Instert standard disclaimer here. Everyone should know that I don't own these characters. Also chopped the story up into chapters. Sorry if the transitions are rough. If you want to read it without chapters, head over to vejiitasei.com.
Absolution- Part 1, Chapter 5
by the Prime Minister
As they rematerialized on the porch he remembered that his powers of teleportation had saved her more than once. It was the first time in a long while that being a Monster had meant anything to him. If he had been human, Lina would have died out in that sea. Of course, if he had remained human, she most likely would never have been in the situation in the first place. Silently berating himself, he ripped the sodden clothes off of her body, then dismissed his own with a thought, leaving her pile of clothing the porch. He stepped through the glass doors, Lina's body slung across his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and closed the doors behind him. The wind in the room immediately stopped, and he quickly cast a protection spell on the little bungalow. Lina coughed and he lay her down on the bed, rubbing her body to restore warmth. Her skin felt rubbery beneath his hands and he scowled, working harder. Come on, he muttered, glancing at her face. Her head lolled about as her body moved in rhythm with his movements, and finally some of her color began to return. He crawled into the bed beside her and pressed his bare body to hers, hoping that he could provide warmth, and pulled the covers up around them. She shivered against him and he held her close, pressing his nose into her waterlogged hair. After a while her shivering stopped and he held her close, listening for danger in her heartbeat and breathing, until finally she slept.
He must have found a way to sleep as well, although as a Monster sleep was usually something he didn't have to do, because he awoke to the sensation of her clinging to him and sobbing against his bare chest. Her hands were curled into fists near his collarbones and her face was pressed between his pectoral muscles, his skin slick with her tears. Something inside him twisted and he sighed, looking down at her pain-contorted face. he whispered, gently putting his arms around her, then recoiling in shock. Her skin was warm, very warm, and he realized immediately that she had a fever. He gripped her shoulders and rolled her onto her back, kneeling on the mattress beside her as she choked on her own tears. Quickly passing his hands from her forehead to her stomach, he came to understand that her condition was very, very bad. The combination of not eating, cold rain and winds, and lukewarm ocean water must have been too much for her fragile human body. He recalled his clothing to him with a snap of his fingers and hastily dressed Lina in something. Summoning power, he called a swarm of underlings to him and stood in the middle of the room, frowning down at them. Ice, and lots of it. Go to the north and fill every washbasin in this house with ice. There were some murmurs, which he quickly quelled by threatening them with an orb of dark energy. he said firmly, voice quiet, and the underlings disappeared.
It was then that he heard Lecia crying in the parlor. Xellos threw another glance at Lina, who was writhing slightly in her sleep, then hurried to the wailing baby. He growled to himself as he realized both she and the crib's bedding were sodden, and she was probably hungry as well. Oh, my poor little one! he cooed. I'm so sorry, your mama was in trouble. He pressed the baby to his chest and kissed the top of her forehead, the contact seeming to soothe her a little. There, there, he murmured, bouncing her lightly as he stripped her crib of bedding with his free hand. He tossed the sheets in a basket and walked her to the kitchen, removing her clothes and setting her down in the kitchen sink. He picked up a bucket and teleported to fetch water, then warmed it with a small spell and poured it into the sink and over the baby. Lecia started to squeal and splash, smiling up at him, and he found it impossible not to smile back, even though he was concerned about Lina.
Lecia cried, pounding at the water with her open hands and completely soaking him.
That's not fair, Xellos protested, answering with his own gentle splash.
Lecia blinked as the small spray of water hit her in the chest, then looked up at him. she said, glancing from him to the water and back again. Xellos cocked his head, unsure what she was doing, then raised a forearm as she began to splash in earnest.
Oh, so that's the way you want to do it, he chortled, readying himself to splash her again when he felt the underlings return. He stood with a sigh and retrieved a towel, gently lifting Lecia from the water and wrapping her in it. She wailed and reached out towards the water, but he shook his head and drained the sink. I'm sorry, little one, he murmured. We can play later.
He rubbed lotion on Lecia and dressed her as the underlings went about their tasks, cooing at her and tickling her as he wound a cloth around him and settled her into the pouch he had made. It would probably have been easier to just leave the baby with his mistress, but he found that he wanted to be around her as much as possible. When he was with his baby he felt almost natural and normal, instead of the pitiful mixture of Monster and human he really was. Lecia made him forget all that nonsense, as he had to focus on her well-being. She couldn't do anything for herself, after all.
Then again, neither could Lina, at the moment, he realized as he walked into her room with a snow-laden cloth. Lecia sucked on her bottle contentedly and sighed, not seeming to notice as Xellos eased his weight onto the bed and sat beside Lina. the woman mumbled in her feverish sleep, and the sound of the swordsman's name tightened something within him. Would she always call for Gourry, or would she someday cry out for him?
He lay the cloth across her brow, putting another cold cloth on her stomach. He was hoping it would bring her temperature down until he had the opportunity to find medicine. After a while Lina seemed to calm, and he bounced Lecia gently, taking the empty bottle from her. We're going on a little trip, he cooed to his daughter, and left the physical plane.
Lecia giggled as they appeared on the outskirts of the town, the sound of the waves still close. The town actually had a very large and active harbor, and Xellos had long admired the variety of apothecary shops that the community possessed. He reached into the brown leather bag and pulled out a soft cloth ball with a bell inside for Lecia to play with as they wandered, then set off.
An hour later he found a shop that seemed to have a large variety of herbs, although the place was on a nearly-deserted street and the storefront was weathered and worn. He stepped through the door and closed it behind him, his Monster's eyes quickly adjusting to the dimness within. he called, casting about. Glass jars were everywhere, lining shelves, stacked on the floor, and pushed into corners. No doubt about it; it was the largest supply and variety of herbs he had ever seen in his life, and that was saying a lot. As he looked about he realized that some of the dried plants in jars had gone extinct hundreds of years ago. Most likely the shop owner didn't even know what they were or what they were used for. As he turned slowly, examining the herbs hanging from the ceiling, he heard a soft noise behind him.
What can I help you with? rasped a voice as dry as the plants around him.
Xellos turned and confronted a tiny, wrinkled old woman, her skin so thin that it seemed as if parchment housed her muscles and bones. I need something that will bring down a fever, he explained, keeping his eyes carefully shut. Because of their proximity to Wolfpack Island, the humans in the town were keenly aware of Monsters, and he didn't particularly feel like being discovered at the moment. Hopefully Lecia would make him seem even more human than he usually did.
Who's it for? What caused the fever? the old woman said roughly, eying him with what he figured was suspicion.
Xellos cleared his throat. The storm last night. . . My wife was at sea and nearly drowned. She had been. . . Well, she had been ill, and hadn't been eating much. I fear the strain was too much for her.
The old woman's tiny eyes looked him up and down. What was she sick with?
Xellos' mouth opened and closed, and for once he was at a loss with an answer. He rarely encountered humans as sharp as this woman appeared to be, and he didn't know what to tell her. An ailment of the heart, he finally replied.
The shopkeeper narrowed her eyes. The heart? And she wouldn't eat? What did you do to her, boy, to break her heart?
He was a little taken aback that she had so easily seen through his half-truth. This woman was not being led where he wanted her to go. I didn't do anything. It was another man. I'm trying to pick up her pieces, he replied.
Your wife cheated on you?
Of course not,' he said a bit indignantly.
I can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on. The emotional state of the patient has just as much to do with healing as the physical state. Spill the beans, boy, the old woman snapped.
It's really rather private, he said softly, watching as the old woman's eyes narrowed beneath her bushy eyebrows.
Is that your baby? she said, obviously choosing a different direction of conversation.
He relaxed a bit and rubbed Lecia's cheek with the side of his thumb. Yes, she is, he replied proudly.
Is it your wife's baby?
Xellos stiffened. Of course.
She's not your wife, is she?
Xellos felt himself pale. Well, no, not really, he mumbled.
Then why did you say she was?
Xellos' patience began to leak away. Who was this old woman, to be asking him so many questions? As she badgered him, Lina was burning up at home. He was half-tempted to reveal himself to the old hag and threaten her into helping him. Because I need to get back to her quickly, and I figured that I wouldn't waste time trying to explain our situation by just calling her my wife. Is that satisfactory?
She really that sick?
Xellos said, exasperated. Please, just give me something that will help her.
If you and the woman had a baby, why is her heart broken?
Xellos sighed. Is it that important?
Yes. Even if her fever breaks, I can't help her get well if I don't know what's making her ill.
Xellos could see the reasoning behind that, and so decided to tell what he could. A little under three years ago, this woman and I lived together. We were forced apart, and a few months later she gave birth to our daughter, unbeknownst to me. I hadn't even known she was pregnant. I was taken prisoner after the birth, but as soon as I was released, I searched the baby out, and then the mother. When I found her, however, she had taken up with an old lover, and had told him nothing about me or the child. He learned everything, however, and decided to leave her. He thought it would be best for her to be with me and our baby, and ever since that night she hasn't been the same. Now, is that enough for you?
So she loved you, before you were forced apart.
I like to think so.
And you loved her? Do you love her still?
Xellos felt something twist inside of him. He had felt very strongly for Lina when he was a human. He would have done anything for her, would have died for her. Was that love? He knew he didn't love her anymore; he, as a Monster, was incapable of it. I think so, he said. All I know is that I do not ever want to be apart from her ever again. I want to live with her and our child for the rest of my life. Is that enough for you? Now will you help us?
The old woman looked at him steadily. Your woman sounds like what she needs is time and space. If you smother her you'll never get her back. Even though it might be difficult, you'll just have to wait it out. Here, take these, she said, pulling out some compressed sticks of herbs and pushing them across the counter to him.
Xellos picked them up and examined them, then set them back down. What are they?
You can't just give her medicine and heal her heart, but she'll do better if she's relaxed. Burn these in your home, one a day. It will soothe her nerves and clear her head. Hopefully she will then be able to face what has happened.
And the fever?
The woman sighed and pulled out a mortar and pestle, quickly grinding several herbs together. Give her this in a glass of warm milk. She should be better within forty-eight hours.
It's that simple?
Sometimes when the problems are complex, the simplest answer is the best, she muttered, wrapping everything up in paper.
You have some odd herbs here, he said, stroking Lecia's fuzzy hair as he leaned against the counter.
This shop has been in my family for generations. No point in tossing anything out, you never know when you might need it.
he replied, filing away the information in his brain.
Your daughter, what's her name? the old woman asked, pushing the envelope toward him.
he murmured.
Well, she looks jaundiced. You need to take her out in the sun more often. You people look like you've been living in a cave. I put something in there for her to help her. Just put it in with her food. I suggest you begin feeding her applesauce.
Xellos raised an eyebrow and tucked the packet into his leather pouch. Thank you and good day, he said, dropping a few gold coins on the counter.
This is more than those herbs are worth, the old woman said sharply, eying him.
The advice was valuable, he replied, and set out for home.