Disclaimers: See Chapter 1

Additional Note (Please Read): This tale is a companion with, The Conqueror & Ri: A Twist of Destiny. If you haven't read both story's chapters preceding this one, you should do so now. This marks the end of the first phase of Xena & Gabrielle: A Turn of Fate. The second phase starts in the next chapter. I would like to thank my editor, Jinxie 2013-14, my dedicated followers and readers. Please, continue to enjoy. :-)

Xena & Gabrielle,

A Turn of Fate,

By, Ahkiken

Chapter 30: Torn Asunder

Gabrielle laid supine on the cot, licking the succulent remnants of Xena's essence off her lower and upper lips. Her sated lover relaxed on the Amazon's chest, recovering from a joyous tongue lashing. The pulsing of the Warrior Princess' sex came to an end as she snuggled firmly onto Gabrielle's body.

"Gods, that was... That was..." Xena tried to sum up her feelings, remembering the swirling of Gabrielle's tongue inside her. "Mmm, that was really, really amazing."

Gabrielle chuckled, caressing Xena's damp tresses. "It's been a while. That's why it felt that way."

"No." She said, emphatically. "You haven't gone at me like that in a long time. You attacked me so roughly with fervor. You weren't gentle at all."

A smug look suffused her face, recalling Xena's loud vocals while she sucked, licked, and used her teeth on the blue-eyed woman's clitoris. "Yeah, I want to do it again."

"What?" Xena became befuddled. "Usually you're done once you have reached your third climax. Aren't you sleepy?"

Gabrielle's core was very sensitive from Xena's rigorous fingers, coaxing her to achieve her maximum limit of orgasms. "I can't fully explain why I feel invigorated by you, but I'm not tired for some reason. I assume you are?"

"I could go another round."

Gabrielle pulled Xena's hair lightly. "You avowed you wouldn't lie to me anymore. You've told me two about not feeling sleepy."

"Fine... I'm drained." Xena reluctantly admitted. "You haven't only worn me out, but the closeness of lying in your arms is affecting me greatly, too."

"I've worn you out?" Gabrielle asked happily.

"Yes, and don't sound supercilious about it. Tomorrow I'll be well rested, then we will see how you'll handle me keeping you up all night." She averred.

"I can't wait. Can we do it in the morning?" Gabrielle queried. "You can wake me the same way you did when we visited Lila and Sarah in Potidaea."

The memory of their early morning romance, almost made Xena lose her weariness. "You were soaking wet that day."

"Will you?" The bard kissed her forehead. "I want you to do it exactly the same way you did it last time."

"Oh, most definitely." Xena acceded ecstatically, before realizing the competition was resuming. "Damn it, I won't be able to."

"Why not?"

"The Samurai's duels restart tomorrow." Xena replied. "Because of Neji's death, they were delayed. They'll have to start earlier than usual, that way I can complete at least two groups. I still have to finish with the second, third, and fourth squads, so I can commence the next phase of their placement."

"Xena, what's the deal with training the Samurai anyway?" Gabrielle inquired.

"It's for you." She answered bashfully.

"Me?"

Xena sighed. "I didn't want you to come to Japa after finding out Yodoshi has absorbed one hundred thousand souls. However, you wouldn't return to Greece, so I requested for Harukata to allow me to inspect and train his warriors. The best of his Samurai will fight beside you when we engage the daemon."

The cropped blonde was profoundly touched by Xena's machination to safeguard her life. Contrary to the declaration about her loving Akemi more, it cemented the fact that Xena remained holding Gabrielle in high regard.

"You're always protecting me, even when I'm oblivious of it."

"You know it." Xena grinned. "I'll spend all of my days setting right what I did to us in our cabin."

Xena's statement caused Gabrielle to remember Eli's directed words to her.

Hugging her soul mate tightly, the petite Samurai responded, "You already have, Xena. Like Eli said, you'd set right what has been divided."

Xena raised her head to gaze at Gabrielle. "What did you say?"

"Eli informed me to tell you that you have to set right what has been torn asunder." The Amazon recited.

"Was he referring to us?"

"I believe so." Gabrielle pondered on her former mentor's spiritual visitation. "He was overly vague on that and another subject. He declared the Twilight of the gods is still running its course. I'm unsure if it infers to the remaining Greek gods, or every one of them in the entire world. Even Hercules could be affected by this."

"Eli's references could be warnings." Xena's mind whirled with unknown conclusions. "He may not have spoken of us. He could be speaking about Yodoshi and how I must die to fulfill my destiny of ceasing Japa's turmoil."

"Perhaps." Gabrielle got worried. "Hey, you aren't plotting on breaking your vow to marry me first, are you?"

Completely consumed by her ruminations, Xena barely registered Gabrielle's voice. "Hmm?"

"Don't hmm me." Gabrielle retorted. "You better not be backing out on us. Marriage first, Yodoshi second."

"Of course." Xena agreed.

Gabrielle wasn't satisfied. "Also, Amaterasu have to consent your resurrection. If she doesn't, you don't surrender your life."

Xena's sapphire orbs went down. Learning what Eli elucidated, altered her cogitation intensively. She couldn't help but surmise Eli's visit to Gabrielle coincided with instructing that her death was the sole outcome of repairing Japa.

'Maybe it's to aid in this Omphalos mystery as well.' Xena mused, wary of Gabrielle getting teleported by the shard on her index digit.

"Look at me, Xena." Her fiancée did what was ordered and Gabrielle's vexation rose. "I can see your brain making unwarranted decisions. We assented you wouldn't die if the sun Kami does not accede to your revival. That's the pact."

"I know, but what if I must? Eli could have referred to me dying for Japa and setting right what I had-"

"Don't do this to me." Gabrielle mellowed.

"My love, I am not making any altering judgments here." Xena wanted to relieve the angry bard. "With this added piece of information, I'm just discerning all our options now."

'Options!?' Gabrielle ceased twirling Xena's mane and rubbed her own temples in frustration, berating herself, 'I should have kept my mouth shut about what Eli confessed to me. Now we're left with nothing but possible allusions that Xena can assert as truth to build a case for her sacrifice.'

"We have to take in consideration that Eli's visit to you was for the purpose of steering us towards our inevitable fate in Japa." Xena affirmed. "It could mean I am meant to give up my-"

In exasperation, Gabrielle interjected with an audible testy scoff. She grew close to shoving Xena off of her and asking that she depart the room.

Xena quickly detected Gabrielle's dismay. "You misunderstand. I'm not declaring exactitude here. I'm simply saying what's on my mind."

Her nude lover hadn't given a reply to Xena's verbalization, causing Xena to feel uneasy.

"You act like I want to die and leave you." Seeing Gabrielle's facial expression, Xena spied her admission. "That's it; you deduce I want to die. Don't you trust me?"

Gabrielle took a long minute to answer. In all honesty, she didn't know how to feel. All she knew was Xena had a death sentence and, sooner or later, her soul mate could be lost to her forever.

"Gabrielle?"

Small hands grasped Xena's face. "Give me a reason to trust you."

"How?" Xena became bemused. "Is my promise to marry you, not good enough?"

"It is enough." She conceded. "Nonetheless, the only thing I ask of you is that we stop conversing over Eli's enigmatic assertions, and wait to find out if you are able to be brought back to the living. Because if you cannot, you won't be dying either way."

"But what about the thousands of souls in captivity?" Xena queried. "What will become of Japa and Akemi?"

Gabrielle maintained control over her jealousy of the Japian woman. "I don't know. Hopefully you will be revived so you can redeem all of them, along with yourself. If not, well..."

"Gabrielle, could you live a prosperous life with me, knowing Japa was destroyed by Yodoshi?"

"Yes." Gabrielle sounded determined.

Understanding the Amazon's reverence for life, Xena didn't buy her affirmation at all. "No lies, Gabrielle."

Aqua orbs closed for several seconds as Gabrielle accepted she would nettle over the deceased spirits that were trapped by Yodoshi; impeding them from travelling to the afterlife. Being a Samurai of the Shinto Clan, didn't she have a shared responsibility to rescue the inhabitants of Japa? Wouldn't it be dishonorable if she abandoned her fellow comrades in Japa's dreary hour of need? Gabrielle distinguished she'd be worse than Neji for that offense, and the Bushido code would dictate her to commit hara-kiri.

Opening her eyes, the bard couldn't submit. "My love for you is an anchor for me, nothing else matters."

"Gabrielle." Xena implored, needing her to ascertain the Greater Good for the moment.

"If you can't be granted life after sacrificing it, you don't die. Are we in agreement or not?" Gabrielle questioned, austerely.

Although Xena's cognizance focused on Eli's message to her, she nodded to please Gabrielle. Xena didn't want to chance angering the warrior-bard, and within her heart, she truly wanted the beautiful blonde to be her wife. Loving Gabrielle was way easier and blissful than dying.

"You promised me, Xena. Don't make me lose faith in you." Gabrielle pleaded.

"I won't." Xena tilted her head upwards, gracing Gabrielle's lips with a sensual kiss.

Gabrielle beamed internally from the contact of kissing Xena. Once they disengaged, she guided the Warrior Princess to lay comfortably on her again.

"Go to sleep Xena, and halt making me feel insecure of our relationship before you coax me into leaving ya." Gabrielle threatened.

"Shush, you aren't going anywhere." Xena kissed Gabrielle's collarbone, in advance of returning to her comfortable position on her soul mate while the Samurai began playing with her hair once more. "I will apprise Harukata of our decision tomorrow."

"Or we can keep it between ourselves." Gabrielle chose to be vindictive. "This can be our secret."

"We will do whatever you want to, Gabrielle. Although you should not have animosity towards Harukata. He had vehemently advised me against deceiving you, and urged me to disclose the truth also."

"He did?"

"Mm-hmm." Xena tiredly moaned. "But I can be obnoxiously stubborn."

"I haven't noticed." Gabrielle jived. "I'll have a chat with the Shogun, informing him we've made up. He'll be surprised to find out we are marrying each other."

"Nope, he's knowledgeable of that already." Xena revealed. "So is Tanya."

The astonishment that the Shogun was privy of her and Xena's intimate status, dimmed at the mentioning of Tanya's name. "The hell with her."

"Tanya likes you, Gabrielle. She appreciated the skills you'd taught her and looked forward to being trained by you for her upcoming duel against the second squad." Xena explained.

"She's a meddler and a liar. Tanya fabricated when telling you I told her I still loved you." The Samurai sulked.

"But you were missing our love. So was I, and she noted our emotions for one another." Xena asserted. "Tanya was wrong for taking it upon herself to tell me how you felt for me, but she only wanted to help us get back together. If you can forgive me, you're capable of forgiving her, Gabrielle. Let Tanya know you won't tolerate her interfering in our affairs again."

Becoming pensive by Xena's avowal, Gabrielle's anger was perforated. As unwanted as it was, the auburn-haired teen did try to offer assistance in mending their woes. Making amends with Tanya wouldn't be too difficult.

'Throughout this entire voyage, I have begrudged somebody. I'm weary of doing that. It's time to perpetuate peace.' Wrapping a strand of ebony hair around her finger, Gabrielle ruminated, 'We deserve placidity in our lives.'

"What are you intending to do?"

Gabrielle began to gently massage Xena's scalp, causing her to sigh in contentment. "Be quiet, smooth talker. You have an idea of what I'm going to do."

"I sure do." Xena professed, her eyelids fluttered close. "Does it bother you to have knowledge that Harukata and Tanya knows about our relationship?"

"I already knew Tanya found out, and after our loud lovemaking, I'm sure others aboard this ship know also." Glancing at the silver ring on her finger, trepidation roused within Gabrielle. "I may not have to face all of them if the Omphalos shard sends me to the Conqueror's world."

Xena's lids opened as she grabbed Gabrielle's index, bringing it to her lips. "We'll find a way to prevent that from happening. Nothing is taking you away from me."

'Eli spoke with such absolute certainty about me being transported. There is no doubt of that.' Choosing not to overwhelm her wary soul mate, Gabrielle gave Xena a sad smile. "Perhaps you are right. If the worse does happen, I pray we are married at least."

"We will be." Xena consented. "And I'll be uxorious; cooking for you, listening more, and much caring than I am now."

Gabrielle chuckled, holding off the tears from Xena's amorousness. "Thank you, Xena. Nevertheless, don't fret over the cooking for me. I want an edible meal every day, not every other day."

"Awe, alright." Xena rubbed the bard's side tenderly, becoming serious while looking at the circlet on Gabrielle's digit. "When you inquired about where I got this ring, I surmised you wanted to know the price range so you could sell it, not knowing you were trying to find out if the person who sold it to me was maleficent. In a way, this is all my fault."

"Don't go blaming yourself, Xena."

"I have to." She debated. "I placed the ring on your finger. I should've known something was off when that old merchant practically created it for me without having to haggle with him. He even offered to put a gem on it."

"He probably didn't know, assuming it was a regular jade stone." Gabrielle defended the unknown man. "Eli elaborated it is a goddess who's doing this. She's involve with what's going on in Japa as well. That's why Yodoshi is concentrating on destroying the Tri Sanctuaries."

The Amazon had tactfully chosen not to divulge it was possibly foretold for Xena to surrender her life for the innocent people she'd killed during the burning of Higuchi. Letting that intel loose, the sullen warrior would be in favor of dying for them.

'Blood has to be paid in blood.' The Samurai memorized Eli's official reply to her query over Xena's death.

"They won't win." Xena conveyed. "Whoever the hell this goddess is, along with Yodoshi, will both be crushed when I get my hands on them."

Gabrielle studied the rage, blazing in Xena's cerulean irises. Next, she recognized her tired appearance, too.

"My gorgeous Champion needs slumber if she's going to protect me from evil daemons and deities." The bard teased in a sultry voice. "You also need to sleep now so you'll wake up in time to get the Samurai's duels completed."

Suddenly, Xena's eyes lost their enraged fire and started to droop shut. "Okay, I'm sleeping now. However, I am indecisive whether to begin the squads' session or waking you up for a session of our own."

"That'll be great." Gabrielle replied. "I do want you to help me use my chakram."

"That's not the kind of session I was suggesting, but..." Xena trailed off. "'Your' chakram? Since we're together again, wouldn't it be better calling it 'our' chakram?"

"Well, you did give it to me." Gabrielle feigned pondering. "Nah. It's mine until you teach me how to use it correctly. Then, if you're good enough, and work diligently on becoming a submissive spouse, I'll consider sharing it with you."

The Warrior Princess smirked. "You're going to be a mean wife. But, I will always love you anyway."

Silence descended in the candlelit cabin, till Gabrielle broke it, "Xena?"

"Yes, Gabrielle."

"If I switch places with Ri before we get to Japa, don't die until we are reunited."

Xena dismissed Gabrielle's worries. "You aren't leaving this world."

"You don't know that." Gabrielle countered. "I have tried everything to remove the ring, nothing has worked. I went as far as trying to cut it off my finger, but it's shielded by some type of barrier."

"It was the ring that repelled my sword and knocked me off my feet inside the armory." Xena formulated, remembering the greenish hindrance that forced her backwards from Gabrielle.

"The Omphalos shard prevents any danger posed to it or its removal. The ring is sealed onto me." Gabrielle pressed her notion, "Now you're aware the shard is attached to me, swear to me you won't die if I transfer places with Ri."

Xena began thinking on it. She knew her death meant the salvation of Japa and the enslaved spirits that Yodoshi entrapped. If Gabrielle swapped worlds with her look-alike, it would put the dark-haired woman in a precarious situation. Not only would she become tenacious to return her soul mate from the Conqueror's world, but if Ri and Gabrielle's lives were connected by the Omphalos stone, she'd have to guard Ri's existence, too.

Locking eyes with her lover's, there were no divergence on Xena's part. "I swear, I'll stay alive if you get teleported to the other world."

"I love you, Xena. Keep this oath to me." Gabrielle beseeched her.

"I love you as well, and I will." Xena laid her head down on Gabrielle's chest again, closing her sleepy orbs. "I've also decided to wake you with some lovemaking."

Smiling, the blonde caressed Xena's back, luring her to sleep. "I still can see your eyes peeking up at me from the juncture of my thighs while you gave me oral pleasure inside my old room in Potidaea. It felt fantastic. If you aren't awake before me, I may do it to you this time."

Not getting a response from Xena and feeling the steady breathing of her tall frame, Gabrielle knew she had dozed off. The Samurai lingered on the cot for an indefinite amount of time, letting her ratiocination run free, anent to Xena's demise in Japa, her circumstances dealing with the shard on her index, and the realistic possibility that their marriage may not come to fruition. Extricating herself from beneath the Warrior Princess, Gabrielle delicately covered Xena with the fur without disturbing her. Next, the Amazon used the basin of water to wash up and proceeded to get dressed in her scarlet attire.

Once fully clothed, Gabrielle ran a hand through her disheveled hair to straighten it, then bent on the side of the cot to mildly touch Xena's chisel cheek. Xena was renowned around the known globe for doing the impossible, and Gabrielle trusted her sagacity, but the petite woman couldn't fathom how she'd forefend their plight.

"Hey, baby, I gotta go. I don't want to, but I do have to meet with Zicalus. I've been a real bitch to him lately and I don't want him presuming I'm avoiding him. I'll be back soon to lie in your wonderful arms. Believe me when I say, I never want to leave your side ever." Tears cascaded down her face. "If I only had thirty seconds to be with you, this is how I would want to live them; looking at you sleeping so peacefully. I will always love you, Xena."

Gabrielle's lips placed a sweet kiss on Xena's forehead. Afterwards, Gabrielle dried her tears and stood to exit her cabin.

{X&G}

Tanya swirled the naginata, circling her back and front, getting the hang of it. The auburn-haired warrior felt real comfortable with the metallic pole, until she accidentally hit herself in the head with the bottom portion of it.

"Ouch." She groaned, dropping the weapon.

"That's going to leave a mark."

Spinning on her heels, Tanya espied her former trainer. "Hi, Gabrielle. Uh, what brings you tonight?"

"I came to spar with an elite Samurai, but he's not in here." The bard walked towards her, scooping the naginata off the floorboards to twirl it with one hand. "Are you learning to use this?"

'She's talking to me.' Tanya was surprised. "Um, yea. Zicalus showed me a few moves with it before he left."

"Darn, I missed him." Gabrielle handed the pole over to Tanya.

"You were supposed to spar with Zicalus?" Tanya gushed, taking the proffered weapon. "I would've loved to have seen that. He did ask about you though. Between you and me, he's handsome."

"Hmm, he is. Perhaps I'll catch him in his cabin." Gabrielle started to trek out the armory when she apologized, "Forgive my behavior directed to you, Tanya. I know you were helping me and Xena reconnect, but constrain yourself from interceding in our partnership. Xena and I will wound up working everything out in the end."

"I'm sorry, Gabrielle. I won't do it again."

"Good to hear. I've also heard you have another duel coming up. If you want, I don't mind teaching you some more techniques."

"That will be great." Tanya accepted. "If I win this one, I'll be granted the privilege of battling alongside you."

"We'll train tomorrow, all right?" Gabrielle inquired.

"That's cool with me. I got to tell Xena, she'll be delighted to know about this." Tanya responded. "Where is she?"

"Oh, I wouldn't bother her tonight." Gabrielle opposed. "She's fast asleep... Inside my cabin."

"Y'all are back together?"

Nodding, Gabrielle departed the armory while Tanya mentally did somersaults of joy.

"I got them reunited once more." She took all the credit. "Where would they be without me?"

{X&G}

Gabrielle was going to cede in finding Zicalus' location on the vessel after checking his lodging. Undecided whether to return to her soul mate or go star-gazing, Gabrielle chose the latter. Ascending the stairs to the top deck, she came across Zicalus leaning on the rails overlooking the sea.

"Here you are." Gabrielle strolled beside him. "My apologies for arriving at the armory late."

"It is alright." He huffed. "I'm sure you have your reasons."

Noticing the blue armored Samurai's succinct tone, Gabrielle went on, "If you want, we can-"

"I'd like to be alone, Gabrielle San." Zicalus pronounced.

Zicalus' tonality was unmistakable. "Pardon me, but am I missing something, because it sounds like you're upset with me?"

Zicalus remained silent, causing Gabrielle to lose patience.

"Forget it." She proclaimed, ready to go back to her room.

"There's talk of you and Xena Sama settling y'all differences." Zicalus spoke, halting Gabrielle's movements. "You weren't in the armory during the evening, so I assumed you've forgotten cause of that. I preoccupied myself by doing drills and taught Tanya Kun how to use the naginata for a while till your arrival, but you didn't show. Instead, I headed to your cabin to see if you were okay."

The velvet-clad Amazon knew what Zicalus must've stumbled upon when he approached the room. Her and Xena's passion had to be voluminous for Zicalus' ears to hear, even through the closed cabin door.

"If I had any idea you and Xena Sama would be sexually intimate at that time, I wouldn't have went and overheard you two, although it was hard not to." Zicalus turned his despondent light green eyes to her. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Sighing, Gabrielle began elucidating, "Xena and I have been secret lovers since before you were born. It wasn't until very recently we decided to let our relationship become known."

"The ring on your finger, it's from her, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"So you pretended to lead me to think the band on your digit was from your deceased husband." Zicalus couldn't cease his ebullient temper. "Are you really a widow, or is that a ruse to trick people?"

"I was married decades ago." Gabrielle confirmed. "He was murdered in front of me. I didn't lie to you."

"No, you just hid the truth." The ebony-haired man spat with venom.

"What does it matter, Zicalus? Xena and I are a couple. We're soul mates and bound to each other. I can't explain it, it's simply our design."

"You could've informed me of that. It would have stopped me from falling in love with you." Zicalus affirmed.

The bard was beyond flabbergasted. 'Damn it, Xena's right about Zicalus liking me. She's going to have fun throwing this in my face.'

Gabrielle felt certain Zicalus only seeked friendship. How ironic that she was dexterous to see invisible signs of every prospect, but none as clear as Zicalus' attachment to her; feeding her the last bite of nut bread, and the affectionate name of Chan he gave her, which was absent now.

"I know why Xena Sama beat me up the way she did." Zicalus glued the puzzle together. "You told me it was nothing, but she gets jealous over you sometimes, however that's a lie. Y'all both love one another and you blatantly kept me in the dark. I got injured because of you."

"You were injured because of yourself." Gabrielle argued, casting her guilt aside. "Don't blame me for your actions. I'd warned you not to contend with her and you did it anyway. It's your fault, not mine. The same goes for your feelings concerning me."

Zicalus' profile saddened from the pretty warrior who he became enamored with. "You're a liar, Gabrielle San."

Saying that, Zicalus hastily descended the stairs and out of Gabrielle's sight. The cropped blonde heaved a deep breath, espying the empty, darkened sky and waves of the sea that looked endless. The argument with Zicalus had sapped her energy, making Gabrielle jaded. No longer caring to search out the glossy stars that could've filled the night, she traipsed from the upper deck to the main platform, spotting the red kimono donned Shogun.

Slicing a lemon in parts with his tanto, he offered a piece to Gabrielle. "Long voyages can be detrimental to your health."

She gratefully took the slice of fruit, sucking its sour juice. "I haven't forgotten. Along with you, Xena relayed the maladies of the seas to me."

"Ah, speaking of which, have you and Xena quelled what plagued y'all?" Harukata questioned.

"We have." Gabrielle answered, feeling the severity of her fatigue.

"You're compliant with Xena's sacrifice?" He gauged.

"Not really, but we came to a congenial understanding." Gabrielle decided to let Xena give insight to what their congeniality consisted of.

"I'm glad you two are eye-to-eye." The Shogun scrutinized his protege. "You look a tad haggard. Are you okay, Gabrielle San?"

"I had a dispute with Zicalus." Gabrielle tossed the lemon rind overboard. "I get out a wrangle with Xena and find myself in another."

"I saw Zicalus storm down the steps, appearing dismal. It wouldn't have anything to do about his attraction to you, would it?" Harukata asked.

Gabrielle wasn't astonished by Harukata's inquiry. "Yeah. Did Zicalus tell you?"

"Koska apprised me of Zicalus' admiration for you."

Recalling the gruff Samurai's sentence after their concise duel, Gabrielle knew it to be true. "Koska alluded to it in the armory. Zicalus' feelings for me cannot be reciprocated. Now that Xena and I have settled our variance, we are moving forward in our relationship."

The Shogun was pleased. "I'm heartened that my choice for refraining Kenji from swearing on his honor to keep the Warrior Princess' deception has had a positive affect on both you and her."

This time Gabrielle became astounded by Harukata. "But what of your oath to Xena?"

"She only demanded it from me and my Samurai, which was given." The Shogun bit into his lemon, suppressing a cringe from the citrus acid. "She said nothing of Kenji. I was wondering when he would say something to you."

"Kenji imparted it to me weeks ago. I am sincerely thankful for your sly tact." Gabrielle performed an obeisance to her mentor before making the trek back to her dwelling. "I bid you good night, Shogun."

"Sweet dreams, Gabrielle San." He returned.

"Oh..." She paused her movements. "I would hold off singing a requiem for Xena. She won't be going anywhere until we're married."

Watching Gabrielle sluggishly walk below deck, Harukata's mouth hung agape in shock of her announcement. Closing his orifice, the old Shogun smiled for the two Greek women. All he wanted for nearly the whole month was his pupil's prosperity. Japa's tranquility relied on the actions of the dark warrior and he would do everything in his power to ensure Xena's resurrection if it meant Gabrielle's happiness.

Returning inside her cabin, Gabrielle laggardly stripped off her boots and clothes to replace them solely with the sky blue kimono. The light-headed Amazon was too exhausted to blow out the candle that remained burning and sort the comfort of her future wife instead. Reposing herself next to her sleeping companion, Gabrielle peered downwards, lifting the yin-yang chakram off the floor beside the cot. She couldn't wait for Xena's teachings on how to utilize it.

'If all goes well this morning with our sexual escapade, I'll try convincing her to give the Samurai squads another reprieve so we can spend the day together.'

Wanting to wrap up under the fur and feel Xena's warmth, Gabrielle's muscles failed to follow her commands to raise the cover for her to slip under it. Still grasping the chakram, she unwillingly set it down to lie on her stomach. Finally, Gabrielle glimpsed the glow of the Omphalos shard.

'No... Not now... What vision am I to venture this... Time...' Gabrielle's musings faltered and she drifted to an unconscious status, while the ominous greenish aura engulfed her entire body in a blinding cocoon of light.

To Be Continued...