Another arrow sped towards the warrior princess only to be caught in midair at a comfortable distance from her heart. The two talented archers had fired off over thirty arrows each in her direction as fast as taking deadly aim would allow. At first they had aimed the arrows to fly past her. But with Xena's permission, they had switched to actually aiming at her. Not one had come within a prayer of hitting her.
 
Gabrielle, Ephiny, Eponin and a small gathering of amazons had been watching the display with various reactions. To most, it was an astonishing feat. But to the trio watching who knew the warrior so well, it was merely another normal Xena exercise.
 
Finally the archers turned to Eponin and sighed in unison. "We give up, Captain. She's impossible. How does she do that?"
 
Eponin laughed at the archer's frustrations. "I tried to warn you."
 
Gabrielle smiled at the disheartened archers. "Don't worry, you both are excellent archers. It's not something that can be taught. Xena's just got extraordinary senses and amazing reflexes."
 
"And that ain't all she's got." added Eponin smiling lecherously at the approaching warrior.
 
"I heard that, Eponin." Xena was grinning as she handed two bundles of undamaged arrows back to the archers. The two were now grateful that the warrior princess had secured their bet with only a promise that they serve her lunch if they failed to even scratch her.
 
"Did someone mention lunch?" she asked sweetly. Then taking the arm of each startled archer, she propelled them toward the main dining hall.
 
Gabrielle followed a short distance behind with Ephiny and Eponin. Chuckling to herself she thought, 'when did Xena become so comfortable with the amazons who called the bard their queen?'
 
They had been coming to Amazonia now every few months during the three years they had been traveling together. At first, Xena had only had a hostile respect for the women who insisted she was hiding a true amazon heritage. On that first visit, they'd lost their amazon princess, Terrais, and gained a stranger as heir to their queen. But through all the trials, the Amazons had been there when she and Xena needed them. And the reverse was also true. No one could have imagined that Queen Melosa would leave this world so abruptly. And now Gabrielle was their queen as if she'd been born to it. And they had accepted Xena on her own terms and entrusted their queen into her protection. Quite an unusual arrangement, but it worked for everyone. From in front of her, she heard Xena actually laugh out loud at something one of the archers had said. How she loved that sound. She was glad that the warrior was content to be here with her. Although she knew they would be on the road again, it seemed that Xena was at ease and in no great hurry to leave. Gabrielle loved being among the women she now considered her family. But when Xena was ready to leave, there was no doubt in her entire being that she would be right by the warrior's side.
 

Later that evening, Gabrielle returned to the queen's hut that she and Xena shared during their stay. The warrior was already in a short sleeping shift, polishing her armor. To Gabrielle, she seemed more vulnerable without the leather and battle accouterments. Of course, the bard was well aware that Xena was just as powerful and dangerous no matter what the state of her dress or undress. The firelight danced off Xena's hair and skin. 'She's so lovely,' thought the queen. Just standing there looking at her was a delight.
 
Xena looked up from her task to find Gabrielle watching her. She felt a sudden warmth invade her body that had nothing to do with the fire in front of her. She locked eyes with the attractive bard, and before she could think to stop herself, she whispered. "You're so beautiful, Gabrielle."
 
The comment snapped Gabrielle out of her reverie and she could feel herself blush. "Flatterer," teased the bard. 'If she only knew what I really think about her.' Gabrielle crossed the room to their bed to change into her own sleeping shift.
 
It had never occurred to either woman to question their sleeping arrangements. Although there was ample room in the amazon village for each to have her own hut and bed, they continued to share both just as they did when they traveled. If the amazons made assumptions about the nature of their relationship based on their closeness, so be it. Between the bard and the warrior, there was much left unspoken.
 
Gabrielle slipped into bed. She had spent a long day trying to catch up on the necessary duties of the queen. Ephiny did a wonderful job of keeping a handle on everything that needed her attention until whenever she returned. The bard thought she might have trouble sleeping because her fatigue was more mental than physical. But just as she was thinking of asking Xena to rub her back until she relaxed, she fell asleep.
 
The warrior finished attending her armor and weapons and stood. She glanced over to the bed and saw that the bard was already sound asleep. She crossed to the bed, climbed in, and soon she had joined Gabrielle in slumber.
 

Several hours later, the warrior awoke slowly. Something had drawn her out of her dreams. Xena tried to decipher what it was that had aroused her out of a sound sleep. She let her senses survey the room, but didn't detect any danger. Out of habit, the warrior was laying on her back so as to be at the ready if attacked unexpectedly. She realized that Gabrielle was curled up at her side. But it was not unusual for the bard to seek Xena's warmth or comfort during the night. Some mornings she found the bard's head on her shoulder, sound asleep in the protection of her arms.
 
Yet there was definitely something different going on now. Gabrielle had somehow worked her left hand up underneath the short sleeping shift that barely covered Xena's torso. Although the bard appeared to still be in a deep sleep, she was touching Xena's body. Or perhaps caressing her body would have been a more apt description.
 
Gabrielle was having a most enjoyable dream. She was touching a fantasy body. It seemed so real that her fingertips tingled with the contact. She was sliding her hand up and over the curve of a shapely hip. The skin was like velvet. This was one way she knew that she was dreaming of a woman. Gabrielle was not surprised that the body in her dream was female. She had long ago realized that marrying Perdicus had been a momentary lapse in judgment. Three years of traveling with Xena, seeing so much of the world, and learning about certain amazons ways, had allowed her to understand that her true attractions were to women. Small wonder, when her traveling companion was the most desirable woman she knew. Her hand continued to follow the smooth expanse of skin across a taut abdomen. She made large circles with her palm to claim as much of the silkiness as she could. 'By the gods, this feels so good,' the bard sighed in her sleep. Not wanting to miss anything before she woke up, Gabrielle explored the lovely torso higher.
 
'Whoa,' thought Xena, 'what is she doing?' Normally Xena wouldn't have objected to a beautiful woman stroking her body. But this was Gabrielle touching her this way, seemingly during a dream. She tried to convince herself that if she allowed the bard a little latitude, she would wake herself up.
 
But Gabrielle showed no signs of doing any such thing. Xena felt the tentative fingers skimming up over her hip and abdomen. The circles that Gabrielle was making with her palm were beginning to affect the warrior. The gentle grazing of fingers against her skin was starting to arouse some of Xena's other senses. Before the warrior could think of a subtle way to stop her, the bard had ventured toward her breast.
 
'Soooo good,' sighed the bard to herself as her hand claimed the soft mound of the dream woman's breast. Soft and pliant, she fondled the full breast and marveled at it's texture. She boldly sought out the dream woman's nipple. Her fingertips found it in a relaxed state. The areola was like satin, the tip like a small bud. But under Gabrielle's fingering stimulation, the nipple dimpled and puckered. As she pulled and massaged the nipple, the dream woman arched her back pushing her breast further into Gabrielle's hand. Exhilarated, she moved to play with the other breast.
 
Xena was stunned at the turn of events. Obviously still dreaming, Gabrielle was actively fondling her now. The bard had worked her way up to Xena's breasts, stroking and manipulating them until the warrior's nipples had given away her growing and unwilling excitement. At first, Gabrielle's touch had seemed so tentative, merely exploring. But now the slumbering bard seemed to want more. She was vigorously kneading her breasts, and squeezing her now sensitive nipples. Xena knew she should stop the bard, awaken her. But Gabrielle's touch felt so good that she couldn't help reacting. She felt a wetness starting between her legs. Her hips were beginning to move. She was losing control and about to take advantage of the beautiful bard while she was dreaming. ('Of who, I wonder?' thought Xena with a fleeting flash of jealousy)
 
As Xena was struggling to do something about the situation, Gabrielle's hand left the warriors breasts, slid down her abdomen, and headed toward the skimpy breeches that covered her sex. Just as the searching fingers slipped under the fabric, Xena brought her fingers up to Gabrielle's head. She first massaged a point at the bard's temple and then slid her fingers around to a point at the nape of Gabrielle's neck. In moments the sleeping bard went limp, sent deeper into slumber by Xena's pressure points.
 
Xena lay back for a moment trying to catch her breath and calm her inflamed senses. Although Gabrielle was now still, her hand was underneath Xena's breeches just above the curls that shielded her sex. 'Just a second more and I would have let her make love to me...?in her sleep,' Xena chided herself. 'Some friend'. She gently extradited herself from Gabrielle's embrace. The bard moaned at the lost contact, but was now too deeply asleep to resist. Xena got up from the bed they shared, dressed, and sat in a chair with her arms folded across her abdomen. She hugged herself tightly, aching with the demands of her unfulfilled sexual arousal. The warrior blamed herself for allowing the unconscious woman to take the intimacies so far. She should have stopped Gabrielle as soon as she realized what was happening. She suddenly realized that she'd almost taken advantage of her best friend because she had wanted the bard to continue to touch her. Disgusted with her behavior, she got up and left the hut.
 
The next morning, Gabrielle awoke feeling wonderful. She had slept very well, even though there was the remnant of a dream that was just out of her conscious reach. Xena was not in the hut, but as she'd slept later than usual, Gabrielle was not surprised. She got up and was dressed when Ephiny knocked at her door and stepped inside.
 
"Good morning, Ephiny," beamed the queen. "What do you say to some sparring after breakfast before we look over those final treaty drafts?"
 
"Great," answered Ephiny. "You look like you had a restful night. But what gives with Xena?"
 
"What do you mean?" Gabrielle had no idea what Ephiny was talking about.
 
"Well, Solari told me that Xena came to her about midnight and wanted to take over a perimeter watch. Of course, there's no problem with her taking a guard's place. Solari just wondered why Xena would want to pull guard duty in the middle of the night when she could be with you."
 
Gabrielle didn't know what to say. It was not unusual for Xena to take a turn on border patrol while they were in Amazonia. It made her feel like she was contributing during her stay and gave her something useful to do. But she had never left Gabrielle's side in the middle of the night to take a graveyard shift.
 
"I don't know." Gabrielle sounded uneasy. "Did she seem all right? Maybe she's not feeling well."
 
Ephiny tried to be subtle. "That's why Solari asked. She said that Xena seemed a little on edge. Honestly, she was afraid that you and Xena had had a........a misunderstanding."
 
"A misunderstanding?" Gabrielle was amused by the captain's tact. Yet she started to think that maybe she should check, just to make sure her warrior was ok.
 
"No." Gabrielle laughed. "Tell her there's been no lover's quarrel between Xena and I. But I will go and see if I can find out what's bothering her. Sparring later, remember."
 
Xena had spent the night at the farthest point of the border that she could get to on such short notice. She realized that Solari was confused by her watch request. But she and the captain of the guard had known each other long enough that Solari would not question her. She was still restless by morning. So it was at the practice area that Gabrielle had found her going through her drills.
 
Gabrielle stopped abruptly when she saw Xena practicing. The warrior had obviously been working on her intricate routines for some time. A light coating of sweat on her skin sparkled in the sun. Every motion sent her long, dark hair flying. Her lean body alternately coiling and exploding with power. The moves were complicated, almost like a dance. The bard was overwhelmed, as she always was, when she saw Xena this way. Stunned by her uniqueness and her exquisite beauty.
 
Xena could sense Gabrielle's presence immediately. She finished the drill she was working on quickly and stopped. She turned to face Gabrielle, but stood where she was watching the bard, waiting for her to approach. 'Does she remember last night?' Xena worried. Would the bard know this morning what she had almost let her do. In fact, had wanted her to do?
 
Gabrielle crossed over to where the warrior was standing. Although there had been several amazons watching Xena as she practiced, they were quite alone now.
 
"Good Morning." The bard was smiling up at Xena. "You're getting an early start."
 
Xena was relieved that there seemed to be no recriminations from the night before in Gabrielle's tone.
 
"Everybody gets an early start compared to you, sleepyhead." Xena teasingly replied.
 
"Funny..." Gabrielle laughed. Then she noticed the dark smudges under the warrior eyes. Normally her eyes were such a brilliant blue. But in this morning's sunlight, Gabrielle thought they were almost a steel gray. "Xena, are you feeling all right? You look tired." The queen's concern was obvious.
 
"I'm just a little tired. I couldn't sleep last night."
 
"Oh, so that's why you took the night watch." Gabrielle brushed the hair away from Xena's face and put her hand on the warrior's forehead, then on her cheek. "You're not coming down with something, are you? Why didn't you wake me up? I would've taken take of you."
 
The innocent insinuation was not lost on the warrior. If she had awakened Gabrielle, would she have indeed taken care of the warrior's needs? Xena wondered, as she had all last night while on watch. She was embarrassed to admit that while in the remote area, she'd had to finish what Gabrielle had unknowingly started. She had slipped her fingers down inside her breeches where she hadn't allowed the bard to go. Then she'd quickly stroked herself to release. It had not been satisfying, but it did serve to relieve the ache in her loins.
 
"I'll be fine, Gabrielle, don't worry."
 

That night when Gabrielle came in to the queen's hut, she found Xena already in bed. It was not particularly early for the warrior to be asleep, since she had gotten little rest the night before. Gabrielle changed and slipped into bed beside Xena taking care not to wake her.
 

Later that night, the dream woman again appeared under Gabrielle's fingertips. She searched the luscious body with the confidence that comes from familiarity. Her hand swept up and over the same shapely hip, and firm abdomen. She quickly sought out the exquisite breasts willing the fantasy to stay longer this time. The bard squeezed and molded the well-developed breasts in her hand. She caught the responsive nipples between her fingers enjoying their tautness. She marveled again at how lucky she was to have such a vivid dream. Like the night before, her hand dropped down to the flimsy fabric that was keeping her from her goal. Slipping underneath, she stroked the soft, curling hair that hid the dream woman's sex. Parting the hair, she explored down the sensitive sexual shaft. She split her middle and ring finger and rubbed both sides of the nerve laden area. Her dream woman was so slick with wetness. She stroked the smooth skin covering the little node of desire for several minutes. The dream woman's hips were surging to the rhythm of Gabrielle's fingers. She started down toward the source of the wetness??
 
Xena awoke with a start. While sleeping soundly at her side, Gabrielle was feeling her body again. Xena could tell by her puckered nipples that Gabrielle's talented fingers had already been playing there. When Xena got her bearings, she became alarmed that Gabrielle was already under her breeches. The warrior groaned at the intensity of desire the bard was creating between her legs. The nimble fingers expertly stroked her sex as she unwilling responded. 'By the gods, just let her???.let her take you,' Xena's body insisted, as the bard's hand started toward her inner depths. But the warrior's own hand quickly reached up and found the pressure points that would put the bard into deep sleep again and still her voracious wanderings.
 
She slipped out of Gabrielle's arms and sat on the bed trying to calm her breathing and slow the hammering of her heart. She burned inside for the Gabrielle. She wanted so badly to climb back down beside her and welcome the bard into her overheated sexual cavern, asleep or not. After several minutes had passed, she could stand. Then she dressed and left for another midnight shift.
 
Gabrielle stretched a second time, feeling wonderful and rested again this morning. Once more, Xena was not there. She wondered as she dressed whether Xena had slept better last night. Not worried because she had seen Xena asleep when she'd gone to bed, she dressed and headed to the main dining hall.
 
The hall was almost empty due to the late hour. Ephiny and Solari were at a table going over last night's activities. Gabrielle joined them and listened to the report from the captain of the guard. When she was finished, Gabrielle asked them if they'd seen Xena.
 
Ephiny and Solari exchanged looks. To Gabrielle, Solari said, "She was on watch again last night. I tried to dissuade her, but failed. Are you sure, she's all right?"
 
Gabrielle was surprised. "But she was asleep when I went to bed last night." The two women looked skeptical. "Well, she was," insisted Gabrielle. "Where is she now? I'll go talk to her."
 
Solari looked somewhat guilty. "She volunteered to accompany the hunting party today. What could I say to the 'Warrior Princess'?..No?"
 
The queen frowned. It wasn't the captain's fault that something was going on with Xena. It was unusual for the warrior to leave her without word. But it wasn't as if she wouldn't be safe until Xena returned. "It's not your fault, Solari," apologized Gabrielle. "I just don't know what's going on with her."
 
"Bet that's a first," quipped Ephiny. She was sorry the minute she said it. Gabrielle looked as if she was truly starting to worry. And everyone, save the bard and the warrior, knew how deeply they loved each other. "I'm sorry, Gabrielle. I'm sure you'll get to the bottom of this when she returns."
 
The bard did not take offense at Ephiny's retort because it was true. She and the warrior were almost always in tune with each other. The rare times when they weren't, were the times they had gotten into trouble.
 

The hunt had gone well. Xena and the amazons would be bringing back enough food for quite a while. Xena knew that exhausting herself was not the answer to the problem on her mind. But she was at a loss as to what to do. If she had awaken Gabrielle when the bard had first started to touch her, it would have been an embarrassing little antidote that they would have teased each other about later. But Xena had let the delicious fondling go on. And now, Gabrielle would no doubt want to know why Xena hadn't stopped her at the beginning. 'What can I say to that?' Xena asked herself. She knew very well, now, why she had let Gabrielle go on as long as she dared. It was because the warrior wanted the bard to make love to her. She had desired the situation as much as if she had engineered it herself. Gabrielle caressing her skin, fondling her breasts. Gabrielle sliding her fingers down between her legs and stroking her sex. How close she had come to allowing the bard access to her innermost private depths. Xena'd finally had to admit, to herself at least, that that was exactly where she wanted Gabrielle to be. Deep inside her, making her climax, loving her.
 
It was a startling revelation at first, realizing that she wanted Gabrielle that way. But it hadn't taken her long to adjust to the facts and understand that she had loved the bard for a long time. No one else ever measured up to the bard's devotion and companionship. And Xena could not even remember the last time she had entertained sexual thoughts about someone else. She had always noticed the bard's delectable body whenever they were, by chance, naked together. And while the warrior's intense control never allowed her to acknowledge the beauty beyond appreciative thoughts, it didn't mean that erotic ideas weren't just below the surface of her restraint.
 
'What am I going to do?' Xena wearily questioned herself. Not staying with Gabrielle at night was not an option in her mind. Her nights would be just as sleepless if the queen were not resting peacefully at her side. Maybe this dream state of Gabrielle's would run it's course. Maybe it was a few fluke nights brought on by being in such close proximity to a lot of women who loved other women. Maybe, the warrior hoped.
 

It was early evening when the hunting party returned with the rewards of their labors. Gabrielle watched them come in and Xena was not among them. She stopped the leader of the expedition and asked. "Where's Xena?"
 
The attractive leader smiled enthusiastically at her queen. "She was with us all day. What fine hunting skills she has! I think she stopped at the border to talk to the guards."
 
Xena had stayed outside of the village as long as she could. When she arrived back at the hut, Gabrielle was asleep. Xena hoped that if Gabrielle didn't know she was there, then she wouldn't act out another seductive dream. She dropped down on the bed exhausted, not bothering to undress.
 
But Gabrielle's dream had returned. She had already been dreaming of touching the delicious fantasy female. Her clever unconscious mind had devised a slight alteration to the dream sequence. If she was only allowed a certain amount of time before the woman disappeared, she would seek out her goal more quickly. She would go right for the sexual core of the woman she thought was only in her mind. She would envelope herself in the smooth, warm, inner depths of the illusive female.
 
When Xena awoke a short time later, she was astonished. Gabrielle had pushed her leathers aside, slipped under her breeches, and was now between her legs. The bard must have been stoking her sex for some time, because the warrior was very wet. Xena was trying hard to focus because her hips were surging in response to??.
 
Gabrielle was ecstatic. The very responsive dream woman had spread her legs for her this time. Her fingers were buried deep inside this dream lover. She was ardently stroking the smooth inner walls, just as she'd wanted to do. The warm wetness bathed her fingers with each penetration. Gabrielle was enjoying the lust, the passion she was experiencing. Now if only she could stay with the dream lover long enough to bring her to an orgasm. And then maybe she could welcome her into the bard's own inner depths.
 
The warrior was so hot. She could feel the escalating sensations begin. Shocked, she quickly fingered the bard's pressure point and put her back into a dreamless state. Xena was breathing hard, Gabrielle's fingers were still buried within her sexual core. 'By the gods,' moaned Xena. 'I want her so much, but not like this.' The warrior knew she should remove Gabrielle's quiet fingers and get up. 'You feel so wonderful inside me, my bard,' Xena thought as she regretfully removed Gabrielle's fingers, got up, and left for another midnight watch.
 

Gabrielle awoke the next morning with a start. 'Where's Xena?' was her first conscious thought. Unconsciously many notions where racing through her mind. The remnants of her dreams were so close to the surface that she almost remembered them. Her body felt wonderful again this morning even though her normal physical activities had been almost completely curtailed. 'Xena.' She focused her thoughts on the missing warrior and pushed all other intruding images from her mind.
 
She found Ephiny and Solari still eating breakfast in the main hall. With one look, Gabrielle knew that her illusive warrior had taken another midnight turn at border watch.
 
"Again, huh?"
 
"Yep," answered Solari. "And if I may speak so boldly, my queen, she looks like she's spent the last three nights in Tatarus."
 
Gabrielle tolerated the frank tone in Solari's voice. She knew the captain, who truly liked and respected the warrior, probably hated seeing Xena in such distress. But there was something more in the captain's tone, something like?. an accusation perhaps? Gabrielle was confused.
 
Solari stood and left without another word. Ephiny waved for Gabrielle to sit down. "Don't be mad at her." Ephiny said, indicating the departing captain. "She has this crazy idea that maybe Xena is taking the midnight watches because???because," Ephiny hesitated, trying to find the right words to phrase the captain's unspoken insinuation.
 
"Does Solari think that I've done something to Xena?" Alarmed, Gabrielle jumped ahead of Ephiny's thoughts.
 
"Well, not exactly." Ephiny was clearly uncomfortable. "It's more like maybe something you haven't done." 'Sweet Artemis,' thought Ephiny. 'I'm going to ring Solari's neck for leaving me in the middle of this.'
 
A light went on in Gabrielle's mind. Considering that almost everyone they knew thought that she and Xena were lovers??.oh no??
 
"Do you actually mean to tell me that Solari thinks that for some unknown reason, I've cut Xena off sexually? That since I'm not putting out, Xena's suffering? I can't believe it! You don't think that too, do you Ephiny?"
 
Ephiny merely raised an eyebrow. "Gabrielle, calm down. I don't know what to think. When you first arrived, you two seemed so close, so happy. I had hoped that both of you had finally realized what we've all known for quite some time."
 
"And what's that?" Gabrielle snapped.
 
"That you love each other beyond anyone else you've ever known, even beyond life and death. I'm not saying a thwarted sexual drive is what's bothering Xena. You know there would be a line of volunteers stretching from here to Tartarus and back to relieve Xena of that particular ache. I'm just saying that we're all worried about her. And you really are the only one who can find out what's wrong." Ephiny put her hand on Gabrielle's and gave it a brief, but affectionate, squeeze. "Come on, let's go see if we can find her."
 
But Xena could not be found during the day. Gabrielle would give her until the morning to return or send word, hoping that she was making the right decision. As evening fell, she waited at the window of her hut watching the guard captain's quarters.
 
'I'm such a coward,' thought Xena. She'd been sitting here thinking at this remote part of the river, basically hiding from Gabrielle. 'I should have told her how I was feeling. I should have given her a chance and tried to work this out with her. Even if she never touches me again, I have to keep her in my life. I can cherish the memory of her caress, even if it was just a dream to her.' Resolved to talk it out with Gabrielle in the morning, safely away from the night's memories, she headed back to the village.
 
Unable to face the sleeping Gabrielle, the warrior arrived at the captain's quarters close to midnight. She stopped in and asked if she could take her fourth midnight watch in as many nights.
 
"No." Solari replied.
 
"Why not?" asked the slightly confused, bone-weary warrior.
 
"Queen's orders?..no more midnight shifts for you."
 
Xena was about to argue the point when she heard a stern voice coming from behind her.
 
"Oh no you don't." Gabrielle said from the doorway of the hut. "You've been wandering the night long enough, my warrior. It's time we got to the bottom of this."
 
Xena turned and found herself face to face with Gabrielle. She looked back at Solari who merely smirked.
 
"Now, Xena." It was not a request.
 
The queen took the warrior by the hand and led her out of the captain's quarters, across the courtyard, through the door to their hut. Only then did she let go and allow the warrior some freedom. She quietly closed the door and turned to face her dearest friend.
 
Xena crossed the room and sank wearily onto their bed. So far, she'd said nothing to Gabrielle. The bard could tell that she was exhausted. When she'd first seen the warrior, Gabrielle had noticed the dark circles under her eyes and the eyes themselves lacked Xena's usual intensity. She was pale, and looked as if she hadn't slept or eaten in days. Although the bard wanted to be annoyed, her worry overrode everything else. She crossed over to the bed where Xena sat and knelt down in front of her. "What is it, Xena, what's wrong?" she asked gently. "Please??talk to me??.You're scaring me."
 
Xena couldn't look at her. She looked down at Gabrielle's hands that were resting on each of her thighs. She had to tell her the truth. If Gabrielle was scared, she had to tell her. "I told you, I can't sleep."
 
"But I saw you the other night?.." Gabrielle started to reason with the warrior.
 
"With you??." Xena still wouldn't look up. "I can't sleep with you."
 
"What?!" This was not what Gabrielle had expected to hear. She was prepared for pain, injury, illness, but not this. "Why?"
 
"Because??.you touch me??in your sleep." 'There,' Xena sighed, 'at least that part was out.'
 
"What?!" Gabrielle was genuinely appalled. All at once the events of the last three days came into focus. Her dreams, Xena's increasing distance, her own late morning bliss, it all became shockingly clear. The realization that hit her the hardest concerned her dreams. The fantasy female had been Xena all along? The lovely body that she had caressed, fondled, and explored had been??had been??Xena. Suddenly she remembered just how detailed her explorations had been. And she consequently had the grace to blush.
 
Xena didn't see the bard's blush spread up and over her beautiful features. She was still staring down at the bard's hands. She knew the rest of it had to be said.
 
Gabrielle's mind was still in a jumble. She had been loving Xena's body for the last three nights. She'd been passionate and extremely intimate with the warrior. Why hadn't she known it was Xena's body under her fingertips? She alone knew the warrior's body that well. Years of bathing, dressing, sleeping with each other had given her a familiarity with the tall beauty's physique no one else had. She'd admitted to herself long ago that looking at Xena's body gave her pleasure. But at the time, it hadn't seemed to be a problem. She was, after all, just looking.
 
The next thought that occurred to her, (as Xena had predicted) was why hadn't Xena stopped her? Why hadn't the warrior, who could easily overpower her, just woken her up and explained what was happening between them? Why had she waited until now to say something?
 
To Xena she said. "Oh, Xena. I'm so sorry. I didn't know it was you. I thought you were a fantasy, a dream. Why didn't you tell me before?"
 
"Because?..that's not the problem." Xena spoke so quietly that Gabrielle almost didn't hear her.
 
"What?!" This seemed to be the only word Gabrielle was capable of uttering. Frustrated and embarrassed, she pleaded with the warrior. "Please, Xena, what do you mean 'that's not the problem?' Then what is the problem? I don't understand."
 
"The problem is??..that I didn't want you to stop???touching me??. I didn't want you to stop."
 
Gabrielle succeeded this time in stifling the 'What?!' that kept escaping her every time Xena revealed something. "You didn't??" The meaning of Xena's words, of her demeanor, her actions, were beginning to make sense to Gabrielle. She finally understood that even though the warrior had not initiated the intimacies, she had enjoyed them. She may have even unwillingly encouraged them or at least allowed them to continue to a certain extent. But then she'd abruptly stopped them and blamed herself for them. Solari was right. Xena had been suffering from sexual denial ??..because of her.
 
"Oh?..Xena??why didn't you tell me?" The bard's voice was gentle, trying to encourage the distraught warrior to confide in her.
 
"What was I supposed to say, Gabrielle?" Xena asked, finally meeting Gabrielle's eyes, a small spark of her old intensity returning. "Please wake up and make love to me again?"
 
Gabrielle searched Xena's face. She saw everything the warrior had been feeling the last few days. Frustration, discomfort, fatigue showed clearly. But there was also the remains of desire, need, and an intense love for the bard. She pushed herself up off Xena's thighs. Standing before the discouraged warrior, Gabrielle gently tilted her face up with both of her hands. Making Xena look at her, the queen drew close.
 
"Yes." And she kissed the warrior with extreme tenderness. "Yes." Again the sweet kiss. "Yes." Over and over, the single word of permission whispered against Xena's lips, followed by the nurturing, reassuring kiss.
 
At first Xena did not respond as Gabrielle continued to kiss the soft, still lips. But then comprehension seeped into the warrior's tired mind and she began to react to the delicate assault. She kissed Gabrielle back. For a few moments they stayed that way, kissing tenderly, sweetly. But as she was given permission to respond, she let go of the tight control she'd been under for days.
 
Xena stood suddenly and increased the pressure of her mouth on Gabrielle's. She literally swept the small bard into her arms and held her tightly against her body. Gabrielle slid her hands through Xena's hair and wrapped her arms around the warrior's neck. The ardent kisses went unchecked until Gabrielle pulled away and brought her lips close to Xena's ear.
 
"Why don't I show you how I make my dreams come true?" she whispered against the sensitive lobe.
 
Xena couldn't stop the way her hips tilted up against Gabrielle's body at the suggestion. She hungered for the bard's touch again. She put the bard down and looked into her eyes. "Are you sure?"
 
"Oh, yeah??.I'm sure, my sweet warrior. Come on???let me finish what I started." Gabrielle was smiling up at Xena as she started to remove the warrior's intricate armor. It took no time at all for the experienced hands to remove Xena's clothes down to the thin slip she wore under her leathers, her breeches, and boots. She gently sat the cooperative warrior on the bed and removed first Xena's boots, then her own. Under Xena's watchful eye, she quickly disrobed as far as her own breeches. She firmly pushed Xena back onto the bed, following her and laying by her side.
 
"Now, where was I?"
 
Xena's senses were reeling. Here she was, in the same position as the three previous nights. Lying on her back, with an almost naked Gabrielle at her side, beginning to touch her again. But this time, Xena could see the bard's eyes sparkling with anticipation.
 
"Watch me, Xena," the bard directed. "I'm not a dream lover this time. This is real, this is me loving you. Don't close your eyes, watch me love you."
 
The bard started to follow her dream's pattern. She slid her hand up under Xena's shift, stroking the smooth hip and abdomen. Xena's eyes were riveted to Gabrielle's as the bard caressed and fondled the now familiar terrain. The warrior reacted as before, arching her back towards the bard's ardent exploration of her breasts. "You're so beautiful, Xena. I want to see what I've been missing." The bard then pushed the thin material up above Xena's breasts and allowed Xena the room to pull it totally off her body. Before Xena could completely rest back on the bed, Gabrielle had pulled one of her nipples into her mouth.
 
Xena felt her hips surge again and the wetness between her legs increased. This was such a delicious torture. Gabrielle was avidly sucking her breasts and working her nipples over with her tongue. She hadn't gotten to feel the bard's tongue on her body during the dreams. The sensation now was almost unbearable. She was on sensory overload and didn't know how much more she could take. She moaned out loud, trying to convey her enjoyment, her need, her desperate yearning for completion.
 
To the bard, making love to Xena was pure bliss. She loved this body and she loved this woman. That realization brought her to focus on her lover. (How wonderful that sounded) There would be time later for extended love making, but Gabrielle felt she owed it to the warrior to give her the release she'd been craving for days. She raised herself up from Xena's breasts. She locked eyes with Xena's, noticing now, how they were bright with passion.
 
"Time to give you what you've been wanting for days, my love," whispered the bard as her hand slid underneath the damp breeches and into the curling hair.
 
Xena was spellbound by the bard's voracious appetite, the intensity in her eyes, and the talents of her fingers and tongue. She had been touched before, but never had she felt such unbridled eroticism, such heat. Partly she knew it was the incredible unintentional build up of sexual tension. But the other part was her complete devotion to loving this woman.
 
Gabrielle split her fingers down the sensitive shaft so as to massage both sides at once. She remembered that Xena had liked that in her dream. The warrior reacted favorably again, thrusting her hips up toward Gabrielle for more contact. The bard continued the gratifying friction, taking the time to slip further down and sample the warriors soaked entrance.

"This is far as the dream goes, my aroused warrior." Gabrielle spoke directly to the warrior's hunger. "I want you naked, Xena, I want you to spread those beautiful, long legs for me. I want to be inside you. I want your passion. I want you to come for me.
 
The warrior was breathing hard and eagerly helped Gabrielle pull off her breeches. She quickly opened her legs and the bard immediately penetrated her inner depths.
 
The velvety walls were just as she remembered. The wetness flooding over her hand, the hips tilting up for better positioning. She continued to invade the welcoming cavern over and over, feeling the walls pushing against her fingers as Xena climbed toward her climax. She continued to brush her thumb against the bundle of nerves outside with every stroke inside. 'Almost there, my love,' she thought.
 
Xena was racing towards a release at last. After days of frustration, of being unable to satisfy this ache for Gabrielle's touch, she was flying. The heat generated by Gabrielle's fingers, her intensity, her sexual encouragement set Xena on fire. As Gabrielle moved faster and faster, Xena came to a shattering climax.
 
"By the gods?..Gabrielle!??.Soooo good?. Sooooo sweet?..oh, gods??Gabrielle! Xena couldn't help letting Gabrielle know how fulfilling this sexual connection was for her. Gabrielle's eyes had stayed riveted to Xena's during the whole erotic experience. As she was coming down from the incredible high, she finally felt totally sated.
 
"Thank you," the exhausted warrior murmured. "Thank you for that."
 
Gabrielle was feeling so emotional she almost felt like crying. She'd just had the most incredibly wonderful sexual experience she could have ever imagined. And this extraordinary woman was thanking her for it.
 
As the spasms inside her abated, Xena barely felt Gabrielle slip her fingers out from within her. She was completely spent. The powerful warrior had had as much as she could take. She unwillingly closed her eyes and started to drift, desperately needing the rest. "I love you, Gabrielle," was the last conscious comment she made before she was asleep.
 
Gabrielle climbed up the luscious body she had just enjoyed. She enveloped Xena in her arms. The fatigued warrior unknowingly turned and rested her head on Gabrielle's breast. To further capture the bard, Xena threw her leg over Gabrielle. The bard wasn't going anywhere, even if she'd wanted to. And she didn't want to. Although she could feel the wetness between her own legs, she was content to hold Xena close and let her recover from the extreme stress of the last few days. She was sure that there would be countless times in the future when she and Xena would make love. And she looked forward to being wide awake for each and every moment of it. With that last thought and a smile on her face, she joined Xena in sleep.
 

The next morning, Xena was still out cold when Gabrielle awoke. She extradited herself from Xena's loving arms and dressed. The warrior would need nourishment when she finally woke up. Gabrielle walked back over to the bed. Looking down at the unconscious warrior, she was filled with tenderness towards her. She brushed some strands of hair away from Xena's face, actually just wanting an excuse to touch the warrior. "I love you, Xena," she spoke softly. Then she turned and headed toward the dining hut.
 
It was still quite early, but Solari and Ephiny were already there going over the night's reports. When they saw Gabrielle, they stopped their discussions and waited for their queen to enlighten them on Xena's condition.
 
"She'll be fine." Gabrielle answered the unspoken question. "She just needs a little rest, a little food, and a lot more of my undivided attention."
 
Gabrielle grinned as she turned and headed towards the kitchen. She didn't have to look back to know that most likely Solari and Ephiny were staring after her with their mouths hanging open. 'Ah, it's good to be queen.' She laughed to herself and then concentrated on what her starving warrior would want when she woke up. What Xena might want besides food brought another grin to the queen's face.
 
"I don't believe it." Ephiny was stunned at Gabrielle's candor.
 
"Hey, I don't know why you're so surprised," said a smug Solari as she got up to leave. "I told you so."