(In a recently translated interview, Kanzaka revealed that the Eternal Queen is, indeed, ageless, and not, like the Dali Lama, reincarnated. That kinda puts a damper on my usual trying to work within canon while being speculative, but since I've written ten chapters already, I'll have to continue as it is.)
Back at his quarters, Gourry sighed as he took off his ceremonial golden armor and heavy, red velvet cape that he wore for fancy court receptions. Ever practical, he thought gold armor was too soft to be of any real protective use and the cape hampered his movements. His fine, royal blue clothing, while silky soft, was not as durable as his usual pants and shirt either. But Luna and Bess had insisted he had to look the part of Royal Father of the Eternal Queen to ambassadors and the kingdom's nobles at royal audiences. He reflected that at least they hadn't insisted on some sort of stupid headgear.
He replaced the armor and cape with another blue silk shirt and wore over it a long white coat with intricate blue and gold embroidery bordering the sleeves, hem, and opening. It was rather influenced by the Seyruun court style. His loose white trousers were embellished down the sides to match and tucked into his tall, black boots.
He then went to his daughter's room to check on her napping. Although queen and endowed with the knowledge of the Water Dragon, she was still a toddler with toddler's needs and emotions. She was curled up with her blue plush dragon clutched to her chest and thumb in her mouth. Gourry brushed back her golden curls from her face and bent down to kiss her forehead. As he did so, her stomach gave such a rumble that it startled him and caused him to jerk his head up into the mobile of smiling jellyfish hanging over her bed. His long hair promptly got caught in it. His daughter's eyes opened, and she giggled merrily to see her father tangled in jellyfish.
"Ow, ow! Not funny, little one!"
Just then Luna, Bessmorta, and Leon appeared at Anila's bedroom door to see if Anila and Gourry were ready for the dinner. Their laughter added to Gourry's humiliation.
While a smirking Luna and a chuckling Bess went to Gourry's aid, Leon snorted and declared, "I told you you hung that thing too low."
The women freed the red-faced father from the mobile, and Luna went in search of his hairbrush. She came back with it and started rummaging around in the top drawer of Anila's dressing table.
"Bess, you get Her Majesty ready for the banquet while I tackle Lord Jellyfish's hair. Let's see, braids or a man bun, perhaps? There are several hair ties here."
"We don't have that much time, Luna," Bess warned her.
Leon chimed in, "With all the hair he's got, it'd be a whole bread loaf, not a bun."
"Braiding it will be. Sit down on this footstool, Gourry," Luna commanded.
He sat down with some trepidation. As he was at heart a traditional Elmekian warrior, he really liked his hair flowing free and unconfined.
Luna began brushing and separating strands of his hair. Humming happily to herself, first she braided the hair on either side of his head and then made a long, thick braid of the hair at the back of his head. She then took a tie with a large sapphire attached and joined the side braids together over the main braid. Gourry sat quietly and only refused the hairclip she wanted to tame his bangs with.
"You look nice, Daddy," his little girl stated while looking up at him and rocking back and forth on her heels. "Do you like my new dress and boots?" The dress was a long, golden silk one with puffy sea blue-green chiffon sleeves and a bow tied around at the back. Neckline and hem were embroidered with the same color. The boots were a matching gold..
"Thank you, sweetie. You definitely are my sunshine in that outfit. Now hold still so Auntie Luna can brush your hair and put your state crown on."
Anila made a face, "I hate that thing. It's heavy."
"After everybody has been seated and you give the blessing, it'll be replaced with the circlet you like," Luna assured her.
Bess whispered in Gourry's ear, "The dress is magical armor. It should protect her should the Elmekians try anything."
"Not THAT armor, I hope," Gourry replied in an alarmed low voice.
"No, no. It's spelled with that embroidery on it. It's an elven special one"
Gourry gave a sigh of relief.
Luna finished fixing the little queen's hair and put the crown on the little girl's head. Gourry picked Anila up and carried her to the grand banquet room. Luna, Bess, and Leon were close behind.
Anila's throne was set on a long, high dais at the end of the hall. A seat for her father was on her right and one for Luna on her left. Neda was to be on Gourry's right with Leon next to her. The Elmekian ambassador was to be on Luna's left with Bessmorta on her left. The High Priest'seat was next to Bessmorta and the High Steward's seat was next to Leon. (Leon's and Bess's little girl, not having the thoughts of a god in her, was too young to be present at a state dinner.) As the royal group went through the entrance behind the dais into the banquet hall, the rest of the nobles, Elmekian ambassadorial entourage, and others entered from the other end.
All stood at their places. With her father still holding her in his arms in order that she could be seen as well as heard, Anila welcomed the crowd and bade them to be seated. She then gave the Water Dragon's blessing to the meal and the people there.
As Luna was exchanging the heavy crown with a light circlet on Anila's head, those on the dais then felt a strong blood-lust. The crown was quickly thrown at a servant. Luna exclaimed, "Gallery!" while drawing her knife and deflecting an arrow just in front of the baroness. Gourry cut down a spell aimed at Neda and made a throwing motion at the musicians' gallery. "Shields!" both warriors shouted at the same time. A few more arrows were deflected, but the cry heard from the musicians' gallery meant the spell-caster was down.
Leon roared, "Shut the doors! Queen's Guard, go to the gallery! Make sure no one leaves the castle!" (He was Captain of the Queen's Guard.) He leaped down from the dais and ran down the hall toward the stairs leading to the musicians' gallery.
Neda snarled, "Maybe now Mother truly realizes the emperor's infatuation for her wasn't as strong as his desire for conquering other kingdoms! Damn, I wish I could have worn my sword here!" She looked around for a weapon, shrugged, and grabbed the large meat fork stuck in the roast boar before her. Tearing off her cumbersome headdress and lifting up her robes with one hand, she took off in Leon's wake.
Luna pushed the dumbfounded baroness under the table and tore off for the hallway on the other side of the gallery.
Bess and the High Priest kept the shields up to protect everyone, while Gourry covered Anila with his body. With the shields and Anila's spelled clothing, he really didn't have to, but his guarding instincts were too strong. He shook with anger that his family were such targets of Elmekian plots.
"Daddy, you'll be okay! Water Dragon can shield us," the little queen said confidently.
"Sweetie, I'm shaking because I'm so angry our family and kingdom are targeted!" He gave a little chuckle and kissed her forehead.
Leon arrived at the stairs just as a black clothed bowman reached the bottom step. The man had drawn his sword, but he was no match for Leon, who rapidly cut him down. With her meat fork Neda parried the sword of the second bowman who had jumped over the banister. She then landed such a punch to his jaw that it knocked him out. Shoving aside the body of the first man, Leon sprang up the stairs to the musicians' gallery. Neda quickly ripped strips of her gown to bind and gag the man she had subdued. She grabbed one of the fallen swords and followed Leon. When they reached the gallery, they saw that the musicians themselves were slumped over their instruments, while another black-clothed man writhed on the floor.
"My eyes!, My eyes!" the man screamed and whimpered. Neda ripped another strip off her gown and took off her belt while Leon roughly flipped the man on his stomach and captured the sorcerer's hands behind his back. He bound the man's hands with Neda's belt, and she stuffed the cloth in his mouth to prevent any further spell casting, should he recover enough to do so. To Leon's and Neda's relief, a quick check of the musicians confirmed they were alive, either knocked out or under a sleep spell.
Meanwhile, Luna subdued a fourth man who had tried to escape down the stairs ion her side. When Queen's Guards came upon them, Luna stood over the man who was clutching the stump of his wrist, his severed sword hand lying at her feet.
"Report!" Luna barked. "Has anyone else tried to leave?
"All doors and gates are secured, M'am, Guards are keeping an eye on the Elmekians in the banquet hall, and those remaining in their quarters are being rounded up." the lieutenant captain of the Guard reported.
Leon and Neda came down the stairs with the bound, gagged and still whimpering assassin in time to hear this.
"Um. Watch you don't step on that hand. Take care not to slip on the blood," Luna warned Leon and Neda.
"There's another prisoner at the foot of the other gallery stairs. Oh, and the remains of another assassin. Better get someone to clean up there as well," Leon commanded.
"Any of these felons our assassin?" Luna asked.
"I'm afraid not," Leon answered.
"Damn!" Luna swore. "Guards, take these two wounded creeps to the prison cells. A healer will be sent down to heal and interrogate them. Bring the other prisoner up to our table. We'll show him some hospitality. He will be our taster, in case the arch-assassin somehow got to the kitchen." She grinned grimly.
The Queen's Guards saluted. Some took charge of the wounded men and others went to fetch the prisoner Neda had captured.
Luna, Leon, and Neda returned to the dais, where they related the results of their hunt and cautioned those at the head table not to eat anything yet. The High Priest kept up the shield. Bess went to heal and interrogate the prisoners.
Gourry let Anila sit on her throne again, and he sat alert in his place. The High Steward went to the kitchen to make sure no Elmekians could have tampered with the food and drink. The very shaken baroness came out from under the table.
"Well, Mother, did you finally get the message the emperor sent you?" Neda coldly asked. "How does it feel to be the one sacrificed for the Empire?"
"Like hell of course," her mother replied. She clenched her ringed fingers two fists and pounded on the table.
"Now you know what Father felt like, when you betrayed him."
The baroness turned red and offered no further word.
"Ah, here comes our special guest," Luna exclaimed as two guards brought up the man Neda had overcome. "You must be very hungry, fellow, after all that exercise. Let us feed you a little of everything served to us," she said jovially.
The man initially looked very worried, but relaxed as he was fed bit by bit of all the food and drink served at the high table and even seemed to enjoy himself. Until dessert. Suddenly he had difficulty swallowing and breathing and doubled up. The High Priest rushed to the man and cast Dicleary, while everyone looked on in horror.
Anila's lower lip trembled and she asked, "Will he live, Daddy?"
The baroness sniffed, "Too bad if he does."