, sending her sprawling into the dirt. She taunted the other three into attacking her once more, fighting furiously until they were all laid in various positons in the dirt surrounding her.
The red head walked around the moaning bodies of the warrior women, shaking her head and smiling before looking up at catching Gabrielle's eyes. The womans face broke into a grin as she stepped over one of the Amazons and started making her way over to the small blonde, who could only laugh.
"My Queen," the womans deep voice rumbled, as she nodded her head at Gabrielle respectfully.
"Must you call me that, Alexandria?" Gabrielle sighed in frustration, before turning and walking towards to Council hut once again. "You're not even an Amazon, and it's bad enough that everyone else here seems to have forgotten my name."
Alexandria laughed and gently patted the blonde on the back, as she fell into step besides her.
"I'm sorry, but I can't help it," she replied, her deep blue eyes sparkling. "The look on your face is just too much, love."
Gabrielle felt her heart skip a beat in her chest as she caught the sweet endearment from the beautiful woman walking next to her. Glancing out the corner of her eye, she looked at her, watching the sun make the warriors lightly tanned skin seem to sparkle, her deep blood red hair falling to just above her shoulders, and surrounding the face that could have easily bested the beauty of the Goddess of Love herself.
"You're impossible, you know that?" Gabrielle said softly, cringing as her voice broke slightly.
Goddamnit Gabrielle, she thought to herself as Alexandria looked at her, her head tilted slightly in question. Get a grip. Alexandria is your friend. Just a friend. If not for her, who knows where you'd be right now. Don't screw this up.
She grinned at the woman walking besides her, shrugging slightly, as Alexandria just raised her perfectly sculpted eyebrow, smirking.
But, by the Gods, she reminds me so much of...
"Don't even say it," Gabrielle whispered to herself, shaking her head as if trying to rid the thought from her mind.
"Say what?" Alexandria asked in confusion, frowning.
"Nothing," Gabrielle replied quickly, avoiding the other womans gaze. "Sorry, I'm just thinking out loud. The scouts are back, did you know?"
"I heard," the warrior replied, frowning even more. "I hope the news is good, I don't know how much more we can take after the last battle."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Gabrielle said, turning her head and smirking at her friend. "The last battle consisted mainly of you kicking some serious ass against the King's men. Hardly any of us were hurt and there were no casualties, at least not on our side. I've only ever seen one other person fight as well as you do, you should be happy."
Gabrielle watched the woman next to her smile sadly, as they reached the door of the Council hut. She gently rested her hand on the red headed woman's forearm as Alexandria moved to open the door.
"What's wrong?" Gabrielle asked in concern. "That's good news, isn't it?"
"Of course," mumbled Alexandria, as she stared at the hand resting on her skin. "It was good news for us, but what about the families on the men that we killed? The wives and children of the men who's blood is on my hands?"
Sighing softly, Gabrielle shook her head, before taking Alexandria's chin in her hand, and gently turning her head until their eyes met, blue searching green.
"You really remind me of her, you know." Gabrielle whispered, her fingers running lightly over Alexandria's cheek. "It hits me really hard when you say things like that. How much you two are alike. Xena was always so guilty over the lives she took before we met, and you're exactly the same."
She watched as the face in front of her hardened slightly at her words, the eyes flashing in anger for a moment and she dropped her hand from the womans face, swallowing as she looked away.
"Sorry," she muttered softly, her words almost impossible to hear. "I know you hate that."
"Being compared to the Destroyer of Nations? I didn't realise it was such an honour," came the icy reply.
Gabrielle whipped her head around, and had to clench her fist to stop herself from striking out at the woman in front of her.
"You didn't know her!" Gabrielle growled, her voice dangerously low. "She changed. She spent all the time we were together trying to repent for the things she did when she was a warlord. She died for the same reason. She gave up her life, to save all those souls, so yes, it is a fucking honour to be compared to her. And I should stab you with my sai for saying something like that about her, and I probably would if I didn't know it wouldn't give me any satisfaction, or take away any of this goddamn pain."
She turned away from Alexandria, trying to control her breathing as she felt the tears push against the back of her eyes, fighting to slip down her cheeks.
"Goddamnit it, Alex," she gasped out, running her fingers through her hair. "You know I didn't mean that."
She heard a soft sigh from behind her and then a hand rested itself upon her shoulder, squeezing slightly.
"You know, you could try," Alexandria said softly into her ear, her warm breath sending bolts of electricity through her body. "It might make you feel better."
"What?" Gabrielle croaked, turning her head to look into the face of the woman who she become close friends with.
"Stabbing me with your sai," Alexandria smiled, gently squeezing Gabrielle's shoulder again. "Though we've tried that before, haven't we?"
Gabrielle laughed, dropping her head forwards and smiling as she remembered the first time she met the red headed warrior.
"Yeah, I remember," she whispered softly, closing her eyes.
*****
She was stumbling through the desert, her hand shielding her eyes from the sand that was whipping around her.
"Goddamn sandstorms," Gabrielle grumbled as she staggered along in the soft sand under her feet. "I can't see a thing."
Her throat was dry from the sand and she had run out of water a few days ago, and then this sandstorm had started. It was just her luck really. First she lost Xena, and now she was alone, wandering through the desert, stuck in a sandstorm, without water or food.
I'm going to die here, she thought to herself as she once against stumbled over a rock sticking out of the ground, before falling forwards and onto the sand. She groaned softly as she felt her head spin, her vision blurring. She was so tired, and the sun was so hot. She thought she heard the whicker of a horse and smiled to herself as she thought of Argo.
I wonder where she is, Gabrielle pondered and she lay on the hot sand, her thoughts once again turning to the owner of said horse. Xena would be so angry if anything has happened to her. She loved that goddamn horse, and the mother of it too.
"I think I'll just stay here," she whispered to herself as she felt the strong pull of Morpheus beckoning her into his arms. She felt the ground underneath her vibrate as the darkness started to take over, the last thing she saw was a tall shadow emerge from the storm and race towards her.
"I'll see you soon, Xena," she mumbled and closed her eyes as the darkness won.
*************************
Gabrielle awoke much later, her hands flying to her head as it throbbed in pain. She moaned softly, thinking Hades must have sent her to Tartarus for her body to ache as badly as it did.
"Hey, easy there," A soft voice said, as a hand laid itself over her forehead.
In seconds, Gabrielle was on her feet and pulling her sais out of her boots, launching herself in the direction the voice came from. Her body collided with another, bigger and much stronger than her own and they rolled along the floor, limbs entwining in an angry dance. Gabrielle gasped as she was pushed onto her back, strong hands holding her arms down as muscular thighs straddled her own. She could felt warm breath mingling with hers and slowly opened her eyes, looking into the blue orbs above her, dark with anger.
"What the fuck are you doing?" The red head growled, her eyebrows coming together as she looked down at the blonde she had pinned underneath her. "I find you in the middle of the desert, and bring you back to my camp, basically save your life, and I get some little blonde trying to put her dagger thing in my chest. Seriously?"
Gabrielle's eyes widened as she looked into the face only inches from her own, forcing down a moan at the feeling of human contact. She hadn't had a body this close to her own for so long, not even for a friendly hug.
"S..Sorry?" Gabrielle mumbled, smiling sheepishly at the woman.
She watched as the red head frowned, before nodding slightly, but still didn't move her body off the blonde, though the grip on her arms loosened slightly.
"Who are you? Gabrielle asked as she looked up at the woman.
She must be a God, she thought to herself, for no woman I have ever seen has been so beautiful, or strong, except Xena.
"Alexandria," the woman replied, and then seemed to realise where she was and quickly rolled off the blonde woman's body.
Gabrielle sat up, gently rubbing her arms, sure she would have bruises later from where Alexandria had gripped her. She watched at the woman walked across the tent they were in, peeking her head out of the entrance before turning back to Gabrielle. Gabrielle couldn't help herself as she looked the woman over. She was easily the height of Xena, if not even a little taller, she had lightly tanned skin and deep red hair, which seemed to contrast perfectly with her beautiful dark blue eyes and perfectly white teeth. She wore leather pants and black boots, with a black and purple leather top, which showed off her perfectly tanned abs.
Quickly pulling herself to her feet, Gabrielle looked around the large tent, noticing several different weapons thrown around the place and started to feel a little nervous.
"I'm - " She started, but Alexandria interrupted her.
"Gabrielle, Battling Bard of Potadeia," the red headed woman said, smirking slightly as she walked over to sit on a pallet in the corner of the tent. "I know who you are. I know all about you, in fact."
"How?" Asked Gabrielle, picking her sais off the floor at her feet and holding them tightly in her hands at her sides.
"I'm not here to kill you, don't worry," Alexandria laughed, watching as the bard picked up her weapons. "I have no quarrel with you. It's really just a coincidence that I happened upon you in the middle of a desert. I'm a friend of your tribe of Amazons, I have been for many years, which makes me wonder what you're doing out here, especially alone?"
"I've never heard of you from them before," Gabrielle replied, avoiding the question she was asked as she slowly started back towards the door.
"Because they were asked not to mention my presence to you and your travelling companion," Alexandria replied, tilting her head. "Where is Xena by the way?"
Gabrielle froze as she stared at the woman in front of her. It was common knowledge that she travelled with the Warrior Princess, but that didn't stop the ache in her chest at the mention of her name. Oh Xena...
"She's dead," Gabrielle muttered in a voice void of emotion, but the tears in her eyes gave away her heartache.
She watched as the woman's eyes became wide, and everything seemed to stop for a moment as not a sound was made. She turned away from the red head as hastily wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
"I didn't think it was possible," she heard Alexandria's whisper, shock in her voice. "The mighty Destroyer of Nations has fallen."
"Don't call her that!" Gabrielle screamed angrily and before she realised what she was doing, one of her sais flew from her hand and embedded itself in Alexandria's chest.
She felt her breath catch in her chest as her emerald orbs locked with shocked blue.
"Ow," Alexandria muttered, looking down at the sai protruding from her chest, gently running her fingers along the hilt, before gripping it and pulling the blade out slowly.
"Don't!" Gabrielle yelled, but watched on in shocked silence as the blade was pulled away to reveal nothing.
Nothing at all, no blood, no wound, not anything.
"You are a God," whispered Gabrielle in awe, stumbling back in shock.
Alexandria laughed and threw the sai on the pallet next to her, looking up at the blondes pale face.
"I'm not a God," she smirked, though there was no humour in her tone. "Just immortal."
"How?" Gabrielle found herself asking for the second time in the last candlemark.
"The one true God," Alexandria said bitterly, touching the blade of the sai next to her, almost lovingly. "He brought me back from the dead many years ago, with this 'gift'."
"You were brought back from the dead?" Gabrielle asked in confusion as she stepped closer to the obviously distressed woman.
"Yes, I was brought back from the dead," Alexandria sighed. "I was murdered years and years ago, by a jealous lover, though, that's another story in itself, not to be told tonight. And I was brought back maybe thirty years ago, just after you and Xena were crucified."
"How do you know about that?" Gabrielle asked.
"Like I said, I'm a friend of the Amazons. I know alot about you, Gabrielle."
*****
Gabrielle smiled slightly, remembering how she had traveled with Alexandria ever since that day, finding that the woman was much like her soulmate, in so many ways, and yet completely different at the same time. They had started their friendship much the same as hers and Xena's had been, mainly in silence. But it became stronger a lot quicker than it did with Xena. It wasn't long before she started to feel the warmth that the woman hid behind the mask of indifference she wore, and only a little longer to see the deep pain that she carried also, much like her own. They bonded over their hurt, though it was rarely spoken of, and Gabrielle spent alot of time wondering about the mysterious womans past that she spoke very little of. Alexandria had told her that before she had died, she had grown up with her family in a small village, and when her father and older brother were slaughtered by a warlord, she joined an army, though she detested fighting, and that she was murdered by her lover. That was all Gabrielle knew.
She opened her eyes as she felt Alexandria pull her hand from her shoulder and step away, before she turned around to face the woman, who had an odd expression on her face. It was quickly replaced with a smile before she turned to the door, pulling it open and stepping aside.
"After you, My Queen," Alexandria said with a grin.
Gabrielle swatted the womans arm, before laughing and walking through the doorway, Alexandria right behind her.
#
To Be Continued In Chapter Two