Creator's note:
People are reading this, which is awesome. Your comments and encouragements and such have been most excellent. Thank you all.
That aside, since people are reading, I feel compelled to make revisions. We can't have people perusing all our craptastic typo's and such, can we? New intros, too. It's been four years, so a lot of my editorial nonsense seems out-moded now. It's purely selfish. The more revisions I upload, the more readers I get, meaning more feedback which also means I get to grow into better writer. Cool.
This first chapter was the shortest, mainly because I didn't think the narrative would take so long. At this point I had already mapped out major plot points, but everything else seemed to exist as nebulous little concepts floating randomly in the ether of my psyche. I needed to find the voice of this story, half of which was Zelgadis's because he was telling it. he was always my favorite Slayers Character from since I was a 16-year-old wearing all black and writing bloody-terrible poetry (just like anyone one else). I wanted to write a story about him, but I became more interested in Amelia the more I fooled around with the idea. For some reason, I ended up convincing myself that she looked like Audrey Tatuou, probably to give Mr. Greyswords some sort of visual incentive (which really didn't matter). It was more for myself, anyhow, I needed a muse compatible with my own delusional hell. I have a lovely cache of Amelia/Audrey drawings to show for it (I actually make a fantastic living as an artist). I'll e-mail these to anyone who thinks up a title for me.
P.S. Please write reviews. Long, angry ones, or whatever. Just be specific---this is a work in progress and I would appreciate constructive feedback and/or ideas. . . .
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He fingered the charm as he entered the city. He normally avoided places so public as this, but his quest made it necessary. It was Lina who told him about the Library . Their separate journeys found them pursuing the same relic one day and when she explained why they would be after the same item, he had no choice but to travel to Seyruun to see this Library . He expected he would see HER when he got there, in fact, it was also necessary.
The Great Library of Seyruun was Lina's Library . At least, that's what Amelia told everyone. It made sense considering all Lina had done, all she had been involved with, and eventually involved the princess of Seyruun with. Not that this was Lina's fault---she would've rather not had Amelia along for the ride, but these things happen regardless of whose fault it is, accidental or no. That is, if you believed in fate, which Zelgadis did not.
The truth of the matter was that in Zelgadis's mind, it was too clever a ruse to be otherwise. It not only brought even more renown to Seyruun, it kept the city safe from Lina Inverse's detrimental karma by keeping her occupied with the task of finding the more obscure texts outside and well away from within its city limits. This was to the princess's credit.
On the other hand, he knew that Amelia would know that this sort of thing would entice him to Seyruun. However, the princess had never mentioned it in any of her short, noncommittal letters to him. He couldn't decide if this was to her credit as well, or if he should be angry that she would keep something like that from him. Then again, they had stopped writing each other a year ago---at her request---because neither of them had time to keep up a correspondence. That last letter was probably the first time it ever struck him that Amelia was the crown princess of Seyruun, and that her everyday life was completely different in context to that in which he had known her. He finally resigned his suspicions to believe what Lina had told him about the Library . It was an engagement present from the King to his daughter to pressure her into a suitable marriage. This was probably the best time to approach Amelia about the Library , as Zelgadis was pretty sure the King would not consider him "suitable".
Though Seyruun was heavily guarded, he found it no challenge to infiltrate the palace undetected. Of course he would have to come at a time when every prince, noble, and eligible bachelor was at the palace---but he knew they would be, Lina had told him as much. They had no idea he was there---the courtiers didn't---and he liked it that way. But soon he would have to break out of the shadow and make his presence known to the princess if he was to find out anything about the Library . His usual sources for this kind of information had proven to be uncannily inadequate; it seemed as though Lina, her companion Gourry, the King, and the princess were the only people who knew where the Library was. Servants, laborers, petty clerics and other sources of the discreet variety knew of the Library but could only point him towards the odd healing hall or monastery---places too small to house what, from Lina's account, was a vast network of vaults.
The lack of any discreet options was galling. Speaking to the princess in private was impossible during the day and inappropriate (not to mention awkward) at night. The princess, of course, would do anything to help him. She was in love with him, or at least she said she was---which, at the time, both took him by complete surprise and touched him deeply.
But that was a long time ago---five years, actually. She was young and with youth came naivety. Inexperienced to a fault, her innocence was the foundation for all her misspent convictions, which she kept intact despite all she saw and despite her growing up a little bit during all of that time. It almost seemed endearing now, like all things in the past, though it was nearly intolerable then. It was never a question of whether or not he returned any of her feelings, because it wouldn't have changed her mind and Zelgadis decided a long time ago that he wouldn't think about it. Who knew what the princess felt now or if she even felt anything five years later. As it was, he had decided not to think about that, either, and he could always find out when he saw her. He slid the charm back into his cloak and pulled the mask tighter around his face.
He slipped along the back wall of the throne room---for that is where he eventually ended up and correctly guessed where the princess might have been located. It was a large basilica structure with mammoth columns lining the wide central nave separating the main floor from the double aisles flanking it. These columns were convenient to travel by if one wanted to escape notice. He was still unused to such a large crowd. Pressing himself against one of the immense, oddly warm stone supports, he scanned the multitudes, hoping this event required the princess to traverse the room and make small talk with each individual entourage---perhaps he could quietly pull her aside, or even catch her eye without having to announce his presence to the entire court. No such luck.
The princess stood on the main dais, far to the front of the nave while the courtiers came to her. She was clad in very princess-like virginal pink and white---elegant and almost severe. What shocked him was how much older she had become. She gazed at the crowd gracefully, smiled often, and patiently spoke with anyone who requested her attentions. Her face resembled something appropriately regal: placating and slightly bored. He had forgotten that she could be pretty.
He was used to taking it for granted.
She did save him the trouble of fighting the crowd. She had seen him, whispered a few instructions to the chamberlain at her side, and resumed her attentions to the gathering of nobles.
"Sir, the princess bids you come this way," said a voice behind him. The Chamberlain and his assistant then escorted him a good distance away from the official proceedings. She had sent her most competent and trustworthy servants to discreetly attend to him. He was impressed. He hadn't sensed their approach and they were exhaustibly respectful towards him, a complete stranger, hooded, and inside the palace by some questionable means. However, they could've been ushering him to a contingent of armed guardsmen waiting to efficiently deal with the intruder outside of the public eye.
But he was not taken to a prison. Instead, the servants led him to a small sitting room where he was left unhindered and quite alone. Zelgadis had not been particularly worried, but if the situation had been as he irrationally feared, things would have gotten. . .messy. That was the last thing he wanted to deal with. Fortunately, his fears proved unfounded and to his relief, not to mention surprise, the whole thing had not played out into some horribly dramatic scene. The princess, it seemed, had not only learned the royal art of delegation but had mastered the greater craft of expediency. Zelgadis did not know what he expected, but he couldn't tell if he felt a little disappointed, and if he was, he couldn't tell why.
He heard noises in the room next to him and he listened but couldn't tell if it was the princess or what that person might have been saying. He sighed and resigned himself to the task of waiting.
He didn't have to wait very long. The door into the sitting room opened and the princess and her father entered the room. No servants were with them. This level of personal involvement heartened Zelgadis, but he couldn't explain why he might have expected otherwise. After all, he and Amelia had been friends at some point, hadn't they. . . .He stood in deference to their position, but the King motioned for him to sit. Then he and his daughter did so as well. The King of Seyruun beamed at him.
"It's so nice to see one of my daughter's old friends drop by for a visit. Although I must say, I am sorry you came at such a tumultuous time."
Zelgadis found it odd that Amelia had said nothing in all this time. She sat quietly and he could not read her expression. He wondered how much five years could change someone. Then he realized, to his astonishment, that he really didn't know her all that well to begin with.
"If my presence here is an unnecessary distraction, I would understand. My business in Seyruun does not require the importunate involvement of the Royal Family. . . ."
"Nonsense, dear boy! Any friend of Amelia's is welcome to stay in the palace as long as they like. From what my daughter's told me, I've come to understand you might be interested in our Library , and I see no reason we shouldn't do everything we can to make it easier for you to go about your business. I'll have to ask you, of course, if you plan to destroy any public property. In Lina's case, we had requested she secure an inclusive insurance policy. . . ."
"That's not necessary. It is not my intention to destroy any part of your city---accidentally or otherwise," Zelgadis smiled at the King's astute assessment of the sorceress's volatile personality, but he secretly wondered how much Amelia had told her father about him. He knew they were close and it would be uncomfortable conducting a "man-to-man" discussion with the hulking giant of a King should some sort of confrontation occur.
"Good, good. I didn't think you would---but I had to ask. You understand, of course?"
"Of course."
"Ha, ha! It's good to be on the level with each other," the King slapped him on the back good-naturedly---a gesture that would have flattened a lesser man.
"Forgive me," Zelgadis said, clearing his throat, "but about the Library ---I don't want to inconvenience anyone, however I must know when I will have access to it." He wanted to keep on subject, lest they turn to personal matters that could very well change the tone of this meeting from cordial formality to something more embarrassing.
"Oh yes. Of course. You can use the Library at your leisure. It's the least we can do for the considerable service you've rendered to your country. But," and the King looked slightly embarrassed, "I'm afraid I don't know much about this, urm, Library business. Hoom! To be quite honest, I've enjoyed having nothing to do with it. You see, it's been Amelia's project the whole time, what with there being other important matters of state and all, so you'll have to ask her---Amelia?"
The princess rose, unfolding her hands, which had lain still in her lap the whole time. She looked directly at Zelgadis for the first time during this meeting. The effect was unsettling.
"I will need to cast a recognition spell on you so you will have unlimited access. The Library is heavily guarded due to the nature of many of its relics, and you will want to avoid the different levels of armed security, the clerics, and book keeping staff. The spell should also get you beyond the many wizard locks blocking passage to the vaults housing the stronger magics."
It took all of his carefully cultivated self-control not to gawk at her as she said this. It wasn't simply a matter of there being items of such magical potential they needed not only an armed contingency to guard them, but to be locked inside of ensorcelled chambers. It was Amelia, who never broke eye contact with him and spoke in the even, dispassionate tones of someone telling the complete truth. He could not read any hidden meaning in her statement---there was none to find. Just what sort of work had she done for this "Library" ?
"What does this 'recognition spell' involve?"
"It is something Lina and I came across during the early stages of the building process. It merely assigns a magical 'tag' to you that the barriers and monitors we've placed throughout the Library would recognize and allow you unhindered passage. This spell has been cast on only Lina and myself, not because of the danger to whomever it is cast upon, or the level of difficulty in casting it, but as a necessary precaution."
Zelgadis found himself becoming irrationally angry with Amelia. "Doesn't that pose an unnecessary risk? If only two people are allowed into the chambers where the most valuable relics are kept, wouldn't that make you a target if someone with the means and desire for those spells decides to take them by force?"
"It was Lina who insisted we do it this way," said Amelia, undaunted, "besides, I am perfectly capable of protecting myself, Zelgadis." He couldn't tell which emotion had colored this statement, but something had given her voice an unqualifiable edge, and Zelgadis had the distinct impression that whatever it was that caused it probably had nothing to do with him.
"It's no use. I've tried reasoning with her---then again there's no reasoning with some women. . ." the King said conspiratorially. The princess rose, quietly (Zelgadis had already associated the faint rustle of cloth with the stone silence of her actions) coughing politely as she did so.
"(Ahem) Daddy?"
"Yes, darling daughter?"
"I believe there are people waiting for us in the banquet hall," and, with the minimalist mannerisms of the truly royal, she had swiftly ended the conversation, leaving the opportunity for neither embarrassment nor opposition from any other in the party.
"Oh yes. Right. Those people. Confounded court functions. . . ." The King grumbled as he rose and lumbered out of the room. The princess stayed behind, and Zelgadis wondered if now he would become part of some humiliating scene.
"I would ask you to join us, but you would probably want to take your meal alone. You will be shown to your rooms and can see the Library tomorrow. It's all been arranged. Are you ready?"
"For dinner?"
"For the recognition spell. I can cast it now if you like, unless you want to wait," she said.
"No, no. Let's get it over with."
Zelgadis watched as the princess whispered into her cupped hands. A blue light had begun to form into a ball between them. She opened her hands and extended them in his direction. The glowing ball floated from them and towards Zelgadis. He felt a slight, electric current wash over his body. Then it was gone.
"Is that all?"
"Yes, that is all. You will excuse me now?" But Amelia did not wait for his answer. She, or rather her garments, swished towards the exit. She stopped halfway out the door and turned to look at him. "It's good to see you, Zelgadis." Then, she too was gone.