You can't tell from that last chapter, but this is a Zel/Ame ficcie, okay? No worries! I never write anything but Zel/Ame, Lina/Gourry, and Xel/Fil... Like I said, it's in my blood... gotta go fo the canon couples all the way! ^_^
You can't make me say it again! I already said it once! It hurts enough to say it once, you can't make me say it again! *sniffle* I wish Slayers were mine...
Oh no! Amelia's Wedding Rhapsody!?
That night, Lina, Gourry, Amelia, Zelgadis, and the man whose name was Malachi, all sat around a campfire.
"Why was that troll chasing you in the first place?" Lina asked through a mouthful of freshly caught and cooked fish.
Malachi looked sadly at the ground. "I suppose I should tell you the whole story. You see, I am the prince of a kingdom near here. It's called Rathen. Anyway, my father is on his deathbed, and nothing any healer can do can help him. I have to find a wife before the day after tomorrow, or the kingdom will be taken away from me. They can't risk letting me take the throne without a queen.
"Some of the peasants didn't like my father, and thought they wouldn't like me. So they rallied together, and sent that troll after me, hoping to keep me out of the kingdom until the time was up. Then a new king would come and take my kingdom."
Lina frowned, and muttered, "This story sounds a little familiar... Where do I remember it from?"
"Poor you," Amelia said sincerely. "So what are you going to do? You can't let them take your kingdom! How will you find someone to marry you in just two days?"
Malachi slowly raised his head, and looked at Amelia. "It's okay," he said, smiling. "I've already found someone."
Amelia blinked, confused. "Who?" she asked.
"You, Amelia!"
Everyone reacted at the same time. Lina snapped her fingers, and shouted, "Of course! The same thing happened to me!" Amelia stared incredulously, and said, "Huuuh?" Zelgadis jumped to his feet, and yelled, "Now look here!" Gourry bit into another cooked fish, and shouted, "HOT!!!"
Malachi stood up, and walked over to Amelia. "Amelia, you saved me from the troll! You're the only one who can marry me!"
"B-but..." Amelia stammered. "But I-- I'm not-- I can't-- I mean--" She was blushing furiously, and her eyes kept darting around.
"Oh, it wouldn't be a real marriage," Malachi assured her. "It's only to let me keep my kingdom until I find someone else."
"B-but... But marriage is still marriage!" Amelia shouted.
Malachi thought for a moment, and let his eyes water back up again. "If you don't, I won't get to keep my kingdom. They'll take it away from me..."
Amelia bit her lip. "That's unjust," she said quietly. "But... I... I..." The truth was, she didn't want Zelgadis to have to see her get married, and she didn't want to get married to anyone else. She had dreamed about what her wedding with Zelgadis would be like, even though she had never even told him how she felt. She had a feeling he might care for her, too. And making him watch her get married would be mean.
But what the people of that kingdom were doing was unjust. She couldn't let their unjust ways keep going. She had to do something. "L-Lina-san...?" she asked hopefully.
"No way," Lina said, shaking her head. "I did it last time. It's your turn!"
Amelia glanced over at Zelgadis, who was just staring at her, as if wondering to himself what she would say. She debated. At long last, the burning flame of justice inside her heart overruled her hopeful wishes that Zelgadis might like her. She clenched one fist, and, blushing, said, "All right! For the sake of justice and peace in your kingdom, I will do this! Only as long as it's really fake," she added.
Malachi nodded, and said, "Thank you so much! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Lina went back to eating with Gourry, each fighting the other for the tastiest-looking fish. Amelia sat down, still red in the face, and wondering what on earth compelled her to agree. Malachi fell asleep, dreaming about his kingdom and how he would change it for the better.
Zelgadis slumped down against a rock, staring incredulously at Amelia. True, it was only fake, but like she said, marriage was marriage. And he would have to watch while Amelia got married. Perhaps... Maybe if he had spoken out before this, Amelia would have said no. Maybe if he had told her that he had feelings for her, she would have said no.
And now it was going to be torture watching her get married. He'd have to use every inch of self-control he owned to keep from slugging Malachi for even asking, and admitting his feelings to Amelia, which he wasn't ready to do yet. He couldn't do either. He'd have to tough it out.
Somehow.
