CONQUERING THE CONQUEROR

pt.23

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.