Omens are the gods' way of warning puny mortals that something is about to happen. At least, that was the saying.
So, when three black cats appeared all at once, rubbed up against Lina, then left, Lina and her friends probably should've caught a clue.
However, three of their number didn't really believe those old wives' tales, and the fourth was too dense to recognise the possible omen, so Lina, Zelgadiss, Amelia, and Gourry went along their merry way as usual. Which, in this case, was to an inn for a hot meal and a real bed, courtesy of the bandits' gold they'd "confiscated" earlier that day.
They ate (some more than others) and talked (about nothing in particular) and laughed (well, everyone but Zel) and went off to bed no more worried than usual.
So, of course, the next morning the unthinkable happened.
Lina woke up...and found herself sick. Nothing really life-threatening, but enough to be annoying. Particularly when she realised she had no voice. Aching and pretty much miserable, Lina cast a healing spell.
And nothing happened.
The string of curses Lina screamed mentally would've made an ogre blush (no mean feat, considering ogres' IQs, or lack thereof).
Lina's thrashing around was loud enough to wake her roommate. "What's wrong, Lina-san?" Amelia inquired sleepily.
Lina, being unable to speak, pointed at her throat then shook her head.
"You don't want to get up?" Amelia guessed.
Lina shook her head no.
"I shouldn't talk?"
Lina paused for a moment, then shook her head no again.
"You can't talk?"
Lina nodded.
"Should I cast a healing spell?"
Lina cocked her head to the side, then again nodded.
Amelia cast a healing spell, with the same non-results Lina's spell had had.
"That's strange," Amelia commented.
Lina, feeling poorly, thwacked Amelia for saying something so obvious in the hopes that it would cheer her. It did.
"Um...I'll go...tell Zelgadiss-san and Gourry-san that you're ill," Amelia said in a rush before getting the hell away from Lina.
Lina folded her arms and thought some very unkind things about the Princess of Sailloon.
Meanwhile, Amelia was seriously considering hiding somewhere until Lina was well again. She knocked on the door of the room Zel and Gourry were sharing.
"What is it?" Zel inquired tersely.
"I...it's me, Amelia. Something's happened to Lina-san and - "
The door suddenly swung open, and a very worried-looking Zel stood before her...shirtless.
At that point, Amelia's brain overloaded and she was unable to do much more than stare and mumble something that sounded akin to "wow."
"Amelia, what's wrong with Lina?" Zel demanded impatiently.
"....." was Amelia's witty reply.
"AMELIA!" Zel snapped, bringing Amelia back to herself.
"Gomen, gomen...Lina-san is ill, and a healing spell didn't help."
"How bad is it?"
"For Lina-san? Moderately. For us? Very."
Zel nodded. "All right. You wake Gourry, and I'll go see to Lina."
Amelia smiled, grateful she wouldn't have to be alone with the grumpy sorceress even for a few minutes. "Hai!"
Amelia walked into the boys' room and kneeled down next to where Gourry was sprawled on the floor, snoring.
"Wake up, Gourry-san!"
"...huh?"
"Wake up! Lina-san is ill. She can't even speak!"
Gourry sat up. "Lina can't talk?"
Amelia nodded solemnly.
"So she can't yell at me today?"
"Uh..."
"Wow, that's great news, Amelia!"
"....."
"Since Lina can't yell at me, I'm going to sleep in!"
"But..."
SNORE.
Amelia rose and decided it was just as well; given Lina's temper, Gourry would probably end up dead before lunch. Possibly even as lunch.
Zel knocked on Lina's door to warn her he was about to come in - surprising Lina could be potentially fatal - then opened the door.
He was greeted by a pillow, which hit him in the chest. "Good morning to you, too, Lina."
Lina looked surprised, then embarrassed. She moved her mouth as if to say "gomen," then remembered she couldn't speak, looked at Zel and offered a little apologetic shrug.
"You thought it would be Amelia?" Zel guessed, figuring that the pillow would've hit about where Amelia's head would've been.
Lina nodded, then gesticulated.
"She made you angry this morning?" Zel translated as best he could.
Lina nodded again, smiling, pleased that Zel knew what she meant.
Zel sat down next to Lina where she lay on her bed. He laid a hand gently on her forehead, checking for fever.
Zel didn't realise that his current shirtless condition was not helping Lina's temperature get any cooler. Lina couldn't tell him that, though, and wasn't so sure she would even if she could.
Zel frowned. Lina did have a fever, and she looked awfully flushed. Someone would have to watch after her for the day. It was pretty obvious who: Gourry couldn't, as he wouldn't know what to do to help Lina, and he'd annoy the hell out of her; Amelia couldn't, as she was already on Lina's bad side; that left Zel to play nursemaid. He sighed. The things he did for lo - er, friendship. Friendship. The things he did for friendship.
"Lina, I know you're probably not in the mood to be annoyed today, so I'll bar Amelia and Gourry from coming in."
Lina grinned at him and mouthed "arigatou." Then she looked thoughtful, and pointed at him then at herself.
"Yes, I'll be the one watching after you, if that's all right."
Lina nodded emphatically, pleased that the only one who seemed to understand her quasi-sign language would be the one looking after her. Not to mention the only one who wouldn't annoy her to the point that she'd commit murder.
"You'll want breakfast, I'm sure, but I don't think your normal diet would be a great idea. I'll bring you some oatmeal and herbal tea."
Lina frowned, but since he was probably right, she didn't try to protest.
"I'll be right back," he said as he closed the door behind him.
Lina found herself hoping that he wouldn't remember to put a shirt on.
Unfortunately for Lina, Zel ran into Amelia in the hall. "Amelia, you and Gourry are not to disturb Lina today. Where is Gourry, anyway?"
"....." Amelia stared at him, bug-eyed. Now that she was all the way awake, seeing Zel sans shirt...talk about mind-boggling!
"What - " Zel looked down, noticed he wore no shirt, blushed, then retreated to his room. Amelia sighed in disappointment, then headed off to get some breakfast to cheer herself up.
Zel saw Gourry snoring on the floor just as the swordsman had been when Zel had left. "Just as well," Zel muttered as he pulled on a shirt.
Lina got bored waiting. Very, very bored. Count-the-cracks-in-the-ceiling bored. She was on number forty-seven when Zel returned, carrying a crockpot full of oatmeal and a kettle full of tea.
Lina's eyes lit up, and Zel watched with fond amusement as she emptied the pot in a matter of moments.
Zel offered her a mug of tea, and she sipped it tentatively, not wishing to burn her tongue. It was the perfect temperature. MMmmmm, peppermint sweetened with honey!
"Peppermint tea is good for a sore throat," Zel commented.
Lina blinked, wondering if he'd suddenly become a mind-reader.
Zel noticed Lina had stopped sipping her tea, and was looking at him. "Is there something wrong with the tea?" he inquired.
Lina shook her head a bit too enthusiastically - she spilled half her mug of tea. Lina's teeth ground together as she repressed her agitation at being unable to yell out the profanities she was thinking.
Zel offered Lina an understanding smile and removed the tea-soaked covers. "I'll get some more blankets. Be back in a moment," he prefaced before exiting the room.
When Zel said he'd be back in a moment, he hadn't been kidding. Lina hadn't even had a chance to even consider getting bored before he returned.
"I brought several blankets. I didn't know how chilled you might get," he commented as he set the blankets down beside the bed. He grabbed the top one and covered Lina with it.
Unable to actually say thanks, Lina just grabbed his hand and squeezed it briefly, smiling at him.
Zel, of course, blushed, and said quietly, "You're welcome." It wasn't long before Lina got bored again. She couldn't talk, and Zel apparently wouldn't talk. He was sitting in a chair, staring off into the distance, seemingly miles away.
Well, he was here, and he could amuse her, damnit! She reached over into her bag and threw a piece of clothing at him.
Lina blushed seven shades of red when she saw just what article of clothing she'd thrown.
Zel started as something hit him. He looked down and saw what appeared to be one of Lina's undergarments lying neatly across his arm. He brushed it off as quickly as if it were some sort of venomous spider with miniature Hikari no Ken fangs. If Lina had blushed seven shades of red, Zel blushed seventeen hundred.
After several long moments, Zel finally brought himself to look at Lina. She looked completely chagrined, and shrugged, her palms out flat: mia culpa.
"You wanted to get my attention?" Zel guessed. Gods, she'd gotten his attention, all right.
Lina nodded, a self-depreciating smile on her lips.
"My apologies, Lina," he said, recovering. "You must be bored, and I was just staring at nothing." Better nothing than...no, he'd better stop that train of thought right there.
Lina made a gesture absently, dismissing Zel's need to apologise.
"Would you like me to talk to you?" he asked.
Lina nodded.
"As you wish." Zel moved the chair next to Lina's bed.
Lina grinned, then settled back against the pillows.
Zel frowned, wondering just what he should talk about. Finally he ventured, "Would you like to hear a story?" Fiction was a safe enough topic, he figured.
Lina nodded her assent.
He launched into the story of Beauty and the Beast, as it was the first one to come to mind. It wasn't like it was a significant choice or anything. No way. Not a chance.
About the time Beauty was requesting to leave the Beast, Zel noticed Lina had drifted off. Good, sleep should help speed her recovery. He simply watched her for a long while, trying to think of nothing at all, before he, too, nodded off.
Some time later, Lina opened her eyes and blinked sleepily. Where - oh, that's right, she was sick in bed. And Zel was watching her.
She looked over at the chimera who was playing nursemaid and saw that he'd fallen asleep, his head drooping, his arms crossed loosely. He looked awfully peaceful. Lina decided not to wake him.
However, Zel stirred just the same. Lina wondered again if he had some sort of weird link with her or something.
Zel frowned, realising he'd fallen asleep. How careless of him! He looked over at Lina, and saw she was awake. "Have you been awake long?" he asked, kicking himself again for drifting off.
Lina shook her head. She pointed to herself then gestured upwards with both hands.
"You just woke up?"
Lina nodded.
"How are you feeling?"
Lina considered this. She actually felt a little better. She did, however, know one thing she felt. She gestured at her stomach.
"Hungry?"
Lina winked at him: of course, wasn't she always hungry?
"It might take me a little while," Zel warned her from the doorjamb. "I doubt they'll have something prepared that would be appropriate for your condition."
Lina inclined her head.
Zel closed the door gently behind him. Doubt nothing, he knew there would be nothing already prepared that Lina should eat. He made a quick detour to his room to extricate his supply of herbs. He noticed Gourry was no longer there, and hoped that Amelia had warned the swordsman not to disturb Lina.
Amelia, however, had been quite preoccupied when Zel had told her that she and Gourry should leave Lina be. Therefore, Gourry had no idea he was all but committing suicide as he trotted to Lina's room after eating lunch.
Fortunately for the blond, Zel was heading toward the kitchen and spotted Gourry about to disturb Lina. "Gourry, wait."
Gourry turned and saw Zel walking up to him. "Hi, Zel. Why am I waiting?"
"You're not supposed to disturb Lina today. Didn't Amelia tell you?"
Gourry thought about that one for a minute. "Nope."
Zel sighed.
"Why aren't I supposed to disturb Lina?"
Zel took a deep breath before answering Jellyfish Brains. "Because she is ill." And therefore more likely to commit murder than usual.
"Oh, yeah. I remember now. She can't talk, so I got to sleep in."
Why did he even bother? "Something like that."
"Oh, okay." Gourry, having forgotten just what it was Zel had said before reminding him that Lina was sick, moved to open the door.
"Gourry!"
"What?"
Zel sighed. "Come with me," Zel instructed the swordsman, herding him in the direction of the dining hall.
Upon reaching the bar, Zel instructed Gourry to sit. "Eat something. Drink something. Whatever. Just stay here."
"Okay!" Gourry, needing no further encouragement, called to the bartender, "I'd like some food, please."
The bartender looked at the blond, then did a double-take. This was the crazy guy who'd earlier been eating enough to feed a horde of berzerkers! "Ack," was the bartender's initial response.
Seeing that Gourry would be occupied for some time, Zel headed off to the kitchen. There was one middle-aged man within, stirring a huge pot of vicious-looking soup. Zel ignored the man and starting searching for a clean crockpot.
The sound of clattering pans alerted the cook of the intruder's presence. "Just what do you think you're doing?" he demanded with his best 'intimidating' voice.
The intruder slowly turned around, and the cook was suddenly very sorry he'd opened his mouth. "I - I - er - " the cook stuttered.
"I require the use of your kitchen for a brief time," Zel informed the startled man coolly.
"Su-sure. Whatever you say, sir. I'll just...stir the stew."
"You do that," Zel muttered.
Lina hated being bored. She'd been bored out of her skull on and off since becoming ill. She'd also been basically confined to bed since becoming ill. Therefore, she decided, she ought to get out of bed. She really was feeling better, after all, her only real complaint being her continued inability to speak. She pulled on her leggings and padded out of her room.
She probably ought to let Zel know she was up and about. Besides, she was hungry, and Zel had been going to the kitchen. So...
Gourry wasn't surprised when he saw Lina pad into the dining hall. It was lunchtime, after all. "Hey, Lina!" he called.
O-kay, maybe this hadn't been such a good idea after all, Lina thought as she saw Gourry waving at her. Oh, well, nothing to be done now. May as well get something to eat.
Lina took a seat next to Gourry at the bar and waved weakly at him.
"Lina, why are you still in your nightshirt?"
Because she didn't feel like changing. However, she didn't think she could convey that message to Gourry, so she just shrugged.
Waitaminute, Gourry thought. Wasn't there something...oh, yeah! "Are you sick?"
Lina rolled her eyes, then nodded.
"Oh, yeah!" Gourry exclaimed suddenly, remembering. "You can't talk, huh?" He beamed at her, proud of his memory skills.
Lina nodded slowly, all the while wondering if Gourry had lizards nesting where his brain should've been.
"Do you think it'll stay that way for a while? 'Cause I really liked sleeping in, and it's a whole lot quieter now."
Enraged, Lina leapt up and grabbed a nearby chair, giving an apologetic look to the chair's former occupant before tossing the piece of furniture at Gourry.
CRASH!
Zel started. Lina's soup was ready, and he'd been gathering some utensils and such when he heard the crash.
"Liiiiinnnnaaaaa!"
And that would be the cause, Zel thought wearily. Zel half-walked, half-jogged out of the kitchen, and spotted Lina pummeling Gourry.
Lina was beyond furious. How dare Gourry imply things were better when she couldn't speak! She was introducing Gourry's face to the bar when vertigo overcame her.
Oh, bloody hell, she was going to fall.
"I've got you."
Or maybe not. Damn, but Zel had great timing.
Zel looked down at the pale girl in his arms. "What are you doing up?"
Lina shrugged sheepishly, then gestured with one hand toward the wall.
"Oh, you were tired of staring at the walls."
Lina nodded.
"Well, your lunch is ready, so you - " Zel stopped speaking abruptly when Lina shook her head and pointed at the door.
"All right," Zel sighed, "You can have lunch outside. Provided we find a place with no more annoyances." Zel glanced significantly at the swirly-eyed Gourry who was in an ungraceful heap on the floor.
That sounded great to Lina. She moved as if to stand, but fell back into Zel's arms, unable to manage it.
"You really overexerted yourself, didn't you?" Zel murmured fondly. "I don't suppose it can be helped now."
Hm, now, how was he supposed to carry Lina and Lina's lunch? Of course! He walked back to the kitchen, Lina all the while looking at him curiously. "Ray Wing!"
The crock pot and utensils Zel had gathered previously now hovered in the air next to his head. Yes, that would work nicely. He looked back down at Lina, who looked vaguely impressed.
Lina was half-way between being embarrassed and being amused by the strange looks they were getting. Well, she supposed it was a rather odd picture they presented: a chimera carrying a redhead still in her nightshirt, being followed by a floating pot of soup.
Zel winced as Amelia literally ran over to them, catching them just as they were about to leave.
"Hi, Zelgadiss-san! Hi, Lina-san! Are you feeling better? Where are you going?" Amelia fairly bounced; she'd been rather bored herself that afternoon and had eaten more sugar than was really healthy.
Zel glanced down at Lina, then said in a nonchalant tone, "We're eloping." Lina went slightly bug-eyed.
Amelia went VERY bug-eyed. "E - el - eloping?!" she stuttered.
Zel nodded solemnly. "Please inform Gourry when he's lucid again. Dewa mata." With that, Zel exited the inn and cast another Ray Wing. He, Lina (who was silently laughing at Amelia's reaction), and Lina's lunch zoomed off in the direction of the meadow Zel had noticed as they entered town.
"Eloping?" Amelia repeated, having great difficulty grasping the concept. Lina didn't love Gourry, she loved Zelgadiss? And Zelgadiss loved Lina?? Baka na!! "
Ano...Amelia, what happened to Lina?" Gourry spotted the young princess and joined her next to the door.
"She...Lina-san and Zelgadiss-san...eloped."
"Oh, okay," Gourry said cheerfully.
She stood stiffly, still shocked. She recovered enough to sigh exasperatedly when Gourry asked, "Amelia? What does 'elope' mean?"
Zel and Lina touched down in the middle of a lush meadow. It was one of those meadows that rarely existed outside of paintings, so picturesque it seemed. The grass was soft and sweet-smelling, a gentle blue-green in colour. The only 'weeds' in sight were fluffy-white dandelions. All in all, a lovely place to spend the afternoon.
Zel gently set the tiny sorceress down, then sat next to her. The crockpot and utensils came to rest on the other side of Lina.
Lina looked at him curiously: why did you say that to Amelia?
Zel shrugged, then motioned away from himself: Not sure, but she let us leave, didn't she?
Lina shrugged also: whatever. Then she smirked at him and tapped his forehead lightly: where'd you get that idea?
Zel blushed a little, then grabbed an invisible something out of the air: the idea came out of nowhere.
Lina shrugged again: if you say so. She looked around and sighed without sound: how beautiful!
Zel nodded: indeed. He, too, looked around him, but his attention turned back to Lina as something soft hit him on the cheek.
Lina grinned at him, still holding the stem of the dandelion whose seeds she'd blown at Zel.
Zel made an exasperated noise as he returned Lina's grin: what was that all about?
Lina gave him a Gaelic shrug: Dunno, just wanted to.
They looked at each other a few moments, both becoming wide-eyed as they realised they'd just had an entire conversation without saying a word.
Lina gestured at the both of them.
"Yes, that was a bit...unnerving," Zel agreed.
Lina cocked her head to the side, then tapped the side of her head.
"I suppose that could be it: 'great minds think alike,' as they say," Zel interpreted aloud, mostly because their uncanny nonverbal communication was getting to be a tad disturbing.
That shamanism stuff must've made Zel psychic or something, Lina decided. Although that didn't explain why she knew what he meant during their silent conversation....she was a little freaked out, actually. So, she did what any beautiful sorceress genius would've in her position: she attacked her lunch with abandon.
It was really good soup, Lina discovered. It had looked like boring chicken broth, but in fact it had a delicious blend of herbs seasoning it; she'd rarely had soup so nicely prepared. Her first impulse, of course, was to consume it as quickly as possible. However, a rather strange thought flitted through her mind: if she ate more slowly, the soup would last longer, and therefore she'd be able to enjoy it longer. Hm, maybe Zel's logical thinking was rubbing off on her. At any rate, she couldn't argue with such logic, and slowed her pace.
Zel frowned slightly as he saw Lina start to eat slower. "You don't like the soup?"
Lina blinked, then shook her head violently. She motioned at the soup, then made a grandiose gesture.
"Oh, you do like the soup?" Zel inquired, somewhat hopefully.
Lina again nodded with zeal. She spread her arms apart.
"You...really like the soup?" he translated.
Lina nodded once, decisively: of course she really liked the soup!
"I'm glad," Zel said, smiling.
Lina went back to eating for a while, but stopped suddenly when something occurred to her. She looked over at Zel, pointed at him and then at the soup, then shrugged questioningly.
"Well...yes, I did make the soup," Zel confirmed a tad shyly.
Lina's eyes widened a bit: wow, impressive.
Zel shrugged modestly: if you say so.
She smiled widely at him before finishing the rest of the soup. She sighed sans sound and laid down, enjoying the tickle of the grass against her arms and neck.
"Tired?" Zel inquired. The more Lina slept, the sooner she'd get better, he figured. Except...he was really enjoying spending this time alone with her...he still wanted her to get well quickly, though. Really.
Lina considered the question a moment. She was a little tired, and the grass and the breeze felt sooo nice. She propped herself up on an elbow, nodded decisively, then laid back down.
"Oh, you want to stay here to nap?"
Lina gestured lazily: you got it.
The weather was nice, and it was quiet and peaceful here, Zel noted. It couldn't hurt for to rest here a while. Although...
Lina blinked in confusion as Zel removed his cloak and folded it into a medium-sized square. "Lift your head," he instructed, and Lina obliged, curious. He set the makeshift pillow under her head. Oh, that's why he did it.
"You'll get a crick in your neck otherwise," he explained.
Well, whatever. It was comfortable, Lina had to admit, and it smelled nice. Lina turned over on her side and nuzzled against the impromptu pillow. Yes, it smelled really nice, just like Zel.
Lina blinked. Where had that thought come from? Must be because she was tired. She closed her eyes. Yes, she just needed a little nap, that was all.
Zel smiled fondly as he watched Lina turn on her side and snuggle against his cloak. He never thought he'd be jealous of his cloak. If he'd still been wearing it and she...whoa! What was he doing, thinking something like that?! He shook his head, trying to rid himself of those inappropriate thoughts.
It wasn't long before Lina's breathing became deep and even, and Zel relaxed a bit when he couldn't detect her having any difficulty drawing breath. Things were so pleasant that he was tempted to lie down himself. However, he had no doubt that if he did, he'd fall asleep, and he wasn't going to do that again.
Lina shifted in her sleep, rolling over onto her back. A lovely smile spread across her face, and Zel wondered absently about what she was dreaming.
He started as she sighed - audibly! It seemed she was regaining her voice. Which meant things would be back to normal soon. ...great.
The sun was low in the sky when Lina awoke, feeling refreshed. She couldn't recall the last time she'd had such restful sleep. She sat up slowly.
"Sleep well, Lina?"
Lina smiled: yup.
"Ready to go back?" Was that melancholy she heard? Was he getting all depressed again? She'd fix that.
Lina nodded, then pointed in the direction of the inn and cocked her head to the side questioningly.
"Oh, yes. Our little prank," Zel smiled, though it was tinged with...regret, maybe?
Zel surpressed a sigh. Suddenly his joke about eloping didn't seem so funny. He wasn't quite sure why...at least, that's what he tried to tell himself. "Don't worry," he said with somewhat forced cheer, "I have a plan."
Lina smirked, then stood and dusted the grass and such off her leggings, which really - Zel stopped that thought as quickly as possible.
Lina picked up Zel's cloak. She frowned: one side was peppered with grass and such, and the other was decorated with a few stands of her bright hair. She started to dust it off when Zel stopped her.
"Don't worry about it," he told her, and took his cloak. He halfway unfolded it, then draped it over his shoulder. "You ready?"
Lina shrugged lightly: guess so. She then paused, looking thoughtful.
"What's wrong?"
Lina shook her head: nothing. She gestured in the direction of the inn, then at herself and Zel, then pantomimed picking something up, then looked at Zel quizzically.
"Ah, yes, our joke. Well, I suppose carrying you over the threshold would be in keeping with it...if you don't mind, that is."
Lina nodded, a bit more vehemently than she'd intended to.
The two stood, looking at each other a long moment. Then Zel moved his hands as if shrugging, though he didn't move his shoulders. Lina nodded, then rather shyly wrapped her arms around his neck as he picked her up again.
It only made sense, after all, the both of them reasoned, since Amelia or Gourry could conceivably see them coming. It was necessary to keep up the charade. But that was all, of course.
Zel used the same Ray Wing trick to deal with the dishes, and rather absently sent them toward the kitchen, not really caring if the dishes reach their destination or not.
The two came to rest right next to the inn's front door. Since Zel's hands were otherwise occupied, Lina reached over and turned the handle. Zel used his shoulder to nudge the door open.
Amelia looked up from her seat at the bar, where she was nursing her fourth...or was that sixth...well, she was nursing a mug of ale. Just as she had every time the door had opened since Zelgadiss and Lina had left, she looked for her two missing friends. This time it was them! Amelia set her mug down on the bar and rather clumsily stumbled off the barstool. She trotted toward the door, running into several people as she did so.
Zel saw Amelia heading towards them with all the grace of an inebriated one-legged troll. He nudged Lina slightly and nodded at the approaching princess. Lina grinned, then rested her head against his, playing her part perfectly.
"Zelgadiss-san! Zelgadiss-san! Lina-san!" Amelia warbled as she finally made it to the couple.
"Hello, Amelia," Zel greeted seriously, and Lina turned and buried her face in the crook of Zel's neck so her expression wouldn't give the joke away.
Amelia grabbed Lina's left hand, causing Lina to whip her head back around and glare.
Amelia breathed a sigh of relief when she saw no wedding ring on Lina's finger. "It was a joke, wasn't it? You two were never planning to elope, ne?"
"Not at all," Zel said smoothly, unfazed. "Apparently Lina must be able to say 'I do'; she can't just nod. So, we're going to wait until she's entirely well again."
Lina nodded in agreement, though she was biting the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. She gestured at Amelia with one hand. The little princess just looked at Lina blankly.
"We're going to have a real wedding," Zel translated, mentally applauding Lina for this new twist. "And Lina wants you to be the maid of honour."
"Wha...but...maid of...you're serious..." Amelia babbled, overcome. "I...I gotta go," she mumbled before running back to the bar and chugging the rest of her ale.
"She'll be quite annoyed with us when she's sober enough to see through our act," Zel commented absently.
Lina shrugged as best she could, given the fact that Zel was still holding her.
They seemed to part the crowd as effectively as if they were wielding weapons and demanding that everyone move. They were still getting strange looks, Lina noted as she stuck her tongue out at a particularly obvious gawker. Said gawker had the grace to blush and look away.
Upon reaching her room, Lina again turned the handle and Zel again knocked the door open with his shoulder. He gently set Lina down on the bed, and, after closing and locking the door, sat down in the chair next to the bed.
Lina's shoulders shook with silent laughter. She briefly covered her mouth with her hand, then gestured in the direction from whence they'd come.
"Yes," Zel agreed, chuckling, "Amelia's expression was priceless."
Grinning, Lina gestured broadly, then tapped her right temple.
Zel nodded. "I imagine her expression if we really did get married would be even more amusing." He tried and failed to keep a note of wistfulness from seeping into his tone. Absently he started picking the blades of grass off of his cloak.
"Thanks, Zel." Lina's voice was somewhat raspy and sounded a bit weaker than usual, but otherwise was fine.
"Lina! You're feeling better?" It was only partially a question.
Lina nodded. "Much." Thanks to you, she wanted to say but didn't, suddenly feeling a little shy.
Zel rose. All good things must come to an end... "I'll go tell the others."
"Don't you dare, Zelgadiss Greywords. Sit back down right now."
Zel blinked, confused, and did as Lina commanded. "Why?"
"I love Gourry and Amelia, really I do...but, gods, it's nice having a break from his stupidity and her obsessive-compulsiveness."
"Ah, I understand. I've been enjoying this...respite...too, I admit." More than was probably good for him, even. He started picking grass of his cloak again.
"Zel...do you have any idea why this happened?"
Zel froze. "Pardon?"
"This. Me, getting sick. Even Amelia couldn't heal me. But it never got serious enough to make me suspect a curse."
"Ah." Zel picked a long strand of Lina's hair off his cloak and absently wrapped it around his index finger. "Perhaps it was divine intervention," he suggested lightly, smiling ever-so-slightly.
Lina snorted her amusement at the absurd idea. Feh, what purpose would that serve?
"Perhaps it will have to remain one of those mysteries to which no one will ever know the answer," he suggested, laying his cloak on the left arm of his chair.
Lina considered this a moment. "Probably," she agreed.
Zel blinked at her as she got up. "What - "
"Would you mind turning around for a minute?"
Zel gave her a "are-you-sure-you're-not-delirious-with-fever?" look before obliging. Why in the name of the gods would she -
The soft sound of cloth rustling answered that question. True to form, he felt himself blush. Still, a small part of him noted how nice it was that she trusted him to such a degree...
Lina sighed quietly, examining herself. Back in her normal clothing, she looked as good as ever. It was so nice to be back to her old self...well, mostly back, she amended as she found herself coughing.
"Are you okay, Lina?" Zel asked from where he stood, his hands tightly clutching the arms of the chair before him.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm just fine," she said dismissively, then added, "You can turn back around now."
"Oh," he said, then did so.
Lina cocked her head to the side just a bit. Now what was he blushing about? Oh, well, it didn't really matter.
"It's almost dinnertime," she announced.
Zel nodded. Lina was better than a clock where meals were concerned. "And what would you like to do about dinner?" he inquired politely.
Lina pondered that briefly, and decided to share one of her loves - eating - with her other...er, that was, she wanted to have dinner with Zelgadiss. That was all. Really. "Let's go eat somewhere. Not here. Somewhere else," she stammered.
Zel studied Lina's face. Maybe she was as well as they'd thought; she was flushed and seemed to be having trouble forming sentences. "As you wish," he agreed, but felt obliged to ask, "Are you certain you feel well enough to - "
"Of course I do. Now, if you'll excuse me a minute..." Lina smiled as she opened the window. She loved this stuff, she thought as she cast a very loud fireball at a tree some distance away.
Zel's eyes widened in understanding: Lina was creating a diversion so no one would see them leave. Although probably it was just an excuse to cast a fireball.
"Really, it was just an excuse to cast a fireball," Lina commented absently, and Zel's eyes widened a bit further. "But it is less agitating this way."
Zel just nodded: of course, whatever you say.
Lina waited 'til she saw Gourry and Amelia amoungst those running out to investigate the ruckus before grabbing Zel's arm and exhorting him to hurry up, before their companions got back.
"We're not going to argue about which place that serves the best food here, are we?" he teased as they trotted away from the inn.
"Uh...no, no, of course not. Don't be silly. Eh heh heh..." Lina scratched the back of her head sheepishly.
Zel found himself smiling as he started leading her down the streets. There was a nice steakhouse here he'd heard about, and he was glad they'd get a chance to visit it. It would be pretty expensive, but of course, Lina was more than worth it. "You like steak, ne?"
Lina nodded enthusiastically.
"Good. There should be a very nice steakhouse around here somewhere...ah, there!" he exclaimed as he spotted the place, "Destine's."
It was at that moment that Zel realised he'd forgotten his cloak in their haste. Bloody hell.
"Eh, don't worry about it, Zel. If anyone says anything to you..." The wicked gleam in Lina's eyes told Zel that she would do terribly unpleasant things to whoever said something about his loathsome form. He looked away from Lina. It wasn't like he could blame people. And with beautiful Lina there providing stark contrast...
"Oh, would you stop that? You do not look disgusting or frightening or whatever-the-hell you seem to think," Lina uttered, exasperated, as they stood in front of the restaurant.
Zel stared at her at length. They'd seemed to know generally what the other'd been thinking all day, but that could be attributed to simple observational skills. Nothing today, however, had been so outrightly like reading the other's mind. "How did you know that was what I was thinking?"
"Uh..." Lina's brow furrowed in concentration. How had she known? "I...well, you seem to think about that a lot, so it just made sense..." Yeah, that was it!
He shrugged after a moment, then asked, "Shall we?"
"Let's."
Zel, playing the gentleman, held the door open for Lina. "After you."
"Ano...arigatou," she murmured as she passed him.
Lina spotted the maitre d'hotel, a white-haired man with a rather unflattering mustache. "Hey, I need a table for two," she informed him matter-of-factly.
The maitre d'hotel regarded the oddly-garbed girl before him. He was about to mention the dress code when it suddenly occurred to him that this girl might be a powerful sorceress, whatever her stature. When a strange blue-skinned young man joined the girl, the maitre d'hotel's suspicions were confirmed, and he managed a calm, "Of course. Please, follow me."
Lina looked around her, making sure to throw her Look of Death at anyone who was rude enough to stare. The restaurant was small but not in a constricting way. All lighting came from twin candles on each table. It was a nice place.
They were led to a quiet booth toward the back. The maitre d'hotel gave them each a menu, and expressed his hope that they enjoy themselves.
"It's a pretty nice place," Lina commented as the maitre d'hotel departed.
"Quite," Zel agreed. The candles' light really highlighted her lovely hair, he noted as he opened his menu.
"Ooohh, it all looks so wonderful!" Lina all but squealed as she studied her menu.
"Order whatever you like," he urged absently as he looked over the menu.
Lina blinked. "Wha - you're gonna pay?"
Zel gave her a look from over the top of his menu. "Of course. What, you thought I'd make you pay for yourself?"
"......"
Zel shook his head as he set his menu down, a half-smile quirking his lips. "Just don't overdo it," he suggested. "You have been ill; you don't want to tempt Fate."
"Right, right," she agreed. After a moment she decided on only four dishes plus dessert. She felt oddly pleased with her self-restraint.
Presently a spindly man with a pinched chin and a mustache even more unflattering than the maitre d'hotel's had been walked over to their table. "Bon soir. Ah ahm Jean-Louis, ahnd Ah will be yoah waiter tonight," he greeted with a thick, affected accent.
"Bon soir. Je suis Zelgadiss et cette belle fille est Lina. Nous - " Zel stopped speaking, noting the amusing blank look the waiter had. He heard Link snicker.
"Uh...." the waiter stammered.
"Let's try again," Zel suggested politely, and Lina actually giggled. Zelgadiss informed the waiter that he wanted a simple steak and baked potato dinner. "Lina?" Zel prompted.
"I want this, this, this, and this."
The waiter was ready to faint at that.
"Is that all, Lina?" Zel inquired.
"Yup, that's all," she confirmed, grinning.
"Vould yew lahke somzing to drink?"
Zel looked at Lina, who shrugged. Zel proceeded to order a bottle of fairly expensive wine.
"Riaht ahway, sir," the waiter said before retreating.
"That's some pretty expensive stuff, Zel," Lina commented.
"It's nothing, considering the money I've saved with your frugal order."
"Oh," she said, then chuckled self-depreciatingly.
Zel smiled.
"Um...what did you say to the waiter before?" Lina asked after a moment.
"I simply introduced us to him."
"And he had no clue what you were saying," Lina recalled with a wide grin. "So he's faking the accent."
"The imperfect accent," Zel corrected. "The man is a poseur."
At that moment, the subject of their conversation returned, bearing a bottle of wine and two wine glasses. 'Jean-Louis' set the glasses down before them, then proceeded to open the bottle. This took the waiter many moments longer than it really should've, and Lina bit back another giggle.
'Jean-Louis' poured a little bit of wine into Zel's glass. Zel took a sip, an appraising look on his face. After a moment, Zel swallowed and said, "That will do nicely."
Lina watched that last exchange blankly, unsure what the bloody hell was going on and therefore observing instead of getting mad.
'Jean-Louis' then filled both of their glasses. "Yoah deenir vill be reahdy soon," he said before leaving just a bit to quickly.
"Uh, Zel....? What was that all about?" Lina asked once their waiter was out of sight.
"I was making certain the wine was of the proper quality before we accepted the bottle," Zel explained. "And before you tried it; no need for you to have bad wine, is there?"
"Oh." Lina had not been to many truly "upscale" restaurants, preferring more casual places with cheaper food. She grabbed her wine glass and took a sip. It was good.
"Lina...what did you do before...you met Gourry?" Zel asked suddenly.
"I traveled."
"Alone?"
Lina made a face. "Unfortunately, no. Why do you ask?"
Zel shrugged slightly: he was just curious.
Lina nodded: I see. She picked up her fork and absently twirled it around: I'm hungry.
Zel inclined his head a bit and raised one hand, palm out flat: dinner should be soon.
"Uh, Zel? We're doing...it...again."
"...we are, at that. Strange, how we just...slipped back into that nonverbal communication."
"Must be the full moon," Lina muttered. "Except the moon is still waxing."
"Well, we..." Zel began, but was interrupted by the arrival of dinner. 'Jean-Louis' and another non-descript waiter set a medium-sized steak before Zel, then arranged Lina's four dishes of different type and size before her.
"Zere yew ahre," 'Jean-Louis' announced unnecessarily.
"Such a gift for the obvious," Lina muttered just loudly enough for Zel to hear.
The chimera bit his lower lip, trying to surpress a smile. "Merci. If we need something else, we'll be sure to tell you," Zel said in a rush, knowing the typical waiters' schtick.
'Jean-Louis' nodded almost curtly and left quickly.
"I do believe we have him disturbed," Lina said lightly, smirking.
"I do believe you're correct," Zel agreed, also smirking a bit.
The two then proceeded to attack their respective meals. Lina was slightly less ill-mannered, but still eating at such a pace that by the time Zel was finishing his dish, Lina had finished all four of hers.
"Aaaah," Lina exclaimed, "that was great!" She leaned back, shifting into a more comfortable position. Her foot fit something hard, and at first Lina assumed it was one of the iron legs of the table. The odd look on Zel's face told her otherwise.
"Oh, Zel, I'm so sorry! I hit your leg, didn't I?"
"It's all right," he said, somewhat weakly. "I'm fine."
"Still..." Lina trailed off, looking at him apologetically.
Zel inclined his head ever-so-slightly, closing his eyes as he did so: don't worry about it.
Lina gave him a half-smile: if you say so...
"Ah...what would you like for dessert?" Zel asked quickly upon realising they'd yet again fallen into silent speech.
"Chocolate mousse," Lina replied, just as quickly. This was getting way past creepy.
"And?"
"And that's all."
"Ah." Zel waved down their waiter.
"Yehz?"
"We need an order of chocolate mousse," Zel said.
"Riaht ahway, sir."
"You're not getting a dessert?"
Zel shook his head.
Lina gave him a look: c'mon, how much fun is that?
Zel returned Lina's look: oh, come on.
Then they locked gazes, and there was a not exactly uncomfortable moment during which all that seemed to exist to them was each other.
This moment was interrupted by 'Jean-Louis,' who set a crystal dish of fluffy mousse between the two, then set a clean spoon in front of both of them.
"Vill thaht be all, sir?"
"Y-yes," Zel said, a little shaken. "Please bring me the check."
Their waiter nodded and left.
"Looks like you'll have dessert, after all," Lina said with a grin.
Zel started. "Wha-what?"
"You have a spoon, too," Lina pointed out. "So now you have to try some." At his look, she added, "I insist."
When Lina Inverse insists upon something, that something better be done. Zel knew that. Most people who'd ever met Lina knew that, for that matter. Therefore, Zel had no choice but to pick up his spoon. "I won't try it before you have," he insisted.
"Oh, fine," Lina capitulated, and took a conservative (at least for her) bite.
Zel watched Lina's eyes fluttered close, and an expression of pleasure play across her face. Zel found himself biting his lower lip.
"It's really good," Lina informed him, opening her eyes. "Try it!"
Zel got himself a small spoonful, taken as far away from where Lina had gotten her spoonful as possible. He was a bit surprised at how good it was.
"See?" Lina crowed triumphantly. "Toldja so!"
"You were right," Zel conceded, setting down his spoon.
"Aw, aren't you going to have more than that?"
Zel shook his head. No way. He wasn't the resident masochist, after all.
"Fine. Be that way," Lina said, pouting cutely for a moment before tearing into the dessert. Zel nonchalantly studied the ceiling. He did not look down again until he heard Lina sigh, signaling she was finished.
"Did you enjoy dinner?"
"Oooh, yes," Lina answered. Then, before realising what she was saying, she added, "And the company."
Both of them blushed at that. They were saved from a rather awkward moment by 'Jean-Louis,' who handed Zel the bill. Zel quickly extricated the proper amount, as well as a generous tip, given solely for the waiter's timely interruption.
"Ready?" Zel asked simply, offering Lina a hand up.
"Sure," she said, taking the offered hand.
Zel let them out of the restaurant, not even bothering to see if he was getting strange looks. It just didn't seem to matter all that much.
The night was cool without being unpleasantly so, and the moon's light was more than sufficient by which to see.
"Would you like to take a walk?" Zel inquired, not wanting to return to the others just yet.
"That'd be nice." Lina, too, wasn't quite ready for their fun to end. "How 'bout over there?" she suggested, pointing toward a small copse of trees not too far from where they stood.
"As you wish."
They strolled side-by-side in silence for a while. Finally, Lina ventured, "Thanks, Zel. For all you've done for me.
"Don't mention it. I enjoyed myself..." he trailed off, not sure if he should've let that slip.
Lina smiled. "I did, too, even if I was sick."
They stopped in front of a towering weeping willow. Lina sat down, her back against the trunk. Zel joined her.
"There's a story..." Lina spoke quietly. "Once, an old man lived with his young daughter. His wife had died in childbirth, and their daughter was all he had left.
"One day, a young man stopped by the house, looking for a place to spend the night. Some time during that night, the two young people moved to a corner and spoke at length.
"As it turns out, the old man's daughter and the young man were soulmates, and neither of them could be happy without the other now that they'd found each other. They did not realise this yet, but the old man did. He wanted so much for his daughter to be happy that he got the pair to admit to their feelings somehow.
"The daughter was afraid to leave, however, because her father was old, and she'd taken care of him for a long time. The old man assured them both that he would get along fine. He took all of his savings and said it would be the dowry.
"The young man and the daughter were ecstatic by then. The joy the thought of being together gave them made them blind to the look of sadness the old man couldn't quite hide.
"The next day, the two left, promising to visit at the next equinox. As soon as they were out of sight, the old man broke down, weeping for a very long time. Then, he prayed to the gods. Not for his daughter to be returned, or for someone to appear to care for him, or any such selfish thing. All he prayed for was for his daughter and her husband-to-be to be happy.
"The gods had pity on this poor man. Rather than force him to live out his days in misery, they transformed him into a beautiful tree: the weeping willow. Beneath the tree, as a promise, two flowers grew. These flowers twined around each other so that they almost seemed to be a single plant. These flowers were the gods' promise to keep the daughter and the young man happy. This promise extended to all those few who had a soulmate: once the two discovered this truth, somewhere these two flowers would bloom, and from that moment on the gods would watch over them especially."
All was quiet for a moment. Then, Zel said softly, "An interesting folktale, 'soulmates.'"
"You don't believe in soulmates?" Lina asked, surprised.
Zel shook his head.
"Gods, you are such a cynic."
"I suppose I am, at that."
There was silence again. Zel started then froze as Lina leaned over him, her hand brushing against the side of his face. "Lina...?"
Their eyes locked. "I...this was...in your hair," she explained quietly, holding up a fluffy dandelion seed for his inspection.
"Oh."
Neither of them moved. It was as if time stopped. "Lina..." Zel uttered again. The blush he felt burning his cheeks was mirrored on her lovely face, Zel noted in some remote corner of his mind.
Lina swallowed hard. "Zel, I..." She truly did not know what to say. That was all right, however, since a moment later they were kissing, and she didn't have to say anything.
A moment or perhaps a millennium later, they parted. Lina absently chewed on her lower lip. "Zel?" she asked, a multitude of questions attached to that one syllable.
His hand came up, caressing her cheek much like she'd caressed his moments before. He studied her face, a look of one who'd had an epiphany on his own face. "I love you," he whispered, sounding as if he'd made some great discovery.
"I...I love you, too." Lina spoke the realisation aloud.
As Zel leaned forward to kiss Lina again, a thought skittered through his mind: perhaps Amelia would end up as Lina's bridesmaid, after all.
Nearby the pair, under the tree, two flowers had sprung up at a preternatural speed, their stems entwined to such a degree that it was nigh impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. Had Lina and Zel noticed this, they would have recognised it as an omen. However, they were much too intent on each other to notice anything save each other.
Not that it mattered, of course. They both knew the future held wonders for them.