The Man In the Stone Mask
By Terra
Part Three: Don't marry the person you want to live with, marry the one you cannot live
without.
I don't say we all ought to misbehave, but we ought to look as if we could. - Orson Welles
The real party began, most of the guests congratulated Kiros on his consortship. The
Council Members pratically threw themselves down at his feet and worshipped him. Amelia was
fawned over and the ladies told her how simply jealous they were over how she got "such a
nice slice of man" to be her consort.
But a few were not happy with this development. Lina and Gourry were aghasted at
this. They thought Amelia would have something up her sleeve, like saying, "Council, I am
married... to Saillune!" Or at least, Zel should have come bursting in, declaring his
undying love. But nothing. Amelia made herself into a puppet of the Council!
"The world doesn't make sense anymore! This shouldn't be happening. Is this in the
script?" Lina pondered and began to flipping through a mass of papers while Gourry just
sighed.
Not only were they upset but several suitors were fuming. Shawn especially.
"That boy-child doesn't even have birthright title! How could she pick him over us!
He is an insult to Saillune! And the Crown!"
Another noble agreed, "We can't take this lying down! We have to show him his place
and it isn't here!" They marched over to Kiros.
Kiros was politely talking to Chenoa.
Chenoa was pleased, "Well, everything is working out as planned. Is he secure?"
"He's secure. He's not pleased, he feels caged but he keeping his cool."
"That's wonderful. Tell him I'll give him a breather when everyone retires, and not
before."
The nobles, led by Shawn, walked over, "May we speak to you? Somewhere private?"
Kiros sensed hostility but he agreed, thinking, "If they're hostile, at least they have
enough manners to get hostile far away from the other guests."
Kiros was led to a hall. It was only lit by one lantern, making it very dark. The
nobles closed off any exits and circled Kiros.
"Okay, I'm here, what do you desire of me?"
Shawn spoke harshly, "The princess, you fiend. You're the one who made her run off..."
"And the one who made her come back, your point?"
"You have no right to be the princess' consort! Our families worked their butts off
getting us in here and we have more right to have her power."
"That's a very cruel thing to say about a lady. She's a person you know..."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You're here for the same reason we are..."
"You don't know my private thoughts so don't tell why I do what I do!" Anger was
rising beyond his control. He panicked, thinking, "Oh no. I have to stay in control. I'm a
peace keeper. I'm a pacifist! I don't want to fight them!" But a voice echoed in his head,
"But we have to now."
Shawn jumped him, pinning him to the ground. Kiros wriggled out and kicked Shawn in
the face. Kiros leapt backward and crouched, "You're making me fight. If you really want a
fight, I'll fight you."
"Of course I want a fight! I want to show you how much an inferior man you are
compared to me, a true noble!"
"All right. I'm deeply sorry." Kiros ducked his head and Shawn, taking the
opportunity, jumped at him. Just as Shawn's shadow touched Kiros, Kiros snapped his head up.
Kiros straighted and grabbed Shawn's arms. A crunch echoed through the hall. Kiros spoke but
was deeper and harsher than his usual tone, "How inferior am I now?" and then threw him
across the room. Shawn screamed in absolute terror. Kiros told him, "Now, learn your place!"
One of the nobles flew out of one of the exits and the other nobles, like frightened
antelope, followed. Only Shawn remained and only because he was in severe pain. Kiros then
slumped and his knees hit the floor. His right hand held his head while his left wrapped
around his stomach, he appeared to be in absolute torment. He made small pain noises that a
child often makes when severely ill, "Aah... aah... aah..." Tears of excursion leaked out.
Guards and Amelia came rushing in. The guards attended to Shawn while Amelia checked
on Kiros, "Are you hurt? Where does it hurt?"
Kiros, his old voice had mysteriously returned, said, "I'm... fine... just...
overapplied... myself... I'll... be... fine... I'm... just... worn out."
"Are you sure?"
"Perfectly."
One of the guards interrupted, "I think the Duke is in shock. Should we attend to him or
put him in a room?"
Amelia sighed, "Get one of the nurses to fix the problem. Kiros, did he hurt you?"
"No, he pinned me down and then I kicked him. Then... I, I, I broke his arms, I'm
really sorry, it was all in self-defense... I'm sorry..."
"No, it's alright. He had it coming. The party is basically over. I'll get someone
to ready your room." Amelia walked out of the room.
*** ***
Everyone gathered their cloaks and made their way to their carriages or rooms.
Gourry was helping the drunk ones find their cloaks (and the door). When everyone had left,
something caught his eye. He bent down to pick it up. It was a silver pocket watch. He
opened it, read the inscription, and lifted the watch. Underneath, in a secret holder, was
a lock of blonde hair. "This must belong to someone. I better ask." Gourry yawned, "But
first, I'm going to bed."
*** ***
"My Gods! What an idiot you are! I think, you, of all people, should have been the
calm one. But, nooo, you had to defend yourself! Prove yourself..." Chenoa ranted. Kiros
was in trouble. "What did I say? Keep calm, don't get angry at anyone! And what do you do?
Break some poor man's arms! You should be ashamed."
"I am ashamed but it was the only choice! I could've gotten hurt! I could've died!
Do you want me to die?"
"I doubt he would've killed you! The man was full of drink and wasn't thinking
straight! I understand his actions but I don't understand yours! I'm going to bed! You
better make sure he doesn't say any bad things about you to the Princess, or everything
we've worked so hard to put together will be ruined!" The door slammed. Kiros silently
mimicked her. He laid down on the bed and realized his shirt was really uncomfortable to
sleep in so he should probably take it off.
"I wonder what time it is," he wondered. His cloak was in the room, gathered by his
loving guardian. "My watch!" He went to the secret pocket in the cloak. He felt the chain
but... no watch. He checked the other pocket. Nothing. He began to panic. He slammed to the
ground and looked on the nearby ground. Nothing. He checked everywhere, even the full
chamber pot (eew). It wasn't there. "Where is it? Where's that watch?" Then he remembered
that funny sound when Amelia hugged him. "It's probably there. Oh, I'm too tired to check
now. Just hope no one finds it and takes it the wrong way. Why didn't I throw that thing
out when I had the chance? Oh, yeah, I needed to tell the time." He yawned and retired to
his bed. When he finally got comfortable, he realized he STILL hadn't taken his clothes off.
"Ah, hell."
*** ***
Early the morning, which was hang-over free for Kiros, he decided to look for his
watch in the cloak room. He checked all the remaining cloaks, in case one of the servants
found it and put it in a different cloak. All the cloaks were empty. Well, except one, which
had hollow animal intestines in the pocket. Kiros could not think of any reason what those
things were for.
He searched the ground, "Where is that stupid watch? It's got to be here
somewhere..."
"Looking for something?"
The voice startled Kiros and consequently, banged his head against the sword shelf, which
was under the cloaks. He crawled out and saw a blonde man, "Are you Gourry Gabriev?"
"I am. You're Kiros of Ryo, right?"
"Yeah. Anyway, I am looking for something. A pocket watch, have you seen it?"
"A silver one?"
"Yes, did you see it?"
"Yes, I found it last night," Gourry opened his hand, around his finger was the
chain and the watch dangled like a metradome, "I'll give it back."
Kiros stood up, he only came to his chest, "That's wonderful, thank you..." he went
to grab it but Gourry pulled the watch back into his hand and closed his fist.
"I'll give it back, if you tell who this is from."
"My deceased mother. May I have it back now?"
"Your mother called you 'my one true love'?"
"What? Mothers don't love their sons in your universe?"
"And leaves a lock of blonde hair in your watch, tied with a ribbon with hearts on
it?"
"It was the only ribbon in the house at the time."
"Okay, the first two excuses are acceptable but if it is really from your mother,
why does she sign the inscription with 'Alicia'?"
Kiros gave no response.
"I don't believe you, Kiros. You're lying. Why did you really fight Shawn? Was it
really self-defense? And when you brought Amelia back, what did you say to get her back? I
don't believe any word you've said this entire time. You deceived everyone, but not me.
You're not who you claim you are. Tell me the truth!"
Kiros' voice harshened,"I don't have to answer to you!" Kiros punched him in the
stomach. Gourry doubled over, but he kept a firm grip on the watch. Kiros kicked him the
face and Gourry went flying, but the watch remained in his possession. "I wish everyone
would stop questioning my intentions!" Kiros locked his eyes on Gourry. Blue on... blue?
Gourry looked at his attacker. The once gray-eyed boy was now a blue-eyed boy.
"Wait a second! Weren't your eyes gray?" Gourry asked in shock. They heard
footsteps. Kiros doubled over and his knees hit the floor. His right hand held his head
while left arm wrapped around his stomach. He made the soft noise of child who is painfully
ill, "Aah... aah... aah... aah..." Tears leaked out from excursion. He appeared to be in
great agony.
"Gourry! What is going on?!" Amelia demanded. Kiros replied weakly, in his usual
voice, "I just wanted my watch back."
"Gourry! Give Kiros his watch! This minute!"
"But in the watch..."
"I don't care! Give him his watch! What is wrong with everyone?" Gourry threw
Kiros' watch at the panting boy. Amelia ran over to him, "Kiros? Are you alright? Did Gourry
hurt you?"
"No, he just frightened me. I'm not mad. You don't need to arrest him. He didn't
harm me." Gourry got up and left.
*** ***
When Gourry came back to his and Lina's room, after tending to his injuries whom no
one seemed to care about, Lina gave him the Look of Death.
"Now, what did I do?"
"Gourry? What possessed you to pick on Kiros? What has he ever done to you?"
"It's not what he did to me, it's what he's doing to Amelia! Do you know what I
found?"
"It better not be something really stupid..."
"It's not! I found a watch with an inscription inside, 'To my one true love.
From Alicia' and it had a secret layer with a lock of blonde hair tied with a ribbon with
hearts on it. He said it's from his mother..."
"But that sounds a little suspicious. I agree. A mother never gives her son a gift
signed with her own name. So, what do you think it is?"
"I think it's from a lover. I think that this marriage is just a rise to power. But
that's just what I think."
"You know, the Duchess never actually said her name point-blank, do you think...?"
"She's actually Alicia? Eewww..."
"So, this is all a scam to get to the throne! They're secretly lovers and they
probably have this elaborate plan on how they'll kill Amelia and then they can get
married... Ooo! It's the oldest trick in the book, why didn't I see it?"
"Because he was good-looking."
"Oh, yeah... Good point."
"But," Gourry sighed, "we have no proof. I could be totally off. Besides, Amelia is
not going to listen to either of us, she completely trusts him."
"If we could just find Zel! The only reason she's even doing this is because Zel
didn't come!"
"Sad but true. But where is he? We could never find him in time..."
*** ***
"Good thing this door is practically made of paper," Kiros thought, listening
through the door of Lina and Gourry's room. "This is getting bad. They'll completely wreck
it. What am I going to doooo?" Kiros left the hallway and went to Chenoa's room to give the
latest report on how their plan was completely falling apart.
*** ***
In an act of desperation, Lina talked to Amelia about their suspictions about Kiros.
Amelia practically had a fit and threw Lina of her room. She gave her the silent treatment
for four days, then forgave her. Amelia needed Lina to be her bridemaid anyway. However,
Amelia forbade Lina or anyone else to speak harshly of Kiros in her presence, because,
frankly, she didn't care.
Kiros, on the other hand, stayed mostly to himself. He suffered from dizzy spells
and headaches and wished to left alone. Chenoa took care of his needs. Chenoa reassured
everyone that he would be fine in time for the wedding, he just needed some rest.
"You know what I should do?" Lina asked Gourry one night, "I should go into his
room and start banging pots, for an hour, everyday, so he'll either too sick to get married
or get fed up and leave."
"Or he make Amelia put a bounty on our heads or execute us. We still don't know how
much power he has over Amelia."
"Yeah, she's creeping me out. Do you think she's under a spell?"
"I'm the wrong person to ask. Maybe she really likes him. When someone loves someone
else, they usually disregard every bad trait their beloved has, even though it drives
everyone else up the wall."
"Are we talking about Kiros and Amelia or you and me?"
"Well, I know it was true with me, maybe it's the same with Amelia."
"But I still don't like it. I'd prefer her with Zel. Just imagining Kiros with
Amelia, I just want to fall down and cry, it's not fair. It's, like, a sin against love."
"Sometimes, life isn't fair. I wish Amelia was with Zel too but he isn't here so we
have to make do."
*** ***
Wedding day came. Amelia was absolutely gorgeous in her gown. Lina let her borrow a
bracelet that Gourry had given her recently and bought her a chain necklace with a blue
heart pendant. Amelia wore her mother's diamond earrings and new diamond hair clips in her
hair. It was out. Amelia, during the month, had been growing it out, so now it was down to
her shoulders.
"Do you think I look okay?" Amelia asked Lina.
"Oh, yeah, you look great," Lina answer, nonchantently.
"Look, just because you have a thing against Kiros doesn't mean you have to ruin
the day for me!"
"Okay, fine. I like how the dress goes off your shoulder, because it shows what
nice skin you have. The satin make you glow, the stitching of the doves and roses are very
well done."
"See? Was that so hard?"
"No." Lina said then thought, "But I shouldn't be the one telling you that, it
should be Zel."
*** ***
To Lina and Gourry's dismay, Kiros was alive and well. He had a black tuxedo with
silver cufflings and a silver bowtie. To Gourry's horror, he had been chosen to be the best
man, which means he had to be with him in the dressing room and not go find Zel, like Lina
and Gourry had planned.
Kiros hummed to himself, he was good spirits and good health. Gourry wanted to slap
him. Kiros noticed his harsh look and asked, in his (in Gourry's opinion) overly-feminine
voice, "You hate me, don't you?"
"With the fire of a thousand suns."
"Oh, we're making friends, it isn't a million suns."
"Why did you pick me?"
"Because Amelia had two bridemaids so I needed two men to escort her two
bridesmaids."
"Why am I the best man? Why not Paul?"
"Because I like you better."
"Well, it's not mutual."
"You'll regret that soon."
"Why?"
Kiros didn't answer, went right back to humming.
*** ***
The ceremony began. People wept and Gourry and Lina felt like hanging themselves.
Or Kiros, whichever was more convient.
Kiros did not feel good. His dizziness and headache had returned. "Not now, wait a
little longer." He wasn't even listening to the priest. "I'm going to fa-int!" The priest
droned on and on about how love saves the world or something. Something about love.
Gourry was taking more amusment out of Kiros' visual suffering. "I guess they
weren't lying when they said he was sick. Faint! Faint! Faint!"
Amelia did not notice her groom's torment or Gourry and Lina's amusment. She paid
attention to the priest and felt a little sad. She, too, prefered Zel over Kiros but she
simply had no choice. Such is life. "But this is a pretty ceremony."
"And whoever feels that this couple should be not be wed, speak now or forever hold
your peace." He paused and Lina opened her mouth but the priest continued quickly, "Since
there are no objections, this couple is now husband and wife. The husband may now kiss his
wife." People cheered, Lina and Gourry groaned inside. Welcome to Hell.
Kiros had suddenly recovered and lifted Amelia's veil. A single tear of pain made
a journey down her cheek but Kiros kissed her anyway.
To Amelia, the kiss was hard... literally. It was like she was kissing... stone?
Someone in the audience gasped and she opened her eyes.
And looked into her true love's face.
Zelgaids smiled and said, "Surprise."
Amelia promptly fainted.
To be continued...
C&C at destinyplot@lycos.com
By Terra
Part Three: Don't marry the person you want to live with, marry the one you cannot live
without.
I don't say we all ought to misbehave, but we ought to look as if we could. - Orson Welles
The real party began, most of the guests congratulated Kiros on his consortship. The
Council Members pratically threw themselves down at his feet and worshipped him. Amelia was
fawned over and the ladies told her how simply jealous they were over how she got "such a
nice slice of man" to be her consort.
But a few were not happy with this development. Lina and Gourry were aghasted at
this. They thought Amelia would have something up her sleeve, like saying, "Council, I am
married... to Saillune!" Or at least, Zel should have come bursting in, declaring his
undying love. But nothing. Amelia made herself into a puppet of the Council!
"The world doesn't make sense anymore! This shouldn't be happening. Is this in the
script?" Lina pondered and began to flipping through a mass of papers while Gourry just
sighed.
Not only were they upset but several suitors were fuming. Shawn especially.
"That boy-child doesn't even have birthright title! How could she pick him over us!
He is an insult to Saillune! And the Crown!"
Another noble agreed, "We can't take this lying down! We have to show him his place
and it isn't here!" They marched over to Kiros.
Kiros was politely talking to Chenoa.
Chenoa was pleased, "Well, everything is working out as planned. Is he secure?"
"He's secure. He's not pleased, he feels caged but he keeping his cool."
"That's wonderful. Tell him I'll give him a breather when everyone retires, and not
before."
The nobles, led by Shawn, walked over, "May we speak to you? Somewhere private?"
Kiros sensed hostility but he agreed, thinking, "If they're hostile, at least they have
enough manners to get hostile far away from the other guests."
Kiros was led to a hall. It was only lit by one lantern, making it very dark. The
nobles closed off any exits and circled Kiros.
"Okay, I'm here, what do you desire of me?"
Shawn spoke harshly, "The princess, you fiend. You're the one who made her run off..."
"And the one who made her come back, your point?"
"You have no right to be the princess' consort! Our families worked their butts off
getting us in here and we have more right to have her power."
"That's a very cruel thing to say about a lady. She's a person you know..."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You're here for the same reason we are..."
"You don't know my private thoughts so don't tell why I do what I do!" Anger was
rising beyond his control. He panicked, thinking, "Oh no. I have to stay in control. I'm a
peace keeper. I'm a pacifist! I don't want to fight them!" But a voice echoed in his head,
"But we have to now."
Shawn jumped him, pinning him to the ground. Kiros wriggled out and kicked Shawn in
the face. Kiros leapt backward and crouched, "You're making me fight. If you really want a
fight, I'll fight you."
"Of course I want a fight! I want to show you how much an inferior man you are
compared to me, a true noble!"
"All right. I'm deeply sorry." Kiros ducked his head and Shawn, taking the
opportunity, jumped at him. Just as Shawn's shadow touched Kiros, Kiros snapped his head up.
Kiros straighted and grabbed Shawn's arms. A crunch echoed through the hall. Kiros spoke but
was deeper and harsher than his usual tone, "How inferior am I now?" and then threw him
across the room. Shawn screamed in absolute terror. Kiros told him, "Now, learn your place!"
One of the nobles flew out of one of the exits and the other nobles, like frightened
antelope, followed. Only Shawn remained and only because he was in severe pain. Kiros then
slumped and his knees hit the floor. His right hand held his head while his left wrapped
around his stomach, he appeared to be in absolute torment. He made small pain noises that a
child often makes when severely ill, "Aah... aah... aah..." Tears of excursion leaked out.
Guards and Amelia came rushing in. The guards attended to Shawn while Amelia checked
on Kiros, "Are you hurt? Where does it hurt?"
Kiros, his old voice had mysteriously returned, said, "I'm... fine... just...
overapplied... myself... I'll... be... fine... I'm... just... worn out."
"Are you sure?"
"Perfectly."
One of the guards interrupted, "I think the Duke is in shock. Should we attend to him or
put him in a room?"
Amelia sighed, "Get one of the nurses to fix the problem. Kiros, did he hurt you?"
"No, he pinned me down and then I kicked him. Then... I, I, I broke his arms, I'm
really sorry, it was all in self-defense... I'm sorry..."
"No, it's alright. He had it coming. The party is basically over. I'll get someone
to ready your room." Amelia walked out of the room.
*** ***
Everyone gathered their cloaks and made their way to their carriages or rooms.
Gourry was helping the drunk ones find their cloaks (and the door). When everyone had left,
something caught his eye. He bent down to pick it up. It was a silver pocket watch. He
opened it, read the inscription, and lifted the watch. Underneath, in a secret holder, was
a lock of blonde hair. "This must belong to someone. I better ask." Gourry yawned, "But
first, I'm going to bed."
*** ***
"My Gods! What an idiot you are! I think, you, of all people, should have been the
calm one. But, nooo, you had to defend yourself! Prove yourself..." Chenoa ranted. Kiros
was in trouble. "What did I say? Keep calm, don't get angry at anyone! And what do you do?
Break some poor man's arms! You should be ashamed."
"I am ashamed but it was the only choice! I could've gotten hurt! I could've died!
Do you want me to die?"
"I doubt he would've killed you! The man was full of drink and wasn't thinking
straight! I understand his actions but I don't understand yours! I'm going to bed! You
better make sure he doesn't say any bad things about you to the Princess, or everything
we've worked so hard to put together will be ruined!" The door slammed. Kiros silently
mimicked her. He laid down on the bed and realized his shirt was really uncomfortable to
sleep in so he should probably take it off.
"I wonder what time it is," he wondered. His cloak was in the room, gathered by his
loving guardian. "My watch!" He went to the secret pocket in the cloak. He felt the chain
but... no watch. He checked the other pocket. Nothing. He began to panic. He slammed to the
ground and looked on the nearby ground. Nothing. He checked everywhere, even the full
chamber pot (eew). It wasn't there. "Where is it? Where's that watch?" Then he remembered
that funny sound when Amelia hugged him. "It's probably there. Oh, I'm too tired to check
now. Just hope no one finds it and takes it the wrong way. Why didn't I throw that thing
out when I had the chance? Oh, yeah, I needed to tell the time." He yawned and retired to
his bed. When he finally got comfortable, he realized he STILL hadn't taken his clothes off.
"Ah, hell."
*** ***
Early the morning, which was hang-over free for Kiros, he decided to look for his
watch in the cloak room. He checked all the remaining cloaks, in case one of the servants
found it and put it in a different cloak. All the cloaks were empty. Well, except one, which
had hollow animal intestines in the pocket. Kiros could not think of any reason what those
things were for.
He searched the ground, "Where is that stupid watch? It's got to be here
somewhere..."
"Looking for something?"
The voice startled Kiros and consequently, banged his head against the sword shelf, which
was under the cloaks. He crawled out and saw a blonde man, "Are you Gourry Gabriev?"
"I am. You're Kiros of Ryo, right?"
"Yeah. Anyway, I am looking for something. A pocket watch, have you seen it?"
"A silver one?"
"Yes, did you see it?"
"Yes, I found it last night," Gourry opened his hand, around his finger was the
chain and the watch dangled like a metradome, "I'll give it back."
Kiros stood up, he only came to his chest, "That's wonderful, thank you..." he went
to grab it but Gourry pulled the watch back into his hand and closed his fist.
"I'll give it back, if you tell who this is from."
"My deceased mother. May I have it back now?"
"Your mother called you 'my one true love'?"
"What? Mothers don't love their sons in your universe?"
"And leaves a lock of blonde hair in your watch, tied with a ribbon with hearts on
it?"
"It was the only ribbon in the house at the time."
"Okay, the first two excuses are acceptable but if it is really from your mother,
why does she sign the inscription with 'Alicia'?"
Kiros gave no response.
"I don't believe you, Kiros. You're lying. Why did you really fight Shawn? Was it
really self-defense? And when you brought Amelia back, what did you say to get her back? I
don't believe any word you've said this entire time. You deceived everyone, but not me.
You're not who you claim you are. Tell me the truth!"
Kiros' voice harshened,"I don't have to answer to you!" Kiros punched him in the
stomach. Gourry doubled over, but he kept a firm grip on the watch. Kiros kicked him the
face and Gourry went flying, but the watch remained in his possession. "I wish everyone
would stop questioning my intentions!" Kiros locked his eyes on Gourry. Blue on... blue?
Gourry looked at his attacker. The once gray-eyed boy was now a blue-eyed boy.
"Wait a second! Weren't your eyes gray?" Gourry asked in shock. They heard
footsteps. Kiros doubled over and his knees hit the floor. His right hand held his head
while left arm wrapped around his stomach. He made the soft noise of child who is painfully
ill, "Aah... aah... aah... aah..." Tears leaked out from excursion. He appeared to be in
great agony.
"Gourry! What is going on?!" Amelia demanded. Kiros replied weakly, in his usual
voice, "I just wanted my watch back."
"Gourry! Give Kiros his watch! This minute!"
"But in the watch..."
"I don't care! Give him his watch! What is wrong with everyone?" Gourry threw
Kiros' watch at the panting boy. Amelia ran over to him, "Kiros? Are you alright? Did Gourry
hurt you?"
"No, he just frightened me. I'm not mad. You don't need to arrest him. He didn't
harm me." Gourry got up and left.
*** ***
When Gourry came back to his and Lina's room, after tending to his injuries whom no
one seemed to care about, Lina gave him the Look of Death.
"Now, what did I do?"
"Gourry? What possessed you to pick on Kiros? What has he ever done to you?"
"It's not what he did to me, it's what he's doing to Amelia! Do you know what I
found?"
"It better not be something really stupid..."
"It's not! I found a watch with an inscription inside, 'To my one true love.
From Alicia' and it had a secret layer with a lock of blonde hair tied with a ribbon with
hearts on it. He said it's from his mother..."
"But that sounds a little suspicious. I agree. A mother never gives her son a gift
signed with her own name. So, what do you think it is?"
"I think it's from a lover. I think that this marriage is just a rise to power. But
that's just what I think."
"You know, the Duchess never actually said her name point-blank, do you think...?"
"She's actually Alicia? Eewww..."
"So, this is all a scam to get to the throne! They're secretly lovers and they
probably have this elaborate plan on how they'll kill Amelia and then they can get
married... Ooo! It's the oldest trick in the book, why didn't I see it?"
"Because he was good-looking."
"Oh, yeah... Good point."
"But," Gourry sighed, "we have no proof. I could be totally off. Besides, Amelia is
not going to listen to either of us, she completely trusts him."
"If we could just find Zel! The only reason she's even doing this is because Zel
didn't come!"
"Sad but true. But where is he? We could never find him in time..."
*** ***
"Good thing this door is practically made of paper," Kiros thought, listening
through the door of Lina and Gourry's room. "This is getting bad. They'll completely wreck
it. What am I going to doooo?" Kiros left the hallway and went to Chenoa's room to give the
latest report on how their plan was completely falling apart.
*** ***
In an act of desperation, Lina talked to Amelia about their suspictions about Kiros.
Amelia practically had a fit and threw Lina of her room. She gave her the silent treatment
for four days, then forgave her. Amelia needed Lina to be her bridemaid anyway. However,
Amelia forbade Lina or anyone else to speak harshly of Kiros in her presence, because,
frankly, she didn't care.
Kiros, on the other hand, stayed mostly to himself. He suffered from dizzy spells
and headaches and wished to left alone. Chenoa took care of his needs. Chenoa reassured
everyone that he would be fine in time for the wedding, he just needed some rest.
"You know what I should do?" Lina asked Gourry one night, "I should go into his
room and start banging pots, for an hour, everyday, so he'll either too sick to get married
or get fed up and leave."
"Or he make Amelia put a bounty on our heads or execute us. We still don't know how
much power he has over Amelia."
"Yeah, she's creeping me out. Do you think she's under a spell?"
"I'm the wrong person to ask. Maybe she really likes him. When someone loves someone
else, they usually disregard every bad trait their beloved has, even though it drives
everyone else up the wall."
"Are we talking about Kiros and Amelia or you and me?"
"Well, I know it was true with me, maybe it's the same with Amelia."
"But I still don't like it. I'd prefer her with Zel. Just imagining Kiros with
Amelia, I just want to fall down and cry, it's not fair. It's, like, a sin against love."
"Sometimes, life isn't fair. I wish Amelia was with Zel too but he isn't here so we
have to make do."
*** ***
Wedding day came. Amelia was absolutely gorgeous in her gown. Lina let her borrow a
bracelet that Gourry had given her recently and bought her a chain necklace with a blue
heart pendant. Amelia wore her mother's diamond earrings and new diamond hair clips in her
hair. It was out. Amelia, during the month, had been growing it out, so now it was down to
her shoulders.
"Do you think I look okay?" Amelia asked Lina.
"Oh, yeah, you look great," Lina answer, nonchantently.
"Look, just because you have a thing against Kiros doesn't mean you have to ruin
the day for me!"
"Okay, fine. I like how the dress goes off your shoulder, because it shows what
nice skin you have. The satin make you glow, the stitching of the doves and roses are very
well done."
"See? Was that so hard?"
"No." Lina said then thought, "But I shouldn't be the one telling you that, it
should be Zel."
*** ***
To Lina and Gourry's dismay, Kiros was alive and well. He had a black tuxedo with
silver cufflings and a silver bowtie. To Gourry's horror, he had been chosen to be the best
man, which means he had to be with him in the dressing room and not go find Zel, like Lina
and Gourry had planned.
Kiros hummed to himself, he was good spirits and good health. Gourry wanted to slap
him. Kiros noticed his harsh look and asked, in his (in Gourry's opinion) overly-feminine
voice, "You hate me, don't you?"
"With the fire of a thousand suns."
"Oh, we're making friends, it isn't a million suns."
"Why did you pick me?"
"Because Amelia had two bridemaids so I needed two men to escort her two
bridesmaids."
"Why am I the best man? Why not Paul?"
"Because I like you better."
"Well, it's not mutual."
"You'll regret that soon."
"Why?"
Kiros didn't answer, went right back to humming.
*** ***
The ceremony began. People wept and Gourry and Lina felt like hanging themselves.
Or Kiros, whichever was more convient.
Kiros did not feel good. His dizziness and headache had returned. "Not now, wait a
little longer." He wasn't even listening to the priest. "I'm going to fa-int!" The priest
droned on and on about how love saves the world or something. Something about love.
Gourry was taking more amusment out of Kiros' visual suffering. "I guess they
weren't lying when they said he was sick. Faint! Faint! Faint!"
Amelia did not notice her groom's torment or Gourry and Lina's amusment. She paid
attention to the priest and felt a little sad. She, too, prefered Zel over Kiros but she
simply had no choice. Such is life. "But this is a pretty ceremony."
"And whoever feels that this couple should be not be wed, speak now or forever hold
your peace." He paused and Lina opened her mouth but the priest continued quickly, "Since
there are no objections, this couple is now husband and wife. The husband may now kiss his
wife." People cheered, Lina and Gourry groaned inside. Welcome to Hell.
Kiros had suddenly recovered and lifted Amelia's veil. A single tear of pain made
a journey down her cheek but Kiros kissed her anyway.
To Amelia, the kiss was hard... literally. It was like she was kissing... stone?
Someone in the audience gasped and she opened her eyes.
And looked into her true love's face.
Zelgaids smiled and said, "Surprise."
Amelia promptly fainted.
To be continued...
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