Warning: The following story describes a physical relationship between consenting adult women. If this offends you, or is illegal where you are, stop reading and move.

MCA owns all rights and privileges to Xena, Gabrielle, Perdicus and any others I may mention,
the rest is my fault and belongs to me.

Memories
by Brandy

I sat around the campfire, sharpening my sword. Across from me Xena sat in a mirror pose. We even moved in the same rhythm. Gabrielle sat between us on my right, looking back and forth from one to the other. She had a bemused expression on her face. It was several weeks after the revelations at the inn and we were wandering randomly around the countryside. We were using the time to get used to each other and the situation. It was new to all of us, but we adapted rapidly.

(It occurs to me at this time that I never properly introduced myself during my last story. My name is Ashlyn and I’m from Athens. I’m not quite as tall as Xena, but I’m damn close. I have light brown hair, and time in the sun will turn it blond. My eyes are a hazel color, but grow lighter or darker with my mood. Age isn’t important to me anymore, but all I’ll say is that Xena is a couple years older than me. Which is something I give her a bad time about whenever possible. Am I bad or what?)

I finally set my sword aside and pulled out one of my daggers. I methodically worked my way through my inventory as Xena worked on her chakram . She finally set that aside and worked her neck back and forth to work out the kinks.

In a flash Gabrielle was behind her and rubbing her shoulders. Xena sighed as the bards talented hands worked on her muscles. Stretching out her legs she settled back against her lover. I briefly envied her the attention but that was only because my shoulders were burning too. I sighed to myself.

"What’s wrong?" The question came from two different mouths.

I looked up. "Oh, nothing.. I’m just thinking of… things." I finished with my last dagger and tossed the whet stone into my pack. I held the dagger for a while, feeling the comforting weight in my hand. The hilt was smooth from use, it’s shape perfect for my hand. It was my favorite. I’d had it for a long time. I sighed again unconsciously.

Xena shifted a bit and then patted the ground between her legs. "Come on, sit here and let me work on your shoulders." I put my dagger away and followed her command. I sat slightly forward to let her work on my lower back and let myself relax.

Gabrielle moved from behind Xena to sit facing me. Her green eyes showed concern. "You’ve been quiet the last few days. What’s going on?" Too late she noticed Xena’s warning head shake. "Ah.. Oh.. Um.. I mean.." she ground to a halt.

I chuckled quietly. "We’ll have to remember this day. It’s the day our bard was without something to say." Xena laughed with me and Gabrielle flushed and slapped both our arms. I leaned back into Xena’s warmth as she put her arms around my waist. She’d taken her armor off so I rested against her leathers. It was much more comfortable without it. I let my hands rest on hers and my head rested on her shoulder. She nuzzled my hair as Gabrielle moved to lie on my chest. Xena and I both moved our hands out of the way and then wrapped our arms around the slender bard.

It was comforting to be lying between them. Held safe in their arms. Too many times in my life I’d been alone. Lost. Too many times I’d lost those I cared about. Loved. I was terrified that I would lose Xena and Gabrielle. I prayed to any of the gods that would listen that wouldn’t happen. I sighed again. Gabrielle planted a kiss on my neck while Xena kissed my forehead. I held Gabrielle a bit tighter and pressed back into Xena. I felt melancholy tonight. Too many memories of my past crowding to the surface. Some things a person should forget. And even more things won’t stay forgotten.

I needed to lose my past and what better way to do that then immerse myself in my present. One hand began stroking Gabrielle’s back and the other Xena’s leg. I moved in slow lazy strokes. I felt Gabrielle’s hand slowly brush against my breast as Xena ran along my arm. Both of them pressed against me as our bodies began to move together.

Gabrielle’s head came up and her mouth sought mine, her tongue opening my lips and slipping within. I willingly opened my mouth, her tongue darting in the opening to tangle with mine. My breath sighed into her mouth as Xena moved down and gently nibbled on my ear. Gabrielle began to press herself more insistently against me, her hips pushing against mine as she turned her body to lie fully against me. Her hand came up and cupped my breast, her thumb finding my already hardening nipple. I gasped as her cold hand slipped into my unlaced tunic to feel me.

Xena wasn’t idle either, her hand slipped around to hold the other breast in her hand as my tunic was fully unlaced and pulled out of the way. My back arched into their touch as I sucked hungrily on Gabrielle’s tongue. Our breath was growing ragged and came faster. But I beat them both as Xena slid her other hand down and between my legs. She rubbed me through my breeches, feeling how warm I was already. My breath caught in my throat for a heartbeat and then I began to pant.

Gabrielle lowered her mouth and captured a taut nipple between her teeth, pulling on it slightly before flicking it with her tongue. The sensation of her warm tongue on my cold flesh sent goosebumps down my body. I pulled her closer to me, causing her to press Xena’s hand harder against me. My hips began pressing back against them. Turning my head I captured Xena’s mouth with my own as I began to moan.

I felt Gabrielle’s hands on my hips as she pulled me down a little. She unlaced my pants and pulled them off, tossing them to the side. My legs opened at her nudging and I let her bend them so my knees were sticking up. Xena’s hand was suddenly back where it’d left off. She slowly ran one finger the length of my center, pausing but not entering me. I moaned into her mouth again but she didn’t concede. She just teased me for what felt like hours. I was lifting my hips off the ground, trying to capture her in me. But she moved her hand out of the way until I relented and stayed still.

She pulled back slightly and chuckled. I opened my eyes and gave her a mock glare. Suddenly she pushed two fingers deep inside me. My eye’s widened and my breath stopped. She remained motionless, her fingers still inside me as my body jerked once. She whispered in my ear to breathe. My lungs began working again.. And so did her fingers. They began to move within me, slowly at first but increasing steadily. My body began to tense around her. I was close already. She began working her fingers in and out of me. I was wet enough she slid easily in me. My hips worked in rhythm with her hand.

Gabrielle suddenly leaned down and captured my clit in her mouth. My head slammed back into Xena’s shoulder as my hands found their way into Gabrielle’s hair. Her tongue lapped hungrily at me, moving in time with my hips and Xena’s hand. I felt my orgasm rise within me and so did they. Gabrielle wrapped her lips around me and sucked hard. Xena pushed three fingers hard within me and curled them rapidly. It was too much. The tide pulled me up into the sky and then slammed me down again. It washed over me in waves, each one only slightly weaker than the last. Xena and Gabrielle continued their efforts until I was too weak to even move.

My eyes fluttered closed as my body tried to recover. I felt Gabrielle move back against me and felt a blanket being pulled over us all. They pressed kisses into my skin as I tried to calm my breathing. It was still ragged and I felt light headed. They held me while my heart slowed to normal and I was able to open my eyes.

"I love you." I whispered, being unable to put more energy into saying anything more or any louder. They whispered it back to me and we lay like that for a bit. Then Gabrielle spoke quietly.

"You ok?"

I thought for a moment. I certainly felt more relaxed. Then I sighed. But the depression was still there. I mean, I was happy, content and didn’t want to be anywhere else. But my brain was reasserting itself. Gabrielle and Xena sighed too. I knew I’d have to explain sooner or later. Might as well be now.

Gabrielle started to say something but I spoke up first. "How would you like to know the beginnings of the woman you hold in your arms?"

She leaned back to look me in the face. I could see her eyes light up at the thought of a story she didn’t have to tell. She nodded eagerly and laid her head back down. I kissed her head softly. Xena’s arms tightened around me. She knew what I was going to say and was offering me support.

I paused for a moment before I started, taking the time to gather my thoughts and figure out where to start. Finally I took a breath and plunged in.

* * *


I was the middle daughter of a middle family. Meaning we had enough to live on but not enough to be anyone. Not that my parents didn’t try. I think my earliest memories are of my father fawning after some official or another. He was some minor functionary, but was always trying to get higher than he was born to. He was never content with what he had. He wanted more power, more money. He did everything he could to gain recognition. My older brother was an exact copy of my father. To him nothing was more important than climbing the social ladder. My older sister was indifferent. All she wanted was nice clothes and a young man to follow her around while my younger sister wanted nothing but to be spoiled rotten.

I was the odd child out. I was smarter than most children my age and wanted to learn as much as I could about the world and it’s people. I learned to read at a young age and went through all the scrolls I could get my hands on. Scrolls about medicine, history and far off places were devoured by my hungry mind. Even as a young girl I knew I wanted to be different from the rest of my family. I wanted to be my own person and not answer to anyone. That didn’t quite sit well with my parents. As a child I was allowed to do what I wanted as long as I didn’t cause any problems. I wasn’t the heir to my father’s position, and I wasn’t the eldest daughter to be married off as a power block. I wasn’t even the baby anymore. They didn’t really care much about my whereabouts. I took outrageous advantage of that fact and ran loose in the streets.

To this day I can remember my first encounter with the seamier side of the city. I was about nine years old and had just gotten a couple dinars out of my mom from doing chores around the house. I wanted to go shopping. For nothing specific, just shopping. I had paused in front of a pie stand when I was lightly jostled from behind. Turning around I stared into blue eyes that crinkled in a smile.

"Sorry about that. My sandal slipped off. Didn’t mean to bump you." The eyes belonged to a girl about my age. She was dressed in ragged cast off clothing and if you could see it under the tangles and dirt, her hair was blonde. She smiled again. I was struck by how white her teeth were for a street child. And a child she was. If she was older than me I was only five years old. I estimated her age at seven or eight. But her smile was infectious.

Nodding politely I smiled back. "No problem. It happens to me all the time." She leaned to one side as she slipped her sandal back on. As she started to wobble I put my hand out to steady her. She smiled in appreciation.

"Thanks.. Sorry again to have bothered you. I’ll be going now." She waved and started off through the crowd. I watched her back as I reached for my purse to pay for one of the pies. Undoing the strings I turned around to face the dealer as I reached my hand in and…

… put it right through the bottom. I froze for a second, not sure of what had happened. Dumbly I looked down and saw my hand sticking out of a neatly made slit in the leather. I looked back up in time to see a tangled mass of hair duck under an archway. Suddenly it all clicked. I’d been robbed!

My anger started to rise and I took off after the young thief. Dodging around people I headed for the archway I’d seen her enter. Suddenly a horse appeared in my path. It reared up as I skidded into a halt in front of it. It’s rider swore at me and bellowed at me to move. But there was no where to go. I was surrounded on all sides by tents and people. And none of them were moving. The horse reared up once again and I dashed under it and between it’s legs. The rider hollered curses after me as I made it to the archway.

There I paused. I hadn’t been in this part of the city before. It was a bit more crowded than the one I had left, if that was possible. This was beyond my known world. My parents had always told me that I shouldn’t go out of the areas I knew. I considered the loss of the five dinars. I thought of telling my parents I’d been robbed. I thought of what they might say about being responsible.

Just then I saw the girl standing near me, leaning against the wall as she counted something in her hand. My money! My anger came back and with it my determination. I started toward her, my fists clenching nervously at my waist.

I had just about reached her when she stiffened. I figure it was some sort of survival instinct kicking in. Later I would wonder at what kind of life she’d had that she’d developed that instinct so young. She jerked her head up and stared at me. I stopped and stared back. We sat, frozen for a long moment. A moment during which I tried to figure out just what it was I was going to do. Now that I’d found her, what was I going to do or say to get my money back. Money I had worked hard for. I took a step forward.

"You took my money."

She blinked for a second then laughed. It rang through the air, light and delicate for such a dirty creature. She trailed off, chuckling. She cocked her head to the side and gazed at me.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about."

I wondered for a split second if I was wrong, but then I saw the glint in her eye. I felt my face redden. She was making fun of me. Teasing me. She knew I didn’t have any proof. I faltered for a second, then took another step forward.

"Yes you do. You took my money and I want it back."

She put the coins in a pouch around her neck and put it back under her shirt. Pushing off from the wall she looked me up and down. She sneered slightly.

"Oh yeah? What are you gonna do about it Rich Girl?" She smirked again. "Fight me for it?"

I swallowed hard. Was the money worth the fight? Worth getting hurt over? I thought of all the chores I’d done to earn that money and my resolve stiffened. I squared my shoulders and nodded. She laughed again, the sound tinkling through the sunny afternoon air.

"Then you have to catch me."

And she was off. She darted away from the wall and me, ducking through the crowds like one born to it. It was my turn to blink for a second before chasing after her. I gave no thought to where I was going as I ran after her. I wove through merchants, dodged mules and jumped past children running though the aisles like me.

She stayed ahead of me like a wraith, seeming to float right through people. I began to wonder if this was such a smart idea. Then I caught sight of her, she was leaning against a cart and waved as I came into sight. I redoubled my efforts and she took off again. I could just hear her laugh over the din of the crowd. She dodged in and out of the groups of people recklessly. She left furious and screaming people in her wake. I jumped over fallen baskets of food and even people knocked off balance from the mini whirlwind that swept by them.

I don’t know how long I chased her but it felt like days. The wind began to burn in my lungs and still she ran. She showed no signs of tiring. Occasionally she would stop and wait for me, waving as I puffed into view before running off. Sometimes the only way I could keep track of her was hearing her laugh float to me on the breeze.

I was almost ready to give up when I saw her dart down an alley. Finding some well of strength inside that I didn’t know I had I put on a fresh burst of speed and followed. She wasn’t that far ahead of me and I took desperate action. Pushing myself to my limits I rushed her and leaped. She looked behind her and opened her mouth but didn’t have time to say anything before I landed on her. We landed hard on the ground, both of us on our sides. The air slammed out of our lungs at the impact and we lay stunned for a few seconds.

She stirred first. She moaned and tried to roll over on her back but gasped in pain as she moved her arm. I opened my eyes slowly, trying not to move too fast. I took stock of my injuries and nothing felt broken so I lifted my head slowly and looked over at her. She was curled on her side cradling her right arm to her chest. Silent tears were streaming down her cheeks but she refused to cry out. She wouldn’t even look at me as I leaned over her. I felt bad. All I’d wanted was my money back, not for anyone to be hurt.

"Are you ok?" The words were inadequate sounding in the face of her pain.

She looked defiantly at me. "What do you care? All you want is your stupid money. Why don’t you just take it back and go away." She tried to sit up without bumping her arm but it didn’t work. It rocked gently against the ground and she let out a small whimper. I saw the way she bit her lip after the sound came out and knew that it had bothered her. Even as young as I was I saw she was a proud person. She didn’t want to show any weakness and that small noise had betrayed her.

I felt horrible. I didn’t know what to do. I could take my money and leave, or leave without the money. I sighed. Or I could help her even though I knew she wouldn’t want me to. I knelt next to her. I tried to help her sit up but she jerked away from me, wrenching her arm in the process. She stifled another outcry and bit her lip even harder. My eyes misted a little at the pain she was going through. For all my brashness I was still only nine and hated to see people in pain. Especially when it was my fault.

"Look, I’m sorry.. I never meant for this to happen." I reached out once more to help her but she glared at me. I stopped. "Now look.. Either you can lie here and wait until your arm heals to even sit up, or you can let me help you." She just glared at me. A fragment of my anger came back. "Although why I’m even bothering is beyond me. You did steal from me." I took her by the shoulders and gently helped her to a sitting position. She tried to fight with me but her movements jarred her arm and she went still.

After getting her to an upright position I started feeling along her arm for the break. She swatted at me with her good hand, biting her lip again at the wave of pain. I dodged it and sat back on my heels. "Look, I’ve read many things about fractures and breaks.. Let me look at it. Maybe I can help. This is partially my fault." I hated admitting that. I’d rather it was all her fault for stealing. But I didn’t have to chase her and I sure didn’t have to tackle her.

"Yeah right, like a kid as young as you knows what to do." She snorted derisively.

I reddened again. "Look, I’m older than you. It might only be by a year or two but that’s enough. And I’ve read a lot and even gone to the healers to watch them work." My voice was rising with each sentence. I was almost screaming with my next line. "Now are you going to sit there and let me help you or are you going to be stubborn?"

She blinked at me. Then she thought for a moment. Then she nodded grudgingly. I sighed and moved forward again. I gently felt along her arm, noticing when she inhaled sharply. I finally decided that it was a clean break and would heal well, if I could just get a splint on it. I looked around the alley. There was debris lying around. A few discarded chairs, an old lantern with a shattered chimney. I walked over to one of the chairs and broke off a leg. It snapped easily and at just the right length. Looking around again I didn’t see anything to tie it with. Sighing once more I removed my belt and used that to tie it gently to her arm, but firmly. I then used my scarf to fashion a makeshift sling. I stepped back to admire my handiwork.

I’d been gentle throughout the whole thing, trying not to bump her at all, but it still hurt. I saw her bite her lip harder and harder with each movement until I was worried she’d bite it off. Looking at it now I saw a small trickle of red flow from it. I leaned over to make sure it wasn’t that bad when her hand flew off the ground. It caught me right across the face and knocked me backwards. It surprised me more than hurt me, but the pain was still intense.

"WHAT IN TARTARUS WAS THAT FOR??" I was shocked.

She stood up gingerly and stood over me. "FOR BREAKING MY ARM!" She tried kicking me but I was able to dodge out of the way and scramble to my feet.

"YOU STOLE MY MONEY!" I screamed right back at her.

We approached each other until we were face to face. Glaring eye to eye, my fists clenched and her good hand flexing, we stood there for the longest time. Neither of us willing to back down. Our breath hissed in our lungs.

Quietly I said. "Don’t you try to blame this on me. It’s your fault. If you hadn’t stolen my money in the first place you wouldn’t have a broken arm."

"Well how else am I supposed to live??" She sneered. "Unlike you I don’t have rich parents to give me money whenever I want some. I have to get money or food anyway I can. And when you don’t have a family all you can do is steal."

I bristled. How dare she think I’m some spoiled rich kid! "Listen to me. I earned that money. I worked around my house and that’s my payment. Don’t you think you should think about that before you rob someone? Some people actually work for their money and if you take it you’re taking away all they’ve worked for." I ground to a halt as I realized I was babbling.

She rolled her eyes. "Big deal. You worked for your money. I worked for it too. Especially now."

I exploded. "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT???" She flinched slightly as I leaned forward. I lowered my voice. "You worked for this?? How do you figure?"

"I had to pick my target, then figure out the best way to slit your purse. Then I had to execute my plan and cut the bottom without letting you know what I was doing." She paused. "And then you chased me, tackled me and broke my arm. I’d say the money should be mine."

I just stared at her, my eyes wide at her nerve. "Are you insane?"

She sighed wearily. "No, I’m just being honest. You might think that I’m just living off other people’s lives and work. And you’re sort of right. But not completely. If I don’t get enough to buy food if I don’t steal food itself, I starve. And I don’t like starving. I have no one to take me in. I sleep where I can when I can. I don’t have a home, I don’t have a family. It’s me against the world and that’s the way it’s been for as long as I can remember."

I laughed. "You can remember? You’re too young to have much of a past."

She just looked at me. "My years may be few but I’m more grown than people twice my age. Living on the streets makes you grow up faster than you’d like. You have to. You can’t be weak, you can’t show fear. You can’t or you’re the prey instead of the hunter."

Thinking on that for a moment I realized what she was saying was true. This was the beginning of my new life. The directions it took me would change me forever.

Continued in Part 2

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