Chapter 25: Trial and Error
At the palace docks, while waiting to board a ship back to Greece, Gabrielle had mixed feelings. Now that she knew Xena had the same feelings for her, she did not have any reason to remain in Egypt. She had made many friends in the short time she had spent there, and it was bittersweet to leave them behind.
Xena was first to board the ship. Earlier, she had said her goodbyes to all the friends and acquaintances, but she was well aware that the main reason they were there was to see off Gabrielle. Remaining at the docks with her friends, Gabrielle was ensuring to give each of her friends a strong hug and to thank them for their friendship. Bomani was the first in line. They embraced each other in a hug.
"Gabrielle, thank you for saving my life and reminding me of what is important. We will miss you." Bomani stated, as he placed his hand on his son's shoulders. Adji smiled up at her and she tousled his hair.
"Bye Gaviel!" the blue eyed boy answered. His piercing eyes reminded her of Xena's once again, and she turned to look up at Xena waiting on the ship. Xena returned the gaze and rewarded her with a smile, she didn't want to rush the bard, for they had the rest of their lives together, at least that is what she had planned.
"Adji, you are going to grow up to be a handsome young man, just like your father." the blond healer complimented.
She didn't have to side step too far to say her goodbye to Shiana. Shiana pulled the bard into a hug and thanked her midst hug.
"You have done so many things for me and you have taught me so much to help with my new position. I'm sad to see you go, but I know you and Xena are meant to be together." Shiana said while releasing Gabrielle from the hug. "I'm assuming since you are going back, you have finally told her how you feel. I'm extremely happy for you."
"You know Shiana, you will do well and many will benefit from you taking that position. Thank you so much for helping me that first day when I didn't know where to go. You don't know how much you made such a difficult situation for me so much brighter with your help." Gabrielle responded. Shiana nodded and patted her friend to push her along the farewell line. Neferet stood before the former assistant healer.
"Gabrielle, you have taught me to not be so 'by the book' in my approach to healing. Taking chances has helped. I'm just sorry to see you go." Neferet announced.
"I've gained so much knowledge of tools and herbs, so consider it even." Gabrielle smiled as she also gave the woman a hug. Releasing from the hug she now greeted the female Primus Pilus.
Leona grabbed her up in a bone crushing hug, lifting the bard practically off her feet. Leona knew better than to try her previous trick in front of Xena this time, so after she released Gabrielle, she patted her on the shoulder.
"I will miss you Gabrielle. On the bright side, I won't have anyone to kick my shins, so that's a plus." Leona jibed. Her cheek twitched with a smile, hiding a sadness. She couldn't help but let a tear escape.
Gabrielle brushed it off the Primus' cheek saying, "You are a wonderful woman Leona, I'm sure you will find someone. Just as long as you cut down on your bravado." Gabrielle jibed back. They laughed at each other, sprinkling laughter with mild tears. Gabrielle turned wistfully away and headed for the ship.
Walking up the ramp, Gabrielle paused in the middle. Taking in the beauty of the palace along side the river, she breathed in. The sun was beginning to set, bathing the sky in dark purples and oranges. The palace looked majestic in its stone architecture by the river. It seemed out of place, but a jutting masterpiece nonetheless. She waved one last time to her friends and as she boarded the ship, she looked to her partner. All doubts she had of what she was leaving behind were completely wiped from her mind. Xena gave her a reassuring smile and Gabrielle joined the older woman.
"You seem to make a lot of friends where ever you go." Xena smiled. The blond nodded her agreement. The friends waved a final goodbye as they headed back to the palace and away from the docks.
"So starts our new life." Xena said, as they noticed the deck hands preparing for shipping off. The grinding of the anchor being lifted could be heard, and the ship began leaving the dock. The dark haired warrior released a deep sigh and said, "I'm glad you chose to come back with me."
"It's my destiny." the blond replied with a reassuring smile.
"What made you leave and want to stay away from me then?" Xena asked, putting the bard on the spot.
"Gee Xena, you always ask the easy questions don't you?" Gabrielle responded sarcastically.
Smiling, but with a vulnerable expression Xena continued, "I just want to make sure I don't repeat that mistake. You know; Don't be sorry, just improve."
The blond chuckled at the long ago reference the warrior princess had used on her when they started traveling together.
"Well, I guess we do have a lot of time before we get home. We can get to the bottom of all the truths we want to know." Gabrielle stated pointedly.
Xena squirmed, starting to regret she had started this.
Sighing, Gabrielle began her explanation. "Initially I left because I was so jealous of Antony. I didn't think I served a purpose to you anymore and I just felt like a sidekick. Like it wasn't an equal partnership. Then, after cooling off, I realized I had no right to be jealous. I thought we could never have what I wanted of us. I didn't want to be faced with the day that you found someone and fell in love. Leaving me heartbroken. So I stayed away." the blond softly explained, feeling a bit foolish.
"I wasn't in love with Antony. I promise you I won't be falling in love with someone else, so long as you're around." Xena teased.
"Let me go write that in my scrolls for the next time you run into a devastatingly sexy bad boy." Gabrielle responded in kind, with humor in her voice. The bard was then reminded of something she wanted to do.
"Speaking of scrolls, do you have any? I don't have any more blank ones and I'd like to jot down some of the details of our little adventure while it's still fresh in my head." The bard asked.
"Sure, it's in my pack. I should have some blank ones, I don't use my scrolls much." Xena said, as she contemplated the hurt she had put Gabrielle through with her plot with Antony.
Gabrielle opened Xena's bag and sifted through the contents. Just her usual basic necessities and three scrolls. She poked through the rolls of three scrolls and pulled out the one closest to her. Unrolling it, she checked if there were any contents on it before deciding to use it. To her surprise she found it was addressed to her.
"Hey Xena, I think I found a letter you didn't mail to me yet." Gabrielle said, beginning to read the scroll aloud.
"Dear Gabrielle," the blond announced with a chuckle. Xena's eyes widened at the announcement. A panic raised through her, it was the letter she had begun to write when she had realized that Gabrielle could like women too. That was before she got that horrible feeling in her heart and decided to head for Egypt. Although the truth was already out about her feelings, the letter was a rough draft and had embarrassing mistakes on it.
"Gabrielle! I wasn't done with-" Xena began to try to stop the bard from further reading, but found that by the time she had reached the bard, the blond had already begun reading and was fully immersed in its contents.
Dear Gabrielle,
I think you are hot, and I've wanted you more than any other person I've ever run into.-SCRATCHED OUT
I love you. Not in the friend way, but I'm attracted to you. I want to some day caress your-SCRATCHED OUT
Please come back to me, we are destined to be together. I love -love you. In the not so friendly way-SCRATCHED OUT
I am writing this letter because some recent things have been brought to my attention. I've always loved you and you have always been the most important thing to me. Since you have left me, I've been forced to analyze our life together. I hope you have received my last letter, but this letter has a different purpose. I don't know how to say this, so I'm just going to come right out and say it. I love you. You might be thinking, that you already know this, but what I'm trying to say is I need you in a different way. My skin burns for your touch, and I want to be engulfed in those flames. I want more than friendship from you and if I'm reading you correctly, you might want that too? I guess the clearest most meaningful way to put it is, will you marry me?
Xena looked on as the blond read the letter. The whole thing was just a draft and not very well put together. She had planned on having time to mull over the letter and improve it with time, but because of the feeling she received from Gabrielle, she had stopped the letter and tucked it away hastily and headed to Egypt.
"It was the next letter I was going to send you. I know it's not very good, and it is quite embarrassing really." Xena explained sheepishly.
"It's beautiful. You really pulled out all the stops in trying to get me back. But don't you think that marriage is moving a little too fast?" The blond responded, chuckling at Xena's embarrassment.
"Not at all." Xena answered, completely serious.
Gabrielle was quite shocked by the response and did a double take at her partner.
"We want to be together forever. Why waste time. We know what our lives are like. The more time we spend waiting for the right time, the more time we waste. There's no time like the present." Xena clarified.
"Don't you want to find out if -um- you know; If we are compatible in the bedrolls? So to speak?" Gabrielle questioned, blushing.
"Is that an offer?" the taller woman peered teasingly at the bard.
Gabrielle smacked the warrior across the breastplate.
"Kinky." Xena teased. "I'm sure that we'll be plenty 'compatible', and if not, well, practice makes perfect!" Xena raised her brows suggestively.
"You never cease to amaze me Xena." the blond muttered.
"It's definitely what I live for. To amaze you." Xena said, pulling the bard to her in a hug, kissing her on top of her head. "So, what do you say? Will you marry me?"
"You're serious aren't you?" Gabrielle questioned, holding the warrior at arms length, scrutinizing her with her eyes.
"Dead serious." Xena answered, starting to get nervous and fearful from Gabrielle's lack of an immediate answer.
Gabrielle mulled over the question. Is there any reason I should say No? No. I love her and there is no one else I'd rather be with.
"Of course Xena. Of course I'll marry you." the blond answered smiling, confidence finally filling her being. "But! You owe me a few dates before the big day, when we get back home."
Xena's heart soared, there were no words to express the happiness she felt at the moment and it showed. She was smiling like a maniac. She lifted the bard's chin and took her into an all consuming kiss in attempt to share the happiness she was feeling. Leaving the ship's crew blushing at the intensity, or looking away to give them their privacy.
To be continued in chapter 26
**Author's note: Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter Kiros Razer, Silvermoonlight, Korkyra, SoNFANFOREVER, GabXena21. Eww this was such a mushy chapter don't you think lol. Xena is going to have to kill a dozen warlords to live this down.**