XV

Xena spent the better part of the afternoon exploring the island atop Argo. She was delighted to find both a hot spring and a waterfall with a clear pool deep enough for swimming. The island was certainly bountiful, she found olive trees, fig trees, and she even caught sight of a few citrus varieties. She'd found several herbs, including sage, rosemary, and thyme. There was camomile for tea, also. She made a note to bring a basket back to gather a few things. An herb gathering excursion might also interest Astra, Xena thought, since the girl was so fond of cooking. It would be a good chance for them to get to talk, too. The warrior had noticed many avian species but saw fewer mammals. She'd seen a small herd of wild goat but not much in the way of deer or rabbit. She decided that it might be best to get Hargel to build a stockade and then they could bring some sheep and cattle from the mainland. Fish, however, would be plentiful, and would most likely make up the bulk of the protein in their meals. In fact, she thought, a late afternoon of fishing off the pier at the beach near the stables would be a great way to cap the day.

"Yi, Yi, girl," Xena urged Argo back toward the stables. She was thankful that she had remembered to bring her saddle bag which was still loaded with her fishing tackle from years of traveling.

XAXAXAXAXAXAXA

Xena was stringing her second flounder when she realized she was being watched. When she was certain that the fish was securely attached to the stringer, she tossed it back into the water and checked her knot on the end of the cord that was tied to the nearby tree trunk.

"You can come out, I know you're there," Xena called to whoever was lurking in the bushes behind her.

"How did you know?" A dark haired goddess asked as she materialized out of the aether only a few feet from Xena.

To be honest, Xena hadn't realized that it was a deity, she had just had the feeling of being watched, she'd actually thought that maybe Astra had followed her down here. "I just know." Xena gave her best poker face.

"He said you were gifted. Sorry, I just had to come see what all the fuss was about?"

"You're a friend of Ares'?" Looking at the goddess, it didn't surprise Xena that she and Ares knew each other. She was dressed as a warrior, she held a blade on one hip and a cudgel dangled from the other. Xena guessed that the woman's curly raven locks and dark olive-hued skin probably appealed to him as well. She felt her green-eyed monster creeping up.

"We're friendly yes, He helped my family years ago. He defeated the Minoan gods and helped us rid our waters of some pretty nasty pirates. It's why we offered him sanctuary here when he asked about taking refuge in our lands years ago. I believe you were carrying some prophesied god-killing child?"

"You weren't afraid that the Twilight would affect your pantheon?" Xena was trying to understand the motives of the Phoenician gods. Okay, so maybe they did owe Ares a debt of gratitude but to put their lives at risk was not really something gods did on a daily basis, at least not any gods she knew.

"We've had our dealings with the god of Eli before. Let's just say that we thought it in the best interest of our people to make sure his messenger was protected. Plus, most of the Olympians parade around Rome under new guises now, and the Romans are our mortal enemies."

"Well, that's one thing we have in common," Xena gritted her teeth at the thought of Rome and that bastard Julius Caesar.

"Well, I must say, I certainly see his attraction. You do look divine! Are you as good with a sword as he claims?" The goddess asked.

"Care to find out?" Xena commented before remembering that her armor and weapons were at the house.

"I hope that I never have cause to fight you, Xena. Let me set you at ease on one regard. I have no interest in your man, or any man for that matter."

Xena cocked her eyebrow, "I see, you must be Anath. I've heard about the maiden goddess of love and war. I used to wonder how that worked out, being a goddess of love without having ever know a man intimately."

"There are all kinds of love, Xena. Compassionate, familial, charitable, as well as romantic. Humans are too hung up on the physical. But there are also many types of physical love. Can you really tell me that you've never enjoyed the flesh of another woman?"

Xena flushed. "Oh, I've enjoyed alright. But I must say that I find relationships with women more emotionally gratifying than physically satisfying. Not that I haven't received satisfaction with a woman."

"To each her own, I am called a maiden but I often share my blankets with women." She moved toward Xena seductively.

"Sorry, I'm taken."

The goddess circled her, eyeing her up and down. "He does know how to pick them, I'll give him that." Xena wondered just exactly how Anath knew Ares' type. Had he brought another woman here? Livia? No she was a Roman, the Phoenicians wouldn't stand for it. Enyo? Anath ran her hand up Xena's bicep. "Are you sure you don't want to have just a little fun?"

Her soft touch was so different than Ares'. Yet, it wasn't like Gabrielle's either. Gabrielle was never demanding or sexually aggressive. Xena usually took the lead in their lovemaking. In fact, Xena wasn't really comfortable being pursued by a woman. Anath was behind her now. She pulled Xena's hair back and kissed her on her neck. The feel of her warm mouth on her tense tendons was pleasurable and sent a jolt to Xena's core.

"Drop the seduction," Xena pulled away. "No offense, but you're just not my type."

"None taken, just thought we could blow off some steam."

"I've already had my steam blown today."

"Very well," the goddess smiled. "If you change your mind, I sure he won't care. In fact, he'd probably like to watch."

"Probably," Xena winced. "Hey, when you said earlier that he knows how to pick women, what did you mean?"

"Well, when he was in our territory before, he had another warrior woman with him. She was magnificent. She and I had a bit more fun than you are offering me, though." Anath's forest green eyes twinkled at the memory.

"Before, when?"

"Relax. Mortals! When he defeated the Minoan gods. A woman warrior fought at his side."

"A mortal?"

"Yes, a Thracian with flame-red hair, her name was Daphne."

"Daphne?" Xena wondered why he'd never mentioned the woman before.

"Yes. Well, Xena, it was good to finally put a face to the legend. If you change your mind about having a little fun, just call out."

"Don't hold your breath?" Xena smirked as the goddess flashed away in blinding white light.

XAXAXAXAXAXAX

When Xena arrived back at the manse, she decided that a hot bath was in order and asked Bilka if she could start some water boiling for her while she gathered up the soaps and oils that she'd noticed on her vanity in the master bedroom. Xena opened the wardrobe and found the matching black his and hers bathrobes that hung on the wooden peg on the back side of the door. She asked herself if all of this could really be happening. Could she and Ares really be creating a home life, a life away from the battlefield? No, he was still on the battlefield. She felt a twinge of envy. She wasn't sure she'd be able to give up fighting. It was so much a part of who she was. When she thought about how integral a part of her that fighting was, she wondered if she had been hiding behind the greater good all these years. She had tried to walk away from it all. Just before she met Gabrielle, she'd buried her leathers and her weapons. She hadn't planned on looking back but then Draco's men had attacked the Potideans and Gabrielle's bravery in the face of certain rape, torture, and death had inspired her to get involved. In a way, Gabrielle had given Xena an answer she hadn't even known she'd been searching for. She had shown Xena it was possible to use the violence that raged inside her soul for good rather than evil. A collage of images ran through Xena's mind and she realized that no matter how much she loved Ares and wanted a family with him, she'd never be happy and feel complete without being able to kick some ass on a regular basis. Living away from the world certainly had its perks but Xena knew that she couldn't do it permanently. She decided that she would talk to Ares about it when he got back. Then she realized that she had no way off the island without him. She couldn't just ride Argo across the sea. She was essentially his captive. Had this been what he'd wanted all along? To make her dependent upon him? Frustrated, Xena grabbed the black robe from the door and headed for the baths.

She could smell the lavender wafting in the air before she rounded the corner to the baths. Bilka had already scented the water for her, she made a mental not to thank her later. The nude figure of the bathing girl sitting on the edge of the bath was the last thing Xena expected. Her long strawberry-blonde hair shimmered like fresh honey. Xena ached to run her fingers through the lustrous locks. The girl's soft curves reminded her of her bard when they'd first met, young, tender, and fresh. Before she'd become all strong sinew and rough edges, before she'd become battlehardened. Xena tried to remember a time when her own body had held such softness and innocence. If such a time had ever existed, her psyche had already ripped it from her tortured mind.

When Astra heard Xena behind her, she hurried to cover herself. Her shame and embarrassment hadn't stopped Xena from advancing toward the doe-eyed girl.

"You don't have anything to be ashamed of, Astra. You have a beautiful body. Would you like to join me in my bath?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize. . ." the girl muttered when her faux pas occurred to her. She didn't know that Bilka had been freshening the water for anyone in particular. But she should have realized that the master and lady of the house would be granted the honor of first bath in clean water.

"It's quite alright, I don't really like bathing alone anyway. Can't reach some spots by yourself," Xena grinned seductively and allowed herself to stroke the girls flaxen strands. Xena sunk down into the hot water. "Mmm, come on in, I won't bite." Maybe just nibble a little, Xena thought as she got a peek at the girl's firm breasts with pearly pink tips.

The girl was clearly confused about how to proceed. She was pretty sure that Xena was propositioning her somehow but she'd never been seduced by a woman. She knew that some women did things with each other. Her cousins had told her about some things they'd done together. Their stories had excited and embarrassed her at the same time. The way Xena's eyes roamed over her body made her flush. Xena's sexual aggression didn't scare her in the way that Darian's had but Astra didn't know what the God of War would think about her having erotic relations with his woman, especially since she was carrying his child.

Xena reached her hand out to welcome the girl. Xena knew that Ares would be furious when he found out but she just couldn't stop her actions. The youthful innocence in the girl's eyes, face, and posture was just too exhilarating, especially when coupled with the inviting suppleness of her milky skin and tender flesh. This girl had something that Xena could never get back! Something she didn't even know if she ever had. Pureness, innocence, cleanness. All the things that Gabrielle had originally possessed. All the things that Gabrielle had lost from associating with her, Xena reminded herself. She knew that she'd dirty this girl too. The girl accepted Xena's hand and slid down into the water.