Part 3

Xena opened her eyes and looked around. She was inside, but she wasn't in the dining hut. It only took her a moment to realize she was in the Queen's hut. Another moment and she was aware of the Queen herself snuggled against her side.

Xena tried to remember how she'd gotten to the hut. It all came back to her in a flash and she couldn't keep the grin off her face. Gabrielle had... Well, there just weren't any words to describe what Gabrielle had made Xena feel.

Xena's stomach clenched in memory and she could already feel herself getting wet again. She looked down at Gabrielle's resting form. Xena's hand reached out on impulse and brushed aside the blond bangs that were resting against a smooth forehead. Gabrielle's eyes fluttered open and she looked around to orient herself, before looking up at what had woken her from her nap.

"Hey," Gabrielle said in a scratchy, sleep-filled voice.

"Hey," Xena whispered back.

Xena ducked her head and kissed the Queen. Gabrielle had expected a light brush of lips in greeting, but what she received instead was a very passionate kiss. Xena's tongue wasted no time in entering her mouth and all Gabrielle could do was take it. Once that was settled, Gabrielle decided sucking on the intruding muscle was a good idea.

Xena moaned, as the bard gently wrapped her lips around Xena's tongue and pulled with her own tongue to bring Xena in deeper. Gabrielle slowly turned her body to lay more on top of Xena and her left hand found purchase at Xena's right shoulder. Xena's own hands wrapped around Gabrielle's waist and drew the small woman over her own longer body.

Gabrielle pushed up with her right hand and spread her legs over Xena's hips. Her left hand went to the back of Xena's neck and pulled up, even as she pressed her face down onto Xena's. She gave up on sucking on Xena's tongue and pushed her own tongue into Xena's mouth. Her pubic mound ground into Xena and Gabrielle whimpered from the sensations her body's unexpected movements caused.

Xena thrust her hips up to meet Gabrielle's motions and her hands slipped down to grab at Gabrielle's ass to pull her down harder. Xena's legs spread unconsciously, as she moved against the bard. Her tongue constantly played with Gabrielle's and she relished having the blonde's hands scratching through her hair.

Gabrielle was still in a haze from her nap and it was only the need to breathe that caused her to pull away from Xena and come to her senses. Xena's eyes were wild with passion and Gabrielle decided breathing was unnecessary, as she lowered her head again to ravish Xena's mouth once more.

As Gabrielle made contact with her lips, Xena pushed out her tongue and filled the expectant mouth above hers. She pulled harder at Gabrielle's butt and then snaked her right hand lower to feel Gabrielle's exposed vaginal opening. The bard was rather moist and Xena didn't hesitate to push her finger inside Gabrielle.

Gabrielle let out a high-pitched grunt at being penetrated. She pulled her mouth away from Xena's and started pushing back against the lone finger inside her, removing her hands from Xena's hair and using them to brace herself on either side of Xena's shoulders.

"Yes, Xena," she breathed out.

With a flick of her head, Gabrielle tossed her falling hair back over her shoulder and stared into Xena's eyes, as she worked to get Xena further inside her body. She felt her legs being pushed farther apart by the outsides of Xena's thighs. Gabrielle let her knees slide apart on the bed, as she continued to rock back and forth over the warrior.

Xena edged Gabrielle's legs apart a little more and gained just enough room to scoot her body up towards the head of the bed. She used her free hand to push Gabrielle into an upright position and then pushed herself to sit up. A little lower body dexterity and she was able to slide out from underneath Gabrielle, without removing herself from Gabrielle's slick entrance.

Xena stayed on her knees at Gabrielle's left side and Gabrielle rocked for her, never losing eye contact, as she forced Xena's finger in and out of her cunt. Gabrielle kept her hands at her sides and waited to see what Xena had in mind.

Xena reached up with her left hand and palmed Gabrielle's right breast. She squeezed it, molding it to her hand, and grazed her thumb over the hardening tip. Gabrielle closed her eyes and let her head fall back at the touch, her thighs continuing to flex, as they caused her to slowly move up and down over the finger inside her.

"Bend over, Gabrielle," Xena gently ordered.

Gabrielle brought her head forward again and opened her eyes to stare into Xena's. The desire she showed Xena with that single look was more than enough to let the warrior know that she would do anything Xena asked of her.

Gabrielle bent her body over and braced herself on her hands again. Her head fell forward as she concentrated on keeping up her slow and steady rhythm over Xena's hand. Xena continued to knead Gabrielle's breasts, switching back and forth between the dangling globes, sometimes just flicking a nipple, instead of squeezing the entire mound.

Gabrielle used her arms and back muscles to control her body's movements and began pushing down harder to get Xena deeper inside her body. Her knees had moved apart even more to help her in her endeavor, but she was so wet, Xena's single finger felt more like air than a solid invasion she could thrust against.

Gabrielle's face scrunched up into a halfway painful expression and she tossed her hair back over her shoulder again to look up at Xena. Xena looked down at her and smiled.

"Please, Xena..."

"Work yourself, Gabrielle. I wanna see you sweat for it."

"Oh gods..."

Gabrielle redoubled her efforts and clamped down on the single finger inside her, even as her body attempted to open wider to receive more and force Xena deeper. Her stomach muscles rippled constantly, as Gabrielle sped up her movements. Panting grunts were forced out of her lungs and she felt the sweat bead up on her forehead and trickle down her sides from her underarms.

Xena watched as Gabrielle's body undulated before her. Her spine arched and then curved back again and Xena imagined a snake living just under the surface, coiled and ready to strike, if only Xena gave the command. Xena bent her head forward and licked at the moist sweat sprinkled over Gabrielle's skin, while she pinched a nipple at the same moment.

Gabrielle gasped at the welcome sensation of Xena's tongue on her skin, but she couldn't decide whether to push up against Xena's licking tongue, or down against Xena's pinching fingers. She did both, alternately, and felt her vaginal walls tightening. If she just pushed a little harder and a little faster, she might actually force her body to orgasm.

Xena straightened back up and took in the writhing body in front of her. Gabrielle's high-pitched panting breathes and her frantic thrusting told Xena that Gabrielle was very close.

On the next thrust, Xena added two fingers and Gabrielle shuddered as she was filled by the Warrior Princess. Her muscles clamped down on the fullness inside her and her orgasm burned through her body, starting at the base of her spine and blazing outward, until she felt completely consumed by her climax. She wanted to scream out Xena's name, but all she could do was gasp out her pleasure.

As she slowed down her rocking, her breathing went back to normal and she reached up with a hand to wipe at her brow. Gabrielle pushed off the bed with her hands and came to a kneeling position next to Xena, Xena's fingers still inside her. She smiled languidly.

"That was definitely a nice way to wake up."

"I thought it was fitting, considering how I was put to sleep," Xena grinned back.

"Well, you didn't disobey me and I did promise," Gabrielle grinned.

Xena eased her fingers out of Gabrielle and got a groan from the smaller woman. Then Xena lay back against the bed and absently licked at her wet fingers with a frown on her face.

"What is it?" Gabrielle asked.

Xena shook her head.

"You make it sound so... matter-of-fact, like you just did it because..."

"No! It's not that. Please don't think that."

Gabrielle sighed and took a breath to see if she could explain herself, so that Xena would understand, since they were obviously having a communication problem.

"Xena? Do you like it when I'm in control?"

Xena looked down and away.

"Yes," she mumbled.

"But you think that it's a weakness."

Xena met Gabrielle's eyes again.

"I'm a warrior, Gabrielle. I'm always supposed to be in control. What does it say that I actually like being..." She sighed loudly in exasperation.

Gabrielle pulled her slowly cramping legs out from underneath her and moved them into the pretzel position to get more comfortable.

"Who do you think has all the power when you're... my slave?" Gabrielle asked.

Xena snorted.

"That question kind of answers itself, don'tcha think? You do, of course."

"No, Xena. You do. You can stop it all at any time. You give me the power, you can take it back. If you hadn't knelt at my feet this afternoon, nothing that happened afterwards would have ever come to pass. It was your choice."

Xena looked like she was thinking it over.

"Xena, if I ever told you to stop doing something to me, would you listen to me? Or would you force yourself on me?"

Xena looked appalled at the idea.

"Of course I would stop, Gabrielle. I wouldn't... How could you even think something like that?"

"You seem to think that of me."

"No, it's... Gabrielle, I like..." Xena groaned in frustration. "I have never been a follower. From the very beginning, everyone followed me. I never took orders, I gave them. But with you, I... There's both. When we woke up just now, I took you and I thoroughly enjoyed that taking."

"So did I," Gabrielle smiled.

"Yeah, but then earlier, I felt like I was at your mercy. I couldn't do anything to ease my... ache. If I had touched myself, it wouldn't have been enough. It had to be you. I didn't care what the Amazons thought of me. They could have been laughing their feathered butts off at me, but all I cared about was you fucking me. You have a power over me that no one else has ever had. See, Gabrielle, I can't take it back. I gave it to you and now it's yours."

Gabrielle watched her warrior. She realized Xena wasn't really struggling with her enjoyment of Gabrielle's ownership. She was struggling with how to integrate it into everything else in her life. How could a warrior like Xena blend a need for possession with her normally dominant personality?

Gabrielle moved to straddle Xena's waist. She snugged her inner thighs against the sides of Xena's hips and leaned over. Xena remained neutral, a little surprised at Gabrielle's actions during a rather serious conversation.

Gabrielle kissed Xena's lips with a gentle reverence. She licked at them, kissed them again, and sucked them individually with her own lips. Then she finally pressed her tongue between them and entered Xena's mouth. Xena returned the kiss with the same gentleness that Gabrielle was using. Gabrielle eventually straightened back up and looked into Xena's eyes.

"I love you, Xena. Always. No matter what happens between us or doesn't happen, I will always love you. I want to own you. I want you to beg for me, cry out for me, whimper for me, and lose your senses for me. I want you to trust me to keep you safe from harm, to defend you from anyone who would call you weak for letting me rule you."

Gabrielle ran her hands over Xena's face.

"I also want you to take me. Make me scream for you. Make me cry. I want to beg you and be terrified that it won't be enough. I want to know with every touch from you that you love me and that you will protect me with your life."

Xena's eyes were a little wide.

"Xena, we're complicated people. If you need time to figure these things out, I can wait. But you're never going to be able to reconcile your warrior self with the slave. I'm a bard from Poteidaia who is also the Queen of the Amazons. I'm in love with a woman who once slaughtered tens of thousands of men in battle. I expect her to kill to protect me and yet I hope I never have to take a life myself. We're both walking contradictions. It's good to try to think about them and figure them out, but you shouldn't let it stop you from being who you are. I want the warrior and the slave. And I think you want the bard and the Mistress. Don't fight it."

Gabrielle ran her hands down Xena's arms, which were resting near her sides, until they grasped Xena's wrists. Gabrielle drew Xena's arms up and pinned her wrists on either side of the warrior's head. She leaned over, as she brought Xena's arms up, and kissed Xena roughly.

Gabrielle knew if Xena asked her to stop, she would. If Xena really needed time to think about everything, Gabrielle would wait. But Xena made no protests and Gabrielle felt the strong woman relax beneath her. Gabrielle grinned into the kiss. The struggle was over for the moment.

Gabrielle moved Xena's left wrist underneath her right and held both arms with her own left hand. Her right hand clawed through Xena's hair and then slid down to tease a nipple. It was hard in a matter of moments and Gabrielle couldn't resist the desire to take it into her mouth.

Gabrielle pushed Xena's hands into the pillow as a non-verbal command to keep them there, before she let go and drew her lips away from Xena's. She kissed Xena's chin, then down her neck, licking at the skin she loved to taste. She nipped at the flesh with her teeth, kissing the marks she left behind, then finally reached her destination at Xena's breast.

Gabrielle moaned when she felt the nipple press against her tongue. She sucked and heard Xena gasp and then groan, as Xena arched her back off the bed to raise her chest up for Gabrielle. Gabrielle's hands held Xena's sides and her fingers went around to Xena's back when Xena raised herself up.

Gabrielle pulled with her fingers and pressed down with her mouth, raking her teeth over the sensitive flesh. She sucked the nipple back into her mouth again, before it could completely get away, and rolled her tongue around the hard little point over and over again.

Xena was moaning and gasping. Her spine arched and bent in different directions to try to bring Gabrielle harder against her body. Her back was being cradled by Gabrielle's hands and the soft little grunts of contentment coming from Gabrielle made Xena moan even louder.

Gabrielle slid her legs down parallel with Xena's and then lifted her left leg to rest it between Xena's thighs. She applied a little pressure with her own thigh and gyrated her hips to rub against Xena's clitoris.

"Oh gods," Xena groaned out.

Xena spread her legs and then dug her heels into the bed to push her mound up against Gabrielle's thigh. Her hands found the head of the bed and grabbed onto the edge. It was the only way to keep from putting them somewhere on Gabrielle's body.

Gabrielle felt Xena's hip rubbing against her clitoris and maneuvered her own pelvis to maximize the contact. She groaned into Xena's breast and gripped Xena's sweating back to keep herself in place.

Xena realized Gabrielle was rubbing herself against Xena's hip and felt warm wetness pour from her own center. She wanted Gabrielle to cum because of her. Xena angled her hip slightly into Gabrielle and Gabrielle gasped, releasing Xena's breast in the process.

Gabrielle pushed up onto her hands and let her stomach muscles guide her lower body over Xena's hip. It wasn't enough and she knew it. She was just teasing herself into a higher state of arousal, but it felt so good. She knew what she wanted. She just wasn't sure if switching roles in the middle would be confusing for Xena, considering their earlier conversation. Gabrielle decided she would improvise, if Xena couldn't handle it. Acute arousal took away all of Gabrielle's few inhibitions in her need to find fulfillment.

Gabrielle moved up enough to capture Xena's mouth and ravaged the area with her lips and tongue. She pulled away, when she realized she needed to breathe, and panted into the small pocket of air between their faces. Gabrielle stared into Xena's eyes, until her breathing was a little more under control, at least enough for her to speak.

"I want you to fuck me, Xena. I want you inside me. I will do anything you want me to, if you'll just make me cum."

Xena grinned and let go of the bed. Her hands found Gabrielle's cheeks and she pulled Gabrielle's face down for a gentle kiss. When she was done, she pushed Gabrielle's face away again.

"When you said you wanted me to make you cry, were you serious?"

Gabrielle nodded. She craved emotional intensity, as much as the physical, and Xena understood that.

Xena's left hand pulled Gabrielle down again for another kiss, while her right hand glided over Gabrielle's chest, her ribs, around to her back, and then over a shapely butt cheek to rest on the back of Gabrielle's left thigh.

Xena rolled them over and proceeded to kiss Gabrielle senseless. Her tongue seemed to be everywhere, just as her hands seemed to cover all of Gabrielle's skin at once. Gabrielle moaned and whimpered with every breath and her hands rubbed all over Xena's back, hips, and sides.

Xena had repositioned her body between Gabrielle's legs, when she'd rolled them over, and she now ground herself into Gabrielle. Gabrielle pushed up to try to meet Xena's thrusts, but Xena's body was low enough that Gabrielle couldn't grab on to Xena's butt to force her to thrust harder. It was a frustrating tease that Gabrielle wouldn't trade for anything in the world.

Xena rotated her hips and Gabrielle grunted low in her chest. Xena knew their pelvic bones would be seriously bruised if she kept up what she was doing, so she eased off a bit. Gabrielle whimpered in protest, but Xena ignored her.

Xena easily slid her body down Gabrielle's, until her face was at a level with Gabrielle's furry mound. Gabrielle's hands rested on Xena's shoulders and she urged the warrior to move forward. Xena grinned. Only she would decide when, and if, she even touched Gabrielle. However, her mouth was watering and there was no sense torturing herself, so she parted Gabrielle's lips with her hands and used the tip of her tongue to press against Gabrielle's swollen clit.

Gabrielle cried out and tried to push her body harder against Xena's tongue. Xena moved with her and the pressure remained constant. Gabrielle remembered a few hours earlier how she had done something similar to Xena. Pay backs were a real bitch.

Xena continued to use only the tip of her tongue, as she moved around Gabrielle's clitoris, then between the wet folds of Gabrielle's cunt. She slid down and then her resolve melted when her tongue was coated with Gabrielle's juices. Xena began lapping at the source and Gabrielle's cries matched Xena's strokes.

Xena only let her tongue move around the outside of Gabrielle's opening. No matter how much Gabrielle tried to move her hips to get Xena's tongue inside her, Xena refused. She cleaned the entire area three times, but her attentions only caused Gabrielle to produce more liquid for Xena to lap up.

Xena pulled away from her cozy little nest and climbed up Gabrielle's body.

"Lick my face clean, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle took her job seriously and held onto Xena's head, while her tongue removed her cum from Xena's chin, lips, and cheeks. Even though she had long ago finished with her task, Xena allowed Gabrielle to clean the inside of her mouth, too. Finally, she pulled away and then got up from the bed. Gabrielle whimpered. Xena grinned.

"I'll be right back. I have something you requested I get for us."

Gabrielle was confused for a moment, but then she remembered and grinned, too. That was exactly what she wanted from Xena at this point. She loved having Xena's fingers inside her, but using a facsimile left Xena's hands free and Gabrielle really enjoyed the uses Xena found to occupy them.

Xena rummaged through her bags. The day she'd avoided Gabrielle in order not to give in to temptation, she'd talked to one of the Amazon "artisans" and put in an order for a very special gift. She'd even put up with the measuring for the leather harness.

At first, she'd considered waiting and buying the thing a little more anonymously in some city, rather than at the Amazon village. She'd known every Amazon in the place would know about her request by the end of the day. But since they'd already witnessed Gabrielle taking her in Miklios' tent and Xena taking their Queen later that evening, Xena had decided there was no point in keeping any of it a secret. They'd already decided at that point to perform for the entire village at the festival, so getting shy now would be a little ridiculous. And Xena had to admit, she liked the idea of the Amazons knowing that Xena was quite capable of pleasing their Queen in any way the Queen desired.

Xena found the loose leather straps of the harness and the two leather-covered wooden phalli she wanted to use this time. She'd requested an assortment for both of them. Xena walked back over and tossed the items onto the foot of the bed. She sat down on the edge and stared at Gabrielle.

Gabrielle was so beautiful. She was such a perfect mix of passion and shyness. Though, Xena was coming to realize, that shyness was more a habit from Gabrielle's life in Poteidaia than any actual fear or embarrassment.

And Gabrielle's physical beauty made Xena's mouth water. Gabrielle's skin made Xena want to reach out and touch it, so she did. Xena rested her hand on the bard's taut stomach and caressed the soft skin she found there. She let the edge of her hand brush against the top of Gabrielle's pubic hairs, then roamed to the other extreme and traced along the undersides of Gabrielle's breasts.

"Do you know what the sight of you does to me?" Xena asked in a low voice.

"I hope it's the same thing looking at you does to me."

Gabrielle held Xena's eyes and grasped Xena's roving hand. She drew it down the center of her body and then dipped Xena's fingers into the pool of slick fluid between her legs to demonstrate the truth of her statement. She sighed, as Xena pushed her fingers inside.

Xena moved her two fingers slowly in and out of the blond woman's cunt and watched the changing emotions that crossed Gabrielle's features. There was bliss mixed with looks of pain or frustration and concentration. A smile would crease into a frown and Gabrielle's breathing would change. Then, a particularly intense sensation would run through Gabrielle's body and she would cry out in a breathy gasp of pleasure.

Gabrielle's hands gripped the bedding and she pushed up to meet Xena's slow, teasing thrusts. She knew the warrior was just playing with her. Xena wouldn't let her cum for a while yet, but she couldn't help striving for that ultimate release, no matter how futile the attempt happened to be.

Xena pulled all the way out on her next retreat and brought her fingers to her mouth. She would never get enough of Gabrielle's essence. Since that first taste in Miklios' tent, she'd wanted more. The lightly musky flavor was all Gabrielle.

Xena stood and reached for the leather straps of the new harness. She slipped them over her thighs and around her waist. She picked up one of the phalli and slid it into place, then picked up the other and placed it just below the first. Xena tightened the straps and grinned at Gabrielle's wide eyes.

"Anyone who says these things are a replacement for a man has no imagination," Xena told her. "No man could ever do to you what I'm about to do to you."

Gabrielle nodded. She understood now what Xena had in mind and grinned. She was most definitely ready for her warrior.

"Turn around, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle rolled over and then came up to her knees. She felt behind her with her hands and they were guided to Xena's hips. She felt Xena's hands run up and down her back a few times and then they settled on her own hips. Gabrielle felt the tip of one of the shafts push against the opening of her vagina and then slide up to graze her clitoris. It drew back again and spread her moisture over her anal opening. Then it slid forward and did it all again.

Gabrielle let her legs spread a little wider and rubbed herself against the hard leather between her legs. She gripped Xena's hips and tried to guide her inside, but Xena had all the leverage and there was nothing Gabrielle could do to force the issue.

Xena coated the uppermost phallus with Gabrielle's juices. It was smaller than the other one and not nearly as long. If Xena had wanted to take Gabrielle from the front, she would have reversed the positions of the phalli, but she had fond memories of reaching around and cupping Gabrielle's breasts and she knew Gabrielle had enjoyed pushing back against her, so for the harness's loss of virginity, she'd decided she wanted to revisit the position.

Xena moved the phalli to the side and used her right index finger to test Gabrielle's anus. Gabrielle groaned and tried to force Xena deeper, but Xena removed her finger. She wet the top phallus one more time with a final slide through Gabrielle's folds and then pushed the head into Gabrielle's ass.

Gabrielle felt her muscles stretching to accommodate the diameter of the phallus. She tried to relax, but it didn't seem to matter as Xena slowly pushed in ever deeper. Gabrielle felt the other phallus slide along her slit and angled her hips to grind her clitoris on the second shaft. The new position gave Xena even better access to Gabrielle's anus and Gabrielle felt the phallus at her ass slide inside a little easier.

Xena felt the deep guttural moans issuing from Gabrielle's throat more than she heard them and tightened her grip on Gabrielle's hips. Her instinct was to slam into Gabrielle to cause those moans to become screams, but she held back. She knew she would really hurt Gabrielle if she did that and that was the last thing she wanted to do.

Gabrielle's head dropped forward and she closed her eyes as Xena slowly pulled out of her. She felt Xena lubricate the phallus along her folds one more time and then the head was pushing inside her again.

The feeling was exquisite. The slick lubrication of her own juices let Xena slip the cock deeper than it had been moments before. Xena continued to push inside Gabrielle until Gabrielle felt Xena's pubis pressing against her backside. Gabrielle's breathing came in heavy pants and she tried to bring it back under control.

Xena cautiously pulled her hips back and watched as the phallus withdrew from Gabrielle's ass. She heard Gabrielle whimper and grinned at the response of her bard. Gabrielle was halfway leaning over and was only remaining upright because of her grip on Xena's hips. Xena tilted her pelvis up and leveraged the second phallus against Gabrielle's clit as she pushed back in. Xena grinned even wider as Gabrielle moaned and circled her hips in reaction.

Gabrielle opened her eyes and looked blankly around at the wall in front of her and the furniture around her. None of it made sense in her sexual haze. It had no meaning because it didn't contribute to her pleasure. With that half-thought, Gabrielle closed her eyes and anxiously submitted to the slow fuck Xena was giving her.

Xena decided it was time to push Gabrielle a little further. She eased the phallus completely out of Gabrielle and Gabrielle nearly sobbed at the loss, her whimpers begging Xena to come back in. Then, Gabrielle felt the second phallus at her cunt. It was drenched from sliding back and forth through her folds and the head easily slipped inside her aching vagina. Gabrielle felt the head of the other cock push into her anus a moment later.

The feeling of being entered at both ends was incredible. Her mind went completely blank when she tried to define the sensation or even localize it. She couldn't concentrate on just one or the other and she shivered as Xena continued to push deeper. She'd had Xena's fingers inside both of her openings at the same time before, but this felt very different. All she knew was that Xena's two cocks seemed to be filling her a lot more than she had ever been before.

Gabrielle felt as though her muscles were clenched, but that was simply because they'd been stretched so wide. Xena slowly pulled out and Gabrielle gripped Xena's hips as tight as she could, while another groan was dragged from her chest. Xena pushed in again and Gabrielle gasped.

"Oh gods, Xena, what are you doing to me?"

The only thing holding Gabrielle up was her death grip on Xena and the two shafts anchored inside her. She couldn't relax and she couldn't tense up any more than she already was. Xena eased out again and Gabrielle desperately wanted to move against Xena, but the commands weren't getting through.

Xena pushed in again and felt chills run through her body, as she watched the phalli disappear inside Gabrielle. She sealed her body to Gabrielle's, her breasts pushing into a muscled back, and finally slid her hands up to touch Gabrielle's breasts, pulling Gabrielle's body up and tightly against her own.

Gabrielle's hands left their position at Xena's hips and covered Xena's hands. She forced Xena to squeeze her breasts hard and then continued up and reached for Xena's head. Gabrielle ran her fingers through the thick hair she found and then pulled Xena forward over her right shoulder. Gabrielle turned her head and kissed Xena's already descending lips.

They both groaned as their tongues met and Xena squeezed the flesh under her hands even harder in conjunction with the rough kiss she was giving Gabrielle's mouth. Xena knew there would be hand-shaped bruises on the bard's breasts within the hour.

Xena devoured the bard's mouth, but in the next moment, Gabrielle took control and devoured her. Xena thrust her hips forward suddenly and Gabrielle's head jerked away as she cried out, unable to even remember she'd been kissing Xena a moment before.

Gabrielle's breathing was out of control. The sudden movement inside of her had sent her mind reeling. Each sensation seemed to be trying to override the other. Xena began thrusting her hips in earnest and Gabrielle became one long moan. She couldn't stop. The fullness inside her wouldn't let her.

Gabrielle still had her hands in Xena's hair and Xena released Gabrielle's breasts to reach up and pull Gabrielle's hands away from her head. She pushed Gabrielle's upper body forward a little and then held Gabrielle's wrists securely at the base of her spine with one hand. She reached around and felt for Gabrielle's clitoris. Xena lightly rubbed the area with her fingers and Gabrielle's body twitched and jerked with mini orgasms.

Gabrielle's body was completely out of her control. It tried to ride the cocks inside her, while pressing against Xena's fingers at her clit. And having her hands trapped behind her body seemed to be driving her higher than she thought she was physically capable of.

"Unngh, ohh gah-unnghh, Xeee..."

Gabrielle stopped trying to form words and let her moans speak for themselves. Xena was guiding her back onto the shafts by pulling at her hands still held behind her back. Her muscles slipping around the leather-covered phalli sent tingles up and down her spine and she shivered again, which heightened the sensation of the cocks moving in and out of her body.

Gabrielle felt her body straining for release. Xena was moving the full lengths in and out of her and the friction was intensely pleasurable. But Xena was moving too slowly to bring Gabrielle to climax and Gabrielle felt herself getting desperate for release. In between her moans, she started begging.

"Please, ungh, oh gods, Xena, ohhh, Xena, please, gods, I need, unggh, gods, I need to cum, Xena, unnnnh, deep-, gods, deeper, Xena! Harder, please, anything..."

Xena increased her rhythm a little and circled her hips so that when she moved in, she scraped harder along one side of Gabrielle's inner walls, and when she pulled out, she scraped more firmly against the other. Gabrielle's moans went higher and came faster and her breathing seemed to be permanently set at near hyperventilation.

Gabrielle felt herself near breaking. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew this was what she'd done to Xena. That feeling that nothing, not even her own continued life, mattered, unless she could find release. If Xena asked her for her blood innocence at this very moment, she'd give it for the promise of climax.

Xena circled Gabrielle's clit with her fingers and the bard jumped in reflex. Xena let her fingers roam a little lower and felt the larger cock sliding in and out of Gabrielle's straining cunt. Xena closed her eyes, as she imagined what that looked like, and knew how it must feel to Gabrielle. Xena thrust a little harder and increased her speed. She leaned close to Gabrielle's ear.

"You're so tight, Gabrielle," Xena whispered just loud enough for Gabrielle to hear her over the bard's moans and whimpers. "You've never been so completely filled before, have you? How many have had your little pussy? None of them ever made you feel like this, did they? Just me. I'm the only one who can make you cum now. Do you think you could find satisfaction, if I left you like this?"

Gabrielle cried out in protest. She begged with her whimpers for Xena to never leave her. Tears sprung in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks, as she felt Xena's lips kiss her neck and heard Xena's deep voice whisper at her ear.

"I love you. Gabrielle, I'll always be here."

Gabrielle came. Her screams were ripped out of her and the strength of her muscles during orgasm exceeded even Xena's strong grasp and the bard tore her wrists free of their imprisonment. She used her newly freed hands to brace against the bed and forced herself hard against Xena, her ass jerking up onto Xena's cocks and driving them solidly into her body.

Xena was surprised at the intensity those words had caused in Gabrielle, though she realized she shouldn't have been. She thrust hard into Gabrielle, giving the young woman what she was looking for, and nearly came herself at the sight and sounds Gabrielle was creating for her.

As the last aftershocks finally left her body, Gabrielle rested her head on her forearms, her ass still up in the air. She was still attached to Xena, but the warrior was slowly drawing the phalli out of Gabrielle's body. Gabrielle felt the tears pouring out of her eyes. Once Xena had emptied her, Gabrielle collapsed onto the bed and rolled over to face Xena, as Xena removed the harness from her body. Xena tossed the contraption aside.

"Thank you," Gabrielle whispered.

"You're welcome," Xena whispered back.

The tears continued to fall and Gabrielle did nothing to hide them or stop their flow. Xena studied the blond woman. She reached out with a finger and picked up one of the teardrops and brought it to her lips.

"For you," Gabrielle whispered.

"Why?"

"You died. I couldn't mourn because I couldn't let you go. I'll never be able to let you go, Xena. Thank you for coming back to me."

"I came back for you."

Gabrielle reached out her arms and Xena crawled into the offered embrace. She wrapped her arms around Gabrielle and closed her eyes. Gabrielle stroked Xena's hair and let the tears dry on her face.

"I love you, Xena."

Xena lifted her head and looked into Gabrielle's eyes.

"I love you, too," she replied solemnly, before lowering her head again.

Gabrielle's hands slid through Xena's hair and down her back. With a little encouragement, Xena raised her head again and accepted a kiss. Gabrielle's tongue wasted no time in entering Xena's mouth and Xena groaned. One of the hands in her hair pulled her head back and Xena found herself on her back again beneath Gabrielle. Gabrielle pulled back from the kiss.

"I haven't restrained you yet, but I want to."

Gabrielle didn't say anything more and Xena nodded her head slightly to show her acceptance. Gabrielle pushed off of Xena and went to their bags. Xena always kept rope with her tack and Gabrielle found several lengths that fit her purposes. She returned to the bed and took inventory of what she could tie the ends off to. The legs of the bed looked sturdy enough and, if Xena broke the restraints, the worst that would happen would be a several inch drop to the floor as the legs were pulled off.

Gabrielle tied one end of each length of rope to the legs of the bed and then proceeded to secure Xena to the hopefully sturdy piece of furniture. She kissed each of Xena's ankles before tying the ropes around them and then moved up to Xena's wrists. She kissed the soft skin on the insides of each of Xena's wrists and then tightened the knots around both. When she was done, Xena was spread in a large X over the middle of the bed. Gabrielle grinned.

"Yeah, this is definitely what I wanted."

Gabrielle straddled Xena's hips and flicked the tips of Xena's nipples with her fingers. Then she kneaded the pliant flesh and watched Xena's face for her reactions.

"Do you remember when I did this the first time?"

Xena nodded once and bit her lower lip. Of course she remembered. It had only been a few days ago.

"I surprised you, didn't I? You didn't think I had it in me to just take you like that."

Xena whimpered a little under her breath and shook her head.

"I was supposed to be the sweet, innocent village girl. Isn't that what you thought?"

"Yess," Xena breathed out.

Gabrielle kept up her rough handling of Xena's tits and leaned over to whisper into the bound warrior's ear.

"You want to know where I learned to do those things, don't you? You want to know who I fucked before you."

Xena's whimper was more audible this time and Gabrielle felt Xena nod her head.

"It was you. In my mind, almost every night, I thought about you. I touched myself the way I thought you might. I touched myself the way I wanted to touch you. I tried to learn all the ways I could to please myself in hopes that I would one day get the chance to please you. That day is here."

Xena groaned. The hotly whispered words in her ear were a powerful aphrodisiac coming from her bard. And the simple confession touched Xena's heart. She pulled against the ropes to try to touch Gabrielle, but there was no give to the braided material and her arms remained where they were.

Gabrielle kissed Xena's neck and licked up behind Xena's ear. She inhaled deeply and the scent of Xena's hair made Gabrielle's insides tingle. It was a combination of the familiarity of the smell and the idea that after all the time she'd spent fantasizing about Xena, here she was, Xena's lover for almost four full days.

And not just her lover, her Mistress. Gabrielle had never imagined that scenario. She'd thought about Xena taking her roughly, after battling with a group of thugs, to work off some battle lust. Even the fantasy of Xena tying her up had been a common one recently, after Xena's bout with the Furies' curses. But she'd never imagined being the one in charge.

Gabrielle supposed part of that was because, when she was thinking of Xena at those times, she was trying to get herself off and she found more pleasure in imagining being touched than doing the touching. She'd been a little naive about that. She also hadn't had enough confidence back then to think she could ever dominate Xena. But reality was proving to be much more interesting than any of her fantasies had ever been.

Gabrielle breathed into the ear beneath her lips and kissed the outside edge.

"This is going to take a really long time, Xena," she whispered and Xena groaned again.

Gabrielle brushed her lips down the edge of Xena's chin and lightly kissed the tender skin she found. She sucked in a little of the flesh under Xena's chin and then licked at it when she let it go. She kissed every single inch of Xena's neck, nipping with her teeth every now and then and taking detours to suck on Xena's earlobes or lick at the cups of her ears.

Xena's breath came out in low groans and grunts as Gabrielle focused on some of Xena's more sensitive spots. Her shoulders kept tensing up as she continually tried to bring her arms around Gabrielle without success. Xena tried to concentrate on relaxing her arms, but it was futile. She simply couldn't concentrate on anything for more than a few seconds with Gabrielle making love to her the way she was.

Gabrielle finally found Xena's mouth again and licked the bound woman's lips with the tip of her tongue. Xena's tongue came out to taste Gabrielle's and Gabrielle obliged her lover's desire for more solid contact. She ran her fingers through Xena's hair, while her tongue delved deeper into Xena's mouth.

Xena strained her neck muscles to press harder against Gabrielle's mouth. Gabrielle could have been licking the back of her throat and it still wouldn't have been deep enough. Gabrielle took the hint and crushed her mouth against Xena's, which finally satisfied Xena enough to let her head rest back into the pillow.

Gabrielle cradled Xena's head in her hands and scratched at the back of her neck, as she kept up her oral assault on Xena's lips and tongue. She could feel Xena's breathing increase, but she showed no signs of stopping or pulling away to let Xena breathe.

Just as Xena felt like she was going to pass out, from lack of oxygen and a pulse that was racing out of control, Gabrielle released her hold on Xena's mouth and sat up. They were both panting and Xena was amazed yet again at the fierce passion she found in Gabrielle's eyes.

Xena stared, transfixed by Gabrielle's gaze. There was no mistaking the images that were going through Gabrielle's mind as she stared down at the warrior. Xena spoke before she knew she had formed the words.

"Fuck me," Xena whispered.

Xena watched the fire in Gabrielle's eyes burn brighter and was momentarily afraid of the raw desire she saw. No one had ever looked at her the way Gabrielle was looking at her now. She'd seen lust plenty of times, but this was just total devotion to sexual pleasure. Xena knew she was about to become the most sated woman in the Known World.

Gabrielle moved her hips back a few inches and positioned herself over Xena's mound and did a slow grind into the supine woman. The bottoms of her feet slid under Xena's thighs and then Gabrielle leaned over. She brushed the tips of her hard nipples across Xena's breasts and Xena arched up into the touch. Gabrielle threw her head back as her sensitive nipples made contact with Xena's again and again.

The movement of Gabrielle's spine curving and recurving, to bring her breasts down and then up again as she moved from side to side over Xena's chest, caused her pelvis to thrust back and forth into Xena's mound and Xena was soon being inundated with sensations. She found it impossible to stay still or silent and was grateful when Gabrielle did nothing to stop her increasingly insistent motions.

Gabrielle pressed her body into Xena's and covered Xena's mouth with her own. She just had to taste Xena again. Her tongue licked around Xena's and she was quickly sucking on the large woman's oral muscle. She moaned at having Xena's tongue in her mouth. She wanted more and opened her mouth a little wider and pressed harder to bring Xena a little deeper inside.

Gabrielle's hands stroked down Xena's sides and then came back up. She separated their chests just enough to get her hands over Xena's breasts and then lowered herself again as she squeezed the flesh under her palms. Xena arched her back and moaned into Gabrielle's mouth.

Gabrielle squeezed harder and pulled her lips back from Xena's to let the excited woman breathe a little easier, but Gabrielle kept her tongue continuously licking around and swirling inside Xena's mouth. Xena remembered an earlier comment about her own relentless tongue and realized she had absolutely nothing on Gabrielle's bardically strengthened member.

Gabrielle pinched at Xena's nipples and Xena let out a harsh gasp at the pleasurable sensation, as her hips bucked up a little more forcefully than before. Gabrielle covered Xena's mouth with her own again and pressed her chest into Xena's, pinching in rhythm with her lower body's grinding motions.

Xena began to whimper. She had to let out some of the energy that was building inside her body. Breathing faster just wasn't enough anymore. Gabrielle had effectively cut that means of release off by sealing their lips together and Xena found she was incapable of pulling away from Gabrielle's giving tongue. She would rather asphyxiate than stop sucking on Gabrielle's tongue. She also couldn't move more than a few inches to put any of her pent up frustration to use, so it just kept growing.

Gabrielle ripped her mouth away from Xena's and sat up. In only a few heartbeats, she managed to reposition herself between Xena's legs. She scoured her tongue savagely around Xena's vaginal opening and Xena tried desperately to move her legs farther apart, but her restraints kept her legs within inches of where they'd started from.

Gabrielle scraped her fingernails up and down the insides of Xena's thighs as she licked up the center of Xena's mound. She took the liquid her tongue had scooped up and let it coat her tastebuds before swallowing it. It had a slightly different consistency from the last time Gabrielle had feasted on Xena's sex and the bard wondered if it had anything to do with how long she'd spent arousing the warrior.

Gabrielle shook the thoughts away and slid her tongue through Xena's folds again, gathering up the musky fluid into her mouth. She used the flat of her tongue to massage Xena's clit for a moment, then drew away and pointed her tongue to force the hard tip between Xena's labia, stroking her from back to front.

Xena bucked and jerked at Gabrielle's forceful strokes over her sex. She gyrated her hips to get Gabrielle's tongue where she wanted it most and was surprised when Gabrielle didn't pull away and actually focused where Xena desperately wanted her to.

"Thank you, thank you," Xena whispered over and over as she brought her hips up time and again to rub herself against Gabrielle's tongue.

Gabrielle followed Xena's movements and managed to keep contact with Xena's wildly thrusting mound most of the time. Then Gabrielle felt Xena nearing her climax and she pulled away. Xena let out a frustrated yelp.

"Pleease," Xena moaned.

Gabrielle shook her head in negation and sat up to regard her bound warrior. Xena was still writhing and pulling against her restraints. Her muscles flexed with the struggles and Gabrielle felt her mouth water at the sight. She felt an irresistible urge to bite down on those muscles. So she did.

Gabrielle spread her body over Xena's and glided up along Xena's torso, with the aid of their sweat-soaked skin, and mouthed Xena's right biceps. Xena watched with wide eyes as Gabrielle raked her teeth over the hard flesh and Xena flexed her muscle to see what effect it would have on Gabrielle.

Gabrielle felt the tensing of the muscle in her mouth and bit down a little harder. Then she withdrew her teeth from the taut skin and licked and sucked at the bite marks. She pulled away and studied the results of her baser urges. She glanced over at Xena's surprised look, then looked back down at the marks again. She licked once more at the little indentations her teeth had made and then kissed the spot her tongue had just been.

Gabrielle pushed herself to the other side of Xena's body and licked over the rise of Xena's left biceps. Then she opened her jaws wide and tried to force the entire muscle into her mouth. Her teeth made contact with Xena's skin and she groaned as she applied more pressure. She heard Xena groan slightly in response and then the muscle went rock solid in her mouth.

Gabrielle bit down hard. She heard Xena grunt and bit down even more. Xena's hips rose off the bed and caused Gabrielle's lower body to rise higher along with them.

"Gods, Gabrielle," Xena groaned out.

Xena knew Gabrielle had broken her skin. At the very least, she was going to end up with a serious bruise in the shape of Gabrielle's mouth on her arm. She felt disappointment as she realized her rerebraces would hide the marks from everyone else. She relaxed as the pressure remained constant and then Gabrielle finally eased off.

Gabrielle looked over at Xena. Xena was watching her. Desire was clear in Xena's eyes, but there was more. Surprise, understanding, and love were all present in the warrior's gaze. Gabrielle leaned over and touched her lips to Xena's and they shared a gentle kiss with just the brushing of their lips across one another's.

"I love you," Gabrielle whispered, her lips still touching Xena's.

"My Mistress," Xena whispered back, nuzzling her lips against Gabrielle's again.

Gabrielle trailed her lips down Xena's jawbone and made a new home for herself at Xena's neck. She briefly thought about trying to do what Xena had done, except with a G in place of an X, but changed her mind. Instead, she randomly sucked Xena's skin as the flesh came under her lips.

Xena felt the sucking sensations at her neck go straight to her groin. With every pull on her skin, her hips raised up to meet air. Gabrielle's lower body still rested mostly on Xena, but she kept her legs from putting any pressure on Xena's mound and no matter what Xena did, Gabrielle refused to reposition herself.

After several small eternities, at least from Xena's point of view, Gabrielle discontinued her impression of a leech and removed herself completely from Xena's body. Xena watched her get up and go to their saddle bags. After a little searching, Gabrielle pulled out a pouch and Xena groaned.

"You're going to do that now?"

"Xena, you know human bites are even worse than animal ones. You don't want to get an infection, do you? I know it's not your sword arm, but I'd still feel bad if it fell off."

Gabrielle grinned and Xena rolled her eyes. Gabrielle sat on the edge of the bed and poured a little of the contents of the pouch into her hand.

"This might sting a bit," Gabrielle warned softly and then rubbed the powder into the wound.

Xena kept her reaction firmly under control, knowing that even though it was Gabrielle that had inflicted the bite, that had been very different from what she was doing now and Xena didn't want the bard to feel guilty for her act of love.

When she was done, Gabrielle closed up the pouch and returned it to the saddle bag. She took longer about it than Xena had expected her to. Gabrielle turned around and then Xena understood what the delay had been. Gabrielle slowly returned to the bed and sat down on it again.

"You know, if you'd told me you had this stuff, I wouldn't have had to borrow earlier."

"If I'd been lucid at all, I would have told you," Xena replied with a grin.

Gabrielle stroked the tips of her fingers lightly over Xena's stomach and breasts, much the way Xena had touched her earlier. She ran her fingers in circles around each of Xena's nipples making them tighten into hard little peaks. She leaned over and licked her tongue over Xena's left breast.

Gabrielle had intended to pull away and move on to satisfying Xena's very obvious need, but her own desire to suck on the warrior's tits overrode her previous thoughts. Without looking, Gabrielle gathered the items she'd brought back from the saddle bag and tossed them to the foot of the bed before settling herself along Xena's left side. Her mouth stayed attached to Xena's nipple as she snugged her left thigh against Xena's mound.

Xena almost sighed when she felt the pressure at her sex. Gabrielle was very slightly rocking her hips against Xena, but her leg remained practically motionless and Xena took the opportunity to rub herself against the stationary appendage.

Gabrielle was in a world of her own. Her lips rubbed and sucked at Xena's puckered flesh, while her tongue swirled around the large tit in her mouth. Her left hand fondled Xena's right breast so that it didn't feel too left out. Gabrielle nuzzled the soft mound with her nose and cheek, then went back to sucking the tit.

Xena listened to the soft sounds of contentment coming from Gabrielle and looked down to watch the Queen of the Amazons suckle her like a newborn. Xena groaned. She rubbed herself harder against Gabrielle's thigh, but it wasn't enough to send her over. Xena had a feeling only the command of the woman at her breast could do that. Patience was not one of her virtues.

"Please, Mistress, let me cum, please?" Xena asked.

Gabrielle gave one last suck and raised her head.

"Not yet."

Gabrielle sat up and moved to the foot of the bed.

"Mistress, please, I can't take much more," Xena tried again.

"Oh, you're going to take more alright," Gabrielle promised.

Xena groaned again.

"Oh gods, please, Mistress..." Xena finally started to beg.

Gabrielle picked up one of the phalli she'd retrieved from their saddle bags and then the discarded harness and began the process of switching out the current items and replacing them with the new ones.

"So, you're saying you don't want to feel me inside you? You don't want to feel me pumping in and out of that dripping pussy of yours? Is that what you're trying to tell me?"

Xena whimpered and practically cried. She raised her hips and held them there for Gabrielle. It was the only answer she could give.

"That's what I thought," Gabrielle smirked.

Gabrielle checked her handiwork one last time and then nodded, satisfied.

Xena had definitely known what she was doing when she'd ordered the design of the harness and its accessories. With just a few changes, Gabrielle had managed to create a work of carnal art. She'd chosen a shorter phallus to attach to the inside of the harness for herself and, after a little thought, had figured out what the oval-shaped ridged pieces were for and attached one in the appropriate spot to give her some nice clitoral stimulation. She'd chosen a longer and thicker phallus for the outside of the harness for Xena and arranged another of the ridged pieces to hit Xena where it would do the most good.

Gabrielle slipped the inner phallus inside herself and held back a shudder at being filled. She hadn't realized she was quite so.. ready. She buckled the straps in place to hold the rig secure, then took a slow step to the edge of the bed.

"You learn fast," Xena commented in a hoarse groan.

"I'm a bard; imagination is my stock-in-trade."

Gabrielle climbed back onto the bed and knelt between Xena's legs. Xena had let her hips rest on the bed again while Gabrielle had finished playing with her new toys, but she raised her pelvis up as far as her restraints would let her when Gabrielle took her place between the warrior's thighs.

"Xena. I know you want to cum, but I want you to hold back until I tell you it's alright. If you cum before I tell you to, I'll make you watch me touch myself and then I'll tie you up so you can't find relief for the entire night. And I know you're good at breaking your bonds, so I'll make sure to have some Amazons guard you, too."

Xena looked like she was about to cry, but she nodded her head. At this point, she was pretty sure she would agree to anything, if Gabrielle would just fuck her.

Gabrielle leaned forward and nudged the tip of her phallus over Xena's clit and around her opening. Xena gasped and tried as hard as she could not to buck her hips up. Gabrielle hadn't said she couldn't, but she was on a very fine edge and too much enthusiasm could throw her over without her consent.

Gabrielle watched Xena's face and saw the desperate look in her slave's eyes. She'd teased Xena enough. Gabrielle held the head of the phallus at Xena's cunt and then slowly pushed it in, coating it with the copious amounts of lubrication Xena's body had made available for just that purpose.

Xena whimpered at the hint of fullness just in the entrance to her vagina. It was taken away moments later and she started to protest its disappearance, then groaned when she felt the phallus pushing deeper inside her.

Gabrielle pulled out again, all the way to the tip, then slowly forced her cock deeper into Xena. She slid out again, then pushed all the way in to Xena's groaned appreciation. Gabrielle let herself sink to her elbows and braced her hands on the sides of Xena's chest. Her mouth sought out the nipple she'd neglected earlier and began sucking in time with the rhythm of her slow thrusts.

Gabrielle moaned herself when she felt the phallus inside her cunt begin to move with the motions of her hips. At the end of one thrust, she ground her hips in a circle and heard Xena's gasp over her own when the ridged pieces on the harness rubbed against both their clits at the same time.

Gabrielle drew her head up and focused on Xena's face. She was beautiful. Her hair had long since plastered itself to her face and her head continually whipped back and forth as her body was assaulted with new sensations of pleasure. The whimpers and groans were a constant and Gabrielle found it impossible not to join in.

Xena bit her lip. She was going to cum. She wasn't going to be able to hold it back. The deep stroking inside her as Gabrielle penetrated her again and again couldn't be ignored. Gabrielle had chosen a phallus that was only slightly smaller than the one she'd used before and she felt just as full as she had then. Gabrielle increased the pace of her thrusting and Xena yelled.

"Mistress! I can't... ohh gods, I can't stop, please, I can't... please, unnhgh..."

Xena felt her body begin to shake with the control she was quickly losing.

"Not yet, Xena," Gabrielle panted out.

Gabrielle was holding herself back as well. She wanted to see how much Xena could take after everything she'd subjected the woman to.

"Oh gods, Gabrielle, I-I can't..."

At Xena's pleading tone, Gabrielle felt her own control evaporate and she plunged her cock vigorously into Xena as her body clamped down on the phallus inside her.

"Yes! Do it, Xena! Cum for me," Gabrielle managed to get out as her own orgasm took her.

Xena felt her whole body shudder at the command and let go. She pulsed around the cock thrusting solidly in and out of her cunt and shivers ran throughout her body as her climax rippled through her. She cried out with each wave that seized her, sometimes to Gabrielle, sometimes to the gods, and sometimes just because she had to scream.

Gabrielle slammed her hips into Xena to force the phallus within her own body to go deeper and heighten her own climax. The rubbing against her clit intensified her pleasure and she made sure to grind her hips around to add to that sensation as well. She didn't stop her thrusts until Xena slowed her own jerking hips and they came to rest together.

Gabrielle rested her head on Xena's chest and waited for her breathing to go back to normal. Xena's heartbeat slowed sooner than her own and Xena was perfectly calm by the time Gabrielle was able to compose herself again. Gabrielle lifted her head up and was caught in Xena's gaze for a long minute.

Gabrielle pushed herself up and very slowly removed the phallus from Xena. Xena's muscles had clamped around the intrusion and Gabrielle knew she had to be careful in withdrawing the shaft or she would cause Xena some acute pain.

Finally, Gabrielle had the cock all the way out of her slave and she gingerly moved to the edge of the bed to stand up. Her legs felt slightly unsteady, so she braced herself against the bed as she stood up until she was sure she wasn't going to collapse. She unbuckled the straps of the harness and carefully pulled it away from her body, the smaller phallus slipping out of her vagina a lot easier than the one in Xena had.

Gabrielle set the rig aside and sat on the edge of the bed again. She caressed the side of Xena's face and Xena turned her head into the touch.

"Do I own you, Xena?" Gabrielle asked softly as she gently swiped at the wet bangs stuck to Xena's forehead.

Xena nodded and closed her eyes as she nuzzled into Gabrielle's hand again. She opened her eyes and met Gabrielle's gaze.

"Every part of me. Tell me and it's yours. Anything you want, I'll get it for you. Anything you need, I'll do it. Just tell me..."

Gabrielle placed her finger over the babbling warrior's lips.

"You. That's all I want. That's all I've ever wanted. Just you."

Gabrielle leaned over and offered a soft kiss to swollen lips. Then she pulled away and moved to untie Xena's restraints. She went to all four corners and released the ropes from around the legs of the bed. Xena started working on removing the ropes from her wrists, as soon as her arms were free, and Gabrielle untied the knots around Xena's ankles. Then she massaged the areas that had been abused by the ropes.

Xena rubbed her wrists and the insides of her arms to counteract the prolonged stretched position she'd endured for her pleasure. She decided it had been a small price to pay and smiled when she realized she'd finally managed to get a better bargain than Gabrielle.

Gabrielle scooted up on the bed and helped with the massaging of Xena's upper arms, careful of the bruising bite marks on Xena's biceps. She bent forward and kissed Xena's left arm, which was closest to her.

"I, um, I hope that was okay," Gabrielle tried to ask and apologize at the same time.

Xena looked over her shoulder and down at her arm. She grinned.

"Yeah, that was very okay."

Xena could tell Gabrielle wasn't entirely convinced, so she pulled the woman closer and gave her a kiss that left no doubts about whether she was upset with the bard or not. She pulled back and the grin was still in place. Gabrielle smiled back, then looked toward the cracks in the shutters over one of the windows. There was still plenty of daylight.

Gabrielle stood up and took a few practice steps in the center of the room. She lunged with an imaginary staff, twirled, kicked out at an imaginary foe, then spun again to sweep her phantom foe's feet out from under him with her invisible weapon. She nodded at her body's state of physical competency.

"Hey, Xena?"

"Mmm?"

Xena had reclined back against the head of the bed to watch her lover practice in the nude.

"You up to going out at all?"

Xena took mental inventory of her body's physical condition. She would be annoyed if she had to defend herself, but she could do it if she had to and getting some fresh air after all the indoor activity sounded good.

"Sure. What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I did tell Eponin I would spar with her after lunch. And it's after lunch. And we didn't sleep that long either, so I don't think it's too late to get in a session or two. What do you think?"

"Alright. Let's get dressed. Then you can show off how good you are with that staff of yours," Xena smirked.

Gabrielle rolled her eyes. "It's not showing off. I'm just going to demonstrate what you've taught me so that Eponin doesn't worry that I'm not keeping up with my lessons."

"Uh huh."

Gabrielle shook her head and found a clean set of clothes to change into. She almost forgot to put on underwear when she caught Xena's raised eyebrow and had a sudden vision of flashing Eponin while doing a twirl to perform a behind the back block. When they were both finished dressing, they headed for the door of the hut. Gabrielle noticed Xena had left her upper arms bare and raised her own eyebrow in question.

"I don't want to hide them," Xena said quietly.

"But you have all those other marks on your neck. Aren't those enough?"

"Do you want me to cover my arms up?" Xena asked in the same quiet voice.

Gabrielle looked at the dark red splotches on Xena's neck and chest, then at the bright red and purple imprints of her upper and lower teeth on Xena's biceps, and finally into Xena's eyes. She shook her head.

"No. Don't hide them," she offered just as softly.

Xena pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you," she said and kissed the top of a blond head. Gabrielle could tell it was heartfelt.

"You're welcome."

Xena released her bard and held the door open for Gabrielle to pass through before her. She followed into the bright sunlight of midafternoon and let her eyes adjust themselves to the extra light.

Gabrielle and Xena made their way to the practice area and tried not to laugh too much at the stares they both received. If Gabrielle had been meeting the Amazons for the first time, she would have had to conclude that they were the clumsiest group of people she'd ever met, as women continued to drop things, trip, or run into buildings, or each other, as the Queen and her Champion passed by.

"Maybe you should give them a few lessons in discipline, Xena," Gabrielle suggested.

Xena looked down at her Mistress.

"Maybe you should consider offering a few lessons yourself," Xena replied.

"But then you'd have to kill them. Not very effective," Gabrielle quipped as she thought of Xena's reaction to Gabrielle giving any kind of lessons to anyone besides Xena herself.

"You have a point."

They eventually made it to the practice field and both of them watched as Eponin ran through a few drills with some younger Amazons. After a few minutes, Eponin looked up and couldn't quite conceal her startlement at seeing her Queen and Xena up and around so soon. She'd figured they'd sleep the whole day through after the performance she'd witnessed in the dining hut.

"Afternoon, my Queen. Xena. You ready for your sparring match?"

"Yep, whenever you're free."

Eponin waved off the few students that had been standing around waiting for her attention and prepared to meet her Queen in mock battle. One of her students tossed her a staff and she twirled it around her body a few times to warm up.

Gabrielle stepped forward and held her staff in ready position, the same position she always started in when she and Xena were attacked by various thugs. The people around them spread out into a large circle that enclosed the two combatants.

Xena crossed her arms and settled into a relaxed stance to watch the fight. She felt someone come up to her left shoulder and looked down to find Ephiny at her side. Ephiny looked away from the circling of the weapons master and her Queen to see what Xena thought of the whole affair. Her eyes couldn't help but focus on the bright bruises that adorned Xena's neck and then at the obviously human imprint of a mouth on her arm. Her eyes widened a bit, then darted in Gabrielle's direction in unspoken question.

"What do you think?" Xena replied, obviously considering the question of someone other than Gabrielle possibly being responsible for the marks a little foolish.

"I guess our Queen had a taste for some warrior flesh," Ephiny said and grinned.

"As long as no one thinks that taste extends to all warriors," Xena jokingly warned.

Ephiny laughed, then turned back to the match, which had picked up, as the two women warmed up to each other.

The sound of wood hitting wood rang throughout the small clearing, as the staves solidly connected with each other. There were shouts of encouragement from the surrounding Amazons, but neither opponents seemed to take much notice. Their focus was solely on each other.

Eponin attempted to feint with an overhead strike, then cut up with the other end of her staff to catch Gabrielle on the side of her thigh, but Gabrielle quickly blocked both maneuvers and counterattacked with a quick double strike to each of Eponin's thighs and then a leg sweep that Eponin just barely jumped over.

"Excellent, my Queen," Eponin complimented, only slightly out of breath from her exertions.

"Thanks."

They continued to parry one another's assaults, while offering plenty of attacks of their own, but they didn't seem to be trying to overpower one another. They were just testing each other's abilities and looking for weak spots to exploit. Neither showed any signs of tiring, Eponin's body having learned endurance from her daily lessons with the other Amazons, and Gabrielle having gained her staying power from trying to keep up with Xena, not to mention battling thugs on an almost daily basis. Then Xena called out to the two combatants.

"Enough playing around, Gabrielle. Would you be taking it this easy if I were hurt and you had to defend me?"

Xena watched as Gabrielle faltered for half a heartbeat. Then her face changed from one of concentration to determination. Xena had known that mentioning any kind of threat to herself, especially after their earlier conversation about Xena's death the year before, would have a galvanizing effect on Gabrielle. The only time Gabrielle ever exhibited her true prowess with the staff was when she was defending Xena. And Xena felt such a fierce pride in Gabrielle's fighting abilities that she wanted the rest of the Amazons to know how capable Gabrielle was with her weapon of choice.

Eponin immediately began losing ground as Gabrielle's strikes nearly doubled in force and came at a much faster rate. She had to go on the defensive, or risk getting hit, and that kept her from offering much in the way of her own attacks. Then, Gabrielle managed to hook the end of her staff on the inside of Eponin's and twisted hard to pull the staff out of the woman's hands. The staff went flying and Gabrielle quickly brought the tip of her staff to point under Eponin's chin. Eponin was a little wide-eyed, but she grinned.

"I yield to my Queen."

Gabrielle suddenly realized she'd just beaten the Amazon weapons master and took a step back. She looked shocked and Eponin grinned even more.

"I, um, thanks. I mean, that was a good session. Great technique," Gabrielle said loud enough for everyone around them to hear. Then she leaned in and whispered to Eponin. "Did you just let me win?"

Eponin shook her head.

"No, my Queen. Letting someone think they're better in a fight than they are doesn't help anybody but their opponent," the seasoned weapons instructor told her, then turned to speak with one of her students.

Xena came walking up to congratulate her lover.

"Nice match. Come on. I think they're going to be serving dinner soon," Xena grinned and Gabrielle smiled back as they began walking to the dining hut.

"Great. I'm starved."

Gabrielle's stomach took that opportunity to sound its wholehearted agreement and she blushed. Xena just shook her head and smiled.

As they made their way to the head table, Xena remembered the last time they'd entered the place. When Gabrielle took her seat, Xena made sure to kneel beside Gabrielle without attempting to sit in the chair next to Gabrielle's. Gabrielle looked down at her, a little surprised, but then she smiled and cupped the warrior's cheek. That gesture of surrender was heartwarming to Gabrielle. The warrior finally trusted the Queen to take care of her.

The food was served and Gabrielle made sure Xena got plenty to eat, as she hand fed her slave. The touch of Xena's tongue on Gabrielle's fingers was tender and meant to convey her adoration of the bard, though the feel of Xena's tongue licking Gabrielle's fingers was arousing for the both of them, too.

Gabrielle talked with the Amazons around her, continuing conversations that had been cut a little short by her activities during lunch. Xena was satisfied with just listening to the conversations around her, having never had a need to talk very much anyway. She was content to just be near Gabrielle.

When the evening meal was finally over, Gabrielle bid her subjects goodnight and returned with Xena to the Queen's hut. They went through their usual nightly rituals; Gabrielle wrote in her scrolls and Xena cleaned her leathers and sharpened her sword. Then it was time for bed.

They both undressed and Xena brought out the pouch of calendula. Gabrielle raised an eyebrow in a good imitation of her lover.

"You may not feel sore right now, but we'll probably both be feeling it in the morning, unless we practice a little preventative medicine," Xena answered the unspoken question.

Gabrielle nodded and climbed onto the bed. She leaned back and spread her legs apart so that Xena could apply the herbal remedy. With a gentle hand, Xena draped a cloth soaked with the calendula over Gabrielle's genitalia and then helped her pull on some underwear to hold the cloth in place.

Xena began working on herself, but Gabrielle batted her hands away and took over. Gabrielle's touch was just as gentle as Xena's, but Xena couldn't help feeling a little aroused at having Gabrielle between her legs. Gabrielle looked up and grinned as she patted the cloth down and slid the woman's undies into place.

"You better watch it, Warrior Princess, or you won't be getting any rest tonight."

Xena smiled.

"I don't think I could ever get enough of you, but you're right. We need to get some sleep. Come here."

Gabrielle held up her hand to ask Xena to wait a moment and carefully put away their medical supplies. Then she doused the torches and put out the candles scattered throughout the hut and made her way in the dark back to the bed.

Gabrielle was immediately pulled into a warm embrace and cuddled into the side of the warrior. Once she was settled, Gabrielle closed her eyes and let the heartbeat under her ear soothe her to sleep.