(AN: Added song lyrics, see! *points below* ~*~Tams~*~)
Royal Blunders
Chapter Five: Paradise In A Piney Gazebo
"You show your pain
Like it really hurts
And I can't even
Start to feel mine
And I'm standing in place
With my head first
And I shake I shake I shake
And I see your progress
Stretched out for miles
And miles
This is the sound that I make
These are the words I chose
But somehow the right thing to say
Just won't come out"
~ Could I Be You, Matchbox 20
If there was one thing that Amelia could enjoy when she wasn't traveling, it was the garden.
A year or so before she had begun to travel with Lina and the others, Amelia had discovered that the scent of flowers was relaxing. So she requested that a garden be planted near the palace, and she herself had helped grow the flowers, much to the dismay of the royal council.
It was only a ten-minute walk to her private garden, and when she arrived there just before sunset, in a traveling gown the color of lilacs, she took a deep breath and sighed.
She could truly appreciate the scent of the roses, daffodils, violets and other flowers throughout the small garden. There was a small gazebo at the opposite side, and finished white benches on every cobblestone pathway, and of course, millions of colorful flowers throughout the garden. It felt like the first breath of paradise every time she stepped through the white gates.
Amelia took a big breath again. She thought she could detect just a small whiff of pine mixed in with the different flower scents, and she giggled. That pine-fresh Zelgadis thing again.
"I wonder why he smells so....piney," she said to herself, resting against the back of the white bench. She leaned her head back and opened her eyes. The sky above her was still a relaxing sky blue, starting to merge with the pinks and yellows from the sunset. Yes, it was almost paradise, she thought. The only thing that could possibly make this moment any better was....
"Who's 'piney'?" said a voice near the gates, and Amelia jumped off the bench immediately. Zelgadis was standing there, in his traveling apparel, once again for lack of an expanding wardrobe (or his dislike of tuxedos). Amelia swallowed. "W-What are you doing here, Zelgadis-san?"
Zelgadis let his traditional half-grin drift across his face, closing the gate. "Well, I'm finished being lectured for now, so I decided to find you. I'm not too fond of Sir Bonehead."
Amelia chuckled in spite of her reddening face. "I'm sure he means well."
Zelgadis stood near the other side of the bench. "Maybe. Anyway, what's piney?"
Amelia pretended to be examining a nearby rose blossom. "Oh.....the....the gazebo?" Zelgadis raised an eyebrow.
"I see....so, why do you come all the way out here without anyone else? It seems a bit strange."
Amelia let go of the blossom, letting it fall gently onto the bench, and smiled, looking at the sky. "It's very relaxing...soothing, even. I mean, it's so calm and peaceful it's like nothing else exists except this one place, whenever I'm here." She looked at him. " It's comforting. Especially to get away from the palace."
Zelgadis nodded. "Can I ask you something?"
"You just did, Zelgadis-san," she said, grinning. "But go ahead."
"Are you happy here? I mean, I know you're happy with your dad. But aren't you the least bit anxious to get out on the road again? Just out of curiosity." Zelgadis leaned against the wall, looking at her.
She looked at him thoughtfully, picking up the blossom again. "Well, it's nice to be home. But I'll admit it, I kind of want to get on the road, with you and Gourry-san and Lina-san. I hope we can do that soon."
"I know what you mean," said Zelgadis, looking out across the garden. Amelia glanced at him.
"You're not happy here, Zelgadis-san?"
"I didn't say that," said Zelgadis, turning a bit pink. "I'm just.....not used to etiquette yet." He took a small step forward, looking at the wall. "I'm enjoying it though. I'm willing to stay, for a while." He grinned at her. "Then we can get on the road again."
Amelia smiled, clasping her hands. "I'm sure we can soon, Zelgadis-san!" She turned and took a few steps before looking back at him. "Want to go for a walk?"
Zelgadis hesitated for a second, but nodded. "Sure." He leaned over and picked up the blossom. "Where to?"
"How about the gazebo? You can smell the pine." Amelia giggled, and even Zelgadis managed a chuckle. "Sure."
When they reached the gazebo after a few minutes of silence, Amelia leapt up onto the steps of the tiny building. "Oh, I love it here, it's so pretty!"
Zelgadis followed and looked around. "Yeah, it's nice, I guess." He walked over to her. "Here, you forgot this. He held out the fragile rose blossom and, surprisingly, tucked it behind her ear. "There you go."
Amelia blushed the same color as the sky and looked out the window. "Thank you," she said quietly, feeling the petals of the red flower against her hair. They were both silent again for a minute before she yawned. "I always seem to get tired out here....probably because it's so relaxing."
Zelgadis smirked. "You seem to get tired a lot whenever I'm around." He chuckled, making her go pink again.
"I'm sorry," she said, yawning.
"No, it's alright." He leaned against the side of the gazebo next to her. "You're right, it's relaxing. I can't blame you."
She looked up at him quickly, remembering something. "Zelgadis-san?"
"Yeah?"
She fingered the rose again. "What did Lady Adara say to you last night? Before we all went to bed? I'm just curious."
He looked at her abruptly, turning away and feeling a tinge spread across his face. 'Oh.....nothing. Just goodnight."
She eyed him suspiciously. "I don't think so....it didn't seem like goodnight, Zelgadis-san. It's ok, you can tell me. What was it?" She leaned against the gazebo the same way, eyeing him. He took a deep breath, turning around halfway.
"S-She....she said, 'The princess is quite attached to you, I see.'" He turned red, staring at the floor.
Amelia looked taken aback, blushing even more furiously than him. "Oh....." She sat on the bench, looking embarrassed. "I'm sorry..." Zelgadis finally turned around, sitting next to her.
"Why are you sorry? It's not your fault...." He looked equally embarrassed as Amelia faced him.
She took a deep breath. "Ok, fine, Zelgadis, I am attached to you. " She faltered again, trying to not blush. "I mean, not attached, but you know....you're my good friend, and....I'm really comfortable around you, so....." She couldn't quite finish, but continued to mumble until Zelgadis tapped her on the shoulder.
"It's alright." He didn't look straight at her, so he managed to keep himself from blushing again. Amelia smiled softly, letting her breath out in relief. Because she still felt tired, she scooted over on the bench and leaned against Zelgadis's shoulder.
Zelgadis couldn't keep himself from blushing any longer, and tried to adjust himself to behind leaned against. Even though Amelia had leaned against him before during the two times they were dancing, he couldn't get used to being snuggled against. He finally relaxed himself, cupping an arm around her shoulders. "You have to stop falling asleep on me so much," he said, grinning down at her sleepy face.
Amelia smiled, eyes closed. "Sorry...but it's your fault you're so comfy." Zelgadis chuckled, watching her tuck the rose blossom securely into place. He breathed in all the scents of the flowers mixing around. "You're right. It's almost perfect here, isn't it."
Before she fell asleep completely, Amelia snuggled closer to him and sighed, "No, it's perfect now."
(Ah, kawaii, ne? Let's leave them alone for now. *wink* Okay, I'll behave. ^_^;; ~*~Tams~*~)