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halfamoonTitle: Recognition
Fandom: Xena, Warrior Princess
Author: Apache Firecat
Dedicated To: To my beloved J, who does for me what Xena always does for Gabrielle
Characters: Xena/Gabrielle, mentions past Iolaus/Gabrielle and Perdicas/Gabrielle
Rating: PG-13/T
Summary: An exhausted Gabrielle comes to recognize and accept certain facts.
Word Count: 1,571
Written For: Half A Moon Day 8: Healers and Medicine, 100FandomHell Fandom #49, 100 Ships #17. Twilight, and Fannish 50 #21
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: All characters within belong to their rightful owners, not the author, and are used without permission.
They have travelled so far and fought so long and hard. Her throat and mouth still aches from all the talking she has done over the last several weeks, but Xena keeps pushing them forward. Gabrielle knows she's wanting to put as much distance between them and the last two villages as they possibly can as fast as they can, in case war still breaks out and in case some idiot wants to naiively blame her still for it.
She used to be like that, Gabrielle knows. She used to be wide-eyed, optimistic, and eager to rush into any action -- any adventure, as she'd thought of it all those many years ago --, but since then, so much has happened, so much has changed, and it's all left her so very, very tired. She only wants to rest, but in the back of her mind, she realizes that that's another reason why Xena keeps pushing them onward. Right now, she is far too easy prey. Xena has to be exhausted too, Gabby knows, glancing at her where she walks beside her, leading Argo between them. Even the horse is tired!
Gabrielle glances at Xena's beloved steed, and the horse lets out a long, low whickering. Xena pats his cheek as she assures them all, "We can rest soon." Gabrielle wonders if it truly will be soon. Xena seems to have some kind of a plan. As usual, she hasn't let Gabby in on it, but Gabrielle knows she has all their best interests, or at least hers and Argo's, in mind as she always does.
Suddenly, the woods break apart in a lush, green meadow, and Gabrielle can hear the soothing sounds of rushing water. She glances at Xena, who's nodding as she surveys their current territory. "This will do," she says, letting on no hint that she had planned this all along although Gabrielle's gut tells her otherwise. She had known this peaceful retreat was waiting for them and had been leading them to it all day.
She turns and begins to release Argo from the bags he's been carrying. "Go ahead and wash up," she says, not looking back at Gabby. "I'll get the fire going."
"Will it be safe to run one tonight?" Gabrielle asks, looking apprehensively around them. She really is in no hurry to ever return to those villages, or the hatred, fear, and misunderstandings that had been piling up in both. If she never sees any of those villagers again, it will be too soon.
She's surprised to hear the hint of a smile in Xena's response, "It will be." She undoes Argo's stirrups, and Gabrielle realizes they may be camping here for a little while. "I'll make sure of it."
Gabrielle smiles though there are tears of exhaustion sparkling in her green eyes. She knows she's safe with Xena. No matter what happens, a war between villagers or a war between worlds, she will always be safe with her heroine.
"Go wash up," Xena commands, and Gabrielle wonders, fleetingly, if it's her exhaustion making her think that the Warrior Princess is losing her patience with her. She's almost snapping, but not quite, and Gabby knows she's worn out as well. She nods and, uncharacteristically mutely, slips away toward the river she can hear gurgling.
The pebbles along the shoreline do not even register to her aching feet as Gabrielle walks down to the water. She bends down and splashes some onto her face before cupping her hands and catching water in them. It is cool, fresh, and a bright, bright blue, brighter even than the day's sky although it's been clear and hot all day. Still, she sniffs it before taking a careful, tentative sip. The water soothes her tired, quiet fury more. For the first time in hours, her nerves begin to let up, and Gabrielle begins to hurriedly undress.
It's on the third time that she bobs up to the river's surface that strong, familiar hands suddenly clasp her shoulders. "Hold still a moment," Xena murmurs, swimming up behind her. She's found some berries from somewhere and already smashed them and begins to rub their juices on Gabrielle's tired, taut skin. Gabby soon realizes that the berries are not just any ordinary berries but ones that her Warrior Princess has sought out in particular for, within seconds, they are beginning to relieve her tension and pain. She sighs, her eyes drifting closed as she relishes the feeling.
Soon, her sighs become low moans as Xena works the tenseness out of her muscles and joints, painting her whole body with the berries. Gabrielle thinks of another warrior she once knew who had always enjoyed smashing berries. She'd have to remember to tell Iolaus about these when she saw him again, whenever that might be... She had missed for a long time, but as Xena continues working on her body, Gabrielle slowly realizes she doesn't miss him any more. She no longer misses any man, or any other person. As long as she has the woman whose front is currently pressing into her back as she continues her work on her, Gabrielle realizes, she doesn't need, or want, anyone else.
Her eyes have flickered open, and she realizes twilight is upon them. Soon, this unfamiliar, wooden area will become very, very dark. She hasn't spotted the moon yet and wonders how much starlight there will be. Will she even be able to see her hand in front of her face? It doesn't matter. She's safe here. She's loved right here where she is, with this amazing woman right beside her, her hands working wonders on her body. Gabrielle realizes that her exhaustion has lifted. She's nowhere near as sore, achy, or tired as she has been throughout this entire journey.
Xena truly is a miracle worker, and not just in making peace happen, stopping wars, and saving lives. She has been a miracle in Gabrielle's life. She has worked, and is still working, miracles for her, and she loves and cares for her more than anybody else ever has, including her husband and her parents. Iolaus was never her soul mate, Gabrielle realizes, her green eyes lighting up with sudden, eager, and cheerful recognition. She's been travelling with her soul mate this entire time.
Xena hits an especially good spot, bringing a moan from Gabrielle, but even as she's moaning, she turns to face her. This woman has healed her in so many ways, in more ways than she'd even recognized, when they'd first met, she was plagued by. She has healed her inside and continues to heal her outside on a daily and nightly basis. The crickets have been making their songs, and the frogs are beginning to join them. The river burbles peacefully and cooly around their legs. Owls hoot somewhere nearby.
The silver moon has slipped out as Gabrielle gently takes Xena's arms in her hands. "You," she whispered, gazing adoringly up into her beautiful, blue eyes, "are amazing!"
The Warrior Princess actually blushes in the moonlight. Gabrielle starts to angle for a kiss, but instead Xena slips her arms smoothly from her hold and holds up her long, raven black hair. "Can you do me?" she asks and turns her back to Gabby.
"Of course." Gabrielle dips her fingers into the pouch of smashed berries and begins to make purplish blue streaks on her heroine's body. She's come to realize she loves Xena as much more than just a friend. If Xena needs more time to realize they're meant to be together, that they are the soul mates they've each been secretly seeking for so long, that's fine with Gabby. She'll still be right beside her waiting for her when the realization dawns on her too. They have nothing but time and each other, Gabby realizes, and that's all they truly need.
Xena startles her with a moan. Gabrielle jumps slightly but returns to applying the berries over her aching neck and back. She swirls her fingers through the juice, enjoying the feel of Xena's flesh beneath her fingertips. Xena doesn't moan again, but she does smile where Gabrielle can't see her. She loves her already. The girl has obviously fallen for her, but Xena knows she'll be much better settling down with the right man when he does come along.
Iolaus wasn't the one, though, nor have been any of the others who have come before or after. But he will come, and when he does appear, Xena will let Gabrielle go with him to the life she deserves, a calm life of raising children and being loved. Until then, Xena will continue to watch over and protect her most cherished friend, and to show her love with every touch and every action though while never speaking it aloud. She won't have happen to Gabby what's happened to everybody else for whom she's ever truly cared, but she will love her, care for her, and lead her to both the man and the life she deserves, a life far from the dangers of the wilderness and villagers crazed on differences, foolish furies, and hatred, a life far from her and the one to which Xena herself has forever been dedicated since her awakening to her own sins and foolishness. Her precious Gabrielle will be free from this life, but Xena will never forget her, or stop loving her from afar.
The End
Fandom: Xena, Warrior Princess
Author: Apache Firecat
Dedicated To: To my beloved J, who does for me what Xena always does for Gabrielle
Characters: Xena/Gabrielle, mentions past Iolaus/Gabrielle and Perdicas/Gabrielle
Rating: PG-13/T
Summary: An exhausted Gabrielle comes to recognize and accept certain facts.
Word Count: 1,571
Written For: Half A Moon Day 8: Healers and Medicine, 100FandomHell Fandom #49, 100 Ships #17. Twilight, and Fannish 50 #21
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: All characters within belong to their rightful owners, not the author, and are used without permission.
They have travelled so far and fought so long and hard. Her throat and mouth still aches from all the talking she has done over the last several weeks, but Xena keeps pushing them forward. Gabrielle knows she's wanting to put as much distance between them and the last two villages as they possibly can as fast as they can, in case war still breaks out and in case some idiot wants to naiively blame her still for it.
She used to be like that, Gabrielle knows. She used to be wide-eyed, optimistic, and eager to rush into any action -- any adventure, as she'd thought of it all those many years ago --, but since then, so much has happened, so much has changed, and it's all left her so very, very tired. She only wants to rest, but in the back of her mind, she realizes that that's another reason why Xena keeps pushing them onward. Right now, she is far too easy prey. Xena has to be exhausted too, Gabby knows, glancing at her where she walks beside her, leading Argo between them. Even the horse is tired!
Gabrielle glances at Xena's beloved steed, and the horse lets out a long, low whickering. Xena pats his cheek as she assures them all, "We can rest soon." Gabrielle wonders if it truly will be soon. Xena seems to have some kind of a plan. As usual, she hasn't let Gabby in on it, but Gabrielle knows she has all their best interests, or at least hers and Argo's, in mind as she always does.
Suddenly, the woods break apart in a lush, green meadow, and Gabrielle can hear the soothing sounds of rushing water. She glances at Xena, who's nodding as she surveys their current territory. "This will do," she says, letting on no hint that she had planned this all along although Gabrielle's gut tells her otherwise. She had known this peaceful retreat was waiting for them and had been leading them to it all day.
She turns and begins to release Argo from the bags he's been carrying. "Go ahead and wash up," she says, not looking back at Gabby. "I'll get the fire going."
"Will it be safe to run one tonight?" Gabrielle asks, looking apprehensively around them. She really is in no hurry to ever return to those villages, or the hatred, fear, and misunderstandings that had been piling up in both. If she never sees any of those villagers again, it will be too soon.
She's surprised to hear the hint of a smile in Xena's response, "It will be." She undoes Argo's stirrups, and Gabrielle realizes they may be camping here for a little while. "I'll make sure of it."
Gabrielle smiles though there are tears of exhaustion sparkling in her green eyes. She knows she's safe with Xena. No matter what happens, a war between villagers or a war between worlds, she will always be safe with her heroine.
"Go wash up," Xena commands, and Gabrielle wonders, fleetingly, if it's her exhaustion making her think that the Warrior Princess is losing her patience with her. She's almost snapping, but not quite, and Gabby knows she's worn out as well. She nods and, uncharacteristically mutely, slips away toward the river she can hear gurgling.
The pebbles along the shoreline do not even register to her aching feet as Gabrielle walks down to the water. She bends down and splashes some onto her face before cupping her hands and catching water in them. It is cool, fresh, and a bright, bright blue, brighter even than the day's sky although it's been clear and hot all day. Still, she sniffs it before taking a careful, tentative sip. The water soothes her tired, quiet fury more. For the first time in hours, her nerves begin to let up, and Gabrielle begins to hurriedly undress.
It's on the third time that she bobs up to the river's surface that strong, familiar hands suddenly clasp her shoulders. "Hold still a moment," Xena murmurs, swimming up behind her. She's found some berries from somewhere and already smashed them and begins to rub their juices on Gabrielle's tired, taut skin. Gabby soon realizes that the berries are not just any ordinary berries but ones that her Warrior Princess has sought out in particular for, within seconds, they are beginning to relieve her tension and pain. She sighs, her eyes drifting closed as she relishes the feeling.
Soon, her sighs become low moans as Xena works the tenseness out of her muscles and joints, painting her whole body with the berries. Gabrielle thinks of another warrior she once knew who had always enjoyed smashing berries. She'd have to remember to tell Iolaus about these when she saw him again, whenever that might be... She had missed for a long time, but as Xena continues working on her body, Gabrielle slowly realizes she doesn't miss him any more. She no longer misses any man, or any other person. As long as she has the woman whose front is currently pressing into her back as she continues her work on her, Gabrielle realizes, she doesn't need, or want, anyone else.
Her eyes have flickered open, and she realizes twilight is upon them. Soon, this unfamiliar, wooden area will become very, very dark. She hasn't spotted the moon yet and wonders how much starlight there will be. Will she even be able to see her hand in front of her face? It doesn't matter. She's safe here. She's loved right here where she is, with this amazing woman right beside her, her hands working wonders on her body. Gabrielle realizes that her exhaustion has lifted. She's nowhere near as sore, achy, or tired as she has been throughout this entire journey.
Xena truly is a miracle worker, and not just in making peace happen, stopping wars, and saving lives. She has been a miracle in Gabrielle's life. She has worked, and is still working, miracles for her, and she loves and cares for her more than anybody else ever has, including her husband and her parents. Iolaus was never her soul mate, Gabrielle realizes, her green eyes lighting up with sudden, eager, and cheerful recognition. She's been travelling with her soul mate this entire time.
Xena hits an especially good spot, bringing a moan from Gabrielle, but even as she's moaning, she turns to face her. This woman has healed her in so many ways, in more ways than she'd even recognized, when they'd first met, she was plagued by. She has healed her inside and continues to heal her outside on a daily and nightly basis. The crickets have been making their songs, and the frogs are beginning to join them. The river burbles peacefully and cooly around their legs. Owls hoot somewhere nearby.
The silver moon has slipped out as Gabrielle gently takes Xena's arms in her hands. "You," she whispered, gazing adoringly up into her beautiful, blue eyes, "are amazing!"
The Warrior Princess actually blushes in the moonlight. Gabrielle starts to angle for a kiss, but instead Xena slips her arms smoothly from her hold and holds up her long, raven black hair. "Can you do me?" she asks and turns her back to Gabby.
"Of course." Gabrielle dips her fingers into the pouch of smashed berries and begins to make purplish blue streaks on her heroine's body. She's come to realize she loves Xena as much more than just a friend. If Xena needs more time to realize they're meant to be together, that they are the soul mates they've each been secretly seeking for so long, that's fine with Gabby. She'll still be right beside her waiting for her when the realization dawns on her too. They have nothing but time and each other, Gabby realizes, and that's all they truly need.
Xena startles her with a moan. Gabrielle jumps slightly but returns to applying the berries over her aching neck and back. She swirls her fingers through the juice, enjoying the feel of Xena's flesh beneath her fingertips. Xena doesn't moan again, but she does smile where Gabrielle can't see her. She loves her already. The girl has obviously fallen for her, but Xena knows she'll be much better settling down with the right man when he does come along.
Iolaus wasn't the one, though, nor have been any of the others who have come before or after. But he will come, and when he does appear, Xena will let Gabrielle go with him to the life she deserves, a calm life of raising children and being loved. Until then, Xena will continue to watch over and protect her most cherished friend, and to show her love with every touch and every action though while never speaking it aloud. She won't have happen to Gabby what's happened to everybody else for whom she's ever truly cared, but she will love her, care for her, and lead her to both the man and the life she deserves, a life far from the dangers of the wilderness and villagers crazed on differences, foolish furies, and hatred, a life far from her and the one to which Xena herself has forever been dedicated since her awakening to her own sins and foolishness. Her precious Gabrielle will be free from this life, but Xena will never forget her, or stop loving her from afar.
The End
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Date: 2023-02-11 05:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-02-15 01:48 am (UTC)