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Tell the Northern Lights to Keep Shining	By : QueenHimiko Category: +S to Z > Slayers Views: 3352 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Slayers, I make no profit.

Chapter List
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AN: Chapter title is from "Sugarcane" by Missy Higgins. And thanks for the one who keeps leaving reviews! I can't find a way to reply through the system, but your encouragement is very much appreciated!

“These are of impeccable craftsmanship.” The shopkeeper said as she examined an amulet. “Did you make them?”

“I did.” Lina said proudly as she casually leaned against the counter. They had finally reached Rolat a bit before lunch time, and after finding a bite to eat, they had set off to find a place to sell the treasure they had accumulated.

“I’ll take them,” she said, and then she quoted a price.

“That much for this type of work? No way! I won’t take less than…”

And so the haggling began. Usually Gourry was perfectly content to sit back and watch as she worked. Now he kept glancing out of the windows, keeping an eye out for anyone who might have spotted Lina and would want to claim the bounty. Eventually something about the way the women were talking changed, catching his attention.

“I’m glad we could make a deal with these. Ever since Baron Rolat’s daughter went missing people have wanted to beef up their protective measures. These will sell like hotcakes!”

Lina raised her eyebrows, “We’re not from here. What happened?”

“No one knows.” She replied as she counted out money from her till, “One night she went to bed, and the next morning she was gone. They say her bed had been slept in but there was no sign of a struggle.”

“Couldn’t she have just run off?” Lina asked.

“She didn’t bring anything with her, well, a necklace she always wore is gone, but she supposedly wore it to sleep. But she brought no clothes or money or food. Besides, she’s just the sweetest thing ever. And she adores her parents. There’s no way Pearl Rolat would do that.”

She handed Lina the money, which she counted before they thanked each other for their business and Lina exited the store with Gourry. “Did you hear that?” she asked quietly.

“About the Baron’s daughter? Is this the Baron with the sword?”

“The very one.” Lina said, “Most likely she ran off if you ask me. But hey, we can certainly offer our services to the Baron. And if we’re very lucky we can get the sword in exchange for bringing her home.”

“Do you really think you can find her?”

“Just shut up and let me do the talking, okay?”

Gourry grinned. This was more like the old Lina. It was wonderful to see her back in her stride, especially in the wake of her meltdown the previous night. While she had been rather distraught in the morning, something about arriving at Rolat and getting down to business was cracking through the depression and anger that had clung to her for so long. They walked companionably to the area of town where they were told the Baron resided. Either news of the bounty on Lina’s head had not reached Rolat yet or commotion over the disappearance of Pearl Rolat was so great that no one cared.

***

Baron Eric Rolat was still a handsome man. His fair colored hair was greying and slightly unkempt. Lines marred the skin around his pale blue eyes. He looked like a man who usually smiled, but the circumstances were so grim that he simply could not manage it. He held hands with his wife, Chloe, who looked so off balance that it seemed as though a gentle breeze would knock her over at any minute. “So you say that you are Lina Inverse.” He said.

Lina nodded as she sipped her tea. Gourry tensed. “You’ve heard of me?”

“I’m a cousin of Prince Phil.” Chloe said, her voice hoarse, most likely from heavy rounds of crying. “He speaks highly of you. Something about some incident with one of his brothers, Randy, I think. He tried to take over the throne with the help of some monsters…”

“You mean Kanzeil and Mazenda? And it wasn’t Randy, it’s was Christopher’s son, Alfred.” Lina corrected. Chloe relaxed a little. Lina understood. When you’re of noble blood there’s always someone looking to scam you.

“Do you think you can help us?” Eric asked, the desperation heavy in his voice.

“I’m willing to give it a shot. I need to know some more details.” Lina replied.

Eric and Chloe exchanged a glance. Chloe lowered her hands, revealing a portrait that she held there, “This is our daughter, Pearl. Two weeks ago she vanished.”

Lina took the portrait and examined it. Pearl looked like a younger version of her father, with fair hair and pale blue eyes. She looked sweet and angelic in a white lace gown. Her mother continued, “It was the eve of her 18^th birthday. There was going to be a big party. She was so excited about it. When she went to bed that night everything seemed normal. But in the morning she was gone.”

“I heard that her bed was unmade.” Lina stated.

Chloe nodded, “And the window was open. She never leaves it open. But it was on the third floor, I don’t see how she could have climbed down.”

“Meaning that if someone took her he likely had the ability to levitate.” Lina said contemplatively. “What was missing that morning?”

“She has a necklace that’s been passed through our family that she always wears. It has properties in it that promote good health.” Eric said.

Lina’s ears perked, “So it’s magical.”

He nodded, “Yes. It was gone, but that was to be expected with her missing.”

“Everything else is as she left it.” Chloe cut in, “All of her dresses, her possessions, nothing else is missing.”

“Do you happen to have a copy of the magical patterns of the necklace?” Lina asked.

Eric and Chloe exchanged a glance, “Well, yes. But Det Ybund already went over those. It led to a dead end.”

“Who?” Lina asked.

“Det’s a sorcerer. He offered to help when Pearl went missing.” Chloe explained. “He tried to scry for the necklace but didn’t have any luck. He said something was masking his ability to find it.”

“I want to have a shot at it, if you don’t mind.”

Eric rang a bell, and a trusty old butler came in. “Yandell, could you get a copy of the magical patterns for Pearl’s necklace?”

“Certainly.” Yandell said.

There was a moment of silence after he left, broken by Chloe, “Prince Phil speaks highly of you, but he’s also mentioned that your services come at a price.”

Lina nodded, “They do.”

“We’re willing to pay what it takes to get our daughter back.” Chloe said, “No price is too much.”

Lina thought for a minute. The Rolats seemed like good people. And there was only one thing she wanted from them. But if she went out and named it would they lie and say they didn’t have it? It was a risk she would have to take, “The truth is it’s no accident that we were here.” Lina explained, “We’re looking for a sword for Gourry here, and there’s a legend that you possess the Blast Sword.”

Eric’s eyes shot open, “That’s what you want?”

“Do you have it?” Lina asked.

“Well, yes. But I don’t see how it could be of any use to you.” Eric said, “The damn thing is so sharp that it cuts through anything. Once as a child I snuck into the show room to touch it and dropped it. It cut through the floor and the floor beneath it and it luckily just missed one of the maids! Have you ever heard of too much efficiency? It’s called the Blast Sword.”

“Gourry here may be lacking in brains, but he’s one hell of a swordsman.” Lina said, not quite believing her luck, “If anyone can figure out how to wield it, it would be him.”

“Hell, I’d pay you to take it off our hands, then! We’ve wanted to get rid of it for so long, we were always scared of it. But we didn’t trust anyone else with it either.”

“Then it’s a deal,” Lina said as she held out her hand, “We find Pearl, and we get the sword.”

Eric clasped her hand.

***

Lina’s face scrunched up in concentration as she scryed for Pearl’s necklace. Gourry, Eric, and Chloe watched tensely as she looked at a map and at the paper containing the magical patterns and a crystal ball. Finally she pointed to a spot on the map. “There.” She said decidedly. “It’s there.”

Eric and Chloe looked at where she indicated and exchanged a glance, “It can’t be.” Chloe said.

“What?” Lina asked.

“It’s Det’s place.” Eric said.

“Hmm.” Lina said, “What can you tell me about Det?”

“He’s a sweet kid. Not like his father.” Chloe said, shuddering at the memory of the elder Ybund.

“Was he friends with Pearl?” Lina asked.

“Not really” Eric said, “He went to school through the Sorcerer’s Guild, and Pearl has had private tutors all her life. She’s only talk to him briefly when we went to services at the Temple.”

Either your daughter had a secret lover she didn’t want you knowing about or Det is not as sweet as you think. Lina thought to herself. “So, Det’s a sorcerer. What’s his specialty?”

“Chimeras.” Eric replied.

Lina shuddered, “Look, anyone who messes in building chimeras is suspect in my book.”

“But he doesn’t build them.” Chloe said, “He works to separate them. His father was the one who built chimeras. He was a horrible man. Died under strange circumstances, most likely at the hand of one of his creations. Det wants to right what his father had done.”

“That’s interesting.” Lina said as she wondered if Det might have found anything that could help Zel. “Most people don’t see that as a productive field of inquiry. At any rate, I think Gourry and I best have a chat with Det.”

“We’re coming with you!” Eric said.

Lina shook her head, “I don’t think there will be a fight, but if there is that last thing we need to do is to worry about your hides while saving your daughter. It will go a lot more smoothly if you let Gourry and I do our jobs.”

Chloe put a hand on his arm. Gourry felt a surge of empathy for the man. He knew what it was like to feel the failure that comes when you can’t protect the person you love the most. “Bring her back safe.” He said.

***

“What’s the plan?” Gourry asked as they walked to Det’s house.

“Odds are little Pearl developed a crush on Det and was scared to tell her parents for whatever reason. We go in, I chat Det up about his research, you pull the ‘I have to go to the bathroom’ stunt, and while I’m milking Det’s research findings, you look for Pearl.”

Gourry did not like the idea of leaving her alone with Det. “Something is off, Lina. Eric and Chloe don’t seem like they would have had any problem with Pearl dating Det. Why would she run off with him?”

“Right now they’re grieving.” Lina pointed out dismissively, “They most likely regret being too hard on her or whatever.”

He stared at her. He was scared. He was convinced that there was something sinister about Pearl’s disappearance. And the bounty on her head weighed heavily on his shoulders. And while she was acting more like her usual self and it was good to see her back in action, she seemed aggravatingly dismissive of any danger she was putting herself in. And it irritated him! She sighed with annoyance as she saw the look he was giving her, “Or do you have a better plan?”

“I don’t like the thought of splitting up.” He stated.

“Well, unless you have a better plan, deal with it.” She snapped as they reached Det’s house.

It was a small cabin. At least he wouldn’t have many places to search. Lina knocked on the door, and shortly thereafter a short, dark haired man opened the door. “Yes?” he asked.

“Det Ybund?” Lina asked.

“Yes.” He said.

“Lina Inverse.” She said as she brushed a hand through her hair.

“The Lina Inverse?” he said, and Gourry gripped his sword. Had he heard about the bounty?

“The one and only.” Lina replied.

“This, this is an honor!” Det stuttered as he clasped her hand. “Come in, please! And you are?”

“This is Gourry.” Lina said as she entered the cabin, followed by her protector. “I’m brains, he’s brawns.”

“Sit, please sit! This is so exciting! What brings you here?” Det said, indicating a sofa.

“I heard that you were doing some research on separating chimeras.” Lina explained, “We have a friend who would be interested in it. I want to see what you have.”

“Certainly!” Det said, “My lab is in the basement. Come along.”

Lina and Gourry followed him through a secret passage and into a hallway. Gourry scrunched his nose at the faint smell of urine and human sweat. It smelled like a dungeon, only less potent. He doubted anyone else would have picked up on it. He kept his hand on his sword as Det opened a door and led them in. “Sit, sit!” he said as he dug through a pile of notes.

Lina got out her spectacles and started to examine a sheet of paper he shoved under her nose. She asked a question that made no sense to Gourry, but did to Det, who answered enthusiastically. He waited until the two were deep into their discussion before casually saying, “Hey Lina, I have to go to the bathroom.”

Lina rolled her eyes in mock annoyance, “Det, do you mind if Gourry uses your bathroom?”

“No, not at all. Just go back the way you came into the main cabin, and it’s the door by the bedroom. And don’t go wandering around. In have to keep some rather nasty creatures here for research purposes.”

“Thanks.” Gourry said as he walked out of the room, and then inhaled. The scent was worrying him. It smelled human, not creature. Instead of going back to the main cabin he went further down into the hallway. It became more powerful. A rock formed in his stomach. Something was not right. The hallway dead ended into a door and he cracked it open.

His eyes widened in horror. He shut the door, and purposefully turned around and walked back to where he had left Lina with Det. Where he had left Lina with a monster! He took a deep breath to control himself and stopped himself from shaking as he entered the room.

Lina was okay. She and Det were deep into some discussion about the mechanics of uncreating chimeras or whatever. She glanced at him quizzically as he entered. Det didn’t seem to notice him at all as Gourry clubbed him over the head.

“Gourry!” Lina cried as Det fell to the floor, unconscious.

“Better tie him up.” Gourry said as he took a deep breath.

Lina looked at him, and then dug out some rope from her mantle. “How bad is it?” she asked.

“She’s alive.” Gourry said as he grabbed the rope from Lina and worked to secure Det to a chair. “You’d better go in there. It’d be better for a woman to help her.”

A sense of disquiet fell upon her like a blanket as she looked at him. She had rarely seen him look so rattled. He finished tying Det up and then looked at her. He reached out to squeeze her hands, “I’m sorry for what you’re about to see, especially after…after everything that’s happened to you.”

Lina’s eyes widened as the bottom seemed to drop from her stomach. He continued steadily, “Just remember that I…I’m here for you.”

She pulled away from him and set off down the hallway, somehow knowing which room to go to. She opened the door and stopped in her tracks. The smell was overpowering. Urine and body odor, blood and feces. Lina felt as though she was going to retch. There wasn’t much in the room. Straw. A bucket. A wooden table. And chained to that table was Pearl Rolat, naked, bloodied, and lying in a pile of her own filth.

“Please, no more.” Pearl croaked as she turned her head to stare at Lina, her face instantly morphing from one of terror to relief, “Someone found me?” She asked, as if she couldn’t quite believe it.

“Oh my…” Lina breathed as her eyes widened in horror. She wanted to look away but could not take her eyes off of Pearl’s naked and exposed body, covered with sores and bruises.

“Get me out of here!” she shrieked as she tried to lift herself up.

Lina snapped into action as she looked for the keys, found them pinned to the wall, grabbed them and inserted the key into the cuff holding down Pearl’s right hand. Dried blood formed a crust between her wrist and the cuff, and her wrist was badly bruised. Pearl cried out as Lina removed the cuff. “I’m sorry.” Lina said with a wince.

“Just get me out of here!” Pearl shouted as Lina moved over to uncuff her left wrist.

Pearl slowly sat up as her left hand was freed and Lina moved down to her legs, averting her eyes from the bruises lining her body and the blood that pooled between them. Lina unlocked her and Pearl threw herself into Lina’s arms as she cried. Lina stood there, stiff as a board for a minute before she hugged her back.

They stayed that way for minutes as Pearl’s sobs reverberated through the room. Eventually Lina gently put her hands on Pearl’s shoulders, “Come on, you need a healing spell and we’ll get you bathed.”

***

Gourry kept his sword out and ready as he watched Det warily. He had gagged the sorcerer. He wasn’t taking any chances. Lina had stopped by briefly to tell him she was going to help Pearl bathe before heading back to the Rolat’s. “Be careful.” He cautioned as she left and he kept his eye on the dirt bag in front of him.

Lina’s rapists were dead. But this one was alive and helpless before him. He couldn’t do anything to those who had harmed Lina, but he had the power to make Pearl’s tormentor hurt. All of the guilt, anger, and helplessness he felt since learning that Lina had been attacked charged through his veins. He had finally found an outlet for it.

Det stirred and his eyes shot open. “We found Pearl.” Gourry said.

Det’s eyes widened as Gourry put his sword to Det’s throat. He wondered if the man even cared about the harm he had caused Pearl. Or the harm he had caused for every person who loved Pearl or would ever love Pearl.

A chill went through him as he figured that someone capable of chaining a woman to a table and torturing her was incapable of feeling guilt and shame. Unfortunately Pearl would likely feel the guilt and shame that should have been his alone for the rest of her life.

Det tried to say something through his gag as a shiny sheen of sweat appeared on his brow. It would be so easy to kill him. But deep inside Gourry knew he couldn’t. It wasn’t right to take a man down when he couldn’t fight back. Even if that man was a rapist.

“I have no need to hear any filthy excuse you have for yourself!” Gourry spat as he pressed the sword more tightly to his throat. His grin was full of malice as Det whimpered. He had given a lot of thought as to how he would have slowly killed Lina’s tormentors. It was time to put that to use, “Are you aware of how castration works?” he asked coldly as he moved the sword downward.

***

The bathwater turned rust colored as blood and dirt mingled within it as Pearl scrubbed herself clean. Lina had healed her wounds, her physical ones. She wished she had some magic to cure Pearl’s emotional ones,

Lina was amazed at how well she was able to keep her cool. She even felt a certain degree of detachment. She was on a job, and she could attend to herself once it was complete. Right now Pearl needed her. “Here.” Lina said, handing her a dress that she kept on hand as Pearl got out of the bath.

Pearl nodded her thanks and quickly got dressed. As Pearl was both taller and more buxom than Lina it stretched out awkwardly on her, but it was better than nothing. “Come on.” Lina said quietly as she wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her out into the living room. “Let’s get you back to your folks.”

“How can I go back?” Pearl asked softly as she sank into the sofa. “After what he did to me? How can I face my father after this?”

Pearl’s statement struck Lina to the core. How could she ask Pearl to go home and face her family after she herself could not do it? “What would you do instead?” Lina asked.

Pearl buried her face into her hands and wept. “I have nothing else to go to! I’m unclean now! Who will want me or take me in?”

Lina looked at Pearl, with her soft angelic features and beautiful light blond hair. She looked just as pure and clean as she did in her portrait. Suddenly anger welled up within her. “That’s bullshit!” Lina cried, and Pearl’s neck snapped around to stare at her. “How do the actions of some monster make you unclean? It’s his shame, not yours!”

Lina felt herself shaking. Pearl had been abducted from her own bedroom. She had not been drunk. She had not flirted in a tavern. She had not done anything to deserve what happened! Why was she blaming herself?

Tears streamed down Pearl’s face as she argued, “But he said I drove him to do it! He said I was taunting him at Temple, wearing pretty dresses. I never close my drapes, I thought that high up on the third floor no one would see me undress, but he did! He said I was teasing him, that I drove him to do it!”

“You didn’t drive him to do shit!” Lina spat, shocked at the lengths one person would go to blame someone else for their behavior. “The only way someone could have seen you undressing from that height was by using a levitation spell. He was looking for trouble.”

“That maybe.” Pearl conceded warily, “But I can’t tell my parents what happened! How could I have let them down like this? I’m supposed to go to my debutante ball in a week. Who will court me now?”

Lina looked at Pearl and had a hard time believing that a man would reject her just because she had been raped. She looked very much like the model wife. “Your parents love you.” Gourry said quietly, and Lina spun around. When had he come in? “We talked to them before we came here. They love you.” He said as he put a hand on Lina’s shoulder, “They’re worried sick about you. And someone who loves you isn’t going to care!” he said as he gave Lina’s shoulder a squeeze.

“And if a man wouldn’t court you because this happened to you, then he’s not worthy of you.” Gourry said firmly as Lina felt a lump build up in her throat. “People are going to say a lot. Some of it stupid, some of it helpful. Listen to the helpers. Look to the people standing beside you. And know that they are the ones who are worth it.”

Pearl looked between Lina and Gourry, “Would you take someone who was violated to be your wife?” she asked, her voice a harsh whisper.

Gourry squeezed Lina’s shoulder again as she felt a tear trail down her face. “In a heartbeat if I loved her.”

Pearl looked at the ground and took a deep breath. “Take me home now, before I change my mind.”

***

Lina watched Gourry as he practiced with his new sword and felt herself relax as the tension from the day’s events slowly drifted away from her. Taking Pearl home had proved to be quite the ordeal. Gourry dragged Det behind him, gagged and bound while Lina kept a possessive arm around Pearl and walked a bit ahead of them. As soon as the townspeople noticed Pearl out in the open a crowd had gathered. Pearl was obviously well adored by the people of Rolat.

But Pearl was not ready for so much attention. Nor the questions or the whispered mumblings. Most people were concerned, asking if she was okay or expressing relief that she was safe. But then there was the kid that straight out asked her if she was raped, and it took all of Lina’s willpower to keep her from smacking him into the next precinct.

At some point during the trip the authorities arrived. “Police.” A uniformed man said as he flashed Gourry a badge.

Gourry gladly handed Det to him, “Have him arrested for the kidnapping of Pearl Rolat.”

“May I have your names if we have further questions?”

“I’m Gourry. She’s busy.”

“Ma’am?” the officer asked.

Lina rolled her eyes, “I’m Lina.”

He nodded, “I’ll be back at the mansion to interview Miss Rolat later and get your statement.”

He then thankfully took Det off their hands. Shortly thereafter they reached the Rolat’s mansion. Eric and Chloe burst through the gate as soon as they caught sight of Lina and Gourry returning with their daughter and rushed to embrace her as people gathered around them.

Lina huffed in agitation, “All right folks, nothing to see here, give the family some privacy and move along!”

Gourry worked to direct them into the mansion. Finally they got through the gate and shut the curious onlookers out. Lina did not truly feel herself relax until they were behind the thick walls of the mansion and seated in the parlor.

Pearl cried as she clung to her mother, who rocked her back and forth repeating, “Thank goodness you’re all right!”

Lina and Gourry watched awkwardly until Eric finally was able to tear his attention away from his daughter and towards them. “What happened?”

Lina paused. “When Gourry and I got there, I talked with Det about his research while Gourry made some noise about using the bathroom. Really he wanted to search the house. And it didn’t take him long to find that Det was keeping her there under lock and key.”

“What?” Eric exclaimed.

Pearl had stopped crying. She was looking at her father, fear etched all over her face. Eric turned to look at her, “Pearl, what happened?”

She took a deep breath as she explained weakly, “I went to bed . When I woke up I was chained to a table in a place I’ve never been in before. Det said I was his now, and no one was going to take me from him.”

The color drained from Eric’s face as Chloe held her daughter closer. “He was wrong. We got you back!”

Lina watched Eric tensely as he started to ask and then his voice drifted off, “Did he…?”

Pearl buried her face in her mother’s breast as Eric sat down in a chair. “It doesn’t matter what that son of a bitch did, you’re still my precious daughter.”

Lina exhaled a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding as she found Gourry’s hand. Eric reached out to stroke Pearl’s hair for a minute before turning his attention to Lina and Gourry. “My family will be forever in your debt.”

“We just glad we were able to help.” Gourry said genuinely.

“I believe I owe you a sword.” He said as he rang a bell before adding, “What am I saying? I owe you far more than a sword! What is it you want?”

“The Blast Sword will more than suffice.” Lina said. Somehow it didn’t seem right asking for more. “We shook on it.”

Yandell came in, carrying a sword kept in a peculiar looking sheath. “You did it! You got her back!” he exclaimed as he saw Pearl.

“Yes, they did.” Eric said as he took the sword and waved Yandell away dismissively. “The sheath is special. I think that there’s some sort of magic on it that prevents the blade from cutting through it. Make sure you take care of it.”

He handed the sword to Gourry, who accepted it evenly. “Make sure you take care of her.” Gourry replied.

The doorbell rang, and Lina could hear Yandell trudging down the hallway to answer it. She stood up. “My partner and I had best get going. We’ll probably hang around for a day if you have any questions, but we never stay in one place too long.”

“You are welcome to stay here for the night.” Chloe said. “We have some nice guest rooms.”

“We don’t want to impose.”

“Please, Miss Lina.” Pearl implored. “I would feel better knowing you’re close by.”

Lina looked at Gourry, who was telling her without words that it was her choice. “We’ll consider it.” Lina said at last. “But for now we’ve got some sparring to do.”

“Sir, the police are here to get a statement.” Yandell said as he entered the room.

“Right.” Eric said tiredly. “Why don’t you show Miss Inverse and Mr. Gabriev out?”

They followed Yandell out of the hall and passed a quartet of police officers. “Miss Inverse.” One said, and Lina was in such a hurry to get out and test the sword’s power that it did not occur to her to wonder when she had dropped her surname.

They swiftly made their way to the outskirts of town, eager to test whether or not this was the real deal. The houses were out of view and forest stretched ahead of them and Gourry took out the sword and swiftly felled a tree. Lina felt a spark of excitement shoot through her. “Incredible!” she exclaimed as Gourry turned his attention to a boulder and cut it in half.

He grinned, “It looks like I’m back in action!”

Careful to make sure she didn’t impale herself on the blade, she ran and threw her arms around him and squeezed him tightly. “I told you I’d get you a sword worthy of the Sword of Light!”

He hugged her back with his free hand, “I never doubted you would.”

She pulled away, looking a little embarrassed at her forwardness as she sat down on the trunk of the tree he had felled. “Of course, there’s no telling whether or not it will cut through Mazoku yet, but this is promising.”

“I’m going to put it through some paces.” He said as he assumed a fighting stance while Lina watched, her heart lighter than it had been in months. How wonderful it was to feel joy again! To really feel it, and not fake it! She couldn’t stop grinning as she watched him, even as the dark underbelly of the day tugged at the fringes of her mind. She had thought she had fallen. But maybe she had merely stumbled. And with the Blast Sword, she and Gourry could be more powerful than ever.

She wasn’t sure how long she sat there and watched him, but eventually he sat down on the trunk of the tree he had felled beside her. “Why did you stop?” she asked.

“Water break.” He explained.

She smiled at him. “I love watching you practice.” She said.

“I love you watching.” He replied as he brought the canteen to his lips.

She grinned as they danced around the truth about their feelings for each other. Something about accomplishing a mission together successfully had revived their camaraderie. It felt good to know that she could still kick ass and get a job done well. And something about helping Pearl was healing. Arguing with her against the feelings of guilt and shame that she herself had felt was oddly liberating.

If she could tell Pearl that she was still pure and clean, why couldn’t see extend to herself that same sight?

She grabbed Gourry’s hand, “Have I ever told you that you’re worth it?”

He put the canteen down as he turned to face her, “No.” he replied. His words were short, but his expression showed that he was touched.

She moved her arm up to rest on his bicep as she moved so they were face to face. “You have my permission to court me if you like. Just take it slow.”

He looked intently into her eyes and moved forward to kiss her. She opened to receive him. They remained locked together for a few minutes before he pulled away and caressed her cheek. “Slowly.” He said.

She nodded as she took a deep breath. She felt like she needed a good cry, but she wanted to wait for nightfall. There was the warmth that came from knowing that he would stand beside her. And there was the sadness that came with all she had seen that day as well as the memories that it dredged up. “Slowly.” She repeated.

He grabbed his sword, and then looked off in the distance at two people walking towards them. Lina turned to see what he was staring at and stood up so that she was beside him. Eventually two official looking men came into focus. Lina scowled.

“Miss Inverse? Mr. Gabriev?” one of them asked.

“Yes?” Lina replied.

“We’re with the Rolat Police Department. We just have a few questions about the incident with Det Ybund. Would you follow us?”

For some reason alarm bells were ringing in Lina’s ears. Still she said, “Sure.”

***

There was no way to disguise the fact that they were in an interrogation room. Barren with one door, a desk and some chairs. Poorly lit. The officers had attempted to separate them, but Lina and Gourry held firm that they were a team and would not be separated. They were left alone, and after five minutes Lina was ready to leave.

One good dam brass will get us out of here if need be. she thought to herself as Gourry twiddled his thumbs. Eventually someone walked in, and Lina felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up as she looked at him. There was something alarmingly familiar about him.

“Miss Inverse? Captain Brody.” He said brusquely without extending his hand. Lina started trembling. That voice! He sounded just like him! But he was dead. She had killed him! “Now, Miss Inverse, I’m going to cut straight to the chase. You see, a few months ago my brother was brutally murdered at an inn in Anilorac.”

Lina felt the color drain from her face. She sat a little straighter. Beside her she could tell that Gourry had his hand on the hilt of his sword. Captain Brody continued, “He was found in room 251 with an ax buried in his stomach and his throat slit.”

Captain Brody paused as he regarded Lina, and she felt as though he was undressing her with his eyes. She squirmed as he continued, “Now, Miss Inverse, your signature was found on the hotel books, and records indicate that you were staying in room 251 that night. There is also a room full of witnesses alleging that you were flirting like whore with the three men who were found dead in your room the next morning.”

A small flame of anger ignited within her. How dare he! “Anyone could have forged my name.” Lina spat.

The corners of his mouth twitched into a sadistic grin. “But they didn’t, did they? Were you, or were you not in Anilorac two months ago?”

“No.” Lina said flatly.

“So, you’re a liar as well as a slut and murderess.”

“That’s enough!” Gourry said, his voice deadly as he stood up.

“Miss Inverse, I have more than enough evidence to put you under arrest. And that is exactly what I plan to do. Now you can cooperate and be well cared for in prison for the rest of your life. Or you can put up a fight and have your head chopped off.” He stopped to hold her gaze as his grin widened, “By an ax. The choice is yours.”

She felt bile rise in her throat. His wording was very deliberate and practiced, and eerily similar to what his brother had said that night. She had not been the first! The knowledge settled in her bones. Somewhere there were other women out there who had been violated at their hands, she was sure of it. Her hands curled up into fists as the spark of anger that he had light raged into an inferno. “You’re going to have to catch me first!” she hissed.
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Tell the Northern Lights to Keep Shining