What's in a Memory?

Disclaimer: For one I'm too young to own Slayers, and second I didn't even start watching it till it was on instant play, on Netflix. So it's not mine.

To Jack. of. the. Void. Wow. (blushing) Thanks. I am a dyslexic so I came to reading late and as such my story telling started out as me telling them to my sisters. I know when I'm working on a story I'm jumping from one character to other in this picture I have in my head, and when I'm writing I'm not only trying to help color in the picture I'm trying to be the character too. In other words like a director moving from one scene to the next I don't want there to be any confusion I didn't plan for. And yes I am nerdy enough to know what you mean about mage verses fighter class, that's one of the things that struck me when I first started watching Slayers last year. I was all "it's D&D and anime put together!" another funny thing is I got my sisters to watch it as well and they started comparing slayer characters to the party they were playing with at the time. (cough) moving on. I'm glad you think I've done that well in this fic. I hope this next chapter doesn't disappoint.

Chapter Three

Lina made the same split second mistake. But this wasn't Sylphiel, this was a girl of eerie resemblance but it wasn't her. The hair didn't shine the same and the texture, hard to pick out in the rolled bun; was wavy, and the dark gray eyes were not Sylphiel's green. Not to mention there was a hauteur to this face that wasn't there in Sylphiel's. But then the girl's eyes landed on Gourry and she lit up.

A smile crossing her lips, she rushed forward gracefully. "Gourry!"

Lina could have hated her for being so beautiful, but she did hate her for lighting up like that at the sight of Gourry, this was the forgotten fiance. Lady Aella Zenia Rey. Another girl in love with him. Sylphiel, this girl and her, it was in danger of becoming a full fledged cat fight. At least she had the strongest claim, Gourry had promised to protect her... But family duty gave this girl an equal chance. It was simple, she hated her.

She was brushed aside, Aella took her place at Gourry's side and started babbling, sounding thrilled at his return.

"It's been so long Gourry, I don't understand why you never came back, so much has happened while you were gone."

Gourry stared at her blankly. "You are who?"

His whole family aside from Selvin freaked out, all had noticed he was acting 'weird' but this was the final straw.

"Gourry you've been acting strange ever since you arrived, what is wrong with you? Have you forgotten all manners?" The old man bellowed, cutting through everyone else's statements.

To his credit he sounded actually concerned, she just wondered if it was concern for his nephew or the reputation of the royal family. Gourry looked at his uncle a little blankly, she had to admit the sharpness she had noticed all the way here was being swamped by things he probably couldn't remember or remember clearly, making him distant.

"Selvin and the others the whole way here told me I wasn't myself but I don't know if their right or wrong. But really," he turned back to look at the hurt and confused Sylphiel look-a-like. "Who are you?"

Aella stared at him her eyes misting over, in a pathetic trembling voice she said, "You really don't remember me?"

Lina was annoyed by the girl's closeness. "Of course he doesn't, Gourry doesn't lie very often."

Gourry's eyes sharpened and he glared at her. "Since when have I ever lied?"

Lina smirked. "Well tricking people is the same as lying isn't it?"

Gourry glowered at her but didn't argue.

Aella spoke up, "You really don't know me?"

Gourry shook his head. Aella's voice rose in pitch, not a shriek but a high whine. "You don't remember I'm your fiance?"

Gourry looked away from the dramatic girl in front of him to her. "Lina what's a fiance?"

She couldn't help herself, she groaned. "You still don't remember? You've been told five or six times now! A fiance is someone you're gonna marry!"

Gourry made an oh with his lips and looked back to the girl. Then with a deadpan tone said, "Nope don't remember planning to marry you."

The girl wobbled, and it was sign Gourry wasn't himself, because he didn't try to steady her. Lina had to grab the empty chair and put it in front of her so the girl didn't fall on her, not quite a faint but close.

Then Selvin had to stick his foot in it and bring up his hypothesis. "That Uncle is why Lina was supposed to be locked up, I wanted to ease into telling everyone how clear it is our dear brother has been enchanted. And as this girl is a sorceress, it makes sense it's her."

Lina slumped and groaned aloud, "You little idiot, you are more of squid brain then he is and I thought that was impossible. Didn't I just prove if I had enchanted him how easy it would to put you under too? If I had put a spell on Gourry I would have put one on you too!"

Gourry spoke up, "Sel keep it up and I'll ask her to fireball you. She didn't enchant me for the last time!"

King Fabien spoke up, his stern face smooth, no emotions visible. "Lets first find out more about the young girl before we decide she's the one who did it. Now girl, you've given us your first name and some general information but lets get a last name."

Lina stared at him, there was no point to keeping it secret, Xellos knew she was here and was sure to tell whoever he was working with. "I am Lina Inverse."

That got some reactions, Gerard jerked forward a step from where he'd stood at his brother's right hand, Alberich was staring at her very hard, while the old king looked surprised and he looked from her to Gourry. The silence was broken by Selvin speaking up. "And this matters why?"

His whole family sighed, and Callie spoke up, "You really are an idiot Selvin, this is the last time we let you out of the castle for the next twenty years."

Alberich agreed, "You are the one going to dungeon Sel. Such stupidity."

"But I still don't understand who she is claiming to be!"

Lina sighed, it figured the stupid brat didn't even know her name, he hadn't asked it so why would he bother learning important names before setting out to find his brother? "I happen to be a sorcery genius, an expert in black magic as well as good in every other kind save white. I also am known as the bandit killer, enemy of all who live and so on and such forth, the point is brat if you weren't Gourry's brother you would be dust."

King Fabien added his part, "Maybe you weren't paying attention Selvin but the latest feat she is linked to is the return of Taforashia. I guess that means Gourry was there as well..."

Everyone looked at Gourry he seemed to be thinking hard. "Lina is that where we met Sirius?"

She groaned again. "No you jellyfish, Pokota! Prince!"

Gourry snapped his fingers. "Those stupid ears!"

She nodded. "Yeah, the stuffed animal."

Gourry bobbed his head. "Yeah I was there, wasn't much fun for most of it, someone was in a bad mood."

Lina narrowed her eyes at him. "I wonder why."

"The real point Sel." Alberich said, "Is rather then wasting her time playing games enchanting people she could just kill us and skip off. Very little we could about it."

Lina couldn't help but smile and bask a bit in the respect that implied. "Why yes, I probably could."

The room was quiet till Rob behind her asked, "If you're that powerful why did you...?"

She smirked. "Not blow you up? Run away? Bewitch you? Because I was curious; Gourry hadn't told me he was a prince and I wanted embarrass him a little bit. Driving his brother mad was fun but then I noticed... Gourry is under a spell, but to take it off it would take more gentleness then I normally use and am practiced in."

The room was silent till Callie piped up a small smile on her lips, "Well with the stories you told me and Alberich I think you have gotten revenge."

Gourry's eyes went wide and he looked between the two named siblings. "What did she tell you?"

Callie cackled. "Only something about dresses, a proposal and being a mermaid."

Gourry frowned and looked at the ceiling blankly, but Lina could see the pink starting on his cheeks and the back of his neck. "You faker! You know what I told her!"

Gourry pasted his most innocent expression on, but she just laughed. "Too late I saw through the act!"

Gourry gave up, slumping he pouted. "You sick twisted person, why did you tell them about that?"

Lina shrugged. "Maybe next time you'll tell me things rather then letting me surprised."

Gourry sighed. "Let it go Lina, it just never seemed important."

Lina sighed back. "Gourry your brother tried to throw me in a dungeon, because as a prince having control over you is a big deal, so yes it is important."

He spread his hands. "Well it's not like I planned on being found by a search party."

Lina gave him that one.

Aella spoke up to Lina's surprise. "If you need someone skilled in magic but with a soft touch my mother is very skilled."

Everyone looked at Aella before Gerard agreed, "It's true Lady Desdemona Rey is known for her white magic."

Lina shrugged, she had never heard of the woman. "Call her here then."

The room was silent for a minute before Gourry asked, "Where's mother or grandma?"

Everyone turned and glared at Sel, but Lina noticed Rob and the bodyguards edging out of the room, bad news then.

Alberich looked away from Sel back to Gourry. "Gourry I hate to tell you like this but Grandma died two years after you left, about year after that mother remarried and moved to Kal-maart."

Gourry seemingly didn't react to the news about his grandmother but his face looked thoughtful hearing where his mother had moved to. "Funny we were just there."

Concerned by his non reaction, she knew that would wait till they were alone.

"She'll coming to the wedding along with countless others." Callie said, sounding tired by the thought.

That's when it occurred to her. "Hey when is the wedding?"

"Six weeks from now, in three dignitaries might start showing up. The before party is in five weeks."

Lina nodded. "Wow, not too far off then, now is it?"

Callie shrugged. "We still haven't decided on the cake, my dress isn't done, and Hubert won't agree with me on the food to serve."

Wow, not a match made in heaven then. Lina kept that thought to herself, maybe now that the drama was over they could eat. "So now that everyone knows what's going can we eat?"

There was silence in the room, but Alberich broke it, "I don't see why not."

Lina skipped back to her seat, she would have to behave as well as she ever did, it was going to be a long two months... She hoped it wouldn't take that long to figure out what was going on, but she wasn't holding out much hope; Xellos knew how to keep a secret and there were so many things that it could be, she only had Gourry as a starting place. The moment everyone was seated servants with food swept in. Lina took her first course and finished it as quickly as was polite, she and Gourry took seconds. The second course came in and Lina noticed Kara, she made sure to wink at the girl who was subtly ogling Gourry. The young girl flushed but gave her a small smile back.

The table talk during the food being served so far had been polite table talk, Gourry was having his ear talking off by Aella. Callie was sitting quietly next to her. Alberich, Gerard and Cecilia were talking quietly at the far end of table. Fabien was watching her and Gourry, then watching the rest of the table. Selvin was sulking in his seat and eating quietly. Lina wondered where the children were, and where Gerard's wife was. She supposed the child or more likely children were too young to be polite the whole time at a meal and therefor ate in a play room or something. Then Fabien spoke up, "Ms. Lina I understand you are my nephew's friend and would never enchant him but since tongues will wag will you accept a light guard? Only one guard in the castle and two if you leave castle grounds?"

Lina noted the man's polite tone and the way it was phrased as a question but the steely look in his eyes warned her if she didn't agree, odds were good she'd spend the next week in the dungeons unconscious; the only truly safe way to store a magic user. "Of course sir. I don't mean any harm and if it stops any rumors all the better."

That was a lie, she knew it was the standing king's way of watching her at all times, he wasn't fool. He knew Gourry was enchanted for a reason, and, to him, she was the most likely candidate no matter what she and Gourry said.

Only the end closer to the standing king had stopped talking but Lina noted Alberich and Gerard had noticed the order and her response to it. Lina realized for the first time as used to games as she was, as used to doubting everyone as she was; this might just be the biggest and hardest game yet, and as Xellos told her Gourry might just be the prize. She wasn't just a pawn or a knight this game she might be a rook. Gourry would be the king... She looked about the table, she didn't know the others on the board well enough to which piece they would be.

But Alberich might end up being the queen or of course so could Aella. She just didn't know enough, she'd need to go gather information by gossiping. She knew Gina would be friendly, Harvard would talk to her freely, Kara would talk... she needed to make more friends. She simply didn't know enough.

Third course came in and she decided not to save Gourry, if she had to say anything for the girl it was that she was stark raving mad for Gourry, it actually was a bit frightening. But Gourry either decided he didn't like her because she talked too much or because he didn't want to marry her. Lina knew she needed to talk to him, she just was sure she wouldn't get a chance for a while. Aella was giving all the signals of a jealous girl and Lina knew unless she beat the strange girl she wasn't going be allowed to claim Gourry's time before her.

But she also had made a good start off with Callie. Turning to the older woman next to her she smiled charmingly. "Callie can you tell me more about the city? I barely saw any of it today but what I saw competes with Saillune in beauty. They're different styles, but I like both."

Callie looked away from where she had been watching Fabien talking to Selvin. "More about the city? What do you want to know?"

Lina smiled, this was good. "More about the gardens in the courtyard, I know some of the plants and flowers we saw coming in, but not all of them. Who planted them?"

Callie looked excited, and Selvin spoke up, "You asked the wrong person Lina, now she won't stop talking about the garden."

"Shut it, you." Callie glared at her younger brother before turning back to her. "Our great-grandmother planned the garden in a time of drought so we could sell the spices and medicines for food and other things we needed. Since then it's kinda become tradition for the oldest female of the line to care for the garden. So if you want to, after lunch we can go and walk the garden and I can answer your questions then."

"I'd like that, if you're not busy." Lina made sure she had eaten everything off her plate she could without licking it clean, lucky for her then someone took the hint and gave her seconds. Digging in she knew she'd have to stop in the kitchens and give her complements to the chef. She was on her third plate when Callie commented, "Was Selvin not feeding you or something?"

Looking around she realized all of the table save Gourry and Selvin, were subtly watching her eat, her manners were fine but the amount she was eating... She giggled sheepishly. "Magic takes a lot of energy, my appetite matches the amount I spend. Besides Gourry eats like I do."

Everyone there smirked or laughed, and Alberich laughingly told her, "He's eaten like that his whole life."

She grinned back, "Oh, really?" She turned to Gourry who was wincing. "See it's not my fault you eat so much!"

He groaned. "Why did I let you come with me?"

She ignored the faint feeling of hurt that remark brought forth. "Maybe because you didn't have a choice? After Sel told me you were a prince, and you hadn't told me for so long, you had to bring me home."

Gourry hid his face in his hands, as dessert came in. Lina gave up harassing him for dessert, the rest of the meal went on almost totally normally, minus the normal fighting she and Gourry usually did over sweets. The moment the meal was over, everyone got up and seemed to go off to do their own thing. Fabien and Alberich walked off together talking about someone's complaint. Cecilia walked off presumably towards the child's room. Selvin was hauling Gourry away to the tailor's since the clothes he was wearing were actually his fathers. Gerard was talking to some guards, and she a feeling it was about her. Callie touched her arm. "Still want to go to the gardens?"

Lina grinned, the momentary lost feeling disappearing. "You bet."

Standing with Callie, they walked out the doors and to Lina's horror three men walked over the guards Gerard had been talking to, two of them were the men she met outside the door, the third was a new man. He looked thirty and had strange blue-black eyes. He gave her the creeps, but she had agreed for someone to follow her, so she didn't say anything, just paced herself to Callie's graceful gait. The guards had been doing this for a long time. Just far enough away for privacy, but close enough to get there in time for most anything save monsters or super powered assassins. Not that Lina thought any were after her at the moment.

Callie stopped walking after they entered a small corridor protected by small trees, no one not behind or in front of them would see anything. Her eyes glistening, she asked in a harsh whisper; "Has Gourry been like the whole time you've known him?"

Lina sighed. "Today wasn't his normal; normally he's cheerful and dumber then that. I always thought he just was a dumb blond. Save his skill with swords and an intuitive grasp of how my mind works, he's never done anything that made me think he was anything other then an idiot."

Callie took some deep breaths. Seemingly calming herself, but after what Lina just saw she wasn't sure it wasn't just an act being put on. Callie was either a lot more hot tempered then she knew, or was under a lot more pressure.

Lina decided to go on talking testing Callie's reactions. No matter how much she liked the woman on first impression, that didn't mean anything. She'd liked Alfred. "So it was only when Sel and the others showed up and were talking about how strange he was acting - the inconsistencies I had dismissed before seemed to make sense. I kinda wonder if it happened before he met me in those two years I know very little about, or if it happened here."

Callie looked at her sharply for that, and asked the obvious question, "What makes you think that?"

"Gourry told me he took the Sword of Light because he hated the fighting over it. I can believe he'd leave because of it, but stealing the heirloom? That doesn't sound like the Gourry I know."

Callie was looking at her oddly.

"What?"

"You must know a brother very different from the one I know. He is kind, a gentlemen, a man greatly admired. But he's cold. That's what makes him seem so strange. From five years old and on, after he embarrassed father, he was always so deliberate about everything he did. He became the best swordsman he could because he didn't want to shame father again. Before he left he had agreed to marry Aella to keep everyone happy and he was going to take up the title of Knight. The fighting was over. He was going to carry it. That was part of why everyone was so alarmed when he and it went missing. It didn't make sense."

Lina internally reeled, Gourry was going to be end the fight by giving in? Then why take the Sword of Light? Whatever happened to make him loose his memory happened that day... probably. Dazed he took the sword with him and after his remaining memories sorted themselves out he thought he took it to end the fighting. But he would have been vulnerable after getting hit with something like that if not out cold. Why did they just kill him? Or take him some where? Had Gourry escaped before full effects kicked in?

But that didn't make sense either, he probably took the sword with him because he thought he'd need it. He had stumbled in on the plot, planned to kill or defeat the one behind it and failed... only to be let loose with the Sword of Light and missing memories? Why let him go? If it was a plot to take over, killing one of the princes only made sense. Unless it had been way too early... but that still didn't make sense. It wasn't that hard to kill someone and get rid of the body.

Gourry had to have escaped. But how? Monsters were involved and half-dazed they would run you down easy. If you even remembered to keep running.

On the outside Lina smiled at Callie. "The idea of Gourry being cold, sounds laughable. But so does him being smart."

She found the only thing she knew of the two years before she met Gourry bothering her. Gourry had ended up in Sairaag, in a bad way, and he remembered Sylphiel's name. Not much to go on, but how in the names of the Dark Lord did he get from here to Sairaag?

Callie smiled, stress still clear on her face. "I suppose having seen him today, I can understand that."

She didn't know of anything save a monster's power that could maybe move you so far. Even then it would almost have to be a Dark Lord to move that far, one person or not. However, she had found spells no one else used, and Gourry did in theory have a large magical capacity. That was why he was such a good match for the Sword of Light. But if he'd had a good memory, why hadn't he become the family Wizard or whatever? A spell (the only random idea she could think of to support her theory about why Gourry was allowed to wander with a bad memory and the Sword of Light) like that would have come from a Claire Bible Manuscript.

Where had he gotten his hands on one?

Xellos had his side mission in life to destroy all of them. He was here and odds were good he had been here for a long time.

Lina laughed. "You think he was being stupid today? You should have seen him the countless times me and the others named a Dark Lord or a famous monster and he just stared at us blankly. Or the time we were forced to travel with a monster and Gourry randomly realized the monster was more then a thousand years old."

Callie grinned. "When Gourry's back to normal I'm going to have to tease him endlessly. Dressed as a girl, being a totally idiot. I have enough blackmail for years."

Lina laughed, but inside she was worried. What would a smarter cooler Gourry have to say to her? Would she just be a brat he traveled with? A friend? An ally? Would he still have feelings for her? Did she even dare think of hoping for that?

Callie changed the subject, "What would you like to know about the garden?"

Lina looked around and said, "Starting with that..."

That Evening

Lina found out as it was a full family dinner minus the dowager queen and Callie's fiance so she was expected to put something other then her travel rags on. Lucky for her Callie as a young teen had been a taller version of her; so a quick hem job and she had a nice out-of-date dress to wear, she had to be careful which of Callie's dresses she wore, not all of them would look good on her. However she had a seen a silver one she was dying to have. The soft creamy yellow one she was wearing was more appropriate to tonight than the silver one. That one was a full on formal, but she figured if she hung around long enough she'd need a formal. Callie had seemed to be glad to give her the old fashioned dresses, if Callie wasn't careful she might claim a lot more of them.

Gourry entered the dinning room with Aella clinging to his side. The flattering silver and lavender number she was wearing didn't go with Gourry's somber navy. Lina couldn't help but take in his color choices and compare it to his face. All in all, it added up to a very unhappy Gourry.

She was pleased that his eyes lingered on her and not in a help-me way. He seemed to like the soft color and the slim lines of the dress on her.

Then in walked the wife she hadn't met, deep chocolate hair, stern violet eyes, and a fit body in a blue and purple floral dress.

Lina found the woman, however normal in appearance, to be threatening. Maybe it was the way she looked over the room, or the light steps. The way her arms weren't limp at her sides but instead seemed ready for anything. Whatever it was, Lina got the feeling this woman wasn't the normal noble women before marrying Gerard. Of course that kinda made sense, that prince wouldn't have needed to marry out of duty and if he married it likely was out of choice. Filing that titbit of information away for later she did her best to hide the instinctive reaction to her.

But aside from privately making a bet the woman was a former assassin, dinner was utterly dull.

Heading back to her room with her escort Lina found herself back to worrying for Gourry, the idiot. A sister who might know more then she's saying, older brothers with questionable interests, a younger brother totally clueless about everything going on and a fiance he doesn't remember who seems to be in love with him. Of course she was worried, but until her name was cleared she was being kept away from him.

It was sad and little strange. She wanted to have a chance to say a few more things before he got his memories back. She just had a feeling she needed to say goodbye to her brainless-blond-first-love. He wasn't going to be the same afterwards. She, on one hand, was sure she'd still be in love with him, unless, of course, he turned out to be an older colder Selvin. She had a feeling the things she loved him for would still be there, underneath everything that weighed him down as a responsible prince, but his feelings, not that she knew for sure what they were anyway, were almost a hundred percent likely to change. His whole view point was going to change, naturally his feelings would too.

The door to her room clicked shut behind her. Lina looked over the room again, a large bed, one entrance, a window that had been magicked unbreakable she was betting from the odd glow to the glass, a small bathroom with everything, even a small tub. The desk, chair, wardrobe, bed frame, and couch were all carved with the same soft flowing lines that complemented the soft sea-green-blue of the walls. The fabrics were a mix of darker blues and greens with soft creams thrown in. Over all she had nothing to complain about in the change in cells, she could escape this one too, but saw no reason too.

She started changing into pajamas, she took her hair down from the soft twist Callie's maid had helped her put it up in. Brushing her hair out, Lina couldn't help but be aware of what was likely building. This was going to be a hard fight and she didn't seem to have her normal allies at hand. She was likely to loose Gourry no matter how this turned out. She set the brush down and ignored the hot tears in her eyes, she was going to bed.

Next Day

Getting up bright and early she pulled one of the few sets of clothes she carried with her from the wardrobe where they had been set the day before. White shorts, a mint colored tank, and a second sand colored tank, a belt to strap the talismans to her - she felt silly. Xellos was going to attack when she was least expecting it. It was the only way it was going to go, but she felt like she'd be tempting his partner if not wearing them. Tying her head band on she opened the door to find a new guard at her door. "Good morning, what's your name?"

The poor man jumped not having noticed the door behind him opening. As he turned she caught sight of shy green eyes, and light sandy brown hair framing the cute face. He looked far too nice to be a guard, but she supposed he had his reasons for becoming one.

"I'm Alex, Ms. Inverse."

She smiled and laughed trying to put the poor boy at ease. "Don't call me Ms. Inverse call me Lina."

It worked, sorta, he flushed and almost dropped his spear. "If you say so, Ms. Lina."

She tried to ignored the awkward feeling of being older than someone her own age. "So where's breakfast?"

He decided to explain a few things to her, "If you're asking to be taken to the royal dinning room, that's not where breakfast is. It's in the public dinning hall. Any dignitaries and visitors eat there. It's a buffet style, people come and go. It works best since in the morning everyone has their own jobs to do. Lunch is like that too. Yesterday was the exception for the Royal Family, with everything going on I'm sure there will be more, and if you're suppose to eat there, you'll be notified. Dinner is different and more formal. Being the Prince's friend, you'll probably be eating with the family. No one too important is here yet, so dinner will stay small until others show up. Then it'll be moved to the dinning hall."

Lina nodded taking that in, she had a feeling Alex could be very helpful.

"Lead me to the food!"

Alex smiled nicely and turned, leading the way. Several hallways later she knew she going to be lost forever without a guide, then Alex stopped and pointed her through a doorway, "Breakfast is in here."

Stepping in she could smell all the good food, rushing up to the buffet she filled a plate and sat down to eat. Only to find an amused looking crown prince smirking at her. Remembering her manners she put the plate on the table and picked up her knife. No shoveling food down her throat this morning. After a few bites she decided greeting him would be polite. "Good morning Prince Alberich."

"Call me Prince Al, Alberich is too long."

Smiling, she got the feeling the prince was only easy going to throw people off. His relaxed manners reminded her of Gourry, so she went with it. "Thanks Prince Al." Looking about the room she noted aside from the prince's bodyguards and hers they were alone. "What's everyone else doing this morning?"

Al took a bite, chewed than shrugged. "I think Gourry went to the stables. Aella is probably following him. Cecilia is with the children. Callie's doing something for the wedding... a fitting, I think. My middle brother and his wife... who knows. Selvin isn't up yet. But when he gets up, he has some studying to do. As you saw last night his spell work needs to improve. That's why that spell took so much out of him. Unable to form the energy properly, he channels more then he needs to into it. Or at least that's what his tutors have told me."

Lina knew most people liked talking about their children so she asked about his, "So, I know you have a kid for sure, do you have a second one?"

Al smiled, a glint of pride clear in his eyes. "My daughter is the eldest and named Adelaide for her paternal grandmother, Galiena for a friend of her mother's, Chantal for her maternal grandmother. She'll be turning seven in about three weeks, thats why foreign dignitaries could show as early as then. My son, the heir to the throne; turned three two months ago. He's named Lyle after Lionel my mother's second husband, Royce after my father, and Gerard after my closest brother."

Lina smiled, glad she wasn't a royal she didn't have to have three names on top of a family name. "Strong names. Seven and three... you must be proud."

Al nodded. Lina knew her impression of him was correct by the way Prince was analyzing her back. She scraped the last fork full off her plate, then took seconds from the table. With her back to the prince she spoke softly, "Any clue who would want Gourry to forget something? Any idea of why either?"

She heard the chair shift and the prince answered quickly. "Only I hope it's you. Other wise I have no clue."

Lina smirked. "Thanks for the vote of confidence. When is Aella's mother getting here?"

"Tomorrow."

Lina held in a sigh, she had to see Gourry today or it would be too late. She wouldn't forgive herself if she didn't have one last moment with her sweet idiot. Taking her newly filled plate to the table she reclined in the chair. Al was watching her from the corner of his eyes, but there was a thoughtful feel to his cool poker face. Rather abruptly Al asked, "If my brother seemed the total airhead why did you take to traveling with him?"

Lina chewed slowly buying time, the answer was a little complicated. "I suppose for several reasons. I've never.. got on well with most people. The companion I had been traveling with left me after discovering how powerful I could be. I was going to blow Gourry off when I found out he has no small skill with the sword. Then with the fact he wasn't scared of how powerful I was, and he offered to stay with me... Later it was because he had the Sword of Light and hadn't backed down no matter what. Now it's because we're friends, good ones. Even if he changes his mind about me, I'm not leaving until I know why he lost his memory and who did it."

Al was sitting slightly slumped to the side, seemingly relaxed, but the tenseness in his fisted hands and the tightness of his shoulders didn't go unnoticed.

Lina went on eating, coming to the realization the prince had been waiting for her here in the dinning room, wanting some time to talk to her alone.

Al let his right hand fall from it's fist against his face to the table top, he began tapping his fingers. "In other words, if we find out tomorrow you didn't brainwash him, you declare yourself his bodyguard till the traitors to the throne are vanquished."

Lina shrugged. "Basically."

Prince Al stood, standing over her in an almost threatening manner he said, "I hope for your sake then you are sincere, because if you're lying... The punishment you face will be permanent."

Lina didn't bother looking up from her plate, "Good thing I am then. But that doesn't help you much, does it?"

Her only answer was the sound of his footsteps as he left the room, but it was answer enough. She just found herself hoping which ever royal was in on this, it wasn't him. She liked him, he cared for his family. With a sigh she rose for thirds.

At Dinner

Lina glanced across the table. Gourry was sitting where he had the day before, his fiancee at his side. He looked rather grumpy, but then again so was she. Despite her best efforts, she had failed to get him alone long enough to talk. She had spent a lot of time wandering the castle. Odds were good she wouldn't need directions any more. The only things she had learned from the staff were about the childhoods of the royal siblings and the normal troubles of running a large castle. Oh and things between Callie and Hubert were really bad.

Lina didn't know him well enough to know what Callie's problem with him was, it wasn't that he was old and ugly. Clearly within five years of Callie's age, his red-brown hair made him stand out among the blondes of the royal family, as did his favorite shades of green. His brown eyes seemed normal enough. But maybe Callie's problem with him was the fact he seemed rather bland personality wise. She sighed, he hadn't talked about anything interesting so far.

His voice was nice enough to listen to though.

Of course if Gourry was Callie's favorite brother and if he'd been colder before having his brain scrambled, maybe Callie like men more aloof but not arrogant. In court you would be likely to find plenty of men pretending to be aloof but it would be arrogance. Of course maybe she just wanted someone to make her laugh.

Lina held in a second sigh while digging into her forth plate of the main dish. Gourry wasn't much of a laugh tonight, he seemed annoyed and stressed. Plus Lady Desdemona was suppose to be here in the morning, early or late they hadn't received word yet, just that she should arrive before noon. She should sneak into his rooms and have that talk.

Lady Aella though... she seemed desperately unhappy. She had seemed to light up upon seeing Gourry the day before and she had been spending as much time as possible with him. She had been horse back riding with him, then for lunch they had been sat beside one another and she had demanded Gourry talk about his travels. Gourry had managed to dredge up a few funny times without touching on most of the serious times.

But the times he remembered concerned her.

They were all early in their travels, but after they had met up. Had he been thinking back trying to remember when he'd lost his memory? Or had it just been the fact his mind had been coming back to him even before they got back here?

To be fair though looking back that first week with Amelia was really funny. At the time it had been really annoying but now... after all they'd been through together? It was just funny. Of course she and Gourry hadn't seen them in year, not since Taforashia. And Rezo. Pokota... she had to wonder if he was still in that stuffed body. Odds were good he was. She didn't know how he could get a body when his had not only been taken over by Rezo, but then destroyed when they killed Rezo and the ghost of Shabranigdu. Not to mention that had been when Rezo told Zel he didn't know how to give him a human body again. Last she knew he had set sail hoping to find a way else where.

Dessert at last.

Lina grinned up at Kara, the maid gave her a quick smirk back. Lina liked Kara; she wasn't stupid and well she had never left the city she was well read. Sefren was interesting, he had become her afternoon guard, Alex having completed his watch. Sefren as it turned out was from the Outer world he had been a mercenary on a ship and he'd washed up on the coast after falling off during a storm. He was pretty sure his ship had sunk, but with no one to return to he had made a home for himself here.

The other taste bit of gossip she had learned was about the dowager Queen, it turned out she had been the daughter of a wealthy merchant. The Dead King, known as King or Duke Royce outside the borders of Elmekia had been uninterested in the normal Nobles. His parents were desperate to get him to marry so they offered to a host a month long ball open to any able to pay a certain amount. Lots of toes had been stepped on there.

But how did that apply to what had happened to Gourry?

Or Xellos? Why was he here? What was in it for the Monster race?

Dinner was over. Lina just managed to stand in time so she could exit the room at the same time as everyone else. Gourry was walking away from the royal wing so she knew he wasn't going to bed right away, she figured she could slip into his room and wait for him there. Sefren a step behind her she seemingly set off for her room, then half way back to her room she turned and made for the library. She had found out where that was in her explorations and supposedly each royal had their own study that held even rarer books. Grabbing one of the books she had been eyeing earlier she then turned to Sefren and demanded he take her to Gourry's room.

"I don't..."

"Your orders likely were as simple as don't let me out of your sight, everyone else is supposed to run interference. So taking me to Gourry's room is perfectly fine, I don't even care if you stay there and over hear the whole conversation. It's not going to matter in the long run, I just want a chance... I have something to say before tomorrow."

Sefren sighed, but nodded and slowly lead the way to Gourry's room.

Reaching the room, she entered and discovered herself standing in a comfortable sitting room with three other doors. She poked around enough to find a fourth door almost hidden behind a display of swords; That was the bedroom with another door likely leading to the bathroom. The other two rooms were a study and a room that probably once upon a time had been a training room, she figured that because it had a mirror on one wall and padding resting against the wall.

Setting herself down out sight of the door she reclined on the couch, Sefren was sitting in the small wooden chair set against the wall. Lina lifted the book up like she was reading it, but aside from flipping the pages she gave it no further thought. She just didn't know what to say to Gourry.

She couldn't tell him she... cared for him the way he was. She wouldn't tell him how afraid she was that he wouldn't keep his promise with his mind restored. She didn't dare admit this was her good bye to her best friend. Gourry wouldn't like it and when he remembered it from a different point of view no doubt he would think her a fool. Gourry needed her to be calm and this was probably her best chance to update him about why she feared for his life.

Realizing the door was opening she set her book down and listened as Gourry not too politely told Aella to go away. He shut the door firmly and turned around clearly intending to go to bed when he saw her. He was surprised and she could see the innocence that always had alternately amused and annoyed her. Even as his face split into a happy smile, she wondered if that was what would really change. Naiveness like that couldn't survive being royalty. Ignoring the ache she smiled back at him as he flung himself down casually into chair across from her. As always he knew what she was thinking. Not sure how to start, she figured harassing him would be a good place to go from. "She's persistent."

Gourry groaned, and slumped deeper into the chair. "You have no idea. She's followed me all day. It's really annoying, and she didn't take any hints. It's almost like..."

He sat up straighter, then after staring at his knees for a moment he looked up at her something muddled on his face. "That girl who swore revenge..."

Lina sighed. "Martina."

"Yeah her, she follows me like Martina followed you. Only no proclamations of getting revenge. Or calling on some weird monster thing."

She stayed quiet, Gourry knew why she was there or at least could guess. The point was proven when Gourry looked at her serious face and move to sit upright. "This memory thing is really serious, isn't it?"

Giving him a half hearted glare, she flung her arm over the back of the couch trying to relax a bit. "Of course it is. I've been cuffed every day until today by Selvin. I have guards following me around. I got chucked in the dungeon. Your family ran interference so I couldn't talk to you today. Tomorrow... Tomorrow even if you don't want to think it, you are going to change."

Gourry made a face, and he leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees. Staring at her earnestly he asked and half pleaded: "Lina, can't you just trust me when I say I won't change?"

Rolling her eyes she answered. "I know it seems that simple now, but if this Desdemona can break the spell you're going to have lot more in your head. Even if you don't want to, you're gonna change. Having new or old new information is like that. I didn't think as hard about using it the first time fighting Rezo as I did using it the next two times. Information changes things. Now you need to listen to me."

Letting her eyes bore the importance of what she was going to say into him, she waited for him to nod.

It took a minute and he seemed annoyed with her, but he reluctantly nodded.

"Gourry, someone made you forget for a reason. If you don't remember it right away and call them out on it they are going to want to make sure you never can. Someone at some point is going to try to kill you, I find myself glad Zuuma is off the market. But I don't know who, I don't know why and I can't even promise that I'll be there to back you up right away. SO you had damn well better plan on being alert."

Gourry nodded, but then went back to the argument about whether he would change or not. "I still don't think I'm going to change. I'm still going to be me... just more me."

Lina smirked, what a winning argument. "I don't disagree, Gourry, but you'll remember being tied to a country, a family and duty. Protecting me came after all that."

Gourry frowned ready to keep arguing, it seemed he really didn't want to change. It warmed her to know he didn't want to change, that he wanted things to stay the same between the two of them.

But there was no way that could happen. Standing, she smiled at him. "Gourry, it doesn't matter whether you change or not. Until I know why someone made you forget, I'm not going any where."

He relaxed a little, and she sudden just had to get out of there. She didn't want to say anything stupid, and she felt perilously close to doing just that. Grabbing the book she walked to the door, turning around she let a soft smile come to her lips. "Gourry, you had better not do anything stupid."

He nodded and his only answer was a goodnight.

"Goodnight, Gourry." With that she exited the room, leading Sefren straight back to her room. Shutting the door behind her, leaving Sefren in the hall she let the confusing mass of hurt, fear, frustration, concern and general unhappiness take over.

Slumping to the floor she was startled when the book fell from her hand, she had grabbed it so it would look like she was doing something while waiting for Gourry to come back. She had chosen a book she did want to read, but it wouldn't help where it mattered. Gourry wasn't going to be the same. Xellos was out there, involved in a plot that likely would require Gourry's death.

Feeling tears welling she forced herself to get up and get ready for bed, at least if she cried in bed she could muffle any sounds with the pillow.

DarkShadowedRose here and as of yet this chapter has not been beta'd so any and all mistakes noted are mine.