The Man In the Stone Mask
By Terra
Part Two: My knight in shining armor is lost in the woods and he's too stubborn to ask for
directions.
"Ever notice that 'What the hell' is always the right decision?" - Marilyn Monroe
"What a sad child," Duchess of Byrd thought walking down the hall. Then she stopped
in her tracks and she felt a shiver, "What was that?" She cocked her head, "I should only
feel that when... one of them are around. But she is too..." She resumed walking, "Oh, wait,
one of them is... was the girl six or seven when she died? How years has it been?" She
passed the living room and stopped. Light was coming from under the door. She opened the
door.
Paul was crouched in front of the fire and he was holding a piece of paper near the
flame. He was going to drop it.
"May I see it first before you burn it?" He was startled and tried to hide the paper
behind him.
"What?"
"The piece of paper that is behind your back."
"But I don't have anything... whaaaa!" The paper flew out of his hands and flew to
Duchess of Byrd's hands through a spell. "Cheater."
"I wasn't playing." She opened it and she saw it was an invitation to a "Coming Out
Party for the Princess of Saillune..." Blah, blah, blah. "Please bring your unmarried sons."
Paul jumped and wrapped his arms around his mother's legs, "Please, Mother... don't make me!
You said I could marry Josaline, you promised..."
"Get off me! You had no cause for worry, I would never break my promise." She went
to place the paper in the fire and felt the chill again.
Paul said, "Mother, did you...?"
"Yes... it only seems to happen when the letter is about to be destroyed... Paul!"
"Yes?" He stood up in at attention.
"At ease, General. That girl... who died... how old was she?"
"Rosa? Six, I believe."
"How long ago was her death?"
"Eighteen years ago..."
The Duchess smiled, "It appears I do have someone to send to this 'Coming Out' party."
"Mother!"
"NOT YOU!"
"Then... Richard? Mother, have some dignity, he's only ten."
"I wasn't referring to him either! Come on, there isn't much time, send for
Michael."
"Um... Michael has the flu, he nearly died getting the Bandit Killer."
"Then... Linda!"
"Linda? His daughter? His seven year old daughter? There is no way she can deliver
a message!"
"She's taken the basic training! She'll manage! This is important, the entire EMPIRE
depends on this!"
"The EMPIRE?! Mother, we're not talking about..."
"Yes, we are! And since you're up, as soon as you get Linda, you use that scanning
spell so Linda will know where she is going until you die, if it comes to that! Now, go!"
Paul leapt out of the room and the Duchess kneeled on the ground, "Soon, my Master, you will
be free of Ruby-Eye's tyranny," she said to no one then she added, "I'm helping you, Amelia,
I'm helping you."
*** ***
A month went by. Amelia finally told Lina of the party's purpose and Lina was
mortified, "How can they do that to you, Amelia?! Who says you have to marry right this
second? For a kingdom based on justice, that is sure unjust!" It was only Gourry's calm hand
that stopped the murder of the Council members. His reaction was sadness and confusion,
since he believed that "it's never right to force someone to love someone else." But even he
admitted that any resistance would be futile and only make the situation worse. "Besides,"
he added to cheer her up as the day was dawning on them, "maybe there will be some guy who
is a really nice guy and he'll be a great king and stuff."
"Besides," Lina added, "maybe Zel is out in the desert somewhere, recovering from
some snake poison with some guy with weird name who 'collects songs' and sings a song that
was written seven hundred years later or so and dreaming about a card game and funky dresses
that makes him want to come flying here at top speed..."*
"Yeah!" Gourry said and to whispered to Amelia, "you put something in her drink?"
Amelia shook her head. Gourry put his arm around Lina's shoulder, "Okay, I think someone
needs a little sleepy time, how does that sound?"
"But I'm not tired..."
"No, really, I think it would be good for you..." and they walked off while Amelia
shook her head.
Deep Breath. Anyway.
The day of the party arrived and Amelia seriously began thinking about if falling
from seventh floor window would really hurt that much but the dressmaker prevented her from
testing her theory.
The maids fawned over her, telling how wonderful she looked and how lucky she was
and bla-de-blah. Amelia zoned out throughout all this. "Find the light within... I'm in my
cave... Walking through my cave, I see my spirit animal..."
It was night. It was the same stupid moon, same stupid stars, in the same stupid
constellations, with the same stupid twinkle. Not that Amelia was bitter or anything.
Her dress was very nice shimmery white. She wanted red, red was a very flattering
color on her, after all, but the ladies complained, saying the color was too "erotic".
Besides, the Council added, quote, "Saillune is the White Magic City, not the Red Magic
City." End quote. To her disbelief, her father had actually agreed with their reasoning,
"Red is unbecoming of your personality."
She briefly wondered what would have happened if she had asked for black, a slimming
color.
She wasn't mad about the color of the dress. White was a beautiful color, her
favorite, and the dress flattered her figure very much. The only reason she even brought it
up was she wanted to show some defiance, she wanted to make it clear that she hated this
idea and did not like being pushed to do anything.
"'War of the Dress', I can see it now," Amelia reflected at the party. "'A horrible
part of the Tesla dynasty. It all started when the Evil Council made the pure and virtuous
Amelia Wil pick a suitor. The entire Council mysteriously exploded that fateful night.
Amelia Wil claimed to have nothing to do with it...'" Amelia smiled at that but returned to
the party. So far, she had been courted by Shawn (oh, what a surprise!), twelve very
handsome but vain men, ten handsome but had the Gourry-after-a-beating syndrome men, two
CHILDREN, thirteen men who either smelled bad, was a stick skeleton, looked like a cream
puff, had bad teeth, had bad, dirty humor, drunkards, already had illegitimate children or
a combination of the above.
"Get me out of here, please any God who is listening, take me now," Amelia mumbled
after another courting (Handsome and vain, AND bad, dirty humor). "The only ones I'm
interested in are the children!" Amelia was near tears. "Need... help. Can't... go on."
Amelia politely ran to the buffet table where her only friends, it seemed, in the entire
world.
"Please, knock me out."
"I would... but I'd mess up your hair," Lina replied.
"It's a risk I'll have take."
"But it's so nice, it would be a sin..."
"To wreck it. And the lovely dress would get dirty too. And my make-up that makes me
look like a goddess will run. I'm not here for compliments, just help me."
Gourry cut in, "Come on, it's not that bad."
"Yes, it is! Have you seen my suitors? The CHILDREN that are courting are the best
ones so far."
"You can't depend on looks alone."
"Do you think Lina just picked you, no offense, because you're great guy?! We have
to look at you!"
"No, I mean, you're smart girl. Maybe a smart guy is more of your type."
"But the smart ones are so scrawny and pathetic looking."
"Let me let you on a secret," Gourry said quietly, "I was scrawny once too. We all
grow out of it."
"Really?"
Gourry nodded.
"So, maybe, they'll grow handsome in a few years. I can wait. Thank you, Gourry!"
Amelia scurried off to take a second look at her suitors. Lina smiled and turned to Gourry,
"I can never imagine you as a scrawny wimp. I would have never guessed. I never knew you
were scrawny once."
"Uh, Lina, I hate to say this... I was lying. I had to say something to make her
happy again. What's a little sugar here and there to help them take their medicine?"
"So, horse riding, then?" Amelia asked Duke Henry, a scrawny wimp who was clean and
his humor was too.
"Yeah, I'm pretty good, I guess, not to brag or anything, you've probably heard your
share of tall tales tonight..."
Amelia mingled with a few others, then went to chat with Lina and Gourry when...
Trumpets flared.
An announcer called out, "The Duchess Chenoa of Byrd and her ward, Kiros of the
House of Ryo!"
They stepped down the marble steps with a grace. Chenoa walked, head held high,
not looking at the steps, but knowing where to land her foot. Her dress... no, correctly, it
was a robe, done in the style of the priestess of the ancient temples in Miriam. The robes
either symbolized something or told a story. Hers was the fiery phoenix, engulfed by flames.
Her dark hair had red beads woven into it.
Kiros' grace was humble, submissive. He did not waltz in like he owned the place,
as Chenoa did. His steps were a little unsure but dainty, almost skipping on each step. His
outfit alluded to predawn mist on Miriam reflecting on the sea. Amelia could not see details
on Kiros outfit. From that distance, however, he was the most beautiful thing she had ever
seen. "Even better than Zelgadis?" a voice inside asked. She responded, "Zel who?"
Lina was amazed and very indecent thoughts began to creep in. They didn't involve
Gourry. Her heart panicked at this hormone invasion.
"Gourry... I'm overheating... Save me... save our love... slap me... slap me, now...
for the sake of our marriage, slap me... I feel hot... slap me, I'll forgive you... I'm
overheating... I can't hold it much longer...!" Gourry turned her sharply towards him and
slapped sharply, "Did that hurt? You told me to do it."
Lina panted, "I'm okay, now. I needed that." Amelia was dead to the world.
Chenoa greeted Prince Phil, "It's a pleasure to see you again."
"I agree," Phil responded, "but I was expecting one of your sons, Paul, perhaps?"
"Paul is getting married to someone else. And Richard is only ten, it's a crime
against motherhood. I could never call myself a mother again if I forced him to marry now."
Two mothers nearby winced.
"Then who is...?"
Amelia walked up to her father as Kiros spoke, "I am Kiros, my family was from another
kingdom, an ally of Saillune. My parents, tragically, died recently and Duchess Chenoa,
according to the will, is now my guardian."
"But what is your title?"
"They had no title."
"What?"
"My father was not a knight, he was only a very rich man."
"But since he is under care," Chenoa cut in, "he does have a title but..."
"I prefer not to use it. I don't believe it's fair to her sons to take a title that
is not my birthright."
"What an honorable man you are," Phil said with tears in his eyes.
"Yes, what an honorable man," Amelia added blindly. She was a quivering pool of
adoration. He was flawless. He wasn't too skinny, yet he wasn't too fat. He was a reasonable
height. He knew how to speak. And his voice. It was lighter than air, he barely spoke above
a whisper but it was a lovely voice.
He was pale like white jade and had blue hair... wait. She knew someone else who was
pale, Rezo. And someone with blue hair... Zelgadis. Was this true? She had dreamt about this
moment. The moment Zelgadis would declare, "Yes, Amelia, it is I! I found my cure and now I
can love you like you love me. Let's go and have kinky sex." Okay, not exactly that, but the
basic idea. Kiros had raised his eyes to look at her. She quickly darted her eyes to lock
on to his, then to her horror, saw their color... gray. The eyes were gray, not blue. Why
did they have to be gray?
She felt absolutely defeated. Was the whole universe against her? Even her father,
her precious Daddy, wasn't taking her side anymore.
She choked out, "Why couldn't your eyes been blue?" She ran off. She didn't care who
saw her.
*** ***
She ran into an abandoned part of the palace, far from the dance hall. Where no one
would go because they would give up after one wing and return to the party. She went out on
a balcony and had a good cry while going on and on about how life sucked and how everyone
was a worthless pig. She only stopped when she heard a soft voice commented, "I didn't know
princesses hated their subjects so much."
She whipped around to face the speaker. It was Kiros. He was sitting cross-legged
with his back to the other edge of the balcony.
"How long have you been here?" she hissed rather harshly for her.
"About a few minutes before you started about Lina. Is she a noble?"
"No, she's a friend of mine."
"A friend? 'That bitch, I hate her guts, she's such a brat, she's so vain...' should
I go on?"
"Don't tell her I said those things."
"I don't even know who she is so how could I tell her?"
"Good point." She laughed a little, "I probably didn't sound very elegant there."
"I'm not your Nanny. I won't say anything." He shifted his legs. They were long.
Silence hung. "Well, did I upset you or something because you said something like, 'Like,
don't you have the flu?'"
Amelia laughed, "That's not what I said."
"Then what did you say?"
"'Why couldn't your eyes be blue'?" She began to cry again. Kiros handed her a
hanky. She wiped her eyes.
Kiros sighed, "Let me get this straight... you're upset because I don't have blue
eyes. You're not one of those girls who pick some trait that is completely unimportant to
loving someone and won't deal with anyone who doesn't have that trait?"
"No... that's just the trait of someone I do..." Amelia sobbed again.
"I'm sorry," Kiros said quietly, "I should've known. You love someone already, don't
you?"
"Yes... I mean, no, I mean, uh..."
"Just say it. I know it probably feels dumb, like as soon as you say it little
fairies will dance around your head and some guy will start playing the violin somewhere,
but because it feels dumb doesn't mean it is dumb to feel that way."
"That's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard."
"Thanks. So, your one true love has blue eyes." Amelia nodded, "I bet he's blonde
too. Girls like blondes for some reason. Oh, and he's tall. And he's got a ton of muscles
and..." Amelia began to laugh. "What?"
"Kiros, you've just described my friend's husband!"
"You're in love with your friend's husband? No wonder you hate her so much..."
"No, you didn't describe him at all. He looks a lot like you except he's covered
with stone."
"Stone? Oh, a metaphor."
"No, his grandfather did it to him. But, in my mind's eye, I always had an idea of
how he would look if he was human and he looks a lot like you, except with blue eyes."
Amelia sniffled, "But, I'm fooling myself, aren't I? He never said he loved me back. He
never even hinted at it. In fact, he always seemed to hate me in every way. That's why he
left, it wasn't Shawn or the other nobles, it was me. He hated me all this time and..."
"Whoa! Stop right there. Now stop and listen. I want to tell you a story. Will you
listen?"
"Okay."
Kiros sat next to her, "I have a friend who loves this girl very much. He knows that the
girl loves him back but he thinks he isn't good enough for her. So, he tried to change his
feelings. But it didn't work. He just loved her more. He then thought, 'Well, I'll make her
think my feelings have changed, then she will get over me and find someone better.' And he
does this. But he hates doing it but thought it best for her," he paused, "it isn't working.
She still loves him and he still loves her. But he thinks that maybe if he could get himself
out of her sight, then she'd get over him and leave. But he fears this too. So he doesn't
say anything. He doesn't say he loves her but he doesn't say he hates her. He admires her
from afar. The problem is that he fears that if he submits and loves wholeheartedly, she'll
see something and be disgusted. She'll hate him and never speak to him again. He's so afraid
she'll hate the real him. And he won't be able to take that pain and rejection. So he
doesn't show any part of himself so she'll talk to him a little longer, love him a little
longer, be around a little longer and he'll be able to see her a little longer. It is quite
sad."
"What do you say to this friend?"
"I ask him, 'Doesn't saying nothing push her away?' and he says, 'If I say something
true, she'll leave me. If I say nothing, she'll leave me. Just later. We're all going to die
but why do we bother treating sickness? To make death come later. I know she'll leave but
saying nothing makes her stay longer.'" Kiros stood up, "Sometimes people do things that
hurt because they want to do the right thing but there is no right thing in some
situations. Love has no right way."
Kiros turned to leave but Amelia stopped him, "Can I tell you something I've never
told anyone?" Kiros came back.
"If you must."
Amelia told him about the dream. Every last detail, even what she thought it meant. "Does
that sound a little weird to you?"
"The crest. What was the design?"
"A silver dragon on a field of gold."
"Come with me." He led her downstairs to the cloakroom. The party continued without
them. Kiros went through the cloaks and picked one out. It was black velvet and had an crest
with no name attached: a silver dragon on a field of gold.
"That's it. That's the cloak. Whose is it? Tell me!" Amelia fingered the cloak. It
was nicely made.
"Amelia, this cloak is mine." Amelia dropped the cloak. Every detail matched except
those damn eyes.
"If you're curious, I read somewhere that blue eyes symbolize intelligence. Maybe
the dream wasn't literal."
That made sense. It wasn't Zelgadis at all! Her prince was here and no one would
object!
"Kiros, I've waited all of my life for you... finally, you've come to save me!" She
hugged him and swung around to grab his hand. She dragged him to the dance hall.
A maid came in and put the cloak back on the rack, disregarding the pocket chain
watch that fell out of it.
*** ***
It was five minutes from midnight. Amelia dragged Kiros to the podium and called
everyone to silence. The murmur died slowly. Amelia could Lina and Gourry darting around,
obviously looking for Zelgadis.
"You have five minutes, Zelgadis. This is the last chance you'll ever have," she
thought. She turned to her father, "Why don't you say your speech first, Daddy? I want to
declare my consort at the stroke of midnight."
Phil cleared his throat and began his speech, about how the consort would not just
help Amelia rule, but provide companionship and heirs.
Every minute, Amelia looked at the door. They remained shut. She checked the
windows. No shadows were peering in, the glass remained intact.
Midnight struck. Phil quickly ended his speech and Amelia stepped up.
"Everyone, I'm sure you're anxious to know who the new consort is. I am delighted to
tell you that I have indeed, chosen one. My consort and your future Prince, Kiros of the
House of Ryo." There was a silence but it was followed by applause, mostly by the Council
members, "She picked one!"
"Thank the Gods!"
"The kingdom is secure!"
"This is a blessed day!"
Amelia looked to the doors. Nothing had changed. "Good-bye Zelgadis, I hope my
happiness makes you happy. I hope you have a beautiful life," she whispered to the air.
Kiros heard her and smiled.
To be continued....
*-If you don't understand that, go read "Desperado" by Pairaka. Yeah, like, now. Go on. Read
it! It's good!
C&C at destinyplot@lycos.com
By Terra
Part Two: My knight in shining armor is lost in the woods and he's too stubborn to ask for
directions.
"Ever notice that 'What the hell' is always the right decision?" - Marilyn Monroe
"What a sad child," Duchess of Byrd thought walking down the hall. Then she stopped
in her tracks and she felt a shiver, "What was that?" She cocked her head, "I should only
feel that when... one of them are around. But she is too..." She resumed walking, "Oh, wait,
one of them is... was the girl six or seven when she died? How years has it been?" She
passed the living room and stopped. Light was coming from under the door. She opened the
door.
Paul was crouched in front of the fire and he was holding a piece of paper near the
flame. He was going to drop it.
"May I see it first before you burn it?" He was startled and tried to hide the paper
behind him.
"What?"
"The piece of paper that is behind your back."
"But I don't have anything... whaaaa!" The paper flew out of his hands and flew to
Duchess of Byrd's hands through a spell. "Cheater."
"I wasn't playing." She opened it and she saw it was an invitation to a "Coming Out
Party for the Princess of Saillune..." Blah, blah, blah. "Please bring your unmarried sons."
Paul jumped and wrapped his arms around his mother's legs, "Please, Mother... don't make me!
You said I could marry Josaline, you promised..."
"Get off me! You had no cause for worry, I would never break my promise." She went
to place the paper in the fire and felt the chill again.
Paul said, "Mother, did you...?"
"Yes... it only seems to happen when the letter is about to be destroyed... Paul!"
"Yes?" He stood up in at attention.
"At ease, General. That girl... who died... how old was she?"
"Rosa? Six, I believe."
"How long ago was her death?"
"Eighteen years ago..."
The Duchess smiled, "It appears I do have someone to send to this 'Coming Out' party."
"Mother!"
"NOT YOU!"
"Then... Richard? Mother, have some dignity, he's only ten."
"I wasn't referring to him either! Come on, there isn't much time, send for
Michael."
"Um... Michael has the flu, he nearly died getting the Bandit Killer."
"Then... Linda!"
"Linda? His daughter? His seven year old daughter? There is no way she can deliver
a message!"
"She's taken the basic training! She'll manage! This is important, the entire EMPIRE
depends on this!"
"The EMPIRE?! Mother, we're not talking about..."
"Yes, we are! And since you're up, as soon as you get Linda, you use that scanning
spell so Linda will know where she is going until you die, if it comes to that! Now, go!"
Paul leapt out of the room and the Duchess kneeled on the ground, "Soon, my Master, you will
be free of Ruby-Eye's tyranny," she said to no one then she added, "I'm helping you, Amelia,
I'm helping you."
*** ***
A month went by. Amelia finally told Lina of the party's purpose and Lina was
mortified, "How can they do that to you, Amelia?! Who says you have to marry right this
second? For a kingdom based on justice, that is sure unjust!" It was only Gourry's calm hand
that stopped the murder of the Council members. His reaction was sadness and confusion,
since he believed that "it's never right to force someone to love someone else." But even he
admitted that any resistance would be futile and only make the situation worse. "Besides,"
he added to cheer her up as the day was dawning on them, "maybe there will be some guy who
is a really nice guy and he'll be a great king and stuff."
"Besides," Lina added, "maybe Zel is out in the desert somewhere, recovering from
some snake poison with some guy with weird name who 'collects songs' and sings a song that
was written seven hundred years later or so and dreaming about a card game and funky dresses
that makes him want to come flying here at top speed..."*
"Yeah!" Gourry said and to whispered to Amelia, "you put something in her drink?"
Amelia shook her head. Gourry put his arm around Lina's shoulder, "Okay, I think someone
needs a little sleepy time, how does that sound?"
"But I'm not tired..."
"No, really, I think it would be good for you..." and they walked off while Amelia
shook her head.
Deep Breath. Anyway.
The day of the party arrived and Amelia seriously began thinking about if falling
from seventh floor window would really hurt that much but the dressmaker prevented her from
testing her theory.
The maids fawned over her, telling how wonderful she looked and how lucky she was
and bla-de-blah. Amelia zoned out throughout all this. "Find the light within... I'm in my
cave... Walking through my cave, I see my spirit animal..."
It was night. It was the same stupid moon, same stupid stars, in the same stupid
constellations, with the same stupid twinkle. Not that Amelia was bitter or anything.
Her dress was very nice shimmery white. She wanted red, red was a very flattering
color on her, after all, but the ladies complained, saying the color was too "erotic".
Besides, the Council added, quote, "Saillune is the White Magic City, not the Red Magic
City." End quote. To her disbelief, her father had actually agreed with their reasoning,
"Red is unbecoming of your personality."
She briefly wondered what would have happened if she had asked for black, a slimming
color.
She wasn't mad about the color of the dress. White was a beautiful color, her
favorite, and the dress flattered her figure very much. The only reason she even brought it
up was she wanted to show some defiance, she wanted to make it clear that she hated this
idea and did not like being pushed to do anything.
"'War of the Dress', I can see it now," Amelia reflected at the party. "'A horrible
part of the Tesla dynasty. It all started when the Evil Council made the pure and virtuous
Amelia Wil pick a suitor. The entire Council mysteriously exploded that fateful night.
Amelia Wil claimed to have nothing to do with it...'" Amelia smiled at that but returned to
the party. So far, she had been courted by Shawn (oh, what a surprise!), twelve very
handsome but vain men, ten handsome but had the Gourry-after-a-beating syndrome men, two
CHILDREN, thirteen men who either smelled bad, was a stick skeleton, looked like a cream
puff, had bad teeth, had bad, dirty humor, drunkards, already had illegitimate children or
a combination of the above.
"Get me out of here, please any God who is listening, take me now," Amelia mumbled
after another courting (Handsome and vain, AND bad, dirty humor). "The only ones I'm
interested in are the children!" Amelia was near tears. "Need... help. Can't... go on."
Amelia politely ran to the buffet table where her only friends, it seemed, in the entire
world.
"Please, knock me out."
"I would... but I'd mess up your hair," Lina replied.
"It's a risk I'll have take."
"But it's so nice, it would be a sin..."
"To wreck it. And the lovely dress would get dirty too. And my make-up that makes me
look like a goddess will run. I'm not here for compliments, just help me."
Gourry cut in, "Come on, it's not that bad."
"Yes, it is! Have you seen my suitors? The CHILDREN that are courting are the best
ones so far."
"You can't depend on looks alone."
"Do you think Lina just picked you, no offense, because you're great guy?! We have
to look at you!"
"No, I mean, you're smart girl. Maybe a smart guy is more of your type."
"But the smart ones are so scrawny and pathetic looking."
"Let me let you on a secret," Gourry said quietly, "I was scrawny once too. We all
grow out of it."
"Really?"
Gourry nodded.
"So, maybe, they'll grow handsome in a few years. I can wait. Thank you, Gourry!"
Amelia scurried off to take a second look at her suitors. Lina smiled and turned to Gourry,
"I can never imagine you as a scrawny wimp. I would have never guessed. I never knew you
were scrawny once."
"Uh, Lina, I hate to say this... I was lying. I had to say something to make her
happy again. What's a little sugar here and there to help them take their medicine?"
"So, horse riding, then?" Amelia asked Duke Henry, a scrawny wimp who was clean and
his humor was too.
"Yeah, I'm pretty good, I guess, not to brag or anything, you've probably heard your
share of tall tales tonight..."
Amelia mingled with a few others, then went to chat with Lina and Gourry when...
Trumpets flared.
An announcer called out, "The Duchess Chenoa of Byrd and her ward, Kiros of the
House of Ryo!"
They stepped down the marble steps with a grace. Chenoa walked, head held high,
not looking at the steps, but knowing where to land her foot. Her dress... no, correctly, it
was a robe, done in the style of the priestess of the ancient temples in Miriam. The robes
either symbolized something or told a story. Hers was the fiery phoenix, engulfed by flames.
Her dark hair had red beads woven into it.
Kiros' grace was humble, submissive. He did not waltz in like he owned the place,
as Chenoa did. His steps were a little unsure but dainty, almost skipping on each step. His
outfit alluded to predawn mist on Miriam reflecting on the sea. Amelia could not see details
on Kiros outfit. From that distance, however, he was the most beautiful thing she had ever
seen. "Even better than Zelgadis?" a voice inside asked. She responded, "Zel who?"
Lina was amazed and very indecent thoughts began to creep in. They didn't involve
Gourry. Her heart panicked at this hormone invasion.
"Gourry... I'm overheating... Save me... save our love... slap me... slap me, now...
for the sake of our marriage, slap me... I feel hot... slap me, I'll forgive you... I'm
overheating... I can't hold it much longer...!" Gourry turned her sharply towards him and
slapped sharply, "Did that hurt? You told me to do it."
Lina panted, "I'm okay, now. I needed that." Amelia was dead to the world.
Chenoa greeted Prince Phil, "It's a pleasure to see you again."
"I agree," Phil responded, "but I was expecting one of your sons, Paul, perhaps?"
"Paul is getting married to someone else. And Richard is only ten, it's a crime
against motherhood. I could never call myself a mother again if I forced him to marry now."
Two mothers nearby winced.
"Then who is...?"
Amelia walked up to her father as Kiros spoke, "I am Kiros, my family was from another
kingdom, an ally of Saillune. My parents, tragically, died recently and Duchess Chenoa,
according to the will, is now my guardian."
"But what is your title?"
"They had no title."
"What?"
"My father was not a knight, he was only a very rich man."
"But since he is under care," Chenoa cut in, "he does have a title but..."
"I prefer not to use it. I don't believe it's fair to her sons to take a title that
is not my birthright."
"What an honorable man you are," Phil said with tears in his eyes.
"Yes, what an honorable man," Amelia added blindly. She was a quivering pool of
adoration. He was flawless. He wasn't too skinny, yet he wasn't too fat. He was a reasonable
height. He knew how to speak. And his voice. It was lighter than air, he barely spoke above
a whisper but it was a lovely voice.
He was pale like white jade and had blue hair... wait. She knew someone else who was
pale, Rezo. And someone with blue hair... Zelgadis. Was this true? She had dreamt about this
moment. The moment Zelgadis would declare, "Yes, Amelia, it is I! I found my cure and now I
can love you like you love me. Let's go and have kinky sex." Okay, not exactly that, but the
basic idea. Kiros had raised his eyes to look at her. She quickly darted her eyes to lock
on to his, then to her horror, saw their color... gray. The eyes were gray, not blue. Why
did they have to be gray?
She felt absolutely defeated. Was the whole universe against her? Even her father,
her precious Daddy, wasn't taking her side anymore.
She choked out, "Why couldn't your eyes been blue?" She ran off. She didn't care who
saw her.
*** ***
She ran into an abandoned part of the palace, far from the dance hall. Where no one
would go because they would give up after one wing and return to the party. She went out on
a balcony and had a good cry while going on and on about how life sucked and how everyone
was a worthless pig. She only stopped when she heard a soft voice commented, "I didn't know
princesses hated their subjects so much."
She whipped around to face the speaker. It was Kiros. He was sitting cross-legged
with his back to the other edge of the balcony.
"How long have you been here?" she hissed rather harshly for her.
"About a few minutes before you started about Lina. Is she a noble?"
"No, she's a friend of mine."
"A friend? 'That bitch, I hate her guts, she's such a brat, she's so vain...' should
I go on?"
"Don't tell her I said those things."
"I don't even know who she is so how could I tell her?"
"Good point." She laughed a little, "I probably didn't sound very elegant there."
"I'm not your Nanny. I won't say anything." He shifted his legs. They were long.
Silence hung. "Well, did I upset you or something because you said something like, 'Like,
don't you have the flu?'"
Amelia laughed, "That's not what I said."
"Then what did you say?"
"'Why couldn't your eyes be blue'?" She began to cry again. Kiros handed her a
hanky. She wiped her eyes.
Kiros sighed, "Let me get this straight... you're upset because I don't have blue
eyes. You're not one of those girls who pick some trait that is completely unimportant to
loving someone and won't deal with anyone who doesn't have that trait?"
"No... that's just the trait of someone I do..." Amelia sobbed again.
"I'm sorry," Kiros said quietly, "I should've known. You love someone already, don't
you?"
"Yes... I mean, no, I mean, uh..."
"Just say it. I know it probably feels dumb, like as soon as you say it little
fairies will dance around your head and some guy will start playing the violin somewhere,
but because it feels dumb doesn't mean it is dumb to feel that way."
"That's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard."
"Thanks. So, your one true love has blue eyes." Amelia nodded, "I bet he's blonde
too. Girls like blondes for some reason. Oh, and he's tall. And he's got a ton of muscles
and..." Amelia began to laugh. "What?"
"Kiros, you've just described my friend's husband!"
"You're in love with your friend's husband? No wonder you hate her so much..."
"No, you didn't describe him at all. He looks a lot like you except he's covered
with stone."
"Stone? Oh, a metaphor."
"No, his grandfather did it to him. But, in my mind's eye, I always had an idea of
how he would look if he was human and he looks a lot like you, except with blue eyes."
Amelia sniffled, "But, I'm fooling myself, aren't I? He never said he loved me back. He
never even hinted at it. In fact, he always seemed to hate me in every way. That's why he
left, it wasn't Shawn or the other nobles, it was me. He hated me all this time and..."
"Whoa! Stop right there. Now stop and listen. I want to tell you a story. Will you
listen?"
"Okay."
Kiros sat next to her, "I have a friend who loves this girl very much. He knows that the
girl loves him back but he thinks he isn't good enough for her. So, he tried to change his
feelings. But it didn't work. He just loved her more. He then thought, 'Well, I'll make her
think my feelings have changed, then she will get over me and find someone better.' And he
does this. But he hates doing it but thought it best for her," he paused, "it isn't working.
She still loves him and he still loves her. But he thinks that maybe if he could get himself
out of her sight, then she'd get over him and leave. But he fears this too. So he doesn't
say anything. He doesn't say he loves her but he doesn't say he hates her. He admires her
from afar. The problem is that he fears that if he submits and loves wholeheartedly, she'll
see something and be disgusted. She'll hate him and never speak to him again. He's so afraid
she'll hate the real him. And he won't be able to take that pain and rejection. So he
doesn't show any part of himself so she'll talk to him a little longer, love him a little
longer, be around a little longer and he'll be able to see her a little longer. It is quite
sad."
"What do you say to this friend?"
"I ask him, 'Doesn't saying nothing push her away?' and he says, 'If I say something
true, she'll leave me. If I say nothing, she'll leave me. Just later. We're all going to die
but why do we bother treating sickness? To make death come later. I know she'll leave but
saying nothing makes her stay longer.'" Kiros stood up, "Sometimes people do things that
hurt because they want to do the right thing but there is no right thing in some
situations. Love has no right way."
Kiros turned to leave but Amelia stopped him, "Can I tell you something I've never
told anyone?" Kiros came back.
"If you must."
Amelia told him about the dream. Every last detail, even what she thought it meant. "Does
that sound a little weird to you?"
"The crest. What was the design?"
"A silver dragon on a field of gold."
"Come with me." He led her downstairs to the cloakroom. The party continued without
them. Kiros went through the cloaks and picked one out. It was black velvet and had an crest
with no name attached: a silver dragon on a field of gold.
"That's it. That's the cloak. Whose is it? Tell me!" Amelia fingered the cloak. It
was nicely made.
"Amelia, this cloak is mine." Amelia dropped the cloak. Every detail matched except
those damn eyes.
"If you're curious, I read somewhere that blue eyes symbolize intelligence. Maybe
the dream wasn't literal."
That made sense. It wasn't Zelgadis at all! Her prince was here and no one would
object!
"Kiros, I've waited all of my life for you... finally, you've come to save me!" She
hugged him and swung around to grab his hand. She dragged him to the dance hall.
A maid came in and put the cloak back on the rack, disregarding the pocket chain
watch that fell out of it.
*** ***
It was five minutes from midnight. Amelia dragged Kiros to the podium and called
everyone to silence. The murmur died slowly. Amelia could Lina and Gourry darting around,
obviously looking for Zelgadis.
"You have five minutes, Zelgadis. This is the last chance you'll ever have," she
thought. She turned to her father, "Why don't you say your speech first, Daddy? I want to
declare my consort at the stroke of midnight."
Phil cleared his throat and began his speech, about how the consort would not just
help Amelia rule, but provide companionship and heirs.
Every minute, Amelia looked at the door. They remained shut. She checked the
windows. No shadows were peering in, the glass remained intact.
Midnight struck. Phil quickly ended his speech and Amelia stepped up.
"Everyone, I'm sure you're anxious to know who the new consort is. I am delighted to
tell you that I have indeed, chosen one. My consort and your future Prince, Kiros of the
House of Ryo." There was a silence but it was followed by applause, mostly by the Council
members, "She picked one!"
"Thank the Gods!"
"The kingdom is secure!"
"This is a blessed day!"
Amelia looked to the doors. Nothing had changed. "Good-bye Zelgadis, I hope my
happiness makes you happy. I hope you have a beautiful life," she whispered to the air.
Kiros heard her and smiled.
To be continued....
*-If you don't understand that, go read "Desperado" by Pairaka. Yeah, like, now. Go on. Read
it! It's good!
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