"Xena?" leigh asked realising that xena had once again gotten up early but was nowhere to be seen in the room. "Where the hell did she go?" Leigh asked frustrated, slowly rubbing her eyes, trying to keep them open.
"Morning sleepy head" a voice entered the room. Leigh looked confused, she hadn't even heard the room door open!
"what?! the door?? where did you....." leigh asked confused.
"I have ...."
"yeah yeah you have many skills" leigh smirked, Xena couldn't help but smile also.
"So i brought you up some breakfast they had spare.... since you slept through it" xena said. Leigh smiled, then looked hungrily at the plate set down beside her.
Xena couldn't help but laugh at the size of this girl compared to her huge appetite.
"Right, I'll be back soon. I just need to check on Argo. Go to the market place if you wish. I'll meet you back at the tavern in a short while." With this Xena left the room, leaving a very puzzled Leigh sitting on the bed.
'did she forget my birthday?' she thought. Her heart slightly sinking at the thought. She finished her breakfast and got dressed. "May aswell go shop and
drown my sorrows in the tavern i suppose" leigh sighed and left the room.
Xena was talking to argo. "Got that girl? course you have. It should be perfect" she said smiling to herself, loading various bags onto Argos saddle.
Leigh had bought a couple of scrolls for her writing and drawing and headed back to the tavern. She shouted towards that barkeep.
"Give me a port please?"
"Coming right up" the barkeep replied, shortly giving her a nice mug of port. Leigh sat and drank thinking about how much her life had changed. How much
she loved xena and finially decided that she supposed it was ok if Xena had forgotten this once. She had had a few problems recently. She continued sipping
her drink declaring not to let this mini error bring her down.
Xena was riding along a narrow path. She pulled Argos reigns, halting the horse. She cocked her head slightly to the side and listened to her surroundings.
A small curl appeared on the side of he lips. She pulled out her chakram, heaving it towards a tree. A man fell out, causing 6 more men to charge from the
surrounding bushes. Xena yelled her war cry, flipping off the horse and and landing infront, un sheathing her sword. The men charged at her. She dodged the
first attack easily, pushing the man into a near by tree. The second and third got a swifty kick to each side of their head and fell to the ground. Xena
punched the fourth in the head, dropping him to his knees before hitting the fifth on the chest with the butt of her sword. Finishing off the fourth man of his knees with a kick to the chest she turned to the sixth man and swung her sword. The mans eyes, wide with fear. He turned from her screaming and running in the opposite direction.
Xena smiled proudly, turning round and walking back towards argo and giving the mare a stroke on the nose. She climbed back up and headed back down the road.
"Woooah girl" she said. "We are here". Xena quickly dissmounted and sorted out what she needed. "Perfect" she said reasuringly to herself. "Right girl, lets get back to the village" she said with a slight flick of the reigns.
Leigh was on her 4th mug of port, she had started to feel a little tipsy but years of drinking with Xena had finished her era of being a lightweight. The next thing she knew a nice pair of strong arms were wrapped around her. Leigh knew who it was instantly, breathing in the sweet scent of Xena standing behind her.
"mmmmmmm" was all leigh managed to get out.
"Come with me" Xena said.
"Why?" leigh asked puzzled.
"come with me and you'll find out" xena smirked. Leigh looked at her suspiciously, not sure how to take this. She got up slowly, holding the warriors hand and was led to Argo.
"Xena what is all this?" Leigh asked, still very confused. Xena had climbed up on argo, she had an arm out reached. leigh took it instinctively, knowing that the warrior princess had no intention of telling her why. Leigh sighed and wrapped her arms around xena, savouring the closeness. Argo then took off, continuing down a narrow path.
Afew candle marks later and Xena halted Argo yet again. Climbing down and helping Leigh with her. It was dusk now, a lovely red and orange sky illuminated the landscape. Xena led leigh by the hands through a clearing. Leighs mouth dropped instantly. She viewed an open meadow, the view was beautiful. Around her was some bed rolls and what appeared to be a picnic. A tear formed in Leighs eyes. It was all too beautiful to describe.
"Happy birthday Leigh" Xena smiled softly and loving at her partner, holding out a gift.
"I thought you forgot!" Leigh exclaimed. Giving Xena a mighty hug and taking the parchement from Xenas hand. She started to unravel the paper.
"I had Sappho jot something down for you" Xena smiled. Leighs grin widened.
"Sappho? Thee sappho?!" Xena just nodded. Leigh un ravelled it and started to read the poem infront of her.
