Disclaimer: This story contains explicit descriptions of consensual sex between two adult women who happen to be very much in love. If this offends you, read no further.

[Author's note: I would, at this time, like to make a short blanket statement. In no way, shape, or form, do I now or have I ever felt that a woman NEEDS any type of phallic object for her own gratification. Okay. That's it. Call it......damage control.] :)

What Price Redemption

Prologue

by Dr. Bob
jag1742@usl.edu

 

From the body of one guilty deed, a thousand ghostly fears and haunting thoughts proceed. - Wordsworth

He that falls into sin is a man; that grieves at it may be a saint; that boasteth of it is a devil. - Fuller

Gabrielle leaned back against the trunk of the large oak while trying to catch her breath. As her lungs pumped heavily, she tried breathing as quietly as possible. Staying quiet was definitely a top priority at the moment. Her eyes scanned the forest around her, searching for any signs of movement. She listened intently as well. She knew that if she could make it to the pond over the nearby hill, she had a chance of escape. Her eyes suddenly went wide as she heard something in the bushes off to her right. She grinned as she realized her pursuer was getting careless.

She bolted to the left in the direction of the hill. As she crested the top, she looked back over her shoulder. Smiling, she turned and continued for the pond not far away. She suddenly screamed as a leather clad figure jumped out from behind a nearby evergreen and tackled her to the ground, rolling through the knee-high grass.

Gabrielle smiled up at the woman on top of her. "How did you get in front of me like that? I heard you in the bushes way back over there."

Xena grinned as she looked around and found an apricot sized stone. Straightening, she tossed it a few dozen yards away. She looked back down at Gabrielle as they heard it crash loudly through several branches. "You fell for the oldest trick in the book." As Gabrielle started to rise, Xena pushed her back down, pinning her arms to the ground at the wrists. "And just where do you think you're going? The name of the game is `kiss and catch.' I just caught you."

Gabrielle smirked up at her. "Then why don't you shut up and kiss me?"

Xena's eyes narrowed as she leaned down and kissed the younger woman. She felt her body tingle as Gabrielle's tongue slid between her lips and into her mouth. She traced her own tongue along the bard's, sliding back along its length. Xena released Gabrielle's arms and soon felt them around the back of her neck. As she braced herself with her left hand, she lightly traced the fingertips of her right along Gabrielle's cheek. She pulled back slowly, smiling down at the woman. "Do you want to chase ME?"

Gabrielle rolled her eyes. "Hah. What's the point? I never catch you until you let me. By then, I'm too out of breath to do much of anything. Why don't we put that energy to good use instead." Gabrielle giggled as she rolled Xena over onto her back. Straddling Xena over her hips, she leaned down for another kiss, lightly holding the sides of the woman's face. The tender kiss rapidly turned passionate.

Xena's head began to swim as she felt Gabrielle's desire rise. After kissing for several more minutes, she felt Gabrielle's hand slide down to her armor. Xena lightly grabbed her hands, pulling them to the side. She smiled as Gabrielle pulled back and looked down at her curiously. "Listen, why don't you fix some dinner. Then we'll eat. And after that, I'll have a surprise for you."

Gabrielle returned the smile. "Okay," she replied excitedly. As Xena started to rise, Gabrielle pushed her back down. "You don't mind if I kiss you a little while longer, do you?"

Xena smirked. "I guess," she replied with a loud sigh as if the woman had asked her to clean the Aegean stables. Her smirk quickly changed to a smile as Gabrielle lowered her lips to hers.

***

As Gabrielle stirred the pot once more, she looked up to see Xena return. She watched as the woman walked over and placed something into a saddlebag. "Where's my surprise?" she asked with a mischievous grin.

Xena arched her brow. "After we eat."

"Well come and sit down. It's ready."

Taking a seat nearby, Xena tore off a piece of the bread and thanked Gabrielle as she handed her a bowl of the vegetable soup. She tasted it and looked across at the woman. "Gabrielle, it's very good, but don't you think you went a little heavy on the garlic?"

"Well, I know you like a lot of seasoning and I figured it wouldn't be a problem as long as we're both eating it."

"Yeah, I guess you have a point. It IS very good," Xena commented as she took another spoonful.

After a few minutes, Gabrielle broke the silence. "You know, I couldn't help noticing we're almost out of money."

"I know." She looked over and saw that Gabrielle was still staring at her. "I'll come up with something. I usually do."

"There's always the Sumerian treasure."

"No," Xena replied. They had, on occasion, gone back to the hidden cave for a few small items. But Xena didn't like to do it. She didn't want them to become dependent on the treasure. Besides, the cave was a good two week's journey away. She looked over and saw Gabrielle moping. "What is it, Gabrielle?"

"Look, I know we can catch or find all the food we need. But..don't you occasionally like eating a nice meal in a nice inn, having a soft bed to sleep on...and do..other things on."

"You know I do, but sometimes we just can't afford it." Xena realized it had been just over two weeks since they'd slept on a real bed, since they'd slept indoors for that matter.

"I know. It's okay," Gabrielle answered softly as she stared into the fire.

Xena took a deep breath as she looked at the woman. She hated to see Gabrielle unhappy. Xena had never told her about the money she had stashed in several places all over Greece from the old days. Mainly because she'd never planned on touching any of it again. Although she didn't like it, she might make an exception, for Gabrielle's sake. She'd see when they got to Oneira the following afternoon. They continued to eat silently.

After Gabrielle had washed and put away their things, she sat and stared into the fire quietly.

Xena looked over to her and smiled, "Thanks for dinner."

"You're welcome," Gabrielle said without looking away from the flames.

"I guess you forgot about your surprise."

Gabrielle gave a half-hearted smile. "What is it?"

"What is it? Calm down, Gabrielle. You'll hurt yourself." She smiled when she saw the younger woman grin. "Okay, that's better. But let's do this right. Stay right there and close your eyes." Xena rose and walked over to their things, pulling out a couple of blankets. She turned and looked back at Gabrielle, "No peeking, you."

"I'm not," the woman protested.

After laying out one of the blankets, Xena quietly slipped out of her leathers and boots. She then sat on the first blanket and covered herself with the second. She lay on her side facing Gabrielle with her head propped up on her hand. She left her right knee up, spreading her legs under the blanket. "Okay, you can open your eyes now."

As Gabrielle looked over towards her, her smile changed to a smirk. She rose and started to undress. "Now, I hate to tell you, but that's not much of a surprise."

Xena watched intently as more of Gabrielle's skin came into view. "Well, I'm sorry you're disappointed," she said with a sigh.

Gabrielle knelt on the blanket and smiled down at her. "Hey? Who says I'm disappointed?" Laying beside Xena, Gabrielle placed her left hand behind the woman's neck and pulled her closer for a kiss. After a few minutes, she broke away slightly. "I think we can do without this," she said as she pulled off the blanket and tossed it aside. She leaned forward for another kiss. As their tongues sensually slid against each other, Gabrielle slowly traced her hand down Xena's neck to her chest, finally cupping a heavy breast, squeezing it firmly. She pulled back as Xena giggled. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," Xena replied with a mysterious grin. Not giving Gabrielle a chance to ask anything else, Xena leaned forward, pressing her lips against the younger woman's once again.

Gabrielle let out a sigh as she felt Xena lightly suck on her tongue. She slid her hand over the muscles of Xena's stomach and continued downward. Her eyes popped open as she suddenly felt smooth, bare skin where there shouldn't have been. Pulling back, she looked down and saw that Xena didn't have any hair below the waist.

Xena smiled as Gabrielle looked back at her. "Surprise." She tilted her waist and spread her legs wider as Gabrielle sat up and leaned forward for closer inspection. She bit her lip as Gabrielle lightly ran her fingers along the sides of her vulva. She cocked her head as she watched Gabrielle's playful expression turn sad. "Gabrielle, what's the matter? I thought you'd like it?"

Gabrielle smiled down at her. "No, I like it, really. It's just..well..,"

"What?"

"Well, it's just that I wish...you would have let me..,"

Xena smiled as she finally understood. "It wouldn't have been much of a surprise, now would it? So, you really like it?"

"Mmm-hmm," Gabrielle replied with a lustful smile. "Lay back."

Grinning in anticipation, Xena complied as she stared up at her lover.

Gabrielle crawled onto Xena, sliding her breasts over the woman's body. She smiled seductively as she lowered her lips to Xena's. She allowed her weight to rest on the warrior, feeling their breasts press together. As she slowly worked her tongue around in Xena's mouth, she ran her fingers through the woman's hair. She kissed her way down along Xena's cheek, reaching her ear, she flicked her tongue across it several times. She let out a contented giggle as she heard Xena moan and felt her shiver. She'd found out recently how sensitive her lover's ears were. She sucked the lobe between her lips, biting on it tenderly. She herself jerked as she suddenly felt Xena's hands clamp onto her rear, squeezing hard.

Xena smiled as Gabrielle pulled back and smiled down at her adorably. Keeping one hand on the woman's butt, she raised the other behind her head, pulling Gabrielle down to her. After a minutes-long passionate kiss, she watched intently as Gabrielle crawled backwards. As the woman took one of Xena's breasts in each a hand, she watched Gabrielle's eyes light up. Xena wasn't quite sure of what aroused her the most; the actual feeling of the attentions Gabrielle gave to her breasts or the obvious joy that the young women received doing it. She rolled her head backwards as Gabrielle lightly nibbled on the inside of a breast while rolling the hardened nipples between her fingers. She felt the growing dampness between her legs. A jolt swept through her body as she felt Gabrielle close her mouth around her right areola, sucking forcefully. She moaned the woman's name softly as she repeated the process on the left one.

Gabrielle traced her tongue along the underside of Xena's left breast, taking satisfaction in the reaction her ministrations were getting from the woman. She worked her way back to the nipple, rapidly flicking her tongue back and forth over the hard protuberance. She used her middle finger to do the same on Xena's other breast. As she suddenly felt the warm dampness of Xena's crotch against her stomach, a familiar tingling sensation grew between her own legs. Reluctantly leaving her lover's breasts, she kissed her way down over the hard abdominal muscles, flicking her tongue over the woman's navel several times, causing Xena to jerk slightly. She took in a deep breath of Xena's musky scent, licking her lips in anticipation. She lay down flat on the ground and wrapped her arms under and around Xena's thighs. She passed her tongue in long luxurious strokes over the smooth skin to the sides of Xena's outer lips. Smiling, she then flicked her tongue across Xena's large clitoris. She sucked on the fleshy pink knob as she brought her hands back underneath and rubbed Xena's large labia between her fingers. She watched as Xena's chest rose and fell with her rapid breathing. Gabrielle switched the positions of her fingers and mouth. She slid her tongue inside of her lover as she slowly rubbed the woman's clitoris between her thumb and forefinger. Her eyes narrowed as she heard Xena moan loudly. She began sliding her tongue back and forth, savoring the wet, salty flavor that Xena exuded. After a few more minutes of her expert manipulations, Gabrielle felt Xena's hands press down on the back of her head, even though both women knew they were far from necessary. She eagerly continued to work her tongue inside of the warrior as Xena's hips started to buck.

Her lungs pumping heavily and her heart beating rapidly, Xena felt an intense orgasm rushing to consume her. She called out Gabrielle's name again followed by a ragged moan. She gasped as her cry was rewarded by a redoubled effort by the woman between her legs. As her body suddenly stiffened, she let out a loud groan through clenched teeth. As she came forcefully, she felt Gabrielle's unrelenting onslaught continue. She bit her lip, almost afraid she'd drawn blood, as Gabrielle hungrily sucked up the wetness trickling out of her. Panting heavily, Xena started to pull her hips away only to have Gabrielle latch on tighter, pushing her face into her harder. She whimpered Gabrielle's name this time as her head rolled to the side. As a second orgasm swept down upon her, she let out a long soft moan, her body jerking only slightly as she lay helpless and at the younger woman's mercy. She let her arms rest out to her sides as her chest continued to rise and fall rapidly. She felt Gabrielle's tongue pass over her in long deliberate strokes. She raised her head and looked down at the woman who was smiling up at her. "C'mere," she said softly as she raised her hands up to the younger woman. She pulled Gabrielle on top of her and raised her head for a soft, tender kiss, tasting herself on the lips of her lover. She placed her left arm around the woman's back and her right softly against the back of her head as Gabrielle lay against Xena's neck. "Gabrielle, have I told you lately how much I love you?" she asked softly in between breaths.

Gabrielle smiled as she concentrated on the feeling of Xena's heart pounding against her chest. "I don't think so. Why don't you just show me."

Xena pat her head lightly. "Give me a minute, will you?"

"Take your time." She giggled before continuing, "You have to be careful at your age."

Xena looked down at her and shook her head slightly. "Oh, you're gonna pay for that."

Gabrielle giggled again as she turned and looked at the woman. "Well, I hear a lot of talk but...uggghh," she moaned as Xena quickly rolled over and onto her, suddenly driving the breath out of her. Before she could speak, Xena had closed her mouth over her lips.

After a very wet and very passionate kiss that left Gabrielle panting, Xena pulled back and rose. She looked down and pointed a finger at her. "Don't you move, little girl."

Gabrielle watched curiously as Xena walked over to their things. Her curiosity changed to excitement and she felt her heartbeat quicken as Xena pulled out the short stone rod. As she looked up and saw the feral expression on Xena's face, she quickly rolled over and up onto her knees. She cast a quick glance over at the nearby treeline before looking back at Xena as the woman drew nearer.

Xena, reading Gabrielle's intentions, narrowed her eyes as she cocked her head slightly. "Don't you even think about it." As the woman sprang to her feet, Xena quickly crouched forward and grabbed the blanket in both hands. She yanked back on the cloth and smiled as Gabrielle's feet went out from under her, landing on her side. As she rose, Xena's smile was replaced by a concerned expression as she watched Gabrielle grimace and clutch at the shoulder she'd landed on. Dropping the rod, she immediately knelt beside her. "Gabrielle, are you okay?"

"It's my shoulder," she said, eyes shut tightly.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for you to get hurt," Xena said earnestly as she began gently feeling Gabrielle's shoulder for a possible break.

"I think..."

"What?"

"I think..maybe you should kiss it and make it better," Gabrielle replied as she opened her eyes. She couldn't help giggling as she watched Xena's face redden. "Now don't get mad," she insisted quickly. "You've done the same thing to me."

Xena's eyes narrowed once again. "You little shit." She leaned down quickly and kissed the grinning woman as she fought a small urge to throttle her. As she worked her tongue past Gabrielle's lips, she searched around with her left hand for the rod. After she'd eventually found it, she pulled back and smiled down at her as she ran her right hand down between the woman's legs. She cupped her hand over Gabrielle's pubic mound firmly, causing her to flinch. "Well, we're certainly wet enough down here, now aren't we?" she asked rhetorically as she slid her fingers back and forth over the slick surface. She moved the rod to her right hand and slid its length along Gabrielle's labia, biting her lip as she heard her lover's nervous giggle. Using the fingers of her left hand, she spread the woman's lips apart. She then slowly inserted the tip of the rod as she looked back down and watched Gabrielle's eyes close. As she pushed the rod in farther, she lowered her head and ran her nose through the damp hairs between Gabrielle's legs, inhaling the woman's sensual fragrance. She delicately passed her tongue over the woman's small clitoris, smiling as Gabrielle's hands came to rest on the back of her head. She began sliding the rod back and forth as she continued to flick her tongue rapidly across Gabrielle's most sensitive feature. She watched as Gabrielle raised her hands to her breasts, squeezing them together as she moaned loudly. Xena moved over the woman's chest, playfully biting a finger before she sucked a nipple into her mouth.

Gabrielle pursed her lips as Xena continued to move the rod inside of her. She ran her hands over the woman's shoulders, kneading the hard muscles in her palms. She jerked as Xena's hand began to move faster. She let her head fall back and her eyes close as Xena moved to her other breast. She brought her hands up behind her head, turning it to the side as Xena bit down tenderly on a sensitive nipple. As Xena slowly and wetly kissed her way over her breastbone and up to her neck, Gabrielle began pushing her hips to meet the thrusts of Xena's hand. She let out a giggling sigh as Xena nibbled her way up to her chin. She opened her eyes and looked at the expression on Xena's face. Through the desire, she could still see the caring in her eyes. "I love you so much," she panted, almost crying.

Xena smiled warmly as she lowered her mouth to Gabrielle's, kissing her, tenderly at first. As she felt her lover begin to pull back on the rod and heard the woman whimper into her, Xena's kiss became more passionate. Bracing herself on her left elbow, she pulled back and stared down intently as Gabrielle neared release. Her own heart began beating much faster as she saw the look of ecstasy on the younger woman's face, knowing she was the cause. She watched Gabrielle's eyes close and her body tense as she sucked in a deep breath and held it. As the woman finally let it out slowly with a low moan, Xena slowed the motion of the rod, allowing the waves of Gabrielle's climax to wash over her. She looked down at the sheen of sweat covering the woman's skin, glistening with the reflected firelight. She watched as her chest rose and fell with her still rapid breathing. Sliding an arm behind Gabrielle's shoulders, she gently urged her up. "C'mon, kneel down," she softly instructed as she kept her hand on the rod, holding most of it inside the woman. As Gabrielle knelt in front of her, facing away, Xena came from behind and pressed her body firmly against the woman's. She leaned back slightly as she wrapped an arm around Gabrielle's waist, pulling her close. She again began pumping the wand between Gabrielle's legs as she pushed her mouth against the woman's neck. She slowly began sliding her crotch over Gabrielle's firm rear as she felt her pulse racing faster.

Gabrielle moaned as she felt Xena's slick genitalia pressing against her from behind. That, the feeling of Xena's breasts pushed against her back, and the steady sensation of the rod pushing inside of her were quickly driving Gabrielle to a second release. As she reached behind her with her left and grasped Xena's buttock, she reached up with her right and placed her hand behind Xena's head, pulling her down into another kiss. She felt Xena's hips and hand begin to move faster as their tongues pressed against each other passionately. She pulled away and lay her head back against Xena's shoulder, panting heavily as she brought her left arm over hers. After a few moments, Gabrielle began to moan continuously, her cries growing louder in pitch and intensity. She suddenly let out a guttural moan as her body fell back against Xena's, her orgasm draining most of the feeling from her limbs. She felt Xena eventually remove the rod from between her legs. As she realized Xena's hips were still bucking against her, a surge of energy shot through her as she pulled away from the panting woman.

"No...Gabrielle..not yet," Xena protested weakly.

Gabrielle ignored her as she lay back with her head under Xena. Bracing herself on her left elbow, she brought her mouth to Xena's opening and drove her tongue inside. She sucked forcefully on the woman as she brought her right hand up to pinch Xena's clitoris.

Xena's eyes went wide as she lurched forward, supporting herself on her thighs with her hands. She slowly rolled her head back as Gabrielle's fingers and mouth quickly pushed her over the edge. She screamed her lover's name loudly as she came once more. After several glorious minutes, she pulled off of her, fearful her heart would burst. Panting heavily, she looked down at the smiling woman. She grinned herself as she wiped the wetness from Gabrielle's cheeks. She gently pulled the woman up to her, kissing her tenderly, tasting herself inside of Gabrielle's mouth as their tongues slowly met. Breaking the kiss slowly, she pulled Gabrielle down onto the blanket with her. As the woman lay on her back, Xena lay next to her with the side of her face against Gabrielle's chest, listening to her breathing as Gabrielle's breasts rose and fell. They lay there in silence for several moments, allowing their heart rates and breathing to return to some semblance of normalcy. Xena continued to lightly run her fingers through the soft, now-soaked hairs between Gabrielle's legs.

Gabrielle giggled at the ticklish sensation. "Do you think I should shave?" she asked the woman.

Xena rose onto her elbow and looked down at her in mock alarm. "Don't you dare."

"Why not?"

Xena smiled. "First of all, I love your little `forest' just like it is," she said as she plucked lightly on a few strands, pleased at the soft squeal she elicited out of the woman. "And, if you look any younger than you already do, I'm going to start feeling like a pervert."

Gabrielle giggled and then looked at her curiously. "You mean you don't already?"

Xena's eyes narrowed as she looked down at the grinning woman. "Very funny." She leaned down and brought her mouth to Gabrielle's, lightly running her tongue across the woman's lips before sliding it in between. She brought her hand up Gabrielle's body, pausing momentarily to tweak a nipple, feeling Gabrielle squeal again. She slid her hand up behind Gabrielle's neck, running her fingers through her hair.

After a few moments, Gabrielle pulled back. "Hey, how about a romantic moonlight swim before we go to sleep?"

"Sounds good."

Gabrielle rose with a suspicious looking smile on her face and backed away slowly. "Okay, last one there has to give the other a massage." That said, she bolted off in the direction of the pond.

Rising, Xena smiled and took a deep breath as she watched Gabrielle disappear into the trees. She stretched leisurely and softly sighed as she walked after her.

Continued  - Part 1