Disclaimer: Xena Warrior Princess does not belong to me, nor do I profit from writing it, I merely get enjoyment.
Ten…The number of times Gabrielle has fallen off Argo.
"Xena…" Gabrielle near whined to her companion, the warrior stood firmly in front of her, "You know Argo hates me!"
Giving the bard a gentle but quick smile, Xena shook her head, "She doesn't hate you Gabrielle, you just need to give her some more time to get accustomed to you."
"More time?" The bard scoffed, before looking suddenly serious…"Xena, how much more time are we talking about here?"
There was a short silence before the warrior raised one eyebrow ever so slightly, a radiant shine gracing her eyes. "How many times are you prepared to fall from her?" Xena replied and lavished in the nervous chortle that came from Gabrielle.
"You are joking, aren't you Xena?" Inquired the blonde, tilting her head to the side, "How is falling off Argo going to help her and I bond?" There was a certain kind of hesitance in Gabrielle's voice which made Xena raise her other eyebrow, a façade of stun littering her looks.
"Gabrielle, that is the only way to bond." The warrior princess exclaimed, her façade almost leaving as she suppressed a slight enjoyment at the bards confused features, not often did Gabrielle have no words to speak. "Every rider…" Xena began, "falls off at some stage in the bonding between horse and man, it takes a good soul to accept this, an even greater one to repeat it."
Gabrielle furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at a near by Argo, "She doesn't like it when I ride her Xena, she makes it quite clear and I don't have it in mind to quarrel with a nine-hundred pound something horse."
Giving the bard a short nod Xena walked over to a grazing Argo, her hands gentle with the reins as she stroked the length of her horses face. "I guess you'll be travelling on foot then?"
"No problem…" Uttered Gabrielle, trying her utmost to sound pleased with that prospect – Xena saw through, with a slight upwards motion of her lips she captured her companions eyes.
"It's going to be a long ride, rocky terrain; rivers…don't get me started on the distance we'll be traveling."
Gabrielle smiled, "I know what you're trying to do Xena, you want me to reflect on what you've said and finally decide to ride Argo." Xena raised her eyebrows in mock confusion; Gabrielle shook her finger and walked towards the warrior. "Well, it ain't going to happen…I'm perfectly alright on the ground, a walk will do me good."
Grinning Xena nodded, turning away from her friends accusing finger. "If you say so Gabrielle…" She uttered, her voice just above a loud whisper – raising her leg she swiftly slid her boot into the stirrup of Argo's saddle, hoisting herself atop the placid horse. "Oh, yeah…Watch out for snakes won't you? This warm weather tends to bring out all sorts."
If Xena had been facing the still pointing blonde, Gabrielle would have seen the pert smile that lit the older woman's face – as it was she was not and a suddenly insipid looking Gabrielle quickly lowered her finger.
"S-snakes…?" She chocked out, yet managed to shake off her initial stutter as Xena gazed at her, forcing an all-is-well-and-I-don't-feel-like-fainting look the bard weakly grinned. "Well, I'm sure they'd keep to their self right? As we speak they are probably soaking up some sun or hiding well away from us…"
"Oh I'm sure…" Nodded Xena, making an effort to sound overly condescending
Gabrielle lowered her eyebrows, "what…?"
"Oh nothing Gabrielle, it's just, well I've heard tales of men on the battle field succumbing to the mere bite of a snake, they say it's a death worse than Tartarus." Oh, how Xena loved to fool with Gabrielle…
"You're kidding right?" The bard asked, swallowing thickly – her feet edged closer to Argo and Xena, not a conscious movement, merely one that sought out comfort.
Xena was kidding, the chance of even seeing a snake was as rare as Ares turning into a happy-loving peasant, although not giving on to that she merely shrugged, jarring Argo gently in the side as she directed the horse forward.
Gabrielle gave a low chuckle as she watched the warrior carefully, her mind ticking over quietly.
"I suppose it couldn't hurt to, you know, get to know Argo a bit more intimately." She stated, running the short distance behind Argo and Xena. "I mean, like you said it takes a good soul to accept falling from a horse – an even greater one to repeat it."
Xena nodded, "uh-huh…"
"I'm a great soul…" The bard explained, gesturing with her hands as she tried to keep up with Argo and a smiling Xena. "I mean, I don't want to blow my own trumpet or anything…"
"Course not…" Interjected Xena, licking her lips as she slowed
Gabrielle stopped and looked up at the warrior, "How hard can it be to ride her right?" She smiled and Xena quickly dismounted said horse, boots thudding lightly on the compacted dirt.
"On you get then." She smirked and Gabrielle nodded with eagerness only she could possess.
"Right, okay, she's tall." The bard stated, sending Xena a look of surprise. The warrior nodded and signaled for Gabrielle to slide her shoe into the stirrup, the blonde complied, before freezing in her position – golden hair lashing at her neck as she turned her head. "Just stay calm…" She whispered and Xena stepped forward to take Argo's reins.
"She's not going to move Gabrielle, don't worry about it."
Gabrielle deadpanned her look, "I was talking to myself actually."
"I see." Grinned the warrior, hardly containing the raspy laugh that followed.
Giving her companion a small scoff, Gabrielle held tightly to the saddle, bouncing ever so slightly on the foot that was on the ground. "One…" She counted and Xena smiled even more at the blondes preparation, "two," She whispered.
"Just hurry up already, will you?"
"Three!" The bard bellowed – her leg lifting quickly from the ground as she swung it with verve, a little too much it would have seemed as the blonde quickly found herself descending the other side of Argo, a muffled yelp emitting from her mouth.
Xena chuckled lowly as Gabrielle thumped to the grass below, her hand already held out for the younger woman to grab hold. "Nice try."
Taking the offered hand Gabrielle winced, "I think I put a little too much energy into that."
"Next time just step up, use the saddle as leverage and stirrup as a stair."
"Next time…?" Gabrielle asked a slight chuckle present in her words. "Oh, no, no, no…I can't do-"
"What was that?" Xena hurriedly exclaimed, pretending to catch sight of something in the long grass behind Gabrielle, her words effectively cutting the bard off.
Swinging around and looking in the direction her companion had looked the blonde stepped back. "Snake?" She wearily asked, turning to look at Xena.
"A big one at that…" The warrior replied and leered at the grass with an excited glower.
Gabrielle paled, "What were you saying about using the saddle as leverage?"
This was going to be easy for Xena to get Gabrielle and Argo to accept one another…
Ten…The painful number of times Gabrielle fell off Argo.