TURNABOUT
By Pink Rabbit Productions

Pleasantly warmed by a dancing fire, and tucked comfortably in Gabrielle's arms, Xena was already half asleep, when the bard started telling her story.

"The castle sat in a green valley, and it was ruled by a queen who was both wise and fair. All was peaceful until a warlord led her army into the surrounding hillsides. The warlord was tall, her dark hair flying on the wind behind her, as she rode in on a midnight black stallion. The queen watched her from the battlements, and even from that distance, a connection arced between them."

"What happened?" Xena questioned sleepily, snuggling back into her lover's warm hold.

"The warlord watched the castle for days. Fires of lust burned in her eyes every time she saw the queen... She had to have her...the energy drawing them together would not be denied. From her vantage point on the ramparts, the queen knew a storm was coming and began her preparations." As she spoke, the bard lifted Xena's right hand, brushing her cheek against her lover's inner wrist. "On the third day, the warlord bore down upon the castle, intent on capturing the keep...and the woman within..."

Xena had a sudden mental image of herself riding down on a castle, intent on taking a queen--who looked suspiciously like Gabrielle--away on her saddle. A smile flickered across her lips, as she wondered if the pretty bard was angling for a repeat of their lovemaking a week or two before, when she had played the conquering warlord. She reached back with her other hand, brushing her knuckles along Gabrielle's soft cheek.

The bard paused in telling the story to catch Xena's hand, twining their fingers together to press a light kiss to her fingertips. She ducked her head, kissing the top of Xena's hair, before continuing. "The queen was no fool...she'd used the time to lay her traps...bombs that smoked and blew fire across the advancing men, convincing them the Gods themselves had joined the fray..."

"So they turned and ran," Xena drawled knowingly.

"That's right," Gabrielle confirmed.

"What about the warlord?" Xena asked lazily. Arms still sprawled over her head, she grinned blearily as small hands massaged the well defined muscles.

"No...her lust wouldn't be denied..."

"Perhaps it was love, and she didn't know any other way to offer it," Xena mumbled thoughtfully. Gabrielle's hands slid on to her palms and wrists, and the slow strokes helped further the warm lassitude she was feeling.

"Perhaps...." Gabrielle exhaled, then continued the story. "She fought her way into the castle courtyard...by then she was surrounded by soldiers..."

An odd tightness entered the warrior princess' voice as she questioned, "Did they kill her?"

"No...the warlord was very arrogant. She offered a deal. If the queen would come away with her, she wouldn't destroy the castle."

Xena grinned faintly. She'd had that kind of bravado a few times. "Did the queen go?"

"No....you see, she'd laid another snare...one of the stones in the courtyard was a trap door. When the warlord stepped on it, she fell through, to a dungeon below."

"Did the queen have her killed?"

"No...you see, the queen was as drawn to the warlord, as the warlord was to the queen."

"What did she do?"

"She told her men to stay out of the cell where the warlord lay, then went in alone. The warlord was dazed by the fall, so she didn't fight when the queen came to her with gentle hands and soft words, making love to her, even as she fastened the manacles around her wrists..." Gabrielle fell into a thoughtful silence.

"What happened then?" Xena pressed sleepily.

Gabrielle checked the rope lying loose, and unnoticed around Xena's wrists, one last time, then slipped out from behind her, graceful fingers yanking the carefully twisted knots tight. The warrior lurched as she felt her own whip snatch tight, but couldn't escape before the bard looped the braided leather around her carefully braced staff. She instinctively started to struggle, but caught herself. She twisted her head back, peering up at the elegant slipknot that tied her hands together, then at the way her lover had caught them on her staff. She tugged experimentally, and found she was well caught. A faint smile curved her mouth. "Very good," she praised dryly as her chin came back down. "Why am I suddenly feeling like that warlord? You set me up."

"That's right," Gabrielle husked, and straddled the warrior's hips.

A dark eyebrow lifted, and Xena couldn't hold back a smirk. "You do realize I can get out of this in about three seconds flat?" she said confidently.

Gabrielle didn't argue. "Probably," she admitted, then sat back on Xena's thighs to watch her struggle with her bonds.

Xena twisted her wrists, muscles pulling taut as she tried to work the knots free. Her efforts only succeeded in pulling them that much tighter, though the way the ropes were twisted, it didn't add any pressure to her wrists. She continued her efforts for several minutes, while Gabrielle watched and fluttered soothing hands over her torso and upper arms. Finally, Xena went limp, glaring with chill intensity. "All right," she ground out. "You win...now untie me," she ordered with a false smile.

Gabrielle shook her head and reached out to trail a gentle hand along Xena's cheek. "No," she refused with more calm than she was really feeling.

"Gabrielle," Xena whispered tightly.

The bard pressed a finger over her lips, silencing her. She leaned forward, hands braced on the blanket on either side of Xena's upstretched arms. "Listen to me," she whispered huskily. "I could never hurt you."

The warrior swallowed hard. "I know that." The admission was torn from her.

The bard gently brushed dark hair away from Xena's face. "You're so controlled. Haven't you ever wanted to let go? Let someone else take command?"

Xena's mouth worked soundlessly for a moment. She was caught in another woman's trap. She wet her lips with her tongue. For so many years, her survival had rested on self-control, then after she'd left the warrior life, it had been the only thing that kept her from going back. She blinked, suddenly refocusing on the woman on top of her. No, there had been one other thing that kept her from her previous life. Gabrielle's love and support.

"Trust me," the bard urged intently.

There was a long delay before Xena whispered. "What will you do with me, now..." She paused again, as though she was considering whether or not to continue with the game. Finally, she finished. "...now that my army has fled, and I'm... helpless...in your grasp?"

Gabrielle brushed a light hand over her brow, her expression gently chiding. "I doubt you're ever helpless...I know you're plotting against me…even now...but I won't let you take my kingdom...or my body..."

"Perhaps it's only the kingdom, I want," Xena taunted, knowing it would annoy her captor.

Gabrielle's expression hardened, and she curved an insolent hand to warrior princess' jaw. "I suggest you remember I can do anything I want with you...have you killed, sent to the mines as a slave, give you to my men for their pleasure...anything."

Xena stared up at her captor with the assessing eyes of a warrior. "But you won't," she decided out loud. "It isn't in you to kill an unarmed enemy."

Gabrielle sat up straight, her expression haughty. She ran an insolent hand over Xena's leather clad chest. "Are you so sure?" she drawled dangerously.

The warrior changed the subject. "What do you want?"

"You," Gabrielle exhaled. She leaned forward to loosen Xena's leathers, unhooking the shoulder straps to tug the garment down. "Your sword at the head of my army, your body in my bed, your life and loyalty sworn to me." She ducked her head to taste a swollen breast.

"You want everything...." Xena moaned, instinctively arching into the caress. She was the warlord, of their shared fantasy, drawn, against her will to her enemy.

"That's right," Gabrielle agreed against her skin.

Xena's lips drew back from her teeth in a feral snarl. "I do not serve," she sneered. "I rule."

Gabrielle pushed up to nip the point of her lover's chin lightly. "Taming you will be interesting."

"Never," Xena hissed, bucking to throw her lover off.

Gabrielle chuckled as she slid down her prisoner's body, using her struggles against her as she stripped Xena's leathers, and thin, cotton shift away. "Beautiful," she whispered and trailed her fingers down the warrior's bare torso. She fondled a coral tipped breasts with firm strokes. "All power, and grace...all mine."

"I belong to no one," Xena growled, but her breathing was ragged with arousal.

"You want me," Gabrielle insisted, and shifted her body downward to feather soft kisses over her ribs and flat stomach.

"No," the warrior gasped, but she arched into the warm caresses, abdominal muscles rippling in response.

Gabrielle chuckled softly, and slipped a hand into the warmth between her lover's thighs. "You're wet," she accused with a touch of triumphant humor. She slid lower, dropping a kiss over soft, dark curls, then shifted again, pushing Xena's thighs apart to kneel between them. She brushed her palm lightly over a muscular inner thigh. "Accept it....you're mine...."

"I belong to no one," the warrior repeated.

"We all belong to someone," Gabrielle breathed, then slipped a kiss into her lover's most intimate flesh.

The warrior whimpered softly.

Gabrielle explored with total impunity, the sandpaper roughness of her tongue ambling everywhere. Xena gasped, muscles pulling taut. Green eyes glittered triumphantly, as she bucked against Gabrielle's mouth, groaning deep her throat. Xena let out a soft cry of disappointment, moments later, when Gabrielle suddenly broke the erotic contact. The bard arched up over her lover, coming down so they were wedded from breast to thigh.

Soft lips came down on Xena's and she shuddered again, tasting herself on her lover's mouth. The bard braced herself, muscles contracting as she thrust against the warrior, bodies wedded in an intimate kiss of passion. Xena wrapped powerful thighs around slender hips, stomach rippling as she surged against her lover, needing even more of the delicious friction.

"Maybe I'll just keep you for my bed," Gabrielle groaned passionately. She dropped her head, nipping Xena's shoulder, then down across her breasts. "My beautiful sexual slave...would you like that?"

Xena groaned deep in her throat, half mad with sensations caused by the tantalizing brush of skin on skin. "I'm a warlord," she ground out between tightly clenched teeth.

"Your army is gone...your life is mine..." Gabrielle whispered intently. She slid her hands up Xena's arms, following the flow of bone and muscle up over her head. "Surrender to me," she demanded.

"No," Xena gasped, but she tipped her head back, baring the strong column of her throat. Gabrielle took full advantage of the opportunity, tasting the taut chords that ended just below the warrior's ears, while small, strong hands, tightened on Xena's forearms.

"Let go," the bard demanded. "Accept that you're mine."

Xena's chin came down, eyes meeting Gabrielle's.

The bard stilled, her expression commanding.

The warrior pushed her hips against her lover's in search of more of the sweet friction.

"No," Gabrielle refused to reciprocate, holding herself perfectly still, despite the electricity humming along her own nerve endings.

Xena swallowed hard, losing herself in her lover's eyes. She couldn't resist any longer. The warlord's heart had been taken by her captor. "Yours," she exhaled at last.

A winning smile twisted Gabrielle's full lips. "That's right," she praised. Her lips brushed her lover's chin. "I knew the first time I saw you on the battlefield...it didn't matter who won...we'd wind up here in the end..."

"I had planned on being the one on top," Xena said dryly.

Gabrielle laughed softly. "I imagine you did." She nibbled on a delicate ear. "Best laid plans of cyclops and centaurs..." she drawled. They traded a slow kiss, bodies moving in graceful syncopation. The lips broke apart momentarily, while Xena tasted Gabrielle's throat and chin. "Admit it," the bard groaned. "You like being mine...."

"Yes..."

They kissed again as they writhed against each other, gaining momentum with every slide of liquid flesh. The tantalizing sensations went on for long minutes, until they were both breathing hard, their skin damp with sweat. The muscles in Xena's shoulder's and arms stood in sharp relief, as her struggles became more desperate with every passing second. She wanted to touch Gabrielle, hold her close, and feel the way she moved with such perfect ease and grace. "Please," she begged.

"Not yet," Gabrielle commanded imperiously. "Not until I tell you." She continued to move, varying her speed and rhythm. Suddenly, she felt her own orgasm flare through overheated nerve endings. "Now!" the bard hissed, fingers digging to her lover's hair as their mouths met.

The warrior princess screamed into Gabrielle's mouth as the softly uttered command sent her over the precipice. Hot and cold bolts of running electricity seemed to slide over her skin and through every molecule of her body. Her hips bucked uncontrollably against the bard's, the slick friction of flesh on flesh setting off new flares of pleasure behind tightly closed eyelids. The heated caresses and convulsive delight went on for long, sweet minutes, before they both collapsed in exhaustion.

Gabrielle buried her face in the curve of Xena's neck, breathing in the warm-musk smell of her skin.

"I've definitely been well and truly conquered," Xena sighed when she could speak again.

Gabrielle pushed up on her elbows to grin down into silver blue eyes. "See what I mean when I say everyone should try it?"

"Fishing for compliments?"

The bard slipped down, layering a circle of kisses around a full breast. "Maybe," she admitted, then shrugged, and flashed a toothy grin. "But only if I deserve them."

A faint smile touched the warrior princess' full lips. "Rest assured, you deserve them."

Another soft chuckle, and Gabrielle's lips wandered still lower, outlining the muscles that banded Xena's abdomen.

"Planning on ravishing me again, my cruel queen?" Xena questioned dryly.

"Maybe...Why? Are you complaining?"

"No...not at all..." the last words came out as a moan as Gabrielle's lips brushed along the top edge of damp curls. A small hand petted her stomach gently, the light caresses both soothing and arousing, while warm lips trailed soft kisses down her inner thigh. The soft caresses went on, circling steadily higher. Finally, Gabrielle settled her mouth over the center of her lover's need.

Xena thought her first orgasm had taken the sharp edge off of her need, but she moaned and twitched at the first flicker of her lover's tongue. It didn't take long before she was begging for completion again, muscles taut, skin and hair damp with sweat. She screamed when her second orgasm hit with the force of a tidal wave, washing over and through her. The world collapsed down until even the air seemed to drain from her lungs, creating a universe of pure sensation. Finally, the feelings broke and she sank into the blankets, momentarily losing track of the world. When she opened her eyes again, it was to find Gabrielle stretched out beside her, playing idly with a damp strand of dark hair. The bard grinned as she blinked several times to refocus her blurry vision. "I think you're enjoying this," she sighed.

Gabrielle's grin only broadened at the accusation. "Yeah," she agreed wholeheartedly.

"You're incorrigible," Xena grumbled good-naturedly.

The bard's grin broadened still further. "Well, if I am, you only have yourself to blame. After all, I was an innocent village girl before I met you."

That comment got a snort of disbelief. "You were virginal, not innocent. There's a difference."

"Really?" Gabrielle questioned. "You'll have to explain it to me sometime."

"I think I wi--"

A twig snapped just past the edge of the light from their fire.

Xena was up and moving in a heartbeat. Twisting, she rolled to her feet, slipping free of her bonds in a blink, to grab for her sword where it lay nearby.

Gabrielle bounded for her feet in the same instant, grabbing for her staff, ready to serve as backup if need be.

Both women jumped as Argo ambled placidly from between the trees. Xena relaxed instantly, knowing the horse would never have been so calm if there had been anyone moving around the campsite. She rose gracefully, moving to pet the animal's nose gently before shooing her out of the camp. When she turned around, she found Gabrielle leaning against her staff, her expression ironic.

"You could have gotten loose anytime," the bard accused dryly.

Xena had the good graces to look mildly embarrassed. "Well...no..." she denied. "You really had me for the first few minutes."

"Why didn't you escape?"

Xena's lips drew back in a suggestive grin, and she ambled toward her lover. "I was going to...at first..."

"And then?" Gabrielle prompted.

Xena set her weapon aside, then reached out and took Gabrielle's staff to set it aside as well. Finally, she turned back to her lover, brushing her bangs back with gentle hands. Her expression intense, she smoothed long fingers over the breadth of Gabrielle's shoulders, then down the length of her arms. "I gave myself to my queen," she exhaled and slid to her knees, curving her hands to narrow hips. She slipped back into the fantasy as she proclaimed, "You asked for my sword arm...you have it.... My body, my love, my soul.... all are sworn to you. You wished to conquer, and you have...I am yours." She pressed her cheek against the velvet skin of Gabrielle's stomach, shivering as gentle fingers combed into her hair.

The tenderly urged her chin up until crystal blue, and hazel gazes meshed and held. "I said we all belong to someone...you to me...me to you..."

"Let me serve you," Xena breathed, dropping her chin, to widen her mouth over the vee of soft hair protecting her lover's sex. Her tongue darted out, delivering swirling caresses that teased, and promised more, until Gabrielle was whimpering softly, her hands braced on Xena's shoulders to keep from collapsing. Xena tightened a strong hold on her hips, half supporting the bard when her knees began to buckle. Finally, she lowered the smaller woman to the blanket, urging her legs apart to press her mouth deeper.

Gabrielle groaned softly, fingers digging into silky hair, as she thrust against the voracious caresses. Xena gave her everything she could possibly want and more, driving the spiraling sensations even higher, until a taut thread inside the girl snapped. With a soft, keening cry, Gabrielle washed away into waves of raw pleasure that ebbed and flowed with every tender brush of her lover's mouth. Finally, she collapsed in exhaustion, a soft smile touching her mouth. She cuddled into the warmth of Xena's body as the warrior moved up alongside her. Arms and legs twined together, they shared a long kiss, that ended only when Xena twisted to stare up at the stars overhead, her head pillowed on her lover's chest. Gabrielle combed her fingers through soft dark strands of hair, enjoying the brush of silk threads against her skin.

"You were right," Xena sighed at last, but didn't elaborate.

Gabrielle grinned, her voice suggestive as she filled in. "Being ravished makes for an entertaining evening?"

The warrior twisted to glance back at her lover, her expression a mix of amused and disapproving. "That too," she murmured wryly. She lay back down as she continued. "But, what I meant was...It felt good to turn control over to someone else for a while."

"Ahh," Gabrielle murmured knowingly, and they both settled into a comfortable silence for a long time.

It was Xena who finally broke the hush. "When I first met you, I barely knew who I was...couldn't trust, couldn't admit to feeling anything..." She rolled over, folding her arms together on Gabrielle's chest, and resting her chin on her forearms. "I do love you," she whispered huskily. "And I do trust you."

Gabrielle grinned and ruffled her lover's hair. "I know...but it's nice to hear you admit it."

Xena's brow lifted. "It's pretty nice for me too," she admitted with a broad smile.

"Guess we'll just have to keep each other."

"I guess we will."

THE END

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