[A return to my usual short, silly story format. "Finding Purpose" has been impossible for well over a year. I'm hoping getting this vignette out will help get some creative juices going for that much longer and little more serious thing.]
Amelia was visiting with Lina and Gourry at one of Seyruun's finest ice cream parlors, when a raucous "Oh, ho, ho! Look who we have here!" ruptured the air.
Amelia jumped up from the white painted metal table and screamed, "Oh,my gods, Gracia!" She tripped over the wire chair that she turned over in her surprise and nearly fell on her face.
Lina turned pale and groaned, "Naga!" She just barely avoided face planting in the remains of her sundae.
Gourry had a very pained and confused look on his face. He waved his sticky ice cream spoon in the air and asked, "Who? Is she Gracia or Naga? And who are they?"
"My sister, Mr. Gourry" Amelia happily explained. "Her travel name is Naga."
"Hey, Lil' sis, is this your boyfriend? Good job landing such a cutie."
All, except Naga, turned bright red, Amelia and Gourry from embarrassment and Lina from her rising possessive temper.
Dropping his spoon in the remains of his own sundae, Gourry, knowing Lina, put an arm around her shoulders and reached across her with the other to embrace and/or contain her.
As Amelia began to stutter a clarification, Naga gave her infamous laugh again and exclaimed with no shame, "Oh, scrawny, little Lina captured you, ah, Gourry, is it?"
Gourry tightened his hold of Lina, and whispered in her ear, "You might accidentally destroy this place as well. Think of the ice cream."
Lina's chin jutted out, and she shot the loud, tall woman a very hard look. She then freed an arm from his embrace and, grabbing his shirt front, pulled him into a fierce kiss. "Mine!" she then spat at Naga and held on to him. Meanwhile, Gourry just stood with a very foolish, happy grin on his face.
Naga shook her head in disbelief, and Amelia, to try to defuse the situation, quickly asked her sister, "Have you been to the palace yet and seen Daddy?"
Suddenly the tall woman looked uncomfortable. "N-no. Not yet. I knew this is one of your favorite places outside the palace, and since it was on my way home, I thought I'd see if you were here. How is Daddy? Frankly, after the way I left, I'm not too sure how he will take my homecoming. Although you know I did write every once in a while," she said in her own defense.
"Oh, Gracia, he will be delighted! You know how he values family! And THAT room has been cleaned and locked up for years." Amelia gave her the typical Seyruun overzealous hug, which Naga returned.
"I've missed that, 'Melia," She then gave her sister an appraising look, "You've grown so much." After another such look at Lina, she sighed, "And you, Lina, not much. Oh, ho, ho! Well, maybe a little." She grinned at Gourry. "Enough, I guess. And you are dressed a little more sexily than in those red trousers and yellow t-shirt."
"Lina has grown in many ways," Gourry confirmed and smiled lovingly at his woman."She's no longer the kid I first met." Lina beamed at him. (Note, beamed, NOT beaned.)
"Come, everybody. The bill here has been paid. Time to head home," Amelia took charge and linked an arm with Naga, who took a deep breath and let herself be led.
When they arrived at the palace, they entered through the side door of the private, royal quarters. Amelia asked the attending footman, "Is the Crown Prince in his study?" On receiving the affirmative, the group got as far as the study's door when Naga nervously held back a little.
She leaned down to whisper in Amelia's ear, "'Melia, I need to pee first."
"You remember where the closest toilet is, don't you?" the younger princess asked.
"Of course," the elder replied and tore off down the hall.
"I bet she's gone to sneak a drink," Lina said under her breath.
Naga shakily drank a handful of water and splashed more of it on her face. She no longer hid a flask in her cape and had become sober in order to face her demons and come home. She took some calming deep breaths, and, head held high, returned to outside her father's study.
Amelia saw her coming down the hall and flung open the door. "Daddy, Daddy! Gracia has come home! And here she is!"
Just before Naga entered, Lina looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Naga gave a slight, proud negative shake of her head to Lina and strode in with a smile.
Prince Phil quickly rose from his desk and looked at his elder daughter in shock. He blinked, but then held out his arms to give Naga a welcoming, but careful hug because of her shoulder armor's spikes and their matching heights.
"Welcome home, Daughter!" he exclaimed, and tears began to run down all the royal cheeks.
He then really looked at her and asked, "Why you are wearing that outfit? It was you mother's. I haven't seen it since..." He stopped and gulped.
I wanted to wear Mommy's traveling outfit in honor of her as I traveled. It helped me build confidence."
Prince Phil tapped his index fingers together and began to blush, "Well, uh, you see, it wasn't exactly her traveling outfit. It, uh, wasn't meant to be worn in public. It, uh, was for, uh, bedroom role playing."
"Ewww!" came from the younger people, although a glint was in Gourry's eye as he looked at Lina.
[I've found some children as adults are still very uncomfortable with the thought that their parents had sex.]