DIACLAIMER: Ok, I don’t own anybody… get that straight right now… I have no money either, so suing me won’t make you richer! Lol

VIOLENCE: No, not really…

SEX: Just kissing and stuff… nothing graphic

SUBTEXT: No way in Tartarus! If you think you see subtext it’s just your imagination! Lol

WRITER’S NOTE: Well, this is the first part of a story I hope to be about 3 or 4 parts… I’m currently very busy with school work so it may take me a while to finish this, but I’ll definitely try, so be patient please…

SUMMARY: Someone important goes missing and Xena sets out on a quest to find them… (X/A!)

A Desperate Time

BY JANE

PART 1:

The night air made her hair damp and the moon gave her no rest, drawing deceptive shadows at her every move. She was going somewhere. Where she couldn’t explain. It was a pull somewhere deep inside leading her forward. These woods didn’t look familiar and with the thick darkness around her, she wouldn’t recognise them anyway. Her thigh muscles hurried forward faster and faster, as her mind grew more impatient. Her whole body was static on all the pent-up energy that struggled to be released.

Suddenly her eyes caught sight of a tall building… but this wasn’t just any building. A temple with a large sign at the front, which left her of no doubt who it was dedicated to. Automatically she turned around to run back, before anyone could see her here. Suddenly she froze from the hot shiver, which went up her spine. It was so intense that even if she wanted to ignore it, it would still brush her senses and probably make it worse. She didn’t want him to show… to see her here – next to one of his temples in the middle of the night, but she knew the inevitable would happen.

She felt a steady gaze watch her form. Slowly admiring the play of muscles in her shapely legs. She turned around and spotted his strong form, almost hiding in the shadows on the night. Seeing that he made no intend to start a conversation, she tried the usual remark, “What do you want?”

He was silent for a couple of long moments, letting her guess whether he would answer at all. “The question is –“ he moved towards her, “… what do you?”

Her mind raced to find some sort of answer to throw back at him, as he moved closer yet. Slowly all her sane thoughts melted as she realized she let him go too far. Their bodies were only inches apart and all she could think about was his steady breath… and the heat it gave off on her sensitive skin. It was almost hypnotic. And when his fingertips slowly brushed the skin on her shoulders, she was sure her body was swaying with his breath.

As if to taunt her even more him slid his hands down her arms, hardly touching her skin. His touch brought her goose bumps even though the temperature around her was burning. His lips captured hers in a wave of passion. Her arms ripped through her mind’s restrains and pulled him closer towards her. The overwhelming desire for both was rising by the second…

The night sky stared back at her. Her body shot up and she gasped for air. The heat still consumed her body. She looked to her left to see their campfire from a few hours ago and moved away from it. She threw her head up and concentrated on calming her pulse. She was relieved to see the bard was still lost in her own dreams and she didn’t have to endure a load of questions.

She took her bedroll and placed it on the other side of Gabrielle, hoping some cool wind might freshen her out of the trance, which was still somewhat clinging to her. Hours drained away from her grasp like water from a damaged water-skin. Her mind just didn’t want to give her a break, as her body kept tossing and turning until she could see it was getting lighter. She decided it was pointless staying in bed any longer and went to catch breakfast.

In no time they were on the road and Xena kept urging her companion to go faster. She really needed a cold swim to wash all this away this feeling she was carrying around. “Look, I can’t go any faster!” the bard finally shouted, “I don’t have a horse and my feet will start to ache soon…”

“Alright,” Xena said equally annoyed, “but I wasn’t the one complaining about the heat…” She looked into the distance, sure that she’d got Gabrielle’s full attention, and a sly grin crept upon her face.

“So? What? Tell me!” Gabrielle grew impatient with her friend.

“Nothing big…” Xena said casually, “Just there should be a big lake ahead… may be you…”

It was too late. The bardess didn’t hear the last few words, as she began to run ahead, desperately wanting some cool water. Xena smirked, pleased with herself and urged Argo into a gallop. “Come on,” she held out her hand, passing Gabrielle.

“Oh, I don’t like horses,” the bard murmured under her breath in hesitation for a moment, then took the hand offered her and sat behind the warrior as they rode forward in full gallop.

It wasn’t long when they finally reached the lake. Its waters shimmered in the intense sunlight, tempting anyone to go in. Gabrielle stared at it for a moment hardly believing that she would finally get a cold swim. “C’mon,” she shouted breaking into a run and splashed into the cool waters.

Xena walked up to the shore casually, leading Argo along. “Aren’t you taking a swim?” the bard asked puzzled, “it’s great in here!”

“Yeah, I’m sure it is, but Argo’s the one who’s been running…” Xena answered taking the saddle off her favourite animal and then slowly leading her into the water and splashing some on her back. Argo stood there in satisfaction, nuzzling her master’s hand as a “thank you”.

Morning quickly turned to afternoon. After taking out what she would hardly consider a band of thugs, the warrior princess settled herself against the soft moss covering an old tree. She had the perfect position to observe both their camp and the dying sun. To do any more traveling in this heat seemed off-putting, so they stayed where they were.

Although at the moment it felt good to have a rest from everything, she knew it would soon annoy her doing nothing and she’ll need to crack a few heads. A short flashback of her running through the dark engulfed her mind. She gasped slightly and tried to think of something else before it got any further. “It’s a new cult…” she remembered a villager tell her, a few weeks ago, and she concentrated more on that memory…

“They ran into town and took several of our young girls… my daughter was one of them…”

“Do you know anything else about them?” she had asked.

“Only that they worship a strange being… but apart from that I don’t even know if our children are still alive…” worry washed over his face.

“I’ll check that out”

She realized that she hadn’t delivered on that promise. They’d have to get moving again quickly and question people from the next town and keep going until they found any information. Snapping out of thought she saw the last ray of light hide behind the horizon and decided there’s nothing to be done tonight. The bard was already asleep and after the sleepless night, the warrior princess needed some rest as well. Her eyelids became heavier until she couldn’t keep them open and gave in to a Morpheus’ realm.

“What do you want?” she addressed the leather clad figure in front of her. She wasn’t going to slip like last time. There was no heat and she felt like her strength was recovered.

“You’re fighting the wrong person,” he said simply.

“Stop playing games and tell me what’s going here,” she snapped.

“You really think that tiredness came naturally?” he asked, expecting her to catch on and disappeared. Suddenly there was a connection in her mind and she struggled to wake up. Drawing on her mental strength she concentrated on breaking whatever spell kept her there and could just hope she didn’t come too late. Finally managing to break the boundaries that held her, she jerked up, trying to clear her head.

Not giving herself enough time to rest, Xena looked around the small camp. “Gabrielle?!?” The bedroll was already getting cold. There was no trace of her friend… not even a footprint anywhere to guide her. The darkness wasn’t helping her any. She stood still for second listening for nay sign of her friend, but hearing nothing she quickly began to gather their belongings and creeping out of camp. Somehow she didn’t think she’d find her anywhere near, but she had to check.

After nearly half an hour of wondering and checking out the area around the camp for footprints or any signs of the attackers she suspected took the bard, she sat by the tree for a rest. She felt a heavy headache coming on and now was sure she had been drugged. She recalled the whole day, but couldn’t tell when it could’ve happened. Staring forward, still in thought, her eyes ran across something unusual for trees and bushes. She backed up and reached for the piece of ripped fabric which was hanging from a sharp branch.

Linen, she identified the material, used to make – her face gave way to realization – priest’s robes.

“The thing that stands out in my mind,” the villager had said, “is the bloody crimson coloured robes they wore… It’s fitting for those savages…”

She looked back at the piece in her hands and it matched its description. A dirtier and more worn, but it was definitely crimson. Was that spot Gabrielle’s… Could it be…? Did they hurt her when they took her away in the dark of the night? And she wasn’t there for her… Guilt replaced worry as she struggled once again to her feet, fighting the after-effects of the drug.

Her mind didn’t help, but instead provided her with horrid images of what might have happened. Xena clutched harder at the fabric, as if it was her key to Gabrielle. She had to find her and do it quick…

PART 2:

After picking up Argo from the campsite, she climbed atop her golden mare and began the long journey which she knew lay ahead of her. And she was still at the very beginning, struggling to move faster and figure the whole thing out. To figure out their plot she needed more information. To get more she needed to question people and to do that she had to move faster. Was life always a triangle?

Half a night and day of walking left her even more exhausted but she couldn’t allow herself to stop and rest. The fear that she might come too late kept her moving forward. And she started on the tiresome task of questioning people in every town. Some looked at her like she was crazy, others didn’t know more than she did. The few things that she did manage to find out weren’t very useful on the whole and she had no proof they were true.

Traveling endlessly from town to town, left her spirit exhausted, but she didn’t allow herself to stop. It was like a rope around her heart, pulling her towards Gabrielle, only she didn’t know where it would lead. And while she successfully managed to block out the cruel images her mind provided her with, she couldn’t stop them at night. So, she would dream of what horrible things they could be doing to Gabrielle and sometimes stay up all night just to avoid them.

Finally stumbling on some information that could lead her closer to her destination, she set out towards the mountains of Galea, which lay on the eastern border. They were said to be, like everything else, ‘life-threatening’, but when has that ever stopped her? Recalling all the things she’d been told, the warrior forced her mind to work, but couldn’t find the concentration she always had… and soon she knew why… His presence alerted her senses. She could feel that part, which only belonged to him and still couldn’t quite pinpoint it.

“Get out; I can smell ya” she threw her usual remark, hoping he’ll leave faster.

“Do I really smell that good?” he appeared with a teasing grin on his face.

“You wish,” she had to hold herself to keep a straight face, despite the grimness of the situation she was in. He had that affect on her. “So what did you come here for?”

“Oh, just to see how you were doing without Blondie…”

“Forget it, Ares, I’m not coming back to you…” she answered before he could go anywhere with that statement.

“Not really why I came here for, but…”

“Don’t waste my time,” she cut him short.

Picking up on her tenseness, he decided to drop the foreplay. “I’m here to make a deal… Gonna help you find Blondie…”

“Gabrielle,” she shot back, “and if that requires me to spend another second with you, I’ll find her on my own, thanks,” she said, sarcasm evident throughout every word.

She started walking away. He could feel himself slowly getting angrier but pushed it away and hurried to catch up to her walking pace, until they were side by side. “Now listen: you’re heading the wrong way” She turned to look at him, to make sure he was telling the truth. “Those priests, as they were called are really a cult of people believing something about the end of the world arriving, and they would do anything to stop it…” Realising that he was trying to brainwash her into doing something she continued walking before he could go on. “Including sacrifice of young girls…” he successfully got her attention, “… but don’t worry; my bet is Blondie is still alive… they needed her for something…” he trailed off into his own thoughts.

Xena looked impatient for a moment then quickly tried to end the conversation, “Look, thanks for the information, but that doesn’t change my plans…” She hated standing around when she could be on her way to her friend.

“It should,” he said, halting her in mid-step again, “their leader would sense you miles before you even get close enough to throw a catapult at the place. You know why? Because of your emotional side… it would give you away and they would kill her before you get there…”

She turned around to glare at him. “What do you propose I do? Return to the heartless Destroyer of Nations I was? I’d rather…”

“What? Die? Or let her die?” he retorted, sarcasm showing through. Her face was scorched in anger. Always twisting er words into one of his sick games, wasn’t he? Always playing the emotional games just when she was weakened. She shook her head and turned to leave once again – kicking his ass wouldn’t help her any… it would only slow her down. Of course that was probably his plan. The bastard.

“Xena…” he followed her on the road again from a last reserve of patience, “when I said I’d help you find her… I meant it…”

“It’s not what you mean… it’s what you want in return…” she looked him straight in the eye.

He looked back at her, not letting go of her gaze as he tried to convince her differently. “Ok, I admit that I haven’t exactly been a lot of help these days, but it at least another week until you get there… and who knows what will happen by then?”

“What’s in it for you?” she asked searching his eyes for some kind of deceit.

“Well, the leader’s got something I want… and fighting by your side again will be worth it…” he grinned. “Come on, take my hand and I’ll get you there instantly…”

Xena considered her options carefully… She could get there herself but it would take much longer and she wasn’t sure she could go another day like this… Wondering if Gabrielle was still alive and then the nightmares became more horrifying every night. Would fighting with him change anything? Would she turn to her dark side just by being around him? And what if all this is just another one of his plans?

Finally, pushing through her doubts and mistrust, she carefully took his outstretched hand. In an instant they disappeared in that familiar flash of crystal blue light. It took her a second to take in her surroundings when her body materialized again next to his. Now a few glimpses of the ether came back to her and she realized it looked nothing like she’d expected.

“Now what?” she asked, looking around the rocky plane they were standing on. There were about a hundred entrances to different caves, which disappeared from her sight into the darkness.

“Now, I we find out where they’re staying… and I suggest we hurry… they’ll be looking for us soon…”

With another look back, Xena moved toward the nearest entrance and unsheathed her sword. Ares followed her inside.

TBC………………………………..