TREADING AN UNKNOWN PATH
Gabrielle looked at the food laid on the keep main table which had food laid out on the throne room which was empty. She looked at the little dog in her arm which yipped loudly. She stroked its head as she put it down on the floor. She took hold of some meat putting it in a small wooden bowl which she carefully laid at her feet watching as it moved forward digging in instantly. She grabbed hold of a mango looking at the little dog it must have been very hungry. She bit down on the fruit feeling the juices fill her mouth she stood still for a moment slowly chewing. Gods that tasted so good, for some reason it felt like she hadn't eaten in a month although she knew it wasn't that long.
She didn't think as she started to eat faster as her stomach took control before she could stop it. She was so hungry and she could see the food disappearing before her eyes. Mostly fruit and dried meat and anything she could get her hands on that didn't smell spicy. She pushed a bowl aside only to stop as she noticed that the little dog was looking up at her. She swallowed her mouth full eyeing it. "What are my table manners bad?" She took hold of some meat refilling its bowl. "What I am saying you have no table manners you're a dog?" She eyed it watching as it dug in to the bowl. "Personally I think you're a fox but no one in Mexica is going to agree with my opinion."
She swallowed another mouth full watching as it carried on eating the cooked meat. "Because you're really cute but you already know that, don't you?" She turned her gaze focusing on a two black boot sticking out close to the table, she swallowed the last mouth full moving past the long table she breathed in sharply watching as the Ares came in to view. He was slouched up against the wall and wasn't even conscious by the looks of things. His head had fallen forward and he wasn't moving in any way. What in Tartarus was he doing here? She moved forward eyeing him for a long moment it was odd how she didn't feel any anger over his being here.
She could remember her blinding anger over him being with in an inch of her in Huitzilopochtli's keep. She'd always hated him being anywhere near her and the truth was that she didn't like his presence right now but the fact of the matter was that a part of her really didn't care that he was close to her. She didn't even feel threatened by his presence which was even stranger. She looked down in thought maybe because something in the back of her mind was telling her that she didn't need to care. He would never have Xena and he knew it therefore she had no need to fear him he'd never have any power over her or her lover.
She took hold of another piece of meat biting in to it Xena's heart would always belong to her and never to him or anyone else. She felt her hand slowly form a fist as the anger started to boil there was such an odd sensation about it there was no pain in her anger. It all felt so focused in her mind. She looked at her hand she would never let him take Xena from her in any manner and something in her stomach was telling her that he wouldn't dare. She couldn't explain what it was that was making her feel all these feelings. She closed her eyes feeling her anger dissipate in an instant as she swallowed her mouth full moving back to the table to pick up more fruit.
She bit down enjoying the taste no doubt she'd find out as to why Ares was here. She took hold of a thick wooden cup filling it with water then drinking it down in a few gulps. She finished her fruit moving her hand and picked up another which she flicked in to the air before catching it and biting down. Itzli moved in to the main keep closely followed by Xena he found himself blinking as he eyed the empty food bowls. His gaze drifted up to Gabrielle who was eating a mango. He turned to Xena keeping his voice as low as possible. "She can really put it away." Xena eyed him lowering her voice to a whisper. "You have no idea."
Gabrielle took another bite out of the fruit as she met her lover's light blue gaze she turned looking at the little dog who was now bounding around her feet. "Who gave me this dog?" Xena breathed in deeply as she stepped forward so she was close to the younger woman. "It was given to you by someone in Huitzilopochtli's city." Gabrielle eyed the little dog before looking up something in her stomach was telling her that she wasn't going to like the sound of this. "I was in Huitzilopochtli city?" Xena nodded as she took the food from her lover's hand putting it on the table. She eased up both putting them on her lover's shoulders very gently. "He resurrected you Gabrielle."
Gabrielle felt her gaze dart as she looked up. "He couldn't have." She paused feeling her next words come out in a rush. "Wouldn't I remember something?" Xena stroked her arms gently with her hands. "He didn't bring you back as a person he brought you back as one of his hummingbird warriors." Gabrielle looked at her lover feeling the fear as it started to take over she lowered her gaze. "I don't remember any off this, why don't I remember?" Xena leaned forward kissing her head she pulled back looking in to her lovers uncertain gaze. "I don't know why you don't remember Gabrielle. I think its just going to take you time."
She put a hand on the younger woman's cheek stroking gently. "We just need to take it one step at a time." Gabrielle shook her head. "I thought I just died and you had managed to get my soul to the pool of creation somehow." Xena breathed in deeply. "It was something like yes, but we can talk about that some other time." She looked at the empty plates. "Right now you need you to work on getting your strength back." Gabrielle felt her gaze dart as she looked down putting a hand on her face. "My sister, where's my sister?" Xena took hold of her lovers hand away from her face taking hold of it. "She's still in Quetzalcoatl's keep."
Gabrielle looked up slightly feeling the pain in her chest as it cut through like a knife. "You should have saved her, not me." Xena hook her head bringing up the younger woman's hand kissing. "No Gabrielle I couldn't have." She looked down slightly she should have said these words some time ago but as usual she had been too proud to do so. "I don't know Mexica the way you do." She watched as the shock filled the other woman's eyes. "You know this land in and out I was arrogant when I came here. I thought I could treat this place like all the other places I've been to." She shook her head. "The truth is that I can't, the rules I'm used to because they don't mean anything here I've learnt that lesson the hard way."
She looked up slightly. "I can't defeat Quetzalcoatl on my own I need your help, I don't stand a chance on my own in this land, I realize that now. You survived here because you understood this place you know how the gods think you know the cities and how their system work and you know how to bend the rules." Itzli said nothing keeping quite allowing them their moment, Xena was more right then she'd ever know about Gabrielle bending the rules. He breathed in deeply watching as they both turned to look at him. "Xena is right Gabrielle we both need you for your sister's sake it is because you used to be the Blood Jaguar that you have the will to succeed in Mexica."
8
Tlaloc pulled back ending the kiss he almost felt like he had crossed a lifetime and back as he stared in to Amoxtli's white eyes, which stared back at him in shock. Amoxtli blinked she was having problems even thinking straight, he loved her? She breathed out deeply what was happening here, was it even real? May be she was going out of her mind and she was still dreaming, if only she could have dreams if she could they'd be like this. She was too afraid to move and she couldn't make her body move despite her trying. It felt like her lungs were drawing in air and she could feel cold sweat on her body.
It almost felt like the blood was ringing in her ears she moved her hand down wiping her arm across her face feeling the sweat. What the hell was happening? She was feeling things so many things that she hadn't felt since she'd been alive but she wasn't alive which meant that none of what she felt was real or was it? He loved her she had to repeat the words again in her mind as she looked up meeting his gaze. He still had his hands on her arms. Her stomach was felt like it was full of tiny hummingbirds beating their wings. "You love me?" Tlaloc moved his hand up to her face running it down her cheek. "Yes I do."
He may have not have known much about love but he knew that what he was feeling now was more real than anything he'd ever felt in his life. He leaned forward kissing her lips again enjoying the feel of soft skin and the strange emotions behind it. This wasn't like kissing when you were having casual sex with someone. It was like you felt more than just desire and lust, you wanted to give the person you were kissing pleasure to them and you felt them give it in return. It was all so new to him and he was hungry like a small child for more. He'd never felt any sensation like this when he had been alive and now as an un-dead warrior he wanted it all the more.
A part of him wanted to know after feeling this what having sex would like, he was jumping way ahead of himself but he was enjoying her kisses so much he could already feel a fire like sensation travelling down his chest and stomach. He liked her, he wanted to feel her so badly and it felt like he was loosing control due to intenseness of these feelings which he could nether explain or describe. He pulled away putting his head against hers hearing his ragged breathing as well as hers. This wasn't meant to happen the un-dead weren't meant to feel anything. That was their punishment, their curse, yet he was feeling so much now he could even feel her fingers touching his shoulders caressing in gentle motions.
He had no idea why this was happening but he really didn't care why it was all he knew was that was what he felt for the woman in front was very real and nothing would ever change that. He turned realizing that Lila was sitting still watching them with what could only be described as utter shock. Amoxtli felt his arms move around her she knew his words were honest at least the burning pain in her chest hoped that they true. She paused feeling something wet touch her face. She pulled away from him slightly seeing the surprise in his face. Her voice was small even to her own ears. "Am I bleeding?"
She felt the wet feeling as it started to spill from her eyes she wiped one eye only to feel water on her finger tips. Tlaloc moved his hand up to her face as he leaned forward. "You're not bleeding." He paused for a long moment before he spoke, realizing how shocked his own words sounded even to him. "You're crying." Amoxtli wiped her eyes not being able to stop the tears as they came all the harder as she finally lost control of her emotions which were scaring her right now on so levels. "I couldn't remember what it felt like to cry." She laughed realizing that she sounded slightly hysterical. "It's been so long."
Tlaloc eased up his hand stroking her face feeling the wetness of her tears his hand moved of its own accord to his mouth as he tasted the salty water which he could taste perfectly. He pulled back staring at her. "I can taste the water." He moved forward putting his hands on her arms ignoring her shock. "Does feeling love for someone break this curse?!" Amoxtli shook her head. "I don't know!" She pulled away from him violently needing space desperately as she started to cry harder no longer being able to control her tears. "Don't ask me anything, I don't know anything!" She stepped back further she felt like she was drowning in a sea of emotion which she couldn't control and it was scaring her.
Tlaloc stepped back finally gaining some control over his new found emotions, her sudden violent reaction was because she was afraid. She had to deal with her emotions all over again and unlike him she had so much more bottled up. On top of that she was trying to take in the fact that he loved her and it was too much for her deal with all at once. He moved towards her watching as she looked up slightly he leaned forward gently putting his arms around her as he brought her forward in to putting his arms around her holding her gently. "I'm sorry Amoxtli I'm just getting ahead of my self." He kissed her hair as he breathed in the smell of it. "I didn't mean to scare you."
He pulled away gently kissing her lips once more. "I forget that this is difficult for you." Amoxtli breathed in she liked the sensation of being kissed by him so much. She breathed in putting her arms around him fully as she felt the string of her own tears as she began to cry harder, trying to free herself off all her pain and fear. The world seemed so silent for what felt like such a long time before she finally felt her tears stop. As she began to finally gain control over her emotions and was able to find the words which came out as no more than a whisper. "What is happening to us?" Tlaloc shook his as he ran his hand down her back feeling every curve and muscle as well soft skin. "I don't know."
He narrowed his gaze. "All I do know is that it's nice to be this way again." He turned looking at Lila who had now seated herself down close by and looked as though she was deep in her thoughts. "Is this you're doing?" Lila looked up slowly. "No I have no power, I'm no god I am a no-body." Tlaloc breathed in deeply as he looked at her for a long moment. He turned to face her feeling Amoxtli turn with him as he met her wide dark blue gaze. "You are not a no-body you are the Blood Jaguar's younger sister the same blood that course through her veins courses through yours." He eased out his hand putting it under her face raising it slightly while keeping his arm firmly around Amoxtli. "Your sister brings destruction and death."
He paused before speaking again. "That is the Blood Jaguars purpose but I believe that yours is to bring hope and joy." Lila shook her head as she eased his hand out from under her chin. "I'm not my sister, I'm not brave like she is I don't believe that any of this is my doing." Tlaloc shook his head. "It is not power that can make people do things, it can be but a single word." He met her uncertain gaze. "If your sister could rise up to become a destroyer, then who is to say that you do not have the same abilities?" He slowly kneeled down in front of her keeping hold of Amoxtli's hand as he put his other hand on Lila's knee. "I want you to answer me a question which has puzzled me for a while."
He looked down slightly before looking up. "Who are your parents? Who is it who brought you in to this world and made your blood?" Lila looked up slightly. "My parents aren't warriors they are both bread makers who live in a small town called Potidaea. My mother cooks and cleans and she looks after me and my sister." She smiled slightly. "She makes lovely food and looks after my father. He just helps with the bread but as I far as I know he once took part in a war although he doesn't talk about it to me and he's never spoken to my sister about it ether. He still has his armour and two swords they are on display at our home." Tlaloc squeezed her knee gently. "Perhaps that is proof that it takes very little to make glorious blood." He smiled slightly. "As it seems that it takes no more than the blood of a simple family woman and a retired warrior to make one of the most violent warriors ever known and who can bring destruction in her wake." He paused as he looked up. "As well as the blood of her sister who can bring hope beyond hope to the un-dead, with no more than her presence."
End of part 90
Silvermoonlight
