Capriones 8/4/2006

Disclaimer: We shall make use of several of the characters from The Slayers, none of whom belongs to us.

Chapter Thirteen -- Promises to Keep

"Xelloss," Zelgadiss said. "I was looking for you."

"Gods... it's you, Zelgadiss," he said huskily, glad he'd stayed his hand and not walloped his friend. "I, ah, just had a terrible meeting with Lina. She's quite upset with me and I . . . am barely civil, sorry. I'm not even certain that there is anything that I can do about it either."

"I can go talk to her."

"Would you?" Xelloss' voice was taut with tension as he added, "Find out anything you can about her, but be careful... She's very temperamental tonight."

"I'll keep that in mind," Zelgadiss said.

"You came about something?"

"Just a timing issue about tomorrow. It can wait," Zel assured him. He tried to catch Xelloss' eyes, but the man kept his face in the dark, so he just said, "You could just tell her the truth."

Xelloss turned his back to him without answering, giving Zelgadiss no choice but to take his leave and go in search of Lina. If Xelloss thought he could work out his issues alone now, he was wrong. There was another person wishing to meet with him, and as Zelgadiss passed her, he bowed slightly and quickened his pace.

(O)

Gourry wandered for several minutes, and then sighted his quarry standing alone by the food. His entire countenance lit up; his eyes shone bright blue and his mouth stretched into a wide smile. He checked his pockets, and when a paper crinkled in one he was satisfied; he was all set to conduct business. With his long legs Gourry loped off, covering the ground quickly. He was humming along to the distant music with a confidence built of high hopes, but then nearly lost his nerve when he actually came face to face with his target.

"Um, hi, Sylphiel. Ah, sorry I wasn't here when you arrived, but I had something to do first," he said.

"That's okay. I haven't been here long," she said, hugging her arms in the chilling air.

It didn't look to her as if he'd brought her a cape or shawl to wear.

"Hungry?" he asked.

She shook her head, disappointed. "Not yet. Maybe later."

"You okay? You look kinda sad?" he asked, a line of worry creasing his brow beneath his tousled bangs.

"I'm worried, Gourry. You are leaving tomorrow after the wedding, with Lina," she said.

"Ah, yeah, but I'm coming right back. You'll wait for me, won'tcha?"

Sylphiel smiled shyly and looked down at her hands. She noticed him fidgeting with something in his hands, a small packet, and shivered.

"Of course," she said. "I wouldn't have anywhere else to go, not with Lina and Filia gone. Amelia and I will be attempting to cure Zelgadiss, you know. And, thank you for getting Xelloss to help us. He has lent us a copy of the Claire Bible."

Gourry returned a frank expression of pleasure, appreciating her compliment, and saying, "Wasn't much. I hope you can help Zel."

He shifted his feet and moved closer, wisps of his long blond hair mixing with her equally long black hair.

"Your home was destroyed, wasn't it?" he asked.

Sylphiel started. She hadn't expected him to say that at all.

"Yes, Sairaag is gone. There is nothing for me to go back to."

Gourry produced the gift, tiny in his hand.

"It's for you. Go ahead, open it."

"Oh dear . . ." Sylphiel gasped as she unfolded the paper wrapping, revealing a ring bearing a star sapphire larger than her little fingernail. "It's . . . it's so . . . beautiful. Oh, Gourry, it's much too fine a gift, really."

Before she could return it, he folded her fingers around the ring and enclosed her hands in his. He felt her tremble as he held her hands gently and waited for her eyes to meet his.

"Would you consider staying here? Making this your home?" He swallowed, nearly choking, then added, "With me?"

"Gourry . . . are you asking me to marry you?"

"Well, yeah," he answered cautiously, releasing his grip and freeing her hands.

She jumped into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck, and kissing him on the lips. He laughed at her happiness and she laughed with him and somewhere in all that joy there was a sincerely spoken "yes," accepting his proposal. Lost in Gourry's embrace, Sylphiel would no longer notice the nip in the night air.

(O)

Rodimus and Zolf paused, the road stretching into the distance to either side of them.

"So," the older man said as he read from the guidebook in his hands. "Where do you wanna go now? Checkout the natural hot springs with 'fragrant healing vapors and homemade ale?' or... we can tour a cave 'filled with breathtaking stalagtites?'"

Zolf ran a finger along his dark moustache while he pondered the question. "I think... the cave. Lina's less likely to visit that. No hint of hidden magic there."

"Or comforts," Rodimus put in. "Okay with me. Cave it is then, but after this we ought to head back to Atlas City and rouse the insurgents on Master Zelgadiss' behalf."

"Yeah, Rezo's like as not to run out of patience with us and attack the Caprione camp. Mr. Zelgadiss will need his supporters."

Rodimus hitched up his pants and straightened his belt. "Cave's in the right direction, too, then."

(0)

Amelia watched Zelgadiss scamper away before she stepped forward to where Xelloss stood, his back rigid with tension. She entered the shadowy light cast by the overhead lanterns hanging in the tree, clearing her throat politely.

"I'm sorry if I'm intruding. You're so quiet and alone right now and I wanted to thank you for the gifts you sent. The necklace is unique. Is it an heirloom?"

With his anguish and confusion put under wraps, Xelloss successfully harnessed his emotions, which had been threatening his ability to think. Later, in private, he could indulge in self-pity.

"My princess," he said in a low voice.

He hazarded a look into her wide, unguarded, gray-blue eyes, discovering for the first time how very pretty she was, and how young, just a child.

"You are quite welcome and yes, the necklace is very old."

He ran his fingers through the soft fringe near her arms.

"The shawl looks lovely on you. It was my mother's, but it far better looking on you with your black hair."

"Oh, thank you," she said. "I'm glad I have it tonight."

"How old are you, Amelia?" he asked suddenly.

"I'll be sixteen next month, and you?" Well-trained in court courtesy, her voice remained calm as if she had expected him to ask her questions out of the blue.

"Thirty-five," he replied with a wry smile. "Does that sound old to you?"

"Yes . . . I mean, no, not really. You just look so much younger, that's all."

"No, it's not all, actually. I am old, by Caprione standards, to be marrying for the first time. Gourry is twenty-five and Zelgadiss not quite twenty. Valgaav won't say, but I think he is in his early twenties. Mother will be happy to see us all settled down."

"Parents always do. They also want to see us happy as well."

"Do they? Is that how it is in your world?" he asked.

"I think so, although it doesn't often turn out that way. Sometimes I think it only happens the way I want it to in fairytales."

"Fairytales, yes." He smiled dreamily and shook his head. "I want to make those fairytales come true. For you and me and all our friends. Wouldn't that be nice? Would you like that?"

She frowned a little, and then said, "You are talking down to me now. That is not fair. I was trying to answer honestly."

"I was being truthful as well, Miss Amelia. I really do mean to make everything turn out right. Just like in a fairytale; wait and see."

Amelia's retort was cut off by another intruding upon their privacy.

"Oh, how sweet. The lovely couple," Zelas said.

Zelas walked slowly to meet them, holding a cold glass of wine to her forehead. "I have the most terrible headache, so I'm going to miss the rest of the party."

"I'm sorry," Xelloss said. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

"No," Zelas said.

She studied his face for a moment, completely ignoring Amelia. "Do you think it's wise to send Valgaav away to a Cepheid camp?"

"If you are asking if I think he'll come back, I believe he will, leading the tribes against Rezo. We spoke and I believe he has something to prove to himself. If you are worried about his endurance, well, I'm not. My concern is for the Capriones and our survival, not for the individual, not for him. If he offends them and gets himself killed or imprisoned, then that's too bad, but not my problem. Alternatively, if he finds that he likes leadership and has found a people who will follow him, and if he wishes to leave us and live as he was born, in the Cepheid world, then I think that's a superb setup for him. All in all, I think there's a better chance for him to do us some service that way then resting on his laurels around here."

"Yes, how clever of you, my dear. You get your rival out of the way and in a single, expeditious move, you save your people."

"Rival? Valgaav's never been my equal, and as far as my position is concerned, he never understood the game to begin with much less been a contestant. He hasn't cared about anything deeply enough to follow through with what it takes to get what he wants, until now. I think Miss Filia has impressed him, however, and has given him a meaningful cause to fight for."

"Oh, well," Zelas said, sighing. "I shall miss his attentiveness."

"You'll find another man. You always do," Xelloss said.

"Oh," she said with a dazzling smile, "He and I aren't lovers, my dear. Nothing like that at all."

"Is that so?" Xelloss asked, making his disbelief obvious.

"Don't presume to know my secrets, darling," she said. She turned as if to leave, but hesitated and asked, "I suppose you did that to even the score?"

Xelloss' burning stare could have penetrated anyone else's skin, sizzling past flesh and blood, scorching bone until the heart was contacted, roasted, and vaporized, but it didn't even faze Zelas' smile. She continued speaking.

"It really was too bad. Had the little sorceress been a princess of Seyruun, we wouldn't have needed this one."

She patted his cheek, laughing, then left the afflicted couple. Xelloss was shaking with anger at his mother's ill-mannered attack, and for Amelia's humiliation.

"I am . . . sorry for her rudeness. There is no justification for it, except to say that she's just an angry old woman. I wish I could offer you some solace in the matter, Miss Amelia, but I'm afraid I must leave immediately. Zelgadiss, however, has offered to attend to you in my absence. I can see him near the refreshments. Would you like me to walk you over?"

"No, thank you. I see he's talking to Miss Lina now. I'll find out how Miss Sylphiel is first. Go on. I'll be fine."

Xelloss excused himself to try to arrange his thoughts, to think about the rest of his mission, which he was neglecting, and to make his dreams, and Amelia's dreams, come true. If only he understood how to go about fixing things with Lina without unravelling his plans..

End Capriones Chapter Thirteen.