LOVE/SEX WARNING/DISCLAIMER: This chapter depicts a sexual relationship between two consenting adult women. If you are under 18 years of age or if this type of story is illegal in the state or country in which you live, please do not read it. If depiction's of this nature disturb you, you may wish to read something other than this story or skip this chapter.

Chapter 19

Xena and Ankh crept along the edge of the camp. True to her word, Ankh knew where the guards were posted and they dispatched them easily enough. Ankh had not spoken of a sword again, but Xena knew she was toying with the idea. Xena remembered what she had felt outside the temple of the Fates, she had given up her sword until she realized the consequences.

Ankh's eyes scanned the camp, there was Dhomb's tent. She smiled to herself in the dark, his was always the nicest tent in their camps. He had such discriminating tastes.

She saw Zanten's tent and Arnaia's as well. Both of them darkened. Over there, was Sharia's tent. She noticed with a slight pang that Sharia still flew their banner. She saw shadows against the sheer fabric. There were two people in the tent. The sinuous way they moved...They were in bed. Her silver eyes narrowed, Sharia would not...Xena's touch on her arm drew her back to herself. Who was she to be jealous, was it even jealousy? She nodded to Dhomb's tent, Xena made a motion indicating she would go from the north and Ankh could sneak in from the east. Ankh nodded her assent and both women moved through the underbrush.

Aillia smiled as she slowed her ministrations, not quite bringing Sharia the release she craved. No, she wanted Ankh to hear her former lover's screams of passion. Make her know who controlled whom around here.

Dhomb opened his eyes and gently shook the sleeping young woman awake. He placed his fingers to his lips and nodded to the flap in the tent. Gabrielle looked at him for a moment with sleep filled eyes before she understood what he was doing. She got up and waited.

There was the sound of cloth tearing and Xena ducked in through the side of the tent while Ankh slipped in beneath the flap. Gabrielle ran and hugged Xena to the warrior's surprise. She did not expect her to be free.

Ankh caught Dhomb's eye, he motioned her over, "Aillia is here. I don't know what is going on, but take her and go. You know what to do for now." He whispered quietly.

Ankh nodded and struck him soundly in the temple, catching him as he fell forward and gently placing him on the bedroll. "Forgive me the madness I seem to have wrought." She whispered as she stroked his blonde hair back from his face.

Xena raised an eyebrow before she ducked back out the way she had come, with Gabrielle in tow. Ankh smiled down at her friend, before moving to follow the warrior and bard. Just as she made it to the edge of the camp she heard Sharia's cry of passion. Ankh involuntarily turned back towards the camp. She knew that sound well, she had been the cause of it so many times. Xena grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her into the woods. Ankh turned to face her, her eyes blazing beneath the moon.

"It is Aillia, she is trying to get to you, you know she is. Don't be a fool." Xena hissed at Ankh. Ankh narrowed her eyes, looking back towards the camp. She shrugged the warrior's hand off and stormed into the woods. Xena shook her head as she and Gabrielle moved back in the direction where she had left Argo

.By the time they made it back to the makeshift camp, Xena and Gabrielle had spoken of the news she had received from Dhomb. They both stepped into the clearing and looked around.

"She isn't here. You don't think she went back do?" Gabrielle asked worriedly.

"I don't think so. At least she started the fire before she left. See, her tracks lead in the other direction." Xena pointed to the tracks that continued to lead deeper into the forest. She almost suspected that she knew where Ankh was going.

Gabrielle knew as well, "She's going to find Callisto isn't she?" She asked Xena, a little disappointed when she thought of the plush bed she had just left as she gazed at their bedrolls but more than happy at the exchange to be with her lover.

"I think so." Xena sighed as she spread out the bedrolls.

"Well, the good thing is that it gives us plenty of time alone?" Gabrielle grinned as she made her way over to the warrior princess, pushing her down onto the bedroll.

"Hey, shouldn't you be telling me about how miserable you were being away from me?" Xena asked in mock surprise as Gabrielle straddled her, smiling wickedly down at her.

"I was. It was terrible, I ate hot food." Gabrielle kissed Xena once lightly, "I slept in a comfortable bed, warm and snug." Gabrielle kissed Xena again. "I mean as far as captivity goes, this was one of the more pleasant experiences. Not quite as nice as the time I was supposed to be Queen, now that was nice, except for the honeymoon that had been planned." Gabrielle kissed Xena again and pulled back. "Actually, let me see if I can remember a more pleasant encounter..."

"Gabrielle, can we talk later?" Xena growled as she pulled the laughing bard back to her lips.

"I was wondering when you'd say that." Gabrielle murmured before kissing Xena deeply. Xena responded to the gentle sensation of Gabrielle's tongue probing her mouth. Tasting each other. The soft sound of their kissing filled the air. For the first time in three days, the supercharged desire that had fueled their encounters was missing. Instead, each woman reveled in rediscovering the other.

Gabrielle ran her fingers lightly over the warrior's muscled flesh, tracing the outline of the armor that still covered her. Xena's fingers curled in the golden red locks of her lover, moving down and across her back. How long did they spend just like this, locked in soft kisses, hands gently roaming, melting into one another. Each woman could feel the other's rising excitement, matched in perfect tempo to her own.

Xena moaned softly into her lover's lips. "I love you Gabrielle."

The sound of her lover's voice and the gentle vibration of her moan flashed through Gabrielle like lightning. She pulled back, "Xena." She whispered, stroking the proud face beneath her, her own emerald eyes reflecting the fire she saw in those burning azure eyes.

Xena wondered, not for the first time, certainly not the last, how this woman had come into her life? And how they had survived all that they had survived.

Gabrielle slipped off of Xena and began to slip out of her clothes. Xena rolled into a sitting position, moving behind Gabrielle.

"Let me." She murmured nuzzling Gabrielle's neck, her hands covering the bard's.

Gabrielle leaned back into the solid warmth of her lover as Xena's agile fingers quickly freed her from her garments. "So beautiful," she heard Xena whisper, feeling the rough texture of her lover's hands caressing across the flesh of her stomach and chest. She felt heat rising through her body, her skin tingling where she was touched.

Xena leaned forward, cupping the firms breasts of the bard. Caressing them lightly, she nuzzled Gabrielle's ear, kissing her way down the soft silken curve of the supple neck.

Gabrielle moaned and turned to look at Xena, "I want to feel you against me." She smiled at the warrior, her fingers quickly working on the clasps and buckles that held the armor in place. Gabrielle moved against Xena, moments later, breast against breast, they kissed once more. Their kisses a bit more probing, passion building and spreading from one to the other and back again.

Xena lost herself in the sweet taste of Gabrielle's lips and tongue, her warrior's hands roaming the soft flesh. Each time they made love, Xena marveled at the younger woman's body. She could not touch it enough to burn the memory into her skin. Xena brushed her thumbs against the erect nipples that teased her own, moaning into the kiss.

Gabrielle melted beneath the feel on Xena's skin against her own, the roughened thumbs gently teasing the aching nipples and when Xena moaned, Gabrielle felt the sound from her lips all the way into her groin. She wrapped her fingers through Xena's dark tresses, pulling her closer. She felt Xena's hands slide down to her hips, gripping her, pulling their bodies closer.

Xena trembled against Gabrielle's body and she felt her lover tremble in response. The kisses had become almost maddening, yet she could not tear herself away. Gabrielle pulled back, gasping as she looked into Xena's eyes. The intensity of the love Xena saw there, burning with a passion made her heart ache.

"Xena." Gabrielle whispered, stroking dark hair back from flushed skin. "Gabrielle." Xena replied in that voice that still sent shivers through the bard's body.

No further words were spoken, as they conveyed the depth of their love for one another with gentle hands, reverent kisses, and escaping sighs. For the first time since the walls had come up between them, they had found their way back to the love that had been their shelter so often before.

Ankh stormed through the forest, blindly forging ahead, the branches and saplings thrashing across her body.

"L'ankha'chein." She turned towards the sound of Callisto's voice. Her new lover stood shadowed beneath a tree. Muted patterns of moonlight covered her body.

Ankh moved towards her, her mind and heart consumed by her warring emotions. She moved quickly and covered Callisto's body with her own, forcing her back against the tree, covering her mouth hungrily. Callisto melted back beneath the force of the kiss, the searching tongue, the roaming hands.

Ankh kissed Callisto roughly, her hands already tugging at the blonde warrior's leather bodice. Freeing the flesh beneath it, her hands grasped and kneaded the soft flesh. Callisto responded to the savage attentions of Ankh. Her body burning at the intensity of Ankh's kisses and touch. She had ached for this all day. Ankh moved her lips to Callisto's throat, sucking and biting along her neck as her fingers continued to tease the fevered flesh beneath them.

"Callisto." Ankh growled into the woman's flesh, moving down towards her chest, wanting only to drown in her, to possess her, to take her. Anything to drive the sound of Sharia's cries from her mind.

Callisto groaned at the sound of Ankh's voice against her body, arching against the hands and lips covering her.

Ankh moved blindly, instinctually, primal over the godling's body. Callisto wrapped her fingers in the luxurious softness of Ankh's hair, pulling that ravenous mouth closer, harder against her. She felt Ankh pressing her thighs open, wider, positioning her hands so that she was almost sitting, resting on Ankh's forearms. Ankh was everywhere, touching her, kissing her, possessing her. Callisto gasped as her body responded to the hunger that was consuming her. Ankh moved her mouth down across Callisto's stomach, her lips and tongue seeking the taste, the heat, the nectar of her lover. Callisto hands clenched against Ankh's scalp, blinded by the flash of desire sparked by the ravenous ministrations of her lover's mouth. Ankh knelt, worshipping this Goddess, her Goddess, fervently and voraciously. Callisto was maddened by this fierce attention. Her body thrummed and unraveled. She felt her release building, coursing through her body like wildfire. Ankh moaned as she pressed Callisto back against the tree.

Callisto shuddered, feeling Ankh's fingers pierce her, moving up into her, responding to her tempo. Callisto threw her head back and screamed into the night, one long scream of passion unbound, yelling to Mount Olympus and back, a scream of release as she almost collapsed from the force that moved through her. Her outlined literally burned into the face of the tree. Later generations would create tales and stories about the imprint of a body seared into the tree's trunk. The scream stabbed into Ankh's mind like a slap in the face, and she slowed, then stopped. She leaned her head against the warm thigh. Slowly, she repositioned herself and released Callisto.

Callisto collapsed forward slightly then she was caught in Ankh's arms and she felt herself gently lowered to the ground. Ankh's hands gentle against her face as she pushed the hair back from her eyes. She waited for her heart to slow and her breathing to return to normal. She opened her eyes and saw Ankh sitting beside her, tears streaming down her face.

"Ankh?" Callisto asked, still struggling to catch her breath.

Ankh just shook her head. What was going on with her? She had attacked this woman before her...A woman she was sure she was falling in love with. And if she was, then why attack her so? To make her scream so that she could forget the sound of Sharia's screams? Or to take her, possess her the way she had allowed herself to be possessed? She had given Callisto pleasure before, truly, but often in the aftermath of Callisto's hunger. Who had she become in this land?

Callisto saw the anguish in those silver eyes. Why was she so distraught? Callisto was torn, she had not comforted anyone she loved since her mother and sister died. She had spent the day obsessing about what was happening. She tried to call back the rage that burned inside her for Xena, it flickered up now and again, but mostly, she thought of Ankh. The other one had not disturbed her today. So she was left alone with this storm of emotions assailing her. Could this must be what Xena felt with Gabrielle then? Someone who quells the fury and rage by their mere presence and touch?

"Ankh. Look at me." Callisto tipped the face she had come to memorize in these last few days towards her.

Ankh looked up at her, she reached out and gently tugged Callisto's leather bodice back into place. "I'm sorry about your garments." She said softly.

Callisto gave a soft laugh, "I'm not. You have never been so...so...fierce. You consumed me wholly. Now we are even."

Ankh looked into those warm brown eyes, seeing in them the honesty of her answer. Ankh knew she was falling in love with this woman, goddess...She had needed the taste of her, the feel of her, she wanted to consume her, to make her scream out her name. This was not part of the enthrallment.

"No. Not yet." Ankh said as she slipped out of her armor and then her shift. She moved until she was kneeling directly before Callisto, moonlight playing over her silken skin.

She gazed at Callisto, need illuminating those mercury eyes and she grasped the former warlord's hands in her own.

"I want you to take me. Tonight, I am yours without enchantments. I need you."

Callisto's heart quickened in her chest. She gazed at the woman before her, it was not lust that coursed through her body. Callisto smiled to herself. She would kiss her until she cried out just from the kisses alone. She moved forward until she was facing Ankh, she gently cupped the face before her and touched her lips softly to the other woman's.

Beneath the scar of her burden, Ankh felt something melting out of her when her lips met Callisto's.