Four months later...
The sun shone brilliantly down on the Capital City of Seyruun. The sky was the perfect shade of blue; the temperature a steady comfortable temperature with low humidity; there was a light westerly breeze blowing to keep things cool if it did start to get too warm.
Seyruun, always a beautiful city, was absolutely gorgeous now. The main thoroughfare leading out of the city from the Palace at the center had been lined with spring flowers and colorful buntings and ribbons. People lined the street and all waited expectantly for noon. And all thoughts were turned towards the Temple of Ceiphied that lay in the very heart of the White Magic Capital and the event that was taking place inside...
"Calm down, Zel," Gourry said after the Chimera had tugged on his collar for the sixth time in five minutes. "You'll be okay." The tall swordsman put a hand on his friend's shoulder to reassure him.
"Easy for you to say," Zel muttered, tugging at his collar again. "I'm getting married today!"
"Hey," Gourry drawled, with that look on his face that said he'd just made a great mental leap - at least a great mental leap for Gourry. "What a coincidence! So am I!"
Zel turned to glare at the other man only to find him grinning widely at him. The swordsman winked at him. "Gotcha."
Huffing, Zel turned back to watch the double doors while the organist played to fill the time. "Gourry," Zelgadis rasped. "You're already married; this is just a formality to celebrate your marriage here in Seyruun because you weren't here the first time you did it. Plus, you're not marrying the Crown Princess of Seyruun. Do you know what that makes me?"
"A lucky guy," Gourry said without missing a beat. "Yeah, you're right that we're already married, but I married Lina Inverse, the Dragon Spooker herself."
Zelgadis stared at his friend a moment before laughing softly and shaking his head. "All right, you win," he said helplessly. After all, there was no arguing with that. However, he leaned forward and said in a conspiratorial whisper and with a sly glance, "I wonder what Lina would think of you calling her 'Dragon Spooker.'" His discomfort had been displaced for the moment and he was damn well going to enjoy it while it lasted.
Gourry went pale. "You won't tell Lina I said that, will you?" He glanced desperately at his friend.
Zelgadis glanced sideways at the swordsman and, discomfort forgotten, grinned wryly. "Depends," he said.
Swallowing hard, Gourry asked, "Depends on what?"
"We'll have to wait and see, won't we?"
Wondering what the Chimera could mean by that, it was Gourry's turn to tug nervously at his collar. It was too tight again. Why couldn't that damned valet ever get it right? He gave Zelgadis one last distraught look before turning to look at the doors, too, as they waited for the ceremony to start. He jumped a bit when the organist changed from the soft interlude music to the wedding march. Then the double doors opened and Zel's friendly little threat and his own vocal misstep were forgotten as his attention was firmly fixed on the small woman who was framed in them.
The large windows overhead allowed the bright springtime sun to stream down into the Temple, touching on and bringing out the vivid colors of the hundreds of flowers that lined the aisle and every open space not used for seating guests. When she stepped into the light from the deep shadows of the doorway, she seemed to blaze into life as he watched. The white fabric of her dress wasn't white at all, but was shot through with every color of the rainbow. The liquid gold of the sun clung to every line of her body and seeped into her hair, turning it as bright as flame. Gourry watched her, aghast with wonder, as she stood there, looking as radiant and beautiful as only a woman in love could look.
Commander Vymes stepped forward and held out his arm and Lina laid her hand upon it, flashing him a soft, grateful smile. He smiled back at her, obviously very proud that she had chosen him to escort her down the aisle, and covered her hand with his. Together they moved down the long aisle, the long skirts of her gown trailing along behind her and seeming to drag the liquid sunshine along with her, for even after they had left the streaming waterfall of light, she continued to glow as if surrounded by a full-body halo. Lina tried very hard to keep her eyes forward, but they kept darting nervously back and forth as she felt everyone's eyes on her. Gourry could see her grip the bouquet of long-stemmed daisies tightly as she approached the alter.
As she approached the alter, she glanced at Zelgadis, who gave her the barest wink. Flashing him a brilliant smile, she let Vymes hand her to Gourry, who helped her up the three steps to stand with him in front of Dios, the High Priest of Ceiphied.
Lina looked into those eyes that were the color of the summer sky and felt herself shiver with happiness. They did not look at her in wonder, or adoration, but were full of the purest love anyone could feel for another. He had chased her into Darkness and brought her back from the Sea of Chaos. He'd sacrificed part of his very soul - twice. He had battled the most powerful of the Mazoku race outside Shabranigdu's generals and won. He'd faced his greatest temptation and defeated it. All for her. She felt her face grow warm under that penetrating gaze and her smile softened into something warm and sensuous meant only for him. He loved her and had proven it beyond any doubt - which she had never done.
She was dragged back to reality as Dios took their hands and folded them together. He held their hands in his and said a few words, which neither of them heard. Gourry looked into Lina's eyes and she looked into his and for a time, the world was defined by that alone. They were not in the Capital City, but in a sleepy little town in southern Seyruun and a simple country priest was holding their hands and saying the ritual in front of a gathered Harvest Festival crowd while the full moon rode high in the sky and the simple melody of a popular ballad played in the background.
The illusion slowly faded as Dios concluded the ritual and motioned to Zel. The Chimera dug in the pocket of his waistcoat and pulled out a gold band which had handed to Gourry. The swordsman took it and slipped it on Lina's finger. Dios then nodded to Lady Sybla, standing next to Lina, who produced a matching gold band and handed it to Lina. She slipped the ring onto his finger, and again, they felt that tingling run up their arms just as they had that night of that ill-fated party when Gourry had first given the rings to her. They both jumped a little then grinned at each other.
"You may now kiss," Dios said formally though he was smiling broadly at them both as he stepped back and beaming at the two young people. Gourry took Lina's hand and pulled her close. Using his other hand to raise the delicate fabric of her veil, he leaned down until his face was close to hers. Pausing just before their lips met, he looked into her eyes and smiled at her. Then he kissed her and the world ceased to exist.
After what seemed all too brief a moment, he felt a discreet poke in his ribs. He pulled back and looked at Lina, who looked a little disoriented still. Glancing around, he found Zel standing close to him; the Chimera coughed discreetly and jerked his head slightly in Dios' direction. Finally getting the hint, Gourry looked back at Lina, squeezed her hand one last time and stepped back. She gave him a similar squeeze before she, too, stepped back.
Gourry turned and found Zel standing immobile next to him. With a smile, he put his hand behind Zel's back and gave him a light shove. Almost stumbling over his own feet, the Chimera took his place before Dios and watched the arched double doors. The sun had almost reached it's zenith now, and great streamers of light set the colors of the carpets that lined the aisle afire.
The organist began playing again, this time the Seyruun anthem. All eyes were instantly on the double doors. As they watched, they swung open and into the light stepped Amelia. Where Lina had turned to fire in the blazing light, Amelia dark beauty crystallized into a quiet, shining strength. Both Lina and Gourry watched Zelgadis as he froze, eyes wide with wonder at the commanding young woman who stood there at the opposite end of the aisle. For the first time in all the time they'd known him, he dropped his stony composure and there was real happiness to be seen on his face. Their eyes met behind him and Lina winked and gave Gourry a victory sign concealed by her bouquet and Gourry smiled slightly and nodded.
A movement to Amelia's left caught their attention and Prince Philionel el de Seyruun stepped forward, decked out in official regalia, to escort his daughter and the Heir Apparent to the alter. As he paused next to her, his huge figure looming over the slightly built young woman, she looked up at him and her eyes glowed with love. Laying her hand lightly on his arm, she gave him a beautiful smile. He looked down at her and nodded, covering her hand and patting it warmly; his eyes shimmered with joyful tears.
Amelia turned and together they proceeded down the aisle. Zelgadis hadn't moved and just watched her as she came towards him. When Phil took her hand and held it out to Zelgadis, he stepped down and grasped it while slipping his other hand around her waist and saw her up the steps. Eyes fixed as they were on Amelia, he didn't notice the wink Phil flashed in first Lina then Gourry's direction as he moved to take his place next to the tall swordsman.
Dios stepped forward and they turned to face him. Zelgadis had not dropped Amelia's hand and the Priest reached forward and took their hands in his, just as he had done with Lina and Gourry. He repeated the formal words of the ceremony, which no one really heard because their attention was fixed on the two young people staring intently into each other's eyes. They certainly weren't paying attention.
His next words brought them back, for this was what they'd been waiting for. "Marriage is a great commitment two people make to each other. Two individuals vow to devote themselves to one another, foregoing all others. They vow to protect, care for, and support one another, through illness or health, in good times and bad. They vow to honor the other, neither discouraging or disparaging the other, and most importantly to love one another. Through the act of agreeing to this, two individuals become parts of a whole; two becomes one.
"Do you, Zelgadis Greywers, vow all these things?"
Zelgadis looked down from Amelia's eyes to their entwined hands held inside Dios' strong, weathered hands, then his eyes were looking into Amelia's again. Joy filled his soul for the first time in a long while and he nodded. "With all my soul." He saw her breath catch and her smile widened. Her blue eyes, looking into his, were mirrors to her soul. Zelgadis could see the love and devotion she harbored for him; yes, love, not just a young girl's crush. He'd finally come to accept that, and the fact that her love was for him alone was nearly overwhelming
"Do you, Amelia Wil Tesla de Seyruun, vow all these things?"
Without hesitation, she responded, "With all my soul."
"Then, by the will of Ceiphied, I pronounce you man and wife for all eternity." He beamed at them both and stepped back, releasing their hands. "You may now kiss your bride."
Time seemed to stand still for the Princess and the Chimera as he lifted his hands and caught the light fabric of her veil and lifted it over her head. Leaning down, he looked into her eyes, and giving her a soft smile, he touched his lips to hers.
Behind them, cheers broke out. Lina and Gourry were the loudest, but Zel could hear his new father-in-law cheering away with the best of them, his loud, annoying laugh cutting through the other's cheers. Zel ignored him and kept kissing Amelia and would have kept on if eager hands hadn't pulled them apart.
"Hey!" he shouted, rounding on Gourry. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Keeping you from embarrassing yourself, that's what," he said, but was grinning broadly as he grabbed Zel's hand and pumped it vigorously. Lina had pulled Amelia into a bear hug, as had the other ladies who were present as Amelia's attendants. Phil came over and slapped Zel on the back, not even missing a beat when he did it a little too hard and bruised his hand.
"Congratulations, my boy!" he roared, pulling the Chimera into a bear hug. "You're now part of the family!" Not losing his hearty smile, he leaned down and said to Zel, "You take care of her, understand? Or you'll be answering to me." He winked at the Chimera.
"That won't be a problem," Zel said, unfazed. Phil and he had spoken at lengths when he'd asked to marry Amelia, and if Phil wasn't convinced that Zelgadis was sincere, he would never have allowed things to progress as far as they did.
"And now, it's time for the next part of the ceremony!" Phil shouted, turning to Gourry and grabbing his arm. Zelgadis nodded and stepped back as the powerful Crown Prince of Seyruun pulled the tall swordsman into place on the alter.
"Huh?" Gourry said, looking around in confusion. "What - ?"
"You'll understand in a moment," Phil said as Amelia dragged and equally confused looking Lina to Gourry's side and shoved her next to him. Dios moved to the side as Philionel took his place at the alter.
Fixing the two with a mock glare, he drew his brows together. "You two," he snapped. "Kneel."
Lina looked ready to explode. "What's going on?" she hissed.
Amelia poked her in the ribs. "Just do it! You, too, Gourry-san!" He gave her a strange look, but obeyed, pulling Lina down with him so that they were kneeling before the Crown Prince of Seyruun.
"These two young people have proven themselves to be great friends to the Kingdom of Seyruun on several occasions," Philionel boomed, his powerful voice filling the Temple even to the shadowy corners. "They have defended our city from attacks by Mazoku, risking their lives to protect not only my life, and my daughter's, but the lives of the people in this city and indeed even the world when they were called upon to do so." He drew the short sword from the scabbard that hung from his hip, the official emblem of the Crown Prince of Seyruun, and held it in front of him. "Therefore, it is my great honor and indeed duty to bestow upon these two a knighthood in the Order of the Knights of Seyruun." Lightly, he touched each of their shoulders. "From this moment on, you shall be known as Sir and Lady Gabriev, Knights of Seyruun."
Lina and Gourry stared at Seyruun's monarch in open-mouthed shock. Grinning, Amelia and Zelgadis stepped forward, each bearing a crimson sash embroidered with the official seal of Seyruun and the seal of the Knights of Seyruun. They helped fasten them around the still bewildered couple and then Amelia pulled Lina up into a hug and Phil was pounding Gourry on the back - sending him staggering several feet in the process.
"Congratulations, all of you!" he shouted and made as if to grab Lina.
"Hey! Cut it out! You'll wrinkle the dress!" she shouted, pushing away. She would put up with a lot of things for Amelia and Zelgadis' sake, but being hugged by Phil was not one of them.
He backed away and nodded. "Of course, of course."
Feeling like she should say something, however, she held out her hand. "I just wanna say, uh, thanks, Your Majesty."
"Come now, Lina, no need to be so formal, is there?" he asked, taking her hand gently in his large ones. "You've been true friends to all of us, you and Gourry."
Just when Lina was afraid things were going to get maudlin, Amelia came up behind her and grabbed her hand. "Come on!" she shouted, pulling the girl towards Gourry. "It's time to go!"
"Go?" Lina shouted as Amelia caught Zel's hand and together the two of them headed down the aisle towards the doors. "Go where?"
"On our honeymoon!" the Princess called over her shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. Zelgadis stumbled but Amelia steadied him and they disappeared through the doors.
"Honeymoon?" Lina shouted, grabbing Gourry's arm and dragging him along after her. "What are you talking about?" With her husband securely in tow, she burst through the open doors of the Temple and skidded to a halt. Gourry's not inconsiderable momentum carried him into her and knocked her forward into Zel's back.
"OW!" she yelled, covering her nose and squinting her eyes in pain. Rounding on Gourry, she thwacked him over the head with the only thing she had available: Her bouquet. Petals went everywhere and her eyes went round. "Now look you made me do, Gourry!" she yelled, tears forming in her eyes.
"If you hadn't been pulling me, I wouldn't have ran into you," Gourry said, pulling daisies out of his hair. The bouquet was ruined, but he managed to salvage a few and hand them to her.
"If you'd quit hitting your poor husband all the time, these things wouldn't happen," Zel said calmly from where he stood watching her with amusement.
"You stay out of this," she said, pinching her nose and feeling it. "I think I broke my nose."
"No, it looked like that before," Zel said, winking at her, echoing something he had told her a long time ago. Lina's eyes snapped up but he was already looking away. Two carriages bedecked with colored streamers and flowers had pulled up in front of the Temple.
"Two carriages?" Lina asked as Zelgadis helped Amelia into the first one. "I thought we were going in one!"
Amelia turned and waved at her. "We thought you'd like your own carriage!" she called, settling back as Zel climbed in after her and took his seat. The footman snapped the door closed and climbed up on the back of the carriage as the driver snapped the reins and the horses moved forward.
As the first carriage moved forward, the second one rolled up to replace it. The footman swung down and opened the door and flipped down the step for them and stood back to wait for them to get in.
Gourry took Lina's hand and helped her up the step, then climbed in himself. He settled down next to the tiny, red-haired woman on the seat and put his arm around her and pulled her close for a kiss. She grinned and kissed him back, as the carriage started rolling forward.
The two carriages rolled out of the Palace walls and down the main thoroughfare of Seyruun's Capital City. The crowds were cheering for them, and flower petals rained down on them from all sides. Amelia at regal attention in their carriage and waved politely though enthusiastically to the crowds that lined the streets, while Zelgadis remained if not impassive, then politely withdrawn. Lina, however, was waving and preening at the attention everyone was giving her. Gourry had to pull her back into the carriage a couple times to make sure she didn't fall out while she was leaning over and trying to accept the flowers from the people lining the road. Finally, fed up with her, he pulled her in, sat her down, and put a strong arm around her and would not remove it for anything. When her screeches rose to embarrassing levels, he leaned down and smothered them with his mouth. More cheering went up from the crowds as he kissed her.
Finally, they made it out of the city and the carriages were rolling along the manicured lanes of the royal estates. Amelia and Zelgadis' carriage took a turning onto a tree-lined lane, but the second continued rolling past.
"Hey! I thought we were going with Amelia and Zel!" Lina shouted. Pulling out of Gourry's grip, she leaned forward and poked the driver in the back. "You were supposed to turn back there!"
"No, Lady Gabriev, I wasn't. I've my directions to take you someplace else." As he spoke, he turned the carriage into a lane on the opposite side of the road and guided the horses along the curving drive. The trees finally broke and they came out into the open in front of a beautifully kept manor house. A line of servants stood along the steps leading to the main entrance, all looking very smart in their uniforms. The carriage stopped and the footman stepped forward to open the door.
As Lina and Gourry climbed out they looked around curiously. Someone with "Butler" written all over him stepped forward and bowed. His hair was a deep blue and was graying slightly at the temples. No longer young, his face had reached that stage that was usually referred to as "having lots of character."
"Sir and Lady Gabriev?" he asked in a deep voice.
"That's us," Lina responded. "What's going on here?"
"Allow me to present myself: I am Regin, your butler."
"Our butler?"
"Yes. And this is your staff. We will be seeing to all your needs here at Gabriev Manor from now on."
"Gabriev Manor?" Lina and Gourry intoned at the same time. "What are you talking about?" Gourry said, confused. "I don't remember having any relatives in Seyruun."
Lina poked him gently with her elbow. "Would you please explain, Regin?"
The butler nodded and reached into his coat and pulled out a thick ivory envelope. He handed it to Lina. "I believe this will explain. I was instructed to give it to you."
With Gourry looking curiously over her shoulder, Lina turned it over. It had been sealed with Prince Phil's personal seal in dark blue wax. Slipping a fingernail under it, Lina pried the seal off and pulled out several sheets of paper. Unfolding them, she found the one on the top of the stack was a letter from Amelia. Scanning it quickly, Lina's eyes bugged out.
"YAHOO!!" she shouted, whirling around and throwing her arms around Gourry's neck and planting a happy, wet kiss on his lips. "We're rich!"
"Huh?" he asked, bemused. "What are you talking about?"
"This estate, Gourry! It's ours! Phil gave it to us as a wedding present! It's all m - er, ours!! I finally get the respect and credit I deserve! And the ability to enjoy it in the comfort and style befitting a sorcery genius such as myself!" Gourry rolled his eyes and thought about how wonderful it was that he'd been forced to marry Lina's ego along with the rest of her. He didn't get much further on that thought as she grabbed his hand and jerked him along behind her as she raced up the steps to go inspect her, er, their new home.
Darkness.
It was more than an absence of light. The darkness had a quality about it that seemed to suggest that there was life concealed within it, if only you knew where and what and how to look for it.
Something bright and dangerous glittered in the darkness. Small and reddish that glowed briefly, then sank back into sullen smoldering.
A sound. Like that of an inhaled breath, followed by the exhalation. The pungent scent of burning herbs.
"Well," a voice said, feminine, disturbing the darkness and sending the shadows skittering back. "I know you're there. Come out." After a moment an added, "Now."
One of the shadows detached itself from the pack and slunk forward on its belly to lay prone at the feet of the woman who had called it. A whine deep in a non-corporeal throat.
"Stop that," she snapped. She put her cigarette holder in her mouth and reached down and grabbed the shadow roughly.
The world shifted. Time and space displaced around them, leaving them in a place where darkness was not alive and shadows could not devour the helpless. But it was still dark. Very dark.
The tanned-skinned woman with long blonde hair strode over to a high-backed throne and sat, draping herself over the throne, clothes shifting and revealing more than it concealed.
"Now come here," she ordered the shadow figure. It raised itself on four legs and padded over to her to lie crouching at her feet.
"I hope you've learned your lesson," she said, glaring down at the shape cowering in obeisance at her feet. It whined again.
"What do you mean, what lesson?" she snapped, taking another drag at her cigarette and blowing the smoke towards the creature. "About taking things that don't belong to you."
The lupine-esque shadow dropped its head and lowered itself to the floor, ears laid back in a posture of complete submission. It made more whining noises deep in its throat.
"So you understand?"
The shadow lifted its head slightly and nodded, yes.
"Because I'm very upset with you," Zelas Metallium said, her tone harsh. "Not only did you do something like that completely against my wishes, but you managed to get yourself severely wounded in the process. By a human," she spat. Sitting forward suddenly, she caught the shadow under the neck and hauled him up by the scruff as easily as she might have lifted a housecat. The huge nightmarish shadow yipped in pain and its eyes opened to reveal lavender pupils while its great paws clawed ineffectually at the air. "Get this straight, Xellos: You are never to interfere with Lina, the swordsman or her friends unless specifically instructed to do so. Understand?"
The wolf whined and nodded. She dropped him. "Good." She put her hand on his head and stroked the wolf's head, letting him push forward and lay it in her lap. He gave her a little barking yap and put a paw on the edge of her throne. "Oh, no. Don't get your hopes up. I think a few years in this form will do you a bit of good. Remind you of your place, my little General Priest." The Beastmaster grinned a sharp-toothed grin at him. "Consider it your - just rewards."