A/N: Yay, reviews! Well, three's better than one. T'ankies! Hmm…--Mad Grin— Ain't the humor of it all so intriguing? :p Well, review and you may see more!
Disclaimer: Psh.. What ever made you even consider that I owned Slayers? (Grumbles: Crazy Peeps…)
Chapter Five: And So It Begins
"What?!" Zelgadis was baffled. "What kind of law is that?"
While Naga was immersed in laughter, Amelia tried to explain. "That's why it's so ancient. It hasn't been used for thousands of years, probably since the first Seyruun established this city. It's supposed to clarify how much pressure is on the bride, I suppose, and how much of a burden she carries rather than the male. Then again, considering Lina, I'm not all that surprised that she follows that tradition. I heard the Inverse family originates significantly before Seyruun was ever established. Maybe that's why she's so rough…"
Zel watched her stare off into space for a few moments before asking, "So how does this marriage thing work?"
Amelia was once again forced out of her dreamlike daze. "After the ceremony, the marriage itself is pretty much how we handle it now. The ceremony though, it's decided by three elements, and is carried out by three actions."
"Power of three, huh?"
Amelia nodded and continued. "The three deciding elements are: Family, Preference, and Gift-giving. First, the family decides the bride's groom for her, and they are betrothed to be married on the bride's 18th birthday. Should the candidate somehow become unavailable before then, then it goes to preference. Preference, the second element, is where the bride is free to choose her own groom but only once, and the same rules apply: should he become unavailable, it goes to the next choice. The first available male to give the bride-to-be a present on her 18th birthday, an item that the bride secretly wishes for, that person becomes her groom. Only if this too fails before her eighteenth birthday ends, will the bride be forced to live with her family, to be of assistance until death does she part.
"The wife can never utter or verbally communicate what she wants directly to the selected male; if she does, the last element is a moot point, and therefore he must be rejected as a possibility. The parents have to consent to whoever their daughter chooses, but if they aren't alive when he is chosen, or if his gift appeases them, then it's no problem. On the other hand, if they are alive, it can sometimes present some difficulties. Therefore, it was decided that if the candidate happens to give her that pre-selected gift despite not being told to by the daughter, then having the parents consent will also become a moot point.
Naga had finally gotten a hold of her laugh, and finished off the explanation. "On her eighteenth birthday, assuming that the husband has been chosen, the female does the following three things. First, she keeps the present with her from the moment she accepts it until at least midnight of her birthday. If she's caught without it, besides in the presence of water, such as a bathtub, the wedding will be called off immediately. Second, she must steal a kiss from the one that she chooses, if she doesn't by midnight, it's up to her family to decide if they should still go on with it, or not. Finally, she must personally cook an entire meal for everyone present in the building, as well as the groom, granted that he's there. As soon as she does all three, and a toast is made during dinner, then the two are proclaimed a married couple by the ancient laws of Seyruun and Zephilia."
Zel was silent for a long while before he gathered up enough courage to ask, "So who's the groom?"
The girls exchanged glances and both of them shrugged. Amelia answered, "It's hard to say, because the family chooses it based on social status or whoever will give them the best advantage. The girl may choose him based on anything really, but if it's Lina, it'll probably be someone she knows really well. Then again, she's been known to be easily bribed into doing things, for the right price and setting. Also, she's free to cook, kiss, and hold whatever and whoever she wants, just as long as she fulfills the requirements before her birthday is over. Only at the toast will it be officially revealed."
"Sounds confusing."
The three people at the table jumped. They turned and saw that Gourry was sitting up now, and looking at them with a confused expression. Amelia quickly asked if he was alright. Taking a mental check-up, Gourry slowly nodded. Then, touching his lips, he mumbled, "I feel kinda of strange though, like all my insides are fuzzy. My mouth feels real weird too."
Zel grinned at that. "I wouldn't be all that surprised; Lina did kiss you after all."
At that, Gourry sputtered in disbelief. "What?!"
Naga nodded, a coy smile already on her face. "Yup, we all saw it, too. She said she gave you medicine, but I'm thinking she was just saying that as an excuse to kiss you."
Gourry suddenly looked dumbstruck (no pun intended). Amelia looked at her sister in disgruntled horror. "Gracie, how can you say that? You know Miss Lina- she always has a good reason for doing things. If she says it was medicine, I believe her!"
Zel raised an eyebrow at that. "Well, well, Amelia. You seem awfully defensive. You wouldn't happen to be jealous would you?"
Immediately, Amelia blushed a crimson red. "No! Of course not! I- I- Oh, just forget it, won't you?"
Gourry scratched his head. "Umm...What does Amelia have to be jealous about?"
Zel clapped his hand lightly on the fellow swordsman's shoulder. "Don't worry about it Gourry - don't worry about it."
"Uh...okay." Gourry paused, and then asked, "What were we talking about again?"
Thinking back, Zel remarked, "About how a bride goes about arranging a marriage for herself?"
Gourry remained confused, except it was on a slightly different topic. "Women can do that?"
Amelia replied, slowly returning to normal cheek temperature, "Lina's family can, that much is certain. Seyruun used to, but we stopped using it."
Naga smugly nudged her sister. "And who would you choose, huh sis?"
Again, Amelia became as bright red as a tomato. Turning away, she mumbled, "It doesn't matter. We don't follow that. It's family choice only, meaning suitors."
The older sister raised an eyebrow with interest. "Oh? And have you found one to your liking yet?"
Amelia seemed to hit upon a notion and glanced just as slyly back. "I wouldn't be talking so much about it if I were you, Onee-san. Once Daddy finds out that you're back, he's going to make sure you get your position back. And since you're over the age limit, you're going to be a single queen."
Naga noticeably irked at this news. She knew Amelia was right, and yet…she had no intention of helping her assessment come true. "I--hic--"
"I highly doubt that Seyruun will want an alcoholic for a queen, so you can rest in peace." There was an unexplainable precision in Zel's words that led them to believe him wholeheartedly.
Naga hiccupped again, an obvious red tint on her cheeks. Amelia sighed and shook her head. Standing, she declared, "Well, Lina-san told us to be in the dining hall in two hours right? We might as well get washed up and ready for it."
Gourry pointed to the multiple cups on the table. "What about those?"
Amelia wrinkled her nose, and realized that the one closest to Naga was drained, offering a reason to her sudden drunken spirit. She waved her hands in their direction, and they immediately vaporized. Startled, Gourry asked, "Hey, where'd they go?"
Walking back towards the corridor, she answered, "Where they were before. It's fine, so don't worry about it. Are you sure you're feeling alright, Gourry-san?"
He still seemed to be somewhat stupefied as he answered, scratching the back of his head, "Yeah, I guess so. Why? What happened?"
Amelia shook her head, deciding not to be the one to tell him all that had occured. "Never mind. Can you help me take my sister to her room?"
Gourry nodded, and they stood on either side of the overgrown princess, hoisting her arms around their shoulders. Zelgadis trailed behind as they walked towards the double staircase, to the royal residential suites. His mind whirled with the sudden blast of information. Lina was getting married huh? Zel jolted to a stop. With stunning clarity, he realized it, and yet, part of him could not believe it. With that ring, I purposed to her. He inwardly groaned. No wonder she was elated. Most brides usually were. Luna must have known that she had been wishing for jewelry, and had helped the process along by suggesting that Zel give some to her. And by him giving it to her, that meant she would definitely marry someone she knew.
As he slowly started walking again, his mind began to wonder about the past adventures he had shared with Lina. When they had visited Halis Ryzu, he remembered Lina saying that she was only fifteen. Was that a hint that she could only marry upon turning eighteen? Then…stealing from bandits…Zel remembered noticing how she had always picked out at least one bag filled with red jewels, mostly rubies upon closer inspection. He had asked about it, and she winked at him, saying that rubies were her favorite no matter how much they were worth on the market. In the sorcery world though, pure rubies were conveniently expensive to buy, and rare to find. Zel's mind wandered further. After they had battled and destroyed a piece of Shabrinigdo, he remembered Lina declaring that she would follow Gourry indefinitely until she had obtained the Sword of Light. Zel realized that once, when he had cleaned the hilt, the essential part of the sword, he had found it interlaced, among other things, with a bright, pure, magic-amplifying ruby. Was that why Lina wanted it so much? And if a second one had been inside Gourry all along, was that why Lina still stayed with him, even though he had given the used one back? Wait…no, if Lina had really intended on making Gourry her husband, then she would have had more reason then just the gift. And Lina had always pestered Gourry to give or sell her the sword… Then again, if it was only the ruby that Lina had marked as what she desired, then technically, she wasn't breaking the rules by asking for the sword.
THUD.
Zel groaned as his bottom hit the floor. Looking up, he realized that he had been so lost in his own thoughts that he had run straight into the magic-protected door; since he had subconsciously sped up through the moments of intense speculation, he had not allowed someone to open the door first. He recovered quickly, located his room, and shut himself in there for an uninterrupted period of thoughts and for dinner, cleansing. As they had a person between them to worry about, Amelia and Gourry decided that Zel was simply preoccupied, and needed time alone to sort his thoughts. They dispatched Naga in her own room, marked by a self-proclaiming signature of a white serpent forming the cursive word,"Naga" with its engraved body. From there, Gourry and Amelia separated to partake in their own preparations for dinner.
Exactly one hour from when dinner was due to be served, a loud crash resonated throughout the dining hall, followed quickly by a thunderous compilation of feminine squeals. Bathed, groomed, and alert, Gourry, Zel, and Amelia rushed to the hall fearing that some enemy may have attacked them, with Naga slowly trailing behind. But alas, no. When the Princess asked her kitchen maids, who were scattered in the dining hall, what was wrong, they had answered, somewhat tearfully, that their guest, Lina-san, had thrown them all out with the help of a few fireball threats.
"Well, that's new."
Startled for what seemed like the tenth time that day, they turned to find Luna leaning against the doorway from which they had come. While folding her arms in front of her chest, and crossing her ankles, she displayed a bemused grin.
Gourry asked, once again scratching his head, "What is?"
Luna nodded her head towards the kitchen. "Throwing everyone out to cook dinner. Though…" She turned to the kitchen staff. "I'm pretty sure you had a good head start, did you not?"
The ones that had informed Amelia of the mini-crisis slowly shook their heads. The head chef, apparent by the official looking seal over her heart, explained that someone else had told them just as they were about to prepare the main feast a few days back, to stop preparations, as it would be taken care of later. In fact, the person had said it was a message from Lina's older sister.
Luna seemed surprised by this at first, but eventually shrugged. "Well, what do you know, so I did."
The chef added that they were preparing the ingredients for dinner when Lina had come in, offering to help. They had just started to cut up a few vegetables before she threw them out, saying that she would cook dinner and they could take the night off. The chef now turned to Princess Amelia to confirm this. With a sigh and a wave of her hand, Amelia sent them off duty. The helpers, cooks, and chefs rushed off, as if not wanting to be around in case she changed her mind. Slowly, Amelia turned from watching them go off, to her fellow companions. Chuckling slightly, she remarked, "Well then, I guess dinner's going to be made all by Lina, am I right?"
Remembering the "actions" the "bride" had to do, they wondered if Lina was simply planning on doing the actions backwards (the dinner, the kiss, then hold the present for a much shorter time). As if sensing their questioning minds, Lina blew the kitchen door open with a small wind spell, and yelled to them, "This is only a practice meal! The real deal is tomorrow!"
This startled her traveling companions. Zel spoke the question on their minds. "Wouldn't tomorrow be too late for it?"
Luna simply smiled as if expecting this. When all eyes turned to her, her smile widened. In a nonchalant voice, she stated as if they were all oblivious to have missed it, "Oh, didn't Lina ever tell you? The moment she was born, a great flash of light that stayed for almost five minutes blinded everyone involved and nearby. Since it was already very close to midnight, no one could tell which day she was born, so we simply decided to always celebrate it over the course of two full days."
The implication was obvious, at least to Amelia and Zelgadis. Half to themselves, and half to explain to their more clueless companions, they murmured at the same time, "So Lina gets two full days to do everything."
"Not only that," Luna had her bemused grin on again, "I foresee that an impromptu ball will be held in her honor tomorrow night, courtesy of her royal friends…and heritage."
Now, everyone gaped at Luna. She couldn't possibly mean what they thought she meant…could she?
A/N: La de whooo…..—wink—did I catch your interest? Gosh oh Golly, I hope I did. –Smacks Lips—ahh I love Luna('s character)….she's so….cool. XP Well, please review so we can see more of her!
