Okay, now that ff.net is up and running again, here's chapter 12. Now that school's out, I can write more, which is definitely a good thing, because this story's been giving my conscience a hard time. u_u;;
Oh, and by the way-thanks to Dreamsinger for the really helpful review. I tried to incorporate touch into this chapter a little more, but I'm not sure whether or not I'm doing a very good job of it. It would seem I'm not a very tactile person. ^_^;; Practice, practice.
As Zelgadis lay on the floor of the tent, listening to the quiet, even sighs that were the princess' breaths, he realized that he was going to have to make a decision. He could either stay with the princess in the tent until she got better, which would inevitably surpass the week they had to get to the village, or he could take her to the village in her current condition, and pray she would arrive there safely.
As he thought about this, he stared at the roof of the tent and moved his fingers through her locks, which were spread out on the pillow. He needed to tell her how he felt, that was clear, but he did not know how. Perhaps if he stayed with her in the tent, an opportunity would present itself again. That seemed like the obvious solution, but if he chose to remain in the tent, Lina and Gourry would surely be looking for them. However, if he did go to the village with Amelia, there was no telling what would happen to her. Not when she was this ill. Of course, death was out of the question, he tried to reason, but he had to get her to the village as soon as he could.
While he was in the middle of these thoughts, Amelia suddenly groaned in her sleep. Zelgadis knelt down next to her, and gently touched the back of his hand to the supple skin that was stretched so perfectly on her forehead. The warmth was still alarming, but he continued to caress her features.
It seemed as though he had awaken her by touching her face, because at the same moment, her eyes opened, just a crack. The princess lay there, silently, for he had not yet noticed that she was conscious. She listened to his breathing, savoring the feel of his cool, stone hand against her burning brow. The comfort that she derived from feeling his skin on hers was quite a relief from the utter discomfort she had unconsciously felt all through her slumber. She let her mind focus on the wonderful texture of his unusual complexion. After minutes, she knew it was past time to let him know she was awake.
"Zelgadis," she started softly, but having no more to say. She tried to make her voice blend in with the sounds coming from outside of the tent, but he was startled anyway. All of a sudden, she felt the caresses come to a halt and the beautiful fingers leave her face.
"Please don't stop, Zelgadis-san." She said, sounding braver than she felt. She slowly opened her eyes and tried her best to look into his eyes, but as usual, he was looking away from her in embarrassment. She could detect some redder areas on his cheeks, betraying his reason for hiding his features. Sighing disappointedly, she realized the state which she was in. Clearly, he had made an effort to clean her up a bit, but she still felt exceptionally grimy. She knew it was just her mind, but she would not be able to feel clean until she could wash her face with her own hands.
"Um, Zelgadis-san?" she began delicately again, "are there any damp clothes that I could use for a minute?" The answer to that question was obvious, but she didn't want to go right out and ask him for something so rudely.
He nodded without saying anything, and there was still evidence of a blush on his flushed cheeks. He crawled over to the corner of the tent and quickly grabbed a clean rag. He had thrown all of the vomit-stained ones into the storm, and the rest all lay in a pile. He handed it to her, and she thanked him.
At the first touch of the rag to her cheek, it was already rough and unpleasant. Slowly, she rubbed the feelings of impurity from her face, taking care around the corners of her mouth, to clean everything. She moved down to her neck, but decided that it was not necessary to cleanse that part of her, and discarded the still-relatively clean cloth. Her arms quickly moved down to her sides, pathetically in need of rest from the washing.
No matter what she did, she could not feel relaxed again. First, she was too hot, so she modestly removed the blanket from the top of her shoulders. Suddenly, she was too cold, so she put it back on, and felt the heavy weight of the layer upon her chest once more. Abruptly, she became too hot once more. This vicious cycle continued until the chimera questioned her.
"Amelia, what's wrong?" He inquired as she began to get frustrated with her body.
"Oh, it's nothing, really. I just can't seem to stay comfortable. I'm always either too hot or too cold."
"Oh, I see." he said, thoughtfully. He looked at her, covered by the blanket, which he remembered doubling-over to help raise her body temperature after she fell asleep traveling. "Here," he said, and undid a layer of the heavy coverings.
"Ah, I didn't realize it was folded like that." She said, smiling at him. Finally, she was comfortable once more, until she fell asleep in the dark tent.
A.N.- Okay, in my mind I have two possible ways the story could go from here. I've even written the next chapter for each idea. But I want to know how many people want the story to go on a lot longer, and how many would like it if the story stayed short? So, reviews would be very helpful. ^_^
Oh, and by the way-thanks to Dreamsinger for the really helpful review. I tried to incorporate touch into this chapter a little more, but I'm not sure whether or not I'm doing a very good job of it. It would seem I'm not a very tactile person. ^_^;; Practice, practice.
As Zelgadis lay on the floor of the tent, listening to the quiet, even sighs that were the princess' breaths, he realized that he was going to have to make a decision. He could either stay with the princess in the tent until she got better, which would inevitably surpass the week they had to get to the village, or he could take her to the village in her current condition, and pray she would arrive there safely.
As he thought about this, he stared at the roof of the tent and moved his fingers through her locks, which were spread out on the pillow. He needed to tell her how he felt, that was clear, but he did not know how. Perhaps if he stayed with her in the tent, an opportunity would present itself again. That seemed like the obvious solution, but if he chose to remain in the tent, Lina and Gourry would surely be looking for them. However, if he did go to the village with Amelia, there was no telling what would happen to her. Not when she was this ill. Of course, death was out of the question, he tried to reason, but he had to get her to the village as soon as he could.
While he was in the middle of these thoughts, Amelia suddenly groaned in her sleep. Zelgadis knelt down next to her, and gently touched the back of his hand to the supple skin that was stretched so perfectly on her forehead. The warmth was still alarming, but he continued to caress her features.
It seemed as though he had awaken her by touching her face, because at the same moment, her eyes opened, just a crack. The princess lay there, silently, for he had not yet noticed that she was conscious. She listened to his breathing, savoring the feel of his cool, stone hand against her burning brow. The comfort that she derived from feeling his skin on hers was quite a relief from the utter discomfort she had unconsciously felt all through her slumber. She let her mind focus on the wonderful texture of his unusual complexion. After minutes, she knew it was past time to let him know she was awake.
"Zelgadis," she started softly, but having no more to say. She tried to make her voice blend in with the sounds coming from outside of the tent, but he was startled anyway. All of a sudden, she felt the caresses come to a halt and the beautiful fingers leave her face.
"Please don't stop, Zelgadis-san." She said, sounding braver than she felt. She slowly opened her eyes and tried her best to look into his eyes, but as usual, he was looking away from her in embarrassment. She could detect some redder areas on his cheeks, betraying his reason for hiding his features. Sighing disappointedly, she realized the state which she was in. Clearly, he had made an effort to clean her up a bit, but she still felt exceptionally grimy. She knew it was just her mind, but she would not be able to feel clean until she could wash her face with her own hands.
"Um, Zelgadis-san?" she began delicately again, "are there any damp clothes that I could use for a minute?" The answer to that question was obvious, but she didn't want to go right out and ask him for something so rudely.
He nodded without saying anything, and there was still evidence of a blush on his flushed cheeks. He crawled over to the corner of the tent and quickly grabbed a clean rag. He had thrown all of the vomit-stained ones into the storm, and the rest all lay in a pile. He handed it to her, and she thanked him.
At the first touch of the rag to her cheek, it was already rough and unpleasant. Slowly, she rubbed the feelings of impurity from her face, taking care around the corners of her mouth, to clean everything. She moved down to her neck, but decided that it was not necessary to cleanse that part of her, and discarded the still-relatively clean cloth. Her arms quickly moved down to her sides, pathetically in need of rest from the washing.
No matter what she did, she could not feel relaxed again. First, she was too hot, so she modestly removed the blanket from the top of her shoulders. Suddenly, she was too cold, so she put it back on, and felt the heavy weight of the layer upon her chest once more. Abruptly, she became too hot once more. This vicious cycle continued until the chimera questioned her.
"Amelia, what's wrong?" He inquired as she began to get frustrated with her body.
"Oh, it's nothing, really. I just can't seem to stay comfortable. I'm always either too hot or too cold."
"Oh, I see." he said, thoughtfully. He looked at her, covered by the blanket, which he remembered doubling-over to help raise her body temperature after she fell asleep traveling. "Here," he said, and undid a layer of the heavy coverings.
"Ah, I didn't realize it was folded like that." She said, smiling at him. Finally, she was comfortable once more, until she fell asleep in the dark tent.
A.N.- Okay, in my mind I have two possible ways the story could go from here. I've even written the next chapter for each idea. But I want to know how many people want the story to go on a lot longer, and how many would like it if the story stayed short? So, reviews would be very helpful. ^_^