~ The Joining ~
by Kamouraskan
Conclusion
Chapter 1
Robin kissed James and pushed him up. "You'll be great."
"Thanks," he said, softly returning the kiss. "I love you, you did know that?"
"You'd better." The threat was balanced by her smile.
James held her hand for another moment before regretfully letting it go and beginning to work his way to the stage. Once there he stamped for attention. While waiting, he absorbed the incredible scene before him: this crowd of completely disparate friends, with almost nothing in common but their love and respect for these two women. A group that only Xena and Gabrielle could have gathered together. Slowly the raucous noise quietened and all faces turned towards him.
"Friends and Sisters, Ladies and Gentlemen, Kings, Queens and Princes, and to all and any Gods and Goddesses nearby..." and he bowed. "On behalf of my friend Hercules," A still pale but smiling demi-God stood and gestured in acknowledgment, "it is the tradition where I come from for the...the...('what the hell am I?', he thought, 'The maid of honour?') "...for there to be speeches and toasts at this point..." His voice trailed off as a muffled groan came from the Amazons and others, led he suspected, by Autolycus. "So how about if we drop the speech part and move right to the toast?"
A spontaneous cheer broke out.
He indicated his guitar with a grin. "OK, but you're going to have to sing it."
The groans occurred in even greater number.
He raised his guitar. "There should be a song sheet near you, but if there isn't, don't worry. All you have to do is repeat the last two lines of each of the verses after me and then raise your cups and salute our favourite lovers." Servers were scurrying around to fill each table with ales, mead and wine. Joxer moved into his position at the far end where the rocks would work as a soundboard to amplify his accompaniment and began to pluck. James took a cup and called out "HERE'S TO THE COUPLE!" saluted his friends in the throne with his ale, gulped it down, and began to play.
"Here's to the couple, so valiantly wed
And here's to the years that for them lie ahead
We wish them good fortune, good health and the best."
He paused, and raising his arms, directed the crowd to repeat:
"WE WISH THEM GOOD FORTUNE, GOOD HEALTH AND THE BEST!"
He continued...
"Strong children, good neighbours and all the rest..."
Raising their drinking vessels, the crowd responded:
"STRONG CHILDREN, GOOD NEIGHBOURS, AND ALL THE REST!"
With a pause for cat calls and swallowing, he continued:
"Here's hoping they never do part, and that
All of their quarrels be patched 'ere they start
Let love be the teacher and make all the rules..."
With no hesitation the refrain was sung out:
"LET LOVE BE THE TEACHER AND MAKE ALL THE RULES!"
"Let love be the doctor and cure the fools!"
Laughter broke out and he caught a glance of a blushing Gabrielle, as the crowd drank again and sang:
"LET LOVE BE THE DOCTOR AND CURE THE FOOLS!"
"They venture now out on life's stormy seas
May they hold to their course be it North, South, or East
May they hold to their course though the canvas may blow
And reach their goal, the goal of us all
For them and their children, a world at peace."
"FOR THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN A WORLD AT PEACE!"
All joined in now with enthusiasm.
"HERE'S TO THE COUPLE SO VALIANTLY WED
AND HERE'S TO THE YEARS THAT FOR THEM LIE AHEAD
WE WISH THEM GOOD FORTUNE GOOD HEALTH AND THE REST
WE WISH THEM GOOD FORTUNE, GOOD HEALTH AND THE BEST
FOR THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN, A WORLD AT PEACE!"
James held up his hand to indicate the end, and the last line was sung dragging out each note.
"FOR THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN, A WORLD........ AT...... PEACE!"
Congratulating themselves, the guests applauded and cheers shook the woods as James made his way back to the couple. A crying and happy Gabrielle nearly socked him in the face with Xena's attached hand in her eagerness to embrace the traveller. Amid the apologies he managed, "I think this is your cue to leave," and he pointed to the chaos around them.
But then Robin spoke. "First, I have a special present for my Queen."
James looked at her with disquiet. He objected, "But, this is the distraction, I timed it just right, they have to go... now."
Unfortunately for James, Gabrielle, had seen the look in Robin's eye. "James, I love you truly, but I think you should shut up." She directed her attention back to Robin and called over the clamour, "What's up?"
Robin had decided how to do this. "How long has James been visiting you, in his time line?"
"About three years," answered the Queen.
"So his daughter was born about ten years before he even met you guys, right?"
"Right."
James stood by, not sure how or if he could stop what he knew was coming.
Robin continued. "Have you ever noticed he always refers to 'his daughter'?"
Gabrielle eyes began to glow. "And whenever we ask him for her name, he always manages to change the subject?"
Robin continued. "I saw some of his mail when I was at his apartment for a guitar lesson. It had his full name, including his middle name. His daughter has the feminine version of it. Now that I know him better, I don't think he would name his daughter after himself. I'm willing to bet that it's a traditional family name. Probably goes way back..."
James' head had sunk lower and lower with each word.
Gabrielle turned to James, with iron in her smile, and asked sweetly "What is your daughter's name?"
James mumbled something.
"Didn't hear you, James."
"Gabrielle. Her name is Gabrielle."
The Queen raised her free hand in the air and pumped it, shouting "HA! Yes!"
Without a second of hesitation, she jumped out of the chair, unfortunately forgetting that she was attached to a rather large warrior-type object, creating a sort of bungie effect for a moment. Giving a fierce tug, she began to pull an unwilling Consort Princess along with her towards the stage.
James smacked his forehead with his palm. "Oh Gods, not another pronouncement."
Xena's eyes were slitted as she thought of how close she had been to being alone with her new wife, and she glared angrily at Robin and James as she was dragged off, mouthing several well thought out threats, directed mainly at Robin.
Gabrielle finally got to the stage, with Xena sprawled unhappily at her feet, and called out. "I have an announcement."
The crowd miraculously fell silent.
"Some of you know that James, Robin, my Consort and I have a special bond. And although the explanation for that should have been obvious to anyone..." She looked directly at a sulking James, "...It is only just now I have received another...proof, of that connection. And since by extension it would seem that Robin of Montreal has a blood tie with my Consort, I would like to formally welcome her to my family." Applause. "And though not in the line of succession", she gestured to her royal scribe, "I now confer upon her the designation Amazon Princess. This to be a hereditary title to be passed to her heirs and descendants. May they always be welcomed to our lands."
As the Amazons as a group stood and welcomed their new princess, Robin was frozen in shock. 'What do you do, when a dream you couldn't have imagined, comes true?' she thought.
James was grumbling. "Sure, reward the snitch."
"James GABRIEL, the Traveller," Gabrielle started ominously; at least it sounded that way to James. "Has also been revealed to be of my blood, and though he has asked to be removed from consideration as a member of this tribe..."
There was some shocked reaction to this, but Gabrielle waved it off, "He might be able to choose membership, but he cannot choose his family. As such, though there may be no rank of Amazon Prince, I designate his daughter a member of our tribe, in training, and as her father and my kin, I command that he be accorded all rights as a member of the Royal Family, also to be transferred to his daughter's heirs and descendants. Amazons, will you welcome them both to our Nation!"
James looked about in terror as dozens upon dozens of drunken Amazons rushed forward to hug them both, while shrieking war cries. The last thing that James saw was Gabrielle being hoisted into Xena's arms as she waggled her fingers in an ironic good-bye, Xena doing the same with her eyebrows, clearly indicating her idea of what a fitting distraction looked like. Then before the crowd engulfed them, he noticed to his chagrin that the encroaching group included a curious Cyrene, and an angry Lila.
Chapter 2
A few candlemarks later, two riders reached the outskirts of the Amazon territory. A relaxed but giddy Gabrielle felt her soulmate's muscles finally unbend as they passed the boundary marker.
"Hey, glad to be out?"
"Oh, Yeah." Realizing how that might be interpreted, Xena backtracked. "I mean, we're going back, and I..."
"It's OK, love. I'm glad too." She chuckled into her warrior's back.
"Gabrielle.... we haven't really talked this out yet. You're their Queen; I think a great Queen, and they need you. Now there's a child...it changes everything."
"Sure, it's going to change things. Doesn't have to end anything. Not if it's important to us." Gabrielle took her lover's hand and pointed down the path. "You see up ahead? That's where I want to be. I don't know if there are bandits, or another village threatened by the bad guys, or a waterfall in a valley filled with daisies...but it will be you and me and Lycea together finding out, that's all that matters. That's where I want to be. Where we're supposed to be, and I know that as well as I know anything in this world."
Xena's throat caught. "I am so lucky to have you," she said huskily.
They rode in silence for a while, both enjoying the peace and their own company for a change, when a rock face came into view. Xena quickly hopped off, turning to assist the bard. Dismounting slowly, Gabrielle slowly slid down the length of her warrior's body, smiling up at her as her feet finally touched the ground. Xena held her like that for a moment before kissing her gently, before removing the saddlebags and giving Argo the signal that she was to find shelter. Gabrielle gave the war-horse a hug, and they moved towards the hidden cave entrance.
Carefully stepping on only the bedrock as they approached, Xena stopped suddenly, giving a whistle of astonishment.
Gabrielle shook her head. "Well, the student certainly learned from the master. Or else he didn't mean this cave?"
Xena gave an appreciative grin. "Nice job, isn't it? I bet those stones over there are to mask the cart tracks, but he's placed them all in the right position, with the moss facing the same way, then he swept the area and used the same surface dirt, let it fall into natural patterns..."
"If I didn't know what to look for... well, I guess no one's ever going to find us are they?"
"That apparently is the idea."
Gabrielle smiled, "Look. He even put the lichens back here, and these cobwebs look like they've been here for years."
"He's a fast learner. Sort of takes after someone I know."
They entered the cave carefully, Xena first as always, cautious that there might be unexpected visitors, when both of them caught a panoply of new scents.
Gabrielle sniffed appreciatively. "Someone's been busy. If it weren't for the line of Gurdsbane, the whole forest would be in here, I think. What are you looking for?"
"I was thinking he may have left a note."
"Why? Instructions?" Gabrielle smirked. "He probably decided we could figure most of it out by ourselves."
But Xena had spotted the parchment on the ledge. "Ha!"
"What does it say?"
Xena read and started to laugh. "It says ' I was going to leave instructions, but I decided you guys could figure most of it out by yourselves.'"
Gabrielle crinkled her nose. "That's almost scary."
"Almost? I've learned to handle the family traits, but think of poor Robin."
"Thanks, loads."
Xena chuckled and was about to reach for her flint to light one of the torches that lined the narrow entrance when her eyes adjusted and she realized there was already light coming from the adjoining cavern. Taking her bard's hand she led them towards it.
"Oh Xena...!"
Hundred of candles lit the high ceilinged cavern; their steady glow lighting the dozens of furs laid about the floor, reflected and multiplied by the cunningly placed shards of mirrors behind them, making the cavern seem to stretch off forever. The light from the natural spring behind them was iridescent. Both partners found that they were holding their breath as they took in the scene.
Xena looked up to confirm that any debris had been removed from the natural chimney above them, before dropping their saddle bags alongside where their bedrolls had been laid out in their standard camp arrangement, near a ready made fire. Gabrielle went immediately to the table where several pots were arranged; the source of the scents that had drawn her in.
"Look, he bought some of those containers from Salmoneous, the ones he said you could keep stuff and cook in the same pot. And there are more in the pond! We just hang them over the fire or the candles, and the meal's ready. Now that, is genius...."
"You would say that." Xena pouted. "Are we going to talk about your family all night? Because if you're going to be thinking about either of them, for any of the next while..."
Gabrielle was about to respond when she saw that their personal items from the Queen's hut had also been brought. She felt a spark of consternation that her journal had been moved, but shrugged it off knowing James would have respected its intimacy. She opened it and withdrew a scroll that she shyly presented to her warrior.
"I know we said that we wouldn't exchange any more gifts, but..."
Xena smiled and took a similar sheet from her bracers, and shamefaced, they exchanged them.
Both were poems, both reflected their different ways of expressing themselves, but both began with the same words:
Two hearts/one soul...
"Xena, I..." She began, but she was silenced by a kiss that took every conscious thought away. She looked up in a daze at her lover, revelling in the peace and desire she found there. Shaking her head in an attempt to clear it, she reached over to the table and grabbed a snack and asked: "Bathe or eat first?"
"Whichever you choose will have to be second." Xena adding deferentially, "My Queen."
"Hmmm, Your Queen, huh? Then how come you're making all the decisions again?"
"Only the ones involving life and security."
"And this does?"
"It's been a long, long week, Gabrielle. So, yeah. Life and security are definitely in danger if we eat or do anything else first."
"Xena?"
"Yes, Gabrielle...?"
"Hmmm. Say that again. Right...there..."
"Gabrielle..."
"Oh, yesss... How long are we going to stay here...?"
"Well I'd say there's enough food here to feed an army for about a week. But since it's you, maybe two, three days...."
"You are going to regret saying that..."
"Doubt that, my love. Right now, I can't regret anything. Not a single moment..."
Chapter 3
A week of events and partying had finally caught up with the Amazons, for only a few candlemarks after the royal couple had escaped, they and their guests had all drifted off to their various quarters, and Robin found herself helping to clean up. She was jumping up to extinguish one of the torches when she fell back and was caught by a pair of very strong arms. She turned to see who it was.
"Hercules, thank you. How are you?" she added.
"Getting there," the big man grimaced. "Getting there. I noticed the Centaurs are all up and about. I feel a little embarrassed..."
She looked him in the eye. "They've had at least a dozen hours more than you to get over something that was slipped into their food. You drank it straight, remember? To save Solari's life?"
"Thank you," he said and gave her a slow smile and then began to help her with the clean up. As they worked, he caught her looking at him every so often, until amused, he said, "What?"
"I was just thinking, that this was hardly the Aegean stables, and I realized who you were again, and what you've done..." and her voice became quieter, " and some of the other things you're supposed to have done..."
"And," he said as he threw more chair stumps to where the wood would be stacked, "you were thinking, they couldn't be true, what a nice guy, right?"
"Well, yeah..."
Hercules sat down in front of her, capturing her attention. "Do you think that someone like Xena, would have listened to just another 'nice guy" all those years ago?"
She shook her head.
He grew serious and looked her in the eyes. "When you're young, and you have certain abilities, you can abuse them. They can attract the attention of unwelcome forces... and it can be dangerous."
"You're telling me this, why?"
"Robin, I watched you practice with Xena. I saw you disarm a well-trained Amazon warrior, after only working with a sword for less than a week. Why do you think I'm telling you this?"
Robin was silent.
"Are you and James going to work together? Follow in their footsteps?"
"Umm, we've been talking about it, yeah."
"Good." He stood up, and put out his hand. "Then welcome to the fraternity. There's never enough heroes in the world, I'm told."
Robin blushed, too embarrassed to take his hand. "I'm, we're not heroes, Hercules."
He gravely took her hand, "Maybe not yet, but you can be. I think it's planned for you." And he smiled. "I'm still not sure if it's a curse or a gift, but it's meant for you, if you have the heart."
James chose that moment to interrupt with a small wheeled cart. "This is the best I could find to move stuff, but it shouldn't shake too much...Oh, I see you found some unskilled help." He left the cart and was about to ask about the demi-god's health, but something in his eyes told him that Hercules had had enough of that question.
Hercules cleared his throat. "I'm always happy to help, but I WAS hoping to talk to both of you." James moved to Robin and even though angry at him for the interruption, she took his hand.
"I would like to thank you..." Hercules began.
James saw where this was going, and knew how hard this was for his friend, so he interrupted. "It wasn't your time. The Fates would have just brought someone else if I hadn't been there."
The gentle giant smiled, "that may be, but I don't like owing ...things, so... If you still need a ride, I think I can cash in one of my sister's favours. But it will have to before Iolaus and I leave tomorrow. It could be right now, if you want."
For all of Robin's bravado the night before, despite all their plans for ensuring that she would remember, both lovers were struck with a sudden wave of fear, no terror, that this could be their last moment together. Turning to look at James, Robin blurted out, "No, we need another night..."
Hercules looked down at her, pretending to be sceptical. "If you think that the Goddess of Love would understand being together for another night, I'll try to convince her."
"Could…" James shook his head. "Could it be in the morning, a few moments after we both wake up?"
As the demi-god got up and walked over to resume the clean-up, he said "I'm sure that it will be okay," and the two frightened lovers wondered if he was right.
Chapter 4
"Hey! James?"
"What, love?"
"We've been ripped off! Half that neat disgusting stuff that was stuffed in the drawer that came from the motel with the bed is gone!"
"Uhh, well I sort of decided that it was essential, uh camping gear."
"Camping? Ooohh! What about the timeline?"
"I washed off all the labels?"
"So, how will they know what it is?"
"Finding out could be part of the whole camping experience."
"Hopefully enjoyable too..."
"I was thinking that."
"James. Are we going to talk about family all night? Because if you're going to be thinking about either of them, for any of the next while…"
Chapter 5
Robin awoke slowly. Every nerve in her body enjoying the luxuriousness of her stretch. She snuggled against the body beside her, feeling the warmth of their connection. 'Could get used to this', she mused, and then the thought struck her, 'Hell, how will I live without it?'
She opened her eyes to find James' centred on hers, seeing her panic mirrored in them. James leaned to kiss her but she evaded his lips and instead grasped his body with all her strength, as if she was defying the Gods to separate them.
Both were thinking the identical thoughts, 'please, dear God, Aphrodite, Artemis, Lord Jesus, don't take this away from me...'
And then it was all gone.
James opened his eyes to find himself alone in the silence of his own bedroom. He had one last breath of her scent, their scent, in his nostrils, and then it too disappeared. He could see the light from his bathroom, and hear the dulled rumble of traffic outside his window. A sense of catastrophic absence, of loss tore through his soul, and he began to hyperventilate. Each time he began to control his breathing, his throat would catch, and it would begin again. He sat on the edge of his bed like a child after a nightmare, rocking slightly back and forth, holding his cupped hands pressed to his diaphragm. He listened to his daughter's light snoring in the next room, and knew what he needed to calm himself.
He went to her bedroom door and watched her for a moment, her mouth slightly open, surrounded by her cats. One of the cat's eyes opened and caught the reflected light from the doorway, and he knew if he stayed for a moment longer Gabrielle would wake.
He went back to his room and stared at the telephone on his nightstand.
'If she can't find the number where she thought it was, she'll look it up. Anyways, I could just call Directory Assistance for her number.' He continued to stare at the phone. He looked at the clock. 3:45 A.M. 'I don't have to talk to her, I could just call, and when she answers... she will say... God, why hasn't she called?' His mind was blank. All the alternatives were just too frightening. He couldn't even pace, he could only stare at the phone, thinking of the night before. Their confidence, their plans...Her face, her hands, her eyes and smile... He was reaching for the phone for the second time, when it exploded with sound. He grabbed it and put the receiver to his ear so quickly he struck his head.
A warm voice complained "Whose dumb ass idea was it to transport right after we got up?"
Trying to control his emotion, James croaked, "If it was the last time, I wanted...I needed to wake up with you, just one more time."
He could feel the tears welling up as he tried to clear his throat.
"Then, I better haul my ass over there before the sun comes up, right?"
"Yup. That would...work. I'd like to see that ass, and ...you. Here. Soon as possible."
"You're not crying are you, James?"
"Why would you think that?"
"Because, I am. Crying for happy. So it'll be faster if I take a cab, OK?"
"Sounds like a plan." And there was a click, and a moment of anxiety even at this separation, until his eyes caught sight of a picture lying discarded on his coffee table. It was of an ancient clay pot, depicting the killing of a panther. By a single Amazon. And even in the photo he could clearly see that the hair was short and black. And the eyes were green.
The End
Songs used without permission, Here's To The Couple, a translation of Bantu Wedding Chants, arrangement by Pete Seeger, Hay una Mujer Desaparecida by Holly Near, Testimony by Ferron.
My sincere thanks to all who helped with this, the first fanfic I ever began, and to all who read this far. My story, Whose Child, is somewhat of a sequel, and can be found here.
http://xenafiction.net/scrolls/kamouraskan_wc.html
Kam