Family Secrets

Chapter: 5

Lina's Big Day

Next chapter up.

Lina's eyes opened when she heard the birds chirping outside of her window. She had grown accustomed to waking up at the same time everyday due to her training schedule. She stretched and yawned as she made her way towards her bathroom. She turned on the shower and waited for the water to heat up as she thought back on the past few of weeks. 'Well, I've been training none stop for about five weeks now and I'm not doing too bad. I've learned a lot about combat and how I am supposed to act at social functions once it get the time of year that the villages start to have there yearly festivals.'

Lina stepped into the shower and let the water run down her body as she continued to think about her new home and it's inhabitants. 'Slyphiel and Gourry are nice and always there for me if I need help. Even if Gourry is a bit on the dumb side. And, then there is Zelgadis, the drill master himself,' Lina chuckled at the little nickname she had just assigned to the still living count.

'But, that is his main function it seems. After we finish the training each day he just seems to disappear until the next day. It's more like he is fulfilling an obligation he doesn't want to more than he is doing because he wants to,' Lina frowned slightly at the thought.

Though she was not exactly sure what Zelgadis' true purpose was at the castle she would like to see more of him. 'If nothing else I could learn a lot about the past from him,' Lina thought as she rinsed off the soap that she had applied.

As the warm water washed off the last of the soap Lina turned off the shower and grabbed the nearby towel. She toweled off as she said to herself, "I'll follow him after training today and see what he is up to."

Lina nodded with her idea and walked out to her bedroom to dress before breakfast. As she made her way towards the changing shade the door to her room burst open and Slyphiel rushed in with something in her arms. "Miss Lina! We have to hurry he'll be here soon and you need to look your best."

Lina looked at the cook oddly before asking, "Who will be here soon and what are you carrying with you?"

Slyphiel gave the item to Lina who then held it up to see that it was a very old looking white dress. Lina's face went red as a beet as she threw the dress back to Slyphiel before turning away and shouting, "Absolutely not! I am not wearing a dress I don't care if Dracula himself were coming to visit!"

At about that moment the low tenor of Zelgadis was heard from the doorway, "You will wear the dress. The painter is on his way and I will not have an Inverse shown without something that shows their lineage."

Lina's reddened even more at the idea that Zel had a good look at her with only a towel on. She ducked behind the shade before tossing a slipper in Zelgadis' direction before shouting, "Get out of here! I have to change so shut the door and stop looking you perverted old lech!"

Zelgadis sighed at her reaction and grabbed the door handle. Right as he was about to close the door he stopped and replied, "Just put on the dress and meet me downstairs as soon as possible," before shutting the door and walking off.

Slyphiel sighed as she approached the shade and handed the dress to Lina. "I know you don't like the idea of a dress but the portrait will not look right if you do not dress up a little. We're not asking you to dress in clothes of the past just something a bit prettier than jeans and a t-shirt. I'll leave you to it," Slyphiel replied before leaving the room.

Zelgadis stood at the entrance to the castle and waited. He sighed as he adjusted the hood and mask on his face. 'The last thing I need is the painter remembering my description from when his great great grandfather came here,' he thought as he stood almost perfectly still.

He watched the trail leading to the castle as he continued to think about the commotion earlier with Lina. 'What a silly thing to threat over...wearing a dress isn't that bad a thing. She could stand to look more like a lady once in a while,' Zel thought before running those ideas out of his head.

The last thing he need was the idea of a female heir getting to him. He was a servant now and that was all that there was to the tale. The sun had set on his rule long ago and now as punishment for things he did during his rule he would be a servant to the Inverse family until one of them deemed his debt paid. 'It will continue this way and that's all I should worry about. While Lina ages I will remain the same. Thanks to Alfred I will never age and be curse to live on this world until it comes to an end,' he thought gloomily as he saw something round the corner of the mountain.

The painter was almost to the gates and Zelgadis prepare to greet him while hiding who he truly was. 'I will continue in my service it is all that my life is now,' he thought as he walked forward and stated, "This way Sir. The young heiress will be with us shortly."

The middle-aged painter nodded and followed the hooded servant into the castle. He had come here many times in his life with his father and the local painter when he had inherited the business. It was always the same thing. A new heir would claim the castle and one of his family would come to paint their portrait. The only odd thing was the same servant had been greeting him for ages now. 'Surely this man is almost to his death bed...he would have to be about a hundred years old by now,' the painter thought as he set up in the customary spot and waited.

A few minutes later two young ladies entered the room. The first the painter knew as Slyphiel. The young cook had been living in the castle ever since her birth and was a joy to be around when she came into the village for groceries. Next to her stood a young woman about her height with almost wild red hair that flowed down her back. Her ruby, red eyes held nervousness and worry as she looked around the room. 'She's an Inverse alright,' the painter thought as he brought out a stool and said, "Please sit here Miss Inverse and we shall begin."

As soon as he set the stool down the old servants voice rang out with a slight cold air to it, "That is Lady Inverse. It may not be like in your father's day anymore but she still holds the title and the respect that should come with it."

The painter flinched at his blunder. He knew that the old servant was quite a battle axe when it came to being proper and he had just slipped up. He smile and said, "Lady Inverse," as he motioned for the stool.

The painter looked oddly when he noticed that the new lady was just a taken aback by the servants reply as he was. She just stared at the old servant for a moment before coming to the stool and sitting down. After she was comfortable the painter replied, "Excuse me my Lady as I get ready."

Lina nodded to him and waited as he set up. About the time she was going to look at Zelgadis she found him right next to her. She stared at him when she felt his hand on her back. "Don't slouch," he commanded in a whisper.

Lina got over her unease with that commanded and huffed. She straightened up and pouted at Zelgadis before whispering, "If I'm due the respect of lady of this land then why don't I get the respect from you!"

Zelgadis huffed and replied, "You will receive it once you start acting like a noble and performing the duties that come with the rank without whining."

Lina glared at him and was about the leap on the old count but was interrupted by the painter saying, "Ok my lady we are ready. Shall we begin?"

Lina nodded and kept her pose that was satisfying to the painter and a count that could not give up his rank fully.

Three hours later the painter was done and Lina could move. She stiffly walked to the canvas to have a look. 'I've never sat in one position that long in my life. Zel's going to get it for this one just you wait.'

She made it up to the painting to look. It was amazing what the painter had done. There she was Lina Inverse looking like some radiant woman from an era past. Her eyes looked out at the viewer with a look of kindness and at the same time temptation. Her wild hair cascaded down her back in a flowing wave that looked like it would move if you watched the painting long enough. Lina was speechless to say the less she had not seen such a job well done in all her life. "Well what do you think," the painter asked as the new Countess and the old servant viewed the painting.

Lina looked at the painter by could not muster the words to express her feelings. As she was about to try to speak for the third time the silence was broken by Zelgadis slow and somewhat seductive reply, "It's...Beautiful."

Lina blushed at the compliment and nodded in agreement. She looked back to see Zelgadis right behind her with wide eyes as if he could not believe he had just said that. Lina almost giggled when she saw a slightly reddening on the old count's face. After a moment they both bid the painter farewell. As they watched him leave neither one spoke and soon both partied ways. Neither was sure of what to make of this new painting and the words that had come with it.

Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from The Slayers do not belong to me. I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.

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