Illuminations of the Soul part 5
by Cousin Liz
July 30, 1997
The characters of Xena: Warrior Princess are owned by MCA Pictures and used here without permission. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this story.
This story shows the loving relationship between two women. You may even consider it explicit at times. If this type of story offends you, or you are not old enough to read it, please stop reading now.
The sounds of life waking to another morning penetrated the walls of
the barn. The sun had not even begun to rise, yet Xena laid there
wide awake, sleep eluding her most of the night. She hadn't realized
how much comfort she had taken from sleeping with Gabrielle at her
side. And now she felt lost without it. 'You're getting soft, warrior.
You never needed anyone, and now look at yourself,' Xena berated
herself. 'Can't even get any sleep without your bard by your side.'
Even before that night after the dance, she had relished the closeness
they shared at night. She couldn't remember how it started, but
surmised it was probably done out of necessity on a cold night. And it
quickly became habit forming -- for both of them. No matter what trials
or hardships they endured during the day, she knew she had
something to look forward to at day's end. And Gabrielle never
seemed to mind, always craving physical contact of any kind.
After rolling up her bedroll and storing it with the rest of their gear,
Xena found a particularly soft pile of fresh hay and settled herself
down to quietly work on polishing the metal of her armor. The light
from outside had slowly found its way under the barn door, and Xena
allowed her thoughts to wander over the last week. They were
abruptly broken by the creaking of the barn door.
Gabrielle pushed the door open just enough to slip inside, hoping not
to disturb her partner's sleep. "I should've known you'd be up by now."
"How are you feeling?"
"Ssh, not so loud," Gabrielle implored. She quietly made her way to
Xena, even flinching at the noise her boots made as they crunched in
the hay. The bard removed the armor and polishing rag from Xena's
hands and carefully laid them aside. "I don't remember much from
last night, but I have a roaring headache," she whispered, lowering
herself into Xena's arms. "I was wondering if you'd mind using your
newfound remedy to ease my pain."
Not a sound could be heard as Xena sensuously worked the tunic off
her young lover and tossed it aside. No words were needed as
Gabrielle pushed Xena back into the soft pile of hay and settled herself
into her warm embrace. The bard wrapped strong fingers behind
Xena's head and kissed her deeply before working her way down to
the laces of the warrior's shift. Using just her teeth, Gabrielle
painstakenly worked at liberating Xena's breasts from their tight
confines. "Just whose headache are you trying to get rid of?" Xena
asked as her breath caught in her throat, and she could feel a growing
need awakening deep inside her. She wrapped her arms and legs
around the bard and carefully rolled over, burying Gabrielle from view
as she disappeared into the soft pile of hay.
Even though her head still pounded, Gabrielle never relinquished her
hold of Xena and her mouth was still buried in her chest, tugging at
the laces. It was at this moment that both women were startled to hear
Lila call out, "Xena. Have you seen Brie? I woke up and she was
gone. I'm worried. I couldn't find her anywhere," as Gabrielle's
younger sister poked her head around the now open barn door.
Gabrielle heard her sister call out for her, and before her brain could
engage and clamp her mouth tight, she blurted her sister's name out
through a mouthful of lace. Still, it was rather muffled, coming from
somewhere under the warrior. Xena stiffened, hoping Lila hadn't been
close enough to hear, and that she would think Xena was still asleep.
But the small cry of "Brie?" from Lila's lips ruined that plan. "Brie?
Where are you?" Lila called softly, as she took a hesitant step further
into the barn. Xena could feel Gabrielle go stiff and felt the tremors as
they passed through her. The bard was completely concealed, and
Xena thought that if it came to it, she could convince Lila that she was
just hearing things. This plan was also short-lived when Lila spotted
her sister's tunic in a heap above the warrior's head. "Brie!?!" she
called out again, with a frantic edge that caused Xena to turn and
follow her eyes to the bard's tunic.
Xena turned back to the nervous pile of flesh beneath her and quietly
said, "I think she suspects now." The warrior did what any friend
would do in a situation like that and reached over her head and
snatched Gabrielle's tunic, rolled slightly off the bard and with her
back to Lila draped the tunic over her lover's body. Gabrielle hugged it
to herself as Xena rolled off completely, exposing one very
embarrassed sister. She rose and retrieved a blanket, returning to
wrap it around Gabrielle before taking a seat next to her.
Lila stood there speechless. She had been reluctant at first to come to
the barn when she found her sister missing from their bedroom. She
had promised Xena that she would look after her, and hadn't been
sure how the warrior would take the news that she failed. Now she
wished she'd never come. 'I see *now* why Brie had no interest in any
of those 'eligible young men' at the party last night.' She tore her eyes
from her sister, only to have them fall on the warrior. It was then that
she noticed that the laces of Xena's shift were almost completely
worked free, and that the warrior was close to spilling out. "I uh... I
think... I better leave."
"Lila, please," Gabrielle exclaimed, as her sister turned to flee. "We
need to talk."
"I don't think so," she stated sharply, as she stopped and turned back
to face her sister. Gabrielle stood and took a step towards her. Lila
backed up looking fearful and exclaimed as she put her arm out in
front of herself, "Gabrielle!"
Gabrielle was frozen in her tracks, not so much by the look on her
sister, than by those three syllables. "Gabrielle? What happened to
*Brie*? What're you afraid of? I'm still your sister... nothing's
changed."
"I don't understand."
Gabrielle covered the distance between them and grasped her sister's
forearm, compelling her to make eye contact. "I'm in love." The bard
turned and found Xena's eyes, absorbing the warrior's strength and
continued, "We're in love."
"Love?"
"Ummm... yeah!" A smile spread across her face, as she realized that
she was hearing herself say it out loud to someone other than Xena for
the first time. 'And it feels really good!'
"How can you be in love?"
"How can anybody be in love? It just happens!"
"Well, yeah... I know, but not with -"
"Not with what? Another woman? Would it make you happy if Xena
were a man?"
"NO!" Lila shot a glance over to Xena. "I never said that."
Now it was Gabrielle's turn to back away from her sister. She had
steeled herself for this confrontation with her sister. Worked on all the
questions and comments that Lila could have for her -- debated the
issue with herself as to why it shouldn't matter to Lila or anyone else
that she and Xena were in love and happened to both be women. And
in one fell swoop, Lila brought all of her hard work to a crashing
defeat.
"Then what exactly *do* you mean to say?"
"I don't care that she's a woman... I know all about that kinda stuff. It's
just that..." Lila leaned forward and lowered her voice to a whisper,
"She's a warrior!"
"I resemble that remark." Both sisters jumped at the sound of Xena's
voice.
Gabrielle turned to see the lop-sided grin on her lover's face. "I'm glad
to see you're enjoying yourself," she quipped, as she drank in the sight
of the warrior's long form. Xena was stretched out nonchalantly in the
hay, her arms comfortably folded behind her head as she leaned
against a bale. "I uh... Lila!" she exclaimed, as she turned back to her
forgotten sister, failing miserably to hide the blush that she was sure
covered her face. "You mean to tell me that it doesn't bother you that
I... with another woman?"
"Well... I wouldn't say that it doesn't bother me completely. It's gonna
take some getting used to."
"And what's wrong with her being a warrior?"
"I worry about you -- being out there with her. I always figured, like
mother and father still do, that you'd meet a nice man and marry and
settle down. That's not gonna happen now, is it?"
"No. I like my life just the way it is. And I pray to the gods every day
that nothing changes."
"Does mother know?"
"No!"
"You're gonna tell her, aren't you?"
"It's not the right time. I don't know if it'll ever be the right time. You have to promise me that you'll not breathe a word of this to either of
them."
"I promise." Gabrielle threw her free arm around her sister for a quick
hug and was surprised when she felt her sister's arms wrap around
her waist and hold her close. "I'll always love you Brie, no matter
what," Lila whispered into her sister's ear.
Gabrielle could feel her sister's tears as they lightly dropped on her
shoulder. "I love you too," she whispered back, as both women
continued their embrace, laughing and crying at the same time.
Lila gave her sister one last squeeze before breaking the embrace.
Her eyes flashed at Gabrielle as the sides of her mouth worked their
way into a frown. "I'm still mad at you," she declared, as she shook an
accusing finger at her sister.
"What?!" Gabrielle stumbled backwards, caught off guard by the
sudden change in her sister. Xena tensed and fought the urge to
come to her love's defense.
"If I hadn't walked in on you two and caught you... well you know..."
Lila blushed deeply and averted her eyes. She tried to push the sight
of her sister appearing from under the warrior out of her mind. "You
weren't gonna tell me about you and her, were you?"
"I thought about it. Especially after you walked in on us yesterday,
after you came back from shopping with Mother."
"Your tunic -- it was on inside-out, wasn't it? I told myself later that I
must have just been seeing things."
"Um... yeah. You kinda surprised us."
"You mean you... in our bedroom?!" Lila's eyes flashed to Xena and
saw the warrior barely keeping herself from bursting out laughing.
"We used my bed! Anyway, it wasn't like I planned it or anything. It
just happened. And no. I probably wouldn't have told you about us. I
wasn't sure how you'd take it, and I... I didn't want to lose my only
sister."
Lila closed the distance between them and grasped her sister's arm.
"You'll never lose me. You're my only sister too -- remember? Nothing
you do will ever change that. And I'm sure that goes for Mother and
Father too, if you give them a chance."
"Thank you. And I'll think about telling them. Just not right now."
"OK. Well... listen... I think I'm gonna get a head start on my morning
chores. You ah...?"
"I'll be along in a little while." Gabrielle leaned forward and whispered
conspiratorially, "Xena has something to relieve this headache of mine.
That's why I came out here in the first place." The bard pulled back
and watched as Lila's expression changed to one of astonishment
when she realized what her sister was really saying.
"Brie!"
"She has many skills."
"Yeah, I'll bet," replied Lila, as she looked over to where Xena was still
sitting.
With that, all three women burst out laughing. Gabrielle had never felt
so relieved in her life. 'Maybe there is a chance it will work out with
Mother and Father.'
***************************************************************
Part 19
Gabrielle made sure she barred the door after Lila left. She was not
going to take any chances with another interruption. "Whew! That
went a lot better than I ever expected," she grinned as she flopped
down next to Xena. "I'd gotten myself so worked up over it, and for
what?" She laid her head against Xena's shoulder and snuggled
closer. "Hey... didn't she say she already knew that two women
could... well you know... be together? Remind me to ask her where
she learned about that."
"How's your head?"
"Hmm...?" The bard lifted her head and tilted it experimentally from
side to side. "Yep, I'd say I definitely have one grade A headache."
"You mean hangover."
"Hangover?! But I only had two or three small cups of punch before
you warned me off the stuff. And from then on I stayed strictly with
cider. All evening. Ask anyone!"
"Enjoy the fruit cocktail?"
"How'd you know about that? Aunt Effie didn't bring it out 'til after you
left."
For the next few minutes, Xena found herself in the position of bard as
she recounted the events of last night. Gabrielle sat there,
dumbfounded, as she listened. It was as if the warrior was talking
about someone else. She had no recollection of anything much past
the opening of the presents. "You mean the fruit cocktail...?"
"Yep." The warrior concluded her brief rendition of the events with her
tasting the fruit cocktail and realizing it was made with Uncle Cosmo's
secret ingredient. She deftly omitted the part where afterwards, she
had kept vigil at the bard's bedside until Lila relieved her. There were
some things, like her feelings, that Xena still found hard to talk about.
The warrior wrapped her arm around Gabrielle and pulled her close,
and the bard happily snuggled in, closing her eyes and feeling the
familiar warmth and security that she had come to quickly cherish.
"Hmm?" Upon opening her eyes the hungry little bard spied the
almost completed task she had earlier been enjoying. Wiggling loose
from the warrior's hold, she slipped the blanket off from around her
body and slid on top of Xena. "Now let's see... where was I?"
Gabrielle pondered this thought for a moment, grinning mischievously.
"Oh yeah... I remember!" The bard settled herself on Xena's hips and
placed her hands against the hay bale on either side of the warrior's
head. Never taking her eyes from the bemused expression the warrior
was giving her, she slowly lowered her head and continued the
excruciatingly slow process of freeing the warrior's breasts from her
tunic using just her teeth. She had but a few more eyelets to go
before she would be rewarded, though these last few were fast
proving to be the most difficult. The pressure of the warrior's
overflowing bosom was straining the material of the shift and holding
the laces taut. Gabrielle found that she had to bury her face between
those two luscious breasts in order to get a grip on the laces, and she
couldn't help herself if her tongue decided to do a little exploring first.
She wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
Xena's expression soon turned to one of desire as she found her body
arching to meet the bard's playful inquiries. This teasing that Gabrielle
seemed to enjoy so much was something new for Xena. In the past,
sex for her was something that was always performed on her terms.
She took what she desired and always stayed in control. Now
everything was different. There was a new element to be considered.
Love. She was finding that her love for this woman was one of the
strongest emotions she has ever had. Possibly even stronger than the
dark emotions that drove her when she was a warlord. This thought
frightened her, because she knew that she still found it almost
impossible to verbally express her feelings. 'And if and when they
burst forth, I hope she's strong enough to handle it.'
Another eyelet was successfully conquered and Xena could feel
herself on the brink of tumbling out. Her body cried for release, but
she buried her hands in the hay by her sides, willing herself to prolong
the delicious frustration that the bard was putting her through.
Gabrielle watched intently as Xena's brows knitted together over her
half-closed eyes as she silently mouthed the word 'please' over and
over. The bard decided that playtime was over and with clear
determination, set herself on the last eyelet. With one last purposeful
tug, she succeeded in releasing the warrior from her snug confines.
Gabrielle's attention was immediately riveted on her prizes, and she
stared at them hypnotically, unconsciously licking her lips in
anticipation.
With great determination, she broke her reverie and gazed into Xena's
eyes. Slowly she bent forward and licked one of the nipples, paused,
and blew on it lightly, watching as the nub swelled and the skin around
it began to pucker. Gabrielle was quite curious about just how much
the warrior would let her get away with. She had never known Xena to
go this long at anything and not be in control. So, with a wicked little
grin, she proceeded to repeat her steps on the other breast. For
Xena's part, she arched her body each time, trying to coax the bard to
take her fully, while steadfastly refusing to give in to her body's
physical craving.
"Ga-bri-elle..." The word rolled out from the depth of Xena's soul,
tumbling past her dry lips as she fought to maintain sanity. The bard
simply ignored her, now placing sweet, innocent kisses in the valley of
her bosom. Not to be outdone, the warrior turned her head to the left
and captured Gabrielle's wrist in her mouth, flicking her tongue lightly
over the pulse point. The bard frowned as she felt her body betray her
as her hips thrust themselves against Xena, and her hands reached
behind and pulled the warrior up into her waiting mouth.
"Umm, you cheat," Gabrielle husked, as she relinquished her hold of
one of the breasts and rapidly went to work on the other one.
"Uh huh," Xena breathed, as she concentrated on the bard's soft lips
while Gabrielle suckled her. This moment was to be short-lived. Try
as she might, Xena could not continue to ignore the squirming of her
young lover's body as Gabrielle's hips were now in constant motion
against her. The warrior's need to be in control was too overwhelming.
'This is something I need to work on, but not today,' she thought
absently, as she wrapped her hands around her young lover's head
and pulled her up for a feverish kiss. In one fluid movement, Xena had
the bard flipped on her back. Gabrielle happily relented to this shift of
power, her body melting in surrender under the warrior.
Xena sat up just long enough to lose her shift and with a gentle nudge
of her knee, she parted her companion's legs and nestled herself in
between. She bent over and hungrily kissed the bard's mouth before
working her way down and stopping when she reached the valley
between her breasts. She could feel the bard's slick wet center sliding
under her stomach, and knew that Gabrielle was ready. She captured
Gabrielle's hands and placed them on the bard's breasts, rolling and
squeezing her nipples between their fingers. Xena returned to licking
her between her breasts and then followed a leisurely trail down her
body, never taking her eyes from Gabrielle's. The warrior paused at
her belly button and paid close attention to cleaning it thoroughly
before continuing on.
While not being entirely sure what was going on, Gabrielle was fairly
certain she knew where Xena was heading. She felt an intense and
all-consuming fire burning her between her legs, and could literally feel
herself pumping out fluids. Her body cried out to be satisfied, though
she doubted that anything could satiate her now. The warrior
hesitated just before reaching Gabrielle's soft triangle. She nuzzled
her cheek into the soft hair that covered the mound, and then lightly
kissed her.
Xena nudged Gabrielle's legs apart even further so she could
comfortably lie between them. She removed her hands from
Gabrielle's breasts and placed them under her hips, raising her so she
could position her shoulders under the bard's thighs. Gabrielle felt
very self-conscious as her knees were spread wide and Xena had full
access to her. The warrior felt her tension and asked, "Do you want
this?"
"Yes... that is I think so," she responded, looking at Xena with half-
opened eyes. "It's just that I have no idea... nobody's ever -" She
didn't know how to finish the sentence.
"You are so beautiful, my bard." Xena nestled her face lightly into her
soft hair. "And you smell so sweet." She kissed her intimately on the
top of her mound and said in a low husked tone, "And so very
delicious."
Gabrielle blushed as she could feel her groin throbbing from the verbal
as well as the physical attention it was receiving. Kissing her again
and again, Xena allowed the tip of her tongue to lightly lick Gabrielle's
slit. "XENA!" the bard cried, as she realized just where the warrior
was putting her mouth. "Wha... what are you doing?!" The slight
apprehension in her voice could not hide her body's true feelings as
her hips began to buck under the contact.
"Mmmm... I'm making love to the most beautiful woman... mmm... in
the world." Xena slid her tongue between Gabrielle's lips and lapped
at the sweet juices that were flowing from her.
Gabrielle arched her body and found herself staring wide-eyed at the
ceiling of the barn. Xena's fingers parted her lips opening her wide.
The bard's head flew forward and her eyes riveted on Xena's as the
warrior lightly blew on the now exposed clitoris and smiled up at the
bard's now astonished face. The effect sent spasms through the
young woman's body.
Whispering, "I love you," Xena leaned in and kissed Gabrielle's
swollen nub, taking it into her mouth and between her teeth.
Gabrielle's juices were flowing freely, covering the warrior's face and
running down her chin. The bard continued to stare disbelievingly
down at the sight of Xena nestled between her legs, doing things with
her mouth and tongue that she had never dreamed possible. Xena
continued to suckle Gabrielle while alternately lapping at her juices.
Gabrielle soon began to buck wildly, and Xena brought her left arm up
from under and braced the bard's lower abdomen, attempting to regain
possession of her lover's sex. With Gabrielle's lower body held fast,
she latched onto the swollen nub with her teeth and twirled her tongue
over and over the tender flesh.
Gabrielle didn't think she could take much more of this attention, when
she felt Xena's tongue leave her clit. She was about to whimper for
more when she froze, feeling her lover's tongue poised at her opening.
Xena took one last look up at Gabrielle and when she saw the trust the
bard held for her she thrust her tongue deep inside, watching the
expression on her lover's face turn from surprise to ecstasy. She
continued to stimulate the pulsing nub with her thumb as she thrust
her tongue deep inside, again and again. Xena soon felt the bard's
inner muscles constrict around her tongue and knew she didn't have
much time.
She removed her tongue and in its place swiftly plunged three fingers
into Gabrielle's hot liquid center. She pumped faster and faster as she
stiffened her tongue and allowed just the tip to fly over the hard nub.
This was more than the bard could handle. To feel Xena buried inside
her and the absolute joy that filled her lover's eyes almost sent her into
sensory overload. The muscles in her legs twitched and spasmed,
and her thigh muscles suddenly constricted, putting Xena's head in a
vice lock. Xena never missed a beat as she continued her frantic
pace, all the while watching Gabrielle's face intently.
Gabrielle thrashed about wildly, clawing at the back of Xena's head as
she attempted to bury the warrior's entire head into her sex. The only
coherency to her speech was to repeatedly shout Xena's name as she
fought for release. Xena broke loose of the death grip Gabrielle had
with her thighs and forced herself up so that her head was resting on
the bard's stomach and her left forearm had Gabrielle's upper body
pinned down. From this new vantage point she had much better
leverage, and pumped her right arm furiously to drive herself again
and again deep inside. She turned from Gabrielle's eyes, and buried
her teeth into the flesh before her, and felt the bard's entire body go
stiff. Xena reached behind Gabrielle's shoulders and held her up in a
half-sitting position as she continued to pump her arm in long, slow
strokes. Each time Gabrielle rewarded her with a thunderous release.
When her body had no more to give, the bard collapsed back into the
hay. Xena moved to cover her body with her own, wrapping both of
her powerful arms around the young woman. She nestled her chin on
Gabrielle's shoulder, burying her lips in the soft flesh of her neck.
*******************************************************************
Part 19b
Xena was surprised when only a short time later she felt Gabrielle
begin to stir and then felt a set of teeth nibbling on her ear. "Mmm... I
thought you'd be out for a bit longer."
"Nn-o," she rasped. "My -- my mouth is so dry."
"I'll get you some water," Xena said as she began to roll off.
"No!" Gabrielle wrapped her arms around Xena and pulled her back
down. "Don't go." She looked into the depths of those crystal blue
eyes and murmured, "I have everything I want... right here." Xena,
whose own body had not found release when Gabrielle climaxed, lay
back down on the bard, straddling one of her thighs. Before she could
ask her to bend her knee, Gabrielle interrupted her. "Xena. I... I want
to taste you." The warrior dutifully obliged and brought her mouth
down on Gabrielle's. "Mmpfno... mmm... Xxmpheena..."
Pulling back from Gabrielle's mouth Xena asked, "What's the matter?
Isn't this what you wanted?" Xena reached forward and caught the
bard's lower lip in her teeth and sucked it into her mouth.
Gabrielle shook her head no. She wrapped her arms around Xena's
neck and staring intently into her eyes, pulled her in, kissing her
ardently. Without releasing her lips, Gabrielle whispered her wishes
into Xena's mouth. "Xena, I want to taste... to taste *you*." She really
wasn't sure what to call the hot liquid that was currently soaking her
thigh, but she hoped Xena would get the idea.
"Hmm... do you mean this?" Xena slid her hand between them, and
brought back four glistening and dripping fingers. She brought a
finger to her lips and gave a little lick. "Mmm, is this what you really
want?"
"Yes!" The bard's eyes twinkled as Xena brought one finger after
another into Gabrielle's waiting mouth. She realized that Xena tasted
different from the way she had tasted on the warrior's lips. This taste
was exotic. It had the strength to rekindle a fire between her legs that
she thought was definitely dead.
Xena felt the bard's hips waking up under her. "Hmm. Seems like
you're not done yet, my bard. Here, let me help." Xena pushed her
knee firmly into Gabrielle's sex and slowly ground away.
Gabrielle could feel the fire between her legs starting to ignite, and
fought to quell it. "Xena -- no -- stop."
The warrior immediately stopped, but continued to hold her knee
against her. "I thought you wanted this?" she asked, as she looked
quizzically at Gabrielle.
"I did -- I do. But there's something I want more. I want to make love
to you, to taste you, to feel myself inside of you." Gabrielle nuzzled
Xena's neck as she tried to roll her off and was surprised when the
warrior didn't budge. "Xena?"
The warrior sat up and locking eyes with Gabrielle, slowly inched her
way up until her knees were planted on either side of the young
woman's head. Gabrielle could feel a lump forming in her throat as
she broke contact with the warrior's eyes and took in the overwhelming
sight of Xena suspended only inches above her face. As the musky
odor assaulted her senses, she hesitantly ran her tongue over the
warrior's inner thigh, slowly working her way up. Xena gently lowered
herself to Gabrielle's soft kisses and moaned deeply when she felt the
bard's lips kissing her own. "Ga... bri... elle..." she exhaled. Xena
reached up and grabbed the edge of the bale of hay and stole a look
down at her partner.
The only thing visible were Gabrielle's eyes. She looked up the length
of the warrior when she heard her name and caught sight of the love
on her partner's face. Xena could literally feel the smile spread across
the bard's face. "Mmm Xeeenaa..." Xena watched as Gabrielle
disappeared completely from view and moments later felt her lips
being slowly parted by Gabrielle's thumbs.
The warrior whipped her head up and stared unfocused at the ceiling -
- waiting and wondering for what seemed like an eternity. 'This is what
I get for loving a bard? She's probably busy down there composing a
poem -- or GODS, an epic!' Xena fought her mounting need to reach
down and give the bard a hand, and endured the torture that Gabrielle
was unknowingly inflicting.
Gabrielle just stared. She had never seen a woman's sex before,
especially not this up close and personal. Or at least she thought she
was looking at Xena's sex. She warily eyed the nub of flesh that
pulsed before her, and was amazed to see it jump with each
heartbeat. Looking around carefully, she could find nothing else of
prominence. She spread Xena's lips back even further. 'Nope.
Nothing else hiding in here.' She thought about asking Xena, but
quickly dismissed that idea. Working hard at trying to recall what
Xena had done to pleasure her, she reached up and gave the hard
nub a little flick with the tip of her tongue.
That tiniest of physical contact with Gabrielle almost did Xena in as
her body lurched forward. It took every bit of inner strength she still
possessed not to vault into the air. "Gabrielle... For Gaia's sake!
What are you doing?!"
Gabrielle peeked out from under Xena and flashed her a sheepish
smile. "Heh... I wish I knew. I wasn't sure if I had the... uh... right
spot. Um... guess I did!" The bard disappeared from sight once
again, a bit more assured of what she was doing. Wrapping an arm
around Xena, she carefully lowered her back down to her waiting
mouth. With her free hand she spread the warrior's lips and ran her
tongue slowly up and down the entire length of her love, marveling at
the slick softness. She settled her mouth on the hard nub and sucked
it into her mouth.
Xena's hips began to buck violently and her head thrashed wildly from
side to side. She had been so near release earlier when Gabrielle had
her thighs wrapped around her head that she knew it wouldn't take
much to bring her over. Xena peeled a hand from the bale of hay she
was clutching and frantically ran her fingers through Gabrielle's long
tresses, trying to urge her on. "Ga... Gabrielle... please... just a little...
more."
Gabrielle quickened the pace with her tongue, desperately trying to
please, but she was rapidly becoming frustrated. Xena was so
slippery that the bard lost her place again and again. 'Damn. If she'd
just sit still...' Xena lurched forward more than the bard had
anticipated and instead of once again making contact with Xena's
clitoris, Gabrielle's tongue imbedded itself inside her. The warrior
froze. 'Well, it's about time she stopped jumping all over the place,'
the bard mused. Gabrielle was about to go for a lip-lock on the
warrior's throbbing sex, when she felt violent shudders racking Xena's
body. The warrior's thighs clamped down on the bard's head, and all
thoughts of doing anything, including breathing, were now a mute
point in Gabrielle's mind.
Gabrielle wasn't sure, but she thought she must have blacked out. 'I
never saw her apply pressure points like that before,' she mused.
When the bard was more aware of her surroundings, she looked up to
see Xena slumped forward, her head resting on the top of the hay bale
between her arms. 'Oh no, she doesn't. That was over way too quick.'
After waiting for her ears to pop, Gabrielle repositioned herself slightly
and ran the tip of her tongue lightly over Xena's folds. When this
produced no response from the warrior, the bard slipped her tongue
inside and ran it over Xena's clit. This time she received a satisfying
moan from above as Xena's body began to stir. 'Ah, that's more like it,'
Gabrielle grinned. She clamped her hands on Xena's hips and
brought her down to meet her hungry mouth. She sucked the fleshy
node between her lips and applied herself to her newly learned skill.
'What in Tartarus...?!' Xena's eyes flew open when she felt the bard
happily sucking away, practically humming to herself. 'Did she ever
come up for air?' "Gabrielle?" Xena looked down between her
forearms and was greeted with a flash of sparkling green. She
noticed that the gleam in her friend's eyes was not unlike the look she
got when eating nutbread. 'Uh oh...' Xena was about to carefully
extricate herself from the bard's grasp and apologize for the quick
release that had unfortunately quelled her fire, when a strong and
unmistakable throbbing sensation clutched her groin. "Uggh... Oh
GODS!!" she cried, as a searing white heat shot from her center and
radiated through her limbs. Her head flew back and her body arched
forward as every nerve in her body was directed to the point where her
flesh made contact with Gabrielle's mouth. Xena felt her passion
quickly rising as her hips started to rock to the rhythm of Gabrielle's
strokes.
Gabrielle was not going to make the same mistake twice. At the first
signs that Xena was going to become mobile, she wrapped both arms
around powerful thighs and clenched Xena's sex firmly between her
teeth, swirling her tongue over and over the little ball of trapped flesh.
The bard looked up towards Xena, but was unable to make eye
contact since the warrior's head was still thrown back. What did catch
Gabrielle's eyes were two delicious mounds of soft flesh. Gabrielle
took a chance and let go of the warrior's thighs and sex. She quickly
ran her fingers along Xena's slick lips and headed for the neglected
twins.
Her sticky fingers soon found purchase on two very sensitive nipples,
and Xena let out a ragged gasp as her head flew forward to catch the
sight of Gabrielle's hands rolling and pinching her puckered flesh
between her fingers. With no firm grasp of the warrior's lower body to
help her to keep contact, Gabrielle simply held her tongue out in place
as Xena slid her sex up and down it's shaft in an ever growing frenzy.
Gabrielle worked hard at trying to bring Xena to climax, but she could
tell it wasn't going to be as easy as it had been the first time. After
some time, she decided to abandon the warrior's breasts and refocus
her energy. She wrapped her left arm tightly around Xena's thigh and
pushed the warrior up and slightly back. She repositioned her right
arm and quickly plunged three fingers deep inside.
The bard held on for dear life as the force of her entrance into Xena
nearly caused the warrior to catapult off of her. The only thing that
prevented this was the added weight of Gabrielle's body and the bard's
dogged determination not to relinquish her prize so quickly.
Gabrielle began to fervently pump her arm, jerking Xena down each
time with her left arm to meet her upward thrusts. The bard could see
the thick cords of muscle in Xena's thighs bunch and ripple as the
warrior strained to reach orgasm. The need to please Xena as well as
her overpowering desire to feel her mouth on her lover's sex soon
clouded all rational thought of the possibility of getting her head
crushed between those deadly thighs. It was difficult, but Gabrielle
managed to wrap her mouth around Xena's engorged nub and suck it
firmly into her mouth, where her teeth held it firmly in place. She
deliriously raced her tongue over the hard ball of flesh, feeling that
Xena was quite possibly at the brink.
She was right. This delicious addition to Gabrielle's assault sent Xena
soaring. She never thought she would be loved like this by the woman
of her dreams. She still hadn't fully come to terms with herself over
whether or not she deserved to feel this way, but right now all she
could do was give in as flaming arrows of passion shot out from
between her legs.
Gabrielle felt the sudden change in Xena's body. The warrior
momentarily stiffened before her entire body began to uncontrollably
convulse again and again. Her head violently whipped back and forth,
sending her sweat-soaked hair flying in all directions. Gabrielle let go
of her clitoris, quickly pulling her head safely out from between the
warrior's thighs. She wrapped her left arm around Xena's waist and
buried her face into her stomach, still continuing to pump her fingers
deep inside. With Xena's release imminent, Gabrielle slowed herself
and entered Xena with long, strong, deliberate strokes, trying to match
the rhythms of the warrior's repeated convulsions.
Gabrielle pulled the tips of her fingers just to Xena's opening, and with
all the strength she had left in her throbbing arm, rammed them back
into Xena as far as they would go. The warrior screamed and her
thighs suddenly clenched the bard's hand in a death grip before her
body went limp and she fell in a sprawled heap on top of Gabrielle.
Gabrielle clung to the only part of Xena that was available, the warrior's
left thigh, as she reached around behind herself and stretched her
arm to stroke Xena's back. After nearly a quarter candle mark, she
had successfully extricated herself from the warrior's various body
parts, and quietly molded herself around Xena's curled form.
Sometime later Xena stirred and rolled over, pulling Gabrielle onto her.
They laid in each others arms relishing the quiet softness. After what
felt like hours, Xena rolled Gabrielle off and laid on top of her, wanting
to feel herself enveloping her love. Gabrielle buried her head in Xena's
chest, content at becoming invisible to the world outside.
******************************************************************
Both women continued to lay there side by side, neither one wanting
the moment to end. Gabrielle was nestled in the crook of Xena's left
arm, lazily trailing her finger over the warrior's abdomen. "Hmm, you
are so beautiful..." the bard grinned, "and you're all mine!" She
deposited a small kiss on the warrior's shoulder and looked up when
she heard a responding chuckle coming from above. "What?"
"Oh... I was just thinking the same thing -- my bard." Xena leaned
forward and kissed her on the forehead. "Though it's still a mystery to
me as to what you see in this 'ole warrior."
"Don't say that." Gabrielle looked intently into Xena's eyes, trying to
reach the warrior's soul. "You are everything I've ever wanted, and
everything I'll ever need. I love you." A single tear escaped the corner
of her eye and ran down her cheek. She swiped at it with the back of
her hand and rubbed her eyes, successfully stopping more from
forming.
"Hey... hey. Let's have none of that. Not from the birthday girl." Xena
reached above her head with her left arm and brought it back around
Gabrielle's shoulder, depositing a small leather bag on her chest in
front of the bard's face.
"What's that?" Gabrielle asked, as she looked down to the small bag
and then back up to Xena.
The warrior shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes. "For you."
Gabrielle sat up, instantly intrigued. She took the bag from Xena's
chest, yet made no move to open it.
"Well," Xena said, as she sat up and scooted back so she was leaning
on the bale of hay. "What are you waiting for?"
"I... I don't know." she laid the bag on her thigh and attempted to undo
the knot in the leather cord that was holding the bag closed. Her
hands were shaking so much that she was finding this simple task
impossible.
"Gabrielle?"
"I'm sorry. I don't know what..." Frustrated, she handed the leather
bag to Xena.
"I'm sorry for the simple packaging. I hadn't planned on giving you this
for another full moon, but since your mother went and moved your
birthday up..." Xena worked the knot free and handed the bag back to
Gabrielle.
"My birthday?" She accepted the bag from the warrior and laid it
carefully back on her thigh. "You didn't have to get me anything."
Xena raised an expressive eyebrow and that one look said volumes.
"OK, OK." Gabrielle slid two fingers into the bag, and paused as she
gave the warrior a quizzical look when her fingers clasped the small
object. Slowly she pulled the leather bag away and stopped. "Xena?!"
She sat motionless staring at the small piece of leatherwork now
resting in the palm of her hand.
"Do you like it?"
"Like it?" She gently ran the tip of her finger over the fine gold
embroidery. "It's exquisite!" she breathed. "Where in the world did
you ever find..." Gabrielle went silent, a slight look of concentration
showing on her features. "The harvest festival... " Gabrielle looked up
from the barrette, "That old merchant..." and caught the grin on the
warrior's face. "He had hair barrettes for sale..." She looked back
down and studied the barrette carefully. "... but nothing as beautiful or
intricate as this," she whispered.
The barrette was oval and approximately four inches by three inches in
size. The inside of the oval had been slit into a multitude of impossibly
thin strips through which equally fine strips of leather had been both
woven and knotted, forming an intricate pattern. Over top of the parts
of the pattern which stood out, fine threads of gold silk had been
painstakenly embroidered to create a beautiful swirl pattern.
Gabrielle noticed the two leather strips fastened to the back that would
serve to hold her hair back in a ponytail and realized she had been
viewing the barrette sideways. She turned the barrette ninety degrees
so that the oval was now standing up on end. Tears began to fall
unbridled from the young woman. "Xena...!" She stared unfocused at
her lover's face.
"I was wondering when you'd notice," Xena replied, leaning forward
and quietly kissing the bard's tears away.
Gabrielle gave the warrior a quiet thanks and sat back again to
carefully study the barrette. She was not mistaken. The beautiful gold
swirls, when viewed from the correct angle, were an exact duplicate of
Xena's breast plate design. "You couldn't have bought this from that
merchant." Gabrielle looked up to study the warrior's face. "Where in
the world..." Xena smiled. "You didn't, did you?" The bard was
rewarded with quickly averted eyes as Xena pondered her hands that
now rested in her lap. "Xena... you made this?"
If Gabrielle hadn't been staring at Xena, she would have missed the
whispered "Yes," that escaped the warrior. When Xena realized that
the silence that hung in the air was real, she looked up to see
Gabrielle silently watching her. "That afternoon at the harvest festival,
after I stowed the saddle and we spent some time wandering around...
we passed by that leather merchant. I could feel you hesitate and saw
as you looked forlornly over to the barrettes. And then you continued
on without so much as a backward glance. I knew."
"But..."
"Do you remember when you left me at the knife merchant's stall to
wander over to the lady with the display of Amazon wood carvings?"
Gabrielle nodded her head yes, recalling all the intricate handiwork she
had proudly seen. "I simply stopped at the stand selling cloth and
picked up the gold thread."
"You make it sound so easy." Gabrielle scooted back until she was
resting in the warrior's embrace.
"For you -- anything." Xena slid her arm down the bard's back and
easily pulled her into her lap.
The kiss was soft yet intoxicating, and Gabrielle wondered what the
future with this beautiful woman still had to offer.
The End
*******************************************************************
Thank you, and I hope I passed the audition. :D