The Giggly Bard

Post-Episode 113

By Jinxie

Disclaimer: See the main story disclaimer, it applies

Content Warning: See the main story warning, it applies

Goal: See the main story goal, it applies

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End of Episode 113 (S6, E1):

Xena saw Ares sitting on a hillside, looking down at his bruised hand, rocking back and forth in pain. "Hey." She greeted him with a grimace, trying to stifle the pain she was in from their fight.

The god of war looked up at her, "Mortality stinks- not to mention hurts." He clenched and unclenched his swollen fist.

"Yeah, it does sometimes." The Warrior Princess leaned over and tended to the wound on his forhead.

Wincing again, he commented, "You have got a wicked right jab."

Xena smiled and cocked her eyebrow, "Sorry about that."

Ares sighed, "It's not the end of the world. Who knows? Maybe as a mortal I can experience something I never could as a god."

"Like what?"

He stilled her hand with his own, "Like you."

Her eyes softened upon seeing the hope in his eyes, "You never give up, do you?" She leaned in and kissed him on his cut and bruised mouth.

"Ow. I guess I'm finally gettin' to ya." He said smiling at her.

"You always got to me- but you were bad for me, Ares. You still are." She turned and walked away from him.

He stood up, "Xena, is there even a chance we could be together one day? I don't know, maybe, you know…one in a thousand?"

She turned around, sad that she had to break his heart yet again. After all, he had done so much for her recently. He brought back to life the two women she loved more than life itself. "More like one in a billion."

"So you're sayin' there is a chance." He said with a hopeful smirk. Xena's only reply was a smile, chuckle and a shake of her head. The god of war grew quiet and then decided it was time to leave. For a moment, he forgot that he could no longer vanish into thin air due to his new mortality. "I gotta stop tryin' that. I'm gonna rupture something."

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Later that day, Xena was pushing her small family to continue on their trek, despite how bad she felt after her fight with Ares. Gabrielle and Eve were riding many paces behind Xena, whispering quietly to each other. "Gabrielle, we have to do something. She needs to rest."

Gabrielle chuckled a little, causing Eve to glare at her. "I'm not saying I don't agree. I just know that there is no way I can stop her. If she wants to keep going and hurt herself more, she will. I already suggested we find a place to stop and rest. You saw how she blew that off." Gabrielle pulled Eve's horse to a stop along side hers. "Maybe if you try…" Eve nodded her head and clicked her tongue, causing her horse to trot into action.

A moment later she caught up with her mother. She knew that she had to make it about her or Gabrielle, rather than the Warrior Princess herself. Otherwise it was no use. "Mother? Do you think maybe we could stop for awhile? I'm really tired and Gabrielle is cold."

Xena stopped Argo, looking at her daughter then back at her lover. "Gabrielle…cold? Naa she doesn't stop when she is cold. Did she tell you to try and get me to stop?" Xena cocked her eyebrow in question, waiting for her daughter to crack.

"I'm just saying that I could tell she is cold. I know that she will keep going but I worry about her. Besides, I'm very tired. All the emotions with the Amazons made me a wreck. Is there an inn somewhere that we could stop?" Eve carefully made her eyes look like a puppy dog, begging her mom to do her bidding.

Xena sighed and looked back as Gabrielle caught up to them. She did look pretty cold. "Fine. There is a little town about a mile or so I think. I was going to camp outside, but maybe we could find an inn there. Gab, are you ok?" She reached out and squeezed the bard's hand. Damn, she really is cold.

"I'm fine. But a good nights sleep in a warm bed would be nice." She squeezed Xena's hand and smiled softly. "I think we all could use a little warmth."

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As they approached the inn, Eve noticed that there were quite a few of Eli's followers in the town. Many had fish shaped emblems on their clothing, signifying their religious devotion. She also noticed that many of them look like they'd been beaten and might even be homeless. One woman in particular drew her attention. She had long black hair like her mother, but she had green eyes like Gabrielle. The woman's body was thin and frail, like she hadn't had a meal in a long time. She had two children with her, they were in bad condition as well. Eve looked over at her mom and noticed that Gabrielle was looking at the Elijans as well.

Gabrielle caught Eve's eyes and furrowed her brow in concern. After dismounting, Xena led their horses to the stable as Gabrielle and Eve walked into the inn. The bard stopped at the door and turned to her daughter, "Eve, why don't you go see if we can offer them some medical assistance. I'll get us checked in, then come out to join you."

Eve was relieved that she was going to be able to help. She knew that Xena and Gabrielle helped those in need but it seemed like they got more involved in defended people than helping sick or hungry people. She smiled at the blond then jogged out the door to talk to the woman she had seen. She ran right past Xena.

"Eve!" Xena yelled, causing her daughter to turn and smile at her. She saw her heading toward some people. Confused, she turned to find Gabrielle. The bard walked out right then and stopped in front of Xena. Together they watch as Eve drew the crowd of people to her, asking them about what had happened to them. "Who are they?"

"I think they are Elijans. It looks like something has happened to them. They look like they've been hurt. Eve noticed them when we first got here; she wants to help." Gabrielle hooked her arm in the crook of Xena's elbow. "Come on, lets go upstairs to our room."

"Shouldn't we help?" Xena looked with compassion at the people as her daughter talked to them about Eli's love for them. She looked down at Gabrielle's soft green eyes.

"We will. Let's go upstairs first and get settled in. Let her do her thing." Gabrielle whistled to Eve catching her glance. She pointed to herself and Xena and point up, indicating that they were going to their room. The young woman nodded and smiled, then continued talking.

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Once up in the room, Gabrielle helped Xena take off her armor. The warrior winced at almost every move. "You are really hurting, huh? Dying in cold water is something we should definitely stay away from." She tried to bring some light to the situation. "For the record, it was a good plan. Doesn't mean I liked it."

Xena smiled as Gabrielle drew a warm bath for them. "Yeah, I know that neither of you liked it. But it was the right thing to do. It worked, right?" gods if I wasn't able to come back from being dead, they both would have hunted me down in the underworld. "Are you getting in the tub with me?" she suggested, waggling her eyebrows.

"Yes I am. I need to get you cleaned up and then put some poultice on all these lacerations. Then we will go see our daughter and help her." The bard undressed and then unzipped Xena's bodice, letting it drop to the floor. Xena's body was black and blue, a painful reminder of just how human she is and what fighting a god can do.

"So did you get a room for Eve?" Xena looked around and noticed that there was a bed big enough for two, but that was it. "I would hate for her to sleep on the floor in here."

"The innkeeper has an extra bed that he is going to bring up. The price of two rooms was way out of our price range." The blond tested the water in the tub, finding it perfect to the touch. "Come on, sweetie." Xena walked slowly over, hobbling like an old woman. Gabrielle giggled a little at the sight.

The warrior looked up and glared at her, "Don't laugh. It hurts." Xena eased herself into the hot water and moaned at how good it felt. "Oh that's nice." She reached up and pulled Gabrielle down into the water with her. She snuggled her nose into her favorite neck. She kissed it gently and repeatedly.

"Mmm that's nice. Aren't you glad we stopped for the night?" She felt a prodding finger at her ribs, "Aaah Xena! That tickles!" she laughed uncontrollable as she wiggled to get free. Finally she was able to move across the tub from her lover.

"I shouldn't have done that… that hurt." She closed her eyes as she tried to will the pain away. "And I know that you put her up to making me stop for the night." She opened one eye and stared at the bard, then closed it after Gabrielle looked down in guilt. "It's ok. You were right, I did need this."

The bard grabbed some soap and moved over to the warrior to begin cleaning her wounds. "I had to do it. You have a tendency to keep going and run yourself into the ground. Plus I think we all needed a break." She leaned in and kissed Xena softly on the lips. "I'm excited to snuggle up next to you tonight. I have been cold since we got you out of that icy water."

As the bard continued to clean the beat up ex-warlord, Eve came through the door. She looked around spotting the two women in the bathtub. They were entwined, not just bathing together like friends. Mmhmm I knew it. "Hi. Sorry I didn't mean to interrupt your bath. I just wanted to get changed."

"It's ok honey." Xena said as she smiled down at Gabrielle. "So tell us about those people out there."

Eve had been avoiding looking directly at the two women. She had seen them both naked when they bathed in a pond or river, but for some reason, indoors she felt like she should avert her eyes completely. Xena noticed, so she cleared her throat causing the messenger to look her way. "You can come over here ya know. We won't bite." She snapped her teeth for emphasis.

Eve chuckled and realized her silliness. She grabbed a chair and moved it next to the tub. "What I learned is that they are a group of Elijan refugees that came from Athens. Apparently they are not welcome there any longer, so they fled. They've been on the run for a month or so, trying desperately to stay away from people that dislike Eli's followers. They were in a town a few miles from here and were stoned until they left. That's why they are in such bad condition. They've also ran into many towns that won't give them food, not even for dinars. Since they are all city folk, they don't know how to hunt and survive on their own."

"Maybe we could teach them some skills?" Gabrielle chimed in as she washed Xena's hair. She scrubbed deeply massaging Xena's scalp, eliciting the warrior's eyes to roll back in her head in pleasure.

"Could we? You would do that?" Eve said in surprise.

Xena's eyes shot open. "What do you mean by that? Of course we would."

"Well, it just seems like you do a lot of fighting for good. I guess I didn't realize you would do other things too." She looked down at her feet, embarrassed for doubting her mother and Gabrielle.

"Sweetheart, Gabrielle and I do a lot of different things to help people. We don't just join in on fights. Though I do love a good fight. We have helped train towns how to use weapons to defend themselves, we have helped in hospitals to help people who are sick and dying, and we have helped feed villages before." Xena looked back over her shoulder at Gabrielle, then she ducked herself under the water to rinse her hair.

"I remember one time we helped rebuild a whole village that had been torn down by Pythes. We were there for a week or so, right Xe?" the warrior had surfaced, spitting water out of her mouth.

"Yeah that's right. That was the week Gabrielle a secret admirer that left flowers on her pillow every morning." Xena said non-chalantly. She received a light slap on the shoulder for that.

"Anyway, we are more than happy to help. Do any of the people need medical help tonight? Any emergencies?"

"There is man that could use some help. He has stitches, but it seems to be rather infected. Could you take a look at it Mother?" Xena looked up from lathering up her bard. She nodded. "Great! I'm going to change clothes and head down to let them know. Also, they could use a place to sleep out of the weather. They don't have money to sleep in the inn. What do you think we can do about that?"

"I'll talk to the inn keeper and see what I can arrange." Gabrielle said right before Xena pushed her head under the water to rinse the soap. She came up sputtering a second later. "Xena!" she wiped the soap out of her eyes and looked back at Eve. She rolled her eyes.

Eve quickly changed clothes and planned to meet up with them downstairs a little later.

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After Xena was cleaned and stitched up, she put on her leathers and headed down the stairs to meet up with the Elijans. Gabrielle followed but went a separate way to talk to the innkeeper. "Hello there. Sorry to bother you, but we could use your help. I'm Gabrielle." She reached her hand out to shake his in introduction. He took her offered hand and shook it, his eyes wide.

"Are you by any chance a bard?" He asked cautiously with a hint of hope in his tone.

"I am. That woman out there is Xena. Have you noticed the people sitting outside your inn? They have no place to stay, no money. Any chance you have room in your inn and would be willing to help them out? They were recently stoned for their religious beliefs. They have hardly eaten. They could use a good man like you to help them out." She smiled, trying to woo him with her charm.

He glanced out the open door of his inn. "I hadn't realized there were people out there. I don't have much room in here, but I do have some room in the barn. Do you think that would work? There is a loft that can fit quite a few people." He walked outside and motioned for Gabrielle to follow him to the barn. They walked inside looking around to see what arrangements could be made.

"Thank you for considering this. I think this would be just fine. There is one man that has an infection though. Is it possible for him to stay in a room? I could tell a story tonight to help pay for it." She walked over and pet Argo on the nose, then the other two horses that they brought with them.

"No need. You and Xena have done enough for this town in the past. Helping these Elijans…well it's the least I could do. I'll get my son out here to help clear some space and put down some extra blankets. We'll also get a nice fire going in the stove out here. They'll stay warm tonight, you have my word." He looked around one last time then smiled at the blond woman before him.

As they walked back to the inn together, Gabrielle caught sight of Xena. She was walking into the inn with a man. He was struggling to walk, holding his side in extreme pain. The bard jogged to help them and joined them just in time as the man began to collapse. He was much larger than Xena, not in height but in width. Gabrielle caught his other side and helped set him on a bench. Xena looked up and saw those beautiful green eyes looking at her. "Gabrielle, this is Menos. I need to take out these stiches and clean his wound. We need to do it in here because this town does not have a healer."

"Ok, what can I do to help?" she helped the man sit back further on the bench. His shirt was ripped in several places. His normally strong looking face and body was battered. He had cuts everywhere and a black eye. His skin was hot to the touch, indicating a fever.

"Get some hot water, soap and see if the innkeeper has anything we can use as a stitch. I'm out of gut." As Gabrielle ran off to gather the items, Xena laid the man down on his good side. She torn lifted his shirt up high so she had better access to the infected area. The stitch job that had been done was terrible. If she didn't do anything, he might die from infection. If he lived, his scar would be terrible and would probably never heal quite right. "Alright Menos. Here is the deal…I have to remove all the stitches and clean this out really well. It's extremely infected. This will hurt like Tartarus, but it has to be done. Are you ok with me doing this?"

"Yes, please do what you need to do." With that confirmation, the warrior and her bard went diligently to work on fixing the man up.

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By the time they got to bed, it was quite late. The three women were more exhausted than before they had arrived. They knew they had a long day ahead of them, so they quickly got into bed to get much needed sleep. Gabrielle snuggled in next to Xena, her face burrowed against her chest. Finally, some peace and quiet. She felt a kiss on her forehead, which was not enough to satisfy her. She needed a better kiss than that if she was going to sleep well. She looked up at Xena begging for more. Xena bent her head down and kissed her gently. The kiss deepened as Gabrielle let out a small, delighted moan. Xena began to giggle, wondering if Gabrielle had forgotten that they were not alone in the room. Gabrielle froze, eyes wide with shock at what had slipped from her vocal chords.

"Night you two. Sleep tight." Eve called over her shoulder, hearing the giggling that continued. She had heard the kiss and the moan. She was now even more certain that her mother had found love in the best possible way and with the best possible person.

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Beginning of Episode 114:

Two Arc Angels were watching over Xena, Gabrielle, and Eve. Michael said to the other, "Xena is finally coming home to Amphipolis. She has no idea what awaits her."

The other, Raphael replied, "I'm more concerned about what awaits us if she should fail in her destiny. If the realm of Hell should spill onto the Earth; we will be the ones to face it."

"Xena has killed most of the Olympian gods. She is the only mortal prepared to face this."

"I hope she is prepared- for all of our sakes."