Blood and Honey
Xena sipped stoically at her wine, her brow creased slightly in thought as she studied the large, tattered map upon the table in front of her. She let out a frustrated sigh and met the eyes of her lieutenant, her face stone-like, beautiful... deadly.
"They won't tell you?" she asked plainly, as the tall, muscular man before her shifted uncomfortable under her ice blue gaze.
"No my lady" he finally said in a weak voice that betrayed his inner tremblings.
Xena slowly placed her wine cup down, her eyes never leaving his.
"Well then," she gave a cruel smile, "beat it out of them you idiot."
The lieutenant seemed to hesitate, his face flickering with a mixture of reluctance and fear. Xena's eyes narrowed, her mind becoming fully aware of his thoughts, his doubts. She rose slowly, purposefully. The lieutenant took her in, in all her glory she was like no other woman, ruthless, powerful, a dark queen on the battle field and beautiful beyond words, not a warm beauty but like a frozen wasteland, breathtaking and brutal all at the same time. She was dressed as always in her war garb, a pair of hard-wearing comfortable, loose, sand coloured pants covered by a heavy black leather skirt that was split either side to her waist, to give easier moment while fighting. Her torso was covered by chain mail and leather armour, studded with rivets and decorative metal clasps, her arms bare, revealing taunt, toned muscles. Atop her head of long raven black hair she wore a leather cap that covered her ears in flaps of shining silver coins.
She pursed her lips at him, as if deciding something important or perhaps listening intently...
"How long have we known each other Alcandor?" she asked in a drawl, her voice soft and low.
Alcandor glanced at her, his brow furrowing in question. "Over four years my lady, since your first campaign." He paused, "When you returned from Ch'in and recruited your first army."
Xena nodded, examining a golden plate that lay upon a rough wooden table, spoils of war.
"It's a long time" she said with a twisted smile, her fingers glancing lightly over the smooth metal. She turned suddenly, a vicious snarl clouding her striking beauty. "Then why do you wish to betray me!" It was not a question but a demand.
Alcandor took an instinctive step backwards. "I am not betraying you my lady" he stuttered, his eyes widening slightly at her words.
Her eyes bore into his, silently calling him a liar, a traitor.
"My lady, please..." He paused, knowing his very life hung upon his next words, "There are mainly women and children left, the men are all dead... they say there is no gold."
Xena narrowed her eyes, her expression cold and callous, waiting for him to continue.
Alcandor shifted his position nervously.
"We always used to leave the women and children unharmed Xena..." He stopped abruptly as her head jerked towards him at the mention of her name, her eyes narrowing in annoyance. None of the soldiers were permitted to be so familiar with her anymore; the years of fighting seemed to have changed her. He had known when he joined her that she was not working for the greater good, but she seemed a fair leader to follow, her goals of looting and making herself and her men profit had lured many a man other than himself to work for her. But things were different now, for the past year she had become obsessed with victory and conquest, taking villages, towns... and now even cities were falling beneath her blade. Her men murmured secretly to each other of the Gods having a part in it all, of hearing Xena talking to someone when she had been the only one to enter her tent. Now it was no longer about profit, this was about war and ownership.
Xena's eyes narrowed, her mouth twisting down in disgust. She glanced to her side as if she had just heard a noise, a small smile slowly spread malevolently across her lips, it widened into a grin and she nodded as if replying silently to someone's words.
"M-my lady?" Alcandor ventured.
Xena walked leisurely towards him, her grin staying in place as she pulled a large dagger from her belt and picked up an apple from the table.
"So, you will not do my bidding?" she questioned, beginning to peel the apple with the blade, her hand working expertly with the deadly weapon.
"I will always do your bidding" he said in a whisper.
Before he could say anymore Xena had moved with a frightening speed, her dagger now pushed under a chink in his armour, finding the vulnerable skin beneath.
She smiled cruelly up at him, her eyes sparkling with dark pleasure. "I don't believe you" she whispered huskily in his ear. She jabbed the dagger forward, slicing his flesh in a shallow cut, he grunted in pain and surprise. "I have ears everywhere" she continued in her husky, sensuous voice: a voice that, if he had not been in his current position, would have clouded his mind with lust. "I know that you are planning to desert me, to take others..." She paused; a small sadistic chuckle blew gently against his cheek. He couldn't help but breathe in her scent as it surrounded him, his thoughts were that any man would die to be in his position now, held in her grasp, her body close to his... and he knew that he would in fact pay that price; he had been careless it seemed.
"I could not kill any more children my lady" he breathed.
Xena rested her head softly against his shoulder in a strange act of consolement; she knew that he was fully aware of what his fate would be.
"I would never have betrayed you" he said, holding his head high, her cool eyes finally meeting his.
She nodded as if she already knew this, her gaze holding his, searching his strong, handsome face.
"Do you have any last requests?" she asked, giving him more than she would give most, he was her trusted friend and would at least have one favour within reason.
He smiled sadly, knowing he could try to fight but also knowing that she would win, and would make him pay with torture or worse... he had accepted his future...or lack of it.
"Just one," he said in a whisper, "a kiss."
Xena laughed wildly, thoroughly amused by his words. Her cold blue eyes flashed with a remorseless light and within an instant her lips crashed into his in a harsh and brutal kiss. Despite this, her mouth had a sweet softness to it; the taste of her, the dark queen of Gaul, was intoxicating, he could feel the power and force within that small gesture. A searing pain ripped through his side as the dagger plunged through his flesh and twisted viciously, his lips halted their passionate meeting with hers, now resting against her as if for support. It seemed to him that a long silence followed in which neither moved, their lips still locked together. He spluttered once, his mouth filling with blood before, mercifully, darkness descended over him and death took him quickly.
Xena felt his body shudder and then he fell backwards, landing in a pitiful crumpled heap upon the ground. She looked down at him for a moment a strange look clouding her eyes, she thought she would actually miss him a little. A sound like distant sharp thunder came from behind her followed by a flash of light.
She did not turn as the man who had been stood behind her throughout the whole scene clapped with an amused smirk pulling at his lips.
"Bravo."
His voice seemed to pull her away from Alcandor's body and she looked up at him, taking in his brooding features as his dark eyes bore into her. He smiled and looked down at the dead body.
"Shame, he was a good warrior." He brushed his hand through his black hair.
Xena gave him something between a smirk and a sneer and turned her head, dispelling the blood Alcandor had passed into her mouth in their first and last kiss. She picked up the apple that lay upon the table and took a bite, letting the sweet juice of it wash away any remaining taste of bitter iron.
She regarded the devilishly handsome man as he wandered to the door flaps of the tent and looked cautiously out across her encampment. "Your army grows each day," pride shone in his voice, "soon the world will be at your feet."
Xena kept her eyes on him, chewing thoughtfully upon the fruit.
"You still amaze me, my Warrior, my Princess of War" he said flatteringly and turned to give her a dazzling grin.
Xena returned his grin with a look of annoyance, he knew she hated it when he constantly flattered her, she suspected he did it just to inflame her anger.
She threw the apple to one side, wanting to dwell on more important things. "What is your plan Ares?"
At the question he walked back to her, striding around her until his chest was pressed against her back. He slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her firmly to him.
He was silent for many seconds, his hands moving seductively over the curves of her hips. Finally he bent and brushed his lips against the bare skin of her neck, Xena leant back into his embrace enjoying the attention.
"I grow weary of these small raids" he breathed in-between feathered kisses.
Xena laughed softly, "Small raids?" she sneered, "We have taken cities."
He nipped her skin gently causing her to groan lowly.
"I know, I see it all" he said huskily.
Xena laughed once more, "Yes, you do, Gods tend to." She reached up her hand, her fingers entwining in his hair.
"I want something bigger for you." He bit down a little harder, causing a gasp to escape her lips.
"You mean for you" Xena corrected, her hands now snaking down his arms.
Ares chuckled, "For us both" he chided. Slowly he guided her to face him, his dark eyes connecting with her light gaze.
"What is it you want?" Xena asked, her heart beating in excitement at the current moment and at what new task he would set her.
"I think you will like my idea" he smiled wolfishly.
Xena made a non-committal noise as his fingers brushed stray hair from her cheeks.
"I want you to match upon Rome... upon Caesar" he said with a powerful authority.
Her eyes narrowed at the mere mention of the man that she loathed with all her being. She pulled away from Ares' touch and connected with his eyes.
"Why?" she sneered.
"I want you as queen of Rome" he grinned.
She eyed him suspiciously, knowing he was not telling her the truth. He saw her expression and sighed heavily.
"I want Rome" he admitted.
Xena nodded thoughtfully, her mind lingering upon Caesar's betrayal... her first taste of betrayal.
She felt, rather than saw Ares' begin to massage her shoulders in slow steady kneads, his face close to hers, his warm breath upon her cheek.
"Think of it Xena!" he encouraged in a husky whisper. "You'll get the revenge you wanted and sit at my right hand."
Xena felt a small smile twist upon her lips at the thought, revenge would be very sweet.
Ares grinned at the new look upon her face and without another word being spoken he descended upon her mouth, his lips and hands pleasuring his warrior queen.