CONQUERING THE CONQUEROR

pt.50

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And you should have seen the look on her face when I shoved the basket of bread right back at her and said, Gabrielle. Hey, are you even listening?

GABRIELLE
Wha...?

Gabrielle blinked a couple of times as she was pulled from her thoughts after hearing her name being called and refocused her eyes on Elle who was seated across from her as they ate their breakfast together in the keep's dining hall.

GABRIELLE
Oh sorry Elle, I guess I kinda let my mind wander off there for a bit. So, you were saying?

ELLE
You know if I'm boring you, or I'm talking too much...

GABRIELLE
Oh no it's nothing like that.

Elle gave Gabrielle a somewhat suspicious glance.

ELLE
You sure? Cuz' you seem even more quiet than usual.

Gabrielle gave her friend a reassuring smile.

GABRIELLE
You're fine Elle. Really.

ELLE
Oh good.

The young woman smiled at Gabrielle for a moment before her face went serious as she popped a piece of her food into her mouth and chewed before speaking again.

ELLE
So then did you wanna tell me what's been bothering you lately?

About to put a spoonful of warm porridge from the bowl in front of her into her mouth, Gabrielle paused as she responded to her friend's query.

GABRIELLE
What makes you think something's been bothering me?

ELLE
Gabrielle come on, we're friends, aren't we? And you've been here for how long now?

Gabrielle shrugged slightly.

GABRIELLE
A good while. Maybe a couple months shy of a year.

ELLE
Exactly. So don't you think that I've noticed that you've been acting differently than you normally do for nearly a month?

GABRIELLE
And how's that?

ELLE
Well for one you're usually pretty attentive and quick to respond when someone's talking to you, at least from what I've seen. But lately though there's someone talking to you, and you appear to be looking right at them, your mind just seems to be miles away elsewhere.

Gabrielle sighed.

GABRIELLE
(Lying) I don't know, guess I've just been a little off recently is all.

Gabrielle looked down at her bowl of food and idly moved her spoon in it around.

ELLE
You're not coming down with something, are you? Maybe you should go see the healers.

Gabrielle raised her eyes from her food to return her focus to the other young woman.

GABRIELLE
No, don't worry I'm not sick. I've just had some things on my mind and...

Gabrielle stopped talking abruptly as her train of thought came to a sudden halt when from a distance behind Elle her eyes caught the movement of someone walking into the dining hall.