"Hold on to that little blond huh? Something you wanna tell me?" Xena's eyebrows arched playfully and the tips of her lips curled up. Her and Gabrielle had trailed slightly behind Autolocus waiting for Joxer to catch up. Gabrielle was staring very intently at her boots. Xena gave her a little nudge with her shoulder. "Come on bard, there's a story in there somewhere."
"Nothing really. I cornered what I thought was Joxer and turned out to be Jet. He was making fun of Joxer so I just stood up for him. Jet must have just assumed..." she trailed off as Joxer caught up to them pulling on the last of his old armour.
"Hey guys I said wait up!" He started to hurry and tripped over his own boots, before he could fall through Xena had caught him by the back of his shirt and put him on his feet again.
"Watch it Joxer, you really shouldn't hit your head so much in one day. Might start to affect you." He gave her a dazed look. She rolled her with a sigh. "Even more." Gabrielle snickered behind her. She shot her a warning look. Joxer had put himself between his murderous brother and an innocent person. In her opinion the guy deserved a little break. "Come on Joxer, you did good. Let me buy you a drink." Xena wrapped an arm around his shoulder and led the group to the tavern.
They settled in to a table along the back wall. Xena had tipped her bench back and was leaning against the wall, balancing the bench on one leg. Gabrielle slip in across from her and shot the warrior princess a look which Xena held for a moment before slowly letting the bench safely settle on the floor just as Autolocus slid in beside her.
"So is this the same tavern you spent the three hours getting groped in Gabrielle? I don't know, everyone here seems to be keeping their distance now." Gabrielle glanced at Xena . "Oh right, no one would come close now that your personal bodyguard is here."
"She's a lot more than that!" She looked at Xena who shrugged as if saying I don't care it's up to you. Gabrielle smiled. "She's can also make flying pieces of parchment for when things get really bad." Even Xena sputtered in her cup. She had not been expecting that.
"Right, right the many skills thing. Hey does anyone of your skills involve getting me the reward that your little friend here promised me to make me go along with her plan?"
"Of course Autolocus, it looks like your reward is on its way right now." The tavern owner came by with four plates full laden with food and a couple extra pitchers of ale to top off the drinks in front of them.
"Oh Xena, your rewards keep getting better and better. Maybe one day you'll actually manage to get me money out of one of the jobs that we do." Despite his words Xena knew he was happy to have helped and that the food was appreciated.
While he was distracted Gabrielle took the opportunity to lean over the table and softly ask, "so how on earth are we paying for this meal for everyone Xena?"
"The reward money from Cleopatra." Gabrielle sat back laughing. Joxer joined in to feel more included.
"So what's so funny Gabrielle," he said when she had caught her breath.
"Oh just caught a glimpse of you over in the shiny brass plate." He started to laugh again then stopped looking slightly hurt. Gabrielle felt bad and put pat him in the back. "Hey Joxer, you did an incredible thing today you know, standing up to your brother like that. It's one thing to fight warlords, but it takes a special kind of strength to stand up to your family like that."
The gleeful look of delusion washed over his face once more and he sat back cracking his knuckles. "Well all in a day's work for Joxer the Mig..." He leaned too far back and flipped off the bench ending up on the floor.
"The Clumsy," Autolocus finished for him. He climbed back into his seat chuckling slightly, a very bright shade of red. The rest of the meal was full of good food and good conversations. They stayed at the table long after the sun had set well into their ale.
Joxer was the first to leave. "Well I'd love to stay and recount war stories but you know a warrior like me is always on a tight schedule. I'm off to the next town where they're in desperate need of a warrior of my calibre."
"And what exactly would that be?" Autolocus rolled his eyes and leaned back against the wall.
"A... well a... a really, really good one like me!" He stood up and stumbled a bit.
Xena got up with a sigh. "Well that town will have to wait for morning. A warrior of your calibre needs rest. Let's get you into a room buddy." With that she threw an arm around his waist and helped him up the stairs. Gabrielle and Autolocus watched him go.
"I know he's a good guy and everything but how the hell do you two put up with him."
"Small doses." They heard the sound of a head bouncing off of wood and Xena's voice quietly telling Joxer to take it easy. "Very small doses. Oh before I forget." Gabrielle tosses Autolocus the bag containing the rest of the reward from Cleopatra. "There's your reward. Thanks for dinner by the way."
"Well fair is fair Gabrielle. You take half." He started pouring out some of the contents in the bag and began pushing it towards her but stopped when Gabrielle, grinning was holding up another back much heavier than the one she had given him.
"Don't worry I already took my share." Her eyes glistened in the candle light of the tavern.
"Ok, we'll call it fair if you take that extra money in exchange for information."
"What do you want to know?"
"Well," Autolocus leaned over and whispered causing Gabrielle to lean over too. "Did big brave warrior princess finally tell you how she feels or is she going to need my body again to convince you she like you."
"I told her all by myself thank you Autolocus."
He shot up with a deer in the head light look. "Well I'll just be going then..."
He started to rise but Xena put her hand on his shoulder and he cautiously sank back into his seat. Xena now took the seat beside Gabrielle who was looking tired and flushed. Her head fell to Xena's shoulder. Xena smiled for a moment at her bard then turned back to Autolocus.
"Don't worry, it's not one of my if I tell you I have to kill you secrets." Autolocus visibly relaxed. "But I would thank you not to spread it around, unless you see Herc and Iolaus. I don't want to paint a bigger target on her back than there already is."
"Understood Xena. So were you a big ball of mush opening your heart with flowers and jewelry..." he saw the look she was giving him. "Or not."
"I do have to thank you though. It was her asking which one of our hands ended up on her ass which finally broached the subject of more than friendship so thank you again Autolocus for letting me use your body." She gave him a grateful look. They made friends in the strangest places. "Well I'm going to put this one to bed, good night Autolocus."
She got up offered her hand. They clasped each others' wrists and smiled. "I'm heading out early for the coast so if I don't see you good luck wherever you're headed next."
"You too Autolocus." Gabrielle pulled him into a little and then stepped back clumsily. Xena was right there behind her. "I think I had too much to drink."
"You sure did, come on let's get to bed." With copious amounts of help from Xena the exhausted and drunk bard made her way up the stairs. When they reached their room Gabrielle paused only to strip off her travelling clothes and fall naked to the bed. She smiled and motioned to Xena with her finger to join her. Xena stripped off her armour and even her leathers but left on her shift. She laid down and immediately Gabrielle was all over her. Reluctantly she put her hands on the blonde's shoulders holding her back.
"Not tonight Gabrielle." Her voice was husky, her eyes were barely open and she looked out beneath hooded lids.
"Come on Xena, don't tell me you got a headache. Remember you taught me the cure for that." Her eyes sparkled as she reached beneath the shift. Xena caught her wrist again and gently pulled her hand away.
"No Gabrielle." Her voice seemed more dangerous now. "You're drunk and I am much more drunk then I have been in a long time. Not tonight." Gabrielle looked disappointed but Xena wrapped her arms around her and drew Gabrielle to her side. She began to stroke her golden locks while humming and soon Gabrielle was fast asleep. Xena stayed up until she felt sober enough that she would wake up to any threats and then fell asleep herself.
She woke up to hot breath on her neck. Her eyes shot open only to realise that Gabrielle had snuggled in till she was right next to Xena's neck leaving a warm moist spot. Gabrielle had also trapped her. Her arm was tight around Xena's torso and Gabrielle's legs had wrapped themselves around one of Xena's making it nearly impossible for her to move. Not that she really wanted to despite the knots that were developing in her neck and shoulders.
Xena peered out the window and saw the first grey light of dawn. She couldn't sleep in even if she wanted to. She attempted to roll her shoulders but Gabrielle only clung to her tighter muttering something. She strained her ears trying to make it out.
"Ares... for Xena's own good... get to Chin... stop her... Lao Ma... not jealous..." The mutterings continued pretty much in the same fashion for a while, working in a loop. She looked down at Gabrielle's face and saw it stretched into a painful mask.
Ah so that's what had happened. Gabrielle wasn't as concerned about Xena and Mein Tien as she was about Xena and Lao Ma. She was afraid that Xena loved Lao Ma more than her and that she would never return. How was she going to deal with this one? Gabrielle would be so embarrassed if she brought it up that she may leave for a time again. She couldn't just let that guilt eat Gabrielle away either though. She knew what could happen if you let your guilt control you. She still shuddered at the thought of Callisto in her body. Gabrielle began to stir and she determined for the time being that she would she what happened.
Soft emerald eyes opened greeted by the sight of ice blue eyes staring lovingly back at her. For now she would just do everything she could to let Gabrielle know that she was loved. A smile crept across Gabrielle's face followed by soft tiny yawn. She released Xena and stretched on her stomach, elongating her back like a cat.
"Good morning my little minx, how are you feeling?"
"Pretty good. Thanks for making me drink all that water last night." She laid a gentle kiss on Xena's cheek.
Xena nodded and took the opportunity to attempt to stretch out her back. It was knotted up worse than she thought and she couldn't help but grimace. Immediate concern crossed Gabrielle's face.
"What's wrong?" All sleepiness had left her eyes.
"Nothing, just did a lot of fighting and then a lot of sitting. Made my back cramp and knot up. It'll work itself out once we get moving." It was probably the sitting on the benches that had done it. Her body was actually more used to the fighting.
"Like hell it will. Shift off and face down Warrior Princess. I'm going to attempt one of your many skills." Xena hesitated until she saw the serious look on Gabrielle's face. With a shrug she complied. Gabrielle straddled her back and began to work the knots out of her back starting with Xena's shoulders. Xena was just attempting to ignore the heat coming from the still naked bard against her back. "So, tell me what happened with Melkor."
"There isn't really much to tell. I got in his camp and set all the horses free without any of them knowing. Once the horses were gone I set fire to the arms tent. It took them pathetically long to get there. One they formed a fire line it didn't take long for me to move up the line and tie them all up. Then I just tied them together and brought them back to the pris..prison." She stuttered out the last word as Gabrielle found a particularly tight place in her back and put her whole body into getting the muscle to relax.
"Do you really not realise how amazing the things you do are or do you play stupid."
"They're not impossible Gabrielle they just take the right skill set to get right. It's not like I started off this way. You have to get good and then you have to get better. When I was good I was caught by Caesar, when I was better I was leading my own army." She continued quieter. "When I'm at my best I listen to you." She could feel Gabrielle's hand's pause only for a moment before continuing like she hadn't heard. Gabrielle had no problem singing praises of Xena but she rarely acknowledged when she did something amazing herself. "Now you tell me what happened yesterday."
Gabrielle launched into the story of Joxer, Autolocus, Cleopatra and Jet. Xena noticed how she skipped over exactly what her plan had been. She wasn't going to push though. Gabrielle had done well on her own and if Autolocus and Joxer could have captured Jet and Pontius. They could go over later things that could have gone better but for now Xena assured Gabrielle she had done well. The girl needed the confidence.
The sun was high in the sky before Xena grudgingly sat up. Gabrielle was getting dressed complaining how the excitement the day before had interrupted her shopping and that the markets weren't open today. Xena sighed. She couldn't stand shopping and only did so as a necessity. If it was something she could make herself she did. Grudgingly she began to get dressed too.
They had started down the road and Gabrielle was still on the subject of markets. They were low on spices, she was low and scrolls and ink and oh she could really use another quill and... Finally Xena had enough.
"Listen, you know how I hate shopping so I'm going to meet you back here in a little while. Zagreas is supposed to be running amock around Cornith. I'll meet you in town after I take care of the coward or I'll meet you back here ok?" Gabrielle nodded with a big smile.
"Be careful Xena."
"You too." They shared a quick kiss and headed in their seperate directions.
Gabrielle's mind raced excitedly. They had so much more money than usual from Cleopatra's reward. It was less and a hundredth of what the pharaoh had wanted to give them but Xena wouldn't take a dinar more than what she had. She thought of buying something nice for Xena but was unsure what to get her. She was deep in concentration when she heard a commotion from the town square. She looked and was surprised to see her warrior princess tied to a burned stake. Just one good shopping day that's all I asked her for Gabrielle thought as she charged over to find out what in Tartarus was going on.
