With the morning comes an empty bed. Not surprising as I doubt she's ever been one for sleeping in. Still, There's a feeling of disappointment I can't help. Closing my eyes I take a deep calming breath. My skin still tingles from her touch, my heart beating faster at just the thought.

Crawling my way out of the bed, I pull on my discarded shift and begin to hobble towards my room. The villa is alive with movement as workers and guards move about. Several people ask to assist me to my room, but I politely decline. I've gotten to know many of these soldiers well, treating them or their friends. They seem to accept me now, whereas before they often looked at me with hostility.

After getting some clean clothes on, I flop back onto my bed. Last night expressed so many things, but it's still left so many unanswered questions. There's this undeniable pull we have towards each other, something so deep inside me I can't even put words to it. I step back out into the cool air. Slowly, winter is falling upon us. The halls have stilled and the air hangs quiet. It seems peaceful, but it belies the true nature of this place.

The kitchen is a hive of activity. It's hot and smells of something truly delicious. Workers rush about as Cyrene yells out instructions.

"Oh honey." Cyrene spots me, wrapping me in a hug. "How are you feeling today?" Her eyes shift to my foot.

"A lot better." It's actually excruciatingly painful.

"Sit, sit." She starts ushering me to a table. Soon plates of food fill the space before me, as Cyrene urges me to eat.

"Have you seen Xena?" I pop a fig into my mouth.

"Oh she's out hunting. I think she needed a little break." A break? She has multiple injuries that haven"t healed and just got back from a war. The break should be to heal, not out finding something else to kill. Maybe the break is from me, maybe she regrets last night. I excuse myself after eating enough to feed two people.

Eventually I find myself in xena's library of scrolls, losing myself in prosaic words. I want to write xena's story and have it be as beautiful as these are, but I don't think I have half of this talent.

"I thought I'd find you here." Her voice holds an air of authority. Xena leans against the archway, clad in black leather.

"Well, not much else I can do." I point at my ankle. I'm trying my best not to feel nervous.

"I suppose not." Xena pushes off the frame, striding her way to the chair across from me. She slouches down into it, one arm hanging over the back. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to say something here.

Alexius walks in with a bowl of grapes that he sits carefully on the small table between us before quickly walking back out. Xena grabs a few and begins to pop them into her mouth nonchalantly.

"Your mom said you went out hunting." I attempt conversation.

"Did she?" Xena's eye contact is slightly unnerving.

"Did you get anything?"

"I always get something." Her eyes narrow as she continues to toss grapes in her mouth.

"The last of the wounded will be leaving in the next day or two." I try to change the subject.

"So they will." Xena's apparently finished with the grapes now. Is she purposefully being this frustrating?

"Winter is coming on. Sooner rather than later."

"Hmmm." Is all she says.

"What's going on here Xena?" It's my turn to scrutinize her. She looks at me a moment before standing, holding her hand out to me.

"Come."

"I'm not here to be at your beck and call." Her jaw clenches.

"Please." I regard her a moment longer before taking her hand. I feel like I walk this fine line with her. Like at any moment that caged monster she so often talks about, will come raging out at me.

"Where's your staff?" Xena asks, eyes darting about the room.

"I uhh, left it in my room.'' She makes a tsking noise at me.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Her eyebrow cocks up.

"What? No." I don't remotely sound convincing. "And what about you?" I try to reach for a bandage on her arm but she swats my hand away.

"I'm used to it. You however.." Xena looks me up and down.

"What are you trying to say?" My brow furrows.

"Let's just say, you're no warrior." She smirks. I'm not sure yet if I should be offended. I'll withhold it for the time being.

"What does being a warrior have to do with healing?" I narrow my eyes at her.

"I can handle the pain and the scars." She shrugs. OK, so now I'm starting to get offended.

"Look Xena, I think I'm going to go take a bath."

"Good thing that's where we're headed."

"OK well then I'm going to go the other way." I start to hobble towards the kitchen. The staff really would be helpful right about now. Xena growls behind me.

"By Hades, you are stubborn." She mumbles.

"Well if you hadn't noticed, I'm not one of your conquests." I continue my rather undignified hobble down the hall.

"No, you definitely are not." Xena grabs my bicep, stopping me. Still I refuse to turn. "You wouldn't be getting away with talking to me the way you do."

"And what exactly would you do, Xena?" She pulls me roughly back against her body.

"With you?" She whispers hotly in my ear. "I can think of quite a few things." Now I may be naive about a lot of things, but I have a very vivid imagination. I clear my throat.

"I believe you said something about a bath?" My voice is slightly higher than usual. Xena chuckles and saunters past me like a panther. I might be drooling. I also think she forgot about my ankle.

TBC Vol II