WARNINGS AND DISCLAMERS

The warrior turned back toward the bard after shutting the door. Gabrielle had lain back on the bed and had closed her eyes. The warrior's mind was in turmoil and it was fighting viciously with the old warlord's instincts. She was afraid if Gabrielle said or did anything that it might unbalance the raging battle going on inside of her and the warlord would win. It was a battle that she knew she was beginning to lose anyway.

Gabrielle could tell the warrior's edginess was back worse than it had been. It had started after the fight in front of the inn and the bard realized it had nearly pushed Xena over the edge. The bard could see the battle her warrior was waging trying to keep the warlord at bay and to keep Gabrielle safe from her. After Xena's explanation of 'battlelust' she knew what was wrong with the warrior, but still had no idea how to help. Well the bard's own love for the warrior gave her one idea, but knew that Xena was fighting the warlord part of herself to keep that from happening. Besides Gabrielle was a little frightened by the warlord side of Xena and the warrior herself had only told the bard to protect herself from the warlord. Gabrielle jumped as the warrior's voice broke into her thoughts.

"Come on Gabrielle... time to eat something." The warrior said extending her hand to help the bard sit back up. Xena then pulled the small table over to the bed so Gabrielle could reach it and grabbed the only chair in the room to sit in herself. Xena poured herself a mug of the port and when she looked up the bard was already sampling the food.

"Mmm... this really is good Xena!" The bard said as she continued to sample the different things on the tray.

"What would you like to drink?" the warrior asked watching Gabrielle enjoying her food.

"I'll think I'll try a mug of the ale. It's not so bad once you get used to it," the bard said still nibbling.

"Gabrielle remember you don't usual drink... are you sure?" The warrior questioned.

"Of course I'm sure, besides it's helping the pain." Gabrielle replied as she could already feel a slight light headedness from just the few swallows she'd already taken.

The warrior smiled as she poured the bard a mug of ale and watched as the bard took a sip and made a face. Xena sat there eating and trying to concentrate... it just wasn't working though; the darkness was now starting to cloud her thinking.

They continued to eat mostly in silence. Xena was wondering if her friend, Melena, was here like she'd heard, she hadn't seen her downstairs before they'd come up to the room. The warrior was contemplating her other choices while they finished their meal.

They had just finished eating when they heard another knock on the door. Xena walked over and opened it.

Lukus was standing there and smiled at her. "Pa told me to tell you that your bath is ready warrior."

"Fine thanks." The warrior replied rather abruptly.

"The room is at the end of the hall." With that the boy turned and headed back down the stairs.

Xena shut the door and turned back toward Gabrielle who had again lain down across the bed.

"Are you wanting to go and take a bath now." Xena asked the bard.

"Actually I had been looking forward to a bath since I found out we were coming to an inn for the night." The bard said. "But you just doctored and bandaged my back so I think I'll just skip the bath." The bard was beginning to feel the need to put a little distance between her and the warrior until the warlord had calmed down.

"Gabrielle we both need a bath and this place is obviously too dangerous to let you walk around alone." The warrior said harshly. "Just get your things and come on and take it now, so I'll know your safe."

"Xena I don't think..." Gabrielle started to say.

Xena walked over and roughly yanked Gabrielle to her feet. "Just get the damn things like I said."

Softly the bard replied trying to appease and calm her, "Please Xena you're hurting my arm, I'll do as you ask." Gabrielle had decided it was better just to do as Xena said for now before the warlord hurt more than just her arm. Under normal circumstances there was no question that the warrior wouldn't hurt her, but the warlord seemed to be gaining control of Xena now.

"Gabrielle I'm sorry... it's just getting harder to fight. Please just do as I ask." Xena said regret evident in her voice.

They started down the hall toward the room used for bathing. Xena pushed the door open and let the bard go in first. Xena turned as she entered and jammed a chair against the door. The warrior didn't want to be disturbed by having to kill any intruders while she was trying to bathe. Xena then started taking her clothes off and turned around to find Gabrielle standing there looking at her and still fully clothed. "Please get undressed Gabrielle." The warrior said agitation growing in her voice.

Gabrielle started to remove her clothes as Xena waited. The bard started having trouble with the tunic and the warlord stepped forward and helped pull it off a little roughly. The bard winced in pain but said nothing and then started to unwrap the bandages around her chest. When she'd finally finished Xena picked the small bard up and lifted her over the side of the tub. Gabrielle took the opportunity while the warlord was getting in the tub to put a little distance between them and moved to the far side as Xena hopped over the side of the tub.

The tub was rather on the large size as tubs go. It was made to handle more than two people easily for any special bathing orgies the patrons might want to indulge themselves in. Gabrielle had no idea how they could have filled such a large tub in such a short time. She guessed they probably kept it filled about halfway with water all the time and just added the hot water to warm it. But there wasn't any more time to indulge in idle thought as she looked up into the face of the warlord's blazing blue lustful eyes.

Xena leered at the bard on the other side of the tub. Her eyes feasted on the girl's beautiful lithe nude body standing in front of her and she could feel the blood coursing through her veins. She could hear nothing but the throbbing in her ears and feel the burning ache that was building in her loins.

Gabrielle found the warlord's frank gaze almost hypnotic and stood there as the warlord advanced on her. There was no doubt in Gabrielle's mind that she stood facing the Warlord herself, this WAS the Warrior Princess. The tub was large and filled nearly the whole room wall to wall, but it was starting to look awful small as the warlord continued to advance. The bard faced the warlord keeping her eyes fixed on her as she finally started to slowly back away to put a little more distance between them.

Gabrielle was starting to have a problem with her own raging hormones and the sexual arousal that the warlord was causing. Gabrielle was feeling the needful burning ache between her thighs and it was starting to make it increasingly difficult to keep her mind on staying out of the warlord's reach and off the beautiful body of the warrior. This was all the more difficult because the bard wanted to feel Xena's arms around her, feel the warrior's kiss on her lips again and wanted the raven-haired goddess to make love to her.

Gabrielle had dreamed of Xena making tender passionate love to her, but she had to keep reminding herself that this wasn't her warrior that she had fantasies about, this was the warlord. There was absolutely no tenderness in the warlord's eyes or actions, there was the look of hunger, lust and darkness... it would be a violent lovemaking the bard was sure. The bard finally backed into the side of the tub and there was no where to go and still the warlord was advancing.

Now the warlord added a tiny grin to her face as she realized the bard had just run out of room to run. Xena reached out and roughly pulled the small nude bard to her body hungrily and captured Gabrielle's lips forcing her tongue into the bard's mouth, as the bard tried to push the rough hands away that were hurting. This only made the warlord grab and hang onto her even more harshly.

Tears were now streaming down Gabrielle's face as continued to struggle and finally got her right arm loose from the warlord's grip and swung with all her might striking the warlord hard across the face. Instantly Gabrielle saw the evil grin play across the warlord's face as her temper flared and she pulled her fist back to strike the bard. Gabrielle's first instinct was to try to duck the warrior's fist, but she knew she was no match for the warlord. Instead she stopped struggling and looking deeply into the warlord's eyes trying to find her friend and the woman she loved. Gently she said, "Xena I love you." Then stood there just staring into the intense blue eyes waiting for the blow to land.

Xena froze in mid-swing and then just let her arms drop to her sides. The evil sneering face of the warlord was gone and Xena stood there with an unreadable almost blank look on her face for a split-second. Then realizing what she done... what she'd tried to do she reacted like she'd been hit by a Titan. The warrior doubled over wrapping her arms tightly around her own waist and let out a mournful sounding yell.

Gabrielle took a step toward Xena to try to help her, but the warrior put her arm and hand out to keep the small woman away. The bard could only stand and watch the pain that wracked body of her friend... her love. "Xena..."

The warrior now had turned her back to Gabrielle and was trying to get the warrior back in charge of her mind and her actions and only shook her head as the bard said her name.

Finally with the warrior in charge Xena turned and carefully lifted the bard over the side of the tub. They both dressed in total silence and then headed down the hall. As they got to their room Xena looked down at her boots, not being able to look at Gabrielle. "Gabrielle... I... I'm going downstairs. I'll be gone for a while, so barricade the door and don't open it to anyone. I'll knock when I come back."

Gabrielle entered their room alone and laid down on the bed and quietly cried herself to sleep.

When Xena got downstairs to the common room she ordered a port and looked around almost desperately for her friend, but didn't see her. After a couple of ports her sullen mood was lifting, a little, and she started swapping war stories with some of the better smelling patrons of the inn.

Xena continued to drink port, swapping stories and laughing trying to put what she'd wanted and tried to do to Gabrielle out of her mind. None of her efforts were working very well though, her bloodlust was still burning strongly and she just couldn't get her mind off the bard. Since Xena hadn't seen her friend she started to look around for a possible replacement and decided she was going to need a lot more port before any of them would look that good.

A few candlemarks later the bard was awakened by the wild party that was going on in the common room downstairs and seemed to be threatening to shake the wooden structure apart. She raised her head and looked around the room. It was completely dark and she could see very little. The bard got up and lit the candle next to the bed and looked around the room... she was still alone. She decided that she ought to at least attempt to find out what happened to Xena.

Cautiously Gabrielle started toward the stairs; she was not desirous of a confrontation with any of the locals or the warlord. Just as she arrived at a spot that overlooked the common room she could see Xena standing at the bar drinking and laughing with others. Knowing now that the warrior was safe and that she herself wasn't, she headed back to the room to again barricade the door.

Just as she turned to go back to the room, she heard a woman's loud voice shout. "Xena!! Gods... I haven't seen you in ages, where have you been hiding yourself." Hearing the warrior's name called, Gabrielle turned back to watch.

A lovely brunette with blue eyes was advancing on the warrior with her arms out. The warrior picked the woman up around the waist lifting her off the floor with a big hug. It was obvious that this woman and the warrior knew each other. It was also evident that the brunette was a 'lady' of the brothel. How would Xena know anyone like that?

"Hello Melena, I was wandering you if were still around these parts." The warrior said in a relieved tone.

Gabrielle realized by Xena's greeting that the warrior had brought them here on purpose to see this woman. The bard wasn't sure if she was relieved that there was someone else to deal with the lust of the warlord or jealous that the woman she loved was now in the arms of another.

"You mean you came here looking for me? I'm flattered!" Melena growled softly in her ears.

"Of course I did. Why else would I be in this gods forsaken snake pit?" The warrior smiled suggestively.

The brown-haired woman continued to kiss on the warrior and rub against her and the warrior was obviously enjoying the ministrations of the woman and was returning them in kind, but more roughly and aggressively. Gabrielle just couldn't seem to take her eyes from the warrior as she continued to play with the woman in her arms. The bard had no idea what effect it might be having on the brown-haired woman, but it was only too painfully clear the effect it was having on her as her loins started to burn and ache.

Gabrielle had never known Xena to have a woman in her arms, except for the bard herself. And until very recently that had only been strictly as a friend and nothing more. Gabrielle didn't know if the warrior actually liked sex with women or if it was just the battlelust and the darkness of warlord driving her. Gabrielle had never seen the slightest hint that Xena felt anything sexually toward a woman and maybe she didn't but the warlord seemed to like this one a lot. The bard also had to admit the woman with Xena looked like a lot better choice than the rest of the trash in the common room... man or woman.

The warrior continued to act very sexually aggressive toward the brown-haired woman and the woman seemed to be enjoying the attentions of the warlord. As the bard stood watching the sexual display in front of her she could feel her own passions soaring even higher.

Melena leaned forward into the warrior to kiss her and the warrior returned it with passion as she moved her hands down to cup the brown-haired woman's ass pulling her very suggestively up tight against her own groin. "Xena are you needing to go upstairs and finish discussing this?" Melena said with the tiniest evil grin showing knowing what the warlord was wanting and needing.

"Gods... I thought you'd never ask." Then Xena gave her another searing kiss.

"Well, come on then, let's go." Melena said taking the warrior by the hand and leading her upstairs toward her room.

² Copyrighted January 1998 by DelShannon