Chapter 27

Greed is the inventor of injustice as well as the enforcer…

The Speaker of the Courts rapped the butt of his staff against the marble floor. The attention of the crowd instantly narrowed on him. "Citizens. Nobles. Esteemed guests," the Speaker called, his magically amplified voice filling the room. "The Throne decrees a recess until three o'clock this afternoon. Please enjoy the hospitality of the kingdom at the Temple."

Like a receding tide, the audience slowly filed out of the court room.

Lina, Naga, and Sylock made their exit through a separate passage. Lina was bored out of her mind. This marked the fourteenth day she had spent at the First Princess of Saillune's side. Fourteen days! Those were two weeks wasted as far as Lina was concerned. She could have better spent those days investigating the assassination attempt on Amelia.

Instead, Naga—Lina still refused to think of her as Gracia, let alone a princess!—insisted Lina spend the days with her at court. Any argument Lina made went in one ear and right out the other. According to Naga, the world functioned in only one way: Her way. And if she wanted Lina at her side, that is where Lina would be. A younger Lina Inverse would have thought nothing of storming off on her own. Naga's orders be damned! The present-day Lina Inverse was much wiser, patient, and diplomatic. She realized a public argument with the current regent would not look good for either of them. So for the moment, she remained at Naga's side.

To make matters worse, their days in court were long and dull. Lina absolutely hated politics. Too many words. Not enough action. The Saillune royal court was not helping change her opinion. And Naga, as acting queen, was the only one permitted to be seated. Lina stood off to Naga's right. Sylock was on the left looking mildly intrigued.

Speaking of the silver-furred kitsune, Sylock had shared the last two weeks beside Lina and Naga. Lina found his presence refreshing because she would have gone mad with boredom otherwise. When the kitsune spoke up with a curious question about human customs or an innocent quip, it was a pleasant distraction from the monotony of the court. What she didn't understand is why the kitsune was here in the first place. The last time Lina had checked, kitsune weren't much for politics unless it involved trade. Sylock was certainly not here for that.

Most times the kitsune appeared interested in everything the humans around him had to say. Occasionally, he yawned. Lina couldn't help but notice that some of those yawns were particularly well-timed, baring long, sharp fangs for all to see. The nobles petitioning a particularly petty matter would turn pale after one glance at those fangs, pack up their things, and quickly depart.

Their days in court followed a simple pattern. A visiting noble or advisor would enter the court room to discuss a matter of state. Naga would politely inquire for details. Amendments were made or the matter was rejected. Lina had to give her credit. As acting regent, Naga somehow managed to appear pleasant and interested in everything her subjects had to say.

Lina never bothered trying to smile. It was enough of a struggle to keep her patience in check. And these days of endless standing around made her feet hurt.

"Naga, can we call it a day already?" she whispered as they stepped into an adjoining room.

Naga smoothly slid onto a cushioned sedan. A servant instantly appeared at her side, laying out a table with multiple trays of sweet meats, pastries, and fruit. A second servant was pouring her a glass of red wine from a freshly opened bottle.

"Patience, Lina," the First Princess of Saillune chided as she stretched out like a cat. "The day is only half done. We have to put on a good show for our adoring subjects."

"Oh, come on! You have done this every day for the last two weeks. No matter how many petitioners you see, there will always be more the following day. How long do you plan on continuing this farce?"

"It is no farce," Naga replied with a surprisingly serious voice. "Contrary to my reputation among the nobles and what you know of me, I hold the upmost respect for the good people of Saillune, regardless of whether they are an esteemed knight or a lowly commoner. Saillune exists because of the people. Their toils, their sacrifices are what make my family's kingdom great."

"That is surprisingly deep to hear from you."

"I did grow up as a princess."

"Yea, that is the part makes it all the more unbelievable."

Naga cackled her ear-splitting laugh. "The genius Sorceress Supreme is struck dumb by my abilities alone. Well, what else can be expected of a person of my standing? Had you been a person of better breeding my greatness would have been readily apparent from the very beginning."

"Keep telling yourself that. It doesn't make it true, you floozy." Lina slouched down onto her own padded chair and kicked her feet up on a very expensive-looking footstool. After standing all morning it felt so good to sit down. "So do you mind explaining why I have been standing at your side for the last two weeks? I mean, I could be doing more important things like, you know, investigating why Cerulean is so keen to assassinate Queen Amelia. That's all."

Naga didn't immediately respond. Her attention was focused on her wine glass, from which she took a single pull that nearly drained the glass. The servant refilled the glass without waiting for an order. It disappeared as quickly as the first.

"Yes, silly, you could," Naga began, "but Saillune must first introduce its new royal court mage to everyone. Everyone. It would be discourteous not to. Besides, don't you trust Zelgadis to investigate things in your absence?"

"I do, but he also has Nami to look after. Not everyone can be like you and just drop their kid off at the Temple to be looked after." The words were not meant as an insult, but Lina spoke them to drive home a point. If the First Princess took offense, she did not let it show.

"What is your hurry? I just awarded you the position of royal court mage. You could at least pretend to enjoy it a little."

"Hello? Someone wants to assassinate Amelia."

Naga sighed wearily. "Lina, someone always wants to assassinate the queen. If not her, then me. I wasn't kidding when I said this is normal for us. You can be absolutely certain that the only person who doesn't want to assassinate Amelia is me. And that is because I would end up permanently stuck sitting on the throne with all the responsibilities of the kingdom."

"Not very queenly of you to say."

"I am a princess," Naga replied with a smile, "not a queen. Amelia is welcome to take the Throne back at any time. I do hope it is sooner rather than later. My butt keeps falling asleep in that chair."

"Probably because your butt is so big"

"Why, Lina, I didn't know you were looking," Naga giggled. The alcohol was catching up to her. Her normally pale cheeks were flushed pink. "It is a very cute butt, don't you think? I work so hard to keep it in shape."

"Don't flatter yourself, Naga. And don't try to flirt with me."

"Why not?" she pouted only for it to be replaced by a mischievous grin a moment later. "If I can seduce you, then maybe Zelgadis will follow. We can have a threesome! Those are so much fun."

"Don't push your perversions onto us."

"Oh, Lina, you are so cold. Are you telling me you have never been with a man and a woman at the same time? You don't know what you are missing. Did you know two woman can—"

"I like men, Naga."

"I like men, too. That doesn't mean I don't like to experiment or try new things. Why, Lina, are you blushing? Is it something I said?"

"Can we talk about something else?" She gestured to the kitsune crouched on a third sedan across from them. "Sylock is right there."

"Don't mind little ole me," Sylock chuckled, popping a morsel of bacon-wrapped cheese into his mouth. "I enjoy learning more and more about your human culture. It could prove useful in future relations between our races."

"Why don't you share something with us of the kitsune culture?" Naga suggested. "What are romantic relationships like for kitsune? I have heard taking multiple partners is common."

"Aye, we do take multiple partners. And some races view kitsune as promiscuous because of it." He paused to pop another tender morsel into his mouth. "Humans tend to compare it to polygamy or polyandry, which isn't quite right. We chose our partners based on the passions they ignite within us, whether that is curiosity, creativity, or something else. We can have a single partner or many. The relationship may last a season, decades, or split and resume at a later date."

"What about children?"

"They happen," Sylock replied with a wry grin. "Everyone has a hand in raising cubs. We even have a maxim: It takes a village to raise a child." He pointed to the door where Zelgadis and Nami appeared a moment later. "Oh, look! Your two favorite people have arrived."

The little witch was riding on Zelgadis's shoulders.

"Lina! Gracia! Sylock!" Nami waved. Zelgadis lifted her up and placed her on the ground. She ran up and gave each one a giant hug before plopping down next to Lina.

Lina affectionately ran her hand through the little witch's hair. "How are you doing, Nami? Keeping Zelgadis out of trouble?"

"We have been exploring the palace. This place is huge!" Nami held her hands apart to demonstrate. "It's way bigger than the one back home. I don't think we have explored half the rooms yet."

"Oh, yea? You get the grand tour of the palace while I'm stuck day after day in the throne room. I see who the most important woman in Zelgadis's life is."

"Complain to your boss," the chimera chuckled. "Maybe if she gave you a day off once in a while we could enjoy more quality time together."

"Ohohohohohoho! Not a chance. The courts are relentless. Why should I suffer alone? Besides, now that most of the neighboring kingdoms know the Sorceress Supreme is aligned with Saillune our standing is that much stronger during negotiations."

"You are using Lina as leverage?"

"The Sorceress Supreme has quite the reputation," Naga stated matter-of-factly. "She has saved several towns from bandits all by herself, fought off entire armies, and even combatted Mazoku. Why, I am certain she could even rival the likes of the Dragon Spooker or Dramatta. What do you think Lina?"

Said sorceress was glaring daggers at Naga. "I think we should change the subject."

"Oh? Well, what would the Sorceress Supreme like to talk about?"

Lina took a moment to gather her thoughts. There were still so many things she was curious about in Saillune. Fifty years was a long time to be gone. "I was wondering. What happened to Amelia's husband? I haven't seen him around."

Naga frowned, her eyes narrowing in disgust. "Of all the glorious people in Saillune, you want to know about that human woodlouse? I suppose your curiosity can't be helped. And I can speak freely about it now since it happened so long ago. Better you learn from me than some random serf on the street. I banished the prince into exile over four decades ago."

Lina rocked back in shock. "Exile? That is a bit extreme, don't you think? What did he do?"

"It was much easier than you think. I already told you he preferred the company of men so there was no love lost between him and Amelia. Their marriage was strictly political, although he held no power beyond his family name. We tolerated his presence in court for a time. Far longer than we should have, really. Amelia and I will tolerate stupidity and incompetence to a degree. We do not tolerate arrogance."

"Why is that?" Nami asked, curious. "Is there a difference?"

Naga smiled and patted the little witch's head affectionately. "Honey, we are so fortunate you exercise your mind. Stupidity and incompetence can be managed. With time and wisdom, they can be remedied. Arrogance cannot. It is the refusal to believe one is less than perfect."

"What happened?"

"He tried to have Amelia assassinated by poison so he could take the throne. I overheard the plot one day because he was practically bragging about it to anyone that would lend an ear. A pill innocently slipped into her cup during afternoon tea. He was reciting all the changes he would make after ascending to the throne once Amelia was removed." The princess glanced at Zelgadis who looked horrified. "This mess isn't your fault. Don't you dare feel responsible for any of it!"

Zelgadis stood dumbfounded. His mouth opened and closed several times as if to speak, but no words came forth. After a long moment he finally found his voice. "I heard the prince disappeared, but never knew he was exiled. The rumor around the courts at the time said that he just up and vanished one day. What country did you exile him to?"

"The bottom of the ocean."

"What?"

"The ocean floor is full of fish," Naga explained. "The occupy the land. Therefore it is there country."

"No, I mean, why? How?"

"He was quietly taken into custody by the Queen's Guard one night—they can be very diligent in their duties—and shipped out to sea where I promptly booted him off the royal yacht. I told him to give my regards to the fishes."

"You left him to drift in the ocean?"

"Oh, no, Zelgadis, that would be sloppy work," Naga replied, smug as a cat. "How careless do you think I am? I used a spell to fashion a pair of stone boots for him."

"That was kinder than the prince deserved," he mused, running a hand through his hair. "All the same, remind me to never get on your bad side, Gracia."

"Hold up," Lina interrupted. "Didn't Amelia have anything to say about this?"

"Lina, you have to understand their relationship had dwindled to the point where they avoided crossing paths as much as possible. Weeks could go by without them seeing each other. Amelia assumed he left for good with one of his boy toys, especially after finding a conveniently placed note. She had their marriage annulled two years later. She would have preferred it done sooner, but you know how slow the bureaucratic process can be."

"Amelia never suspected…?"

"Amelia has never asked. I have never told. I trust you never will, either."

"What about rumors?"

"Rumors spread. They always do. The note from the prince announcing his departure only fanned the flames of gossip. It was well known Amelia was miserable with the prince. If anything, the people of Saillune were secretly overjoyed their queen was finally freed of the shackles of her sham of a marriage. The Light knows her mood improved considerably because of his absence. And the courts were relieved they no longer had to tolerate the presence of an idiot prince."

"No one suspected foul play?"

"Of the Justice Queen? Never! She is innocent, after all." Naga was silent a moment as she swirled the remaining wine in her glass. "You can't say I don't love my sister." She drained the remainder of the glass in a single pull.

"You can be very scary, Naga."

"Ohohohohohoho! That is just one of my many skills, Lina. You should see what I can accomplish when I am in a good mood."

There was a knock at the door. Iola appeared dressed in the white robes and armor of a Temple Knight. "Mother, the Cerulean ambassador has arrived and awaits at your pleasure."

"I am certain he does."

"What is the occasion?" Lina asked. "You look like you are dressed for war."

"It is merely a precaution, Sorceress Supreme. Given Cerulean's behavior in recent weeks I would prefer to err on the side of caution."

"Do you really think they would have the audacity to attack Naga or Queen Amelia in their own court in front of a crowd?"

"The ruling class among the Ceruleans are not the most rational of people," Iola replied. "Five years ago the Cerulean nobility sought to line their coffers by quadrupling the taxes on imports. Nine out of every ten merchants avoided the kingdom all together rather than pay the ridiculously high taxes. It sent their economy into a downward spiral as prices on all goods skyrocketed. They sent emissaries to Saillune who cried foul over the 'unjust practices' of the merchant guilds. Auntie Amelia laughed in their faces and gave them a lengthy sermon over letting their lust for gold blind them."

"How did they take it?"

"About as well as you can expect a starved lion to behavior around a flock of sheep. When Auntie Amelia refused to help, Cerulean began to block trade routes outside of their kingdom. They would confiscate all goods from the merchant caravans they came across. This angered all the surrounding kingdoms and nearly started a war that would have wiped out Cerulean. Luckily, Auntie Amelia stepped in and formed a blockade that surrounded Cerulean's borders. She forced them to dissolve their army, leaving them with only enough soldiers to defend themselves against invasion. The blockade ended last year after they finally agreed to return import taxes to their original price and compensate merchants who suffered under their actions."

"And I suppose they have been a thorn in Amelia's side ever since?"

"Exactly, Sorceress Supreme. Mother has suggested for years that we annex the kingdom and absorb it into Saillune. Replacing their nobility can only improve the lives of the common people. Auntie Amelia has refused on the grounds that it should only be done as a last resort. But with the turn of recent events her patience, as well as Mother's, is running dangerously thin."

"Interesting." Lina sighed and turned to Naga. "Shall we get this over with?"

The Speaker of the Courts stepped forward and announced, "Lord Greyol, Ambassador of Cerulean."

An older, heavy-set man dressed in gold robes with wide, billowing sleeves traversed the carpet leading to the throne. Close on his heels followed six members of his entourage. They stopped a polite distance from the throne but made no attempt to bow as protocol demanded.

"You may approach the Throne, Ambassador," Naga commanded after a long moment. Her voice remained even, patient. Her expression showed she was not pleased with the Cerulean's rudeness.

The ambassador stepped forward. "Greetings, Princess Gracia. I am Lord Greyol, the new Cerulean ambassador. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"The Throne welcomes you to Saillune, Lord Greyol. We hope you serve Saillune and Cerulean better than your predecessor."

Lina noticed the ambassador still had not bowed. And he was inching closer to the throne. Too close, as far as Lina was concerned! She began gathering energy for a protective spell.

Greyol must have sensed it. His hand slid into the opposite sleeve, drawing a flintlock pistol. "Nobody move!" The audience gasped in surprise. "There isn't a mage alive who can cast a spell faster than a bullet." His six cohorts, likewise, drew their own pistols.

Naga was red with fury. "How dare you! What exactly do you hope to accomplish—" She flinched as the pistol thundered. The metal slug embedded itself in the back of the throne mere inches from her head. Two knights rushed forward to her defense and were instantly cut down by more gunfire.

"I would watch your mouth, Princess. As you can see, our bullets are enchanted to penetrate magical wards."

He wasn't kidding. Lina sensed at least three of the protective shields surrounding the throne had shattered from the single shot.

"And don't you get any funny ideas, Lina Inverse!" Greyol spat. Two of his flunkies had their pistols leveled at her. "We know it was you who murdered our previous ambassador."

"If by murder you mean I killed him in self-defense, then yes," Lina replied calmly, although inside she was near panic. "I mean, he did attempt to murder Queen Amelia and myself first." Her fingers itched to release her spell. But could she do it without getting shot?

Sylock stepped forward, putting himself between the Ceruleans and the throne. "Crikey, you Ceruleans are rank amateurs. Flintlock pistols? Really? Those archaic relics are single-shot that take forever and a day to reload. So far you wasted three of your seven shots. What do you plan to do when all of your pistols are empty?"

The ambassador glared at Sylock. "The mongrel dares speak to his betters? Put this dog down!"

Three flintlocks thundered. Three bullets took the kitsune in the chest one right after the other. Each shot knocked him back a step. Voices in the audience cried in panic. Fear of being shot kept them from fleeing. Sylock swayed slightly on his feet. To the amazement of all, he did not fall. Instead, he gathered himself together, sucked in a sharp breath, and bared his fangs in a fearsome grin.

"You mates had your chance," Sylock hissed. "Now it's my turn."

A silver pistol leaped free of its holster hidden beneath the kitsune's green cape. His free hand was a blur, fanning the hammer. Six shots rang out so rapidly the blast echoed as a single giant thunderclap.

The audience watched in stunned silence as they tried to comprehend what happened. Greyol started in shock at his six assistants. Two lay dead from brutal shots to the head. A third clutched at his stomach. Blood leaked freely from between his fingers. Two more nursed injured wrists—their flintlock pistols had been shot out of their hands. The last one lay curled up on the ground in a growing pool of blood. He whimpered softly.

"How?" he gasped in confusion. "You only have one pistol!"

"That is where you are wrong. I have two," Sylock replied, producing a second one in a similar manner. "The problem with you humans is once you are satisfied with an invention you don't seek to innovate it further." The kitsune twirled the twin pistols around his fingers. "These are of kitsune make and far superior in design. Revolvers, we call them. Each one holds six rounds. More than enough to pick off anything that moves." He cocked the hammer of the second pistol back with his thumb. "And just so you know, this one still has all six."

It took the ambassador a moment to pick his jaw up from the floor. "But—but my men shot you three times! Those bullets can pierce a steel breastplate at one hundred yards."

"Aye, they sure can. Kick like a mule, too, they do." The kitsune holstered his spent pistol, then tugged at his vest. Three malformed metal slugs fell to the marble floor with a dull thunk. "Unless you wear one of these vests my people designed from a special material. The fibers are tightly woven together and reinforced with metal plates. Bullets will not penetrate."

"I refuse to be undone by an uneducated beast."

Sylock growled, the ferocity of the sound forcing Greyol back a step. "I take offense to that! Kitsune believe education is all about being excited about something. Passion and enthusiasm help drive a message forward."

"See how you like this!" The ambassador drew a wand from his belt. Before anyone could react, he took aim at Sylock. "Lightning!" The spell leaped through the air between them. The kitsune calmly held his gloved hand out before him.

Nami screamed as the spell struck Sylock. It should have fried him to a crisp. Thrown him across the room. Made his fur stand on end. Something, anything other than what happened.

Sylock held his free hand out. The glove absorbed the lightning. It was like watching a tub drain after the cork had been pulled, only this tub was full of lightning. All the stray ribbons of magic were sucked into his palm. The glyphs woven and pressed into the leather were now glowing a fierce blue. The kitsune flashed Nami a confident smile and a wink.

"Impossible!" Greyol cried again. "Kitsune can't use magic."

"I am beginning to think you don't understand what that word means. But it is true. Kitsune don't use magic. Adapting and enhancing technology is where our gift lies. That doesn't mean we didn't learn ways to store and contain magic. You know, similar-like to a battery. After all, to a scientific mind, magic is just a form of energy. We can even redirect it. All caster-like, see?"

Sylock gestured at the ambassador. The volatile energy stored in the glyphs of his glove washed over Greyol in a wave of light. The protective runes sown into the lining of his robes glowed white hot until they burst into flame. Greyol frantically tugged at the burning robes until they tore free. By then, Iola and the Saillune royal guard appeared to take him into custody.

"Sylock!" Nami leaped at the kitsune once everyone was safely shuffled out of the throne room. The little witch wrapped him up in a giant hug. "You're all right!"

The kitsune hissed, his tuft ears wilting in pain. "Mind the ribs, little'un, won't ya? Three bullets at once is a bit much for even a flak jacket to stop."

"I can help." Nami pressed her palms against his sides. "Healing!"

Sylock exhaled in relief as a pleasant warmth washed away the pain. His ears perked up. "Thank you, little'un. That is nice."

Guards, knights, retainers, and advisors were rushing about after the excitement of the past hour. Naga was busy listening to reports, suggestions, and barking orders. Zelgadis weaved his way through the chaos towards Lina. The sorceress smiled at his approached, as she slipped off her gloves and tucked them into her belt. She would have loved nothing more than to meet him halfway, jumping into his arms with a kiss, but as the Royal Court Mage of Saillune, she had a responsibility to stay by Naga's side. Fortunately, Zelgadis was very understanding. When a space opened up around them, he jumped in, clasping Lina's hands within his, and giving her a quick peck on the lips.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

Lina was not about to let him get away with such a small display of affection. She pulled him into a deep kiss, which only ended due to the need to breathe. "I would feel a lot better had I been able to throw a few fireballs into the mix." She took a moment to relish the sensation of her bare hands against his stone skin.

"Luckily, you had Sylock to help."

"Yea, speaking of him…" The Sorceress Supreme fixed a look on the kitsune who was still being healed by Nami. "Hey, Sylock!" The kitsune's silver ears perked up at the sound of his name. "Where did you get those gloves?"

"Oh, these?" Sylock scratched his head sheepishly. "We kitsune realized long ago that our greatest weakness was our inability to use magic. The Queen Vixen had our greatest artificers working for years on a way to defend against it. One of the many solutions the Intel Department developed happened to be these gloves. They can absorb and redirect one, maybe two spells for a short time."

"Do all kitsune wear those?"

"Oh, no, Sorceress Supreme. These are too dangerous to give to just anyone. Only members of the Silver Hand are permitted, like yours truly."

Zelgadis turned his attention to the First Princess of Saillune. "What about you, Gracia? How are you feeling?"

"Angry," Naga grumbled as she dismissed the last advisor. She brushed off a few stray wooden splinters from her dress. Her face quickly returned to the cheerful expression she had worn all day until that point. "Very angry. But unharmed. Thank you for asking, Zelgadis. The life of a princess is never dull."

"No matter how much time I spend around royalty I never get used to it. I can't help feeling I should have reacted somehow."

"We all realize keeping Princess Nami safe is quite the handful, Zelgadis. She was your priority. Likewise, she kept you from becoming involved, which is exactly what Saillune needed."

"What do you mean?"

"You will understand in a moment," Naga replied. At the snap of her fingers a young page stepped forward bearing a scroll on a silver platter. "Sylock, the Throne of Saillune has something for you and your queen. We are certain you realize what this is. Please step forward."

"Your Highness," Sylock bowed.

"Thank you for your assistance today," Naga said in her most regal voice. "Before Ceiphied, all are considered equal. Your actions have cemented the kitsune's loyalty to us. I have agreed to the Queen Vixen's proposal and will immediately dispatch an ambassador from Saillune to her kingdom. Let this scroll represent the trust established between our kingdoms."

"Thank you, your Highness. It was an honor to demonstrate our capabilities and come to your aid in a time of need."

"Wait a minute," Lina's eyes flicked between the kitsune and Naga. "You knew this was going to happen? You had Sylock standing there beside us all this time just for that?"

"Well, of course, Lina," Naga replied simply. "Their spies gathered word of Cerulean's ultimate plans. The Queen Vixen has been in discussions with Saillune for months to start up new trade routes. She realized with their newfound knowledge that she had an opening to show their good intentions. She sent Sylock with the news."

"Too right!" the kitsune agreed. "Bugger all that I was delayed by bad weather. Had I arrived a day or two sooner we could have prevented the attempt against Queen Amelia and yourself, Sorceress Supreme. My deepest apologies."

"Don't worry about it Sylock." Lina said dismissively. "Naga, you never thought to tell me about any of this?"

"Your surprise had to be genuine. How does the saying go? If you can fool your friends, you can fool your enemies."

Lina ground her teeth in frustration. Was this how her friends felt during their early years traveling together? "Don't give me that crap! What if you had been shot?"

"What if you had been shot?" Naga, hands on hips, spat back in a mocking imitation of Lina's voice. "I swear, you sound as bad as some of my advisors." She straightened to her full height, shoulders pressed back, chest proudly thrust forward. "I will have you know the dress I am wearing is woven of the same material as Sylock's vest. It was a gift from the Queen Vixen."

"And what if Greyol had shot you in the head, Naga?" Never mind the opening in the front of the dress that left her a giant portion of her cleavage on display for all to see. A bullet through the heart would have proved just as deadly to the First Princess of Saillune. "How well do you think you would heal with your brains splattered all over the wall?"

That mental image deflated Naga's ego and left her stumbling over her next words. "Well, I…I hadn't…thought of that." She was even starting to look a little green.

"Uh, huh. As I thought, you are all bust and no brains, you floozy. What are we going to do with you? How are we supposed to protect you if you recklessly put yourself in danger? What would we tell Amelia if you died? How would Nami feel? How do you think Zel and I would feel? Did you ever stop to think about any of that?"

Lina's scolding snapped Naga out of her darker thoughts. Her sharp features suddenly blossomed into a mischievous smile.

"What is it?" She did not trust that smile one bit. "Did you find something amusing about what I said?"

Naga leaned in closely to the crimson haired sorceress, so close she could almost feel the heat radiating from the princess. Lina began to shy away when, without warning, the First Princess of Saillune swept her up in a giant hug. "See, Lina, you really do care!"

"What are you…?" Lina struggled to no avail. The all-encompassing hug left her arms pinned to her sides. Without her enchanted gloves, Naga's advantage in height gave her leverage in strength over Lina. "Put. Me. Down."

Sylock observed the situation with a mixture of amusement and puzzlement. "Is this another human custom?" he asked Zelgadis.

"Sort of. Lina and Gracia share an unusual friendship. I guess you could say they are celebrating that friendship."

"Hey, a little help, please!"

"You appear to have things well in hand," Zelgadis replied with a smirk.

"So help me, Zel, when I get free…"

"Group hug!" Nami announced, joining in. "Sylock, come on!"

"Little'un, I think I will continue to observe your human customs a bit more before joining in. Perhaps I will have a better understanding of them by then."

"What are we going to do about the new Cerulean ambassador?" Zelgadis asked, trying to turn the conversation back to the more serious matter.

Naga smiled mischievously, although she still didn't release Lina. "Oh, I thought I would let him rot down in the dungeons for a few days before speaking with him. I already have a plan in store for him."