The bright winter's sun was shining though the large windows as Gabrielle left her room to start her day around early to mid-morning as she had done so many days prior. She stood there for a moment as she looked out of the large window that sat at the end of the hallway and smiled at the beautiful blue sky as a thought of something else strikingly blue crossed her mind that brought her back to the night before when she and the Conquerer had stood together under the starlit sky as they watched the heavens dance high above them. The memory of Xena holding her so close beneath the woman's coat. And how incredibly warm, happy and at peace Gabrielle felt while standing there in the woman's embrace. Something that Gabrielle hadn't felt in a very long time and had never imagined she would in this place. Least of all in the arms of the Conqueror. But as Gabrielle reflected on the seemingly utter absurdity of the fact that she had begun to fall for someone like the Conqueror, she remembered that even after they had first met, Xena had never been quite what Gabrielle had expected, and chuckled to herself at how, yet again her life had taken a drastically unexpected turn, and she had now ended up somewhere had never thought she'd be. But for once this was somewhere that Gabrielle was actually happy to be.
ELLE
You seem to be having a good morning.
Gabrielle looked over and smiled at the sight of her friend approaching.
GABRIELLE
Good morning Elle.
The young woman smiled back as she walked up and stood next to Gabrielle.
ELLE
(Joking tone) So is there any particular reason that you seem to have that big smile on your face, or are you just really happy to see me?
GABRIELLE
Come on Elle, you know I'm always happy to see you.
ELLE
Yeah, but you never have that look on your face that you had when I came over here just now.
Gabrielle felt her face get slightly warm as she looked away and fiddled with the sleeve of her top as she hadn't thought that Elle had apparently noticed her daydreaming about a certain dark haired, blue-eyed woman who ran the place, and for whatever reason found herself feeling embarrassed by it.
GABRIELLE
(Slightly uncomfortable tone) Wha- what are you talking about? I was just enjoying the scenery outside, is all.
Elle eyed Gabrielle suspiciously.
ELLE
You mean the same scenery that you've walked past every day for months?
Unsure of how to respond, Gabrielle began to stumble over her words as she frantically began trying to come up with something to tell her other than the truth of her having gotten lost in her enraptured thoughts about Xena. As for some time after Gabrielle's arrival in the keep, Elle had tried multiple times to show Gabrielle that the Conqueror wasn't the monster that she, like so many others, thought her to be. And at that moment, the last thing Gabrielle wanted to hear was a very pleased "I told you so" from the woman.
GABRIELLE
(Defensive tone) What, I can't like looking outside without needing a reason to?
Elle raised her hands slightly as she saw that she had hit an unexpected nerve.
ELLE
Woah, I never said that. If looking at trees makes you happy, then go ahead and look at all the trees you want. Sorry.
Realizing that had just been pretty rude to her friend for no good reason, Gabrielle sighed to herself as she looked at the young woman.
GABRIELLE
No, I'm the one who should apologize. You were just making a good point, and I just didn't want you to figure out that wasn't really what I was doing when you came over here.
Elle gave Gabrielle a questioning look.
ELLE
Why? What exactly were you doing?
Gabrielle sighed as she prepared herself for the teasing that she was sure was about to come her way once she confessed her feelings for the Conqueror to her friend and had just begun to speak when she heard another voice behind her.
XENA
There you are.
Gabrielle turned around as both hers and Elle's attention turned the Conqueror's way.
ELLE
Good morning your lordship. I hope you're doing well.
Xena looked from Elle to Gabrielle as she smiled.
XENA
Couldn't be better.
Gabrielle smiled back as Elle looked between the two women unsure of what to make of the exchange as Xena then continued to speak.
XENA
You know I was hoping to catch you before you went off to the archives.
GABRIELLE
Oh did you need me for scribe work today?
Xena smirked.
XENA
No, not exactly. I just figured that since you've been working so hard lately, that you deserved a little time off.
GABRIELLE
That's really nice of you my lord, but without being in the archives or your study, I wouldn't really know what to do with myself all day.
XENA
Don't be ridiculous, I'm certain that someone with a mind like yours could think of a million things to occupy your time around here.
Gabrielle smiled as she shook her head slightly.
GABRIELLE
I appreciate the compliment, but you give me too much credit my lord.
Xena eyed the younger woman in mock disapproval.
XENA
Now you wouldn't be trying to argue with me about something, would you?
GABRIELLE
No, of course not my lord.
Xena smiled slightly.
XENA
Good. Because if you were, we might have a problem.
Xena gave a quick wink to Gabrielle as the young woman realized that the Conqueror hadn't actually been serious about being upset with her and smiled as Xena made a metal note to try being more obvious when she wasn't being serious as she realized that her sense of humor was a bit difficult at times to differentiate from when she was being serious.
XENA
And now that we have that settled, since you mentioned that you weren't sure of what to do with yourself without having any work to do, I actually come here with the idea that you might like to finally tell me some of those stories that you mentioned you knew. Of course, it's completely up to you whether you want to or not, but it was just something that I thought I'd throw out there in case you were interested.
GABRIELLE
You really wanna hear my stories?
Xena shrugged.
XENA
Well I wouldn't be asking you to tell 'em to me if I didn't.
Xena turned around and began walking away, as she glanced over her shoulder at Gabrielle and smiled.
XENA
But I'll leave it up to you. And if you decide you wanna come spin some of your tales, you know where I'll likely be.
Gabrielle watched as the Conqueror walked away, and it was only after Xena was out of sight that Elle turned to Gabrielle as she was thrown completely off guard by the interaction she had just witnessed between the two.
ELLE
What in the world was that about?
GABRIELLE
I guess she's bored and wants a little entertainment
Gabrielle shrugged slightly as she tried to hide the smile on her face, and began walking in the same direction that Xena had gone as she called back to her friend.
GABRIELLE
I'll catch up with you later Elle. I know she said that could come by if and when I wanted to, but still I probably shouldn't keep the lord Conqueror waiting.
Gabrielle gave a quick wave toward her friend as a moment later she disappeared around the same corner that Xena had turned at and was gone. Leaving Elle standing by the window by herself.
ELLE
(Talking to herself) Why do I have the feeling that there's something going on around here that I'm missing?
The young woman brushed off the thought as too walked away and left the hallway as a hidden, cloaked figure that had been silently watching the whole exchange between the three moved from their hiding place and slipped away from the scene without having ever been noticed by anyone who had just been there.
TO BE CONTINUED...