Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. They are the property of
Hajime Kanzaka and Shoko Yoshinaka.
Chapter Three
Zelgadis sat up late the night Princess Amelia was to arrive at the tower. He knew Zolf and Rodimus would have no trouble at all bringing her in, but he still wanted to see her arrive safely. He was sitting in Rezo's study reading a book on the dark lords, and consequently – black magic. There was a tremendous amount left to learn. There was one spell in particular that interested him very much. He hadn't known it was possible to call power from that lord.
The candles were burning low. Perhaps they had decided to camp for the night, but that didn't seem likely, as Zolf had told him they would definitely appear that evening. It was far into the night now. His first instinct was to go out to find them. It wouldn't take long, and to ensure the safety of the princess, the effort was very much worth it. But this spell . . . it was not possible. It couldn't be possible. He had read the instructions and the theory behind it several times. He had even made notes now and checked other books. There was nothing solid to doubt its correctness. He was getting careless. There would be time to examine it further later. First, he must attend to his duty. He went to the door – just as Zolf opened it. What was this? Rodimus was carrying the princess, as his shadow and Zolf came in the door. "What happened to her?" Zel asked immediately. "She complained of a headache yesterday," Zolf said. "Today she was much worst and has fainted twice already." "Didn't you cast a recovery spell on her?" "Hai, both times, but she seemed all right for a few hours and then she would fall unconscious again," Zolf explained. Zel put a hand to her forehead. She didn't have a fever. "Has she been with him," he inclined his head to his shadow, "the whole time?"
"They have hardly been apart," Zolf admitted.
"I see. She's probably just suffering from the effects of being too close to Dagzelis. Too much shadow can haul a person right down with it into the darkness. I didn't think it would have such an effect on a person, but then I guess she is a white mage from the holy Kingdom of Sayruun. Something like this was bound to happen. Give her to me," Zel said taking her from Rodimus. "We'll just have to keep the two of them apart almost entirely for a day or two. Take him to a spare room," Zel ordered walking away with Amelia.
His shadow said nothing to any of this. Zel knew he wouldn't. Zel had programmed him, deciding what the shadow Rezo created could and could not do. Dagzelis was merely a shadow that had no soul, no magical ability, and hardly a physical appearance. However, the physical appearance he did have resembled Zel's much missed human body more than anything else. The purpose of the shadow was to step into the role of a suitor, so his programming consisted of complementing the princess and explaining to others the things that had already been explained to him. Zel had told him to tell them that he was his twin brother. He thought that would make more sense than a descendant of Rezo having no magical ability whatever. He saw now that it had been a mistake. Zel should have trained him to feign magical ability. The opportunity to use it would probably have never come up, but then it might have and then their plan would have been shot.
Zel moved away from the others carrying Princess Amelia. He would cast a recovery spell on her himself once he got her to a room. It was a pity there were no women around to change her out of her clothes. He was going to have to simply remove her cloak and boots and put her under the covers fully dressed. It didn't really matter, he reflected. She would probably like that better than knowing that I had undressed her.
In her room he cast the recovery spell and put her into the bed as he decided he would. She would feel much better in the morning.
She was very young, he decided, looking at her. She did not look old enough to be a prospect for a political marriage - especially one of Rezo's creation. Yet another reason to feel angry at Rezo, he thought as he got to his feet and stepped out of the room.
In the morning Amelia woke up. She had not expected to wake up in the tower. For some odd reason she expected to be draped over the front of Dagzelis' horse still pressing forward. Waking up in this light airy room was far more welcoming. The window was open and there was a light breeze coming in. She pulled herself out of bed realizing that she was still in her clothes and her baggage was placed at the end of her bed. She got out of bed and began peeling off her clothes. There was a wash basin in the room, and she decided to make good use of it since she was covered in dry sweat.
What happened?
She couldn't decide. It didn't matter. There was only one thing that was clear to her at this moment, and that was that she would never love Dagzelis. There was no need to attend to any of this. She made her plans immediately. There was no reason not to Ray Wing her way right back to the last town and hire a coachman to take her the rest of the way to the palace at Sayruun. It would be easy. She doubted anyone was even up yet.
After she washed she put on a fresh set of traveling clothes and what money she had brought with her and headed for the door. The halls were lovely, but not enough to make her stay to explore them. The smell of breakfast cooking in the kitchen was appetizing, and she was hungry, but not appetizing enough to make her stay.
Outside the front doors, the fountains had butterflies on the smooth surface of the water. She had never seen such pretty butterflies, or such beautiful fountains. One moment could not make any difference since she was already outside. They were so alluring, that she had to take a closer look.
"How do you like our tower Princess?" a voice behind her said.
She jumped.
"You shouldn't sneak up on people!" she proclaimed loudly turning around to look at the intruder. "You . . ." she gasped at seeing his face.
"It's rude to point," he said to her in a refined tone.
She dropped her finger.
"If I'm to teach you magic, I suppose I must first teach you some manners. If you find my appearance horrid, you may say so once – right now – but then I never want to hear it again. Do you understand?"
Amelia took a step back. She stared at him. The young man before her now . . . what did she think of him? Dagzelis had said that he was a chimera. His skin was like rock, and green-grey. His eyes were an aqua colour. His eyes . . . she could look into them. She could see every feature of his face. The sun shining onto his hair made him appear almost magical. He was indeed a chimera, which is a strange heritage, but the light exuding from himself, from his soul, which was very much missing from his twin brother, was almost blinding.
"Well?" he asked impatiently.
"I don't want to insult you," she said putting her hand forward for him to shake.
He took her hand and shook it. "It's nice that you're so polite Princess. Perhaps I won't have to teach you very many manners. I'll just pretend that I startled you because I snuck up on you, and not because I look a monster in your eyes," he said cynically.
She tilted her chin. What did he mean by that?
"Would you care for some breakfast? If you're very excited to be here I'll have Zolf or Rodimus show you around. If you're not very excited to be here than you can rest in your room until you are recovered. We will begin lessons tomorrow."
"Won't you show me around Zelgadis-san?"
"You'll be spending plenty of time with me Princess. I would not like to wear out my welcome in your eyes," he said looking away from her for the first time.
Chapter Three
Zelgadis sat up late the night Princess Amelia was to arrive at the tower. He knew Zolf and Rodimus would have no trouble at all bringing her in, but he still wanted to see her arrive safely. He was sitting in Rezo's study reading a book on the dark lords, and consequently – black magic. There was a tremendous amount left to learn. There was one spell in particular that interested him very much. He hadn't known it was possible to call power from that lord.
The candles were burning low. Perhaps they had decided to camp for the night, but that didn't seem likely, as Zolf had told him they would definitely appear that evening. It was far into the night now. His first instinct was to go out to find them. It wouldn't take long, and to ensure the safety of the princess, the effort was very much worth it. But this spell . . . it was not possible. It couldn't be possible. He had read the instructions and the theory behind it several times. He had even made notes now and checked other books. There was nothing solid to doubt its correctness. He was getting careless. There would be time to examine it further later. First, he must attend to his duty. He went to the door – just as Zolf opened it. What was this? Rodimus was carrying the princess, as his shadow and Zolf came in the door. "What happened to her?" Zel asked immediately. "She complained of a headache yesterday," Zolf said. "Today she was much worst and has fainted twice already." "Didn't you cast a recovery spell on her?" "Hai, both times, but she seemed all right for a few hours and then she would fall unconscious again," Zolf explained. Zel put a hand to her forehead. She didn't have a fever. "Has she been with him," he inclined his head to his shadow, "the whole time?"
"They have hardly been apart," Zolf admitted.
"I see. She's probably just suffering from the effects of being too close to Dagzelis. Too much shadow can haul a person right down with it into the darkness. I didn't think it would have such an effect on a person, but then I guess she is a white mage from the holy Kingdom of Sayruun. Something like this was bound to happen. Give her to me," Zel said taking her from Rodimus. "We'll just have to keep the two of them apart almost entirely for a day or two. Take him to a spare room," Zel ordered walking away with Amelia.
His shadow said nothing to any of this. Zel knew he wouldn't. Zel had programmed him, deciding what the shadow Rezo created could and could not do. Dagzelis was merely a shadow that had no soul, no magical ability, and hardly a physical appearance. However, the physical appearance he did have resembled Zel's much missed human body more than anything else. The purpose of the shadow was to step into the role of a suitor, so his programming consisted of complementing the princess and explaining to others the things that had already been explained to him. Zel had told him to tell them that he was his twin brother. He thought that would make more sense than a descendant of Rezo having no magical ability whatever. He saw now that it had been a mistake. Zel should have trained him to feign magical ability. The opportunity to use it would probably have never come up, but then it might have and then their plan would have been shot.
Zel moved away from the others carrying Princess Amelia. He would cast a recovery spell on her himself once he got her to a room. It was a pity there were no women around to change her out of her clothes. He was going to have to simply remove her cloak and boots and put her under the covers fully dressed. It didn't really matter, he reflected. She would probably like that better than knowing that I had undressed her.
In her room he cast the recovery spell and put her into the bed as he decided he would. She would feel much better in the morning.
She was very young, he decided, looking at her. She did not look old enough to be a prospect for a political marriage - especially one of Rezo's creation. Yet another reason to feel angry at Rezo, he thought as he got to his feet and stepped out of the room.
In the morning Amelia woke up. She had not expected to wake up in the tower. For some odd reason she expected to be draped over the front of Dagzelis' horse still pressing forward. Waking up in this light airy room was far more welcoming. The window was open and there was a light breeze coming in. She pulled herself out of bed realizing that she was still in her clothes and her baggage was placed at the end of her bed. She got out of bed and began peeling off her clothes. There was a wash basin in the room, and she decided to make good use of it since she was covered in dry sweat.
What happened?
She couldn't decide. It didn't matter. There was only one thing that was clear to her at this moment, and that was that she would never love Dagzelis. There was no need to attend to any of this. She made her plans immediately. There was no reason not to Ray Wing her way right back to the last town and hire a coachman to take her the rest of the way to the palace at Sayruun. It would be easy. She doubted anyone was even up yet.
After she washed she put on a fresh set of traveling clothes and what money she had brought with her and headed for the door. The halls were lovely, but not enough to make her stay to explore them. The smell of breakfast cooking in the kitchen was appetizing, and she was hungry, but not appetizing enough to make her stay.
Outside the front doors, the fountains had butterflies on the smooth surface of the water. She had never seen such pretty butterflies, or such beautiful fountains. One moment could not make any difference since she was already outside. They were so alluring, that she had to take a closer look.
"How do you like our tower Princess?" a voice behind her said.
She jumped.
"You shouldn't sneak up on people!" she proclaimed loudly turning around to look at the intruder. "You . . ." she gasped at seeing his face.
"It's rude to point," he said to her in a refined tone.
She dropped her finger.
"If I'm to teach you magic, I suppose I must first teach you some manners. If you find my appearance horrid, you may say so once – right now – but then I never want to hear it again. Do you understand?"
Amelia took a step back. She stared at him. The young man before her now . . . what did she think of him? Dagzelis had said that he was a chimera. His skin was like rock, and green-grey. His eyes were an aqua colour. His eyes . . . she could look into them. She could see every feature of his face. The sun shining onto his hair made him appear almost magical. He was indeed a chimera, which is a strange heritage, but the light exuding from himself, from his soul, which was very much missing from his twin brother, was almost blinding.
"Well?" he asked impatiently.
"I don't want to insult you," she said putting her hand forward for him to shake.
He took her hand and shook it. "It's nice that you're so polite Princess. Perhaps I won't have to teach you very many manners. I'll just pretend that I startled you because I snuck up on you, and not because I look a monster in your eyes," he said cynically.
She tilted her chin. What did he mean by that?
"Would you care for some breakfast? If you're very excited to be here I'll have Zolf or Rodimus show you around. If you're not very excited to be here than you can rest in your room until you are recovered. We will begin lessons tomorrow."
"Won't you show me around Zelgadis-san?"
"You'll be spending plenty of time with me Princess. I would not like to wear out my welcome in your eyes," he said looking away from her for the first time.