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Well it's a marvelous night for a moondance
With the stars up above in your eyes
A fantabulous night to make romance
'Neath the cover of October skies
It was Harvest Festival Time.
The crisp autumn air fairly sparkled beneath the brilliant blue sky overhead. The sun was warm, but in the shadows it was cool enough to make one shiver - perfect weather for the Harvest Festival. The normal routine had been interrupted for a special occasion. The harvest this year had been a plentiful one and now it was time to celebrate that fact. Each province celebrated in their own manner and according to their own traditions, but several elements were uniform from village to village: It was celebrated on the night of the full moon after the harvest was gathered, there would be dancing and lots of good food and wine to be consumed.
It was a night that Lina and Gourry always made sure to be in a village for the night.
This particular village in the Kingdom of Seyruun was a bustle of activity as a dancing square was set up, and trestle tables and benches erected around three sides of the square; streamers and ribbons along with sheathes of wheat and clusters of pumpkins, gourds and, squash and ears of multi-colored corn were scattered around to make the atmosphere even brighter. Merchants from around the region had been arriving over the last few days and had set up booths the day before. There were plenty of visitors as everyone from miles around gathered in the village for the day and night of the Festival, both to enjoy the Festival and to sell surplus items and restock on things they'd need for the upcoming winter. Roasting pits had been dug to roast whole sides of beef, pork and racks of fowl over coals. Barrels of ale and wine were rolled out and tapped for drinking. Hard cider was heated and mixed with spices to make spiced cider. Enough cakes, pastries and sweets of all kinds would be available later to make everyone sick to their stomachs.
The sorceress and the swordsman had arrived the day before and decided to stay for the Festival instead of moving onto the next village. The nights were getting colder and neither of them wanted to risk the chance of being forced to camp outdoors - or miss the Festival.
After a hearty breakfast at the inn where they were staying, they'd gone out to wander around the square, weaving in and around the makeshift booths. Typically, they were drawn to the ones offering foodstuffs and Lina and Gourry each had a bag filled with goodies, ranging from turkey drumsticks, to thin slices of roasted meats on skewers to sausages breaded and deep-fried and stuck on sticks to make eating them easier.
The crowds were thick, but the two of them moved easily through them, everyone making way for the petite red-haired woman in the black cloak and the tall blonde swordsman who followed her closely. Lina tossed the bone she'd been gnawing on to a small gray dog who responded with a "Woof" as she moved on. She headed for a booth that had some books displayed and shoved her goodie bag into Gourry's arms while she looked over the titles. As always, Gourry waited patiently for her. He watched her bend over the stacks, peering at the cramped handwriting on the spines as she searched through stacks for something that might interest her. He was unaware of the small smile on his face as he let his gaze travel over the curves of her body as she twisted this way and that.
Lina straightened and put her hands on her hips. "Nothing. Come on, Gourry," she said, taking back her bag. "Let's go look at the next booth."
"Sure." He followed her to the next booth. A sorcerer ran it, and he and Lina haggled for some time over some of the enchanted gems she'd created to sell for some cash. As he waited, something nearby caught Gourry's eye. Nudging Lina, he said, "Lina, I'm going to be over there." He pointed across the way.
Lina barely looked up from her haggling. "Okay. I'll meet you. No way, Mister. These are worth fifty gold pieces apiece if they're worth anything. Look at the quality..." Her voice trailed off as he moved across the lane to the booth that had clothes hung up for display. Setting his bags on a table, Gourry pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his greasy fingers on it before stroking the fine fabric of the tunic that had caught his eye.
"Ah, I can see you have good taste in clothing," said the proprietor of the booth as he sidled close. Gourry ignored him and continued examining the overtunic: It was a deep royal blue (he tended to favor blue), trimmed with gold braid. It belted in front and had short sleeves and a square neckline. It also looked as if it would fit him, too. He usually had to spend a few days in a town having something made especially for him. He thought about the Festival that night; it would be nice to have something new to wear for the occasion. Making up his mind, he mentally counted the money in his pouch and hoped it wouldn't deplete his cash too much.
"How much?" Gourry asked, still not looking at the proprietor.
"Ah, as you can see the quality is extremely high - "
"Cut the sales pitch and just tell me how much," he growled, putting on his best "dangerous swordsman" look.
The little man coughed. "Twenty gold."
Owtch. It wasn't as if he didn't have that much, but twenty gold...That was steep. But it was a nice tunic, he thought. He was just about to agree when a familiar voice from across the way drew his attention.
"You want how much for it?!"
Gourry stopped as he was reminded of something Lina had told him over and over: "Never pay the asking price." He looked the tunic over again with a more critical eye. It was good quality, but no more so than any of the other articles of clothing the man had to offer. It also looked like he'd had it for a while, as if it had been folded and laid out several times. Which meant...The merchant probably hadn't been able to sell it, he concluded with an inward smile. The swordsman glanced over at Lina and wondered what she would do.
Of course, he knew only too well what she would do: Beat the price down mercilessly, all the while making it appear as if the merchant was trying to rob her when in fact it was Lina who was robbing the merchant. But, as she said, money didn't grow on trees (whatever that meant - of course money didn't grow on trees, he thought, or they wouldn't have to take jobs and shake down bandits for cash) and her tactics squeezed every last copper's value out of their cash flow.
With that in mind, he shook his head. "Too much. It's too big to fit just anyone; it will probably be big even on me. The stitching is good, however, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and give you eight gold for it."
The man sputtered. "Eight?! Do you know how much it cost me to purchase that in Sayruun?"
"Not twenty gold," Gourry replied.
"It's made of lambswool from Merana, the finest there is available! That's real gold thread, and it's from the best clothesmaker in Sayruun!"
"How long have you been trying to sell it?" Gourry asked bluntly, brushing off a bit of dust that had collected on the hem. "It's an odd size; I can't imagine there are very many people who can wear something this big. Or willing or able to pay that much for one tunic." He cocked an eyebrow at the merchant and grinned. "Seems it's a buyers' market." It was a term he'd heard Lina use many times.
Turning red, the greasy little man clenched his hands. "Fifteen gold and that's cutting me own throat."
"Nine."
"Thirteen gold, fifty silver."
"Nine."
"You're trying to rob me!" the man exclaimed, pulling on his hair.
"No, you're trying to rob me." Gourry picked up his sacks and turned away. "Forget it. Even thirteen is too high. Good luck trying to sell it for that." He took a few paces before the man's voice called to him.
"Wait! Wait, good sir, please let's be reasonable about this!" Gourry quickly hid the smile on his face as he turned back to the merchant. "Nine gold is ridiculously low - "
"It's my final offer." He folded his arms over his chest and stood there, feet slightly apart, head thrown back and looked coolly down at the merchant. He gave off impression that he was as immovable from that spot as he was on the amount he was going to pay for the tunic.
The merchant sighed. "All right. Nine gold. But I'm selling it at a loss, you realize." He pulled down the tunic and began wrapping it.
"Your loss, my gain." Gourry reached into his money purse and pulled out nine gold coins, each stamped with the face of the Crown Prince Philionel el de Sayruun. Handing the money to the merchant, he took the package and gave the merchant a cheery wave. "Good doing business with you." He was quite pleased; he hadn't spent this much time around Lina without learning a thing or two about haggling. He knew she'd be impressed.
The merchant grumbled something but Gourry chose to ignore it. He looked around and found Lina still at the wizard's booth. He tucked his new tunic under his arm and headed back across the lane towards her.
Something made him stop and look at the next booth. An old woman sat on a rickety chair knitting a sweater. She nodded at him kindly as he stepped forward to inspect the items arranged on the table in front of her. Women's clothes, he noted. His thoughts went back to his earlier conclusion that it would be nice to have something new to wear to the Festival tonight. Surely Lina would like something, too? He knew that if he showed up wearing a nice new tunic, and she didn't have anything, she'd feel slighted.
"Can I help you?" the woman asked suddenly.
Gourry jumped and dropped the cardigan he'd been fingering. "Uh, yeah, maybe. I want to get something new for my friend, for the Festival tonight. Any suggestions?"
The woman put her knitting away and leaned forward. "Perhaps. Who's this friend of yours?"
He turned and spotted Lina still at the sorcerer's stall. "That's her, over there. With the red hair and wearing the black cloak."
The old woman looked past him at the girl in question. "She's very pretty," she said, turning back into the stall and going through the piles of clothes she had there.
"Yeah, she is," he agreed.
"Beautiful hair. That color isn't very common." She paused and looked over her shoulder at him. "Is she your girlfriend?"
"Not yet," he said, still looking at Lina. He started and snapped his attention back around to the woman. "Er, that is..."
She nodded sagely and with more than a trace of humor. "I understand. Did you have anything in mind?"
He grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I dunno. I just thought it would be nice for her to have something new. But I don't know anything about - " He spread his hands to indicate the realm of "women's clothes."
"That's all right. I'll help you." She stepped back and thought a moment then moved to a rack where there were several dresses hanging. She pulled one out and spread it across the table. "How about this?"
Gourry stared at it: It was a forest green dress with a matching tunic much like the one he'd bought for himself, including the gold trim. Gold leaves were picked out in reds and oranges around the neckline. It was simple, but elegant looking. It would look great on Lina, he thought. Except...
"Lina's not really one for wearing dresses - " he started to say.
The woman winked at him. "Oh, sometimes women will surprise you. I think she'll like this. I'm pretty sure it will even fit her."
Unable to resist, Gourry fingered the fine wool of the skirt. He knew he was going to buy it, no matter what it cost. The only problem would be asking Lina to wear it...
"How much?" he asked.
The woman looked at him and smiled. "For you, fifteen gold. I heard how you beat that old cheat Dibbler down when he tried to rob you."
"But this dress is much too fine!" he protested. He might not like to get taken when he knew the price was unfair, but by the same token, he didn't like cheating anyone either.
"Not really. I didn't have to buy it; I got it from another merchant who couldn't sell it. So everything I make on it will be profit, you see."
"Fifteen gold?" he asked.
"That's it."
"I'll take it." He handed her the coins and waited for her to wrap the dress up in paper. He thanked the woman and then hurried over to join Lina by the sorcerer's stall.
"Lina!" he called as he approached.
"Not now, Gourry," she said absently. "I'll give you four gold apiece for these and no more." She waved her hand over a set of matched flat glass discs laid out on a piece of velvet in front of her.
"They're worth more than twice that!" the sorcerer sputtered. "Ten! No less!"
"Sorry. Not interested." Lina straightened, turned away and strode purposefully away from the stall. The sorcerer glared at her but saw Gourry and refrained from saying anything aloud.
"Where's my goodie bag, Gourry? I'm famished. Haggling always makes me hungry, especially with an inflexible idiot like him."
Gourry handed her the bag, which she dove into and pulled out a sausage on a stick. "Did you get what you wanted?" he asked.
"Nah. That sorcerer was too tight to part with any of his really good stuff. He did give me some good prices on the stuff I made so now I have a nice full purse again!" she exclaimed with glee.
Nibbling on her sausage, she wandered down the lane with Gourry beside her, peering into booths, but not showing any interest in buying anything else. They came to the area where the tables had been set up. People were using them to rest and eat the wares offered by the various food vendors. Lina dumped her bag on the table and stepped over a bench and sat. Gourry did the same, carefully setting his parcels away from the food bag before sitting down.
Noticing the care with which he handled the parcels, Lina gestured towards them. "What's that?"
Smiling, Gourry waved his turkey leg at her. "A surprise."
Instantly, Lina's curiosity was piqued. She leaned forward and grinned at him. "You got me something?"
He nodded. "Yup."
Her eyes were immediately full of stars. "What?"
"You're going to have to wait until later." He munched on his turkey leg and refused to answer any more questions. Lina finally slumped forward and glared at him; he was the only one she knew of that could resist her persistent questions when he put his mind to it.
"All right, all right, I give up." She turned and put on a sulky face, then added, "What did you get me?"
"That trick won't work," he said, tossing the bone over his shoulder to the small gray dog Lina had given one earlier. The dog said, "Woof," then picked up the bone and trotted off to enjoy his meal in private.
"Will I like it?"
Her question caught Gourry off-guard. Frowning, he looked at his hands. "I hope so."
Something inside of Lina was struck by the way he was suddenly uncertain. She leaned forward and chucked him on the shoulder with her fist. "I'm sure I will. Now, come on," she said, grabbing her bag and standing up. "There's a candy maker over there and you can buy me some fudge."
"Why me?" he complained as he grabbed his parcels and hurried after her. "Why don't you buy me some?"
"Because I bought you some last time, remember?"
"Yeah, and you ate it all."
"You snooze, you lose." Lina bent over the array of confections on display. "And besides that, it's the thought that counts, isn't it?"
"I didn't even get a chance to see the box before it was all gone!" he grumbled but pulled out his money wallet and bought them both some fudge. Lina stuffed her mouth full and mumbled her thanks.
"Mmm...I love fudge," Lina purred when she was finally able to talk again. Gourry watched her, grinning with delight at the pleasure of eating fudge and getting it smeared all over her face and fingers, unaware that he was smiling, too. He startled when she looked up at him and asked "What are you smiling at?"
"You," he said, recovering quickly. "You've got chocolate all over your face. Here." He pulled out his handkerchief and handed it to her.
"Thanks," she mumbled, wiping her face. She looked up at the sun; it was already low in the west. "I'm going back to the inn for a while. I'm tired and would like a nap before dinner."
"I think I'm going to wander around a little more," Gourry said.
"Okay," Lina said, heading back to the inn. "Don't get lost, don't get in any fights and don't get drunk!" she called over her shoulder.
Gourry waved and turned back into the maze of stalls.
With all the leaves on the trees are fallin'
To the sound of the breezes that blow
You know I'm tryin' to please to the calling
Of your heart strings that play soft and low
"Lina?" Gourry called as he knocked on her door. He held the wrapped dress in his hands, nervously shifting from foot to foot as he waited. When there was no answer, he knocked louder. "Lina? You in there?"
The door opened and Lina stood there, covering a yawn. "Whaddaya want, Gourry?"
"I, uh, it's nearly time for dinner. I thought you'd like to know." Suddenly, he felt quite foolish. She wouldn't like a dress, a small voice inside said. He hid the package behind his back and tried to back away towards his room.
Lina's sharp eyes caught the gesture and she was instantly awake. "Is that my surprise?" She tried to reach around him to grab it.
"Lina!" he exclaimed, turning around to keep her from grabbing the package. She yanked him forward, pulling him off balance and grabbed it and rushed back to her bed. "No - " he yelled, starting after her. But it was too late.
She ripped the paper from it to reveal the dark green wool and golden stitching. She froze a moment and just stared at it then carefully picked up the shoulders and lifted it, letting the skirt fall so she could look at it. "Gourry..." she breathed. "You got this for me?"
"Uh, yeah," he muttered, suddenly embarrassed. "I found something new for myself and thought it would be nice for you to have something new, too, and the lady at the stall said you'd like it even though I said you didn't wear dresses that much - "
Lina dropped the dress to the bed and ran to him, flinging her arms around him. "Thank you!" she said, hugging him quickly. She was gone again before he could even put his arms around her.
"You like it?" he asked, astonished by her sudden embrace. It had been far too brief.
"It's beautiful," she said. "I can't believe you got this for me." She held it up and twirled around. The light wool swung around her ankles, hem well off the floor so she wouldn't trip over the hem. Looking up at Gourry, she noticed he was wearing his new tunic. "Is that what you got? Looks nice on you."
Blushing slightly at her complement, he straightened up and pulled the tunic into place. "Yup. Got a really good deal on it, too. The merchant wanted twenty gold for it, but I beat him down."
Lina, still holding the dress, approached him and lifted the hem of the tunic. "Hmm...not worth nearly that much. I hope you didn't give him more than eleven for it."
"Nine," he said proudly.
"Really?" she said, impressed. "What did you do? Threaten him?"
"Of course not. Just explained that it was a buyer's market." He grinned at her look of surprise.
"You astound me. Now go wait while I get dressed," she said.
Gourry was leaning against the wall outside her door waiting for Lina, hands behind his head and studying the ceiling when the door opened. He looked down as Lina danced through, twirling around to set her skirts to swirling. He stared at her as she came to a halt in front of him and the green wool settled. "Well?" she asked, grinning brightly.
"Lina...You look great." He looked her over from head to toe: She'd pulled her hair back with some combs and it tumbled in loose curls around her shoulders. The cut of the dress accentuated her curves and the color showed off her fair skin. It also made her eyes gleam like polished rubies.
"You think so?" she said, twirling around again.
Gourry's heart skipped a beat and he resisted the urge to pull her into his arms right there. Instead, he stood straight up and offered her his arm. "I certainly do, m'lady. May I escort you to the Festival?"
"Why, of course," she said, covering a giggle with the back of her hand. She took his arm and pulled him along to the stairs. "C'mon! Let's go eat!"
"Ah!" Lina said as she leaned back and patted her stomach. "I love Harvest Festival. So much good food to eat - "
"Wine to drink," Gourry added, draining the last of his mug. He cautioned himself not to drink any more; he didn't want to get drunk tonight.
"That, too." She closed her eyes and sighed contentedly. The blonde swordsman examined the pile of empty dishes, thoroughly gnawed bones, and empty mugs that surrounded them and concluded that it had indeed been a good night.
"You two aren't finished yet, are you?" someone said as they plunked two mugs of warm, spiced cider down in front of them. Quickly following the mugs were big wedges of apple pie topped liberally with whipped cream. "You haven't had desert yet!"
At which, both Lina and Gourry leaned forward as if they hadn't just finished eating enough food to feed a family of four for a week. "Pie!" Lina cried. "My favorite!" She grabbed the plate, a fork and quickly downed her slice.
Gourry followed suit, washing down the confection with great swigs of the cider. Hard cider, he noticed. No more of that, either. No, he wanted to be very sober tonight.
As they sat there, letting their dinners settle, four men climbed onto the makeshift stage at one end of the dancing square. They sat down and pulled out their instruments: Fiddle, harp, drum, and flute. They warmed up a little with a couple popular tunes, and then the fiddler stood up and called everyone to form the sets for the dance.
On impulse, Gourry grabbed Lina's hand and hauled her out of her seat. "C'mon, Lina," he said as he dragged her towards the dance square. "Let's dance."
Lina giggled and followed along behind him. She remembered the first Festival they had spent together; it had shocked her no end that Gourry actually knew how to dance and could even remember the steps to the calls. He'd explained that dancing was great for balance (which a swordsman needed) and for some reason every time he'd been to a Festival in his hometown, he was always getting asked to dance so he had to learn the steps. He'd proven very skilled at the country reels and square sets, his strong hands guiding her gently through the motions. She'd enjoyed herself so much she hadn't minded the passing familiarity of his hand on her shoulder or waist or his fingers linked through hers.
And tonight - tonight, she found herself waiting for her turns with him anxiously, eyes following him around the circles and counting the moves until she was partnered with him again, savoring the closeness necessitated by some of the motions...
The square set was over all too quickly and the caller set them up for a reel. Gourry looked at her, eyebrow raised, as if asking if she wanted to go another round. Nodding, Lina put her hand in his and they got into line with the others.
They danced until she thought she was going to drop in her tracks. When the caller asked the "gents to bow to their ladies," Gourry grabbed her hand and bowed low over it, his long blonde hair sweeping the ground. When he straightened, his face was flushed and his eyes bright with laughter.
"That was fun," he said, "but I need a break." Lina nodded and only then realized he still held her hand. She gave his hand a squeeze accompanied by a warm smile.
He blushed slightly and pulled her off the dance square and away from the crowds of the Festival. He wandered down the little lane that led into the village and under the apple trees that grew alongside the road.
"I'll bet this is pretty in the spring," Gourry said, looking up at the trees, which had only just started losing their leaves.
Lina nodded. She put her free arm around herself. Away from the fires and the crowds of the Festival, the night had grown cool.
Gourry noticed. "Cold?"
"A little," she said. "I wish I'd brought my cloak."
"Here." He paused and dropped her hand to unbelt his overtunic.
"Oh, no, Gourry, you don't have to do - " She didn't get any farther before he had hung the tunic around her shoulders. It came to her knees, but it was still warm from his body heat. Sighing, she wanted to give it back, but had to admit that it made her feel good that he would give it to her. It smelled like him, too: A warm, musky mixture of soap, his scent, and something herbal. Probably something that he carried in his pack. She snuggled deeper into it and gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks."
He grinned and put his arm around her shoulders. "No problem. Besides, I've still got this." He plucked at the long sleeved undertunic he wore under his everyday tunic when the weather was cold. As usual, it was dark blue.
Lina leaned into him as they walked beneath the apple trees. The moon shone down, dappling the road with pools of light as the leaves fluttered in the light wind. She felt warm and comfortable and for some reason didn't object to his familiarity with her tonight.
Gourry stopped just within sight of the village and pulled Lina across to one of the gnarled old apple trees. One of them had a branch that came out level with his waist. He swung Lina up onto it and leaned against the trunk. He pulled her back so that she was leaning against him, and his arms around her. She leaned into his chest, closed her eyes and listened to his heartbeat. He was so warm and she felt so content that she quickly slipped into a light doze.
You know the night's magic
Seem to whisper and hush
And all the soft moonlight
Seems to shine in your blush
Can I just have just one more moondance with you
My love?
Can I just make some more romance with you
My love?
The swordsman leaned his head back and listened to Lina's soft breathing. She was so warm and soft, the night cool and clear. The moon, which had just risen over the field across the way, was large and round and turned the world silver. He sighed and stroked Lina's hair; he could sit here all night, holding Lina and looking at the moon. It was a moment he never wanted to end.
They were close enough to the town that he could hear the little band playing, but not make out the sound of the crowds. Rather than dominating the sound of the leaves rustling and the whisper of the light wind that toyed with them, the music seemed to blend into an intricate symphony of sound. The wind brought the familiar scents of autumn to him: Dry hay, dust, woodsmoke, late blooming flowers. And the way the landscape was silvered and the feel of the small woman in his arms provided him with a feast for his senses to rival the feast they had just consumed.
Gourry bent his head and rested his cheek against Lina's hair, breathing in her scent. His hair fell around his face and gold mingled with copper as he stroked her hair. He smiled to himself, but it was a sad smile; he wished he could be this tender with her when she was awake. She'd only get flustered and push him away -
You're a fool, Gabriev, he thought to himself. You'll never know unless you try. It's been over a year since you won her back from the Lord of Nightmares. A year of stalling. He frowned at that pesky inner voice. Yes, it had been over a year, but these things took time... Take too long and you won't have any time left.
A year since Phibrizzo had tried to destroy the world; a year since he'd risked his own life to chase her into the Lord of Nightmare's Sea of Chaos. He'd never admitted how much he remembered of those events - that was something for Lina and himself alone. And remember them, he did. There were some things that not even he would forget.
However, soon after that, everyone had reluctantly parted ways and he and Lina found themselves alone together. They were able to discuss the events without fear of interruption. Lina had admitted she loved him and he'd told her the same. It hadn't changed their relationship much, except they were closer than ever and could read each other's thoughts better. It had made them even more companionable than before. Overtly, he didn't mind this, but deep down he wanted something more...
Sighing, he shut out those thoughts and instead just reveled in the moment. He listened to the sounds of the wind in the leaves. He looked up and watched the moon slowly creep across the deep blue heavens until the band started playing again. Instead of a reel or square set, it was a slow song, intended for couples. Without thinking about it, he seized the opportunity.
"Lina," he whispered, shaking her gently. "Wake up."
"Wha - ?" she said, sleepily. "I'm awake." She rubbed her eyes and looked around muzzily.
"Feel like another dance?" he asked softly.
She listened to the music. "We'll never make it back in time," she said.
"We can dance here," he said, waving his hand to indicate the road. By some miracle it was relatively flat and not rutted with cart-tracks. Lina tried to look into his face, but between the leaves and his hair, it was hidden in shadow. There was something different about him tonight, though. She could sense it.
"All right," she agreed. He pushed away from the tree and swung her down to set her lightly on her feet. Her stomach felt like it was full of butterflies when he touched her, at the way he lifted her effortlessly. If she clung to his arms a moment longer than she normally would have, she put it down to still being half asleep. And if she felt herself flush, well, that was due to the amount of wine she'd consumed earlier. Reluctantly, she shrugged off his overtunic and handed it back to him. He pulled it on and belted it quickly before taking her hands.
He pulled her into the middle of the lane. They stood poised while he counted to the beat then he pulled them into the flow of the music. He guided her effortlessly through the motions of the dance, forward, back, turn. Around and around they glided under the moon, stars and the spreading limbs of the apple trees. Lina kept her eyes on Gourry's face, wondering why she was feeling the way she did. It wasn't as if they'd never danced before. All those other times had been on a crowded dancing square with other couples sweeping around them. Here, just the two of them, something was different about her friend tonight and she didn't know how to describe it. When they passed out from under the shadows, she saw a determined light in his eyes, a determination that stirred something deep within her. Not fear - she could never be afraid of Gourry. Not that he couldn't be frightening in his own right, but he'd rather cut off his own hands than hurt her. And it wasn't nervousness, either. No, rather it was a strange sort of...anticipation.
As the music ended, she shut her eyes and shook her head to try and clear away some of these confusing feelings. To her surprise, Gourry didn't let go of her hands when she stopped, but instead pulled her to him, closing the gap between them. Lina looked up into his eyes and found the determination there had brightened into a sense of purpose.
Well I wanna make love to you tonight
I can't wait till the moment has come
And I know now the time is just right
And straight into my arms you will run
Leaning down, Gourry pulled Lina up. As he looked into her eyes, he hesitated a moment then gathered his courage and threw caution to the wind. He covered her lips with his and kissed her softly. When she didn't resist or pull away, he tightened his hold around her slim body and kissed her more thoroughly, parting his lips slightly and letting his tongue brush over her lips. Lina snaked her arms around his neck and held him tightly as they kissed. Gourry ran his hands up and down her back, bunching the fabric of her dress. He kissed her with a growing passion that made his breath come short and harsh - and to which she was responding. She buried her hands in his hair and pressed herself against him, giving as good as she got, and made small noises of pleasure deep in her throat.
When they finally parted, he vaguely heard the band had start playing again. Lina laid her head on his chest and put her arms around his waist. She held him tightly as her breath came in ragged gasps. Smiling, he held her and rocked gently to and fro in time with the music. Then he recognized the tune and smiled; it was one of the more popular ballads for couples in love and one that was perfect for the moment: Moondance. He rested his cheek against her hair and closed his eyes and just held the woman he loved while listening to the music, the wind soughing through the leaves and the soft call of some night bird. There was only one other moment in his life when he could remember being happier and that was when the Lord of Nightmares had returned Lina to him. This certainly rivaled that moment.
There was no more putting it off. He'd made his play and had to follow through with it. Taking a deep breath, he whispered, "Lina?"
"Yes, Gourry?" she mumbled, face nearly hidden in the fold of his tunic. He couldn't see her face, but thought she sounded...happy. Content.
He swallowed hard and licked suddenly dry lips. All his previous nervousness was coming back in spades. He pushed all that aside and said, "I'm not very good with words." His heart was thumping furiously against his ribs and he knew that if he didn't get it out, he might not have the courage again. Quickly he continued, "I don't have anything to offer you except my name and my sword. They're not much, but they're all I have and if you'll have them, they're yours."
Lina stiffened and didn't say anything for a few moments. His heart fell when she didn't respond; had he done the wrong thing? Had he ruined everything? L-sama, no, don't let that happen, he prayed.
She pushed against him and looked into his face. The moon was nearly overhead and bright as day on this clear, cool night. Upturned as her face was, he could see it very clearly. She wasn't smiling, but neither was she frowning or angry-looking. "Gourry?" she asked in a quiet voice. "Are you proposing to me?"
He nodded, not trusting his voice. He felt a touch of fear chill him.
The red-haired sorceress in his arms reached up and grasped a handful of his tunic and pulled him down. He yelped, thinking she was going to smack him or something, but she just touched his face with the back of her fingers lightly as she gazed into his eyes, her own glowing like rubies in the darkness, and whispered, "Kiss me," she purred. "Then ask me again."
A little confused, Gourry kissed her. He held her close, putting as much emotion into the kiss as he could. He wanted her to know that he loved her with every fiber of his being, his very soul. He kissed her like he thought there was no tomorrow. He kissed her like there was never going to be another opportunity to kiss her again. He kissed her like she was life itself.
When he reluctantly ended that kiss, he looked down at her and whispered, "Will you be my wife?"
Lina pulled away only to stumble a bit which caused him to catch at her elbows to prevent her from falling. She clutched his arms and looked up at him. This time she did smack him, but only lightly and on the shoulder, more a gesture of fondness than irritation. "What took you so long?"
For a moment, Gourry couldn't do or say anything. Then the meaning of her answer sunk in. "Does that mean - "
"Yes, Gourry Gabriev of the Jellyfish, it means yes!" She grinned up at him as his jaw hung open. "You can't be that surprised, can you?"
Released from his momentary paralysis, he grabbed her around the waist and with a mighty whoop lifted her off her feet to spin her around, holding her high over his head. Lina could see his face fairly glowing in the moonlight. He dropped her into his arms and claimed another kiss from his lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and feet swinging over a foot off the ground, she returned the kiss - with interest.
And when you come my heart will be waiting
To make sure that you're never alone
There and then all my dreams will come true dear
There and then I will make you my own
"When?" he asked when he finally set her on her feet. Lina had to clutch at his arm to keep from sinking to the ground as her knees had turned to jelly. His strong hands held her steady as she recovered her balance.
"When what?" she asked stupidly, still reeling from the combined effects of adrenaline and something stirred up by his kiss.
"When do you want to get married?" he said.
Lina pushed her hair out of her face and looked up at him. "I don't know. I haven't thought about it all that much. When we get to Sayruun?"
Gourry looked up at the moon, a thoughtful look on his face. "Hmm...couple week's journey by foot. Do I really want to wait that long?" He looked down at her.
"It's not that long - " Lina started to say.
"It is to me." Gourry touched her cheek. "How about tonight."
"Tonight?" she squeaked. "Why?"
He just grinned at her. "Why not? You said yes, didn't you?"
"Y-yes, but what about Amelia and Zelgadis?"
He leaned down and kissed her again. "What about Amelia and Zelgadis?" he asked afterwards.
"They'll want to throw us a big party, with lots of food, and Amelia will want to make me wear an expensive dress - "
He straightened and looked down at her, his eyes reproachful. "What's wrong with the dress I bought you? Don't you like it?"
She huffed and smacked his arm. "That's not what I meant! I just meant that they'll be disappointed - "
"They'll have to be disappointed then. Amelia can give us a party when we get there; that will make her happy."
Glaring up at him. She could tell he was adamant about this and wasn't going to give in. "But you've only just asked! I need time to get used to the idea!"
"What's there to get used to? It won't change anything except we'll only need one room instead of two."
She blushed at the implications of that. "Gourry," she said, her voice pleading. "I love you, you know that, and I said I'd marry you, but I'm not ready to settle down yet!"
He looked at her strangely. "Who said anything about settling down? I'm just asking you to be my wife, not to give up what you love most - besides me, of course. You're happy just traveling around, right?"
She nodded, amazed at how perceptive he could be at times especially when he was so unperceptive at others.
"I just want you to be happy, Lina. If you're happy traveling, why stop just because we get married?"
"But marriage usually means finding a house and earning an honest living, raising a family - " She was running out of arguments.
"Lina, there's still lots of time for that, if we decide we want them. But at this very moment, what I want is you as my wife. Right now." He took her hand and held it in his. "Please, Lina, say yes."
Lina Inverse stood there and looked into his pleading eyes and knew she was unable to resist him. Being Lina Inverse, however, she gave it one last try. "There's probably not a priest in town - "
"Yeah, there is. I saw him this afternoon."
"So that's what you were doing while I was taking a nap," she accused.
Gourry started and looked guilty. "Uh, would you believe me if I said I just happened to be passing the Shrine when I ran into him?"
"No," Lina said flatly. She hadn't thought Gourry capable of such duplicity. "You planned this, didn't you?"
Taken aback, he shook his head vigorously. "No, Lina, really. I mean, I thought about it, but I've been thinking about asking you for a long time now. Tonight, everything just...happened."
She tried to be angry with him but found she just couldn't. Her last argument shot down, Lina had to admit there was nothing stopping them from getting married at that moment. Holding her hands wide, she laughed helplessly. "I give up. Let's go find that priest."
Letting out another whoop that startled some roosting birds in the trees overhead, he grabbed her around the waist and swung her around again. He set her on her feet and grabbed her hand and practically dragged her back to the village. Laughing, she stumbled, recovered herself, then ran along behind him.
The Festival was just getting into full swing as the moon rose towards its zenith. Gourry threaded his way through the maze of tables, keeping a tight hold on Lina's hand, towards a portly man wearing priest's robes. The man spotted him and turned towards him with a smile. "Welcome. Gourry, wasn't it?"
"Yes, Father Denian," Gourry said with a blush and a quick look cast Lina's way. Lina suspected that Gourry had done more than just 'see' the priest earlier that day.
The tall blond swordsman pulled Lina in front of him and put his hands on her shoulders. "Would you marry us, Father?" he asked without preamble. Suffering from a sudden attack of nerves, Lina played with the hem of her tunic.
Denian looked from Gourry to Lina, who felt very self-conscious under his gaze. There was no telling what Gourry might have said to the priest that afternoon. Some of Ceiphied's priests refused to have any dealing with practitioners of black magic. Denian's smile, however, was genuine. "I'd be glad to. First thing in the morning."
Gourry shook his head. "No, we want to be married now."
The priest leaned back and fixed Gourry with an incredulous look. "What? Now? Why the rush?"
Gourry looked down at Lina. "I've waited long enough. I don't want to go another night without her as my wife."
The priest cocked an eyebrow at Lina, who was chewing her lip. "And what about you, Miss? Are you in as great a hurry to marry this handsome young man?"
Lina looked up at Gourry who smiled down at her. Suddenly, all the arguments and uncertainties melted away and she smiled back at him. Looking back at the priest, she nodded. "Yes, Father."
"Well then," Denian said as he laughed. "Who am I to make you wait any longer?" He pushed himself out of his seat and headed towards the Shrine. "We'll need at least two witnesses," he said. "Do you know anyone here?"
Both Lina and Gourry shook their heads. "We're just passing through on our way to the capital city and stopped for the Festival."
Denian stopped and mused about it a moment. His face lit up and he turned. "I know. Follow me." He pushed his way through the crowds and headed towards the dance square. The musicians were taking a break and he climbed onto the makeshift stage and had a whispered conversation with the fiddler. The other man nodded and stood up. Instantly, everyone's attention was on him.
"Father Denian has got something to say, folks. Pipe down and listen to him." He stepped aside for the priest.
Denian stepped forward. "Seems I've been asked to perform one of my more enjoyable duties tonight. These two - " he indicated Gourry and Lina where they stood on the edge of the square, " - have asked me to marry them. But they're travelers, just passing through. Will you all be witnesses to their marriage?" A great cheer went up from the crowd. Denian smiled and motioned that the swordsman and sorceress should come forward. Gourry pulled Lina forward, giving her hand a squeeze when she hesitated.
Once they were standing before him, Denian had them face each other, took their right hands and placed Lina's in Gourry's. He covered them with his hands, one on top and one on the bottom. "Now," he began in a strong, clear voice. "We all know that marriage is a solemn institution not entered into lightly. I think these two know that, however," he added with a wink at the both of them. They blushed and glanced away then back at each other. Lina gave Gourry a small smile.
"Two individuals vow to devote themselves to one another, foregoing all others. They vow to protect, care for, and support one another, through illness or health, in good times and bad. They vow to honor the other, neither discouraging or disparaging the other, and most importantly to love one another. Do you - " Denian looked at Gourry expectantly.
"Gourry Gabriev."
"Gourry Gabriev, vow all these things?"
Gourry looked at Lina and into her eyes. "With all my soul."
"Do you - " It was Lina's turn.
Lina bit her lip. She was sure she was going to get the same response she usually got at the mention of her name - Bandit Killer, Dragon Spooker, the Abominable, Enemy Of All Who Lived - and swallowed. "Lina. Lina Inverse," she said softly so that only he could hear.
Denian's eyebrows went up but he did not falter. "Lina Inverse, do you vow all these things?" He glared at the crowd as a hushed whisper went up at her name. The crowd quieted down under his glare.
Lina looked up into Gourry's sapphire eyes and smiled. "With all my soul." His hand tightened on hers in Denian's hold.
"Then, by the will of Ceiphied, I pronounce you man and wife for all eternity." He beamed at them both and stepped back, releasing their hands. "You may now kiss your bride."
Gourry looked into Lina's eyes and gently took her chin in his left hand. Leaning down, he touched his lips to hers and kissed her with melting tenderness but with no less passion than he'd kissed her in the lane. Lina found herself quite swept away by it and to grab at his arm when he straightened.
The crowd exploded into whoops and cheers. The men stomped their feet and thumped empty ale mugs and shouted encouraging comments to Gourry, some of which made both of them blush. Father Denian had to admonish some of them not to be vulgar. The women swooned over how handsome Gourry was and how lucky Lina was.
"Hey!" someone shouted. "We're a famous village now!"
"How do you figure that?" someone else called.
"Cuz it was here that the famous sorceress Lina Inverse was married on Harvest Festival!" Another cheer went up and the crowd pressed in around them, offering congratulations. Soon they were calling for the newlyweds to dance. Gourry turned to the fiddler and whispered something. He smiled and nodded then Gourry pulled Lina into the now cleared dancing square. As the first strains of "Moondance" began, she grinned up at him. He grinned back and then they started to dance.
And every time I touch you
You just tremble inside
Then I know how much you want me
That you can't hide
Can I just have one more moondance with you
My love?
Can I just make some more romance with you
My love?
It was very late by the time the Festival started to break up and Gourry and Lina found themselves making their way back to the inn. As they pushed open the door to the common room, a woman seated at a table near the counter looked up at them. Gourry recognized the woman who had sold him the dress earlier. She smiled and stood up, coming towards them.
"Considering she wasn't your girlfriend this afternoon, I'm surprised to find she's your wife now."
"Gourry, just what have you been telling people?" Lina demanded. First looking for a priest and now this...
"Nothing, really!" he said desperately.
The woman put a hand on Lina's shoulder. "He didn't say anything, my dear. I just made a few deductions from the way he was watching you, is all." She went behind the counter and reached for something underneath it.
Shifting nervously from foot to foot, Gourry rubbed the back of his neck. "That obvious, huh?"
As she straightened, the woman winked at him. "That obvious." She held out a key. "Here."
Lina, who was closest, took it. "What's this for? We've already got - "
"You'll need a room with a bigger bed, won't you?" She chuckled when both of them blushed. "Just leave your keys in your old rooms when you clear out. Now be off with you both!" She made shooing motions with her hands. As they moved up the stairs, she called out after them, "Sleep well!" Lina tripped on the step and Gourry had to grab her arm to keep her from falling.
At the top of the stairs, Gourry looked at Lina. "Which room?" he asked. She was about to demand how should she know when she remembered she was the one holding the key. She looked down at the little tag and read out the number. Gourry quickly went along the hallway until he found it and waited for Lina to unlock the door. She stared at the door a moment before she inserted the key into the lock and turned it. Then he pushed open the door.
Lina stared into the room, with it's larger bed made for two people to sleep in. She seemed frozen in her tracks. When Gourry noticed she hadn't followed him inside, he went back to her side and touched her shoulder. "Are you okay, Lina?"
"What?" she said, dragging her eyes away from the bed. "Oh, yes. Uh, I'll just go get my things," she said, turning and almost running to her room. Once inside she leaned against the door and tried to get her racing heart under control. She closed her eyes and counted to ten, taking long deep breaths to calm herself. There was no turning back now. Swallowing, she laid a hand on her chest and gathered her wits. Pushing away from the door, she quickly gathered up her things, stuffing her clothes into her pack and draping her cloak over her arm and hanging her sword belt over her shoulder. Taking another deep breath, she left her room and headed down the hall to their new room.
The door was standing ajar and she saw Gourry stacking his armor on a chair. He hung his sword over the back of the chair, taking as much care with it as he had with his Sword of Light. She frowned; they really needed to find a new magical sword for him. His skills as a swordsman were incredible, but when she attracted magical monsters the way she did, he needed more than mundane steel in his hands.
She frowned at herself; here she was thinking about swords on her wedding night. But then again, this was nothing like how she imagined her wedding night would be. She quickly hid the frown; she didn't want Gourry to turn around and see her looking like that. Instead, she pushed open the door and stepped into the room.
Gourry looked up and hurried over to her. "Hey! Stop!" he said, pushing her out into the hall again. He took her things from her and with an admonition to "Stay here," he turned back into the room and put her things down by his. Then he returned and stepped into the hallway next to her. Bending, he swept her into his arms.
"Hey! Gourry!" she half-gasped, half-cried, putting her arms around his neck. "What are you doing?"
"Tradition," he said as he carried her into the room. "Have to carry the bride across the threshold." He kicked the door shut behind him and they both winced when it shut with a loud bang.
"You'll wake everyone up!" she hissed.
"So?" he said, grinning. He bent awkwardly and turned the lock, then carried her over to the bed. Laying her on it, he knelt over her and covered her mouth with his. She felt her nervousness evaporating and she put her arms around his neck and held him tightly.
After, he stretched out next to her and propped himself up on one elbow. He looked at her, brushing her hair off her cheek. "You've made me the happiest man in the world; do you know that, Lina Inverse?"
"Gabriev. Lina Gabriev," she admonished, touching his lips with her fingers. "Or have you forgotten already? You said you had nothing but your name and your sword to give me."
He grinned self-consciously. "I thought you might want to keep going by your own name since it's the one everyone knows."
She shook her head. "People will just have to get used to the new one." Suddenly, she grinned impishly and slid her hand in under his overtunic. "Now are we going to talk all night or are we going to, er, do whatever it is married people do on their wedding night?" She faltered over the last.
Gourry's face clouded. "What? You don't know either? I was hoping you could tell me what we're supposed to do - Ack!" he broke off as she hit him with a pillow. "What was that for?"
"You jellyfish! You can't be that clueless, can you?" she demanded hitting him with the pillow again.
"Calm down, calm down!" he admonished, laughing as he caught the pillow and tossed it off the bed. "I know, I know. I was joking."
"Of all the - " She shook her head and gave him a mock angry look. "You really had me going there for a minute." Her eyes suddenly went round. "So what do they do?" she asked in a quiet voice.
Gourry smiled gently at her. "This," he said and kissed her.
Later, they lay together in a tangle of limbs and sheets, Lina cradled in the crook of Gourry's arm. She sighed contentedly in her sleep as Gourry watched her. He smiled and stroked her hair softly, careful not to wake her. Even as he did so, she started snoring softly. That only caused him to chuckle and tighten his grip around her. She shifted, murmured something and shifted closer to him.
The swordsman turned his head and looked out the window him. Their room overlooked the village square and the dusty lane lined by apple trees where they'd danced. They were dark blobs in the night as the moon was setting, but the fields beyond them were still limned with silver. Gourry found himself humming softly. When he recognized the tune, he smiled and rolled over and put his other arm around Lina, rested his cheek against her hair and drifted off to sleep himself.
Can I just have just one more moondance with you
My love?
Can I just make some more romance with you
My love?
One more dance with you
In the moonlight
On a magic night
Lal, lal, lal, lal, in the moonlight
On a magic night
Can I just have one more moondance
With you
My love?