"Princess Amelia," Mary said as she walked into the library.

Amelia looked up from her book, "Yes?"

"Manus Koff is here to see you."

"Oh," Amelia said, feeling surprised. She hadn't been expecting him. "Show him in. And if you see Zelgadis send him here as well."

"The strange thing is, Mr. Koff was very insistent on only seeing you, ma'am." Mary explained.

"Was he?" Amelia asked, not sure what to make of that. "Show him in. And if you see Zelgadis have him meet me here in a half hour."

"Yes, ma'am." Mary said, bowing before she left to retrieve the visitor.

Amelia decided there was no way she was going to be able to focus on swashbuckling pirates and fair maidens now and set her book down on the table as she started to pace nervously. Why would Manus Koff visit them? And why would he only want to see her? And what would she say when he asked about the effectiveness of the serum? And how could she even bring up the fact that Zelgadis was having performance issues that complicated the whole experiment? Zelgadis would be mortified if she confided that information to anyone.

In mere minutes Mary had returned with Manus Koff. "Please have a seat." Amelia said as she indicated one of the plump chairs, "Mary, close the door on your way out please."

"Yes, ma'am." Mary said as Amelia asked her guest how he would like his tea.

Once he was settled, Amelia decided to cut straight to the heart of the matter, "So what brings you here today?"

"Well, it should be obvious." He stated as he sipped his tea, "I was wanting to check on the status of the serum."

"Well," Amelia said nervously as she wondered how much information he would ask for and how much she should reveal, "It hasn't worked so far."

"I see," Manus Koff said as he sat his tea on the table. "I was afraid as much. Sometimes something that looks promising in the lab just fizzles when tried on more complex chimeras, and I'm sorry that seems to be the case here. Yet, we must not give up hope yet."

Amelia's heart fluttered, and she wasn't sure if it was with hope or anxiety. The thought of continuing to be in the trying to conceive limbo they had found themselves in was horrifying. But if it resulted in a child, then she knew she would pursue it. "What do you mean?"

Manus Koff looked over his shoulder, and then leaned in closer to her, keeping his voice low, "I am in possession of some life fluids from a soldier who died defending a town from bandits a few weeks ago. I could pass it onto you. No one but us would know who the real father is."

Amelia felt her face heat. Her first instinct was to scream and shout about the huge affront to justice he was proposing. As a noblewoman she could not risk using life fluids from someone who wasn't her husband. Her reputation had to be spotless. While Amelia was sure that some noblewomen had gotten away with it, others had gone up in flames when the donor or the donor's family accused her of infidelity. The scandalous cases always caused a commotion in court as people debated the woman's guilt or innocence. Had she had an extra-marital affair and was trying to save face now by claiming she just used life fluids, or had she just used life fluids and fallen prey to villains who wanted money or power and used that leverage to take her down? There was no way to know for sure. If Amelia used another man's life fluids she would be gambling with her good name. And in the royal court, having a good name was worth a lot. It was not something she could sacrifice.

But then….

But then, somehow, it seemed that if she tried this route then all of her problems would be solved. Sex would no longer be a chore. She would no longer argue with Zelgadis. She would have a child and a heir, something she wanted more deeply by the day. Committing a misdeed never looked more tempting.

Her reply was choked, and she looked at the table, at a loss for words.

"Think about it. I'll be in Dainsbro when you make up your mind." Manus Koff said.

Finally Amelia found her voice, "Did you really even think this serum would work?"

"It did on my test subjects." He said. "But considering the nature of chimeras, who is to say that what will work for a dog-rock golem hybrid will work for one who is human-golem-blow demon?"

"I see." She said quietly, and then she asked her next, more important question. "What's in it for you?"

"I have worked for years with human-chimeras, watching how they are excluded from society and living life to their fullest. Successfully helping one to breed, well, that will give my work and my cause visibility. More money will pour in, more than you can provide, Princess, and I can use that to fund my research on achieving my ultimate goal: separating chimeras."

Amelia wanted to believe him. But something in her gut was telling her not to.

"Do you have any other questions for me?" he asked.

"No." Amelia said, "I'll let you know when I've made my decision."

"Thank you." He said as he stood up, just as Zelgadis walked into the room.

"Manus Koff? He asked, obviously taken aback.

"Your wife was just filling me in on the status on the serum." Manus Koff said. Before Zelgadis could interject he continued, "Don't give up hope. Remember it takes a lot of people a year for it to work."

"Yes." Zelgadis answered.

"Good day."

Zelgadis watched wearily as the other man walked out and closed the door behind him before asking Amelia, "What was that about?"

Amelia felt as though she was going to cry at any moment. She looked at Zelgadis, and in that moment she realized that, while she might not know what she was going to do yet, she couldn't lie to him and play him for a fool, letting him think a child sired from a donor was his. That realization led to a more painful realization. That if Manus Koff really had the interests of chimeras at heart, he would have let Zelgadis in on the ploy rather than ask her to join him in a scheme to fool Zelgadis.

"Oh Zel!" she exclaimed as she threw her arms around him, "I-I think we put our trust in the wrong person."

She barely managed to get the words out before she dissolved into tears. "Amelia?" he asked as he rubbed her back. "What happened?"

It took her a few attempts, but eventually she calmed down enough to relate the deal that Manus Koff had made with her. When she finished Zelgadis' face was a stony mask of silence. She waited, tense as a taunt string, for him to say anything. Finally he said, "So for the last year we've been breaking our hearts as we humiliated ourselves over some snake oil he gave me to line his pockets and advance his own research?"

Amelia's stomach knotted. But before she could respond he got up and balled his hands into fists, "Surely he couldn't have gotten too far."

"Zel, no!" she said as she grabbed his hand.

"You shouldn't have let him leave this castle." Zelgadis snarled.

"What you have in mind is not a diplomatic solution!" she insisted.

"To hell with diplomacy!" Zelgadis snapped, "All year he's been laughing at me, toying with us, manipulating us as he laughs at my…"

"I have an idea!" Amelia snapped, "And justice will triumph! It's just going to take some time to get everything set up."

He regarded her, "What's your plan then?"

Amelia smiled a little, "First, I think it's time we hear Rosalinda Franks' side of the story."


Zelgadis vaguely remembered seeing Rosalinda Franks among the team of researchers when he met with them when Amelia first assembled them. As one of the junior researchers, he had not bothered to remember the name of the quiet young woman who seemed average in every way. Average height, average weight, familiar brown hair kept in the latest style. Only her small brown eyes framed with glasses were distinctive in any way, and that was only because the glasses were a distinctive cat eyed shape. But now that they were in her home and she was pouring them tea, he directed more attention to her than he ever had before.

"Here." She said as she handed them each a cup, and then drew back a flyaway strand of hair as they took them.

"Thank you." Amelia said while Zelgadis studied her and tried to determine if she was the evil scientist that Manus Koff had painted her as.

"Are you aware that Manus Koff accused you of wanting to create chimeras?" he asked her.

Rosalinda smiled weakly, "So that's how he turned you against me."

"So you're denying the accusation?" Amelia clarified.

"You're welcome to search my home and my journals." She said, "I assure you, I have no interest in creating chimeras."

"Then why would Mr. Koff say you did?"

"Because I was the one who synthesized the serum."

"So he wanted to steal the credit?" Amelia asked.

Rosalinda shook her head, "I'm a junior researcher, he's the head researcher. The credit would have gone to him regardless. However, because I was the one working most closely with the serum, I knew some things about it he likely neglected to tell you."

"Like?" Zelgadis asked.

"We had confiscated a group of chimeras that were part rock golem, part some other mammal. Dog, cat, lion, things of that nature. And the serum did return fertility to those subjects. However, when used on chimeras that were some combination of mammal and blow demon, or the rare combination of all three that we had, the results were not as exciting. Of the seven I tested, only one was able to sire a litter. Compared to eight out of eight with the mammal-rock demon combinations."

Zelgadis set his cup down while Amelia bit her lip. "But I went over the research. I had Manus Koff provide me a copy."

"That's where I came into trouble." Rosalinda explained. "I saw the report he was going to give you. I saw how he fudged the data and confronted him. He closed the office door and told me to think of the big picture. If the serum failed there were still other ways for the Princess to conceive a child, and if we got her involved and attributed the success to the serum, we would be famous. It would be a huge windfall in terms of marketing and research grants. He offered me a slice, but I stupidly refused. I should have deferred and gone straight to you, but I told him no. I thought I'd talked him out of it. I knew you would never go along with such a deception, Princess. I thought I'd convinced him.

"But when I went to work the next day I was barred from entering the castle. Koff had ordered the guards to turn me away on sight. He even had my mail intercepted. It wasn't until you arrived at Tealblu that I managed to get through to you, but only through a few letters. The guards at Tealblu wouldn't let me through, either. The other researchers won't talk to me now. I gather he dragged my reputation through the mud, though I wasn't sure how."

"Do you think any of the others were involved in the deception?" Amelia asked.

"No." Rosalinda said quickly, "I was the only one working on the serum. I don't think anyone else knew about the results."

"Is there anything else you have to tell us?" Zelgadis asked.

"I'm afraid not." She replied.

Zelgadis looked down at the table as he felt the weight of his sorrow bore into him. While he trusted Rosalinda's Franks' story, it also dealt a definitive end to his hopes of being able to father a child. His thoughts became so heavy that it took him a moment to realize Amelia was speaking, "…tell no one we spoke until I tell you otherwise. Are we clear?"

Zelgadis hoped that he hadn't missed anything important as Rosalinda replied, "Yes, Princess."

"Thank you for coming forward with this." Amelia said, obviously wrapping things up. Zelgadis stood up and together they left.

For a long time they walked in silence, their shock and grief too numbing for them to make any sort of conversation. But as they drew away from the crowded town and met the freedom of the country road that lead back to their castle, Amelia started to vent.

Zelgadis tuned her out at first. But gradually words that triggered a red hot anger within him punctuated his consciousness. Snake oil. Played for fools. Charlatan. Fiends of justice. Back at court, Zelgadis was certain Manus Koff was laughing at him and his troubles. Beside him, Amelia continued to rant about, "…disloyal subjects I've paid plenty of money to…"

"…Do what I could have done much better?" Zelgadis snapped.

"Oh no, not this again!" Amelia cried.

"If you had just let me head the research this never would have happened." Zelgadis pointed out angrily.

"Oh don't you dare turn this into an excuse to take it over!" Amelia said, "It will consume you and corrupt you!"

"But how can we really know what is going on there?" he asked. "For all we know Rosalinda Franks is also duping us. We can't trust this so called elite team of researchers you put together!"

Amelia pounded her fist into her palm, "We must leave immediately for court! Give them no time to prepare for us. We will audit the files, interrogate the team, find out who knew what, and sack and ruin the people who were in on the crime!"

Zelgadis considered what she said for a moment, "Actually, I agree."

Amelia relaxed a little, "I'll have Mary pack our things and send them to court. We'll leave immediately before word gets to Mr. Koff that we met with Miss Franks."

"But we'll talk later about what to do about the team. And my involvement in it."

Amelia's eyes narrowed as she realized that he had not let the larger matter drop completely, "Fine." She said.


Amelia and Zelgadis had reluctantly let Rick in on their plan to interrogate their team. Someone had to keep guard over the researchers while they waited to be questioned to ensure that they didn't talk to one another or that Manus Koff, who they had escorted to a private room separate but accessible only from the room where they housed the other researchers, could not escape. Rick was the only guard they trusted. If Rick had any suspicions about the nature of their research, he kept it to himself. As always, he was professional, discreet, and competent.

After reading the files and interviewing the other researchers, Zelgadis and Amelia both felt confident in Rosalinda Franks' version of events. And with the exception of one other researcher who had an inkling of Manus Koff's plan, they were as certain as they could be that the other researchers were innocent.

It was either late in the evening or early in the morning (depending on how you looked at it) when Amelia called an indigent Manus Koff into her office. Zelgadis stood behind her looking disapproving as the researcher took a seat.

"What is the meaning of this?" he spat.

Amelia's eyes narrowed as she handed him Rosalinda Franks' original research. "We had a discussion with Miss Franks." Amelia said as the blood drained from Manus Koff's face, "It was rather informative."

"Princess…" he said.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Amelia asked.

"That this isn't what it looks like." Manus Koff said quickly.

"On the contrary, according to the evidence we've collected, it's exactly what it looks like." Zelgadis said.

"Manus Koff, you are hearby dismissed from this castle and funding for your research is to be cut. I will inform the other nobles, universities and hospitals that you are no longer welcome to conduct research within the borders of Seyruun."

Manus Koff's eyes widened, "I can help you, you know. No one would have known."

Zelgadis looked at Amelia as her eyes sparkled with indignation at his insolence as he waited for Amelia to drop her ace. Amelia had often quieted his concerns about people talking with the knowledge that she had a team dig up dirt on each member of the research team to blackmail them with. For someone who put a lot of stock in justice and purity, she sure seemed certain that everyone had skeletons in their closet.

"One more thing." Amelia said, "Does the name Emmalene Anjou mean anything to you?"

Manus Koff's eyes flashed as Amelia held out a letter. "Where did you get that?" he snarled.

"If you breath a word of the research you were conducting to anyone, or if you say anything that we find unflattering about us, we will see that your wife reads this letter to your darling Emmalene, of the fairest white bosom and the most succulent…"

"How dare you!" And Zelgadis had to smile a little as he watched the other man squirm like a worm on a hook. Amelia had indeed found pay dirt on the scoundrel.

"Tell me, how is your little boy, Alex?" Amelia asked, and Manus Koff's face turned crimson, "You only have daughters with your wife, Josefina, am I right?"

"This isn't the end of this!" Manus Koff barked as he stormed out of the office, the door slamming behind him.

Amelia laughed vindictively as Zelgadis looked at her worriedly, "You're not afraid that he won't make good on that threat?"

"He wouldn't dare. He married into wealth. And I know Josefina Koff. If he's not scared of what she would do to him if she knew about his infidelity than he's a greater fool than I pegged him for."

Zelgadis smiled a little and then he put an arm around her, "You know, it kind of turns me on seeing you mete out justice like this."

Amelia's eyes widened as her heart fluttered in her throat. She tried to keep her voice coy as she said, "Well, lucky for you, I don't have anything else on my calendar today."


"You two sure had a long sojourn at Tealblu." Gracia commented as Amelia sat on the couch with Eddie.

Eddie promptly jumped off Amelia's lap and went to chase his brothers. Amelia sighed. He was already big enough to walk, and he had no interest whatsoever in staying put on her lap. "Court life doesn't suit Zel." Amelia said, "I think if he wasn't so concerned with what people were saying behind his back it would be one thing, but he is."

"I must say, you've been throwing yourself into your work." Gracia observed as she ignored the fact that her boys were climbing up a glass paneled cabinet.

"I like to keep busy." Amelia said, leaving out the fact that it distracted her from how horrible the previous year had been, "Should they be climbing that?"

"Travis! Sean! Eddie!" her sister hollered, "Go to your room!"

They did as asked, giggling the whole time. Soon loud booming sounds could be heard through the thick walls. Amelia's anxiety crept up a notch as Gracia lamented, "Nanny is out sick today."

"Anyway, what's new around court?" Amelia asked.

Gracia started launching into the latest court gossip. Amelia listened carefully. Gossip was currency in the court, and it was important to stay on top of it. Nothing Gracia said was too interesting at first, until she mentioned Amelia's friend from Zefiel City, "Oh, and not new around here so much, by the ambassador to Zefeeria came home last week. She says that there are rumors that the infamous bandit killer and monster slayer is pregnant!"

Amelia nearly dropped her tea cup. "What?"

"Surprising, isn't it?"

"Surely there must be some mistake." Amelia said, "I mean Miss Lina is arriving next week! I mean, she wouldn't travel while pregnant, would she?"

"I don't know," Gracia droned, "If getting married and buying a house didn't settle her wanderlust than I don't think getting knocked up would."

"But she's not said anything." Amelia persisted, even as she thought about Lina's strange letters, where she seemed to be dancing around a secret she was doing a poor job of concealing.

Gracia looked at her questioningly, "What's with you? I thought you'd be happy."

Amelia stiffened a little, "Well, I'm her best friend. You'd think she'd tell me rather than letting me hear about it through rumors. If she is that is. Remember when they said that she and Mr. Gourry would be breaking up?"

"You have a point there." Gracia said. "Well, I guess we'll see in another week."

"Yes." Amelia agreed as a wave of anxiety seized her. She and Zelgadis had been looking forward to Lina and Gourry's visit. Considering a life lived at court meant that discussions of families and maintaining the family line were prevalent and ubiquitous, it was nice to have friends who were outside of that sphere. But now that looked like it might be changing.

And while Amelia knew she could find it within herself to be happy for her friends, she also knew that Zelgadis would take it hard. She bit her lip and wondered if she should tell him about the rumors. The point became mute at dinner when the matter became the only thing that Phil, Gracia and Charles could talk about.

After dessert, as they walked back home to their apartments, Amelia cringed as she felt the fire that had been reignited in the wake of taking down Manus Koff evaporate as Zelgadis once more became silent and broody. And as soon as they closed the door behind them he pounced, "I think I should head the research team."

"No." Amelia said. "Look, Miss Franks was onto something. We should keep her on the team and on the trail while she's hot."

"So she says." Zelgadis muttered. "How can you ask me to trust these people after everything we've been through?"

"How about this." Amelia said, "You will have weekly conferences with the researchers. You will also have an unannounced visit each week to check the research. But other than that, you stay away from it."

Amelia met his gaze and hoped that she wasn't opening a dangerous path that would led to a new all consuming, destructive passion that his search for the cure had. He met her gaze and finally said, "Fine." Before storming off to his study and closing the door behind him.