Closer than blood bonds by maggielassie

Seasonal Passion series, Vol. 1:
Closer than Blood Bonds
by maggielassie

For me, our friendship binds us closer than blood ever could.

The words of the warrior woman still echoed inside the bard's mind. The extent of the emotional message those words attempted to convey had reached deep inside of Gabrielle's heart. She felt she was sharing such a profound and very intimate bond with the woman who was standing next to her -the woman who, a couple of weeks ago, had been the first person to make love to her. And she was the very same woman Gabrielle had had to prevent from going utterly mad and harming other people today in this village.

Gabrielle followed Xena as they both walked away from Locia -the villagers feeling utterly peaceful now that the ruthless God of War had left. Xena held Argo by her harness as she and her sweet little blonde friend walked beside the horse.

It had been the second time Ares had tried to get Xena back since she had renounced the warlord lifestyle. His plan had been so evil and stealthy this time. The way he had taken the shape of her father angered Xena. That bastard had made her believe that Atrius had finally come back to search for her -to search for his daughter. However, no, it had been that insanely cruel God of War all along who had impersonated her father in an attempt to make her turn evil again.

As she and the bard walked on further outside the village, Xena felt a little sad and disappointed by what had happened. Gabrielle noticed that the beautiful dark-haired woman walking next to her looked somewhat unhappy.

"Are you all right?" asked Gabrielle.

"Yes, I'm okay, Gabrielle." Xena gave her a reassuring smile. She pushed her sadness away from her mind -thinking that she and Gabrielle could always talk about this later on.

Looking at the younger woman, Xena felt grateful that Gabrielle had so swiftly brought her back to reality -during the moment when the burning rage that Ares had been inducing in her had threatened to consume her. The way she could have viciously attacked those poor villagers felt dangerous. Had Gabrielle not hit her on the back with that pitchfork, many innocents would have died. Xena wondered what she would do if she did not have that little bard to keep her company and to make sure that she did not stray from her path to redemption.

Both women occasionally looked at each other and smiled as they started walking towards a green forest that was just outside Locia. This apparently was a shortcut to where Xena was leading Gabrielle and Argo.

As they entered the woods, Xena picked up her pace. She strode for a few seconds but then quickly noticed that Gabrielle was lagging behind. Xena briefly stopped walking and turned around to glance at the trailing bard.

"Come on, Gabrielle. Hurry up! I want both of us to find a nice place on the other side, before nightfall." Xena smiled at Gabrielle while giving her an impatient look. The warrior princess resumed her walk.

"Okay, okay, Xena, I'm coming." Gabrielle rushed to Xena and walked faster until she caught up with her. The bard took the warrior princess' hand into hers. Noticing the nice move, Xena held Gabrielle's hand tightly into hers, pleasantly squeezing it, as both women and Argo quickened their pace through the woods.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On the other side of the forest was a beautiful valley with grassland, bushes and trees. Both women were glad to see the pleasant landscape ahead as they exited the woods. It was still daylight. This sublime place felt peaceful. There was a little stream nearby. Xena led Argo to the side of a tree where she thought the mare could settle for the night that was to come. Then the warrior princess found a comfortable patch for her and Gabrielle to sleep on. She pointed it out to the bard.

"There we'll be comfy, Gabrielle. Can you please come prepare our bedroll for tonight?" Xena winked and went to gather some wood for a fire as dusk was getting near.

"Sure." Gabrielle smiled as she went to unload the saddlebags from Argo and then walked to the comfortable patch to prepare the bedroll for the night. She carefully unrolled blankets and made them lie flat onto the ground. She then sat on the newly spread bedroll, waiting for Xena to come back with the firewood.

Xena came back a few moments later, carrying a little heap of wood. She dropped it to the ground in front of Gabrielle, who was sitting on the bedroll looking at her. The bard was beaming at the sight of Xena before her and her little green eyes shone with happiness.

Crouched near the firewood, the warrior princess stared back at Gabrielle with her silvery blue eyes. She smiled back and then crawled towards her bard. Getting close to Gabrielle, Xena knelt on the bedroll -just next to where the blonde woman was sitting.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" The dark-haired woman smiled down at the bard.

"Because you are so beautiful, my warrior," Gabrielle replied, reaching up to grab the back of the taller woman's neck -trying to pull her down for a soft kiss. Xena immediately reacted. She wrapped her arms around Gabrielle's back and leaned down to press her lips onto the bard's. Gabrielle quickly responded to Xena's embrace and wrapped her arms around the warrior woman's neck while being kissed by her. They both parted their lips. Their tongues entwined in slow, sensuous motions. They shared a sweet, deep and tender kiss. When it ended, Xena looked at the shorter woman.

"And you're very gorgeous too, my bard," said Xena, grinning. She proceeded to make a fire for Gabrielle and her so they could keep warm in the night. Meanwhile, Gabrielle got something out from one of the saddlebags: some food that the villagers had kindly offered to her and Xena for their dinner tonight.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

By the time both women had finished their meal, night had fallen. Xena and Gabrielle were sitting next to each other on a rock that was near the fire. The warrior was sharpening her sword while the bard was eating an apple and some grapes she was having for dessert.

After she finished consuming the fruits, Gabrielle noticed that Xena was looking sad again -like the way she had earlier on today -right after they had left Locia.

"Xena, what's wrong?" The bard looked at her with concern. Xena stopped whetting the blade and turned her head to the side to look at Gabrielle.

"Nothing, Gabrielle?" Xena sighed. "It's just that I really thought it was my father who was with us today. I initially didn't believe it but then?" Xena shrugged as she looked at Gabrielle with gloomy eyes.

Still holding the whetstone and the hilt of her sword in each of her palms, the warrior brought her hands down beside her thighs, against the rock she was sitting on. Gabrielle's hand quickly and tenderly covered Xena's as the warrior was still clenching her sharpening stone.

"Oh, Xena, I'm so sorry." The bard gave an empathising look to the warrior, wanting to comfort her.

Xena let go of the objects she was holding and put them down onto the ground near the rock. She sat back up next to Gabrielle, gazed into her partner's eyes and squeezed her hand into hers. She talked again.

"It's all right, Gabrielle. I just missed my father more than I'd ever dared to think I would." Xena exhaled. "It's just that at one point when he and I were talking to each other today, I would have never thought it would turn out to be Ares, tricking me and trying to get me back." She sighed again.

"I know, it's such a shame, Xena." Gabrielle softly rubbed the warrior's shoulder with one hand while still holding Xena's hand in the other.

The bard said nothing for a minute or so. She glanced in the direction of the fire while thinking more deeply about what Xena had just said about the God of War. Feeling curious, she looked back towards her older companion.

"Xena, can I ask you a question about Ares?" she carefully inquired.

"Sure," Xena replied.

"Did you really use to?" Gabrielle hesitated. "? be with him?"

Xena felt a bit annoyed that Gabrielle was asking her this question but she felt that, since she loved her young female friend and she had already slept with her, she could tell her the truth about things like these when the bard was asking her to. She stopped holding Gabrielle's hand for a moment and turned to look at the fire in front of them.

"Yes, Gabrielle, I used to be with him for a short time. That was before I'd met Hercules. Ares got me my chakram when he used to be my mentor and. . . lover," Xena managed to say. She turned her head back towards her friend and both women's eyes met again.

"And how do you feel about him now, Xena?" Gabrielle's hand searched back for Xena's. The warrior caught the bard's hand back into her own.

"Not much, Gabrielle. Ares seduced me with his godly powers. He fuelled my dark side during a time when I'd nearly forgotten what it was like to feel anything other than pride in violence. He made me uncontrollable and murderous. And now that I've decided to go on a quest to redeem myself, he tries to get me to become his warrior queen, to get me to revert back into darkness. I have no love for him at all. He disgusts me now!" Xena felt bitter at the thought of Ares beating her up today. She quickly shook her head and dispelled the irritating feeling. She squeezed the younger woman's hand harder.

"I believe you, Xena." Gabrielle gave her a sweet little grin, wanting to cheer the warrior princess up. "Can I ask you another question?"

"Yeeeees?" Xena retorted, smiling and feigning annoyance. "Anything you want," she then replied, more relaxed now. While looking at this precious little woman who made her heart melt, she briefly kissed the back of the bard's hand she had been holding. Gabrielle chuckled.

"Was Ares a?" The blonde woman hesitated.

"Was Ares what? What are you trying to say, Gabrielle? Was he what?" The brunette wondered.

"? A better lover than I am?" The young woman felt embarrassed asking this but she really wanted to know. She feared she might lack experience when comparing herself to the warrior's ex-lovers.

"Oh, Gabrielle!" Xena's jaw dropped in disbelief. She so much wanted to get that wrong thought out of her gorgeous little friend's mind. "Of course not!" She stared right into Gabrielle's eyes, lifted the bard's chin and gently stroked her cheek with the back of her fingers. "Gabrielle? I have never slept with anyone that mattered as much in my heart as you do now. . ." Xena paused, then realised: "Oh, Gabrielle, I know you're asking me this because you must be worried about being sort of 'inexperienced', is that right?"

"Huh. . . that's sort of the way I feel, I guess." The blonde woman felt sheepish.

"Gabrielle, I can assure you that I did notice that you seem to be learning quite well, if you get my drift?" Xena grinned. "When we slept together, I could already feel the intense passion you're able to show to a lover." Xena kept smiling, looking deeply into the bard's eyes. "You are my best intimate partner ever, so please stop feeling so insecure. Experience is something you easily acquire with time, okay?"

"Well, I know I've got a great teacher, that's for sure." Gabrielle smiled back at the warrior and sighed in relief, before being pulled forward by Xena into a hug. The two women held each other tightly into a close embrace for a while. As they ended the hug they briefly kissed on the lips while still holding each other's arms.

"I'm so glad you're here with me, Gabrielle, preventing me from being trapped in the dark part of myself again. I'm very thankful for that." Xena beamed at Gabrielle.

"So you're not too mad at me about the pitchfork earlier on?" Gabrielle asked, and then saw Xena shake her head.

"No, Gabrielle, not at all." The warrior gave the bard an honest look. "You had to stop me from harming all those innocent people. Why would I be mad?" With a smile in the corner of her mouth, her silvery blue eyes peered into Gabrielle's green ones.

"Yeah, I know what you mean, Xena," Gabrielle admitted, feeling completely overwhelmed by the beauty of the woman beside her.

"All right then, Gabrielle." Xena briefly squeezed the younger woman's hands and then stood up. "Now if you'll excuse me." She took off her breastplate and tossed it to the ground. "I need to go skinny-dip."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Xena took her leather bodice off and walked towards the nearby stream. Gabrielle went to sit on the bedroll while she lovingly watched her dear friend. Xena removed the rest of her clothes while approaching the water's edge.

"Are you going to join me?" The charming fighter briefly turned to look at where Gabrielle was now sitting. The dark-haired woman then got into the lake. The water was good. She started swimming leisurely.

"I will. Soon, Xena," Gabrielle answered and stayed by the campfire. She kept observing Xena from where she was sitting. Moonlight was very bright out there. Thanks to the clear sky, the full moon above and the light from the campfire that gleamed over the water, Gabrielle was able to observe the beautiful naked warrior princess as she was peacefully indulging in a midnight swim. The bard found her incredibly sexy.

Gabrielle watched as Xena fleetingly immersed herself in the stream. Then the bard felt very aroused when she saw the warrior's ample breasts bob up and down on her glistening body as the soaked woman quickly moved back up above water. Xena resumed her peaceful swim. The sight of the tall woman's broad shoulders and magnificently toned arms and thighs felt so delicious to Gabrielle's eyes.

The bard was now deeply thinking about the first time she and Xena had made love together. It had happened a couple of weeks ago -not too long after Gabrielle had come back from Potidaea. Gabrielle had been missing Xena and she had come back to her. Sometime after that, the bard had finally been able to tell the warrior princess that she was now feeling something intense for her -something that meant much more than simple 'hero worship' to her. Gabrielle had also managed to convince Xena that she was old enough to know what she wanted, what she desired. She had been glad to find out that the warrior was also very much attracted to her. Gabrielle had easily figured out that Xena had not only slept with men during her past but the warrior princess had also had many female sexual partners before she had met Gabrielle, which Xena confirmed to her.

Reminiscing at the loving memories of the intimate activities she shared with the warrior during their first time together, Gabrielle remembered how wonderfully skilled the woman who took her virginity had been. Xena had not wanted to take her virginity at first. The warrior had seemed happy enough just caressing her and tasting her; but upon Gabrielle's earnest request and profound desire to be deeply touched inside by the woman she loved, Xena had then gently pushed her skilful fingers inside the bard while whispering affectionately pleasing words in the young woman's ear. Gabrielle's first time had therefore been almost painless. It had actually felt exquisitely pleasurable to her, having that stunningly pretty warrior woman make love to her in a way she had totally been fantasising about.

"So what are you waiting for, Gabrielle? Join me, please. I need you here," from the lake, Xena loudly urged Gabrielle with a yearning smile. She woke the bard up from her sweet reverie.

"Okay, I'm coming, Xena." Gabrielle grinned at her naked friend in the stream ahead and stood up to remove her clothes.

Gabrielle's top, skirt, boots and undergarment all quickly got tossed aside. The nude bard swiftly took a bar of soap out of a saddlebag. She then walked towards the lake. She got into the water and rushed towards Xena until she stood in front of the warrior, in the water. Its surface reached them both at the height of their waists.

Gabrielle wrapped her arms around the taller woman's neck. Xena placed her hands onto the sides of Gabrielle's waist and leaned down to kiss her. The bard kissed back passionately and, a moment later, they both gently ended the kiss.

"Look what I brought." Gabrielle said, showing Xena the soap bar she was holding.

"Very good," Xena slowly uttered while smiling. "Will you rub me with this now?"

Gabrielle smiled back. She wet the soap bar and rubbed it along Xena's neck and across the warrior's shoulders and chest. The dark-haired woman trembled at the blonde's luscious touch. The bard then washed the warrior's sublime breasts, toned belly and arms. She also plunged the soap into the water to put it between the other woman's legs and tenderly cleaned Xena's centre. The warrior woman lightly moaned at the intimate rubbing while letting herself be touched.

"Turn around now." Gabrielle kindly ordered.

Xena complied by turning her back to Gabrielle. The bard washed her friend's hair and then gently pushed it to the side of the woman's neck. She lathered the soap onto the warrior's back in slow and sensual strokes. Xena was enjoying every precious moment of her cleansing by this beautiful young woman. Gabrielle also moved the soap underwater and rubbed the other woman's rear.

"My turn now." Xena turned around and delicately took the soap from the bard's hand.

"Okay." Gabrielle briefly dipped herself underwater to get herself ready for the intimate wash. "Wash me now, Xena." She closed her eyes in sensuous anticipation.

With both a strong, yet sensitive touch, Xena lovingly cleaned every inch of Gabrielle's skin, rejoicing at the softness of the bard's body. She rubbed the soap bar around each of the younger woman's lovely breasts in unhurried movements, curving it around the nipples. Gabrielle shivered in excitement at the sensation of letting herself be so skilfully touched by this gorgeous older woman. She bit her lower lip as she felt Xena stroke her tummy with the soap and then glide the bar underwater to rub her heated centre. Gabrielle took pleasure in the glorious delight found in every minute of Xena cleaning her so intimately.

"Now you turn around." Xena said, kissing the bard on the cheek. Gabrielle opened her eyes, twirled and offered her back to Xena. The warrior princess cleaned the bard's hair, moved it to the side and leisurely massaged the blonde's back for a long while, noticing muscles relaxing under her every caress. She then ran the soap underwater along the shorter-woman's shapely backside.

Once the wash was over, both women submerged into the stream, to rinse the soap off from their bodies and hair. They each had one arm around the other's shoulder as they walked out of the lake -water dripping from their soaked and naked bodies.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The two women had put on some nightclothes after quickly drying their bodies by the fire. Gabrielle had a white shift on and Xena a grey one. That was all they were wearing, no undergarment. Their hairs were still partially soaked, as they sat by the fire. Sitting behind Xena on the bedroll, Gabrielle was brushing the warrior princess' hair in a sweet and careful manner.

"Xena?" the bard softly asked while working on the other woman's hair.

"Yes, Gabrielle," Xena replied.

"When you said earlier on that our friendship bound us closer than blood, I thought it was pretty nice," said Gabrielle, feeling happy, "but I'm curious to know: what exactly did you mean by that?" The young woman carried on untangling the knots in Xena's hair with care.

"I meant that to me you are my best friend and my family." Xena's voice was emotionally intense. "I also meant that, although the two of us are friends, we also share a lot more feelings and things together than most friends do. And now we've even slept together. I also feel that we're so connected to each other, you and I, that you're closer to me than any family in blood." Xena shifted her sitting position to turn around and gaze into Gabrielle's eyes. "I think I love you," Xena admitted, "even though I've done so many terrible things in my life that I still don't think I deserve you, Gabrielle." The warrior looked dismal again.

Gabrielle put the hairbrush down. The cheerless expression on the warrior's face made the older woman look so cutely vulnerable to the bard. Xena leaned down and Gabrielle hugged her. She gently cradled the older woman's head onto her shoulder.

"Shhhh, Xena, please don't say things like that. That's not true," Gabrielle reassured. "I love you so much," the younger woman said. Xena carefully broke the hug to see the passion that shone from the bard's eyes. She caught Gabrielle's hands and held them tightly.

"Gabrielle, I love you too, so much. It's just that. . ." Xena hesitated. "It's just that sometimes I feel like I'm tearing up inside. I love you so much it hurts, and I want to be with you all the time." The warrior princess continued explaining: "When I was a warlord, I used to put such a great deal of restraint on myself to keep me from feeling anything for anyone other than myself that I'm afraid I might have forgotten how to love. That's also for this reason that I don't think I deserve you. You are such a good and honest woman. And I used to be this ruthless monster." Xena gasped. She loved being with this beautiful younger woman but always thought that, if there were to be someone out there better for Gabrielle, she would willingly let the bard leave her for that person, for the greater good, as she seriously did not feel she deserved such a good little woman.

"Xena," Gabrielle sighed, while both women were staring at one another clutching each other's hands, "It doesn't matter now. What is done is done. It's all in the past now. Now I love you and desire you, and I trust the fact that you are becoming a much better human being now. Your past doesn't scare me." Gabrielle gave her an earnest look. "You are now wanting to do good, Xena, and I have faith in you. I sincerely do. So please stop trying to take my choice to be with you and sleep with you away from me. I fully consented to sleeping with you, Xena. I desired you and I wanted you to be my first, I'm sure about that. It is also my choice to carry on being with you."

"If it is your choice, Gabrielle, then I wouldn't take it away from you, never." Xena kept admiring her bard for the trust the young woman had in her. "I love you too much." The warrior princess softly kissed Gabrielle's forehead and then their eyes met again.

"Good." Gabrielle smirked. "Now will you brush my hair, warrior princess?"

"Sure." Xena started smiling. She took the hairbrush and went to sit behind Gabrielle. She began to delicately untangle the bard's strawberry blonde hair, which was already half dry by now. The warrior put tender loving care in the task of brushing her beautiful younger friend's hair. Gabrielle felt happy.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Half a candlemark later, the women's hairs were almost dry thanks to the heat of the fire. Both friends shared a little bit of wine, which they drank from a goatskin that the villagers had given to them. Xena felt tired.

"Okay, Gabrielle." The warrior put the wineskin away. "Time for a good sleep now."

Xena lied down on the bedroll, keeping her eyes open for the time being. Gabrielle immediately went to lie down next to her. Propped onto one elbow, the bard placed her other arm on Xena's belly while looking at her friend's face. The warrior woman looked back and wrapped her arms around the blonde woman's shoulders to bring her closer to her.

Feeling the affectionate move, Gabrielle brought her lips to Xena's. The warrior princess was responsive. She opened her mouth to press her tongue against the bard's lips, attempting to kiss the young woman more deeply. Gabrielle enthusiastically parted her lips and took Xena's tongue into her mouth, quickly mingling it with her own. The kiss became more intense, fiery, lingering and passionate as both women held each other tightly on the bedroll. A moment later, feeling a burning sensation between her legs, Gabrielle carefully broke the kiss to look into Xena's eyes.

"Xena, please? I want us to make love again, right now." There was a strongly desirous tone in Gabrielle's voice and a lustful expression on her face. Xena thought that she did not feel so tired after all. She sat up. Gabrielle did the same. The warrior woman then placed her hands onto the sides of the other woman's shoulders while their gazes met.

"Are you sure, Gabrielle?" Xena inquired.

"Yes. Absolutely sure, Xena." Gabrielle was sincere about her desire for Xena. She so often felt deeply sexually turned on by the sublime fighter who meant so much in her heart.

Xena felt equally attracted to the stunningly wonderful young woman whose burgeoning beauty developed as fast as the inner power that emanated from the bard to make the warrior's heart soften like fluff.

The blonde woman took the older woman's hand and kissed its fingertips. Gabrielle's lips felt like glossy petals to Xena. The warrior princess tried to caress the satin-like skin of the bard's face but the blonde woman held her hand firmly into hers.

The young woman brought Xena's hand down towards the bottom hem of her shift. Understanding the communicative gesture, Xena caught the garment and helped Gabrielle remove the thin white dress. The warrior then revelled in the sight of the bard's wonderfully blossomed naked body before her.

Xena rapidly took off her own shift too. She then lovingly kissed Gabrielle, softly grasped the smooth skin of the bard's shoulders and carefully moved the younger woman onto the bedroll.

The warrior woman felt her heart melt at the thought of the unbelievable trust this young woman had in her. It took Xena a great deal of strength to keep herself from being rough, like the way she had been with other lovers in the past. Thankfully, the intense love she felt for Gabrielle helped her keep herself under control. She wanted to fulfil all of Gabrielle's sexual wishes while carefully behaving like the bard really wanted her to in the bedroll.

Gabrielle now lay onto her back with Xena's body on top of her as the warrior princess was continuing to give her a deep, searing kiss on the mouth while they both held each other tightly. She felt such an incredibly intense emotional link to this taller woman she loved, and all she could think about right now was the deeply intimate affection the warrior was giving her. She felt the fighter's wet centre press against her thigh as Xena moved her mouth down to leave a trail of moist, blazing kisses onto her neck.

"Hmmm. . . Xena. . ." Gabrielle started moaning in pleasure.

Xena kissed her way down to the top of the bard's chest. She gripped one of Gabrielle's breasts into her hand and began to squeeze it firmly but gently for a little while. She then tickled the nipple with two fingertips, making her young friend utter another sexually charged sound.

Xena held the bard's breast again and took it into her mouth, tickling the hardened nipple with her tongue. She kept sucking onto this mound and was rewarded by another cry of gratification escaping from Gabrielle's mouth. With her free hand, she tightly grasped the other breast and tenderly brushed its nipple with her thumb until it went stiff.

"Oh, Xena? yes!" Gabrielle felt a wave of ecstasy and bliss sweep over her. The way the splendid warrior woman was taking care of her sensitive breasts electrified her. She felt Xena move her mouth to her other breast and take it between her lips, first sucking its nipple then the whole breast. "Hmmm, Xena, it feels so good. . ." Gabrielle cried out and quivered in satisfaction.

Once Xena finished suckling the bard's adorable breasts, she kissed her way down the younger woman's tummy and started licking around the belly button, eventually dipping her tongue into the navel.

"Hmmm? Xena. Oh, please, carry on!" Gabrielle ran her fingers through Xena's hair as she felt the warrior princess glide her mouth towards her heated centre. She bent her knees and spread her legs wider, offering herself to Xena.

Xena absolutely loved pleasuring Gabrielle like this. She first kissed the lovely blonde curls of the bard's triangle. She then used her thumbs to part Gabrielle's outer lips and sank her tongue inside the tasty wet cleft.

"Oh gods, yes, Xena!" Gabrielle felt an utter bliss rush through her body as Xena licked her way along every fold of her sex. She felt the warrior woman's tongue slide into her wet opening while Xena's fingers began rubbing her clit in circular motions. "Hmmm? Oh, yes! Xena, you are so skilled? Hmmm?" Gabrielle moaned at the intense pleasure her girlfriend was giving her. She started thrusting her hips rhythmically towards the other woman's tongue as it pleasurably stroked back and forth inside of her.

Xena then firmly moved her tongue along the bard's labia and pressed it against the engorged bundle of nerves at the top. The warrior's tongue exquisitely slid around Gabrielle's clit, making circular, leisurely movements, while she totally savoured the sweet, luscious and honeydewed taste and smell of her little friend's sex.

"Oh, gods, Xena, please? Don't stop!" Gabrielle loudly uttered a couple of times while caressing Xena's hair. Hearing this, the warrior princess thought that there was no way she was going to end this so soon. Xena placed her mouth around Gabrielle's hardened nub and began sucking on it -sometimes alternating with teasing pushes from her tongue.

After the bard had felt the warrior princess vigorously sucking and licking her swollen clit for a long while, she suddenly grabbed Xena's hair and arched her back off the blanket beneath her and a rapturous guttural cry tore from her throat.

Xena hungrily licked away at all of Gabrielle's precious dripping nectar, slowly running her tongue up and down the bard's glistening folds. She kissed her friend's beautiful sex and climbed her way back up Gabrielle's body.

"You taste so good, Gabrielle," Xena softly whispered into Gabrielle's ear. The warrior utterly enjoyed getting a good taste of her bard yet again. Xena kissed the younger woman's mouth. Gabrielle enjoyed feeling the taste of her own passion onto her experienced lover's lips. The kiss deepened and their tongues sensually intertwined.

When they ended the kiss, Gabrielle squirmed beneath Xena. She was not in pain at all, but simply wanted to be able to sit up. Noticing this, the warrior woman moved her weight away from the blonde woman's body.

Gabrielle sat up, quickly grabbed Xena by the shoulders and used all her might to flip the warrior onto her back. Xena sank into the blanket. Gabrielle straddled the dark-haired woman's stomach and leaned down to kiss her neck affectionately. The warrior princess placed her hands onto the bard's back; Xena always loved the feel of Gabrielle's silky skin.

"I wanna taste you too, Xena. Hmmm?" Gabrielle said while kissing her way down to Xena's collar bone. The young woman felt a fierce, smouldering desire inside of her. All she could think about right now was touching and savouring again the perfectly toned body of the woman she loved.

"Yes, Gabrielle. Do whatever you want." Xena surrendered to the bard's touch. Deep down, Xena still did not feel she deserved Gabrielle, but she felt completely powerless in dealing with the bard's sexual demands. She loved that little woman so much that she felt like giving her everything she wanted. She utterly enjoyed satisfying Gabrielle's every want.

Gabrielle slowly moved her way down Xena's body, enveloped her hands around the warrior princess' ample breasts and rejoiced in the delightful way these felt between her fingers and palms. The bard took as much as she could of one of the breasts into her mouth to suckle its nipple, which swiftly went hard under her ministrations. She then eagerly pushed more of the breast into her mouth while caressing the nipple of the other breast with her fingertips.

"Gods, Gabrielle. . . This is too good!" Xena gasped, thrilled by the strength of Gabrielle's ability to please her. She felt Gabrielle slip her tongue towards her other breast and flick it across its nipple before sucking the mound into her mouth as far as she could.

"Oh, yes!" The warrior's hands suddenly left Gabrielle's back and clutched violently at the blanket underneath. Xena clenched her teeth, enjoying every moment of this.

After finishing relishing in Xena's magnificent breasts, Gabrielle moved her way down the warrior woman's body. She gently nibbled at the smooth skin of Xena's stomach, near the belly button, and then heartily placed her head between the taller woman's legs. The bard kissed the dark curls and then eagerly slid her tongue into the centre of the warrior princess' pleasure.

"Gabrie-e-e-e-elle!" Xena screeched. "Gods, please, more!" Xena put her hands on the back of Gabrielle's head and firmly stroked the bard's hair.

Gabrielle licked her way into Xena's delicious wet slit and pushed her warm tongue inside the warrior's entrance, pleasingly moving it in and out of her. She heard Xena scream her name in pleasure again. Savouring the warrior woman's appetising scent and exotic taste, she gave firm licks to Xena's inner folds while softly fondling the warrior's hard clit with her fingertips. The bard then glided her tongue towards the sensitive bundle of nerves. Gabrielle flicked her tongue across Xena's nub and happily sucked on it for a moment.

"Gods, Gabrie-e-e-e-elle!" Xena felt the joy of being so lovingly pleasured by the beautiful young woman she loved as she strongly but carefully held strands of Gabrielle's hair into her curled, clenched hands. She tossed her head backwards, feeling completely exhilarated to be intimately pleased by her bard.

Gabrielle did not have as much experience as Xena, but the bard noticed that she was learning fast -judging from the warrior's pleasure. She licked Xena's remaining juices, kissed the dark patch of hair and crawled back up the warrior's body.

"Hmm. . . this felt so good," said Gabrielle before kissing Xena. Like she had the first time, the bard loved doing such explorations of the warrior's body. Xena kissed her own taste onto Gabrielle's lips. The warrior princess then gently rolled the bard over onto her back.

Xena gave the bard another deep, eager kiss before propping herself onto one elbow as she now lay down next to her. She noticed that Gabrielle was quietly gazing at her. She peered back into the bard's eyes for a while as she leisurely caressed the smoothness of Gabrielle's chest and belly. Gods she loved this woman. Xena could not deny the glaring emotional attachment she shared with this young bard. The passionate love flame that had been kindled inside her heart not too long after she had met Gabrielle now burned stronger than ever. After this long reflective moment, the warrior climbed to straddle the bard's thigh.

Gabrielle felt Xena's warm wetness against her skin. She moved her thigh upwards as much as she could under the warrior's weight and heard a low, guttural cry coming from the other woman's mouth as she was pressing against the warrior's centre.

Xena brought a hand down to the delightful warmth between Gabrielle's legs and began to fondle the bard's sex, tenderly but firmly.

"Oh, gods, Xena, yes!" Gabrielle felt extremely aroused. She shivered in absolute excitement when she felt the warrior woman delicately massaging her swollen clit and the area around it. She felt she could not take this for much longer. All she wanted right now was her beloved friend to make love to her deeply. "Xena, hmmm? Please? Take me now!" she ordered while lifting her hips a little and looking up into the experienced woman's eyes. She then felt Xena swiftly bring her fingers downwards, near her wet cavity.

"You really want this, huh, my bard?" Xena asked as she teasingly positioned two fingers just outside Gabrielle's wet entrance and ran them in stroking circles around it for a moment while smiling down at the bard.

"Xena, please! Oh, yes? my warrior, please!" Gabrielle begged, with an intensely amorous tone. Trying to relieve the ache between her legs, she desperately attempted to thrust herself up towards Xena's fingers, but could not.

Xena could not resist. She had to please her bard the way the young woman wanted her to. She immediately inserted the two fingers deep inside Gabrielle's coral opening. She revelled in the bard's lovely inner textures which she felt clench around her digits. Xena kept straddling Gabrielle's leg, grinding her sex against it joyfully in forward and backward movements while she moved her fingers back and forth inside the young woman and felt the bard's liquid fire wet her digits.

"Oh, gods? Xena, yes! Hmmm? more please!" Gabrielle urged, placing her hands on the toned skin of Xena's back. She then felt the warrior push a third finger inside of her while tenderly rubbing her clit with the thumb. "Oh? sweet? gods? Harder, please, Xena!" the bard loudly screamed. She felt utterly thrilled and arched her body upward, threw her head back and lifted her leg against Xena's soaked folds.

"Gods, Gabrielle!" Xena cried out in bliss at the intense friction. The warrior princess' fingers picked up some pace inside the bard as she thrust those three digits harder and deeper into the younger woman's soaking wet centre. Xena also pushed her thumb further onto Gabrielle's sensitive clit.

"Gods, yes! Xena! Keep going," Gabrielle cried out as she grabbed onto Xena's back more tightly. Xena saw the blonde woman's face glow with happiness at the way the warrior deeply touched her.

Gabrielle realised she was going to come soon. She looked more deeply into the eyes of the woman making love to her, as she gripped more strongly onto the skin of Xena's back -trying to bring more of this beautiful warrior woman into her. She felt so good. Xena's hand was usually very rough while handling a sword in battle, but it could bring a touch that was so skilfully strong, swift and careful at the same time when it came to pleasuring her. Although Xena was now driving her fingers harder inside her, it had happened following Gabrielle's readiness and willingness for her to do so and it all perfectly matched the bard's inner sexual tempo.

With final deep thrusts of her fingers inside Gabrielle and pleasing strokes from her thumb on the bard's engorged nub, Xena brought her friend over the edge.

"Xeeeenaaa!" As Gabrielle climaxed she closed her eyes and fiercely tossed her head backwards. Her body went rigid and she sank into the bedroll, feeling the rapturous aftershocks from the multiple blissful waves of intense pleasure the warrior princess had just given her.

Xena came not long after that, screaming Gabrielle's name, as she kept strongly moving up and down against the bard's thigh. After the orgasm, she fell limp onto the blonde woman. Xena removed her fingers from Gabrielle and hungrily sucked them clean.

The warrior princess moved her weight away from the bard's thigh, went to lie next to her and kissed the side of her younger lover's face. They were both covered in sweat, and the heat from the fire made them both feel even clammier.

Xena shifted and now lay on her back. Gabrielle instantly moved to snuggle up to her best friend and put her head onto the warrior's chest, briefly kissing her breasts before resting there. Xena wrapped her arms around Gabrielle and cuddled her closely, stroking her hair.

"I love you, Xena? You're so wonderful," Gabrielle said, hugging Xena's waist, and feeling the warrior princess softly kissing the top of her head.

"No, Gabrielle. You are wonderful! I love you?" Xena hesitated. She then murmured: "and I still don't believe I deserve you? I hope that one day you'll find someone who does. I'm only doing all this for you just now because I love you, you are so wonderful and I cannot refuse." Xena felt sad.

"You believe what you wanna believe, Xena," Gabrielle said while resting herself in her friend's protective arms, "but you are with me for now, and I'm not gonna let you go that easily? Anyway, you're right, Xena: our friendship really does feel closer than any blood bonds?" Gabrielle felt very exhausted and closed her eyes. She nestled herself closer against Xena and drifted into sleep.

Xena kissed the bard's hair again, caught a blanket that was lying on the side of the bedroll and covered their nude bodies with it. Closing her eyes, she held Gabrielle tightly into her arms, felt slightly happier now and then fell asleep.

THE END