GENERAL COPYRIGHT/DISCLAIMER:
Xena: Warrior Princess, Gabrielle, Argo and all other characters who have appeared in the syndicated series Xena: Warrior Princess, together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fan fiction. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may be made for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright notices.
LOVE/SEX WARNING/DISCLAIMER:
This story depicts a love/sexual relationship between two consenting adult women. If you are under 18 years of age or if this type of story is illegal in the state or country in which you live, please do not read it. If depictions of this nature disturb you, you may wish to read something other than this story.
Potidaean Romance by BlueSappho
Chapter 1
My parents are making such a fuss . . . again. Well, more like my dad, "She needs this, Hecuba!" Oh, Gods. How many times are they gonna debate my future! It's always Perdicus this, or Perdicus that, or Perdicus is such a fine young man, he'll make a woman of you yet! But what about what I want? I want to be free to travel across distant lands and tell stories of great warriors fighting dreaded beasts sent from Hades himself, fated love forsaken or forbidden, all over Greece to be known as Gabrielle, the Greatest Bard that Ever Lived!
"You know I don't like this . . . opening the house to strangers." What?
"It's our responsibility to give help to those in need, by order of the council."
"Yes, but . . . why them? They're so odd. Their mother weeps for a father we all know she killed, her son is scared of his own shadow, running away from everything, and her daughter . . . beautiful, yes, but it's like the child doesn't even realize she's a girl: flipping, jumping around, climbing trees, sword fighting. Not to mention what's said all throughout town about her. We can't leave our daughters to be tainted by this Xena."
"I don't care about reputation. This was commanded by my superiors, and I will put them up in my house, that is final!"
I get to meet Xena at last! Mother warned Lila and me about her when we first heard they were on their way. The sword play and acrobatics aside, it's said throughout all Amphipolis how she stole fathers' prized daughters away with charming smiles and strikingly deceitful wiles, convincing them to commit acts of sin unimaginable while promising them the world. She said we're sure to be prey to her devious ways for our beauty far surpasses all girls' within the village. But mothers always exaggerate things. Xena sounds like a true romantic. If she can woo so many within the confines of a town such as Amphipolis, which I've made out is no bigger than our Potidaea, then she either has to be a natural poet, or absolutely stunning. Either way this should be a most exciting experience. We're all lined up: me, mother, and Lila with father waiting to meet our guests. Our house should be a great improvement since Cortez took over their village.
Staring at the door in anticipation, its outline starts to blur when I hear the knock, the sound pounding in my ears. The hinges squeak as it opens, and a tremendous light fills my eyes. In its wake stands the goddess of my dreams.
As a hero, greater than Hercules, she takes up the narrow-way, her ebony hair whipping wildly in a sudden wind; all her features: bronze skin, piercing, steal-blue eyes, sleek jaw, and strong muscles, smoothed over by the same incredibly soft skin, graced with a white, long-sleeve shirt of a trader, Makes her look more like a pirate, it's criss-crossed laces loosened to fit her chest, tucked into black leather pants with boots to match, leave the blond a heated, quivering mess now gazing further at a silver-buckled belt baring a naked scabbard, the warrior's weapon left to rest outside. Board and disheveled, but remarkably stunning, Xena enters with a look of contempt, seeming to so desperately want to break free from her invisible confines.
"You will behave", Gabrielle hears the dark-haired girl's mother preach, "You are not to land one finger on these girls, do you understand?" She rolls her eyes discretely at her scolding,
"Yes, mother", It's not like there's much here to do anyway. Then she sees her: the most gorgeous creature with emerald green eyes she's ever seen. "By the Gods!" She leaps down the three steps of the foyer to land gracefully in front of the blond, "Never have I seen", she clasps their hands together, "such magnificence as this." Pulling in closer, Gabrielle picks up the leather and lilac scents of Xena's skin, so intoxicating she has to lean in for support. "Tell me, rare beauty", she gazes deeply into her eyes. Gabrielle, again amazed, looks into the sapphire like blues of the warrior's, "what is your name?"
"Gabrielle."
"Ah, Gabrielle. Never has there been a song sung more sweetly", she steps back, still holding the smaller girl's hands, as if to contemplate the sound, "Gabrielle . . . it roles off the tongue, embraces it, caresses it . . ." Xena pulls Gabrielle in, their torsos touching, and, the blond can't help but notice, an arm wrapped around her waist, her hands dangerously, purposely, modestly placed on the small of her back, "excites it. Makes it yearn to speak it a thousand times more . . . Gabrielle . . ." Soft whispers fill the Bard's heart, blood pumping faster, rising to the surface of her skin, causing goose bumps to flow over her in waves as the dark warrior gets softer with each, "Gabrielle, Gabrielle . . . oh, Gabrielle." Pure shock at the boldness at their first meeting was the only thing keeping their parents still. Hecuba breaks first,
"Gabrielle, go to your room . . . NOW!" The blond doesn't move but her lips, her gaze locked with the charming warrior holding her, "Yes . . . I think I'll go." Still no movement in what has become a most delicate situation. Xena chuckles and smiles a dazzling smile, holds her tighter at the shiver of what she can only hope to be the same lust flushing her skin, undetectable due to the tint of her skin.
"Gabrielle!"
"Wwwhat?"
"Go. To. Your. Room."
"Right." Looking back at Xena, she can't keep from grinning at the cute smirk on the warrior's face and the subtle kiss she blows at her as she slowly makes herself scarce. She continues to look at her over her shoulder, and for one last stare before her mother's glare causes her to reluctantly shut the door. Gabrielle leans on her door, back flat, head back, and palms feeling the presence of her love just on the other side. Closing her eyes, she speaks to Olympus, "Gods, have mercy on me."
Hearing the yelling from mother at Xena for her actions, father at mother for the treatment of their guest, despite reputation,and Cyrene's vain attempt to keep the peace, the blond thinks it safe to venture outside her prison, hopeful to find her Warrior Princess, Hey, that's a good one. No idea where that came from, but I like it! The dark, handsome beauty could not be found. A great pain of loss fills the inspiring bard's heart. What if they've sent them away? Oh, Gods, please don't let it be so! She searched the house, the barn, in town, leather and weapon shops, all over asked of the tall, dark dream, It seems that's all it was, that stole her heart so skillfully. She makes her way to the stables, her mind clouded with sorrow. The first stall holds a stout golden mare,
"Hey there, Argo." The horse can sense Gabrielle's distress; nudges the girl gently over the door, "Thanks, girl." The strong and graceful nature of the mare's simple comforting reminds her, "Oh, Argo . . . she was the most stunning . . . memorizing . . . a true goddess in the flesh. Graceful as she is beautiful. And when she held me . . ." The thought takes her strength. Collapsing on a nearby bale, she sighs, "but now . . . I'm afraid I'll never see her again." Gabrielle weeps softly, the tears' vibrations racking her body.
"Never would I want to cause tears of sorrow to fall down fair cheeks of such beauty", a glorious sound from the rafters graces Gabrielle's ears, before Xena triple flips down to her. She pulls the blond up into her arms and holds her head to her chest, "Any other passion, yes, but sorrow creates heavy hearts . . . forgive me, my angel of the stars, and make me whole again."
"I can feel your heart beat . . . it's so fast", Gabrielle puts her hand to the steady pounding of the warrior's heart. Clutching a bit of Xena's shirt, she sobs again, "I thought you were gone, that I'd lost you; they'd sent you away, I was sure of it."
"They'd have to see my heart from my chest before I'd be parted from you." She cradles Gabrielle until her crying stops. Tilting her chin up, her Warrior Princess wipes the tears away, "There, now, it's alright", and a kiss graces the smaller girl's head. The Bard's eyes stare lovingly back at her savior, twinkling with innocence and trust, longing for . . . I don't know what it is. Xena knew, but let the moment pass, not yet. She takes Gabrielle's hand and kisses her palm, the Warrior's Devotion to his . . . I guess I should say her . . . to her Lady! Oh, I think I might die . . . a most splendid death! "I will give my life to mending past transgressions. From now on you will only cry tears of joy." More tears did roll, gently, and of happiness, "With these as my first badges of honor", she kisses the blonde's eyelids closed, and when she pulls back, mere inches away, Gabrielle quickly kisses her , a small peck on the lips, and it tastes so sweet. When she opens her eyes and realizes what she's done,
"Oh, Gods! I'm so sorry, Xena. I-I-I didn't mean to . . ."
"Shh", Xena puts a finger to her lips to stop her babbling, which she doesn't mind, "no worries." This time Xena kisses her more passionately, grazing her tongue over the Bard's lips; she leads herself in, having dealt with inexperience before, and she blow's Gabrielle's mind. It was as if Xena was touching her everywhere at once, in one kiss. Her whole body tingling, she's lead by pure instinct to grab hold of the warrior's neck. Xena had planned for the kiss to last only seconds, to leave the blond simply dazed and breathless, but when Gabrielle kissed back . . . fireworks. An explosion of fire and technicolor sent their souls past the stars. Feelings the warrior never felt before, besides desire, flew out of control. She suddenly couldn't get enough of Gabrielle and continued to kiss her fervently, moaning. But something kept her form her nature. She'd been tempted to rush things before, when the flames grew to Greek fire, to the point where she needed to have the girl right then, only once, to never see them again. Her nature now was warm. She wanted to hold Gabrielle, to worship her, treat her with respect. She wanted nothing but, truly, to make the aspiring bard happy. Breaking the kiss, they both were breathing hard.
"That was . . ."
"Amazing."
"Yeah."
"I don't . . . I don't know how to express . . . this feeling. I'm speechless."
"You? No possible way."
"It's like . . . I finally found you. Just then, having you in my arms . . . I felt . . ."
"Complete."
"Exactly . . . like you were mine to hold, and I yours; never in my life have I wanted to give everything to another person, someone I . . . am hopelessly and completely in love with." The warrior knelt in front of her love. "Gabrielle . . ." she produces a silver strand of mail, a bracelet, from her boot, "would you do me the honor of . . ." for the first time the silver-tongued warrior-bard has trouble expressing her intent. Gabrielle now takes the confidante and strokes Xena's cheek comfortingly,
"Yes?"
". . . of . . . being the light that helps my moon to shine, calling yourself mine . . . what I'm trying to say is . . . would you be my girlfriend?"
"Xena . . ." she kneels with her, takes the bracelet, now in both their hands, and kisses her, savoring, tenderly, "of course I will. Nothing would make me happier than to know you want me."
"Don't you dare doubt that I desire you." The warrior takes Gabrielle's wrist and christens it with the chain mail bracelet. The Bard notes a plate held in between the band of bonds, engraved with the name of her love, and Xena kisses her palm in devotion, then her lips, at first gently, but soon with caresses stimulated to searing passion. Pulling back she places Gabrielle's hand over her chest, "Do you feel what you do to me? There's a moment when I look at you, where no speech is left in me; my tongue breaks and fire races under my skin, and I tremble, and grow pale fore I am dying of such love, or so it seems."
"Oh, Xena", she kisses the warrior hard, demandingly, "I love you so much."
"We should go." The sudden change in tone worries Gabrielle, "Why? What's wrong?"
"Because if I stay here I would be tempted to never stop touching you." The blond blushes bright red,
"Xena." They walk out of the stables, side by side, Xena with an arm wrapped around her waist, holding Gabrielle's hand, leading her back home through the glen.
"I have to make a proper lady of you. Whisk you away under the rays of Artemis' night; spend days romancing and loving you." Before too long, they stand at the younger girl's porch, trying to prolong the inevitable moment where they'll have to part from one another. "Sweet dreams, my love."
"Know well, my warrior, my dreams will be overflowing with thoughts of tomorrow, the day where we will meet again, I swear it."
"Well, well . . . we'll make a poet of you yet."
"I learn from the best." Xena goes in for a kiss goodnight to have Gabrielle tease. Pulling away with her every advance, the warrior gives in and finally remains still. The Bard lets her breath, fogged by the night's chill, fall upon Xena's neck, making her shudder. Gabrielle moves her lips over the smooth skin of her neck, then her jaw, towards her lips, where she pauses in the warrior's expectation. She lets the tension build before giving her love the softest of kisses. A sigh of satisfaction escapes the dark haired Romeo,
"Wow."
"Goodnight, Xena."
"G-g-goodnight, Gabrielle."