"So why do you live here all by yourself?" Amanda asked innocently. The man looked at her in surprise, "Well…I'm a freak, that no one can truly love." He said. "Really? I'll love you." She said brightly. He shook his head, "Thanks, I guess." "Anyway, My name Is Valgarv, this is Amanda, Gregory, and Gina." Val pointed to each person in turn. "My name is Zelgadiss." The man answered.
***
"So why did Phil pick Gaene to marry you?" Lina asked Amelia as they trudged along. "His father's kingdom was at odds with ours. It was to calm them down." Amelia answered. "But don't you wish you could have married for love?" "I do, but My kingdom needed this, and Gaene's not…" Amelia paused. "Not what?" Lina stopped and looked at her. "Well, I think he's just in this for the power….You saw how he looked as we left, Daddy and Tenya on the honeymoon, and me leaving. He rules alone…who knows what could happen." Lina looked at Amelia eyes widening, "You don't think he's trustworthy? Why didn't you let your dad know?" "Because dad has enough problems. He didn't need anything else added to the list." "This was a bad idea then Amelia, You should have told me earlier!" Lina flared. "And then you would still be there, worrying about your daughter." Amelia answered evenly. "Don't worry, we'll find out about him and if he does anything-" Lina made a cutting gesture across her throat with an evil grin.
***
"So, Night in shining armor, My name is Xelia. It's nice to meet you." Xelia curtsied once she was on solid ground again. "Xelia huh?" A queer smirk played across the night's face. "What?" Xelia looked up at him. "Nothing, I like it." He smiled, "Anyway My name is Xelloss." "Xelloss and Xelia!" She grinned up at him. "So where are you headed, my damsel?" he asked. "Anywhere you go Night." She says, taking his hand. "Very well then." He says simply.
***
"Look!" Gregory points out the hut window. All the kids scurry to look at what he was pointing at. "Our parents!" Amanda gasps. Zelgadiss looks out the window also, and stiffens. Gina Looks at the others, "Do you think we should let them know we're here?"
"Do they know you left?" Zelgadiss asked, looking at them in a strange way. The kids shake their heads. "Well I bet they're here because they're worried sick. "But I left them a note." Val protests. "Yes, but they know kids shouldn't be by their self in these forest." "Aw we can take care of ourselves" Gregory muttered. "And what would have happened to Gina-San if I hadn't been there?" he asks. The kids don't answer, just fidget uncomfortably. "Well it looks like we don't have to decide what to do, they're coming up." Gina says, still wrapped up in blankets.
***
Filia rapped on the door, "Please is anyone here! My kids are missing and I need to know if you have seen them! Please!" The door opened, and Valgarv looks up at her, "Hi Mom." "Val!" she scoops him up and hugs him, planting kisses all across his face. Lina looks around Fil and Val to see the others, "They're all together, Thank goodness!" Lina ran in and hugged her daughter. She stopped, "You're soaked Gina, what happened?" "I slipped in the river" she grumbled. "Oh L-Sama! Are you alright?" Gina nodded, "That man saved me." "What man?" "Right-" Gina looked around, "He was here." She said confusedly. "Well we need to thank him." Amelia said, while hugging her two kids, "what was his name?" "Zelgadiss." The adults all stopped and stared at the kids, then at each other. Within seconds, they had all run outside shouting his name. "Zelgadiss-san!"
***
Zelgadiss leaned across the wall of his house with a sigh. They had finally given up. He made his way back to the front. It was better this way, he hadn't seen them in years and didn't need to see them now. After was the way it should b- His train of though snapped when a hand clapped on his shoulder. "Hi Zel. Long time no see." Lina grinned at him. "Lina, It's nice to see you again." Zelgadiss sighed "My god, she hasn't changed." Still as beautiful as ever, just in a more mature way. "Zelgadiss-San?" Amelia looked at him, her eyes growing bubbly. Zelgadiss looked at her, eyes widening, "Amelia, is that you?" Speaking of more mature…..She barely even looked like the same girl he had left behind.
She was regal now.
***
"So why didn't you ever come back Zel!?" Lina demanded angrily once they were back inside the hut. "My cure. I couldn't just settle down, like all of you were doing one-by-one." "Then why are you here, Zelgadiss-San?" Filia asked. Zel waved a hand, "This is only temporary." "Please come back Zelgadiss." Lina said, turning serious, "Life just isn't the same without you. That is a exact quote by Amelia." He looked between the 3 women, and sighed, "But my cure…" "We'll help you find it, like before." Amelia said, "And you don't have to stay permanently, we just want you to visit every once in a while. We miss you, Lunkhead." Lina grinned. Zelgadiss shook his head ruefully, "Fine. A visit." " But first, have you seen my daughter?" Filia asked him desperately. "Daughter? No. These were the only ones." Zel shook his head. "Then I'm going to keep looking." Filia stood up, "Will you watch Val for me?" "Don't be silly" Gourry looks at her, "We're not going to quit looking until we find them all. "And I don't wanna go back yet Momma!" Gina whined, "I haven't had a good adventure yet!" "Do you think it'll be ok to take the kids with us?" Amelia asked. "Well it's either that, or we split up, which means the kids will have travel all the way back with only a couple of us for protection." Lina said, "I vote they stay with us." The nodded agreement, and were on their way, with the kids and Zelgadiss as new travel mates.
***
Xelia walked along beside her night in shining armor. Actually he didn't have any armor, but she just figured he left it at home in haste to rescue her. Everything was perfect, except that she was starting to get homesick. "Knight Xelloss?" "Hmm?" He looked over at her. "What happens now?" For in all her stories, after the night rescues the maiden, they live happily ever after. And she didn't think that explained much. She was still in the forest with no way to get home. "What happens is your story isn't done yet little one." He looks ahead at the path rolling before them. "It's not time for happily ever after?" Xelloss shakes his head, "First we have to get you home to your mother." "Then what?" she says eagerly. He doesn't answer for a minute, then says, "You'll see."
***
"Where is she?" Filia asked, "It's been almost a week!" "Hey I remember that bush!" Amanda points to a bush with delicate yellow flowers on it. "Great so we're going in circles too?" Filia yanked at her hair. "You need to calm down Filia. Nothing is going to be accomplished with freaking out." Gourry says, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Lookie!" Footsteps!" Gina points to the ground. Everyone looks down at the dirt, soft from early morning dew. Two sets of footsteps weaved neatly down the path, one small enough for a child. Filia grinned, "Please let that be her!" she ran off after them. The others followed.
***
Xelloss stopped, "Xelia? Let's stop for lunch here." "Okay, Knight Xelloss" She hopped down on a rock. While Xelia ate happily Xelloss waited for familiar voices he hadn't heard in years. "Xelia!" Filia ran into view, and scooped up her daughter, while Lina's view fell upon the mysterious priest, "Xe-" She gasped, unable to finish. "Oh hello, Lina-San." Xelloss smiles. Filia looks up, "You." Her eyes narrow, "What were you doing with my daughter? Did you kidnap her?!?" Xelia giggles, "Of course not Mama, this is my knight in shining armor Xelloss. He rescued me. You know him?" "Yes dear…I do." Was all Filia could manage to say. "He rescued you?" Amelia asked, "Xelloss, you do have good in you! I just knew it!" she gazes at him with shiny eyes, "Even though your heritage is evil, you have a good soul in there you can't deny!" Xelloss shakes his head, "It's not what you think Amelia. I didn't do it out of the goodness of my heart." He seems to choke slightly on the last few words. "Ok then, I know what it is!" The exuberant look on her face told Xelloss he wasn't going to like this one either. "You did it, because even though your race tells you what to do and think, so you'll never admit it, but you really love Filia!" Amelia was going all out now, "You would do anything for your golden beauty, including rescue her daughter from certain doom!" Xelloss and Filia choke, "Now see here!" Filia stomps her foot. "What's she talking about Mama?" Xelia asked quizzically. "But admit it Xelloss, as far out of a reason as Amelia has, you do have to have something, so spill." Lina looks at him squarely, "What's up?" Xelloss grins, "Sore wa-" Lina smacks him, "Shut up, we were sick of that answer since you first uttered it, come on , let's go. I'm sure we'll find out soon enough." Lina walks off, pulling the posing Amelia off the rock as she passes her. "But mama? What about my night in shiny armor? We can't just leave him there! We have to live happily ever after." Xelia pouts. Filia turn stark white at the statement, "Xelia let's go home." "But-" she protested. "And why we're walking, I'm going to tell you story about the Dark Knights…"
***