"There's a wildfire burning in my country.

My land is all on fire..." C.W.

Night

Xena woke to see Gabrielle standing at the window. The moon, just past full, shone into the room casting a soft glow across her hair. She was surprised that Gabrielle's leaving the bed hadn't woken her. Xena's preternatural senses were usually alert even in her sleep. But their love-making had left her pleasantly exhausted. She hadn't slept so well in ... well, she didn't know when.

Xena propped her head on her elbow to study her lover more closely. And it was then that she noticed that there was something not right in Gabrielle's stance. It looked as though was she crying?

Xena leapt from the bed in one liquid motion and, placing her hands on Gabrielle's waist, she turned the young woman around to see her face.

No, not crying, but sad and confused.

"What is it Gabrielle?" Xena put her fingertips to Gabrielle's chin, raising her head a little. "What's wrong?" Xena was looking at Gabrielle with that searching gaze that always made the bard's heart melt the look that said 'whatever is ailing you I would die trying to fix it.' "Are you having any...regrets?" Xena asked, her eyes shading from searching to anticipating pain.

"Regrets? Never!" Gabrielle had no idea how to begin to explain what was wrong with her, but Xena deserved her best effort. Besides, Xena had been being so careful with her, and Gabrielle didn't want to leave Xena feeling that she had done anything wrong. " I just... I feel... Xena, I think there's something wrong with me "

"Are you sick?"

"No but..." Gabrielle's face flushed a little. "I don't know how to ... I've never felt like this before. It's kind of embarrassing..."

"You know you can tell me anything. Anything, Gabrielle. Why don't you give it a try? Its just me here..." Xena was trying for what she hoped was an encouraging smile, and it seemed to have some effect because Gabrielle smiled back and then started to speak her fear.

"Ever since last week when we made love for the first time, I... I can't stop feeling..." Gabrielle was unable to finish, and Xena could see that she was struggling hard. A brief pause, and then the rest of the words came tumbling out in a burst, as though it had to be said all at once, or not at all:

"I want you all the time, Xena. Every minute. I mean, I couldn't even sleep with you just now, even though we had already..." Gabrielle's face turned bright red as her words stumbled and then halted. She turned again to face the open window. Her back was turned to Xena once more, and she hoped the cool breeze would stop the burning of her skin. "This can't be normal, can it?" she was finally able to add, speaking softly into the wind.

Xena would have laughed out loud but she knew Gabrielle would take it the wrong way. Instead she slipped her arms around Gabrielle's waist, drawing her in close. It was situations like this that reminded Xena just how young her love was. Her first experience of uncontrollable lust! And Xena smiled into Gabrielle's hair as she realized that she was the object of it.

"Gabrielle," she whispered against her ear. "There is nothing wrong with that. It's wonderful, in fact " Xena kissed her ear,and watched in fascination as the hair rose on Gabrielle's arms in response. She reached around to cup soft breasts in her strong hands. Xena could feel the tension drain from Gabrielle's body as Xena's words sank in.

"I'm glad it is not wrong," Gabrielle sighed, covering Xena's hands with her own and leaning her head back against her shoulder. She could just hear Xena chuckling softly near her ear, and she stiffened again.

"What's funny?"

"It's just I've been holding back, not wanting to overwhelm you with my own desires "

"Don't."

"Don't what?" Xena started to pull her hands away but Gabrielle clasped them even tighter against her breasts.

"Hold back-- "

The timbre of Gabrielle's voice, deep and smoky, threaded through with passion, inflamed the warrior. She pulled Gabrielle back tightly against herself, attached her mouth to her neck and began to suck. She felt Gabrielle's nipples stiffen instantly, as though trying to push their way though Xena's palms. Xena moaned deep in her throat as she leaned down to trail hot kisses across Gabrielle's shoulders and massage the ripe breasts with her hands her fingertips tracing the hard nipples.

"Yes, Gabrielle....You want this? Hmmm?"

The bard licked her lips, trying to moistened them so she could speak. Gave up and nodded instead. Xena smiled, her fingertips pinching tighter. Pressing her mouth against the bard's ear, she growled:

"I'm going to take you, Gabrielle "

Groaning, Gabrielle slammed her head back against Xena's shoulder, trying to bring more of her body under Xena's mouth while her hips pressed back against Xena's with a rhythm that cried out for attention. Gabrielle's hands tightened against Xena's once more, and she curled her fingers around one of Xena's hands to drag it down her body and press it against the swollen folds of her sex.

"Xena, please..."

Xena placed two fingertips just inside Gabrielle and was rewarded by a gasp as the bard tried to push herself down onto Xena's hand. But Xena's other arm was wrapped tightly around the smaller woman's waist, pinning her, teasing her, holding her up suspended just above her dancing fingertips.

"Ask for it. I want to hear you ask for it."

With a sideways swing of her head, Gabrielle nuzzled Xena's neck, and Xena could hear her desperate entreaties.

"Please! Do it "

"Very good," Xena praised, just before she pushed deep into Gabrielle The feel of wet silk pulsing, opening around her fingers made her legs weak. A cry tore from her throat and she sank to her knees, bringing Gabrielle with her, straddled across her thighs. Gabrielle's nails dug into the strong arm that held her pinned against Xena's body, and Xena parted her own thighs just enough to spread Gabrielle's legs a little more and give herself greater access. She added a third finger and slightly curling them at the tip, she pushed in deeper.

"Gods...Oh...Xena!" Gabrielle's hands flew up and covered her eyes as she tried to grind herself in the unbelievable sensations the warrior was creating. Then, wrapping her hands around Xena's forearm once more she began, slowly at first, rocking her hips against the hand inside her.

Xena's body had responded instantly to Gabrielle's cries and she felt her own wetness pool between her legs. The warrior moved the arm she was using to hold Gabrielle up tightly to her to squeeze one breast with her hand. Gabrielle was pushing her hips back harder against Xena now, and was panting, chest heaving while she struggled for breath. Each downward thrust of Gabrielle's hips sent a jolt of exquisite pleasure through Xena's groin and down her legs. Her whole body was starting to shudder and the feel of the bard writhing against her body, the feel of Gabrielle's hips thrusting against her set off a matching vibration in Xena's bones, and a powerful orgasm, sharp and fierce pierced through to her core.

"Gabrielle!" The warrior screamed. For an instant she felt herself begin to black out, but she used all of her strength to ride it though while continuing her ministrations to the woman she held tight against herself. She managed to regain some equilibrium, and soon Xena was caught in that ecstatic place between deciding whether to prolong Gabrielle's release or to make it come hard and fast

"Ahhhhh Xena...yes... yes...Gods... Xena... "

It had become clear to Xena that Gabrielle was quite talkative in her passion, yet she was surprised by the powerful effect her words had on her. Xena leaned forward just enough to dance her fingers in some impossible rhythm against that spot that was harder and firmer among all the other textures, and then felt Gabrielle's muscles begin convulsing against her. Gabrielle let her head fall forward briefly before pushing it back against Xena's breast as a loud groan was ripped from her throat, Xena's strong frame holding her, an anchor as each wave crested before crashing through her, threatening to knock her senseless.

Xena stilled the movement of her fingers, waiting for the convulsing of Gabrielle's body to stop. And when it did, with one final push she took Gabrielle again, a satisfied smile playing across her sensual lips at the sound of yet another ecstatic cry. Covering Gabrielle's head with light kisses, she kept holding her tight against her, until the last wave slowly receded.

Xena nuzzled her face in the damp tangle of Gabrielle's sweat-soaked hair and whispered "So sweet... "

Gabrielle turned in Xena's arms and pushed her down against the floor with surprising strength, flooding Xena's face with hot kisses.

"Xena, you are a goddess," Gabrielle managed to tell her, continuing her kisses for emphasis.

"Gabrielle, that's a dangerous thing to say.... You don't want to make the gods jealous...."

"Don't worry, I'll protect you," she laughed, and pressed her body down tightly against the warrior. Looking down her eyes burned at the sight of Xena's large ripe breasts with an avaricious intensity. Xena knew what she wanted, and was more than happy to oblige. She arched her back as Gabrielle wrapped both hands around one breast and lifted it into her mouth, sucking and then teasing the already erect nipple with her teeth and tongue.

"ohhh...that's nice..." Xena sighed, and then Gabrielle pressed a thigh between Xena's legs. Xena was so full and swollen that Gabrielle could feel the outline of each fold as it pressed against the sensitive skin of her thigh. She buried her head between Xena's breasts and began rocking her hips, pushing harder against Xena with each thrust. Once again Gabrielle's movements were sending shockwaves clear through to Xena's core. She reached up to touch Gabrielle's breast, only to have the bard push her hand away.

"Don't distract me," she said, voice tight. Xena looked up at the bard, a little shocked by her commanding tone, but then she cried out when, in one fluid motion, Gabrielle pushed three fingers deep into Xena's opening. Quickly she found Xena's inner rhythm, hot and heavy, and then and matched it, stroke for stroke. Xena raised her knees and with her feet planted on the floor she pushed herself up to meet the thrusts of Gabrielle's hand. Gabrielle watched Xena's face carefully as though trying to memorize it, to record it in her soul. Watched as Xena wet her lips and then parted them, pulling air into her lungs, panting. Watched as her eyes lost focus, rolled up into her head and then closed

"Look at me," Gabrielle ordered. "I need to see you."

Xena's eyes flew open in response and a fierce blue fire burned into Gabrielle's heart, causing it to stop in her chest. Then her heart began pounding as though it tried to make up for the lost time, and Gabrielle swore it was going to pound clear out of her body. She had never seen anything so beautiful as Xena's face in that moment, and while she continued pushing hard into Xena, she felt time stand still, felt time lose all meaning....

Meanwhile Xena felt completely vanquished by her bard, and felt herself cast adrift in an open sea of passion. She knew she had been holding back before, but hadn't fully realized how much until she let go. Gabrielle's touch and Gabrielle's commands, softly yet firmly spoken, had decimated her last resistance, the last of her defenses, and now the young woman stormed through her soul. The force of it was overwhelming, and Xena began to feel disembodied. But she could hear, dimly at first, Gabrielle's voice above her, calling to her, calling her name over and over "Yes, Xena Yes!" with each push and it helped to bring her back. Just in time to feel the orgasm begin to gather like a storm, spinning in the center of her being before spreading outwards to encompass her whole body. With a massive effort Xena found the connection between her brain and her arms, and managed to reach up, to cup Gabrielle's face in her hands, the one calm center in this torrent. She clung to Gabrielle as though her life depended on it, their gaze locked together. With one final upward thrust of her hips it overcame her with a force she had never experienced before. And when it was over her head fell back to the ground, eyes closing, her throat aching from cries she had no memory of uttering.

* * * * *

Morning

Gabrielle walked toward the stable, the last of their belongings in hand to load into Argo's saddlebags. She hummed softly, enjoying the feel of the morning sun on her skin, her mind replaying the sensuous love-making of the night before. One particularly poignant memory of Xena's cry of release seared through her, causing her stomach to clench. When she came back from her musing, she realized that she had stopped in her tracks-- apparently she had forgotten how to walk for a moment. Smiling, she shook her head in consternation, amazed at how her passion for a certain warrior princess was driving her to distraction.

The stable was a dark contrast to the morning sky, and Gabrielle squinted upon entering, trying to get her eyes to adjust to the change in light. As she turned to shut the door behind her, her heart stopped beating as she felt large hands close on her hips, only to resume its beat at double time as she recognized Xena's presence.

"Gabrielle, how many times do I have to tell you to pay better attention to your surroundings." Gabrielle could feel Xena's breath against her ear. Her hands froze on the door as a shiver slid down her spine.

"Sorry, Xena. I guess I've been a little... distracted." That was an understatement. It seemed that since they had finally admitted their feelings for each other, since they had finally made love last week, all Gabrielle could think about was Xena's touch. When she wasn't thinking about touching Xena.

"Don't be sorry, just improve," Xena told her. " If I were a brigand, I could have had you by now."

"Is it too late?"

"What? Is what too late?"

Gabrielle leaned back into the warrior, guiding Xena's hand forward to the top of her thighs. With a hand curved to cover Xena's, she guided it underneath her skirt until it rested against the heat at her center. "Is it too late for you to have me?" she whispered.

"Gabrielle...." the warrior began, trying to chastise, trying to remember what was wrong about this, but the wet warmth against her fingertips ignited her, robbing her of her senses. Cupping the soft mound, she began a soft, rhythmic palming, groaning as damp heat transformed to liquid fire under her touch. Gabrielle slid her hand up and as she leaned back against the warrior, her fingernails raked along a muscled forearm.

"Gods Gabrielle ... you..."

"Please," the bard whispered, pushing her hips back against the warrior's strong frame. She cried out as Xena slid two fingers under soaked cloth and into wet folds.

Leaning down, Xena held a mouthful of Gabrielle's shoulder between her teeth, eyes closing in ecstacy at the sensation of pulsing, tight velvet against her fingers. Xena's free hand traced Gabrielle's chin and lips until the bard sucked a finger into her mouth, stroking it with teeth and tongue. Gabrielle reached around to pull Xena's hips tighter to herself.

"Yes...push against me," Xena growled. She freed her hand from Gabrielle's mouth and slid it up the bard's rear, pushing her skirt up over her hip in the process.

"Put your hands on the door," the warrior ordered. Lifting up her own skirt, Xena slid her fingers along her folds, separating the to position them against the bard's cheek. She shivered at the sweet contact all along the length of her sex.

"Yes Xena," Gabrielle urged the warrior on, while pushing back against the slick fullness attached to her rear. She felt the warrior pump harder in response, her fingers pushing deep into Gabrielle's center. Panting, the warrior's hot breath caressed her ear, sending shivers cascading across already sensitized skin. The bard knew she was fast approaching the limit of her endurance when Xena's free hand slid under her shirt, fingers clasping the aching tip of her breast.

"Oh...gods...Xena..." Using her hands against the door for leverage she pushed back hard into Xena, who groaned loudly in her ear. Gabrielle's body clenched around Xena's fingers, a deep caress, a loving embrace. A blinding pleasure arced throughout the bard, lights exploding behind tightly shut eyelids.

The warrior's body reacted quickly to the increase in pressure against her own center caused by the bard's release, and freeing wet fingers to curl around Gabrielle's hips, her movements became short and sharp as she pushed herself harder. Eyes tightly shut, she caught her lower lip between her teeth in an attempt to bite back a groan. Then she felt Gabrielle's hand reach around and grasp her rear, pulling the warrior to her as though their bodies might become one. The combination of the friction and the pressure this caused proved to much for her, and a fierce orgasm starting at her center and rippling outwards forced her to cry out. A sudden weakness in her knees caused Xena to cling her bard, pulling air into her lungs as she rested her chin on Gabrielle's head and her forehead on the cool wood of the stable door.

After catching her breath, Gabrielle turned in the circle of the warrior's arms and leaned up to kiss each closed eyelid. She nuzzled her face against Xena's breasts, listening to the sound of her pounding heart, waiting for the warrior to recover. After a few blissful moments, Xena opened her eyes and smiled down warmly at the bard.

"Hand me those saddlebags, will you?" she asked, her voice hoarse from what was now two days of overuse.

"The saddlebags?"

"Yeah, you know, the things at your feet which contain our worldly possessions."

"I know what they are Xena, I just am not sure why you want them at the moment."

"We need them to check back in to the Inn."

"We just checked out."

Xena grinned down at her lover, and then whispered in her ear: "I need to feel you inside me, and I want to be laying on a bed when it happens... now just hand me those bags."

"Oh, no. I've got 'em." Gabrielle told her, grabbing their bags and setting a fast pace back towards the inn they had just left.

END

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