DISCLAIMER: … I do not own the Slayers or any quotes I have listed at the top of the chapters…


-x- Chapter Nine -x-

Forfeit the game…

Before somebody else,
Takes you out of the frame…

Puts your name to shame…

Cover up your face…

You can't run the race…
The pace is too fast…

You just won't last…

-x- "Points of Authority"- Linkin Park -x-




The sun was larger and brighter than Filia had ever seen it at this time of day. Perhaps it was where this kingdom was located or perhaps it was simply the way the mist hung in the air, tainting the sun's gold in silver as it hovered between the trees in Lilith's orchard.

Gray on green, silver-hued gold, peaches and dew covered leaves…

It was beautiful…

Filia felt like she was going to be sick.

"I see your father is not present, Your Majesty." Xelloss stated merrily, his mood so chipper it made Filia even more ill. "Still sleeping, perhaps?"

"Father needn't worry about such things, Master Xelloss." The princess replied gently, pulling on some silver embodied gloves. "Besides, father finds such disputes… unsavory."

"Does he now!" Xelloss grinned, cracking an eye coolly. "Well then, what sort of duel do we have here?"

"Pistols." She stated crisply, motioning her servant to drop to a knee and present them. One silver with the family crest stamped in it in gold, the other gold and the family crest in silver. Xelloss beamed pleasantly, knowing fully well there was no way Lilith could see how amusing this was from his perspective.

Filia, however, was feeling far from bemused.

"Er… um…" She sputtered, trying to keep her face from betraying her rage as she gave what she hoped might appear as a humble bow. "May I please, just have a few… er… last words with… Master Xelloss?"

Lilith laughed a high-pitched fluty laugh, clutching her gloved hand to her chest. "Your are wise to admit your defeat. I shall graciously grant your last request."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Filia replied with an exaggerated curtsy, before latching on to Xelloss' wrist and forcefully pulling the mazoku aside.

"Oh look, peaches!" Xelloss grinned pointing upward as Filia clenched her fists and fumed.

"I can't die, Xelloss!" She yelped, poking him in the chest with each word. "That makes this contest unfair!"

"Yare, yare, Filia." Xelloss stated with shrug, whacking a peach off the tree with his staff and tossing it to her. As he suspected the shock of having to catch it broke her out of her rage and he took full advantage of this, leaning in on his staff and staring off to the side boredly. "Leave it to a dragon to come up with the most grizzly scenario. If I didn't know you better I'd presume you want Miss Lilith dead…"

"Wha… no!" Filia gasped, blinking and tossing the peach back at him.

"Oh? Then why is death the first thing on your mind?" He asked amiably, catching the peach with ease; taking a large bite and beaming at the mortified dragoness. "Just maim her or something, I don't care. You have to learn to bend orders if you ever want to be able to follow them properly."

"Is that what you do?" Filia asked curiously and Xelloss shrugged, discarding the peach boredly.

"From time to time." He replied delicately, offering her his arm. "Well, shall we then?"

Filia blinked at the arm, and sighed taking it and allowing him to escort her back. "But how do I win if she can still fire another shot?"

"Oh, I'm sure you'll think of something…" He grinned pushing her ahead of him as Lilith frowned her displeasure at the pair.

"March, servant." She declared icily, cocking her own gun and resting it against her cheek.

Xelloss watched intently as Filia took each step in time to Lilith's servant's count. Her shoulders were trembling, betraying the same anticipation he was feeling, albeit for very different reasons. Ah, but there, she had the answer now didn't she? So steady when she was in control...

"What did you come up with, Filia?" He whispered softly to himself and then the Harold declared ten loudly and both ladies whirled and Filia hissed as Lilith fired off first, the shot narrowly grazing her temple as Filia pulled back to aim her own shot.

Lilith yelped as the bullet hit the soil before her feet and toppled backward unceremoniously, her gun flying back even further. Filia was at her side in a moment's time and panic flooded through Lilith's face as Filia re-cocked her pistol.

"Yield." She ordered calmly and Xelloss swallowed briefly, his eyes cracking open at the sight.

Lilith glared darkly up at her and then turned her head away in disgust, giving a thin but resolute nod.

"Hand her the tome." Lilith ordered the Harold, determined to save as much face as possible as she stood back to her feet, wrenching the gun from Filia's grasp. Filia let it go against her better judgment as the tome was thrust into her arms in its stead.

"Now escort this rabble from My Kingdom." She declared crisply, pointing beyond the courtyard with authority.

"Oh, we have other means of transport, Your Majesty." Xelloss stated casually, turning Filia towards him and grinning maddeningly at the proud princess. Then, as Lilith gazed on in stunned horror, he gave Filia a long kiss on the forehead, disappearing in a haze of shadow long before the kiss ended.

"That was unnecessarily cruel." Filia stated softly as they reappeared in her room and his lips left her forehead.

"Oh, it wasn't that vile! it was on the forehead afterall. Honestly you dragons and your chastity..." He stated, more than just a little annoyed at her careless rejection. Afterall, he was the Xelloss, was he not? Yes, he was! Stupid dragon…

"Not to me…" She whispered glancing down at the tome. "But to her. We had what we needed and loosing should have been insult enough but you just had to give the knife one last turn, didn't you? And that was what was too cruel, Xelloss. You mazoku just can't see where to draw the line."

"I'd say that was just cruel enough, actually." He stated dryly, taking the book from her and holding her gaze as his action allowed him to reclaim it. "But then again, you seem to be forgetting one crucial thing!"

Filia blinked up at him. "What's that?"

"Miss Lilith didn't know you couldn't die." Xelloss reminded her wanly and Filia glowered at him stubbornly.

"That's what made all of this so unfair!" She stated, clenching her fists. "She had no idea who we were, she was at a disadvantage the entire time!"

"Wrong, that's what makes her all the more vile." He stated darkly, opening his eyes and cutting into her gaze as his words cut into her heart. "She thought she was taking advantage of some silly servant and her lecherous lord. So arrogant and selfishly cruel was Miss Lilith that she was willing to risk her kingdom's greatest treasure, just to kill you and steal my hand and her father's title. Now tell me, how was I too cruel?"

"I…" Filia sputtered, shaking her head and closing her mouth softly as the truth of his view sunk in.

"The world is a dark and unhappy place, Miss Filia." He stated with a cold grin, arching a finger as he began to fade away. "Never forget…"

"They want me to trick them, if for no other reason than to have something worthwhile to discuss over tea later!"

His words seemed to hang in the air long after he was gone and Filia stared stunned at the spot where he had been just moments before.

If that was the truth, she couldn't say she liked it much.

"I wonder… if there is a way to save them…"