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Amelia's Business Trip
"So, Zelgadis-san, what did you think?" I asked him as we walked back to the castle. It had been 5 days since he had arrived at Sailoon and , to be honest, sometimes I wondered if I was helping at all. With each passing day, he seemed to get more cynical and despondent. I was trying my best, really I was, but I just wasn't sure how I could help him. I knew I had to give it my all -- I can't stand there doing nothing at all while someone needs me, especially someone as important to me as Zelgadis-san.
So, when I found out that the famous romance I Want to Be Your Shining Phoenix was playing in Sailoon this week, I thought it would be the perfect play to see with Zelgadis-san. It's one of my favorites -- I can't watch it without feeling my heart go out to the hero and heroine. Surely even a cold-hearted person like Zelgadis-san imagines himself to be would feel something.
Things seemed to go wrong from the beginning. . . I had the hardest time getting tickets. Sure, I could have pulled rank and drop hints that the Princess of Sailoon was interested in attending a showing with a guest, but that would be unjust for such a trivial thing, especially if I could get tickets the legitimate way.
Finally, I did manage to get tickets -- for the final showing. They weren't even together, so I wouldn't be able to see how the play affected Zelgadis-san until it ended. But, still, we were going to see the play.
The next step was to get Zelgadis-san to come with me. It was a simple enough matter -- he was being very cooperative, even if he usually thought my ideas were silly. Well, it would have been simple, except for one thing. . .
"Zelgadis-san, you'll have to dress up." I looked him over, remembering our conversation from a few days ago. "Do you own any other clothing?"
"No. . ." He looked sheepish.
"The play's tonight -- there'd be no time to get something made in your size." I looked him over again, mentally measuring him. "You know, I think we still have some of Alfred's clothing here."
"I am not wearing a dead man's hand-me-downs."
"Well, I suppose some of Daddy's clothing from when he was younger might also fit. . ."
"Amelia. . ."
"Yes, Zelgadis-san?"
"I'll take your cousin's clothing. . . it's only for one night."
"What?" Zelgadis-san's reply jolted me out of my train of thought.
"How did you like the play?" Ceiphied help me, he looked so odd when he was dressed up. Maybe it was because I almost always saw him in the same thing. Or maybe it was because I associated the outfit with Alfred and it looked wrong on Zelgadis-san.
"Oh. . . the play. . . it
was okay." "Well, I thought the hero and heroine
seemed a little flat and stereotypical, and the plot seemed contrived.
Really, the supporting characters made the play -- but one of them
showed far too many of Xellos's mannerisms for me to like him."
"Zelgadis-san! That was one of the most famous romance plays ever
written!" "Just because something is a romance, doesn't mean it can
ignore things like plausibility and three-dimensional characters. Even if t
wo people are "fated to be together', that doesn't mean a writer can use
that to fix massive plot holes." "So you felt nothing? Sometimes I think
you really do have a heart of stone, Zelgadis-san," I said, a bit
annoyed that he would come down so hard against one of my favorite
plays. "I know..." Zelgadis-san stared down at the ground. That
was the wrong thing to say to him. . . he's already worried about losing his
humanity, and here I go accusing him of having a heart of stone?
Stupid. . . We walked in silence the rest of the way to the castle. A
servant was waiting at the gate. "Princess!" "Yes? What is it,
Faye-san?" "You received a message while you and your gentleman
friend were out." She handed me a letter. I opened it. "What is it,
Amelia?" Zelgadis-san asked. "Just a second. . . let me read it." I
scanned the letter. "It's Lina-san. She's writing to tell me she and
Gourry-san are coming to visit." "Most likely so you can warn the
kitchen staff," Zelgadis-san added. I smiled at that. The last time
Lina-san and Gourry-san had dropped by unexpectedly, the head chef
had threatened to quit. "So, when do they get here?" "Let's see. . .
Tomorrow. . . Oh, dear. . ." "Is twelve hours not enough warning for
the chefs?" "This is serious, Zelgadis-san," I told him. "One of the
villages nearby, Reinard, is opening a new Sorcerer's Guildhouse and I
agreed to be the Guest of Honor. It should only take a day, but. . ." "It's
fine with me," Zelgadis-san said. "You go do the Princess thing. . . I'll stay
here and meet Lina and Gourry. I'm sure they'll be surprised to see me."
"No, actually, they won't. I mentioned you had come in my last letter to
Lina-san." "Oh. . ." Zelgadis-san suddenly looked worried. "How
much else did you say in your letter?" Oh. . . he was worried that I had
written about his current problems. Not that I would -- this was obviously
something deeply personal that he didn't feel like sharing with others,
even friends. If he wanted to tell someone else, he would. Either way, I
wouldn't say anything, even to Lina-san. "Nothing much, really. Just how
nice it would be to have the four of us together again." "Princess?"
Faye-san interrupted me. "Have you packed yet? Your laundry is in your
room, if you need any of that." "I think tomorrow's trip will only be a day
trip, Faye-san," I told her. "Thank you for your concern, though. You know.
. . when was the last time you had a day off?" "I don't know. . . I was
sick last month, and I missed a few days." "Take tomorrow off, then.
You deserve it." "Yes, ma'am." As she walked off, Zelgadis-san
turned to me. "Are you sure your father won't mind?" "He won't," I told
him. "Really, with just him and me and sometimes Uncle Christopher,
we have too much staff on hand. Most of them seem like they are just
taking care of all the other staff. No one will miss one person if she takes
a day to relax." I yawned. "I'll0 have to get up early tomorrow, so I better
call it a night." Zelgadis nodded and turned to walk to his room. "Good
night, Amelia. Sleep well." "Night, Zelgadis-san." The next day, I wasted little time dressing and packing a day
bag of essentials I would need on the trip. As the sun began to peak
above the horizon, coloring the castle walls a rosy pink color, I was
already in the carriage house, watching the stable hands hitch up the
horse. "We should be ready to move in no time at all," I commented
approvingly. "You know, Amelia, it would probably be quicker if you
just rode instead of taking a carriage." I jumped. "I thought I
should see you off. Prince Phil should also be coming. . . I passed his
room on the way down here and hear him getting up." "Oh. . ." I
fidgeted. "Anyway. . . I have a bit of a stomachache, and I think riding
would just aggravate it. The carriage is quick enough." "Are you sure
you should be going if you aren't feeling well?" Zelgadis-san asked.
I winced. Why now, of all times, did he decide to become Mr.
Compassionate? "Really, I'll be fine, Zelgadis-san. I have some herbs to
take during the journey if it gets worse." "Amelia. . ." I grabbed his
collar, trying to yank his head down close to em. . . it wouldn't have
worked, except Zelgadis-san, in deference to my annoyance, brought his
face down towards mine. "Listen, Zelgadis-san, the reason I'm not
feeling well is because it's "that time of the month', and I'd really
appreciate if it wasn't broadcast to the entire kingdom." He looked
embarrassed, but, to his credit, he recovered his composure quickly. He
straightened up. "Forget I said anything." He glanced at the carriage.
"Are you sure you're okay traveling without your magic?" "I'll be fine. . .
I'm well within Sailoon's borders, and I have Benedick-san to protect me.
He's very reliable," I gestured to a man who was seated at the front of the
carriage. He was wearing the uniform of the Sailoon Royal Guard.
"Well, if you're sure. . ." Zelgadis-san still looked hesitant. And I
appreciated it, really, I did, but a girl doesn't need a man trying to shelter
her form everything. Sometimes she has to take her fate into her own
hands and protect herself. "I am. . ." Benedick-san nodded to me.
"Ready to go, Princess?" I nodded and stepped into the carriage. "Oh,
look there's Daddy. . . Bye, Daddy! Bye Zelgadis-san! See you both
tonight!" I yelled to them as the carriage left the castle. Goodness me, travel by carriage is boring. I worked
on my embroidery a bit, and read until my stomach objected to my eyes
focusing on the page. I then tried to sleep, staring at the roof of the
carriage. I wish I had asked Zelgadis-san to accompany me. But, then
again. . . I'm no Lina Inverse, but I do get temperamental around this time
of the month, and Zelgadis-san did seem to rub me the wrong way now.
It would pass. Until then, I could enjoy the trip and the dedication
ceremony -- as boring as they were. The carriage jerked to a halt
suddenly, knocking me to the floor. I picked myself up, dusted off my
dress, and stuck my head out the window. . . and found it centimeters
away from the wrong end of a crossbow bolt. "Get out of the carriage,
Princess," a male voice instructed me, in a tone indicating, while violence
wasn't happening now, it was likely if I didn't do exactly what it said.
"I refuse to obey the instructions of unjust bandits." I did have my pride,
after all. Besides, I might be able to bluff my way out of the situation, just
like Lina-san showed me. "Fine." the crossbow was lowered, the
carriage door was opened, and I was pulled rudely out, struggling the
whole way. There were only two bandits. The first was the man that
shoved me out, and the one who had pointed the crossbow at me. He
was nondescript-looking, with black hair, cut short. The second was a
woman with golden hair and eyes, well-dressed in leggings, a blouse
and boots. Both were wearing some solid-looking (and expensive) armor
and were carrying swords, which were, thankfully, sheathed. The man
had given the woman the crossbow and she had it trained on me.
"Benedick-san! Do something!" I yelled for my guard. "I'm afraid I can't
do that, Princess,' Benedick-san stepped into the field of view, an
uncharacteristic smirk on his face. "I guess I forgot to mention my
other job when your father hired me. . .. Oops." "This was all a
set up!" I held my hands out in a spell-casting posture. "I should fireball
you where you stand. It'll teach you to mess with a Champion of Justice
. Light which burns beyond crimson flame. . ." "Stop casting
that light spell, Princess," the woman ordered me. "We all know you can't
do anything worse to us than blind us, and rest assured I can fire the
crossbow before you complete the chant." I cancelled the spell.
"And, yes, we did have this all planned," she continued. "More than you'll
ever know. . . It was simply a matter of waiting until you needed to leave
the capital during "that time of the month' and without your father or your
friends. Even simpler to have Benedick volunteer to be your escort." She
regarded Benedick and the other man. "She may be near-useless as a
sorceress, but she'll still be a pain. We need to get her and the carriage
away from the road." She nodded to them and they grabbed my arms at
the shoulder. I tried to struggle, to get my hands free enough to cast even
a light spell as a signal, but they overpowered me, pinning my arms
behind my back. So, having no other weapon left, I mustered my best
defiant stare. "Justice will triumph over evil in the end." The woman
drew her sword. "In my experience, Princess, Justice is in the purse of
the highest bidder." She turned the sword and swung, striking with the
flat of the blade. Stars exploded inside my head. . . I felt myself falling.
. . things were going black. . . Zelgadis. . . where are you? Save me. . .
"Zelgadis-san!
You surprised me. What are you doing up so early?"