AN: Okay, short chapter. This is actually only half of the chapter I wanted to post this time around, but I cut the juiciest part from it, so it stops here.
I just wanted to make sure that I get the right impression here. This story would, according to my plans, soon turn a little lime-ish, actively changing the rating to M. But I've only had one person answer to if that was okay, and it seems that there's a wish to keep it T-rated.
I personally fancy a good lemon, but I'll (perhaps) respect if people would rather avoid that.
So, I need your opinion now. ;)
Lime or not?
If there is a general consensus about lime, then updates will come faster, as I don't have to revise the storyflow. ;) However, if it offends you, I'll rewrite the chapter I have, and turn the story on a less lime-ish and perhaps more innocently sweet way.
I guess I should post this at the end too, upping the odds that some of you might read it. ;)
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Admissions.
Even though he was off duty after the meal, he didn't feel like relaxing. He knew it would be smart to get some sleep, but when he lay down on the bed, he had this bad feeling that something might happen, and he just couldn't shake it. So, instead, he wandered around the palace.
He kept himself near the three of them, but pretended that it was merely coincidence. Lina, who apparently was especially ill-tempered today got enough of it after an hour or two, and demanded that the chimera joined them. He did so without much arguing, and even managed to get a little private talk with the redhead.
She'd figured he wanted to talk to her, after the little scene before lunch, so she took pity on him and dragged him a little away when they all went out into the palace gardens, sparing him the pain of asking her openly.
"So, what is it?" She asked.
He first gave her a look as if he didn't know what she was talking about.
"Oh come on, Zel, you've been edgy since we saw you today, and you keep looking at me as if there's something I ought to say to you to calm you down." She hissed. Her resources to keep her statements from being too blunt had been reduced a lot during these last couple of days.
"Well, now that you ask.." he started, and Lina rolled her eyes. "I actually wanted to discuss something with you, Lina."
"Spit it out, already." She said, impatiently. This would have to be about either Orin or Amelia. Or both. Otherwise he wouldn't be so careful about his wording. He took his good time, then took a deep breath and said:
"I honestly don't think Orin's worthy." His tone was as flatly honest as she'd ever heard it.
She almost laughed. Almost. Because as funny as it was to see Zel give in to natural feelings in himself, namely jealousy, but attribute them to qualities missing in his opponent, it was still the very same thing
Orin had done, previously. She reminded herself that it still wasn't okay, just because it was Zel who was doing it. Even if it was uncharacteristically cute.
"And why is that then, Zel?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"He wouldn't be able to protect her sufficiently. Or to be there for her." He said, and apparently hadn't connected the whole thing to anything personally relating to himself.
"Aha." Lina said, not even trying to sound convinced. "And although I might agree with you, Zel, why do you think you feel this?"
"What do you mean?" he sounded confused.
Lina wondered how to break it to him easiest.
"You once wanted to test his skills. Did you want to fight him?" she asked.
"Yes, of course. It's the easiest way to test-" the chimera was cut short.
"And you didn't once think that Gourry could spar with him and tell you what he thought?" Lina asked. "Gourry, who would've been able to get in a friendly spar with him, with no grudges.."
"No. Because I couldn't be sure that-"
"But Gourry is a far better swordsman than you, Zel." She continued. "He would've been able to make an even more accurate assessment."
"But it's not Gourry who wanted to test him, it's me." Zel insisted.
"So, you wanted to fight him, not so much to test him, but to get something out of your system?" Lina persisted.
"No! It's simply a matter of-"
"You never once felt like you really wanted to hurt him, Zel?"
"..." the chimera had a wide eyed and surprised expression on his face. "No, of course not." It didn't sound convincing at all.
"And what would you have felt like if he had been qualified?" she threw in her trump-card.
"I..." The chimera went silent, with a slightly blank look on his face. He quickly regained himself. "He isn't."
"But if he were, Zel. It's so easy to glass it all over with being about her safety when you know that he's not up for the job. But think of what you'd feel if he had been." Lina said, in an almost explaining voice.
"I... I'd feel... Oddly empty, I guess.." Zel mused. "I think I'd feel like I somehow lost... something. Something important." His shoulders slouched and he looked slightly lost.
"Your place by Amelia's side, perhaps?" Lina offered, stepping carefully. If she pushed the chimera too far, he'd reject the idea all together.
"As a friend, you mean." It wasn't a question. It was a demand. He was clearly not fond of the idea. Well, since he'd seen through her attempt of covertness, she figured she might as well try to push him a little.
"Or something else.." Lina suggested. "I know you care about her. She's smart, pretty, witty, funny, a good person and a princess to boot. Heck, I'd think it'd be a little odd if you weren't the least bit in love with her." There. She'd said it. Only, not in a accusing way. Hopefully he'd be able to accept it. He walked around on the spot, looking frustrated as he ran a hand through his wirey hair.
"You know I'm not." He claimed, and turned to face the redhead. "And even if I were, nothing would come of it, especially not now, so if I'm so smart that you give me credit for, I'd kill off the emotions even if they should appear."
Dark lords, I hope you're not that smart, Zel. Lina thought, but didn't say it.
"But wouldn't it still be reasonable to think that you're a little relieved by the fact that Orin isn't good enough?" Lina insisted. She needed at least for him to admit it. Otherwise he'd be as bad as the Zephilian prince.
Zel looked at her, with narrowed eyes, and a glare.
"It still doesn't change the facts." He insisted. "He doesn't deserve her. Neither do I. But dammit, yes, I am slightly envious, alright?! Satisfied!?"
Lina was actually proud of him right there and then. He'd never come this far with any of his emotions before, and she was more than just a little relieved that he was breaking up. Hopefully he'd realise that he actually loved Amelia, and hopefully she'd be able to arrange for him to take Orin's place. But she was well aware of the fact that she was working on a very tight schedule. And even thought the chimera had done marvellously process so far, it might not be enough.
She didn't have the time to think that thought to the end before the sound of Gourry's sword deflecting something caught their ears. Zel was gone in an instant, using his chimeric speed to bring him to the princess in an instant. Thankfully Gourry had it covered, and the thrown dagger lay on the ground, soaked in something. Gourry indicated the direction from where the dagger had been thrown, and Zelgadis ran after the culprit, while Gourry covered the girls. A demonspeed-run and a shadowsnap later they'd caught him, but despite the group's menacing attitude (especially Zel), he refused to say anything. He was clearly human, though, and skilled with knives. Most probably he was hired by somebody, but he refused to reveal who. They had to hand him over to the Sailrune authorities, but all doubted they'd get much out of him.
The rest of the afternoon was spent in the library, which had sort of become their hangout. Amelia proudly picked out some books that she'd figured the chimera might be interested in. As he started on one of them he was pleasantly surprised that she was right. Even if they didn't contain his cure, they were exciting and educating reading. Some of them might even provide him with some clues.
Orin came and went. Apparently he had some duties to attend to himself, but he wanted to check up on them in-between these. The last time he popped in on them Amelia had to hold Lina down, lest she'd be one groom short at the wedding.
Dinner was uneventful, but thankfully something had come up so Orin wasn't present. Phil was talking about the upcoming wedding, and who was invited and why they were. Lina noticed that he more than once tried to slide in the remark that Amelia was always free to change her mind, and that this alliance wasn't a matter of life and death, merely convenience. Lina reminded herself that she had to thank the old bear at some point for that, but apparently nobody took him up on it at the table. At least, nobody talked any further about it. Well, at least they all knew, now. Even if it seemed like a certain stone hadn't gotten a word of it.
After the dinner they all went back to the library. Since he was back on guard-duty, Zel didn't feel like continuing his reading. Even though Amelia protested that he'd be more than able to protect her and look through the books, he didn't want to risk it. It would be too much like the ugly mental picture Xellos had painted of him if he let her die while reading for clues to his cure. And fate so loved toying with him.
Amelia then suggested that she could read aloud to him, but that too proved to be a no-go. Too much concentration went into visualising the words, and make sense of it. Plus, her voice somehow seemed to pull his mind away from the content.
"Maybe if you both sat in that sofa over there, and Amelia sat on your lap?" Lina suggested, with a snide tone. "It might not be comfortable but it would be-"
"-ineffective." The chimera concluded. No way he was falling into that trap. Not only would it endanger Amelia's life, but it would also her pride.
"Just throwing ideas around." The sorceress stated defensively.
"Throw them in another direction then." Zel almost hissed.
Amelia was standing between the two, and although she looked a little uncomfortable and flushed, she looked like she was really thinking about it.
"I think we should try it." She stated, almost shyly. For that remark she got a look from Zel, somewhere between puzzled and blaming. She looked up at him, cheeks flushed but her look strong. "Well, it's either that or you can't read at all. Besides it'll be a good exercise in getting rid of your fear of physical contact."
With two so strong wills, now on either side of him, he agreed to at least try it, initially with the idea of dismissing it as fast as possible.
He sat down on the couch, with a blank expression. This was going to be silly. Or embarrassing. Or both. And he had no doubt in his mind that Lina would quite enjoy the show.
Without much fuss about it, Amelia plopped down to sit on his lap. This of course would have been easier if she was wearing her travelling outfit, but she somehow managed to make sure her dress didn't slide up or get ruffled. Zelgadis flinched at the contact, and almost wanted to dart away from there. Too much, too personal, too of-limits on top of that.
"See? It's not so bad." Amelia said, and opened the book, holding it so Zel might be able to read over her shoulder. However, she had to twist herself pretty much for him to see anything.
"The way I see it, Amelia's bein' Zel's shield now." Gourry said, sceptically, as he walked to his wife's side. She glared at him, and dragged him away to the other end of the library, leaving the chimera and the princess to figure out how to sit on their own.
"Maybe, but it's damn sweet, and if we're a little on guard, no harm'll come from it. Besides, you know Zel has good reflexes." She hissed.
Gourry nodded. He knew. He probably knew better than the rest of the group. He'd sparred with Zel.
"Oh, I think he'll be able to save her from an attack, but that's 'cause he's Zel. The way they sit still sucks. If I was an assassin, I'd hit her now. It looks like she's inviting for a strike." Gourry said.
"We'll take care of that, Jellyfishbrains!" Lina hissed.
"Nope, Zel will." Gourry corrected.
Phil walked into the library, to check on the young people. He looked at his daughter, sitting on the chimera's lap, obviously holding a book out for him to read, and then looked at Lina.
"Uhm, Lina-san. Not to be opposing to your strategies, but isn't that a bit... ineffective?" he said in a hushed and concerned voice.
Amelia apparently spotted them and waved. They all waved back. Then she returned her attention to the book and her current chimeric cushion.
"But that's the whole point, Phil. It looks inefficient, but it isn't!" Lina said, and almost believed it herself too.
Gourry however, being a man of action rather than words, thought he might demonstrate his friend's capabilities. He grabbed a letter-opener left on a table, weighted it in his hand a little before hurling it with frightening precision at Amelia's face. Phil and Lina hardly managed to realise what was happening before it was deflected by Zel's arm, which had made its way up in front of her with blinding speed.
Amelia only heard the sound of metal against stone, and as she looked up, she saw her father and Lina-san stand pale as ghosts and look at her. She looked back at Zelgadis, who in turn looked pretty annoyed.
"What was that for?" he asked out, and Gourry simply pointed to the crown prince and his wife. Nobody made any further comments on the position being ineffective after that.
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The book had been interesting reading, for sure, but he couldn't really concentrate on it. The close physical contact in itself was distracting, and the fact that it was Amelia somehow made it distracting in a not entirely unpleasant but far more unconstructive way. The way the bottom of her thighs rubbed against the top of his as she shifted around. Still, the tranquillity of sitting there the two of them was somewhat nice, and he did get some reading done too.
Of course the book hadn't contained anything really valuable, like a clue, so when they went from the library to the bathroom, it didn't really bother him that he couldn't remember its content. When they went in and closed the door, Zel realised that they'd forgot the blindfold.
Don't overthink things. Maybe she'll improvise one. He figured, and didn't want to bring it up in conversation.
She silently pointed to the chair, and he sat down. As he did so, he leaned back and crossed his arms, waiting for her to blindfold him. He was slightly panicked when she instead started to work on the bodice of her dress, loosening it.
"Uhm.. Amelia?"
"You were right, Zelgadis-sa.. Zelgadis." She said, not looking at him, but definitely determined. She was still loosening her dress, and her cheeks had taken on a slightly rosy colour. "There shouldn't be a difference between my life and my dignity, and if I trust you with the one, I should also trust you with the other." She simply said.
He took that as a "I trust you'll keep your eyes shut"-statement, and quickly did so. He also quickly found out that that was far more difficult than he gave it credit for.
She made her way out of her dress and undergarments, and went into the water with a slight splash.
She sighed contently. Then she tried to make a conversation.
"I have to thank you for your help today, Zelgadis. With the paperwork." She said.
"No problem." He offered. It really hadn't been.
"And don't get the wrong impression of me. I can do this myself." She felt like it needed saying. "I just like getting your help.."
"I'm sure you could, Amelia. You must have, else how would you have managed before you met me." He said. "Or how would you.." he trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence. He didn't really want to talk about how she'd manage without him. The thought was somehow instantly depressing.
Amelia let out a nervous laugh.
"I don't know how I'll manage without you, Zelgadis. But really it has little to do with the paperwork." It was a little more affectionate than her usual little outbursts, but could still be taken only as a friendly gesture. She hoped he'd do that. After all, that was how she'd meant it, right? She really wished her mind could make itself up on the matter. Was she or wasn't she over him?
"You've done so before." He said, not wanting to pursue the subject any further. "Besides, you wouldn't want me to stick around for much longer, I recon."
She turned to look at him, leaning her arms against the edge of the pool.
"What makes you say that, Zelgadis?" she asked softly.
He could vividly imagine her look, but apart from that did his best not to imagine anything further.
"I imagine that if I stay much longer, your groom might think less of you or call the whole thing off." He said. He hadn't meant to sound so self-assured or to antagonize Orin, but he'd somehow managed to regardless.
She huffed at small grin.
"I wish he would." She said, almost a little too bashful.
"Surely you don't mean that." Zel said, perhaps leaving a little too much space in his tone for her to confirm that she did in fact mean that.
"Perhaps not..." she sighed, almost with resignation. "But you wouldn't understand. It's not you that's getting married."
He wished he could open his eyes to look at her when she said that. The tone of her voice left little doubt that it was somehow blaming, but it might just be envy that the chimera had no responsibilities to anybody, least of all a kingdom. He almost opened his eyes to search for further cues on that in her face, but kept telling himself what else would wait for his eyes to inspect should he do so.
"You're right. With my luck I probably never will." He said, and instantly wished he hadn't. Of course she'd take that one up.
"Why not, Zelgadis? I mean, maybe, someday, the right girl may come along." She said softly, and he could hear that she was holding back something, possibly teasing.
"Ah, well, the matter of the girl will only become relevant if I ever find my cure." He stated, and wished it would end there. However, on hearing her small, sarcastic giggle he gathered that there was no such luck.
"That didn't seem to stop you with Miwan." And she almost burst out laughing.
Oh yes, she had to bring that one up, didn't she?
"Amelia, as you're more than well aware, nothing came of that, and with good reason! But it wouldn't have anyways." He said, half hoping she'd buy it. Again, Lady Luck seemed to be either wilfully ignoring him, or out on another job tonight.
"But you two seemed sooooo lovey-dovey together!" she teased, her voice a little much on the mockery.
He'd better stop her before he went and said something equally mocking to her. Only when he did that it usually hurt her. So better to avoid the situation altogether.
"I don't recall you taking it so lightly back then." He said, and wondered if it was also an admittance of his knowledge of her fascination of him at the time. Oh well, now it was said.
However, she seemed to pick it up quite well and collected.
"You're right. I didn't." She simply said. "I couldn't. I had the hugest puppy love crush on you back then. I was out of my mind with jealousy." she said it as if it was nothing, but truth was that it was the very first time he'd actually heard her put it into so honest words. That she shared love with people, well she was a champion of light and justice, and thus was bound to love everybody. He could pass such remarks off as that. But this.. was different.
She sensed his silence, and it sounded like she shifted in the water, looking at him.
"You knew that, right?" she asked, no detectable nervousness in her tone. It confirmed to him once again that this ship had sailed. If it was ever there in the first place. And he instantly hated himself for feeling slightly sad at the thought.
"Yes, I did." He admitted. He suspected she also knew this, but just like with her admittance, this was the first time he put it in such direct, unambiguous words.
The silence grew heavy. Amelia apparently turned in the water.
"Just out of curiosity..." she started, and he knew it wasn't boding well. "What was it you liked about her?"
Oh yes. Now he was certain that Lady Luck was ignoring him.
He thought about it. If he was going to answer at all, he might as well be honest about it. And honest of course meant first figuring out what it might have been at all. He hadn't looked much at the incident in retrospective. Actually, he'd actively avoided to. It made him feel somewhat humiliated, ashamed and a little disappointed with himself. It was one of his personal failures, and of course he hadn't spent much time thinking it over. But now that he did, he had to grant Amelia that it was extremely insightful.
After a while of thinking, he reached a conclusion he was comfortable with revealing, to her at least.
"I guess what I really liked about her was that she needed me." He said. "My first encounter with her I save her life, what more could a guy ask for?" He said it in an almost ironic tone.
"So, you want to be able to help people." Amelia concluded. "I can relate to that. I also want to help people, be strong for them."
"No, no, no.." Zelgadis unconsciously shook his head as he corrected her. "I don't think I'd like to help all people. In fact, I don't even like people. I just want to be able to be there for one person that genuinely needs me, one I really care for. I'm not like you strong and helpful to everybody. That, I guess, only proves that you'll become a great ruler."
He hoped his flattery would derail the conversation. It was getting much too deep and too personal for his liking, and he started to shift around uncomfortably in the chair.
"So you want to be needed?" She asked, almost as if something was dawning on her.
Lady Luck was not only shining in her absence, but had apparently bribed Bad Luck or his brother No Luck to pay him a visit.
"Isn't it what everybody wants?" he asked, hoping it would get him of this very uncomfortable hook.
"I guess it is..." she started. ".. Or some people at least. But it just struck me as being so typically human, and..." she didn't go any further, but he figured what she was about to say.
"You can say it, Amelia. I'm not human. I sort of figured that out myself by now." He said in a sardonic voice.
She smashed a wet fist against the edge of the pool. The resounding noise was little more than a wet thud.
"No, you are!" she insisted, her voice growing slightly angry. "You're just a human in stone-skin. You've proved that a thousand times. Especially when you got hit by Gaav." She didn't make much fuss out of mentioning the detail that he got critically hit because he'd jumped in to save her, but it sounded like she wanted to.
"Ah, well, I guess that hit at least made it painfully obvious that I'm not stone all through." He said, huffing a slightly sarcastic chuckle, and winced a little at the memory. It had hurt. Tremendously. But if he hadn't jumped in front of Amelia, she'd have been split in two, beyond even the best healers to save. He couldn't have allowed that.
"No, you proved that you were human because you went and risked your life to save somebody else." She said, calmly, and got out of the water. "That's more human than most."
His eyes suddenly seemed like they had a will of their own, and were now battling him. He could feel his entire body betraying his will, wanting desperately to open the eyes and look at her. He heard her footsteps, as she apparently walked closer. He'd heard no towel, so he gathered that she was standing right in front of him, stark naked.
"I never really thanked you for that, did I, Zelgadis?" she asked, her tone oddly wondering and somewhat seductive. "For saving my life like that. For all the times you've saved my life."
He could feel himself split between two distinct thoughts. One was that he could think of one or two ways she could repay him. The other was that he had to tell her to get some clothes on, now. Also, he wondered when he became such a pervert. It wasn't like him at all to go and think such things.
"You really don't have to, either, Amelia." He said instead, managing to follow neither of his impulses.
He could feel the warmth of her, and figured she had to be standing pretty close, all damp, if not downright wet, from the bath. He really tried not to think of what her wet, warm, soft skin might feel like, he really did. But it was futile.
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When the chimera and the princess had left the library, Lina and Gourry still sat there, talking. Well, Lina did the talking, and Gourry mainly listened. After a while a well-known sizzle was heard, and Lina felt the presence of the trickster-priest.
"I knew you'd show up." She said.
"What do you mean, Lina-chan. I've been here countless times these last days." He said, in a sweet tone, like she ought to know it, but of course she didn't have a chance to.
"I bet you have." Lina remarked, refusing to get thrown off-track. "I bet this whole situation is so potent you couldn't help yourself from shaking it a little. But I also bet that you came to see us, here, now, for a reason." She unconsciously grabbed Gourrys hand underneath the table. Not that she actually feared that the trickster might kidnap her husband, but that WOULD be the only thing she could think of, that'd make her go and endanger her child's and her own life for some Mazoku scheme.
"Ah, well, yes." Xellos looked around the library. She was asking him to get right to the point, and he'd apparently hoped for some more fun before dropping it on her. "Filia might show up one of these days." He stated, nonchalantly. "She might try to warn the princess not to call off the arrangement."
"And why might she be doing that?" Lina asked, one eyebrow raised. She'd initially thought that Filia would be against the marriage.
"Well, I guess because I basically told her that it would suit us mazoku fine if the little princess married the part-demon golem, who's in Rezo's glorious line, than this white prince." He chimed, eyes closed and one hand behind his head.
Lina saw red. Why the heck did he have to go and endanger a perfectly good plan like that?!
"And you told her this because...?" she demanded with gritted teeth. Gourry squeezed her hand in a failed attempt to get her to calm down.
"Well, because I happened to visit her, and she happened to bring up the subject, and I happen to like watching her get furious, so..."
Lina silently wished they weren't in the library so she'd at least have the chance to try to hit him with a fireball. This would set back things a little. No, a lot. If the dragoness came in and said that it was all a part of a greater mazoku plot for power, then Zel would leave for sure. And perhaps the wedding would be rushed forward. Why the heck did he tell the dragoness?!
Gourry looked at Xellos with a stern glare. It looked like he'd either grasped the situation, or at the very least understood the vibe coming off of Lina.
"When do you think she'll show up?" Lina implored.
"She could be coming today for all I know." The trickster said, like it was none of his business. Lina's eyes snapped open. Damn, had he told Filia right off the bat?!
"This is not good..." Lina drawled, slouching into a thinking position, one hand (the one that wasn't holding Gourry's) in her hair.
"I could go check on how far she is." Xellos offered. "I could perhaps also... delay her a little."
His slight smirk was what greeted Lina as her eyes snapped back to his face. Aha, so this was what it was all about. She'd long known that the trickster had a thing for the little golden dragon (although she wasn't sure what exactly), but he'd never had some openly acceptable excuse to claim some time alone with her. But he'd told Filia, and she was currently a threat to Lina's scheme.
If he'd laid a hand on her in any other situation, Lina would've been one of the first to seek him out and kick his ass. But now he'd cornered the Dragon-Spooker in a situation where she actually had to give him an order to do just that. It would be her responsibility, more or less. Oh, he'd thought this one out well.
"Alright, when she takes off, delay her. But don't harm her, Xellos." She said, in her threatening voice. She didn't tell him not to lay a finger on the dragoness, because she knew that might be asking too much. He looked at her, and her stomach. She gathered what he was thinking. She wouldn't be able to come after him even if she wanted to. It annoyed her. But then again, Xellos might be a real bastard, but he was not really evil. And he certainly wouldn't hurt his favourite pastime.
"I wouldn't dream of it." He said, with a slightly malicious smile and bowed slightly. Before he could phase out, Lina added:
"And before you go.. Zel and Amelia are still down at the baths. I think they need a little startle. You do the honours?"
He nodded with a malicious smile, and phased out. Lina then wondered if she should have told him not to use any big spells to "startle" them.
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Amelia stood and looked at Zelgadis. He was obviously fighting to keep his calm. To be fair, it was a pretty unjust predicament she'd put him in. She was just somewhat surprised that he didn't openly ask her to knock it off, and go get herself dressed. She wondered if she'd have the guts to actually thank him in some unconventional way. When she'd said it, she'd hoped she had the guts to go and give him a kiss. At the very least on the cheek. This had seemed a whole lot easier in her head, and now reality was robbing her of her courage.
The fact that he'd been sitting there, on the short end of this, having to keep his eyes closed and all, had given her the confidence to ask a lot of questions and say a lot of stuff that had been annoying her.
But now, as she stood there, she no longer felt in power, or seductive. She felt stupid, and slightly cold. His breath still came out a little laboured, though.
As she turned to walk to her towel and bathrobe, a sound startled her. It apparently startled Zel, too, who jumped forward, grabbing her, pulling her away from the window and rolling to the side. In the chaos she didn't manage to pick up much other than the fact that a burst of flare bits crashed the window and hit anything in its way. She realised in horror that she'd stood there, on the exact spot, just milliseconds ago.
Then she had the time to assess her current situation. She was halfway pinned by the chimera, who was actively halfway shielding her with his body. However, the fact that his eyes were closed, almost painfully so, and that he was slightly shaking made her remember the fact that she was still naked. As she took in their position, she felt her heart speed up. She wondered why this more than the initial shock of being attacked was making her heart pound.
He tried to get up, something that would have been a tremendously lot easier if he'd been able to see. As he silently got off her, she instantly felt that she was missing his presence. It annoyed her. It only supported the growing suspicion she had that she was, in fact, still in love with him.
She was surprised that he'd had the self-control not to open his eyes, even during the attack. She silently admired this trait, and wondered if there was ever a thing that could melt his resolve. She then thought how nice it would be if she could.
He stood and went to the window. Looking out, he now dared to open his eyes.
"Put some clothes on, Amelia." He said in a cold voice. This was the reaction she'd initially expected from him, so it felt pretty odd to hear it now. She went and quickly dried herself off before putting on the bluish kimono bathrobe. She didn't fasten it as tight around her as she should, though, leaving just a hint of cleavage and leg to be seen. Surely nothing he hadn't seen before when she was wearing other outfits. It wasn't like she expected it to get his attention anyway.
When he turned to look at her, she couldn't see any visible sign of approval or disapproval. He gestured out the window.
"That.." he started. "..was no doubt a Mazoku." He said it with such disdain. "The stakes has just been upped. You are apparently now also wanted dead by the dark lords."
This of course did nothing to calm her down. But she'd suspected as much from the get-go. With all their previous business with Mazoku it was no surprise that one or two of them felt like interfering with her wedding. She sighed. She'd just have to steel her will and get through this, as fast and painless as possible. A treacherous stray thought remarked that it was an odd thing to say about the assumed "happiest day of her life".
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AN:
I just wanted to make sure that I get the right impression here. This story would, according to my plans, soon turn a little lime-ish, actively changing the rating to M. But I've only had one person answer to if that was okay, and it seems that there's a wish to keep it T-rated.
I personally fancy a good lemon, but I'll (perhaps) respect if people would rather avoid that.
So, I need your opinion now. ;)
Lime or not?
If there is a general consensus about lime, then updates will come faster, as I don't have to revise the storyflow. ;) However, if it offends you, I'll rewrite the chapter I have, and turn the story on a less lime-ish and perhaps more innocently sweet way.Øverst på formularen