Title: The
End
Author:
CN Winters
Fandom:
Xena Fanfiction, Xena fanfic, Xena fan fiction, Xena and
Gabrielle fanfiction, Xena fiction
Rating:
Disclaimers:
Xena and the gang aren’t mine. They belong to
MCA/Universal/Studio USA and a bunch of other folks who now
own them. It is the musings of a certain warrior princess and
her affection for another woman. If the thought of two ladies
in love is unappealing please proceed on to another story.
Author
Note: This
contains parts of a scene from Adventures in the Sin Trade
Part II. I’m only using them for a hurt/comfort story. If
those kind of stories upset you, you may want to skip this all
together.
Synopsis: My
take on the crucifixion scene in Season Four
Feedback:
Drop me a line at cnwinters71@yahoo.com.
The End
Xena felt frozen.
She could see her reflection in the shield. She grimaced and
then clinched her white teeth – teeth as white as the snow
that whipped around them on the mountain top. Slowly she
allowed the Roman soldiers to lower her.
She looked over to
Gabrielle – her light – the one that saw her through every
battle of the last 12 years.
The bard's body was
bloody – her undergarments stained with wounds that seeped
through. A sword mark scared her beautiful abs, still fresh
with blood.
Xena watched
helplessly as they tied Gabrielle’s legs. She ignored her
own captors. She didn’t care about what they had in store
for her. She only cared for her bard.
"Gabrielle...
"
Xena paused as
Gabrielle slowly turned her head to meet her. Their eyes
locked. Both women knew this was the end – Their last
battle.
The bard smiled
sadly at the warrior, her short hair a reminder of the bard's
recent physical deterioration.
Two moons before,
Gabrielle became ill – very ill – and couldn’t keep any
nourishment down. She was dying from the inside out. Cutting
her hair made for one less nuisance in her life.
Xena remembered
when the bard first cut it. Gabrielle was so worried of
Xena’s reaction. It was pointless, in light of all that was
happening. But the warrior always told Gabrielle how much she
enjoyed the feel of it running down the length of her body.
The bard always
wanted to be ‘beautiful’ in Xena’s eyes. Xena, a woman
of few words, told her just what she need to hear – she
would desire her until the day they died... and beyond. Xena
knew the day of reckoning had begun.
"You’re the
best thing in my life," the warrior proclaimed softly.
Xena could see a
light mist in Gabrielle’s eyes. And both women tried to
reach for each other in vain, if only to touch one last time.
Xena felt the lump in her throat at Gabrielle’s pained
voice.
"I love you,
Xena."
After all the
battles, after all the fights – external and from within
themselves – they still survived... together... as one...
because of love.
Xena felt the nail
work it’s way into her flesh, but she still concentrated on
Gabrielle’s face – that beautiful face ... and that
beautiful soul.
"I love you
too, Gabrielle... "
Xena paused as they
finished the first nail.
"My only wish
now," Xena continued holding back the pain in her hands,
"is that you have no regrets."
Xena’s voice
cracked. Her bottom lip trembled. Not from the pain in her
body. She had moved past that. It was the pain in her heart.
The idea that she brought on the bard's demise was suffocating
right now.
Gabrielle felt warm
tears turn icy as they made there way down her cheeks.
"I could have
stayed home, Xena... " the bard began. "I could have
been someone’s wife with six kids. But I’d be dying right
now anyway. And truth be known, I find much more honor in
being the lover of the warrior princess than a farmer’s wife...
No, Xena. I have no regrets."
Xena felt a
calmness wash over her. An acceptance of her fate so to speak.
Hours before were a different story though.
She led the battle
for the Greek Army but there were just too many Romans to
contend with. Gabrielle was forced into the battle. She became
exhausted and collapsed in the snow. Xena tore the clothes
from Gabrielle’s body as she lay motionless in the snow.
Xena had to tend to Gabrielle’s wounds.
But when Xena
looked up from examining the bard, she found them surrounded
by at least 20 men. Gabrielle looked at Xena with an unspoken
request. After all the years of fighting and the bard's
worsening condition, Xena understood. The warrior who swore
she would die with a sword in her hand... dropped her weapon
in the snow... and surrendered.
The lump returned
to Xena’s throat and she couldn’t speak. She could only
smile bitter-sweetly at the bard's affirmation of love.
She watched
Gabrielle turn to their captors. "Can I make a
request?" she said softly.
The young guard
nodded and listened quietly.
"Can you face
us together? Instead of side-by-side?"
The guard seemed a
bit shaken and unsure of the question and turned to his
comrade who nodded.
"Sure,"
he said comfortingly. "We’ll do that."
Xena turned her
head and she looked away. Tears began to stream down her
chilled face. Not that she feared watching Gabrielle at this
time. She didn’t. It was the bard's abilities that moved her...
Her bard... Gabrielle could always win people over, even the
enemy so she could get her last wish – seeing Xena’s face
before they left the world together.
They were raised
soon after, joining the other captives who surrendered. But
neither woman said a word. The time for words had passed.
Finally, after hours on the cross, Gabrielle could feel the
end approach; her life force oozing from her body like the
blood from her hands.
"Xena?"
she said using all her strength to lift her head.
"Yes,
Gabrielle."
The bard's eyes
locked on Xena’s once more and a smiled played on her bluing
lips.
"Meet me in
Eternity?"
The warrior
princess, who received Amazon rights after their bonding years
before, nodded the best she could.
"Eternity,"
Xena answered in a soft yet firm voice.
Upon hearing the
answer, Gabrielle slumped; her head hanging low.
The bard was gone
and with her departure a sense of peace washed over Xena. No
one could harm Gabrielle. The bard’s body would no longer
ache. Now they would have ‘forever’ together, not worrying
about who was left behind to deal with ‘earthly matters’.
Xena felt her
spirit draining from her strong body.
"I’m right
behind you," the warrior whispered as blackness began to
claim her.
"I’m right
behind you."
The
End
|