The Music of My Heart
By David Goldsmith
Edited by Sakura Yuki
An interlude from "Hope and Love......Death and Rebirth"
Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers, N'Sync, Gloria Estefan material in any way form or fashion. I am simply using a song and characters from a popular anime series to write a songfic that I hope all will enjoy. Leave a review if you like the story, leave one if you don't, but feedback is always welcome! The songfic part won't come for a little while, so be patient and enjoy!
-Previously on "Hope and Love......Death and Rebirth":
"Would you care to wear this with me for a while?" He asked.
"About how long were you thinking?" Lina asked, on the verge of stuttering.
"I'm not sure, perhaps a couple of centuries. Give or take a millennia or two." Zel answered.
Lina's eyes began to tear up again. "That's much better...." She trailed off. "...and I've have to be crazy to say anything but yes." She softly replied as Zel wrapped the sheet around them tighter.
"Want to celebrate a bit more lover?" Lina grinned mischievously.
"And you said men had a one track mind..." Zel answered as Lina practically threw him onto the bed, with her leaping after him cackling like a mad scientist.
Now, what exactly happened after that?
Here lies the story of how two souls were joined for eternity......
Zel awoke, for the second time, in the same bed as Lina. He could definitely get used to waking up like this every morning for the rest of his life. Be it in a bed in a castle or on a bedroll in the middle of nowhere beside a small campfire, it was something he had already started to appreciate. Lina stirred and he wrapped his arms around her midsection, holding her snugly against his warm stone body. Zel could almost swear he heard Lina start to purr from the position they were in. The red-haired sorceress slowly found her way into consciousness and also found herself in the arms of the man she loved.
"It's pretty late Zel..." She started.
Suddenly, Lina's anatomy caught up with her and a loud rumble could be heard under the sheets. Lina blushed heavily, realizing she hadn't eaten anything in roughly twenty-four hours.
Zel chuckled lightly. "I suppose we both know what we do next..." He trailed off as he pulled the covers back and started to get dressed. Lina followed suit and soon the new couple were on their way to the kitchen for a late dinner.
The kitchen staff was apparently finished for the night, since Lina and Zel couldn't find anyone who would be of any assistance.
"Looks like we're on our own for dinner lover." Lina stated.
Zel began searching the numerous cupboards for utensils that they could make use of while Lina raided the cellar and the pantry. Within another hour, the two sat down to a meal that could probably have satisfied Lina, at least until breakfast that is. The two ate in relative silence, no words being needed. Zel, for a change, was actually eating a few vegetables along with half of a turkey!
When they were finished, neither was very tired and they decided to spend the remainder of the night in the study. There weren't any guards to stop them, so they just went right in. The couple sat down on the couch, with Lina more or less lying on top of Zel as they simply reveled at being with each other.
"You really are something else Zel." Lina started.
"I was going to say the same thing about you Lina." Zel replied.
Lina flipped over and laid her head on Zel's chest, content on listening to the Chimera's steady heartbeat.
"When do you want to tell the others?" Zel asked calmly.
"How about at breakfast?" Lina inquired cheerfully.
Zel shook his head with a grin on his face. "Everything's got to be food-oriented with you, doesn't it?" He asked.
Lina gave him one of her trademark grins and nodded. Zel had to admit, Lina looked absolutely cute when she tried. She could be pouncing on you or yelling enough obscenities to make an ogre blush, but she would still look adorable.
"You truly are one-of-a-kind Lina Inverse." Zel thought aloud.
"Well so are you Zelgadiss Greywords, I'm just glad we're on the same page now." She continued and lifted her head to stare into his sapphire eyes. Her chin propped on his chest and her eyes twinkling, Zel could do nothing but look at those ruby eyes that seemed to never end. A man could completely lose himself in them if he wasn't careful. Zel and Lina bowed their heads again at the same time, their bond already clearly evident to any observer. They eventually fell into a small catnap until dawn.
Amelia was truly getting worried. Neither Lina nor Zelgadiss had emerged from their room in the past thirty-six hours. Amelia knew that she wouldn't have to wait much longer, knowing that Lina's eating habits were sure to catch up with her soon enough.
She calmly walked into her study and was utterly shocked to find the objects of her search quietly napping together. Amelia smiled slightly and went towards them. It was almost breakfast and she hated to think of what Lina would do if she ever figured out that Amelia had intentionally left her out of a meal! She approached carefully and gently nudged the two, speaking gently when her fiancée walked through the door.
"Hey hon, what's up?" He said a little too loudly for Amelia's immediate tastes. She cringed, knowing that Zel was going to wake at that. Her fiancé, a man who was known as Sanjuro, caught on to what she was trying to do and slapped a hand over his mouth. Amelia noticed this and inwardly smiled at his observant nature. He would probably use that to his advantage......later. Amelia blushed as her thoughts went in a very......un-ladylike direction. Amelia noticed Zel was indeed awake and nudging Lina back into consciousness.
"I'm sorry to disturb you two, but I thought you would want to know that breakfast is almost ready." Amelia announced. All trace of sleep and rest fled from Lina's mind and her facial expressions in an instant and the last thing Amelia and Sanjuro saw was a red blur dragging a blue one behind it. Sanjuro sweat-dropped and looked back to his fiancé.
"Is she always like this?" He asked tactlessly.
"Sometimes worse..." She admitted.
"Enemy to all who live, huh? Don't they mean 'Enemy to anything edible'?" Sanjuro continued. Amelia couldn't help but giggle in response.
Lina was surprisingly slow at breakfast, meaning she ate slowly. Zel was amazed at how much her pace had slowed from normal. Everyone let her be though, if she wanted to start acting like she had some table manners, who were they to argue? When she finished, it was quite evident that the kitchen was a little more spacious from her efforts.
Amelia, Sanjuro, Zel, and Lina continued to chat about the upcoming weddings and other related topics. Amelia suddenly steered off her topic of her search for a wedding dress to look at Lina and Zel.
"I just received word from Gourry and Sylphiel that they'll arrive in a few days, just in time to start the final plans." She stated.
Lina and Zel simply glanced at each other and then nodded in Amelia's direction.
Amelia suddenly felt the veins pop out on her head. "What's up with you two!? You've been quiet all morning! It's starting to DISTURB ME!!!" She shouted.
Zel and Lina sweat-dropped, realizing that they were cornered.
Since they were sitting right beside each other, it was a simple matter for them to grasp each other's hands and look Amelia dead in the eye. Lina broke the silence.
"Zel asked me to marry him last night and I said 'yes'." Lina replied in a calm tone. Amelia's jaw immediately detached and hit the table. Phil simply smiled at the two of them, expressing his approval.
Sanjuro also smiled, seeing how happy they were together. "I'm also glad that Amelia's stopped obsessing over that guy, at least now she looks at me." He thought to himself.
Amelia composed herself and sat back down. "Wow! That was certainly unexpected. I thought Mr. Zelgadiss would EVENTUALLY pop the question, but I never thought it would be this SOON!" Amelia declared in astonishment.
Zel and Lina simply looked at each other and touched noses, snickering at the tickling sensations running through them both at that very moment. Amelia couldn't help but smile and glance to Sanjuro, who returned the smile. Amelia reached for his hand under the table and laced her fingers through his. Sanjuro was certainly pleased with this turn of events, but he was content to take things slowly for Amelia's sake. She really had calmed down since Zel had talked with her. She didn't rant about justice as much because she no longer had anyone to impress. She seemed to have matured overnight from the bubbly teenager into a knowledgeable young woman. Sanjuro and Amelia simply gazed into each other's eyes, their gaze radiating trust and understanding between them.
Gourry and Sylphiel arrived two days later, as their message had said they would. Gourry was ecstatic to see Lina again since he practically saw her as family, and shocked to see Zel. Gourry and Sylphiel explained that there was some rumor flying around about a red-haired sorceress single-handedly ripping apart a group of bandits with her bare hands. Gourry hadn't believed it because Lina usually just fire-balled a person and left them nice and crispy. Lina looked sullen if anything, and Zel picked up on it rather fast. Gourry also added that the rumor proclaimed that the sorceress was protecting a man who had blue skin.
Lina started trembling slightly and Zel quickly ushered everyone out of the room so that they could be alone. When Zel finally turned around again, he found Lina huddled in a corner, withdrawn once more into her shell as if trying to escape some ghastly fate. Zel tried to approach her, but she put up her arm and motioned for him to stop.
"Before anything else happens Zel, you need to know the truth about something." She started. Zel sat down patiently, trying to keep Lina from retreating further into her shell. At least she was telling him what was wrong.
Lina started. "I it take you've heard about the Cyndor massacre that took place fifteen years ago?" She asked.
Zel nodded. Heard about it? It was the bloodiest event he had ever heard of, supposedly caused by some uncontrollable demon. Luna Inverse herself had to come and try to stop the demon from killing anymore innocents. It was a given that Cyndor was a town full of criminals, but there were women and children who had died in that gory event.
"What do you think caused it?" She asked. Zel gathered his thoughts on the matter.
"I was under the impression from the stories that some demon caused it, though I could never gather any hard facts about the whole thing." He replied.
Lina shuddered slightly. Lina took a deep breath before continuing. "Zel, when I was three, my parents were murdered. This group of men came and killed them. I was hidden by my parents in the secret room under the kitchen. I saw everything through a small hole in the wooden floor, including the faces of their killers. When they were gone, I started shaking my parents, but they were already long dead. I don't remember what happened next, I only remember feeling the anger and the rage. I felt something snap, though I don't know if it was my sanity or my control. Some memories have managed to come back to me. I pursued those same men back to their home town, Cyndor. When I found them, I cut loose and dropped all of my restraints. Every one of those men died at my hands. I was only three and I managed to rip them limb from limb. You know most of the details from there. I destroyed so many people......" Lina broke down then.
She had laid her secret out for Zel alone to see. Zel slowly wrapped her arms around Lina. She continued crying and sobbing because the pain, shame, and guilt were so great. Zel never let her go as she slowly regained her composure.
"I'll understand.....if you don't want to marry me now...." She started.
Zel softly put a finger over lips and shushed her. "You have done nothing for which you should be ashamed. You avenged your parents' murder; there is no wrong in doing that." He explained. "And if you think that small part of your life will drive me away, you are very mistaken." He replied.
Lina started crying again as she buried her face in Zel's chest. "How.......how can you forgive me so easily for such a thing?" She asked.
"Because I know you Lina. I know that you would never kill anyone unless you had a very good reason. You had no control over yourself whatsoever and therefore you are not at fault." He continued. Lina looked up at Zel's face, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Then......you don't hate me?" She asked.
Uncertainty was clearly written all over her face and laced through her voice.
Zel smiled and shook his head as Lina laid her head on his chest again and let a smile find its way to her lips.
"He doesn't hate me...." She thought before she fell asleep.
Zel never left her side.
Lina awoke the next morning in the bed she and Zel now shared. She discovered she was alone in the bed and nearly panicked.
"I see you're finally up." Zel stated from the other side of the bed.
Lina's head snapped in that direction and she calmed down immensely.
"Thanks for understanding." Lina said.
Zel nodded and knelt next to the bed, caressing Lina's face as only he could. Lina closed her eyes and leaned into the hand, placing her hand over his as Zel leaned forward and touched her forehead with his.
"Everything is right again..." Lina thought as she started to come to terms with what she had done. The couple stayed together for the rest of the day, reveling in simply being together. Lina had her arms wrapped around Zel's left arm and her head up against that same arm as he led them around the castle with no particular destination.
The rest of the group had nearly worried themselves to death when Zel had ushered everyone out of the room to be alone with Lina after Gourry had spouted off that rumor. Questions and assumptions flew through their minds, their paranoia approaching dangerous levels as the hours passed. When Zel finally opened the door, carrying a sleeping Lina, he was almost mobbed if it hadn't been for Amelia.
"Listen everyone! Yelling and screaming about this isn't going to help us! I suggest that one of us, namely me, will accompany Zel up to his room with Lina where he will try to explain what went on in there."
Amelia had stated in a tone that left no one room to argue. "Damn, she's definitely taken after that Lina girl; she's gone and turned into a little spitfire herself!" Sanjuro thought to himself.
Amelia made good on her idea and walked in front of Zel up to his room.
Amelia shut and locked the door after she had let Zel place Lina on the bed.
"What happened?" Amelia asked.
Zel looked up at her slowly. "Bad memories came back to haunt her." Zel answered.
Amelia managed to put two and two together and come up with a solution. "What does she have to do with the Cyndor massacre?" She asked, almost not believing it herself. Zel sat down and bowed his head.
"When you leave this room, you are to say that Lina suffered a bad case of Déjà vu because she was there when it happened, do you understand?" He asked.
Amelia could feel the tension in the air and nodded slowly.
"My guess on why she really panicked is sketchy, but it fills in some of the holes. Lina more than likely has some kind of hidden power within herself that not even she is aware of. This power only awakens when she's faced with a near-death crisis or when she's really mad. This power seems to take control of her completely, blocking most of her memories of those moments that 'it' is in control. This power surfaced when she and I were returning to Saillune against those bandits, and it surfaced fifteen years ago in Cyndor after Lina had tracked down her parents' murderers." Zel explained.
Amelia was dumbfounded to say the least. "She's the demon of the Cyndor massacre?" Amelia asked in a rather meek voice.
"Not her, at least not the Lina we know. She was out of control Amelia, my impression is that she only came to her senses when her parents were avenged. She had no idea what she had done until it was far too late. That is why this must remain a secret. If anyone was to find out about this and then spread the news among the public, no one would want to go near her ever again, not to mention every Mazuko lord would be after her for the rest of her life either trying to destroy her or enlist her." He continued.
Amelia nodded, immediately understanding the consequences of such an action.
Luckily for everyone, Xellos had been mysteriously recalled from all duties and was currently with his mistress. He was definitely not going to know of this unless Lina, Zel, or Amelia told him. Luna was a knight for L-sama herself, so no monster was going to come knocking at her door. The only people who could give away this little secret aside from those previously mentioned were the eye-witnesses that survived, of which the list of those still alive was incredibly small. Zel had let Amelia out of the room to give everyone else their cover story and sat down to wait for Lina to wake up.
After Zel and Lina had taken their walk around the palace, they eventually made their way to dinner. Everyone had seemingly bought the cover story and things were getting back to normal. Lina was back to her old self when she sat down to the table and set to work 'cleaning house' as she always did.
Zel could sense that Lina was at peace with herself again, knowing that what she had done didn't matter to the him. Knowing Lina as he did, Zel knew that was all that mattered to her. The situation was quickly forgotten and plans for three weddings were in full swing, with Phil and Amelia urging the others to let them pay for the whole thing.
As many times as the group had looked after Amelia, Phil considered this a sort of retribution for taking such good care of his daughter. Everyone seemed to sense that it wouldn't be long before families were started and lives would change forever. They felt as if they were on the verge of a new life with new hope, with nothing holding them back. This was their grand chance to start over and build lives that they had always wanted to live. Lina and Zel had no trouble with this, seeing as how they planned to keep on traveling after they were married. Amelia and Sanjuro were, of course, planning to be involved in politics as well as have a family. They were going to wait on the family though and see what L-sama's good fortune would present them with. Gourry and Sylphiel were planning on staying in Sylphiel's home town, keeping a farm and a small healing business as their means to live, and were planning on starting a family as soon as L-sama was willing to give them one. The banter continued on throughout the night as friends shared a time of reflection that was becoming all too rare, but were treasured more than any priceless artifact. Zel looked at Lina and his brow knitted for a moment before he stood up and held his glass in the motion to a toast. Everyone followed suit wordlessly.
"Treasure these times and memories my friends. For no matter how powerful or how rich you become, you will never be able to buy back the minutes we have just lived." He stated as he tilted his glass back. Everyone drank, but no one said anything for the rest of that night, for words were no longer necessary.
One month later......
Lina sat up in bed, realizing she was alone. She wasn't scared though, at least not of the fact she was alone. Zel had not slept with her at all last night because today was the day that they would be officially joined together for the rest of their lives. She walked over to the window and saw that there were clouds in the sky, but it wasn't very sunny, not did it look downright gloomy. She recalled an old myth about the weather on a person's wedding day. If it was a bright and sunny day like nothing could go wrong, the marriage would eventually fail. If it was downright miserable on your wedding day, then the worst was over and the marriage would be very fulfilling.
Yet if it fell in between and wasn't easily determinable, then one's marriage would have its ups and downs like a beginning sorcerer or sorceress who was just starting to learn Raywing. Lina liked the idea of having a somewhat problematic marriage, nothing that was crystal clear, and nothing that was doomed from the beginning, just an assurance that she had made the right choice in the long run even if it wasn't picture perfect. Lina put on a robe and went to soak in the royal family's hot springs that were conveniently near her room.
She left a quick note for the servants that would probably be there when she returned to help her put on her dress. She had made certain Zel hadn't laid eyes on it prior to today so that she could look at the shock on his face when he saw her in it.
Lina finally made it to the hot tubs and slipped in without disturbing the water too much. It was still early in the morning and the actual ceremony wouldn't take place until mid-afternoon. She had time for a one-hour soak to soothe her frazzled nerves. Despite how she felt about Zel and how much she knew he loved her, she was still getting cold feet. "Guess it's only natural...." She thought to herself as she fell into a light sleep.
Zel woke up under the same conditions as Lina, and he was in the same bind as she was. "I can't believe that I love her more than life itself and I'm still... ...trembling uncontrollably." He thought as he stood out on the balcony of his room, looking at the overcast sky.
Zel recalled the same myth that Lina had earlier, and was inwardly pleased with the message L-sama was giving him. It had been like this the whole week, long enough to cover Gourry and Sylphiel's wedding as well as Amelia's and Sanjuro's. He felt it was a overall good sign. He often fought with Lina, but their arguments never lasted for very long before they both saw the foolishness of what they were arguing over and would apologize for their actions. It was a relationship Zel had wanted without knowing it himself for many years. A woman who could stand up to him, match him blow for blow in all aspects, and even show him a little about life that he didn't always see on his own.
When they had announced their engagement to the rest of their friends, Zel had immediately dug out the ring he had been saving for just this purpose for over two years. He had given it to her that night and she was in tears at the finality of the gesture, knowing that he had every intention of marrying her. He went back inside to simply sit down and wait for Sylphiel, Phil, and a few other servants to come in and help him into his tuxedo. He did his best to attempt to fall asleep to release some of the tension that was steadily building throughout his body.
That afternoon.....
Zel stood at the alter, his features for once betraying that he was indeed the most nervous man in the courtyard. "It's times like these that almost make me wish I had Gourry's brain and could forget where I was every few seconds." Zel thought to himself, almost chuckling at the thought of having to hold Gourry in place so he wouldn't charge off looking for Sylphiel earlier that week.
He was as tense as he could ever remember being in his whole life, but he willed his feet to remain planted where they were. He suddenly heard the small orchestra of string instruments light up the courtyard with melodies that he had never heard before in his life.
He nervously glanced towards the back of the aisle and saw what could only be described as his Lina transformed into an angel. The dress was bright pink that wasn't too light or too dark. Her shoulders were bare and her hair in a mass of curls that made every man question the mere words that could have been used to describe her. She started walking down the aisle with Phil escorting her. Lina had been paramount about wanting someone to give her away, and Phil had gladly accepted the task, seeing Lina almost like his own daughter. The dress accented her hair and eyes perfectly. The material flowed on her body as fluidly as water. She seemed to walk on air as she eventually closed the distance between the two of them.
After Phil had given Lina to Zel, the ceremony began. Lina and Zel's eyes were locked, all traces of doubt and nervousness long forgotten. Lina smirked inwardly at the reaction she had gotten out of Zel; he had, after all, almost forgotten to accept her hand from Phil!
He had recovered quickly though, and no one was the wiser. The two were so engrossed with each other that they almost didn't hear the priest ask for the rings! Zel reclaimed his dignity as his eye pointed to the priest and Lina quickly caught on, blushing in the process. The rest of the ceremony went without fail and then came the final part.
"Zelgadiss Greywords, do you take Lina Inverse to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer? And forsaking all others, keep yourself only for her, as long as you both shall live until death do you part?" The priest asked.
Zel smiled. "I do. Although I hate to think what would happen to Death if he did come knocking at my door. After all, Lina can get rather possessive when she chooses."
Everyone present chuckled loudly at how right the groom was, and it was pure torture for Gourry not to burst out laughing at the thought of Lina beating up the Grim Reaper! The priest finally managed to will away the smirk on his face and continued.
"Lina Inverse, do you take Zelgadiss Greywords to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer? And forsaking all others, keep yourself only for him, as long as you both shall live until death do you part?" The priest continued.
Lina looked Zel in the eye this time. "I do. Without you Zel, life wouldn't be worth living. Don't you dare make plans to leave me or I'll rip apart all nine hells to find you and give you what for!" She answered with a dangerous glint in her eyes.
Every man in the audience sweat-dropped, realizing the accuracy of the groom's previous statement about his bride being possessive. The priest only smiled at the genuine exchange between the two.
"Then by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife." The priest finished as Zel and Lina couldn't stop looking at each other.
"You may kiss the bride." He started.
"We know that." The two newlyweds answered simultaneously.
The priest's smile only grew wider as Zel lifted the veil over Lina's face and met her lips with his own. The kiss was as searing as it looked and several of the grown women present had to shield the eyes of the younger children. The two finally broke apart and the priest spread his arms out. "I give you ladies and gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Zelgadiss Greywords!" He pronounced.
Lina and Zel turned to face the audience as Lina caught sight of another figure that was lurking near the back. She immediately recognized it as her sister, Luna. Lina smiled and waved as she and Zel made their way down the aisle, arm in arm and ready to move the celebration to the reception hall.
When Lina and Zel arrived at the banquet hall, they were certainly startled to say the least. Everyone whom they had met in their travels had come to the reception since everyone couldn't fit in the courtyard. The turnout surprised even them and they blushed lightly as they took their seats near the head of the table together.
The first order of business was, of course, the food. Lina was actually civilized about the whole thing, taking her time and exhibiting splendid table manners that the others had never known she possessed. Then after the food came the dancing, but both Lina and Zel wanted to wait and let others have a go at the dance floor before they hogged it to themselves for their first dance together.
Luna slowly made her way over to where her sister was, but not without Zel and Lina both noticing well in advance of her arrival. She eventually came up behind them and patted them both on the shoulder.
"What's up nee-chan?" Lina asked nervously.
"Nothing at all, in fact I came to tell you that L-sama has her own little gift for you. Consider it her little wedding present just for the two of you. When you go out there for your first dance, don't pay attention to the string ensemble, you'll hear it." She said before moving away.
Lina and Zel were both confused, but didn't question it. After another hour, the guests had decided it was high time for the bride and groom to have their time in the spotlight. Zel stood and took Lina's hand, leading her to the dance floor.
They took the classical slow dance positions and waited for the ensemble to strike up a chord, not knowing what to expect. They heard the first note from the ensemble, but then a new tone took over in their own ears and no one else's. Neither of them had ever heard anything like it, and then a voice rang out with the music itself.
You'll never know
What you've done for me
What your faith in me
Has done for my soul...
Lina and Zel were shocked by its beauty and the words that the song used, as if the song was perfectly tailored for them alone.
You'll never know
The gift you've given me...
I'll carry it with me...
Through the days ahead
I think of days before
You made me hope for something better
And made me reach for something more
You taught me to run
You taught me to fly
Helped me to free the me inside
Help me hear the music of my heart
Help me hear the music of my heart
You've opened my eyes
You've opened the door
To something I've never known before
And your love...
Is the music of my heart...
"This is for you my two children, may your lives be long and filled with joyous days such as this." L-sama's voice seemed to reach them through the music.
You were the one
Always on my side
Always standing by
Seeing me through
You were the song that always made me sing
I'm singing this for you
Everywhere I go
I think of where I've been
And of the one who knew me better
Than anyone ever will again
You taught me to run
You taught me to fly
Helped me to free the me inside
Help me hear the music of my heart
Help me hear the music of my heart
You've opened my eyes
You've opened the door
To something I've never known before...
And you love...
Is the music of my heart...
"I love you Lina." Zel whispered.
"I love you Zel." She replied.
The song truly did describe the two of them perfectly, although they had no idea how such a sweet sound could be made. They merely moved closer and let the music touch every part of their two souls which were slowly becoming more unified with each passing moment.
What you taught me
Only your love could ever teach
You got through when no one could reach me
Cause you always saw in me
All the best that I could be
It was you who set me free...
You taught me to run
You taught me to fly
Helped me to free the me inside
Help me hear the music of my heart
Help me hear the music of my heart
You taught me to run
You taught me to fly
Helped me to free the me inside
Help me hear the music of my heart
Help me hear the music of my heart
No words could describe the emotions running between the two lovers at that moment, and nothing would have done it justice if someone had tried. Silence reigned in that moment as the doors to Zel's and Lina's heart flew open and the two of them were undeniably joined together for all time. No secrets were hidden, no pain unfelt by the other, there was nothing about one that the other didn't know. Yet neither of them cared, for it was the love they felt for each other that mattered most to both of them.
You've opened my eyes
You've opened the door
To something I've never known before
And your love...
Is the music of my heart...
Music of my heart
Music of my heart
Is the music of my heart...
The couple stopped dancing as the last note was struck by the ensemble and all that they could do was stare into each other's eyes. No one on the continent, let alone in the room, could fathom the bond that had just been formed between the two newlyweds. The couple kissed with a passion that was previously unheard of from either of them as cheers came from all round the room, encouraging the two to never let go of each other.
Of course it was a futile lesson to teach Lina and Zel, they already had every intention of letting nothing come between them. When they finished the kiss, they simply held onto one another as the ensemble started back up and others joined the newlyweds on the dance floor.
Like all good things, the celebration had to come to an end. The ladies gathered around Lina as she prepared to throw the bouquet, and among them was a certain blond-haired golden dragon priestess named Filia! Luna also lined up for the sake of just being there, knowing full well she couldn't catch it. Lina glanced quickly over her shoulder and chucked the thing into the pack of what seemed to be wild dogs at the time.
Yet as the bouquet sailed through the air, there were numerous shouts and when the batch of flowers came under the law of gravity, Filia was the only woman standing to receive it! Luna quickly hid her club behind her back and shot Filia a quick smile as she darted from the scene!
Next came the part every male in the room had secretly yearned for. Even Xellos had come out of the shadows for this one! Zel was the perfect gentleman in retrieving the garter, trying not to embarrass his bride too much. He simply furrowed his brow a little bit, searching for a unique character among the hoard of men and then threw it in his general direction. Every man in the group fell at the blow of Xellos's staff and he neatly caught the garter, smiling to himself.
Then Amelia shouted from across the room, "Xellos, you do realize that means you're going to marry Filia, RIGHT?!"
Amelia had to suppress the extreme urge to burst into laughter as Xellos turned beet red and shot Zel a look that could melt any metal known to man and then some! Filia was also as red as a tomato, but felt she owed it to Lina and Zel to play along with the ceremony.
That night Lina and Zel had decided to stay at Amelia's palace for a few days and then head for their secret spot in the mountains that Zel had shown Lina before they had been married. (Author's note: Read the previous story, you'll get it!) Zel walked Lina upstairs and as per tradition, carried her in his arms through the doorway. They fell onto the bed with Lina giggling and Zel smirking.
Neither of them got any sleep that night....
Little did they know, some higher power was watching this whole scene unfold and it WAS NOT L-sama.
The being smirked as it thought of bringing in a few new 'recruits'. It eventually grew bored with the show since the two humans it was observing weren't putting off any negative emotions, in fact they were on the opposite end of the spectrum which was quite frankly making it sick. It turned back towards its main servant and grinned wolfishly.
"It is almost time my faithful subject, soon they will be on our side and the power to topple L-sama herself will be in my grasp!" SHE explained.
"Yes master Zelas." Xellos replied grimly as his eyes began to glow a sickly shade of red, indicating his master's complete control over his body. Something big was on the rise; the only question that remained was if Lina and Zel were ready for what was most definitely coming their way.
--
Author's note: Ok, someone had the brilliant idea that I should continue this series and I had a songfic for the exact same couple planned, so I decided to work it in there as well! I'm glad that Reanna R. King made that suggestion! Anyway, hope everyone enjoyed this section because if you paid attention, there's going to be at least one more chapter in this little story until we get caught up and then it's all in the air. The reviews I get will determine whether or not I write about Ryo and Katherine growing up with their parents on the road, facing all sorts of dangers as little kids, etc. I leave that decision up to you readers! Until my next story!
Next installment: The Challenge!
Zel and Lina are 'invited' to join the ranks of the Mazuko, both refuse, but Lina offers Zelas a challenge and a bet she can't refuse! Lina is up to her ears in trouble until the unthinkable happens and Zelas drags Zel into the fray! What's a girl to do when every card is on the table except for one? Find out next time in THE CHALLENGE!
By David Goldsmith
Edited by Sakura Yuki
An interlude from "Hope and Love......Death and Rebirth"
Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers, N'Sync, Gloria Estefan material in any way form or fashion. I am simply using a song and characters from a popular anime series to write a songfic that I hope all will enjoy. Leave a review if you like the story, leave one if you don't, but feedback is always welcome! The songfic part won't come for a little while, so be patient and enjoy!
-Previously on "Hope and Love......Death and Rebirth":
"Would you care to wear this with me for a while?" He asked.
"About how long were you thinking?" Lina asked, on the verge of stuttering.
"I'm not sure, perhaps a couple of centuries. Give or take a millennia or two." Zel answered.
Lina's eyes began to tear up again. "That's much better...." She trailed off. "...and I've have to be crazy to say anything but yes." She softly replied as Zel wrapped the sheet around them tighter.
"Want to celebrate a bit more lover?" Lina grinned mischievously.
"And you said men had a one track mind..." Zel answered as Lina practically threw him onto the bed, with her leaping after him cackling like a mad scientist.
Now, what exactly happened after that?
Here lies the story of how two souls were joined for eternity......
Zel awoke, for the second time, in the same bed as Lina. He could definitely get used to waking up like this every morning for the rest of his life. Be it in a bed in a castle or on a bedroll in the middle of nowhere beside a small campfire, it was something he had already started to appreciate. Lina stirred and he wrapped his arms around her midsection, holding her snugly against his warm stone body. Zel could almost swear he heard Lina start to purr from the position they were in. The red-haired sorceress slowly found her way into consciousness and also found herself in the arms of the man she loved.
"It's pretty late Zel..." She started.
Suddenly, Lina's anatomy caught up with her and a loud rumble could be heard under the sheets. Lina blushed heavily, realizing she hadn't eaten anything in roughly twenty-four hours.
Zel chuckled lightly. "I suppose we both know what we do next..." He trailed off as he pulled the covers back and started to get dressed. Lina followed suit and soon the new couple were on their way to the kitchen for a late dinner.
The kitchen staff was apparently finished for the night, since Lina and Zel couldn't find anyone who would be of any assistance.
"Looks like we're on our own for dinner lover." Lina stated.
Zel began searching the numerous cupboards for utensils that they could make use of while Lina raided the cellar and the pantry. Within another hour, the two sat down to a meal that could probably have satisfied Lina, at least until breakfast that is. The two ate in relative silence, no words being needed. Zel, for a change, was actually eating a few vegetables along with half of a turkey!
When they were finished, neither was very tired and they decided to spend the remainder of the night in the study. There weren't any guards to stop them, so they just went right in. The couple sat down on the couch, with Lina more or less lying on top of Zel as they simply reveled at being with each other.
"You really are something else Zel." Lina started.
"I was going to say the same thing about you Lina." Zel replied.
Lina flipped over and laid her head on Zel's chest, content on listening to the Chimera's steady heartbeat.
"When do you want to tell the others?" Zel asked calmly.
"How about at breakfast?" Lina inquired cheerfully.
Zel shook his head with a grin on his face. "Everything's got to be food-oriented with you, doesn't it?" He asked.
Lina gave him one of her trademark grins and nodded. Zel had to admit, Lina looked absolutely cute when she tried. She could be pouncing on you or yelling enough obscenities to make an ogre blush, but she would still look adorable.
"You truly are one-of-a-kind Lina Inverse." Zel thought aloud.
"Well so are you Zelgadiss Greywords, I'm just glad we're on the same page now." She continued and lifted her head to stare into his sapphire eyes. Her chin propped on his chest and her eyes twinkling, Zel could do nothing but look at those ruby eyes that seemed to never end. A man could completely lose himself in them if he wasn't careful. Zel and Lina bowed their heads again at the same time, their bond already clearly evident to any observer. They eventually fell into a small catnap until dawn.
Amelia was truly getting worried. Neither Lina nor Zelgadiss had emerged from their room in the past thirty-six hours. Amelia knew that she wouldn't have to wait much longer, knowing that Lina's eating habits were sure to catch up with her soon enough.
She calmly walked into her study and was utterly shocked to find the objects of her search quietly napping together. Amelia smiled slightly and went towards them. It was almost breakfast and she hated to think of what Lina would do if she ever figured out that Amelia had intentionally left her out of a meal! She approached carefully and gently nudged the two, speaking gently when her fiancée walked through the door.
"Hey hon, what's up?" He said a little too loudly for Amelia's immediate tastes. She cringed, knowing that Zel was going to wake at that. Her fiancé, a man who was known as Sanjuro, caught on to what she was trying to do and slapped a hand over his mouth. Amelia noticed this and inwardly smiled at his observant nature. He would probably use that to his advantage......later. Amelia blushed as her thoughts went in a very......un-ladylike direction. Amelia noticed Zel was indeed awake and nudging Lina back into consciousness.
"I'm sorry to disturb you two, but I thought you would want to know that breakfast is almost ready." Amelia announced. All trace of sleep and rest fled from Lina's mind and her facial expressions in an instant and the last thing Amelia and Sanjuro saw was a red blur dragging a blue one behind it. Sanjuro sweat-dropped and looked back to his fiancé.
"Is she always like this?" He asked tactlessly.
"Sometimes worse..." She admitted.
"Enemy to all who live, huh? Don't they mean 'Enemy to anything edible'?" Sanjuro continued. Amelia couldn't help but giggle in response.
Lina was surprisingly slow at breakfast, meaning she ate slowly. Zel was amazed at how much her pace had slowed from normal. Everyone let her be though, if she wanted to start acting like she had some table manners, who were they to argue? When she finished, it was quite evident that the kitchen was a little more spacious from her efforts.
Amelia, Sanjuro, Zel, and Lina continued to chat about the upcoming weddings and other related topics. Amelia suddenly steered off her topic of her search for a wedding dress to look at Lina and Zel.
"I just received word from Gourry and Sylphiel that they'll arrive in a few days, just in time to start the final plans." She stated.
Lina and Zel simply glanced at each other and then nodded in Amelia's direction.
Amelia suddenly felt the veins pop out on her head. "What's up with you two!? You've been quiet all morning! It's starting to DISTURB ME!!!" She shouted.
Zel and Lina sweat-dropped, realizing that they were cornered.
Since they were sitting right beside each other, it was a simple matter for them to grasp each other's hands and look Amelia dead in the eye. Lina broke the silence.
"Zel asked me to marry him last night and I said 'yes'." Lina replied in a calm tone. Amelia's jaw immediately detached and hit the table. Phil simply smiled at the two of them, expressing his approval.
Sanjuro also smiled, seeing how happy they were together. "I'm also glad that Amelia's stopped obsessing over that guy, at least now she looks at me." He thought to himself.
Amelia composed herself and sat back down. "Wow! That was certainly unexpected. I thought Mr. Zelgadiss would EVENTUALLY pop the question, but I never thought it would be this SOON!" Amelia declared in astonishment.
Zel and Lina simply looked at each other and touched noses, snickering at the tickling sensations running through them both at that very moment. Amelia couldn't help but smile and glance to Sanjuro, who returned the smile. Amelia reached for his hand under the table and laced her fingers through his. Sanjuro was certainly pleased with this turn of events, but he was content to take things slowly for Amelia's sake. She really had calmed down since Zel had talked with her. She didn't rant about justice as much because she no longer had anyone to impress. She seemed to have matured overnight from the bubbly teenager into a knowledgeable young woman. Sanjuro and Amelia simply gazed into each other's eyes, their gaze radiating trust and understanding between them.
Gourry and Sylphiel arrived two days later, as their message had said they would. Gourry was ecstatic to see Lina again since he practically saw her as family, and shocked to see Zel. Gourry and Sylphiel explained that there was some rumor flying around about a red-haired sorceress single-handedly ripping apart a group of bandits with her bare hands. Gourry hadn't believed it because Lina usually just fire-balled a person and left them nice and crispy. Lina looked sullen if anything, and Zel picked up on it rather fast. Gourry also added that the rumor proclaimed that the sorceress was protecting a man who had blue skin.
Lina started trembling slightly and Zel quickly ushered everyone out of the room so that they could be alone. When Zel finally turned around again, he found Lina huddled in a corner, withdrawn once more into her shell as if trying to escape some ghastly fate. Zel tried to approach her, but she put up her arm and motioned for him to stop.
"Before anything else happens Zel, you need to know the truth about something." She started. Zel sat down patiently, trying to keep Lina from retreating further into her shell. At least she was telling him what was wrong.
Lina started. "I it take you've heard about the Cyndor massacre that took place fifteen years ago?" She asked.
Zel nodded. Heard about it? It was the bloodiest event he had ever heard of, supposedly caused by some uncontrollable demon. Luna Inverse herself had to come and try to stop the demon from killing anymore innocents. It was a given that Cyndor was a town full of criminals, but there were women and children who had died in that gory event.
"What do you think caused it?" She asked. Zel gathered his thoughts on the matter.
"I was under the impression from the stories that some demon caused it, though I could never gather any hard facts about the whole thing." He replied.
Lina shuddered slightly. Lina took a deep breath before continuing. "Zel, when I was three, my parents were murdered. This group of men came and killed them. I was hidden by my parents in the secret room under the kitchen. I saw everything through a small hole in the wooden floor, including the faces of their killers. When they were gone, I started shaking my parents, but they were already long dead. I don't remember what happened next, I only remember feeling the anger and the rage. I felt something snap, though I don't know if it was my sanity or my control. Some memories have managed to come back to me. I pursued those same men back to their home town, Cyndor. When I found them, I cut loose and dropped all of my restraints. Every one of those men died at my hands. I was only three and I managed to rip them limb from limb. You know most of the details from there. I destroyed so many people......" Lina broke down then.
She had laid her secret out for Zel alone to see. Zel slowly wrapped her arms around Lina. She continued crying and sobbing because the pain, shame, and guilt were so great. Zel never let her go as she slowly regained her composure.
"I'll understand.....if you don't want to marry me now...." She started.
Zel softly put a finger over lips and shushed her. "You have done nothing for which you should be ashamed. You avenged your parents' murder; there is no wrong in doing that." He explained. "And if you think that small part of your life will drive me away, you are very mistaken." He replied.
Lina started crying again as she buried her face in Zel's chest. "How.......how can you forgive me so easily for such a thing?" She asked.
"Because I know you Lina. I know that you would never kill anyone unless you had a very good reason. You had no control over yourself whatsoever and therefore you are not at fault." He continued. Lina looked up at Zel's face, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Then......you don't hate me?" She asked.
Uncertainty was clearly written all over her face and laced through her voice.
Zel smiled and shook his head as Lina laid her head on his chest again and let a smile find its way to her lips.
"He doesn't hate me...." She thought before she fell asleep.
Zel never left her side.
Lina awoke the next morning in the bed she and Zel now shared. She discovered she was alone in the bed and nearly panicked.
"I see you're finally up." Zel stated from the other side of the bed.
Lina's head snapped in that direction and she calmed down immensely.
"Thanks for understanding." Lina said.
Zel nodded and knelt next to the bed, caressing Lina's face as only he could. Lina closed her eyes and leaned into the hand, placing her hand over his as Zel leaned forward and touched her forehead with his.
"Everything is right again..." Lina thought as she started to come to terms with what she had done. The couple stayed together for the rest of the day, reveling in simply being together. Lina had her arms wrapped around Zel's left arm and her head up against that same arm as he led them around the castle with no particular destination.
The rest of the group had nearly worried themselves to death when Zel had ushered everyone out of the room to be alone with Lina after Gourry had spouted off that rumor. Questions and assumptions flew through their minds, their paranoia approaching dangerous levels as the hours passed. When Zel finally opened the door, carrying a sleeping Lina, he was almost mobbed if it hadn't been for Amelia.
"Listen everyone! Yelling and screaming about this isn't going to help us! I suggest that one of us, namely me, will accompany Zel up to his room with Lina where he will try to explain what went on in there."
Amelia had stated in a tone that left no one room to argue. "Damn, she's definitely taken after that Lina girl; she's gone and turned into a little spitfire herself!" Sanjuro thought to himself.
Amelia made good on her idea and walked in front of Zel up to his room.
Amelia shut and locked the door after she had let Zel place Lina on the bed.
"What happened?" Amelia asked.
Zel looked up at her slowly. "Bad memories came back to haunt her." Zel answered.
Amelia managed to put two and two together and come up with a solution. "What does she have to do with the Cyndor massacre?" She asked, almost not believing it herself. Zel sat down and bowed his head.
"When you leave this room, you are to say that Lina suffered a bad case of Déjà vu because she was there when it happened, do you understand?" He asked.
Amelia could feel the tension in the air and nodded slowly.
"My guess on why she really panicked is sketchy, but it fills in some of the holes. Lina more than likely has some kind of hidden power within herself that not even she is aware of. This power only awakens when she's faced with a near-death crisis or when she's really mad. This power seems to take control of her completely, blocking most of her memories of those moments that 'it' is in control. This power surfaced when she and I were returning to Saillune against those bandits, and it surfaced fifteen years ago in Cyndor after Lina had tracked down her parents' murderers." Zel explained.
Amelia was dumbfounded to say the least. "She's the demon of the Cyndor massacre?" Amelia asked in a rather meek voice.
"Not her, at least not the Lina we know. She was out of control Amelia, my impression is that she only came to her senses when her parents were avenged. She had no idea what she had done until it was far too late. That is why this must remain a secret. If anyone was to find out about this and then spread the news among the public, no one would want to go near her ever again, not to mention every Mazuko lord would be after her for the rest of her life either trying to destroy her or enlist her." He continued.
Amelia nodded, immediately understanding the consequences of such an action.
Luckily for everyone, Xellos had been mysteriously recalled from all duties and was currently with his mistress. He was definitely not going to know of this unless Lina, Zel, or Amelia told him. Luna was a knight for L-sama herself, so no monster was going to come knocking at her door. The only people who could give away this little secret aside from those previously mentioned were the eye-witnesses that survived, of which the list of those still alive was incredibly small. Zel had let Amelia out of the room to give everyone else their cover story and sat down to wait for Lina to wake up.
After Zel and Lina had taken their walk around the palace, they eventually made their way to dinner. Everyone had seemingly bought the cover story and things were getting back to normal. Lina was back to her old self when she sat down to the table and set to work 'cleaning house' as she always did.
Zel could sense that Lina was at peace with herself again, knowing that what she had done didn't matter to the him. Knowing Lina as he did, Zel knew that was all that mattered to her. The situation was quickly forgotten and plans for three weddings were in full swing, with Phil and Amelia urging the others to let them pay for the whole thing.
As many times as the group had looked after Amelia, Phil considered this a sort of retribution for taking such good care of his daughter. Everyone seemed to sense that it wouldn't be long before families were started and lives would change forever. They felt as if they were on the verge of a new life with new hope, with nothing holding them back. This was their grand chance to start over and build lives that they had always wanted to live. Lina and Zel had no trouble with this, seeing as how they planned to keep on traveling after they were married. Amelia and Sanjuro were, of course, planning to be involved in politics as well as have a family. They were going to wait on the family though and see what L-sama's good fortune would present them with. Gourry and Sylphiel were planning on staying in Sylphiel's home town, keeping a farm and a small healing business as their means to live, and were planning on starting a family as soon as L-sama was willing to give them one. The banter continued on throughout the night as friends shared a time of reflection that was becoming all too rare, but were treasured more than any priceless artifact. Zel looked at Lina and his brow knitted for a moment before he stood up and held his glass in the motion to a toast. Everyone followed suit wordlessly.
"Treasure these times and memories my friends. For no matter how powerful or how rich you become, you will never be able to buy back the minutes we have just lived." He stated as he tilted his glass back. Everyone drank, but no one said anything for the rest of that night, for words were no longer necessary.
One month later......
Lina sat up in bed, realizing she was alone. She wasn't scared though, at least not of the fact she was alone. Zel had not slept with her at all last night because today was the day that they would be officially joined together for the rest of their lives. She walked over to the window and saw that there were clouds in the sky, but it wasn't very sunny, not did it look downright gloomy. She recalled an old myth about the weather on a person's wedding day. If it was a bright and sunny day like nothing could go wrong, the marriage would eventually fail. If it was downright miserable on your wedding day, then the worst was over and the marriage would be very fulfilling.
Yet if it fell in between and wasn't easily determinable, then one's marriage would have its ups and downs like a beginning sorcerer or sorceress who was just starting to learn Raywing. Lina liked the idea of having a somewhat problematic marriage, nothing that was crystal clear, and nothing that was doomed from the beginning, just an assurance that she had made the right choice in the long run even if it wasn't picture perfect. Lina put on a robe and went to soak in the royal family's hot springs that were conveniently near her room.
She left a quick note for the servants that would probably be there when she returned to help her put on her dress. She had made certain Zel hadn't laid eyes on it prior to today so that she could look at the shock on his face when he saw her in it.
Lina finally made it to the hot tubs and slipped in without disturbing the water too much. It was still early in the morning and the actual ceremony wouldn't take place until mid-afternoon. She had time for a one-hour soak to soothe her frazzled nerves. Despite how she felt about Zel and how much she knew he loved her, she was still getting cold feet. "Guess it's only natural...." She thought to herself as she fell into a light sleep.
Zel woke up under the same conditions as Lina, and he was in the same bind as she was. "I can't believe that I love her more than life itself and I'm still... ...trembling uncontrollably." He thought as he stood out on the balcony of his room, looking at the overcast sky.
Zel recalled the same myth that Lina had earlier, and was inwardly pleased with the message L-sama was giving him. It had been like this the whole week, long enough to cover Gourry and Sylphiel's wedding as well as Amelia's and Sanjuro's. He felt it was a overall good sign. He often fought with Lina, but their arguments never lasted for very long before they both saw the foolishness of what they were arguing over and would apologize for their actions. It was a relationship Zel had wanted without knowing it himself for many years. A woman who could stand up to him, match him blow for blow in all aspects, and even show him a little about life that he didn't always see on his own.
When they had announced their engagement to the rest of their friends, Zel had immediately dug out the ring he had been saving for just this purpose for over two years. He had given it to her that night and she was in tears at the finality of the gesture, knowing that he had every intention of marrying her. He went back inside to simply sit down and wait for Sylphiel, Phil, and a few other servants to come in and help him into his tuxedo. He did his best to attempt to fall asleep to release some of the tension that was steadily building throughout his body.
That afternoon.....
Zel stood at the alter, his features for once betraying that he was indeed the most nervous man in the courtyard. "It's times like these that almost make me wish I had Gourry's brain and could forget where I was every few seconds." Zel thought to himself, almost chuckling at the thought of having to hold Gourry in place so he wouldn't charge off looking for Sylphiel earlier that week.
He was as tense as he could ever remember being in his whole life, but he willed his feet to remain planted where they were. He suddenly heard the small orchestra of string instruments light up the courtyard with melodies that he had never heard before in his life.
He nervously glanced towards the back of the aisle and saw what could only be described as his Lina transformed into an angel. The dress was bright pink that wasn't too light or too dark. Her shoulders were bare and her hair in a mass of curls that made every man question the mere words that could have been used to describe her. She started walking down the aisle with Phil escorting her. Lina had been paramount about wanting someone to give her away, and Phil had gladly accepted the task, seeing Lina almost like his own daughter. The dress accented her hair and eyes perfectly. The material flowed on her body as fluidly as water. She seemed to walk on air as she eventually closed the distance between the two of them.
After Phil had given Lina to Zel, the ceremony began. Lina and Zel's eyes were locked, all traces of doubt and nervousness long forgotten. Lina smirked inwardly at the reaction she had gotten out of Zel; he had, after all, almost forgotten to accept her hand from Phil!
He had recovered quickly though, and no one was the wiser. The two were so engrossed with each other that they almost didn't hear the priest ask for the rings! Zel reclaimed his dignity as his eye pointed to the priest and Lina quickly caught on, blushing in the process. The rest of the ceremony went without fail and then came the final part.
"Zelgadiss Greywords, do you take Lina Inverse to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer? And forsaking all others, keep yourself only for her, as long as you both shall live until death do you part?" The priest asked.
Zel smiled. "I do. Although I hate to think what would happen to Death if he did come knocking at my door. After all, Lina can get rather possessive when she chooses."
Everyone present chuckled loudly at how right the groom was, and it was pure torture for Gourry not to burst out laughing at the thought of Lina beating up the Grim Reaper! The priest finally managed to will away the smirk on his face and continued.
"Lina Inverse, do you take Zelgadiss Greywords to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer? And forsaking all others, keep yourself only for him, as long as you both shall live until death do you part?" The priest continued.
Lina looked Zel in the eye this time. "I do. Without you Zel, life wouldn't be worth living. Don't you dare make plans to leave me or I'll rip apart all nine hells to find you and give you what for!" She answered with a dangerous glint in her eyes.
Every man in the audience sweat-dropped, realizing the accuracy of the groom's previous statement about his bride being possessive. The priest only smiled at the genuine exchange between the two.
"Then by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife." The priest finished as Zel and Lina couldn't stop looking at each other.
"You may kiss the bride." He started.
"We know that." The two newlyweds answered simultaneously.
The priest's smile only grew wider as Zel lifted the veil over Lina's face and met her lips with his own. The kiss was as searing as it looked and several of the grown women present had to shield the eyes of the younger children. The two finally broke apart and the priest spread his arms out. "I give you ladies and gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Zelgadiss Greywords!" He pronounced.
Lina and Zel turned to face the audience as Lina caught sight of another figure that was lurking near the back. She immediately recognized it as her sister, Luna. Lina smiled and waved as she and Zel made their way down the aisle, arm in arm and ready to move the celebration to the reception hall.
When Lina and Zel arrived at the banquet hall, they were certainly startled to say the least. Everyone whom they had met in their travels had come to the reception since everyone couldn't fit in the courtyard. The turnout surprised even them and they blushed lightly as they took their seats near the head of the table together.
The first order of business was, of course, the food. Lina was actually civilized about the whole thing, taking her time and exhibiting splendid table manners that the others had never known she possessed. Then after the food came the dancing, but both Lina and Zel wanted to wait and let others have a go at the dance floor before they hogged it to themselves for their first dance together.
Luna slowly made her way over to where her sister was, but not without Zel and Lina both noticing well in advance of her arrival. She eventually came up behind them and patted them both on the shoulder.
"What's up nee-chan?" Lina asked nervously.
"Nothing at all, in fact I came to tell you that L-sama has her own little gift for you. Consider it her little wedding present just for the two of you. When you go out there for your first dance, don't pay attention to the string ensemble, you'll hear it." She said before moving away.
Lina and Zel were both confused, but didn't question it. After another hour, the guests had decided it was high time for the bride and groom to have their time in the spotlight. Zel stood and took Lina's hand, leading her to the dance floor.
They took the classical slow dance positions and waited for the ensemble to strike up a chord, not knowing what to expect. They heard the first note from the ensemble, but then a new tone took over in their own ears and no one else's. Neither of them had ever heard anything like it, and then a voice rang out with the music itself.
You'll never know
What you've done for me
What your faith in me
Has done for my soul...
Lina and Zel were shocked by its beauty and the words that the song used, as if the song was perfectly tailored for them alone.
You'll never know
The gift you've given me...
I'll carry it with me...
Through the days ahead
I think of days before
You made me hope for something better
And made me reach for something more
You taught me to run
You taught me to fly
Helped me to free the me inside
Help me hear the music of my heart
Help me hear the music of my heart
You've opened my eyes
You've opened the door
To something I've never known before
And your love...
Is the music of my heart...
"This is for you my two children, may your lives be long and filled with joyous days such as this." L-sama's voice seemed to reach them through the music.
You were the one
Always on my side
Always standing by
Seeing me through
You were the song that always made me sing
I'm singing this for you
Everywhere I go
I think of where I've been
And of the one who knew me better
Than anyone ever will again
You taught me to run
You taught me to fly
Helped me to free the me inside
Help me hear the music of my heart
Help me hear the music of my heart
You've opened my eyes
You've opened the door
To something I've never known before...
And you love...
Is the music of my heart...
"I love you Lina." Zel whispered.
"I love you Zel." She replied.
The song truly did describe the two of them perfectly, although they had no idea how such a sweet sound could be made. They merely moved closer and let the music touch every part of their two souls which were slowly becoming more unified with each passing moment.
What you taught me
Only your love could ever teach
You got through when no one could reach me
Cause you always saw in me
All the best that I could be
It was you who set me free...
You taught me to run
You taught me to fly
Helped me to free the me inside
Help me hear the music of my heart
Help me hear the music of my heart
You taught me to run
You taught me to fly
Helped me to free the me inside
Help me hear the music of my heart
Help me hear the music of my heart
No words could describe the emotions running between the two lovers at that moment, and nothing would have done it justice if someone had tried. Silence reigned in that moment as the doors to Zel's and Lina's heart flew open and the two of them were undeniably joined together for all time. No secrets were hidden, no pain unfelt by the other, there was nothing about one that the other didn't know. Yet neither of them cared, for it was the love they felt for each other that mattered most to both of them.
You've opened my eyes
You've opened the door
To something I've never known before
And your love...
Is the music of my heart...
Music of my heart
Music of my heart
Is the music of my heart...
The couple stopped dancing as the last note was struck by the ensemble and all that they could do was stare into each other's eyes. No one on the continent, let alone in the room, could fathom the bond that had just been formed between the two newlyweds. The couple kissed with a passion that was previously unheard of from either of them as cheers came from all round the room, encouraging the two to never let go of each other.
Of course it was a futile lesson to teach Lina and Zel, they already had every intention of letting nothing come between them. When they finished the kiss, they simply held onto one another as the ensemble started back up and others joined the newlyweds on the dance floor.
Like all good things, the celebration had to come to an end. The ladies gathered around Lina as she prepared to throw the bouquet, and among them was a certain blond-haired golden dragon priestess named Filia! Luna also lined up for the sake of just being there, knowing full well she couldn't catch it. Lina glanced quickly over her shoulder and chucked the thing into the pack of what seemed to be wild dogs at the time.
Yet as the bouquet sailed through the air, there were numerous shouts and when the batch of flowers came under the law of gravity, Filia was the only woman standing to receive it! Luna quickly hid her club behind her back and shot Filia a quick smile as she darted from the scene!
Next came the part every male in the room had secretly yearned for. Even Xellos had come out of the shadows for this one! Zel was the perfect gentleman in retrieving the garter, trying not to embarrass his bride too much. He simply furrowed his brow a little bit, searching for a unique character among the hoard of men and then threw it in his general direction. Every man in the group fell at the blow of Xellos's staff and he neatly caught the garter, smiling to himself.
Then Amelia shouted from across the room, "Xellos, you do realize that means you're going to marry Filia, RIGHT?!"
Amelia had to suppress the extreme urge to burst into laughter as Xellos turned beet red and shot Zel a look that could melt any metal known to man and then some! Filia was also as red as a tomato, but felt she owed it to Lina and Zel to play along with the ceremony.
That night Lina and Zel had decided to stay at Amelia's palace for a few days and then head for their secret spot in the mountains that Zel had shown Lina before they had been married. (Author's note: Read the previous story, you'll get it!) Zel walked Lina upstairs and as per tradition, carried her in his arms through the doorway. They fell onto the bed with Lina giggling and Zel smirking.
Neither of them got any sleep that night....
Little did they know, some higher power was watching this whole scene unfold and it WAS NOT L-sama.
The being smirked as it thought of bringing in a few new 'recruits'. It eventually grew bored with the show since the two humans it was observing weren't putting off any negative emotions, in fact they were on the opposite end of the spectrum which was quite frankly making it sick. It turned back towards its main servant and grinned wolfishly.
"It is almost time my faithful subject, soon they will be on our side and the power to topple L-sama herself will be in my grasp!" SHE explained.
"Yes master Zelas." Xellos replied grimly as his eyes began to glow a sickly shade of red, indicating his master's complete control over his body. Something big was on the rise; the only question that remained was if Lina and Zel were ready for what was most definitely coming their way.
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Author's note: Ok, someone had the brilliant idea that I should continue this series and I had a songfic for the exact same couple planned, so I decided to work it in there as well! I'm glad that Reanna R. King made that suggestion! Anyway, hope everyone enjoyed this section because if you paid attention, there's going to be at least one more chapter in this little story until we get caught up and then it's all in the air. The reviews I get will determine whether or not I write about Ryo and Katherine growing up with their parents on the road, facing all sorts of dangers as little kids, etc. I leave that decision up to you readers! Until my next story!
Next installment: The Challenge!
Zel and Lina are 'invited' to join the ranks of the Mazuko, both refuse, but Lina offers Zelas a challenge and a bet she can't refuse! Lina is up to her ears in trouble until the unthinkable happens and Zelas drags Zel into the fray! What's a girl to do when every card is on the table except for one? Find out next time in THE CHALLENGE!
