Disclaimers: THEY DON'T BELONG TO ME!!!! Geez! Have I said that enough times to make me puke! Gabrielle, Xena, Jan, Mel, Ephiny, Toris and Argo belong to USA/Renpics/MCA and whoever else says they do. Personally I don't give a rat's bucktooth. K? And, NO! I am not bitter!
Candace, Taylor, Terra, Skye, and any other folks mentioned are mine to play with as I will. And you can believe I will. Over and over again!
Language Alert: No foreign languages. Sign Language mentioned. Foul language used as is warranted.
Sex: I haven't started this part yet but I am betting that it'll sneak in there somehow. SO>>> If you are under age, please don't read this. If you can't stand the thought of sexy, hot, toned, delectable, just down-right-yummy women, lovin' all on each other OR the aforementioned is unlawful where you live, this is the wrong thing for you to be reading. I guess my question would be......how did you get this far in your reading without realizing this? Hummm?
Spoilers: HooH Boy! Yep. Every single season. If you don't want to know what happens, this is the wrrrrong thing for you to read.
Bionomics warning: There is detailed sex education in this installment. If you are against this, don't let your children read it. (Don't let them read it at all! Heavens! What kind of parent are you anyway?) If you need an education, you have come to the right place. Sex Ed 101½
All comments go to ME UgoXena@aol.com
Part 4
The six women stood silently contemplating the task at hand. Candace, Gabrielle, Xena had known the great warrior that was Senar. The grief that touched each one of them was different in it's content and yet deeply painful in each right. Senar had stood with Candace at her wedding and had stood for her as a friend on more occasions than she could count. She would miss seeing the strong woman. Senar had been support to Xena when she grieved first for Gabrielle and then for Candace. She had forgiven the Warrior Princess when she hadn't deserved forgiveness. These were debts she could never repay. For Gabrielle the grief was perhaps the deepest. Senar had been one of her strongest advocates when she had ascended the throne. The Captain of the Royal Guard had asked her for Ephiny's hand in joining. She had been thrilled when two of her dearest friend had married. Now one of those dear friends was no longer with them. Right or wrong, it was no less tragic.
"Xe, when do you want to go?" Candace turned to speak her first words directly to the warrior. The familiarity was not lost on anyone. Candace knew Xena and the way the warrior thought. It was not something that could be ignored by any of the group.
Xena raised an eyebrow at the comment, noting the nickname with some discomfort and yet the ease with which it was spoken let it settle in her mind. There would be no getting around this. They had to talk. Later. "Mid-morning I think. Gabrielle and I had a long ride today. We all need to prepare tonight so that we can get on the road as early as we can. With six of us traveling..... they are going aren't they?"
Taylor answered, "I don't think we can't leave them here. Besides, if they are part of whatever brought us here, they need to be with us."
"Good point." Xena nodded her support at the firefighter.
Taylor smiled at the small praise. She liked Xena in spite of herself and like it or not she was seeking her approval.
Xena continued, "Anyway, with six travelers plus four guard this is turning into a freakin' caravan. It might take all day tomorrow to get it all together."
Candace smiled at Xena's choice of words and then addressed the Amazon escort. "Reece? How long have we got?"
"Your Highness, they won't start without you." The tall warrior bowed slightly.
"Jeez, with the Highness thing again. Am I still regent? I thought you were." She nodded at Gabrielle.
"We'll have to look in the by-laws. I'm sure there is something in there about Regents who disappear and then suddenly reappear due to time-travel. Everything else in the world is in there." The humor took some of the edge off the heavy air that was hanging in the air.
"We need to arrange rooms first. I'll talk to Toris. Three rooms, right?"
Taylor spoke up again, "I think four would be best." She looked down at her partner for approval and Candace nodded.
Xena looked at her shorthaired twin. "Why?"
"Personally, I think Skye would blow a gasket." Candace gave a slight smile at the thought of Terra and Skye in the same bed. *Yep, the girl would have a heart attack, no doubt about it.*
"Blow a gasket? Well, we can't have that, whatever it means. I'll talk to Tor. We'll need supplies. Candace and Taylor, Amira went to the market today. See what she has that we can pilfer."
The two nodded and Candace commented on the assignment. "Cool! Honey, we get to raid the fridge!"
"You would enjoy that, wouldn't you love!" Despite the jealous twinges she was feeling she was going to get over it. She pulled her lover close to her and kissed her head. Candace turned in her arms and wrapped herself around the tall woman's waist. "If I haven't told you today, I love you."
"That's good 'cause I love your back....... and your front, too." She smiled at the old private joke. Candace giggled, forgetting of course that warriors don't do that.
"Oh yeah! C'mon! Let's see what we can coax Amira into giving us." She dragged Taylor with her as she trudged to the pantry in the back of the inn.
"What would you like me to do, Xe?" Gabrielle smiled at her spouse and put a tight arm around her.
"Could you make it so I don't feel like shit over this whole thing?" Xena looked into green eyes that loved her with everything in the known world.
Skye watched the look on Xena's face as the tall warrior gazed at Gabrielle. She sighed. What had bothered her yesterday she was coveting today. It wrapped around her heart and she wasn't sure why. There was a tangible feeling between the two couples and it touched her. She listened to the emotion in Gabrielle's voice when she answered the tall blue eyed woman.
"Which part love? The part where the wife you had comes back with her lover or the part where one of your best friends dies in battle that should never have taken place?" Gabrielle's understanding never ceased to amaze Xena.
"Both?" She smiled weakly. "Nah. Not really. I don't know how I feel about seeing Candace again. I am.....disconnected. Maybe it's the shock of seeing her, but I know I dealt with those emotions years ago. You know her better than anyone. How do you think she is going to deal with this. Better yet, how about you?"
Gabrielle smiled tenderly at her wife. "I know how much I love you and I know how much you love me, I'm not afraid of anything that gets thrown our way. I do know how much she loved you, and if she loves Taylor half as much......you haven't got a chance." She smiled with a wide grin and elbowed Xena in the side.
Xena laughed at the comment and pulled Gabrielle close to her. She put her face in the golden hair that covered the precious head of her love and took in the scent that brought her peace. "Are ya sure?"
"Watch out, Warrior. I know where you sleep at night. You just might wake up missing certain important appendages."
"Ow! I'll try to behave." She hugged Gabrielle tighter. "I love you, my Bard."
"And I you, Warrior."
"You watch our friends here." She nodded at Terra and Skye. "I'll be right back." Xena kissed sweet lips and took off in search of her brother.
Gabrielle turned to the remaining group. What a ragtag bunch this was going to be. A warrior, a bard a,........well whatever Taylor is, two Regents, four members of the royal guard and two clueless teenagers. Gabrielle smiled at the thought of her warrior and Taylor having to deal with the group. It was bound to be interesting. She tried hard not to smile at the guards. They were so stiff it was giving her a headache.
"Reece? Could you guys find something to do besides hover? Go drink or something." She gave the typical Gabrielle hand flick to "shoo".
"Begging your Highness's pardon, but we are here to safeguard you, not to.....drink or something." The dark eyed officer gave the Regent a stern look.
Gabrielle glared back at the guard and addressed her tersely. "You may not 'beg my pardon', Lieutenant. I am fully capable of defending and fending for myself, thank you. Now go play."
Reece took a step toward Gabrielle and moved to put a hand on her elbow, hoping to guide her to a more private spot for a discussion of Amazon protocols. Before the tall warrior could touch her hand to Gabrielle, she found her feet swept out from under her and her eyes staring at the ceiling after a jarring fall to the floor of the tavern. The three remaining guards drew their weapons and advanced on the offender. Gabrielle didn't have time to react to the surprise of the action before the rest of the Amazons were either flying across the room or falling hard to the floor. A tall raven-haired woman stood poised in front of the shocked Regent. Blue eyes full of fire turned to her.
"Are you alright, Miss Gabrielle?" Terra's voice was edged with concern.
"I'm fine Terra. Thanks........I think." She looked around at the destruction and the mighty Amazons laid out around her and then back to her protector. She looked over at Skye who just smiled at her. She shook her head. There were missing pieces here that she didn't understand yet.
Candace and Taylor came running from the kitchen followed closely by Xena. The astounded looks on the faces of the group were such that Gabrielle would have paid large amounts of money to preserve them. But who could blame them? Four strapping warriors were strewn haphazardly about the room all performing different acts of holding their various pained body parts. One shock faced Regent stood under the obvious protection of one blue eyed fireball. Terra turned quickly towards the group advancing on them. She stood down when she saw who was approaching.
Xena's eyebrows shot as far up her forehead as they would go but Candace spoke first. "What the hell! Gabrielle, are you OK?"
"Fine thanks. I don't think our warriors are doing as well, however." She tried to help Reece up but was unsuccessful.
Xena stepped to Gabrielle's side. "What happened?"
"I'm really not sure." The blonde shrugged her shoulders. "One minute I was telling Reece to go play. Next thing I know feathers, leather and women are flying everywhere."
"Terra, would you care to explain your actions?" Xena was impressed with Terra's evident skills, but she didn't want those skills utilized without control.
"Yes, Xena. That woman," she said pointing to the fallen lieutenant, "was about to put her hand on Miss Gabrielle without permission. I can't allow that."
"I see." Xena was impressed. Very impressed. "Reece?"
The officer had finally regained her feet. "Your Highness?"
"Is what Terra said true?" Piercing eyes bored holes through the guard.
Reece dropped her gaze. Placing hands on royalty without permission at any time, except for protective purposes, was strictly forbidden. Gabrielle was more approachable than any other members of the royal community and she had forgotten herself. "Yes, ma'am."
"Then Terra's actions were honorable and efficient as well. Nicely done Terra." Xena nodded at the girl and Terra beamed. "Reece, I think Gabrielle and Candace are in capable hands. Wouldn't you agree?" She gave a lopsided smirk to the bested Amazon.
Reece bowed and replied, "It would seem so, your Highness."
"You guys have a camp set up?"
"Yes."
"I would suggest you go there and lick your wounds. Be back here at mid-day ready to travel. We'll go as far as we can tomorrow. Understand?"
"Yes, your Highness."
"Oh and Reece? I wouldn't try to get on Terra's bad side if I were you? Got it?"
Reece knew that Xena was instructing her not to retaliate. Like she'd try. She had never been hit that hard that fast in her life. "Nothing to worry about there, your Highness. We bid you goodnight. Come on you losers." She motioned to her subordinates and the High Royal Guard left the tavern tails tucked securely between their legs.
"Anyone care to explain this?" Gabrielle looked right at Taylor.
The tall firefighter swallowed hard at the tone of voice. She looked at Xena who was thrilled that it wasn't her getting the royal inflection. Xena shrugged at her and then motioned for the firefighter to explain. Taylor gave Xena a slight sneer of "Thanks alot." and turned back to Gabrielle.
"Well, ya see it's like this...it's...she's...umm well." She gave a pleading look to Xena for help. Nope.
"Are you always this articulate?" Gabrielle grinned slyly at Candace who acknowledged her with a wink. The two dark-haired women were so much alike it was frightening. Neither one of them could stand up to the blondes when under direct questioning.
Taylor sighed heavily. "You have no idea."
"Taylor, relax. I don't bite. Well at least not you." She giggled and it caused Xena to smile.
"But, you're royalty. I've never met royalty before. On top of that you're Gabrielle. The Gabrielle."
"Great. I hate to be the one to tell you this, you have met royalty before. You're practically married to it. People will treat her as such, so I would get used to it if I were you. And....I am Gabrielle, no 'the' in front of that. I didn't mean to be terse with you. Sorry. Please, tell me what is going on."
"Can we get table and sit?" Candace thought they could all use a break.
They sat and Taylor explained. "Where Terra and Skye come from, they are slaves."
"Oh my Gods. Slaves? I didn't think there was that much slavery where, I mean when you are. Where are they from?"
"You aren't going to believe this. They're from Mars." Taylor didn't know of any other way to put it.
"You mean Mars, Mars? Gabrielle knew the future, having lived there with Candace, and knew that Mars was not inhabited.
"You mean Mars the other War God?" Xena had no clue.
"No, no, no. Mars the planet." Taylor tried to explain.
"Got it. Planet. Mars." *What in the Gods name are they talking about.*
Taylor knew that Xena was bluffing because she had done it more than once in her life. She knew that look as if it were her own. "Anyway, it seems that Terra here is an..a....um..well see...she is a...bodyguard. Yep. She's a bodyguard." Taylor grinned at the group and was met by three sets of very unconvinced green eyes. Skye knew what Terra was and it wasn't a bodyguard. Xena rolled her eyes and shook her head. She was sure that Taylor would learn one day, but today wasn't it.
"Whaaaaaat?" The firefighter's face crinkled up in a Xena like fashion.
"Sweetheart, you are the worst liar on the face of the Earth." Candace patted her love on the thigh.
"But..."
"Tay. Don't even try. Give it up." Candace gave her a hard look.
Gabrielle nodded. She was impressed with the way Candace knew Taylor. She was sure that Candace had the advantage having known the original first.
"Alright. Remember, you asked for this! She's an assassin." Taylor grimaced and waited for the response. It wasn't long in coming.
"SHE'S A WHAT?"
Terra flinched at the tone of voice with which Gabrielle spoke. She bowed her head in shame. Of course these women don't understand the horrors she had committed. Tears threatened to well in her eyes but she refused them. Skye reached a calming hand to Terra. Pained sapphire eyes gazed into the green and she was calmed to her heart.
Candace nodded negatively at Gabrielle and nudged her head toward the young women. The Regent saw the look on Terra's face and changed her approach. She leaned in to speak softly to the young woman. "Terra. Sweetheart." Gabrielle was sitting across from her and reached her hands across the table and touched Terra's arm. "I am just a little surprised, that's all. There is nothing...wrong," she looked at Xena and shrugged her shoulders, "with what you do. I just hope that none of us will be one of your.....targets."
"OH NO, Miss Gabrielle. Never! You would never. How could you think.......I'm so sorry."
"Terra." Candace spoke calmly to Terra. The soft blue eyes looked up at her seeking solace. "Honey, we don't care what you do or what you've done. What we do care about is you. Trust me. In this place, your....abilities might turn out to be just what we need. OK?"
"Yes, Miss Candace."
"And Terra?" Xena's resonating voice cut her soul. "Thank you for protecting Gabrielle. I couldn't have done better myself. Well done." She flashed a winning smile at the girl who blushed deeply.
"You're welcome. I am very sorry if I was out of line, but it seemed appropriate at the time."
The Regent smiled. "Any time a tall gorgeous woman with blue eyes wants to protect me, I'm game."
In a small jealous way, Skye wasn't too sure she appreciated Gabrielle's appreciation, but she was pleased that they were accepting of Terra's actions. They had never felt a part of anything. That was until now. To be extricated from the small community they had found in these women would be devastating. There was more to them than just friendship. Skye thought this must be what family felt like. There had been stories in the colony about families, but she had never seen one. Slaves were only produced as other slaves died. It was very regulated. Owners never had children. It was said that children were too much trouble and took up valuable time and resources. Skye had met 'little' Candace and didn't see where the evil was that was spoken of by the Owners. If this was a family she knew she wanted one. She would do what it took to stay. Skye was shaken out of her reverie by Xena's voice.
"OK here's the deal on the rooms. They're all full except two. The good news is that there are two beds in each. So, I guess my question is who goes where?"
Candace knew it would be impossible to put Skye and Terra in the same bed. Maybe in the same room, but if they expected to find either one of them alive in the morning, different beds were a necessity. "Taylor and I will take one. You guys take the other with Terra. Skye can stay with us."
Terra, ever the overly protective friend, voiced her protest. "I want to be with Skye."
"Of course you do. Now, do you want to sleep with her in the bed or on the floor beside her." Candace made sure the raven-haired girl knew what she was asking for.
"Well, neither." She really wanted to sleep in the same bed but Skye wouldn't allow that.
"Then the floor it is."
"Why can't you sleep with Skye and I'll sleep with Taylor." Terra was not getting it at all.
Xena smirked and teased her friend. "Yes Candace. Why can't you sleep with Skye?"
"I can Xena, but I'd rather sleep with Taylor." The tone in her voice acknowledged the jibe and her eyes told the warrior to be careful what she asked for. Trouble was her middle name and she knew how to dish as well as take. "Why don't YOU sleep with Skye?"
Xena raised her eyebrows and opened her mouth to reply with a smart remark of her own when she was cut short by a frantic voice.
"NO!" Terra almost lost it right then.
"Goodness. Why not Terra?" Tease was Xena's middle name for more than one reason.
"Well, she's um. You....you see, it's like this...uuh...ohhh!"
Gabrielle leaned over to Candace and whispered. "It's a character trait, right?" Candace snickered and Gabrielle spoke up. "By Royal Decree I move that all the blondes go to one room and all the tall women with blue eyes to the other. All Regents in favor say aye."
Both Regents answered. "Aye."
"Those Regents opposed say nay. None. Good motion carried. Slumber party it is." Gabrielle smiled at the shocked faces of the three tall blue eyed women.
"Can they do that?" Terra still didn't get all the dynamics of the group but she was beginning to understand who was really in charge and it wasn't them.
"They just did." Taylor looked at her partner and suddenly realized what it was going to mean being the escort of a certain time traveling regent.
=/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
"Miss Gabrielle?" A small voice spoke to the woman sitting on the bed across the room from her.
"Yes Miss Skye." She smiled to herself. It really wasn't that bad, being called Miss. It was much better than Your Majesty...Highness... Empress blah, blah, blah. On top of that it was more sincere. Skye showed them honor because she wanted to, not because she had to. In her opinion it was time to return the favor. Skye had never been honored before except by Terra, and it was high time.
"Please, don't call me that. I don't deserve it."
Gabrielle turned her head to face the young woman. She was truly beautiful. Gabrielle knew that both she and Candace were attractive women, but there was a quality about the young blonde that exuded beauty from within her very soul. An innocence and humility that permeated her being. It gave her a factor that could not be explained and yet was very real. Her soulful green eyes gazed at her with the truth she felt she spoke. The bard felt her spirit pricked with the emotion evident in the sea of green.
"Skye, come sit with me."
Skye crossed the room with a small amount of trepidation. She couldn't help the years of training ingrained in her. She sat down next to the woman that had saved her soul and wasn't even aware of it.
Gabrielle put a comforting arm around her. Skye leaned her head on Gabrielle's shoulder and the girl didn't even notice the gesture. The bard kissed the blonde head and then did what she did best. She spoke from her heart right into the heart of another. "I wish I could take away all the hurtful and hateful things that have ever been done to you and to Terra. You are such a precious being and you don't even know it. The love that comes bursting out of you so naturally, shines like a light in a very dark place. A person can't help but see it even from the furthest distance. My dear Skye, no one ever deserves to be treated with respect. That you have to earn. And you, sweetheart, earn it with every breath that you take. You are more than worthy to be held in the highest regard."
A tear rolled down Skye's cheek and landed on the back of the older woman's hand. Skye sat upright and looked at her. The love of which Gabrielle had just spoken, shone brightly in the eyes that matched her own.
"I don't know what to say to that, Miss Gabrielle. I can tell you this though. If I have ever loved anyone in my life, I know I love you. You saved me."
Gabrielle looked at Candace who had been touched by the words that she had shared with the girl. The other regent cleared her throat and wiped the tears from her cheeks then she spoke to her friend. "She has to tell you, Gab. I can't. It's interesting."
"Everything with these two is." She looked back to her progeny. "Skye, can you tell me what you mean by that. I haven't known you that long. Not long enough to save you."
"It's so hard to explain, but I'll do my best. I what is known as a 'pleasure slave'. I am for the purpose of....."
"I get it, Skye. No need to go into detail." *Or for you to recall those memories.*
"OK. When I was being used for pleasure, there were times when I would lose consciousness from either pain or exhaustion and sometime hunger and thirst."
Gabrielle cringed inwardly at the even these small details of Skye's torment. She wasn't being used for pleasure. The Owners had used her in their own sadistic games and called it pleasure. If she could get her hands on those monsters, she would string them up by their "pleasure sticks". The blonde tamped back her anger and listened to the sweet woman who told her a tale of horror.
"When this would happen, you would come into my dreams and make me forget. You sang to me and told me stories. I love you because you loved me. Now, here you are. Thank you Miss Gabrielle. I owe you my life." Her eyes filled with tears once again and she took Gabrielle's face in her hands. "Thank you."
It was now Gabrielle's turn to cry. She gathered Skye into her arms and held her in a protective embrace. They rocked together as she cried with Skye. She had no idea how she had ever invaded the dreams of the girl, but she was thrilled that she had been the one. "You're welcome, Miss Skye. I love you, too."
"I know." The girl smiled and remained in the kind embrace of her protector.
Candace sat and watched the exchange wishing that she could have had the words within her to convey the same emotions that Gabrielle had so easily imparted. But she was a singer not a bard. Then again, there was something about Gabrielle that was so much more than she was. Gab was the first. The strongest. When she had lost her she had lost so much of herself. Gabrielle had said that she was all that the bard was, and it was true to an extent. She was everything, just not as much. It was like they were the same painting, but her colors were not quite as bright. It was awesome to experience all that Gabrielle truly was.
Gabrielle released the girl and wiped her eyes. "Well, I feel better! A good cry always does that." She laughed and the spirits in the room lifted considerably.
"I never cry this much. It's not really allowed but it happens anyway. You're right though. I feel better. But there is something bothering me."
Candace knew what was coming, so to speak. "Does this have to do with what happened this afternoon at the lake?"
Skye blushed furiously and shook her head to the affirmative.
"What happened at the lake today?" Gabrielle was in the dark again about things concerning the young woman.
"Seems that our little girl here had a dream."
Gabrielle's eyebrows raised in curiosity.
"Did you just call me a girl?" Skye was getting her dander up.
"It's a term of endearment when it comes from us, honey. I would never call you a girl. Well, not to your face anyway. I didn't mean anything by it, OK?"
"OK."
The bard put in her question and hoped for the answer. "So, uh.. what was this...dream about?"
"It's hard to tell you, but I'll try. Well, it started out that I was on the back of the horse with Miss Taylor. Oh! That was so wonderful. It was almost like flying and I want to do it again very soon. And Miss Taylor was so nice to let me ride Mugs. What a sweet horse he is. You know, Candace helped me pet him. His nose.....right his nose...was so soft. Almost like....."
Candace smiled, "Skye?"
"Huh?" The young blonde looked up.
"The dream?"
"Right, sorry. I do that. Anyway, we, Miss Taylor and I are riding and feels really nice. She's so strong and brave. Then I start to feel funny. My heart starts to pound and my hands get all sweaty. Then I realize that it's Terra riding with me and not Miss Taylor. Which is OK but all of a sudden we are......we're uh...n....d."
"Huh? I didn't hear that." Gabrielle squinted as if not seeing clearly would help her hearing.
Skye could not have been any more red if they had dipped her in a vat of beet dye. The girl started to breathe heavily and was in danger of hyperventilating again.
Candace walked to the bed and sat on the other side of the woman from Mars. "Calm down Skye. We're your friends here. There is nothing that you could tell us that would make us upset."
The young woman threw her body back on the bed. "Oh Miss Candace, it's not you I'm worried about. I have just never had thoughts like this. They are wrong, but I can't seem to help them."
Candace joined her in her reclined position. "Ohhhh. It's alright. We all have certain thoughts now and again. It's not wrong."
"Maybe not here, but on The Colonies, it was grounds for execution to even have thoughts about another woman let alone do what I dreamt. Hoo boy!"
"And those thoughts were....." Skye was as bad as they were, Gabrielle noted. This one story could go on all night. The bard joined her sisters on the bed, laid back and listened.
"OK So, Terra and I, are on a horse, it wasn't Mugs, it was a different kind of horse. He was just as nice though and maybe taller. Different color, too. Kinda white with a black nose and spots....And...."
"Skye."
"Huh? Oh Right. Well, we....I...gosh...it's like this....we....well I....no we...."
"It's contagious."
Gabrielle had to stifle the laugh that wanted to sneak out at Candace's comment.
"Well, we were naked." There she said it and the thought sent the same signals to her body that it had before. She sat straight up and covered her face with her hands. This was so confusing.
"Is that all? You were naked? That seems innocent enough." Gabrielle was fascinated by Skye's reaction. Modest was one thing. This seemed to be another.
"OH NO It gets worse!"
"Uh huh. OK Lay back down. Good. Take a deep breath and tell us the rest."
Skye put her head back down on the bed and stared the ceiling for what seem like forever to the two regents but not nearly long enough for the former slave. She breathed deeply and calmed her nerves. She could do this. She had to know what had happened to her.
"I'm fine. We are naked and it's so warm in the sun and the breeze is soft on my skin. Oh! That is the most wonderful feeling. It was like little kisses up and down my...."
"Skye?"
"Huh? Oh. So I am behind Terra my body is brushing against hers and it's like little shocks going through me wherever we touch and then......and then I am touching her. Oh man! Whoo!" Her face was hot and so were other parts of her anatomy. "I don't mean like her arms or her back. I mean TOUCHING her. On her breasts and up and down her legs. They were so soft and strong at the same time. I could feel the muscles tighten when she would squeeze them together. And I moved my hands up real slow inside of her thigh and I let them brush against the hair ever so lightly. She moved forward for me to touch her there but I didn't...."
The two older women were beginning to feel the effects of Skye's story. "You didn't?" Suddenly Candace was disappointed.
"No, well not yet. So she tried to get me to, but I just wanted to run my hands all over her body. I stroked her stomach up to her breasts and then I pulled on her nipples and kissed her on her back. She moaned for me to 'Please touch her'. So I kept one hand massaging her breast while the other slid down to her....."
"SKYE! Lord!" Candace sat upright. "That's enough!"
"But I'm not finished. Am I making you angry?" The question was so innocent it was funny.
Gabrielle laughed. "Angry is not a word I would use to describe this exactly. So what happened next?"
The girl looked at Candace unsure of whether or not to resume. She didn't want to upset the poor woman. Candace nodded and she continued, "My other hand went down between her legs and she was so slick."
"Wet." Gabrielle interjected.
Candace looked at her and added, "Slippery."
"Moist"
"Damp."
"Saturated."
"Dripping." The two older women burst out in giggles. It seemed that Regents did that on occasion.
"Excuse me. I thought this was my dream." Skye had started and wanted to finish.
"Sorry. Go ahead, Skye. We're listening." Gabrielle smiled at the girl and did the flick thing.
Skye started again. "She was....all of those words. The feeling scared me and I woke up. It gets even worse from there. I sat up and Terra right there and was really naked right in front of me. She had water dripping off of her skin and running across her breasts and ohhh my. I had this, this aching right here." She pointed to the spot that was aching again and blushed.
Candace closed her eyes and pinched her nose at the bridge. Gabrielle cleared her throat and tried to act as if this discussion was same 'ol, same 'ol.
"So I touched it."
The very regal regents in their nighties sat up so fast they got dizzy. "You What?" They asked in unison.
"I touched it."
"And?????" Candace was more than curious.
"I can't explain it. But it was....wow! Little tickles of pleasure ran up and down my legs and I couldn't think of anything except how I wished Terra could feel how I felt at just that moment. It was amazing."
"The first one always is." Gabrielle smiled to herself thinking of the time her warrior had brought her to her first release. It had been magnificent. She blushed at the thought even today. It had been the sweetest encounter that they had ever shared and she cherished it.
"First one what?" Skye didn't understand yet.
"The big 'O'." Candace smiled.
"Release." Gabrielle joined in again.
"Coming."
"Climax."
"Goin' over the edge." They laughed again and the girl was frustrated.
"Excuse me. Is this a private conversation or can anybody join?"
"Sorry Skye. What happened to you is called an orgasm." Candace never thought she would need to explain the birds and the bees, in this case the birds and the birds, to anyone.
"An organic? What does farming have to do with what happened to me?"
"No, no. Not organic, orgasm. It's when your body builds up....sexual tension to the point where it has to be released. When it is released it is the most wonderful feeling in the world. It's best when you are with someone you love."
"What do you mean someone? Someone touches you......THERE? Like with their hand or something?"
"Or something." Gabrielle interjected. She knew of a certain something she wanted to touch her there right now, but it was in another room.
"Skye, don't you know anything about sex?" Candace was curious.
"I know what men did to me. They said it was sex. I guess I know something."
"Did they ever touch you in the same way you touched yourself this afternoon?" Gabrielle was in on the questioning now.
"No."
"Did they ever kiss you?"
"You mean on the lips like you kiss Taylor?" She blushed again just from the thought of kissing anyone.
"Yeah, like that?"
"Not like that. It was real rough and I hated it." She shuddered at the thought. "They tasted bad. Rotten. Ack." She shook again.
"Gross! Has anyone ever.....never mind I know the answer to that. Skye there is so much more to love than the 'sex' you have experienced. There is the touching and the looking."
"Don't forget the flowers!" Gabrielle was always the one for romance.
"Oh yeah, and there should be flowers."
"So you do this with flowers?" This was sounding strange.
"No. But you should get flowers before." Candace was sure they were going to totally confuse her.
"I have to go get flowers." Skye was now taking mental notes.
"You don't get them. The person you want to make love to gives them to you." Gab tried to make things clear. Between the two women she looked as if she were watching tennis.
"If I want to make love to them how do they know to bring me flowers?"
"If they bring you flowers, there's a good chance they want to make love to you, too." Gab made a good point.
"So I have to wait for this person to bring me flowers?"
"I am sure that Terra will bring you flowers when she's ready." Candace smiled at herself. She was so good.
"I don't think Terra thinks about me in that way. She is my friend but she would never think of me naked on a horse I can tell you. If she knew what I dreamed about her it would make her ill."
The singer stated the obvious. "Girl you are blind. She is so in love with you it hurts her."
"With me. Why would she love me?"
"Because she can't help it." Gabrielle spoke the truth.
"I don't know. She never did anything to show me she felt that way. I mean, even with the code forbidding love between slaves we had ways of showing how we felt. She has always been a good friend but she has never given me anything or touched my elbow."
"Skye, have you ever thought that she didn't do those things because she was afraid that you would reject her?" Gabrielle was the true expert on Xena traits. If Terra was the same way, and there was every indication that she was, it would take and act of the Gods or a couple of sneaky regents to bring Terra out of her shell.
"I don't know. I sure like her though. She so good to me. I never have to worry about being safe when she's around. I don't know what I would do after that dream I had." Her mind started to wander again and a small sweat broke out on her lip. "I never thought about her like that."
"Its time to start thinking!" Candace smiled and thought about her firefighter. Their relationship had gotten off to a slow start as well. Well, slow on the Xena scale. They had gone through many trials during the short time they had spent together. Mostly because of her pain at losing Xena and her friends. Seeing the warrior again had more than shocked her system but she saw the total love Xena had for Gabrielle and it made it easier for some reason. She and Xena had started out as best friends and it seemed that the friendship would continue with a vengeance. On top of that, she loved Taylor so deeply it scared her some days. She would always have that stupid fear that she would lose Taylor just as she had lost Xena. It was the price she paid for having played with the Gods.
"I did some thinking this afternoon and look what happened. I have seen Terra naked many times. Why would this time be so different?"
"You are in a place where you can let yourself feel all of the things that have been stored up in your head and your heart. You may not think about it while you're awake but your subconscious knows. Thus the dream and the other thing that went with it." The singer was waxing psychological on them.
"You mean the orgasm." Skye had no concept of tact.
"Yeah that." Gabrielle snickered.
"What does it mean to make love. I mean what do you do?" Skye's innocent face turned to the right and then to the left questioning the two older women with a glance.
Candace leaned back and looked at Gabrielle who had leaned back as well. It was a '"You tell her." "No. You tell her."' silent conversation. They would both tell her.
The two blondes proceeded to share with Skye the many sundry and subtle details of making love to a warrior. She was shocked on more than one occasion and intrigued at others. When the subject finally turned to the subject of oral pleasure she about jumped out of her sunburned skin.
"I do WHAT?"
"You put your tongue on her clitoris and lick slowly." Candace grinned at the thought. *Yes indeed! That's what you do.*
"Oh Creighton! OH Creighton! I don't think so." Her breath control was lost again.
"It's the best part. So soft and warm in your mouth. And they move so nicely under you."
"The moaning, Gab, don't forget the moaning."
"Yeah! The sounds they make can make you so hot and wet."
"Steamy."
"Aching."
"Needing." They lost it again. You would think that royalty would be a tad more modest. Apparently not.
"Excuse me. Is this for your education or mine?
"Sorry, Skye. Where was I. I promise you would like it. Sweetheart, it's like moths to a flame. You just can't stay away. Once you kiss her all over her body you can't stop until you've tasted heaven."
"Oh yeah! Sweet nectar of the Gods!" Candace smiled distractedly.
"Mmm mm mm. Can't get enough."
"OKOKOK I understand. This is something you enjoy. But the taste of it. Is it good?"
"It can be the best thing on earth." Candace was certain of that.
"Seems kind of unsanitary. I mean there are times after a long day when I know I smell horrid down there. I don't think I would want to do that."
"That's when you bathe first. Get them in a hot bath with you and clean 'em up." Baths were a Xena and Gabrielle favorite.
"And let them clean you up. Soap sliding all up and down your body only to be replaced by strong hands." Candace and Taylor were not far behind.
"And long fingers."
"Oh yeeeeah!"
"Fingers?" Skye thought for a moment. "Ohhhhh. Got it."
"Skye just imagine how a soft warm mouth would feel on you and that's the pleasure you give to your partner." Candace hoped she would understand. If not, she would find out soon enough. The Regent had a feeling that they were in the process of creating a monster.
Gabrielle took it upon herself to get them to bed. "OK kids! Enough sex talk for one night. Time for bed. We have a long day ahead of us. You guys probably haven't traveled like this for a while so we will hopefully take things slow. You know Xena though. If she gets antsy I'll try to talk some sense into her. Skye do you want to sleep alone or with one of us?"
Skye thought deeply on the proposal. "Alone. I wouldn't want to wake up from any dreams and do inappropriate things."
"Candace, looks like you and me, babe."
"It always is."
=/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
Two tall women stared at the ceiling while another one slept soundly. The room was almost deadly quiet.
Taylor didn't understand how this had happened. She was in the same bed with her partner's former wife. Odd was not the word she would use exactly.
"Taylor?"
"Mm?"
"Stop."
"Stop what?"
"Thinking. It's keeping me awake."
"What makes you think I'm thinking?"
"Cause I know you. You're just like me and if I were you I'd have a problem with this little arrangement."
"Yeah, well I gotta say it's a little weird."
"I promise I won't try to kiss you in my sleep." Xena grinned slyly in the dark.
"Ack! Gross! Now Gabrielle! Hooo Yaaa! She could kiss me if she wanted." The firefighter laughed.
"Touch her and die, Taylor."
"Touchy, touchy! You should learn to relax."
"Killing relaxes me."
"Great. If I wake up dead I'll know why. Counting sheep wasn't 'relaxing' enough for you."
"Nah. I'd torture you first. It takes the edge off." Xena liked the fact that Taylor knew she could tease her. Maybe they would get along after all.
"You're scary." Taylor laughed softly.
"You have no idea." Xena let her mind wander for a moment to times not so pleasant. She shut the thoughts down almost as quickly they came. "So Taylor. What do you do in your time? Gabrielle says that everyone has work that they do. Do you have a...job?"
"I am a firefighter."
"Interesting. What does a firefighter do? Do you burn people with fire while fighting? What?" It sounded horrific.
"No. If a home or a business or whatever, catches on fire I go with a bunch of other guys and try to put it out."
"What if there are people inside then what?" This sounded like something she would enjoy.
"Then I go in and get them."
"How do you do that? I mean what if the flames are too big or too hot?"
"We have special equipment that we wear and use. Masks and tanks of oxygen, clothes that are fireproof. Sometime though, we can't get them. Sometimes no matter what we do or how hard we try, someone dies and there isn't a thing we can do about it. Not a damn thing." Taylor's frustration at some earlier situation was manifest in her tone of voice.
Xena suddenly had a new level of respect for the woman Candace had chosen as her partner. Of course Taylor was her soulmate, but she was a hero as well. "I understand your frustration."
"I suppose you do." Taylor was silent for a minute. "So, what do you think they're talking about over there. Seems to be alot of laughing going on."
"If I know them, and I do, they are talking about sex." Xena was matter of fact and confidant in her assessment.
"Sex? What makes you think that?"
"Let me explain it this way. Put three Candace's in the same room. You do the math."
"Ah. Three naked Gabrielle's."
"I doubt they're naked, but you have the basic idea. I am almost sure that they can't resist giving Skye an education."
Terra heard the name and woke immediately. "What about Skye?"
"Hey Xe, what say we give her a little education ourselves." Taylor couldn't believe that the moniker had slipped out if her mouth. If Xena noticed she didn't say anything.
Xena smiled to herself. She noticed. "Bad idea."
"Why not. I know a little about women." Taylor defended her idea.
"Yeah, very little." Xena got an elbow in the ribs for her comment and they both laughed. "OK. I'm only gonna say one thing......flowers."
"What?" Taylor wasn't sure where the warrior was going with this.
"Flowers. Gabrielle can't resist them."
"What do I do with flowers." They had forgotten that Terra was listening.
"Terra, do you love Skye? Are you in love with her?" Xena thought it was time to get down to it.
The silence was deep in the room and it seemed to get deeper with the passing seconds.
"It's OK with us if you are." Taylor reassured her.
"You promise you won't tell her." Terra tried not to let the fear in her heart show up in her voice.
Xena almost laughed. Candace and Gabrielle were bound to tell her anyway if they hadn't already. "We won't have to."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that you're being in love with Skye is like a big red zit right on the end of your nose. You can't miss it."
"Oh. nice analogy, Tay."
"I try."
"I can tell."
"Do you think she knows? I would hate for her to. She would be so upset. I mean look at how she reacted when she saw you and Miss Candace kissing. I thought she was going to pass out. And you know that can't be good." Terra was not convinced at all that Skye would be OK with her feelings towards the blonde.
The firefighter wanted to just throw the two young women in a room naked just to see what would happen, instead she gave her some sound advice. "Terra, ya just gotta go for it. But for heavens sake, DON'T try everything all at once. Give her flowers or something like that to begin with. Girls love flowers."
"You called them girls." Terra pointed out.
"Yeah, but not to their faces." Taylor knew the score.
"Oh. So I give her flowers and then what?"
"Smile at her alot." The warrior loved to smile at Gabrielle because she loved to see the bard smile back at her.
"Won't she think I'm up to something then?
Xena thought for a minute. "Good point."
Taylor finally gave her the advice she hoped would be the best. "My advice is to just be as nice to her and as patient with her as you can and let her do the rest. If she comes to you, she can't be upset with you for trying to force her into a relationship. Give her flowers and wait."
"Wait." She could try to wait. She stared at the dark ceiling and made patterns out of the places the moonlight touched.
"But don't act disinterested." Xena wanted to make sure that Terra didn't try too hard to wait patiently.
"Disinterested?"
"Uh huh." Taylor threw in her grunt.
"You'll see. Don't ignore her. If she is near you try to touch her if she'll let you. Touch her arm or her shoulder. Get her used to the contact."
"Contact. Got it. What happens if she wants more?"
Xena smiled. "Consider yourself lucky. But again, I say take it slow. If she wants more contact hold her hand. Put your arm around her. Let her touch you. Let her come to you."
"What if she doesn't?"
Taylor loved the innocence of the ex-slave. "Don't worry. She will."
"Gabrielle and Candace wouldn't let her stay away." Xena snickered.
"Amen." Taylor knew that was true.
"What do I do if she wants more than that?"
"More?" Xena hoped she wasn't going there.
"Yeah. Ya know. More" There she went.
"Aaaah. Moooore. Sex. If she wants that, you have to be gentle." Xena remembered back to the first time she had made love to Gabrielle. Although the bard had been married and wasn't a virgin, she had tried to treat her as though it was Gabrielle's first time. Come to find out the regent had never climaxed before that encounter. The gentleness with which she had touched her allowed the bard to open up and give everything she had. It was the greatest gift Xena had ever received.
"Gentle with what?"
"With her." Taylor interjected.
"I don't understand."
Xena frowned. "Terra, do you know anything about sex?"
Terra didn't want to admit that she didn't but she didn't. "No." The answer was sheepish.
Xena and Taylor turned their respective dark heads and looked at each other in absolute terror.
"You tell her." Taylor thought that if Xena was the leader of this expedition she should do this as well.
"No. You tell her."
"Tell me what?"
"About sex." They answered in unison.
"Is it bad?" If it was she didn't want anything to do with it.
Taylor sighed. "Nope. Sex is great. Well, it can be if you're with someone you love."
"What do I do?"
Xena knew there was no getting around this. They would have to tell her. So she started. "First you kiss her to get her attention. But I guess if she wants to make love to you, you have her attention already."
"How long do I kiss her?"
"For as long as it takes. Don't worry too much about timing. That comes with practice."
"No pun intended there, right Xe."
The warrior let go a soft laugh. Together they explained as best they could about a warrior making love to royalty and small blondes. It was detailed and graphic on occasion. Terra was deeply interested and took precise mental notes. Then they came to a point she wasn't sure she could handle.
"Do what? With my tongue? Skye would never let me do that. I'm not even sure I would want to."
"I can understand that, I guess. But trust me on this, you will want to." 'Boy will she want to!' the warrior thought.
"Let's say I do. How do I do it?"
Blue eyes met in the dark. "Yes, Xena. How does she do it?" The firefighter teased. She was becoming more comfortable with their relationship.
Xena threw her the "You can't get to me" face and answered Terra. "There are so many different ways it's hard to explain, but treat it like a flower."
"Here we go with the flowers again." Taylor laughed.
"Pay attention, runt. You may learn something here."
Taylor was shocked at the nickname. No one ever called her 'runt', but for some reason coming from Xena it sounded right.
"It has folds like petals of a flower. Very delicate. If you are too rough you may damage them."
"Will they fall off ?"
Taylor laughed out loud. She had been sure more than few times that they would.
"No they won't. Tay, stop laughing. You're not making this easier."
The firefighter cleared her throat. "Sorry. Go on."
"Spread the folds gently with your finger then dip your tongue into the opening like your tasting the sweetest nectar. Don't dive in without warning. Tease her with the tip, barely touching the inside and then back out and then dip in again. Run a line up to the nub that is at the top. Do Not be rough with this until she tells you to be. Flick it softly at first. Put your whole tongue on it and then suck on it slowly."
Taylor cleared her throat again, but for completely different reasons this time.
"Ya all right there, Tay?" Xena grinned evilly. The conversation was having an effect on her as well. The 'girls' were in trouble for sure.
"Fine" Her voice squeaked slightly. She cleared again. "Fine."
"Right. OK. Sometimes that's enough to satisfy her, make her release..."
"Release. Have I tied her up?" Terra wasn't at all pleased with that thought.
"Sometimes. Oohff! Jeez, Xena that hurt."
"Don't confuse her. Release as in orgasm."
"Orgasm? What's that?"
"Oh this should be priceless." Taylor was letting Xena take all the heated questions.
"Ohhhh really? Just for that, you tell her."
Taylor shot Xena a look in the dark that was as deadly as the warrior herself. Xena was very proud of herself.
"Fine! I will. Terra, have you ever......touched yourself?"
"Sure, I touch myself all the time. Don't you?"
"Yes Taylor, don't you?"
"Hush! Terra, I meant touch yourself in your private area."
"In my room?"
Xena laughed! This WAS priceless.
"Do you mind?"
"Not really. Keep going."
"No. Not in your room, although that's the best place to do it. I meant have you touched the private place on your body."
"Oh. Ohhhhh. Ohh! No!" She thought she might hyperventilate like Skye had yesterday. "Oh Creighton no! There is big trouble if you do that."
"Well you won't get into trouble here if you do 'that'. It might help you of you did. If you......rub it long enough you get to the point where your body has to let go of the tension. It feels wonderful. You can do the same thing to a partner. That's making love."
"So how do I touch myself?" She was really curious.
"Do tell, Taylor. How does she touch herself?" Xena leaned up on one elbow and put her head in her hand. This should be good.
"Alright smarty pants I'll tell her." She really loved the challenge. "Do you remember when we talked about the clitoris?"
"Uh huh."
"OK. You have one of those."
"Really? Wow."
"Yes, very wow. Anyway, if you stimulate that long enough you can get to the point where your body lets go. Sometimes it takes some penetration some times not, but you will learn how to get there."
"What do I penetrate, exactly?"
"Oh God, this is hard." Taylor wasn't sure if she could go on with this. "Alright. Down there, near your clitoris is your vagina."
"My WHAT?"
"Your vagina. It's the passage, an opening."
"Oh yeah I know about that. What do I use to do this penetrating?"
"Can we change the subject yet?" Taylor was about at the end of her tolerance level.
"Rest your brain there, Junior." Xena pushed Taylor back, who thankfully laid down on the bed. "OK listen close. You use the same thing on yourself as you use on her. Use your fingers. You do to you just whatever feels good, K? For her? Basic. Inoutinout. Slowunlessshewantsfast, while yousuckonherclitorisuntilshecomes. OK? Good! Let's sleep."
Quiet once again fell over the trio and the room filled with an interesting silence. For several moments only the sound of breathing could be heard. Then the inevitable happened.
"You forgot the cuddling."
"AHHHHH."
A face full of pillow does tend to shut one up.
=/~~~~~~~~~~~~>