Chapter 7: In which lessons are given
The group finished dinner, and Lina began preparing to teach the other girls her older sister's headache spells while Sylphiel and Amelia cleaned up the dinner dishes. Zelgadiss walked over to Lina from where he'd been sitting, teapot in one hand.
"Lina?" he asked softly, "Can I get some of that tea? My headache is still..."
Lina jumped at the interruption, then grinned at her companion.
"Why don't you go to bed, I'll bring the tea in when it's done steeping." Lina said, cocking her head to one side and putting on her cute face.
Zel looked at her for a moment. "Why do I get the feeling that you're going to suggest something really unpleasant?" he asked.
Lina put on her injured face, then paused for a moment. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't push you into anything. I'm teaching Sylphiel and Amelia the headache spells I used earlier. Do you mind if one of them tries the spell out on you when I bring in the tea?"
Zel shrugged, and handed over the tea pot. "I guess it's all right. It doesn't really matter who casts the spell as long as it works."
Lina looked surprised, but Zel just smiled at her and headed towards his tent. Lina watched him go, a thoughtful look on her face. She was still looking towards Zel's tent when Amelia and Sylphiel finished with the last dish, and made their way around the fire to her.
"Miss Lina?" Sylphiel asked, looking at the still empty teapot in Lina's hand. "Are you planning to make some tea?"
Lina started at Sylphiel's question, and looked down at the tea pot.
"Oh. I need to make some tea for Zel..." She quickly drew her pack around from where it was serving as a backrest and rummaged through it for a while. A surprising stack of things formed next to her before she found the package she was looking for. She casually scooped the stack of possessions into her pack before taking a tiny amount of herbs from the package and adding them to the teapot.
Amelia watched her closely as she poured a slow 10 count of water into the kettle and placed it on the stone in the center of the fire pit.
"What are you doing, Miss Lina?" she asked, looking at the kettle.
"Just making Zel some sleepy-tea" Lina replied, turning back to her students. "Everyone ready to learn the headache spells?"
At Amelia's shout and Sylphiel's nod, Lina laughed and pulled out a small book. She ignored the discussions between Gourry and Wilam about who would take watch, and concentrated only on teaching the spells. Because of the natures of the different spells, she decided to split them between her students. Sylphiel would learn the white magic version, while Amelia would focus on the shamanic version. About the same time that the tea water began to boil, and Sylphiel had mastered the first headache spell, it began to snow. By the time that Amelia had mastered the second spell and the tea was done steeping, the snowfall had intensified to the point where it was threatening to put out the fire.
"I think it's about time for you three to head to sleep. Lina are you okay with taking the mid-night watch again? Gourry said it was your favorite..." Wilam's voice was strangely subdued in the powdery whiteness. At Lina's agreement, he started to wave them towards their tents.
"What about Mr. Zelgadiss's tea?" Sylphiel asked quietly, picking up the pot and pouring the contents into a mug. She looked at the contents of the mug skeptically, it seemed rather strong to her.
"Oh!" Lina cried, grabbing the mug from Sylphiel, "I almost forgot!"
Lina snatched up the kettle and washed it quickly, then dumped a handful of regular tea into the pot. She poured in a full measure of water, and muttered at the kettle, which immediately began steaming. She looked impatiently into the kettle, but the tea still wasn't done.
"You guys go ahead... I was going to have you practice on Zel tonight, but with this weather..." Lina gestured at the snow still falling all around them, "Why don't you just go to bed, we'll brush up on the spells in the morning, and you can try them then... if he still needs them."
Waving the two girls towards their tents, she smiled at Wilam, "Are you taking the first watch?"
"No." Wilam laughed, "I figured Gourry should take it, since he mentioned that he always has problems waking up. Last thing we want in this area is a sleepy guard."
Lina blinked at him, suddenly understanding why Gourry always seemed to sleep through his watch.
'I wonder why he never mentioned that to me...' She thought, mixing a tiny amount of the sleep-inducing mixture into a cup of tea, and pouring the remainder into a little glass jar. She looked at the little jar thoughtfully before stashing it in a side pocket of her pack.
'If he'd said something, I would have made sure that he always got the first watch... or would I? Maybe he mentioned it, but I just never really paid attention.' Lina tried to ignore the direction her thoughts were going, but being an inherently self-aware person, she couldn't. 'I always ignored his input on watch rotation... although at first when he thought I was just a little girl, he wouldn't let me stand a watch. Then later, I was too busy trying to prove that I knew what I was doing. Looks like we both made mistakes.'
Shaking her thoughts aside, Lina turned and carefully made her way through the ankle-deep snow to Zelgadiss's tent. After calling his name softly and getting no response, she peaked into the tent. Zelgadiss was lying on the floor next to his bedroll, clutching his head and moaning.
"ZEL!" Lina cried, scrambling into the tent and to her friend's side.
Zel winced and the sound of her voice, and tears leaked from his eyes. Lina dropped to her knees, and slid to his side.
"Zel, are you alright?" she asked, laying her free hand across his forehead. Zel's face relaxed slightly, and some of the tension leaked from his body.
"Is he alright, Lina?" Sylphiel's soft voice broke into Lina's forming panic. Lina looked up at the shrine maiden, her anguish at her friend's pain screaming from her expressive eyes. At the sound of her voice, Zel tensed up again, until Lina drew closer, pillowing his head on her lap.
"Sylphiel, you have to help him..." Lina hated to admit that anything was beyond her skill, but healing had never been her strong point. "What's happening to him?"
Sylphiel crawled into the tent next to Lina, and laid her fingertips on Zel's temples. She looked up to Lina questioningly, and glanced at the still full cup in her hand.
"Can you hold him still for me, Lina?" She asked. At Lina's nod, she smiled reassuringly, and closed her eyes to concentrate. A soft white nimbus appeared around the Shrine maiden, and slid down her arms to where her fingers lay against the chimera's head. After a moment, the glow took on a bluish tinge, and Sylphiel opened her eyes.
At Lina's hopeful expression, tears filled the gentle shrine maiden's eyes. "He's getting worse." She paused, trying to figure out how to explain what was needed without offending the volatile sorceress.
"His spell..." Sylphiel began, "It's fading. We knew that... but any stress on his body is going to make it fade faster. He needs more energy, to sleep deeply and fully each night, and to increase how much he is eating."
Lina nodded, already making plans for the next day. Sylphiel cleared her throat uncomfortably. "He could also use... some outside help."
"What do you mean?" Lina demanded, not liking where this was going.
"He isn't very powerful, magically. It looks like he could have been... but all that power is being drawn off to support the spell." Sylphiel looked down. "I can feed him my power, like I would while casting a healing spell, but without directing it..."
Sylphiel looked up, tears flowing freely. "But I can only give him a day or two. Is there anything that we could tie into his spell... something powerful, something that would last longer than me?"
Lina thought for a moment, then looked down at the talismans adorning her throat, wrists and waist. She pulled the one at her throat off with her left hand, causing Zel to tense up as her hand left his forehead. "What about these?"
Sylphiel looked at the talisman Lina was holding out to her. "I don't... I don't know... they are very powerful talisman, but don't they just amplify existing power? I could try..." Sylphiel's doubt made Lina grind her teeth.
"Alright, what about me?"
Sylphiel gasped, covering her mouth with her free hand, and stared at Lina. She knew that holding the spell for longer than a day would kill her, but she wasn't sure that Lina understood what she had meant. Obviously from the offer, Lina didn't understand. She shook her head, and tried to hand the demon blood talisman back.
"I can't agree to do that to you, Lina..." Sylphiel began, "Do you understand what you are asking me to do?"
Lina closed her eyes for a moment, before answering. "Sylphiel, I think I do... I can't imagine that you would turn your back on a friend, even if you could only give them a day of peace, if there wasn't something really wrong. Just let me do this."
"Lina... It would kill me. I don't know how long you would have, but I can't kill you in his place." Sylphiel closed her eyes, trying to explain. "Mr. Zelgadis is my friend, and I would do anything in my power to save his life, but this isn't in my power. I know you're strong... but how strong are you really?"
Sylphiel opened her eyes, meeting Lina's gaze unwaveringly.
"This is going to take your magic and pull it from you bit by bit... you won't be able to cast any spell without causing him, and possibly yourself, pain. It will tie you to him in ways that could drive most people insane. Lina, are you absolutely sure that you can do this?"
Lina laughed her carefree laugh, and smiled her brightest smile. She glanced down at Zelgadiss; her gaze resting on the stony hand that had grasped hers and pulled it to his face. She turned and set the mug of tea down off to one side, then laid her right hand across Zel's face. More tension flowed from his body at her touch, and she looked at him for a moment before looking up.
"I can't just leave him like this, Sylphiel," Lina said nodding towards Zel, "any more than I could leave Gourry in Phibrizo's hands. I'm going to fight this, and I'm going to win. There just isn't any other option."
Sylphiel nodded, then motioned towards the tea. "You should get him to wake up, he needs to be aware for this. That tea will help him sleep when we are done."
Lina nodded, and freed her hands. She leaned over Zel, who was twisting into a knot again.
"Wake up, sleepyhead." She whispered, shaking him gently. Zel responded by curling into her hands, and trying to hide under her. Sylphiel stifled a giggle, but Lina glared at her anyway.
"Come on, Zel. Wake up... Sylphiel's laughing at me... you don't want me to have to hurt you because of that do you?"
Either the gentle prodding or the low voices finally broke through Zel's pain-clouded stupor, because he blinked up at Lina. Not really aware yet, he reached for his sword, expecting her to be waking him for an attack of some kind. His groping hands met Sylphiel's snow and slush covered hem, and the bitter cold of melting ice jolted him the rest of the way awake.
"Lina..." he began, pain making him more abrupt than usual. Lina moved away from him, ready to yell. As soon as her hands left his shoulders, the piercing headache returned, and he crumpled back to the floor of the tent with a whimper.
Sylphiel and Lina moved together, catching his head before it could land on the floor. They knelt there, his head cradled between them when Gourry opened the tent flap.
"Are you all okay? I thought I heard some yelling..." Gourry took in the shrine maiden and the sorceress on the floor with their chimera companion, and immediate jumped to the right conclusion. "He's getting worse, isn't he?"
At Sylphiel's nod, Gourry flashed her a reassuring smile. "Well, it's a good thing you're here, Sylphiel. If anyone can help him, it's you." Gourry smiled at the trio, and withdrew from the tent, ignoring the battle aura that flickered into life around Lina.
At Sylphiel's pointed throat clearing, Lina dropped her eyes, and her aura. "I'm sorry Sylphiel... he just makes me so mad!"
Sylphiel laughed lightly, forgetting their situation for a moment. "Lina," she began, "you can't say that he's wrong about your healing skills."
Lina looked up, eyes flickering angrily. "He just always seems to assume that I can't do things!"
Sylphiel calmed her, as Zel twisted at the noise of their little argument.
"That's not it at all, Lina. Your focus is just more... competitive... than mine is. I don't think you need to worry about Gourry forgetting that fact." Sylphiel looked down at Zelgadis, who was stirring back to wakefulness.
"Are you ready to begin, Mr. Zelgadis?" She asked, gently settling his head onto Lina's lap. As Lina moved to get up, Sylphiel pressed her back down.
"Ready for what? Why are you both here? Is this the headache spell practice you were talking about, Lina?" Zel asked, quickly regaining his usual temperament.
"Actually, Mr. Zelgadiss..." Sylphiel began.
"We're trying something a little bit different, but it should get rid of those headaches, Zel" Lina interrupted, glaring at Sylphiel. Sylphiel smiled at Lina's expression, understanding that she didn't want Zel to know exactly what she was risking for him.
"It's a little more... personal than the headache spell, Mr. Zelgadiss. Lina is going to help me with a spell that should help until we can get to the temple." As she spoke, Sylphiel drew Lina's hands to Zelgadiss's temples. "Now, close your eyes, both of you. We're going to start with visualization. Lina, I want you to think of your favorite place. Can you describe it for us? As she's describing her place, I want you to try to see it, Mr. Zelgadiss."
Lina sat there for a moment, feeling Sylphiel move around them, setting the perimeter of the spell. She began to describe her favorite place, a barn loft she used to hide in and watch her older sister's sword lessons from. As she described it, she heard Sylphiel beginning to chant. Their voices rose in counterpoint, Lina's voice higher and more animated, Sylphiel's sweet and low. Zelgadiss could practically smell the sweet scent of the hay in the barn, hear the horses stamping impatiently below, feel the sunlight warm on his chilled skin... his eyes popped open.
His head was pillowed on Lina's lap, her hands resting on his temples. Her eyes were closed, and she was smiling. Sylphiel sat in front of them, glowing with a soft light. Her hands were moving in complex patterns in front of her, it looked almost like she was weaving something together, but the only thing there was light. Zel wanted to sit up, but something held him motionless. Lina's hands were hot, almost burning into his skin. The warmth from Lina's hands flowed down his body, pooling in his solar plexus and making him want to run into the snow to cool off.
The light that Sylphiel was weaving was cool, it flowed from her hands over Lina and Zel as Lina fell silent. The warmth from Lina's hands faded, but Zel still felt warm. Comfortably warm, he wanted just to sleep. But sleeping meant moving, leaving the warm zone inside the spell circle than Sylphiel had made. He steeled himself for the cold, and moved to sit up.
"Wait," Sylphiel said, motioning for him to lie down. "You have to stay inside the spell circle..."
Lina looked up, shivering slightly. "What do you mean? How long do we have to stay here?"
Sylphiel looked a little startled.
"I don't know." She admitted. "The spell is usually used on someone who is confined to their bed, and the caregiver stays with them for a day at the minimum." At Lina's outraged look, Sylphiel stuttered quickly, "I think that 6 or 8 hours should be plenty... I'll just go get your things from your tent, Lina... Drink that tea, it'll help."
Lina grumbled, and looked anywhere but at Zelgadiss. Zel looked down, and realized that the spell circle was only just big enough for two bedrolls, if they were touching. He blushed furiously, realizing that Lina would have to sleep in his tent, right next to him... practically touching.
He mumbled something, looking at his hands.
"What?" Lina snapped.
"I'm sorry, Lina. I wish that this wasn't happening." He began. She glared at him, he paled and shut up."
"What, are you saying I'm not good enough?" Lina demanded. "Are you trying to tell me that you don't want me here? Do you wish I had just walked away?"
Just as Lina was starting to get really worked up, and Zel was trying to shrink into a tiny ball at one side of the spell circle, Sylphiel returned.
"I think he's trying to apologize for your inconvenience, Lina." Sylphiel broke in, handing Lina her bedroll and pack. "Don't forget that tea, you should both probably have some. I'll let everyone know what's happened, and that you're just helping with a spell to heal Mr. Zelgadis."
Sylphiel smiled gently at her friends, ignoring their glares and blushes as she dragged Zel's bedroll over. The two spell occupants laid out their bedding, carefully not looking at each other or touching. Zel, already in his pajamas, climbed immediately into his bedroll, drank half the tea, and slipped immediately back to sleep. Lina waited for him to be buried in his blankets before pulling out her own sleepwear and changing in that under-clothing way that all girls seem to know about. She made a face at Sylphiel as she held out the remainder of the sleep brew, but sighed and downed the contents. She lay down, and drew her covers up then turned to Sylphiel.
"Syl?" Lina began, blinking the sleepiness from her eyes.
"Yes, Lina?" Sylphiel asked from the doorway, just about to leave.
"Thank ... you..." Lina's voice trailed away as sleep overcame her at last.
The group finished dinner, and Lina began preparing to teach the other girls her older sister's headache spells while Sylphiel and Amelia cleaned up the dinner dishes. Zelgadiss walked over to Lina from where he'd been sitting, teapot in one hand.
"Lina?" he asked softly, "Can I get some of that tea? My headache is still..."
Lina jumped at the interruption, then grinned at her companion.
"Why don't you go to bed, I'll bring the tea in when it's done steeping." Lina said, cocking her head to one side and putting on her cute face.
Zel looked at her for a moment. "Why do I get the feeling that you're going to suggest something really unpleasant?" he asked.
Lina put on her injured face, then paused for a moment. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't push you into anything. I'm teaching Sylphiel and Amelia the headache spells I used earlier. Do you mind if one of them tries the spell out on you when I bring in the tea?"
Zel shrugged, and handed over the tea pot. "I guess it's all right. It doesn't really matter who casts the spell as long as it works."
Lina looked surprised, but Zel just smiled at her and headed towards his tent. Lina watched him go, a thoughtful look on her face. She was still looking towards Zel's tent when Amelia and Sylphiel finished with the last dish, and made their way around the fire to her.
"Miss Lina?" Sylphiel asked, looking at the still empty teapot in Lina's hand. "Are you planning to make some tea?"
Lina started at Sylphiel's question, and looked down at the tea pot.
"Oh. I need to make some tea for Zel..." She quickly drew her pack around from where it was serving as a backrest and rummaged through it for a while. A surprising stack of things formed next to her before she found the package she was looking for. She casually scooped the stack of possessions into her pack before taking a tiny amount of herbs from the package and adding them to the teapot.
Amelia watched her closely as she poured a slow 10 count of water into the kettle and placed it on the stone in the center of the fire pit.
"What are you doing, Miss Lina?" she asked, looking at the kettle.
"Just making Zel some sleepy-tea" Lina replied, turning back to her students. "Everyone ready to learn the headache spells?"
At Amelia's shout and Sylphiel's nod, Lina laughed and pulled out a small book. She ignored the discussions between Gourry and Wilam about who would take watch, and concentrated only on teaching the spells. Because of the natures of the different spells, she decided to split them between her students. Sylphiel would learn the white magic version, while Amelia would focus on the shamanic version. About the same time that the tea water began to boil, and Sylphiel had mastered the first headache spell, it began to snow. By the time that Amelia had mastered the second spell and the tea was done steeping, the snowfall had intensified to the point where it was threatening to put out the fire.
"I think it's about time for you three to head to sleep. Lina are you okay with taking the mid-night watch again? Gourry said it was your favorite..." Wilam's voice was strangely subdued in the powdery whiteness. At Lina's agreement, he started to wave them towards their tents.
"What about Mr. Zelgadiss's tea?" Sylphiel asked quietly, picking up the pot and pouring the contents into a mug. She looked at the contents of the mug skeptically, it seemed rather strong to her.
"Oh!" Lina cried, grabbing the mug from Sylphiel, "I almost forgot!"
Lina snatched up the kettle and washed it quickly, then dumped a handful of regular tea into the pot. She poured in a full measure of water, and muttered at the kettle, which immediately began steaming. She looked impatiently into the kettle, but the tea still wasn't done.
"You guys go ahead... I was going to have you practice on Zel tonight, but with this weather..." Lina gestured at the snow still falling all around them, "Why don't you just go to bed, we'll brush up on the spells in the morning, and you can try them then... if he still needs them."
Waving the two girls towards their tents, she smiled at Wilam, "Are you taking the first watch?"
"No." Wilam laughed, "I figured Gourry should take it, since he mentioned that he always has problems waking up. Last thing we want in this area is a sleepy guard."
Lina blinked at him, suddenly understanding why Gourry always seemed to sleep through his watch.
'I wonder why he never mentioned that to me...' She thought, mixing a tiny amount of the sleep-inducing mixture into a cup of tea, and pouring the remainder into a little glass jar. She looked at the little jar thoughtfully before stashing it in a side pocket of her pack.
'If he'd said something, I would have made sure that he always got the first watch... or would I? Maybe he mentioned it, but I just never really paid attention.' Lina tried to ignore the direction her thoughts were going, but being an inherently self-aware person, she couldn't. 'I always ignored his input on watch rotation... although at first when he thought I was just a little girl, he wouldn't let me stand a watch. Then later, I was too busy trying to prove that I knew what I was doing. Looks like we both made mistakes.'
Shaking her thoughts aside, Lina turned and carefully made her way through the ankle-deep snow to Zelgadiss's tent. After calling his name softly and getting no response, she peaked into the tent. Zelgadiss was lying on the floor next to his bedroll, clutching his head and moaning.
"ZEL!" Lina cried, scrambling into the tent and to her friend's side.
Zel winced and the sound of her voice, and tears leaked from his eyes. Lina dropped to her knees, and slid to his side.
"Zel, are you alright?" she asked, laying her free hand across his forehead. Zel's face relaxed slightly, and some of the tension leaked from his body.
"Is he alright, Lina?" Sylphiel's soft voice broke into Lina's forming panic. Lina looked up at the shrine maiden, her anguish at her friend's pain screaming from her expressive eyes. At the sound of her voice, Zel tensed up again, until Lina drew closer, pillowing his head on her lap.
"Sylphiel, you have to help him..." Lina hated to admit that anything was beyond her skill, but healing had never been her strong point. "What's happening to him?"
Sylphiel crawled into the tent next to Lina, and laid her fingertips on Zel's temples. She looked up to Lina questioningly, and glanced at the still full cup in her hand.
"Can you hold him still for me, Lina?" She asked. At Lina's nod, she smiled reassuringly, and closed her eyes to concentrate. A soft white nimbus appeared around the Shrine maiden, and slid down her arms to where her fingers lay against the chimera's head. After a moment, the glow took on a bluish tinge, and Sylphiel opened her eyes.
At Lina's hopeful expression, tears filled the gentle shrine maiden's eyes. "He's getting worse." She paused, trying to figure out how to explain what was needed without offending the volatile sorceress.
"His spell..." Sylphiel began, "It's fading. We knew that... but any stress on his body is going to make it fade faster. He needs more energy, to sleep deeply and fully each night, and to increase how much he is eating."
Lina nodded, already making plans for the next day. Sylphiel cleared her throat uncomfortably. "He could also use... some outside help."
"What do you mean?" Lina demanded, not liking where this was going.
"He isn't very powerful, magically. It looks like he could have been... but all that power is being drawn off to support the spell." Sylphiel looked down. "I can feed him my power, like I would while casting a healing spell, but without directing it..."
Sylphiel looked up, tears flowing freely. "But I can only give him a day or two. Is there anything that we could tie into his spell... something powerful, something that would last longer than me?"
Lina thought for a moment, then looked down at the talismans adorning her throat, wrists and waist. She pulled the one at her throat off with her left hand, causing Zel to tense up as her hand left his forehead. "What about these?"
Sylphiel looked at the talisman Lina was holding out to her. "I don't... I don't know... they are very powerful talisman, but don't they just amplify existing power? I could try..." Sylphiel's doubt made Lina grind her teeth.
"Alright, what about me?"
Sylphiel gasped, covering her mouth with her free hand, and stared at Lina. She knew that holding the spell for longer than a day would kill her, but she wasn't sure that Lina understood what she had meant. Obviously from the offer, Lina didn't understand. She shook her head, and tried to hand the demon blood talisman back.
"I can't agree to do that to you, Lina..." Sylphiel began, "Do you understand what you are asking me to do?"
Lina closed her eyes for a moment, before answering. "Sylphiel, I think I do... I can't imagine that you would turn your back on a friend, even if you could only give them a day of peace, if there wasn't something really wrong. Just let me do this."
"Lina... It would kill me. I don't know how long you would have, but I can't kill you in his place." Sylphiel closed her eyes, trying to explain. "Mr. Zelgadis is my friend, and I would do anything in my power to save his life, but this isn't in my power. I know you're strong... but how strong are you really?"
Sylphiel opened her eyes, meeting Lina's gaze unwaveringly.
"This is going to take your magic and pull it from you bit by bit... you won't be able to cast any spell without causing him, and possibly yourself, pain. It will tie you to him in ways that could drive most people insane. Lina, are you absolutely sure that you can do this?"
Lina laughed her carefree laugh, and smiled her brightest smile. She glanced down at Zelgadiss; her gaze resting on the stony hand that had grasped hers and pulled it to his face. She turned and set the mug of tea down off to one side, then laid her right hand across Zel's face. More tension flowed from his body at her touch, and she looked at him for a moment before looking up.
"I can't just leave him like this, Sylphiel," Lina said nodding towards Zel, "any more than I could leave Gourry in Phibrizo's hands. I'm going to fight this, and I'm going to win. There just isn't any other option."
Sylphiel nodded, then motioned towards the tea. "You should get him to wake up, he needs to be aware for this. That tea will help him sleep when we are done."
Lina nodded, and freed her hands. She leaned over Zel, who was twisting into a knot again.
"Wake up, sleepyhead." She whispered, shaking him gently. Zel responded by curling into her hands, and trying to hide under her. Sylphiel stifled a giggle, but Lina glared at her anyway.
"Come on, Zel. Wake up... Sylphiel's laughing at me... you don't want me to have to hurt you because of that do you?"
Either the gentle prodding or the low voices finally broke through Zel's pain-clouded stupor, because he blinked up at Lina. Not really aware yet, he reached for his sword, expecting her to be waking him for an attack of some kind. His groping hands met Sylphiel's snow and slush covered hem, and the bitter cold of melting ice jolted him the rest of the way awake.
"Lina..." he began, pain making him more abrupt than usual. Lina moved away from him, ready to yell. As soon as her hands left his shoulders, the piercing headache returned, and he crumpled back to the floor of the tent with a whimper.
Sylphiel and Lina moved together, catching his head before it could land on the floor. They knelt there, his head cradled between them when Gourry opened the tent flap.
"Are you all okay? I thought I heard some yelling..." Gourry took in the shrine maiden and the sorceress on the floor with their chimera companion, and immediate jumped to the right conclusion. "He's getting worse, isn't he?"
At Sylphiel's nod, Gourry flashed her a reassuring smile. "Well, it's a good thing you're here, Sylphiel. If anyone can help him, it's you." Gourry smiled at the trio, and withdrew from the tent, ignoring the battle aura that flickered into life around Lina.
At Sylphiel's pointed throat clearing, Lina dropped her eyes, and her aura. "I'm sorry Sylphiel... he just makes me so mad!"
Sylphiel laughed lightly, forgetting their situation for a moment. "Lina," she began, "you can't say that he's wrong about your healing skills."
Lina looked up, eyes flickering angrily. "He just always seems to assume that I can't do things!"
Sylphiel calmed her, as Zel twisted at the noise of their little argument.
"That's not it at all, Lina. Your focus is just more... competitive... than mine is. I don't think you need to worry about Gourry forgetting that fact." Sylphiel looked down at Zelgadis, who was stirring back to wakefulness.
"Are you ready to begin, Mr. Zelgadis?" She asked, gently settling his head onto Lina's lap. As Lina moved to get up, Sylphiel pressed her back down.
"Ready for what? Why are you both here? Is this the headache spell practice you were talking about, Lina?" Zel asked, quickly regaining his usual temperament.
"Actually, Mr. Zelgadiss..." Sylphiel began.
"We're trying something a little bit different, but it should get rid of those headaches, Zel" Lina interrupted, glaring at Sylphiel. Sylphiel smiled at Lina's expression, understanding that she didn't want Zel to know exactly what she was risking for him.
"It's a little more... personal than the headache spell, Mr. Zelgadiss. Lina is going to help me with a spell that should help until we can get to the temple." As she spoke, Sylphiel drew Lina's hands to Zelgadiss's temples. "Now, close your eyes, both of you. We're going to start with visualization. Lina, I want you to think of your favorite place. Can you describe it for us? As she's describing her place, I want you to try to see it, Mr. Zelgadiss."
Lina sat there for a moment, feeling Sylphiel move around them, setting the perimeter of the spell. She began to describe her favorite place, a barn loft she used to hide in and watch her older sister's sword lessons from. As she described it, she heard Sylphiel beginning to chant. Their voices rose in counterpoint, Lina's voice higher and more animated, Sylphiel's sweet and low. Zelgadiss could practically smell the sweet scent of the hay in the barn, hear the horses stamping impatiently below, feel the sunlight warm on his chilled skin... his eyes popped open.
His head was pillowed on Lina's lap, her hands resting on his temples. Her eyes were closed, and she was smiling. Sylphiel sat in front of them, glowing with a soft light. Her hands were moving in complex patterns in front of her, it looked almost like she was weaving something together, but the only thing there was light. Zel wanted to sit up, but something held him motionless. Lina's hands were hot, almost burning into his skin. The warmth from Lina's hands flowed down his body, pooling in his solar plexus and making him want to run into the snow to cool off.
The light that Sylphiel was weaving was cool, it flowed from her hands over Lina and Zel as Lina fell silent. The warmth from Lina's hands faded, but Zel still felt warm. Comfortably warm, he wanted just to sleep. But sleeping meant moving, leaving the warm zone inside the spell circle than Sylphiel had made. He steeled himself for the cold, and moved to sit up.
"Wait," Sylphiel said, motioning for him to lie down. "You have to stay inside the spell circle..."
Lina looked up, shivering slightly. "What do you mean? How long do we have to stay here?"
Sylphiel looked a little startled.
"I don't know." She admitted. "The spell is usually used on someone who is confined to their bed, and the caregiver stays with them for a day at the minimum." At Lina's outraged look, Sylphiel stuttered quickly, "I think that 6 or 8 hours should be plenty... I'll just go get your things from your tent, Lina... Drink that tea, it'll help."
Lina grumbled, and looked anywhere but at Zelgadiss. Zel looked down, and realized that the spell circle was only just big enough for two bedrolls, if they were touching. He blushed furiously, realizing that Lina would have to sleep in his tent, right next to him... practically touching.
He mumbled something, looking at his hands.
"What?" Lina snapped.
"I'm sorry, Lina. I wish that this wasn't happening." He began. She glared at him, he paled and shut up."
"What, are you saying I'm not good enough?" Lina demanded. "Are you trying to tell me that you don't want me here? Do you wish I had just walked away?"
Just as Lina was starting to get really worked up, and Zel was trying to shrink into a tiny ball at one side of the spell circle, Sylphiel returned.
"I think he's trying to apologize for your inconvenience, Lina." Sylphiel broke in, handing Lina her bedroll and pack. "Don't forget that tea, you should both probably have some. I'll let everyone know what's happened, and that you're just helping with a spell to heal Mr. Zelgadis."
Sylphiel smiled gently at her friends, ignoring their glares and blushes as she dragged Zel's bedroll over. The two spell occupants laid out their bedding, carefully not looking at each other or touching. Zel, already in his pajamas, climbed immediately into his bedroll, drank half the tea, and slipped immediately back to sleep. Lina waited for him to be buried in his blankets before pulling out her own sleepwear and changing in that under-clothing way that all girls seem to know about. She made a face at Sylphiel as she held out the remainder of the sleep brew, but sighed and downed the contents. She lay down, and drew her covers up then turned to Sylphiel.
"Syl?" Lina began, blinking the sleepiness from her eyes.
"Yes, Lina?" Sylphiel asked from the doorway, just about to leave.
"Thank ... you..." Lina's voice trailed away as sleep overcame her at last.