Xena Fan Fiction ❯ To Settle the Score ❯ Scars: Chapter Six ( Chapter 6 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Gabrielle donned an emerald gown, with a corset-like chest that gradually loosened into ruffles as it flowed continually downward. With her hair done in tight French braids, her aspect was prominent--set perfectly by the warm glow of her charming green eyes. About a candlemark before the festival was underway, Xena came into her handmaiden's quarters to check on the girl. Her empress’ presence captured Gabrielle in awe. Xena was a fierce goddess in her imperial attire. A sleek cobalt gown grasped every curve of her body, clinging to her as if held there by power alone.

"Are you ready, girl?" Xena asked. Their eyes met when Gabrielle's examination of her empress was complete. She smiled sheepishly and nodded. Her empress continued, "good. Let us make our way to the grand hall, then. We wouldn't want to keep Caesar waiting, now, would we?"

Gabrielle checked around her to make sure they were in private before speaking. "He can wait for the rest of his life, for all I care."

Xena grinned at the girl. "You weren't kidding when we made that agreement, were you?"

"About speaking my mind?" she laughed. "I think I got the better end of that deal."

Her empress looked her over for a moment and rested her hand, almost awkwardly, on the girl's shoulder. "You clean up well, girl."

"Thank you," she said, catching eyes with her again. She smiled but something else weighed into her expression. Something solemn. She lowered her voice to a whisper and said maybe a bit too hopefully, "Someday you'll call me by my name, won't you, Xena?"

Before her empress could respond, a messenger appeared in the doorway. "Excuse the interruption, empress, but Cleopatra has arrived."

Gabrielle's mouth hung open all the way down to the Grand Hall. Cleopatra? She smiled like a child on solstice. I get to be in the same room as Cleopatra? Maybe there are some perks to this whole handmaiden thing after all. No rape, no beatings, beautiful empress, beautiful diplomats--Cleopatra? Oh Gods... "I think I'm going to faint."

Her empress glanced down at her, but did not have time to respond.

They entered the Grand Hall, which was like the crop festivals held in Potedeia, except with an imperial budget, which appeared to have been completely exhausted. The fruit was the ripest Gabrielle had ever seen, as if they had been tended to every second of their growth. Gold outlined every practical (and often times impractical) surface. Caesar rested upon the pride of the people, his laurels shining to perfection and glinting in the light corridor. Her eyes searched the crowd for Cleopatra until she realized that even if she had looked her dead in the eye she would still not have recognized her. What if she wasn't as beautiful as everyone claimed? Another thought occurred to her: what a great lot of pressure is put on Cleopatra to live up to everyone expectations. Gabrielle felt a tinge of guilt for being so shallow.

Gabrielle felt a nudge at her side. It was Xena. “Stop acting so entranced,” she said pointedly.

This did nothing to wipe the smile off her face. She whispered jokingly, “Oh please, Xena, don’t be so jealous.”

They reached their place near the head of the table and sat, awaiting the festival to officially begin.

After a few minutes of silent chaos, Gabrielle noticed a crowd gathering around the entrance, and then observed as they cleared, walking backward slowly, their eyes focused intently on the guest of honor. Gabrielle too, was mesmerized by the sight, and even more so, when she realized in which direction the woman was coming--straight toward her, like a tsunami wave treading dangerously in the distance. Gold jewels drew her eyes over the woman's tan skin, like a path designed to capture onlooker's eyes, and control the route they took down her body. First from her prominent collar bone, sliding down her shoulders, then lower, lower, until Gabrielle's eyes could not move from the slightest bit of midriff the woman had selected to show. "Empress... is that...?"

Her empress nodded. She bowed her head slightly in recognition when she reached the table. "Cleopatra."

"Empress Xena, of Rome," Cleopatra's sensual voice began, "it is a pleasure to see you again."

Xena lifted her eyes, gazed back into her companion’s, and held them. "The pleasure is all mine."

Gabrielle watched the exchange between the two women with utmost intensity. The tension between them was red hot, like flames that were flourishing between two power hungry beasts.

Cleopatra's eyes fled Xena's gaze and fell upon her handmaiden, but just as she was about to speak, Caesar's voice rang out from the stage.

"Kings and Queens of this court, it has been too long since I've last seen you all. Your diplomats now, I have become quite familiar with. I have a long list of matters to address. First of all, I would like to honor Rome's most appreciated and unexpected guest, Queen Cleopatra, of Egypt..."

His speech went on to include other powers from around the known world. They all joined him on stage, in a kombi-ah estque experience. Gabrielle was not at all interested in Caesar's speech regarding peace and happiness within the empire. At that moment, all that mattered was Cleopatra.

The celebration continued on, and the feast began. Gabrielle, who was completely absorbed in Cleopatra's presence, and for once, only picking at her food. Cleopatra locked eyes with the girl many times--but so briefly on each occasion that it always left Gabrielle longing for more. Xena watched their encounter curiously, and soon curiosity transformed into a much less pleasant emotion.

"Please pass the bread," Xena said to her handmaiden, who seemed to be in her own little Cleopatraverse. She did not answer, but simply stared at the Queen across from her. "Girl--" her empress said with a nudge. The girl jumped slightly, and then turned to her empress.

"Yes, empress?"

Xena quirked an eyebrow at her. "The bread, girl."

"Oh, of course, empress," she said, reaching for the bread.

Cleopatra intercepted the command and passed Xena the breadbasket herself. "Here, my empress. You overwork your handmaiden."

Xena found herself chuckling, with a slight smirk. "Hardly." The two women of power exchanged a knowing glance.

"Perhaps I will have to see how well this palace raises their slave girls," Cleopatra said. "How does this 'girl' dance?"

Gabrielle choked on her food and looked thunderstruck up at the Queen. She was going to have to dance after all? Oh no, she had not prepared herself for such embarrassment, surely Xena wouldn't let that happen, would she?

The fire in Xena's eyes intensified but Cleopatra held her glare, tempting the flame to flare again. "I have never seen it, so I do not know how she dances."

Caesar was listening to their conversation intently from his position at the head of the grand table. "Queen Cleopatra, Rome has selected many elegant dancers that will surely be more to your liking." He raised his hands to clap and summon said dancers, but Cleopatra’s hand covered his own, stopping him and gently urging them to lower. She bore her gaze into his, her Egyptian charm working to persuade the tyrant into submission, as a serpent is soothed by a tune.

"Come now, my emperor, I would like to experience all of Rome, from its magnificent leaders, all the way down to its pitiable slaves," she so elegantly phrased, "it is not every day that I have such an opportunity."

Caesar glanced between Cleopatra and the slave girl, contemplating some excuse, until it was too late and the Egyptian queen had already stood. The room was silenced by her first step, and Gabrielle cowered at her second, then her third as it rounded the grand table, then her fourth, and fifth, until she was short of breath and quivering. I'm going to die... breathe Gabrielle, breathe... remember what Ephiny said... oh by the Gods, what was it again?
Cleopatra extended her hand to the girl, who drew out her own shaky hand to clasp it, and they both bowed their heads. Xena and the Queen caught eyes long enough for Cleopatra to know that she would be seriously reprimanded later--all the more reason to savor the moment. Gabrielle stood, and as she did, stared the Queen of the Nile straight in the eye. One level. One rank. One gaze. One, and equal.

The feeling was purely exhilarating. A rush like no other--to be compared and thought the same as such a being. "My queen," Gabrielle breathed with a bow, her body slipping into overdrive and her senses took control of her limbs.

They waited out in the middle of the dance floor for a prolonged pause, the entire hall in shock, and slight dismay. Finally, an instrument relieved the tension, or built it--which, Gabrielle was unsure. A tune so soft, that it was almost soothing, but then a drum joined in, and a beat began to pulsate through Gabrielle. Her adrenaline shook her body with excitement and once Cleopatra gave the signal to begin the dance, Gabrielle was all too ready to comply.

Cleopatra moved first, gently, gracefully... sensually. Gabrielle's body responded in turn, urging forward, and then drawing back, teasing the queen into a more intense motion.

The beat increased as another instrument tuned in. Push, pull, push, pull--spin, dip, dive--push, pull, push, pull--a lurch forward, and then a single jolt passed between their two bodies, except this time it was Cleopatra who was shaken.

Their near tribal dancing continued, but Caesar, who was watching the scene unfold with the utmost curiosity, soon summoned all guests to the floor as a way to obscure the dance.

Gabrielle glanced back at the table as the guest rose to dance, hoping to catch eyes with Xena long enough to gloat. But Xena wasn’t at the table, or anywhere in fact. Before she had time to investigate, the beat intensified and came to an abrupt and tumultuous end. The pair of women gazed into each other's eyes for once last time as equals, then the final beat ceased.

"Tell me your name," Cleopatra whispered in the young girl's ear before releasing her.

Her voice sent shivers down her spine. "Gabrielle," she replied, surprised at the idea of someone actually wanting to know her name. "My name is Gabrielle.
"Xena?" Cleopatra said with a knock on the door to the imperial chamber. There was no response, but the queen knew better. She pulled at the handle and the door creaked open. She allowed herself entrance and announced herself again. "Xena, I know you're here. Talk to me."

"I have nothing to say to you," Xena said, her voice leading Cleopatra to the bed.

She approached the bed and then took her seat, eying the warrior carefully. "Her name is Gabrielle. I talked to her more after you rushed off."

Xena's eyes lowered.

"She told me she hates you. You know what that means, don't you?"

The empress remained still.

"It means she loves you enough to lie, even to the Queen of Egypt." Cleopatra paused and watched Xena try to resist the urge to react. "I asked her to come back with me."

Xena's eyes shot up and she finally met her gaze. Fear lurked in their depths--and anger.

"Don't worry Xena, she refused. She said her loyalties lied with you." The queen chuckled. "It was amusing watching her try to make up some story as to why she respected you enough to stay in Rome when she hated you."

Xena was relieved. "The girl wants to be a bard."

"She would make a good one, especially if she told her stories through dance," the queen said with a smile.

After seeing the passion in Gabrielle's dance with Cleopatra, Xena regretted not dancing with the girl herself.

"She's still down there, you know. You could go back and dance with her to make up for lost time."

Before the idea even dared to enter her mind, she pushed it away. How would it look to Caesar if she did such a thing? It was bad enough that she abandoned the court, but to go back simply to dance with her handmaiden? The idea was absurd and beyond careless. If she was going to enact her revenge on Caesar, she needed to keep her wits, and not be distracted by meaningless slave girls. "No, that's okay." Xena heard a sound outside the imperial suite and smiled to herself. "Besides..." she said, quirking an eyebrow to match her grin. "She's not down there anyway."

"She's not? What makes you think that, Xena?"

The empress stood up and walked across the room to the door. Her grin grew when she heard scurrying footsteps moving away. Xena opened the door and peered outside, catching the girl before she could round the corner in escape. "Girl--you're too slow for that."

Gabrielle stopped at the sound of her empress' voice and cursed silently to herself before turning around to greet her empress with an innocent smile. "Ah, empress, there you are."

Xena raised her eyebrow and looked at the girl with amusement. She wondered what story the girl would conjure up this time. "And there you are."

"Yes, but I should be getting back downstairs. Ya know how nervous Caesar gets without me--"

"Oh, no you don't," Xena said, reaching out and clasping the girl's shoulder before she could turn away. "You're going to come back to my chamber and explain to Cleopatra the error of your ways."

"I am?" Gabrielle whined, scrunching her shoulder up to her ear as Xena grasped it.

"Mmhmm."

"Okay..." she complied as she went stumbling into the imperial chamber. Her empress released her as they crossed the threshold and she bowed to the queen.

"Ah, we meet again, Gabrielle," Cleopatra said from the bed, a playing smile at her lips.

Gabrielle smiled brightly at the queen. "See, Xena, she'll say my name--" she caught herself before continuing, "I mean... Empress... I uh--"

Xena shook her head and sat next to Cleopatra on the bed. "Give it up, girl. It's okay."

"It is?"

Cleopatra nodded. "Weren't you spying? You should have overheard enough to realize we're on the same side."

Gabrielle went to defending herself. "Now, 'spying' is a very strong word for what I was doing. I was merely--entertaining my ears."

"That's an interesting way to put it, girl."

"My my, Xena, aren't we a little uptight?" the queen poked fun.

Xena shot her companion a glare. "You'll be sleeping alone tonight after that."

"See, this is the kind of behavior I'm talking about," Cleopatra said, unfazed by Xena's threat. "Besides, I could very well borrow your handmaiden for a night if I needed to, couldn't I?"

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed as the exchange between the powers became increasingly interesting. Were the two of them lovers? Did Caesar know? Wait, was Cleopatra using her as a bargaining chip for getting her empress in bed?

Xena looked over at her handmaiden, then back at the queen. There was playfulness in the queen's eyes that disturbed Gabrielle. A part of her sense that Cleopatra was only doing this to upset her empress, but the other parts were urging her to respond so strongly she could barely contain herself.

Xena sucked in a deep breath, and then cracked a grin. "Well, what do you say, girl?" She lazily laid her eyes on her handmaiden and awaited a response. "It seems as if the Queen of Egypt has a proposition for you."

Gabrielle nearly died. A million thoughts raced through her mind. Now, her empress said she would never touch her against her will, but she never said anything about other people doing it. A fear like no other welled up inside her chest, and wrenched at the trust she placed in the woman before her. "Xena, please tell me you're joking."

Cleopatra laughed aloud, finding nothing serious in the situation. "Aw, and I thought she liked me too."

"Xena..." Gabrielle eyed the two women carefully. Her gaze locked with her empress, but she found little comfort there.

"Girl. I am joking," Xena said as sincerely as she could to try and comfort her. "I wouldn't whore you out. Not even to the Queen of the Nile."

Gabrielle swallowed in relief and dropped her eyes.

"But you'd whore yourself out to Caesar for the sake of revenge?" Cleopatra asked Xena, who looked stunned by the question.

Gabrielle could practically see the fire in Xena's blood that boiled underneath the surface. Gabrielle did not even have time to contemplate what Cleopatra was implying. Suddenly, Xena had grabbed Cleopatra by the arm, their gazes locked like two cats before a brawl. "You're going too far."

Cleopatra shook herself of Xena's hold and stood up. "I won't quit until I get what I want, Xena. You're dealing with the persistence of the Nile here."

"I'm dealing with a woman who needs to meddle in her own affairs," Xena spat.

The queen sighed. "Fair enough." She walked to Gabrielle and smiled down at the girl. "Goodnight, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle stared up at her and nodded in farewell. "Goodnight, my queen."

Cleopatra then went to the door and exited, leaving only a room full of tension and two very fast beating hearts behind. Gabrielle’s mind raced with thoughts of how to calm Xena.

"So, is it safe to assume that Cleopatra isn't someone I need to lie to?" came the beginnings of Gabrielle's questioning, though however hesitant at first.

"It is more than safe to assume this, yes," Xena replied, though her interest in the conversation seemed to waver.

Gabrielle stared into her empress' eyes and wished for understanding to finally dawn upon her, but it seemed as if this was yet another wish she would not have granted. She wondered what lurked under Xena's stern gaze--wondered what if they would have been friends, had they met through different means. She wondered that could have been, but before her mind wandered too far, she decided to ask.

“Xena, what would we have been… if I wasn’t your slave? If I had met you outside of Potadeia when I escaped?”

Xena was silent for a moment. Gabrielle was surprised she even answered."I was a warlord, just like Draco, long before I ended up in Rome. You would befriend that?"

"I'd like to think I could have been able to change that." Gabrielle knew that she was being foolishly optimistic, but it didn't matter, she wished it all the same.

"A legion of Rome's finest could not have changed that. What makes you think you could have?"

Gabrielle was inspired by her empress' close-mindedness. She walked over to the bed and cupped the side of Xena's face in her hand, realizing a split second later that it was the first time she had allowed affection in her touch. "Xena, through love and friendship I could have changed you. Not through war, hatred, or violence--a legion of Rome's finest would only have fueled you."

Her empress was too surprised by the girl's boldness to pull away, at first. When she came to her senses, she turned her head away from the girl's warm hand. There was a time when Xena would have killed her for such an outlandish form of disobedience: comfort. On that night, however, she knew that such a punishment would ever befall her.

Gabrielle gazed pityingly down at the woman sitting in front of her, slowly lowering her hand. "I wish you could understand."

The moment was ruined by a shrill voice speaking from the doorway, "and I wish you could understand the horribly pathetic scene I've just witnessed." Within a second, Gabrielle recognized her as one of the women she met outside the healer's hut--the crazy one.