~ How Do I Tell Her? ~
by Grace


General Copyright/Disclaimer: Xena: Warrior Princess and all other characters are copyright property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

NOTE: All works remain the © copyright of the original author. These may not be republished without the author's consent but if you want to use a character that I create, please just ask.

Hurt/Comfort Warning/Disclaimer: This story may be best classified as a Hurt/Comfort Story involving the characters Xena: Warrior Princess and Gabrielle. Readers who are disturbed by or sensitive to this type of issue may wish to read something other than this story.

Love/Sex Warning/Disclaimer: This story depicts a love/sexual relationship between two consenting adult women. If you are under 18 years of age please find something suitable for you to read.

Comments: Trying my hand at what is called a first time story. Care to comment?

Saygrace@email.women.com

8/99


There was a dragonfly hovering in front of Gabrielle's face as she watched Xena practice her combat moves. The field was filled with life in the humming of the bees and the songbirds feasting on the insects that were attracted by the thousands of wildflowers. All of this created a sea of color that spread far beyond the scope of the ant that crawled over her hand.

Gabrielle watched with great intensity, Xena's every move. The Bard wanted to expand her knowledge of protective combat, which was being able to defend herself from harm. And standing in front of her was the best teacher there was. The Warrior looked up and made eye contact with her friend, smiling warmly at her.

I wonder what she's thinking about? Xena thought to herself. I'm really hoping that she feels the same way about me as I feel about her. Every time that I look at her I get caught up in a daydream of how nice it would be to make love to her. My hand shakes at the thought of sliding it up the length of her leg, to the place where it ends. This is too difficult! To focus on my practice with her in front of me is pure distraction. I need to get away and relieve myself.

Two forward flips landed the Warrior right in front of Gabrielle. Breathing heavily from the workout, Xena stood there with her chest rising and falling. She had Gabrielle's undivided attention. When she caught her wind, she spoke to the Bard. "I'm going down to the river to cool off. I'm overheated and I need to get my body temperature back to normal."

"OK! I'll be down in awhile, I want to just enjoy the sounds of the summer." The Bard said.

I'd like to be the one who gets you overheated. You do it to me all the time, Xena. I have to constantly be heading out to the woods to complete my fantasies of you. There are times when I'm so lost in thinking about you, I find myself reaching out to touch you and have to catch myself! Just look at the way your hips sway as you walk away from me. Quick! Leave so I can take care of my needs.

Xena made it to the bushes stripped her armor and leathers off, laid them out on the ground then dropped to her knees. She closed her eyes as she rubbed her center. She was so wet that her finger slid right in and she moved it easy, moaning softly to herself. She was all swollen down below from being aroused and she quickened her hand as she new she was limited by how much time there was before the Bard showed up. All she could think about was running her tongue between those soft blonde hairs, then parting those petal like folds of flesh and tasting that sweetness from within the woman she loved.

"Uhmm!" Xena groaned as she came. Standing quickly, she headed into the water and heard Gabrielle calling as she submerged.

Breaking through the surface of the water, she said, "I'm over here Gabrielle!"

Gabrielle unlaced her top, removed it, then her wrap around skirt, her breeches and the boots all followed. Young, innocent and no inhibitions, she entered the water as a gleeful nymph and splashed the Warrior.

"Hi!" She said to her mentor as their eyes locked on each other. They stood in the quiet part of the river, up to the top of their breasts in the slow moving water suspended in time. You could almost hear their hearts beat. They both were at the edge and wanted to kiss one and other but anticipating the wrong response held each of them back.

"Gabrielle?.I want?"

"What is it Xena? The Bard questioned.

"Oh, I just wanted to say that I'm glad we are friends!" The Warrior stumbled out of her true feelings for the moment.

"I love you Xena!"

"I love you too, Gabrielle. You've become my family. You're someone I can trust. I don't know that I've ever had that in my life." Xena told her from the heart.

Gabrielle moved forward and gave Xena a big hug. The Warrior shivered at the physical contact. Their breasts rubbed against each other, their stomachs touched and Xena felt the Bard nestle her leg between Xena's. The blue eyed Princess broke away before she did something that she might be sorry for. Gabrielle took it as a form of rejection and was bruised deep down.

She must just want us to be friends. I must have read her wrong and what I'm feeling is not what she feels for me. It really hurts! I'm in love with this wonderful woman and she doesn't want me in that way. The Bard mulled it over in her mind.

Xena headed for the shore with Gabrielle following behind. They dressed without saying anything and Xena whistled for Argo, then calling impatiently for the horse. It was time to leave. Gabrielle tried not to wear the long face but her heart was sad and it was tough to conceal it. They spent the next couple of candlemarks moving toward the north and making small talk. Stopping at an inn for a cold drink seemed like a good idea at the time, so when they arrived at the next village, they did just that! A quaint little place beckoned to them and they answered the call by entering the establishment. Several customers were having ale and what appeared as pleasant conversation.

Xena picked a table near the window of the place and were both a little distant with each other as they sat looking into their ales. The Bard got up and moved across the room to where there was music coming from. She started swaying to the sound of the balalaika that a musician was playing in the corner of the room. When the young peasant came up to Gabrielle and asked her if he could buy her a mug of ale, she smiled.

"Well, thank you! That would be nice!" Gabrielle said.

Xena finally looked up and saw that the young man was paying attention to the Bard. This immediately raised her temperature to a flame red. Having no right to say anything to her blonde friend, she had no choice other than to control her emotions or to get up and leave. Just before she got to her feet, Gabrielle came over and said, "Xena, I'll be over there at that table. Thaddeus offered to buy me a mug of ale and I didn't want to be rude. He's recently been to Poteidaia, so I thought I'd chat with him for awhile."

"Uh? Oh, that's OK, I was heading down to the stable to check on Argo anyway. You have a good time, I have to tend to a few things." Xena spouted as she quickly walked to the door and left.

Reaching the stable gave her enough time to build her anger to a peak and she jumped into the air, kicking a bale of hay that was standing on top of another, clear across the room.

"Argo! I'm so damn angry I could eat stone! I should have stayed and leered at them both. It's my own fault. I should have told her how I felt a long time ago but I'm afraid, yes afraid." As she looked the horse in the eye. "I'm so afraid I'll not get the answer that I'm looking for. I worry that she will reject me. That would hurt too much, girl." And Xena rubbed the side of Argo's neck, as her eyes came to the brink of tears. The Warrior sat down on a bale of hay and pondered her dilemma.

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

"Thanks for the ale Thaddius." The Bard told the peasant. "I'll see you around. I need to find my friend and tell her something very important.

"Your welcome Gabrielle. It was nice talking with you." The young man said.

The Bard's farewell smile turned to slight worry as she walked out of the inn. Moving in the direction of the stable, she thought, What have I done? I hope she's not angry with me! I just wanted to move on with things if she doesn't want to pursue something between us. Xena! Don't you know I love you? Don't you understand that I want to make love to you? I want to be with you and no one else.

The stable was right up ahead and on the left side of the road. Gabrielle came up to the double doors hesitated for a moment, then went in. She saw Xena before Xena knew she was in the stable and for that brief moment, Gabrielle saw how dejected her Warrior was. When Xena caught the Bards presence out of the corner of her she jumped to her feet and began to brush Argo.

"Xena? Can I talk to you?" Gabrielle said sheepishly.

"Sure you can Gabrielle. He was kind of cute, hey?" Xena small talked and probed.

"He's not who I want to talk about Xena. Listen?.Do you remember when we first met and you rescued me? Not only did you help me but you helped the rest of the villagers too. I was so impressed by your bravado that I knew I could not stay in my village anymore. I begged you to take me with you and you did. I wondered what it was Xena but as time went by, I could no longer fool myself about the truth."

Xena looked at Gabrielle and finally put the brush down.

"The truth was and is, that I love you Xena! Not as a sister loves a sister or a child loves a mother but as a lover loves another lover. Do you know what I'm trying to say my Xena? You have the power to break my heart into many pieces right now. All you have to do is tell me that you don't feel the same towards me and I'll leave you alone. But if you say anything, please don't lead me on with false hopes. It will only destroy me in the end."

The Warrior stood there with her mouth half-open and nothing coming out. Then she focused, reaching down deep and saying, "I don't know where to begin Gabrielle. I've struggled with this very thing for many moons now. Always afraid to reach out and touch you. Standing on the edge so many times, wanting to put my lips to yours but worrying that you did not feel for me the way I feel for you."

Xena walked over to her companion of some time now. She put her arm around Gabrielle's waist and drew her toward her. Looking down into those green eyes that had so many questions leaned into her with a tender kiss that answered perhaps the only question that mattered at this time and that was the question of love.

"I can't promise you anything Gabrielle, other than I will try never to disappoint you. First, that you are my friend is a miracle in itself! You are my dearest and most treasured friend. Before you came into my life I was totally alone. In you, I see the sun rise where there was once nothing but darkness. In what I feel we have is something very special in which each of us compliments the other. Before we go farther, you need to know that I am willing to be yours and yours alone, if you will have me."

Again their lips touched but in a slow passionate way in which the low burning embers rose into a magnificent blaze. They stood there in each other's embrace, lips parted and their tongues searching out each other.

"This is no good here." Gabrielle told the Warrior in a worked up voice.

"Let's take Argo. I know where we can go my love." Xena told the Bard

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

Xena saddled the horse, then helped Gabrielle up and joined her. They rode out of the stable, heading toward the river. In a half of candlemark, they were at the bend where the river turned east. It was hot and sunny with a slight breeze but it could have been raining for all that the two lovers cared. Xena let Argo wander as she dropped her armor, leathers and her boots. Gabrielle got the idea and joined her. When the two were down to how they came into the world, they entered the water and swam to the island. Earlier this morning, the two of them stood in these very waters, so close but not quite there.

In the middle of the island was a nice sandy place that was nestled between the trees and bushes. There was also a large flat boulder and the remnants of a weathered tree that had died awhile back. The tree was tilted on its side with the roots half exposed. When the two women made their way to the center of the island, Xena faced Gabrielle and they picked up where they had left off. Lips moving against each other and the arms entwined around their two bodies, they began to burn internally. Their lips melted together as one, and then the Warrior eased Gabrielle up against the fallen tree and began to make love to her friend. The Bard held on to a branch that was just over her head and Xena worked her lips on the young blondes neck then she latched on to her breast. She pulled with a gentle suction and felt the nipple grow between her lips. So sweet an experience, to tug and rotate her tongue around that beautifully sculptured breast. She had waited so long for this and it was so much more than she had imagined. The Bards skin tasted sweet and made the Warrior shudder as she explored the curves, the valleys and raised places that made up this beautiful woman.

Xena remembered that this was a new chapter for her lover, so she tried to go slow and above all to be tender. The Warrior had often had sex but making love was a commitment of the heart and had a special, almost spiritual meaning this day.

Xena reached between the Bards legs and Gabrielle helped by moving one leg over another branch of the fallen tree. Caressing Gabrielle's thigh with her hand brought gasps and a small moan from the blonde's throat. This opened that hidden place which called to Xena for her affection. She rubbed her hand between the Bards legs, touching her soft mound and felt the wetness that was her confirmation that the Warrior was wanted. Switching breasts, Xena inserted a finger then two, moving them slowly as she felt her Bards hips respond to the affection. Soon the Warrior found herself on her knees and kissed the young blondes area below her navel. She finally slipped her tongue into the fire that waited for her. The honey that poured from within, tasted of love. Gabrielle took her other leg and draped it over Xena's shoulder as she hung on and began to rise to the level of climax, screaming softly as she visited a new place in her life. Xena sucked and licked away at the Bards sexual pulse, bringing her up time and time again.

There was nothing else in the world at that precise moment but the two of them as one.

Two sparrows landed on the branch of the tree and talked to each other between the light gusts of wind then flew away. The Warrior Princess and the Bard watched as the birds faded down the length of the river. Gabrielle said to Xena, "That's us my love! We're both traveling on a daily journey, never knowing what might come our way or what will happen next. Only knowing that as long as we love each other, we will get through it all"

Then the Bard moved over to where Xena was laying on the flat rock enjoying the sun and began to make love to the blue-eyed Warrior. It was time to fly again.

saygrace@email.women.com

The End



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