Forgotten King: Chapter 9
Sorry if there are some spelling/grammatical errors in this. I AM NOT AN ENGLISH MAJOR!!!!
* Italics mean a person's thoughts
Zelgadis sat in Lina's room as he watched over the young sorceress that had a near meeting with death earlier that day. Damnit, I was too slow. Every time I attempt something I fail at it. No wonder father was ashamed with me, and why he locked me away after I became a chimera. Not many know the truth behind why I became this way.....but.....it.......it wasn't supposed to be like this.
/Flashback/
Zelgadis stood in his uncle's chambers as he watched the red priest go through many a tome, trying to find his cure. Zelgadis soon spoke up asking, "Uncle, could I ask a favor of you?"
Rezo turned to his nephew and asked, "Like what Zelgadis?"
"I was wondering if you could grant me strength and abilities so I can make father proud," Zel asked, if somewhat pleading, for Rezo's help.
"Why of course, anything for my favorite nephew," Rezo said with an evil grin on his face.
Zel watched as Rezo cast the spell. Zel soon collapsed to his knees, screaming in pain, as the spell took affect. As the pain died down he stood and looked into the mirror to find he was now blue with rocks all over his body. He turned to Rezo as his anger rose and asked dangerously, "What have you done to me?"
"You wanted power, I gave it to you. Now let's see how proud your father will be with being the father of a chimera prince," with that Rezo cackled evilly as his revenge on the king became complete.
Zel clenched his fist in rage and shouted, "I'm going to kill you, you bastard," Zel's vision glazed over red as he charged towards Rezo.
/End Flashback/
Zel looked back over to Lina's form as she shifted and moaned. Even after I became a monster I can't even protect one girl. Zel growled in frustration as he raked a hand through his hair, Damnit, I am going to do this right even if it cost my life, I will protect Lina from Hellmaster. Zel turned his attention back towards Lina as she shifted again and whispered, "Zel...."
Lina moaned Zel's named and slowly opened her eyes. She shut them again and somewhat hissed because of the bright sunlight that was beaming right into her eyes. Right as she opened her eyes again the room got dark. She realized why when she looked to see Zel drawing the curtains. She smiled weakly at him as he sat down by the side of her bed, he had been by her side the whole time. My knight in shining armor it seems, Lina mused as she took in the situation. "Zel....thank you for helping me yesterday," Lina said hoarsely, still suffering from the effects of the 'Earth Shape' spell.
"You don't have to thank me. You were in danger. I couldn't just leave you there to die. I just wish I could've gotten there faster," Zel sighed in frustration as his mind kept assaulting him with how useless he was in times of need.
Lina looked at Zel to see a look of hopelessness wash over his face for a second before it was replaced by that emotional mask of his. What does he mean, he saved me that's all that matters isn't it, Lina mentally asked as she started to comfort Zel. "Zel you saved me. That's all you need to be worried about, I'm alive thanks to you," Lina beamed happily at Zel, a smile plastered on her face.
Zel looked at her a bit and frowned, "But, if I hadn't gotten distracted you wouldn't of been hurt. I promised not to let them touch you."
Lina frowned at him, and in a somewhat annoyed manner said, "Look, what's done is done. You did your best and I am alive because of it."
Lina coughed violently after somewhat yelling at Zel. The damage the spell had done was still affecting her, and she would be bed ridden for a while. Lina looked back up at Zel to see him staring at her with, what looked like, concern in his eyes. At that moment Lina got an idea that would surely help her in her little attempt at winning over Zel. She placed her hand over his and squeezed weakly asking, "Zel...could you stay with me until I'm better?"
Zel looked down at Lina's hand on his and then to her face. As Zel now saw in between that period of time Lina had plastered on a cute little pout and was looking directly at him. Zel gulped as he barely held on to his stoic control over himself, She's going to drive me crazy if she keeps doing that, he mentally yelled. No matter how much his mind warned him something was up he couldn't refuse Lina, not when it was partially his fault for her being this hurt. "Of course I will," was his response.
Lina smiled at Zel while squeezing his hands once again saying, "Thanks Zel."
As Zel was about to say something he heard the door creak open and turned his head quickly. There in the doorway he spotted Sylphiel, looking somewhat relieved that Lina was ok, but still concerned about her well being. "What is it Sylphiel? Is there something you need," Zel asked as he looked at the castle's maid.
Sylphiel looked at Zel and said, "No, I was just coming to check on Lina, and to see if you needed a break, my lord."
Zel's glance hardened somewhat at the title, "I told you don't call me that. I'm not king, and am not planning to be, so please don't act like I am to be respected," he said heatedly.
Sylphiel started, shocked by Zelgadis' explosion of emotion, and slowly began to back out the room. "Um......I'll just be going.......if there is anything you need just call."
Lina watched as Sylphiel made her quick retreat form the room and then looked at Zel. What's up with Zel, he normally doesn't explode like that. "Is something wrong Zel," Lina asked, concerned for her friend, her unrequited love.
Zel looked down at Lina, his mask of control back over his being, and said, "Its nothing Lina, nothing you need to worry about. You need to rest not worry yourself over me."
Lina's look of concern didn't fade, in fact it deepened somewhat. She placed her hand over Zel's again and asked, "What is wrong Zel? I know something is or you wouldn't have blown up at Sylphiel like that. Please, tell me what's wrong, maybe I can help."
Zel sighed, knowing he couldn't win out over Lina's advance, and simply said, "I just have no desire to be treated like I am the king. The people of the country wouldn't accept me, not looking like this, like a monster."
Lina squeezed Zel hand and looked him straight in the eyes, "Zel, your not a monster. The people will love you if you are a good king, not by your appearance. Why do you keep torturing yourself like this?"
Zel looked away from Lina, "You just don't understand. The people do judge by appearance. That is a lesson I learned from my father, and that was the reason he locked me away from the rest of the world."
Lina hesitantly pulled her hand away from Zel and rolled over on her side. She knew from how Zel was acting that he needed to deal with this problem himself. She closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep.
Lina was awaken sometime later to the bed moving slightly. She opened an eye to see it was dusk. She looked to the side of the bed to see Zel had fallen asleep. She also saw that Zel's head had slid and slightly bumped the bed frame causing it to move. As she looked at Zel she noticed how he was acting in his sleep. While he wasn't moving his body his facial expression; one of pain, suffering, and fear told her everything. Zel was having a nightmare.
Lina got up and walked over to Zel. She felt a lot better than before, not the greatest ever, but good enough to get up and move. Zel's facial expression didn't change while she walked to him, it just stayed the same, the same pained look as she saw when she awoke. Lina stood beside Zel and slowly lowered a hand towards his face. She placed her hand on the side of his face and moved his head towards her. As Lina did this Zel's body reacted. He pulled her hand towards him and wrapped an arm around Lina's waist.
Lina was simple just trying to get a better look at Zel when he pulled her into his lap. Lina squeaked in pure surprise when Zel's arms enveloped her as she landed in his lap. Lina was blushing bright red from the whole incident, but she couldn't say she was totally against this. After a second Lina decided that what ever happened she would deal with it, but for now she was going to enjoy this. She wrapped her arms around Zel's neck and lightly pecked him on the cheek whispering into his ear, "I love you."
Zel was slowly coming back into the world of the conscious. He knew he had had a nightmare but in the middle it all stopped and he was able to sleep peacefully. He didn't know why, the nightmares had plagued him ever since the day he was turned into a chimera, but he wanted to find out. As he became more aware of himself he noticed that he felt something in his arms, pressed up against him. He noticed that the object was moving in a slow steady up-down motion. He moved a hand and felt something soft and somewhat silky. As he was examining whatever was in his hand he heard a low moan and felt something nuzzle his neck. That's when everything became absurdly clear. Zel opened his eyes to find Lina in his lap asleep. What......What....What is going on here, Zel's mind asked confused. He started somewhat as Lina nuzzled into his neck a bit more.
Zel, after convincing himself to breathe again, soon decided that the best course of action would be to place Lina back in bed. Zel slowly rose from the chair, trying desperately not to wake Lina, and started moving towards the bed. He laid her down and pulled the covers back over her. He turned around and started making for the door. He needed to get away for a second, just one, he would be back before she woke up. He just need to not look at her for a second. After waking up like that Zel was having trouble keeping his thoughts controlled and contained. As he was headed for the door he was fighting to keep down the recurring thought of what it would be like to kiss Lina, and some even worse then that. Right as he was about to turn the knob he stopped dead still in his tracks when he heard, "Zel....Where are you going?"
Lina awoke to find she was back in bed. She looked to the side to see that Zel was at the door and not in the chair. Blushing slightly ,but undaunted she asked, "Zel....Where are you going?"
Zel slowly turned around to she Lina looking at him with a worried expression on her face. At first Zel was relieved she wasn't angry but then he became slightly confused when he noticed that Lina looked like she was blushing. "Um...I just need to get some air that's all," was his quickly thought up excuse.
Lina smirked slightly at how Zel was acting. She kind of enjoyed watching him squirm. It's not she was cruel, she just thought it was cute how worked up he got at hiding what he was really doing. Especially when she caught him in a situation like this one. Lina got up from the bed, the smirk still on her face, and walked towards Zel.
Zel watched as Lina got up and walked toward him. He felt like shivering when he saw that mischievous grin on Lina's face. She was up to something, and he knew it, he just didn't know what that something could be. He stood still until Lina came to a stop right in front of him. He looked at her for a second before saying, "You shouldn't be up."
Lina chuckled at Zel's words as she inched a little closer to him. "I'm doing better Zel, but that doesn't excuse you from not holding your promise," Lina said as she chidingly wagged a finger at Zel.
Zel gulped and answered, "Well, I was hoping I would be back before you woke up."
"That doesn't cut it mister. You said you would stay with me until I got better and now your about to break it," Lina chided as she moved even closer.
Zel backed up as Lina moved closer. He soon felt the knob of the door in his back and shifted so he was pressed up against the door. He then replied a little sheepishly, "Well, you are better, so why are you getting all fussy about it?"
"Because, you didn't know I was better, and you are about to break your promise."
Lina moved until she was only inches away from Zel. Zel was now pressed against the door and her and Lina knew now was the time. She quickly moved and put her arms around Zel's neck as she pressed her body up against his. She looked up at him and whispered to him, "I know why you where leaving, but I'm not letting you leave now."
Zel looked at Lina in shock, he couldn't believe what was happening. Is this some kind of silly side effect of that spell or is Lina......is Lina.....no she couldn't be. She couldn't.......couldn't........be in love with me, could she? No, she couldn't, not a monster like me, Zel's mind was going at full gear trying to decide what was going on with Lina. No one knew but Zel himself had discovered that the sorceress that had come under his care was always on his mind. Night and day he was thinking about her. Her determination in the sparring they did, her happy and positive demeanor, and at times he found himself just thinking on how beautiful she looked. He looked down at the petite sorceress and asked, "Lina what has gotten in to you?"
Lina looked into Zel's eyes and answered in a low voice, "I love you."
Zel, who was now reminding himself to breath for the second time today, wrapped his arms around Lina's waist. He pulled her a little closer and whispered in her ear, "As do I, I love you, Lina."
Lina pulled away slightly and tilted her head up towards his and their lips met in a passionate kiss. Lina felt her knees go weak as her lips touched Zel's. She forgot everything; time, where she was, why she was there, everything but Zel and the kiss. Soon Lina felt Zel's lips part and his tongue tracing her lips. Her lips parted soon after allowing Zel's tongue access to the nectar inside. She moaned against his lips as their tongues met and began a game of tug of war.
Lina and Zel pulled apart a few minutes later and just stared into each other's eyes for a moment. Then Zel picked Lina up and head towards the bed. He set her down and pulled the covers back over her while saying, "You need your rest now, my love."
Lina grabbed a hold of Zel hand and pulled him into the bed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and asked, "Will you stay with me?"
Zel wiped a lock of hair from Lina face and replied, "Of course."
Lina turned on to her side and snuggled into Zel's chest. After getting comfortable she promptly feel asleep. Zel wrapped his arm around the woman he loved and said, "See you in the morning, dearest."
Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from The Slayers do not belong to me. I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.
Author's Notes: Sorry it took so long but I have been battling a case of writer's block for a bit. Well I have finally gotten over it and should be putting more stuff out soon. Also, don't expect for next chapter to be a lemon. That's not where this is going no matter what it seemed like above. (Maybe later but not now.) Hope you enjoyed.
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