By L. Crystal Michallet-Romero
Copyright © October 6, 2001 L. Crystal Michallet-Romero
All Rights Reserved
Disclaimer: Xena Warrior Princess, its characters, and all related materials are the property of MCA/Universal and
Renaissance Pictures. The other characters are mine.
Rated: PG-13, some scary parts for very young children.
Violence: None
Sexual Violence: None
Subtext: Yes
Samhain – (prounced SOW-in, SAH-vin, or SAM-hayne) Means “End of Summer,” and was celebrated at the third and final
harvest. The dark winter half of the year beings on this Sabbat. It is generally celebrated on October 31st, but some traditions
prefer November 1st. Samhain became known at the Feast of the Dead and was celebrated in Celtic countries by leaving food
offerings on altars and doorsteps for the “wandering dead.”
Persephone – The beautiful daughter of Demeter and Zeus. Persephone’s story centers on the division of the seasons, where she is
abducted by Hades and taken to the underworld kingdom. For six months, Persephone resided with her husband in the underworld,
then would reemerge to live with her mother for six months. Each time Persephone left her mother to live in the underworld,
Demeter was consumed with rage and sorrow which resulted in the punishment of earth by bitter cold and blustering winds.
Persephone’s story can be found in the Iliad, by Homer.
With meticulous ease, Gabrielle glanced at first one, then another. Her brows were creased in deep concentration while her
fingers gently poked and prodded. Not pleased with each selection, she frowned as she continued to sort through the basket.
“Gabrielle, would you just pick one?” the impatient warrior shifted in place as she crossed her arms.
“Xena, this has to be done carefully. This is a very special holiday, we can’t just settle on the first one,” the blonde tried to
explain to her companion.
With an audible sigh, Xena glanced at the basket of fruit. Seeing one, she reached into the basket and held it out to her lover,
“How about this one?”
Gabrielle glanced at the fruit, her incredulous expression visible as she took the offered fruit and inspected it. “Xena, this isn’t
even ripe yet, look,” she said as she pushed the tip of her thumb into the unyielding fruit. “We can’t have that tonight, it’s not
ready.”
“Gabrielle…..” Xena’s tone was laced with annoyance, the whiney quality began to take hold,“I just don’t understand how
difficult it can be to pick out a pomegranate.”
“Not just any pomegranate, but one worthy of tonight’s celebration,” at the thought of the night of love in store for them,
Gabrielle’s cheeks turned a slight shade of red as she glanced up at her lover, then she turned a dismissing glance toward the
owner of the fruit stand.
“Oh yeah!” The brunette smiled blissfully as her mind conjured up images of what the night would bring for them. As an
after thought, she arched a questioning brow, “Gabrielle, not that I need an excuse to make love to you, but tell me again why
we’re doing this?”
“Because, tonight is Samhain, the Celtic holiday when time and space are temporarily merged and the spirits are free to either
pass their blessings or tricks onto the living. And the pomegranate is a symbol for the Goddess Persephone. Tonight is when
she has to leave her mother, Demeter to join her husband Hades.”
“But if we’re not in Celt anymore, why are we celebrating their holiday? Can’t we just choose one tradition to follow?” Xena’
s impatience at shopping was starting to show through the tone of her voice.
“Xena, we could just celebrate the tradition of our people,” Gabrielle agreed, then smiled as her eyes got a far off look, “but
we’ve traveled to far lands, and learned so many other traditions and beliefs. Some similar to what we know, yet others… so
very different. I just thought it would be nice if we started our own tradition by incorporating what we like from others!
Maybe by mixing up all of the traditions, we can create our form of magic,” the smaller woman’s excitement was contagious.
“Sort of like, making them our own?” the tall warrior’s lips turned slightly upward as she smiled down at her lover. Gazing
upward, the bard’s green eyes sparkled in the afternoon sun.
“Why not have our own traditions, things that are just ours alone?” Gabrielle’s voice lowered as she looked shyly away.
“Alright, we start our own tradition by honoring the traditions of other cultures, but don’t ever ask me to dress up and go from
door to door!” Xena stated as she returned her glanced to the contents in the basket. “Tell me again, why a pomegranate?”
“Because the pomegranate represents the Goddess Persephone and the sacrifice she is making,” the ever patient storyteller
explained. When Gabrielle saw her tall lover’s arched brow, she smiled as she reached over to a pomegranate that had been
sliced open and sitting on a plate, “See how womanly the pomegranate is?” Gabrielle asked with a hushed whisper as she
showed the inner fruit to the Greek warrior.
For a moment, Xena glanced down at the multitude of seeds nestled within the fruit. Her lips scowled as she tried to
understand her lover’s words, then, as she focused on a single seed her lips turned into a broad smile as dawning came over
her. “Oh yes, I can defiantly see the similarities!” Xena agreed as she took the fruit from her spouse and began to compare
the shape of the seed to that oh so special, and sweetly delicious nub nestled between Gabrielle’s neither lips. As if reading
her mind, the blonde grabbed the fruit from her hands and returned it to the plate.
“You’ll just have to wait for that!” Gabrielle chuckled as she saw the innocent expression cross over her warrior lover. “For
now, I have to find the right one, then tonight will be perfect,” the smaller woman said as she returned to her hunt for the
perfect pomegranate.
Glancing around, Xena released an audible sigh as she grew impatient. As an idea came to mind, she turned back to her
lover, “Hey, Gabrielle, why don’t I go ahead and set up camp, do a little hunting, get our dinner started, then you can come
and join me when you’re finished?”
