Chapter.4
Lina was walking alongside Xellos, both in silence. Her curiosity was becoming slightly unbearable with every passing moment. Xellos was being secretive as always. "Ne…Xellos, explain urself."
"Explain what Lina-san?" He replied in his usual manner.
"Explain to me whats going on you fruitcake!" Lina stopped midway in her tracks, grabbing Xelloss arm. "Why would you protect me, why would you cast a barrier around my friends and why would you bring me to the outer world?"
Xellos stopped, directing his gaze at where Linas hand held his arm. "I can't answer all of your questions yet. They will make sense to you in a while Lina-san. For now, please don't try to run away from me."
Lina released his arm, shocked to say the least. 'Telling me to not run away from him?'
Xellos turned to face Lina, his eyes opening ever so slightly, locking his amethyst irises with Linas ruby ones. "I don't want you to get hurt Lina-san. So allow me to protect you."
'Woah what? –So allow me to protect you.-? When did things become like this?' But…these were the words she was longing to hear for so long. For so very long, 5 years to be exact. She always wished Gourry would tell her something along these lines. But this was Xellos. It felt the same through. 'Is he sincere…? Can he possibly lie with his eyes looking so sincere?' She blushed and broke the eye contact. 'Yes …. He can.' Then in a voice barely audible she said. "You're just toying around with me…"
"Ah…" Lina yelped in surprise when Xellos reached out to grab both of her shoulders, turning her towards him. "There's no way I'm toying with you. For once…I'm being honest. I want to protect you!"
Linas blush turned several shades darker, than it already was a few minutes ago and slapped his hands away. But quickly regretted her choice of actions, when she saw him flinch in response.
"We should keep walking Lina-san, or we won't reach our destination before sunset."
The rest of the travel unfolded in silence, for once cause Xellos was deep in thoughts and Lina was still hypnotizing her feet, trying to prevent anyone from seeing the dark crimson blush that graced her cheeks.
"Lina-san?"
"Uh?" She said absent-mindedly, breaking the gaze shes been directing at her feet.
"We're here, Lina-san."
"Ah…" Lina raised her head to spot a cute small house in the clearing. The walls a soft creamy colour, the sides of the house graced by rose bushes. To the left a pond with floating lotus flowers. Trees behind and on the sides of a house, like a protection barrier granting the house and their owners ever so sweet privaty. The view was just spectacular. Every aspect of the houses beauty was multiplied a thousand times by sunset, bathing the area in it's rosy light. 'THIS is a place where a high level mazoku would take me…?'
"Is this location to your taste Lina-san?"
Lina gasped, blinking a few times at Xelloss questioning expression. "To my taste? It's beautiful! Whos place is this?"
Xellos looked content - all right - , something that could be called a genuine smile spread across his face. "I'm glad you like it Lina-san. From yesterday onwards, this place belongs to me and for now, to you as well."
"Woah hold on a second. YOU bought this? Doesn't the sheer beauty of this place make you sick?'
"Why, yes Lina-san. I want you to be comfortable while staying with me." 'Since you're staying with me for quite a while, dear Lina-san.' Shrugging his shoulders he added, "Even a high rank Mazoku like me, can enjoy a nice scenery from time to time." Xellos went forwards unlocking the door and holding it open for Lina to walk through.
"Thank you…" She walked in, noting the décor being very luxurious…almost too luxurious. The room was rather big. A four poster bed with purple veils, fastened to the posters with black bows. At the sides of the bed antique bedside tables, each decorated with a proper vase with lilac coloured tulips. 'So very the colour of his eyes.' She thought.
Opposite a fireplace, which sides were engraved in a luxurious manner. Before it a round soft looking purple carpet, Lina had no doubt he put it there solely for her to bask in the warmth the fireplace would provide.
Big windows graced by curtains of the same colour as the veils were, underneath a neatly placed table. Lina crossed the room, pulling out the chair and sitting down. 'Being able to see the rose bushes sitting here.' Lina was stunned the least. 'This place would be worth a princess.' She certainly wasn't used to this much luxus and comfort…
She turned to face Xellos, the smug expression on his face was a dead give-away that he also, was more than content with his choices of decor. "Well, you could have done better, but I guess this will do for now." She said smirking at him.
Xellos frowned at first, surprised at the sudden outburst of her old-self attitude. Ever since their reunion at the lake earlier this day, she behaved kinda unlike herself. A smile spread across his face and then a small chuckle escaped his lips. "Yare yare, Lina-san. You caught me by surprise."
"Thought you would know me better than that. This place is marvelous!"
"I'm glad you like it here." He gave her a smile, "Take a nap Lina-san, I will fix some dinner for you." With that he disappeared in the next room, which Lina assumed, would be the kitchen.
Lina stood up from her seat and made her way towards the big bed. Removing her shoulder guards, cape, gloves and boots. She could do with a little nap, after all this was no ordinary day she experienced here. Putting all of it on the chair, she lied down on her back, her fiery red hair spread across the bed underneath her, contrasting with the purple. She let out a heavy sigh, turning her head towards the windows. 'I wonder how Gourry and the others are doing…. –sigh- … None of this makes any sense.'
Worn out from the complicated situation, from the sense of guilt for letting her friends behind and all of the confusion… She was tired and found herself quickly slipping into sleep. Turning her head away from the window, as to protect herself from the remants of light lingering outside, she turned towards where the kitchen doors were.
"Xellos…"
He would be the last of what she saw from this day, as her gaze fell through the slightly open door at the Mazoku Priest fixing her dinner. Then tiredness took over and finaly she closer her eyes, slipping into sleep. 'Xellos…'
Xellos turned around. He could hear her whisper his name and her gaze fixed on his back. He put down the seasonings and tip-toed to the main room, as to not wake Lina up. He kneeled by the bed side, removing his glove and putting it in his other hand. "In your sleep, you truly look like an angel, Lina-san…So peacefull, so contradicting to the fire you burn during your waking hours." Lifting his index finger, he softly put it to Linas cheek and ran it towards her lips, noting how soft her rosy cheeks felt. Lingering at the side of her mouth. "One day, I will be able to tell you these exact words during your waking hours, Lina-san." Then he lifted his palm, joined his middle finger to his index one as he pressed them softly towards her lips and then brought them to his own lips, his open eyes watching her ever so soft in her slumber.
Hope you all like the chapter ^^ (Maybe the last sentence is a bit too much?) If so please review on it, it does a great deal for my motivation on continuing. Thanks all~