We walked, her arm around my shoulders, mine around her waist, down the crowded market path.
"Stay here, all right?" The warrior instructed me. "I'm just gonna grab a new water skin and I'll be back."
"Go, go! Xena, I'll be fine!" I reassured her.
She started to walk away, then spun to face me. Leaning towards me, she breathed , "Be careful, Gabrielle, my enemies know how much you mean to me. I love you." And she moved as if to kiss me, on the lips.
I pulled away. Xena's flawless face fell, she looked as if Caesar had strung her back up and rebroken her legs.
"Oh, Gods Xena, no! It's not like that! I just...we're in a public place, you know? I mean, what if people saw?"
Xena frowned, her brow furrowed. "You don't want people to know. You're ashamed of me." She stated, her voice a mixture of sadness and dismay and anger that made my heart break.
Lifting my hands to her shoulders, I cried, "No! Xena, you know I couldn't be more proud to have you as my...best friend, you know that!"
She shook my hands off. "Friend?" She growled. "Oh, we're just friends now, are we? What about last night? And the night before that?" Her voice grew louder and more agitated with each accusation.
"Xena, will you be quiet! You know I could never be ashamed of you! It's just, some people don't, you know, like it. Us."
"Since when do you care what people think?"
My eyes widened in disbelief. "Since the people mobbed up and attacked Joxer's brother for being gay! Xena, Jace was nearly killed!"
She put her hands on her hips. "So you don't think I can't protect you?"
"I know you can. And I know you would! I don't want you to have to, is all, Xena."
She shoved me backwards about a foot, until I hit the wall of the nearest building. Leaning in close, so that I could feel her hot breath on my neck, she whispered, "Let them come."
I couldn't speak, I was so transfixed by her eyes. Her beautiful icy blue eyes, staring into mine, locking me in place.
She released my arms, then started to walk away. Before two seconds had passed, she turned around. "Where were we?" She asked, a mischievous smile on her face. "Oh, right..."
And she flung a strong arm around my waist, pulling me into her. Xena kissed me, deeply, with no reservations, and it was skin on skin, electricity on fire, passionate and tender, gentle and fierce.
She broke away and strode off confidently a few minutes later, leaving me gasping for air, and a little unsteady on my feet.
I grinned despite myself, and strode off to sit in the shade and wait for Xena, leaving an entire crowd of people staring after each of us. Some were shocked, some were horrified, and more than a few warlords were drooling a little bit!
All in all, I'd say it was a pretty good day.