[A Note About Chronology: Triptych takes place just after Next, and so Sylphiel is at the Temple all during Try, into the beginning of Rebian Nights. Dav appears just around the end of Try, which is about when the events of Midnight Blue and Into the Desert are happening. After MB, Lina and Gourry visited with Amelia, but when the letter came from Sylphiel saying that she was getting married, they went off to visit her. So now we have two story tracks, Rebian Nights with Sylphiel, Lina and Gourry, and Amelia, with, well, Amelia. The third track, which will be Xellos and Zelgadis, will start being written soon, either when the plot bunny matures in my mind or when I get a fair number of whacks to the head from people who want to read it. Also, a warning about this fic: There will be an attempted rape. It's integral to the story, but I've made the actual scene a separate chapter so that those who prefer to can skip that part. And we now return to our regularly scheduled fic.]
Amelia
by Sharlene
I put my pen down and took a moment to yawn and stretch before the next piece of paper got put in front of me. I looked out the window and smiled. Somewhere out there, the same sun was shining down on Zelgadis, and maybe he was looking at it and thinking of me like I thought about him. After a moment I gestured for the next Councilor to approach my desk.
This was always my least favorite part of coming home, and I had put it off for a couple of weeks while Lina visited and I got acclimatized to the newly crowded palace. Suitors had come from everywhere, many of them sponsored by individual Council members who tried to arrange private meetings for their own candidates. Lina had likened the suitors to cockroaches, crawling out of the woodwork to try to grab what they could. All of them were eager enough to enjoy the hospitality of our palace, demanding exotic and expensive foods, silk sheets and plenty of wine and spirits, but not one lifted a finger to do anything useful. I had tried to suggest several worthwhile projects, but after the first few horrified responses, I learned better than to expect anything from these overdressed buffoons. Not one of them was a man I could respect, let alone love, but I had promised to allow myself to be courted, so I spent the two weeks of Lina's visit laughing at her wisecracks, and after
she left I simply gritted my teeth and put up with all the foolishness as gracefully as I could. At least resolving disputes and signing proclamations into law was a good excuse to avoid the hordes, even if it was kinda boring.
The next person in line was Councilor Walsin and I gave him a polite smile before I started to read his proposal. Walsin had lived in the palace as long as I could remember, and was the Council member appointed to represent the city of Saillune itself. I could remember sitting on his bony knees at my mother's funeral, since my uncles had been busy trying to keep my daddy calm, and Gracia had already left. Walsin had awkwardly tried to give me a hug, the only time I've ever known him to voluntarily touch another person in public. I had smiled and patted his cheek before giving a speech about how my mommy was with Ceipheed now, working for Good and Justice from the heavens. My daddy had looked up at that and gathered me close to his chest, and I spent the rest of the funeral cradled against his heartbeat.
I gave myself a mental shake and concentrated on reading the proposal. Walsin's writing style was dry and pedantic, and I had to stifle a yawn as I plowed through the compound-complex sentences. From the summary, it seemed that the proposed law would place an upper limit on how much a lord could demand from his serfs as taxes, and how often the taxes could be collected. I'd have to read the details, but it seemed a worthy and long overdue legislation. "Why isn't there a law for this already?"
Walsin's lips tightened slightly, a tremendously demonstrative gesture for him. "It has always been assumed, Your Highness, that each lord will be guided by honor and justice to prevent outrages from happening."
I nodded and returned to reading. Thanks to my travels with Miss Lina and the others, I knew that sometimes, justice needed help before it shone its light into people's hearts. One of my maids entered to inform me that I needed to start preparations for tonight's ball, and I sighed before rolling up the parchment in front of me. Walsin cleared his throat and then said "Your Highness, this matter really is of grave importance. Delaying in signing it could be catastrophic."
"Walsin, you of all people should know I never sign anything without reading it first." I had been seven years old when my training as Heir Apparent had begun. One day, Walsin had found me idly scribbling my name on a stack of papers and had added a piece of paper to the pile. When I was finished, he had gathered them all and plucked out the one that he had added. "Do you know what this says?" I had shaken my head, as he continued, "This paper orders that no child in the kingdom will be allowed to eat any sweets for a week. With your signature, it became a law." Once I got over my initial shock, I had begged him to tear it up. He had agreed, but only on the condition that I give up dessert for the next month. I never again signed anything I hadn't read thoroughly.
Walsin bowed and continued. "I understand, Your Highness, but it is terribly important."
I picked up the parchment and stood. "I promise to read it as soon as I can. If I don't have time today, I'll get to it tomorrow." He looked disappointed, but bowed deeply and offered his best wishes for the evening. I thanked him, as I would need them, then followed the maid to my rooms.
Feeling like a cow being readied for market, I tried not to grimace as my maids went through the ritual of preparing me for the ball being held in my honor this evening. The real reason for the ball was to formally introduce me to the jackals that had been eating me out of house and home for the past month. At least Lina and Gourry were enthusiastic and easy to please in their devouring ways. The pampered freeloaders who called themselves my suitors demanded nothing but the best, throwing food on the floor if it didn't meet their standards, berating the staff for not anticipating every whim that came into their empty heads, their horses eating better grain than some of our citizens did, and in general being noisy, overbearing nuisances. Still, I had to put up with them, since each and every one was sponsored by a member of the Council, and I didn't want to offend the Councilors or seem like I was breaking my word to my daddy by not allowing myself to be courted.
Finally they finished and I looked at myself in the mirror. It's not vanity that makes me say I looked beautiful. My dress was magnificent, an iridescent blue just a shade or two darker than Zelgadis. My skin glowed like a pearl, set off by the dress and the sapphire collar at the base of my neck. My hair was pulled up into an elaborate arrangement topped by a diamond and sapphire tiara. Long earrings dangled to brush my shoulders and I wore elbow length gloves with matching bracelets on both wrists. I looked like a fairy tale princess, and I wanted to cry.
They say you never know what you have until it's gone. The corollary, of course, is that you never know what you're missing until you've had it. I could barely remember my mother and sister, since they had left my life so early on. After my mother died and my sister left, Daddy didn't want me out of his sight, so I never had a nanny like a lot of royal kids do. The closest I'd ever come to having a mother or sister was when one of the maids would take care of me if Daddy was busy, but even then, they were too aware of our respective positions to show anything but deference and respect.
Is it any wonder I developed a massive crush on Lina? Oh, nothing sexual or romantic, but wanting desperately to be liked and in her company. During our last visit, Lina had reminded me of how I acted when we first met, and we laughed together over how much had changed. She and Gourry were gone now, off to visit Sylphiel and her new husband, and I missed her desperately, almost as much as I missed Zelgadis. Dealing with the horde of suitors had been a lot easier when she was there to laugh with, and Gourry would always hover nearby, ready to fetch drinks or make a joke or otherwise make everything seem sunnier just by his nature.
The evening dragged on interminably. I allowed my mind to wander and daydream as I was passed from one flabby, over perfumed, clammy handed suitor to another, the correct smiles and phrases coming from my lips automatically as I pictured Lina whispering her opinion of my dance partner in my ear, or Zelgadis appearing at the palace with a single perfect rose in his hands and declarations of love on his lips.
I came out of my trance when Daddy took my hand and led me out onto the floor. My smile turned genuine and I rested my head on his chest for a brief moment before assuming the correct position for the dance. "I love you, Daddy."
He smiled, his eyes crinkling in familiar and well loved lines. "I love you, too, Amelia." We danced for a few moments, and then he said, "Well, how do you feel? Do any of these boys catch your eye?"
I felt tears trying to well up and forced them down. "No, Daddy. I don't like any of them."
His face got serious as he looked into my eyes. "Amelia, you know I only want what's best for you. I asked you to come home and be courted to give you as many choices as possible, not to make you miserable."
I nodded and squeezed his hand. "I know, Daddy. It's the right thing to do, it's just frustrating to deal with the Council. Each member seems to want me to marry tomorrow to their own candidate. I'd gladly marry the right person immediately, but I don't know any of these men, and what I do know, I don't like much. They all seem like power hungry leeches."
The dance ended with one last twirl. Before anyone else could approach, Daddy kissed my hand and then whispered in my ear, "I can send people to find him, you know. The people I have out there looking for his cure could track him easily."
I threw my arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, thinking that I really did have the best Daddy in the world. "No, Daddy, it wouldn't be just to force him into anything. He'll either come to me or he won't, but it will be his decision."
Daddy grumbled in my ear. "It's not really just to break my little girl's heart, either, but I'll leave it up to you." Another Councilor approached, popinjay in tow, and I once again drifted through fantasies while moving through the required paces.
Around midnight, I pled a sick headache and retired, leaving the ball to continue until the last merrymaker dropped in his tracks. It wasn't entirely a lie; the noise and smells of 500 perfumed, laughing, simpering people in one ballroom is a lot to handle. I kicked off my shoes and ripped the tiara from my head, pulling out some of my hair in my impatience. The dress and undergarments ended up piled on the floor as I stepped into a bath, the water hot enough to flay the evening's sadness and frustration from my skin. I felt better afterwards and dried quickly, pulling on the clothes I wore to travel with Lina and the others before quietly going through the doors that connected my rooms to the outside.
Once outside I breathed deeply, taking in all the air my lungs could handle and holding it for an eternal few seconds. I exhaled and it was as if all of my troubles were expelled along with the air. Humming the tune Daddy and I had danced to, I set out on my nightly walk.
After a few minutes, I paused under a weeping willow that was surrounded by white impatiens, giving the impression that it was crying into a pillow. /You and me both, Mister Tree/ I thought, sitting down and resting my head against the trunk to stare out at the small lake.
I don't know how long I sat, staring at the water and letting my thoughts settle into serenity. A laugh and a harsh voice snapped me out of my trance. "Oho, so this is where my little princess has been hiding. Thank you for making this so easy, pumpkin."
I looked at him warily, wondering just how drunk he had to be to speak that way. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't remember if we've met, but I was just about to head back and go to sleep." I was now standing and gauging the best way to pass without going near him.
He moved quickly, grabbing one of my wrists and pulling me towards him to plant a rough kiss on my lips. "Didn't the esteemed Councilor inform you? I'm your future husband."
Amelia
by Sharlene
I put my pen down and took a moment to yawn and stretch before the next piece of paper got put in front of me. I looked out the window and smiled. Somewhere out there, the same sun was shining down on Zelgadis, and maybe he was looking at it and thinking of me like I thought about him. After a moment I gestured for the next Councilor to approach my desk.
This was always my least favorite part of coming home, and I had put it off for a couple of weeks while Lina visited and I got acclimatized to the newly crowded palace. Suitors had come from everywhere, many of them sponsored by individual Council members who tried to arrange private meetings for their own candidates. Lina had likened the suitors to cockroaches, crawling out of the woodwork to try to grab what they could. All of them were eager enough to enjoy the hospitality of our palace, demanding exotic and expensive foods, silk sheets and plenty of wine and spirits, but not one lifted a finger to do anything useful. I had tried to suggest several worthwhile projects, but after the first few horrified responses, I learned better than to expect anything from these overdressed buffoons. Not one of them was a man I could respect, let alone love, but I had promised to allow myself to be courted, so I spent the two weeks of Lina's visit laughing at her wisecracks, and after
she left I simply gritted my teeth and put up with all the foolishness as gracefully as I could. At least resolving disputes and signing proclamations into law was a good excuse to avoid the hordes, even if it was kinda boring.
The next person in line was Councilor Walsin and I gave him a polite smile before I started to read his proposal. Walsin had lived in the palace as long as I could remember, and was the Council member appointed to represent the city of Saillune itself. I could remember sitting on his bony knees at my mother's funeral, since my uncles had been busy trying to keep my daddy calm, and Gracia had already left. Walsin had awkwardly tried to give me a hug, the only time I've ever known him to voluntarily touch another person in public. I had smiled and patted his cheek before giving a speech about how my mommy was with Ceipheed now, working for Good and Justice from the heavens. My daddy had looked up at that and gathered me close to his chest, and I spent the rest of the funeral cradled against his heartbeat.
I gave myself a mental shake and concentrated on reading the proposal. Walsin's writing style was dry and pedantic, and I had to stifle a yawn as I plowed through the compound-complex sentences. From the summary, it seemed that the proposed law would place an upper limit on how much a lord could demand from his serfs as taxes, and how often the taxes could be collected. I'd have to read the details, but it seemed a worthy and long overdue legislation. "Why isn't there a law for this already?"
Walsin's lips tightened slightly, a tremendously demonstrative gesture for him. "It has always been assumed, Your Highness, that each lord will be guided by honor and justice to prevent outrages from happening."
I nodded and returned to reading. Thanks to my travels with Miss Lina and the others, I knew that sometimes, justice needed help before it shone its light into people's hearts. One of my maids entered to inform me that I needed to start preparations for tonight's ball, and I sighed before rolling up the parchment in front of me. Walsin cleared his throat and then said "Your Highness, this matter really is of grave importance. Delaying in signing it could be catastrophic."
"Walsin, you of all people should know I never sign anything without reading it first." I had been seven years old when my training as Heir Apparent had begun. One day, Walsin had found me idly scribbling my name on a stack of papers and had added a piece of paper to the pile. When I was finished, he had gathered them all and plucked out the one that he had added. "Do you know what this says?" I had shaken my head, as he continued, "This paper orders that no child in the kingdom will be allowed to eat any sweets for a week. With your signature, it became a law." Once I got over my initial shock, I had begged him to tear it up. He had agreed, but only on the condition that I give up dessert for the next month. I never again signed anything I hadn't read thoroughly.
Walsin bowed and continued. "I understand, Your Highness, but it is terribly important."
I picked up the parchment and stood. "I promise to read it as soon as I can. If I don't have time today, I'll get to it tomorrow." He looked disappointed, but bowed deeply and offered his best wishes for the evening. I thanked him, as I would need them, then followed the maid to my rooms.
Feeling like a cow being readied for market, I tried not to grimace as my maids went through the ritual of preparing me for the ball being held in my honor this evening. The real reason for the ball was to formally introduce me to the jackals that had been eating me out of house and home for the past month. At least Lina and Gourry were enthusiastic and easy to please in their devouring ways. The pampered freeloaders who called themselves my suitors demanded nothing but the best, throwing food on the floor if it didn't meet their standards, berating the staff for not anticipating every whim that came into their empty heads, their horses eating better grain than some of our citizens did, and in general being noisy, overbearing nuisances. Still, I had to put up with them, since each and every one was sponsored by a member of the Council, and I didn't want to offend the Councilors or seem like I was breaking my word to my daddy by not allowing myself to be courted.
Finally they finished and I looked at myself in the mirror. It's not vanity that makes me say I looked beautiful. My dress was magnificent, an iridescent blue just a shade or two darker than Zelgadis. My skin glowed like a pearl, set off by the dress and the sapphire collar at the base of my neck. My hair was pulled up into an elaborate arrangement topped by a diamond and sapphire tiara. Long earrings dangled to brush my shoulders and I wore elbow length gloves with matching bracelets on both wrists. I looked like a fairy tale princess, and I wanted to cry.
They say you never know what you have until it's gone. The corollary, of course, is that you never know what you're missing until you've had it. I could barely remember my mother and sister, since they had left my life so early on. After my mother died and my sister left, Daddy didn't want me out of his sight, so I never had a nanny like a lot of royal kids do. The closest I'd ever come to having a mother or sister was when one of the maids would take care of me if Daddy was busy, but even then, they were too aware of our respective positions to show anything but deference and respect.
Is it any wonder I developed a massive crush on Lina? Oh, nothing sexual or romantic, but wanting desperately to be liked and in her company. During our last visit, Lina had reminded me of how I acted when we first met, and we laughed together over how much had changed. She and Gourry were gone now, off to visit Sylphiel and her new husband, and I missed her desperately, almost as much as I missed Zelgadis. Dealing with the horde of suitors had been a lot easier when she was there to laugh with, and Gourry would always hover nearby, ready to fetch drinks or make a joke or otherwise make everything seem sunnier just by his nature.
The evening dragged on interminably. I allowed my mind to wander and daydream as I was passed from one flabby, over perfumed, clammy handed suitor to another, the correct smiles and phrases coming from my lips automatically as I pictured Lina whispering her opinion of my dance partner in my ear, or Zelgadis appearing at the palace with a single perfect rose in his hands and declarations of love on his lips.
I came out of my trance when Daddy took my hand and led me out onto the floor. My smile turned genuine and I rested my head on his chest for a brief moment before assuming the correct position for the dance. "I love you, Daddy."
He smiled, his eyes crinkling in familiar and well loved lines. "I love you, too, Amelia." We danced for a few moments, and then he said, "Well, how do you feel? Do any of these boys catch your eye?"
I felt tears trying to well up and forced them down. "No, Daddy. I don't like any of them."
His face got serious as he looked into my eyes. "Amelia, you know I only want what's best for you. I asked you to come home and be courted to give you as many choices as possible, not to make you miserable."
I nodded and squeezed his hand. "I know, Daddy. It's the right thing to do, it's just frustrating to deal with the Council. Each member seems to want me to marry tomorrow to their own candidate. I'd gladly marry the right person immediately, but I don't know any of these men, and what I do know, I don't like much. They all seem like power hungry leeches."
The dance ended with one last twirl. Before anyone else could approach, Daddy kissed my hand and then whispered in my ear, "I can send people to find him, you know. The people I have out there looking for his cure could track him easily."
I threw my arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, thinking that I really did have the best Daddy in the world. "No, Daddy, it wouldn't be just to force him into anything. He'll either come to me or he won't, but it will be his decision."
Daddy grumbled in my ear. "It's not really just to break my little girl's heart, either, but I'll leave it up to you." Another Councilor approached, popinjay in tow, and I once again drifted through fantasies while moving through the required paces.
Around midnight, I pled a sick headache and retired, leaving the ball to continue until the last merrymaker dropped in his tracks. It wasn't entirely a lie; the noise and smells of 500 perfumed, laughing, simpering people in one ballroom is a lot to handle. I kicked off my shoes and ripped the tiara from my head, pulling out some of my hair in my impatience. The dress and undergarments ended up piled on the floor as I stepped into a bath, the water hot enough to flay the evening's sadness and frustration from my skin. I felt better afterwards and dried quickly, pulling on the clothes I wore to travel with Lina and the others before quietly going through the doors that connected my rooms to the outside.
Once outside I breathed deeply, taking in all the air my lungs could handle and holding it for an eternal few seconds. I exhaled and it was as if all of my troubles were expelled along with the air. Humming the tune Daddy and I had danced to, I set out on my nightly walk.
After a few minutes, I paused under a weeping willow that was surrounded by white impatiens, giving the impression that it was crying into a pillow. /You and me both, Mister Tree/ I thought, sitting down and resting my head against the trunk to stare out at the small lake.
I don't know how long I sat, staring at the water and letting my thoughts settle into serenity. A laugh and a harsh voice snapped me out of my trance. "Oho, so this is where my little princess has been hiding. Thank you for making this so easy, pumpkin."
I looked at him warily, wondering just how drunk he had to be to speak that way. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't remember if we've met, but I was just about to head back and go to sleep." I was now standing and gauging the best way to pass without going near him.
He moved quickly, grabbing one of my wrists and pulling me towards him to plant a rough kiss on my lips. "Didn't the esteemed Councilor inform you? I'm your future husband."