by: de Bonheur
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13/13 of the LONG IS THE WAY series.
For complete disclaimers and notices, please refer to
De Bonheur's Home
Page
Warnings: This is a work of alternative fan fiction and may be offensive
to some readers.
Author's Note: Well, this is the last "official" entry to the series.
THANKS everyone for joining me on this journey. THANKS also to those
who wrote and shared with me their comments and thoughts. REALLY do
appreciate your feedback and opinions.
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The warrior's fingers splayed out covetously over the gentle curve,
the plaited band on her wrists blended with the honey golden field of curls
below. Her other hand stayed clasped in the bard's; their fingers intertwined.
Her dark head rested against smooth firm thighs. Their breathing gradually
regained normalcy.
"Come here, Love," Gabrielle sighed, closing her grasp and putting her other
hand on the warrior's shoulder. She pulled the larger body up slowly, savouring
the contact of skin on skin.
Xena glided her cheek along the soft toned abdomen and luscious globes, nuzzling
and placing tender kisses here and there, until they were eye to eye.
A long, lazy kiss followed as their bodies pressed tight together, not allowing
even air to pass. Hands wandered over sides, shoulders, arms and hips;
and back and buttocks.
In one fluid motion, the lovers shifted. Gabrielle lay on top of the tall
warrior, grinding herself closer, melding their flesh.
Against an unexpectedly fierce onslaught of memories and emotions, Xena closed
her eyes.
"Look at me."
Eyelids fluttered open on command, and her gaze met the bard's. The morning
light reflected in bright green eyes; they seemed full of warmth and promises
of happiness.
Exceedingly tenderly, the fair blonde caressed her partner's soft breasts,
her strong shoulders, her tender throat, and the contours of her slightly
flushed face.
She traced her fingers along Xena's mouth and touched her smile, then cradled
the warrior's cheeks in her palms and kissed the expressive lips again.
Long arms wrapped around the bard's back, breasts ground into breasts
as she writhed against and arched into the smaller form holding her
captive.
Their warm skin rubbed together as Gabrielle moved downwards, her hands stroke
and flitted along Xena's body. She brought her mouth and tongue to the warrior's
chest and rubbed her face against the smooth flesh, and closed her teeth
gently over hard nipples, eliciting a deep moan.
A thin sheen of perspiration filmed sun-kissed features, and moisture blurred
otherwise clear blue vision, as the Warrior Princess let herself be brought
closer and closer to the point of no return.
. . . . . . .
In the darkened hut lit by the early afternoon sun and torches, the Amazon
Queen sat at a wooden table with her Regent beside her. Council elders and
advisers stood nearby.
Intently and meticulously, Gabrielle read through scrolls after scrolls of
petitions and proposed decrees. At times she looked up and thought about
the various details, while chewing on the end of her quill.
Sitting a short distance away, on a bench against the wall, the dark warrior
observed.
Xena was impressed by the control the bard exercised over herself, the absolute
power tempered by remarkable warmth which exuded when she conferenced with
Ephiny and her advisers. She was positively radiant, and every inch a
queen.
Occasionally, Gabrielle would transfer her regard from the scrolls to the
Warrior Princess, her sparkling verdant eyes meeting, mesmerizing, arresting
sky blue ones. And sweet smiles would steal unbidden across fair features
and add their mark in the warrior's heart.
Without their owner's conscious consent, battle-roughened fingers closed
against the royal crest on the hilt of the dagger given to her by her bard.
. . . . . . .
It was early Spring when days were still short. Yet, to the many Amazons
who had waited for this very day in the month of Gamelion to come, Apollo
could not have completed his journey soon enough.
This last day of the moon cycle was considered the harbinger of the new season
and new beginnings, and was also a celebration to honour the sacred marriage
between the king and queen of the gods. Therefore, many couples had chosen
to have their joining performed the same time as well.
The Queen, with her Regent and the priestess as witnesses, presided over
the ceremonies. Pairs of Amazon warriors approached the dais, and with their
gods and sovereign as their attestant, sworn undying love and allegiance
to each other. They then exchanged tokens of commitment.
As usual, the Warrior Princess occupied her favourite quiet spot away from
the noises and crowd. She sat back and surveyed the joyful spectacle
before her.
Limber, beautiful Amazons danced with sensuous abandon around the bonfire.
Xena noticed with amusement their even more abbreviated than customary attire.
The Queen and her council must have reached a compromise concerning Eponin's
request.
Seeing Gabrielle, Ephiny and the priestess on the dais strewn with first
shoots of fragrant blossoms, before an altar heaped with fruits and sweet
cakes, the warrior recalled the last time she attended a similar event.
The vision which was her Gabrielle was just as exquisite at the moment as
it was before, if not more so. The confident smile, the bewitching lips under
feathered mask, the radiant honey gold of her hair against fire light...
All were there... inspiring, intoxicating.
Xena remembered her surrender of a sort to the bard on that same night almost
thirteen moons ago... Was that the inception, or was that a mere illustration?
The once Conqueror of Nations could not be certain. Regardless, it all seemed
trivial now, and was no longer important.
More significant to Xena was her knowledge that even when green eyes were
looking elsewhere and away, Gabrielle remained aware of her every breath,
her every motion.
This was confirmed when as the warrior stood and walked away from the festivities
and towards the forest, immediately the bard's concerned gaze followed.
. . . . . . .
She treaded onwards, leaving the village behind. Yet, the faint perfume of
blossoms from the ceremony, mixed with the wild floral scent of her bard
which lingered on her skin remained.
The sensations calmed the warrior a little, and the walking occupied her
mind. She followed the path which wound through trees and bushes, until land
spread out before her.
Illuminated by the heavens above and torch light from a distance were many
signs of Persephone's return from the Underworld. The hills were no longer
dry and lifeless; and sensitive ears picked up the hushed sounds of
foraging
critters.
Xena returned to the sombre thoughts that had occupied her all morning...
She remembered the many times she had denied "it", had pretended they were
wrong. Still, they fed upon each other, and in their togetherness were both
enriched and enhanced. Then when she finally opened her eyes to what was
obvious, acceptance proved to be her only alternative.
Loving the bard became a liberating experience. Unhindered, unrestricted:
no law, no clime, no season. Beyond reason. The warrior felt bound yet freer
than she had ever been; seeing herself through Gabrielle's eyes has let her
escape her bonds. Their love had cast out fear, as well as comforted.
The joy, the wonder, all, and everything that the Warrior Princess understood,
she understood only because of this friendship, this love.
She realised, perhaps even long ago, the decision was not and never was hers
to make.
. . . . . . .
The warrior hastily returned to the village and joined in the celebration.
Xena seemed to truly enjoy the feasting and the merriment. Thus, by the time
the couple retired to the royal hut, Gabrielle was no longer troubled about
her warrior's earlier retreat.
In the comfort and privacy of their room, the bard immersed in the strong
warmth against her back and shoulders. She was happy and excited for the
recently joined couples, and about the success of the affair. And she wanted
to share the excitement with her warrior.
However, Gabrielle was spun around, and her lips were captured in a fierce
kiss before she could talk.
"Xena?" Asked the bard breathlessly.
"Shhhh..." The warrior held on tight and buried her face in the soft fragrant
tresses.
They spend long moments listening to the sound of their heartbeats.
Then hungry mouths came together again.
As passion grew, the bard reached to help the warrior with her leathers.
Xena gently stopped her half-raised hands; and holding them, she guided her
partner to the bed and pressed for her to sit. Gabrielle obliged, slightly
perplexed.
Silently, speaking to the fair Queen only with her eyes, her heart, the warrior
slowly removed her own armour. She started from the bracers, the greaves,
carefully arranging and stacking every piece of clothing on the floor, until
she wore nothing but that which bound her to the bard. She loosened the braid
in her dark locks, too.
Curious verdant gaze followed as the Warrior Princess crossed the room to
retrieve her sword and scabbard, chakram, and breast and boot daggers and
placed them on top of the pile. She then knelt next to the surrendered armour
and weapons, in front of her bard.
With the blade Gabrielle gave her, she undid the honey golden band wrapped
about her wrist. Before the bard could be distressed by the act, she severed
a length of her own dark tresses and joined it to the bright plait.
In her shock, in her daze, the Amazon Queen recognised the gesture for what
it exactly was.
Gabrielle's misty greens smiled as she captured and held the larger hands
in her own, then kissed them. Her eyes moved slowly from their joined hands
up to the warrior's face. Gently and with a purpose, she drew the warrior
up and towards her.
There was a different kind of chemistry working that night.
It was not about passion, nor hunger, nor want, nor need. The only desire
they felt was to show each other with every soft kiss, every gentle caress
what they felt in their hearts, in the depths of their soul, which no words
could adequately express.
It was calm and slow and loving and tender. Lips wordlessly pledging, adoring,
cherishing each curve each angle each nuance of their beloved's form.
When the lovers came together, it wasn't earthshattering, it wasn't like
wild fire, they didn't see stars. What the pair felt transcended any and
all ancient and modern cliches.
It was one that started in one singular molecule and spread forward, linking
every cell in its body, slowly, intensely, pushing outwards and invading
that of its partner's, capturing, binding, fusing.
It was the most intense moment that two beings could ever reach.
A moment prolonged and sustained deep into the night and beyond...
. . . . . . .
Eos in her chariot emerged from the horizon, and began her voyage across
the sky. Lavender and golden light filtered into the room, heralding a new
dawn. Most inhabitants of the village were still in Morpheus' and Hypnos'
realms, recovering from the excitement of the day before.
Except for birds songs, the only audible sound was the steady heartbeat against
her ear. The warrior snuggled in and wrapped her body tighter about the
bard's.
"I love you, Gabrielle," she softly whispered. "I really do."
"I love you, too, my warrior," the bard breathed, her arms closed firmly
about the warrior's back.
Copyright: Nov, 1997
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Omnia vincit Amor: et nos cedamus Amori.
[Love conquers all: and let
us surrender to Love.]
- Virgil, Eclogues
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Long is the way
And hard, that out of Hell leads up to light.
- John Milton, Paradise
Lost, Book II, Line 432
=================================================================
I'd love to know what you think:
debonheur@aol.com
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