Title: Cross My Heart
Author: Yugure
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Slayers doesn't belong to me, but the idea for this story does.
Introduction: The basis for this story lies in one of the Slayers TRY episodes. I don't recall the name of it, but it is the episode where Lina and co. have to rebuild the dragon shrine . In one brief scene, Zelgadis is carving a figure out of stone. The figure is a young woman with long hair holding a vase. The young woman is not any of the females we've met previously in the series, or even will later meet, although I still believe the carving bears a resemblance closest to Lina. :) This story is my idea on who that young lady is, and what her relationship to Zelgadis is. Chapter one takes place after TRY and the gang is still together. This is not a self-insert story, although I can't blame you for thinking it is.
Chapter 1The sound of jovial laughter and tankards clanking together soothed Lina's jangled nerves. Outside, a blizzard raged in the night. Lina was more than grateful just to be indoors. At her back a fire roared and crackled. A group of rowdy men broke up into raucous laughter as their waitress, in good humor, threw a tankard of ale at them.
"This is the life," Lina said, patting her stomach. She grabbed a chicken leg and waved at her surroundings. "Nice and cozy inside instead of forcing our way through that nasty storm outside."
"Yeah!" Amelia agreed. "And people are so friendly in here! It really makes me happy to see people getting along so well. You can practically feel the camaraderie!"
"It's only a matter of time before the drunken fools get into a fistfight and wreak havoc on the place," Zelgadis muttered, always the pessimist. Lina stuck her tongue out at him while Amelia began a lecture on optimism and looking on the bright side of things. Of course, her speech fell upon deaf ears, so to speak.
"Hey, can I have some more of this?" Gourry asked of a passing waitress. He held up his plate and the waitress took it with her into the kitchen.
"GOURRY! Next time ask for me, too!" Lina berated her blond companion. She stabbed her fork into the table next to Gourry's hand. "You better let me have some of whatever you're getting!"
"No way! I ordered for myself!"
Zelgadis tuned everyone out. If he had a favorite time of the year, this would be it. He always found peace with the cold and fury of winter, most likely due to the way he himself felt year round. Zelgadis picked up his cup of scalding hot coffee and raised it to his lips.
Zelgadis's ears twitched.
What the…? He thought as lowered the cup. Again, the sound came again, and Zelgadis's super hearing pinpointed the direction.
The tavern door burst open, letting in a flurry of icy wind and snow. Immediately the sound of the tavern died to a low murmur. Those nearest the door turned to slam it shut again, but pulled back as a cloaked figure stumbled across the threshold. Lina and Gourry stopped bickering. The rest of the tavern fell completely silent. The tavern guests collectively watched as the shrouded figure began its trek across the room.
"Aye, close th' door, will ye? It's gettin' mighty cold in here!" a large man bellowed, finally breaking the silence. As though released from a spell, the tavern-goers began laughing and talking again. The door was slammed shut and things were back to normal.
Well… almost normal. The cloaked figure stumbled its way across the room and came to a stop in front of Lina's table. Lina, Zelgadis, and Amelia regarded the figure for a few moments in silence. Gourry took the opportunity to steal a roll off Lina's plate.
"What do you want?" Lina finally demanded. She watched in distaste as snow slid off the hunched figure and plopped onto the table.
"I… I just…" a voice spoke. Nearly everyone was surprised to find this stranger was female. Long, pale hands pushed back the cowl of the cloak and gently fingered strands of damp, raven-black hair. Violet eyes peered out from beneath a curtain of hair. A single gold barrette attempted to hold back the mass of beautiful tresses but failed miserably. The violet eyes fell upon Zelgadis and widened.
Zelgadis stood up, knocking his chair over in the process. His face was unusually pale and his eyes were just as wide as the stranger's. Lina glanced from one pallid face to another.
"What's going on here, Zel?" Lina inquired.
"Zel?" the strange girl repeated. "Zelgadis!" A smile worked its way into her small pink mouth. Much to Lina and Amelia's chagrin, she threw herself at Zelgadis and enveloped him in a fierce hug.
"NO! Don't touch me!" Zelgadis shouted. He wrestled his way out of the stranger's tight grip. The girl's face fell. "You're not here. You're dead. You're DEAD!"
"Zel, what is going on!" Lina hissed. She cast a furtive glance around the room and saw that, once more, the tavern had stopped what it was doing and turned to watch the spectacle. "Quit it! You're making a fool of yourself!"
Zelgadis ignored her. He warily watched the stranger.
"But I AM here, Zelgadis!" the girl pleaded. She reached out to touch Zelgadis. He backed up a step.
"Don't touch me! You're DEAD! You can't be here!" With that exclamation, Zelgadis bolted from the room. Lina jumped to her feet. She glared at the stranger.
"I don't know who you are, or what you've done, but you better not leave. I'll be back to ask you some questions. Amelia, Gourry, I'm going after Zelgadis. Stay here."
"Miss Lina - " Amelia started but quickly shut her mouth at Lina's disapproving frown. The redheaded sorceress took off after Zelgadis.
The stranger watched Lina's retreating back with a thoughtful look upon her face. Her eyes shimmered with tears threatening to break through. Amelia stiffly gestured to the unoccupied chairs at the table. Although perturbed by the stranger's penchant for touching Zelgadis, Amelia was, after all, a princess, and princesses were always courteous.
"Please, won't you sit down? Have something to eat or drink. You must be freezing. It's a nightmare out there, isn't it?" Amelia rambled. "May I ask who you are?"
The stranger took a seat, clasped her hands in her lap, and regarded Amelia with cautious eyes.
"My name," she began, "is…"
Meanwhile…
Zelgadis slammed the door to his and Gourry's room and began pacing. His face was still ashen, but now his eyes were narrow slits.
There is no way that she can still be alive. I was there. I was with her when she died. I saw her take her last breath. She can't be alive! What the hell is she doing here? Is she a kopii? An apparition? An illusion? Maybe a hallucination. Maybe I've finally gone insane. It sure would explain a lot.
"Zelgadis! Open the door this instant!" A fierce banging on the door started. Lina's strident voice cut into Zel like a knife. "I'll fireball the door and your scrawny ass if you don't!"
Believing every word, Zelgadis opened the door and quickly stepped back as Lina charged into the room. Zelgadis shut the door and leaned against it, his face set in a most unbecoming scowl.
"Tell me who that girl is down there, and why you seem to know each other," Lina demanded. She put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot impatiently on the ground. After a few moments of silence in which Zelgadis didn't answer, Lina plopped down on the bed. "I'm not leaving until you do."
Why does she care? Zelgadis thought. It's nobody's business but my own.
L-sama, Zelgadis looks so…haunted, Lina thought. Who is that girl? And why, more importantly, did she throw herself at him like that! It's not like they're lovers or any- Lina blushed and began chewing her thumb fingernail. Yikes. What if she and Zel have a past or something? How embarrassing. But I need to know!
"What's eating you, Zel? You look like you've seen a ghost," Lina said. She watched as the scowl on Zelgadis's face slowly melted away.
"Perhaps I have," Zelgadis answered truthfully. Lina simply blinked. Zelgadis sighed and slid down the door until he was sitting. He propped one arm up on his upraised knee and closed his eyes. "Her name is Juliana, and about four years ago I watched her die."
