CONQUERING THE CONQUEROR

pt.18

Surrounded by a group of masked, armed strangers Gabrielle and Elle stood close together as Gabrielle frantically tried to think of a way out of their predicament. So with a great amount of caution she slowly raised her hands in an effort to show the strangers she was unarmed.

GABRIELLE
We don't want any trouble and don't have anything of value so please just let us go.

One of the masked strategies, who like the rest of the group was a scantily dressed woman stepped forward and spoke to Gabrielle and Elle from behind the decorative wooden mask she wore obscuring her face.

?1
And why should we believe you when you're the ones who are trespassing on our lands?

Elle looked at the masked woman with a mix of confusion and disbelief.

ELLE
What are you talking about. Everything here and for miles around belongs to the lord Conqueror.

?1
Well not here. These are sacred lands belonging to the Amazon's just as it has been long since you or your Conqueror were ever even born.

Gabrielle and Elle looked at each other for a moment as they both began to feel as though they had just gotten themselves into a very bad situation, before returning their eyes to the group of masked women before them.

ELLE
But I thought the lord Conqueror owned everything except for a couple cities in this area.

?1
We Amazon's are a sovereign nation and have a treaty with your Conqueror which allows us to operate according to our own laws and traditions as long as they don't interfere with the Conqueror's business or ability to rule effectively.

GABRIELLE
I don't get it why didn't she just take over your land like she did with everywhere else?

Elle looked at Gabrielle.

ELLE
Because like I've been trying to tell you, her lordship isn't the utterly heartless monster that you and so many others think she is.

GABRIELLE
I'm sorry Elle, you can keep trying to convince me of that she some kind of good or just person, but I've seen the rage and brutal violence that she's capable of. That woman is nothing more than a tyrant who only seems to do things for her own benefit. So even though these women might have some sort of treaty or agreement with her, I'm certain that it's only because she still gets something from them she wants.

Elle scowled.

ELLE
(Angry tone) You know I don't get you Gabrielle. The Conqueror hasn't done anything to you but yet you seem to hate her primarily off of her reputation when you've been living with her for some time now and seen for yourself the kind of woman that she truly is.

Gabrielle returned a scowl of her own back at Elle

GABRIELLE
(Angry tone) She's holding me in that place her, you and everyone else who blindly follows her call home against my will. I'm nothing more than a way to get to one of her enemies. I escaped from one nightmare and ended up right in another one. Because though you say she doesn't own slaves I sure feel like one given the fact that she has me doing stuff for her and I haven't received one single dinar for anything I've done. So don't you stand there and try and tell me that she's just some kind of misunderstood, tortured soul. Because I've both seen and experienced first hand exactly what that woman is like.