Never Be the Same Again

Amelia was exhausted.

The petite princess positively oozed with annoyance, which is one thing she rarely allowed herself to show. Sure, sometimes she would become annoyed when traveling with her friends, but she was still generally in good spirits. She was always happy to be around them, and away from the restrictions of palace life. As much as she loved her father, her heart began to ache after being separated from her traveling companions for too long.

It was exhausting trying to keep up appearances, especially on a night which tested all of her diplomatic and acting abilities. After what felt like hours of having to stand still and smile at people she would rather not know, her resolve was finally beginning to crack.

The grand ballroom of Seyruun palace was decorated for the Yule holiday season, and with that came Amelia's 18th birthday. As such, there was a huge ball thrown in honor of both. A Yule-themed birthday party for the crown princess.

Amelia cast her eyes to the floor and sighed. She'd been on display, standing in high heels and making small talk with all her guests, but she was most decidedly not happy.

None of her best friends had been able to make the celebration, which was one reason for her melancholy. Lina and Gourry had sent word that they were simply too far away, and caught up in some new lead for an enchanted sword for Gourry. Amelia was happy for them, and deep down even a little jealous. They always had each other, and it had become crystal clear that they would never be apart.

Unfortunately for Amelia, she often found herself feeling lonely and frustrated.

The letter from Zelgadis had been sincere. He was sorry to miss her birthday, but there was no way he would be able to get back to Seyruun in time. He was following a very promising lead into some underground chimera research, and because of the shady dealings involved he had to stay on top of it and couldn't just leave.

Amelia missed him so much that some days it physically hurt her.

Honestly, the worst part of the whole ordeal was turning 18 alone. If he had been at her side, maybe he could have quietly intimidated some of the annoying male guests who were vying for the princess' attention.

They had no idea that she was spoken for, of course, and she would have given anything in the world to be able to tell them to back off...but that wasn't a decision she could make on her own.

Amelia had very little patience for vanity, but she knew what she looked like in the eyes of the young men kissing her hand and asking her to dance. Pretty, young, shapely, smart, strong, and quite rich. Most men were fairly easy to understand, especially after several glasses of wine.

That's why she liked Zelgadis. He didn't see her as a commodity, which is something even Lina was sometimes guilty of. He went out of his way to protect her, and had always done so without ever asking anything in return. Even after being called back by Amelia's father, Phil, and knighted as her protector during the Ruvinagard incident, he had never asked for much of anything from her or her father.

That's probably why he had been even more surprised by what he received from her.

On his first night back in Seyruun, Amelia had called him into her private study to discuss their game plan. They would take a few ships from the royal fleet and follow word-of-mouth to Lina's last known location.

The atmosphere was romantic, though not purposefully. In fact, Amelia hadn't realized it until after the fact. A fire had crackled in the hearth, and candles had provided a dim glow around the room. They had sat close together and spoke quietly, so they would not disturb anyone else in the palace.

After a couple hours of talking and a few glasses of wine, Amelia found herself in the chimera's lap, their lips and tongues wrestling as their plans were completely forgotten.

His strong hands had dug into her hair and brought her face to his, and even though she could see the lust clouding his eyes, he still whispered her name in a questioning way.

“Please,” she had said innocently, “I want my first kiss to finally go to you.” Her large blue eyes reflected the firelight, and Zelgadis truly saw the princess for the first time. He saw the love and need, and could no longer dismiss it as simply friendship or a childish crush. Amelia was a young woman, and he was a young man.

Amelia had no idea what was happening to her, but she loved it. The feeling of Zelgadis' body under hers, the solid strength of his form and the warmth that exuded from him. She felt safe and alive. Her body felt hypersensitive all over, and there was an ache in her loins that she had felt before but had always chosen to ignore.

She straddled his waist and kissed him like she was an expert in the subject. The chimera held his ground in kissing her back, and they soon ended up on the soft rug in front of the fireplace, kissing and touching each other all over.

Amelia had never been so turned on in all her life. Then again, she had never felt about anyone the way she did about Zelgadis. His weight was on top of her, though he was keeping himself propped up on one arm because he was so heavy due to his stone skin. He also apologized profusely every time he thought he was even the slightest bit rough with her, until she finally told him to shut up.

Eventually, Zelgadis finally seemed to get a grip on his normally cool head and pulled away from the princess. Her dress was off her shoulders and her hand was down the front of his pants when the chimera, breathing heavily, had said, “Amelia, we should stop this. I'm sorry I let things get out of hand.”

Amelia gave him a small smile and said, “Don't apologize. I was part of this too, you know.” Seeing that the moment was over, destroyed by Zelgadis' logic (and possibly his self-consciousness about his condition), Amelia removed her hands from his body (reluctantly) and gave him one final kiss goodnight before excusing herself to her room.

The princess had no idea what Zelgadis had done that night, but she had no choice but to extinguish the fire inside of her that he had caused. Rubbing herself through her panties, she reached orgasm in just a few minutes, and had to bite down on her lip to keep from calling out for him.

Two days later they were on a ship heading west. Amelia was pleased that instead of being awkward around her due to their behavior that night by the fire, Zelgadis seemed more comfortable with her than ever. She felt the same way, because it was as if something natural had finally started that was always just below the surface. And that something had the propulsion of the Mountain Train they rode to the Temple of the Fire Dragon Lord...in other words, it wasn't stopping anytime soon!

Amelia prided herself in not acting like a pampered princess, so they took their first meal along with the ship's crew, and not at the captain's table.

That night, Amelia was surprised when Zelgadis knocked on her cabin door.

“Is something wrong?” She asked, seeing the nervous expression on his face.

“No, nothing's wrong...Amelia, I need to talk to you. Can I come in?”

“Of course, Zelgadis-san,” She replied, stepping back and allowing him into her room.

She wore a modest nightgown, but he was still dressed in his traveling clothes, minus the cape and mantle. Amelia looked at him, quizzically, as he sat down on the foot on her bed.

She saw a faint blush color his cheeks as he began talking.

“I think we need to discuss what happened the other night. Between us, I mean. Amelia, I care about you more than I can say, but you have to understand that even if I slow down in looking for a cure, I can't ever give up completely. It's not fair to you, because I feel like the cure will always come first. You deserve better than that. You deserve someone who can touch you with soft fingers, not rough stone ones. Someone who will put you above all else...”

“You can just stop right there,” Amelia interrupted, pointing a finger at him in righteous anger. “First off, I like your fingers just fine. Secondly, I would never dream of being so selfish as to take you away from your cure. I can share you! I am not a spoiled little child, and I take offense that you would think to tell me what it is I need!”

Zelgadis sat speechless for a moment, staring at the princess.

“...So, what is it that you need?” He finally said, a small grin beginning to light his face.

Amelia's felt her face flush a bit as she stepped forward and leaned into the seated chimera.

“This,” she said, and touched her lips to his with a passion that left no more room for discussion.

As the ship rocked gently through the night, Amelia and Zelgadis finally threw caution to the wind and let their friendship blossom into love, and allowed that love to guide their lust.

She gave herself to him many times that night, her body and her soul. Amelia sent thanks to Ceiphied that her country had discontinued arranged marriages after the Kouma War, because she could not imagine what it would have been like to sleep with someone whom she did not truly love.

Zelgadis treated the small princess like glass at first, but then became rougher after she showed she could handle it. And handle it she did. Zelgadis gave a feral growl as he spooned up behind his lover, drawing her leg up over his hip and taking her hard and fast. Amelia threw her arm up behind her and grabbed him behind his head, twisting his wiry hair with all her strength as she rode the waves of pleasure he provided her.

After he brought her to climax that way, he slipped out of her and she brought her mouth down to his length and ran her tongue along the entire shaft, before taking him all in her mouth. Zelgadis threw his head back and moaned as she brought him to completion, and he found he needed her again after he saw some of his seed dripping from her rosy lips.

The next morning, they were woken by a knock on the cabin door.

“Princess,” came the voice of the captain. “I'm sorry to disturb you, but it's nearly noon and you're needed on deck.”

Amelia sat up so quickly it made her head spin. The thin white sheet fell and exposed her breasts, which in Zelgadis' opinion was a fine sight to wake up to. The chimera took his time stretching, and then pulled Amelia down to him.

“Zelgadis!” She complained, though there was no actual annoyance behind her words. “We've overslept! I need to get on deck right away!”

“It can wait,” he said, simply, capturing her mouth in a kiss.

Amelia soon found herself joined with him again, moaning loudly as she rode him. She rubbed at herself where they were joined, and climaxed yet again. Zelgadis finished inside of her, spilling himself deeply into her womanhood.

Panting, Zelgadis said, “Now you can go.”

Amelia playfully hit him.


Their adventure with Lina was once again exciting, to say the least. Unfortunately, they didn't get much time alone, but when they did they took advantage of it.

Outwardly, they acted no different in front of their friends.
After the defeat of Shabranigdu (again) and the awakening of Taforashia, Zelgadis had taken Amelia aside to explain he wanted to try one last time to find a cure.

After some tears from both of them, and a long kiss goodbye, Zelgadis had taken off on an even more desperate search.

“This time,” he had said, “it's for you.”

Amelia had shaken her head. “It's never mattered to me. You know that. I love you just the way you are. Even if you were purple and covered in bees, I would still love you. But if you feel you must, I won't try and stop you.”


Amelia sighed as another set of young men approached her with empty compliments and hungry eyes.

Thinking about Zelgadis had made that empty feeling in the pit of her stomach grow larger, so she finally excused herself and headed to bed where she planned to relieve some of the frustration pooling in her lower regions, and then get a good night's sleep.

As she readied for bed, she heard a faint creaking sound that caught her attention.

“Hello?” She called out, wrapping a robe loosely around her.

There was no answer, but she could not shake the sudden feeling of apprehension washing over her.

And then, before she knew what was happening, her arms were jerked behind her back and a hand was clamped forcefully over her mouth.

Thrashing wildly and trying to muster the words to a spell, ANY spell, Amelia was thrown unceremoniously onto her large bed. It was then that she saw who was assaulting her.

Three men from the party going on below, all of whom smelled of alcohol. She remembered one had looked angry when she had turned him down for a dance, but she did not recognize the other two.

“Fucking bitch,” The one she had turned down slurred, ripping her robe open and exposing her breasts. Amelia's eyes widened in horror.

“You feeling high and mighty now, princess?” The man continued, as Amelia continued to struggle against the other two who were holding her down.

“You won't give any of the men down there the time of day. Now why is that?”

Amelia's eyes narrowed and she cringed at the man's wine-laden breath.

“Wait, I know,” the man continued on, apparently happy to hear the sound of his own voice. “Maybe they're too HUMAN for you. I've heard some things about you and some chimera bodyguard who hangs around you. Maybe the princess' tastes are geared more towards monsters and freaks?”

Lashing out, fueled by a renewed anger, Amelia managed to free one of her legs out from under him enough to kick him straight across the jaw. The force of the kick sent him sprawling into one of the posts at the foot of her bed. Unfortunately, it was not enough to free herself from the other men, and it only served to make her main attacker more angry.

“You little BITCH!” He yelled, ripping the robe completely off her small frame.

“Pissed because I'm insulting your boyfriend, huh? Tough shit, because I'm going to take what I deserve.”

With that, he ripped her silk panties completely off her body, and lowered his head to her womanhood where he began licking at her while stroking her breasts.

Amelia's muffled screams got louder, but she knew no one would hear her with the party going on loudly just a floor below. Tears of anger and shame filled her eyes, and she struggled even harder. Unfortunately, without access to magic at that moment, she could not physically overpower three grown men.

The worst part of all was that her own body was betraying her. She was involuntarily responding to the touches, no matter how much her mind was revolted at the very idea of it.

Even worse, the hand over her mouth was so tight that it was becoming hard to breath, and she felt close to losing consciousness. Her thoughts turned to Zelgadis, and she wondered what he would do when he received word that she'd been found dead and violated in her own bed. He would probably go on a rampage, and then sink into the deep depression she knew he was capable of. She had wanted so much to pull him into her light, and now she was letting him down.

Amelia's body jerked in protest as she felt strange fingers enter her.

“Not as tight as I would have thought,” the man continued rambling to himself. “Definitely not a virgin. She barely even batted an eye!”

And then, suddenly, he was gone. Feeling the weight of the other two men disappear off her as well, Amelia dared sit up and look around. The man who had been violating her just seconds before had become a spatter against her bedroom wall. The other two men were screaming and running like madmen for the door.

It was then that she saw the flash of a white cloak with a teal lining, and she knew her angel had finally come home.


“Sorry, I got a little carried away. The maids aren't going to be very happy with me,” Zelgadis said, holding Amelia tightly against his chest in a hug that she thought might snap her in two, but there was no other way she'd rather be.

As it happened, Zelgadis had felt so guilty missing Amelia's 18th birthday party that he had decided to show up in Seyruun and surprise her. He used a Levitation to fly up to her balcony, and arrived just in time to hear her struggles and muffled screams.

“The rest is kind of a blur,” he admitted, as he explained the situation to Amelia's father and the captain of the royal guard.

In Zelgadis' anger, all the men attacking Amelia had been pretty much incinerated.

Amelia was moved to another room for the evening (and possibly forever, since she couldn't really picture herself sleeping in the old room again), and after assuring her father she was fine, she crawled into bed.

Zelgadis had stayed, insisting that his presence would help Amelia feel safe and allow her to get some sleep. Phil had agreed and left them alone.

“Amelia,” Zelgadis said, pulling the covers up to her chin, “Are you really fine?”

“I'm...ashamed. That's the best word I can think of. Ashamed of what they did to me, and that I couldn't fight back. I'm ashamed because I feel like I've betrayed you.”

Zelgadis' face turned stern. “Stop it. Right now. You've done nothing to me except be the most amazing person I know. I should have been here from the beginning. If this ordeal has taught me anything, it's that there IS something more important to me than my cure. You.”

Amelia's eyes lit up at that, and she reached for her lover. “Please, come to bed. I just need you to hold me tonight.”

Zelgadis smiled. “With pleasure. But first, I want to give you your birthday present.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small decorative gold box. Holding it out, Amelia gingerly lifted it from him.

“Zelgadis, it's beautiful...” she began, but Zelgadis chuckled and interrupted her.

“Open it,” he said.

She flipped up the lid and gasped. Inside sat a beautiful ornate ring in white gold, the band in the shape of a serpent snaking around a large diamond.

Looking up at him, her eyes glassy, Amelia whispered, “Zelgadis, this is...”

Leaning down to kiss her, he cut off her words and whispered back, “I know this hasn't been the best night for you, but for what it's worth...happy birthday.”


THE END