xChoice of Borias

Xena smiled as she sipped down a cup of wine, Borias was slowly coming to her point of view, and the best part for Xena's plans, Borias had begun to look at her like she was a woman that he was attracted to. All the more perfect for Xena's plan. Xena stared at the clay goblet, a slight smile on her face.

Suddenly the tent door burst open as a woman wearing a fine Red Velvet dress approached. Her eyes, and her face showed she was of Hungarian descent, like Borias. Upon her head she wore headdress adorned with silvery brass jewels.

She shouted pointing her finger at Xena, "Don't think I don't know what you're up to."

Xena nodded coolly, "Hello Natasha."

Natasha grabbed a vase and threw it against the floor and then overturned a table, "You are a whore Xena. I will not let you touch my husband."

Xena maintained an arrogant coolness, "He is the lord of this land, he touches what he wants, doesn't he?"

Natasha shouted, "He won't touch you! I don't care what you think. He won't leave me or his son for some crippled bitch."

Xena's eyes shot imaginary daggers at Natasha, "Are you afraid that a crippled woman could make your man more happy then you?"

Natasha grabbed Xena's throat, "I could kill you now!"

Xena smiled arrogantly, "Natasha… you're not going to kill me now, and even if you were, I wouldn't let you."

Xena's hand slid close to her dagger as Natasha held her right hand upon Xena's throat. Finally Natasha let go, "You'll do well to remember, I'm his wife, and you're just a crippled servant."

Xena smiled, "I'll remember alright…" She took her hand off her dagger as Natasha shot one final icy look before exiting the tent."

Once Natasha was gone, Xena grabbed her dagger and tossed it at a mirror shattering it. It took every ounce of restraint not to kill that woman. If only it wouldn't have damaged her plan…

Later that day, Xena spotted Borias as he stepped out of his tent. She put all her energy in trying to walk upright this one time. This was her shot, she tossed her cane to the ground.

Xena slyly approaching using all her effort not only to stand straight, but also to hide her discomfort. To her amazement, she was doing it pretty well. She arrived at the side of Borias who was staring at a map then slipping behind him, she put his arms warmly around his neck.

Borias shocked at first, calmed down to see that it was Xena, he felt his desire for her rise.

Xena smiled, "It gets lonely at the top."

"You push your luck Xena."

"Always."

Borias delivered an elbow to Xena forcing him off of his back, "Natasha will see us…"

Xena took a curt tone, "She knows what kinda man she has. Have you had time to consider my campaign?"

Borias eyes fell upon his soldiers, "To the east? I told you, I can't feed and transport my army half way across the world."

She stepped out in front of Borias, taking a larger view of his army, as if to size them up, "That's why we leave your army and start from scratch in the east."

Borias quickly added, "After I've paid off all my men and divided the treasure among them…" he grabbed Xena spinning her around. Xena could feel her injured legs grinding but she fought even the slightest wince as Borias spoke, "You want to just take off and keep everything for us."

Xena smiled at the notion, "By the time anyone finds out where we are, we'll be so formidable they wouldn't dare come after us."

Borias looked at his men as temptation crept in. Xena seeing her chance quickly added, "They're thugs Borias. They'd slit your throat for a dinar."

"This campaign would take me away from Natasha. You and I would be together for a long time…"

"For all time. So… do you wanna live here in squalor," Xena's voice took a seductive turn, "Or ride to glory with me?"

Borias pulled Xena closer to him, tightening his grip on her, "How can I decide when I've never ridden with you?"

Xena paused; a flash of Malitu appeared before her. For a split second, she wasn't so sure she wanted to risk getting attached again, but finally knowing her plan counted on her task she smiled, "Giddy Up."

Borias breathed with a little lustfulness as he and Xena take off into the tent to go for a ride. He does a quick check to make sure Natasha can't see anything, and then finally goes inside.

As Xena and Borias begin the foreplay Xena notices some light, she realizes that it was none other than Borias' son Balech peeking through. She pulls back to the distaste of Borias as she says, "Wait just a minute."

Xena grabs a blanket and scoops up the kid carrying him away from the tent, "Word of advice for ya kid. Never step between two people and their passion."

Xena and Borias were just seconds away from expressing their lust for one another when suddenly Natasha opened the tent door. Borias seeing her suddenly lost his smile, "Hey!"

Natasha scoffed closing the tent door, but Borias quickly followed shoving Xena back. She did not hide her smile of satisfaction, she'd just destroyed Borias' relationship with his wife, and that meant that he was all hers.

"Natasha… Natasha!"

She turned around shouting back at Borias, "What can you say to me?"

Xena stepped out to watch the fireworks as Natasha continued, "Me, and your son." Borias tried to grab Balech but Natasha smacked him back a step, "Or that whore? You must choose, Borias!"

Borias' temper rose, "If you were more of a woman I wouldn't have to choose!"

She spat in his face. Xena quickly mounted a horse, careful not to limp, then she approached Borias with her horse. She knew she'd won.

Borias reached up grabbing Xena's hand and mounting the horse as well.

Balech shouted, "Papa!"

He stopped, looking at his son, he pulled off his pendant and tossed it to him, and then rode away leaving his wife and son behind… he would never see them again.

Later Xena and Borias arrived at a clearing no less than a couple miles from where Natahsa had been left. Xena repositioned herself around and tried to kiss Borias, but he pulled back. Xena shot him a questioning look, but he said nothing. Xena reached forward to try to kiss her again, but Borias knocked her off the horse.

Finally he stepped down from the horse and put his foot on Xena's chest. He said, "Xena… you cost me my family, right now is not the time to try to kiss me. I'm going on your campaign east, not because I want to, but because you left no choice. Be quiet and do what I say cripple, or your role in the upcoming battle will come to a very quick end."

Xena smiled, she liked this rough side of Borias, this was the wild beast she wanted. She said in a very seductive manner, "Whatever you wish my lord…"

Borias removed his foot from off her chest, he then grabbed her cane and tossed it at her. "Get up."

Xena grabbed the cane, that reminder of her weakness, then she finally struggled to her feet. Xena asked, "Which way should we take? North above the Caspian? Or Due East into Anatolia, and then Persia."

Borias examined the map, "You've never been that far north in the winter have you? It will be too cold to go through the north. We'll travel through Anatolia, and begin building an army."

Xena grabbed his shoulders rubbing them softly. Borias said in a chilling tone, "Remember your place woman. If I returned to Natasha with just your head… she might forgive me, don't forget that."

The feral beast inside Xena loved that line, the danger, it was like an elixir, an intoxication to her. Soon her dreams of conquest would be fulfilled by the side of Borias. The world would tremble.