Amelia read the letter for the fifth time. "Who would write this," she thought recalling how she found it beside her on her pillow when she first awakened that morning. When she read it the first time she was so surprised and flattered by its content that she didn't feel any anger at the thought that someone had crept into her room to deliver it. She folded the letter and placed it in the pocket of her cape and headed downstairs to meet the others for breakfast.
When she arrived Lina and Gourry were fighting over a platter of sausage. Xellos watched them in amusement while Zelgadis looked on shaking his head in disdain.
"Morning everyone," she smiled moving over to Lina and Gourry and calmly dividing up the platter of sausages on to two plates and handing them each one, then sat down and began eating.
"Thanks Amelia," Gourry smiled and started eating.
"Why didn't you two think of that in the first place," Zelgadis mumbled and continued eating.
"Amelia-chan why did you have to stop them, it was just starting to get good," the trickster pouted.
“Well . . Uh you can have fun watching them fight over lunch,” she offered.
“Good thinking,” Xellos smiled even brighter then usual.
As they continued eating in silence, Amelia regarded them thoughtfully. “I wonder if it was one of the guys who wrote it,” she mused.
She watched as Xellos eat his breakfast through his perpetual smile. “Could he have written it,” she asked herself. “If he did it was probably as a prank,” she decided and turned her attention to Zelgadis. “He’s really smart, but quiet, maybe underneath it all he . . .”
“Hey Amelia are you okay you look kind of strange,” Gourry asked gaining everyone’s attention.
“Oh, I’m fine I was just thinking that’s all,” she smiled. He nodded and returned to his meal.
“I wonder if Gourry . . ,” she started, “No, maybe not,” she signed and returned to her breakfast.
It had been a long day and everyone was tired. After hearing about a group of bandits called ‘the mambo kings’ Lina decided to head out to the next village that was close to their hideout. When Amelia went to her room for bed she found the second letter resting on her pillow.
“He thinks my eyes are pretty," she blushed holding the letter in trembling, anxious fingers. “I wish I could tell him how sweet I think these are,” she said wistfully.
“Amelia, are you still up,” someone called from outside her door.
“Yes, come in.”
The door opened and Gourry walked in all smiles. “They have some great cheesecake downstairs, do you want some?”
“No, I’m still pretty full from dinner, but thank you for asking,” she smiled.
Gourry looked at her for a minute then sat down beside her on the bed. “You’ve been kind of out of it all day. Something’s wrong isn’t it?”
She looked as him and patted his hand lightly. “Nothings wrong Gourry really?”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” she smiled touched by his concern. “I’ve just been thinking about how to get in touch with someone that’s all.”
“Oh,” he nodded. “Well maybe you could get in touch with them the same way they got in touch with you.” She looked at him thinking about the suggestion. “Or maybe that isn’t a good idea,” he amended nervously.
“Oh no Gourry, it’s a great idea,” she said hugging him. “Thank you,” she said releasing her hold on him all the while blushing.
“Does this mean you want to go and try a little cheesecake?”
“Sure, I’ll be down in a second.”
“Okay, he smiled as headed downstairs. As Gourry closed the door Amelia began to look around her room franticly. “Now to find some paper.”
When he had left his latest letter beside her sleeping form the last thing he expected was to find one for him. He took it to his room and opened it, lingering over every word. “She likes them,” he smiled and set to writing her a reply.
Amelia’s eyes fluttered open in the very early morning hours before sunlight appeared to find a new letter beside her. She sat up quickly and opened it with child-like excitement.
She held the letter to her chest, closed her eyes and sighed. “How romantic.” She then got out of bed only to have her bare feet greeted by the floors cold chill. “I keep forgetting to buy slippers,” she mumbled through chattering teeth as she walked to the writing desk to create a reply.
As she was about to set pen to paper she stopped. “Maybe I should wait until he replies to my letter,” she thought. “That would be best,” she decided finally and braved the cold floor back to her bed, snuggling under the covers. “Besides it’s too early for poetry,” she yawned and snuggled in deeper. “I wonder who he is,” she sighed drifting back to sleep.
Amelia woke up a few hours later and joined the others for the usual breakfast activities. Gourry and Lina were at war over waffles instead of sausages and once again she calmly divided up the stacks for each of them.
Xellos pouted at the lack of mischief, but the princess explained that the bandits would be more fun then Lina and Gourry’s breakfast battles. Zelgadis just watched the whole scene unfold in silence.
“What’s wrong Zelgadis?”
“Nothing other then I wish the mornings could be a little closer to normalcy,” he sighed.
“Here,” she smiled handing him a bowl of blueberries. “I know how much you like peace and quiet, but until Lina and Gourry learn how to share food instead of fight over it you’re not going to get any. So have some blueberries with your waffles as a special treat. I’ll try talking with them later about sharing, Okay.”
“Oh Zelgadis she’s giving you blueberries, before you know it you two will be setting a date and booking a temple. I’ll of course do the ceremonies,” Xellos cheered and Zelgadis mumbled some choice words no one dare repeat then recovered his composure.
“Thank you for the thought Amelia,” he said quietly taking the bowl of berries and sprinkling them on his waffles.
“Xellos don’t you enjoy doing anything other then agitating people,” the princess asked taking a bite of her waffles.
“That’s a secret.”
“He doesn’t want to tell me who he is right away,” she whispered reading her admirers latest offering.
It was the perfect ending to and eventful day. Lina had fireballed the mambo kings and heard about a new group of bandits called ‘the salsa swordsmen’ who liked to steal money, jewels and salsa bands, and had spent the day inquiring about the location of their stronghold.
Amelia had taken a long, hot bath and returned to her room to find the new letter. She sat down at her desk and began a reply.
He turned the letter over in his hands and smiled at its words. “I guess this means I can only leave one letter a day now,” he laughed lightly, but was pleased with this turn of events that would make things more interesting.
He walked over to the window with paper and pen and stared out into a velvety blanket of stars hoping they would fuel his imagination when a knock came from the door.
“Yes,” he answered.
“Are you turning in?”
“Yes, I’ll see you at breakfast.”
“Okay, Good night Gourry.”
“Night Lina,” he returned then heard the sound of Lina’s footsteps growing faint.
He looked back out of the window and sighed. He knew he was the last person she would think of, that anyone would think of for that matter to write such things and this spurred him onward. Everyone thought he wasn’t smart, especially not enough to write letters. The truth was that he was very smart, but it only showed when he was inspired. “And what better inspiration is there then love,” he thought an began writing.