Chapter 6: Babel
"Hayla? That awful place? How could they send a child there? It's a country of corruption..." Amelia ranted.
"I thought it was okay when I was there," Gourry
remarked.
"I think you're overreacting," Lina commented, "it's not that bad."
"Yes, it is! There are drug dealers on the street corners and they sell it to little children! The legal
drinking age is, like, 2 years old or something. It's a dreadful place to send a child!"
"My dear," Maya chuckled, "I doubt Zelgadis' aunt let him get involved such things."
"How do you know that? She could be a horrible drug dealer for all we know..."
"Amelia, it doesn't matter now. We're going to Hayla," Lina ordered, leaving no room for argument.
"But only after I see my Daddy..." Amelia stubbornly added.
"Yeah, yeah, I promise."
Gourry moved on, "I think Zel's tired. Do you want to put him to bed, Amelia?"
Amelia puffed herself up, "Of course. It's only right."
She took Zel's hand and led him to the room they had rented for the night. After she had left, Lina said, "Like
it's my fault drugs are sold in Hayla. Anyway, Maya, how exactly do we get there?"
*** ***
Amelia took Zel to the room and showed him the bed. She tucked him in and Zel pointed to under his bed.
"Monsters?" Amelia asked. She checked under the bed, "No monsters. Good night."
Zel pointed to the closet. She checked there, "No monsters. Good night."
Zel pointed to the other beds, she checked them too, "No monsters. Good night."
Zel then put his hands together and slowly opened them, keeping the hands touching and repeated this gesture over
and over.
"A story? Do you want a story?" Zel nodded.
"What story would you like to hear?" Zel made his hands into fists, and drew his left away from his right. When his
right went past his head, he opened the right hand.
"Robin Hood?" Zel nodded eagerly. "I love that story too." Amelia sat at the foot of the bed and told him the
story of Robin Hood.
When she was finished, she tucked him a little more and fluffed his pillow. He reached his arms out. "Do you want a
good-night kiss?" He nodded. Amelia kissed his forehead and got a nasty shock. "Ow! That hurt! There must be static in
the room," Amelia thought aloud.
She said to Zel, "Good night, Master Zelgadis." She went to the door and opened it when Zel said, "Good night, Lady.
That was a nice story."
She smiled, "I'm glad you liked it." Then she walked through the door and closed it behind her.
It was only after she was making her way towards the other room it occurred to her that she had understood what
Zel had said. She ran to the other room.
*** ***
"Okay, I think this is a good road to take..." Lina pondered over a map.
"Yeah, but the last time I went that road, they had a toll..." Gourry corrected.
"How much?"
"It wasn't a lot but still, it was pretty annoying..."
"Everyone!" Amelia burst in, "Master Zelgadis spoke!"
"He's been speaking for quite awhile," Lina said, not looking up, "How about this road?"
"No, no! I meant in a language we can understand!" Amelia declared.
"Really? Let's go see," Gourry said, getting up. Lina got up and followed the excited Amelia. They went to the
room they had rented and woke poor Zel up.
"Master Zelgadis, tell them what you told me just now," Amelia requested.
"I just told you I liked your story. Why is that so important to you?" Zel responded.
"Uh, sounds the same way to me," Gourry cocked his head.
"Me too. Nothing has changed."
"But, I understood him. Why don't you understand him?" Amelia pleaded.
"I wish I could but I can't. He sounds the same," Lina said.
"I don't understand. Why am I the only one who can understand him?" Amelia wondered.
*** ***
I must interrupt this fic for an important announcement. From now on, every line of Little Zel dialogue will be
written like this, "#Blah, blah, blah#". I'm doing this because, well, I'm a lazy slob and I don't want Amelia
repeating everything Zel says. I now return you to your regularly scheduled fic.
*** ***
Cold. Still. She felt cold and still to his touch. It's not true. It's can't be true. Katherine was behind him, silent
as stone. He said to the wall, "It's not true. Young people never die. Only the old do. Everyone knows that."
"Dis, she's dead. Accept it!" Katherine snapped back with a solemn expression. Zel spun around, "You lie! She's
just asleep, s'all. Just sleeping." He began to shake her, "Wake up. Show her you're alive." She did not respond. "Come
on! Wake up!" He lost all his strength and began sliding to the floor, "Only old people die... wake up..." He began to
wail. His mother did not respond to his cries. She never did again.
FLASH
The heat of the funeral fire made his sweat drip down his face in long lines. He was not crying now. Neither was
his father. The rest of the village was bawling their eyes out, including Eris. He looked indifferently at the dancing
flames. He could hear his father say something to himself but he could not hear the exact words. His father was patting his
shoulder. He bent down to his son's height.
"You'll be okay. Life will move on."
"I know," he was saying back, without feeling it. He had been hearing only that for the past week. "Okay" was
beginning to mean nothing to him.
"Just promise me something."
Zel nodded, he wasn't listening though. "I want you to be strong. And to help others. And remember to stand up for
yourself. Lead a good life. Remember your parents." He took a breath, "Remember that whatever you do, we will always
love you. You are our golden child, remember that. I promise me that you'll never forget how special and beautiful you
are." He went to a standing position sharply and strode elegantly to the fire. Zel could hear everyone whispering to
give his father his space. In a blink, he was jumping and flames was consuming him.
Chaos erupted. Women screaming, children asking questions or crying, men running around, shouting orders
that no one was following. And Zel's father cremated himself before their very eyes. Zel's knees started to give and he
didn't fight. He slid to the ground, emotionless. He was just sitting there, apart from the chaos around him. It was
just him and the fire. Not a tear fell. He was staring at the ground now. He said aloud, though no one alive was
listening to him.
"I promise."
FLASH
He was in one of his grandfather's many labs. He was also bound to a tilted metal table. He couldn't move.
"Grandfather?" he called. No answer. "Grandfather? Can you let me go now?"
"Zelgadis, I want you to stay calm."
"Calm? Just let me go!"
"You want to stop hurting yourself, don't you?"
"For the last time, I don't do those things! Let me go!" He began to cry.
"I want to try something. It may work, it may not." Zel could hear a switch clicking somewhere in the darkness.
WHREEEEEE!
"Grandfather? What is that sound?"
"An invention of mine. I vow I will cure you of your ailment."
"Stop it, Grandfather! You're scaring me! Let me go!"
"Now, stay still. Stay calm."
"ERIS!!! HELP ME!!! MAKE HIM STOP THIS!!!!"
"Stay calm. You'll feel better soon."
He began to beat against the metal plank he was bound to.
"Let me go! Grandfather, let go!"
WHREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
FLASH
He tilted his head and snapped back, "My mother's dead too. Don't act so high and mighty because your mother just
died."
The over-endowed girl screamed, "You just don't care! You're completely heartless."
He began to laugh insanely, "Oh, I forgot, my pain doesn't matter to you. My pain is heartless and your pain is
noble. That is justice to you."
"Your mother was just a peasant! Who cares?!"
"Your mother was just a queen! Who cares?"
"My mother was beautiful woman. The most beautiful woman ever to walk."
"So was mine!"
"My mother had a heart of gold!"
"Mine did too!"
"Everyone loved her!"
"Well, someone sure as hell didn't like her!"
The girl's eyes brimmed over with tears.
"Of course, what do I know... I'm just a peasant."
FLASH
Blood was dripping on to the floor from his tunic. That man! He did it!
FLASH
Grandfather was sighing, "I can't deny it. I can't rid of it. Just don't it again. It frightens people."
Zel lowered his eyes, "I did help them..."
"Yes, but, it could've gotten you killed. Or sent away. Do you want to be sent away?"
"No, Grandfather."
"Then you'll follow my advice." Zel began to nod.
FLASH
"Do you wish to be strong, Zelgadis? You'll completely transformed."
FLASH
The blonde woman had just kissed him. It began to grow dark. He could hear his mother screaming his name. He could
also hear someone laughing. He didn't even hear the joke.
*** ***
He bolted awake. The dream was becoming more detailed. It was strange having memories of things that had not even
happened yet. It was like watching someone else's life. But it wasn't someone else, it was him.
*** ***
The merry band made their way to the palace. To Amelia's relief, her father had not been assassinated, no
one had tried to usurp the throne, no one had hired mazuko to rise to power and then get a hole punched through their
chests, ground stayed on the ground, no neighboring countries had tried to take over the world, so she was
happy. Things were quiet around the palace.
"DADDY!" Amelia hugged her father.
"DAUGHTER!" Phil hugged her back.
"#I am scared!#" Zel shrieked.
Well, it waaaaas!
Zel ran behind Gourry's legs, seeing he was the biggest barrier against the half-bald black bear that was crushing
Lady.
"#Oh, the horror! How did a black bear get into a palace? Where is the prince?#"
"What are you talking about, Master Zelgadis? What black bear are you referring to?" Amelia asked, out of her
father's embrace.
"#The one that was crushing you like a sapling!#" Zel whimpered back.
"AND WHO IS FINE YOUNG MAN?!" Phil boomed.
"This is..."
"WHAT?!" Phil asked.
"TAKE YOUR EARPLUGS OUT, DADDY!" Amelia screamed. Phil did so and apologized, "Sorry, the Baroness of Rena was just
here. She chatters so, it is very challenging to take a good nap with all that chattering going on. Anyway, that is
besides the point. Who is this, Amelia?"
"This is... um... kind of hard to explain..."
"Kindofhardtoexplain? What a strange name! But who am I to judge the beauty of foreign names? It probably means
something like 'courageous fighter' or 'proud archer'."
"Daddy! That's not his name!"
"Then why did you say it was?"
"I didn't... anyway, this is... Master Zelgadis."
"Isn't that strange? Don't we know someone else by that name? Isn't he that quiet one with that horrible temper?"
"Yes, Daddy, that one, but..."
"But this boy looks lively enough. They probably have nothing in common. Isn't that so ironic? Same name, completely
different personalities. How do you do, Master Zelgadis?" Phil bowed down to Zel height, while Zel looked up at Lady, "#Is
he your Papa?#"
"Yes, Master Zelgadis."
"#Is he the Prince?#"
"Yes, Master Zelgadis."
"#Does that mean you are a princess?#"
"Yes, Master Zelgadis."
Zel looked at the royal couple and replied, in conclusion, "#You look like a princess, but he does not. There has
been a mix up here. Are you sure he is your Papa?#"
Amelia turned red, "Of course, I am sure! How dare you question my..." She then realized that she was shouting at
the top of her lungs in front of everyone and, especially, a simple child that made the same mistake everyone else who
heard fairy tales involving princes made and who meant no harm by it. She took a breath, "Yes, Master Zelgadis, I am
sure." She went into lecture mode, "Never judge a book by its cover, that's your lesson today."
"How can you understand him, Amelia?" Phil asked.
"I am not quite sure myself. I just can."
Phil laughed his boisterous trademark laugh, "Never question a blessing, that's what I always say! I was about
to sit down to lunch and would be delighted to hear about your adventures and where you picked up this delightful
child!" Phil turned his back, confident he would be followed and that he was. "FOOD!" Lina cried out as her war cry. She
was quickly echoed by Gourry. Soon, Amelia was left alone with Zel, to whom she offered her hand. He took it, "#I am
hungry. What do princes and princesses eat anyway?#"
Amelia just laughed.
To be continued...
Author's Notes: Told you the dream would come back. FORESHADOWING!!! Okay, I flat out told you but FORESHADOWING
is a cooler word. If you have any C&C (which I love, I serve to entertain you) or you're just wondering why I called this
chapter "Babel", e-mail me at: destinyplot@lycos.com because snail mail is too slow.
"Hayla? That awful place? How could they send a child there? It's a country of corruption..." Amelia ranted.
"I thought it was okay when I was there," Gourry
remarked.
"I think you're overreacting," Lina commented, "it's not that bad."
"Yes, it is! There are drug dealers on the street corners and they sell it to little children! The legal
drinking age is, like, 2 years old or something. It's a dreadful place to send a child!"
"My dear," Maya chuckled, "I doubt Zelgadis' aunt let him get involved such things."
"How do you know that? She could be a horrible drug dealer for all we know..."
"Amelia, it doesn't matter now. We're going to Hayla," Lina ordered, leaving no room for argument.
"But only after I see my Daddy..." Amelia stubbornly added.
"Yeah, yeah, I promise."
Gourry moved on, "I think Zel's tired. Do you want to put him to bed, Amelia?"
Amelia puffed herself up, "Of course. It's only right."
She took Zel's hand and led him to the room they had rented for the night. After she had left, Lina said, "Like
it's my fault drugs are sold in Hayla. Anyway, Maya, how exactly do we get there?"
*** ***
Amelia took Zel to the room and showed him the bed. She tucked him in and Zel pointed to under his bed.
"Monsters?" Amelia asked. She checked under the bed, "No monsters. Good night."
Zel pointed to the closet. She checked there, "No monsters. Good night."
Zel pointed to the other beds, she checked them too, "No monsters. Good night."
Zel then put his hands together and slowly opened them, keeping the hands touching and repeated this gesture over
and over.
"A story? Do you want a story?" Zel nodded.
"What story would you like to hear?" Zel made his hands into fists, and drew his left away from his right. When his
right went past his head, he opened the right hand.
"Robin Hood?" Zel nodded eagerly. "I love that story too." Amelia sat at the foot of the bed and told him the
story of Robin Hood.
When she was finished, she tucked him a little more and fluffed his pillow. He reached his arms out. "Do you want a
good-night kiss?" He nodded. Amelia kissed his forehead and got a nasty shock. "Ow! That hurt! There must be static in
the room," Amelia thought aloud.
She said to Zel, "Good night, Master Zelgadis." She went to the door and opened it when Zel said, "Good night, Lady.
That was a nice story."
She smiled, "I'm glad you liked it." Then she walked through the door and closed it behind her.
It was only after she was making her way towards the other room it occurred to her that she had understood what
Zel had said. She ran to the other room.
*** ***
"Okay, I think this is a good road to take..." Lina pondered over a map.
"Yeah, but the last time I went that road, they had a toll..." Gourry corrected.
"How much?"
"It wasn't a lot but still, it was pretty annoying..."
"Everyone!" Amelia burst in, "Master Zelgadis spoke!"
"He's been speaking for quite awhile," Lina said, not looking up, "How about this road?"
"No, no! I meant in a language we can understand!" Amelia declared.
"Really? Let's go see," Gourry said, getting up. Lina got up and followed the excited Amelia. They went to the
room they had rented and woke poor Zel up.
"Master Zelgadis, tell them what you told me just now," Amelia requested.
"I just told you I liked your story. Why is that so important to you?" Zel responded.
"Uh, sounds the same way to me," Gourry cocked his head.
"Me too. Nothing has changed."
"But, I understood him. Why don't you understand him?" Amelia pleaded.
"I wish I could but I can't. He sounds the same," Lina said.
"I don't understand. Why am I the only one who can understand him?" Amelia wondered.
*** ***
I must interrupt this fic for an important announcement. From now on, every line of Little Zel dialogue will be
written like this, "#Blah, blah, blah#". I'm doing this because, well, I'm a lazy slob and I don't want Amelia
repeating everything Zel says. I now return you to your regularly scheduled fic.
*** ***
Cold. Still. She felt cold and still to his touch. It's not true. It's can't be true. Katherine was behind him, silent
as stone. He said to the wall, "It's not true. Young people never die. Only the old do. Everyone knows that."
"Dis, she's dead. Accept it!" Katherine snapped back with a solemn expression. Zel spun around, "You lie! She's
just asleep, s'all. Just sleeping." He began to shake her, "Wake up. Show her you're alive." She did not respond. "Come
on! Wake up!" He lost all his strength and began sliding to the floor, "Only old people die... wake up..." He began to
wail. His mother did not respond to his cries. She never did again.
FLASH
The heat of the funeral fire made his sweat drip down his face in long lines. He was not crying now. Neither was
his father. The rest of the village was bawling their eyes out, including Eris. He looked indifferently at the dancing
flames. He could hear his father say something to himself but he could not hear the exact words. His father was patting his
shoulder. He bent down to his son's height.
"You'll be okay. Life will move on."
"I know," he was saying back, without feeling it. He had been hearing only that for the past week. "Okay" was
beginning to mean nothing to him.
"Just promise me something."
Zel nodded, he wasn't listening though. "I want you to be strong. And to help others. And remember to stand up for
yourself. Lead a good life. Remember your parents." He took a breath, "Remember that whatever you do, we will always
love you. You are our golden child, remember that. I promise me that you'll never forget how special and beautiful you
are." He went to a standing position sharply and strode elegantly to the fire. Zel could hear everyone whispering to
give his father his space. In a blink, he was jumping and flames was consuming him.
Chaos erupted. Women screaming, children asking questions or crying, men running around, shouting orders
that no one was following. And Zel's father cremated himself before their very eyes. Zel's knees started to give and he
didn't fight. He slid to the ground, emotionless. He was just sitting there, apart from the chaos around him. It was
just him and the fire. Not a tear fell. He was staring at the ground now. He said aloud, though no one alive was
listening to him.
"I promise."
FLASH
He was in one of his grandfather's many labs. He was also bound to a tilted metal table. He couldn't move.
"Grandfather?" he called. No answer. "Grandfather? Can you let me go now?"
"Zelgadis, I want you to stay calm."
"Calm? Just let me go!"
"You want to stop hurting yourself, don't you?"
"For the last time, I don't do those things! Let me go!" He began to cry.
"I want to try something. It may work, it may not." Zel could hear a switch clicking somewhere in the darkness.
WHREEEEEE!
"Grandfather? What is that sound?"
"An invention of mine. I vow I will cure you of your ailment."
"Stop it, Grandfather! You're scaring me! Let me go!"
"Now, stay still. Stay calm."
"ERIS!!! HELP ME!!! MAKE HIM STOP THIS!!!!"
"Stay calm. You'll feel better soon."
He began to beat against the metal plank he was bound to.
"Let me go! Grandfather, let go!"
WHREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
FLASH
He tilted his head and snapped back, "My mother's dead too. Don't act so high and mighty because your mother just
died."
The over-endowed girl screamed, "You just don't care! You're completely heartless."
He began to laugh insanely, "Oh, I forgot, my pain doesn't matter to you. My pain is heartless and your pain is
noble. That is justice to you."
"Your mother was just a peasant! Who cares?!"
"Your mother was just a queen! Who cares?"
"My mother was beautiful woman. The most beautiful woman ever to walk."
"So was mine!"
"My mother had a heart of gold!"
"Mine did too!"
"Everyone loved her!"
"Well, someone sure as hell didn't like her!"
The girl's eyes brimmed over with tears.
"Of course, what do I know... I'm just a peasant."
FLASH
Blood was dripping on to the floor from his tunic. That man! He did it!
FLASH
Grandfather was sighing, "I can't deny it. I can't rid of it. Just don't it again. It frightens people."
Zel lowered his eyes, "I did help them..."
"Yes, but, it could've gotten you killed. Or sent away. Do you want to be sent away?"
"No, Grandfather."
"Then you'll follow my advice." Zel began to nod.
FLASH
"Do you wish to be strong, Zelgadis? You'll completely transformed."
FLASH
The blonde woman had just kissed him. It began to grow dark. He could hear his mother screaming his name. He could
also hear someone laughing. He didn't even hear the joke.
*** ***
He bolted awake. The dream was becoming more detailed. It was strange having memories of things that had not even
happened yet. It was like watching someone else's life. But it wasn't someone else, it was him.
*** ***
The merry band made their way to the palace. To Amelia's relief, her father had not been assassinated, no
one had tried to usurp the throne, no one had hired mazuko to rise to power and then get a hole punched through their
chests, ground stayed on the ground, no neighboring countries had tried to take over the world, so she was
happy. Things were quiet around the palace.
"DADDY!" Amelia hugged her father.
"DAUGHTER!" Phil hugged her back.
"#I am scared!#" Zel shrieked.
Well, it waaaaas!
Zel ran behind Gourry's legs, seeing he was the biggest barrier against the half-bald black bear that was crushing
Lady.
"#Oh, the horror! How did a black bear get into a palace? Where is the prince?#"
"What are you talking about, Master Zelgadis? What black bear are you referring to?" Amelia asked, out of her
father's embrace.
"#The one that was crushing you like a sapling!#" Zel whimpered back.
"AND WHO IS FINE YOUNG MAN?!" Phil boomed.
"This is..."
"WHAT?!" Phil asked.
"TAKE YOUR EARPLUGS OUT, DADDY!" Amelia screamed. Phil did so and apologized, "Sorry, the Baroness of Rena was just
here. She chatters so, it is very challenging to take a good nap with all that chattering going on. Anyway, that is
besides the point. Who is this, Amelia?"
"This is... um... kind of hard to explain..."
"Kindofhardtoexplain? What a strange name! But who am I to judge the beauty of foreign names? It probably means
something like 'courageous fighter' or 'proud archer'."
"Daddy! That's not his name!"
"Then why did you say it was?"
"I didn't... anyway, this is... Master Zelgadis."
"Isn't that strange? Don't we know someone else by that name? Isn't he that quiet one with that horrible temper?"
"Yes, Daddy, that one, but..."
"But this boy looks lively enough. They probably have nothing in common. Isn't that so ironic? Same name, completely
different personalities. How do you do, Master Zelgadis?" Phil bowed down to Zel height, while Zel looked up at Lady, "#Is
he your Papa?#"
"Yes, Master Zelgadis."
"#Is he the Prince?#"
"Yes, Master Zelgadis."
"#Does that mean you are a princess?#"
"Yes, Master Zelgadis."
Zel looked at the royal couple and replied, in conclusion, "#You look like a princess, but he does not. There has
been a mix up here. Are you sure he is your Papa?#"
Amelia turned red, "Of course, I am sure! How dare you question my..." She then realized that she was shouting at
the top of her lungs in front of everyone and, especially, a simple child that made the same mistake everyone else who
heard fairy tales involving princes made and who meant no harm by it. She took a breath, "Yes, Master Zelgadis, I am
sure." She went into lecture mode, "Never judge a book by its cover, that's your lesson today."
"How can you understand him, Amelia?" Phil asked.
"I am not quite sure myself. I just can."
Phil laughed his boisterous trademark laugh, "Never question a blessing, that's what I always say! I was about
to sit down to lunch and would be delighted to hear about your adventures and where you picked up this delightful
child!" Phil turned his back, confident he would be followed and that he was. "FOOD!" Lina cried out as her war cry. She
was quickly echoed by Gourry. Soon, Amelia was left alone with Zel, to whom she offered her hand. He took it, "#I am
hungry. What do princes and princesses eat anyway?#"
Amelia just laughed.
To be continued...
Author's Notes: Told you the dream would come back. FORESHADOWING!!! Okay, I flat out told you but FORESHADOWING
is a cooler word. If you have any C&C (which I love, I serve to entertain you) or you're just wondering why I called this
chapter "Babel", e-mail me at: destinyplot@lycos.com because snail mail is too slow.