Disclaimer: I do not own the Slayers. I wish I did, and then I would have
Gourry at my beck and call. I'm just borrowing them for a while and I
promise to return them in reasonably good shape. Please let me know what
you think. ^_^; Thank you to my one lone reviewer, Neko-chan. I'm so happy
that you like it! This chapter is slow moving on purpose. I'm still
setting up the plot and background. I'll need at least one more chapter to
set things up, then it's going to be a free for all! So please bear with me
a bit longer. Arigato! ^_~
Intrigued: Chapter Three
In Which Lina and Amelia Are On the Road.
* * * * *
Lina Inverse was enjoying the weather. It was a gorgeous summer day with huge fluffy clouds drifting across a cerulean sky. The dun pony that she rode today had a nice gait and a mouth of butter. Compared to the monster that she rode yesterday, Buttercup was heaven. Next to her Amelia was enjoying the weather as well. She hadn't said anything for the last ten minutes for which Lina was grateful.
The past two days had gone by without any sign of danger. The evil-tempered horse aside, there hadn't even been any problems to speak of. They were making pretty good time and were almost down to the border of the Allied Countries. From there they would board the ship, Heaven's Mercy, and sail for one week to land in Zefilia.
Lina was going home. Well, not home precisely, but she hadn't set foot in her homeland in years. She was somewhat worried about her homecoming. The last time she was there wasn't exactly the best of times. Her sister, Luna, hadn't punished her for her past sin. She shivered in terror at the thought of her sister's anger. Luna had a long memory, and would not have forgotten a moment of what had happened all those years ago. Lina would just have to keep a low profile and keep an ear out for any word on her sister.
It was too early yet for the wine festivals that Zefilia was so famous for. At least there would be plenty of the incredible wine for her to sample. Lina began to make a mental list of all of the wines she would have to pick up for her personal use at the Saillune Palace. One of the perks of being so close to Amelia was she had her own rooms there that she could store her things without fear of any of them disappearing. She looked over at the now napping princess and smiled. The stress of the upcoming meeting with the Eternal Queen didn't show upon her face. While Lina had never met the Queen personally, it was said that she was a very shrewd and tricky woman. For Amelia to get the Eternal Queen to agree to sign a treaty with Saillune would be quite the feather in Amelia's proverbial hat. Lina believed that the Eternal Queen had to be aware of the upcoming war with the Elmekian Empire. In all likelihood she would have information that Saillune had yet to uncover. In any event, the odds were likely of the treaty taking place, barring some terrible tragedy.
The caravan rode in silence for some time before a halt was called. Lina woke the dozing princess and gratefully dismounted. As she stretched her legs she wandered to the front to speak with the head of the guard.
"Captain! Might I have a word with you?"
"What can I do for you, Miss Inverse?"
"How much farther until we get cross the border into the Allied Countries?"
"We should be at the border tonight. Tomorrow we cross the border and we should reach the city late tomorrow afternoon. How's the Princess holding up back there?"
"She's a real trooper," Lina said with a wink. "If you don't mind, I'll head on back and make sure she's taking a proper break. How long are we stopping anyway?"
"Half an hour, so make sure you rest. I'll see you later, Miss Lina. If you have any problems, let me know."
"I will," Lina said before she headed back to where their horses were resting in the shade.
Lina made a stop at the supply wagon to get some hard sausage, cheese, and bread for herself and Amelia before finding where the Princess had gone. Lina found Amelia under the shade giving the horses bits of an apple.
"Here you go, I got us something to snack on," Lina said plopping down at the foot of an old oak tree. She handed Amelia a bit of the food before tearing into the snack like she hadn't eaten in ages.
"Please, Miss Lina, try to act more lady-like," the exasperated Princess said as she daintily ate the bread. "You're supposed to act like my companion. As you should well know, those who accompany Princess' are generally ladies. You'll blow our cover once we get to the Allied Cities if you continue to stuff your face like that! In the name of Justice, please try to act like a lady!"
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say Amelia. You're right. I've got to act like a lady. I'll try my best, but I'm so hungry! We haven't eaten in hours, Amelia."
"It's only been three hours, Lina."
"Yeah, an eternity when you're hungry!"
"If you say so, Miss Lina."
They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes before Amelia got a pensive look on her face.
"Miss Lina, you're from Zefilia, right?"
"Yeah, so?"
"What do you know of the royal family there?"
"Umm. not much. The Eternal Queen has ruled for as long as I've been alive, actually, longer. The Royals generally keep to themselves; don't get caught up in scandalous going on, and every two years the queen throws a big bash at the castle. From what I remember, the Queen has a palace in the country."
"What I'm getting at, Miss Lina," Amelia asked, biting her lower lip in apprehension, "Does she have any eligible sons?"
"Why do you want to know that? You're hardly old enough to think of marriage. Though that would be a good way to tie Saillune to Zefilia. Smart thinking, Amelia," Lina said with a wink to the now blushing girl.
"That's not what I meant! I don't want to get married to anyone that I don't choose for myself. I just want to know if that's something that I have to worry about while I go about trying to get her to sign the treaty!"
"Okay, okay. Calm down. I didn't mean to get you all worked up. Now let me think," the flame haired sorceress mused while she finished her sausage. "I think, don't hold me to this, okay, that the Queen has two sons. I know one is married for sure. The other one may or may not be."
"Alright. I can work with that. Thanks, Miss Lina."
"Don't mention it. What are friends for? Hey, are you going to eat your cheese?" Lina asked as she eyed the remains of Amelia's snack. Amelia handed it over without a word.
"When will we cross the border?"
"The Captain thinks we'll be at the border tonight. Tomorrow we cross into Allied Territory. We'll have to be on our guard. If anything happens it will be once we get out of Saillune."
"You really think something is going to happen, don't you?"
"Yeah, I have a suspicion that something's going to happen. So keep your guard up. We may be in for a bumpy ride."
"We have Love and Justice on our side, Miss Lina! If anyone were to try and stop us, I know that we will smite the evil-doers and teach them that good always triumphs!" Amelia shouted, striking a pose.
"Uhhhh. Yeah. Smite them. Right," Lina mumbled, sweat dropping as her companion grinned.
Intrigued: Chapter Three
In Which Lina and Amelia Are On the Road.
* * * * *
Lina Inverse was enjoying the weather. It was a gorgeous summer day with huge fluffy clouds drifting across a cerulean sky. The dun pony that she rode today had a nice gait and a mouth of butter. Compared to the monster that she rode yesterday, Buttercup was heaven. Next to her Amelia was enjoying the weather as well. She hadn't said anything for the last ten minutes for which Lina was grateful.
The past two days had gone by without any sign of danger. The evil-tempered horse aside, there hadn't even been any problems to speak of. They were making pretty good time and were almost down to the border of the Allied Countries. From there they would board the ship, Heaven's Mercy, and sail for one week to land in Zefilia.
Lina was going home. Well, not home precisely, but she hadn't set foot in her homeland in years. She was somewhat worried about her homecoming. The last time she was there wasn't exactly the best of times. Her sister, Luna, hadn't punished her for her past sin. She shivered in terror at the thought of her sister's anger. Luna had a long memory, and would not have forgotten a moment of what had happened all those years ago. Lina would just have to keep a low profile and keep an ear out for any word on her sister.
It was too early yet for the wine festivals that Zefilia was so famous for. At least there would be plenty of the incredible wine for her to sample. Lina began to make a mental list of all of the wines she would have to pick up for her personal use at the Saillune Palace. One of the perks of being so close to Amelia was she had her own rooms there that she could store her things without fear of any of them disappearing. She looked over at the now napping princess and smiled. The stress of the upcoming meeting with the Eternal Queen didn't show upon her face. While Lina had never met the Queen personally, it was said that she was a very shrewd and tricky woman. For Amelia to get the Eternal Queen to agree to sign a treaty with Saillune would be quite the feather in Amelia's proverbial hat. Lina believed that the Eternal Queen had to be aware of the upcoming war with the Elmekian Empire. In all likelihood she would have information that Saillune had yet to uncover. In any event, the odds were likely of the treaty taking place, barring some terrible tragedy.
The caravan rode in silence for some time before a halt was called. Lina woke the dozing princess and gratefully dismounted. As she stretched her legs she wandered to the front to speak with the head of the guard.
"Captain! Might I have a word with you?"
"What can I do for you, Miss Inverse?"
"How much farther until we get cross the border into the Allied Countries?"
"We should be at the border tonight. Tomorrow we cross the border and we should reach the city late tomorrow afternoon. How's the Princess holding up back there?"
"She's a real trooper," Lina said with a wink. "If you don't mind, I'll head on back and make sure she's taking a proper break. How long are we stopping anyway?"
"Half an hour, so make sure you rest. I'll see you later, Miss Lina. If you have any problems, let me know."
"I will," Lina said before she headed back to where their horses were resting in the shade.
Lina made a stop at the supply wagon to get some hard sausage, cheese, and bread for herself and Amelia before finding where the Princess had gone. Lina found Amelia under the shade giving the horses bits of an apple.
"Here you go, I got us something to snack on," Lina said plopping down at the foot of an old oak tree. She handed Amelia a bit of the food before tearing into the snack like she hadn't eaten in ages.
"Please, Miss Lina, try to act more lady-like," the exasperated Princess said as she daintily ate the bread. "You're supposed to act like my companion. As you should well know, those who accompany Princess' are generally ladies. You'll blow our cover once we get to the Allied Cities if you continue to stuff your face like that! In the name of Justice, please try to act like a lady!"
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say Amelia. You're right. I've got to act like a lady. I'll try my best, but I'm so hungry! We haven't eaten in hours, Amelia."
"It's only been three hours, Lina."
"Yeah, an eternity when you're hungry!"
"If you say so, Miss Lina."
They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes before Amelia got a pensive look on her face.
"Miss Lina, you're from Zefilia, right?"
"Yeah, so?"
"What do you know of the royal family there?"
"Umm. not much. The Eternal Queen has ruled for as long as I've been alive, actually, longer. The Royals generally keep to themselves; don't get caught up in scandalous going on, and every two years the queen throws a big bash at the castle. From what I remember, the Queen has a palace in the country."
"What I'm getting at, Miss Lina," Amelia asked, biting her lower lip in apprehension, "Does she have any eligible sons?"
"Why do you want to know that? You're hardly old enough to think of marriage. Though that would be a good way to tie Saillune to Zefilia. Smart thinking, Amelia," Lina said with a wink to the now blushing girl.
"That's not what I meant! I don't want to get married to anyone that I don't choose for myself. I just want to know if that's something that I have to worry about while I go about trying to get her to sign the treaty!"
"Okay, okay. Calm down. I didn't mean to get you all worked up. Now let me think," the flame haired sorceress mused while she finished her sausage. "I think, don't hold me to this, okay, that the Queen has two sons. I know one is married for sure. The other one may or may not be."
"Alright. I can work with that. Thanks, Miss Lina."
"Don't mention it. What are friends for? Hey, are you going to eat your cheese?" Lina asked as she eyed the remains of Amelia's snack. Amelia handed it over without a word.
"When will we cross the border?"
"The Captain thinks we'll be at the border tonight. Tomorrow we cross into Allied Territory. We'll have to be on our guard. If anything happens it will be once we get out of Saillune."
"You really think something is going to happen, don't you?"
"Yeah, I have a suspicion that something's going to happen. So keep your guard up. We may be in for a bumpy ride."
"We have Love and Justice on our side, Miss Lina! If anyone were to try and stop us, I know that we will smite the evil-doers and teach them that good always triumphs!" Amelia shouted, striking a pose.
"Uhhhh. Yeah. Smite them. Right," Lina mumbled, sweat dropping as her companion grinned.