Among Friends

The following is a bit of alternative fiction based on certain characters from the Xenaverse. It is not meant to infringe on anyone else's rights. If you don't agree or disapprove, please go read something else.

Even Xena was surprised. Not at the fact that the speech had gone well, but at the relaxed, sweet, personable way it was presented. (It was such a change from the stiffness that she'd been witness to earlier and the words. . they were all different.) Except for the scroll part. Now that would be in her memory as a wickedly funny moment for a long time to come. Gods the expressions on their faces when the scrolls had been wheeled in and dumped on the floor. And Gabrielle at her sweetest, telling them she trusted the council members to use their wisdom to "fix it." Then, she'd given them two weeks. Two Weeks!! And they'd had to bite the bullet because they'd already agreed, had committed (almost to a member) to do what it took to. . . Oh what were the words? Oh yeah, "reclaim their power, restructure the laws into a manageable and fair experience, something less fraught with unexpected surprises." While she had not been the only one who'd felt the compulsion to laugh at that point (and there had been many other opportunities during the course of the speech) It had taken everything Xena had just to smirk and not to Guffaw. She did, after all, have appearances to maintain.

Gods, it hadn't been a thing like Xena expected. Gabrielle had been in her element. She'd won the council over from almost the very beginning as she'd left her royal seat and wandered the room, making eye contact, smiling, using her body language at just the right moment, winning over the members of the council with her presence alone. The council been like suitors caught in the passion of the moment, so intent on pleasing the queen that the challenge she set before them didn't seem heroic in proportion at all. But Xena imagined it would feel that way later.

Gabrielle had told them it would be like housecleaning. They would be letting go of the old (what was the word she'd used. . ."chucking," They'd be chucking the old. At the time Xena had a sudden image of a mouse cleaning it's den, viciously tossing out small nutchips and other effluvia with abandon) , the useless, (oh that cow story had been a kick!) the harmful, to make room for the new, the fulfilling, things that would make the Nation strong. It would clear the way and the Nation would be energized. That homey, simple analogy had done a lot to influence the council. Everyone understood housecleaning. Blue eyes twinkled merrily at the thought.

OH, and when she'd told them about that law and made them argue and vote the point right there; telling them she would bow to the council's will and being oh so humbly willing. . . which guaranteed the council would bow to her will later. Oh her lover was a GOOD strategist. The vote had gone pretty much as she'd expected, and Gabrielle had accepted with graceful equanimity and then declared her first witness. The look on Ephiny's face had alone been worth the time to sit in on the session. A grin spread across Xena's face.

Gabrielle then set the time, the next full moon, and suggested a couple of places and that had been the one time she'd looked to Xena for approval and received it. Any of those places had sounded fine to her. Anywhere Gabrielle was, was Elysius, so it didn't matter. Xena had a momentary lewd thought which caused a sensuous smile to light her lips at just that moment (there were those in the council session who barely avoided the swoon and who committed themselves to trying to get on the Queen's witness list). Too bad they'd already made the decision to leave right after session, Xena was having visions of a soft bed at the moment. (Several council members noted how the warrior's sultry gaze never left the queen. *This* needed witnessing? Gods, all one had to do was use one's eyes.)

The Queen closed up with a few inspiring words about hope and the future, the wonder that was the Amazon nation and she had been applauded, quite loudly. She then turned the time over to Ephiny (who had finally recovered) and bid the council farewell, letting them know she would be in Skula for the duration. She had explained that, "this way the council would have as much freedom as they needed to make good decisions, without having their Queen hovering above them." She did not explain that she would be going to visit her consorts, though there were those who already knew (How did Gossip spread so fast?) the "real" reasons behind the informal visit. Gabrielle would have final say, but she anticipated that all would go well.

The expressed confidence had done a lot for the council's impression of the woman. There had been several grumblers the evening before, since many had traveled a great distance to be here. Now, however, they had a cause, a goal And a Queen they wanted to impress. Yes, the speech had been a marvel to behold. *Gabrielle* had been a marvel to behold.

Maybe she wouldn't object to a little side trip. Xena caught the look Gabrielle sent her way. Scratch the maybe.

The warrior stood up from her chair and stepped down to the center, proffering her arm and being accepted. They left the council chambers as one, in almost silence (a silence of respect). Then under Ephiny's direction, the "housecleaning" began.

The trip had been mostly uneventful, a bit different going back than it had been to leave. There weren't as many stops for the two lovers. Not that Iovene would have said anything, but that would have been plain rude. At least it hadn't been boring. Once Iovene had recovered from being the earth's spokes piece, she'd become quite the conversationalist, reveling in the back and forthing, the interaction. They even, on occasion, let her do her "mind" reading thing without getting mad, though they didn't let her rule the conversation. They struck a balance.

She liked that and she realized she liked them. A lot. More than she expected. Kalai was vivacious, full of quick energy. Arete was indeed a strength in several ways. Her good humor was a boon. They'd spent a little time practicing working with the lei lines. The Amazon would never be lost again. In fact, it might be she who was called upon to find things. Certainly it had been her vision that was leading them back to Skula.

Iovene watched as they adjusted to their newfound sensibilities, responsibilities with grace. No doubt they couldn't go wandering over the Amazon nation just fixing whatever, but who knew what the future held. Whatever the case, they weren't letting it hold them back, but rather embracing and enjoying what the fates were unfolding for them. There was much to be admired in the young one and her lover. And admire them she did, with more in her heart than she let on.

For Kalai's part, she liked the quirky woman, once she got to know her. Her knowledge of woodlore was astounding and their meals had improved one hundred percent since she joined their camp. And here Kalai had thought *she* was a good cook. Iovene was a miracle worker. She was a woman at home anywhere and Kalai really liked that. Plus, she was an astute individual. They'd worked out a lot of little uncomfortable details with her there. They had to, she wouldn't let them "linger in the air," as she said. As it was, she was feeling closer to her lover and Iovene everyday. They could tell that woman Anything and she handled what they had to say with a gentleness of purpose, a lack of judgementalism, though she was a careful observer. The woman was a real friend, a true confidant. Kalai would trust the dowser with her life.

It was Arete who caught the subtleties though. She was more sensitive to that now. There was the gentle burn of Iovene's fingers when she touched the blonde Amazon casually and the way her eyes would go all quiet when looking at one of them. The powerful woman wondered if she should tell Kalai, but decided against it, instead listening to her newly awakened inner guide and choosing to hold her observations lightly in her mind. There was no reason for this to become something for conversation. People sometimes needed their privacy.

But she responded, caringly. Arete opened her heart to the woman, knowing she could trust the curly Amazon and she never rebuffed the touches. They were never the kind to rebuff. Instead Arete cultivated the woman's wisdom, listening to what the dowser had to share with a more receptive mind. After all, she'd been right. But that didn't mean the blonde couldn't tease the brunette. There were a lot of smiles on that trip.

She and Kalai missed the loving they'd had on the original trip, but sometimes Iovene would find reasons to be away awhile. There was always some root or herb to search out, among other things (and if those other things included a bit of self loving, she never said). Arete was grateful and was careful in taking advantage of the time the sweet woman sensitively provided.

It was a good trip all in all. There had been no surprise encounters and good company. By the time they entered Skula's territory, they were all fast friends.

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These pages were last updated: October 25, 1997

İOctober 1997