WARNINGS AND DISCLAMERS

Xena had risen before the sun. She rolled up her bedroll and looked over at the peacefully sleeping bard in the bed. Her heart felt heavy for what she felt like was her inability to comfort the girl lying there. I never was good at that sort of thing and something's just don't improve with age.

Xena quietly dressed and headed downstairs to see about getting something for breakfast. She ate her breakfast downstairs not wanting to awaken Gabrielle. When she'd finished she ordered something for Gabrielle and took it to the room and left it before turning and heading back downstairs.

Xena then headed for the stables to check on Argo. The mare nuzzled the warrior when she walked up and rubbed her ear. "How about going out for a ride this morning. I feel like I need some fresh air to blow the cobwebs out of my head." Xena quickly saddled the mare and walked out into the morning air and looked toward the sky. It was already starting to turn a pinkish-gold from the dawning of a new day. Xena mounted the golden mare and headed to the west away from the village.

She loved the feel of the muscular horse moving beneath her and the wind whipping her long dark raven hair. It was a sensation that she'd always enjoyed and now was no exception. She let all thoughts of Gabrielle and the world melt away and just enjoyed this feeling of complete freedom and exhilaration.

When Gabrielle awoke she found that her breakfast had been left on the little table by the bed. She looked around the small room and Xena was gone, but at least her things were still there. After the problems the bard felt she had caused the last few days she was just relieved that the warrior hadn't left her. Gabrielle ate her breakfast, which mostly consisted of fruits and then dressed to go downstairs.

When Gabrielle entered the common room Karyna was standing at the window looking out. She turned as she heard the bard walk up behind her. Gabrielle smiled at the woman. "Hi! Have you seen my friend this morning?"

"The warrior came down and ate this morning and then went to the stables. I seen her ride out to the west about two candlemarks ago." The blonde-headed woman answered.

"Well if she returns before I do tell her that I went to take a walk and have a look around." With that the bard turned and walked out into the village to check out the local shops.

As she walked along looking over some of the things being offered by street venders, her mind kept running through the events of last night. Xena was wrong I don't feel better today... not in the least. In fact I feel like I've made a complete fool out of myself in front of the warrior. These nightmares are just something I'm going to have to work out on my own. Xena will never stop treating me like a child if I can't stop acting like one.

It was almost sundown before the warrior finally returned the mare to the stable and headed back to the inn to get cleaned up and have something to eat. When the warrior arrived at the inn Gabrielle was already in the common room telling her stories. Xena nodded slightly to the bard and headed on up the stairs to clean up. About a candlemark later the warrior came down and ordered something to eat. Once the warrior got her food she headed back up the stairs to eat.

When Gabrielle returned to their room later that night Xena was already in her bedroll on the floor asleep and had left a candle burning by the bed for her. The bard dressed for bed and blew out the candle.

Xena was awakened by Gabrielle's screams. The warrior thought at first that someone must be hurting the bard, but found her safely in the bed still screaming and thrashing wildly. Xena sat down on the edge of the bed and put her arms around the small bard. "Gabrielle... Gabrielle it's all right. You're safe I'm here with you... I have you." Xena said to the bard reassuringly.

When Gabrielle awoke she was embarrassed to find herself weeping like a baby in the warrior's arms. The bard shrugged off the warrior's embrace, "Xena I'm all right now. Thank you for you concern." How was she ever going to convince Xena she had grown up if she kept finding herself cradled in the warrior's arms and crying like a baby.

"Gabrielle you don't act all right... Are you sure?" the warrior said worriedly.

"Xena I'll be just fine... it's just a sad dream." Gabrielle said hesitantly.

"Gabrielle you say that every night. Will you please tell me what is wrong? I'd really like to help if I can."

"Xena there's nothing you can do... I'm fine. Goodnight." Gabrielle turned over so the warrior would think she was going to sleep and wouldn't ask any more questions. The only thing the bard had found that helped was to have the warrior's arms wrapped around her tightly, but that just created another problem.

The next morning Xena got her leathers back from Dominic. He'd done a real good job and they looked almost new.

Xena took her leathers back to the inn to change. When she got there she was told that Gabrielle had gone for a walk and would be back later. The warrior headed on up the stairs to change. This time the warrior also donned her heavy metal armor and her weapons. Now for the first time in nearly a week she felt like she was properly dressed.

Xena headed for the stables and saddled the golden mare and headed out to a clearing she'd found to spend some time working out and practicing with her sword. This is how Xena spent her time for the rest of the week. Each day she could feel herself getting a little stronger and with it her confidence was starting to return as well.

Gabrielle spent her days walking around the small village shopping and talking with the people or in their room working on her scrolls, her nights were spent entertaining the customers that had come to the inn.

The small inn was beginning to bust at the seams with people by the end of the week. Word seemed to have spread quickly about the talented bard that had come to their area.

The rest of the week was spent in very much the same way. Gabrielle and Xena never had any further talks and both seemed to try to avoid the other. Gabrielle's nightmares were a nightly occurrence now and the bard refused to talk about them or accept any comfort from the warrior at all and each nightmare only seemed to drive a further wedge between the pair instead of bringing them together as it had at first.

When Xena rose at the end of the week. She got up and dressed, but instead of leaving to go ride Argo, she decided it was time to move on. The warrior never could stay in one place very long and her weakness from her wound and loss of blood were the only things that had kept her here this long.

The warrior started packing up their things, but as she did so she separated hers and the bard's things. Her and Gabrielle hadn't talked all week and the distance between them had grown. At this point she really didn't know if the bard would be leaving with her or not, but she didn't want to assume.

Xena went downstairs and ate and returned to the room with food for Gabrielle. She woke the bard for the first time in nearly a week. "Your breakfast is on the table. I've already packed most of our things and I'm on my way to get Argo. I'll be back in a little while to load the things." With that the warrior turned and left.

Xena headed for the stable to get the mare. Her heart was feeling heavy not being sure what the bard would decide to do. She just couldn't bring herself to ask her before she left; she was afraid of what the answer might be. She saddled the mare and headed back to the inn.

Xena went upstairs where the bard was just finishing up the last of the packing. The warrior started picking up their things and headed back down the stairs to load them on the mare waiting out front. Xena still couldn't ask and figured the bard would tell her if she wasn't coming with her.

It was the first time in nearly a week that they'd spent this much time together and both were feeling and acting awkwardly toward each other. Neither having any idea what to say to the other.

Gabrielle had noticed the way that Xena had packed; she wasn't sure if the warrior wanted her to come along or not. But Xena had packed her things so she obviously thought the bard would also leave. Gabrielle was afraid to talk to Xena about it, she was afraid that the warrior would tell her she was taking her home or something.

The last thing Gabrielle wanted was to leave Xena. The bard just wanted the warrior to start seeing her as a woman.

When Xena walked out of the room with the last of their things, the bard followed closely behind her down the stairs. Xena put the rest of the things on the mare and mounted. She looked down at the bard; "Do you want to ride?" She said almost indifferently, afraid that her feelings would show otherwise.

"No... I'll think I'll walk unless you're in a hurry?" Gabrielle looked up at the warrior questioningly.

The warrior shook her head negatively, turned Argo and headed out of the small village.

² Copyrighted January 1998 by DelShannon