CONQUERING THE CONQUEROR

pt.43

Heavy eyes slowly opened as Gabrielle groggily awoke to find herself laying on a cot and looking up at the ceiling of a small hut. Trying to pinpoint her new whereabouts, she tried to sit up but was unable as she felt a great deal of soreness radiating throughout her body and instead opted to remain where she was while trying to piece together how she had ended up there wherever she now was.

?
'Bout time you woke up.

Shocked by hearing another voice as Gabrielle hadn't noticed that anyone else was even in the hut, Gabrielle looked over from where she layed to see Xena laying in another bed across from hers. Which confused her even further. Both for what the Conqueror was even doing there and what could have happened to put her in that bed.

GABRIELLE
My lord. Wha.. What are you doing here?

She paused for a brief moment.

GABRIELLE
And for that matter, what am I doing here?

Gabrielle looked around at the unknown space she now found herself in.

GABRIELLE
Wherever here is.

Gabrielle winced in pain as she tried to sit up again and figure out what was happening, but ended up falling back against the mattress when she found the pain too much for her to really move.

XENA
The healer's hut within the Amazon village. And you shouldn't try moving around like that. You'll only end up hurting yourself worse.

Gabrielle looked over at Xena for a moment before turning her eyes to the ceiling as she scoffed.

GABRIELLE
You say that as though you actually care about what happens to me.

Xena scowled, a bit surprised by Gabrielle's attitude toward her but realized that it was likely the combination of both the physical and emotional pain of what she had been through that was really talking. And as such decided to let it go and not let the comment get to her.

XENA
(Idle tone) Fine, I guess I should've just let those Amazons finish the job then.

Gabrielle returned her attention to the Conqueror, certain that she couldn't have meant what Gabrielle thought she did.

GABRIELLE
Wait, are you saying that you're the one that brought me back here?

The Conqueror shrugged casually.

XENA
Technically my men were the ones who brought us both here.

GABRIELLE
But at your orders though.

Xena shrugged casually.

GABRIELLE
But why?
(Thinking to herself) Was she really so bitter about my leaving that she came to bring me back to the keep by force? And if so, why? Why does it matter to her where I am? I'm nothing but a servant to her.

Gabrielle scoffed to herself.

GABRIELLE
(Thinking to herself) Or rather a slave. Even though she says that she doesn't own any, I've never been paid for anything I've done for her. And I was kept in her home against my will. So what else could you possibly call that?