Birthday Homecoming
Amelia leaned against the palace balcony and sighed. Surveying her father's kingdom from on high had always been a source of joy for her, but today that the only thing the white walls of Seyruun did was make her heart ache. In her hand she clutched knight's last letter/ She had read it nearly a dozen times a day since it had arrived three months ago, feeding off the uncharacteristic joy of its writer's words. Zelgadis was on the verge of finding his cure, he had said; for the first time in years, he was certain that he would become human again. That he would arrive by the week of her eighteenth birthday a flesh and blood man instead of a hideous, rock-skinned chimera. He would let her guide him all across Seyruun City, uncloaked, unmasked, ready to sample all the delights of the White Magic City, with his beloved princess at his side. No later than the twenty-fifth, he had promised, before the end of the birthday feast.
It was the morning the twenty-sixth. Happy birthday to her.
She sighed again, infusing as much energy into her melancholy as she did her pre-battle justice speeches. It might not have been from him, she told herself. Maybe it was Mr. Xellos playing some awful trick. The letter certainly hadn't sounded like the taciturn Zelgadis. Always in the past his letters had been matter of fact and even a little dry, with only the subtlest of tenderness. He didn't say things like "delights of the city," or "beloved." Amelia's face reddened as she privately wished that he would.
But it wouldn't do to settle for such an explanation, she realized. If Zelgadis hadn't sent that letter, then that meant she hadn't received anything from him in nearly six months! Her heart leapt into her throat at the thought. What if he was in trouble? What if something had gone wrong with the cure, or he had been kidnapped by demons and they were writing to her in his stead, trying to lure her into a trap? Or maybe Zelgadis had sent the letter, but his demonic captors were making him write reassuring things so she wouldn't suspect and come after them with Lina Inverse? What if the letter was encoded with some plea for help?
She tore through the letter again, almost ripping it in her fervor. Nothing but the oddly cheery tone seemed out of sorts, but this did nothing to dim the righteous fury burning in her bright blue eyes.
"How dare those demons," she shouted, leaping atop the railing. That this was the fifth floor of the palace, or that she was still wearing her ball gown and heeled slippers did not matter in the least. An ally of justice could not be bothered by such trivialities, especially when the man she loved had been captured by the hordes of Shabranigdu.
"How dare they," she said again, "Kidnapping Mr. Zelgadis while he was on the verge of finally regaining his human form, after all he's sacrificed. Using him for their own nefarious schemes!"
"Still," she conceded as she squinted at the letter, "I can't tell if there's any sort of code or not. Oh, I hope Ms. Lina hasn't left yet. I'm sure she'd be able to tell if there was one or not. She's be a big help in saving Mr. Zelgadis, too. She did beat one of the Dark Lord's aspects, after all. And two of his generals. I'm actually kinda surprised any demon but Mr. Xellos would risk making her mad anymore."
She was going through the second page now, still rocking on the balcony's edge, when she spotted it. He had had set up a lab in the mountains of Zephilia. Of course, such an obvious hint!"
"So that's where they're keeping him," Amelia said, her entire being ablaze with the fires of justice as she thrust a righteous fist into the sky. "Those villains! Now that I know where those fiends have made their lair, I must strike while the iron is hot! Though the heavens themselves may forgive those demons for harming Mr. Zelgadis, Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun will not! I will free Mr. Zelgadis, and strike the villains down with the hammer of justice!"
She prepared to take flight in a heroic leap. Then remembered the maids had asked her to stop jumping out of windows, even if she was a sorceress. Instead, she gave a no-less heroic leap onto the balcony and ran for her chamber door.
"I'm coming Mr. Zelgdai—is!" Then her foot caught the edge of her gown and she slid tremendously across the floor. Her face was still burning with shame and carpet burn when there came a small knock at the door.
"C-come in," she mumbled.
"What's all the shouting for?" Amelia's eyes watered at the sight of him. His skin was still gray and dotted with pebbles, his hair was still like cobalt colored wire. But it was the same handsome smile, the same kind eyes.
"Mr. Zelgadis!" Amelia blubbered, wrapping her arms about his waist and crushing him as hard as she dared. "I-I thought the demons had caught you."
"Do I dare ask?" he said with one of his rare laughs, but he sobered almost at once. "Sorry I'm late."
"You're still a chimera," she said, disappointed for him. "But your letter—."
"It didn't pan out," he said, trying to sound as if he had announced the sky is blue, hiding the frustration in his eyes. "I guess I was feeling a bit too confident, and got a little carried away. I wanted to surprise you." His rigid cheeks darkened a shade, and Amelia almost laughed to see his embarrassment.
She shook her head, firmly denying his apologies. "It doesn't matter, I'm just glad you're here. I'm sure you'll find your cure next time."
Zelgadis answered with a doubting shrug, but his smile held leagues of gratitude.
"Um, I know you wanted to do it when you were human again," Amelia said, "But would you like to accompany me through the city?"
Zelgadis smiled. "I'd love to."
The End
Author's Note- Winner of the Nakakon 2014 Iron Fan Fiction Contest. I haven't put anything up for a (long) while, but I'm really proud of this one and wanted to share.