Ame x Xel Songfic; Song written by Utada Hikaru; Songfic by Black Nightshade
~*~
Every time we happened to meet on the street; my doubts deepened.
That strange guy who shows up everywhere I go
is always doing something dangerous,
so no matter what I do, he worries me.
Love trap
~*~
Amelia took in a breath of fresh air. The freshly fallen leaves rustled along the ground; the air crisp and cold as it blew against her cheek. Raven locks fell over her oceanic orbs as they gazed upon the fall foliage. "How could death be so beautiful..?" she whispered to herself, seeing the brightly colored leaves gracefully fluttered down to the barren ground.
It was true.. fall meant everything was dying.. all the beautiful flowers and trees; yet so graceful and gorgeous a death one hardly ever stopped to mourn it. Amelia shook off the uncomfortable feeling she felt from it. She decided it was best to be niave like the rest of the world and pretend she didn't notice anything but the scenery.
The tapping of her shoes against the stones in the royal garden echoed throughout the area. Everywhere she turned she saw a peasant running off holding a bucket full of fresh fruit. The harvest was plentiful this year; though they ran quickly as to be able to preserve it before first thaw. Amelia smiled at them all, cream-tinted cape seeming to fly off her shoulders, rippling with ever little breeze. Amelia closed her eyes as to take in the feeling of it all; despite the little voice in back of her mind crying out unpleasentries.
Opening her eyes something happened to catch her interest- a familiar looking chap with lavender colored hair who from what it seemed was pestering a guard nearby.. making funny faces and hopping up and down like an ape, or thwaping him with a staff, though his face wasn't in a clear enough view. An instant pang of recognition ran through her body like a chill. "Mr. Xelloss!" she nearly cried out, though clasping both hands firmly over her mouth before it happened to catch an echo.
Loved and confused
to the point I was bound up and couldn't move
Carried along, seeming to be swept off my feet
I was caught
~*~
"What in L-Sama is HE doing in Saillune?!" Her mind screeched. At first her reactions was her regular "leave the guards alone speech" which normally was reserved for little boys who had run from their mothers looking for something fun to do to make them seem more manly. Her mind crossed that off instantly because of two very good reasons.. One; he was no little boy.. as childish as he may appear. Two; he's a mazoku.. he must have a motive for pestering the guards! Some sinister plot they she most put a stop to and adjust his evil ways! But what if wasn't the trickster priest and just some annoying young man..? She decided to approach it that way but keep her guard up.
A speech suddenly began to roll off her tongue so naturally it would odds are frighten little children; if not just annoy them. By some instinct she immediately grabbed up the end of her cape pulling her arm to her chest making it flow to one side while the other arm shot out, hand in a "halt" position.. her feet skidding to a stop making quite the amount of dust form about her.
"You there! He who pesters the guard! Turn and show me, Amelia Wil Telsa Saillune, Daughter of King Phionelle crowned ruler of the mighty kingdom of Saillune in which grounds you stand upon in this very instance your face and tell me what in L-Sama's name you've got brewing-for it seems of ill means and I, Justice Defender, shall make sure your sinister plans are thwarted in the name of goodness, light, and of Saillune itself!"
The man turned to face her, his hands clasped over his ears while his head was bent low in attempts to block out the annoying goodness of the speech. Finally peering up, his eyes flashed open.. slitted like a cats and glittering with a charismatic air that was so unique it stood out in it's own mysterious way. "Why Miss Amelia! Do you not remember who I am? I do believe I'm hurt!"
I was caught in a delicious trap
and the situation's getting seriously dangerous
A sweet trap... I'm not just calm
I can't be called "shallow," or "young," or some such.
~*~
"So it is you then Mr. Xelloss! What are you doing in Saillune?! If it is for evil means I swear I'll..." The now quite tired of justice mazoku put a finger to her lips silencing her. "I simply came to pay a visit.. I've a mission in a nearby town and thought it'd be a good idea to stop and visit an old friend!" Amelia quirked an eyebrow with a sweatdrop. "What kind of a fool do you play me for?!" The princess barked. Xelloss' smile widened sensing the hostility that was forming. "The finest in Saillune!" Amelia's face glowed with anger. "Mr. Xelloss tell me the real reason!" Xelloss leaned in close enough so his nose was touching Amelia's. A bright blush filled her face replacing the angry glare that had not so earlier before grace it. "Now... that.. is a secret!"
Amelia facefaulted as quickly as the blush appeared. "That is NOT an acceptable answer!" she cried out, hands clasped behind her. "Miss Amelia-did anyone ever tell you that you look simply ravishing when your angry?" Amelia twitched, then taking a deep breath calmed herself , regaining what was left of her regal stature to the peasants who happened to stop to watch their princess argue with a strange looking man.
Xelloss marveled at her quick recover. Though in his mind his thoughts churned.. everything was going just right. Though he did his best to appear as innocent as a lamb, even fooling Amelia with those little games with the guards. He caught her attention quite nicely. Now all he had to do was play his cards right and his mission would be over with in no time.
"If you must know.." Xelloss said almost haughtily. "I did happen to come here for a mission of sorts.." Amelia's ears perked up. "What KIND of mission?" She inquired.. leaning in, one eye closed while one hand grasped her chin, thumb stroking it as if she where searching him. "To know this.. Miss Amelia.. I will see you at 12:00 for tea-time! Then you can ask me whatever your little heart desires!" He faded out leaving poor Amelia stranded with every emotion being raised so quickly they never had enough time to fade, the wonders of why he would show up out of the blue for no reason filling up her thoughts.. though it was his way... Xelloss was playing his cards just fine.
Every time you've lost your temper
it's drawn us closer together.
Don't suddenly make such a serious face
I wandered right into that clever trap of yours
It's futile to resist
Love trap
~*~
The 12:00 bell chimed out throughout the palace. Amelia sat in her room at a little table, two teacups set up with a little teapot in the middle with a plate of crumpets not too far from it. With hands folded on her lap she shifted uneasily. She still had no idea what on earth she was doing following his stupid instructions let alone setting up tea and crumpets! She shook her head. The bell finally stopped chiming. "He's not coming!" Her first impression was disappointment but then releasing exactly who wasn't coming she rejoiced in it.
He rejoicing came a little early as in the blink of an eye the purple haired priest was sitting across from her with the teacup in his hand. "Hello Miss Amelia! What a lovely setting.. did you do it all on your own? I'm quite impressed!" She sweatdroped and, using her manners, poured him some tea with a mild annoyance. "Miss Amelia.. you don't look all too happy to see me!" She grumbled then said "I'm perfectly happy Mr. Xelloss.."
"You don't look like you mean it.." he said in a nagging tone. Amelia slammed her cup down, a loud clank sound shooting about the room. "I.. mean...it" she said through gritted teeth. Xelloss blinked for a moment before smiling once more. "My my is it that time of the month Miss Amelia?" A sweatdrop poured down her head but seeing as yelling would get her nowhere once more calmed herself. "No.. it is not. Now.. you said you'd answer my questions.. well.. tell me of your mission!"
Xelloss let out a laugh. "I said you could ask me I never said I'd tell you! And by all means you won't be hearing of the mission-except that no ill means will come to you and yours by it!" Amelia just about ready to scream paused hearing his addition. "Well.. I suppose I can leave that to rest.. for now!" She eyed him for a moment.. he seemed exactly as she remembered him... not a thing different. Xelloss, noting her wandering her straitened up, sipping his tea. "Something the matter?" He said with a smile.. though his eyes shot open to peer at her, deep pits of light lilac seeming to burn into her very existence.
Did I underestimate that childish smile?
You aimed for my Achilles' heel
The twinkle in your eye
thrust me right into it's depths
~*~
Amelia cleared her throat and shifted her gaze away from his eyes uneasily. "No, not a thing.." A silence stood hanging over them for awhile, nothing but the sounds of sipping tea where heard. Finally Amelia tried to start up a conversation. "Well.. it's been a long time has it not? You haven't changed a bit if I do say so myself.." Xelloss peered up from his tea and placed the cup down. "I'd love to say the same to you-but you have changed.. and for the better if I may add."
Amelia flushed. It was true, she did change slightly. She was taller and by some means a little fuller around her chest area, her hair down a bit more below her shoulders though in it's normal design. The same innocence remained in her eyes-never tarnished from the day they met. Xelloss grinned to himself seeing another barrier crumble. The girl was so trusting it was almost pathetic.. but somewhere in the deepest regions Xelloss knew he enjoyed the trust, it made things easier for him.. and also a little nice. Then again, nice never was a good thing to him.. probably why it was in the back of his mind.
"Thank you.." Amelia chimed, a smile tugging at her face though she tried her best to restrain it. "I see Saillune is doing quite well, the guards don't budge when you poke jokes at them.. or run away. And the economy must be flourishing. Is it just me or does Saillune sell the best produce?" Amelia didn't resist anymore and fully smiled. "Well, ever since my return I've been aiming towards those areas.."
For Amelia it was nice to have her work noticed.. few people tended to do that. The peasants wouldn't.. They all claimed L-Sama was rewarding them for keeping their princess far from Lina Inverse. Her father certainly had more important matters to attend to.. there wasn't really anyone else to notice her handiwork. "I can tell.. no one in this kingdom besides yourself could do such a splendid job!" Her mind kept feeding her logic but.. just as she disregarded the truth about fall.. she disregarded the logic to Xelloss flattering. "That is very kind of you! ..Crumpet?"
Your chains have become comfortable
I'm embraced fully in your arms
I want to shine like a firefly
~*~
Amelia lay in bed gazing up at the white-wash ceiling. She tried to recall anything about the day but drew a blank. The entire thing was revolved around the mazoku and their meeting together. After Amelia started up a conversation they chatted for hours on end until Xelloss had to up and disappear. "I'd love to know what that mission was about.." Amelia thought. Curiosity tugged at her mind as she yawned, just about ready to sleep. For some reason everything she felt worried about around him began to make her more and more relaxed. She thought of this as she drifted off to sleep.. her dreams filled of a mischievous mazoku and a mission that was all but a mystery to her.
Amelia woke in the morning, sun creeping through the windowpanes and into her tired eyelids. Sitting up she rubbed the sleep from them and gazed in the mirror.. her vision clearing she let out a scream seeing a different face peer back at her. Xelloss laughed as she turned and glared at him. "Dreadfully sorry Miss Amelia but I didn't want to wake you!" She sweatdroped and stood. "Next time please come at respectable hours.. preferably when I'm awake!" The mazoku sat comfortably on her bed leaning back. "What fun would it be then?" Amelia went to speak but hearing a knocking on the door tripped right onto the bed into Xelloss' arms.
The door flung open showing a guard. "Milady? I heard a scream and I-" The guard paused, looking at the now cherry red princess in a smiling man's arms and coughed. "Sorry.. to disturb you!" he said quickly closing the door.. and repeating to himself out loud "I never saw that.. I am no witness.. I was never here..". Both sweatdroped.. Amelia brushing herself off. "Miss Amelia... With all do respect, I do believe, though they may not laugh or run anymore.. they should have enough brains to register what it is.. not lacking so much that they can't tell a joke from well.. this!" Amelia nodded with a sigh.
"Can't win them all.." she said with a shrug. Xelloss nodded. "Quite right. Well, I just dropped in.. I've best be going now.. mission, you know. I'll see you later.. hm.. let's say in that beautiful garden of yours at 4:00. Ja!" Before Amelia could get a word in edgewise he disappeared.. leaving an amethyst rose behind in his place. Amelia picked it up gently, accepting it and tucking it into her hair.. then began to quickly dress. 4:00 may be awhile later but she had much to do before hand! With that she raced out the door.. beirly noticing the guard who had ran in on her earlier still repeating the same phrase as he walked painstakingly slow down the stairs.
I was caught in a delicious trap
and the situation's getting seriously dangerous
All I can do is become the prisoner of a delicious trap
Sweet, faint, gentle light.
~*~
Amelia looked up at the bell-tower. 4:00 on the dot. Again in the blink of an eye the trickster priest had "graced" her with his presence. "Mr. Xelloss, really must you always startle me like that?" Xelloss did a swift bow. "I am sorry, Miss Amelia." Amelia studied the look on his face... could he be trusted? "Mr. Xelloss, now a question if I may." Xelloss nodded. "Why of course! Ask away!" Amelia paused for a moment.. she knew if she ever wanted an answer out of him she had to be just as tactful in her questioning as he was. "So, Mr. Xelloss, how are tricks going in the city-I've not been there in quite some time." Xelloss answered plainly. "Oh, they seem to be working fairly well. For the most parts the guards almost are a challenge". A ha!! Amelia quirked her eyebrow. "Challenge?" Xelloss smiled widely. "Oh yes, for the missio-..." he paused, his eyes snapping open, a smirk crossing his lips. "Why Miss Amelia... I do believe you tricked me."
This was exactly what she wanted to here. "I'd like to know right now what acts of injustice you are stirring up within my kingdom, I demand it!" Xelloss had a trick or two up his sleeve himself. "Why, can't we just enjoy the beauty of your splended garden?" Amelia's eyes shimmered. "Splendid...? Oh no you don't! I want to know right now!" She stomped her foot, thrusting her happy-face finger out pointing at him. "Hm, well then Miss Amelia I do believe we'll have to arrange something else. I've got to be going, let's say the palace ball room at the stroke of midnight? Ja!" Amelia stood watching his disappearance with a sigh. Well...she at least made some progress. But would she really see him again after discovering out his secret? Would she be alone again.. hiding the secret of her sadness? ..her own secret..
While on the astral plain Xelloss watched Amelia intrigued. The emotions she was giving off was giving him quite the feast. But something in the back of his mind bothered him. It was the fact, he supposed, that he actually enjoyed his visits to the little princess. He shuddered. Him, enjoying making her day with his appearances. Yet... it made him feel something new. Something different to be wanted. All the time since his creation no one enjoyed his company. He enjoyed that for quite some time-but someone is actually depending on him.
He wasn't sure now what was worse... showing up and admitting a flaw or not showing up and having her see one of her own. "Gods damn these feelings. I was made with no emotions but you know the saying 'monkey see, monkey do'.. now I have a deadlock of my own. Fancy that! How deliciously interesting! Now I wonder.. which shall I choose.. well, Miss Amelia.. you figured out how I think.. 'least you think so. For now, let your assumptions be your guide for you know just as much as I do at this point. Confusion is bliss, you know!" With that he departed to have a little chat.. persay.. with Xellass.. and hoped he would live through it.
I was caught in a delicious trap
and the situation's getting seriously dangerous
A delicious trap... You won't say it seriously
Let's confess the whole truth to each other.
~*~
Amelia looked up at the great tapestries and chandeliers in the ballroom. The beauty and splendor coated in gold... but it was like she was in a cage awaiting an unknown fate. Trapped. Her mind was trapped in the notion she had seen over the past few days. Now she knew his only reason for being in Saillune was for this mission of his.. but.. why would he visit her? Does she have something to do with the plot? Is she again nothing but a pawn? Amelia sighed. Now her brain switched from 'is Xelloss was trust-worthy' to 'is my own judgment trust-worthy'. "I know very well his masks are charming and suave.. I know his mind is far too complex for me to fathom... I know he knows all my secrets, and knows I know few if none of his own... I know he worked his way into my subconscience.. and I don't know if I like it or not. Oh Miss Lina why did you have to run off on another journey? Miss Filia.. why can I not be as strong as you against his searching eyes? Mr. Zelgadiss why does your image not deter me anymore... why did mine never deter you.? Mr. Xelloss... why am I caught up in your game...and why don't I want to go?"
The clock finally chimed out the hour.. the dong echoing through the castle seemingly shaking it from it's very frame. Amelia's eyes snapped shut.. then slowly fluttered open. All was silent. No Xelloss... Amelia felt her heart sink. "No.. this is a good thing.. it really is. Be strong, he is no friend to you! He is a lying mazoku! He can not be trusted! ..He can not be trusted?" Her mind faltered as she found herself talking to herself incoherently. "Miss Amelia, I didn't expect to see you in such a sorry state. Whatever is the matter?" Amelia's eyes opened wide as she spun, finding Xelloss standing at her.. amethyst eyes shining.. rimmed with the golden reflection of the room. But he looked quite bashed up. "Mr. Xelloss! You came...? Your hurt!" Xelloss paused then floated up.. looked at his own reflection in the chandelier...and smirked. "Oh, that. It's nothing, really. Actually, it feels quite good." He floated down beside her. "And why would I not come?" Amelia shuffled her feet. "I figured you where a mazoku and not to be trusted..." Xelloss laughed. "Well then your right! Whatever you think of me is truth, and whatever I think of me is only a mirrored image of what you think." Amelia stood confused for a moment.. but found a laugh bubbling deep within her chest. "Toshe', Mr. Xelloss. You've gotten me back for before. Now tell me what is this unjust you where planning in my kingdom?"
Xelloss' eyes flashed open. "Never you mind on what I had planned, let's just put it this way.. it's been re-located" Amelia quirked an eyebrow curiously. "Re-located?" Xelloss coughed. "Well, to be honest the mission enveloped the destruction of most of your kingdom to get to a certain gem it was built on that could serve Xellass-Sama in many more ways then one.. especially against the other generals. But we've found it is reachable through an area.. ehm... off in the other direction of Saillune so we won't have to go through with it after all. The guards where a challenge to me because I had to get a map of the underground planning of Saillune. There, satisfied?" Amelia's eyes where wide. "Y..You mean you where here to destroy Saillune.. but made it so Saillune would stand?" Xelloss sweatdropped with a slight twitch. "Well, no.. well...yes...well.. yare yare! Besides, Saillune is too rich in beauty to destroy just yet. It's too fruitful.. it's better to make those with rotten luck have even worse, no?" Amelia smiled. "As rotten as that sounds, Mr. Xelloss, I believe you have a heart in you after all." Xelloss nearly doubled over. "ME?! Why Miss Amelia wash your mouth out!!" Amelia laughed heartily. "Whatever the true reasons you had, Mr. Xelloss, for not destroying Saillune I thank you for it and know very well every line you feed me is a lie. But something tells me that the mission wasn't was it?" Xelloss grinned, his eyes glistening. "Well now Miss Amelia I do believe that you've got it. Though, you still could be wrong. Who is to trust a lying mazoku?"
Amelia paused. "Well, someone who trusted a lying priest in the first place... Mr. Xelloss, does that mean you won't be visiting me anymore?" Xelloss paused now as well. "Well.. Miss Amelia.. that is all up to you. You see, I could care less weather I stay or I go. Either way there will be more missions.. though.. if you enjoy my company and are willing to admit it then what the hey!" Amelia facefaulted. Xelloss had his regular smile on.. almost mocking her. "Some things may never change, Mr. Xelloss, but I would like some visits from you. After all, who else is here to keep me reminded of the time?" She raised her eyebrows with a laugh. "Though I swear you better not touch any poor towns or cities! Or I will have to punish you in the name of love...justice...and li-" Xelloss sweatdropped and shuddered. "I do believe I get the idea, Miss Amelia. Just.. never say those words again and I promise.. as good as my word may be." Amelia looked thoughtful for a moment. "Your word is as good as mine.. because you just tell me the opposite of what I want to hear. That's what you meant before in the garden, wasn't it?" Xelloss grinned. "Yare Yare, Miss Amelia" Amelia closed her eyes. "Yare Yare, Mr. Xelloss. For now even I have a secret or two.. and ones that you don't know, too!" Xelloss looked at her for a moment.. almost looking through her. The emotions she was giving off.. of confidence and almost contentment should have made him sick to his stomach. But at the moment he wasn't concerned in getting a high-class royal meal. He was more interested in trying to figure out Amelia.. she was quite the interesting person in deed. She intrigued him, in a sense. "Hai, Miss Amelia. Maybe you do." Amelia tilted her head to the side with a smile. "You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine!" Xelloss eyes snapped open once more. "We'll see...."