Poor Amelia! Confronted with the desicion (I spelled that wrong) of choosing justice over love! *sigh* It's difficult to be an ally of justice sometimes, you know? But anyway... now can you see how this will be a Zel/Ame ficcie? Eventually? *shrug* Okay...

I won't say it again! I said it in the first chapter! *crosses arms* Hmph!

Oh no! Amelia's Wedding Rhapsody!?

The next morning, Malachi led them all to Rathen. The kingdom was pretty close. It only took a few hours. When they reached it, they all stopped in awe.

Rathen wasn't nearly as big as Seyruun, but it more than made up for it in beauty and splendor. It seemed as if the entire city was made of pearl-colored marble. The sun shone off of every graceful surface in the kingdom. The palace was in the direct center of the city, as was common. Despite the magnificence of the palace, it looked like a normal building in the elegance of the rest of the kingdom. Everything seemed to fit together perfectly, like a completed puzzle depicting the most beautiful place in the world.

"Welcome to my kingdom," Malachi said as he led them through the giant marble gates. "Welcome to Rathen."

Amelia's eyes filled with sparkles. "It's beautiful," she exclaimed.

Malachi nodded, and said, "It's rumored that Golden Dragons helped build this kingdom. I'm not sure if I believe that, but it sure is pretty enough that one would think so."

"I bet a place like this," Lina started. "Has got to have great food!"

"Yeah!" Gourry shouted, nodding in agreement.

Malachi stared at the two of them for a moment, before he cleared his throat, and led them through the streets up to the palace. Zelgadis followed silently, still depressed about Amelia.

The guards at the palace gate stiffened with surprise at the site of Malachi, and shouted, "Prince! You're alive! We heard the peasants had killed you by setting a troll upon you!"

After putting a hand on each of the guards' shoulders, Malachi said, "They did have a troll chase me, but I was saved. And the woman that saved me is going to be my bride!"

Zelgadis winced at the reminder of that. He turned his head sharply, and did his "Tch" thing.

A few minutes later, the five of them were in the palace, and Malachi was taking them to the council room. They stepped inside, and found that the council room was more like an announcement hall. People filled the entire huge room. In the front row were what looked like counselors. After that were just common city folk. Malachi stepped up to a podium at the front of the room, on a small rise.

"People of my kingdom!" he shouted. Then he smiled, and looked at someone in the first row. "Father," he said. "As you all know, I was told I must find a bride before tomorrow morning to keep my inheritance to this beautiful kingdom!" The audience rose up in shouts of either agreement or protest. The king looked very old, and it seemed a struggle for him to even sit up. "I have found my bride," Malachi shouted after the crowd had calmed down. "Everyone, meet Amelia!"

The audience cheered and shouted, applauded and booed. Amelia walked over to stand beside Malachi, blushing once again.

"We will we wed this evening!" Malachi yelled above the racket.