Part two- get with the program, Xelha!

since I didn't do an explanatory note last time, here's one now. This is sort of a peaceful, meandering tale in which I play out my little fantasies with Xelha and Lyude while calming down after fighting Fadroh (grrr). Fadroh makes me sick. "Corrupting Light" is really quite awful and as of this point I have not beaten him. He's killed me at least seven times. So this bit, and the last, is Xelha fleeing the Alfard Empire because she saw Fadroh's grotesque transformation and ran. Yay.

When Xelha and Savyna were completely sure that the rest of the party was safely out of earshot, Xelha quietly admitted, "Actually, it's not Kalas I like. There's someone else..."

"So why go to all the trouble of rescuing him?"

"To save the world from Malpercio. And, because I love him..."

"Ah, so you admit it."

"No, I do not admit it. What I was going to say was that I love Kalas like a brother. That's it. Complete and total end of story."

"You love him like an insanely evil, traitorous brother?"

"Yes, that was what I meant."

Savyna chuckled a little. "Well, if it isn't Kalas, then who do you like?"

Xelha looked around to make sure nobody was listening, then whispered, "Lyude."

This time Savyna cackled. She was incapacitated for several minutes, bending over and laughing hysterically.

Xelha stiffened. "It wasn't really that funny."

"I know that," Savyna gasped. "It's just that... you two... would make a cute couple."

"What do you mean?"

"You're perfect for each other. Two heroic, righteous world-savers- it just works."

So that's how you see me, Xelha thought. She wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not, but at least Savyna trusted her. She hoped.

She turned away from Savyna, and whispered to her Guardian Spirit, Releé, "Is that how you see me, too?"

Sort of.

Xelha was a bit snubbed, but got over it.

Wait a sec! Do you want to have something to hold over Savyna's head, besides the whole "Lady Death" thing?

"Yes..."

Then why don't you ask her who she likes?

"Good idea, Releé."

"What do you mean, good idea?" Savyna questioned, a little puzzled.

Xelha simply grinned evilly.

"Oh... NO." protested Savyna.

Make her confess, Xelha! Make her confess!

"Don't you and Gibari have a "thing"?"

"No. He's nine years older than me."

"You and Giacomo?"

"Same answer."

Xelha sat down on the rail and pondered.

"Your great plan is getting me nowhere, Releé."

Oh, it is getting you somewhere. Now you know that she doesn't like Gibari or Giacomo.

"So who does that leave?"

Isn't it obvious?

"No."

Think of Imperial-types Savyna's age.

"I don't get it."

Does the name "Folon" ring any bells?

"But didn't we kill him?"

That's what you think.

Savyna just stared at Xelha, who seemed to be having a conversation with thin air. Finally she remembered that Releé had attached herself to Xelha after Kalas's betrayal, so of course this whole thing was perfectly normal.

Xelha finally grinned, getting it, then asked Savyna, "Do you like blue men?"

"Wha? Oh, umm..." she blushed.

"That would be a yes."

Eager to change the subject, Savyna asked, "So why are we flying away from the Imperial Fortress instead of towards it? Shouldn't you, perhaps, be rescuing Kalas?"

"Er... ask Gibari. He's flying this thing."

Savyna threw up over the railing. The vomit landed on a little fishing boat below. Miffed, the fisherman shook a fist and yelled curses at the Mindeer.

"Good to see you, Reblys!" Gibari called down good-naturedly. They sped away from the scene.

"Apologies," Savyna croaked. "I've never been good with flying. Used to bug the hell out of my superiors..."

"We don't really need to hear about it."

All right, Xelha. Enough fooling around.

"What do you mean?" she asked quietly.

"I didn't say anything," snapped Savyna, who was feeling rather poorly.

"Well, I wasn't talking to you."

"Good." Savyna left to get cleaned up and maybe have a catnap.

Now that we're alone...

"Yes?"

If you truly love Lyude, why don't you do something about it?

"I would... except, what could I do?"

Use your Gods-given talents.

"I don't think I have any talents that could possibly help me with this."

For heaven's sake, Xelha! Flirt, woman, flirt!