XENA
(Huffing/ frustrated tone) Damn it.
The Conqueror gripped at the curtain as she attempted to make her way over to a chair that sat by a window in her study.
LEONIDAS
Are you sure you should be out of bed right now my lord? You still aren't nearly recovered from your injuries yet.
Xena looked at her lieutenant as she caught her breath and tried to ignore the pain from her wounds that were still in the process of healing.
XENA
(Irritated tone) What do you expect me to do Leonidas, just lay around in bed all day and night doing nothing?
LEONIDAS
Knowing you I'm well aware that just isn't gonna happen. But even so, you still mustn't push yourself. The healers warned you that...
XENA
(Irritated tone) I know what they said Leonidas. You forget that I know just as much if not more about medicine and treating injuries than all of those healers combined. Hades, I even thought half of them most of what they know. So even if those idiots don't seem to think so, I do actually know what I'm doing. Besides there really isn't any difference between sitting in a bed or a chair so if any of them have anything to say about where I decide to sit in my own home then injured or not, you tell them that they can come try making me stay in bed and see how that works out for them.
LEONIDAS
I'm sure they'd much rather just take you at your word my lord.
XENA
If they know what's good for 'em, they will.
LEONIDAS
Well if there isn't anything you need.
XENA
Actually there is something.
LEONIDAS
Hm?
XENA
My maps.
LEONIDAS
Your maps? What for? You know you're not in any condition to be traveling right now.
XENA
Oh please Leonidas, I'm not stupid. I'm fully aware that as much as I might not like it, I'm likely not going to be fit to go anywhere until mid winter or possibly even spring. Depending on how well my wounds heal. But while I might not be able to go into combat for the foreseeable future, both Draco and Ares still need to be dealt with.
(Quiet angry tone) Because if either of those bastards think that I'm just gonna sit here licking my wounds and let them get away with any of this, they've obviously forgotten just who I am.
LEONIDAS
What do plan to do?
XENA
I haven't quite decided yet,
(Sinister tone) But believe me when I say that God or not, I'm gonna give both of those bastards a very firm reminder of who they're dealing with. One that they or anyone else who would dare try to follow their lead won't soon forget.
The sun hung low in the darkening sky as a brisk wind blew through the few remaining multi colored leaves that still hung on the mid autumn trees. Xena reclined in a comfortable chair as she watched Gabrielle writing down her response to one of the several letters that she had received. The contents of the letters weren't anything of much importance, but injured or not things still needed to be done in order to keep the Conqueror's empire running smoothly. The crackling of the fire in the fireplace along with the light scratching of the quill point on the paper filled the silence between Xena's words.
XENA
I think that should be good for that one. You know the drill.
GABRIELLE
Yes.
As per usual when she finished writing a letter for the Conqueror, Gabrielle marked it with Xena's symbol at the bottom of the letter before rolling it up, pouring a dab of melted wax on it and stamping the Conqueror's insignia into the hot wax before it cooled and sealed the letter closed.
XENA
How many more are there?
GABRIELLE
Just one my lord.
XENA
Good. Let's hurry up and get this done with already. Then I'll finally be caught up on all of this crap.
It had been over a week since Xena had returned to a semi normal routine of work. And over a month and a half after she had originally been injured in her fight against Draco. Where she normally would move about the keep as she wished, even though her injury was healing, Xena had just decided it would be best to stay in her private quarters as much as possible until she could further recover. Especially given that she still was still experiencing some pain when she would move the wrong way or over exert herself. As well as times when she would get short of breath from moving around too much. But though the Conqueror would spend a fair amount of time in her private quarters on a regular basis, Xena wasn't too fond of not having much of a choice in the matter nonetheless. After all she was a woman who had become accustomed to getting her way. Either through either intimidation, force, respect or some combination of the three. But her own body as ironic as it seemed was the one thing where none of those methods of getting what Xena wanted wouldn't work. And in all honesty it was only through her sheer force of will that she had even recovered as much as she had already. But for all her medical know how, Xena knew that this serious of an injury was going to take a fairly lengthy time to heal completely. Not to say that she had to be happy about it in the meantime. Which she most definitely was not. Especially since she was certain that Draco was likely having a good laugh at her expanse. And given that she had yet to retaliate against him in any way after his attack on Amphipolis, Xena knew that it was only a matter of time until the warlord made his next move against her. But knowing she was injured, Xena wondered why he hadn't done anything yet. What was he waiting for? What did he have planned? And Ares, what did he get out of this? Had he actually given up on trying to get Xena to fight for him and instead chosen Draco as his champion for whatever he had originally wanted Xena for? Too many questions and not enough answers were all Xena had for that situation at the moment. And unfortunately there wasn't alot that she could do about any of it, other than to trust those she had spread across her territory who either were employed by the empire such as guards and the like or those who worked for Xena directly to keep her well informed of anything even remotely significant that happened within her boarders. And though she trusted them to do their due diligence in keeping her informed on anything that she would need to know, sending messages across such a vast expanse of land took time. Not that Xena could simply hurry to the other side of her territory on a moments notice even if she were perfectly healthy anyway. But her injury paired with the unexpected alliance between Draco and Ares made Xena feel as though she was beginning to lose the tight grip on that sense of control and power that she always liked to have. And that was yet one more thing about the entire situation that truly infuriated Xena to no end. And in the Conqueror's deepest and darkest memories that she had tried her hardest to seal away lingered the feeling of being in a similar situation of not being able to control a terrible situation as it would soon become something far worse. A dark day that would become the catalyst for the woman that she had become.
GABRIELLE
Um if we're done with the letters, is it okay if I go now?
XENA
Huh?
Hearing Gabrielle suddenly speak brought the Conqueror out of her thoughts as she focused on the young woman who was seated at the desk unsure of what she should do.
XENA
Oh right I guess we're done with all of that back work finally.
Gabrielle saw as the Conqueror appeared to become thoughtful for a moment once more before she resumed speaking again.
XENA
Yes I think that'll be all for today.
Xena casually waved Gabrielle off and leaned further into her seat as she felt a bit relieved that she had finally finished the backlog of work that had quickly pulled up while she was incomassitated. She quickly watched as Gabrielle stood from her seat and began picking up the various scrolls that were scattered across the desk.
XENA
You can just leave those there, I'll have them sent out tomorrow. You've been working hard the past few days, so go get yourself a good nights rest.
Gabrielle stopped what she was doing and looked at the Conqueror as she held a couple of scrolls in her arm.
GABRIELLE
Are you sure? I mean it's not really that much more work for me to give these to one of the message carriers like I usually do.
XENA
Nah it fine. Given how late it is they wouldn't leave with 'em until tomorrow anyway.
GABRIELLE
Okay. I'll just leave them here then.
Gabrielle placed the scrolls she held neatly back on the desk before turning to face the Conqueror who remained seated.
GABRIELLE
I'll be going now if that's okay.
Xena casually waved for Gabrielle to take her leave and sat quietly as Gabrielle left her quarters. Once Xena watched the door shut behind the young woman, the Conqueror let her head fall back as she tried to relax her still aching body and will the lingering memories that invaded her mind moments ago to recede back into the dark place within her mind where it normally resided. But though Xena tried to force the particular thoughts away as she always did whenever they would enviably find their way to the forefront of her mind, this time there seemed to be no putting those thoughts and memories away. And Xena knew exactly why.
XENA
(Talking to herself) She's here. In the same building. But it's a big place I could very easily just avoid her until I'm certain that Amphipolis is safe and just send her back without ever having to come in contact with her. Not that she wouldn't be just fine with that either. Honestly that's probably the smart thing to do here.
Xena sat with her thoughts for several moments before she finally sighed to herself as she knew that the resurfaced thoughts and memories weren't going to go away for as long as the keeps newest guest was there. And until the situation with Draco and Ares was resolved, Xena didn't feel right even entertaining the thought of sending that person back to Amphipolis.
XENA
(Talking to herself /annoyed tone) Alright, alright I'll go. Though I don't know what good it could possibly do.
I'm sure she's already pissed off about being forced out of her home and being brought here of all places.
Xena chuckled Sarcastically to herself.
XENA
(Sarcasm) And I'm sure seeing me will definitely help to improve her mood.
Xena sighed to herself as her mind was made up regardless of the certain disaster that she knew awaited her in a room within her own keep..
XENA
Guess I should go before it gets too late.
So though her body hurt Xena stood from her seat with a groan and made her way out of her quarters. She moved slowly and carefully though the halls as she did her best to not aggravate her still healing injury or over exhaust herself from defending the couple flights of stairs until she reached the floor that her unhappy guest room was on.
XENA
(Thinking to herself) Why I thought putting my quarters on the top floor of this place was a good idea I'll never know.
The Conqueror huffed as her injury caused her to once again feel slightly winded from the physical activity of defending multiple flights of stairs. After a couple moments Xena caught her breath and carried on as she made her way down the hallway until she reached the room where the keeps newest guest resided. Xena stood before the door for a long moment as she felt herself becoming uncharacteristically nervous about what could happen once she opened that door. But determined to not have what was at that moment a strenuous trip, Xena's stubbornness wouldn't allow her to just turn around and go back to her private quarters without doing what she had come there to do. So though she had about a dozen different scenarios of how what she was about to do would turn out and none of them turning out well, Xena reached up and knocked on the door, which in itself felt slightly odd as this was her home but it wasn't as though she frequently went to her servant's or soldiers rooms. Typically if she wanted to speak to someone whither it was a solder, servant or even a guest that was visiting the keep for whatever reason, they were summoned to come to her or whatever she wanted them to meet. But this was different. After all the person that resided on the other side of that door was not just any run of the mill guest like a local ruler looking to strike a deal in order to avoid enduring Xena's wrath or some dignitary from another country to establish a treaty or trade route between the two rulers. Or even a tense meeting where the threat of war hinders on what the Conqueror chooses to say. But no who awaited Xena on the other side of that door was someone that Xena knew would be far more difficult to sway or even speak to then any leader she could ever even hope to deal with. So with a quick knock, Xena stood there for a moment that to her felt much clearer to an eternity until the door opened and the Conqueror stood face to face with someone who she had in all honesty thought that she would never see let alone stand within arms reach ever again.as she felt a mix of emotions began working their way to the surface but was still able to keep them in check for the time being as the two stood looking at each other for a long moment until the Conqueror finally broke the tense silence that hung between them.
XENA
I guess it's been a long time, hasn't it mother?
TO BE CONTINUED...