Quiet crackling could be heard coming from the fireplace as the Conqueror stood over her war table. She winced and gripped the side of the table as a surge of pain ripped through the slowly healing wound in her chest. Frustrated at the pain's persistence, Xena slammed her fist onto the table before picking up and downing the cup of ale that she had previously sat on the table, hoping that the alcohol she had been consuming would soon begin to take its somewhat numbing effect. Or that she would at least become drunk enough to not care. But in truth as she finished swallowing the contents of the goblet she knew that she was only lying when she tried to tell herself that in was the physical pain that she was truly trying to dull and not the hurtful memories and emotions that had been plaguing her since the conversation she'd had with her mother just a few days prior. Xena placed the now empty goblet back on the table poured more ale from the over half empty bottle she had sitting there as well. Once the cup was filled to the brim with the alcohol, Xena placed the bottle back on the table and picked up the cup to drink. She brought the cup to her lips and began to drink when a knock on the door interrupted her self destructive binge.
XENA
(Irritated tone) Unless it's an emergency like this place being on fire you can go away and deal with whatever it is yourself.
The door then opened and Xena let out an auditable growl of disapproval as she was not in the mood to be so blazingly disobeyed.
LEONIDAS
I thought this might where you were my Lord.
Xena didn't turn to face her lieutenant as she put down her cup and placed her hands on the table in front of her.
XENA
(Irritated tone) Now exactly which part of the words go away did you not quite understand?
Leonidas stood in the doorway as he saw the current state that Xena was in and sighed to himself.
LEONIDAS
Well with your injuries when you up and disappear from your quarters without a word people around here get a little concerned. Especially since you still aren't supposed to be moving around like this. You know those healers aren't going to be happy about it.
XENA
(Irritated tone) Yeah well I couldn't care less about whither the fucking healers are happy with what I do concerning my own body or not.
Xena took a drink from her goblet before continuing to speak.
XENA
(Irritated tone) So if you're done with telling me garbage that I don't give a damn about you can go.
Leonidas moved into the room and around the side of the war table as he picked up the half empty bottle and eyed it for a moment before putting it back.
LEONIDAS
Rough morning my lord?
The Conqueror scowled at the man.
XENA
(Irritated tone) What I can't enjoy a drink or two when I want without there being something bothering me?
LEONIDAS
Of course not my lord. I've just come to notice that at times when you tend to indulge a bit more in the drink you seem to be a tad more irritable is all.
Xena narrowed her eyes at Leonidas as she put down her drink.
XENA
(Irritated tone) And?
LEONIDAS
Nothing. I simply thought that perhaps if something was bothering you that you might want to get it off your chest is all.
Xena gave him a disappointing glance as Leonidas realized that he might not have made the best choice of words for what he had meant to say given the serious injury to the Conqueror's chest.
LEONIDAS
Apologies for the careless wording I didn't mean...
XENA
(Irritated tone) I know what you meant.
Xena again casually picked up and took a sip from her cup before putting it back down before continuing to speak.
XENA
Tell me Leonidas, has there ever been a time when I've come up to you or anyone else you know of for that matter and wanted to discuss my woes or feelings about whatever may be weighing on my mind?
LEONIDAS
No my lord, not that I can recall.
Xena scowled.
XENA
(Irritated tone) Then why the fuck do you think that I would start now?!
Leonidas stood silently as he assumed the question was rhetorical, and waited for the Conqueror to continue.
XENA
(Angry tone) Well?
Reading that Xena was actually expecting an answer from him, Leonidas spoke up.
LEONIDAS
Apologies my lord. I was merely concerned about your well being nothing more.
Xena took another drink from her goblet, finishing the ale in the cup off as she casually leaned against the table, beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol taking affect.
XENA
Well as you can see I'm doing just fine on my own. Now if you don't mind...
Putting down the cup ,Xena grabbed the now nearly empty bottle again as she carried on speaking.
XENA
I seem to remember telling you before you decided to just let yourself in, to get lost. Sooo...
With a gesture toward the door with the same hand that held the wind bottle, the drunken Conqueror motioned for Leonidas to leave. And with a disappointed sigh and shake of his head, Leonidas did as he was ordered and left, shutting the door behind him and leaving Xena to her own devices and misery.
GABRIELLE
There that's the last of 'em. Finally. That took a lot longer than I thought it would.
Gabrielle stepped back from the ladder she had just descended as she placed her hands on her hips and looked up at the shelf of freshly put away and rearranged scrolls.
SARA
Gabrielle, did you do all this just today?
Gabrielle looked over her shoulder and saw Sara walking over to her and turned to face the archivist.
GABRIELLE
Actually I started it yesterday.
Sara stopped in front of the large shelf that went all the way up to the high ceiling and took in the view of a freshly arranged and neat shelf of what must have been at least a couple hundred scrolls that she hadn't been able to maintain proper order of for quite some time.
SARA
You're kidding.
Hearing the disbelief in Sara's voice Gabrielle suddenly became worried that she might have done something that she shouldn't have.
GABRIELLE
I'm sorry should I have not done that. I was putting a few things away here and noticed that it didn't really look the same as most of the other shelves, so I kinda thought I'd rearrange it a little bit. But I guess I should've asked before hand. If it's a problem I can put it back how it was.
Sara looked at Gabrielle.
SARA
What? No. You actually just saved me about a weeks worth of work. I've been meaning to fix up everything over here after a handful of young, immature soldier recruits snuck in here one night and moved around most of what was here because they thought it would be funny.
GABRIELLE
I can't imagine that the Conqueror was too happy about that.
SARA
Oh she wasn't. And needless to say those recruits didn't last much longer around here after that.
GABRIELLE
(Worried tone) What?
Gabrielle felt a fearful chill as she thought of what terrible fate must've come to them at the behest of the Conqueror as Sara continued.
SARA
Yeah before they even knew it those young men ended up getting shipped out of here and sent right back to the village's that they'd come from. And since then I've been trying to get that mess back in order but with everything else I have to do around here I just haven't been able to find the time.
Gabrielle felt a bit of relief knowing that a bunch of young men weren't mercilessly killed just because of a silly prank. Which while immature certainly didn't warrant being put to death over..
GABRIELLE
Oh so she pretty much just fired them then.
SARA
Yeah.
Sara gave Gabrielle a curious look.
SARA
Why, what did you think I was gonna say the lord Conqueror did to them?
It had long since gotten dark outside when Gabrielle followed Sara out of the archives after extinguishing all the previously lit candles in the large room and shutting the doors for the night. Exhausted from a long, hard day's work Gabrielle bid goodnight to Sarah and made her way through the keep, back to her room. After getting ready for bed and blowing out the candle on her nightstand, Gabrielle tiredly plopped on to her bed and closed her eyes as she laid there and drifted off to sleep.
GABRIELLE
(Half asleep) Wha...?
A loud rattling sound followed by a creek abruptly roused Gabrielle from her slumber as she groggily lifted her head to see a tall figure standing in the doorway. Too dark to see who it was Gabrielle spoke up.
GABRIELLE
Hello?
The figure didn't say anything as it stood there for a moment before slowly moving further into the room, casually pushing the door behind them causing it to close about halfway.
GABRIELLE
Can I help you?
Again the figure didn't reply as they took another step closer to Gabrielle who was now adequately uncomfortable by the sudden intrusion and behavior of the mystery person but kept her composure as she slowly sat up in her bed and tried asking them politely to leave.
GABRIELLE
It's awfully late and I'm very tired so if there isn't anything you need I'd really like to go back to sleep.
Again the figure remained quiet as Gabrielle saw them lumber even closer. And now feeling a slight panic began to rise within her, Gabrielle fumbled in the darkness as she reached over to her nightstand and found a striking stick used for lighting candles and after frantically trying several times to get it to light, a small flame finally came to life and after quickly getting the candle lit, Gabrielle turned around and was utterly shocked when she saw the Conqueror standing right at the foot of her bed. Startled and confused Gabrielle looked at the woman.
GABRIELLE
My lord? What are you... um!
Gabrielle suddenly found herself being cut off as she felt the Conqueror's hand cover her mouth. Her eyes went wide in utter terror as she was shoved back down onto the bed and saw the Conqueror bring a finger from her other hand up to her lips in a signal and obvious demand for Gabrielle to be quiet. And it was then that Gabrielle felt a previously unknown level of fear fall over her as she could smell the strong scent of alcohol coming from the woman who loomed over her. She watched as Xena silently crouched closer to her and wondered if she would be better off trying to fight to get away or just remaining still, closing her eyes and waiting for whatever was about to happen to be over.
TO BE CONTINUED...