Capriones 8/12/2006 10:24

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

Chapter Seventeen – Shattering Illusions

Lina ran back the way she and Gourry had come, but instead of returning to her tent, she made a bee line for Zelgadiss'. She entered his tent without knocking.

"Hey, Zel?"

In the dim light cast by a single candle she saw him, back turned with his hood over his head. He was breathing audibly as if he'd been running around the camp.

"Ah, Zel, I know you didn't exactly invite me in, but I didn't find the right time to ask earlier. I wanted to invite you to join us, Gourry and me, on the road to Seyruun, you know? I figure, what's a few days more to wait for your cure, right? I know a little space might help, too. Hanging here with, you know, them . . . Well, it would be hard on me if I were you. We could use the help, too. Plus there's always the pity factor to consider when you're talking about getting Phil to join our side. But, ah, mostly I'd like your company. What do you say?"

"Thanks, but no," he said, his voice muffled. "Now, please leave. I'd like to be alone."

Lina didn't want to take no for an answer.

"Look me in the eye and say that," she demanded.

Zel continued to avoid her. "Please, as a friend, just . . . go."

"Listen, buster," Lina said, raising voice. "Brooding away in the dark is not going to make the feelings go away. Believe me, I know. You gotta get doing something. Do you hear?"

Lina grabbed him by the shoulder and with an abnormal strength for a girl her size, twisted him around. In shock, his head flew up, hood falling back to reveal dark hair and Xelloss' face.

"Huh?" she gasped.

Xelloss covered her mouth with a hand, "Shhhh . . . If Zelas finds out that Zelgadiss is with Amelia and not me, he could be put to death, understand?"

Lina nodded and he removed his hand.

"You're not with Amelia?"

His eyes widened. "Obviously not, Lina. Like I said, Zel is. No one was to know."

He could feel her warmth still in his tingling hand. He expected intruders to blunder in any second and discover them. He desperately wanted Lina to tell him she forgave him for all his secrets. He wanted, he hoped, he so gummed up his mind he couldn't think right.

Lina managed to overcome come complete surprise and find her voice. "Zel's sleeping with Amelia, not you?"

Xelloss rubbed his face, wondering what to do next. "I wouldn't do that– sleep with her. Never! I couldn't."

"You tricked everyone..."

"I had to! Zelas sees Zelgadiss as my property. I captured him and traded the lives of his men for him– that made him mine. Slaves do not get the princess; princes do, so until I can safely give Zel his freedom, this must remain a very, very deep secret-- for now."

"Then . . ." Lina began.

The possibilities flooded her mind. She had a sudden impulse to reach out and touch his face, kiss his lips. Could Xelloss ever feel deeply for her? Her heart was pounding. She respected Xelloss immensely for what he had done for Zel and Amelia, and knew she had vastly underestimated him. Her stunt out by the lake had been immature. He must think her a child, a powerful blow to her vanity. More than anything, Lina wanted Xelloss to admire and respect her again. How was she going to tell him how wrong she had been about him?

"And you understand why I couldn't tell you the truth straight out?" he asked hurriedly.

"Maybe," she said.

Lina gave his question some thought before answering. "You didn't think I could keep your secret."

"Oh no, Lina don't think that! I'd trust you with my life!"

"But not Zel's?"

"I trusted you not to tell, but Zelas can read people so well; it's uncanny. I had no idea how good of an actress you could be and I could take no chances. I knew nothing, Lina. I hoped... hoped you cared enough about Amelia and Zelgadiss not to want the wedding to proceed. I hoped that you'd make enough of a fuss to convince my mother that you believed it was going through. Zelas would disregard your feelings and the opinions of your friends, but not the lack of them."

"I see," she said, still mulling over what she wanted to tell him.

"I'm taking some terrible risks, some harder than others."

He paused a moment, looking into her open eyes. His tender expression sent her head spinning, striking her mute. He caressed the edge of the satchel she had slung over her shoulder.

"You know, I've had this so long it's like a part of me."

"Y-yeah?"

"Yes," he smiled faintly.

"I guess this is my biggest risk." He was unsure how much he should say. He was nervous and unusually tongue-tied.

"Masquerading as Zel and trading places with him tonight? I would agree."

"Well, yes, that too," Xelloss reached out and gently touched her shoulder. "I was thinking of this particular moment."

Lina's eyes latched onto his. She could feel his fingers tremble.

"I hope you still care for me... enough that you might... let me know before you leave," he said, his voice cracking.

"Huh?"

His eyes searched hers, desperate for her confirmation. "Gods, Lina! I never thought I could feel deep affection for anyone. I thought I was immune. But the moment I saw you, I knew you were the special someone I'd been waiting for all my life."

"Oh, Xel..." Lina sucked in her breath.

"Sh..." Xelloss covered his head and crouched down the instant they both heard the sound of boots crunching in the gravel outside his tent.

The scuffle of boots at the door to Zelgadiss' tent stopped. Xelloss imagined how frightened Lina must feel, his own heart was racing. Had someone followed her and overheard them, guessing their subterfuge?

"Ah . . . Zel? Um . . ." a man's voice said, stuttering over what to say.

A horse snorted and stomped the ground. It could only be one person. Both Lina and Xelloss simultaneously exhaled their bated breaths with relief.

"Gourry?" Lina called out.

"Yeah," he said as he pushed aside the door flap and entered the tent. "Sorry, ah . . . Zel. She tricked me and ran off. I couldn't stop her."

Xelloss let down his guard again, shaking his hair free, and turned to his brother. "It's okay, she knows who I am."

After that, Lina barely acknowledged Gourry's presence. What Xelloss had said was all important to her, and she admired him immensely for all he had conspired to do and achieved in spite of the odds, and his mother's interference. He had outmaneuvered Zelas and was still shielding them all from Zelas' vengeance. He had given Valgaav the opportunity to prove himself, and possibly Zelgadiss, too. Although for Zelgadiss, just having Amelia in his arms alone tonight might be all he needed to become the man he wanted to be. Ridding him of his scars seemed insignificant in comparison. What mattered most to Lina, however, was that Xelloss had admitted he was in love with her and was now free to tell her. Well, practically.

"Xelloss, I . . . We need to talk about this," Lina insisted.

She wasn't a Caprione, though, and unless she changed that, what hope would there be for a future together? Not to mention Zelas' anger when she discovered the truth. She detected his disappointment immediately. He had opened his heart to her and she just put him off! Why couldn't she tell him outright how she felt!

"And I'd like to sit and talk this out with you further, Lina– you don't know how much-- but we haven't time. I can't tell you how dearly Zelas would like to catch you escaping, even with Gourry, even by my orders. You are too integral to her schemes for her to lose. You must go tonight, now, while she least suspects. And you have to get to Seyruun undiscovered. And convince the prince there to help us. Gourry knows how to avoid detection entering the city. Still, be careful."

"I'm not new at this covert stuff, Xelloss. I can keep a low profile when I need to," she snapped, angry at herself for failing to say what she needed to.

"I know, so you've told me, but Rezo is there, in Seyruun, possibly at the very palace you're planning to visit, looking for you, the power stone, and Zelgadiss. He won't find what he's looking for so he'll attack us next. We have days at most before he's compelled to tear apart this settlement for those treasures. Lina, you must avoid capture at all costs, but if something goes wrong, Gourry knows that Amelia's cousin, Alfred, will get a message through to me. I will come for you at whatever cost."

Xelloss' earnestness was making her uncomfortable. Lina wanted to talk in private, not with his brother hanging around. She shot Gourry a meaningful, hot glare.

"Guess I'll get started, then," Gourry said, taking the hint to exit stage right.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lina watched Gourry climb onto the largest cream-colored horse Lina had ever seen. In the low light, it seemed to glow. The tall man was dressed as a common mercenary in faded blue colors, well-worn pants and lightweight, tarnished armor under his cloak, but he looked like a storybook knight in shining armor. Handsome and spoken for as he was now, there was a time only days ago when Lina would have been tempted to become more than friends with the man.

"Lina, promise me to be extremely careful," Xelloss said in a near whisper.

Xelloss touched her arm and her attention was back wholly on him. Time slowed to encapsulate the moment, the last one in which she was certain to see his face. She knew the story of her life had turned a page. Lina wrapped her arms around Xelloss in a sudden decisive move, and kissed him.

"I will succeed and I'm sorry for what I said, and did."

She started to say more, but Xelloss stopped her with another, deeper kiss, crushing her to his chest.

"Shhh . . . No apologies needed," he said, pulling back. "Or I will have to get started and we'll be here all night. Here, keep this close."

For a heartbeat, Lina thought he was going to give her the philosopher's stone, which she had seen Xelloss wearing on the chain about his neck, but his hand grasped a small clump of hair and tugged sharply. He twisted the freed lock into a ring shape and pressed it into her open palm.

"And know you take a real part of me with you."

Lina's was heart racing. As she opened her mouth to say something full of import and sentiment, Xelloss suddenly placed his hands around her narrow waist, carried her the intervening steps to where Gourry waited, and hoisted her up onto the horse. Gourry secured her in front of him with a strapping arm. She gripped the pommel to center herself and made a point of tucking the keepsake down the front of her tunic.

"Ride fast, be careful, bring her back," Xelloss said, and then slapped the horse's flanks, sending them off into the dark.

He continued to stare after them, long after he could no longer see them, his eyes scalding with tears of helplessness and happiness.

(O)

Gourry and Lina rode through the darkness, usually a dangerous prospect because the horse could stumble and fall and it was the time favored by outlaws for attacks. If their luck held, they would be in Seyruun before midnight. Gourry's expectations for the ride were positive. He could still taste Sylphiel's kiss on his lips. The road conditions were very good in fall, the dirt being compacted and dry. Outlaws had been on the wane since the Capriones had moved in and taken over the monitoring the roadways. And Sylphiel would be home, waiting for him.

So, it came as a surprise when a tangle of brush and downed timber blocked the road. Had it been light, Gourry would have tried to jump it, but in the blackness of night, he had no choice but to reign in the horse.

"Looks like a trap," he said.

"No kidding," Lina agreed. "Watch out!"

"Fireball!" Lina shouted, casting a light spell.

She directed the flash up and outwards, illuminating the road, trees, and a pack of brutes running at them from both sides. Instead of exploding, the spell petered out after dropping only two men. Gourry had been expecting her spell to do a lot more damage, but he didn't wait for her next casting. He leaped from the horse, drawing his sword, and swiped at the nearest man, flattening him.

"Stay on the horse!" he shouted back at her.

"Don't tell me what to do!" she growled.

Lina wasn't about to lose her height advantage by getting down, and she was frustrated by her poor casting. She should be cleaning up the place with her fireball spell! Lina closed her eyes to concentrate on the enhancement spell, triggering her amulets to full power, and trusting Gourry's swordsmanship to buy them time.

"Fireball!" she screamed, releasing her spell in an intense burst of light.

The energy from the spell shot forward and down, charring the hair off the front-most men then dispersing harmlessly over the others.

"What the–!" Lina cried out in fury. What was she doing wrong?

"Ah, Lina?" Gourry shouted over his shoulder. "Can you distract them again with one of those?"

"Yeah, sure," Lina grumbled, and then began another incantation.

Once again Lina released her spell, which flashed brilliantly, but died out before producing any destructive force. In the light of the flash she could distinguish Gourry's robust form, wondering what he was up to. He was backed to the horse's flanks , making an adjustment to his sword which she couldn't understand, separating the blade from the hilt.

"Gourry, to your right!" she yelled, casting another failing spell, but blinding a ruffian charging the horse.

"Light Come Forth!" Gourry roared, holding his arm aloft.

Shooting from his empty hilt was a blade of pure energy, glowing pale blue in the dark. He dove at the oncoming men, running them through like a knife cutting custard, the blade a blurred halo as it swept around in an arc, slicing through everything in its path. Lina, frustrated with her own performance, had to be satisfied with sitting back and watching Gourry put on a show of daring and skill. He was terrific, and worth watching, but it was the enchanted sword that she coveted. What she could do with that sword and one of her spells! She was far removed from the howls of pain, the spattering of gore, and the raw earthy smell of spilled blood.

"You all right?" Gourry asked, panting from his exertion; job done.

"Yeah," Lina said, eyes glued to his hands as they reassembled the metal blade to the handle. "Lemme see that, will ya?"

Gourry looked askance at Lina, wary. "I don't think now's a good time, what with your magic being so feeble. These guys won't be getting up, but maybe they got backup on the way." He looked at her, cautiously, then asked, "Case of nervous, huh?"

"What? No! I've been in tighter situations than this!" Lina said. "It's just . . ." She looked into the darkness. "Ah, I need a private moment, okay?"

Gourry nodded. "Don't get lost."

"I won't! I'm not some idiot, you know," she snapped, her voice coming from the bushes where a lighting spell glowed dimly.

She reappeared, straightening her clothes. "Damn it all. What a time for my . . . ah . . . that time of the month, you know?"

She wouldn't look him in the eye, but his hesitation in replying forced her to elaborate when she wouldn't ordinarily want to.

"Once a month, a sorceress loses most of her power. It only lasts a couple days, then everything's back to normal, get it?"

"Oh!" he said, smiling. "I wasn't sure if you were that old yet. I kept telling Xelloss you looked pretty young for him to be taking an interest in."

"What? You think I look like a kid? I'm almost a full-grown adult woman!"

"Actually, you look more like a boy right now . . . the outfit and . . . all. Hey!"

Gourry found himself dodging Lina's powerful punches, grunting with pain when a few connected.

"Hey! That hurts, Lina!"

"Good!"

She finally wore herself out and stood panting, while Gourry massaged his sore spots.

"I wanted to tell ya I was sorry, 'cause I am. I guess it hurt you for me to think that about you," he said softly. Since Lina didn't appear to want to hit him again, he went on. "Xelloss sure doesn't think you're too young, but I think you know that now, huh?"

Lina shrugged "That's right," and took a shuddering deep breath, but found it painful to be reminded. "Ah, so tell me about your sword."

"Oh," he said, his face brightening. "Capriones made it for a king a long time ago. But they stole it back when their kin got turned into slaves. Been in my family ever since."

He stole a glance at Lina, whose eyes were covetously glued to the sword. He had no doubt that she would steal it if an opportunity arose.

"I gotta tell ya, though. I'm the only one with the special power to use it."

"What?" Lina's eyes instantly locked onto his. "You just used some key thingee to unhook the blade then shouted 'Light Come Forth!' I was paying attention."

He shook his head. "That's not all. Takes my magic touch. Even Xelloss can't make it work."

Lina didn't believe him, or want to think that treasure was out of her reach. "Yeah, well, I'm pretty much better than him at lots of stuff. Anyway, we'd better get moving."

Gourry agreed. They led the horse around the blockade and rode onto Seyruun without further incident that night.

End Capriones, Chapter Seventeen.