Instead of walking to Sailune, Zelgadis, Gourry and Sylphiel rushed there by flying. With Zelgadis and Sylphiel carrying Gourry they made it to Sailune in a relatively short amount of time.
Sailune, though its normal business was the same, all of its people were uneasy. Every person that Zelgadis, Sylphiel and Gourry saw was unhappy and very much worried about something.
I guess its naïve to think that the palace could keep the news of Amelia's kidnapping a secret. Zelgadis thought dryly.
They all looked so uneasy that Zelgadis was afraid that they might mistake them for kidnappers or something. Surely travelers were not being welcomed very well lately. And Zelgadis being a chimera wasn't a help, they'd probably think he was some sort of demon sent to destroy Sailune.
They were getting odd looks as they walked the main road of the city. A lot of the glances were directed mostly towards Zelgadis, because as usual, he had put up his hood and mask. People were whispering, and out of nowhere a man came up to Zelgadis and yanked off his hood and mask.
"I knew it! It's you!" The crazed townsperson cried.
"Um, excuse me I think you have me mistaken with - "
"No it's you! You guys are Princess Amelia's traveling companions! You've come to save our princess haven't you?" The man said almost graveling at Zel's feet.
All the people gathered around this little public show. Zel was afraid of being accused of something, but much to his surprise everyone looked at him hopefully instead of accusingly.
"Yes they have come to save the princess!"
"By the gods I hope they can help her!"
"Poor Princess Amelia! But at least she has good friends to help her!"
Numerous things were spoken by numerous townspeople as the gathered in closer to the traveling threesome, blocking their way to the castle.
"Um, yes we have come to help. But we need to get to the palace to talk to Prince Phil!" Zelgadis said over the growing crowd. Everyone backed off and made a path to the palace.
Being watched by the many people, Zelgadis, Gourry and Sylphiel reached the palace entrance.
"How are we going to get in?" Sylphiel said nervously clutching Gourry's arm as she looked back at the townspeople.
"Do you think if we just tell them who we are that the will let us in?"
"Think about it Gourry. Their crown princess was just kidnapped. Do you think they'd just let people in because they say that they know Prince Phil?" Zelgadis said with a cross look at the blond swordsman.
Gourry got a really strained look on his face as he thought hard. Zelgadis just shook his head.
"Would it hurt to try?"
"I guess not."
They headed over to the guards and when they were about to say something to them, the guards grabbed their arms and pulled them in the castle.
"Oh thank the gods you are here! Prince Philionel has been expecting you."
They were leaded down a few hallways till they were brought right in front of a door.
"Prince Philionel is in there." The two guards left leaving them alone in front of the door.
"I'm a little confused. Did we tell anyone that we were coming?"
"No we didn't Gourry. I don't get it either. But anyway let's go in."
Inside the room they saw several guards and man standing next to a white mass slumped over a chair. And that mass appeared to have black hair and bawling very loudly.
"Phil?"
The white mass got up and looked up at the visitors.
"Oh you came! I just knew you would my friends!" Indeed that white mass was Phil, he was happy to see them, and he was currently giving Gourry, Sylphiel and Zelgadis a great big bear hug while crying out waterfalls. Okay imagine this, you are being given a great big bear hug by Phil, who at the moment is emotionally unstable. Are you choking? Well they definitely were. Each of them was turning a shade of blue, well except Zelgadis who was already blue. His face was turning more of a navy blue shade.
"Phil (gahh) you are (ackk) choking us!"
"Oh I am so sorry! I'm just so upset! My poor defenseless, precious little Amelia, kidnapped by an evil monster! I just don't know what to do!" Phil cried out as he let them go.
Zelgadis had the impulse to snort at Amelia being defenseless, but he refrained from doing so.
"Phil tell us what happened."
"Well it was like this, I was having a nice evening with my dear Amelia, when I got this message from someone. The message was a warning that someone was planning on kidnapping Amelia! I did take the note seriously and had extra guards stationed around. But still a monster came and kidnapped her!"
"Did you see the monster?"
"Yes it was all green and said that it's name was Gek. It ran off with my poor Amelia without even telling me its demands!"
"What happened next?"
"I sent out a message to Miss Lina in the hopes that she could help me. She came very quickly and helped me start an investigation. But it was all hopeless because another monster came and kidnapped her!"
"You mean someone could actually kidnap Lina?!" Gourry said with awe.
"Um, Gourry it's not impossible. Remember when I was trying to get the philosophers stone from her? I managed to kidnapped her."
"You did?"
"Yeah. Um Phil it was another monster and not the same one?"
"Yes they were two different monsters. I hadn't got one ransom note or anything from that monster who kidnapped Amelia until an hour ago."
"What does the note say?"
"Take a look for yourself." Phil said handing Zelgadis the note.
Zelgadis read it out loud:
Dear Prince Philionel,
if you are worried about your daughter's safety and Miss Lina's, then have Zelgadis, Gourry and Miss Sylphiel meet me in the town square after nightfall. Oh and you come as well Prince Phil. But no one else. You four must be alone!
Signed, Gek.
"How did he know that we were coming?"
"I don't know Mister Gourry, but I was so worried that you guys would not come. But that know you are here you can help me."
"Yeah but Phil this looks like a trap."
"It doesn't matter! With justice on our side we should surely overcome any evil!" Phil said striking a pose that Amelia would do.
(collective sweatdrop/shudder combinations.)
"Well should we go?"
"We have no choice. If we don't Phil will just go on his own and it would be too dangerous for him to do that."
"But what if it is a trap?"
"We deal with it then."
With their plans settled they went on dealing with other matters until it was time to meet Gek. Gourry and Sylphiel walked in the royal Sailune gardens alone (oooooh!) while Phil was going over the past few weeks' events showing Zelgadis details of the kidnapping.
"Phil who do you think could be behind this?"
"What do you mean? It was a evil monster not a person who did this!"
"Yeah but Phil whenever there has been a problem with someone threatening your life or others in the kingdom it's usually one of your relatives just trying to gain power to rule Sailune."
"But surely a monster wouldn't go along with something like that!"
"Phil a monster did go along with something like that. Remember when Alfred hired not one but two monsters to deal with you?"
"Well I guess... but no one close to me in my family would work against me!"
"What about your brother Randy?"
"Alright you have me there. But I'm telling you I don't think this has to do with my family. Why would they go after Amelia and not me? And what makes you so sure that someone hired this monster? And why would someone warn me?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out myself. But I don't know why but I have this nagging feeling that Amelia wasn't what this monster was really after..." Zelgadis said lost in his trail of thought.
"If Amelia wasn't what the monster was truly after then why kidnap her in the first place?"
"Again I don't know, but I guess we'll find out later. Phil are you sure you want to come?"
"Well the note did say for me to come as well. Do think we'll be in danger?"
"Strangely I don't feel like we will... But I want to ask you something else. This monster that kidnapped Lina, how did it happen?"
Prince Phil sat down on the floor for a moment deep in thought. Zelgadis mentally noted that Phil very much resembled Gourry when he was trying to remember something that he forgot.
"You know I really don't know." Phil said coming to a decision.
(facefault.)
"What do you mean you don't know?!"
"I was asleep when it happened."
"Asleep? What time did the kidnapping occur?"
"Oh in the afternoon."
"Why where you asleep?!"
"I don't know. I was in the dinning room having lunch with Lina and everyone else and then all of a sudden I fell asleep."
"Must have been a sleep spell. How many people were put to sleep?"
"Everyone in the castle and on the castle grounds."
"Whoa wait a minute! That's a lot of people. Man this monster must be powerful. I don't know of anyone being to put that many people to asleep at once. But how do you know that the monster was not the same as the one who kidnapped Amelia?"
"Because I woke up and it was staring at me. This monster was a dark blue green and had a different voice than Gek."
"It talked to you?"
"Yeah it told me, 'I'll just borrow her for a little while you go back to sleep now' and I fell asleep after that."
"Now that is very odd... do you think that the two monsters are working together?"
"I really have no idea but I would be devastated if anything happened too my poor Amelia!" And thus Phil proceeded to cry, yet again.
"Um, Phil I'm going to um go and... um take a... bath! Yeah right a bath! So I'll see you later at dinner." Zelgadis said nervously. Did he really want to take a bath? No he just wanted to get away from Phil.
"Oh yes a bath! I'll make sure to have the servants draw you one in the royal baths."
"Um, no Phil I mean - "
"No buts! Only the best for my dear friends!"
Zelgadis sighed as he sat in the warm water. He was now in the royal Sailune baths, a large spacious room with no windows and was lit with several lamps. Well I guess they have it underground like this so they can avoid any attempts on the royal families lives. No one could get in or out of the room once it was locked. Any even if someone tried there were guards outside the door guarding it.
Well at least I can have a bath in peace with no interruptions. Zelgadis closed his eyes as he sunk lower into the water. He was really letting himself relax until he felt that odd feeling of being watched again. Zelgadis opened is eyes just a sliver and peered around the empty room. He was alone, Zelgadis even made sure of that before he came into the bath. I guess I'm just getting paranoid, with everything that's being going on lately.
Pushing his uneasiness aside he closed his eyes again, forcing his muscles to unclench. Zelgadis lazily opened his eyes to see something shadowy heading straight for his head. With a quick motion Zelgadis leaps out of the way leaving a crater where his head been. He pulled on a towel around him and on instinct he grabbed his sword only to find he was yet again alone.
I can't trust my eyes I know something is here!
A shadowy figure appears behind Zel and strikes him. Zelgadis is knocked back forward. He staggered back to his feet.
How come I didn't sense that coming! I didn't even hear anything! Zelgadis was attacked again, and all he could do was swing his sword blindly. He couldn't see what was hitting him, but what was hitting him could see where Zelgadis was swinging his sword. Then an idea hit Zelgadis. He threw a fireball into the bath and the water splashed on everything. Including all the lamps putting out the flames. Perfect darkness surrounded Zelgadis as the last flame flickered out.
Well if I can't see than neither shall you. And Zelgadis let his instincts govern his actions. Soon enough though he was still swinging blindly, Zelgadis struck his assailant with his sword. He heard the shadow creature cry out in pain and Zelgadis could have sworn that it sounded human. Casting a light spell Zelgadis only managed to see the remains of a shadow disappearing into the air.
Now what the hell was that? He thought as he toweled off and got dressed.
Zelgadis had a decision when he went for dinner, should he or shouldn't he tell everyone about the attack? But when he saw Phil he made the decision not too. Phil's too worried about Amelia to have to worry about anything else. Besides the thing attacked me and not anyone else. Whoever or whatever sent after that thing is after me and me alone.
"Mister Zelgadis did you enjoy your bath?"
"Um, yes it was 'fine'."
"Good well it's time to eat. I'm afraid Mister Gourry and Miss Sylphiel are already in the main dinning court eating."
"Hmm..." Zelgadis said still lost in thought.
Oh what a sight it was in the dinning court! You'd think without Lina there, Gourry would eat slowly knowing that he didn't have to worry about fighting over food. Or at least that is what Zelgadis had assumed. Much to his surprise Gourry was being his normal piggish self.
Sitting down with his food put in front of him, Zelgadis only picked at his food. He was drinking a large amount of coffee but he wasn't much.
Sylphiel herself didn't have much of an appetite. She was much too worried about Lina and Amelia to think of much else.
"Hey Sylphiel are you okay?" Gourry asked snapping Sylphiel back to reality.
"Um why do you ask Gourry-dear?"
"Well you look so sad and your not eating much."
"And you want to know if you can finish off the rest of my food right?"
"No I'm just a bit worried about you that's all." Sylphiel blushed beet red and her heart was doing flip-flops. (Relm: Yes I know Gourry turning down food seems a bit OOC but hey, this is Sailune here! If he wanted more Phil could just order more with no trouble.)
"Um, thank you Gourry... I'm just worried about Amelia and Miss Lina." Sylphiel said regaining her sad expression and losing the red tinge in her cheeks.
"Really Sylphiel I wouldn't worry too much. We'll probably have Amelia back tonight, and Lina can take of herself."
"Do you really think so Mister Zelgadis?"
Zel nodded his head and returned his gaze down to his food. He hoped so. Perhaps this Gek person could shed some light on what's going on...