Crimson Moon - Chapter 3 Chapter 3: Morning

When the morning came, it was still raining.

Gourry was the first awake. He got out of bed, yawned, stretched and scratched his head. He softly mumbled to himself as he headed for the window. He drew back the curtains and gazed outside. Even in his half -asleep state, he could still see the rain. The continuous stream of rain. The thunder and lightening had passed but the rain was lingering on. Gourry softly mumbled and his lazy eyes scanned the mansion. Suddenly, to his shock, he saw something that woke him up and made his eyes widen in horror and wonder. There, on one of the mansions corner towers, was a beautiful young woman. She was perched on the tower window scanning the horizon. Gourry noted that the woman, in a way, looked like Leopold - Her hair was jet black, she had a pale complexion and she had an expensive looking frock enveloped in a dark cloak. All in all, she was sinisterly beautiful.

Suddenly, to add to Gourry's astonishment, she knelt down and began crawling down the mansion wall! Gourry just stood there and gaped at the astonishing sight. He'd never thought that crawling down a stone wall like that would be possible. The woman continued crawling down at a surprisingly hurried pace.

'How does she do that?' Gourry thought. 'Shouldn't someone call out to her?'

He then reached down and tried to open the window - but only momentarily. When he looked up, the woman had gone. Gourry was more astonished then ever. The woman had just.....disappeared! There was no trace on the ground below, as to where she'd disappeared to. A very baffled Gourry then shock his head and turned away from the window.


Later, Gourry marched out into the hallway to met the others. He didn't have long to wait. Lina came out of her room looking quite refreshed. They smiled when they met each other.

"Hey Lina." Gourry greeted.

"Good morning Gourry!" Lina smiled. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah" Gourry paused before continuing. "It's still raining outside."

"Yeah, I'd noticed that." answered Lina. Then she noticed Gourry looking quite uneasy.

"Hey Gourry, are you okay? Is something the matter?"

Gourry was about to reveal his alarming discovery when Amelia came out of her room.

She too looked well slept and quite refreshed. Only this time she felt more cheerful then usual. She strode up to join Lina and Gourry.

"Good morning Lina! And good morning to you too Gourry" Amelia greeted.

"Boy, you seem more happy then usual." Gourry noted.

"Oh I feel like I can take on the world! I feel like I can take on anything and triumph!" Amelia grinned. She nudged Lina and both collapsed into a giggle fit.

Gourry scratched his head as the girls laughed. He couldn't grasp as to what was so funny - he just didn't understand girls at all.

Just then Zelgadis joined the group. But he looked like a mess - His sleep wasn't peaceful - He had spent nearly the entire night trying to work out why Leopold posed a threat.

"Good morning all." He said.

"Hiya Zel!" smiled Lina. "Say, you look a mess! Have you ever looked in a mirror?"

"How can he?" said Amelia. "I haven't seen one around in this mansion!"

Zel blinked. "My sleep hasn't been peaceful" he said softly.

"I believe" he continued, "That we are all in some kind of danger."

"Danger? What kind of danger are we in?" inquired Amelia.

Zel hesitated before answering: "There's something about Leopold I don't like."

Lina scoffed. "Why? He seems a reasonable guy!"

Amelia agreed. "Yeah. And if we were in any danger then, By the blazing of Justice I shall crush him!!!"

As Amelia launched into yet another one of her many justice speeches, Gourry thought things through. He thought back to the woman he had seen before - Now Zel too, suspected that something wasn't exactly right there. Gourry cleared his throat

"I agree with Zel. There's something strange going on in this mansion." He said firmly.

Lina stared in disbelief. Amelia's justice speech came to an abrupt halt. Zelgadis just blinked and then nodded in consent.

"Oh Come on!" snapped Lina. "You can't be serious!! What is there not to like about Leopold?! Gourry! You can't agree with a ridiculous matter like this!!!!"

Gourry grinned and walked past Lina - much to her frustration.

"Gourry!" she snarled. "Don't walk away!"

Gourry turned. "Lina, If I don't hurry, I'll probably miss out on breakfast!"

At the mention of a meal, Lina's expression changed dramatically. "Breakfast?! Wait for me!"

And with that Lina, now anything but angry, darted past Gourry and into the general direction of the dining room. Gourry chuckled and took off in hot pursuit.

Amelia turned to Zelgadis, her eyebrow raised. They were alone. Now was her chance....

"Zelgadis?" she asked.

Zel raised his head in her direction. He paused. Now was the time - He will find an answer to her crush.

"Amelia" he answered

"There's something I have been meaning to say to you....." they both said at the same time.

They both stopped mid-sentence. Amelia began giggling and Zelgadis smiled.

"You first..." Zel said.

"Sure" answered Amelia smiling.

"I was wondering...." she began as she moved closer to him.

Zel raised an eyebrow. "You were wondering?" he echoed.

"Do you remember what I asked you last night? You know, about wanting a chat...."

"Yes...." Zelgadis began. He could see where this was heading.

"Well, do you still want to talk?"

"Yes" he murmured.

Amelia smiled a sweet smile. "Last night you pulled me out of the way of that coach. You saved my life. If it wasn't for you, I would've been killed. I just wanted thank you."

When Zel heard this, he blushed. Amelia noticed and giggled. Regardless she continued:

"Zel, I want you to know that you are a very good friend to me. I am well aware that you are determined to find a cure at all costs, but I really like you just the way you are. And remember all those instances when you saved my life? I thought you were very noble to do so."

Amelia then donned a grin of victory - She had just accomplished something in spite of all her fear and hesitation. She gladly awaited the results.

Zel raised an eyebrow. What was this? Maybe his assumptions were wrong. Maybe she did have feelings for him.

Amelia stared at him. He was speechless. Maybe she had succeeded - she knew all to well that Zelgadis wasn't the romantic type.

Zel began mouthing silent words - It was as if he didn't know what to say. Eventually he managed to say "Thank you Amelia. I never knew you felt that way"

Amelia, ever smiling, nodded. He certainly seemed impressed by what she said.

Just then Lina turned up. "Hey, are you two going to join us for breakfast?"

Zelgadis, wanting out of that embarrassing situation, went off to join Lina. Amelia followed behind him.


Leopold was at the dining table waiting for them. The dining room was, like all the other rooms, decorated in grand scale. The walls were made of fine wood panelling, A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling and a rather expensive oak cabinet took up space on the rooms right wall. The left wall was occupied by a row of small pine cupboards.

As the adventures entered Leopold smiled and stood up.

"Welcome!" he beamed as he made his way over to them. "I trust you all slept well?"

Amelia, Gourry, Lina and Zelgadis nodded in consent.

"So, I gather you are all down here for breakfast?" Leopold continued

"Yes we are." Said Amelia, maintaining a friendly manner (After all she was a princess and knew all about customary, mannerly behaviour when it came to conversations).

"Right" Leopold nodded. "I won't be joining you as I have already eaten."

He paused before continuing: "I will be away on business for the entire day. However I will return for dinner. I will gladly appreciate it if you joined me."

"Yes! We'll be happy to!" said Amelia.

"Fine by me" Lina agreed.

Gourry shrugged before nodding in agreement. Zel however hid his eyes from Leopold's gaze (his distrust for Leopold ever present) and bowed his head. However Leopold took that as a yes.

"Marvellous!" he grinned. "I'll see you all tonight then! I'll be leaving you now. Until then please, feel free to explore the mansion. But I must warn you, do not try to enter any of the locked doors."

And with that Leopold left the room, leaving the four friends to their breakfast.

Just then, the boy servant Rolf entered, carrying a tray with breakfast. He greeted the four with another cold stare and a silence. He set the breakfast on the table and left - without saying a word. Lina and Gourry exchanged glances over Rolf's cold attitude...... Before descending over the table like a pack of wolves and devouring everything in sight!!!!

Amelia chuckled as she watched Lina and Gourry bore through the food at their usual speed (tm). Then she noticed Zel standing still - no doubt he was preoccupied with his own thoughts.

"Zelgadis?" Amelia asked.

Zel raised his head.

"Do you want to explore the mansion together, after breakfast?" Amelia went on.

Zel sighed.

"Well do you?"

"Yes" answered Zel softly - But he sounded extremely reluctant

And with that, Zel strode over to the table for some breakfast (or what was left of it) - leaving Amelia alone. Amelia's expression changed into one of hurt. He was still cold even after she had poured out her heart before him earlier?

Nevertheless she must not let her confidence falter. She must not neglect her goal. She will not let this little incident stand in her way. She will stop at nothing to let him know how she felt about him. With her confidence still standing strong, she joined the breakfast table.


Some time later, Zelgadis strode through the halls of the mansion. He was surprised by the number of portraits that decorated the walls. When he actually stopped to admire them, he realised that a lot of them were of Leopold.

"Odd" Zel muttered. "Leopold must be incredibly wealthy to afford the superb furnishings of this house and have many a portrait done."

"I wonder why he has so many portraits done of him?" he mused. This was all very curious. And extremely suspicious.....

As Zel examined the paintings he heard footsteps echoing across the hallway. He looked up to see Amelia strolling towards him.

"Zelgadis!" she called.

Zel sighed. His mind cast back to that incident before breakfast. Without a doubt, she obviously had feelings for him. This was beginning to look like more then a teenage crush. But what Zel wanted to know was: What was he going to do now? Did he really feel the same way about her?

"Zel! I've been looking all over for you!" she said.

Zel nodded. "As I recall you wanted to explore the mansion together, right?"

"Yeah that's why I've been trying to find you."

Amelia paused. She recalled what Lina had told her about expressing her feelings. She had struck gold with her success earlier on. Now there will be no holding back - She had come this far. Time to move in for the kill.

Suddenly, to Zel's surprise she moved closer and brushed herself up against him. Zel's face then made into a blush. What mad his face even redden was Amelia's speech - it now turned into whispers and got more intimate.

"Zel?" she whispered. "I know you hate your curse and you'll stop at nothing to find a cure but I want you to know, that I like you no matter what you look like."

Zel's eyes widened and his blush increased. Amelia grinned. Her plan was working. Time to come out straight.....

"You know" she continued, "You are so loyal and nice to Lina, Gourry and me and that's what counts. What's more you have constantly put your life in danger to protect and save me. Anyway what I really want to say is that I really have developed feelings for you. And what I really want to say is that.... I love you."

Zelgadis blinked in disbelief. His assumptions over Amelia were wrong: This certainly wasn't just a silly teenage crush - this was something more. But..... Did he really feel the same way about her?

Zelgadis sighed and walked off. He needed to be alone with his thoughts.

Amelia gaped in disbelief. She couldn't believe he could be so cold. Tears began swelling up in her eyes.

"Zelgadis!" she sobbed.

But he didn't turn around. He walked off leaving her to weep - alone.


Meanwhile, Gourry marched out onto the soaked grounds behind the house. As he crossed the grounds, he noted that they looked incredibly dismal. Gourry frowned. Even he was beginning to suspect that something was very wrong at the mansion.

There were weeds everywhere, a garden that looked like it hadn't tended to in years, damaged statues and other sculptures everywhere, a blacksmith's shop....

A BLACKSMITH's SHOP?! Gourry's eyes widened. Hey, maybe he could find something useful in the way of swords! Gourry hurried over to his new discovery..

The blacksmith store looked no better then the rest of the garden. The roof looked like it was ready to collapse, the building and equipment gave the impression it had not been cleaned for years, and judging by the floor and the state of the building, the whole thing looked forgotten about.

Gourry made his way over the fireplace. Despite the lack of recent use, they still looked like they could be used for metalwork. Gourry made a fire in the fireplace and scanned the place over. The tools were in working order, but there wasn't much in the way of swords. There were scraps of metal lying around but little else.

Gourry then decided to that he might conduct repairs to his own sword. Discarding his breastplate and his armour, he then withdrew his sword from its scabbard and set out working on it. He drove his sword into the flames to heat it up and then he began bashing the dents out of his sword with a mallet.

Presently he heard footsteps. Gourry paused and looked up. Zel silently strode into the store.

"Hiya Zel!" greeted Gourry.

"Hello Gourry" Zel said. "I see you've found something to keep you busy."

"Yeah!" Gourry beamed. "I thought I'd get my sword repaired. Where are Lina and Amelia?"

"Amelia's exploring the mansion while Lina's raiding the kitchen."

"Right."

Zel then fell silent as Gourry went back to his hammering. Then Zel asked:

"Hey Gourry, do you think there is something seriously out of order here at this mansion?"

"Huh?" Gourry answered.

"There is something about Leopold I don't like"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he's got a peculiar foreign accent, he's complexion is oddly pale, he's in a house which is ruined on the outside while elegant on the inside, he has had a history of enemies and travelling and he is unusually charismatic. Have you noticed that?"

Gourry scratched the back of his head as he thought it through.

"No!"

Zel sighed.

"But if we are talking about weird stuff," Gourry went on "I saw something rather strange this morning....."

Gourry then related the story of the woman on the wall to Zel.

"Intriguing" Zel murmured. He searched his memory - He was certain he had heard that type of thing before. But where?

"Why are you so suspicious Zel?" Gourry asked.

Zel's expression darkened. "I fear we aren't safe here at this mansion, Gourry. I am certain we are facing some kind of threat - And I'm determined to find out this threat is."


Chapter 4
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