It had taken only a few minutes to get the paintings stacked
in some semblance of order, and Zel stepped back to look at his handy work.
All the paintings that were of Lina and Gourry were leaning against one
wall, all the pictures of Lina, Gourry and himself were against another
wall, pictures of only himself were on another side, and those that didn't
seem to fit into any category were leaning near the door. Once he
had finished, Zel looked around and picked the first painting of Lina and
Gourry, which had been dated to around the time they had defeated Copy
Rezo. The brush strokes were a little cruder than some of the later
paintings, but it was still an amazingly lifelike piece of artwork, and
Zel couldn't help but smile a little as he gazed at it. In it, Lina
was sitting on Gourry's shoulder flashing the Victory sign and winking,
while Gourry had his hand on her leg to steady her and was smiling
at whomever was looking at the canvas. Zel reached for the little
square of paper, carefully pulled it out, and began to read Amelia's writing.
"I think Zelgadis was right when he made the comment about how he'd never seen two people fight so much whenever they get near each other. The thing that surprises me about Lina and Gourry is that I sense an affectionate undertone to the fighting (unless it's over food) that I know Lina would be too embarrassed to admit to, and Gourry probably wouldn't remember being there. You can tell that these two are good friends, and it's my belief that they'll be much more than friends before long. After all, Lina is still traveling with Gourry at the time I'm writing this (about a year later) and hasn't killed Gourry in his sleep to get the Sword of Light yet. I remember when I painted this that I had hoped to capture the light-hearted personalities of two of my best friends, as well as portraying some of the affection they have for each other. For once, I think I accomplished my goal because Lina looks like she's very relaxed, and Gourry certainly has a peaceful, easy-going expression on his face. Lina and Gourry are probably the easiest people I'll ever paint, because there really isn't that much that they keep hidden from the world. Lina is very much 'take me as I am' and I don't think Gourry would know HOW to keep his true nature from shining through for very long."
Zel glanced again at the painting and smiled at the image of his two friends. Amelia was right, Gourry would never be able to hide his true self for very long. He could probably fake it for about a week, but eventually his true soul would shine through any mask he tried to put on. With a slight shaking of his head, he carefully folded the slip of paper and replaced it in its spot between the canvas and the frame. He then turned his attention to another painting of himself, one that had caught his attention when he had run across it in his organization attempt. In it, he was sitting with his back leaning against a tree, his hands behind his head as he dozed off underneath the dappled shade. Behind the tree trunk, he could make out a bit of the white wall that surrounded part of the royal garden of Saillune. His face was peaceful, and his sword was laying on the ground next to him. He remembered that day. It had been shortly after they
had discovered that Philionel had faked his death, and he had gone into the garden to walk around and clear his head. The spot underneath the tree had looked inviting, and he had sat down and proceeded to run through the list of suspects in Phil's "death" once again. Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep and dreamed that Amelia had come looking for him, but when he woke up she wasn't there. He gently tugged the slip of paper free, and began to read.
"I came across Zelgadis sleeping underneath a tree in the garden. His face looked so peaceful that I had to stop and watch him for a few moments. He always has a look of determination, concentration, slight depression, or annoyance on his face, and it was nice to see him with such a gentle look. Thankfully, I had my sketch pad with me and did a quick sketch of his face and body position, then hurried back here to transfer it onto canvas. Out of all the pictures I've painted of Zelgadis, this has to be by far my favorite. It's the first truly unguarded moment I've ever seen him have and, as always, his gracefulness leaves someone a bit breathless when they look at him, especially when he is in such a relaxed position. When Zelgadis is in his battle-ready stance, he's very intimidating and focused. When he's relaxed, he reminds me almost of a child, face open to the world. Of course, according to the maids, all men look like this when they're asleep. All I know is that Daddy looks like a hibernating bear when he's sleeping, and he sounds like one, too. AS"
Zel's eyes looked again at the painting, replacing the paper as he did so. He did look more relaxed than usual, but he still couldn't quite place where Amelia kept getting all these ideas that he was graceful, or even beautiful. He just didn't see it. All he saw was a freak sleeping with his back against a tree. "I don't understand," he muttered to himself. Even Amelia herself had said that he was suspicious and creepy looking. Sure, she had still been a child, admittedly a well developed child, but an inexperienced child all the same. Still, it had only added fuel to Zel's determination to find a cure for himself. The thought of their first meeting brought to mind others, and slowly they began to make themselves known:
"You're mean! I don't think you have a shred of compassion in you, Zelgadis!"
"But you look so cool the way you are now!"
"Wow, Zelgadis, you look so serious!"
"Zelgadis! Here, you wanted to see this, right? The clue to the Clair Bible?"
That last memory brought a smile to Zel's lips as he remembered the cheerful way Amelia had handed the Brass Racquet trophy to him, especially when he thought about how Xelloss hadn't gotten to look at it first. Sure, it had turned out to be the Clair GABLE trophy, but thinking back on it he realized that Amelia had planned on giving him the trophy when Xelloss talked her into using her influence to rotate them into the semi-finals of the competition. He seriously doubted that Lina would have done the same thing had she been given the trophy. The thought of the petit redhead brought a small frown to Zel's face. Used to be that whenever he thought of Lina, he would feel a small spurt of pleasure, but now all he felt was a small inkling of annoyance. Though she had said once that she had gone hunting the Clair Bible to help Zel find his cure, he knew that she had really done so because, as she told Amelia when Amelia had angrily confronted her about it, she wanted it for herself. That brought to mind more memories of the sorceress and her "guardian", and Zel's mouth quirked at the corner when he realized that, most of the time, Gourry was really teasing Lina about being her guardian. He knew that she was more than capable of taking care of herself. Given the amount of beatings, bashings, Fireballings, Mega Brando-ings, and Dragon Slaves he'd survived, he knew better than anyone just HOW capable Lina was of taking care of herself.
Gazing at the painting of his sleeping face, he again recalled the time Amelia had hesitantly asked him, as Dark Star rushed towards them, if when the whole ordeal were over would he come back to Saillune with her. He had told her he would think about it, and indeed once they began heading back towards Saillune, he had accompanied them. Then, when they were they were nearly there, something had caused him to falter, and he had gone off on his own again. As he had turned to walk away, he could feel Amelia's eyes on him, boring into his back with such intensity that it felt as if the Sword of Light were being pressed against him. He heard her ask Lina and Gourry to wait, and then her light footfall as she trotted after him, calling for him to wait for a moment. He had turned to look down at her, and she stopped nearly an arm's length away, fiddling with one of the bracelets on her wrists. She then pulled one off, and held it out to him.
"Here," she had said. "If you ever need me or my help, send this back to me. It will also double as a key into the palace if you ever decide to come and visit."
Zel brought himself back to the present, and found himself holding the bracelet and turning it in his hands, gazing at the blue ball with its star insignia on it. These past few years he had held on to it, telling himself that he kept it because it might come in handy some day if he ever DID need help. As time passed he found that, strangely enough, he began to take comfort in its shape and form, and would find himself playing with it the way he was now whenever he would begin to feel lonely. He reached out and grabbed a painting at random, and looked at it. It was of Gourry and Lina. They were standing with their backs facing each other, looking like they were about to step away from the other but were unable to because their hands were clasped. This painting was titled "Connection," and it piqued Zel's interest as he reached for the slip of paper.
"Gourry and Lina are connected to each other somehow, and they just don't realize it. It's so plain to almost everyone else just how they feel for each other that I really wonder how they're able to keep their sanity about them as they travel. Probably because of Gourry's easy going manner, and he just doesn't realize what he feels for Lina. Lina, on the other hand, is probably driving herself crazy trying to figure out the conflicting emotions that Gourry brings out in her. Lina summed it up nicely after they defeated Mazenda. They're connected whether they want to be or not. I tried to get this across in this painting by having Gourry and Lina trying to step away from each other, but unable to because their hands were clasped together. I think it's rather nice, and hopefully one day Gourry and Lina will realize their feelings for each other. AS
P.S. I'm getting ready to head out for the Kingdom of Diolon, but I just had to add this to this entry. Lina and Gourry are engaged! It's about time! I'm so happy for them that I can't stand it. I'm going to give this to them as a wedding present, as well as a painting I have planned of Lina and Gourry in their wedding attire. Maybe that'll be a first year anniversary present."
Zel stared at the post script, hardly believing that he was reading something that Amelia had written just before she left for that disastrous journey. He replaced the paper, and began to look through the paintings, pulling out the papers, reading the dates, and replacing them without bothering to read the writing. He figured he'd get back to them at a later date, but right now he wanted to see if he could find something else that had been written before she left on her journey. He came to a painting that held the four of them, and sucked in his breath when he saw the date scribbled on the paper. According to the dates that Phil had given him, this had been written the day before Amelia left. On the canvas, Gourry and Lina stood in the background with their arms around each other, smiling while Amelia was sitting with a large smile and flashing the Victory sign, and he was kneeling beside her with his arm resting on an upraised knee, smiling out of the canvas. Once again, he began to read.
"This is another painting I might give to Lina and Gourry as a wedding present. It's a pity that they're always on the move and don't have somewhere to hang it. I can always hang onto it until they find themselves a place, if they ever do. We all look so happy here, it's hard to believe that I was really angry when the initial idea came to me. I had been listening to Zelgadis call himself a monster and a freak once again, and...well, I lost my temper. 'You are not a freak nor are you a monster!' I yelled, surprising him and everyone else in the process. 'Why is it that you can't see yourself for who you are, instead of what you look like? Why can't you believe that someone could actually care about you without caring about what package you come in? Why can't you understand how I . . .!' I never did finish what I was saying, because at that moment it became too much and I ran up here and began sketching the idea that came to me. I never did tell Zelgadis what was in my mind and heart. He'd probably never believe it, anyway. So here I am, adding the final touches to this painting before I head off to Diolon. I've decided that I'm definitely going to give this along with 'Connection' to Lina and Gourry. It'll be interesting to see Zelgadis' face when he sees that I've painted him. I just wish I had the courage to tell him just how much I . . . . Well, that's not important. When I return, my friends will be here and it will be great to see them again. AS"
"How much she what? What was she going to write?" Zelgadis wondered aloud. He remembered the day she was talking about. It was the same day he had fallen asleep in the garden, and for some reason he had been more depressed than usual when he returned to the castle. Zel remembered the shocked looks on Gourry's and Lina's faces as Amelia had suddenly yelled at him, then turned and rushed up the stairs. He figured that she had still been distraught over the near loss of her father.
He glanced out of one of the windows, and noticed that it was almost time for him to meet Horse Master Josh in the stables. He cursed lightly as he replaced the paper, promising himself that he would return soon to look at Amelia's other paintings. He was trying very hard not to let Amelia's last sentence in that last entry shake him too much. After all, when they found her and returned her home, her friends would be there. Her paintings had definitely given him some things to think about, and more than a few puzzles to agonize over. As he made his way back down the spiral staircase, Zelgadis did something that he had never done before. He took a cold hard look at his feelings for his friends. For Gourry, there was respect for his prowess as a swordsman, a distant affection one feels for a good friend, and a bit of exasperation over his denseness. He was a little surprised when he got to Lina. For Lina, there was a great deal of respect for the sorceress, respect for her power, respect for her mind and respect for the way that whenever the odds seemed stacked against them, she was always determined that they would win. Taking second place to the feelings of respect was a form of affection that one could only call brotherly or the form of affection that one has for a very good friend. This surprised Zel, for he had been certain that love would be in there somewhere. As he closed the bookcase in Amelia's room and made his way back outside, he mused about his findings. Perhaps he had mistaken deep respect for love. After all, he didn't have that much practice or experience in that particular field. And as for Amelia . . .
. Zel wasn't quite sure how he felt about Amelia. He respected her for her open heartedness and her deep affection for her friends. He worried over her safety, concerned that she could be out there injured. But . . . what else did he feel? Something was there, but he shook it away, not wanting to deal with emotions anymore. They gave him headaches. Of one thing he was certain, though; he did not love Lina Inverse, and with this realization, he suddenly felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Let Gourry have her for the rest of his life; his personality was better suited to her, anyway. The more Zel thought about it, the more he knew he was right. Lina and he would have clashed so much over so many things that eventually he would have either given up and walked out, or she would have.
Zel grunted at that thought, and looked up to find himself once again standing in front of the stables. A stable boy spotted him and ran inside to get his horse. Instead of leading Breeze out, however, he lead out a tall, finely built blue roan. Zel stared at the horse, and the horse stared back at him and wrinkled her nose.
"Where's Breeze?" Zel asked the stable boy.
"Oh, the Horse Master said you were ready for Umi no Hikari here," the boy said, patting the horse on his neck.
Zel took stock of his new mount. Umi stood a few inches above his shoulder, with heavily muscled haunches and a deep chest that suggested she could go a long way for a long time. Her legs were straight and she carried her head high, her deep brown eyes gazing around her, looking for all the world like she was taking anything and everything in at the same time. Her eyes were set wide apart, giving a hint of intelligence. Her bluish coat gleamed in the sunlight, and a light brown saddle and bridle complimented her coloring.
"What do ye think?" a voice said, and Zel turned to see Josh standing a little ways away, watching him watch the horse.
"She's of good stock, that's a definite given," Zel said, knowing what Josh was talking about. "She also looks like she could carry my weight for quite a long time if needed. Definitely not a speed horse, even though her head bears a shape very similar to Safir. She looks to be between the cross of a battle charger and a race horse."
"That's exactly what she is," Josh said, coming up and giving Umi's velvet nose an affectionate swat. "Princess Amelia bred her especially for you."
"She WHAT?!" Zel burst out, staring from Josh to the horse.
"Yep, five years ago, to be exact. She got it into her head that she was going to present you and your friends with horses she had bred to fit your temperaments and living styles," Josh said. "There are two other horses in the stables that are for Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev when they return. Since you're going to be scouting the area looking for her from horseback, I figured she would rather you did it on your own mounts instead of borrowed ones from the stables."
Zelgadis stared at his horse, not really sure how he felt knowing that she was his and Amelia had him in mind when she chose the sire and dam. He stepped forward and rested his hand on Umi's neck. The mare twitched an ear in his direction, and seemed to say, "Well? What are you waiting for?"
Zel took a breath, and swung up into the saddle. He had just gotten used to Breeze, and now he was going to have to get used to a new horse. "But it's your new horse," a voice said in his mind, and Zel smiled faintly at the thought as he walked Umi into the practice ring and began to follow Josh's instructions.
***********
About an hour and a half later found a very tired chimera walking through the pastures of the Palace Stables. His first lesson on Umi had been wonderful. Even Breeze couldn't compare to the smooth easy gait of the mare, and Umi had shown through various tests that Josh had set up that she had a very intelligent mind and was even capable of coming up with new ways to go through the tests. Josh had laughed and stated that Umi had been a handful for the stable proper, because she was always escaping from her stall and going on little hikes into the surrounding area. Zel smiled to himself. In a way, the horse reminded him of himself, always searching for something but never really knowing where it was.
He came to a split rail fence, and instead of going around to the gate Zel climbed over and dropped lightly into the next pasture. He found that he was enjoying the riding lessons more and more, and the fact that he would be riding his very own horse helped to add to that pleasure. He reached into his inner pocket and once again pulled out Amelia's bracelet.
"Amelia," he murmured to it, "We better find you soon so I can thank you."
A distant neigh caught Zel's attention, and he looked up to find a solid black horse making its way towards him. With a start, he realized that he was in Safir's pasture, and the curious stallion was making his way towards the new play thing in his domain. Zel looked over Safir with a critical eye that was just now learning how to appreciate the majestic beauty of the horse. Safir had put on about three hundred pounds since returning home, and he no longer looked like he was going to drop down dead at any second. He still looked thin, but his eyes were bright and he held his head up, sniffing the wind to see what was out there.
As the stallion approached Zel, he reached out and allowed the horse to sniff his hand. Safir made a deep whickering sound, and began to nuzzle up against his hand. Zel furrowed his brow as the horse continued to nuzzle and whuffle his way up to his shoulder, and then down his other hand until he came to the bracelet he was holding. Safir gave an odd whickering sound, and before Zel knew what was happening, grabbed the bracelet in his teeth and ran off, his head held high and his tail flowing behind him like a banner.
"HEY!" Zel shouted. "That's mine, give it back!"
The only answer he got was a whinny that he swore sounded like laughter. For an instant he was reminded of Amelia laughing at something that Lina and Gourry had either said or did, but Safir quickly caught his attention again as the horse pranced around him just out of reach, the bracelet dangling from his teeth. Zel could have sworn that the horse was taunting him.
"Are you going to give that back or not?" Zel asked, taking a step towards the horse. Safir watched him with interest as Zel took another step towards him. Just when it looked like he was going to be able to grab the bracelet, Safir half reared and turned on his heels, taking off for the other end of the pasture. Zel sighed in frustration, and took off after the horse. For fifteen minutes Zel chased the horse, who dodged, whirled, and danced just out of reach, the prize always hanging from his mouth.
"It's no wonder Amelia chose you," Zel said affectionately as he paused for a breather. "You're both nuts."
Safir snorted at him and tossed his head in the air as if to say, "See what I care? I have what you want, so there!" Zel watched the horse for a few more seconds, then got an idea. He sidestepped as close as he could get, then suddenly blurred as he used his chimera speed to run past the horse, snagging the bracelet as he did so. He came to a stop and clutched the bracelet close to him as he turned to look at the horse, and then burst into laughter. Safir had the most dumbfounded expression on his face. His eyes were wide, his ears were swiveling around, and his mouth was hanging half open, almost as if he couldn't believe Blue Boy had taken Amelia's possession from him. He then turned his head and gazed at the laughing chimera, then snorted with a toss of his head and ambled off to the shady part of the pasture, his nose held high with a look of utter disgust upon his expressive face.
After a few more chortles, Zel finally managed to get himself back under control, and he tucked Amelia's bracelet back into his inner pocket. As he watched the horse walk off, he was suddenly sobered by an overwhelming desire to see Amelia's smiling face again. He knew that as soon as Lina and Gourry returned, they would be setting off to find her, but that didn't lessen his worry any.
"Amelia," he murmured as he turned back towards the palace. "Where are you?"
"I think Zelgadis was right when he made the comment about how he'd never seen two people fight so much whenever they get near each other. The thing that surprises me about Lina and Gourry is that I sense an affectionate undertone to the fighting (unless it's over food) that I know Lina would be too embarrassed to admit to, and Gourry probably wouldn't remember being there. You can tell that these two are good friends, and it's my belief that they'll be much more than friends before long. After all, Lina is still traveling with Gourry at the time I'm writing this (about a year later) and hasn't killed Gourry in his sleep to get the Sword of Light yet. I remember when I painted this that I had hoped to capture the light-hearted personalities of two of my best friends, as well as portraying some of the affection they have for each other. For once, I think I accomplished my goal because Lina looks like she's very relaxed, and Gourry certainly has a peaceful, easy-going expression on his face. Lina and Gourry are probably the easiest people I'll ever paint, because there really isn't that much that they keep hidden from the world. Lina is very much 'take me as I am' and I don't think Gourry would know HOW to keep his true nature from shining through for very long."
Zel glanced again at the painting and smiled at the image of his two friends. Amelia was right, Gourry would never be able to hide his true self for very long. He could probably fake it for about a week, but eventually his true soul would shine through any mask he tried to put on. With a slight shaking of his head, he carefully folded the slip of paper and replaced it in its spot between the canvas and the frame. He then turned his attention to another painting of himself, one that had caught his attention when he had run across it in his organization attempt. In it, he was sitting with his back leaning against a tree, his hands behind his head as he dozed off underneath the dappled shade. Behind the tree trunk, he could make out a bit of the white wall that surrounded part of the royal garden of Saillune. His face was peaceful, and his sword was laying on the ground next to him. He remembered that day. It had been shortly after they
had discovered that Philionel had faked his death, and he had gone into the garden to walk around and clear his head. The spot underneath the tree had looked inviting, and he had sat down and proceeded to run through the list of suspects in Phil's "death" once again. Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep and dreamed that Amelia had come looking for him, but when he woke up she wasn't there. He gently tugged the slip of paper free, and began to read.
"I came across Zelgadis sleeping underneath a tree in the garden. His face looked so peaceful that I had to stop and watch him for a few moments. He always has a look of determination, concentration, slight depression, or annoyance on his face, and it was nice to see him with such a gentle look. Thankfully, I had my sketch pad with me and did a quick sketch of his face and body position, then hurried back here to transfer it onto canvas. Out of all the pictures I've painted of Zelgadis, this has to be by far my favorite. It's the first truly unguarded moment I've ever seen him have and, as always, his gracefulness leaves someone a bit breathless when they look at him, especially when he is in such a relaxed position. When Zelgadis is in his battle-ready stance, he's very intimidating and focused. When he's relaxed, he reminds me almost of a child, face open to the world. Of course, according to the maids, all men look like this when they're asleep. All I know is that Daddy looks like a hibernating bear when he's sleeping, and he sounds like one, too. AS"
Zel's eyes looked again at the painting, replacing the paper as he did so. He did look more relaxed than usual, but he still couldn't quite place where Amelia kept getting all these ideas that he was graceful, or even beautiful. He just didn't see it. All he saw was a freak sleeping with his back against a tree. "I don't understand," he muttered to himself. Even Amelia herself had said that he was suspicious and creepy looking. Sure, she had still been a child, admittedly a well developed child, but an inexperienced child all the same. Still, it had only added fuel to Zel's determination to find a cure for himself. The thought of their first meeting brought to mind others, and slowly they began to make themselves known:
"You're mean! I don't think you have a shred of compassion in you, Zelgadis!"
"But you look so cool the way you are now!"
"Wow, Zelgadis, you look so serious!"
"Zelgadis! Here, you wanted to see this, right? The clue to the Clair Bible?"
That last memory brought a smile to Zel's lips as he remembered the cheerful way Amelia had handed the Brass Racquet trophy to him, especially when he thought about how Xelloss hadn't gotten to look at it first. Sure, it had turned out to be the Clair GABLE trophy, but thinking back on it he realized that Amelia had planned on giving him the trophy when Xelloss talked her into using her influence to rotate them into the semi-finals of the competition. He seriously doubted that Lina would have done the same thing had she been given the trophy. The thought of the petit redhead brought a small frown to Zel's face. Used to be that whenever he thought of Lina, he would feel a small spurt of pleasure, but now all he felt was a small inkling of annoyance. Though she had said once that she had gone hunting the Clair Bible to help Zel find his cure, he knew that she had really done so because, as she told Amelia when Amelia had angrily confronted her about it, she wanted it for herself. That brought to mind more memories of the sorceress and her "guardian", and Zel's mouth quirked at the corner when he realized that, most of the time, Gourry was really teasing Lina about being her guardian. He knew that she was more than capable of taking care of herself. Given the amount of beatings, bashings, Fireballings, Mega Brando-ings, and Dragon Slaves he'd survived, he knew better than anyone just HOW capable Lina was of taking care of herself.
Gazing at the painting of his sleeping face, he again recalled the time Amelia had hesitantly asked him, as Dark Star rushed towards them, if when the whole ordeal were over would he come back to Saillune with her. He had told her he would think about it, and indeed once they began heading back towards Saillune, he had accompanied them. Then, when they were they were nearly there, something had caused him to falter, and he had gone off on his own again. As he had turned to walk away, he could feel Amelia's eyes on him, boring into his back with such intensity that it felt as if the Sword of Light were being pressed against him. He heard her ask Lina and Gourry to wait, and then her light footfall as she trotted after him, calling for him to wait for a moment. He had turned to look down at her, and she stopped nearly an arm's length away, fiddling with one of the bracelets on her wrists. She then pulled one off, and held it out to him.
"Here," she had said. "If you ever need me or my help, send this back to me. It will also double as a key into the palace if you ever decide to come and visit."
Zel brought himself back to the present, and found himself holding the bracelet and turning it in his hands, gazing at the blue ball with its star insignia on it. These past few years he had held on to it, telling himself that he kept it because it might come in handy some day if he ever DID need help. As time passed he found that, strangely enough, he began to take comfort in its shape and form, and would find himself playing with it the way he was now whenever he would begin to feel lonely. He reached out and grabbed a painting at random, and looked at it. It was of Gourry and Lina. They were standing with their backs facing each other, looking like they were about to step away from the other but were unable to because their hands were clasped. This painting was titled "Connection," and it piqued Zel's interest as he reached for the slip of paper.
"Gourry and Lina are connected to each other somehow, and they just don't realize it. It's so plain to almost everyone else just how they feel for each other that I really wonder how they're able to keep their sanity about them as they travel. Probably because of Gourry's easy going manner, and he just doesn't realize what he feels for Lina. Lina, on the other hand, is probably driving herself crazy trying to figure out the conflicting emotions that Gourry brings out in her. Lina summed it up nicely after they defeated Mazenda. They're connected whether they want to be or not. I tried to get this across in this painting by having Gourry and Lina trying to step away from each other, but unable to because their hands were clasped together. I think it's rather nice, and hopefully one day Gourry and Lina will realize their feelings for each other. AS
P.S. I'm getting ready to head out for the Kingdom of Diolon, but I just had to add this to this entry. Lina and Gourry are engaged! It's about time! I'm so happy for them that I can't stand it. I'm going to give this to them as a wedding present, as well as a painting I have planned of Lina and Gourry in their wedding attire. Maybe that'll be a first year anniversary present."
Zel stared at the post script, hardly believing that he was reading something that Amelia had written just before she left for that disastrous journey. He replaced the paper, and began to look through the paintings, pulling out the papers, reading the dates, and replacing them without bothering to read the writing. He figured he'd get back to them at a later date, but right now he wanted to see if he could find something else that had been written before she left on her journey. He came to a painting that held the four of them, and sucked in his breath when he saw the date scribbled on the paper. According to the dates that Phil had given him, this had been written the day before Amelia left. On the canvas, Gourry and Lina stood in the background with their arms around each other, smiling while Amelia was sitting with a large smile and flashing the Victory sign, and he was kneeling beside her with his arm resting on an upraised knee, smiling out of the canvas. Once again, he began to read.
"This is another painting I might give to Lina and Gourry as a wedding present. It's a pity that they're always on the move and don't have somewhere to hang it. I can always hang onto it until they find themselves a place, if they ever do. We all look so happy here, it's hard to believe that I was really angry when the initial idea came to me. I had been listening to Zelgadis call himself a monster and a freak once again, and...well, I lost my temper. 'You are not a freak nor are you a monster!' I yelled, surprising him and everyone else in the process. 'Why is it that you can't see yourself for who you are, instead of what you look like? Why can't you believe that someone could actually care about you without caring about what package you come in? Why can't you understand how I . . .!' I never did finish what I was saying, because at that moment it became too much and I ran up here and began sketching the idea that came to me. I never did tell Zelgadis what was in my mind and heart. He'd probably never believe it, anyway. So here I am, adding the final touches to this painting before I head off to Diolon. I've decided that I'm definitely going to give this along with 'Connection' to Lina and Gourry. It'll be interesting to see Zelgadis' face when he sees that I've painted him. I just wish I had the courage to tell him just how much I . . . . Well, that's not important. When I return, my friends will be here and it will be great to see them again. AS"
"How much she what? What was she going to write?" Zelgadis wondered aloud. He remembered the day she was talking about. It was the same day he had fallen asleep in the garden, and for some reason he had been more depressed than usual when he returned to the castle. Zel remembered the shocked looks on Gourry's and Lina's faces as Amelia had suddenly yelled at him, then turned and rushed up the stairs. He figured that she had still been distraught over the near loss of her father.
He glanced out of one of the windows, and noticed that it was almost time for him to meet Horse Master Josh in the stables. He cursed lightly as he replaced the paper, promising himself that he would return soon to look at Amelia's other paintings. He was trying very hard not to let Amelia's last sentence in that last entry shake him too much. After all, when they found her and returned her home, her friends would be there. Her paintings had definitely given him some things to think about, and more than a few puzzles to agonize over. As he made his way back down the spiral staircase, Zelgadis did something that he had never done before. He took a cold hard look at his feelings for his friends. For Gourry, there was respect for his prowess as a swordsman, a distant affection one feels for a good friend, and a bit of exasperation over his denseness. He was a little surprised when he got to Lina. For Lina, there was a great deal of respect for the sorceress, respect for her power, respect for her mind and respect for the way that whenever the odds seemed stacked against them, she was always determined that they would win. Taking second place to the feelings of respect was a form of affection that one could only call brotherly or the form of affection that one has for a very good friend. This surprised Zel, for he had been certain that love would be in there somewhere. As he closed the bookcase in Amelia's room and made his way back outside, he mused about his findings. Perhaps he had mistaken deep respect for love. After all, he didn't have that much practice or experience in that particular field. And as for Amelia . . .
. Zel wasn't quite sure how he felt about Amelia. He respected her for her open heartedness and her deep affection for her friends. He worried over her safety, concerned that she could be out there injured. But . . . what else did he feel? Something was there, but he shook it away, not wanting to deal with emotions anymore. They gave him headaches. Of one thing he was certain, though; he did not love Lina Inverse, and with this realization, he suddenly felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Let Gourry have her for the rest of his life; his personality was better suited to her, anyway. The more Zel thought about it, the more he knew he was right. Lina and he would have clashed so much over so many things that eventually he would have either given up and walked out, or she would have.
Zel grunted at that thought, and looked up to find himself once again standing in front of the stables. A stable boy spotted him and ran inside to get his horse. Instead of leading Breeze out, however, he lead out a tall, finely built blue roan. Zel stared at the horse, and the horse stared back at him and wrinkled her nose.
"Where's Breeze?" Zel asked the stable boy.
"Oh, the Horse Master said you were ready for Umi no Hikari here," the boy said, patting the horse on his neck.
Zel took stock of his new mount. Umi stood a few inches above his shoulder, with heavily muscled haunches and a deep chest that suggested she could go a long way for a long time. Her legs were straight and she carried her head high, her deep brown eyes gazing around her, looking for all the world like she was taking anything and everything in at the same time. Her eyes were set wide apart, giving a hint of intelligence. Her bluish coat gleamed in the sunlight, and a light brown saddle and bridle complimented her coloring.
"What do ye think?" a voice said, and Zel turned to see Josh standing a little ways away, watching him watch the horse.
"She's of good stock, that's a definite given," Zel said, knowing what Josh was talking about. "She also looks like she could carry my weight for quite a long time if needed. Definitely not a speed horse, even though her head bears a shape very similar to Safir. She looks to be between the cross of a battle charger and a race horse."
"That's exactly what she is," Josh said, coming up and giving Umi's velvet nose an affectionate swat. "Princess Amelia bred her especially for you."
"She WHAT?!" Zel burst out, staring from Josh to the horse.
"Yep, five years ago, to be exact. She got it into her head that she was going to present you and your friends with horses she had bred to fit your temperaments and living styles," Josh said. "There are two other horses in the stables that are for Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev when they return. Since you're going to be scouting the area looking for her from horseback, I figured she would rather you did it on your own mounts instead of borrowed ones from the stables."
Zelgadis stared at his horse, not really sure how he felt knowing that she was his and Amelia had him in mind when she chose the sire and dam. He stepped forward and rested his hand on Umi's neck. The mare twitched an ear in his direction, and seemed to say, "Well? What are you waiting for?"
Zel took a breath, and swung up into the saddle. He had just gotten used to Breeze, and now he was going to have to get used to a new horse. "But it's your new horse," a voice said in his mind, and Zel smiled faintly at the thought as he walked Umi into the practice ring and began to follow Josh's instructions.
***********
About an hour and a half later found a very tired chimera walking through the pastures of the Palace Stables. His first lesson on Umi had been wonderful. Even Breeze couldn't compare to the smooth easy gait of the mare, and Umi had shown through various tests that Josh had set up that she had a very intelligent mind and was even capable of coming up with new ways to go through the tests. Josh had laughed and stated that Umi had been a handful for the stable proper, because she was always escaping from her stall and going on little hikes into the surrounding area. Zel smiled to himself. In a way, the horse reminded him of himself, always searching for something but never really knowing where it was.
He came to a split rail fence, and instead of going around to the gate Zel climbed over and dropped lightly into the next pasture. He found that he was enjoying the riding lessons more and more, and the fact that he would be riding his very own horse helped to add to that pleasure. He reached into his inner pocket and once again pulled out Amelia's bracelet.
"Amelia," he murmured to it, "We better find you soon so I can thank you."
A distant neigh caught Zel's attention, and he looked up to find a solid black horse making its way towards him. With a start, he realized that he was in Safir's pasture, and the curious stallion was making his way towards the new play thing in his domain. Zel looked over Safir with a critical eye that was just now learning how to appreciate the majestic beauty of the horse. Safir had put on about three hundred pounds since returning home, and he no longer looked like he was going to drop down dead at any second. He still looked thin, but his eyes were bright and he held his head up, sniffing the wind to see what was out there.
As the stallion approached Zel, he reached out and allowed the horse to sniff his hand. Safir made a deep whickering sound, and began to nuzzle up against his hand. Zel furrowed his brow as the horse continued to nuzzle and whuffle his way up to his shoulder, and then down his other hand until he came to the bracelet he was holding. Safir gave an odd whickering sound, and before Zel knew what was happening, grabbed the bracelet in his teeth and ran off, his head held high and his tail flowing behind him like a banner.
"HEY!" Zel shouted. "That's mine, give it back!"
The only answer he got was a whinny that he swore sounded like laughter. For an instant he was reminded of Amelia laughing at something that Lina and Gourry had either said or did, but Safir quickly caught his attention again as the horse pranced around him just out of reach, the bracelet dangling from his teeth. Zel could have sworn that the horse was taunting him.
"Are you going to give that back or not?" Zel asked, taking a step towards the horse. Safir watched him with interest as Zel took another step towards him. Just when it looked like he was going to be able to grab the bracelet, Safir half reared and turned on his heels, taking off for the other end of the pasture. Zel sighed in frustration, and took off after the horse. For fifteen minutes Zel chased the horse, who dodged, whirled, and danced just out of reach, the prize always hanging from his mouth.
"It's no wonder Amelia chose you," Zel said affectionately as he paused for a breather. "You're both nuts."
Safir snorted at him and tossed his head in the air as if to say, "See what I care? I have what you want, so there!" Zel watched the horse for a few more seconds, then got an idea. He sidestepped as close as he could get, then suddenly blurred as he used his chimera speed to run past the horse, snagging the bracelet as he did so. He came to a stop and clutched the bracelet close to him as he turned to look at the horse, and then burst into laughter. Safir had the most dumbfounded expression on his face. His eyes were wide, his ears were swiveling around, and his mouth was hanging half open, almost as if he couldn't believe Blue Boy had taken Amelia's possession from him. He then turned his head and gazed at the laughing chimera, then snorted with a toss of his head and ambled off to the shady part of the pasture, his nose held high with a look of utter disgust upon his expressive face.
After a few more chortles, Zel finally managed to get himself back under control, and he tucked Amelia's bracelet back into his inner pocket. As he watched the horse walk off, he was suddenly sobered by an overwhelming desire to see Amelia's smiling face again. He knew that as soon as Lina and Gourry returned, they would be setting off to find her, but that didn't lessen his worry any.
"Amelia," he murmured as he turned back towards the palace. "Where are you?"
*************
Next episode: Lina and Gourry and Ryo, oh my! Lina's dreams escalated into a massive nightmare, and Gourry comforts her his way. Ryo, on the other hand, is rather tired of Nick's whining, and takes matters into his own hands. Oh, like they weren't already there to begin with. Warning: next chapter will be rather dark in places. Oh yeah, and you probably recognize some of those pictures I described as Amelia having painted. I couldn't help it, it was easier to work with pictures that already exist.