Finding Love Again
I don't own beastmaster, but who gives a damn about that, Xena was better.
Gabrielle spent hours talking to Xena. Xena had spoken about meeting Eli. Gabrielle then said, "I need to go put the kids to bed."
Xena stopped her and said, "You never finished your story."
Gabrielle asked wondering, "What story?"
Xena answered "The one about you and Ellander. You had just discovered that he was translating your scrolls."
Gabrielle replied surprised, "You heard all that?"
Xena answered "Well most of it."
Gabrielle said, "Well…
8
Gabrielle POV
I had spent close to two months with him, working hard to translate the scrolls, weeding out the fakes and the bad copies. He had more than a few in his possession. We had even found a few of the originals. I even found my original from when I first met Xena. Course I had to restore a couple. Large sections of the Original Lost Mariner were missing due to fire damage.
I hadn't had a drink in those two months and for the first time in a long time I wasn't overwhelmed by sorrow. Ellander was quite good, he had an instinct for where these scrolls were. He's the one who found Friend in need in Thebes. Can't say how it got there. I had sold it to a Phoenician trader for drinking money.
Course Ellander worked with me, bringing me back to myself. I remember one time, I was looking at his copy of Crusader. I said, "This is wrong. Xena didn't win the first fight. She lost, and was knocked unconscious."
Ellander said ,"Really, Virgil said it was accurate?"
I replied irritated, "He wasn't even fu…." I saw him looking at me. I continued, "He wasn't born yet, how could he know?"
Ellander then said "We'll add that it to our list of missing scrolls."
I continued, "Sacrifice? Where is the other half. Hope just pops out of the egg, that's it? That's half the story."
Ellander said "Well, we could translate this half of it and call it Sacrifice part one, then we'll find a complete one we'll call the other half Sacrifice Part two."
I nodded in agreement, "Might as well." We looked at each other, locking eyes, and then we turned and continued our work.
Course from there we developed a romance. It became a pleasure to see him. I can say I really started to love him. When we weren't working, he took me out. We went fishing, and I have to admit, For the first time in my life I actually enjoyed fishing. We went horse riding, all sorts of things.
We were growing close, very close. Neither one of us admitted to the word love yet, but it was coming, I could feel it. It was becoming something special and it felt nice.
One night we came to the hard part, at first he didn't want me to help him, but I insisted. We translated Friend in Need, we broke it into two parts because it had so much stuff for one scroll. It was difficult, I held my emotions in check, hid them well. But it tore me up, especially when we translated Xena's death.
After awhile we stopped working. We had finished the main part of the scroll, just some finalizing. But we broke up for the night. What he didn't know was that when we brought up those old sorrows, I got tempted as the old grief came back. While he was away. I went to the nearest tavern. I entered and sat at the bench. I asked "Give me a double of your strongest drink." I drunk heavily for the next two hours. After I was done I stumbled out of the bar. But knowing he could see me from a window I tried to walk straight. Wasn't exactly succeeding.
I continued to walk towards where my room was, but suddenly I ran into him. He got on one knee and pulled out a ring, I started to get happy, and then I fell over. He went immediately to check if I was ok. Then he asked somewhat deflated, "Is that alcohol I smell on your breath?"
I replied honestly "Yes. I got to…thinking and I got…drunk."
I seen his eyes water up. His face fell, he put his ring away. I thought for a second he might leave me there. He picked me up and took me to my bed. He was doing it because he didn't want to leave me outside on the ground.
The next morning I awoke. I felt so bad, so guilty. I went to find him, I asked around the whole village. One of the villagers said he went to Athens. He was planning on contracting for a delivery. He was leaving. "By the gods?" I was about to lose him. I borrowed a horse and went after him, determined to catch him.
I ran hard and fast for him, not stopping for anything, even water. Finally after a couple hours I found him at the gates of Athens. I shouted, "Ellander! Don't go! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He turned around. I could see his surprise. He said surprised at my presence, "Gabrielle? Why are you here?" I replied emotionally, "Your about to leave me."
Ellander replied, "No I'm not. I got word on a correct version of the crusader scroll. I would have brought you along, but I wanted to leave you alone. Let you rest."
I asked, "Your not mad?"
He answered, "I was mad, it kind of ruins things to propose to the woman you love only to learn she is to drunk to stand. I read once in your scrolls something you said. 'Love is understanding.' I'm not going to leave you because of one mistake. We all fail, I don't expect you to be perfect. I need you to put your drinking behind you but we make mistakes, we all fall. I can get over one drunken night?"
Then I asked solemnly, "Will you marry me? I swear I will never drink again, but will you marry me?"
He was again surprised, "What?"
I said, "Marry me?" Ellander just about fell off of his horse, but he caught himself. He said clearing his throat, "Ye.. Yes I will." I jumped off my horse and pulled him down off of his. We shared a deep kiss passionate kiss as we accepted our love.
I saw one of the guards staring at us getting excited. I promptly gave him the finger while I kissed Ellander. Ellander slowly grabbed my hand that had the finger flashing saying, "Don't do that."
I replied "I won't" We continued.
It wasn't long after that, we got married, we got his house to live in, selling some of the scroll translations, ones that we had double copies of, putting my name on them increased their value significantly.
8
End of Gabrielle POV
Gabrielle was holding both her children, her husband sat beside with his arm around her. Gabrielle said, "I remember how it felt the day I had my children. I held little Lyceus in my arms. It's amazing how much you could love someone that causes you twenty hours of straight pain, but I loved him with all my heart the second I saw his face, touched his little hand. I haven't felt such joy. Such happiness.
And then Ephinia was born. The prettiest little girl in the whole world, Xena. She just added to that feeling of Joy and Happiness, and she only took about 17 hours of pain. Yes you were gone, but I had chosen to live my life. To be happy. That's what you wanted. Soon I realized that's what I wanted to. My husband saved my life and my children restored" She hesitated, "My hope."
Gabrielle held her children close as Ellander held them all close. Xena who was quickly recovering was happy, because Gabrielle was happy.
(It aint over yet)
AN: Someone could ask. What is the hardest thing for a Xena fan to write? My answer, writing Gabrielle falls in love with a man. You try it, it's an exercise for the muses to be sure.
