ELLE
Chilly this morning, isn't it?
GABRIELLE
A little.
Gabrielle took a spoonful of her hot porridge and blew on it before putting the food in her mouth.
ELLE
(Joking) Well, at least we have a nice hot bowl of mush to warm us up.
Elle took a spoonful of her own breakfast and grimaced at the taste, before forcing herself to swallow.
ELLE
Though I can't say as much about the flavor.
The young woman looked down at the bowl sitting in front of her and moved the portage around with her spoon.
ELLE
What did that old hag put in this?
GABRIELLE
Come on, Elle, it's not that bad.
ELLE
Here, you can have mine then.
Elle pushed her bowl across the table toward Gabrielle, who slid it back to Elle.
GABRIELLE
I'm good, thanks.
Elle gave Gabrielle a suspicious look.
ELLE
Uh huh. Not that bad? Sure.
?
More complaints about my cooking, Elle?
Both young women at the table looked to the side and saw Isidora standing near the table with a stack of empty plates and bowls in her hands.
ELLE
Yeah, you can't do it.
The old woman scowled.
ISIDORA
You clearly have no actual taste. Because if I couldn't cook, I wouldn't be here.
ELLE
Well, you really dropped the ball today with this slop.
Elle scooped up a spoonful of the mush and let it plop off her utensil and back into the bowl.
ISIDORA
Well, no one's making you eat it.
ELLE
Good thing. Because forcing anyone to eat this might be considered a new form of torture.
The old woman gave Elle an angry look before grabbing her and Gabrielle's bowls and then dumpling the contents of Elle's bowl onto the young woman's head before turning and walking away, muttering to herself.
ISIDORA
(Muttering) Ungrateful little harpy. She's lucky that the Conqueror is around. One day... And I swear, if it's not soon...
Gabrielle and Elle watched as the old woman walked away before standing from her seat.
GABRIELLE
I guess I'll just head to the archives.
ELLE
(Half joking) Take me with you. Don't make me go into that kitchen with that hag.
GABRIELLE
You know, maybe if you didn't call Isidora a hag, she might be a little nicer to you.
ELLE
Easy for you to say, you don't work with the woman every day. Besides, you've seen her. She's not exactly fun to be around.
Gabrielle eyed the other woman as she smirked.
GABRIELLE
Well, maybe you just need to get to know her better.
Elle frowned at the comment, recognizing it as being suspiciously similar to what she had said to Gabrielle regarding the Conqueror.
ELLE
(Sarcasm) Remind me to watch what I say to you from now on.
Xena sat in her study as she looked over multiple papers and maps before her work was interrupted by a knock on the door.
XENA
Enter.
The Conqueror looked up from the paper she had been reading as Leonidas walked into the room.
LEONIDAS
Good morning, my lord. You're looking well.
XENA
Better than I've been. What did you need?
Xena returned to looking over her papers while Leonidas made his way to her desk.
LEONIDAS
We just received word that there's been some suspicious activity taking place around the border.
The lieutenant's word's getting her attention. Xena set what she'd been looking at aside and gave Leonidas her full attention.
XENA
Suspicious in what way?
LEONIDAS
We're not quite sure, but it seems that a fair amount of their warriors are gathering near the border.
XENA
Do we know what for? Or where they could be heading?
LEONIDAS
Not at the moment.
Xena scowled as she rose from her chair.
XENA
(Quiet angry tone) Draco. So he's finally decided to make his next move.
Xena moved from behind her desk and began walking with purpose toward her door.
XENA
(Quiet angry tone) That son of a bitch is gonna pay for what he did last time.
LEONIDAS
Actually, there still hasn't been any news about any kind of activity within or near the borders of Draco.
The Conqueror paused in her step as she turned back to face Leonidas.
XENA
It's not Draco? Who is it then?
LEONIDAS
Amazons. And a good number of them too.
XENA
Amazons?
Xena thought for a moment, puzzled by the information, before speaking again.
XENA
Which tribe?
LEONIDAS
We aren't completely certain, but it does appear likely to be the tribe of the Amazon queen Melosa.
Again, confused by the unexpected information, Xena thought out loud as she moved back to her desk.
XENA
Melosa's tribe? What are they doing around here?
LEONIDAS
Should we deploy our defenses?
XENA
No, I don't think that'll be necessary. Not just yet, anyway.
Xena sat back down.
XENA
If it is Melosa's tribe, she's always been a trustworthy woman. And given that we're allies, I see no reason why she would throw away our treaty and alliance without justification. Especially when she knows that the cost for both sides would be far too high if there were to be some kind of war.
LEONIDAS
Is it possible she got word of your injury and is looking to possibly make a move while you appear vulnerable?
XENA
No, that's not her style. We don't agree on a lot of things, but she's an honorable woman and leader to her people. So why ever she may be sending her Amazons here, I'm sure that it's with good reason.
Xena paused for a moment as she thought it possible that it wasn't women from Melosa's tribe that were waiting on her territory's border. As she did have a very checkered reputation in her dealings with the Amazon's as a whole. With her making enemies out of multiple of the various tribes of women in her even darker days of her temporary alliance with the evil sorceresses Alti. And it was possible that Leonidas was somewhat correct in his thought of the possibility of people hearing of Xena's injury, and some of the survivors from those northern Amazon encounters could see Xena's current condition as the perfect opportunity to exact their revenge. So, not knowing exactly who it was that they were dealing with or why, even if it did turn out to be an ally, Xena decided that it was best for her to air on the side of caution.
XENA
But in case it doesn't turn out to be Melosa's tribe, perhaps it would be better to send some people out there to meet them. But we'll keep it a small battalion and won't engage until we're certain of who we're dealing with and why they're here.
LEONIDAS
As you wish my lord.
The lieutenant brought his fist to his chest in salute to the Conqueror.
LEONIDAS
I'll gather the men and head out immediately.
XENA
Very good. Dismissed.
Leonidas bowed his head slightly before turning around and leaving the room to do as instructed, as Xena learned back in her chair as she brought her hand to her chest where her wound had begun to hurt again and scowled.
XENA
(Thinking to herself Sarcastically) Just what I need right now is to deal with the possibility of another enemy attack.
The Conqueror sighed as she stood to walk around the keep a little to clear her thoughts as she waited to see who it was that was encroaching on her lands. But little did Xena know that, because of the approaching forces, soon her keep would become the center of an unexpected level of chaos. And not in any way that Xena would have expected.
TO BE CONTINUED...