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Eternal Spirit
Part 9
"Are you sure you're up to this Gabrielle?" . "Yes Xe, I really want to join the Sparring Competition. You don't have to worry about me." Slight irritation nestled in Gabrielle's tone. "Gabrielle, it's my job to worry about you. You have been pushing yourself hard and..." she paused raising her brow at the rolling eyes of the bard. She continued, her tone a low growl. "I just want to be sure your wounds have healed well enough for a competition. It is extremely demanding on your muscles and reflexes. Gabrielle..." her voice dropped to a dangerous tone. "Stop rolling your eyes at me." the demand was forced through Xena's clenched teeth. "Xe, I'm sorry I just don't want to go through this again. I thought we came to an agreement on this already. Remember I promised I wouldn't overdo myself? Don't you trust my judgment?" The warrior's expression softened. "Of course I trust you Gabrielle." The bard smiled. "Hmm perhaps then you are afraid of losing to a little innocent bard like me Xe?" She challenged playfully with a grin. With a shake of her head, the warrior began to unmercifully tickle the squirming bard. "Xena! Stop! Xena please..." she choked out a few more protests between giggles before the warrior stopped tickling her. "All right my little innocent bard," her words mimicking the bard's lightheartedly. "I won't have any objections to you entering the sparring competition under two conditions." The bard folded her arms across her chest. "And which two conditions would those be?" "Condition number one. If you re-injure anything you stop." Gabrielle rolled her eyes at her overprotective warrior. "And condition number two?" "I mean it Gabrielle if your hurt you stop or I..." "Okay Xena I got it. If I'm hurting, I'll stop." With a grunt she continued. "And condition number two is..." a charming smile forming on her lips "you remember that this big not so innocent warrior is never afraid of a challenge." The bard chuckled and wrapped her arms around her warrior in an embrace. "Thank you.” "No surprise for being such a good sport?" She playfully prodded at her lover. With a smirk she brought her lips close to Xena's but not touching. The warrior leaned forward inviting the kiss but the bard pulled away shaking her head. "No no, my not so innocent warrior, no moving for you. I want you to stay perfectly still." An enchanting smile danced proudly on her face. She brought her lips close to the warrior's face and locked her eyes with the ocean colored spheres of her lover. She could feel her warm breath trickling down her lips. She leaned forward brushing her lips softly on the warriors' taking in her sweet scent, teasing her. "You are going to drive me insane my bard." Gabrielle closed her eyes and kissed her partner passionately rolling her tongue around her lover's mischievously. She traced the tips of her fingers down the warrior's bare shoulder to her hip, letting her tender touch linger for a moment, and then continued along her bare stomach. She felt Xena respond, deepening the kiss. The bard's hands made their way back to the warrior's shoulders. Her fingertips cascaded down her back and then encircled the warrior's waist pulling against her. "It feels so nice to be this close again Xe. No fear, just your touch, like it has always been." The bard's thoughts brought a contented smile to her face as she broke from the kiss and held the gaze of her lover. "What are you grinning at Xena?" The warrior cupped the bard's face in her hands. "I was just thinking that I should be a good sport more often." She winked releasing a soft chuckle. The bard smiled, taking her partner's hand in her own. "C'mon beautiful we have a competition to join." They headed towards the crowd by the sparring ring. "About time you two got here!" Ephiny scolded. "Lucky for you I entered you two towards the end of the competition. I knew you would make a late appearance." She stuck her tongue out jokingly. "Sorry Eph we were a little distracted." Gabrielle apologized with the straightest face she could assemble. "Hmmm I'll bet. Yep I see it. Guilt written all over that face of yours Miss tall, dark, and gorgeous." Ephiny began to laugh. Xena shot an eyebrow up warning her friend but that just fueled the laughter spurt further. "Okay I'll stop I'm sorry. I can't help it sometimes. For a big tough warrior you can be so cute." Her laughter dispersed slightly followed by the soft cackle of the bard. Xena cleared her throat. "So how is everyone doing so far in the competition?" She inquired as she watched the two Amazons sparring. "Well, six have been eliminated, including yours truly." Two stunned heads turned to the Regent. "Yeah, well what can I say. It happens to the best of us." She smiled. "Better watch out for that Destiny. She fights exceptionally well with that staff. She has some moves I haven't seen before. She has really been practicing these past few summers." They all turned to the sparring ring in time to witness Destiny's victory. Ephiny turned to her two friends. "Looks like that leaves you two and Destiny." Xena smiled. "I relish a good fight." "Well that's great because you my friend are next as soon as Destiny rests briefly." Xena turned to Gabrielle and planted a subtle kiss on her lips. "Wish me luck!" She whispered as she hopped into the sparring ring to warm up while awaiting her opponent. Ephiny and Gabrielle made their way to the front settling into a comfortable stance. The bard felt nervous for her warrior. "What am I worried about? This is Xena, Gabrielle!" She berated herself. Destiny was a few inches shorter than Xena. She had short golden brown hair that fell short of her shoulders and brown eyes. Her arms and legs displayed perfectly toned muscles. The match was well under way. The two skilled warriors met each other strike for strike, block for block. "Ephiny wasn't kidding. This kid has some moves!" Destiny, however, not possessing the amount of endurance Xena did, was growing very fatigued. Xena spun feigning left and then suddenly turned right swinging the staff and connecting with an already bruised set of ribs. The pain caught Destiny off guard just long enough to leave her face unshielded. Xena, noting this, used her forearm to jab Destiny on the side of her face and used the forward pressure of her weight to set her off balance knocking her down on her backside. "Do yourself a favor kid stay down this time," Xena murmured between breaths. Determination shined in Destiny's eyes. She swung her leg in a sliding motion at the warrior's ankles in an attempt to distract her. Xena, catching a glimpse of her swooping leg, was caught off guard and took a solid hit with the end of the staff in her right shoulder and then another on her left side. Gabrielle flinched at the loud cracking sound the staff made connecting with Xena's ribs. Ephiny placed her hand on Gabrielle's shoulder preventing her from getting up. "We cannot interfere. Xena can end this if she needs to." Gabrielle turned her heated gaze to her Regent. "That is my partner out there fighting with broken ribs Eph!" She huffed quietly. "I know and she is a warrior. You of all people know she can take care of herself. If it is too much she will stop." Gabrielle sighed in defeat and turned her gaze to the spar once again. Destiny flipped backwards landing back on her feet in a fighting stance. "I don't give up that easily Xena!" She muttered and swung the staff towards Xena's face. "We'll see about that kid” Xena caught the staff in mid-strike and with a fierce kick to Destiny's stomach she sent the Amazon to the ground once more. She pinned the injured Amazon with her weight, crossing the two staves with each other in the shape of an X. Using just enough pressure on her neck to cause slight pain, she spoke to the Amazon. "C'mon kid just say it. It's over." She applied a little more pressure. "Say it!" Xena demanded. "Mercy..." Destiny managed to utter through clenched teeth. Xena released her and extended her arm out to the Amazon. Ephiny turned to the relieved Queen beside her. "See..." "Don't even say it Eph!" The Queen warned. Ephiny laughed to herself, shaking her head. "You are a very talented warrior Destiny. Where did you learn some of those moves?" Xena inquired as she helped her to her feet careful not to put too much weight on her throbbing ribs. "I just made them up. I've been practicing every day for a few summers now. Hey I'm sorry about your ribs. You really need to let a healer look at them Xena." She turned as Gabrielle walked toward Xena. "Xena, are you alright?" She began to prod her lover's side gently. The Queen turned to Destiny and smiled. "That was a great fight Destiny. You have really improved with that staff. Solari will be proud of you once she returns." Destiny blushed. "Thank you, my Queen. I hope Xena is alright. I didn't realize I swung that hard." She turned to Xena. "I am very sorry, Xena." The warrior smiled at the young Amazon. "A spar is a spar kid. There is no room for apologies on the battlefield, remember that. You did great. Be proud of yourself." She smiled warmly. "I'm fine. My ribs will heal in no time. It's just a bruise," she reassured the young Amazon. "Okay, I will see you at dinner then? We are having a nice feast." Destiny asked anxiously. "Of course. We all know what happens if we don't feed that monster in your Queen's stomach." She pointed at Gabrielle's protesting stomach good-naturedly. The Amazon laughed and wandered off towards the approaching Regent. "First, we are going to see the healer." The bard stated matter-of-factly to her warrior. "But what about our spar and the competition?" She whined childishly. Gabrielle looked sternly at her. "Xe, I am not going to let you compete injured. I dropped out of the competition." Xena stared at her. "That's right you are the champion." Her eyes twinkled with delight. "No, I am your champion." Xena corrected sweetly. "Besides, I don't need an Amazon competition to whoop your butt on the sparring grounds my warrior." She laughed and walked the warrior towards the healer's hut. "Hey Eph, will you bring me a little more fish on your way back please?" The Queen asked nicely. "Sure thing, we wouldn't want to get that stomach of yours grumbling" She laughed as she toddled off. Gabrielle turned her attention to the warrior. "How are the ribs? Is the wrap too tight?" Xena took another bite of her dinner. "No, it's perfect. I'm all right. It's just a bruise." Gabrielle snorted. "Just a bruise, eh? Xena, I hardly consider two broken ribs just a bruise!" She chided. "I hardly feel it, honest." she replied, finishing the last of what was on her plate. She turned to her bard who had suddenly grown quiet. Her eyes held the vacant emptiness the warrior had become too familiar with. "Gabrielle what's wrong?" She questioned, a little worried. "Xe, can I ask you something?" her whisper was barely audible. "Of course, what is it?" Xena waited patiently for the bard to respond. "Do I make you happy?" Unshed tears were brimming in Gabrielle's eyes. "Gabrielle, you are the other half to my soul. No one could possibly make me happier than you don't you know that? Why would you question that, Gabrielle?" The bard shook her head. "Please tell me." The warrior persisted. "I don't know why but I started thinking about some of the things Draden had said to me. I just started to feel..." She looked down pushing back the tears. "I was scared that maybe I wasn't good enough Xe, that I don't deserve you. How can you not be ashamed of me when I am still so ashamed of myself?" She looked up at her warrior tears welling in her eyes. The warrior got up slowly and made her way to the bard's side. She met the gaze of the bard's and spoke softly. "Gabrielle, if anything I am the one that doesn't deserve you. There is nothing shameful about you. You did nothing wrong. Nothing at all Gabrielle." She wiped a tear from the bard's face just as Ephiny made her way back to the table with a plate of fish. "I leave you alone for a few minutes and look what happens." Ephiny stated with humor. "Gabrielle are you okay?" Wiping the remaining tears from her face, Gabrielle nodded. Xena broke the uncomfortable silence that fell upon them. "Ephiny, remember that surprise you've hounded me about for candlemarks?" She asked with a grin. "Yeees!" Her eyes grew wide with anticipation. Xena turned to Gabrielle with a warm smile. "I have a surprise for you, Gabrielle. I think now just may be the best time to give it to you." Before the bard could answer she kissed her tenderly on the lips and walked to the front of the gathering of Amazons. Silence swept across the group of chattering Amazons and all heads turned to the warrior. "Many of you have been driving yourselves insane over my surprise for Gabrielle. Well, my gift to your Queen has more than one meaning. First it is a gift in honor of it being the third year Gabrielle has ruled this Nation as Queen of the Amazons." She looked to her bard their gaze locked intently on one another and spoke to her. "The other is more of a personal one. This gift is for you to hold within your heart when you need to be reminded how much you mean to me. When you begin to doubt how worthy you are close your eyes and let thoughts of this gift be all that surrounds you. When you feel yourself slipping away, remember this gift, and know in your heart that I am always with you. Nothing could tamper the spirit we share Gabrielle. I have missed the way your eyes used to sparkle. I tried to think of how I could put that gleam of spirit back in there but now I know why that is not possible. It is our love that unites our spirit and it is that spirit that has been missing. I hope this gift brings you faith love. Faith in that eternal spirit we share that even death itself couldn't take away. Never doubt how much you mean to me." With those final words, Xena began to sing a song she wrote specially for her soul mate in the most beautiful voice the Nation of astounded Amazons had ever heard. I like blue eyes, hers are green So it took me by complete surprise No it wasn't at first sight So it took me by complete surprise More than I dreamed of So it took me by complete surprise As soon as the last verse was completed, loud applause filled the air. Gabrielle had already made her way to her warriors' side; tears flowing from her eyes. She wrapped her arms tightly around her lover. "I love you Xena. That was so beautiful." She leaned closer to the warrior's ear and whispered softly, "I do Xe." "Do what, Gabrielle?" Xena whispered back quietly still holding the bard within her arms. "Have faith." Gabrielle whispered confidently and tightened her embrace around her warrior. Continued In Part 10
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | |