Gabrielle was fuming?.. again. It was the third time that the barmaid had purposely managed to brush her breast up against Xena's arm. When Xena noticed the contact, she only smiled up at the brunette. Gabrielle wasn't sure who she wanted to slug at this point, the barmaid for her audacity or Xena for her encouragement.
 
They had been at this inn for only a few hours. After having traveled so far, they had decided to take a break from the life saving business. Gabrielle had made quite a few dinars in the last few weeks with her stories. So not only was their room one of the best in the inn, but they would be able to enjoy the market and the fair taking place in this village.
 
"Are you all right, Gabrielle?" Xena's voice penetrated Gabrielle's thoughts.
 
"Of course, I'm all right." she snapped before she could stop herself. "Why?"
 
"You just look sort of ??well?.annoyed." Xena had noticed Gabrielle's increasing irritation as the evening had worn on.
 
"I just thought you'd be tired after such a long journey and would want to retire early." The bard suggested.
 
"No, I'm fine." Xena replied, her eye catching the pretty brunette again. "I thought we'd given ourselves permission to stay here a few days and just relax."
 
Gabrielle caught Xena gazing at the barmaid again. And she did not miss the brunette's wink and suggestive look.
 
"Xena!"
 
"What!"
 
"Can we please take our wine up to our room now?" Gabrielle hated the pleading whimper in her voice, but she couldn't help it. If there was anymore interaction between that barmaid and her warrior, she was going to do something stupid.
 
Xena looked at the agitated bard. She really seemed upset. Xena was annoyed with herself for not noticing that her best friend was uncomfortable for some unknown reason. She was usually so in tuned to Gabrielle's feelings. 'Why hadn't she noticed? Oh yeah,' Xena remembered, 'the barmaid.' She had been flirting with the warrior since they'd first arrived. She was voluptuous, pretty, and apparently very interested in the warrior. 'All good things,' said the warrior's underused libido. Since she'd been traveling with Gabrielle, the occasional one night stands she used to indulge in whenever she felt the need, had become almost nonexistent. Actually, more like completely nonexistent because Marcus, being a ghost, didn't really count. No wonder the brunette induced such a quick response from her.
 
"All right, Gabrielle, we can go up if you want to," she said, trying to soothe the bard. Perhaps later, after Gabrielle was asleep, she could come back down and seek out relief from this growing lust in the inviting arms of the barmaid. As she got up from the table to follow Gabrielle, she gave the brunette an apologetic look. And then a winning smile, to assure her that if possible, she would be back.
 
Up in their room, Gabrielle was still angry at the obvious exchanges between the two women downstairs. She had caught the looks and understood the unspoken promises. She had spent enough time with her amazon sisters to recognize sexual appetite when she saw it. Although her sexual experience was limited to that lame night with Perdicus, she had heard much about the passion that could transpire between two people hungry for each other. In fact, she had seen Xena receive many such lustful stares during their travels. Even though Xena was intimidating, that did not stop just about everyone who met her from being enthralled by her beauty.
 
And Xena's magnificence was not lost on Gabrielle either. Many times she had turned to look at her friend and been stunned into immobility or worse, speechlessness, at Xena's attractiveness. More and more often she wanted to make some kind of physical contact with Xena whenever she was near. The bard found herself wanting to reach out and stroke the finely chiseled cheek bones, or caress the soft skin covering powerful muscles.
 
What bothered her tonight, she suddenly realized, was that Xena had been responding to the pretty barmaid. She supposed that was to be expected. Gabrielle knew that Xena had been a powerful warlord, with a voracious appetite for conquering, killing, intimidation??.and sex. And yet, as long as she had been traveling with Xena, she'd never known her to return any of the sexual advances pressed upon her. So why was tonight different? And why did it bother the bard so much? She had no claim on Xena besides friendship.
 
Xena closed the door to their room and turned to find Gabrielle standing with her back to her, looking out the window. She could feel the tension in the bard from across the room. She desperately wanted to calm the agitation emanating from Gabrielle. So she crossed the room silently, came up behind her and encircled the bard in her arms. Immediately Gabrielle tensed and then melted into Xena's embrace.
 
"What's wrong, Gabrielle?" Xena inquired softly into Gabrielle's ear. "Have I done something to upset you?"
 
Gabrielle couldn't answer Xena. She was lost in the feeling of Xena's arms around her waist and her voice whispering in her ear. Amazingly the bard could sense another kind of agitation overtaking her ire. The heat from annoyance drifted down and centered between her legs. Hardly able to believe it, she realized that she was experiencing sexual stimulation. And that Xena was the cause.
 
Xena continued to whisper soft, soothing words into Gabrielle's ear, unaware of the storm building in the woman she held. All she knew was that the person most dear to her in all the world was aggravated, and she desperately wanted to comfort her. Forgotten was the barmaid. The only focus in Xena's mind was to relax the bard.
 
But relaxation was the furthest thing from Gabrielle's mind. Her body's sexual needs were escalating. It didn't matter that there had been no sexual contact with Xena before. It didn't matter that they had never spoken of such things. It was even almost unimportant whether Xena desired her sexually or not. All that Gabrielle's mind could focus on was that she was quickly and desperately beginning to desire Xena.
 
Xena detected the change in Gabrielle. And it was not the kind she expected. Instead of becoming more sedate, Gabrielle seemed to become more animated. What confused Xena even more was that Gabrielle was starting to move sensuously, even seductively, against Xena's body. But before Xena could completely grasp the changes, Gabrielle whirled around in her arms. Xena was stunned by the fire in the bard's eyes and the heat causing a beautiful blush to color her lovely face. Xena was about to ask the bard what was happening, when it became all too clear.
 
Gabrielle reached up and quickly put her arms around the warrior's neck and pulled her down into a searing kiss. No pretense, no subtlety, just raw hunger for the taste of Xena's lips on hers. The warrior responded immediately without thinking. Her previous lustful state roared back to life under Gabrielle's oral assault. She returned the bard's kisses with fervor, their tongues exchanging explorations, fighting for control. Her hands wandered urgently over the bard's bare back and down her hips and legs. Suddenly Xena wanted to touch the bard everywhere, wanted her clothes off. She wanted to taste her.
 
'By the gods,' thought Gabrielle, 'is this really happening? I desperately want to make love with Xena. I want her naked and writhing under my hands and mouth. I want her NOW!'
 
Gabrielle broke the contact of their mouths. And stared up at Xena, unsure of what reaction she would see. But the sexual craving in Xena's eyes told Gabrielle everything she needed to know. The warrior was frantic for her body, her love.
 
"Come here??..I need you, Warrior," coaxed the bard as she released Xena and began pulling her towards their bed. "And I need you?..now."
 
Xena's mind was reeling, but she was already eager to sample Gabrielle's alluring body. She followed long enough to reach out and untangle the ties to Gabrielle's top and release her breasts from confinement. She caught up to Gabrielle's lips and started kissing her again while she backed the bard up and onto the bed. Never losing contact with the bard's lips, she slipped off Gabrielle's remaining clothes and covered her naked body with her own.
 
Gabrielle was having a terrible time thinking of anything but the delicious contact with Xena's mouth. She was so hot and needed Xena to ravish her body. She would have wanted Xena to be naked also, but that would have to wait until after she was somewhat sated.
 
Xena's hands searched Gabrielle's body, even though she knew it so well. She had watched the exquisite bard bathe, practice with her staff, had tended to her wounds. But to feel her smooth skin under her exploring fingers, fondling her breasts and nipples, heading for her sexual core, was beyond all that Xena had imagined. She parted the bard's willing legs and slipped immediately into her soaked canal. The soft, silken walls inside Gabrielle excited Xena more than she could have expressed. She slipped in and out creating havoc in Gabrielle's body. She found and stroked Gabrielle's throbbing node, sending the little bard almost into an immediate orgasm.
 
"By the gods, Xena??. do it??.. please!" begged Gabrielle. She was way past any of the sexual sensations she had ever known. Xena felt so good and she was climbing so high under her touch. She just wanted to satisfy this incredible need for Xena so she could have some semblance of control back. So she could strip Xena and feel her like she so desperately wanted to do.
 
Xena stopped kissing Gabrielle and abruptly descended to lie between her legs. She drove two fingers deep inside Gabrielle and her tongue quickly captured her pleasure node. Licking rapidly and thrusting inside with the same rhythm, she heard Gabrielle's cries of release as her climax exploded throughout her body. When the storm had passed, Xena climbed back up Gabrielle's body keeping her fingers inside to relish the aftershocks of Gabrielle's orgasm. She kissed the sated bard slowly, gently until she recovered.
 
"And where did that come from my ravenous bard?" Xena asked with a mischievous smile on her face.
 
"I don't really know." Gabrielle admitted. "I guess I just got tired of watching everyone we meet try to bed you, when it was really what I've been wanting to do."
 
Xena laughed softly at that. "Anyone else pales in comparison to you, Gabrielle. Not only do I think you are the most beautiful woman I know, but I have wanted you forever."
 
Gabrielle searched Xena's eyes for any sign that she was teasing her. But she could find only absolute honesty. Had she known that Xena felt that way, she would have re-evaluated her feelings a long time ago.
 
"Xena?..please?? I need to feel your body, I need to touch you."
 
Xena slipped out of Gabrielle's inner depths and brought her fingers up to her mouth. She sensuously sucked Gabrielle's essence from her fingers as the bard watched in amazement. She thought the act to be one of the most erotic things she had ever seen.
 
Xena then stood up and stripped off her armor and leathers. When she was completely nude, she climbed back up onto the bed covering Gabrielle's body again with her own. The naked contact of their bodies ignited both women's passions again. Gabrielle quickly turned Xena over so that she was on top and straddling her hips. She entwined her fingers through Xena's and placed their hands on either side of Xena's head. The bard looked deeply into the warrior's eyes. The she slowly lowered herself until she was barely touching Xena's mouth. Gabrielle softly nibbled the silken lips. She teased, she licked, she explored. Xena took as much as she could stand then slipped out of Gabrielle's grasp and used her hands to pull the tormenting bard down for full, furious kissing.
 
As they attempted to alleviate the hunger for each other's mouths, Gabrielle began to explore Xena's luscious body. Her hands traced the beautiful breasts, the sensitive nipples. She dropped lower to feel the soft abdomen, the strong hips and legs. She could feel the involuntarily movement starting in Xena's hips. Gabrielle broke off the assault on Xena's mouth, and shifted to her nipples. Again, no pretense, just raw passion and need. Xena responded immediately without a thought for the consequences or wondering where the bard had acquired her knowledge.
 
By the time Gabrielle had slipped down between the warriors legs, Xena was past caring about anything but the gratification that Gabrielle could give her. As she felt Gabrielle's tongue start it's dance at her center, her body instantly surged in response. She begged Gabrielle to thrust her fingers inside her and soared to a crushing climax moments later.
 
As she lay spent, Gabrielle climbed up Xena's body and cuddled by her side. She gently smoothed the hair out of Xena's eyes and traced her fingers over Xena's face and arms. She could barely believe that they had just made love as passionate as anything she had ever heard about. But her stated body, and Xena's, testified that it was true.
 
Xena was wrestling with her own disbelief. After years of slowly building a wonderful friendship, had everything been irrevocably changed between them? What in the world had started this sexual frenzy? What was Gabrielle thinking? And, by the gods, she already wanted to touch her again.
 
When they finally had the courage to look into each other's eyes, a range of emotions played out between them. Embarrassment at their wanton behavior, delight with the each other's sexual abilities, and renewed desire to do it all over again. And after those emotions and thoughts streaked across their faces, they could both detect the underlying basis for them wanting each other so. It was pure and simple love, written all over each woman's features, in each lover's eyes.
 
"I love you, Gabrielle." Xena spoke softly but with conviction.
 
"And I have always loved you, Xena." replied the bard, knowing she had so much more to say. But it would have to wait.
 
They made love again. This time it was slow and sweet, long and sensuous. It was full of the love they had shown each other during their companionship and the love that they had kept hidden from each other. Towards the early morning hours, they were finally sated and resting in a tangled embrace.
 
"I'm afraid that barmaid is going to be a little upset that you didn't sneak back down to seek your release in her arms," teased Gabrielle.
 
Xena had to smile at that. "I'm sure she will be. But I'm in the only arms I've ever wanted to be in. So I'm staying right here."
 
Gabrielle wanted to express how elated and complete she felt being with Xena this way. But eloquent words failed her.
 
"I feel so wonderful, Xena," was all she could manage to say.
 
"As do I, my beautiful bard."
 
Xena didn't know how this new closeness would affect their daily lives. But she couldn't see a downside to loving this woman as much physically as she already did in her heart. She only knew that she was with her soulmate. And that in her whole life, it was the most perfect state of being that she had ever known.
 
As they settled blissfully into a light slumber, Gabrielle had a fleeting thought of the next time they would be visiting the amazons. There was bound to be some consternation at the turn her relationship with Xena, the great Warrior Princess, had taken. But then again, maybe it wouldn't be such a surprise. Maybe an Amazon Queen and a Warrior Princess produced the perfect combination. At least in her opinion, it was definitely perfect.