This story will contain the following: two women as life partners and mothers, spankings to minor children, and anyone else whom the author deems needs it.

The rights of Xena, Gabrielle, Cyrene, Argo, etc. belong to REN pics and whomever else makes a profit from using them. I own nothing.

All that said, enjoy.

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Chapter 26

"My Sam, Zivah!" The squeal of delight from Eve woke me and I heard the groan next to me as Zivah was woken as well.

"Hey, little bit." Sitting up I watched as my sister managed to pull herself up onto my bed followed by a very happy puppy who also managed to make the jump without much trouble either.

"Does she wake you up like this every day?" Zivah asked sleepily.

"Not every day," I replied as Eve crawled to me and sat next to me.

"Up, Sam."

"I'm coming, little bit." Moving quickly, I reached out to tickle her and watched as she squirmed before crawling over Zivah and dropping to the floor.

"Why don't you go find your moms?" Zivah asked as she sat up and scratched Nasa behind the ears.

Sticking out her tongue, Eve shook her head. "Babies eating. Eve want panpakes."

"Well, you'll have to see what they're having in the dining hall. Go play in your room and Zivah and I will take you to breakfast soon, okay?"

"Okay." Nodding in agreement Eve moved out of my room and I waited until Zivah had slid from my bed and then did the same.

"Don't you get tired of that?" Zivah asked.

"Tired of what?"

"Being her personal babysitter all the time. I know I did," she sighed. "I was the oldest girl so I always had to take care of the little ones. Sometimes it would have been nice if my parents had actually taken care of them, you know?"

Finishing getting dressed, I sat on my bed and tugged on my socks and then boots. "Yeah," I finally answered her. "It would be nice if my moms could be the ones taking her to breakfast and getting her ready in the morning."

Sighing, I put Nasa on the floor and waited while Zivah put her boots on. "I don't know when it became my job, but she wakes me up now, instead of them. I don't think they've had breakfast with us in over a moon."

"Do you miss it?"

I nodded and sat down again. "Do you remember when we were on the boat? How they always knew what we were up to, how we spent so much time with Mama, and how they always tucked us in."

"Yeah."

"I miss that, Zivah. A lot," I finally admitted. "Especially being tucked in by them. Eve's lucky, they still do it every night for her."

"But not for you?" She asked finally tying her boot.

I shrugged. "It's been over two weeks since they've bothered with me," I said quietly. "I know I'm older and all, but it still hurts when they forget or just decide I don't need it."

Hearing a scream followed by sounds of crying, I stood and sighed again. "Come on, I'll get Eve dressed if you let Nasa out. Then we can go eat."

"Sounds good." Zivah smiled at me and I was glad that she let our conversation go.

"Want panpakes!"

"Well, you're having eggs and toast," I replied as Eve chucked a piece of melon across the table. "Stop throwing your food, little bit." I put the spoon in her hand and then managed to get a bite of egg into her mouth with my spoon.

"Yummy," Eve smiled at me and then began to shovel the eggs into her mouth. "Eggs yummy, Sam."

"Yep, Yaya makes the best eggs." I agreed. "Next to Mom," I sighed and moved my food around my plate.

"Not hungry?" Yaya's voice cut through my thoughts and I shook my head.

"Not really," I shrugged. "I just realized I haven't had breakfast with my moms since the twins were born."

"It won't always be like this," Yaya placed her hand on my arm and I put my head on her shoulder as she sat next to me.

"Yeah, sure," I replied unconvinced. "Eve loves your eggs by the way," I pointed as the last of her breakfast disappeared.

"Glad to hear that. How about you at least have some toast? I don't want you hungry this morning."

Taking a bite of the toast in front of me I put the piece of bread down again. "I can't Yaya." Standing, I grabbed my staff and ran from the dining hall before she could stop me.

Nasa joined me as I exited the dining hall and was able to keep at my heels as I ran to the stables. Moving inside, he followed me and I was happy to see the horses hadn't been turned out into the pasture yet. Putting the tack on Mavri, I added the puppy carrier and placed Nasa in it before leading Mavri outside and mounting.

Looking over the village I wasn't surprised that neither of my mothers was coming for me and my stomach dropped again. Turning my horse, I gave him a strong kick and headed to the pond hoping that I would be found soon, but figuring that nobody would even miss me.

Leaning against the tree as I wrote, I paused long enough to watch Nasa try and play with Mavri, his puppy barks causing me to smile. Turning back to my diary I filled another page and then put it away as I heard hoof beats. Grabbing my staff, I waited until I heard familiar footsteps before letting it drop to the ground again.

"Nice day to think," Mama's voice was quiet as she dropped next to me.

"I guess," I shrugged not looking at her. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to you."

"Why? You need me to take care of Eve or watch the twins or something?" I asked with a bit of an edge to my voice.

"No, Sam, I just thought you might like to spend some time together." Mama let my attitude go for now and I figured that Yaya had spoken with her.

"Yaya talk to you?"

"No," Mama scrubbed her hand down her face. "Actually, Zivah came storming in after you left the dining hall today. Let Gabrielle and I have a fairly large piece of her mind."

My eyes opened wide and I stared into familiar blue, "Really?"

"Really," Mama put her arm around me. "It seems that she was rather upset at us on your behalf, little one."

"I still can't believe she said anything."

"Well, she did. A lot of things, and most of them rather loudly." Mama chuckled. "Ephiny and Ep are going to have her hands full with that one."

I said nothing, instead choosing to watch the pond and the ducks landing on it gently before Nasa would bark and they would fly off again. "So, you decided to come find me after she said something?"

"I thought it was needed."

"Would you have bothered if Zivah hadn't interfered?"

Mama said nothing and I shrugged, "That's what I figured. You wouldn't have even known I was gone until somebody brought you Eve and you had to take care of her."

"Sam," Mama tried.

"No," I sighed and picked up a fallen leaf twirling it between my fingers. "I know that you're busy with the twins. I understand that, I do." I crumbled the leaf in my hand. "But it doesn't mean that I don't miss you and Mom. I miss our family, Mama. I'm tired of belonging more to the nation and less to you."

"Sam," Mama tried again but I wouldn't let her. Standing up I looked down at her.

"Just because I'm not a little girl any more doesn't mean that I don't need you and the things that we do together."

"Sam I know you're growing up, it's just that..."

"No! You don't understand," Lifting my heavy tunic up I let Mama see my undergarments. "I meant it when I said I'm not a little girl anymore. You didn't even notice, did you? That I was wearing these now? Putting my tunic back over my bra I moved towards the pond and rounded again. "I had to go to Auntie because you and Mom wouldn't give me five minutes that day!"

Feeling Mama behind me, I was turned by a gentle hand, "Are you talking about what I think you are?"

I nodded. "The bras were part of my birthday gifts from Auntie. About a week later, Mother Nature decided to screw with me." I sighed. "I try to tell you or Mom, but you wouldn't listen. I finally gave up and went to Auntie about it."

"You went to Aphrodite?" Mama's voice was quiet and she moved from me and slid down by the tree. Pulling her knees up, she rested her arms on her knees and looked at me.

"I'm sorry, little one. There's no excuse for us not noticing and not giving you the attention you deserve."

Taking my spot next to her again, I ruffled Nasa's fur as he climbed over my legs. "That's a start," I said quietly. "Now what?"

Pulling me into a hug, she brushed her lips over the top of my head. "I love you, little one."

"I love you too, Mama." I looked up at her again. "But it's nice when you show me that you love me too."

"You have every right to be angry with us, Sam. Hell, I've made more time for this week of pranks than you, haven't I?"

I shrugged. "Time well spent, I'd say. After all, at least I got to see you then and do things with you."

"Sam?"

"Do you realize that you and Mom haven't spent one training day with me since Emily and Zoe were born? I've still been taking off school just in case you remember and show up, but you never do."

"What have you been doing?"

"Hanging out with Kassandra, she showed me how to make her honey sesame balls this week. I've also spent time talking to Artemis about a few things and Auntie took me to a spa last week."

"You left the village, for how long?"

"All day," I shrugged at the look on her face. "Just like the fact that you haven't noticed I've been spending time in the evenings with Yaya. I'm never home when you tuck Eve in anymore."

"Why, Sam?"

"It hurts too much to hear," I finally admitted. "I just put my music player on and listen to those moms instead."

Looking at me for a few moments, Mama didn't say anything but finally turned her gaze to the pond. Standing up, she called Nasa over and put him in his puppy pack and then gave me a wicked smile, "Let's go have some fun, little one."

She pulled me to her and ruffled my hair. "It won't fix everything, but it's a start."

"Mama?" I asked as she helped me mount Mavri.

"You'll see, Sam." Turning in Argo's saddle she gave me a bright smile. "We are going to turn this nation on its ear, little one," she declared before kicking Argo and calling for me to follow.

Confused, I followed Mama as we left Amazon lands and waved to our friends in the centaur village. We rode for about a half hour and finally stopped at a small temple near the road. "Mama?"

"We're going to need some help with this one," she finally said as we entered the smallest temple I'd ever seen dedicated to my goddess mother.

"Aphrodite!" Mama's yell was loud and I turned when I smelled roses.

"You called, warrior babe?" Auntie asked dressed in her customary pink bikini and see thru top.

"I did. First, I want to thank you for helping Sam out recently when Gabrielle and I weren't there for her. I'm glad she has you."

Walking to Mama, I began to giggle when a gentle hand was placed on Mama's forehead. "Are you feeling alright, Xena? Not that I don't appreciate the sentiment, but that's not like you."

Brushing the hand away Mama nodded. "I'm fine, Aphrodite. I just wanted to say that and ask you for a small favor."

"A favor?"

Mama nodded. "Sam and I need to pull a major prank on the entire village tonight and I need your help."

"Really, you need me to help you?" Clapping her hands Auntie squealed in delight. "Oh, I can't wait. Just what does that devious brain of yours have in mind? This will be great. The great warrior babe teamed with me and my little warrior bard. Arte's Amazons aren't going to know what hit them."

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"Are you sure about this?" I asked Mama for what was probably the tenth time in as many minutes.

Giving me a grin, she nodded. "Oh yeah. Just remember, we'll save some and plant it next spring. Will be good to add it to our diets and since Aphrodite was kind enough to supply us with sweet as well as popping corn, it will be perfect for tonight."

Patting the large bag of popcorn balls tied to Argo's saddle horn she chuckled, "They aren't going to know what hit them, little one."

"No, they aren't." I agreed and then frowned. "Are we going to get in trouble for this?"

"Don't worry, if we do, I'll take all the blame. What's your mom going to do, spank me?"

Staring at Mama seriously I nodded. "Yep," I deadpanned as Mama headed towards the village on Argo.

"Race ya," she called as I kicked Mavri and took off in pursuit.

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