Welcome to the New and Improved Xena RPG

Autolycus had travelled so far, and gotten so little. He was in search of the fabled Crown of Hera, and he hadn't gotten anywhere. As he sat down at the bar, in defeat, he looked to the barkeep. "Give me what you wouldn't give your enemy and double it." He sighed, thinking of where he went wrong. It wasn't in Athens, wasn't in Corinth. He knew it wasn't in Thessally. The only thing he knew, is they moved it around, a lot. He sighed as the barkeep placed the drink in front of him, and he quickly downed it. The king of thieves made a face, and made a incoherent sound. "Keep 'em comin'." His eyes wandered around the tavern, keeping his ears open. Anything, any kind of treasure that would keep him occupied until he figures out the moving patern of the Crown of Hera.

Eve started out of the village and began heading towards a small village that she knew was not too far from the Amazon borders. She had been there before buying supplies and knew that there was a hostel she could stay in. She ran most of the way because she had wanted to make good time, and she did.

She looked around the village and found the hostel that she was looking for, but before she went and got a room she needed food and something to drink. She entered the small tavern and went up to the bar and sat down then ordered some food and a tankard of ale.

She took a look around and didn’t recognize anyone she knew so she turned her back and took a few sips out of her tankard and thought about what to do next.

Autolycus wasn't as spry as he was when he was 20, but he could still spot a goodlooking woman when he saw when. An eyebrow raised at Eve, and he noticed something familar about her. He couldn't tell, but he knew it would come to him. He but he swagger and charm on, and smiled as he spoke. "I know the line's cliched, and it's as old as the gods themselves, but..." He placed his small fashioned shotglass down, inching closer to Eve. "What's a nice looking lady like you, doing in a dump like this?"

Eve turned and smiled at the man who had approached her and she turned her head and spoke to him.

“Well I’m just passing through on business let’s say” she looked the man up and down to see if he was a threat and he didn’t appear to be so she let him stay sitting there. She took a sip out her tankard and looked at the handsome man “and what brings you here?”

She didn’t give her name to the man on purpose, she had to be absolutely careful about who she gave it to being Xena’s daughter made her a prime target for those who wished her mother dead.

"Business, huh?" He grinned, slightly. Small world. "I'm looking for something in particular" He said, tilting his head to the side. She didn't give her name, fair enough. He offered a wrist in greeting. "Autolycus." He smiled to her lightly, there was something familar about her, he didn't know what but he would figure it out...sooner or later.

Eve heard the name "Autolycus" she knew him all right, this was the man that her mother had told her about a few times, and she also read about him in Gabrielle's scrolls.From what her mother had told her she could trust this man.

"My name is Eve I believe you know my mother, Xena" She shook the man's hand.She wanted to get to know him better so she could make absolutely sure that this was the same Autolycus that Gabrielle's scrolls had spoken of.

From what she had assesed of the man he seemed to be safe to talk to but her instincts were sharp, like her mother.She was always on her guard.

((OOC: If I'm intruding by having Hermaphroditus overhear, I can delete this))

Hermaphroditus had been sitting off on her own, the hood of his cloak over his head and his wings pressed against her back and hidden beneath the folds of cloth, drinking a glass of wine. She wasn't trying to spy, not really, but when the name of the person he'd been looking for for months was heard, he couldn't help but listen. Unfortunately for him, he hadn't begun to listen until the name was spoken, and so had no idea as to what the context was. Only that it was. However, even if she had known, he'd have done nothing. Not being the sort to take the average nymph in a fight, Hermaphroditus wasn't about to challenge what looked to be a rather fit woman. She'd only have done what she was doing now, which was listen as discreetly as she could. Which was discreet...if one considered turning their head directly toward the person suddenly when they said the name, then turning it away immediately after discreet.

Autolycus blinked, and took a double take. "...Xena? Daughter? Well, I'm be damned." He grinned, he had heard about Eve, but never met her. "Yeah, yeah. Eve, right? Xena, I've not seen her in a long time." He smiled, reminiscing. Xena, did he love her? He didn't know, even if he did, he knew he didn't have a snowball's chance in Tartarus of getting her to admit the same. "So, you're Eve. I should've known, there was something about you, but I couldn't put my finger on it..." He laughed, looking back to her. "How is she, anyway? And Gabrielle?"

As Autolycus was speaking to Eve about knowing her mother and Gabrielle she heard a noise. She still listened to Autolycus but she had a feeling that the two were not alone in this conversation.

She took a sip from her mug and looked at Autolycus and said "she's well and so is Gabrielle" She reached into her pack that she had set down and wrote on a piece of parchment and discreetly passed it to Autolycus to read.

The parchment read: be cautious, were not alone

She wanted to continue the conversation with Autolycus and would discuss her mother and Gabrielle with him when the two were alone, so she decided to change the subject to potentially throw off any person who might be watching her. She pulled her chair closer to Autolycus and started to flirt, hoping he would catch on "So what was it about me that you couldn’t quite put your finger on?"

From what Eve had heard about Autolycus from Gabrielle's scrolls, he knew how to put on an act; she had hoped he would catch on to this one.

Okay, so that time he heard it. So this was Xena's daughter. Eve. Well, that was good to know, and Hermaphroditus was even more eager to hear what would come next. How were they? Perhaps where they were would be nice to know as well, but just as with the information that this was Eve, and Eve was Xena's daughter, she had no clue what she would do with the information once he got it.

Then...when Eve should have been answering the question and giving Hermaphroditus information that he may or may not be able to use...she changed the conversation. The hooded figure shot the two a dirty look. Didn't they know how basic conversation worked? You ask a question, they answer it. It was that simple. Of course, if it was obvious that he was listening before, it would be really obvious now should they glance over in his direction. That was, if they wished to confirm what they'd already realized, though the thought that her own intrusion might be the reason they changed the subject never crossed his mind. Instead, he simply sat there, glaring at them from under her hood, until he realized that should the conversation continue, more information might be revealed. Turning back to his glass of wine, he continued to sip, waiting to hear more.

He nodded to her, and was about to speak when the parchment was slyly passed to him. Looking at it as he took a drink from his glass, he knew then it wasn't the place nor the time. "Well, the eyes, mostly, and the look." He grinned at her, it was so obvious to him now, of course. "If you don't mind, wherever you're heading, I'd be happy to give you some much needed company." He smiled, not that he was trying to be charming...okay, he was, but to continue their conversation elsewhere.

Eve finished her tankard, and got another refill she had to kill a few more minutes before she decided to leave, she didn’t want it to appear that she was suspicious that someone could be watching her. She was glad that Autolycus had caught on to the act, and she kept going with it. It wasn’t difficult to keep going with it; after all he was very charming and handsome as well.

She took a quick scan with her peripherals around the room and did notice in fact that they were being watched by a hooded figure sitting a short distance behind them. Not that Eve couldn’t take care of herself should it come to a fight; but she didn’t want to resort to violence if she didn’t have to.

She turned to Autloycus and started running her fingers through his hair “Well you can start by showing me around this town, and later on a place to rent a room for the night”

"This town? Not much here...I've been following the trail of some trinkets, went cold. I'm...looking to move one." He said, looking around. "But, if that's what you want, Miss Eve" He grinned, moving off the bar stool, and his hand went across his moustache. "I can do that..." He offered a hand to her, offering to help her off her stool.

He wanted out of the tavern, before he said something he would never get over saying. He wasn't for sure about who was listening, but getting out of town sounded better, but he would settle escorting Eve around town until she decided it was time to go to the next place where they could talk.

They were leaving. Hermaphroditus could always just follow them, but it might be a bit obvious if they kept seeing a hooded figure wherever they went. With his luck, they'd likely think she was a threat and attack him before she could convince them that he wasn't. He could try speaking with them, and doing so would give her some control of the conversation, but what could she say? Moreover, what could she say that wouldn't risk getting him into some sort of trouble or danger?

Slowly, she sauntered up to them.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," a smooth voice that sounded neither masculine or feminine said, "But I could not help but overhear...you say you are the daughter of Xena? I have heard of her, though I suspect I am not unique in doing so. Though I suspect my own parents have seen her."

And possibly were killed by her if the rumors of her being a killer of gods were true.

"I am the daughter of Hermes and the son of Aphrodite."

Eve took Autolycus hand and stepped gently off of the stool, then grabbed her pack and slung it over her shoulder and started out of the tavern.

Eve could hear footsteps behind her and turned to see who this hooded figure was, she was on her gaurd ready for an attack. But this person did not attack as she suspected; so she let the person speak.

"Yes I am Xena's daughter, and why may I ask are you interested in that? and as you know; I'm Eve. If you'll excuse us, we have matters to discuss alone, if you would still like to speak with me remain here and I will return later "

Eve wasnt sure if this new person could be trusted, so she took Autolycus arm and left the tavern.It was getting dark out and they didnt have much time before evening arrived.

Once she made sure that the two were alone she filled Autolycus in on what she was doing in this small town.

"There is a war going on right now and I believe the Romans are behind it, lets just say I have extensive knowledge of the Roman armies know how they plan battles I..have you ever heard of Livia of Rome by chance?"