Gypsy Moon



"I hear, yet say not much, yet hear the more"
Henry IV, Act iv, Sc.1

Chapter 14: Wine like water

Amelia divided the shining jewelry in three piles as the Gypsy shuffled the cards and quickly dealt them out. Zelgadiss grumbled and looked at the red liquid in his glass. There was so little and he wanted another glass. It was the best wine he had ever tasted and now he was forced to play this game of poker with two girls. Then he realized the situation and blushed.

The gypsy smirked and held up her cards. "Okay, you all know the rules!" As her two friends picked up their cards she giggled. "And I don't intended to lose this game either. You got close last time, Zelgadiss, but I think it was just too much wine."

"Excuse me?" Zelgadiss placed his glass of wine on the floor and sat down on the wooden floor with the two girls. He anteed up a necklace and grinned. "I would rather call it skill."

"Oh boy." Amelia rolled her eyes and smiled. She felt a cozy feeling and put up an earring in the pile.

Sasheem had already anteed and looked at her cards. Years and years of gambling and she had mastered this game and never lost before. She never cheated, only read faces. She was good at reading people's reactions and had an icy cold poker face that she wore even was she wasn't gambling. And even better for her reading people's reaction, everyone had reactions when it came to money or valuable's, that was why she won against Lina.

"And don't forget, if you run out of jewelry, you can borrow if you are too scared to bet your clothes."

Zelgadiss and Amelia quickly looked at Sasheem and gawked. "Our clothes?!"

"Only if you run out," the Gypsy said with innocence. "Otherwise, you would have to borrow and then you would owe if you win and it would get very confusing. Otherwise you are out of the game."

"True," Amelia said with a sigh. "Okay, lets start! The wilds?"

Sasheem was finally smiling. "Twos and one-eyed jacks okay with everyone?"

Zelgadiss pulled three cards out and put them face down on the floor. "That's fine with me. Three." Sasheem took three cards off the top of the deck face down and slid them over to Zelgadiss. He picked them up and examined his new hand. 'This is good,' he thought. In his mind he had on a evil grin, but on his face all that shown was his usual cold expression.

"Two," Amelia said. She put down her cards and received her new ones. When the Gypsy looked over at the Princess she saw the hint of defeat spread on her face.

"And I will have three." Sasheem put her cards down and picked up her new ones. She didn't even think about her hand, afraid that someone would hear her even if she spoke to herself in her mind.

'Damn,' Zelgadiss said to himself. 'Why does she have to cover her eyes, why?' It was one of his better tactics, reading people's eyes. This Gypsy, however wouldn't show her eyes. 'I'll just watch her carefully,' he thought. "I'll raise two." The Chimera pushed two bracelets in the pile.

"Ohhh." Amelia put her cards down. "I fold."

"I will meet your two," Sasheem mocked, and put in a pair of earrings. "And raise it by one." She tossed in a ring from her finger.

'Don't scoff, just don't show anything!' Zelgadiss picked up a necklace with a pentagram on it. "I'll meet you," he snarled.

Amelia's eyes widened. "Wow. Uhh, shouldn't you guys stop?"

"I don't mind at all. What would you like to do?" Sasheem asked.

"What would you like to do?" Zelgadiss said with full confidence, though his mind was thinking other words.

"I don't know," Sasheem replied without a changing face. "What would you like to do?"

"Okay, I can see where this is going!" Amelia interrupted. "How about you both just call?"

Sasheem shifted her look at Zelgadiss and he looked back at her "Okay," he grumbled. The Chimera spread out his cards on the floor. "Three tens, joker high." When he looked up from putting his cards out he saw the Gypsy's face and felt his stomach turn. She finally put on a cynical smile that he had been looking for in her face and couldn't find. 'Dammit!'

She slowly laid her cards out. "Three kings, ace high." With that done she used both her hands and slowly drew in all the jewelry to her pile. "Lets continue."

                                                                                                            ~)*(~

Mikau had been sitting in the tree and waiting for them to leave. Then he could get his job done. 'So, the Chimera thinks the wine is good? Well that is just to my advantage.' Mikau rummaged through his pocket in his shirt for the small vile. As he did so he thought about the fight he had witnessed. 'That's rather smart of them to beat those half-breeds.  I thought they would finish them off after that spell wore off the horses.' He slowly found the small blue vile with the red liquid in it. 'No matter though,' he thought.

Looking to see that all was clear, Mikau swiftly got off the branch and landed on the ground. He looked at the vile in his hand and tried to remember what Lestophel had told him.

"Put this in something that the Chimera drinks. The poison is odorless, tasteless and can knock out even the greatest giant. I don't care how you do or whom you use to do it, just as long as it is done. Make sure to pour the whole thing in his drink, no more no less. However, I put a little extra in just incase you don't get the whole bottle in his drink. It should make the Chimera cold, drowsy and appear dead, but do not be deceived for he is not. It is affective for only four hours, so that is the amount of time you have to get him here after it takes its toll on him."

Mikau took one more look around before he got ready to do the job. He quietly knelt down to the bottle on wine and picked it up. He didn't have to take the quark out, it was already tossed on the ground and half the bottle was still left. Taking the opened vile, he made sure all of the contents was poured in the wine before he tucked the emptied vile away in his pocket and put the bottle back as if it was never touched.

The assassin got back up and carefully walked away as to not leave any trace he was there. He used one of the two spells he knew to get back up in the tree. "Levitation," he whispered, and floated back up on the branch. Now he had to wait around and make sure that the Chimera at least drank some of the wine. He didn't care if anyone else had some, just as long as the Chimera did. He looked up the tree past the leaves to see the few rays of sunlight that did make it through. Now he had to figure how he would get the Chimera to Lestophel and Zelas.

                                                                                                           ~)*(~

"Hah! I raise by two earrings!" Amelia chirped. This was a good hand, she couldn't lose. Only a few games had gone by, but already the three gamblers were searching around the wagon for more things to use. Sasheem brought out Amelia's cape which she had washed before they hit the trip thinking that the Princess may want it to keep warm. Amelia however stated that it might not look good with her clothing, but nevertheless, put it up for anti only to be won by Zelgadiss.

Sasheem finally found a dark purple cape of her own with a boarded hood and put that up for betting as well, along with Zelgadiss clothing.

 "Hm?" The Chimera saw the Gypsy bringing out his clothes and almost spit his wine out. "Wh-what are you doing with my clothes?"

"I washed them," Sasheem simply stated. "I thought I would bring your clothes incase you get your other stuff dirty, but those ones you are wearing now look better."

"I don't care, just put up your beat." Zelgadiss grumbled as he finished off his wine and slammed three cards on the floor. "Give me three!"

"Zelgadiss-san, you're really getting in to the game!" Amelia giggled.

"Aren't we all?" Zelgadiss grinned at Amelia with sly eyes. The Princess felt her heart skip a beat at his powerful but seductive look.

"Heeee's just drunk!" Sasheem laughed handing the Chimera three cards.

Zelgadiss blushed and huffed as he fixed his hand of cards. "I'm not drunk, so leave me alone."

"I don't know, Zelgadiss-san. That's your sixth glass of wine," said Amelia as she put two cards down and put up Sasheem's shoe for her anti.

"Well maybe so, but I raise Amelia's stockings! So who's going to meet me?"

"Amelia's stockings? When did those come?" Sasheem questioned.

Amelia blushed and giggled at once. "Well I got them out of the drawer you put my cape in. I guess I put them in with the wash you did, I did need them washed. They were just for a ball once, I don't know why I brought them with me. Maybe in case of a dance that happened once or-"

"Okay, okay, just meet the drunk over here."

"I'm not drunk, just out of wine," Zelgadiss growled. He swirled his empty glass in his hand and got up. "I'm getting that bottle of wine."

Sasheem grunted and rocked back on her legs. "Are you trying to prove something? Like maybe how well you can hold all that wine you keep injecting in your body?"

Zelgadiss tripped at the comment and caught himself on the door. "Excuse me? I just happen to like the wine, that's all!"

 "Maybe Zelgadiss-san has a reason that he wants to be drunk," Amelia added.

 "AMELIA!"

 "Well you are drinking a whole lot!" The Princess pouted.

 Zelgadiss had about had it. That, and all the arguing was giving him a headache. "Why am I suddenly not allowed to drink wine?!"

 "We're not stopping you, you are stopping yourself," Sasheem stated calmly.

 "Then I am getting the wine!" Zelgadiss went out the door and slammed it shut.

Amelia and Sasheem sat on the floor in silence still holding their cards and looking at where the Chimera made his exit. "Poor Zelgadiss-san, he is probably going to have a horrible headache in the morning," Amelia swooned.

The Gypsy only giggled and patted Amelia on her back. "But he's having fun. This seems to be a change."

 "True," Amelia chirped. "He does seem th-" Amelia was cut off when the door swung open and Zelgadiss crawled back to his position on the floor.

Sasheem put on a grin and sighed. "Happy?"

 "Quite," he replied and took his glass from the floor to pour his drink. The question 'why bother?' came in his mind. He would only be drinking the rest of the bottle, so what was the point of pouring it in his glass?

Amelia and Sasheem waited for Zelgadiss to make his move and drink but where shocked when the Chimera put his glass down and tossed his head back to drink from the bottle. Sasheem's face went crooked and Amelia's eyes bugged out.

 "Zelgadiss," Sasheem mumbled. "Wine is an elegant drink. One does not chug it."

 "Z-Zelgadiss-san, what are you doing?" Amelia wasn't sure how to react at her friend's quick change in attitude. She would never have expected him to act like he was then and there drink wine like water.

Zelgadiss' flashing eyes met Amelia's and he watched a delicate blush crossed over on her cheeks. He removed the bottle from his mouth and let a drop of the red wine remain on his lips. Amelia was focusing on the single drop and watched in run down on his chin before he wiped it off. "What?" He calmly questioned. "I'm not allowed to have a little fun?"

Amelia didn't speak and tried to think things over. "Well, you just aren't acting…like yourself, that's all."

The Chimera scratched his head and smiled. "Okay, maybe it is a little of the wine."

 "A little?" Sasheem questioned.

Zelgadiss growled at the remark and planted his hand on the floor. "Look, I'm feeling very relaxed right and was feeling pretty good until you two decided to question me drinking too much! Wine is not exactly as strong as Ale, so mind you I'm not drunk as Melendil is! Maybe it is making me a little more carefree, but is that so bad for a change?! Ask Amelia! Ask Lina or Gourry! They have never seen me like-"

 "Can I have some?"

Zelgadiss stopped at the quick interruption and looked at Sasheem with a blank face. "Huh?"

 "Can-I-have some?"

Zelgadiss took a second to look at the Gypsy, then the bottle of wine in his hand, and back at the Gypsy. His head turned at the voice that entered. "I wouldn't mind a little taste either," Amelia quickly added. "That is a very rare and exquisite wine."

The Chimera couldn't believe that these two girls who were just against him drinking were now trying to take all the wine to themselves. Zelgadiss pulled the bottle in closer by his body and put on a face that he tried to make stern but was not exactly. "N-no… I bought it with my own money and it cost a whole lot." He didn't see either of the girls reacting. "Why don't you just go get another bottle from Melendil's wagon?"

 "Would a taste really hurt?" Amelia said in an innocent voice.

Zelgadiss carefully looked at Amelia observing her innocent feature and slowly looked back down at his bottle of wine. "Yes," he said, and quickly began to drink from the bottle again.

 "Oh come on!" Sasheem yelled. "You aren't even savoring the taste! You're drinking like a dehydrated man who just crossed the desert without having a single drink and was attacked by a swarm of vultures and had to fend them off with his dry body and little strength because he didn't have a single drink! You insensitive pig!"

 "Sasheem-san, did you have to get so detailed?"

 "Force of habit."

Zelgadiss popped the bottle out of his mouth and let out a long sigh. "Tastes good."

 "Give me that wine!" Sasheem pounced over for Zelgadiss and reached for the bottle. Zelgadiss quickly moved to the side and the Gypsy landed on the floor.

Zelgadiss had the bottle raised above him and held his body up with his other hand. He tried to follow up on what was going on as Sasheem raised her head and only smirked as she pushed a few long locks of her thin hair from her face. Zelgadiss was confused at everyone's change in their personality and couldn't figure out why he was feeling much more relaxed. He stopped thinking when he detected a presence of someone near him and found Amelia's hands carefully reaching for the bottle. "No you don't," he scolded and turned from Amelia.

 "Zelgadiss-san, you should share!" Amelia got a quick grip on the bottle as Zelgadiss turned and made sure to focus on keeping her hands planted.

 "Yeah Amelia! Justice will triumph! We will have alcohol!" Sasheem clapped her hands and watched the two pull back and forth.

Amelia was growling and using all the strength she could at trying to prey the wine from Zelgadiss' stubborn hands.

Zelgadiss couldn't help but think it was cute how Amelia would never give up. She pulled at the bottle, pushed off of Zel's rock body with her feet trying to help her arms tug harder, and eventually moved around to different spots to see if they were any better. Zelgadiss always pulled back and never let her win. In his mind he laughed at Amelia's attempts and how he had the advantage, but he liked it that way. "You know I'm stronger then you," he mocked.

 "Well I have," Amelia pulled at the bottle once more. "Justice on my side!"

 "Does Justice include alcoholic drinks?"

 "Right now it does!" Amelia tried twisting the bottle out of his hands, but it didn't budge.

 "How about if the wine is gone?"

 Amelia stopped pulling and looked at Zelgadiss. "What do you mean?" Zelgadiss pulled the bottle up to his lips, along with Amelia's hands trying their best to pull back, and began to drink the wine again. Amelia snapped. "No!" She tried pulling at the bottle again but Zelgadiss was too strong and only pulled her closer.

Sasheem was getting frustrated, she need the relaxing wine. "I'm not one for Justice and never believed in it, but if Justice is going to get me an elegant wine then I will fight on its side!" She lunged forth and clasped her hands around the bottle pulling with Amelia.

The sudden change in strength took the Chimera by surprise and the bottle was pulled from his mouth. From the opening a small stream of wine splattered and got in Zelgadiss' face. "You're spilling it!" He began pulling back but their strength had been increased and they pulled even more.

The bottle rocked back and forth and little drops of wine began to splatter on Zelgadiss. Not wanting his expensive drink to go to waste, he forced the bottle upright and bent the girls arms.

Amelia quickly changed the positioning of her hands and continued grabbing. The tug-of-war went on between the three as each changed position from time to time, trying to get a better grip.

Zelgadiss knew he could win this easily. If he was able to flip Gourry then he could yank the bottle from these two girls no problem. In one quick pull he removed the wine from their hands.

 "Woah!" Sasheem and Amelia fell back on the floor, but not without each thrusting out one leg to trip Zelgadiss and have him meet their fate of falling on the floor.

Amelia quickly sat up rubbing her head and watched Zelgadiss catch the bottle in his hands while lying on his back. He moved to begin drinking again but was stopped. Amelia lunged forth and pushed his arms to his side. She did her best to hold his arms far from his face while she wrapped one of her legs around his arm to hold him back. "Sasheem-san! Get the bottle!"

 "Sounds good!" The Gypsy chimed.

Zelgadiss heard the command and did the only thing he could do while in the awkward hold Amelia had on him. He released one hand and let his free arm take Amelia around her waist and pull her down next to him in force. He then moved his arm to hold around her back and let his hand hold her arm.

Amelia squeaked as she was pulled down in a comforting, tight, embrace. She shut her eyes and felt herself pressed up against a warm yet rough figure. She slowly opened her eyes and found the side of a blue face an inch from hers. She listened to his breathing and his many sounds. Zelgadiss didn't look at her, his face was staring straight forward and his focus was obviously on the wine.

He was holding her back with one arm to keep her in place. Amelia shifted and quickly felt his grip tighten around her and his hand brush along her skin. She shivered at his touch and tried to not let the temptation running through her blood take control.

She heard a final swallow from his throat and listened to his sigh. He was content and finished. "Zelgadiss-san," she whispered.

He didn't answer at first. His tight hold loosened and he spoke. "Yeah?" He moved his head a little and saw Amelia at his side wrapped up by him. "Oh, um…" He quickly pushed the both of them up and helped her to kneel on the floor.

Amelia couldn't make eye contact with him, she was too embarrassed and didn't want him to see how red in the face she was. She noted the empty bottle in his left hand and could smell the scent of wine on him. "I can't believe you finished that whole bottle," she said.

 "Not one drop left." Amelia and Zelgadiss looked to the back at Sasheem sitting on the floor in front of the pile of their betting's. "Not. One. Friendly. Drop." She rested her head in her hand. "You are something else. I have never known a single person or creature that could finish off a bottle of wine, that big, and chug it down. Hell, even Melendil won't do that!"

Amelia looked at the bottle and finally looked at Zelgadiss. "Maybe you should take it easy for a bit," she suggested.

 "Nonsense!" Sasheem cut in. "Not when I just won this hand! Zelgadiss shirt is mine!"

Amelia and Zelgadiss looked at the Gypsy flip over their hands of cards and pull the anti in to her pile. "Sasheem-san! You can't do that!"

Zelgadiss began to nudge over to grab his hand of cards and continue the game. "That's it! You ar-"

 "Hold on." Amelia grabbed the Chimera's vest and he faced her. "Di-"

 "Woah, woah, woah," Sasheem stopped the Princess. She leaned in to Amelia's ear and whispered. "I need to do something while he's still slightly tipsy."

Amelia raised one of her eyebrows with a questioning look. "What do you plan on doing?"

 Zelgadiss remained seated and watched the girls whisper back and forth. The Gypsy finally looked at him and smiled. "Zelgadiss, I want one private game of poker with you. One quick hand, that is all."

 "I have a feeling this is no normal quick hand," he stated. "What are we betting?"

The Gypsy giggled. "You catch on fast. Okay, here's the deal. If I win I want you to compose a song."

Zelgadiss gave her a curious expression. "A song?" She nodded. "You just want me to compose a song? What kind of bet is this?"

 "I didn't know you were so scared to compose just a little song."

 "I don't know why you would want me to for one thing, and I also have a feeling that there is more to this then just composing it."

 "Why I would want you to do it is so you don't waste your talent of being a good musician and put it to some use. And about there being one more thing, yes there is, you caught me. If I win and you have to compose there is one minor detail."

 "Being?"

 "It has to use the line 'I love you' at least once."

Amelia quickly looked at Zelgadiss who said nothing. He narrowed his eyes and glared at the tricky woman across from him. "And what about if I win?"

 'I knew that would get to him,' Sasheem thought. "Well, what would you like me to do if you win, Zelgadiss?"

 "I get to pick?" He said to himself. 'Something clever,' he told himself. He wanted an idea that was not horrible for her to do, but something to get her back. It was obvious she saw that he wasn't good when it came to romance. Now he just needed to know her weakness. He looked at her. She was icy cold with that look on her face. 'That look,' he thought. He knew what he could do. "If I win," he started. "You have to cut your bangs."

 "WHAT!" Sasheem shrieked, turned pale and fell over on the floor.

 "Well at least the game is getting interesting," said Amelia.

The Gypsy scrambled up on her knees and began to quickly shuffle the deck of cards through her hands.

 Zelgadiss smirked at her and folded his arms. "Unless you would rather not do this little game of ours and admit defeat."

Sasheem felt like something had just stabbed her through her head. "Never," she hissed. 'Not my bangs,' she told herself. 'I can't believe I'm doing this!'

 "So one defeat really means that much to you?" Zelgadiss questioned.

 "I'm going to enjoy seeing you sing about love!"

 "And I will sure enjoy being able to see your eyes and read your face in poker!"

 "That's if you win!" Sasheem quickly dealt the cards and swept up her hand. She heard Zelgadiss slam his hand on the floor.

 "Two!"

She handed him two cards and put down three cards for herself and took three new ones. They met each other face to face. "Ready?" he asked.

 "Of course," Sasheem whispered.

Zelgadiss had full confidence in his hand. He spread his cards on the floor. "Full house," he said with a smirk.

Sasheem calmly spread her cards on the floor. "Five Aces," she whispered.

Zelgadiss' eyes bugged out. Somehow she had gotten three Aces and a two and a one-eyed jack for wilds. "How did that happen?" He couldn't believe it. He couldn't say any words that could describe how he felt.

 "It's just a song," Amelia tried reminding him. She had secretly been hoping that Sasheem would win, and it was just her luck that the Gypsy did.

 "But…but…"

Amelia too Zelgadiss by his vest and pulled him close to her. "Dicleary," she chanted. A fog left from the Chimera's stomach and faded away.

                                                                                                              ~)*(~

Mikau stopped at a tree that had a ray of light shining down on it and casting a shadow. 'He should start to feel the effects about now,' he thought.

Mikau felt that he had given the Chimera enough time to at least got some of the poison working on him. The assassin took this free time to think about how he was going to get the Chimera to his Master and Mistress. The man was made out stone after all, and he would be a very big stone to carry. Mikau figured that one way he could do this was to Raywing the Chimera back, even if that did strain his arms a bit it would be easier then lugging him back.

Mikau refused to ask Xellos for help and to possibly teleport him back. It began to look like a Raywing was his only option.

The assassin lifted his foot to take a step but froze. He slowly placed his foot back to the ground and let his senses go on alert. His fingers lingered over the handle of his sword while his eyes looked everywhere they could and his ears went in tune with every sound around him. There was someone near him, and they were very close.

The Elf finally emerged from shrouded trees, coming in to Mikau's view. Neither of them spoke a word to the other, nor did either move. The Elf was calm and elegant, the assassin was still and alert. Mikau's eyes slowly noticed a scroll in the Elf's hand. Mikau had two reasons now for why he should finish off the Elf.

The Elf saw the quick movement in the man's eyes and moved his lips as if he were to say something. Mikau moved fast and cut off the creature's voice when he quickly slashed its throat.

It was too hard for the Elf to scream. He stumbled around trying to stop the blood flow with his one hand while the other stiffened at his side and scrapped along a tree trunk in pain. He bit down on his trembling lip, which only hurt more and ceased to take away any pain. He clenched his pearly teeth together, which became painted red when the Elf coughed, or gagged, up drops of blood.

All Mikau could do was watch. He strolled over, with his sword at his side, and bent down to pick up the parchment, which had been dropped. He sheathed his sword and ignored the tormented sounds coming from the Elf. Mikau began to untie the string that kept the scroll rolled up when he caught a small glow blink in the corner of his eye. He turned his head and saw the tortured Elf trying to heal himself with no achievement.

Mikau tucked the scroll in his belt and took out his sword to finish a job. He watched the creature's blue eyes widen and his movements trying to protest. He stopped short of the Elf and watched him with his cold gaze. He remembered that there were only two ways for an Elf to die: being slain or a broken heart. He focused back on the Elf and looked at its current state. He had made a mess with his blood and continued his gagging against the tree.

Mikau had to a make choice soon, someone could have already heard the gasping Elf. A blade ripped through the Elf's heart and silenced him. Mikau quickly drew his sword out and began to walk away as the Elf left his life and sprawled out on the ground.

                                                                                                                  ~)*(~

Lina, Gourry and Melendil each leaned against a tree in thought. They were focused on the sounds ringing in the forest and were lost in the world that was around them. Melendil thought about Gourry's skills as a swordsman. She heard that he was invincible when he had the Sword of Light, but even now he was skill for any human she knew. He was excellent and graceful in his movement and attacks, and Melendil could only wonder how a human like him ever became that good. She closed her eyes and felt that it was too much to think about for the moment.

 Lina sighed and opened her red eyes. "Mel, do you know anywhere we could go in these woods? Something to get us moving?"

The sorceress' voice sound like something new in the quiet forest. "Well to be honest, yes," Melendil started. "Ther-"

Gourry quickly stood and startled the two girls. Lina raised an eyebrow and watched the blond man take out his sword. "Gourry, what are you doing?"

 "Watch out!" Gourry stood in front of Lina with his sword ready to strike at any moment.

Lina didn't understand what Gourry was so worked up about until she concentrated on looking beyond the trees surrounding them and saw a few men had circled around them with loaded bows. "W-When did these guys come?!"

 "Just a few seconds ago," Gourry replied. Lina looked at the blond man behind her unable to understand how he knew.

One of the men emerged with his bow out in front. He was obviously an Elf, the blue eyes, blond hair, and pointy ears gave it away. "It's rather interesting that a human like you could sense us coming," he spoke. Gourry only smirked and gripped the handle on his sword. "However," the Elf continued. "You still we're not keen enough."

 "What?" Gourry's eyes widened and he lowered his blade.

 "I don't think you Elves have any idea who you're messing with," Lina cooed. "Lightn-"

 "Only a fool will try to pull that trick," The Elf cut in. "I will be honest with you, human. You have no chance of getting away no matter what spell you try to pull off. No matter what, we will shoot our arrows and they will hit you and kill you. Because you are outnumbered at least ten arrows will hit you, and from those ten arrows one will hit you in the heart and one in the head because we will only be aiming for those two places. And because we are all skilled archers not one will miss."

 "I can still get out of this," Lina hissed. "B-"

 "Lina stop." Gourry blocked Lina with his arm and stepped close to her.

 "Gourry, get out of my way unless you want to get hit!"

 "Lina, you should never harm an Elf. They won't kill us unless we have truly done something horrible."

Lina didn't say anything, she was to astonished by Gourry's reactions and curious to why he would act this way. "Gourry?" Lina put her hand on his arm shielding her, and slowly lowered it. Lina looked around and soon noticed that many of the Elvin archers had surrounded them. "Wait… Where's Melendil?"

No one answered Lina's question and neither Gourry of the Elves spoke. They just stared the other down, until the Elf who spoke to Gourry, and appeared to be the leader, lowered his bow. "Come with us."

 "Excuse me?!" Lina shrieked. "Do yo-"

 "Lina," Gourry whispered. "Just do as they say." He slightly pointed to the archers around them and heard Lina grunt.

 "Fine," She answered. "I could just blow them up, you know."

 "Trust me, its not that easy." Gourry looked at Lina who stared at him in shock. He couldn't read the look on her face; it was one he had never seen. He placed one hand on Lina's shoulder and gave her a childish smile. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."

 'What am I missing about him?' Lina thought. The Elves motioned for them to start to follow the others and they walked in to the woods. Lina still thought. 'What is going on?'

Surrender to the divine power

 "What was that?!" Lina jumped and grabbed Gourry around his waist. "This is crazy! Gourry is acting smart, Elves are taking us away, and some voice keeps popping up out of nowhere!"

The Elves became alert and looked around them. The leader answered Lina. "Something dangerous must be happening if the Dark Goddess is speaking."

 "Dark Goddess?" Lina calmed down and slowly released Gourry at the mention of the new name. "You mean L-sama? The Lord of Nightmares?"

The Elf shook his head, swinging his golden hair. "No. The Dark Goddess is not your Lord of Nightmares. But she is equal with your God, for she is one as well."

 "Are you saying that there are two L-sama's?" Gourry asked.

 "We are going now," The Elf pestered, and began their walking again.

 "Wait, tell me who this Dark Goddess is!" Lina demanded.

 "When we get to the village," the Elf said.

                                                                                                                ~)*(~

Zelgadiss had felt like a weight was lifted out from the inside of him. He didn't feel that different but quickly became ashamed. He remembered everything that he had done and everything that had happened. That's why he hated it. After he blushed he quickly got up and headed for the door only to fall face flat on the floor from one girl grabbing one of his legs.

The girls quickly yelled at him not to leave and protested that he didn't need to go take a walk and he was absolutely fine. They pushed him back over to the spot with the cards and anti and told him to play poker and knew that he was having a good time. For a few minute Zelgadiss argued against both girls and that he was acting stupid, but they only came back with the fact that he was not fully drunk and was having fun whether he wanted to admit it or not. Then they sat him down and forced him to play poker.

 "Amelia."

 "Yes, Zelgadiss-san?"

 "Next time I'm drunk, don't use 'Dicleary' on me unless it's really necessary."

After a while they were all getting in to the game again, and Zelgadiss wasn't even drunk. He finally admitted to himself that somehow it all lightened up his spirit, though he wasn't as carefree.

In time, the three of them had gone very far in to the game. The current results: Zelgadiss had Amelia's bracelet on his bicep and wearing her cap, he had on loads of Sasheem's bangles and necklaces, and around his waist he wore his own belt. Amelia had Zelgadiss' beige pants, which went past her feet but were comfortable anyway, his vest, the belt that held his sword, and his shoes. From Sasheem, Amelia had some earrings and her cape which came only a little past her feet. Sasheem had on Zel's shirt and cape and around he waist Amelia's belt with the little turf of fur that reminded her of a small pet. Besides that, she wore Amelia's aqua boots after she lost her shoes to a certain chimera.

Zelgadiss felt his feet going cold and tried to think of something he could put on them. He had shame and wouldn't even think about putting Amelia's stocking on. His next alternative was to put on Sasheem's pants and or try his best to win back his shoes. Other then the problem of his cold feet, he felt rather good, ignoring that fact that he was slowly feeling his head throb on and off and would feel like the whole world was being covered in a thick fog.

 "Zelgadiss-san…" Amelia watched the Chimera closely, observing his actions. His hand was buried in his wiry hair and held his head in a grip. "Zelgadi-"

 "Huh-yes?" He quickly let go of his head and looked up at Amelia trying to act optimistic.

Amelia's eyes clouded with concern. "Are you feelings okay? That's the third time you have dazed out."

 "I'm fine, really." When he felt Amelia's eyes still on him he knew that she didn't believe him. "Really, Amelia. I'm fine."

 "But-"

The three card players stopped talking when they heard Melendil yelling outside the door and repeatedly banging on the wood.

 "What is wrong with her?" Sasheem stood up and began walking over to the door. "Hold on, Melendil!"

 "I'm serious! Let me in now! I'm not kidding, Sasheem! I'm not drunk! Sasheem!"

 "Melen-"

Zelgadiss strolled past the Gypsy who was doing her best to keep the Chimera's shirt up. Zelgadiss threw open the door and glared at the gasping Elf who held herself back from trying to knock on the door again. "What's wrong?" He hissed. He watched her eyes go wide and her mouth make an 'O' shape. "What?" Melendil didn't respond. Her eyes left from looking at his face and fell down. "Why won't y-" Zelgadiss realized what he was wearing and the fact that his chest was bear. Aligning the Elf's eyes with his body he could see that they were clearly looking at his chest. He pulled Amelia's cape around him as much as he could and watched Melendil blink out of her focus.

 "What's wrong, Melendil-san?" Amelia popped out from behind a very red Chimera and got a look from Melendil. "Oh, you might be wondering why I'm wearing Zelgadiss-san's pants. You see-"

Amelia didn't continue when Sasheem pushed her way past Zelgadiss and emerged in front of Melendil. "What is wrong with you? Honestly." Melendil was looking back and forth at the three card players looking dumfounded. "Oh, you might be wondering why I'm wearing Zelgadiss' shirt…and cape. You see-"

 "I think I get it," Melendil started. "Sasheem, you probably just stole his stuff. You have too much shame to go for a threesome. And as for those two swapping clothes, I have no idea what kind of kinky-"

 "IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" All three yelled. They marched back in the wagon and a few minutes later emerged in the usual clothes, for Zel and Amelia the ones Sasheem gave them. They came down from the wagon and folded their arms.

 "Why don't you tell us why you were pounding on the door," Zelgadiss spat out to end the conversation of why he was in Amelia's clothes.

 "Oh, yeah that." Melendil cleared her throat and her eyes darkened. "L-Lina! Lina and Gourry! Okay! Um, yeah! W-we were in the woods and just, like, fighting and stuff. Well practicing, that is!" The Elf moved her arms in actions and slowly picked up to panic. "I don't know what went wrong! We didn't do anything!"

 "What do you mean? What did you do?" Amelia asked.

 "Nothing! We were just sitting under the trees!"

 "You're still not telling us what happened! Where are Lina and Gourry?" Zelgadiss barked.

 "The Elves came! They came and circled around us! I'm sorry! I didn't think they would come! They came out of no where with their bows and surrounded us and I don't know why!"

 "Well why are you here and they aren't?" The Gypsy yelled.

Melendil rubbed her eyes and turned her head from looking at anyone. "I…got scared and ran off."

 "You left them?" Amelia whispered.

 "I didn't want to see them! The last time I did I was rejected and not welcomed one bit! I'm not even supposed to be in these woods! I'm banned!"

 "But you didn't help them at all!" Sasheem screamed. "And why wouldn't you even tell us that the Elves live here? What are they going to do to Lina and Gourry, Melendil? Why did you let them take them away?"

 "You can trust me that they won't do anything to them, I swear! I'm sorry! I-" She couldn't even find another word to say. There was no apology or defense for what she had done. She stopped speaking let her pride wash away.

Zelgadiss was now feeling his head spin and opened and closed his misty eyes to focus. Melendil's fast voice sounded like someone was yelling in his ear at the top of their lungs. The Chimera lost his balance and caught himself on the door.

 "Zelgadiss-san, what's wrong?" Amelia caught the Chimera and tried to help him up and regain his balance. "Why didn't you tell me something was wrong?"

Zelgadiss couldn't speak, his throat burned from inside and cut off his voice. He felt an itch creeping up his throat and covered his mouth with his hand when he coughed a few times. He brought his head back up and looked at the three girls who had stopped arguing.

 "Zel, were you drinking wine?" Melendil asked.

 "Not anymore," he mumbled in a horse tone. "Why?"

 "You have some wine on your lip," Melendil pointed out. Zelgadiss slowly moved his finger up to his mouth. "No, no. It's dripping down your mouth on the right, in the corner."

Amelia looked in shock as Zelgadiss wiped the red liquid from the corner of his mouth. "It smeared," Amelia whispered. "That…can't be wine, right?"

 "It's blood," Sasheem said softly.

Zelgadiss looked at his finger and the small trace of blood. He wiped at his mouth again and smeared more red on his hand. "What's happening?" He whispered.

 "Zelgadiss-san." Amelia placed her hand on his face and turned his look to her. "What's wrong with you?" Through her watery eyes she saw the life fading from his face quickly and felt his skin turn colder. "Zelgadiss-san!"

Zelgadiss couldn't see Amelia anymore. He slowly put one hand out and tried to feel for anything. Words were a blur in his running mind and thinking hurt.

 "Zelgadiss-san!" Amelia grabbed her friend's hand and placed her other hand around his face. "Zelgadiss-san," she choked. She felt his hand tighten around hers and her heart jump when he lifted his head slowly to meet her face. "Zelgadiss-san, please say something." Warm tears left her eyes and trailed down he face.

 "Amelia," he whispered.

She could barely her him speak her name and watched his eye cloud over. His lips closed in unison with his eyes and Amelia felt his hand loosen against hers. The Princess tried to catch his falling body but fell on the ground with him. "Zelgadiss-san! Zelgadiss-san!" She shook him and slid her body out from under him to see him fully.

 "What the hell is going on?" Melendil helped Amelia turn the Chimera over and saw his pale blue face. "Zel?" Melendil panicked and gripped Zelgadiss' hand. "This isn't funny! Zel, get up!"

Amelia's tears came like rain with her quiet whimpers. She bent over the Chimera and hugged his cold body to cry on his chest. She whispered his name over and over unsure what she wanted to really be saying. She remembered she didn't ask him about the dream. She took another look at his face and felt more tears come. 'I should have told him,' she thought. Amelia threw herself back against Zelgadiss. 'Why didn't I ask him? Why didn't I ask him that and why didn't I  tell him so many other things?'

Sasheem was frozen at first, but she quickly acted. She grinded her teeth and ran her finger through her hair. "Shit!" She kicked a wine glass out of her way, letting it shatter against a tree and ran in to the wagon. 'What the hell did this to him?' she demanded in thought. 'Why do you have to kill everyone?!' She threw open cabinets and door, throwing so many things out of her way and on the floor. She cursed and kicked around the wagon starting to become unsure of what she was doing.

She noticed the wine bottle he was drinking on the floor and immediately picked it up. She ran out the door and pulled Melendil aside. "Melendil, I need you to-"

The Elf hushed and quickly became alert of a noise. Melendil stood up when she saw a Man move through the trees. "Amelia!"

The Princess looked at the Elf with a tear stained face. She wiped her eyes and didn't answer until she caught her breath from all the crying. "Y-yes?" Before Melendil could make it over, Amelia looked up and saw Mikau dive down from the trees with his sword in hand.

Amelia had no time to move, but something knocked her out of the way and soon she was rolling across the grass and dirt out of the way. She slowly opened her eyes and found herself pressed up against a bare chest. She was quickly pushed back and saw Tybolt stand up in front of her and block a blow from Mikau's sword with his shovel.

 "Tybolt!" Sasheem started. "When did-"

Melendil interrupted her friend. "Where the hell were you?!"

 "Sorry," he quickly said. "I just needed some time."

Sasheem pulled Amelia out the way as the two fighting men broke apart at distance. Tybolt looked at his surrounding looked back at the three girls. "Wow, I must have been gone for a while." He looked back at the assassin and peered at him. "M…Mikau?" He asked. Everyone gave the gravedigger a curious look.

Mikau twitched and backed off slightly. Tybolt took a step closer and pointed at the assassin. "Mikau Coda? The assassin?"

 "Tybolt this is really old news!" Melendil yelled.

 "What are you talking about? You mean you guys knew Mikau was alive this whole time?" Tybolt asked. "Why Mikau here? I buried this guy years ago in the graveyard!"





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Mab: Okay….So… Enjoy! More coming! I love e-mails and reviews! Yeah… Makes me a happy Mab! I would love to know what you guys think! Until the next chapter, farewell!