This is, of course, a Z/A fic. I hope you enjoy since it's my first time writing a Slayers (completed) Fic much less one of Zelgadiss and Ameria. But I hope you enjoy anyways. It's a one-shot too, another thing I'm not good at.^_^;

Outside of Seyruun, Zelgadiss stood and looked up. It had been almost four years since he had last seen her. Four years since he had left her. The bracelet she had given him still remained in his pocket. During his travels he had often looked at it when he was alone or just before he went to sleep. While looking at it he often thought about just what his relationship stood with Ameria after their final parting, or what she had meant by her last statement before she went to join Lina and Gourry back to Seyruun. Had she really meant what she had said? Had he meant what he had said? Everything was so confusing, he wasn't used to emotions like this....he had never wanted to get used to emotions like this. She had done something to him, over the years that they had traveled together, and even though he had known Lina longer than Ameria, the longer he traveled with Lina and co. the more he felt as if he were getting closer to Ameria.
At first, she was simply an annoying, justice loving princess who seemed cheerful all the time, but of course first impressions were sometimes misleading....after all did Ameria not think he was heartless when she had first met him? However, as he got to know her he began to realize just how much they had in common.
They both liked the arts and music, and both had similar tastes in food. They worked well together as a team and as they had traveled on it seemed as if they went together, almost on cue when it came time to blast some monster or defend someone from attack. And they were good friends and when one got hurt the other worried. Except those times when Ameria almost got killed....
Which led him to think about things he had never considered before. He knew Ameria was cute, so was Lina, but there was something more than cuteness that attracted him to her. Ameria had a strong since of justice which sometimes got her in trouble and it sometimes annoyed him but at the same time it found it adorable. He couldn't explain why he just thought that. Maybe it was because she simply cared for others. She wasn't selfish and she always thought about others well beings, evil or not, when something happened. But that wasn't it. That wasn't why he was feeling what he was feeling. It was....it was....he didn't know. He knew it was important to him but he just couldn't place his finger on it. Sighing, he began to focus on what he had been thinking about earlier, what had made him think that he might have feelings that were those other than friendship towards Ameria and that was when....
It was after, right after Lina had touched the Clair Bible, the remaining thoughts of the Water Dragon King. Ameria was simply standing there after Lina's stupid entrance when Seigram(sp?) came up behind Ameria and blasted her into the rock wall. Zelgadiss had just stood there, he couldn't believe it...she wasn't even able to defend herself. She had collapsed, blood pouring from her back. She couldn't even defend....
He found himself kneeling down beside her body, he called out her name, hoping that somehow she would hear him, he went to pull her close to him when Lina stopped him and began healing Ameria. He knew it wouldn't work, her wounds were too great but he went to heal her anyways. He had lost his cool, something he rarely did, even when Lina was cool, he was furious but he didn't loose it like he did when he saw Ameria lay there. All he knew was that she couldn't die, he didn't know why but she just couldn't. When she was well and back to her justice-speeching self he was glad, he had been worried about her. But then again, Gaav had begun to confuse her so he could attack and that feeling returned...he couldn't let her die. So he jumped in as Gaav attacked and took the full blow. That was another time that he actually thanked Rezo for the body he gave him, had he had been human that blow would've killed him for sure.
And then finally, what had fully convinced him that he had to feel something for Ameria was when Hellmaster Phibrizzo had killed her. It had surprised him, even when she was dying she only thought about reassuring him that she was okay so he wouldn't worry about her. When she died in his arms something died in him, he felt it. That was when he knew, that was when he knew that he had feelings for her that was different than anything he had ever felt for another. It was shocking, he thought was immune to such feelings but Fate proved him wrong. To his utter amazement, he found that he could still part from her to continue his journey. He missed her but for some reason he wasn't worried, for some reason their paths always crossed again so he knew he would again be traveling with her.
However, this time was different, they had made a promise, he was going to keep it. He knew he was late, but that couldn't be helped and he only hoped that she hadn't given up on him. Sighing, he headed for Seyruun.

"Gourry this food is MINE!!!!!"
Inside the royal palace of Seyruun, one princess, a newly crowned king, a sorceress, and an idiot swordsman sat in the royal mess hall, so to speak. Actually it was now a mess hall, food crumbs all over everywhere and two of the four people were eating food as if they were animals deprived from a six-day meal. The princess and the king, basically used to their behavior, continued to eat as normal but staying out of the two's line of fire as well.
The newly Crowned King Philionel laughed that big laugh of his. "That's the way kids should behave these days! Eat hearty kids and prosper! Live your lives to the fullest I always say." he said to the two who were eating like starving children.
The newly Crowned Princess Ameria Wil Tesla sighed <i>Daddy *again* doesn't know what he's talking about.</i> however, she could only smile in slight envy as the two lovebirds, if you could call them that, ate. The two were really good friends with Ameria, Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev. The reason why she was slightly envious of them was simple: they were getting married and were happy. She was getting married and wasn't happy.
As such, Ameria was twenty years old. And as such she was expected to marry at that time. It was something that her father didn't want to pressure onto her but when he had been Crowned Prince his life was in danger most often and now with him as king it was even worse. So he had no choice but to get her to marry. She of course, tried everything in the book to make him waver, even tears, and even that didn't work. And so Ameria had to bear through the interviews, the banquets, and the balls, and eventually her father just simply picked one out of a hat and said "Here, marry him". She had no choice in the matter and so agreed, to the prince's delight, and was soon to be married by tomorrow.
But I don't love him. I love...
She caught herself. That line of thinking usually got her in trouble. She knew her feelings for him, had even proclaimed them out loud once, like a fool, but he left and didn't keep his promise...of course he didn't. He only cared about one thing didn't he? She could remember...what they had said on that day, the promise that wasn't kept....

"Zelgadiss-san!" a sixteen year old Ameria called to Zelgadiss who was walking away to find his cure once again "Please wait! I just...."
He stopped walking and almost seemed as if he didn't want to turn around because he knew what she was going to say but he didn't want to just walk away from her either, it would just be wrong.
Ameria soon caught up to him, breathing heavily. Once she had caught her breath she looked up at him, smiling.
"Zelgadiss-san. I just...before you go, please reconsider. I'm positive we can find a cure for your body in Seyruun somehow I just know it. Please stay, just for a little while." Please don't leave me again. she thought to herself I know if I let you go you might not come back and I....
Zelgadiss' frown shook her from her thoughts. He was going to say no. She could feel it. But she didn't want to lose him, she couldn't lose him, she loved him, with all her heart and soul.
So when Zelgadiss shook his head, her heart almost crashed down to her feet.
"No Ameria I'm sorry. It would be better for both of us if I didn't go to Seyruun."
She blinked at him. What did he mean by that? Did it mean that he really did hate her? Hate her so much that he didn't even want to be around her?
She looked down at the ground at the ground, trying to hide tears "I see. So then it is true then...you don't like me." she looked up at him, she wanted to be strong but his rejection hurt her so much.... "I understand. It's because you think I'm an annoying justice-freak right?"
He blinked at her in surprise "No...it's not that...I just..." he broke down "You don't have to cry Ameria. I don't think you're annoying or a justice-freak. I think...well that is I...I think you're nice and I do...I uh...I do like you." he sighed in slight embarrassment and annoyance at himself.
Ameria looked at him, hiding the urge to smile. He did like her! And by the way he was struggling to say that (he had a hard time confessing anything romantic or anything under that) he didn't mean in a friendly way. Well maybe he didn't mean it that way. She mentally scolded herself. No time for jumping to conclusions. She did smile at him and he smiled back. She loved it when he smiled, he rarely did it and she always savored it when he did. He was so handsome that way.
"Good." he said "It's better when you don't cry. You're more beautiful when you smile."
She blinked at him in total surprise and obviously Zelgadiss noticed what he had said as well because his face turned red at her expression.
She began to blush and looked away from him "Th...thank you Zelgadiss-san. No one's ever said that to me before. It means a lot really." she looked back up at him to find that his face was still completely red. She gave him a confused look "Is something wrong?"
"You...." he began "You were <i>not</i> supposed to hear that." he said and looked away from her. She began to giggle. He had been thinking out loud.
"I don't mind." she said walking up so that he was facing her. "I told you it meant a lot to me and I still mean it. That was a wonderful comment Zelgadiss-san and I thank you." she stood on tip-toe and lightly kissed him on the cheek, making him blush more. It was time. "I'm sorry I haven't been like Lina-san or Sylphiel-san in maturity but I think I've changed a lot since we first met and I've come to like you a lot....I know you think it's just a silly crush, only because of my age but....I've always been taught to express my feelings and I know that what I feel for you is true. That's why I really want you to come to Seyruun with me. I know you don't like your curse but it will never matter to me what you look like because I didn't fall for your looks, which may I add are fine, I fell for you." a bit embarrassed with herself for telling him her feelings she turned slightly away from him "I know you don't feel the same but..." she took off her bracelet and turned back to him, handing it to him "I want you to have this. Please take it and think of me, as a friend if not anything else."
"Ameria." he looked at her with...a strange expression on his face, one she had never seen him give to anyone since she had met him. He wasn't blushing anymore...it was almost as if he could not say anything. He, however, took the bracelet and placed it in his pocket. He then smiled at her, reaching out his hand and softly brushed his hand against her cheek.
"Thank you." he said "And I'll be back to return this to you. Soon. Cure or no. I promise."
She smiled and nodded "I'll wait. I promise."
He walked closer to her "I'll be back in three years time, cured or not and I will finish this..." he bent down and slowly kissed her on the lips for what seemed like forever to Ameria as her ears roared and her heart raced  "..when I return. And I will give you your bracelet as well. And maybe...just maybe, we'll see what goes on from there." he said as he parted a bit to slowly from their kiss "I like you too Ameria...I don't know just how well but I know I feel things for you...maybe by then I'll have them figured out." he looked as if he wanted to say more "I...Ameria I want...I better go." he said finally deciding that now was not the time since he didn't know how or what he was going to say. He turned and began to walk away.
Ameria began to follow when she heard Lina's voice from the background yelling for her to hurry up or they'd leave her. She turned and yelled back at them saying she'd be down in a second. She turned back to Zelgadiss' ever fading back.
"I'll be waiting! Three years! I will wait for you! It's a promise!"
He didn't turn around but she knew that he was smiling as he walked away.

But that was four years ago. He didn't keep his promise and now she was to be married. Perhaps he decided that he didn't like her at all that he had been deluding himself the entire time. Or maybe he had found his cure and fell in love with another woman and they went off happily ever after. She frowned. No he wouldn't do that. He wasn't so heartless that he would do that and not tell her after that confession she had made to him. But why didn't he come back? Why?
While Ameria was thinking, Lina looked up from her food when she noticed that Ameria hadn't taken a bite of her food. Something so unusal could not just go on unspoken about. Lina frowned.
"Alright Ameria, spill it." Lina began and everyone got quiet at the sudden outburst and all eyes focused on Ameria who blinked at them all in surprise "What's got you so bent out of shape. You haven't even touched your food. You wanna talk about it?"
Ameria frowned and looked down at her plate, shaking her head "No. I really rather not..."
Lina got up and grabbed Ameria's arm pulling her away from the table "Well that's just too bad ain't it? Cos' we're gonna talk about it right now! Sorry boys, we're leaving to go have a little girl chat so we'll be leaving the table a little early. If you'll excuse us..." and at that Lina dashed upstairs with a very shocked Ameria being dragged behind.
Gourry blinked at the dust that was Lina and Ameria and shrugged, going back to his eating. The King decided to go into his study and so left the still eating Gourry by himself, which was just fine with Gourry, more food for him.

"Alright Ameria, what's going on?" Lina asked once they were in Ameria's room. Lina was sitting in Ameria's chair by her desk while Ameria sat on her bed, hands folded in her lap with her eyes focused on her hands.
"Nothing Lina-san. I was just thinking." she replied
"Thinking by ass!" Lina exclaimed making Ameria look up at Lina in surprise "You're hiding something aren't you? You've been moping around ever since you had to get engaged to that stiff of a prince and it's been really getting on my nerves. So you either tell me what's wrong or I Fireball you. Besides us girls are supposed to tell eachother everything right? We are friends right?"
The look on Lina's face was evil so the best thing to do was be truthful. Ameria sighed.
"I've...I've been thinking about Zelgadiss-san. He....I...we made a promise and he just didn't fulfill it that's all. I was kinda hoping he would though."
Lina was quiet for a moment, taking it all in "So..." she began finally "You're still in love with Zel huh?"
Ameria's mouth dropped open in shock "Lina-san...how did you...?"
"Oh, like you didn't make it obivious or anything. So what was the promise? Did it have something to do with your bracelet? Cos' when you came back that day you didn't have it on."
Ameria blinked. She had no idea Lina could be so observent "Yes that's...one of the things he promised on. But it doesn't matter does it? I'm getting married tomorrow."
Lina gave Ameria the eye. "Oh I know why you want Zel to be here now. You want to marry him instead of that guy right?"
Ameria blushed and turned away "No! That's not it at all!" she exclaimed in denile. "Zelgadiss-san and I are friends just like you and him are. And besides I already told you that I got over him remember?"
Lina waved it off "Yeah, yeah so you've said but did you really mean it? You can't hide from it forever Ameria, L-sama knows I couldn't. But look Ameria I have a sure-fire way for you to get what you want. Just go and postpone the wedding and then go look for Zel. I'm sure that..."
"No." Ameria said firmly, cutting Lina off. "We made a promise. If he's not here then he doesn't want to be. If I went out to find him it would be wrong especially if he doesn't want me around."
Lina gave her a look "Are you sure about this?"
Ameria nodded "I'm positive."
Lina shook her head "Alright then. I won't stop you." she turned to leave "But I'd chose any excuse to get out of a wedding if I had to marry the guy you're marrying. Well I have some catching up on my eating to do so see ya!" she said and left the room.
Once Lina left Ameria sat down on her bed and sighed. She wanted to go out and find Zelgadiss....more than anything. But the truth of the matter was was that if she went and found him, which she knew she could do with no trouble, and he rejected her she would simply die. She wouldn't be able to handle it, she knew it. She had belived he would come back and waited year after year. She was sure that he would be back and maybe they could share what she had always thought would be impossible for them. Their love.
The only bad thing about it was that Zelgadiss never said he loved her. He said he liked her, not love. But come to think about it neither did she. But at the time she knew she had been in love with him and she knew that she wanted to be with him. She looked down at the floor, she still wanted to be with him. She still loved him, even more than on the day he left her for good. So he had finally decided, he didn't love her. To spare her feelings he just decided not to come so that neither of them would be embarassed and no feelings would be hurt. Except that she did feel hurt, it hurt so much that she wanted to cry. And now she had to marry someone she didn't know or care about that didn't even look remotely good and it was all Zelgadiss' fault. As a matter of fact, everything bad that happens to women in general is because of men. So all men were evil and the scum of the planet and.....
She caught herself and started giggling. It actually was kind of funny when she thought  about it. But Zelgadiss wasn't really to blame, it's not his fault if he felt nothing for her right?
She stood and walked over to her closet where there were plenty of beautiful gowns, mostly of a blue or green color. There were a few pink ones but she had grown out of those and for some reason she felt as if blue and green were more of her color. There was going to be a ball tonight to celebrate the wedding for tomorrow. Ameria demanded that it be a masked ball because it was bad enough that she would have to look at her "husband" for the rest of her life the least he could do for her is give her this one little demand.

Lina sighed as she walked around the palace since Gourry had eaten all the food when she had returned to finish what she had started. Ameria could be just as stubbron as Zel sometimes. That was probably why they got along so much. If Ameria was in love with Zel and Lina was sure that Zel had some feelings for Ameria even if he didn't love her, then they should get together and get married or whatever floated their little boats. But nooooo, not Zel and Ameria. They had to be the most stubbron.....
"Let me pass! I'm here to see the princess! She knows me for crying out loud!"
Lina blinked. Wasn't that Zel's voice?
Lina had been walking around the palace gates when she heard shouting. She turned to see two guards hassle some man whom, to her, looked like Zel but just some minor changes. His outfit was different. Instead of his usual beige on beige he had on simple everyday fasion clothes for men. And he looked very good in them. It was a nice smooth brown shirt with beige silk pants and brown shoes to match. Very nice indeed. She walked over to the guards and touched one of them on the shoulder. The guard looked at her and blinked, making sure it was who he thought it was and then smiled, slightly bowing.
"Lina-san." the guard started "What brings you here?"
"That guy you're hassling." Lina began smiling "Is my friend. The princess and everyone can vouch for him if you want."
The guard let Lina have Zel, mostly because he was afraid of what she'd do to him if he said no. Lina gave them a polite "thanks" and dragged a very confused Zelgadiss upstaird to her room. She didn't want Ameria knowing he was here just yet. With Ameria feeling so down the way she was now she might say or do something that she would regret. But besides she had some yelling to do at Zelgadiss. It was just like a man to be so late with a promise and having Ameria upset like that was worth a good yelling at. But as Lina looked at Zelgadiss she could see why it had taken him so long to get from point A to point B. Grinning to herself she decided that for tonight, she would play a little dressup.

Zelgadiss had reached Seyruun alright and when he had got there mostly all that was waiting for him was...nothing. Of course he had expected as much, Ameria didn't know he was coming but for the guards to question him like that after they knew who he was was so annoying.
And then Lina showed up out of nowhere, not that he was ungreatful mind you, but Lina did have the habit of popping up out of nowhere, most of the time was when he didn't want her to show. And then she dragged him into the palace, up the stairs, and into her bedroom. And to top it all off she left him, went into Gourry's room, grabbed some silly costume and said "Here, try this on". Now he was looking at himself in the mirror and decided that this suit actually looked nice on him....despite the face mask.
Lina had grabbed him a tuxedo, something he thought he would never wear in his entire lifetime, and a mask. Not the ballroom type either. It was like the mask he usually wore when hiding his face except for the fact that it rather fit on his face then pulled over. He liked it, a dark blue tux with a white shirt under and dark blue shoes to match. As he looked at himself in the mirror, and at Lina who was constantly staring at him which was starting to unnerve him, he began to think as to why he had to wear this. He hadn't asked Lina anything of what was going on which was out of norm but was mostly the fact was that Lina had given him little time to ask anything with the demands and the going out of the room thing. So he decided that now would be a good as time as any to ask.
"Uh...Lina?" he began
"It's for a costume party to celebrate Ameria's wedding tomorrow." Lina said
Zelgadiss turned and gave Lina a look, mostly one of surprise. "What? How did you know what I was going to ask?"
Lina winked at him "Cos' it was resonable to think that you would ask that and you're a reasonable person. It's a masked ball. Don't ask why Ameria wanted it that way but she did."
Zelgadiss nodded "Okay...." that's when it hit him.....wedding?!?!?! "Wait a minute! You said wedding? As in Ameria's getting married? To someone?"
Lina frowned "Yes that is usually what happens when someone gets married, they get married to someone. Geez and I thought Gourry was dense." her face lit up "So anyways Zel what's up? How ya livin'?"
Zelgadiss just stared at her "Married? To...to who?"
"Well maybe if you had gotten your Chimera ass down her sooner she wouldn't be marrying him so get that stupid look off your face." she frowned "Who do you think you are leaving poor Ameria alone like that after you had promised you would be back! Do you know how she's been acting these past few months when she found out she had to get married to that creepy looking prince whats-his-face? It's been depressing Zel and it's all your fault! You men always do this to us poor girls, you make big promises you can't keep and then you...."
"Lina!" Zelgadiss exclaimed breaking Lina off "Listen I can explain...I didn't mean to be gone so long...." he began to think "What a minute...how the hell do you know about the promise?!"
Lina began to look a little nervous "Well...you see...it's like uh....nevermind that for now! All you need to know is that Ameria needs your help. She's gonna have to marry that one guy and I can't let that happen. Do you know how long it will take to get her out of that deep depression? Annnnndddd...she won't be able to travel with us because her "fiancee" is alergic to just about everything including traveling. How he's still alive today I have no clue."
Zelgadiss blinked at her "That bad huh? But what am I supposed to do about it? And why do I have to go to a ball anyways?"
Lina glared at him "Because it's your fault that Ameria's in this trouble so you're going to get her out of it!" she exclaimed "And if your going to win her back....."
"Wait." he said "I never had her so how can I...."
"Oh please." Lina inturupted "I know that Ameria loves you and you know you love Ameria. Get out of that denail act, I did and now Gourry and I are getting married, although it took him forever and a day to do it because he kept forgetting, but the point is that if you don't go to her, tell her you haven't forgotten about her or your promise then you just might lose her forever. And I know if you came then you have no intentions of losing her to some geeky stiff-neck prince right?"
Zelgadiss was a bit flustered "Well....I uh..."
"Right. So get your Chimera butt in gear and get ready. Now here's the plan. You can not let Ameria know what you're you until the last dance. Just charm her or something but no revealing indentity until midnight when everyone takes their masks off. Then you propose or whatever you're planning on doing..."
"Propose?!" Zelgadiss almost shouted "I..I can't do that! I mean...."
Lina raised an eyebrow "Oh? So that means you don't love Ameria then?"
Zelgadiss was stuck. Did he love Ameria? He had been thinking about it the entire time he had came into Seyruun and even before that. Did he love her? He knew the feelings that he had for her before had grown the more he had thought about her. Everyday he thought about her, her smile and her laugh and the way she could handle people. And then there was the final thought that had been plaguing him for the past four years. Why did he care for Ameria? There was something....something that he couldn't place his finger on and he knew it was important. And he knew that until he could answer that, he couldn't answer if he loved Ameria or not.
He shook his head "I don't know. I have to be with her I have to...."
"Good then! The ball starts in an hour, get ready and be down early. Ameria always shows up an hour early, cos' she's supposed to as she is now the Crowned Princess of Seyruun, but I still want you there early so we can explain to Gourry and Phil what's going on."
Zelgadiss nodded "Alright then. So Ameria's now next in line to the throne huh? So that means that her grandfather..."
"That her grandfather kicked it and Phil got stuck in the chair. Yup that's it."
Zel sighed "Do you have to be so blunt about it?"
Lina gave him a look "What do you expect? This is me we're talking about here."
"Yeah. I forgot. Silly me." he said scarcasticly

Ameria examined herself in her dress. Nice, not to flashy, but not too puffy either. She didn't even know why she was wearing it, no one worthwhile would see her in it. Not the man she loved anyways.
"Oh Zelgadiss-san" she said to her mirror "Why did you have to do this to me? If you were going to break my heart the least you could've done was do it in my face!"
She felt as if she were going to cry again, why did this have to happen to her? This wasn't the way it was supposed to end at all. Zelgadiss should be the one waiting for her not some prince that she didn't even care about. Lina was going to be happily married to Gourry. Not Ameria. Nope. It just wasn't fair.
But she really couldn't worry about that anymore. She was already late for her entrance and she knew father would be a bit upset. But he'd just have to get over it. Ameria wasn't a very vengeful person but it was her own father's fault for doing this to her. It was just wrong. She sighed. Better to get this over with.
Amlia had been in tons of balls. Growing up as a princess she had to go to numerous balls and had even planned one herself that had been on her eighteenth birthday. So going to balls wasn't a big thing to her. You go, you dance, you leave, the end. Plain and simple. She loved to go to balls anyways, they were a lot of fun and you were able to meet people. And she was a great dancer, she knew every slow dance, fast dance, and her waltz was perfect. She had been taught by the best and it was the second most thing she liked to do besides stand on high places and fight on the side of justice. Dancing was a way of letting yourself go into the beat. the rythem kept you going and your feet seemed to have a mind of their own as they moved across the dance floor. The only bad thing about it, and the reason why she had never told anyone about her other love, was the simple fact that there was no one that she had met that could dance as well as she could. She knew her skill and she knew her limit and no one could match it. No one could keep up with her. She always ended up leading and she hated that. Another reason why she didn't want to marry the prince; he simply did not know how to dance. He didn't know how to do anything really besides talk about nothing and politics. Ameria hated politics. Even though she had to run errands for her father every now and then she really didn't like the subject all that much. Sometimes she almost wished that she wasn't a princess so that she could be free from her emotional prison. No one could understand, not even Martina because she loved being a princess and besides that she was spoiled.
As Ameria began to walk down the stairs she felt it. Those eyes. It didn't bother her anymore but when she had been smaller it had. As princess you had to come down to the ball later, it was some stupid tradition that she thought was just a waste of time, than everyone else so when you did come down, all eyes were on you. She smiled as she was supposed to and gracefully, for the first time in years, stepped down the stairs in a speed-walk fasion. That was very difficult to do when you had on a very long dress. She reached the floor and was immediately swarmed by people who wanted to congradulate her and comment on her dress which was 'simply fablous' one of the girls had said. She smiled and tried to carry on the conservation as much as she could but for some reason she could feel eyes on her. Not the ones that usually greeted her when she came down for the ball, something different. She looked around though and saw no one. It was so strange.
She eventually decided to ignore it and went to find Lina who was, of course, eating at the booth with Gourry. They really did make the fine couple. She really did envy them. Smiling she walked over to them waving slightly. Again she felt those eyes on her. She turned to the side and saw a man, masked(duh Ameria of course it's a masked ball!:P), looking at her with the strangest expression in his eyes. The entire room disappeared to her besides that masked man. He was dressed nicely but he didn't look like royalty. His eyes were almost probing, looking for something in her. She could feel herself blush as he continued to stare at her. She wasn't scared however, she rather liked it, and since she was staring back then there was no problem.
Suddenly a song came on and she blinked as he turned to the music, looked back at her, stood up and began walking towards her. Her blush became redder as he came closer and soon he was in arm's length away from her. He held out his hand to her.
"Care to dance?" the man asked. "I'm not that bad really."
Ameria continued to stare at him. Did he just ask her to....then she frowned. He was probably just trying to show off because she was the princess, maybe trying to score some points. But she couldn't be rude to a guest, she just hoped he could dance. So she took put her hand in his and his larger hand enveloped hers. Somehow she felt...good. She couldn't really explain it but it felt nice. And when he slightly swung her into his arms she felt as if she had died and went to heaven. His steps were smooth, almost liquid, and he actually was leading her. And if he hadn't who knows what would've happened because she was simply letting her feet do all the walking for her. Her eyes and mind were on his face. The parts she could see anyways. She could feel his hands on her waist and her hands in his. His eyes, like the blue-green sea, gazed down into her own midnight blue eyes and she felt entranced by them. She knew it was wrong to think that way, she was going to be married and she loved Zelgadiss but this man was just...
And the bad part about it was was that he had only said a few words to her. His voice was deep and set and she loved it. It also sounded sort of familiar but she couldn't place it. Probably because he had said so little. But for now she was content, she had finally found a dancing partner and he was slowly sweeping her problems away with every turn and movement he made with her in his arms.
Hours passed, still the two danced, never getting tired of the other. The masked man had pulled her closer to him and now both of his hands were around her waist while both her hands and her head laid on his chest. She could hear his heartbeat. At first it had been slow and steady but now it was beating faster. He seemed nervous and she couldn't really tell why. Right now she really didn't care. They had also gotten a lot of attention and people were wispering things, good and bad. But Ameria didn't care. All she cared about was this man holding her, this warm and gentle man. She had no idea why she was acting like this, she had never done this before, but she knew that she had to know who this man was before the night ended. This gentle, warm....
"Princess?" the man asked and lightly pulled her away from him a bit which she was a little disappointed about "I...I would like to speak to you. Alone. Is there somewhere we can talk?"
She blinked at him. She wanted him to do what? She smiled, now he was ready to tell her who he was. She couldn't wait. She nodded and began to walk with him upstairs....

The moment of truth.
Zelgadiss sat on Ameria's bed while she stood in front of him, smiling. He tried to build up his courage ever since he had laid eyes on her again.
When Ameria had came down those steps the first thing that came to his mind was that she was the most beautiful person he had ever laid eyes on in his entire life. The second thing that came into his mind was how she had changed.
Her hair was now longer, down to the middle of her back. Her face had thinned out so it didn't have that childish, womanish look on it anymore. Her face was all woman. She had gotten taller and more graceful. He also had no idea that she could dance so well. She flowed with him and she let him lead even though he could tell that she was used to leading. She went with him and she felt nice. He had wanted the dance to last forever, but he knew he had to tell her. It was almost midnight. He stood looking down into her eyes. He had thought they the most beautiful blue eyes anyone could ever stare into and he still did. Her eyes were bright and shiny and full of life. It was something he needed in his life. But still....did he love her? He couldn't tell still. He mentally shook his head. It didn't matter anymore, they were alone. The time was right.
"Ameria-sama..." it was weird calling her that but as long as she didn't know who he was....
"Please." she said, the smile never dying "Call me Ameria. No need to be formal. Please tell me your name, I have to be honest with you, no one has ever made me feel the way you make me feel in a long time. I am to be married tomorrow but I want to see the face of the man who had stolen my heart, if only for a night. I also want to kiss the man who stolen my heart before I get married. I don't love him but....please tell me who you are."
"No one has ever made me feel the way you make me feel in a long time..." did that mean that....? He smiled at her even though she could not see his face "If I show you, you must promise me that you'll keep to your word. I do expect a kiss from you." and he damned well meant it too. Along with other things, she had become more bold! Which was not a bad thing in his book. It was making his courage take a huge leap of faith. But still the question remained, did he love her?
Ameria smiled and bowed "I promise."
Satified, he slowly pulled the mask off of his face. When the mask was completly off he looked at her face for any sign of shock or anything.
What he got was nothing. Well it wasn't really shock. She was just really happy. But it wasn't the shock of seeing him he knew that for sure. Did she not regonize him?
She stepped closer and touched his face "You're more handsome than I had imagined. You remind me of someone...but I can't place it. But I think that's why I'm so attracted to you. That and your dancing of course." she giggled
He looked at her in shock "Ameria...you don't regonize me? It's me Zelgadiss!"
Ameria's face went blank. She stared at him for the longest time, trying to see if what he was saying was true. Finally, is if she could not believe it, she shook her head "You are not him." she said flatly "First off, Zelgadiss-san is a Chimera. You're human."
Zelgadiss looked at his hands. Of course! He had forgotten about his cure! He had had it for so long that he had fogotten that Ameria didn't know. But he knew something that would change her tune. He reached in his pocket and pulled out Ameria's bracelet and put it in her hands.
"I told you I'd come back. I always keep my promises. I am so sorry that it took me so long to get back to you but I couldn't help it. My...cure took me longer than I expected to work. But it did and now I'm here. I want to finish what I started. I know I'm a little late then I wanted to be but...."
"I'm getting married Zelgadiss-san." she interupeted "I'm sorry."
He snorted "You said you didn't love him didn't you?"
She glared at him "So then you do love me?"
Damn. Of all the questions she could've asked, she asked that one. She just couldn't ask 'so what are you going to do about it?' or something along those lines. He was very much stuck and he knew it. So again, the moment of truth, flee or face the truth. Did he love her? Did he want to spend the rest of his life with her? Did he want her to marry that guy? Did he want to lose her again for the last time. After this....it was it. She would be married no matter what, no matter to whom. But he couldn't....
Ameria sighed "You don't then."
Zelgadiss shook his head "No...it's not that it's just that..."
"Just that what?" she demanded, anger flowing through her. Her anger followed with hurt and she looked as if she wanted to cry. "That you can't be with me now because of your cure? Before it was because you needed your cure. Well you have it now, what other excuses can you come up with? I didn't care about your stupid cure! I loved you just the way you were and I love you just they way you are! I've waited for you, everyone knows how I've waited for you, and now you come to tell me what? Why did you dance with me? Why did you let me go on like that? I'm getting married tomorrow Zelgadiss-san, you're invited to the wedding if you want to come. Goodnight." she stood on tip-toe and kissed him deeply, startling him. When she ended the kiss the glare in her eyes did not die, it seemed to increase.
Zelgadiss was now completly at a loss "Ameria...why did you?"
"A promise is a promise. If anything, I keep those. Unlike others I know." she snapped and stormed out of the room.
After Ameria left Zelgadiss sat down "Well that didn't go well at all." he said out loud. "But now I have my answer. Now all I need is to get to Lina." and at that he left to find Lina.

He's not here. I must've made him so mad that he didn't even want to be here. Ameria thought sadly.
Ameria was standing at the end of the hall, the red carpet laid out for her, everyone standing, well at least she thought everyone was standing. She couldn't see a thing.
She did, however, tried to see if she could feel that strange feeling that she got when Zelgadiss stared at her. She couldn't feel a thing.
After a few hours of thinking last night she and she decided that she had been too hard on Zelgadiss-san. When she went to go and find him, Lina had said that he had left and then Lina yelled at her about being stubbron and how she had let the finest catch she had ever had in her life slip away. After another hours of feeling guilty and sleep, she decided to get ready for the wedding.
The reason why she had picked a veil that wouldn't let her see anything was for the simple fact that she wouldn't have to see that damned prince. He had came to her after the ball when she had yelled at Zelgadiss and was very happy to tell her how happy he was to be able to marry such a beautiful girl such as herself. It was something he said everynight and she was getting so tired of it, and so she bashed him on the head and went back to her room, minus a Zelgadiss which she had been happy about at the time, and went to sleep. And now here she was. She didn't want to get married to this guy. She wanted to marry Zelgadiss, even if she was a little pissed off at him at the moment.
Her father wispered some words of encouragement to her and they walked as the music began to play. She stepped with her father towards the end where she would forever be stuck with prince useless. She hated it so much, it wasn't fair at all.
The music stopped and Ameria was at the man's side. She linked her arms with his and the cermony began.
"Dearly beloved...." the preacher began.
Ameria frowned. Where did she know that voice from? She knew she had heard it somewhere, she just couldn't place it at all.
"Ameria Wil Tesla de Seyruun do you take this man...."
She knew this voice from somewhere she just couldn't place it. She frowned as she thought about it. There was only one person she knew who could....
Her thoughts were cut off sharply by a:
"And do you Zelgadiss Greywords...."
WHAT THE HELL?!?!?!?!?!?! Did this man just say Zelgadiss Greywords?! No he did not say Zelgadiss Greywords. She was wrong. She was in a bad dream and very soon she would wake up.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
"And about damn time if you ask me!" Lina yelled from her side. She was a bridesmaid.
Ameria blushed at Lina's sudden outburst as her veil was lifted and there he was. Zelgadiss. Her mouth opened slightly in shock and Zelgadiss took this opening and kissed her.  And the crowd goes wild!
When Zelgadiss ended the kiss, Ameria looked up at him in surprise...."You...why did you?"
"I promised I'd finished what I started. And I am. Besides you never let me answer your question. The answer is yes and I'll tell you why later when we're alone, Mrs. Greywords."
 

Later that night, when Ameria and Zelgadiss were alone in her room again, Zelgadiss decided to explain why he took the prince's place at the wedding.
"It wasn't hard. Lina had told me that your veil was so thick that you wouldn't be able to see me. So when I went to look for your Prince Charming I found him already knocked out so I didn't bother with him. I simply took on his role as the groom. Are you upset with me? I know I didn't ask you but you seemed a bit upset at the time so I didn't bother. I've never hated you Ameria...I know that for sure. I know I've sent you mixed signals for a time last night but I didn't mean to really. Lina told me not to tell you who I was until after the party. After you chewed me out I sat and thought about what you said. About how you said you didn't care about my cure, how you liked me just the way I was. The reason why I couldn't answer your question last night was simple, I didn't know. I really didn't know if I loved you or not. I knew I cared about you and I knew I couldn't lose you. But I couldn't figure out why I felt so close to you until you chewed me out. Then I realized it. Out of all the people I've met in my lifetime besides Rodimus and Zolf you are the only person who liked me or loved me for who I was and not what I looked like. It was what drew me to you and what made me...what made me fall in love with you. After you said all that stuff I knew the answer. But of course, it was too late, you were mad and I knew you wouldn't want to talk to me and I didn't want to give up yet. So the only thing I could think of was taking the place of the groom. It's not sealed yet, I haven't gotten the marriage lisence yet so if you don't want us to be officially married then...."
"I do." Ameria said finally
"What?"
"I do. More than anything. It's want I wanted before you left, when you got here, and now. I like being called Greywords-san. It has a nice ring to it."
He smiled at her tenderly and softly brushed his hand against her cheek "I love you...Ame-chan."
She blushed at his new nickname for her. "I love you too, Zelgadiss-san."
He frowned "Ame-chan, do me a favor."
She looked up at him "What?"
"If we're going to be married, stop talking to me so damn formally. It's annoying. Call me Zelgadiss or Zel or anything but Zelgadiss-san. I'll feel awkard if you do."
She giggled "Alright Zelgadiss-sa...I mean Zelgadiss. Oh yeah! That guy...the preacher. That wasn't...."
He nodded "The Trickster Priest himself. The original one wouldn't proceed without the 'original' groom so Xelloss had to fill in. Much to my disgust. But he was civil until the after party when he decided to spike the punch and got Lina drunk. I really thought she was going to Dragon Slave Gourry there for a moment."
Ameria sighed "Xelloss-san has to do things like that for amusement. But you have to admit it was funny.  By the way where is Lina-san at?" Ameria asked
"In her room, knocked out with Gourry. Let's just say that she and Gourry will not be happy when they wake up. Gourry got a little tipsy too."
Ameria blinked and then blushed "Oh my."
Zelgadiss nodded "Yeah. Expect the war to start tomorrow morning. I can't wait until those two get married."
Ameria nodded "Yeah."
Silence. Neither of them wanted to say anything. Everything had been solved and Ameria was no longer angry with Zelgadiss. Everything was fine. Just one problem. They were now married. Which meant that they shared the same room. They knew this and were afraid. Neither wanted to say anything to embarass the other but on the other hand.....
"Zelgadiss if you want to..."
"Listen Ameria if you want me to stay in another room or something until you're comfortable with....."
They had both spoken at the same time. The looked at each other and then laughed.
"You don't have to stay in another room. I'm comfortable like this."
"That's fine with me." he said "But...."
"But what?"
"Well....you never fulfilled your promise. So if you want to take it from there we can. If not that's okay with me....I just..."
"What promise?" she asked
"Well....you said that you would kiss me last night. And you never did."
Ameria looked at him, confused "Yes I did. What are you talking about?"
He winked at her "Are you sure?" he asked
She smiled "Not really."
"Well then a promise is a promise isn't it? You should keep to it." he leaned over and kissed her and both of them fell on the bed together.

Author's notes: You like? ^_^ I hope so. This is my first time writing a short fic that I actually liked for a change and this is my first Slayers Fic that I've actually completed as I've said before. Feedback wanted! Mail me at MiraiBulma@japanimation.com thanks! ^_^
-Catriana Sommers

PS:I bet you're wondering what happened to the prince right? Let's just say that the next morning when he found out that he wasn't married to Ameria that he wasn't very happy and leave it at that. ^_~

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