So now next chapter of „I believe in you". Now I won't let her repeat anything (or at least I'll try).
I believe in you – Chapter 2
Xena jumped in front of Gabrielle trying to protect her. She caught Roans sword. It cut deep in her hands, but she refused to let go. She pushed it up while Roan was pushing down. She kicked him so he lost his balance and tripped back.
"Xena!", Gabrielle called and threw Xena's sword at her. She caught it and pointed it at Roan. He laughed and tried to hit her, but she blocked him easily. She looked at him provoking.
"Yeah, c'mon, kill me!", he screamed. Xena frowned.
"You've become crazy, Roan.", she said.
"Not as crazy as you!", he growled and attacked her again. She blocked, but she couldn't deny his skills had improved. He had become a quite well warrior. Their fight continued. Suddenly he let out a strange cry upon which some more men appeared abd attacked.
"Well, Xena, what are you waiting for? Come on!", he shouted and pushed his sword forwards. Gabrielle and Beorn were busy with a few of Roans men, but there were still five left to care for Xena.
"Only a big mouth when having your little friends around, huh, Roan?", she sneered.
"Just like you! Look at that girl there! I would give my head you would die if I killed her!", he replied.
Is this so clear? Why does he know? Geeze, need to find that out...
"Oh, I think YOU would die first!", she snapped. He raised his sword, the other men as well, and pointed it at Xena. Just before they hit her she let out a cry and jumped up, landing outside the circle of men. But they already attacked her again. She defeated them easily with her chakram, but then Roan began throwing small daggers. She tried to block them, but one hit her thigh. She cried with pain and fell down, pulling it out of her leg. She threw it back to its owner, hitting his neck. Roan stopped laughing and fell down. Just then Gabrielle killed the last man.
"Xena!", she called and ran to her. She kneeled down next to the warrior princess, lifting her up in her arms. Xena turned her head and looked up. She pushed Gabrielle down all of a sudden and rose her sword just in time to prevent Roan from knocking Gabrielle down. She gritted her teeth, pushing him backwards and struggled to her feet. He made two steps back, but she hit him despite that. She pointed her sword at his neck.
"Go away, Roan. Go away and never come back.", she hissed. He dropped his sword and whistled. His horse trotted to him. He mounted and disappeared. Xena watched him until he was out of sight. Gabrielle came to her. Xena looked down at her, then wrapped one arm around Gabrielles shoulders. Gabrielle smiled.
"Do you think he'll do as you say?", she asked. Xena sighed.
"No. It won't be that simple.", she replied. Gabrielle watched Xenas blue eyes shut.
"You… are such an amazing woman.", Gabrielle whispered. Xena looked at her, surprised by this unexpected comment. A smile crept onto her face.
"Uh… So are you, Gabrielle.", she said softly and leaned down. Their faces were just inches apart from each other when a sudden noise made them both jerk back.
"Um, uh… Well, uh,… I guess I should thank you, Xena.", Beorn said and held out his hand. Xena took it and answered:
"But next time you need some help, you better be careful with your arrows, or you might have one more problem. Understood?" When he let go of her hand she tried to hide the look that would have betrayed the pain in her palm.
Although she was very serious about this she still smiled. He nodded, jumped onto his horse and galopped away. Xena frowned.
"Xena? What's wrong?", Gabrielle asked.
"Well, I just thought that it's a bit strange to go the same way as one's enemy does.", Xena replied and pointed at Beorn who was following Roan's trace.
"Do you mean-"
"Yes. I guess it was just a trap. Or rather a test."
"Test or whatever, you are injured." Gabrielle took Xenas hand and leaded her back to their horse Argo. She told Xena to sit down and bandaged her leg. Xena gritted her teeth, but her face didn't show any pain. After this Gabrielle took Xenas cut hands and wiped the blood away cautiously. Then she bandaged them, too.
"Well, that should do.", Gabrielle said when she was finished.
"Thank you. But what about you? Are you alright?", Xena asked and studied Gabrielle.
"Yes, I'm okay… thanks to you.", Gabrielle answered softly. Xena breathed in, as if wanting to say something, but then breathed out again with a sigh. She took Gabrielles hands in her own and gently squeezed them.
"You know, Gabrielle… that I would die for you." Gabrielle watched Xenas face thoughtfully. Xena smiled, then leaned forwards and softly kissed Gabrielle. Gabrielle closed her eyes by this sudden contact and enjoyed the feeling that rushed through her body. She had shivers down her spine.
"I love you, Gabrielle… more than anything or anyone else in this world…", Xena whispered when they pulled apart. Gabrielle smiled affectionately at the warrior princess.
"I… love you, too."
"Let's go.", Xena suggested. Gabrielle nodded, and so they got up their horse and galopped back to where they had come from.
--
The night was cold. Gabrielle shivered violently, but she didn't want to wake Xena. Which wasn't even neccessary because the warrior princess awoke herself from freezing too much. Gabrielles teeth chattered, Xena turned to look at her. When their gazes met, they couldn't help but laugh.
"I'm cold! And my hands are frozen!", Gabrielle tried to explain, but Xena only laughed more.
"Come here.", she invited Gabrielle and held out her hand. Gabrielle cuddled up next to Xena, feeling the warmth of her body. Xena wrapped her arms around the smaller womans trembling frame.
"Thank you, Xena…", Gabrielle whispered. Xena only smiled. She was quite comfortable with holding the bard tightly in her arms. This way she could be sure nothing would happen to her. And she couldn't deny she enjoyed the feeling of Gabrielles body pressed up against her own. Gabrielle lifted her head and studied Xenas face.
"Your eyes… are so… beautiful…", she whispered and ran her fingers through Xenas black hair. Xena smiled gently at her smaller friend and pulled her closer.
"You're crazy, Gabrielle.", she said.
"I know.", Gabrielle laughed. Slowly Xena drifted back to sleep. Gabrielle watched her thoughtfully.
"I know that I'm crazy. Crazy about you, Xena…"
Later that night Gabrielle carefully slid out of Xenas arms and took out a paper and her feather. She just couldn't wait any longer to write down:
If I had a brush to paint your face
I'd paint
Your gaze, your eyes, your smile
Just like I saw a moment before
If I had a flute to play the sounds
That tell of your grace, beauty and kindness
I'd play it
Like your voice plays in my head
But neither pictures, nor sounds or words
Could describe what happened to me
When I saw you
And you lit the flame inside me
The sun and the stars are talking of you
Every breath tells me about you
Every gasp and every step takes your name far far away
If I had a feather to write the words
Which surrounded you like a silver light
I'd write about love, passion and hope
And write my desire for you
But neither pictures nor sounds or words
Could describe what happened to me
When I saw you
And you lit the flame inside me
The sun and the stars are talking of you
Every breath tells me about you
Every gasp and every step takes your name far far away
With this written onto her scrolls Gabrielle put them away and lied back down to sleep.
--
When Xena woke up, Gabrielle was still covered in her arms. She smiled gently looking down onto the bards peacefully sleeping figure. Xena cautiously ran her fingers through Gabrielles blond hair. Normally she would get up now. But actually she didn't feel like doing so. So she just stayed like this, right where she was. She started to think about their little adventure yesterday.
Hm. That was really strange. I wonder where the villagers were. And Beorn seemed to know exactly where from and when those warriors come. Roan wasn't really surprised to see me. I guess they both knew pretty well what was going on. Well, then let's see how this game will continue.
Xenas eyes wandered over Gabrielles body.
But they didn't know I'm not alone. Maybe I can turn this to my advantage…
Xena smiled to herself. She lowered her head and gently kissed Gabrielle on top of her hair.
Oh yes. Definetely my advantage. Gabrielle…
After a while the blond woman opened her eyes and tiredly looked at Xena.
"Morning.", she yawned.
"Morning, Gabrielle.", Xena answered happily. They kept watching each other for a few moments. Gabrielle found herself lost in the warrior princess' bright blue eyes.
"Maybe I'm crazy, Xena, but you can't deny your eyes are really special.", Gabrielle said and touched Xenas face, cupping her cheek. Xena just smiled at her.
"What are you thinking rigth now?", Gabrielle asked and grinned. Xena let out a small laughter and shook her head.
"Unimportant."
"That's not true.", Gabrielle contradicted, "You look worried. What's wrong?" Xenas smile faded.
"Uh, I was just thinking about yesterday. I'm curious what's going on.", Xena answered softly. Gabrielle sighed and tightened her grip around Xenas waist.
"Don't worry too much. It'll be okay." Xena laughed again and ran her fingers through Gabrielles hair once more.
"I won't.", she promised. Gabrielle smiled slightly.
After a while they decided to get up finally.
"Xena? Where do you want to go now?", the bard asked hesitantly. The warrior princess turned to look at her.
"I don't know. Why do you ask? Anything in mind?", she answered.
"Well, uh… not really… I mean, it's just…", Gabrielle stammed.
"Wanna go and meet up with the amazons? I guess they'll be glad to see their queen again.", Xena said smiling.
"Good idea.", Gabrielle agreed.
--
They soon reached the amazon village. Varia came and greeted them.
"Gabrielle! Xena! Nice to see you again!", She gave the two women a loving hug.
"It's been a long time since your last visit.", she admitted.
"Yes, that's exactly why we decided to come here again.", Gabrielle said, "I hope we don't interrupt anything?", she asked when she saw a few amazons try to raise a huge bouquet of beautiful flowers.
"No, you've just come right for our spring festival. We decided to celebrate the arrival of two new members, Lia and Ariana. They joined us from another tribe, their village had been erased by a warlord a day ago. They begged us to let them live with us, and I decided to give them a place here.", Varia explained.
"You did well, Varia. Do you know the warlord's name?". Xena asked.
"I think it was, uh, Roan. I heard this name before… I don't know, somehow this name is familiar to me.", Varia replied.
"Roan. I should have known it wasn't good to let him go. Damn.", Xena clenched her fists.
"So you know him?", Varia asked surprised. Gabrielle nodded.
"He just crossed our way.", Xena said, trying to keep the anger out of her voice, "Can I talk to those two new members? Maybe they can help us to defeat him."
"Of course. Follow me." Varia turned and went to a tent at the end of the village.
"Lia. Ariana. Those are friends of ours, Gabrielle, our Amazon Queen and Xena, the warrior princess.", Varia introduced. Lia and Ariana bowed to them , Gabrielle and Xena did the same.
"Nice to meet you.", Gabrielle said.
"It is a big honour to us to get to meet the Amazon Queen and the legendary Warrior Princess.", the women bowed again.
"Now enough of all this bowing stuff. No one has to bow to me unless I make him to.", Xena said and encouraged the women to get up. "I heard your village was destroyed by Roan. I wanted to ask you whether you know where he went. I need to find him."
Lia looked at Ariana who was answering now.
"Yeah, that's it. I don't know exactly where he went, but I know that the just burned down our whole village and family for his pleasure. I think he was kinda angry.", she lowered her head. "I hate him, and I will do anything to make him pay for the pain he caused!", she hissed.
"Any directions or hints for his place of residence?", Xena asked again.
"To the north. That's all we know, sorry.", Lia replied.
"No apologizes, that's all I need to know. I thank you, both of you."
"Please let me come with you, Xena!", Ariana begged.
"Me, too!", Lia added, "We want revenge for our families."
"Xena?", Gabrielle looked at the warrior princess. Xena thought about it, then answered:
"Well, you can come with us."
Gabrielle smiled.
--
Sorry, I don't remember if this Amazon was called "Varia" or "Baria" or anything like this. Please, someone tell me, and I will correct it.
And please don't forget the review :-)
