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Note:— This story was suggested by similar scenes in 'Paradise Found' Series 4. Ep. 13 of 'Xena, Warrior Princess'; but without any of the supernatural influences evident in that episode. The villa in this story, and its unseen owner, should be taken as different from the TV episode. My title is taken from the song of the same name as recorded by the fabulous Julie London, among others.
Disclaimer:— MCA/Universal/RenPics own all copyrights to everything related to 'Xena: Warrior Princess' and I have no rights to them.
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'You and the Night and the Music'
The bed was large, circular, and divided into two equal tear-shaped portions; set opposing each other. One side was covered in black silk, with a white round pillow; while the other was of white silk, with a black round pillow. The bed was placed in the centre of a large high-ceilinged chamber with tall windows running along the garden side, letting wonderful shafts of bright moonlight stream through the open horizontal wooden shutters. Gabrielle, covered in a thin pale-green linen sheet, lay asleep on the white tear-drop; while Xena stood by the side of the black tear-drop, between the bed and the window; watching Gabrielle's sleeping form with a tender eye.
The Moon shone brightly from a cloudless night sky filled with a myriad of stars. The air was still warm with the heat of the day; now slightly cooled to a temperate freshness. It was past midnight, and all was quiet outside as well as within. Though unworried by any impending danger in this quiet part of the country Xena still felt unable to relax and now, in the deep night, had risen to try courting sleep by doing some strenuous exercises on the bare boards of the floor.
She lay on her back, wearing only a short linen shift; hooked her feet under the edge of the bed; and began with some sit-ups; arms crossed over her chest. After a while she settled into a rhythm of steady breathing, pulling her body up almost by force of will. As the minutes went by she began to feel happier. It was her habit, by concentrating on the response of her body to these exercises, to take her mind off more worrying problems. Or generally, at least, this was the case. But tonight, however much she tried to lose herself in the effort of the moment, she still could not drive her mind away from the events of the past few hours.
She and Gabrielle had come to the country estate of their mutual friend Menexenus, on the edge of the mountains, to attend the wedding of his daughter. They had reached the villa, sitting at the centre of wonderful gardens laid out in splendid tree-shaded walks and avenues, two days before. It was a beautiful building known as the Villa of the Faun. And the next day, just a few hours ago, the marriage ceremony had been successfully conducted by the priests to everyone's satisfaction. Everyone's but Xena's, that is. She had spent the day in a state of curious unease; congratulating the happy couple along with all the other guests, certainly: but something seemed to be lacking for the Warrior Princess, and she had spent the rest of the afternoon and evening brooding on this. Only in the early hours of the night; while Gabrielle lay peacefully at rest beside her, did Xena finally admit to herself it was the gentle blonde Amazon who was at the centre of her thoughts. Xena had, quite suddenly in the dark night, realised she was jealous of the newly-wedded couple.
"Isn't this beautiful, Xena?"
The quiet words, soft as a moonbeam's shadow in the silent room, fell on Xena's ear like the tinkling of a mountain brook and she ceased her exercises; sitting with her arms crossed on her bent knees.
"Beautiful, Gabrielle? Yeah, it ain't bad. You should be asleep."
"It's so hushed and peaceful." Gabrielle raised her head to look over at her friend. "It was a lovely ceremony, wasn't it?"
"Yeah—yeah." Xena nodded, without much enthusiasm. "I'm sure they'll be very happy together."
"Of course they'll be happy, Xena." Gabrielle's gentle laugh sounded like water rippling over pebbles. "What's wrong?"
"Oh—can't sleep. You know me." She attempted a laugh too; but it sounded, even to her, more like a grunt.
"I know you, Xena." Gabrielle hunched up on her elbow and studied the head and shoulders of her companion; all she could see from her reclining position. "Did you enjoy the dancing? All those guests. It was a good thing Menexenus held it on the lawn in the evening. More room there. Did you like the music? Those flutes."
"Yeah—the music was nice." Xena nodded slowly—remembering. Something about the airy flickering sounds of the flutes had touched her softly, somehow. "They played a tune I remembered from when I was a girl."
"Ah!"
"Kinda silly." Xena shrugged with embarrassment. "Made me recall sunny days when I ran wild in the meadows—and watched the deer and the birds, and sat under trees and looked at the Spring rain coming down in sheets over the fields. I can remember the smell of the wet earth."
Gabrielle laid her head on the pillow and gazed into Infinity. The cool night air floated into the room through the open shutters to the garden, bringing with it a tender hint of flowers.
"Music can do that." She turned on her back with a sigh. "All the lovely things. Memories of the good times. And the sad, too."
The two women sat and lay motionless while the moon cast its shadows through the shutters in soft white beams only just strong enough to light the recesses of the wide chamber; though all colours were filtered almost to nothingness. And there was silence.
Xena cupped her hands over her knees, and rested her chin on them. She looked from Gabrielle's supine form, across the shadowed room to the horizontal shafts of faint light slipping through the shutters from the garden. All seemed somehow as if it were one whole experience; if it could only be understood properly. Her eyes came round again to the lithe figure lying under the linen cover, only her bare feet showing. Gabrielle was obviously at peace with the world, and Xena felt happy in this knowledge.
"They'll be contented together." Gabrielle's voice sounded like a silver bell echoing in the distance. "She's young; but so much in love. And he's a good man: he'll keep her safe and build a fine home for them. They're a great match."
Xena watched as Gabrielle changed position slightly; her bare toes curling tightly for a second in a way that always made Xena's heart tremble. She had such beautiful feet!
"Are you warm?"
"It's so peaceful." The blonde-haired girl twisted again, to put her hands beneath her head and stare at the rafters. "Do you smell the flowers, Xena. Are those violets. What is Love really, I wonder? Two souls joined together?"
"Two hearts beating as one." Xena spoke gently, afraid her words would pierce the air too sharply.
"Two people who are only reflections of a single soul. I think that's it." Gabrielle leaned up on her elbow again, looking at Xena. "Yes—that's it!"
"I'd like that. Hope it's true." Xena smiled in the darkness and brushed a hand through her unruly dark hair.
Somewhere in the distant trees bordering the wide lawn a nightjar started its song, intermittent and gentle. Gabrielle's gaze shifted to the shutters, as bars of moonlight caressed her body in soft lines of light and darkness; her face shining palely in the faint radiance. Xena held her breath for a moment.
"I'll close the windows."
"No. I like the moonlight. And it's not cold." Gabrielle's voice held a suggestion of the slight smile on her lips. "Can you open it a little wider? I like to listen to the night-birds singing."
Xena rose to her feet in one supple movement and crossed to the nearest window, unaware Gabrielle watched her with placid calmness. As the window creaked slightly under Xena's ministrations Gabrielle rolled onto her back and put an arm behind her head; though still looking at the tall form outlined by the moonlight. It was amazing how beautiful some people could be; in sunshine or in shadow! Xena was always beautiful, however she saw her, Gabrielle suddenly realised. Contemplating this she smiled widely as Xena turned towards her again.
"Are you tired, Xena?"
"No, sweet. And you?"
"I like to talk in the night, sometimes. When the air's warm, and the moonlight caresses everything with pale light." Gabrielle's voice shimmered in the air, like a piece of green silk wafted by a cool breeze. "I can see your moonshadow on the floorboards, Xena. Like a grey mist. Only Spring Moons can do that, you know."
"Is that so! Could you ever be tired of Love?"
"I'll never be tired of Love, Xena." Gabrielle mused on this idea for a second. "All my love is for one person alone, you know that. And all that I desire is brought to me by you. All the happiness I ever want!"
Gabrielle's fair hair spread all round her head like an encompassing aura. Her eyes showed pale in the quiet light; their colour hard to distinguish, but their loving sparkle unmistakable; making Xena catch her breath again and pause in contemplation. The bed was silvered over with bars of light and darkness; and Gabrielle's outline, under its soft sheet, was like a reclining statue. Xena moved her head from side to side gently, as she contemplated this vision of beauty, realising it was for her alone. Unexpectedly, she realised she was completely happy at this moment.
The nightjar had ceased to sing, but from somewhere not far away came the faint notes of a single flute, played so softly the notes were hardly distinguishable even in the night air. The quiet refrain wafted on the breeze like a flower's scent then, after barely a heart's beat, faded away into silence once more.
"The song of the woods." Gabrielle spread her arms wide on the cushioned bed, the sheet falling down her bosom a little way. "The trees are standing sentinel in the night. The lawns are covered in the first dew, and the small animals and birds aren't awake yet. The air is still warm; and Love is dancing in the moonlight on the grass outside. Do you hear, Xena?"
"Yes, I hear."
And the warrior could. Whether, for the space of their mingled thoughts, Aphrodite herself had come to offer her delight to the couple Xena did not know; but she too felt Love surrounding the quiet lawns and copses of trees that sheltered the villa; permeating the moonbeams that filtered through the shutters to lie gently over Gabrielle's form. Xena stepped across to stand by the side of the round bed and looked down on the now silent figure of the one person in the world who meant everything to her. She picked the white pillow up from the black silk sheets on her side and placed it opposite Gabrielle's head. Then Xena lay down with her own head supported by her bent elbow, hand under her chin; as she gazed into the tender pale eyes of the woman beside her. Gabrielle's skin was white as marble in the moonlight and Xena leaned over to pull the thin sheet higher over her bosom; letting her hand rest on Gabrielle's arm.
Silence reigned. Not a cold silence; but a warm tender quietness that enveloped the two women as if in a mist of pure Love. Gabrielle shifted slightly and placed her fingers gently on Xena's arm. Neither spoke for the longest time; but both silently revelled in the immensity of their love for each other, as if it would be forever. As if Infinity had finally arrived for them; and it was not Time, but simply Love: Love alone and Love forever!
"Xena, I want to sleep now." Gabrielle spoke with a note of tiredness, though her eyes were bright. "Love is so perfect! Hold my hand while I sleep."
"Of course, my love."
Gabrielle closed her eyes after a moment and soon lay motionless. Xena watched her for an eternity, then leaned over and stole a quiet kiss. She lay on the bed in the silent night, looking into Gabrielle's face as the moonbeams caressed the girl's features; thinking that, at this particular moment, this was indeed Paradise. Then she also closed her eyes and after a while slept too; a protective arm enfolding her lover under the sheet which now covered both.
Outside the Moon rode high in the dark sky, shedding a gentle pale light on all those who loved deeply, and certainly, and faithfully, and forever; than which there were no stronger examples than the two women who lay gently in each other's arms on the round bed, softly covered and embraced by the serene moonbeams.
The End
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Note—
I wrote this story to the background sound of a whole series of Chopin's 'Nocturnes', which may account for its atmosphere.
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