Watch out for my newest Slayer's fic that's coming soon. It's going to be a joint effort between graywords-girl and myself. Interested? Keep an eye out for it!

Synopsis for new fic: Lady Lina Inverse runs away from a life she hates and hides away at an old school chum's house. Lady Lina bumps into a male someone she knew from childhood. Will Miss Amelia Saillune rat her out so she can have Lord Zelgadis to herself? And what does Xellos have to do with all of this? Historical romance L/Z style.

Samanda

To my reviewers:

Thank you for sticking by me even though I put this story on hold a lot longer than I should have. So again, thank you for your patience. This is the second to last chapter. I have one more with the epilogue and that will be it.

Melodia, I'm sorry to have to tell you this... but you are wrong. Ayame isn't in league with Xellos. If she was, Sylphiel's continuous company would make Ayame as sick as a dog and twice as rabid. Also, lemons make the world go 'round. How did Lina get her voice back? Read and find out!

And to graywords-girl: This chapter is dedicated to you. Thank you for reviewing and making my ego swell to incredible proportions.


Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers nor am I making a profit from this story.

Sapphire And Sakura Blossoms

Chapter Nine: Wedding Bells in Saillune

By

Samanda Hime-sama

It was a beautiful spring day with the sun shining and a breeze that was soft enough to just ruffle your clothes. There was an air of anticipation that hung over the city of Saillune as people hurried to complete their tasks. All of them knew today was a day of celebration and no one wanted to miss it. It would be a day to tell of to their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The stories would last long after memories of the princess faded into time and were forgotten.

But behind castle walls not everyone was so serene and happy...

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Lina Inverse tapped her high heeled foot impatiently. She watched as Amelia was fussed over by Syphiel, Ayame and the rest of the servants as they fixed this or straightened that. Amelia looked happy but Lina couldn't pick up anyone else's facial emotions because they were too busy concentrating.

Lina sighed. She counseled herself to patience, although she didn't have a large store of it. She looked down at her own amber gown and smiled. She was much happier in her simple yet lavish dress, probably more so than Amelia who would later wish she hadn't bought a dress that was a tad too long for her. High heels were murder on your feet after an hour.

Amelia's face had always shone with the strength of her convictions. (Lina had been heard to mutter about how Amelia radiated fanaticism.) But today Amelia had a different glow about her and Lina knew it. Today, Amelia looked radiant and happy, she surpassed the very picture of how a woman should look on her wedding day.

Probably because she's a princess, Lina thought affectionately.

But soon enough the maids and Ayame were gone. Amelia, Syphiel and Lina were left alone until the wedding march started. Amelia and Syphiel shared a secretive glance before drifting towards Lina.

"There's something I wanted to ask you." Amelia looked at Lina.

Lina looked at herself in the mirror and smoothed back a wisp of hair. "Go ahead."

"Miss Ayame seemed surprised when she head you speak." Amelia began. "She accidentally blurted something out that almost made both Miss Syphiel and I faint."

Lina turned a little pink and turned to face her two friends. "I see. So you know what the price of my cure was?"

Syphiel blushed. "Yes. How could you do it, Miss Lina?"

Lina smiled wickedly and teased her. "Oh but you see, it was very easy."

Lina relented when she saw Syphiel begin to totter. "Relax, Syphiel. I'm just teasing you."

"So nothing happened?" Amelia asked suspiciously.

Lina grinned. "I'm not telling you anything."

"Miss Lina..." Amelia whined.

Lina walked towards the door but spoke over her shoulder. "Besides, Amelia, you shouldn't be such a hypocrite. Would you care to explain to Syphiel why you haven't been using your shrine maiden spells lately?"

Lina walked out the door without looking back. If she had she might have seen Amelia turn tomato red. She would have seen Syphiel give Amelia suspicious and disappointed looks. She did hear the beginning of a sigh and a "Miss Amelia, how could you?"

Lina just smiled and kept on going.

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The ceremony went off well. All except the part when Lina stepped out as a bridesmaid and started walking down the long aisle. Syphiel and Filia followed her with Amelia waiting in the wings behind the flower girl.

As Lina was moving with restrained vivacity down the aisle she noticed Gourry and his best man waiting at the end. Gourry looked handsome but her mind immediately dismissed him as she looked at Zel. Zel looked so handsome and romantic she almost felt like swooning. She started to fall into a girlish daydream but pulled herself out of it,

There would be time for that later, she told herself.

Curious to see who was performing the ceremony she craned her head to see. Amelia had only told her that the official was late and would get there on the day of the ceremony. As the figure got clearer Lina paled and stopped dead.

Nee-san, her mind supplied the name.

Syphiel poked her and she moved mechanically to the bride's side of the church. Lina was still too much in terror to see Amelia coming down the aisle on Prince Phil's arm.

Lina's older sister, Luna Inverse, was more commonly known as the Knight of Cephied. She was one of the only two things in the world that Lina was afraid of. Luna was more powerful than her younger sibling but that wasn't the real reason Lina was afraid of her. Luna had a strong will and a strong sense of justice that she had used to keep Lina in line as she was growing up.

She finally snapped out of her daze and when Luna looked over at her, she flinched then nodded respectfully to her older sister. A faint smile flickered on Luna's face but was gone as she nodded a greeting to her younger sister.

The rest of the wedding went well. Lina watched Amelia, her old student, get married to Lina's former bodyguard. It was a solemn but joyous ceremony. Lina's eyes got soft and sparkly as she watched the two kiss then be presented as husband and wife.

And Zel watched Lina and dreamed about when this would happen to them.

"So, imouto-san, I see you have been busy since you left our small town." Luna said to her younger sister.

Lina was still nervous. "Yes, I have. But you probably already know the details."

"All except this recent adventure." Luna smiled. "Tell me about it."

Lina gave her sister a carefully edited version of her latest adventure. She studied her sister as she spoke and realized something. Luna was still a little scary to her but nowhere near as much as she used to be to Lina.

Maybe I've grown up, Lina thought to herself.

"Lina?" Her sister said quizzically.

Lina realized she had fallen silent. "Yes, that's it."

"Except for the cure." Luna reminded her. "How were you able to speak again?"

Lina laughed nervously and thought fast. "Oh the cure. Well Zel was the cure. We're in love and we're going to married."

"Really?" Luna's eyes glittered. "I need to meet this 'Zel' and evaluate him as a potential husband for my little sister. I'll talk to you again before I leave, Lina. And come back home to visit sometime! Bring your young man too if I find him worthy."

And Luna swept off, leaving a silent Lina. Lina began praying to LoN that by the end of the day she still had a fiancee. Her sister could be scary without meaning to but when she put her mind to it... Lina shivered and pitied poor, hapless Zel.

Well I had best tell Amelia we're going to need a lot of coffee tonight. And a lot of sugar. I've heard that's good for shock, Lina thought to herself as she went to find Amelia.