CHAPTER THREE: Should old acquaintance be forgot
View point Amelia
It's been another boring day at court. While all the young peasants and merchants are out playing noisily under the dimming afternoon sun, I am placating stupid nobles. "Yes lord Whats-yer-face I will take your son into considerations for a place he doesn't deserve." "Yes lady giant-pain-in-the- neck I do realise you are busy but that doesn't mean you can forget to provide food and quarters for your servants." "No squire bloody-woss I do not wish you to court me (I'd rather die than have that, honestly)." The ache of having sat down for too many hours listening to a bunch of self- centred numbskulls is killing me.
Even my thoughts have come to sound like those of a bratty well annunciating toff.
Finally I have listened to my last complaint and can end court for the day. I can see the brilliant orange and red of a Seyrunian sunset, telling me another lovely afternoon has been wasted. Despite my royal finery and expensive makeup I feel old and ugly. My eyelids seem doomed to close, as the bags beneath them get larger from a constant lack of sleep. I have always wanted to be princess to Seyruun, though I never thought I could become queen. I just did not realise that the job might fall to me and that it would suck the energy from me so. I will never be able to understand how father maintained his gallant and cheery disposition under such pressure.
There is a faint breeze.
I smile, 'Hello Zel,' Beside me stands a figure cloaked in the deepest of blues, a navy so dark it is almost black, despite a tinge of purple. These are the colours of the royal guard of Seyruun, worn only by the deadliest and most trusted warriors of the crown ruler. Zelgadis smiles a half smile and bows down to my feet, 'another day of important negotiations my queen?' I look to the sides of the hall in which stand, 'Coast's clear Zel-chan.' Zelgadis rises quickly and pulls down cloth covering his face, 'Thank God for that!' I groan and lean an elbow on his shoulders, 'Hell, I am sooo sick of all this etiquette, I hadn't known it would such a bore.'
'Yeah? At least you can breathe in your gear, these black clothes are stifling.' I can tell Zelgadis is in a good mood; he always is when he's grumbling.
'Have you ever heard of corsets? I need to get to my room and put on some soft, unrestrictive, clothes.'
With a lot of mutual grunting we manage to get to the end of the hall, straighten up and then proceed uneventfully past all the remaining groups of people clustering in the palace. Heaven forbid they see the Crown Princess with her hair down. As we stride nobly over the outside terrace (leading to the royal rooms), a flash of red hits the corner of my eye; I look down to the courtyard below. I can see a reasonably short, red haired woman and a tall blonde man. They look familiar, could it be? I take a closer look.
The woman is wearing a long red tunic with slits up the sides, fastened by a belt. The fabric goes down to thigh height, flapping in the wind, and is matched off by a pair of tan pants. She has a modest cloak fastened by a broach and she is carrying a sword. Next to her fast pace the man keeps up with a long and easy (though no less purposeful) stride. The man has a white tunic, trimmed with blue and light armour. His hair is tied back in a low ponytail fastened with a leather throng (well, what else could it be?). My suspicions have been confirmed.
'Zel-chan?' Zelgadis looks over at me, I know despite his fatigue, he is happy to have a place to live (despite it being with me). Zelgadis looks down to the courtyard as I point a manicured fingernail at a certain pair of individuals. Zel looks back up at me. 'We have company Zelly!' With regained energy I begin to skip back to the audience chamber. May as well great them in style! I think I can here Zel mutter something along the lines of 'She'll never change…' As I pass into the corridor and out of site
[^-^^-^^-^^-^]
A blushing Lina and Gourry are standing in my audience chamber picking leaves out of their hair. I stare down at them airily and look to a nearby guard, 'I would ask that all but my private guard leave the room please, I wish to speak to these two alone.' Everyone slowly walks out of the chamber, the last closing the door behind them. I look across the room, 'is everyone gone Zelgadis?' He nods. 'Well thank God for that!' I jump down from my throne and embrace two of my oldest friends, Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev.
They stare at me for a moment before hugging back. Gourry smiles warmly and gets me in a hold so tight it hurts! Lina rushes over to grab Zelgadis with equal zeal. 'Oh Amelia, you had us worried there! We thought you'd turned into one of them!' Gourry says with one of his heart-felt smiles. We swap places and Lina starts to dance around with me up and down the hall, laughing all the while. Zel holds his crushed hand with a sheepish smile as Gourry releases it. I had forgotten how Lina and Gourry brightened up a room.
Lina begins to gossip almost straight away, asking about relationships and what it's like to be royalty. Gourry smiles incessantly and so infectiously that Zelgadis is sporting a wide toothy grin as well. We begin to talk and all the words blur so that it seems we are just yelling at the joy of being together again. Gradually, I can feel the room beginning to cool and I know that night has set in. Sadly I lead our two new guests to their rooms and say goodnight, 'I will see you both in the morning!' Lina is the first of the duo to leave and I can feel something weighing on my mind. 'Gourry,' I say, 'we have had no more news.' Gourry smiles somewhat sadly and sighs, 'I did not expect there to be,'
'Would you be willing to help out at the training yards in the morning?'
'Beat the sense out of some dumb nobles? Sure.'
'I'll talk to you more then, ok?'
Gourry nods in agreement.
'If you want them, the baths are down the ha…'
A blurred streak of red passes me and I gasp in surprise. Gourry looks undaunted, 'I think Lina figured that out, she has come to hate waking up dirty.'
'And you would know?' Zelgadis breaks his silence and causes a small chuckle from Gourry; I give the both of them a half-hearted glare.
'I think I'll follow her example, Goodnight you two.'
As Gourry saunters off, Zelgadis and I turn in the opposite direction and he walks me home to my room.
[^-^^-^^-^^-^]
(Toff= high society member, derogatory term) Hope you liked it! R+R would be appreciated! (incredibly) cya later!
View point Amelia
It's been another boring day at court. While all the young peasants and merchants are out playing noisily under the dimming afternoon sun, I am placating stupid nobles. "Yes lord Whats-yer-face I will take your son into considerations for a place he doesn't deserve." "Yes lady giant-pain-in-the- neck I do realise you are busy but that doesn't mean you can forget to provide food and quarters for your servants." "No squire bloody-woss I do not wish you to court me (I'd rather die than have that, honestly)." The ache of having sat down for too many hours listening to a bunch of self- centred numbskulls is killing me.
Even my thoughts have come to sound like those of a bratty well annunciating toff.
Finally I have listened to my last complaint and can end court for the day. I can see the brilliant orange and red of a Seyrunian sunset, telling me another lovely afternoon has been wasted. Despite my royal finery and expensive makeup I feel old and ugly. My eyelids seem doomed to close, as the bags beneath them get larger from a constant lack of sleep. I have always wanted to be princess to Seyruun, though I never thought I could become queen. I just did not realise that the job might fall to me and that it would suck the energy from me so. I will never be able to understand how father maintained his gallant and cheery disposition under such pressure.
There is a faint breeze.
I smile, 'Hello Zel,' Beside me stands a figure cloaked in the deepest of blues, a navy so dark it is almost black, despite a tinge of purple. These are the colours of the royal guard of Seyruun, worn only by the deadliest and most trusted warriors of the crown ruler. Zelgadis smiles a half smile and bows down to my feet, 'another day of important negotiations my queen?' I look to the sides of the hall in which stand, 'Coast's clear Zel-chan.' Zelgadis rises quickly and pulls down cloth covering his face, 'Thank God for that!' I groan and lean an elbow on his shoulders, 'Hell, I am sooo sick of all this etiquette, I hadn't known it would such a bore.'
'Yeah? At least you can breathe in your gear, these black clothes are stifling.' I can tell Zelgadis is in a good mood; he always is when he's grumbling.
'Have you ever heard of corsets? I need to get to my room and put on some soft, unrestrictive, clothes.'
With a lot of mutual grunting we manage to get to the end of the hall, straighten up and then proceed uneventfully past all the remaining groups of people clustering in the palace. Heaven forbid they see the Crown Princess with her hair down. As we stride nobly over the outside terrace (leading to the royal rooms), a flash of red hits the corner of my eye; I look down to the courtyard below. I can see a reasonably short, red haired woman and a tall blonde man. They look familiar, could it be? I take a closer look.
The woman is wearing a long red tunic with slits up the sides, fastened by a belt. The fabric goes down to thigh height, flapping in the wind, and is matched off by a pair of tan pants. She has a modest cloak fastened by a broach and she is carrying a sword. Next to her fast pace the man keeps up with a long and easy (though no less purposeful) stride. The man has a white tunic, trimmed with blue and light armour. His hair is tied back in a low ponytail fastened with a leather throng (well, what else could it be?). My suspicions have been confirmed.
'Zel-chan?' Zelgadis looks over at me, I know despite his fatigue, he is happy to have a place to live (despite it being with me). Zelgadis looks down to the courtyard as I point a manicured fingernail at a certain pair of individuals. Zel looks back up at me. 'We have company Zelly!' With regained energy I begin to skip back to the audience chamber. May as well great them in style! I think I can here Zel mutter something along the lines of 'She'll never change…' As I pass into the corridor and out of site
[^-^^-^^-^^-^]
A blushing Lina and Gourry are standing in my audience chamber picking leaves out of their hair. I stare down at them airily and look to a nearby guard, 'I would ask that all but my private guard leave the room please, I wish to speak to these two alone.' Everyone slowly walks out of the chamber, the last closing the door behind them. I look across the room, 'is everyone gone Zelgadis?' He nods. 'Well thank God for that!' I jump down from my throne and embrace two of my oldest friends, Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev.
They stare at me for a moment before hugging back. Gourry smiles warmly and gets me in a hold so tight it hurts! Lina rushes over to grab Zelgadis with equal zeal. 'Oh Amelia, you had us worried there! We thought you'd turned into one of them!' Gourry says with one of his heart-felt smiles. We swap places and Lina starts to dance around with me up and down the hall, laughing all the while. Zel holds his crushed hand with a sheepish smile as Gourry releases it. I had forgotten how Lina and Gourry brightened up a room.
Lina begins to gossip almost straight away, asking about relationships and what it's like to be royalty. Gourry smiles incessantly and so infectiously that Zelgadis is sporting a wide toothy grin as well. We begin to talk and all the words blur so that it seems we are just yelling at the joy of being together again. Gradually, I can feel the room beginning to cool and I know that night has set in. Sadly I lead our two new guests to their rooms and say goodnight, 'I will see you both in the morning!' Lina is the first of the duo to leave and I can feel something weighing on my mind. 'Gourry,' I say, 'we have had no more news.' Gourry smiles somewhat sadly and sighs, 'I did not expect there to be,'
'Would you be willing to help out at the training yards in the morning?'
'Beat the sense out of some dumb nobles? Sure.'
'I'll talk to you more then, ok?'
Gourry nods in agreement.
'If you want them, the baths are down the ha…'
A blurred streak of red passes me and I gasp in surprise. Gourry looks undaunted, 'I think Lina figured that out, she has come to hate waking up dirty.'
'And you would know?' Zelgadis breaks his silence and causes a small chuckle from Gourry; I give the both of them a half-hearted glare.
'I think I'll follow her example, Goodnight you two.'
As Gourry saunters off, Zelgadis and I turn in the opposite direction and he walks me home to my room.
[^-^^-^^-^^-^]
(Toff= high society member, derogatory term) Hope you liked it! R+R would be appreciated! (incredibly) cya later!
