When Zelgadis woke up again, his head still throbbed, his eyes burned, and what seemed like every muscle in his body ached. Zelgadis grimaced, and covered his face with his hands. That was when he first noticed something was different. Slowly, he opened his eyes and moved his hands away. When he saw his hands, he sat bolt upright in shock, despite the intense pain it caused.
His hands were no longer made of stone, nor did they have the rough pebbles across them. In awe, Zelgadis ran his hands across his smooth face, and through his real hair. He was human!
The first thing Zelgadis tried to do was shout, "I'm human!" But no sound came out. Zelgadis realized that his voice was truly gone. But even that knowledge could not stop Zelgadis's euphoria. He got unsteadily to his feet, and looked around him. To say he was shocked when he found out where he was at was an understatement.
He was on the beach of Seyruun castle! How'd he get there?
Before Zelgadis could think that through, he heard something. It sounded like someone humming or singing. He looked around for a place to hide, when he realized he didn't need to hide. He was human!
From around the corner of the palace came a young woman with short black hair and wore a white outfit. It was the sailor! Zelgadis couldn't believe his eyes. That sailor was staying at Seyruun palace?
Suddenly, Zelgadis had an idea. He could get the sailor to fall in love with him and kiss him before the three days was up. He'd just tell her how he saved her, and--
Tell her? He couldn't tell anybody anything. He didn't have a voice. Zelgadis realized suddenly how difficult his challenge would be.
(~~~~~~squigglies~~~~~)
Amelia hummed, playing with her hair as she walked around the palace. She kept dreaming about the man that had saved her that day. He had a really sweet voice, and, even though she hadn't seen him clearly, he was still very handsome. She had searched most of the towns nearby already, but hadn't found him yet.
Sighing, Amelia looked up, and gasped. There was someone standing on the beach just a little ways in front of her. He looked pretty worn out and beaten up. She should help him! Quickly, Amelia ran over there, calling, "Are you all right, Mister?"
When Amelia got close enough, she stopped dead, and her breath caught in her throat. It was him! The man who had rescued her! "You..... You....." She took another step closer. "Have we met?"
The man, who had light brown hair and hazel eyes, nodded.
"I knew it!" Amelia shouted, standing right in front of him. "Please, tell me, what's your name?"
The man moved his mouth as if to say something, but no sound came out.
"What's..... What's wrong?" Amelia asked, her hopes sinking. If he couldn't speak, then he couldn't be her rescuer. But he looked so much like him! "You can't speak?"
Slowly, the man shook his head.
"Oh...." Amelia said tonelessly. "Then you can't be who I thought you were...."
(~~~~~squigglies~~~~~)
Zelgadis couldn't believe his luck. She knew who he was, but he couldn't tell her she was right!! It was so infuriating. Then, to make things worse, Zelgadis's sore and weak legs collapsed from beneath him, sending him down into the sand again.
The sailor was next to him in an instant, pulling him to his feet and helping him to the palace. Much to Zelgadis' chagrin, he had to accept the sailor's help, or else he wouldn't have been able to walk on his own.
Once inside the palace, the sailor helping him whistled sharply, and a servant appeared. "Princess Amelia," the man said, slightly shocked.
Zelgadis stared first at the servant and then the sailor. Princess? Princess Amelia? As in Princess Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun, daughter of the crowned prince of Seyruun, Philionel el de Seyruun? She was the princess??
"Please take this man and get him some medical help and cleaned up," Amelia said. Zelgadis still couldn't help but stare. This was the princess? A mere child? And yet, she was amazingly attractive. She had bright blue eyes that Zelgadis hadn't noticed before, and--
As the servant led Zelgadis away, he cleared his mind. This would be purely business. He'd find a way somehow to get Amelia to fall in love with him and kiss him, and then he'd leave. There'd be nothing more to it.
"Oh," Amelia called out. "Have him join me for dinner with my father."
The servant nodded, and said, "Yes, Princess," as he took Zelgadis down the hall.
(~~~~~squigglies~~~~~)
Amelia waited in the small dining hall with her father a few hours later. "I really thought he was the one who saved me, Daddy," Amelia said, finishing up with her explanation of the day's events. "He looks so much like him, but he can't speak."
"Amelia," Phil began, trying to make his daughter understand. "I somehow don't think this savior of yours truly exists. You can't spend your time chasing after imaginary mysterious men. You must find someone who truly exists."
Just then, the young man from the beach stepped into the room, almost embarrassed, and started coming forward. He was very dashing in a black suit and cleaned up, Amelia realized.
"Someone like this young man," Phil added in a whisper. "He's right in front of you, and he seems a decent fellow."
After that, the man was too close for them to carry on a whispered conversation without him hearing. Amelia was speechless at the sight of him. She wouldn't have guessed he'd clean up so nicely. He reminded her all the more of her rescuer. But..... Maybe her father was right. Maybe she should stop dreaming, and focus on the here and now. And this young gentlemen was here now.
Phil sat down at his end of the table, and the man pulled Amelia's chair out for her to sit down, before taking a seat himself.
"Amelia tells me you were found on the beach," Phil said, starting up some light conversation. "Were you caught in a shipwreck?"
(~~~~~~squigglies~~~~~~)
Zelgadis hesitated. A shipwreck sounded about right. That would earn him some sympathy, at least. So, he nodded, going on with the story. Of course, it didn't help that he was distracted immensely by the princess to his right. She wore a sky blue off-the-shoulder dress, accented by silver bracelets and a matching tiara, embedded with a single bright blue sapphire. She was stunningly beautiful, and Zelgadis had trouble keeping his eyes off of her.
Again, Zelgadis had to clear his mind abruptly. It was all stricty business. He wasn't to have anything to do with the princess after the three days were up.
"Amelia," Phil began.
Zelgadis snapped to attention. He hadn't been listening to what they'd been saying.
"Perhaps you'd like to take this gentleman out for a tour of the kingdom tomorrow?" Phil suggested.
When Amelia took a second to answer, Zelgadis turned to look at her. To his surprise, she was looking dreamily at him much the same way he'd been at her. He then realized that with his being human, he wouldn't have to worry about people staring at him in disgust. But that dreamy look would take some getting used to. Amelia suddenly blushed, and said, "Oh, yes, I'd like that very much. Um...." Turning back to Zelgadis, she asked, "Would you like to see the kingdom?"
Thinking that an excellent opportunity to get the princess closer to him, Zelgadis all too quickly agreed. He had three days, and his first was almost over.