Chapter Five Chapter Five

Here you go, Steph. You did ask...

______
Some time later, Lina opened her eyes and blinked sleepily. Where--oh, that's right, she was sick in bed. And Zel was watching her.
She looked over at the chimera who was playing nursemaid and saw that he'd fallen asleep, his head drooping, his arms crossed loosely. He looked awfully peaceful. Lina decided not to wake him.
However, Zel stirred just the same. Lina wondered again if he had some sort of weird link with her or something.
Zel frowned, realising he'd fallen asleep. How careless of him! He looked over at Lina, and saw she was awake. "Have you been awake long?" he asked, kicking himself again for drifting off.
Lina shook her head. She pointed to herself then gestured upwards with both hands.
"You just woke up?"
Lina nodded.
"How are you feeling?"
Lina considered this. She actually felt a little better. She did, however, know one thing she felt. She gestured at her stomach.
"Hungry?"
Lina winked at him: of course, wasn't she always hungry?
"It might take me a little while," Zel warned her from the doorjamb. "I doubt they'll have something prepared that would be appropriate for your condition."
Lina inclined her head.
Zel closed the door gently behind him. Doubt nothing, he knew there would be nothing already prepared that Lina should eat. He made a quick detour to his room to extricate his supply of herbs. He noticed Gourry was no longer there, and hoped that Amelia had warned the swordsman not to disturb Lina.
Amelia, however, had been quite preoccupied when Zel had told her that she and Gourry should leave Lina be. Therefore, Gourry had no idea he was all but committing suicide as he trotted to Lina's room after eating lunch.
Fortunately for the blond, Zel was heading toward the kitchen and spotted Gourry about to disturb Lina. "Gourry, wait."
Gourry turned and saw Zel walking up to him. "Hi, Zel. Why am I waiting?"
"You're not supposed to disturb Lina today. Didn't Amelia tell you?"
Gourry thought about that one for a minute. "Nope."
Zel sighed.
"Why aren't I supposed to disturb Lina?"
Zel took a deep breath before answering Jellyfish Brains. "Because she is ill." And therefore more likely to commit murder than usual.
"Oh, yeah. I remember now. She can't talk, so I got to sleep in."
Why did he even bother? "Something like that."
"Oh, okay." Gourry, having forgotten just what it was Zel had said before reminding him that Lina was sick, moved to open the door.
"Gourry!"
"What?"
Zel sighed. "Come with me," Zel instructed the swordsman, herding him in the direction of the dining hall.
Upon reaching the bar, Zel instructed Gourry to sit. "Eat something. Drink something. Whatever. Just stay here."
"Okay!" Gourry, needing no further encouragement, called to the bartender, "I'd like some food, please."
The bartender looked at the blond, then did a double-take. This was the crazy guy who'd earlier been eating enough to feed a horde of berzerkers! "Ack," was the bartender's initial response.

_____

--Elizabeth, Trickster Priestess ~_~ 1