"Okay, this should be it," Gourry instructed Akira and Renima as the four travelers could see a large castle and city off in the distance between the sheets of falling snow. The layout of Seyrunn was quite unusual due to the royal family's obsession with healing, truth, and justice. This entire city was organized to look like a hexagram, which helped to ward off minor demonic denizens, but Lina recalled as they walked closer to the city gates the time that two Mazoku named Kanzel and Mazenda had infiltrated Seyruun with little difficulty.

"This is Seyruun? It's quite impressive. . .." Renima commented as she gazed off in the distance at Seyruun castle.

"Never been here before?" Gourry asked.

"Well, I've been in the region, but never close enough to the palace to get a look at it,"

The four continued made their way inside the city gates, but the numerous buildings did little to aid in protection from the elements. A particularly harsh flurry of falling snow and wind shook the travelers and Renima stumbled to her knees. Akira stopped walking forward and proceeded to stretch one of his hands out to the white-haired woman, who blushed slightly and took his hand to stand again.

The winter had come into full swing this past week of traveling. In fact, the forces of nature seemed stronger than usual today as the blizzard system forced slow movement for those who wished to get out of the deathly cold air. Strangely enough, as nature's temper worsened, the temper of the fiery young sorceress Lina seemed to increase proportionally. Gourry's fear of the Lina he knew disappearing from him was returning as the young woman had again become excessively aggressive and secluded from the others.

Lina and Gourry had donned heavy wool cloaks to battle the cold and falling snow, Akira hadn't changed his wardrobe at all (apparently the ragged black cloak was enough), and Renima wore a heavy cloak that had apparently been designed to be somewhat warm while at the same time revealing her cleavage.

"You warm enough, Lina?" Gourry asked, sincerely concerned for her health.

"When I get cold I'll be sure to snuggle up with you," Lina sarcastically replied, but apparently the not-so-bright mercenary didn't quite get it.

"Really? Wow, that would be kinda nice. . ."

Gourry's reward for the impressive display of his intellect was a fist in the stomach.

"Come on now, don't fight you two," Renima begged them as she leaned affectionately on Akira as they walked, "That's no way that two people sharing a blossoming love should act."

"Blossoming love?" Lina stated distastefully, "Yeah, I suppose a horny girl like you who only thinks about 'Akira-kun' would think something stupid like that."

"What's wrong with me being around Akira-kun?!" Renima snapped back, her face beginning to redden not with embarrassment, but with anger.

"Nothing, unless you for some reason think there's something wrong with not letting the poor bastard breathe every now and then,"

"Why! You. . .you. . .!" Renima stammered in rage. She had only been trying to help, and this is how the underdeveloped sorceress repaid her? "How can you say such a thing?!"

"What?" Lina inquired innocently, "You mean when I said that Akira was a poor bastard, or when I said that you were a horny girl?"

Renima's tan skin had a very reddish tint now as she clenched her fists and ground her teeth in fury at the insults given to both her and the man she loved. Lina smiled mockingly, but said nothing further.

"Say, Akira. . ." Gourry attempted to lift the tension in the atmosphere, "You two never did explain to us about how you lost your voice or how come Renima seems to be able to hear your thoughts."

"Oh! That's right!" Renima stated while her rage was instantly forgotten, "It could take a while to explain. . .perhaps we should wait until we get inside a warmer area."

"Maybe if you idiots kept your traps shut and walked faster, we'd get to that warmer area you mentioned," Lina muttered.

"What the hell is wrong with your girlfriend?" Renima whispered into Gourry's ear.

"Huh?" Gourry simply replied.

"You heard me,"

"Yeah, but who's my girlfriend?" Gourry asked innocently.

Renima chewed her lip thoughtfully. It was pretty obvious from the outside that Gourry and Lina had something for each other. . .but within the past few days Lina was being such a bitch, and Gourry, well, Gourry apparently wasn't too aware of his surroundings.

"Okay, forget what I said," Renima whispered her instructions, "So, what's wrong with Lina?"

"I don't know. She was like this a for a period of a few days before we met up with you and Akira, but she's not normally like this. Something must really be bothering her. . .or maybe. . ."

"Maybe?" Renima prompted.

"Maybe it's just a 'girl's thing,' you know what I mean?" Gourry attempted to state it gently.

"Uhh. . .I think I know what you're getting at. . .but even that wouldn't explain such an incredible mood swing as this. Any ideas, Akira-kun?"

Akira shook his head and remained his stone-silent self. Then after a moment, he cocked his head to the side as if struck by a sudden idea.

"No, I don't think that's the explanation for her mood," Renima said, reading his thoughts.

"What is?" Gourry asked.

"Nothing," Renima cut the conversation short.

Before Gourry could press further as to what Akira's idea was, Lina who by now was far ahead of the other three shouted back at them.

"Move your frozen asses, people! Let's hurry up and meet with Amelia so we can get some nice rooms in the palace!"

"Amelia?" Renima exchanged a questioning look with Akira.

"Yeah, didn't Lina mention it to you? We're friends of Amelia," Gourry nonchalantly commented.

"You mean. . .Princess Amelia of Seyruun?" Renima asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, so?"

Akira and Renima just exchanged shocked glances, or at least, if Akira wasn't wearing his mask, that's probably what would have happened.

"Lina-san! Gourry-san!" the excited shout of the princess of Seyruun sounded throughout the entry halls of Castle Seyruun.

Amelia ran to meet them and threw her arms around Lina with a friendly (and somewhat forceful) hug.

"For Ceipheid's sake!" Lina scolded coldly, "We were just here a few weeks ago. You don't need to act so overdramatic."

"W-wha?" Amelia was taken off guard by Lina's tone that sent a chill down her spine.

"I'll guide myself to a room in the guests' wing," Lina informed Amelia forcefully as she started walking down the hall, "You people can do whatever the hell you like in the meantime."

"But Lina!" Renima called after her, "We need to discuss the preparations for the upcoming operation with the other mercenaries!"

"Later!" Lina shouted back, "Just leave me alone for right now!"

"What about dinner, Lina?" Gourry asked.

"Shut your hole with it,"

Amelia's face was filled with sincere concern for the woman who was analogous to an older sister to her. Since the first day the two had met some years ago, Amelia had viewed Lina as a role model despite the fact that Lina saw the princess as an annoyance. Over time the two had grown fond of each other, but such things are not uncommon for those who share life and death together.

"What's wrong with Lina-san?" Amelia's shining blue eyes were concerned.

"Gods help us if we know," Gourry shrugged.

"She's never been like this before!" Amelia persisted.

"I'm sorry, Amelia. I'm telling you I don't know what's wrong with her. I'd really like to know too,"

The three mercenaries and the princess stood in contemplation in the entry hall. The Seyruun castle was quite a marvel to behold, the arced ceiling providing a spacious feeling in the silvery white castle. A blood-red throw rug was positioned running down the entry hall to the throne room. Akira and Renima sat gaping at the splendor and artistic talent of the statues and pictures positioned in the hall. But even admiration has its limits, proven as Akira shifted his weight from foot to foot impatiently while Renima coughed loudly. One of the palace guards standing to the side gave them the evil eye for their rude attempt to prompt attention, but they ignored it. Amelia turned her attention to the two newcomers.

"Please forgive me, where are my manners?" Amelia gave a slight bow to Akira and Renima, "I am Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun, princess of the Seyruun Kingdom. And who might I have the pleasure of meeting?"

"I'm Renima," Renima bowed deeply to the princess, "And this is my master, Akira."

"Renima. . ." Amelia prompted with a cut off tone.

"Renima Aeris," the white-haired young sorceress specified, "And my master's full name is Akira Sidus."

"Your. . .master?" Amelia seemed puzzled by the reference. Slave trade was technically legal in most areas on the continent, but it was considered taboo to say the least, especially in an area like Seyruun. But Renima looked much too healthy, beautiful, and happy to have been a slave.

Renima just nodded briefly. Amelia didn't like the idea of welcoming a slave owner into the palace, she saw such practices as unjust and worthy of divine punishment, but she trusted the judgment of Lina and Gourry.

"Well, Akira-san, I trust you had a good journey here aside from the weather?" Amelia began the standard royal spiel of using small talk as an introduction.

Akira was silent. He just stared at Amelia from behind the black mask. Amelia waited a moment longer before Renima intervened.

"Ummm. . .princess?" Renima quested timidly,

"Yes?"

"My master cannot speak. He lost his voice long ago,"

"Oh! I-I'm so sorry. Please forgive my presumptuousness!" Amelia stammered and bowed slightly.

"My master requests that you please do not bow to us, princess," Renima told her, "My master does not want a member of royalty to humble herself in front of a couple of mercenaries."

"Yes, well, you both must be tired," Amelia shifted the topic while feeling slightly embarrassed, "I'll have a maid lead you to your quarters. We have a guest sorcerer who leads an army of demon hunters as our guest tonight. He will be working with you and the other amassed forces for tomorrow's operation. He will be present when dinner is served shortly."

With that Amelia excused herself to return to her duties while a young maid wearing a blouse and skirt directed Akira and Renima off towards the guest wing on the second floor. Gourry followed Amelia down the castle halls towards the study where Amelia was previously working. After a few strides he caught up to her.

"What can you tell me about your new friends?" Amelia asked as she entered the study and sat back down at a desk to resume the tedious, but necessary process of paper pushing.

"Not much, aside from the fact that apparently Renima can read Akira's mind,"

"Yeah, it seems rather strange. Haven't they told you anything about themselves, Gourry-san?" Amelia persisted.

"No, but they said they would explain some things once we got here,"

"Maybe they'll tell us a bit about themselves at the dinner table," Amelia cheerily hoped, then rested her chin in her hand while pondering, "They certainly are unusual though. The man conceals himself tightly and is unable to speak. The woman has a very rare combination of skin and hair color, plus she can read her master's mind."

Gourry shrugged.

"Is Renima-san really Akira-san's slave girl?"

Gourry shrugged again, "I guess so. She doesn't exactly seem like a slave though."

"She had better not be!" Amelia aggressively announced as she dropped the quill she was using to write and took a dramatic pose on the desk, "Forcing other's to do your work and treating them like dirt in return is completely unjust! I don't care if it's technically legal! Such practices must be stopped!"

Gourry sighed, but couldn't conceal a smile at the young princess's overly dramatic display, "You never change, do you?"

Amelia giggled lightly, "Nope, not at all."

Gourry laughed in response. At least Amelia was the same as always. That was one of three friends he knew was all right. Lina was concerning him though, and he had no clue what had become of Zelgadis. The two men hadn't seen each other since the day Darkstar had been slain.

"Gourry-san, Let's go take a peek at the kitchens, ne?"

Gourry nodded happily at the thought of a good meal and the two left the room to sneak a look at what dinner held.

Lina lay sprawled out on the bed in the fancy guest room she had selected to stay in. She just stared at the ceiling while her mind raced, trying to comprehend a thousand things at once, but if she stopped to try to focus on any single one, her mind blanked for a moment and she lost her entire stream of thought. She cursed quietly and squirmed into a different position on top of the bed covers. A rapping at the door broke the glass net she was weaving around herself and she sat up suddenly as if woken from a dream.

"Lina-san?" a voice came from the other side of the door.

"The hell do you want?" Lina snapped forcefully before she suddenly realized that there was only one person who would address her that way.

The door creaked open to reveal Amelia who appeared very concerned and a bit scared of the sorceress's temper. After confirming who it was, Lina mentally kicked herself for speaking that way, then did so again for how she treated her "younger sister" earlier.

"Lina-san," Amelia began meekly, "Dinner is ready now. I thought maybe you would like to join us."

Lina still scowled and seemed rather testy, but she agreed and walked out the door past Amelia. The princess chewed her lip nervously as she watched the red-haired woman walk down the corridor to the stairwell that lead to the dinning hall.

Akira stood panting exhaustedly over the wash bin in the room graciously given to him. Renima's room was next door, despite her pleas to share a room. Akira was actually kind of glad to be solitary for a bit. He had made it clear that he did not dislike her, it was merely that something else was severely bothering him right now.

The room was exceedingly dark since the concealed mercenary hadn't lit any candles or torches and the blackness of young night wrapped the world in a blanket of cold (the palace itself was comfortably warm, due to the engineering of a sorcery-based ventilation system). Akira removed his mask for a moment and stared into the mirror positioned directly above the wash bin, but the shadows in the room were so strong he couldn't see his face with any clarity. Cold sweat dripped down his temples and cheeks before falling off his chin into the wash bin below. His black hair that fell in front of his face attracted some of the sweat as he leaned over, and soon the strands of hair were uncomfortably moist. He looked into his reflection, not quite certain of what to see, and praying that he wouldn't see a certain something, but the secretive shadows only allowed him to see his chin and the long strands of black hair that hung at shoulder level.

A rapping at the door broke whatever thought Akira was pondering into tiny shards as he hastily re-donned his mask after quickly pushing his hair back into his hood and stood straight. The door creaked open to reveal the figure of a woman standing outside.

"Akira-san? Are you in here?" Amelia questioned as she walked into the room. Akira remained silent and stood still in the corner of the room where he was, his black ragged cloak blending perfectly with the shadows.

"Gee, it's so dark in here," Amelia commented to herself, "I guess Akira-san went somewhere else. Maybe I should check Renima-san's room. . .wait. . .no, it might be a bad idea to do that right now."

Amelia laughed nervously at the implications of her own comment. Though many people practiced it, the doctrines of Seyruun shunned sexual relationships before marriage, and Amelia hadn't noticed any rings on either Akira or Renima denoting them as married. True, Renima wore a necklace, but it didn't seem to be significant enough to denote a marital bond between the two. She turned around to leave the room only to discover someone completely black standing right in front of her. Amelia gave a small shriek of surprise, but then quieted herself as she realized it was Akira.

"Oh! Akira-san! Y-you surprised me!"

Akira was silent; no surprise there.

"Ummm. . .dinner is ready!" Amelia tried to regain her composure while inwardly praying that he hadn't heard her observations about where he might have been.

Akira nodded slowly and left, leaving Amelia standing in the darkness and shadows of the room. Amelia had lived in the castle all her life, save for her trips away from it, and she had always felt comfortable here. But for inexplicable reasons, she suddenly found herself shivering and desiring to be far away from the guest room.