The last chapter! Thank you for reading/following along, everybody!
Chapter Twenty-Two: Snow Angels
Five months passed since the attacks on Edirne, and while Xena wasn't able to quell the Romans from making their way beyond the ports, she was able to thwart the Parthians. For a long time, she set her feelings aside for the sake of war, but Erva was constantly on her mind since the attack. There were many unanswered questions that she wasn't able to ask. She knew she cared for Erva a lot, as they'd been through a lot together, but a trace of bitterness was left in her mouth once she remembered how deceived she was for years, not days, but years.
The city underwent a series of changes since the attacks. Gabrielle managed to convince her, or more like begged her, to live in the city. Without a home to run to and several hidden villas spread throughout the region, Xena did give in and opted to build a home on the city's outskirts. She didn't ever want to put herself in the city's center again, especially after what happened with her son so long ago. Never again would she allow something like that to happen again.
Her son, itching for work and something to do, she was able to offer a suggestion of constructing the villa with a few crewmembers she hired. Xian, not keen on the idea, refused, but after considering, he took her offer and had helped build the villa for the last five months.
One of the first things Xena wanted to do was to rid the world of Gaius Vindex. That was probably the most unexpected twist in her life, second to Erva's forthcoming lies. As for Eylül's fate, she was spared, unlike her cousin. Only because of Gabrielle's persuasive ideas was Eylül able to prove her usefulness in getting rid of Gaius Vindex. Instead of imprisoning her, Xena allowed her to keep her large home with a few conditions. Eylül was forced to surrender all of her bills of sales, homes she sold to others and expose all of the noblemen and women in Rome who corresponded with Augusta Sabina. Thus far, Eylül had complied, but Xena figured there would be some bumps in the road in the future.
Before extinguishing the Romans, she set herself on trying to negotiate peace with the Parthians. It was long overdue, and she hated to admit it, but she lost a considerable amount of money due to dispersing her army across the region for the last year. Moreover, due to her lack of trades with the Parthians and Romans, she was wedged between two powerful empires.
If she didn't act on this opportunity to make an alliance, she figured the Parthians might side with Emperor Nero, and then eventually, her territories would be wiped out. She was able to set a meeting time with the Parthian Prince two months ago, and she was set to leave on this day, the first day of Spring.
Prepared to leave, Xena leisurely padded down the stairs, checking her belt, and searched for her gloves on her person. She donned her fur hat and brushed the long-attached veil over her shoulder. She stepped off the last step, still searching for her gloves, and heard heavy boots thundering above her head.
Peering upward, her eyes followed Xian sprinting down the corridor, round a corner, and slide down the stairs' banister. Arching an eyebrow, she finally found her gloves and smacked them against her palm.
Xian hopped off the banister, breathing heavily, clearly in a frazzled state. "You're leaving for Mesopotamia today?"
"You knew I was leaving. We discussed this months ago."
Indifferent, she headed towards the entry to make her way outside, and her son blocked her path. She tried to side-step him, and he mirrored every move. Groaning lowly, she was nearly tempted to throw him out of her way.
"Xian. I need to be on my way."
"You'll only be gone for ten days, right? No more than that?"
She nodded, "yes, I'll be back in ten days, just like we discussed. Now, please—"
"What if Varinia goes into labor and you're not back yet."
"She won't."
He pointed a finger in her face, "but you don't know that for certain!"
Xena licked her lips and caught Gabrielle waving at her outside. "I think I know a little bit more about this than you do," she grasped her son's shoulder. "Ten days, Xian. And I told you what to do if I'm not here. We talked about this."
The fearful expression indicated that her son either completely forgot this topic they went over for the last month or was so afraid he didn't feel confident enough to handle it independently.
"Ten days," she firmed her grip, "be nice to her."
Slightly amused by the encounter she had, she stepped out of the villa, smiling. She met up with Gabrielle near the horses and adjusted her horse's muzzle and reins. She bent over, checking the saddle straps, and met Gabrielle's upside-down face, staring right back at her.
"You're in a good mood," she observed, which only made Xena's smile widen. "That's the biggest smile I've seen in weeks. Who should I thank for granting such a good deed?" she teased.
Xena stood upright and rounded her horse. "Xian didn't want me to leave. He's worried that Varinia will go into labor while we're away."
Gabrielle shook her head, "poor guy. He's been on edge for weeks."
"It's normal to feel the way that he does."
She enclosed the space between them, grabbing Xena's forearm, "and are you nervous?"
"Not as nervous as he is," she stifled a laugh.
"No, I meant this trip. Are you nervous about going to meet with the Parthians?" she studied the blue eyes above that lost their sparkle and mirth.
Xena's eyes traveled around the area, anywhere to avert Gabrielle. "I don't want to hate Erva," she said, appearing distant in her gaze. "But she lied to me for years. She may have not loaded the bow with the arrows herself, but she might as well have."
It certainly explained why sometimes she was targeted more severely than others. She wasn't hit with those arrows every single time, but as she counted the times of assassination attempts, assassins were always lurking, waiting for her. They knew exactly where she was and always had a clear shot. Erva may have deterred the assassins and led them to false areas a few times, but she still kept in contact with them.
She searched for so long to find the keeper of the peacock arrows, but the keeper had been in front of her the entire time. It still didn't feel real to her, but it was. Erva confessed openly. The guilt must have torn her insides apart. Erva couldn't take it anymore, and maybe, she was planning her death that day. Maybe that was the only way she could break free from the teetering chains that she'd been shackled to for so long. Maybe that was the only way she could redeem herself.
"You don't have to hate her," she turned Xena's cheek towards her. "She cared a lot about you, and I know you cared about her. If she really wanted you dead, she could've killed you a long time ago. I'm sure there's more to the story."
Xena brought eyebrows together and drew her lips to a thin line. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."
She knew when to back off by now, but this discussion wasn't over. It was far from over. It hadn't even begun yet. Sensing Xena's anxiety and stresses was a huge clue, and she wondered if Xena was even ready for this journey, despite having planned it months ago.
"Ready to go?" she draped her hand over Xena's hand, "it's going to be alright. I'm with you the whole way."
Varinia huffed, irritated with her untamed tresses, cursed at the comb in her hand. Deciding to use her fingers to separate the tightly coiled curls, she adjusted the mirror and saw Xian enter the room. Elated by his presence, she swiveled around, still finagling with her hair.
"Evander! Where were you? I woke up to an empty bed."
He came around the bed, and she immediately handed him a necklace. He sighed and stood behind, clasping the chain around her neck.
"I was seeing Gabrielle and my mother off," he grasped her shoulders, resting his chin on her head.
Varinia smiled, grabbing his fingers. "I forgot they were leaving today. How long will they be gone again?"
"Ten days."
Ten long days. He wished it were less than that, but he didn't have a choice in the matter. Fixated on the impending birth of his child, he hadn't realized Varinia already migrated to the bed. A gentle nudge to his leg caused him to turn, and he sat on the edge of the bed, facing Varinia.
"I like this dress on you," he spread his fingers over the violet fabric.
Varinia flipped her hair over her shoulder. "It's one of my favorites! You know I really love purple," she winked. "And your mother made me enough dresses to last a lifetime."
She glanced down at her large swell where their child comfortably lived and ran a hand over her stomach. Then, smiling, she felt a response against her palm and averted her attention to Xian, who simply watched. Over the last few months, she increasingly tried to involve him, but he seemed too timid to even get close to her.
Amused, she nudged her stomach a couple of times, and Xian lightly swatted her hand.
"Don't do that to my child," his tone was mildly playful, but yet there was an underlying resolve. He realized he sounded a little too harsh and added, "you might hurt him," he smiled.
Varinia laughed, "You need to relax, but I appreciate you being overprotective." She leaned over and pecked his lips with a chaste kiss.
She then sat back on the pillows, adjusted her dress, and tilted her head, staring at Xian, who looked very involved with his thoughts. Her nails browsed across her belly, and she lightly bumped Xian's knee with her foot, catching his attention.
"The baby will be here soon. Are you…even a little excited?"
He respired, "I am too nervous to be excited," he gripped her hand, "I don't want you to think I don't care because I do."
"It's okay to be nervous. I'm nervous too."
Xian exhaled, wagging his head, "we both can't be nervous," he softly laughed, hinting at his uneasiness.
"Well…your mother offered to help us. And she is willing."
"But it's my baby. Not hers," he placed a heavy hand over his chest.
"Evander," her tone firm but calm, "accept the help."
She was subjected to something she never desired to do in her life ever again; traveling by sea. The unpleasant sea journey reminded her of the first time she arrived in Edirne. She had no idea she would meet Xena, Erva, or anyone else involved in her tangled life. Now, once again, she was in a foreign land with a foreign woman. That woman, being the one whom she began to understand, was distant to her again.
Xena wasn't herself. She was different. This woman really had so many masks to wear and so little place to store them all. It took all but three days by ship to reach the coast, and from there, they rode inland to an enclosed city, surrounded by a tall stone wall. There weren't warm welcomes at the gates, which was to be expected.
Taking a good look around the massive city, Gabrielle had never seen anything like it before in her life. It was more impressive than Edirne. While this area wasn't lush with greenery or huge trees like Edirne, it had a unique look. Surrounded by desert and red mountains, this area was definitely a sight to behold.
Just ahead, they came to the palace, which was in the center of this walled city. Gabrielle's eyes drifted upward, unable to see the peaks of the spinnerets hidden by the bright beaming sun rays. She was so distracted by the palace's beauty that she didn't even hear her name being called. Coming back to reality, Gabrielle noticed Xena was standing by the massive doors leading into the palace. She quickly dismounted and left her horse with the ominous soldiers dressed in black robes.
They walked through a vast atrium with a rectangular pool lined with trees. Yet, they weren't even inside yet. Gabrielle imagined that whatever Erva did in this palace must've been very important. She gathered there weren't many people invited inside. Finally, they were inside the palace itself, and Gabrielle marveled at the enormous columns lining the halls. She kept turning her head in all directions and felt a bump to her elbow.
"Stop looking around like that," Xena whispered.
"I'm sorry. This place is incredible! You should build a palace like this in Edirne."
Xena rolled her eyes and picked up her pace. "Not even I am so pompous to have a home this size."
After a long, a very long, walk down the never-ending antechamber, they reached the chambers on the second floor. There, they waited for a few minutes, so the Parthian was notified of their arrival. Once they were invited inside the chamber, everyone dispersed, even the servants. Gabrielle frowned, staring at the women carrying bowls of fruit and an empty bottle of wine.
"Xena, Conqueror of the Steppes."
She raised an eyebrow at the voice, and finally, once the average-sized man turned around, she didn't recognize him in the slightest. This wasn't Prince Pacorus she met all those years ago. Instead, this man was thinner and had a thick, peppery beard. She recalled that Pacorus was around her age, but this man was considerably older than her. Unless the prince suddenly withered with age in the last twenty years, this man was definitely not Pacorus.
She didn't even ask who he was, as she was too busy studying his attire, facial structure, and posture.
"Orodes," he introduced himself, "father of Pacorus, King of Parthia. We haven't met before."
"Evidently. Where is your son? I was supposed to meet with him."
The king smirked, swishing the wine in his hand, "he's…preoccupied at the moment. I heard what he did in Edirne. I want you to know I had nothing to do with that invasion."
Xena crossed her arms, "how comforting."
Orodes sipped the wine and turned to face the open balcony. "My son told me of his plan to assassinate you several times."
"How come I've never met or seen you before?" she asked, ignoring his statement.
"I left Pacorus in charge while I was on a campaign in China for twenty years. It seems he's made quite an enemy out of you," he chuckled at his own demise, "as well as made a mockery out of my court."
Setting the wine glass down, he sauntered over to his desk and pulled out a long peacock feather. Instantly he saw Xena's eyes darken. He rounded the desk and invaded her personal space, handing over the feather to which she took in her hand, only to be reminded of her friend's passing and betrayal once more. What a dangerous game you played, Erva.
"I'm sure you're familiar with that."
Her fingers curled around the delicate feather, crushing its fibers, "yes. Your son used my friend to carry out his mission."
Orodes wrapped his hands behind his back, tipping his head, then made his way back to grab the wine.
"Erva. Yes, I remember her very well," he tapped his fingers on the cup, his rings clinking on the glass. "She was very troublesome among the other women. She was always getting herself into some sort of mess."
Xena looked at the marble floor, crinkling her eyebrows in confusion. For someone who spent so many years with this woman, she felt she knew nothing about her. She pinched her forehead together, shutting her eyes, trying to evade a headache as well as…maintain her tolerance for this conversation.
"But she was my son's favorite," he said coolly.
Xena elevated her gaze, "what is that supposed to mean?"
The king swiveled on his heel, contorting his face at the befuddled conqueror before him.
"Concubine. She was his favorite concubine."
Gabrielle bit her tongue and dared to peer up at Xena, who looked all so disordered and hurt. She reached behind the robes, gripping Xena's arm firmly for reassurance. It was no wonder Erva never told the truth of what her position was in the palace. Suddenly, this place didn't feel so magnificent anymore. It was now understood why Erva liked spending so much time with Varinia aside from the language and culture they shared. They were taken from their homes, sold into slavery, and forced to sell themselves to men. Or, in Erva's case, an arrogant prince.
Xena clenched her fists, "yet, he murdered her daughter."
"Demah?" his voice piped and smiled, almost laughably. "As a Princess of Parthia, she is far too valuable. I assure you that Demah is very much alive. I met with her yesterday."
He saw she was about to detest and raised a silencing hand, "I'm aware of what my son told Erva. She had no knowledge of her daughter's existence, sadly."
Orodes saw she was ready to pummel him or anything in her way. He continued, "as I said, I wasn't here to monitor his actions. This is all new information to me too, Xena. I just found this out three months ago. I was also told…that Erva was sent by my son to kill you. I assume that she didn't have the heart to do it since you're…standing in front of me," he smiled dimly.
Somehow, all the fury dissipated, and faith was once restored. Though Erva was tasked to kill her, and she couldn't fulfill her end of the deal, it made Xena feel better in a way. Erva did say that she evaded attacks several times, and that was proven to be true. But she couldn't wipe away the filaments of deception woven in her skin.
With no other questions, Xena's fingers returned to a relaxed state. She felt Gabrielle's fingers wrap around her arm and instantly felt calmer than she was a few seconds ago. She adjusted her hat and raised her chin, taking in a deep breath.
"I came to discuss a possible alliance if you read my letter."
Orodes swallowed a large serving of wine, nodding his head. "Yes, yes. We'll discuss that soon."
"I can't stay here long."
Raising his eyebrows, he finished off the wine. "Then, we should discuss now," he smiled, offering two empty chairs.
Xena hesitantly walked over, grabbing the head of the chair, and paused, "before I leave, am I able to see her?"
This was as close as she was going to get to be close to a piece of Erva. While she was granted permission to see Demah, she wasn't allowed to approach her. She stood at the other end of the gardens behind trimmed ivy bushes. There Demah was, sitting on a bench, talking to a few other women. They were feeding plump pigeons, smiling, and probably chatting about things that would seem frivolous to Xena.
Demah resembled a lot of Erva, except she had dark brown hair instead of her other's midnight tresses. Her skin was of a softer pastel complexion, and her eyes much more prominent, lighter brown, but carried the same nose as Erva—long and thin.
"She looks like Erva," Gabrielle gaped.
Xena swallowed the arid lump in the back of her throat, her eyes glued to Demah. For some reason, she pictured a small girl, and that's when she realized time truly escaped her. Demah was a few years older than Xian. She hadn't been a child for a long time. She was of age to be a wife and have children of her own.
Once Demah stood from the bench, she and her supposed friends walked towards the edge of the gardens. Xena took a sharp inhale and indistinctively grabbed Gabrielle's arm. Perhaps for comfort, she didn't know, but she nearly couldn't hold herself together. She took Gabrielle, walking behind the ivy bushes, rounding to the stone path.
So much for not talking to her, Gabrielle thought.
Demah halted speaking to the other women and smiled at the two unfamiliar women. She draped a sheer dark veil over her long silken chestnut hair.
"Good afternoon," she greeted, keeping the smile. A bit miffed by the received silence, she glanced over at the women on either side of her.
Gabrielle spoke up; finally, "princess," she inclined her head slightly, noticing Xena's doe-eyed gaze. "This is Xena. She's from Edirne, ruler of the Steppes."
Demah nodded, "oh, I see. I have heard many things about you. I've always wanted to visit Edirne! I heard it is a gorgeous place."
Gabrielle nudged Xena, who was frozen in place, unable to speak. If there was any time to be talkative, it would be now. And Gabrielle felt it wasn't her place to speak for Xena, yet she already did. So, it seems Xena fulfilled her promise not to speak to the princess after all.
Demah smiled awkwardly, brushing the veil behind her shoulder. "Well, I should be going, but it was very nice to meet you," she gently grazed Xena's arm. "I'll be waiting for my invitation to Edirne."
Once she left, Xena felt she could finally breathe. She groaned, irritated at herself. "I didn't say anything to her," her voice weakened.
Gabrielle clung closely, "it's okay. At least you got to meet her."
"But Erva never got to see her," she dipped her head towards Gabrielle, exhibiting a solemn stare.
"You saw her daughter for her. She can see her daughter whenever she wants now," she kissed Xena's hand. "Do you forgive Erva? For what she did."
Xena kept her eye on Demah trailing up the vast staircase of the palace. "Ask me another time, Gabrielle."
She sat on her bed in her suite on the ship, going over the various documents signed and agreed upon with King Orodes. The meeting went better than she expected, and she wished she would've met him instead of Pacorus years ago. The way she ran her territories could've gone so much smoother. She probably would've avoided being raided by Romans many times if the Parthians came to her aid. But she couldn't live in the past. It had haunted her for a long time, and she was going to put a stop to that.
Xena, tired of looking through documents, groaned and tossed the parchments aside. She raked her fingers through her hair, exhaling deeply. She wished Gabrielle looked over these papers with her, but instead, Gabrielle was too busy trying to quell her queasy stomach. She reclined on the pillows, tapped her fingers impatiently, and tried to find something to busy herself with until Morpheus took over.
Light feet walked down the stairs into her suite, and she rose from the pillows. Emerging from the dark, Gabrielle stepped into the candlelit suite, and Xena's face illuminated. She crossed her legs and paddled the empty spot beside her.
Gabrielle made her way over, crawled onto the bed, and settled herself at the end of the bed. Then, mirroring Xena's position, she looked around the room and couldn't quite get over how expensive Xena's tastes were in this ship. This room looked like an emperor's cabin.
"Are you secretly a pirate?"
She snorted under her breath at the random question, "I'm not one for sea travel or piracy."
"Xena, this ship is more extravagant than your new home!"
"Well, I never said that ships don't come in handy every once in a while. Besides, I commandeered this ship from Tiberius," she winked.
Gabrielle rolled her eyes playfully. Commandeered, she laughed at that. It was a polite way of saying stolen or seized.
"Are you feeling better?" asked Xena, mindlessly toying with her hair.
She swayed her head from side to side, "a lot better than I felt yesterday. Thanks for giving me those leaves," her eyes dipped, "and you? How are you feeling?"
Xena sighed, picking at the ends of her hair. She felt the need to express her feelings, but the trip had exhausted her in many ways. "If it's alright with you, I don't want to talk about that right now."
She had a feeling that would be the answer received. She wasn't going to push Xena to talk but knew it wasn't a good idea to keep it bottled up either. She had to respect Xena's wishes, and the truth was, Xena wasn't ready to talk. Not yet.
"Are you feeling well enough to…stay here tonight?" Xena hinted, a premature smile forming.
Gabrielle avoided the belly of the ship at all costs due to the relentless waves, but tonight, the sea was relatively calm. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case last night. She found solitude sleeping on the deck throughout the trek. But she did feel a lot better, so she opted to stay, hoping her stomach wouldn't rebel against her. she crawled to lay beside Xena and looked up at the sparkling eyes above her.
That look was one she'd seen far too many times. Aside from sharing a bed for months, nothing happened between them except for a few tender kisses, gentle caresses, and the warmth of their skin touching while sleeping. If Xena was a man, she'd be labeled the most patient man alive, Gabrielle thought to herself.
Fiddling her fingers laced over her stomach, she glanced at Xena, beginning to settle beneath the sheets. Xena's hair cascaded down her back as she was getting ready to braid her hair for the night. Gabrielle's stomach twisted, but luckily not in a horrid way, and she exhaled, pressing her thumbs together so firmly. Her thoughts and urges began to consume her in a way she couldn't control.
"Xena?"
"Hmm," she mumbled while separating her hair into sections of three.
Her fingers scrunched the sheets, and holding her breath, she finally blurted out, "I…I'm ready," she peered over at Xena, who now turned around with a confused expression. "To be invited into your bed."
Xena's eyebrows lifted, hidden in her fringe, and her hair fell from her fingers. She couldn't help herself but chuckle, only making the blonde beside her sweat and express panic.
"Why do you keep laughing?" she let out a wooden titter.
"Don't make it sound like a royal decree, Gabrielle," she teased, brushing the blonde hair from her face. "Are you sure?"
Gabrielle nodded, "you've been very patient with me."
Narrowing her eyes, she leaned over, "don't feel obligated because of me."
Meeting eyes, she smiled warmly, "I want to."
Unsure of the reaction, Gabrielle stiffened as she neared. The nerves crept up on her furiously, more than expected, but she told herself she was ready a while ago except that she wasn't. She supposed she would have to wait to get on a ship to be near Xena. Surely, she'd never hear the end of this as Xena was known to bring up minuscule things to stir forgotten emotions.
In a moment, Gabrielle found herself sinking into the pillows as fingers gently removed fabric from her shoulder. Lips found her skin tingling as the sleeve of her tunic slowly inched further off her arm. She felt a hand slid up her side and lips trickling closer to her neck. She met her eyes, rendering a smile, though every muscle in her body from her neck down constricted.
Now, with half the tunic withering off her body, a breast exposed, Gabrielle clenched her jaw tightly. Her breast cradled in a palm caused a breathless inhale.
"Relax, Gabrielle."
The two shared a smile openly while Xena still hovered over her, breast cupped, her free hand roamed to her inner thigh.
Effortlessly, she felt all stiffness eradicate itself from her body and allowed her body to mold unto her. Though the light was dim, in the flickering flames, she outlined Xena's smile tentatively, albeit eagerly, encompassing her entire being. Her chest rose and fell heavily, the small of her back slightly arched, and her knee absentmindedly rose to bend at its greatest, craning to her hip.
The clinical yet tender touch sparked immediate arousal deep within the pit of her abdomen. Feeling her heartbeat in her core, her fingers dug into the sheets. Her eyes focused on the flickering flame flaring against the ceiling; her view suddenly disappeared by a veil of midnight tresses, darkening the room.
"Are you alright?" she asked just above a whisper.
Gabrielle blinked rapidly, surprised by the gentleness in her voice. The only thing mildly composing herself was the fingers wrapped around her thigh and the other pressed on her abdomen. Then, registering that she needed to answer—she had to—she simply nodded and received a reassuring smile.
Closing her eyes, the delicate touch of skin pushed onto her, hand searching beneath the arch of her back. The lips warm to her belly, the swell of breast grazing her thigh. She felt the gentle ease and brush of skin melt against her. Pressure welled in the arch of her back, cradled into a palm, thumb pressing into her hip. Her knees buckled, giving in to the straddle of her thighs.
The weight of her thigh seemed to relax her while she embraced the dark view beneath her eyelids. Her legs wide to the tongue—sweet a savor, agile but expert—Gabrielle's eyes shot open. Then, as if the pent-up momentum in her core had been surfacing, she took in a shrill inhale and felt a pressured hand firmly placed over her stomach.
Before she had time to release, hands clasped her cheeks, and lips met hers, sucking the last bit of air she had left. Once their lips parted, her vision had yet to clear—to see the warrior staring down at her.
"Breathe," she kept her laugh hidden.
Her abdomen expanded as she finally exhaled, now staring at Xena, hovering over her, glistening in the candlelight. Her thighs, once watering and ached only for a moment, had gone numb. Breathing returned to its normalcy, and she brushed a strand of hair behind Xena's ear.
Sweat gleaming off her skin, Xena rolled over onto her side, resting her weight on her elbow. Smiling from ear to ear, she drew a finger across Gabrielle's arm.
"How was that? Is that what you wanted?"
Gabrielle, steadying her breathing, lolled her head on the pillow. Suddenly, her eyebrows crinkled, and she sat up, scratching her neck anxiously. "I…am I supposed to—"
"You teach me how to read, and I'll teach you," Xena said earnestly.
"That doesn't seem very fair…."
Xena shrugged a shoulder and draped her leg over Gabrielle's ankle. "Seems fair to me."
"But I…I didn't do anything for you."
"Gabrielle. You did plenty for me," she wore a satisfactory grin and lounged on the pillows.
She leaned over, unconvinced, "are you being honest with me?"
"Very."
Three days later, they set foot in Edirne and rode the remainder of the way to the villa. With an extra two days on the ship, Gabrielle suddenly was filled with many questions. All of which Xena didn't think of how to answer straight away. She didn't understand how someone could have so many questions about the female body. However, even some of the questions alarmed her and caused her to reflect.
Arriving at the villa, Xian eagerly stood by the stairs, almost joyful of their return. Xena handed off her horse to a nearby soldier and slipped off her gloves, smiling at her son. His expression was nearly child-like, but also relief spelled in his eyes. He could now be at ease after her ten-day absence.
She walked up the stairs, asking teasingly, "no baby?"
Xian smiled blushingly and wagged his head.
"I thought so," she clapped his shoulder and continued walking inside.
He quickly caught up to her, "she's in the sitting area if you want to see her."
She took off her coat and draped it over a chair. Leering into the next room, she saw Varinia seated on the floor, folding clothes. Spinning back around to her son, her vision tapered.
"Why is she sitting on the floor?"
"Uhm," he stammered for words, "she likes to? Should she not?"
No, that wasn't exactly what she was thinking at the moment. Instead, she was thinking of how that poor girl was going to get up off the floor on her own. Sighing, she waved her hand at the soldiers to bring in the rest of her belongings from the horses. Two men came in, carrying a large chest, to which they were ordered to set in the sitting room.
Gabrielle paced inside, smiling at the mother-son duo. "Xian," she greeted.
He gave a tip of his head, all while staring at his mother's stone-like appearance. She was so focused on the chests being carried in to be bothered by anything else. Over the last few months, Xian wasn't sure how to act around her. Their relationship wasn't horrible, and he appreciated that she didn't try to coddle him or order him around, except when Varinia entered their conversations. And he didn't mind that since he had enough trouble communicating with Varinia without his mother there.
Once everything was brought inside, Xena walked into the adjoining room with Gabrielle shortly following. Varinia spotted them, set aside the folded clothes, and made an attempt to rise from the floor. She was able to greet everyone the same way she greeted her only people by kissing their cheeks.
"Just…stay put," Xena said, more like a command. Instead, she extended her hand, and Varinia kissed it, smiling brightly. "How are you feeling?"
Varinia raised her shoulders, "just tired. How was the trip?" her eyes darted to Gabrielle. "Were you able to make an alliance with the Parthians?"
"Something like that," Xena shared a smile with Gabrielle. "King Orodes was very generous and sent us back with an abundance of gifts."
She opened one of the chests, pulled out a bag, and dropped it in front of Varinia. Confused, the Syrian untied the ribbon and peeked inside the bag. She reached inside and pulled out dark brown hard-shelled beans. Her eyes lit up instantly, recognizing what they were.
"I thought you might know—"
"Qahwa!" she piped. "Wow, this is so expensive. I used to save all my money collected in Rome to buy a small pouch of these. Did he happen to give you a cezve?" she asked, observing the jumbled faces. "It looks like a pot."
Xena reached into the chest, searching for something that resembled a pot. She pulled out a tall copper pitcher with a long wooden handle attached, and by the excitement on Varinia's face, she found the correct item. Handing it over, Varinia ogled the copper pitcher and held a handful of beans in her palm.
Gabrielle raised an eyebrow, asking, "what are you supposed to do with those? They smell horrible."
"You make a drink out of these!" Varinia said, her enthusiasm apparent to everyone. "I'll make it for you all. You will love it, I promise. I just need something to smash these with," she manipulated the beans in her palm.
"Ah," Xian trickled out of the room, "I'll go look around for something."
Gabrielle inched towards Xena, "we're not actually going to drink beans, are we?" she whispered.
"There's a first time for everything."
That evening, after bathing and unpacking their belongings, they came downstairs together. Gabrielle sat in the sitting area with Xian. She was anxious to tell him, and Varinia about what happened since Xena had no interest in talking about anything involving Parthians. As soon as Xian started asking questions, Xena vacated the room, wandering into the kitchen.
Over an open fire, Varinia hovered the copper cezve above the flames. She was so focused that Xena didn't want to disturb her, but she was curious as to what she was doing with the beans, which were now a fine powder. Varinia glanced at her silent visitor, smiled, and poured in a small amount of water into the piping hot pitcher.
Xena looked over her shoulder, observing quietly, "what did you call this?"
"Qahwa," she said, stirring the boiling liquid. "I added extra sugar. It can be really bitter."
"Hmm. Is this a popular drink in Syria?"
Varinia nodded, continuing her rhythm of stirring, "very popular! It's served every morning and sometimes in the evening, but I must warn you, it will keep you up for hours if you drink it too late," she chortled.
She scooped the froth at the top of the pitcher, testing its consistency, and decided it was ready to pour into the cups. She took the cezve off the open flame, and Xena stepped back generously. Steadily, she poured the liquid to the brim of the four cups seated on a silver tray.
The aroma was far more pleasant than it was before crushed and brewed. Xena shared a smile with Varinia and grabbed the tray.
"I can take this for you."
Together, they walked into the sitting room and just in time, too, since Gabrielle was in the middle of talking about Erva's plans she had with Prince Pacorus. Xian stood up, grabbing Varinia's hand to help her sit on the sofa with everyone else. Xena gingerly placed the tray on the table, looking at the curious expressions.
Once everyone grabbed a cup for themselves, Xena seated herself by Gabrielle and sniffed the steaming drink. Varinia was the first to take a sip and eagerly eyed everybody else. Feelings eyes upon them, they took small sips. The first sip garnished in three entirely different expressions.
Xian was the first to say something, "is this like the spiced tea in Rome?"
"Not really. Leaves are used for tea," Varinia said. "What do you think of it?"
"It tastes delicious! Thank you for making this, Varinia," said Gabrielle, taking another sip as her eyes transferred to Xena, who had yet to say anything.
Xena lifted her eyes to find everyone gawking at her. "It's good," she said flatly, "a little bitter, but good," she smiled in Varinia's direction. "You said this is expensive?"
"Mhm," she swallowed and crossed her legs beneath her on the sofa. "Only one merchant at the market carried it. Sometimes, when I didn't have enough to buy a bag, he would give it to me anyway," she playfully rolled her eyes.
Xena hummed under her breath, swishing the cup around, staring at the dark liquid. "Something to discuss with Orodes later," she turned to Gabrielle.
Less than two weeks later, Xian rushed into his mother's bedroom in the middle of the night. He had done this twice in the last few days, all for it to turn out to be nothing. He figured after the first time this happened, his mother wouldn't want to get out of bed to check on Varinia. But he was surprised to see that she had no problem doing that, and she never complained, even if she was tired.
Xian soon realized that this wasn't another false scare from his child once his mother stayed in the bedroom. He sat in the hallway, waiting patiently, and for the first few hours, he couldn't hear anything behind the doors. Every hour or so, Gabrielle would come out of the room, and he'd immediately jump to his feet, seeking answers.
After the first three hours, he stopped asking questions since Gabrielle's responses were super vague or silent. The sun peeked through the curtains, and Xian's eyes burned immensely for being awake for so long. He found himself bored, nervous, tired, and apprehensive all at the same time.
He even began to doze off until he heard a loud moan from behind the doors. Jolting awake, he hit the back of his head on the wall, groaning. He rose to his feet, pressed his ear against the door, and heard his mother's muffled voice in between Varinia sobbing. Xian tore himself away from the door and listened to her prolonged whimpering and occasional howling for another couple of hours.
He grew accustomed to listening to the routine sounds that worry settled in when the entire villa fell silent. The knob of the door turned, and he held his breath, quickly rising to his feet. Gabrielle cracked the door open and cast a warm smile.
"You can come in now," she said, clearing a path for him.
Xian finally could breathe and enter the room. He came around the wall, gaping at Varinia, sitting up in bed, holding a small bundle in her arms. Glancing over, his mother was tossing sheets into a basket and began rinsing her hands.
Tiredly, Varinia stretched her arm out, wiggling her fingers, gesturing for Xian to join her. His lips twitched into a faint grin, and he approached, slowly lowering himself to the bed. Without any preparation on his part, the baby was passed into his arms. Stiffening his body, he held the squirming baby. It only took a few moments before he relaxed and grasped his child's tiny curled fist.
"A boy?" he asked.
Varinia nodded as her body melted into the pillows. Albeit tired, she enjoyed seeing Xian's reaction. For a while, she was worried that he wouldn't feel connected with their child since he was somewhat mentally estranged from her for months.
Xena clasped her son's shoulder, "I'll come back later."
He turned slightly just as she was about to leave. "Thank you."
Gabrielle found herself by one of the windows, gazing at the sun dimly lighting up the field. She could see the mountains from here, and this time, they were very far, far away. This villa was close to civilization but not too close. She couldn't imagine living in that villa secured in the mountains. It was so remote and so disconnected from society. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that it was gotten rid of.
Half her weight rested on the window's sill, and she felt moisture drop to her skin. Peering down at her arm, the droplet was cold to the touch. So, she stuck her arm out the window caught a few snowflakes in her palm. She snagged her arm back inside, watching the snowflakes melt from the warmth of her skin.
Winter had long since passed, and the snow melted in Edirne over two months ago. Spring, it was supposed to be Spring, yet snow fell from the skies. Distracted by the strange weather, Gabrielle drew her attention to the window again and gasped at the flurries trickling down, creating a thin blanket of snow on the grass.
Footsteps neared from behind, and she turned on her heel. "Xena! It's snowing!" she pointed outside.
Xena raised her eyebrow, walked to the window, and widened her eyes at the snow beginning to pile on the ground. Fixated on the snow flourishing, her mind wandered, and she thought of the many winters she was stuck in her home in the mountains during snowstorms. All of which were Erva's favorite. She was the only person that Xena knew who loved snow, only because where she came from, snow was a rarity.
"This is so strange!" Gabrielle remarked, beaming at the snow intensifying. "I can't believe it's snowing. And at this time of year too!"
Enthused by her own reaction, she looked over to Xena's detached gaze. Her smile withered, and she kept waiting for Xena to respond, or even so much as look in her direction.
"Hey, are you okay?" she asked, jarring Xena out of her daze. "Thinking about something?"
She kept her focus on the snow before turning to the blonde beside her. "The snow. I was thinking about the snow." She was met with skeptical eyes. "Erva liked snow."
Gabrielle nodded, tipping her head. "Despite what she did, she loved you. You know she did."
"And I love you too, but I don't know if I could put you in that position," Xena crossed her arms, staring at the snow flurries.
Her eyes fluttered, blocking out every other word that Xena said, aside from those three words.
"You do?"
Exhaling through her nostrils, she did a double-take, noting Gabrielle's gaping eyes and mouth. A tender smile graced her lips, and she trailed her fingers along Gabrielle's jaw, holding her chin in between two fingers. Amused by the stolen stare she now possessed, she averted her attention back to the perpetual snowstorm outside.
Gabrielle, flabbergasted, leaned her elbows on the sill, silently replaying this moment repeatedly in her head. Then, she abruptly spun around, fingernails digging into the stone.
"You can't take back what you said, Xena."
"I meant what I said."
An ocean of warmth swam through her, and it showed, rendering a coy smile from the warrior herself. "So…you do love me?"
"I can't imagine my life without you in it."
Gabrielle took her hand, huddling close, meeting her eyes for a brief moment, and looked out at the snow continuously falling. "I love you too, Xena," she leaned against her.