Plain wood
By HelynnaDisclaimer: The characters belong to Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringements are intended.
Violence: It's got a little fighting and someone gets hurt but I think it's not to terrible.
Sex: Nope, just some hugs.
Authors note: This is my first english fan fic, and I would love reviews. The more the better. But please don't flame. I say thanx to my beta-reader and to our recorder (Without it we couldn't watch Xena)
So the last thing I wanna say about this story is that I'ld love to be able to fight with a staff like Gabrielle. Smile
„Gabby, come here!", Xenas voice cut through Gabrielles thoughts like a sword. The unusual sharpness made her feet move immediately.
"What's wrong Xen?" Gabbys eyes flickered with fear as she turned to look at her teacher and companion. Xena hadn't been very nice to her since picking her up from Poteidaia. And for sure Gab had not expected her to. Warrior princesses traveled alone and shouldn't be disturbed. Xena had made her point clear enough for Gabrielle. But she'd never been rude or anyhow dangerous. Gabrielle sent a short pray to the Gods that it would stay so. "Catch!", she had just finished praying as a staff came flying toward her. She instinctively caught it.
"Xen, what do you...", she stopped and staggered out of Xenas way with a startled shriek. The warrior hit the ground at the point Gabrielle had stood just seconds before. But the bard gained her self-confidence back fast.
"Cool jump, but next time, take a different direction, you almost hit me." She put down the staff and tried a jump at her own. But before her feet could even leave the ground, Xena had thrust the staff into her arms again.
"Xen, I don't need this!" But Xena didn't listen, with her cool combat-scream she charged at cute Gabrielle, and hit her right in the stomach. The bard gasped.
"You wanna kill me Xen?" Gabby was getting angry, she didn't like fighting.
"Lesson: how to protect yourself when being attacked. By the way good reflexes." Gabby smiled, even though she was angry. After all this was a compliment, and every woman liked compliments. Even Xena, ,where was that Gal anyway' gabby wondered. She looked up, just to see Xena running towards her like a mad rhinoceros.
"Insane" Gabby muttered under her breath. But this time she would be prepared. She raised her staff, exactly as Xena jumped. Gabrielle did it like she had seen the warrior do it more than a hundred times before. But somehow not the same thing happened. On one hand Gabby was glad about that, she didn't want to kill this dark woman who had saved her from unpleasant marriage. On the other hand though she didn't really stop Xena from attacking her.
The staff did hit Xena in mid air but both of them had underestimated the others power. So Gabrielle with her arms forced over her head, fell to the floor, and Xena whose combat-scream got stuck in her throat, glided right over the bard. She managed to roll off, but it hurt more than usual, Xena had just hadn't expected that the bard would fight. But good, it was really going one her nerves having to look after her all the time. Maybe it was because of the stones, Gabrielle hit as she fell, maybe it was because it just was enough for the bard. Constantly being surpressed and ignored by this woman she admired so much. And maybe it was just because she had to fight against her will. Gabrielle didn't know why, but something in her head clicked.
As Xena was just about to turn, wanting to check if the bard was okay, Gabrielle raised the staff and swung it down at Xenas shoulder. The warrior needed a moment to figure out what had hit her, for she couldn't see Gabrielle. But as it hit her again she knew it was the staff. The plain wooden staff she had bought in the last village, she had imagined that Gabrielle would like it more than a sword or a Chakram. First of all she'ld never give her a Chakram anyway, for this was Xenas weapon, and second it was more natural. She knew how much the bard loved the nature. But she wouldn't have bought this thing if she had known what Gabrielle would do with it. Xena was surprised of every blow that hit her, she just couldn't find out why Gabrielle was so angry.
And yes, Gabrielle was really angry. Even though her arms were already hurting Gabrielle put more power in every blow. And the fact that Xena still had not stopped her didn´t really make her feel better. Xena was still crouching at the ground with her back to Gabby, who was preparing for another blow aimed at Xena's head. But as the staff moved towards her Xena just slightly moved aside and the staff hit the ground making the wood splinter.
In this moment Xena turned around grabbed the rest of the staff and threw it into the bushes. Her right shoulder hurt as she moved, but she did not say a word. Gabby saw Xenas blue eyes darken in pain and the switch in her head jumped back to normal. "You're alright, Xen? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you, I just...ahem...lost control. I'm really sorry about it. FRIENDS ?"
Gabby reached out to help Xena get up.
"Of course," Xena said, taking Gabbys hand, "not," she giggled, pulling Gabs down to the ground, "but it was my fault, Gabs. I shouldn't have made you fight me."
Gabby nodded.
Xena was trying hard not to chuckle, but she still put stress on every word: " In fact, I should have never taken you away from Poteidaia. I – SHOULD – BRING – YOU – BACK!"
"Oh, Xen, no. No, please don't." The look of the bard turned from selfconfident to pleading. Xena could not hold back laughing. Gabrielle blushed and said: "You didn't mean it, did ya?" She sounded a bit guilty.
"Course I did! If you can't protect yourself, your just always in my way. You gotta learn how to fight. Bard." Xena was serious again. Gabby understood, what Xena meant and got to her feet, to stand in what seemed to be a good fighting position for her.
"I'm ready."
"So, than, steady, go!" With a kick of Xena's foot Gabby was on the ground again, but she rolled over to Xena, nailing her to the floor. "Gotcha, Xen! And what do you say now, hugh?"
"I say...are you sure?" With some unfair easiness Xena pushed them both up, holding Gabs aloft with one arm, "and now? Don't you know, what to do, little cutie?"
Xena's voice was so teasing, that Gabrielle struggled so hard, Xena had to take the other arm too.
"Oh no, Xen. I'm gonna get out of here," Gabby said through clenched teeth. She was meaning this kind of embrace the warrior was holding her in. She took all her powers together, and twitched, and wriggled. Xena flinched and let the blond girl go. The big warrior was now only defending herself, holding Gabrielle on distance with one arm, the right arm hanging at her side. Gabby wasn't a warrior but she wasn't a fool either, she knew when something was wrong. For sure something had to be wrong, when Xena only used one arm. With a rush she was behind Xena.
"Show me that Shoulder of yours Xen, I bet it hurts."
"No." Xena plainly replied, but the bard wasn't to be stopped. She stripped away Xenas shoulder-strap.
"Oh gosh, Xen that looks dangerous." Gabby felt horrible. "was that... the staff?"
The shoulder was all black and blue, and there was blood dripping from a wound, on Xenas shoulderblade. Gabby this must hurt pretty much even for a warrior. She asked herself why Xena had let it come so far.
"It's alright Gabs, i wont die from it you know. It'll come okay if you start cooking very well." Xena grinned.
But Gabrielle wasn't in the mood of joking around. "That's not funny Xen. And I am cooking good!"
Xena gave her a quizzing look. And Gabrielle felt her anger rise. "You're just catching the wrong animals.
"Okay Gabs you win." Xena put her arm on Gabbys shoulder.
"But don't worry about me. Either I'll be dead at sundown, or I'll survive and we'll have to go one traveling together." Xena said this much to cheerfully for Gabby. So the bard couldn't really stop worrying, and she couldn't stop herself from checking Xenas eyes and finding this glimpse of pain. This glimpse the warrior always wanted to hide from everybody.
"Xena, I'm so sorry. I really..."
she was interrupted by Xena. "Oh quit it Gabs or you'll go following your staff." She pointed at the bushes.
"I'm angry enough. I will have to buy you a new staff, maybe from some higher quality then this." Xena laughed as she looked at the top of the staff, which was still lying on the ground.
Gabrielle rolled her eyes. "Oh Xen, I don't wanna fight."
"P-O-T-E-I-D-A-I-A"
"Oh no." Gabrielle clamped her hands over her head. But she was grinning.
"The point is," Xena explained, "I can spell, so you can fight, bard." Xena started to giggle and Gabrielle had to laugh too. Her teacher was right again, Gabrielle would have to learn how to fight, and she would. But not now. Now she would go and collect some herbs for Xenas shoulder. And Xena would care for something to eat.
"I really do cook good." Gabrielle whispered to herself.