Amelia had been sobbing for what seemed like hours. She couldn't believe he was dead. She was all alone now and noone could bring back the man she had loved all of her life. Amelia clung tightly to Lina Inverse, her best friend, tears streaming down her face, her eyes bloodshot from all of the crying she had been doing. Lina was trying not to cry for her friend as they sat beside the grave of the late Prince Phillionelle. Her father's grave was freshly grounded. Lina and Gourry had heard first and had come just in time to catch the princess in the act of trying to cut her wrists. They stopped her and had been there for almost a week. In that whole time, Amelia had not smiled, had not eaten very much and had not spoken a word. She never looked at anyone in the eyes. She never even acknowledged that anyone was there. She stayed most of the time beside her father's grave, sobbing maddly, wailing out her sorrows in a tearful song that made even Lina cry. Gourry almost cried as well, hearing her uneven sobbs. When she wasn't crying, she was sleeping, which was not very much. Lina had to bathe her friend and help her walk. Amelia had become so weak she was almost limp. She refused to move, becoming a rag doll at times or barely shuffling along. Lina had awoken many nights hearing the girl shuffle down the hall and looked out into the hallway to see Amelia drop heavily to her knees, sobbing wildly. She cried for hours on end and many nights, Lina even had to stay in the room with her to make sure she didn't wonder off and try something dramatic.
Dear Zelgadis,
There is no telling if this letter will reach you or not. We need your help terriblly. Prince Phil died two weeks ago from a heart attack and Amelia is near death. She won't speak, she won't eat, she won't even sleep. All she does is cry. Gourry and I have been here for a week and she has tried almost ten times to kill herself. If we weren't here, she would have succeeded. Please, if you can make it, we will be waiting at the Sailluine castle.
Your old friend,
Lina Inverse
Zelgadis frowned. Amelia had never acted like this before. Ever since they had all split up and gone their separate ways three years ago, Amelia seemed as if she hadn't changed in her letters. No wonder she stopped writing all of them. That was probably why Lina and Gourry went there was to check on her and see if she was ok.
Zel had recently found his cure and had planned on visiting the castle anyways. What the hell, ok.
As Zelgadis arrived at the gates, he noticed strangly that there was noone. Noone. Not a guard, not a maid or a servent or a palace aid. Lina came almost immediatly running out.
"Zel? Zel is that you?" she smiled sadly, obviously worried about Amelia, as she kept looking up at the window. Amelia stood there with a blank face, looking down in the direction of her fathers grave in the garden.
Zel's reluctant smile faded quickly. "Geez, she really is different. Gods, that poor kid."
"Yeah." Lina grabbed his wrist, catching his attention away from Amelia at the window.
Zel followed Lina into the castle, greeting a sad Gourry on the way.
"Where is everyone?" He asked as they made their way to Amelia's room.
"They all left after Phillionelle died. They didn't want to stay and live with the horrible saddness. But, Amelia, poor Amelia, she had no choice. She was forced to stay and watch her castle alone for almost a week and a half with no human contact. For Amelia,that's a miracle for her to survive alone."
Zel nodded in agreement as they walked to the door. Amelia was still staring blankly out the window.
Lina walked up and took Amelia gently by the shoulders, speaking softly to her. "Amelia, look who's here. It's Zel! Isn't that great?"
Amelia slid out of her friend's grasp and walked trancidly by her old friend. She slowly paced down the hall, Zel and Lina following her as she made her way back out to the garden, and fell to her knees, her dress scuffing in the dirt, burying her head in her hands and sobbing softly.
Lina sighed. "She does this alot."
Zel knelt down next to her. "You go get rest, Lina." He said never taking his eyes off of Amelia. "I'll watch her for a while. It'll be ok.
Lina yawned and nodded. "Thanks, Zel." She patted his shoulder and walked off.
Zel spent the rest of the day, helping Amelia walk, sitting with her while she cried and standing by her on the balcony. He had to grab her once when she tried to jump out the window, picking her up and laying her crying down on the bed.
"I'll be right back, Amelia." He began to walk away.
"don't..................go." He spun around as she spoke. He looked at her as she turned to face him, her eyes focusing on his. "please.........."
Zel rushed back to her and grabbed her up. "Amelia, ok, ok....I won't leave you alone. Come on." He tried to help her up.
"No...." she moaned. "Too weak."
"Alright then. " He grabbed her from underneith and lifted her into his arms. "You'll accompany me whilst I eat, ok?" Amelia nodded, barely smiling, then leaned into his chest.
"love you...." She whispered, almost falling asleep.
"I love you, too." Zel whispered back, carrying her out. He had gone too long without saying it. Too long unsaid. He had forgotten what it felt like to say it aloud. He had never said it to a woman. Now, he meant it.
Xellos smirked from his hiding position, then phased into the main foyer where Lina and Gourry were saying their afternoon goodnights.
"*ahem* I...have a secret!."
"Well, that's nothing new, Xellos." Lina said sarcastically unamused.
"Nonononono! It's not MY secret! It's Zelgadis-san's !"
"Oh, yeah? And what might that be?" She asked, though still ignoring him mostly.
"Zelgadis-san has just told Ms. Amelia that he loves her!"
Lina swung quickly around to glare at him. "He said that?!"
"Yes, Lina-chan. He told Ms. Amelia, who was quite out of it, but could still hear I presume, that he loves her, too!"
" Xellos, quit your games, I am not in the mood right now."
"But, Lina-chan, this is no game! I swear it upon the monster race, it is true!" his voice sounded agrivated.
This caught Lina's attention. Xellos never sweared apon his race unless he was deathy serious about something. "You swear he really said that?"
"Yes! He did, Lina-chan, he did! He is carrying Ms. Amelia in the hallway right now!"
Lina huffed at Xellos and walked quickly away, searching for Zelgadis.
Zelgadis sat in the main comfort room, a sandwitch in his hand, Amelia huddled up in his lap and a fire blazing in front of them. He had placed a blanket over the two of them and Amelia snuggled deeper into it, sighing softly in happiness for the first time in a few months. She felt her heart soar when she heard Zel say those words, but didn't have the engery to show her enthusiasm. Instead, she relished this time when he was alone with her, when he was kind and very gentle. Again she sighed, which caught Zel's attention, since it was the second in less than a minute.
"Amelia, is something wrong?" He gazed worridly down at her.
Amelia tilted her head up at his, her eyes drooping with tiredness. They gazed softly back into his and she smiled slightly, sounding hoarse as she whispered back to him. "No, just happy."
Zel grinned contently and kissed her on the forehead. Amelia tilted her head up further until her lips caught his off guard, but to her utter shock and surprise, he didn't pull away, only putting down his sandwitch and shifting her so that she was in a more comfortable laying position benieth him. He pressed his lips more fully to hers, carefully deepening the kiss. Although her body was tired, her lips and tongue were energetic in thier search of his mouth and his of hers.
When the kiss broke off, both took a moment to catch their breath before diving right back into it.
Lina heard soft breathing noises and what she thought sounded like.....moans? She walked carefully into the main comfort room, keeping quiet. At first she couldn't see anything, then as she got a little bit closer, she could see Zel and Amelia sitting on a couch.....kissing! Lina needed no more reason to leave and left. She figured that the two probably would not take lightly to her being there and watching them doing something so.....so... personal. Quietly, she made her way to Gourry's room.
Knocking on the door, Gourry came sleepily to the door, and let her in. She spent the rest of the afternoon asleep in his bed with him. It was much more comfotable, and a hell of alot warmer than her bed. Besides, they were a couple and that is what couples do.
>>If it's not obvious by now, I'm just trying to stretch this story out. heehee<<
Amelia woke up in the morning, still huddled asleep in Zel's arms on the couch. He was alseep. For the first time in the last few months, she felt alive.....refreshed. Gently, she tugged on the material at Zel's shirt, waking him softly. She smiled kindly, and he stood, gazing down at her, before kissing her forehead, cheeks, then finally her lips.
The sun shone, the birds chirped, and the air was fresh with the smell of an ocean breeze and summer poppies.
Amelia shook Lina gently awake as she nestled comfortably wrapped up in Gourry's arms. They slept so closely on thier sides that they almost looked like one person. Lina was on the outside, huddled benieth Gourry's wieghty arms.
Lina groaned and looked up with partially open eyes at her friend, dressed up in her normal princess attire, hovering over Lina with a smile on her face. Lina quickly sat up, wide eyed.
"Amelia!" She threw herself into the princess' arms for a hug. A tear fell down her cheek as she pulled away, smiling.
"I feel so much better now, Lina." Amelia sighed contently as the two walked down the hallway.
"Well, I would bet you do." Lina chuckled under her breath. Amelia stopped in her tracks and stared at Lina in shock.
"WHAT is THAT supposed to mean?!" she demanded.
Lina rubbed the back of her head chuckling nervously"Well.... you see, I sort of saw you and Zel on the couch last night....heehee."
"Lina! You naughtly little girl!" Amelia giggled to her friend.
"I'm the naughtly one? "Lina smirked evily. "I'm not the one who was sticking my tongue in Zelgadis's mouth." she pointed out.
Amelia's mouth gaped at the bluntness of her friend, then she smiled cruely. "Well, at least I'm not the one sleeping NAKED with Gourry!"
"Oh! That's it!" Lina growled playfully as Amelia bolted off down the hall, being chased by her friend. "I'm gonna fireball you for that one! Come here you twerp! Haha!"
The two girls giggled happily chasing each other through the castle hallways. When Amelia ran past Zelgadis' door, she haulted and quickly bolted into his room.
Zel looked up startled by the sudden burst into his room. Amelia leaned herself back against the door, pushing with her wieght while laughing uncontrollably.
"Oh! So you think you can hide in your boyfriend's room, eh?!" She heard Lina call from outside. "How about I Emikial Lance this door!!"
"Don't you dare!" Amelia yelled back.
Zel just stared at her with a big grin on his face, about ready to crack up laughing and roll around on the floor. Instead, he walked up to the door, grabbing Amelia by the waist and picking her up as she screamed and laughed aloud.
"Zelgadis! Zelgadis, what are you doing?! Ah!"
Lina came bursting in laughing at the couple. Zel tossed Amelia up and over his shoulder, then waved to the giggling Lina, walking out of the room. "Going to go for a walk. See ya later!" He laughed as he carried the struggling and laughing Amelia down the hall and outside of the castle to the gardens that did not hold her father's grave. He set he down near a tree and leaned against it, then bent in to kiss her. Amelia grinned wickedly and put a finger to his lips.
"You'll have to catch me first." she giggled and quickly evaded him by running around behind the tree. He laughed and sprinted after her.
They ran around the garden for a few minutes, Amelia eluding his grasp by jumping around corners and hiding. Finally, Zel sprinted around a tree that she hid around and grasped her from behind, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist in a somewhat posessive way. He pressed his body up against hers, resting his chin on her shoulder and began to kiss her neck through her hair.
Amelia sighed and leaned back against his touch. She held his hands together around her waist as he continued his attentions.
"Hey, you lovebirds!" Lina called from a tower in the castle above them. "Lunch is on!"
The two smiled at each other and made their way in, holding hands first, then Zel slid his grip from hers and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Amelia let her arm slip around his waist and she leaned her head on his upper arm.
She was going to be happy. She swore it. And by the Gods, she was going to make sure he was, too.
End