Chapter 2: Uncertainty and Understanding

Telemachus led the trio to the grandest room in the palace, which happened to be Ulysses' bedroom. As he unlocked the double doors, Xena and Gabrielle followed Ulysses inside, their eyes widening with awe at the regal decor that befitted a king.

"Wow," Gabrielle exclaimed, her voice filled with wonder.

"This is amazing." Xena's gaze lingered on the majestic bed in the center of the room, intrigued by its grandeur. Ulysses approached her from behind, his voice low and teasing as he whispered in her ear,

"If you stick around long enough, we could test it out." Xena's eyes shot open in surprise, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she turned to face him.

"Ulysses," she spoke softly, her voice barely above a whisper, "I'm not sure if that's what's best." She glanced at his son, who was watching them closely with a cautious expression. Ulysses followed her gaze and saw the concern in his son's eyes. He turned back to Xena as he said,

"We will talk about this later." Xena nodded in agreement.

"You bet," she replied softly. Telemachus spoke up, offering to show them to their rooms. Gabrielle replied that they only needed one room, not wanting to take up too much space. Telemachus assured them that space was not an issue in the palace.

Xena advised, "Gabrielle, you go ahead and follow him to our room, I'll catch up with you in a moment."

"Sure thing Xena," Gabrielle replied, turning towards the door to leave. The prince lingered a moment longer staring at his father and Xena before he decided to exit.

As they left the room, Xena walked over to a chaise lounge and took a seat. She let out a deep breath, shaking her head. The once warm welcome that the prince had shown towards his father was now dampened by her appearance. Ulysses sensed her mood shift. He approached her slowly and pulled her back up into his embrace, wrapping both arms around her waist.

"Xena," he said softly. She looked up into his eyes. They were filled with warmth and affection, "my homecoming is at the end of the week, and it would be a great honor if you would be by my side," he smiled lovingly at her, "as my lady."

Xena searched his eyes, feeling the weight of his words sinking in. She walked away from his embrace and picked up a random coin to fidget with between her fingers as she thought about it. Ulysses watched her as she paced his room, twirling the coin around nervously. He desperately hoped she wouldn't change her mind, but he didn't want to crowd her thinking, so he just stood there, watching her every step. She walked back to him and hesitantly asked,

"What would your son think?" He could hear the uncertainty in her voice.

"I will talk with him," Ulysses assured her. "But no matter what he thinks, my mind is not changing. I am the King of Ithaca, and I want you by my side, Xena." She saw the sincerity in his eyes and felt a sense of reassurance wash over her. She nodded slowly.

"Okay," she whispered. Ulysses leaned in and kissed her softly at first, but then Xena deepened the kiss, allowing their passion to ignite as his tongue explored hers, their connection growing stronger with each moment.

Gabrielle and Telemachus walked down the long corridors in silence. The tension was high in the air. She looked at the prince, giving him a quick smile. He just stared back at her with a blank expression. Sensing that he wasn't in the best of moods, she decided to break the silence, hoping to establish a connection with him.

"So, how does it feel finally seeing your father after 20 years?" she asked, her voice gentle and sincere. Telemachus eyed her suspiciously at first, his guard still firmly in place. But there was something about Gabrielle's warm smile and open demeanor that made him decide to let his guard down, if only for a moment.

"I'm not sure how I feel," he admitted.

"He left when I was just a baby, and I haven't seen him since. I grew up hearing stories about him from my mother and others who knew him. From what I could gather, the whole kingdom loved him. But as I got older, I began to see how much the kingdom had deteriorated in his absence. That's when I made a vow to myself that I would become king one day and restore my father's beloved kingdom to its former glory."

"I bet you miss your mother dearly," she said gently. He sighed and dropped his shoulders.

"Every day," he admitted quietly. Gabrielle placed a comforting hand on his arm. He then glanced at her with his face firm again and annoyance in his voice saying,

"Now he's back with your friend. What are they, anyway? How long have they known each other?"

Gabrielle considered her response carefully before replying,

"I think you should talk to your father about Xena." He shook his head understanding it wasn't Gabrielle's place to inform him of his father's personal life. She offered him a reassuring smile as they made their way to her room. They stopped in front of the door, and he gestured towards it.

"Well, here is your room," he said, his tone polite but distant.

"There are two queen-sized beds in here. You are welcome to everything inside the room. If you need anything, just let any staff on this floor know. We will have dinner later. Our dinners are generally formal. I will send for you both when it's ready. Please make yourself at home."

With a short smile, he turned and left, leaving Gabrielle alone in the regal room. She took note of the luxurious furnishings and the elegant canopy beds, one draped in black and the other in rose pink. She saw Xena's weapons were laid on the nightstand.

"She'll be glad to have those back," she said to herself. Gabrielle decided to take the rose bed, not wanting to risk any potential disagreement with Xena. As she settled into her new surroundings, Gabrielle's thoughts turned to her friend. She wondered what Xena was up to, having left her in Ulysses' room. Did Xena truly consider being with Ulysses? Could she date the king and possibly become The Queen of Ithaca? She knew Xena was smart and skilled enough to help him, a prize to anyone. She shrugged her shoulders as she ran her fingers over the fine blankets on the bed. One thing was certain: she wasn't going to leave Xena's side, no matter where their journey took them.

Xena pulled back from their kiss, her eyes low with pleasure, with a soft smile pulling on her lips. Ulysses slowly opened his eyes, his heart racing with the intensity of their connection. He gently clasped both of Xena's hands within his own, his touch reassuring and warm.

"Well, I need to let you settle down in your room," he said.

"We've had a long trip, and I don't want to overwhelm you." Xena nodded with understanding.

"Thank you," she murmured softly, turning to leave. But before she could step away, he stopped her, his hand reaching out to touch her arm gently. Xena turned to face him, her eyes meeting his.

"Make yourself at home. You are welcome to everything inside this palace." Xena nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She was ready to clean herself and crawl into a nice warm bed. After being at sea with no clue if she was going to see land again, she was grateful for this opportunity.

"I will," she replied softly. With a final nod, Xena turned and left his room. When she pulled the door open, a staff member greeted her kindly.

"Lady Xena, I'm here to guide you to your room or anything you may need here. Don't be afraid to ask." She smiled friendly at Xena before she started to walk. Xena smiled at the unexpected gesture of hospitality. With a kind smile, she followed behind the young girl, her heart full of the warmth of Ulysses' kindness.

"What is your name?" Xena asked the young girl as they walked through the corridors of the palace.

"My name is Zephyra," the girl answered with a friendly smile. Xena's thoughts drifted back to Ulysses as they walked in silence, her mind swirling with uncertainty about their budding relationship. She couldn't help but wonder what Ulysses wanted or expected from her. Sure, he said that he felt like he'd known her his whole life, but that still doesn't tell her much, other than they had a connection. Zephyra's voice interrupted her thoughts, drawing her attention back to the present.

"I hope you find your room to your liking, Lady Xena," she said, her eyes bright with warmth. Xena nodded, appreciating the genuine kindness in Zephyra's demeanor.

"Thank you, Zephyra. I'm sure it will be just fine," she replied, her own voice calm. As they reached the door to Xena's room, Zephyra paused and turned to her with a smile.

"Here we are, my lady. If you need anything at all, please don't hesitate to ask." Xena nodded gratefully.

"I live on this floor, so I'm always around if you need anything."

"Thank you, Zephyra," Xena replied with genuine gratitude. Zephyra bowed respectfully before turning to leave, her footsteps echoing softly in the corridor as she disappeared from sight. With a deep breath, she pushed open the door and stepped into her new quarters, ready to finally get some rest in a bed.

"Xena," Gabrielle said, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "I left you the black bed."

"Thanks," Xena replied softly, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She quickly walked to her weapons and picked up her sword, swinging it in a circle before setting it back down. Gabrielle moved to sit next to Xena on her bed, her hand gently rubbing her back in a comforting gesture.

"What did Ulysses say?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity. Xena sighed.

"He wants me by his side at his homecoming, as his lady," she admitted. Gabrielle saw the unsure look on Xena's face. Her expression softened with understanding.

"Xena, you knew that before we got here," she reminded gently.

"He told you that you would be the best part of it. Did you think he would change his mind?" Xena shrugged her shoulders, her gaze drifting to the floor.

"Well, I thought he was speaking out of impulse," she admitted hesitantly.

"Xena, he also told you on the boat that he's fallen in love with you. That's a big deal." Xena nodded slowly, her mind still grappling with the weight of Ulysses' confession.

"I'll accompany him at his homecoming," she said quietly.

"After that, I can't promise anything." Xena face frowned as she took off her armor and laid them at the foot of her bed. Deciding to change the subject, she asked,

"Did you get a chance to speak with Telemachus?" Gabrielle nodded.

"Yes," she replied.

"He's not upset with you, Xena. I think he's upset that his father has brought another woman with him to their home, and Ulysses still hasn't talked to him about his mom. I think Telemachus wants Ulysses to act like he did love his mom. Yet, he hasn't said anything to him about her." As Gabrielle continued to speak, Xena remained silent, her thoughts seemingly lost in the depths of her own contemplation.

"Telemachus said that dinner is later this evening and it's usually formal." Xena nodded slowly.

"I will probably skip dinner tonight," she replied quietly.

"All I want is a hot bath and to sleep." Gabrielle nodded in understanding.

"I couldn't agree more," she admitted.

"However, I probably will attend dinner tonight. I'm starving and could use a hot cooked meal." Xena smiled faintly, grateful for her friend's understanding.

"Give my regards to Ulysses," she said softly, her gaze drifting towards the window. Gabrielle's curiosity sparked as she asked,

"Have you met anyone that tends to this floor? I don't know where anything is."

"Yeah," Xena replied. "Her name is Zephyra." Before they could dive further into their conversation, there was a light knock at the door. Xena and Gabrielle exchanged looks of confusion before Xena rose from the bed to answer it. Standing before them was Zephyra, smiling warmly with her hands full.

"The king wanted me to bring you both fresh linens and a few options of clothing," Zephyra explained softly.

"Also, I want to show you both where the bathhouse is and the dining hall."

"Please come in," Xena said, stepping aside to let Zephyra enter.

"Gabrielle, this is Zephyra. She brought us some fresh linens and clothes. She also wants to give us a tour."

"Great," Gabrielle replied with a smile, moving towards the door to join them. The two women followed Zephyra, their minds eager to soak in every detail of their new surroundings.