Disclaimers
This story is written with the utmost respect to the cast and crew of Xena: Warrior Princess. It is written to express true love and commitment, not for profit.
If the concept of two women in love upsets you, please, don't trash the story, but if you must, there are other great stories out there.
(All characters portrayed are the property of Renaissance/MCA/Universal. No copyright infringement is intended. This story, however, is copyrighted to Darkone.)
May I Have
This Dance?
a continuation of
"Midnight Confession"
By Darkone
The morning had been tense. Farewells were said to Joxer and Gabrielle had kept her distance from him then. She had meant it when she had called him part of their family, but Joxer had betrayed that trust in a big way. Trust was going to be hard to come by, but she knew that he was still part of their family and would miss him in that sense.
Joxer was practically encased by his shame and left without a word to her, feeling he had done more than enough damage to their friendship as it was.
Forgiving him was easy, the bard thought. Trusting him again would take time. That gave the bard time to think about the night before, and all of the apprehensions she had.
Her apprehensions from the other night had calmed some, though hadn't disappeared. She knew she loved the warrior riding beside her, her heart didn't lie. But the thought of making love to Xena? Well, she knew she wanted that too, but every time she tried for one of her old fantasies? Dahok's dark presence would come crashing into her face-first.
The warrior of her dreams was replaced with the harsh, cruel taker that Dahok had created. And why? Because she had often entertained the wild fantasy of Xena taking her, conquering her...and that was what Dahok had done. Used her dark fantasy to torture, and destroy her. Well, the destruction had been allayed. She had come back. Xena's love for her would not let her vanish. It was so easy to do that…slip away, let all the pain fade….
But with that, her love for the warrior would have vanished, and she would be a shell of the woman she truly was. And Gabrielle had become an amazing woman. Joxer said so, in his bumbling attempts at romance. And so had Xena, her pride in Gabrielle was so shining, it made her heart beat triple time.
She started as Xena walked back into camp, and wrapped her arms around the bard. Gabrielle just basked in the warm flesh and unparalleled strength. She doubted the Son of Zeus could be this strong.
Warm lips pressed against her ear, as she turned in the embrace. "May I?" Asked in a shy tone and she nodded.
She felt those lips close on hers, and she started to reflect the kiss when the images came. Her body tensed so hard she broke the warrior's embrace. She opened her eyes to see the warrior's blue ones looking at her in frightened concern.
The warrior retracted her arms and felt the bard's soft hands wrap around her forearms. "I--I'm sorry, Gabrielle...I, well I wanted to give you a hug, that's all, but...I didn't mean...not with what you said the other night...." She looked at Argo, bitter disappointment in her features for her lack of control.
"No, Xena...I'm sorry. It--he was there, laughing. I--I'm sorry." The bard looked at the ground, saddened at the possibility that she may never be able to have her warrior on every level, in every sense. "Xena? Will I ever be able to do this? Hold you, touch you, and caress you? Am I going to live with this specter he created forever?"
"Oh, my love...that should be the last thing to worry about. When you are ready? You will know it's right…." She bent to the lake's edge to take a final drink when she felt the bard's arms wrap around her from behind. Xena looked down into the lake's surface, and pondered her features, feeling she had to do something...and soon.
"Xena? I---I could really use a hug right now."
The warrior turned in the embrace and held her bard tight.
After long moments of silence, the bard spoke again. "I want to stay like this forever. I want nothing to move me." She said in a dreamy voice.
"Hey...the village over the next hill is holding some sort of festival. You could go shopping, if you want?" the warrior probed.
"Okay...can I ride?"
Xena looked down at the woman at this request, an eyebrow arched in question.
"I don't want to let go," was all that the bard said in reply.
Of course, the warrior could not refuse.
They rode into the small village, and noticed that everyone was wearing masks, and unusual costumes.
"What's going on?" Gabrielle asked a woman passing by.
"The festival. The day where we pretend to be something we wish to be. For one day, from noon today, 'til noon tomorrow, we are no longer bound by our responsibilities. It is how we celebrate a year of hard work."
Xena smiled and listened, as she decided she and the bard would attend, that is, if the bard so desired.
"Xena? Can we---?" Gabrielle smiled as she whispered her request.
Xena nodded and smiled as the bard hugged her tightly.
She leaned up to whisper in the warrior's ear before kissing it. "Meet me at the dance? And wear something that isn't dark?"
Xena nodded her assent as she watched the bard walk away. She had decided what she was going to wear to the masquerade. Now, if she could only find the right accessories….
Xena's quest led her to a small booth at the end of the village with two elderly women tending it.
"Hello there, dearie! We have everything one could need for the festival." Xena tied the red silk bandana-mask over her head and face, smiling as she looked in the mirror. Her lower face was left open and her lips sagged into a frown.
'The hair has got to change.' She thought.
"How dashing! But perhaps the warrior would like this as well?" The elderly woman held up a mask of solid finely polished porcelain, with blue accent lines, and rosy lips, with a small silver teardrop.
"One kiss in the moonlight, and the face you wear, is yours forever..." the woman whispered, as a bright light flooded the booth. Xena was shocked to see the sister goddesses of Artemis, and Athena smiling at her.
Nightfall, the dance begins…
Gabrielle was dressed in the light silk dress and bodice of a maiden. The azure silk had a deeper blue laced up corset that accentuated her cleavage. The sleeves were billowed out at the wrist, and added to the elegance she radiated. She smiled and talked as she listened to the people chatting with her. She looked up and saw the most alluring sight imaginable.
Xena (she was sure it was the warrior - no mistaking the height, walk, or the eyes) was walking towards her, a red silk mask covering her proud features; a laced bodice tied off above the navel, accentuating the ripple of tightly toned abdominal muscles and highlighting a perfect cleavage. A pair of earthen colored lace up pants matched the red silk blouse perfectly. A good portion of the warrior's muscled legs was left exposed through the seams where they were laced up the length of the leg. A pair of soft red leather boots was buckled at the knee.
The bard took all this in with a gasp, and lost all sense of breathing when she saw the long braid of silver-white hair resting at the warrior's hips.
"May I have this dance?" A familiar voice cooed in her ear, as she nodded slightly. The bard had yet to recover from the sensory overload she had experienced. She was gently led to the dance floor, as strong arms wrapped around her lithe frame.
"You look absolutely stunning, Gabrielle. Did you pick this out for me?" She gently smoothed her hand over the bard's lower back.
"Yes...I wanted to look...." The bard's voice trailed off as she slowly leaned against the warrior's strong chest.
"Look what? Gabrielle?" Xena looked down at her, and smiled as sea-green depths shown up at her with unshed tears.
"I...I wanted to look innocent again..." she whispered. She felt the warrior's arms wrap around her tightly.
"Gabrielle? What happened to you was cruel and unbearably painful. It wasn't your fault...it was...." Soft lips touched hers, and she smiled as the bard whispered softly.
"It wasn't yours either. It was out of our control, alright?" Smiling when she saw the nod, she nuzzled Xena's neck. "I love your outfit, by the way. You're gorgeous in red. Absolutely breathtaking."
The music began to get slower as Gabrielle rested her forearms on Xena's shoulders, feeling the warrior's hands settle on the gentle swell of her hips, guiding her gently.
"Your hair? Did you put some sort of dye in it? It looks...." She saw the hurt look in the warrior's eyes.
"You don't like it?" she asked in a soft voice.
"It's beautiful, Xe, but why? How?" the bard asked.
"We can talk about that later."
Gabrielle felt her body move closer in the dance. Her hands trailed down to the exposed abdomin and smiled at the short intake of air. She lightly trailed her fingers over and up to the knot where the bodice was tied off above the navel. She gently stroked her hand in a circular pattern over the warrior's stomach, feeling the muscles quiver under her touch.
The music ended, and they parted. Xena gave her a quick squeeze, and whispered into her ear. "Save me a dance?"
"Like I'm dancing with anyone else?!" the bard whispered back.
They parted, each heading to the other side of the dance floor.
When the music for the second dance began, Xena felt a soft hand wrap around her bared stomach and smiled down at the sea green eyes she adored as the bard led her back to the dance floor.
All suitors for the bard gave up after the third dance. The constantly flirtatious dancing and smiling engaged by the two women was not unseen and all smiled at the thought of such happiness.
Gabrielle smiled as the warrior stood behind her.
"Lean back, my love."
After doing so, she felt the warrior's strong hand trail up her side and bring her arm up and behind the warrior's neck, receiving a soft kiss to her elbow as she did so. The warrior's hands rested below the swell of her breast. Those hands then slid down her sides slowly, sensually as the music began again, and she felt herself let go. Trust...she trusted the warrior's touch, her nearness, her love, and that was the most sensual thing she had ever felt. It unleashed everything as she felt their bodies slowly move in time to the music.
Love, hope, faith, all these destroyed the barriers that had been erected by fear, pain, and hate. She knew then, without a doubt, she could love this woman in every way.
Xena then spun her around, and dipped her.
The bard undid the red silk mask covering the warrior's face and was shocked to see an unfamiliar visage.
Xena smiled as she looked into the eyes of her beloved, and straightened.
The face was slightly slimmer, with fuller lips, more prominent cheekbones, and more rounded eyes. A still beautiful sight, though not the one she had fallen in love with.
Xena took her hand and led her into a small field outside the village. She looked overhead, and saw the moon in all it's silver-white glory shining down and smiled at her bard. "Gabrielle? I have to ask this. And please, answer me with the truth?" She knew the bard would give her no less, but had to know what the bard needed from her.
Seeing the nod, she spoke softly. "I know you love me, Gabrielle, and I love you. I love you so deeply; I would do anything to make our relationship easier for you. That is why I have done this." She moved the bard's hand over her face in an effort to make the bard understand.
"What you see, is the Mask of Athena. It is a favor from Artemis, to us. If you can grow to love this face? All you have to do is kiss me, right here, right now. This field is where Artemis and Athena blessed this valley. One kiss, under a full moon and the Mask of Athena becomes permanent. This will be the face that will greet you every morning, make love to you before we sleep, love you and be beside you from here, until time ends. The moon will seal the promise, as the kiss seals the faith."
Gabrielle was silent, as she looked the face before her lover. She traced soft lips, and firm cheekbones. She gazed into storm tossed blue eyes and whispered softly. "Are you in there? My Warrior Princess? The hero of my dreams, and the love of my life?"
Seeing a tear-streaked nod, she leaned forward, and reached behind the warrior's ears. Strong hands rested atop hers and she saw an unspoken question in those eyes she loved so. "Xena, I cannot tell you how much I love you for this. To give me such a gift, to show me such love. Let me now show you how much I love you."
Gabrielle's hands found the mask's edge and gently pulled forward. The mask became a thing of fine porcelain and beauty.
The bard saw the hair darken and the face fill out, the lips thin slightly, and the cheekbones soften a bit, as she leaned forward. Wrapping her arms around the warrior's neck she felt the warrior's arms wrap around her trim waist, they shared a soft kiss. One so soft and gentle, it felt as if a baby's breath had passed between them.
Gabrielle brought her hand up into the warrior's dark tresses and the mask fell. It shattered in a soft shimmering of starlight.
In the darkness, two sisters watched.
"Thank you sister. You have no idea how much this means to me...." The auburn haired goddess turned to her sister with raven hair and golden armored silk gown.
"I am sorry for the mask though." She looked down at the ground.
"Your chosen has served us all well, she deserves peace, and that peace can be found only in the arms of my lost one. As to the mask, it is only an ornament, and it has brought so much joy."
The two sisters hugged each other and faded from the night.