Lina awoke with a start. Her hands were trembling and her hair matted down on her forehead with sweat. Her cotton nightgown was stuck to her skin, and the hem was attacking her ankles. The room was pitch dark, and she could barely see her hands in front of her face. She pulled back her heavy velvet sheets and swinging her legs onto the slippery hardwood floor she felt her way around to the window. She tripped over the cat a few times, and cut her foot on something sharp that was left out, but her body was too numb from last night to realize. When she finally got to the window, she pulled back the heavy purple velvet curtains and was bombarded with a wet mist. Rain fell heavily outside, and the entire town looked terribly sad and gray. Lightning sadly danced across the sky animals and people dodged in and out of the streets. The fires that had burned from the day that Rhina was killed were finally put out, and the smoke rose to the sky mystically. Buildings continued to sit in ruins, and men and children continued to pick up and remove body parts that were somehow forgotten. The sight was too depressing for Lina, and she turned her back to the window and examined her room.
This wasn't Rhina's room…the one she slept in before. This looked like Rhina's parent's room. The beautiful oak vanity, the heavy sheets. Yup, Rhina's parents room. They were the only people who were always cold, even though it was 90 degrees… inside the house. She scanned the floor, nice and neat, except for the single sword left out. She walked over to it, and knelt to the floor. She picked up the sword and placed it on her lap, examining the blades. This is what she had cut her foot, a few moments earlier. Using the bottom of her gown, she wiped away at the specks of blood from her foot. It looks like Gourry had been cleaning it this morning she noted to herself before she placed it in its blue hilt, which was on the other side of the room.
She felt terrible, and she knew she looked terrible too. She walked over to the vanity, and sat down, on the little round matching stool. On the top was a small pink pillow filled with goose feather. Only Rhina's parents would put pink, black AND purple in the same room she laughed to herself. Her hair silky red hair was overrun with tangles, and desperately needed to be brushed. She reached over, and picked up the leather bag on the side of the oak, and pulled out her hairbrush. She then looked up at herself in the mirror and stared at herself long and hard. Her bright red eyes seemed dull and saddened her peachy skin was an unnatural pale. Her normally plump pink lips were a thin line of peach. She hated when she looked like this, but was really too tired, and too upset to care. So she lifted her brush and began to stroke it through her hair as lightning and thunder danced outside the window.
The wind howled, and the house shook, but all Lina did was brush, and brush and brush. She stared at the mirror for nearly an hour, brushing her silky red strands, until finally, she heard a knock at the door. She then snapped back into reality, and placed her brush down. Gourry opened the door and wearily stepped inside. He didn't expect her to be sitting there, so when he stepped inside, he stopped and stared at her for a few moments.
Good Morning Gourry, Lina whispered softly, and she turned her head away.
Good Morning to you Lina, it is nearly 3 in the afternoon. Lunch was just prepared, let me go get something for you to eat and something for your bath.
Gourry turned and closed the door behind him. Unsure of really, what else to do, Lina stood and prepared her towels and soap for her bath. She picked the rose and peppermint bath soap. It always made her feel better when she was sad. It was a gift from her dear friend Amelia, when she stayed a month or so ago. She pulled out the rosy pink bath towels, one for her body, one for her hair, followed by the lavender scented shampoo she picked up in Disnia, on the way over. She then pulled out a simple nightgown, which would have to serve as her dress today. It was a silky blue with purple, floral embroidery that started around her breasts and ended at her feet. She was too tired and too out of it, to get dressed. She would more than likely spend the rest of the day in the room, why should she care about what she wore anyway? Besides... Gourry was pretty content with it.
She then heard a knock on the door, and Gourry entered with a small metal tub in one hand and a plate full of food in the other. He set the food down on the vanity for Lina, and then the tub in the middle of the room on the hardwood floor. Lina then turned and noticed Gourry was barely dressed himself. Sure he had his normal clothes on but none of his armor was on, and for that matter, his boots were off too.
I'm going to go get your water. One and a half buckets of hot, one-bucket of cold I remember, it's in the fireplace. I'll be right back.
Gourry was once again, out the door, and Lina was still on the bed. She turned and looked at the food. She wasn't really hungry, now that she thought about it, despite the demands of the terrible growling beast below. Ignoring her loss of appetite, she stood and made her way to the oak vanity. Swishing her white nightgown from side to the side. She sat on the round goose-feather oak stool, and began to eat.
As more food entered her mouth, the hungrier she got. The chicken tasted good. So succulent, so moist. The ham was superb with a simple hint of maple. The macaroni was cheesy just the way she liked it. She was simply in heaven. She stuffed and stuffed and stuffed until finally her 5-course breakfast/lunch was finished. She let out a satisfying burp, and rubbed her now full stomach. Gourry came in seconds later, drenched and red, with his hair flying in different directions, drenched as well. Lina turned and looked at him. Slowly, the corner of hers mouths turned upward, her mouth opened and she laughed at the site of him. He looked like a poor boiled chicken that managed to escape the pot. She laughed and laugh and laughed, until he joined her, unsure of what she was laughing about, but happy to see her smiling.
When the two managed to calm down and wipe away the tears, Gourry poured the buckets of water into the tub, and Lina discarded her clothes. She stepped in, and slowly made her way into the water. It had been a long time since she felt the warm water around her skin, and it really felt good. Gourry went to the bed and took the soaps and shampoo. He always took charge of her hair, the same way she did to his, so he handed her the soaps, and kept the shampoo to use. She scrubbed her skin with her peppermint soaps, and Gourry scrubbed her hair with the lavender shampoo. They both scrubbed and scrubbed until Lina was shining, and beaming from her cleanliness, move over Artemis!
Lina stepped out of the bath, and Gourry helped dry her off, even though he was drenched himself. Once Lina was dried and clothes, he took the towels and dried himself, changing his clothes to the exact same outfit as before…same size... different color.
Lina then sat at the vanity and from her leather bag extracted her hair oils, which she also got from Disnia. They were scented of rose, her favorite flower, and she eagerly poured them into her hair. Gourry came up behind her, and picked up her brush. He slid it through her hair, and admired how her hair was flawless. Although shorter than his, it was so shiny and silky, and she didn't even have split ends. Lina enjoyed the help, and the feel of the black brush massaging her scalp. He brushed and brushed and brushed, until Lina was almost asleep infront of him. Then he set the brush down, and took a step back.
Lina's eyes instantly flew open, and she looked into the mirror, at Gourry who was staring down at her.
Lina… let me go… I gotta…. I'll be right back okay?
Lina merely nodded her head as she watched Gourry leave from the mirror. She stood walked over to, and sat on the bed. She was beginning to hope that he was bringing something to eat with him, she suddenly seemed to have her appetite back…and she also seemed to be in an even better mood. She looked down at her toes. They were so cute and tiny. The red polish really brought out the beauty of her peachy skin.
Gourry opened the door and stood in the doorway. The light coming from the main hallway was bright, and Gourry's silhouette was strong and muscular. He seemed so powerful at that moment. Then he closed the door behind him, and his whole image changed. In his arms he held a tiny bundle of pink fleece and cottons. Peeking from the mass of fabric, Lina could see the face of a wrinkly little baby, and a mass or brown hair. His face was etched with sensitivity, as he looked from Lina to the baby. He looked content, protective, proud, and caring… he looked like the Gourry she knew.
He stepped over to Lina, making sure to miss the tub and the puddle of water, and stood in front of her. Before she could think, her arms reached up to him, and she took the baby from him. It felt so tiny...so light… so delicate. She was scared she would break it, and at the same time, scared to let it go. The baby looked to be no more than 1-week-old. Maybe even two. She yawned a lot, and her eyes were always closed, but when they did open, they were a ball of purple filled with sparkling light. Lina sat on the edge of the bed, and held the baby tight, for what seemed like hours, until she fell asleep, and the baby was taken away to be fed by a wet nurse. Gourry just watched her, the whole time, both loving, and despising the fact that they were now… parents.