Author's Notes: Hey, put that rotten fruit away! No need to start throwing things! I understand it has been a very long time, not to mention I LIED last chapter by saying that this installment would be action packed. Yeah...it's not. I'm terribly, terribly sorry. But I swear there will be a major fight next chapter! I just wanted to give our main characters the proper reunion that they rightfully deserve. Hopefully, I pinned it down with accuracy.
I'll also come clean and say that I'm not terribly good when it comes to writing any kind of action scene...I'm a drama kind of a girl. I prefer to explore the angst. So yes, maybe I'm stalling just a wee little bit and finding new scenes to throw into a chapter to avoid writing out the upcoming fight. All you other writers out there, you understand...right?
*crickets chirping*
Very funny. Anyway, onward with the story! And just a mild warning, there are a few bad, four letter words thrown in here. Somehow, I picture Lina and Martina being a bit...vulgar with the language, if not for the censor barrier put in place by production companies. So just a heads up.
Summary: After living in seclusion for nearly three years, the only thing that Zelgadis wants is to continue his life in such solitude. But the nightmares that have been plaguing him for months became too painful to ignore, and he finds himself traveling the familiar path to Seyruun once again...
Chapter Seven
'to us'
Please don't be afraid when the darkness fades away
The dawn will break the silence screaming in our hearts
Evanescence
- -
The day after he and Amelia had cleared the air of all their unresolved issues, Zelgadis was absolutely merciless with his training. He was naturally quite hard on himself when it came to his sword drills – direct, focused, and with no cut-off point in sight; that was his approach. It was the way that Luo had groomed him to be; never was Zelgadis in danger of letting his progress get to his head thanks to his instructor's strict code of ethics. But a wild fury had poisoned his mood that day and he pushed himself even harder, embraced the adrenaline that his untamed rage funneled through his veins. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew it was unhealthy, that this kind of anger-fueled drive was more of a plague than anything noble.
But with everything that Amelia had revealed to him, after seeing her so vulnerable and hearing her declare her fear over the coming danger on the horizon, he found it very difficult to leave the old and dusty training room. His sanity couldn't afford for him to stop – too many questions and theories cluttered his brain if he wasn't focused on the intensity of his drills; such as, how had Booley been revived as a Mazoku? Did it have anything to do with the rising evil that was targeting Amelia? And what about the cloaked stranger he had encountered on his way to Seyruun? Were they possibly all connected somehow? Maybe the stranger was Booley. But then why had he seemed so familiar?
The possibilities went on and on in his head, but quickly dispersed with the first flick of his sword, leaving only the anger behind. He hadn't meant to spend most of the day swinging his sword around in an effort to channel his teeming ire, and was rather shocked when he'd finally emerged and discovered that six hours had passed during that one session alone. It was like he was a beginner again, back under Luo's ruthless instruction and working his way up from the bottom of worthless sword-waving nobodies.
He took it easy the next day, spending only one hour in training and leaving it at that, partly because his muscles still ached and screamed at him, and even moreso because it was the day of Lina's party. He wasn't exactly looking forward to the festivity, but a friendship with Amelia had finally been established again and it was still a little too strained for him to directly disobey her request that he attend.
Still his mood was dark from the horror of her personal account, and without his sword to turn to, Zelgadis found himself in a place he knew he had no right to trespass upon but felt compelled to anyway.
Princess Alana's memorial stood tall and proud, its surface glossy beneath the late morning sunshine. It was a beautiful space situated within a grove of thriving trees, perfectly green and manicured with splashes of color from the flowers that bordered the circular area. A shiny metal plaque displayed her full name in fancily carved letters, with a touching saying written beneath.
Seyruun's star of hope.
May you shine down and smile upon us from the heavens above.
Zelgadis wasn't familiar with what Seyruun had been like while Princess Alana was there to rule alongside Philionel, but having her own gravesite built within such a lovely setting instead of being buried in the royal cemetery with other previous rulers was evidence enough of how the citizens idolized her. She must have been a glorious icon of hope and purity for her people to love and trust so completely.
However, Zelgadis wasn't there to pay homage to the late princess. He slowly strolled around the edge of the area with a hardened gaze, aquamarine irises taking in every inch of his surroundings, shoulders tensed and muscles coiled as tight as a spring. There were certain details that could easily be missed by any common observer: a few nicks in the railing that encircled the memorial; a couple of trees with blotches of blackened bark; a patch of dirt that no flowers seemed to be able to grow from. All were pieces of a sad and torturous tale occurring on a night long ago, yet still so fresh in the mind of its victim.
Zelgadis climbed the few small steps onto the platform of the memorial, Amelia's loaded words filling his head as he tried to follow her story again.
"It was lurking just behind me. I was alone, but I made the instant decision to fight him."
He turned around, envisioned the monster standing where she had declared him to be. It wasn't difficult; the vivid image seemed to float freely into his mind. He pictured a tall and thin man with slitted black eyes and disgustingly translucent pale skin that stretched tautly over a web of bulging veins. It was a sickly sight indeed, and one that he could do without. Zelgadis raised his hands in front of him as her words continued to drift through his thoughts.
"I whipped around and fired an Elmekia Lance, and he stumbled away from me in pain."
He didn't cast the spell, but followed the line of would-be fire to the thatch of trees that stood straight across from him. His fingers traced the deformed scorch marks that marred several areas of rich brown bark, marveling at how even after two years, the damage was still so visible. But as a sorcerer himself, Zelgadis knew that the land did not recover so easily from magical abuse, suffering far more than anything done by manpower alone. Nature couldn't heal easily from the forces that defied it; it was one of the more severe consequences of using magic.
"His sorcery, however, was a match for mine, but still I had faith that the gods were on my side and I would win in the name of justice."
He slowly made his way back to the foot of the steps, ran the rough pads of his fingertips along the several nicks that chipped and blemished the railing.
"I started to get tired, but I could tell I was wearing him down too. And then I saw it – the perfect moment to cast a Ra Tilt...I hit him dead on, in perfect execution."
The patch of flower-less dirt would explain that, and he noticed that the trees surrounding it also held scars of charred and dead bark. Judging from this observation, he figured she had fired off the spell from where he was positioned now; any closer would have put her in danger of the burst as well.
"I let my guard down...I thought I had gotten him. But he suddenly shimmered back onto this plane, right in front of me...he ran his sword straight through me."
The hand that had previously been dancing along the railing in tender and thoughtful strokes suddenly gripped it in ferocity as his other palm flew straight to his own abdomen. He growled, clutched the rail until his knuckles paled into a sickly white. Booley. Kill.
Somewhere in the back of his mind was an insistent reminder that the worse was yet to come, but already his dark and vengeful side was threatening to push him over the edge. He forced himself into gulping down several mouthfuls of fresh air to calm his roiling anger, realizing he would need the stability to process what Amelia said had happened next.
"I don't really remember what happened after that. I just remember waking up and feeling so disoriented. I had no idea where I was. It was dark, and I was so cold…"
With a sudden flare of focus and determination, he roughly shoved himself off of the railing and away from the steps, circling the area again in long and slow strides. Where Amelia was buried would be harder to find; unlike the other pieces of evidence, her grave had been dug without any use of magic, and the ground had therefore healed long ago. He closed his eyes and honed his senses like Luo had taught him, focused on the memory of her panicked words ringing in his ears.
"My body hurt so much, I couldn't move, I couldn't scream. It was so cramped, and I could barely breathe."
He felt her fear, her panic. His heart throbbed with pain for her. Come on, he pleaded. Give me more.
"I was sweating, I was crying, I didn't understand what was going on…I just didn't understand."
There. He could have imagined it; a tiny tap against his senses, a small thread of darkness that his mind eagerly sought to latch onto. But the more he focused on it, the easier it became for him to grasp. He stepped forward into the center of the clearing, eyes still closed so that he only had his instincts to guide him.
"I was trapped and alone. I was in so much pain..."
Keep going, his thoughts desperately wailed. Almost got it.
"He buried me alive, right next to my mother."
Gotcha. Zelgadis opened his eyes, the ground beneath his feet being the first thing he saw. He knelt down upon the blades of lush green grass, laid his palms flat against the earth. It was mind-blowing for him – to know that more than two years ago, the princess was in this exact spot, buried several feet underground. The wound in his heart pulsed with sorrow.
And then the shame settled in.
He had found her burial site with only a tiny thread of Booley's dark energy still present in the tranquil air of a sunny Seyruun day. If he had been there two and a half years ago, with an abundance of his evil aura to track in addition to Amelia's own pure and frightened spirit, perhaps he would have been the one to save her then instead of that haughty general.
Jealousy splashed in the pit of his stomach, and he flung himself onto his back to gaze at the fluffy white clouds that rolled across a perfect blue sky. He couldn't do anything about the past, but his mental reenactment of her life-changing encounter somehow made him feel closer to her, helped him to understand every emotion she must have felt on that fateful night. The shock, the righteous anger, the sheer terror, the threat of being suffocated...
His fingers curled around handfuls of innocent grass. No, he couldn't do anything about the past. It was the present that mattered, and he would be damn sure to protect her this time.
- -
"Zelgadis-san?"
Amelia knocked quietly on his door – a somewhat difficult feat to accomplish with the weight of a garment bag draped over one arm and a thermos of steaming hot coffee held in the opposite hand. She stood awkwardly with both items hampering the movement of her limbs, waiting for him to answer, and grew a little frustrated when she heard no footsteps approaching the door to let her in.
"Zelgadis-san?" she called again, rapped her knuckles against the door a couple more times. A frown tugged her lips downward and she reached for the handle with only a bit of struggle, and gently turned it and pushed open the door.
She poked her head in cautiously. "Hello?"
Silence.
Huh...I guess he's not here. She stepped into his room, immediately heading for his bed. A mental scolding was already taking possession of her thoughts. He better not be training again after that long session yesterday! Honestly, what could have driven that man to work so hard, I can't even imagine...
She clucked her tongue in disapproval as she set the thermos down on the small bedside table. She usually had one of her servants do this task, but after their talk the other night, she felt that she owed it to him to personally deliver these necessities. She only hoped he would approve of the suit...
I doubt he has anything suitable to wear to Lina-san's party anyway, she reminded herself with a determined nod as she laid the garment bag across his downy bedspread. Yes, I am completely justified in providing him with an acceptable outfit. That happens to be specially tailored for him. With a vest and tie to match my dress.
She cringed at that last thought. Ugh, I'm doing it again, aren't I? Get a hold of yourself, Amelia! It's not all rainbows and roses yet!
Perhaps she had gone a little overboard with the matching outfits, but it was too late to switch the colors of his suit. She, however, had a plethora of dresses to choose from, an entire arsenal of lace and silk, satin and chiffon. The little cream colored ensemble would have to go back on the rack for now; she was in the mood for something darker anyway. Perhaps a deep blue..
She sighed. This was no time to be fretting over such trivial matters. Right now she had a party to plan and decorations to assist with, and she had already received news that Lina and Gourry were spotted in town at a local dress shop. Yes, she had to hurry and move things along with the preparations; it would be quite embarrassing if the guest of honor were to arrive before everything was in its place.
And then maybe, after that, she would allow herself to worry over the threatening evil coming her way.
But not today.
With a renewed sense of purpose blooming in her heart, Amelia gave herself a firm nod and left.
- -
Curtains of emerald green silk swiveled around her legs as she twirled, pieces of the luscious fabric pinched daintily between her fingers on either side of her as she giggled dreamily in front of the mirror. She loved how the dress shimmered and swayed, how a strategically placed slit occasionally gave glimpses to her slender legs encased within, how beautifully the deep green color offset her delicate, milky white skin.
It was also very complementing for anyone with red hair.
Lina released an airy and girlish laugh as she spun around again, and Gourry could've sworn that he saw actual stars in her eyes. "This is the one, Gourry, I'm sure of it," she sighed and bit her bottom lip, basking in all her bliss.
Gourry wished he could say the same for himself. "Finally," the swordsman mumbled wearily and stood, casually rubbed his sore backside. "Man, I've been sitting here so long waiting for you, my butt fell asleep…"
"Oh Jellyfish, this is something you'll never understand." She gathered her long hair into one hand and held it high away from her neck to admire the beaded halter design of the gown. "It's hard to find a dress that can match the exotic beauty that I possess." A look of shock suddenly crossed her face and she gasped.
Suddenly alert and with all soreness forgotten, Gourry rushed to her side, his worry overcoming his previous discomfort. "What is it, Lina? Are you hurt? What's wrong?"
"It all makes sense to me, now." Tears started to form in her eyes. "This...it what it means to be cursed with true beauty!"
He groaned. "Oh, brother. Will you knock it off, already?"
Rolling his eyes, he went back to his seat, mentally berating himself for falling for yet another one of her silly charades. Gourry knew he wasn't the sharpest tool in the chandelier, but after traveling with the little spitfire for six years, one would think he would've learned all of her tricks by now. It often angered him when he realized how easily it still was for her to dupe him so effortlessly.
But then she giggled and sent him a wide, dazzling smile over her shoulder with nothing but sincerity in her eyes, and his anger suddenly melted into mush. Despite his best interests to sit there and sulk, he couldn't stop an affectionate smile of his own from creeping into his expression. That, he reminded himself. That's why she's got me.
She might have been a manipulative troublemaker, but beneath that was something beautiful and precious, the core of her being that shone through her eyes in these soul-baring glances she sometimes graced him with. And so he would always fall for her tricks, because she was his to protect. She was his purpose in life.
He must have been staring for a little too long, because her cheeks grew slightly pink and she dropped her gaze to the floor in a sudden bout of uncharacteristic shyness. "Do you like it?" she asked him innocently, and his smile grew wider. If only the crooked side of the world's population could see Lina Inverse, the Dragoon Spooker, looking so feminine and bashful. No thug or bandit would fear her.
"You look beautiful," he answered honestly, and she ducked her head and giggled.
It was a sweet moment between them, but of course, those never lasted for too long.
"...But is it supposed to be that baggy in the front?" He squinted and pointed at her chest.
Her body went rigid. Face reddening, she quickly turned and stomped over to him, connecting a fist to his jaw in one quick motion.
"Ow!" he howled, his head thrown back in white-hot pain. "What'd you do that for!?"
"For being a jerk!"
"You're the jerk!"
Indeed, the moment was gone. Oh well, he thought to himself as he rubbed his sore jaw. Hopefully he would be able to see that side of her again later on in the night, within the privacy of his guest chambers...
She turned away from him and hiked up her skirt. "I'm going to go change," she growled and started for the dressing room. "When I come out, this dress better be bought and paid for!" It was a useless threat, she knew. He had offered to buy it for her anyway as her birthday gift. But still, she had felt the need to say something menacing.
Lina slammed the curtain shut behind her, tuned out the incredulous sputtering of her companion and smugly tossed her hair behind her shoulder. Yes, that would teach him.
Her clothes were where she had left them, folded neatly to her right on the bench that wrapped around the perimeter of the room. She had picked the furthest corner for its lack of light; other women were situated in the room, laughing jovially with each other as they tried on various dresses for inspection and approval. Lina wasn't exactly shy, but she took pride in her ladylike modesty. Her goodies weren't there for everyone to see.
Still fuming over Gourry's comment, she stalked over to her claimed corner and jerkingly untied the knot behind her neck, just as one of the women raised her voice in the midst of the story she was telling.
"It happened over at Harry's; you know, that little hole in the wall right on the edge of the city, in the travelers district? The guy was just sitting there, drinking his coffee and minding his own business, when that woman came over and gave him a big fat smooch. Right on the lips!"
"No way," another one gasped, and Lina rolled her eyes. What simpering morons. Didn't they have anything better to gab about? The gown rippled down her slender body into a delicate pile at her feet, and she reached for her tunic.
"What did he do? Come on, come on…tell us!"
Yes, tell us, she mockingly mouthed to the wall in front of her.
"Poor thing, he seemed just as surprised as I was. It was like he didn't even know her at all! And then she just…got up and walked away. It was so very odd."
So very odd. Her snickering was conveniently silenced by the rough material of her tunic as she dragged it over her head. Yet she couldn't help the furrowing of her own brow as she slipped her arms through the sleeves. Random makeout sessions were a little out of place in the justice serving, moral preaching, holier-than-though, pinnacle of white magic kingdom that was Seyruun. Had citizens here gotten a little kinkier since her last visit? Maybe she could actually stand to stick around a little longer if that were the case.
"What did she look like? Anyone we know?"
"Well...to tell the truth, it happened to fast that I didn't even get a really good look. Tall, long black hair..."
Huh?
"And an awful laugh..."
Oi! In the midst of putting on her leggings, Lina lost her balance and tripped, crashing to the very hard floor below her. The gaggle of women looked over at her in surprise, and despite her derogatory thoughts of them earlier, they immediately rushed over with hands outstretched in offered help.
"Oh dear, are you alright?"
"That looked like one nasty fall..."
"Can you stand?"
"Shall I fetch that handsome swordsman for you?"
Ahh! Feeling more than a little claustrophobic, she scrambled to her feet, her cheeks reddening with embarrassment as she laughed sheepishly. "Oh, I'm okay! I'm okay!" She glanced nervously between their worried faces, bit her own lip in apprehension. "Um...thank you for your concern. I'll just be going now..."
She hastily gathered her dress and clutched it to her chest, backing away from the group as the women looked uncertainly at each other and then at her. But she had already reached the curtain and was quick to slide it open and slip through, desperately pulling the cloth barrier shut between them.
"Phew," she verbally exhaled, then rapped her knuckles against her own skull. I just made a complete IDIOT of myself for no reason. It wouldn't be her. It couldn't. Duh, Lina. Duh.
"Can we go now?"
Lina spun around, her swordsman standing there and tapping his foot impatiently. "I already paid," he plainly told her, and she was back to smiling again. "So, can we go now? We can't be late for your own party."
She bounced toward him. "Yes. Please."
- -
Once again the ballroom was thrown into a collage of colorful decorations, adorned in silk tapestries and shimmery streamers. A dazzling spread of silver and gold balloons littered the high ceiling, with the occasional red thrown in for a touch of drama. There was an abundance of round tables scattered beyond the dance floor, dressed in finely crafted scarlet tablecloths with delicate gold embroidering weaving intricate designs, and perched on top of every table was a fresh bouquet of white roses, artfully arranged within a sparkling crystal vase.
More importantly, the buffet table was set up on the left side of the room near the grand staircase, and Amelia had requested for another extension to be added on to hold more food for her companions' bottomless stomachs. She also had several waiters standing by to keep an eye on the diverse spread of delicious food, only to keep it stocked at all times. She felt a little guilty, knowing how much running back-and-forth they would have to endure, so she had already set aside a bonus to give them in addition to their usual earnings. She liked to treat her people well; if they were happy, she was happy.
Unless, of course, she was forced into dull conversations with aggravating nobles that seemed to only talk about themselves. Nothing about that made her happy at all.
"Amelia!"
The princess eagerly looked away from the duke – earl – baron? Well, some man who was talking to her, and she felt an immense wave of relief when she spotted Martina and Sylphiel motioning for her to join them. Her excitement was nearly palpable at the sight of her two old companions, and she grinned back at them before turning her attention to the nobleman once more.
She tried to look regretful as she graced him with a polite curtsy. "It was lovely chatting with you, but it seems that the Queen of Zoana wishes to speak with me." When it doubt, throwing out royal titles usually provided the escape desired. She took her leave without waiting for his reply, tuning out the annoyed mumbles that escaped his mouth at her abrupt departure.
She was smiling genuinely again by the time she reached the pair of opposite personalities. "Good evening, Martina-san, Sylphiel-san!" She warmly embraced them both. "I'm so glad you could make it."
"Oh yes, wouldn't want to miss Lina's birthday," Martina dryly commented with a roll of her eyes. Always stunned by her bluntness, Amelia didn't have time to reply before the queen nodded curtly to the nobleman that Amelia had parted with. "And who is that goof?"
"Him? Well, you see...he's a...my father knows him from..." She trailed off and bit her lip in embarrassment.
"Yeah, yeah..." Martina smirked and gently swatted Amelia's shoulder. "I've been there before."
"I suppose I wasn't really listening," she admitted with a sheepish smile.
"Who could blame you? Maybe someone should tell him to take that giant pole out of his--"
"Martina-san!" Sylphiel interrupted, her shock at the queen's choice of words very apparent in her stressed tone. "You really shouldn't say such things, considering our setting."
Martina scoffed. "Oh, please! This is Lina's birthday party, not some gala dedicated to her Highness, here. Although one might think that were the case, judging by your selection of guests. Really, Amelia, who are some of these people?"
Focusing on maintaining a pleasant facial expression, Amelia answered with her usual politeness. "Oh, it's just one of Daddy's rules. For every social gathering held here, we must invite possible suitors as well." She shrugged helplessly, but kept smiling. "Even for Lina-san's birthday."
"Hey, I was married at your age."
"To the man of your dreams," Sylphiel quietly reminded her. Martina shut up at that.
After a few moments of shifting and awkward silence, the cleric decided on a change of subject. "Oh, I meant to congratulate you on your accomplishment the other day, Amelia-san. The man you healed who had been bit by one of those dreadful spiders."
"Please, it really wasn't that big of a deal..."
"Of course it was! I almost couldn't believe it. You did something that...well, in my book, is impossible. You really are someone special, Amelia-san." Inside, she struggled with the urge to tell the princess what the consequence of her actions had been, how Seyruun's protective barrier had been drastically weakened and Sylphiel had to spend several hours working with an unknown and very frightening woman to rebuild it. But the strange woman's warning still haunted her thoughts.
"Telling her will just make her feel guilty and bring up bad memories for her. You better not put her through that kind of stress, Sylphiel. You better not."
Sylphiel had a feeling that she wasn't one to be disobeyed.
"Well, thank you...I had some help, though." Amelia smiled shyly as a light blush dusted her cheeks. She still hadn't seen Zelgadis since the other night; she had been so busy with the party preparations and getting her own self ready that she hadn't even found the time to greet Lina and Gourry when they'd arrived. She hoped he would at least make an appearance; not everything between Zelgadis and herself had been resolved, but at least they were in the process of working it out. Now they only had to improve upon that.
And maybe fight a dark lord in the process.
Unfortunately, Martina noticed her blushing smile before it slipped away into troubled thoughts, and Amelia was ripped away from such musings altogether when she found the queen's finger just inches away from her nose.
"Aha!" Martina continued to point at her in accusing manner. "He's here, isn't he?"
Amelia blinked a few times before struggling to reply. "Um, I don't understand who you mean..."
"Oh no, don't play coy with me. There's only one man in this world who's gotten you to smile like that, and we all know damn well who that is."
Sylphiel squeaked at her crude use of language – how a queen got by with such horrid verbal manners was beyond her – but she wisely chose not to comment on it when Martina shot her a scathing glare. Instead, she directed the group's attention to the entrance, where a certain power-couple had just made their appearance.
"You should probably greet the birthday girl first, no?" She discretely winked at Amelia, and Amelia smiled thankfully back at her, evidently relieved to not have to continue the conversation further.
A new excitement burst through Amelia's veins, and gathering two fistfuls of her gown, she hiked her skirt up and practically ran over to where her best friend stood with her faithful bodyguard. "Lina-san!" It was a struggle to resist the natural habit of tackling the redhead in all her enthusiasm, but she managed to skid to a halt just in front of the pair with a wide grin stretched across her features.
"Hey, Amelia!" Lina opened her arms and Amelia fell into them in a friendly greeting as they hugged each other tightly. After a few seconds, Lina pulled away to hold her at arms length. "Look at you, all dressed up for me. I didn't know you cared so much..."
"Me? Look at you! Did you get that dress from Tessie's? Or maybe Bella's, she does a wonderful job, too..."
"Wrong and wrong. I found this little number at Clara's. Isn't it gorgeous?"
"Absolutely! I'll have to bring her in sometime, see if she can make something for me..."
Gourry cleared his throat beside them, a playfully stern look aimed down at the princess as she finally seemed to acknowledge his presence "Sure, just forget about the dumb swordsman...I get it, I'm no big deal..."
Amelia laughed and threw herself against the tall blonde's chest, wrapping her arms around his neck. He lifted her up with incredible ease and spun her around once in return. "Gourry-san, you know I'm ecstatic to see you too. Gosh, I'm just so happy everyone made it, really I am."
"Everyone?" Lina raised an eyebrow, head tilted to one side in quiet contemplation.
"That's right. Everyone," Amelia responded, that last word purposefully loaded with meaning. She knew she wouldn't have to say more than that for Lina to get it; unlike Martina, who wanted every detail explained to her in even more detail, Lina was different. Lina, always wiser and more perceptive than Amelia could ever hope to be, would understand.
"Good," the sorceress nodded. At least, I think so. "And how did you manage that?" How the hell did you get Zel to come to a birthday party, of all things?
"It wasn't my doing," Amelia replied truthfully. "He came to me." We'll have to talk about his reasons later...
"I see." Definitely something fishy there. "And how is that coming along?" Is he still being a jerk?
Amelia shrugged a shoulder. "It's okay," she told her with a gentle voice. It's not completely okay, but we're getting there. "Still needs work, but it's better than what it was. What it has been..." I'm still hurting...a lot. But what can I do? We had to put it behind us eventually.
Lina offered her a tentative smile. "I understand." But if he tries something like that again, I'll fucking kill him myself.
And just like that, the conversation was over. Only a few sentences had been spoken, yet an entire dialogue had been shared between them, and nothing went misunderstood.
It all had gone over Gourry's head, of course, but he didn't mind. When it seemed like their conversation had come to an end and an ensuing silence hung between them, he clapped his hands together loudly. "Well, I don't know about you girls, but I'm hungry! Lina, let's grab some food!"
Lina was in full compliance of this idea. "Now you're talking! Come on Amelia, take us to the grub."
"Certainly! Right this way..."
They spent the next hour eating and socializing, with Lina and Gourry catching up with old comrades while Amelia had to make her rounds as the host of the event. As much as she wanted to be the in the company of her friends for the entire night, she had her duties that she was just too responsible to abandon. Still, she couldn't help the occasional glance toward the entrance for a certain guest that had yet to arrive, and her heart grew a little heavier as time passed by in a whir of laughter, music, and dancing.
Maybe he's not coming, she thought glumly. Maybe he still hates these things as much as he used to.
She finally made her way back to the buffet table and met up with the couple, who had decided on going back for their fifth servings. "Are you having fun?" she grinned at Lina.
"Yeah, except that Martina doesn't know when to shut the hell up. Man, I just wanna strangle her sometimes."
Amelia giggled. "Come on, she isn't that bad."
"Not that bad!? Are you kidding?" Lina sputtered. "All she does is wave around that damn rock on her finger and talk down to me like I'm one of her freaking handmaidens. Well let me tell you something, I am this close from throwing a damn Fireball in that overly made-up face of hers--"
"Wow! Is that Zelgadis?" Gourry interrupted her, eyebrows raised in shock as he turned to Lina and hurriedly nudged her. "Look, Lina! It's Zelgadis!"
Huh? Her anger momentarily forgotten, Lina whipped around, fervently glancing around for the man in question. "Where, Gourry? I don't see him," she huffed in annoyance.
"Right there! At the entrance!"
"Wha..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes widened from the sight of the man that had just stepped through the grandiose double doors, his own gaze raking through the crowd of nobles that milled about the ballroom. She had quickly passed him over at first glance because, duh, he was human. He was certainly a sight for sore eyes, though – tall, dark and handsome, and clothed in a finely tailored black suit with cream colored accessories. But the fact still remained that he was human, so what in the 'verse was Gourry going on about?
Perhaps it was Amelia's quiet cough that got through to her, or maybe it was the realization that the man's hair, though soft and rich brown in colour, was still styled the same way it had been for the three years she'd known and journeyed with him, or possibly because his posture was so familiar in its strong and majestic stature; either way, reality came crashing down on Lina in waves of shock and understanding when his eyes met with hers, and she gasped.
"No shit!"
Mouth hanging open, she swung her gaze back to the princess. You forgot to tell me he was HUMAN, Amelia!
Amelia lifted her hands in helpless surrender, a chuckle threatening to break loose from her smiling lips. Sorry, I knew I was forgetting something...
Quickly regaining her composure, Lina flashed a dazzling grin at the ex-chimera as he approached them in confident strides, and launched herself at him in a fierce embrace. "Zel! It's good to see you! And human, no less!"
Zelgadis returned the hug, quietly laughing into the sorceress's her head, he stared into the sapphire depths of the woman that stood a few feet away from them, and he tipped his head toward her in a quiet hello. "That does seem to be a major topic of discussion around here."
He was roughly pushed away and then slapped half-heartedly across his arm. "Hey! This night is about me, so don't you dare go thinking otherwise!"
"Wouldn't dream of it."
"Good." Lina smiled again, fisting her hands on her slim hips. "We were really worried about you, you know. I haven't heard from you at all since Dark Star. I guess you were pretty occupied with your search, huh?"
Something about her question was unnatural, maybe said a little too offhandedly, as if she already knew where he had been and was fishing for him to slip up and give her a reason to strike him down. She was too perceptive for her own good. He visibly grimaced, not wanting to be put in this position yet again – not after what he had gone through with Amelia to get her back.
A gentle hand was laid upon his arm then, and he found himself staring into the princess's warm oceanic eyes, even moreso brought out by the royal blue gown she had dressed herself in for the night. Her hair was curled around her face in a series of ebony ringlets that brushed against her bare shoulders, and pearls hung from her ears and neck to match the sapphire encrusted pearl tiara that crowned her head.
For a moment, he was thrown off guard by how grown up she looked – and undeniably beautiful. Always quick to recover though, he cleared his throat and gave her his classic, nonchalant smirk. "Sorry I'm late. I'm not used to wearing these monkey suits..."
She was biting her lip in an obvious effort to contain her demure laughter. "Maybe it's time for a drink," she recommended to the group. She motioned to a waiter patrolling around the room, and he eagerly approached them with a platter carrying several wine glasses. Gourry and Zelgadis each grabbed a glass of red wine, while Amelia and Lina opted for white.
Lina cleared her throat before anyone took a sip.
"Well, inspired by Zel's appearance here at an event thrown in my honor, I'd like to make a toast!" she declared, her glass already raised. The others followed suit, glancing at each other in quiet uncertainty, unsure of what to expect. But Lina, forever the sarcastic joker, seemed to have been struck by a moment of sentimentality.
"To us, the original, fab four; of whom every journey and quest has stemmed from, the core of our team, and the heart of our travels."
Their glasses clinked, and they all drank.
Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers.