Fiction

Filia entered her room and gently lay Violet down in the crib she had prepared months before. Rocking the crib gently, she gazed warily down at her child. She was very likely her child. She wasn't exactly sure how, but she was. She tried focusing on that rather than the fact that she was also possibly Xellos's.

Unfortunately, this also lead her mind to the fact that she was now a single mother of two now. She slumped over. Not to mention the only man that had any interest in her lost interest almost immediately.

Not Xellos, though.

A shiver went down Filia's spine. Xellos did say he had an interest in her. Or, to word it in a less sickening way, found her interesting. She was going to ignore the incident this morning due to her un-assisted fainting spell this afternoon. She sighed. For completely lacking empathy or compassion, he did do a very good job of pretending he didn't. She couldn't believe that earlier that day she had thought he was in love with her.

"Do you really think that's going to help Violet sleep?"

Filia jumped- Xellos had appeared next to her without her noticing once again. "Y-yes! It worked on Val all the time."

Xellos frowned. "Are you sure she even needs to sleep?"

Filia blinked. "I didn't even think of that..."

Before Filia could stop it, she found herself yawning.

Xellos nonviolently shoved Filia aside. "Well, I can take it from here."

Filia pouted. "You can't..." She yawned again. "You… don't need to sleep… maybe you can watch her for me?"

Xellos smirked. "Yes, maybe."

Filia climbed into her bed and shut her eyes.

Filia awoke to the sound of Violet crying, and sat up groggily. Out her window, the sun peeked barely past the horizon. She looked over to the crib to see Xellos trying to placate Violet by waving Val's old toys at her. Filia scowled tiredly. "What did you do."

Xellos frowned at Filia. "She just woke up. It seems she only needs about three hours of sleep- but she won't stop crying."

Filia sighed deeply and picked up her daughter. "You need to hold her, you stupid monster."

Violet began to calm down, and Filia passed her to Xellos before laying back down in bed.

Xellos stood motionless holding Violet. She looked up at him with wide eyes. He frowned. "Things would be so much easier if you just told me what you wanted."

Filia awoke once more, this time to the sun streaming across her face. She sat up and saw Xellos sitting next to the crib, one hand over the rail, Violet's little hands gripped tightly on his fingers.

Xellos's bored expression shifted to his regular cheerful one when Filia awoke, and he lifted Violet out of her crib, and handed her to her mother. "Thank goodness you're up! I have work I need to get done."

Filia blinked. "Actually, about that..." Xellos frowned. "I was thinking… we should really do more research on that temple."

Xellos looked back and forth between Violet and Filia. "I suppose we should." He then continued out of Filia's bedroom. "After work. I am Greater Beast Zelas' sole general after all; I may not look it, but I do have a significant workload. 8 hours of babysitting has thrown off my schedule quite a bit."

Filia frowned and nodded. "After work it is, then."

Unfortunately, work was a near nightmare. Business went well for Filia, but having Violet in the shop turned out to attract the worst attention. Everyone kept commenting on how much the baby looked like Filia, unlike Val; and anyone who had ever caught a glimpse of Xellos's eyes remembered them well, to Filia's chagrin, and commented on that as well.

Filia sighed. Ford had even come in; he had looked apologetic until he had seen Violet. He had left immediately after that. Filia slumped in her chair and lay her chin on her hand. She didn't blame Ford, she did say that Violet wasn't her or Xellos's child, and based on her appearance… well it certainly didn't seem that way.

"Mama?"

Filia looked down at Val. "Yes, dear?"

Val frowned. "Are you sad?"

Filia smiled and picked up her son, smothering him in a hug. "Only when I don't see your smiling face!"

Val giggled. "I'm smiling now! I'm smiling!"

Filia released Val from the hug and set him on her lap. "Okay, so when Xellos gets here, we're all going shopping."

Val smiled. "Okay!"

Xellos and Filia walk through town toward the bookstore, Filia holding Violet in one arm, Val's hand in the other. Xellos frowned. "Do you really think we'll be able to find something of use here?"

Filia shrugged. "It's a start." She looked at the road ahead. "Like I said earlier, our town lays along a well-traveled road, so the store has an eclectic variety of books from travelers that pass through here."

The bell above the door rung as they stepped into the shop. The shopkeep smiled. "Good afternoon! How may I help you?"

Filia cocked her head. "Do you have anything about mazoku and shinzoku or ryuzoku? Possibly historical?"

The shopkeep's mouth tightened. "Can you be a little more specific?"

Xellos nodded. "How about anything that isn't specifically about them being at war?"

The shopkeep's expression turned to one of discomfort. "Oh… I think I have something… one sec."

Xellos raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's a surprise."

Filia smiled. "I can't imagine anything that fits that description that couldn't be at least a tiny bit useful."

The shopkeep set five books down on the counter. "These are the only books I've seen about ryuzoku and mazoku that aren't about them in conflict." She then glanced at the children. "I'd keep them out of little hands, though, if I were you."

Filia frowned in confusion, but then smiled. "We'll take them!" She then looked at Xellos expectantly.

Xellos blinked at her. "What?"

"It's your fault we need these books."

Xellos flinched, and then pulled out a coinpurse. "...I suppose I can't exactly argue with that."

When they got back, Val ran up to his room and Filia set Violet in a basket. "Well, let's get to researching I suppose."

Xellos squinted at the spines of the books. "They all seem to be by the same author."

Filia smiled. "Well, perhaps the author's a specialist on the subject?" She grabbed one of the books and began skimming.

Xellos picked up a book as well, but looked up suddenly as he heard Filia slam the book. "What's wrong?"

Filia's face was scarlet. "It's fiction."

Xellos frowned. "I don't see what you need to get so worked up about! It's my money that was wasted."

Filia shook her head. "No, it's trashy fiction."

Xellos squinted at her, and continued reading. "I still don't understand why you- oh."

Filia buried her face in her hands. "We just bought a collection of trashy mazoku/ryuzoku romance novels." She then slammed the table. "Who would even read this!? Who would write this?!"

"Melodia Franc"

Filia scowled. "I know her name, I am questioning her CHARACTER."

Xellos continued skimming through the book he had.

Filia's cheeks burned red again. "Stop reading that!"

Xellos sighed. "You want to know why someone would write something like this? Read it, it might give you some clues." He smiled. "Like here!"

Filia looked at the page and gasped in shock and anger. Xellos looked down at where he had pointed and cringed. "Oh, no I mean here."

He moved his finger and Filia read the passage.

Now unsealed, the two lovers descended into the temple to be faced with a large room with a glass orb at its center.

Brunedpas placed a hand on the orb. 'And with this, we may confirm our love before the Golden Lord.'

Ephram placed his hand on the orb as well, and the room shone a bright gold.

Filia's eyes widened. "This… isn't a coincidence, is it?"

Xellos smiled. "If it is, it's enough of a coincidence to be worth investigating."

Filia blinked. "So we just need to find the author, then?"

Xellos nodded. "Leave that to me." And he vanished.

. . .

"So, how are things going with Violet?"

Filia glanced over at Amelia and Zelgadis and smiled as she continued cooking dinner. "Quite well, actually. When Val was that age he kept me up all night; but having Xellos around, as much as I hate to say it, has been a huge help- being that he doesn't need to sleep and all."

Amelia leaned on the table, her face cradled in her hands. "He's helpful, huh?"

Filia sighed at her tone. "As much as he can be. The first night he didn't even pick Violet up to try and calm her."

Zelgadis scoffed. "Well, you can't expect him to have any sort of nurturing instincts."

Amelia nodded. "He never had a father, and his mother probably hasn't ever been a mother to him."

Filia squinted. "Why are you two coming up with excuses for him?"

"I'm not, I'm saying he literally shouldn't be in charge of children."

"Because! I'm sure with experience he'll become a great father!"

Amelia gave Zelgadis a disappointed pout at their conflicting answers.

Zelgadis then noticed the pile of books on the corner of the table. "What are these?"

Filia shrugged. "Just some books Xellos and I picked up for research."

"...Please tell me I'll like the answer to, 'what kind of research?'"

Filia raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? We were just trying to find out about the temple we found Violet in- YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO READ THE BOOK!"

. . .

Xellos sat with Violet on his knee as Amelia relentlessly coached him on 'love languages'. He sighed. "We've been stuck on the topic of 'love' for what feels like weeks now. Aren't you supposed to be teaching me more things?"

Amelia pouted, her fists on her hips. "Love is the most complicated and the most important lesson!" She then pointed to the poster she made. "Now, out of these, what do you think Filia's love language is?"

Xellos gave an exaggerated shrug and turned to Violet. "What do you think?"

Violet blinked at him. "Mama."

Amelia squealed with joy. "Violet just said her first word!"

Xellos huffed. "It's about time!" He smiled. "Anything else to say, Violet?"

Violet grabbed at Xellos's hair. "Mama."

Amelia then gasped. "She doesn't know what to call you!"

Xellos squinted. "Of course she does! Filia certainly yells at me enough around her."

Amelia sighed. "There's no way a baby can say 'Xellos'!" She then leaned toward Violet. "He's 'Dada', Violet! Say 'Dada'!"

Xellos glowered, moving Violet away from Amelia. "Please, don't."

Amelia frowned. "'Papa', then?"

Xellos laughed uncomfortably. "No, none of that! I'm not her 'father'."

Amelia pouted. "Yes you are! You can't 'claim' her without being her father, that's… weird!"

Xellos scoffed. "Lord Greater Beast is not my 'mother' and yet she has claim over me! Violet is my subordinate."

Amelia looked at Violet, frowning. "Don't you worry, Violet, I'm gonna help your 'dada' be a better parent than your grandma ever was!"

Xellos shuddered at the very thought of anyone calling Lord Greater Beast 'grandma' to her face.

. . .

Xellos appeared to Filia while she was pricing a vase she had purchased from a traveler a few moments before. She gave him a half-lidded glance. "Did you find the author?"

Xellos frowned. "Are you implying that's the only reason I should be visiting you at work? What if I had just come to visit Violet?" He wiggled a finger at the infant, which he had discovered earlier was quite entertaining for both him and the baby.

Filia raised an eyebrow at him and he sighed. "Yes, I found the author. Do you want to visit her now?"

Filia blinked, and then glanced over at Gravos. "Do you think you can take over the shop for a bit? A few hours at most?"

Gravos grinned. "Sure, boss."

Filia nodded. "Alright, then." She picked up Violet, and Xellos teleported them all to the front of a small house.

The house seemed cute and friendly- or it would have, presumably years ago before the weeds started growing and the paint peeling. Xellos knocked on the door. A bit of shuffling could be heard from within the house, and then the door opened an inch.

"I wasn't expecting any guests…"

The voice was tired, but higher pitched and young sounding. Xellos put on his best 'good guy' face. "Is this the home of Melodia Franc?"

There was a pause. "Who's asking?"

Xellos laughed casually. "Just some people who want to discuss your books- an excerpt from Nightmarish Passions, specifically."

Another pause, and the door opened fully. Before them stood a young woman with thick glasses and short messy hair. She looked like she hadn't slept in days, and wore a sleeping robe though it was mid afternoon. She scratched her hair and avoided their gazes. "That one was my first, actually. Come on in, I'll make coffee."

They waded their way through piles of books and papers until they found a table, which they sat at while Melodia busied herself with making the coffee. "I actually haven't thought about that book for a while now; most people talk about The Demon's Rose or Of Broods and Bloodshed- those ones are much more popular."

Filia cleared her throat. "W-well, we're mostly interested in the part… near the end with the temple?"

Melodia laughed. "Right! I forgot, they got married in that one, huh?" She then looked at Filia and paused. "Wait, miss, you wouldn't happen to be... a golden dragon?"

Filia blinked. "Oh, uh, y-yes, I am..."

Melodia's eyes glittered. "Wow! I've never actually met a golden dragon before! Oh, there's so little I can find about your peoples' culture. I try so hard, though, have I done okay?"

Filia flinched. "O-oh, umm…" She laughed nervously. "A-actually, he's read more of your books than I have..."

Xellos cleared his throat. "So, about that part? About the temple?"

Melodia paused. "Oh, oh, right." She returned to the coffee. "Yeah, so, actually, I got the idea from another book by some of my ancestors- or, I guess all the books were inspired from it in a way..."

Filia lit up. "There's a book on it?"

Xellos leaned on his hands. "I was only able to find small snippets of information about the temple of the Golden Children- you found a whole book?"

Melodia gestured excitedly. "Yeah! My ancestors were Golden Children! My grandma showed the book to me when I was a kid. She got it from her grandmother, and her grandfather before that, and, well, you know, on and on." The young author sighed, and gave her two guests the prepared coffee. "The Golden Children believed that a dragon and a monster could come together and bring an end to the fighting between them. It's kind of silly, but as a kid it felt just like all the other fairy tales; and so now, I write them like how I heard them back then!"

Filia choked on her coffee.

"Well, I mean, with a bit of extra... flourish… but, you know." The author took a sip of her coffee. "So, I have to ask, how does a golden dragon end up with a man who reads monster/dragon erotica?"

Xellos laughed loudly in irritation. "It was for research. We actually have visited that temple and simply were looking for more information on it."

Melodia blushed. "O-oh, so you guys are like, archaeologists or something?" She tightened her robe and brushed off her clothes. "You, uh, probably just wanna see my source then, huh..."

Filia cleared her throat quietly and nodded. "That would be nice, yes."

Melodia stood up and headed to one of her piles of books and papers. "Sorry, it's... organized chaos. This is my research pile, so, it's in here somewhere!" She chuckled nervously.

Melodia then sifted through the pile frantically. "This current book I'm writing actually was inspired by some stuff I learned about mazoku politics- a lot of sorcerers know that Shabranigdo's subordinates each made a priest and a general during the Koma war- but did you know that Greater Beast actually only made one?" Xellos and Filia exchanged a quick glance as Melodia snorted. "I have no clue why she would do that, but it makes for a great novel plot. Sorta like… a demon prince/only child sort of feel added to the usual forbidden romance."

FIlia cleared her throat loudly. "Miss Melodia, I think you need to do more research on the Koma War. Xel- Greater Beast's priest, killed thousands of golden dragons singlehandedly during the war."

Melodia blinked, and quickly scribbled something down on a piece of paper, mumbling to herself. "Lots of emotional yelling, maybe redemption arc..." She then set it aside, and smiled at the pile. "Oh! Here!" She carefully removed the book from the pile and set it on the table, opening the book to a bookmarked page containing an illustration of the room with the crystal orb.

"Yeah, apparently this orb was in the temple- it was used in marriage ceremonies for the Golden Children; They'd charge it with holy and black magic, the room would glow gold, and if they were powerful enough, they would apparently get thrown briefly into the same domain as the Lord of Nightmares where their souls would become bound or whatever." She then gave Xellos and Filia an excited smirk. "However, according to this, the true purpose of the orb was for the union of god and monster that they had always hoped for."

Xellos and Filia's expressions soured.

"The theory was, if powerful enough holy and black energies were added to the orb, it would create fusion magic! And from that, it would create a new being, close to the Golden Lord herself!"

Xellos sat back in his chair, frowning in thought. "Close to… the Lord of Nightmares..." He glanced at Violet.

Filia smiled warily at Melodia. "So it creates a new being from... the magic? So it's… not like it matters who the casters are, right?"

Melodia frowned. "I dunno, monsters are like… beings without physical form, right? And their only for of reproduction is like magic, so-"

"THAT'S enough of that train of thought, I think!" Filia spurted.

Melodia jumped at the dragon's outburst. "Right! You guys are-" She paused. "Wait, I never actually asked… who are you?"

Filia sighed. "I am Filia Ul Copt. I sell antiques. And this is my daughter, Violet."

"And I am Xellos." He smirked. "My job isn't as pertinent."

Melodia blinked at Xellos. She then snorted. "Man, don't you have the same name as that Greater Beast guy?" She glanced over her notes. "Yeah! Priest Xellos! Yeesh what kind of parents names their kid after a demon priest?"

Xellos laughed passively at the comment, when Melodia paused, still staring at her notes. "Woah, wait though." She glanced back and forth between her notes and Xellos. "You… look a lot like all the descriptions of him I could come across. Human form at least-" Melodia looked at the three people in her home. "A golden dragon, some guy, and their kid walk into my home asking about a temple built for marriage between gods and monsters-"

Melodia jumped excitedly. "You came here because you did go to the temple! And you had her!" Melodia blinked. "Why do you need to know more about the temple?"

Filia's eyebrow twitched. "Because we didn't mean to create her, and now we're way over our heads."

Xellos scoffed. "You're over your head."

Filia laughed angrily. "Oh? Only me? Mister 'how do I get a baby to stop crying'?"

Xellos scowled. "I could have figured it out!"

Melodia smiled widely. "This is the non-human version of an unplanned pregnancy. I can't believe it." She grabbed a pile of paper and scribbled frantically. "This is gold!"

Melodia sighed, satisfied, and set her quill aside. "Okay, that is everything about the predicted offspring of the union ritual." She handed Xellos a slim stack of papers.

Filia sighed. "And that's all they wrote?"

Melodia nodded. "It's all speculation too. You guys are in uncharted territory with her!" She smirked. "But if you're talking about your relationship, on the other hand, a quick read will provide you with… a few suggestions."

Filia's cheeks burned red, and she stormed out the door. Xellos sighed. "You are a very strange girl, Miss Melodia. But thank you for your help, anyways."

Melodia smiled and waved to the two as they left. "No problem! Hey, send me letters about Violet, would you? Anything about her would be great resources for following novels! ...I'll even go for a straight romance novel! Please? ...Yeah, they're gone."