Arranged marriage to the princess of the Red Scorpions

Obtuse as Gabrielle was, the atmosphere in the air told her that she'd perhaps messed up. The thought that Lena might've been preoccupied with something rather intimate and not want to be bothered didn't even cross the tall Italian woman's mind. Far too eager to celebrate the victory to ponder such things.

"I think that I recognize that voice a little too well. I didn't know you would return to working with her again." Gabrielle's head swiveled from one to the other as she tried to figure out the connection between the two.

"it wouldn't have been my first choice had there been other options." Lena had already come to regret her decision more than a little, and each passing moment only made that regret worse as the tall Italian woman continued to cause more chaos.

"You two must be related. I didn't mean to ruin whatever was going on here. I just had something important to talk with her about." The words seemed to have been the wrong choice as the annoyed aura around Lena increased tenfold.

"Whatever you had that you wanted to talk about could've waited until I returned. You're supposed to be taking care of this from start to finish. There's nothing reason for you to be giving me an update yet. Get out." The command caught Gabrielle off guard. Hadn't the princess wanted to hear the news? To know who had been the one to cause the chaos?

Surely...

"Gabrielle. I told you once, and you know how much I hate repeating myself. Get out, and don't bother about it until you finish everything." Gabrielle wanted to protest the undesirable response, but the other person interjected before she could complain.

"Come now, Lena; you need to take care of work. You can go about that instead of sitting here and chatting. After all, it sounds like something important she has to tell. In fact, why not say it here?" Knowing that Leo couldn't see meant that Lena could get away with nonverbally telling Gabrielle off in a way that only the Italian woman could see.

"Work can wait until later. Again, this job needs to be finished from top to bottom." With that, the princess jabbed toward the room door, indicating for Gabrielle to leave. She could go about dealing with the Italian woman later in time.

Gabrielle responded by giving Lena a look that told her how displeased she was at being brushed off. Some repayment for her hard work…

"Whatever you say, Lena. You should know that it might take longer than you expect me to finish. I was doing you a favor by letting you know in advance. Since it seems it isn't appreciated, I will be off then. Hysterious or Eve can fill you later. Although they don't know nearly as much as I do." The subtle, grumbly manipulation didn't go unnoticed by the princess, but she wasn't about to give the other the time of day to be impacted by it. There was still a lot that she wanted to go over talking with her brother, even if Leo thought otherwise.

"I wouldn't expect anything less. We can finish going over everything when you get back. I don't care about anything else as long as there's a body to show for when you return. You will get what you want and then be alone." Hmph. If only that thing weren't so rare. Gabrielle would've dropped the job right then and there.

However, she couldn't let her poor mood get in the way of collecting such a precious item. The tall Italian woman's eyes flittered over Lena's pocket as her hand hovered over the hospital room door. The princess likely still had it on her. She was the only person she couldn't easily steal it from. Clever play, as always. The Red Scorpion girl knew better than to underestimate her.

"The tension is already plenty high around here. Why don't the two of you talk over whatever is happening? I'm sure the nurse will be here soon enough to care for me for the afternoon." Leo's voice cut through the thick air again—a soft cold hand moving forward to pat Lena's stiff one.

"It isn't like I will go anywhere when you return." Always the peacekeeper. However, today wasn't a day for keeping the peace, much like it had been for the rest of the week. Not like Leo would know that, though. Being out for so many days left him in the dark. At least so long as the nurses or doctors hadn't gone about telling him anything.

Leo needed to worry more about his recovery than the rest of the family. Questions could wait until after he was in a more stable space himself.

"It is fine. I have already been given my orders. I best do what I'm told before I get scolded again. Don't think there is anything else for me to wait around here and do." Gabrielle shot the suggestion down sharply before Lena even had a chance to reply. The mood had already been set for the Italian, who no longer felt like divulging the information she'd found out. She could wait however long Lena wanted her to before she explained the situation.

"I will make sure that everything is handled properly and will be on my way to report back on it whenever it is finished up. As always, no communication until I come back." Gabrielle had intended to storm out of the hospital room following those words, except she never got that far. She'd hardly opened the door and prepared to leave before smacking face-first into something that felt very much like a brick. A brick that rumbled in an odd manner as Gabrielle tried to get her bearings.

"What in the fucking world?!" The harsh tone and snarl died on Gabrielle's lips when she came face to face with familiar eyes she hadn't seen in years.

What in the hell were they doing there?

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