MINYA
(Talking to herself) Almost. Come on, last one.
Minya grunted as she pulled a large mirror over to where a series of other mirrors stood, before getting it where she wanted and standing up straight as she took a breather and spotted Hower coming her way.
MINYA
Oh, Hower.
The farmer woman walked up to Hower.
MINYA
Xena's here. Isn't she amazing? She's so strong, so confident, so brave, so...
HOWER
Beautiful.
MINYA
Wha...?
Minya looked in the direction that Hower's attention had suddenly been drawn, to see Xena walking out of the bath hut as the warrior rang out her wet hair, seemingly in slow motion to the man as Minya scoffed.
MINYA
Well, she's all right, if you like that type.
Ignoring the woman's comment, Hower eagerly hurried over to the warrior woman.
HOWER
Xena, I delivered your message to Zagreas.
XENA
Good. And let me guess, he wanted to know what I was up to and decided to hold off his attack on Piedmont until he could figure it out. So he didn't have any interest in my offer.
The farmer looked at Xena in surprise.
HOWER
Uh, yeah. How did you know that?
XENA
Zagreas and I go back a ways. And honestly the man's a coward who wouldn't even trust his own mother.
Xena paused for a moment as more of her plan began to take shape in her head, before giving Hower new instructions.
XENA
Hower, go back to him and tell him that I don't mind if he raids Piedmont, but he'd better not come anywhere close to Laurel. Got it?
HOWER
All right, anything you want, Xena.
Hower smiled bashfully as he began turning to leave once more.
HOWER
Well, I'm going now, Xena.
MINYA
Bye, Hower.
Minya smiled at the man who just eyed her uninterested as he continued on his way, leaving Minya's smile to quickly fade. Seeing the interaction, the warrior then took it upon herself to try and fix the issue that her presence had unintentionally created.
XENA
Hey! Hower.
Hearing the woman call him, The man looked back toward Xena.
XENA
Say goodbye to Minya.
Hower looked from the taller dark-haired woman to the other and sighed as he nodded toward Minya and bid her a reluctant goodbye before much to Minya's surprise, ran off
MINYA
He's running? He doesn't run for anything except when I call him for food.
Minya then turned her eyes toward Xena and gave her an unseen glare as Gabrielle exited the bath hut and came over to meet the other two women.
GABRIELLE
Where's he going?
XENA
Another errand.
Tired of the man's infatuation with her along with the dagger's being stared at her from Minya, the raven-haired woman turned to talk quietly to the bard..
XENA
When Hower gets back, one of us has got to talk to him.
Rolling her eyes at the situation, Xena headed off to escape the farm woman's silent fury, as Gabrielle tried to think of what she should say to Minya before noticing something sitting on a barrel behind her.
GABRIELLE
Minya, that wouldn't happen to be your frying pan, would it?
The farmer woman looked over her shoulder for a moment before bringing her attention back to the bard.
MINYA
Yeah, why?
Gabrielle smiled as she got an idea of her own.
GABRIELLE
Can I interest you in a trade?
Minya looked at the young woman with interest.
MINYA
Depends. What did you have in mind?
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It was a little later as Xena stepped back slightly, avoiding the swing of Gabrielle's staff as the warrior helped Gabrielle get a bit of fighting practice in.
XENA
(Teasing tone) Come on Gabrielle, you know you're gonna have to do better than that.
The bard smirked as she began to swing at Xena again, then abruptly stopped and changed the direction of her attack. But again missed her target as Xena easily ducked out of the way. While crouched, the warrior suddenly heard a noise that seemed to catch her attention as she looked away from Gabrielle, who saw this as an opportunity and immediately continued her offense by bringing the bottom of her staff up but was stopped by the warrior catching the weapon without even having to look.
GABRIELLE
(Slightly annoyed tone) Oh, come on.
XENA
What was that?
Having a suspcion of what the sound she just heard was, Xena eyed the younger woman for a moment before walking away to investigate.
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
Xena made her way around a hut to see Minya standing there rubbing her leg and couldn't help but notice something that the woman was holding.
MINYA
Ow!
XENA
Hey!
The dark-haired warrior marched over to Minya and snatched her whip from the farmer woman's hand.
XENA
What are you doing with my whip? You're gonna hurt yourself with that.
Minya scoffed.
MINYA
It's not your whip, anymore. I traded blondie there my best frying pan for it.
Not happy about what she had just heard, Xena looked over to Gabrielle with an annoyed expression on her face, as the bard immediately tried to explain.
GABRIELLE
Look Xena, we have to cook our food with something. And I really don't enjoy having to worry about things not being done before I eat it.
Xena narrowed her eyes in suspicion at the other woman.
XENA
(Slightly annoyed tone) This isn't just about cooking, is it? I messed with your scroll, so you decide to trade my whip for a frying pan?
Turning her eyes away after being caught red-handed in her true motivation, Gabrielle tried her best to play innocent.
GABRIELLE
(Lying) I don't know what you're talking about.
XENA
(Irritated/ Sarcastic tone) I'm sure you don't.
Giving the woman a low, annoyed growl, Xena turned her focus to Minya and held out her hand.
XENA
Yeah well I'll be taking that back now.
MINYA
No, it belongs to me.
Minya held the whip further away from the warrior.
XENA
(Flat tone) You can't be serious.
MINYA
(Slightly Irritated tone) Hey! I traded for this fair and square. Or do you not understand the concept?
Xena gave Minya a slightly confused look as the farm woman continued.
MINYA
(Slightly Irritated tone) The whip is mine. The frying pan's yours.
(Irritated tone) Hower is mine!
Minya looked at Gabrielle for a moment.
MINYA
She's yours.
The bard leaned in to speak quickly to Xena.
GABRIELLE
(Whisper) Why do I feel like I'm supposed to be insulted?
Not wanting to deal with the nonsense anymore, Xena sighed to herself as she turned to leave.
XENA
I'm going to see where that giant is. Get the mirrors over to the northern most part of the village.
Not saying another thing, Xena walked over to where Argo was waiting, and after getting into the saddle rode off. But not before she heard Minya shout after her as she left.
MINYA
You're not the only tough broad around here, you know?! You can run, but you can't hide!
(Muttering to herself) Warrior Princess, my ass.
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
Xena rode outside of the village for a bit until she met up with Hower, who hurried over to meet her as she dismounted her mare.
HOWER
Oh Xena, glad you're here. Zagreas...
XENA
Is heading this way.
Hower was about to ask how Xena knew what he was going to tell her, when the warrior, also anticipating that question as well, continued.
XENA
Scum always floats to the surface. He wants to see what I'm doing in Laurel. If I'm here, he figures there must be some profit in it.
HOWER
Okay. But why do you want him to come this way? Won't that make things worse when we have both the giant and Zagreas' army to deal with?
Xena smirked.
XENA
Not if we do things right.
Hower watched as Xena walked past him and crouched down to investigate something on the ground.
HOWER
What are you doing?
The man moved to stand beside Xena to see what the woman was looking at.
HOWER
Woah. And I thought my feet were big.
Hower watched for a moment as Xena measured a very large footprint that sat amongst many others which had very clearly been left behind by a giant.
XENA
Yup, this has gotta be Gareth all right.
HOWER
Who's Gareth?
The dark-haired woman stood and brushed off her hands as she looked out to the distance and a small smirk crossed her lips.
XENA
Only the biggest and meanest giant who ever walked the Earth.
TO BE CONTINUED…