Tales of the Heart

ALT FICTION ALERT: This story contains an explicit depiction of a sexual relationship between two women.
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This is a post-FIN story - taking place a few years after the finale and just after Leap of Faith.

Tales of the Heart: A Post-Prelude

Written by: Sarah Mears

Ha! She's back... Eeee! Gabrielle hadn't stopped smiling for weeks. Not since her beloved partner had returned to her... in the flesh... Sigh.

And oooh what delicious flesh it is, too. Gabrielle blushes at the thought. But it's true. She reminds herself, as she slowly caresses the length of Xena's bare back, then tentatively strokes with the back of her fingers the right side… then the left... of her lover's firm buttocks.

By the gods! Her skin is like silk. Gabrielle ponders these things as she lies there - her left cheek resting on Xena's left shoulder blade.

They had remained in this position for most of the morning - the Warrior Princess lazily sprawled out on the bed, face down, with her beloved Battling Bard against her side, over-lapping their bodies till they appeared to be one mass of naked flesh, piled on top of the light blue, silk sheets. Their arms and legs intertwined so completely that you could barely tell where one woman ended and the other began. A perfect fit.

As Gabrielle's fingers journey the length and breadth of her soul mate's body, her lips begin to follow - first across the shoulders, then down the right side of the back. Ever so lightly, ever so delicately, Gabrielle lets her lips skim across the sweet smelling skin, with her breath gently warming every square inch. While her right hand continues it's exploration down those loooong legs, and her lips glide over the lovely curves of the derrière, Gabrielle's left hand finds its way into the mass of black hair that is draped loosely onto the pillows.

As her lips come to the crevice between the soft, pale mounds of flesh, her tongue makes its appearance and slowly, but hungrily, slides up and down its desired path. This generates a low, hearty moan from the warrior, bringing a smile to her lover's lips.

Uhuh. Holding out on me, eh?

Xena slowly separates her legs, bending one knee slightly to the side. Gabrielle brings her right hand up along the inside of that leg, only to stop just before reaching its destination, then going over and slipping down the inside of the other leg. Her tongue slips back into its resting place, as Gabrielle moves her mouth up her lover's spine.

With this, Xena growls and turns over onto her back. "You are such a tease!"

"Me? I wasn't the one feigning sleep."

"Oh believe me. I was sleeping... until a certain blond started--"

"Yeees?"

"Started taking advantage of me." Xena runs her fingers through the golden, shaggy fleece falling effortlessly against the face of her angel.

"Are you complaining?"

"Bite your tongue."

The angel turns devilish. "Bite it for me."

Xena"s mouth falls open. "You wicked, wicked thing!" Ocean blue eyes narrow accusingly. "Who are you and what have you done with my bard?"

Gabrielle brushes back the black mane from her sweetheart's neck. "Your bard is all grown up, and knows exactly what she wants."

"What's that?"

Placing her index finger over Xena's lips, "What do you think?"

She then replaces her finger with her own lips in a tender kiss that soon grows into a passionate embrace. Once again, their bodies intertwine as the heat of their passions engulfs them.

***

***
Dewy eyed from sleep, the Battling Bard gently slips out of bed, leaving her beloved to dream away the evening. Tip-toeing over to the window, she breathes in the fresh sea air, while stretching her arms out wide.

The sun glistens as it cradles itself into the horizon.

With a soulful sigh, "Could life get any better than this?"

Once everything had settled to a dull roar back home, Gabrielle had whisked her newly restored partner off for a much needed and much desired quiet time alone. And what better place to relax and get away from it all than at the home of their dear friend Sappho? The island of Lesbos was the perfect hide-away. Beautiful hills and mountains surrounded by never-ending beaches... and water, as far as the eye could see. If the bard had her way, they wouldn't be leaving this place any time soon. At this moment the outside world did not exist. There were no peasants in search of a hero to save their village from warlords and giants; no monks coming to take a certain redeemed warrior off to strange new places where debts had to be paid; no Romans looking for their next crucifixion. They were safe at last... alone, and content for the first time since their fateful first meeting.

As Gabrielle goes to sit at her writing desk, she ponders for a brief moment as to how long she'll be able to keep Xena here in their little paradise by the sea.

Could Xena be happy here, making love day and night, swimming and fishing till she begins to acquire gills of her own, sitting by while I scribble my stories onto one scroll after another?

The bard had already taken Artemis' advise and begun to write again. She'd finished three stories already... all about her adventures while Xena was on the other side. Her soul felt light and energized. Does Xena feel the same? She was too afraid to ask out loud. Xena hadn't complained yet, so Gabrielle was simply waiting it out and enjoying this time for as long as it was going to last. Xena wasn't one to keep her restlessness to herself. When she was ready to move on, Gabrielle would be sure to know about it.

Setting her mind to this resolve, the bard lights a candle and starts looking through the pieces of parchment that are spread out on the desk.

"That's odd." The one she is in the middle of working on is missing.

"Where did I put--?" She starts looking about the room. But there is no out-of-place scroll to be found.

"So, like, what's up with you and Miss MIA?"

Gabrielle turns with a jump to find Aphrodite sitting on the windowsill. She then looks over at the sleeping warrior. "Umm." She raises an eyebrow at Aphrodite.

"Not that one. My sweet-talking sister - Artemis. Is she, like, your new best friend, or what?"

Gabrielle grins, "Don't tell me you're jealous."

Aphrodite feigns disinterest. "As if!"

But the little blonde knows better, "Aphrodite...?"

The goddess gives in, "Well, DUH! I don't want miss know-it-all butting in on my turf. You're my sweet pea... no one else's."

Gabrielle smiles with great affection for her dear friend.

"Deal?" Aphrodite pouts.

"Deal... As if there was any doubt."

"Oh believe me. I know my sister. Women flock to her like moths to a flame. She's like a drug. All that female empowerment stuff." The goddess of love shivers.

"Yeah. She's not exactly the pink pajama - slumber party kinda gal, is she?"

"Ha! Puleeze... But then, you kinda go for her type, don't you?" She looks over at the Warrior Princess, who at that moment turns over onto her back, revealing... well, more than Aphrodite had ever intended to see.

"Oo!" Aphrodite diverts her eyes, while with the flick of a finger, the wide-eyed goddess promptly provides Xena with some appropriate attire - little, pink, lacy briefs and a nighty... Well, maybe not so appropriate.

"Aphrodite...!"

"What? I think it's a great improvement."

Gabrielle stares at her with disapproving eyes.

"Alright. Fine." She flicks her finger again and Xena is now in a skimpy, leather, S&M number. "Better?" She looks to Gabrielle with a sarcastic grin.

Gabrielle ashamedly chuckles, "No. Try again."

"Party pooper!" This time Aphrodite gives her notorious snap of the fingers and *Poof!* The leather straps are gone and the sheets on the bed spring up and over to sufficiently cover the naked warrior, fast asleep.

"Thank you." Gabrielle nods her approval.

"Yeah, whatever. Now, about your scroll..." She snaps her fingers yet again and Gabrielle's missing scroll materializes in the goddess's delicate hand.

"My scroll! Where did you--?" The bard looks at her desk and points. "When did you--?"

"Oh I read them all," indicating the other scrolls on the desk, "while you two were, uh... You know."

"You could have asked me. I don't like anyone reading them 'til I'm sure they're finished."

"Sorry, cookie. But I didn't want to... interrupt," pointing to the bed, flicking her eyebrows up and down a few times - a knowing smirk on her face.

"Well... thanks for that anyway." Gabrielle now looks expectantly at her divine friend. "Well? ... What about them?"

"Oh nothing bad. You know I think you're like the greatest bard... ever!"

With a straight face, "As long as it's not on enchanted parchment."

Picking up Gabrielle's cue, "True." Then in all sincerity, "Look. They're all very nice stories."

"Nice?" The bard cringes at this, the worst compliment a writer can receive.

"But... I'm just wondering..." Aphrodite looks at the scroll in her hand as she pauses.

Encouraging her to continue, "What?"

"Well... It's just that... Don't you think there's something missing?"

"Missing? What?"

Come on, Gaby. Do I have to spell it out for ya? ... Japa? Xena's death? Your mourning? You haven't written one word about it? How come?"

Gabrielle is taken aback by Aphrodite's candor. "I..." She looks around, feeling uncomfortable being in the hot seat. "It's... It's not exactly something I want to relive again. Besides... all the tears... the angst... Who'd want to read that?"

"Oh get real! It's what it's all about, pumpkin. You can't leave your grief out of the picture. These stories don't mean anything without it."

"When did you become a literary critic?"

"When I became your number one fan." She gives a quick glance at Xena. "Ok, number two. I know it's painful, honey bee, but you have to complete the story."

Gabrielle considers her friend's suggestion, while looking through her work on the desk. Finally, "I can't promise you everything..."

Aphrodite hands her the unfinished scroll. "Take your time. But remember, it's the painful stories that people will never forget." The goddess of love takes her mortal friend's face in her hands. "'Cause they come from the heart." With that she grabs a bit of air with her hand and dissolves into a rain of sparkles.

"Right. Too bad that's easier said than done." Gabrielle looks at the scroll in her hand, then at her slumbering warrior.

Write about the pain, huh? Well... I suppose it can't hurt me now, right?

With a sigh, the bard sits at the desk, unravels a new scroll, and begins to write...

A Friend in Need...

SaM - Copyright 2/3/02

DISCLAIMER: Here in lies a piece of FAN FICTION based on Renaissance Pictures/USA Studio's XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS.
No infringement of their rights of ownership is intended in any way.
No copying of this story is allowed without direct permission from the author.
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