First Watch
Part Two
By Relm
Lina really wanted to kill Gourry. She had almost gotten close to it, but Zelgadis and Amelia managed to stop her.
Of course Gourry didn't help matters either. The first thing he did once he realized that their camp was ransacked was to freak out about where his fairy tale was. He didn't care about the loss of money and food, all he cared about whether his story was okay.
"What the hell is so special about that damned story anyway?!" Lina screamed as Amelia and Zelgadis held her back.
Gourry wasn't listening, he was cradling his masterpiece. He was so proud of his story. It was the first thing he had ever written before. It made him feel like he was actually not as stupid as everyone said he was. True he knew he wasn't as smart as other people, but deep down it did bother him a bit. He did try, really he did to pay attention and understand things like everyone else. But Gourry's problem wasn't really a comprehension problem, but an attention span problem. For him to actually sit down and finish writing a whole story was an amazing feat for him. So he rolled up his paper treasure and tucked it away in his bag. "So what's for breakfast?" Gourry asked with a big bright smile.
This time Zelgadis and Amelia couldn't hold Lina back.
...
Zelgadis let out a heavy sigh as he sat around the campfire during his watch while everyone slept. He didn't really want to be standing watch or camping out, but they were left with little choice. After losing all their treasure and money Lina and company couldn't afford to get rooms at an inn. So even though they were in the shadow of the nearby town they were stuck sleeping under the stars.
It's not that Zelgadis hated camping out. It was fine when you weren't near a town. But they were near a town and the allure of a soft comfortable bed always trumps the hard ground under your feet.
So Zelgadis sat idly poking the fire as he had first watch. They had decided since Gourry couldn't stay awake during his watch the previous day that the watch orders were going to be as, first Zelgadis, second Lina and third Amelia.
A slight breeze blew by blowing a couple leafs through the camp, the most interesting thing Zelgadis saw the whole night. He didn't know why, but Zelgadis was particularly bored this evening. He didn't have any new books to read or any new spells to work on.
'What a boring night.' Zelgadis spied a look his hourglass, the sands had barely begun to fall. 'Still a lot of time to go. What am I going to do to pass the time?' His eyes bounced back and forth between Lina, Amelia and Gourry as they slept. Lina was sprawled out with her limbs going in every which direction, Amelia was curled into a small ball and Gourry snoring so loud that he sounded like a growling animal. 'It's amazing they can stay asleep with Gourry making so much noise.' Zelgadis mused with a smirk. It was then that Zelgadis noticed that Gourry's bag was hanging open somewhat, with the paper he had in it poking out enough to be seen. Gourry was sleeping clutching his bag as though it was a teddy bear. 'That's Gourry's story. Hmmm... I wonder.'
Being ever so careful Zelgadis fished Gourry's story out from the bag. He thought he woke Gourry up, but Gourry just mumbled and went back to snoring.
Sitting back down in his spot Zelgadis casted a very small light spell and did a quick once over of Gourry's story. Zelgadis had expected that the story would be written with poor penmanship and be unreadable. But that wasn't the case. Gourry took care when he wrote the story, it was very clear. Sure there were misspelt words here and there and the grammar wasn't always correct but it was easy to read.
Doing a once over of the story Zelgadis realized that Gourry had based the characters on all of them. Zelgadis, Amelia, Lina, Sylphiel, Filia, Xellos and Gourry, all were present in the story. 'He wrote a fairy tale using us as the characters?' Zelgadis found this amusing. 'Looks like Gourry made himself the hero of the story... I guess that's not surprising. And Xellos is the bad guy also not a surprise. But Sylphiel as the damsel in distress? I might as well read it, I'm bored anyway.'
And with that Zelgadis started to read.
...
Once upon a time in a kingdom far far away lived a beautiful princess. Her raven hair was long and silky and her eyes were greener than any forest. Princess Sylphiel was more beautiful than any princess born into the known world. And she wasn't just beautiful she was gentle and kind. She had bewitched the hearts of many including an evil monster king named Xellos.
Xellos the monster king couldn't contain his desire for the raven haired princes. He would have her, he would make her his.
Princess Sylphiel brushed her hair staring at her mirror as she prepared for bed. Though beautiful Princess Sylphiel was sad. She was very lonely. Her mother had died when she was very young and her father had just passed a year ago from a heart attack. Princess Sylphiel was the last one left of the royal family of Siaraag. Though she had many servants and subjects Princess Sylphiel missed her parents dearly.
"Princess Sylphiel." A voice called from outside the princess' door. "Might I come in?"
"Yes Sir Zelgadis, you may enter." Sylphiel got up from her vanity to face her visitor. "Is there something a matter?"
"Princess Sylphiel before your father died he requested that I look after you. He insisted that I make sure you continued on with your life without him here. And that life should include finding a suitor for you to marry so they you may become a queen." Sir Zelgadis crossed his arms across his chest. His voice was firm as was his expression. Though Sir Zelgadis seemed to be unfriendly and stoic, it was really that he wasn't good with expressing himself. He always wanted what was best for someone.
Princess Sylphiel rolled her eyes and sat herself back down. "Again with this talk Sir Zelgadis?"
"There are many princes in neighbouring kingdoms that you could marry. But you refuse to even see one of them! How are you to choose someone if you don't try?"
"Why does it have to be so soon?" Princess Sylphiel sighed.
"You don't have to marry right away. But at least you should meet with some of the princes." Sir Zelgadis chided.
"Why bother with a prince when you can have a king?" A shadowy mass spoke as it appeared in the room. The shadows gathered in the form of a man with dark purple hair and sinister purple eyes. He was dressed in dark armour embellished with dark purple jewels. He stood grinning at Princess Sylphiel.
Sir Zelgadis readied his sword and rushed at the intruder. But it was vain as Sir Zelgadis was sent flying against the wall with a dark ball of crackling energy.
"Xellos king of the Monsters." Princess Sylphiel stood showing no fear. "Why are you here? What do you want?"
"Why you of course. I wish to have your kingdom, your riches and your heart my dear. Marry me." He knelt before her and took her hand.
Princess Sylphiel snatched her hand from King Xellos'. "I will never marry you. Not now, not ever! You are evil and you bring misery to the lands!"
"Oh how I wished you wouldn't make me do this the hard way." King Xellos sent a current of energy through Princess Sylphiel and made her pass out. He picked her up in his arms and phased out of the room.
...
Princess Amelia walked through the halls of Siaraag's castle with her knight captain and head priestess. She was in search of Princess Sylphiel. Princess Amelia was visiting from her kingdom of Sailune. Since King Eruk of Siaraag's passing Princess Amelia had made a point to visit her friend every so often to make sure that she was okay. This was one such visit.
"Princess Sylphiel?" Princess Amelia knocked on her friend's door. "Are you there?" No one answered, but a male groan alerted Princess Amelia's ears. She stormed into the room and found Sir Zelgadis slumped against the ground just coming to. "Sir Zelgadis what happened?" Princess Amelia casted a healing spell on the knight captain of Siaraag.
"A monster was here." Head Priestess of Sailune Filia announced.
"Are you sure?" Lady Lina, Knight Captain of Sailune asked.
"I would know the stench of a monster anywhere." Priestess Filia shuddered in disgust.
"He took her." Sir Zelgadis groaned out.
"Who Sir Zelgadis? Who took who?"
"Xellos King of monsters. He took Princess Sylphiel."
The three ladies of Sailune gasped. "What are we going to do? We cannot stop the monster king!" Princess Amelia exclaimed. "Can we?"
"Not without the holy light of Atlas. Only that light can slay a beast such as a monster." Sir Zelgadis announced.
"The holy light of Atlas belongs to its royal family. The current bearer is their second crown Prince, Prince Gourry the brave. But no one has seen Prince Gourry for months!" Lady Lina protested. "Not since he went to slay the beast Zanifar."
"Well then I guess we'll just have to find him then. Where was this beast supposed to be?" Sir Zelgadis got his feet and sheathed his sword.
...
Somewhere between the kingdoms of Atlas and Siaraag, Prince Gourry sat by a roaring fire as he ate roasted boar meat. He had slain the beast Zanifar that was terrorizing the land and was now camping out under the stars. The battle had been a long one. It took Prince Gourry a month just to track down the beast, but it kept fleeing every time Prince Gourry got near. Eventually Prince Gourry was victorious and to celebrate he stuffed his face full of food. He liked camping under the stars but he wished he could be home and sleeping in his bed. But as it was he was closer to Siaraag then Atlas so it was going to be a long trek home for him. 'Maybe I could go to Siaraag tomorrow instead. Dad keeps telling me that I need to go and meet some princesses. Maybe the princess of Siaraag would like me. She's supposed to be very kind.' Prince Gourry smiled at that thought as he finished his meal. Being the second crown prince of Atlas Kingdom, Prince Gourry wasn't first in line to rule the kingdom. So that meant if he was to be a king he would need to find a princess to marry and rule her kingdom with. The first crown Princess of Sailune was supposedly engaged already and the second was far too young for Prince Gourry. And even if she wasn't he still wouldn't have a kingdom to rule. As Princess Amelia's older sister would be the future Queen of Sailune. But Prince Gourry had yet to meet Princess Sylphiel, whom was going to be queen of her kingdom. She would need a king.
'Wouldn't that be nice? I come home to Atlas with the glory of slaying a fearsome beast and the affections of a fair princess. Yeah, Siaraag it is.' Prince Gourry thought as he drifted off into sleep.
...
Princess Amelia, Priestess Filia, Lady Lina and Sir Zelgadis all rode in hopes of finding Prince Gourry and the holy light of Atlas. They rode all night and into the early morning desperately searching.
Meanwhile Prince Gourry was on his horse heading in the direction of Siaraag. He was going so fast that he almost crashed his horse into Lady Lina's.
Lady Lina's horse was well spooked and she was thrown clear off it. If it weren't for the quick movements of Sir Zelgadis she would have hit the ground hard. Lady Lina held onto Sir Zelgadis as he helped her on his horse. "Okay buster you'd better explain yourself! Because you almost killed me!" She tried to scream and look vicious but instead she sounded flustered as she blushed from being caught by Sir Zelgadis.
"I'm sorry my good sir, I didn't mean to spook your horse." Prince Gourry apologized.
"Sir?! SIR?! I'm a LADY YOU JELLYFISH BRAINED IDIOT!" Lady Lina screeched.
"You don't act like a lady." Prince Gourry mused. "But if you'll excuse me I'm on my way to Siaraag to meet Princess Sylphiel."
"Are you Prince Gourry?" Princess Amelia asked hopefully. She had only met Prince Gourry once, and all that she could remember was that he was tall with blond hair.
"Why yes I am."
"Thank goodness! We've been searching for you! Princess Sylphiel has been kidnapped and you're the only one that can save her!"
...
Zelgadis stopped reading and noticed that the time had run out of the hourglass. It was time to wake Lina and go to bed. He looked longingly at the story Gourry had written and debated on just reading more and waking Lina later. The story was quite good. And it made Zelgadis wonder why Gourry chose Sylphiel to be his leading lady in the story. He had expected Gourry to have Lina be his main character's love interest. As that saying goes, the writing says more about the insight of the writer rather than of the subject of the story.
'Perhaps Gourry has a deep hidden affection for Sylphiel, and not Lina.' Zelgadis mused with a laugh. Gourry had actually done Lina's character pretty well even going as far as having her insult the blond haired swordsmen. Zelgadis was also a little confused/interested in that part about Lady Lina and Sir Zelgadis. Zelgadis wondered if Gourry had paired him up with Lina in the story or if that little bit with the horse was it for the story. 'He probably just had that one bit. I doubt Gourry would want to pair me up with Lina.'
The allure to keep reading was very strong. 'I could just read through till the end of the second watch and wake Lina then. She could take the last watch and let Amelia sleep and we wouldn't have to deal with Amelia's whining about being tired.' He rationalized. But then the voice in the back of his head reminded him that since the previous night's ransacking they were out of coffee and tea. Nor did they have money to buy any. 'Okay then I'll wait till tomorrow night.' Zelgadis rolled back up the story and slipped it back into Gourry's bag before trying to accomplish the dangerous task of waking Lina.