Slayers Twenty Five Percent
Chapter 4: If you’re not in it for love...:
****************************
Rory wiped an unseemingly large bead of sweat away from his
forehead as he watched Ameria chow down on a huge platter of
fried chicken legs. “Do you always eat this much?”
[Munch, Chew, Munch, Slurp] “What do you mean?” She said between
bites. “I’m just eating the apetizers”
“Which I ordered for the whole table!” Rory protested. When he’d
suggeseted buying dinner, he’d had no idea how much the perky
princess would actually eat.
“Oh, you mean those weren’t just for me?” She said looking
apologetic. “Well, Waitress--two more apetizer platters!” She
yelled. “And get me a special!”
Rory cringed when he thought of the ever increasing size of this
bill. The Waitress,thinking much the same thing, smiled. “Of
course! Right away Miss! More wine sir?” She said to the hooded
Zelgadis.
He shook his head and leaned back in his chair against the tavern
wall. Slowly he raised the glass of wine he held and admired the
deep dark scarlet color. Very good wine he thought, probably
from Zephelia. He probably wouldn’t have ordered it except that
Rory had offered to pay for dinner.
Off in the corner another waitress shouted “You Jerk!!” and
backhanded an obviously drunk Timbre back onto their table.
“What a babe!” Timbre said. “Man, like, wow.” He sighed. “I
guess I need to work on my pickup lines. I had her up to “you’re
like a sunrise...” but I lost her at “I want to wake up with you.
She didn’t have to be that harsh. Such a major wipe-out.!”
Rory lowered his head into his hands. “Timbre, would you just
practice your guitar instead of the pickup lines?” He whispered
quietly. “I need to talk with Princess Ameria and Zelgadis.”
“Yeah, like sure dude.” Timbre said sliding off the table and
pulling out the guitar and playing a surprisingly gentle melody.
“He’s very good with the guitar.” Ameria said as she delicately
wiped her mouth. Since the waitress hadn’t brought the specials
yet, she had time to talk.
“Yes. That’s why I hired him. My sonic sword doesn’t work unless
I have sound of a particularintensity. He’s the only person I’ve
met that can generate enough sound. Eventually Iplan to find a
way to use this sword without him, but until then...” Rory shook
his head. “but enough. I’m not here to talk about me. Where is
Gourry?”
Ameria shook her head. “ I thought I said it before that we don’t
really have any idea.”
Zelgadis nodded. “He is probably out in the new world area,
hunting treasure.”
“But this is fantastic. It changes things for me. I must find
him.” Rory shifted forward in his seat, his eyes so full of his
excitement they looked like blue flames. “After I complete my
assignment with you Ameria, I am taking a vacation and finding
him. So I am afraid I’m going to have to take you back to Sawpht
forcefully.”
Ameria frowned. “I thought you said you’d wait until I was
willing to return!”
“That was that, and this is this. I don’t want to wait that
long.” Rory smiled archly. “Besides,Zelgadis *is* the main reason you’re not willing to return home, isn’t he?”
Ameria turned bright red. “I have to find my sister! I’m just helping Zelgadis because..because...of his problem!”
Zelgadis’s chair crashed back onto the ground.
“What problem?! He’s halfway to a cure,now that he has Rezzo’s
original spell that transformed him into a golem.”
“I’m only a fourth of the way there.” Zelgadis interrupted. “I don’t have the Troll, or the Demon spells, or the way to reverse
them.”
“Yes...but you don’t need or even want Ameria’s help, do you? I
thought it would be more tactful for her to just figure that out
on her own, if she spent some time with you, but I don’t want to
wait anymore.”
Ameria grabbed a fork and stuck it into the table as she stood and
leaned over to stare at Rory. “What are you saying?!” She
yelled. “I’m helping Zelgadis because he’s my friend. Of course
he wants my help!”
“Really? So why didn’t he come find you or write you a letter in
five years?” Rory leaned back. “Some friendship there. But even
now, he’s only putting up with you.”
“He is not! ” She said her voice sinking softly. Her eyes darted
to Zelgadis who didn’t meet her eyes. “Are you?”
“Besides, whether he’s your friend or not, you know you want more.
But you two would make a terrible couple. You love attention, he
hates it.” Rory continued. “You’re an idealist, he’s pragmatic.
You love justice, and he doesn’t believe in it. You’re complete
opposites.”
“You You.. You’re wrong.” She stuttered. “That doesn’t
matter!..I just want to be his friend!”
Zelgaids wished he could dissappear. Damn Rory for bringing this
up. His hand shattered the wine glass he held.
“Sure.” Rory said disbelievingly. “Anyway, I hope for your sake
that is true.Zelgadis is not, was not, and will never fall in love
with you.”
Ameria, now purple, leaped the table and slapped Rory. “How dare
you!!”
Rory looked back at her in shock.
Zelgadis stood up, his feet crushing the remains of the glass into
a sparkling powder.
“Ameria..” He said but stopped. He had no idea what to say.
After all, everything Rory said was true, though he did feel bad
that someone had pointed that truth out to Ameria so bluntly.
“Don’t you speak to me!!” She yelled at Zelgadis. “Leave me
alone!” She cried as she ran out the tavern door.
“Miss?! Your specials are ready!” The waitress called after her.
Ameria paused, ran back inside, grabbed the plate, slurped the
noodle concoction, and then kept running.
Zelgadis slammed a fist into the table. “Why did you do that
Rory?”
“You should thank me for that. You didn’t want her hanging over
you any longer did you?”
Zelgaids frowned. “I didn’t want to hurt her either.”
“She’s just embarrased. She’ll get over it, but the good part is,
now I can finish my deal--”
“Your deals. Is that all you think about?” Zelgadis said
quietly. “Don’t her feelings matter?”
“You’re a strange person to argue about that.” Rory said.
“You want to find a cure and you don’t care who you hurt to get
it. You and I are exactly alike. We’re focussed.”
“I’m nothing like you.” Zelgadis said as he raised his hood and
stepped out of the shadows.
“Yes, I get what I want.” Rory said. “And you’re still looking
for a cure.”
Zelgadis resisted the temptation to use a fireball on the man.
After all, he wasn’t worth it. He lowered his glare and turned
around. “I’m going to find her.” He said as he walked out the
door.
“Not if I find her first.” Rory caught up to him and placed a hand
on Zelgadis’ shoulder. “Look, Maybe I did make a mistake. At
least I can admit I’m not perfect.”
Zelgadis looked at Rory in surprise. “Are you apologizing?”
“Yes. I am. I was out of line. You could have blasted me back
there but you didn’t. I admire you, Zelgadis. That kind of
restraint, well, its not something everyone has. Even I lose my
temper sometimes.”
Zelgadis shifted. He thought to himself “but apparently, not your
ego.” Out loud he added “I suppose we can forget about it. Lets
just find Ameria.” Zelgadis said.
Rory nodded. “Timbre, stay here in case she comes back. I didn’t
expect her to run off like this.”
Timbre nodded but didn’t pause in his playing. “Dude, I told you
women are weird.”
“Especially this one.” Rory said. “She’s one of a kind.”
*******
Ameria ran as hard as she could. She couldn’t go back there now!
Why had she gotten so angry? Yes, Rory had been rude, but why did
she care what he said? He was just trying to drive her back home.
But then, why didn’t Zelgadis say anything? Could it be that he
agreed with what Rory said?
That shouldn’t surprise her if he did. Hadn’t she been telling
herself to get over him?
Yet the last day she’d been travelling with him she’d thought that
just maybe he was feeling the same connection she did. When they
were travelling together, it was as if the five years they’d spent
apart had never happened. No, she thought, not that the five
years had never happened but that they had not made them
strangers. If anything, she’d felt as if he and she were closer
now than ever.
A voice called her name. “Rory.” She thought. She was still too
angry to see him, so she kept walking. Holding her head up high,
she stomped forward. At least, she started walking and ended up
falling down a huge pit she hadn’t seen and landing with a large
THUMP.
“Ameria--are you all right?” Rory said leaning over the pit.
“I just fell twenty feet--what do you think!?” She yelled up. “Go
away.”
“I’ll get you out of there--OOPH.” He said as something pushed him
forward.
He landed with a thud right on top of her.
“You’ll get me out?! Now you’re down here!” She snapped trying to
push him off.
For some reason, she couldn’t. It was’nt just that he was a big
guy, but he seemed caught against her.
“You’re not going anywhere.” A voice cackled. “At least until
dinner time.”
Ameria shifted her head around Rory’s shoulder. “Who’s up
there!?”
“You’ll find out, in good time. In good time.” The voice cackled.
“I’ve got to start looking up recipes. Something that would suit
two such fine “catches” as you.”
The cackle faded into the distance.
Ameria sighed. “This is a silly trap. I can ray-wing us out of
here. Just get off me.”
“I can’t. My shirt is caught in yours for some reason.” He said
lifting a hand to try and untangle it.
Ameria turned as red as cranberry sauce as his hands fumbled with
the clasps against her chest. “Watch where you’re touching!”
He shifted his hands away. “Then maybe you’d better do it. The
clasps are stuck.”
“Fine.” She slipped her hands up and began to untangle the
offending clasps.
“Ameria, I want to apolgozie.” Rory said as she worked. “What I
said back there, I didn’t mean to upset you, or make you cry--”
“I didn’t cry.” She pulled hard on his shirt, cutting of his air
supply where his banded color closed.
[Choke] He began to turn blue. “please” he whispered.
She eased up.
“But you ran off?” He rasped.
“I got angry.” She said. “I ran off because if I had stayed, I
might have hurt you.”
He blinked. “I thought you were raised by a pacifist?”
“I was. That’s why I ran off.” She sighed. “I can’t get this
undone.”
“Well, let’s get out of here before our “host” comes back.” He
reminded her, his voice still raspy.
“I’m not sure...that is.” She blushed. “I may have to rip your
shirt.”
“What?!” He looked annoyed. “But this shirt was tailor made by
Carsinian tailors before that country was overun by demons. You
can’t get tailoring like this anymore!”
“Well...I’m sorry. I can’t rip mine again. It’ll fall completely
apart if I do. I already patched it once. ” She said as she
tugged on his shirt. “And besides, you’re a man.”
“Fine, if you have to rip someone’s clothing it should be mine.
Just be careful.”
“Trust me.” She said as she ripped.
“You didn’t need to rip it that hard!” A bare chested Rory said as
his shirt split down the middle. He pushed himself up on his arms
but didn’t roll off of her her. Instead he glared at her. “You
did that on purpose!”
Ameria flushed slightly and stared at him. Whatever physical
training he did had sculpted his body rather attractively. Ameria
wasn’t used to seeing men in states of undress, but she was sure
that most of the time the view wasn’t this good. “Sorry.” She
said rather lamely. After a second she thought to avert her eyes.
“Maybe you should move now?”
“If you’re through looking at me.” Rory commented. She turned
scarlet.
Zelgadis frowned as he looked down into the pit, and watched
Ameria rip Rory’s shirt off as he lay on top of her.
“Am I interrupting something?” He asked quietly.
Instantaneously Rory rolled off a still red-faced Ameria.
“Of course not! We fell into this pit and...don’t just stand
there, get us out!” Rory said using anger to cover his
embarrassment.
Ameria looked away. “I don’t need to bother you Zelgadis. I can
get myself out of here. Ray-Wing.”
Nothing happened. Ameria blinked. She knew it wasn’t *that* time
of the month. So what was wrong? She stared up the smooth sides
of the walls. She couldn’t climb out.
“What’s going on?” Rory said looking at Ameria as she kept
jumping up and shouting the words for Raywing, or levitation in
alteration, and then a litany of other spells. None worked.
“I would guess you’re in a well of no magic.” Zelgadis said.
“The bricks on the side of the walls are warded.”
“Then you do something!!!” Rory said.
“I can’t use magic from up here either. I’ll need to find a long
enough rope to pull you two out.” He said.
“Hurry it up then.” Rory said narrowly dodging out of Ameria’s
efforts to run up the wall. “Before she rips any more of my
clothes.”
Zelgaids smirked as he dissappeared. “Don’t worry. I”ll be back
before your honor is compromised.”
Rory frowned. “What do you mean by that!!”
He got no answer.
Ameria shuffled a toe on the stone floor of the pit. “You know,
Rory, I’m not mad anymore.” Ameria commented. “And I am sorry
about your shirt.
In a way I should be glad you said what you said about Zelgadis.
It was the truth.”
Rory slid down to sit on the floor, and placed his head in his
hands. “It was not my place to say something like that.”
Ameria nodded. “I know. But it is my place to forgive you.
Besides you’ve helped out a bit now, so we’re friends right? And
besides, just because its true Zelgadis doesn’t love me doens’t
mean he wouldn’t if I changed, right?”
Rory smiled inpite of himself. “You’re quite the hopeless
romantic aren’t you?”
Ameria shrugged as she craned her neck upwards. “No. I have
hope.”
Rory tugged the ruined halves of his shirt on. He stared
bemusedly at her.
“You’ve got more than that. You shouldn’t have to change.” He
said quietly,
“What’s taking him so long?” He said more loudly.
“What do you mean by that?”
“I mean he should be back by now. He didn’t leave us here?”
“He wouldn’t do that. And I meant, what do you mean I shouldn’t
have to change?”
“He should love you for who you are right now.” Rory said. “Its
something I learned the hard way about relationships. You can’t
change yourself...and even if you do,
you aren’t happy with the results.”
“But I thought being in love made you change together. You have
to do that to bring your lives together.” Ameria protested.
“Yeah, but” Rory stopped a pained expression passing his
features. “I”m just saying,you can’t stretch yourself too much
without snapping. Trust me on this. If he doesn’t want you as
you are he doens’t deserve you.”
“Oh, and now you’ll tell me this Prince Sawpht does?” Ameria said
a bit sharply. She knew he was probably still thinking of her as
one more “mission.” Maybe she’d given her friendship out too
quickly.
“Actually, I’m not sure he does.” Rory said, but then put one
hand behind his head and exhaled a pent up breath. “But its my
job to take you back there...”
“Well, I’m not going.” She said crossing her arms.
“Of course youre’ not going.” The cackling voice said. “You’re
not going anywhere.”
A dark shadow fell over the pit filling both Rory and Ameria with
a sinking feeling of doom.
“I found the perfect recipes to cook with the two of you...” The
voice crackled. “I’m sure it will turn out quite tasty once you
put your heart into it!!” There was the sound of lips smacking.
Ameria backed up unconciously into Rory, who placed a protective
hand on her hsoulder and pulled out his sword.
**************************************
“Dude, there’s nothing down there.” Timbre said leaning over the
pit.
“I left them there barely twenty minutes ago when I went to find
this rope.”Zelgadis said frowning as he finished anchoring the
rope against a tree.
“Well, yeah, but they’re not down there now. “ Timbre frowned.
“Whoever set this trap must have come and snagged them. Look,
dude, they’re three sets of foot-prints, and those must be Rory’s
shoes.”
Zelgadis raised an eyebrow. “How do you know that?”
Timbre smiled. “He gets them custom made, and they have his
initials in the tred.”
Zelgadis looked down at the dirt, and sure enough, one of the
larger pair of prints had a faint pattern to it that looked rather
like “RG” fancily interwined. “Interesting.”
“Yeah, he’s like, fashion concious. Anyway, its practical for
things like this.”
“Doesn’t it make him easier for his enemies to track?” Zelgadis
wondered.
Timbre shrugged. “He tries not to make enemies...just clients.”
Zelgadis raised his other eyebrow at that but shook his head.
“Does he suceed?.”
“Yeah...most of the time.”
“That’s hard to belive.”
“Well, dude, either way, he’s more worried that people will want
to find him and won’t be able to than he is about those he doesn’t
want to find him.” Rory grinned.
“and the few times anyone he’s not happy to see finds him...like
they get majorly wiped out by that soncic sword thing. Rory can
handle himself.” Timbre leaned back
against a tree, obviously unconcerened.
“I thought his sword doens’t work without you.” Zelgadis pointed
out.
“Oh yeah.” Timbre “Good point.”
Zelgadis mentally rolled his eyes. “So perhaps we’d better
hurry.”
“Oh, another good point.” Timbre said.
The pattern of prints led straight to a tiny, neat cottage nestled
beneath large oversized trees. The thickness of the overhang
prevented much light from falling , giving the area the feeling of
an ever lasting night though it was really late afternoon.
“They must be in there.” Zelgadis said, making a motion for
Timbre to be quiet.
“Dude? What’s that hand signal for?” He said loudly snapping a
branch.
Zelgadis felt his irritation raise and his patience break. “BE
QUIET.” He hissed loudly.
“oh.” Timbre said.
“Lets try and get a look inside.”
“The windows are too high.” Timbre said looking up at the one
window on the front side of the cottage.
“I’ll lift you up.” Zelgadis said. Timbre didn’t look that heavy,
and if someone had used a magic block spell, chances were they had
one to detect magic as well. Better to use as little of his power
as possible.
“Cool. Ready when you are.” Timbre said as he scrambled up
Zelgadis’ back. “You really do feel like a wall.”
“Just tell me what you see.” Zelgadis said.
“Uh...lets see.” Timbre wiped the dirty glass and peered inside.
“I can see a table, filled with food, and oh, it looks good.”
“Not that do you see Ameria?” Zelgadis asked.
“Dude, calm down. I’m getting to it.” Timbre shifted. “there’s
the Princess...man, she looks good licking that ice-cream
cone...oh, and Rory--HEY MAN!!”
Timbre felt himself thrown down to the ground.
“Did you see anyone guarding them?”
“Dude? Why did you pull me down like that?”
Zelgaids crossed his arms. “Because, if someone saw you in the
window, then they’d realize we were here. You were tapping on it
and yelling.”
“Yeah, but they looked ok.” TImbre said.
“So much for the element of surprise.” Zelgadis complained as he
straigtened readying a spell. “I’ll be around.” He dissappeared
into the shadow.
“Dude! Where’d you go?”
To his surprise he heard Ameria’s voice. “Timbre? I thought I
saw you.”
She peeped outof he cottage. “Who were you talking to just now?”
She paused and smiled. “Nevermind...you’re just in time for
dinner! Rory and I cooked...its really neat!”
“What?” Timbre said. His eyebrows and his bangs flew up at that.
“Rory cooked?”
“Come on in...” She said smiling and holding the door open.
“Sure like why not?” Timbre said shaking his head. “But
something strange is going on here.”
Zelgadis frowned as he watched Timbre dissappear inside. Ameria
sounded fine, but he agreed with Timbre. Something strange had to
be going on. He waited awhile,but nothing exploded, no one
yelled, and in fact, he distinctly heard Ameria’s laugh.
He debated a half second more, and then just gave up. Slowly he
walked over and knocked.
Rory answered. “We wondered where you were. Timbre said you’d
come with him.”
“I wasn’t sure you were safe.” Zelgadis explained.
“Well, we’re fine.” Ameria said without looking at him. Instead
she turned to an ugly, large featured woman who sat next to her.
“Oh, Kaymartha, this is an aquaintance of ours.”
Zelgadis furrowed his brow at her description of him.
“Aquaitance?” He thought. Her feelings really must have been
hurt earlier, he decided.
The ugly old woman waddled over to Zelgadis peering almost blindly
at him. He resisted the urge to tug his cowl over his head.
“You’re an odd one.” She said.
Zelgadis swallowed the retort that came to mind. At least, he
thought to himself, he wasn’t ugly. Then again, to some people he
was. “So I’ve been told.”
“Well...I”m Kaymartha Steward.” She said untying her apron.
“This is my humble home. Welcome. Come in and let me show you
how to really make an elegant meal into entertainment.”
“We’ve been cooking all day.” Ameria explained to Rory.
“Kaymartha showed us all these great decorating tricks...Did you
know you could slice a radish into a rose if you quarter it, but
don’t cut all the way down, then throw it in ice water?”
Zelgadis shook his head. He didn’t care to know that either.
Zelgadis shifted back to Kaymartha. “How did you run into Ameria
and Rory?”
“They just dropped in.” Her voice slipped into a cackle.
Rory nodded. “She saved us from that pit--and she even fixed my
shirt, as good as new. Nay, better. She told me how to clean it
properly while on the road!”
Ameria nodded. “This is so much fun! I’ve learned so many neat
decorating tips!”
“I don’t know.” Timbre pulled out a chair and propped his feet on
the table. “This just isn’t my thing.”
“What are you doing!?” Kaymartha snapped looking at his dusty
boots leaning dangerously near her cake.
“Who me?” Timbre said as he stuck a finger into the batter bowl
and licked.
“YES YOU UNCOUTH BARBARIAN!!” She yelled taking out a huge wooden
spoon and rapping him across the knuckles of his hand.
“Like calm down you old bag” Timbre said falling over as he
scrambled out of the chair.
“I will NOT.” She huffed. “Leave my house this second! No one
dares call *me* an old bag!”
“Please Kaymartha!” Ameria interceded. “He didn’t mean to upset
you!”
“Didn’t mean to upset me?” Kaymartha sniffed. “He called me an
old bag!”
“Well, dude, she is.” Timbre said. “But she can cook.”
Kaymartha smiled. “Of course I can cook. I can cook anything.”
“Well, now that are companions are here, we shouldn’t impose on
your hospitality any longer.” Rory said. A slight flush
indicated he was again embarrased by his association with Timbre.
“Oh, you’re not going anywhere!” Kaymarthat said blocking the
door. “I haven’t started dinner yet.”
“But we’re actually on a quest.” Ameria said. “Although...what’s
for dinner?”
“YOU.” Kaymartha cackled. She pulled out a huge recipe book and
batted Ameria into the wall where she slumped unconcious. A flick
of her wrist and the giant book swung towards a surprised Timbre
who careened into Rory.
Zelgadis jumped before she could smack him too.
“You can leave. You don’t look edible.” Kaymartha said
dismissively.
“Neither are they.” Zelgadis stated.
Kaymartha laughed and pulled out a huge chef’s knife “Well, what
are you going to do about it?” She threw giant knife at him,
followed by a ton of smaller carving knives. They all bounced off
his chest and hit the floor.
Zelgadis folded his arms and smiled. “That won’t hurt me. My
skin is stone.”
Kaymartha frowned. “Yes, I can see that. Of course, your eyes
aren’t...”
She smiled as she flung up a jug of an acidic substance she’d been
using to scour stains.
Zelgadis conjured up a shield. At least, he meant to, until he
realized that magic didn’t work inside the cottage either. He
attempted to dodge and as he did, he felt the acid singe his skin
as it ate holes into his clothes.
Kaymartha laughed and threw two more bottles at him--and somehow
he managed to dodge again. He wasn’t tired, but he couldn’t keep
this up forever, he thought but her supply of bleach seemed to be
unending. Of course, he also had to dodge the puddles in the
floor where the acid had spilled, giving him less room to dodge.
“Its acid-proof floring.” She smiled. “Perfect for playing games
with things like you.”
The slick whisper of steel on skin rang out as Rory ran his sword
through Kaymartha.
“Are you ok? Zelgadis?” He asked as he turned towards Zelgadis.
Zel didn’t answer but dodged straight into Rory knocking him out
of the way of a giant knife weilded by the newly healed Kaymartha.
Her knife struck Zelgadis and broke.
“She...she healed!” Rory said in confusion.
“Troll probably.” Zelgadis explained, as he shielded the taller
man.
“Of course I am! The ultimate beauty tecnique!- Rezzo promised me
that if I used his spell I’d never have to worry about losing
finger while chopping food, or anything else. And my complexion
has really improved.”
Rory, Zelgadis, Ameria and Timbre gagged.
“Dude, what did it look like *before*” Timbre wondered and
winced.
“Enough though!! I’m hungry and you guys are the perfect snack!”
She pounced towards Zelgadis, her sword slashing into his,
repelling her against the wall again.
“Fine...I’ll just eat the woman first.” She sniffed. “I thought
I might use the spell on her, she’s so good at the things I showed
her...but...food or pet? Hm....Its a tough call.”
She smiled and turned towards the last corner where Ameria
slumped, still unconcious.
“Zelgadis.” Rory cautioned, as Zelgadis almost stepped into the
acid spilled across the floor. They had to be very careful which
square of the stone floor they stepped into.
Kaymartha tied a huge bib around her neck. “Now, where should I
start?”
Ameria groaned wearily, starting to wake up.
Zelgadis frowned. “I can’t use my magic.”
“And my sword doesn’t help.” Rory frowned. “On the count of
three let’s just both slam into her. Maybe we can knock her
away.”
The two didn’t get a chance. Just as the huge lumbering form of
Kaymartha almost reached an arm out to touch Ameria, Timbre jumped
in front of her.
. “You stay away from the Princess!”
“Fine I’ll eat you first.” She said amiably enough under the
circumstances, ever the gracious host.
“No, that’s not like it.” He smiled evily, his fingers sliding
across his guitar. A tremenodusly awakard sound emanated,
screeching with all the pent-up-angst of a hundred out-casts
seeking to be validated in the explosion of sound, the pull of
finger against string. “Dude, I’m like going to rock all night
long..”
“The pain The pain!” Kaymartha yelled covering her ears with her
hands. “Stop that awful RACKET!”
Timbre began to sing, too. His voice, though rather monotone, was
surpisngly deep and resonant. The words however, were completely
unintelligble. Soon Rory joined in a higher tenor, singing a
counter melody of sorts.
Kaymartha sunk to the ground. Zelgadis leaped, grabbed Ameria,
and dodged out the door.
Rory follwoed, and seconds later so did Timbre.
“The only way to kill a Troll is Fire.”
“I got that covered.” Tmbre said pulling out a small round
object. He slid it against his boot and threw it at the cottage.
The cottage exploded into flames, and within seconds, nothing was left.
“What kind of magic was that?” Rory asked somewhat shocked.
“Not magic.” Timbre said smiling. “Its like this new trick I
learned from this funny red fox dude when I was--well, that’s a
long story. Anyway, its just like something that happens.”
“Did you have to destroy the whole cottage?” Zelgadis complained.
“She mentioned a spell from Rezzo.
Now whatever was in there is probably destroyed.”
Ameria shifted. “I don’t think so. I saw this in her recipe
books earlier..but I wasn’t sure what to make of it. “ She held
up a book labeled “Troll House Recipes & Spells”. “But
I thought it might be helpful.”
Zelgadis flipped it open, noting the familiar writing of
“REZZO.” He growled. “So this is how he cursed me?”
“Zelgadis, Dude, like you ought to chill way out. Think about it.
If that’s the spell, you got off so lucky.” Timbre commented.
“That Kaymartha sure was one ugly thing.”
“Don’t remind me Timbre.” Rory said shivering so violently that
his shirt split again. “BLAST IT ALL.” He swore. “Now I
need to fix this again!”
“Well, while you do that...I’ll just be on my way.” Ameria
said somewhat stiffly as she avoided looking at Zelgadis.
“Your way back to Prince Sawpht?” Rory interrupted.
“No.” Ameria shook her head. “You are going to have to give up
on that idea Rory.”
“Its my job.” He argued. “I never give up.”
Zelgadis shifted uncomfortably. He just hoped Rory wouldn’t bring
up Ameria’s crush again.
“Well. Neither do I.” Ameria said stubbornly. “I don’t want
to hurt you, but I can’t let you force me to return.”
“I see. I didn’t want it to have to come to this.”
She held up her hands and squared her posisition. “Neither did
I.”
“Timbre, hit it.” Rory said over his shoulder.
To Ameria and Zelgadis’ surprise the guitarist shook his head.
“No way dude. I think the Princess is right. Why don’t you let
her finish her quest and all, and then let her return?”
“Because. “ Rory paused. “Because I don’t want to do that.”
“Then you like suck.” Timbre said. “And I quit.”
“What?!”
“Dude, Ameria’s been nothing but nice to us...I mean mostly.
But Sawpht is a real jerk. You know that. Do you really think
she belongs with someone like that?”
Rory frowned. “No, but I didn’t promise to make her marry him.”
“Yeah, whatever. I’d rather do other things. So, like, Ameria,
can I travel with you and Zelgadis?”
Ameria blinked. “*I* don’t mind...but...” She paused.
She wasn’t travelling with Zelgadis, was she?
Zelgadis quietly interrupted, without even turning back around to
face them. “I don’t mind either. But lets get going.”
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