Winter’s
End
Chapter 3
Emperor's Sister
Zelgadis
watched as the naked girl rested in her crystal prism. He hesitantly ran his
fingers along the crystal's face, tracing her form, and blushing once again. He
saw her body was nearly healed, only white scratches showing where her injuries
once were.
"I've
never seen..." he began and paused unsure how to continue. He looked up
into her face, startled to see her eyes shiver with the beginings of
conciousness. "Oh." he spouted foolishly and reached into the gem's
depths to retreve the young maid from within.
He
held her close as her body trembled with cold and her eyes opened at last. He
drowned into her flaming pupils of ruby red. Eyes with soo much life and
pashion;
eyes he's never seen before. He stared transfixed as her soft pink lips opened
and screamed long and loud and clear. Zelgadis was startled by the girl's
reaction
to his presence, but not half as badly as when she slapped him soundly across
his face, and dubbed him a lechorous pervert.
Blushing
and stammering like some school boy, Zelgadis struggled to defend himself from
her attacks and failed. The vivicious red head landed yet another painfull blow
upon his person before the queen swooped down to his rescue.
The
Snow queen kept her laughter in check as she viewed the scene before her. "Zelgadis,
get the poor creature some clothing," she bade him as he scampered to his
feet a safe distance away from their angry guest. "We can't keep her naked
on the cold floor now can we." She grinned as her flustered child ran to do
her bidding.
The
girl glared, spitfully, at the queen, much to her amusement, and attempted to
cover her nackedness as best she could.
"Do
not look so, little one." the queen reprimended. "And act not so
towards my son, neither. You owe him your life afterall. He found you injured
and half dead in the snow, and so brought you here to me to be healed. That is
all." the queen informed her.
"Who
a.. are y.. you?" Lina stuttered with cold, "Wha.. what i..is th.. this p..p.. place? And what the
HELL happened to my clothes!?!"
Zelgadis
returned before the queen could answer and gave her some clothing. He turned his
back as she dressed in the soft violet material, warmed by its texture and
furred trimmings.
"I,
little one, am known as the Snow Queen. This is my only son, Zelgadis, the Frost
Prince. This is a relm where winter resides, a small, mysterious
kingdom
under a layer of protective ice, hidden from the eye of mankind. You fell
through this barrior, almost paying with your life. AS for your clothing, well,
they are no more than blood splattered tatters." the queen told her and
turned to leave. "You are welcome here as our guest, but be warned. You
must always have a chaperone or else those here that dwell with hatred and fear
of your kind in their hearts will destroy you." With that said, she
departed leaving her nervous son with the girl.
Zelgadis
stared, as if facinated, at his feet. "So what are you called?" he
asked finally, gaining the courage to look up at her.
Lina
eyed him, intrigued. "Lina. Lina Inverse. You're Zel right?" He nodded,
confused as she walked to his side. "Thankyou. For saving me, and for the
clothes." He noded once more. "Well, how about you give me a tour of
'winter-wonder-land'?" she grinned, causing him to relax.
"Sounds
good." he murmured, leading the way. "If it's not too presumptuous of
me, could you.. would you tell me about yourself?"
Lina
shrugged. "Sure. Well... I'm one of the younger daughters of my family.
WE're rather well off, but I was disowned when I refused to be Bartered with
like so much chattle. So, alone, I set out to make my way in the world. After
some time I landed a position as a maid in the Uld Mettalium manor house. You
porbably don't know them." she said as Zel shook his head, confirming her
statement.
"What
was it like, Lina?" Zel asked as they continued.
"Horrible."
Lina snorted. "They treated the help poorly enough, though the wages
usually made up for it. I guess I was just 'special'."
"How
do you mean?"
Lina
sighed deeply before answering. "Well the Uld Mettalium's have Three
children. A daughter and two sons. Their eldest, Sylfiel, is very sweet And
kind. Her brothers, Xellos and Phibrizo, are self serving weasles. The youngest,
Phibrizo,
was the nastiest, spoiled little brat I've ever had the misfourtune to meet, and
He disliked me at first sight. Always playing pranks on me, that one."
"Sounds
rough" Zelgadis comented.
"HA!
You don't know the half of it yet. Phibby was the lesser of the three evils, in
this case." Lina snorted. "Xellos on the other hand, tried every
under-handed and sleazy trick in the book to get me in the sack."
"A
sack?" Zel questioned, innocently, "I don't understand."
Lina
blushed as she looked to see how serious he was. Seeing his honestly nieve
expression, she attempted to educate him. "Ah.. well.. to get someone in
the sack is.. to.. get them into.. bed. AH, you get me?"
Zel
blushed red with both embarassment and surprisingly, for him, some fury.
"Why that... that's..."
"I
know." she nodded, feeling oddly comforted by his reaction. "HE, I
managed to deal with... it was Sylfiel that was the biggest trial I had to
endure."
Zelgadis
watched her as she became silent, waiting for what would surely follow.
Sylfiel
Uld Mettalium, the eldest daughter of the house of Mettalium, paced her
chambers, distraught. She felt lost, confused, abandoned, and on the verge of a
hysterical crying fit. It was quite the sight she displayed, eyes red and lovely
dark hair tangled, as her dear brother entered.
"Sylfiel
you look disasterous!" Xellos teased as he made himself comfortable.
Sylfiel
ran her hands over her sore eyes. "How can you do that!" she puttered
angrilly. "Do you delude yourself, or did you really not care?"
"What
on earth are you bagering about sister-dearest?" Xellos scoffed,
"Anyway.. on a more Interesting topic, where is that delicious strawberry
vixen? I haven't seen the lucious Lina all evening." he inquired.
Sylfiel
stared at him amazed. "You.. don't.. know.." she breathed, causing his
features to darken with ire. "She's gone Xellos!" she spazzed,
"She Left Me! All of Us! BUT ME!!! How could she..."
Xellos
stopped listening, and said nothing.
Zel
watched as Lina ate with gusto. They had spent most of the day together, time
having no real meaning in this world of ice and snow and silence. "So..
it's true? But i've never.. is it really true?"
"yes!"
Lina exclaimed, a grin plastered to her face. It had been there since she had
told him about Sylfiel's infatuation and he had become almost childishly sweet
with his curiosity and disbelief. "Two women can have THAT type of
relationship as well as two men or a man and a woman."
"It's
practicly un-believable." Zel spoke in awe.
"Most
men find the thought of two women arrousing." Lina smirked.
Zel
blinked. "how's that? Are you.. like that?"
Lina
blushed. "I don't really know. And I prefer guys thanks. Just ONE
guy!"
"Oh."
Zel replied. "Say Lina, do you.. like me? I find you.. I don't know how to
say it but.. I don't want to get you into a sack. I just want to stay like this,
talking and being with you."
Lina
was astounded. "Wow, I... I don't know. That's one of the nicest..Zel. I
think we'd be the best of friends." she smiled. "I must admit, you're
the first to tell me about having no desires for me in that way before."
"Did
I offend you? I appologise for my callous ignorence." Zelgadis sighed.
"No.
I like it. Like I Like YOu. " Lina mused, gaining a smile in return.
"You know Zel, i now understand where the fairy taled, prince charming came
from."
Zelgadis
blushed and smiled some more.
