Night had descended on the lake. The stars were out in legion, painting a glorious night sky. The moon hung in the sky, shining beams of light everywhere. It was on a night like this that the chimera, Zelgadis Greywars, wandered along the lake’s edge. He sat down on the sand. He could hear the distant sounds of the campfire and of Lina and Gourry satisfying their largish appetites. But Zel wanted no part in the feeding frenzy. No, he had wandered off. He needed to be alone…..
Alone. Alone with his thoughts. Slowly his hand brushed against his skin. Will I ever find a cure for my body? He wondered. How long will I be looked upon as a freak and a monster? Will I die in this state? Die in a position of failure and defeat? Will I die alone in this monstrous body? Alone. Dying without notice and without any kind of companionship. Chances are I will die alone as a monster - not as the human I really am. In dispair, Zel buried his face in his folded arms.
And he slowly let his depression consume him……..
Suddenly Zelgadis heard a noise. Slowly turned his head around and was greeted with the sight of Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune. She had made her way from the others to join him. She smiled sweetly at him.
"..Um… Zel, mind if I join you?.." she asked.
"No" he said
Silently and softly, Amelia sat down next to Zelgadis. Then she said:
"What a night. Look how beautiful everything is in the moonlight."
"Yes" murmured Zel.
And there they sat, not touching, not speaking, just watching the night sky and the moon light reflecting off the lake. After a long time of total silence, Amelia shivered.
"Is something the matter?" inquired Zelgadis
"I just felt a cold chill." Shivered Amelia
"Here" Zel whispered. Raising his arm, with his cloak draped around it, he then put his arm around Amelia and drew her inside his cloak. There, she huddled in the warmth of Zel’s body and his cloak.
Amelia then looked up at Zel, her eyes full of emotion: love, acceptance, loyalty, devotion. But Zelgadis stared back with eyes filled with mourn.
But Amelia certainly wasn’t going to let him remain drowning in his own misery.
She was going to make him smile - no matter what the risk or the cost!
Gently, she placed her hand underneath his chin and raised his head. She then moved her lips towards his….
……and then their lips parted. Zelgadis was indeed perplexed by this sudden move but he gazed back at Amelia and then he saw her eyes…..
And then he understood. She had seen past his freakish appearance and saw him for his personality. And she wanted to tell him in her own way. She wanted him to know that he is not alone. She wanted him to know that she had developed feelings for him when everyone else looked upon him as a monster.
If this was the promise of a haven, then Zel certainly couldn’t argue…..
Zelgadis drew his face closer to Amelia’s.
"Amelia……." Whispered Zel. "I love you."
" I love you too.." Amelia whispered back