Chapter Seven

New Powers

The closer to the tavern they got, the less bothered Xena and Gabrielle were with all the eyes on them than they were with all the rocks and small, and some not-so-small boulders that had damaged so many huts, gardens and barns and dotted the fields.

"Xena, you know we have to do something to help get rid of these rocks."

"Yes, I know. Maybe if there's enough moon tonight we can come back after everyone's asleep and find some place to get rid of them."

Gabrielle nodded, and continued to take note of where they could do the most good.

"That has to be it," Xena observed as they approached the only two story building in town.

As they entered the tavern all eyes were on them: men, thinking they might be bought for a roll in the hay, despite Xena's armor and the handle of her sword showing over the top of her right shoulder. And they were being eyed by the women – thinking they were competition.

When they walked to the counter, space was made for them.

"My friend and I would like a room for the night; all night. Any available?" Xena asked the bartender.

"You got money?" he asked.

Gabrielle took two coins from a pouch an laid them on the counter. The bartender picked one up, studying it in the dim light of the candles.

"Greek dinar," he said. "Hmm. Don't seem to be counterfeit. Can't be too careful, you know."

"How much for a room?" Gabrielle asked.

"Five. Plus another two if you want blankets and candles."

"No candles in the room?" Xena asked.

"You want light after dark, you gotta have candles."

"Two blankets?" Gabrielle said.

The bartender nodded.

"Clean? And without fleas?"

He nodded again.

"And how many candles?"

"Shouldn't need more than one tall, or two short."

"We'll take them," Xena said, never one to haggle. "Pay the man," she said to Gabrielle, who brought out five more coins.

"The room with the biggest bed has a bull on the door. That one's yours. It locks from the inside."

They climbed the stairs to the second floor, noticing that instead of numbers the rooms had animals on the doors – a bear, a dog, a horse, a rooster, and their bull. Both came to the conclusion that it because so many of the temporary customers couldn't read. The room had one bed, barely large enough for two people, a very worn table and two chairs. Xena took off her armor, Chakram and sword and put them on the table while Gabrielle spread both blankets over the bed.

"Did you notice that we both understood what the tavern keeper was saying?"

"I did. So either Ares was wrong, or gods can understand any language."

"Makes sense, I guess."

"Well, since it will be a while before sunset, what should we do?" Xena asked.

Gabrielle immediately dropped her clothes to the floor, and lay down on the bed, arms over her head, legs spread, inviting Xena to join her.

"I suppose we could see what it's like for two goddesses to make love," she said with a hungry look on her face.

Xena's clothes hit the floor and she leaped across the room to land on top of Gabrielle, slowing herself just enough to keep the bed from collapsing, which still creaked from the weight of the two of them. Their mouths found the other's as their arms and legs entwined, as their passion soared higher and higher.

"Well," Gabrielle said, eyes closed, completely satisfied, for the moment. "That certainly was – different. By the gods, Xena, I never would have expected our fever for each other could have been any hotter than it was before."

"I know what you mean."

"I wonder if we disturbed anyone in the next room."

"Considering what goes on, I doubt if anyone even noticed. Listen."

And from rooms on either side of theirs, moans, groans, panting, and beds thumping against the walls could be heard. The longer they listened, the more they could hear – sounds from more rooms. And then noises from the tavern downstairs – men and women laughing and carousing; arguments and fights; drinks being poured and gulped down.

"They look like wood," Gabrielle said, "but the walls and floors must be made of parchment, very thin parchment."

"Or our hearing is better, more god like."

They lay there a while longer listening to the sounds of the tavern, sometimes smiling. But the sounds most stimulating were the ones from the rooms next to them. Without realizing it, they changed position – Gabrielle was now on top, and their passions grew until once again they were oblivious of the sounds around them.

"Xena, I think it's dark outside. But not so much in here."

Xena went to the window and saw torches flickering all around the town square as people were preparing to end their day.

"You're right. And it looks like you were right about us having powers we've yet to discover. I guess seeing in the dark is another one. In a little while everyone should be inside and we can do what we can to get rid of the rocks and boulders."

"I suppose we should jump out of the window since we can't lock the door from the outside. And we surely don't need any weapons."

"Not until these powers wear off."

Not long after that, after the streets were deserted, they leapt from the window, landing softly enough no one heard them. They had decided the best way to rid the fields and gardens of the rubble was to line both sides of the road into town with them. The bigger boulders, waist high and around, or larger, they discovered took both of them to move them, otherwise they would shatter when they tried to pick them up alone, making more noise than they wanted.

When the first rooster crowed, they realized day was about to break so they returned to the tavern, satisfied with what they had done. And reversing their exits, jumped up into the window headfirst to land with barely a thump.

"I see our clothes are filthy," Gabrielle noticed, "but we're as clean as if we just took a bath."

"Well, I never did see Ares or Thor dirty, so I guess dirt doesn't stick to us."

"If we're going to blend in, we really need to buy clothes that don't advertise that we're warriors. But I'm worried about our weapons and armor. What are we going to do with them until we need them again?"

"Good question. Maybe if we give the tavern owner a few dinars he'll keep them for us until we can find someplace else to live. And I still want to find that tannery to get my boots resoled."

"You know, we may need to find jobs. We only have fifteen dinars left. And the way we're spending them they won't last long."

"Well, let's get what we need, and we'll figure something out."