Eve knelt in the middle of a clearing as the sun began to peek over the
hilltops. The soft morning breeze touched her, stirring her mass of
chestnut locks. All that was heard were the birds singing and the wind
ruffling through the tall grass. Eve felt the peace of nature as she prayed
to the god of love. She had left her followers to find somewhere quiet in
which to pray and think. She needed to plan how she was to reach more
people with the message of love. Eve felt a tingle on the back of her neck.
She recognized that feeling instantly. She may no longer be a warrior but
she still had the same abilities she'd had while being Livia and she knew
she was being watched. There was one person, not too far away.
Without even opening her eyes she called out into the woods, "You may as well come out, I know you're there."
A figure emerged from behind a nearby tree, her lips in a sullen pout at being spotted.
Eve stood and smiled serenely. "Hello."
"How did you know I was there?" the redheaded woman asked her brow furrowed tightly.
"I have many skills." Eve joked lightly.
The woman regarded Eve more closely, looking at her intently for a few moments.
"What?" Eve finally huffed.
"You must be related to Xena." The redhead surmised.
"You know my mother?" Eve asked.
"You're mother? That's impossible, Xena's child was in her womb the last I saw her. You can't possibly be her child."
"I assure you I am. You can ask her yourself." Eve replied.
"But you're what, 20? 22 years old?"
"25 actually." Eve stated truthfully.
"Well I saw Xena a couple months ago, there's no way you grew up that fast."
"Looks like you're missing a couple years." Eve responded.
The redheaded women began to look troubled.
"Are you alright?" Eve asked gently.
"I think so. How old am I?" the woman asked.
"You look no older than me." Eve said.
"How can that be if 25 years have past?" she said looking obviously distressed.
"You'd have to ask my mother or Gabrielle about that one." Eve replied glibly.
"What is your name?" the women asked.
"Eve, and yours?"
"Amarese."
"Well you must be an amazon." Eve noted.
Amarese smiled proudly. "Yes I am."
Eve noticed right away Amarese's childlike charm. Her face was so expressive. Her feelings shone on her face at every moment.
"You're not an amazon right?" Amarese asked.
"No, why?"
"You don't look like one."
Eve looked down at her robed clothing.
"I look positively roman don't I?"
They both laughed.
Amarise was pondering how she hadn't aged a day in 25 years and where her tribe had gone. All she remembered was waking up where her camp was supposed to be except there was nothing and no one there. She had to have some answers.
"Don't be troubled. We'll go to my mother and she'll help us find the answers you need." Eve said touching Amarese's shoulder.
Startled, Amarese looked up into Eve's large blue eyes. She seemed so pure to Amarese, so easy to trust.
"Thank you Eve."
The rest of the day the two most unlikely companions, one The Messenger of Eli, the other an amazon that hadn't aged in 25 years, walked towards the city of Thrace. As they traveled Eve spoke to Amarese, telling her all that she had missed. She also spoke the message of Eli to Amarese.
"I can't believe all the gods are dead."
"Well not all, but most. Aries and Aphrodite are still around somewhere, but Eli is the only true god." Eve explained.
"So how long till we reach Thrace?" Amarese said looking up into the late afternoon sky.
"An hour or so. I know for sure that mother will be in Thrace tomorrow. Gabrielle is dragging her to the annual fair."
"That sounds like it would be one of Xena's least favorite things to do." Amarese smiled wryly.
"You'd be surprised the things you'll do for love." Eve said raising her eyebrow in true Xena fashion.
"Have you ever been in love?" Amarese asked.
" No." Eve blushed. "Maybe I was only meant to bring the message of love."
"And never feel it? That seems cruel." Amarese stated bluntly.
Eve lapsed into silence. Amarese shrugged and kept watching the tranquil woman beside her. Suddenly a group of thugs emerged from the woods in front of them. The sound of Amarese's sword being pulled from its sheath rang through the air and she held it at the ready. Eve turned around and saw two more men at they're back.
"Please I implore you, drop your swords and follow the way of love. Eli can teach you to let go of hate and violence and embrace truth and love." Eve preached.
"I don't think they're much interested in love Eve." Amarese said, her voice low and her eyes shifting nervously.
"You ladies can I either come with us nicely or come with us after alot of pain." One of the unshaven men stated gruffly.
"I'll handle this, stay back." Amarese said to Eve.
"Well I don't like choices A and B, how about C.. you morons attack us, I kill you, and we continue on our merry way?" Amarese offered with a toss of her red curls.
The same man growled angrily and all 3 of the men in front attacked Amarese. The clash of swords and the grunts of effort from the fight reached Eve's ears as she slowly backed away from the two men that had come from behind.
"Come on girly. We won't hurt you, as you said love is the better way." One thug said licking his lips.
Eve's mouth curled in disgust. She refrained from her first instinct, which was to break his neck and prayed to Eli for strength to resist using violence. She then heard Amarese scream. Eve turned in time to see the man that had spoken earlier, the leader obviously, standing over Amarese with a malicious grin spreading across his face. Without thought Eve jumped into the air with a guttural yell, flipping and landing directly in front of the man, almost right on top of Amarese.
"You need to learn to play nice." Eve said as she kicked his sword arm, hard enough for his weapon to fly into the air and be caught in Eve's more than capable hands.
She let the point rest on the tip of the ruffians Adams apple as he swallowed, visible shaken.
"Run." Eve commanded, her eyes as cold as ice.
Those left conscious did just that. Eve looked down at the sword in her hands and shook her head wishing she could wipe them all from the face of the earth. She threw it into the bushes and turned to offer a hand to Amarese.
Amarese's eyes and mouth were both wide with shock at this seemingly docile woman suddenly transforming into one of the most dangerous warriors she had ever seen. She shook herself, reealizing Eve was waiting for her to get up. Amarese took the offered hand and let herself be helped to her feet. The glorious fierceness in Eve's gaze would not soon be forgotten.
"So that was option D?" Amarese asked.
"I never was good at multiple choice." Eve replied.
Amarese's arm was cut slightly, nothing too serious. Eve bandaged her arm carefully and they continued on they're way.
Amarese was still in awe at Eve's obvious combat abilities.
"I didn't think you could fight like that, you don't seem the type." Amarese commented.
"I'm not." Eve said her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry." Amarese said automatically. She didn't want to upset this woman, her new friend, who incidentally had just saved her life.
Eve's shoulders sagged and she resigned herself to telling Amarese about her past.
"You'll hear about it sooner or later, it may as well be from me. If you hate me after this I wouldn't blame you." Eve said as she felt the familiar and yet still profound sadness well up inside of her.
"I grew up in Rome, thinking my name was Livia. I was to be married to Caesar, to be his empress and the great warrior for Rome. I was ruthless. I killed many. I killed men, women, and even children." Eve looked at Amarese's face, fearful of seeing disgust written there.
"I raided an amazon village and captured them to sell them as slaves. I killed many in the raid." The tears ran down Eve's face as she spoke, "I killed a young girl in that raid, all she was doing was trying to protect her sister."
Amarese's face showed her surprise at this new information. She couldn't believe this kind and loving woman could ever do such a thing. Then she remembered the look upon Eve's face as she held the mercenary at knifepoint. Amarese finally understood where the shroud of desolation that Eve carried with her came from. But instead of feeling anger she only felt sadness, sadness for the loss of her sisters and regret that someone, anyone, maybe even herself, hadn't been able to change fate so that this beautiful creature hadn't been turned into the twisted creature that was Livia. Amarese watched as Eve cried, a cry of the tormented, the mourning of a woman that felt like she deserved to be punished. Amarese couldn't take the pain she felt at seeing Eve that way and she embraced her.
Eve's crying soon subsided, she'd already cried so much. Amarese had been smoothing Eve's silky brown hair as Eve cried into her shoulder and continued to even after the sobs subsided. Amarese tipped Eve's head up to look at her face. It was streaked with her salty tears. Amarese could feel her heart breaking for Eve as she wiped Eve's tears away with the back of her hand. All Amarese could think was that Eve needed to be loved and cared for so badly when inexplicably Amarese kissed Eve lightly on the lips. Amarese pulled back slowly shocked at her own actions.
"Just don't cry ok?" Amarese said quickly, looking down at her feet.
When Amarese finally found the courage to look up again a few seconds later she saw Eve's face. Eve stood there, her eyes still closed and her lips slightly open. Amarese felt a coil of passion form in her stomach at the sight.
The two didn't speak the rest of the walk to Thrace. Both of the women's minds were running wild. Finally they walked into the city. The festival was packed. People from all around had gathered. There were fire breathers, stilt walkers, food stands and games.
Forgetting for a moment the turmoil of only minutes before Amarese impetuously grabbed Eve's hand and dragged her to one of the game booths.
"Wow!" Amarese's supple lips turned up into a stunning smile.
Eve replied with one of her sideways grins at Amarese's obvious glee.
"Haven't you ever been to a festival?" Eve asked.
"Not since I was really little." Amarese answered becoming shy again.
"It's nice to see the festival through your eyes Amarese. I lived in Rome for most of my life and saw festivals constantly, most in my honour. I never cared much for them." Eve explained.
"How does this game work?" Amarese asked pointing at the balloons pinned to the wall.
"You take these small darts and throw them at the balloons from here and when you hit them you get a prize." Eve said as she pointed to the balloons.
"Oh, you want to try it?" Amarese cajoled, raising her eyebrows questioningly and biting her lip.
"I don't know.." Eve answered reluctantly.
"Come on please?" Amarese begged.
"Alright, alright!" Eve capitulated.
Both women picked up 5 darts and threw them one by one listening to the pops as the balloons exploded. In the end ten balloons were popped. The man behind seemed a little surly but he still handed Amarese the largest teddy bear in the stand.
"Happy?" Eve asked as Amarese hugged her life-sized teddy.
"Yep." Amarese nodded with a self-satisfied grin on her face.
Eve just shook her head.
"You know what?" Amarese asked.
"What?" Eve asked back.
"I wonder if this is what Xena and Gabrielle are doing right now." Amarese said.
"What do you mean?" Eve asked perplexed.
"Well here we are at a festival, obviously not one of your favorite places and you're humouring me with games. I wonder if somewhere in this square Xena is humouring Gabrielle, if only to see her smile." Amarice said, her eyes raised upwards as she imagined how cute it would be.
"Well that's why I did it." Eve said with another sheepish half grin.
It finally struck Amarese, she was falling for Eve. Amarese blinked a few times.
"Amarese?" Eve prompted.
"Huh? What?" Amarese asked realizing she was being spoken to.
"I said look there's mom and Gabrielle right over there!" Eve said pointing to a food stand down the street.
Amarese peered down the street at the pair. Gabrielle had a piece of candy and she was raising it to Xena's mouth, looking as if she had to convince Xena like a child just to open her mouth. Xena rolled her eyes but allowed Gabrielle to place the candy in her mouth. At one point Gabrielle wasn't faced towards Xena and she had the same self-satisfied grin that had been on Amarese's face earlier.
"Gabrielle really has your mother wrapped around her little finger." Amarese commented.
"Hey!" Eve exclaimed automatically going to her mothers' defense.
Amarese just looked at Eve as if to say 'Come on now.'
Eve looked back at the two continue to feed one another.
"Ok, you right." Eve admitted.
Amarese was just about to reach over and take Eve's hand when she was tapped on the shoulder.
"Amarese?" Gabrielle asked studying the redhead in front of her.
"Gabrielle!" Amarese gushed as she hugged Gabrielle and Xena.
"You haven't aged a day since I last saw you." Gabrielle exclaimed.
"Neither have you! Pretty strange huh?" Amarese asked. "I also don't have a clue how it happened. I was with the northern amazons, learning from them how to truly be the amazon you made me and then on my night of initiation I went to sleep and when I woke up there was no one and nothing around, almost as if there was never a camp there. I came to look for you and Xena because I didn't know what else to do, instead I found Eve."
"Mother!" Eve smiled as she hugged her mom and Xena kissed her head. "Gabrielle." She said fondly as she hugged Gabrielle as well.
"I think I know what's happening." Xena claimed, getting right to the chase as usual. "Gabrielle wasn't there an amazon scroll having to do with this situation? Some sort of prophecy or something?"
Gabrielle looked sheepish. "Maybe? Truthfully I didn't really read all the scrolls they gave me about amazon prophecy."
"You? Not wanting to read scrolls? I never thought I'd see the day." Xena teased.
"They were just so boring." Gabrielle whined slightly.
Eve and Amarese exchanged glances.
"Well then I guess we better read these scrolls right?" Amarese asked.
"Yes, the amazons aren't far from here." Xena stated. "Oh and Amarese just one question."
Amarese looked up questioningly.
"You aren't seriously going to take that with you right?"
Amarese looked down at her teddy and pouted. "But Eve and I won in together!"
Gabrielle and Xena had an incredulous look on their faces. Eve just thought it was adorable.
"I'll win you another one later." Eve promised.
"Hey I helped!" Amarese said indignantly.
Eve started laughing so hard she had to wipe her eyes from the tears. Amarese just stuck out her tongue and stalked off to find a child to give the toy to. Now it was Xena and Gabrielle's turn to exchange looks.
"So what's all that about?" Gabrielle asked Eve.
Recovering from her fit of laughter Eve replied, "What's what all about?"
"You and Amarese." Gabrielle said as if explaining to an idiot.
"Nothing, we're friends." Eve said blushing.
"Uh huh." Xena smiled roguishly.
At that moment Amarese returned, teddyless and still pouting. Amarese sighed. "Ok off to the nearest amazon village!"
The four women arrived in the village and were greeted with hugs and party preparations to honour Queen Gabrielle.
Xena and Gabrielle were examining the amazon scrolls while Amarese and Eve had their tour of the amazon camp.
"Here it is, listen to this. And as the amazon pretender becomes real by the hand of she which is amazon but not of amazon blood thus the prophecy begins. The pretender becomes the protector of the amazon who is unknown to herself but is known throughout the world as priestess and warrior, only the unknown amazons mothers know she is a princess."
"And that means?" Gabrielle asked.
"Look." Xena said, parting the tent flaps and pointing at Amarese and Eve. They sat together smiling and talking.
"Amarese was the pretender, until you made her a real amazon."
"And Eve is the unknown amazon!" Gabrielle realized.
"Exactly, Priestess of Eli, Warrior Livia, and Princess of the amazons because you gave her your right of cast when she was a baby!"
"What does the rest say?" Gabrielle asked.
"It says. The Amazons unite under the two, priestess and protector, to follow love and a new and great age for the Amazons begins."
"They're in love and they don't even see it." Gabrielle exclaimed.
"We didn't for the longest time remember?" Xena asked.
"Yes, but maybe we can speed things up a bit for those two." Gabrielle's mind was already thinking up ways to help the two misguided young women.
"I'm not getting involved in this." Xena said chuckling as she bolted from the tent.
"Hey Eve!" Gabrielle called.
"Yes?" Eve replied.
"Why don't you go take a bath, there's a Hot Springs not far from camp." Gabrielle suggested as innocently as possible.
"Sounds wonderful." Eve replied excitedly.
"It's right over there." Gabrielle pointed.
Eve left and immediately Gabrielle noticed Amarese became a little withdrawn. Gabrielle made small talk for a few minutes and then threw the bait.
"Maybe you should go take a bath yourself, at the very least give Eve some company." Gabrielle shrugged.
"I think I'll do that, I'll talk to you later and we can look up that scroll thing k?" Amarese said as she bolted towards the Hot Springs not waiting for Gabrielle to answer.
The Hot Springs were wonderful. Eve sank into the steamy depths up to her neck.
"Mmm." She sighed contentedly.
Amarese coughed loudly to announce her presence.
"Oh hey." Eve smiled in greeting "This is so great, you have to come in."
"Ok." Amarese squeaked.
Amarese undressed in front of Eve, trying to pretend she didn't care that Eve was seeing her naked. When she turned around Eve's eyes were vividly taking in every detail of Amarese's body. It looked like she was trying to devour Amarese with her eyes. Amarese entered the spring quickly.
"By the gods this is great!" Amarese said her eyes closing.
Amarese felt the water move slightly so she opened her eyes and was shocked to see Eve standing right in front of her.
"Wash my hair and I'll wash yours." Eve asked turning her back to Amarese.
Amarese just stood there for a moment and then her eyes were drawn to Eve's left shoulder, slick with water. Never being one to think ahead she just leaned down and simply licked Eve's shoulder. Eve's body stiffened in surprise but then she bit her lip and turned around to look at Amarese.
"You taste like the purist essence of the earth and smell like lilacs." Amarese whispered hoarsely.
Eve drew Amarese to her and as their wet bodies softly collided underwater they both whimpered softly. Their hearts were beating in unison and beating so fast. Eve's passion flared as she grabbed Amarese by the neck and drew her into a feral kiss. Amarese responded in kind with fervor. She picked Eve up and Eve wrapped her legs around her waist. They moved to the edge of the pool where Amarese deposited Eve.
"I love you." Amarese proclaimed as she kissed her way from the inside of Eve's knee to the inside her thigh to the center of Eve.
Eve held onto Amarese as she reeked havoc on her senses. Eve felt her whole body, heart, and soul shake as Amarese continued her ministrations with her talented mouth and tongue.
"Ama..rese." Eve groaned as she exploded into a million shards of light.
"Where's Eve and Amarise?" Xena asked Gabrielle as the party moved on throughout the night.
Gabrielle smiled but stayed silent.
"What did you do?" Xena asked suspiciously.
"Xena?"
"Yes?"
"I love you." Gabrielle stated simply as she leaned over and kissed her lover tenderly.
Without even opening her eyes she called out into the woods, "You may as well come out, I know you're there."
A figure emerged from behind a nearby tree, her lips in a sullen pout at being spotted.
Eve stood and smiled serenely. "Hello."
"How did you know I was there?" the redheaded woman asked her brow furrowed tightly.
"I have many skills." Eve joked lightly.
The woman regarded Eve more closely, looking at her intently for a few moments.
"What?" Eve finally huffed.
"You must be related to Xena." The redhead surmised.
"You know my mother?" Eve asked.
"You're mother? That's impossible, Xena's child was in her womb the last I saw her. You can't possibly be her child."
"I assure you I am. You can ask her yourself." Eve replied.
"But you're what, 20? 22 years old?"
"25 actually." Eve stated truthfully.
"Well I saw Xena a couple months ago, there's no way you grew up that fast."
"Looks like you're missing a couple years." Eve responded.
The redheaded women began to look troubled.
"Are you alright?" Eve asked gently.
"I think so. How old am I?" the woman asked.
"You look no older than me." Eve said.
"How can that be if 25 years have past?" she said looking obviously distressed.
"You'd have to ask my mother or Gabrielle about that one." Eve replied glibly.
"What is your name?" the women asked.
"Eve, and yours?"
"Amarese."
"Well you must be an amazon." Eve noted.
Amarese smiled proudly. "Yes I am."
Eve noticed right away Amarese's childlike charm. Her face was so expressive. Her feelings shone on her face at every moment.
"You're not an amazon right?" Amarese asked.
"No, why?"
"You don't look like one."
Eve looked down at her robed clothing.
"I look positively roman don't I?"
They both laughed.
Amarise was pondering how she hadn't aged a day in 25 years and where her tribe had gone. All she remembered was waking up where her camp was supposed to be except there was nothing and no one there. She had to have some answers.
"Don't be troubled. We'll go to my mother and she'll help us find the answers you need." Eve said touching Amarese's shoulder.
Startled, Amarese looked up into Eve's large blue eyes. She seemed so pure to Amarese, so easy to trust.
"Thank you Eve."
The rest of the day the two most unlikely companions, one The Messenger of Eli, the other an amazon that hadn't aged in 25 years, walked towards the city of Thrace. As they traveled Eve spoke to Amarese, telling her all that she had missed. She also spoke the message of Eli to Amarese.
"I can't believe all the gods are dead."
"Well not all, but most. Aries and Aphrodite are still around somewhere, but Eli is the only true god." Eve explained.
"So how long till we reach Thrace?" Amarese said looking up into the late afternoon sky.
"An hour or so. I know for sure that mother will be in Thrace tomorrow. Gabrielle is dragging her to the annual fair."
"That sounds like it would be one of Xena's least favorite things to do." Amarese smiled wryly.
"You'd be surprised the things you'll do for love." Eve said raising her eyebrow in true Xena fashion.
"Have you ever been in love?" Amarese asked.
" No." Eve blushed. "Maybe I was only meant to bring the message of love."
"And never feel it? That seems cruel." Amarese stated bluntly.
Eve lapsed into silence. Amarese shrugged and kept watching the tranquil woman beside her. Suddenly a group of thugs emerged from the woods in front of them. The sound of Amarese's sword being pulled from its sheath rang through the air and she held it at the ready. Eve turned around and saw two more men at they're back.
"Please I implore you, drop your swords and follow the way of love. Eli can teach you to let go of hate and violence and embrace truth and love." Eve preached.
"I don't think they're much interested in love Eve." Amarese said, her voice low and her eyes shifting nervously.
"You ladies can I either come with us nicely or come with us after alot of pain." One of the unshaven men stated gruffly.
"I'll handle this, stay back." Amarese said to Eve.
"Well I don't like choices A and B, how about C.. you morons attack us, I kill you, and we continue on our merry way?" Amarese offered with a toss of her red curls.
The same man growled angrily and all 3 of the men in front attacked Amarese. The clash of swords and the grunts of effort from the fight reached Eve's ears as she slowly backed away from the two men that had come from behind.
"Come on girly. We won't hurt you, as you said love is the better way." One thug said licking his lips.
Eve's mouth curled in disgust. She refrained from her first instinct, which was to break his neck and prayed to Eli for strength to resist using violence. She then heard Amarese scream. Eve turned in time to see the man that had spoken earlier, the leader obviously, standing over Amarese with a malicious grin spreading across his face. Without thought Eve jumped into the air with a guttural yell, flipping and landing directly in front of the man, almost right on top of Amarese.
"You need to learn to play nice." Eve said as she kicked his sword arm, hard enough for his weapon to fly into the air and be caught in Eve's more than capable hands.
She let the point rest on the tip of the ruffians Adams apple as he swallowed, visible shaken.
"Run." Eve commanded, her eyes as cold as ice.
Those left conscious did just that. Eve looked down at the sword in her hands and shook her head wishing she could wipe them all from the face of the earth. She threw it into the bushes and turned to offer a hand to Amarese.
Amarese's eyes and mouth were both wide with shock at this seemingly docile woman suddenly transforming into one of the most dangerous warriors she had ever seen. She shook herself, reealizing Eve was waiting for her to get up. Amarese took the offered hand and let herself be helped to her feet. The glorious fierceness in Eve's gaze would not soon be forgotten.
"So that was option D?" Amarese asked.
"I never was good at multiple choice." Eve replied.
Amarese's arm was cut slightly, nothing too serious. Eve bandaged her arm carefully and they continued on they're way.
Amarese was still in awe at Eve's obvious combat abilities.
"I didn't think you could fight like that, you don't seem the type." Amarese commented.
"I'm not." Eve said her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry." Amarese said automatically. She didn't want to upset this woman, her new friend, who incidentally had just saved her life.
Eve's shoulders sagged and she resigned herself to telling Amarese about her past.
"You'll hear about it sooner or later, it may as well be from me. If you hate me after this I wouldn't blame you." Eve said as she felt the familiar and yet still profound sadness well up inside of her.
"I grew up in Rome, thinking my name was Livia. I was to be married to Caesar, to be his empress and the great warrior for Rome. I was ruthless. I killed many. I killed men, women, and even children." Eve looked at Amarese's face, fearful of seeing disgust written there.
"I raided an amazon village and captured them to sell them as slaves. I killed many in the raid." The tears ran down Eve's face as she spoke, "I killed a young girl in that raid, all she was doing was trying to protect her sister."
Amarese's face showed her surprise at this new information. She couldn't believe this kind and loving woman could ever do such a thing. Then she remembered the look upon Eve's face as she held the mercenary at knifepoint. Amarese finally understood where the shroud of desolation that Eve carried with her came from. But instead of feeling anger she only felt sadness, sadness for the loss of her sisters and regret that someone, anyone, maybe even herself, hadn't been able to change fate so that this beautiful creature hadn't been turned into the twisted creature that was Livia. Amarese watched as Eve cried, a cry of the tormented, the mourning of a woman that felt like she deserved to be punished. Amarese couldn't take the pain she felt at seeing Eve that way and she embraced her.
Eve's crying soon subsided, she'd already cried so much. Amarese had been smoothing Eve's silky brown hair as Eve cried into her shoulder and continued to even after the sobs subsided. Amarese tipped Eve's head up to look at her face. It was streaked with her salty tears. Amarese could feel her heart breaking for Eve as she wiped Eve's tears away with the back of her hand. All Amarese could think was that Eve needed to be loved and cared for so badly when inexplicably Amarese kissed Eve lightly on the lips. Amarese pulled back slowly shocked at her own actions.
"Just don't cry ok?" Amarese said quickly, looking down at her feet.
When Amarese finally found the courage to look up again a few seconds later she saw Eve's face. Eve stood there, her eyes still closed and her lips slightly open. Amarese felt a coil of passion form in her stomach at the sight.
The two didn't speak the rest of the walk to Thrace. Both of the women's minds were running wild. Finally they walked into the city. The festival was packed. People from all around had gathered. There were fire breathers, stilt walkers, food stands and games.
Forgetting for a moment the turmoil of only minutes before Amarese impetuously grabbed Eve's hand and dragged her to one of the game booths.
"Wow!" Amarese's supple lips turned up into a stunning smile.
Eve replied with one of her sideways grins at Amarese's obvious glee.
"Haven't you ever been to a festival?" Eve asked.
"Not since I was really little." Amarese answered becoming shy again.
"It's nice to see the festival through your eyes Amarese. I lived in Rome for most of my life and saw festivals constantly, most in my honour. I never cared much for them." Eve explained.
"How does this game work?" Amarese asked pointing at the balloons pinned to the wall.
"You take these small darts and throw them at the balloons from here and when you hit them you get a prize." Eve said as she pointed to the balloons.
"Oh, you want to try it?" Amarese cajoled, raising her eyebrows questioningly and biting her lip.
"I don't know.." Eve answered reluctantly.
"Come on please?" Amarese begged.
"Alright, alright!" Eve capitulated.
Both women picked up 5 darts and threw them one by one listening to the pops as the balloons exploded. In the end ten balloons were popped. The man behind seemed a little surly but he still handed Amarese the largest teddy bear in the stand.
"Happy?" Eve asked as Amarese hugged her life-sized teddy.
"Yep." Amarese nodded with a self-satisfied grin on her face.
Eve just shook her head.
"You know what?" Amarese asked.
"What?" Eve asked back.
"I wonder if this is what Xena and Gabrielle are doing right now." Amarese said.
"What do you mean?" Eve asked perplexed.
"Well here we are at a festival, obviously not one of your favorite places and you're humouring me with games. I wonder if somewhere in this square Xena is humouring Gabrielle, if only to see her smile." Amarice said, her eyes raised upwards as she imagined how cute it would be.
"Well that's why I did it." Eve said with another sheepish half grin.
It finally struck Amarese, she was falling for Eve. Amarese blinked a few times.
"Amarese?" Eve prompted.
"Huh? What?" Amarese asked realizing she was being spoken to.
"I said look there's mom and Gabrielle right over there!" Eve said pointing to a food stand down the street.
Amarese peered down the street at the pair. Gabrielle had a piece of candy and she was raising it to Xena's mouth, looking as if she had to convince Xena like a child just to open her mouth. Xena rolled her eyes but allowed Gabrielle to place the candy in her mouth. At one point Gabrielle wasn't faced towards Xena and she had the same self-satisfied grin that had been on Amarese's face earlier.
"Gabrielle really has your mother wrapped around her little finger." Amarese commented.
"Hey!" Eve exclaimed automatically going to her mothers' defense.
Amarese just looked at Eve as if to say 'Come on now.'
Eve looked back at the two continue to feed one another.
"Ok, you right." Eve admitted.
Amarese was just about to reach over and take Eve's hand when she was tapped on the shoulder.
"Amarese?" Gabrielle asked studying the redhead in front of her.
"Gabrielle!" Amarese gushed as she hugged Gabrielle and Xena.
"You haven't aged a day since I last saw you." Gabrielle exclaimed.
"Neither have you! Pretty strange huh?" Amarese asked. "I also don't have a clue how it happened. I was with the northern amazons, learning from them how to truly be the amazon you made me and then on my night of initiation I went to sleep and when I woke up there was no one and nothing around, almost as if there was never a camp there. I came to look for you and Xena because I didn't know what else to do, instead I found Eve."
"Mother!" Eve smiled as she hugged her mom and Xena kissed her head. "Gabrielle." She said fondly as she hugged Gabrielle as well.
"I think I know what's happening." Xena claimed, getting right to the chase as usual. "Gabrielle wasn't there an amazon scroll having to do with this situation? Some sort of prophecy or something?"
Gabrielle looked sheepish. "Maybe? Truthfully I didn't really read all the scrolls they gave me about amazon prophecy."
"You? Not wanting to read scrolls? I never thought I'd see the day." Xena teased.
"They were just so boring." Gabrielle whined slightly.
Eve and Amarese exchanged glances.
"Well then I guess we better read these scrolls right?" Amarese asked.
"Yes, the amazons aren't far from here." Xena stated. "Oh and Amarese just one question."
Amarese looked up questioningly.
"You aren't seriously going to take that with you right?"
Amarese looked down at her teddy and pouted. "But Eve and I won in together!"
Gabrielle and Xena had an incredulous look on their faces. Eve just thought it was adorable.
"I'll win you another one later." Eve promised.
"Hey I helped!" Amarese said indignantly.
Eve started laughing so hard she had to wipe her eyes from the tears. Amarese just stuck out her tongue and stalked off to find a child to give the toy to. Now it was Xena and Gabrielle's turn to exchange looks.
"So what's all that about?" Gabrielle asked Eve.
Recovering from her fit of laughter Eve replied, "What's what all about?"
"You and Amarese." Gabrielle said as if explaining to an idiot.
"Nothing, we're friends." Eve said blushing.
"Uh huh." Xena smiled roguishly.
At that moment Amarese returned, teddyless and still pouting. Amarese sighed. "Ok off to the nearest amazon village!"
The four women arrived in the village and were greeted with hugs and party preparations to honour Queen Gabrielle.
Xena and Gabrielle were examining the amazon scrolls while Amarese and Eve had their tour of the amazon camp.
"Here it is, listen to this. And as the amazon pretender becomes real by the hand of she which is amazon but not of amazon blood thus the prophecy begins. The pretender becomes the protector of the amazon who is unknown to herself but is known throughout the world as priestess and warrior, only the unknown amazons mothers know she is a princess."
"And that means?" Gabrielle asked.
"Look." Xena said, parting the tent flaps and pointing at Amarese and Eve. They sat together smiling and talking.
"Amarese was the pretender, until you made her a real amazon."
"And Eve is the unknown amazon!" Gabrielle realized.
"Exactly, Priestess of Eli, Warrior Livia, and Princess of the amazons because you gave her your right of cast when she was a baby!"
"What does the rest say?" Gabrielle asked.
"It says. The Amazons unite under the two, priestess and protector, to follow love and a new and great age for the Amazons begins."
"They're in love and they don't even see it." Gabrielle exclaimed.
"We didn't for the longest time remember?" Xena asked.
"Yes, but maybe we can speed things up a bit for those two." Gabrielle's mind was already thinking up ways to help the two misguided young women.
"I'm not getting involved in this." Xena said chuckling as she bolted from the tent.
"Hey Eve!" Gabrielle called.
"Yes?" Eve replied.
"Why don't you go take a bath, there's a Hot Springs not far from camp." Gabrielle suggested as innocently as possible.
"Sounds wonderful." Eve replied excitedly.
"It's right over there." Gabrielle pointed.
Eve left and immediately Gabrielle noticed Amarese became a little withdrawn. Gabrielle made small talk for a few minutes and then threw the bait.
"Maybe you should go take a bath yourself, at the very least give Eve some company." Gabrielle shrugged.
"I think I'll do that, I'll talk to you later and we can look up that scroll thing k?" Amarese said as she bolted towards the Hot Springs not waiting for Gabrielle to answer.
The Hot Springs were wonderful. Eve sank into the steamy depths up to her neck.
"Mmm." She sighed contentedly.
Amarese coughed loudly to announce her presence.
"Oh hey." Eve smiled in greeting "This is so great, you have to come in."
"Ok." Amarese squeaked.
Amarese undressed in front of Eve, trying to pretend she didn't care that Eve was seeing her naked. When she turned around Eve's eyes were vividly taking in every detail of Amarese's body. It looked like she was trying to devour Amarese with her eyes. Amarese entered the spring quickly.
"By the gods this is great!" Amarese said her eyes closing.
Amarese felt the water move slightly so she opened her eyes and was shocked to see Eve standing right in front of her.
"Wash my hair and I'll wash yours." Eve asked turning her back to Amarese.
Amarese just stood there for a moment and then her eyes were drawn to Eve's left shoulder, slick with water. Never being one to think ahead she just leaned down and simply licked Eve's shoulder. Eve's body stiffened in surprise but then she bit her lip and turned around to look at Amarese.
"You taste like the purist essence of the earth and smell like lilacs." Amarese whispered hoarsely.
Eve drew Amarese to her and as their wet bodies softly collided underwater they both whimpered softly. Their hearts were beating in unison and beating so fast. Eve's passion flared as she grabbed Amarese by the neck and drew her into a feral kiss. Amarese responded in kind with fervor. She picked Eve up and Eve wrapped her legs around her waist. They moved to the edge of the pool where Amarese deposited Eve.
"I love you." Amarese proclaimed as she kissed her way from the inside of Eve's knee to the inside her thigh to the center of Eve.
Eve held onto Amarese as she reeked havoc on her senses. Eve felt her whole body, heart, and soul shake as Amarese continued her ministrations with her talented mouth and tongue.
"Ama..rese." Eve groaned as she exploded into a million shards of light.
"Where's Eve and Amarise?" Xena asked Gabrielle as the party moved on throughout the night.
Gabrielle smiled but stayed silent.
"What did you do?" Xena asked suspiciously.
"Xena?"
"Yes?"
"I love you." Gabrielle stated simply as she leaned over and kissed her lover tenderly.