Took a bit longer than I thought it would, as this chapter ended up almost twice as long as I thought it would. Thanks for reading and reviewing, and please continue to do so. A few responses:
Ichiban Victory: Zel knows he's pretty much invincible to a non-Mazoku threat, unless he's caught off-guard. So he's trying to keep his guard up. Also a little bit of contrast between his warrior/scholarly side, ala Hamlet.
Stara Maijka: You've done your homework :) Your info about Aldus Manutius gives me an idea of something to do with Aldous' character in the fairly distant future. Mostly, I chose the name Aldous because it comes from the German "alt" meaning "old."
Kaeru Shisho: Your perceptions are pretty much what I was trying to convey about Zel's personality. And the bad guys will come into play a bit later.
For several seconds I think it is Rodimus brought back from the dead. I am consciously aware of the fact that he is dead and gone, but the resemblance is so uncanny that I find myself doubting this fact.
The man looks up and me and looks just as startled as I feel. The sight of his face lifts me from my stupor, as his face looks different from that of Rodimus. Still, the two men could easily be viewed as relatives. He recovers from the shock of my entrance and appearance rather quickly. He looks at me not with suspicion or hostility, but rather curiosity. He seems to be evaluating me, probably taking note of my confidence and realizing I am not hostile. He notices something and calms down a bit more. Perhaps what he noticed is my lack of a weapon.
I bridge the gap between us and hold out my hand. "I am Zelgadis Greywords, a friend of Amelia." The man hesitates briefly before shaking my hand.
"I am Audric, royal advisor to Seyruun." His introduction is as simple as my own. His voice is slightly similar to Rodimus', but with a different accent. I am surprised at the fact that this is Audric. Had Amelia met Rodimus she would have surely mentioned to me the similarities between the two. If I take up permanent residence here, his presence would be another thing that would require adjustment.
"Yes, Amelia told me about you." I am unused to conversation with strangers. I mentally cast about for a way to casually question him. "You certainly impressed her and her father." People generally like to talk about themselves, so he would likely elaborate.
Instead, he shrugs modestly. "I merely suggested certain tactics they should use. It's something I've been doing for awhile."
I press the topic a little more firmly. "How did you get into that business?"
Here he hesitates slightly, probably deciding how much of his life story is appropriate to share with a stranger. "I was trained as a warrior when I was younger. Even as a child I enjoyed tactics more than fighting ability. When my age started to affect my fighting ability, I became increasingly involved with tactics. It eventually became my life, and now I only train to keep in shape. Warriors often swear allegiance to rulers in my continent. Advisors are less common."
His answer satisfies me. Perhaps I would spar with him later. "And why Seyruun?"
Here he seems reluctant to answer. "I strengthen the defenses of one ruler than move onto the next one when the defenses are satisfactory. I heard of this new continent a few weeks ago, and later heard of the self-proclaimed White Magic Capitol. The descriptions intrigued me. Later, I heard that their ruling family has had troubles in the past, and that they are capable only in mediation and not in defense. It seemed the perfect place for someone like me." I can tell he is hiding something from me. I aim to find out whether he is hiding some sinister intention or merely some personal detail he felt is inappropriate to share.
"Amelia-san has told me about you, as well." The shift in topic shows his displeasure or discomfort in talking about himself. "I thought she was merely exaggerating." Here he pauses, probably trying to figure out a question about me. "What exactly are you capable of?" His voice is slightly disdainful, which would have prompted me to answer outright were I less experienced.
"I have enhanced speed, strength, agility, constitution, and magical ability." I answer frankly and without detail.
"Amelia-san described you as having stone skin that prevents you from physical injuries. She also greatly admires your strength, swordsmanship, and sorcery." His words seem a mockery of mine, but his tone is one of admiration. He does not seem to dread the prospect of fighting me, even with Amelia's flattering description of me. He thus does not anticipate we will fight, which implies he has no grudge against Amelia or Seyruun. A point in his favor. As these thoughts rush in my head, he seems to be waiting for a response.
"We have fought together, yes. I held my own against dangerous opponents. But she probably exaggerates." My modesty is not false, and my description is deliberately vague. He seems to pick up on both points.
"She also said that you are one of the greatest Warriors of Justice she's ever met." I sweatdrop greatly at this. Audric is slightly grinning, whether at her statement or my response to it.
"She exaggerates." I attempt to explain her statement away, but his grin only increases. We sit silent for several seconds.
"Will you be staying here long?" Audric asks me another question. He does not seem the type to make polite small talk, and the casualness of his tone sounds a little forced. It sounds similar to my own tone, in fact. My thoughts are interrupted with the opening of the doors.
We both turn to look at who is entering, and see the Prince Phil. "Ah, Zelgadis-dono! Amelia just told me you've arrived!" He greets me eagerly, and enthusiastically slaps me on the back. He chuckles loudly at the fact I am pushed forward a bit. His laughter ceases abruptly and his facial expression shifts quickly as well. "I see you've met Audric-dono." His expression almost seems to silently ask me what I think of him. Perhaps I flatter myself in thinking such a thing, but his face does look inquisitive for just the briefest of moments.
Audric speaks before I gather my thoughts. "Yes, Prince Phil, Zelgadis-san and I met."
"Audric-dono, I keep telling you to call me Phil!" Phil's eyes twinkle slightly in good humor.
"Prince Phil..." Audric places the barest of emphasis on Phil's title. "I cannot. I have been addressing royalty all my life in such a way. You can't expect me to change overnight."
"You aren't going to recommend that I make people constantly address me in such a way, are you? For my safety?" He guffaws loudly at the slight joke. Audric manages to smile politely while I can do nothing more than sweatdrop. I had forgotten about Phil's odd sense of humor. Not to mention his lack of the sophistication and dignity that is generally associated with royalty.
Audric waited politely for Phil's laughter to end. It did so a handful of seconds later, with a bit of coughing. "Of course not Prince Phil. Merely a cultural difference, I suppose." He rubs his own sweatdrop from the back of his head, though it seems smaller than mine.
"So, Zelgadis-dono, how long will you be staying?" Phil turns his attention to me. Both his and Audric's expressions shift a bit, though Audric's shift is more subtle. He seems more alert somehow.
"Well, perhaps a few weeks, if you don't mind, Your Highness." I answer with a little caution.
"Don't you start with that, too, Zelgadis-dono! I get too much of the bowing and scraping from the people of Seyruun!" With that he guffaws loudly again, and Audric and I sweatdrop.
The door opens during his laughter. The person pushes it open with less drama than Phil demonstrated. Amelia enters, wearing her traveling outfit, a shade of color even whiter than my own. She also wears her normal jewelry. My eye strays to her wrists, noting she is only wearing a bracelet on her right hand.
"Ah, good, Amelia's here. Now we can eat!" Phil gestures at someone, probably a cook, before guffawing again. Perhaps he is comparing hemself to Gourry and Lina. I know I am.
Amelia's expression brightens. "Hello Tousan, Zelgadis-san, Audric-san!" She smiles at each of us as she addresses us.
"Where is Christopher-san?" I don't direct the question, as probably anyone could answer it.
"Christopher-ojisan is in the Outer Lands on diplomatic missions." Amelia responds first.
"Yes, it wouldn't do for others to see Seyruun as a country of lazy monarchs!" Phil laughs loudly yet again.
"Such an assumption would indeed be unjust!" Amelia manages to quickly get on top of the table and point dramatically.
Audric and I both sweatdrop in the aftermath of the two. "Yes, indeed. I met him." Audric probably felt the need to focus the attention of the two monarchs on more ordinary pursuits. "Prince Christopher came to the last kingdom I worked with and told me of Seyruun. His descriptions convinced me to come."
Amelia and Phil both look pleased and seem to prepare for a justice speech. Fortunately the food arrives first. I don't really need to eat, but eating is one of the activities that makes me feel human, so I eat a little. Amelia and Phil appear hungry, but eat with much more restraint than Lina and Gourry. Audric eats slowly. The food is foreign to him, after all.
Conversation does not cease with the advent of food. Phil chews thoughtfully before asking me a question. "Amelia told me that you initially didn't want to come to Seyruun. What made you change your mind?" I had not expected the question to be expressed so frankly. Audric also looks curious.
"I've been searching for a cure. I found some spells that may work, but are too powerful for me to cast. I came to ask for Amelia's help." Phil does not quite seem satisfied, so I pause before giving another of my reasons. "I also feel that it would be productive to pay for information that could possibly help cure me, and have such information be sent here." He still does not seem satisfied, though Audric is visibly concentrating. I glance at Phil meaningfully, attempting to tell him that a further explanation should wait until later. He either understands the message, or has come to a similar conclusion. Audric is still an unknown, it would probably be best to downplay any interest I have in Amelia.
Amelia blushes slightly and draws breath to speak, then stops. She cannot seem to find the right words. I think of something to say that would interrupt her. Oddly enough, it is Audric that beats me to the point. "I have heard of some rumors you may find useful, Zelgadis-san." I turn to him, most thoughts of him gone at the prospect of a cure. I wait for him to elaborate. "I know very little of magic, but I did investigate it somewhat. Sorcerers in my land are almost non-existent, but I always try to implement defenses against magic anyway. I've done a bit of research into such areas of defense and attack. Hardly any in healing and curing, I'm afraid." He pauses again and shrugs. "However, I have heard rumors of magical devices that heal. I should be able to look into them in the future, and one may prove useful to you."
I nod to him. "I would very much appreciate that, thank you." His information may be useless, and his intentions may be in doubt. However, I feel that he does want to share any information he has, and my instincts tell me he has no ulterior motive. "I will certainly reward you for your trouble."
"No thanks or reward are necessary. However, if you have enough money, it would probably be worthwhile to give small amounts of money to people that could be interested. Such an action would result in more interest, as well as more zeal in people that are interested. It would also reassure them that their work would be rewarded." I blink at the wisdom of his advice. His mind is very impressive indeed. Phil and Amelia seem impressed, as well.
"Thank you for the advice. I have a good sized savings, and I could get more without too much trouble. I don't think I have enough money for that to be possible yet, though. Rewards for useful information will probably strain my finances almost entirely."
At this, Amelia poses dramatically. She attempts to make a justice speech, though her mouth is full of food. She swallows and continues undeterred. "Don't worry, Zelgadis-san! Justice is on your side, and will support your quest!"
Phil slaps my back. Had I not seen the blow coming, my face may have achieved a more personal greeting with my plate. Prepared though I am, I still lean forward slightly in response to his blow. "Of course we'll help with your quest, Zelgadis-dono!"
"Thank you very much. I would truly appreciate a loan." My voice adds the warmth I cannot find words to express. At my words, however, Phil and Amelia look a little confused.
"Zelgadis-san, we would happily pay for..." Amelia starts to speak, but I cut her off at her brief pause.
"I cannot accept your charity, Amelia. I will pay you back for whatever money you spend on my behalf. I could always find mercenary work. Besides, I have much of Rezo's possessions that your kingdom may appreciate." She still seems unsure, so I continue with a slight smile. "I wouldn't want to be compared to Lina, after all." Phil guffaws at my joke, and Amelia smiles, still with a little uncertainty. Audric nearly chokes on his food in shock.
"Lina?! Lina Inverse?!" Audric rejoins the conversation, with the most emotion I have ever heard in his voice. Amelia and Phil look at him, not knowing what to say. They have witnessed Lina's temper, and may find it difficult to defend some of her actions.
"Yes, Lina Inverse. She is one of my closest friends, and also one of Amelia's. She has saved this kingdom, the lives of the three of us, and the world itself on more than one occasion." With both my words and my tone I dare him to argue. He blinks and pales almost unnoticeably at my tone. He still looks uncertain, however.
"Lina-san may be violent and mercenary, but she is still a powerful Warrior of Justice!" Amelia points dramatically, and Audric and I again sweatdrop. "Anyone who would judge a person based on rumors would give justice a bad name!" Here she points accusingly at Audric, who responds with an increased sweatdrop.
"Ah...Amelia-hime..." Audric pauses but does not stutter.
"Yes?" She looks to him, perhaps expecting an Apology of Justice or some such thing.
"It's impolite to point at people." She responds by falling from her dramatic position atop the table to a very comical position atop the floor. I snort slightly in amusement, as does Phil.
By now, the ravenous appetites of the two monarchs have been appeased, and Audric and I have long finished eating. Phil is the first to comment after the ending of the meal. "Ah, an excellent meal as always." Nearby, the unnoticeable chef bows in gratitude.
"Yes, it was. By your leave, I am going to my room to study the books relating to my cure." With these words, I stand and push my chair in. I am not sure what protocol would demand of an appropriate exit, so I simply leave. I pull open the door and head to my room.
Soon after I enter my room, I hear a fairly loud knock. "Yes?" I open the door to reveal Phil himself. I blink in response to both his presence and expression, simply thoughtful. "Phil-san?" I question him of his presence by only saying his name.
"Yes, I would like to speak with you Zelgadis-dono." I nod in acknowledgment and step to the side, inviting him further. I close the door and raise an inquisitive eyebrow of stone. His look remains thoughtful.
"What are your intentions with my daughter?" I blink at his blunt, and oddly unemotional tone.
"She is one of my closest friends." I start with the most obvious before moving on. "And she has feelings for me." I pause here, collecting my thoughts. "I have feelings for her as well. Whenever she was attacked, I panicked and felt . . . " I cannot select a proper word to finish the sentence. ". . . unpleasant." I shrug to show the word unpleasant is a poor choice. "I would willingly take her pain, and have done so more than once." I pause, finally daring to summarize my feelings for her. "I think I may love her." At this declaration, Phil pauses for an eternity. How would he react? Would he be angry?
Finally, he smiles. "I thought as much." This is completely unexpected, and I fall to the floor as a result of my surprise. I quickly lift myself up to hear the rest of his statement. "I think you would make a good son-in-law." He chuckles lightly at my expression of surprise. His expression then shifts back to one of thought. "I would like your assistance again, Zelgadis-dono. I would like you to protect Amelia and me as you did before."
"Of course." I answer almost automatically.
"Before I leave you to your work, I was wondering if you had any ideas or advice. You've been in Seyruun long enough to have a feel for the situation."
"Well, Phil-san, I did have a few ideas. Firstly, you cannot fully trust anyone, not even Audric or anyone else you don't suspect. Keep a few details to yourself whenever possible. My instinct is that Audric has your best interests at heart, but don't rely on that. Follow his suggestions for now." He nods, implying that his instinct about Audric is similar to my own.
"I'm not really sure what to do about Amelia's suitors." Phil's face changes slightly to a look of almost disgust. Apparently he didn't like any of them either.
"Address a few vulnerabilities yourself. For example, Amelia cannot use her magic during that time of the month. So she could pretend to...ah..."
"Change her schedule?" Phil interrupts me with a grin.
"Er, yes. If people think she cannot use magic, they would be more likely to attack, and be less effective as well." He nods in agreement.
"Should we ask Lina-dono for help?" He seems reluctant to do so, perhaps out of fear of her restraint. Or more accurately, the lack thereof.
"I don't think so. She's very clever and powerful, but her response tends to be more aggressive than I think is called for." He nods slowly in agreement. "Also, our opponents have surely heard of her, though they probably have not heard of me. They might accelerate their schedule if Lina comes, which would give us less time to find them." He seems almost surprised at this. Apparently he had not considered it before. "Besides, Lina's likely to destroy something." I grin at this, as does Phil.
"Thank you Zelgadis-dono. I'm glad you're here, and I'm sure Amelia is too." He grins at the blush his statement triggers. He turns and walks to the door.
He soon turns back around to face me and smiles slightly before speaking. "I heard of an incident about the time you arrived where several people were attacked by a spell." I try not to stiffen or give any sign of guilt with some degree of success. "You are very recognizable, Zelgadis-dono." He smiles and shrugs. "Good luck with your search."
"Thank you Phil-san." I bow slightly to him as he exits my room.
I think about Phil's demeanor as I start to go through the books. He seemed much more restrained than usual, but perhaps that is how he truly acts in private. It seems more likely to me that he is affected by the atmosphere of Seyruun. He and Amelia are no longer secure., and probably recall the death of Phil's wife at moments like these. I will make certain another disaster does not befall Amelia's family.
However, there is nothing I can do about anything now except study these two books for a lead on my cure. I throughly go through them both before allowing myself a few hours of sleep.
Author's note:
Ah, my longest chapter yet. Couldn't find a place to split it up without losing a bit of the pace of the story, so it's about twice as long as the other chapters. The meal was rushed a bit to cut down on unnecessary stuff.
I hope Phil's in character. He's an odd one. I think he laughs in an attempt to dispel tension, which is running fairly high in Seyruun right now. So if you think he's laughing a bit too much, that's my excuse. He can be serious when he wants to be, though. In fact, when he first meets Lina he seems normal. I got rid of Christopher because I don't know his character very well, and because he would serve no point in my story. Dramatic license and all that. Lina and Gourry won't be coming until the final chapter or so, as I already have several future scenes worked out, scenes that Lina's presence would affect.
The next chapter will be more exciting. However, I'll be out of town next week, so don't expect it until July.