From: daviderl31@yahoo.com   
      
                           Xena: Roman Gladiator   
      
                                   Chapter Fifteen   
      
                   A Sweet, and Baffling, Aftermath   
      
                   [Xena and Gabrielle making love]   
      
      
   Keeping her arms over her head, Xena watched them in the balcony – she was   
   close enough to see tears of relief in Gabrielle's eyes. They looked at each   
   other for a moment, then Gabrielle turned to Domina in response to something   
   said to her.   
      
   Batiatus was on his feet, laughing and slapping others on the back and   
   hugging the women, even the slave women who belonged to Cicerius. Twice he   
   grabbed Lucretia and hugged and kissed her. He obvious won a lot of money.   
      
   Cicerius stayed in his seat, his expression mostly unreadable. But the one   
   who intrigued Xena was the well-dressed man seated next to Cicerius. He had   
   a distinctly sour look on his face, and Xena suspected he was the one who   
   brought Gaulus to this arena, and he wasn't happy with the outcome.   
      
   Then as the balcony began to clear, Xena turned to look around to take a   
   really good look at the arena itself. And as she did, the crowd, getting   
   over the shock of seeing such a behemoth taken down by a woman one quarter   
   his size, began to cheer and to chant her name. Xena continued to play to   
   the crowd, turning to face each wall with the seating over it. She was   
   examining everything, looking for possible escape routes. She knew with her   
   decisive win, she would soon become the property of Cicerius and she   
   intended to fulfill her promise to Gabrielle to escape and come for her.   
      
   This arena, unlike the one at Capua, was barred, keeping the gladiators out   
   of it until the gate was unlocked to allow them in to practice. Her best bet   
   would be at night, but unless she had some way of getting into the arena,   
   her prospects of escaping here were iffy at best.   
      
   The crowd began to leave as four men began dragging Gaulus by his feet out   
   of the arena.  Xena started to take his head and throw it over to them, but   
   instead, kicked the sword over so the head was face down in the sand. She   
   then walked to the gate leading from the arena. And as she got inside,   
   everyone began applauding and cheering and calling her name, even Cicerius'   
   men. Now that the competition was over, there were no hard feelings – they   
   all were slaves and brother gladiators.   
      
   And to honor her for her decisive win Xena was the first to bathe in the   
   tub – three times larger than the one at Batiatus' ludus, and filled with   
   warm water. She dropped her loincloth and lowered herself into the warm   
   water, and sitting on the bottom it was deep enough to so her breasts were   
   covered. She was able to lie completely stretched out on the bottom, and   
   stayed there for a seventy count – a little something to show everyone again   
   she was extraordinary. They all waited around the tub for her. And as she   
   got out, there was a scuffle to see who would be next – all wanting to be   
   immersed in the water filled with blood, and the sweat of the slayer of   
   Gaulus the Destroyer. Again, Xena could only marvel at the superstitiousness   
   of them.   
      
   She donned a tunic, and they all feasted on roasted legs of cattle and   
   swine. Desert was sliced melons, and each were allowed one cup of wine.   
   After the meal, they broke up into small groups to talk of the day's events.   
   While Xena was watching them, a young man in his late teens walked up to her   
   and said, "You are Xena."   
      
   This caught her attention, not because he knew who she was, but because he   
   spoke to her in Greek.   
      
   "I am," she replied. "You are from Greece?"   
      
   He nodded and said, "Yes. I am from Amphipolis, as you are."   
      
   "How do you know where I'm from?"   
      
   He smiled. "At the inn once owned by your dead mother there is a likeness of   
   you, and Gabrielle, mounted on the wall behind the bar. Everyone knows you.   
   But I never expected to actually meet you, and assuredly not in this place."   
      
   "You're rather young to be here, aren't you?"   
      
   "My two brothers and I left Greece, seeking adventure on a trading ship. But   
   a Roman warship captured us and accused us of being pirates. We were   
   arrested and sold into slavery. I haven't seen them for six years. I doubt   
   that I ever will again."   
      
   While they were talking, Xena noticed that one of Cicerius' guards called   
   out to Skyrn. He talked to him for a moment, then Skyrn went to Xena and had   
   her follow him. They went down a dark passageway to the small rooms the best   
   of the gladiators slept in. He stopped in front of the last one and   
   indicated she was to go in.   
      
   "You are to wait here," he said, then left. Looking around Xena noted that   
   it wasn’t much different from the one she slept in, a little larger, with   
   thicker straw mattress on a raised bed, and a heavier woolen blanket. She   
   could have walked out at any time, but she stayed; there was a reason she   
   was brought here. She lay down on the mattress waiting, for – something.   
      
   She had just closed her eyes – she was still tired, when she heard, "Xena!"   
      
   It was Gabrielle. She leapt from the bed and in an instant they were in each   
   other's arms, holding the other so tight neither could breathe. When they   
   finally separated enough they could draw a breath, Gabrielle's hands went to   
   the sides of Xena's face. "Oh, Xena, I was so scared. That monster was so   
   big. Where did they find him? I knew this would happen. I knew they were   
   trying to kill you…."   
      
   Knowing Gabrielle as she did, and that her rambling was the fear coming out   
   of her, Xena shut her up the only way she knew -- she put her mouth on   
   Gabrielle's in a passionate and erotic kiss. Together they fell onto the   
   bed, pulling at each other's tunic until they were both naked; hands   
   caressing and exploring all the sensual places they each knew so well.   
      
   The only time there was a slowing of passion was when Gabrielle tenderly   
   kissed Xena's newly acquired scars on her belly, then she continued on to   
   the dark triangle she so enjoyed licking and stimulating. Time and again   
   they exchanged places allowing the other to kiss and caress and excite those   
   wonderful areas of desire.   
      
   And when they had finally, and temporarily, satisfied their needs, Gabrielle   
   nestled in Xena's arms, ready to doze in complete serenity. But Xena had   
   other plans. She forced Gabrielle to let her up, and taking her by the hand   
   Xena said, "Come on. I have a surprise for you."   
      
   But when Gabrielle reached for her tunic, Xena told her to leave it. And all   
   but dragging her from the room, Xena led her to the bath tub, drained,   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)