Liane --Xena's Scroll
“The price is always higher for whores.”
I felt Gabrielle’s eyes focus on me again, and held up my hand once more to see the scene play out in front of us. Oh, I was mad…plenty mad…but I wanted to be sure that I was witnessing what I thought I was. No sense in jumping to conclusions.
I glanced around the little shop I was standing just inside the doorway of, and noticed the other customers were nodding and agreeing every time the merchant said something. They were all looking at the object of his unfair pricing with derision and sneers.
Gabrielle was now standing beside the young woman, whom if I could see was a few months pregnant. “Sir, you just sold my friend and I a blanket for three dinars.” She held up the object, which she had bought to replace the one we had lost fighting a barn fire we had come across.
“Yes, Miss,” the merchant replied patiently to my bard.
“And now this woman wants to buy the same type blanket, and you tell her it’s fifteen dinars?”
“That’s right,” he replied, “the price is always higher for whores.”
The laughter of the crowd, encouraged me to move forward, toward the vender. Perhaps he hadn’t noticed me before, but he did now as I stepped menacingly behind the counter and towered over him.
“I think you’d better lower the price…and now…” I said.
The merchant tugged at the droopy mustache that hung over his lips and to his chin, and looked around him nervously. The others in the shop seemed to give him confidence, but I planted a look on my face that had its effect.
Trying to save face, he finally said, “Why don’t you sell the slag your blanket and buy another one for three dinars.” His look of pleading told me he was almost as afraid of the crowd as he was of me.
He shoulda been more afraid of me.
“Try again, Buddy.” I snarled.
“Oh, just sell the whore the blanket, Dormus,” one of the crowd spoke up. “No sense in getting yourself killed by some interfering outsider.”
Gabrielle turned to look toward the voice, but my eyes never left the merchant. He was squirming under my gaze, but he finally held out the blanket. “Three dinars,” he squeaked.
I watched the red-faced woman hold out the three dinars, and take the blanket. She started to turn, but I gently took her arm, startled by how bony it felt. “Dormus isn’t done,” I said softly, menacingly. “What do you tell this woman?”
He kept his eyes lowered, as he gritted out, “Thank you…” I could see the word “whore” just beginning to form on his lips, but he glanced at me and bit it back.
“Thank you,” the woman replied, and then she was backing away, looking most uncomfortable. Thankfully, Gabrielle turned and took her arm, and escorted her out of the shop.
I turned my gaze from the shopkeeper to the small crowd still mumbling and frowning at me. I took a step toward them, and they, in unison, took a step back, trying to disappear into the racks behind them.
“I don’t know what’s going on,” I barked at them, “but I do know I’m giving you thirty seconds to get out of here, or you’re going to be able to earn a group rate with Cheron.”
The people exchanged glances, and muttered a few more comments, but began to file out of the shop. I saw several of them looking back in anger, but the situation was over for now, as they were rapidly disappearing in various doorways when I left the shop and a sweaty Dormus.
“Thank you…thank you…” the woman began to sob, reaching out a hand toward both Gabrielle and me. “I just wanted to come to town and buy a few things I needed…a blanket…some milk…I haven’t had any since…well…since my cow died, and I’ve been feeling so weak lately.”
“It’s all right,” Gabrielle crooned, patting the woman’s shoulder and pulling her close so she could wrap an arm around her.
“Milk, huh?” I used. “Tell me what else you need…I’m going shopping.”
Gabrielle was going to escort the woman back to her home, while I picked up the items she needed. The merchants weren’t overly-friendly, although I avoided further humiliation of Dormus. Apparently, good news traveled fast.
I followed the girl’s instructions and easily found her house about a half league from the shop. I whistled low as I approached. The place was in dire need of some immediate repairs.
I stepped up on the front porch, avoiding the holes in the floorboards, and Gabrielle was opening the door for me. She smiled at me as I handed the purchases I had made over to her.
“How’s she doing?” I asked.
“She seems okay,” Gabrielle replied. “I persuaded her to lie down and try to get some rest.
“Good,” I answered. I still held my saddlebag. “I’ll go check on her.”
“Her name’s Liane,” I heard Gabrielle call, as I ducked the loose doorframe and entered the room she had indicated.
“How are you feeling, Liane?” I asked, when she turned her head to look in my direction.
She gave me a weak smile. “I’m okay, thanks Xena,” she answered. I nodded, glad that Gabrielle had taken care of the introductions.
“May I?” I asked, indicating the chair next to the bed.
“Sure.”
I sat down, and took a good look at Liane. She was young, probably at least five years younger than Gabrielle with long dark brown hair pulled up in a bun and huge brown eyes. Gabrielle had obviously tended to some scratches and bruises on her face and upper arms, and now I could see what a lovely young woman Liane was.
“So you wanna tell me what happened in town today?” I asked her.
Liane sighed deeply, and looked out the window for a minute. I waited patiently.
Finally she spoke, her voice soft, but even. “I am not the town whore. I’ve only slept with one man and I loved him very much. He loved me too. We were going to get married…but…”
“Yes?” I prodded.
She hesitated again, then spoke, “As you can tell, Carlton has some very old-fashioned ways about it. One of them is that every young girl is betrothed on her fifth birthday. I was betrothed to a man named Antimbus, a mean powerful man that I could never love, and refused to marry.”
I nodded. “I see…so you and this man you love…”
“Tanner,” she supplied.
“Tanner…you and he decided to act outside of marriage. Did you plan on getting pregnant?”
She shrugged. “We talked about it…and decided if it happened…it was meant to be.
Gabrielle entered the room now, carrying a mug. “Here’s some warm milk, Liane. Drink up.” I watched Liane give a warm smile to Gabrielle, and realized the young woman already felt bonded to my easy-to-talk-to bard. I was grateful for that. Liane took a deep drink from the mug. “Thank you, Gabrielle,” she said.
Gabrielle nodded, and took a seat at the foot of the bed. “So where’s Tanner now?” I asked. “Why hasn’t he gotten you out of this mess?”
Liane began to tear up, and I suddenly knew the answer. “How did he die?” I asked as gently as I could.
“He was murdered,” Liane answered, and tears were pouring out now. Gabrielle got up and moved to the head of the bed, taking the shaking woman into her arms. Liane seemed to gain strength from that, and sniffed, then continued. “My father is a very wealthy man, and Antimbus spent more time talking about my inheritance more than me. It was never proven, but I’m sure Antimbus had Tanner killed. I think my father may have had something to do with it too.” She became wracked with sobbing then, and I watched Gabrielle hold and rock her slightly, knowing she was the best medicine for Liane right now.
Liane calmed eventually, and pulled away from Gabrielle. “Thank you,” she whispered, as she took a deep breath and settled herself again.
“How far along are you?” Gabrielle asked. “Almost eight months,” Liane answered, not hiding her proud smile. I glanced at Gabrielle alarmed. I never would have thought Liane could be over five months pregnant, and she wasn’t carrying nearly enough weight for a nearly full term baby.
“Where is the rest of your family?” I asked Liane. She looked dangerously close to breaking down again. “All I have is my father and he lives here in Carlton,” she replied. “On the other side of town. But he’s disowned me, since I’ve refused to marry Antimbus. He won’t have anything to do with me and, of course, it goes without saying that he hates my baby.”
I could see the anger rising just as quickly in Gabrielle as it swelled within me. Liane was a sweet, sincere young woman, who only wanted to make the choice of who she married. I’m sure Gabrielle was feeling the same way I was.
I stood up then. “I think I’ll go have a little talk with Antimbus and your father,” I said slowly.
“No, Xena, please!” Liane reached up and grabbed my arm, trying to drag herself out of bed.
“Liane,” Gabrielle said carefully. “If Antimbus killed Tanner, he has to be brought to justice.”
“But you don’t understand!” Liane cried out. “I know Antimbus should be punished…and I agree. But he is a horribly wicked and influential man. I’m afraid of what his friends will do to me and my baby if I accuse him of murder!”
She looked at me, then Gabrielle, with huge shining eyes full of pain and fear. I caught a glimpse of hysteria, being barely held at bay. Gabrielle took Liane’s arm and had her lay back down.
“You’re forgetting one thing, Liane,” she said with a half-smile. “This is Xena, the Warrior Princess…no one, including Antimbus can take her on and win.”
I nodded my agreement. Immodest as it might sound, it was the truth. Liane still looked close to panic though. “Please try to understand,” she beseeched. “I don’t doubt that you can take care of him, but Antimbus has many, many friends. If you brought him to justice, they would just wait until Gabrielle and you have left town, and then they’d come after me.”
“He’s really that powerful?” Gabrielle asked.
She nodded. “Yes.”
“I’ll have to give it some thought,” I mused. Liane opened her mouth to protest, but I held a hand up. “Don’t worry, Liane,” I said, giving her a reassuring smile. “I won’t do anything that would endanger you or your baby. You have my word.”
She didn’t look very reassured, but she nodded finally. “You can trust Xena,” Gabrielle added, and that seemed to help.
I decided to let the subject go for now. “I have many healing skills,” I told Liane. “Would you like for me to check you over?”
“No, no, everything’s fine,” she replied, and Gabrielle and I exchanged glances at her nervous response.
“All right then,” I patted her on the shoulder, letting her off the hook for now. “Why don’t you get some sleep. You look like you could use it.”
She nodded. “All right. But don’t let me sleep too long. You two are guests in my house, and I want to cook you a good meal.”
“Okay,” Gabrielle replied. She leaned over and gave the exhausted girl a kiss on the cheek. “Sleep well.”
Gabrielle followed me into the other room, pulling the door shut behind her. I began to walk around the room, taking in the condition of the house. From the looks of it, the ceiling leaked, the walls leaked, the windows sills were practially non-existent, and even the floor had indications that water seeped up through it. “If she’s really only got a month to go,” I told Gabrielle in a lowered voice,” that baby is going to arrive in the middle of the coldest part of winter. They’ll freeze to death with the condition this house is in.”
Gabrielle nodded her agreement. “And I think her problems are much more dangerous than that,” she replied.
“I agree. She’s not going to be able to take care of herself, a baby, and face a town of narrow-minded idiots.”
“Yes, and I’m beginning to get the impression that if it wasn’t for that baby, Liane wouldn’t really care at all about herself. I think she’s ready to give up.”
I nodded. Sitting down on the edge of the table, I watched Gabrielle unload the food I had bought. “The way I see it, we have one of two choices,” I said thoughtfully.
“Which is?”
“We could fix up this place, help her get settled in and comfortable for the winter, and hope she gets along…or…”
“Or?” Gabrielle echoed with a half-smile.
“Or…” I reflected the same smile. “Or we could get her away from her, and get her to some people who’ll take care of her and help her heal…inside and out.”
“Who are you thinking of?” Gabrielle asked.
“We could take her to Amphipolis…to mom…”I answered. “But I’m thinking of something more permanent.”
“The Amazons?” Gabrielle asked.
I nodded. “Whattaya think?”
She approached me, and situated herself on my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“I think it’s the best possible solution,” she said, “as long as Liane agrees to it.”
“There doesn’t seem to be anything to keep her around here,” I replied. “Her lover is dead and her father doesn’t want anything to do with her. I think she’d be glad to get away. Then, after the baby is born, she can leave the Amazons if she wants and start a new life somewhere.”
Gabrielle reached up and traced her forefinger over my lips as I finished talked. “I think you’re right,” she agreed. “But you know how some people are so afraid of the Amazons. With our luck, Liane will be one who grew up with stories of wild women who steal children in the middle of the night and eat men’s privates for breakfast.”
I chuckled. “Well, at least she’d be partially right,” I told Gabrielle.
Gabrielle cocked her head at me. “Partially right?” she repeated, her wheels turning hard.
“Yeah…there’s at least one wild woman among them.” I bared my teeth in a low grown, and pressed my face to her neck, nibbling at the bare flesh. She giggled, and tried to pull away with a cursory effort.
“Xena…” she huffed. “I need to start cooking supper.”
I still held her lightly between my teeth as I replied, “I thought Liane was cooking supper.”
“Nah, she needs her sleep. I’ll handle the kitchen duties tonight.”
Once again, she tried to climb off my lap, but I held fast. “We can play house,” I suggested with a leer.
Gabrielle wrinkled her nose at me. “Yeah?”
“Just as long as I get to be the daddy,” I chuckled into her neck, knowing it would tickle her. “After all, my cock is bigger than yours.”
I could feel her shaking her head in mock exasperation, and then her sweet little lips were seeking out mine. She kissed me long and tenderly, running her fingers through my hair.
This time, when she tried to pull off my lap, I allowed her to. I sank back in a chair and watched her explore the kitchen, learning where everything was. I particularly liked it when she bent over to look in some of the lower cabinets.
She came up with a couple of pans, and checked the wood box. “There’s barely enough in here for supper,” she told to me.
I nodded. “I’ll go get some more in a little bit.”
“Okay.” She worked in silence for a while, sending me outside to fill the water buckets.
“You know…” she began when I returned, “oh thanks…” She took the offered bucket and set it by the stove. “You know, despite all the repairs that need to be made, Liane keeps a very neat house. Her cabinets are spotless.”
I shook my head, and resumed sitting in the chair I had vacated. “it’s tough not to feel sorry for her,” I said, “but I don’t think she’d stand for that. She’s been dealt a very tough lot in life.”
“Very, “Gabrielle agreed.
I wasn’t much when it came to cooking, but I helped my love by peeling some vegetables and even setting the table. Gabrielle patted my head like I was an obedient toddler, but I didn’t mind. I enjoyed this domestic time with her, even though I knew it would be brief.
“Time to eat, Xena,” she called a little bit later. “Will you go wake up Liane?”
“Sure,” I stood and headed towards the other room, snagging a piece of meat on the way. Gabrielle giggled and swatted the back of my hand, just like my mother always did.
Liane’s room had darkened considerably sine we had left her. I opened the door and stepped inside. “Liane?”
I heard her stir almost immediately. “Xena…it’s almost dark out! You and Gabrielle were supposed to wake me so I could make you supper.
I opened the door a little bit wider. “Gabrielle did the cooking,” I answered. “And before you throw a fit, she likes to cook and doesn’t get the opportunity to use a real stove very often.
“That’s right!” Gabrielle’s voice drifted in from outside the room.
My eyes had adjusted to the darkness by now. “Come on, “ I said, closing the distance between us. “She’s a great cook…come and eat with us.”
Liane seemed to perk up a bit as we ate. The fact that the meal was fantastic probably had something to do with it. Gabrielle had taken some of the wild duck I had killed this morning and mixed with it some of the vegetables I had bought in Carlton. Then she made a glaze sauce that had a wonderful honey taste to it, and coated the duck in it. She also made baked potatoes with herbs sprinkled over them. Fresh bread and butter were the finishing touch. Milk wasn’t my beverage of choice, as Gabrielle knew, so she mixed a little honey and cinnamon in mine, so I would tolerate it without complaining.
We intentionally kept our talk light and inconsequential during our meal, and when it was over, I volunteered to take care of the dishes. I thought Gabrielle would take the opportunity to talk to Liane then.
It wasn’t that I was expecting Gabrielle to handle the talk necessarily, I just thought she’d rather handle it without my help.
Liane and Gabrielle went out on the porch for a while, but the cold weather soon drove them back in. I was just finishing up with the dishes. I winked at Gabrielle as she brushed by me, and she wrinkled her nose at me in return, with a shake of her head. She hadn’t told Liane yet.
“I want to thank you two for this evening,” Liane said then, setting down in the big rocker by the fire. “I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a meal so much.
“I enjoyed it too,” Gabrielle said, and I shook my head in agreement.
“Yes, but you two are obviously used to each other’s company,” Liane continued. “So I think it was an extra treat for me.”
I raised an eyebrow at Gabrielle, and gestured with my shoulder that this might be a good time to bring up the subject at hand. She nodded at me, and sat down in the straight back chair opposite Liane.
“You probably get kinda lonely out here, don’t you?” she asked softly.
Liane shrugged. “Sometimes, I guess. But it won’t be long before I have the little one to keep me company.” She rubbed a hand over her stomach.
“Yes…but aren’t you…well…wouldn’t you rather be around people who can help you with the delivery and the baby?” Gabrielle asked.
Liane’s expression changed instantly. “Why? Do you think there’s something wrong with my baby?”
“No…no…”I spoke up now. “But you just never know…it would be lot safer and easier on you if you had someone around who knew what they were doing.”
“I suppose…” Liane rocked a few times, then looked from me to Gabrielle and back to me again. “Why do I get the feeling you two are telling me all this for a reason?” she asked.
She was a smart one, all right. I glanced at Gabrielle one more time, then finally spoke up. “Liane, given all that you’ve told us, Gabrielle and I think you should give leaving this place some real thought. There doesn’t seem to be much for you here.”
She seemed to be considering what I said. “Where would I go?” she asked finally.
“I am an Amazon Queen,” Gabrielle said. “My tribe lives less than two days ride from here. They would be more than glad to have you come stay with them, until you decide where you want to go.”
“Amazons?” Liane’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?”
“Very.” Gabrielle returned. “They’re wonderful women, and would welcome you as one of their own, no questions asked.”
The young woman still didn’t look convinced. She turned to look at me, I’d assume, for some sort of confirmation.
“She’s telling you the truth,” I nodded. “Her tribe is a very friendly bunch.”
“Are you an Amazon too?” Liane asked me.
I shook my head. “No, I’ve never become a member. But I’ve worked with them a lot, and even lived with them for a while. “ I gave a sidelong glance at Gabrielle. What I said was true, but when I lived with them, I had betrayed and nearly destroyed the whole nation.
Liane was still looking taken aback by all this. “I’ve heard stories about Amazons my whole life,” she said, “but I always heard they were violent and aggressive. And you say you’re a queen?” She was looking at Gabrielle again.
“Uh huh…I wasn’t born an Amazon but became a member a couple years back, and well…through some unexpected circumstances, I became queen.”
I smiled and shrugged at Liane. “It’s an interesting story,” I told her, and “I’m sure Gabrielle will tell you all about if you like.”
Still looking bemused, Liane nodded. Gabrielle folded her arms. “You wanna hear it now?” she asked.
Liane just nodded.
Gabrielle and Liane talked about our suggestion for a very long time. I left them alone for the most part, and set about doing some of the repairs needed on the inside of the house, offering a comment if they asked me for it.
I was very right when I had surmised that Liane and Gabrielle would hit it off. They chattered away like a couple of old friends, and by the end of the evening, Liane sounded pretty well convinced. When Gabrielle and I promised to stay for a few days and make sure Liane was going to be able to settle in, she agreed to give it a try.
Finally, the yawn overtook Liane and Gabrielle, and it was time to go to sleep. Liane stood saying, “I’m so sorry I don’t have another bed, but I’d like for you to take mine, and I’ll curl up here by the fire.”
“Don’t be silly,” I chided, and Gabrielle nodded her agreement. “I’m not going to sleep in your bed and leave you out here. Besides, I’m more used to sleeping on the ground than a bed.”
At first, she looked hesitant, then she shrugged with a bright smile. “I’m not really going to argue with you,” she said. “What about you, Gabrielle? Want to share a nice warm bed with me?”
I couldn’t help but grin at the look on Gabrielle’s face. The house was too small for us to engage in any real lovemaking, but we knew just holding each other tightly during the night was one of the most comfortable ways to sleep.
Gabrielle finally smiled sweetly at Liane. “Thanks, but I think I’ll pass…I uh…” She looked to me for help.
“She has a snoring problem!” It was the first thing I thought of, and I loved the dirty look I earned from Gabrielle because of it.
“Snoring problem?” Liane echoed, looking doubtful.
“Yeah…” I smiled wickedly. “It took me months to get over the noise, but I’m pretty well used to it by now. She’d keep you awake all night.”
Gabrielle agreed by nodding her head, but I knew I’d be in for it later.
Oh yeah, I thought with a private grin.
“All right,” Liane finally said with a shrug. “There are blankets in the cedar chests. See you in the morning.”
“G’night”, Gabrielle and I said in unison, as the young woman disappeared behind her door.
Once the door was shut, Gabrielle was flying toward me, her fingers pointed up at my nose. “Snoring?” she demanded. “I’ll have you know that you’re the one who makes enough noise to scare all the forest creatures away when you sleep on your back!”
I nipped at her finger, causing her to pull it back quickly. “So do you when you orgasm,” I informed her. Her face blushed red with the truth of my statement.
We let Liane sleep as late as she wanted the next morning, as we made our travel plans. Gabrielle went into Carlton for more supplies, and I spent the morning doing a little investigating on Antimbus. Since we were going to get Liane safely away from Carlton, I planned on coming back and taking care of him once Liane was settled in. I could pretty well understand why the young woman was so afraid for me to go after Antimbus while she was still around. She would probably never know what I had done, but I would feel much better about the situation.
Liane had just about finished packing by the time we met back at the house. I felt a little sorry when I saw everything she had to take with her fit into a small cloth bag. When I stopped to think about it, when Gabrielle had started out with me, she didn’t have much more than that, but then again, she had left plenty behind. I had the feeling Liane was bringing all that she had.
As we were leaving the house, I heard Gabrielle ask Liane if there was anyone she wanted to say goodbye too. “Yes,” came the quiet answer.
We followed her back toward Carlton, and she veered off the path just outside of town. Gabrielle gave me a sorrowful look when we both realized who Liane was going to see.
Tanner’s cross was a simple wood-carved design, but the grave was well-tended, and virtually covered in fresh cut flowers. “We’ll wait for you on the path,” I told Liane, as she knelt down before the cross.
Gabrielle took my hand, and we left her there, whispering softly to the father of her baby.
In about ten minutes, Liane joined us again. Tears were still drying on her cheeks, but she managed to smile at us. My soft-hearted bard held her arms out, and Liane feel into the embrace, sobbing silently. I watched Gabrielle whisper softly into Liane’s ear, and the young woman calmed visibly. I had to smile. It was quite a gift that my golden-haired love possessed.
We traveled slowly, the three of us, with me leading Argo. I had confided to Gabrielle on the previous night that I was very concerned about how small Liane’s belly was. Liane hadn’t talked about it, but I know she had a difficult time taking care of her house, trying to have enough food, and just battling the constant loneliness and fear that was surrounding her when she should be celebrating the most joyful time in her life.
For now, she was walking ahead of Gabrielle and I, her hand stroking Argo’s neck. Argo seemed to have taken an instant liking to her.
“Her situation kind of reminds me of Ephiny’s,” I whispered to Gabrielle, slipping an arm around her.
“Yeah, it does,” she answered. “both of them are fighting prejudice, bringing a baby into the world that is just as likely as not to mistreat and spurn them rather than accept them.”
“Let’s hope not,” I answered. “We were able to help Ephiny and Xenan avoid that problem, so maybe we can do the same for Liane and her baby.”
“I hope so,” she said wistfully. “At least our Amazon friends will give them all the help and encouragement they can.”
“Yup.”
I finally convinced Liane to ride Argo, and we were able to pick up the pace during the afternoon. I wanted us to reach Stantius before nightfall, as it wouldn’t be healthy for Liane to sleep outside when it was going to get so cold tonight. Finally, we saw the city just beyond the next hill.
The only inn room available had just a single bed, and Liane insisted that either Gabrielle or myself share it with her. Gabrielle crawled into bed beside her, and I stretched out on Gabrielle’s side of the bed.
Liane’s breathing had taken on the deep regularity of sleep, when I felt Gabrielle slip out of bed, and cuddle under my bedroll with me.
“Hello there,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around her shoulders.
“Hello,” she rolled closer and pressed her lips to mine in a firm, blood stirring kiss. One of her hands tangled in the hair at the nape of my neck, tugging insistently on it. The other hand was being much more aggressive, her fingers dipping down into my cleavage, stoking over as much flesh as she could reach.
“Gabrielle,” I moaned…feeling the effect of her touch immediately. “What are you doing?”
“I’m touching you,” she answered, her voice no more than a low husk. “Don’t you know what that feels like by now?”
“Of course, I do,” I answered, trying to squirm away from her prodding fingers. “But we can’t with Liane sleeping three feet away.”
Gabrielle glanced over her shoulder and shrugged. “Number one, she’s exhausted after the long day of walking and riding and isn’t likely to wake up. Number two, even if she did wake up, she wouldn’t say a word against us. You know that.”
“Yeah, I know it,” I answered, trying to will my body not to respond so heartily to her touch. She pressed even further into my cleavage, and I felt two of her fingertips brushing over the top of my areola. “It’s just…”
“Just what, Xena,” Gabs asked, before pressing her mouth hotly against my upper chest. She siphoned hard against me, making sure her sharp little teeth caught me from time to time. She was making it very hard to concentrate.
“Think about it,” I managed to wrench out. “It might make her sad if she hears us…she already misses Tanner so much.”
“Mmm…” Gabrielle murmured against me. She released my flesh with a sensuous noise. “Then we’ll have to be very, very quiet, won’t we?” she whispered, before planting her mouth on me again. This time, I threw my head back, giving her more of an area to work on.
“Come on, Xena…take off your leathers,” Gabrielle pouted a little while later. “I want to feel your skin against mine…please?”
“Gabrielle…” I unintentionally drew out her name, as her digits rubbed firmly around my clit. She had her hand buried under my skirt, and down below the waistband of my breeches, and had been there for some time. She was completely undressed herself, and hadn’t argued when I had moved my hand down her body, until my fingers were captured in the heat of her crotch. I stroked my thumb emphatically over her slickened little nub, as two of my fingers slid inside her.
Then the little vixen proceeded to hump her pussy against my hand, filling my palm with her juices. She muffled the sounds of her orgasms by sinking her teeth into my shoulder.
But now, she seemed more intent on touching me. It’s not that I minded; far from it. The truth was, my clit was pounding so hard it wouldn’t be necessary for me to undress. Just a few more touches like she was giving me would be all it would take.
Suddenly, Gabs wrested her hand out of my breeches.
“Hey, what gives?” I asked, my body protesting loudly when it lost its source of stimulation.
I blinked up to look at her face, annoyed with her mischievous expression. “I’m not going to finish until you’ve taken off your clothes.”
I stared into her eyes, not believing what she was trying to do. “You’re kidding, right?” I asked, trying to keep my tone light.
She lifted her hand and took a long inhale. Then she began to suck her fingers one by one, making yummy voices in the back of her throat.
I was still taken aback, but I wasn’t going to let her get the best of me. “I will admit I prefer your fingers to my own,” I told her. I held up my right hand and wiggled my fingers. “But these will do in a pinch,” I added, and I pushed my hand under my own skirt.
“Unh huh,” she said, and reached down and grabbed my wrist, pulling it forcefully away. “Only I can touch you.”
“Gabrielle,” I said slowly. “Don’t you think you’re pushing this a little bit too far?”
Her hand, which had pushed my own away, was still resting on top of my mound. “This is pressing it a bit,” she responded, pushing the heel of her hand down against the fleshiest part. I stifled a groan at the undo pressure.
“Are you going to strip for me now?” she asked me, not relinquishing her hold.
I considered the options. “Gabrielle, I can’t,” I finally whispered.
“Well,” she purred, propping herself up on her elbow nearer me. “Then you’re going to go without. And if you make the mistake of trying to finish yourself off later tonight, I’ll make sure to wake Liane up so she can see the Warrior Princess with a hand up her own skirt. You’d enjoy that, wouldn’t you?”
I was still thinking of what I had said earlier, about how hearing and seeing people in the throes of passion might make Liane sad. I wouldn’t care if she saw me touching myself, which is probably the effect Gabrielle was going for. However, I didn’t like the idea of upsetting Liane in this way. “No, I wouldn’t,” I answered honestly. “But I’m not going to undress.”
Gabrielle’s narrowed eyes were taking inventory of my state of arousal, which she knew was high. For a moment, I thought she would show me some mercy and finish what she started. But somehow, she dug up the strength of mind to give my mons veneris a final squeeze, and then she withdrew her hand from under my skirt. “All right,” she said, in a high warning tone. “You had your chance…but you turned me down. I’m going to go back to sleep now…my pussy throbbing with satisfaction while yours is pounding out its need to you.”
She stood, and I watched her redon her skirt and shirt. Then she bent over and kissed me lightly on the lips. “Sleep well, Xena,” she smiled beatifically, before she crawled back into the bed again.
She left me lying there on the floor, wondering why my bard had chosen to torment me so. It wasn’t her normal behavior, but it certainly was effective. I lay there seething in the dark for the rest of the night, my body not letting me fall asleep.
I was awake and more than ready to go the next morning when Gabrielle and Liane finally came to the inn to meet up with me. Gabrielle and I were able to convince Liane to ride most of the day, and by mid-afternoon, we were just crossing the border into Amazon territory.
Gabrielle showed Liane the Amazon gesture for peace, and it wasn’t long before she was trying it out with the real thing. We were surrounded by six scouts, who had recognized Gabrielle and I right away, but we gave the signal to them out of respect. The Amazons wore their hunting masks, which I know took Liane by surprise, but to her credit, she didn’t seem TOO frightened.
The Amazons removed their masks. “Solari!” Gabrielle exclaimed, reaching out to hug our old friend. Solari paid her respects to Queen Gabrielle, and then gave me a grin and offered her forearm to me. “Xena, I’m glad to see you,” she said. “I’ve been practicing my double sword techniques, but there’s nobody around her that can spar with me.”
I winked at Gabrielle and Liane. “Well, that’s about to change,” I told Solari.
Liane was quite taken by the sight of the actual village, as we entered it. I guess it could be rather shocking if you weren’t expecting it. The village was full of activity, as was normal, and Liane stared open mouthed at the groups of Amazons training in hand-to-hand combat as we passed them by. There were a few new faces, but many familiar ones stopped what they were doing to smile and give pay their respects to Gabrielle, and then me. Gabrielle introduced Liane to a few of them…Eponin, Tilda, and Martha among others, and they all welcomed Liane with warm words and genuine smiles.
We left Liane to get settled in a small hut, while we did the same in the Queen’s hut, which was always kept clean and ready for Gabrielle’s and my use. I sat on the foot of the bed, and watched Gabrielle go through her scrolls. It was a ritual she went through every time we visited the village. She would sort through the finished scrolls, and leave at least part of them in the underground library I had arranged to have built for her about a year ago.
Finally, she had made up her mind which ones she wanted to take with her, and which ones she wanted to leave behind. I watched her place the ones that were going to stay in a flat basket, and set them on the low table beside the door.
Then she came back to me and sat on the chair opposite the bed. She put her hands on her thighs, and looked expectantly at me.
“Ephiny should be back within the next hour or so,” she said. The regent was on a hunting expedition to train some of the younger warriors.
“Yep,” I answered, with a slow smile.
She gave me the once over with her eyes. “Liane is getting all settled in…making new friends…”
I crossed my legs. “Uh huh…”
She grinned knowingly. “So…whatta you wanna do?”
I know exactly what she was trying to do, and she damn near succeeded. Every nerve ending in my body was humming with awareness, each one telling me that teasing look in her eye was what I needed to calm me down. But there was something else…something just below the surface of my brain that was telling me she knew exactly what I was going through, and was confident that she could have me begging in the wink of an eye.
She was right, of course. It would be so easy to just let her win, and let her have her way with me. She wouldn’t gloat over the victory…well…maybe she’d tease me a bit, but she would never gloat.
Why didn’t I give in?
Ephiny was back as the sun was going down, and she and Gabrielle met together for a half hour or so, discussing Liane’s arrival. Then Liane was called in to join them, and from the smile and wink Gabrielle gave me as she came out to get her, I knew everything was going to be fine for Liane I felt a tap on my shoulder, and turning, it was Solari.
“They’re going to be in there carrying on like old hens half the night,” she told me with a grin. “Wanna go spar?”
I fought back a shiver from the sexual energy teeming through me, brought on by that brief appearance by my golden-haired bard. “Yeah,” I answered Solari. “I think that’s a great idea.”
An hour or so later, Solari was holding up her hands for mercy. “Enough, Xena! By Hera’s tits, you’re going to do me in!”
I had to grin at her, as I resheathed my sword, and held out my hand to take the scabbard from her that housed the other sword I had borrowed. I had barely broken a sweat, and Solari looked like she had been dragged through a dirt field…twice. She bent over and took great draughts of air, gradually catching her breath. Finally, she recovered enough to start walking with me back toward the village.
“You did really well,” I told her. “It really wasn’t fair for us to fight using only the moonlight, but you handled the conditions very well.”
“Thanks…but I don’t think it’s a good sign when I drop one of my swords upwards of twenty times.”
I chuckled. “We’ve all gotta start somewhere, Solari,” I answered. “You did fine.”
As we approached the village, I could see the big ceremonial fire pit in the center of the village had been lit, which signified a new member of the tribe was being accepted. Gabrielle met me as I was about to enter our hut to give myself a quick once over in the water basin.
Once we were inside the hut, she stood on her tiptoes and gave me a quick kiss. “We’ve been waiting for you,” she told me.
“I take it Liane has been accepted?” I asked, wrapping my arms around her lower back. I know I smelled, but Gabrielle didn’t seem to mind.
“Immediately,” Gabrielle replied. She followed me over to the dresser, and crossed her arms as she watched me splash the cool water on my face and upper chest.
“You didn’t have to wait for me,” I told her, as I wiped away as much of the grime as I could. “I’ve been to enough of these ceremonies to know they’re all the same.”
“Liane wouldn’t hear of it,” Gabrielle replied. “She wouldn’t let the ceremony take place without you being there.”
I quickly dried myself off. “Well, then,” I said, taking Gabrielle’s hands. “We should probably be getting there, huh?”
I noticed Gabrielle was looking at me kind of warily, but she smiled in return. “Yeah.”
The celebration went long into the night, as there were many traditions involved, and Gabrielle’s tribe did their utmost to adhere to all of them. Just the introduction of all the members as well as their presenting of welcome gifts to Liane took hours, and there was still the feast and the dancing to go through. Liane was moved to tears more than once during the evening, and the truth was, I felt a few tugs at my own heart as well. Many of the Amazons had similar stories to Liane’s, and it made for an emotional time. At the same time, if Liane had any doubts, they would be long gone.
“What do you mean you’re leaving NOW?”
I doubt if Gabrielle realized how loud her voice was right now, and I held up my hand to indicate she might want to lower it a bit. She did, but I still heard the shock and disbelief in her tone. “Xena, you aren’t serious are you?”
“I’m very serious,” I answered. “I want to get this over with, because if this Antimbus is as good as everyone says he is, he’ll be able to track Liane here and cause trouble. I know you can see the logic in that.”
“Well, of course, I can…but tonight? Xena, we just arrived.” Gabrielle took a step toward me, putting a hand on my arm. We were still standing in the center of the village, but everyone except for the night watch had finally gone to bed. Still, I didn’t want to risk waking anyone up. I led her toward our hut.
“If I get started tonight, I can be in Carlton before tomorrow night,” I told her. “Antimbus probably won’t even know Liane is missing by then, and it’ll be easy to take care of him.”
We were inside the hut now, and Gabrielle was pacing back and forth. “Xena, stay tonight, at least…you can leave in the morning.”
I picked up my saddlebag, and tossed it over my shoulder. “I’m going to leave now, Gabrielle,” I told her. “And I’ll be back before you know it.” I closed the space between us, and put a hand on either of her shoulders, drawing her in for a kiss.
What was intended to be a simple good night kiss rapidly developed into a deep exploration of each others’ mouths. When we finally parted, both of us were starved for oxygen.
Gabrielle reached up and grabbed the back of my head in both her hands. “Are you sure you aren’t leaving for another reason, Xena?” she asked me.
“Huh?” I asked, knowing full well what she was getting at.
She smiled seductively at me. “Are you sure you aren’t taking off because of what I did to you last night? As some sort of punishment?”
That statement struck me as odd. “Punishment? Why would I want to punish myself?”
Her blush revealed much. “Yeah, I guess that wouldn’t make sense,” she stammered. “Forget I brought it up.”
“Sure.” I replied lightly, but her statement still intrigued me. I saw the hunger in her eyes, and it all made perfect sense to me. She was wanting to make love to me as much as I was wanting her to touch me. I fought back a chuckle, as her little ploy had backfired nicely. I wanted her so much I could taste it, but at the same time, knowing how much she was desiring me, helped me hold off a bit. “I will be gone for three or four days,” I continued. “That will give you enough time to get Liane all settled in, won’t it?”
She was still staring at me, but she nodded. “Yeah, that should be plenty of time.”
“Good.” I moved in closer to her one more time, then bent over for another kiss. I bent her over my arm, and gave her mouth a thorough exploration with my own, using all the prowess I could muster. When I let her up, she looked slightly breathless. “I’ll see you,” I said, with a casual wink, and then headed out the door of the hut.
If she had been looking closely, I’m sure Gabrielle would have seen my legs were a little shaky as I made my escape. I was acting like I was very much in control, but my desire was threatening to overwhelm me at any time.
Once Argo and I were on the road though, I became all business, realizing I had a good-sized job on my hands. I rode into Carlton late the next night, determined to accomplish my goal.
Liane was very right when she had said Antimbus was a powerful man, but it didn’t take me long to realize that although he had plenty of people to “protect” him, few did it out of friendship or respect. They did it because he paid them well or out of fear, plain and simple. When I had reduced Antimbus to a blubbering, whimpering mess, pleading for his life, the town turned on him, and several of the townspeople told me and the sheriff what they knew about Tanner’s death. There would be no problem convicting the man of murder, among dozens of other charges the townsfolk brought up.
Liane’s father was a different matter entirely. I got directions to his property, and was taken aback by the size of his house, and the number of horses and cattle in his fields. Liane had told me he was a wealthy man, but seeing the near poverty she lived in compared to her father’s home made me nauseous.
I’m sure the gods had a hand in what I found there. The door was opened by a servant who eyed me nervously, and then told me Liane’s father, Sidro, couldn’t have any visitors, as he was quite ill. I wasn’t sure whether or not to believe the servant, so I returned that night under the cover of darkness, and jumped to the balcony of what appeared to be the biggest room on the second story. I entered the darkened bed chamber, and made my way to the bed.
On the bed was a skeleton of a man, his face an ashen color, and his mouth gaped open as he gasped for every breath he could get. I could see on the bedside table a variety of healing herbs, and recognized some of them, as very powerful sleeping aids and pain relievers.
Leaning in closer to the man, I saw he wasn’t as old as he had appeared at first glance, but he was indeed very ill, and if I wasn’t mistaken, near death. I put a hand cautiously on his forehead, and he was hot to the touch, burning up with fever. I pulled back my hand, and stood, wondering what I should do.
Sidro stirred, and then he was opening his eyes. He didn’t look particularly alarmed to see me there. “Have you finally come for me?” he wheezed.
I wasn’t lying when I nodded. “Yes.”
“I’m glad…I’m tired of living with my conscience…” The old man’s voice was hardly more than a whisper, and I could hear the sincerity in his tones.
“The guilty always live and die with their conscience, old man,” I replied. “Get used to it.”
Sidro nodded. “I deserve it…” he said, and his eyes filled with tears. “The most beautiful thing in my life, and I drove her away…Liane! Liane! I love you, Sweetheart! I’m so sorry!” He began to speak gibberish, but despite the fact that I couldn’t tell what he was trying to say, it was obvious that he was very sorry for what he had done to Liane. Being sorry wasn’t good enough, obviously, but he wouldn’t be around for amore than a day or two more. I left him in his room, sobbing and punishing himself.
I hadn’t slept at all last night, and the night before, only got a few hours sleep, so I spent the night in Liane’s cabin, figuring no one would bother me there. I was right, and the next morning, was on my way back to the Amazon village.
I hated to admit it, but I really didn’t want to have to tell Liane about her father’s condition. Even though he had treated her horribly, he was her father, and the death of a parent can never be easy. I began to convince myself that if she didn’t ask where I had been, I wasn’t going to tell her. I don’t think Gabrielle would have told her…she knew that would worry Liane too much.
Liane’s enemies were taken care of…and wouldn’t be able to bother her again. Of that, I was glad, Whether or not she decided to stay with the Amazons, she and her baby should be able to live out their lives in peace. I’m sure Liane could even fall in love again, if she gave herself the chance. It was all the proverbial matter of time.
I rode into the forest that marked the outer edge of the Amazon territory, and began to watch for the signs of scouts or hunters out and about. Usually, they were there within minutes, but I didn’t see or hear anyone else, which struck me as kind of odd.
I was about halfway from the edge of the forest to the village, when I heard a noise off to my left. It was very soft, and I doubt if anyone else could have heard it, but I was able to pinpoint its direction almost immediately. I went into stealth mode and traced the noise.
Whoever it was, they were very good. They were silent as they walked across the leaves and grass covering the ground. What gave them away was the slight ruffling sound of their clothes as it brushed against an occasional tree branch.
The person was approaching the river, and eventually, I could no longer hear the sound of their clothes rustling, because of the sound of the flowing water. I quickly scaled a tall elm tree, to see if I could spot the stalker.
There she was. Standing with her back to me, Gabrielle’s hair gleamed almost white in the evening sunset. I watched as she stood facing the river, and then I saw the unmistakable motions of her unfastening her shirt. She pulled the two edges of it apart, and then slowly pivoted.
She made a complete pirouette, returning to stand in the same position as when she started. I saw her hands slowly grasping the waistband of her skirt, and she began to wiggle her way out of it as well. Bent over, my eyes were riveted on her gleaming ass cheeks, as she froze in removing the garment.
I licked my lips as I saw her shake her butt a bit, and then I heard her voice call out, “I know you’re here somewhere Xena! Why don’t you come down and join me for a bath?”
I growled from my hiding place, and she peeked back over her shoulder in the direction of the noise. I saw her pouty, sleepy eyed look, and I was jumping down from the tree. I wasn’t in the mood for teasing.
She smiled at me as I approached her. “I knew you’d find me,” she told me, as I neared her. “The scouts had orders to tell me you were approaching, then clear the area. I want you all to myself today.”
I was standing directly in front of her now. I smiled down into her face, and then gently grasped her bare shoulders with my hands. She lifted herself into my kiss, with a sound of pleasure.
I held her like that for a couple of minutes, loving the feel of her warm, smooth flesh beneath my fingers. She wiggled against me, and then let out a yelp, probably because my breast armor pinched the flesh of one of her breasts. She pulled back. “Will you undress for me this time, Xena?”
“With pleasure,” I answered, and my fingers were working at my body armor almost immediately. I removed it, and let it drop to the ground behind me.
Gabrielle stood with her hands on her hips, watching my every move, lowering her own skirt the rest of the way down her hips. “Don’t you want to help?” I asked, when I began to unfasten my leathers.
“Un huh,” she answered. “I want you to undress for me.”
I smiled warmly at her, knowing exactly what she was saying. The other night, I had decided not to undress for her, and she wanted to make sure that it was a one-time thing, for Liane’s benefit. It was.
In a moment, I was totally undressed, reveling in the feeling of her eyes drinking in my body. She stared at my hardened nipples for a moment, then the dark curly hairs that covered my womanhood, and then finally, she was looking in my eyes again. “Come on,” she invited, holding her hand out to me. I dutifully took hers, and let her lead me into the river.
“You’re filthy,” she clucked her tongue at me, and then made her way behind me, grabbing the soap from the shore. She began sudsing me up immediately.
I let the comfort of the cool water and more importantly, her strong massaging fingers lull me into a state of relaxation. “That’s great,” I purred to her.
“Mm…it’s looking pretty good from where I am too,” she giggled, rubbing her hands over my lower back and down over my ass. When her hands made their way into my hair, I just closed my eyes and groaned. After two hard days of riding, this was just what I needed.
“How did the trip go, Xena?” I realized she had asked me after a minute.
I shrugged. “It was a success,” I told her, “Sort of.”
“Sort of?” She sounded alarmed, and all of a sudden, was making her way around to stand in front of me. “Xena, you didn’t have to kill them, did you?”
“No, no, nothing like that,” I answered with a shake of my head. “Antimbus is in jail, and it turns out his influence went only as far as either his money or his threats went. The town breathed a collective sigh of relief when he was arrested.”
“I’m glad,” Gabrielle answered. “But what about Liane’s father? Did you come up against him?”
“I met him,” I answered. “But he’s on his deathbed with some illness. It wouldn’t surprise me if he was already dead.”
Gabrielle absently continued to soap my hair. “I wonder how Liane will react to that,” she mused. “I know her father treated her badly, but still, to hear he’s dying.”
“I’ve been thinking about that,” I replied, taking the soap from her, and beginning to repay the favor by massaging lather into her golden strands. “And Liane was very upset when I originally told her I planned on going back to Carlton and taking care of Antimbus and her father…”
“Yes, she was,” Gabrielle replied slowly, and I think she was already seeing the situation my way.
“Does she know where I went the last couple of days?” I asked her.
“No…she asked about you a couple of times, but we just sort of made an excuse about you being on a hunting party. That’s the truth…sort of.”
“Okay…so if she doesn’t know where I was…why do we have to tell her? It would probably upset her, and with her being pregnant and all…”
“All right…all right…” She pulled her head away from my fingertips and looked up at me. “I don’t see why we have to tell her either.” She ducked her head under the surface of the river, and came up a minute later, the suds rinsed clean and her hair sparkling. I followed suit.
“Come on,” she said again, taking my hand. Once more, I let her lead the way.
She led me out of the water, and then took up a towel, and began to dry me off. The more she tried to dry some places though, the wetter they became. She was still dripping when she pitched the towel aside, and looking around, scrambled up on a rock, so she was eye level with me. I groaned into her mouth when her tongue slipped inside me and her fingers cupped my mound. She wrenched her mouth away and murmured against my neck. “I’ve been thinking of nothing but touching this ever since the other night. I don’t think you had any idea how much of a torture it was not to be able to.”
“Oh, I suspected,” I managed to gasp out, as I felt her tongue trace a path from my collarbone up to my ear, while simultaneously, slipping two fingers into the cleft of my womanhood. “And it wasn’t easy…believe me.”
“You were doing it for Liane,” she said softly, capturing my gaze with her own. “I know that…and I think it’s beautiful.”
I shrugged, slightly embarrassed by what she said. It was true, but still…
She noted my discomfort, and got a wicked glint in her eye.
“But now, Liane isn’t around…it’s just you and me. Lay down Xena, I want to eat that succulent pussy of yours”
Gods, the way she said it caused my legs to give out, and I was on my back on the bedroll before she could do anything else. She hovered above my stomach, and grinned at me, noting my eagerness.
“After I suck you, Baby, I want you to take the phallus and fuck me good and hard…will you do that for me?”
I gave her a crooked grin. “Absolutely,” I panted. “I wanna fuck you so hard you’re screaming…oh yeah…” I couldn’t even finish the thought as her mouth was suddenly pressed firmly against my clit, her tongue boldly stroking up and down my labia.
Gods, but was it good! She seemed to be starving for me, and my body responded by pumping out as many fluids as possible to satisfy her wants. She sucked in my hardon and rubbed her fingertips up and down the length of my sex, coating them in my juices before plunging two fingers deep into my cunt. She twisted and fucked me with her fingers, and just as I began my ascent to the Elysian Fields, she slid her pinky lower, and penetrated my asshole in the same rhythm she was using on my cunt hole. She knew it would drive me crazy, and soon I was squirming on her tongue and fingers, as my orgasm rushed through me like a runaway wagon.
I reached down and took a firm hold on her bobbing head, clenching my thighs around her wrist at the same time, making sure she didn’t try to pull back too soon. I don’t think that was going to be a problem however…as she was making a fair amount of noise on her own, just from tasting me.
When finally I released my hold on her, she lifted her head to smile seductively at me, her chin dripping my glistening juices. I laid there catching my breath, and watching her lick her fingers clean, and then wiping them all over her lower face to gather up the rest of the juices only to suck them off her own digits as own. By the time she was done, I was sitting on my hands and knees, rocking back and forth slightly, and growling lowly at her.
She sank back on her heels, and sighed contentedly. “Remember what you promised…” she singsonged at me.
“I could never forget when I promise you a fucking,” I leered at her, reaching for my saddlebag. A few seconds later, I had the harness in my hand, and she was helping me strap it into place.
Once my erection was firmly strapped on, Gabrielle got on her knees in front of me, and took hold of my dick in one hand, and her own pussy in the other. She grabbed hold of the phallus firmly, and began jacking me off, making sure I felt the rhythm pounding out the pulse into my clit. I could see she was using the same rhythm on her own clit, and when she was lying down to offer herself to me, I took the hand she had buried in herself and pulled it to my mouth, savoring the taste of her tangy juices. My other hand was dipping in my own vagina, gathering up some lubrication, and I quickly coated the wooden cock with it. Then I had a hand resting by each side of her head, my body stretched out full length above hers.
I bent my elbows, and pressed my mouth to hers, licking the inside of her cheeks and stroking over her gums, until she was writhing below me for more penetration. “Please,” I could hear her whimpering against my mouth.
I lifted my head. “Please what?” I asked her.
“Please, Xena…put your cock inside me and fuck me!” Her voice rang out with her hunger for me.
Since I had already reached my own orgasm, I was feeling a little more in control of myself, and I propped myself up on my right arm so my left hand could stroke over the phallus a few more times. I bore my gaze into hers.
“Put it in,” I told her, and I had to jerk my hips forward as she grabbed hold of my cock in a sudden movement, and was pulling me into her. I sank into the root on the first thrust.
“Oh, gods, yes, Xena…now fuck me!”
She was twisting wildly below me, and it turned me on even more, so that I began a vigorous thrusting against her immediately. Usually, I would start out slowly and work my way up to this kind of tempo, but we were beyond the teasing tonight. I used my thigh muscles as leverage as I pounded my cock into her cunt repeatedly, getting even more excited by the slapping sound my mound met when it abruptly met hers.
“Is this what you want?” I began to hiss through clenched teeth. “Do you want me fucking you so hard you think I’m going to come busting out the back of your pussy? You like that, Gabrielle?”
“So good,” she managed to gasp, her fingers leaving their place on my shoulders where she had been using them to encourage my movements. She moved them round to my shoulder blades, and I felt her nails begin to dig in as the pleasure rapidly escalated.
“You feel so good around my dick, Baby,” I purred at her. “You’re so wet and tight and silky…it feels like you’re grabbing hold of me, milking me with your pussy…”
“Oh yeah…” She heard my words, and I could feel the resistance on my cock, as she tightened her pussy muscles to grab hold of me as much she could. It succeeded in pressing the nub at the base of the phallus more harshly into my pounding clit, making my breath come in ragged pants.
“Oh, gods, Xena…just keep fucking me like that!” Her voice was rising in its volume, and her hips spasmed, causing her to wrap her thighs around the back of mine. I had to shorten my strokes, in response, and that allowed me to drill in and out even faster.
“Oh gods, Xena…I’m coming!” she screamed out the words, and I felt her nails harshly scrape my back until they could take hold in my flesh, and she held on tight to me as her body bucked beyond its own volition. Her out-of-control movements and screeches excited me even more, and I was rapidly grunting out my own release in answer to hers, leaving the cock pressed deep into her cunt while I rapidly moved my clit over the base of it over and over again. When the sensations began to subside, I reached down and tweaked her slippery little clitoris again, and she jerked and moaned in another more mild climax. I collapsed on top of her, sweaty and breathless, and we just held each other till we worked up the energy to do it all over again.
The sun had been down a while when we finally returned to the village. Gabrielle and I met with Ephiny, filling her in on the results of my visit to Carlton. She agreed there was no reason to tell Liane, unless it became necessary.
I would have sworn Liane had put on a few pounds in her two days in the village, and I noticed when she came up to greet Gabrielle and me, that her hair and skin shone with vitality. She told me that some of the Amazons were teaching her how to sew, and she was already planning a wardrobe for her baby. The Amazons, in their community spirit, would all give Liane what they could…diapers…baby clothes…cradles…even baby toys. Several of the members, including Ephiny, had children of their own, and they knew not to throw away no longer items. Instead, they would go into one of several storage huts, to be brought out again when there was a need for them.
We stayed another two days, but it was obvious that Liane had found a home among the women of the tribe. She had a lilt in her voice and a lightness in her movements that both Gabrielle and I noticed and were so pleased to see.
We said goodbye to her, but promised we’d do our best to make it back to the village in time for the baby’s birth. Still, Liane burst into tears when it was time to say our final goodbyes. She had an arm wrapped around both me and Gabrielle, and she kept whispering over and over, “I can never repay you…I can never repay you.”
“There’s nothing to repay,” I told her, pulling away from her finally, and Gabrielle nodded her agreement.
“Just raise that baby right,” she told Liane. “Without prejudiced, without hatred, and with a free will so he or she can make their own decisions. That’s all the payment we need.” I nodded my agreement.
Liane slowly drew back, and looked at us both, with a wide smile. “I wouldn’t have minded if you had undressed that night, Xena,” she said slyly to me. “Hearing you and Gabrielle express your love for each other did my heart good.”
I quirked a grin at Gabrielle, whose face had deepened into a blush, and then tuned the smile to Liane. “Sorry if we woke you…” I started.
“Don’t be silly…” she answered. “I think it’s wonderful the love you two share…and want my child to have the freedom to choose the person he…or she wants to be with too.”
Gabrielle and I nodded, both confident that would be just the way things turned out.
COMING NEXT WEEK: Xena gives Gabrielle a lesson in becoming comfortable with one’s own body, after Gabrielle is amazed yet again by Xena’s fighting skills.
Gabrielle's Scroll
The Xena and Gabrielle XXX Scrolls Page 3
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