Kin & Kind, Part 3
To her dismay, Lina found she had forgotten about the birth control spell she had put on Gourry at the time she cast Flow Break on him to release him from Baba Yaga's immobilization spell. When she found she could no longer dependably cast any of her black magic spells, Gourry was safe from her casting those at him, but not from her temper. Although midwifery magics were a basic part of every traveling sorceress' training, she could have done some about her missed 'time of month' once the panic wore off. However, she thought hard about her pregnancy and talked it over with Gourry, once he regained consciousness from the impact of her fists.
"Lina, should I be happy or upset?" he asked her fearfully as he lay on the ground, propped up by his elbows.
"Well, I've had enough adventure to fill many lifetimes, and I'm old enough now for the adventure of parenthood, I guess." Cupping his face in her hands, she looked him in his eyes and seriously continued, "Besides, I've realized that, if we continue on as we have been, either one of us could die at any time. A child would give the remaining person something of the other and a reason to carry on."
"Oh, Lina," he replied wistfully, "I would be so happy to be a dad, but could you hunt bandits or find enough treasure to provide for a child, if left alone? Without a permanent home, how could a kid be schooled?" His next words were spoken like the true strategist he could be when need arose. "Most importantly, what about a child being a vulnerable point for an enemy to use against you?"
"I am planning that there will be you and me to provide as long as we can," she said with firm conviction. "With my great sorcery knowledge and superb teaching skills (don't give me that look), I know I can educate our offspring while we're on the road. You can train the kid in the military arts, and I can provide the magic training, if the sprout has any talent in either of those areas. When we go on dangerous missions, we can leave the tot with Filia or even possibly Martina or Amelia.
Gourry's answer was a careful hug and a deep kiss.
"So I take it, you're pleased about this 'development'?" Lina grinned as they broke for air.
Gourry replied with an even bigger grin. "Well, now I don't have to worry about you asking me to get supplies for 'that time of the month' for a while!"
"Grrr! You're darn lucky the kid should have two parents!"
Lina's thoughts of potential morning sickness made Gourry's arguments persuasive for returning to Seyruun, rather than continuing to travel in the Elmekian Empire. The search for Gourry's mother and the Fertility Belt could continue later, especially as the latter obviously wasn't needed.
After a while, Lina sensed something wasn't right with her spouse. Outwardly Gourry seemed fine, marching along on those fine long legs of his, making his usual stupid remarks, teasing, and laughing. Then she noticed a change in his usually serene eyes. They had a touch of discomfort to them, and his lips at times seemed tighter. At one town, he disappeared for a while and came back to where they were staying with distress plainly in his eyes.
"Where the blazes have you been, Jellyfish? This meal needs you to pay for it," she growled at him.
"I've been having tummy problems lately, and I went to see if a healer would have anything to help."
"So what did she or he say?"
"I'm having sympathy pregnancy reactions! Lina, I, I want to puke when I see food!"
Lina could only roll on the ground with laughter, because, so far, morning sickness rarely caught up with her, and she still ate like a famished lioness. "Boy, we really ARE connected, whether we want to be or not!" she roared in her merriment.
Half way to the white magic capital they literally ran into Amelia and Zelgadis (especially ouch!), who were returning from a diplomatic mission. Gourry wanted to inform them right away about the expected addition to the Gabriev clan.
"How was the success of your trip? Did you find out who sent the assassin?" Amelia queried.
"Guess what?" Gourry began with bright-eyed joy illuminating his face, but Lina surreptitiously pinched his butt and gave him warning look.
"What, Gourry?" asked Zelgadis.
"Uh, we found Gourry's grandmother and she's a vila!" Lina quickly interjected.
"She's a house?" Amelia said with great puzzlement in her voice.
Lina gave her an exasperated look, "Gods, Gourry, she's picked up stupidity from you," she grumbled.
"Hey, now, Lina..." the swordsman and princess began but were cut off by Lina's explaining to Amelia what a vila was. Amelia's and Zel's eyes grew large as they realized what that meant about their tall, blond friend.
Before they could make any comment, Lina suddenly shouted, "Look, an all you care to eat for a silver piece restaurant!" and dove into the establishment. Although looking a smidgeon green about the gills, so to speak, Gourry quickly followed her. Zelgadis and Amelia would have to wait to hear about the Gabrievs' further adventures.
That evening as Lina and Gourry lay in each other's arms in their room, Gourry plaintively asked, "Why didn't you want me to tell them about our baby?"
"Until it's too obvious, I don't want Amelia fussing over me. You know she'll be telling me I can't do this and I can't do that because it might be 'unjust' to the baby. She'll probably drive me nuts when I do show enough for her to notice."
"Oh, this is sorta like when we decided not to tell her we were getting married until we reached Seyruun?"
"Yeah, exactly," Lina answered as she nuzzled into his collarbone with a happy sigh.
After a breakfast where Amelia and Zelgadis were surprised at Gourry's lack of attack on Lina's share, the four resumed their journey to Amelia's home. It was a brisk, sunny day with the usual chirping of birds and princess. Amelia recounted Zel's and her experiences on her latest diplomatic mission, an offering of congratulations to Queen Martina and King Zangulus on the birth of yet another young prince. Opening his mouth, Gourry looked at Lina. Lina glared. Gourry shut his mouth. It was fortunate Amelia had tripped over a branch at that moment and that Zel's attention was on her. Otherwise, they might have noticed and become curious at the Gabrievs' silent exchange. On the other hand, it was unfortunate that a large gang of bandits also decided to attack the foursome the very next moment. Even more unfortunate was the discovery that there were a sorcerer, trolls, and a few low level monsters in the band.
Amelia started to cast an Elmekian Lance at one of the monsters. Nothing happened. "SHIT!" exploded the expletive from the princess.
"Princess?!" Zelgadis questioned with a raised eyebrow as he sliced through three bandits. "Ai-yuh! [another bandit sliced and diced] You kiss your father with that mouth?"
"Who the hell you think taught me? [She ducked a sword blade's swing and clutched Zel's cape.] That 'time of the month' has come early!" she wailed.
Shaking his head at this hidden side of the otherwise cloying royal family, Zel went back to hacking and casting. He was using Astral Vine on his sword to vanquish one of the monsters, when a large hand suddenly grabbed the princess' neck from behind and tore her away from the chimera. A giant bandit squeezed the struggling Amelia's throat and laughingly growled as he sped into the woods, "Well, little lady, let's see what you're made of." He started to rip the front of Amelia's tunic off her. Finishing off the monster in front of him, Zel turned to give chase, but found himself immobilized by a Shadow Snap.
A blade flew passed him and embedded itself in the eye and brain of the fleeing bandit, who had heard Zel give a yelp of surprise and anger and had looked back as he tried to escape with Amelia in his grasp. Gourry had flung one of the knives he had started to keep in his boots when he was swordless after the Dark Star affair. At the same time, Lina cast Lighting and broke the Shadow Snap. Zel ran to the now unconscious Amelia and stood over her to protect her.
At the beginning of the fight, Lina had fumed at not being able to rely on her old stand-by black magic spells. "Now Amelia will guess what's up with us," she complained to herself as she whacked a bandit into the stratosphere with one hand and skewered another with the short sword in the other hand. Flipping and skipping around the trolls and touching them, she called to Gourry and settled a protective shield over herself, "Hey, Gourry! The trolls have been blessed!"
He flipped out of the way as the sorcerer, having cast the Shadow Snap, then fired a Freeze Arrow at him. At the same time, the monster directly opposite the sorcerer threw a Flare Arrow. The two spells missed Gourry and collided with each other, which, of course, cancelled them out. The two malefactors made the mistake of being too close to each other, for, while they glared at each other, Gourry quickly sent them to Hellmaster's old domain with one slice of the Blast Blade.
Rolling under a swing by one of the trolls, he saw the trouble Amelia and Zel were in, and in a flash the knife in his left boot flew to slay the giant bandit choking the life out of Amelia. Continuing his roll, Gourry sprang to a crouch and cut through the middle of a troll, who immediately started to fall apart. He heard Lina's shouted "Lighting," which released Zelgadis from the Shadow Snap. "Lina, keep your shield up!" he yelled. "You should take it easy, you know!"
"Shut up, Jellyfish!" she rejoined over the din of slaughter, "My shamanistic spells are stronger than they were before!" She proved her point as she slammed a hand to earth and shouted, "Dug Haut!" Stony spikes rose to impale bandits and trolls. "Wow, those are even bigger spikes than Zel's," she marveled and warned, "No off-colored remarks, Hentai!"
As Gourry's sword blade flashed about him, he started to make his way back to Lina's side. To his horror, he saw a bandit had escaped the spikes and was sneaking up with a mace behind Lina. He couldn't reach her quickly enough, because the great spikes in his way took longer to return to earth than usual. The knife in his other boot flashed and found its mark.
"Idiot! You took a lock of my hair off!" Lina screeched, and she sank down to the ground in a sitting position.
Gourry did not answer, as by this time he was engaged in a sword fight with a bandit who actually was a challenge. All but this particular bandit were broken, roasted, toasted, disintegrated, vaporized, or otherwise dispatched.
With an unconscious Amelia in his arms Zel emerged from the carnage to where Gourry and his opponent were dueling.
"Ah, Zel, there you are. Is Amelia alright?" Gourry called out between thrusts, strokes, and parries. "Um, gotta end this now, fella." Reversing his sword, the blond struck the bandit in the stomach and, stepping behind him, applied pressure with his finger to the man's neck. The bandit promptly collapsed. "There's enough blood here already," he shrugged and muttered to himself before asking, "Lina, are you ok?"
"Sure thing, Love. Not a scratch on me, and, except for a lock of hair someone playing with knives cut away, not a hair of my head out of place," the sorceress reassured him. "How about you?"
"Well, I'm feeling pretty tired." He crossed his ankles and lowered himself to a sitting position. He sheathed the Blast Blade and rubbed his left shoulder and upper arm with his right hand.
"Are you hurt?" Lina worriedly inquired.
"Nah, my left shoulder and arm just ache a little. I musta strained 'em during the fight. You better help Zel with Amelia."
"You sure?"
"Yup. Your healing ability is probably greater now, too. See to Amelia. I'll just nap a little. Oh, and you'd better tie up that guy I just knocked out. Who knows how long he'll be zonked. And Lina?"
"Yes?"
"I love you."
"I know. Love you, too. Now I'd better take a look at Amelia before Zel gags on all the bad romance we're serving up," Lina joked.
Gourry's head nodded, and his eyes closed. Lina walked over to where Zel was carefully laying Amelia on the ground. The sorceress examined the princess.
"Let me take care of those bruises on her neck, Zel, while you fetch some water to sponge her face."
"She will be alright, won't she?"
"Sure. You know how tough she truly is. She's a real princess, not some wuss who gets bruised just by sleeping on a pea under a dozen mattresses."
Lina held her hands over Amelia's throat, and the markings disappeared. Bathing Amelia's face and neck finally brought the princess awake.
"Oh, Ms. Lina, I'm so sorry I was out of commission just when I was needed, because of, you know. Is everyone safe?"
"Of course. Right, Gourry? Gourry? Heh, the jellyfish wore himself out and is napping. You know him. He can sleep anywhere at anytime."
"I think we all could use some rest," Zel advised. "Let's stop at the closest inn and not go any farther today."
"Come on, Mister Sleepyhead. Time to wake up. We're gonna find a cleaner place than this to recover," Lina yelled and shook the slumped over swordsman. There was no response. He just fell over. "Damn it, Gourry, we're not going to carry you!" she warned and brushed the hair out of his face. Her breath caught as she saw how very, very pale his skin was. "Gourry?!" she whispered in barely controlled panic and shook him harder. "Where's that wet handkerchief we used on Amelia?!" Zel handed it to her, and she frantically bathed his face.
Amelia felt for Gourry's pulse at his wrist. She readjusted her hold several times, and then tried feeling for the pulse at his neck. She turned pale herself, and tears started to fall from her large, azure eyes. "Ms. L-L-Lina, I'm sorry. He's, he's... gone, even though he has no wounds, physical or magical. His noble, loving heart has just stopped beating! And I can't even cast Resurrection right now!" she sobbed.
"It might have been too late, Amelia, even if you could cast it. There's just a little warmth left in his body. We don't know how long ago he left us," Zel tried to comfort her.
Amelia cringed, as she knew the effect Zel's words would have on Lina. She bawled even harder, "If only I hadn't been so vulnerable! It's my fault you guys had to take time to revive me. If I hadn't been unconscious, you might have noticed Mr. Gourry's condition in time."
Lina sat with Gourry's head in her lap and clasped his right hand. She just said calmly with empty eyes, "No. This can't be. After all we've been through, the Lord of Nightmares surely can't mean to part us now. And I can't believe someone whose mother is immortal could wear out so soon!" She shook her head slowly in denial and then turned to the princess. "Amelia, if you're going to blame someone, blame the Mother of All for giving women 'that time of the month,' not yourself! That's just plain wrong! Gourry will be upset to hear you take on such a false burden. I should have realized by now that, if he said he was ok, to check him out myself." Then she pleaded, "Do you have a mirror on you? I want to check for breath. I just cannot accept he is gone."
Still sobbing, Amelia took the little travel mirror from her pouch and gave it to Lina. Zel exchanged a sad look with the dark-haired girl as Lina held the mirror under Gourry's nose for several minutes. Nothing.
Handing Amelia back the mirror, Lina gave a deep, quavering sigh, "Here. I-I-I need to use the bushes." Brushing back his unruly blond bangs, She kissed her husband's pale, cold forehead. "Later, Dear."
"Do you think I should follow her?" Amelia questioned Zelgadis.
"It might be a good idea, although Lina is one of the strongest people I know, like a certain princess."
Amelia blushed and followed after a barely aware Lina. She heard the redhead fall to her knees. Pushing aside some taller bushes, Amelia came upon Lina screaming into a handkerchief stuffed in her mouth, tears streaming and dripping on the ground. Silently Amelia approached her friend, knelt, and embraced her as the sorceress clutched her own arms about her body and leaned her wet face upon Amelia's soft left shoulder. Stunned at the falling of Lina's tough facade, Amelia said nothing but just held on to the widow and comfortingly rocked with her.
"Thanks, Amelia," Lina solemnly spoke after a while. She wiped her face and eyes and blew her nose repeatedly as she sat back on her heels.
"You have to let the grief out. It's only just. Don't let anyone tell you differently."
"I just can't believe he'd up and die so quietly like that. One of those bandits must have poisoned, cursed or done something like that to him!" Lina growled and clenched her fists.
"Do you think one might have been another assassin out to destroy him? We meet bandit gangs so often, it's hard to tell," Amelia questioned.
"Too bad we killed most of them. We'll have to in-terror-gate that guy Gourry knocked out," Lina coldly stated.
"Don't you mean interrogate?"
Lina cracked her knuckles and spat out, "No, I mean in-terror-gate." Her fierce expression changed to one of woe as she then changed subject. "You're still a shrine maiden/priestess, aren't you?"
"Yes, although I don't practice much, only when royal duties require."
"I'm afraid, Priestess, your services are n-n-needed n-n-n-ow," Lina stuttered, trying not to break down again. "It wasn't often obvious, but Gourry was a little bit religious. He sometimes crossed himself in the names of the earth, fire, water, and wind dragons. He couldn't stand the worshipers of monsters."
"Let's return then and prepare for the rites," Amelia softly suggested.
Meanwhile, Zel had sorrowfully laid out his friend's body. He looked up as the women returned. His hood and mask were in place, and he refused to face the women. As he turned away from them, they noticed, however, that the mask had large damp spots under each eye.
Lina brusquely announced, "Alright then. We must ready Gourry for his final voyage to the Sea of Chaos. Then we'll question the remaining bandit." She cracked her knuckles.
"Ahmmm, I afraid that won't be possible. It seems he's died from sort of poison he had hidden on him somewhere," Zel admitted.
"Damnit!" Lina exploded and punched over a tree. "Now we'll never know if this attack was a set-up to assassinate Gourry!"
Given the dangers of their livelihood and his pragmatism, Gourry had long ago discussed with Lina how he wanted his body disposed of. It was to be in the traditional way of his family. Like Gourry himself, it was a practical and unadorned method. If possible, the dead were laid in a small boat and sent down a river. In essence they were donated to the elements and creatures of the wild. He had called it "gratefully giving back to nature in death for the things nature had given him in life." He then had joked, "My hair would probably be of most use to the birds. If you walk through the woods, you'll probably see many golden nests keeping a lot of little birdies warm."
And so with the help of magic, a small boat was built, and Gourry was laid to rest in his wedding attire, his hair flowing around him and his strong, slender hands crossed on his breast. He had told Lina to not be wasteful by leaving sword and armor on his body when he died, but either keep, sell or give them away. Thus, they joined the bundle that contained the small details of his life.
Lina lovingly caressed his cold cheeks and smoothed back his hair from his eyes for a last time. She suddenly took out her dagger and raised the blade sideways towards herself.
"Ms. Lina!" Amelia exclaimed and grabbed Lina's wrist.
Zelgadis clutched Lina's other wrist and scolded, "Lina, what in the names of the gods do you think Gourry's sacrifice was for?!" Zelgadis further admonished her. "He spent out his life so you could live! And he died in the way a warrior could wish, victorious in protecting the one he loved. It was the best way for him. That's stating the obvious, isn't it? I should be so lucky! Please don't invalidate his life's sacrifice!"
"Relax, guys," remonstrated Lina, as a tear traced its way down her face, "I only want to cut a lock of my hair to place in his hands to remind him of me in his journey and a lock of his hair to keep with me."
"Oh," Amelia responded weakly, but she stayed close to her friend as the sorceress cut off locks of hers and Gourry's hair. The princess and chimera didn't end their vigilance until Lina sheathed the knife and put away Gourry's lock of hair inside her tunic and next to her heart.
Amelia made the sign of the four elements over his body, and Zelgadis pushed the small vessel into the river. As the mournful little boat floated away down the river, the setting sun reflected so brilliantly off Gourry's hair that it seemed he and the boat were consumed by light. Amelia chanted prayers as Lina stood stiffly and and tried to keep from sinking in sobs to her knees. On a small boulder Zelgadis sat with his back to it all, head down. The 'cold-hearted' sorcerer wiped his eyes now and again. After completing her prayers and rituals, Amelia bent down beside him and put a hand on his shoulder, "Mr. Zelgadis?"
"Amelia, he was my best male friend. Zolf and Rodimus were dear, loyal retainers to my parents and me, but Gourry was different. He was something I never had before: a PAL. He just was, despite knowing me only as a chimera. Yes, at times I was jealous of him for his good looks, strength, and skills. I've said some unkind things about him. But the big dope never noticed and liked me just the same."
"He put up with a lot of our foibles, didn't he? He always followed along cheerfully," Amelia responded, thinking of the Peace Men and the sea and lake dragons.
Zel arose and carried the bundle of Gourry's effects as they slowly walked away from the large river. Lina clasped the Blast Blade in its special sheath close to her chest as Amelia walked next to her with one of her arms around Lina's waist. Lina looked back, and, as she thought of his body slowly being taken apart by fish, birds, and the elements, she muttered softly, "Gourry..." Lina shook her head as if to clear it and shuddered, "Yes. I'll live. There's still a future I must see. Thank you, my Jellyfish." In response, she heard what she thought was a voice saying, "Good!" Amelia and Zelgadis did not appear to have heard anything, and Lina chalked it up to delusions caused by extreme grief.
That night Amelia put a sleep spell on her. In the morning Lina awoke, ate what for anyone else was a normal breakfast, but later threw up her 'meager' meal in the bushes as they walked to Seyruun.
"Ms. Lina...?!" Amelia began to inquire fearfully.
Lina wiped her mouth. With a grin that didn't quite reach her eyes, she declared, "I haven't had time to tell you before but: Victory!" And she burst into tears while raising her fingers of her right hand in the 'V' sign.
"Wonderful! Oh, Ms. Lina, there is some happiness in store for you after all!" cried Amelia.
A worried Zelgadis just said "Huh?"
"She's pregnant with Gourry's child!" exclaimed Amelia, hopping up and down in excitement.
Zel blushed, and a small smile formed on his face. "Excellent. At least we'll have a little someone to remind us of him. The gods have given you a blessing and another reason for living. Congratulations, Lina."
Lina then realized, yes, in a way Gourry would live on. Her face took on a glow as she lightly held her abdomen and thought perhaps here, indeed, was yet another new flower whose name she did not know.
To be continued...
It's an irony that the word 'Rus,' which was the name given to the Nordic invaders, i.e., the Vikings, became the name of the country they settled in, Russia. Thus Gourry's funeral has a touch of the Nordic to it, even though I have been loosely playing with Slavic folklore. Due to further plot developments, heh, heh, the boat wasn't buried or set afire. ;-D
Gourry's having sympathy morning sickness is a little bow to Sharlene, aka Mynuet. She used it in an as-of-this-writing unfinished fanfic. It amused me enough to want to incorporate it here.