Ascend
By: blue lady
Chapter Four – Coming together
"Recovery." I whispered as the bleeding gash slowly came together to be replaced by healthy human flesh.
"Is that the last of them?" I asked turning to the village elder standing next to me.
The old man bobbed his head up and down, "Yes, that's the last of them. I am terribly sorry if we somehow hinder your voyage."
"Don't worry about it," I replied smiling. "Helping people will only help me, not hinder me."
The elder smiled at me, "Well, we should thank Cepheid. You came in time."
I nodded my head in agreement. I had arrived around midday, only to find the usually bustling Bezeld up in flames. The Bandit raid had been unexpected, leaving the town of Bezeld ransacked and crumbling. Thankfully, no was killed and only a few severely injured. However, there are also cases of smoke poisoning and that required attention that the people of Bezeld could not afford, I will have to still here for some time. Someone already been sent to track the bandits responsible for the destruction and the people of Bezeld are rebuilding the city waiting for that someone to come back.
I soaked the piece of cloth in cold ice water before wiping the sweat off the old lady's forehead. She moaned slightly when the cool cloth touched her forehead.
"I wonder if Lukas' grandparents are still alive…" I asked, mumbling silently to myself. Seeing that it has already been a year since then, it was more than likely…I shook my head slightly, I will not let myself dwell on these thoughts, when I get to Solaria everything would once again come together. Feeling encouraged by that thought, I hummed a little tune as I continue the task of tending those who needed my attention. Life is wonderful.
"Amelia! Amelia!"
I turned around to see a young boy running through the door, his face filled with pure excitement.
"What is it, Thet-chan?"
"They've come back! They got the bandits! Come on, Amelia we have to go see." Thet said, pulling my hand.
"Wait!" I shouted almost tripping as the young boy dragged me outside. The streets were filled with much merriment, as the villagers laughed at the bandits being paraded down the street. There had to be a score or more of them, each with ropes looped tightly around their necks and wrists. I let my eyes follow down the length of rope, wanting to know who was able to parade these bandits around like a pack of dogs. I grasped as I traced the ropes back to the owner's hand. I couldn't believe it, the hand holding all the ropes together was Gourry, the blonde swordsman. Which meant that…
"Lina-san!"
I hummed happily to myself, as I mentally calculated the amount of gold I would get for this. There were at least thirty bandits under my custody and the town had promised to pay 100 gold a piece for each one…
"Alright!" I yelled to myself, causing the blonde swordsman beside me to look.
"Gourry," I continued. "Since you did such a good job today, I'll buy you dinner, my treat!"
I watched as Gourry's face lit up, "Okay, Lina!"
Today was such an unbelievably good day.
"Lina-san!"
"Amelia?" I replied instinctively, turning to the direction of the voice. Only to be bombarded by the weight of an eighteen year-old girl. I felt myself gag slightly as the girl's arms tighten around me.
"Lina-san, is it really you?"
I felt tears springing to my eyes; I couldn't help it, I was just so happy to see a familiar face.
"Umm…Amelia…a little too tight…" Lina-san gasped.
"Oh, so sorry." I said releasing her as I wiped the tears away. I saw Lina-san looking at me worriedly, "Oh, I am just so happy to see you."
"Been a long time hasn't it?"
"Hey, Amelia!" I turned to see Gourry waving at me excitedly.
"Gourry-san!" I said running to him, giving him a hug as well. As Gourry set me down, he patted me slightly on the head. His blue eyes twinkled at me warmly, "You've grown a little taller haven't you?"
"Look, I'm even taller than Lina-san."
"Hey!" Lina-san replied punching me slightly on the arm. Then all of a sudden her hand rose giving me a slight bop on the head.
"Lina-san! What was that for?" I whined slightly.
"That's for making me waste a whole month looking for you." Lina replied, suddenly angry.
"What?"
"I promised to come see you on your 18th birthday, Remember!" Lina yelled, "I dragged my ass all across the country to Seyruun just to see you and you weren't even there! You're lucky that Xellos was around to help me find you!"
"So, You're the one who sent that perverted Mazoku to find me!"
"What do you mean?"
"He took a peek at me while I was taking a bath!"
"Umm guys? Don't you think you're overreacting a little?" Gourry-san said meekly, standing between us.
"You stay out of this!" We both yelled pushing him out of the way.
"He what?!"
"Yeah, that's right!"
"Well, I'm not responsible for what that idiot does!"
We both stood glaring at each other. I tried drudging up the meanest looking scowl I could manage. I saw Lina-san's lip twitch slightly and suddenly she broke up in a huge fit of laughter.
"I guess some things never change." Lina-san said between laughs. I started laughing as well, even after so many years we still manage to fight about the most ridiculous things.
"Girls are so weird…" Gourry-san grumbled from ground beside us.
"Ah! That really hits the spot." Lina-san said patting her stomach. Gourry-san nodded lazily in agreement. After witnessing another infamous Lina-Gourry Food War, I remember why I had developed such atrocious table manners during those years traveling with Lina-san and company.
"Christopher told me that you're on your Prugare." Lina-san commented eying me up and down, "You look every inch a shrine maiden."
"That's what Sylphiel is, right?" Gourry-san asked.
I nodded, noticing how Lina-san twitched slightly at his comment.
"Of all the things to remember…" Lina-san mumbled darkly.
"Anyway, your Uncle tells me that you don't need to return to Seyruun till your 20th birthday. Want to travel with us awhile?" Lina-san said cheerfully, winking at me.
"I love to! However, I still have some things I have to do…" I said trailing off.
"Oh? Like what?"
"After I'm finished with everything here, I need to go to Solaria."
"For?"
"A visit." I replied, forcing a smile.
I watched, as shadows seem to flint across her features, that girl always wore her heart on her sleeves. I guess I'm going to have to ask her about it later…
"We'll go with you. It's not like we have anything planned, right Gourry?"
"Yup, it would be nice to have new company." Gourry said nodding enthusiastically.
"Are you saying I'm boring?!"
"No! No! Just nice to have more company. You know the more, the happier!"
"The merrier, Jellyfish brains." I said, deciding to let it slide, for now. I heard Gourry let out a sigh of relief.
"So…heard from anyone special lately…anything from a certain Chimera…" I asked slyly.
Instead of turning the conversation back to a lighter note, I was surprised to find that Amelia's face seem to darken even more. I was baffled; Zel always managed to keep in contact with Gourry and me. Why wouldn't he…
"That idiot." I thought, as I smacked my hand against my forehead.
"Why, have you heard anything from him?" Amelia asked, her voice a little to neutral for my liking.
"Oh no! I was just curious! Both Gourry and I haven't heard from him in a long time-"
"What do you mean Lina? He wrote us-OW!" I give Gourry, who sat across from me, a sharp kick in the shin. That guy can be so dense sometimes.
"Lina, what did you did that for I-"
"Oh, I have something for you!" I said quickly interrupting Gourry and giving him another kick underneath the table, "Christopher wanted me to give it to you."
I watched as Lina took a small package out from her traveling bag. It was wrapped with blue silk, with a golden feather-shaped pin keeping the folds together. I immediately knew whom it was from and the crest stamped on the letter attached, proved it. Every year on my birthday, he would always send me a present. Every year the present was also wrapped in the same blue silk and every year the gifts were just as expensive.
"Who is that from, a persistent suitor?" Lina-san asked nudging me with her elbow, with a cat-like look in her eyes.
"No, my betrothed." I answered, unwrapping the present to find a little silver choker, decorated with water-droplet-shaped pearls. I was surprised when Lina-san suddenly spat out all the wine she was drinking.
"Your what?! Since when?!"
"My betrothed. We've been betrothed since birth. Oh, didn't I tell you?" I answered, wondering why she was reacting so drastically.
"Oh, didn't I tell you? MY ASS!"
I watched, as Amelia continued to stare at me blankly. Unbelievable!
"Uh, Don't you think you should have told your friends about this little fact!" I yelled, waving my arms wildly. I felt Gourry put a hand on my shoulder, trying to calm me down.
"Sorry, I didn't think it was a big deal."
"Not a big dea-"
"Calm down, Lina. It really isn't a big deal. I mean I knew about it." Gourry said in reassuring tone.
"You what?" I couldn't believe! Am I surrounded my idiots?
"Well, Amelia is a princess and most princess are betrothed by birth. So wouldn't it be fairly obvious for Amelia to be betrothed, especially since she comes from such an important City as Seyruun."
I stood there gaping, Gourry was right. It was more than obvious that Amelia would be promised by birth especially since Seyruun has been known for keeping peaceful relations by marriage.
"Lina-san?" Amelia's voice was full of worry, "Are you okay?"
"I think I need an ice pack." I replied rubbing my temples with both hands.
"Hey Lina!"
I sat up from bed to catch the ice pack Gourry tossed to me.
"Where's Amelia?" Gourry inquired, looking around the room.
"She went to check on her patients." I replied, mumbling.
"Are you okay, Lina? You reacted kind of violently towards Amelia's betrothal." Gourry's blue eyes soften with unconcealed worriment, as he reached over to touch my forehead.
"I am not a child." I replied slapping his hand away, blushing slightly.
Gourry smiled at me in return, "I guess you're starting to feel better." Then his face turned serious again, "Anyways, why did you react so violently towards Amelia's betrothal?"
"Don't tell me you don't know," I said sighing softly. "Aren't you the expert on matters of the heart?"
Gourry just looked at me blankly. I couldn't help giggling a little and reaching over to ruffle his hair.
"Anyway, don't you know?"
"Know what?"
"How Zel feels about Amelia?"
"Ohhhh," Gourry replied, the answering dawning on him, then once again his face return to a look of confusion. "So?"
I sighed, as always I had to spell everything out for him again.
"Amelia is engaged to a prince. How would you feel if the girl you had feelings for was promised to someone else?"
"You're not engaged, are you Lina?" Gourry said grabbing me by the arms suddenly dead serious.
"No! Of course not, Jellyfish." I replied blushing slightly, "Anyway see what I mean?"
"Not exactly."
I sighed he was hopeless, "Imagine how Zel would feel. And you know how he can be. This is a disaster, its not like their relationship isn't complicated enough-"
Gourry stopped me in mid-rant as he put both hands on my shoulder, "If they really love each other and were meant to be, everything will work out. You'll see."
"Ever the optimist, huh Gourry?" I replied smiling, leaning slightly against his chest. He just shrugged in response.
"I wonder why Amelia wants to go to Solaria?"
Gourry shrugged again, "Do you think it has something to do with her father's death?"
"Sounds reasonable. Amelia did look kind of sad when she mentioned it." I said looking up, "Now that I think about it Christopher never really told us much about Phil's death."
"I'm guessing your going to dig for that information tonight."
"That's right!" I replied winking at him, "Now go away. I don't want Amelia to know that we've been talking."
"Alright, Goodnight Lina." As Gourry left the room, I looked up at the ceiling, remembering a time when shadows did not flint across Amelia's face.
"Oh, Lina-san, you're still awake?" I said as I stepped into our room. I noticed that Lina-san was sitting on her bed with a determined look on her face. That was not good.
"Something wrong, Lina-san?" I asked smiling slightly.
"You know, Christopher never really told us about how your father died."
I felt myself froze slightly at that comment, "Really?" I said, trying to smile.
"Spill it, Amelia. What happened?" Lina-san said giving me a no-nonsense look.
"Can we talk about this later? Now is not really a good time." I replied hastily turning away from her.
"So was he assassinated?"
"Lina-san, can we please-"
"Was he?" Lina-san stated firmly, ruby-eyes stern. I sighed. I guess she wasn't going to let it go tonight.
"Yes." I replied quietly.
There was a moment of silence.
"By Who? Do you know?" Lina-san's tone was gentler now and the sternness in her eyes replaced by worriment.
"Yes."
"Is the reason why you're heading to Solaria have anything to do with this?"
I nodded my answer, afraid that talking would cause the tears to fall again.
"So the guy who killed Phil-"
"Boy." I corrected quickly.
"Excuse me?" Lina-san asked a slight tone of confusion her voice.
"The person who killed my father was a boy. His name is Lukas and he came from Solaria."
"You aren't serious? How can you be sure?"
"He was caught with the weapon in his hands." My voice sounding strangely toneless, "Besides, the cut across my father's neck was not a very clean cut. It showed the inexperience of the murderer."
"Wait! Wait! Hold! Stop!" Lina-san yelled suddenly, waving her arms in the air, "Even if that is so, no kid would have the means or the strength to kill someone."
"That's because he was being controlled by magic. I suspect the spell also had some extra boosts in it."
"So did you manage to find the guy behind all this?" Lina-san replied, her tone serious once more.
I shook my head slightly. There was another moment of silence as Lina-san sat, looking at the ceiling obviously trying to digest the information.
"So you're going to Solaria to try to find this guy, right?"
"Yes," I replied silently. "Also to pay respects to the boy's family."
I watched as Lina-san's face paled considerably, "You mean…what? How?"
"Yes, he died and I couldn't to anything about it! An innocent twelve-year-old boy! Lina-san, did you hear me! An innocent twelve-year-old boy! We killed him! And I couldn't do anything!"
I was surprised when slender arms suddenly enveloped me into a tight hug.
"Amelia…"
Then the tears I had been holding back for the past couple days, begin running freely down my cheek.
I didn't know what to say. I couldn't believe it. The perky, sunny princess who always wore a smile was crying like a broken doll. I felt stray tears slid down my cheek, as the princess continued to sob against me. The person responsible for causing Amelia this much pain was going to pay and pay dearly.
Author's NotesI know most people probably find Amelia's reaction towards her betrothal very OOC. I think it makes perfect sense. Seyruun is a very powerful empire and it wouldn't be illogical for her to be promised at birth. Besides Seyruun being such a peaceful country probably used marriages as a way to keep peace with other countries. I really believed that Amelia, who takes her duty seriously as a princess, would be so against the idea of being betrothed. She would probably even be proud of it. How I got this impression was Episode One for Slayers Next, when the King of Xoana captured Amelia. Instead of panicking or despairing, she went on and on how she happy she was because she was suffering for the cause of justice, honor, and her duty as a princess. Gomen, no Zel! Well, I had a fun time writing this Chapter (Lina is so fun to write!). I promised there will be Z/A in the next chapter and I will finally introduce him to the storyline Chapter 6. Please read and review. Thanks for those who reviewed and as always constructive criticism is welcomed.