"Your ceremony was so lovely!" Amelia exclaimed as she cuddled Justina to her. The infant was bedecked in layer upon layer of frills and lace and Lina could see that Amelia was wasting little time in going through the formidable wardrobe she had acquired for Justina. "I can't wait for Justina's ceremony next week! I think she's excited, too!"
"Have you decided who will be the godparents yet?" Lina asked as she glanced out the window where they were getting the floats ready for the parade. She and Gourry would be riding in a wagon converted to look like they were standing in front of the Lord of Nightmares sitting on her throne. Lina had been worried that Luna would want to parade the twins through the town, but fortunately she agreed they would be better off in the warm nursery.
There were many other floats, one for the teachers who had fought at Maninstit when the Mazoku had attacked, another with a depiction of Ceiphied that Luna would ride, and behind it was a very large float depicting Maninstit that the students of Luke and Milina's School of Swordplay and Sorcery would ride. The kids gathered excitedly a the window as they pointed at it and marveled at being in the center of all of the festivities.
"Will there be enough room to fit all of us?" Kara asked.
"You'd be surprised how they can pack us in." Clark replied.
"Indeed, pack us in like sardines!" Arnold said as he approached the group with a smug expression on his face. Everyone turned to stare at him as though they wondered where he had come from.
"What makes you think you're riding with us?" Indiana asked.
"Well of course I'm riding with you." Arnold replied, seemingly unfazed by Indiana's hostility.
Indiana's grin was mirthless as he asked, "And what exactly did you do when the rest of us nearly died in that classroom with Deep Sea Dolphin?"
Arnold smiled as he raised his eyebrows as he said, "I ran and brought the cavalry with me."
"Where's the bravery in running?" Cuchulain asked.
"Hey, for all I knew there could have been Mazoku outside, and I would have been facing them on my own. But someone had to go and get help! So I bravely ran away. I have just as much right to be in the parade as you!"
"What does it even matter the you went to get help?" Kara asked, "We'd defeated Deep Sea Dolphin and every other Mazoku Lord by the time you got back. It takes a few hours to get to Zefiel City and a few more to get back! Mazoku attacks are over in minutes. What possible good could getting help have done?"
Arnold's face twisted as though someone had shoved dung under his nose. "You people are impossible to please! The Eternal Queen personally thanked me for informing them. I could have run home, but I didn't!"
The tension thickened as more students gathered around to see what was happening and started whispering amongst themselves. A few people spoke loudly, "I didn't nearly die in there so you could run and steal the credit!" and for a moment it seemed as though one spark would send everyone boiling over. Dave finally broke through and managed to steal everyone's attention as he said, "Hey, hey everyone, calm down. Look, Arnold. We get it. You're not a hero type. You staying out of the way was for the best because then we wouldn't have had to defend your sorry ass while saving ourselves. You would have been a drain. But running away and leaving us to die and bringing backup to bury our corpses doesn't get you a spot on the float!"
"What are you all getting high and mighty for?" Arnold said, "The only reason you didn't flee was because you were locked in."
The area heated up as the students no longer kept what they thought of Arnold confined to muted whispers. Several kids threw out insults, followed with Adam yelling, "Get back to the kitchen, Arnold."
Arnold reddened as he said, "And you can get back to the stables!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Adam said as he drew closer to Arnold so that they were practically nose to nose.
"Hey! Break it up!" Honor said as she got in between them.
"Well, that's where you were sired, wasn't it? Far from the royal bed. There you go, strutting around like a prince when you're just a royal bastard!" Arnold shot back.
Adam dodged Honor and punched Arnold in the face, and he crumpled to the ground as he cried out in pain. Soon all of the students gathered around as Adora grabbed Adam and wrapped her arms around him. "He's just a spineless coward." She said.
"What's going on here?" Gourry asked as he broke through the crowd, followed by Lina and Zelgadis, who both appeared livid.
The students all started talking at once as Amelia, Sylphiel and Leia joined them, and Lina sighed as she said, "Shut up! One at a time! And there had better be a good reason for this. This is an event to honor us all!"
"It was Arnold." Adora said as the adults glanced at him as though just seeing him with varying degrees of bewilderment on their faces, "He wants to ride in the parade."
"I did my part during the battle." Arnold said as he stood up and held the bridge of his bleeding nose. "And they don't want to let me and then Adam just came out and punched me!"
"You called me a bastard! You insulted my family!" Adam shot back as a tear fell from his eye, and he turned around.
Gourry put a hand on Adam's shoulder as Sylphiel said to Arnold, "Come here, let's talk."
Arnold glared at the other students but followed her. Gourry looked at Lina, "Let me handle this."
"Is there really time?" Zelgadis asked, "The parade is going to start soon."
Lina looked at Gourry and then snapped at Zel, "They'll wait for a Zeferian prince and princess. Go get them straightened out."
Gourry squeezed Adam's shoulder and said, "Come on. Let's talk a walk."
Adora moved to stand beside Adam as he started to move off with Gourry. As soon as they entered the hallway she said, "Sir Gourry, Arnold was saying some really horrible things, he deserved it!"
Gourry smiled and wondered if someday Midas and Aurelia would defend each other like that. "Arnold can be a prat. But he's not the reason I want to talk to you. You two had a big shock a few days ago."
Adam lowered his head as Adora shrugged, "It wasn't a shock to me really. I mean I never really felt like I belonged to my family. I wasn't like either of my parents. But when I met Marlena, it was like something I always knew in the back of my mind but never consciously realized? I'd found a family member who was like me. I mean, I hope she's able to stay on as your wet nurse. My mother doesn't want me talking with her but I want to get to know her."
"You shouldn't!" Adam, on the verge of tears, snapped, "We should forget all about this and about that woman! I still can't believe it's true."
"We can't just forget!" Adora protested, "And I want to know where I came from."
"Peasant stock!?" Adam shot back.
"Hey," Gourry said, "I was born to a noble family. And while we thought that made us special we were just as messed up and human as the humblest of peasants. We just had more resources. Now, royal born or not you two have gifts that many royals don't even have. You're sorcerers and swordsmen! You're good enough to get into this school and hold your own! Of all your royal cousins, and I know there are many, how many others are good enough?"
"Maeve."
"Nothing can take that from you." Gourry said, "And while blood is important it's not always the best connection. My in-laws feel more like my parents than my actual parents."
"See?" Adora said as she pointed to Gourry.
Gourry sighed as Adam reddened in anger, "Get back with the other students, Adora."
"Just trying to help." Adora said as she shoved her hands in her pockets as she walked off.
Gourry and Adam walked down the hallway in silence for a moment. "I can see this is hard for you right now."
"I don't know how Adora can just accept this!" Adam said, "I can't!"
"Sometimes it takes time to accept things that happened. It took me time to accept that my family wouldn't change."
"That's completely different! You have no idea what I'm going through! No one understands!"
"You're right, I don't understand. So help me to understand." Gourry said.
"I don't want another mother! Adora may not have felt a connection, but I like the mom I've had all my life."
"You don't have to like Marlena or have a relationship with her." Gourry said.
"But you're keeping her on as a wet nurse?" Adam said.
Gourry frowned. So far there had been no official word either way. But truth be told Gourry was hoping Marlena could stay on. They desperately needed her and he was already worried about Lina over doing it. If they lost another wet nurse it would make things harder for Lina, and she still had not fully recovered. And if he had to choose between Lina's wellbeing and Adam's comfort, Lina's wellbeing came first. "It's not been decided. And we may be. But you won't be required to see her."
Adam's face quivered for a moment, and then he said, "They're calling me a bastard now."
"People in the public eye have to get use to people saying things that hurt. The Eternal Queen accepted you as legitimate. From what I understand, that means more than blood. Come on, the parade will be starting soon."
They turned back and walked in silence for a moment when Adam said, "Sir Gourry?"
"Yes?"
Adam looked at the floor, "Marlena said she didn't want to let Adora and me go. That my parents took us from her. If that's true, what does it make my parents?"
Gourry felt as though he'd been hit in the stomach with a brick. He'd not anticipated such a question, and he'd had no idea how to answer it in a way that wouldn't hurt. Gourry scratched his nose as he tried to think of something wise and profound to say and to fight back against the instinct to say something idiotic to deflect from the situation. He had a feeling that would backfire.
Still, his silence spoke volumes as Adam's face darkened. "Exactly."
"Never a dull moment." Gourry said to Lina as he returned.
"Is he going to be okay?" Lina asked.
"He's calm enough to enjoy the parade now." Gourry said. "But as for long term? It will take time. Lots of time. Where are the twins?"
"The wet nurse took them back to the nursery." Lina said.
"It's time, get on the floats!" Luna cried as the doors opened, and the crowd started to filter outside. From ahead they could hear the sounds of the townspeople gathered to watch. Gourry did his best to reign in his anxiety as Lina wrapped her arms around herself and shivered.
"Did they have to choose a day that was so damn cold?" she asked.
He wrapped an arm around her, but quickly had to withdraw it once they got to the float so she could climb up and he could follow. But once they had hit their mark he put it back around her, "Just get closer if you need to stay warm."
"Hm, no ulterior motive there, is there?" Lina asked as the corners of her mouth turned upwards.
"So I want to feel my wife up." Gourry admitted. "Is that so wrong?"
Lina chuckled as she moved closer to him and wrapped an arm around him, "Just remember, we have an audience."
Not that he could forget. The sense of doom that kept visiting barreled through the door of his mind once more. Lina was a Mazoku magnet, and things had been going well lately…too well. Standing in the middle of a crowd in a float with no protection felt foolhardy. They would be so vulnerable to attack! And if there was one thing life had taught him, it was that happiness and security never stayed around for long. He did his best to look relaxed and joyful as he waved as the float started to move towards the crowd, but he kept a sharp eye out for trouble. But while the feeling that at any moment they would be targeted never abated, and while every minute of the parade stretched on like an unpleasant hour, when they finally reached the end it had been completely without incident.
Gourry took a deep breath, fully relieved to have that behind them as he disembarked and then held a hand out for Lina, who commented as she left the float, "That is something I never want to do again."
"I'm glad we agree. What do we have next?"
"Some grand dinner." Lina said as they re-entered the palace.
"At least there will be food." Gourry said.
"Hey, Sylphiel!" Lina called out as she spied her standing by the window. "You didn't get on one of the floats?"
"I didn't feel up to it." Syphiel said as she patted her belly. "I hope I didn't inconvenience anyone."
"No biggy. Can't blame you at all." Lina said. "How did you handle that situation with Arnold?"
"Oh, I reminded him that Miss Luna hadn't invited him and said that some heroes get the spotlight while others operate in the shadows."
"You're not training him to be a spy or something?" Lina asked.
"Rick thinks he'd be a good one. I mean, he's so incompetent he could throw a wrench in the enemies plans while gathering dirt and they'd never suspect him. When people think spy we think of someone too good to be true."
"Huh," Lina said, "That could work actually. And if he enemy outs him no one would care."
"Miss Lina!" Sylphiel admonished.
"Right, right, you're too good to hate anyone." Lina said as she waved a hand dismissively.
"Syl!" Rick called as he came in, his grey eyes bright, and ran to hug his wife. "That was incredible!"
"The parade?" Gourry asked.
"Yeah!" Rick replied, "I've always loved parades and wanted to be in one! I marched in one once as a foot soldier, but I never got to ride on one of the floats! That was amazing, I hope I get to do that again!"
Gourry looked at Lina, and could see in her face that she had enjoyed being in a parade about as much as he had. Still, Rick's enthusiasm was contagious.
"Come on you guys!" Luna yelled as she came into the foyer, "Off to the dining room! Food should be waiting!"
Lina sighed as she shook her head, "She doesn't let up for one minute, does she?"
"I guess we can rest when we're dead." Gourry said as he wrapped an arm around Lina and watched as Rick excitedly chatted with Sylphiel about the parade, "Still, it is nice to see someone's dream come true."
"You speak as though you've never seen it happen!" Lina commented.
"Well, how often does it happen? I mean…"
His voice trailed off as they walked into the dining room and saw a large banquet table laden with food. Gourry's stomach growled as he thought about how this definitely made up for the parade. Beside him Lina let out a squeal of delight as she started hopping from one foot to the other, "Dragon cuisine! It can't be! I can't believe my eyes! It's real dragon cuisine!"
"Yes, indeed." Luna said as she came up, "As soon as I heard you were knocked up I had our chiefs slay and start to prepare a lake dragon. Prepare for the feast of your life!"
Lina's eyes grew wide as she hugged Luna, and Gourry realized he was seeing another dream come true, even as he felt he was discovering a strange dynamic to their relationship. The punishments of being Luna's sister were severe, but the rewards just grand enough to keep you hooked, despite the punishment that likely remained in the future. Still, Gourry kept his mouth shut as Lina said, "Thank you, Sis! Now, let's eat!"
Aurelia felt so heavy in her arms as Lina walked to the rocking chair. After the sumptuous feast there had been a ball, and Lina was still young enough to overestimate how much energy she would have at the end of it. Right now she wanted to crawl into bed and crash for a week. But, since the last time she'd nursed had been in the morning before the ceremony, her breasts were swollen and achy, and she needed to feed one of them to keep her supply up. Especially given that their wet nurse situation was, once more, precarious.
For the new mother there was simply no rest.
Lina hoped she could get Aurelia fed and send her off to the nursery for the night quickly. She did not want a drowsy half sleep as her baby slept beside her tonight. She wanted to fully crash! So she parked herself in the rocking chair and hoped the lack of cushioning would be enough to keep her awake until Aurelia was done. Lina pulled down her top and then winced as she pulled the breast pad off. She had leaked through the pad and it had dried and formed a sticky crust between the pad and her sensitive skin so that it was unexpectedly painful to remove it! Things old moms never warn you about, Lina seethed as she got Aurelia latched on and winced yet again. There had to be a less painful way to do all this!
"Wow, what a day!" Gourry said as he kicked his boots off and then walked over to caress Aurelia's head. Then he smiled at them, "You're doing a really good job, hon!"
For some reason, a flame of irritation lit within Lina as he bent over to kiss her. Inwardly the flame grew as he stood up, walked over to the bed, and threw himself into it and sprawled out on the pillows on his back. And then he sighed contentedly as he closed his eyes. Lina's eyes narrowed dangerously as her skin took on a dangerously red tint as all she could think was, how dare he! And then, if that wasn't enough, one minute later, Gourry started snoring!
Smoke poured from Lina's ears she thought about how the whole reason she was exhausted and sleep deprived was because she had used a forbidden spell that could have destroyed the world to save Gourry's life. And now, as she watched him lying there looking so blissful in his sleep, she wanted nothing more than to take that life. By saving him from Hellmaster she had set in motion a series of events that would lead to her killing him herself! This was it. She was going to kill him! All of this was his fault and he would have to pay…
But before Lina could put her plan in motion, Gourry sat up in bed and mumbled, "Oh, let me know when you're done, I'll take her to the nursery for you." And then he crashed back down.
The flame vanished, and Lina sighed as she shook her head and looked at Aurelia and muttered, "He has some survival instincts, that's for sure."
And then she continued to sit up, exhausted as she continued to nurse and pine for sleep.
AN: I've discovered that FFN has not been sending emails when someone sends a PM anymore. So if I missed a message from anyone I am sorry, I likely didn't get a notification, and if you sent a review you may want to check your inbox because you may not have gotten a notification. I don't want anyone to think I'm ignoring them, I appreciate you all!