Subtext ~ This starts out as subtext then it… well we'll see.

Copyright ~ Lets see, Universal and MCA both own Xena, Gabrielle, Argo, and Darphus. I though own Lux, Gelidus, Augeus, and Cacus. So don't take my characters or story line, I'm very protective of them.

Author's Note ~ This is a brand new series guys. It has nothing to do with my first series, The Binding of the Soulmates of Time. There may be some things similar to that one, otherwise it's a whole new series. I've also tried to make Xena more interesting then what she was in the episodes I'm taking her from. They showed her kinda of a like a little kid with a temper. I think she's better but that's up to you to decided. Enjoy this story and tell me what you think!

Started: April 1st 2000 on Sunday

Series Two-Meeting in the Midst as One Story-One

If anybody has comments about my story please let me know at:

redhope@redhope.net

Part 2

Section 2

~*Part 10*~

They'd been riding for candlemarks on end. Oh gods how Gabrielle was hating riding. She never thought it was possible to get her legs this sore. But then again she never thought it would be so nice to be able to have her arms wrapped around this warlord for practically all day. That just perfectly made up for it.

The pair had risen early in the morning, well Xena did anyway. The warlord had prepared to leave then woke up Gabrielle, the small peasant grumbling about it. For the first candlemark, maybe less, Gabrielle walked. Xena wanted her to let the stiffness leave and make sure Gabrielle's leg muscles loosened up. Once that had happened, Gabrielle was up on the high mare. Arms tightly wrapped around Xena and the warhorse going at a full gallop heading south.

As they flew down the south road, so did their thoughts. Xena had never thought so much about her emotions nor her future. She'd never thought so much about somebody else other then herself. Her thoughts spinning around Gabrielle and her relationship with this young woman.

Gabrielle though, she was trying to figure out what she'd do with herself. She knew she didn't want to go back to Poteidaia. Yet traveling with a warlord was a bit… different. Though she couldn't turn her back on the way she felt for Xena. And she knew the warlord actually felt the samething and didn't care to admit to that. Gabrielle could easily understand that.

Xena, a warlord for some fifteen odd years, no family, no close relationships, no love, and a life revolving around nothing but conquering, being alone, blood, and revenge. Yeah, Gabrielle knew why it would be a little hard for Xena to totally shift from one aspect of life to another. It doesn't happen over night.

At the same time, Gabriele knew she could get the warlord to shift to another side. Well maybe not shift but… at least meet her halfway. That is the answer. Gabrielle needed to walk towards Xena and Xena towards Gabrielle. Meet in the midst and become one. Only thing is.

How is she going to do it?

By late afternoon they slowed down, much to Gabrielle's relief. Xena pulled Argo off the road and into the woods. She began to search the area, looking for something. Then she tried to stand in the stirrups. "I need to stand Gabrielle."

"Right." Gabrielle released the other woman's waist.

Xena stood up in the stirrups and searched around. Then she spotted something familiar, rather familiar. She saw a tree with a huge knot in its trunk that she'd made a mental note of from so long ago. So she sat back down in the saddle. "We're almost there."

The peasant nodded. "Thank the gods."

The warlord chuckled. "Let's get on the ground." She hopped off the mare then turned around with her hands up. She easily helped the smaller woman down.

The pair then walked through the woods and went through brush. Then directly ahead a dark mouth appeared before them.

Xena grinned. "Bingo." She turned to the smaller woman. "Stay here with Argo."

Gabrielle huffed. "I've been minimize to a horse watcher."

The warlord laughed. "Funny." She then walked into the cave and closed her eyes. She let her memory take control as she mentally pictured the way she left the cave last time. It came to her quickly. Xena walked over to the cavern wall and felt around and found a torch. She bent down to one-knee and felt two flint stones on the ground. Xena cracked them together over the torch and it came to life. Lifting the torch out of its home, the warlord lit all the other torches.

Xena then came out of the cave and walked to Gabrielle. "Help me get Argo's tack off."

Gabrielle grumbled. "And a tack holder."

The warlord arched an eyebrow as she started to untack her mare.

Argo though, well she looked back to Gabrielle and nickered.

"No I don't like horses. Well at least tall ones."

The mare snorted at Gabrielle and turned her head back forward.

Xena lifted her saddlebags and gave them to Gabrielle. She then walked to Argo's front to remove the face tack. "You have to be patient with things that annoy you."

"Xena, I never said she annoyed me. Argo and I just aren't getting along."

The warlord looked back to Gabrielle. "I wasn't talking to you."

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed. "Oh that is so funny Xena."

"Wasn't trying to be." The warlord shrugged her shoulders and handed the face tack to Gabrielle. Xena then lifted the saddle off the mare's back. She then patted Argo on the rump. "There you go girl."

The two women then began to walk to the cave.

"Maybe she just doesn't like the way I talk about her… like she's a person."

The Warrior Princess chuckled at Gabrielle's words. "Maybe that's it."

In the background both woman heard Argo nicker loudly and stamp her feet.

"Guess so." Gabrielle walked first into the cave and carefully placed the stuff down.

Xena also put the saddle down beside the saddlebags and face tack. She then looked to Gabrielle. "Come on."

The older woman grabbed a lit torch and walked back into the cave with Gabrielle following. They came to the end of the cave and there on the ground were three locked chests. Xena turned to Gabrielle. "Hold this."

The peasant nodded and took the torch. "You have a key for those chests?"

The warlord grinned. "Yeah, a special one." She reached up between her breasts to pull out her dagger.

"Xena, like your breasts aren't dangerous enough."

The Warrior Princess arched an eyebrow.

"It was joke Xena, you can laugh."

Xena sighed and turned to the chests. "Is this what I get for making you ride Argo all day?" She placed the dagger's tip into the center chest's padlock

The smaller woman chuckled. "Yup. Be glad it's that and not my temper."

The warlord looked up as the padlock fell to the ground. "You have a bad temper?" Xena then shifted to the chest to her right.

"Definitely."

"You don't strike me to be the one with a temper." Xena jerk at the works in the padlock and it fell to the ground. She moved to the last chest.

"Well…" Gabrielle paused, she mined as well go with it. "You don't strike me as the one with a soft side."

The Warrior Princess stopped picking at the lock. She looked up to Gabrielle. "Good point." She went back to the padlock and crack it open. "Come here." Xena began to lift the chest's top as she slipped the dagger back between her breasts.

The smaller woman stepped up beside Xena and peered in. The warlord lifted a white cloth from the top and brown leathers appeared underneath. Xena reached down inside and pulled out the top set. They definitely were meant for a female.

"Let me see the torch."

Gabrielle nodded and handed the torch.

Xena took it and turned around to the cave wall to jam it up in between two rocks. She turned back around with the leathers still in arm. "Look in that middle chest, there should be armor in there."

The peasant nodded as she went into the chest while Xena began to put the leathers on. "There's a lot of armor Xena."

"Look for brass breastplates, armbands, and gauntlets." She pulled the leather straps over her shoulders as she spoke. Her left hand coming up to her right arm to remove the silver arm bracelet.

"Got them." Gabrielle lifted out first the breastplates and handed that to Xena.

The warlord took it and began to hook the brass breastplates on. Gabrielle took note of the leathers, there is no gold trim on the skirt part like the warlord uniform had. And right at Xena's waist was a small brass swirl design. The breastplate was made of brass as well and was also in a swirl design with shoulder covers. Gabrielle turned back to the chest and pulled out the gauntlets and armbands, she gave them to the warlord. And Xena put them on quickly.

"I'm missing something." The tall woman stepped up to the chest and looked in. She removed a set of brass kneepads. She moved to a rock and began to attach them to her boots. Turning to Gabrielle, Xena stood in waiting judgement.

"I like it." Gabrielle took a step back. "Its different." She stared at the warlord in the brass armor with the firelight from the torch reflecting off the armor.

"Good or bad?"

"Definitely good." Gabrielle looked up with a smile. "But it gives you a different… air."

"Like what?"

A shrug of the shoulders. "I don't know Xena." She paused. "You don't look like a warlord without all the flashy gold and jewels in your hair."

The warlord crossed her arms against her chest. "What I look like then?"

"Uh… a warrior more then a warlord." The small woman smiled. "You look real good." Then a grin. "And still intimidating."

Xena grinned. "Good."

"What about your sword Xena?" Gabrielle had her brows furrowed.

"I need a new one." She turned to the far right chest with the weapons. She lifted out a sword in a leather sheath. "This one was hand crafted, had it special made."

Gabrielle took a step closer and look at it. "I like that blue gem at the hilt. Matches your eyes."

The warlord huffed. She then clipped the sword on her back at an angel, the hilt at her right shoulder.

"What we do now Xena?"

Xena looked down to the entrance of the cave, it was getting gray out. "We stay here. It's going to rain."

Gabrielle looked in the same direction and saw how dark it was getting, "Great. I hate rain." She looked to the other woman, but Xena didn't looked to her. That's when she knew something was wrong, Xena hadn't looked her in the eye all day.

"Come on." The warlord stared walking and Gabrielle followed behind. They came near the mouth and Xena looked to the smaller woman. "Stay here, I'm going to go get some firewood."

Gabrielle nodded, watched her go, and then she sat down with her back against the cave wall. She could feel her reserves slipping away. She'd been on the move since she'd left Poteidaia.

Xena though came back with two armloads of wood. She'd made the fire and then looked up to Gabrielle across the way. She saw how tired Gabrielle was and so she walked to the saddlebags and lifted up a bedroll and fur. She laid them out on the ground and looked to the peasant. "Lay down huh?"

The younger woman smiled. "Thanks." She came over and laid down on the bedroll while Xena put the fur over her for warmth.

"I'll wake you up for dinner." The warlord was about to shift.

"Hold it." Xena stopped with a raised eyebrow. "I have a sneaky suspicion you might burn the food."

Xena grinned. "Good suspicion. I'll wake you up when it's half cooked."

"Good. Thanks Xena."

"Uh huh." The warlord left the cave in search of food. She'd return in a half of a candlemark with four skewered quails. They were placed over the fire to be cook. Xena then sat on the cave floor resting her back against a rock. She stared at the sleeping woman.

Xena didn't know what to do. It was that bad and simple. She felt two sided right now. One side wanted to go back to Cirra, kill Darphus, take the army again, and continue with her conquering. The other side wanted to spend eternity with Gabrielle.

In the end she felt like spending eternity with Gabrielle was out of the question. One because she's a warlord, two Gabrielle is young, and three she's hurt Gabrielle and only do it more. So that left her to go after her army and take them again. But why does that seem not appealing at all? It sure use to.

The biggest thing that stuck out is the fact she can hurt Gabrielle physically and emotionally. She didn't like that nor could she deal with the fact that she might be attached to this younger woman. Xena had survived on her own for years on end now. The idea of living because of one person didn't settle. Yet at the same time it felt right to her.

It was just a bunch of confusion for the warlord. So she went with what she knows best fighting, blood, and vengeance. She doesn't know love, can't handle it. Or does she, can she? Xena would stay as the warlord, she'd just have to forget about Gabrielle, block her out. Remember only the anger and hatred, the darkness. That's who she is. Right?

She'd have to take Gabrielle home and then go after her army. She had to forget these past days. She had to but she didn't want to. She didn't want to get rid of Gabrielle either. Xena sat here and deep down had the largest hope that Gabrielle would convince her otherwise. If she doesn't, well…

Xena shook her head to rid the musing, she looked to the quail. She leaned forward and turned them to cook the other side. Standing up, the warlord walked over to Gabrielle and bent down. "Gabrielle?" She shook the small woman carefully.

Gabrielle groaned and rolled to her right to stare up into sky blue eyes. "Hey."

"Sleep well?"

"Mmm, a little." She then sat up. "What you'd find for dinner?"

"Quail."

"Really?" Gabrielle looked to her left at the fire, there were four quail cooking. "Haven't had quail in ages." She looked back to Xena and stood up. "I'll put some herb on them." Gabrielle walked over to the saddlebag and found a pouch of basil, her favorite. She went to the quail to sprinkle it over them. As she did, she looked up to the warlord to see her sitting and thinking.

After putting the herb on, Gabrielle placed it back in the saddlebags. As she thought about it, she'd never seen Xena think like that before. That's when she knew Xena was in a turmoil even more so since she felt her stomach churning for no reason.

She needed to relax the warlord, so she walked over to Xena and sat down. "You think Argo will be alright out there if it rains?"

Xena looked to the small female. "Yeah, she likes the rain."

Ironically, that's when it started to rain.

"Gods, you talk about the rain and it starts to happen." Gabrielle chuckled as she looked out the mouth of the cave. She then looked to Xena. "You like the rain?"

The warlord grinned. "Some."

Gabrielle arched an eyebrow. "I can see it now. You were little stomping in the puddles?"

Xena bit back a grin as she tried to look away.

"Uh huh." Gabrielle grinned. "Don't worry I use to do it."

"Really?" Xena looked to Gabrielle.

"Oh yeah, mom would get so angry at me too."

The warlord tried to do a mental image of a young Gabrielle playing around in the rain and mud puddles. She chuckled. "Mother would get angry with me too."

"Oh Xena that wasn't the half of it."

The older woman grinned. "Let me guess. You got into mud fights with your sister?"

"Oh gods yes." Gabrielle started to laugh. "Lila and I always had a lot of fun."

Xena looked away as she just remembered that it was her army that killed Gabrielle's sister and her personal who killed her father.

Gabrielle had caught that. "Xena?"

"I'm sorry Gabrielle… about Lila and your father."

The peasant carefully reached to the warlord's arm. "Xena, its over with. I've forgiven you for it."

"I know." Xena looked to Gabrielle again.

The smaller woman looked away, she lifted her legs and dropped her chin on her knees. "You want to know what's real horrible? Part of me is glad you killed my father."

"Why?" Xena was wide eye.

Gabrielle looked to the warlord then back to the fire. "I think when I was about five, Lila was… three. Dad got heavy into drinking and had been since then." She took a deep breath. "Ever since then he's never been the same."

"That's the reason why?"

Gabrielle shook her head and looked to Xena. "No… I get my temper from dad. When he drank his temper took control and he had to take it out on somebody."

The warlord narrowed her eyes. "He didn't?"

"He did." Gabrielle closed her eyes then opened them again. "He'd try to take it out on mom or Lila. But I'd always jump in to try and get him to take it out on me. I didn't want to see them get hurt."

"I'm sorry Gabrielle."

The small woman shrugged her shoulders. "It happens." She sighed. "At least I don't have to worry about him abusing mom." She smiled sadly at that. Gabrielle then stood and walked over to the fire. She pulled the quail off and the pair went about the dinner.

The dinner went by fast, they'd eaten both quail. For the most part they were quiet as they ate. Gabrielle was wondering what was going to happen tomorrow. To her and with her relationship with the warlord. She'd find out in due time.

Xena stood up and walked over to the saddlebags, she pulled out a whetstone and sat back down. She went about sharpening her older sword and it also gave her time to think. Gabrielle though stood at the entrance of the cave and watched the rain fall, her body leaning against the cave's mouth. She could smell the rain and the grass. It filled her lungs and she liked it. Part of her wanted to stand here with a scroll and quill and write about it, but Hades if she could.

Gabrielle closed her eyes and just listened to the rain. It was so calming to listen to. Then she picked up on the sound of Xena's sword being sharpened. Her mind combined them and it was so rhythmic that she was about to fall asleep.

"Gabrielle?" The Warrior Princess got no response so she tried again as she stopped sharpening. "Gabrielle?"

The peasant opened her eyes and looked to Xena. "Yeah?"

"Get some sleep huh?"

Gabrielle nodded. "Yeah, I'm still tired." She lifted herself off the wall and walked over to her bedroll, she crawled in and soon fell to sleep.

Xena went back to sharpening her sword for a quarter of a candlemark. She then stopped and looked out the cave, she watched the rainfall. Her eyes then drifted to Gabrielle who slept quietly. Looking down to her old sword, she ran her thumb down each side to find the blade sharpened. She laid it down on the ground with the sharpening stone.

The warlord then walked to the mouth of the cave, she stared at the rain. She then took a deep breath and walked out into the rain. The cool rain slipped down her body and it felt calming to Xena. She walked a ways in the rain till she found a large rock, she stopped and sat on it. Ahead of her is a cliff about a hundred paces, she believed she was over gazing over rolling hills. But wasn't sure with the darkness or rain.

Her mind soon took control of everything. Her musing running crazy. She'd never felt so frustrated with a situation before. She'd always had the answers and knew what she wanted. But now things weren't that simple. And Gabrielle hadn't mentioned anything so that in turn only made Xena want to head to her army.

She also is becoming angry with herself. She'd never had this problem before or any others that she couldn't handle. Xena is becoming angry about the fact she can't decide. Then there was always that little voice that told her to be strong and powerful. It was nagging at her telling her she's weak now for letting everything happen like it has. It just came down to Xena is being driven up a wall of confusion, anger, and madness.

A twig snapped and the warlord quickly turned around to see Gabrielle. She sighed and relaxed. "I thought you went to sleep."

"Me too." Gabrielle walked up to Xena's side, she sat on the rock with the warlord. "But I woke up." She took a deep breath. "So is this your idea of liking the rain 'some'?"

Xena looked to the younger woman with a grin. "Yeah." She then went serious. "Needed alone time."

The peasant looked away. "Sorry."

Xena smiled a little. "It's alright." She then went serious. "Don't get sick out here."

Gabrielle grinned. "I'll be fine, I'm use to the rain remember?"

"Yeah." Xena glanced away.

"Xena?"

"Mmm?"

"Why haven't you looked me in the eyes today?" Gabrielle took a deep breath.

The warlord dropped her head. "Because."

"Because you're still thinking about taking me to Poteidaia right?" The small woman turned her gaze to Xena.

Xena looked up to Gabrielle and finally locked eyes with her. "Yeah."

"Xena please don't send me back." She closed her eyes then opened them again. "I don't belong there. You have to know what I'm talking about."

"I do Gabrielle. I do." Xena turned her head away. "Why be with me Gabrielle? I'm a warlord."

The younger woman stood up from the rock. She then moved to bend down to her knees in front of Xena, her warm hands in the warlord's lap. "Xena listen to me." Xena looked to her and the peasant went on. "I don't care who you are okay? You could be… be a slave or the Queen of Egypt. I don't care Xena. What I care about is you and us. I know I need to be with you."

Xena nodded a few times. "It isn't that easy for me Gabrielle."

"I know Xena, trust me I know." The rain slid down her face as she thought. "That's why you give it a chance and try."

"Give what a chance Gabrielle? Us? A warlord running around with a girl? It wouldn't work."

"How would you even know Xena?" Gabrielle's eyes started to burn. "Xena what's more important to you? Filling in the huge gap in your soul or fighting for the rest of your life?"

Xena looked away. "I don't know."

Gabrielle squeezed Xena's knee for a moment. "What you so scared of Xena?" It was a whisper.

"I'm scared of hurting you." A pause. "I'm scared of being vulnerable Gabrielle." That's when Xena stood up and walked over to a tree, she leaned against it. She ran her right hand through her wet hair and leaned against the tree.

Gabrielle stood up and slowly walked up to Xena. She stood beside her for a moment then quietly whispered. "And you don't think I'm scared of the same things?"

Xena turned her head to look at the other woman. She stared into Gabrielle's eyes.

Gabrielle so badly wanted to whisper three words, which would change everything. But she knew she couldn't be the one to utter them, it had to be Xena. It had to be the person most afraid of being attached to another, needing another. Admitting that another could control you in ways you never thought possible.

"Gabrielle?"

"Yeah?"

"Just why?"

"Why Xena?" Gabrielle crossed her arms against her chest. "There are so many why's Xena, so many. But there is one that covers them all and you know what it is."

Xena stared into the Gabrielle's eyes. She could see the love in them, see the respect, the confidence, the past pain, the forgiveness, the light, she could see Gabrielle. And as she looked hardier, Xena saw that Gabrielle is only half there.

"No because I am darkness Gabrielle."

"If you look at it that way Xena, then I'm your counterpart." Gabrielle took a deep breath as she took a huge step. "I am light and I've just touched you."

The scene flashed back for Xena as she stood here staring into emerald eyes. I'm your counterpart. It came back to Xena's mind again. Counterpart? Counterpart? Xena's heart raced as everything hit her and she smiled so warmly to Gabrielle.

Gabrielle knew. She smiled back just as warmly as she started to cry some.

Xena took a step to Gabrielle, her body pressing against Gabrielle's. She lowered her head close to Gabrielle's as she brought her right hand up to gentle caress the other woman's cheek. "You're my soulmate."

Gabrielle closed her eyes as the words washed over her. It seemed to lift a weight from her shoulders. Such a large weight that she felt like she was flying. Her eyes opened again and she stared up into her soulmate's electric blue eyes.

Xena bent down the rest of the way and gentle kissed her soulmate.

The rain kept falling and washed over them in the darkness. Rain always has a way of obscuring things, making people see things that they normally don't. Not to mention rain like this always seems to bring a new life and wash away past history of damage to the earth.

Slowly Xena brought her head back up.

Gabrielle wrapped her arms tightly around Xena and Xena did the same to Gabrielle. Gabrielle dropped her head against her soulmate's chest. "Gods, I love you Xena."

Xena dropped her head on top of Gabrielle's head. "I love you too." She closed her eyes after saying those words. She'd never said them before and she had to close her eyes so she could remember. Remember the moment everything changed for her.

The soulmates stayed like that for a time. They had to know this was really and that they found each other. That they found their other half. It was something they could not take lightly too.

After a time the warlord opened her eyes. "We should go inside Gabrielle."

"Yeah your right." The small woman pulled away from her partner. "Xena?"

"Yeah?" The warlord still had her hands on the younger woman's sides.

"Take your time with this. I'll help you."

The warlord smiled. "I know, thank you." She leaned forward and placed a kiss to Gabrielle's forehead. "Come on."

The pair walked back to the cave and found the fire almost dying out. The Warrior Princess had stoked it with wood again. It quickly came back to life.

"This can't be good."

Xena looked up to her partner. "What's that?"

Gabrielle held out her arms. "The fact that my cloths are wet."

"So are my leathers." The warlord grinned. "We'll just have to figure something out."

The smaller woman arched an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Mmm, this is nice."

Xena chuckled. "I thought you might like the idea."

"Like it? Love it, we'll have to do it again sometime."

"Oh?" The warlord tightened her arms more around Gabrielle's waist.

"Definitely." Gabrielle dropped her head back against her soulmate's shoulder.

The pair are sitting on the cavern floor. Xena leaning against that rock again. But now she had Gabrielle in her arms while having a fur over them to keep warm. Near the fire are their clothes drying for the night. So that left the soulmates completely nude.

"Xena?"

"Mmm?"

"How'd this happen again?" Gabrielle sighed. "I can't remember."

The warlord chuckled. "I don't know, it just did."

"Yeah, that's the best way to put it." She smiled and closed her eyes. "What we going to do now?"

"I don't know… any thoughts?"

"I'm not sure myself. I'm still trying to grasp everything that happened tonight."

Xena nodded. "Same here." She sighed. "Maybe we should forget about my army."

Gabrielle opened her eyes. "Xena we can't leave Darphus, of all people, in charge of an army."

The warlord sighed. "You're right." She shifted little against the rock. "Maybe we'll stop him then disperse the army." She chuckled as a thought came to her.

"What?"

Xena grinned. "We could do the whole hero bit."

The smaller woman arched an eyebrow, she lifted her head to looked to her soulmate. "Nnno." She shook her head.

"So you saying traveling Greece together fighting evil wouldn't be… fun? Just you and I? Do a… Hercules thing." She almost laughed at her own words.

"Wellll…." Gabrielle took a deep breath. "No… everybody does that." She chuckled.

"I'm running out of options here Gabrielle."

"No no, wait." The small female dropped her head back against her partner's shoulder. "Let's do something different."

"Oh gods, I feel like your writing a story."

The younger woman chuckled. "Does it really matter Xena?"

The warlord thought. "No." She paused. "I just need to have you."

"I know, that's the same for me." She took a deep breath as her facial expression brightened. "Oh I got an idea."

Xena groaned. "What's that?"

Gabrielle lifted her head and looked to Xena. "We could still do the whole conquering bit thing but differently." The warlord arched an eyebrow. "Wait, it's crazy Xena. I admit but it might just work."

"You're still not telling me the whole plan Gabrielle."

"Right." She chuckled. "Okay so we stick with the conquering thing right? But make your army… like an army of… good. You know, fight for the greater good. An army of the greater good."

"Gabrielle?" Xena sighed. "Armies don't fight for good."

Gabrielle grinned. "There's always a first Xena."

"Gabrielle that's crazy."

"I know, I know Xena." She took a deep breath. "But seriously, no joking." She paused again. "We both know how much depression, fighting, revenge, poverty, and hatred are in this world. If we could conqueror it then we could get rid of all those things. Bring happiness to people."

"The world Gabrielle?"

"Welll, maybe Greece at least." The small woman sighed. "Xena, we both know that Rome is going to come here soon and try to conqueror us. And we both know when Rome conquerors a new land they enslave the people for a time. Greece doesn't belong to Rome, doesn't belong to somebody like Caesar."

The warlord's eyes narrowed at that name. "I know he will come too."

Gabrielle arched an eyebrow. "You've met him."

"Yes." Xena looked from the fire to Gabrielle. "Long time ago… I'll tell you someday." The younger woman nodded to Xena and the warlord grinned a little. "Conquer Greece huh? That's a wild idea."

"Come on Xena, we both know you could do it." She grinned now. "And want too."

The warlord chuckled. "Always have. The last time I truly tried I almost died."

"How?"

Xena shrugged her shoulders. "I was at Cornith and my ambitions and power lust got a little to high and made me stupid. I lost the battle against Cornith. If I'd conquered them then all the other major city states would have fallen quickly."

"You could do it again. You're more experienced since then."

The Warrior Princess nodded a few times. "Yes and I would have the most important thing with me." She reached up with her right hand to brush Gabrielle's bangs away. "You." She leaned in to lightly kiss Gabrielle's lips.

"Can we try it Xena?"

The warlord sighed. "We can. It'll be hard and my men all won't agree."

"I know Xena we'll have to sift through your men. Figure out the loyal ones from the bad ones."

Xena nodded. "We will." She then grinned. "So how do you propose we fight for good anyway?"

Gabrielle sighed. "Treaties. And if say we did have to take a town we do it without killing, its possible. Then we could fight any warlords we run into."

The warlord nodded again. "Interesting."

"I seem to be."

Xena chuckled. "You are." She smiled.

Gabrielle now leaned in to kiss her soulmate.

"Gabrielle?"

Slowly the small woman pulled back. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Xena smiled sadly. "I just don't want you jumping into anything. Especially with what happened with Darphus."

The younger woman looked away then back to her soulmate. "Since that's happened Xena… I just feel… filthy and unsanitary."

Xena nodded. "I know, I felt like that all my life. Never slept with anybody that I've truly loved." Xena sighed. "Yeah I know."

Gabrielle smiled sadly then. "Then you'll know that being with you would make me feel pure again. It just all feels right."

The warlord smiled. "I do know that too." She kissed Gabrielle lovingly. "Just tell me if you need to stop."

"Don't count on me saying that." Gabrielle sucked in a breath as the other woman's warm lips went to her neck. "Xena aren't I'm suppose to give you some cheesy line?"

Xena came back up to kiss her again, her hands under the blank were coming up her stomach. "Gabrielle don't." She said it between the kiss.

"That would be… no fun…. Xena." She felt warm hands come to her breasts. She only moaned and felt Xena capture her lips again. "I got one." Gabrielle started to chuckle in the middle of the kiss. "Oh you turn me on sexy babe."

Xena stopped kissing her soulmate and started to laugh, her head falling against Gabrielle's neck. "You had too."

"Yup." She grinned then rubbed her cheek against Xena's. "Need a good laugh before everything gets serious."

The warlord lifted her head and grinned. "Glad you got your laugh."

"Me too." Gabrielle kissed her soulmate. "'Cause Hades if I know what I'm doing."

"Don't worry." Xena then lowered her head to her soulmate's neck.

Gabrielle moaned again. "I'm not." She closed her eyes. Soon she'd know what to do. And then the soulmates would curl up into each other's arms and let sleep take them.

~*Part 11*~

Xena slowly opened her eyes, she saw her small soulmate sleeping on top of her, the furs covering them. She smiled and lifted her head to place a gentle kiss to the small woman's forehead.

Gabrielle lifted her head and smiled. "Morning."

"Hey." The warlord took a deep breath. "How'd you sleep?"

"Really good. You must have."

Xena chuckled. "Definitely." Her right hand under the fur idly ran up and down Gabrielle's bare back. "We need to get up. We have a lot of traveling."

The younger woman dropped her head back down on the older woman's chest. "Not yet. Give it five minutes."

"Mmm, I can go along with that." Xena closed her eyes again, Gabrielle did the same.

They lay like that for a few minutes or more, still having yet grasped everything. In eleven days Xena went from being a warlord to a lovesick puppy. Gabrielle went from being a peasant to a slave then gaining knowledge from experience to discover her soulmate and become a lovesick puppy as well. They both liked the end result.

"Okay, that was five minutes we could have been closer to Cirra."

Gabrielle chuckled. "You're just not the one to take in things are you?"

"Not when my army is in some stupid warrior's hands."

The smaller woman huffed. "Stupid isn't even the right description for Darphus." She sighed. "I hate him."

Xena opened her eyes. "I'm glad I'm not Darphus."

The peasant lifted her head. "Got that right." She grinned. "He needs to be set straight."

"And he will as soon as I get there."

"Right." Gabrielle chuckled and rolled off her soulmate.

They both stood up and got dressed in their now dried clothes. They ate breakfast then Xena went outside of the cave, the rain had stopped sometime last night. She'd found Argo and tacked her up. Gabrielle followed out soon and was watching her soulmate tack the mare up.

"Xena?"

"Mmm?" The warlord turned around from hooking the saddlebags on.

"Last night, why were we able to sit there and talk about our future like we were debating on a card game? I mean earlier we both were so worried about our futures."

Xena nodded, stood there thinking, her eyes fixed on the ground. "Maybe because we found each other." She looked up to her partner. "That's our destiny, each other. The future doesn't matter as much."

Gabrielle nodded a few times. "Yeah, you're right. I don't care what happens in our future. Well some but just as long as I'm by your side."

The warlord grinned. "The path doesn't matter Gabrielle. Either way we'll both end up together."

"And last night we just crossed roads." The young woman smiled. "We met halfway."

Xena shrugged. "Guess so." She smiled. "But let's go get our future together huh? I'm in the mood for some conquering."

Gabrielle laughed. "This is going to be an adventure."

"Oh yeah, wouldn't have it any other way Gabrielle." The warlord then hopped up onto her mare and looked down to Gabrielle, holding her hand down.

"I'm going to have to write about this one." She took her soulmate's hand and was pulled up onto the warhorse. Gabrielle wrapped her arms tightly around the warlord's waist.

Xena grinned and walked Argo up to the road, she then kick the mare into a gallop heading north. She grinned for a lot of reasons. She'll stop Darphus, have her army again, conquering, and all the while her soulmate will be there right beside her. Right there beside her accepting the dark side of herself. Xena might just get her other dream.

Greece.

But she knew she could only do it with Gabrielle beside her. She only wants to do it with her soulmate beside her. Xena would protect Gabrielle with everything. She knew she'd die then if she doesn't protect her other half. Xena had exactly every intentions of protecting this one younger woman with anything and everything, right down to her own soul.

The soulmates rode north to Cirra for most of the day, but by afternoon they stopped. Xena decided she wanted time to think about her plans once she returned to her army. Not only that, but she wanted to figure Gabrielle into the army. Let Gabrielle figure herself into the army as well. So that lead them to stop not to far south of Cirra, about three candlemarks away.

"I'll admit, I'm starting to get use to it." Gabrielle walked back into the center of the camp with an armload of wood.

Xena grinned and bent down to one knee as her partner also bent down beside her with the wood. The warlord took the wood and began to build the fire. "Good."

"Now if I can just get use to the high part."

The older woman looked to her right at Gabrielle with a grin. "Argo isn't that high."

"Yes she is Xena. She isn't to you 'cause you're tall." The small woman grinned then stood up.

The warlord shook her head and finished up making the fire pit, now she began to light it.

"Xena I think I'm going to go down to the lake."

The Warrior Princess looked up to her soulmate and nodded. "Be there in a minute."

Gabrielle smiled with a nod. She then walked down to the lake, coming to the edge of the water. With a sigh, she brought her arms to cross over her stomach. Her emerald eyes stared out into the lake, watching the sun glisten and sparkle off the curves and rolls of the water. The gentle wind carefully caressing the clear water.

Gabrielle's thoughts were light as the wind itself. Her body relaxed like the water with few ripples. Slowly she took a deep breath and let the air slowly release back out. Then she felt it, that special warmth fill her body and make her tingle. A very tall familiar form came up behind her, which made Gabrielle grin.

Xena came right behind the other woman, her body pressing against Gabrielle's. Xena gradually brought her hands forward to sensually slide down her small soulmate's arms to her hands, their fingers interlacing. The warlord then pulling Gabrielle closer as she lower her chin down on top of the younger woman's head.

"What were you thinking about?"

The peasant sighed. "Just taking in the scenery."

"Peaceful."

"It really is." Gabrielle smiled and dropped her head back against the warlord's throat. Her emerald eyes then closed leisurely.

"Tired?"

The younger woman sighed. "A little." A brief silence. "Xena?"

"Mmm?"

"Can you teach me how to fight?"

Xena's first response was her body stiffening up. "Why?"

Gabrielle opened her eyes again. "Xena I need to learn how to defend myself." A sigh. "And I'm not going to have you constantly on the look out for me."

The warlord took a deep breath. "I don't like the idea of you killing."

"Xena I'm talking about fighting, not killing."

The older woman didn't respond right away instead she took another deep breath and slowly released it. "You see Gabrielle, when you have a weapon in your hands you're more libel to get attacked then if you didn't have one."

"Okay. But what happens if it were you and I fighting three men? I don't know how to fight, two go after you and the third after me. There's nothing I can do. Either that third person would hurt me, make me a hostage, or kill me. Xena I don't want to be a liability to you especially in an army." She closed her eyes then opened the again. "Besides Xena, I feel like I need to protect myself after… after Darphus."

Xena quickly tighten her arms around the other female. Her sapphire eyes closed as she tried to make a decision. She weighed things mentally, looked at the pro's and con's. She sighed and opened her eyes again. "Alright but I'll teach you the staff. No sword."

The peasant smiled sadly. "Thank you. I'd feel useless in an army otherwise." She chuckled then.

"You wouldn't be." The words came out seriously.

"I know." Gabrielle smiled a little. "Where am I going to stand in your army?"

Xena grinned. "I've been thinking about that part."

"And?"

"How's partner?"

The peasant blinked for a second, she repeated the warlord's question in her head. "Partner? You mean as in accomplice? Working together?"

The taller female chuckled. "Accomplice, you make it sound like we're about to rob a tavern." A grin formed on her lips. "But yes, working together."

"Xena I don't know the first thing about running an army."

The Warrior Princess still had her grin. "You will soon."

Gabrielle groaned. "I have a feeling I have my work cut out for myself."

Xena chuckled. "You'll be fine."

Now the only thing that could be heard was nature's voices. The soulmates just relaxing and letting time move without them.

"Xena?" It was a low whisper.

"Yeah?"

Gabrielle closed her eyes as she took in a shaky breath. "When… when did it happen to you?" Her eyes opened again slowly.

Xena didn't answer at first, still figuring the question. Then it hit her what the it meant. "I was young… I was around thirteen."

The smaller woman tightened her hold over the warlord's hands. "Who was it?"

Xena closed her eyes, she thought she'd never be talking about her past. Nor did she think she'd ever talk to anybody about the time she'd been raped at a young age. Wouldn't talk about it so much so that she thought she'd buried it deep down. But then again, she never really had. Her eyes slowly opened again as she answered. "He was a friend of mine. Trusted him a lot before it happened." Xena took a deep breath. "His name was Brian and was also close to my oldest brother."

"How'd it happen?" Gabrielle's voice was low. Talking as if all of this was a secret that need not be heard to the world.

The warlord closed her eyes as she spoke, the memories came floating back. "His parents weren't around one day, I can't remember why. So he asked me to come over to his house. Went up to his room…" Another deep breath. "Brian locked the door and just went from there."

Gabrielle kept her eyes locked on the lake. She then replied still in a whisper. "Darphus came up behind me before I went into the cooks' tent. Put a dagger to my throat and dragged me off to his tent." She sighed then and turned around in the older woman's arms. She looked up to Xena. "I'm sorry Xena."

Xena smiled sadly. "It happens."

The younger woman nodded. "Yeah." She looked down then back up. "Did your family know?"

The warlord nodded. "They found out after it had happened. My younger brother, Lyceus, swore to protect me with his life from then on." Those words stung for Xena to hear in truth. "Toris though, he was angry and he beat up Brain for it. After that Toris and I were never really competitive towards each other." Xena looked up to stare out to the lake, she kept talking in a mysterious voice. "Toris seemed to respect me more for surviving through it." Her eyes slowly drifted back down to her soulmate.

Gabrielle studied her soulmate. She'd could just imagine the way the rape effect Xena. So much so that she could understand how it created the warlord it had today. "That's when you began to learn how to fight." Pure statement of truth.

Xena nodded. "Fight and protect myself."

The small woman dropped her gaze. Everything seemed to make sense to her now. That one event changed everything for Xena. The past event created the warlord. Gabrielle knew that. From then on it was destined for Xena to become a warlord because of just one event that was never spoke of or healed from. An event that made Xena lose her trust in people, feel as if she needed to protect herself, control others so they wouldn't control her, and ultimately stand alone. Protect herself in so many ways possible with her emotions and body. Everything fell into place for Gabrielle now. She had to admire Xena for taking on such an incredible feat. Many people would crumble under such a thing.

Gabrielle looked back up. "Thank you… for telling me."

Xena smiled sadly. "Thanks for asking. Nobody ever has." She paused, trying to control her emotions. "It feels good to finally tell somebody."

The peasant smiled. "I know what you mean." She then pulled her tall soulmate in for a long hug.

The warlord dropped her head down against Gabrielle's as she closed her eyes. She'd never felt so vulnerable since she had been raped. But this was a vulnerability she liked, a vulnerability she felt safe to have in her soulmate's arms. She could actually feel a little of herself let go of the past. Xena could actually see some of the darkness fade away and things become a little brighter. And in that brightness she saw herself and her soulmate. Xena would make it there someday, to that light.

Slowly the pair pulled away but still in each other's arms. Gabrielle smiled up to her soulmate.

"Thanks Gabrielle."

The peasant nodded. "Hey that's apart of my services." She grinned. There needed to be a joke now.

Xena chuckled. "Uh huh. Good services, I think I'll keep you."

The smaller narrowed her eyes with a grin as she spoke. "Ahh funny."

The warlord grinned. "Wasn't trying to be." Then she lowered her head to kiss her partner gently on the lips. Rising back to her full height after the kiss, the tall woman smiled. "Let me go catch some dinner huh?"

Gabrielle chuckled as she released her friend. "Right."

Xena still had her grin as she sidestepped her soulmate. She then went about taking her boots off and putting her hair up. After that she walked into the water till it just came up over her knees. Looking up to Gabrielle, Xena grinned. "What you feel like?"

The small woman crossed her arms against her chest. "Salmon."

The warlord's grin dropped. "Wrong season, wrong water, wrong-"

"Fine, fine." Gabrielle grinned. "Trout. Is that okay?"

Xena chuckled. "Yup." She looked back to the water and leaned forward, her hands going down into the water. She began to carefully search for her prey.

"Xena?"

"Mmm?"

"What are you doing?"

The warlord felt something-smooth pass through her fingers, she quickly closed her hands over the swimming object. Xena then brought up her hands from the water in a flash, throwing the fish to her soulmate. "Fishing."

The small woman's eyes widen at seeing the flying fish coming at her. She held her hands forward and closed her eyes. The fish plopped into her hands, her small fingers tightly grasping the fish. Gabrielle opened her eyes slowly and stared at the trout, it looking at her already.

The trout wiggled in her hands, trying to jump out. But the trout's predator only tightened her hold, he kept struggling in protest.

Gabrielle chuckled and turned around, tossing the fish onto the green grass.

"Gabrielle?"

"What?" The peasant turned back around to Xena. Once she did, she only found another flying fish. She quickly went about catching it. After tossing the second fish by the first, she turned back around. Yet again came a third fish at her. Now well experience with catching flying fish, Gabrielle snatched it out of midair and threw it with the other two.

"Here comes the last one Gabrielle." The thing about the warlord's voice that time was it held so much devilishness to it.

Gabrielle turned around to her soulmate. "Well you going to throw it to me?" She grinned.

Xena grinned devilishly. "Okay." She lifted her hands out of the water and threw something that looked nothing like a fish. Rather it was long and black with a slimness to it.

The peasant went about catching it not noticing anything fishy about it. She easily caught it but this fish was a bit different. Gabrielle's eyes widen. "Ah!" She dropped the fishy object to the ground and jumped back. "Oh gods." She looked up to her grinning soulmate. "I hate eels. Xena?"

The warlord laughed and grinned. "Yes?"

"That was not funny!" Gabrielle looked down at the eel by the water's edge. It was wiggling back and forth frantically. "Yuck." She shivered.

The warlord chuckled, shook her head, and walked out of the water. She came up to the eel and leaned down. She lifted up the wriggle black eel and tossed him into the water. Xena then looked back to her partner. "Just an eel."

The younger woman narrowed her eyes. "Uh huh." She grinned. "I'll get you back."

"Oh please do Gabrielle."

Gabrielle's grin only went more into a cat grin. "I promise." She then turned around and bent down to pick up the fish while Xena went about putting her boots back on.

The soulmates then walked back to the camp. The dusk came to the region and Gabrielle was on the cooking of the trout. Xena had cleaned them and Gabrielle had cooked them, nice little arrangement. The nominated cook added her herb of thyme to the trout to add some extra taste. Once the fish were cooked, the pair ate.

Gabrielle got down to the last bit of her fish, she stopped and stared at the fish for a moment. Her lips constructed into a grin. Turning her head slowly to look at the warlord, she only grinned more. Xena was done eating. Gabrielle stood up from her seat on the ground and walked over to her soulmate on the log.

Coming up to the older woman, Gabrielle lifted the warlord's plate off her lap and placed it on the ground. Xena looked up to her with an arched eyebrow. The peasant chuckled and sat down in the other woman's lap, straddling. The small woman then placed her plate in her own lap and looked up to Xena. "Hi Xena."

"Gabrielle." It was low.

"Yes?" The younger woman grinned then reach down with her right hand to the fish, she pulled a little of the meat off. Shifting her eyes back up, Gabrielle lifted her right hand up with the bit of meat. She gradually brought it up to the warlord's lips.

Xena narrowed her eyes a little but went with it. She let the flavored trout slip between her lips and into her mouth. She could feel Gabrielle's fingers caress her lips. Xena only let her tongue come forward to brush across her soulmate's fingertips.

Gabrielle grinned, she then decided to add some more heat to everything. She shifted closer against Xena, hardly any space between their faces. She repeated the same process again. Then even she couldn't take much more, so the small woman brought her right hand under the warlord's chin. She slowly leaned in to kiss her partner deeply. Their tongues intertwining with the pleasant taste of the thyme and trout mixing in it all.

Slowly they pulled back. Gabrielle chuckled. "Well gotta clean the dishes." Without any other warning, she abruptly stood up with her plate and snagged Xena's. She quickly began to walk in the direction of the lake but she only made it to the fire.

For Xena had leaped out of her seat and grabbed her soulmate by the arm carefully. Gabrielle had stopped walking and the warlord still held the smaller woman's arm carefully. Xena slowly walked around to face Gabrielle. She then reached down to take the plates from the peasant's hand, she dropped them to the ground. Her deep sky filled eyes stared deep into electric sparkling green eyes. "Later." A response to the dishes from earlier.

Gabrielle smiled warmly. Xena smiled back and brought her hands to Gabrielle's sides. She leaned down and captured her soulmate's lips. The smaller woman's hands slipped up to Xena's arms, she could feel the cool brass on the armbands.

As the kiss kept going, Gabrielle leaned more into her soulmate. A moan escaped from her lips as Xena slowly pulled away. Gabrielle looked up with dark forest green eyes. "Xena?" A low need filled voice.

Xena grinned. She leaned back down to kiss her soulmate all over again. But none of it ended just there with a kiss.

The dishes, well they did get cleaned later on in the night. But right now, our soulmates are on the ground. Xena lay on her back, Gabrielle right beside her with her head resting on the warlord's shoulder. The pair stared up into the twinkling and sparkling night sky. It was such magic.

"Xena?"

"Mmm?"

Gabrielle didn't respond quickly, instead she thought for a moment. She took a deep breath and retorted. "Why… Why do you think we're soulmates? I mean… not that I'm saying its bad or-"

"Gabrielle?" Xena had cut her off.

"Yeah?"

"It's okay. I understand what you're asking."

The peasant chuckled and turned her head to look at her partner. "Good." She smiled and looked back up to the stars.

The warlord grinned and then went serious. "I really don't know. It does seem odd in a way."

"Yeah." Gabrielle sighed. "We both seem so… opposite." She then shrugged her shoulders. "But in away we seem alike. You know?" She turned her head again to her soulmate.

Xena smiled and looked to Gabrielle. "Yeah." They both looked back to the night sky and Xena went on talking. "Maybe that's soulmates. Different and alike."

The small woman's eyebrows furrow together as she considered that. "Soulmates… they're opposites yet the same."

The warlord smiled some. "That sounds right."

Gabrielle also smiled. "Sort of like overall we have our extreme opposite side but then we have some things alike that intertwine us deeply."

The older woman slowly took in air then released it, her soulmate's words being considered. "Yeah but I think the opposite sides intertwine us too. The opposite sides are what balance both of us and makes us whole."

"So then if we don't have each other then we're sort of screwed huh?" Gabrielle chuckled. "In a lot of ways. But then either of us would fall." She paused. "Double-edge sword, gods."

Xena grinned. "That's life."

The peasant also grinned. "I like this double-edge sword though." She smiled. "You know I always thought soulmates were suppose to be exactly alike. If they weren't then they couldn't get along."

The warlord smiled. "Well looks like we just redefined soulmates."

Gabrielle sighed happily. "Definitely." Gabrielle then shook her head some. "But now that I think about it. If soulmates were the exact same then it would be sort of boring."

The older woman chuckled. "How you figure that?"

"Xena, serious it would be boring." Gabrielle then rolled to her right on top of the warlord. She sensed her soulmate's large arms wrapping around her waist. She looked down into Xena's eyes. "Think about it. Say if I was a warlord you know. Knew all this fighting, making war, controlling, with some big ass army, and you know I was tall. Wouldn't that be boring to you? Then we couldn't compare lives really or learn different things from each other. It would be boring as centaur shit."

Now the warlord started to laugh. She calmed down and responded. "Yes very boring."

"Seriously Xena. Wouldn't it?"

Xena sighed and reflected on it. Yeah she had to admit. It would come down to the smallest things, even to Gabrielle's height. She wouldn't even have the enjoyment of being able to slowly lean down and kiss her soulmate like she does. "You're right Gabrielle. Wouldn't be much fun."

Gabrielle smiled. "It really wouldn't be." She then dropped her head down onto her soulmate's chest and closed her eyes. "This is perfect."

The older woman smiled and brought her right hand up to run her hand through Gabrielle's hair. "Yeah." She'd said that sadly.

The peasant lifted her head with her burrow furrowed. "Why'd you say that like that?"

Xena looked away then back to Gabrielle. "Because it's not going to be like this when we're back with my army."

Gabrielle stared into her partner's eyes. "You'll be in warlord mode huh?"

The tall woman sighed. "Yes, unfortunately. I have to, for me to run that army. I can't be relaxed or showing emotion around my men. But when it's just you and I, it'll be different."

"But even then you'll be tense won't you?"

"I will be, I can't risk not being and ended up something happening to you Gabrielle."

"I know Xena." She then released her breath slowly. "But I'll probably be the same way."

Xena stared up into her soulmate's eyes for a time. "Gabrielle… if this gets to hard for us. Then I don't want to hang around my army. I am not going to endanger us for this conquering. Okay?"

Gabrielle nodded. "Yeah, I don't want to risk our relationship either. Couldn't." She then smiled some. "We'll just have to take vacations at certain points."

The warlord chuckled. "Sounds good." She then pushed Gabrielle's head back down on her chest.

Gabrielle closed her eyes. Her right hand went to her left side, Gabrielle grabbed the fur. She then raised it to bring it over her and Xena's bodies. "Xena?"

"Mmm?"

"I love you."

Xena smiled. "I love you too." She was enjoying the way those sweet words perfectly floated from her lips to caress Gabrielle's heart and soul. Then she feeling such a rare warmth fill her each time Gabrielle whispered those words to her. She never ever thought she'd reach that point in her life with somebody. Xena wouldn't, couldn't let Gabrielle leave her life, her soul would die otherwise.

"Night Xena."

"Goodnight love."

Gabrielle brought her head up and stared into Xena's eyes. Goodnight love. It repeated in Gabrielle's mind. Love, oh gods how… how intense that sounded. How much just that one word filled her. How that one word meant and held so much behind it.

Gabrielle smiled very warmly and leaned down to capture Xena's lips gently. She poured all her love into the kiss and let her soul speak through her kiss. Slowly pulling back, she carefully rubbed her cheek against Xena's. Gabrielle lowered her head back down onto her soulmate's chest.

Xena smiled to herself at her partner's reaction. She then closed her eyes. Nothing else needed to be said that night, only dreamt.

~*Part 12*~

Another day came to the soulmates with the morning finding them riding early towards Cirra. Xena had her plans in her head, she was all to prepared for this. As they rode closer and closer to her army more and more of her dark side began to take control. Only causing a deathly cat grin to cross her lips. The only thing different then normal now, is deep in her eyes there is love. A love that the warlord's new strength will be coming from, fueled from. An ultimate love that could mean only death to one who may try to tamper with such a love.

The pair arrived near the army by midday. They came into the woods, off the road after dismounting from Argo. They walked through the woods towards the army.

"Xena?"

"Mmm?"

"How can you be sure Darphus will still be here?"

Xena grinned. "He will be. He won't get far without the map."

The peasant grinned also. "What about Cirra?"

"Knowing Darphus he probably didn't do anything. He thinks we're still here after him." The warlord now stopped walking in the woods and turned to her mare. "We're leaving Argo here." Xena shifted to a tree and tied the horse's reins to the tree. She then walked to the saddlebags and pulled out her older sword, she hooked it to her side, now she has two swords. Xena then looked to her soulmate. "I want you to be very careful."

Gabrielle nodded, she was serious. "I will. You too huh?"

The warlord smiled. "Always." Now her smile dropped, her expression serious. "You sure about this? We can turn back from all of this."

The smaller woman sighed. "I wanna do this Xena. But only if you want to."

Xena nodded. "I do." She then turned towards the direction of the army. "Okay, here's the plan."

The soulmates kneeled down behind the bushes. Xena reached forward with her right hand to push the brush out of the way. She looked through the vines to the camp of the army. Her eyes narrowed as she watch Gelidus walk by. Looking to her left she then saw Darphus, she grinned. The warlord looked to Gabrielle. "You see him?" A low whisper.

Gabrielle leaned to her left some, there she spotted Darphus. "Yeah. You think he'll head into his tent?"

"Should." Xena kept her eyes pinned on Darphus.

Both soulmates watched the man walk through the camp. He yelled at a few warriors then laughed and kept walking towards his tent. Darphus made it to his tent and walked in.

"Ready?"

Gabrielle looked to her soulmate and nodded. "Yeah. Don't take long Xena."

The warlord smiled some. "I won't promise." Xena then leaned in to her partner. They gently kissed and when they pulled back, Xena watched Gabrielle stand up. "Be careful."

"I will." The peasant walked through the brush and quickly ran towards Darphus's tent, she went inside. Xena then backed up and went sprinting through the woods in the direction of Gelidus's tent.

Gabrielle ducked into Darphus's tent, she rose back up to see Darphus's back. She took a deep breath and spoke aloud. "How are you Darphus?"

The warrior whirled around with a surprised look. "Look who it is, the slave." He grinned. "Miss me?"

The peasant took a step in more, she grinned back. "Oh no why would I? There's nothing to miss about you." She could feel some of her anger from the rape come back.

Darphus laughed. "That's why you came back huh? So where's Xena? She didn't like your services?"

"Oh Xena… well she's given up." Gabrielle stepped to her right. "But I love armies, thought I'd come back."

Darphus took a step towards the small woman. "So Xena chickened out huh?" He grinned. "Why don't I believe that?"

"I don't know. Why don't you tell me Darphus." The peasant took another step to her right, the tent flap now to her left.

"Maybe because you're her little harlot." The warrior then shifted to his left.

"Maybe I'm not Darphus. Maybe I have you fooled." Gabrielle grinned and took another step to her right.

Darphus stepped closer to the peasant. "Won't matter anyway."

"And why?" Gabrielle took another step to her right, she was almost facing the tent flap. "You don't have anything Darphus." Yet again a right step, now she completely faced the tent flap.

"I have Xena's army." Darphus came right up to Gabrielle, his back to the tent flap. "I have her power and now I'll have her slave… again." He quickly grasped Gabrielle by the arms to tightly hold her in place.

Gabrielle could feel herself shaking some but she reached down inside to the part of herself that is Xena. "I don't think so."

"So do I."

Darphus quickly spun around at hearing an all to familiar voice. His eyes widen but only in the time it took for a fist to connect with his face. He stumbled backwards, Gabrielle had moved out of the way. He landed square back on his bed, staring up.

"Miss me Darphus? I missed you." Xena grinned and stepped forward towards Darphus. She brought her hands down to the man's armor, grabbing it. Xena in a flash lifted the warrior off his bed and swung him around. "You need to take charge of your army. Don't you think so?" The warlord grinned and did a roundhouse kick.

Darphus went flying through the tent flap and outside. He fell flat on his back on the ground, he slowly got up coughing as he saw Xena coming out of the tent.

Xena walked up to Darphus and stared down at him with a grin, her hands on her hips. "It's such a lovely day for a fight." Xena looked up to see all the warriors of the army come towards them, all shocked at the scene.

Gabrielle had come out of Darphus's tent. Her arms crossed against her chest with a grin.

Darphus stood up, he wiped away blood from under his nose. He looked around at his warriors. "Kill her! Kill them both!"

None of the warrior's shifted from where they stood, instead they stood there watching.

The warlord grinned and looked around at the warriors, she looked back to Darphus. "Well I'd say they aren't listening Darphus. You need to show them your fighting abilities to be a qualified leader." Her eyes narrowed. "If you have any."

Darphus growled and unsheathed his sword from his side. "I will kill you."

"Don't talk the talk when you don't have the walk Darphus." Xena crossed her arms against her chest.

Darphus sprung forward with his sword.

Xena easily sidestepped him, her arms still crossed against her chest. "Is that all you have?"

Darphus spun his sword and raised it to bring it down at Xena.

The warlord quickly uncrossed her arms and raised her left arm up. The blade connected with her gauntlet, as she held the blade up she reached behind unsheathing her own sword. Xena jumped back with a laugh. "Come on Darphus, show you're a leader."

The man came at Xena with his sword. Xena stopped his sword. The two went at it for awhile with the sword clashing. Xena stopped a swing that came at her side. She then punched at Darphus in the face and he stumbled backwards.

Darphus growled and quickly reached to his belt, in a split second a dagger was in the air heading towards the warlord.

Xena stepped to her right and lifted her left hand to catch the dagger in midair. She looked at it then back to Darphus. "Play nice." She then flipped the dagger in her hand and threw it back but faster.

Darphus couldn't see it but then he felt it in his left arm. Reaching up, he removed it and threw the dagger to the ground. He then attacked again.

The warlord stayed on defense with the swings Darphus gave her, parrying them away. She then decided to do some offense. Xena stepped back and did a high kick to Darphus's sword hand. His sword went flying sky high. Xena grinned at the surprised warrior and she kicked him at his chest, he went reeling onto his back.

Darphus opened his eyes looking up to see his sword coming down at him, blade first. His eyes widen and he rolled to his right out of the sword's target. Slowly Darphus got to his knees.

Xena grinned and bent down, her face right in his but with her sword pressing against his throat. "I never knew you were this bad at fighting." She grinned. "Glad I know now."

Darphus narrowed his eyes. "So what do you plan to do now with me?"

The warlord grinned. "Kill you." She then slowly stood up with Darphus, her blade still against his throat.

Then there was the sound of somebody running towards the group of people.

"Darphus, Xena is here!"

Xena turned her head to her right to see Gelidus running while pulling a gag from over his mouth, her eyes narrowed. She then saw out of the corner of her eye a quick movement, she knew it was Darphus. Looking back towards Darphus, she found the man with Gabrielle in front of his body, a dagger to the peasant's throat. Deja-vu.

Xena's eyes were still narrow and she heard Gelidus still running. She then grinned at Darphus. Reaching down to her right she retrieved her chakram held it up and threw it at Darphus but it went over his head and hit the tent behind. Bounced off and went spinning in the direction of Gelidus, it hit him in the neck instantly killing him, and then it came back to Xena.

The warlord caught it and she saw Darphus staring at the dead Gelidus, which gave her time. So she stepped forward in a blur of motion, her fingers coming up to the warrior's elbows. Xena quickly did pressure points on Darphus.

Darphus gritted his teeth against the pain, he couldn't move. He watched as Gabrielle slipped out from under his arms and backed away. His eyes then averted to the warlord.

Xena just grinned. "See you in Tartarus Darphus." She spun her sword and stepped forward. Her sword went up into his chest and out his back.

The warrior's eyes widen a little and then they closed as the sword went through his heart. His body fell against the sword and went limp.

Xena jerked her sword out of his body and pushed the lifeless body to the ground. The dead warrior fell on his back. She stared down at the dead Darphus. She then smiled and whirled around to face the army. "Anybody else around here think they're a leader?" Xena turned her head left and right at the warriors. "Good." Lifting her sword she let the blade with blood lean against her right shoulder. She stepped more into the center of the circle. "Well then whose army is this?" A grin.

One warrior raised his hand and yelled. "Xena!"

Another followed. "Xena!"

"Xena! Xena! Xena! Xena!" It was a continuous chant.

The warlord spun around in a full circle looking at all her warriors praising her, she was evilly smiling. She then stopped turning and looked to her soulmate. Xena nodded faintly.

Gabrielle nodded back and stepped up beside her partner.

"Silence!" Xena then sheathed her sword as her warriors quiet. "Now then, there are some new rules for this army." She smiled as she looked around and continued talking. "This army is no longer about pillaging, revenge, and death. This army, my army, is now about conquering in the most peaceful way. And we will fight other warlords. My army is now an army of good. This is the army of the greater good." Xena paused and looked around at her warriors for reactions. None of them seemed to go into disgust or anger, most nodding. "To add on to that, you have two commanders. Gabrielle…" Xena looked to Gabrielle and next to her army. "Is also your commander. She is my partner. You all will treat her with the same respect and regard as you treat me. If you do not, then consider your life forfeited." She then paused. "Through our conquering, Gabrielle's leadership, and mine this army will conquer Greece!"

All the warrior's then cheered loudly in agreement. Raising arms up in salute and continued yelling loudly.

Xena grinned and looked down to her soulmate. Gabrielle looked up with a smile. The warlord smiled back and winked to her.

Xena smiled down at her soulmate.

Gabrielle smiled right back and brought her hands up to the warlord's sides. "This is going to work Xena."

The warlord grinned. "We'll try." They stood in the center of their tent.

The peasant chuckled. "It will work." She then leaned up to her soulmate.

Xena herself leaned down and the soulmates' lips met for a deep kiss. Once they broke apart Xena walked over to their bed, there on the bed are her regular warlord attire. She stared down at the uniform for a moment.

The younger woman shifted to Xena's side and stared at the attire as well. She looked up to Xena. "It's another mind set huh?"

The warlord nodded a few times. "It is." She then looked down to Gabrielle. "Here it goes."

Gabrielle grinned and watched as her partner slowly took off her sword and chakram placing them on the bed. Then the brass armor, armbands, gauntlets, and the boots were taken off.

Xena then took her leathers off and stood in her black tunic, slowly she reached down to lifted her older leathers with the gold and put them on. They felt different then her other one's even though she's worn these for longer. They were just different. After that the warlord began to put on the wire armor then the chain across her chest. Next to follow were the leather armbands and gauntlets with chain mail.

The peasant took a deep breath at this scene, she took a step back, still watching. Xena then reached down to put on her older boots, which stop at her knees instead of covering them. The last touch, her cape. She lifted it and began to attach it to her shoulders. Once Xena did, she lifted her older sword and clipped it to her back. Her chakram the last weapon, she was clipping it as she was turning around to face Gabrielle again. The chakram hooked to her side, Xena slowly raised her head back up to look to Gabrielle with the side of herself that is the warlord. The side that is the darkness.

Gabrielle looked up and down the length of Xena's length. Why did it matter so much this time? She'd seen Xena dressed in her warlord uniform before. But this time it's different, another story to be told. She looked back up to Xena and her lips slowly creased up into a smile. Gabrielle then looked deep into her soulmate's eyes. Yes she could see that warlord, that darkness. This time though, she wasn't scared of it nor hated it. No, now she felt protected by it. Protected because she knew that darkness in Xena is there for her now. A bit of an odd way to see it but it was the truth. Not only did she feel protected by it, but she loved it. For some reason, Gabrielle felt electrify with that darkness that made her stomach jump in excitement and her heart pound with thrill. That's when Gabrielle knew that in due time she would take on some of Xena's darkness. There was no stopping that. That is soulmates.

Gabrielle took a step to Xena, her eyes still locked with those deep rich blue twinkling eyes. "Perfect." That's all that need to be heard.

Xena grinned with warmness. She leaned down to her soulmate as she closed her eyes.

Their lips locked in a loving kiss. One of those kisses that held promise and love. A kiss that meant the future is about to change for them both. The soulmates will continue to walk down this different path to a future with different story then what they could have been walking down. Nothing can stop them either for they have love behind them. Love, the strongest force in the everything.

The End

Author's Notes ~ That is my first story for this new series y'all. I hope everybody liked it. I tried to make things different for Xena and Gabrielle, they certainly are. I plan to write another story for this series so y'all can get a feel of what this series would be like. I do not know whether I'd continue with it, I'd love to. I have wide-open space to do so many things with these two. But I will not continue with this series unless I hear from a lot of readers that I should. It could be a real fun series. Let me know everybody what you think. Love to hear. Thanks!

-Red Hope