Disclaimer: I don't own anything besides a few added chars and spells and such. Don't sue me and I'll give you cookies:D
Note: Ok, so yesterday I was in a pretty sad mood yesterday. I was listening to a really dreary song and I was crying like the whole time while writing the last chapter. Sorry if I put you all into sad moods too:( Lol, anyways the song I was listening to is called 'Song for R' by The Be Good Tanyas. Don't ask me why I was listening to them...it was my mom's old cd! I was curious, ok?
Read my story and I'll give you pancakes...:O I LOVE PANCAKES!
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Xelloss put his hand over Hiyo's, gently removing it from Lina's body. "Ms. Hiyo I don't mean to be rude, but I think Lina-san needs someone with a little more experience to heal her." Hiyo gave a small sob before nodding, chewing on her lip. They had been sitting here patiently for hours while she had done all she could to help Lina, but it just wasn't enough. The bleeding was slowing down and the wound looked better, but they still had to take the knife out at some point. "B-But who? I mean, my father knows a great deal of white magic...but he lives at the base of mountains where the lance was once kept. There is no way we could carry Ms. Lina all the way there, she'd never make it that long."
Zelgadiss gave Xelloss a pointed look, and they both knew that Xelloss was the only one who could do it. Xelloss smiled confidently at Hiyo. "Now don't you worry about that Ms. Hiyo, I'll get her there." She looked up at him with wide eyes. "How Mr. Xelloss?"
He chuckled and waved his finger at her. "That's a secret."
She laughed weakly, but her eyes held no happiness or amusement. Lina's current condition was indeed not something to be happy about. Xelloss wasn't in very good shape either, in fact he could hardly walk on his own. He knew he could survive at least one last teleportation, but what would happen beyond that? If he used the last of his power to get Lina to safety then there was no way he could get to Zelas for help. Well, things would work out he supposed.
He scooped Lina up gently, cradling her head in the crook of his arm like a child. Taking a step back, he disappeared from sight with the small woman in his arms.
OoO
Landing in the forest, he nearly collapsed right there. He didn't think he could take much more of this, for if his power wasn't completely gone it was very close. He looked around him and spotted that he had teleported to the right place, there lay a small white house decorated by stones and crosses above the door. Xelloss cringed at the sight but bravely knocked on the door anyway.
A middle aged man maybe in his late 50's answered, the white stubble on his chin and the grayish color to his hair didn't hide the fact that he was simply the mirror image of Hiyo in male form. His eyes were as blue as the ocean and his hair was the same golden copper color as the young girl's, but the scowl on his face told Xelloss that he wasn't nearly as generous as Little Hiyo was.
"Who the hell are you?" He demanded, eyeing the pale-faced girl in Xelloss's arms. It was obvious that this man didn't like him on sight.
Oh, he just couldn't resist. "I'm Xelloss." He replied with a grin.
The man scowled. "Is that supposed to mean something to me?" Xelloss chuckled, but stopped mid-laugh. This was no time for games; Lina was dying in his arms as they spoke. "Actually, no it isn't. But I assume the name Hiyo rings a bell?"
The man gave him a suspicious look, rubbing his chin. "You know my little girl?" Xelloss nodded. "Yes, in fact I was just with her a moment ago. She tells me you know white magic?" The man gave a grunt and a nod. "Yeah, I studied under the high priest of our village. After he died 3 years ago I retired, so I can't help you."
"So you mean to tell me that you don't remember anything about white magic?"
"Well, no but-"
"Then you can't take a moment from your life to save one of your daughter's closest friends?"
"Hiyo never mentioned-"
"I don't imagine she would have, for Lina-san here and Ms. Hiyo have only recently become acquainted. Along with me and an old friend we are on a little journey together. Ms. Hiyo has come to like Ms. Lina; won't you do it for your daughter if no one else?"
The old man sighed heavily, and gave up, opening the door so that Xelloss could step inside. "Just put her on the kitchen table, I'll have better access that way." Xelloss nodded, and set her down gently while stroking a piece of hair from her face unconsciously. The old man watched them closely, his face softening slowly. "I'm
Sano by the way, sorry for being so rude."
Xelloss shrugged it off, accepting his apology without a second thought. "I know what you are, you know. But for some reason you don't seem as fierce as people once thought, almost harmless if I was an idiot." Xelloss blinked, turning a blank face to the man. But soon his face uplifted into a wry grin. "You are smart, Sano-san, your wariness will do you good in the future."
Sano laughed, and thumped Xelloss on the back. "You're not that bad Xelloss." He reached for the glasses lying next to Lina on the kitchen table, and perched them onto the bridge of his nose. "Holy hell what happened?"
"She fell."
"Onto a knife?"
Xelloss chuckled. "It could happen, you know." The old man couldn't resist smiling. "Yes, well I can see that you are reluctant to tell but I do have faith, mind you, that you didn't do this." He turned his attention to Lina, and lifted and eyebrow. "Did Hiyo attempt fixing this?"
He nodded. "That's what I thought, the torn skin around the knife is already repaired and the veins aren't torn anymore." He glided his fingers down the knife and feel around the wound. "I can imagine that Hiyo was scared of how much blood would come out if she removed the knife." Gently Sano pulled the blade out, slowly sliding it out of her. Blood ran freely from the wound, but unphased he positioned his hands over it. A white light emitted from both the wound and his hands as the hole started to close slowly.
Even though only minutes had passed by, it seemed like an eternity when Xelloss noticed Lina's face starting to color again and her fingers twitched slightly. Sano smiled in relief as Lina groaned and opened her eyes slowly. "Mm, Xelloss?" She tried to lift herself up, but gasped and fell right back from the stinging pain. "Miss, I'd advice you not to move till I'm done." Sano said, still trying to concentrate on her wound.
"Done what?" Lina demanded, turning her head to see him better. Xelloss almost forgot that she didn't even know where she was.
Sano gave Xelloss an amused glance before answering. "Done saving you, little girl."
"Little? Keh, you're just another cocky old bastard."
"Maybe so, but it's not everyday a cocky old bastard saves your ass."
"Xelloss why did we come to him? I'd rather of died then woken up to that." She pointed up at Sano.
Xelloss pointed to him as well, smiling widely. "That is Ms. Hiyo's father, Lina-san." Lina looked back and forth between them. "Hiyo's...father." She said slowly, letting the words sink in. "How the hell is he related to her? She's nothing like him!"
Sano laughed. "It's nice to know that my daughter is befriending such nice people these days. She could learn a thing or two from you, Ms. Lina." Lina rolled her eyes and turned her head to the other side, looking up at Xelloss instead. She was still sort of surprised that he had kept his word, and here he was struggling to stand right next to her. "Did you bring me here?"
"Yes Lina-san, I did." Xelloss grinned. "I told you I'd stay with you." Lina blushed, not being able to accept affection easily she averted her eyes from him self consciously. Still not looking at him she asked, "Where are Hiyo and Zelgadiss?"
"I suppose they are still near the mansion."
"What happened after I blacked out?"
"Well, let's just say the mansion isn't exactly in the best of shape now."
"Oh...So he's dead?" Xelloss nodded and reached down to hold her hand gently. "Lina-san, you shouldn't push yourself. Rest for now, we'll continue this conversation once you've regained your strength." Lina opened her mouth to protest, but thought better of it and instead just nodded. "Yeah, yeah, alright I will." She turned her head again to Sano. "Oi, old man, thanks for saving me. I'll take care of Hiyo for you."
Sano smiled and nodded. Lina fell asleep again after that, since she'd lost so much blood it might take days for her to fully recover. Xelloss was just happy that she was alive at all, and he'd wait ten years for her recovery if that's what it took. Sano took a step back and left Xelloss with Lina alone to venture into the kitchen. It was a relief to see that even after cheating deaths he could still hold a duel of the tongues with the first thing she laid eyes on.
Xelloss glanced up as Sano came back in with a small bag tied neatly with a tiny rope. "These are healing herbs to help her body recover all her lost blood. Give these to her twice a day whether she is asleep or not, but make sure to let her rest as much as possible. I suppose she should be back to normal within the next four to six days, but you on the other hand,-"He dropped the packet into Xelloss's palm,-"well I'd need to check that gash in your left shoulder to know when you'll recover."
"That is not necessary, Sano-san." Sano grinned. "No, it isn't necessary, but I want to anyway. I can already tell that you are weak. How do you expect to get her back to town in your position?"
"I can't promise you any sort of repayment, Sano-san, remember that."
He laughed. "We'll call it even if you just promise me that Ms. Lina will be in good hands."
Xelloss grinned. "That is one promise that I'll keep."
OoO
"Mr. Zelgadiss do you think they are ok?" Hiyo and Zelgadiss were walking idly down the dirt road towards Hiyo's village, assuming that Xelloss would bring her there after Hiyo's father was done. "I don't know, but I think they are."
Hiyo smiled suddenly, looking up into the vast sky above. "I have faith in my daddy; I know Ms. Lina made it. He wouldn't let her die." Zelgadiss gave her a strange look, but he had no other choice but to believe in the concept just as much as she did. After all for all they knew Xelloss could have taken advantage of the situation and dumped Lina into some river somewhere.
Would Xelloss do that? Xelloss was unmistakably evil, true, but he had a weird soft spot for Lina. He did try everything he could thing of to irritate her, but the effort he put into it was far more then he'd ever used on anyone else. Despite the fact that Zelgadiss wanted to wring his neck everytime he opened his mouth, the way Lina looked at Xelloss made him wonder.
Lina had been very disturbed by whatever Xelloss had done to her earlier, and it made him cringe to think of the many possibilities. Xelloss didn't look very triumphant afterwards though, but usually after making Lina angry he was ecstatic. Could it be that he felt guilty? Nah, Xelloss would never regret anything he did.
He was only a mazoku, after all.
OoO
Xelloss pulled the covers up to Lina's chin, smoothing them out over her small body. Sano had healed them both up nicely, and Xelloss could easily teleport Lina back to the village inn. She hadn't stirred at all since falling back asleep, and her face was still just a little pale. After settiling her into the bed, Xelloss sat to the lower part of the mattress.
Pulling out the little bag, he took out a pinch of herbs just as Sano had instructed him to do. He placed it onto his tongue, leaning down to press his lips to hers gently. He nudged the herbs between her lips, placing the herbs onto her tongue. Subconciously she accepted them, swallowing them down as if natural, never opening her eyes.
Xelloss pulled back, smiling down at her. This was, of course, not the way Sano had told him to feed them to her, but Lina didn't need to know that. He pushed a stray curl behind her ear before standing up and walking to the door. Giving her unconscious form a wolfish glance, he chuckled.
He was going to enjoy herb-feeding Lina-san indeed.
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At first when I was beginning to write this chapter, I thought about skipping her healing process and just going straight to the day she woke up. But after reading the reviews I decided not to, and so the NEXT chapter will be her waking up. lol, and sorry but I couldn't resist having Lina wake up and start bitching at Sano-san, it was just too amusing of an idea not to:)