"So here's the plan." Lina sat astride one the huge, slightly lumpy armchairs that were scattered around the library, facing her companions, "We should get Amelia out of here. Elerot can't hurt her if he can't find her. Agreed?" The rest of the group nodded. "But where are we going then?" Zelgadiss asked. "I don't know. I was thinking maybe Filia's place, since that's so far away from the crowd." Lina looked over towards the blond woman. "That's fine. I wouldn't mind having you stay for a while. I mean it's not a big place, but I think we'll manage." Filia smiled. "So we'll lead her out, the crack of dawn would be best. We'll borrow one of the more indiscernible wagons, so it'll be faster. Amelia you can ride in back, so no one will notice you." Zelgadiss said, standing, "So I suggest everyone get some sleep, we'll have a long day tomorrow." "What about the kids?" Gourry asked. "They can either stay here with the maids, our come with us." Amelia answered. "It would probably be safer for them here." Filia said. "And what makes you say that? Elerot will come here to find Amelia." Lina retorted. "But if he knows we made a break for it he'll come looking for us. And a fight will most likely break out, and with you there Lina, it could get messy." Filia sighed. "She has a point." Gourry admitted, "Perhaps they would be safer here." Lina pulled at her hair, "I guess you're right. This was all so much easier when all we had to worry about were ourselves."
Suddenly there was a loud knock on the door. Filia stood up, and answered it. Phil and Tenya stood on the other side. "Hello! I was looking all over for you guys!" "Daddy!" Amelia jumped up and hugged him, "When did you get back?" "About an hour ago." He answered, "Why are all of you hanging out in the library?" Everyone was quiet for a second, then Lina spoke up, "Phil. Someone is after Amelia." She didn't add anything about Gaene, Much to Amelia's relief. "What? My daughter? Why?" Phil growled. "We're not sure why, but we're leaving here for a few days. Would you mind watching the kids?" Zelgadiss said shortly. Phil nodded wordlessly, "Please keep my daughter safe." The Slayers filed out one by one silently, to make their way to bed, and Phil and Tenya looked at each other. Tenya squeezed his hand, "They'll be ok. From what I've heard, they could survive anything." Phil smiled, "Of course, I was worrying more about the destruction Lina could wreck across my kingdom in a fight." He joked. "I heard that!" Lina yelled from her bedroom, and Phil sweatdroppped.
***
The next morning, just as the sun starting peeking over the horizon, Lina-tachi had finished packing and made their way off Amelia sat in the back, nervous and tired. She hadn't slept much last night, afraid that Elerot would have come then. She had had only a meager breakfast too, as she didn't try to fight Lina for it, as usual. But there were supplies in the back with her, just in case. Zelgadiss had even put some in a hidden carpartment, so as they wouldn't run out before the journey was finished. Zelgadiss…. He hadn't changed a bit. "I wonder if that curse of his keeps him from aging?" Amelia thought, as her mind drifted. "He still looks the same age as he always did." Amelia wasn't even sure if she ever knew his age. Somewhere late teens or early adulthood was as far as she could remember. But what a crush on him she had had. Of course that had gotten lost, somewhere between his departure and her marriage to Gaene, but she hadn't forgotten it. "If only…"
"If only things had ended differently…"
***
"They're ignoring my threats…" Dolphin pouted, running her hand along the cold stone alter. "Don't they know how serious I am? I could kill them both right now if I wanted. Well not right now, but I will soon! And then won't they regret laughing at my threats! Well ok actually they weren't laughing, but still…" "Um, Ms. Dolphin-Sama?" her warrior, Dee walked up, "You're talking to yourself. Again." Dolphin laughed, "So I am." She shrugged. "When exactly are we starting this plan?" Dee asked sitting beside her master. "As soon as I fix the loose ends. Don't worry. Soon. Very soon." Actually Dee wasn't worried about when the plan was going to start. She was worried about trying to pull it off… "Will I really have to fight Xelloss?" "Maybe. It depends if I can kill him before his master, or Lina Inverse interferes. You might just have to distract him at most. Don't be a such a scaredy cat." Dolphin laughed. "I'm not scared!" Dee protested. "Ah then is it something else? Do you have a teeny tiny crush on the man?" "No!" Dee shook her head, but in vain. Her master giggled, "Oh it's nothing to be ashamed of, Dee. He's a very handsome man, and quite worthy of you. I mean if I could only have Dynast…" Dolphin trailed off with a blush on her face, then giggled again. Dee sighed.
***
"G'night!" Xelia called to her brother, and her friends. They returned the greeting in kind and retired to their bedrooms. Almost a week had passed since their parents had left, and the days had passed with almost boring routine.
She crawled onto the bed and pulled out her book. Opening it to the page with the maiden and the knight, she sighed. She hadn't seen Knight Xelloss since before her mom had left, and she rather missed him. "Knight Xelloss…" she sighed and looked beside her, as if expecting him to be there. And nearly jumped a foot, when he was there.
"Knight Xelloss!" Xelia exclaims. "Hi Xelia. Miss me?" She nods and hugs him, "I don't know why Mama doesn't like you." "It's a long story." He admits, "Anyway I brought you a present." "A present?" Xelia giggled, as he produced a necklace from his pocket. "Keep it safe." Said Xelloss. He smiled at her, as he dropped it into Xelia's tiny hands. She examined it. It was a tiny vial, with silver wrapped around it.ba href=http://theshrinetojadeitesama.homestead.com/XellXelia.html"Pic./a/b "It's pretty." She put it on and ran over to the mirror. "I'll keep it forever! Thank you!" she exclaims. Xelloss smiled, "You're welcome. Now I have to be going." "Really?" Xelia sniffled, "But you just got here…" "I know." He said simply, standing up. "Can you…? Can you at least read me a story?" She holds up her book. Xelloss looks at her, then laughs, "Ok. One story." She grinned and snuggled under the covers. Xelloss sat on the bed beside her, opened the book, and began to read. When he finished the last sentence, she had drifted off, and was sleeping with a smile on her face. Xelloss smiled and kissed her on the forehead, laying the book beside her, he disappears.
***
"Foood….so hungry…" Lina mumbled, eyes half-closed, as she tottered dangerously on the horse. "Ms. Lina? You might want to watch where you're going…" Amelia said worriedly. "And besides, I tried to make sure we'd have enough food for this trip. I told you those were emergency rations, but you had to eat them anyway." Zelgadiss muttered. "Maybe we could stop at the nearest home, and ask them for food." Gourry suggested, as his stomach rumbled once again. "So you 2 are going to eat some poor family out of house and home?" Filia asked, then blinked as Lina and Gourry raced for a quaint farm house on the edge of the hill they were walking alongside. Filia and Zel sighed and followed them. "What's going on? Are we there yet?" Amelia poked her head out from the wagon. "No. Lina and Gourry want food." Zelgadiss said, and Amelia squealed, "Food!"
"Excuse me? Is anyone home?" Lina called, banging on the door impatiently. It opened with a creak, then a familiar voice called out, "Lina? Lina Inverse is that you?" "No. It can't be." Lina said in disbelief, "Martina?!?"
***
"So I thought you were going to rebuild your kingdom, Martina?" Lina asked, once she had finished eating. "I still am, but it's rather slow business." She admitted, "The castle is only a hill fort right now, as we've been concentrating on everything else. We decided it would be nicer to live here, until we could get the castle back." "This is a nice place." Filia looked around. Amelia had already introduced both Zangulus and Martina to Filia. "Thanks." Martina grinned, "So what glorious adventure are you up to now Lina? I would have thought you have settled down by now… I mean you're married and everything." "I have….sort of." Lina muttered. "This is just a trip to Filia's place." Amelia cut in quickly. Martina looked between them, sensing something going on, but decided to drop it. "So where's your son? I haven't seen him since Amelia's wedding." Lina said looking around. "At the healers….he's sick." Martina bit her lip. "Really? With what?" Amelia leaned forward concernedly. Martina shook her head, "They don't know." "I'm sorry, will he be home soon?" Gourry asked. Martina shook her head again, and didn't say anything. "The healers say there's nothing they can do for him." Zangulus spoke up, "he'll either make it….or he won't." Martina choked, "They said I was young! I could have another!" and she burst into sobs. Zangulus hugged her, and she cried into his shoulder, while they others sat quietly in sympathy "I'm sure he'll be ok Ms. Martina" Filia said. "Thanks." She wiped her eyes, "I hope so." She stood up, "So how far is the place you're headed?" "It'll take another couple days." Zelgadiss said. "Would you like to stay the night here? It'll be better than the open air." "Why thank you Martina. We'd love too, as long as you have enough to food." Amelia darts a glance to Lina and Gourry. Martina nodded, "Yes. And It'll be my pleasure to have you guys over, besides I haven't had a chance to catch up in years." she smiled.
***
"That the last of it?" Lina called to Gourry, who was tying up the last of the supplies to the horse's back." "Yep" he called back. "Is there anything else you need?" Zangulus asked. Zelgadiss thought for a sec, "No I don't think so. Thanks for your help though." "So where do you live? It must be pretty far off." Martina asked Filia. "It's near the barrier." She answered, "I came from out there." "Really? That should be a pretty safe place." During the night, they had let Martina in on what was happening, in case Elerot decided to show up.
"It was nice seeing you two again." Lina smiled. "Um, actually I have a favor to ask of you Lina." Martina shuffled her feet, "Do you mind if we come along?" "What?" "Well me and Zangulus are going insane, doing nothing but worrying. So I thought we could help you in your cause to keep Amelia safe. Zangulus still has his sword, and I've actually know a couple spells now. Nothing fancy mind you, but enough to put up a good fight."" I don't know." Lina said doubtfully, "What do you guys think?" she turned to her companions. "I think we could use anyone we could get." Filia said. Gourry nodded, "I think that's a good idea." "I don't know…" Zelgadiss looked at Martina and Zangulus, "I guess so. Welcome back to the team." Martina smiled, "I always knew I liked you Zel!" she dashed into her house to pack, leaving a pink Zelgadiss…
***
As they walked, some of the old Martina showed through. Her and Lina got into a couple fights, but nothing serious. They always ended up laughing. "They must really be good friends." Filia had said to no one in particular. Amelia had laughed, "You should have seen them before. They fought more then cats and dogs."
Pretty soon, Filia's tiny cottage showed on the horizon. Travel worn and tired, they were only glad to be there. Filia unlocked the door and opened it gratefully, "Home!" "Welcome." Elerot walked out of the shadows, "What took you so long…?"
***
Authers Note
Wooo, another cliffhanger! I'm just dishing those things out. I hope you're enjoying the story^_^ You know the disclaimers, Most of the charas don't belong to me, I just write about them, and the ones who do belong to me, are still in the world of Slayers, which I don't own either. Anyway Please R/R, I'd appreciate it ^^ Thank you!