Chapter 7
Xena had guessed correctly, by mid-day they had arrived at the steam caves. The morning journey had passed quickly, with the aid of Gabrielle's staff, Ankh managed to keep pace. They made a few rest stops, but the walking seemed to help Ankh regain her spirits. Gabrielle was delighted to find that not only was Ankh an appreciative audience but also had many tales of her own to add to the bard's repertoire.
"Here we are. A bit of time in the caves and hot baths should make you feel like a new woman." Xena said as they approached a wizened woman who sat in the shade under a thatched overhang.
"Mid day travelers seeking a bath are ya? A dinar each then, includes a scrub." The woman spoke, her dark eyes darting over each of them. Her gaze flew from Xena to Gabrielle, then she added, "Two extra dinars for a private cave." Gabrielle blushed and was about to retaliate when to her surprise, Ankh moved towards the woman, "Ah maman, surely since they won't be needing to have the scrub included, 3 dinars would suffice for the too brief time our journey allows us to stay?" Ankh said smoothly, bowing slightly before the older woman.
"Eh? Young pup, I still need to eat." The woman replied shaking her head.
"I agree with your wisdom elder, but you are allowed the luxury of a living from the blessings of Gaia's breath. Surely, two dinars cannot affect the bounty she has provided for you?" Ankh gazed into the bright eyes in the crinkled face.
"Oh yer a charmer are ya? Bah, 3 dinars then to spare me more of your yakking." The woman gave a quick nod towards the door behind her, breaking eye contact with Ankh.
Gabrielle and Xena looked at each other and shrugged. They smiled and thanked the woman as they moved past, Gabrielle dropped three dinars into the waiting palm. Ankh followed the couple in, "A thousand blessings will return to your home." She said as she went in the door. "Hah!" was all she heard by way of response.
She had slipped out of her meager garb and set it in the basket her companions were placing their clothes in. Xena and Gabrielle watched her disappear into the public steam rooms.
"She never really told us who or what she was trying to find. Did you notice that?" Gabrielle asked, folding her bilious green top and placing it on top of the pile in the basket.
"Mmmm. I wonder. How is she going to be able to do anything without any supplies? She has no weapon, no armor, and no clothes really. We can't afford to arm her." Xena replied absently, watching instead the small muscles ripple up her lover's forearms as she folded her top. "You're not really listening are you?" Gabrielle teased, hearing the distraction in Xena's voice.
"Oh, I was...I was just wondering if you still remembered those dreams you had last night that you intimated as I was mounting Argo." Xena said, ushering Gabrielle in the direction of the private caves.
"Why yes, warrior princess, I do. And I think it's time to find out just how flexible you really are." Gabrielle laughed, allowing herself to be directed to one of the private caves. -
Ankh drank from the cistern of cool water in the middle of the cave. Around her, two or three older women, villagers from nearby she suspected, lay on the smooth ledges carved into the cave walls. She could feel the sweat breaking out over her body and moved to settle against a leaning rock. Closing her eyes, she savored the hot moist heat surrounding her. Her mind began to drift, the exercise from the walk, the lack of sleep from the previous night and the hot hot cave all conspired to relax her muscles. How long had she drifted she didn't know, but a soft voice bought her back to her surroundings. "Scrub?" A woman's voice asked. Ankh opened her eyes and smiled at the woman before her. She had sandy blonde hair and hazel eyes. She stepped back momentarily when she saw Ankh's eyes, then collected herself and asked again. "Yes, thank you." Ankh said, moving to lie on the flattened ledge the woman pointed too.
Ankh surrendered to the woman's scrubbing. She floated hazily in the sensation of hands covered with soft sea sponges lathering her body. She drifted her way into a light sleep. In this nether state, she became aware that the hands had slowed down, there was no mildly coarse sponge texture separating her flesh from the woman's hands. The hands circled languorously over her chest, sweeping across her abdomen and over her thighs. She felt one hand firmly grasp her ankle and raise her leg slightly, the other hand kneading into her sore calves. Ankh opened her eyes as she felt the woman's hands moving along her inner thighs, massaging lightly. She gazed down and saw the blonde warrior from her dreams. Ankh gasped as the other woman let her soap slick palms slide up over her hips and back up her stomach. Ankh wanted to move, but could not move a muscle, just watch as the woman traced every slope across her front with her hands and fingers. She never looked at Ankh, if she noticed that she was being watched, she gave no clue. Ankh's pulse raced and she felt the ache from last night begin again in her groin. The cold splash of water made Ankh jump. She blinked and looked into the confused hazel eyes of the young village woman. "Are ya all right?" She asked, holding another bucket of water. Ankh glanced down and saw that the young woman's hands were still encased in the sea sponges.
"I'm fine, I must have dozed off." The woman smiled and tossed a second pail of cold water to finish rinsing her off. Ankh thanked her and went to sit in the hot baths. She sank in thankfully, closing her eyes, wondering if she was losing her mind or if the poison was a hallucinogenic as well. She moved off to one side as she felt another person enter the bath. This time when she felt hands trying to open her knees, her eyes flew open as she reached to grab whoever was there. She saw the large brown eyes of her dream lover fading as her hands whipped through air, she was alone.
Ankh shook her head, took a deep breath then disappeared beneath the hot water. When she came up for air, she slicked her hair back away from her face and rose from the bath. Her body felt better for being clean, but now she was beginning to worry about her mind.
"Xena." Gabrielle asked her head settled in the crook of Xena's shoulder, her fingers drawing patterns across the warrior's glistening abdomen. Such desire, their lovemaking had burned with such urgency. As if by sheer consumption, they could each lay claim to the other. It had not been so fierce or desperate since they had first become lovers. Her heart still pounded.
"Yes." Xena replied drowsily, her own fingers lightly grazing the bard's neck and shoulders, tracing the scratches that were just beginning to fade.
"When Ankh was speaking about not knowing if she loved her lover anymore, why did you think of me?" Gabrielle lifted herself from her position and looked down into the deep azure eyes.
"Gabrielle," was Xena's only reply as she looked up into the other woman's unwavering gaze.
"I'm serious, if you doubt my love, why do you stay with me? It has been hard, yes...Harder than I ever thought it would be. But I think it is fairly obvious my love for you goes to the depths of Poseidon's realm and soars as high as Mt. Olympus. I cannot ever imagine my life without you, even when it seems as though it would be easier to die than go on. I am with you because I want to be." "But all the things that have happened. Can you forgive me? I can't forget..." Xena replied, her own eyes reflecting back the equally powerful love she felt as she wrapped her arms around her lover's neck and pulled her down for a kiss.
"All the things that have happened have made us stronger. Not because we wanted too." Gabrielle murmured back into the kiss, before a new wave of desire crashed over her and she succumbed to the fire that was re-ignited.
The two women glowed from the heat of the caves as they made their way back to the dressing area. Gabrielle ducked into the public caves to see if she could locate Ankh. Her eyes scanned the room, the cave was empty save for a young woman relaxing by the cistern in the middle of the cave.
"She's not there. Where could she have gone without her shift?" Gabrielle asked as she moved towards their basket of clothing. Xena shrugged, tugging her leather bodice into place.
They finished dressing and then heard the sound of Ankh's laughter coming from outside. They stepped out into the bright day to see her sitting at the foot of the wizened woman, surrounded by several women who were also seated. "I have won again, Maman. This is an interesting game. Do we play again?" Ankh said as she scooped up the small handful of dinars that lay before her.
"Young pup's luck, that's all." The older woman barked, scowling.
When Ankh saw her companions step outside, she rose from her position.
"Maman, I have no need to take your earnings, already these clothes are enough. I keep only 4 dinars so that I may eat in the next village, the rest returns to you." Ankh handed the woman back the dinars she had just scooped up, bending down to hug the woman.
"Peh- starry eyed pup, you must cause your mother nothing but grief." The woman replied taking the money back and allowing herself to be hugged.
"Aye, that I have been told. May you prayers all be answered, Maman." Ankh stood and moved towards the stunned bard and warrior.
"You're wearing new clothes." Gabrielle said as Ankh approached them, taking in the slightly overlarge brown tunic cinched by a leather belt.
"I am, no offense to your generosity, but wandering around in a shift, well..." Ankh winked as she held out her hand to Gabrielle. Gabrielle opened her hand, and looked down as Ankh dropped three dinars into her palm.
"For the steam, and the least I can do for your kindness."
"How did you get the clothes and money?" Xena asked, frowning slightly.
"When I asked about clothes that may have been left behind, Maman asked me to play a game. If I won, then in exchange I could choose from the pile. After I won my clothes, she bet me a few dinars. I agreed."
"You had no dinars to bet." Xena said threateningly as the three women moved towards Argo.
"Well, no, I didn't. I made the bet promising that you would pay if I lost." Ankh replied scratching the back of her neck to avoid having to look at the warrior's glare.
"Ankh, I suspect that there are some things that are better left unsaid." Gabrielle laughed at Ankh's boldness and her squirming with discomfort beneath Xena's gaze. Gabrielle saw the corners of Xena mouth tugging into a smile as well.
"Right. I take it you are both relaxed?" Ankh quickly changed the subject, still not quite looking at either woman.
"Very, and you?" Gabrielle asked, tugging her staff from the pack that hung at Argo's side.
"I feel like a brand new woman." Ankh replied, her gaze still everywhere but her traveling companions.
Xena strapped her sword on and then leapt on to Argo's back. "Let's go then, the next village isn't too far and Ankh reminded me that I am famished."
"Uhm, yea, we can grab lunch, and who knows what Ankh will grab before we leave there." Gabrielle teased as they set off down the road again. "Bartering is good for a person. Helps keep the mind sharp." Ankh mumbled as she fell in step with the bard.
"Not unlike learning to barter for supplies and bringing back a donkey, right Gabrielle?" Xena called down from Argo.
Gabrielle blushed at the mention of Tobias. Sensing a shift in the attention she had drawn to herself, Ankh pressed immediately for more details. -