THE
CRYING STONE:
CHAPTER 10: THE MYSTERIOUS CROWN PRINCE SIDA GLEZ
by Ashe Rhyder
Cerina despretely tried to slow down her heart beat as the guard led her
to the throne room. She knew something was going to go wrong; everything went
wrong since -he- died. She descreetely wiped at tear from her eye, not noticing
that it was pure gold in color.
"Your Highness, Cerina Esrevni has arrived." A chancellor
addressed the shadowed man who sat on the throne in a position of boredom.
"Send her in." The command came from a voice that was
quiet, yet commanded authority like no other.
"Your Majesty." She bowed, as customary, half wishing he would
step out of the darkness and reveal his face. Common rumor amidst the power
classes was that he was either drop dead gorgeous or horribly disfigured, but
more believed the latter. If he were terrible to look upon, it would make
more sense for his demeanor to be hard and cold like ice.
"So, you're the girl, the one masquerading as the Dra-matta?" He
shifted positions, leaning forward in interest but still not showing his face.
"I can see the resemblance..."
*He'll never believe me if I tell him the truth, and I can't prove
anything without magic.* She thought sadly. *Without Zel...* "My Lord Sida,
I have not meant any offense by resembling the Dra-matta; I cannot help the way
I was born to look."
"It's quite alright. Lina Inverse died quiet a while ago; I doubt she
would mind." He dismissed the issue.
*Yeah.* Her mood became bitter. *Lina Inverse died with Zelgadis Greywers.*
"I suppose you're wondering why you were called to the court."
He leaned back into the shadows.
"Yes, sire." Cerina took Shouka's words to heart, for without
her magic, she would stand no chance against the much feared Prince.
"There is a prophacy... that states facts about the rebirth of the
last parts of Shabranigdo." His voice held remote interest. "A few
weeks ago we recieved word that the Dark Lord had risen again, and was defeated
by none other than Lina Inverse. I don't suppose you know anything about
this?"
"No."
"I suppose it's just as well..." He sighed, motioning for one of
the officers to come closer so that he could hear the whispered commands.
"Miss Esrevni, please follow me." The guard led her out of the
throne room, and down a series of much too quiet halls.
"Do you know why Prince Sida asked me to come?" She asked.
"The Prince gives no explanation to use." The captain replied,
coming to a stop in front of a pair of ominous black doors. "You are to
wait in here."
"For what?" She asked as he pushed her into the chamber. Her
answer came in the form of the shutting doors. *If I could use magic, I'd blow
this whole place into next Thursday.* She thought angrily, remembering Zelgadis'
sacrifice.
The room, despite the doorway, was actually quite pleasant. The walls were
made of a light blue stone that gave the area the appearance of being
underwater. Enonormous cushions were the only furniture, and except for the one
she had entered by, there were no other doors.
Out of nowhere, Xellos appeared. Cerina bit back a scream, growing
concerned upon finding that the Mazoku was in less than healthy condition.
"Xellos, what's wrong?" She asked, and he opened his eyes in
shock.
"Lina? What're you doing here? I thought I told you to go home!"
"You did." She whapped him upside the head lightly. "I got
called to appear before the court." The Juujinkin Priest responded by
muttering a string of curses in a language long dead.
"Xellos Metallium! Stand still and fight!" Time and space
were cleaved by a blade made of pure light, and a lone figure stepped through
the tear.
"Hikari no ken?" Lina whispered, eyes growing wide. "Gourry..."
"Sida!" The Mazoku hissed, leaping to his feet and appearing
completely refreshed.
"Prince Sida?" She stood shakily. "Crown Prince Sida of
Glez?"
"Lina Inverse." He straightened from a defensive position, the
glow from his sword illuminating his long unseen features. His crimson tresses
were more of a blood red than her fiery locks, but a wide bandanna of black silk
kept his bangs back from his royal blue eyes.
His sapphire eyes that glittered like twin gems; cold, hard, and cat-slitted.
"You are her, aren't you?" His eyes narrowed. "Dra-matta,
Lina Inverse."
"No."
"You -have- to be!"
"No!"
"You have to be!"
"Leave her alone!" Xellos charged Sida as the prince approached
her, catching the warrior ruler off guard with an unnamed blast of Mazoku power.
Sida's eyes widened in pain, shock, and fear as the explosion seared his skin
and threw him hard enough into the wall behind him to make a crater.
"Esrevni is Inverse, inveresed." The blue eyed Prince struggled
to rise. "You have to be her, you've just -got- to be!"
"Not anymore."
"Lina Inverse--"
"Not anymore!" She screamed as a wave of fire flew from her
fists and slammed him back into the wall.
"Please..." He looked up slowly, his hair falling free from the
charred remains of his bandanna. The scarlet locks cascaded over his right eye
in a very familiar style, and his pointed elf-like ears just barely poked
through the crimson curtain. "Please, Lina, 's me... 's just me..."
His name caught fast in her throat and she dared not say it.
"Zelgadis?" Xellos shifted out of his offensive stance, but did
not lower his shields.
"Fruitcake..." Sida managed a half-hearted smirk before
collapsing.
"Zel?!" Lina darted to his side.
"Why didn't... you see it, Lina?" He asked quietly, almost
completely drained of energy. "Esrevni... is Inverse... Sida Glez... is
Zelgadis... Lina?"
"Yeah?"
"Cast Healing. Please."
"Okay, Zel." She smiled as she chanted the incantation that
soothed his pain and mended his burnt flesh.
"Who knew?" Xellos mused, floating corss-legged nearby.
"Knew what, namagomi fruit?" Zelgadis chuckled as he and Lina
stood up.
"Who knew that you were really a red-head too?" Xellos' comment
went ignored.
"So, Lina." Zel's sapphire-like eyes danced as his arm snaked
around her waist. "What are your parents going to say?"
"'Bout what?" She giggled.
"'Bout this." He drew her into a kiss, neither of them paying
any attention to Xellos, who was making gagging noises out of spite and
jealousy.
"Come now, act your age." 'Shouka' appeared out of nowhere, her
golden hair streaming out behind her as she bapped him over the head with his
own staff.
"He's Mazoku. He's not going to act his age, ever." 'Ryuusuke'
materialized beside her, only to get bopped as well.
"Lei, Hush!" she chided.
"Yes L-sama." He grumbled.
Crown Prince Sida Glez was glorified by his people upon proving that he was the reborn/ human form of Zelgadis Greywers (no one really doubted him, it actually explained quite a lot), and the kingdom rejoyed doubly so when he announced his engagement to the immortal sorceress Lina Inverse (they rathered she be on their side, after all.) There were a few grumblings about having a notorious Mazoku like Xellos Metallium as the Royal Advisor, but those were all 'mysteriously silenced.' And they made new legends, happily ever after.
