DISCALIMER: I still do not own The Slayers...

And now for another taste of what's going down in Saillune...

Enjoy!

Special Thanks To:

raywing: Hee! I'm glad i have you in suspense, I don't know how much help this chapter will be in answering your questions... in fact it might add more... (nn) You'll figure it out though, I know it.

kazster: No Zel in this chapter I'm afraid, but no worries, he'll be in the next one. Now you get a better look at the new Amelia... I hate doing this to her, originally this was going to happen to Naga, but this is just how it had to be. And Amelia only has it in the dream, but give her time... it was just a symbolism, I wasn't very clear on it though, cause Zel couldn't possibly know what we know. (n-) That should help with your deducting I believe.

katanbuilder3: Yea! Cookies for the new fan! (nn)

Chapter Four

Sunset at Saillune…

Lina frowned looking up at the closed gates before her, the light of the setting sun bathing them in a fiery glow, her face as well.

"Okay, now I'm starting to get worried." Lina muttered, gripping the bars in her gloved hands, shaking on them in irritation.

"Oy! Amelia!" She yelled into the palace courtyard. "Let us in!"

"Why, Miss Lina!" A pleasant mocking voice spoke up from beside her, causing her to jump with a start. "So good to see you again, you're well I hope?"

"Oh, hey Xelloss." Gourry nodded by way of greeting; bemused as always by Lina's irritation.

"Xelloss!" She yelped, turning on the violet-haired mazoku in annoyance. "What are you doing here?"

Xelloss smiled tightly. "Oh this and that. What brings you back to Saillune, Lina?"

Lina smirked calmly, crossing her arms. "Oh you didn't know, Xelloss? Amelia's started a mazoku-reform school or something. She's capturing them faster than I can get employed to ex... er... find em..."

Xelloss dropped his smile and then quickly flashed a larger one. "Oh? Well now I haven't noticed anything like that while I've been here..."

"Perhaps it is because you are looking in the wrong place as usual, Master Xelloss." A calm, fluid voice spoke up.

Lina and Gourry turned to face the taller robed mazoku, and her shorter almost child-like counter-part.

"Miss Lina, this is Dira." Xelloss stated, casually gesturing from the taller to the shorter. "And that is Dara..."

He paused to let Dara giggled and give a little curtsy before smiling widely at both duos. "And this is Lina, Lina Inverse."

He felt their apprehension and Lina's amusement and gave a dull motion to the swordsman at her side. "And this is Gourry."

Lina beamed at the mazoku pair. "Friends of Xelloss' eh? Well this should be interesting."

"I never said they were friends." Xelloss cut in calmly, mildly irritated.

"Whatever, just keep them away from Amelia, she'll just annoy them." Lina waved him off carelessly.

Gourry grinned. "Well any friends of Xelloss' are friends of mine."

Dira arched a brow and Dara giggled again, tugging on Dira's hair. "Oh! So we made new friends today! Yea!"

"I never said they were friends." Xelloss stated again.

"Miss Lina!" A soft, but apparently happy voice cut in, followed by the groaning of the gate. "You came!"

"Amelia!" Lina replied, embracing her in a warm hug, mildly taken back her appearance and... height... "You... wait you were expecting us?"

"Oh yes." Amelia replied happily, motioning them onward to the palace. "And I have so much to tell you."

Lina smiled tiredly, allowing Amelia to wrap an arm around her waist. "I can't wait."

"Hey!" She cut off, breaking away quickly with a stunned look. "Amelia, isn't that one of my talismans?"

"What this?" Amelia asked in confusion, fingering the talisman clasped at her throat. "It was a gift from my fiancé. Are yours missing Miss Lina?"

"No I sold...wait!" She stared at her friend in shock. "Your fiancé? You're getting married Amelia?"

Amelia nodded, pulling on a smile although her pain shone brightly in her eyes. "Yes. To Lord Dade, and quite soon, actually."

Lina blinked, looking away uncomfortably. "Oh... wow... um... does Zel know?"

Amelia smiled sadly, giving a little shrug. "He will soon enough. However, you're here now, and everything will be fine, just like always."

"A... Amelia..." Lina blushed.

Amelia smiled, leading them into the palace, the gates closing behind her with a large groan.

"Who are your friends, Mr. Xelloss?" She asked, without turning around. She fiddled idly with the talisman at her neck as she led them into the main hall.

Xelloss noted her odd behavior and smiled calmly, giving know note. "Why this is Dira, and Dara. And they aren't my friends. They are here to keep an eye on me. Most unfortunate really…"

"What are friends for, eh, Xelloss'." Lina stated easily, grinning at the wary mazoku.

Dira smiled coolly. "Indeed. Excellent point she makes ne, Xelloss?"

"Oh, Master Xelloss will do for today, Miss Dira." He replied evenly, relieving his own irritation with her brief nervousness.

"Certainly, Master Xelloss..." She replied calmly, emphasizing the title with a tight smile.

"Boy, Xelloss." Gourry stated cheerily. "You sure do bring interesting company with you."

"My sentiments exactly, Gourry." Lina agreed, running a hand through her fiery mane, turning back to Amelia. "So when do we get to meet this Prince Dade?"

"At dinner, of course." Amelia replied easily, stopping before a stairway. "Up here are the guest quarters. Please make yourself at home, my servants will come retrieve you for dinner."

"I have to go secure a shipment for the Harvest." She explained, apologetically.

"The Harvest?" Xelloss asked, narrowing his brows inquisitively. "I haven't heard of this Saillune tradition."

Amelia smiled, fiddling with her talisman. "Oh don't worry, Mr. Xelloss. It isn't for another fortnight or so. You'll all be expected to attend, I'm afraid..."

She looked nervously at Lina who blinked warily.

"I don't have to wear a dress, do I?" She asked apprehensively.

Amelia let out a soft laugh. "Still the same Miss Lina. No, that won't matter; just your attendance is required."

She headed down the hall, the dim lighting making her dark dress and hair appear even darker. "See you at dinner."

"Wow..." Lina murmured as she left. "She's really a princess now."

"Yeah." Gourry agreed with a quiet nod. " Erie, isn't it?"

Lina bit her lip, turning to Xelloss and his... friends. "So let me guess, this is about me pawning the tailsmans, isn't it?"

Xelloss smiled tightly, not taking his closed eyes off the now empty hall. "Well it was, but now... the situation seems to have grown more complicated. Personally, I blame you."

"Me?" Lina responded, pointing to herself in shock. "They were broken! And in case you haven't noticed honest work is in short supply these days."

"Besides." She muttered, crossing her arms and appraising him coolly. "I bought them from you fair and square."

Xelloss waved away her irritation casually. "Yes, but it's my head on the chopping block if they fall into the wrong hands. Luckily, Amelia is the last person on the planet I have to worry about handling them."

O O O

"How many in this shipment?" Dade asked, not looking up from his paperwork. Since Phil had fallen ill, it was stacking up… and right before the Harvest too.

"Only seventeen." Amelia murmured sadly, brushing the hair out of her father's face.

If only he hadn't tried to remove her talisman. The look on his face still haunted her dreams, but that was a part of her old life...

"Are you sure they will join us?" Dade asked softly, approaching her side.

She smiled wistfully, looking back at him. "With both of us asking, how can they resist?"

He smiled softly, feeling the thrall of the power running through his veins, intertwining within the power in hers even now.

"How indeed…"

O O O

Dinner was different, although it went unnoticed by Lina and Gourry, who went about their normal dinning antics.

Dira and Dara watched the fray in bewilderment. Humans were very strange sometimes, seemingly moreso based off how powerful they were.

Lina Inverse was very powerful... and also very strange.

The duo shared a look stating as much.

Xelloss however, watched Amelia... and with the same close-lidded observed this Lord Dade.

There was something off about the two of them... they tasted... strange...

Like honey that had been left out too long and was beginning to crystallize.

Dira and Dara didn't seem to notice, but he was sure in time, Lina would, and then...

Well they'd have to have a talk, he suspected.

Something had crept its way into Saillune, something new and unseemly.

Something that tastes of aged asiago, buttermilk, and crystallized honey... something... something worse than me.

How unfortunate...

O O O

Next update on Friday! Zel and Filia borrow the spotlight, but don't worry, Xelloss and Amelia will steal it back soon enough! (n-) See ya then!