"You two look like you need a break." Zelgadis stated as he sat on the floor of the upstairs parlor beside Amelia as Justina lay on her back on a blanket as she gazed at a rattle lying close by.

"That maybe." Lina said as she picked the rattle up and handed it to Midas while Aurelia was standing up by clutching Gourry's fingers, and she wished she felt awake enough to enjoy this time. But all she wanted to do was sleep. The nap they'd gotten in her office this morning simply had not cut it. "But I just can't dismiss this as mind games by Gertrude. Both Midas and Aurelia were glowing when whatever it was started to howl outside our window. And it was targeting us!"

"So you're just going to exhaust yourself…"

"Well I'm too tired to come up with a better plan! Or any plan!" Lina snapped as she threw the rattle down because she couldn't stand the accusatory tone of his voice, and then she groaned as Midas cried. She wanted nothing more than to drop them both off at the nursery and let someone else take care of them while she crashed for a solid eight hours, or more! Gourry looked at her expectantly as he cradled Aurelia, and Lina sighed as she picked Midas up and was relieved that he stopped crying once he was in her arms, "Honestly, here Sis tricks me into thinking this will be easy because I'll have nannies and wet nurses to help, so I let my lug headed husband knock me up, but not once did she warn me that we might be in so much danger that I don't dare let them out of my sight! Or that there'd be two of them and it would end up being even harder than if I'd just stayed a peasant! Oh, when I see Sis again…"

"It's not just your children who are at risk." Zelgadis shot back, "And we can't be stupid about this. You need to be rested and ready! You and Gourry both!"

"And how are we supposed to do that when whatever that thing last night was won't let us get any rest?" Lina asked.

"What if that's the point of what it was doing, though?" Amelia asked quietly.

"But why?" Gourry asked.

"To get you two tired and vulnerable." Amelia said.

Zelgadis's lips drew into a thin line as he looked at Justina and put a protective hand over her, "Does anyone know what Greater Beast Zelas's beast form is?"

Silence hung ominously in the air for a moment, and then Lina said, "No. But with a name like Greater Beast you would think she could control animals or something like that, at the least."

"Xellos was hurt rather badly, it could have been a killing blow." Gourry added, "But it was too easy, wasn't it? And what if she's wanting revenge for hurting her priest?"

Amelia shuddered as she picked Justina up and held her close, "It was scary enough before they were born. But now that they're here and we know them…"

"I know," Lina tried to sound confident, but as she was rubbing her eyes it likely didn't come out that way, "We'll get through it. We always have. I think tonight I'll sleep in the nursery."

"Maybe we should let Justina sleep with us!" Amelia said as she grabbed Zelgadis's arm, "And Penelope can sleep on the trundle bed."

"And we need to place some people outside, close to the windows." Lina said.

"That would be a very dangerous position." Gourry pointed out. "Especially if it is Greater Beast."

"Princess Amelia." Jeeves said as he walked in.

Amelia handed Justina to Zelgadis and stood up, "Yes?"

"Might you know where Princess Gracia is at?" Jeeves asked.

"She comes and goes as she pleases." Amelia said.

"Oh ho ho!" boomed through the room, and Midas and Aurelia started to cry as Justina's eyes lit up and she reached for her aunt as she appeared in the room. "You were looking for me?"

Somehow, Jeeves managed to maintain his composure, "A messenger from Saillune delivered this, and instructed that the two of you were to read it at the same time."

Naga and Amelia looked at each other. "Well, it's either a new sibling or Grandfather…"

Naga took the letter and waved Jeeves away, "You may go."

Jeeves bowed and walked away as Amelia clutched Naga's arm, "What does it say?"

Naga snorted as she read, "My Dearest Gracia and Amelia. I have no doubt that you will be glad to hear that I have made it home safely, and just in time for the birth of your brother, Crowned Prince Eldoran Ul Will Saillune."

Amelia gasped as she clutched her hands over her mouth while Naga rolled her eyes, "Overshadowed by an infant."

"Sis!" Amelia cried.

"Since when do you care about the throne?" Lina asked.

"It's the principle of it!" Naga said, "Here I am, an accomplished and worthy heir…"

"A what now?" Lina yelled.

"And because I'm a woman I get cast aside for a baby boy like I am nothing!" Naga said. "Why bother trying too hard?"

Amelia scowled as she asked, "What else does it say?"

Naga cleared her throat, "You will also be relieved to know that your stepmother, Princess Sabea, is doing well."

I wouldn't be doing well if I birthed that man's child! Lina thought as her stomach turned.

"Unfortunately, your grandfather, King Eldoran, died just moments before our little Prince, Eldoran, came into the world. Oh brother!" Naga said as she lowered the arm that was holding the letter. "He then asks about how you're doing, his precious Amelia."

Amelia wiped away a tear from her eye as she sighed. "That's so poetic! And they picked the perfect name for him! Oh, I can't wait to see him. And I wish that I could have seen Grandfather one more time!"

"Well, all I can say if good riddance!" Naga spat as she crumpled up the letter.

"Sis!" Amelia cried as she moved to grab it from her, "How could you?"

"Easy." Naga said. "And now I've got stuff to do."

"Naga, wait." Lina said, "Last night, did you hear the wolf?"

"Wolf?" Naga asked, "What wolf? I slept like a baby last night!"

"Lucky you." Lina muttered.

Naga tsked, "You do have some dark circles under your eye. Just leave the twins with Moe and Karina already and get some sleep, because damn you need it."

"You didn't happen to drink yourself to sleep again?" Lina asked.

Naga laughed, and the twins cried once again as Justina cooed. And then Naga walked away, and Lina breathed a sigh of relief as Gourry said, "Thank goodness she's gone."

"No kidding!" Zelgadis added. "That woman…"

"Oh!" Amelia groaned, and then she broke down into tears.

The color drained from Zelgadis's face as he put his arms around Amelia's shoulders, "Oh, darling, I didn't mean it like that! She's a beautiful woman, she just gets to be a bit much."

Amelia sobbed, "She's so bitter not even Grandfather dying brings us together! And you hate each other!"

"No, Amelia!" Zelgadis said as Lina and Gourry looked at each other, "Hate is a strong word and…"

"Don't split hairs with me!" Amelia yelled.

"Um, don't we have bigger things to worry about?" Gourry asked, "Like being attacked."

"Well I'm sorry my family drama is so trivial for you!" Amelia spat as she grabbed Justina and fled from the room.

Zelgadis shook his head as he ran a hand through his hair, "I think we all need a break."

"Well, we're not likely to get one soon." Lina said as her energy dropped. She wanted to take another nap, but there was so much to plan! "We've got to figure out what to do tonight."

Zelgadis nodded, "Here, I'll go down to the kitchen and tell Nelly to send up more coffee and snacks, and then we'll gather the others and start to plan. Why don't you two get your second wind while I'm doing all that?"

"Right," Lina said as a snore tore through the room, and she looked beside her to see Gourry asleep on the floor beside the twins. She shook her head as a smile played at her lips, and then she climbed onto the couch and laid her head down on the soft, smooth pillow as Zelgadis left the room.

Leia hummed to herself as she walked past the upstairs parlor, and then stopped when she noticed that Lina was sleeping on the couch and that Gourry was snoring quietly as he laid on the floor beside the twins. They were awake, but each seemed too interested in reaching their hands out to attempt to grasp and touch each other to notice that their parents were out cold. Leia smiled as she tiptoed inside and then knelt down to scoop up Midas up put him in the basket, and then Aurelia. Feeling triumphant, she grabbed the basket and walked out.

"It's about time your mommy and daddy had a break!" Leia said, her voice an octave higher than usual, as they got out into the hallway, "They love you so much but they need time away from you, you know. And now we're going to have fun together in the nursery, and your mommy will see that everything will be just fine and relax a little!"

She could just see the nursery up ahead when she heard a low growling behind her and a chill went down her spine as she stopped in her tracks. But before she could turn around, something grabbed the basket the twins were in! Leia cried out as she twisted and put her other hand on the handle and held on tight as she saw that a fierce looking green haired woman was also grasping the handle, her lips drawn into a cruel smile. And then whatever it was that was behind her pounced and landed on her back, sending her falling forward as the basket was torn from her grasp!

"I think she's ready for a nap." Amelia said as she handed Justina to Penelope, and then she wiped her eyes. Why couldn't she go for more than a few hours without breaking down and crying anymore?

"Right, my lady." Penelope said as she walked to her rocking chair and held Justina with a confidence that Amelia did not feel. The urge to cry swelled again, and Amelia tried to find the words to leave without breaking down.

"Good afternoon." A smiling priestess said as she walked in, and Amelia felt gooseflesh form all over her skin. Her style of clothing was strange, and Amelia could not place it as originating with any country she was familiar with. It definitely was not what the priestesses in Zeferia wore! Her hat was extremely distinctive and obviously ceremonial. And every instinct within Amelia screamed that this was not a good person!

"Who are you?" Moe asked as he stepped forward and prevented her from getting far into the nursery.

"I am Huraker." She said as her smile grew even bigger, "A priestess. I'd heard that some of the women here were having a difficult transition to motherhood. I can help."

From the hallway they heard a bloodcurdling scream, trailed by a snarling sound, and then a horrible, ominous silence. And Amelia felt her chest tighten as the silence was broken as the twins started to cry, and Amelia knew she needed to find out what was happening. But Huraker was standing in the doorway, and she made no move to stand aside or even to attack.

"Leave." Moe said as he stepped forward.

"That's not a nice way to treat a guest." Huraker said as she favored them with a grin that was more bestial than human. "I wouldn't recommend fighting me. There's no reason for anyone in this room to be hurt if you just stay here and ignore what is happening outside."

"We can't do that." Moe said as Amelia looked over to where Penelope was holding Justina and felt her heart break. Still, she started chanting a Ra Tilt as she walked up to stand beside Moe.

Even though the windows were closed, wind rushed through the room and swirled around Huraker, and though her arms remained wrapped under layers of thick, heavy capes, she was able to manipulate it into the form of a staff as she said, "I figured it would come to this. So be it!"

"What are some of the benefits of the Holy Bliss spell over something like the Dragon Slave?" Sylphiel asked the class, and she gave them a minute to think through their answers and waited until she had a good number of hands in the air to choose from. She scanned the crowd for someone who had not answered in a while, and then chose, "Adora."

"Well, a Dragon Slave destroys everything in its path, right? Well, Holy Bliss only harms the undead. It doesn't destroy any buildings or hurt living things."

"Well put." Sylphiel said, and then she frowned as several students gasped as everyone started looking behind her and to her right as a feeling of dread and bloodlust hit her. Sylphiel took a deep breath and turned around and saw a beautiful young woman with long black hair, some of which was piled in two buns on the top of her head while the rest flowed down her back. Her dress was exquisite and appeared to be made from silk and was spotless as it gleamed with the shine of thousands of jewels, but it appeared quite out of place in a classroom. She looked like she should have been on her way to a summer ball. Regardless, she stared at the chalkboard thoughtfully as she shook her head and smiled.

"You humans." She said, her voice warm and inviting, "You think you know so much, you talk so authoritatively, but do you really know the source of your power?"

"Who are you?" Sylphiel asked as the hair on the back of her neck stood up. Sylphiel was standing between the closed door and the far wall where she was. How had she gotten in unless…?

"Where did you come from?" Sylphiel demanded to know as several of the students started to stand up as they muttered to themselves.

"She just appeared out of nowhere!" Peter cried.

The stranger ignored him as she turned to look at Sylphiel, "White magic as a subset of Shamanist Magic? Well, there is much you don't understand, and will never understand."

And then she held her hand forward and a jet of fast moving water rushed towards Sylphiel, knocking her hard in the stomach as she fell back against the desk and then to the floor.

Zelgadis had just gotten down the stairs when he stopped in his tracks as Xellos materialized before him in the hallway. "You!"

"Is that anyway to greet me?" Xellos asked as he smiled, and Zelgadis felt his stomach sink as he grabbed his sword. But the Sword of Amplification only worked when it had been powered by a spell. And right now it was completely unpowered! It was useless!

And in his human form there was no magic that Zelgadis could perform that had a hope of scratching Xellos!

"So it comes to this, then." Zelgadis said, his heart heavy as he wondered if he could stall for time until someone more powerful came along. Hope flickered for a moment as he saw Han and Rick appear briefly, and then duck out of sight. Had Xellos seen them?

But then a bloodcurdling scream echoed down the stairwell from the second floor, followed by the sound of wailing infants. Zelgadis felt his stomach drop as he realized he wasn't the only one being attacked! Was Amelia okay? Was Justina?

"It's nothing personal." Xellos said. And truly, under different circumstances he would have been more than happy to let them live their lives. Before he'd met Lina he'd had no more respect for humans than humans had for the animals they slaughtered for food. Humans were weak, pitiful vermin who could be amusing enough, but weren't worth one scrap of sadness when they met their inevitable demise.

But Lina had fought so hard and was so smart and talented that, even though she'd drawn blood and left a huge mess, you couldn't help but respect her for it. She was the pig you secretly cheered for when they found a way to escape the slaughterhouse. The one who had distinguished herself from the rest and earned a happy ending.

While that respect didn't quite extend to her friends, he was willing to leave them alone to live their pathetic lives that they clung to so fiercely. They'd earned it, and to an immortal such as himself a hundred or so years was nothing.

But they didn't know to quit while they were ahead. If those babies weren't a threat to Mazoku kind and their goals…He couldn't let those children grow up under Lina's care.

So as Zelgadis said, it had indeed come to this.

Lina snapped awake as she heard her mother scream, and she jumped off the couch as Gourry stood up. "The twins!" he cried.

As though on cue, they started crying from the hallway. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Lina look in disbelief at the blanket on the floor where they had laid when she went to sleep, safe. Tears filled her eyes, and she started to run for the door, but it seemed so far away, and it felt as though she was running so slowly. Why couldn't she run faster?

After what seemed like an eternity, Dynast Grausherra appeared before the door right as she'd almost reached it. Lina had to fight to keep from gagging. He looked horribly deformed, as though he was still recovering from his last encounter with her. But he oozed strength and power as he smiled maliciously, and Lina felt her stomach sink as she realized he had no intention of letting her get to her babies without a fight as he said, "Payback time."

AN: There are translations of Huraker that I prefer, Turtle Paradise's Hureika for one, but since there's been no official English translation of the Knight of the Aqualord manga (which is a travesty of justice that Amelia needs to get on stat!), I decided to go with the translation on KanzakaDex so that people unfamiliar with the manga can look her up for reference if they want to.