Disclaimer: I don't own "Slayers", no matter how much I would love to.
Yay new story! I know it's been a while since I've posted anything here, those of you who read my other stories, but I'm working on getting stuff done without dropping quality. Not to mention I'm required to read a 940 page book over the summer...
And yes, fans of the Eagles, their song "The Girl From Yesterday" was the inspiration for this story(like it wasn't obvious enough).
Anyway, thanks goes out to Naga Shark for beta-ing this for me and I hope you all enjoy this little oneshot!
Amelia sank to the ground with a sigh. So much had happened in the last couple of days, reviving the people of Taforashia, the battle with the Dark Lord's ghost, and now a majority of the kingdom needed to be rebuilt. The princess of Saillune and her friends were sticking around to help, even though they were still recovering from the battle.
Now, with the sun touching the horizon, Amelia sat in front of a fire to rest while most of the others continued to work or (like Lina and Gourry) ate dinner.
"Amelia," someone called out. She turned around and saw her chimera friend. Zelgadis walked over to her and sat down by her side. Amelia was grateful he was looking into the fire rather than at her, as she feared he would see the blush on her cheeks.
"How is your arm?" he asked after a moment of silence, still looking intently at the fire.
"All healed, thanks to you Zelgadis-san." Amelia smiled, patting the bicep of said arm. He didn't offer a reply and the area fell silent once again except for the crackling of the flames.
"Amelia, there's something I need to tell you," he said suddenly. Her heart beat faster and she struggled to contain herself.
"Yes Zelgadis-san?" she inquired, somehow managing to keep her voice from shaking.
"...I can't go back yet." Her heart nearly stopped.
"What do you mean?"
"A cure may still be out there for me," he explained quietly, glaring at the fire as if everything were its fault. "I know Rezo said there wasn't, but I can't stop searching just yet based only on his words. Not until I know for sure." Zelgadis finally turned to her, waiting for her to say something. Waiting for her approval. Her eyes locked on his, sending her heart into her throat.
She was shocked. This wasn't the way it was supposed to go. He was supposed to come back with her to Saillune. He was supposed to be her bodyguard, her knight...wasn't he?
'No, he's right,' Amelia thought, defeated. 'He has left every other time...Why should this time be any different?'
"Amelia?" he interrupted her thoughts.
She forced a smile to her face and said "Good luck. I hope you find what you are looking for." He smiled at Amelia and thanked her, turning back to the fire. She excused herself and retreated into her tent, trying to help herself understand his decision.
In the days before Zelgadis's departure, the two continued to help in the rebuild. Amelia didn't let her turbulent emotions show, she just kept on smiling in front of everybody. Even when her father came with supplies from Saillune, she kept her pain hidden.
On the afternoon marking one week since the battle with Shabranigo's ghost, the group gathered at the nearest port. Waiting there in the water was a small sailboat. Zelgadis hefted the small bag of his belongings and turned to his companions.
"See ya around Zel," Gourry started.
"Good luck finding a new sword," Zelgadis said as the two clasped hands. The chimera turned to Lina, who began rubbing her nose nervously.
"You know I don't do sappy goodbyes," she said. Zelgadis rolled his eyes.
"I know. Go easy on Gourry, alright?"
"No promises there," she replied, blushing lightly. Zelgadis chuckled and turned to the last in line: Amelia. She didn't tell him how she really felt. She didn't tell him to stay. She didn't do anything that would have kept him from leaving.
All she did was smile and say "Good luck Zelgadis-san." He smiled gratefully at her.
With nothing to say, he climbed into the boat and shoved off. Zelgadis turned back once more to wave goodbye. The trio waved back, Amelia much more subdued than the other two. They saw he gave a small smile before he looked away. In five minutes he was gone, nothing more than a speck in the distance.
"Come on you guys. We better head back before they send a search party," Lina said. She and Gourry began walking away from the docks. Amelia didn't move.
Lina noticed and called back "Amelia! You coming?" She didn't get a reply. "Gourry, go on ahead. We'll catch up later," Lina ordered her partner. He looked at her confused for a moment, shrugged, and followed orders. Lina in the meantime ran back to Amelia, who still had her hand up in a frozen wave.
"Hey Amelia, are you okay?" she questioned, putting a hand on the shorter girl's shoulder. Amelia didn't answer. Lina moved in front of her friend to get a good look at her face and frowned. Silent tears rolled down Amelia's cheeks, even though she hadn't stopped smiling. Amelia suddenly gasped lightly and blinked her eyes. She looked at Lina like she just realized Lina was right in front of her.
"Oh, Lina-san," Amelia started, wiping her tears away, "We should go back now, don't you think?" The sorceress gave her a sad grin and nodded. As Amelia walked away from the dock, Lina sent one last glance at the sea.
'Zelgadis you bastard. You just broke her heart.'
In the passing days, Amelia never broke down. At least, not in front of others. If anyone was around, she would put the same happy smile on her face like a mask. A sort of barrier formed around the princess. Only in private did her mask come off. Only by herself did she let herself cry and wonder what it would be like if he were still by her side.
Amelia awoke with a gasp, a light layer of sweat covering her skin. She found herself leaning against a tree, the sounds of construction in the distance. The sky was reddening, signaling the end of the day.
"Amelia? Hey, Amelia?" She quickly looked around and felt a tug at her heart. Zelgadis was sitting next to her. "Are you alright?"
"Huh?" she asked intelligently.
"You were working too hard. You looked like you were about to fall asleep on your feet," he explained accusingly. "I brought you over here so you could rest and you fell asleep instantly."
"I did?" she inquired guiltily as she slowly remembered. "I hope I didn't worry everyone." Zelgadis shook his head, but he was grinning lightly.
"Worry about yourself sometimes, okay?" She blushed.
"Okay Zelgadis-san." She fell quiet and the duo simply sat there under the tree, admiring the beauty of the twilight sky.
"Ano, Zelgadis-san, how long do you plan on staying here?" she asked nervously, afraid her dream would become reality. He blinked at her.
"As long as you are," he answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I'm your bodyguard, aren't I? A knight isn't supposed to abandon his princess." Zelgadis gave her a warm smile and she felt a burst of heat flood into her chest. Amelia stood up shakily, Zelgadis right behind her in case she fell.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Amelia just smiled and wrapped her arms around the confused chimera.
"I am now." He hugged her back tightly and she heard the beating of his heart match with hers.
"Actually Amelia, there is something I want to be sure of before we leave," he whispered into her hair. She felt her heart constrict as he pulled her arms off of him. Amelia looked up at his face and, oddly enough, the chimera was blushing. A glance over his shoulder showed Amelia a widely grinning Lina in the distance, giving her a thumbs-up. He grabbed her left wrist gently and lifted it up.
"You didn't look at your hand, did you?" he murmured. Amelia gazed down curiously and gasped, tears beginning to blur her vision. Even so, the little gold band remained clear and bright.
"That battle with Rezo made me realize something I should have learned long ago. Rezo was stuck in the past because he never got over his blindness. Even in the end, he was alone in the dark and I could have become just like him. But I've come to see that there is too much happening in my life right now for me to be living in the past like he was." Zelgadis pushed Amelia's chin up lightly, locking eyes together.
"Well, Amelia? What do you say?" She couldn't say anything. Her heart was beating too fast for her to move her mouth. Instead, she cupped her hands to his stony cheeks and pulled him in close. Somewhere in the distance they could here Lina cheering.
"I say of course," she whispered right before their lips connected. Tears trickled down her cheeks, the princess absolutely elated and relieved her dream would never come true.