The next chapter or two will probably house a lemon. But I'm not sorry that this story has taken a lemony twist. Please read and review, minna.

May the Light ever guide you on your way.

Samanda

P.S. For two concerned readers:

Fruitcake: I named this fic Sapphires And Sakura Blossoms for two reasons. The first being that I think that Zel's eyes are the most gorgeous shade of blue that I have ever seen. sighs in rapture He and Lina will always be my favorite Slayers couple. (Not to say that I won't write cannon couples later.) Second is that sakura blossoms are the national flower of Japan. They represent love if you have ever watched any romantic animes or an entrance of an important character.

Ysengrinn: Never fear, I am not an Amelia hater. I want to keep the characters in character so to speak and that means that Amelia will probably end up going back to Saillune to be buried in paperwork. Not turn psycho and kill other characters. But who knows? Lina might get her revenge on Xellos in a verrry interesting way. sings the lyrics to Love Potion # Nine

Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers or any of it's characters.

Sapphires And Sakura Blossoms

Chapter Three: The Cure Is Revealed

Lina's eyes narrowed with suppressed rage as Xellos confessed to being the one who taught Botan the spell that had cursed her. But without her magic Xellos could not be hurt so she promised herself that he would later get what he deserved.

Zel, Gourry, Syphiel and Amelia quickly backed away from the intense aura surrounding Lina.

So who is this man? Lina's hands were graceful as she asked the question.

Xellos frowned. Sylphiel still had trouble reading Lina's movements sometimes and Amelia had turned her back on the group so Zel translated.

"He's actually only a short distance away." Xellos assured her.

Lina looked around her. It was midmorning and the sky was clear of clouds as the birds sang of spring. Everything had been packed away already so she glanced at Zel, Amelia, Gourry and Syphiel.

Gourry and Syphiel gave her encouraging smiles but Amelia still wouldn't look directly at her. That made Lina suspicious. Zel nodded and so Lina turned to Xellos and gave a firm nod.

"Excellent!" Xellos chirped. "Follow me."

The group exchanged uneasy looks and walked after the floating Mazoku. They headed east until a small cottage appeared in the distance two hours after they started out. Xellos' idea of a 'short distance' left much to be desired to Lina.

Syphiel knocked on the cottage door but there was no answer. Zel got impatient and pounded the door harder and finally footsteps could be heard.

"Coming," A female voice called.

"Goodbye, my friends," Xellos said and hastily disappeared.

The door opened a bit and a young woman peered through the crack. She considered them carefully with emerald green eyes before opening the door completely. She tossed her fiery hair to tumble down her back in waves and curls. She was tall and willowy of form like Syphiel but probably more touchy than Lina about her chest. Unlike Lina she really was as flat as a pancake.

"Welcome," She moved to the side of the hallway to let them in. "I've been waiting for you."

Zel eyed her. "A certain mazoku told you, perhaps?"

"Who?" The girl seemed surprised. "No, I don't move in such exotic circles. I saw you in a vision. I wish it wasn't so erratic sometimes."

They followed her into a parlor that boasted of a warm fire and several chairs. A plate of pastries and a steaming pot of tea was placed near a wingbacked chair.

What do you really do here? Syphiel read Lina's hand signs to the girl.

The girl smiled. "Oh I'm sorry, of course you don't know. My name is Ayame and this is my home. Please sit down. I am the scholar to consult when in need of magical knowledge."

Lina's breath hissed out at this. She bestowed a radiant smile on Ayame who seemed rather taken aback by the sudden mood swing.

Everyone took a seat and the cloaked Zel, with Lina's permission, told of how the sorcerer Botan had cursed Lina. Ayame listened carefully to the whole tale with an occasional nod or an "I see."

"May I conduct a scan on you?" She finally asked Lina.

Lina gave her a reluctant nod and Ayame got to work. She scanned Lina magically then did a second one that penetrated farther along the surface. Finally she nodded.

"This is a tricky curse. You see we know that it curses a woman to silence but what is the cure? Even I have heard of Botan. Going back to him and pleading for the cure has cured all the other girls who he cursed. The cure was kept secret because no girl could ever speak of what happened."

The group nodded solemnly as Ayame poured tea for everyone. She offered pastries to her guests who accepted at their own whims. Everyone introduced him or herself and proceeded to act civilized with the exception of Gourry. He was preoccupied with 'pastry clean up'.

"May I take you aside, Lina? I will tell you what you seek to know since I believe the cure to be a thing of a private nature." Ayame spoke.

"I am coming too," Zel stood and followed the two girls.

A certain princess' innocent and sad eyes followed the cloaked chimera as he followed Lina. She missed the days when he was her knight in shining armor and protected her from harm.

Amelia sighed with romantic regret before going back to thoughts of what she would really do now that she knew Zel was truly beyond her grasp.

Ayame lead Lina and Zel to the garden located at the back of the house. They sat in a few chairs by two sakura trees. Lina took the seat directly under the trees and got comfortable.

Lina drank in the beauty around her as the wind rustled through the leaves of the cherry trees above her. Zel watched her covertly as a few dislodged blossoms caught in her hair. He looked away from her reluctantly and focused his attention on Ayame as she began to speak.

Ayame wouldn't look at her. "I believe that the cure to your curse, Miss Lina is simple. Unfortunately you will have to give up…" Here she had trouble forcing out the words. "A maiden's most precious treasure in order to return to normal."

Lina looked uncomprehending while Zel turned bright red and had a sudden fit of coughing.

Ayame sighed. "Her innocence if you will, Miss Lina."

Now Lina got it but she blushed rosily at the euphemism. She shook her head 'no' several times.

No way! And besides he's dead. Lina was frantic.

She signed this more than once until Zel got over his embarrassment and saw her signing rather urgently to a dumbfounded Ayame. He translated and Ayame took Lina's tense hand in a warm, sympathetic grip.

"The curse is fixed to two people, Miss Lina. When the caster dies the spell rebounds to fix on the closest same sex magic user to the nexus point. That is the person you need to find."

Lina's face drained of all color and she looked at Zel. He paled then reddened as he returned her shocked glance.

Zel felt a sense of surrealism possess him as he turned to Ayame and said. "You won't have to look very far. I was the closest male magic user to Lina."