“c1″> 

There
was a long period of silence. "I still won’t forgive
her. She hurt you. I could see her face; she smiled. She enjoyed
hurting you. I won’t forgive her."

“c1″> 

“c1″>"Please try to understand, Gabrielle. I’m
glad that Theano had the strength of mind to do what she did. Every
other person yielding the whip would have inflicted much more pain.
Please, believe me, she didn’t enjoy what she had to
do."

“c1″> 

“c1″>"She smiled." The younger woman stubbornly
insisted.

“c1″> 

“c1″>"She smiled because it worked. Every stroke was a
sign of her love for me and as soon as I get the chance, I will
thank her. If you really need someone to be angry with, be angry
with me. I deserve it much more than she does. Your love was the
spark that started the fire but Theano’s whip kept the fire
blazing. She never would do me any harm. She was my friend and
protector when I was a child and she still is,
Gabrielle.

“c1″> 

"I
owe her much more than my life. All these years through Theano was
the one person who always got past my defences, the only person who
could occasionally make me change my mind. She always was there to
remind me of all the things that really count, even when my soul
was all but lost to the darkness. Give her a chance, love, and
I’m sure the two of you will become friends soon
enough."

“c1″> 

"I
don’t want to talk about her anymore, Xena. I want you to
hold me tight, I want to feel your breath on my
skin."

“c1″> 

The
tall woman turned half ways around, bent forwards and tenderly
brushed smooth lips with her own. Gabrielle obviously needed more
time to cope with this day’s events. Her long arms gently
slid under Gabrielle’s back and limbs and she posed her on
the small bed. Kneeling beside the low surface, she opened the
knots holding the tunic in place with her teeth and slowly kissed
her way downwards to the younger woman’s waistband.
Gabrielle’s breath already had picked up and though Xena
meanwhile didn’t need any further invitation, she still
questioningly looked up, asking for permission.

“c1″> 

The
waistband was loosened and Gabrielle’s breeches inched down,
agonisingly slow because Xena took special care to leave the still
encased right leg as far as possible untouched. She was anxious to
put any kind of strain on the healing limb. The young woman was
healing incredibly fast, according to Anara due to the joining with
Xena’s soul in the dreamscape. Still Xena insisted on being
more than careful, this night she even had to slow her lover
down.