CONQUERING THE CONQUEROR

pt.47

Alone with Xena in the Conqueror's quarters, Gabrielle stood nervously before the woman after Elle had been ordered to leave. She stood up straight as she watched the Conqueror move further into her room and sit in a chair as she groaned slightly as she got comfortable, mumbling something to herself about "getting too old for this". After which a silence fell over the room as Xena drank some more of her tea and Gabrielle just stood in place, not knowing what she should do or say.

XENA
(Slightly impatient tone) Well do you plan on just standing over there all day or are you gonna sit down already?

GABRIELLE
Oh, um okay.

Though slightly surprised by the invitation or command, and uncertain of which it was, Gabrielle walked over to the small table where the Conqueror was sitting. And once she near the table, the Conqueror casually used her foot from under the table and nudged the chair across from her out and nodded for Gabrielle to sit. Which the young woman did. The two then sat there for a moment as Xena finished up her tea and Gabrielle remained quiet with her worrisome thoughts of what the Conqueror wanted her for racing through her mind. Then after what felt like an eternity for Gabrielle, the Conqueror spoke.

XENA
Now let's get down to business shall we? The Amazons.

Hearing exactly what she had feared Xena wanted to discuss, Gabrielle felt her heart sank in fear as she tried to think of anyway she could possibly talk herself out of whatever the Conqueror had in store for her as punishment for the trouble that she had inadvertently caused.

GABRIELLE
I'm so sorry my lord. I never suspected that by my joining the ranks of the Amazons that I would get entangled in a plot aimed at getting rid of anyone that was in a direct line for queen. I only took the rite of caste when Terreis was dying because she was my friend and I didn't know what else to do. I just...

Gabrielle paused, not wanting to say her reasoning for wanting to go with the Amazon's but heard the Conqueror speak the words as though she were able to read Gabrielle's mind. Even if admittedly her reason for wanting to leave must've been pretty obvious.

XENA
Didn't wanna be here.

Knowing there was no point in trying to lie, Gabrielle nodded slightly as she waited for what she expected would be a rather unpleasant response from the Conqueror but was surprised when she got a small chuckle out of the woman instead.

XENA
You say that as if you're not wanting to be here was a secret.

Gabrielle looked at Xena as she stumbled over her words, trying to come up with something to make the whole situation appear different from what it really was.

GABRIELLE
(Nervous tone) Well I, uh... That is.... You see...

Not knowing what to say could possibly make her predicament any better, Gabrielle found herself at a loss for words and began to silently panic for what she should do. That was until she saw the Conqueror burst out in laughter. An action that took Gabrielle completely off guard, having never seen the woman do such a thing.

XENA
Ah.

Xena chuckled a bit more as she calmed down from laughing for several moments.

XENA
You know, you're pretty funny.

Gabrielle looked at Xena in confusion, not having any clue about what could possibly be going through the woman's head to make her act in such an odd way, as she wondered if her illness had somehow affected the Conqueror's mind.