***Disclaimer*** See Chapter One :-)
"Come here love and sit down" Gabrielle slid down between Xena's legs leaning her back against her chest. Long arms wrapped themselves around the smaller woman as she gave out a long sigh.
"Xe, you think Lila will be alright?"
"Yes honey, she's lucky we managed to purge the poison out of her." Xena kissed the top of Gabrielle's head, inhaling deeply the bard's scent. "You know, what I don't understand is, what did she eat that was different from what we ate?"
"Um Xena, I think it was more a case of what she drank." Gabrielle turned to look at her. "I'm sure I could smell alcohol when she was sick. God's she must have hit the wineskin pretty hard last night."
"Gabrielle she wasn't drunk, she was poisoned. There was no wine in her house except..." Xena eyes widened as she look at her wife and they both said in unison "except for the wine Savis had given us."
Gabrielle turned her body back around and slumped into Xena's arms. "Gods... Savis! That wine was meant for us. She gave it to us as we left, when we were saying our goodbye's. By the Gods Xena she was so calm and sweet even when she handed me the wine skin. She's...she's ummm."
"She's a nut case Gabrielle, just like her mother. Two psycho's, like mother like daughter. You didn't see it, neither did I sweetheart, I had no idea." She squeezed the bard in her arms. "They're the worst kind honey...so dangerous..." Xena's voice trailed off as she stared into the fire.
"You okay Xe?"
"mmm just thinking. She wants us dead, that's the warning Eve was trying to tell us last night."
Gabrielle could sense the change in her wife's emotions. "Xe, Eve's okay honey, she's at peace now. You sound worried about her, no need to be, she just came to warn us that's all." Her voice was gentle and soothing. She clasped her wife's hand and intertwined their fingers while deep in thought herself.
"Xena"
"mmmm"
"Why would she want to kill us, what did I do, or you for that matter." The bard said puzzled.
The dark haired warrior chuckled. "Honey for starters psycho's don't need a reason to be nuts. Her mind is broken like her mother's. However for Savis her reason would be that she can't have you. She believes she's in love with you and you have rejected her love for me. Hence, she hates both of us." Xena smiled with a half grimace on her face. "Therefore we have one looney-tune on the loose that's out for our blood."
"Honey what about Sarah, will Savis harm her?"
"Mmmmm if Sarah doesn't push her for answers she'll be okay, but on the other hand…"
Gabrielle finished the sentence for her. "if she does Savis could turn on her. Yes I remember with Najara, one minute all sweet the next a very dangerous woman." Gabrielle shivered at the memory.
"mmmm a raving lunatic would be more like it." Xena picked up a stick and tossed it into the fire. "We just have to be very careful. We'll be there tomorrow sweetheart, nice and early so we can find Sarah and deal with Savis."
Gabrielle shifted her body and groaned. "Sounds like a plan. Okay Xena, we should get some sleep." She moved again, this time the groan was louder.
"You know after all these years Xe, you would think that I would be used to riding a horse." Gabrielle chuckled as she cringed in pain.
"mmmm, one would think." Xena commented while she began to nuzzle the bard's neck. "mmmm, you smell so good." She softly kissed the side of her head as her hands began to wander. Her breathing hitched a notch as her heart began to race. "mmmm why don't we..."
"My arse is so sore! Gods!"
"Huh"
The kissing and caressing came to a grinding halt, instead Xena started to silently laugh. "Oh Gabrielle, is it really that bad."
"Yes honey, it is...I have an owie on my tooshie." She said pressing the back of head into Xena's chest.
"Hahaha, an owie on your tooshie! Hahaha." Xena squeezed her wife, "well we can't have that now can we" she said as she lifted her up and placed her down on her stomach.
"Stay there, I'll grab some ointment to rub in, it should help relieve the pain."
Xena rummaged through the saddle bags, her mind totally focused on her wife. She chuckled a little, before her mouth opened and conveyed her thoughts. "You know honey you would make a great mother. The child would be so lucky." She said without thinking and froze for a moment embarrassed. "Um what I me-meant t-to say is um, well..."
"Xena, honey, are you interested in more children?" The bard said smiling. Xena stopped searching for the ointment and sighed, her eye's reflecting nothing but love as she gazed at her wife. "I would Gabrielle, how about you?"
"I would love to have more children."
"Good." Xena said resuming her search for the ointment. "I'm glad you feel that way, cause you'll be the one having them." She smiled at Gabrielle as she found the ointment. "I'm too old sweetheart to give birth again, so if you don't mind it will have to be you."
"Oh Xena!" Gabrielle said laughing, "you just don't want the pain!, too old ha! that's rubbish and you know it." She sobered up as she looked into Xena's eyes. "Xe, I'll carry our next child, you're right I'm much younger, the chance of problems shall be less." A smile ignited on the warriors face.
Sarah had cried herself to sleep, only to be woken by screaming. She had no concept of time. The darkness that surrounded her gave no clue as to how long she had been there, or of the time of day. Her mind was fuzzy as she tried to remember what had happened, only splinters of memory coming back to her.
Savis, God was it Savis?...wh-what did she do.
The more she strained her mind to think, the more her memory returned. "By the Gods, Savis what have you done." she whispered as she remembered their conversation when she confronted her lover with questions.
Suddenly something hard hit her in the face and dropped in her lap. She sensed it came from above, as she heard it hit the far wall and bounce back to hit her. Her hands dropped immediately to feel for the object. Her heart grew cold upon realizing what it was. She froze for an instant as tears streamed down her face, her mouth fell open but no sound could escape. The warm sticky object still sat in her lap, as finally she found her voice and screamed.
The severed bloodied head flew through the air and smacked against the far wall once more, before dropping and landing and making a home amongst the rest of the corpses.
Above the deep pit, out in the night's fresh air, Savis wiped her blood soaked hands on her apron. She hummed to herself a pretty little tune, a tune that her mother had taught her. Najara her mother was with her tonight while she prepared the hospice for departure. The Gin had spoken their words of wisdom and given her guidance to prepared her.
Trouble was seen by the Gin and that trouble was heading her way. She decided to move the hospice before the break of day. Those that were sick and couldn't be moved were introduced to the pit. Seven in total had lost their fight, the last spark of life being stolen. The one they looked up to, the healer herself had robbed them all hope of life. A death they couldn't possibly have seen coming when they entered her hospice for care.
Xena retrieved the crushed herbal ointment and removed the bards skirt and undergarments before straddling her backside. Opening the container she couldn't help but smile. The sight before her was adorable. She scooted her body back to gain access to her beautiful creamy white buttocks, rubbing the ointment in her hands as she gazed down at her bottom.
Slowly she placed her warmed up hands upon her lover and began a very slow massage which lasted for about half a candlemark.
"How's that love, your tooshie feeling any better." Her voice was seductive and husky.
"mmmm, much" The bard sighed in contentment, she was completely relaxed. She flipped over onto her back when Xena had moved. She watched her wife pack the ointment away before picking up their blanket and returning.
Xena glanced down at her bard with a look of total desire. Gabrielle lay open and bare from the waist down and the warrior could take it no more. She stood in front of her and raised her eyebrow, a jester that the blonde warrior knew so well. It was a signal, a question, her seeking permission if she felt the same way and wanted to make love. Gabrielle's smile is all it took, the permission she sought was granted. Xena stripped off her own garments, while still watching her, her eyes never leaving her body as Gabrielle removed her top.
Right at that moment, time stood still while their bodies and souls intertwined. Life all around them ceased to exist as their lovemaking continued for hours. It would be this way till dawn...well so they thought.
The flash of pink was bright. A semi naked Aphrodite appeared before them. "Wow! You go girl, ridem cowboy, Yihar!"
"Shit! Aphrodite! Xena gasped as she stopped mid stroke on Gabrielle's thigh. Their bond was broken and the two warriors were not impressed, not impressed at all.
"Dite, by the Gods what do you want." Gabrielle almost demanded. Her body alive and wanting release for the third time that night, also screamed out for an answer.
"Hey guys." The blonde goddess said with a huge smile on her face. "You gals sure know how to stoke the old fire and get it burn'in!"
"Dite! What the hell do you want? If it's nothing then get lost." Xena growled while still on top of Gabrielle.
"Okay, okay, gosh you don't have to be so mean. Umm what was it I came here for? Um..."
"Dite! Come on I'm dying here, pleeease hurry up." Gabrielle panted her hips beginning to twitch wanting desperately to continue their lovemaking.
"Oh yeah" the blonde bombshell remembered. "I was told to tell you that both of you are in danger and not only you. This is bigger than you can imagine and you must run and hide till the time is right to resurface."
"What? Dite what in Hades are you talking about. Gods! Not only do we have to contend with Savis who's a whacko, but now with you. Have you lost your friggin mind Aphrodite, what the heck are you talking about?"
"Hey! Don't shoot the messenger here guys." She said whining. "Look I was told to tell you that, as for the rest of it, well you and Gabs have to figure it out."
Xena shifted herself off Gabrielle. "So let me guess, Michael is playing another game with us. Hmmmm he's not allowed to tell us what's going on is he?" The dark warrior raised her eyebrow waiting for an answer.
"Xena that is all Michael can tell you. Look, just listen to me and promise me you won't ask any questions, okay." Xena nodded her agreement she could tell Dite was in a difficult position, so listening would have to do. "He wants to tell you more but he can't. It would upset the balance and right now that would be dangerous. Honey, if you love your daughter do as he says."
Xena's eyes sparkled at the mention of Eve. "It's bigger than we can imagine and Gabrielle and I must run and hide till the time is right to resurface?"
Gabrielle sat up taking Xena's hand in hers. She looked up at the Goddess. "Dite, someone else is in danger not only us. This someone, is it Sarah?"
"Not just Sarah."
"It's others as well?" Gabrielle queried.
Dite's eyes softened and her head gave a very small and slow nod, as if someone was watching her she had to be careful.
"Okay Dite thank you." Xena whispered.
"I must go now Xena. She bent down in front of them her face inches from theirs. "Please guys you must do this. You must hide and not be found, they must never know." She reached her hand out and touched the bard's stomach, looking her in the eye while she slowly stroked the bard's tummy. "Do you understand me? They must never know."
In a pink flash, the Goddess of Love was gone, leaving two stunned warriors behind.
A/N: Well that's it again. My posting should become more frequent now, well at least once a week (hopefully). Till next time have a good weekend and stay safe. Cheers