fandomhigh | Library, Wednesday [9/28]

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Library, Wednesday [9/28]

With Parents' Weekend coming up, Gabrielle was more than a little eager at the prospect of having Xena here again, although she was resigned to the prospect of Xena possibly intimidating her friends and teachers. (It was Xena. That much was more or less inevitable.) She still wasn't quite back to her old levels of cheerfulness, but today, as she went about her tasks, she was pretty close.

And humming -- which was a good sign, unless you were looking for her to be in tune.

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"That just means the author's done a good job," Gabrielle decided, happy to hug him for as long as he'd let her. "And if that's the case, then you're forgiven. How have you been?"

"I know you would understand," he smiled and tightened his arms around her, wondering if perhaps this meant he had been distracted for too long. "I have been well. It seems the island's strangeness has passed me by for which I am grateful, though there was this one weekend I do not seem to recollect."

He shrugged his curiosity off. "What of you? Should I have come to seek you out sooner?"

"You're lucky I don't hold it against you," Gabrielle teased, reaching up to poke him in the chest. "But I completely understand how it is when it comes to books. I've been spending a lot of time with my scrolls lately."

And not sleeping that well, but she wouldn't bring it up.

"The weirdness skipped you too, did it? Me too . . . except for the time I was convinced a pink pony was going to show me the way to the promised land." If she thought that was bizarre, it only showed for a moment in her face. That wasn't the strangest thing she'd ever done in her life, anyway.

"There is a horse of such colouring teaching class," Faramir pointed out, teasing. He did not know much about it, but it was rather hard to ignore. "Perhaps there is truth there?"

"Oh, gods, of course there is," Gabrielle groaned, the tips of her ears turning slightly pink. (Not Pinkie Pie pink, though.) "That was one of those strange weekends where no one is acting like themself. But everyone seems to be all right now."

"I believe I will be content that you are all right now," he decided,smiling at her. "Are you expecting visitors?"

"I am," Gabrielle replied, and her face lit up like the cave had that one time when she and Xena had tried to retrieve the stolen Ark of the Covenant, and some incredibly stupid bandits had gone and opened it up ~~no seriously they actually did Raiders of the Lost Ark~~, just a lot less lethally for any unscrupulous types who might be in the vicinity. "Xena's going to be here; maybe you'll get the chance to meet her this time."

That was likely to go well.

"How about you?"

Faramir shook his head. "My brother sent word that he can not come this time, but I look forward to finally getting to meet your friend. That is if you can spare a moment."

"I think I can scrape out a few seconds just for you." Gabrielle did her best to try and sound like that would be a near-impossible task, but she didn't have the heart to make it too convincing. That was just mean. "Oh, Faramir, I'm sorry. You must have been hoping to get a chance to see him."

"I shall," he said easily. "I will not deny regretting the missed opportunity, but his presence is more needed back home. He could not be spared, but at least I will have a chance to meet my friends' friends."

"He can't be spared from his duties," Gabrielle guessed, and she wouldn't hold that against Boromir. "That's something to be proud of, isn't it?"

It was rather easy to have Faramir speak highly of his brother and her question was enough to draw a smile from him. "It is. Boromir is Captain and he leads his men well. They would follow him anywhere, not many can inspire such loyalty."

Well, that and Gabrielle tended to assume the best of people, even before people spoke highly of them. When there was praise involved from people she trusted, she'd make that assumption even more quickly.

"It's a rare skill, inspiring that kind of loyalty without fear," she agreed. "If he's anything like you it's not hard to imagine."

Faramir did not blush, but he ducked his head a little in a manner only people unused to compliments seemed to do. "He is not. My brother is the bravest man I know. A true warrior. I believe he feels best with a sword in his hand. I prefer a book."

He would pick up the sword when it was required of him, but he knew it did not please his Lord and father.

"That's why you and I get along so well," Gabrielle decided, but she'd noticed his reaction to the compliment and a frown crossed her face for a moment. "Still, you come from a land of warriors, don't you? If you ask me, it's its own kind of courage to choose a different path under circumstances like that. And if that's truer to the soul of who you are . . . so much the better."

"But is warriors Gondor needs, not scholars," he pointed out. "And its needs must come first."

Yet here he was, spending time reading books his father would think a waste of time.

"Don't say that as if knowledge isn't just as important," Gabrielle argued. "Would your warriors be as successful if they didn't have the understanding to make your weapons, or the grasp of strategy to win battles? How would your generals be able to plan attacks if scouts and mapmakers didn't give them an idea of the lay of the land? You are not unneeded, Faramir, don't you ever think you are; in a way, that's what your brother and his men are fighting for -- making Gondor a place where people like you can do what they love. And if that's a battle truly worth fighting . . ."

She smiled. "That makes you incredibly valuable."

He gave her a soft smile, knowing she meant well and there was some truth to it but it was not how it worked. Not for him and not in the eyes of his father.

"Wish it were that simple," he said gently, "but you are kind to say so."

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Library, Wednesday [9/28]

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