"How odd." was Prince Phil's first comment after hearing the report. "Yes, my thoughts too" replied Zel. "But, as I said the whole thing was odd. I had to wait at the border till the guards sent word to the palace, then an "honour guard" that whisked me to the palace came to get me, and an immediate meeting with King Alfred. He was very friendly, but also very to the point. Then, by the end of the day, I was back on my way to the border again. I really didn't have a chance to talk to anyone, or see very much, which may have been the idea, but I did gather some tidbits.
He was only recently married and has just had a son born to him, the heir apparent. Some people say his queen is the evil sorceress that was hired by the kingdom to help with the wars, that she has bewitched the king and he is her slave. They say she disguises her self as a beautiful woman, but her laugh is wicked and reveals her true soul. Some say they are two different people and that the queen is kind and loving, a very gentle soul and a loving wife and mother. I don't know, but I guess we had better keep an eye on the possibility of trouble there. I was never introduced to either of the two women, so I can't make a personal judgement, I'm afraid. If you are agreeable to the meeting with the ambassador, then I request you let me take Lina here as the other, I think she can handle just about any sorceress we would run into." "What do you mean, "just about"" said Lina with an insulted air. Zel, gave a nervous laugh and said "Errr, uh, sorry, I meant ANY sorceress, that just came out wrong..."
"Hmmm" thought Phil, "so, we could be dealing with a weak-minded man who is prisoner to an evil, power hungry witch, or he might just be wanting to take over on his own... Oh well, I rather expect it will just be some sort of ultimatum, but I suppose we had better at least buy time and send for the ambassador." He thought for a few more minutes then added "Yes, go and get him Zelgadiss, and if Lina is the one you want, take her."
"WHOO-HOO! Great!" shouted Lina happily. "So, Prince Phil, what's the pay like for this adventure?" "What?" said Phil, rather disgruntled, then added "You never change do you?" "Not in some things!" agreed Lina brightly. "Now then," she went on, "a long trip like this, involving body guard work AND spying, and perhaps unforeseen dangers... I think a good price would be... A MILLION GOLD!" she concluded happily. "NONSENSE!" roared back Prince Phil. "I can get many first rate sorcerers for less than a tenth of that!" "Not ones like Lina Inverse!" retorted Lina. "Okay, okay, because it's you I'll go as high as one tenth of your figure!" was Phil's reply to that. "A hundred thousand gold? HA! I can make that and tips working for my sister!" said Lina with the look, and tone, of one who catches a shady salesman trying to pass off low quality goods as treasures.
"ummm, Daddy? Miss Lina?" said a tentative Amilia, trying to prevent a fight. "Oh don't worry about it, love," responded Zel softly, as he shyly put an arm around her shoulder. "I don't think either of them have had this much fun in a long time..." "Uh, I guess you're right." said Amilia, sinking into Zel and holding the hand around her shoulder with one of her own.
Eventually the haggling wore down and both sides ended up with a figure that had them convinced they had each gotten the better of the other, even though to hear them tell about it you'd think they had been bested by highway robbers or something. "So, when do we set off?" asked Lina, getting down to business, now that the serious stuff was over. "I suggest we go tomorrow at first light." replied Zelgadiss. Amilia gave him a pouty look but said nothing, he was right, of course.
"But, but that won't give me any time to look for Gourry!" said a suddenly sad Lina. "Well, we need to do this as soon as possible." replied Zel. "What's wrong with Gourry?" asked Amilia. Lina looked downcast as she quickly explained about her big mouth and Gourry's big question. Amilia shook her head in amazement, but Prince Phil spoke up and said "It is tragic to lose a loved one, under any circumstances, believe me I know, twice over. Which reminds me Zelgadiss, don't forget to look for the Princess will you?" Zel bowed and said, "No Sir, I most certainly will not."
"Huh?" said Lina "It's my big sister, Gracia," replied Amilia. "She has gone missing." "Well, but she did that how many years ago? And you still haven't found her?" asked a puzzled Lina. "Er, well it isn't quite like that actually" replied Amilia. "She left the court many years ago, after our... mother died..." "Let me explain, honey." said Phil softly. "My daughter Gracia was witness to the death of her mother, and it left her in a state of shock. She became despondent and depressed, at times she became manic, she took to drinking and studying only black magic, and gave up any desire to inherit the throne. Eventually I gave in to her desires and let her go forth and wander the earth to seek for the comfort I couldn't give her. For a long time she actually kept us informed with a rather sporadic correspondence of her whereabouts and her doings, but about three years ago she fell silent, and try as we might, we cannot find her. I am sick with worry, to tell you the truth, I fear the worst. If anyone could find her, even just give me word she is alright..." He shook his head sadly as he finished his tale.
"Gee, and I thought I was hard done by." said Lina with sympathy in her voice. "Prince Phil, if we can find her we will! And because it's you, no extra charge!" she went on, making a joke. Prince Phil actually laughed and then stood up and bowed to Lina. "Well, words I never thought I'd hear from the lips of Lina Inverse! Thank you Lina for that. Rest assured, I value my daughter very much, if ever you found her you could ask what you wanted and I'd probably give it." "No, I stand by my word." smiled Lina back. "Some things, like family, are too important to sully with money."
"Umm, Lina" said Amilia, "I can have our men look for Gourry here in Seirune while you are away, and if you like I'll have him thrown in the dungeon until you get back, so he will be here for you on your return..." Lina laughed and laughed at that. Finally she said "Okay, but make it a nice cell, I don't want him sick with consumption or something when I return, it makes the whole exercise pointless. Hey! I have an idea, maybe don't tell him what he's in jail for, have a bit of fun with him for putting me through this?" she went on with a devilish glint in her eye. "Te, he, he..." replied Amilia, "now that wouldn't be very just, of course, but it might be fun... Maybe just this once?" she concluded with a devilish glint of her own. Zelgadiss simply shook his head and thought "Poor Gourry, we better make this a quick trip." "Well," he said interrupting the sinister merriment, "If it's an early start, then it's early to bed I'm afraid." With that, the party broke up quickly and Lina went off to a long hot soak and a good night's rest, and the dawning of the next day.
Lina was awakened by a servant girl the next morning, far too early. And she made it quite apparent it was far too early. The poor girl cringed and pleaded that she was only following Lord Zelgadiss' orders. Lina took a deep breath and calmed herself, then apologized to the girl and said that when she woke up too early her grumpy side got up before her brains did. She was so sincere that the girl curtsied and forgave her then quickly helped her get dressed. They then went down to a plain but ample, emphasis on the ample, breakfast and Lina ate and ate, until she actually started to feel good again. Finally she smiled at Zel and said, "Okay, I think I'll make it to lunch now. What's the plan?"
Zel, who had been waiting for her to get done, was sitting next to Amilia and Prince Phil, who had joined them in the middle of the meal. "Well," he said, I guess we ride straight to Westhold, meet the "special ambassador" and return. Hopefully we get to ask all sorts of questions along the way, and pick up all sorts of information. If the gods are with us, we get word of the Princess Gracia." "That's it?" said Lina. "Well, we are rather tied because we know nothing of this person we are meeting, what he is like, why he is "special" or anything." responded Zel. "Yeah, yeah, I get the picture." said Lina. "Well, let's go, the sun is up now. Good by Your Majesty" she said to Prince Phil. "Good by Amilia, have fun with Gourry, okay?" she said smiling at her friend. Then she got serious and added "Not too much fun mind you! He's MINE, understand?" "Tsk, Lina!" said a shocked Amilia, "as if I would." "Sorry," said Lina, with an "I was kidding" kind of laugh. She said "Too unjust, I know." "That too, I guess," continued Amilia, "but be serious, me? With Gourry? Get real..." "Huh! What's that mean!" responded Lina sharply. "GIRLS!" said Phil sternly, "there's a time and a place for cat fights over men, and this is neither." "What? Oh as IF!" said both the girls at once. Zel put in "Well, we are off in fine form this morning I see. That's what I like about you two, nothing dampens your spirits for very long... Shall we go, Lina?" "Yes!" hmphed Lina.
As they trudged to the stables, where two horses were ready, Lina observed to Zel "Sorry about that, I think I am finally beginning to figure out just how big my mouth can be." "Ahh" said Zel, "you are just doing what everyone else has to, you have to learn to think before you act. Be thankful you are learning this lesson the easy way..." he said, rubbing his blue face. "Point taken" gulped Lina. Then they were at the stables, they mounted the prepared horses, and off they went.
They kept the horses at a steady trot, eating up the miles but not tiring their mounts too quickly. Indeed, just past lunch time they had reached the village where they met the evening before. "Care for a bite?" joked Zel. "I hear there is a restaurant nearby that has all sorts of famous and important people dropping by, and the locals put on a most entertaining show..." Lina laughed and laughed. "Well, I don't know about stopping, but we could ask if ol' "what's my smell" there from last night paid up. Put the fear of Prince Phil into him if nothing else." "Okay!" said Zel with a smile. "Is it just me Zel, or so you smile more?" asked Lina. "I think I do" replies Zel. "Comes of letting go of some of my self loathing and learning to live with who, and what, I am. Oh, here we are..." They came up to the end of main street, and just before the curve out of town was the same restaurant. Amazingly, it was getting some much needed work! It had a good coat of paint on parts of it, and lumber stood ready for some repairs. The manager came around the corner leading a very dejected Floater and piling the work on. Suddenly they spotted the two travelers. Floater squawked and hit the ground while the manager bowed and came up to Zelgadiss and Lina. "Ah my Lord and my Lady! Come to check on the payment yes?" He turned back to the cowering Floater and said "See? I told you!" Lina laughed derisively, and Zel said "Working it off is he? Well, I will be coming back in a couple of weeks, and I might have a guest with me. Make sure he works fast and well, I might want to entertain, and this place should be up to it!" He then turned to Floater and yelled "You! Do good work!" The former bully cringed and several of the locals who were standing around as onlookers laughed. "It shall be so, my Lord!" said the manager with a bow. Zel nodded back and he and Lina rode off up the road.
A bit later, having eaten packed food on the road so that they could make good time, the two friends were resting the horses at the cross roads where Lina had cried inconsolably. She was a little quiet; to think, it had been only yesterday, it seemed so long ago in some ways. Well, at least when they made it to the little village up the road they could try the best restaurant in town instead of the worst. Then a though struck Lina.
"Hey Zel, do we, um, have to go through Zefielia proper?" Well, the main road goes through the city yes, why?" was the questioning response. "Err, well, uh, my sister lives there, and, well, she owns more than one restaurant there now, and, well, uh, I'd like to avoid her if I can..." "Oh, I remember!" said Zel. "Yes, when Filia recruited us for the battle with Darkstar... You turned blue if I remember. You really don't like her do you?" "Ahhh" said Lina, "lets say I do miss her and my parents very much, but a lot of turbulent water flowed under and even over our bridge in our youth, and I am not quite ready to go mend it yet. I do want to, but my courage isn't up to it just now..." Zel gave her a wide eyed look. "Come to think of it Lina, I don't know much of your past except from where we joined together to battle Rezo and Shabradnigdo. Oh well, I admit curiosity, but, I won't pry, it sounds like there is many a personal tale there." "Yeah, there is" said Lina quietly, looking up the road towards her home. "I'll tell you some of the stuff someday, but just not right now..." "Okay by me" replied Zel. "Well, we better get going. So, you should know the roads, you take us around Zefielia now on the way up, and we will see how things go on the way back. We may have to come back through town if we are in a hurry, but we'll try not to stop if we can avoid it." "Fair enough!" said Lina brightly. "Okay, let's go!"
