*Disclaimer: Slayers belongs to Mr. Kanzaka Hajime, Araizumi Rui, Tkyo TV soft, Fumination, etc, etc... I don't own anything of Slayers franchise. This is just a fanwork to be happy reading it.
*Author Notes: Basically "What if Miwan would have been a real woman instead a man?" from NEXT-Ep 17. This story follows the events of that "drag" episode, but this time Miwan is a real woman, and we know Zelgadiss felt very attracted by her in that episode. Basically this explains what would happen in such case. I talked with my friend Nadessiko (another fanfic author), about this, so we got a conclusion. This story is, indeed, the narration of that conclusion. This chapter has several scenes that appear in the anime, but with a twist in order to make clear what happens in the un-told scenes, and what are the characters' thoughts about those events. The idea is developing those in order to put clear what happens in every moment.
Don't forget Miwan is a girl in this story.
Special thanks to Earthstar-chan, who beta readed this form me. Thank you so mucho.
Comments and criticism are welcome.
Chapter 2- Miwan
Amelia had been right. Femille's princess was a young girl, around the same age than Lina and Amelia themselves, although her life seemed to be quite different. Physically, she was beautiful, or rather, cute; her face was rounded, with also rounded and big golden eyes, a feature that wasn't very usual; her hair also was dark, long and straight, with her fringe cut in a line, similar to Xelloss', which was something that made her to have some resemblances with Sylphiel, but also was usual among priestess. Finally, she was some inches taller than Amelia, and her body shape was quite rounded, too.
Since the very beginning, Zelgadiss had felt he liked her features. They fit his own personal taste about women. But nothing of that mattered as he was conducted, along the rest of the group, to the Throne Hall.
Miwan, of course, had been oblivious about that fact. The group had found that, apparently, Miwan has rushed away from some priestess escorts as she was going to a certain place in the valley. In a certain moment, she just had sneaked out and rushed away from the other priestess, who obviously went after her. In her flight, she had crossed a Werelizards' camp, and that had made them angry, so they started to chase her. At least, the escort priestess saw that and came to her rescue, but Miwan only could run randomly among the trees, till fortunately she saw a group of women in the forest' meadow, so obviously she headed towards them, begging for their help.
The Femille's princess barely realized about what was going on. Her run has been exhausting, and she barely could keep a normal breathing, besides being obviously stressed by the werelizards chasing her. So she just asked for help to that tall woman in dark and white clothes that was at there. But what that woman did was totally unexpected: Miwan could hear how her savior muted some words and suddenly, a long flame merged from her hand and converted the werelizard into a crispy meat. The shock had been too much and she just passed out.
When Miwan awoke again, she was back in Femille's royal palace, laying on a bed with a canopy that wasn't her usual one in her private rooms; around her, she could see several magic objects as well the elder priestess that had been attending her, taking care of her bruises and mental condition, making her to drink some relaxing herbs tea. It wasn't something surprising because she knew in her kingdom almost of the half of the population were priestess, and all them were good at their job, thus being healed and relaxed like that wasn't anything new.
However, she couldn't help but ask what had happened.
"…You were saved by a group of traveling women that were heading towards Femille. They seem to be able to use magic in some degree, so they could stop the werelizards easily."
"Oh…I see." Miwan answered, sounding tired and calmed. "And where are they now?"
"They're having an audience with your mother, the queen. Her highness is very grateful with them because they saved you."
Miwan turned away from the elder priestess and mused, "I see."
"In fact, her highness wants to talk with you when you feel better, princess Miwan."
"That's what I expected…" she muttered, again.
Femilie's royal palace was placed in the middle of the capital city, which was surrounded by a wall, as what usually happened in important cities. However, the building itself wasn't very big, and in a certain way, it also was a very big temple, which made sense since it was a kingdom formed by priestess. It was constructed with granite rock, possibly from the surrounding mountains, although the most nobility parts were covered with white marble, as usual in temples. It had a very big and high dome in the center of the structure, and just under it was placed the main temple hall. The surroundings were the palace's rooms, as well the temples. It caused the insides to have dozens of cloisters and little gardens, where priestess and palace's maidens rushed into their different tasks, as the group could see in their path towards the throne's hall. Femille's priestesses were easy to recognize, thanks to their long dark robes with a white and short mozzeta and pallium, in spite they wore the characteristic jewel on the neck that priests used to wear. Soldiers and guards, however, wore very different clothes and were armed with long gisarmes and partisan lances, and perhaps some light swords as weapons… still, they didn't wear trousers, and the hoses were hidden under their robes. Perhaps Amelia had been wrong about her info she provided.
In spite those characteristics, on their way, they all noticed the little resemblances with Seyruun's royal court, due the fact both kingdoms had similar philosophies, although Seyruun was far more powerful than Femille.
The group knew that they had been very lucky in their casual meeting and rescuing of Princess Miwan; being received inside the palace was a very good chance to make things easier and entering in the kingdom without problem… along that the three male members wouldn't be discovered. Amelia and Martina also had to keep their real identities in secret, so they couldn't talk as the princesses they were. As a result, only Lina would talk to Femilie's queen as the group's chief. She was the less suspicious, ironically.
Amelia knew that Lina had learned better about nobility and court manners after living for a while on Seyruun's court, yet she feared Lina's sudden bad temper could spoil everything. Besides, Gourry's tiring face and Zelgadiss' nasty expression could be inappropriate for a royal meeting, but she also had learned that the chimera-man (now in disguise) knew the high manners of nobility because he never was a commoner. At least it meant he could keep the composure.
But if Amelia spoke about Xelloss, the only thing she knew for sure was that Xelloss was a secret himself.
Keeping a smile, she looked at Zelgadiss' yes, catching his serious expression, and said…
"We'll get something good of this."
"I hope so." Was his monotone answer.
Finally, they came inside the Throne's hall.
They had seen some throne halls previously, they knew what was expected of such places, but Femille's throne hall was different. For starters, it was far gaudier, without the same rich stone elements than Seyruun's royal court, or the crests that decorated Xoana's royal castle; it couldn't be helped because Femille was a small kingdom. Besides that, it only had a throne, for the queen… because Femille hadn't a king, only a queen. Miwan's unknown father didn't have the rights to stay there, either physically or symbolically; Seyruun's lacked of consort princess since years ago Amelia's mother was assassinated. And Xoana also lacked of queen… But it didn't mean the throne hall hadn't a throne for them.
The Femlie's queen wasn't anything to do with her daughter. She was quite tall, with blue almond-shape eyes, curly long blond hair and a cute spot under the right eye. She wore the same cameo on her neck, but also a tiara, and a long tight blue dress, very different from Amelia's official and pompous dresses. However, she didn't seem to be a priestess.
The meeting was formal, as it was expected. They all kept a formal and submissive posture, with their hands clamped in front of them, as they were maidens waiting for the queen's royal commands. All this after doing a formal reverence, which was perfectly executed by Amelia, Martina, Zelgadiss and, surprisingly, Xelloss. Lina and Gourry were clumsier at there, but the queen didn't seem to care for that.
After that, the queen proceeded to explain in bare terms the whereabouts of her daughter running around the forests in the limits of the kingdom. Of course, she didn't enter in details, but it was enough to learn that Miwan was about to be converted into a priestess, and for some reason, she just run out. Such a confession caused Xelloss to make a comment about it.
"A royal princess converted into a priestess? Those things only can happen in this holy kingdom."
Of course, it was false, and Xelloss knew well, but he just tried to play cool with the queen, perhaps in order to gain her favor.
"What is so surprising?" she asked with a smile, "This is Femille kingdom."
Rather than agreed, she just seemed to be avoiding any chance to be asked for something. Even more, she kept talking about her own rants…
"I am really happy, though." She said, keeping the group attention, "For finding out my beloved daughter was saved by a group of wandering women." Her face turned serious, "But if a man have been discovered among you, his destiny and all yours would have been…" Now, only her eyes were darker, but also all of her face, turning even almost deadly. "Their fate would have been their death." And she made a gesture as if she was cutting the throat.
Every of them realized how meaningful her words were. Perhaps the queen was suspicious, or perhaps it wasn't the first time that a group of men tried to surpass Femille's frontiers. But the result was clear: Gourry and Zelgadiss realized how dangerous their situation was; they had to pass unnoticed as much as possible. However, Xelloss seemed to be oblivious about that.
"What a bitch!" Lina mussed with a heavy sight, walking tired, "Things were fine, we got carte blanche and can move around this place without problem… but that slay queen didn't give us any reward at all. I couldn't even ask for it!"
"Miss Lina, you cannot expect the governor of a country to give their secrets to every person that makes a favor to them. Even if we rescued Princess Miwan, her mother wasn't going to give us the secret of Femille's holy power only because we could have asked her." Amelia reasoned behind her.
"Hmmmm… I guess you're right. We have been lucky after all."
"Ok, Lina… Let's go out to find the Claire Bible or whatever is it." Gourry added, next to Amelia, "I'm tired of wearing this."
The dark haired princess, however, seemed more worried about other matters.
"Mr. Gourry… can't you remember what her highness the queen said? Try to play a more feminine role; otherwise you'll be in danger!"
"Ok, ok!"
"Oh! But this is too funny. I love playing this role!" Xelloss announced with soft voice behind his fan. Perhaps it was true, but both, Zelgadiss and Gourry cringed at his words. Martina, however, wasn't like that.
"Oh, my sir Xelloss! You're so neat!" was her crazy announcement.
Zelgadiss, however, was very tired of all those nonsensical rants. Since the very beginning, the idea of being in drag had bothered him without limits; the statement of Femille's queen about killing them if they would have been men and not women, had scared him a little at first, but even so, he couldn't keep thinking that woman was just a bitch that nothing knew about real matters. He had been "Rezo's berserker", and if that woman had ordered to execute him, perhaps it would have happened… but not without the bitch knowing who he was before it happened. Femille's queen would lament hurting him if such thing had happened.
But oh well, it was in the worst case, and he always could do things in another way.
It was then he noticed something by the corner of his chimerical eyes.
It was in the garden inside the cloister they were passing around in that precise moment. Under a big elm tree, there was a girl –nothing unusual since it was the people around-, dressed with a satin white blouse and a dark skirt, long to her ankles, as well a long dark mane. Zelgadiss stopped his walk and watched her with his sharp eyes. There wasn't any doubt: she was Miwan, the princess he had saved some hours before.
How could she be alone like that in that place? Or rather, was she already recovered? She seemed to have suffered a heavy shock by all the events she had experience that morning; but now, she seemed totally recovered and quiet at that solitary place.
Anyway, he had saved her, so perhaps she would recognize him. Perhaps he could try to find out something from her, because obviously her mother didn't say anything. Perhaps he should try. And besides, she was nice to look at.
Zelgadiss ignored his companions, who kept walking along the cloister, towards the exit gate and ignoring him, and then he looked around, moving his ears, trying to catch any danger or unwelcome presence. Perfect. There was nobody around, no priestesses or guards. So the chimera climbed the stone rail around the cloister and jumped to the ground, it was heavily covered of grass and his chimerical reflex allowed him to jump a first story without problem.
The fall was clean and noiseless. It also was neat because Miwan didn't hear him, so he stepped towards her.
Certainly Miwan didn't notice him till Zelgadiss got closer to her. When she did, she was muttering something to a greenfinch bird that had stopped on her hand; the little feathered being should be used to human presence because it moved around her without fear, perhaps the Femille princess herself feeds it, so the bird stayed on Miwan's hand till it noticed Zelgadiss' presence, and just flew away. Miwan didn't remain oblivious to Zelgadiss' presence anymore.
"Oh! It's you!" she exclaimed. Obviously she had recognized him as the woman that had saved her.
"My apologizes." Zelgadiss answered, softening his voice and in a rare polite tone. "I …I didn't mean to disturb you."
For his surprise, Miwan smiled, almost coquettish, and said. "Don't worry. It's fine… you're my savior, after all."
"It was my… duty." Zelgadiss answered, trying to sound polite. "That werelizard was a real threat."
"I guess so. I was very reckless crossing my path with those creatures." Miwan said, her voice a little sad. "You may sit down next to me, please." Added with a gesture of her hand, patting the stone surface of the bench where she was.
Zelgadiss eyes flicked quickly between Miwan's soft face and the bench, and then he nodded. "Thank you for letting me to take the seat next to you, your highness."
And he did so.
"Oh, you're very polite…"Miwan smiled, "But please, don't address to me with such formalities. This is a small kingdom and well, you are not my subject."
"You're very kind." Zelgadiss also knew how to play his role.
Miwan let the newcomer to sit down next to her. In some courts, it would have been a very brave behavior, but the Femille's princess seemed to seek some company. Zelgadiss watched her with attention, but trying not being very obvious.
"May I ask…?" Miwan started to talk, "What's your name?"
The sudden question caught Zelgadiss with his guard down.
"My name is Zel--- eeerh, Lulu… At least my friends call me Lulu."
Miwan looked at him, surprised. His voice had sounded quite low, but suddenly it had become chirpy.
"Lulu? Seriously?" she asked.
Zelgadiss nodded, "That's how my friends call me. And you can call me that, your highness."
"Okay… then, I'll call you Lulu."
On the previous day, Zelgadiss had learned that Lina, Amelia and Gourry had disguised once on the past year, and they also had changed their names. "Lulu" was the fake name that Amelia had used, and when Miwan asked for his, that was the first option that popped in his mind. It was stupid, yeah, but at least it seemed safer than "Lala".
Meanwhile, Miwan looked at him and took note of his features. His messy mane of silver lavender hair, the thick and white makeup on his stone face and his long ears.
"You have some rare features… Are you from some faraway place?" The princess asked in wonder.
Zelgadiss nodded, remembering the role he was supposed to play if somebody asked. "I'm foreign, yes. I am a female elf that was raised by humans." He lied, "Perhaps that's the reason you find my features… a little unusual." Another lie. "Now, I'm traveling with my friends, but all they are human, not like me."
Miwan listened him carefully and took mental note of that information.
"Oh! That's very unusual." The Princess exclaimed.
"What? Traveling with friends?" Zelgadiss asked, fearing to have talked too much. He didn't know about Femille's local customs, and perhaps it was truly estranger on that land.
"No, not that… Here, women also travel outside our kingdom sometimes, and always in a group" Miwan rushed to answer, "What I mean to say is…. I am jealous of you."
Zelgadiss looked at her, truly interested on her words. Miwan seemed to have realized of that.
"You're my savior and what you deserve at least is some kind of explication… something else of what my mother had told you, for sure."
"What do you mean …Miwan?"
"My mother would have explained to you and your friends that I'm going to be converted into a priestess." Miwan began to say and Zelgadiss nodded, "I really do not want that. My personal thoughts of beliefs about my life and my future don't matter at all. I have to become into a priestess… And that is…" Miwan's voice sounded really frustrated, "It is a lie… I just cannot live that lie."
Zelgadiss found himself truly pitting that girls' fate. It wasn't the same, but in certain sense it was similar to what happened to him. To Zelgadiss' eyes, his life also was a lie; he was being forced to live something he never wanted, never wished for. He would have loved other fate, different to be a wrecked chimera, cursed by his dement great-grandfather… Now, he also was living a lie, pretty much alike the one that Miwan claimed.
On the other hand, he also was living a very unusual situation. Certainly being in drag wasn't in his agenda, but now, thanks to that, he was chatting with a royal princess that was opening her feelings to him, only because he had been his casual savior. No girl had done it before, even Lina and Amelia had disliked him in their first meeting (and Lina had reasons for that); never in all his years a chimera, a girl had felt easy around him. Secretly, he thanked that Lina and Amelia were friends of him, since if he ever had a female friend in his past, Rezo would had killed them off, or just obeyed him to do that. But now, a very cute girl, a princess from a country where men were forbidden, was actually talking with him about her feelings… like he was a normal woman.
Zelgadiss wished to be able to show his real identity to Miwan; for him, royalties didn't mean anything, in fact, two of his current travel companions also were princesses… but having such a nice and cute girl talking to him so easily, was very nice. Without being able to control it, he felt a light blush burning on his cheeks, something that only Amelia had managed to do sometimes. But this was different; he wasn't used to be around women like Miwan, and being Amelia a girl, it was normal he also felt overwhelmed by her presence sometimes.
In spite of himself, Zelgadiss had to admit he actually liked Miwan.
---But such thing was impossible.
Still, he had something to say about Miwan's problem. As if he was talking about himself, he said,
"No. It isn't like that. There is always a way to change the future."
Those were the words he always believed. His reasons to live.
But Miwan was very surprised; then the chimera realized he had used his usual tone to talk, not the one for his current role of female elf.
"Eeeer…. I mean there is always a way to change the future, your highness." Zelgadiss blushes, "At least I think so."
"Oh, Miss Lulu…" Miwan exclaimed.
"Damn… she's very cute!"Zelgadiss exclaimed in his mind. He couldn't help but thinking that every time Miwan smiled at him, so natural and grateful.
But the nice scene finished so fast. Suddenly Zelgadiss felt something was strangling him; something strong enough to cut his breath. Instinctively, Zelgadiss brought his hands towards his throat and felt a pair of thing arms around his neck. There were a short number of people that were able to compress his throat like that, and Zelgadiss knew immediately those arms belonged to Lina. Amelia never dared to do such thing… at least he thought so.
"Oh, my!... I just came here to tell you we were going to leave the palace and visit the city." Lina said with an obvious mocking tone. "I just wanted to tell you that."
Miwan jumped on her site, shocked by the sudden appearance; that redhead girl was very rude, and certainly she didn't seem to care for being in front of royalty.
Meanwhile, Zelgadiss fought the nasty crushing on his throat, till finally he become tired of it. He only could leave being as decent as possible, so he rose on his knees, carrying Lina over his shoulders.
"I didn't mean to disturb you both…" Lina kept saying.
"Excuse me… I have to go now." Zelgadiss answered with his voice compressed.
Miwan was too shocked by the sudden scene and she only could nod in agreement. Zelgadiss bowed his head, still carrying Lina hanging on his neck, and left quietly.
Lina, of course, was enjoying the show. As far she could remember, Zelgadiss never had showed such obvious interest for a girl, or just talking so naturally with anyone. He usually avoided any kind of unnecessary socialization, so finding him like that, talking with the Femille's princess, was something shocking.
"You, slay dog…" Lina mocked at his ear, "In the end, you also are a man, aren't you? You like cuties like her."
"It is not that, Lina." Zelgadiss answered in sharp voice. And it was truth, he didn't mean to flirt with her, the theme they were talking about was quite serious, but in Lina's eyes, things were different. Zelgadiss couldn't help but blush under the thick makeup.
Lina kept giggling in a mocking tone all the way.
Miwan watched them leave, still shocked by the sudden appearance of the rude redhead girl, but soon her attention flicked to something else. Lulu had said much conviction that there is always a way to change the future, and she truly meant that, or at least she thought so. Miwan knew in just some minutes, her mother would call for her and she will have to deal with another of her tedious speeches about the need of becoming a priestess, and probably, she will pass again for the same process that in the early morning. Yet, perhaps, she could…
The domesticated greenfinch flayed over her head.
"To change the future…" she mused.
Yes, she could try. Lulu was right.
When the group was ready to leave the royal palace, Amelia was the first in noticing Zelgadiss wasn't with them, so she caught the rest of people's interests. None of them had noticed when he left or disappeared, and Amelia feared Zelgadiss could have been discovered and now he was the queen's prisoner or something. Amelia was quite clever, but the fear made her to feel irrational, so Lina had to reason with her if it was truth, the rest of them also would be under arrest, and in order to clarify what happened, she come back the same path they had done since they left the throne hall. That's when Lina found the unusual scenery of Zelgadiss talking softly with a girl, in this case, Femile's princess.
Now, Zelgadiss came back, walking as dignified as he could, carrying Lina hanging from his neck and with a light blush on his cheeks.
"What happened, Mr. Zelgadiss?" Amelia asked, noticing his blush "Where were you?"
"Oh, he was…." Lina started, still hanging in the same place.
"I was gathering information." Zelgadiss answered in the same sharp tone as usual.
"So now that's what it's called?" Lina asked, teasing him.
"I couldn't find anything" the chimera kept saying, "And now, Lina, get off me."
"Okay!" And Lina did so, still giggling nonstop.
Amelia looked at them both with curiosity. She knew both of her friends well enough, and she knew Lina was teasing Zelgadiss, so perhaps he didn't feel ashamed of what he was doing. So, in the end, Amelia let it go; the Seyruun's princess didn't want to tease Zelgadiss anymore.
Femillie's capital city was placed in the center of the valley that included the holy kingdom of Femille. The city was surrounded by a granitic wall in almost circular shape, and it was covered with whitewash, as well the houses and buildings insides, which made the city basically white and clean, except for the buildings roof's made of dark slate, and it was very inclined due the mountain's clime. The result was very similar to a typical village mountain.
However, it wasn't that what surprised the group, but the fact that most of the half of the women that lived in that city were priestesses. No storekeepers, no traders or even guards, but plain and simple priestesses everywhere. Seyruun's court was almost a nuisance next to Femille.
As a result, the group decided to split in three different couples in order to gather information; one girl and one boy, which would make things easier for the men in drag that were camouflaged in the group. As usual, Gourry would go with Lina because he was her protector; Xelloss would go with Martina, or rather, Martina would go with Xelloss because the mocking priest seemed to accept her as his girlfriend or whatever the relationship they shared was; and finally, Zelgadiss would go with Amelia.
"We'll meet back at this inn-tavern here in three hours, when it's lunch time. We don't know how long we'll stay in Femille, so perhaps we also have to arrange any room, so it will better if we meet here." Lina announced, or rather, ordered. "Now, let's go in three different directions and let's see what we can find."
"I'd bet we'll met in a counter…" Zelgadiss mused.
"That's the usual in Lina, Zel." Gourry answered.
"Yeah, I know."
So that's how the group started to gather information about Femille' secret power.
The plan was basic. Of course, Femille's priestesses wouldn't say the secret of their power to a group of foreign travelers, but if they made up a good story as an excuse, then the locals could answer the question. In that sense, Zelgadiss thought Amelia was the best option because she knew about what she was talking about because she was a priestess and knew the best questions about the matter; perhaps Xelloss also did, but for some reason, he didn't seem to be able to handle White Magic, in spite he claimed to be a Cephied's priest.
"We'll ask in this local…" Amelia suggested pointing certain building made of stone. "It seems to be some women only place, so perhaps people get relaxed here and they can talk more freely. Perhaps we learn something from casual chats."
"Amelia… here, everything is Women only." Zelgadiss answered, sounding tired.
The princess giggled, lightly embarrassed, "You know what I mean to say."
"And how are we supposed to gather information from casual chats? It would be such a coincidence."
"Well, I was thinking perhaps your sharp ears could catch any interesting conversation… Some info from here, some other info there… You know." Amelia reasoned and Zelgadiss scowled at her. "It's something I've learned in the palace. If you want to learn what's going on around you, you have to listen people."
It was a very simple term, but it made sense. Back the days he searched for the Philosopher Stone, Zolf spent hours seeking for clues thanks to his crystal balls and later, Zelgadiss himself and Rezo tied together those clues. They just had to enter in a place where people talked openly about such things.
So Zelgadiss nodded and accepted Amelia's suggestion. She was a clever girl, after all.
As Amelia discovered the curtain that covered the gate, he caught out of the corner of his eye and saw Martina run by the street, pulling Xelloss' arm; the curly haired princess was so upset that she didn't seem to notice them. Martina passed next to him, but Zelgadiss decided to ignore them: every time he caught a glimpse of the priests dressed with the qipao, his guts felt revolted, and certainly the Claire Bible wasn't something that could put Martina in that state of worry, so there wasn't anything interesting going on. He just let them go…
Quietly, he followed Amelia inside the local, expecting to find out something…
And just afterwards, he rushed out the local building.
It was a local public baths where the priestesses were to taking baths and therapies related with those. The chimera man was too ashamed to be there.
"What are you doing, Mr. Zelgadiss?" Amelia asked behind him, her head popping out from the gate.
"Better if I wait out here, Amelia" he answered. "You don't want me to be in a place where women can pass half naked in front of my eyes, do you?"
Amelia had to agreed, but Zelgadiss' honesty still amazed her. Any man could have took advantage of the situation and just enjoy the show of all those women in front of him, but Zelgadiss was just too scared for that.
"People are half naked in this local bath… I just cannot be there because I would be discovered!" Such possibility scared him and it certainly was a problem for all of them.
"Oh, you're right." Amelia answered, "Then, I'll enter alone."
"What? And why not we just look for it in another place?" the chimera asked in sharp tone.
"Because I'm still thinking this is a good place to gather information. Here, there are many priestesses and I also am one, so I can talk with them freely. I cannot do that in a store." She paused, then smiled, "Besides, I'd like to take a bath."
"A bath?! But I cannot be in there, or bathing with you!"
"Then better to split; I'll be in here and you can look for it in some other place."
"But…"
Zelgadiss didn't like the idea that much because he wanted to remain next to Amelia, it was safer like that, but on the other hand, he could do things in his own style, not caring for the rest.
"Ok. We'll meet in the counter that Lina said."
Amelia smiled him at back.
It was always like that. Amelia, somehow, was able to handle Zelgadiss' harsh behavior and she always answered with a smile. Sometimes the chimera man wondered how she was able to do that.
But well, he was alone now as Amelia enjoyed some bath in the same way that Lina should be eating already.
Near lunch hour, people started to disappear off the streets. They certainly were coming back to their homes in order to have lunch, but even so, the streets remained animated. Zelgadiss had become quite indifferent about his disguise since he started to walk alone for Femille's capital city; since there weren't any men around, just women, he just passed unnoticed; when a man is in drag in the middle of other many men, then the drag one is obvious; but when the man in drag is in the middle of many women, he pass unnoticed easier. It's a big truth that the best way to hide something is putting it in front of everybody's eyes.
In fact, thanks to that and his sharp ears, the chimera caught a casual comment from a guard. Apparently, the woman in question (who had a quite masculine voice in Zelgadiss' opinion) was gossiping about Miwan's escape in the morning; she was saying that Miwan and her retinue were heading the Purification Spring when the "capricious" girl just decided to run away from there. As a result, they had to seek for her and the queen was angry again.
Zelgadiss was relieved because the guard didn't mention it was him who saved Miwan from the werelizard (probably because it was a dark spot in the royal guard, being unable to keep safe their princess), but he felt infuriated by the guard's words. He knew why Miwan run away from them, and he understood her reasons very well… so how could be that guard being so flat about the princess' feelings?
But soon, he shook his head, rejecting those thoughts: How could he be worried about Miwan's whereabouts? A member of royalty had less life problems than anybody else, there were people that suffered far more than Miwan… so why should he be worried about her? Besides, he just had found something interesting: "The Purification Spring".
At this point, some light reflected on his eyes, blinding him. It was the light reflected in a little mirror from a granny' stand. Again, he remembered the conversation with Miwan about her life and how he had assured her that the future could be changed; all his current efforts, including being in drag, were because of that. Empathy hit him again.
"You can change your future… your highness." The Chimera man mussed.
Then, an unexpected figure rushed behind him. His chimera eyes caught it on the mirror, but it just couldn't be.
"Miwan!?" Zelgadiss exclaimed.
Yes, it was her. But how could it be? Was the kingdom so careless that their princess could run around the city without problem? Couldn't all those women to see it was their princess who run among them? Even Amelia had troubles to pass that unnoticed back Seyruun.
But overall, what was she doing? Zelgadiss knew what Miwan had done in the early morning and why, so it was obvious the princess wanted to do something reckless. Without thinking twice, the chimera man started to run after her.
As Zelgadiss tried to gather information of Femille's secret power source, Amelia also did in the bathhouse. She, of course, had used the chance to take a bath; it was a rarity that the princess hardly could allow herself in her travels, besides a good chance to get mixed with commoners. Even if they didn't find anything really worthy in Femille, certainly she was learning a lot of things about this small kingdom.
However, she only could hear was the "latest gossip". Everybody was talking about the success of Miwan, the heir princess, who was destined to become a priestess, but for some reason, she just avoided it. That morning, she was supposed to go to some holy place called "The Purification Spring" which obviously was outside the city, in the mountain's forest that surrounded the kingdom. As far as Amelia was concerned, she didn't understand why Femille's heir was trying to avoid becoming a priestess; for her, it was something natural, so the Seyruun's princess didn't understand Femille's princess in that sense. Still, her unruly behavior had served to learn something about how the local priestesses got their power.
After taking a bath and learning all this, Amelia just left the bath house and headed towards the counter where Lina surely was already eating as much as the redhead could. Her idea was telling the others what she had found, but before that, she had to find Zelgadiss, who surely was still around, in some place in the city. This was almost a town, so finding him would be easy.
Well, that was the theory. The fact was she couldn't find him.
Amelia walked along the market streets, the local streets and many others, looking for him. It was a quieter city, so theoretically she shouldn't have any trouble. But no, there wasn't any clue of him, even if Amelia expected to see his familiar lavender-silver hair at some point.
The Seyruun's princess was already making up her mind to go back to the counter without him. Suddenly, her path was cut off by a running woman. She jumped, startled by the sudden encounter, but suddenly she realized it had been Zelgadiss himself.
The chimera had passed in front of her nose, without noticing her.
"…But, where is he going so urgently?"
Amelia was surprised; Zelgadiss had ignored her completely, and now he was running because… The black haired girl noticed Zelgadiss wasn't running at maximum speed, he was able to run faster than that; it was because he was following somebody. And that somebody was Miwan.
Amelia's mouth just dropped.
Miwan was oblivious about Lulu and her friends entering in her kingdom, but she was pretty sure that Lulu had been honest with her. That female elf had given her the clues about how to overcome her fate. Miwan barely knew that strange woman, but the fact was that she had been the one that saved her using a spell, and the fact was she traveled around the world with her friends, had showed her there were other ways to live. The appearance of Lulu in Miwan's life bought some fresh air to her, and now, the golden eye girl was jealous of the female elf's life.
She had to try something.
Miwan knew her mother was about to enclose her in her rooms or something, and in some days, the whole process to become priestess will start again. It meant her mother will keep a closer surveillance over her in the travel to the Purification Spring, but since the capital city and the palace were quite small and everybody knew her, Miwan cold move around with certain freedom.
The Femille's princess had a plan that could change everything, and forever and ever; but she had to act fast.
Therefore, Miwan sneaked out the palace and headed towards the city's gate when it was the lunch hour; most of the people in the city would be busy during that time, when the streets were almost empty. She had to be fast, so she just ran across the streets. Later, she headed towards the Purification Spring and would accomplish her plan.
But what Miwan didn't expect was that Lulu herself had caught her in her run and now was following her.
At first, Amelia had been surprised, but later she become confused and finally angry.
What had happened? She had agreed with Zelgadiss in meeting after she finished the bath and talking about the information they both could gather, and later, having their lunch with Lina and the rest. But no, he just had avoided her, even when she almost crashed into him, and he just had ignored her, or rather, he had ignored their mission, only because he had found it more interesting to chase the local princess.
It infuriated her. They were seeking for the secret of how to overcome high rank mazoku… she was seeking the way to help him! And this was how he paid her.
With those thoughts in her head, Amelia headed towards the inn-tavern where surely Lina was already waiting for them, and there she would explain what she had found about the Purification Spring. If somebody asked about the impolite chimera, she will make clear she didn't have any idea. Amelia was clear about that: she wasn't his guardian or something.
The black-haired princess entered the tavern and she found Lina (and Gourry, of course) were there, eating with those noisy manners; surprisingly, Martina and her so-called boyfriend Xelloss (or whatever he was) also were there already, split by gender: Gourry along Xelloss and Martina along Lina. There were a couple of empty chairs, so Amelia grabbed one and fell noisily on the table head, still angry.
"Amelia?" Gourry exclaimed, "Where did you come from?"
The Seyruun's princess didn't salute them, something stranger in her usual polite manners; besides that, her face showed a rare twitch of anger, which was a heavy contrast with her always cheerful face. Of course Amelia also got angry, but when such things happened, it used to come along with "Justice Speeches", but this time it was obviously different.
How could Xelloss always be the one in push the right buttons when somebody was angry?
"Weren't you with Zelgadiss?" asked the priest behind his fad.
Before Amelia could answer anything, Lina started to talk.
"Nah, Zelgadiss isn't here" The redhead assured in an obvious mocking tone, "I bet he left at some point because Zelgadiss was looking at that beautiful princess." Then, Lina started to move her hands along her own shape, simulating something, "…With beautiful full breasts, nice figure and killer butt… Surely he is trying to get a date!"
Everybody listened to Lina in wonder, except Xelloss who never seemed to be surprised; but Amelia was the first in reacting. She understood perfectly the implications of Lina's words, and even if the redhead was just making fun of him, the subtle meaning was clear.
"I DO NOT CARE!!" Amelia shouted suddenly, in an unusual rage.
Yes, Amelia was very clear about her reasons to be angry with him. It wasn't because the chimera was running after Miwan; it was because he had failed her, abandoning her and everybody else.
To be continued in the next chapter-3: "My Decision".