Eternal Spirit

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Eternal Spirit

Part 29

The warrior slowly approached a nearby tree overlooking open grounds. It's tall thick branches seemed to slither interlocking within each other providing a generous overhang. She rested her cheek against the bark letting the rough texture tease her skin. The full moon lit the dark sky brightly, providing the perfect amount of light below. Remaining hidden behind the aged tree, the warrior settled her gaze on the Amazon Queen. It had been several hours since the commencement of the Amazon council meeting. "Oh Gabrielle, how did things go so wrong so quickly?" She closed her eyes for a moment and listened to the sound of rustling leaves overhead. The gentle breeze swirled around the warrior and caressed her skin. A loud groan broke Xena from her thoughts and her attention settled back to the figure ahead of her. The Amazon Queen was practicing with her staff alone amid the darkness the open grounds offered. Her groans grew louder as her defense moves intensified in speed and difficulty.

"Focus! Don't act, react!" The Amazon Queen followed each move of the staff with a mental command. Sweat trickled down her face and shoulders. Gabrielle, however, was too focused on her imaginary targets to concern herself with anything but her next move. She circled the staff with one hand around her body and caught the other end with her free hand and then paused suddenly. She became very still and listened closely to something that caught her attention. The hushing wind blowing across the field greeted her. "Hmm that cool breeze feels really nice." She smiled slightly and then took a few deep calming breaths to re-center herself. "Ya!" With a loud grunt the Queen easily glided into a series of back-flips combined with various high kicks and difficult staff moves.

Xena was captivated by the gracefulness of Gabrielle's defense and counter attack tactics. "By the gods, where did you learn to move like that Gabrielle?" The warrior remained speechless as her bard maneuvered effortlessly through a combination of fighting moves, not easily accomplished by even a very skilled warrior. Disbelief washed over her face as she continued watching, awestruck by her bard. After a few moments elapsed, the warrior began to notice something familiar in the Queen's movements. She looked down at her sword and ran her fingers delicately over the handle as if recalling something. "Those moves...they are..."

"Yours." The soft voice came from her left side. "I do watch you, you know."

Xena met the green eyes before her. "Gabrielle," she whispered. With a quick stride she stood before her bard. "I have never seen you move like that before. It was..."

The Queen raised her brow questioningly. "Was?"

"Amazing. Even I would have trouble with some of those moves you were pulling off out there, but you were rolling through it all so easily." Xena shifted her weight uncomfortably. "I can't believe I just admitted that!"

The Queen rolled her eyes. "You? Trouble with fighting? I don't think so Xena."

The warrior smirked. "Alright maybe not me but anyone else but me wouldn't be able to move like that!"

Gabrielle smiled awkwardly. "Sometimes just when you think you have someone figured out, they show a completely different side to their character and surprise you." She paused briefly and just looked into her warrior's eyes. "I think I have always had it within me...to fight. I just never had the practice, discipline, or most of all... purpose." She smiled weakly and looked down settling her gaze on a stray leaf blowing softly by her feet. "I guess now I do." Her voice trailed slightly above a whisper.

Xena took a step closer to her bard. "Gabrielle I am sorry..."

"Stop." Gabrielle's voice took on an authorative tone Xena had never heard before. She could sense the apprehension building within the warrior. Her eyes grew softer dissolving some of the tension between them. "Xena you don't have to apologize. I know you were only trying to protect me."

"You were right about what you said earlier Gabrielle. I am no better than he is."

The Queen shook her head and moved closer to the warrior until their bodies were touching. She traced her fingertips along the warrior's cheeks and cupped her face within her hands. Her emerald eyes met the teary blue orbs of her partner. "No, Xena I was angry. You are nothing like him. He is a monster. I'm so sorry. I..." She tightened her hold slightly cupping the warrior's cheek firmly. "I was angry. What I said was out of anger, not truth."

Xena placed her hands over her bard's. "I know and you had every reason to be angry with me. I wasn't just trying to protect you. I was making a choice for you."

Gabrielle placed her index finger on Xena's lips hushing her. "Shhh."

Xena moved her bard's hand away from her face and held it between her own. "No, Gabrielle listen to me. I never realized it before, but I have always made choices for you. In my eyes I was protecting you, but in the process I was taking something very precious from you....your free will. I just am so afraid of losing you..." A tear treaded down the warrior's cheek.

Gabrielle lightly kissed the teardrop. "Draden was right Xena." The warrior stared blankly at her in confusion. "He said even death couldn't free me." She smiled warmly at her warrior. For the first time those words didn't make her cringe. "He is right, even death couldn't free me....of you. I love you Xe and even in death, I will never leave you." She leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Xena's lips. "I wish I could make you understand that I need to do this...for me."

Xena encircled her arms around Gabrielle and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I love you too Gabrielle and I do understand." She pulled the bard away from her keeping her hands on her shoulders. "I just don't like you doing this alone."

Gabrielle brought her hand to Xena's cheek delicately stroking it. "I won't be." A smile spread across her face.

Xena moved past the subject and challenged playfully. "So, my innocent bard, need a not so innocent warrior to spar with?" She winked at her partner.

"Of course! Don't worry Xe, I will take it easy on you." She smirked and winked back at Xena. Laughter trailed behind her as she walked back towards the open field.

Xena laughed. "Take it easy on me? Did you hit your head with that staff again Gabrielle?" She shook her head humorously at the bard.

"Hmm, if I remember correctly, my champion, I still owe you a good ass kicking from the sparring competition." The Queen's face lit up as she grinned back at the warrior. In that moment she seemed more herself than she had been since her attack. Without warning, she attacked the warrior's left side with her staff and followed through with a left kick to her right side.

Xena blocked her staff with her sword and caught the Queen's leg with her other hand. She held it in mid-air briefly. "Gotcha!" She smiled and released her foot. "Heeyah!" Xena back-flipped a short distance away from the bard. She grinned at the bard. "So, you haven't told me yet, just what terms do you plan on setting for the Battle of Wills?" Her expression grew very serious. "A death match is completely out of the..." She stopped mid-sentence. "Damnit to Tartarus! There I go again telling her what she CAN and CAN'T do!"

Gabrielle looked amused by the warrior's struggle for control. "Xena, I'm not going to fight to the death." She looked calmly into the warrior's eyes putting her at ease.

"What do you plan to do then?" Xena lowered her sword and began approaching her bard.

A mischievous grin settled on the Queen's face but she said nothing.

Continued In Part 30