Princess of Justice - Amelia wil Tesla Saillune
(Sorry for it being slightly late! I had some problems getting re-signed up onto the community. I took the Hammer of Justice to it and it's working fine now!)
Title: Princess of Justice - Amelia wil Tesla Saillune
Author: Megan Lavey aka DQBunny (dqbunny)
Email: savvyliterate[@]gmail.com
Character: Amelia wil Tesla Saillune
Fandom: Slayers
Word Count: Around 3,400
Spoilers: Episodes 11-26 of Slayers and all of Slayers NEXT and Slayers TRY, manga #5-7 of the "Super-Explosive Demon Story" and manga #2-6 of "Slayers: Knight of Aqualord" and novel #4
Introduction
I fell into the Slayers fandom a lot later than a good many of my friends. For a lot of them, it was usually their first anime or second following Sailormoon. I got into the anime in April 2005, years after I initially became an anime fan. I had already reviewed some of the manga for http://www.animeondvd.com. While it entertained me, I didn't think I'd become a hardcore fan like I am for Inuyasha and Rurouni Kenshin.
At first, I thought I would just watch through the series once and then move on. But Slayers had me laughing, and hints being thrown in my direction about the content of Slayers NEXT had me immediately reaching for the second series.
By the end, I was seriously hooked. This is a series where I immensely enjoyed all of the main cast - the short-tempered sorceress Lina Inverse, the skilled, but forgetful swordsman Gourry Gabriev, the brooding and somewhat-angsty Zelgadiss Greywords and the justice-loving princess Amelia wil Tesla Saillune. Lina's the one I found myself itching to write fic about. But Amelia was the one who quickly wormed her way into my heart and I never even realized it.
Amelia is one of those characters that consistently gets bashed for simply being who she is. Her image, as portrayed in the Slayers anime and some of the manga, is partly to blame for this. From this, the fanon!Amelia has emerged - a hyperactive justice-loving freak who does nothing but whine and plot to take Zelgadiss for herself.
These aspects are somewhat true. Amelia is a very strong champion of justice. She has feelings for Zelgadiss. At first, she comes across as extremely childish. But what is overlooked is that she grows and matures from the first time we see her in the anime and manga. Another overlooked point is Amelia in the novels - how she is already mature, self-assured and confident enough in her abilities to back Lina and Gourry on her own.
So I want to show people a multi-faceted version of Amelia wil Tesla Saillune, her strengths and weaknesses and how she matures into a lovely young woman with a passion for justice and a lot of love for her friends.
About Amelia
Name: Amelia wil Tesla Saillune (in the English dub of the anime, she is Amelia wil Tesla Seyruun)
Age: Anime - 14 in the first season, 15 in Slayers NEXT and 16 in Slayers TRY.
Novels - 16 in book 4 (Lina says she's 16 in book 3 and Amelia is suppose to be slightly older than she is)
Manga - Not too sure about her age here, but I'm guessing she is 15-16 in the Super-Explosive Demon Story arc and then around 18 in Knight of Aqualord arc
Hair: Black in all three mediums, but with some blue highlights in the anime. There are some novel images of her with dark brown hair.
Eye color: Blue
Occupation: Princess of Saillune, third-in-line to the throne. She is also a healer and shrine maiden
Amelia has short hair that hangs slightly above her shoulders. Like with Sylphiel, her eyes are very large and expressive. Like her elder sister, Amelia is well-endowed, which causes from jealousy from Lina. When traveling with Lina, she normally wears a white tunic and trousers that are lined with pink, a white cloak and light-colored boots. She wears two bracelets that have blue magic jewels affixed to them and a choker that matches it. She also wears a belt that has a pink fuzzy thing on it that is assumed to be a pouch.
Childhood
Amelia wil Tesla Saillune is the second daughter of Crown Prince Philionel el de Saillune and his wife, now deceased. She is the younger sister of Gracia ul Naga Saillune, also known as Naga the White Serpent. Not much is known about Amelia's childhood with the exception of her mother's assassination. Gracia witnessed their mother's death and subsequently left home after this. Amelia and her father became extremely close and Phil passed on his fervent love for justice and pacifism to Amelia.
Sometime in her early teens, Amelia started to study both white and spirit magic, quickly excelling in both and becoming a shrine maiden in Saillune. By the time Amelia meets Lina, she has mastered the Ra Tilt, the equivalent of the Dragon Slave in spirit magic. She is also pretty strong in white magic, but not as strong as Sylphiel from most indications (Sylphiel has used Resurrection successfully and Amelia hasn't been shown using it.) Amelia is given a few more powers in the anime that she doesn't have in any of the manga series or novels. She knows and uses both Raywing and Levitation in the anime, when she can't use either in the other two mediums.
Princess and Fighter for Justice
One of the most pivotal events in Amelia's life happens when she's 14 in the anime and 15 in the novels - she meets Lina Inverse.
In the anime, Amelia has gone off looking for her father, who trying to uncover a plot to remove him from the throne. Along the way, she runs into Gourry Gabriev, who is Lina's protector. Amelia hires Gourry to protect her until she finds her father. Shortly thereafter, they run into Lina, her father and Uncle Randy. Lina had been hired to protect Phil. Amelia is so enthralled by Lina's sense of "justice" that she tries to get Lina to teach her the Dragon Slave. After Zangulus and Vurumugan start chasing Lina and Gourry to get them to Sairaag, Amelia tags along after she destroys part of Saillune City by accident.
In the novels, Lina and Gourry have been hired to protect Prince Phil from an assassination attempt that would become the basis for the first arc of Slayers NEXT. They meet Amelia when they escort Phil back to the palace. Amelia aids them in uncovering the plot to kill her father and saves Lina and Gourry from Kanzeil by following them out of town and casting a Ra Tilt.
Amelia participates in the fight against Zanaffar and Copy Rezo; Mazenda and Kanzeil; Maryuu-Ou Gaav and Hellmaster Fibrizo. In the anime, she also fights against Darkstar and is one of the users of the Weapons of Light at the end of the series. In the Aqualord arc of the manga, Amelia fights alongside Gourry and Shizuri against the Mazoku that have invaded the village where they're waiting for Lina. Amelia winds up saving Lina and Lyos at the end of the arc by stopping their plummet through the air after Lina loses consciousness.
Amelia's travels with Lina has a side effect on her position at home. When she is first introduced in the anime, Amelia is very much of a little girl. She's an annoying girl at that. The first episode I ever saw with her, I wanted to throw something at the TV. But traveling with Lina Inverse tends to have an effect on people and Amelia grows because of her trials.
This is apparent at the beginning of Slayers NEXT. Amelia is sent alone in her father's name to Xoana to warn the king that Saillune is finding the country's increased army a threat to the treaty established between the two kingdoms. When her father is presumed dead not long after, Amelia remains calm and collected, taking the helm of the search behind his death herself.
In Slayers TRY, it is apparent that Amelia is one of the main forces behind the planned excursion to the lands beyond the Mazoku barrier. Amelia is the one who explains the plan and details the exact route for the trip, and probably came up with a good deal of it on her own with Prince Phil to guide her. When Lina and the others are chasing Filia through the ocean, Amelia immediately takes charge of the ship and her subjects are quick to answer her orders.
In the Aqualord arc of the manga, once again, Amelia is an ambassador - this time to the lands beyond the Mazoku barrier. She encounters Lina and Gourry on a diplomatic trip to the country Kunan, but is stranded there when her ships are destroyed because of her relationship to Lina.
Relationships
Family
Prince Phil - Amelia is clearly Daddy's Little Girl and it's easy to see why. With his wife dead and eldest daughter off on constant journeys, Amelia is all that Phil has. In the anime, Amelia is introduced when she runs into Gourry while trying to find her father (who was with Lina at the time.) Phil constantly encourages Amelia to grow stronger all in the name of justice and, as seen earlier in the essay, eventually views Amelia as a confidant and is confident in her abilities to perform deeds in his name.
Gracia (aka Naga) - Little is known about the relationship between Amelia and Gracia. In the novels, Amelia explains her sister's absence by saying she was off on another one of her training missions, implying that she does come home every so often. In the anime, it's inferred that Gracia has not returned to Saillune since she left, as Zelgadiss mentions in Slayers NEXT. In Slayers, Amelia spots a woman that looks almost like Naga walking down the road and stops to consider this. Before she can proceed any further, she's forced to turn her attention back to Lina and Gourry. In Slayers TRY, Gourry mentions that Amelia is growing taller and she replies that being tall is a family trait and that her sister is almost as tall as Gourry is. Later on in TRY, Lina starts to laugh like Naga and Amelia responds, "I don't like that sort of laugh, Lina-san."
Christopher and Randy - Amelia gives her uncles the respect that a niece gives her uncle, but doesn't seem to be too close to either of them. Randy's death (which she witnesses in the anime) doesn't really bother her, especially after knowing that Randy was trying to kill her father. Amelia is also one of those who is quick to believe that Christopher would try to take the throne away from her father.
Alfred - Like with her uncles, Amelia doesn't appear to be that close to her cousin, Alfred. More than likely, they were childhood playmates since they appear to be roughly the same age. But as they got older, Alfred more than likely distanced himself from Amelia - especially since Amelia embraces many of Prince Phil's ideals regarding peace and justice.
Grandfather - Amelia doesn't talk about her grandfather, the king, other than mentions that he is ill.
Possible romantic interest
Zelgadiss Graywords - Traditionally, the pairings tend to fall two ways in the Slayers Universe: Lina/Gourry and Zelgadiss/Amelia. In the novels and anime, when the groups split up, this is how they tend to fall. This section covers the anime, since I have not read the novel where Zelgadiss meets Amelia yet.
While discovering the truth behind Copy Rezo, Zelgadiss saves Lina, Gourry, Amelia and Sylphiel from Eris, Copy Rezo's associate. Amelia questions Zelgadiss' appearance, which gets them off to a rocky start. But not long after, the two pull off a double Ra Tilt together, causing some massive damage.
Zelgadiss largely views Amelia as an annoying little girl in Slayers. This starts to change in Slayers NEXT. The two square off against each other when Zelgadiss is under contract to the kingdom of Xoana, and at the time, he was willing to choose his cure over Amelia. As they begin to travel together once more, Zelgadiss begins to show some protective feelings toward Amelia. He starts to view her as the only other semi-sane person in the party, which is probably the truth.
By the end of the series, there is definitely something there between them. Amelia and Zelgadiss both have intercepted attacks meant for the other on many occasions and get along together well. They are comfortable in each other's company when left alone, and Zelgadiss is very much at ease around Amelia - something that is often misrepresented in fanfiction about the two. What flusters him is forcing him to acknowledge that he may have feelings for her.
However, the relationship between Zelgadiss and Amelia isn't promoted like the Lina/Gourry relationship. It's more implied than anything, because Zelgadiss' primary quest is his cure. Until he finds it (or comes to his senses), it will be more important than any relationship he wants to pursue with Amelia. At the end of Slayers TRY, Amelia gives Zelgadiss one of her bracelets to remember her by, and he carries it with him on his canteen. If it will ever go further, it remains to be seen. My theory is that Zelgadiss will eventually return to Saillune and pursue a relationship with Amelia if she is still available.
Friends and other encounters
Lina Inverse - Lina is Amelia's best friend, and they act very sister-like toward each other. At first, in the manga and anime, Amelia wants to be just like Lina. She's convinced that Lina is out fighting for justice all the time and wants her power. The more time Amelia spends in Lina's company, however, she learns that Lina's sense of justice is a bit...twisted. She suffers a severe crisis of faith in the anime when she has to decide who believe, the bounty hunters after Lina or Lina herself. So, she blows up the place and decides that whoever emerged from it was the good guys.
Like sisters, Lina and Amelia bicker with each other and are embarrassed to be around each other at times. When she's conducting official business for Saillune in Slayers NEXT and Slayers TRY, Amelia wants Lina to be as far away from her as possible. Lina is jealous of Amelia's cuteness and breast size. But they always stick by each other and support each other. In Knight of Aqualord, Amelia isn't bothered by Lina showing up while she's on ambassador duties and extends the protection of the kingdom of Saillune to Lina and Gourry to prevent them from being arrested in Tito.
Gourry Gabriev - In the anime, Gourry is the person Amelia encounters first and she hires him to be her bodyguard while she searches for her father. Gourry's concerned that Amelia's going to seriously injure herself. The relationship between them has been described as distant, or friend of a friend, but I see it more like a much older brother toward a younger sister. He keeps an eye out for Amelia's well-being and has taken her under his protection wing. In Slayers TRY, after the failed opening of the Darkstar gate, Amelia and Gourry wind up spending a few weeks together while they search for Lina, Zelgadiss and Filia, continuing the sibling-type relationship. They are comfortable around each other to the point where in Knight of Aqualord, Gourry allows his worry over Lina to slip through for her to see.
Amelia is the #1 supporter within the Slayers world of the Lina/Gourry pairing. For her, they are her one true pairing. Throughout Slayers NEXT, Slayers TRY, the second manga series and Knight of Aqualord, she has done or said things that shows how strongly she supports it. After Lina fakes her death fighting Kanzeil in Slayers NEXT, Amelia nudges Zelgadiss away to give Lina and Gourry a chance to talk by themselves. In Slayers TRY, Amelia is very upset when she is paired with Gourry during the trip to the so-called marriage temple because she feels like she's committing a grave sin against Lina. In the TV-based manga series, Amelia calls Gourry Lina's boyfriend when she introduces him to her father. In Knight of Aqualord, Amelia tells Shizuri and Lyos that Lina and Gourry are falling in love with each other. Later on in the series, when the two take a private moment to say their goodbyes before Lina heads to receive the power of the Airlord, Amelia looks over her shoulder and smiles at them. Even though her own romantic relationship is very unsure, she wants Lina and Gourry to have happiness and supports them as much as she can.
Filia ul Copt - Filia and Amelia really don't interact that much within the context of Slayers TRY. Amelia mentions that she is jealous that Filia has the knowledge of holy magic, because it is no longer taught among priestesses and shrine maidens. But other than that, the two aren't together much since when the group is separated, Filia is with Lina and Zelgadiss and Amelia is with Gourry.
Xelloss - Amelia's on a crusade to get Xelloss to repent his evil ways for being a Mazoku and to turn to the side of good. As punishment for not revealing he was a Mazoku sooner in Slayers NEXT, she gets him to repeat "Life is wonderful" every night for awhile. This tactic comes back to help Amelia in Slayers TRY, when she gets Gourry and Zelgadiss to help her sing about how wonderful life is to cripple Xelloss long enough for Lina to act.
Lyos and Shizuri - Lyos really doesn't interact with Amelia much at all. Shizuri was familiar with Amelia because of her visit to Tito and calls her "ohime-sama," or "princess." The relationships between them is about the same as it was toward Filia, just traveling partners. Shizuri and Amelia have discussed the status of Lina and Gourry's relationship with each other, but not much else between the two of them is seen.
Nemisis
Martina - Other than the various enemies they've encounter in the series, Martina is the only real nemesis that Amelia has, and that doesn't even last for very long. Martina and Amelia are pitted against each other at the beginning of the series due to the differences between Xoana and Saillune. But as Martina tags along behind the group, she and Amelia develop a tenuous friendship. Amelia attends Martina's wedding to Zangulus and is one of the first to congratulate them on their marriage.
Why Amelia?
Amelia is a character I could not stand at first. She was absolutely annoying, and her lack of maturity just had me wanting to throw something at the TV. It is that first impression given of her in the anime and the Super Explosive Demon Story arc of the manga that turns many fans off to her. However, her first appearance in the novels is remarkably different and she already has the maturity she later grows into in the anime.
But through the series, she does the most maturing out of all of the characters other than Lina herself. The Amelia you first meet isn't the one you would expect to see handling delicate matters of state by the time Slayers TRY comes around. Her enthusiasm for justice is still there, but is tempered down now with common sense and reasoning. The biggest indicator of how much Amelia has grown is seen at the end of Slayers NEXT and in the Aqualord arc of the manga. Amelia is very much a lovely young woman in both instances - and it is shown through very adult-like acts.
Amelia is a fantastic princess, but she doesn't rub it in anyone's face. She doesn't use her titles to her advantage and actually prefers to keep a low profile. She is optimistic, caring and is willing to put her life on the line to save someone else. Many people see Amelia as a hyperactive justice freak. I see her as a very bright, optimistic, energetic young woman who wants to leave her mark on the world in her own way. If she is given the chance, she will be a remarkable leader for Saillune.
Amelia sites and recommendations
There is an awful lot of stuff to wade through out there, but here's some of my recommendations:
The Princess and the Chimera - A site dedicated to Amelia and Zelgadiss that contains information on both.
Hamlet: The Manga - A hilarious, yet unfinished, online doujinshi of the Slayers cast putting on Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Zelgadiss plays Hamlet and Amelia plays Ophelia, which leads to some amusing situations.
And for fanfiction...
Hic et Ubique - This fic is one of the most well-known Amelia/Zelgadiss works out there and it is simply beautiful. It's the story that made me a fan of the couple, and does a wonderful job in delving into Amelia's mind.
30 Kisses: Amelia/Zelgadiss - This series of fics for the 30_kisses community is being written by meliachu. They're absolutely wonderful and some of the best fic surrounding these two I've ever seen.
Thinking of You: A wonderful vignette about Amelia's feelings at the end of the Aqualord arc of the manga.
To Err is Human and To Deceive is a Crime: These stories largely center around Amelia and does a wonderful job in looking inside of Amelia's mind and following her as she goes through life-altering circumstances that threaten her ideals. There's some implied Amelia/Zelgadiss here, but it's a natural progression.
Title: Princess of Justice - Amelia wil Tesla Saillune
Author: Megan Lavey aka DQBunny (dqbunny)
Email: savvyliterate[@]gmail.com
Character: Amelia wil Tesla Saillune
Fandom: Slayers
Word Count: Around 3,400
Spoilers: Episodes 11-26 of Slayers and all of Slayers NEXT and Slayers TRY, manga #5-7 of the "Super-Explosive Demon Story" and manga #2-6 of "Slayers: Knight of Aqualord" and novel #4
Introduction
I fell into the Slayers fandom a lot later than a good many of my friends. For a lot of them, it was usually their first anime or second following Sailormoon. I got into the anime in April 2005, years after I initially became an anime fan. I had already reviewed some of the manga for http://www.animeondvd.com. While it entertained me, I didn't think I'd become a hardcore fan like I am for Inuyasha and Rurouni Kenshin.
At first, I thought I would just watch through the series once and then move on. But Slayers had me laughing, and hints being thrown in my direction about the content of Slayers NEXT had me immediately reaching for the second series.
By the end, I was seriously hooked. This is a series where I immensely enjoyed all of the main cast - the short-tempered sorceress Lina Inverse, the skilled, but forgetful swordsman Gourry Gabriev, the brooding and somewhat-angsty Zelgadiss Greywords and the justice-loving princess Amelia wil Tesla Saillune. Lina's the one I found myself itching to write fic about. But Amelia was the one who quickly wormed her way into my heart and I never even realized it.
Amelia is one of those characters that consistently gets bashed for simply being who she is. Her image, as portrayed in the Slayers anime and some of the manga, is partly to blame for this. From this, the fanon!Amelia has emerged - a hyperactive justice-loving freak who does nothing but whine and plot to take Zelgadiss for herself.
These aspects are somewhat true. Amelia is a very strong champion of justice. She has feelings for Zelgadiss. At first, she comes across as extremely childish. But what is overlooked is that she grows and matures from the first time we see her in the anime and manga. Another overlooked point is Amelia in the novels - how she is already mature, self-assured and confident enough in her abilities to back Lina and Gourry on her own.
So I want to show people a multi-faceted version of Amelia wil Tesla Saillune, her strengths and weaknesses and how she matures into a lovely young woman with a passion for justice and a lot of love for her friends.
About Amelia
Name: Amelia wil Tesla Saillune (in the English dub of the anime, she is Amelia wil Tesla Seyruun)
Age: Anime - 14 in the first season, 15 in Slayers NEXT and 16 in Slayers TRY.
Novels - 16 in book 4 (Lina says she's 16 in book 3 and Amelia is suppose to be slightly older than she is)
Manga - Not too sure about her age here, but I'm guessing she is 15-16 in the Super-Explosive Demon Story arc and then around 18 in Knight of Aqualord arc
Hair: Black in all three mediums, but with some blue highlights in the anime. There are some novel images of her with dark brown hair.
Eye color: Blue
Occupation: Princess of Saillune, third-in-line to the throne. She is also a healer and shrine maiden
Amelia has short hair that hangs slightly above her shoulders. Like with Sylphiel, her eyes are very large and expressive. Like her elder sister, Amelia is well-endowed, which causes from jealousy from Lina. When traveling with Lina, she normally wears a white tunic and trousers that are lined with pink, a white cloak and light-colored boots. She wears two bracelets that have blue magic jewels affixed to them and a choker that matches it. She also wears a belt that has a pink fuzzy thing on it that is assumed to be a pouch.
Childhood
Amelia wil Tesla Saillune is the second daughter of Crown Prince Philionel el de Saillune and his wife, now deceased. She is the younger sister of Gracia ul Naga Saillune, also known as Naga the White Serpent. Not much is known about Amelia's childhood with the exception of her mother's assassination. Gracia witnessed their mother's death and subsequently left home after this. Amelia and her father became extremely close and Phil passed on his fervent love for justice and pacifism to Amelia.
Sometime in her early teens, Amelia started to study both white and spirit magic, quickly excelling in both and becoming a shrine maiden in Saillune. By the time Amelia meets Lina, she has mastered the Ra Tilt, the equivalent of the Dragon Slave in spirit magic. She is also pretty strong in white magic, but not as strong as Sylphiel from most indications (Sylphiel has used Resurrection successfully and Amelia hasn't been shown using it.) Amelia is given a few more powers in the anime that she doesn't have in any of the manga series or novels. She knows and uses both Raywing and Levitation in the anime, when she can't use either in the other two mediums.
Princess and Fighter for Justice
One of the most pivotal events in Amelia's life happens when she's 14 in the anime and 15 in the novels - she meets Lina Inverse.
In the anime, Amelia has gone off looking for her father, who trying to uncover a plot to remove him from the throne. Along the way, she runs into Gourry Gabriev, who is Lina's protector. Amelia hires Gourry to protect her until she finds her father. Shortly thereafter, they run into Lina, her father and Uncle Randy. Lina had been hired to protect Phil. Amelia is so enthralled by Lina's sense of "justice" that she tries to get Lina to teach her the Dragon Slave. After Zangulus and Vurumugan start chasing Lina and Gourry to get them to Sairaag, Amelia tags along after she destroys part of Saillune City by accident.
In the novels, Lina and Gourry have been hired to protect Prince Phil from an assassination attempt that would become the basis for the first arc of Slayers NEXT. They meet Amelia when they escort Phil back to the palace. Amelia aids them in uncovering the plot to kill her father and saves Lina and Gourry from Kanzeil by following them out of town and casting a Ra Tilt.
Amelia participates in the fight against Zanaffar and Copy Rezo; Mazenda and Kanzeil; Maryuu-Ou Gaav and Hellmaster Fibrizo. In the anime, she also fights against Darkstar and is one of the users of the Weapons of Light at the end of the series. In the Aqualord arc of the manga, Amelia fights alongside Gourry and Shizuri against the Mazoku that have invaded the village where they're waiting for Lina. Amelia winds up saving Lina and Lyos at the end of the arc by stopping their plummet through the air after Lina loses consciousness.
Amelia's travels with Lina has a side effect on her position at home. When she is first introduced in the anime, Amelia is very much of a little girl. She's an annoying girl at that. The first episode I ever saw with her, I wanted to throw something at the TV. But traveling with Lina Inverse tends to have an effect on people and Amelia grows because of her trials.
This is apparent at the beginning of Slayers NEXT. Amelia is sent alone in her father's name to Xoana to warn the king that Saillune is finding the country's increased army a threat to the treaty established between the two kingdoms. When her father is presumed dead not long after, Amelia remains calm and collected, taking the helm of the search behind his death herself.
In Slayers TRY, it is apparent that Amelia is one of the main forces behind the planned excursion to the lands beyond the Mazoku barrier. Amelia is the one who explains the plan and details the exact route for the trip, and probably came up with a good deal of it on her own with Prince Phil to guide her. When Lina and the others are chasing Filia through the ocean, Amelia immediately takes charge of the ship and her subjects are quick to answer her orders.
In the Aqualord arc of the manga, once again, Amelia is an ambassador - this time to the lands beyond the Mazoku barrier. She encounters Lina and Gourry on a diplomatic trip to the country Kunan, but is stranded there when her ships are destroyed because of her relationship to Lina.
Relationships
Family
Prince Phil - Amelia is clearly Daddy's Little Girl and it's easy to see why. With his wife dead and eldest daughter off on constant journeys, Amelia is all that Phil has. In the anime, Amelia is introduced when she runs into Gourry while trying to find her father (who was with Lina at the time.) Phil constantly encourages Amelia to grow stronger all in the name of justice and, as seen earlier in the essay, eventually views Amelia as a confidant and is confident in her abilities to perform deeds in his name.
Gracia (aka Naga) - Little is known about the relationship between Amelia and Gracia. In the novels, Amelia explains her sister's absence by saying she was off on another one of her training missions, implying that she does come home every so often. In the anime, it's inferred that Gracia has not returned to Saillune since she left, as Zelgadiss mentions in Slayers NEXT. In Slayers, Amelia spots a woman that looks almost like Naga walking down the road and stops to consider this. Before she can proceed any further, she's forced to turn her attention back to Lina and Gourry. In Slayers TRY, Gourry mentions that Amelia is growing taller and she replies that being tall is a family trait and that her sister is almost as tall as Gourry is. Later on in TRY, Lina starts to laugh like Naga and Amelia responds, "I don't like that sort of laugh, Lina-san."
Christopher and Randy - Amelia gives her uncles the respect that a niece gives her uncle, but doesn't seem to be too close to either of them. Randy's death (which she witnesses in the anime) doesn't really bother her, especially after knowing that Randy was trying to kill her father. Amelia is also one of those who is quick to believe that Christopher would try to take the throne away from her father.
Alfred - Like with her uncles, Amelia doesn't appear to be that close to her cousin, Alfred. More than likely, they were childhood playmates since they appear to be roughly the same age. But as they got older, Alfred more than likely distanced himself from Amelia - especially since Amelia embraces many of Prince Phil's ideals regarding peace and justice.
Grandfather - Amelia doesn't talk about her grandfather, the king, other than mentions that he is ill.
Possible romantic interest
Zelgadiss Graywords - Traditionally, the pairings tend to fall two ways in the Slayers Universe: Lina/Gourry and Zelgadiss/Amelia. In the novels and anime, when the groups split up, this is how they tend to fall. This section covers the anime, since I have not read the novel where Zelgadiss meets Amelia yet.
While discovering the truth behind Copy Rezo, Zelgadiss saves Lina, Gourry, Amelia and Sylphiel from Eris, Copy Rezo's associate. Amelia questions Zelgadiss' appearance, which gets them off to a rocky start. But not long after, the two pull off a double Ra Tilt together, causing some massive damage.
Zelgadiss largely views Amelia as an annoying little girl in Slayers. This starts to change in Slayers NEXT. The two square off against each other when Zelgadiss is under contract to the kingdom of Xoana, and at the time, he was willing to choose his cure over Amelia. As they begin to travel together once more, Zelgadiss begins to show some protective feelings toward Amelia. He starts to view her as the only other semi-sane person in the party, which is probably the truth.
By the end of the series, there is definitely something there between them. Amelia and Zelgadiss both have intercepted attacks meant for the other on many occasions and get along together well. They are comfortable in each other's company when left alone, and Zelgadiss is very much at ease around Amelia - something that is often misrepresented in fanfiction about the two. What flusters him is forcing him to acknowledge that he may have feelings for her.
However, the relationship between Zelgadiss and Amelia isn't promoted like the Lina/Gourry relationship. It's more implied than anything, because Zelgadiss' primary quest is his cure. Until he finds it (or comes to his senses), it will be more important than any relationship he wants to pursue with Amelia. At the end of Slayers TRY, Amelia gives Zelgadiss one of her bracelets to remember her by, and he carries it with him on his canteen. If it will ever go further, it remains to be seen. My theory is that Zelgadiss will eventually return to Saillune and pursue a relationship with Amelia if she is still available.
Friends and other encounters
Lina Inverse - Lina is Amelia's best friend, and they act very sister-like toward each other. At first, in the manga and anime, Amelia wants to be just like Lina. She's convinced that Lina is out fighting for justice all the time and wants her power. The more time Amelia spends in Lina's company, however, she learns that Lina's sense of justice is a bit...twisted. She suffers a severe crisis of faith in the anime when she has to decide who believe, the bounty hunters after Lina or Lina herself. So, she blows up the place and decides that whoever emerged from it was the good guys.
Like sisters, Lina and Amelia bicker with each other and are embarrassed to be around each other at times. When she's conducting official business for Saillune in Slayers NEXT and Slayers TRY, Amelia wants Lina to be as far away from her as possible. Lina is jealous of Amelia's cuteness and breast size. But they always stick by each other and support each other. In Knight of Aqualord, Amelia isn't bothered by Lina showing up while she's on ambassador duties and extends the protection of the kingdom of Saillune to Lina and Gourry to prevent them from being arrested in Tito.
Gourry Gabriev - In the anime, Gourry is the person Amelia encounters first and she hires him to be her bodyguard while she searches for her father. Gourry's concerned that Amelia's going to seriously injure herself. The relationship between them has been described as distant, or friend of a friend, but I see it more like a much older brother toward a younger sister. He keeps an eye out for Amelia's well-being and has taken her under his protection wing. In Slayers TRY, after the failed opening of the Darkstar gate, Amelia and Gourry wind up spending a few weeks together while they search for Lina, Zelgadiss and Filia, continuing the sibling-type relationship. They are comfortable around each other to the point where in Knight of Aqualord, Gourry allows his worry over Lina to slip through for her to see.
Amelia is the #1 supporter within the Slayers world of the Lina/Gourry pairing. For her, they are her one true pairing. Throughout Slayers NEXT, Slayers TRY, the second manga series and Knight of Aqualord, she has done or said things that shows how strongly she supports it. After Lina fakes her death fighting Kanzeil in Slayers NEXT, Amelia nudges Zelgadiss away to give Lina and Gourry a chance to talk by themselves. In Slayers TRY, Amelia is very upset when she is paired with Gourry during the trip to the so-called marriage temple because she feels like she's committing a grave sin against Lina. In the TV-based manga series, Amelia calls Gourry Lina's boyfriend when she introduces him to her father. In Knight of Aqualord, Amelia tells Shizuri and Lyos that Lina and Gourry are falling in love with each other. Later on in the series, when the two take a private moment to say their goodbyes before Lina heads to receive the power of the Airlord, Amelia looks over her shoulder and smiles at them. Even though her own romantic relationship is very unsure, she wants Lina and Gourry to have happiness and supports them as much as she can.
Filia ul Copt - Filia and Amelia really don't interact that much within the context of Slayers TRY. Amelia mentions that she is jealous that Filia has the knowledge of holy magic, because it is no longer taught among priestesses and shrine maidens. But other than that, the two aren't together much since when the group is separated, Filia is with Lina and Zelgadiss and Amelia is with Gourry.
Xelloss - Amelia's on a crusade to get Xelloss to repent his evil ways for being a Mazoku and to turn to the side of good. As punishment for not revealing he was a Mazoku sooner in Slayers NEXT, she gets him to repeat "Life is wonderful" every night for awhile. This tactic comes back to help Amelia in Slayers TRY, when she gets Gourry and Zelgadiss to help her sing about how wonderful life is to cripple Xelloss long enough for Lina to act.
Lyos and Shizuri - Lyos really doesn't interact with Amelia much at all. Shizuri was familiar with Amelia because of her visit to Tito and calls her "ohime-sama," or "princess." The relationships between them is about the same as it was toward Filia, just traveling partners. Shizuri and Amelia have discussed the status of Lina and Gourry's relationship with each other, but not much else between the two of them is seen.
Nemisis
Martina - Other than the various enemies they've encounter in the series, Martina is the only real nemesis that Amelia has, and that doesn't even last for very long. Martina and Amelia are pitted against each other at the beginning of the series due to the differences between Xoana and Saillune. But as Martina tags along behind the group, she and Amelia develop a tenuous friendship. Amelia attends Martina's wedding to Zangulus and is one of the first to congratulate them on their marriage.
Why Amelia?
Amelia is a character I could not stand at first. She was absolutely annoying, and her lack of maturity just had me wanting to throw something at the TV. It is that first impression given of her in the anime and the Super Explosive Demon Story arc of the manga that turns many fans off to her. However, her first appearance in the novels is remarkably different and she already has the maturity she later grows into in the anime.
But through the series, she does the most maturing out of all of the characters other than Lina herself. The Amelia you first meet isn't the one you would expect to see handling delicate matters of state by the time Slayers TRY comes around. Her enthusiasm for justice is still there, but is tempered down now with common sense and reasoning. The biggest indicator of how much Amelia has grown is seen at the end of Slayers NEXT and in the Aqualord arc of the manga. Amelia is very much a lovely young woman in both instances - and it is shown through very adult-like acts.
Amelia is a fantastic princess, but she doesn't rub it in anyone's face. She doesn't use her titles to her advantage and actually prefers to keep a low profile. She is optimistic, caring and is willing to put her life on the line to save someone else. Many people see Amelia as a hyperactive justice freak. I see her as a very bright, optimistic, energetic young woman who wants to leave her mark on the world in her own way. If she is given the chance, she will be a remarkable leader for Saillune.
Amelia sites and recommendations
There is an awful lot of stuff to wade through out there, but here's some of my recommendations:
The Princess and the Chimera - A site dedicated to Amelia and Zelgadiss that contains information on both.
Hamlet: The Manga - A hilarious, yet unfinished, online doujinshi of the Slayers cast putting on Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Zelgadiss plays Hamlet and Amelia plays Ophelia, which leads to some amusing situations.
And for fanfiction...
Hic et Ubique - This fic is one of the most well-known Amelia/Zelgadiss works out there and it is simply beautiful. It's the story that made me a fan of the couple, and does a wonderful job in delving into Amelia's mind.
30 Kisses: Amelia/Zelgadiss - This series of fics for the 30_kisses community is being written by meliachu. They're absolutely wonderful and some of the best fic surrounding these two I've ever seen.
Thinking of You: A wonderful vignette about Amelia's feelings at the end of the Aqualord arc of the manga.
To Err is Human and To Deceive is a Crime: These stories largely center around Amelia and does a wonderful job in looking inside of Amelia's mind and following her as she goes through life-altering circumstances that threaten her ideals. There's some implied Amelia/Zelgadiss here, but it's a natural progression.