Every hallway was empty, rooms and chambers, not making even a squeak from
the brittle floors. Down the main hallway, guards stood, unmoving while
further off somewhere in the castle, some noise could be heard. It was in
the central library, much bigger a further off then the usual "small"
library. A group of people were seated at a large table, mumbling,
groaning, or snapping at one another.
"I can't believe he would do this. . ." Lina whimpered, "Are you sure it was him?"
Filia glowered at Lina, an expression that said 'are you SO daft?!' on her face. They turned to the general guard and his maimed squadron, who were either in casts, had black eyes, or were supporting each other to keep themselves from collapsing and causing a bad chain reaction. The general guard stepped up once again to explain his side.
"Only if my eyes were that of dust would I not have known, Miss," he stated, bowing to Lina.
"Believe it, Lina! Who else could have successfully kidnapped my POOR sister?? That. . That. . XELLOS!!!" Filia shrieked, loathing weaved throughout her voice. Her fists clenched, and her head bowed, her bangs covering her face in shadow.
"Alright, then why would Xellos actually kidnap Amelia? What would he have to gain from it?" Zel added calmly, unsure about the idea of "kidnap" being the right word. Filia, for once, shot a nasty glare in Zel's direction.
"The THRONE for one!!! What if he kidnapped her and plans to force her into marriage, thusly making him KING of Seyruun???" Filia shouted, her clenched fists quivering as she stood abruptly in her seat, knocking her chair back in an awkward direction, "Or maybe, it's a Mazoku trick! He might be trying to bring her over to his side! That disgusting, unbearable, murderous, HATEFUL Mazoku race??" she finished, looking up at everyone, a tear flying off her cheek.
"Or maybe he plans to use mind control on her!" one of the guards piped up from behind, finally gaining the courage to speak. This thought horrified Filia, making her slam her fist against the table, splinters flying from her energy.
Next to Lina at the far end of the table, Gourry sat, eyes cocked upwards, his fingers on his chin, in a normal sign of thinking through things. He blinked, a rather blank look on his face, and then smiled when a thought came to pass.
"But then, if Xellos really did kidnap her, why did she knock the General Guard out?" he asked simply, pointing at the guards. Lina looked in awe at his remembering, her mouth hung slightly open.
"Good point, Gourry!!! I'm impressed!" she exclaimed in congratulation, then turned back to Filia, "Yea, why WOULD Amelia follow through if you claimed that Xellos let go of her?"
Filia clenched her fingers at her face in dismay, face in a half saddened, half scared shitless way. She was obviously being over-dramatic once again.
"He must have already taken over her mind!! She must be brainwashed!!! Oooohh! What am I going to dooo???" she whined, holding the note a few seconds before collapsing back into her chair, face buried in her palms.
"Well, considering the explosions that they claimed to have gone off, shouldn't we have woken up from it?" Lina continued, trying to keep the topic from dieing out. Zel glanced up at her.
"It was a sleep spell, remember? We were all put under one so we wouldn't have heard. I'd imagine that if this really were a "kidnapping" as you all have said it to be, we would be a major distraction to escaping, but I don't think. ." he stated as-a-matter-of-factly, but was cut off before he could finish by another one of the guards that had been blown further down the hallway, near the bedrooms.
"Oh yea! I forgot to mention that! Prince Valgaav's room! I heard his laughter and some light from inside. I believe he was reading a book and had an illumination spell on. I think it does opt to say he was NOT under a sleeping spell like the rest of you were." He said weakly, wobbling over to a chair and falling into it.
"WHAAAT??! You mean you knew and didn't tell me??? That's it! Val must know what happened! He can tell us just WHAT happened to Amelia!" Filia announced standing and stomping out of the room. Everyone else gave one another a "look" and followed after her, knowing she wouldn't be turning back.
Val sat quietly in his room, peacefully reading a book that was given to him before his "sister" ran away with Xellos. It was a book she always talked about, her favorite book about the beast and the maiden who fell in love. He was never allowed outside, thanks to Filia's over protectiveness, so his wings were cramped a lot of the time. Flipping the page, he paused when he heard a sound from down the hallway. Listening for a moment, he contemplated who was there. 'Uh. . UH OH!! Filia alert!!' his mind rang as he shoved the bookmark into the page, threw the book sloppily on his desk, and practically flew into bed. He pulled the sheets to his chin and closed his eyes, feigning a very good impression of sleep just as the door opened and everyone piled inside.
Filia noticed that Val must have been sleeping this entire time and quietly sneaked up to his bedside. She pushed his shoulder lightly.
"Val. . Hey, Val, wake up," she whispered calmly. He rolled over, slowly opening his eyes, fooling her completely. She always believed him. Even if he did lie occasionally to save someone else's hide, in this case, Amelia and Xellos, she would always believe him.
"What's going on, Filia?" he asked innocently, sitting up "sleepily" in his bed, his wings stretching to the floor. Filia smiled sweetly to him, her anger either well hidden, or just not there for the moment, which amazed everyone else in the room.
"Well, good morning, little Val," she laughed, getting him fully sitting up and turning to her. He rubbed his eye and yawned, his other open eyes pricking a glare at her.
"How many times to I have to tell you I don't like being called that?? It's Gabb! Just Gabb! Not "Little Val", ok?" he grumbled for the thousandth time, crossing his arms defiantly. When will she get it through her head?? It's only a simple favor to NOT remind him of his past self. Filia gave him a look of indulgent and nodded, not loosing her kind outer-shell yet. She kneeled down to his level, meeting his eyes.
"Alright, alright, Gabb. But, I came here to ask you something important. Last night, did you hear or maybe see anything? Loud noises, people outside, anything?" she asked, not loosing her eye contact with him. Gabb froze for a second, realizing he must have been caught awake the night before, reading some other books that he had gotten from Amelia. He glanced about the room, trying to find out who had been nearest to the door. He usually knew who was appointed where considering the only thing he was allowed to do was wander the palace. Unfortunately, the guards were so maimed and discombobulated that he couldn't tell them apart, he grimaced at the situation, hopeless that lieing would work.
"No, ma'am. I didn't, I was either asleep or not paying attention," he answered innocently, outside trying to look as happy as he could, while inwardly he was about to burst. Lina turned her back on him and grumbled, not believing his comment.
"Then your ignorance level must be at an all time high," she spat in between her mumbles. Val cocked his eyes in her direction, a deep glare hidden under it. Lina still had trouble with the fact that one of their past enemies was actually an innocent kid living with Prince Philionel now, but she was trying to get over it. Filia turned to face Lina, question crossing her face. Lina nodded sternly. She looked back to Val, still plastering a smile on her face.
"Val, what have we talked about? Now, please don't lie." She said a bit more firmly, an inward scowl starting behind her smile. Val's innocent face began to slip into nervousness, but tried hard to keep his cool. He didn't answer this time, only looked away, a bit of a frown on his face.
"Gabb, please cooperate," Filia almost hissed, pushing her anger down, even though her fist began to tighten. Again he said nothing. Lina walked up to him and grabbed his shoulders, turning him back to face her in the eyes, which her flaring.
"I'm not in the mood to play games with you. I KNOW you know about Amelia, Valgaav! Tell us!" she snapped, shaking his shoulders with more force then she thought she was using. Val's eyes shifted, spite hanging in his demeanor now. No one said his full name, absolutely NO ONE!! His aura glowed under Lina's hands, making her jump, but she held steady.
"Do me a favor and NEVER call me that again!!" he yelled right back into her face, his aura turning into a flare. Lina withdrew from her attempt to force it out of him. Eventually his aura faded, leaving him flustered. He breathed in a deep sigh and smiled weakly to the rest of them, even though his attempt didn't last long. He leaned back, irritation crossing his expression now.
"Just leave her alone," he answered to them plainly, "And Xellos." He sat up, not bothering to look back at them. Everyone else stared, bewildered at his simple comment. There wasn't even a threat to back it. Just, the facts. They circled him, each with a pleading gleam I their eyes.
"You mean, you know??? Tell us, then!! Why did Xellos kidnap Amelia??!" Filia and Lina screamed in unison, questioning each other afterwards with odd glances. There was a strange sense of calmness and knowing around the little six-year old that no one else could place.
"For one thing, Xellos did NOT kidnap Amelia. Just leave them be or I cannot promise this will turn out well," Val continued, his tone low and wiser, though his eyes shot a glare at every direction. Everyone in the room gasped at the thought, Filia on the verge of shrieking once again, but instead cried to keep herself from exploding with rage.
"Why? Why would she go with HIM of all people? And why did she go in the first place? What's the reason??" she whimpered through her sobs, now on her knees, her head tipped to gaze at the floor. Val's glazed expression watched Filia's outburst, not feeling any sympathy for her. Even though he did know why Amelia left, even he didn't understand why it was with Xellos. Amelia did not tell him everything; she had trailed off the subject when it came to the question. He shook his head slowly.
"The first two are yet to be known, but the reason she left. . . Isn't it simple? You of all people should know the answer to that Filia." He mused, smirking at Filia, his eyes holding no pity for her. Her eyes, full of confusion and hurt, met his eyes even though it was reluctant.
"I don't. ." she whispered, shaking half nervously, half with fear. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answer, but the fact that even Val knew and that she should know shot her. Val lifted his finger and touched her forehead, his face cross. Everyone turned to observe Filia, as if she were the newest attraction in a zoo, waiting for her next move.
"You," he answered in more of a hiss. Filia shot him a look of complete terror and disbelief. She stood abruptly, fists tight, tears still falling. She clenched her teeth together in a deep frown, her bangs covering her face.
"NO! I refuse to believe that!!! I've done everything to make her a good girl!! She wouldn't leave like that, not with HIM!!!! If I cannot trust my guards, Xellos, Amelia OR you, then I won't trust anyone! Not until I bring Amelia back and I rid myself of that horrible Mazoku!!" she screamed, shoving everyone out of the way and disappearing out the door, a slam so loud following, birds flew from their perches from outside the window.
Val turned to glare at the others, who had sided with Filia in the event. They were frozen in their places, incredulity flowing through them. Meeting with his gaze, they realize they were not welcome anymore and rushed out to find Filia.
"I can't believe he would do this. . ." Lina whimpered, "Are you sure it was him?"
Filia glowered at Lina, an expression that said 'are you SO daft?!' on her face. They turned to the general guard and his maimed squadron, who were either in casts, had black eyes, or were supporting each other to keep themselves from collapsing and causing a bad chain reaction. The general guard stepped up once again to explain his side.
"Only if my eyes were that of dust would I not have known, Miss," he stated, bowing to Lina.
"Believe it, Lina! Who else could have successfully kidnapped my POOR sister?? That. . That. . XELLOS!!!" Filia shrieked, loathing weaved throughout her voice. Her fists clenched, and her head bowed, her bangs covering her face in shadow.
"Alright, then why would Xellos actually kidnap Amelia? What would he have to gain from it?" Zel added calmly, unsure about the idea of "kidnap" being the right word. Filia, for once, shot a nasty glare in Zel's direction.
"The THRONE for one!!! What if he kidnapped her and plans to force her into marriage, thusly making him KING of Seyruun???" Filia shouted, her clenched fists quivering as she stood abruptly in her seat, knocking her chair back in an awkward direction, "Or maybe, it's a Mazoku trick! He might be trying to bring her over to his side! That disgusting, unbearable, murderous, HATEFUL Mazoku race??" she finished, looking up at everyone, a tear flying off her cheek.
"Or maybe he plans to use mind control on her!" one of the guards piped up from behind, finally gaining the courage to speak. This thought horrified Filia, making her slam her fist against the table, splinters flying from her energy.
Next to Lina at the far end of the table, Gourry sat, eyes cocked upwards, his fingers on his chin, in a normal sign of thinking through things. He blinked, a rather blank look on his face, and then smiled when a thought came to pass.
"But then, if Xellos really did kidnap her, why did she knock the General Guard out?" he asked simply, pointing at the guards. Lina looked in awe at his remembering, her mouth hung slightly open.
"Good point, Gourry!!! I'm impressed!" she exclaimed in congratulation, then turned back to Filia, "Yea, why WOULD Amelia follow through if you claimed that Xellos let go of her?"
Filia clenched her fingers at her face in dismay, face in a half saddened, half scared shitless way. She was obviously being over-dramatic once again.
"He must have already taken over her mind!! She must be brainwashed!!! Oooohh! What am I going to dooo???" she whined, holding the note a few seconds before collapsing back into her chair, face buried in her palms.
"Well, considering the explosions that they claimed to have gone off, shouldn't we have woken up from it?" Lina continued, trying to keep the topic from dieing out. Zel glanced up at her.
"It was a sleep spell, remember? We were all put under one so we wouldn't have heard. I'd imagine that if this really were a "kidnapping" as you all have said it to be, we would be a major distraction to escaping, but I don't think. ." he stated as-a-matter-of-factly, but was cut off before he could finish by another one of the guards that had been blown further down the hallway, near the bedrooms.
"Oh yea! I forgot to mention that! Prince Valgaav's room! I heard his laughter and some light from inside. I believe he was reading a book and had an illumination spell on. I think it does opt to say he was NOT under a sleeping spell like the rest of you were." He said weakly, wobbling over to a chair and falling into it.
"WHAAAT??! You mean you knew and didn't tell me??? That's it! Val must know what happened! He can tell us just WHAT happened to Amelia!" Filia announced standing and stomping out of the room. Everyone else gave one another a "look" and followed after her, knowing she wouldn't be turning back.
Val sat quietly in his room, peacefully reading a book that was given to him before his "sister" ran away with Xellos. It was a book she always talked about, her favorite book about the beast and the maiden who fell in love. He was never allowed outside, thanks to Filia's over protectiveness, so his wings were cramped a lot of the time. Flipping the page, he paused when he heard a sound from down the hallway. Listening for a moment, he contemplated who was there. 'Uh. . UH OH!! Filia alert!!' his mind rang as he shoved the bookmark into the page, threw the book sloppily on his desk, and practically flew into bed. He pulled the sheets to his chin and closed his eyes, feigning a very good impression of sleep just as the door opened and everyone piled inside.
Filia noticed that Val must have been sleeping this entire time and quietly sneaked up to his bedside. She pushed his shoulder lightly.
"Val. . Hey, Val, wake up," she whispered calmly. He rolled over, slowly opening his eyes, fooling her completely. She always believed him. Even if he did lie occasionally to save someone else's hide, in this case, Amelia and Xellos, she would always believe him.
"What's going on, Filia?" he asked innocently, sitting up "sleepily" in his bed, his wings stretching to the floor. Filia smiled sweetly to him, her anger either well hidden, or just not there for the moment, which amazed everyone else in the room.
"Well, good morning, little Val," she laughed, getting him fully sitting up and turning to her. He rubbed his eye and yawned, his other open eyes pricking a glare at her.
"How many times to I have to tell you I don't like being called that?? It's Gabb! Just Gabb! Not "Little Val", ok?" he grumbled for the thousandth time, crossing his arms defiantly. When will she get it through her head?? It's only a simple favor to NOT remind him of his past self. Filia gave him a look of indulgent and nodded, not loosing her kind outer-shell yet. She kneeled down to his level, meeting his eyes.
"Alright, alright, Gabb. But, I came here to ask you something important. Last night, did you hear or maybe see anything? Loud noises, people outside, anything?" she asked, not loosing her eye contact with him. Gabb froze for a second, realizing he must have been caught awake the night before, reading some other books that he had gotten from Amelia. He glanced about the room, trying to find out who had been nearest to the door. He usually knew who was appointed where considering the only thing he was allowed to do was wander the palace. Unfortunately, the guards were so maimed and discombobulated that he couldn't tell them apart, he grimaced at the situation, hopeless that lieing would work.
"No, ma'am. I didn't, I was either asleep or not paying attention," he answered innocently, outside trying to look as happy as he could, while inwardly he was about to burst. Lina turned her back on him and grumbled, not believing his comment.
"Then your ignorance level must be at an all time high," she spat in between her mumbles. Val cocked his eyes in her direction, a deep glare hidden under it. Lina still had trouble with the fact that one of their past enemies was actually an innocent kid living with Prince Philionel now, but she was trying to get over it. Filia turned to face Lina, question crossing her face. Lina nodded sternly. She looked back to Val, still plastering a smile on her face.
"Val, what have we talked about? Now, please don't lie." She said a bit more firmly, an inward scowl starting behind her smile. Val's innocent face began to slip into nervousness, but tried hard to keep his cool. He didn't answer this time, only looked away, a bit of a frown on his face.
"Gabb, please cooperate," Filia almost hissed, pushing her anger down, even though her fist began to tighten. Again he said nothing. Lina walked up to him and grabbed his shoulders, turning him back to face her in the eyes, which her flaring.
"I'm not in the mood to play games with you. I KNOW you know about Amelia, Valgaav! Tell us!" she snapped, shaking his shoulders with more force then she thought she was using. Val's eyes shifted, spite hanging in his demeanor now. No one said his full name, absolutely NO ONE!! His aura glowed under Lina's hands, making her jump, but she held steady.
"Do me a favor and NEVER call me that again!!" he yelled right back into her face, his aura turning into a flare. Lina withdrew from her attempt to force it out of him. Eventually his aura faded, leaving him flustered. He breathed in a deep sigh and smiled weakly to the rest of them, even though his attempt didn't last long. He leaned back, irritation crossing his expression now.
"Just leave her alone," he answered to them plainly, "And Xellos." He sat up, not bothering to look back at them. Everyone else stared, bewildered at his simple comment. There wasn't even a threat to back it. Just, the facts. They circled him, each with a pleading gleam I their eyes.
"You mean, you know??? Tell us, then!! Why did Xellos kidnap Amelia??!" Filia and Lina screamed in unison, questioning each other afterwards with odd glances. There was a strange sense of calmness and knowing around the little six-year old that no one else could place.
"For one thing, Xellos did NOT kidnap Amelia. Just leave them be or I cannot promise this will turn out well," Val continued, his tone low and wiser, though his eyes shot a glare at every direction. Everyone in the room gasped at the thought, Filia on the verge of shrieking once again, but instead cried to keep herself from exploding with rage.
"Why? Why would she go with HIM of all people? And why did she go in the first place? What's the reason??" she whimpered through her sobs, now on her knees, her head tipped to gaze at the floor. Val's glazed expression watched Filia's outburst, not feeling any sympathy for her. Even though he did know why Amelia left, even he didn't understand why it was with Xellos. Amelia did not tell him everything; she had trailed off the subject when it came to the question. He shook his head slowly.
"The first two are yet to be known, but the reason she left. . . Isn't it simple? You of all people should know the answer to that Filia." He mused, smirking at Filia, his eyes holding no pity for her. Her eyes, full of confusion and hurt, met his eyes even though it was reluctant.
"I don't. ." she whispered, shaking half nervously, half with fear. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answer, but the fact that even Val knew and that she should know shot her. Val lifted his finger and touched her forehead, his face cross. Everyone turned to observe Filia, as if she were the newest attraction in a zoo, waiting for her next move.
"You," he answered in more of a hiss. Filia shot him a look of complete terror and disbelief. She stood abruptly, fists tight, tears still falling. She clenched her teeth together in a deep frown, her bangs covering her face.
"NO! I refuse to believe that!!! I've done everything to make her a good girl!! She wouldn't leave like that, not with HIM!!!! If I cannot trust my guards, Xellos, Amelia OR you, then I won't trust anyone! Not until I bring Amelia back and I rid myself of that horrible Mazoku!!" she screamed, shoving everyone out of the way and disappearing out the door, a slam so loud following, birds flew from their perches from outside the window.
Val turned to glare at the others, who had sided with Filia in the event. They were frozen in their places, incredulity flowing through them. Meeting with his gaze, they realize they were not welcome anymore and rushed out to find Filia.