Where Are You Christmas?
By: Lina Gabriev
Disclaimer: Slayers is owned by Hajime Kanzaka. I'm not making any money off this story. The song is sung by Faith Hill, who I am not.
Summary: Christmas is back, but it is changing for a certain princess.
Word Count: 733
Warnings: Song Fic, Amelia/Zelgadis, Amelia's Past Liberties. Song is bolded, Flashbacks: Italicized.
AN: I was watching How the Grinch stole Christmas (which is owned by Universal Studios), and this song reminded me of Amelia.
Where are you Christmas? Why can't I find you? Why have you gone away?
Dear Santa,
Thank you, but I do not know what I want this year.
Love, Amelia
Setting her pen down, Amelia sunk down in her chair. She had spent hours thinking what she wanted for Christmas and came up with a blank. Usually it came so easily. She wanted to end world hunger, and help the world grow in love and justice. She still wanted those things, but--
Where is the laughter, You used to bring me? Why can't I hear music play?
"Daddy!" little Amelia laughed. It was Christmas morning, and she was eager to open her presents. Better if the present was something that would smite the forces of evil. Not that she would NEED anything like that. Nothing can be more powerful then a justice loving heart, right?
"Merry Christmas Amelia," Prince Phil laughing as Amelia jumped into his arms.
"Merry Christmas! Oh ho ho ho! So what pretty things have I got this year? Not that it could increase my beauty any. I'm already too beautiful as it is," Gracia said, flipping her hair for extra effect.
"Well, who wants to go first?" said the young mother, happy she had such a healthy family.
Those were the good times. She sometimes wished she could have that back. Of course, then she probably never would have met Miss Lina. No it is best not to dwell in the past, Amelia reasoned. Work toward a happy, justice loving world. Amelia tried keep thinking of how wonderful a world like that would be like, but immediately deflated as she recalled what happened soon after that happy time.
My world is changing I'm rearranging Does that mean Christmas changes too?
"Poor Prince Phil. He lost both his wife and daughter in the same day."
"I heard they never even found the body of Princess Gracia. Some people say she ran away after seeing her mother's mangled body."
"Well I heard she ran away because she killed her own mother."
"No! In any case, forget the "who". What kind of monster could have done something that? The Crown Princess was such a sweet woman."
"Prince Phil must be in such an awful spell right now."
"You feel sorry for Prince Phil? I feel more sorry for poor Princess Amelia. I can't even imagine what she's going though."
No you can't, Can you? Amelia thought bitterly.
Amelia had run away as soon as Prince Phil told her the awful news. She needed to get back. Thinking about it reasonably, he was probably hurting as much as she was, maybe more. Biting back her tongue, Amelia ran all the way home to console her father.
Where are you Christmas? Do you remember, The one you used to know?
Dear Santa,
Please bring my mommy and sis back please.
Love,
Amelia
I'm not the same one See what the time has done Is that why you have let me go?
It's not fair Amelia thought as the tears started to well up in her big blue eyes. Miss Lina does not know what she's missing. She has a mom and a sister. I would do anything to have what Miss Lina just throws away as useless.
She was jerked out of her bitter thoughts with a knock at the door. "Amelia?"
Composing herself, Amelia turns towards the door. "Come in."
"The others are celebrating downstairs. It's Christmas Eve after all," Zelgadis said shifting from foot to foot, "You want to join me downstairs?"
Surprised for the offer, Amelia finds a genuine smile forming on her face.
"Of course I want to come. I'll be out in a minute."
As he leaves, she smiles again. Scolding herself for being so silly before, she jots something down quickly before catching up with Zelgadis. Together, they cross the hallway into the room where the festivities are taking place.
"Hello!"
"Scram, Xellos," Zelgadis says, annoyed.
"Oh look you both are under the mistletoe." Xelloss said a sly grin coming to his lips watching as Zelgadis turns into a color that vaguely resembled a plum.
"Well if you aren't going to kiss her--." Xelloss said, implying the rest of his by wiggling his eyebrows.
Zel definitely could not let Xelloss do that, he reasoned. Turning to Amelia, he stutters out: "Um..would you mind."
"Right. It would be...unjust to break tradition," Amelia agreed, blushing as well.
Pecking her on the lips, Zelgadis leads Amelia to where Lina and Gourry are celebratingl, leaving behind a pouting Xelloss, who eventually joins the party to do some mischief on a very drunk Lina.
Where are you Christmas? Fill your heart with love
Upstairs in smudged ink held the improvised letter to santa:
Dear Santa,
I know now what I want. I wish for the strength to cherish both of my families.
Love,
Amelia
Author's Note
I reworked this. It is mostly unchanged, but I tried to have the dialogue go smoother, and I also changed the letter at the end. Wishing for only Zelgadis' happiness didn't seem appropriate for the theme. It has been 7 years since I first wrote this, so I hope I changed that for the better.