A/N: --Sweatdrop-- I wonder if you've noticed...I update every Tuesday... Boo...only three reviews...well, I suppose I should just learn to live with that. Wheee! The last chapter of this story! (Not including epilogues) - Hope you enjoy! I know I did!

Disclaimer: I don't own Slayers, idontownslayersidontownslayersidontownslayers idontownslayersidontownslayersidontownslayersidontownslayersidontownslayers! How many times must I say it before "you're" satisfied?!?!

Chapter Seven: Lina's Birthday Ball

At the crack of dawn, the whole castle was awakened by an enormous gong, courtesy of Luna. In actuality, the gong had been meant to only wake up Lina, but as the rest of the castle were comparatively light sleepers, they all awoke with a start. Rushed preparations began. They had precisely ten hours to make the necessary arrangements for the impromptu ball. Lina, though it was her birthday, insisted on cooking the buffet herself, and locked everyone else out, and didn't come out unless to occasionally ask for a retrieval of ingredients.

Gourry was the main "strong guy helper" to help put up decorations, help heave tables into place and whatnot. Zel, having the heart of a musician, assisted in booking a suitable band group and getting the instruments set up. Amelia wrote up all the correspondences asking all the people Lina had ever gotten to know, with the help of Naga, after which Luna sent them off with a magic spell of hers. The remaining time, Luna oversaw and commanded the room's inhabitants. Naga, expert that she was, assisted in picking out the "drinks". Naturally, to test them, she had to take a sample from most of them. If Luna hadn't caught her in the act, Naga would have been drunk for the rest of the day, added to a horrible headache in the morning.

About two hours to opening time, Luna went into the kitchen and teleported the exhausted Lina to her room- she had just finished preparing the last dish. With none too much flourish, Luna extricated Lina from her messy clothes, and threw her into their Jacuzzi, recently filled with warm, sensuous water. Lina automatically relaxed in the tub, used to her sister's abrupt way of working. She barely heard her say that the dress she was to wear tonight was hung against the wall; the accessories were in the box on the dresser; the shoes beneath the dress on the floor. Luna told her to call if she needed any help, before disappearing back to the ballroom.

While Lina was bathing and preparing, Luna was using her transportation spell to instantly take the guests who had accepted directly to the ballroom. As there were many people invited, it took the majority of the two hours to get them there. However, when Lina opened those big doors and walked in, commanding the attention of the room, everything was in place, and everyone was accounted for. Lina slowly, majestically walked up to the throne platform. With a grandiose uprising of her hands, Lina proclaimed, "Welcome everyone, to my birthday ball. I thank you all for coming. Now if you aren't already, I sincerely hope you start enjoying yourself. I especially hope you enjoy the buffet!" A glass of Zephilian wine appeared in her hand. She gestured it to them. "Cheers!"

With that, Lina walked off from center-stage, and the guests discovered that the empty buffet table had suddenly been filled with savory dishes. As the music started up, couples danced, people ate, and Lina mingled with the crowd.

People all the way back from when she had traveled alone after departing from Zephilia was here now. She made sure to talk to everyone, if but only for a few moments. Hallas Ryzu had come with a wife, whom he had fallen in love with, without the assistance or hindrance of magic. Lina sincerely gave them her congrats, before moving on. To Gourry's chagrin, Volun was also present, and Lina had to laugh when she caught sight of him trying to "show off" to Gourry. Apparently, he had known all along that Gourry was really a man, and that had been what attracted him in the first place. Lina saved him, by briefly clinging to Gourry's arm, and telling Volun that Gourry most certainly wasn't interested in men. With a sly smile, she eyed Gourry, and asked for verification on his part. Gourry instantly agreed with a vigorous nod. Apparently respecting Lina's wishes for him to stop bothering Gourry, Volun gallantly strode off, and before long found the wondrous Miwan, who was more than happy to reciprocate his feelings. Such merry, happy reunions took place during that night, and always, Lina had a smile on her face.

From across the way, Zel could only stare. Adorned in the best-suited dress possible, he didn't believe he had ever seen Lina look so...so....beautiful. With her red tresses cascading down her back and shoulders, over the halter topped blood-red dress complete with a waist high slit into the skirt- it was obvious why she was the center of attention, despite her being who she was. Though, as Zel continued to watch her, he realized that it wasn't so much the dress that made a difference, but her. Her whole personality, the way she held herself, the Lina he had grown to know, was gone, replaced. Zel wondered what had made the change take place, and he could only think of one thing: Luna. As a passing thought waded through his thought stream, he wondered if that had been the reason why Lina was afraid of Luna, because she made her change. No, that couldn't be it, could it?

At that moment, Lina caught Zel's eye, excused herself, and walked over to his place on the balcony ledge. He had been leaning against it, his back to it so that he could watch her, without people seeing him in his grotesque form. Luna had absolutely prohibited Zel's head covering and cloak at the ball. He was forced to wear at the very least, comfortable black material with a classy white shirt underneath. Leaning against the banister, despite his awed look, he looked very suave, if the giggling whispers and glances of several girls meant anything. Lina faced the view outside and murmured, "Beautiful isn't it?"

Zel turned to look at her, and watched as a warm breeze rustled her hair. He let out an appeased sigh. "The night sky's beauty dulls in comparison to yours."

A light blush was apparent as she smiled and murmured a small "Thanks." Looking him up and down, she murmured, "You don't look so bad yourself, mister." Zel's reaction was thrice that of Lina's, as he had hardly ever recalled being complimented for his looks, if for anything at all. They stood there for a few minutes, simply enjoying each other's company. In his mind, Zel was frantically trying to decide how to confess the feelings that he had only recently realized he had. His thoughts were interrupted when Lina whispered, "Hold me."

Obviously, the short command startled him. "Wh-what?"

Literally taking matters into her own hands, Lina held both of his hands with her own, and backed into him before crossing his wrists in front of her. Catching hold of his senses, Zel tightened his grip slightly on her to make sure she knew he was aware of it. He was puzzled by Lina's peaceful expression. "Aren't I..." Lina looked up at him with all the amusement of a child who had outsmarted an elder and knew it. He gulped and continued anyway. "Aren't I hurting you?"

The question seemed to surprise Lina a little, but she only smiled and shook her head, leaning into him while looking out at the view. "I am a sorceress you know. Don't you think I would have prepared in advance? I have a long-term cushioning spell on me. Granted, I can't physically harm anyone right now, but I wouldn't with my sister here anyway. I can still use magic though, much more easily, too. Anyway, you feel as soft as satin to me, and filled with hundreds of comfy goose feathers." She snuggled a little deeper, smiling happily.

"Oh," was all Zel could say. That probably explained why she felt just as soft, or maybe that's just how she was naturally. Zel really couldn't tell; it had been a long time since he had ever held anyone, and especially not like this. Deciding to change subjects, Zel's mind went back to last night. "Ne, why did you run so fast out of the kitchen yesterday?"

Lina chuckled nervously. "You want to know?"

Zel nodded and murmured, "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't."

"Well, actually, I accidentally, erm...cut myself finishing the last dish."

"What? How? Are you all right?"

"Some of the liquid spilled as I was carrying it over to the 'ready' table...I slipped on it...the dish in my hand broke on the floor, I got all bloodied up... Luna healed me quick though. So I'm okay now; no worries."

The name triggered another memory, another question. "That's good. Speaking of Luna though...last night she said something about you not being royalty, but having the right to own Seyruun? What's that all about?"

Lina laughed merrily. When her fit of mirth came to an end, she verified, "She said that? Ah, that's old news, a myth really. I suppose I'll tell you. See, a really, really, really long time ago, an Inverse fell in love with a member of the Seyruun royal family, and they had a set of twins together. Because their children were illegitimate without marriage, the Inverse had been secretly assassinated, and it was proclaimed that the children, the heirs to the throne, were between the princess and a trusted prince of a distant country- in other words, a more suitable ruler. However, the Inverse family resolved to take one of the twins early on into their custody as a sign that they deserved the land, not the prince. Now though, since the two families have become allies, and no hostility remains between them, that saying is really just a bedtime story of sorts. Also, it's said that when the fiftieth daughter of the Inverse name makes a name for herself, that is the day that the Inverse family regains control of Seyruun. It just so happens that I'm the fiftieth daughter."

Now, Zel laughed along with her. "I think it's safe to say that you made a name for yourself long before you even met any of us, and with Luna here, there's no doubt that the Inverses will have indefinite say here."

Lina smiled and nodded. "Now I have a question for you. You heard about Regnum Femina right?" Lina paused, and Zel mumbled his affirmation. "Do you think I'd make a good wife?"

The question startled Zel, but after thinking on it, he answered truthfully. "It depends on the husband. Though, with your looks, your culinary and magical talents, I'd say that'd be a pretty safe bet."

There was another pause, before Lina asked, "Even my personality?"

"Again, that depends. Your harmful one to bandits and enemies, your sweet one with children, your rigidly proper one around your sister, or the one I've come to know, the mixture of it all along with the spirit of levity?"

"Which would you prefer?"

"Whichever is your natural self."

"And if I told you I wasn't sure what that was?"

"I'd tell you to do whatever makes you comfortable."

In an instant, warm lips closed over Zel's in an endearing kiss. Though surprised once again, he returned it with equal love and indiscreet shyness. When they broke apart, they looked into each other's eyes, into each other's souls, and immediately knew the next question that would come from the other's lips.

"Will you marry me?"

Zel grinned. "I wouldn't have let you keep that ring if I didn't want to."

Lina grinned back, holding it up to the light. "And I wouldn't have worn it yesterday and all of today if I didn't."

Together, they whispered, "So the answer is...I wouldn't have it any other way," before joining together in another heart-warming kiss.

The rest, as they say, is history.

­A look into the history that was made after said events...

When Lina and Zel returned to the ballroom, they danced the night away with all sorts of different tempos and styles. They reveled in each other's company, and wore a consistent smile of pure joy the whole night through. At least, until Luna interrupted them and told Lina to go make her final speech. Flushed, Lina locked eyes with Zel for a moment, and nodded. With another cup of Zephilian wine in hand, Lina strolled over to the throne dais, and silently commanded the band to finish their song quickly. Once they had, Lina's speech began. And wouldn't you know it-- it was much longer than need be. By the time she was wrapping up, the clock was ticking the last half minute of the day.

"And that is why, without further ado, the real reason behind this ball is for me to choose my husband for life." Lina paused, and took a deep breath before finishing, "The person I chose is..." At that moment, she caught sight of Xellos at a corner table, sitting next to a woman with long blond hair, excessive jewelry, and a large, but beautiful glass of wine in her hand. From stories and books and folktales, Lina knew that the woman could only be Zelas Metallium, The Greater Beastmaster. Without thinking, she uttered "Zel..." At that point, Luna chose to trip Lina by tugging on the laid-down carpet she stood on. It was a well-placed tug, for Lina went sprawling head over heels. With speed only natural to that of a Mazoku, Xellos teleported to catch her. Whether he planned on it or not, when Lina fell into his waiting arms, her lips fell on his as well. It was a chaste kiss, but a kiss nonetheless, just as the clock gonged midnight. Extremely overheated, Lina only smiled wanly at Xellos before passing out- dead drunk. With a grin, Luna snapped her fingers, and Lina was transported to her room, or more accurately, her bed.

Luna addressed the crowd of spectators. "Although our star of the night has evaded the end of the ball, you are all free to enjoy your time here until you believe that it is time for you, too, to retire to your rooms. All of you have been assigned a room in the palace, so I sincerely hope you enjoy the rest of your royal night!"

As the band resumed their music, Luna walked towards Zelas, with Xellos close behind. The two women shared a grin. Luna murmured, "Your timing couldn't have been better. Are you prepared for the consequences?"

Zelas' grin widened. "I look forward to it. I'm sure Xellos will as well."

Xellos looked on, for once not knowing what his mistress was thinking, or rather, planning. Across the room, Zel, too, had no idea what was in store for him.

A/N: Do you see the implications, do you? Well, it matters not, it's in my next chapter. Hmmm...darn you...not giving me four reviews (I'm a real whiny brat, but I still do as I planned to do)....Maybe I should postpone my next chapter update.. oh wait..7-24...meaning...hmm...well, my record is 35...so if you could help me beat that...

Ah, it was such fun writing this story, rereading it twice, and then seeing your reviews. Well, don't let me be one to stop you from continuing your reviews. Remember- I still have an epilogue to go...and I'm considering writing a sequel, but only if this story beats my previously noted record of 35. Well, I'm on 24 right now, and three chapters (including this one) left...so nine more reviews...means at least three per chapter...hmm, I'm doing pretty well. - Thx again for all your reviews thus far!

Please Review! It gives me the strength to go on! (the longer it is, the happier I feel about receiving it hint hint)