by Azurenon and Savanna Mac

Disclaimer:

Xena Warrior Princess and all the characters and pictures contained herein are the sole property of MCA/Universal Studios/Renaissance Pictures. No infringement upon these rites is intended. We’ve merely borrowed these characters, as well as, some scenes and lines, for the sole purpose of entertainment and storyline continuity.

Song titles and lyrics are used without permission of their owners, but no copyright infringement is intended.

Warning: This story contains mild violence. And the suggestion of change in an episode entitled "Chariots of War". This is not a major point in the story, however, merely a conversation between the two main characters over what was contained in the scrolls they found.

Sexual content:

This story contains rather graphic details of two consenting, adult females involved in sexually explicit situations with one another. If this is not something you’d like to read about, please do not read our story. I’m sure there are even better ones, more to your liking.

There are also some lines which may be viewed as racially or territorially derogatory, but no prejudice is intended, we assure you, these were only used in keeping with the language and views -however misguided- of the times.

Be it known, that this story is number 6 in a series we have written; a "between the eps (episodes)" if you will, which make reference to the aired episodes below. And, if you haven’t read "Deam of Choice, Dream Warrior, Crazy With Desire, Shipmates, and Memories, Dreams and Schemes." by Azurenon and Savanna Mac, you may be a bit lost when reading this one.

This story takes place following our daring duo, Mel and Janice’s adventures in the MCA/Universal Studios/Renaissance Pictures copywritten material entitled: "The Xena Scrolls". If you haven't seen this episode, I would strongly suggest you do so before reading this.

Thanks go to all our friends! No need to mention each of you by name, you know who you are.

This is for all the subtextors out there. We hope we have spun an enjoyable tale.

If not, then please accept our humble apology.

Chapter 1

Janice Covington’s one bedroom cottage - near a small village a days ride from Amphipolis, Greece : 1940

"How’s it coming with the scrolls, Mel?" Janice asked, as she fixed herself a stiff gin and tonic.

"Ve-ery slo-ow," Mel answered in her pronounced southern drawl. The tall brunette sat back in her chair in front of the desk and removed her eyeglasses, then rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Some of these are... well, let’s just say they’ve definitely seen better days."

"Hmph," Janice grunted, walking over to her newly acquired friend. And unable to keep her eyes from straying to the long, shapely legs now sprawled out beside her father’s old beat up, teacher’s desk.

Dr. Janice Covington, daughter of the late Harry Covington, known to most as "The Grave Robber", had only known Melinda (Mel, for short) Pappas, daughter of the illustrious Nobel prize winner Professor Mel Pappas, (Dean of the University of South Carolina) for only two weeks. Yet, in that time, she’d come to like the tall southerner quite a bit. She admired Mel’s tenacious spirit and inexoriable patience with the scrolls. For, Janice herself, could hardly sit still long enough to read through one story, much less a whole scroll. And surely not the twelve they now had in their possession.

The unearthing of these twelve scrolls had been Janice’s father’s life long ambition. After his death, Janice had taken up his mantle. Where her father had failed, however, Janice had succeeded. With a little help from her new friend, Mel Pappas, of course. The latter of whom had shown up one day, out of the blue, at a dig site in Macedonia, seemingly fresh off the old plantation in South Carolina and anxious to fill her father’s shoes, by deciphering some ancient manuscripts that Janice had written Mel’s father about, some years ago.

Little had Mel been aware of exactly what she was getting into by joining forces with the daughter of Harry Covington. Yet, Janice had to give the tall brunette her due; she’d hung in their with her through it all. And of course, there was the fact that Mel was a relative of the Warrior Princess, Xena, herself. Janice envied Mel this distinction. But, then she was a relative of Gabrielle, the bard who had written the scrolls. The "irritating blonde", as Ares had called her, without whom, the scrolls would never have existed.

"Whaddaya mean by seen better days?" Janice asked, as she neared Mel, and the latter straightened up in her chair.

"Well... take this one here, for instance," Mel responded pointing to the scroll laid out in front of her. "It’s missing a whole section." She indicated the right side of the paper, where it was obvious someone had torn the ancient manuscript, leaving only a small portion on the left side intact. "And there are other places where the ink has run, like here... and the bard’s writing isn’t the best to begin with, so..."

"Hey," Janice cautioned, glancing from the manuscript to Mel, who was crossing her long legs, left over right, to get them out of the way. "That’s my ancestor you’re talking about," she finished, her gaze following Mel’s movements.

Janice’s eyes took in the smooth, unadorned bronze skin of Mel’s long legs, which were another plus in Mel’s favor. At least they were in Janice’s book. For, the latter thought Mel was the most beautiful woman she’d ever laid eyes on. Especially when she wasn’t wearing those damn glasses that made her look like some kind of blue-eyed cat.

Mel cleared her throat, when Janice’s gaze wandered up her body to meet her own. "Sow-ry," she offered, putting the ear piece of her glasses up to her mouth, and coyishly turning her attention back to the manuscript.

I never met a woman like her before, Mel thought. Sometimes, like this... I even forget she is one. She acts so much like a man, she added, cutting her eyes over at the pair of tan men’s slacks Janice was wearing. Always tan, Mel thought. Doesn’t she own any other color? Oh well, at least they’re clean, she added, remembering that it had taken several, not so subtle hints, to get Janice to take a shower before their evening meal.

"So... what’s this scroll about anyway?" Janice asked, returning her attention to the manuscript. "Think someone was trying to hide something?"

"Well, no. Doesn’t seem like anything of... great importance is missing," Mel answered, replacing her glasses. "The part up here is about Joxer bringing Xena the head of Orpheus, the one with the lyre..."

"Whose songs are said to sooth the Bacchi," Janice added, having heard of Orpheus before.

"Yes, exactly. But, the lyre had been stolen from Orpheus by Bacchus. As... was the rest of his body." Mel glanced up at Janice, wondering if the latter found this part as unbelievable as she did.

Janice cocked one light brown eyebrow, as if asking a question of her own.

"I have a little trouble... believing some of this, don’chu?" Mel queried, looking over her glasses now.

Janice stared down into a pair of blue eyes, the likes of which she’d seldom come across in her many travels. At least, not any she wanted to drown herself in, like these. She quickly cleared her throat, and turned back to the manuscript, breaking the spell. "Yeah, well... I wouldn’t have believed what happened to us with Ares, either,... if I hadn’t been there myself."

"Hmph," Mel grunted, her eyes traveling down Janice’s manly attrire, while the latter wasn’t looking. "I don’t remember... much about... Ares."

"That’s because Xena took over your body," Janice reminded, her own mind handing her a mental picture of the warrior princess taking the pin out of Mel’s hair and shaking the long tresses loose, then tearing her skirt up both sides, revealing a pair of long, silky thighs. Both of these events had suggested to Janice that Mel was definitely hiding a good deal of her attributes beneath all those long skirts, dainty jackets and the pinned back hairdo she seemed to prefer.

"Yes, well... that’s hard to believe, too," Mel commented, pushing her glasses up on her nose, "But... I’ll take your word for it, Janice."

"Oh, believe me... it happened. Now, what do you think is missing here?" Janice asked, leaning further over the desk towards the manuscript, in the hopes of not making anymore direct eye contact with Mel, at the moment. For, the woman’s beauty was... mesmerizing. Looking into those blue eyes made Janice feel light headed and out of control. And she didn’t like feeling either of these things. Especially not around Mel.

"Well, right here... it talks about a festival of some sort. And it says that Gabrielle was... well... she was dancing with... two women, if you can believe that."

"Hmph," Janice grunted, leaning even closer to the manuscript to read the words herself, in case Mel had made a mistake.

"And then... the rest of this is... pretty much missing, except for these few words over here on the left and... the ink is so smeared that... I can’t make out what it says, can you?" Mel asked, leaning over as well, her face drawing closer to Janice’s. The latter of whom, merely grunted in answer to Mel’s question.

"Then the story jumps to: the bacchi fell on their victim like a pack of hungry wolves." Mel continued, "I can’t make this part out, either, but this line here is how Xena told Gabrielle to bite her, so that she would become a Bacchi. So I would assume Gabrielle had been turned into a Bacchi, wouldn’t you?"

"Stands to reason," Janice agreed, trying to keep her eyes on the manuscript. "But, why did Xena want to become a Bacchi?"

"Oh, so she could kill Bacchus. After Xena was turned into a Bacchi, she and Gabrielle swooped down upon Bacchus and the beautiful warrior killed the Bacchi leader with the bone of a Dryiad. And so thanks to Xena, the Bacchi were turned back into the beautiful women they were before," Mel read aloud and then sighed.

"What’s a Dryiad?" Janice queried.

"I don’t know. But, I would assume it’s probably in this part that’s missing," Mel answered. "And whatever it is, it can kill a Bacchi."

"Sorta like a stake through the heart for a vampire," Janice quipped.

"Or a silver bullet for a werewolf." Mel added.

"Kryptonite for Superman," Janice continued.

"I guess everyone has their... Achilles heel," Mel commented and giggled.

Janice merely smiled, avoiding eye contact. "I think you’re right, though," she admitted, glancing back at the manuscript one last time. "Doesn’t sound important. I don’t think we’ll be running across any Bacchi. I wouldn’t waste my time on it, if I were you. I’m sure there’s more important things in the others. What’s this one about?" she asked, reaching for a scroll tied with a red ribbon.

"Hey!" Mel exclaimed, grabbing her arm. "You put me in charge of the scrolls, remember? Now don’t come over here... pokin’ around. I’ve got my own system of putting these in order and... it’s hard enough to do, without interference from... out...siders," she finished, her voice fading, as she realized what she’d said.

Janice glanced down at the hand on her arm. Her skin was tingling beneath Mel’s cool fingers. "O-O-kay," she said calmly, dragging out the word and not moving, in the hopes of prolonging the contact.

Mel’s gaze fell to her hand on Janice’s arm. She quickly released her grip and cleared her throat. "What I mean is... there aren’t any dates on these, so... I’m trying to sort them by... adventure, I suppose you would say.... and that’s not easy. They had so many adventures," she added.

"Hmm. Wonder what it must have been like for them?" Janice mused, moving away from the desk now and taking a swig of her gin and tonic. She wasn’t comfortable with what she’d just felt and hoped to distance herself from these feelings, as well as from Mel, with other thoughts. "Travelin’ around... no place to call home...," she continued, "...fighting warlords and gods..."

"Giants and... all those other... strange... creatures," Mel added; eyes peering over her glasses, following Janice’s progress across the room, to the latter’s favorite overstuffed chair by the fireplace. She does fill out those baggy britches a lot better than any man, Mel caught herself thinking. Melinda Pappas, she quickly admonished herself, pushing her glasses up on her nose and turning away. Why in the world were you looking at that woman’s...?

"Centaurs and... Amazons," Janice continued to muse, as she flopped down in the chair and put her feet up on the ottoman in front of the fire.

"Well, no... Xena didn’t fight the Amazons now," Mel corrected.

"Why not? Was she an Amazon?" Janice questioned, quickly glancing around the chair at Mel, who was behind her now.

"Well no, but... Gabrielle was," Mel answered, carefully rolling up the scroll she’d been working on.

"Gabrielle was an Amazon?" Janiced queried, coming up out of her chair again and advancing towards Mel.

"That’s what it says in the scrolls. She was an Amazon Princess."

"I thought you read me something about her home town being some place called Poteidaia? There were Amazons there?"

"Well, no, but you see... Gabrielle was an Amazon Princess by right of caste," Mel explained, tying a purple ribbon around the scroll in her hand.

"What’s a right of caste?" Janice queried, stopping in front of Mel and taking a swig of her gin and tonic.

"It’s... well... it’s..." Mel paused. "Let me get that scroll and it’ll explain everything better than I can. Now, which one was that in?" she mumbled to herself, turning back to the desk now.

"Is this story long?" Janice asked, watching Mel carefully place the scroll between two others on the desk.

"Don’t worry, I’ll read it to you, if... you’ll fix me one of those," Mel answered, glancing over at the drink in Janice’s hand.

"I thought you never touched hard liquor?" Janice retorted, repeating what Mel had said the first time she’d offered her one.

"Yes, well... I think I’ll try one tonight, just..." Mel paused and looked up at Janice over her glasses. "...don’t make it too strong, okay?"

Janice merely grunted and turned away from the blue eyes that were causing so much turmoil in her mind and body. "So what accounts for this change of heart?" she queried, making her way over to the small cabinet where she kept her stash of liquor.

"Oh... I don’t know... maybe because... you seem to sleep so much better than I do," Mel answered, searching for the scroll with the green ribbon, which she thought contained the story she was looking for.

"Still having trouble sleeping, hmm?" Janice commented. "Well, I’ve told you time and again you’re welcome to share the bed with me, instead of sleeping on that small sofa."

"Oh, I don’t think it’s the sofa," Mel said, unrolling the scroll now.

"Yeah right. Like you’re not hanging half off of it every morning," Janice quipped. "That can’t be comfortable."

"Oh, I’ve gotten used to it."

Janice shook her head and groaned, inadvertently adding a bit more gin than she’d intended. She slowly recapped the bottle, debating as to whether to make Mel another one and keep this one for herself. Oh what the hell, she thought, Maybe she’ll sleep better... on that small sofa.

"Here it is," Mel announced.

"Well, bring it over here and sit down by the fire, so you won’t be afraid of spilling your drink on anything," Janice suggested, gesturing towards the chair adjacent to her own. "I’ll even share the ottoman with you," she added, though she immediately regretted suggesting this.

"Are you sure? I mean, I wouldn’t wanna inconvenience you," Mel said, even though she was moving towards the chair all the same. "I know how hard you work at the dig site everyday and well..." She paused, gazing over her glasses at Janice, as the latter handed her the drink. "I believe I’ve... inconvenienced you enough, as it is."

"Inconvenienced me, hmph," Janice grunted. "I thought we agreed to be partners in this venture, didn’t we? I mean, you’re putting up half the money on this dig."

"Yes, but... you’re doing all the work."

"Yeah, like this dig has produced results," Janice grumbled, proceeding towards her chair. "No, you’re doing your share and more deciphering those scrolls. This dig is merely a cover, remember, so that no one knows we’ve actually found those already. ‘Course I wish this dig would produce something," she mumbled.

"Jack knows about the scrolls," Mel added, as she sat down on the edge of the chair, her drink in one hand and the scroll in the other.

"Yeah, well... Jack better keep his mouth shut, if he knows what’s good for him."

Mel merely grunted.

"You kinda liked him, didn’t you?" Janice queried, a sly grin on her face.

"Oh-h no-o... no-o," Mel drawled.

"Oh come now.... I saw the way you... nearly melted into his arms, when he was leaving," Janice observed, her grin fading into a frown.

"Oh-h tha-at... that was just... the way I was brought up. Southern women are taught to be... gra-acious. Especially to someone giving them compliments," Mel answered, turning slightly red with embarrassment.

Janice grunted.

"Oh, but that’s not to say that Yankee... I mean, northern women aren’t... gracious," Mel added, turning an even darker shade of red now.

"Hmph. No need to apologize for me," Janice said, waving her hand, as if dismissing the thought. "I am who I am and I make no pretense about it."

"So I’ve noticed," Mel mumbled, watching Janice take a large swig of her drink.

"Now, back to the scrolls," Janice said, redirecting the conversation away from men, which was one of her least favorite subjects, since she’d had nothing but bad experiences in that department.

"Umm, yes, well, I’ve been meaning to ask you something about that," Mel said, easing back in her chair now. "Now what is it exa-actly, that I’m looking for again?"

"Secrets to unlock the ancient mysteries," Janice said with a heavy sigh. "We’ve went over this before."

"Yes, well, I know that, but... what ki-ind of secrets? I mean... so far everything I’ve read is... well, just stories about Gabrielle and Xena’s adventures."

"Just keep looking," Janice responded. "It’s there. My father believed it and so do I."

"Yes well... is it possible that your daddy was..." Mel paused, before saying what had popped into her mind: off his rocker and instead said, "... a bit misguided, perhaps?"

"My father sacrificed everything in the search for these scrolls. Which, I might add, few people believed even existed," Janice countered. "And you see he was right. They did exist. And besides, you saw Smythe. He was willing to kill us all over them. So, there must be something there."

"We-ell," Mel drawled. "Is it possible that the ancient mystery was the tomb Xena locked Ares in? I mean, remember that writing on the wall. ‘All yea who enter, beware the rock of the God of War’? Could it be this was the power the scrolls were supposed to hold? Because, I sure haven’t found anything that... even hints at any ancient secrets or mysteries. Matter of fact, there’s only been one reference to a treasure and..."

"Treasure? What treasure?" Janice asked, sitting up so quickly, Mel drew back.

"O-oh m-my... we-ll, it... it was... a Sumerian treasure," Mel stammered, drawing even further back in her chair.

"Where?" Janice inquired, leaning further out of her chair.

"Well, it... it didn’t say whe-ere it was, it just..."

"What did they do with it?" Janice questioned, grabbing hold of the arm of Mel’s chair. "Bury it... what?"

"We-ell, no... they... they just left it."

"Left it? Now why would anyone leave a...? What, was it cursed by a God or something?" Janice further questioned.

"No, no, nothing like that. You see, the real prize was the Ambrosia."

"Ambrosia?" Janice asked, frowning now as she eased back and removed her hand from Mel’s chair. "Isn’t that a dessert?"

"Not that ki-ind of Ambrosia," Mel drawled, in explanation. "This was the food of the gods."

Janice suddenly slapped the arm of Mel’s chair, making the latter jump and nearly spill her drink. "That’s it!" Janice proclaimed, her green eyes wide and staring off into space now. "That’s gotta be it," she reiterated in more of a whisper now. "Food of the God’s," she added, as if in awe. "Well, what did they do with it? Where did they hide it?" she asked, turning towards Mel again.

"The-ey tossed it... into a lava pit, so that... no one else would find it," Mel answered, knowing this was going to be disappointing to Janice.

"Hmph. I’m beginning to wonder about those two," Janice grumbled, glancing down at the scroll in Mel’s hand. "What about that treasure? Are there any clues in there as to where it might be... Owch!"

Mel had popped Janice’s hand, when she reached out and grabbed the end of the scroll. "They’re ve-ery del-licate," Mel cautioned, in a stern voice. "And besides... it’s not even in this one anyway. But no, Gabrielle never mentioned where they found it. And maybe that’s because she didn’t want anyone reading her scrolls and... finding it."

"Hmph," Janice grunted, sitting back and taking a swig of her drink. She felt like she’d just been reprimanded by a school teacher. And this didn’t go over too well, on top of the recent disappointment. "You’re glad she didn’t mention it, aren’t you?" she accused. "Or... are you holding out on me?" She gazed over the rim of her glass at her friend.

"Why Janice Covington!" Mel gasped. "I’ll have you know I would never, ev-ver do such a low-down, dirty thing! What do you take me for, anyway?"

Janice merely shrugged and took another swig of her drink, as if it were far more interesting than Mel, at the moment.

"We-ell!" Mel said drawing the word out indignantly, as she placed her drink on the side table by her chair. "If you don’t trust me anymore than that..." She paused, getting up from her chair now. "...then I’ll just pack my things and be..."

"Sit down!" Janice grumbled, throwing out her left arm between the two chairs, in order to stop Mel from walking off. "I... I’m sorry, okay," she mumbled.

Mel glanced down at the arm near her waist. Her eyes took in the callused hand to which it was attached, as well as, the rolled up shirt sleeve, revealing small, yet muscular arms. She shook her head, wondering why she found this interesting. "Pardon me," she said, removing her glasses. "But, I don’t think I heard you clearly. What was that you just said?"

Janice glanced up at her friend, to find those mesmerizing blue eyes trained on her once again. She closed her own eyes and laid her head back against the chair. "I... I’m sorry," she said, in a clear, calm voice. "I... you... you don’t know... you just couldn’t understand..." she stammered, as she let her arm fall to the side of the chair, while she took a large swig of her drink.

"I can’t know or understand what?" Mel prodded, her earpiece going to her mouth now, as she watched Janice’s facial features distort, as if her friend were struggling with some terrible demon inside of her.

Janice took another large swig, as if to fortify herself, before she said, "I... I didn’t grow up like you, okay?" She opened her eyes and glanced up at Mel briefly, then lowered her gaze to the glass in her hand. "Trust just... it just doesn’t come easily for me," she admitted, cupping the glass in both hands now.

Mel eased back down in the chair very quietly, so as not to break the mood. Janice was finally opening up to her and she wouldn’t miss this for the world.

"I never... had any friends," Janice continued, "Well... not the usual kind. We moved around too much for making... lasting friendships."

"You had friends at school, didn’cha?" Mel asked softly, thinking of her own childhood.

Janice gripped the glass in her hands. "Not many kids wanted to be friends with the daughter of... The Grave Robber," Janice admitted.

"Oh-h, I see-e," Mel drawled.

"Yeah, well, I’m not asking for sympathy," Janice grumbled, getting up from her chair and going over to the fireplace. She grabbed up a piece of wood and slowly set it on top of the others already burning. "I’ve made it just fine this far without... anyone," she continued, reaching for the poker now. "I can take care of myself."

"Well, yes... you’ve proved that," Mel acknowledged, deciding that now seemed like the perfect time for that drink. She sat back and retrieved the drink from the table, replacing it with her glasses. "You sure took care of me," she added.

"Hmph," Janice grunted, poking at the logs. "You took care of yourself. Or should I say... Xena took care of us all."

"We-ell, excuse me, but... I don’t remember Xena being the one who saved me from Smythe’s men," Mel commented. "I do believe that was Janice Covington swinging from that whip and... slugging those goons. And as I recall it was also your hand around my arm, pulling me out of that tomb, before that door... or whatever you wanna call that heavy stone thing, closed on us."

"Yeah, well... neither of us would’ve gotten outta there if not for you. I mean... Xena," Janice said, replacing the poker in its holder.

"Hmph," Mel grunted, taking another sip of her drink and crossing her legs. "Do ya think we... inherited any of their personality traits?" she mused.

Janice quickly turned towards her; her eyes taking in the swinging leg.

"I mean, they are our ancestors, right?"

Janice raised one light brown eyebrow. "So it would seem. Or at least... I’d like to think so," she responded, toeing the loose cobblestone by the fireplace. "But... I don’t think I inherited much of anything. Except... my father’s knack for... grave robbing. And ... lost causes."

Mel cleared her throat, distinctly uneasy with Janice’s melancholy mood, which she, herself, felt a bit guilty for causing. "Hey, I was supposed to be reading you this story, wasn’t I?" she said blithely, changing the subject.

"You don’t have to do that," Janice offered. "Just leave it there. I’ll read it myself later."

"No, now-ow... a deal’s, a deal," Mel retorted. "I said I would read to you, if you fixed me a drink so..." She paused, holding up the drink. "...come on back over here and sit down," she added, taking one more swig before setting the glass down on the side table. "I think you’ll like this one, I did. Gabrielle was very brave, ya know."

"Oh really. Xena said something to that effect, but..." Janice paused, as she resumed her seat. "...I figured she was just trying to make me feel better about... being related to her."

"Oh no, she wa-as brave," Mel assured her, carefully unrolling the scroll. "Just like you," she added.

Janice glanced over at her friend and partner, wondering if Mel really felt this way. The latter was already engrossed in the scroll, however. Full red lips moved ever so slightly up and down, as blue eyes scanned the document from side to side, searching for the part their owner had designated.

Wonder what’s its like to be that beautiful? Janice thought. But does she really know she’s beautiful? What’d she say about Southern women being taught to be gracious? Was that all southern women or just Mel? she wondered. How come she hides all that beauty behind those awful glasses and those long skirts and stuff? Does Melinda Pappas have any idea what she looks like to the outside world? Thank the gods she has no idea what you’re thinking about her, she told herself. And why are you thinking like this, Janice? she asked herself, when you know better!

"Okay, here it is," Mel announced. "Oh-h... thank you," she said, as Janice moved the ottoman between them, so they could share it. "Let’s see... they were walking through the woods when the bard noticed a strange object on a nearby tree. Gabrielle asked Xena what these were, to which the warrior replied, ‘No trespassing signs. This is Amazon country.’"

Janice sat back, put her feet up and listened, as Mel’s southern drawl brought the ancient words to life. She found out that her ancestor had been quite brave. Or at least, according to her own account.

Janice tried to picture herself as Gabrielle, but... to no avail. I’m more like Xena, she thought, sensing more of a spiritual kinship with the tough warrior princess. Mel’s more like Gabrielle, she concluded, as she listened to the animation in her friend’s voice. Hmph, Janice, the warrior princess and Mel, the bard and... sidekick. Janice liked this idea. And her mind ran with this thought, as the story of Gabrielle becoming an Amazon Princess, by right of caste, continued to unfold before her mind’s eye, with Mel and herself in the leading roles of the daring duo.

Continue to Part 2

alt fic index <> homepage