Capriones 7/27/2006
Capriones (ca-pree-OWN-ees): A roaming people of the Seyruun City-State region comprised of mixed race and heritage sharing common facilities and traditions. Said to have their own culture and to live outside the laws of any land they move through, they fight mostly amongst themselves in order to improve individual ranking in their encampments.
Disclaimer: We shall make use of several of the characters from The Slayers, none of whom belongs to us.
Chapter Four – Natural Attractions
Lina, Sylphiel, and Filia found Valgaav reclining comfortably in the tent where Lina and he had had their talk. Sure, he'd listen to what the beautiful blond woman priestess had to say. His natural attraction to Filia evident from the shine in his eyes, despite his otherwise cocksure expression.
He pointed out to Lina where she could find Gourry, adding, "But don't go wandering around. Ain't safe."
"I ain't safe, bud," Lina said with a saucy flip of her head, and then sauntered away confidently with Sylphiel at her side.
"Lina," the young, dark-haired priestess chided her. "I wish you wouldn't taunt dangerous men like that. We don't have our swords, remember?"
"Oh, yeah . . . well . . . That's another thing I need to see about." Lina stood in front of a large tent looking for a polite way to announce her arrival. "This had better be the right place. Val's directions stunk." She shrugged and raised her voice. "Hey, Gourry! You in there? I wanna talk to you. Oh, hi!"
"Lina . . . and . . . Sylphiel, right? Ah . . . sure come in."
Zelgadiss and Amelia were inside as well. The young man marked with scars was still seething after Zelas' announcement. He was pacing the floor, muttering to the princess about how he was determined to find a way to stop her marriage to Xelloss. When he saw Lina enter, he launched his attack on her.
"Lina Inverse, I need to talk to you," Zelgadiss said.
"She came to see me," Gourry said as a gentle reminder.
"I see. Well, I'll leave, but," the scared faced young man paused uncertainly. He caught Lina's eyes a moment to ensure she understood his urgency, then turned back to Gourry. "When you're done, I'd like to speak with her, please."
"Ah, sure, if she wants to."
Zelgadiss' attention returned to Lina, eyes boring into hers. Lina felt uncomfortable under the fierce surveillance of Zelgadiss. His striking appearance triggered her curiosity, but she didn't want to gawk at him, while his intensity fired her passionate nature to learn what was on his mind.
"That's fine with me," Lina replied. "Amelia? Don't worry; I'll getcha out of this mess."
"Thanks, Miss Lina, but I don't know now. Everything was going to be okay . . . we had a plan . . . but now . . . I just can't marry Prince Xelloss! I can't! I'm in love with . . . with . . . someone else."
The way her expression softened as she glanced up at the scarred young man told the rest of the story– she was in love with Zelgadiss.
His jaw was clenched, clearly holding back poisonous words and unwilling to openly recognize her affection for him or reveal how he felt. "Later, then," he said curtly, and with that, he guided Amelia to the cloth doorway.
Lina waited until both Zel and Amelia left before turning back to Gourry. "That Xelloss! Surely he knows his brother or friend, or whatever relationship Zelgadiss is to him, has some kind of an attachment for the princess. How can he let his mother dictate who he will or will not marry like that!"
Gourry shook his head. "Oh, well, you see, Xelloss isn't a bad guy. You saw him; he was bowled over in there, as much as any of us-- more probably. Yep, a complete surprise to him-- to us all. I oughta go talk to him, but he wants to be alone awhile to work things out in his head."
"Yeah, poor guy's gotta marry a princess," Lina said. "And, in case you couldn't tell, I was being sarcastic."
"You were? Well, it is a tough thing for him. You see, he's . . . " Gourry searched for the words to say what he meant. "Never been interested much in getting married, which is the most important thing he's gotta do, in his position, and soon."
Lina nodded. "Yeah, Valgaav told me something to that effect. He hinted that Xelloss isn't interested in girls at all."
"Marriage is serious and shouldn't be pushed on anyone who isn't ready, at least, that is how I feel," Sylphiel added.
"That sounds real wise," he agreed, presenting Sylphiel his kindest smile yet. He faced Lina, running a hand through his tousled bangs. "Valgaav, well, he's gotta right to his own opinions, but I've known Xelloss a long time. We grew up together. Okay, he's not interested in any of the girls around here, but I wouldn't say he doesn't care at all. I know he's been wanting to meet someone special." Gourry looked askance over Lina's head at the closed doorway, hoping that he hadn't said too much.
"So, why doesn't he just tell his mommy that he's a big boy and can choose his own unfortunate marriage partner?"
Lina decided that Xelloss sounded like a supreme wimp and a mommy's boy. She also was disappointed in Gourry. He was a hunk of eye candy to be sure, but he was a mite slow in the thinking department.
Gourry shook his head. "Not really a good idea. I don't think he can turn down her orders, well . . . that he can, but not really . . . "
"You mean not without serious consequences, right?" Lina put in to hurry the conversation along.
"Yeah, marriages are all arranged by the parents. We are expected to marry and have children so that the family and clan grow."
"That may be so, but Princess Amelia is so young!" Sylphiel cried out.
"For the Capriones, marriage can begin at a pretty early age," Gourry said.
He smiled slightly and caught her eyes, hanging onto them until she blinked.
"How young?" Sylphiel asked, her green eyes wide and shining.
"Oh, I dunno . . . " He scratched his head while he thought about the youngest girl he knew of and then there was him and Xelloss, who had to be the oldest guys. " 'Bout 12 for both girls and boys. And 'cause it's forbidden between blood relatives, we're always looking for pretty girls from elsewhere." Gourry looked at the two very attractive girls in his tent and blushed. "But, ah, an outsider wife's gotta become clan, and, um . . . ah . . . none of the girls of the Capriones can marry a man from outside. It's not very fair that way, I guess."
"No, it's not," Lina agreed and decided to let his other inferences pass. She was uninterested in whatever plans Xelloss might have for her, or for any of them for that matter. "Amelia's father will be mad. I don't think he'll accept any kind of wedding outside of the White Shrine, particularly a forced one."
"I bet it will make for more trouble and not unite our people at all!" Sylphiel agreed.
Gourry looked mournful. "I hope not."
"Rezo's the real enemy to free people," she added.
"Yep, especially to magic users, like you." He quickly glanced from one girl to the other from under his long bangs, including both girls in his assumption.
There was no use denying that they both were beginning sorcerers, although in the presence of one of Rezo's 'chosen' crusaders, the 'cleansers,' or officially his Red Guard, it would mark either Sylphiel or Lina for execution.
"He surprised me today, Xelloss did. He usually does what his mother says, no questions, at least in front of the rest of us, but he nearly told her off," Gourry said, his face troubled.
"Hey, if you know something important, spill it!" Lina demanded.
"I know Xel's got his own plan to get us to join more with the locals. He wants the kids to so to school and rest of us to sell the stuff we make to outsiders. Zelas wants things to stay the same, as they have always been."
"Yeah, and I bet you wouldn't know any of the details, right?"
Gourry shook his head and brushed the hair from his eyes with a disarming smile. "That's right, not me. I'm no planner, that's for sure. Too much to keep up here." He pointed to his head and chuckled. Gourry grew more serious as he noticed that Lina wasn't amused, and said in a low voice, "If you would work with him, I think you could help Xelloss change the Capriones' world."
"Sure, starting with getting Zelas to pick him a different wife," Lina grumbled. "My interest here is to free Princess Amelia. That's it." She rose, signaling Sylphiel to stand too. "Okay, so I guess I'll go see what Zelgadiss has to say next. Ah, by the way, what happened to the guy? Do you know?"
Gourry drew a deep breath before answering. "I don't think he'd mind me telling ya this much." He began carefully choosing his words. "He said his grandfather did it to him. An experiment or spell gone wrong or something. Not my expertise– magic stuff. He don't like to talk about it, but he's hoping to find a cure for the scars. He's got something else on his mind too. I dunno what. He talked more to Xelloss than to me about all that."
Lina grunted. "And that has something to do with his status, too? Zelas called him a slave."
"Yeah, but Xelloss calls him his brother so that's how I think of him. Zelas hates him, that's for sure, though, I don't know why."
Lina found it hard not to like the big guy with the sunny disposition, handsome face, and the compassionate heart. He was simply lovable, and Lina could tell that Sylphiel thought so, too. Had he been a bit quicker on the draw she might have considered him boyfriend material. Of course, now wasn't the time for romance . . .
"So, you still want to see Zel? I'll entertain Sylphiel while you're gone."
"I'll be fine here," Sylphiel assured her.
Gourry and Sylphiel exchanged looks; it seemed both were encouraging her to visit Zelgadiss alone. If she wasn't imagining things, her friend and comrade in arms was blushing coyly. Clearly she wasn't the only one with romance on the mind.
"Okay, I'll go," Lina said. "Which tent's his?"
Gourry directed her to Zel's tent, and then turned to Sylphiel. Mustering all his presence of mind, he asked her cordially, "Want some tea?"
End Capriones, Chapter Four.