The early morning brought a chill to the room as a blanket was pulled tighter, using it both for warmth and a shield from the bright morning sunlight that flowed into the room from the window as a face was buried beneath the soft material. After getting comfortable again and nearly returning to the previous state of deep sleep, a knock on the door to the room stired the groggy figure once more. Not fully awake or aware of the world around them, a muffled groan could faintly be heard from beneath the covers as an attempt was made to ignore the sound, but ended up being unsuccessful when another knock came before the sound of a door being opened could be heard a moment later., followed by a voice.
ELLE
Wake up call Gabrielle.
Elle peeked her head into Gabrielle's room and saw her friend buried under her blanket, still asleep.
ELLE
Hey, it's time to get up.
Gabrielle sleepily grumbled something incoherent to herself as her semi conscious brain completely forgot where she was before hearing Elle's voice again.
ELLE
Come on, rise and shine Gabrielle.
Still not completely awake and not too thrilled about having her sleep being disturbed, Gabrielle stuck her head out from under her covers.
GABRIELLE
(Sleepy tone) I'll rise but I refuse to...
Gabrielle paused making her half asleep, sarcastic comment as she let out a yawn and she became aware of her surroundings once again.
GABRIELLE
(Sighing) Never mind. I'm getting up.
After Elle left and Gabrielle got out of bed and got dressed, she headed out of her room and to the dining room for breakfast. Once eating her meal, as per usual Gabrielle was about to stand up and start making her way to the archives but stopped when Isidora, the woman who was in charge of running the kitchen approached her.
ISIDORA
You there, girl.
Gabrielle turned toward the old woman and politely addressed her.
GABRIELLE
Oh hello Isidora nice to see you. Um, It's Gabrielle by the way.
ISIDORA
Whatever.
Gabrielle frowned at the woman's rude reply as she just carried on without giving the comment a second thought.
ISIDORA
Listen the kitchen staff and servers are busy dealing with a large shipment of suppliers that came in. So I need someone to take a tray up to the lord Conqueror's mother as she refuses to leave her room for anything other than her toilet and hygiene needs.
GABRIELLE
Oh uh...
Before Gabrielle could finish giving her answer, Elle, who had taken to typically eating with Gabrielle when their schedules allowed it spoke up.
ELLE
I could do it.
ISIDORA
(Irritated tone) You know despite your clear attempt at eavesdropping dropping on a conversion not concerning you, it's obvious that you weren't listening all too well because if you were you would've heard me say that "all" of the kitchen staff was busy today. Which last I checked and to my chagrin included you.
Elle scoffed at the woman who returned her attention to Gabrielle and under her breath called Isidora a hag which didn't go unheard by Gabrielle or the old woman herself who after shooting Elle a mean look carried on speaking to Gabrielle.
ISIDORA
Well?
Feeling as though she may get in trouble for refusing to do something she was being told to do, Gabrielle agreed to help the woman.
GABRIELLE
Um, sure I guess I can do that before I head to the archives.
ISIDORA
Fine. Follow me to the kitchen and I'll set up her tray.
Isidora walked away as Gabrielle followed and Elle let out a disappointed sigh to herself as she realized that she wouldn't be getting out of dealing with the crotchety old woman for a bit after all.
ISIDORA
Here.
Gabrielle accepted a tray of food and drink from Isidora after the old woman had finished putting the meal meant for the Conqueror's mother together and told Gabrielle where her room was.
ISIDORA
Now get going.
Gabrielle turned around and began making her way out of the kitchen as she heard Isidora call after her.
ISIDORA
And don't you drop or spill it. If you do and make me have to prepare another one, I'll make sure that food you dropped will be your next meal.
GABRIELLE
I'll be careful.
As she spoke Gabrielle stumbled a bit and nearly dropped the tray, but was able to recover without spilling anything and gave a slightly nervous and embarrassed chuckle when she looked over her shoulder at Isidora who was standing by the counter with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face. Gabrielle then left the room and walked upstairs to where she was told to go.
GABRIELLE
Excuse me, I brought your breakfast if your hungry.
Gabrielle stood in the hall outside of Cyrene's room after carefully knocking on the door as she made sure not to spill the food she was holding. A moment later a voice from the other side of the door replied for Gabrielle to come in and so she did after fiddling with the doorknob for a moment as she worked on opening the door while keeping the tray balanced. Once getting the door open without spilling anything, Gabrielle walked into the room and saw an older woman looking out one of the windows to the room. She then spotted a small table that had a couple of chairs with it and brought the tray over to it. Once done setting the food down, Gabrielle saw the woman turn around and give her a small smile.
CYRENE
Thank you dear.
Gabrielle returned the woman's kind expression.
GABRIELLE
You're welcome.
Gabrielle stood there for a moment as she looked at the woman, a part of her almost surprised that the woman was human and not some monster or mythical creature that had spawned someone as dark and fearsome as the Conqueror. But it was now clear that much like many of the other rumors Gabrielle had heard about the Conqueror, her coming into the world by any other way than then how every other person in the world was simply wasn't true. At least not from what Gabrielle could tell from just looking at the woman before her. But even if she was just a normal woman, Gabrielle couldn't help but wonder just what kind of woman she must've been for her child to grow up and become the sometimes cruel and deadly that she knew the Conqueror could be.
CYRENE
Was there something you needed?
Realizing that she was starring at the woman, Gabrielle quickly looked away and began randomly moving things around on the tray.
GABRIELLE
Sorry, I didn't mean to stare. I just umm. Never mind. Sorry I'll be going now.
Gabrielle turned to leave as the last thing she wanted to do was to insult, upset or anger the woman. Because whither she was anything like the Conqueror or not, Gabrielle was certain that if the Conqueror herself were to hear that Gabrielle had insulted or upset her mother, Gabrielle would most definitely not like what would happen to her as a result.
CYRENE
(Sad tone) You're surprised I don't look like some kind of feral monster or crazed mad woman aren't you?
GABRIELLE
(Lying/ nervous tone) Oh, no I don't think... I mean I wasn't expecting anything. I uh, well..
Gabrielle saw the woman shake her head as she sighed sadly and returned her gaze out the window.
CYRENE
(Sad tone) It's okay. I'm used to it. After all it must've been something I did that caused my only daughter to become the kind of person who can just go around killing or hurting anything and anyone who she sees as standing in her way of getting what she wants. I'm not here right now because I want to be.
Gabrielle stood there feeling disappointed in herself for automatically judging and condemning the woman simply for who her child had become. And that wasn't fair as Gabrielle figured that the woman must have found herself being blamed for so much of what the Conqueror had done to so many. And also felt for the woman as she understood and could relate to being brought to and held in that place against her will.
GABRIELLE
I'm sorry. That's not right for me to assume that you're the same as her just because you share the same blood. I should know that parents and their children can be so different from one another that one could question how they could actually be related. Not that I could understand what it must be like to have the Conqueror of all people as a daughter.
Gabrielle saw as the older woman looked at her and gave a small sad smile.
CYRENE
You know you might be one of the only people who's ever thought that. Or at the very least has said it. Thank you...
GABRIELLE
Gabrielle.
CYRENE
Thank you Gabrielle. It's nice to meet you by the way. And if you didn't know, you can call me Cyrene.
Gabrielle smiled.
GABRIELLE
It's nice to meet you too Cyrene.
The two women stood quietly for a moment until Gabrielle turned to leave.
GABRIELLE
Well I should get going.I'm actually supposed to be in the archives right now.
CYRENE
Oh I didn't mean to keep you.
GABRIELLE
It's okay. I'm glad I got to meet you Cyrene. Enjoy your meal. Bye.
The two exchanged friendly smiles before Gabrielle turned and left Cyrene's room as she quietly shut the door behind her. And as Gabrielle walked down the hall making her way to the archives she couldn't help but think that between the encounter she just had with the Conqueror's mother and the time she had spent with the likes of Elle, Sara and even the Amazons she had meet when she had tried to escape from the keep, Gabrielle was beginning to become more confused as to what to make of the Conqueror. The woman who was somehow both very much the same person that she had heard her to be, but yet so different from anything that she could've imagined. And as the coming, days, weeks and months would eventually reveal, this fact would become far more clear to Gabrielle and in ways that she would never see coming.
TO BE CONTINUED...