It was a busy day in the archives as Gabrielle worked alongside Sara reorganizing some of the writings. She stood below a ladder that the archivist was standing mid way up as she was handed scrolls from the shelves to be set on a nearby table for sorting later on.
GABRIELLE
Wait, this isn't anything like the other stuff I've seen in here.
Sara looked down at Gabrielle who was reading the label written on the side of one of the scrolls.
SARA
Why what does it say?
Gabrielle looked up at Sara.
GABRIELLE
It says Plato.
SARA
Oh he's known as one of the great philosophers of our time.
Gabrielle eyed the scroll with curiosity for a moment as she spoke.
GABRIELLE
Philosophy? Huh, I wouldn't expect the Conqueror to enjoy reading such things.
SARA
Why not?
Gabrielle shrugged.
GABRIELLE
I guess I just always thought of the Conqueror as a really straight forward woman.
Sara chuckled as she climbed down the ladder to stand face to face with Gabrielle.
SARA
What did you think was stored in here all this time? Nothing but maps, treaties and strategies?
Gabrielle shrugged, feeling slightly embarrassed by her answer.
GABRIELLE
Kinda.
Sara smiled as she shook her head in mock disapproval as she took the scrolls that Gabrielle was holding and sat them on a table beffore beganing to walk away.
SARA
Come on, let me show you something.
Curious as to what Sara wanted her to see, Gabrielle followed the archivist through the large room until they reached a curtained off area that Gabrielle had seen plenty of times before, but still didn't know what laid beyond it as she hadn't had any reason to go behind it. That was until Sara pulled the curtain aside and motioned for Gabrielle to step inside.
GABRIELLE
What is all this?
Gabrielle looked around at the large section of books and scrolls that lined two full, tall walls, not too dissimilar to how the rest of the archive was organized.
SARA
This is where we keep what the lord Conqueror would call "the less practical writings and works"
The woman walked over to a shelf and after looking it over for a moment, placed the scroll that Gabrielle had found in its appropriate place as Gabrielle looked at the sheer number of items that lined the shelves with interest.
GABRIELLE
What do you mean "less practical"?
SARA
See for yourself.
Sara motioned to the shelves and Gabrielle looked at the various scrolls in front of her for a moment before picking one up completely at random and opening it to read.
GABRIELLE
Wait this is a story.
Gabrielle quickly scanned the page.
GABRIELLE
It looks like a good one too.
SARA
You enjoy literature?
GABRIELLE
Well I suppose I hadn't read very many things due to accessibility in a small village, but I have always enjoyed listening to and telling stories since I was a little girl.
SARA
Ah, I suppose that would explain why the lord Conqueror sent you to work in here.
Gabrielle shrugged.
GABRIELLE
I guess. Though I never really expected to see something like this here of all places.
SARA
Well, almost no one knows it, but since I've known her, the lord Conqueror's actually always enjoyed reading and collecting all types of various literary works from writers that span all across the world. I actually come in here quite a bit myself.
Sara chuckled.
SARA
Even if the lord Conqueror is the only one here who can actually read a good number of what's in here.
GABRIELLE
Wait she doesn't let her own archivist read everything in the archives? How does she expect you to do your job fully if some of what's here is off limits?
Sara laughed a bit as she shook her head.
SARA
No, it's nothing like that...
Sara paused as she reached onto a shelf and grabbed a scroll before handing it to Gabrielle.
SARA
Here, see for yourself.
Having no idea what Sara could've meant, Gabrielle unrolled the parchment and immediately understood why no one else would likely be unable to read it, as she had no idea what it said due to it being written in a language she had never seen before and looked Sara with a surprised expression on her face.
GABRIELLE
The Conqueror can read this?
SARA
She can.
Gabrielle rolled the paper back up and gave it back to Sara who put it back.
SARA
She's actually well versed in multiple languages from all over the world. Something that I'm sure was both helpful and necessary across her travels before she settled down here.
GABRIELLE
Huh.
SARA
Why don't you pick one next?
GABRIELLE
Why? It's not like I can read what's in here.
SARA
They aren't all foreign works.
The woman looked around for a moment.
SARA
There. That section is all Greek.
The archivist pointed to a section of the shelf, as Gabrielle went over to it and again pulled out a scroll at random and opened it to read.
GABRIELLE
Wow. This is beautiful.
She looked up from the parchment.
GABRIELLE
Are all the rest like this?
SARA
Some. Why who's that one by?
Gabrielle looked back at the paper as she read the author of the poem she had just read.
GABRIELLE
It says Sappho. Who's that? I've never heard of him.
Sara smiled.
SARA
"She's" actually a pretty well known bard. Though I suppose being from a small village, you might not have heard of her. Here...
Sara moved to where Gabrielle had pulled the scroll from and grabbed several more and after reading the labels, handed them to Gabrielle.
SARA
These are some more of her works if you'd like to read 'em.
GABRIELLE
Are you sure it's okay for me to do that?
SARA
Like I said before, anyone has access to what's in here so trust me Gabrielle, it's fine.
Gabrielle smiled.
GABRIELLE
Okay. Thanks.
Sara and Gabrielle turned and exit% the curtained off section of the archives as they returned to work having never noticed that only moments prior they had been being watched from a distance by a set of blue eyes that had come to the archives looking for something and left without it once they saw Gabrielle coming their way.
XENA
So this is where you go when you aren't held up in your room.
Xena stood in the doorway of the keep's kitchen for a second before moving to casually lean against the wall and watched the busy kitchen staff go about their work in preparing the coming evening's dinner.
XENA
Though I can't say I'm too surprised that you'd end up in here. That.smells goodby the way.
Xena casually picked up a spoon and went to take a spoonful of the stew that was simmering on the open fire stove but felt the sting of a large wooden stirring spoon smack the back of her hand causing her to pull it away in an instinctive response.
XENA
Hey, that stung.
The whole room suddenly froze as they heard Xena's voice and looked at the person standing at the stove as they wondered what Xena would do to the cook. Especially given just who the cook was.
CYRENE
Given what I've seen you pull through since being brought here, I'm pretty sure you'll survive a little wack from a wooden spoon to the back of your hand.
Xena grumbled to herself.
XENA
Doesn't mean it doesn't still hurt.
Xena looked around at the people who were now watching them and gave a wave and a casual command for them to get back to work. And after every eye in the kitchen was off of them, the two stood there for a moment as Xena watched Cyrene add a couple more ingredients to the stew a stirred it.
CYRENE
So I'm assuming that there was something you needed since you bothered to come find me here. Other than apparently being impatient for dinner
XENA
What, I can't just wanna have a casual conversation?
Cyrene gave Xena a suspicious look that said told the Conqueror her mother knew full well that casual conversations weren't particularly her style, as Xena sighed slightly, knowing that there was no point in trying to lie to the woman.
XENA
Alright fine, maybe I did have a reason for coming to see you.
Cyrene smiled in triumph as she finished stirring the pot of food and set the spoon on the counter as she turned to face her daughter.
CYRENE
That's what I thought. So what did you want Xena?
XENA
Well first, you do know that you don't have to do anything while you're here right?
CYRENE
Xena, when have you ever known me to just sit around and do nothing all day?
XENA
Fair point. I just don't want you to think that you have to do this to stay here.
CYRENE
Yes I know. Now stop avoiding my question.
Xena smirked.
XENA
Nothing ever gets passed you, does it? I guess that's one thing that hasn't changed since I was little.
CYRENE
One of the quirks of being a parent is knowing when your children are hiding things.
Xena scoffed jokingly.
XENA
No wonder we never got away with anything without you eventually finding out.
Xena smiled as she stepped aside.
XENA
Well how do you feel about taking a lunch break, and we can eat somewhere a little more private.
Cyrene agreed, and Xena had a quick lunch for the two of them made and Xena carried it up to Cyrene's room, where the mother and daughter sat to eat and talk.
CYRENE
Well now that we're apparently out of range of any potential eavesdropping, what was so important that you needed to speak with me in private? You know if somethings wrong...
XENA
Sorry. I'm not trying to worry you. It's just that i don't really know how I ended up here.
Xena looked down at her plate as she idly moved her food around.
XENA
Do you think it's possible for someone to... love me?
Cyrene looked at Xena with a slightly surprised expression.
CYRENE
Xena, I know that alots happened, but I never stopped loving you. Even after everything, I wouldn't still be here if I didn't. I thought you knew that.
Xena smiled.
XENA
I do. And I'm glad to hear you say that, really I am. But that wasn't exactly what I was talking about.
CYRENE
Oh.
The woman sat there looking at Xena for a moment until she quickly realized what she actually meant.
CYRENE
Oh Xena, since when do you come to me for advice about your love life?
Xena shrugged.
XENA
I guess there's a first time for everything.
CYRENE
But why? It's not as though you've ever been shy about that sort of thing before. Or really anything else for that matter.
XENA
True. But this time it's... different.
Now intrigued by the unexpected topic and vulnerability that Xena was showing, Cyrene found herself curious to know just who it was that could have possibly gotten the normally bold and unintimidated Conqueror to act as though she was a shy, inexperienced young teen. Which even at that age Xena had had never acted in such a way, as she had always been full of a confidence that even a lot of full-grown men would never have. So to say that seeing her daughter act so differently was a surprise to Cyrene would be an understatement.
CYRENE
This really isn't just another warlord or powerful leaders that's caught your eye, is it?
XENA
No.
Able to see the seriousness in Xena's eyes, Cyrene could tell that whoever this person must've been truly different from the others that she had heard about. Especially since she had never known her daughter be so open and vulnerable about anything like this before.
CYRENE
Well then who is it? Xena, please tell me it's not one of those dangerous types. You know I heard about Ceasar. You think you would learn to stay away from men like that.
XENA
No, I've learned my lesson about people like him.
Xena scowled at the thought of the Roman and everything she suffered because of him.
XENA
Trust me.
CYRENE
Oh well, I suppose that's good to hear. But if it isn't some kind of feared, violent or power hungry leader, what's the problem?
Xena sighed.
XENA
Because, it's...
Xena paused for a moment, uncertain for a moment if she wanted to fully open up about the truth of what she had been feeling for some time now. But then decided that she couldn't just keep trying to ignore those feelings and just let it out regardless of what her mother's reaction might be.
XENA
Gabrielle.
Taken by surprise by the name that had just come out of the Conqueror's mouth, Cyrene was certain that she must have heard Xena incorrectly as she figured that it just wasn't possible that the Conqueror had just confessed to having feelings for someone like Gabrielle, as she repeated the name back to Xena in an effort to clarify what she assumed she had misheard Xena say.
CYRENE
Gabrielle. You aren't talking about the same Gabrielle that's here in the keep?
The question was of course rhetorical, as Cyrene was fully aware that the only person they both knew with that name did in fact reside within those walls. A fact that while true, was no less shocking as Cyrene never would have imagined the Conqueror confessing to having feelings for a young woman such as Gabrielle. Of whom Cyrene, like so many others in the keep, had taken quite the liking to. Which admittedly caused a great deal of concern for the older woman, as Cyrene knew all too well of her daughter's reputation when it came to getting whatever she wanted. The harsh truth being that Xena could be ruthless, callous and down right emotionless if it came down to her getting whatever she had set her sights on for one reason or another. Of which Cyrene had no doubt included emotional manipulation. But then Cyrene silently wondered if that were the case here, than what exactly did Xena want from Gabrielle? And why did she think that talking to Cyrene about it would help her get it?
CYRENE
What exactly do you plan on doing with that girl Xena?
Not liking the suspicious tone of the other woman's voice, Xena scowled at the question.
XENA
What's that supposed to mean? You don't think I would actually do something to directly hurt an innocent young woman?
CYRENE
Xena please, let's not pretend like we both aren't aware of the things you've done as a means to an end when it suited your needs.
Unaware before that moment of Cyrene's knowledge of some of her far more devious strategies for achieving her goals, Xena looked away as she found herself unable to fault her mother for her completely reasonable suspensions. And suddenly felt ashamed of having done so.
XENA
You're right. I have done that before.
She returned her focus to Cyrene.
XENA
But I promise you, not the way you might think I have.
CYRENE
I know. Even with all the different rumors I've heard over the years, there were just some things that I always refused to believe that you were capable of. I just needed to be sure.
XENA
I know. But what I meant before was she came to me as an escaped would-be slave and simple villager. What could she possibly have that would make me do something like this to get?
CYRENE
Isn't she Amazon royalty now?
XENA
(Talking to herself) Boy, nothing really does go untalked about around here.
Yes, technically she is. But I'm allies with that tribe. If you'll remember I recently stopped a coup attempt on their queen.
CYRENE
I thought you went there because of Gabrielle.
Xena shrugged.
XENA
Two things can be true. And might I add that if any of what you're saying was true, and I did have some kind of anterior motives here, why would I involve you of all people to help me get what I wanted when I could just come up with some sort of strategy or tactic to get it done instead?
Not able to see any holes in Xena's argument, Cyrene conceded the idea that Xena's interest in Gabrielle had some kind of secret motivation to it, and as a result smiled at her daughter as she offered a bit of motherly advice that Xena had unexpectedly come to her seeking.
CYRENE
Well if what you're saying is true, and you think you have a genuine interest in Gabrielle, then why not just tell her how you feel?
Upon receiving the overlly simplistic solution to the question of how she should handle this new situation involving her developing feelings toward Gabrielle, Xena looked at Cyrene with a blank stare.
XENA
You make it sound so simple.
CYRENE
That's only because it is.
Cyrene smiled.
CYRENE
Not everything requires some grand strategy Xena. Sometimes the only thing you can do is throw caution to the wind and hope that it works out the way you want it to.
XENA
And if it doesn't?
CYRENE
Then at least you can say you tried. But what you need to ask yourself is if you think it's worth taking that chance, or if you're content with spending the rest of your life regretting not knowing?
Xena smirked slightly.
XENA
I guess I don't need any more regrets on top of the multiple ones I already have.
CYRENE
Dose anyone?
XENA
No, I guess they don't.
Xena smiled more earnestly at her mother.
XENA
Thanks.
The Conqueror stood up straight from where she had been leaning against the wall.
XENA
I think I'll leave you to get back to what you were doing.
CYRENE
Am I to assume that you're going off to find a certain young lady with blonde hair and green eyes?
Xena smirked as she turned to leave the kitchen.
XENA
Don't know...
Xena paused as she let her mother's words set in, and she wondered if the older woman was right.
XENA
Maybe.
Cyrene watched as Xena began walking away but stop when she heard her mother speak up again from behind her, and looked back over her shoulder.
CYRENE
Xena.
XENA
Yeah?
CYRENE
Don't you hurt that girl. Gabrielle's a sweet young woman and I don't wanna see anything happen to her.
XENA
Don't worry I'll do everything within my power to make sure that never happens.
CYRENE
I'm serious Xena, you do anything to intentionally hurt her, and the bridge that we've been slowly building between us will be gone. And this time for good.
XENA
Understood.
And with those somewhat tense last words between Cyrene and herself, Xena left her mother mother's room as she headed off to the archives, where she figured Gabrielle would still be working. And as Xena reached the doors to the room, she felt herself hesitant to go inside. The uncertainty of whethershe should actually go through with what she had come there to do racing through her mind. Then as Xena decided to open the door to peek inside, she heard Gabrielle's voice come from nearby as she talked with who Xena knew was most likely Sara, Xena knew that for good or bad, whatever happened next, she couldn't turn back now. And as she walked into the archives to find Gabrielle, the young woman would soon learn to unexpected truth about Xena's feelings toward her. But how Gabrielle would respond and what would happen as a result still remained an unknown. As well as what Xena would do when faced with the possibility of the admission of her true feelings being met with denial and rejection.
TO BE CONTINUED...