I don't own Slayers.
=Chapter X=
It had been two weeks since the incident occurred. They had returned to Seyruun with nothing more than muttered curses and a blonde woman who called herself Filia. Phil sat at the head of the table, his head resting against his hand. He listened once again to the reasons that they didn't have the painting and frowned. Across from him stood Zel. He made his report in a clear voice, his eyes wavering from Phil's every now and then to glance at Lina. Phil wouldn't have noticed those movements if he hadn't been also occupied with thoughts of the red head.
She didn't look as good as she did when she left; it was as if something inside her had changed. She was quieter, more brooding than her usually chipper attitude, more like Zelgadis. She was withdrawn from life, often hiding in her room and only coming out to eat. Even then, she didn't eat a lot. Something was affecting her and that was all he knew.
On the other side of Zel, Filia Ul Copt sat, her eyes wandering around the room and resting upon her least favorite man who was making faces at her. Distracted by his many physiognomies, she started throwing him several gestures that will remain censored for now until she realized that every eye was on her. Vowing to get Xelloss back later, she sat back in her seat and looked away.
"Two paintings are now stolen and there is one left," Phil began as he looked at everyone thoughtfully. "This isn't going as planned."
===
"Ms. Lina, would you like to talk about it?"
Lina snapped out of her thoughts and forced a grin. The meeting had ended not more than a few minutes ago and she had left only to be waylaid by Amelia who had been staring at her with her worried eyes since she left the office and made for her room. "Yea, I'd love to go to the ball, just not in any of those dresses…" Lina muttered.
"That's not what I said, Ms. Lina. I said do you want to talk about what's bugging you?"
Lina tousled the younger girl's hair affectionately. "There's nothing wrong, Amelia, I'm fine." Lina smirked, and for a second, Amelia had believed that she was okay. "Anyway, could you grab me something to eat, I think I'm a bit hungry."
Amelia looked unsure but nodded anyway. She walked down the hall, paused, and turned around to catch Lina's eyes. "If you have any problems, Ms. Lina, you can always come to talk to me. It sucks to be alone sometimes."
Amelia left as Lina contemplated her words. "Amelia, wait."
Amelia turned around trying not to look too hopeful. "Yes?"
"Can you get me a drink as well?"
===
Filia, Xelloss, and Zel left the room, sore and tired. They had spent the remainder of the afternoon talking about their next plans. It was obvious that the other side was acting quickly as if something was occurring soon.
Xelloss grinned at Filia and Zel. "I'll be continuing with my job for a bit. See you when I see you."
"Hopefully never," Filia muttered under her breath.
After Xelloss disappeared, Filia turned to Zel and asked, "Where's he going?"
Zel crossed his arms as he began to walk down the corridor followed by Filia. "You know that Phil has a few spies, right? Well, Xelloss is one of them. He's the informant who is currently with the other side right now."
Filia gasped. "How do you know he isn't betraying you guys?"
"We don't. But, no one can control a Trickster Priest. They are on a level of their own."
Zel was about to climb the stairs when he saw Amelia descend them. He tried to hide from her but she saw him and quickly made her way toward him. "Mr. Zelgadiss?" she started before he could give her a greeting. "Would you mind talking to Ms. Lina? I think she's troubled."
"What makes you say that?" Zel asked, his eyes guarded for the moment.
Amelia winced as a thought entered her head, but continued. "It's something more in her eyes…a fleeting feeling. She won't talk to me, but I think she'll talk to you."
Zel frowned as he listened to the younger girl. "What makes you say that?" 'Did Amelia know his past with Lina?'
"Well, during the meeting, Lina would only look at you…like she trusted you." Zel opened his mouth to answer, but Amelia rushed on. "Just go and talk to her, Mr. Zelgadiss." Amelia hopped down the rest of the stairs and walked to the kitchens.
Zel turned to Filia who just grinned. "I'll go with Amelia, go find Lina. I think you owe her an explanation."
Zel nodded. It was time, and he knew it. Grabbing the devil by the horns, Zel walked up the steps and searched for Lina.
===
Zel opened the door and glanced inside. Lina sat on the bed, her knees drawn up to just underneath her chin. She looked to be trying to recall something and her eyes held just held a bit of anger within their depths.
As soon as he shut the door, Lina seemed to start up. She looked up at Zel and her face became a mask, much like the one's he'd wear whenever people in the castle looked at him. "Go away, Zel," she murmured while she dropped her forehead on her knees so that her voice was muffled.
"Lina…"
"I said, go away," she said more firmly as she lifted her head. Their eyes clashed for a stormy second and Zel was the first to look away.
"Fireball," Zel muttered and the doorknob melted beneath his hand. "Now neither of us can get out," he said while he crossed his arms.
Lina looked irritated. "Jackass! What did you do that for????" Her voice was steadily gaining in volume. She was on her feet in a second and was going to hit him. Her hand was raised in the air and dove quickly for his face. Zel grabbed her wrist instead and pulled her body toward him. He brought her hands behind her back and used his body to keep her from struggling.
"Listen," he hissed into her face. "I came to tell you…" This was what he had wanted to hide from her the most. He debated with himself, trying to figure out if he should really say anything. He took a slow deep breath and whispered, "the truth."
Lina struggled for a few more moments before she finally held still. Not sure if she was just playing with him, Zel still held on to her.
Lina looked to be besieged with a question of her own. Her face contorted several times as wave after wave of emotion hit her. Finally, she asked, "Why didn't you tell me that she was my enemy?"
Zel stared at her blankly. After she had come out of the house, she had barely said a word except to say that the painting was already gone. "Who?" he asked.
Lina yanked her arms away, frustrated that he didn't know what she was talking about, frustrated with herself for letting it get to her. "My enemy! Why didn't you tell me that it was my own sister. I thought she was…" Lina was about to say dead. She could remember clearly seeing her elder sister drown in a whirlwind of fire after saving Lina's life. "A--and why do I--I keep dreaming of fire?" she finished quietly.
She wound her own arms around her body and started to shake. Out of pity, or some deeper emotion that he didn't want to admit to, Zel moved toward Lina and took her in his arms. He held her and whispered, "Promise me you won't hit me."
"What?"
"Just do it."
"No."
"Lina…"
"Tell me why!"
Zel hesitated wondering if she'd laugh if he said he feared for his life. Before he could debate any further with himself, he brushed away her bangs and planted a kiss on her forehead, her eyelids, then, very lightly, her mouth. His lips lingered over the soft flesh for a moment. He had completed an incantation he had started long ago when he was nothing more than a child.
Lina was asleep in seconds.
Zel picked her up, lay her in her bed, and pulled up a chair. He dropped his head in his hands and leaned forward. It would be a long night.
===
Fire raged around her.
She couldn't breath…she could barely think. She was struggling to get out of the house, knowing that the smoke was wrapping it's fingers around her throat as it struggled to silence her voice.
"ONEE-CHAN!" she cried once more, but her throat burned. Smoke flooded into her mouth and she began to cough violently. "ONEE---" She dropped to her knees, the air near the ground was much cleaner, but, she knew, not for long. She had to get out of the burning building.
She used her arms and legs to push her along the floor, but as she moved, she realized that she didn't know where the exit was. Everything was a mass of yellow and red trying desperately to end her life. She recoiled from a specially hot flame. Things were getting bad. The air was getting thin, the smoke was burning her eyes…she couldn't see and all she could feel was the heat practically cooking her flesh.
Her stomach growled.
She frowned and looked down. "Why are YOU acting up now????"
"Why are you talking to your stomach?"
She looked up and stared into a pair of sapphire eyes. It was him, it was Zel.
===
"Zel?" Lina murmured in her sleep.
Zel watched her closely; every minute move that she would make was already caught by his gaze. It was so silent in the room, at that point, that a person could hear a pin drop…or someone hit someone with a blunt object…or whisper that's a secret…or say something about an injustice…His hand and jaw twitched simultaneously and he glared at the door.
"Get the hell away from there, the three of you!"
There was a slight pause followed by a: "Oh, Zelly-poo you're no fun!"
Xelloss? What was he doing here so soon. Zel glanced out the window and saw the red rays of light creeping across the tree tops. Early morning…had it been that long?
===
His sapphire eyes were glaring into hers as his hands passed over her burns. She felt something cool on her skin and watched in dim fascination as her wounds healed.
"You're a mage?"
He didn't answer.
"Are you here for the festival?" she began.
Silence, once again. Lina was getting angry and irritated. Before she could act on her instinct (meaning hit him till he was no more than a lump of flesh) she heard the cries of a younger girl not too far away.
"Lina!" Long purple hair and flailing arms tried to reach Lina…but something was in the way.
Luna tried to squirm with all her might against the man who had a hold of her arm. Lina's eyes traveled from Luna's body to the man behind her. He looked so familiar. Long, flowing, red robes adorned his body…In one hand he carried a staff…his eyes…she couldn't remember his eyes.
She stared at the man curiously as the boy turned around. He stood up, his small body shaking with unshed anger and his hands balling into fists. He stood in front of Lina covering her with his body as he cried out, "They're just children! You can't do this to them!"
She didn't understand. Why was this boy yelling at that man, and why was that man holding her sister back? Was her sister crying?
"Gods, I'll do anything! Just leave Lina out of this!" Luna cried as she tried to yank her arm free.
The man's lips twitched downward. "You broke your promise. Why the hell should I give you another chance?"
"Because…" Luna looked at a loss for words. Her eyes seemed to reach out to Lina for help, but Lina didn't understand what was going on. Lina unconsciously wound her hands into the boy's shirt and gripped tightly.
The boy looked down at her for a second and sighed. Finally, he turned to his grandfather again and yelled, "Because, you need them and me in order to complete the paintings."
===
Lina sat up straight in her bed, bending slightly forward so that her hair framed her face. It was well into midmorning and the hues of the sun splashed across her form. It took awhile for her eyes to adjust slightly and to notice the movement next to her.
She turned her head and she saw Zel sitting beside her. He looked as alert as ever as he watched her in silence. His jaw was clinched and he looked as if he were trying to be calm and look nonchalant. Instead, he looked even more threatening.
Lina's gaze never wavered. "We knew each other."
"Yes."
"Rezo…he was there."
"Yes."
"Damn it, Zel! Can't you say anything more?" Lina growled, her eyes starting to light up.
Zel smirked slightly. "Yes."
Lina fell back in her bed, not denying herself a little smile at his words. She rubbed her temples. "Zel, I'm tired of trying to figure everything out."
He stared at her. "I know, Lina," he began, causing her to glance his way, "we knew each other before, long ago. Our paths were intertwined the day I met you in the fire. I'm not trying to romanticize it, but it's true," Zel continued seeing Lina roll her eyes. "My…Rezo bound you, your sister, and me into each of the paintings because we each had strong magic."
It took a minute for his words to register in her brain. "But I don't have magic," she whispered thoughtfully.
Zel paused. "Not anymore. You, though, were as or maybe a little less powerful than your sister…stronger than me…"
"What do you mean? I had magic before? What happened? How come you have magic and I don't?"
Zel shook his head. "It's complicated. I can't tell you now. I have to go get the third painting before it falls into our enemies hand. Xelloss just found out that they were on the move." Zel stood up as Lina was about to get out of her bed. He gently pushed her back. "We don't need you on this one. You can rest here for as long as you want."
"Like hell I am. If they are on the move, that means my sister will be there, right?"
Zel arched an eyebrow in answer and Lina nodded in confirmation.
"I want to talk to her again. I want to see her again."
Zel sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Anything I say is pointless, am I right?"
Lina grinned at him and winked.
=End Chapter=