Author's Note: Xellos and Amelia never really have anything much to do with each other over the course of the series, and the manga, and the novels (from what I've managed to get my hands on anyway) so this is my little dabble at giving them a scene together that doesn't involve any "life is wonderful" speeches. And I've tried to make this as close to canon as possible, God help me.

Canonically, this takes place during Slayers: TRY. It also contains allusions to the Xellos/Filia pairing, just so you know.

Hunter

"Even when liars tell the truth, they are never believed. The liar will lie once, twice, and then perish when he tells the truth."

Aesop's Fables: 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf'

Something prodded her roughly in the shoulder. Amelia started awake with a distinctly non-feminine snort. Beside her, Lina grumbled sleepily and rolled over. Next to her, Filia slept on undisturbed, completely oblivious.

"Whassat?"

Gourry's kind face loomed above her in the darkness.

"It's your turn to take watch, Amelia."

Oh. Still sluggish from sleep, it took Amelia's brain a few moments to remember that yes, it was her turn to keep watch over the rest of the camp and no, she couldn't just roll over and go back to sleep. Poor Mr. Gourry needed his rest, too.

She yawned, stretching. Her spine made soft popping noises.

"I'll be out in a moment, Mr. Gourry."

The swordsman nodded, his gentle features made even softer by the honest smile now stretching across his face. Amelia noticed with a small pang of concern that his eyes were shadowed more than usual, evidence of his exhaustion.

"Okay." He made as if to leave, and then stopped, as if he had just remembered something.

"Oh, by the way, how do you like your tea?"

Amelia blinked at him, confused. "What?"

"Well, I mean, Xellos just wanted to know. He's boiling some water right now."

Xellos. A strange kind of fearful anticipation suddenly lanced through her chest, sharp and cold.

Gourry nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah. He's been sitting out there with me for a while now." He reached up to scratch idly at his thick blond mane. "He talks a lot."

Amelia wasn't really listening. Xellos...why would he...

Something poked her again, albeit more gently this time. "Amelia?"

She shook her head, trying to clear her mind, and graced her friend with a somewhat brittle smile. "Tell Mr. Xellos that...that if he happens to have any sugar I would be very grateful if he could spare a little for my tea."

"Okay. I'll..." He broke off suddenly, interrupted by a loud, long yawn. Lina snorted and twitched, jabbing her elbow into Amelia's hip. Gourry's jaw snapped shut, eyes bugging out comically as he realised that he was dangerously close to waking her and therefore incurring her impressive wrath.

"Jeez, I'd better get out before she wakes up. Have a good night, okay Amelia?" And before she could think of a response he was gone, tent flap barely shifting in his wake.

Amelia dressed slowly, mindful to not rouse Lina or Filia any further, while her mind churned over the fact that it seemed she was about to spend the next five hours alone with Xellos, of all people. (Well, not really alone, technically. Just the only one conscious while a monster meandered around, completely unfettered and free to do as it pleased.) The idea was, well, when you got right down to it, ever so slightly terrifying. And why had he decided to hang around so suddenly anyway? Xellos' usual habit was to disappear as soon as they set up camp for the night, or, if he was in the mood, stay just long enough to rile up some small amount of chaos, usually involving Miss Lina or Miss Filia. Lately the dragon had become Xellos' new object d' art when it came to stirring up trouble. If Amelia didn't know any better she might have thought that the mazoku seemed to be quite...taken with her.

But as far as she could tell Xello's attitude regarding herself seemed to be one of cool ambivalence. Everyone else seemed to be able to elicit some kind of emotional response from the demon; he respected Miss Lina's power and was often quite tickled by her explosive temper. He took shameless delight in antagonizing poor Mr Zelgadis, even Mr Gourry seemed to both bemuse and vex the priest by his easy acceptance of him.

But aside from the odd occasion when she'd attempted to smother him with one of her 'life is wonderful' speeches, his attitude regarding her was...well, to put it bluntly, it seemed as though he just didn't care.

Amelia trembled ever so slightly as she pulled on her cloak. She couldn't decide whether to be relieved or horrified at that particular thought.

It was going to be a very long and very uncomfortable evening.

When she emerged from the tent several minutes later Xellos was alone, perched on a felled log and watching the fire with a strange little half smile on his face. As she approached he lifted his head to watch her, the smile widening, dimples forming at the corners of his lips. His eyes were slitted as usual, hiding the coldness of his gaze.

"Ah, Miss Amelia, wonderful timing! The tea is just about ready." He gestured amicably to the little pot bubbling merrily over the fire.

She nodded, not really knowing what to say, and then seated herself delicately on the log next to him, keeping a respectable distance between them.

"Before he turned in for the night Mr. Gourry informed me that you expressed your desire for some sugar with your tea." He reached forward and clasped the metal handle of the pot, heedless of the fact that it would be no doubt red-hot to the touch. He set it on the ground and then began to rifle through his satchel, that cute little smile never leaving his face.

"I'm delighted to tell you that you're in luck! I always carry some spare with me, for just such an occasion." From the bag he pulled out a small jar, along with an expensive looking silver teaspoon. He cocked his head at her and grinned. "So, how many spoonfuls would you like?"

Amelia swallowed. For some odd reason her throat felt a little dry. "Just one please, Mr Xellos."

The mazoku mock pouted, the expression so sweet it was almost sickening. "Just the one? Well, I suppose that makes sense. After all, you are, as they say, sweet enough already, yes?"

Amelia blushed uncontrollably, watching as he began to pour the steaming liquid into two cups he had set by earlier. "If you say so, Mr Xellos."

There was silence for a few minutes as he remained intent on his task, doling out a very sensible amount of sugar into her cup, before adding enough to his own brew to make Amelia's stomach turn. When he noticed her befuddled expression he winked, passing her the teacup as he did so. She took it from him gingerly; despite the chill in the air around them his fingers were warm, and Amelia found that that small detail both surprised and unnerved her.

He took a generous sip from his cup. The fact that the liquid still had to be near scalding only seemed to make him savour it more. Amelia stared unabashedly. She'd never had the chance to study the monster this close before, and she found herself strangely enraptured.

He tilted his head slightly, gazing back at her with equal intent. "Something on your mind, Miss Amelia?" There was flash of white as his lips parted momentarily; Amelia fancied that she caught a glimpse sharply pointed canines, the fangs of a predator. Strangely enough when he'd still been operating under the illusion of humanity she had failed to notice these things, but now that she was aware of his true nature, of his otherness, she couldn't help but to take stock of these subtle clues, these hints that revealed the wolf in sheep's clothing before her.

She shifted, breaking his gaze to let her eyes rest on the teacup in her hands. Steam drifted up from the liquid in slow, languid curls. "I was just wondering...what you were doing here, Mr. Xellos. It's not like you spend the night with us, not like this."

He grinned broadly, waving one hand in the air gracefully. "Oh, Mr Gourry's never told you? He and I often while away the time together during his shifts. Despite his somewhat dull demeanour he actually makes for some rather enlightening conversation. And when he told me it was your turn to take watch, well, how could I say no to the idea of having the lovely princess Amelia for company?"

Now, that was unexpected. The mental image of Gourry and Xellos sitting by the fire, engaging in idle chit-chat was surprising and just a tad absurd. She suspected from the swordsman's earlier comment that Xellos did the majority of the chin-wagging, while Gourry just sat there and nodded on occasion.

"What...what do you and Mr Gourry talk about?"

He shrugged. "Oh, this and that, nothing of any real importance. Mr Gourry just appreciates the company. And I certainly appreciate the opportunity to have a conversation with someone who doesn't attempt to implode my face every five minutes."

She frowned at him, feeling a sort of righteous self-assurance beginning to bubble up inside her. "It's not like you don't deserve it, Mr Xellos. You certainly do antagonize them, particularly Miss Filia. You reap what you sow, after all."

He sighed airily. "Yes, I suppose you're right. Sometimes I just can't help myself. Filia is just so amusing when she's been stoked into a white-hot rage, wouldn't you agree, Miss Amelia?"

Filia? He's dropped the formality regarding her title. Why would he...?

"No. No, I'm afraid I don't, Mr Xellos."

"Ah." He seemed a little put out by that, and opted to just continue sipping his saccharine drink. An awkward silence fell over them, uncomfortable and heavy.

Amelia coughed. "Um..."

He blinked at her. "Yes?"

She shifted again. The log was cold under her backside, and she could feel sharp hickory splinters beginning to stick in the material of her trousers. "I...I'm sorry, Mr Xellos, but I'm afraid I'm not going to be very entertaining company for you this evening."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, it's just that...we never really have anything to do with each other. And, no offense, but I'm sure your interests wouldn't exactly align very well with mine."

"And what interests would those be?"

"Uh..." Death. Destruction. Chaos.

He spoke before she managed to scrounge up an appropriate answer. "On the contrary, Miss Amelia, you and I have very similar interests as of this present moment. No doubt you are, much like myself, eager to see what Filia's prophecy could possibly lead to?"

She nodded. Although 'eager' isn't exactly the kind of word I would use.

"And you are also probably quite interested in seeing what wondrous, cunning plan Lina Inverse will come up with in the face of whatever situation we find ourselves in, am I right?" At her affirmative nod he beamed. "Well, then! It would appear that we have much more in common than you first thought!"

"But..." Now she was actively looking for excuses to end the conversation; she silently berated herself for in-avertedly starting it in the first place. "You're not exactly the most honest person, Mr Xellos. You're always making up stories, telling lies to manipulate us-"

Xellos' eyes snapped open. They didn't reflect the light from the fire. Amelia's words died in her throat.

"Do not insult me, princess."

"P-pardon?" She whispered, the word coming out as a whimpering croak.

"I do not tell lies, Miss Amelia. To be a lair is to surround yourself with thorns. Eventually, they will prick you. Please, do not insinuate that I would be as foolish and arrogant as to do such a thing."

"I-" She struggled to find the right words. She'd...she'd insulted him? By the Gods, how? Filia spent every waking moment hurling insults at him. Very colourful insults, too, and while they did seem to ignite the mazoku's anger, it also seemed that he relished the attention, even going so far as to encourage it. And yet her off-handed remark had seemingly incensed him so much that he looked as if he wanted to slap her. She sucked in a cold, tight breath. In her hands, the teacup rattled in its saucer ever so slightly.

"I-I apologize, Mr Xellos. That was very rude of me and...and I didn't really mean-"

"Apology accepted!" He cut her off brightly, lifting the cup to his lips once more. His eyes, shielded by long, dark lashes once again, appeared to stare deeply into the flames of the campfire. She waited for him to say more, but he kept his face turned away from her, signalling that the conversation had come to an abrupt end, and not exactly the kind of end she'd wanted.

They sat there quietly, not speaking for a very long while. Amelia remembered her tea and took a sip. It had gone cold.

"Are you familiar with the story of the boy who cried wolf?"

She flinched, startled by the sound of his voice so suddenly. "No...I'm afraid I'm not."

He nodded, still peering intently into the fire. "It's a very old fable, native to this part of the world, so it's not surprising that you've never heard of it. The story goes that there was once a shepherd boy, who, upon becoming bored with his station, decided to amuse himself by raising the alarm that a wolf had come to prey upon his flock. Nearby villagers, upon hearing his calls, naturally came to his aid, but were quite frustrated when they discovered that the alarm was false and that the boy had been toying with them. This did not deter him however, as he found much amusement in this particular game and took delight in repeating it many times over, much to the anger and humiliation of the village folk."

Amelia sat very still, listening. Xellos turned his head, his eyes almost seeming to glow as he gazed at her, unblinking.

"But then one day, the boy found himself confronted by a very real, very hungry wolf. Terrified, he called out for help while the beast devoured his flock, but no-one came to his aid, believing that he was simply playing another childish prank, and the boy too was devoured." He leaned forward, lips pulled upward into an un-nerving smile. "Can you tell me what the moral of this story is, Miss Amelia?"

"It..." She stuttered, unsure. Xellos was leaning in quite close now. So close, in fact, that she could smell sugar on his breath. "The moral is...not to tell lies. Because...the more often you lie, the less likely it is that people are going to believe you when you attempt to speak the truth."

The smile changed; it almost seemed gentle now, like the kind of smile a parent gives to a child when they make an adorable but utterly wrong assumption.

"You're close, Miss Amelia, but not quite. The true meaning of the story is this; that those who lie are destined to perish by the truth. Each lie you fabricate is a snare, a pitfall, and the more you create the harder it becomes to avoid them. Eventually, the trap will be sprung, and you will become prey." He cocked his head to the side, studying her. "Do you understand, Miss Amelia?"

"Yes." Her heart was thumping erratically, her entire body twitching slightly with the almost overwhelming urge to flee. The demon continued to watch her, his expression wistful.

"I wonder..." he began softly, eyes seeming to caress her as they continued to hold her rigidly in their grip, "if you might have a wolf or two prowling out there, biding its time, waiting for the right moment?" His gaze shifted past her to the tent she had been sharing with Lina and Filia. "I know without any doubt that there is a certain someone among our little group who is about to face her wolf...and very soon too, I'm afraid. I just hope she survives the encounter, especially since the lies where not of her making." He sighed and shook his head, making a soft tutting noise as he did so. "It would be such a terrible waste."

"What?" Amelia started as he pulled away and stood, brushing splinters from his cloak. "Who are you talking about?"

He smiled brightly, ignoring her question. "Have a pleasant evening, Miss Amelia. I'm going to scout the perimeter. Do not fear... I shall not be far away."

There was a sizzling crackle, and Xellos vanished in a smoky black blur.

For the rest of the night Amelia simply sat there, staring into the fire, sipping her cold tea, the monster's words tumbling in her head over and over.

Those who lie are destined to perish by the truth.

Somewhere, out in the distance, a wolf howled.