Xena: Warrior Princess, Gabrielle, Argo and all other characters who have appeared in the syndicated series Xena: Warrior Princess, together with the names, titles and back story are the sole copyright property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fan fiction. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may be made for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright notices.

Sexual Disclaimer: This story is Alt-Xena in nature; in other words, it depicts scenes of sex between two mature women. Readers who are under 18 or disturbed by or sensitive to this type of depiction may wish to read something other than this story.

Author's Note: This story is based loosely on happenings during the First Season of Xena: Warrior Princess. You may recognize the episode. It is Part One of a series I call, "First Year Love", which is meant to follow Xena and Gabrielle around and through some First Season Episodes of X:WP and shows the love story between them that we didn't see on the show.

Please feel free to send comments, burnt or otherwise to: BillTheSemiBard@aol.comm

Chapter One

Xena felt as if her body was floating on fiery wine ... hot but sweet. She moaned as the soft lips took hers and the smooth hands roved everywhere along her nakedness leaving tingles of delight. The hands moved up her sides and cupped her breasts, fingers tweaking the taut nipples. Then one index finger settled on each, just touching the dark tip and wiggling ever so gently.

Xena gasped at the tingling sensations that shot through her and moaned again into the mouth that was teasing and tasting her and felt Gabrielle's smile against her lips as she did. The small woman climbed on top of the warrior without taking her lips away and her smooth warm flesh came down upon Xena's skin like hot silk. Curves and softness blended until they were one and the bard's smooth firm thigh rubbed against the big woman's vital center sending a wave of pleasure jolting through her.

The warrior sobbed into her lover's mouth. "Oh, I ... love you ... OH, Gab-riellllle... " and she groaned and began shaking in quickly approaching orgasm.

"Xena..."

The warrior moaned as the sweet lips and tongue and hands roved over her body.

"Xena!" Gabrielle's voice sounded worried. "Are you all right?"

"Uhhhh?" Something was wrong ... she was shaking, but not with orgasm ... No, she was being shaken. What? Her eyes flew open to the dim glow of the campfire and Gabrielle's face looking down at her with concern. Her hands on Xena's not naked body were shaking her shoulders gently.

"Xena; wake up..." the bard said. By the gods! It had been a dream...

"Gab ... rielle, ... w-what..." she choked, sitting up dazedly.

The bard looked worried. "You were groaning in your sleep. It woke me up; are you sick?"

Xena blinked. Oh, by the gods! She must have been moaning out loud in the dream of lust about Gabrielle and the bard had heard. The Warrior Princess was glad the campfire provided such little light so that her innocent friend could not see her blushing ... she hoped.

"I ... uh," she started, not sure how much the bard had truly heard.

Gabrielle laid the inside of her wrist on the warrior's forehead. "Oh, Xena, you're very hot ... I think you may have a fever..."

"M-Maybe a little..." she stammered. Damn right! A fever for YOU!! "I have some cramps too, now that you mention it ... think it was that, uh, spinach pie at the tavern..." She struggled to her feet, holding her belly. "Oooo. I-I'd better get to the bushes..." she croaked.

"Yer sure that's all..." asked the bard with concern. "You'll be all right...?"

"Oh, yeah..." the Warrior Princess faked a groan. "Just a little bad food ... you go back and lay down ... I, uh, better stay out there awhile the way this feels..." She hurried away towards the brush pretending to bend and stagger a bit.

"Well, okay," said the small redhead doubtfully, "but I'll wait up for you..."

Xena grunted in response and pushed into the bushes. Once a fair distance from camp, she found a fallen log and sat down and put her head into her hands. "Gods'dammit," she mumbled. "That was too close ... she almost found out how I feel about her. Damn damn damn…"

With a sigh, she raised her head and gazed at the starry night sky just showing through the closed in treetops. Oh, Gabrielle ... why? She thought miserably. Why do I want you so much?' She shook her head wryly. Why do I want her? Stupid! Why wouldn't I want her? She is so beautiful. Her hair is red-gold and silky and that smile … the way her nose crinkles when she is amused; gods! Xena shivered, but not with the coolness of the night. Damn, not only are you beautiful, Gabrielle, but smart? Quick on the uptake, full of wit and humor. Holy Zeus, I feel like a big stupid clod who can't get her foot out of her mouth around you … but you make me feel so comfortable at the same time. I never thought that I'd want anyone the way that I want you… The warrior sighed and whispered into the darkness, "Oh, Gabrielle. It's bad enough that the vision of you in my arms fills all of my dreams at night and my thoughts during the day. Now I'm starting to call out for you in my sleep as well? What am I going to do?"

She slapped absently at a mosquito and cursed her fate. "Me, the Warrior Princess, falling for a little innocent farm girl from Poteidaia. Gabrielle would be so horrified. Remember how she looked when you slapped her in that jail cell when you were berserk; how much worse would this be? She trembled as she suddenly thought of the bard's clean washed body scent when she came from bathing. Gods, she smells so good I just want to cuddle and taste her all over. Bad enough it's all I can do not to ogle her when she's dressing in the morning, or undressing to get into her bedroll at night … but I don't dare let her see me doing it. She probably doesn't even know two women could do anything ... sexual together. But you sure know, don't you Warrior Princess? Lao Ma taught you so much ... not that you didn't know plenty before ... you were no innocent, were you, Xena?"

"Xena..." Gabrielle's voice came faintly through the trees from the camp. "Are you all right?"

'No!' She silently screamed, 'I'm well and truly screwed up over YOU!'

"Yes," she said out loud. "I'll be awhile. Just … go back to sleep..."

"All right," came the bard's sleepy voice. "If yer sure ... G'night."

"Good night," she answered in her no nonsense warriors voice, then whispered brokenly, "Oh, Gabrielle. I … I love you…" She groaned and cursed under her breath. 'Dammit, what now,' she thought. 'I suppose if I go back there I'll start dreaming and moaning again, and then what'll I tell her, more bad food?' She shivered suddenly as she remembered the feel of Gabrielle's smiling dream lips on her own and felt stirred again. "Well, I suppose there IS a solution of sorts," she mumbled sourly. She plucked at her underskirt and pulled it aside as she felt herself getting aroused again.

"Mmmmm. If I can ... just ... get past this for a while, maybe I can ... ahhh ... just sleep the rest of the night..." She pulled down the top of her bodice and gasped as her nipples stood up in the cool night air and she handled them gently. "Ohhhh, yes ... Gabrielle..." she whispered as her hands moved expertly across her own body. "That's it ... Oh, I ... l-love ... ey-ouuuu..."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Xena sat in the back of the tavern and listened with fascination as Gabrielle expounded the adventure she was telling to the eager audience. Even though the story was about her and Xena had been there herself, it sounded so much more exciting the way the bard told it. The warrior grinned to herself as she remembered a series of quick attacks and parries in the field against the hooded man. Ares, you bastard, she thought. You caused me a lot of trouble that time. And what a shitty thing to do; killing those peasants to get their village to condemn me to death so I'd come back to you. Not again, she frowned, not EVER again will I serve you. Not as long as I have Gabrielle to show me the light. She has been so good for me and I so love her; I thought Marcus was the one for me, but Gabrielle... She shivered as a quick flash from last nights dream passed through her mind; the smiling lips on hers. Stop it, idiot! She doesn't know and you are gonna keep it that way.

The tavern broke out in applause and Xena realized that she had missed the end of the story. 'Damn. Oh, well, I was there. I know how it ended, but I so love the way she tells it.' The crowd began breaking up and individuals were leaving donations attesting to the bard's skill and several people were going up to talk to her. At that moment came a tap on the warrior's shoulder. Her head shot around like a striking snake and the man jumped in surprise.

"Ye-esss?" She said coolly, looking him up and down. He looked harmless enough, an obvious peasant, but she didn't welcome being touched ... well, that wasn't true, she thought. Now, if Gabrielle ... Dammit! He's talking to you ... pay attention.

"A Cyclops is raiding your village," she repeated with a knowing smile. "Yes, I've handled them before. No, I don't charge, but you might think about feeding my partner and me while we're there." She got the instructions to where the village was and assured the man they would do their best to be there in a week.

All right! A Cyclops, she thought happily as she approached the bard. Gabrielle is gonna love this. It'll make a great story to add to her scrolls. As she came up, an older man and his son were just leaving the bard and the redhead was looking after them with a strange expression.

Xena looked as they left, wondering if they had said something to her bard that she was going to have to kick their butts over.

Chapter Two

"Xena..." the bard turned those lovely green eyes on her and the warrior felt her breath catch as usual. She cleared her throat.

"Good news, Gabrielle," she grinned, then amended, "well, for us anyway. A Cyclops is raiding a village north of here. Looks like they need some help. Bet I don't havta ask if yer interested..."

But to her surprise, the small woman said, "Xena? How far is it to Athens?"

"I dunno, coupla days, I guess. Why?" What in Zeus' name was this about? Athens? Nothing there to interest a butt-kicking warrior and her cute (sigh) sidekick.

"Well," said the bard, absently putting the dinars she had just earned into her purse, "Athens is where the Academy for Bards is..."

"And...?" The Warrior Princess could feel her gut tightening, but held her face in an interested smile. They sat down at an empty table as Gabrielle continued.

"Well, right now they are having their once-a-year tryouts to enter; a guy just told me ... Xena, if I ever really want to be a bard, I should study there. This could be a chance to get in..." The redhead hesitated. "I might not get accepted of course..."

Xena smiled genuinely this time. "Oh, you'd get in all right, no doubt of that. How long would you be there?" Six months, a year maybe? It would hard but I could stand the time without you if it makes you happy, dear one.

"Not long..." the redhead said and the warrior's heart leaped with hope, only to fall again as the petite woman went on. "Only about f-five years ... I'd be back before you know it..." her voice trailed off, knowing herself how foolish that sounded.

Five ... YEARS? Xena felt as if she had been kicked in the guts, but her face showed only a tender smile while her mind raced like a runaway chariot. Without Gabrielle five years would be a lifetime! It's not FAIR, I practically just found you ... I LOVE you! How can you DO this to me? Her thoughts screamed.

"It's probably a silly idea," Gabrielle went on, noticing nothing. "I should just forget it..."

But wait, the shaken warrior thought, shifting horses in midstream. This could be the answer. If she isn't here, I can get over her ... I can't let her know how I feel anyway ... and last night was too close; wouldn't it be easier? And besides, if anyone deserves to follow her dream, it's Gabrielle. What has she got but a chance of death every day with me? If I truly love her, I want what's best for HER! And she spoke without thinking more.

"Gabrielle, It's not silly at all," the tall woman drawled. "You have a talent ... I never heard anyone better at telling stories..." she hesitated then went on with a smile, "When I was a child my favorite story was one about two orphans who set out searching the world to find their families ... I don't remember all of it, but I do remember the ending. Lets see ... 'When the two came to the end of their journey, they found--'"

Gabrielle smiled as she joined in and they finished the sentence together, "'they found themselves back at the beginning!'"

Xena stopped, but the bard continued in a dreamy voice, "'...the friend who had traveled the world with him, the only family he had ever known or needed, was standing right there beside him!'" She smiled at Xena and her nose crinkled as she finished. "Oh, I know that story all right..."

Xena looked fondly at Gabrielle. "Thanks for being my friend and my family, but you should follow your dream..."

The bard 's happy expression changed and she swallowed. "But, I could never leave you..."

"Sure, you could," Xena spoke firmly, in command and all business now. "Anyway, you said yerself it's only five years ... When yer finished, look me up." She grinned. "I'll be around."

"Oh, Xena..." The redhead seemed ready to cry.

Better it was done quickly. Xena stood up and patted her friend on the shoulder. "Go and follow yer dream, Gabrielle," she smiled. "Make me proud." She turned and strode away and out of the tavern before more could be said.

Darkness was falling outside. In the stable, she saddled Argo mechanically, and as she tightened the last cinch she buried her face in the golden horse's mane and sobbed for a full minute. Finally the big horse nickered inquiringly.

"She's gone, girl," the warrior wept. "Gabrielle's gone. Five years. I'll never see her again and I didn't even say g-goodbye..." The big mare snorted and Xena straightened up with a shudder and tearfully mounted. Once in the saddle she wiped her eyes with the back of her arm.

"Yeah, I know..." she stroked the horse's neck. "You never liked her anyway, did'ya?" The horse nickered in agreement.

"Yeah, you hated her," she said raggedly as fresh tears ran down her face, "but I loved her ... Oh, gods, Gabrielle, how I want you ... but I'll never tell you how I feel about you; I owe you the chance to follow your dream."

The horse made an impatient noise and Xena straightened with a sigh. "Okay, okay. Let's go, Miss Jealousy ... its just you and me again, but I want you to know I'm proud I had the strength to let her go." Argo snorted as if in derision and the warrior heeled her around to ride out of the stable. Once out they headed north, kept going and didn't look back.

After they had cleared the Innyard and were gone, the small form came out of hiding from the dimness of the empty box stall at the end of the stable. The shadowy figure pulled long hair back from its neck and stood staring as if in thought at the empty stall where the Warrior Princess and the horse had just been. Finally the figure turned slowly and left the stable. As it passed by a lantern on a post, the face remained shadowed but it's eyes shone for a moment. In the dim light, the orbs looked deep blue or maybe green and ... they bore a look of determination.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The warm lips kissed softly along her ribs, up under her arm and to the edge of her shoulder blade and lingered there when they found a spot that made her tremble. Xena moaned and shivered as the tormenting lips nibbled and tickled mercilessly. At the same time smooth hands with knowledgeable fingers stroked and caressed across her bare belly and worked down down down until her back arched as they moved between her legs.

"Gabrielle," she panted. "Oh, by the gods ... Oh, yes ... please ... please..."

"Please, what?" The bard asked teasingly between nibbles and licks at her neck and shoulders. Her warm muscular arms cradled the larger woman back against her and her long gentle fingers caressed the satin skin between the warriors legs and tangled in the raven dark patch above her vital center. "Tell me, Xena," she whispered. "What do you want..."

"You, oh, I want YOUUUU!" The raven-haired woman gasped in ecstasy. She twisted her head back and her pleading lips found Gabrielle's mouth. Their tongues explored as the bard's fingers continued to move enticingly at Xena's core. At the edge of release she tore her mouth free and sobbed, "I love you, Gabrielle, I love you," just before her lips were captured again and she could feel the redhead smile in joy and love for her friend.

She was ready to explode like lightning, like thunder, like ... There was a monster crash as she exploded ... and she awoke to the aftermath of a near thunderbolt, gasping and gurgling in shock as a torrent of water seemed to smash down into her mouth and nose. She was drenched in an instant even through her blanket and a second peal of thunder followed the one that had awakened her.

"What in Tartarus," Xena staggered up cursing and coughing water. She stood there for a moment, dazed and shaking with no recollection of where she was. Then Argo whinnied nearby and she realized that it was night in her lonely camp and a sudden thunderstorm had burst upon her like a dam breaking. The drowned campfire hissed like a dozen snakes and the water pounded down like she was standing beneath a waterfall. The warrior backed up against a tree and pulled the sodden blanket over her head as she sat disgustedly on the already wet ground.

"Dreaming about Gabrielle again ... fourth time this week," she thought miserably. "Yeah, I've really managed to forget her." The downpour swept through the woods where the Warrior Princess huddled shivering in her blanket by the dead campfire. Nearby, Argo made a noise of complaint as water ran in torrents off of her golden flanks.

Xena sneezed. "Maybe you think it's better for me," she inquired of the horse. The mare shook her head, blew steam through her nostrils and pawed the ground sullenly.

"Yeah, well, the life of adventure and all that," grunted the warrior and shivered. "At l-least Gabrielle is safe in Athens. W-Warm and d-dry and following her dream." She smiled tremulously. "I m-made her do that a-and I'm proud. She's better off and s-so am I..."

The mare snorted and Xena sneezed again. "Yeah... I'm much b-better off without her..." she whispered, but the words sounded unconvincing even to her. "Shit ... who am I kiddin'," she growled miserably. "I miss her and (Atchoo!) I want her more than ever, and I don't even have the c-comfort of seeing her (Atchoo!) every day..." She huddled down in the soaked blanket and tried to ignore the cold water running down her back as the storm raged on overhead.

"Adventure," she thought miserably, "is no adventure without someone to share it with. I'm glad Gabrielle's not here for this, but it would sure be more bearable if she was..."

Chapter Three

Xena was riding Argo down a dirt trail through the woods. It was a month later. She had endured a number of quote, "adventures," unquote.

She had reached the village and tracked down and beaten the Cyclops without much trouble, being far more agile and skilled in combat. She had him down and was thinking of blinding him, but he had started wailing and crying in fear. It was then she had realized, that despite his size, he was still a child in age and intelligence. Questioning him, she found that his parents had recently died in a rockslide and he had not much idea of how to live except by stealing.

The Warrior Princess had taken the child Cyclops back to the village with a plan. After some persuasion she had talked the elders into an agreement to feed and house the Cyclops in return for his doing heavy work for the village as a whole. When she had left, everyone was happy including her. She had not really relished the thought of killing or blinding the big child if no equitable arrangements had been reached.

Next she had beaten some bandits that had been making a stretch of road impassible, by the expedient of capturing their leader and jailing him. When the rest of the thugs attempted to free their leader, they fell into the trap the local militia had set up with the Warrior Princess' help and were all captured or killed.

She had also saved a farmer on the road one night, from a thug on horseback who was attacking him. She had tried to disarm the thug, and knocked him off his horse. But after she picked up his skull-encrusted sword he had run onto it by accident as he charged her trying to get it back. Though badly wounded, he kicked her in the stomach, then staggered away with the sword stuck in him while the Warrior Princess was gasping on the ground. Before she could catch him, he had mounted his horse somehow and had galloped off into the darkness.

Now Xena was free of any missions for the moment, her belly was full from a meal with the grateful farmer and her purse was heavy with dinars paid for the bandits' capture. She should have been satisfied but she was miserable. In between the adventures, her mind was always returning to the bard and she often dreamed of Gabrielle at night.

With a sigh, Xena pulled Argo up and dismounted to let the horse cool off. She was lonelier than she had ever been and could not seem to get her mind off of her friend for more than ten minutes at a time.

"Dunno why I'm so unhappy, girl," she said with a wan smile. "Only another four years and eleven months to go and Gabrielle'll be back. I can do that standing on my head ... not!" Patting the horse's muzzle, she took the reins and began leading her along the trail.

Walking along immersed in her own sad thoughts, her keen senses nonetheless noticed the movements in the brush nearby; someone was following her but remaining hidden. Without appearing to, she came on guard and ready for anything as she kept walking. Straining her senses, she suddenly became aware of a familiar scent on the breeze; a perfume almost.

By the gods; could it be? The warrior felt herself tremble. If I didn't know she was in Athens, I'd swear that's Gabrielle. But what...

At that moment, the bushes parted and Gabrielle came running down the slight embankment to come up beside her. Xena struggled to keep her face neutral, though her brain was threatening to jump yammering out of her skull. She kept walking and glanced at her friend as if she had just seen her not five minutes before; she had to keep up that Warrior Princess cool.

"What are you doing here," she drawled in an uninterested tone. "How did you do?" Inside her brain was shouting, "Hi, hi! Oh, I'm so HAPPY to see you. Please say you're back for good, please please please..."

Xena wasn't looking at her friend, but she could hear the smile in the bard's voice. "I won," she said proudly.

"You won." Xena digested that as her depression settled back in. It was just a vacation or something before starting. Gabrielle would be leaving and she would soon be alone again. Her heart fell into her boots.

"Then, why aren't you back in Athens," she asked, barely keeping the sadness out of her voice.

"Well, I'll tell you," the bard said. "I decided it wasn't for me."

"Oh?" Inside of Xena, the hope and excitement began again.

"Yeah," said the bard carelessly. " I decided that instead of just telling stories, I'd rather be out here living them ... with you..." she added softly.

Xena finally dared to look at her friend and smiled. "Well, it's good to have you back," she said, then her face stiffened and she whipped out her sword and spun around. There stepping out of the bushes ahead of them were five armed ruffians who were obviously ready and willing to cause trouble for two women alone on the trail.

As she prepared for battle, beside her with no sign of fear and every evidence of pleasure, Gabrielle chirped, "This is gonna make SUCH a great story!"

The warrior glanced at her friend and met the green eyes that were sparkling with excitement. "By the gods, it really IS good to see you again," she grinned. Then the thugs charged and with a battle cry Xena was among them like a lion on a pack of dogs. They lasted about as long.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Hands and lips moved across Xena's trembling body with butterfly soft caresses, leaving behind trails of bubbling warmth. Her nipples and groin ached with arousal and were nibbled and tickled and stroked with tenderness and love, causing her to groan with the sheer pleasure and sweetness of it all.

On top of her, Gabrielle whispered between kisses, "Tell me, Xena, who do you love?"

"You, ohhh, you, Gabrielle. I love you."

"Me?" The sweet smiling lips nibbled and sucked and kissed all over her.

"You ... Gabrielle ... you." Xena shivered between each word as the sweet torment went on and on. "Oh, I want you. I need you. I LOVE you. Please, Gabrielle, please..." she pleaded.

"Xena..." Her name was spoken softly, with love.

"Oh, yes, yessss ... Gabrielle..."

"Xena, wake up..." The words were tender.

"Gabri-elle...?"

"Xena, wake up. Please..."

By the gods! NO! Not again... Her eyes flew open to the dimness of the night camp and Gabrielle's face close to hers.

In terror Xena peered at her friend's face. Please gods, she didn't realize ... but this time there was no doubt. She had heard too much. Tears of shame flooded down the warrior's cheeks, and she tried to roll to her feet but then came to the realization that she was being held. In two strong arms; Gabrielle's arms. Gabrielle's naked arms were holding her against Gabrielle's naked body, under her blanket.

"Gabrielle, what..." she started, but her voice was silenced as the bard kissed her softly for a moment, then pulled back and looked into her eyes. Blue met green in the dim firelight and Gabrielle looked unsure and a little scared of what she had done. Xena swallowed with fear.

"Gabrielle," she said thickly. "W-Why...? How did you know ... when did you find out? Was it just tonight?"

The young woman smiled timidly. "No. I-I've known since I followed you to the stable and overheard you talking to Argo the night you left ... it was then that I realized what had happened that night you were moaning in your sleep ... y-you were dreaming ... of me..." Gabrielle blushed crimson. "And again ... t-tonight..."

Xena closed her eyes in shame and a tear leaked out. "Oh, Gabrielle, I-I'm sorry. I never wanted you to know how I felt ... it-it's not fair to you a-and now you've given up your chance at the Academy ... I'm so s-sorry..."

"Xena, look at me..." The warrior opened tear filled eyes and blinked rapidly.

"I went to Athens because you said I should; it wasn't for me." The still blushing bard trembled, but spoke calmly. "You are my dearest friend in all the world ... my family. I love you; I have for a long time but I was so stupid that I didn't know how to tell you..."

"Oh, my dear one, you weren't stupid," Xena breathed, "just inexperienced..."

The small woman laid her head on the warrior's muscled chest and kissed her neck softly. "And you have many skills, dear Xena. Please ... teach me..." she whispered, her breath warm against Xena's throat.

"Gabrielle, oh, Gabrielle..." Xena felt as if the world was spinning, but she was happier and at the same time more scared than she had ever been in her life. Gently she tilted the bards face up to hers and looked into her eyes. What she saw there stopped her breath and made her heart hammer.

"Let me loose," she whispered. Gabrielle looked hurt, but did as she was asked. However, Xena only pulled back for a moment and plucked aside her nightclothes, then came forward once more. The bard sighed as they embraced again and this time their total nakedness caused them both to shudder.

"I-I'm in love with you, Gabrielle," Xena whimpered through the pounding blood in her brain, and felt her heart seem to melt in molten flame.

Tears shone in the green eyes. "And I'm in love with you, Xena. You are my bold, sweet, warrior and you have captured my heart."

Moving forward, their lips met tentatively at first, then more passionately, mouths opening and tongues touching briefly as the warm smoothness of their bodies seemed to melt together. Then Xena felt Gabrielle's lips smiling against hers and the warrior knew that at last she had found her dream of happiness ... and that it was no dream after all, just Gabrielle.

The Beginning....