Disclaimers: The characters of Xena: Warrior Princess and all other associated with the television series of the same name are owned by MCA/ Universal Pictures. This is a work of fan fiction and no copyright infringement is intended.
Subtext: I guess with my writing so far we'll just quit calling it subtext and call it maintext. Yes they are in love with each other.
Sex: Implied. VERY IMPLIED.
Violence: None
Language: Mild
Spoilers:
Other: Part Seventy-nine in the series "Raising Melosa". Takes place about a week after "The Search Begins."
Divorce Amazon Style
By T.Novan
TNOVAN@aol.com
I take a deep breath as I leave council chambers. I know I’m going to see her and I’m not looking forward to this. I can’t believe this is happening.
Eph puts her hand on my shoulder as we exit. "Are you sure you want to be alone with her?"
"No I’m not sure, but she asked to talk with me and I am still her wife."
Various council members try not to look uncomfortable, but they are failing miserably. Almost as miserably as I am I’m sure.
"If you need me just yell."
"Oh I will."
As I walk toward the house my stomach absolutely turns in knots. I hate every moment of this. I approach the porch, Xe steps outside and closes the door behind her. "Let’s take a walk." She says softly as she steps off the porch.
I glance past her to the door. "Is she in there?"
"Ri don’t be ridiculous. It happened once. I haven’t seen her since."
"Un-huh." I cross my arms, not believing her for one moment and refusing to move. "Then let’s go inside and talk. Just like you asked."
"Ri honey…please…." She reaches for me but I turn away.
"Don’t. Don’t touch me. You know Xena you never had to tell me. I never would have known, but as it stands right, now being near you makes me sick."
I turn and walk away from her. Tears sting my eyes as I move back across the village to the food hut. I wipe them away as I go in a take my seat.
Mel is right behind me taking her seat next to me. "You okay?" She whispers as she takes my hand. All I can do it nod. "Will you please do me a favor and not take off from me like that again? Unfortunately, I’m really caught in the middle here and if she thinks I’m not doing my job…."
I nod as I try and hold back the tears. "I know Mel and I’m sorry."
"No I’m sorry. What she did was wrong. Very wrong and I have to admit I never thought it was possible. It’s just that I still have to answer to her."
"Maybe not for much longer."
"What?"
"I’m thinking about divorcing her."
"You’re kidding!" She pulls back totally shocked.
"No Mel, I’m not kidding and if I do, then I can ask her to leave the village."
"What about Kai, Kessa and Rosa? I mean I’m old enough to deal with it but…."
"Oh I know her Mel. She won’t go far. She’ll end up with Solan or with the centaurs. She won’t leave you guys."
Mel places her hand over her mouth as what I’ve said sinks in. "I can’t believe you’re thinking about divorcing her."
"Mel she cheated on me. She betrayed me in the most personal way possible. Not to mention at the worst possible time." A young woman brings our meals over. I sit there patiently as Mel takes the time to try my food. "This is insane."
She nods. "Yeah everything around here lately is insane. Have you tried talking to her?"
"Why? She told me. Sat right there in our home and told me what she did."
"Doesn’t that count for something?"
"There is some part of me Mel that wishes she had just kept it to herself. She actually had the nerve to say that the reason she was telling me was because she loved me too much to hide it."
"You don’t believe her?"
"No. I think the reason she told me is because someone saw her with the slut and she was afraid she was going to get told on."
"Mom. You don’t really believe that do you?"
"I don’t know Mel." I picked through my food. "I just don’t know."
I knew immediately when she came into the hut. The place went completely quiet. I looked up as she came to the table. "Can I join you?"
"Suit yourself."
"Mel do you mind?"
"No. Not if Mom doesn’t."
"Thanks." She takes a seat and pours a mug of tea. "Can we talk now?"
I turn and glare at her, losing my temper. "Why? What do you want to do Xena? Tell me how good she was in bed." I stand, turning away leaving the hut.
"Ri! Ri! Please." I could hear her get up to follow me. When I know she was behind me I turn around to face her.
"Don’t Xena just don’t! Don’t you have any idea how much this hurts me? You betrayed everything. Everything that we had. Twenty seasons washed away because you had to have some young slut. Well, I’m sorry I’m not twenty anymore Xena! I’m sorry the Gods didn’t make me ten seasons younger so I could have kept you happy in bed!"
I turn and storm away.
I watch her walk away from me and I feel as if my heart is breaking. "I’m sorry Ri. Gods I AM SORRY!" I yell after her. I sigh hard as she continues to walk away from me. Oh I hate this.
"Xena?" I turn to find Ep. She shrugs a bit as she lays a friendly hand to my shoulder.
"Yeah?"
"You okay?"
"No I’m not okay Ep."
"Let’s go down to the training grounds. We can spar, you can thump on me if it’ll make you feel better." She grins at me again as we start walking.
"So why are you still talking to me? No one else is."
"You are my friend too. We all make mistakes. You made a mistake, you owned up to it and you’re paying the price for it. You don’t need to lose everything."
"People may talk you know. Everybody seems to think I bed everyone I talk to now."
"Let ‘em talk. As long as we know differently that’s all that matters."
We end up on the training grounds, instead of sparring we just take seat to watch everyone else.
"I didn’t mean for it to happen." I admit quietly as I drop my head.
"I know."
"I mean I’m not even really sure how it happened. I was just…."
As we sat there talking several younger warriors walked by us. I looked up and the looks I was getting would condemn me to Tartarus without a second thought.
"She’s thinking about divorcing you, you know."
"I know. It’s not like I can contest it if she does."
"You mean you won’t fight it?"
"Why? What I did was wrong. I betrayed everything. The nation, the Queen," I paused as I swallowed hard. "My wife. She won’t even talk to me. She won’t accept my apology."
"Well, whatever happens Xena, I’m your friend and I’m here for you."
"Thanks Ep I appreciate that."
"If she divorces you, will you leave?"
"No. Actually if she’ll let me stay I’ll just stay here in the village. I can’t stand the thoughts of being away from the kids."
"She may demand you leave. It would be her right."
"I know. I’m hoping she’ll see past her own pain and not put the kids through that. I know her, I don’t think she’ll take me away from the kids."
"I don’t know Xena. I know it’s not normally Gabrielle’s style to be vengeful, but she just might force you away from them to hurt you."
"I’m hoping she won’t want to hurt them." A couple of warriors stop, standing in front of me. I lookup from my seat on the ground. "Yeah?"
"Don’t give our Queen any more trouble Xena…."
Ep was on her feet. "Now wait just a moment!"
I got up and grabbing Ep’s arm. "No Ep it’s okay they are entitled to their opinion." I look to them, "I have no intention of hurting Ri. If you don’t mind I would ask you to keep your noses out of our business. This is a personal matter. We’ll work it out."
"If she is half the woman I believe her to be, she’ll divorce your cheating ass and get on with her life." The taller of the two sneers at me before adding, "I would be more than happy to take your place in her bed."
Okay that did it! I snapped, I admit I snapped. Then I hit her. Sending her sprawling back. Then I charge her grabbing her around the waist and taking her to the ground where I proceed to hit her several more times until Ep and the other woman pull me off of her. I struggle with them and am just about free when I hear Ep’s voice.
"Xena stop! Come on now stop! This won’t help you with Gabrielle."
I shake them off and take several deep breaths. I watch as the woman gets to her feet. "You!" I growl as I step closer to her. "Stay away from my wife!"
"We’ll see Xena." She spits blood to the ground as she wipes it away from her mouth. "We’ll see."
I jerk toward her again, only to have Ep catch my arm. "Don’t my friend, just don’t."
I sit in council chambers with my Regent Council. All the regents from all the tribes have gathered for the fall festival and our regular meeting. It has just about wound down and we are more or less relaxing when Leland, the regent from one of the southern tribes speaks up.
"Your Majesty?"
"Yes Leland."
"I was umm just wondering if you have had any luck tracking down the person who tried to do you harm?"
"You mean did we find the person responsible for my poisoning?"
She smiles at me as she nods slightly. "Yes Your Majesty."
"No we haven’t. The investigation is still going on."
"May I offer a suggestion?"
"Of course."
"Have you considered that Xena might be responsible for it?"
"Xena!?"
"Yes Your Majesty." She shifts nervously in her chair. "I’m sorry for feeling the need to say it, but it does make sense. I mean your current relationship and problems with your Consort are not well hidden. Is it possible that she tried to…."
"No!" I get to my feet and move the to window. "Yes it’s true, Xena and I are having our problems right now, but she would not go as far as to try and murder me."
"Your Majesty I meant no disrespect I was just offering another possibility. Xena did have the time, the access and," She clears her throat nervously. "Apparently the motive."
"She wouldn’t," I turned to face Eph who was crossing the chamber to me. "Would she?" I ask my friend as her hands come to rest on my shoulders.
"No Gabrielle. No. Xena is not the one."
Leland gets to her feet as she clips her cloak around her shoulders. "I wouldn’t over look any possibility Regent Ephiny." She turns and makes her way out of the hall.
The rest of the regents quietly get up and follow her out.
I lean over to unlace my boots when I hear the door open and close. The door to the sleeping chamber is slightly ajar and it slowly swings in to stand fully open, I glance over and grin.
"Well now Your Majesty. What brings you into the forbidden land? I’m your wicked, evil, cheating Consort, remember?"
"Uh-huh." She purrs at me as she strolls across the room. "But hey we’re trying to work it out now aren’t we?" She slowly begins unfastening the belt to her skirt.
I sit up and move back on the bed with my back against the wall as I watch her stride across the room with one of the most mischievous smiles I have ever seen in my life. "Yeah I guess we probably are…." Suddenly my mouth is very dry.
"Can’t just give up on twenty seasons now can we?" She asks as her skirt hits the floor. She places one knee on the bed then proceeds to crawl up to me. "We do have children to think of." She comes to rest over my waist facing me, looking down at me.
"Yes we do." I tell her as my hands travel up her thighs
"I hate this." She offers as her palm caresses my cheek.
"So do I Ri, but we gotta go through with it if we’re going to flush out the traitor."
She nods as her eye lids slip shut. "I know, but if anyone says anything about tonight," She leans over and places her lips to my neck. "We were trying to work everything out."
I love make up sex.