Scene 2: Hope is a thing with feathers.
"I need so
To stay in your arms,
see you smile, hold you close And it weighs on me
As heavy as stone and a bone chilling cold."
-Dave Matthews Band, "The Stone"
It had rained all night. Almost as if the sky knew what she was feeling and reflected it back.
And now it was King Stag's night. She loved this ball; she had been attending every year since she was a child. It was something of magic, of mystery. A night where nothing was, as it seemed and the Fae roamed free. She remembered being a little girl and believing that the court members dressed as the stag king and his court of fairies were real fairies. She smiled a little. Sometimes, she missed being so young and believing.
Of course, believing seemed to be her problem lately.
She hoped Miss Lina and Mr. Gorry's costumes had arrived alright.. They had arrived five days before, and they had gotten to being fitted for costumes right away. Amelia was glad they were here, she had missed them terribly, and was thrilled to see her old friends again.
Amelia had been sure that he would come.
She had watched from this very window as much as she could, waiting to see the beige of his cloak. Hoping to see it.
She looked at the bracelet placed on her dresser, and remembered the moment she had given its partner to him. The last time she had seen him.
The ocean was so large, she could never get over it, and so beautiful it always took her breath away. She leaned back and looked up at the sky filled with stars.
A small noise made her look over. Zelgadis was standing there, watching her. She was surprised, but he gave one of his rare faint smiles, and she smiled back "Sorry." He said "I didn't know this log was taken."
Amelia giggled a little and motioned "Lots of space, Mr. Zelgadis!"
He nodded and sat, and his smile faded. She noticed, and wondered but he looked up at the sky "Beautiful night." he said.
She nodded "I love the stars. And it's so clear out here, past the barrier. I never expected it would be so beautiful."
He nodded and for a long moment he said nothing. Then "I'm not going back with you all."
She looked at him "Not...why?"
He didn't look at her "There are a lot of places out here. Lots of leads I haven't followed up on. It might be here. I can't pass that up."
She was quiet for a long moment and he looked at her. She didn't know if he noticed the tears in her eyes. "Of course." She said softly "It just might be here."
He looked for her for a long moment and cleared his throat and said "I'll miss you...um...all of you."
She nodded and then "Will I see you again?"
Now another of those faint smile "I'm sure. I always turn up."
She returned the faint smile "I'm sure its here, Mr. Zelgadis. I know you'll find it."
She paused and then slid one of her talismans off and pressed it into his hand "To remember us." She said "And so you'll remember you're always welcome in my city. You have a place there."
He looked at it and then her and his cheeks were colored faintly "Thank you Amelia. I...don't have anything to give you." He said softly.
"Yes you do." She said
He looked confused.
"Play for me tonight...on your guitar."
He smiled a little "Alright."
She smiled back.
"Come on." He said "Time to sleep. You have a ship to catch in the morning."
They had walked back to camp, and as she lay in the firelight he had taken his guitar out and played from where he sat. She could still hear the music that had carried her off to sleep.
When she had awoken the next morning he was gone already.
She had not seen him since.
Gods...two years? Three? She supposed she couldn't be sure the invitation had gotten to him, but she had sent out enough messengers...and how hard was it to find a chimera. Of course, maybe he had gotten his cure....but then he would have come back....right? She wanted to believe he would, but.....
The rain had stopped while she was lost in memories and now mist hung over the ground like a veil.
"Majesty?" A young woman's voice said from behind her. She turned to see a servant in the doorway. Not a girl she knew, but her father had hired on some new people recently.
"I'm here to see about your hair." The girl smiled. She seemed about Amelia's age, and she had a pretty face. Blond hair, and blue eyes.....and a kind smile. Amelia found herself smiling back.
The girl motioned and Amelia sat before her vanity. "What's your name? You're new, yes?" The princess asked.
"My name, Majesty, is Mabala."
She began to brush the princess's hair out. It had become longer since Zelgadis had last seen her, much longer. As the woman began to work with it, she started to hum. Amelia's eyes snapped to meet the woman's in her mirror. "Where did you hear that song?" She whispered.
"I'm not sure, majesty. Mayhap it was from a wandering minstrel.....Or an adventurer. Does the tune not please you?"
"Was he a chimera? Stone skin? Or even a young man, with blue eyes and hair that always fell in his face....." Amelia spoke quickly.
"Not that I recall." Said Mabala "You know the song?"
"My friend wrote it." Said Amelia softly "Its called 'Sasurai' I thought...he was the only one who knew it...."
The woman smiled "Did he. Such a strange song, but so lovely. Lonely and hopeful. Sad and happy. Like something precious. He has talent your friend...and an old soul."
Amelia said nothing.
"You're sad when you think of him, Majesty?"
She looked at the woman "I haven't seen him in a long time." She said.
"Aye. I see." Mabala was quiet and then "If he could write such wonderful music, he must have a kind heart."
Amelia paused and nodded "He does." She said and smiled a little "You wouldn't guess it if you just met him, but he does." Her smiled grew "He's so strange, but once you know him its impossible not to like him I think..." She paused "He's very noble, and gracious." Mabala smiled and put a hairpin in the girl's hair. "He is coming tonight, majesty? Is the ball what makes you think of him?"
Amelia's smile faded "I..Don't think so, Mabala. No. No he isn't."
Mabala nodded, and said nothing for a long moment. She noted the mask on Amelia's dresser...a half mask of white feathers and tiny diamonds. "You will be lovely, Majesty. The queen of winter will steal the hearts of all that look at her."
/I only want one heart/ Amelia thought.
"King Stag brings much that is unknown, majesty. Take my words to heed and be joyful tonight. I think you will find much to rejoice in." She leaned down "Don't let the past take your hopes for the future."
Amelia smiled "You're right Mabala. Thank you. I'll have a wonderful time, I'm sure."
Mabala grinned and pinned another diamond pin into her hair. When she was done, the princess's hair glittered as if it had thousands of tiny ice shards against it sleek black surface,
Amelia smiled "That's wonderful! Thank you, it's so beautiful."
Mabala smiled and bowed a little "Tis only the woman who wears it that makes it beautiful."
Lina looked out of the window. The servants were decorating from the gates of the palace to the doors of the great hall.
The jerk hadn't come.
Amelia had been very good at covering the fact that she had been hurt by his absence, and it was in the girl's cheerful nature to want them to have a good time and not worry about her. But Lina knew the girl too well after all of this time....and she had known about Amelia's feelings for Zel for even longer.
She had dismissed them at first as a school girl crush, but the longer they traveled together, the more she realized that the sunny princess had fallen hard for the gloomy stone man. It had mystified her at first, as much as she had liked Amelia it had seemed a match made in hell. But more and more she had come to realize how alike the two were. They shared a love of culture, a determination to achieve their desires and goals, a dedication to finishing all tasks they set to themselves. They both cared about people (even if Zel tried to hide it.) and both were unflinchingly loyal to those they cared about. Most of all, They were good for each other. Zel helped Amelia to stay grounded, Amelia helped inspire humor and hope in Zel.
Amelia had been the first to accept Zel the way he looked, despite her original observation that he was "Creepy and suspicious looking" (just thinking it made Lina smile a little despite her anger at Zelgadis). And the two of them just seemed to fall into a natural pattern of attack together; their magic's seemed to have just evolved to work together. He had taught Amelia so much of her shamanistic magic.
Lina would have bet money that the chimera had feelings for the little princess. The morning he had left them......she remembered it so clearly, it had seemed so obvious.
He was trying to sneak away. Lina watched from under her bangs as he gathered his things in the pre-dawn light. She sat up and spoke softly so not to wake Gourry or Amelia.
"Just going to leave like that? Jez, Zel you could say goodbye."
He glanced over and smiled faintly, ironically "I said goodbye yesterday."
"She's going to be disappointed if you leave without her seeing you." Lina said "it's not fair to sneak off on her."
He looked at Lina a long moment "She knows. I told her last night."
"I'll bet you didn't say goodbye." He paused "No. I didn't."
"She'll wish you had."
He sighed and stood, pulling his cloak close. "Goodbye will make her cry. I...don't want to see that."
Lina sighed "Well, you mind if I tell her you said goodbye?"
He smiled again, a little. "Tell her I said goodbye, Lina."
"That's the idea Zel." She grinned and held out a hand. Zelgadis looked a little surprised, but shook once and the smile didn't fade.
"Goodbye Lina" He said. "Until we meet again."
Lina grinned a little "When we do; I'll buy the meal. Me, you, Amelia, and Gourry. Just like old times."
He nodded "Except for one thing."
"what's that?"
"I'll be human." Zel said softly, but there was a determination in his eyes.
Lina looked at him "Zelgadis Graywords, human or chimera, you better come back to us before too long...come back to her."
He nodded "I will Lina. I promise."
"Damned Liar." She growled. One stupid party, all he had to do was show up for one stupid night. It would have made Amelia so happy, put her mind at ease.
No one had seen him since then, he could be anywhere, he could be....
"No." She said softly "Zel's not dead....he can't be. Jerks too stubborn to die." She muttered "C'mon Zel, it was just one night. You could have come....you could have done that for her."
A tap on her door made her go and open it. Gourry stood smiling a little at her. She grinned back a little "Hungry?"
He offered an arm "Amelia said they put some food out already. We can get a head start..." Lina grinned and took his arm. "As long as i have enough time to get into costume....."
They walked down the hall toward the staircase. A black-haired girl was just leaving Amelia's room, and she curtsied to them "Lady Lina. Lord Gourry." She said respectfully. All the servants addressed them as such. Though they weren't really nobility, Amelia's respect and affection for them had made them favorites of the castle staff.
Gourry looked at Lina "Amelia's kind of sad. I think we should be really nice to her and make sure she has fun."
Lina blinked. Jellyfish brains could really be observant at the weirdest times. She grinned at him, affectionately.
"Great idea. We'll cheer her up!" Lina nodded.
Amelia stood on the balcony and watched as servents were setting laterns and tiny strings of glowing glass balls down the walk. Cleaver little magic things. She smiled a little and found that old excitement in her heart again. King Stag's night. Maybe something magical would happen.
She looked up to the sky, through the breaking clouds to the blue beyond. Birds flew happily through the cool air, and sunlight danced off jewels of water than hung everywhere. She smiled, and her smile was only a little sad "I wish Mr. Zelgadis is all right....and that he's happy wherever he is." She said softly.
"I need so
To stay in your arms,
see you smile, hold you close And it weighs on me
As heavy as stone and a bone chilling cold."
-Dave Matthews Band, "The Stone"
It had rained all night. Almost as if the sky knew what she was feeling and reflected it back.
And now it was King Stag's night. She loved this ball; she had been attending every year since she was a child. It was something of magic, of mystery. A night where nothing was, as it seemed and the Fae roamed free. She remembered being a little girl and believing that the court members dressed as the stag king and his court of fairies were real fairies. She smiled a little. Sometimes, she missed being so young and believing.
Of course, believing seemed to be her problem lately.
She hoped Miss Lina and Mr. Gorry's costumes had arrived alright.. They had arrived five days before, and they had gotten to being fitted for costumes right away. Amelia was glad they were here, she had missed them terribly, and was thrilled to see her old friends again.
Amelia had been sure that he would come.
She had watched from this very window as much as she could, waiting to see the beige of his cloak. Hoping to see it.
She looked at the bracelet placed on her dresser, and remembered the moment she had given its partner to him. The last time she had seen him.
The ocean was so large, she could never get over it, and so beautiful it always took her breath away. She leaned back and looked up at the sky filled with stars.
A small noise made her look over. Zelgadis was standing there, watching her. She was surprised, but he gave one of his rare faint smiles, and she smiled back "Sorry." He said "I didn't know this log was taken."
Amelia giggled a little and motioned "Lots of space, Mr. Zelgadis!"
He nodded and sat, and his smile faded. She noticed, and wondered but he looked up at the sky "Beautiful night." he said.
She nodded "I love the stars. And it's so clear out here, past the barrier. I never expected it would be so beautiful."
He nodded and for a long moment he said nothing. Then "I'm not going back with you all."
She looked at him "Not...why?"
He didn't look at her "There are a lot of places out here. Lots of leads I haven't followed up on. It might be here. I can't pass that up."
She was quiet for a long moment and he looked at her. She didn't know if he noticed the tears in her eyes. "Of course." She said softly "It just might be here."
He looked for her for a long moment and cleared his throat and said "I'll miss you...um...all of you."
She nodded and then "Will I see you again?"
Now another of those faint smile "I'm sure. I always turn up."
She returned the faint smile "I'm sure its here, Mr. Zelgadis. I know you'll find it."
She paused and then slid one of her talismans off and pressed it into his hand "To remember us." She said "And so you'll remember you're always welcome in my city. You have a place there."
He looked at it and then her and his cheeks were colored faintly "Thank you Amelia. I...don't have anything to give you." He said softly.
"Yes you do." She said
He looked confused.
"Play for me tonight...on your guitar."
He smiled a little "Alright."
She smiled back.
"Come on." He said "Time to sleep. You have a ship to catch in the morning."
They had walked back to camp, and as she lay in the firelight he had taken his guitar out and played from where he sat. She could still hear the music that had carried her off to sleep.
When she had awoken the next morning he was gone already.
She had not seen him since.
Gods...two years? Three? She supposed she couldn't be sure the invitation had gotten to him, but she had sent out enough messengers...and how hard was it to find a chimera. Of course, maybe he had gotten his cure....but then he would have come back....right? She wanted to believe he would, but.....
The rain had stopped while she was lost in memories and now mist hung over the ground like a veil.
"Majesty?" A young woman's voice said from behind her. She turned to see a servant in the doorway. Not a girl she knew, but her father had hired on some new people recently.
"I'm here to see about your hair." The girl smiled. She seemed about Amelia's age, and she had a pretty face. Blond hair, and blue eyes.....and a kind smile. Amelia found herself smiling back.
The girl motioned and Amelia sat before her vanity. "What's your name? You're new, yes?" The princess asked.
"My name, Majesty, is Mabala."
She began to brush the princess's hair out. It had become longer since Zelgadis had last seen her, much longer. As the woman began to work with it, she started to hum. Amelia's eyes snapped to meet the woman's in her mirror. "Where did you hear that song?" She whispered.
"I'm not sure, majesty. Mayhap it was from a wandering minstrel.....Or an adventurer. Does the tune not please you?"
"Was he a chimera? Stone skin? Or even a young man, with blue eyes and hair that always fell in his face....." Amelia spoke quickly.
"Not that I recall." Said Mabala "You know the song?"
"My friend wrote it." Said Amelia softly "Its called 'Sasurai' I thought...he was the only one who knew it...."
The woman smiled "Did he. Such a strange song, but so lovely. Lonely and hopeful. Sad and happy. Like something precious. He has talent your friend...and an old soul."
Amelia said nothing.
"You're sad when you think of him, Majesty?"
She looked at the woman "I haven't seen him in a long time." She said.
"Aye. I see." Mabala was quiet and then "If he could write such wonderful music, he must have a kind heart."
Amelia paused and nodded "He does." She said and smiled a little "You wouldn't guess it if you just met him, but he does." Her smiled grew "He's so strange, but once you know him its impossible not to like him I think..." She paused "He's very noble, and gracious." Mabala smiled and put a hairpin in the girl's hair. "He is coming tonight, majesty? Is the ball what makes you think of him?"
Amelia's smile faded "I..Don't think so, Mabala. No. No he isn't."
Mabala nodded, and said nothing for a long moment. She noted the mask on Amelia's dresser...a half mask of white feathers and tiny diamonds. "You will be lovely, Majesty. The queen of winter will steal the hearts of all that look at her."
/I only want one heart/ Amelia thought.
"King Stag brings much that is unknown, majesty. Take my words to heed and be joyful tonight. I think you will find much to rejoice in." She leaned down "Don't let the past take your hopes for the future."
Amelia smiled "You're right Mabala. Thank you. I'll have a wonderful time, I'm sure."
Mabala grinned and pinned another diamond pin into her hair. When she was done, the princess's hair glittered as if it had thousands of tiny ice shards against it sleek black surface,
Amelia smiled "That's wonderful! Thank you, it's so beautiful."
Mabala smiled and bowed a little "Tis only the woman who wears it that makes it beautiful."
Lina looked out of the window. The servants were decorating from the gates of the palace to the doors of the great hall.
The jerk hadn't come.
Amelia had been very good at covering the fact that she had been hurt by his absence, and it was in the girl's cheerful nature to want them to have a good time and not worry about her. But Lina knew the girl too well after all of this time....and she had known about Amelia's feelings for Zel for even longer.
She had dismissed them at first as a school girl crush, but the longer they traveled together, the more she realized that the sunny princess had fallen hard for the gloomy stone man. It had mystified her at first, as much as she had liked Amelia it had seemed a match made in hell. But more and more she had come to realize how alike the two were. They shared a love of culture, a determination to achieve their desires and goals, a dedication to finishing all tasks they set to themselves. They both cared about people (even if Zel tried to hide it.) and both were unflinchingly loyal to those they cared about. Most of all, They were good for each other. Zel helped Amelia to stay grounded, Amelia helped inspire humor and hope in Zel.
Amelia had been the first to accept Zel the way he looked, despite her original observation that he was "Creepy and suspicious looking" (just thinking it made Lina smile a little despite her anger at Zelgadis). And the two of them just seemed to fall into a natural pattern of attack together; their magic's seemed to have just evolved to work together. He had taught Amelia so much of her shamanistic magic.
Lina would have bet money that the chimera had feelings for the little princess. The morning he had left them......she remembered it so clearly, it had seemed so obvious.
He was trying to sneak away. Lina watched from under her bangs as he gathered his things in the pre-dawn light. She sat up and spoke softly so not to wake Gourry or Amelia.
"Just going to leave like that? Jez, Zel you could say goodbye."
He glanced over and smiled faintly, ironically "I said goodbye yesterday."
"She's going to be disappointed if you leave without her seeing you." Lina said "it's not fair to sneak off on her."
He looked at Lina a long moment "She knows. I told her last night."
"I'll bet you didn't say goodbye." He paused "No. I didn't."
"She'll wish you had."
He sighed and stood, pulling his cloak close. "Goodbye will make her cry. I...don't want to see that."
Lina sighed "Well, you mind if I tell her you said goodbye?"
He smiled again, a little. "Tell her I said goodbye, Lina."
"That's the idea Zel." She grinned and held out a hand. Zelgadis looked a little surprised, but shook once and the smile didn't fade.
"Goodbye Lina" He said. "Until we meet again."
Lina grinned a little "When we do; I'll buy the meal. Me, you, Amelia, and Gourry. Just like old times."
He nodded "Except for one thing."
"what's that?"
"I'll be human." Zel said softly, but there was a determination in his eyes.
Lina looked at him "Zelgadis Graywords, human or chimera, you better come back to us before too long...come back to her."
He nodded "I will Lina. I promise."
"Damned Liar." She growled. One stupid party, all he had to do was show up for one stupid night. It would have made Amelia so happy, put her mind at ease.
No one had seen him since then, he could be anywhere, he could be....
"No." She said softly "Zel's not dead....he can't be. Jerks too stubborn to die." She muttered "C'mon Zel, it was just one night. You could have come....you could have done that for her."
A tap on her door made her go and open it. Gourry stood smiling a little at her. She grinned back a little "Hungry?"
He offered an arm "Amelia said they put some food out already. We can get a head start..." Lina grinned and took his arm. "As long as i have enough time to get into costume....."
They walked down the hall toward the staircase. A black-haired girl was just leaving Amelia's room, and she curtsied to them "Lady Lina. Lord Gourry." She said respectfully. All the servants addressed them as such. Though they weren't really nobility, Amelia's respect and affection for them had made them favorites of the castle staff.
Gourry looked at Lina "Amelia's kind of sad. I think we should be really nice to her and make sure she has fun."
Lina blinked. Jellyfish brains could really be observant at the weirdest times. She grinned at him, affectionately.
"Great idea. We'll cheer her up!" Lina nodded.
Amelia stood on the balcony and watched as servents were setting laterns and tiny strings of glowing glass balls down the walk. Cleaver little magic things. She smiled a little and found that old excitement in her heart again. King Stag's night. Maybe something magical would happen.
She looked up to the sky, through the breaking clouds to the blue beyond. Birds flew happily through the cool air, and sunlight danced off jewels of water than hung everywhere. She smiled, and her smile was only a little sad "I wish Mr. Zelgadis is all right....and that he's happy wherever he is." She said softly.
