To Love, To Need, To Desire: Part 3
By D.virtue
When she slowly turned to look back at Xena, she found Xena rolled up balanced
on one elbow, looking at her with a studying gaze.
“ XENA?! Your awake? Great!” Diana exclaimed as she moved on the bed more.
Xena just let her expression react to each of Diana’s exclamations, as if
saying, go ahead, dig yourself in further.
“ I was just.....” Diana started, but when she saw Xena’s brow raise, she
realized she was better off holding her tongue. “ Maybe I should just move
back next to you?”
Xena didn’t answer but just watched and waited.
“ yes, well, O..kay.” Diana said as she moved back over next to Xena.
“ On your back.” Xena commanded and Diana positioned herself on her back.
Xena brought her hand up to Diana’s glowing nipples, and lightly caressed over
them, then with a firm look into Diana’s eyes, she took hold of one of them
and begun pinching hard.
“ Xe...ena?!”
“ You know better than to get up out of this bed.” Xena stated as if she had
not noticed the tone of Diana’s husky voice.
“ Yes....I was just going to surprise you with breakfast.” Diana gasped as her
breathing quicken, and her heartbeat begun racing with it.
Xena squeezed harder and Diana was now almost panting.
“ X.e.n.a....?”
“ Don’t release.”
“ Gods Xena?”
“ Now, where was I? Oh, yes I remember, how many times have I told you NOT to
get out of this bed?” Xena asked as she squeezed harder and Diana was now
gripping the bed and Xena’s arm.
“ Many times?”
“ Not the answer I’m looking for Kitten.” Xena said with a silky voice, as she
rolled the peak that she had trapped in her fingers.
Diana’s breathing was now more of a pant and she tried to move up on the bed,
more on the pillow, but Xena’s hold on her held her where she was, as the
sapphire eyes continued to bore into her.
“ Wh......? You’ve told me to many times?” Diana said gasping.
Xena then abruptly let go. Diana exhaled and then sat up.
“ Don’t forget again.” Xena said simply.
“ I won’t.” Diana assured her.
“ Good kitten, now....comfort me kitten.”
Diana lowered her eyes and a small smile came to her face. She then looked
over at Xena and seeing how Xena had laid back against her pillow with her
hands behind her head and her eyes leveled on Diana with one brow raised .
Diana rolled around and straddled Xena’s long outstretched legs and wrapping
her own slightly behind Xena’s back, Xena then smirked at Diana’s readiness
for her, she felt on her thigh.
Diana leaned forward and placed a light kiss on Xena’s lips, that Xena soon
increased the pressure, and before long, they were kissing passionately. Xena
raised her legs slightly, and spread them just enough to spread Diana as a
result.
Xena caressed over Diana’s breast for a while with her hands and mouth and
then she slid her hand down between, and teased at Diana’s hidden peak. Diana
moved against the firm touches, then Xena leaned forward and took one of
Diana’s sensitive nipples in her mouth and begun feasting on it just as she
slipped her fingers deep inside Diana. One of Diana’s hands slid down between
them also and she slipped into Xena’s jewel and the two women let their
passion flow through and then wash over them.
After Xena had caught her breath, and while Diana was catching her breath
after their lovemaking, Xena had gotten up and went to stand out on the
balcony to look out at the soldiers and the vastness of her Realm for as far
as she could see from the balcony.
Diana pulled a robe on, and put her slippers on, and went to see what Xena was
doing.
“ Are you okay Love?”
Xena looked back at Diana and waving for her to come over to her, Diana walked
out on the balcony and Xena wrapped her arms around Diana, as she held her
from behind.
“ I’m fine kitten, I was just thinking about how I came to have all of this,
and survived to enjoy it.”
“ A little introspective My Love?”
Xena inhaled slightly, and then kissed Diana’s cheek and said, “ yes, maybe a
little.”
“ Well I can tell you, although I think you know, but you were a force to be
reckoned with, and no one could do that, so here you are, Lord Xena The
Conqueror, Ruler of almost all the known world.” Diana said spreading her
hands wide as she took in the whole vast land spread out in front of them.
Xena smiled and hugged Diana tighter to her. Diana felt Xena’s taut nipples on
her back and they sent a shiver up her spine, but she maintained her composure
and then asked Xena in a serious tone.
“ Xena?”
“ Yes kitten?”
“ Do you ever miss being out there, riding and claiming?”
Xena inhaled deeply and then let it out slowly as she thought about Diana’s
question. Xena then turned Diana around in her arms to look her in the eyes.
“ Not the way your thinking about it, at times I think about how nice it would
be to be riding with the wind in my hair just ridding this world of all the
evil, while camping out under the stars and just listening to the different
sounds and letting them lull me to sleep.”
“ So you don’t like being the Conqueror anymore?”
“ Oh No, I love being the Conqueror! And everything that goes along with it,
this was my goal when I first set out to pour my vengeance out on those who
had attacked my village. I wanted to be a God here.” Xena said very serious.
Diana smiled despite the steady gaze and then she smirked and running her
hands up Xena’s chest to play over the mark she had made on herself, Diana
lifted her hand to Xena’s cheek and rising to her toes she leaned in and
whispered in Xena’s ear.
“ Well, your My Goddess My Lord, I cherish you over any and all of these Greek
Gods and Goddess’s, they know it, and I hope you know it too?” Diana said as
she kissed Xena’s cheek and then lowered herself back to her feet and leaned
into Xena and just listened to Xena’s heart beat out of her chest.
Xena hugged Diana closer to her as she sigh her contentment with her wonderful
mate.
“ You never cease to amaze me kitten, thank you. You know how much I love you
right?”
“ Yes.” Diana sighed and just relaxed against Xena as the two just stood
holding each other in the early morning hours on the balcony.
Later Xena and Questra went about handling the duties of the Realm, while
Diana and Gabrielle went about catching up on some of their duties. Gabrielle
went with escort to visit the Amazons, and catch up on some of the issues with
the Amazons.
“ So Jeanni has fit in alright?” Gabrielle inquired of Ephiny.
“ Yes, she’s quite an Amazon, she told me she knew Xena back when she was a
warlord, and her time as the destroyer, although she said it was at that time
that she had been allowed to set out on her own, under the understanding that
when and if Xena ever called for her sword, she was obligated to come back and
fight as one of her soldiers.”
“ Did she ever get called?”
“ She said she had been called a few times, since Xena’s Destroyer days, and
the early days just before she was on the verge of becoming the Conqueror.”
“ Wow. She must have been something to see back then? Do you remember her
early exploits?”
“ Yes, not all of them pleasant as far as the Amazons were concerned.”
“ In what way?”
“ Gabrielle....you know Xena is the real Amazon Queen don’t you?”
“ Excuse me? What are you talking about?”
“ Back when Xena was the Destroyer, she and her army came through Amazon land,
they camped on the outskirts of it, but everyone knew what she was there for,
one of her goals was to become the Ruler of the Amazons and if that didn’t
work we knew she would run through the Amazon Nation and destroy it, enslaving
all, and killing those who would fight against her.”
“ So she became an Amazon Queen?”
“ No, she became The Amazon Queen. She beat the former Queen, and killed her.
But she did not stay here afterwards, but appointed Terais as the Regent while
she was away, but any talk of war was not to be made without Xena’s okay,
luckily their were not many fools to come against us because of Xena. Those
who did died a very slow and painful death. Those were dangerous times back
then Gabrielle.”
“ Wow, I wonder if Diana knows this about Xena?”
“ probably not, Xena never claimed to be an Amazon, even though she was the
Queen of the Nation.”
“ Hmm....Xena is full of surprises, it just never seems to end with her, the
same thing is true about Diana also, they really are the perfect match for
each other.”
“ Yes that’s true.”
“ Ephiny.....how is it that Xena was able to even challenge the Queen? I mean,
the challenge had to be made by an Amazon Royal?”
“ Right.”
“ So how could she make the challenge and be accepted as the Queen?”
“ Because she seduced one of The Queen’s sisters and they became Lovers,
although Xena use to taunt her about being the worst lover she had ever had,
even though no one was ever able to please Xena, at least not the way she
needed, but Xena use to tell her she was terrible and she didn’t know why she
even bothered with her, and that she should just go and take Terais as her
lover, and yet she tried to make Xena proud of her, and Xena used that desire
for her own benefit, and one day The Queen and her sister had a big falling
out about how weak she was for being with Xena when all Xena did was criticize
her, the girl became enraged at the way the Queen spoke about Xena and their
relationship, that she told her sister that she would become queen of the
Amazons by challenging her . The Queen made the mistake of laughing at the
irate girl, and that was the day that things went from bad to worst. The girls
soul was taken over by hate and greed and desire to please Xena even more.
“ How?”
“ One of Xena’s soldiers had been listening to the exchange and went back and
told Xena about the conversation, that night when Xena’s lover came back Xena
began telling her what it was like to rule over people and how she could make
whatever changes she wanted and no one could stand against her and the fact
that if she challenged her sister, then she would have Xena as her Champion
and protector. The lure and seduction of such an offer, and one coming from
Xena was too much for the girl to forego, so she and some of Xena’s soldiers,
came to challenge the Queen, Xena’s lover told her sister that she was there
to take over, but first they had to battle for the crown, When The Queen tried
to talk her out of it, Xena instigated it by telling her lover that the Queen
knew she would lose, especially if she chose her as her champion. Xena lover
was said to have hesitated for a moment, and when she did, Xena taunted her
about not being the lover she wanted and Xena actually turned to leave the
young lover standing there by herself having made a challenge that she herself
and Xena knew she could not win against the current Queen, so Xena’s lover
made her decision at that moment to allow Xena to be her champion, and at
first Xena made the young girl beg her, and then apologize to her, then Xena
rewarded her with a kiss and then the girl made the announcement that Xena
would be her champion.” Ephiny paused for a moment and reflected on that time.
“ Then what?” Gabrielle asked somewhat restless at the fact that Ephiny
decided to take that moment to get quiet.
“ Then the Queen and Xena battled each other, it only lasted a matter of
moments, when it was over Yazai was the New Queen of the Amazons, Terais was
away when all of this had taken place, so she did not find out about it until
after Yazai was dead.”
“ Dead? But How?”
“ Xena, she killed her, although it could never be proven, but she was
suspected.”
“ How did she get killed, and why?”
“ Xena wanted to be the Queen of the Amazons, and with Yazai, she knew it
meant having to wait, so instead of waiting she became Yazai’s Consort, and
one week later, Yazai was dead, she had been killed by one of Xena’s soldiers
that had been out in the woods on the Amazon land, which they were not suppose
to be, but he had come onto the land because he claimed he wanted to hunt some
of the deer, anyway, Yazai was out one day just walking, and he saw her and he
waited for her to come close enough to him and when she did, before she could
recognize what was happening, she had been stabbed once in the chest, but not
directly, he had stabbed her just far enough to the right to nick her heart
and therefore she would slowly bleed to death, but live long enough to tell
who attacked her, and see the man killed by Xena’s own hands.
After he was dead, Xena was pronounced Queen of the Amazon Nation, and there
is where things stood, because after she was made Queen, she and her army
pulled out a week later and by then, Terais had come back, to find out the
story from all of the others, and she went to Xena and asked her outright if
she had killed her sister to obtain the crown, Xena told her No, and when she
told her how she had killed the man who killed her mate, Terais was impressed
with it and she and Xena had an understanding. After Xena and her army were
about to move out, Xena made Terais her regent while she was away, and for a
while things were fine, with Xena only stopping in every few months or so,
that was until Terais wanted to ride with Xena as one of her soldiers, mainly
as a guard for the Queen, but we all knew that Terais had fallen for Xena,
anyway from there everything progressed to where it is today, with you as the
Queen, by right of the cast from the regent , whom was put in place by Xena
herself.”
Gabrielle sat staring in amazement at the story she was just told, and finally
she took a breath and gasped.
“ Wow! So.....if we were to bring all of this down to it’s basic form, your
telling me that I’m not really an Amazon Queen, but a princess by way of cast,
and therefore your not really Queen Ephiny or Regent, because you can’t be
because I’m not, wow....Ephiny, you realize how incredible this is, how it
affects the very hierarchy of The Amazon Nation? I mean, how is it that you
accepted the regency, knowing what you do?”
“ Because, it didn’t matter, Xena has the Amazons to grow as we chose, as long
as we didn’t take up arms against her, otherwise she would destroy all of us
for Treason.”
“ But she doesn’t feel that way any longer does she? I mean she would destroy
the Amazon Nation now, especially now that I am apart of it and you and the
others are her friends?”
“ I wouldn’t think she feels that way any longer, but then again we have no
reasons to take up arms against her, she has almost single handedly built the
Amazon Nation to where it is today.”
“ Ephiny I have to go, but we’ll deal with the treaty issue later, I need to
go and talk to Xena.”
“ Why?”
“ To see if she knows about any of these things, I mean I need to find out why
from her.”
“ Gabrielle I think you should let this go, it has no bearing on the way
things are now. Xena’s in love and bonded, she acknowledges me as the Queen of
The Amazons, and you as the true one, what harm is there in letting things
be?”
“ Because it’s all a lie, we’re not who we think we are, and I need to find a
way to correct this.”
“ Gabrielle?”
“ Ephiny I’ll be around to talk to you later, right now I have to go. I love
you, take care and I’ll see you soon.” Gabrielle then threw the traveller and
just as she stepped through she heard Ephiny call after her.
“ I love you too Gabrielle.”
Meanwhile while Diana was talking with one of the magistrates, she felt a
sharp stabbing pain in her head.
“ AHH!! What the......” Diana gasped as she fell back onto the chair from
leaning over the table pointing out a paragraph to the Magistrate.
“ Your Majesty, are you Okay?!”
After about a moment, Diana inhaled and then let it out slowly as the pain
subsided.
“ Yes....I’m fine, wow, that was weird.” Diana said thoughtfully as she
wondered why she had such a pain.
“ I’ll send for Our Lord?”
“ No, I’m fine, really, no need to worry Our Lord with something that has
past, besides, she has a lot on her mind and I am suppose to be her comfort,
not her burden, and therefore, I will not allow anything that I deem
insignificant to upset her, clear?”
“ Yes Your Majesty, but Our Lord would be very upset with me if she found out
that I knew something had happened to you and I didn’t tell her.”
“ If I think it’s a problem then I will tell her myself, you have my word,
okay?”
“ Alright, but maybe we should take a break for a while and just relax?”
“ I’m fine, really.”
“ I believe you Your Majesty, but it can’t hurt to take a break?”
“ Alright, we’ll take a break.” Diana agreed and then after a brief
conversation, she excused herself and headed towards the indoor courtyard to
just sit and relax in a quiet place, while she was sitting in the courtyard
she heard faint voices passing by and over head, but they did not linger,
suddenly she felt a series of sharp pains in her head and she curled on the
bench and held her head, as tears ran down her face.
Diana didn’t notice when a servant happened to be looking over the side of the
inside courtyard, where she was Diana rocking and holding her head sobbing.
She immediately went to find her Lord.
“ I need to see Our Lord, it’s about Her Majesty.”
“ Is she alright?”
“ I don’t know, but she was crying, I know our Lord is holding court, but I
know she wouldn’t mind this interruption.”
“ Okay, follow me.” The Guard ordered, and he and the servant went into the
throne room where Xena was right in the middle of dishing out justice, when
she looked over at the door that had opened and saw the servant and the Guard
enter into the chamber knowing it was against Xena’s specific order.
Xena finished with the sentence and once the man was taken away she motioned
to the Sentry standing in front and off to the side of the throne. The sentry
stepped back to listen to his Lord and then he stepped forward and gestured
for the guard and servant to step forward and explain themselves.
The two stepped forward and going to their knees and bowing their heads the
guard was told to speak first.
“ Why have you disobeyed Our Lords commands?!”
“ The servant came and told me that she had news about Her Majesty.”
Xena then stood up and strided to the top of the platform.
“ What is it?”
‘ My Lord, I was passing by the indoor courtyard and I happen to look over the
side down in to it where I saw her Majesty, she was crying.”
“ Crying?!” Xena then took off for the indoor courtyard followed by her royal
guards.
By the time Xena arrived at the area of the courtyard, she heard Diana
screaming, and people within the palace were gathering, Gabrielle had just
arrived back at the palace when she was greeted by her personal servant and
told something was going on with Diana, and that she had better come quick and
that Lord Xena and Lord Questra had already been sent for.
“ MOVE!!” Xena commanded and the crowd of people made a path for her and she
saw Diana on her knees holding her head and curled crying while rocking on her
knees. “ Di....Diana? Kitten what is it?!” Xena asked concerned by what she
was seeing and hearing as she went to her knees.
Diana through her blinding pain heard Xena’s voice and when she came and
kneeled beside her Diana turned into her arms and cried begging Xena to make
the pain stop.”
“ Please Xena make it stop Please it hurts so bad! GODS!!!!” Diana screamed
as another sharp stabbing pain struck her.
“ Okay Kitten, I’ll make it stop.” Xena then put a touch on Diana that
rendered her unconscious, and thereby Diana was able to escape the pain of
whatever she was feeling.
Xena then lifted Diana up in her arms and carried her out of the courtyard,
while at the same time ordered everyone to get back to their duties. Questra
and Gabrielle arrived at the same time.
“ What’s going on? What’s wrong with Diana?”
“ I don’t know, she was screaming in pain.”
“ Then she blacked out?”
“ No, I put her out, the pain seem like it was recurring intermittently, she
was holding her head.” Xena explained as they made it to the chamber and once
she had laid Diana on the bed she then sat down on it and lifted Diana’s head
into her lap.
Xena then begun to assess Diana’s head for any obvious injuries, but not
finding any, she then placed her fingers against Diana’s temples and pressing
against them slightly she concentrated on seeing if she felt any excessive
activity going on with Diana’s circulation, and the electrical impulses in her
head.
“ What are you doing?”
“ I’m checking to see if there was any damage from the pain, and whether it
was still going on and if I could feel it while she was unconscious.”
“ And?”
“ I can’t, I have to wake her to check it out. Questra hold her feet just in
case.” Xena instructed and Questra moved to hold Diana’s feet.
Xena then looked at Questra to see if she was ready and Questra tighten her
hold on Diana’s legs and then Xena looked down at the sweet calm face of the
woman in her lap, then she reversed her touch on Diana and Diana sighed and
Xena saw her body visibly relax more.
Diana then blinked a few times and her eyes slowly opened.
“ Xena?” Diana called.
“ I’m here kitten.”
“ Mmmm....Xena. I knew you would be, always here for me huh?”
“ Always. How are you feeling?”
“ Fine, I...” Diana started as she went to sit up, but Xena’s hands held her
down.
“ Lay still.” Xena commanded.
“ But I’m fine, really?”
“ Maybe so, but let me check.” Xena then placed her fingers back against
Diana’s temples and once again she felt for any intense activity. Not feeling
any she exhaled and said, Okay, you seem to be alright, but you will stay in
this bed for the rest of the day.”
“ But Xena, I’m fine I’m not having any pain right now.”
“ I don’t care, you’ll stay in this bed.”
“ Yes ma’am.” Diana said with a sweet looking pout gracing her face.
“ What happened Diana?” Gabrielle now asked as she sat next to Questra closer
to Diana, holding her hand.
“ I don’t know, I was just sitting in the courtyard and suddenly I had this
sharp stabbing sensation shoot through my head for the second time. I.....”
“ Second time?!” Xena interrupted. When was the first time?”
“ Oh, it happened earlier in the day, I was talking with one of the
magistrates, and it happened.”
“ AND I WASN'T TOLD?!!” Xena asked raising her voice .
“ I told the Magistrate that I would tell you if I thought it was necessary,
so....I think it is.” Diana said with an abashed glance up at Xena.
“ Hmm...we’ll talk about this and a few other things Consort.”
“ Yes Xena.” Diana answered feeling like she was in for a lecture from Xena,
hopefully that would be all.
“ Finish.”
“ Okay, anyway, the first time it only lasted for a moment, but then the
second one hurt more and lasted longer.”
“ How many times did it happen?”
“ By the time I heard you, it was the sixth time. Xena I have never felt
anything like that before.”
“ Really?” Xena asked in wonder.
“ No, Well not since I killed one of my Chosen.”
“ You felt the same thing? The same sensation?” Xena asked now wondering if
she was thinking could be what Diana was feeling.
“ Now that I think about it, yes, it was the exact same thing, but how could
that be? I mean I certainly have not killed any more of my ex-chosen, and I
certainly have no desire to hurt them, so I don’t think it has anything to do
with that.” Diana said trying to reason out why she had the pain.
“ Well now, I wouldn’t say that .” Came Questra’s clone’s voice.
Questra pulled her sword and was scanning the chamber and Xena had snatched
her sword up and was doing the same thing searching for the invisible voice,
then slowly they saw an image forming at the foot of the bed.
Diana went to sit up and Xena despite her warrior senses in full ready mode,
she went to the bed to help Diana sit up. Questra moved back to stand by
Gabrielle just in case, and they all watched the image take shape.
“ Questra.” Xena sneered.
“ Well, how is everything going with all of you? Hello Gabrielle, Hello Diana,
how are you feeling Diana?”
Xena looked back at Diana and then spoke through her teeth.
“ I would have thought you were still running, what do you want?”
“ Oh, I just wanted to let you know that I am involved in something
so.....wonderful it’s almost as wonderful as taking over the world, but even
more enjoyable at the sight of them trying to fight against me, only to feel
the end of my sword or dagger in their chest.”
“ What are you talking about?” Xena asked restless about the cryptic message.
“ Xena...look what is that?” Gabrielle asked as she saw a movement off to the
image’s right.
All of them focused to see if they could see what it was,but it was to far out
of the picture.
“ Oh, your trying to see who that is? Here let me show you, I think you will
find my unwilling guess very interesting?” Questra then stood up and strided
towards the figure that had moved, and Both Xena and Diana gasped.
“ Xena?” Diana called hoping that what she was seeing was not truly what she
was seeing.
“ I see him, and I also see the other one.” Xena confirmed.
Diana now was wide eyes looking at the two guess Questra was striding towards.
“ Diana, I think you remember these two gentlemen, Timothy, and J.B.?”
“ Questra what are you doing with them? Where are you?” Diana asked now taking
over the conversation.
“ I think you know the answer to that Diana, you just don’t want to think
about it, because to admit that you know I’m here would mean that your worst
fear is happening?”
“ Why are you there? Why are you hurting them?” Diana asked now going to her
knees on the bed as she moved towards the foot of it.
“ Because there here, and I can’t do what I plan on doing with them under
foot, I mean I just now got your sisters to trust me, and invite me to help
with making some of the decisions of some of your vast holdings, I am
impressed by your business knowledge Diana, I knew you were special, but to be
known as the riches person, AND your so admired by the people here. I have yet
to find anyone who has anything bad to say about you, I am impressed, I knew
there was a reason I wanted you as my personal slave, and I see why Xena is so
protective of you, for to possess you is to possess all of this as well as the
power within yourself, OOOO.....Xena, that is a wonderful feeder isn’t it?”
“ Questra why don’t you let them go, and I will allow you to return here
without risk of a death sentence?” Xena stated going into a negotiator mode.
“ No Xena!” Diana called over her shoulder. “ Questra you will stand trial for
this, and I will be the one passing sentence on you, and it will be Death! If
you think I will allow you to escape punishment for Killing the men whom have
watched over my sisters, you are sadly mistaken.”
“ Are you threatening me little girl?”
“ Take it how you want!” Diana sneered at the woman.
The clone studied Diana for a moment and with a sneer, she pulled her dagger
and said in a deadly tone.
“ Then I choose to take it personal!”
The clone then stabbed Timothy in the heart, and just as he gasped, Diana
screamed and went to her knees holding her head once again. Questra held the
dagger in his chest as blood poured from the wound. she made sure he would die
slowly enough for Diana to feel his death, then just before he died, she
ripped the dagger from his chest.
Diana then quieted and while Xena lifted her back onto the bed and held her as
she caught her breath from the shock of all of it, Xena then spoke again.
“ So that’s why Diana has been having the pain, you were causing them.
Everytime you killed one of them she felt it, and.....and you knew she would?”
Xena accused.
“ No, I didn’t know it, I was told that she would possibly feel it, but I
didn’t know.”
“ what do you want?!! Xena hissed.
“ Nothing, I found a sweet little thing here to satisfy, my desire, and the
power of this time will soon be mine.”
“ Who?” Diana asked as she had a sinking feeling running rampant in her belly.
“ Lena. She has such energy, she thought I was you Xena at first, but I told
her that I wasn’t I told her who I was and what our loving relationship was
about and how we came to be the best of friends. She was suspicious at first,
a little defiant even, she reminded me of you Diana, always wanting to protect
the other young girls, although she doesn’t know it’s me who killing all of
Your Chosen, for everyone that is found, she leans on me for support and
strength, the last two found us doing some heavy making out after she got over
the grief. I discovered she has some of your abilities. Thank you for sharing
a part of yourself with my soon to be concubine, there’s one of them who....”
Questra suddenly stopped, and then looked back at the man the other man who
was now awake and struggling to get loose, while cursing her to the depths of
Tartarus. “ Ah...J.B, you finally woke up, I want you to see someone whom you
haven’t seen in a while. Diana say hi.”
“ Diana? Diana is that really you?”
“ J.B. Yes it’s me, how did you let yourself get caught by her?”
“ Caught? Diana I’m offended, I didn’t catch him, he wanted to be here with
me, he let his manhood take over his brain, just like the others did, they
seem to have this fantasy about sleeping with someone who favors the
Conqueror. I fully understand why they have the fantasy, after all Xena, you
are a beautiful woman, as is my counterpart, so why not have the fantasy and
if you can live them out then even better, but in this case, sorry J.B. You
won’t live out your fantasy.” Questra said with a sardonic smile as she turned
away from him and pulled her dagger.
“ Questra please don’t hurt him, please?” Diana now said more respectful.
“ Ah....that rung very sweetly in my ears Diana, very good, but I have to
punish you for your earlier behavior.” Questra then swung her hand back and
caught J.B in the chest and buried the dagger so deep in his chest that his
whole heart explored in his chest, due to Questra’s fist ramming through it
with the dagger in it.
Diana fell back on the bed with the pain invading her head once again. Xena
held Diana until it subsided, although she had thought to knock Diana out to
stop the pain, but Diana had managed to gasp a single word which was, “no.”
After J.B passed on, Diana once again was out of breath, and she eventually
regained her breath, although now she was crying in Xena’s arms.
“ Questra I’ll get you for this, for all of this I promise you that.” Xena
said giving her oath on the matter.
“ Why are you doing this to Diana?!” Gabrielle now asked.
“ Because Gabrielle....I can.” With those haunting words the image vanished
and Diana was now shaking in Xena’s arms, trying to steady herself, but
finding it difficult to do.
“ How did she get there?!” Xena said with agitation in her tone.
Diana then suddenly quieted down, as if something had given her the answer,
and sitting up she looked at Xena with teared streak cheeks, and said, “ I
know who can help us.”
“ One of the Gods?”
“ Yes.”
“ Kitten I really don’t think we want to involve them, I mean it maybe one of
them who is involved in sending her there?”
“ But Xena we have no choice.”
Xena looked into the longing eyes, and she gave a slight smile as she saw the
tears starting to form again.
“ Okay Kitten, but I will deal with the God, understood?”
“ yes.”
“ Okay. Athena!!” Xena called.
“ Athena? Wow the people you know.” Gabrielle awed inspite of the seriousness
of the situation.
“ Yes Lord Xena?”
“ Athena, I want you to send Myself and Lord Questra to Diana’s time.”
“ Xena?!!” Diana called.
Xena gave her a look that beckon no argument, then she returned her focus to
the Goddess.
“ I wish I could Lord Xena, Artemis and Aphrodite and I had been trying to
think of a way around Are’s and Questra’s arrangement, but there just isn’t
any.”
“ What do you mean their arrangement?” Xena asked now standing with her arms
crossed over her chest all The Conqueror, as she held a steady gaze on the
Goddess who was blushing slightly at the intensity of the shocking gaze.
“ Yes, Are’s made it so that Questra could be the only person from this time,
between the four of you who could be in that time at one time, she will be
allowed to grow in whatever way she chooses, and we already see where that is
leading, if she succeeds in her plans, she will become the most powerful
person in that time, and with the destructive capabilities of that time she
could become The conqueror there.”
“ So we can’t go there and she won’t come back, and therefore she’ll continue
to kill the men until she has killed all of them, is that what your telling
me?”
“ Yes Lord Xena, it is, we’re truly sorry.” Athena said as she twinkled out of
site.
“ Xena cursed to herself and then she looked back at Diana, who was now
sobbing in Gabrielle’s arms.
Questra saw the look of pain in Xena’s eyes once again, seeing that her love
was once again in pain, despite the fact that the one’s she was crying over
were her Ex-Chosen, by way of agreement, they were still a part of her and
Xena saw and understood that Diana still had a lot of feelings for them.
Questra whispered something to Gabrielle and Gabrielle nodded her head and
then kissing Both Gabrielle and then placing a kiss on the top of Diana’s
head, Questra then moved to go and talk with Xena.
“ Xena, let’s you and I take a walk shall we?”
Xena looked at Questra, and although she felt she should be there for Diana,
she did need a few minutes to calm her racing emotions. She nodded her head
and sparing a glance back at Diana who was being comforted by her sister, Xena
turned and stormed out of the bed chamber.
Once they had left the room and the door was closed behind them, Xena whipped
around and vented.
“ That Bitch is getting on my nerves, and I really want to rip her ever loving
Son of a Bacchi heart out of her chest and cram it down her throat. Damnit I
need to figure out a way to get us there, or her back here.”
“ I don’t think she will come back here if she could rule there the way you do
here.”
“ Thanks.” Xena said tightly.
“ Xena, maybe she won’t hurt anyone else?” Questra stated and then regretted
having said it because of the way it rung in her own ears.
Xena saw she had thought about her statement and then saw the shrug of the
shoulder. Xena and Questra went on for a while, and then over the next few
days they continued to talk with different people.
Diana remained with Gabrielle during those times, and at night when Xena would
take her in her arms she would feed Xena’s insatiable appetite, until she was
rendered unconscious.
One morning while they were all together in the chamber discussing things, the
clone’s image appeared.
“ Well, hello all, did you miss me?”
“ What do you want?!”
“ First let me say this, I know you’ve sent one of the Goddess’s here to watch
my every move, but you know as well as I do, that that’s all they can do, now,
the reason why I called you, I wanted to let you know what’s going on with me?
Let’s see, let’s start with the obvious, you know I have not killed the
others, they seemed to have escaped, but that’s okay, now I have a house full
of women all to myself, that I can have anytime I want, although they are no
where in your league Diana, they know that they had better please me, or
they’ll be punished, and you know how I can be sometimes. But there is one who
keeps stirring up trouble, she talks to much, and her talking is making Lena
wonder about me, so......I decided to teach her a less she’ll never forget.”
“ QUESTRA PLEASE DON'T HURT MY SISTER?!!! Diana screamed as she came to her
feet to go and stand right in front of the image of Questra.
Xena and Questra and Gabrielle also came to their feet, but they stood where
they were.
“ OH....isn’t that just so sweet, Diana, the tears, the pleading eyes, they do
touch me.” Questra said with an underlying tone.
“ Questra what do you want? Do you want me to beg you? I will, I’ll beg if you
will promise not to hurt her?”
“ Yes Diana, I do want you to beg, right now, I want All of your Family to see
you begging me, the woman you despise, the woman whom I know you curse with
every breath, the woman who has stolen your favorite sister’s heart, and who
willingly gives herself to me whenever I want her. But This one! “ Questra
said pulling one of Diana’s sisters to her by her hair, the fear obvious in
her eyes. “ She just didn’t want to be quiet, so I decided to teach her how.
But, if I’m pleased with your humbleness, then I might just spare her.”
“ Please? Please don’t hurt her, please Questra, I am not ashamed to beg for
the life of my family, please don’t hurt her, she’s just a young girl, younger
than Gabrielle, she doesn’t know, please don’t hurt her?” Diana pleaded as she
stood holding her hands out with the palms up, indicating Questra has the
upper hand.
Questra the clone actually smiled at the beautiful young girls innocent,
sincere face shining at her. While Xena stood with her fist balled so tightly
that her hands were bleeding. Gabrielle was standing with her arms around
herself, her heartbreaking, and tears rolling down her face at what Diana was
made to do. Questra stood with her arms crossed over her chest as she gritted
her teeth.
“ That was absolutely, without equal the most beautiful thing I had ever seen,
Don’t you think so?” Questra asked of Diana’s sister, who now had tears
rolling down her face, then her sister made a fatal mistake. She elbowed
Questra in the chest which loosen Questra’s hold on her for a moment and then
she went to run and Questra let a sardonic smirk come to her face that all of
the women watching knew instantly what it meant, and just as Diana screamed no
to Questra, Questra’s dagger embedded in the young girls back and she flew
forward and was pinned against the wall of the room they were in.
Diana’s eyes went wide as she went to her knees holding her chest but no sound
escaped although they all saw the physical pain of what Diana was
experiencing, but Diana was unable to make a sound as the pain shot through
her again and again, the only way Diana was able to show the pain was by the
tears that ran down her face, but what was worst was the color of them when
they hit the floor. they were turning to black Onyx.
Questra the clone went and ripped her dagger out of the young woman’s back and
she crumpled to the floor. The moment the dagger was out of the young girl,
Diana’s voice came back. A scream tore through her that literally shook the
palace, and Xena snapped out of her shock at what she had witnessed and went
to gather Diana in her arms.
“ I’m so sorry kitten, I’m so sorry.” Xena whispered to Diana as she buried
her face in Diana’s hair to cover her own grief at the loss.
Gabrielle now turned into Questra’s arms and sobbed bitterly. Questra let her
own tears roll down her face as she held her grieving Consort and saw the pain
in Xena and Diana.
“ Well, I guess she thought I wasn’t pleased, too bad, I was just going to
beat her instead of killing her, oh well, at least she’s quiet now.”
Questra’s image then disappeared with her laughter lingering.
Diana was now rocking in Xena’s arms saying something, That Xena didn’t
realize she was saying until she raised her head up and heard Diana.
“ she killed my sister, she killed my sister, she killed my sister. Diana eyes
had remained open as she cried and stared at the place where the image had
appeared, even while Xena had wrapped her in her arms, Diana just stared at
the area, just chanting. Diana continued like that for the rest of the day and
finally she stopped chanting the words, but now she just rocked back and
forth, just staring at the wall that now was in front of her in their bed
chamber.
Xena stepped out of the chamber, while Gabrielle held Diana in her arms trying
to comfort her, but she was barely able to contain her own grief so she would
breakdown and cry while still trying to comfort Diana.
Meanwhile Questra had sat in the sitting area of the chamber feeling angry at
herself for having not caught her own clone, her tears burned her eyes as if
they were lava from a volcano.
Xena came out and saw Questra and they looked at each other for a moment and
Xena tried to show that it was not Questra’s fault by trying to smile, but she
couldn’t manage the smile, although she didn’t want her friend tormenting
herself about what her clone had done, it was not her fault, and when Xena was
able to she would tell her that, but right now she needed to go and work off
some of her own pain.
After a while, Gabrielle had cried herself to sleep and Questra sat in the
other room still beating herself up about what had happened. Meanwhile Xena
was just finishing up and was about to head back to the chamber to get cleaned
up and be with Diana.
Diana in the meantime had suddenly stopped rocking and her gaze lost that
faraway look, she then turned her head to see Gabrielle, and cocking her head
she smiled and caressed Gabrielle’s reddish gold hair, and then she heard
Questra’s voice, suddenly a darkness came into her eyes and she covered
Gabrielle with the covers and then rose up out of the bed and looking over to
where Xena’s weapons normally were, she did not see anything, but an extra
dagger.
Diana went over to it and picked it up and brought it up close to her face to
inspect the blade as if it were a rare jewel. She then smiled a sardonic smile
and putting her hands behind her back , she glanced back at Gabrielle to make
sure she was alright, and when she saw that she was, she then turned and
headed out the door of the bed chamber.
Her eyes immediately locating where the voice came from and she headed towards
the woman.
Questra looked up and saw Diana coming towards her and she composed herself.
“ Diana, I am so sorry for what happened to your sister, but just know that
I’ll be here okay?”
“ Okay!” Diana said whipping out the dagger and taking a deadly swing at
Questra’s neck, only to have her hand caught and held tightly.
“ Diana?! What are you doing?!” Questra said shocked by the attempt.
“ You killed my sister, and now I shall grace you with the same fate.” Diana
said taking a swing at Questra with her free hand, only to have it caught as
well.
“ Diana...I am not the Clone, it’s me, Questra, Gabrielle’s mate, Xena and
your friend, as well as one of your Chosen, it’s me Diana.” Questra said
trying to reason with the young girl who’s eyes were dark with rage.
“ You Killed my sister!” Diana snarled as she brought her knee up and caught
Questra in the stomach, it bent her for a moment but when Diana went to catch
her again with her other knee Questra pushed Diana back and Diana hit the
chair that was a distances away, but she flipped over it and just as she
landed she heard the door and she reasoned that it was Xena so she launched
the dagger at Questra in a final attempt at hitting her goal.
Questra caught the dagger and just as Xena came in the door her eyes locked on
Diana. Questra hid the dagger behind her. Diana meanwhile, smiled and her eyes
once again showed the light.
“ Kitten? Are you okay?” Xena asked concerned by Diana’s apparent recovery.
“ I’ll be okay, now that your here.” Diana said as the tears came back and
Xena moved to take her in her arms.
Questra then saw her cue, and she excused herself to go and get Gabrielle and
take her to their chamber.
“ If you’ll both excuse me, I’ll go get Gabrielle?”
“ NO!” Diana yelled and then realized the way it came out when Xena looked
with a look of wonder. “ I mean, she’s sleeping so comfortably, you might as
well leave her in the bed tonight?”
“ And where will the two of us sleep Kitten?” Xena asked with curiosity. “
Questra go and get Gabrielle.”
“ No! I mean, let her sleep, we can go sleep in one of the guess rooms, Lord
Questra doesn’t mind Gabrielle sleeping here for the night, do you?”
Questra saw the storm in Diana’s eyes, but yet when Xena looked at her they
were as clear as the sky.
“ Xena it’s fine, we’ll sleep here tonight if it’s okay with you?”
“ Questra Gabrielle may wake up for a moment, but you know she’ll go right
back to sleep, go and get her.”
“ But Xena?” Diana started, but was cut off by Xena.
“ We need to talk kitten, and I’d rather do that in our own chamber.”
Diana lowered her eyes for a moment and then when she raised them she was
glaring at Questra. Questra knitted her brows at Diana’s anger towards her,
but she didn’t think it was necessary to tell Xena about it, or Gabrielle, she
figured she could talk to Diana about her behavior later, and that the attack
was just a one time thing.