|
A Love
Supreme
Gabrielle awoke from her
slumber to find the campsite deserted. She found a note by her bed
declaring that both Xena and Eve had gone fishing. She decided to use this
time alone to try and figure out why she was still so angry with Xena. She
hadn’t got very far with her musings, when a piece of parchment
mysteriously appeared out of nowhere and landed at her feet. She picked it
up and began to read what would ultimately change her destiny:
"Hello little one
I thought that a bard like yourself
might appreciate a letter, plus I’m too much of a coward to tell you
face to face. Neither am I watching your reaction, I will come to you just
before nightfall and find out my fate. Recent events have not been very
pleasant for either of us. I don’t hold you responsible for anything
that happened. Xena, well that is a different matter, she has consistently
ignored your needs and rode roughshod over your feelings. I have
personally watched the relationship between you as it has developed. Many
a time I’ve wished I could change occupation. You were destined to be
together, and it was my job to make it so, yet how I hoped the fates would
be proved wrong.
My brother’s interest in Xena
intrigued me, and I watched her struggle to change very closely. She
didn’t have a chance on her own, but then you came onto the scene and
her success was assured. Ares would call you the irritating blonde, yet I
fell for you as soon as I saw you. I’m Aphrodite, the goddess of love,
and here I am declaring my adoration for a mortal, yet you have it. I am
sorry I chose to hide it for so long, and for the way I spoke to you, and
treated you, yet I was too proud and scared to admit my feelings. My
husband is dead, yet I can honestly say that when it happened my only
concern was you.
Now all the rules have been changed,
the gods have been overthrown, so why not fate? I love you and I want you
to come to me. I won’t try and persuade you by belittling Xena. I know
your memory is long, and that you are able to weigh up her good and bad
points. However, I also know that I would be better for you. You refused
Joxer for her when he could have made you happy – even with all his
faults! Please don’t make the same mistake again. You have plenty of
time to consider your options, if you still decide to stay with Xena, if
you still believe she can make you happy (and you do deserve to be happy)
then I will accept your answer and leave. If however, you decide to give
your budding feelings for me a chance, we can go wherever you want, and I
will truly be the happiest God alive.
I suppose I should tell you that I sent them on their fishing trip, they
wont be back until after I arrive. Please use this time on your own
wisely, and whatever you decide make sure it is best for you.
Aphrodite"
Gabrielle sat there in a state
of shock, until finally she declared to no one in particular “The
goddess of love is in love with me!” Time went very quickly and suddenly
Aphrodite was standing in front of her, Gabrielle had never seen her look
so nervous and she found it very endearing. After several moments of just
standing in silence Gabrielle spoke:
“
I will explain my decision in time, but for now all I have to say is yes.
If this isn’t a joke, and I really hope it’s not, then I agree to come
with you"
The look of pure joy that
overcame the face looking back at her took away any doubts Gabrielle may
have had, and she found herself enveloped in an embrace that was so soft
and warm it took her breath away. Finally Aphrodite spoke:
“Well my little one, I am
truly thrilled you have chosen me and we will talk it through soon. At the
moment however I have to bring Xena back, and we have to tell her of your
decision”
After what seemed like an
eternity, the unpleasant task had been done, and Gabrielle sat in the now
almost deserted Mount Olympus, still reeling from the confrontation. Not
that it was confrontational, Xena had listened to what she had to say,
without interrupting, and even though she begged Gabrielle to reconsider,
Gabrielle sensed that it was half hearted, and that secretly Xena was
relieved. Eve however, was convinced it was her fault, and it took a lot
of persuading to make her see otherwise. Gabrielle gave Eve her scrolls
knowing that they would be treasured. Goodbyes are never easy, but
Gabrielle knew she was leaving a large part of her life behind, and the
tears flowed freely. Xena pulled her into that familiar strong embrace and
whispered "Be happy", she also warned Aphrodite that she
would personally hunt her down if she didn't treat Gabrielle better than
she ever did.
After
several moments of silent contemplation, Gabrielle began to explain to
Aphrodite why she had decided to go with her. Aphrodite sat almost
perfectly still and made no attempt to interrupt. Gabrielle spoke for a
long time, showing that she had indeed used her time alone wisely, and had
thought hard about her options. The goddess of love was unable to stop the
tears flowing however, especially when Gabrielle drew to the close of her
monologue:
“Finally I realised that Xena
was not my destiny anymore, we were not meant to be together for eternity.
The God of Eli had changed our fates, and they were no longer
intertwined. When Eli had told us that love was the way, we just assumed
that he meant our love, but we were wrong. Ares realised he truly loved
Xena, so he gave up his godhood to prove it to her, and in doing so
ensured that Eli’s words would be fulfilled. As for me well, you are the
Goddess of love, and I know that I am yours. I had a role to play in
Xena’s redemption, and in some way I encouraged Ares to admit to his
feelings. Now the slate is wiped clean and the old way has passed. I am
free of any obligations, and my life has begun anew. I know that Xena will
find happiness without me, and that she will continue to champion the
common good. I also believe that you alone can give me true fulfillment
and contentment. Please don’t ever prove me wrong!”
Aphrodite could only shake her
head and extend out her arms, as she found her words fail her. Gabrielle
accepted the invitation, and they sat intertwined, as time appeared to
stand still.
A few candle marks later,
Gabrielle sensed a change in Aphrodite’s mood, and upon looking into her
face saw desire staring back at her. She also noticed two lips edging ever
closer to her own, until finally they met. Her life with Xena had been
rather chaste, as her partner definitely preferred all things male.
Gabrielle remembered the nights she spent alone in frustrated anguish, and
realised with a sense of trepidation, that things were now totally
different. She gave herself over to the sensation of the soft mouth, and
gave willing access to the inquiring tongue. She was however totally
unprepared for the divine intervention, which meant that they were both
totally nude and on an obscenely large bed in seconds. Fortunately her
libido took over from her initial surprise, and the two newly discovered
soul mates made love for the first time.
The
next morning found the couple idly discussing their future, the tone had
been decidedly light and jovial until Aphrodite declared:
"I have decided to become
mortal, it should have been me who saved you not Ares, and I will be
eternally ashamed that I let my fear of Athena lead me to abandon you. I
do not deserve my godhood as I couldn't even use it to heal the one I
love."
Gabrielle was surprised
by this outburst but finally managed to reply:
"You didn't abandon me!
You took me to safety even though you were grieving. As for fearing Athena
who didn't! She was the goddess of wisdom and war. It is only right that
the God of war should be the one to defy her. Xena let you live for a
reason, there can never be too much love in the world. My feelings for you
will never change whether you stay a god or do become mortal. However you have nothing to
feel guilty about."
Aphrodite was obviously
relieved by this and Gabrielle held her closer. They lay in silence for
several candle marks until the goddess felt able to reply:
"Thank you, I still have
to come to terms with my actions, but knowing that you don't blame me is a
great comfort. I am not sure what role I have in this world anymore,
but as long as I am with you I will even cope with obscurity! Now my
little one where do we go from here? I didn't make any particular plans as
I was so sure you would turn me down. However, I was hoping that you had
done enough traveling with Xena, as I was never very good with the outdoor
life"
Gabrielle
was able to put her lovers mind at rest, as the thought of actually
staying in one place was very appealing. She had a few potential
destinations and finally the couple managed to narrow it down to one. It
was a relatively unknown part of Greece although it was one that
Gabrielle had always wanted to visit. They were both very anxious to
begin their new life together, so Gabrielle allowed Aphrodite to use her
powers. As a result they had a very comfortable home in hardly any time at
all- without attracting the attention of their new neighbours.
It wasn't
long before Gabrielle rediscovered her creative muse. She had decided to
have another go at fiction - but this time there were no enchanted scrolls
so she knew it wouldn't cause any harm. Whilst hunting around for a blank
parchment she came across one she didn't recognise. Her curiosity got
the better of her and she opened it up and began to read:
"She seems to me to be
superior to the gods, that woman
who sits and faces you,
close by you hearing
your sweet voice speaking,
and your sexy laugh, which just
this moment makes
the heart quake in my breast:
for every time
I briefly glance towards you,
then I lose
all power of further
speech."
Before she could
read any further Aphrodite walked in the room and, noticing the rather odd
look on Gabrielle's face immediately asked what was wrong. Gabrielle
simply showed her the parchment and Aphrodite blushed profusely before
admitting:
"I wrote that many moons
ago. I was sure that Xena was the luckiest person alive, whether god or
mortal, now however I know that title is definitely mine. "
Gabrielle, who had consistently had to rethink her opinion of the goddess
over the last few days, couldn't help but exclaim:
" You can write! Yet when
I had writers block and you tried to help me you asked me why I found it
so important. Why didn't you tell me?"
" The same reason I played
the dumb blonde routine for so long. I didn't want to show who I really
was as, I thought if I did you would discover how I felt about you."
"I wish I had known
sooner, or that I'd been more courageous. I was so tempted to join you in
that bath- not even having a very pregnant Xena sleeping only yards away
put me off. But then you offered to make me a bath of my own and I began
to think I was misreading the signals you were giving me, so I didn't. We
have both wasted plenty of opportunities, but now that we have finally got
together let's not hide anything from each other anymore. By the way, do
you mind if I carry on reading this ( said whilst picking up the scroll)
as it looks really good, and allows me to discover what you were
thinking?"
"Only if you read it
whilst I'm not here, as otherwise I'd be too embarrassed."
Gabrielle
didn't argue, but the thought of the goddess of love being modest and shy,
made her feel very protective. She decided that the scroll could wait, and
moved closer to Aphrodite. No speech was required as her movements and
expression made it perfectly clear what she wanted. As a result it wasn't
long before they began what was already a well travelled path towards ecstasy.
Daily life
soon settled into a comfortable routine which neither ever found
predictable. Aphrodite never ceased to amaze Gabrielle as she discovered
more of her hidden depths. As for the goddess, each day was a new
opportunity to marvel at how the fates had truly blessed her in making her
greatest desires come true.
Gabrielle found
that her talent hadn't abandoned her and she soon became known once more
for her talents as a bard. She also discovered that there were plenty of
people willing to buy her latest written escapades. Aphrodite soon
discovered that obscurity had definitely come early for her, as nobody
ever gave her a second glance. She did however notice the admiring looks
that would follow Gabrielle around wherever she went. Aphrodite never
doubted her lovers fidelity, yet she was under no illusion that if she
mistreated Gabrielle there would be no shortage of people eager to take
her place.
Aphrodite
would frequently visit Xena to see how she was doing, and invited her to
their new home. Gabrielle would listen to her updates with great interest,
and was always relieved when the news was good. They were both totally
unprepared however for the day when Xena arrived at their home especially
when she informed them of her relationship with Ares. Gabrielle didn't
know whether to laugh or cry. She knew that Aphrodite was far better for
her than Xena, yet she couldn't help but feel the irrational anger and
jealousy, as she remembered the anguish that Xena's obvious lack of
interest caused her.
Xena's visit
was only a short one, yet before she left she asked Gabrielle to go for a
walk with her, and she began a conversation which would help erase the old
wounds:
" I've read every single
one of your scrolls- I picked up the first one and couldn't stop until
they were finished. I'm sorry I couldn't love you the way you deserved,
and for being too selfish to let you go. Although I never wanted you as a
lover- as you know I've always preferred men and the dangerous ones at
that, I needed the adoration. You were my inspiration as I did everything
to avoid seeing disappointment on your face, yet reading your
scrolls reminded me how much I failed. As the seasons passed I couldn't
imagine you not being there, and every time you left me my life seemed
incomplete. Perdicus, Najara, and most recently what's his face in China,
were like mortal enemies, as they threatened to take you away from me for
good.
When we were crucified I meant
what I said- you were the best thing in my life, and I would have been
contented to spend eternity with you. When we were brought to life
however, things were different, you didn't need me to protect you any
more. All I really had to offer you was my love, yet I couldn't give it to
you in the way you wanted. My pregnancy made me feel vulnerable,
especially when it became clear I was now in conflict with the gods, and
you were amazing. I knew I'd handled the entire Hope saga wrong, I still
can't believe I was so callous and uncaring, yet you didn't mention it
once. You accepted my decision to keep the baby, and showed her the same
love you extended towards me. I felt so guilty, yet all I could do was
hurt you. I can never make up for the way I treated you, I know that. But
I am truly sorry for all the times I caused you pain. I hope you can
forgive me- especially as I still owe you my happiness. You showed me how
to love, and you also made Ares admit his feelings for me. I've known
Aphrodite was in love with you for a while, and I was so relieved that she
had the courage to tell you. I can see that she is making you as
happy as you truly deserve ."
Gabrielle was
amazed by this heart pouring as she had never heard Xena speak so openly
before. Hearing the proud warrior admit to her failings finally enabled
her to put the past behind her. As she embraced her friend she was able to
respond:
" I can't deny that you
did hurt me greatly. I thought I was in love with you, and all the times
you snuck away to find relief with the first ruffian who came your way, I
felt as if my heart was being torn into little pieces. Yet I have now
realised that I was wrong to expect so much from you. Your natural
attraction to men is not a crime- even though I cannot understand it. I
only married Perdicus to make you jealous, as I have always preferred
women. I accept your apology, but only if you have forgiven me. I have
since realised that my love for you was nothing more than an infatuation.
My reactions to your behaviour were irrational and I too have a great deal
to be sorry for. Anyway that is now definitely in the past, I could not be
any happier and I can see a new contentment in you. Don't make this your
last visit, and next time make sure you bring my brother-in-law with you!"
The
two friends promised to keep in contact with each other, and a very
relieved Gabrielle returned home to her lover.
Aphrodite's
concern about not having a role to play anymore, soon proved to be
unfounded. The God of Eli, although in some ways more humane than her
Olympian relatives, had very strong, and she felt, unfair views towards
things that she held dear. His teachings had begun to appear in written
form, and Aphrodite read a copy that Gabrielle had brought home. She was
horrified to discover that he advocated male supremacy over female- it was
clear that in his world women were second class citizens with very little
rights. She was even more appalled when she found her love for Gabrielle
being described as unnatural and a perversion of nature. Angry with such
obvious mistruths she determined to spread a message of love and
tolerance. She created a new identity for herself- she became Sappho, the
lover of women and champion of their rights. Gabrielle supported her in
her cause and it wasn't long before she had a strong following which
started in their island home of Lesbos, and soon moved throughout Greece
and across the continents.
The
title came from Robbie Williams latest album- yes I admit I like his
music. Also Aphrodite's poem was actually written by Sappho herself. I'm
not sure how often this section will be updated, if anybody has any ideas
how I could improve, then please let me know (even if it includes don't
bother!)
SHEWMBO
|
