A Life Worth Living Part 1

                                                Gabrielle's Fate by Cheeya

Disclaimer : The characters in this story belong to Universal/Renaissance Pictures and no copyright infringement was intended. This story also depicts a loving relationship between two women. While there is no graphic sex in it please be warned if you are underage or if this is illegal in your country.

Dedication : Once again… for Declan, my light. For Suzanne who makes me giggle and even blush occasionally and for Keith who gave me an amazing present. Thanks my Friend. And as always, for Shamrock. I wouldn't be doing this without her encouragement and determination.

Constructive criticism or comments to cheeya@xenafan.com

Bard's Note: This is the first part of the 'A Life Worth Living' series. The second part is called 'Fighting the Darkness'

            "Thanks for coming with me, Gabrielle."

The blonde bard smiled.

          "Every year you say that, Xena. I wanted to come with you. Lyceus is my family now too."

The Warrior Princess nodded and took her lover's hand.

          "Yeah, he is and he would have loved you."

She kissed Gabrielle's hand and then turned back to the altar. She lit another candle and then knelt down.

          "I pay tribute to my brother Lyceus, who lost his life on this day fifteen years ago. May the gods smile upon him."

She lowered her head and a single tear ran down her cheek.

          "Hello, Xena."

The warrior bounded to her feet, her sword instantly in her hand.

          "Ares," she growled. "What the hell do you want?"

Gabrielle moved to stand beside her, her sais raised in a defensive position.

          "I just dropped by to say hi. I was in the neighbourhood," he said, chuckling to himself.

          "Well you can just drop right back out again," Gabrielle said in a menacing tone.

          "Ooooh, easy, Tiger. I'm not here to cause trouble," the God of War replied, holding up his hands in mock surrender. Xena crossed her arms across her breastplate and assumed an amused look.

          "Why do I not believe him, Gabrielle?"

          "Hmmm… I wonder…" the bard replied with a quirk of her eyebrow. She stared at him hard. "Maybe it's because he tried to drive you crazy by putting the Furies in your head… or maybe it's because he took Hope's side in the war against Dahok…"

Xena could hear the tremble in the bard's voice at the mention of her daughter's name.

          "Or maybe it's because he's tried to kill us or separate us numerous times over the past five years," Gabrielle finished with a growl.

She felt a soft touch and turned to look into piercing blue eyes.

          "Gabrielle, why don't you wait outside while I handle this," said Xena gently.

Gabrielle shook her head and started to protest but Xena ducked her head to look the bard right in the eye.

          "Please, Gabrielle, just wait outside. I won't be long."

The bard turned and shot Ares a look before storming outside. She was furious at Xena for telling her to leave.

          "Good move, Xena, getting rid of the irritating blonde like that. Now we can…"

The God of War suddenly found himself pinned uncomfortably against a wall.

          "Don't you speak about her like that," Xena snarled as she grasped the front of his leather tunic.

          "Alright, alright," he exclaimed and she dropped him with a look of disdain.

          "What do you want, Ares?" the Warrior Princess asked with barely controlled fury.

          "I'm here to make an offer, Xena. I want you to do something for me…"

The warrior's sudden laughter cut him off mid sentence.

          "You expect me to help you after everything you've done to Gabrielle and I? Oh you are deluded!"

Ares took a few steps toward Xena and she held up her hand, telling him in no uncertain terms not to move any closer with a look.

          "Look, Xena, you have something I want and I can give you something in return. It's a fair deal."

Xena shook her head.

          "You have nothing I need or want," she said and turned to leave. She was half way out of the temple when Ares called to her.

          "What if I told you I could bring your brother back."

The Warrior Princess froze in her tracks and then turned slowly to face the god.

          "What?" she whispered.

          "I mean it, Xena. You give me what I want and I'll bring your brother back."

A rush of emotion passed across Xena's face and she finally shook her head.

          "What do I have that you could possibly want?"

          "You have Gabrielle. That's what I want. I've been watching her, Xena. I've seen her skill develop, even if you refuse to acknowledge it. She's not a kid anymore, Xena. She's a grown woman and she's perfect to rule as my Queen."

Xena was so shocked, she couldn't even speak. Ares was asking for her lover in return for her brother's life.

          "No," she whispered. "NO! I won't give up Gabrielle!"

Ares shrugged his shoulders.

          "Fine, but you'll be sorry," he stated as he disappeared in a flash of blue light.

Xena turned and left the temple. Gabrielle was sitting on the ground outside muttering angrily to herself and she jumped to her feet as she saw Xena emerge into the sunlight. She walked to her and poked her in the chest.

          "What are you doing? Don't you ever do that to me again! I can't believe that…"

She paused as she saw Xena sink to the ground, her legs refusing to hold her up and crouched beside her.

          "Xena," she said softly, "What happened?"

The warrior shook her head.

          "I won't do it," she said.

          "Do what?" asked Gabrielle, stroking her hair.

          "Nothing. Nothing, Gabrielle," Xena quickly replied and got up off the ground. She walked away to where Argo was standing and mounted her in one fluid motion.

          "Gabrielle, I need to be alone. I'll meet up with you in a few days."

She kicked Argo and the warhorse galloped away, leaving a very shocked and upset bard watching dust settle. Gabrielle knew that she had just witnessed the walls springing up around Xena's heart and she shook her head in confusion and kicked at a stone, sending it hurtling against a tree trunk.

          "She doesn't love you anymore, Gabrielle."

The bard spun and found herself face to face with the God of War.

          "Get away from me, Ares," she warned but he grabbed her by the arm. She struggled to get away but he held her tightly.

          "Listen to me. She doesn't love you, Gabrielle. She couldn't tell you so she left. She admitted it to me when we were talking inside. She can't go back to what she was but she needs to be away from you. You're stifling her. Let her go, Gabrielle."

          "No… I don't… I don't believe that," the bard stammered, suddenly unsure of herself. She had seen Xena's cold indifference toward her before she rode away and Ares words seemed to make sense in her head.

          "You know it's the truth, Gabrielle. I can see it in your heart. You've been expecting this."

The bard shook her head weakly.

          "No, I… I can't believe she would leave me like this. We've shared so much, been through heaven and hell together. She wouldn't just leave me."

Ares pointed in the direction Xena had ridden.

          "She just did, Gabrielle," he said softly and then smiled as the bard looked down at her boots. "Come with me. You shouldn't be alone right now."

Gabrielle was so heartbroken that she just nodded and Ares whisked her away to his palace. He gave her a beautiful room with a huge four poster bed but the bard was so upset that she didn't even register where she was. All she knew was that Xena had left her and there was a huge hole in her heart that threatened to split open at any minute. She lay down on the bed and sobbed into the silk sheets.

Xena was exhausted. She had ridden away from Gabrielle and hadn't stopped all day or most of the night but finally, as she almost fell off Argo when she drifted off, she realised she would have to stop somewhere. She moved automatically around the clearing she had found, building a fire and laying out her bedroll. She began to lay Gabrielle's out too and then she dropped sobbing to her knees as she realised what she had done. She had run away from the woman who meant more to her than anything in the world, the woman she would and had defied the gods for.

          "Gabrielle," she whispered and then she lay down on her bedroll and finally fell into a deep dreamless sleep.

Ares woke the young woman gently with a soft kiss on her forehead. She sprang forward in the bed, her eyes wide.

          "Xena?" she cried out.

          "Gabrielle, take it easy. She's gone. You're with me now. I'm going to take care of you."

          "No, Ares," the bard began but she found that she didn't even have the will to argue with him. She lay back down and closed her eyes against the ache in her heart.

Ares stroked her short, blonde hair tenderly. He smiled as he realised that his plan was working better than he had hoped. Gabrielle didn't have the willpower to resist him now that she thought Xena had left her and even though he knew the warrior would be back to look for her, he was confident that he could win the bard over to his side before Xena could find her.

          "Gabrielle," he said softly. "Xena did love you once but she couldn't continue living a lie. Don't blame her. She didn't mean to hurt you."

The bard opened her eyes and pinned him with a misty green gaze.

          "She never means to hurt me, she just ends up doing it anyway," she replied sadly.

          "Stay here with me, Gabrielle and live the life you were born to live. Xena set you on this path and she has now released you to continue it on your own. I've been impressed by your skills, my Sweet, and I think you can become the warrior Xena could never be. Xena was skilled but she didn't have the one thing that you have in abundance… the discretion not to fight if it wasn't necessary."

The bard nodded slowly.

          "I'm not murdering people for you, Ares," she said wearily.

The god feigned an indignant look.

          "I would never ask you to do that, Gabrielle. I'm not the god I was. I know that my plan of peace through force is not all I originally thought it was. You can lead my armies any way you see fit."

          "You want me to lead your armies?"

          "Yes, I do. You're a strong woman, Gabrielle and I know you can do it."

The bard nodded slowly.

          "If I do this, you promise me that I can use my own judgement on whether I want to fight or not?"

          "I swear on my godhood, Gabrielle," he replied solemnly.

          "Alright, Ares."

          "Great. We should begin your training immediately. I know you're going to be an incredible Commander."

After a quick meal, Ares started training Gabrielle on the use of various weapons. She was a quick study and every day she spent with the God of War saw her skill increase until she was almost a match for him. He then taught her tactics of warfare. She learned everything he told her and soon, she was ready to take command of Ares armies. She woke up one morning and found a leather tunic and trousers and some armour laid out on her bed. She dressed and found that they were a perfect fit for her slender, muscular frame. Her sword was in an ornate scabbard and she clipped it to the armour so it rested comfortably on her back. Then she slid her sais into the usual holders on her boots.

          "You look magnificent, my Dear," said Ares from behind her and she turned to give him a full smile.

          "I'm ready," she said.

          "I know you are, Gabrielle. Your troops await you."

An innkeeper stood behind his bar drying some wooden mugs. He kept glancing at the six-foot tall, leather clad, fully armed woman sitting at the back of the tavern. Her elbows were propped up on the table and she was bent slightly over with her face buried in her hands. He looked appreciatively at her cleavage and then tore his eyes away. He knew who this woman was. She was Xena, the Warrior Princess and her reputation had preceded her into this area. The truth was, he was afraid of her. She came into the tavern at the same time everyday for a mug of port and some bread and cheese. She was thin and gaunt looking and her eyes seemed far away, as if she didn't care whether she lived or died. She moved her arm and he saw the muscles flex beneath her tanned skin, immediately thinking that a punch from this woman could knock him into the next moon.

Xena looked up and saw the innkeeper staring at her. She scowled and stood up, leaving the tavern quickly. She couldn't bare the thought of any man looking at her. She had to find Gabrielle and get her back. She thought back to that day.

          Xena woke early the next morning and quickly broke camp. She knew she had been a fool and wanted to get back to her love as quickly as she could. She threw her belongings onto Argo and rode back to the temple where she had left her.

          "Gabrielle!" she yelled as she ran to the steps of the building.

Silence

          "Gabrielle! Where are you?" she cried, spinning in a full circle.

Silence.

          "Damn, she must have tried to follow me."

Xena ran back to her horse and rode more slowly back the way she came, hoping to find the bard camped in a clearing near the edge of the road.

That had been seven months previously and Xena was at the end of her tether. She had searched long and hard, travelling from village to village, asking people as she rode if they had seen a petite, blonde bard about five and a half feet tall but not one person had seen her. It was as if Gabrielle had disappeared off the face of the known world. The warrior mounted Argo and set off to continue her search. She rode into a large town a few hours later and saw the villagers bustling around in preparation for something. Xena stopped a man as he ran by.

          "What's going on here?" she asked.

          "Run, save yourself. There's a huge army on its way here. Some say it belongs to Ares himself and the Commander is said to be ruthless."

Xena scowled and shook her head.

          "Get these people to safety. I'll do what I can to stop these soldiers."

          "You're one woman. What can you do?"

The Warrior Princess smiled mirthlessly.

          "It wouldn't be the first time I've face an army alone. Now go!"

He ran to round up the other villagers and lead them away while Xena walked to the edge of the town. She could see a huge cloud of dust rising from over the nearby hill and knew the army was approaching. She unsaddled Argo, letting her roam free away from danger and then stood on the road entering the village to wait for the soldiers to arrive. A short time later, she saw the first horses come over the hill and drew her sword. She felt her heart pounding in her chest and let the anticipation of the approaching battle settle over her as the first soldiers approached. The commander was wearing dark leathers and a helmet covering most of his face. He was riding a black mare that snorted impatiently as he reined her in. Xena spun her sword in her hand and unhooked her chakram, holding it out in plain sight.

          "I suggest you turn back now and leave these people unharmed."

The commander slowly lifted the helmet away from his face and Xena almost collapsed with shock as she recognised who it was.

          "Gabrielle," she whispered.

          "Hello, Xena," the bard replied coldly.

          "Gabrielle? What are you doing?" Xena demanded.

          "I'm living the life I was supposed to, Xena. You made sure of that when you decided you didn't love me anymore and left me. I'm fighting for Ares now."

          "Decided I didn't love you? Gabrielle, I've spent the past seven months looking for you. I love you more than my own life and I want you back."

The Warrior Princess was chilled by the cold laugh that came from her once kind and warm lover.

          "You love me, huh? You didn't show it very well when you rode away from me at the temple. Ares was there to pick up the pieces of my shattered heart."

          "That's right, my Dear," said a deep masculine voice from behind the Warrior Princess and Xena spun, holding her sword against the God of War's throat.

          "You bastard. You did this!" she screamed and plunged the sword into his chest.

He laughed and stepped back letting deadly weapon slide back out again.

          "Tut tut tut, Xena. When will you learn that you can't kill gods," he said, still chuckling to himself.

Xena turned back to look at Gabrielle. The bard slid down from her horse and drew her sword.

          "Let's finish this once and for all, Xena," she said in a hard voice.

She lunged at the warrior and Xena parried her blow.

          "I won't fight you, Gabrielle," she said but the bard continued her assault. Xena defended herself but she wouldn't move to strike against her love.

          "Come on, Xena. You can do better than that," said Gabrielle sarcastically.

She forced Xena to retreat as the warrior blocked her blows but she tripped on a rock and landed on her back on the ground. She got to her knees and dropped her sword.

          "I won't fight you anymore, Gabrielle," she said and lowered her head, waiting for the killing blow. Gabrielle raised her sword and prepared to kill the Warrior Princess.

          "That's it, Gabrielle. You can do it. Finish her!" Ares cried but the bard found that she couldn't bring her arms down to strike the blow. She shook her head and tears began to run down her face. Xena looked up at her and the bard was blown away by the love in her piercing blue eyes.

          "I… I can't…" she stammered and dropped the sword to the ground. She knelt down in front of Xena.

          "I'm sorry, Gabrielle," said the warrior, hanging her head in shame.

          "No, Xena. I'm sorry. I should never have doubted you. I've been such a fool. I love you so much."

          "I love you too, Gabrielle and I'm so glad to have you back. I missed you so much."

The warrior pulled her love into her arms and hugged her fiercely. Gabrielle returned the hug with as much strength and then they kissed passionately.

          "No!" Ares bellowed and drew his sword. He lifted it to kill Gabrielle but warrior and bard were suddenly on their feet with weapons drawn. Xena's sword intercepted the blow and she pushed him back.

          "Ares, you know me. I'll kill every last man here if I have to," she growled.

The God of War sighed and stepped back.

          "Alright, Xena, you win this one but I promise you I'll be back!"

He disappeared in a flash of blue light and his army turned their tails and ran. Xena looked at Gabrielle and cupped her cheek with her hand.

          "Gods I've missed you," she whispered and pulled her in for another hug.

They stood like that for a long time just holding each other and feeling the forgiveness flow between them.

          "Don't ever leave me again," Gabrielle whispered in reply.

          "Never, Gabrielle. I love you."

                                                The End

Continued in Part 2 'Fighting the Darkness'