Chapter 2
And my warrior princess sang. Her clear voice carried out of the cave silencing the waves and the roll of the rocks on the beach, further over the peaceful ocean and right into the glorious sunset.
Xena's voice pushed the soft vowels of our native tongue over me like a blanket and I fell asleep again.
I found myself in the northern mountains, black clouds billowing. My staff was broken and my shoes torn. I stopped, taking my eyes off the rocky path that I had been following for days. In the gap between two other mountains appeared Olympus.
I readjusted the strap from my backback – I carried all my scrolls with me – and walked on without joy or hope. My feet dragged me forward, my mind somewhere in the past. Odd thoughts of sacrifice and revenge loomed at the edges of my consciousness and while they were creeping closer the wind picked up, rain started to drizzle, fog rose. Soon I could not see my hand in front of my face.
All the same, I marched on, ignoring the danger that was impeding. Fierce gusts gripped at my scrolls and tried to push me off the path. Despite the cold inside and outside of me I felt hot. What was I doing here?
For a few moments the fog in my mind cleared off. I wanted something back. I wanted it back more than anything – but I could see it no longer. Instead I saw my feet slipping over the glistening stones. I wasn't able to regain my balance and I tumbled down the side of the mountain into darkness.
Once again I woke in the cave my head spinning. I was wet with perspiration and fear still clawed at me. My hand searched for Xena's. As I found her right beside me my heartbeat slowed down. The fire had burnt down and not a hint of light could be seen over the ocean.
I pushed myself up and staggered out of the cave. I startled Argo, who slept there. With an annoyed neighing she moved out of the way. Stars glowed at the velvet sky as I stood for a moment taking in the fresh air and the salty smell of the sea. It was still warm.
I made my way down to the beach, took off my clothes and dipped into the water. It felt like a touch of cool silk to my skin, washing away the sweat and the last remnants of my dream. I exhaled deeply letting my tiny being connect with the universe. I scanned the still dark horizon trying to expand myself. It was an unsettling feeling – always – but, if I embraced this emotion just a little bit longer I usually felt centered and rejuvenated. Not tonight though. The trip back to the cave was almost more than I could manage and my head seriously hurt.
I slipped under the covers – wet and exhausted and waited for sleep. By and by I inched closer to Xena, wrapping her hair around my fingers and searching for her breath on my skin. I listened to the sound of her heart trying to make out the times it beat for me. I imagined to snuggle up in all the warm places of her, but I didn't, for the peace she radiated in her sleep filled me with joy and I was not going to wake her up.
Xena, if not in the steely grip of one of her nightmares, slept like a stone. She woke easily, when the noises around her did not fit the situation, but for quite a while now her mind seemed to know exactly if I was slugging around or some rascal, who wanted to put a knife into her.
Time passed slowly that night, but I was with her and so I was content. Xena woke at the crack of dawn as was her habit. She was still lying motionless, her eyes closed. But her body tensed, as if her muscles would be put to immediate use. The lines in her face seemed etched deeper and there was a subtle smell, that was most intriguing of all. I could never find a satisfactory explanation for it, but it always turned me on and I was not able to keep my fingers to myself. After a few moments in that state Xena opened her eyes to the new day.
She looked at me with a small smile. I looked at her and without words we found each other. During this tiny snippet of time I learned everything I needed to know for the day that was to come and for all the days that lay in the past.
"You did not sleep," she observed, "how are you?"
"I think I will live, Xena," I said grinning, but I wanted much more than that. I felt drawn to my warrior, but my body and much more my head was not up to the challenge. So I lay still letting only my eyes caressing her.
"What happened yesterday?" I asked instead, since I could still not remember. Again Xena's characteristic smile appeared, with just a shade of concern in her eyes.
"We were traveling. An few leagues up the road we had to pass through that canyon. A few rocks rained down on us. It was just bad luck, that you got hit this time. But you had passed out. With Argo's help I brought you here. It is a safe place."
"How long will we stay?"
"Don't worry about that. We stay as long as it takes! Aren't you hungry?"
Yes, I was and Xena read it in my face again. She got up to prepare breakfast and I fell asleep.
It was a strange place. A big hall crowded with people in strange clothes. A stage on one end was filled with devices I have never seen. Men were working on it, shoving big boxes around and rolling out fat gleaming black robes. Xena appeared on the stage, her hair blond, almost like Calisto's. She was older and somehow different. Her stance seemed more relaxed and it took me a while to spot the warrior in her I knew so well.
She fooled around with the people in that room, cracking jokes and laughing out loud. She seemed happy, content and less driven. And then she started to sing.
"Wake up sleepy head. Breakfast is ready."
It took me a moment to get back. I had liked that place – it felt safe – so far away from fights and pain as I never had been in my whole life. But than I could be wrong and it was only a dream anyway.
We ate in silence. There were no battle plans to scheme, no travel plans to follow today. There was just Xena and me.
"I will go fishing today," Xena finally let on. I looked at our stack of supplies. There must have been still enough for at least a week, as long as Xena did not plan to throw a party. Well, maybe it was better to get food as long as we could, when on the road you never really knew when you would come by any opportunity.
Still I could see my warrior was getting restless, good deeds needed to be done, people as well as kingdoms needed to be rescued and bad ugly guys needed a good spanking with the flat side of Xena's sword. I understood – but with all the strength I could muster, I was not yet able to travel.
"Fresh fish sounds great. I will probably be sleeping mostly," I said.
"Don't sound so miserable. I'll be singing for you, when I get back though I have no idea, what you like so much about it." A leery grin spread over Xena's face, " we also could do that other thing, you cannot get enough of."
Well, good bye to a lazy morning spent drowsing. Now I would wait for Xena's return, with all those naughty pictures in mind. With Xena you were just never safe. She felt at home in turmoil and danger and carried it with her wherever she walked.
She helped me to set up my bedroll closer to the mouth of the cave, taking care to find a spot, that would be shaded throughout the day. She put some food and a flask with fresh water next to me and kissed me gently good bye. With a smile she mounted Argo and rode off.
If I knew Xena, she would return with a bundle of fish and a new adventure. Of course she would not talk about it until I begged her literally on hands and knees and even than she would belittle her part in it But I would see the spark in her eyes and the exhilaration in her voice.
TBC