Sparring
There were times that Zelgadis wished that he had left more of the
competent nobles and officers in the capitol.
"Sir there are...."
"Two dragons this time, they've landed in the treeline, and now you can't
see them." But no, he was capable of doing things himself, and the outer
provinces all needed some good rulers.
"Uh, that's right sir," the guard answered. "What do you want us to do
about them?"
"That depends on what result you want."
"Sir?"
"And since I don't really relish the idea of a pair of irritated parents
that individually could defeat half the army...."
"Sir?" the man swallowed nervously.
"Give them an escort to see me, I'm quite sure they'll want to."
"Yes sir." He left to follow his orders while Zelgadis rolled his eyes.
This left Zelgadis time to plan his defense. He considered that Filia and
Lina were both likely to be rather irritated. Lina more than Filia, of
course, he hadn't done anything so foolish as to send Val Garv on an
adventure. Well he had, but he'd sent the dragon home first.
"Where is the self-centered, egotistical jerk!?!" He saw her pad past
the door outside, then he heard her claws clicking to a stop a little ways
down the hall. Shortly there after she smashed through the wall into the
room.
"Not lost your soft touch I see..." Zelgadis sniped.
"You...you..."
"Lina-san, please calm down," Filia said as she came into the study
through the intended door. "Let him at least explain what's going on before
we beat him to within an inch of his life." Zelgadis arched an eyebrow.
Coming in behind Filia was a nervous looking Val Garv. Lina took in a breath
and closed her eyes, trying to get a handle on her anger for a moment.
"I sent Xalan here to bring Xina home, not so that they could get
involved in a crazy quest across the countryside!"
"I was expecting you, to be honest."
"Yeah, what would have happened if lizard brain back there came back with
Xina to an empty forest. Then we'd all be wandering around looking for each
other."
"Lina-san, I wish you would stop insulting my son." Lina eyed the mace
in the dragon's hand.
"I'll make you a deal, he stops getting Xina in trouble, I'll stop
insulting him."
"Your daughter is the one that drags him into trouble!"
"If he would just say 'no' once in awhile!"
"Wait a minute, we're here to deal with him, remember!" Zelgadis
sweatdropped as Filia jabbed a finger at him. "Val!" Val Garv slumped and
returned to the room.
"Yeah, right, Zelgadis," Lina turned to face him. "So why DID you send
our children out on a quest?"
"Because I can't leave the capitol for long enough to accomplish
anything," Zelgadis said. "I was hoping that one of you would go with them,
but then again, the two of you have your own realms to consider, don't you?"
"I'm just a hermit in the forest, milord," Lina snapped. "What do they
need me for?"
"A forest that's growing," he noted. "And bandit free."
"I like my privacy," Lina grumbled.
"Well you have had an effect, Lina-san."
"Wait a minute, if you knew where I was, why'd Amethyst have to look for
me?" Zelgadis shrugged.
"I guessed where you were," he said. "And she wanted an adventure, you
remember Amelia, always going off with us despite the fact that she had
this," and he sweeped his hand to encompass the palace. "to come home to. I
had no reason to believe she wouldn't find some way to leave eventually. It
might as well have been under situations I could at least partially control."
"Yeah, we saw how under control you had things."
"Sailoon hasn't changed much," Zelgadis admitted. "I still get one or
two of those every once in awhile, this is the first they've come to
Amethyst's attention, however."
"You've done a good job at sheltering her," Zelgadis winced. "Do you
think she is prepared for the world out there?"
"She has the necessary skills," Zelgadis arched an eyebrow and didn't
bother to mention just who he was talking about. Lina didn't need to be
told, which was obvious by her sudden fuming.
"Lina-san..."
"Are you calling my daughter..."
"...hold your temper, he didn't..."
"I notice you didn't say your son." Zelgadis interrupted.
"My daughter can take care of herself, you damn control-freak!"
"As long as she doesn't have to fight," Lina and Filia turned to glare
indignantly at Val Garv. "I shouldn't have said anything, should I?"
"Well I told Amethyst to be her sparring partner," Zelgadis said. "So
she should get at least a little better."
"Hold on a minute here," Lina snapped. Zelgadis regarded her curiously.
"You told Amethyst to teach Xina how to fight?"
"Well..."
"My daughter is Amelia's daughter's apprentice?"
"I guess you could..." Filia and Val Garv both had to restrain her until
she calmed down.
"Xina-san?" Amethyst asked nervously. "Why did you do that?" Xina
groaned from where she lay at the foot the tree.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time," she muttered.
"But you had to know I would see what your were going to do," Amethyst
scratched her head. "I thought you were feinting."
"What reason would I have to faint?" Xina asked as she rolled to her back
and then stood up, stretching as she rose.
"Well obviously to make yourself an opening in my defense." Xalan tried
to restrain his laughter, Jol smiled.
"But how could I do anything while unconscious?"
"Practically nothing, but you weren't unconscious." By this point
sputters of giggles where coming from Xalan and Jol was quietly chuckling.
"Then why did you think I was fainting?"
"Because your attack was so obvious!"
"What are you two laughing about?" Xina snapped at the two guys, both of
whom were now laughing quite uncontrolably. Everybody was quieted by the
sound of a sword leaving a scabbard.
"I've wanted to get a look at this thing for a long time now," Tinuviel's
voice rang out.
"Jol," Xalan started. "Where's your sword?" Then the tree that Xina had
been thrown against toppled. Xalan and Jol took very little time to get out
of the way.
"That's a smooth cut," Tinuviel commented. She started to put the sword
down as she examined the glass smooth cut that the blade had left.
Jol saw this and leaped for the blade before it could start cutting its
way to the center of the planet. He was putting the blade back and slinging
it across his back while Tinuviel absently dug around to try and find the
blade.
"Tinuviel," Jol started.
"Hmm, what? Where'd the sword go?"
"Could you ask us permission to look at our stuff please?"
"Huh? Did I do something?"
"Um, where did Xina and Amethyst go?" Xalan asked as he jumped onto the
massive toppled tree.
"Xalan-san! Jolrael-san!" a muffled voice called from under the tree.
Jol and Xalan looked down.
"Get this %^$%, ^*#^^#" tree #$@# off me!"
"Xina-san, language!" Xalan and Jolrael sweatdropped.
"They've left the city?" Zangulus stood in the wreckage of the
guildmaster's would-be throne room.
"Yes....one of my men said they were looking for a staff..."
"Xellos Metallium's staff?" the guildmaster looked at him wide-eyed.
"How did you...?"
"How did I know? You don't need that information. Who did you sell the
staff too?" Zangulus squeezed the man's throat a little tighter.
"Ro...Roquen," Zangulus dropped the man.
"You sold a mazoku's staff to the Necromancer?"
"Money's money!" the man spat. Zangulus laughed and let his blade
descend.
"And you won't need it any more." He left the building, on the outside
as innocent and peaceful as it had always seemed to be.
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