In some far away and distant land, the Beastmaster chuckled. She was pleased, for the torture of love was a burden few mazoku ever placed on their shoulders.
Meanwhile, her priest/general had a sobbing ryuzoku on his hands, and was, for once, helpless.
Xelloss continued to stare at Filia, who continued to sob into his cloak. After a moment, he dropped to his knees, and very, very hesitantly put one of his arms around her. She didn't flinch away, but he still didn't relax, unused to such close contact-unless he was teasing someone, of course.
Filia herself didn't flinch only because she was so preoccupied with her inner thoughts. She continued to sob, and her mind raced.
'Why am I letting this mazoku touch me? I hate him! He almost completly destroyed my race... but.. that was so long ago, and it was a war. STILL!' Her sobs had nearly subsided now, and she turned her reddened eyes up to the mazoku.
"Xelloss?" Her voice cracked in the middle of his name, but he refrained from teasing her. Instead, Xelloss, the mysterious trickster priest, replied.
"Filia-chan?" The tremble in his own voice startled her, and when she opened her mouth to continue, the only sound that emerged was a faint and squeaky,
"Why?" Filia cleared her throat, and her voice, though soft, came clearly, "Why did you kill my kind? Was it because... you were ordered to? Because it was a war? Did you enjoy it, Xelloss-san?" Tears threatned to spill from her shimmering blue eyes, and she reached a hand to wipe them.
"Filia-chan... I..." He shook his head, and let a smile drift across his face, "Sore wa, himitsu desu.." To curb the anger that began to flicker in her eyes, he added, "...in other words, I don't know."
She sucked in her breath, and shook her head at him, "You don't know? Xelloss..."
"I was ordered to, but... a mazoku has no heart. I can't say whether I enjoyed the carnage or not..." He actually bit his lip, and opened his eyes part of the way.
"Filia?"
"Hai?"
"Do... Would you believe me, if I said I think somehow.. being around you... has given me a heart?"
Meanwhile, her priest/general had a sobbing ryuzoku on his hands, and was, for once, helpless.
Xelloss continued to stare at Filia, who continued to sob into his cloak. After a moment, he dropped to his knees, and very, very hesitantly put one of his arms around her. She didn't flinch away, but he still didn't relax, unused to such close contact-unless he was teasing someone, of course.
Filia herself didn't flinch only because she was so preoccupied with her inner thoughts. She continued to sob, and her mind raced.
'Why am I letting this mazoku touch me? I hate him! He almost completly destroyed my race... but.. that was so long ago, and it was a war. STILL!' Her sobs had nearly subsided now, and she turned her reddened eyes up to the mazoku.
"Xelloss?" Her voice cracked in the middle of his name, but he refrained from teasing her. Instead, Xelloss, the mysterious trickster priest, replied.
"Filia-chan?" The tremble in his own voice startled her, and when she opened her mouth to continue, the only sound that emerged was a faint and squeaky,
"Why?" Filia cleared her throat, and her voice, though soft, came clearly, "Why did you kill my kind? Was it because... you were ordered to? Because it was a war? Did you enjoy it, Xelloss-san?" Tears threatned to spill from her shimmering blue eyes, and she reached a hand to wipe them.
"Filia-chan... I..." He shook his head, and let a smile drift across his face, "Sore wa, himitsu desu.." To curb the anger that began to flicker in her eyes, he added, "...in other words, I don't know."
She sucked in her breath, and shook her head at him, "You don't know? Xelloss..."
"I was ordered to, but... a mazoku has no heart. I can't say whether I enjoyed the carnage or not..." He actually bit his lip, and opened his eyes part of the way.
"Filia?"
"Hai?"
"Do... Would you believe me, if I said I think somehow.. being around you... has given me a heart?"