Part Three: In Another World
by Julia Nolan
     "And this is my student, Niniane," Merlin said, placing a hand lightly on one of Niniane’s heavily swathed shoulders.  The girl shuddered slightly under the touch, but did not complain.
     "The one you told me of, who had such promise."
     "You were told that I had promise?" Niniane said, smiling ecstatically.
     "Yes," Merlin said.  "I said that about you."
     "Ohhhh...." Niniane looked near to Nirvana.
     "Oh, stop it," Merlin said.  "Remove your veil..."
     "If I must," Niniane said, and carefully reached to her veil and let it slip from her hair and face.
     "She’s much prettier unveiled," Merlin said, smiling.
     "It is inconsequential to me," Rezo said coldly.
     "Ah, but not to me," Merlin said, smiling again.  "She looks almost as one of your race with her delicate features and heavy golden hair.  And yet..." he smiled at her, and Niniane shuddered slightly again.  "She is flawed.  Have you heard of the Initiate’s training?" he asked Rezo.
     "No, what of it?"
     "Some Romans in Britain, of which Niniane’s father was one of, decided to set up a Rome in Britain.  And yet, in order to have a Rome, you must have Vestals, correct?  And, Vestals must remain "pure" in order to guarantee the strength of the state.  Rome never worried much about it, although in a time of panic any imprudent Vestal might be buried alive.  However, Dionas, Niniane’s beloved father, and his friends decided not to take the chances.  Although she was promised to me," the word promise was stressed slightly, "by the Moon Goddess Diana, Dionas undertook to make her one of them...and changed her so that she would be..."
     "In short," Niniane said, "If someone touches me, they get a mild electric shock.  The more intimate the touch, the stronger the shock."  She frowned.  "I have power because of it, and yet...." she shrugged.  "I think that I would prefer, at times, to not be this way."
     "I have added other trainings on top of it.  I have yet to meet someone who could withstand them all in this way.  But Niniane is special, aren’t you?" he ran a hand over her face, and Niniane looked almost pained.
     "She can control the shocks," Merlin said.  "But it is not easy, no?"
     Niniane bit her lip.
     "And you wouldn’t shock me, would you, dear?"
     "Wait," Niniane said.  "There is someone here who I wanted you to meet..." and used the excuse to break free.
     Carefully, from a back room, Niniane led Eris out.
     "Rezo-sama!" Eris said, racing over to him and throwing her arms around him.
     "I am beginning to think that Niniane’s defects are survivable," Rezo said, joking.
     Eris seemed completely oblivious, but Niniane scowled.
     "I do envy you," Merlin said.  "Eris seems very malleable."
     "She is," Rezo said.  "However, she is too dependent.  It worries me at times."
     "Perhaps we should trade."
     "What do you think, Niniane?"
     Niniane frowned again.
     "What do you think, Eris?"
     Eris looked up.  "You called?"
     Niniane rolled her eyes and the door sounded.  She sprang over there to answer it.
     "Arthur!" she said, then paused from her enthusiasm.  "Why are you here?"
     "My friend here..." he stepped back to reveal Zelgadiss.
     Eris looked at him and scowled.  "You again?"
     Niniane looked about curiously.
     Zelgadiss, seeing Rezo and Eris, tensed.
     "Am I interrupting something here?" Merlin said, smiling mischievously.
     "What is going on?" demanded Arthur.
     "We are old friends, aren’t we?" asked Rezo, smirking.
     "You..." Zelgadiss was slightly removed from his perfect calm, "You damned sorcerer. And you, too," he pointed at Eris.
     "Huh?" said Niniane.  "None of this makes any sense."
     "Traitor!" Eris said shrilly in Zelgadiss’ general direction, still clinging resolutely to Rezo’s arm as if she feared that he’d vanish again and she’d be left for hours listening to Niniane babble about Roman Gods.  (Although, most likely, listening to Eris babble about Rezo was more painful.)
     "What in..." Arthur said before being cut off.
     "I think that we should just sit and talk this over," Niniane said.
     "No," came the resounding reply.
     "We really aren’t getting anywhere like this," Merlin said.
     "Very true," Rezo said.  "We will discuss this later, Zelgadiss, Eris."
     The two froze, and took seats in the cluttered room.
     "So why did you come?" Merlin asked Arthur.
     "The man with me, Zelgadiss, was curious about finding the Grail to heal his condition."
     "Not that I’d know why he’d want to get rid of it," Eris muttered, "I think that it was a rather good job, truthfully."
     "Oh, yes!" Niniane said.  "We discussed that."
     "You discussed what?" Merlin said.
     "Oh...just..." Niniane smiled at Merlin.  "I thought..."
     "Nevermind...so we’re looking for the Grail, now?"
     "Yes," Arthur said.
     "But do any of us know where it is?" Zelgadiss asked.
     "I have an idea," Niniane said.  "And I have been trained to handle it."
     "Handle it?" asked Arthur.
     "Well, you can’t just pick up something like that," Niniane said.
     "Oh..."
     "But does anyone know where it is?" Zelgadiss asked again.
     "Not exactly...no..." Niniane said.  "But we could always go on a quest for it...or ask someone else.  Maybe another magician would know...."

     "So you say that there may be treasure involved?" Margawse asked Morgan.
     "Yes," Morgan said.  "If I can capture the sword Excaliber, we can use it, I think, to find the Grail, the Spear, and a few of the 13 Treasures.  We could then, as our partnership demands, split the treasure."
     Margawse shrugged.  "I hate leaving my comforts, but for treasure…"
     "And," Morgan added, "With the help of my new assistant, Lina Inverse," the redhead gave her a look as if questioning that she was Morgan’s assistant, not the other way around, "I think that success should be practically guaranteed."  She was practically purring.
     Margawse smiled.  "Let it be so…"
     As she spoke, the room’s doors flew open and a petite young woman standing on top of a bureau and another tall woman, who managed to look imposing standing only on the ground were seen.
     "I, Amelia of Sairoon am here to stop your nefarious ways!"
     Amelia leapt from the bureau and flew past Morgan to land face first on the ground.
     Brandishing a hunting spear menacingly, Guenivere said, "I am here to put a stop to your treacherous ways!"
     Margawse carefully clapped her hands and two guards appeared who took the spear from Guenivere’s hands.
     At about this time, Amelia spied Lina.
     "Lina-san!  What are you doing here with these villains?" Amelia squeaked.   "Oh, I know, you’re infiltrating them, right, so that you can defeat them."
     Lina gave her most tried expression and said, "No, Amelia.  I’m going to go looking for treasure with them."
     "But…" Amelia looked crestfallen.  "Surely treasure cannot stand in the way of justice!"
     "Look, Amelia," Lina growled, "these people are my partners…"
     "But Guenivere said…"
     Lina shook her head.  "I’ll explain it all to you later."

     "I am so glad that you came to bring me the cloth," Dowager Queen Igraine said.  "It is so hard to come by fine materials with bandits on the roads these days.  Traveling conditions are quite impossible for any well bred lady."
     "You know that’s why I come, grandmother," Gawaine said, smiling and presenting her with the silk.  "How do things fare in the convent?"
     "Ah, well as always.  Life is so peaceful here!  And I have a new girl to work with who is so sweet…"
     At that, Sylphiel rose, and Gawaine looked at her.
     "She’s very pretty."
     "And good, too, which means more," Igraine said.
     "Uh…yes," Gawaine said.  "I have a traveling companion as well. Allow me to introduce you to Sir Gourry."
     "Gourry-sama?" Sylphiel said, eyes widening.  As Gourry entered the room, she practically pounced on him, but managed to restrain herself to look up at him, fidgeting slightly.
     "I thought that I’d never see anyone I knew again," Sylphiel said.  "I was so scared."
     "Well don’t be!" Gourry said with a boisterous voice and a smile.  "I don’t suppose you’ve seen Lina…"
     "He must really love her," Sylphiel thought dejectedly.
     "…I need to get her to buy me that dinner she promised me…"
     Sylphiel noticably brightened.
     "I hate to interrupt things," Gawaine said, looking slightly uncomfortable, "But I still have to rescue Lady Katrina…"
     As he headed towards the door, it opened, and Mordred, followed by Xellos walked in.
     "Brother!" Gawaine said, picking Mordred up in a huge bear hug.  "I’m missed you so much."
     After he was put down, Mordred preened a bit, looking slightly uncomfortable and straightening his clothing.
     "Uh, yes, brother," he said.  "Allow me to introduce my new…uh…friend…this is Xellos."
     "How do you do?" said Igraine.
     "Very nicely," Xellos said, kissing Igraine on the cheek.
     "Oh my!" the elderly queen said, blushing slightly.
     "Uh, yes…" said Gawaine, looking uncomfortable.
     "I was looking for you, dear brother," Mordred began, "As I was hoping to locate an artifact. I felt that your help as an expert knight would be very useful…if you’d be willing assist me…"
     "Well, the Lady Katrina still needs rescuing…"
     "Who’s that guy again?" Gourry asked about Xellos.  "He looks kinda familiar."
     Xellos smiled.  (Not that he ever stopped.)  "It’s a secret."
     "Don’t worry about Katrina," Mordred said.  "I’ve already saved her."
     "Really?"
     Mordred nodded.
     "Well, great then.  I’ve been looking forward to an adventure."
     "Good bye, Sylphiel," Gourry said.  "I’ll be looking forward to eating more of your cooking…"

 Return to the Three Moons
 Return to Broceliande
 Return to the Castle of Air and Darkness
 Return to the Ivory Tower
On To Part Four: Splitting Up