"What do you mean you can't find her?"
Commander Vymes of the Seyruun Royal Guard cringed as Crown Prince Philionel bellowed at the top of his lungs. The windows, just now starting to glow with the early summer dawn, rattled in their casements. Even Vymes, who knew the Prince well and thought himself inured to his liege's vocal range and temperament, found himself cringing.
"Sir," Vymes said, stepping forward. "We've searched the city high and low. No one has seen the Princess since she ran out of the ballroom last night. And other than the lone man trying to gain entrance to the Palace last night, there has been no suspicious activities. It's as if she's simply disappeared."
Phil glowered at Vymes, crouching behind his desk like a bear lying in wait for an unsuspecting victim. Vymes began to sweat. "Tell me, Commander Vymes, how is it that one small, young ordinary woman can simply disappear into thin air? She's got to be here somewhere!"
"Brother," Christopher interjected on the Commander's behalf. "While Princess Amelia can certainly be described as small and young, that does not make her ordinary. She's a skilled sorceress, capable of taking care of herself, and she has disappeared on several occasions, if I may refresh your memory."
The Prince turned his smoldering glower on his brother. "Amelia would not go haring off on such an important day, Christopher. She knows her duties too well to do that." He turned his attention back to Vymes, who snapped to attention after the brief respite. "This stranger who was seen trying to get into the Palace last night, what do you make of him?"
Vymes shook his head. "I'm not certain, Highness. He was just one man, though obviously he was a magic user as one of my men saw him use magic to get over the Palace walls."
"All it took was one man to kill my wife," Philionel said in a voice colder than ice.
Vymes blanched at his faux pas and started sweating harder. "Forgive me, Your Highness. I did not mean"
Phil waved him down. "I know you did not, Commander. Still, the question remains: Where has my daughter gone?" He stood up. "You've searched everywhere?" he asked again, like a worried parent asking all the obvious questions of an errant child even when already given the answers several times over.
"Yes, Highness."
"The city? The stables? The marketplace?"
"All have been searched. We've been watching the gates since just after this mysterious person managed to get into the Palace, and no one matching his description has left by any of them.
"What about the Palace itself? Have you searched it?"
"Yes sir. We've been through the Palace several times. We've found nothing."
"Her apartment?"
"That was the first place we looked, Highness."
Bursting with exasperation, Philionel slapped his hands upon the top of his desk, sending the books, pens and scattered pencils flying. "Well, search them again! She's got to be here somewhere! Search the whole city again if you need to, but whatever you do, don't let me see your face until you've found her, Vymes!"
The Commander sketched a quick salute and nearly tripped over his feet as he scrambled to get out of the direct line of Philionel's anger, Christopher following close on his heels. Once they were gone the big Prince sank into his chair and put his head in his hands. What could have happened to his beloved daughter? Who was this mysterious man who had snuck into the Palace last night? If he had anything to do with Amelia's disappearance and if he'd hurt her in any way ... He swore to himself that he would personally murder the one responsible.
He turned and looked out at the brightening dawn. It had only been a few short hours and yet he was worried sick. Deciding that sitting here was not doing him any good, he pushed up and out of his chair and elected to take a quick walk around the Palace. Maybe he would find something the Guards had overlooked. If nothing else, it would help pass the time until Vymes reported back with news of her whereabouts.
Amelia woke slowly as the first rays of morning streamed in through the doors that let out onto the gardens. She tried to move and felt an unfamiliar weight draped over her. Looking down, she found a blue hand resting squarely on her breast. Memories of the previous night returned and she smiled happily to herself. Twisting under his arm, she turned to him and brushed his hair out of his eyes. "Good morning, Zelgadis-san," she murmured with a happy smile.
He grimaced and squinted at her. "Is it morning already?" he muttered, pulling her closer to him.
She nodded, turning on her side and snuggling up against him. His hand on her back sent chills up her spine. She'd thought she'd been dreaming again, dreaming that Zelgadis was here with her and to wake up and have proof that it hadn't been a dream after all, but had finally come true ... She couldn't think of anything that could spoil her mood right now. "I'm afraid so," she said softly as he tucked her up underneath him then let his hand roam down to her hip and lower. He lifted himself and lowered his face to hers, kissing her softly.
"I don't suppose you have any coffee, do you?" he asked with a half-smile.
Amelia rolled her eyes. "You and your coffee. Is that all you can think about right now?"
Looking into her midnight blue eyes through his own heavily-lidded ones, his half-smile took on hungry over-tones. "No, as a matter of fact, there's something else I'm thinking about right now." He leaned forward and caught her lips again, slipping his hand under her bottom at the same time and pulling her hips hard up against his.
Gasping, she pulled away from him slightly. "Zelgadis-san!" she scolded. "Stop that!" But her expression and her soft, happy laughter belied her words as she snaked one arm around his neck and and put her other hand on his where it pulled at her hips. She smiled at him and stretched up to kiss him as he leaned down to touch his lips to hers ...
Philionel let his feet carry him through the halls of the Palace without direction or purpose. Where could Amelia have gone? What could have happened to her? Pain lanced through his chest as he contemplated all the things that might have happened. Even an optimist like himself couldn't help but worry. After all, there had been so much intrigue in the Palace regarding his family. First his dear Gracia targeted by an assassin, and his dear wife murdered in such a messy manner in front of their daughter. He'd been forced to let Gracia leave to protect her sanity. Then Randy's attempt on him some years ago; Amelia had been drawn into that nasty business as well. And Alfred and the two Mazoku who had deceived him ...
Sighing, he stopped and looked up. With a start of surprise, he found himself outside the door to Amelia's apartment. Shaking himself out of his funk, he reached for the doorknob. The door was unlocked and he pushed open the door and stepped into the sitting room of her apartment. It was quiet and dark, quite unlike it normally would have been. Amelia usually rose with the sun and was full of energy, ready and raring to start the new day.
The empty room brought home the pain he was feeling at her disappearance. Granted, it had only been for a few hours, but after having lost his wife, a daughter, a brother and a nephew all to court intrigue, she and his brother Christopher were all he had left.
He wandered around the sitting room, gently touching the little things that made it Amelia's: Small trinkets he had picked up for her on his travels, things she had collected on her own fantastic adventures. A small grouping of iconographs of her friends filled one small table. Picking one up at random, he examined it closely: The sorceress Lina Inverse and her companion, the swordsman Gabriev, the small girl leaning against the tall man and grinning madly. He set that one down and picked up one of Lina, Gourry and Amelia. He smiled as he ran his hands over the painted surface.
Eyes misting up, he set the iconograph back down and picked up another one. This one was of Amelia and the Chimeric Shaman, Zelgadis. He smiled sadly; he knew how much Amelia had wanted him here for her birthday celebration. Perhaps if he had been here, it would have made all this unpleasantness with the Council unnecessary.
A soft sound startled the Prince and his head jerked up and around. There were voices coming from nearby. Setting the iconograph back on the table, Phil listened carefully for more, hoping to determine whether or not he'd imagined them
No. There they came again. Two voices: One deep and the other lighter. They were coming from the bedroom. Crossing the room quickly, he saw the door was standing slightly ajar. Just as he was about to lay his hand upon it, he heard very distinctly Amelia's voice.
Slamming the door open, Philionel dashed into the room. "Amelia!" he shouted. "Here you are! I've been worr"
The sight that met his eyes was something for which nothing could have prepared him. He froze as the two people in Amelia's bed sat straight up.
"Daddy!" Amelia shouted, clutching the sheet up around her breasts, but not before he got a good enough glimpse to let him know that she was nude under it. Phil's vision turned red as he raised his baleful glare to the man who dared touch his little girl.
"YOU!" he roared. The Chimera nearly shot backwards out of the bed, dragging the light coverlet with him to cover his midsection. "How dare you?!" Phil rounded the bed, roaring like an enraged bull; the wooden poster bed frame creaked where he gripped the footboard and shoved the whole bed aside and out of his way in his haste to reach the other man, spilling Amelia onto the floor in the process. The protesting screech it made as he dragged it across the wooden floor mixed with Amelia's shriek as she landed unceremoniously on her backside.
Zelgadis scrambled backwards across the floor until he came up against the wall. "Wait! Your Highness, please wait! Let me explain" His blue skin was drained and chalky looking with shock and his eyes were wide with fright as he tried to evade the larger man and failing.
The Crown Prince of Seyruun reached down and grabbed the shaman's shoulder, hauling him upwards and thrusting him up against the wall. "How are you going to explain defiling and using my daughter for your own pleasure?" he demanded. "I trusted you with our lives and our honor, and this is how you repay me?" He thrust his face into Zelgadis' and nearly roared in his rage. His huge hands were clamped around the other man's neck as he held him pinned up against the wall; Zelgadis' feet dangled several inches off the floor. "You will pay for this betrayal and you'll pay dearly! Do you hear me?" He wanted blood and by Ceiphied he was going to get it! He increased the pressure on the Chimera's neck as he drove his powerful thumbs into the sensitive spot beneath the point of the man's jaw.
Unable to speak because of the pressure on his throat, Zelgadis' mouth opened in a silent screech of pain. He clawed at the bigger man's hands, but could find no purchase. Slowly the world started to darken before his eyes while the pain in his neck increased steadily ...
Panicking, Amelia swore softly to herself; why hadn't she thought about this? Grabbing the first thing that came to hand, she shook out Zelgadis' tunic and yanked it on over her head. It came to her knees and covered her completely. Good. Yanking the sleeves up her arms, she scrambled up and jumped over the bed. "Daddy! Stop!" she shouted at him as she tackled him. There was no other way to deal with him when he was like this; he would be oblivious to anything else. "Let him go!" She hurled her small weight at him, hoping to bring him down and release Zelgadis first. Then she'd try talking some sense in to him.
It was like a mouse trying to deter a bull moose. Momentarily diverted from his quest for the Chimera's blood, he looked at her and shook her off and sent her stumbling backwards to trip and land again on her backside. "Stay out of this, Amelia!" he shouted, holding Zelgadis up one-handed and lowering an accusing finger at her. "I'll deal with you after I finish with him!"
"No!" She tackled him again, this time putting all her power behind her attack and aiming for the back of his knees. Her father staggered under her attack and his hold on Zelgadis slipped enough for the Chimera to pry his attacker's fingers from around his throat. He fell gasping to the floor and scrambled backwards out of Phil's reach. He grabbed up the fallen coverlet and managed to wrap it around his waist.
Recovering himself, Philionel whirled and targeted the man who had shamed his daughter. Zelgadis' eyes bugged as he saw the big man wind his fist back and gather his not inconsiderable physical power for a killing blow. Zelgadis knew the frightening power Phil could summon at will. He'd seen him dispatch low-level Mazoku with nothing more than his fists; there was no uncertainty in his mind that Phil could deliver real physical damage to even his stone body. Crabwalking backwards, trying not to lose the coverlet and what remained of his modesty at the same time, he tried to evade the Prince's relentless advance. And yet, when Phil took a step forward, fist cocked and flames burning around the scion of Seyruun, he could feel Death's cold breath on his neck.
"STOP!" A small form leapt between Zelgadis and Philionel, feet planted and arms spread to protect the downed Chimera. Zelgadis could feel the force waves coming off her; it was enough to bring Philionel to a screeching halt.
"Get out of my way, Amelia," he growled, reaching for her. "Let me handle this."
"No!" she shouted. "You're not thinking straight! Leave him be!"
"I said move, Amelia! It is my duty to see the man who has dishonored my daughter punished!"
Exasperated beyond words, Amelia put her hands on her hips and glared at her father. "For Mother's sake, listen to me!"
Silence fell heavily over the room as Philionel froze and stared at her. Rubbing his neck, Zelgadis looked from one to the other in mute confusion. "What did you say?" Amelia's father finally managed to rasp out.
Panting, the little Princess fixed her father with a sharp look. "If you ever loved my mother, you will stop this."
"Why, Amelia?" he demanded. "Why are you evoking her memory? To torture me?" There were tears glistening in his eyes as he stared down at his daughter. Zelgadis could feel the electric current in the air between those two strong wills as they battled.
"Because, DaFather, I love him." The tension increased tenfold. "I love him!"
Phil shook his head. "Amelia, you're too young to understand what you're saying"
"No! I'm not a little girl any more, Father. I'm a woman now; I'm old enough to know my own mind. And what I do know is that I love Zelgadis and I will not let you hurt him." She was no longer shouting; instead her steady, determined voice carried more power and authority than anything she could have shouted.
The Prince stared at his daughter for several tense seconds before he flinched and looked away. His eyes sought out Zelgadis' over her shoulder and he glared at the Chimera for another handful of seconds before drawing himself up.
"Very well. You are indeed old enough to know your own mind, Amelia. However, your recent behavior does little to support that claim. While you and Zelgadis have been sharing a lover's tryst, I've had the Guards turning the city inside out looking for you. Did you forget about the announcement that was to be made last night?"
Amelia winced. "Oh, the announceDaddy, I'm so sorry, I completely forgot."
Philionel nodded. "So it's 'Daddy' again, is it?" His voice was bitter as he continued glaring down at his daughter even when she bit her lip and looked contrite. "I'll deal with you later. Then I've got to try and find a way to sooth the ruffled feathers of several hopeful suitors. Right now, I want you" he pointed at Zelgadis "in my office in fifteen minutes. Be late at your own risk." With that, he turned on his heel and marched purposefully out of the room.
Amelia and Zelgadis remained where they were until they heard the outer door to Amelia's apartment slam shut. That sound released them; Amelia turned and dropped to her knees in front of her lover, reaching out to him. "Are you all right, Zelgadis-san?" she asked quietly as she touched his throat. To her amazement, there were dark bruises forming on his throat.
He nodded and caught her hand. "I'm fine, but I don't think I've ever been so frightened in all my life." He shook his head and put his hand on her cheek. "How about you, Amelia? Are you all right?"
She nodded and hung her head. "I'm sorry about this, Zelgadis-san. I should have realized"
The Chimera reached out and put his hand under her chin and brought her face up. "Don't Amelia," he said softly. "What happened ... happened. We both should have been more careful. But now that it has happened, we'll deal with it. Together."
She smiled and covered his hand with her own. "Okay. You'd better hurry. You shouldn't keep Daddy waiting." The little Princess tried to pull away and was held captive by his hand.
"I won't be late if I kiss you one more time." Which he did.
They pulled apart only reluctantly. Zelgadis stood, pulling Amelia up with him and letting the coverlet fall from around his waist. "I'd best be getting dressed," he said.
She nodded and quickly pulled his tunic off and handed it to him. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her and he couldn't resist running his hand over her smooth hip and pulling her towards him. For a moment they stood together, skin against skin, before they reluctantly moved apart. Zelgadis took his tunic from her and he turned to gather up the rest of his clothing. Amelia hurried behind the screen to get dressed, overcome with a sudden bout with modesty.
Once dressed, together they went to face Phil's wrath.
"Come," was the barked reply to Zelgadis' hesitant knock on the door to Philionel's office. With a steady hand, the Chimera pushed open the door and let himself and an anxious Amelia into said office.
Phil was standing facing away from them and looking out the great windows behind his desk. His hands were clasped firmly behind his back and he stood that way for several minutes while Amelia fidgeted. Zelgadis put his hand on her shoulder to get her to stop before he started getting fidgety himself. The Princess looked up at him with wide eyes, and resolutely put her hands behind her back and turned to face her father (or rather his back) with a raised chin and a defiant eye. Sneaking a sideways look at Zelgadis, he gave her a slight grin and a nod.
There was no time for anything else as Phil turned from the window, pulled out his chair and sat down. He looked from one to the other and back again, giving each a hard, cold stare while saying nothing. Zelgadis could feel Amelia shaking as she stood next to him. This was probably the first time she'd ever displeased her father to such a degree, he mused.
"Amelia," Phil finally barked. Zelgadis felt her jump at the sound of his voice.
"Yes, Daddy?" she asked quietly.
"Leave."
"Wha -- ?" Open-mouthed with shock, she gaped at her father. Recovering and shaking her head, she drew herself up and held her fists clenched at her sides. "No. Whatever you have to say to Zelgadis-san, Daddy, you can say it to me."
"No, Amelia," Phil repeated, his voice as emotionless as ever. "I said leave."
"Amelia," Zelgadis said, putting his hand lightly on her arm. "Do as he says."
Confusion clouded her bright eyes. "But, Zelgadis-san" she started to say.
"I said LEAVE!" Philionel shouted, coming out of his chair to lean on his desk and loom over the two of them even with the desk separating them.
The girl jumped and darted behind Zelgadis. He turned and took her hand. "Go on, Amelia. Your father isn't going to kill me; he's a civilized man."
"But, Zelgadis-san"
"Please, Amelia, just go." He gave her a shove towards the door.
She stumbled but recovered herself. Giving him one more pleading look, she looked like she was about to protest again. Philionel shoved back the chair and rounded the desk towards her. Giving a soft yelp, she hurried out the door and pulled it shut behind her with a hollow click.
The Prince stood at the corner of his desk glaring at the door for a second before he turned his attention to the man who stood in front of him. Going back to sit in his chair, he pulled it close and leaned his elbows on the desk. Fixing Zelgadis with a baleful glare, he seemed to be daring the young man to break the silence first.
Zelgadis stared back with his practiced "cool as a stone" gaze that had served him so well in the past. If nothing else, it did a good job of hiding the fact that if he could sweat he'd be doing a good job of it right now. But he would not be intimidated by Philionel right now.
Realizing that trying to outstare the stone himself was not going to work, the Prince leaned back in his chair. "You realize that I could have you put to death for what you've done, don't you?" Without looking at it, he picked up a quill and started toying with it on the desk blotter.
Nodding, Zelgadis acknowledged this fact. "Yes, I do. But you won't." He hoped his voice didn't sound as shaky to Phil as it did to his ears.
Philionel stopped playing with the quill. "And just how do you know that?" he demanded.
"With all due respect, Your Highness, if you were going to do that, you would have done it by now."
"What's to say that I won't still do it?"
Deciding to throw caution to the wind, Zelgadis gambled with his life and Amelia's. "Because you know what that would do to Amelia."
Phil's eyes went round and his face flushed with anger. Leaning forward, he braced one arm on the desk. "Do you have any idea what you've done to her?"
Taken somewhat aback, Zelgadis' calm exterior finally seemed to crack. "IWhat I've done to her?"
Nodding, Phil waved his other hand. "You come breezing in here after no one has heard from you for months and without so much as a by your leave you hop into my daughter's bed. She may welcome you now, but may very well end up regretting that decision when you've decided it's time to go off seeking this cure of yours. Have you thought about the consequences of your actions?"
"Iof course, I have," Zelgadis stammered, realizing that he'd been so intent on just getting to Seyruun, he hadn't given any real thought to what came after. Last night had just been the culmination of a month of hard travel while being driven by the uncertainty of his dream as to Amelia's well-being. The night had been an emotional catharsis from which he'd not had sufficient time to process and adjust to the new emotions unearthed by the experience.
"Have you really? Then tell me something, what am I supposed to do if Amelia turns out to be carrying your child and you've left her again?"
Zelgadis felt as if he'd been punched. "That would never happen!" he insisted.
"Wouldn't it now?" Phil leaned forward. "And are you certain of that?"
Swallowing, the younger man realized he was not. "N-no, sir," he said softly. "I'm not."
"Do you realize the scandal that would occur if that were to happen? No, you don't; not now, not when you were letting yourself be ruled by your glands." Philionel sighed and closed his eyes and put his hands in his face. "Look, Zelgadis, I'm quite aware of how much my daughter cares about you." He glanced up at the Chimera then covered his face again. "After what I saw this morning, I know more than I care to." Taking a deep breath, he sat up straight and motioned for Zelgadis to sit. As the Chimera complied, he continued. "The point is, I understand, but what you've got to understand is I've got to keep Amelia's best interests at heart. But not only that, I've got to keep what's best for Seyruun in mind as well."
Swallowing, Zelgadis stared at his hands as he clasped them between his knees. "And what's that, Your Highness? An arranged marriage? An alliance of state?" Damn, he thought. After all the trouble he'd gone through to get here, was he going to turn out to be 'not in her best interest?'
"No."
Zelgadis looked up sharply. "But what about the announcement she was going to make last night?"
"I was never the one behind that; it was the Council that was pushing her into that. Amelia and I had discussed the situation beforehand and she was going to politely but firmly insist that she couldn't possibly make a decision like that without some more time."
Sitting up straight, the Chimera stared at the Prince. "You meanshe wasn't going to have to pick a suitor?"
"Great Ceiphied, no!" Philionel cried, genuinely taken aback. "This is my kingdom; do you think that I would permit such an injustice as forcing my own daughter into an arranged marriage if she did not approve? When I brought her mother from a small village here to Seyruun to be my wife? No, the Council does not bully me!"
Relief washed over Zelgadis and left him feeling weak. If he hadn't already been sitting down, he would have been unable to continue standing. "Then ... Why?" he demanded. "Why the pretense?"
"To put the Council off for a while, that's why. I could no more force Amelia into an arranged marriage than I would have settled for one myself. I knew she was waiting for someone." Phil gave Zelgadis a pointed look.
Zelgadis swallowed hard and looked at his hands. He remained silent, struggling with these new feelings and revelations long enough that Philionel's pointed stare turned into a glower. "Well?" he asked. "Just what are your intentions towards my daughter?"
"I would like to ... " The Chimera hesitated as he gathered his thoughts. This is what he wanted; he was tired of chasing the Queen of Diamonds when the Queen of Hearts was standing next to him ready and willing to have him. "I choose Hearts," he muttered under his breath.
"Pardon me?" Phil demanded as he leaned forward.
Clearing his throat, Zelgadis sat up straight and looked the Crown Prince in the eye. "I'd like to ask for Amelia's hand in marriage," he said formally. As he said the words, he knew they were right; he knew it from the warmth he felt in his chest. At last, it just felt right.
For a moment, the big man didn't speak. He leaned back in his chair and propped his chin in his hand and regarded the Chimera levelly. "Unfortunately, I cannot give you that." Zelgadis felt his heart stop with those words and nearly didn't hear the rest of what the other man was saying. "Only Amelia can tell you whether she'll have you or not." His face, which had been so grim up until now, finally cracked into a smile and his eyes twinkled. "I can, however, give you my blessing." His countenance turned serious again. "Provided, of course, you assure me that you're not going to go wandering off at the first whim."
Smiling his characteristic half-smile, Zelgadis shook his head. "No, I think I'm going to be staying in Seyruun for a long time, Your Highness."
Phil leaned back and and steepled his fingers in front of his face. "In that case, young man, we have certain ... matters to discuss. Matters of discretion. I believe you know what I'm talking about?" The bit man raised a bushy eyebrow at Zelgadis knowingly.
Swallowing hard, Zelgadis braced himself for the lecture he knew was forthcoming. Sighing inside, he realized he only had himself to blame.
We'll walk upon the hill
So high above the city
And count the rooftops down below
Lay on the grass
Dream out loud
Catch runaway trains
Dance in the rain
Someday you'll take my name
Zelgadis pushed open the door and exited Philionel's office with a lighter heart than he'd had going in. That didn't diminish the sudden attack of nerves he was feeling at the prospect of having to ask Amelia what he'd just asked her father, however, but at least he knew he wasn't going to be sent to the executioner's block. Because no matter what he'd said to Phil, there'd always been that possibility. A very real, unpleasant possibility.
He found Amelia sitting on a bench in the hall staring out the window at the courtyard below. She looked up as she heard the door open and when she saw it was him, she leapt off the bench and flew into his arms.
"Zelgadis-san, don't worry about anything Daddy might have said. He didn't mean it, any of it." Her words tumbled out over one another.
Taking her by the shoulders, Zelgadis held her at arm's length. "Wait, wait, wait, Amelia!" he exclaimed. "Slow down! I can barely understand you."
She stopped and stood there, staring up at him, her eyes large and intent. "Please, Zelgadis-san," she said. "I understand you can't stay, but I'd like to go with you"
"Wait, hold on a minute," he said firmly, gently squeezing her shoulders. "I'm not going anywhere."
Amelia nodded. "I know. I was talking about later. When you find more clues to your cure" Her voice was unsteady as she looked into his eyes.
Shock ran through him; she was really expecting him to leave her again. Just as Phil had. What kind of a monster was he that they would think he would use Amelia and leave her?
The kind that he'd made himself out to be.
His sudden self-revelation and the subsequent revulsion he felt must have shown on his face for Amelia's brows creased. "Zelgadis-san? What is it?"
"Amelia," he said finally. "I told you last night, I'm not going anywhere. Not now, not ever." He paused and licked suddenly dry lips. "I came to Seyruun to be with you, because you asked me to, and because ... because I wanted to be where you were." He tried to get out the question he'd just asked her father, but found that asking her was altogether different from asking her father. Doubts and fears he'd carried with him for too long to be banished in just a few hours surfaced again to play havoc with his nerves. "II want ... " He couldn't form the words he wanted to say.
She looked a little confused. "But ... What about your cure?"
Exasperated, Zelgadis dropped his hands from her shoulders and gestured wildly. "Forget about my damn cure, Amelia!" he shouted. "It's not what's important to me any more!"
Amelia drew back a little, her eyes large and frightened and ... hopeful. "You mean"
He huffed. If he couldn't say the words, maybe there was another way ... He reached out and grabbed her hand. "Come with me, Amelia," he said, turning and dragging her along behind him. She stumbled as he nearly flew towards the stairs and down them, then through the ballroom and out the doors and into the gardens. But he did not relent. Not as he hurried through the manicured lawns and the trimmed hedges towards the area where he'd come over the wall the night before. "Where is it? I know I left them here" He searched behind several trees along the wall.
"What? Zelgadis-san, what are you looking for?"
"My things. I put them downah, here they are!" He finally let go of her as he ducked behind a tree and brought out his pack and guitar.
"Why are your things here?" the Princess asked, looking curiously at him. The pack and the guitar case's oiled surface were covered with droplets of early morning due which he shook off before shouldering them.
"I left them here to be safe after I flew over the wall." He took her hand and led her through the gardens.
Amelia still looked confused. "I don't understand, Zelgadis-san, why didn't you just come to the main gate and ask to be let in? Your name was on the list to be admitted."
The Chimera shook his head. "I wish I'd known that last night," he said with a wry smile. "Would have saved me a lot of trouble. However, it appears that the City Guards were not as acquainted with the guest list as the Guards at the gate. They took exception to my wanting to come to the Palace and were going to arrest me."
Her brows drew down. "How awful! I'm sorry, Zelgadis-san."
He squeezed her hand as he led her back through the Palace. "It wasn't your fault. Uh, Amelia, is there some place I can put this?" He gestured towards his pack.
"Yes," she said with a smile. "This way." She led him through the Palace to the apartment that he had used on his previous stay in Seyruun. "Here," she said, gesturing as she opened the door. "This is yours for as long as you want it."
He nodded and made his way into the bedroom and dumped his pack on the bed, but kept his guitar with him. Returning to the main sitting room where Amelia had stopped, he took her hand and pulled her close to him. "Come on," he whispered, lacing his fingers through hers. "Let's go for a walk."
Amelia gave him a brilliant smile. "Okay." He kissed her quickly and had to forcibly remind himself of what he neededwhat he wanted to tell her. Pulling away, he led her out of the apartment and the Palace itself, and together, hand in hand, he led her purposefully through the city.
The marketplace was busy even at this early hour, and most of the people knew Amelia on sight. As Zelgadis led her through the main avenue, she couldn't help but notice that people were glancing her way and making soft comments on the fact that she was walking hand in hand with a man. She wondered what Zelgadis was thinking and glanced up at his face. Knowing he didn't like to be stared or pointed at, she knew this must be hard on him. To her surprise, however, he was looking down at her and he smiled as her eyes met his. His fingers tightened around hers and her heart skipped a beat. Unable to resist, she sped up, adding a little skip to her step and pulled him along after her.
Zelgadis found her good humor infectious and ran after her. Together they pounded through the market, scattering early morning shoppers here and there like so many stray chickens. Amelia pulled her hand from his and raced on ahead, tossing her hair and a challenge over her shoulder. The Chimera lowered his head and gripped his guitar tightly and put on a burst of demonic speed, passed her and came to a stop by the next corner. He was leaning against the signpost when she trotted up and stopped dead. "What took you so long?" he asked non-chalantly as she just stared at him.
"That's cheating, Zelgadis-san!" she exclaimed, panting.
"How is it cheating?" he demanded, reaching out and catching her hand again, pulling her along towards the city gates that stood only a few feet away now. The guards snapped to attention and saluted as Amelia passed. Already word had reached them that Amelia had not been missing at all, but instead had been taken ill during the reception (Phil's quickly concocted cover story to head off the scandal)and that the blue-skinned Chimera was a royal guest and to be treated as one of the Royal Family.
Then they were out of the city and on the main road that led to Seyruun. They had to fight their way through some of the incoming traffic, but once they got away from the gates, it wasn't so bad.
"Where are we going?" Amelia asked as she walked beside him.
He shrugged. "I don't know." Looking around, he spotted a hill with a small copse of trees growing on the summit. "Up there." He headed off the road and up the hill, heading for the shade of the trees.
Once they'd reached the top, Zelgadis found a nice spot that overlooked the White Magic Capital laid out below them. They were high enough that they could see the rooftops. He stood there a moment, picking out the area that had been ruined by Lina's magically enhanced Dragon Slave she'd used to destroy the floating island that Kanzel had trapped them on. It was nearly unrecognizable from the surrounding city by now, but if one knew where to look, it could be found.
Tearing his thoughts away from that time, he turned to the little Princess standing beside him. It had never fully struck him that this city was hers. Not just in the sense that it was where she was from, but the fact that she would most likely rule it one day had just never ... sunk in. And now what he was going to do ...
He looked down at the grass still wet with dew, and scuffed his boot back and forth a moment. "Here's a good place," he said, and untied the laces to his cloak and spread it out on the grass. "Sit." He suited words to actions and sat on his cloak and leaned against the tree and set his guitar down beside him.
Amelia sank down next to him, sitting cross-legged close to him, but not touching him. She, too, was looking down at the city and her eyes were distant in thought. The city held no interest for him now; instead he watched her as she surveyed her city, her eyes large and bright, hair blowing gently in the early morning breeze. "Tell me what you're thinking, Amelia," he asked softly.
She turned her head and pushed her dark hair out of her face. "I'm thinking ... That I'm happy you're here. I've missed you these past months, Zelgadis-san." Her smile was shy but she did not look away but gazed steadily into his eyes.
His return smile was rueful. "I've missed you, too," was all he could say. But it was enough for Amelia, whose smile brightened until it rivaled the sun.
Faced with such pure joy, he grew nervous again. To cover it, he pulled his guitar close and unpacked the instrument. He positioned his fingers on the neck and strummed a few chords, wincing as the loose peg made some of the notes sour. "I really need to get a new tuning peg," he said with a grimace as he twisted it. When the string was tightened to his satisfaction, he nodded. "There." He played a soft, sad melody and nodded. "Perfect."
"That's lovely," Amelia breathed. She knew that Zelgadis played the guitar, but he'd only done so for other people on very rare occasions. She hadn't learned about his talent until quite recently, in fact. Now that he was sitting here playing for hershe felt a thrill of excitement stab through her.
He bowed his head and continued idly strumming his fingers across the strings. Another melody, one not quite so melancholy, began to form. Amelia's breath caught in her throat as she listened; there was a quiet joy in the melody that seemed to shine in Zelgadis' face as he played. There was something familiar about it, too, and yet she knew she'd never heard it before. But the feeling would not go away.
Together they sat there on the hilltop, Zelgadis playing softly and Amelia listening attentively. The Chimera finally reached the end and the last notes seemed to hang sparkling in the slanting sunshine. The Princess let out a soft sigh and smiled. She was about to say something about how beautiful it was when Zelgadis started picking out the notes again. His face became stern and serious as if something was troubling him. Amelia felt something clench in her chest; she wished she could do something to take away all his pain ...
"Amelia," he said softly, startling her. "While I was journeying ... " He paused and swallowed, wondering how much to tell her. Just the important things; the rest would come later. It wouldn't do to get distracted by the details right now. "Something happened that made me stop and examine where I was headed in my life." He strummed the strings absently as he spoke.
"What happened, Zelgadis-san?" she asked, curious.
He shook his head. "What happened is not important right now. Right now what is important is that I had a lot of time to think about that question and the one about what was important to me. It was not an easy thing for me to realize that I ... That I ... " he trailed off and took a deep breath. "To realize some things about myself." He glanced up at her and found her looking at him with the same compassion and wonder with which she'd always regarded him.
Clearing his throat he looked back down at his fingers as they moved over the guitar strings. He took a deep breath. "One night in the desert I shared my campfire with another wanderer. He was a ... strange man and he sang me a song. My song, he said, and it made me think of things I didn't want to think about, but I had no choice. What I learned was that ... " That you're the best thing that has ever happened to me, he thought. Shaking his head, the words remained unsaid. "Damn it all," he finally muttered after several silent minutes. "Just listen, okay? I ... I wrote this for you."
Amelia watched him as he bent over the guitar, carefully picking out the melody he'd just played. When he added his light, tenor voice to the melody, she gaped at him; she'd had no idea that Zelgadis could sing! And then the words penetrated her shock and she finally heard them:
Take this man who comes to you
Take me to your side
I throw away my soulless days
I need you in my life ...
As he sang, he poured everything he was feeling and could not say to her into the words of the song, how he felt empty and barren without her; how he needed her to make himself whole again. How much he loved her. How much he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. As he reached the third verse, he realized how unconsciously he'd chosen a spot like the one in his song:
We'll walk upon the hill
So high above the city
And count the rooftops down below
Lay on the grass
Dream out loud
Catch runaway trains
Dance in the rain
Until this point, he'd been concentrating on the strings and the words, but as he sang the next few lines, he slowly raised his head until on the last line he was looking her straight in the eye:
Someday you'll take my name ...
He found his fingers stumbling over the strings and his voice faltering as Amelia's eyes grew wide and her mouth formed an 'O' of surprise. He had only a moment's notice to quickly shift the guitar out of the way before she was on him, arms tight around his neck and face buried in his tunic. "Zelgadis-san!" she exclaimed as his arms went around her and held her tightly. He could feel her small body trembling under his hands.
"Amelia! What is it, Amelia?" he asked softly, smoothing her hair and patting her back.
She pulled away finally, shaking her head and wiping her eyes. "Inothing. Everything. Oh, Zelgadis-san ... " She looked up at him and touched his face. "Did you ... did you mean what you said?"
He smoothed her hair back out of her face. "Of course I meant it, Amelia. I need you." Now that he'd spoken them, everything he was feeling seemed to come pouring out. "I've never needed anyone anything like I need you." He put his hands on either side of her face. "This is why I came back, for you. Because I need you in my life." Pulling her face close, he kissed her.
They were both breathless when they pulled apart. Still holding her face, he stared into her eyes. "Say yes, Amelia!" he grated, demanding the answer he wanted from her. "Tell me your mine!"
"Yes, Zelgadis-san!" she answered, nodding as well as she could with his hands holding her face. "I'm yours. Forever."
He smiled and let his hands slip down to her neck. "Now tell me I'm yours ... " he whispered.
"You're mine," she repeated, pulling herself close to him. "You're all mine." Their lips touched and they kissed as they sat on the hill overlooking the city.
A week later, Amelia led Zelgadis through the Palace and out into the gardens. They walked hand in hand along the manicure paths towards a small alcove formed by the hedges, a willow tree and the wall that surrounded the Palace grounds. A fountain played and burbled to itself in the afternoon sunlight, sending rainbows arcing along the wall and a tall, thin column of white marble that was nearly hidden by the willow.
The Princess stepped forward and lifted the willow fronds to reveal the column: It was about a foot square on a side and four feet high and set on a single block of matching white marble. Elegant in its simplicity, it seemed to sleep under the cool green of the willow's drooping branches. A single word was carved on the front surface.
"It's right here, Zelgadis-san," she said, pushing the fronds back and tucking them behind the column. Stepping away, she looked back at the Chimera, who had not come any farther than the other side of the fountain. "Just as you asked."
He nodded and swallowed hard. "Thanks, Amelia."
"I ... I'll go wait on the bench around the bend, okay?" Her dark eyes were sympathetic and yet understanding that this was something he had to do alone. Gently touching his arm as she came around the fountain, she moved past him and then he was alone.
He stared at the column and struggled with the emotions evoked by what it represented. Gathering his courage, he stepped around the fountain and came up in front of the column and knelt. He gazed steadily at the four letters carved into the otherwise pristine surface of the stone; four letters that formed a name. A name he both reviled and worshiped, hated and loved. Reaching out, he placed his hand, fingers splayed, over those four letters.
Clearing his throat, he opened his mouth to say something and yet nothing came out. He tried again. "I ... I thought you might like this spot, Grandfather," he said finally, his voice pitched low. "I know you always liked the sound of running water ... "
Zelgadis lowered his hand and clenched it by his side and squeezed his eyes shut. "It's time I laid you to rest, don't you think? You've haunted me for long enough. It's time I got on with the rest of my life. Time I left behind the ghosts of my past and looked towards my future. And I suppose I should thank you for what you've done, because if it hadn't happened, I wouldn't have Amelia now." His smile was sardonic. "I don't think I'm quite ready for that, though, because the man that brought that about isn't the same man I'm talking to ... Maybe someday," he whispered. "Maybe someday I'll be able to come here and say that, but not today. Not today."
He looked up at the column again and spoke in a stronger voice. "But I suppose that will come in time." He rose and dusted off his trousers. "Good-bye, Grandfather. I might stop by again ... Just to see how you're doing." He reached forward and pulled the willow fronds back over the column and stepped back. "Rest well, Rezo," he said softly before turning his back on the little memorial and the past it represented. He rounded the corner and held out his hands to the woman who was his future, and arm in arm they walked back to the Palace, leaving at least one ghost behind them.
What are these hands for ...
What are these arms for
If I can't hold you through the night
What does this heart beat for
If I can't lay by your side
You must know
I was made for you