Chapter 3
The party had carried on long into the night leaving Gabrielle feeling exhausted and lonely. Too much food, wine, and dancing had left her with the beginnings of a headache as she quietly slipped into her room. Her arms and legs were heavy with fatigue and her movements were slow as if she were underwater. She pulled off her ceremonial garb and quickly put a light shift on over her body so she wouldn't feel the chill that had settled in around her. Someone had lit a fire in the fireplace prompting her to say a quiet 'Thank-you' to whoever it was. There was nothing quite like the warmth that a fireplace generated and she couldn't stop herself from indulging in the simplicity of the comfort she had long forgotten. Her eyes grew heavy as she stared into the flames that were a mixture of orange and red with the flicker of blue balancing somewhere in the middle. It was the same translucent blue that clouded Xena's eyes in their most intimate moments. A shiver ran through her body as she recalled the way those eyes would watch her every move, giving her an unguarded glimpse of the emotions Xena tried so hard to hide. The thought had her aching for something she would never have again and a sadness swept over her as she moved to the bed. With a heavy sigh, she laid back propping her head up on her pillow.
Gabrielle had a relaxed countenance about her as she drifted in and out of a light sleep. The day's events passed before her closed eyes before her thoughts drifted to the conversation she had had with Aphrodite earlier. It was the conversation that had brought her back to the Amazon village. The quiet and stillness in the room changed just enough to cause her to open one eye to peer out into the dimly lit room. When she didn't see anything out of the ordinary, she let out a heavy breath and closed her eyes again.
"Why don't you just show yourself? I don't appreciate being watched…" She asked the empty room before letting out a frustrated huff.
"You're getting pretty good at that…" A familiar voice carried to her. It was a voice she knew well, one that left her feeling more alone than ever.
"It's the way you smell…I find it somewhat…stifling." Gabrielle tried not to smirk as she brought her fingers up to nose in an effort to wipe away the scent that hung heavily in the air. Even though there was a touch of leather mixed in with a somewhat spicy fragrance, she couldn't stop herself from grimacing because it reminded her of the way that Xena's leathers had smelled.
"Well…Xena didn't mind…" The voice taunted as if testing the tempest of emotions that swelled within Gabrielle.
"Not now Ares…I'm not in the mood." Gabrielle couldn't stop herself from stiffening slightly at the mention of her soulmate. She had rarely said the name aloud, let alone heard someone else speak it. It sounded foreign coming from Ares now and she resented the fact that he had the nerve to use the name she held so sacred.
"Come on Blondie…where's that fire you used to have?" Ares asked as he appeared next to her bed and looked down at the relaxed façade that was now etched on Gabrielle's face. Even though she appeared to be calm, he knew that she was anything but peaceful behind those closed eyes.
"I'm tired…too tired to banter with you." She rolled her head to the side and opened her eyes to find the very fit, handsome God of War standing next to her bed. When dark eyes caught hers, she did her best not to look away from the unnerving feeling of being studied.
"Too much wine tonight?" He asked softly as he sat on the edge of the bed next to her prone figure. The green of her eyes was all but gone, hidden behind the black pupils that enveloped what little light she had left within her. "I've noticed it's become a bit of a habit of yours lately." It was meant to tease but there was sliver of truth behind the statement.
"Been keeping tabs on me have you?" Gabrielle rolled her head back after she watched him sit down. She knew he had been studying her eyes, trying to find her will to fight and she knew he had seen nothing but dark, emptiness looking back. A brief flicker of sympathy passed between them before she shut herself away behind that wall she had painstakingly built. The feeling of his body next to hers made her uncomfortable and she resisted the impulse to pull away because she didn't want to show any kind of weakness. She would never give him the satisfaction of knowing he was getting to her.
"I suppose I've been bored since…" He hesitated and looked away. A dark shadow flitted across his face as he held back the words he was going to say next. After taking a deep breath, he turned back to Gabrielle with that sexy smirk she had grown accustomed to expect from him. "I especially like this…" He said as he reached out to touch her fading black eye. "But I'm not at all sure that poor guy deserved the broken nose you gave him in return…as well as the black eye."
"He had it coming and you know it…" She couldn't stop herself from jerking away from his touch. The satisfied smirk that appeared on his face had her clinching her teeth in an effort to tamp down the anger that was growing in the pit of her stomach.
"Yes…he did didn't he?" Ares couldn't stifle the chuckle as he remembered watching Gabrielle unleash her pain and sorrow on the pour sap that had picked a fight with her. Pride flowed through him as he recalled the anger the rolled off of her in waves, anger that he desperately wanted to harness for himself. Ever since Xena's death, a bond had formed between them, a bond that had been forged out of a desperate need to never forget. To him it had become an unlikely pairing of two vastly different entities but the longer Gabrielle hurt, the more alike they became.
"I should have walked away though…I don't think…" Gabrielle paused as she thought better of continuing.
"She's not here to pass judgement anymore Gabrielle…" He couldn't stop his fingers from brushing at the blonde bangs that fell across the green eyes that had closed again. Gabrielle's anger had ebbed only to be replaced by a sadness that threatened to overtake them both.
"Still, it's not who I am…she…she would be disappointed by what I've become…" She couldn't stop the single tear that ran down her cheek. Reaching up, she wiped the wetness away with the back of her hand. The feeling of warm fingers grazing her skin and then brushing through her hair sent an unpleasant shiver through her.
"That may be so…but she's the one who left us…" Ares pulled his hand away and placed it on Gabrielle's thigh just above her knee. "Why is it, do you think that we never…" He wiggled his eyebrows when Gabrielle opened her eyes to look at him, surprise written all over her face.
"That would be because my heart belongs to and always will belong to Xena…and if there's one thing we both know about her, it's that she doesn't like to share…" She reached down and pulled his hand away from her leg. "And anyway, you don't have the right equipment…" Dropping his hand in his own lap she smirked at him.
"Shot down in my prime…" He laughed as he flexed the fingers that still tingled from the feeling of Gabrielle's skin.
"You're not in your prime Ares…you're older than dirt." Gabrielle tilted her head up so she could see him better. "Why are you here?" She asked, her voice suddenly filled with exhaustion.
"Already tired of me?" He did his best to look contrite. "Don't answer that…" He held up his hands to stop Gabrielle from answering. She just sighed and dropped her head back against her arms. "What if I told you I had a proposition for you…?"
"Then I'd tell you that I'm not interested…" Her answer came out so quick that he just stared at her open mouthed, stunned that she wasn't even willing to hear him out. He wasn't used to being turned down, especially so quickly.
"But…" He stammered as he watched her retreat further into herself. "Okay…okay, but this isn't over. I'll give you some time…I'm sure you'll be more than willing to talk to me once you meet her…"
"Meet who?" She asked as she opened one eye again to peer at up him, her curiosity piqued.
"Oh, now you want to talk…" He stood up and frowned down at her. "Well, you'll just have to wait and see now won't you?" The look of interest that passed over her face hadn't escaped him. With a slow, lazy smile he waved his hand at her. "Let me know when you're ready to finish this conversation." And with a flick of the wrist, he disappeared with a pop.
Taking in the quiet around her, Gabrielle pondered what Ares had said. It wasn't above him to bait her and she had a feeling that was exactly what he was doing. The only thing that kept her tied to the God of War was their shared love for the same woman. He was the only tie to who Xena had been and she was the only tie to who Xena had become and neither of them was willing to sever those ties. When she heard a faint pop and sizzle, a sound that didn't come from the fireplace, she let out a frustrated groan.
"Come on…I just want to get some sleep…can't you 'All Mighty God's' just leave me alone?" She called out to the faint shimmer that grew brighter before revealing Aphrodite in a shower of light.
"Sorry Sweet Pea…I just wanted to check on you. We didn't expect Ares to approach you, at least not yet." Aphrodite looked down at Gabrielle reclining against her pillows.
"I'm fine…just tired." She exhaled heavily. Looking up at the Goddess of Love, she was struck by how beautiful Aphrodite really was. "I'm so tired that even you are starting to look good to me…" She laughed.
"And because you are so tired, I will take that as a compliment." Aphrodite crossed her arms and huffed. Even though she wanted to be angry, one look at the lopsided grin on Gabrielle's face caused everything to fade away except the love she felt for the young woman who had captured her heart.
"Sorry Dite, the wine has made me punchy…" Gabrielle gave a sheepish grin. She reached up to run her fingers through her hair causing it to stick up in all directions giving her a slightly disheveled appearance.
"No worries dear…I just wanted to make sure you were okay after…" Aphrodite dropped her arms to her sides. Gabrielle looked adorable with her blonde hair tousled and Aphrodite had to quell the urge to run her fingers through it. "Well…you know…he does have a way about him."
"I am immune to the wiles of the God of War…my heart and soul can only belong to one person and he isn't that person…" Gabrielle reassured Aphrodite with a quick grin.
"I hope you will remember that if…" Aphrodite hesitated. "I mean…just make sure you remember that…okay?"
"Of course…" Gabrielle's expression turned questioning. "What aren't you telling me?"
"This is something we have to let play out on its own Gabrielle…" Aphrodite gave her an apologetic smile.
"I see…" Gabrielle frowned again. "More secrets…I wish you and your siblings would quit meddling with my life…" She knew she sounded petulant but she couldn't help it and she even threw out a pout for good measure.
"I know; I know…but it's what we do…" Aphrodite shrugged her shoulders as if that was explanation enough. "What else do we have to do with eternity?" She tried to lighten the mood.
Gabrielle looked up at her and scowled. "I'm not a plaything to amuse you Aphrodite…"
"No you're not…" Aphrodite's expression turned sad. There was so much she wanted to tell Gabrielle, but she couldn't. The rules had been set and if she broke them, she risked losing Gabrielle forever. "If I promise that when this is all over, no one will ever meddle in your life again…will that make you feel better?"
"Maybe…" Gabrielle rolled her eyes as she tried to imagine life without the Gods insinuating themselves into her life in one way or another.
"I'm going to let you get some sleep…you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow." Aphrodite bent down to kiss Gabrielle on the forehead.
"Ummm…so everyone keeps telling me…" Gabrielle's voice was thick with fatigue as she struggled to keep her eyes open. The events of the day were catching up with her and she was losing the battle to stay awake. "Night Dite…" She mumbled as her eye's closed one last time before she slipped off to sleep without even feeling Aphrodite's lips against her skin. The last thing she remembered before the darkness took her were Aphrodite's soft, whispered words encouraging her to drift away to the only place she could now find Xena, in her dreams.