Chapter 12: Chapter 12
As I descend the stairs to the sitting-room, the warm sweet feeling Val presented to me gives way to mad rage. That lizard!
I let myself fall onto the sofa in front of Lina.
"That blasted bitch!" I say. "Bent on torture. All decorum. All the lies. We have to do something, Lina, we have to."
To her credit, Lina hears me out first, and then calmly leads me to coherency.
"What was it with the toys?"
"He wasn't allowed to touch them!" I explode. "They were there just for appearances! Do you have any idea what he must have thought about us when we suggested to buy toys! No bloody wonder he felt betrayed!"
"Oh dear..." she rubs her face and sighs. "Well, I'm glad you sorted it out so quickly. You are really a very good father."
I snort, but don't deny anything. I did manage to get Val through another challenge without hurting his feelings (more than they were already hurt, that is). Lina moves over to my side and leans on my chest in such a natural gesture, as if that were exactly what she did every evening for several years. I feel oddly comforted by her directness. She is, indeed, my steadying column, as they put it in ancient manuscripts. She is at my side, everything else be damned.
Oh right. I almost forgot.
"Actually, Lina, I have something for you."
"Really? Like what?" she looks up over her shoulder.
"Well, remember you were complaining about that huge event you need to attend on Friday?"
"Oh yes... Damn, it seems like we had that talk weeks ago."
"Well, I thought... I hope it's not too presumptuous of me..." I trail off. Wow, I never thought it'd be so hard to give her my present. It was never hard for me to give a woman a trinket before. So why now?..
She looks at me expectantly, suspicion creeping into her expression.
"Don't tell me you got me a dress?"
"That's exactly what I did," I blurt.
Her eyes lit up.
"Wow! Great! Show me! May I try it on now?"
Well, I like that kind of response!
I produce the long flat box in which the dress is spread full-length, although the fabric is crease-proof. She pulls it out with an expression of pure joy and surprise on her face, and she is as good at it, as Val is.
"Wooow, that's absobloodylutely beautiful!" she runs up to the large mirror in the hall and puts the dress to her front to see the effect. "Is it okay if I try it on?"
"Of course it is. Really, you're like Val. It's your dress now, you know."
"Yeah, I just thought... you know, it's for a special occasion, right, so perhaps I shouldn't. Nevermind," she shakes off her slippers, then pauses momentarily. It's very amusing to watch her inner battle: if she should ask me to look away or not. She decides in favour of a little exhibitionism, although her cheeks are quite flushed.
"Really, after two nights, Lina..." I reprimand her slightly, smiling.
"It was dark," she retorts.
"It wasn't dark in the bath."
"There was water."
As if it hides anything. I just chuckle watching her get rid of her slim tight pants as quickly as she can so as not to tease me with the sight of her bum too much. That's quite some speed of unclothing. Well, I won't let her tear at the dress like that.
Finally she is safely within the new shell. It is quite chaste, actually: a long-sleeved, turtle-necked gown with a godet skirt, It's black and just a little bit glistering. It embraces Lina's adorable slimness in a way that provokes a number of sexual fantasies on my behalf, especially when she runs her hand down her side and hip.
"Judging from your expression, I should be afraid of single males at the ball," she giggles, blushing hard.
"Ah, don't mind me; you excite me no matter what you're wearing," I reply quickly, trying to school my features. Really, Xellos, aren't you too old to let a girl notice your arousal from the way you look at her?
"He-he," she says, twirling in front of the mirror. "Well, then tell me how I look."
"Like fine jewelry," I say, grinning like an idiot. I can't help it, it really suits her. Well, I knew it would, right? "I have done a few pictures of you in that outfit, but the real thing is simply stunning."
She raises an eyebrow.
"You have? Show me."
She glides over (since the skirt restrains her pace somewhat, which is also planned since I know that she lacks somewhat in aristocratic grace) and comes to a halt at my side, expectant. The warmth of her body is like a sun-patch on my arm. I have no choice but to reach for the pictures through Astral.
"Well, these, for instance," I mumble lamely, holding out a few sketches and watercolours. I like that one where she's with an umbrella in a crowded street in the rain. All the other people are blurry gray, and she stands out in a strict black dress, slim and graceful, like an ikebana. The picture seems to have caught her eye, too.
"Erm, Xellos, did you say the real thing, er, looks better than this?" she nods at the picture.
"Of course," I assure her. "Nothing I draw can ever rival with how you really look."
She blushes even more if possible and blinks several times, looking away.
"Well, that's a nice thing to say," she mutters in a strange voice. "Because what you draw is really beautiful."
She turns away completely and rushes to the sitting room as fast as she can,
I frown. What was wrong this time?
I follow her to see her tucking away a handkerchief. Oh no, not more tears today!
"Lina..."
"I know, sorry, Xel, just hate to let people see me crying. I... know you like me, but sometimes it just hits home all of a sudden." She turns to me, sniffing lightly. "Thank you. For the dress, I mean. I would have never picked it myself for fear that it'd make me look too thin... you know. But it doesn't, and I really like it. And that picture."
She makes a vague gesture towards the watercolour.
"You are welcome," I shrug, not entirely sure what I should do.
"May I..." she seems to be suffering from the same problem. "May I have it?"
"What? The dress? Of c-"
"The picture."
"Oh," I stare. She wants it? "Yeah, sure."
I pass it to her, and she heads for the bedroom. I follow her curiously. She comes up to a low-hanging shelf on the wall where she keeps a few trinkets and a clock. And places my work there, side by side with... another one, that one, the one Val painted, the one with us together, the one that started everything...
"You keep it here?" I say, flabbergasted.
"You never noticed?"
"It was dark..." I repeat her excuse, shrugging.
She chuckles.
"Well, I guess I should change back now..." she makes it to pass me in the doorway, but I catch her.
"Let me do the first part for you," I say, putting my hands on her hips and pulling slightly at the stretchy fabric.
"Xellos," she exhales, staring at me with, well, with admiration, actually. "Sometimes I can't believe you exist."
On Friday, as Lina starts getting ready for the party, I quietly lay all the accessories to go with the dress on her bed, pick up Val and get lost in the city under the excuse that we'd rather not be in her way while she's rushing around. I still don't know how she will react to me buying her underwear.
The city is celebrating too. There is music everywhere and the streets are decorated with glowing slogans along the lines of 'Gods save the Princess!' as well as wedding carriages, flowers and hearts. I am a little sickened by all the joy, but luckily the sweetness in the air is compensated by sweetness of cakes and candy both Val and I consume in industrial quantities. I am just glad he isn't allergic, but then I don't think Dragons can be allergic, let alone Mazoku. I wonder though, if he'll go pimply as a teenager, for that is most common among all Dragons. I hope he'll take after me in that aspect, but then he's bound to have something from his mother, and it'd better be skin than temper or thinking capacity.
I catch him staring longingly at a stall with chocolate rabbits.
"Wanna chocolate?"
He makes a face, turning away.
"Yeah, but let's find another kind."
"What's wrong with rabbits?" I ask, puzzled. What kind of trauma can be connected with a rabbit?
"I don't like food in the shape of animals," he says gloomily. At my blank stare he explains, "You have to bite their head off."
"Er... you can start with the other end?.." I supply, not entirely grasping the problem.
"And stare into its eyes?" he exclaims, clearly horrified.
"Oh dear." I never even thought about it, really... "But Val, they are just sweets, they are supposed to be fun... I mean, everyone eats them without thinking like that."
"Yeah, but everyone doesn't have nightmares about killing people," he mutters, looking away.
Oh Lord. Of Nightmares, for the matter. Damn you.
I stop in my tracks, take him by the shoulders and turn him to look at me.
"You are not going to go bad, I've promised you that. And you are not going to kill anyone," I say hotly. I am not exactly so sure about the latter, though. Lina is not a bad person, but she has killed. And Val already has more enemies than her, let alone than her when she was five.
But what am I to tell him? I can't predict future exactly, so basically it's not a lie... But what would he feel like if I prove wrong?
"You mean that I won't want to kill anyone?" he asks quietly.
"Definitely," I say with all possible conviction. He nods with a small smile.
"Yeah. But I still don't like those chocolates."
I almost collapse with relief. Am I not just lucky with him?
After tucking Val in I spend the rest of the evening leafing through Milgasia's scrolls and taking notes of what might be useful in Val's education. I force myself to accompany my activity with coffee rather than whiskey because I am fully aware that I am in a bad mood because someone else and not me is enjoying Lina's wonderful presence. Technically, now that she sleeps with me I have all the right to be jealous, but I'm afraid to scare her away. Besides, she had to go to the wedding no matter what, and I don't want her to feel bad about it. After all, she deserves to have fun sometimes, and I am not the best company for a 23-year-old human girl, no matter how much she thinks she likes me. We are too different. I'm sure there are lots of things she feels embarrassed to discuss with me because they are too transient.
My insincerely calm solitude is broken somewhat after midnight when Lina finally comes home. By that time I have to keep my stare from burning the pages.
"Xellos!" she exhales, stepping into the room and shaking off her shoes. She is tired and smells of perfume, ballroom and wine. "I missed you every single bloody minute of this horror!"
It takes me a few seconds to grasp what she has said.
"Was it that bad?"
She crosses the room and sinks into the sofa at my side.
"I think most guests enjoyed it. But it was pretty dreadful. Amelia can be so embarrassing! I know she's home here, and in charge, and everyone knows her, so I don't have to feel embarrassed on her behalf, but I can't help it! And Zel wouldn't bend his pride for even small things, so eventually he ends up humiliating himself completely. It's good they are used to weird kings here, he doesn't stand out too much among Amelia's relatives..."
"What exactly happened there?"
"Nothing out of the ordinary: they had those usual contests, you know, where you have to sing, dance or scream "I love you" across the hall. Imagine Zel doing that! It was painful to watch. At some point I simply couldn't stand it anymore," Lina stands up again and heads for the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water which she gulps down loudly. "I went to the palace potions storage and got him some relaxant. You know, that stuff which kills the moral stoppers. I really don't understand why they didn't slip it to him before the party even started."
I shake my head, trying to imagine Zelgadiss in a wedding suit, blindfolded trying to bite a hanging apple – or whatever it is they do in those contests. Too bad I wasn't there...
"Too bad you weren't there," says Lina, pouring herself another glass. "Although it's not like you'd be the only one to enjoy all the awkwardness. Most of Amelia's relatives seem to enjoy negative emotions even better than you do."
"The more I hang around you, the more similar our races seem to me," I chuckle. "I hope it was better after you sedated him, though?"
"Not really. The dancing started. Guess who was there to ask me for a dance?"
I grit my teeth.
"What, Gourry was there?"
"Ha!" she rinses the glass and puts it away with a wide swing, almost crushing it against the shelf. "Of course he was! It has even occurred to him to make a compliment. I told him to go to hell."
"I hope he didn't bother you too much."
"Oh, relax, Xellos, I told you he's ancient history. And I actually meant someone else."
"Huh? You mean, another unexpected man asked you for a dance? Who?"
"Milgasia!"
"What?"
"Ahhha. Amelia invited him to the ball for old times' sake."
"Great," I make a face. "Does he dance well?"
"Much better than me which he made sure I noticed," she snorts. "He was all courtesy, of course."
"Jerk."
"Well, it seems, you offended him."
"Was he trying to convince you not to deal with me?"
"He was, but he had to shut up after I told him that at least you don't rub my face into my rustic upbringing in the middle of a royal ball."
My rage is building up.
"And you still think we should consider his interests?"
Lina walks up to me and puts her hands onto my arms.
"I think you should apologise."
"Did he slip you a love potion or was he just so enchanting?"
"He told Amelia everything."
"What!"
"He cares about Val. I don't know what exactly you said to him last time, but he seems to think you've lost it. He also thinks that you have some kind of power over me. So he's concerned. And it's not like he doesn't have any reason to be. After all, neither of us can boast a perfect record," she raises her eyebrows in a making-a-point way. "I don't want to justify Milgasia's actions, but, well... he cares about Val. And, guess what, he is one of the three people in the world who do so."
And, more importantly, I promised to Val not to quarrel with him. Damn.
"Anyway, what's the point of telling the Princess?"
"She knows where I live."
I curse, using a Mazoku expression, but Lina's vivid blush tells me that she knows the meaning, so I needn't have bothered.
"So what, we are expecting guests?"
"Most likely, yes."
"You do realise Zelgadiss is the last person I want to see here?"
"No, I think that's Filia," she answers calmly. Oh yes, very funny.
"Come on, Xellos, you can't keep him locked up forever!"
"I just don't want these people to tell him what's wrong with me."
"I know, but he won't believe them."
"Why not?"
"Because he doesn't trust people easily."
"Ah," well, at least, some good may come from his misery.
I suddenly notice how close Lina is to me, how my whole body is warmed up by her presence.
"Did you really miss me?"
She snickers and kisses my shoulder.
"Yes. For a couple of years, I think."