That night in the stables was thick with emotion and rapid thought, although for a while neither Gabrielle nor Xena uttered a word. It was the warrior princess, though, who ended up breaking the silence.
"You know, I was hoping that you were right on our way up here… I'm disappointed now that I know you aren't." Gabrielle's mouth twitched and she sat up, crossing her legs and facing Xena.
"Well, I still stand by what I said last night. If it means being able to defend Greece, thousands upon thousands of people, and protecting you, then I'll go to battle tomorrow if that's what it takes. And I really do mean that, Xena." Xena looked down. "What's wrong?" Gabrielle asked. Something she had said must have hit a nerve by the way Xena's emotions came though so clearly.
"… What have I done to deserve you, Gabrielle? After all the crimes I've committed, all the bad things I've done… And out of all the people in the world… Why do I get you?" Gabrielle's eyebrows drew together, and smoothly she moved closer to her companion. She kneeled in front of the brunette; her legs tucked beneath herself, and looked her friend in the face.
"Don't say things like that," she said. "You're gonna break my heart, you know." Xena looked up to meet Gabrielle's eyes and the bard was surprised to see tears on her companion's skin. She reached a hand up tentatively to wipe them away. "Oh, Xena…" The blonde touched her palm to the side of Xena's face and the brunette closed her eyes, leaning into the touch just a fraction. "Don't cry," Gabrielle breathed. She leaned forward to lay a gentle kiss on Xena's forehead. "You know, everything's going to be just fine. By the time the army gets here we'll have so many troops they won't even stand a chance. I promise." Xena smiled weakly and nodded a little, taking in a deep breath and then blowing it out through her nose. Gabrielle waited for the taller woman's eyes to open, and when they finally did there was something in them that she hadn't expected. There was strength, a fire, a sort of red undertone and a smokiness that made the strawberry-blonde shiver. She saw the warrior princess shift to her knees, ultimately bringing herself closer to her companion, and felt a familiar hand at her waist. She looked up at Xena, the woman's face so close to her own, and felt the heat radiating from her body.
"Gabrielle…" The blonde shivered just at the sound of her name on Xena's tongue, and took possession of the warrior's lips with a sudden desire, wanting Xena more than she had in probably months. She let Xena lift her from the floor, turn her and press her forcefully against a roof-supporting pole in the stable. Her hands reached up, one pulling on the back of Xena's neck and one with fingers hooking onto the top of the woman's breastplate. That hand moved quickly then, blindly unhooking Xena's armor and letting it fall to the ground. Xena grinned devilishly, biting Gabrielle's bottom lip with playfulness for a brief moment, and intensified the kiss as she removed her arm guards. Gabrielle's hands roamed along her companion's battle dress, the leather an all-too-familiar expanse, before pulling the woman even closer to her, her fingers string.
"Xena," she breathed when she felt the woman's mouth at her neck. Lips soon were replaced by teeth and the warrior woman nipped lovingly at the skin of Gabrielle's neck and pulse point. Gabrielle's fingers were in the brunette's hair, desperate for more contact, and for a moment she protested when Xena's kisses began to travel North. But she soon realized the motives for such a direction shift: Xena's fingers were at Gabrielle's top, furiously working the strings to untie them. The bard smiled a lazy smile, her eyes half-lidded, and her face cast to the ceiling. It didn't take long for Xena to finish with the ties, and Gabrielle welcomed the removal of her garment. The two eventually found the ground again, Gabrielle submitting easily to Xena's talents and desires. Turnabout, she deemed soon after though, was fair play, and for a while Xena became the submissive one.
By the time they had exhausted themselves, the night was the blackest black, and sleep came to them without even being willed to do so. For Gabrielle, the rest of the night was dreamless, and she welcomed the tranquility of her mind.
Xena smiled half-heartedly at Gabrielle, trying to conceal the bit of fear she had.
"Gabrielle, there is no battle that is easy," she said. "But as long as we work together, you, me and our army, we'll be victorious." The warrior princess could tell that, though her friend was on board with her, she wasn't comforted by the brunette's words. But she knew everything would be alright because there was an element that she had never mentioned to Gabrielle, a fact that gnawed at her gut from time to time but was necessary for the blonde's faith and cooperation. She cast her sapphire gaze away from her friend, remembering.
That first night that Xena and Gabrielle had spent in Cyro had been a good one. It was beautiful and quiet, and it took a certain edge off of Xena that had been building up for what she remembered to be quite some time. It would have been even better had she managed to remain in the deep sleep she had fallen into with Gabrielle, but she woke up only an hour or two later, sensing a presence outside of the stable. She stood silently, grabbing a blanket to cover herself, and moved toward the door. Upon opening it she lunged out into the night, hoping to scare the intruder away. But, to her surprise, there was no one in sight. The warrior woman whipped around, ice-blue eyes searching in the darkness, when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Her eyes narrowed and her lip curled; she knew she wasn't alone.
"Alright, Ares. Come on. If you're going to creep on me and Gabrielle the least you could do is own up to it like a man." Behind her, leaning up against a pole, Ares materialized, stirring up a few leaves, dust and some hay by his ankles. One arm crossed his torso and the other leaned against it at the elbow, his hand toying with his facial hair in puzzling thought.
"You'd think I'd get used to it but you always freak me out with that sense you have," he said.
"Go away."
"Go away? That's hardly a greeting. Besides, you'd miss me." Ares took a few steps forward, peeking into the stable to Gabrielle before turning to face Xena. "You wore her out pretty good." Xena glared at him. "So I understand you've heard some rumors about 'the army without a name'."
"Rumors? You mean it's not true?" Xena asked. Ares smiled darkly.
"Oh, it's true. They are coming. It'll take them about a month-and-a-half's time to prepare but make no mistake; their eye is trained on Greece."
"I see," Xena started, securing the blanket around her and crossing her arms. "So then why are you here? Oh, wait a minute, lemme try and guess. You plan to drive them out and defeat them with a super army lead and created by you but officially commanded by me, right? Well thanks but no thanks. I don't want or need your help." Xena turned away from Ares, blowing him off, but he disappeared and materialized in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. The warrior princess looked the God of War in the eye without fear or any sign of submission. Her lip, however, did twitch.
"I wouldn't be so sure on that, Xena. You are after all going up against the largest, strongest, and most mysterious and illusive mortal force known both to man and god… All by yourself. Xena, I am the God of War. Let me help you with a problem that is purely my element of expertise." Xena's eyes did not fail Ares', and she was not falling for his poetic words.
"What makes you feel that I am foolish enough to believe that you would actually help me for free-"
"Who said anything about free?" Ares said with a laugh. "You know you're my favourite but I don't just give hand-outs right and left all day and every day. Of course there's a price, but I think you'll find the end result is worth the effort."
"Forget it. I don't need you to help me a job I'd do better on my own. Now get out of here. I'm done with your manipulation." Ares raised his eyebrows and his eyes went half-lidded. He shrugged and sighed.
"If you say so, Xena. But you and I both know… You need me." Before Xena could argue, the god disappeared into the night, leaving nothing behind. The warrior woman went back to the stable, and for the rest of the night she slept terribly.