Underworld
By: BJ O’Donnell
(aka. MsTigrlil)
05/98

A heavy mist shrouded the battlefield like a blanket. The stench of death rose up with the smoke in a great plume, curling over the tops of the few remaining trees. Blood soaked into the ground in great rivers of red, forming into grotesque pools. Every where one could look, were dead or dying bodies. There were boys just barely able to hold a sword lying with their limbs torn from their bodies. Men, wide eyed in their death as if they had seen a horrible monster before passing on to the next realm. The female warriors were particularly brutalized. Raped and tortured before the final release of death.

Gabrielle wandered aimlessly, tripping and stumbling through the corpses and fires in search for her friend, Xena. The tears and sobs came from the depth of her soul as she looked into every bloody face. She pulled bodies over so she could look into the faces of the ones she could not see from behind. The torments of this battle were so great, beyond human knowledge.

As she wondered through the killing field, stumbling over bodies, the tears blinding her she looked to the heavens and cried out, "Please dear Goddess, let me find her, let her be alive. I will gladly give my life if only to save hers." With that said, Gabrielle fell to the ground in despair, shaking from grief and sorrow over all the dead and dying. As she crumbled to the ground, she fell across a man’s body strewn over the corpse of another. Through her tear soaked eyes, she looked into the face that she had hoped she would never see like this here. There, lying under the man was someone that she knew someone that she loved. "Oh dear Goddess, don’t let this be so!" Gabrielle jumped up and pulled the man aside, afraid that she would find herself to be right about who was there but hoping that it was just a dream. Then, in silent breath, she looked into the face that she had known and loved for so long now.

Xena lay there, her face all bloody and bruised. No movement, no breath came from her. There was a large wound to her side where the blood had stopped flowing as it does in death. Gabrielle reached under her friend and drew her in close. Xena's head fell back as Gabrielle held her tight to her breast, not wanting to believe what she knew to be true. Gabrielle cried out in such pain and grief, "Please, please, do not take this one Hecate. Please, take me instead. I will do whatever you wish if only you spare Xena’s life. I beg you, please." In that moment, as Gabrielle lay there over her loves body crying and sobbing uncontrollably, she knew what she must do. If Xena was to leave like this, then she must follow as she had done when first they met. She could not bare the thought of living without Xena by her side. She realized then just how much she truly loved this Warrior Princess.

Gabrielle reached into her bag and drew out a small vile, her tears running freely down her face. As she looked into Xena’s bruised eyes she bent down to lay a kiss upon her lips. "Oh Xena, forgive me that I had not shown you this love I have for you while you were still here with me. If only I had not argued with you last evening but told you instead of my love for you, maybe then you would not have gone off to this battle and gotten yourself killed. I love you so much Xena. I can not tell you here in this life now, so I will join you where you are and show you the love I have for you. Your death is all my fault." As Gabrielle spoke these words, she put the small vile to her lips and drank down the vulgar liquid that held her own death. As the last drops passed her lips, she bent to kiss Xena once more and said in a whisper, "Take me on your journey beyond the boundaries of Dusk as you took me on your journey of Light. Xena, I love you". She knew that soon she would be with her love once more. She lay across Xena's chest and as the tears flooded her eyes again, she felt the clouds swirl around in her mind and she even thought she felt her dear Xena’s heart beat as she past into the realm of the underworld.

Chapter Two

Gabrielle awoke with a start. She didn’t want to open her eyes, thinking that surly she must not be dead. Confusion wrapped her mind as she lay there wondering if she were alive or dead and if alive, then where was she? She must be dead. She had drunk the poison, hadn’t she? She must be here with Xena. Gabrielle lay there, silent but for only her thoughts, then complete silence as she listened for noises that would help her identify where she was, hoping she was in the underworld with her love.

As she slowly opened her eyes, hoping she would then see Xena, she was shocked to see that she was in what looked like some cavern. How did she arrive here? And where was here? Looking about her, she could see that she was in some kind of cave, deep underground. She could hear water trickling from somewhere off in the distance and she could see an odd glowing light as it danced over the rocks of the walls. Gabrielle called out in a whispered breath, "Thank you dear Hecate, thank you for taking me to be with the one I love." Then came a soft voice from deeper in the cave, "Oh, I have not taken you to her dear little one. You asked to be taken on a journey beyond the boundaries of Dusk and I am here to help you do just that."

Gabrielle jumped to her feet, reaching for her staff that was no longer there then cried out, "No! What is this place? I have come to be with Xena, the one I love. To finally show her the love I hold for her. Who are you and where is Xena?" The voice again, this time closer, "Ah dear Gabrielle, you are a seeker of truth and love. You have come to ask my help in finding that and in finding your true love once again." Gabrielle shouted back, "What are you talking about? Who are you?" "I am Hecate, the crone. I will show you in your dream those things that you seek. Do not be afraid dear one but learn from what you see." the voice answered. "I do not understand. Am I dead?" Gabrielle replied. Hecate answered, "You are with me in the underworld. I have answered your prayers. I am here to show you the depth of your love for Xena and for life."

At that moment, Gabrielle found herself in another place. She saw Xena, kneeling near a river edge. She was dipping her water pouch into the cool water. Gabrielle shouted, "Xena, I am here, here." Waving her arms and shouting, Gabrielle realized that Xena could not hear her. The crone was now at Gabrielle’s side, "What do you see dear one? That is the one you loved so much that you gave your own life to save hers. Was it worth it?" Gabrielle stared in silent shock and then screamed out, "Yes, yes, it was worth it a thousand times over. To die to save the one you love will always be worth the pain." "Ah but was it worth it if you can only see her from a distance and her never to realize that you are even here?" the crone replied. "You see, you asked that I take your life instead of Xena's and I have done just that little one." The crone spat out. Gabrielle broke down and began to sob, "Why have you done this? What lesson is there in this?"

"You must understand that the love you have for this woman is more than you think. You must realize why you love her and who she really is to you. And that life and love are truly precious." The crone spoke again, this time in a more gentle measure.

They seemed to move in closer to Xena, who still did not realize they were there. Gabrielle asked the crone, "Can she see me? Can she feel me? Oh please, tell me what I must do to be with her again…" The crone spoke in a steady tone, "You must ask yourself why you took the poison? Was it because you simply missed Xena and wanted to be with her or was it because you felt guilty over arguing with her the night before and causing her to go into battle? Or maybe it is because of something far deeper. Do you feel that you are one and the same, that she is a part of you and you a part of her? Do you love her enough to live?" Gabrielle looked at the crone when she spat out those last words… Do you love her enough to live… What did the crone mean by that? Gabrielle wondered. "I loved her enough to die for her!" Gabrielle shouted back at the crone. But the crone simply walked away towards the forest.

Gabrielle followed the crone and soon they came to a small home in a clearing. Gabrielle thought she recognized the house but could not place from where. As they moved inside, Gabrielle saw that this was her home as a child. She looked about and saw her family all seated around the hearth. They were all talking about her as they would if she had died. Her sister was crying and telling her family that she missed Gabrielle and that she wished she had understood why she had left to be with Xena. "If only she had not gone off with that warrior " her sister spat, "she would be here with us now." "No, no dear one, she had to go. It was her heart that led her on that journey. I realize that now. She had never quite fit in within this village and when she found Xena, she had to follow her, to be with her. It was her destiny to be with the one she loved even if that was not what we had hoped for her." her mother replied.

As Gabrielle and Hecate watched this scene, Gabrielle began to cry. Hecate asked Gabrielle why she was crying. "Because I love and miss my family but I didn't think they ever really understood why I had to go with Xena." "And why do you think you had to go with her?" asked the crone. Gabrielle looked into the crone’s eyes and began to think about her answer. "I think because I had never known anyone like her and I had some need to be with her." Gabrielle finally said. "But what was that need dear?" Hecate asked. "I felt safe with her, protected. I felt like she understood me and was like me and that she was a part of me." Gabrielle replied. "Ah, so you are starting to understand then dear… good, good." the crone answered back.

Just as quickly as the scene had appeared, it also vanished. Gabrielle now found herself again at the river edge. She could see Xena now, sitting alone along the shoreline. She sat there with her head hung low in her hands, tears were rolling freely down her cheeks and great sobs could be heard coming from her. Gabrielle looked at Hecate and asked, "Why is she crying so?" "She cries for her loss dear. The one she loves is dead." replied the crone. "Who is that?" Gabrielle asked, almost afraid to hear the answer. "Why it is you dear child, she has lost you, remember?"

Chapter Three

Xena sat near the river, her head hung low and she let the tears roll off her face as great sobs reverberated through out her body. "My Goddess, why did she do it? Why would she kill herself?" Xena cried aloud. "I can't believe that I argued with her last night. Could that be the reason that she did this to herself?" Xena thought. "All I wanted to do was tell her, no, show her how much I loved her. I can't believe that I was so afraid that she would leave me if I told her I loved her. And now look, she has left me because I didn't tell her." Xena tormented her mind with this thought.

Xena looked into the river as her tears fell to mix with the water there. She thought again about how she had awoken on the battlefield only to find her love, Gabrielle, laying over her. At first she tried to wake her but when that did not work, she thought maybe Gabrielle had been wounded somehow. How had she gotten to the battlefield? Why had she come here? As Xena slowly moved Gabrielle and tried to get up, she realized that Gabrielle's body was cold and limp. The pain in Xena's side was great but she moved Gabrielle so that she could look into her eyes. There was a blankness in Gabrielle's eyes as Xena stared into them. Then she saw the small vile lying in Gabrielle's hand. Xena slowly moved again, this time she held Gabrielle in her arms, smoothing her hair as the tears began to flow out of her. "What was going on here?" she screamed in her mind. What had happened? Why had she done this?

A man came up to help Xena. He was there along with others from the village to aid the wounded and bury the dead. Xena asked the man what had happened after the battle and how had Gabrielle gotten here. As the man tended to Xena's wounds he told her that he had seen the young woman come onto the field after the fighting and search through the bodies. He said that when she came to Xena's body, she fell to the ground and held her. Then reached into her bag and drank something from a vile. He told Xena that the last thing he heard the woman say was that she loved her and that it was all her fault.

Once Xena's wounds were stitched and bandaged, she made a litter to carry Gabrielle's body back to the Amazon village. She knew that she would want to be remembered there. "Oh my Goddess, I can't believe that I will be burying my love, my life. Why has she done this? Why did I fight with her? If only I had told her of my love for her maybe she would still be alive." Xena cried out with such pain and sorrow.

As Xena traveled through the forest on her way to the Amazon village, she stopped by a river to get fresh water. After crying so hard again, she could hardly move. She decided to make camp for the night.

After getting Argo prepared for the evening, Xena built a fire and curled up in her sleeping furs. Thoughts of Gabrielle ran through her mind as she tried to sleep. As tears passed down her face she realized that this was the first night she would be without her love next to her. "Why had I never spoken of my love for this woman? Why had I been so afraid? I have never been afraid of anything in my life, yet telling this one small woman that I loved her was terrifying to me. Even if she thought of me as some hideous fool and had left me, maybe she would still be alive." Xena thought to herself.

Chapter Four

As Xena tried to sleep, her dreams would not let her get any real rest. She tossed and turned all evening as memories and thoughts of Gabrielle passed through her mind. She remembered the time when she herself had died and Gabrielle was taking her body to the Amazon village. Then Xena had taken over the body of the king of thieves to help get the Ambrosia she needed to be brought back to life. She smiled in her fitful sleep when she remembered the kiss she had placed on Gabrielle's soft lips. Ah to be able to do that again, Xena thought.

Her dreams passed from memories to wishes and desires. She watched as Gabrielle lay on the sleeping furs next to her. Xena watched as the bard slept so soundly, her breathing so soft and gentle. She loved her so much. She only wished she could tell her. Then Gabrielle, in her sleep, turned over onto her back. Xena could see her breast rise and fall with each breath she took. She placed her arm over Gabrielle's nude body and began to move her fingers lightly over the bard's stomach. The thought of kissing her passed through Xena's mind when Gabrielle whispered in her sleep, "Oh Xena, please, please…" Xena froze, not wanting to wake her, then thinking of what she had just heard. "Is she awake? Could she know what I am thinking? Could she be wanting the same thing as I do?" Xena thought.

With some hesitation, Xena leaned over the bard and placed a soft kiss upon her lips. She felt Gabrielle's lips respond to her kiss by opening her mouth and kissing her back. "Oh Xena, please, please do not stop. I love you and I want you. I have always loved you." Gabrielle whispered.

Gabrielle leaned up again to kiss her warrior. She began to kiss Xena so passionately that Xena was beginning to think that maybe she was still sleeping. She didn't realize that this young woman had this much passion in her. As if in answer to Xena's thoughts Gabrielle moved her hands to place them on Xena's shoulders, pushing the warrior over onto her back. "Xena, I am awake and I do love you. I want you and if you are afraid to make the first move, then I will." Gabrielle whispered with a grin as she looked down on the stunned warrior.

The bard removed Xena's leather tunic as she kissed her face and lips with such veraciousness. She kissed and nibbled on Xena's neck and slowly moved farther down her strong body. Xena's breath became more rapid as Gabrielle placed her mouth over one of her nipples and began to suck and pull on it with her lips. Her hand moved to the other breast and she found the nipple there already hard from desire.

Xena could not believe what was happening. She had desired this for so long. The passion she was feeling for this woman, the heat that she was generating… "My Goddess, I love this woman." Xena thought.

Their bodies moved together as if they had known this feeling for years. Everything felt so natural and comforting. As Gabrielle continued her kissing and sucking at Xena's breasts, she placed her knee between Xena's thighs, spreading them open for her. Gabrielle could feel the heat and wetness there and knew that she had done this to her lover. She smiled as she pushed her thigh harder against Xena's soft wetness, moving it over her and hearing the warrior moan.

Xena moved her hands over Gabrielle's nude body, down to the curve at the base of her back. Feeling the muscles ripple in her back as she placed her hands onto her soft mounds. Pulling her in harder, she placed her own knee between Gabrielle's thighs drawing them open.

They pushed and moved against each other like this for a time when Gabrielle began to move her hand down Xena's body. Feeling every muscle tighten as her hand and fingers passed over her. She reached her hand between their legs and felt Xena's stomach muscles shiver as her hand slid over the curled hairs and into her wetness.

Xena's moans became loader as the bard slid her fingers over her most sensitive spot. Gabrielle felt the hard nub as she passed over it and onto the source of the wetness. Sliding two fingers into her lover, Gabrielle felt her own muscles tighten as Xena arched her back to receive her. Pushing her fingers in deeper and deeper, Gabrielle moved her own wet heat against Xena's leg.

Xena moved her hands over her bards firm ass cheeks, pulling her in tighter. She then moved them until they were now at the tops of her thighs. She felt the bard tighten and push against her. Xena thought that it was nice to have long arms as she continued to reach around until her hand was between Gabrielle's thighs. She could now feel the wetness with her hands and liked what she felt. She was so soft and silky. She pushed her own fingers down until she found what she was searching for. Sliding her fingers into Gabrielle's wetness, she finally heard the girl moan. "My Goddess, what a wonderful sound." Xena thought.

Gabrielle moved her mouth finally from her lover's breasts and began to move down the warrior's body. She was kissing and tasting her, feeling every muscle over that wonderful body of hers with her tongue. As their bodies changed position, Gabrielle could feel Xena's fingers slide deeper into her and she moaned and ground her body harder against her lover's hand.

Gabrielle's lips and tongue were exploring Xena's body as she traveled down to the spot she was looking for. Her tongue slid between the folds and wetness, tasting her lover for the first time. "Ah, what sweetness my lover is." Gabrielle thought. Her tongue moved over and down until she felt the hardened nub. She drew it into her mouth and pushed against it with her tongue as her lips held it in place. Xena moaned and pushed herself hard against Gabrielle's face. Xena reached around with one hand and grabbed Gabrielle's hair, pulling her in harder.

Gabrielle moaned again as she felt the strength of her lover as she wrapped her hand around in her hair. Oh she loved this powerful woman so much she thought to herself. As Gabrielle sucked and played with Xena's clit in her mouth, her hand continued its motions within her lover. Pushing harder and deeper, keeping pace with her mouth as she felt Xena's body begin to tighten and shiver. Faster and deeper her fingers moved as she bit and sucked harder on Xena's clit until she felt her lover arch her back and tighten every muscle in her body. And with an animalistic cry, she felt her lover release and fall limp.

Xena collapsed against her lover, her breathing so rapid now. Gabrielle smiled as she continued to push herself against Xena's hand. Xena, not lost to that movement, pushed her fingers deep within her lover. She pushed Gabrielle over and down onto her back and looked into her eyes. She searched for a sign as to what Gabrielle truly wanted. Gabrielle's eyes looked over Xena's face, "Xena, I love you and I love the powerful woman that you are. Please, please don't stop, take me, take me as only you can, please." she begged.

Xena didn't need another word from Gabrielle to understand what she wanted. She reached out with one strong hand to take both of Gabrielle's wrists in hers. She drew them up over the bard's head and stretched her body out onto the sleeping furs. Gabrielle's eyes closed as her lover pursued their mutual desire. Xena looked again into the face of the woman that she loved and she knew how she wanted to be taken. She knew her bard was drawn to the warrior's powerful strength and desired to be taken with that strength. Xena moved her free hand over to her leathers that were lying next to them. She quickly undid one of the leather ties and then, just as quickly, she tied Gabrielle's wrists up over her head and to the tree that was there.

With Gabrielle's arms stretched out over her head like that, her whole body was now open to Xena. Gabrielle opened her eyes for just a moment and saw such a ferocious passion in Xena's face. She was not afraid of this woman. She knew that she would not be harmed in any way but would be made love to with such strength and forcefulness. She longed for this strong woman to take her, to control her in this way. Xena saw Gabrielle's eyes as they looked upon her and knew that this is what she wanted too. She knew that Gabrielle wanted to be taken, to feel the power of her love and passion.

Xena was a bit afraid of herself though. The last time she had taken someone was after a battle and before she had met Gabrielle. Back in her warlord days she used to just take what she wanted and cared nothing about the person that she was using for her own satisfaction. She loved to show her power and control but did not want to hurt Gabrielle. She craved to act on these feelings within her but never knew that Gabrielle had the desire to feel them from her.

Xena leaned up and looked over her lover's body. She saw the muscles in her stomach tighten as she placed her hands on her. She let her hands and fingers drift lightly over the bards skin until she came to her nipples. As Xena pulled each hardened nipple and rolled them between her fingers, she saw Gabrielle arch her back and moan. Xena's mouth found one nipple as she continued to play with the other nipple even harder. She drew it in past her teeth and flicked it with her tongue. Again and again she drew the nipple past her teeth until her lover was moaning so loudly and moving her body to try to reach Xena's for some release.

This is what Xena loved about her power. The ability to render someone helpless with desire, with passion. She looked down into Gabrielle's eyes and saw that passion and desire for her. She loved this woman so much and wanted now only to satisfy her. Gone were the days when she cared nothing for her sex partner. She had found her true love. One that understood the need in her to express her passion in this way. One that desired it herself.

Xena moved her other hand down to Gabrielle's thighs. Pushing forcefully between them, she had no problem in spreading them open. She slid her hand down and noticed that Gabrielle was even wetter then before. She roughly pushed her finger deep into her lover so quickly and hard, then heard Gabrielle moan even loader. She pushed one then two fingers into her as she felt her arch her back and then heard Gabrielle whisper, "Xena, please…"

Xena pushed deeper now as her own passion and heat began to build again. She slowly then moved her face down to taste her lover, as she lay stretched out in front of her. Her tongue slid in-between the folds of skin until she felt the hard little nub that she knew would bring her lover to ecstasy. She brought it into her mouth and just like with Gabrielle's nipples, she drew it in over her teeth. She nibbled lightly at first against the hardness and with each moan she heard from Gabrielle, she sucked and bit down harder. Her fingers moved deeper into her lover as she began to push another finger inside of her. Gabrielle then whispered in a low, rough voice, "Yes… please… fill me… take me… please Xena… I love… you."

Xena was straddling Gabrielle's leg as she moved within her lover's body. She pushed herself against her leg faster and faster feeling her own passion rise higher. Their movements were synchronized as each woman came closer and closer to release. As Gabrielle began to shudder and her back arched even more, Xena slid her tongue over Gabrielle's clit and sucked it in one last time. Holding her to her face with her fingers deep within her, Xena just stayed there motionless until she felt the last of Gabrielle's release.

They both collapsed together as their passion exploded. As Xena began to control her breathing again, she reached over and untied the restraints around Gabrielle's wrists. She drew the bard lovingly into her arms and kissed her on the top of her head as Gabrielle lay her head on her breast and began placing light kisses over them. They finally slept but woke many times that night to make love again and again.

Chapter Five

Gabrielle watched as Xena lay there tossing and turning from her fitful dreams. She had seen the whole dream as if she herself had dreamt it. "My Goddess, I can't believe that she feels the same way that I do." Gabrielle said to the crone as they both watched on. "Ah dear little one, of course she does. Do you think she would do all the things for you that she does if she did not love you?" the crone simply asked.

"Now, dear Gabrielle, do you still think it was worth it to give up your life so soon?" the crone asked. "But I thought she was dead and I wanted her to live again. To be with her again in life or in death." Gabrielle said. "Is there anything I can do to be with her again dear Goddess?" Gabrielle asked the crone.

"My dear, you said that you would do anything if only I would spare Xena's life and I have. What more would you ask of me now?" Hecate asked. "I would beg you to let me be with her again, in life. I will do whatever you ask of me." Gabrielle quietly asked. "Do you understand the value of your life with this woman? Do you understand the importance of your love for her and that death can never bring you together, only life can do that?" the crone asked Gabrielle. "I do dear Hecate, I do understand that life is the most important thing and that my love for Xena can only be found in that realm. Please, I beg you, what can I do?" Gabrielle began to cry as she spoke these words.

"You must do something for me dear little one. You must always look to the moon when it is full and say a prayer of thanks for your love and your life. Will you do that for me?" Hecate demanded more than asked. "Oh dear Goddess, I will, I will. I would do anything if only to be with Xena again." Gabrielle cried out.

Chapter Six

As Xena awoke from her deep sleep on the field she felt Gabrielle laying over her. She tried to wake her at first but got no response. She then thought that maybe Gabrielle had been wounded. "How had she come to this field? How had she been injured?" Xena asked herself. As she tried to move, she thought she felt a pain in her side but when she looked, there was nothing there. She gently moved Gabrielle so that she could try to get up. As Xena moved the limp body of Gabrielle, the thought flashed through her mind that her dear Gabrielle was dead. "Oh no dear Goddess, don't let this be so." Xena cried out.

Gabrielle awoke as Xena was trying to move her. She looked into those beautiful blue eyes and suddenly remembered everything that had happened. Tears flooded her eyes as she reached up to throw her arms around Xena's neck. "Oh thank the Goddess, you are alive, I am alive." Gabrielle cried out. She then pulled away from Xena to look into those eyes again just to be sure and again, drew her into her tight embrace.

Xena looked stunned and was about to ask Gabrielle what was going on when Gabrielle spoke to her, "Xena, I will never argue with you again. I will never send you off in a fit of rage to be killed on a battlefield again." Xena looked puzzled as Gabrielle hurriedly began to speak again, "Dear Xena, last night I had wanted to tell you of the love I have for you and that I want to be with you always and it all turned out wrong. I could not get the words out for fear that you would leave me and instead, I sent you to your death." Gabrielle said with tears in her eyes.

Xena looked into those emerald green eyes that were filled with tears and spoke, "Gabrielle, I have no idea what you are talking about with all this death business but I am so happy to hear you say that you love me. I also love you and was just as much a part of that argument as you." Xena pulled Gabrielle into her arms and began to cry with her. Tears of joy filled both of their eyes as they lay there holding each other on that battlefield.

Epilog

As Gabrielle and Xena made camp for the night, far away from that horrible battlefield, Xena turned to look into Gabrielle's eyes and said, "Gabrielle, will you ever tell me what happened? Will you ever tell me what you saw?" Gabrielle just looked at Xena as they began to lay out the sleeping furs and grinned as she said, "I will in time dear, I will. But for now," Gabrielle paused for a moment "if you are afraid to make the first move, then I will." Gabrielle said this as she pulled Xena down with her into the furs and slowly began to place kisses over her lover's face and neck. As Xena bent to kiss her lover, Gabrielle looked to the full moon and whispered a silent "Thank you".

The End