"THE PRINCESS & THE QUEEN" series -SCROLL VII: SACRAMENTS FOR SUBSTANTIATION

pt.12

It was late in the day as the sun had mostly made its descent from the sky and Gabrielle rode back into the secret village. She returned the horse she borrowed to the stables and got an earful from the woman there about Xena becoming upset with her for Gabrielle leaving.

GABRIELLE
Sorry about that. I'll be sure to talk to her about that.
(Thinking to herself) Yup as I thought, Xena is not happy about my going out without telling her. I'm gonna end up hearing it when I get back to the house. Oh well it's not like I didn't expect that reaction anyway.

So after gathering the satchel of everything that she got while she was out, Gabrielle made her way back home. She opened the front door to the house and went inside. After putting down everything she way carrying on the floor by the couch, Gabrielle walked back to shut the door. As she was about to turn around from doing just that she heard Xena's voice.

XENA
(Flat tone) Must've been a nice day for a trip.

Gabrielle sighed already knowing that this wasn't going to go anywhere good and turned as she leaned back against the door and she spotted Xena sitting on third step from the bottom of the stairs leading to the upper level of their home idly fiddling with the note Gabrielle had left before she had woken up in her hand.

GABRIELLE
Actually it was.

Xena kept her voice neutral but Gabrielle knew that she wasn't happy with her.

XENA
So where'd you go all day?

Gabrielle could feel the tension between them already building but kept up the charade of the plesent, casual conversation that they both knew they weren't really having.

GABRIELLE
Nowhere special. Just decided to take a trip to the city that's not too far from here.

XENA
You must be tired from your long day I bet.

GABRIELLE
No not really.

XENA
So what was so important that you had to run off and get without telling anyone where you were going.

Gabrielle shrugged.

GABRIELLE
Nothing particularly special.
(Thinking to herself) Technically not a lie.

Finally Xena grew tired of playing this little game and switched to the more direct approach for getting the answers she wanted from Gabrielle.

XENA
(Irritated tone) So let me get this straight Gabrielle. You go out all day, don't tell anyone where you're going. Leave some ridiculous note just saying that you'll be back later with no actual timeline for when. And you're saying that you had no particular plan for what you were doing?

GABRIELLE
What I can't go out somewhere if I want to.

Xena crumpled up the paper she was still holding, stood and tossed the paper aside as she moved closer to where Gabrielle still stood.

XENA
(Irritated tone) You know full well that's not the issue here.

GABRIELLE
(Irritated/ Sarcasm) Oh right I forgot to get an esort of some kind before hand.

Xena scowled as she stopped in front of Gabrielle.

XENA
(Irritated tone) Don't play dumb Gabrielle. You know your free to go places on your own.