Chapter Twenty-Nine
It was hours later when Xena woke. It was night and the stars were out. The wind was calm and the breeze was unusually warm. Xena looked over at Gabrielle who was sleeping fitfully. She was probably having a bad dream.
Xena crawled over to the bard and lifted up her blanket and dress. She checked Gabrielle's opening and saw that she was nearly there. Gabrielle would be giving birth within an hour or so.
Xena sat back and looked up at the stars. She smiled and remembered when Solan was born. He had the softest brown hair and the most beautiful little eyes, his father's eyes. Xena sighed and thought of Borias.
"Oh, Borias," she started. "If you could only see your son now. You'd be so proud. He's wonderful. I'm going to be a mother again soon, with Gabrielle. We'll be mothers to the same child and we are so happy. I hope that you're looking over us. I want you to know how happy I am. It's because of you that I had our son and it's because of our son that I knew I had something good inside of me. In a round about way, you're the whole reason I have Gabrielle today. Thank you, Borias, for trying to help me."
Xena stopped and stood slowly. She was about to be a mother again. Her first child didn't even know he was her son and Xena knew she could never tell him. Would she be a good mother to this child? The only experience with a baby she'd actually had was the short time that Gwendolyn was with her.
"Mmm," came the soft moan from a waking Gabrielle. Xena hurried to her side and sat down next to her. She held the younger woman's hand. "Xena?"
"I'm here, Gabrielle," Xena spoke. "It's almost time. You sleep now and the pain will be a little easier when you give birth."
"Yeah right," Gabrielle said with a hint of sarcasm. Xena just smiled sheepishly and kissed her love's hand. She leaned down and pressed a kiss to Gabrielle's lips, tracing the luscious, kissable lips with her tongue. She pulled away and smiled at Gabrielle. "Don't torture me like that."
"There's more where that came from, after you heal," Xena promised. She winked and Gabrielle laughed. Her upturned lips turned downward as a contraction pushed through her. She cringed and arched her back a moment. She banged her fists furiously on the ground.
"I hate this!" she exclaimed.
"I know it's not a walk in the park, but it'll be over before you know it," Xena offered. Gabrielle scowled and looked at her belly.
"Come out soon little one. That's an order from mommy number one," Gabrielle demanded.
"I'm mommy number two?" Xena asked with a smile. Gabrielle chuckled softly.
"Well, do you want to give birth? I'd gladly take the last month back and let you have it," Gabrielle said with a smile.
"Nah, that's okay," Xena said. "I decline. I'm happy with mommy number two." Gabrielle moaned loudly as another contraction hit. Xena checked her again and her eyes were wide with happiness. "It's time to push."
"By the Gods," Gabrielle groaned. Xena helped her into a sitting/squatting position against a tree and got the blankets ready, the clean dagger, and the warm water. She spread Gabrielle's legs and sat comfortably on the ground. Gabrielle grabbed clumps of grass with her fists as more pain came through her body.
Xena pressed Gabrielle's thighs and a small spot on her stomach to make the pain a little less painful during the birth. Gabrielle arched her back again and Xena looked her in the eyes.
"Gabrielle, I want you to look into my eyes, the whole time. Look at me. Focus on me, and you'll be fine," Xena promised. "Just relax your back and push." Gabrielle nodded and pushed her very first push. She looked at Xena with tears in her eyes and pulled clumps of grass out of the ground. "Good girl."
"It hurts so much!" Gabrielle yelled. "How the hell did you ever go through this?"
"I know," Xena said. "Don't talk. Just push." Gabrielle did as Xena commanded and pushed harder. The feeling was so painful that Gabrielle could hardly bear it. She let out a yelp and a scream of anguish. She grabbed onto Xena's shoulders and squeezed tightly.
The warrior let her love take out her pain on her because she knew what she was going through. Xena looked down and saw her child's head beginning to crown. She smiled and looked at Gabrielle.
"I can see the head," she said. Gabrielle couldn't smile, although she wanted to. She cried in pain as the child's head began to move out of her. "Come on. Push!"
"I'm trying, dammit!" Gabrielle exclaimed huffily. She continued to bear down on Xena's shoulders. The child began to slide out and its head was finally present. It had blonde hair and the eyes weren't open yet, but Xena wondered if they were green or blue. She smiled as the child began to come out a bit more.
Soon, Xena held her child in her arms and cried. Gabrielle stared, awestruck at her new baby. Together, they looked to find out what they'd been dying to know together. And together, they said aloud:
"It's a little girl!"
Chapter Thirty
Loud cries came from the baby girl as Xena cut the child's lifeline to Gabrielle. She immediately looked at the baby's eyes who were so beautifully blue that she felt as if she were looking into her own eyes.
"She has my eyes," Xena said softly as she handed the baby to Gabrielle. Gabrielle was crying along with her partner and her daughter.
"She has my hair," Gabrielle chuckled. Xena smiled. "She's so beautiful."
"I love you, Gabrielle," Xena whispered.
"I love you," Gabrielle said. They two shared a soft, tender kiss as their daughter continued to cry.
"I'd better get her cleaned up. She's going to want to be warm," Xena declared as she took the baby back into her arms. She smiled as she took the child to the warm bucket of water. She held her in one arm as she took a cloth and dipped it in the water, rung it out, and started to wipe the baby's skin softly and thoroughly.
The child didn't like it much, but she was much cleaner afterward. Xena put a small cloth diaper on her and a cute little dress that she and Gabrielle had found at a marketplace. It was white and it had pretty frill at the skirt. Now, they didn't know if the child would be a girl or not, but they'd bought a little boy's outfit as well. But they wouldn't need it now. They had their daughter and they were thrilled.
After dressing the baby, Xena wrapped her in a brown blanket. She carried her over to Gabrielle and handed her over. The child was obviously hungry and Gabrielle wasn't sure what to do. Xena demonstrated how to feed the child and Gabrielle understood. She put the child to her breast properly and she began to nurse.
Xena cleaned Gabrielle up and put in a few small stitches where she'd torn during the birth. It wasn't bad, but she'd be sore for quite awhile. That meant that they couldn't be intimate for some time. But, Xena already knew that, having given birth to a son before. But, she had given in to the temptation only a week after his birth. She had had to get over Borias, so she decided that the only way to do that was to find a new lover, which she had. But a few jealous men in Xena's army later killed him.
"Xena?" Gabrielle asked as their daughter suckled. "What should we name her?"
"I don't know," Xena said with a half smile. "I've been thinking about that and I don't exactly know what a fitting name for the little warrior princess should be.
"Warrior princess," Gabrielle said with a smile. "I know she's not an amazon princess, but I'd like her to be an amazon princess, you know? I mean, she's just as much my family as Gwendolyn is. But, I know that our baby would probably be better off if she wasn't. I mean, she'd have so many responsibilities and . . ."
"Gabrielle," Xena started. "You're rambling. Let's let her figure out what she wasn't to do when she's old enough to make those decisions." Gabrielle nodded. "Now, we need to focus on a name."
"A name," Gabrielle spoke as she looked down at her blonde-haired, blue-eyed baby girl. She smiled.
"Any ideas?" Xena asked.
"Not one," Gabrielle replied. "You?" Xena shook her head. They both started laughing.
"Funny," Xena said. "You'd think we'd have a whole list now. I mean, when we first found out, we thought about names, but now, it's like, no name is good enough for her. She's just so perfect."
"Yeah," Gabrielle said with a smile. "Perfect and nameless."
"Well, let's start thinking," Xena replied. Gabrielle nodded. She noticed that the child wasn't suckling anymore. She gently pried the baby's lips away from her breast and laced up her top. She handed the child to Xena and they began the naming process.
Chapter Thirty-One
"Gail?" Xena asked as she looked at Gabrielle. Gabrielle nodded. Xena crinkled her nose and shrugged.
"I don't know," she said. "How about Crystal?"
"Crystal is nice," Gabrielle said. "I also like Raine, Samia, and Hope."
"Hope is nice," Xena said, "But it sounds like a name that is used too much. I know I've heard it before." Gabrielle nodded. "How about Dawn or Rose?"
"I don't know," Gabrielle replied. "I like both of those, but they're just not appealing to me right now."
"Okay," Xena said, searching for more names. "How about . . . Anya?"
"Pretty," Gabrielle said. "But I don't think it fits our daughter." Xena shrugged. "Suddenly a name popped into her head that she used to love as a child. She smiled and looked at her daughter and at Gabrielle.
"Grace," she said. Gabrielle looked at Xena and smiled.
"I like that," she said softly. "But, does it really go with the title Warrior Princess?" Xena rolled her eyes.
"Xandra, Gabriella, Chastity, Clairese, Shana, Camille, Willow, Xenia," Xena spouted out. "Any of those?" Gabrielle just shrugged. Xena cradled the baby in her arms and frowned.
"Well, we're getting nowhere," she declared. "I don't know what we should name her, Xena."
"How about Caitlyn?" Xena blurted out. "Or Chloe?"
"Those are beautiful!" Gabrielle exclaimed. "One of those would be perfect."
"Which one? Caitlyn Warrior Princess or Chloe Warrior Princess?" Xena chuckled. Gabrielle giggled.
"I really like Chloe," she said softly.
"Me too," Xena said.
"Chloe it is?" Gabrielle asked. Xena nodded.
"Chloe it is," she declared, kissing Gabrielle gently. She looked down at the sleeping baby in her arms and smiled. "Welcome to the world Chloe."
*~*
After a few hours of sitting up, staring at their daughter, Xena and Gabrielle finally fell asleep at dawn. The baby had cried a little but had went back to sleep when she realized she was in the arms of her mothers.
Xena let Gabrielle lay in her arms as they slept and they kept their daughter right beside them, well protected. She slept with her little thumb inside of her mouth and she was happy all night.
Xena didn't sleep much. She kept waking up to make sure the baby was okay. She just had to stare at her for a few minutes to believe she was actually there. The birth of this child was a truly one of a kind thing and she knew that not every couple out there in the world would be lucky like she and Gabrielle were.
Dreams filled Xena's sleep, when she did sleep, that night. She kept seeing the future with her lover and her daughter. She'd see Chloe growing happier and bigger every day. She could practically feel the years rush by as if they were seconds. Xena didn't want the baby to grow up so fast. She cherished the time she had already spent and would spend in the future with her daughter. She didn't want these first couple of years to go by so quickly.
Chapter Thirty-Two
It was noon that next morning when Gabrielle woke up. She woke to see Xena walking around, holding Chloe in her arms. She was singing and smiling and she looked incredibly happy. Gabrielle watched her warrior for the longest time and smiled while doing so. She couldn't believe how incredibly wonderful her life had turned out to be.
"Xena?" Gabrielle asked. The warrior looked over at her bard and smiled.
"Yes my love?" she asked.
"Thank you," Gabrielle declared. "For every little thing, every big thing you've ever given me. You've made my life the best it can be."
"But you're wrong," Xena objected. "It's only going to get better. I promise you that I will do everything in my power to give you and our baby a safe life." Gabrielle smiled. Xena carried Chloe over where Gabrielle was laying. She sat down beside her and kissed her softly.
"You guys look so sweet together!" Aphrodite said as she appeared before the family.
"Hi Aphrodite," Gabrielle greeted the goddess.
"Hey! Oh, there's that little one!" Aphrodite exclaimed. "It seems like just yesterday I gave her to you guys!"
"Well, you're close," Xena said with a smile. "She's perfect Aphrodite, thank you so much,"
"She's going to be a beautiful one," Aphrodite continued. "She already is. But she's going to look like her mothers and her life will be wonderful."
"I hope you're right," Gabrielle said with a smile.
"Hey, it's already been decided. She will do great things in her life."
*~*
A while later, Xena took Chloe away so Gabrielle could rest and heal a little. The warrior took the infant for a long walk. She knew the baby would be hungry soon, and she'd have to get her back to Gabrielle, but things would be fine for now.
Xena looked at her daughter as she looked over the land from atop a hill. She smiled as she watched the children down in a valley playing.
"That'll be you one day, playing with your brother down in a little valley," Xena promised. "You'll love Solan. He'll be the most wonderful big brother to you, even if he doesn't know you're his sister." The baby cooed and Xena grinned. "You're the most perfect being I've ever seen. I never want to see you sad, okay? I want you to have a happy life and I want you to have as much love as Gabrielle and I have."
The wind blew softly and Xena took it as a sign from the gods. She'd never really believed in signs until she and Gabrielle were blessed with Chloe. She was glad that most of the gods were on their side and Chloe was a gift from one of them. She looked back down at the bundle in her arms. She kissed her forehead softly and walked back to be with Gabrielle.
It was hours later when Xena woke. It was night and the stars were out. The wind was calm and the breeze was unusually warm. Xena looked over at Gabrielle who was sleeping fitfully. She was probably having a bad dream.
Xena crawled over to the bard and lifted up her blanket and dress. She checked Gabrielle's opening and saw that she was nearly there. Gabrielle would be giving birth within an hour or so.
Xena sat back and looked up at the stars. She smiled and remembered when Solan was born. He had the softest brown hair and the most beautiful little eyes, his father's eyes. Xena sighed and thought of Borias.
"Oh, Borias," she started. "If you could only see your son now. You'd be so proud. He's wonderful. I'm going to be a mother again soon, with Gabrielle. We'll be mothers to the same child and we are so happy. I hope that you're looking over us. I want you to know how happy I am. It's because of you that I had our son and it's because of our son that I knew I had something good inside of me. In a round about way, you're the whole reason I have Gabrielle today. Thank you, Borias, for trying to help me."
Xena stopped and stood slowly. She was about to be a mother again. Her first child didn't even know he was her son and Xena knew she could never tell him. Would she be a good mother to this child? The only experience with a baby she'd actually had was the short time that Gwendolyn was with her.
"Mmm," came the soft moan from a waking Gabrielle. Xena hurried to her side and sat down next to her. She held the younger woman's hand. "Xena?"
"I'm here, Gabrielle," Xena spoke. "It's almost time. You sleep now and the pain will be a little easier when you give birth."
"Yeah right," Gabrielle said with a hint of sarcasm. Xena just smiled sheepishly and kissed her love's hand. She leaned down and pressed a kiss to Gabrielle's lips, tracing the luscious, kissable lips with her tongue. She pulled away and smiled at Gabrielle. "Don't torture me like that."
"There's more where that came from, after you heal," Xena promised. She winked and Gabrielle laughed. Her upturned lips turned downward as a contraction pushed through her. She cringed and arched her back a moment. She banged her fists furiously on the ground.
"I hate this!" she exclaimed.
"I know it's not a walk in the park, but it'll be over before you know it," Xena offered. Gabrielle scowled and looked at her belly.
"Come out soon little one. That's an order from mommy number one," Gabrielle demanded.
"I'm mommy number two?" Xena asked with a smile. Gabrielle chuckled softly.
"Well, do you want to give birth? I'd gladly take the last month back and let you have it," Gabrielle said with a smile.
"Nah, that's okay," Xena said. "I decline. I'm happy with mommy number two." Gabrielle moaned loudly as another contraction hit. Xena checked her again and her eyes were wide with happiness. "It's time to push."
"By the Gods," Gabrielle groaned. Xena helped her into a sitting/squatting position against a tree and got the blankets ready, the clean dagger, and the warm water. She spread Gabrielle's legs and sat comfortably on the ground. Gabrielle grabbed clumps of grass with her fists as more pain came through her body.
Xena pressed Gabrielle's thighs and a small spot on her stomach to make the pain a little less painful during the birth. Gabrielle arched her back again and Xena looked her in the eyes.
"Gabrielle, I want you to look into my eyes, the whole time. Look at me. Focus on me, and you'll be fine," Xena promised. "Just relax your back and push." Gabrielle nodded and pushed her very first push. She looked at Xena with tears in her eyes and pulled clumps of grass out of the ground. "Good girl."
"It hurts so much!" Gabrielle yelled. "How the hell did you ever go through this?"
"I know," Xena said. "Don't talk. Just push." Gabrielle did as Xena commanded and pushed harder. The feeling was so painful that Gabrielle could hardly bear it. She let out a yelp and a scream of anguish. She grabbed onto Xena's shoulders and squeezed tightly.
The warrior let her love take out her pain on her because she knew what she was going through. Xena looked down and saw her child's head beginning to crown. She smiled and looked at Gabrielle.
"I can see the head," she said. Gabrielle couldn't smile, although she wanted to. She cried in pain as the child's head began to move out of her. "Come on. Push!"
"I'm trying, dammit!" Gabrielle exclaimed huffily. She continued to bear down on Xena's shoulders. The child began to slide out and its head was finally present. It had blonde hair and the eyes weren't open yet, but Xena wondered if they were green or blue. She smiled as the child began to come out a bit more.
Soon, Xena held her child in her arms and cried. Gabrielle stared, awestruck at her new baby. Together, they looked to find out what they'd been dying to know together. And together, they said aloud:
"It's a little girl!"
Chapter Thirty
Loud cries came from the baby girl as Xena cut the child's lifeline to Gabrielle. She immediately looked at the baby's eyes who were so beautifully blue that she felt as if she were looking into her own eyes.
"She has my eyes," Xena said softly as she handed the baby to Gabrielle. Gabrielle was crying along with her partner and her daughter.
"She has my hair," Gabrielle chuckled. Xena smiled. "She's so beautiful."
"I love you, Gabrielle," Xena whispered.
"I love you," Gabrielle said. They two shared a soft, tender kiss as their daughter continued to cry.
"I'd better get her cleaned up. She's going to want to be warm," Xena declared as she took the baby back into her arms. She smiled as she took the child to the warm bucket of water. She held her in one arm as she took a cloth and dipped it in the water, rung it out, and started to wipe the baby's skin softly and thoroughly.
The child didn't like it much, but she was much cleaner afterward. Xena put a small cloth diaper on her and a cute little dress that she and Gabrielle had found at a marketplace. It was white and it had pretty frill at the skirt. Now, they didn't know if the child would be a girl or not, but they'd bought a little boy's outfit as well. But they wouldn't need it now. They had their daughter and they were thrilled.
After dressing the baby, Xena wrapped her in a brown blanket. She carried her over to Gabrielle and handed her over. The child was obviously hungry and Gabrielle wasn't sure what to do. Xena demonstrated how to feed the child and Gabrielle understood. She put the child to her breast properly and she began to nurse.
Xena cleaned Gabrielle up and put in a few small stitches where she'd torn during the birth. It wasn't bad, but she'd be sore for quite awhile. That meant that they couldn't be intimate for some time. But, Xena already knew that, having given birth to a son before. But, she had given in to the temptation only a week after his birth. She had had to get over Borias, so she decided that the only way to do that was to find a new lover, which she had. But a few jealous men in Xena's army later killed him.
"Xena?" Gabrielle asked as their daughter suckled. "What should we name her?"
"I don't know," Xena said with a half smile. "I've been thinking about that and I don't exactly know what a fitting name for the little warrior princess should be.
"Warrior princess," Gabrielle said with a smile. "I know she's not an amazon princess, but I'd like her to be an amazon princess, you know? I mean, she's just as much my family as Gwendolyn is. But, I know that our baby would probably be better off if she wasn't. I mean, she'd have so many responsibilities and . . ."
"Gabrielle," Xena started. "You're rambling. Let's let her figure out what she wasn't to do when she's old enough to make those decisions." Gabrielle nodded. "Now, we need to focus on a name."
"A name," Gabrielle spoke as she looked down at her blonde-haired, blue-eyed baby girl. She smiled.
"Any ideas?" Xena asked.
"Not one," Gabrielle replied. "You?" Xena shook her head. They both started laughing.
"Funny," Xena said. "You'd think we'd have a whole list now. I mean, when we first found out, we thought about names, but now, it's like, no name is good enough for her. She's just so perfect."
"Yeah," Gabrielle said with a smile. "Perfect and nameless."
"Well, let's start thinking," Xena replied. Gabrielle nodded. She noticed that the child wasn't suckling anymore. She gently pried the baby's lips away from her breast and laced up her top. She handed the child to Xena and they began the naming process.
Chapter Thirty-One
"Gail?" Xena asked as she looked at Gabrielle. Gabrielle nodded. Xena crinkled her nose and shrugged.
"I don't know," she said. "How about Crystal?"
"Crystal is nice," Gabrielle said. "I also like Raine, Samia, and Hope."
"Hope is nice," Xena said, "But it sounds like a name that is used too much. I know I've heard it before." Gabrielle nodded. "How about Dawn or Rose?"
"I don't know," Gabrielle replied. "I like both of those, but they're just not appealing to me right now."
"Okay," Xena said, searching for more names. "How about . . . Anya?"
"Pretty," Gabrielle said. "But I don't think it fits our daughter." Xena shrugged. "Suddenly a name popped into her head that she used to love as a child. She smiled and looked at her daughter and at Gabrielle.
"Grace," she said. Gabrielle looked at Xena and smiled.
"I like that," she said softly. "But, does it really go with the title Warrior Princess?" Xena rolled her eyes.
"Xandra, Gabriella, Chastity, Clairese, Shana, Camille, Willow, Xenia," Xena spouted out. "Any of those?" Gabrielle just shrugged. Xena cradled the baby in her arms and frowned.
"Well, we're getting nowhere," she declared. "I don't know what we should name her, Xena."
"How about Caitlyn?" Xena blurted out. "Or Chloe?"
"Those are beautiful!" Gabrielle exclaimed. "One of those would be perfect."
"Which one? Caitlyn Warrior Princess or Chloe Warrior Princess?" Xena chuckled. Gabrielle giggled.
"I really like Chloe," she said softly.
"Me too," Xena said.
"Chloe it is?" Gabrielle asked. Xena nodded.
"Chloe it is," she declared, kissing Gabrielle gently. She looked down at the sleeping baby in her arms and smiled. "Welcome to the world Chloe."
*~*
After a few hours of sitting up, staring at their daughter, Xena and Gabrielle finally fell asleep at dawn. The baby had cried a little but had went back to sleep when she realized she was in the arms of her mothers.
Xena let Gabrielle lay in her arms as they slept and they kept their daughter right beside them, well protected. She slept with her little thumb inside of her mouth and she was happy all night.
Xena didn't sleep much. She kept waking up to make sure the baby was okay. She just had to stare at her for a few minutes to believe she was actually there. The birth of this child was a truly one of a kind thing and she knew that not every couple out there in the world would be lucky like she and Gabrielle were.
Dreams filled Xena's sleep, when she did sleep, that night. She kept seeing the future with her lover and her daughter. She'd see Chloe growing happier and bigger every day. She could practically feel the years rush by as if they were seconds. Xena didn't want the baby to grow up so fast. She cherished the time she had already spent and would spend in the future with her daughter. She didn't want these first couple of years to go by so quickly.
Chapter Thirty-Two
It was noon that next morning when Gabrielle woke up. She woke to see Xena walking around, holding Chloe in her arms. She was singing and smiling and she looked incredibly happy. Gabrielle watched her warrior for the longest time and smiled while doing so. She couldn't believe how incredibly wonderful her life had turned out to be.
"Xena?" Gabrielle asked. The warrior looked over at her bard and smiled.
"Yes my love?" she asked.
"Thank you," Gabrielle declared. "For every little thing, every big thing you've ever given me. You've made my life the best it can be."
"But you're wrong," Xena objected. "It's only going to get better. I promise you that I will do everything in my power to give you and our baby a safe life." Gabrielle smiled. Xena carried Chloe over where Gabrielle was laying. She sat down beside her and kissed her softly.
"You guys look so sweet together!" Aphrodite said as she appeared before the family.
"Hi Aphrodite," Gabrielle greeted the goddess.
"Hey! Oh, there's that little one!" Aphrodite exclaimed. "It seems like just yesterday I gave her to you guys!"
"Well, you're close," Xena said with a smile. "She's perfect Aphrodite, thank you so much,"
"She's going to be a beautiful one," Aphrodite continued. "She already is. But she's going to look like her mothers and her life will be wonderful."
"I hope you're right," Gabrielle said with a smile.
"Hey, it's already been decided. She will do great things in her life."
*~*
A while later, Xena took Chloe away so Gabrielle could rest and heal a little. The warrior took the infant for a long walk. She knew the baby would be hungry soon, and she'd have to get her back to Gabrielle, but things would be fine for now.
Xena looked at her daughter as she looked over the land from atop a hill. She smiled as she watched the children down in a valley playing.
"That'll be you one day, playing with your brother down in a little valley," Xena promised. "You'll love Solan. He'll be the most wonderful big brother to you, even if he doesn't know you're his sister." The baby cooed and Xena grinned. "You're the most perfect being I've ever seen. I never want to see you sad, okay? I want you to have a happy life and I want you to have as much love as Gabrielle and I have."
The wind blew softly and Xena took it as a sign from the gods. She'd never really believed in signs until she and Gabrielle were blessed with Chloe. She was glad that most of the gods were on their side and Chloe was a gift from one of them. She looked back down at the bundle in her arms. She kissed her forehead softly and walked back to be with Gabrielle.