Chapter 16: Confused and Uncertain

The sun beat down relentlessly, causing one of the two travellers walking in its heat to stumble and walk slowly. The gravel road didn't make it easy for anyone to walk in the harsh weather, the air humid and Mother Nature torturing the young woman by not giving the wind a cool breeze to blow through the hot and humid air. They had left the shade of a forest earlier that day, and were now walking along a path with no trees to give them any shelter.

Zelgadis sighed and turned to look at Amelia lagging behind. They still had not said a word to each other, although Zelgadis tried by opening his mouth once or twice, but each time he decided against it. He wanted to tell her he was sorry, and that she was right about a lot of things she had said, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. This is ridiculous! We're acting like children by not talking to each other! But…She's probably still mad at me, so it would be better if I just said nothing at all, he thought as he watched her struggle to catch up to him. Maybe we should find someplace to rest. He looked around, and could only see endless plains on either side of him, but looking far ahead, he could see a small town, and the start of a new forest just behind the town.

He didn't feel the heat that much, so it didn't really bother him. That's because I'm not human though, he thought bitterly, looking at his hands. What's wrong with me? Why am I so moody?

Why can't we just raywing to some shade?! Amelia asked herself, trudging along the gravel path. She was still very mad at Zelgadis, and refused to ask him to stop so that she could rest. She didn't want to talk to him; she just wanted to get back to Saillune as soon as possible.

Her azure eyes looked up from where she was staring at the path below her, and she scowled. He stood there, a good distance away, watching her. She immediately felt like slapping him. He probably finds this amusing, she thought, glaring up at him. Is he just going to stand there watching me all day!? She wondered, still very much angry at the chimera ahead of her. A part of her told her that it was silly to still be mad at him; after all, he was probably even more depressed now since they had had that argument. But it's his fault we even had an argument. And still, another part of her argued back. But it's not very just to blame it all on him though…

She looked back up at him, and seeing him still standing there, looking at her, she thought, I hate him. I don't even know why I'm still traveling with him. And a part of her mind answered, Well, that's because you don't really hate him, but she just shook the thought away. It'd been like that the whole day, where she argued with herself about what had happened.

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"Flare Arrow!" The three figures below ran relentlessly, as the sun pounded its rays on them as if to slow them down; the two gold heads sandwiching a red head. 

"Lina, I don't think that works," Gourry shouted as he, Filia, and Lina ran, a hoard of creatures following closely.

"I know that already!" Lina shouted back to him, her feet hitting the ground beneath her hard. "I…just wanted to make sure!" Damnit, what am I going to do? I don't have time to cast the dragon slave…they're too fast! I'd never be able to finish the spell in time. None of the common spells work on them, but uncommon spells take too long…and they'd easily dodge uncommon spells.

"Why…did…I…ever…listen…to…that…stupid…namagomi!?!?!" Filia shrieked as she ran, her breaths coming in fast, short gasps. I knew he was up to something!! Her mind yelled, while her feet felt like they would give away in a second.

"What are we going to do, Lina?" Gourry asked as he ran as fast as he could, the new sword at his side hitting his leg as he pounded his feet against the path they ran on. Trees behind them were scorched, and the creatures running and flying after them screeched so loudly that all three of them had to cover their ears.

Lina thought for a moment, a worried expression mixing with her normally fiery-looking face. "I don't know, Gourry…I really don't know…" Zel…Amelia…where are you guys??

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"Enjoy your stay."

Zelgadis and Amelia had reached the town right before night fell, and after grabbing something to eat, they got themselves rooms at the first inn they saw. Amelia looked incredibly grumpy, and so Zelgadis made sure he stayed at least a few feet away from her. The blue dress she wore clung to her body because of the heat, and Zelgadis had to try hard not to look at certain parts of her.

It's Amelia, for L-sama's sake! Since when do you look at a friend like that? His mind berated him for even looking at her the way he had just a second ago, and he decided that he had to get to his room before he could get the chance to look again. But a part of his mind answered back, Well, she isn't really your friend anymore, now is she? He mentally slapped himself, knowing just what sort of implication there had been in his mind. Not only am I a monster, he thought bitterly, but I'm a pervert also!

He sighed, and went to the bathroom to take a nice, cold shower to get his mind off of everything. In the back of his mind he could still remember his dream, and he wanted that out of his mind more than anything else.

Outside his room, passing by his door, walked a very grumpy Amelia. She was tired, aching everywhere, her dress clung to her uncomfortably, and she wanted to take a nice long bath. She opened the door beside Zelgadis' room, and quietly stepped inside. The sun had been relentless that day, and she knew that they had been travelling too slow. I hope tomorrow won't be as humid, she thought absently, walking into the bathroom. Looking at herself in the mirror, she scowled in disgust; her hair was a tangled mess, and was plastered to her face here and there, and her face looked sweaty, and there were dark rings under her eyes.

"I look like a mess," she said, releasing a long sigh. "I hope I reach Saillune soon…Daddy must be so worried…"

She sighed, and prepared herself a long, relaxing bath.

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Zelgadis woke up to a sound, and took a sweeping glance around his room before sighing. He'd been dreaming about the day Rezo had made him what he is now, and woke up thinking that Rezo was in the room with him. Zelgadis shuddered at the thought. He's already dead…I have to get a grip on myself.

He got up out of his bed, and heard a soft sound coming from the room beside him. Amelia's room, he thought, straining to hear something else. Finding himself very curious, and also wanting to take a walk through the halls to clear his mind and calm down a bit, he walked quietly to his door, and stepped out into the quiet hall.

He immediately noticed that the hall was very dark; much darker than his room. He walked over to Amelia's room, and found the door slightly ajar. Funny…Amelia should know that she should close and lock her door…His mind immediately thought of the only logical reason…Amelia's in trouble!

He swung open her door, and ran inside, his arms ready to cast a spell, and his eyes ready to search the room, but he stopped, and felt himself freeze. The moon outside of the window in front of him illuminated the figure standing in front of it. "Amelia…" he breathed out, not knowing what to do.

She stood there, looking at him completely confused, her innocence shining from her, and the soft light coming from the moon outside making her glow radiantly. Zelgadis' breath was caught in his throat; he seemed completely paralysed. She wore a white silk nightgown that she had found in one of the cabinets, and it fit her perfectly. It flowed down to her knees, and made her skin shine with an ethereal brilliance. Zelgadis half expected for her to have wings, but he still knew what she looked like, standing there before him. She's an angel, he thought to himself, as he stared into her eyes…those startlingly big blue eyes…I could drown in them…

Amelia was…well, bewildered. She had gotten up, feeling restless and homesick, and had accidentally knocked into the bed. She was worried that the loud bang had woken someone up, and went to her door to look down the halls to make sure no one came to inspect the noise; but deep in her mind she knew that wasn't the only reason she had checked. A part of her felt as if she was being watched, and she left her door open so that if something did happen, she'd be able to run out, or if she screamed, someone would definitely hear her and know which room her scream would've come from. But she just assured herself that she was just being paranoid, and that she had only opened the door because she wanted to make sure she didn't wake anybody, and because she had forgotten to close it.

But she hadn't expected Zelgadis to barge in, ready for a fight. She was completely shocked, and couldn't find her voice to scream when she first heard the door swing open. She was the first to gather her wits. "What are you doing in my room, Mr Zelgadis?" she asked, a bit angry now that her initial shock had wavered. These were the first words she had said to him in two days, and was upset that she had to even waste her voice on him.

Zelgadis shook his head and gathered himself, feeling embarrassed. "I…I thought you were…nothing. I'm sorry to have bothered you," he said stiffly, and walked out of the room, closing it behind him. Gods, now she must think that I AM a pervert…and she still sounded mad…how long is this going to go on?

He went back to his room, and fell asleep, but Amelia stayed up after he had left, trying to figure out why she felt so bad, even though she knew she hated him, and that it wasn't because of him.

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*A/N: Howdy! *grins* So, what did you all think of this chapter. I keep thinking these chapters are a bit odd…oh well ^^ I didn't want you people to get too bored, and seeing as how Lina, Gourry and Filia haven't been in any of the chapters recently, I thought I'd let them have a teeny, weeny part ^^ And I have a feeling you're all getting excited! Well, that's what I hope, anyways… And if Zel's acting a bit OOC, well…tough!

*grins* I'm pretty happy with this chapter. But I have a feeling you people will like the next chapter, although I'm not going to tell you why ^^ I'll leave that for you to figure out! Maybe they reach Saillune…or they meet up with the bad guy/s, or there's more Lina, Gourry and Filia…or maybe I get Xellos to pop up again! But I'm not going to tell you, so you'll just have to figure it out yourselves ^^ MUAHAHAHAHAHA *cough*HAHAHA!! And a thousand sorry's for the length of this chapter if its too short…And this chapter was a bit rushed also, because I have to start doing my homework…heheheh…of course, I put you people before my homework! And also…I fixed a few grammar mistakes from the last chapter (that's the last time rush a chapter…well, maybe not). You don't have to go back and read the last chapter over again, because it doesn't really make a difference, but if you want to reread the last chapter, well…darn tootin', go right ahead!

And now for the thankies! Ahem…thanks to Winged Dancer, MoroTheWolfGod (thanks for the info too, but I'm still not sure if I'm going to go into his past…but I might ^^), Digi-riven, Lauren-sama (don't worry, I'm going engrave your profile into a mountain too), destructive sorceress, and Kawai Fox for reviewing the last chapter! *grins* I love your reviews! You people make me want to write these for you as fast as I can, because I always love seeing your reactions ^^ So, sayonara! Until next time, faithful reviewers! (Whoa, does that sound like a cheesy ending line from a cheesy show or what?) ^__^ -Vivi Laney