DISCALIMER: I still do not own The Slayers...
Whew! This was a long one, lots of XelFi suspense here, so enjoy!
- Nicci
Special Thanks Too:
Story Weaver1: Mastermind is such a strong word, more like a bishop really, in the church of the tailsman! Don't worry, all will be clear in the end. Heh, I'm so glad to have you with me on this one. Xelloss is great, he says so! (n-)
Rêisi: thank you, thank you, a thousand times thank you. You're awesome Rêisi! (nn)
Chapter Seven
The Harvest Begins…
The dinning hall was oddly silent, save the constant scuffle for food between the ever ravenous Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev.
Xelloss sat quietly across from Filia watching her behind his close-lidded gaze. She seemed oblivious to his stare as she stared off into her own mind, he lips pursed in a worried frown.
He was beginning to grow bored, and the looks the chimera continued to sneak at the smiling princess sitting next to her smiling prince were not helping. It was all a bit sad really, and not in the fun way.
"So Amelia..." He stated, smile widening as he gained an audience. "When is the wedding?"
Filia and Zelgadiss nearly choked, each looking quickly at Amelia, who tightened noticeably.
Lina swallowed slowly, pushing her plate away with a wary sigh. "Nice. Very tactful, Xelloss."
Xelloss smiled merrily, supporting a cheek with his gloved hand in bemusement. "Oh, I'm just curious Lina, and I didn't appear to be interrupting anyone so where's the lack of tact in that?"
Lina smirked, pouring herself some more juice, refusing to take the bait. "Touché, Xelloss. So Amelia..."
She turned her, and the rest of the table's attention to the princess. "When is the wedding? I have an invitation right?"
"Excuse me." Zelgadiss cut in quickly, looking at the princess in barely controlled shock. "But what wedding? Amelia you aren't..."
"My Amelia and I shall be wed in a little past a fortnight." Prince Dade cut in, drawing this conversation to a close as he met the chimera's stunned gaze. "The Harvest is our current priority."
"Yes, so you continue to say." Xelloss stated idly, seizing the opportunity to have some questions answered. "What is the Harvest, exactly? I must say, I'm beyond curious at this point."
Amelia looked over at Dade and he gave her a nod to proceed.
Zelgadiss' grip tightened on his mug. He had no idea how this had come about, but he was going to find out.
"The Harvest is a festival to bring in the new reign." Amelia stated proudly. "We the vessels..."
She smiled at Dade before she went on. "Must perform the proper ceremonies in order to be bequeathed with the power to rule properly."
"I wasn't aware Saillune possessed such a tradition." Xelloss stated casually. "Is this one of your traditions, Lord Dade?"
"No." He replied calmly. "It's not a tradition at all, it's a ceremony."
Lina blinked. "Alright then. So where did you learn about it?"
Amelia smiled softly, fingering the talisman at her neck, drawing the table's eyes to it. "Oh we didn't hear of it, Miss Lina. We designed it. For Saillune to be a strong kingdom, it's leaders must be strong. To be strong without force we must acquire power from... somewhere else. True power..."
"True power?" Filia echoed questioningly, Xelloss noted the spark of fear in her voice.
He so rarely got to taste her fear, it was cool and crisp... like apples.
"Yes." She replied with a soft nod. "There is much to be done to prepare. Miss Lina, would you be willing to help us with tonight's festivities?"
"Uh, yeah... sure..." She replied uneasily, nodded to the perturbed swordsman on her right. "Can Gourry come too?"
"Oh no." Amelia replied, with a gentle giggle as Dade offered her his hand helped her to her feet. "Tonight's just going to be us girls."
She looked pointedly at Filia as she said this, and the dragoness frowned, looking away hurt.
Xelloss narrowed his brows, but said nothing.
"Okay..." Lina stated warily. "Well um, when..."
"I'll come and get you later." Amelia cut in, waving away her friends concerns. "And now I must aid Lord Dade with a few things, feel free to stay and chat."
The five comrades watched warily as the prince and princess exited the room.
Zelgadiss glared after the pair bitterly and stood harshly to his feet. "Excuse me. But I think I'll turn in early tonight."
Lina watched him go, running a hand through her fiery mane with a wary sigh. "Alright..."
"So..." She stated dryly, turning to the dragon and the mazoku. "Where do you think they've stashed the real Amelia?"
Xelloss turned away from observing the wounded dragon maiden to smile calmly at the sorceress. "I'm afraid that is the real Amelia. Although she's definitely made some changes. Maybe, you can ask her tonight. You know, in your girl time."
Filia flinched and stood to her feet with a forced smile. "Um, if it's alright with you Miss Lina. I'm going to turn in as well, would you stop by my room when you and Miss Amelia finish. I have something really important to tell you."
"Huh?" Lina asked, stunned and then her expression softened when she saw the look on the gold's face. "Yeah sure, Filia. I'll stop in as soon as I can."
Filia swallowed with a nod and another forced smile then exited the room; Xelloss' closed gaze never leaving her.
"Well, now I just feel like crap." Lina huffed, standing to her feet and smacking the oddly pensive swordsman on the back. "Come on, Gourry. Let's go regroup before I have to go play slumber party."
Gourry shot a thoughtful look at Xelloss and then nodded calmly standing to his feet. "See you tomorrow, Xelloss."
"Good night, Gourry." He replied coolly, cracking an eye at the sorceress. "Be careful tonight, Lina."
"You too, Xel." Lina responded evenly, giving him a wink and smirk. "Stay out of trouble."
"Oh." Xelloss countered with a tired sigh, his open eye closing with it. "Trouble just seems to find me these days. Always does when I'm not the one starting it."
Lina grinned and tugged on Gourry's armor. "Good night, Xelloss."
He watched the pair go, his eyes sliding open darkly.
"Alright Miss Filia..." He murmured coolly, fading away in his seat. "Let's go see just what you know..."
O O O
Dara bit her lip nervously, tugging on Dira's long periwinkle hair.
"But Dira..." She murmured nervously. "Didn't we tell Master Xelloss we'd leave?"
"Yes." Dira replied calmly, fading into a painting of a squid fighting a shark as Zelgadiss wandered by, Dara followed in suit.
"That's what we told him." She continued, stepping back into the open once the threat had passed. "But I'll be dammed if I have to face the wrath in store for us if we left him here, especially with a dragon. Xelloss' problem is anything he enjoys is nothing but trouble. He wants to send us away because he knows I know that."
"So are we trouble then?" Dara asked with an amused giggle and Dira smiled down at her coolly, ruffling her hair.
"Yes, you certainly are." A soft voice cut in and the duo whipped around to see Amelia and Dade watching them.
Matching gentle smiles on their faces.
"What are you..." Dira began her eyes wide.
"Lafas Ward!!!" Amelia yelled, cutting her off and binding the duo in palace.
What the... she altered the spell... Dira thought to herself in shock as she tried desperately to escape to the astral realm. It's too powerful... I can't break free!
"I'm so glad you decided to stick around." Amelia went on with a soft smile approaching the bound mazoku pair. "You are far more powerful than any of the other mazoku I've managed to apprehend."
She smiled up at Dade, ignoring Dara's whimpers. "Take them below. I'll go and retrieve Miss Lina."
Xelloss... Dira prayed inwardly, wishing for the world he could hear her. Save us, please... something...
Something awful is about to happen...
O O O
Filia sighed, falling back on the bed and holding back her tears.
What had happened to Amelia? How had the kind princess she'd known before become so cruel?
What did it all mean?
"Hm, so I'm not the only one in Saillune with unanswered questions." A snide voice murmured, and she sat up with a start, glaring at it's owner.
"You tell me what's on your mind, perhaps I'll tell you what's on mine." Xelloss offered, smoothing out his cape and taking a seat in her vanity chair.
"Perhaps won't be good enough, Xelloss." Filia replied haughtily, crossing her arms with a pointed glare. "Now get out of my room."
"Well technically, it's Amelia's room..." He replied playfully, standing back up and approaching her. "And perhaps is all you're going to get. Afterall, it's highly unlikely some foolish dragon will have information I don't, anyway."
Filia laughed derisively. "Oh? Well Xelloss, tell me, what was the last prophesy one of you filthy monsters divined?"
"You've had a vision..." Xelloss murmured, stepping closer, nowquite interested. "Well that is something of note. You tell me what you saw, I'll tell you what I've done."
Filia swallowed, stepping away from him, bumping her knees into the bed and nearly stumbling.
"Wh... why... how can I trust you?" She fumbled, attempting to look anywhere but his smirking face.
Xelloss smirked coolly, enjoying her start as he opened his eyes.
He raised a finger and tittered in bemusement. "Oh Filia, you know I've never lied to you. It's so much more fun to tell you things you don't want to hear."
Filia swallowed, glaring at him darkly. "You're horrible."
"Monster." He reminded coolly, pushing her shoulders lightly, causing her to sit down hard on the bed with a yelp. "Now tell me what I want to know. I grow tired of this. I've been on this mission for weeks, finding only questions to answer my questions. I need to know this vision."
Filia swallowed, looking up at him in awe.
"You... you're scared..." She whispered wide eyed.
Xelloss stared at her expressionlessly, his silence speaking volumes.
"But... you're Xelloss!" She cried in exasperation. "If you're scared then..."
She droned off looking up at him in stunned horror.
He gazed down at her coolly. "Tell me your vision, Filia."
Filia swallowed again and gave weak nod, drawing herself up. "Alright."
"The light burns bright, beyond all night..." She began, meeting his open gaze calmly, enunciating each word. "For the night is wrought with blood and lust..."
He wilted inwardly at the power in her voice, but kept his face plain. "Go on."
She narrowed her gaze, running the images over in her mind as she tried to block out his scrutinizing gaze. "The suffering of the wicked and the joy of the fooled. They shall join and be well met..."
"But in the end only the wicked shall stand. For he is pure..." She stared up at him in horror. "Oh no... It can't be... you?"
Xelloss smirked. "Pure, eh? Well I'm certainly me, all the time, but I hope you make it though this Filia, and certainly I suspect Lina shall. Nothing from earth, hell, or even beyond has been able to take her out yet."
Filia shrugged, shaking it away. "Well prophecies are hard to interpret anyway."
"Precisely." He agreed easily, raising a hand to his chin in thought.
"Although that ...the suffering of the wicked and the joy of the fooled... bit. Dragons and Monsters, obviously..." He muttered dryly.
"Humans." She argued coldly. "We aren't fooled, not when it comes to evil."
"Hm, true." He admitted grudgingly, giving a little shrug. "So Humans and Mazoku, and I stand alone."
"It can't be you." She repeated shaking her head at the notion.
Xelloss pouted. "Fine, don't believe in me. Time will tell, now to let you know what I've been up too."
He smirked coldly, leaning and cutting into her wide blue orbs with his amethyst shards. "It all started when Lina pawned my talismans. I tracked them down to a shop, dealt with the shopkeep and he sent me here. One is broken, and Amelia's changed, in fact the whole town has. They sleep through most of the day, and participate in some strange gatherings at night. That's all I know. This Dade character, although shady now was once the leader of a kingdom more peaceful than Saillune. He's not the cause, so I have no answers."
"Not to mention that they killed the ice cream shop." He glared off into nowhere. "It's beyond irritating, and your prophesy really only adds more questions. Exasperating, really."
"What did you do to the shopkeep?" Filia cut in and he turned to her.
"Hm, what was that?" He asked calmly, appraising her with those violet shards.
"The shopkeep." She repeated curiously. "What did you mean when you said you dealt with him? Did you bribe him, black mail him? What did you mean?"
"Hmm? Oh that. I tortured and killed him of course." He replied easily as though it should be obvious.
Filia gasped and he smirked harshly.
"Oh what?" he asked coolly, waving away her shock. "Guys like him would just lie if I tried either of those methods. Why, their lives are the only thing worth the truth to them. Everything else you can spin the profit on."
"Get out." She whispered, glaring at him icily.
He stared at her a second, pursing his lips as a thousand images of what he had the power to do to her went through his mind.
Then he phased away, and she collapsed into her pillows, the sobs she had been holding back finally breaking free.
O O O
There came a knock at the door and Lina flashed Gourry an apologetic smile standing to answer it.
"Lina wait." He spoke up, and she turned to stare at him perplexed.
"Yeah? What is it, Gourry?" She asked curiously.
Gourry swallowed letting it go. "Just... be careful tonight... Okay, Lina? For me?"
Lina smiled softly, giving him a reassuring nod. "You know I always do Gourry, even if it doesn't look it."
He flashed her a relieved grin and she turned back, opening the door to reveal the princess.
It occurred to Lina that she never saw her out of that black dress these days. Almost as though she had to be ready to go to a funeral any moment. It was getting a little creepy... er...
"Let's go Miss Lina." Amelia stated happily, offering the sorceress her hand. "Tonight will change your life forever, I'm so glad your here for this."
"Er... me too..." Lina replied warily, taking the hand. "So uh, after you, Amelia."
She shot Gourry one last reassuring grin and closed the door behind her.
His phony grin dropped and he sat down on the bed in despair.
"Please... please be careful Lina..." He whispered, clutching his head in his hands. "I'd die if anything happened to you..."
"I love you, Lina..."
O O O
Next chapter, awful things are going to happen and I might loose a lot of you. Here's hoping not... See ya on Friday!