Half Innocent Half Evil
Part Twenty-nine, Lust for Thought
By Relm
Xellos wasn't a stupid man. When it came to being stuck in a room full of people Xellos could always count on that he would be the smartest one there. He was clever and extremely perceptive. He didn't miss things easily and people very rarely could hide things from him. They wouldn't even need to say a word Xellos could figure it out from their facial expressions, mannerisms and tones. He was that good.
If someone were to pull the wool over Xellos' eyes they would have to be smart, cunning, and very cool and collected. Not a person who was emotional, irrational and temperamental and yet... She had done it. Filia had fooled him.
Owen was his son and Filia had known this. Xellos had asked Filia on many occasions who Owen's father was. She always avoided directly answering the question. Xellos should have found this suspicious. Xellos should have realized why Filia was being so evasive. But he hadn't.
Filia wasn't a master manipulator so there was really no excuse why Xellos hadn't seen the truth. When he looked back all the events it was all so clear. Who else could it have been that fathered Owen? He had slept with Filia after all. If Filia had slept with another person there was no way she could have hidden that from him. Filia was one of those people that wore her heart on her sleeve. She didn't hide emotions well and even if she could Xellos was a monster. He could sense them. Filia wouldn't need to say at thing Xellos would know.
So Filia hadn't slept with anyone else and unless she hadn't been Owen's mother at all there was no way Xellos could have not been Owen's father. He had to be. It was clear, so crystal clear. All Xellos needed to do was think it over.
The stupid thing was that Xellos had thought about, over and over. He thought about what Owen was and the baby's paternity. Xellos had tossed around a lot of crazy ideas about Owen's heritage and yet the most plausible one he had thrown out right away. Why had he done that? Why had he assumed he wasn't the father?
Denial... that was the only answer. Subconsciously Xellos knew the moment he saw Owen that he was Owen's father. But to face that reality was too strong and shocking for Xellos so his conscious mind chose to play dumb. Xellos blocked out any rational thought about the situation. Owen became one big blind spot to Xellos.
Now that Owen wasn't a hidden from Xellos' view he was seeing things far clearer.
Owen... what a strange little creature. Xellos knew what he was now but still Owen mystified him. What sort of creature would he grow up to be? Owen was a half breed between two very old races. Both had their strengths and weaknesses. Owen had a great potential to be one powerful being. It was no wonder why Filia wanted to keep Owen's heritage a secret. A being as special and unique as Owen would mostly be exploited by others if given the chance.
Xellos frowned as he sat in the tree outside Filia's home. He had teleported there once he overheard the truth from Filia's lackeys. If you asked him he would insist that he wasn't hiding. This was a thinking tree. Xellos had retired to its welcoming branches on many occasions when he wished to think. Conveniently though when Xellos sat in that tree he got a perfect view into Filia's bedroom. Of course it was just a coincidence that Xellos would choose to do his thinking whenever Filia was changing.
This time around there was no peeking. Xellos was using the tree just to think. He had much to think over and he needed the peaceful quiet the tree offered.
He was a father... and not even in the traditional monster sense. Very few monsters were birthed in a human like manner. So as such monsters didn't have a concept of paternal duties and bonds. You never worried or fussed over your spawns because they were full grown with minds of their own. And if they died then another one could be made. There was no motherly or fatherly feelings clouding a monster's mind. But a baby...
It scared Xellos. He didn't fear the usual duties that a father usual had. He had changed many diapers, gone through feeding times, bath times and bed times. When he thought about it he was actually quite pleased with himself. He knew he was already better a father then some guys at that kind of stuff.
No what scared Xellos was the rest of the world. It was a strange feeling to feel. Monsters could be very possessive but this wasn't even the same thing. He had helped create a life and it wasn't a full grown thing that could fend for himself. Owen was little and for the most part helpless. He didn't understand what was going on around him. Would the dragon/monster hybrid know that a stranger suddenly appearing before him could want to hurt him? No he wouldn't. Until he was older Owen was in great danger.
Anyone could want to hurt or use him. People could want to kill him about a fear. Owen had the potential to be a very dangerous thing. Better to kill the threat before it could fully mature. Another reason why someone would want Owen dead was they might perceive Owen as an abomination. He was a creature that shouldn't exist. Monsters and holy people could see his existence as wrong and would want to cleanse the world of it.
And then there were those would want to use Owen's power for their own ill-gotten gain. It could be anything from using Owen as a magical item for a spell or finding a way to control Owen to use his power to destroy or maim others.
Though he couldn't say for sure it was the case but Xellos couldn't help but think of those two strange monsters he had seen before. He hadn't know who they were, who they worked for or what they were looking for but it bothered him. And now knowing the truth about Owen that cold pit in the bottom of his stomach was getting bigger. What if they were looking for Owen? What if they meant to harm him? Of course Xellos was jumping to conclusions as Owen was only a small baby after all. The likelihood of anyone being able to sense Owen's astral energy being as young and small as he was was very slim. Xellos himself hadn't been aware of the child till he had showed up at Filia's town that day. Still Xellos wasn't the most powerful monster in the world and he knew that fact. Just because he hadn't been able to sense Owen's presence from afar didn't mean that everyone else couldn't as well.
The more Xellos thought about it the more paranoid he got. Suddenly the whole world was a frightening place chalk full of dangerous people. Could Xellos protect Owen from all of that? Would he be enough?
While thinking about these potential threats the biggest one came to mind that most distressing. His master. Technically Xellos was Zellas' property and by extension Owen was as well. The monster lord could very well want to use Owen in a way that could and/or kill the boy. Xellos always did what his master wished but how would he handle her wanting him to hurt or kill his son?
Up until now Xellos hadn't said a word about Owen to his master. This flew in the face of how Xellos usually reported to her. It wasn't like him to lie or purposely omit information. At the time it had a been a mystery to him as to why he would keep Owen's existence a secret to his master, but now he knew. It was his subconscious forcing him to lie in order to protect his young. But before it was a lie he wasn't aware of now he didn't have that excuse. Could he actively lie to his master? He would have to but it was something that went against every bone in his body.
Since Xellos' only assignment was the Ul Copt household Xellos wasn't required to check in with his master for progress reports as much. This helped with the future lies he was going to have to tell. Less he had to do it the better. So for that he was grateful. Plus given that he was spending all that time at Filia's home it meant that Xellos would be there if anyone tried to do anything. Xellos wasn't invincible but he would do what he could to keep his family safe.
Family, what a novel concept. It wasn't for monsters. Master and subordinate that was the extent of the relationship. Now Xellos had a son by a woman who already had an adopted son making said adopted son his in a strange sort of a way.
Yes Xellos was very fortunate that his master was being so kind as to let him only observe Filia's home. It was almost as if she knew the importance of keeping the Ul Copt household protected.
Now Xellos might have had a bit of a dull edged mind as of late but now his thinking was back in order. The wool wasn't going to be so easily pulled over his eyes. As such something became all too clear to him in that moment.
'This is my only assignment... How convenient that Master would allow be to only observe this place...' Xellos mused with a not so happy grin on his face. In fact he grin looked so irritated and angry that it was hard placed to call it a grin at all.
...
Zellas sat in her throne room swirling around a glass of red wine. It was a good vintage but Zellas couldn't be bothered to drink it. She was thinking and swirling around good wine in a glass always put her in the right mood for it. Perhaps she would drink it but more likely it would just be wasted like so many glasses in the past.
Before Zellas was her viewing orb looking which showed the monster lord the morning's events in the Ul Copt household. Filia was making breakfast while Gravos and Jilas were keeping the children occupied. Xellos was nowhere to be seen. It was an odd sight given that she had ordered Xellos to watch Filia's home. Now that meant of course that Xellos wouldn't actually have to be in the house at all times. Usually with most of his assignments Xellos watched from afar and reported back. He wasn't supposed to be directly interacting with his subjects but for Filia always made an exception. Today though things seemed different. This difference was what Zellas was pondering.
"Master." Xellos appeared before her kneeling on the ground at her feet.
Startled Zellas banished the image from her orb and looked at her general priest. She hadn't expected him to show so suddenly and it bothered her that he had done so without her realizing it. 'Damn, I was too preoccupied to notice. How novice of me.' "Xellos why are you here? You have your assignment."
"Yes Master but it has been a while since my last report I thought you might want an update." Xellos suggested in an odd voice.
Zellas raised a quizzical eyebrow at her minion. "Is there any changes to report?"
"No. Everything is the same as it was."
"Then I fail to see why you would come here at all. You should be at the dragon's home." Zellas snapped at him.
"I'm sorry Master. Though I wonder why it is so important for me to stay near the Ul Copt household. Babysitting is something any of your minions could do. Why would this assignment require a general priest for?" Xellos wondered out loud.
"You do your assignments because I order you to do them. How dare you question them! I should punish you for your insolence." Zellas threatened him.
"And what punishment would you inflict on me Master? Sending me to Sailune again for an extended stay? Perhaps making me be Princess Amelia's personal assistant while she does her charitable works?" Xellos dared her. It was a dangerous game to play but Xellos was after one thing and this was the only way he was going to get it.
The wheels in Zellas' head were turning at that moment. That was the sort of punishment she would give him that was something she couldn't do. There was no way she was going to trust someone else to keep Filia's brood safe but how was she going to punish him and not have him go someplace else. "Separating you from the woman you love and can't live without would be ample punishment but it's not her that is your assignment. You are to keep those that live in that house safe. That is your assignment. I would assume you wouldn't question the importance of your job after discovering those unknown monsters lurking about. So as punishment you will remain to be the golden dragon's slave for as long as I deem you to be."
"I am to continue being Filia's slave?" Xellos clarified.
"Yes."
"Alright. I'm sorry for angering you Master."
"Good. Now leave." Zellas shooed him away.
...
Xellos teleported back to his thinking tree feeling a whirlwind of emotions. His brain was sharp so he realized his master's slip up. She had never stated that he was to be Filia's slave before. True Xellos had been operating as such but Zellas herself would have no way of knowing such a fact. Unless there was one of two situations going on. One being that the monster lord had talked to the golden dragon and had discussed this arrangement or two Zellas herself was keeping separate tabs on the comings and goings of the house.
Either one had Zellas knowing of Owen's existence. It made him angry. Was he the last person to know? Was everyone keeping secrets from him?! He was the trickster priest, he was the one with the answers to questions everyone had. He was the one who kept those answers secret. Things were not supposed to be kept from him.
Xellos had half a mind to go into the house and take Owen away and never come back. That would show everyone. But as angry as he was he knew that wasn't a smart idea. The boy was safer in the house. He couldn't risk Owen's life for the sake of his own pride.
Filia was eating breakfast when Xellos phased into the kitchen. He didn't say a word to her but grabbed her by the arm and teleported her outside in front of his thinking tree. He grabbed her by both arms and shoved her against the tree.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Filia screamed at him.
Xellos stared at her with his eyes open. Truthfully he didn't know what he was doing. He was angry and he wanted her to know that but staring into her surprised and also angry eyes made something in him snap. One second staring into her eyes and he was gone. The self control had disappeared and Xellos lips came crashing down onto hers.
Filia could have pushed him away. Filia could have scratched and clawed at him but that's not what Filia did. No she did the same stupid thing she did when kissed him at the party. She teleported them into her room.
As they crashed into her bed with clothes flying Filia pushed Xellos away and looked him straight in the eye with the most serious of faces. "Owen is your son..." She whispered.
"I know." Xellos had angry, furious even but in that moment it all ebbed away. He was still a little mad but most of all he was extremely horny. "No more talking or I'll rip all your pretty clothes off you and into shreads." He growled at her as he started nibbling on her neck.
